25. You can't right every wrong. but you've got to at least try

Yet another one. The third journalist this week, and the transgenics.. who knew the number anymore. But this time two X series had died. Hanging up, Logan squeezed the phone in his fist, as if trying to crush it would relieve any of the anger he was feeling. He tossed it on the cluttered desk and squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, willing the last few minutes out of his memory, wishing they would turn out to be just another of the countless bad dreams plaguing him.

Rage had made his blood boil when Matt had reluctantly thrust the bad news at him. Right now, the cold, shaky hand he slid over his burning eyes was the only comfort he allowed himself as the shock slowly ebbed down, making way for anguish. How was he going to solve this one all by himself? As if there wasn't enough for him to do. Logan sighed, trying in vain to tell himself that things were at least moving along.

San Francisco had always been Logan's choice of a back up plan if things ever got too hot in Seattle. But it had always been just a theoretical back up plan. Lately Logan had been forced to improvise a lot and that meant there were more possibilities of screwing up than normally. He had been inordinately lucky to be able to move into Chad's old apartment on such a short notice. Select police members and squatters had been struck by an inexplicably fortunate move of Providence, too. They now had well-padded pockets to weigh them down while they ran from their conscience. However, San Francisco was a large city and the military police were not easy on the population. For one short moment Logan's anger flared as he remembered a time when moving from one city to the other was as commonplace as going to the mall. Nowadays every city resembled a medieval stronghold. You were born in it, you died in it. No one was allowed in or out. Especially not if the government and the sector police could help it. Suddenly, the mere thought of attempting to stop any of the unfolding events appeared a foolish effort to get himself killed as Matt had admonished him.

Logan sighed. Things were moving along. Just not in the direction he had envisioned. After the last few hectic days and Lydecker's visit, this phone call made matters even worse. One look at his desk made Logan's heart sink with guilt at the unfinished business he had lying around, waiting for his attention. And each minute that he passed thinking of Max' whereabouts and the possible dangers she was exposed to was a minute too much for the other people who counted on him.

As reluctant as Logan was to admit it, he needed help. There were just too many files piling up on his desk. Where the heck was Bling when one needed the meddlesome.? Trailing a hand, shaky with lack of sleep, through his longish brown hair, Logan headed for the computer, intent on making the pile of Eyes Only printouts and notes on his desk disappear by half. And then, in the morning.. But there was no time now to fret about the morning.

Just then, a shuffle in front of his door caught his attention and Logan jumped up, instinctively grabbing the gun from the small table in the hallway before approaching the entrance to the apartment. It wasn't until he heard the knock and the deep voice calling his name that his muscles relaxed, allowing the gun in his grip to slide down to his side as his free hand moved to let the visitor in.

"Hey, man." The tall man's voice was deeply soothing to Logan, who promptly moved back a few steps to let Bling in. Talking on the phone on a few occasions had not made the awkwardness go away. Each conversation had been cut short by Logan's evasive answers, until Bling had threatened his former employer with bodily harm should he not accept help.

"Hey, Bling." Logan's lips curved upwards. He was immensely relieved to see his old friend again, if only for a familiar face after all the turmoil. When he closed in to offer a heartfelt handshake, Logan suddenly found himself in a tight grip, barely able to move as the other man warned, more serious than joking: "If you ever do anything like that again, I promise to hand your ass to the bad guys myself."

Mere seconds later, Bling had already stepped to the window, discreetly checking out the view and using the reflection of the glass to take in the changes the last few weeks had wreaked on his former employer. Apart from the new hairdo.beard and all.Logan seemed leaner. His worry and sorrow were easy to read for someone familiar with the way his features could turn to stone under duress.

"Nice place," Bling remarked, turning and gesturing widely to the expanse of the apartment.

Logan chuckled dryly, edgy with the urgency of his new task and knowing small talk was just a waste of time at this point, especially since it brought back more sad memories of Chad. The small, barely furnished apartment could in no way be compared to his Seattle penthouse. He pursed his lips and remained quiet.

"What is it that you need, Logan, aside from a good pounding to set your priorities straight?" Bling paused, trying to gauge Logan's reaction. Was he really in doubt about resurrecting Eyes Only? Or was this just another one of those instances where Logan's life happened to push the Eyes Only work away, turning the person behind it into a nervous wreck with guilt?

"No, let me guess," Bling continued, "you need a cat burglar?"

Logan's sudden move surprised Bling as he found himself cornered into the cold, rusty heater. Noticing Logan's intent gaze and the tense, harried look, Bling worried for a moment that the last month's turmoils had been too much. What he didn't perceive in the low light of dusk was the twinkle in Logan's eyes as he bent over the muscular man.

"Very thoughtful of you to volunteer, Bling. You can start right away." Seconds later, Bling was hugging a pile of files and listening to Logan's instructions.