Title: Total Recall, Chapter 4

Author: redwing/csiphile

Disclaimers: On the first chapter.

AN: Heh, I meant to have this up on Saturday, but alas, real life interfered with said plans. So here it is today! Thank you so much for the lovely reviews, they are so inspiring to me! Really! Keep it up!

AN2: Just a reminder that everything in italics are either memories or thoughts, should be pretty obvious which is which…I think. If its not clear let me know. I know someone mentioned they didn't want this to become too sad and depressing….uhhh you might want to close your eyes after this chapter then, I'll let you know when to open em. Angst galore ahead, but its…fun angst! The long way round is always the best…right? You'll be fine. Im a very wordy author, most of my fics are pretty long, so hang in there!

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Chapter 4: Isolation

Alec

He looks around his small cell, patiently. Alec's been through this before. Isolation, especially for someone who was on the outside for any period, can be devastating. The first time, he thought he was going insane; the lack of any stimuli was enough to drive him to the edge. Enough to make him pliable to reindoctrination, anyway.

This time, he is more prepared for the drab grey walls, no light and uncomfortable cot. There would be no food and almost no water until Director Olivet said so, which could be a while based on his little speech earlier. No human – or transgenic- contact for that matter either.

Sighing, Alec lays back on his cot. He can only imagine Max is going insane, never having experienced the pleasure of being locked away in a six by six cell all day for days on end. After being led away by their transgenic brethren, both had been stripped and given the typical Manticore camo to wear before being locked in their cells at opposite ends of the long, narrow basement. He can remember the nervous look she had given him as they closed the door on her and led him to his new home.

He's more concerned for her than for his own safety. Alec remembers what Manticore was striving to become after the 09ers escaped: a dictatorship that used psychological, and sometimes physical, torture to get the most out of its investment. He learned how to play the game within Manticore walls -- becoming the perfect soldier -- the best and the brightest. It allowed him some freedom within the tight confines they had created for all those left behind.

Despite the tough front that Max puts up, he knows that she is an emotional person who feels things intimately. Not a good place to be right now. They'd used it against her, and he's afraid she will break quickly, giving into them without really wanting to. He has to get them out of here.

Closing his eyes, he starts to plan out escape scenarios in his head, but one memory of Max comes to him, unbidden….

"Alec! For the love of…."

"What? We were just screwing around. Harmless fun."

"Harmless fun that ended with Todd's arm broken? What the hell were you thinking? I swear, I wonder about your mental capabilities sometimes."

He had smiled his most charming smile at her and approached her slowly across the conference room, almost stalking her. "What about my…'other'…capabilities?"

She had stood her ground, her face emotionless. "What about them?"

He had closed the gap between them and was dangerously close to pressing Max into the wall behind her. "Don't you ever wonder?" he whispered into her ear.

She had licked her lips, and they were so close he could breathe her air, if he hadn't been holding his breath. She had glanced up and down his body, appreciatively, before looking him directly in the eyes. "Every day."

And with that, she had pulled away from him, leaving him hanging. He had almost groaned aloud. Alec had been about to inquire further, until Mole had opened the door and interrupted them.

That had been right before the supply run. Pushing the memory away, he goes back to organizing how to get out of here, when the door opens, surprising him. Tamping down the immediate instinct to go on the offensive, he merely opens his eyes and finds the director staring at him.

Alec makes no move to greet him, and is supremely surprised when the door shuts behind him. It's just the two of them in the small room.

"No need to get up, 494," Olivet sneers.

"Wasn't planning on it, thanks." He shifts slightly on the cot, making it apparent he is trying to get more comfortable. His plans change, however, when a boot makes hard contact with his shin.

"Up."

Alec complies slowly, standing in front of the man, not at attention, but ready to take action if he needs to. Finally he notices Olivet holding a thick brown file. Probably his file.

Olivet waves the folder around a bit before opening it. "494, X5 series. Assassination was your specialty… nice. You have an impressive record here, many commendations from the former brass. You were well on the way to a CO position -- one more elimination and you would have been there. Too bad you blew it."

Alec says nothing when he pauses.

"I'm sure you remember that one, don't you? The Berrisford mission? Seems that you got a little too attached to the daughter, tried to warn them. Tsk, tsk. One tiny mistake and you spent how long in reindoctrination?" He clucks, and shakes his head at Alec. "One stupid little girl and your so-called illustrious career is over. I sure as hell hope she was worth it."

At the mention of Rachel, Alec bristles, but still remains silent. He recognizes this as the director's attempt at getting to his weaknesses. The guy is digging, and he refuses to give him anything to work with. The older man purses his lips and circles Alec tightly. Alec can smell the expensive, yet subtle, cologne he is wearing. But still doesn't move or speak.

Once again, he consults the file folder. "After the Seattle site was cauterized, you went to ground along with everyone else. I wonder about something though, Alec." He practically spits Alec's name at him. "Your training would have told you to get the hell out of dodge, to go as far away from Seattle as possible. Yet, you didn't -- maybe for a while. But eventually, you made your way back. Foolish of you, don't you think? Now…I wonder why. Maybe that pretty genetically-engineered female we caught you with? Did you fall for your assignment again, 494?"

Silence.

"DID YOU?" The man practically screams in his face.

"That bitch? I think not -- she caused me more trouble than anything."

"Then why did you stay?"

Alec finally looks him right in the eye and gives his best smirk. "Have you SEEN her? Or are you not inclined toward the female of the species?"

He had been prepared for physical violence, but the other man merely steps away from him, smiling slightly. "So you're sleeping with her?"

"I was trying my best, but they don't call her the Ice Queen for nothing."

"Interesting," Olivet says, closes the folder and head to the door. "I'll be seeing you around, 494."

"I'm looking forward to it," Alec responds, his tone derisive.

Suddenly Alec can't breathe. Olivet had moved across the room faster than he'd ever seen and currently had him pinned against the wall, his hand circling Alec's throat and tightening. "I wouldn't. 'Cause the next time we meet, it won't be under such pleasant circumstances."

As suddenly as it happened, the director had released his hold, and disappeared out the door.

"Shit," he mutters, and rubs the now tender skin at his neck.

Max

Max has already determined that there is no way out of the small room except the door she is currently staring at. She figures the second it opens, she will attack the person on the other side and get the hell out. Well, first she'll find Alec, and then they both can get the hell out.

After an interminable amount of time, she tires of staring at the door and paces the small area between her cot and the opposite wall. A transgenic could go crazy in here. She snorts at her own thought. 'Of course you could. That's the point, Max.'

Taking some deep breaths, she sits on the cot and runs her fingers through her hair. Her mind is whirring with infinite possibilities of what's going to happen next. Will they just leave her in here until she eventually starves to death and they can run their little experiments on her body? Not likely; Manticore always liked their test subjects warm and toasty, preferably with a pulse. She shudders slightly.

She wonders how Alec is doing, and surmises probably better than her right now. Hell, knowing Alec, he's already started a new business here with the guards. She still is in awe that he managed to sustain a black market ring in Manticore, apparently undetected. Then again, there was the bar at TC…..

"Come on, Maxie, I wanna show you something." He had pleaded with her.

"Alec, I just want to go to bed. I may not sleep much, but when I need it, I need it."

"Two minutes. Seriously." He had smiled that irresistible smile at her, and she had been done in.

"Fine."

He had waggled his eyebrows at her, and led her by the hand through the broken down buildings of their new home. Finally coming to a stop in front of a low slung one with a bright green door.

"You wanted to show me….?" she had asked, somewhat annoyed at the turn this was taking.

Slowly, he had pushed open the door to reveal a bar; an empty one, but a bar nonetheless. At least the closest they could replicate, given the situation. It appeared to be a formerly run-down pub that had been partially renovated. A long bar lined one side, with stools lined up to it. On the other side were small tables with chairs, and even a decent looking pool table.

She had turned to look at him, and smiled slightly. "This is what you've been doing with your free time?"

She wasn't mad, as she was sure Alec was expecting her to be. She understood the reasoning behind having it. They needed to have a place to relax -- a place to blow off steam, especially with their home and lives in constant danger.

"Me and Biggs and Dalton." He finally let go of her hand and walked behind the bar, producing two glasses. "Care to be the first patron?"

"Sure would." She sat at the bar across from him and took the beer he poured for her. She had eyed the amber liquid, questioningly. "Beer?"

"I think it's best not to ask, Max," he'd responded with a wink, and poured himself one.

"Hmmmm," she'd muttered through pursed lips. But she took a gulp of the liquid, and was pleased at the taste. "You did good, Alec."

"Thanks," he'd said, as they'd finished their beers. "Want some company on your walk home?"

She'd looked around the bar before settling her gaze on him. "No, I think I'd rather stay here a while."

And she had -- they had -- stayed in their little bar, secluded from the world, from their problems until dawn. Talking about TC, strategy, life and loves lost. It was after that night that Max began to rethink her feelings for the transgenic. He had been with her through the hardest time of her life, and despite the abuse she heaped on him, didn't leave. They had started moving toward a more emotional connection, one that she cherished more than any other relationship in her life.

Sighing loudly, she is surprised when the door opens, and immediately gets up on her feet in an offensive posture, ready to attack the other person.

"Relax 452. I'm just here to…get to know you."

She recognizes Olivet, and wonders why the director himself would come see her. Information gathering about prisoners was always left to the Psy Ops guys.

"Yeah, right," she comments, but doesn't relax one bit.

He shrugs slightly, and leans on the wall, pulling out a brown file. "So, 452. One of the 2009 escapees. Impressive, I must say, how you and the other 11 got out. It was a major failure at Manticore, and did the brass ever pay the price." He gives out a low whistle. "You probably would have enjoyed seeing the lashing they got -- literally."

"I'm sure."

"But I guess it all worked out in the end, right? I mean, here you are -- back in the fold."

She merely looks at him.

"Huh, that's practically the same expression 494 gave me. He's got quite a mouth on him."

"Tends to get him in trouble," she comments, noncommittally.

"Of that I'm sure." He pauses, and looks at something in the file. "So you'd be the one responsible for releasing all our property. How'd that work out? Not so great it would seem; the police and that idiot White pretty much have you trapped. How many transgenics or transhumans have died because YOU let them out, 452? A dozen? A hundred? Maybe more, I suspect. All out there in the world…" He moves closer to her, putting his face inches from hers. "…alone, scared, probably wanting to go back to Manticore, where they were fed and housed and warm. Stability, 452 -- that's what they crave, and that's what you took away from them. But it's all gone, thanks to you."

"Renfro…" she starts.

"Renfro followed orders after Eyes Only sent that broadcast. But somehow, I suspect you may be behind that, too."

She remains quiet, but in her head, the thoughts are running rampant. Thoughts that she had pushed out of her head almost a year ago. She had come to terms then with what she had done, and was determined to stop complaining about the past, and work on fixing the future. But now, she allows them back in, just a little. Just enough to cause doubt.

"Don't worry, though. Eventually they'll all come home." He backs away from her, and the door opens again. "Goodbye, 452."

"My name is MAX!" she yells at the closing door, and lets out a scream in frustration.

tbc……………………