Author's note : i had a particularly good moment writing the dialogue between Logan and Max and the flashback for this chapter.
As always, i hope you'll like it...
Please review.
Chap 8 : Running away...
Max's appartment in TC.
"Come in!" said Zane from the kitchen.
"Hey Zane, it's Alec."
"Hi Alec." Zane greeted. "Need any help in command?" he asked.
"No. Everything's fine. It's calm. Tara told me to come here since she won't have time."
"Ok. What did she say?"
"She found you an appartment, near mine, on Oak Street. Come on, i'll show you."
"Way to go."
"So, you know why she left?" Zane asked.
'Who?"
"Who? Max. Who else?" the 09er insisted.
"I'm trying to avoid that question with everybody. And though you're her brother and all, i think she's the one who should tell you what happened. Not me." Alec stated.
"The real thing that i'm wondering about is, why did she gave that order about Logan?" Zane continued.
"What do you mean?" This is interesting, thought Alec.
"It's obvious she doesn't love him."
"She doesn't?" Alec stared at Zane really puzzled. How can she not love the guy? It's been one year they've been waiting for this to happen!
"You don't seem convinced Alec. That's alright, you don't know her the way i do."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Alec inquired.
"Relax! I'm not dating her or something, she's my sister remember. I know you like her."
"What do you mean?" Alec was trying to avoid Zane's gaze.
"That's all good for me. I like you more that her ordinary. The thing i don't get is why did she gave that order. I mean, i know she's a bit passionate, but it's a bit radical? Like you know a restraining order, like in those movies."
Alec definitely liked Zane. He too, loved his boob tube, and they had practically the same taste in everything. They really got along.
He sighed. "She caught him and Asha having sex the night we came back from France." He explained.
"But she didn't went to Logan that day. She asked Lydecker to redeploy her, few hours after you arrived." Zane didn't understand.
"Actually, we arrived the night before. But that's another story. She's gonna kill me when she'll know that i told you that."
"That bastard!" Zane exclaimed.
Max's office, in the building across TC.
"I wanna see her!" Logan snapped not bothering knocking or saying hello.
Alec rose from Max's seat.
"I guess you're talking about Max." Alec said calmly.
"I said i wanna see her." He repeated.
"As you can see, she's not here." Alec stated.
"Why don't your sentries won't let me in Terminal City?" he asked.
"Orders." Alec replied.
"Orders from who?" Logan barked.
"Max."
"Bullshit!" Eyes Only snapped. "Let me see her!"
"I said she's not here!" Alec repeated. "And if i were you, for my own security, i'd stop frenquenting this area of town."
"Is that a threat, Alec?"
"Not coming from me. More coming from her. I think she left because she didn't wanted to kill you. I mean, what a mess would that be, huh?"
"I said where is she?" he insisted.
Alec was already imagining himself snapping the guy's neck,but Max would say no. Or maybe not, after what he did.
"Wouldn't know. For God sake Logan, can't you just leave her alone?" Alec yelled.
"I need to talk to her, explain her..." the older man trailed off.
"Why you slept with Asha when you're supposed to be falling head over heels for Max? Yeah, i 'm wondering about that too." The X5 teased. "I mean, you had Max. She's hot. She's the best person i know. And yet, you don't seem to have any problem with screwing another girl. If you tell me that sex was bad between you two, then i'd say, you don't know how to rock her!" he commented. He hoped that pissing off Logan will make him leave. But the ordinary didn't seem to head out.
"But i guess you would know, huh?" Logan snapped.
"I've never made a secret that if she was available, i would get in her pants. Every guy would!" He paused. "Anyway, i'll tell her you came here when she'll come back." Alec told Logan.
"I'm not leaving Alec. I'll stay outside this building. And i'll wait for her."
"I'm not telling you to not to." The transgenic replied.
During all the week, Logan was parked outside the building of Max's office just across Terminal City.
"Is he ever gonna leave?" wondered Zane. "He's pretty stubborn for an ordinary."
Mole, Alec, Zane and can you believe it Lydecker were in Max's office playing poker.
Mole chomped on his cigar.
"I think obsessed is the word." Said Mole.
"Anyway, she's not gonna forgive him." Stated Zane.
"How do you know that?" asked Alec.
"I know her."
"Bact at Manticore, Zane, Jondy and Max were really close." Explained the colonel. "Don't be surprised, i was there the entire first nine years of your lives or so." He said under the 09er's gaze.
"You'll always surprise me Deck!" Mole grinned and chomped again on his cigar.
"I'm happy she'll come home soon, i'm getting tired of him watching us as we hide her somewhere from him." Declared Alec.
A few days later, he saw her stepping out of a black SUV with other soldiers. He tensed when he heard her laughing to a guy, but then recognized the face. Zero. One of the X6 they had saved, one year ago. Ralph, Bullet and Fixit were there too. So that's where she was, with the X6.
He looked carefully at her. Her caramel skin was more tanned. She looked amazing. So she went in the South, he thought.
He stepped out of his car and went straight to her.
Max saw him coming from the moment the car pulled next the building across TC. She sighed. Better to get this over with anyway.
"What do you want Logan?" she didn't even bothered to face him.
"Look at me when you talk to me!" he said. His voice was filled with anger.
"I'm sensing a bit of anger in your voice. Are you angry at me?" she asked genuinely. She was still angry at him but, she had cleared her head. And she knew exactly what she wanted.
"Ok, now you had your revenge, we can go back together. I was worried sick about you. Those bozos of sentries wouldn't let me in when you were not here..."
"I'm starting to think that maybe my first impression on you was the right one. Are you high Logan? Cause i'm the one who gave the order for you not to be allowed in there anymore!"
"If you're worried about my health because of the biofare agents in TC, it's up to me to risk my life for you, for us." He said.
"I'm not talking about that kind of risk. I'm talking about the numbers of Xs and freaks who in there want to kill you." She paused. "And what's that, 'now you got your revenge, we can go back together!' You think this is some kind of game that we're playing? Well let me tell you something Logan. I'm not playing here. And when i'm telling you, right now, that it's over. It is really over. We're through!" she yelled.
Zane, Alec, Joshua and Mole were eyeing the scene from Max's office.
"You think she'll punch him?" asked Mole.
"Maybe yes, maybe not. Never know with her." Replied Zane.
"Little fella will punch." Stated Joshua.
"Yeah, i'd like to see that. Buy-in ten." Said Alec with a wicked smile.
"You forgive me? Tell me how do your brain work, cause as far as i know, i did nothing wrong! I'm not the one who screwed Asha on your couch the other night!" she yelled.
Everyone in the streets now had their complete attention. Soon, everybody understood what was going on and several girls encouraged Max.
"When you date someone Logan, you're supposed to be faithfull to that person! Argh. God you remind me of Darren!"
"Darren? Who's Darren? The guy you date now?" he said quickly.
"You've been smocking or what? He's one of my ex and you've just join this private club! Now, would you leave me alone, i've got a debriefing to do and a disctrict to take care of." She spun around and left him there. But then she turn around and said "I'd punch you but i just got my nails done, so i'll kick you."
And so she kicked him in the balls. "Don't ever approach me again Logan! Ever." she whispered menacingly in his ear while he fell forward on the ground.
The guys were pretending to do something when she entered her office.
"Found the show interesting?" she teased. "It's not like i didn't saw you all at the window a few minutes before."
"I won 50 bucks!" cheered Joshua.
"I'm happy to know that my love life at least makes someone happy." She said understanding that they just made a bet concerning her discussion with Eyes Only.
"Oh, come on Max!" said her brother, "It's just because, we all wanted to kick his balls for you."
"Lydecker kept his promises for the supply?" she asked.
"Yep." Confirmed Alec.
"Good, at least it was worth it. The girl that we were supposed to look after, she was really starting to get on my nerve! I was about to kill her with my bare hands!"
Max needed to talk. Thinking, she'd done that all week. Now, what she needed was advice. Not on Logan. There was no way she was going to forgive him. No way, but still she need to talk. So she went to see OC.
Both girls we're sitting in their so called living room with a mud of tea in their hands. The silence was not uncomfortable. Cindy knew too well that with Max, all she had to do was wait, until her boo will be willing to talk. And then, she'll push her a little bit, so that she will know what was wrong with her.
"The South was good?" OC asked interrupting the warm silence.
"How do you know i was in the South?"
"You're tanned honey! Everyone can see that. Had fun back there?"
"Well, it was a mission. But, Ralph's team handled it ok. I had time to think." She said.
"Think about what?" OC inquired.
The silence was back. But somehow this time it was awkward.
"I don't love Logan." She stated. "At least not anymore." It seemed to her that a weight on her heart had been lifted.
"That why you put that restraining order on him at TC?" her friend asked.
Max burst into laughter. The EO restraining order. That how her friends called it.
"No. It would be a little bit radical. I just don't want to see him again. He slept with Asha." she stated.
"And you're ok with that? Cause you don't really seem collapsed by the news!" OC was raising both eyebrows.
"I'm not ok with that. At least, my ego is not ok with that. But my heart, is, somehow relieved." The transgenic whispered the last part or her sentence.
"Now that's weird, you just told me that you boyfriend slept with another girl and you're relieved!" the african american exclaimed.
"I know!" the X5 paused a moment. "That why i ran away."
"Running away won't resolve any problem. What are you going to do with Logan? You know he keeps calling me to get news about you."
"Well don't tell him anything anymore. I won't forgive what he did! Never. And anyway, i don't want to be with him. Do you know what he said when i arrived." She stood up and mimicked Logan. "Now you had your revenge, we can get back together! Arghhh! At that moment, i really wanted to kick him."
"I heard you did." Said OC smiling.
Max smiled back at her friend and sit back on the couch.
"What i have realised during this past three months is that what we had, me and Logan has...faded. I guess. I knew it the minute i came back, the minute i kissed him when i was back from Manticore." Max declared. Her voice was unsure and she stammered a bit.
"And you know what made me shiver?" she continued.
"Tell Original Cindy everything boo."
"He reminded me of Darren!"
"Ouch!" commented OC. "The Darren who cheated on you with that slut of Justine!"
Max nodded in disgust.
"Gosh, my love life is a mess! I'm starting to think that i'll be alone for the rest of my life. Is that so much to ask to have someone i would love and count on?"
"No, boo." OC comforted. "It's not much to ask. You'll find that someone. Sooner or later. In the meantime, try to avoid the jerks like Darren!"
Max smiled.
"Come on, i know there's something else." Continued OC.
Flashback.
Max's appartment in TC.
"Is there a problem Tara?" Max asked.
"No. I'm so sorry to be the one to tell you this, but it has to be done." Started the other female X5.
"Tell me what?"
"Well now, you're not with Logan anymore." Tara continued.
"Yeah. That's not a secret. So? You wanted to know if he's still gonna help us? Not that we needed his help lately."
"No! It's not about that!" she interrupted. "Oh God how can i formulate this!"
"Wh...what's wrong?" Max was starting to be a little worried.
"Well, you know no one here really loved Logan."
"I know that." Said Max calmly.
"It's not only because he was an ordinary but also because he dated you. You're one of us. And you're our leader. That's the reason why he was tolerated. That and, the fact that Alec and Joshua protected him. And then your love affair with him seemed to interest everyone ordinary. It was good press for us." Tara stated.
"I know that... You mean, now everybody would like me to return with him?" Max asked a little bit afraid of her friend's answer.
"No! Of course not!" Tara saw the relief in her leader's eyes.
"So what's the problem?"
"They want you to be mated, Max."
Her head took a few seconds to process the news that have been dropped on her.
"What do you mean mated?" she stammered.
"Like me and Ledge." Tara informed. "It's necessary for our survival. You know that. There's few of us left, and if we continue losing people, in one generation, we won't be a threat anymore." She stated matter of factly.
Max couldn't utter a word.
"I now you found a way out of it during the siege, i don't know how; but the best time to chose a mate is when you're in heat. It would be good, if you'd chose a mate then."
End of flashback.
"They want me to be mated." She declared and then re-explained to her friend what Tara told her.
"Wow!" whispered OC.
"I know they're right about our survival. I know that. But i don't want to be drooling over every male of TC, plus i saw their reaction to the female's heat during the siege. Some of them died fighting for a female in heat!" she yelled. "And i want someone that's loves me! Not someone who reacts to my pheromones!" she exclaimed.
OC held her friend tighly to her. "It's gonna be ok."
"No it's not! Once i'll be mated, Tara explained me that never again another male will touch me. I will be his, and he will be mine."
"So it's like a marriage then?" OC tried to lighten the mood.
"There's no way out of this!" Max stated.
"How much time to you have until your next heat cycle?" her friend asked.
"Two weeks."
"Well, we'll try to put something up during those weeks, ok? Now, we'll go to sleep; Don't worry boo. It'll be ok. Maybe Lydecker will send you to do another job."
Max shook her head.
"I've done too many jobs lately. He wants me to stay here. They'll start the analyse of the new runes soon."
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