Dancing in the Moonlight chapter 5
"Logan, why are you so worried? This is a routine breaking and entering job. I slip in and out, and no one knows the better." Max looked at Logan, clearly exasperated with him.
Turning to her from his computer Logan asked acidly. "If I could put my finger on it, it wouldn't be a problem, would it?"
Max rolled her eyes. "You have been going over this data for two months. Don'tcha think that something would have shown by now? You worry too much."
Logan stood and began to pace, tension obvious in his posture. He stopped in front of Max and folded his arms across his chest. "Is that what you think I'm doing...worrying too much? Just because you're genetically empowered means I don't have a right to worry? Wrong! We're not doing this until I'm sure. The data are suspect. I'm going to scrub the mission until I'm sure." Logan turned, walked to the window, and looked out over the city.
Max looked at him, her mouth open, hands on hips. She walked quickly to the window. "Logan, what is up with you? I haven't seen you this up in arms before. You're willing to give up pursuit of a major drug dealer, who has caused the death of more than a few people I might add, because, you're worried?"
"It's a trap, Max...I know it is. It's too easy; it doesn't add up. This isn't Vance's style. He's into corporate fraud in a big way. Drug running is not his thing. Someone is setting us up. I can think of only one reason and that's you. There are people out there who still want you, Max, for whatever reasons. White's still alive and not too happy, I'm guessing, Lydecker still has an agenda... the government's black ops haven't given up yet. I can't chance it."
"You can't chance it! Since when do you get to make decisions for me?" Max asked angrily. "We're married, but that doesn't make you my keeper. Besides, you are in as much danger as me. Every time we go out I'm worried that something will happen to you. Face it Logan; you're in far more danger than I am. Eyes Only has a lot more enemies than Max Cale. If they are after anyone, it's you, not me, or do I have to mention Gerhardt Bronck! You're not the only one who worries, you know," whispered Max.
"Max, they don't know who Eyes Only is," Logan sighed and gathered Max in his arms. "We're at cross purposes then. Neither of us is willing to give up the things we care about most. Things are much more difficult now, it seems." He smiled ruefully at Max. "Maybe we can reach a compromise."
"We're gonna have to, 'cause if you pull this Neanderthal thing with the husband dealio again, I'm seriously going to have to kick your ass." She grinned up at Logan.
Logan raised his eyebrows and looked at her, considering what she had said. "Well I'll just have to risk it. I'm your husband and I need to be a Neanderthal occasionally. Didn't you read it in the husbands' manual? The part where it says that husbands have a right to worry about their spouses and even express that worry when needed?" Logan smiled and walked to the stereo, "Dance with me Max."
The music came up and Logan looked at Max, and in his endearing off tune way began to sing to her again. ~"You can't dance and stay up tight, It's a supernatural delight...Everybody was dancing in the moonlight".~ He held out his hand to her.
Max looked at Logan and melted. "This isn't over. I refuse to allow you to seduce me away from this. We are going to talk about it," She drifted into his arms. "So when do I get to see this manual? " she murmured into his chest.
She felt the rumble of laughter in his chest. "It's a secret. If I show you... well you know. Max we will talk; I promise," he said as they began to dance.
~~~~
Three days later
Logan and Max sat in the SUV outside a high-rise in the business district. It was 4 A.M. and traffic was non-existent. Logan looked at his computer going over the schematics of the building.
"Everything looks right. Nothing out of the ordinary, just the normal building security," Logan said tersely. "I've been sussing the place out for the last month. No recent changes in security." Logan looked at Max, his brow furrowed. "We could bag this and go home," he said quietly.
"Logan, it's going to be okay! It's not like you to give up on a major drug dealer. We'll keep in constant contact on comms. I have back-up, like you asked; you're staying here, like I asked. Besides, I'm the best. What could go wrong?"
"Well, for one thing, your back-up is late," Logan said grumpily. Just then a knock came on the window. Logan whirled around to see Zack standing there, with Jondy and Zane behind him. Logan lowered the window. " You're late," he growled.
"Max, you ready to do this thing?" Zack asked, ignoring Logan.
Logan sighed deeply. "Look Zack, I'm sorry..."
"Don't worry. We'll bring Max back safe." Zack looked at Logan and gave him a half-smile. The others just rolled their eyes and laughed.
Logan flushed and turned to Max, who was laughing. He smiled ruefully. "Okay, I get the picture." He bent across the seat, gave Max a kiss and handed her the comm units. "Be care-"
"ful," she finished for him. She gave him a kiss and jumped out of the SUV.
Together with her siblings, she jogged to the building. "Logan says the stuff we need is on a secure server on the 10th floor. There are no special security measures being taken. Routine job."
"So what's the big deal, anyway?" asked Zane. "I'm guarding Logan; is there something going down we don't know about?"
"Logan is a little spun about this mission, is all," Max replied shortly
"Like you aren't!" Zane retorted. "I know Logan didn't agree to this without a fight."
"Just think of it as the art of matrimonial compromise. He agreed not to go in this time, and I agreed not to break his leg... and I promised I would take in back-up." Max grinned at Zane, who just rolled his eyes.
Max handed out the comm units then placed one in her own ear. "Logan, can you hear me?"
"Loud and clear, Max. I've shut down the security grid. It's safe to go. There are two security guards manning the console. They don't have a clue they've been breached." After a moment the words came, "Max, be careful." There was a collective sigh and grin as Logan spoke. Everyone laughed, but those words had become a talisman. The X5s needed to hear them.
Max gave a hand signal and everyone moved out. Zane drifted into the shadows moving into position. He stood in the night shadows near the corner of the building about 25 yards from Logan. Logan looked up at him and smiled.
Max, Zack and Jondy entered the building, moving stealthily, looking for any signs of trouble. They split up and circled the lobby before heading to the stairs. Zack came up behind the security station and listened to the guards for a moment. He rolled a small canister under the chair of one of the guards gave, it ten seconds and silently moved away moved silently away. The guards began to yawn. In less than two minutes they were out cold.
Max gave a hand signal. Zack and Jondy nodded in response. Zack went through the stairwell door first, followed by Max, then Jondy. They climbed to the 10th floor without any problem. Max quickly found the server room and looked at the rows of servers bolted to the floor. The information she wanted was located on servers three and seven. She was preparing to take the servers off-line when she heard the sound of an elevator. Her senses, already on alert, kicked into overdrive. Quickly she abandoned the task, exited the room and crouched behind a desk in the antechamber.
"What is it?" Jondy hissed as Max came out. Max shrugged and held her finger to her lips. Zack had already positioned himself against the wall nearest the elevator and pulled his gun. Jondy moved into position inside a doorway. Max stayed where she was, hidden in a dark corner with a good view of the elevator doors. The door opened. Two women and a man all in body armor stepped out, moving with a preternatural grace and took up positions near the stairwell door and waited. They were positioned perfectly to block any exit.
"White's goon squad," Max said. Then all hell broke loose.
Logan was sitting in the SUV, watching as the elevator grid suddenly came back on-line. "Shit!" He began typing furiously. "Max! Are you okay? Zack? Jondy? Report!" He looked out his window, expecting to see Zane coming, but instead saw him engaged in a battle with three people. Logan opened the door and started to get out, but he felt the touch of a gun barrel behind his left ear.
"I wouldn't move if I were you," came the soft and very dangerous voice of Ames White. "Turn off the comm."
~~~
Max launched herself at the nearest Phalanx warrior who turned and parried the blow easily. The blonde tried a sweep kick. Max vaulted over her head, executing a perfect half-twisting somersault and landing on the desk behind the warrior. As the blond, turned Max jumped onto and drove her to the ground. Max began hitting her in the face repeatedly. The warrior was unfazed; she grabbed one of Max's hands and used a foot thrust to flip Max over her head; Max landed heavily on her back, temporarily winded.
Across the hallway, Jondy was fighting with another phalanx soldier. He slammed Jondy against the wall and dropped her to the ground. Jondy leg- swept him, knocking him off-balance. She quickly jumped up and grabbed a fire extinguisher off the wall. The fire extinguisher became a weapon as Jondy swung it at the phalanx warrior, forcing him to retreat and duck. As the warrior moved in for a counter attack, Jondy turned the extinguisher around and quickly sprayed him with freezing CO2. He backed away and Jondy pressed her advantage.
The Phalanx warrior who engaged Max went to help her compatriot. With a glance at Zack, Max jumped up and went to help Jondy.
Zack moved fast, a blur of action, as he engaged the other female warrior. Grabbing her arm and twisting it behind her Zack slammed her into the wall. She bounced off the wall, nose bloodied. She turned quickly and kicked Zack in the chest, knocking him backward to the floor. When she didn't press her attack, Zack looked around quickly.
In fact, none of the phalanx were pressing the attack. They seemed to be content to just hold the X5s in the room. Zack met Max's eyes and he saw the dread that appeared.
"Logan!" Max said desperately into the comm as she headed to the stairs. The phalanx moved to let her, Zack and Jondy pass. What Max heard chilled her to the bone.
"452," came the repellant voice of Ames White.
~~~~
Logan was roughly pulled from the car. He saw an opening and threw an elbow into White's face, causing White to lose his balance and grip. Seizing the opportunity, Logan pulled away and began to run. He wasn't hoping to escape; he was hoping to buy time for Max. He shot a quick look at Zane and saw that the three phalanx warriors had subdued him.
"Cale, if you run, I'll kill her. Do you think these are the only people I have?" White called. "She's not the objective. You are. But if you take another step, I'll kill her and let you watch." Logan stopped in his tracks and slowly turned toward White. One of the Phalanx warriors walked away from Zane toward Logan. He grabbed Logan's arms and pulled them behind his back where he hand-cuffed Logan tightly. Then he pushed him roughly in the White's direction.
"I don't..." Logan was stopped by a vicious backhand causing his glasses to fly off his face.
White ripped the comm out of Logan's ear and said to his henchman, "Gag him. I don't want to hear him." Logan was quickly gagged as a black Lincoln Continental pulled up. Logan watched as White turned on the comm.
White smiled. "452."
"I've been waiting to hear from you. What took you so long?" he taunted.
"If you hurt him in anyway," came Max's voice, "I will kill you." She was running down the stairs, giving hand signals to Zack and Jondy as she flew.
"Your threats amuse me, 452. Did you think there wouldn't be consequences for stealing my son? I'm just returning the favor. I may give him back to you... one day." White took the comm out of his ear and dropped it on the ground, crushing it with his heel. He opened the trunk of the Lincoln, pulling a hood out of his pocket. He slipped it over Logan's head and pushed him into the trunk. White slammed the trunk door shut and got in the car, ordering the driver to go.
Max burst out the door of the building followed by Zack and Jondy. Zack raised his gun at the retreating car. Max slapped down his arm. "No Zack!" she snapped. "Logan is in that car! She ran for the SUV, only to find the key broken off in the ignition.
Max turned to run after the retreating car, feeling something crunch under her foot after just a few steps.. She looked down and stopped, then slowly bent to pick up Logan's glasses. Holding the glasses in her hand Max lost the control she'd been maintaining. She sank to the ground and began to sob uncontrollably as her siblings looked on in shock.
"Logan, why are you so worried? This is a routine breaking and entering job. I slip in and out, and no one knows the better." Max looked at Logan, clearly exasperated with him.
Turning to her from his computer Logan asked acidly. "If I could put my finger on it, it wouldn't be a problem, would it?"
Max rolled her eyes. "You have been going over this data for two months. Don'tcha think that something would have shown by now? You worry too much."
Logan stood and began to pace, tension obvious in his posture. He stopped in front of Max and folded his arms across his chest. "Is that what you think I'm doing...worrying too much? Just because you're genetically empowered means I don't have a right to worry? Wrong! We're not doing this until I'm sure. The data are suspect. I'm going to scrub the mission until I'm sure." Logan turned, walked to the window, and looked out over the city.
Max looked at him, her mouth open, hands on hips. She walked quickly to the window. "Logan, what is up with you? I haven't seen you this up in arms before. You're willing to give up pursuit of a major drug dealer, who has caused the death of more than a few people I might add, because, you're worried?"
"It's a trap, Max...I know it is. It's too easy; it doesn't add up. This isn't Vance's style. He's into corporate fraud in a big way. Drug running is not his thing. Someone is setting us up. I can think of only one reason and that's you. There are people out there who still want you, Max, for whatever reasons. White's still alive and not too happy, I'm guessing, Lydecker still has an agenda... the government's black ops haven't given up yet. I can't chance it."
"You can't chance it! Since when do you get to make decisions for me?" Max asked angrily. "We're married, but that doesn't make you my keeper. Besides, you are in as much danger as me. Every time we go out I'm worried that something will happen to you. Face it Logan; you're in far more danger than I am. Eyes Only has a lot more enemies than Max Cale. If they are after anyone, it's you, not me, or do I have to mention Gerhardt Bronck! You're not the only one who worries, you know," whispered Max.
"Max, they don't know who Eyes Only is," Logan sighed and gathered Max in his arms. "We're at cross purposes then. Neither of us is willing to give up the things we care about most. Things are much more difficult now, it seems." He smiled ruefully at Max. "Maybe we can reach a compromise."
"We're gonna have to, 'cause if you pull this Neanderthal thing with the husband dealio again, I'm seriously going to have to kick your ass." She grinned up at Logan.
Logan raised his eyebrows and looked at her, considering what she had said. "Well I'll just have to risk it. I'm your husband and I need to be a Neanderthal occasionally. Didn't you read it in the husbands' manual? The part where it says that husbands have a right to worry about their spouses and even express that worry when needed?" Logan smiled and walked to the stereo, "Dance with me Max."
The music came up and Logan looked at Max, and in his endearing off tune way began to sing to her again. ~"You can't dance and stay up tight, It's a supernatural delight...Everybody was dancing in the moonlight".~ He held out his hand to her.
Max looked at Logan and melted. "This isn't over. I refuse to allow you to seduce me away from this. We are going to talk about it," She drifted into his arms. "So when do I get to see this manual? " she murmured into his chest.
She felt the rumble of laughter in his chest. "It's a secret. If I show you... well you know. Max we will talk; I promise," he said as they began to dance.
~~~~
Three days later
Logan and Max sat in the SUV outside a high-rise in the business district. It was 4 A.M. and traffic was non-existent. Logan looked at his computer going over the schematics of the building.
"Everything looks right. Nothing out of the ordinary, just the normal building security," Logan said tersely. "I've been sussing the place out for the last month. No recent changes in security." Logan looked at Max, his brow furrowed. "We could bag this and go home," he said quietly.
"Logan, it's going to be okay! It's not like you to give up on a major drug dealer. We'll keep in constant contact on comms. I have back-up, like you asked; you're staying here, like I asked. Besides, I'm the best. What could go wrong?"
"Well, for one thing, your back-up is late," Logan said grumpily. Just then a knock came on the window. Logan whirled around to see Zack standing there, with Jondy and Zane behind him. Logan lowered the window. " You're late," he growled.
"Max, you ready to do this thing?" Zack asked, ignoring Logan.
Logan sighed deeply. "Look Zack, I'm sorry..."
"Don't worry. We'll bring Max back safe." Zack looked at Logan and gave him a half-smile. The others just rolled their eyes and laughed.
Logan flushed and turned to Max, who was laughing. He smiled ruefully. "Okay, I get the picture." He bent across the seat, gave Max a kiss and handed her the comm units. "Be care-"
"ful," she finished for him. She gave him a kiss and jumped out of the SUV.
Together with her siblings, she jogged to the building. "Logan says the stuff we need is on a secure server on the 10th floor. There are no special security measures being taken. Routine job."
"So what's the big deal, anyway?" asked Zane. "I'm guarding Logan; is there something going down we don't know about?"
"Logan is a little spun about this mission, is all," Max replied shortly
"Like you aren't!" Zane retorted. "I know Logan didn't agree to this without a fight."
"Just think of it as the art of matrimonial compromise. He agreed not to go in this time, and I agreed not to break his leg... and I promised I would take in back-up." Max grinned at Zane, who just rolled his eyes.
Max handed out the comm units then placed one in her own ear. "Logan, can you hear me?"
"Loud and clear, Max. I've shut down the security grid. It's safe to go. There are two security guards manning the console. They don't have a clue they've been breached." After a moment the words came, "Max, be careful." There was a collective sigh and grin as Logan spoke. Everyone laughed, but those words had become a talisman. The X5s needed to hear them.
Max gave a hand signal and everyone moved out. Zane drifted into the shadows moving into position. He stood in the night shadows near the corner of the building about 25 yards from Logan. Logan looked up at him and smiled.
Max, Zack and Jondy entered the building, moving stealthily, looking for any signs of trouble. They split up and circled the lobby before heading to the stairs. Zack came up behind the security station and listened to the guards for a moment. He rolled a small canister under the chair of one of the guards gave, it ten seconds and silently moved away moved silently away. The guards began to yawn. In less than two minutes they were out cold.
Max gave a hand signal. Zack and Jondy nodded in response. Zack went through the stairwell door first, followed by Max, then Jondy. They climbed to the 10th floor without any problem. Max quickly found the server room and looked at the rows of servers bolted to the floor. The information she wanted was located on servers three and seven. She was preparing to take the servers off-line when she heard the sound of an elevator. Her senses, already on alert, kicked into overdrive. Quickly she abandoned the task, exited the room and crouched behind a desk in the antechamber.
"What is it?" Jondy hissed as Max came out. Max shrugged and held her finger to her lips. Zack had already positioned himself against the wall nearest the elevator and pulled his gun. Jondy moved into position inside a doorway. Max stayed where she was, hidden in a dark corner with a good view of the elevator doors. The door opened. Two women and a man all in body armor stepped out, moving with a preternatural grace and took up positions near the stairwell door and waited. They were positioned perfectly to block any exit.
"White's goon squad," Max said. Then all hell broke loose.
Logan was sitting in the SUV, watching as the elevator grid suddenly came back on-line. "Shit!" He began typing furiously. "Max! Are you okay? Zack? Jondy? Report!" He looked out his window, expecting to see Zane coming, but instead saw him engaged in a battle with three people. Logan opened the door and started to get out, but he felt the touch of a gun barrel behind his left ear.
"I wouldn't move if I were you," came the soft and very dangerous voice of Ames White. "Turn off the comm."
~~~
Max launched herself at the nearest Phalanx warrior who turned and parried the blow easily. The blonde tried a sweep kick. Max vaulted over her head, executing a perfect half-twisting somersault and landing on the desk behind the warrior. As the blond, turned Max jumped onto and drove her to the ground. Max began hitting her in the face repeatedly. The warrior was unfazed; she grabbed one of Max's hands and used a foot thrust to flip Max over her head; Max landed heavily on her back, temporarily winded.
Across the hallway, Jondy was fighting with another phalanx soldier. He slammed Jondy against the wall and dropped her to the ground. Jondy leg- swept him, knocking him off-balance. She quickly jumped up and grabbed a fire extinguisher off the wall. The fire extinguisher became a weapon as Jondy swung it at the phalanx warrior, forcing him to retreat and duck. As the warrior moved in for a counter attack, Jondy turned the extinguisher around and quickly sprayed him with freezing CO2. He backed away and Jondy pressed her advantage.
The Phalanx warrior who engaged Max went to help her compatriot. With a glance at Zack, Max jumped up and went to help Jondy.
Zack moved fast, a blur of action, as he engaged the other female warrior. Grabbing her arm and twisting it behind her Zack slammed her into the wall. She bounced off the wall, nose bloodied. She turned quickly and kicked Zack in the chest, knocking him backward to the floor. When she didn't press her attack, Zack looked around quickly.
In fact, none of the phalanx were pressing the attack. They seemed to be content to just hold the X5s in the room. Zack met Max's eyes and he saw the dread that appeared.
"Logan!" Max said desperately into the comm as she headed to the stairs. The phalanx moved to let her, Zack and Jondy pass. What Max heard chilled her to the bone.
"452," came the repellant voice of Ames White.
~~~~
Logan was roughly pulled from the car. He saw an opening and threw an elbow into White's face, causing White to lose his balance and grip. Seizing the opportunity, Logan pulled away and began to run. He wasn't hoping to escape; he was hoping to buy time for Max. He shot a quick look at Zane and saw that the three phalanx warriors had subdued him.
"Cale, if you run, I'll kill her. Do you think these are the only people I have?" White called. "She's not the objective. You are. But if you take another step, I'll kill her and let you watch." Logan stopped in his tracks and slowly turned toward White. One of the Phalanx warriors walked away from Zane toward Logan. He grabbed Logan's arms and pulled them behind his back where he hand-cuffed Logan tightly. Then he pushed him roughly in the White's direction.
"I don't..." Logan was stopped by a vicious backhand causing his glasses to fly off his face.
White ripped the comm out of Logan's ear and said to his henchman, "Gag him. I don't want to hear him." Logan was quickly gagged as a black Lincoln Continental pulled up. Logan watched as White turned on the comm.
White smiled. "452."
"I've been waiting to hear from you. What took you so long?" he taunted.
"If you hurt him in anyway," came Max's voice, "I will kill you." She was running down the stairs, giving hand signals to Zack and Jondy as she flew.
"Your threats amuse me, 452. Did you think there wouldn't be consequences for stealing my son? I'm just returning the favor. I may give him back to you... one day." White took the comm out of his ear and dropped it on the ground, crushing it with his heel. He opened the trunk of the Lincoln, pulling a hood out of his pocket. He slipped it over Logan's head and pushed him into the trunk. White slammed the trunk door shut and got in the car, ordering the driver to go.
Max burst out the door of the building followed by Zack and Jondy. Zack raised his gun at the retreating car. Max slapped down his arm. "No Zack!" she snapped. "Logan is in that car! She ran for the SUV, only to find the key broken off in the ignition.
Max turned to run after the retreating car, feeling something crunch under her foot after just a few steps.. She looked down and stopped, then slowly bent to pick up Logan's glasses. Holding the glasses in her hand Max lost the control she'd been maintaining. She sank to the ground and began to sob uncontrollably as her siblings looked on in shock.