Chapter Twelve: Lookin' Out
Alec swallowed hard. This was the seventh time – not that he was counting or anything – that he had gone up to the door of Max's apartment. This time, he would knock. He would. Or he would turn around and leave. Yeah, that works, too. Suddenly, the door opened and someone crashed into him.
"Oomph," the person said, obviously displeased at running into something, especially when it hurt. Looking closer, Alec realized it was the person he had supposedly wanted to talk to. Now, he wasn't so sure.
"Hey Max. I was just... going to Headquarters. Ya know, go do some more work!" Alec hoped his cheerful and charming grin would help his story. Max simply laughed.
"Sure, Alec. Work is what you do best, isn't it?" Max winked, stunning an already surprised blond. She chuckled at his silence as she walked in the direction of HQ.
Finally processing the previous interaction, Alec yelled back, "No, but I can show you what I do best..."
"Sorry, Alec, but I'm not in the mood to watch you stare and drool," Max teasingly shot back, turning the corner.
"Hey!" Maybe I shouldn't tell her yet. Yeah, I'll tell her later. Maybe. Alec rushed after Max, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake.
Zack and previously mentioned blond female (X5-898, now known as Maggie) were taking a tour of Terminal City.
"This would be headquarters. Maybe Max will be here." Zack lost part of his chipper attitude at the mention of his fellow '09 escapee.
"We don't have to go in there if –" Maggie's caring words were promptly interrupted.
"No. She's my sister; I'm going to have to see her sometime. Plus, I think you'd like her." Maggie, seeing the determination in Zack's eyes, simply sighed and followed him down the corridor.
X5-898 was a soldier who specialized in medical and tactics, so naturally she was a good listener and a people person. She had entered TC with two other women in her unit when she realized she had forgotten her favorite leather jacket on her bike. She had spotted the blond sitting by the side of the road, and her cat-like curiosity had taken over. By the time Zack had finished his spiel, she had felt closer to him than anyone ever before. In fact, she had a developing crush on the guy. It was obvious he was still completely infatuated with this 'Max,' but Maggie was an extremely patient person.
Maggie was deep in thought about Zack and 'Max,' so she didn't see the petite brunette until they collided into each other.
Max was looking over her shoulder to watch Alec hustle around the corner. Giggling to herself, she didn't turn around fast enough to see anyone approach.
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. I wasn't..." Max's gaze shifted over to the man beside the stranger. A bit embarrassed at her clumsiness now, Max sheepishly grinned at her brother before continuing her sentence, "...looking where I was going. I'm Max. You are...?" She asked, extending a hand.
"Maggie. Nice to meet you."
So this is Max? Huh... Seems nice enough. One down, one to go. Now I've just got to meet...
"Alec!" Max called, completing Maggie's thought. "Maggie, that's Alec." The blond woman could see the sparkle in Max's eye. Zack was right; she was head-over-heels. When Alec caught up to the trio, Maggie saw one reason Max had her eye on him; he was amazingly gorgeous and extremely hot. Although Maggie had made a note of her reaction, she wasn't fazed. Zack also had the same impression on her- stronger even. After just a few hours with the hot rouge, Maggie found a best friend and a possible boyfriend.
As Maggie studied Alec even more from the corner of her eye, she could see the anxiousness imprinted on his features. Either he wanted to get somewhere, or he hasn't told her yet.
"Umm...Zack? Could you show me the little girl's room?" She asked politely, trying to signal her friend.
"Sure, Maggie. Guys, I'll be back in a bit." He faked a smile at the couple before going down a new hallway. When they were out of hearing range, he asked, "What?"
"He hasn't asked her yet."
"WHAT?! He's had five hours and he still hasn't said anything?" Zack was incredulous.
"I can see the anxiousness in his eyes. Plus, the wrinkles in his forehead were a total give away." Zack shrugged; he wasn't really focusing on Alec. He was more intent on the two beautiful women in his presence.
"Go talk to him." Maggie pushed. Zack nodded and started back in the other direction, but then abruptly around to pose the question, "So, do you like her?"
"So far, yes." A melancholy smile snaked its way onto his features. He avoided her eyes as he turned around and sulked towards headquarters.
Maggie sighed as she followed the displeased man. "Zack." She had no idea what she would do, but she was determined to cheer him up.
"Yep?" He spun around lazily to face her. Unclear of what she was thinking, Maggie went with the first idea that popped into her mind.
She kissed him.
Zack was shocked at the sudden move from his new friend. But being male, and sane, he was still attracted to Maggie. All thoughts of Max were blown away and shattered as he felt her soft, luscious lips on his. The fairy-tale fireworks exploded as he returned her kiss with just as much passion. He grinned from ear to ear as they slowly parted. He couldn't hold in his emotions and happiness radiated off of him.
Maggie was shocked and very pleased at her gesture being returned. She was so ecstatic; she didn't know what to do next. They both should have had a tactic they could use, but instead, they just stood there grinning like idiots.
Zack was the first to recover. "I should go.... Err... talk to Alec. Why don't you go see Max and she'll get you a room." Maggie giggled slightly at his unusually deep tone.
He wandered off, glancing back at Maggie with a smile on his face. He knew Max and Alec would have their 'happily ever after' – and now he was pretty damn sure he'd have his, too. Max, although gorgeous, fun, caring and so much else to him, she was his sister; and that was a level of love nothing could tarnish. It might take a while, but he would get over her. Then he would have Maggie. In such a short period of time, she had brought out so many good sides to him. She, Max and Alec had transformed him from 'X5-599 – super soldier' to Zack, an extraordinary brother and friend. Gee, I'm turning into a sap. But even that thought broadened his smile. There was just one more thing he had to do; help his baby sister.
Alec swallowed hard. This was the seventh time – not that he was counting or anything – that he had gone up to the door of Max's apartment. This time, he would knock. He would. Or he would turn around and leave. Yeah, that works, too. Suddenly, the door opened and someone crashed into him.
"Oomph," the person said, obviously displeased at running into something, especially when it hurt. Looking closer, Alec realized it was the person he had supposedly wanted to talk to. Now, he wasn't so sure.
"Hey Max. I was just... going to Headquarters. Ya know, go do some more work!" Alec hoped his cheerful and charming grin would help his story. Max simply laughed.
"Sure, Alec. Work is what you do best, isn't it?" Max winked, stunning an already surprised blond. She chuckled at his silence as she walked in the direction of HQ.
Finally processing the previous interaction, Alec yelled back, "No, but I can show you what I do best..."
"Sorry, Alec, but I'm not in the mood to watch you stare and drool," Max teasingly shot back, turning the corner.
"Hey!" Maybe I shouldn't tell her yet. Yeah, I'll tell her later. Maybe. Alec rushed after Max, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake.
Zack and previously mentioned blond female (X5-898, now known as Maggie) were taking a tour of Terminal City.
"This would be headquarters. Maybe Max will be here." Zack lost part of his chipper attitude at the mention of his fellow '09 escapee.
"We don't have to go in there if –" Maggie's caring words were promptly interrupted.
"No. She's my sister; I'm going to have to see her sometime. Plus, I think you'd like her." Maggie, seeing the determination in Zack's eyes, simply sighed and followed him down the corridor.
X5-898 was a soldier who specialized in medical and tactics, so naturally she was a good listener and a people person. She had entered TC with two other women in her unit when she realized she had forgotten her favorite leather jacket on her bike. She had spotted the blond sitting by the side of the road, and her cat-like curiosity had taken over. By the time Zack had finished his spiel, she had felt closer to him than anyone ever before. In fact, she had a developing crush on the guy. It was obvious he was still completely infatuated with this 'Max,' but Maggie was an extremely patient person.
Maggie was deep in thought about Zack and 'Max,' so she didn't see the petite brunette until they collided into each other.
Max was looking over her shoulder to watch Alec hustle around the corner. Giggling to herself, she didn't turn around fast enough to see anyone approach.
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. I wasn't..." Max's gaze shifted over to the man beside the stranger. A bit embarrassed at her clumsiness now, Max sheepishly grinned at her brother before continuing her sentence, "...looking where I was going. I'm Max. You are...?" She asked, extending a hand.
"Maggie. Nice to meet you."
So this is Max? Huh... Seems nice enough. One down, one to go. Now I've just got to meet...
"Alec!" Max called, completing Maggie's thought. "Maggie, that's Alec." The blond woman could see the sparkle in Max's eye. Zack was right; she was head-over-heels. When Alec caught up to the trio, Maggie saw one reason Max had her eye on him; he was amazingly gorgeous and extremely hot. Although Maggie had made a note of her reaction, she wasn't fazed. Zack also had the same impression on her- stronger even. After just a few hours with the hot rouge, Maggie found a best friend and a possible boyfriend.
As Maggie studied Alec even more from the corner of her eye, she could see the anxiousness imprinted on his features. Either he wanted to get somewhere, or he hasn't told her yet.
"Umm...Zack? Could you show me the little girl's room?" She asked politely, trying to signal her friend.
"Sure, Maggie. Guys, I'll be back in a bit." He faked a smile at the couple before going down a new hallway. When they were out of hearing range, he asked, "What?"
"He hasn't asked her yet."
"WHAT?! He's had five hours and he still hasn't said anything?" Zack was incredulous.
"I can see the anxiousness in his eyes. Plus, the wrinkles in his forehead were a total give away." Zack shrugged; he wasn't really focusing on Alec. He was more intent on the two beautiful women in his presence.
"Go talk to him." Maggie pushed. Zack nodded and started back in the other direction, but then abruptly around to pose the question, "So, do you like her?"
"So far, yes." A melancholy smile snaked its way onto his features. He avoided her eyes as he turned around and sulked towards headquarters.
Maggie sighed as she followed the displeased man. "Zack." She had no idea what she would do, but she was determined to cheer him up.
"Yep?" He spun around lazily to face her. Unclear of what she was thinking, Maggie went with the first idea that popped into her mind.
She kissed him.
Zack was shocked at the sudden move from his new friend. But being male, and sane, he was still attracted to Maggie. All thoughts of Max were blown away and shattered as he felt her soft, luscious lips on his. The fairy-tale fireworks exploded as he returned her kiss with just as much passion. He grinned from ear to ear as they slowly parted. He couldn't hold in his emotions and happiness radiated off of him.
Maggie was shocked and very pleased at her gesture being returned. She was so ecstatic; she didn't know what to do next. They both should have had a tactic they could use, but instead, they just stood there grinning like idiots.
Zack was the first to recover. "I should go.... Err... talk to Alec. Why don't you go see Max and she'll get you a room." Maggie giggled slightly at his unusually deep tone.
He wandered off, glancing back at Maggie with a smile on his face. He knew Max and Alec would have their 'happily ever after' – and now he was pretty damn sure he'd have his, too. Max, although gorgeous, fun, caring and so much else to him, she was his sister; and that was a level of love nothing could tarnish. It might take a while, but he would get over her. Then he would have Maggie. In such a short period of time, she had brought out so many good sides to him. She, Max and Alec had transformed him from 'X5-599 – super soldier' to Zack, an extraordinary brother and friend. Gee, I'm turning into a sap. But even that thought broadened his smile. There was just one more thing he had to do; help his baby sister.