CHAPTER 9: Stormy nights

20th November, 2021. 23:56

Crash

Suki looked at her watch. Three more hours to work. She just hoped, White wouldn't call her in again. Joe was already pissed and so she had to work two hours longer than usual tonight. And working till 3 o'clock meant being the last shift. And that equaled cleaning up the bar and staying even longer.

Suki sighed, she really needed to get home. She had to do some research on White, she knew there was something odd about him. Suki went to the bathroom and checked her make-up. Not that she usually cared about it, but tonight she had needed a lot of it to hide her bruised face. It had already started to heal but the bruises were still visible without make-up.

She decided to put some more make-up on, as it had vanished a bit over the evening. As she was finished she turned and wanted to go back to work when she took a last look at the mirror.

Fucking shit, she thought, my barcode. Suki had forgotten to cover it with make-up. She quickly did it. I just hope no one has seen it. But that wasn't very likely, her hair had probably covered it although she had it tied together.

Okay, back to work.

21st November, 2021. 00:20

Space Needle

Max was sitting on the Space Needle's roof and looked over Seattle. Tiny lights were shining from the houses all over the city. In some sectors more, in some less. Max thought of the many families that were there in their houses. Family, something that she never truly had and never would have. Maybe I'm not able to love? That's it, probably. Someone loves me but I'm unable to love the person back, because I just don't realize I'm loved. I'm too busy worrying over everything and when I finally realize it, it's too late.

Max lay down on the roof and looked at the stars, it was quite cloudy but in some parts of the sky stars could be seen. She still thought about talking to Logan. She wasn't angry, or even jealous, because he had been out with Asha. It was probably the best, if Asha was there, Logan wouldn't think too much about her. But he had helped her so much and loved her and she had just told him that she never loved him. Thinking about it, that was pretty cruel. She'd talk to him tomorrow, apologize. Tell him, she still wanted to be his friend, still wanted to help him with Eyes Only.

Max closed her eyes for a moment. A small raindrop fell onto her face. Max opened her eyes again and the first thing she saw was a lightning bolt that had now struck somewhere in sector 6, just before the thunder could be heard.

Great, Max thought and got up. She'd better get home before the storm really started. She ran down the stairs but when she exited the Space Needle at the bottom, it was already raining heavily. "Fucking shit", she exclaimed, "I hate rain."

The engine of her Ninja roared to life. She wanted to get home as quickly as possible but after a two minute ride through the heavy rain she decided, that wouldn't be such a good idea. She looked around for a place to stay till the rain was getting lighter. Quickly she realized that she was only a few blocks away from Alec's apartment. Well, better than drowning out here in that fucking storm.

She increased the speed and almost slid away sideways as she turned the next corner. That rain didn't seem to get less…

By now, she had reached Alec's apartment. She left her motorcycle somewhere near where it was half way protected from the rain.

Max knocked on the door. I hope he's there, if he isn't I'll have to go home. And I don't fancy going out there again. Two seconds later, Alec opened the door.

He looked surprised to see her at first, but after a moment he couldn't suppress the laughter.

"What the hell are you laughing at, Alec?", Max asked him annoyed, hands on hips.

"You look pretty… wet", Alec replied, "What are you doing outside in a weather like this?" Before Max could answer, he added: "Come in."

Max stepped inside, Alec had obviously been watching TV, it was still on.

"Don't you ever watch the weather forecast, Maxie?", he asked and handed her a towel.

"No. And thank you", Max said as she took the towel and tried to get her hair dry.

"I thought you wanted to go home?", Alec asked her innocently.

"I didn't", Max replied curtly, not looking at him.

"I knew that."

Max looked up at him confused: "What?"

He grinned. "You said you wanted to go home because you were tired, Maxie. You don't need to sleep."

Okay, so he knows me better than I thought. "Oh, pretty clever." She smiled back at him and then added: "And don't call me Maxie all the time."

"Okay… Maxie."

"Stop it!" she said and hit him on the arm playfully.

Suddenly the lights started to flicker and finally went out completely, as well as everything else electric.

"Alec, I think there's no electricity", Max said.

"Ooh, very smart, Max. I wouldn't have figured that out."

Max couldn't see him in the dark room but she knew he was grinning.

"Whatever, Alec. Find a candle or something like that", Max said bossily, "and stop grinning like that cat in Alice in Wonderland."

"Like what?", Alec asked while searching a candle, "And how did you know I was grinning?"

"The cat from Alice in Wonderland, that's a children's book. And a movie. Can't believe you don't know that. And I knew you were grinning, cos I know you. I think we had this discussion earlier, about you being predictable."

"Found one!", Alec announced and lit the candle he was holding. He placed it onto the coffee table and sat down on the couch. "By the way, did you want to tell me something today before Logan came?"

Did I want to tell him something? Yes! Oh my god, how could I forget that? Suki! "Yeah, it's about Suki."

"Suki from Crash?"

"Exactly. She's a transgenic", Max told Alec and sat down next to him.

"She's a transgenic? How do you know?", Alec looked at her surprised.

"I saw her barcode, 277. I guess she's an X6, probably one of the first ones."

"So I was right…"

"About what?", Max asked him confused, she hadn't a clue what Alec was talking about.

"I thought that the first time I saw her", Alec explained.

"And why the hell didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't really think it was possible, she seemed too young to be an X5 and too old to be an X6, but when she's one of the first ones…"

They sat in silence for a moment before Max asked: "What exactly made you think she was a transgenic?"

"When she smiled, the smile didn't reach her eyes. Like she was forced to smile, but she could hide that fact very well. I wouldn't have noticed it if I didn't know that expression too well."

Max just nodded. Silence. Again. Only the storm could be heard outside, the heavy rain that clattered on the roof, the wind and the thunder. From time to time the room was lightened for a second by a lightning bolt.

Max looked over to Alec. He was looking at the candle as its flame flickered. She turned away quickly as Alec noticed she had been looking at him. She blushed and she was glad it was dark. Why the hell do I blush?! This is only Alec. Or is it only Alec? I just don't understand myself anymore…

"I'll go now." Max got up quickly.

"But it's still raining. You can stay, I don't mind."

"I know. But I'm sure Cindy's worried, I'll better go home", Max said.

"Whatever. I just wouldn't want to go out into this weather", Alec pointed out.

"Doesn't seem like I can get wetter than I already am. See ya tomorrow." Max turned on her heels and walked out the door.

"Bye", Alec said as the door fell shut. I'll never understand what she is about…

20th November, 2021. 02:05

White's office

White walked over to the man who was sitting in front of a computer with headphones on.

"So. What did our girl do tonight? Any development with 452 and 494?", he asked the man.

"She's talked to them. Seems like she and 452 get along quite well."

"Good. She won't notice the bug, will she?"

"I don't think so, it's well hidden."

"That's good. Even if she doesn't want to co-operate, she'll be useful in some way."

He smirked.

A/N2: I'm good, I'm good, I'm good! *does happy dance in front of the computer* I uploaded! That was quick wasn't it? And I'm noticing something: I've said this will be M/A, but that's not gonna happen very soon. It'll take its time. As you see in this chapter, there are some feelings to be sorted out. What I wanted to ask you: Where are you all from? And to the ones of you whose mother tongue is English, what do you think about my English? Be honest!

And now, to say it like Vee (author of A Family Affair, you gotta read it, it's great! But read the prequel Out Of The Future first): You want chapters, I want reviews. Wanna trade? *lol*

Love, ~Lilja~

P.S.: I don't own Dark Angel, not any of it.