42 reviews! And three new reviewers! Welcome and thanks.
A/N I would kill him but unfortunately- I need the Log- for now.
Uh not sure about the tissue warning.
Treacherous souls
Apart from the roof, Max's favourite place was the gym and she loved to be swinging from the ropes high in the air. There was just something about being high and airborne that appealed to her. Alec had once joked that she must have Monkey DNA in her to which she had replied that he had Dumbass DNA.
Special Ops was training in the gym with Unit 8. The trainers and professors had decided to keep the units together even though they seemed closer than was normally encouraged, partially because they worked so well together and partially because they naturally drifted that way anyway. They thought it had something to do with 494 being their former C.O.
Still, whatever it was, the Units were glad at being kept close. Since the issues that they all had in the jungle they had merged into one big happy family.
As the C.O's Max and Alec had grown closer, forming a wonderful partnership, that was both the pride and envy of Manticore. No other unit had a command base that worked so efficiently no matter who was in charge and no other unit had as high percentage of mission successes as theirs. Of course it had taken time to get there but Max had gradually come to forgive Unit 8, even Cece, and the unit was better for it.
It had been several months since Max and Alec had hacked into the Manticore computers to find out the location of the elusive Eyes Only and since then they hadn't seen hide nor hair of Lydecker, a fact which kept Renfro sweeter. Which is why they were understandably surprised to see him walk into the gym while they were sparring.
Max had Biggs pinned and Alec was so distracted by the sight of Max astride Biggs that Steve was able to trip him over- much to his embarrassment and annoyance. Steve offered him his hand and Alec took it with a glare dragging himself to his feet.
"Colonel in presence," Cece called and they all snapped to attention.
"At ease," Lydecker said and Max looked him over. He had gotten that much older in the past few months, grey showing through his temples and creases on his forehead.
"Max," she jumped at her name on his lips and the rest of the Unit gaped. One three letter word rocked their world. They didn't know that Lydecker had been aware of Unit 2's names or that he actually used them. Somehow it was unnerving because it gave credence to the fact that they had names, it undermined the idea that they were just tools. By Lydecker acknowledging that 452 was Max, it meant that he saw her as more than just a Soldier and that shook the foundations of their world. It meant that, they too, could be more than just a number. It was dangerous idea and one that sprung in all their hearts as soon as the echo of Max's name filtered into the air.
Alec too was shocked. He knew that when Seth died Max had mentioned his name to Lydecker in regards to hunting Eyes Only for retribution and the Colonel had said nothing. Alec had assumed that he hadn't noticed but here he was using Max's own name rather than her designation. It made him think that maybe there was history between Max and Lydecker that he still didn't know about.
"Sir!" she saluted.
"You and 494, come with me." He strode away and they looked puzzled at his abrupt manner. Although he had never been the warmest of people, he usually maintained at least minimal decorum when dealing with his Soldiers.
Max bit her lip in apprehension. The last time he had called her away was to tell her that Seth was dead, what bad news did he have this time?
Her scared eyes met Alec who knew what she felt and he moved to her side emitting warmth, he brushed the back of her hand with his own, wishing he could just take it and wrap his fingers around hers but this wasn't the time. Max looked up into the faces of her unit and saw empathy in them. They all knew what she feared and tried to convey their support in the only way that they knew how; by touch. As she passed them all they managed to brush a hand or an arm or even bump her with their hips and bodies, so that she had the feel of them with her as she went to whatever lay ahead.
They followed him into a nearby room, and he closed the door.
"Sir?" Max asked and two burly guards appeared from the back of the room and stood by Alec, his eyes went wide as they cornered him and he dropped into a defensive stance. Max spun to face Lydecker, a question in her eyes.
"Sorry kids but we have to do this. We need to take 494 away for testing. Psych evaluation."
"PSY-OPS?" Alec panicked and shot a helpless glance to Max.
Images of lasers and an endless barrage of questions danced through both their minds as they shared the same mind numbing horror. Shared memories of being woken up by their own screams drenched in sweat, shaking from nightmares, clutching their own knees in fright as they prayed never to have to return. Psy Ops was threat enough that they would do anything to avoid being sent there.
"Why?" Max blurted shaking off her own terror to remember the times that she had sat by the door to Psy-Ops and listened to him scream, "He didn't do anything wrong."
They both wracked their brains for some reason why they'd take him away and came up blank. They'd been model soldiers, not even a toe out of line for months. No subordination, no tricks, no jokes, not even a word out of place.
"Not yet," Lydecker said mysteriously.
"He wouldn't, he won't," Max urged him, not caring that she was out of line, "Why are you doing this?"
Lydecker gestured to the guards to back off and he threw a heavy file on the table in front of her.
"This is why, 452."
Max glanced at the manila file with trepidation.
"What is it?"
"About six months ago we received word of a dead man in Connecticut with a barcode on the back of his neck."
Max's breath caught in her throat- not another dead brother. Oh God please no, fate don't be so cruel.
"The barcode ended 493."
"Ben,"
Something inside Max withered as she heard the designation of brother. The brother that she would never see again.
Tell us a story, Ben.
Never again.
Her breath caught and she wanted to throw her head back and howl.
Her gaze flickered to Alec who had also frozen.
He didn't know much about his twin, other than what Max had already told him but the loss was as keen as if he had known him all his life. Now he'd never get to meet him and for an instant he knew how Max felt right now. Her loss and pain were his.
"Yes, Ben," Lydecker agreed and flipped open the file showing her a picture of a barcode on the back a male neck.
"Then another death in New York with a barcode tattooed into the back of the neck."
Max's heart beat faster, no, no not another. She was too scared to even look at the picture even as her heart shattered into a million pieces and each shard dug deep.
"Can you tell me what's wrong with this picture, 452?"
He flicked it over and she stared down at the barcode in incomprehension.
"493?" she met Lydecker's incredulity, "How is that possible?"
"I was hoping you could tell me. Because we found it twice in Chicago, four times in Miami and another two in New York, each with the identical barcode."
Max stared at the pictures and a horrified bewilderment spread over her face.
"Ben's killing these people. Why?"
"I don't know Max, but maybe his twin can tell us?"
"Alec?" she said forgetting that Lydecker didn't know his name "But he's been in Manticore, how would he know?"
"Twinned transgenics have close ties emotionally and genetically. By dissecting his psyche maybe we can uncover why Ben is doing this," He peered at Alec like a smear on a slab. Alec's eyes widened in horror as he realised what was going to happen to him.
"Ben wouldn't do this!" Max maintained "He wouldn't."
"Well, it's one of them," Lydecker roared, "No one else is strong enough to do this."
"What are you talking about?" she yelled back, too scared of his words to even notice that she was yelling at the Colonel, an instant disciplinary action.
"The second vertebra was snapped with one hand while the victim was running through the brush, according to the cuts and contusions on their faces. The bodies were of strong men displayed on rock outcroppings."
"Displayed?" Max suddenly felt sick to her stomach as a horrific possibility swept over her.
"Yes, the left arm twisted behind the back, broken at the elbow, the shoulder was dislocated and the teeth-"
"Pulled out," She whispered and Alec stared at her in shock- she knew what was going on, he could see it in her eyes.
Lydecker nodded, "Surgically, so you mind telling me why your brother is performing amateur dentistry on convicts?"
"I don't-" Max was staring at the photos on the desk, her vision swimming. No it couldn't be. He wouldn't. Would he?
"You do know," Lydecker pushed, "What the hell is going on?"
Tears sprang to her eyes as she fought the urge to be sick.
She couldn't tell them, she couldn't betray Ben like that, he was still her brother. She loved him, no matter what he was doing, she wouldn't tell them, not about her- the Blue Lady or the test.
She shook her head unable to meet his eyes and the disappointment she knew she'd find there. She'd worked so hard to make Lydecker proud of her but she wouldn't give up Ben, she wouldn't.
"Very well, if you don't know then we'll take 494 to help us."
"NO!"
She snapped her head up and saw Alec's frightened face peering back at her.
"We need to stop him," Lydecker argued.
"Don't," she begged as the guards grabbed Alec's arms.
"Max!" Alec's voice broke at the thought of going back there and the guards hauled him to the door.
"I can't…he," Max saw the horror in his face and yet the certainty that there was nothing he could do to stop it happening. He wouldn't blame Max for not giving up her brother; Alec knew how deeply she felt for them. He wouldn't blame her, he wouldn't…
…but she would.
If she could stop Alec from being taken to Psy-ops, Alec who was as much her family as Ben. Then she had to do something.
She spun and faced the window, her heart breaking, "Ben didn't like the rules." She heard them stop behind her and Lydecker stopped with his hand on the door, waiting for her to continue and in that instant she hated him in a way that she hadn't done since she had seen Eva dead on the floor.
"He wanted to know 'why' all the time. Why things happened and when he didn't know he would make up stories to explain them. Like why the birds flew and what was out beyond the walls. It was Ben who told us that we had to have names to make us people. Everything was fine until Jack."
She half turned to glare at Lydecker her distaste and condescension obvious, "You remember Jack?"
Lydecker nodded gravely choosing to ignore her hate, "Wonderful tactician, died from a grand mal seizure."
"The guards took him away and we went to find him, Ben and I saw them cutting him open like he was meat, Ben had been close to him and seeing him there, spread open, blood everywhere," She spat and turned again not wanting to see pity in their faces. "It hurt him. He wanted to know why, what we had done so wrong that we were being punished; he went to the high place to find answers and then you took him away to Psy-ops. When he came back he was different, harsher, and fought harder to find answers for everything. You gave him that answer, you told him that he was a soldier, nothing else and that he should do as he was trained. He was trained to kill," She added sardonically in case they had forgotten.
"You made him feel that he was poison and that's why he's killing. He's tattooing his own barcode and hunting himself down like he was taught." She raised an eyebrow. "Congratulations he's a killer."
"Why the teeth?" Lydecker asked his face ashen.
She grinned humourlessly, "You remember that day."
And he did. He remembered the way he had found his kids savagely tearing the convict to shreds with their fists and teeth, eyes glittering in triumph. It was the first time in his life that he had been scared of his kids and had driven him back to his clear bottle of liquor, staring at it for hours before throwing it aside like the garbage that it was.
"Ben had a story about…" she hesitated, no; she wouldn't give him the Blue Lady as well, "a saviour who needed teeth to make her stronger. Teeth given from willing sacrifices: us, anomalies, whoever. He's recreating the day we were perfect soldiers, mix with a little self hatred and psychosis and you have your killer."
She swallowed bile in her need to vomit her bad thoughts, "Ben was a product of the environment, not genetics. Alec isn't a risk."
Lydecker looked from her deep brown eyes glistening with hurt to the scared green ones of Ben's twin. He looked half terrified for himself and half concerned for Max. It was that look rather than her words which changed his mind.
Lydecker nodded to the two guards who let Alec down. He straightened his clothes and stepped closer to Max, wincing when she stepped back away from him.
"All right. We still need to test Alec-," he let the name drop to show them that he knew and Max and Alec both winced, "494 but we can do it in Lab setting not Psy-Ops. Thank you for your cooperation."
Max looked down in self disgust and he wanted to say so much to the girl he thought of as a daughter, but he knew that she, if not hated, then disliked him immensely. It cut him but he understood it, he had been hard on his kids- all of them. He wouldn't punish her for yelling at him either; he knew how she felt about her brothers. He felt the same and just wanted to see them home safe and sound.
So he walked away leaving them both together in the room
~~
Max could hear Alec's harsh breathing mirror hers in the cool air of the interrogation room. In and out, in and out.
It was a ragged sound that echoed the rapid beat of her heart and the pounding played out the one word in her veins that she had never associated with herself.
Traitor
Thump.
Traitor
Thump.
She had just given away Ben. Basically told Lydecker why he was doing these things; betrayed her own brother to the bad man. What Zack had told her that they must never do, she had done. She felt dirty.
Her hands shook as she felt nothing but disgust at herself. After all this time she was just what they had told her she was. She had lost her brother- not through death, not through forgetting but through her own treachery.
"Max?" Alec said hesitantly and moved closer to her reaching his hand up to touch her shoulder but she backed away like he had a disease. His heart fell at her rejection.
"Max?"
"Not now, Alec, I can't," she bit out struggling to stop herself from crying. She had cried too damn much, after everything with Bulli and her unit, she had enough. She wasn't some weak little cry-baby. She was X5-452, a genetically enhanced killing machine with a kick-ass persona, bitch attitude and a survival streak a mile wide. She didn't sob and simper in some corner, she pushed and trained and made things better. No amount of whining and pouting was going to change things.
She was soldier dammit!
Alec watched as the wall crashed down in front of her eyes and her expression took on the blank Manticore look that he had rarely seen from her.
It was like a physical blow to his chest as she turned away from him. They had come so far together these past few months, rebuilding her relationship with the other X's and starting out on Solo missions and all, they had grown even closer and it felt like it had all been for nothing- she was shutting him out. It was like losing a piece of his soul.
"I'm sorry, Maxie," He whispered hoping that her transgenic hearing would catch it as she left the room.
It did.
~
Her heart stopped as she heard the soft words whispered by her best friend. He was sorry, but he hadn't done anything, in fact he was about to be tortured for something that he didn't do, just for looking like someone else. She had the power to stop that and she had but she felt guilty about it.
"It's not your fault," she whispered back, "You didn't do anything."
"Then why are you mad at me?" his voice was like that of a little boy seeking reassurance from his mother.
"I'm mad at me."
He came into her field of view and lifted her chin to meet his pained green gaze.
"You didn't do anything wrong, Maxie."
"How can you say that?" she said "You don't understand." And he didn't.
"Explain it to me," he urged keeping his hand firmly on her arm to stop her from walking away from him.
"Since 09, everyone has said that I was a traitor. Traitor to my mission, my superiors, to Manticore. But they were wrong," she insisted vehemently, "Manticore raised us to respect our superiors and follow orders and do what needed to be done. To stay with your unit and protect each other. I did that. I did all of that. I was never a traitor."
"I know that Max, I never thought you were a traitor," He maintained.
"I never was. Until now. I just betrayed my brother to the enemy," She held up a hand "No matter what you say Manticore isn't the home that you want it to be, Alec."
He nodded, knowing that too. He hadn't been about to argue with her. His heart not in it since Rachel and Berrisford.
"I know, Max."
"I am that traitor now, Alec."
"No, no you're not. Listen to me, Max." he could tell that she was pulling away and he only had precious seconds to tell her what he was feeling and what was fact before she fell again into the maelstrom of self- hatred that had spurred his own twin to mindless violence and death.
"You didn't betray Ben. He needs help and by telling Lydecker why he is doing that you have bettered his chances."
"How?" her tone screamed disbelief.
"Think about it, Max, if they think that he is just randomly killing then when they find him, and they will," He vowed; "when they find him, they'll shoot to kill, but if they think that there is method to his madness, a way that he can be salvaged, reindoctrinated. Then he's safe. They'll take him alive. You've saved his life, if not his sanity, Max."
He could tell that she desperately wanted to believe him.
"Believe me. I have never lied to you."
Then there it was; the flicker in her eyes as she slowly nodded, he had managed to get through to her and her patent disbelief had waned and she was really trusting in his words.
He ducked his head to make sure that she met his eyes. Her soft chocolate eyes met his gaze and she slowly nodded.
Alec's gaze flickered to her mouth and her soft lips. They were alone in the classroom and all he could hear was the wild thump of their hearts and her ragged breath. His hand came up to brush her cheek and tucked an errant curl away from her face.
He swallowed hard and moved his head down intent on tasting her for the first time.
Max, unaware of his destination, lowered her head so that her cheek lay against his heart and with a sigh Alec laid his head on her hair and tucked his arms around her. The opportunity gone.
"It'll be okay Max," he vowed and she looked up with her bright eyes.
"I know." Her strength and resilience made his heart pound.
He wanted to take the sadness and darkness away from her so with his usual joking tone he added, "But if it makes you feel better you can hit me and I'll pretend that it hurt."
She smacked him in the shoulder, her lips twitching at his words and he winced, not entirely lying, "Good one Max."
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Ok I know that this one was short but I'm setting up for some huge ass chapters to come. Okay?
Stormvind- Oh no I am so not getting the blame for you missing lessons! LOL, damn corrupting people. Yeah when is the next part of your fic coming pet? I've updated TWICE!
Geminangel-Yeah Seth as Riley, he is a cutie pie ain't he? More MAL soon.
GivenAlias- smile thank you. I am glad that you still like it and yeah poor Alec.
Raven- LOL- sorry was that a hint? Sandeman will not be making an appearance in this story- I have enough threads that right now I don't have room for him!
Moonlite star- Ahh we find out what Deck has been up to here.
Csiphile- Thanks for reviewing and I am glad that it's kept your interest. I think Max will get a chance too!
Et- Is there a 'we hate Logan' club? Sign me up!
Elite- Questions- 1) Nah, Zack sacrificed himself for Max here he doesn't need to. 2) How does she meet her family? Uh gets invited to the reunion? 3) Do they try to escape- why would they? They are the BEST of the best. 4) Uh where is my damn pen?
Lynn- LOL, yeah you mentioned that! I wanted to hug him too! I try to update fast too. Pix wants to do more than smooch with Chance.
Ting- They needed to get that out in the open.
Talichernin- LOL, so a Joshua fan then? One thing- Quit mind reading!!!! One chap to go.
Poo- I thought it was needed. I love that line- a magician with a pen instead of a wand. I so have to use that. Thank you!!!! Hopefully this chap will answer some stuff about why deck was there.
Jynx- takes flowers and gives a bow thank you. I'd like to thank my fans and reviewers and say a big old neh neh to James Cameron who should be ashamed of himself for the M/L thing.
m/a fan- yeah what is it about possessive guys that makes us go ahh, and yet we say we are feminists. confused Yeah I could so tell you are not a Logan fan. Hey sweets you review and I say thanks.
Firegirl531- Hey there! Thanks for reviewing, the 09er will make a cameo and how exactly do you think I should kill Logan?
SGOU- Thanks for the email pet, it was cool and I liked that!
Cheeza- Max is the QUEEN of denial so I wouldn't quite think she's clued up yet. As for your question- answered in the start of this chapter so thanks for that! it has been written but I'm going through and altering to fit with MAL and my reviews so it's a huge ass rewrite.
Allison lightning- Ah I forgot about Kavi- oops.
Nat1- Holding grudges is healthy- right? RIGHT? Oops. Still I am glad that you keep reading even if you are slack about reviewing frowns disapprovingly and pouts But hey I rock your world so bonus there!
Sigma1- the pack thing seems to be a hit so more of that too. Ooh 452 reviews- I want 494! No actually 494 not reviews- gimme Alec!
Kim- LOL, die Log! I never said that I'll have all three but at least one will have a cameo part. Zack is watching out for this!
1red1- I got 42 for this one! I was so pleased!
Jenna- more m/a action? LOL, I know that's what you want and do I give it to you?
Fangedangel- cheers pet, I try to do my best. The shows timeline is here now!
Nora- so say them again- I have a short memory- LOL. I'm taking it very slow because that how I think it would have been. More soon.
Chaosti- I couldn't believe it but it was cool! Yeah I have a short memory so it was 6 reasons…oops. Yeah Deck is a catalyst for many things!!
Jen30- Hey there! No Max hasn't tried to escape. In Left Behind she was too afraid of being on her own, especially since she had no idea who had made it out- or if they were alive and she was concentrating on making it through each day. When she arrived in Seattle it was no where near as bad and she has friends now and an excuse to stay in Alec. Plus she enjoys being the best of the best. Hope that helps.
Kat461- yeah what was with the bumfluff?
Jade-K- LOL, my characters have lives of their own so until they say I have no idea!
Restive- Aw thanks pet, Seth was an addition but to be honest he wasn't really well written in the books either. Like that you picked up on my in-joke, I found it funny. A lot was short changed in S2.
Acb- Aww pet, me too. Logan has a use for me in later chapters so I cant kill him just yet. But watch out.
Uhu girl- I have my beta's to thank for that. Okay, Grammar I can do and spelling is fine. But punctuation? I have issues! Thanks very much pet, glad you like!
Haley- A master? Ooh I like that. I'm so sorry top keep you waiting but…
Yakiem- Cheers pet.
Lyndsay-yeah they did, a little clue there. Of course its only a matter of time…unless something bad happens to put a damper on their feelings. EG what is more important that EO? How about Ben?
Lanlie- G thanks, I appreciate the review and now you need have no guilt. I never thought she was a prissy bitch. Alec is cute as hell but I agree- exactly where does it say that he is the best? I love the guy but seriously!
Ganko- Yea fear and respect- just what Deck wants from his kids. Alec will find out about Josh later and we'll see his reaction to her words then. Nah Log isn't dead- pity.
Acidburn- LOL, nagging maybe but not brainwashing- feel free to continue!
Elfie- That's okay, I remember doing my dissertation shudders. It was a uniform jacket …ahem. The whole instincts thing is coming over more and more. You'll have to see about the 09er thing- just wait and see.
Messy missy- he likes Max, he'd want her to know about Seth. Yeah we are following the season timeline now.
Maribella- Its been like a week! You have to wait longer than that for TV shows!
SGOU…again.- RAFLMAO- Ok so who wants to join MFA?