Disclaimer: I don't own anything
A/N: Thank you so much for the many great reviews! Makes this whole thing so much better!!!
Again: Thanks to somebody's angel for reading the alpha version and turning it into something way better!
And now enjoy!!
**
Chapter 5
Logan wheeled straight to Randy's room. He had been on the exact same floor less than a year ago, but he had thankfully been unconscious or at least incoherent most of the time. The few memories he had left were bad enough. He sure couldn't deal with many more.
"Hey," he softly greeted Brad from the door.
"Hi. He's asleep." Brad stood up and stepped towards him. "I'm sorry about calling you and asking. I didn't know what else to do…I'll pay it back, I swear."
"That's not the point, Brad. Can we talk outside?" He backed up and moved a few feet away from the room towards the row of plastic chairs where Max had waited the other day.
Brad didn't sit down, apparently not getting the hint.
Logan sighed. It wasn't one of his favourite things to do, having to lead a conversation while constantly looking up. "Where did you find that organization?" he asked immediately.
"What do you mean?"
"You don't usually pay that much money for organs," Logan insisted.
"I know that guy who knows a guy, he made the deal."
"Bard, this just doesn't add up. For all we know those guys might trade organs."
"So?"
"They kill people for it!" Logan couldn't believe Brad acted that indifferent.
Brad shook his head. "I never thought I'd say this, but I don't care. This is about Randy, Logan!"
"I know." Of course he knew!
"So you're giving me the money?" The fear and desperation was evident in Brad's face.
"I…" Logan swallowed. "I have to think about it."
"What is there to think about? We don't have much time left!"
"I'll let ya know tonight." Logan suddenly felt like running away. "I gotta go. When Randy wakes up, tell him I stopped by."
Brad put a hand on Logan's shoulder, and all of the sudden Logan felt threatened. The gaze of the other guy was weirdly intense. "This is Randy's only chance."
"Good bye, Brad." Logan tensely backed up and raced over to the elevators. He had to get out of there.
**
The moment Logan sat in his car he let out a deep breath. But he knew that it wasn't over. He automatically reached for his cell and punched in Max's number without quite thinking about what he was doing.
She almost had to be done for the day, maybe she could get off a little early. He needed her right now, though he didn't really know what difference she could make. She just made it- for him. Ever since she had returned to him after the accident she had been his anchor, sometimes she was his only reason to go on. But she almost was the reason for a lot of his frustration; it was just so hard, seeing her every day, knowing he would never be good enough for her. He feared the day when she wouldn't show up because she had met some guy. Of course, he wanted her to be happy- but he also caught himself having egoistic thoughts. What would he do without her? What would his life be like? He was sacred he would slip back to the dark place he had been in right after the shooting, when he thought his life was not worth living it.
He had seen Brad and how he cared for his brother. He hadn't had that kind of support in the hospital- he couldn't count on his family, he had given up on that illusion long ago. Who would be there if he needed someone? Bling? He was his best friend, but he also was his therapist. Would he be enough?
Max was more important to him than he had ever liked to admit. He just needed her.
**
He wheeled into his apartment twenty minutes later. A headache had built up and he felt drained and tired.
"Hi!" he looked up in surprise and saw Max standing in front of him. "You beeped me when I had just been on my way home, so I thought I could just as well come here for a shower."
"Thanks." Logan sheepishly smiled at her.
"So what is it?"
"Do you mind taking that shower first? I think I need a few minutes."
"Sure," Max frowned worriedly, but decided to give him the time he had requested. "Be right back."
**
"So, what went down?" Max sank down on the comfortable sofa after having grabbed an apple from the fridge. She looked intently at Logan's back, taking a big bite. Her hair was still wet and she twirled it into a knot so it wouldn't leave wet imprints on the expensive fabric.
"I talked to Brad. He confirmed it. While you were in the shower I did some more research. An informant tipped me. It's definitely an organ trade ring behind this. I've got proof." He handed her an envelope and the pictures inside showed people being operated on, silver metal boxes, doctors, and dead bodies. "An informant sent those over," he explained defeatedly.
"What are you gonna do?" Max put the pictures back inside the envelope. What she had seen was disgusting and her apple landed on the table.
"I can't let them get away with it. They are killing people for money."
"But if you blow'em up now, Randy probably won't get a liver in time," Max concluded.
"Yeah." His voice was tired just like his entire body language. He sat there, defeated, helpless, confused.
Max cursed inwardly. This was one of the moments Max thought Eyes Only was too much for him to handle. It was just not right to put the answer to so many questions on the shoulders of one man.
"You could wait until Randy had surgery and then make your move," Max suggested half-heartedly, she knew Logan well enough to know that this was not how he worked.
"You know that this isn't right," he confirmed her thoughts immediately.
"Then you don't seem to have much of a choice," she stated, trying to sound convinced. She desperately wanted to tell him that he wasn't alone, but she couldn't. That would mean giving away too much.
"But how am I supposed to face Brad or Randy, knowing I've signed his death warrant?"
"You haven't done that, Logan. You're doing the right thing."
"No, I'm killing a friend." With that he wheeled over to his computer and Max followed him.
"You are saving people who also have friends and families, Logan. People who don't deserve to die just as much as Randy doesn't."
"I have to piece the bulletin together."
**
Max returned to Logan's computer room at two am. She had watched TV for the past three hours, feeling like she had to stay with him. She had caught him glancing in her direction every now and then and her heart had taken up a beat every single time. Hell, this guy was getting to her! She was not supposed o get involved with anybody, she was too dangerous!
Eventually she had heard the familiar lines Logan always used in his broadcasts. "…Peace. Out."
She watched him switching the camera off and wheeling back to the computer, typing in a few commands. Without looking up he explained. "It'll air tomorrow morning. I think I should be with Brad and Randy when it does."
"You think that is wise?" Max asked sympathetically.
Logan turned around to face her. "I don't know, but I feel like I owe that much to them. I've just killed him." Logan's voice grew softer with every word and the last sentenced was barely more than a whisper.
"No. It's destiny."
"You don't believe in that," he reminded her.
"Maybe I've changed my mind. Logan, this guy's really sick, but trying to survive by killing someone else ain't right. Who knows if he even wants to live with the knowledge that an innocent person died."
Logan suddenly felt incredibly tired. This was wearing on him more than he liked to admit. As Eyes Only he had made a lot of decisions about life and death, but knowing the one person he had to sacrifice in order to have the good triumph over evil was extremely hard.
"I'll go to bed," he announced eventually and unlocked his brakes. "Night, Max."
"Night." She watched him wheel out of his office and saw him spin around one more time. "I said this a lot lately, but thanks again, Max, for everything."
"You're welcome." She smiled at him, a wave of warmth and admiration washing over her. She could count herself lucky to have met a person like Logan. Their quid pro quo aside, he was the strongest human being she had ever met and he had taught her more about what life was really all about than anybody else before.
**
Long before Logan even stirred Max had gotten up, had had a long hot shower, brewed coffee and called Original Cindy so she could cover for her at work. Logan could get her a doctor's note later on.
When he finally showed up in the kitchen, bleary eyed with dishevelled hair Max was just eating a banana. "Morning."
"What are you doing here already?" He yawned. Sleep hadn't come easily and when it finally had, it was accompanied by weird, confusing dreams. He didn't feel rested at all.
"You look like hell," Max stated.
"Thanks."
"Welcome. Anyway,I had never left in fact, camped out I the guest bedroom and used all your hot water. I thought I'm going to the hospital with you."
"You don't have to." He filled a mug with hot coffee.
"I know." Max didn't only want to support Logan but was also hoping to see Juna again. She hadn't gotten the woman out of her head ever since she had first seen her.
"Max?"
"Yeah?"
"You'd spaced out. I said I was gonna take a shower and then we can leave."
"Okay." Max agreed, trying to sound supportive. She just hoped things wouldn't get too messy. She was afraid Logan wouldn't be able to take it.
**
TBC…
A/N: Thank you so much for the many great reviews! Makes this whole thing so much better!!!
Again: Thanks to somebody's angel for reading the alpha version and turning it into something way better!
And now enjoy!!
**
Chapter 5
Logan wheeled straight to Randy's room. He had been on the exact same floor less than a year ago, but he had thankfully been unconscious or at least incoherent most of the time. The few memories he had left were bad enough. He sure couldn't deal with many more.
"Hey," he softly greeted Brad from the door.
"Hi. He's asleep." Brad stood up and stepped towards him. "I'm sorry about calling you and asking. I didn't know what else to do…I'll pay it back, I swear."
"That's not the point, Brad. Can we talk outside?" He backed up and moved a few feet away from the room towards the row of plastic chairs where Max had waited the other day.
Brad didn't sit down, apparently not getting the hint.
Logan sighed. It wasn't one of his favourite things to do, having to lead a conversation while constantly looking up. "Where did you find that organization?" he asked immediately.
"What do you mean?"
"You don't usually pay that much money for organs," Logan insisted.
"I know that guy who knows a guy, he made the deal."
"Bard, this just doesn't add up. For all we know those guys might trade organs."
"So?"
"They kill people for it!" Logan couldn't believe Brad acted that indifferent.
Brad shook his head. "I never thought I'd say this, but I don't care. This is about Randy, Logan!"
"I know." Of course he knew!
"So you're giving me the money?" The fear and desperation was evident in Brad's face.
"I…" Logan swallowed. "I have to think about it."
"What is there to think about? We don't have much time left!"
"I'll let ya know tonight." Logan suddenly felt like running away. "I gotta go. When Randy wakes up, tell him I stopped by."
Brad put a hand on Logan's shoulder, and all of the sudden Logan felt threatened. The gaze of the other guy was weirdly intense. "This is Randy's only chance."
"Good bye, Brad." Logan tensely backed up and raced over to the elevators. He had to get out of there.
**
The moment Logan sat in his car he let out a deep breath. But he knew that it wasn't over. He automatically reached for his cell and punched in Max's number without quite thinking about what he was doing.
She almost had to be done for the day, maybe she could get off a little early. He needed her right now, though he didn't really know what difference she could make. She just made it- for him. Ever since she had returned to him after the accident she had been his anchor, sometimes she was his only reason to go on. But she almost was the reason for a lot of his frustration; it was just so hard, seeing her every day, knowing he would never be good enough for her. He feared the day when she wouldn't show up because she had met some guy. Of course, he wanted her to be happy- but he also caught himself having egoistic thoughts. What would he do without her? What would his life be like? He was sacred he would slip back to the dark place he had been in right after the shooting, when he thought his life was not worth living it.
He had seen Brad and how he cared for his brother. He hadn't had that kind of support in the hospital- he couldn't count on his family, he had given up on that illusion long ago. Who would be there if he needed someone? Bling? He was his best friend, but he also was his therapist. Would he be enough?
Max was more important to him than he had ever liked to admit. He just needed her.
**
He wheeled into his apartment twenty minutes later. A headache had built up and he felt drained and tired.
"Hi!" he looked up in surprise and saw Max standing in front of him. "You beeped me when I had just been on my way home, so I thought I could just as well come here for a shower."
"Thanks." Logan sheepishly smiled at her.
"So what is it?"
"Do you mind taking that shower first? I think I need a few minutes."
"Sure," Max frowned worriedly, but decided to give him the time he had requested. "Be right back."
**
"So, what went down?" Max sank down on the comfortable sofa after having grabbed an apple from the fridge. She looked intently at Logan's back, taking a big bite. Her hair was still wet and she twirled it into a knot so it wouldn't leave wet imprints on the expensive fabric.
"I talked to Brad. He confirmed it. While you were in the shower I did some more research. An informant tipped me. It's definitely an organ trade ring behind this. I've got proof." He handed her an envelope and the pictures inside showed people being operated on, silver metal boxes, doctors, and dead bodies. "An informant sent those over," he explained defeatedly.
"What are you gonna do?" Max put the pictures back inside the envelope. What she had seen was disgusting and her apple landed on the table.
"I can't let them get away with it. They are killing people for money."
"But if you blow'em up now, Randy probably won't get a liver in time," Max concluded.
"Yeah." His voice was tired just like his entire body language. He sat there, defeated, helpless, confused.
Max cursed inwardly. This was one of the moments Max thought Eyes Only was too much for him to handle. It was just not right to put the answer to so many questions on the shoulders of one man.
"You could wait until Randy had surgery and then make your move," Max suggested half-heartedly, she knew Logan well enough to know that this was not how he worked.
"You know that this isn't right," he confirmed her thoughts immediately.
"Then you don't seem to have much of a choice," she stated, trying to sound convinced. She desperately wanted to tell him that he wasn't alone, but she couldn't. That would mean giving away too much.
"But how am I supposed to face Brad or Randy, knowing I've signed his death warrant?"
"You haven't done that, Logan. You're doing the right thing."
"No, I'm killing a friend." With that he wheeled over to his computer and Max followed him.
"You are saving people who also have friends and families, Logan. People who don't deserve to die just as much as Randy doesn't."
"I have to piece the bulletin together."
**
Max returned to Logan's computer room at two am. She had watched TV for the past three hours, feeling like she had to stay with him. She had caught him glancing in her direction every now and then and her heart had taken up a beat every single time. Hell, this guy was getting to her! She was not supposed o get involved with anybody, she was too dangerous!
Eventually she had heard the familiar lines Logan always used in his broadcasts. "…Peace. Out."
She watched him switching the camera off and wheeling back to the computer, typing in a few commands. Without looking up he explained. "It'll air tomorrow morning. I think I should be with Brad and Randy when it does."
"You think that is wise?" Max asked sympathetically.
Logan turned around to face her. "I don't know, but I feel like I owe that much to them. I've just killed him." Logan's voice grew softer with every word and the last sentenced was barely more than a whisper.
"No. It's destiny."
"You don't believe in that," he reminded her.
"Maybe I've changed my mind. Logan, this guy's really sick, but trying to survive by killing someone else ain't right. Who knows if he even wants to live with the knowledge that an innocent person died."
Logan suddenly felt incredibly tired. This was wearing on him more than he liked to admit. As Eyes Only he had made a lot of decisions about life and death, but knowing the one person he had to sacrifice in order to have the good triumph over evil was extremely hard.
"I'll go to bed," he announced eventually and unlocked his brakes. "Night, Max."
"Night." She watched him wheel out of his office and saw him spin around one more time. "I said this a lot lately, but thanks again, Max, for everything."
"You're welcome." She smiled at him, a wave of warmth and admiration washing over her. She could count herself lucky to have met a person like Logan. Their quid pro quo aside, he was the strongest human being she had ever met and he had taught her more about what life was really all about than anybody else before.
**
Long before Logan even stirred Max had gotten up, had had a long hot shower, brewed coffee and called Original Cindy so she could cover for her at work. Logan could get her a doctor's note later on.
When he finally showed up in the kitchen, bleary eyed with dishevelled hair Max was just eating a banana. "Morning."
"What are you doing here already?" He yawned. Sleep hadn't come easily and when it finally had, it was accompanied by weird, confusing dreams. He didn't feel rested at all.
"You look like hell," Max stated.
"Thanks."
"Welcome. Anyway,I had never left in fact, camped out I the guest bedroom and used all your hot water. I thought I'm going to the hospital with you."
"You don't have to." He filled a mug with hot coffee.
"I know." Max didn't only want to support Logan but was also hoping to see Juna again. She hadn't gotten the woman out of her head ever since she had first seen her.
"Max?"
"Yeah?"
"You'd spaced out. I said I was gonna take a shower and then we can leave."
"Okay." Max agreed, trying to sound supportive. She just hoped things wouldn't get too messy. She was afraid Logan wouldn't be able to take it.
**
TBC…