A/N: well.. I just couldn't resist. Ever since I wrote '... and Turns' (Chapter 22 and the last of TC) the idea of 'what if' never left my mind. I mean, I did like that ending, but...
Hope you guys don't hate it. But even if you do... I couldn't help it.
A/N2: Infie: thank you so very much! We both know even if I was thinking about this, it was only your insisting that made me decide to write it. So thanks.
Tough Call
Turnabout... or Fairplay?
X5-882 watched the doctors carefully, making sure no one tried to pull any tricks. They had all expressed their happiness that the vaccine had arrived, but he didn't want to take any chances. He'd been warned there could be Familiars trying to sabotage their plans.
He had been on a mission inside the US main Military forces when Manticore had been torched. Gathering some intel. Manticore didn't trust the people in Washington to provide them with the real deal, so they had sent soldiers to infiltrate all of the branches of the armed forces as soon as they were old enough to pass for 18 year olds. 882 – or Mikey as he was called on the outside – had been in the ranks for over 7 years now. The silver leaf on his shoulder straps identified him as a Lieutenant Colonel, and he really enjoyed it. So he had stayed.
When he had seen the Eyes Only broadcast he'd contacted the transgenics behind the message and then arranged for transportation. All of a sudden, a flight to China to re-deploy some units had been imperative, as well as a couple more planes to other locations around the world. Of course, since he was on an Army mission, he was able to carry all the weaponry he wanted. He was after all, expected to.
He was hoping it wouldn't come to fighting, though. His eyes were continuously shifting from one Asian to the other, making sure none of them were doing something they shouldn't.
Everyone needed to take this vaccine.
Dr. Sandeman took a couple of seconds to bask in the palpable silence that followed his statement.
First he looked at the transgenics in front of him. He did not want to miss their reactions. Their Manticore instructors would have been so proud of them. Twenty Nine faces had simultaneously turned blank. Completely. As surprised as they must be, it was completely impossible to tell from their faces; except that the stillness itself told him lots.
After that, he took a look at the Familiars in black behind him. They were also sporting guarded faces, but the surprise was still apparent in their eyes.
He left the robed leaders for the last. The man, Fen'el'Kahn, was frowning at him. The kid was glaring a very psycho like stare, it was the same expression he'd had since he'd arrived, but instead of centering it at Max, it was now divided between the female x5 and Sandeman himself.
Ximena's eyes, on the other hand, were beginning to gleam. Yes, of all the 'next generation' of leaders, she'd always been the smartest. She might not have approved of his plans had she known them in advance, but she definitely appreciated them now. She remained calm, however. A High Priestess never lost her temper or raised her voice. He smiled. He'd always liked Ximena.
"Explain yourself." Kent demanded coldly.
Sandeman shook his head. "David, David, David..." he said, using his 'human' name only because he knew the other man would hate it - the Familiar name stated his position as a leader of the cult, whereas 'David' stated... nothing. "What is there to explain? Even these kids," he waved in the direction of the silent transgenics, "understand what I did."
A vein started to tick in Kent's jaw, but he asked in an even voice. "Are you telling me these... beasts... aided you in contaminating the entire planet?"
"Well, they did." Sandeman smiled, "They just didn't know it. They were under the impression they were saving humanity."
"So you were responsible for the outbreak in Atlanta." The Priestess stated. Sandeman smiled smugly. "We were wondering about that. Exactly what purpose did that serve?"
Sandeman looked at Alec and raised an eyebrow, the invitation evident in his eyes.
"It was a media drive and a test to secure our trust." Alec answered flatly. "He knew we would suspect him. He also knew we would have started working on the vaccine by then. So he creates a small outbreak. People panic. All the media arrives. We have the vaccine so we take it there, or actually he does, so he gets all the credit and makes sure you guys know who is responsible for this. They try the cure and it works. People start realizing this doctor is cool, the media gets wind of this, people start seeking this vaccine, our minds are put at ease. When the real thing -the one you guys orchestrated- comes along, the vaccine that he prepared, is ready to be sent out. And he has an army of highly trained, genetically enhanced soldiers to make sure it gets to everyone, whatever it takes."
Benjamin nodded, smiling. These kids were so good. It really was a shame they would all have to die.
"If you are so highly trained, so very superior and intelligent, how could you have been fooled like that?" David asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Easily. He never lied to us." Max answered, still completely expressionless, but for the same slight light of understanding that matched the one in Alec's eyes, and the slight trace of bitterness she was unable to hide.
"He knew we would be able to tell if he was lying, so he didn't." Alec finished.
Sandeman smiled blandly at him. "I wouldn't have dreamed of insulting your intelligence by lying. After all, *I* created you, I know what you are capable of."
"You've always been so full of yourself, Benjamin." David said, looking at him with disdain. "You always thought you were smarter than us, but you left a tiny little detail out," he raised an eyebrow.
"What's that?"
"Atlanta. All those people in Atlanta have received the cure, the one these creatures made. They will not take this other vaccine. They will all survive."
Sandeman grinned. "They are irrelevant, David."
"Irrelevant?" The tall Familiar repeated.
Instead of answering, Sandeman turned to look at Max and Alec. Alec's left eyebrow was slightly furrowed, indicating that he was thinking more than likely. It went back to its initial position. Sandeman's grin got bigger. "See, David? He already knows. Care to do the honors?" He asked Alec with a grand inclination of his head. He never stopped to think that if he hadn't wanted to, he would never have been able to see Alec apparently thinking and then reaching a conclusion. As subtle as it had been, Alec could have been able to do it without showing anything. But that never crossed the doctor's mind. Or Max's, for that matter.
"They are irrelevant, because they are only a couple of million people, all isolated in one area. They'll be confused and terrified. And they are weaker than you." Alec recited. "And even when they stop being scared and decide to fight for their lives - that is, if you haven't killed them by then -, who will they fight against?"
"Us. It'll be against us." Max spat out. "The vaccine was made out of transgenic blood, by transgenics. So they'll fight us. And it doesn't matter who wins. There'll be casualties on both sides, and which ever side loses, will be one less problem for you guys to worry about."
"Brilliant, is it not?" Sandeman asked.
"Very well thought out, I would say." Alec conceded with a nod.
"Yeah, yeah, you are a genius, whatever." Biggs inserted dismissively.
"I'd like to think so." He answered. He tried to take the self-righteousness from his voice, but wasn't sure he had managed. "Did you kids by any chance take the vaccine?" A brief shake of the head was all the answer he got. "Oh, well, was worth a shot. It kicks in about three or four days after receiving the dose – I didn't want people to panic and stop taking the vaccine, after all."
"Of course." Nicole spoke for the first time since he'd arrived.
Sandeman smiled at her. "You've been wonderful, dear. I couldn't have asked for anyone better to have on my side all these years and to carry along all my messages."
-------------------
Anita looked at her side of the street, which was busier then ever. With an endless line of people that went on for as far as the eye could see.
Anita sighed and looked down at the tiny little tanned hand pulling from her calf-length skirt. "Mami, me va a dolé'?"
"No, bebé, es sólo como un mosquito. Pero ya verás como te pones bien apenitas la recibas, ¿si?" Anita reassured her little boy that it wasn't going to hurt, and that this vaccine would make him all right.
Anita looked back up at the streets of Asunción, Paraguay and sighed again.
Across the world, inside a spotlessly clean hospital waiting room in Frankfurt, Ulf Schmidt was glancing at his clock again. Such an inconvenience...
"Bitte, setzen Sie sich, wir werden balde ihnen bei Namen rufen." The nurse said again. And sure enough, someone else kept calling out names, just as she said they would. But there were over 500 people around, just in this waiting room.
He sighed once more and went back to his laptop just as the anchorwoman announced that there was more on the Familiar Virus. Great, the speech again, Ulf thought with a shake of his head. He ignored the screen and tried to focus on his work.
-------------------
After hearing the doctor's last words Nicole remained impassive as usual and listened on. "Thank you, doctor," she said finally, noticing he was waiting for a reply, "was just doing my job."
"Indeed you were." He chuckled. "You never change, huh? Always the perfect soldier." He said in a patronizing voice. It made her wonder for a few moments if some sarcasm had slipped into her voice. The absurdity of the thought made her dismiss it instantaneously.
"It's what I am, sir." She just answered.
She watched Sandeman hesitate for a second. She knew what he was thinking, how much to reveal. Leaving the doubt hanging would be the wisest choice. But she knew he wouldn't. He had been waiting for this moment for many years and he needed to be the star of the show. It was okay by her. It would not matter one way or the other. Not anymore.
"I guess you want to know if she was aware of my plan, huh?" Sandeman asked smiling. Nicole placed a mental check in her mind. Humans.
Max seemed to decide this was the perfect time for her sassy self to return. "Not really." She said, one hand on her hips. Nicole had to hand it to her. She had to be furious and pretty desperate, but she wasn't letting anything on.
Sandeman chuckled. "Well, she wasn't." He said, "She was told the same carefully selected truths all along. Bits and pieces here and there. I knew she'd put them all together once she met you, even when she didn't entirely believe me back then." He paused to look at Nicole, "And she did not disappoint me."
"That was what I was trained to do." Nicole replied evenly.
"Yes, dear, I know. So don't feel bad, any of you. I knew exactly what buttons to push." He said, that patronizing voice again.
"All of this is cool and all, but now what?" Biggs suddenly exclaimed from behind the bulletproof door of his truck. "Can we start the shootout to see how many of each other we can kill?" he asked cheekily.
"As we all said before, what good would that do?"
"Well... we'd get to see all your ugly mugs disappear..." Mole countered.
"Truth, but as you know, most of you will probably survive. Would you seriously jeopardize the chance of having a more organized attack on Familiar forces in the future?"
"There'd be a few less priests...?" Biggs offered halfheartedly, vaguely aiming his shotgun at the robed figures.
"And what good will three less priests do? There are many others." Ximena said evenly.
Nicole watched Alec's crooked smirk and left eyebrow as he whispered, "Are there?"
"Ah! So you've taken care of them, huh?" Sandeman asked, unable to hide the pleasure in his voice.
"That was why the location of the main ceremony casually slipped out, wasn't it?" Alec challenged.
"Of course, of course." Sandeman conceded.
David's eyes opened wide. They looked like saucers. "You revealed the location of the ... ?"
"It will do the world good to be rid of those narrow-minded obsolete personas." Sandeman interrupted him smugly.
"You, you.."
"Oh, shut up, David. All of this is evidently beyond you." Sandeman cut him off again. "This whole plan is way beyond anything you could have even dream of coming up with. You are no match for me. In fact, no one is. These kids are the closest there is. Then again, they were created by me."
"Yes, that is true. And that is exactly the reason you should have known better." Alec said calmly.
Sandeman looked a little surprised for a tenth of a second, but then he smiled confidently again. "Meaning?"
"Meaning that we were built to be smart, smarter than other humans. And that includes you." Alec made a light movement of his left hand and twenty semiautomatic shotguns were fired. In less than two seconds, all the black clad Familiars were down, too surprised by the sudden attack to have had time to duck back behind their cover... and now twenty nine guns were trained at the four remaining Familiars, not counting the one still resting against Regina's temple. "Did you really think you could just walk out of here after what you just did? After what you made us help you with?" He paused, his expression blank. Max watched him in awe. He looked so poised, so relaxed. And he looked so incredibly hot when he was taking charge. And she felt immediately guilty. Millions of people were about to die! "So yes, we may have helped you send that vaccine into the world, unwillingly or not." Max watched Sandeman's face become more aggravated with every syllable that came out of Alec's mouth. "But did you really believe we would just let you walk out of this?"
Max resisted the urge to nod and just plain snarl at the scientist.
The priestess and priest looked at each other, at the bodies behind them, at Sandeman and back at the transgenics, completely at a loss for words. It had all been so sudden they hadn't had time to react yet. They had certainly not been expecting the transgenics to shoot, not when everything had seemed to be going so well.
"You have about as much of a chance as those priests dancing in that cave..." Biggs put in, smiling. "Hey, Mole! Looks like we'll get our wish with these guys after all!"
Sandeman had managed to compose himself and after a deep breath said, "You cannot kill me. You'd make a martyr out of me. After all, I am the one everyone saw as responsible for the vaccine. If you kill me, I'll still be known as a hero. They'll think it was all a plan of yours to get rid of humans who hate you. That you tricked me."
"Hmm... he does have a point there, doesn't he?" Dix asked with a frown.
"Well, that's certainly what it looks like." Luke supplied, nodding enthusiastically. Max had to give them points for their acting. She really didn't understand how they could just stand there and talk so easily. All human life on earth was going to disappear! How could they remain so calm? How could they.. Then again, anyone looking at her would think the same, probably. They were all probably as outraged as she was. Just – as she was- not showing it.
"Indeed, that's what it looks like." Alec drawled, not taking his intense hazel eyes off the doc.
"See that over there? Looks like a crack on the ceiling?" Max supplied bitterly, "Camera. That over there?" She pointed to another dark spot on a wall. "And of course, these." She finished signaling a button on her black leather jacket. "The great Eyes Only is recording the whole thing."
"And over there, behind the wall, is lovely Tricia Adams, reporting live for WKNN and the whole wide world!" Biggs informed readily.
"Amazing how you never expect the same tricks you pull to be used against yourself, huh?" Alec asked softly. He was smirking lightly, but Max could see the iciness of his stare. "But you are right. We don't want to kill you. In fact, we'll just let you go. Right out there where people are starting to pound at Terminal City's gate. Let them decide what your fate shall be. Let them pass judgement."
"You think they'll listen to you after what you just did?" David raised his voice and pointed at the fallen bodies of the dead Familiars.
"This was a war, and we did what we had to. But, yes, we know they'll still think of us as monsters, so what else is new? You guys, however, won't be so lucky."
"Now Andrew and Jessie will escort you to the limits of Terminal City. I'm sure there'll be quite a crowd waiting for you." Max finished with an ironic smile.
"Now wait a..-"
"Meeting's adjourned. Get moving." Alec said unceremoniously, and then, as an afterthought, added "Yo, buddy, make sure you let them out on the West side, where the people have a TV. That should be interesting."
Biggs chuckled, "You are the boss, boss."
As she watched the Familiars being led away, Max moved a little to be by Alec's side and looked up at him anxiously. She knew they could not show any emotions, not yet, the cameras were still rolling. But she needed to be near him, she needed his warmth, to feel his presence. Because that was the only thing that could stop her from losing her mind. All those people. Dead. Because of them. Because of her!
Alec seemed to sense what she was thinking, because lightly, almost imperceptibly, he brushed her arm with his. His expression did not change. But she knew he was telling her to breathe.
Mole wasn't so diplomatic about it. "Well, this sucks!" He exclaimed. It made every head turn his way. "I still think shooting 'em woulda been the thing to do."
"That would have been too easy." Alec said quietly. "Let them face the humans, let them go against the very people they just sentenced to death."
It wasn't so much the words as the look in his eyes when he said it that caused chills to run through Max's body. "Besides, it would have made us the monsters everyone thinks we are." She said, raising her voice a little.
"Right, cause when they see this face they won't still think that of me." Mole smiled, his teeth pressing the cigar. "Well, those who are still alive." He mumbled softly with a grimace.
Max managed a fleeting smile as she watched Mole go ruffle Lizzie's hair, and the rest of the transgenics shake their heads.
She turned her head to look at Alec beside her. He was looking at her with an unreadable expression.
She silently looked back at him.
Later.
-------------
Sketchy's camera made its typical snapping sound, some yards away of where the action had taken place. And that was the image that would be printed on the cover of most papers all over the world the next day. The image was so full of contrast, so innocent and at the same time chilling, the transgenics looking so young and beautiful, yet magnificent and dangerous, well armed and surrounded by camouflage and Army gear.
As if his exclusive interview were not enough by itself, he just knew this picture would go a long way, and he was the only photographer around. Sure, they would have the screen-captures, but nothing compared to a professionally taken 35mm shot.
After tomorrow, everyone would know who Calvin S. Theodore was.
---------------
"So what about Atlanta? From what you said, this vaccine is carrying the virus, but those people there did not take that vaccine, they took the one you had made, right?" Sketch asked, narrowing his eyes.
"I was wondering when you'd get to that." Alec said. "They will make it." He turned to Sketchy and nodded. "They will make it. And so will you." When Max gasped, he turned back to her, a sheepish smile on his lips. "Nicole would not have let me detour any of the vaccine from the hospitals they were destined for. Not to give to our 'friends' in advance. You know it was not very... professional. So... I kinda used some of what was left of the vaccine we had made to give to you to give to them."
Sketchy blinked twice and then lost all his professionalism for an instant to whisper "I'll be damned!"
"Amen, boy!" Cindy exhaled.
She watched Max's eyes fill with tears as a beautiful smile lighted her face. She smiled at Cindy and grabbed her hand, before flinging herself at Alec and kissing him soundly on the lips. Suddenly she tore herself away from him and hit him hard on his shoulder. "You idiot! You stupid, imbecile, moron, idiot..-"
"You already said that." He put in.
"Argh! I cannot believe you! How could you wait 'til now to tell us?"
Alec looked at her seriously and asked softly, gently "Would you rather have me say it out there? Where the cameras were transmitting live for the world? Do you think all those people out there would have enjoyed hearing how four people here would survive while they were all just sentenced to death?"
Cindy watched the horror darken Max's eyes. And she herself felt her spirits darken. And then came the guilt, because deep down, she was glad she was not one of those people.
Max nodded and reached out her hand to touch one of Alec's. Then they both turned back to Sketchy, looking splendid and strong.
Sketchy's goofy smile had disappeared from his lips, but his attitude was also much more confident.
"Right," he cleared his throat. "So, the people who took the old vaccine, the one you made, will survive. The people who took the doctor's one will not. What about the people that haven't taken any?"
"Well, we managed to stop some of the Familiars before they dropped the original virus into the watercourses. But there's no way we stopped all of them. Especially out of the States." He was looking blank again now. Soldier Alec was back.
"The people who took none of the vaccines are exposed to that virus." Max continued, the same soldier like demeanor.
"Whoa, whoa. How 'bout us, the ones who took that first one? Will we be exposed to the mutated bitch?" Cindy
"Nope, they won't. I mean, the mutated virus is only present in these new vaccines. So if they do not take them, they won't have a problem. At least, as far as we know. We'd have to do some more checking, but from what Dix told us, this new mutation, just like the first one, is not airborne, and apparently it's very unstable, unless it's in a alkaline environment, like this vaccine." Alec announced evenly.
"Okay, I guess." She nodded.
"So I guess right now, all that matters is letting people know they don't have to take this vaccine, right?" Sketchy asked.
"Right, thing is, most people already did if things went according to plan. Definitely here in the States. In the rest of the world...who knows?" Alec nodded.
"We will make a broadcast as soon as we finish here." Max said. It was not going to be easy.
"Can you make some more of the 'good' vaccine?" Sketchy pressed a little more.
"Well actually, yes, but we will not say anything about it. Not right now. Max has given a lot of blood lately, so we can't just take more right now." Alec raised one hand to stop Max from talking. "You can't, all right?" he told her. "And even if she could, it'd take a while to have them ready and shipped. By that time, the virus –the original one- will have done its work."
Cindy missed the rest of Sketchy's interrogation, she was lost in her own thoughts. Sure, she'd survive, apparently. But that son-of-a-bitch doctor had just condemned most of the planet into a painful, horrible death.
-----------
Nicole's approach after the humans left distracted them.
Distractions were good. She did not want to think.
"I'll be finishing things over at HQ." The gray-haired X5 delivered smoothly and with no emotion at all, before turning to leave. "We have to reinforce the perimeter."
"Well good thing one of us can keep their head cool." Max commented on Nicole's lack of emotion.
Alec moved closer to her and ran a finger over her cheek. "It's okay Max." He said softly.
Max started to tremble as the last of the transgenics left the room. She had seen Alec's gesture to them and was grateful, she wasn't sure how much longer she could have held it in.
"They are going to die, Alec. All of them." She whispered shakily.
"Not all of them. And it's not your fault. You did what you could to help those people. You cannot be blamed for believing him. He was very clever about it." He was hugging her now as a big teardrop started its way down her right cheek. "It is not your fault, Max."
They remained like that for a few minutes. She did not want to let him go. She needed his warmth, she needed to feel his strength.
After a while, he gently pushed her away to look at her face. "There are some things we can still do, okay? And we'll do them now. And we still have some Familiars to hunt down. And we will." He said resolutely, "As for the rest... all of us are safe. And our friends are too. And you are carrying a little baby that will be born in a world where he can be free. Think about that, okay? I know it's not much. But it's a start."
Max looked up at him and for a timeless instant she was lost in the depths of those serious hazel eyes. He was right. She needed to focus on the positive side, on what they could still do. On what they had to do. And on her baby. Their baby. She nodded and watched him smile. He was so good to her.
"Come on." He said, taking her hand and turning to leave.
"Alec," She stopped him as he was heading for the door. When he turned back to her she just said, really, really softly. "I love you." She watched him inhale deeply and then the most beautiful smile she'd ever seen on his lips lit up his features.
"So do I, Max. So do I." He kissed her briefly, just barely touching her lips with his. But she felt the tremors run up and down her spine.
A few moments later, they entered headquarters. Everyone was in position and ready, waiting for them. It was going to be hard. But they'd deal with whatever was to come.
