A Family Affair
Chapter 3: Side by Side
"We were originally going to find White and mug him but then we just decided to go to Crash," said Max.
She and Alec were just about to leave to retrieve some ancient relic that Logan was sending them to 'save'. Logan being Jesse's future father was invited to join them at Crash. He was bringing Asha of course, the two of them, had become inseparable over the year, Max knew it wouldn't last though. Jesse's mother was a transgenic and Asha was not. In the beginning the X5 had hated the blonde for coming between her and Logan; whether she meant to or not was beside the point.
Logan was fair game now and it was his life, Max found herself happy with Alec of all people. She and Logan secretly knew that they wouldn't be together after the whole virus incident. Even after they had it cured it was no use; so in the end Max and Logan became just friends. Max and Alec made a surprisingly good team whenever Logan sent them on his Eyes Only missions. But why would it be surprising really? X5's 452 and 494 were designed for each other.
"So we can count you guys in?" asked Alec.
"We'll be there," said Logan, "seven o'clock right?"
"Yup, West-Eastern docks?"
"Yeah and the boat leaves in half an hour so…"
"Hurry up and get there," finished Alec, "gotcha."
"Kay, we'll see you later," said Max grabbing Alec by the hand and pulling him out the door.
When they were gone Logan walked into the kitchen to where Asha was making coffee and asked her, "Why do people always interrupt me?"
His only response was a cough that sounded suspiciously like a laugh.
^^^
West-Eastern Docks...
"So what did Logan send us here for?" asked Alec and he and Max crouched behind some crates.
"Were you even listening?"
"All I heard was 'some ancient relic' is it worth anything?"
"Logan said it was worth a lot and that these guys are part of a crime ring."
"Part of a crime ring that steals things?"
"Uh huh."
"Isn't that what we do?" asked Alec.
"We steal from people who don't need things," said Max.
"Like that museum heist we pulled last week?"
"The curator pissed me off," hissed Max, "and we don't have a ring."
"Would you want one?"
"Huh?" Max was slightly taken a back, he meant a 'crime' ring right? He couldn't have meant…
"Whatever, so what are we looking for?"
"A box with a red seal," she said glancing at him suspiciously.
"Like that one right there?" asked Alec pointing to a crate that was being wheeled onto the boat.
"Exactly like that one right there," said Max making her way closer to the boat.
"Hey, how do we know Logan isn't in a crime ring?" Alec whispered as she went by, "what if Eyes Only is their leader?"
^^^
A few minutes and unconscious guards later, Max and Alec made their way further into the cargo ship.
"Let's see," said Alec, "if I were red marked crate where would I be?"
"In the corner of the docking bay on top of some other boxes."
"Well that's a good guess Max but…"
"No, I'm serious it's right there," she said pointing to the corner and lo and behold there was their crate.
"Okaaay then, let's crack it open."
The two X5's made their way over to the corner and did just that. The crate was about 3x3 feet, a little too big for what was inside; Max pushed the straw aside, lifted up the item and made a face.
"You're kidding me right?" said Max as she held up what was in the crate.
"Ten bucks says he gives it to Asha," said Alec.
Max held a little blue glass music box. The glass was tinted with different hues, from light blues to navy all running together. Max opened the lid and a medley from Swan Lake played.
"What's so important about this?" wondered Max outloud
"I told you it's for Asha."
"Logan had better have a good reason for this."
Max and Alec headed out the door trying to go unnoticed. It worked until they came above the decks and found other officers wondering what had happened to their shipmates. A couple fists, kicks, and gunshots later, Max and Alec were running off the docks and into a nearby alley.
"I still think he's going to give it to Asha."
"Alec give it up!"
"Come on Max a music box? And even if that is what Logan wanted, it sure doesn't look ancient to me."
"What's so special about this?"
"Don't ask me how his crazy human mind works," said Alec shrugging.
"Whatever we drop it off, go home, then go to Crash."
"An excellent plan."
^^^
"You sent them to steal what?" asked Asha.
"A music box," repeated Logan, "but it's not the box itself that was being auctioned off, it's what was inside. You see there's a hidden compartment inside of it and I heard from one of my many sources that there's a Sicilian glass figurine underneath all the velvet."
"And to a normal person that means…"
"Well for one I wouldn't call you normal and two, it's survived since the 1700's. Very rare, and it doesn't need to be traded for drugs. I'm just trying to do my part."
"How much is it worth?" asked Asha.
"A couple hundred."
"Thousand?"
"Million," said Logan, "and bad people who have lots of money is never a good thing."
"Okay so…" Asha was cut off when the balcony door opened.
"Could you two stop coming in that way?" asked Logan as Alec tossed him the music box.
"It's funner that way," said Alec.
"Funner?" repeated Logan, "Alec that's not a word."
"Okay then it's 'more fun' that way," said Alec, "happy now Mr. Grammatically- Correct?"
"So what's with the box?" asked Max.
"It's not the box it's what's in the box."
Logan opened the lid and pulled the bottom out, and pulled out a red velvet handkerchief. Unwrapping the layers, he pulled out a small glass figurine of a ballerina that fit in his hand.
"Ta daa."
"Ohhh, and that's superly expensive?"
"Superly?"
"Shut up, Logan."
~*~*~*~*~
A/N: Okay I FINALLY updated! I'm sorry it took so long but I'm totally swamped with work, not to mention that I have no spares to write on. And I'm doing my school work during the only two lunch hours I have off. I have lots and lots of work to do, so I don't know when the next chapter will be out. April 7th is the last day when all of my major projects come in and I can start relaxing. Remember to review, I love reading what you guys think and it makes me want to keep writing. Thanks to everyone that has reviewed already! I love you guys^_^
Oh and guess what? My story Out of the Future is being translated into French!
I got an e-mail from Jam Pony Xpress' Lead Translator (Julie) asking if they could use my fic! I was so excited! The main translator for OOTF is AmaRanTh. So a big thanks to them!
If you're interested in checking out the french version e-mail me for the address because fanfiction.net is cutting out the link on this chapter for some reason.