TRAITOR-picture of 493

RAT-picture of 210

DESERTER-picture of 599

SNAKE-picture of 734

COWARD-picture of 452


I sit in the cold metal desk trying to keep my face a blank mask. On the inside, though, I'm furious. Not at the 09er's, but at Manticore, for teaching us that they deserve to die.


I think that the ones who escape are the ones who deserve to live. I mean, they got past the alarms, the guards, the woods, and the barbed wire. They put their lives on the line to get free, andthey're telling us that we're braver than them? Yeah, right.


Amy, in the seat next to mine, starts shaking. Not much, only I notice it at first. Then she starts shaking violently, her tiny body wracked in pain. A guard places a cal for Renfro to come down. After about two minutes of waiting while I watch my best friend lie there in agony, she walks in, eyeing Amy. "I had high hopes for you, 786." she says impassively. "Terminate her." she orders the guard, and then walks out, drinking her morning coffee like everything's fine.


I stare after her in disbelief, then look down at Amy, who looks more terrified than I've ever seen anyone before. I give her a little encouraging smile, even though I feel like like vomiting. She returns it, and when the guard looks away, she mouths, "Get yourself free, Andy."


I'm about to mouth something back at her, but the guard turns back. One last look, this one of brave determination, appears on her face. "I'm free." she says simply, and the guard pulls the trigger.


BANG...



and she's gone.

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I groan a little and try to move, but my body doesn't seem to like movement right now, and pain rips through me. Damn... I open my eyes and find myself in a giant bed, surrounded by blankets. The warm fleece covering me is like heaven compared to the itchy military-issue blankets that I've always used.


Max, I notice, is sprawled out on the floor, asleep. The mystery man is sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at me amusedly. "What?" I ask, kind of embarrassed about my genetic freakout.


"Took you long enough. You've been asleep for ten hours." he says, smirking. "Guess you didn't get much shark DNA in your cocktail." I roll my eyes.


"Hey, ill person here? Isn't is like an unwritten rule that you have to be nice to sick people?" I ask him. He smiles a little.


"Yeah, but I'm a rulebreaker." he says flirtatiously.


"Don't forget egotistical, arrogant pig." a voice calls goodnaturedly from the other side of the room. The man smirks even more.


"Ah, why thank you Maxie. Wouldn't want to leave any mysteries to the wonder that is me." Max scoffs, laughing a bit.


"More like the idiot that is you." she says, then throws a pillow at him. He throws one back, and while she's looking for ammo, he looks at me, his gorgeous green eyes sparkling with mischief.


"Just watch." he says, a devious smile on this face and the mischief in his eyes growing. And with that he runs across the room and tackles her. She pummels him with a pillow, and bursts out laughing.


So here I am, watching two fully grown adults have a pillow fight. I bite my lip, to keep from laughing, but it doesn't work and I start laughing anyway. Both Max and the man, who has yet to be introduced, stop laughing and look at me. The man stands up and reaches a hand to Max, who uses it to pull herself up.


They walk to the bed and sit down. I don't know what to say or do. Max smiles and says, "Andy, this is Alec. Alec, Andy." Alec smiles.


"It's a pleasure, m'lady." he says. I roll my eyes.


"Yeah, I would say the same thing, but you were being mean to me." Max laughs and looks at Alec, who's now pouting like a five year old. Max looks at me suspiciously for a moment, the brings her hand to my cheek and wipes away a tear that fell during my flashback.


"You were crying." she says softly, the happiness in her voice suddenly gone. Alec stops pouting and places his hand on mine. "You okay?" he asks, sounding truly concerned.


I turn my gaze to the floor, embarrassed that my weakness was noticed. "It's fine. I'm fine. I always am." I say, trying to sound believable.


"Sounds familiar." Max says, shooting a glance at Alec. He squeezes my hand. I sigh.


"Can I go now?" I ask, really needing to get started on that mission, even though I don't want to.


Max and Alec look at each other, and I kind of feel left out of some sort of conversation. Alec turns to me. "Nuh uh. Not after you just barfed nine times." Alec says sternly, his hand still on mine.


"You counted?" I ask incredulously. He shrugs.


"Something to do while I waited." he says, studying the floor, which is suddenly very interesting.


"Aw, you were worried about her, you big teddy bear." Max says, smiling.


"Went from pig to teddy bear...Maxie, you really need to control your emotions." Alec says, grinning from ear to ear. He leans in to my ear and whispers, "You gonna eat that sandwich?"


"Have at her." I tell him, revolted by the mere thought of having food. He nods his thanks and grabs it. I try to get out of bed during this distraction, but it hurts too much to move. Not that I want to anyway. I'm way too amused watching Max and Alec debate over whether or not Alec should share his sandwich with her.


"NO! Why should I share with you, anyway? You just called me a pig!" Alec says, holding the sandwich out of reach for Max.


"Aw, come on, Alec. And I did call you a teddy bear, too." Max says, reaching in a futile attempt to grab the sandwich.


"Yes, and as much as that made me feel manly, I really want this sandwich." he says, taking a bite out of it. I almost hork, but that goes unnoticed.


"You don't even like turkey!" Max exclaims and lunges for the sandwich. Alec's too quick, though, and moves over. Max sees the flaw in her plan too late, and lands in a heap on the floor, muttering something about hating men.


I try to get up one more time, and grimace as I realize that I have know idea where my pills are. "Hey, guys? Um, sorry to interrupt the banter, but could you maybe tell me where my backpack is? I know I'd appreciate it." I tell them, all the while trying to x-ray my way into the closet. That doesn't work, though, so I go back to pouting.


They stop the flirting and look back at me incredilously. "Sorry, but no can do." Max says, shaking her head and sitting on the floor. Alec sits beside her, and she subconsciously leans against him. "You see, we don't know hwy you're here. You might be here to turn us in, or to kill us. And that really doesn't give me insentive to let you go."


I understand why. God knows that I wouldn't count on anyone from my unit...that is, except for Amy...but she's gone now. Oh, god, why did this have to happen now? I mean, I was fine-really, I was. Some training here, a little brainwashing there, an assasination or two along the way. Not exactly a walk in the park, but I handled it. I somehow was unaffected by the brainwashing, maintaining my personality (gasp!), though I never let it show. The missions were hell, but you do what you have to, you know?


But now, I don't know what to do. My screwed up genetics, thanks to Madame Renfro's wonderful experimentation on me, have currently decided that now would be a great time to blow my cover. And then there's the whole 'they know' thing. It wouldn't be bad if I knew about them, but is there any way to make them forget? I can't endanger the base, and I don't know how to get out of Manticore without consequences for everyone else. Even though I don't like my unit, I sure as hell wouldn't wish that punishment on them.


"Andy! Andy! Earth to Andy!" Alec says, waving his hand in front of my face. I snap back to reality, out of my musings.


"Oh, sorry. Kinda zoned" I explain, and take a deep breath. "Will you two let me go if I tell you why I'm here?"


"Probably not."Alec says impassively. "But we need to know anyways, so on with the telling. Oh, and how can you get sick? Aren't we immune to disease? And what unit are you, and series?" he rambles. Ok, this might take a while.


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I would like to thank everyone who's reviewed, and send them lots of hugs and kisses! You guys inspire me to keep writing, and I just wanted to give a huge shoutout to you!!!!



Also, if you couldn't tell, this is supposed to be a M/A fic, I'm just working it in there. I know that Andy's kind of unconscious-prone, but I need to have that in my story, for reasons you'll see later. Please review and tell me what you think!!!!


COME ON, YOU KNOW YA WANNA REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!DO IT, DO IT!! Please??? *puppy dog lip*


molly jeane ;D