PART 4: Executing the Plan

PART 4: Executing the Plan

"Remember everything they taught us." Zack said standing in front of the others. "We'll be able to use that against them." He turned around and reached into the bag behind him, he pulled out a gun for each of them. When he went to hand on to Max she backed away from him, raising her hands. "What's wrong?"

Max had a far away look on her face as she remembered Eva getting shot because she was trying to protect her. "Sorry Zack, I don't do guns."

Zack looked shocked. "After everything we were taught, you won't take a gun."

"Just a rule,"

Zack turned to Angela, "And I suppose you don't want one either."

Angela smiled and shook her head. "I've never had a need for one. I get along great without it, so I'll manage."

Zack just shook his head and handed the extra guns to the others, "Alright before we go, are there anymore questions?" When no one spoke up he continued on, "Okay then, let's get the over with."

* * * * *

It took them about an hour to reach Manticore. It looked as it always had, dark and forbidding, Zack thought. This would not be a place he wanted to be for the rest of his life. He was glad that they were getting Brin out, even if she thought this was the right place for her. He was going to get her out. Zack made hand signals telling the others what to do, and they got inside with minimal worry.

The security doors were easy to get through, the codes Logan had given them were correct. They all crept down the corridors, knowing where to go so the cameras wouldn't see them. Brin's room was at the end of the corridor and another code was required to open her door. Zack typed it in and heard the lock click. He nodded to the others and entered before them.

Brin was fast asleep on her bed, not looking like anything seriously damaging had happened to her. At least on the surface, Zack thought. He waved the others in and Max took out a needle and filled it. She then injected it into Brin's arm, and you could visibly see her relax more.

"Sweet dreams." Max whispered.

Just then an alarm sounded and they all looked towards the door and down the hallway, it was empty for the moment but wouldn't be for long. Zack turned to the others. "Tinga. Krit, change of plans, you go with Max and help her with Brin. Let's go people."

They ran down the hallway and split off in different directions. Angela was following Zack, realising that he was taking a risk in being with her, because he had to keep at her speed, not go as fast as he was able. They turned a corner to see two soldiers with guns running towards them. Without breaking his stride, Zack shot both of them and continued running, opening a door that led out into the open.

They had obviously come out the backdoor of Manticore, trees surrounded them. Zack ran into the forest, avoiding gunfire and Angela followed, doing the same. Zack stumbled once but continued on. Angela just figured he tripped over something. She heard the sound of footsteps running behind her but she ignored it, putting all of her energy into getting out of there. So Angela followed Zack, trusting him to the fullest because he had done this before and knew where he was going. The footsteps behind them seemed to be getting closer, or maybe I'm just hearing things, Angela thought to herself.

She was so caught up in her own thoughts that she almost missed seeing Zack turn suddenly and go behind some bushes. She followed him and noticed that it was a cave. Angela was breathing heavily as she heard the footsteps stop outside the cave and Zack put him hand over her mouth to quieten her, the footsteps moved on and she relaxed more, that was when she noticed something slippery on her hands. She looked down to see her hands covered in blood and had flashback of seeing Zack stumble. She sun around and looked him in the eyes, her's frantic with worry. "You're shot! Where?"

"It's nothing," Zack grimaced. "Just a scratch."

"How many times do you hear that, when the person's really bleeding to death. Take off you're shirt." Angela demanded.

"I didn't think we were ready for that, but hey if it's what you want." Zack said trying to make light if the situation, but he took off his shirt anyway.

"Very funny," Angela remarked checking the wound on his side. "You're lucky, the bullets not in you, but you lost a chunk of flesh. It's not a pretty site."

"That's making me feel heaps better Angela." Zack winced every time she poked his wound. "You know that hurts?"

"Really? Well we're not going anywhere for a little while, so why don't you get some rest. We should be relatively safe here."

"No," Zack said trying to get up but was unsuccessful. "We need to keep moving, get away from here as fast as possible."

"No," Angela said firmly, pushing him down on his back. "You need to rest Zack, you wouldn't last 10 minutes out there, you're too weak. Rest and we'll move on in the morning. Go to sleep or I'll knock you out to get you to sleep."

"I'll stay up for a little while longer." Zack said but his eyelids are already drooping.

Angela smiled at him, it seemed that he was always looking after other people, but no one looked after him. As he slept Angela looked around the cave they were in. It seemed like it was man-made, with the way the walls were perfectly flat, there were natural outcrops to form seats. But Angela knew that no man could ever make anything like this. Ever.

Angela felt her own eyelids drooping. She hadn't slept well the night before and all the running had taken a lot out of her. She tried, she really tried to stay awake for as long as she could, but it wasn't too long before she lay down next to Zack and went to sleep.

* * * * *

Angela didn't know how long she had slept for, but it couldn't have been long because she felt awful and something was poking her in the back. She tried to pat it away but a voice hissed at her, "Don't move!"

Angela froze and guilt came upon her fast. Because she had fallen asleep she hadn't seen the man enter the cave. She slowly turned so she could see the man holding the gun on her. "I said don't move! I know what your kinds like. Tricky, but you won't trick me."

Angela could tell that this guy was really wired; because he had found them he thought he was in control. Well, he wasn't and Angela was going to prove it. She slowly got to her feet, kept her hands raised so he could see that she wasn't going to try anything. "I won't do anything tricky. So you found us, you must be proud of yourself."

The guy licked his lips, practically bouncing from one foot to the other. "Yeah I found two X-5's. When Lydecker gets here he'll take you two and probably give me a promotion. I found you first not anybody else." He reached for the radio at his belt, intending to tell the others where they were.

"Wait!" Angela cried, the guys head snapped up and he trained his gun on her more. "I think there's something you should know about me before you decide to take us back to Manticore."

"And what is that?"

Angela's eyes grew cold and she lowered her arms. "I'm not an X-5." She threw one of her hands out and the guy was thrown back by an unseen force, into the wall. Angela heard something snap and went over to him. His neck was broken. She quickly went to check on Zack, deciding he would sleep for a few more hours, and went back to the body. She couldn't drag it out of there because that would leave marks. She went outside to look around, seeing that the coast was clear she went back to the body and lifted it with her mind. She carried it outside the cave and when she was about 50 feet away she hurled it about another 200 feet away. Angela stumbled back to the cave exhausted. She hadn't used her power in such a long time, that now it was a trial to use. She sat down on the floor, now determined to stay awake until Zack was ready to go.

* * * * *

Zack woke up about two hours later and did look better. He looked over to where Angela was sitting against the wall and got up to go over to her. He had thought that she was asleep but she was just staring at the entrance to the cave. "Come on, we have to go now." He moved a bit stiffly to the cave entrance. His wound still hurt, but one advantage to being a X05 was that they healed rapidly.

Angela got up and followed Zack without a word. They moved through the forest quietly, hiding when they heard the Manticore soldiers, and changing directions when they saw them. Because of this slow process it took them three hour just to get to civilised area and another hour to get back to Logan's.

"What took you so long?" Max demanded as they walked through the door. She had been worried sick about them after all but them had arrived at Logan's. She had been about to go out and get them herself, but Jondy stopped her.

"We had to stop for a little while," Angela said moving towards one of the guest bedrooms. "Zack was hurt, you should take care of it. I'm going for a shower."

Max looked after her strangely then said to the others. "Look after Zack, I need to talk to Angela." She walked into the bedroom to see Angela lying on the bed with her eyes closed. "What happened?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle." Angela said without opening her eyes.

Max's eyes widened in comprehension. "You used your powers? How many times have I told you not to do that? It's dangerous. Do you even know how many people saw you?"

Angela came off the bed fast, and stood right in front of Max. Because they were the same height they were eye-to-eye. "I didn't have a choice. We were in a cave and had both fallen asleep, when I woke up something was poking me in the back. It was a gun. I reacted and threw the guy across the room, it broke his neck. There was no one else there to see it."

"What did you do with the body?" Max asked.

"I took it out and threw it about 200 feet away. And before you ask, I checked before I did it, don't worry."

Max nodded approvingly. "Well I'll let you get back to your shower or whatever."

"Thanx," Angela said falling back on the bed, and falling asleep almost immediately.

"Is she alright?" Logan asked as Max came out of the bedroom, closing the door softy behind her.

"I think so, she's just tired." Max said walking back into the other room and walking up to Zack. "What happened out there?"

Zack winced as Syl poked a tender spot on his wound. "We were running, dodging bullets, I didn't dodge one quick enough. I was getting weak and wouldn't have made it back without them finding us. I remembered a cave I hid in after the first escape, so we went there. I passed out not too long afterward and when I woke up Angela was different, she seemed quieter."

"So you didn't see what happened?" Max demanded of him.

Zack looked at her inquiringly. "No, why? What happened?" He was the one demanding now. "What happened Max? Why is she different?"

"Don't worry Zack, it's nothing she can't handle." Max said. "Do you want to see Brin?"

"In a minute." He said getting up off the table. "I'm just going to check on Angela. See if she's alright."

The others looked after him strangely. "That's a bit weird." Jondy commented. "He's never done that before."

Max smiled. "Angela has that affect on people."

Zack walked into the room where Angela was. She was lying peacefully on the bed with her hair spread like a fan across the pillow. "What have you done to make Max so worried about you?" He said softly stroking her cheek. She unconsciously turned her face into his hand and murmured something he couldn't make out. "And to make me worry. But I'll find out soon." He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead, and walked out of the room to see Brin. "How is she?" He asked Max as he walked into yet another guest room.

They had tied Brin to the bed, so she couldn't get away. "She should be waking up soon, the stuff we gave her was really strong." Max responded.

As if she had heard her words, Brin began to stir, and she opened her eyes. As soon as she realised where she was, she began to thrash around on the bed, trying to get loose.

"It's no use Brin," Max said softly. "You can't get free, and we're not going to let you until we have you back."

"Back to what?" Brin hissed. "Back to being weak? Having to run all the time? No thankyou, I like the way I am."

"But that's not you!" Tinga cried. "Think Brin! This isn't you, they made you this way. Made you think this is what you always were. But you aren't like this. You never were. Remember when you used to tell us what you were going to do when you got out of Manticore? You were going to write books, a job where no one would be able to know who you really were, because they would never have to see you. Don't you remember that?"

Brin's eyes flickered for a moment and they all saw the Brin they used to know, then they went back to the way they were before. "No! You guys are the one's that don't understand. Manticore restored me to what I am, a solider, I'm happy this way. You guys would be too; we can go back there all together. I'll be like old times."

"Nothing'll be like old times, Brin." Max said. "Manticore is a prison, you know that, all we have to do is remind you of it. You were brainwashed, they made you believe all the stuff that's going on in you head, but we'll help you through it."

"There's nothing for me to get through." Brin commented.

"That's what you think." Max said. "Let's leave her some time to think."

"Do you think we'll be able to get her back?" Syl asked, worried for her friend.

"I think so, she just needs time." Max said. "I think we all need some rest. It's been a long day. I'll stay up with Brin for now, and get someone in a while."

"Are you sure?" Zack asked. "I can take the first watch if you want."

"I'll be fine Zack, you get some rest on a bed. You look like you need it."

"Thanx." Zack grunted following his brothers and sisters.

"No problem," Max grinned, then went to watch Brin.

* * * * *

Angela woke up to a quiet house. Everyone's probably fallen asleep, she thought. Her mouth was dry and felt like she had slept with a piece of cotton in it. As she walked to the kitchen she saw one of the lights to the bedrooms on, she walked in to see Brin and Max in the middle of a staring competition. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything." She commented dryly.

"You're not," Max said. "But can you watch her till morning?" For like the third time in my life I'm tired. I figure I can catch a few z's before dawn."

"Sure, no problem. Anything I should look out for?"

Max shook her head. "The ties are secure, but if you think you need any help, just call one of us, we'll be here for you. Goodnight."

"Night," Angela said smiling after Max. She sat in the chair Max had just vacated and looked at the X-5 across from her. "So how do you like it so far?"

"Look if you let me out of here, I'll make sure you're set up, you know nice house, car, money, wouldn't you like that?" Brin said her eyes sincere.

"I already have that. Or something close to it. Look around you." Angela said waving to the atmosphere they were in. "I have everything I need."

"Do you?" Brin asked her eyes narrowing. "This isn't yours, it's Max's boyfriends. What happens when they don't want you anymore?"

"Don't even try that shit on me, Brin. I know what you're doing, what you've been taught. It's not going to work so you may as well shut up."

Brin sighed and relaxed more on the bed, she wasn't going to get anywhere with her, so she decided to go for a bit of information instead. "So what's your name, I mean, you know mine, I feel at a distinct disadvantage here not knowing yours."

"Angela,"

"Angela, nice name. So how did you get yourself mixed up with my brothers and sisters?"

"You could say I fell into it." Angela said smiling. "But enough about me, how are you feeling? Remembering anything important?"

"God, you're on about this thing too? I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Yes you do. You feel it inside of you; it's like a hole that can't be filled. Answers that'll never get answered. You know why that is? Because you're denying who you are. You can remember everything, but when you want to call upon a memory, it's not there. You don't know why, but you don't question it. Now do you think I know what I'm talking about?"

Brin looked at her shocked, that was exactly was she was feeling like. "How do you know that? How can you know that?"

Angela shrugged. "I just do. Now we can help you make that go away. Bring you back to what you really are, isn't that what you want?"

Brin was thinking, or at least she was trying to, her mind felt like it was on fire, so many different things were going on, and it was hurting so much. "I don't know what to do. Everything's so confusing at the moment. It's all so jumbled up, I don't know what's right and what's wrong."

Angela smiled sympathetically at her. "I know, but everything'll be okay soon. Besides, you seem like a pretty cool chick, and at the moment I need someone like that around."

Brin laughed. "I know, they can be like that sometimes. I remember one time-" she stopped and her eyes widened.

Angela laughed too, "It looks like your real memory's coming back. Why don't you tell me more about you X-5's?"

So Brin did, they talked the whole night about her and the other X-5's, about all the things she remembered, and most of all what Manticore is up to at the moment. Oh, and about Zack.