Ok, Chapter 2 is up. I wonder if anyone is reading this.

Disclaimer: Don't own Dark Angel or the characters, any mine anyone can use.

Chapter 2

Biggs cleared his throat; he seemed to have a hard time looking straight at Alec. Alec wondered what was up, was it his fault, had he said something wrong, crossed the line some how? Then Biggs started talking:

"481 and I were paired or grouped together often. We had a high mission completion rate, and got the job done, what ever it was. Usually they had us work multiple angles of a mission backing each other up, she was the perfect soldier. Then we were paired on this job with another X5, it was going well, deep cover, we all had assignments, and she was paired with him as newly-weds. I knew something was going on; they spent a lot of time on their cover. I knew he fell for her, but I thought she was a better soldier, that she just ignored his feelings, so I never interfered. I was wrong, but by the time I found out it was too late, and nothing could be done. We went in and everything fell apart, there were too many guards, too many cameras, and it was like they knew we were coming. Turns out 473 hadn't been doing his job he'd been 'distracted', and messy. The whole operation blew up in our faces, there was shooting, I got shot twice, 473 was killed, I checked on him then went in to finish my mark, and she was there, taken care of it, mine and hers. She said that she was just helping out the downed soldier, she helped me out of the building, I didn't realize till later she had been shot as well. She was in her prime, chaos, killing, she kept a clear head, blocking out all distractions. I almost died, but she got me to base, patched me up. Then she asked about 473, I told her he had been killed, the look on her face, I realized she had feelings for him, she just sat there with this look on her face. Normally I wouldn't have cared, but she had really liked him, I could tell, then and got to thinking that she hadn't blown the mission he had. She was quiet for a while, then she went to take a shower, I heard her crying, but when she got out, she was fine, she had buried whatever feelings she had. We reported back the next day, and were debriefing and I told them everything, but they blamed her. She was sent to psy-ops because of what I told them, and I never said it was her fault but you know Manticore, they believed she had broken somehow, compromised the mission. She was there 3 months, we weren't paired together for a while, they next time I worked with her, I tried to tell her I was sorry, but she had no idea what I was talking about!"

"The indoctrination," Alec said "after they broke her they made sure she was loyal. She probably blocked out the memory"

"I should have let it go, but I didn't I reminded her of every thing that happened. She got this look on her face, went into the bathroom, I heard her throwing up, I tried to help her, and she freaked out, start shaking, crying, kept repeating she was a good soldier, I- it was" Biggs stopped talking and looked down at his hands, then he leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees, put one hand on his head.

Alec leaned forward "You couldn't have known, Manticore did that not you, they change you, break you and then either you break, and become what they want or you make your self forget so you can survive. I had too, I did it."

Biggs spoke "I cleaned her up, carried her to the bed, I think she thought I was going to torture her, I had to restrain her till she calmed down, then she fell asleep. The next day she was shaky but tried to cover it, I tried to cover for her, but couldn't they sent her back to psy-ops. She had been their 3 weeks when the fire broke out, I went and got her and we stayed at hotels, and then came here. She has recovered a lot, she still can't sleep alone, and she has nightmares. She wakes up screaming and shaking, She is still a good soldier, when we break in places she is her old self and those things she helped Max and Logan with you couldn't tell she had gone though all that. I owe her Alec, she saved my life and I repaid her with torture." Biggs voice broke, and he was quiet for a few seconds. "We are not weak, she isn't weak. We just take care of each other and watch each others back. We are our own unit."

Alec "It's never easy to deal with Manticore, its who we are, we try to get away from it but it still affects everything we do say and think. I have to say, I am glad to have you man, it's nice to be with people who understand."

Biggs "And who know your dirty secrets, like Lola, was that her name?" Biggs smiles and looked at Alec

Alec gets a thoughtful look on his face, "yes, Lola, what a good time" then he snickers,

Biggs "Why don't you spend the night, we can head off to work tomorrow and you can borrow my clothes. Hey, be cool about what I told you, 481 would hate that I told you. "

"No problem" Alec said "I got your back"

They chatted for a bit longer then Biggs headed back to the bedroom, Alec stretched out on the couch and thought about what Biggs had told him. He knew what it was like to be confronted with memories you tried to forget, he spend days sitting in his apartment thinking of Rachel, but he had gone through it alone. Max had offered her support but by then the worst was over. For some reason knowing Beccas Manticore past made him like her more. She was just like him, and he was going to get to know her better for himself.

Ok I am done setting up the background. Next chapter will begin the rough road