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Disclaimer: Well, Fox still has control, James Cameron and Chick Eglee created a great story and I do this for no profit just for the fun.A/N: Don't be fooled by the start. This is set in Season 1, a change for me, and still and always M/L. What happens when Max and Logan, go out on Halloween? Thanks Kasman for the beta and confirming dates.
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Max's and Original Cindy's Crib, 2020:
Max is asleep in the bath. Original Cindy, not dressed in costume, is trying to wake her up.
"Boo. Hey!" Original Cindy calls waking Max up. "What are you gonna be for Halloween? A prune?"
"I just had the weirdest dream," Max says a bit confused.
"You better put some clothes on. You're gonna be late for the party at Crash. And your boy Rafer is waitin' on your ass."
"Tell him I couldn't make it. There's something I gotta do." And he definitely ain't my boy and never will be.
As Max quickly gets dressed and leaves, Original Cindy stays sitting on the couch. Glad that's over now. My boo can concentrate on Hot Boy and getting blondie outta the picture...not that Logan even did anything - all he ever talked about was Max...still, my boo needs a awake up call that she ain't the only one interested in him.
--- --- --- --- ---
Joshua's House:
Joshua is asleep in the armchair. Little Women is in his hands and a fire is going in the fireplace. Max wakes him up.
"Hey, big fella. Whatcha doing?""Lay low." Joshua replies in resignation.
"I've been thinking. You and me aren't like other people. We're different, and nothing's gonna change that."
"Joshua and Max...different."
"Yeah. Some people might even call us freaks," Max says, a bit of self mocking humor in her voice.
Smiling, "Freaks." Joshua repeats the wordReturning Joshua's smile, "Which is why we gotta stick together. So I'm gonna take you out. Even if it's just for one night. Come on."
"Tricks and treats?" Joshua asks, both joy and surprise in his voice.
"What's the worst that could happen?"
--- --- --- --- ---
Logan's Apartment a year before, the night before Halloween:
Max walks into Logan's computer room/office, then sniffs and walks towards the kitchen "Hey, Logan."
"In the kitchen, Max."
As Max walks in she sniffs again, "Smells good,"
"You hungry?" Logan asks as he swivels his chair to watch Max saunter past and lean her hip against the counter.
"Ain't I always," she replies.
"Hmm, so I've noticed," Logan says dryly. "It'll be ready in a couple of minutes," he says as he reaches for the plates and cutlery.
"Let me do that," Max says, intercepting him and carrying them towards the dinner table.
"Max!" Logan calls peevishly.
Stopping, Max looks back, her expression blank.
"Nothing, I'll open the wine," Logan says evasively.
"Good, 'cause I keep breaking the corks."
--- --- --- --- ---
A warehouse Seattle Same Time:
Five people are standing around as one of their number points to a floor plan,
"The party is the biggest social event this year so should be plenty of commodities we can lift...you all know the plan?" after seeing everybody nod the leader begins to fold up the plan.
"I have a question?" a hard faced woman asks looking around the group, "What if we run into any resistance?" she asks staring at the leader.
"You know what to do, but there won't be any they like their lives and privileges too much."
--- --- --- --- ---
Logan's Apartment:
Lifting her glass of wine Max smiles over the lip at Logan, "That was nice, I knew there was a reason I hung around."
"Yup, like any good cat the lady knows where the food and the good company are." Logan says raising his glass in acknowledgement.
Sipping her wine quickly, Max hides the blush that suffuses her cheeks. Putting down her glass, she looks at Logan again and sees him staring out the window, scratching the back of his head, "So, what ya doin' for Halloween?"
Looking startled at the question for a second he lifts an eyebrow, "Hmm, no real plans...well nothing I wanna do," he replies as he scratches the back of his head again.
With a penetrating look at him, Max nods slowly. Family party, guess mine's not the only messed up one. "They're having a costume party at Crash. Original Cindy wants to go as Xena," Max says rolling her eyes,
"Huh-huh, Max? No, forget it, guess you're busy," Logan says, looking uncomfortable.
"I ain't really into this whole trick or treat dealio. Manticore wasn't big on these things, as I said, and besides I'm already a freak without dressing up as one....guess my life's just too much like that stuff," Max says with a shrug. Yeah, Manticore hunting me, and if people ever found out what I really am, the whole mob chasing thing. Then she follows Logan's gaze out of the window. "So, what ya gonna do?"
"Well, I've got to meet an informant at a costume party, but since you aren't into that sort of thing, guess you wouldn't be interested," Logan says looking over at Max.
"Hey, if the food and drink are good...besides, if some of the company ain't bad, I might be," Max says mildly.
"Right, and what is the worst thing that can happen at a party?" Logan says.
--- --- --- --- ---
Max's and Kendra's Crib:
"So this Logan guy is taking you too the most swank costume ball in town and you're gonna go like that?" Kendra asks staring at Max, disbelief written on her face.
"Sure, I'm a zombie, I don't sleep, ya know," Max says walking over to the kitchen area and picking up her bike gloves."
"Yeah, but zombies are dead and wear old clothes...you...look like a cat burglar," Kendra says, a puzzled expression on her face.
Pausing, Max looks at Kendra, "Hmm, maybe that's what I am...not really into that living dead dealio," she says with a smile
"You're weird, Max," Kendar says shaking her head.
"Told ya," Max says with a laugh.
At that moment, there is a knock on the door.
"Hey, you," Max says opening the door and looking at Logan.
"Hey, yourself," he replies looking Max up and down, "Subtle."
"Take it you're going as the rich playboy," Max says taking in Logan dressed in Cargo pants, Docker shoes and leather jacket.
"Well, I ain't really into this dress up thing either," Logan says with a small shrug.
"Let's go," Max says walking out the door with a wave to Kendra, as Logan nods at her. He swivels his chair and follows Max out the door.
Watching them leave, Kendra smiles, Nice, weird, but nice.
--- --- --- --- ---
The Olympic Hotel:
Max and Logan exit the elevator and make their way to the entrance of the ballroom. As Logan hands over his invitation to one of several security people, Max looks around at the various outlandish costumes the ball-goers are wearing. Think we're a bit underdressed here. "I shoulda come as a freak, looking at som'a these people here," Max says as a man and a woman dressed as a lizard and an alien walk past.
"Yeah, and I should be the walking dead," Logan says with an ironic twist of his brow, then pushes himself into the ballroom. Leaving Max to stare at his back for a second too long.
"Miss, are you with the entertainment?" the security guard asks staring at Max, a slightly haughty look on his face.
Looking over at the guard, "I'm with Mr. Cale," Max says looking for Logan in the crowded doorway.
"Sorry, Miss, there's no Mr. Cale on my list," his voice taking on an official tone.
"The guy in the wheelchair," Max says in exasperation.
"Sorry, miss, there is no Mr. Cale. Next, please," the guard says to a couple behind Max who are dressed as a cat and a headless man. They step past her.
Max shifts slightly and begins to take on a fighting stance on at being so rudely ignored and then relaxes. Logan'll eventually realize I'm not around and come and get me. "It's not as if I really wanted to be here anyway," she mutters to herself as she walks over to sit on a bench.
--- --- --- --- ---
Ballroom:
Logan pushes himself deeper into the crowded ballroom. Yeah, that's what I feel, like one of the dead - just lurching around with no purpose, no real reason for living. God, Logan, Max is the one who's given you back your life, and she's stuck around so far. "Max I'm—"looking around he finally notices that Max's is not with him. Frowning, he tries to peer through the crowd of costumes to spot the one person really in disguise. "Damn this chair, I'm really half dead. I'll just have to wait till she finds me," he mutters.
"Mr. Everton?" a voice asks behind him.
Turning, Logan looks up into the face of a horror mask, "Mr. Scott?"
"Yes...I did say this was a costume ball, did I not." the voice behind the mask says in annoyance.
"This is my costume, wounded vet," Logan says dryly.
The man in the monster mask stares at him for a moment then shrugs, "Lets go and find a quieter corner. I have the information Eyes-Only needs to bring down the Salazar cartel...I thought you were bringing a colleague," the informant says looking down at Logan.
Still looking around while he tries not to run over any feet, "She's around," Logan says. Where are you, Max?
--- --- --- --- ---
The Hallway:
Max stands up from the bench and starts to pace the floor. Well, guess he ain't coming back...Looking beyond the official entrance, Max sees a group of people stop by a door. Sharpening her focus, she sees one of them pull out a gun and check it, then they open the door and walk in. "This doesn't look good," Max mutters, then walks nonchalantly to the door. On reaching it, she quickly presses her ear to it, then opens the door and slips in.
--- --- --- --- ---
Ballroom:
Logan and his informant eventually find a reasonably quiet corner of the room. "Have you got a treat for me?" the informant asks holding out his hand to Logan.
"For what you're asking, this better not be a trick," Logan replies bluntly, then hands over a bulging envelope.
"No trick, and with this, my family and I can start over somewhere else...here you go. Just make sure your boss makes sure that bastard gets what's his due for the pain he and his partners have caused," the man in the mask with the seeping bullet hole in its forehead says, and then turns and stops as two men dressed as cowboys walk towards them.
--- --- --- --- ---
Passage way:
As Max slips in, she sees a crumpled form lying on the floor. Bending down, she quickly checks for a pulse, then standing up, she shakes her head at the blood seeping into the carpet. Something major is going down here and Logan is alone in there...well, not alone – just not protected. When did you start caring for somebody so much? Ever since he was lying there waiting to die on that street...no, Max, don't even go there. He's just a friend, we'll never be anything else. Who would love something like me. Quickly running down the passage, she reaches another door. Putting her ear against the door again she hears muffled voices.
"Thought you said there wouldn't be any trouble.."
"That wasn't trouble, just an inconvenience, that's been removed," a harsh female voice replies.
"You all know the plan. In, terrorize, get the goods, and out. If anybody resists, remove them," a soft, deadly voice interrupts the other murmuring voices.
"Trick or Treat," a voice mildly says from the doorway.
The five men and women in the room turn to see Max standing there, an innocent look on her face. "Who the hell are you?" the man who had spoken a moment ago asks.
"Oh, just looking for some candy," Max says, stepping further into the room, her eyes scanning her opponents as her brain goes into overdrive, assessing angles of attack, who is nervous, who is gonna react first. Take the leader and then ugly over there...
"Silence her," the leader says harshly.
"Well, guess I ain't gett'ng' no treats, but you get all the tricks," Max says, launching herself at the leader and knocking him into the far wall. She swings around and tries to take out the hard faced woman who had been standing next to the leader, but is blocked by one of the others as they all try and get at her. In a blur of fists and kicks, Max knocks each of the robbers out with only the occasional punch from them landing.
"Don't move, pretty girl," a harsh voice says
Looking up from the last robber, Max sees the leader standing there with his gun leveled.
"I don't know who you are and I don't care, but you've just messed up my Halloween, so I'm gonna send you to hell, bitch."
As his finger tightens on the trigger, Max leaps, and with chop of her hand, sends the gun spinning while she pivots and kicks him with such force that the unconscious criminal bursts through the hidden door to the ball room, startling the party goers nearby. Looking up, Max sees Logan confronting two men in cowboy suits.
--- --- --- --- ---
The Ball Room:
As the two men in cowboy costumes head towards Logan and his informant, Logan wheels out and blocks their path, a silly grin on his face. "Trick or Treat," he says looking up at them.
Suddenly, a hidden door bursts open in the wall and a body wearing a rubber mask of the President's face lands on the ball room floor., Looking over, Logan pulls back his head in shock as he sees Max for a second in the now-revealed room, then she is gone.
"Where'd he go?" one cowboy shouts over the babble of raised voices to the other in puzzlement, as they look for the informant in the horror mask.
Quickly turning away, Logan disappears into the gathering crowd, who give him space as they gather to see the room full of masked bandits, each wearing a mask representing a different president.
--- --- --- --- ---
Lobby of the Hotel:
As Logan exits the elevator, he sees Max standing there, her arms crossed over her chest.
"Where were you?" they both say together.
"What were you doing?" they say, again together.
Logan waves to Max to go first.
"You left me at the door, and I didn't know you were using a cover so they wouldn't let me in. I was kicking back watching the silly people, waiting for you, when I saw the five presidents go through a side door. One 'a them had a gun, so I figured I'd check it out. And as they say, the rest is history...so, who were the cowboys?"
"Hmm, not sure, but I'm guessing they were after my informant, but your little...surprise package distracted them," Logan says nodding in gratitude to Max.
"Seems you were doing some distracting yourself," Max says mildly.
Ignoring Max's comment, Logan heads for the front entrance. "Sorry for leaving you at the door, Max."
"Well, I guess no candy tonight, but I got a treat showing those goons some tricks," Max says with a chuckle.
"And I got what I want - the information to put away a major bad guy and his friends for a long time," Looking up at Max, Logan smiles, "Not bad for a zombie and a freak," he adds softly, a note of amusement in his voice.
"I know I'm a freak, and I don't sleep, so who are you?" Max asks, startled at Logan's comment.
"The same, Max...the same., Happy Halloween," Logan says with a grin.
--- --- --- --- ---
Logan's apartment next morning:
Max is sitting in front of Logan's TV idly flicking through the channels while Logan is in the kitchen making coffee. Coming to a news channel, she pauses on seeing a reporter standing outside the Olympic Hotel. "Hey, Logan come 'ere. They got a report on last night's incident," Max says, turning up the sound on the TV as Logan wheels in and stops beside her.
"Further to the dramatic prevention of last nights attempted robbery by an unknown person at the mayor's Halloween Ball, who deposited the leader of the Salazar Cartel onto the dance floor,iIt has been revealed that Mr. Harvey Scott, a one time associate of Ramon Salazar, was found shot to death in a passageway leading to the room where the remainder of the gang was found." At that moment, a picture of the dead man appears on the TV.
Gasping, Logan looks at Max, "That was my informant. I was meeting with him when you threw Salazar through the door."
"That's impossible, Logan, that guy was lying dead in the passageway, after I followed those scum in."
"It, was him, Max, except he was made up with a hole in his forehead, seeping blood. It was a pretty gruesome mask...and the name's the same."
Staring at him, "He'd been shot in the forehead, Logan, point blank. He was pretty dead." Max says softly.
Both Logan and Max refocus on the TV as two men dressed in cowboy costumes appear on the screen beside the reporter.
Detectives Cole and Rivera, who have been investigating the Cartel, are appealing to the persons who took out Salazar and his gang and may have met with Mr. Scott to come forward to help put away these brutal criminals who have been linked to several unsolved murders and robberies in and around Seattle.
"Like that's gonna happen," Max says looking over at Logan who is now staring out of the picture window.
On the TV one of the two detectives leans forward to the microphone, "Without your help, Ramon Salazar will get off or do the minimum time. If you know anything, please, we need your help."
Unlocking his brakes, Logan pushes himself into his office. Max follows him after a moment, and sees him pickup an envelope. Looking up at Max, he reaches over and picks up a letter opener from his desk and slits the envelope open. As he turns it over to extract its contents, a slip of notepaper falls out.
Quickly bending down, Max picks it up and reads it, a shiver of fear running down her spine. Looking up, she meets Logan's eyes, which are wide with shock, while beads of perspiration have broken out on his forehead.
Looking at the file in his hand, he sees that it is a list of all the Cartel's crimes with dates and times. Flipping to the last page, he sees the mayor's ball also listed with the exact time that Max threw Salazar unto the dance floor – one minute after midnight.
Max silently hands Logan the note while he passes her the last page of the file.
Looking at the note, Logan grunts softly. "If you are reading this note and these files I have been killed by Ramon Salazar. You know what you have to do. Make sure that bastard gets what's his due for the pain he and his partners have caused."
"Logan..."
"Max..."
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THE END