PHASE FIVE: CLARITY
"I'm not sure I like it, Max ''
''You must not like it at all, Alec.''
She stressed his name to purposefully bait him, but it didn't affect him in the slightest judging by the amusement shining in his hazel eyes before he raised his palms in mock surrender and opened his smartass mouth to smugly remark:
''Forgive me O My Omniscient Mistress, for finding the very idea idiotic of abandoning a whole group of X7 at the mercy of a reporter thirsty for scoops.''
She looked at his grin as if she intended wiping it off his face solely by the force of her impatience.
To Alec, it was hilarious to no end.
"He'll be giving them an interview, not a trial! Logan knows him and thinks he could help us.''
Alec rolled his eyes dramatically and twisted a half-done paper airplane between his fingers. God, it irked her!
''There are no good or evil reporters but only untrustworthy ones, he said in a small lilting voice. Then shifting his tone to serious - he'll print anything that makes a strong impact on public. The abuse on children for military use doesn't make a strong enough impact already?'' '' The possible- and I underline *possible* - benefit isn't worth the risk of passing them off as blood-hungry killers from birth''
"Logan doesn't think so.''
''And according to your unwavering sense, should I simply assume that your Charming Prince on Shining Exoskeleton is always right?'' Max raised her chin defiantly and crossed her arms over her chest.
''Naturally.'' ''Your look on life sucks, Maxie ''
She smirked proudly; he had left himself wide open for this one.
''You suck more.''
He leaned on his desk toward her as she was seated right across from him. '' Wanna bet?'' Max exhaled in a sort of affectionate exasperation.
''That would be too easy, pretty boy. Tell me about Brian Abott instead. I ran into Jan before coming in and she says he doesn't want her anymore ''
Brian Abott was the head of a notorious cosmetic line. Alec had met him during a celebratory visit in a strip bar with Sketchy and Normal. Somehow the male bonding over naked thighs and trampy lap dances had let Alec smoothly persuade the older man to do a screen test using one of the female X of TC as testimonial for the New Year's advertising campaign. Jan had been the chosen one.
''Yeah, he wants someone who he can turn into a supermodel and thinks the pregnancy will ruin her body or something. At that point I tried to explain that we're not human, but he didn't want to hear it. By the way, we got him to pick another one.''
''We?'' Max asked out of pure curiosity, totally unaware of the misgivings his answer would arouse.
''Lia was with me. Abott thought she would be just fine.'' Perfect. Max could just picture how innocent Miss-Angel-Eyes had been about that assumption.
''Shazzer would be fine and it would help her too.'' Shazzer was a sexy X5 who used her amazing sense of rhythm and smoky voice for personal gain, singing twice in a week in a dirty nightclub on the outskirts of town. Max liked her for her quirky moodiness and her many piercings.
''In the long run, I don't think so. Besides, Lia' s more photogenic.'' When it came to practical matters, Alec was often surprised by Max's ingénue viewpoints. After all, she was outside longer than he was, and she was supposed to know how it worked. Not many Ordinaries would give the time of the day to a transgenic singer, at least judging by how the business went today. Modelling was a whole other issue: models were gorgeous bodies, smiling faces that were frequently nameless and worthy for purely esthetical admiration.
''You should know.''
It was difficult not to miss the heavy sarcasm that Max didn't attempt to keep from her voice or the fleeting disapproval flashing in her chocolate eyes. Alec didn't mean to wait and have her bust his male attributes for what he had done this time. Frankly, he wasn't at all interested in knowing.
''Do you know, I'm beginning to think that your need for complaining is pathological, Maxie. There are so many punching bags.. ''
But Max was not inclined to allow him to embark on one of his habitual senseless monologues. She was tired of his endless talking without truly saying anything and very annoyed about being kept out his personal life when he had integrated only too easily into hers.
''Come on, don't tell me that your pride wasn't exaggeratedly tickled by the concept of keeping a supermodel hidden under your bed during spare weekends ''
The mental image conjured by her own words was distasteful to Max. If Alec hadn't already been used to her abrupt changes of approach with him, he would probably be offended by the low opinion of him she seemed to be implying. He had always failed to see what her deal was. Before, they were allies, then enemies, then friends, then not friends, then again enemies and then it would start all over. He had no idea if the sexual tension materializing between them from time to time was a consequence or the cause of these cycles.
''Maxie, Maxie, Maxie, are you perhaps the slightest bit envious? Because I'm certain that Logan could be enticed to a temporary change of profession if this is what lights up your fantasies. After all, true love.. ''
Max had no recognition of what he told her after that. The sharpness of his gaze on her, the cynical humour of his words had the effect of a bucket of ice water. It was then that Max Guevara had the most unexpected and hideous of epiphanies: she was envious. She did feel territorial about.about Alec!
Territorial??
Absurd! Uncanny! Ludicrous! Not in a thousand years!
"I'm not sure I like it, Max ''
''You must not like it at all, Alec.''
She stressed his name to purposefully bait him, but it didn't affect him in the slightest judging by the amusement shining in his hazel eyes before he raised his palms in mock surrender and opened his smartass mouth to smugly remark:
''Forgive me O My Omniscient Mistress, for finding the very idea idiotic of abandoning a whole group of X7 at the mercy of a reporter thirsty for scoops.''
She looked at his grin as if she intended wiping it off his face solely by the force of her impatience.
To Alec, it was hilarious to no end.
"He'll be giving them an interview, not a trial! Logan knows him and thinks he could help us.''
Alec rolled his eyes dramatically and twisted a half-done paper airplane between his fingers. God, it irked her!
''There are no good or evil reporters but only untrustworthy ones, he said in a small lilting voice. Then shifting his tone to serious - he'll print anything that makes a strong impact on public. The abuse on children for military use doesn't make a strong enough impact already?'' '' The possible- and I underline *possible* - benefit isn't worth the risk of passing them off as blood-hungry killers from birth''
"Logan doesn't think so.''
''And according to your unwavering sense, should I simply assume that your Charming Prince on Shining Exoskeleton is always right?'' Max raised her chin defiantly and crossed her arms over her chest.
''Naturally.'' ''Your look on life sucks, Maxie ''
She smirked proudly; he had left himself wide open for this one.
''You suck more.''
He leaned on his desk toward her as she was seated right across from him. '' Wanna bet?'' Max exhaled in a sort of affectionate exasperation.
''That would be too easy, pretty boy. Tell me about Brian Abott instead. I ran into Jan before coming in and she says he doesn't want her anymore ''
Brian Abott was the head of a notorious cosmetic line. Alec had met him during a celebratory visit in a strip bar with Sketchy and Normal. Somehow the male bonding over naked thighs and trampy lap dances had let Alec smoothly persuade the older man to do a screen test using one of the female X of TC as testimonial for the New Year's advertising campaign. Jan had been the chosen one.
''Yeah, he wants someone who he can turn into a supermodel and thinks the pregnancy will ruin her body or something. At that point I tried to explain that we're not human, but he didn't want to hear it. By the way, we got him to pick another one.''
''We?'' Max asked out of pure curiosity, totally unaware of the misgivings his answer would arouse.
''Lia was with me. Abott thought she would be just fine.'' Perfect. Max could just picture how innocent Miss-Angel-Eyes had been about that assumption.
''Shazzer would be fine and it would help her too.'' Shazzer was a sexy X5 who used her amazing sense of rhythm and smoky voice for personal gain, singing twice in a week in a dirty nightclub on the outskirts of town. Max liked her for her quirky moodiness and her many piercings.
''In the long run, I don't think so. Besides, Lia' s more photogenic.'' When it came to practical matters, Alec was often surprised by Max's ingénue viewpoints. After all, she was outside longer than he was, and she was supposed to know how it worked. Not many Ordinaries would give the time of the day to a transgenic singer, at least judging by how the business went today. Modelling was a whole other issue: models were gorgeous bodies, smiling faces that were frequently nameless and worthy for purely esthetical admiration.
''You should know.''
It was difficult not to miss the heavy sarcasm that Max didn't attempt to keep from her voice or the fleeting disapproval flashing in her chocolate eyes. Alec didn't mean to wait and have her bust his male attributes for what he had done this time. Frankly, he wasn't at all interested in knowing.
''Do you know, I'm beginning to think that your need for complaining is pathological, Maxie. There are so many punching bags.. ''
But Max was not inclined to allow him to embark on one of his habitual senseless monologues. She was tired of his endless talking without truly saying anything and very annoyed about being kept out his personal life when he had integrated only too easily into hers.
''Come on, don't tell me that your pride wasn't exaggeratedly tickled by the concept of keeping a supermodel hidden under your bed during spare weekends ''
The mental image conjured by her own words was distasteful to Max. If Alec hadn't already been used to her abrupt changes of approach with him, he would probably be offended by the low opinion of him she seemed to be implying. He had always failed to see what her deal was. Before, they were allies, then enemies, then friends, then not friends, then again enemies and then it would start all over. He had no idea if the sexual tension materializing between them from time to time was a consequence or the cause of these cycles.
''Maxie, Maxie, Maxie, are you perhaps the slightest bit envious? Because I'm certain that Logan could be enticed to a temporary change of profession if this is what lights up your fantasies. After all, true love.. ''
Max had no recognition of what he told her after that. The sharpness of his gaze on her, the cynical humour of his words had the effect of a bucket of ice water. It was then that Max Guevara had the most unexpected and hideous of epiphanies: she was envious. She did feel territorial about.about Alec!
Territorial??
Absurd! Uncanny! Ludicrous! Not in a thousand years!
