I've Got You'R' Back
Disclaimer: See previous chapters.
A/N: Thanks always to Kasman for the betas, you have kept me on the correct path. Thanks again to those who have read and to those who have reviewed it is very much appreciated. We are definitely nearing the end now.
----------------------
Chapter 18 And on the Third Day
----------------------
A Rooftop Inside Terminal City:
As dawn breaks on the third day of the siege at Terminal City several hundred transgenics are gathered inside, on the roof, and around the building, while the police and National Guard stand an uneasy watch at the perimeter.
On the rooftop a smaller group watches as Joshua and a few other transgenics raise the flag he painted. Max and Logan are standing together, both wearing gloves, holding hands.
"Now look what you've done," Logan says, looking at Max with a smile.
They squeeze each other's hands as they both look at the flag flapping in the wind.
Max is looking into the distance beyond the flag. Yeah, look at what I've done – trapped us all in here. Thing is, where else is there for us? At least we're together, harder for them to pick us off one by one, and Joshua's flag will be a symbol and a rally for the others to come. We from Manticore need a unit, a family to belong to...
»»»»»»
Flashback Logan's Apartment:
Max is sitting sideways in a straight-backed chair with a pensive look on her face in front of Logan in his wheelchair as the rain falls against the picture window behind him.
"After all these years of waiting and wondering, I guess I expected - I don't know...that finding Zack would change everything. My life would finally make sense. Pretty stupid of me, huh? I just wanted somebody that was like me. Someone I can connect with."
"Basic human impulse, not wanting to be alone."
"According to Zack, it's phony sentimentality. We're soldiers. This is enemy territory. We're constantly on the move."
"That's one way to live your life."
"I just don't know if I want to do that anymore. But maybe he's right. Maybe I don't have a choice."
»»»»»»
But I got to chose my own special unit...my family, OC, Sketchy even Normal in some strange perverted way, but especially you, Logan, the person I can connect with, who never lets me feel alone. I've got you and your back what ever happens. She squeezes Logan's hand again, which he returns.
Logan looking at the flag feels the pressure of Max's gloved hand in his. Joshua's flag, the Freak Nation flag, and in a strange way, my flag now. A new symbol of freedom. I thought Eyes Only was the only important thing in my life but then Max changed all that...
»»»»»»
Flashback Logan's Aztek:
"So what's her problem, anyway, huh? She's special, like Marrow. They're the same, except that she's just...trying to ruin what we have," Rain states.
"Not quite," Logan answers
"She's just jealous of him because we love him and he cares for us."
"Rain, he owns you."
"He made me better than I was."
"So you think he's special, then? That he's born to some kind of glorious destiny?"
"What do you know, anyhow?"
"I do know he was genetically engineered by a government agency called Manticore. They designed him in a lab, and they brainwashed him with the same kind of lies he's been using on you...that you don't exist apart from the family."
"I don't believe it."
"But he believed it. They all did...except for Max, and eleven of her brothers and sisters. They wanted out so much they escaped, and they've spent the last eleven years defending their freedom with their lives. That barcode on the back of their necks? That was put there to keep track of them, like a brand. So when she sees someone like you, eager to be a slave, wearing it...it kills her inside," Logan adds quietly. "And you think they're the same. What do I know."
»»»»»»
Max, you eventually showed me that Eyes Only was an addiction – an escape from my inadequacies. I was a slave to my other persona, but it's only a tool, A tool to help - and for the moment it's going to help some lost souls. We always want to belong, to have a connection with someone - I've found that with you, Max. I know that's why I love you. And at least this time I get to choose my family.
As the flag waves in the freshening morning wind, Mole walks forward and does a smart about face. "Atenn...shun! Saalut!" He orders as he turns and salutes the flag. In unison, all the transgenics come to attention and salute. An awesome sight, unseen by the guards on the outside, but the shouted orders have caused an unease that slowly dissipates, as there is no further sound or movement from the enclave.
"I hope that's the last time they ever have to do that," Max whispers out the side of her mouth to Logan.
With a wince. "Yeah, me too," Logan replies with a touch of amusement, nodding at Max's stance as she lowers her hand from a salute, her other pressed to her side still holding his hand in a tight grip, her heels together at attention.
Looking down, Max smiles sheepishly and relaxes, giving Logan's hand, a gentle squeeze before letting go. "You can take the girl out of Manticore but you can't take Manticore out of the girl," she says sadly.
Flexing his fingers, Logan then brushes away a lock of hair and slowly caresses her cheek. "Well, there are some very bad guys who have paid for that, and if I'm right, there are some good people who are going to be glad that it's the way things are," he replies dryly.
Looking at Logan, sharply in surprise, her eyebrows raised in question. "You found something in the runes?"
"I think so, that pattern I mentioned..." As Max nods, Logan smiles in remembrance of their walk in the pouring rain the night before after their confessions, and the looks they got when they finally got to the sleeping quarters before heading off to change, into something dry.
"Yes, the pattern?" Max asks as she sees the distracted smile on Logan's face and the dark circles under his eyes. You remembering last night? You went back to work even at that late hour. We gotta talk about this Logan...
"Yeah, the pattern. It looks like some kind of formula, I think it maybe linked to your DNA."
"Formula? Now I'm a walking science book as well as the experiment?" Max's voice is loaded with sarcasm as she looks at the departing transgenics. "Was there anything saying what I'm supposed to do with this formula?"
"No, just a small sentence 'all will be cured.'"
"What the hell does that mean?" Max asks in frustration at the cryptic messages.
"I'm hoping the missing pieces are on the computer at Joshua's and I can download them...if we had a dictionary or something to go on this would be much easier," Logan says distractedly as he watches Alec give him a shrug and a crooked smile as he walks past, Selina beside him. Wonder how you're going to explain this one. I owe you, Alec and I will help if you need it.
»»»»»»
Flashback Brookridge Academy, Rays room:
Max crawls in an open window into a bedroom. A boy is sleeping in one of the two beds. Max has picked up a book from the nightstand which has "Raymond White" handwritten inside the cover. As she flicks through it, she notes the strange symbols, and underneath, a translation in some strange language.
Hearing a gong, she lays the book down and heads for the room's door.
»»»»»»
If I'd known I was a walking symbol carrier, I would have taken that book. "Logan, I've seen some of these symbols in a book before," she says slowly, trying to remember the symbols her subconscious had registered.
Looking around in surprise at Max, all thoughts of Alec and who he might really be interested in forgotten. "When? You never mentioned this," Logan asks.
"I forgot," Max replies distractedly as she continues to try and remember what her subconscious must have registered even with her brief glance at the book.
"You, forgot? Where did you see this book?" incredulity clear in Logan's voice at the fact that Max could forget something like this.
Shrugging her shoulders and with a tight smile, "I had other things on my mind," she replies, looking up into the eyes of the tall man beside her. The love she feels for him evident in her brown eyes.
"Yeah, so did I," Logan replies ruefully, returning Max's gaze his love evident in his green ones.
"I'm trying to remember the symbols and what was written below...it wasn't English."
"It doesn't matter, anything will help at the moment,"
"It'll come - it's there, and Manticore taught us to recall everything we see or hear..."
At that moment Dalton comes up the stairs, a pretty female X7 behind him. "Hey, Max, Logan, Luke sent me to tell you that X5 got in while we were up here, he's got your stuff."
At the sight of the X7, Max steps back with a loud in-drawn breath mixed with a sob. "Eva?" she asks in shock.
Dalton and Logan look at Max in surprise while the girl stands there, looking at Max her expression blank as that of all the X7s.
»»»»»
Flashback, Manticore secret facility near Gillette, Wyoming, 2009:
Max falls to the floor with a seizure while the other kids gather around. As some guards come in and try to take Max away, Zack attacks them and Eva takes one of their guns.
The kids sneak down a hallway, Eva with the gun in front. Suddenly, they're faced by Lydecker and some guards. Lydecker shoots Eva dead when she hesitates, and the gun slides to Max's feet. She looks from it, to her dead sister and finally to Lydecker. Then Zack turns and smashes through a window. The other kids follow him through the opening, hit the ground, and start running.
»»»»»
Eva? Eva's dead, I'm dead, she's dead.
»»»»»
Flashback Manticore secret facility near Seattle, 2020:
Inside the infirmary
Max's X7 clone is lying in a bed covered by ice packs, hooked up to oxygen, and aging rapidly. She and Max look at each other and Max remembers seeing her in the woods healthy, this dying girl who killed her.
"She's a younger version of you, but she's suffering from late-stage progeria. Except for her X7-specific code sequences, her DNA is identical to yours. So I'm gonna ask you again: Did you receive any medical care that we should know about?" Renfro asks.
"No, ma'am!" Max shouts.
"Then I guess we're just gonna have to do spinals on you both so we can run a DNA analysis. Or maybe you've just been lucky. For all we know, that could still happen to you."
Max looks down at her clone again as Renfro leaves, her expression blank.
»»»»»
You stopped me being with Logan, but you shouldn't have died like that, with the pain of a spinal tap your last memory.
"Max, Max!" Logan says loudly, putting his hand on her shoulder.
"She's dead they're both dead," Max says her expression blank, her voice full of loss.
"Max, this isn't Eva. This is an X7, a clone," Logan, says trying to get through to Max. He turns to the girl. "What's your name?" he asks her, but only gets a blank stare as the girl flashes sign language at him.
"She calls herself Flower. She's the last of her group, the others were killed by White and his guys," Dalton says, shrugging, his expression showing that in his short life he has seen things that won't shock him anymore.
"Flower, that's a beautiful name," Max says softly, as she lifts her gloved hand and rests it on Logan's. She looks from Dalton and Flower up at Logan and smiles gently, "I'm okay, Logan, it was like seeing the dead rise again and...and my X7 clone died. This may have been her sister, like I had Eva. It was just a shock."
Smiling slightly, Logan looks from Max to the X7, whose gaze is fixed on Dalton, "And on the third day..."
Looking curiously at Logan, Max raises her eyebrows, then looks back at the two younger transgenics, "So where did he leave our stuff?" Max asks.
"Command Center. Do you need anything else? Was going to show Flower the video games they set up in the Rec. center." Dalton looks at Logan and Max hopefully. Flower smiles at Dalton as he mentions the video games.
Shaking her head, Max says, "No, go have some fun with your new girlfriend."
"She's not my girlfriend, we're not like that," Dalton says indignantly. Even as he glances at Flower returning her smile and watching her hand signals as they turn to head for the stairs.
Both Logan and Max burst out laughing as the two disappear. "We're not like that," they say together and laugh again.
"I hope they realize what they have sooner than we did," Logan says, with regret.
"Well, if OC ever hears him say that, with the look he just gave Flower, I know one young transgenic that will know how hard one of her smack downs can be...wish she'd done it to me," regret also evident in Max's voice at all the time they wasted dancing around each other instead of together.
"Better go change my glasses, and now I have the laptop, we can get the rest of the sewer maps downloaded and the GPS tracking fully on line...I can finally see if the translation is complete."
"Let's go; I'm hungry and you need to rest before you do any more."
"Max—"
"No, Logan, no arguments. You need to eat and rest. Do you think a transfusion makes you Superman? I've got your back on this. I can download the stuff...I just need the passwords." Max's look is open and expectant. Are you going to trust me with this, Logan?
"Okay...I'm hungry and I need the rest, I'll give them to you," Logan says as he takes Max's hand in his again and caresses it through the gloves. I trust you Max, with my life. There just never seemed the right time.
Nodding at each other in silent understanding they head for the stairs from the roof.
--- --- --- --- --- ---
Police Command Center, Outside Terminal City:
"So, Detective Sung; I'm told you've had dealings with transgenics?" Lieutenant Clemente is sitting on the steps of a communications van staring up at the Freak Flag flapping in the breeze.
Standing looking at the same flag, Matt Sung nods, remembering the misshapen form he had shot, and then later in the Medical Examiners office, and the voice of the beautiful girl who had accompanied Logan as she said, "You killed an innocent man. That's what's going on." And she walked off clearly upset. Now I know who she is. Is she Logan's girlfriend? He saved her life back at Jam Pony. He was an innocent man. I saved her life and Logan never told me who she was, even back at the hostage situation. That's why he went in - to save her. He never told me who she was, he never trusted me - or was he trying to protect me?
"I've had some dealings...only recently. He was an innocent man. I shot him."
Clemente notices the slight hesitation and turns his gaze to Matt, "Only recently, or is there something you're not telling me?" he asks. "Detective," he adds.
"No sir, I was just remembering the look on his face when I shot him. It was as if he expected it." Matt shrugs.
"Well, in this situation I hope not to shoot any innocent people. So far we've managed to keep the army and the Feds from taking charge. After special agent White's debacle at Jam Pony, we've had the upper hand in dictating what's happening. But the pressure's on. We've got to resolve this before innocent people on both sides die," he says, standing up and facing Matt Sung, "So, if you've anything to say that can prevent that, it would be appreciated."
Hesitating Matt Sung looks once more at the flag. Forgive me Logan but your life and everybody else's depend on the Lieutenant trusting me and being able to work with Max. "The leader, Max. She's helped with a couple of situations that could have turned really bad..." Seeing the look on Clemente's face, Matt sighs. "The Steinlitz hostage crisis, she was there and stayed behind to help a friend get out, and that recent killing of people in Chinatown - she helped resolve that as well."
"So how well do you know her?" curiosity evident in Clemente's voice.
"I've only met her twice, but she did help and I think we can trust her." Well that's a lie I've met her three times and I'm trusting Logan's judgement.
"I think I can, but I need to know who that guy was, the one who leapt on to a police car and started shooting the hell out of the place...he did save a few lives..." Damn Agent White. I can't prove it, but I bet it was his men sniping at the transgenics and the hostages. "He seems to know Max. That's the only name he shouted, and he was the one who led them out when they escaped. Find out what you can."
Hesitating, Matt is about to say something, then nods and turns away.
"Oh, and Detective Sung, welcome to the party. You and I may be the only ones out here who want this to end peacefully." Lieutenant Clemente then turns to stare at the black red and white flag emblazoned with a white dove. I wonder what that means. It's a symbol of peace. Let's hope Max makes the right decisions.
--- --- --- --- ---
A Manhole, Sector 8 before Dawn:
Two men are standing at the edge. One dressed in a dark suit, the other in a special ops uniform. "You know what to do?" the man in the suit asks impatiently.
"I know what the mission is. You just make sure Max and I are kept out of any backlash from the stupidity in there when it all collapses."
"I gave you my word, now get in there and do what you have to," he snaps.
The younger man, with one final hard look at the older, climbs down into the hole then pulls the cover behind him.
And when I know where my son, is the both of you can go the same way the rest of the garbage in there will. Turning on his heel, the man heads for a black sedan.
--- --- --- --- ---
Sidewalk Terminal City:
Max and Logan are walking side by side towards the mess hall, deep in conversation.
"So have you got them memorized," Logan asks deadpan.
Pausing, Max looks at Logan. "You're kidding, right?"
"Well, after your recent lapses in memory just making sure," he replies teasingly, looking back at her.
Snorting, Max reaches out and takes Logan's hand, "I've got it right here," she says, saucily and smiles off in the distance. It's all good all the time when we can do this, even with every thing else going down. Maybe Herbal was right.
Logan looking down at her he sees her smile and nods. "It's our Anniversary today, well, technically it started around the time we were walking in the rain but..."
"You wanted the setting to be perfect," Max says turning her gaze to Logan.
"Well, I still have that bottle of wine. We could grab dinner—"
"No, why don't I see if I can grab the ingredients and some stuff from the mess hall and we do dinner ourselves somewhere private," Max says, a mischievous glint dancing in her eyes.
Logan raises his eyebrows in inquiry, while cocking his head to one side.
With a magical laugh, Max gently squeezes his hand, "If I told you it wouldn't be a surprise now would it."
"Touché," Logan says returning Max's squeeze. I missed the laugh. I missed you Max.
--- --- --- --- ---
One of the abandoned buildings in Terminal City:
A young man watches the couple, walk past from the darkened doorway, and frowns. Turning, he makes his way further into the building and pulls a cellphone from his jacket pocket. Still frowning, he looks at it. Well, they're back together. Still got the virus, but it's because of me, and what thanks do I get? Not even a nod. Well, misery loves company they say...wonder if Asha's back yet, hope I never have to explain Selina there. Hesitating, he finally flicks open the phone then shuts it again. As he is about to place it into his pocket, it rings. Looking at it in surprise, Alec flicks it open. Glancing at the number, a smile touches his cynical lips.
"Hi," he says lightly into the phone.
"Alec are you...are Logan and Max okay?"
"The love birds are just fine, and yes, so am I," he says, a little of his feelings leaking through his light tone.
"Love birds? They found a cure...that's great," Asha's voice, despite sounding happy, shows a bit of her sense of loosing Logan.
"No, that's still there. They just figured a way around it for awhile," Alec answers sarcastically.
His tone finally gets through to Asha who lets out a small sigh, "So how are you doing Alec, really?"
"Given the givens, not bad." As he says this, Alec sees a flicker of movement out the corner of his eye. Turning slowly, he sees a shadow move across the street heading in the direction of Logan and Max. "Asha, I'll call you back later," he says, breaking the connection even as he finishes speaking and moving rapidly towards the entrance.
"Alec! Alec? What's happening? Pulling her phone from her ear, Asha stares at the silent instrument. God, I hope you're safe, Alec...what am I thinking. One night he puts the move on me and I can't get him out of my mind...
»»»»»
Flashback Outside Crash:
Alec turns to Asha as they come out the door and takes her hand. He pulls her towards him and kisses her full on the lips. Resisting at first, she slowly melts into his embrace, her tongue seeking its way into his mouth to playfully run along his. Coming up for air after a long moment, they look into each other's eyes. "My place," he says, and gets a slight nod from her.
»»»»»
Well, Logan has Max. What did he say...'Once you've had transgenic, you never go back.' The way he said it, it was as if it was something he'd heard...must have been Max, but he's right, once you have, it's hard to forget.
--- --- --- --- ---
A street in Terminal City:
"Thanks for sticking around, Logan."
"What can I say - once you fall in love with a transgenic, you can't go back," he says with an ironic smile as Max turns and looks at him funnily.
"Thanks for the help back then as well, with Joshua...and you know."
"No problem," he replies, looking over at Max, and purses his lips as if to blow a kiss, then stops himself. No, I won't do that, not till we can kiss again.
Noticing, Max quickly changes the topic. "Well, at least the police have kept their promise and haven't tried anything yet, gives us time to get a bit more organized in here." A real kiss would be nice.
"We'll deal. We've got some good people in here. They were born and trained to be the best."
"Right, like two people we know," Max replies deadpan.
Logan grins. "Wonder who that could be?"
"Logan—"
"It's okay, Max, we'll figure the runes out and a cure for the virus. As Bling always said, 'patience in all things.'
"Right, but as we aren't patient, this is hard."
"Thought superheroes never did it hard, only us mere mortals." Grinning, he reaches out and strokes a strand of hair from the side of her cheek with his right hand.
"Whatever." Max, lifting her left hand, takes his in hers.
They stand looking into each other's eyes, he into her brown pools of never- ending depths, she into his sparkling green behind his glasses. The two contrasts of light and dark, for the moment one. A look of fear wells up into Max's eyes as she remembers this moment...
"Get away from him, Max! He betrayed us and is doing it again."
Turning, they see Zack standing with a pistol leveled at Logan
"No, Zack!"
"Zack?"
------------------
TBC
Disclaimer: See previous chapters.
A/N: Thanks always to Kasman for the betas, you have kept me on the correct path. Thanks again to those who have read and to those who have reviewed it is very much appreciated. We are definitely nearing the end now.
----------------------
Chapter 18 And on the Third Day
----------------------
A Rooftop Inside Terminal City:
As dawn breaks on the third day of the siege at Terminal City several hundred transgenics are gathered inside, on the roof, and around the building, while the police and National Guard stand an uneasy watch at the perimeter.
On the rooftop a smaller group watches as Joshua and a few other transgenics raise the flag he painted. Max and Logan are standing together, both wearing gloves, holding hands.
"Now look what you've done," Logan says, looking at Max with a smile.
They squeeze each other's hands as they both look at the flag flapping in the wind.
Max is looking into the distance beyond the flag. Yeah, look at what I've done – trapped us all in here. Thing is, where else is there for us? At least we're together, harder for them to pick us off one by one, and Joshua's flag will be a symbol and a rally for the others to come. We from Manticore need a unit, a family to belong to...
»»»»»»
Flashback Logan's Apartment:
Max is sitting sideways in a straight-backed chair with a pensive look on her face in front of Logan in his wheelchair as the rain falls against the picture window behind him.
"After all these years of waiting and wondering, I guess I expected - I don't know...that finding Zack would change everything. My life would finally make sense. Pretty stupid of me, huh? I just wanted somebody that was like me. Someone I can connect with."
"Basic human impulse, not wanting to be alone."
"According to Zack, it's phony sentimentality. We're soldiers. This is enemy territory. We're constantly on the move."
"That's one way to live your life."
"I just don't know if I want to do that anymore. But maybe he's right. Maybe I don't have a choice."
»»»»»»
But I got to chose my own special unit...my family, OC, Sketchy even Normal in some strange perverted way, but especially you, Logan, the person I can connect with, who never lets me feel alone. I've got you and your back what ever happens. She squeezes Logan's hand again, which he returns.
Logan looking at the flag feels the pressure of Max's gloved hand in his. Joshua's flag, the Freak Nation flag, and in a strange way, my flag now. A new symbol of freedom. I thought Eyes Only was the only important thing in my life but then Max changed all that...
»»»»»»
Flashback Logan's Aztek:
"So what's her problem, anyway, huh? She's special, like Marrow. They're the same, except that she's just...trying to ruin what we have," Rain states.
"Not quite," Logan answers
"She's just jealous of him because we love him and he cares for us."
"Rain, he owns you."
"He made me better than I was."
"So you think he's special, then? That he's born to some kind of glorious destiny?"
"What do you know, anyhow?"
"I do know he was genetically engineered by a government agency called Manticore. They designed him in a lab, and they brainwashed him with the same kind of lies he's been using on you...that you don't exist apart from the family."
"I don't believe it."
"But he believed it. They all did...except for Max, and eleven of her brothers and sisters. They wanted out so much they escaped, and they've spent the last eleven years defending their freedom with their lives. That barcode on the back of their necks? That was put there to keep track of them, like a brand. So when she sees someone like you, eager to be a slave, wearing it...it kills her inside," Logan adds quietly. "And you think they're the same. What do I know."
»»»»»»
Max, you eventually showed me that Eyes Only was an addiction – an escape from my inadequacies. I was a slave to my other persona, but it's only a tool, A tool to help - and for the moment it's going to help some lost souls. We always want to belong, to have a connection with someone - I've found that with you, Max. I know that's why I love you. And at least this time I get to choose my family.
As the flag waves in the freshening morning wind, Mole walks forward and does a smart about face. "Atenn...shun! Saalut!" He orders as he turns and salutes the flag. In unison, all the transgenics come to attention and salute. An awesome sight, unseen by the guards on the outside, but the shouted orders have caused an unease that slowly dissipates, as there is no further sound or movement from the enclave.
"I hope that's the last time they ever have to do that," Max whispers out the side of her mouth to Logan.
With a wince. "Yeah, me too," Logan replies with a touch of amusement, nodding at Max's stance as she lowers her hand from a salute, her other pressed to her side still holding his hand in a tight grip, her heels together at attention.
Looking down, Max smiles sheepishly and relaxes, giving Logan's hand, a gentle squeeze before letting go. "You can take the girl out of Manticore but you can't take Manticore out of the girl," she says sadly.
Flexing his fingers, Logan then brushes away a lock of hair and slowly caresses her cheek. "Well, there are some very bad guys who have paid for that, and if I'm right, there are some good people who are going to be glad that it's the way things are," he replies dryly.
Looking at Logan, sharply in surprise, her eyebrows raised in question. "You found something in the runes?"
"I think so, that pattern I mentioned..." As Max nods, Logan smiles in remembrance of their walk in the pouring rain the night before after their confessions, and the looks they got when they finally got to the sleeping quarters before heading off to change, into something dry.
"Yes, the pattern?" Max asks as she sees the distracted smile on Logan's face and the dark circles under his eyes. You remembering last night? You went back to work even at that late hour. We gotta talk about this Logan...
"Yeah, the pattern. It looks like some kind of formula, I think it maybe linked to your DNA."
"Formula? Now I'm a walking science book as well as the experiment?" Max's voice is loaded with sarcasm as she looks at the departing transgenics. "Was there anything saying what I'm supposed to do with this formula?"
"No, just a small sentence 'all will be cured.'"
"What the hell does that mean?" Max asks in frustration at the cryptic messages.
"I'm hoping the missing pieces are on the computer at Joshua's and I can download them...if we had a dictionary or something to go on this would be much easier," Logan says distractedly as he watches Alec give him a shrug and a crooked smile as he walks past, Selina beside him. Wonder how you're going to explain this one. I owe you, Alec and I will help if you need it.
»»»»»»
Flashback Brookridge Academy, Rays room:
Max crawls in an open window into a bedroom. A boy is sleeping in one of the two beds. Max has picked up a book from the nightstand which has "Raymond White" handwritten inside the cover. As she flicks through it, she notes the strange symbols, and underneath, a translation in some strange language.
Hearing a gong, she lays the book down and heads for the room's door.
»»»»»»
If I'd known I was a walking symbol carrier, I would have taken that book. "Logan, I've seen some of these symbols in a book before," she says slowly, trying to remember the symbols her subconscious had registered.
Looking around in surprise at Max, all thoughts of Alec and who he might really be interested in forgotten. "When? You never mentioned this," Logan asks.
"I forgot," Max replies distractedly as she continues to try and remember what her subconscious must have registered even with her brief glance at the book.
"You, forgot? Where did you see this book?" incredulity clear in Logan's voice at the fact that Max could forget something like this.
Shrugging her shoulders and with a tight smile, "I had other things on my mind," she replies, looking up into the eyes of the tall man beside her. The love she feels for him evident in her brown eyes.
"Yeah, so did I," Logan replies ruefully, returning Max's gaze his love evident in his green ones.
"I'm trying to remember the symbols and what was written below...it wasn't English."
"It doesn't matter, anything will help at the moment,"
"It'll come - it's there, and Manticore taught us to recall everything we see or hear..."
At that moment Dalton comes up the stairs, a pretty female X7 behind him. "Hey, Max, Logan, Luke sent me to tell you that X5 got in while we were up here, he's got your stuff."
At the sight of the X7, Max steps back with a loud in-drawn breath mixed with a sob. "Eva?" she asks in shock.
Dalton and Logan look at Max in surprise while the girl stands there, looking at Max her expression blank as that of all the X7s.
»»»»»
Flashback, Manticore secret facility near Gillette, Wyoming, 2009:
Max falls to the floor with a seizure while the other kids gather around. As some guards come in and try to take Max away, Zack attacks them and Eva takes one of their guns.
The kids sneak down a hallway, Eva with the gun in front. Suddenly, they're faced by Lydecker and some guards. Lydecker shoots Eva dead when she hesitates, and the gun slides to Max's feet. She looks from it, to her dead sister and finally to Lydecker. Then Zack turns and smashes through a window. The other kids follow him through the opening, hit the ground, and start running.
»»»»»
Eva? Eva's dead, I'm dead, she's dead.
»»»»»
Flashback Manticore secret facility near Seattle, 2020:
Inside the infirmary
Max's X7 clone is lying in a bed covered by ice packs, hooked up to oxygen, and aging rapidly. She and Max look at each other and Max remembers seeing her in the woods healthy, this dying girl who killed her.
"She's a younger version of you, but she's suffering from late-stage progeria. Except for her X7-specific code sequences, her DNA is identical to yours. So I'm gonna ask you again: Did you receive any medical care that we should know about?" Renfro asks.
"No, ma'am!" Max shouts.
"Then I guess we're just gonna have to do spinals on you both so we can run a DNA analysis. Or maybe you've just been lucky. For all we know, that could still happen to you."
Max looks down at her clone again as Renfro leaves, her expression blank.
»»»»»
You stopped me being with Logan, but you shouldn't have died like that, with the pain of a spinal tap your last memory.
"Max, Max!" Logan says loudly, putting his hand on her shoulder.
"She's dead they're both dead," Max says her expression blank, her voice full of loss.
"Max, this isn't Eva. This is an X7, a clone," Logan, says trying to get through to Max. He turns to the girl. "What's your name?" he asks her, but only gets a blank stare as the girl flashes sign language at him.
"She calls herself Flower. She's the last of her group, the others were killed by White and his guys," Dalton says, shrugging, his expression showing that in his short life he has seen things that won't shock him anymore.
"Flower, that's a beautiful name," Max says softly, as she lifts her gloved hand and rests it on Logan's. She looks from Dalton and Flower up at Logan and smiles gently, "I'm okay, Logan, it was like seeing the dead rise again and...and my X7 clone died. This may have been her sister, like I had Eva. It was just a shock."
Smiling slightly, Logan looks from Max to the X7, whose gaze is fixed on Dalton, "And on the third day..."
Looking curiously at Logan, Max raises her eyebrows, then looks back at the two younger transgenics, "So where did he leave our stuff?" Max asks.
"Command Center. Do you need anything else? Was going to show Flower the video games they set up in the Rec. center." Dalton looks at Logan and Max hopefully. Flower smiles at Dalton as he mentions the video games.
Shaking her head, Max says, "No, go have some fun with your new girlfriend."
"She's not my girlfriend, we're not like that," Dalton says indignantly. Even as he glances at Flower returning her smile and watching her hand signals as they turn to head for the stairs.
Both Logan and Max burst out laughing as the two disappear. "We're not like that," they say together and laugh again.
"I hope they realize what they have sooner than we did," Logan says, with regret.
"Well, if OC ever hears him say that, with the look he just gave Flower, I know one young transgenic that will know how hard one of her smack downs can be...wish she'd done it to me," regret also evident in Max's voice at all the time they wasted dancing around each other instead of together.
"Better go change my glasses, and now I have the laptop, we can get the rest of the sewer maps downloaded and the GPS tracking fully on line...I can finally see if the translation is complete."
"Let's go; I'm hungry and you need to rest before you do any more."
"Max—"
"No, Logan, no arguments. You need to eat and rest. Do you think a transfusion makes you Superman? I've got your back on this. I can download the stuff...I just need the passwords." Max's look is open and expectant. Are you going to trust me with this, Logan?
"Okay...I'm hungry and I need the rest, I'll give them to you," Logan says as he takes Max's hand in his again and caresses it through the gloves. I trust you Max, with my life. There just never seemed the right time.
Nodding at each other in silent understanding they head for the stairs from the roof.
--- --- --- --- --- ---
Police Command Center, Outside Terminal City:
"So, Detective Sung; I'm told you've had dealings with transgenics?" Lieutenant Clemente is sitting on the steps of a communications van staring up at the Freak Flag flapping in the breeze.
Standing looking at the same flag, Matt Sung nods, remembering the misshapen form he had shot, and then later in the Medical Examiners office, and the voice of the beautiful girl who had accompanied Logan as she said, "You killed an innocent man. That's what's going on." And she walked off clearly upset. Now I know who she is. Is she Logan's girlfriend? He saved her life back at Jam Pony. He was an innocent man. I saved her life and Logan never told me who she was, even back at the hostage situation. That's why he went in - to save her. He never told me who she was, he never trusted me - or was he trying to protect me?
"I've had some dealings...only recently. He was an innocent man. I shot him."
Clemente notices the slight hesitation and turns his gaze to Matt, "Only recently, or is there something you're not telling me?" he asks. "Detective," he adds.
"No sir, I was just remembering the look on his face when I shot him. It was as if he expected it." Matt shrugs.
"Well, in this situation I hope not to shoot any innocent people. So far we've managed to keep the army and the Feds from taking charge. After special agent White's debacle at Jam Pony, we've had the upper hand in dictating what's happening. But the pressure's on. We've got to resolve this before innocent people on both sides die," he says, standing up and facing Matt Sung, "So, if you've anything to say that can prevent that, it would be appreciated."
Hesitating Matt Sung looks once more at the flag. Forgive me Logan but your life and everybody else's depend on the Lieutenant trusting me and being able to work with Max. "The leader, Max. She's helped with a couple of situations that could have turned really bad..." Seeing the look on Clemente's face, Matt sighs. "The Steinlitz hostage crisis, she was there and stayed behind to help a friend get out, and that recent killing of people in Chinatown - she helped resolve that as well."
"So how well do you know her?" curiosity evident in Clemente's voice.
"I've only met her twice, but she did help and I think we can trust her." Well that's a lie I've met her three times and I'm trusting Logan's judgement.
"I think I can, but I need to know who that guy was, the one who leapt on to a police car and started shooting the hell out of the place...he did save a few lives..." Damn Agent White. I can't prove it, but I bet it was his men sniping at the transgenics and the hostages. "He seems to know Max. That's the only name he shouted, and he was the one who led them out when they escaped. Find out what you can."
Hesitating, Matt is about to say something, then nods and turns away.
"Oh, and Detective Sung, welcome to the party. You and I may be the only ones out here who want this to end peacefully." Lieutenant Clemente then turns to stare at the black red and white flag emblazoned with a white dove. I wonder what that means. It's a symbol of peace. Let's hope Max makes the right decisions.
--- --- --- --- ---
A Manhole, Sector 8 before Dawn:
Two men are standing at the edge. One dressed in a dark suit, the other in a special ops uniform. "You know what to do?" the man in the suit asks impatiently.
"I know what the mission is. You just make sure Max and I are kept out of any backlash from the stupidity in there when it all collapses."
"I gave you my word, now get in there and do what you have to," he snaps.
The younger man, with one final hard look at the older, climbs down into the hole then pulls the cover behind him.
And when I know where my son, is the both of you can go the same way the rest of the garbage in there will. Turning on his heel, the man heads for a black sedan.
--- --- --- --- ---
Sidewalk Terminal City:
Max and Logan are walking side by side towards the mess hall, deep in conversation.
"So have you got them memorized," Logan asks deadpan.
Pausing, Max looks at Logan. "You're kidding, right?"
"Well, after your recent lapses in memory just making sure," he replies teasingly, looking back at her.
Snorting, Max reaches out and takes Logan's hand, "I've got it right here," she says, saucily and smiles off in the distance. It's all good all the time when we can do this, even with every thing else going down. Maybe Herbal was right.
Logan looking down at her he sees her smile and nods. "It's our Anniversary today, well, technically it started around the time we were walking in the rain but..."
"You wanted the setting to be perfect," Max says turning her gaze to Logan.
"Well, I still have that bottle of wine. We could grab dinner—"
"No, why don't I see if I can grab the ingredients and some stuff from the mess hall and we do dinner ourselves somewhere private," Max says, a mischievous glint dancing in her eyes.
Logan raises his eyebrows in inquiry, while cocking his head to one side.
With a magical laugh, Max gently squeezes his hand, "If I told you it wouldn't be a surprise now would it."
"Touché," Logan says returning Max's squeeze. I missed the laugh. I missed you Max.
--- --- --- --- ---
One of the abandoned buildings in Terminal City:
A young man watches the couple, walk past from the darkened doorway, and frowns. Turning, he makes his way further into the building and pulls a cellphone from his jacket pocket. Still frowning, he looks at it. Well, they're back together. Still got the virus, but it's because of me, and what thanks do I get? Not even a nod. Well, misery loves company they say...wonder if Asha's back yet, hope I never have to explain Selina there. Hesitating, he finally flicks open the phone then shuts it again. As he is about to place it into his pocket, it rings. Looking at it in surprise, Alec flicks it open. Glancing at the number, a smile touches his cynical lips.
"Hi," he says lightly into the phone.
"Alec are you...are Logan and Max okay?"
"The love birds are just fine, and yes, so am I," he says, a little of his feelings leaking through his light tone.
"Love birds? They found a cure...that's great," Asha's voice, despite sounding happy, shows a bit of her sense of loosing Logan.
"No, that's still there. They just figured a way around it for awhile," Alec answers sarcastically.
His tone finally gets through to Asha who lets out a small sigh, "So how are you doing Alec, really?"
"Given the givens, not bad." As he says this, Alec sees a flicker of movement out the corner of his eye. Turning slowly, he sees a shadow move across the street heading in the direction of Logan and Max. "Asha, I'll call you back later," he says, breaking the connection even as he finishes speaking and moving rapidly towards the entrance.
"Alec! Alec? What's happening? Pulling her phone from her ear, Asha stares at the silent instrument. God, I hope you're safe, Alec...what am I thinking. One night he puts the move on me and I can't get him out of my mind...
»»»»»
Flashback Outside Crash:
Alec turns to Asha as they come out the door and takes her hand. He pulls her towards him and kisses her full on the lips. Resisting at first, she slowly melts into his embrace, her tongue seeking its way into his mouth to playfully run along his. Coming up for air after a long moment, they look into each other's eyes. "My place," he says, and gets a slight nod from her.
»»»»»
Well, Logan has Max. What did he say...'Once you've had transgenic, you never go back.' The way he said it, it was as if it was something he'd heard...must have been Max, but he's right, once you have, it's hard to forget.
--- --- --- --- ---
A street in Terminal City:
"Thanks for sticking around, Logan."
"What can I say - once you fall in love with a transgenic, you can't go back," he says with an ironic smile as Max turns and looks at him funnily.
"Thanks for the help back then as well, with Joshua...and you know."
"No problem," he replies, looking over at Max, and purses his lips as if to blow a kiss, then stops himself. No, I won't do that, not till we can kiss again.
Noticing, Max quickly changes the topic. "Well, at least the police have kept their promise and haven't tried anything yet, gives us time to get a bit more organized in here." A real kiss would be nice.
"We'll deal. We've got some good people in here. They were born and trained to be the best."
"Right, like two people we know," Max replies deadpan.
Logan grins. "Wonder who that could be?"
"Logan—"
"It's okay, Max, we'll figure the runes out and a cure for the virus. As Bling always said, 'patience in all things.'
"Right, but as we aren't patient, this is hard."
"Thought superheroes never did it hard, only us mere mortals." Grinning, he reaches out and strokes a strand of hair from the side of her cheek with his right hand.
"Whatever." Max, lifting her left hand, takes his in hers.
They stand looking into each other's eyes, he into her brown pools of never- ending depths, she into his sparkling green behind his glasses. The two contrasts of light and dark, for the moment one. A look of fear wells up into Max's eyes as she remembers this moment...
"Get away from him, Max! He betrayed us and is doing it again."
Turning, they see Zack standing with a pistol leveled at Logan
"No, Zack!"
"Zack?"
------------------
TBC