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DISCLAIMER: I don't own DA, Alec or anything of the like. They belong to people who don't appreciate them.

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WEB ADDRESS: http:/destined.to/prodigy

CHAPTER SIX - COLD

The warm sun licked Antigone's back as it filtered through a small ventilation window in the kitchen. She stretched dreamily, feeling Alec's warmth beneath her. Suddenly she was made aware of her surroundings, and the memories of the night before swamped her.

She got up hurriedly but carefully so as to avoid waking the sleeping man under her. She frantically searched the room for her clothes, pulling them on, covering her exposed body. She heard Alec stretch and move and her actions grew more desperate.

"Antigone…" Alec yawned her name. She spun around to confront him, her face flushed. "What?" her answer was brusque and harsh. Alec almost winced against her reaction, but stood so that their eyes were level. "What are you doing?" he furrowed his brows in question, raising one slightly. She avoided his eyes.

"It's Sunday, I have to go to church…" Alec walked over to her, stalking her like prey and she was swiftly aware of his nakedness. His hand traced up her arm, and he kissed the nape of her neck, speaking against her skin. "Church…? "

Despite the small fire building inside of her, Antigone shrugged off Alec's touch, pushing past him on her way to the door. "I have to go…" Alec's expression contorted in confusion. "Antigone…?" but she was gone, and Alec was left standing naked in the kitchen of the coffee-shop, his thoughts quizzical.

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She walked purposely down the street to her car, one hand clasping her gaping blouse closed, the other fumbling in her bag for her car keys. She had to get out of there, away from the coffee shop and away from him. As passers-by exchanged curious glances, the cold Seattle wind played about her face and her dark hair blew carelessly across her tear stained cheeks. Why was she so weak? Why did she always give in? Why hadn't she just stayed in the damn office instead of going after him? She scrabbled her keys into the lock, pulling the door open with a force formed from and internal anger at her own failings. She slammed it shut with equal intensity and sat still in her car for a moment before thumping her hands against the steering wheel. At that, she broke down; sobs racking her body as tears flowed uninhibitedly down her graceful face.

Alec stood absolutely still, his mind searching the events of last night, trying to identify one that could have possibly led to her reaction this morning. A slight smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. Hell, he though it had gone superbly. He had never really understood women, and he was quite convinced that they were altogether and entirely different specie. But normally it wouldn't have bothered him if his Miss Tonight left just as he was waking up, in actual fact it was usually he who left first.

But there was something different about this girl that made him want to be with her constantly, just in her mere presence. He knew what it was instinctively; he was certain of that, but was never able to define it, to name it, to say it out loud. Like a memory locked in the back of his consciousness, it was there, he just had no way of reaching it. It was something ethereal and intangible but very real at the same time. Whatever it was, it haunted him, and he was certain he wouldn't rest until he discovered it.

The only obstacle that seemed to be in the way was her increasingly odd behaviour and inconsistency, an obstacle he was quite sure could be overcome if he used the right angle. Alec knew just what approach to take.

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Alec sauntered into TIEO with a wry grin and confident stride. Grill batted her eyelids at him becomingly, and Alec's smile broadened. He winked at her suggestively and she giggled. Frell approached him from the café, a smile spreading across his young, rugged face. "Ain't they the same clothes you left in yesterday?" He questioned in his baritone voice. Alec's grin lit up his whole face. "Yeah" Alec replied insinuatingly and Frell laughed as they exchanged a complicated male handshake.

Grill watched admiringly from her spot behind the service desk, her eyes glinting mischievously.

"C'mon buddy I'm sure we can rustle up some work do…" Alec drawled as he slapped Frell on the back and they headed to the elevators. As the doors opened Alec came face to face with Antigone and his heart skipped a beat. Recomposing himself, he smiled broadly and stepped into the elevator, Frell close behind him.

He reached slowly and deliberately in front of her. "Going up?" he asked, that characteristic smile tugging playfully at the corners of his mouth. She nodded nervously as Alec eyed the spot on the wall where he had her pinned the day before. Her eyes were also drawn to that infamous spot and she blushed involuntarily. Frell laughed as he sensed the tension between, knowing instantly that the lawyer was the reason Alec was wearing yesterday's clothes to work.

Antigone spun accusingly to Frell, whose smile was wiped from his face by the dominating look she shot him. Her eyes narrowed as she turned her attention to Alec, who looked innocently at her, a smile fixed on his face and his eyes large with feigned virtue. She turned away from him in a huff, and Alec stifled a chuckle.

The doors opened once again, and as Alec moved past Antigone he pinched her bottom, sending her hands flailing in a desperate attempt to hit him. Just as her fist was about to make contact, Terry Caldwell and Senator McKinley came into view. Alec grinned triumphantly as she hissed at him "Asshole…"

Within an instant her expression had changed. A desperately false smile crossed her lovely features as she greeted the two men. "Reverend, Uncle…" Alec eyes grew wide with genuine surprise. The Senator was her uncle?

"Smart, Fisher, I'd like you to meet Senator James McKinley, Chairman of the congressional taskforce on the transgenic threat." Alec swallowed nervously, but maintained his cover. "Pleasure to meet you, Senator…" they shook hands, the Senator's were cold and dank, Alec noted, but his grip was firm.

"I've heard you boys have been in a spot of trouble lately…" The Senator broached the issue they all knew was hanging over them. Alec opened his mouth to speak, but Antigone interjected.

"Actually that's what I'm here for… I've spoken to my team and it is the general consensus that both Mr Fisher here and Mr Smart…" she glanced in Alec's direction and he licked his lips suggestively. She turned back to the two older men. "…be taken off field duties for a time."

Frell was taken aback. "You mean fire us?" Antigone flashed him a showy smile and continued in her professional lawyer-voice.

"No, that could be taken as an admission of guilt on our behalf, I simply mean making sure that your activities are more centrally located…" Frell looked at her blankly.

Terry smiled and touched Antigone's shoulder in a fatherly manner. "I'm quite sure we could find them some duty around the TIEO…" he answered reassuringly, his comment directed pointedly at the Senator.

The Senator seemed satisfied with this answer. Alec didn't. "Like what?" He asked bluntly.

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Six pairs of glassy eyes bobbed up and down as he shook his head in disgust. The large overtly tacky cap he was required to wear made the blow all that more harsh. Designed to resemble some horribly deformed mutant, it's dozen eyes and bright blue and green scales were an insult to even the ugliest 'nomlie. Alec glared from underneath its brim into the satisfied, conquering face of Antigone as he handed her a Spliced Gene Shake, his strong grip on the foam cup indenting the Chow-abunga logo printed on it. "Please visit again soon…" he strained the comment, his voice barely audible. As she leaned in to take the cup off him she whispered with a flick up of her eyebrows, "Don't worry, I will…" before striding confidently away. As she reached the exit, she turned back to him. "By the way… nice hat" Her triumphant chuckle echoing down the hall as she left.

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Logan sat staring at his computer mindlessly. He had been doing something earlier, but he had forgotten what it was. He was so lost, purposeless in a tumultuous world. His days seemed to drift in and out of a monotonous oblivion, his actions mechanical, his life reduced to a perfunctory obligation. He heard the door open in the other room, heard his voice call out the same greeting. "Alec, is that you?" Who else would it be. Alec entered the room with a scowl, and Logan was momentarily taken aback by his appearance.

He was wearing a bright blue and green shirt, with the outlines of scales in yellow traced across it and holding in his hand a cap that Logan thought had… eyes? Logan opened his mouth to say something, but Alec cut him off. "Don't say it…"

Logan smiled, the small promise of a laugh at Alec's expense giving him momentary purpose. "Nice hat…" Alec's black look cut him off. Logan chuckled.

"So I was talking to Max today…" Logan spoke without looking away from his computer screen, although he didn't seem to be working on anything. Alec wondered why. "…she asked how you were, I said you were doing fine." Alec nodded slowly and raised his eyebrows in approval.

"Anything new happening at TC?" he asked offhandedly, although he cared about the answer more than he wanted to.

"A few new X's have shown up, not much else happening. Military security on the perimeter has been stepped up though. It's a lot harder to get in and out of there."

Alec rubbed his index finger along his lower lip thoughtfully. "They're preparing for something…"

"I don't think so Alec, I'm quite sure it's just due to public reactions…"

Alec looked at Logan incredulously. "Trust me Logan, I'm sort of an expert when it comes to covert military operations, you know, seeing as how I was raised and indoctrinated by one for the first 20 years of my life" Alec finished with a shrug, opening his palms and wagging his eyebrows.

Logan ignored the sarcasm in Alec's voice, and changed the subject. I haven't had a chance to review the surveillance tapes from these last couple of days…"

Alec glanced at Logan's blank screen. "Yeah, looks like you've been real busy…"

Logan continued as if he didn't even realize that Alec had spoken. "…but I'll let you know if I turn anything up."

"Again Logan, trust me, nothing went down, I was there remember, I'd notice."

Once more Logan ignored Alec's remark. "Just in case you missed something…"

Alec grimaced. "Whatever…" he half saluted mockingly as he left. Logan still sat at his screen, staring.

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Something about Logan had been bothering Alec lately. Well, bothering him more than usual anyway. There was just something… not right about him and it disturbed Alec that he had to place such a level of trust in man who seemed increasingly unhinged. He climbed onto his motorcycle, ruffling a hand through his hair.

Everything was confusing him lately, it was like he couldn't make sense of the world anymore, what was real, what was fabricated as part of his cover, or what was just his own intimate feelings. He couldn't understand why Antigone had acted the way she had, so… ashamed? Guilty? And he didn't know why Logan retreated into a delusional world, endangering Alec's life, endangering all their lives.

Alec sighed at the moon, a lone sailor of the black night, and sped away into the streets of Seattle, the darkness closing in around him, his mind awash with thoughts he couldn't rationalize or explain away.

It was times like these that Alec missed Manticore. Life had been so black and white. Follow orders, train, do your duty. Everything had made sense there...