Hello again to all my readers! (Did that sound overly cocky?) Here is - what are we on? - chp 5, right? Yeah, pretty sure. Alright I know you all are getting impatient to see Max and the X8, but you'll have to read the chapter to find out if she's here yet! (don't crucify me!)

Disclaimer - not mine - none of the chapters are really mine - Eve belongs to me, though. Not Dark Angel.

Chapter 5

Logan's POV

Zack's stay was much longer this time. He has seemed nervous for a while now, and I can't figure out why. Probably something with the others. I think Eve has also sensed the tightness in his composure, because she is not joking around with him as much as she usually does. He has been here for about two days now, sleeping in the new guest room, which used to be Bling's, until he moved out and got married to Gwen.

Usually Zack and I don't talk much, except for discussing Eve and her developments. I swear, if she knew we talked about her like that behind her back, she'd kick both our asses out the window. She can't stand not knowing secrets, must be connected to her DNA - the need to have constant awareness to all surroundings. Zack taught me that a few years ago.

Right now Eve is out with Olivia, a friend of hers. Olivia's parents live in the building, a few floors down from us. She's a very nice girl, and has an exotic look to her that makes her look older than she actually is. She's Hispanic and has very dark, nearly black hair that reaches her mid back. She has absolutely no idea what Eve is, thankfully. Not that she isn't trustworthy, but I don't think she could handle it very well. She's quite sensitive. Also Eve doesn't really gossip much and knows damn well that she is a secret, and a secret not to be shared.

Zack has been on his cell phone for a few minutes, while I have been cooking dinner. Eve will be home soon, and no doubt she will be hungry. The kitchen is starting to fill with wonderful scents of spices and chicken roasting, along with the dressing on the salad and the tiramisu I made earlier. While I am tossing around the salad a bit, Zack enters the kitchen with a stressed look on his face. Compassion is not one of the stronger feelings I have towards the man, so I don't ask him what's wrong. After a few seconds of what appears to be inner turmoil, he opens his mouth to speak, but closes it suddenly. I am getting sick of it, and I raise my eyebrows at him silently.

"Ok Logan... I..." He rakes his fingers through his hair roughly. He sits down at a stool near the counter and looks me in the eye, trying to regain his lost dominance. "There's been a development, and I think you should know about it." He closes his eyes and sighs. I start to get very curious, and the sound of his voice if making my nervous about what his news might be. I pick up the forks and knives and start to walk into the dining room to set the table. "Lydecker is getting close to one of the X5s, and she is on the run." I walk back into the kitchen, expecting this to be important. I didn't even make it to the dining room and still have the utensils in my hands. He continues. "She has been running for a few days, and I lost contact with her right before I arrived here. Actually, I mainly came to visit you two because I have a small chance I will find her around here. But like I said, she has been out of my reach for a couple of days." His eyes grow soft for a moment as I wait for him to go on. "Actually last time I spoke with her was fifty-one hours ago. And... Well, the one who is on the run is... Max." He casts his eyes down, and I feel myself automatically let go of the silverware in my grasp. I hear it clang onto the floor at my feet, but I don't give a crap. He just said Max.

All I feel is my old hatred for him return and swell inside me as I lean forward across the counter and roughly grab his shirt collar in a fist and pull him towards my face. He looks as surprised as he did when Eve flipped him.

"You mean to tell me that you've been in contact with Max and you never even mentioned it to me?!?" I scream in his face. He suddenly realizes the position he's in, and that a human is showing aggression towards him. In one quick movement her grabs my wrist and twists, making me let go of his shirt. I still don't care. I take a few breaths, then look him fiercely in the eyes. "You will tell me exactly why you never told me, and why I haven't gotten messages from her, and why you think you have the right to keep Eve out of contact with her own mother." I say in a threatening voice. He stands and starts pacing around the room.

"I can answer those. Max wanted to stay out of contact. But she made sure I visited frequently enough to make sure you weren't in trouble, and that Eve was doing fine. She even got me to swipe a few pictures from your album to give to her." He almost has a half smile on his face. "You should have seen her cry and heard her croon in happiness at the first picture I took. Eve was three." Zack bows his head, then raises it to reveal his old CO stern face. "Actually, I don't really understand why she didn't want to give you messages. I suppose she never really knew what to say. But anyway, whenever I asked if she wanted to go back to Seattle, she'd say yes, then half way here she'd lose her nerve. She was afraid. I -"

"Who were you talking to on the phone?" I ask.

"That wasn't Max. I said I haven't heard from her for two days."

"I realize that. I have ears. But for some reason, you chose to finally inform me after speaking to them." Zack nods, then looks away.

"That was a contact in Manticore. He told me that they have yet to capture Max, and they have lost her trail for now. She's totally off their radar. He said they sent some spies out to find her though, so I'm... concerned." He obviously didn't want to say he was worried. Too much of a weakness, I suppose.

"Are you sure you can trust this guy on the inside?" I ask. Never can be too careful.

"I don't trust anyone. But he has been right more than he has been wrong. And... You know him, in a way. His name is Victor." I search my memory. I know that name, it's important. Ah, yes. That is little Max's dad - Jace's lover, years ago. Yes, I suppose we can trust him somewhat.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Zack's arms tense, and he stands quickly. He heard something. Turning towards the door, he begins to walk over to it cautiously. Before he can place his palm on the doorknob, the doors burst open, and Eve storms in with tear streaked cheeks.

"How dare you!" She yells through sobs. Oh God, she must have heard the conversation. "How could you keep that from me, Zack, how? I wanted my mother, I wanted to meet her, but you could have brought her, given me some kind of heads up!" She is really losing it. She is acting out all that I feel like doing. She takes a few large strides towards him, pulls back her hand and punches him as hard as she can manage. He goes flying off the stool and hits the floor with a hard thud. She is on top of him in a second. He's blocking most of her shots, something he probably wouldn't be able to do if she weren't hysterical. I never thought she would react this severely if given this type of news. But she has always been unpredictable. I just stand off to the side and watch. I don't quite fell like calling her off just yet. Let Zack get his ass beat, it'll keep him real. Soon he has her arms pinned to her sides and she has stopped crying, totally exhausted at the outburst. Zack is staring at her wide eyed as his cheek starts turning purple from the first strike. He sits up and hugs her, whispering apologies in her ear, not wanting me to hear or witness this. He's going to have to deal with me being here to witness it.

After about an hour of talking relatively calmly, I start to get an idea of what Max's life has been like since I last saw her. Zack was being vague, but it didn't really bother me. Just as long as I get to hear it. As soon as hew learned she had run away, he gave her the contact number, and even took her around to visit a few siblings. That sort of bothers me.

"So you implied that she had traded one family for another, is that it?" My tone was familiar in my ears. Zack and I had been rocketed back to our old ways, before Eve. Bitterness was leaking from our pores as we stared each other down.

"Dad! Just stop it, both of you. Can't we just change the subject and resume this little love fest tomorrow? It's ten at night, and even I'm tired of it. It's enough to make me sleep." I relax at her words. I am sorry fro putting her in the middle of this, she has been playing moderator all night.

She sighed and pulled her hair out of its clip, letting it fall to her upper back in loose curls. So much like Max. And Max is alive, and out there. But Zack doesn't seem to care that much. After all, he actually gets to see Max.

"You really should cut your hair, Eve." He demands. She just rolls her eyes, receiving a disapproving glare. "It's too easy to grab in a fight. You are lucky enough to not have a barcode, use it to your advantage."

"Actually, Uncle dearest," He hates it when she calls him that - she must be getting ready for a sarcastic remark. "I see my long hair as an advantage. I can win over intelligence with sex appeal." I look at her sharply, my father side showing well. Zack laughs at me. She turns too him as well. "And might I add, I will cut my hair when you get a 'Manticore Marine' tattoo." My turn to laugh.

She giggles then looks longingly at the kitchen. "I'm going to go get some milk, you two try not to rip each other's limbs off." With that she got up and sauntered off into the kitchen. I notice both Zack and I are smiling at her behavior. I took a deep breath and looked at him, waiting for him to meet my gaze.

"She's Max." I say wistfully, and to my surprise he nods, staring off into space. He must be picturing Max.

I hear the fridge door close and Eve walks back in. Suddenly she stops, and visibly tenses. Zack immediately senses her change and looks at her in silent communication. She ignores him and walks to the coffee table to put her milk down, then backs away from it. She seemed to be trying to position herself. I can see her arm muscles are taut, and she seems coiled up and ready to spring. A sign of danger, if you ask me. We both watch her in interest. Once she seems pleased with her location, she looks over at Zack with a serene expression on her face. She casually lifted one hand to scratch her ear, but instead pointed to it. Then she stretched her arms above her head and subtly pointed to the skylight behind her. Zack nodded in understanding as I processed the movements. She heard someone at the skylight. I feel adrenaline rise inside my veins. Zack stands, ready to protect his pack, I suppose. Wolf DNA, perhaps. She shoots him a warning look instead. On section of the skylight is open widely, and anyone could fit through there. I see the danger now. Anyone could be up there. Eve turned and casually walked away from the skylight, then turned and ran towards it, then jumped up through the open part with no assistance at all. It happened so fast neither of us could stop her. Zack and I sat in shock for a few moments while there was a surprised yelp from the roof, and a few deep thumps.

Within a few seconds of Eve being up there, fighting God knows what, a black figure was thrown to the penthouse floor with a thud and a groan. Right after that Eve dropped down over the figure, standing straddled over the person. Zack and I both ran up to the two protectively. Eve's chest was heaving slightly, as she stood expectantly in a fighting stance over the other. Under her, a mass of dark curls rustled, and a head was lifted. My heart jumped as I saw the face, holding a cut lip and frightened eyes.

"Max!"

Oooooooooooo! (I know I'm a dork) But there she is! Of course next chapter will explain, and the X8 is coming! Have faith in thy author, Red! (More dorkness) Well - REVIEW! I am encouraged to write faster by reviews...... so start typing! See ya next chapter.