A/N advanced apologies to Nat but there were so many reviews to answer!
Sunny side up.
Max loved night time. There wasn't anyone around and she could just sit in a deserted classroom and stare at the hills and at the space needle and hope that one day she would be able to go up there and sit and watch the world below. Maybe the love of high places had something to do with her feline DNA or maybe it was a throwback to her brother Ben who she missed dearly. She wondered what they were all doing now. Every time she saw Alec she saw what her brother would look like at 16 and it was comforting- she hadn't got a clue what Zack or Jondy would look like now. They could pass her any time and she'd never know it was them…no, she'd know. Somehow.
Still it was annoying that the guy with Ben's face was such a polar opposite to her sweet brother- and such a pain in the ass. He made her so mad she wanted to scream at him, no one had ever had that affect on her before.
She watched from her perch as the sun came up over the horizon and bathed the hills in filtered light. Time for another day.
Special Ops was kinda fun. The lessons weren't as boring as basic drills, it was hard work no doubt but when she didn't have to hide her abilities and she had people like Zan and Sunny to make her smile, things were better for her. Despite her 09er reputation, she had made real friends here and she was respected as a member of the Special Ops squad. On training missions she was C.O as often as Alec was, and when she wasn't she was 2IC. It was new- being respected- and she liked that.
The day was pretty well along when she had the first inkling that something was wrong.
They worked on the obstacle course during the morning and had Common Verbal usage for an hour. Sunny had been restless all day and nearly drove Max to distraction as the hyperactive Blonde wiggled all through Professor Morris talking about British colloquialisms and swear words.
"Quit it." She hissed to Sunny who apologised.
They sat together in command central around the large 3D op table. It was a huge round table set in the middle of the room covered with grid lines and simulated graphics showing the terrain that they wee talking about. Today they were trying to adapt their situation to combat whatever the commander came up with. Whether it be a new guard formation or land mines, they had to quickly adapt and change plans. It was the sign of being a good general and they were getting real good at it. Max was really interested in what the General was telling them if only Sunny would stop fidgeting.
"Sunny what is wrong with you today boo?" she asked when they paired off to work on finding supply lines and fissure cracks in the mainframe.
"Sorry Maxie, I just have this bad feeling." She wiped her hand across her head "I think I'm sick."
Max froze. She knew that several transgenics got Progeria and that started off with feelings of listlessness and aches. She grew worried for her friend.
"We need to get you to the med bay."
Sunny shook her head "Max, it's probably nothing."
"We don't get sick." Max said but Sunny's attention was just past her head.
"You know I never noticed how cute General Taffy is."
"Oh. Shit." Max enunciated the words and swallowed hard "Uh Sunny, I think you need to head to isolation before-"
It was too late, she saw several of the male transgenics sniff and turn their heads to Sunny.
810, who Max had named Flex, and 344, Aiden, growled low in their throats.
494 looked up from his perusal of the map wondering why 810 wasn't watching anymore. He noted him and 344 glaring at each other and 521 watching with a serene smile. His senses tingled and he realised what was happening. He swallowed.
"Uh, 810, I think we need to-"
"Back off." He snarled at his C.O.
494 noted 452 grasping hold of her friends arm trying to whisper in her ear and make some sense. He nodded approvingly.
"810, I am your Unit Commander and I say you need to go over there." He gestured to the back of the room.
810 swallowed, his instincts warring with his desire for the female in heat.
"NOW." 494 yelled and 810 snapped to attention.
Max looked up at the yell and saw Alec nod to her, she realised that he understood what was happening. She grabbed Sunny's hand harder.
"Soldier you are in heat and you are compromising the mission. We need to get you to iso before we have a situation."
"But why?" Sunny purred as she looked Aiden up and down "I feel fine." She bit her lip "And I'm sure he feels fine too."
Max rolled her eyes, "Ew. Let's get you out of here."
"I wanna stay." Sunny pouted and Aiden grinned wolfishly as he advanced only to find Alec blocking his path.
"Soldier I need you to keep an eye on 810." 494 urged and 344 glared
"You just want her for yourself." He spat "You're not my C.O 494 so move it."
494 looked down "Don't make me do this pal."
"Do what?"
494 reared up and smacked him in the face, knocking the transgenic out cold. He shook his fist.
"That, because it hurts!"
"Hmm, wow, you have muscles." Sunny purred as she edged closer.
"Sunny, no!" 452 pulled her back "Really, really no."
494 wondered why 452 was making such a fuss, it wasn't like he had ever thought of the sweet, perky, adorable, strangely compelling…curvy…sexy…
SMACK.
Alec rubbed his face and Max inclined her head
"Better?"
"Much thanks." He nodded, rubbing his red sore jaw where she had just smacked him.
"We have to get her out of here."
"Aw c'mon he's so sweet, like sugar." Sunny massaged her hand up his chest.
"But bad for your teeth." Max pushed Alec away.
"Hey I am in control." He protested.
"I like that." Sunny said as she moved closer again. "You can be in control all you like."
"Oh I so feel sick." Max shuddered as Sunny licked her lips. "C'mon girl."
She pulled her towards the door only to be stopped by another male 624.
"I think the girl wants to stay here." He said leering.
"494?" Max sang and he slammed his fist into the man's face.
"What the hell is going on?" General Taffy asked from one side where he had been waiting for their diagnostics.
"We are anticipating the unknown and dealing with the unexpected." Max sassed and dragged Sunny out the door over the unconscious transgenic.
"Female trouble." Alec said as he rolled his eyes.
With one on either side it was easier to drag Sunny through the woods towards Manticore and the Isolation wards.
All the way Sunny was trying to paw Alec.
"Get that top off Soldier I want to see some skin." She ordered and grabbed his ass.
Alec yelped and took a deep breath, immediately regretting it when the smell of her pheromones tugged at his senses and flooded him.
"Skin?" he grinned "How much?"
"Don't make me smack you again." Max ordered and kicked his shin.
"Ow! Dammit 452, you…" he paused when it appeared he had regained his senses "No my bad. Wasn't expecting that."
They took off Max's outer shirt and tied it around Sunny's mouth to stop her insults to Max's parentage and comments about Alec's physique.
Even he began blushing.
"You girls have some issues with my body don't you! What with you and my ass and her and…"
"Can you keep your head out of your pants until we get to iso?"
"I need help." He admitted "C'mon 452 distract me."
"How?"
"You could get naked?" he suggested and dropped Sunny's arm when he held up a hand to defend himself from her ire. "I was joking."
He waited with bated breath and then "Wait 452, was that a smile?"
"No." she wiped the smirk off her face.
"It was, it was, you smiled! Call off the search, put a halt to the FBI manhunt, we have found 452's sense of humour."
"Hey! I have a sense of humour!" she defended hoisting Sunny's arm higher.
"Oh please. The national guard couldn't find it." He helped her get Sunny over a rough patch of forest.
"I do, I just don't happen to find you funny, smart aleck."
"Yeah right, I'm hilarious." He offered and moved a tree out of the way.
Sunny wriggled trying to get closer to him.
"Urgh." Max said in disgust "Would you please stop that!"
Sunny glared at the one who was keeping her from her prize
"Mmph mmh fmmma bmmf." She gurgled through the gag.
"Hey do I insult your test tube?" Max scolded. "I'm trying to keep you from making a hideous, revolting mistake."
"HEY!" Alec cried, affronted "Hideous AND revolting, a little redundant don't ya think?"
She shrugged "I call it like I see it."
"You know most girls here think I'm one hell of a catch."
"It just goes to show that an I.Q test wasn't part of the prerequisites to get in."
494 couldn't believe that 452 really thought he was revolting and hideous. Or that sleeping with him would be such a horrible mistake.
"Again, hey! I'm not that bad." He didn't know why he was even defending himself against her, it seemed like no matter what he did she wasn't going to see him as any other than a nuisance. "I was considered prime breeding material."
"You know with all that genetic data and material and perfect genes you woulda thought they'd have given them some taste." She retorted.
"That hurts; you know you'll be singing a different tune when you are in heat." He promised thinking of 452 fawning all over him and a smirk ran over his features.
"Never has before." She heaved Sunny and watched for the low branches.
494 stopped dead "What?"
"What?" she looked at him, confusion all over her face.
"What did you mean by that?"
"I've been in heat before 494," she shrugged "I thought a few of the guards were cute but never another transgenic."
His jaw dropped "How the hell did that happen?"
"What?" she was getting annoyed with his hesitation.
"Every female goes into heat and tries it on with everything she sees; it's genetic, part of the feline DNA. What makes you so special?"
Max thought about the last time she had been in heat, back in Wyoming. She had been in training when it came over her and she had looked around, but all of her was repulsed by the thought of mating with her unit or any of the transgenics around. Her hatred ran deeper than biological instincts could overcome. Even Lydecker looked better to her than those.
Alec was staring at her and she lifted a shoulder in a half assed gesture.
"If you knew what happened back then you'd understand. I'd rather have imploded than touch any of them."
He frowned "Why?"
"Can we just get this girl to isolation before she tries to jump you again?" she tried to ignore the question.
"Sure, it's not like I want that either."
"It's not?" She sounded puzzled.
"No." he seemed insulted again "I do realise that you have a really bad opinion of me 452, but I'm not the obnoxious letch that you seem to think. You said I don't know you and you have to admit that you don't know me either."
Max bit her lip and thought about that as they made their way through the yards with a struggling Sunny between them.
The trainer masters ignored them to the best of their ability which, considering Manticore was good.
They carried her in silence to isolation and kicked open the door, astonishing several scientists.
"We got an X5 in heat." Max yelled as Sunny realised what they wanted "Open a damn door!"
A small mousy tech used his key card to open a door and moved as they ran in and dumped her on the bed.
The gag fell from her mouth "Oh come on please? I need him." Sunny urged. "God, you don't know how much I need him."
"Sleep it off." Max said disgustedly as she slammed the door.
She looked at Alec and nodded to the outer door.
He followed her out and as soon as the tech's couldn't hear she turned to him.
"Ok so I don't know you and you don't know me. I get that okay."
He put his head on the side and bit his lip "Do you want to get to know me?"
"Let's not rush." She said sarcastically "How 'bout a truce?"
There was nothing for a few seconds and then a small smile slipped across his face and he held out his hand.
"That I can deal with." He grabbed her hand and kissed her knuckles.
"Dumbass." She smacked his shoulder and moved leaving him watching her as she walked away.
494 contemplated 452 as her ass swayed away. Her offer of a truce was unexpected to say the least. He had thought she'd ignore him or smack him before walking away; she'd kept him guessing again. But he didn't just want a truce; he wanted to hold her fire close. This was why he had kissed her hand, to see if they could still spark- and they did. It was entirely possible to be friends and still have her alive and kicking, although not literally as his shins still stung.
She was an enigma wrapped up in a conundrum, enveloped in a mystery and topped by a sweet attitude. So many layers and he was going to have the ride of his life peeling them away.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Sigma1- I understand what you mean but it is the way that the characters interact. I'll try to keep it to a minimum.
Ting- We'll see. LOL.
Ev- How was this? Max really does cheer up soon.
JG- Poor Alec indeed. He loves it!
Nat1- Glad it's a decent length. Even if you don't read the companion story I'm glad you like this.
Et- Manticore strength. It took him a while anyway. evil grin Thanks for the fight info I will try to get that into my next scenes. Feel free to tell me if I miss anything.
Moonlight- Thanks for the long review and it was due to you that I posted Moving Alongside. Big hugs and thanks for that.
Sock-brain- Chapter6 is here. Enjoy.
Messymissy- O.C will arrive but you might be surprised. I know over 100 reviews for 5 chaps. Yay me! As to you question. Yes others are going to find out about what happened to Max. in true Fayth style with lots of angst and yelling. Ben is in it later too but you have to wait. Hehehehe.
m/a fan- Inside Max's head- oh what a scary place to be!
Anna Kristina- No it wasn't actually tactical wise to have them both at the same place. But Alec wanted to find a way to talk to Max without her being able to run away. He let his emotions interfere with what he knew to be tactically sound. Just one more way she is screwing up his mind! Good luck on the exam.
Ru- They are like kids aren't they? Max won't talk to Alec so he picks on her. He should just pull her hair and have done with it.
Darkangel562- its been a while but I have been busy- enjoy.
Fan- cheers pet.
Dokushoka79- I read Anne of green gables when I was young. She was so right to smash her slate over his head.
Brynnmissy- Thank you, she needs to chill doesn't she?
Toki- Hey there! Thanks for the review. Hope this is as good.
Elfie- I am leaning towards Sunny/Biggs pairing, I think they'd be good for each other. I'm sticking to my own characters, for some reason they have grown on me. Glad you love the verbal fight and one that followed. They are so great at playing off each other.
Raven- Bickering is fun, it lets the inner child out to play!
Lyndsay- well you made up for it in this review. Nah eat more chocolate stuff before reading Fayth's stories. I love long reviews!
Max and TC- Hi! little wave Thank you so much. I love you r review. Powerful huh? Yay me!
Cesium- Hope you enjoy the parallel story too.
Mooch- Go Max little dance. Thank you so much and I will post the next part transgenically fast…if you review that is!
Sarah- Everyone craves Alec he is…ahem.
Freedom Angel- Two for the price of one. I'll be hopefully updating both at the same time now. Feel free to review both- makes me go faster!
Lyra Skywalker- Um sort of. She'll see one and they'll all see her. Its complicated. But fun.
Lazy2be- I'm writing as fast as I can! LOL. If you want to support me so I can write 24/7 I wouldn't say no either! My boss is a bitch. I think she enjoys fighting with him it wasn't actually meant to be flirtatious it was supposed to be sarcastic.
Dokushoka79-Alec grovelling- oh he will just not yet.
Angel21- Wonderful team aren't they?
Feenian- You are going to love 555's name girl! And are forgiven for stalking my stories LOL. Enjoy.
DelilahX- Thank you. Damn that must have taken you ages to read Left behind and this too! Try checking out Moving Alongside if you like the other characters too.
Elizabeth Annette- Next chapter here.
GivenAlias- That it does I find myself skipping some descriptions sometimes. If a fic has no probs then tell me what im doing right!
Allison_lightning- Yeah I have- its where I got Seth from but I don't recall all their specialities what page is that on?
Puppy the ficwriter stalker- interesting tag. LOL, thanks darling.
Kim- hi. Give Max a boyfriend? Hmm like who? I'm 22 almost 23 (do I feel old!) why?
Cloudburst- Not entirely one sided as we shall see. Alec isn't a quitter- he'll try forever!