A/N: Glad I made you all laugh!! Er, i mean, glad Anya made you all laugh!!! hehehe!!! Thanks to all you guys who reviewed!!! And don't worry about Buffy and Max meeting again...they will...in the sequel...I've already started writing it!!! I'll probably post it after I finish this story!!!

Chapter Seventeen: Home Bitter Home

"We're back!" Alec sang out throwing open the double doors that led to the Command Center. All heads looked up from their work to see their three topmost leaders file in, all wearing dismal but determined faces.

"Nice to finally have you three back," Dix said with a wide grin. "I was getting sick of getting ordered around to steal more cigars from the other transhumans."

Mole glowered at Dix, but grinned afterwards, glad too about the arrival of Terminal City's most respected transgenics. "So, what's the plan, oh great and fearless leaders?"

Jewel dropped onto an empty chair, blowing out a sigh of relief. Alec made a beeline for the computers, talking to Dix in a low voice. Max stood in front of Mole, both hands on either side of her hips, and a smile on her face. "We fight back guns blazing, Mole. Isn't that what you want?"

Mole could not contain a grin. "You got it Princess."

"Good, now get to work on those ammunitions." She ordered. "We need to have everything ready by the end of the week if we don't want to end up barbecued."

"Ma'am, yes ma'am!" Mole mock saluted before moving towards his favorite room in the whole of TC: the arsenal. He stopped dead in his tracks though, as a single idea formed in his head. "Max – what if they nuke us?"

"They won't." Max replied confidently. "Terminal City's surrounded by dozens of buildings owned by normal humans- we're standing in the middle of so many lives. If they bomb us...it wouldn't be just us transies that would end up dead. They wouldn't even consider risking it."

"What's up, Dix?" Alec asked, peering over the mutant's shoulder into the glowing screen of the computer. He was typing furiously on the keyboard, fingers moving in rapid speed.

"I've been keeping tabs on the City Council," Dix replied, not looking up from his work. "Hacking into their document files. I only got into a few – the others had topnotch security – damned difficult to hack into. I would've asked some assistance from the oh-so great Logan Cale, but I doubt that he'll help."

Alec rolled his eyes. "Forget the exo-boy, we don't need no ordinary's help. And besides, the last time I heard, he and Max were stepping on rocky ground. I don't think that putting them in one room would be a pretty sight to see." He smirked. Especially when Loggie-boy finds out that Max is now mine. His smirk vanished to be replaced by a broad grin when the latter approached them.

"Find anything useful?" Max asked.

Dix frowned as he entered a new site, his eyes widening. "They're attacking on Friday morning – that's the day after tomorrow...and they're bringing in an army of a thousand."

Max drew in a sharp intake of breath. "That's three times the number of men we have." She locked gazes with Alec, her face one of desperation and helplessness.

Alec sighed and wrapped an a protective arm around Max's shoulder. "Don't worry. We'll get through this. And if we don't – at least there's the Good Place, right?"

Max managed a weak smile at the thought of the Good Place, memories of her brother Ben flooding her head....where no one ever gets hurt or punished...where we finally find peace...

Flashback

They were fighting, just within a thick grove of trees, and the sounds of fist and foot hitting bone echoed through the forest.

Brother to sister, they fought – completely oblivious to the fact that Manticore snipers were slowly making their way into the woods.

The unmistakable cracking of bones whipped the silence loudly when Max broke Ben's leg and that was when X5-493 fell to the ground, gasping, and struggling unsuccessfully to sit up.

Max gazed at her brother's pain-filled eyes and knelt down to help him up. The moment she did, the deafening humming of helicopters filled the air.

The two siblings glanced at each other in panic. "Don't leave me here, Don't let them take me," Ben gasped out.

Max, although overcome with pity, shook her head. "Ben, I can't carry you. We'll both get caught."

Ben kept his gaze on her. "I know."

His emerald green eyes were sparkling with desperation – with defeat. And that was when Max understood. Her face fell, and tears started to well up in her eyes. "Ben – I can't."

Ben grasped her hand tightly. "Please, Maxie. You know what they'll do to me. They'll put me down there with them...the Nomlies. Please."

Max looked at him tearfully, as he silently pleaded with her, and Max finally gave in. "Tell me about the Good Place."

A smile graced her brother's features, and a far-away look came into his eyes. "Where no one ever gets punished."

"And no one gets yelled at," Max added.

"And nobody disappears. And when you wake up in the morning, you can stay in bed as long as you want--"

And that was when Max snapped his neck. She dropped his head softly on the ground, and as the choppers drew nearer, she began to sob.

...he was up there somewhere now...up in the Good Place...watching over her...

End Flashback

"Max?"

"Maaxxx!"

Max snapped out of her reverie to see Alec waving a hand up and down in front of her face, wearing an amused expression. "Are you alright?"

Max smiled tiredly. "I'm fine. I was just – remembering."

Dix suddenly swiveled sharply around his computer chair, a look of utter shock and horror on his face.

The two X5s immediately straightened up. "Dix? What's wrong?"

The mutant remained silent, his jaw slightly agape.

Alec went over to the computer and checked it. His face instantly hardened.

"Alec?" Max questioned, fear tainting her voice. "Alec, what is it?"

"They've changed plans. They're attacking at noon."

A/N: HA!!! Almost at then end guys...anyway...REVIEW!