Okay I can't take the guilt so here: the original end to New Blood. Just let me know which is better and then that can be the ending. Read on to see the intended ending that I thought was a bit of a cop out. Bye bye!
Chapter 17: Post-Pulse Armageddon (Original Edit)
It was dark by the time Max arrived outside the gates of Terminal City and a storm had erupted as if from nowhere. The winds had picked up and the driving rain thrashed around in their wake. Thunder rumbled in the distance and flashes of lightning lit up the dense cloud structure that coated the sky.
Anywhere but here, Max thought to herself as she looked up at the dark figures of the buildings that comprised Terminal City. Pulling on a pair of fingerless gloves and zipping up her leather jacket, Max stepped out of the car she had borrowed and into the turmoil outside. The rain lashed at her face and the wind caught her hair, pulling it back in a forceful but playful dance.
The place appeared deserted but somewhere inside lurked Gray and more importantly, Logan.
Jess had refused to come along for the ride. She had sighted numerous feeble reasons before she had finally admitted she was too afraid. Max couldn't blame the poor girl; it wasn't like she was thrilled about fighting a being that was, for a lack of a better description, a devil.
"The things we do for love," Max muttered before running through the thick rain and leaping clean over the wire mesh fence, landing perfectly on the other side. Immediately she went into alert mode, her senses prepped and ready for whatever may be in surrounding her position. There was nothing, just the hammering of rain and the blustering howl of the wind.
Cautiously, Max proceeded along the broken road, venturing deeper into the belly of the city. She inspected every building, every alley, every nook and cranny, scrutinising the tattered remains of brick and steel. Still there was nothing and Max felt fresh doubts surface inside her mind. What if this was all a set-up orchestrated by Gray; send in Jess with some bullshit story and then pack Max off on a vain quest to save Logan who would most likely be dead, and consequently Max would soon be joining him. The nauseous feelings that came with these doubts were most undesirable and Max struggled to push them to the back of her mind as she continued her search for something…anything other than nothing.
Something caught Max's eye after she had just emerged fro an unpleasant rummage through an old packed dumpster. There was a figure standing atop what looked like a pre-pulse designed apartment block. Max's heart skipped a beat as the figure disappeared out of view; it had moved therefore it had to be a person…Gray!
Max rushed to the side of the crumbling building and found a worn but useable fire ladder that stretched all the way to the roof. Gripping the rustic wet steel, Max hauled herself upwards, gritting her teeth as the falling raindrops obscured her vision and the wind tried its best to knock her off.
Eventually, with more effort than anticipated, she reached the top and hauled herself over the raised side, onto her feet. The surface of the roof was covered in a shallow layer of water that was constantly disrupted by the endless drops that served to increase its volume. There was nobody around, goddamn it, son of a…
"You know I really do love this city, its just so…so grey," Gray's voice drifted along the strong gales and he chuckled as he emerged from behind a small shed like building that most likely contained the water supply for the now abandoned apartments. "Well, here we are," he continued giving Max a welcoming smile.
"Hi," Max shouted over the rain, feeling a little bit stupid about her choice of words.
Gray laughed. "Hello."
"You said you had Logan?" Max cried, a strong niggling of doubt prodding at her heart and stomach.
Gray nodded and reached out behind the shed, pulling up a beaten Logan who struggled to stay on his feet.
Max fought the urge to rush over as her keen vision caught sight of Logan's torn lip, his swollen eye, the cuts on his face and his mangled hand that dribbled blood across the wet ground. Gray had done this to the man she loved; he would pay for it!
"As you can see, he is still in one piece," Gray said, running a hand over Logan's person like he was a toy he was trying to sell to some deluded parents.
"I'm sorry Max," Logan coughed, his voice almost swept away in the storm.
Max felt her heart begin to crack and she looked at Gray with pleading eyes. Was her brother capable of mercy?
"Well isn't this sweet," Gray chuckled before throwing Logan to the ground. "I'm glad you came Max."
"Well you kinda made it hard not to."
"I did didn't I?" Gray laughed again before his skin snapped taught and his features focused into a serious stare. "I suppose that traitorous bitch told you everything?"
"Yeah…can't say I believe it though, too much B.S. for me."
"Oh but it is true Max, all of it. You and I are cut from the same cloth, born of the same mother, we are the same, the only real differences being we hang in opposing crowds, we're into different things… and we have different genitals."
"We're not the same," Max hissed.
"Genetically we are. You and I are incomplete yet perfect at the same time. No junk DNA that is something to be proud of is not? Once I kill you though…"
"You think you can take me?" Max cut in, her voice gripped with a false arrogance.
Gray smiled. "Glad to see you're in the right spirit!"
"Ok," Max looked down at Logan, the determination in her eyes melting away to reveal concern. "We can finish this, just let Logan go."
"I don't know Max, if our battle is to live up to the prophecy, be worthy of Sandeman's expectations, then I will need all of you."
"Trust me, you'll get more than you can handle," Max snarled.
Gray tilted his head to the sky and he basked in the falling tears, letting them roll down the grooves on his face. He looked peaceful but lonely, a blurred shape in the rain. After a few moments he lowered his head and looked at Max, his lips peeling back in a malicious smile. He reached down and pulled Logan up and towards his hulking body. His arm flinched several times and Max cried out in horror, realising almost instantly what had just happened.
Logan's eyes bulged and his body went limp and Gray allowed him to fall in a heap, crimson snakes running across the wet ground like gushing streams.
"No!" Max yelled as she rushed over to where Logan lay, taking his quivering body into her arms. "Logan," she said softly, feeling the blood seep into her hands and squeeze through her fingers, Constant, life drained from him and it didn't seem like there would be an end.
Logan's blue eyes wondered aimlessly in their sockets until they finally caught sight of Max and focused on her face, her tear scarred face that knew the truth her mind refused to recognise.
"Max," Logan said, his body convulsing with the effort it took to speak. Blood gargled inside his mouth and a thin line trickled out the corner of his lips.
"It's ok Logan, I'm here," Max said, running her fingers against his deathly cold cheeks.
"I…I can't feel…anything." Logan said his face curling up in confusion.
"That's ok Logan, it's so cold I can't even feel my body right now. We just need to get you inside where it's warm and everything will be ok." Max couldn't take this, every word a lie.
Logan smiled briefly before a realisation drove it from his lips. "I don't…know Max," he said, every word like a full days labour, "I…I think I may have used up…all my luck…this…time."
"No Logan, that's not true. If you just hold on a little…"
"I…no, this is it this time I think. Bullets…I can handle…but…but a knife?" Logan tried to laugh but could only cough, more blood spitting from his mouth.
"Don't leave me Logan please!"
There was another groan of thunder as Logan's eyes began to slip back into his head. "Max, I…L-" the words were lost and Logan was gone. Max pressed her head to his chest and began to sob as she listened to his weakening heart: thud…thud……thud………nothing.
Logan was really gone this time and now Max was completely alone. Her mind was a blur of irrational thoughts consumed with pain and her heart seemed to bleed raw agony with every beat, every breath felt like a Herculean effort. "Please…why…no!" Max babbled between sobs.
Gray walked up to where Logan had fallen. He bent down to observe Max who still cradled her lost love in her arms.
"You see Max, now you have absolutely nothing left to lose. Now all you have his me and you will put your entirety into our battle, as it should be."
Max didn't hear, there was nothing but hurt.
"Destiny has brought us here Max; to this moment and we must not disappoint. Can't you see it? Can't you feel it?"
No feelings, nothing but loss and an overpowering sense of despair. Where was the hope?
Gray laughed breathlessly. "This is what must be Max! We both need the other in order to survive. I will die without your blood, my body consumed with this frail sickness. You, well without my blood then you will not be able to fulfil your obligation to that fuck Sandeman, your obligation to the world." Gray paused. "I know I sound insane but you couldn't make this shit up could you?"
Max still didn't respond, her head pressed against Logan's chest, her mind unable to focus on anything.
"Come on Max, it's time."
Gray's voice reached her ears and Max awoke to the reality around her. It was time? Was there nothing left for her, nothing but the pain of loss and the burning desire for revenge.
This was what love had brought her; an endless pain that plagued her genetically perfect body. It had brought her countless nights of agonising emotional turmoil. All that time spent in Greenough, longing for Logan so badly that it had driven her to the brink of her sanity. Then before that, before the devastation of Terminal City, there was the virus and all the hurt and loneliness that came with it. The lies she had told, excuses to avoid being with Logan when what she really was to spend every day resting in his arms. Further back still, before the virus when Logan was sentenced to life in a wheel chair, back when all they did was dance an awkward dance around each other. Neither had had the courage to commit to the feelings they both held inside. Love from a distance; the foolish but safe option.
So much history and far too much pain: would things really have been better if they had never met?
In that moment, staring at Logan's lifeless body, Max felt something click inside and her body stopped trembling, the tears ceased to flow and her mind snapped into focus.
She wouldn't change their time together, not for anything…because they had spent it together. Perhaps for the first time since they had first met, Max held no doubts about how she felt about Logan. There was no hesitation about the possible consequences, consequences that now burned all too real inside of her. Max loved Logan and she wouldn't change that despite the pain, despite everything that they had been through.
In life, everyone wants to find that person that completes him or her, that missing piece that makes everything seem worthwhile. You can call them your soul mate, the love of your life, your destiny, or whatever the hell you wanted; it all meant the same thing. Few ever really find that person, the excuse to take that next breath, but Max had and she finally realised that. She didn't regret a single thing because what she and Logan shared went beyond life and death, it would endure longer than either them could imagine and would forever be etched on the pages of time. If there was indeed a meaning to the crazy life of Max Guevera, then Logan was it. If there had to be one regret, then it would be that she had to lose him in order to realise what she already knew.
With her mind clear, Max gently rested Logan in the shallow water and put a hand over his eyes. "I love you Logan Cale," she said softly as she leaned over and kissed him tenderly for the last time.
Gray rose to his feet and moved away from Max before shaking himself down and positioning himself in a ready combat stance. Max looked upon Logan and smiled. Then, dragging her eyes away, she turned her attention to Gray.
Like two opposite ends of a spectrum, Max and Gray faced each other. Each held their own motives for what was about to transpire and they couldn't be more different. Love and hope, hate and despair…no longer could they co-exist. It was time for an end. Gray grinned, his dream on the verge of being realised.
"Well," Max said suddenly, "I hope you're ready bro' cos now you have really pissed me off!"
In a blur, Gray rushed towards Max and aimed a bullet fist in the direction of her face. Just as it was about to impact, Max's hand shot up and she caught his hand with her own. Gray paused a moment, his face falling in surprise. Max flashed him a quick grin before tightening her mouth with rage. She spun round and drove the point of her elbow into his nose and then followed with a stern kick to the chest that sent Gray sprawling.
Gray quickly sprang back to his feet and dabbed at his nose. He laughed half-heartedly. "I guess I brought this on myself."
"Yeah you did you sick son of a bitch!"
"Careful there Max, that's your mother too."
With a growl, Max sprinted towards Gray and unleashed a furious flurry of blows that caught Gray off guard. Each shot hit its target and again Gray was sent backwards. This time, Max gave him no time to regroup. She struck him full force across his jaw, a thick line of blood whipping out of his lip as his head swung to the side with the force of the blow. With Gray now totally off balance, Max aimed another kick to his chest but his arms snapped up and caught her foot. Undeterred, Max pulled her left leg off the ground and used Gray to somersault backwards, her left foot catching the bottom of his jaw at full force.
Gray collapsed against the wall of the small watershed and he fell to one knee. He was clearly surprised by the ferocity of Max's offence.
"Oh what's the matter bro' more than you expected?" Max taunted through clenched teeth. Gray laughed as he rose to his feet and wiped the blood away from his mouth. He paced to the left and whipped the tail of his soaked trench coat to one side.
"Armageddon here we come," he snarled as he bore down on Max with an onslaught of kicks and punches. Max weaved and blocked but Gray was just too fast. A low kick caught her stomach and she doubled over, all the air driven from her body. There was barely enough time to react to the uppercut that sent Max hurtling through the air. She crashed to the ground and slid across the frictionless surface, all the way to the edge of the roof. Water sprayed into her face and eyes, blurring her already confused sight.
Slowly, Max staggered to her feet just as Gray came at her again. She swung at him but he was ready, catching her arm and placing a knee to her gut before flipping her over onto her back. Max saw another flash of lightning light up the sky as Gray planted a firm kick to her ribs that sent her tumbling over to where Logan lay. Max screamed in sickened terror as she lifted her arms to see she was covered in her love's diluted blood.
"I am stronger than you Max and this time, I will kill you!" Gray paused. "But on the bright side of things, at least you can be with Logan again and the two of you can watch as I rain hell down upon this miserable world."
"I wont let you do that!" Max cried back, her emotions getting the better of her.
"Why, because Sandeman created you to be his little bitch?"
"No," Max looked at Logan," I'll kill you for what you have stolen from me!"
Gray smiled, his perfect teeth almost radiating pride about his vicious actions. "It's in your nature to be good, it's who you are."
"There is that," max replied with a half smile that did not convey happiness of any kind.
"Yes, and I am who I am," Gray declared as he blurred toward Max, grabbing her by the throat and hoisting her high up off the ground. Choking, Max clawed at his fingers to no avail. She kicked at his rock like chest and still Gray refused to relinquish his hold. Instead he roared and drove a hammer like fist into her lower abdomen. Max was overcome with a numbing pain and she spluttered, feeling blood welling up in her throat. Gray struck her again and again, his fist pounding against her soft leather clad flesh, disrupting her inner functions with earthquake like impact. Gray was relentlessly beating the life out of her and Max realised there wasn't a thing she could do to stop him. She was fast and the world around her was beginning to dull. She could see Logan's face amidst the pain and suddenly nothing else mattered anymore…maybe it was time to die.
Gray sneered at Max through the rain, the delight of victory painted on his stony features. "Goodbye Max, my sister," he said quietly, raising his fist to deliver the final blow.
Suddenly, Gray let go and Max fell to the ground gasping in rugged coughs, the life spilling back inside her. She spat blood from her mouth and then turned to look at Gray. He was standing with his mouth open in shock as he stood grasping at a pole that extended out of his stomach. Jess stood behind him holding the other end of the makeshift weapon and she cried out as she thrust it further through him. Gray staggered toward Max, his eyes almost asking who could have done this. He turned and saw Jess standing timidly in front of him, all her courage spent during the cowardly attack form behind.
Max tried to get to her feet but toppled over with the searing agony that shot up from her stomach and she had to struggle to remain conscious.
"I'm sorry Gray but I want a new life!" Jess shouted, her voice riddled with an eternity's worth of remorse.
Gray looked at her, his pitch black eyes solemn. He grabbed the pole and in one swift movement, he pulled it straight through himself with a heavy groan. "How…how could you do this? You Jess, of all people!" Gray sounded genuinely upset. "Mouthing off is one thing, I thought you were on your period or something…but this!"
"I don't want to live this way anymore," Jess shouted back, "I can't take the guilt."
"Guilt? We…have no need for guilt."
"I'm not like you Gray," Jess fought back the tears, "it's not who I am, it never was! I tried and for a while you were like my god but no more…no more."
"I see," Gray said sounding suddenly calm. He nodded as his hand slipped into his pocket and retrieved the blade that had killed Logan.
Max saw the knife and tried to reach Gray but it was too late. He grabbed Jess and drove the knife deep into her abdomen. Max could only watch as Jess feel on Gray and her head came to rest on his shoulder. Her features were twisted with pain and tears and her emerald eyes spoke the words her lips could not: I'm sorry.
Gray let Jess fall and she hit the ground clutching her gaping stab wound and trembling in the blood.
Max finally managed to get to her feet just as Gray, his face burning with renewed anger, turned to face her. Max could feel his eyes raging at her and he let out a deafening roar as he charged toward her. Max directed a fist in the direction of his face in defence but he caught her attempted blow and then thrust his own arm into her elbow joint. There came a blistering pain and an unnatural crack as her arm bent at ninety degrees in the wrong direction. Max yelped with the agony as she felt the bones shatter and her arm go limp. She fell to the ground, pain flowing up her arm like a knock on effect.
Max looked up at Gray through bleary rain soaked eyes. He tensed his lips and then struck her across the face, first with one fist and then the other and then again and again. It felt like her head was being batted from side to side with a metal bat. Max couldn't see, she couldn't form a thought; she couldn't feel anything but the unimaginable pain as her cheekbones cracked and sharp serrated edges tore through her skin. Blood ran freely down her face and all Max wanted was the end. Gray finally relented and allowed her to flop to the ground in a defeated pile.
"This is it, finally I shall be complete and no one can stop me!" Gray shouted in the direction of the heavens, his arms stretched out embracing the falling rain. "I will be a god…no better than a god cos I will actually exist!" He turned and looked down at Max with pity.
"This was inevitable Max, there is no future now, not for you, not for anyone. Look at you, you're pathetic lying there beaten and bloodied. What the fuck are you? A messiah? Fucking pitiful! What would Sandeman say if he could see you now…" Gray spun on his heels and went in search of Jess's steel pipe.
Fearing the end was near, the reaper on her doorstep, Max tried to get up but couldn't, collapsing like a wounded lion. She could taste the blood in her mouth and feel her fragmented cheekbones sticking through her torn skin. Her right arm flapped helplessly at her side and there was nothing she could do to stop it. There was nothing left, nothing she could do…Gray had won.
"Hey…"
Max looked slowly over to where the small voice had come from. She saw Jess lying in a pool of blood, clutching the dagger Gray had foolishly left in her gut. She shoved it across the ground to Max who grabbed it with her good arm.
"Stop him…please…" Jess murmured just as her body gave out and she fell into unconsciousness…or was she dead.
Hearing Gray approach, pipe in hand, Max gripped the knife tightly. This was it; she only had one last shot, one last chance.
Gray towered above and used his boot to roll Max onto her back. She looked up at him and he looked sub-human; his eyes burning, his face contorted with hate, red crimson pouring from his mouth and down the contours in his face, a gaping hole in his stomach. Gray was truly demonic and Max could believe now, believe every word Jess had said of this thing…her brother. He heaved the pipe above his head and the clouds above flashed fiercely as a final crescendo of lightning began.
Time seemed to move in slow motion as Max flicked her leg up, catching Gray between the legs. He bent over, dropping the pipe, and Max grabbed his shoulder and hoisted herself up. She took the knife and, with all the energy she had left, buried it deep into the flesh of his neck. Blood erupted out of the wound and Gray threw Max to the ground, desperately clutching at the knife that was still embedded in his neck. He stumbled back, his face shrivelling with confusion and pain. He tried to speak but all that emerged from his mouth was a steady stream of thick red liquid.
Max's eyes met with Gray's and for a moment everything seemed to fall silent. In that moment there was nothing but the mutual feeling between the two, an understanding between brother and sister. Whether she liked it or not, Max had a connection with Gray, and a little compassion emerged from the hate as she realised it was over.
Gray reached out to Max and then collapsed, his body motionless…dead.
With her broken arm held tightly to her chest, Max crawled over to Gray's body. She lat next to him and looked upon his unflinching face. His jet black eyes looked to the sky in an unbroken stare that overcame the falling raindrops. He looked so innocent, the reality of who he was seemingly lost in death.
"Goodbye Gray," Max said softly, taking his bloodied hand in hers. As she did so she began to feel very strange. Gray's blood began to seep through the pores in her skin and the ache in her body gave way to an electric sensation that prickled the hairs on her skin.
"Whoa!" Max cried as she began to glow a brilliant white. It started where Gray's blood had passed through her skin and then gradually spread to encompass her whole body. The gloom around Max vanished in the presence of this embracing light and Max found herself being pulled to her feet. The light was warm and it felt soothing yet at the same time, invigorating and empowering.
Closing here eyes, Max could feel the wounds on her body begin to close and heal. Shattered bones came together again, broken skin resealed and all the blood returned to inside of her. The pain vanished and Ma began to feel like she was floating. A shrill ringing began to echo inside her ears and then there was a voice. It was a deep voice, every word shrouded in comfort. It was a male voice and it felt familiar somehow, a voice from her past, long since forgotten.
Max opened her eyes and saw that she was indeed floating a good few feet in the air. The storm had ceased and already the clouds were beginning to disperse. Everything seemed quiet and peaceful when suddenly an explosion of brilliant and blinding white erupted from Max. She fell to the ground and landed on her feet. There was a new energy cursing through her veins, a new power that enriched the abilities she already had. Her capabilities felt boundless, she felt…complete.
"Max, what happened?"
Spinning round, Max saw Jess on her feet, the stab wound to her stomach gone. Instinctively, Max ran over to Logan and knelt by his side. It couldn't be, but hope began to flood her foolish heart. Dare she believe the impossible?
"Logan…" Max whispered hopefully, taking his hand in hers. An eternity passed when suddenly his eyelids began to flutter open like the wings of a humming bird.
"Max?" Logan groaned.
"Logan!" Max reached and scooped him into her arms and held him so tightly it was as if she was afraid to let him go.
"Jesus Max, not so tight!" Logan gasped, the air being pushed out of him in the over exuberant but loving embrace.
"I thought I lost you," Max cried, tears of joy and disbelief spilling from her eyes.
"Me too," Logan said, ignoring his need for oxygen and gripping Max tightly.
Jess shuffled over to them, carefully massaging her stomach. "Ok, I only have one question: what the fuck just happened?"
Max looked from Logan to Jess and then smiled. "Well, let me ask you a question: do you believe in angels?"