Chapter 5

They had been on the road for hours now. Just as he said, Zack had showed up after an hour with an old pick-up truck. Max, who had been looking forward to the long trip on her bike, glared at Zack and went to the back to make sure there was enough room to fit and secure her Ninja. There were two large bags containing weapons, Max guessed, and a few chains in a corner. And there were handles on the edges of the truck walls that showed clearly hers would not be the first bike this truck carried.

Ben approached carrying both his and Max's bags. He told Zack that his bag was still upstairs, so Max went with Zack to get it. With three X5s available, getting the bike on the truck had been a piece of cake and they were ready to go in barely ten minutes.

Now, three hours later, the three of them were silent while Zack drove them south. Ben couldn't help but feel at peace. It was the first time in ten years he didn't feel alone and out of place. Deep down he knew that this was where they belonged. Together. And he knew Max felt the same. They had been designed to be soldiers using animal DNA, and both soldiers and animals belonged in large groups. Soldiers fought in units, and animals lived in packs. Ben was convinced it was coded in their DNA, this pull to be together. It wasn't in them to be comfortable being on their own for so long. God it felt like forever to him.

Ben looked at Max. She was looking out the window, softly humming to herself. Or maybe she was doing if for them? She looked so peaceful, as content as he felt. He turned to Zack then. He was staring straight ahead, concentrating on his driving, constantly alert. Ben could almost hear the wheels turning in his head, deciding upon routes, thinking over their plans, making up believable cover stories... it made him feel safe.

It was such a new feeling, one he had only started feeling in the last two or three days, that it still took him by surprise.

The problem was that this newfound peace and comfort was breaking down his protecting wall, his last defence against sleep. Ben felt sleepy. And the last thing he wanted to do right now was sleep. He didn't want this to end. And he knew the moment he closed his eyes 'they' would be back.

Max had been watching Ben out of the corner of her eye for a long while. They'd been listening to the radio for a while at first. But after the first hour or so had passed Max noticed Ben relaxing slightly, and she'd wanted to give him the chance to fall asleep, so she'd turned it off. She didn't say anything, just did it and then went back to look out the window. And she'd started humming softly for him.

Since then she'd been unobtrusively checking Ben's state by shifting position every so often, brushing her body against his. He hadn't take long to relax, she didn't even need to touch him now, it was written all over his face how sated and comfortable he felt. And she could also read in his face how tired and sleepy he was. He was struggling to keep his eyes open.

She turned to him. "Ben." Max called him softly. When he looked at her she leaned in and told him. "It's ok, Ben, sleep." His eyes widened slightly with the mere mentioning and she grabbed his hand. "You haven't slept since the Space Needle. You need to rest. We're right here with you. Nothing's gonna happen."

Ben glanced swiftly at Zack and then leaned even closer to Max. "I'm scared." He whispered.

It was really soft, but more than enough for all three to hear and Ben knew it.

For a long while no one said anything. Ben waited for Zack's reaction. It was one thing to know your brother was in trouble, and most likely scared. But it wasn't the same as witnessing just how terrified and weak he really was. And this was Zack.

Max wanted to reassure Ben that everything would be ok, but she understood his need for Zack's reassurance, too. If he was going to be of any help at all, Zack needed to be there for Ben, he had to be at ease with the knowledge that Ben was broken, fragile and afraid, and needed to be put together with their help. It wouldn't work otherwise.

At last Zack spoke. "I know you are, Ben." He said without letting his eyes off the road. But his tone wasn't reproaching nor accusing. "But you're safe now. Go to sleep. We will be here if you need us."

Ben exhaled loudly and returned Max's smile. She reclined over her window and opened one arm invitingly. Ben hesitated for a second and then laid his head on her shoulder and hugged her waist, finally closing his eyes and silently praying the nightmares wouldn't come.

Max looked worriedly at Ben and then over his head, at Zack. He looked back at her and after watching Ben for a second turned his head back to the road.

"Thanks, Zack." Max said softly once she felt Ben relax in her arms. "He really needed that."

"Yeah, I know." Zack was silent for a long while before he added. "We'll work on that, Max, don't worry."

TBC

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