Rainbow Connection Chapter 3: In His Grip, a dark angel fanfic

RAINBOW CONNECTION

by Newly Human

Synopsis: Logan learns more about Kaia and about her link with a fallen soldier. Friendship, intrigue, action, and most importantly… hope.

Timeline: The following takes place in between seasons 1 and 2.

Disclaimer: Dark Angel the series and all it's characters belong to Fox, Cameron/Eglee Productions and other respective owners. I don't mean to infringe so please don't sue. Kaia Kilbourne and the plot are mine.

Authors Note: Feedback and reviews are welcome and appreciated. Who am I kidding? I live for reviews. --Newly Human

CHAPTER 3
In His Grip

Logan had finally gotten the first knot undone. Already, the bonds binding Kaia were becoming a little looser.

"I found him sleeping in an alley five years ago." Kaia began, now able to speak much more easily, "He had a deep wound in his leg, I still don't know from what. I approached him, intending to look at his leg. It was infected and was still bleeding profusely. He woke up before I got within a metre and attacked me. He had his arm closed around my neck until I almost suffocated."

"You know how strong Zack is. How did you get out of his grip?"

"I didn't. I had to inject him with a tranquillizer, two actually, before he went down."

Logan stopped briefly. "You just happened to have a tranq with you?"

"It's standard in a med kit. I had one with me." She answered easily as if he had just asked an obvious question.

Logan decided to let it go. "So you treated him?" he asked.

She nodded. "I took him home and dressed his wounds. I realised he was different when I went to change his bandages four hours later. The infection was gone. Four hours after that and the cut was already beginning to close."

"That's fast." Logan agreed.

"Tell me about it. And with two tranqs in him he should've have been out for at least two days, but by morning he was gone. I did some research, but it was only a year ago, when the Eyes Only broadcasts started talking about genetically engineered soldiers, that I found out exactly what had happened."

The last knots tying Kaia's arms were almost free. By now, she could move around in her seat and talking about Zack seemed to bring some life back into her tired body.

"Was that the last time you saw Zack?" Logan asked.

"No, about a year later he came back with a broken arm. After that he came more often, mostly for medical attention, sometimes for a place to stay."

Kaia paused, deep in thought. When she spoke up, her voice was soft and some of that pain Logan had sensed earlier, seeped back through. "I don't know why he trusted me. He didn't seem like he had trusted that many people in his life. He had an intensity about him, and a weight, like he was constantly carrying the world on his shoulders. He didn't talk a lot, but when he did it was always about protecting his family. How his responsibility was to take care of them. He never told me much more than that, not even their names. Loyalty, duty, honour; those are the words that come to mind when I think of Zack."

"You fell in love with him." Logan continued for her. He had stopped working on the ropes and was listening to her describe Zack. He recognised the change in her voice, the way she smiled. How the colours in her eyes brightened when she said Zack's name. It was exactly how he felt about Max.

Logan held his breath to keep from tearing up and turned back to the task of untying the knots with a new determination to keep his mind off her.

Kaia had broken out of her reverie and was turned to Logan, a strange look on her face.

"It's ok to cry for her." She said gently.

Logan stopped and looked up, for a moment not knowing how to respond to that.

"Who?" He decided to pretend not to know who she was talking about.

"The woman you're thinking of." She replied, obviously seeing right through his facade. "I know you want to be strong. That's probably one of the reasons why she loved you. But it's ok to mourn for her."

Logan was silent for a moment. Then he opened his mouth to speak. "And Zack loved you?" He asked, blatantly changing the subject.

"No, not like I loved him," Kaia answered, letting the issue go, "But I was fine with that. Even when I found out he was an X5. I didn't care that he was different. Just being with him made me happy; though he never stayed for more than two days, and was gone for months at a time."

"When was the last time you saw Zack?"

"Almost a month ago. He stayed for one night, and somehow I knew he wasn't planning on coming back."

A lump began to form in her throat. Her eyes started to fill with tears, and even though she had cried the entire night, more tears started to come. Logan wrapped his arms around her and she found that she could lift her arms to wrap around him. He had finished untying the cord and she hadn't even noticed.

"Zack…" She sobbed the name into his shoulder.

He whispered to her and stroked the back of her head. "I know. Just let it out." His own thoughts turned back to Max. She was gone too, but he couldn't let himself accept that. Even as he thought the words he felt himself break down. Pain gripped his heart and he felt himself about to let go.

A loud knock sounded on the door.

The feeling passed. Logan swallowed and pushed the tears back down again. Kaia's own tears had subsided and she let him go.

"It's ok to let go, Logan." She told him between breaths.

Logan left the room without saying a word.

----------

"So?" Lydecker asked as soon as Logan was back in the living room.

"She's harmless." He announced.

Lydecker shook his head. "You keep saying that, but the information she knows could put these kids in jeopardy."

"Zack never told her anything." Logan replied angrily, getting annoyed at Lydecker's persistency, but also because the pain in his head that had disappeared a moment ago had come back with a vengeance. "She knows he's an X5. She knows there are others. It's nothing more than what you can read in the tabloids and conspiracy websites."

"Does she know where my brothers and sisters are?" Syl asked. Zack was the only one who knew everyone's contact numbers. She half hoped that she could see her family together again.

Logan turned to Syl and softened his tone at the sight of her hopeful face. "Zack would never have said anything about them. He wouldn't even tell her their names."

Syl tried to hide her disappointment. Krit put his arm around her reassuringly. "He was a good protector."

"And a great brother." Logan added.

"He still is." Syl insisted. "We don't know that he's dead. We only saw him get caught."

"That's another thing," Lydecker spoke up. "That girl in there somehow knew Zack was dead. How could she know that?"

Logan thought about it for a second. "She might have just assumed being caught meant –"

"No," Krit interrupted. "She knew."

Logan shook his head, not knowing what to make of it.

"I don't think it's anything, but I'll ask her. Meanwhile, you guys need to get out of here." Logan suggested to Krit and Syl.

"Renfro is probably still reeling, but I'm sure she made time to send out another few teams to look for you." Lydecker added.

Krit nodded his agreement. He was never a man of many words; the strong, silent type. He pulled Syl on to her feet and they moved to the door.

"Keep a low profile for at least the next six months." Lydecker instructed. "Don't contact each other –"

Krit turned to look at Lydecker. The intimidating look on Krit's face made Lydecker stop mid-sentence.

"We may have worked together this time," He started," But that doesn't mean we'll start taking orders from you again."

Lydecker smiled. He was scared. And that made him proud.

"Understood."

A moment later and the two X5's were out the door. Lydecker stood staring at where they were just standing.

"Those kids are more than I could've ever hoped for."

"I bet." Logan responded dryly. "You'd better get out of here too, Lydecker. Get some rest."

He turned to Logan, suddenly suspicious at his caring comment. "And the girl?"

"I'll take care of her."

He sniggered. "I don't think so." Lydecker headed towards the bedroom to take care of it himself.

Logan ran to stop him.

"She doesn't know anything!"

"That's not the point." Lydecker responded, reaching the bedroom door.

"Renfro will be looking for you too!" Logan cried desperately. That made Lydecker stop, so Logan continued. "And you're a lot easier to catch then a couple of X5's with super speed, strength and heightened senses."

Lydecker turned, knowing this was all true.

"If I were you I'd get as much of a head start as I could." Logan concluded, hammering in the final nail.

Lydecker sighed. "If she's knows anything -"

"- we'll be in touch." Logan finished for him and watched as Lydecker disappeared out the door.

Logan closed his eyes and let out a long breath. He felt the stress leaving him.

It didn't last long, because again, his head started to scream in pain.