13

Sketchy had been called by Eyes Only. The very thought was enough to make his palms sweat. He had been contacted by *the* cyber journalist. Although the message was far from revolutionary.

Max was missing. The girl who'd wrestled his ass out of more jams than he could remember was missing. He felt icy at the thought of Max being gone but Eyes Only assured him that he could do something to help and that was all that Sketchy needed to hear.

Anything to help Max; which was why he was on the phone with one of the high ranking generals that had officially supported the transgenic cause.

"Yes Sir, I understand that the whereabouts of the military installations are top secret. Yes I realise that it could mean your job. The transgenics aren't as big a threat as the national media would have you believe. A group of military has captured a member of the transgenic command and instead of shooting her they have taken her away I'm sure that you can understand what they have in store for her."

He listened for a few minutes.

"Yes Sir. So what can you tell me?" a grin blew across Sketchy's face as he grabbed a pen and paper.

As soon as she got out of here Max was heading for the nearest trading store and selling her soul for some aspirin.

She was allowed out of her fetters once a day to use the bathroom and to have gruel- like food shoved down her throat. Each time she hoped she could escape but they kept her so doped up and surrounded she knew she'd have to bide her time. She hadn't been able to see daylight or night time but she counted guard rotations. Since she had been strapped to this damn table there had been twenty one guard rotations. Three a day meant that she had been in this damn room for a week.

A whole week of White and his inane questions. How many in Terminal City, how do you get in, how do they get out, what are the weakness, when do the sentries change, what are their capabilities, where do they pee, blah blah woof woof.

The voltage had gone so high she had felt her hair stand on end and then White had, true to his words, started with knives. The ridges that ran along the sides of the metal table were there to catch blood and did their job well. From her slightly elevated position she could see it collect in a little tray to be poured down the drain or taken away to do whatever. At this point she really didn't care much about what they did with it. All she cared about was sectioning off her pain from her awareness the way that Manticore had taught them. The worse part was that Max knew that they hadn't even gotten to all the torture groups yet. They'd done loud and sharp and cold. But still had blunt and hot to go through. That in itself was enough to make her want to leave.

The speakers and visual screen were on all the time now even when White was in the room; he did turn it down to continue his questions though. She'd stopped with her smart assed remarks in an attempt to distance herself from the situation, a fact which annoyed White who no longer even got random words from her.

The door opened and White walked in with that smirk on his face.

"Well hello 452, how are we feeling?" he turned down the stereo but Max refused to react.

"Still giving me the silent treatment?" he shrugged "Doesn't matter, today we try something new."

Two men came in behind him dressed in white clothes and each brandishing a tray.

One of them held it over her prone body and whipped off the cover.

White pulled the syringe off the tray and held it in front of her.

"A little muscle relaxant, we want to see how quick it takes for it to work before we start asking more questions, maybe you'll be more amenable."

He nodded and they grabbed her arm pumping it into her skin.

"Now here we go again 452. How many transgenics in Terminal City?"

As Max retreated to her quiet place she began to think about Terminal City and wondered what was going on there. Did they wonder where she was or did they think she was dead? How was Joshua, how was O.C? Was Alec leading them? The thought made her smile.

Of course he was.

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Sorry these chapters were so short- just need to get where I am going but it should pick up now!

Candyabble- That's what was supposed to happen, Max makes me laugh at the best of times so here she really is doing well!

Alecsgirl- Leave you hanging? Would I…?

Fan- dudette! LOL, I love your reviews!

Cloudburst- C.J didn't die, his bro took him back to that place and locked and gagged him…I wish I could do that to my brothers.

Tabitha- I can't believe you missed it either!!!

Lyndsay- well the more you review, the quicker I update so get moving girl! LOL.

Ting- Glads you liked Joe, I wasn't sure about how to do the whole telling Joshua thing but I am glad that it worked!

Dokushoka79- I loved Biggs and Cece hope to have them more in the story too. I'll look into that separation thing- thanks for the C.C.

Cloudburst- One tough lady indeed.  Like I said before I'm glad that the thing with Joe worked so well. More torture? Hmmm as for Alec? I love living up to expectation…not!

Grumpy2348- Thanks, I'm glad you think so pet.