Part 21
Catching a Tiger by the Tail
AN: Finally, here it is. The next parts will be up quicker. As always, lots of thanks to Dancinstar for the beta.
Once he had recovered from the shock, Logan had tried to convince himself that Max was still alive, that she.that *they* would find a way out of this one, too. Now his mind was feverishly searching for solutions.
Clutching the car keys in his left hand, Logan used his right to bring up a phone number he had finally found after endless struggles, cases of mistaken identities and sessions of prodding Matt. There was no way of knowing if it would still be valid, or if the owner observed Manticore rules as religiously as most of the other X5s, changing numbers and phones when fancy struck. But as he reached his car, Logan changed his mind and pocketed the phone with a swift move. First of all, he needed to know all the details. Only then would he call Alec. Though they'd need to act fast if Max.
Rage suddenly gripped Logan and he slammed the door shut with a force that rattled the poor excuse for a window. Why in the blazes was Alec not with Max, helping her out? Damn that selfish.
A movement in the back seat startled Logan out of his angry fit and made him freeze in a defenseless position, both his hands on the wheel. The man behind the driver's seat moved forward, rigid lips forcing themselves open to emit a broken sounding chuckle.
"It was you after all!"
Logan gulped at the sound of the well-known voice, speechless.
"Life is such a cheep commodity these days, but you're one tough SOB!" the raspy voice continued with gurgling sounds.
"Why don't you speak for yourself?" Logan retorted angrily. He didn't like being surprised, least of all by a man who felt so at home in somebody else's car. Or in Max' life for that matter.
Logan's grip on the wheel tightened as he tried to figure out if it was a good or a bad thing to have Lydecker in his back seat. A rather drunken sounding - Logan looked in the mirror to double check - yes, a drunken sounding, bleeding, gun swinging, pissed off Lydecker. It didn't take Logan long to relax, though. There were worse things. He should probably have gotten used to the creepy bastard popping out of nowhere when he least expected him.
"What happened to you?" Logan asked.
"Looong story. Better drive home, I need a drink."
"Home?" Did Lydecker know where he lived?
"Someplace nice and cozy." he drawled.
"I'm not moving an inch before you tell me how you found me." Logan was pissed. This was bad, very bad. It wouldn't be a wise choice to take the ex- Manticore colonel to Eyes Only's new home.
So instead, Logan attempted to duck and open his door, but as drunken as he was, Lydecker caught on and waved his gun at him.
"Don't even think about that. Just drive."
Weighing the pros and cons of getting shot at such a close range, Logan decided any radical action would have to wait. Max needed him. He drove off, considering stopping at the safe house. But that would only mean he'd lose precious time in the search for Max.
Lydecker and his timing! He'd take him home, consequences be damned. After searching for the man for almost a full year, Logan didn't want to let him disappear again. A few more glasses of that scotch in Chad's stash and old Lydecker would spill it all.
*
One full bottle of scotch later, Lydecker seemed to have sobered up instead of cracking. Logan sighed. He'd underestimated the old fox for the last time. Maybe seeing him with that lost look on his face and two heavily bleeding wounds in his right arm had made him forget that this was the man who had educated several generations of relentless soldiers in the spirit of Manticore.
Lydecker was playing around with a half-full glass of the golden liquid, quietly staring off into space. Logan's patience was wearing thin. If he wasn't talking, then.He needed to call Alec. Now. Logan made a move to stand up, still a little stiff and sore at the joints, when Lydecker's eyes focused and met his.
'Sit. I need your help."
Catching a Tiger by the Tail
AN: Finally, here it is. The next parts will be up quicker. As always, lots of thanks to Dancinstar for the beta.
Once he had recovered from the shock, Logan had tried to convince himself that Max was still alive, that she.that *they* would find a way out of this one, too. Now his mind was feverishly searching for solutions.
Clutching the car keys in his left hand, Logan used his right to bring up a phone number he had finally found after endless struggles, cases of mistaken identities and sessions of prodding Matt. There was no way of knowing if it would still be valid, or if the owner observed Manticore rules as religiously as most of the other X5s, changing numbers and phones when fancy struck. But as he reached his car, Logan changed his mind and pocketed the phone with a swift move. First of all, he needed to know all the details. Only then would he call Alec. Though they'd need to act fast if Max.
Rage suddenly gripped Logan and he slammed the door shut with a force that rattled the poor excuse for a window. Why in the blazes was Alec not with Max, helping her out? Damn that selfish.
A movement in the back seat startled Logan out of his angry fit and made him freeze in a defenseless position, both his hands on the wheel. The man behind the driver's seat moved forward, rigid lips forcing themselves open to emit a broken sounding chuckle.
"It was you after all!"
Logan gulped at the sound of the well-known voice, speechless.
"Life is such a cheep commodity these days, but you're one tough SOB!" the raspy voice continued with gurgling sounds.
"Why don't you speak for yourself?" Logan retorted angrily. He didn't like being surprised, least of all by a man who felt so at home in somebody else's car. Or in Max' life for that matter.
Logan's grip on the wheel tightened as he tried to figure out if it was a good or a bad thing to have Lydecker in his back seat. A rather drunken sounding - Logan looked in the mirror to double check - yes, a drunken sounding, bleeding, gun swinging, pissed off Lydecker. It didn't take Logan long to relax, though. There were worse things. He should probably have gotten used to the creepy bastard popping out of nowhere when he least expected him.
"What happened to you?" Logan asked.
"Looong story. Better drive home, I need a drink."
"Home?" Did Lydecker know where he lived?
"Someplace nice and cozy." he drawled.
"I'm not moving an inch before you tell me how you found me." Logan was pissed. This was bad, very bad. It wouldn't be a wise choice to take the ex- Manticore colonel to Eyes Only's new home.
So instead, Logan attempted to duck and open his door, but as drunken as he was, Lydecker caught on and waved his gun at him.
"Don't even think about that. Just drive."
Weighing the pros and cons of getting shot at such a close range, Logan decided any radical action would have to wait. Max needed him. He drove off, considering stopping at the safe house. But that would only mean he'd lose precious time in the search for Max.
Lydecker and his timing! He'd take him home, consequences be damned. After searching for the man for almost a full year, Logan didn't want to let him disappear again. A few more glasses of that scotch in Chad's stash and old Lydecker would spill it all.
*
One full bottle of scotch later, Lydecker seemed to have sobered up instead of cracking. Logan sighed. He'd underestimated the old fox for the last time. Maybe seeing him with that lost look on his face and two heavily bleeding wounds in his right arm had made him forget that this was the man who had educated several generations of relentless soldiers in the spirit of Manticore.
Lydecker was playing around with a half-full glass of the golden liquid, quietly staring off into space. Logan's patience was wearing thin. If he wasn't talking, then.He needed to call Alec. Now. Logan made a move to stand up, still a little stiff and sore at the joints, when Lydecker's eyes focused and met his.
'Sit. I need your help."
