CHAPTER SEVEN

Zack just stared at Logan as he stood over the blueprints reconfiguring new positions for the team. "I just want to say again how much I am against this, but if you want to get your ass blown off again by all means go for it."

"Okay so that's one against, and you guys are in right?" Logan replied, lifting his eyes from the papers and looking around the room.

"Max wouldn't like it, but I'm in," Krit answered.

"I just want to blow something up, or at least have the opportunity to." Zane said as he got up from the couch and came to stand by Krit. They were forming some kind of united force—a fuck you to big brother Zack, because someone was finally standing up to him. Daring him to strike back.

"Yeah, we're in," Jace and Syl responded simultaneously, earning a glare from their self-appointed protector.

"Okay, so I'll be positioned here in the main room, Syl you'll be posing as a server along with Krit. Zane you'll be…"

"Yeah, I know where I belong, Logan."

With a frustrated sigh, Zack finally admitted defeat, "We all know where our positions are, we've been through this ten times already. We're soldiers, Logan we know how to do our jobs."

"Yeah, well maybe I like to be prepared for all contingencies instead of just running in and yelling 'Boo'."

"Look, you want to run through this again, be my guest the rest of us are going to go prepare ourselves for tonight," Zack said as he picked up his jacket and headed for the door. He was going for a ride to clear his head.

Manticore

Renfro watched as the machine monitoring Max's brainwaves, began to fluctuate. "What's going on? Why are her brainwaves fluctuating like that?"

"I'm sorry ma'am, I don't know what's going on," the flustered technician answered, trying to find some explanation for the anomalies.

"Logan, help me. Logan," Max murmured in her sleep.

Renfro leaned closer, trying to understand what Max was saying, "Logan?"

"I think her unconscious is recalling her old life. But don't worry the afternoon sessions will have her completely restored." The technician responded.

Renfro smiled as she walked to the door to leave, "Good. I want to be informed the moment she regains consciousness."

"Well, actually ma'am, she's conscious now. She's just asleep."

Renfro swiftly crossed the room, and slapped Max's face, "Wakie, wakie."

Max's eyes flew open, as she registered the smack. She immediately tried to grab Renfro's hand, but ceased when she saw it was her commander, "Ma'am, yes ma'am."

"You were dreaming, soldier. Was that about your old life?"

Max stared at her with a puzzled expression on her face.

"Your dreams?" Renfro demanded, "Were they enjoyable."

Max tried to recall anything that she would have said while she was dreaming but she was coming up blank. The only thing she truly remembered was trying to strangle a blond-haired man. "I was engaging the enemy, ma'am."

"Good, good. Are you ready to start your training again?"

"Ma'am, yes ma'am," Max answered.

Renfro glanced at the technician in the room, "Commence with the Delta Five reprogramming."

"Of course ma'am."

Renfro smiled as she watched other technicians scurry into the room, and strap Max into a chair attaching metal brackets to hold her eyes open. "She'll be turned in no time," she murmured as she deftly filled a syringe with a modified serum. After injecting Max, she turned to see Peter smiling at her, "I knew we kept you around for something."

"Just doing my job, Director," Peter replied walking into the room.

Renfro gave him the once over, "Have you given the technicians the formula?"

"Just as you requested."

"Good." Renfro replied as she pulled out her gun and shot him, execution style, "Forgot to tell you. As of now, you are relieved of your duty." Turning to look at the crowd in the room, "Someone clean this mess up and tell me when she's done with this session. I want to interview her before she goes to Seattle."

Fogle Towers

Logan paced his apartment. It was amazing how quiet it was, especially since it currently contained three X5's. It wouldn't be quiet if Max were here, Logan thought ruefully. She would be…

"Logan, could you please stop pacing," Syl interrupted, "you're driving us all nuts out here."

"Sorry," Logan said, "it's just that I can't shake the dream."

"What dream?"

"Nothing, you'll think it's completely out there," Logan sighed as he sank down into his office chair.

"Try me," Syl said pulling up a chair so that she could sit across from him.

What the hell, you may as well sound like the raving lunatic you're acting like. "For the past few days, Max and I have been sharing dreams. Well, actually more like the past few months." Logan explained, glancing up at Syl's face to judge her expression. "I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say this kind of thing has happened with you guys before because you're not looking at me like I'm crazy."

"Manticore was supposed to have fixed that anomaly. I don't think anyone knew about it."

"What do you mean?"

"It was before we escaped. We were just learning how to do transfusions," Syl answered as she flashbacked to that day.

Syl and Max crawled under the barbed wire fence as the live ammunition exploded over their heads. Syl looked to her right and saw Krit take a hit in the shoulder. "Maxie, Krit's been hurt."

Max turned to look at her brother in arms and saw the color draining from his face. "Let's get him to those trees over there," Max yelled over the shots.

They both knew that Lydecker wouldn't sacrifice one of his own kids, but he wouldn't have a choice if they didn't transfuse Krit.

"Are you okay?" Logan asked gently, reaching a hand out to her.

Syl brushed it away from her, and cleared her throat. "Sorry about that, old ghosts. Max and Krit shared a dream one night. Krit had taken a hit to the shoulder during live ammunition testing and Max had transfused him. That night, they both woke up screaming because they dreamt of seeing Eva lying on an autopsy table. Funny thing is, only Max saw that. We tried to tell them it was a coincidence, but Max insisted something was wrong. She told Lydecker the next day and he scoffed at the story. But the next day he put them both under observation, after he transfused Krit with Max's blood," Syl paused to catch her breath. "They did it again. Shared the same dream. So he tried the procedure on the rest of us over the course of a month. It only worked with Maxie's blood. That's why they really want her back. For some unknown reason, she's the most unique one out of all of us. Guess that's why Lydecker drunk himself into a bottle after she was re-captured. I just wonder why the two of you are still sharing dreams after all these months, the blood must surely be out of you by now."

"You're sharing dreams?" Zack said in disbelief. "All this time and you haven't said a fucking word? Did you warn her about the rescue?" He asked glaring at Logan from across the room. "Did you?"

"Yeah."

"How could you have been so stupid?" Zack yelled.

"I didn't know she had turned." Logan replied truthfully. He was surprised at the amount of emotion Zack was showing. In all the time Logan had known him, Zack had always seemed very cool and collected. I guess the tension is finally getting to us all.

"What do you mean?"

"She tried to kill me last night," Logan shivered slightly remembering the way her hands felt around his neck.

"Tried, but she didn't," Syl interjected drawing both of their attention her way.

"It was a dream, Syl. Not real life," Zack pointed out.

Ignoring Zack, Syl focused her gaze on Logan, "Did she kill you in the dream?"

"No, she asked for my help."

"Then there's hope. They may not be able to completely reprogram her, no matter how many sessions and drugs they pump into her. You're the key. You've got to get through to her tonight," Syl said softly.

"Well, there is a string quartet playing for the reception," Logan responded as if that answered everything.

Zack glared at him, "What the hell does that have to do with anything?"

"Valse Triste," Logan said simply. "The first time we shared a dream we danced to that song."

"For your sake and Max's, I hope it works." Zack said as the anger began to drain from his face, his voice filled with years of pent up pain and sorrow.

Manticore

Renfro sat in the leather chair behind her desk, staring at the young woman seated before her. "Max?"

Max looked blankly at the woman before her. Why the hell is she saying Max? And why do I want to respond to the name?

She began again, "Max, that is your name isn't it?"

Max finally replied, "I do not have a name, Ma'am. I am a soldier. My designation number is X5-452."

Renfro smiled as she heard those words pour from Max's mouth, "What is the plan for tonight soldier?"

"I am to retrieve the diskette from the subject and then eliminate him as well as any other persons who may try to interfere with the target objective."

"Good." Renfro smiled, and after a brief pause, "In the lab you were having a dream. Do you recall it?"

"No Ma'am. I only remember that I was attacking someone."

"Are you certain that is all you recall?"

"Yes ma'am."

"You're dismissed," Renfro said after a moment of assessing her facial expressions. These chimeras can be a hard group to judge, she thought bitterly. But this one has so many drugs pumped into her system; I seriously doubt she has the ability to lie at the moment. When she returns, she'll undergo the same procedure as Brin, that way there will never be any question of loyalty. "The military transport leaves in 2 hours, be prepared."

"Ma'am," Max snapped as she stood up to leave. As she opened the door she turned back to stare at Renfro, but instead saw someone else. The man from her dream was sitting at the desk smiling at her.

"Is there something else soldier?"

"No ma'am," Max said obediently, shaking her head slightly and walked out the door.

Plaza Hotel, Ballroom Three

Logan made his was over to where the quartet was setting up, "No sign of her yet," he said into the mini-mike he was wearing. Turning to address one of the members of the quartet, "Could I make a request for a song?"

"Of course, Sir."

"It's very important that this song gets played tonight. I'm going to propose to my girlfriend," Logan lied, trying not flinch at the burst of laughter in his ear. You'll get yours one-day brother dear. I just hope the woman you finally fall in love with has a brother just like you.

"Oh that's so romantic," the woman gushed. "Of course we'll be happy to play whatever you request, within reason."

"Valse Triste?"

"A wonderful choice, Sir."

"Can you watch for my signal?" Upon seeing her puzzled expression, Logan explained. "My girlfriend's always late, she's supposed to be at this dinner but isn't here yet. So when I give you the signal could you play the song?"

The woman discreetly accepted the money Logan handed to her, and smiled. "I'll keep my eyes on you until I receive the signal, Sir. Thank you."

"No, thank you," Logan replied as he walked away. "Song's taken care of, I just wish Max would get here."

No sooner than the words left Logan's mouth, Zane's voice came over his earpiece. "Heads up, little sister just walked in. Navy blue, floor length sleeveless making her way to the middle. She looks very pissed. You guys see her?"

"Yeah, I got her," Syl responded. "Logan she's about five feet to your left."

"I see her, but I can't get to her."

From his perch above the room, Zack could see the entire scene below him unfolding. "She saw Rhineheart. Making her way to him. Intercept her."

"Got her in my sights," Logan said as he broke free of the crowd and found himself standing directly in front of her. Looking over at the band, he gave the woman the signal. She smiled at him and gave him a mini thumbs-up as the quartet began to play Sibelius.

Max walked through the doors into the ballroom, and began searching the mass of people for the target. As she was walking by one group of people talking about Paris, a distinguished looking woman grabbed her arm.

"Oh Max, how lovely to see you again," Margot said trying to pull an uncooperative Max into her group.

Max stared blankly at the woman. Who does this bitch think she is? Max wondered as she glared at the woman before her.

Margot smiled at Max and turned to address the group of socialites, "This is Max Guevara of the Greenwich Guevaras, she's with my nephew Logan."

"Where's your locket, Superbitch?" Max asked suddenly. Now where did that come from? What locket? I don't even know this woman.

"I've been meaning to ask you…." Margot began, but Max was already walking away from her, having spotted Dr. Rhineheart.

Just as she was about to intercept the good doctor, the strange man from her dream blocked her path.

"May I have this dance?" Logan asked, and without waiting for an answer took her hand and began dancing. Unfortunately, Max did not take kindly to having her mission interrupted and began trying to break free of Logan's grasp, "Calm down Max, I won't hurt you."

"My designation is X5-452, I do not have a name," she replied bitterly.

"Yes you do," Logan said. "You have a life and people who love you."

Briefly, Max recalled dancing with this man once in a dream, but quickly shook that off. "I know you. You're one of the traitors."

"No, Max."

"Yes you are, you're the faceless man. Eyes Only. You must be terminated."

"No, Max," Logan said trying to hold her arms down. "Zack get down here and help me."

"Zack?" Max questioned, but before she had time to process what this information meant to her, she heard a voice come up from behind her.

"Sorry Maxie, time for you to go to bed," Zack said as he injected her with a sedative.

Logan caught her as she fell to the ground and swung her up into his arms, "Sorry my fiancée isn't feeling well, I need to get her to the doctor. Could you make room for me? Thank you." He said as he and Zack made their way out of the room and out the back entrance, to where Zane was waiting with a limousine. A few minutes later, Syl and Krit climbed into the backseat with them and they were gone.

Twenty miles outside the city, the limousine pulled onto an abandoned access road and the group traded their wheels for a beat-up blue Aztec and two motorcycles. "We'll meet back up at Sebastian's," Logan said as he slid into the Aztec while Zack laid Max in the backseat.

Sebastian's Lab

"Oh my God, what did you do to her?" Jace exclaimed as Logan walked into the lab carrying Max in his arms. "Put her on the table."

"Try not to worry Logan," Sebastian said to his friend when he saw the defeated expression on Logan's face. "The drugs Manticore injected her with before she came will wear off in two days. From what you told me, they did not begin any permanent reprogramming yet."

"Try not to worry?" Logan repeated, "That's all I do when it comes to her. I won't lose her now that I finally have her back." Any further conversation was stopped by Krit, Zane, Syl and Zack coming through the entrance.

"Where is she?"

"How is she?"

"What's going on…."

Logan finally put up his hand to stop their barrage of questions. "Jace is with her, and Sebastian has a team of doctors in there with her too. I am assured that she'll be fine."

"You're assured, what do you think?" Krit asked looking at Logan.

Zack had finally dropped his attitude, and sided with Logan once more. "Look, Logan knows this guy. So I'm sure everything will be fine."

Gee Zack, thanks for that vote of confidence. "I really appreciate everything that you've done to help me get Max back. I don't know how to thank you enough."

"Logan, she's our sister. We love her, too." Zane said. "You don't have to thank us—if anything we should be thanking you. After all, you help keep us safe."

"Speaking of which," Logan began, "I know that you guys generally don't stay in the same area, especially all together like this. But you have my word that you are safe for at least three days here. I have plane tickets and passports in your names being picked up as we speak by various informants, it should throw Manticore off for a little while."

Jace popped her head out of the lab doors at that time, "Logan we need you in here. She's still unconscious, but she's very agitated. We can't get her to calm down, and the doctor's can't give her anything until the toxicology report comes back. Maybe you can help her."

Max's Consciousness

Max stood alone in the darkened room. How the hell did I get here? She slowly walked around the room and felt along the walls until she came into contact with a door. Can't hurt, she thought as she opened the door. Before her was an apartment, it seemed very familiar but she couldn't remember ever being there.

The man from the banquet was there, and so was she—or at least it looked liked her. She was lying on the couch, having a seizure and the man was bent over in a wheelchair looking down at her.

"Every once in a while, I hit a rough patch. Usually the Tryptophan helps, but...these seizures are much stronger than usual," the woman said.

"Should I call a doctor?"

"What are you going to tell him? That your genetically engineered friend has a design flaw in her brain chemistry?"

"That stuff really helps?"

"Supplements the Serotonin that my brain's supposed to make but doesn't. When the levels are low, I have a seizure. I'm supposed to be a revved-up girl. Truth is, I'm a lemon."

"I don't know about that," the man said as he laid a hand against the woman's forehead.

He really seems to care for her—me—no, her. What's going on? Max thought as her mind became of jumble of words and emotions.

"What can I do?"

"Stay with me, please?"

"I'm right here."

"You won't leave?"

"I'm not going anywhere."

Could this woman be me, Max asked herself as she saw another door forming to her left. She walked to it keeping her eyes on the man and woman in front of her, the man never left her side. Is that me? She thought one last time and she opened the new door.

Max found herself back at Manticore, a scared seven-year-old little girl watching one of her sisters being autopsied. I don't want to watch this. No, just get me out of here, she thought as she fumbled looking for another door. I remember this one too clearly; I don't want to see anymore of this. I want out. "I want out of this one," she said aloud.

"Max," a voice said from behind her. "I'm right here, you aren't alone. Let me help you."

Max slowly turned around, and saw the man from the previous dream standing in front of her, his arms open and inviting. "Logan," she said as she began to remember other bits of her past. "I need you."

Logan closed the distance between them and hugged her close to him, "You've always had me."

Back to Reality…

"I really wish you would wake up Max," Logan told the sleeping woman. "I think you've had enough beauty sleep." Logan had brought her back to his apartment a few hours earlier, after Sebastian's doctors had given her a somewhat clean bill of health. The drugs Manticore injected her with would wear off within two days, and the sedative should only have knocked her out for a few hours. The doctors said she had gone into shock, and her body had shut down in order to deal with everything that was happening around her.

"You know, everyone's waiting for you to wake up," he said. "You've got a whole reunion going on outside this bedroom. And there are some people who would really love to see you." He gently caressed the side of her face, and she turned into his hand.

"Max," Logan said softly.

"Logan," Max murmured still in the dream, "I need you."

"You've always had me," he whispered as her eyes began to flutter open.