Disclaimer: Same as usual
A/N: It's not very long, sorry about that.
And thanks to OD for reading it and finding some spelling mistakes!!!
**
LIKE A BAD DREAM 3
Fifteen minutes later they sat at his desk in the office, to mugs filled with steaming coffee in reach and Logan repeated what had happened that morning, seeing things clearer and less emotional now.
"But Manticore was destroyed. Renfro is dead, isn't she?"
"Yes."
"So who could have Zack now?" Bling tried to wrestle his index finger from Hope's tight grip and couldn't help but smile at the strong little girl sitting on his lap.
Logan shrugged, watching his daughter unconsciously. She looked so small in the arms of that bear of a man. "There were plenty of people involved in Manticore. We couldn't possibly have found them all."
"So it's possible some former Manticore employer might have something to do with it?"
Logan raised his eyebrows. "Might be." He drummed his pen against the desk in front of him until it fell to the floor. Bending over to retrieve it, he continued. "But it doesn't make sense…"
"What?"
Logan sat upright again, the pen now pressed against his lips. "Renfro knew about Max's connection to Seattle, if anybody from Manticore would want to use an X-5 for whatever sick reason, they could easily have come after Max." A shiver ran down his spine at that thought. "She is the only one who doesn't live a hidden life."
Bling scratched his bald head, then suddenly grinned. "So we need to check the files of those who left Manticore *before* Renfro got all that information. You still have old files, haven't you?"
"Sure."
"Then let's get started."
"It could take weeks to go through all files…"Logan thought about the tons of information he had stored away on one of his computers.
"We've got nothing to lose, right?"
Logan looked up, a small glimmer of hope and determination planted in his eyes. "No."
**
Max sat at the window of the rundown apartment where they had met Krit and Syl. She stared out at the rain. It's been three days since she had left Logan and Hope and nothing had been accomplished so far. Jondy and Krit had pleaded with her to stay and to avoid contacting Logan. They were soldiers on a mission after all and had to focus.
The rain reminded her of Seattle, a typical day for her home town. Cindy and Sketchy would keep complaining about the rain, Logan would lock himself up in his office and she would resist the urge to climb the Space Needle. As much as she loved the feeling of freedom and comfort its height offered, she hated getting soaked through a little bit more. After all, she had feline DNA.
She wondered how Logan was holding up, if Hope missed her. She was so deep in thoughts that she didn't notice Jondy leaning against the wall next to her. She watched Max thoughtfully for a minute. "You really love that guy, don't you?"
Max looked up. They had been there before. "Of course I do, more than anything else in my life."
"Listen, I have thought about this. Maybe you should really stay out of this. You have a baby who needs you. I'm sorry I asked and forced you to come in the first place. It wasn't fair."
Max shook her head. "It's been the right thing to do, and I'm gonna stay. I need to be here when my family needs me."
"Logan and Hope are your family, too."
"Yes, they are. But this doesn't mean I can dismiss you guys. And besides, I owe it to Zack. No, don't worry." Max smiled slightly. "I miss Logan and Hope terribly, but I am right where I need to be. This is who I am, I have learnt that I can't run from it." She stood up and embraced her sister.
"Okay."
"But I need to talk to Logan, I need to know that he and Hope are doing okay."
"It's risky. We don't know if we are being watched."
Max shook her head. "Do you seriously think someone could spy on four X-5s without any of them noticing? Not for three days." She let go of Jondy. "I'll go for a walk and look where I can find a phone."
**
Logan sat at his computer, weary. He'd worked for almost three days non-stop.
Original Cindy had taken Hope for a walk and now he could listen her shoving the trolley back into the apartment. He watched tiredly as she placed the baby in her playpen.
Giving him a smile she disappeared into the kitchen and returned to his office a minute later, carrying to mugs full of steaming coffee. "Getting anywhere?"
Logan gratefully accepted the hot drink and then watched Cindy lean against his desk. It reminded him of Max and he had to swallow. Trying to hide his momentary sadness he ran a hand through his tousled hair and then rested his chin in the palm of his left hand.
"It's slow going," he mumbled, absent-mindedly taking a sip.
He almost choked on his coffee and Cindy immediately was alarmed.
"What?"
"Give me a sec…" He hectically punched in orders and then leaned back, grinning widely. "I think I got something!"
TBC…
A/N: It's not very long, sorry about that.
And thanks to OD for reading it and finding some spelling mistakes!!!
**
LIKE A BAD DREAM 3
Fifteen minutes later they sat at his desk in the office, to mugs filled with steaming coffee in reach and Logan repeated what had happened that morning, seeing things clearer and less emotional now.
"But Manticore was destroyed. Renfro is dead, isn't she?"
"Yes."
"So who could have Zack now?" Bling tried to wrestle his index finger from Hope's tight grip and couldn't help but smile at the strong little girl sitting on his lap.
Logan shrugged, watching his daughter unconsciously. She looked so small in the arms of that bear of a man. "There were plenty of people involved in Manticore. We couldn't possibly have found them all."
"So it's possible some former Manticore employer might have something to do with it?"
Logan raised his eyebrows. "Might be." He drummed his pen against the desk in front of him until it fell to the floor. Bending over to retrieve it, he continued. "But it doesn't make sense…"
"What?"
Logan sat upright again, the pen now pressed against his lips. "Renfro knew about Max's connection to Seattle, if anybody from Manticore would want to use an X-5 for whatever sick reason, they could easily have come after Max." A shiver ran down his spine at that thought. "She is the only one who doesn't live a hidden life."
Bling scratched his bald head, then suddenly grinned. "So we need to check the files of those who left Manticore *before* Renfro got all that information. You still have old files, haven't you?"
"Sure."
"Then let's get started."
"It could take weeks to go through all files…"Logan thought about the tons of information he had stored away on one of his computers.
"We've got nothing to lose, right?"
Logan looked up, a small glimmer of hope and determination planted in his eyes. "No."
**
Max sat at the window of the rundown apartment where they had met Krit and Syl. She stared out at the rain. It's been three days since she had left Logan and Hope and nothing had been accomplished so far. Jondy and Krit had pleaded with her to stay and to avoid contacting Logan. They were soldiers on a mission after all and had to focus.
The rain reminded her of Seattle, a typical day for her home town. Cindy and Sketchy would keep complaining about the rain, Logan would lock himself up in his office and she would resist the urge to climb the Space Needle. As much as she loved the feeling of freedom and comfort its height offered, she hated getting soaked through a little bit more. After all, she had feline DNA.
She wondered how Logan was holding up, if Hope missed her. She was so deep in thoughts that she didn't notice Jondy leaning against the wall next to her. She watched Max thoughtfully for a minute. "You really love that guy, don't you?"
Max looked up. They had been there before. "Of course I do, more than anything else in my life."
"Listen, I have thought about this. Maybe you should really stay out of this. You have a baby who needs you. I'm sorry I asked and forced you to come in the first place. It wasn't fair."
Max shook her head. "It's been the right thing to do, and I'm gonna stay. I need to be here when my family needs me."
"Logan and Hope are your family, too."
"Yes, they are. But this doesn't mean I can dismiss you guys. And besides, I owe it to Zack. No, don't worry." Max smiled slightly. "I miss Logan and Hope terribly, but I am right where I need to be. This is who I am, I have learnt that I can't run from it." She stood up and embraced her sister.
"Okay."
"But I need to talk to Logan, I need to know that he and Hope are doing okay."
"It's risky. We don't know if we are being watched."
Max shook her head. "Do you seriously think someone could spy on four X-5s without any of them noticing? Not for three days." She let go of Jondy. "I'll go for a walk and look where I can find a phone."
**
Logan sat at his computer, weary. He'd worked for almost three days non-stop.
Original Cindy had taken Hope for a walk and now he could listen her shoving the trolley back into the apartment. He watched tiredly as she placed the baby in her playpen.
Giving him a smile she disappeared into the kitchen and returned to his office a minute later, carrying to mugs full of steaming coffee. "Getting anywhere?"
Logan gratefully accepted the hot drink and then watched Cindy lean against his desk. It reminded him of Max and he had to swallow. Trying to hide his momentary sadness he ran a hand through his tousled hair and then rested his chin in the palm of his left hand.
"It's slow going," he mumbled, absent-mindedly taking a sip.
He almost choked on his coffee and Cindy immediately was alarmed.
"What?"
"Give me a sec…" He hectically punched in orders and then leaned back, grinning widely. "I think I got something!"
TBC…