A/N- Ok sorry for the delay guys but I am still really not well. The next chapter mayn't be out for a week or so- depends on how crap I feel. Coping has become a huge issue but anyway- hope you enjoy this!
READ- Before anyone else asks, the angst is over next chapter okay? That's right, I finally take pity on Alec and throw the poor guy a bone!
Missions of mercy.
Max cleared her brain and stood to attention in front of Renfro.
"Ok 452, you asked for any assignment, may I inquire as to the reason for this sudden need to be out?"
"Yes ma'am. I was feeling the need to be useful right now."
"I see," Renfro nodded commiserating. "This is to do with X5-493 isn't it? You miss your former unit mate and need something to take your mind off things."
Max swallowed pushing away the thoughts of her brother. "Yes Ma'am."
"I see, well actually we have a matter that is delicate and I was hesitant at allowing you, in particular, to assist. However I assume I can rely on you to be professional?"
Max nodded, wondering what it was that Renfro hadn't wanted Max to do. "Yes Ma'am."
Renfro deliberated for a moment. "Alright, 452, I'd like you to assist X5-677 out in the field. Apparently she is having some trouble with her assignment; she radioed in for help this morning."
Max held back a smile. This was great, this way she could help out Carrot, by keeping an eye on Tara and get away from people that she couldn't be around right now.
"What's her assignment?"
"She was keeping an eye on a certain journalist by the name of Logan Cale. Intel believes that he is digging too close to the Manticore project and may have dealings with that annoying cyber terrorist Eyes Only."
Max started and Renfro nodded, letting Max know that this was the reason she hadn't wanted Max in on the mission. Eyes Only was the reason that another of her brothers- Seth- had died. It was rumoured that Seth had been under the employ of Eyes Only, who sent him into overwhelming odds. Seth was shot by Russian Mafia bosses seconds away from his capture by Lydecker and retrieval Ops. Max truly hated Eyes Only but knew that she had to at least appear professional. She reigned in her emotions and nodded to Renfro.
"Her mission was to infiltrate the newspaper where he writes and try to get close to the man himself… by any means possible. She has had a few weeks in the field and has been unable to get what we need. I think that perhaps we need to have you go and evaluate the situation. We were going to send someone else but since you want the opportunity." She paused to see if Max would refuse the assignment. Max stayed silent so she continued.
"Your cover would be better as a prospective insider for him; he has been putting out feelers for some information. We've established a cover as an upcoming gene expert, cutting edge stuff that would interest Mr. Cale in his newfound hobby. You get in and aid 677, extract any information and get out, shouldn't take more than a few days."
"Yes ma'am," Max saluted taking the info file away and walking to the door.
"Oh and 452?"
"Yes ma'am?"
"You have a sterling record, don't blemish it now," Renfro grinned mirthlessly and Max nodded fully understanding.
-----
"What do you mean she's gone?" Alec exploded.
Biggs shrugged, "Said that she was away on a mission for a few days and that she'd see me when she got back."
Alec sagged and sank to the floor, "Shit."
Biggs raised an eyebrow, "Man. She's Special Ops; best of the best- she can handle an assignment without you holding her hand."
"I know," Alec glowered at him, "I just wish I knew she was going. But of course, that would mean her actually giving a damn about me or caring enough to tell me that she wasn't going to be around."
"Max cares," Biggs said, his voice doubtful even to him.
Alec gazed at him sceptically."Right."
"She does. Look I know what went off between you two but you need to keep up hopes Alec; she'll come around. Try talking to her again."
"I've tried, but every time I get within two feet of her she suddenly finds some reason to bail on me. I can't even try to apologise for whatever the hell it is that I did so freaking wrong, if she won't talk to me."
He kicked a nearby pebble and they watched it sail into a desert mole who was practising manoeuvres. It hit him upside the head, but by the time he had turned around to see who had thrown it at him, the two men had blurred around a corner.
Biggs grinned at him but was dismayed to find Alec not even close to being humoured.
"Sir, you have to stop this whole Max thing it's driving you crazy."
Alec ran a frustrated hand through his hair and suddenly straightened. "You know what? What do I care?"
Biggs started. This was a turnaround. For weeks Alec had been moping that Max wouldn't talk to him, Max wouldn't look at him and now he was fine? Yeah right.
"She was the one that was going to bail," he gritted his teeth, this point still sore with him. "It doesn't say a lot for her staying power and after all there are plenty more fish in the sea right? I mean Coco is hot as hell, Anna is fiery. Chance is…"
"Off limits," Biggs warned. He knew that his little sister had—something—going on with Pix and if it was the last thing he did he would make sure that the dumb transgenic knew how to treat a lady. Even if she could kill a man without breaking a nail.
Alec conceded, "Okay, but Feen is adorable, and she likes me. Drew is great and Sunny is…"
"Off limits," Biggs said absently, he snapped back to attention as Alec stared at him and ran over what he had just let slip. Shit.
"Really? You and Sunny?"
"No, no. Hell no. I'm not getting into the whole mating deal, no way." He categorically denied, even if he felt something for the girl. "Women are like dogs, nice enough to have around but one false move and they can take your head off. No way am I getting mixed up with that."
"But you are starting to have feelings for Sunny?"
"No," Biggs said decisively. He wasn't. Really wasn't.
"Really?"
"Yep."
"So if I said that I found Sunny attractive?" Alec prodded, a grin colouring his tone; his own love life forgotten.
Biggs shrugged, his shoulders tense.
"And she'd be a great kisser?"
"Whatever."
"You know she liked me during her heat."
"So?" Biggs bit off moving away from Alec suddenly not as fond of his C.O as he had been moments ago.
"She is kinda adorable."
"Didn't notice."
"You think she'd go for me?"
"Maybe," Biggs replied coldly. You know Alec wasn't that great looking.
"Yeah maybe I should try Sunny. A welcome change to beatings and hatred."
"You do that," Biggs voice slipped into icy territory.
"Maybe I will."
"Fine."
Alec grinned, "Good."
"Great."
A beat.
"You're not really going to are you?"
"Of course not, you're my best friend."
"Oh thank God."
"Whipped."
-----
Max hefted her shoulder purse higher and sleeked her hair back behind her ears showing off her expensive new earrings. Then she stuck out her hand.
"Hello, Mr. Cale, I'm Amy Glasser."
The bespectacled man in the wheelchair took her hand and shook it in his own soft palm, "Please call me Logan."
She smiled slightly at his charming grin and held back a frown as she realised that there was something familiar about this man.
He gestured for her to follow him and he wheeled the chair around in the tight space of the office.
"So, I understand that you specialise in gene splicing and technology."
"That's right," Max surreptitiously glanced around the spacious penthouse apartment. There were several paintings that she had seen in her Cultural Arts classes and knew that they were worth thousands, if not more. Statues of Egyptian goddesses and gods and Ming vases adorned every surface. It was a thief's paradise and the cat burglar within ached to take this old man for everything he was worth…which appeared to be quite a bit.
"So Logan, I understand you are interested in the more radical aspects of my work. Cloning and such forth. I have to say that I was surprised to hear from you. I rarely have such keen interest in my work…at least of the good kind."
The man wheeled back with a tray on his lap containing two wine glasses and a tray of entrees.
"Pre-Pulse red."
"It's a little early for me." Max lied smoothly, she didn't fancy wine much. Preferred frou-frou alka seltzer's like the one Alec had…dammit- he's not here don't think about him!
"Besides you wouldn't want to waste it on me; pre-pulse, post pulse, it's all the same." She shrugged.
"How can you say that?" he appeared mildly scandalised, but the way he smiled made her feel less like a country fool. "It's very different. In fact Ms Glasser, perhaps if you were to stay for dinner you could sample some then?"
He cleared his throat nervously and scratched the back of his head in a way that was endearing, almost cute and oh so familiar. She recognised the move as one that Alec used when he was nervous. Dammit.
"I'd love to."
"So why did you want to be a journalist, Mr. Cale?" Max asked as she sat with her feet up on his sofa, letting the pasta go down and sipping the wine he had talked her into trying.
"Logan," he corrected, "I wanted to try to make a difference, let people know about all of the goings on in the big bad pre-pulse world."
"It's so bad?"
He wheeled over to the window and gestured for her to look out onto the dim streets.
"Look around at all this. Built by people who got up every morning, worked hard trying to make a better life. Then the pulse happened and everyone got scared. They blinked and before they knew it they turned over the store to a bunch of thugs who were happy to take it off their hands. Overnight, the government, the police everything intended to protect the people had been turned against them."
Max smiled at his idealism, it was quaint, "So you miss the good old days. Even though there were still poor people who died from diseases when they didn't need to, and rich people who still spent obscene amounts of money redecorating the house to match the cat. Those good old days?"
He smiled softly to let her know that he understood her humour, "Even if they took it for granted, they still had a choice. Now they don't."
"So what are you going to do about it?"
"Something," The tone of his voice made her senses tingle. There was something here, added to the fact that he definitely seemed familiar was sending off signals to Max.
"Personally, I'm more interested in messing with my chemistry set than giving myself a headache over stuff I can't do anything about."
"You accept the way things are and you're an active participant in making them worse."
Max cocked her head, his words seemed so damn familiar but she couldn't quite…. Her skin crawled, the smile leeched from her face and ice slipped down her spine as the realisation hit.
This is a Streaming Freedom Video bulletin. The cable hack will last exactly 60 seconds. It cannot be traced, it cannot be stopped and it is the only free voice left in the city. There are certain men who move through the world with impunity. Their actions, no matter how vile, are immune from consequence. Edgar Sonrisa is such a man. You've seen him, smiling at political fund-raisers. He owns shopping centres, a trucking company and the largest medical supply company in the Northwest. He also runs drugs and guns up and down the West Coast. He's very obviously dirty. Journalists who have attempted to expose him have been gunned down in the street. Their blood is the ink of our modern news. Those who've opposed him have vanished. All of that is about to change. Eyes Only won't accept the way things are.
Max glanced at Logan Cale who was staring out of the window at the corrupt world below.
"You accept the way things are."
"Eyes Only won't accept the way things are."
Logan Cale was Eyes Only.
Her breath caught as she stared at the man that was responsible for the death of her brother and for trying to expose her own existence. Her hands itched to wrap themselves around his neck and snap it. Max found herself raising out of her chair to do exactly that. Her heart pounded and her palms sweated at the idea of finally taking out the man she hated more than Bulli. The man who was responsible for taking away the brother she had never got to see again.
As she reached for him, Renfro's voice echoed in her head.
"However I assume I can rely on you to be professional?"
Taking slow deep breaths Max hauled her self control back. Renfro had told her to be professional and that is what she had to do. She'd be professional, even as her heart screamed at her to kill him. She'd be professional if it killed her.
She had to find Tara and work out what they were up against. Is this why the girl hadn't reported or finished her assignment? She needed to get to the med-tech and talk this out before making rash judgements.
In the meantime she had to make nice with the man that she could happily have slaughtered.
She faked a grin and gently chided, "Is the social studies class over for today?"
He laughed derisively, "Look at me, I get a beautiful woman in my home and all I can do is talk shop. Let's talk about you for a while."
Oh please let's talk shop. Max thought as she loosened her grip and sipped some more wine.
--
Max was surprised that Logan Cale had been so eager for her company, she had thought that Tara was supposed to be trying to get closer to him- unless he was playing two girls off against each other. And as much as she wanted to believe that Eyes Only was capable of every sort of foul misdemeanour, his gentleman's persona didn't seem to allow that kind of subterfuge.
Well anyway, Mr. Cale had been keen for her company and who was she to decline? Especially when it meant that she was close by Eyes Only and maybe able to catch some of his secrets. She had also managed to wrangle an invitation to look around his work place the next day. Here she hoped to introduce herself to Tara and let the girl know that she wasn't alone and determine what assistance was required.
She walked in at about lunchtime and listened to her heels clicking on the tiles as she made her way up to the editorial floor in the lift.
Logan's desk was the first one; wheelchair access needed, obviously and his desk was littered with news clippings of various crooks and bad guys doings.
"You know the old saying, "all work and no play"?" She said amused and his head snapped up.
He fixed her with a grin, "Amy."
She raised an eyebrow to his clutter and he grinned sheepishly.
"Yeah, I guess I do live my work."
"It's not all bad." She understood it, when you had nothing else to live for you could live to work. Besides, it wasn't just his day job she thought darkly, her hands itching again. She ignored his eager smile and reigned in her temper.
"So you wanted to see the inner workings of a news desk?" He rolled himself towards her.
"Well I did, but now I'm not so sure, seems very testosterone orientated. I mean I can't even see another female here!" She teased and he caught on.
"Sophie!" He called and Max was relieved to see Tara come around the corner.
She bit back a laugh. Tara was dressed in a severe tailored suit and large glasses, her luscious hair was scraped back and she wore make-up – badly. Talk about being undercover! No wonder she needed help with the mission.
"This is Sophie Weston, she's our new ad agent. Sophie this is Amy Glasser, she's interested in seeing the workings of a news desk."
"Really?" Tara smiled and shook Max's hand, "I'm sure you'll be enthralled. What field do you work in?"
"Genetic enhancement and DNA splicing," Max gave her a broad grin, sharing the joke. "Mr. Cale was interested in some of my work and wanted to interview me for the paper."
"Uh research purposes." He cut in smoothly.
"Mr. Cale is dedicated." Tara raised an eyebrow as Max nodded, showing that she was on the same wavelength. Dedicated to his cause.
"So what is it like to be the only female here?" Max asked.
"Sophie isn't the only female, we have many on staff but they aren't on this floor."
"It really is an equal opportunity employment, not segregated. Is your field similar? Any problems?" Tara asked Max. Her eyes begging for news about home.
"Not really, although I'm afraid the majority is still male, but women are fighting back."
Logan smiled at the easy camaraderie between the ladies. He frowned suddenly and reached for the vibrating pager at his belt. He grimaced at the number.
"Sorry Amy, I have to go see my editor now, can you show her around Sophie?"
"Sure," Tara was relieved that they didn't have to come up with a reason for being together and conversing now.
They waited for the squeak of wheels to echo down the corridor before Tara turned to Max.
"Thank God you're here."
The desperation in her voice startled Max.
"What is it, Tara?"
She sighed heavily. "Everything was going according to plan. I was here, he was interested, we had dinner he made a move and tried to kiss me."
"You uncovered his alter ego?"
Tara nodded. "It's as bad as Superman's disguise- glasses and a wheelchair."
"Yeah, he must feel so damn bad about the starving masses from his penthouse suite," Max gritted her teeth. "So what went wrong?"
Tara slumped to the edge of Logan's desk. "I couldn't do it, Max. I was supposed to get as close to Logan as possible but I just can't. I can't do that to Carrot."
"Ah." Suddenly Max understood the problem.
Tara dropped her face into her hands, "It's worse now we know who he is. Renfro would want me to sleep with him and gain his trust to such an extent that he'd give me all of his suppliers and contact details. She may even make it into a long-term assignment- marrying the guy. Either way I'm screwed. Either I put up, shut up and lose Carrot or I refuse and screw the mission and get sent to Psy Ops like Alec," she wrenched off her glasses and swiped her eyes. "I've dolled up like a tech so no one will get close but I've been dying here, Max."
Max rubbed her back and put Tara's head on her shoulder, tucking her close and thinking hard.
"We need a plan to get through this bitch," she announced. "We will work it out."
"I knew you'd be here for me, the second I saw you I knew you'd make it all okay," Tara looked up and Max was shocked to see tears in her eyes.
"Carrot means so much to you?"
"More than anything Max, he's my mate. We're together for life now."
Max looked baffled, "Mates?"
Tara sniffed, "Yeah mates."
Max shrugged indicating that she was none the wiser.
"Oh I forgot, when you were in Wyoming, you didn't have much to do with your unit did you?"
"Not if I could help it."
"Well we all learned about mating I guess by trial and error. It's like the ordinaries idea of marriage. Two transgenics come together, your instincts collide and you need each other. After you've decided to mate then you could, theoretically, have children together. But it means that neither of you go with another nor hurt each other. Basically it's all to do with instinct; we have it more than ordinaries because of our animal DNA- animals are fiercer. All animals find one mate to spend their lives with and procreate and protect." Tara seemed more confident on her own territory of science.
Max smirked, "The Black widow doesn't."
"No true, but then you wouldn't actually eat Alec, now would you?"
She started, "What's Alec got to do with anything."
Too late Tara realised her mistake, she wasn't aware of Max and Alec's latest fight but she knew that Max was in full denial over her feelings for him. "Nothing, a few of us just thought that you two-"
"You thought wrong," Max denied flatly and the topic was suddenly off limits.
"Sure," Tara's voice was much quieter as Max moved her arm and her comfort away.
Max raked a hand through her hair removing the careful style that she had tried for.
"Ok, I have a plan."
##
"So explain to me why 677 didn't fulfil her part of the mission." Renfro instructed Max. The blonde always put Max on edge. Maybe it was her people skills… or lack thereof.
"X5-677 was doing well in her mission parameters, unfortunately Mr. Cale himself presented the problem in that he refused to take things further. However I believe that my presence was the deciding factor in the lack of success."
Renfro lost the easy smile and her eyes narrowed.
"Explain."
"It appears that Mr. Cale was more interested in my company and abandoned relations with 677 when I appeared." Max flushed; embarrassed at the confession, neglecting to mention that Tara had already broken off association with him at that point.
"I see," Renfro's lips quirked, "some gentlemen prefer brunettes."
Max ignored her and she turned to Tara.
"So 677, how far did you get?"
"I ascertained that Mr. Cale was alarmingly close to Manticore, however whilst he was otherwise occupied I managed to destroy or at least corrupt the data that he had on us, ma'am."
"Good work 677," Renfro nodded. "Any additional data?"
Max carefully avoided looking at Tara. Due to Tara's situation they decided that they couldn't inform Renfro of Cale's true identity- just yet- and while Max was quite happy to simply remove the guys head from his shoulders, Tara convinced her that at this point it wasn't tactically advantageous. What they had to do was send Renfro in the right direction whilst remaining out of it. Renfro could find someone else to deal with Eyes Only.
Besides he might come in useful.
Personally Max doubted that he could ever be useful as anything other than fertiliser, but kept her opinions to herself and proceeded with the plan.
"Yes, he has a room locked in his apartment that I was unable to gain access to in the time frame. I believe he may have computers there, however due to his paranoia he may also have an elaborate security system set up and rigged, I noticed several power surges and machine humming." Max grinned. "He was quite the conspiracy theorist." And asshole.
"That presents a problem. We'll do a trace and see what kind of interference we run. We'll have to send another team in to get rid of that info and possibly him."
The two women nodded.
Renfro suddenly grinned.
"I trust keeping him occupied would have been no problem for you 452."
"Ma'am?" She cocked her head not knowing what the woman was getting at.
Renfro looked up surprised, "Seducing him, 452."
Max's face must have shown something other than a blank expression because Renfro paused.
"You do understand what I mean, don't you 452?"
"Not really, Ma'am." Max answered honestly.
"I'm going to ask you a serious question, 452. Have you had sexual relations?" Her tone was slightly patronising and Max bristled.
"No, Ma'am."
"Off the record."
"No, Ma'am."
Renfro gaped, "Kisses?"
"No, Ma'am." She repeated wondering at the shock on Renfro's face. She felt the need to explain herself.
"We are sequestered away during our heat cycle, which we monitor carefully and I was under the impression that it was frowned upon."
"Scenario 452; You are deep undercover in a long term mission and you are trying to uncover top secret facts about the installation you are based at. The head director approaches you and professes an interest and takes you into the headquarters for what you assume is not quite professional conduct. Vital information is stored in the building, which has restricted access except to him. What do you do?"
"I take him out and use the time to sift the information. By the time he regains consciousness I would be long gone."
"And if your continued presence was required at the facility?"
Max bit her lip. She may be a soldier but she was still only a teenager, she could flirt but that wouldn't be enough to secure the position.
Renfro nodded at her silence, "I see."
She stood up and walked around with her hands behind her back.
"You may be unaware that 624 also returned from her mission yesterday."
Max didn't know that Coco had gotten back already; she was supposed to be out there for a few weeks on a mission in the south.
"Apparently the head of her company made a pass at her and she dislocated his elbow, fractured his jaw and was fired."
Max tried not to let her laughter show as she imagined Coco maiming the head of the company for feeling her up.
"We considered putting her in Psy-ops but decided to use one of our dummy corporations to sue him for sexual harassment instead," She waved away the thought as redundant.
"But I think it may be more than just a blip if you too are unable to use your given attractiveness as the weapon it could be. We appear to have been remiss in some of your teachings. I need to think about this. Dismissed."
Max and Tara glanced at each other once the door was shut.
This can't be good.
YesI know her pseudo-name was Rachel Glasser but honestly i think there was enough Rachels in the show without confusing us even more. And also it was a desert mole- Not our Mole.
Ok first up- sorry for not doing individual responses but, like I said, I'm still not feeling great and I thought you'd prefer the story rather that me wait to feel up to writing to you all.
Thanks to the Newbies to review- Helen, giftedrouge, Mrs Ackles, SmilinStar, Bluie Twilight Star (This better?), Sanna (you will LOVE the next chapter! Is Sweden nice?)
Answers to Questions- Anna was against Max basically through a little guilt of her own. She saw Max's actions as something that was berating herself for which was why she attacked her- twisted sort of penance. We will find out more about Anna and B.J in the future chapters of MAL.
Max was always able to hold a grudge and then be too stubborn to know when to let it go- but that isn't to say that she is totally in the wrong. But wait for the next chapter.
Find more about Carrot/Tara in MAL.
No the 09ers don't know about Ben's dentistry crash course, they'd be annoyed at him giving away their position but because they, like Max in DA, have been on the outside and been indoctrinated with morality- they'd see it as "wrong". Plus they have to know about Manticore- after all they were drilled by Lydecker- KNOW YOUR ENEMY.
With thanks to- Starr Light 1, talichernin, Moonlite Star, Natasgi, feyechelon, Raven, Cheeza (thanks! Horrible and yet loved.) sassycanuck (don't worry- I have a plan.), nat452 (sorry about lack of notes- feel bad) Nat1 (how many ways?) TikigirlK16, Crimsonshadoe (I understand believe me. Q'sanswered below.), Sigma1 (awe is nice, plus MAL is much longer), ganko (see below), Kim, X5-220, Nora (good luck with French), feenian, Stormvind (forgive ya this time.), Poo, Jynx, fangedangel, Geminangel, marielle, arwen-amy, Acidburn (aw bless ya, more ninja…I mean more story as soon s I feel better), Lyndsay, willow98002, Mely's the name (back on that chair!)
Special Thanks to- Care189 (Ash enjoys baiting Jondy- it's a guy thing) Jade-K (nice a.k.a.) Lindsey Moffitt- (for making me laugh!) Elfie (Crazy dance. As for the Logan dig- I actually typed in Guileless but the comp changed it (poss typing too fast.). He isn't gutless but even you have to admit that the guy needs an edge- he is way too straight!) Lynn (New characters are fun to play with!) messymissy (I have issues with cardboard people!) Restive Nature (selfish and selfless- how human!) SGOU- (For keeping trying! Love ya for it!)