Chapter 10: The Evading
Max looked up at Alec and gave him the thumbs up. He nodded curtly in reply and signaled for her to hold her position on his count. He turned back towards the camera and watched as it slowly turned away from filming the area twenty feet underneath him, and he began counting down with his fingers for Max.
On one Max vaulted from her position on the marble statue to the desk and then spring from the desk to Alec's waiting arms where he hung upside down from the skylight. She scrambled up his body and out into the night before turning and holding out a hand for him to pull himself up with as well.
The set up of their latest heist was a little more complicated than previous ones. The dentist's office was small but luxurious catering to the truly wealthy, the only people who could still afford to go to a dentist. The place was too small to warrant a security guard, but the art pieces serving as ambience were valuable enough for the owner to take measures such as the infrared lasers that ran throughout the floor after he locked up for the night.
But he didn't take into consideration the abilities of the two young thieves that visited his establishment that night. He didn't expect one thief to be able to swing his partner through the skylight to land expertly on the small table that held the magazines and then use the various supports found therein to jump around the room never once touching the floor or jostling her latest perch as she loaded up treasures into her backpack while her partner tracked the camera and steered her out of it's range. And as a result of his lack of foresight, the dentist was relieved of a hundred thousand dollars worth of merchandise.
***
Alec watched her from the bathroom doorway. She was sitting on the bed, studying something in her hand. Her side profile showed him a glimpse of her wistful expression. It made her look younger. Watching her this way now, he couldn't help remember the last time she reminded him of a little girl instead of the soldier/survivor story her eyes usually told. They never spoke of that night after their first heist when he'd held her trembling form in his arms. When they woke the next morning they simply grabbed their stuff and moved on to a new city. Nearly a month had passed and neither one of them mentioned it, as if it was of no consequence. But it had been a big deal because since that night things had not been the same between them.
They could joke and laugh together before, but there was still a guardedness to it; an invisible line of scrimmage of sorts that both knew not to cross. However now when they joked or laughed, there was usually touching: playful shoves, light shoulder punches, even tickling. It wasn't unusual for Alec's feet to be on Max's lap as they watched TV or for her to reach up and ruffle his hair to make his bed head worse. Their arguments were a lot more heated as well. Because before when they were virtually strangers, compromises were easy to come by since neither party really wanted to rock the boat. But now when they fought it often ended with doors being slammed, objects being hauled at one another, or all out wrestling matches. Their record for not speaking to each other was forty-four hours. Yet through it all they knew there was probably nothing either of them could say to each other to make the other one walk away completely.
He knew she sensed his approach by the way she nonchalantly but speedily shoved the thing in her hand into her pocket.
"Whatcha got there?" He asked smirking at how she tensed because she knew despite her efforts she had been caught. She turned slowly to scowl at him but the expression broke apart when she took in what he was wearing.
Alec's brows scrunched together in confusion at the way she was looking at him, but then it hit him and he remembered what he'd been doing in the bathroom for the past twenty minutes. An instant after this recollection was when Max finally gave up and broke into a hysterical fit of laughter.
Tears were leaking from her eyes and her stomach was starting to ache as she bent over still laughing at Alec. He looked like he was about to head out for a jog, for he was wearing a jumpsuit complete with headband and Adidas yet the idea of him being an exercise nut was shot to shit by the prosthetic gut straining against the jacket zipper. The head band only served to draw attention to his now bald head, the hair of which having seemed to have moved to now cover his face in a full beard. But for Max, the funniest part of his get up were the black rimmed glasses perched on the swollen beak of a nose he now adorned.
See, they'd adopted some rules since their first heist. Some of which were the cause of many of their most searing arguments. But eventually they came up with a few ground rules. For one they'd never pull a job that would earn them less than thirty grand. They also decided to play it safe whenever meeting with whatever fence they had lined up for the job. Since they were sticking to just ripping off business buildings, it might not be long before word was put out for them to be aware. A reward might even be put up for their capture. If too many different people could put both of them in the same area of the robberies, they'd be caught in no time. Thus in dealing with the various fences in the different cities they pulled jobs in, they never went together to negotiate with the fence and whoever did go had to wear a disguise.
Alec waited patiently for her to get it all out of her system. However when six minutes passed and she was still rolling around on the floor and pointing at him, he turned and left without another word.
****
The restaurant was packed but Alec didn't have to search long to find her; his eyes automatically pulled to the table she was seated in the far corner of the room. They could always pick each other out no matter how big the crowd or how big the distance was between them. After meeting with the fence, he returned to the room to find her gone, and a note taped on the bathroom mirror telling him where to meet her for dinner.
"How'd it go?" She asked when he slid into the seat across from her.
"Piece of cake." He answered before reaching for the beer she had slid over to him. He then drained the glass in one gulp and immediately filled it up again with the pitcher on the table.
"Uhhh thirsty." She asked with an arched eyebrow.
"Sorry. All that shit I was wearing was so hot and since you wouldn't let me take your bike and I had to walk--- Max would you get over it already!" At the reminder of what Alec had been wearing Max had started snickering again much to Alec's annoyance. "Fine." He stood up. "I'm going to get something a lot stronger than beer."
"Alec wait. Sorry I'm good now…swear." She said still laughing. Alec rolled his eyes. He turned towards the bar but then turned back when he remembered the few bills he had taken out with him were from part of the money off the fence which meant all he had on him were big bills.
"Hey Maxie, I need a ten." She took a deep breath and nodded before reaching into her pocket and pulling out some bills.
"What's this?" When she was pulling out the money something dropped to the floor by her foot and Alec bent over to pick it up.
"Nothing!" She yelled while reaching to grab it back but Alec moved it out of her reach.
"Hey this is what you were looking at back in our room."
"Give it back now!" Alec couldn't help smirking at how serious Max was when less than a minute ago she had been making fun of him.
"What's the big deal?" He said still holding it out of her reach. Alec handed it over an instant later when Max was finally forced to punch him in the gut. "Seriously Max, why do you carry around a magazine clipping of a house?" He asked after hobbling back to his seat.
She was in the process of stuffing it back into her pocket but then she decided what the hell and took it back out again. After smoothing out the creases and staring at it for several moments, she spoke. "Okay you're gonna think it's stupid but remember when we talked about using some of the money we "make" to buy houses." At his nod she continued. "Well I saw this in a magazine and I kinda thought this would be what I'd want my house to look like."
"Awww, Maxie's dream house." Alec teased while looking at the picture fondly.
"I knew you'd make fun." She said pulling it away.
"Hey you're one to talk." He said while grabbing her hand and putting the picture back on the table in front of them. "But no I think it's nice. Huge drive way. Three stories but not too many windows. Ooh that's a cool shape for a front door. Panel job is neat too. We'd have to do something about the color though."
"Oh definitely." Max said studying the picture as well. "I was thinking a darker color." Alec considered it for a minute before picking up the picture and examining it closer. He then turned it over and noticed some handwritten numbers on the back.
"What this?"
Max's cheeks flushed. "I ugh also looked at a couple other books and found out the market value of a house like this."
Alec gave a slow whistle while placing the picture back on the table between them. "It'll be a while before we can afford this baby." Max smiled. She was glad to see that he was genuinely interested and didn't think her pursuit was silly.
His reaction encouraging her to open up more, she added. "I thought it'd be kinda cool if we got that place and then I found the others who escaped with me. Then we could all live there together. No more constant moving around or lonely nights sleeping out in the cold. We'd finally be together…happy…free of Manticore. Kay maybe not free of Manticore, but a girl can dream, right?"
Alec couldn't help smiling at the childish glee her face radiated when talking about her wish for her and her siblings. "You never once saw any of them after the escape." He then asked to which she shook her head in reply. Neither noticed that their fingers that had both been splayed out over the picture had migrated until his larger ones were covering her smaller ones. "You miss them a lot don't you?" He said softly while gently moving his thumbs across the backs of her hands.
Max shrugged. "They were my family. I loved them."
The oppressive atmosphere was staved when at that moment their food arrived. "Ordered you the chicken sandwich with bacon and cheddar, hope you don't mind." Max said as the waiter placed their food in front of them.
When Alec's answer was quickly stuffing half of it in his mouth, she knew he didn't. "No prahbrum. Um starvin." He managed to get out before shoving a handful of fries in his mouth with the sandwich.
He finished all of his food, the fresh pitcher of beer their waiter had poured and half of Max's fries in record time. Since Max was still working on her sandwich, he decided to refill their pitcher himself instead of waiting for their server to come back.
He was almost to the bar when he suddenly tensed. The euphoric haze of the alcohol, Max's company and the lively atmosphere lifted as he scanned the crowd. Usually when he was in a setting such as this, he tuned out most of the noise. If he concentrated on everything going on, with his enhanced senses, he'd go crazy. However there were a few words that could always filter through and draw his attention. Most of the time it was nothing to worry about because the red flag words were never isolated to one place. But when words like assignment, op, report, target and retrieval were all included in the same whispered conversation, Alec couldn't help the feeling of dread that came over him. And with good reason, Alec realized when he finally was able to zoom into where the conversation was occurring.
Seated in a booth in the back corner opposite from their table were two men. Alec could only see the back of one, but his identity didn't matter considering the identity of the man that was facing Alec. Agent Crisp. He and Agent Sandoval prepped him for his first solo mission-the mission that led to his life now.
What the hell was he doing here? Alec zoomed in on the profile of the man seated across from Crisp. 289. Alec hadn't seen him since 289 was taken from his unit three years ago for extended missions training. Better him than me, Alec shuddered knowing that training for EMs meant weeks alone in various harsh environments with little or no supplies.
"And the contingency plan, sir?" Alec heard 289 ask.
"Not in your need to know…especially since the possibility of failure of your mission is zero percent. Understood soldier.
"Yes sir." 289 responded immediately.
Alec found himself shuddering again. He knew a threat when he heard one. Moreover he knew what 289 would have to face if he failed the mission and that threat was cashed in-something he too might have to face in the near future if he and Max didn't get out of here now. He quickly checked to see if he could get her attention from where he stood.
The moment he looked towards their table, Max looked up at him and their eyes held. She could tell straight away that something was wrong. She raised her eyebrow in question making Alec thankful that he had her full attention. Taking complete advantage of that attention, he inconspicuously signaled to her with his hands and fingers that he spotted an enemy and for her to immediately escape and evade and that he would follow once she was clear. She nodded and rose from her seat immediately.
Alec watched as Max slipped outside the side exit they were seated next to before heading towards the front entrance that was close to him. He cast one more glance towards Crisp and 289 and saw Crisp staring straight back at him. Alec's alarm didn't show in his eyes or his body language. The fear and panic accumulated itself in the back of his neck until it felt like his barcode was being branded on him at that instant. They were very far away from each other, but he could tell from his eyes that Crisp either recognized him but couldn't quite place him or thought he looked like someone else he knew. Crisp turned to 289 to get his opinion on that matter and Alec used that opportunity to disappear from their sight. If he could make it out without 289 seeing him, there was a good chance that Crisp would shrug it off and focus on his current assignment.
Alec made it all the way to the door without incident but when he turned back he saw that Crisp and 289 were no longer at their table. They were headed straight for him!
When he got outside, Max was nowhere in sight. He didn't expect her to be. He knew she was back at their hotel packing their things. He also knew that he wouldn't have to go back to the hotel that instead he'd meet her at the rendezvous point they set up if an incident such as the one they were currently experiencing ever occurred.
Alec watched from the roof of the restaurant Crisp and 289 exit the building. Crisp was on his cell phone and 289 was doing a cursory scan of the area, undoubtedly thinking that if it had been 494 Crisp spotted, he would be long gone. Alec had been counting on that which was why he stayed right under their noses. He glanced down at his watch. He had an hour to make sure he was not being followed and to get to Max (that was their agreed timeframe).If he didn't make it to her an hour after she last saw him she was to leave the city and hopefully catch up with him at their next destination.
Max looked down at her watch the moment she pulled into the rest stop just passed the city's border. It had been 20 minutes since she last saw Alec. She had packed up their belongings in no time and fled not bothering to formally check out of the hotel. Now all she had to do was wait and worry. She looked at her watch again before dismounting her bike. She had no idea what or who Alec had seen. She didn't know if he had been spotted or how many were after him. She didn't know anything.
Meanwhile Alec was jumping from rooftop to rooftop; deciding to take to higher ground as he raced towards Max. He was scared. He'd heard the response on the cell phone say that they could have units in the area within five minutes. He didn't stick around to see if they were lying or not but he did see two jeeps heading back towards the restaurant as he fled. There definitely had to be a base in the area.
Alec made it all the way to the edge of town when he saw the cluster of humvees. Soldiers were talking with sector police and they had already begun stopping cars that were trying to get out. He was trapped. If they were closing it off in this direction, the story would be the same in the opposite direction. At least they didn't see Max with him. Alec thought. Hopefully she made it out, okay.
But what about me? Think think think. Alec scanned the night in every direction hoping for inspiration. A neon light in the distance caught his attention. It protruded out of a warehouse that was serving as a night club. Alec smiled before turning quickly, and with great stealth descending the building; a plan forming, as he made his way towards the sign.
Max watched from her perch on the bulletin board that advertised the rest stop she and Alec had picked as their rendezvous point; her night and telescopic vision letting her clearly see the city's border. Her panic continued to escalate as she saw the soldiers implementing the road blocks and stopping people to check their IDs. They knew. But they didn't have him yet. If they were still going through such lengths to keep people inside it was because they were trying to block him in before he escaped the city. There were only so many places he could hide and they would be checking them all, but Alec was Manticore. If anybody could make it out, it was him. He'd find a way.
***
"Hey man, can I buy you a drink?"
"Look, I've said this a thousand times, I was only at the bar because I lost a bet. Honestly I like women. I've got a date with one tomorrow in fact.
Despite the dire circumstances, Alec couldn't help laughing at the exasperated man in front of him. "It's cool man. That's not what I'm offering. How you'd like to take your date some place extra special with the money I give you in return for one small favor?"
The man looked skeptical but when Alec saw his eyes light up from the sight of the green he pulled out of his pocket, Alec knew he had him.
"Nothing sexual man I swear. I just need your clothes."
***
"I can't believe I'm doing this." The guy Alec found out was named Charlie slurred. In fact, that phrase was all he'd been saying since they left the bar fifteen minutes ago heading straight towards the city's limit and the road block. It was getting annoying since Alec knew exactly why he was doing this—the five hundred bucks he had laid on him.
289, an X series, had seen him. Alec knew that meant that the soldiers patrolling the area looking for him now had a full description right down to the color of his shoelaces. However switching clothes with a man his approximate size and built was only the first part of the plan. Alec pushed Charlie behind a parked van as he saw the second part of the plan heading towards them.
Two soldiers, one on each side of the street, were working their way down the block. Kelso and McCoy were checking down alleys, looking for loose man hole covers, peering in parked cars, all with the purpose of finding the rogue Agent Crisp had spotted almost an hour ago.
After telling Charlie to stay put, Alec went into the alley a few feet away from the van and scrambled up the fire escape. The moment the soldier stepped into the alley with his flashlight, Alec made his move. His blurring form barely registering before McCoy found his air cut off followed by him falling to the ground unconscious.
After switching clothes yet again, Alec hid the soldier in a nearby dumpster.
***
Max looked down at her watch again. His hour was up in ten minutes. Should she leave him? Could she? The speed at which they locked the city up confirmed her worst fear that it was Manticore after him. For a few seconds, she had entertained the idea that maybe the police had found out about the robbery they had pulled earlier that night. But there was no way the borders would be closed and that amount of military would be called in just for a few petty criminals. Manticore was behind this, and they were looking for the multimillion dollar weapons system that had escaped their possession. They were looking for Alec.
***
Kelso was rechecking his side of the street when he saw his comrade bent over with his hands on his knees studying the tall hedges that lined the walkway of an apartment complex.
"Got something?" Kelso asked to which his partner put up his hand and waved him over without turning around. Kelso quickly crossed over to him, and five minutes later found himself in the dumpster sleeping next to the real McCoy.
Alec and Charlie continued on towards the city's limits with Alec checking his watch every few feet. They rounded the corner and were greeted by near chaos. Lines of pedestrians were packed together on both sides of the street. There was a row of honking cars with angry drivers shouting out their windows in the middle of the street. Alec smiled. He'd been counting on such a scene; it made his work all the easier.
"Okay Charlie you know what to do."
"You sure I'm not gonna get in trouble or killed." He asked while nervously eyeing the armed soldiers checking IDs.
"Positive. You're not who they're after so you have nothing to fear. Come tomorrow night this'll just be a story you can use to impress your date."
"Okay."
"Good man." Alec patted him on the back before shoving him towards the crowd. He then headed off in another direction. He used his disguise as a soldier to push himself through the crowd until he was almost at the gate where an even larger crowd of people were waiting to be waved through. When Alec saw Charlie weaving in and out between cars towards the gate, he took a breath. He then pointed towards Charlie and shouted.
"Look there it's him!" Soldiers and civilians alike started looking around. Counting on the fact that the civilians weren't privy to the real reason why they were being held up other than the search for a fugitive, Alec added. "Look he's wearing a bomb!"
With that the crowd erupted in screams and chaos. Alec quickly stepped away from the crowd and tackled Charlie making sure he stayed faced down. He then discreetly took out the handgun he'd gotten off the soldier and fired successive rounds towards a car tire.
At hearing the shots people became more frantic with running and trying to duck for cover. When Alec saw the soldiers making their way through the fray towards him, he got off of Charlie and yelled for him to get up and run again. This time a group of soldiers that had seen him struggling with Alec tackled Charlie.
Max was heading back towards her bike when the sounds of gunfire and screaming reached her genetically engineered ears. Heart beating violently against her chest in her fear, Max ran back to the bulletin board and climbed on to it. People were running and screaming in all directions. In the center of the street, a vast majority of the soldiers had converged. Max held her breath as she saw that circle opening up and two soldiers dragging a man to his feet. She felt tears threaten as she took in the black jeans and leather jacket…Alec's leather jacket. But then her eye brows drew together in puzzlement when she noticed the man's hair. It was wrong. Wrong color, wrong texture, and wrong length. Granted the amount these characteristics differed from Alec's were almost microscopic, but it was enough for Max to know they were different and therefore that was not Alec. Max scanned the crowd further her heart swelling as she realized Alec set up a decoy. And then she saw it. While all the other soldiers were completely focused on the drama in the middle of the street, one soldier was inching back through the crowd towards the city's gates. For some reason, Max still felt like crying as she jumped from her lookout point and sprinted to her bike.
Alec had made it about ten feet passed the gate when he heard the roar of a Ninja in the distance. She pulled up alongside of him less than two minutes later. Without a word, he climbed on back and together they sped off into the night leaving yet another city far, far behind.
TBC (Next up, Max and Alec get some loving…but maybe not with each other)