Author's note : This is where the story really begins. Hope you'll enjoy this new chapter.
The words in italics indicate that it is not said but thought by one the characters.
Please review. And again, sorry for my english.
Chap 5 : A mission for a cure...
"This mission is very important to our survival." Started Lydecker.
"You mean ours, right?" Said Alec.
"Focus soldier!" he yelled
"Don't you talk to him like that", groaned Max.
"I see the two of you are at the same wave length? Good. You'll need that." Their nemesis commented.
"Spill it Deck." She said sharply.
"I need to..."he continued.
"You mean, we need" broke off Alec.
"Alec, stop it" ordered his leader.
"Where was i? Right. I need to get my hands on the work of Dr Tanaka." He stated.
"You mean, Dr Yukio Tanaka? The one killed by those terrorists? What was their name already? Oh the May 22nd movement." She stated more than she asked.
"Exact." Lydecker agreed.
"How do you know that?" Alec was puzzled.
"Ran into them about two years ago. Dr Tanaka was giving a scientific conference about 'gene resequencing and manipulation of RNA nucleotides'. He took this crack baby born three months premature: he worked on the little boy , and six years later, he's become a boy genius." Explained Max then she turned her attention back to Lydecker. "What do you mean, when you talk about 'work'?"
"The boy. Jude Thatcher." He informed.
"How did you find him?" she inquired.
"Your boyfriend's contact was pretty hungry, he sold the boy to a french laboratory." He explained.
"And i thought Loggie's friend were all saints?" said Alec ironycally.
"So this is a simple retrieval mission?"she said ignoring what Alec had just said.
"Not only, Max. They had time studying the boy, and the results of their research could, well, correct all your flaws." He assured.
"Like our seizures, the progeria." She uttered. She had seeing too many of her people die the last six months because they couldn't get enough tryptophan.
"Though we managed to 'contain' the progeria, it wasn't efficient enough. And it's just an example. The priority is your seizures. Without the treatment we gave you back at Manticore, all of the X series are going to die, sooner or later. We need, all their results, all their work."Lydecker explained.
Memories of Brin, of Jack, of her even hit Max full force.
"I understand" she whispered.
"So how do we do this?" questionned Alec.
"You'll have fake identities. Now, you both work for Genedyne. It will be your credentials for it."
"Who are we supposed to be?" asked Max.
"Well, you'll be Chloé, Chloé Marks. You're a scientific. And he will be Peter Lens. Your bodyguard. Since, you worked on the virus between you and you know who, i figured that..."
"Yeah, yeah. Don't care about what you figured out." She cut in.
"You're supposed to buy some of their work." Lydecker informed them.
"So first we go in to spy. And then we retrieve the boy." Said Alec.
"Make sure you destroy all their data base." Lydecker demanded.
"What will you do with the boy?" Max inquired her gaze not leaving Lydecker's.
"The Comittee will decide what to do with him. Now, pack up. You're leaving in two days." He said coldly."You are dismissed."
Both transgenics headed out of the office.
"So, want to share your adventures with me?" said Alec.
She turned her head to face him. This was going to be a long trip.
"I mean, now, i'm starting to think, you had a life before me. How did you knew about the conference anyway?" he asked. "I know you don't have a tv back at your house."
"Unlike you Alec, i don't need, a, what do you call it, oh right, a boob tube, to be in touch with the civilization." She snapped.
"C'mon. I'm making a conversation here. This will be a long trip..." he replied.
"You're right, this is going to be a long trip." She cut in.
"Are you trying to tell me something Max?" he put on his most innocent face.
"Just shut up Alec." She snapped.
He hadn't stop talking since they left Terminal City, and he wouldn't stop now they were on the plane. She wondered how he managed to fulfill his missions when he was back at Manticore. He was so...chatty? She would have wanted to change seats in the plane, but remained silent and ignored all of the "noise" Alec was making. Shark DNA not helping, she didn't manage to sleep. Alec managed though. He fell asleep somewhere along the second movie they were running and rested his head on Max's shoulder.
At first she was startled by the contact between them, but then, she realised he was asleep and couldn't help but smile. He looked so innocent in this position, like a little boy. At least now, he stopped talking.
It seemed to her an eternity before they finally landed in Paris. But this wasn't the end of the journey yet. They had to go through the country toward the South, near Aix en Provence, where they would find
Lydecker's contact, and the home he provided them for the mission.
When the night fell on them, they decided to rest a bit in a motel. There were only one room left because, it was holidays there.
"Oh no!" she cried discovering that there was only one bed in the room.
"Don't worry Max, you know i can resist you. But can you resist me?" he said winking at her.
She slapped him in the back of the head.
"I am so not sleeping with you Alec." She yelled.
"Ok, i'll take the couch." He uttered disapointed.
"Of course, you'll take the couch!" she agreed then she went to the bathroom and slammed the door behind her.
A few minutes later...
"Hey Max! I'm hungry. I'll go get some food. You have any special request?"
No answer.
"Max!"
Still no answer.
"What did i do this time?" he complained. "Ok, i'm going to open the door here. Ready or not, here i come." He yelled behind the door. And he opened it.
"Oh my God Max!"
She was lying on the floor, trying to grab the bottle of tryptophan in her bag, shaking violently.
He lifted her gently and layed her on the bed. Then, he forced her to swallow six pills of the amino-acid to calm the shakes.
"Guess i finally got you in my bed, huh?" He said trying to lighten the mood.
She smiled a bit and closed her eyes.Then he got up and headed for the couch.
"Stay with me Alec. Please hold me." She breathed.
And that he did. Until the sun rise again the next morning, he held her all night, never letting go. When he opened his eyes, she was still asleep. Well, she needed to recover. He looked at her face, and saw how peaceful she was, like an angel. But Max were never that peaceful, and even when she got her seizures, she barely slept. He had learn that for OC.
He didn't want to let her go but his phone was ringing, probably Lydecker.
"Yeah?"
"Report soldier"Lydecker ordered.
"Oh, hi Alec, how do you do? Fine, that's great. Hope you slept well last night..." Alec mimicked a conversation.
"Cut the crap soldier!" shouted Lydecker.
"We're fine. Except, she got the shakes last night." He informed.
"Is she ok?" Lydecker was obviously worried.
"Yeah, she will. If she rests. I think, it would be good for her to not to travel today. It was stronger than the ones she had in TC. She's still asleep and you know, she never sleeps." Alec said.
Alec was expecting Lydecker to yell at him and tell him to get his precious Max and to continue the trip, but Donald only told him to be careful and to take care of his favorite rogue.
At that moment, Max opened her eyes, well, tried.
"Alec?" she murmured.
"I'm here." mentionning his presence beside her.
"Don't leave me" she moaned.
"I won't" he soothed.
He wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her head. He held her this way until she finally fell asleep again.
She woke up around noon, the sound of the tv bringing her back to reality.
"Hey!" Alec greeted. "How you doing?"
"Fine... i guess." She answered.
"You hungry?" he asked. "Course you are." He handed her a bacon cheese burger and a huge glass of milk.
"Thanks." She uttered. "How long did i sleep?"
"14 hours. I thought you had shark DNA or something." He said.
"Yeah, me too." Was all her answer. She took a bit of the sandwich and a sip of the milk.
"Lydecker called. He said that we could stay here, until, you fill better."
"Really?" She said in disbelief.
He nodded and switch off the tv.
"So? Do you think you're ok?" He inquired.
"I'll be ok Alec. Plus there is no one else beside you and me to do this job. We can get back in the car right after i eat and take a shower. Ok?"
"You're the boss." He simply said.
They had finally reached Aix en Provence and managed to get in touch with their "handlers" for the mission. Now they were installed, in a house owned by Genedyne(one of old Manticore's branch). It was bigger than what they expected. There was even a back yard and a patio. But what Alec was the most happy about was the plasma tv screen.
The phone rang a few minutes after they arrived.
"I want to talk to Max." snapped Lydecker.
"Nice to hear you too Lydecker." Said Alec.
"I said i wanna talk to Max." He repeated.
"Ok, ok!" he rolled his eyes."Max!" he yelled. "It's for you."
She picked up the phone.
"Yeah?"
"It's Lydecker."
"So?" She was visibly annoyed by the concerned in his voice. Why is this happening to me?
"How are the shakes?" he asked.
"I still have an headache but i'm okay. You know it happens sometime. And i'm a soldier. I'll be okay." She stated.
"Have you established contact yet?" he questionned trying to hide his concern.
"We have a meeting tonight. But you already know that." She continued. "And we're not supposed to have contact with base, meaning you, before tonight. Do i need to remind you the procedures?"
"I'll call back." And with that he hung up the phone.
She shrugged and went in the kitchen to pick somethings to eat. Alec was making a sandwich.
"Want some Maxie?" he asked.
"That would be nice." She replied.
He handed her the half of his sandwich.
"Oh! Real bread!" she said biting in her sandwich.
"Yeah." He sighed. "So? What did he want?"
"Who?" she replied innocently.
"Come on Max! You're going to tell me or what?"
"Tell you what?" she snapped back.
"He didn't call to ask me how i was!"
"So you were listening!" she sighed.
"I'm an X5 Max!"he replied.
Max keep your mouth shut. You're so gonna regret it if you tell him, she thought.
"He's showing favoritism to one of his kids! And the favorite is you!" Alec continued. "At first, i thought that it was because of the runes. That you were the one who was suppose to save us all. But then..." he trailed off observing her reactions. She was fidgeting.
Don't open your mouth. Don't."Come on Max?" he insisted.
"He's considering me as a relative." She whispered. You stupid! Now he has something that he can tease you about for the rest of your pathetic life! You dumb!
To her surprise the smart alec comment didn't come.
"How come?" he asked.
For the first time, she raised her head and looked into his eye. There was no mockery in his voice. She sighed. "Before i was recaptured by Manticore, he told me i was inspired by his wife. Said i had her eyes." She shuderred at the thought. "Beurk!"
"So he's considering you as a clone of his wife?"
"Yuk! Thank God no!" she said an obvious relief in her voice. "He thinks of me as their daughter." She breathed in disgust.
"Their daughter, huh?" biting in his own sandwich, he continued to watched her.
Silence.
"You think he would like you to marry roller boy?" he asked suddenly.
"What?" visibly shocked.
"Yeah, you know the whole dealio! I mean, in the newpapers, you're practically engaged! Would Lydecker give you, as his daughter, away?"
"Yuk!"
Alec smiled seeing her disgusted face.
"What are you laughing at?" she asked.
"I mean you're suppose to love the guy. For them, it's the natural course of life."
"I don't known if i would like to marry him or anything else." God, did i just say that? She asked herself.
Did she just said that, wondered Alec.
"And...and it's none of your business!" she stammered before storming out of the kitchen.
"What did i do this time!" he yelled.
Max came down from her room in a dark blue dress showing her back and attached in the back of her neck, just in her barcode's place. The knee length dress showed all her curves. She had a black purse and a black high heels. Her hair were attached in a simple pony tail. Yet, she was amazing.
"What are you looking at Alec?" she knew from the way he stared at her, that she was just fine.
"Nnothing." He stammered. Damn! She's hot! Focus Alec, she loves Logan!
The tension between the two trasngenics was still present when they headed for the first meeting with the laboratory. She was supposed to meet their contact for dinner.
"Do you think they're going to make us eat some frogs or snails? Heard they like that kind of food around here!"
"We're in the south of France, they'll probably prefer seafood. And either way, you're not supposed to eat! You're supposed to be my bodyguard!" she commented. "Try to focus."
"Why do you always have to yell at me Max, huh?"
"It make me feel better." She muttered. "Now focus!"
They arrived at the restaurant at 2005. It was a some kind of private restaurant, and all the people present there had that their personnal bodyguard. So this is it. Time to perform.
Max waited for Alec to open her door before stepping out.
"Chloé Marks." Alec announced to the guard at the door. The guard eyed Max, then Alec.
"And who are you?" he asked.
"He's my bodyguard." Explained Max.
"Yeah! And i'm Mother Teresa!" the guard laughed.
Alec was slightly annoyed by the guy's laugh.
"I don't have all night, can i come in or not?" she said sharply.
"Mister Levallois is waiting fot you. Pierre will take you there." The guard indicated the man in a black suit behind him. "You can go."