Dark Angel Revised by Candyabble
Chapter 6: The Seizing
Alec watched the cheering crowd gleefully. He punched the air a few times before sending a wink to the group of girls outside the cage. Word had traveled fast about the gorgeous, young champion fighter. He'd originally only planned on doing it for a week, but when Max told him they were stuck here for at least three, when he kept winning he didn't quit after the first week. They'd already made a ton of money on his fights plus Max had cleaned up too by hustling people in poker during his fights. Business was already booming for T and A Pub, being that it was the only form of entertainment in the whole hick town, but Russell, the manager, wasn't complaining about the even larger crowd that Alec's fights drew. Nor was Alec complaining that every female in the place was currently drooling over him. Well every female except one, Alec noted, as his eyes found Max seated in the back corner trying to stifle a yawn. Ever since her biker friends left last week, Max was constantly complaining about how long and boring the fights were being that she didn't have anybody to talk to and nobody was stupid enough to play her in poker or any other card game that involved money anymore. He had to admit to himself that he missed those hairy guys too. When he'd wipe the floor with every guy who dared challenge him that first night, the bikers looked at him in a whole new way. By the third day of being undefeated, they were just as taken with him as they were by Max. It was also nice that because they thought she was his, they'd always kept an eye out for her (unbeknownst to Max of course) against the more unsavory types that passed through the pub while he was indisposed, and because they witnessed ringside what he was capable of none of the bikers like Harvey gave her any more trouble. They all treated her like a kid sister.
Alec rolled his eyes as he watched as she yawned again and gave the club another disinterested once over. Since their friends left, he'd told her a million times that she didn't have to tag along, but she always insisted on coming.
I really should go find something else to do. Max thought. She wanted to keep an eye on Alec and even though his fights guaranteed he'd be in the ring for at least the hour it took to knock down the usual twelve or so challengers giving her time to go off on her own, she couldn't bring herself to take the risk of him using a phone. Her staying had absolutely nothing to do with how he looked dressed only in sports trunks or the way his muscles rippled whenever he struck his opponent. No, she needed to keep an eye on him for security purposes only. How he looked had no affect on her like it did all these other slut bag, whores grinning at him. She looked around the room disgustedly. Besides it would be too risky for either of them to get involved with anyone now, therefore; it would be in both their best interests if she was waiting for him down in front the moment he finished and that way they'd be able to make a quick exit. And that bitch in front wiggling her chest at him will get the message. A hard voice whispered inside her head making her look around quickly to see if anyone else heard it.
***
Alec whistled as he counted his winnings for the night.
"Alec, put that away before we get jumped." Max admonished.
"By what, an owl and his crew of foxes and squirrels. Look around, Max, in case you haven't noticed where in the middle of nowhere." Alec gestured to the surrounding woods.
"Whatever." She muttered.
"You okay?" Usually the banter between them was nonstop. Their walk home from T and A Pub together was like a ritual. She would tease him about showing off just to impress the girls watching him fight and he would tease her about playing the bubbly airhead to con guys into playing cards or pool with her.
"Fine. Just a headache. Seemed louder than usual in there tonight." She replied.
"Can't help it if I'm this place's main attraction." He smirked. She pushed him playfully and his smile grew. But that was it for this night's teasing. He could tell she wasn't up for it, and he didn't like seeing her looking so worn out. It unnerved him a bit. Living with her these past several days taught him that she rarely slept yet she still remained perfectly functionally. This sluggish way she was carrying herself now was not becoming. He didn't dwell on it too much, however, more than likely, she just needed a good night's sleep.
***
He woke to a rustling noise coming from the room next to him. He rolled over and closed his eyes believing the noise was just Max moving about in her room. The noise persisted and his eyes popped open when he realized the noise had a rhythm to it. What the hell was she doing? He thought as he threw of his blanket. It sounded like she was furiously scrubbing the wall. He couldn't fathom why she would be doing that which was why he was leaving the warmth of his "bed" to go investigate.
He entered the room to find her huddled against the wall. Her knees were drawn to her chest and her whole body was shaking rapidly.
"Max." He was kneeling in front of her an instant later.
"It's nuh nuh nothing. Jjjust a nuh nuh nerve ththing." She stuttered and shrank away from his outstretched hand.
"Max." He said more gently, his hand hanging in the air for a moment longer before letting it drop to his side.
"Oh rrrright sssorry. Its like a rrrreflex. Forgot I ddddon't have to hide fffrom you. Ddddo you get them too?"
"Not since I was a kid. What are those?" He took the bottle from her shaking hand and read the label. "Tryptophan?"
"It helps. I'll be ggggood as new in nnnno time."
He nodded and then handed her back the bottle. She took two more before curling up once more. He moved next to her but kept some distant between them, remembering how she flinched when he first approached.
"Alec?" She said in a little girl's voice.
"I'm here, Max." The phrase came unbidden from his lips and when she remained silent, he knew that the reassurance of his presence was indeed all she had wanted.
They stayed that way until her body stilled; only giving an occasional shiver.
"Did Manticore find a way to fix the problem?" He thought she had fallen asleep and therefore was surprised to hear her question break the silence.
"Yeah. Years ago."
"What'd they do?"
"Don't know. I never really had them this bad. So it was probably a couple years after they had treated us that I thought 'Hey wait a minute, what the hell happened to my seizures?"
She laughed softly making Alec smile.
"They've gotten worse over the years." She said tiredly after another long bout of silence. "Before I ran away, the few kids that had them this bad were taken away." She whispered.
Alec nodded, remembering a few unit members who disappeared in the night. "How'd you know to get Tryptophan?" He asked, partly out of curiosity, mostly out of wanting to talk about something other than being in Manticore.
"After the pulse, I ran away from the foster family I was staying with. I ran without stopping for food or rest for days. My body finally made me stop. I had no idea where I was when they started. I do remember it was pouring rain and I had managed to crawl under a cluster of bushes by this huge brick building.
I don't know how long I stayed there until I noticed a basement window a few feet a way. I climbed through and ended up passing out behind a stack of books. When I woke up, I dragged my tired out ass up the stairs to check out the building to see if I could find food or water. It was completely deserted except for hundreds of hundreds of books." Her eyes were closed, Alec observed. Her soft smile at the memory soothed him and he almost felt like he was there too. "Even though there was no food, I didn't want to leave. It was so quiet and peaceful. The noise from the chaos outside was so faint in there too." She didn't speak for a few minutes, completely lost in the memory, but finally she opened her eyes. "Anyway, I thought I was in some kind of bookstore until I saw a sign that said it was the Longwood Public Library. When I looked around further, I also found a mini fridge in one of the offices. After I raided that, I decided to look up some stuff. I already knew my seizures were caused by a serotonin deficiency."
"How'd you know that?" Alec interrupted.
"I crashed an autopsy back at Manticore." Her tone was flippant but it didn't fool Alec. "They'd dragged him away earlier that day. Seizures made him collapse in the middle of roll call." She finished somberly.
"What else did you find out in the library?" He asked quickly.
"Well I learned that serotonin is produced in the brain from the amino acid tryptophan, which is derived from foods high in protein, such as meat and dairy products and that tryptophan is transported to the brain, where it is broken down by enzymes to produce serotonin." She droned out the exact wording from the encyclopedia excerpt she'd read all those years ago. "The first few months after the pulse, it was easy to get tryptophan tablets from any health food store (after hours of course). When those closed down, I usually could get it from any cat peddling meds. If I hit a dry spot, I can usually get by with just drinking lots of milk."
"Have you found anybody here that sells it?"
She shook her head and yawned.
"Well not to worry." He stood up and then reached down to help her shakily get to her feet. "I am going into town in a couple of hours for my final match." He led her over to her assortment of blankets. "And when I come back, you will have all the milk you can drink." He eased her down into the covers and pulled them up to her chin. "I'll steal a whole cow if I have to." He said softly while gently stroking her hair off her forehead.
"Your final match?"
"Yeah as much fun as it was, I'm getting sick of picking on people twice my size." She gave him a weak smile. "Will you be alright by yourself for a little while?"
"It's okay. I'll be fine by the time your ready to leave tonight so I'll just go with."
"Max, you're not coming out with me tonight after this. You need your rest."
"Not your decision. I'll be fine." She yawned again and her eyes fluttered languidly. "Besides, I can't miss your last fight."
"You hate coming to my fights. You've said so a million times. 'Oh Alec, do you have to fight every round? Why can't you just fight the last one?' He mimicked in a high pitch voice. 'And why do you have to look so sweaty and sexy in the ring?" Her drooping eyes widened.
"I never said that." It would have been yelled but she didn't have the strength to make her voice reach the right decibel. Alec laughed.
"But admit it, you've thought it."
"You wish." She said indignantly while she thought Shit, did Manticore put a little mind reading in his cocktail?
"I'm just playing, Max. Now close your eyes." He whispered while he resumed stroking her head.
She was a sleep less than five minutes later.
***
Max was close to hyperventilating. Her seizures had stopped and her head and body pains were now just a dull throb, but she still felt sick. She was alone. Alec had gone to town without her. He'd woken her up to tell her twenty minutes ago. Of course she protested but with both feeling and looking like shit she couldn't think of a good argument as to why she should go or he should stay.
They had left Seattle weeks ago, and in all that time, they'd been within shouting distance of one another. Now they were separated, and if he was still working for Manticore, he would have to get in contact with them soon to give a progress report. His current trip into town would be his perfect opportunity.
She couldn't let that happen.