Learning to Live

A/N: If you would like to wait however many lifetimes it takes me to upload this entire fic again, be my guest. If, however, you would like to just read it, it can be found…along with its sequel…at Gumboot Mafia: The name is scarlet, you can't miss it.

Chapter Six:

"Yo, Bling, this is Max." Max spoke into Alec's cell phone as they walked back to his apartment down the street. "Yeah…well, I've been better. I have some horrible news for you, actually, I don't really know how to say it. Logan died last night." Max closed her eyes as she said it and she felt Alec's arm go around her shoulder and pull her into his warmth. "I'm doing…fine, I guess…like I said, I've been better. Anyway, Bling, I need your help. I want to continue a certain…project of Logan's, I think you know what I'm talking about, but I don't know his passwords. Do you know what any of them are?" Max waited expectantly as Bling spoke, turning to look at Alec as they entered his apartment building and nodding as Bling spoke, though he obviously couldn't see her. "Thanks, Bling, that will help me out a lot."

They walked through the door to Alec's apartment as she said goodbye and hung up.

"There are four passwords. One to the computer, another to the informant net, another to everything relating to Eyes Only, and the last is to everything about transgenics." Max explained what Bling had told her.

"Ok…so does he know any of them or what?" Alec asked, impatient.

"Three." She said.

"Which Three?" he asked.

"All but transgenic." She answered, not knowing if that was good or bad.

Alec nodded, looking relieved. "Well, I think we know a thing or two about transgenics ourselves. So what are the passwords?"

"DISNEY opens up the computer."

Alec opened his mouth to make fun of that, but wisely shut it again before she noticed.

Max typed in the first password and the computer went to the main operating system.

She went to a folder simply marked "E."

"What's the password for that one?"

"DESTINY." She whispered.

Alec thought he was going to vomit, but the moment passed without incident. "What's the informant net?" he asked. Right now it looked like they could broadcast…but they wouldn't have anything to broadcast if they didn't get the information…

"Shocking that they aren't 'go' 'fight' 'win.'" Alec stated before he could stop himself.

Max glared at him, not admitting what she thought of the passwords.

"It is actually, 'Maria.'" She stated.

"Really…" he said, "Who do you suppose that is?"

"It was his mother's middle name, Alec, now shut up." She typed in Maria and they were in.

"Damn…he was plugged in," was all Alec had to say as they looked through all the information on informants.

"Sweet! Look at this," Alec pointed to the column on the right. 'Contact Info' and then underneath it, all the rows stated how Logan contacted each of them. "Most of these are electronic or by telephone."

Max nodded, that was important. A lot of informants were sketchy about meeting with different point people. If Logan had never actually met with many of them, then they were pretty well off. They could take over and his informants would never know.

There were a few, though, that they couldn't avoid. Like Matt Sung. That was going to be tricky.

"So…what do you want to do first?" Alec asked Max, hitting the down arrow to see all the sources Logan had. It was truly remarkable.

Max shrugged, uncertain. "See what he has, I guess… Do you work today?"

Alec nodded, yawning.

"You need sleep, Alec, go crash…I'll read some of this stuff and tell you about it later."

"Are you sure you don't need me?" he asked, uncertain.

"If I need a smart ass remark, I'll wake you up." She promised with a smile.

"Alright, but don't complain to me later."

"As long as you don't snore, I'll be fine." Max smiled to assure him she was fine and turned back to the informant net, reading all the information she could about the people, their positions, and most importantly, how they could help continue the movement Logan started.

Alec wanted to help her, but he was exhausted. He practically collapsed into his bed with a shout to wake him up in a couple hours.

So Max started reading, making notes and NOT thinking of Logan. Or was it thinking about Logan? Was there a difference anymore? She didn't know, she was almost to the point where she didn't care. She wished she could sleep like Alec, but she couldn't…so she kept on reading, hacking, looking at computer information she hadn't cared about since Manticore…ever, really. How could they pull this off without Logan?

Logan… She was drawn into a whirlwind of thoughts, always leading back, inevitably, to Logan.

Max looked at the clock. In fifteen minutes, she could wake up Alec. It was amazing what a relief the thought was. She wouldn't have to be alone with her thoughts. Somehow, he would distract her. Max thought of their breakfast and smiled. She had actually had fun, if that was possible. For forty-five minutes, she hadn't thought of Logan, she had rested, relaxed with Alec with his friendly charm with Claudia and his constant chatter.

Ten more minutes… Max started trying possible passwords for the transgenic section of Eyes Only.

Unable to stop herself from making a half grin, she tried, "ilovemax." It was a relief it didn't work, she would never want Alec to know she had actually tried it. She kept trying passwords. Max. Guevara. Manticore. Lydecker. X5452. 452. Zack.

And she was in. The password was ZACK?! Even when she typed it, she had been somewhat kidding, just trying to pass the time away. It became immediately clear why Zack was the password. Most of the early stuff on transgenics was about Zack.

And this was, of course, BEFORE Zack tried to kill him…

5 minutes…oh, well, she could wake him up now. Max went into Alec's room where he was, thankfully, not snoring. He looked like a little boy when he slept, the innocence came back to his face as he relaxed.

"Alec." She whispered his name, "It's time to wake up." She shook his shoulder and he groaned, opening up one eye and pouting.

"Ma-ax…" he whined, flipping over.

"I got the password for the transgenic section…" she let her voice trail off. "I'll tell you what it is if you get your ass up." She walked out of the room and took a seat on the couch. Moments later, she heard him emerge. He plopped down on the couch next to

Max and glowered at her expectantly.

She laughed. "Good morning, Sunshine."

Alec's cell phone rang and he glared at it. "Hello." He growled. "Yeah, she's here. Bye."

Max raised her eyebrows in question.

"O.C., now tell me the password."

"Zack," Max answered.

"What about him?" Alec asked before bursting into laughter. "ZACK was the password?" He couldn't stop grinning all of a sudden.

Max had never seen such an 180 degree mood swing. It alarmed her.

"You know, Max…are you sure you know everything about how things were with Logan and Zack…?" Alec asked impishly.

Max's eyes narrowed…no WONDER he seemed so ecstatic with the news.

"Shut up, Alec, go take a shower."

He practically skipped to his towel. It was disgusting.

She made coffee while he was in the shower. He came out with a towel around his waste, still grinning like a madman. Max rolled her eyes as he went back to change for work.

As he emerged, there was a loud banging on the door.

"OPEN UP, THIS IS THE SECTOR POLICE!"