Learning to Live, Chapter Four
They parked the van outside of Logan's apartment building.
"I can't believe we are coming here like this," Max whispered.
"His family will just sell the equipment.and we don't want them to know he was Eyes Only," Alec pointed this out softly and Max nodded. "But I can go in alone if you want."
"No," she shook her head, "I know where he has all of his papers too.and we need all of it."
They got out of the van, climbing gear in hand.
Fogle Towers. The first time she had been here, it was to get an expensive statue. Now she needed the computer equipment. Max couldn't help thinking that she was stealing again. Full circle.
"He would want us to have it, Max." It was like Alec could read her mind.
"I know," she whispered, "Let's go."
They went through the familiar motions, going to Logan's apartment as though he was still alive. They didn't speak, each stuck in their memories of dropping in on Logan.
Now, his Penthouse was empty. There was nothing that either of them could do to bring him back. Soon, his family would be here, taking his stuff and maybe finding out what it was the rich boy really did with his time.
Unless someone else got there first.
Max looked around the empty apartment, filled with the stagnant memory of the food they ate and the times she had felt at home here.
Alec looked at the computer equipment with sadness, knowing that the man who seemed to know everything would not be back to make things better for the world. He and Max were two people, but could they do what Logan did? The thought, though brilliant, he smiled, was the most terrifying he'd ever come up with. How were two cat burglars going to take on the burden of society's conscience?
Alec's phone rang and he muttered under his breath.
"Hello?" he asked quietly.
"Hi Alec, you busy?"
"Oh, hey Asha." Max looked at him sharply and Alec almost laughed. They hadn't even started moving the hardware and Asha was already talking to him. He was getting more like Logan every second. he shuddered at the disturbing thought. Respect him? Yes. BE him? Hell, no. "No, not busy."
Max rolled her eyes. Oh, obviously, he wasn't busy. They were only moving the entire electronic collection of Logan Cale.that wasn't at all time consuming. But of course, whatever Asha needs. Max went to a closet and started pulling out boxes for the computer stuff. There were a lot of boxes and it was a big closet.
"How's Asha doing?" Max asked sweetly when Alec joined her.
"Surviving, she is more concerned about you, though." Alec started kicking boxes toward the computer area and Max glared at him.
"I'm sure she is. Would you cut it out?"
"What?" he asked innocently, kicking another box over with the others.
"Just start packing everything up."
There was a lot of stuff. Logan's system was a beauty, it must have been nice being able to afford everything. Max started helping Alec after a bit, but midway through, Alec stopped packing.
"What?" Max asked, wanting to get out of the apartment as soon as possible.
"Do you know his password?" Alec turned to look at her and she cursed under her breath. Alec grinned. "That wasn't very nice, Maxie."
"Shut up, Alec, is this going to mess up everything?" she bit her lip.
"Oh, don't worry about it, we can guess what it is, I'm sure."
"Guess? You want to GUESS the Eyes Only password?" she asked, incredulous.
"Well, there are only so many ways to spell MAX."
Max rolled her eyes, "Spell PACK, we need to get out of here before his neighbors start waking up."
They packed quickly.in the fully transgenic sense of the word.
"So how are we going to get all this stuff out?" Alec asked when they were done.
"Wasn't this YOUR idea?" Max asked, unable to believe he hadn't thought far enough ahead to figure out what to do.
Alec smiled, "Oh yeah! Well, how about we take the elevator?"
Max frowned. "But.there's a guard on duty down there."
"So we'll distract him. If that doesn't work.well, I don't think he'll be what we'd call a threat."
"There are probably cameras." Max pointed out.
Alec made a face. "Well, you really want to repel up and down the building for the next couple hours?"
"Ugh, no.why couldn't Logan live on the first floor?" Max asked in annoyance, stopping once she realized what she was saying. For a second, with Alec annoying the hell out of her, she had been able to forget, but not any more. The pain engulfed her again and she sunk into a chair.
"Max?" Alec kneeled down in front of her. "Are you still with me?"
She looked at him, but didn't see him as her eyes blurred. "I.he." she stopped trying to speak and lay her head in her hands. She felt his arms surround her as she cried again. She didn't remember ever crying so much and she wanted to get away from it, to not feel the pain that clawed at her heart and the guilt that it was all her fault. She wanted to think of something else. The new mission with Alec.being Eyes Only. Well, thinking of other things worked for a full two seconds.
Alec interrupted Max's thoughts, "How well did Logan know the door man?"
"Well, he never invited him up, how should I know?"
"So Logan probably never even met him, he probably skipped the ground floor to get to parking, right?"
"Right." Max had no idea where Alec was going with this.
He smiled. "I have an idea, where's the phone?"
The door man picked up the phone when it rang.
"Fogle Towers."
"This is the main floor, right?" said a male voice on the other end.
"That's right, what can I do for you?"
"Look, I need a favor, this is Logan Cale, in the Penthouse. I'm not sure I ever met you, did I?"
"No, I don't think so, Mr. Cale."
"Well, what's your name?"
"Dale."
"Ok, Dale, look, here's the deal. My girlfriend just packed up her stuff and wants to move out. I mean, I'm sure she'll be back, but you know women, if I act like I don't want her to go, she'll just get more determined to leave."
Dale nodded to himself. He did, indeed, know women. Mr. Cale was continuing, though.
"I figure if I help her out and act like a gentleman, she'll be back sooner. See what I'm saying?"
"Yes, sir, but."
"I thought you'd understand. Look, she'll be coming down to bring her car around, could you help us move her stuff into it?"
"Oh.sure, no problem, sir." Dale wasn't sure what he had been expecting, but just moving boxes? That should be worth an extra tip.
"Thanks, man, see you soon."
Alec hung up the phone and raised and eyebrow at Max, who nodded in appreciation.
"We just need to change clothes so he won't suspect anything."
Max's heart clenched at the thought of wearing Logan's clothes, of smelling him all around her. Again, Alec rescued her.
"You know, you could probably just pull on some cargo pants and would look normal."
She sighed in relief, pants weren't a big deal. She slipped some on as Alec looked through Logan's shirts. It felt so wrong, somehow, to be looking through all his stuff.
Alec turned towards her, "You look perfect," he commented, tossing her the keys.
The girl who came down in the elevator was drop dead gorgeous, but looked like she had been crying. Dale supposed that was normal for a break up.
"Can I help you with anything, ma'am?" he asked. Comfort? A hug? All his limbs?
"Not right now, but when I bring back the car, I will really need you."
Dale practically melted to the floor at her statement and waited in anticipation for her to come back with the car.
The elevator dinged and another person walked out, sliding one of many boxes in front of the door. The man stood up and he looked like he had had a long day, with his shirt half tucked and unbuttoned, but he was obviously a man used to getting what he wanted. And considering the girl he had apparently gotten, there was probably reason the striking young man was used to it.
"Dale?" he asked, holding out his hand.
"Yeah," Dale found his tongue, pulling himself out of his amazement that he had never noticed such an extremely good looking couple in the building before.
"I'm Logan Cale," Alec shook hands with the door man. "You have a dolly or something to make this easier? Women," he rolled his eyes, "Have so much crap."
Dale pulled his hand away to find twenty bucks. He hurried to find the dolly.
When he came back, the couple was already grabbing boxes and walking them out to the car. Looking out at the still dark sky, Dale frowned. "Wouldn't it be easier to just move out tomorrow morning?"
Max stiffened and darted a look at Alec.
"I have no idea, Dale, do women ever make sense?" Alec shrugged and looked back at Max expectantly.
She glared at him, "I will never sleep in that bed again, now that I know you were there with that tramp!" Max turned on her heel and continued toward the van with her box.
"Baby, I told you there is nothing between me and." Alec drew a blank on female names and said the first one that came to his head, "Asha."
Max whirled around, "You can't even remember her NAME?!?" she nearly screeched. "You make me sick!" She stormed out the door.
Alec turned to Dale, who was giving him a look of disappointment. "Dude, she's insane, I swear. I love her, I would never cheat on her. You want me to handle that?" Alec took the dolly out of Dale's hands and piled a few boxes on it, swinging it around and wheeling it through the doors as Max stomped in, glaring at him on her way in and grabbing another couple boxes. There was only one left since Alec had grabbed so many, so Max turned her big eyes at Dale.
"Could you help me with this last box?" her eyelashes fluttered slightly and Dale found himself picking up her box moments later. It was pretty heavy, which surprised him, he was expecting clothes of some sort. She laughed adorably at the look on his face.
"It is my grandmother's old record player.pre-pulse, obviously." Dale nodded in understanding, impressed that it still worked.
At the van, Alec took the box out of Dale's hands and put it in the back of the van as Max shoved hers in as well, shutting the doors behind the boxes. Then Alec trapped her against the back of the van with his hands.
"Sweetie, don't do this, please. You know me, I would never cheat on you."
"Well, that's not what your friend Asha said," Max spat.
"Asha is jealous of you, don't listen to her!"
Dale suddenly realized that it probably wasn't appropriate to listen to this passionate display and turned around as Max told Alec to leave her alone and shoved him away, getting into the van.
Alec followed Dale into the building as Max drove away, running his fingers through his hair.
Dale was still giving him that disappointed look, like Alec had somehow failed him.
"I DIDN'T cheat on her!" Alec insisted. "But thanks for your help, man, hopefully we'll be taking all that stuff back up tomorrow."
"Well, I'm sure she'll come around, sir. She wouldn't be that angry if she didn't care."
Alec nodded, stepping into the elevator. As the door closed, he thought about Dale's last comment. He had to laugh. If anger was a sign of caring, then Max must be in love with him! It wasn't a bad thought, that.
Minutes later, Alec was back in black, opening the passenger side door of the van.
"Dale thinks you'll be back." Alec commented cheekily.
Max gave him a horrified look, "You were cheating on me!"
"Baby, I would NEVER cheat on you!"
The both burst into laughter.
It felt good to laugh with Alec, Max hadn't laughed since.
Alec noticed her face fall and knew what she was thinking about. He had loved to hear the sound of her laughter and he hoped she didn't feel guilty for her momentary happiness.
"I'll always do this, won't I, Alec?" her voice was practically a murmur.
"You'll always remember him, Max, but it won't always hurt like it does now."
"Do you still hurt?" she asked softly, looking up at him as she broached the subject she sensed had been forbidden.
He sucked in his breath, knowing what she was talking about. "Yes," he whispered.
Her face crumpled, "I'm sorry, Alec." She reached out and embraced him as he had her and he let her. Sometimes the best way to receive comfort was to give it, Alec told himself has her arms embraced him softly.
After awhile, Alec laughed softly and Max pulled back from him, confused.
"What?" she asked, completely lost on what could be funny.
"Well, we're in a stolen car with thousands of dollars worth of stolen computer equipment.and we're just sitting here in front of the building we robbed.you think maybe we should unload?"
Max rolled her eyes, "Yeah, maybe."
The drove to Alec's.
They parked the van outside of Logan's apartment building.
"I can't believe we are coming here like this," Max whispered.
"His family will just sell the equipment.and we don't want them to know he was Eyes Only," Alec pointed this out softly and Max nodded. "But I can go in alone if you want."
"No," she shook her head, "I know where he has all of his papers too.and we need all of it."
They got out of the van, climbing gear in hand.
Fogle Towers. The first time she had been here, it was to get an expensive statue. Now she needed the computer equipment. Max couldn't help thinking that she was stealing again. Full circle.
"He would want us to have it, Max." It was like Alec could read her mind.
"I know," she whispered, "Let's go."
They went through the familiar motions, going to Logan's apartment as though he was still alive. They didn't speak, each stuck in their memories of dropping in on Logan.
Now, his Penthouse was empty. There was nothing that either of them could do to bring him back. Soon, his family would be here, taking his stuff and maybe finding out what it was the rich boy really did with his time.
Unless someone else got there first.
Max looked around the empty apartment, filled with the stagnant memory of the food they ate and the times she had felt at home here.
Alec looked at the computer equipment with sadness, knowing that the man who seemed to know everything would not be back to make things better for the world. He and Max were two people, but could they do what Logan did? The thought, though brilliant, he smiled, was the most terrifying he'd ever come up with. How were two cat burglars going to take on the burden of society's conscience?
Alec's phone rang and he muttered under his breath.
"Hello?" he asked quietly.
"Hi Alec, you busy?"
"Oh, hey Asha." Max looked at him sharply and Alec almost laughed. They hadn't even started moving the hardware and Asha was already talking to him. He was getting more like Logan every second. he shuddered at the disturbing thought. Respect him? Yes. BE him? Hell, no. "No, not busy."
Max rolled her eyes. Oh, obviously, he wasn't busy. They were only moving the entire electronic collection of Logan Cale.that wasn't at all time consuming. But of course, whatever Asha needs. Max went to a closet and started pulling out boxes for the computer stuff. There were a lot of boxes and it was a big closet.
"How's Asha doing?" Max asked sweetly when Alec joined her.
"Surviving, she is more concerned about you, though." Alec started kicking boxes toward the computer area and Max glared at him.
"I'm sure she is. Would you cut it out?"
"What?" he asked innocently, kicking another box over with the others.
"Just start packing everything up."
There was a lot of stuff. Logan's system was a beauty, it must have been nice being able to afford everything. Max started helping Alec after a bit, but midway through, Alec stopped packing.
"What?" Max asked, wanting to get out of the apartment as soon as possible.
"Do you know his password?" Alec turned to look at her and she cursed under her breath. Alec grinned. "That wasn't very nice, Maxie."
"Shut up, Alec, is this going to mess up everything?" she bit her lip.
"Oh, don't worry about it, we can guess what it is, I'm sure."
"Guess? You want to GUESS the Eyes Only password?" she asked, incredulous.
"Well, there are only so many ways to spell MAX."
Max rolled her eyes, "Spell PACK, we need to get out of here before his neighbors start waking up."
They packed quickly.in the fully transgenic sense of the word.
"So how are we going to get all this stuff out?" Alec asked when they were done.
"Wasn't this YOUR idea?" Max asked, unable to believe he hadn't thought far enough ahead to figure out what to do.
Alec smiled, "Oh yeah! Well, how about we take the elevator?"
Max frowned. "But.there's a guard on duty down there."
"So we'll distract him. If that doesn't work.well, I don't think he'll be what we'd call a threat."
"There are probably cameras." Max pointed out.
Alec made a face. "Well, you really want to repel up and down the building for the next couple hours?"
"Ugh, no.why couldn't Logan live on the first floor?" Max asked in annoyance, stopping once she realized what she was saying. For a second, with Alec annoying the hell out of her, she had been able to forget, but not any more. The pain engulfed her again and she sunk into a chair.
"Max?" Alec kneeled down in front of her. "Are you still with me?"
She looked at him, but didn't see him as her eyes blurred. "I.he." she stopped trying to speak and lay her head in her hands. She felt his arms surround her as she cried again. She didn't remember ever crying so much and she wanted to get away from it, to not feel the pain that clawed at her heart and the guilt that it was all her fault. She wanted to think of something else. The new mission with Alec.being Eyes Only. Well, thinking of other things worked for a full two seconds.
Alec interrupted Max's thoughts, "How well did Logan know the door man?"
"Well, he never invited him up, how should I know?"
"So Logan probably never even met him, he probably skipped the ground floor to get to parking, right?"
"Right." Max had no idea where Alec was going with this.
He smiled. "I have an idea, where's the phone?"
The door man picked up the phone when it rang.
"Fogle Towers."
"This is the main floor, right?" said a male voice on the other end.
"That's right, what can I do for you?"
"Look, I need a favor, this is Logan Cale, in the Penthouse. I'm not sure I ever met you, did I?"
"No, I don't think so, Mr. Cale."
"Well, what's your name?"
"Dale."
"Ok, Dale, look, here's the deal. My girlfriend just packed up her stuff and wants to move out. I mean, I'm sure she'll be back, but you know women, if I act like I don't want her to go, she'll just get more determined to leave."
Dale nodded to himself. He did, indeed, know women. Mr. Cale was continuing, though.
"I figure if I help her out and act like a gentleman, she'll be back sooner. See what I'm saying?"
"Yes, sir, but."
"I thought you'd understand. Look, she'll be coming down to bring her car around, could you help us move her stuff into it?"
"Oh.sure, no problem, sir." Dale wasn't sure what he had been expecting, but just moving boxes? That should be worth an extra tip.
"Thanks, man, see you soon."
Alec hung up the phone and raised and eyebrow at Max, who nodded in appreciation.
"We just need to change clothes so he won't suspect anything."
Max's heart clenched at the thought of wearing Logan's clothes, of smelling him all around her. Again, Alec rescued her.
"You know, you could probably just pull on some cargo pants and would look normal."
She sighed in relief, pants weren't a big deal. She slipped some on as Alec looked through Logan's shirts. It felt so wrong, somehow, to be looking through all his stuff.
Alec turned towards her, "You look perfect," he commented, tossing her the keys.
The girl who came down in the elevator was drop dead gorgeous, but looked like she had been crying. Dale supposed that was normal for a break up.
"Can I help you with anything, ma'am?" he asked. Comfort? A hug? All his limbs?
"Not right now, but when I bring back the car, I will really need you."
Dale practically melted to the floor at her statement and waited in anticipation for her to come back with the car.
The elevator dinged and another person walked out, sliding one of many boxes in front of the door. The man stood up and he looked like he had had a long day, with his shirt half tucked and unbuttoned, but he was obviously a man used to getting what he wanted. And considering the girl he had apparently gotten, there was probably reason the striking young man was used to it.
"Dale?" he asked, holding out his hand.
"Yeah," Dale found his tongue, pulling himself out of his amazement that he had never noticed such an extremely good looking couple in the building before.
"I'm Logan Cale," Alec shook hands with the door man. "You have a dolly or something to make this easier? Women," he rolled his eyes, "Have so much crap."
Dale pulled his hand away to find twenty bucks. He hurried to find the dolly.
When he came back, the couple was already grabbing boxes and walking them out to the car. Looking out at the still dark sky, Dale frowned. "Wouldn't it be easier to just move out tomorrow morning?"
Max stiffened and darted a look at Alec.
"I have no idea, Dale, do women ever make sense?" Alec shrugged and looked back at Max expectantly.
She glared at him, "I will never sleep in that bed again, now that I know you were there with that tramp!" Max turned on her heel and continued toward the van with her box.
"Baby, I told you there is nothing between me and." Alec drew a blank on female names and said the first one that came to his head, "Asha."
Max whirled around, "You can't even remember her NAME?!?" she nearly screeched. "You make me sick!" She stormed out the door.
Alec turned to Dale, who was giving him a look of disappointment. "Dude, she's insane, I swear. I love her, I would never cheat on her. You want me to handle that?" Alec took the dolly out of Dale's hands and piled a few boxes on it, swinging it around and wheeling it through the doors as Max stomped in, glaring at him on her way in and grabbing another couple boxes. There was only one left since Alec had grabbed so many, so Max turned her big eyes at Dale.
"Could you help me with this last box?" her eyelashes fluttered slightly and Dale found himself picking up her box moments later. It was pretty heavy, which surprised him, he was expecting clothes of some sort. She laughed adorably at the look on his face.
"It is my grandmother's old record player.pre-pulse, obviously." Dale nodded in understanding, impressed that it still worked.
At the van, Alec took the box out of Dale's hands and put it in the back of the van as Max shoved hers in as well, shutting the doors behind the boxes. Then Alec trapped her against the back of the van with his hands.
"Sweetie, don't do this, please. You know me, I would never cheat on you."
"Well, that's not what your friend Asha said," Max spat.
"Asha is jealous of you, don't listen to her!"
Dale suddenly realized that it probably wasn't appropriate to listen to this passionate display and turned around as Max told Alec to leave her alone and shoved him away, getting into the van.
Alec followed Dale into the building as Max drove away, running his fingers through his hair.
Dale was still giving him that disappointed look, like Alec had somehow failed him.
"I DIDN'T cheat on her!" Alec insisted. "But thanks for your help, man, hopefully we'll be taking all that stuff back up tomorrow."
"Well, I'm sure she'll come around, sir. She wouldn't be that angry if she didn't care."
Alec nodded, stepping into the elevator. As the door closed, he thought about Dale's last comment. He had to laugh. If anger was a sign of caring, then Max must be in love with him! It wasn't a bad thought, that.
Minutes later, Alec was back in black, opening the passenger side door of the van.
"Dale thinks you'll be back." Alec commented cheekily.
Max gave him a horrified look, "You were cheating on me!"
"Baby, I would NEVER cheat on you!"
The both burst into laughter.
It felt good to laugh with Alec, Max hadn't laughed since.
Alec noticed her face fall and knew what she was thinking about. He had loved to hear the sound of her laughter and he hoped she didn't feel guilty for her momentary happiness.
"I'll always do this, won't I, Alec?" her voice was practically a murmur.
"You'll always remember him, Max, but it won't always hurt like it does now."
"Do you still hurt?" she asked softly, looking up at him as she broached the subject she sensed had been forbidden.
He sucked in his breath, knowing what she was talking about. "Yes," he whispered.
Her face crumpled, "I'm sorry, Alec." She reached out and embraced him as he had her and he let her. Sometimes the best way to receive comfort was to give it, Alec told himself has her arms embraced him softly.
After awhile, Alec laughed softly and Max pulled back from him, confused.
"What?" she asked, completely lost on what could be funny.
"Well, we're in a stolen car with thousands of dollars worth of stolen computer equipment.and we're just sitting here in front of the building we robbed.you think maybe we should unload?"
Max rolled her eyes, "Yeah, maybe."
The drove to Alec's.