Part four
AN: Almost forgot. If you actually like this thing go and read the stories of Rach L. If not, even more so. Her stories rock! I tried really hard not to let myself be influenced by „Denouement" and I hope I have succeeded. If not, well, flame away. „Denouement" really is a landmark in DA fanfiction and me humble epigone can't not give the necessary respect where it is due.
I wasn't going to do this, but after reading the first parts again, I think I should. K, I really like Max and Logan and Eyes Only. No buts. I haven't seen Alec yet, but from the transcripts he sounds nice enough to be included. If this builds up to a romance it will be M/L. I'm not sure if I want to include a lot of romance yet, I thrive on angst. But Alec friendship is not excluded. And Logan haters can find a small part they might enjoy, too. Anyway, it gets very dark before it becomes shippy. Please keep that in mind as you read. And if you have suggestions, I'd like to hear them.
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4. Reaching for you
Logan. He had paged her. Had needed her. Why had she not heard the damn thing? Where had she been ? Yeah, probably at Alec's place, briefing him on the transgenic tasks of the day. She had left her things on the bike outside his door and hadn't bothered to check afterwards. After all, if it was important, the person would call back, right ? Shit !
She had promised to have his back. And he had needed her. She felt like smacking her fist through a hard surface, but there was nothing around. Nothing she could destroy like she had destroyed everything she had ever held dear in her life.
The pager went off again. This time it was Alec. Could she afford to wallow in self pity and not call him back yet ? What if it was important ? She didn't have time to reach a decision. It went off again. Detective Sung. Looked like everybody who had ever had her pager number had just decided to call at the one time she really did not want to talk to anybody but to her guilty conscience. Hell, she should be thankful someone *was* calling her at this point. As long as it wasn't a guy with a Red implant looking for a transgenic mommy for his army.... she'd need all the support she could get.
While she looked around for a pay phone she thought about the many times Logan had blown her pager off. The last few times with her not answering it on purpose. For the fraction of a second she felt tempted to actually call his penthouse, madly hoping against all hope. But as she had said before, hope was something for losers. A con job people trip behind till they finally get a grip on the cold, hard truth. She already knew the cold, hard truth.
Now she needed to talk to Sung. He would know more. Searching again for a phone, she couldn't help noticing that she was just a block away from Logan's place. She had never thought about it as Fogle Towers or the Eyes Only headquarters. Just Logan's place. Almost home at one time. The one place she always felt safe and loved at, cared for, regardless of her genetic faults or her quirky temper tantrums. Even the one time he had almost thrown her out after the messed up chicken dinner date she had known it wasn't her fault. No matter what, he had still cared for her. Even after the whole Rafer and Alec and furry friends mess.
By now the crowd had grown larger and she had to get off the bike. Right in front of Fogle Towers a large number of onlookers blocked her way. Police and military were moving on the street like vultures waiting for their prey to die. Except this time... She tried not to listen to the voices in the crowd and instead headed for the pay phone at the corner.
The pager again. Bling. Shit, shit. She had forgotten all about him. Logan had first said something about not being able to afford him and then about him finding a great job at a private clinic somewhere just outside of Seattle. Having a hunch that more people would call, making her more miserable than she already was, she called home to leave a message, knowing her friend would probably be at Jam Pony. Max needed to push the emotions that threatened to drown her away and concentrate on... on what ? She gulped and grabbed the receiver harder. She'll find something. Like the bastard who had dared...
A fierce determination made the muscles in her jaw twitch, her eyes lost the soft brown hue Logan had liked so much and grew ominously dark and icy.
„Hey Cindy, it's me, I've just heard. Can't talk about it right now. Do me a favor, please and get all my calls for me. Unless it is really important I don't want to talk to anyone. I'm ok. I'll be home tonight. Later."
One down, one more to go.
„Detective Sung, please. Max Guevara, detective."
She tried hard to keep her voice in check but couldn't help herself asking:
„Is it true ? I just heard it on the news."
There was a short pause at the other end of the line and Max berated herself for being so stupid to somehow hold on to hope.
„I'm afraid so, Max. It happened less than two hours ago. I'm terribly sorry. The press somehow got wind of it right away and aired the news, even though the military wanted this kept under wraps."
Max gulped and refrained from asking questions. She knew Matt would tell her everything soon enough.
„Neighbors heard the shot and called us, but the MPs took the body. I don't know much else yet, but listen, we need to talk in private as soon as possible."
Max was only half listening. The MPs took the body. The body. Logan.
„Max, are you there ?"
„Yes, detective."
They set up a meeting for later in the evening, but she was afraid he would have more questions than answers. And Sung was one of the few who could actually link her to Eyes Only. He had seen her kick ass often enough. But then he had also saved her ass often enough.
No. No more emotional lapses. She would keep it all business until the ones responsible would be found and punished. She was X 5-452 and had a mission. Right now she had to go on recon. The time to kick ass would come soon enough.
