A/N: Thank you so much Infie!!!

Tough Call

Nicole

Biggs looked up and smiled at the lizard guy. He had had to use the signals Alec had given him to be able to get in. Security was much tighter around the place now. Damn, he had missed working with transgenics the few months he'd been on the outside. Everything was so much simpler. Just a few hours, and everything was functioning as it should. Of course… the outside world had its advantages as well, he thought, smiling at some private memories.

He glanced at Ralph, who was looking around in fascination. The room was filled with transhumans moving from one side of the room to the other. She squeaked with delight as she spotted Joshua coming into the room and ran to greet him.

He and Alec had decided to bring her here, since she probably would be better off than left at OC's apartment alone all day as the human went to work. And by the looks of the scene he had witnessed previously at the bar, all night as well, Biggs chuckled to himself.

They had left Ray with his aunt. Despite what Biggs had said to scare the woman into opening the door, they were perfectly safe there. Logan had done a pretty god job, he had hidden all traces of them. Well… almost, he smirked. Setting up that account the day after Ray had disappeared had been a little glitch. But it had been well hidden. It had taken Biggs a few hours the night before –and a stroke of inspiration, added to the always necessary quota of luck- to find the link. And he had destroyed it. Logan's computer was no more. The brilliance of the plan had been that Logan hadn't really known where they were. He had booked them on a plane – under false names of course- but he had sent someone else in their place. He had arranged for some of his E.O. contacts to drive different people to diverse locations, so that not even he knew where they were. Biggs had to hand it to the human. It was not bad at all. So now only Biggs and Ralph knew where they were. And it wasn't likely anyone would bother asking them. Why should they?

He spoke a few words with Mole, leaving him in charge of the young X6 and then left to go back to the bar.


The sounds of the crowd in the other parts of the bar receded to a drone as each of them zoned in on the others. Max was staring disbelievingly at Nicole, but the other X5's eyes were still fixed on Alec's. The male transgenic narrowed his eyes as he asked:

"And what makes you think we'll believe you now?"

She answered levelly. "You've already tried to find out what the message is. Most likely have the gist of it by now. All you want from me is confirmation."

Alec couldn't repress a slight smirk. She was good. "Fine, tell me what it says."

"When the shroud of death covers the face of the earth, the one whose power is hidden will deliver the helpless." She recited, as if by heart. "And then it goes on to describe some alignment of planets and phase of the moon."

"Shit." Alec mumbled. He then looked at Max, nodding. "It's pretty much what I got out of what Biggs, Logan and Dix came up with." He turned back to Nicole. "Okay, so… wanna tell us how you came to be in possession of this information?"

"Dr. Sandeman told me."

"You know Dr. Sandeman? You've seen him?" Max asked, wide eyed. "So he was the one that put this in me… Where is he?"

"That's a good question," Alec cut in. "Why isn't he here yet? You said you had to find her. As I recall, finding in Manticore equaled informing base."

"She had no time. I was with her all day." Max supplied.

"If I had wanted to, I would have." Gray eyes looked gravely into brown. "I was alone plenty of the times we got back to Jam Pony. As was I when you left me by the bikes to make the deliveries." She turned back to Alec, quickly dismissing her. "What I said was that I was supposed to find her."

Alec puckered his lips for a second, his brow still furrowed. "True. But I distinctly remember you saying you came looking for her, without the 'supposed'."

"I did. I knew she was in contact with other transgenics."

Alec shook his head. "Okay, that's it," he stated, raising his hands, "why don't we start at the beginning?"


"I was assigned to him shortly before the '09 escape. Director Renfro had noticed I excelled in the S&P lessons. I was sent to make sure this former Manticore doctor didn't escape, but also to protect him, as he was of extreme importance to the program. I was told he had tried to escape, and that he usually convinced the guards sent to him into helping him. I was ordered not to socialize with him. Probably one of the reasons they chose me. I never mixed with others. Not even the other soldiers that I quartered with." She ignored Biggs' 'you don't say'. 511 had arrived at the bar just as she was about to begin her explanations, so they had all left and were now talking in a nearby empty warehouse. "I was taken to an old manor near Salem, and I spent the rest of my years there. It was just the doctor and I, and a dozen guards. They continued my lessons there."

"Geez, nothing like personalized education…" Biggs whistled. "You must have learnt a lot faster than the rest of us."

"I did." She answered curtly. "The times I was left alone with Sandeman, he would talk endlessly. He told me stories about this old breeding cult, he told me all its history, how it worked. I never gave any indication that I was listening, but he continued to tell me anyway. He told me these people were trying to wipe all humanity out of the face of the earth. But that I shouldn't worry. That he had made us so we would all survive."

"That's why I didn't get sick." Max whispered, looking down, and then into Alec's eyes. He just nodded, touching her hand slightly with his own, before he turned back to the gray haired X5.

"As the years went by, he taught me the language, ancient Minoan. It was interesting. He told me all there was to know about the cult."

"And how come he knew so much?" Max asked, unconsciously seeking Alec's hand as it left hers.

"He was a part of it." Alec stated, leaning back and closing his eyes, his left hand going to rub the back of his neck. He didn't need to look to know that his friend Biggs was arriving at the same conclusion, or that Nicole was nodding.

"He told me he left it."

"Why?"

"He had two sons. The older one passed this test they have to know if they are fitting to belong to the cult. But he knew the youngest one wouldn't. He had studied the boy's genetics. So he left them and founded Manticore. The government had this project, and he thought he would be able to perfect a way to fight the cult. He made us so we would survive. But then the government threw him out. He was too dangerous. They ordered his death, but Renfro – who had also belonged to the cult, put him in the safe house. He had managed to place her at Manticore shortly before that. She remained his link with the place."

"So that's why she told me to find him." Max shook her head. "But why didn't she say so before?"

"When he found out they were going to move on him, Dr. Sandeman destroyed all the files. She didn't know about your DNA. They almost never communicated, for safety reasons."

"Okay, hold up a minute." Alec interrupted her. "This is all very nice, but how are we supposed to buy all this? I can't believe you did." He said looking at Nicole with raised eyebrows.

"I didn't, actually." She answered, her glance holding his.


"Okay, can you be any more cryptic?" Biggs tried to break the silence that followed Nicole's words.

Max was looking terribly frustrated, and Alec was deep in thought, his eyes never leaving the so-called bodyguard.

"I'm just telling you what he told me. He did so over the course of the years, and as I said, I never pretended to listen. That is, until Manticore was burnt down by you. I heard a phone call made by Renfro just hours before. She said..-"

"Hold it." Alec raised his hand. "How?"

"Part of the lessons they also continued were my computer ones. It was their only mistake. I had a computer and plenty of free time. Guarding an old man is not very demanding. I pretty soon learnt to hack, I first tapped all the lines in the house, then I hacked into all of Manticore systems." When Alec and Biggs raised their eyebrows, she shrugged. "I was bored. It was the only way to stay in touch with the rest of the others like me."

"So you knew like... what?" Biggs asked, curious.

"Everything." She answered. "I was able to follow everything that was computerized there. I had access to every file. I could see the feed of the cameras. I knew everything."

"And why the hell didn't you do anything about it?" Max suddenly shouted. "You could have crashed their system! You could have set everyone free!"

"And why would I want to do that?" Nicole asked. Max snorted and looked at the other two looking for support, but they just raised their shoulders.

"Not everyone felt like you, Max." Alec said, quietly. "It was our life, we were soldiers. I know it's hard for you to understand, but it was all we knew." He turned to look at Nicole again. "Everything, huh?"

"That's how I knew you." Nicole admitted, looking at Alec. "They liked to… record… the sessions."

Max watched Alec's eyes become darker, colder. For a second she thought he was going to leave them again, he would retreat to that place inside him. But he took a deep breath and motioned for the other woman to continue.

"She said she had found the one they were looking for." Nicole continued. "And then, the facility was destroyed. And I lost all contact. I decided to stick around, it had been my last assignment after all. The old man started to get more anxious, saying the time was coming, that we had to get her. I pretended to go along, I thought it was the easiest way to get in touch with others like me, even if it was with one of the escapees." The disdain in her voice didn't escape Max, but she remained silent. "We also started to try to get in touch with every transgenic we got word of. We found two of them, one in the city, one in the woods. And then we found the X6. The one you call Ralph."

"Ralph didn't recognize you." Biggs said.

"She never saw me." Was the reply. "I saw a girl, and I went around her, so that I would get a clear shot and her ignorance of my presence at my side, if it came to it." The others nodded. Made perfect sense. Why would she let herself be seen? "She told him her story, and so I took one of the X6s with me and we went to the coordinates she had mentioned. We found nothing." She added, her eyes becoming colder for a second. "Nothing but blood." Max had to fight back the tears. Alec had told her earlier, during their lunch break at Jam Pony what Ralph had told him. Again, Alec's hand went to rest lightly on top of hers. "When I got back, she was no longer there. The Dr. had sent her so she could find you. He told me about you as well." She said looking at Biggs. "The exposition, he knew a necklace had been stolen. We knew it had to be an X5. But he thought some others could show up, so he went there every day after the robbery. He saw you. And he saw the guys you were spying on. He knew you'd come back to Seattle to warn him. It is the way we were trained. So he arranged it so you would find Ralph. Time was of the essence, he wanted to make sure she got here fast and safe. But she never called back after the first time. So when I got back there, I decided to come here by my self. Saying I was coming to get you," she looked at Max.

"But you never intended to." Alec finished for her. "You just wanted to find the rest of us." She assented with a movement of her head.

"But what if what he told you was true?" Max protested.

"So half of humanity disappears." She answered, unruffled. "None of my business."


Dr. Sandeman was tapping his cane impatiently. Why hadn't she called? She had said she'd found the X5, and he was obviously in touch with the girl Ralph. Maybe they still hadn't found her. Maybe the X6 had not remembered the numbers correctly? He snorted at himself. She was trained for such things. She wouldn't get it wrong. But the owner of the vehicle could have moved, or anything alike. He sighed frustrated. He knew Nicole would eventually find her. She was too much a professional. But time was of the essence. It had taken him years to convince Nicole what he was saying was the truth. He had much less time to convince Max. What if she refused to believe him, if she refused to cooperate? All the work would go down the drain, so much studying and testing for nothing! So much depended on her.

But he refused to believe that. Everything would work out.

It had to.


"None of your business? None of your business?!?" Max's voice grew louder as she repeated her question. Biggs, who had not reacted at Nicole's words, flinched a little and squirmed in his seat uncomfortably. Okay, so maybe some humans were not as bad, but he had actually seen no fault in his fellow X5's reasoning. But seeing Max's reaction, he could see she did not share his views. He was glad he had remained silent. He and Max were not exactly best buddies. This was the first time he had actually been in front of her since the previous day. Except for a few minutes that morning, and she had been too busy with Ralph and then being mad at Alec to really see him. He was happy to keep it that way for the time being. No need to put the mother of his child against himself any more than she was already.

As usual, it was Alec who calmed things down.

"Even if you don't consider humans to be any of your business, what about us? You don't know for sure we are immune, all you have is his word." He reasoned.

"Yes. But 452 said..-"

"My name is Max!"

".. she didn't get sick a few minutes ago." Nicole continued paying no attention to Max's interruption. "I assume she meant she was exposed and was immune."

"Yeah. Could be…" Alec ran a hand through his hair, cranking his neck.

Biggs watched Max's eyes harden as she looked at Alec. He was puzzled for a moment, but as she spoke, he understood. "All right, pretty boy, time for your beauty sleep." She raised her hand as he was about to protest. "Oh, no, you smart-ass, no retorts. You didn't sleep at all last night, I doubt you slept more than two hours the night before, and who knows before that. Weak boy like you needs to regain his strength." She said mockingly. She had recognized the signs of his tiredness. She was worried about him. And she was trying to look tough and don't let Alec see that. She suddenly turned to look at him. "You, make sure she doesn't go anywhere or talk to anyone." She ordered. "Come on, see? Your buddy is going to keep an eye on our friend Nicole."

Alec stared for a second at Max, before smirking "You just can't wait to take me home, can you?"

She tsked. "In the shape you're in, I could totally kick your ass. I mean I have done it before…" She raised her eyebrow.

"Well, kicking, slapping, groping, squeezing… whatever works for you, babe." He drawled. "Personally, I'd rather ..-" He was stopped by a swift punch to his stomach. He doubled over and grabbed his side, his face a mask of pain.

Max's eyes widened. "Your rib! I'm so sorry, I totally forgot!" She placed her arm around his waist to help him. "Are you all right? Can I do anything?"

"How about a kiss to make it better?" Alec whispered, his head still down.

"What?"

"Gotcha!" a cocky smirk replaced the pained expression on his face and there was a twinkle in his eyes as he looked back up.

"You… you… moron!" She managed before she walked to the door without even glancing at any of them.

Alec chuckled and went after her. As he reached the door however, he turned around and nodded at Biggs.

Biggs nodded back, acknowledging the confirmation of the order.

After Alec stepped out, he turned to look at the girl who had remained serious through all the antics.

"Say, Nicole… how do you feel about pizza?"


Biggs and Nicole were walking side by side. He had ditched the car some fifteen blocks away from Crash. They hadn't exchanged any words since they left the bar. Biggs was busy watching the streets for any sign of trouble – Seattle was getting more and more agitated each day - while keeping an eye on her.

"Where are we going?" Nicole suddenly said, making Biggs nearly jump.

"I am shocked! I am worthy of the waste of your breath?" He said, putting a hand to his heart. She just kept walking. "Okay, sorry," He smiled apologetically, even when his eyes were saying differently. "My apartment. Why?"

"I like knowing what to expect."

"Oh, yeah…the whole Security and Protection…" He mocked.

"It's what I do."

"Funny, isn't it?" Biggs said.

"Yes." She answered, surprising Biggs once again. Gray eyes looked at him coldly. "You did not think I would appreciate the irony of you being my bodyguard now?" Nothing in her blank expression or her voice suggested otherwise, yet he could have sworn she was laughing at his expense.

He shook his head. "You could have avoided this, you know? If you had just expressed yourself in a… different way."

"I know."

"You do, huh? And why didn't you? Oh wait, let me guess … you couldn't wait to get me all to yourself." He said sarcastically.

"This way, I made the not trusting me easier." She said simply.

"Honey, I hate to burst your bubble, but we still wouldn't have taken your word on this."

She turned to look at him. "Not the two of you." She said matter-of-factly. "Plus, you would have had to resort to more subtle means to keep track of me. Thought I'd save you the trouble."

Biggs remained standing there, staring at her back. He had suddenly got an image of him and Alec trying to restrain a furious Max, determined to go find the good old doctor for some answers.

He shook his head once again and trotted to catch up to her again.


"Everything is set." White whispered into his cellular phone. "Yes, it was a positive identification. We are ready to move as soon as she gives us the sign." He paused to listen and a muscle started twitching in his jaw. "I will not fail this time." He said, trying his best to keep his voice leveled. "Fenos'tol."