Before she even opened her eyes, Max began grabbing at the tube in her nose that was there to help her breathe. She pulled it out successfully then began detaching anything and everything from her body. She opened her eyes and was glad to see that someone had closed the blinds in the room. She sat up for a moment, but immediately laid back down. She let out a groan and rubbed her hand where the IV had been.

"Good to see you awake."

Max turned toward the voice and saw Sam Carr in the doorway, smiling at her. He entered the room and walked over to her. He frowned when he saw that she had removed everything. "I was going to check your vitals, but I guess that's not an option. How about the stitches? Take those out too?"

She looked up at him with bleary eyes. "Where's Logan?"

"I thought that question might come up." Sam said. "He's in the waiting room."

"Can I see him?"

"I'll go get him." Sam smiled and left the room.

A few moments later, Logan entered the room and took a seat in a chair beside her bed. "How're you feeling?"

"Like I just woke up after being put under." Max replied with a small smile. She noticed that he was hiding something behind his back, but didn't say anything about it. "I've only got fuzzy details after that whole getting shot thing."

"Yeah, I hear that's a real downer." Logan grinned.

"They got him, right?" She asked.

"Yeah." Logan told her. "There was enough evidence in the apartment to send him away for a very long time. You solved the case... sort of."

Max shook her head. "He was working for Lydecker. He'll get out."

"How about we worry about that when it's time to worry about it?"

"Sounds good." Max nodded.

"So, uh, I got you something." He pulled a bottle of motor oil from behind his back and set it on the night stand next to her bed. "It's not flowers or candy, but it's... Max."

She smiled at him. "Definitely. But what's it for? A 'you just got shot' gift?"

"More like an 'I'm sorry you thought I didn't trust you and you got shot because of it' gift."

Max stifled a laugh. "Trust me, it's better I got shot. If you didn't send me on that damn goose chase, I'd probably be walled up in Manticore right now. Thanks."

Logan just replied with a quiet, "Anytime."

* * * *

Lydecker swore angrily as he exited the truck. He told the driver to keep it running then stormed into the police station. He brushed past every officer who tried to stop him and opened the door to the chief's office. He stood in front of the chief's desk and looked down at him.

"You've got a government prisoner here."

"Sir, you'll have to wait out in the -"

"I'm here to collect him, under federal orders."

The chief stared at him for a moment, then typed in a few commands on his computer. The list of the day's arrests popped up on screen. "What's the name?"

"Martin Price."

"Oh." The chief shook his head slowly. "I can't release him. He's here on multiple homicides and -"

"I think you may not have been listening when I said I was here on federal orders to collect him." Lydecker said. "I've got a truck outside waiting to intercept him. This is out of your hands."

With that, Lydecker removed a piece of paper from his jacket and placed it on the desk. It was the order for the chief to release Martin into Lydecker's custody. The chief read it over, then nodded.

"I'll take you to him."

* * * *

Martin exited the police station with Lydecker, in handcuffs and escorted by a Manticore guard. The guard placed Martin in the back of the truck, then Lydecker got in and closed the door behind him.

Martin shook his head and grinned. "She said you wouldn't come. I knew she was wrong."

"My kids are very perceptive, Martin." Lydecker said. He felt the truck rumbling underneath him, which meant that they were driving off. "She was right about some things, I'm sure. You're a liability now, you realize that?"

"I don't think so." Martin shook his head.

Lydecker pulled a gun from his jacket, then grabbed a silencer from next to him on the seat and put it on the gun. He inspected his work, then paused and looked at Martin. "I didn't make my kids out to be fools."

He pointed the gun at Martin. "It's just a shame that you can't teach all people not to be foolish."

Without another word, Lydecker pulled the trigger. The final look in Martin's eyes was not one of surprise or shock. The bullet lodged itself between Martin's eyes and a small trickle of blood began to flow from the wound. The truck pulled to a stop and his body fell from the seat and onto the floor. Lydecker shook his head and removed the silencer from the gun.

He looked out the small window in the door of the truck and promised himself that he would find her. He would find all of his kids someday.

Someday.

The End.



A/N: It's sad to see it go. I wasn't sure if I should end it like that, but I had watched some S1 episodes after I had finished writing it and that's sort of the way it goes. "Everything's okay... for now, mwhahaha." Now I have some other things work on. In you-know-who's words, "I'll be back." ;)