Dark Angel Revised
Chapter 16
"Oh Brother"
I made it through the wilderness…
I made it through the wilderness…
I made it…
Max expelled a puff of air from the side of her mouth in frustration slash boredom. She was lying in bed even though it was kind of pointless because she couldn't sleep. But what was frustrating her more was the thought that she might actually be able to catch a few z's if the line from some pre-pulse song didn't keep running through her brain.
I made it through the wilderness…
I made it through the wilderness…
Grrr… She thought as her hands balled into fists. She didn't even know why she kept thinking of that song or if she knew any other words to it, for that matter, which of course made it all the more annoying.
Turning on her side she gazed down fondly at the sleeping man next to her. As tempted as she was to wake him up, she restrained herself. He did deserve the rest considering how hard he worked the hour before. Max smiled at the memory and then had to summon even more willpower to stop herself from disturbing Alec for a repeat performance. But him laying there looking like that just wasn't fair. Eyelids showcasing magnificently full lashes and voluminous lips slightly puckered likening his face to that of a small boy. That is, until she looked lower and saw the chiseled muscular chest of a man rising and falling slowly.
Yep. He was definitely far too tempting.
Max eased out of the bed, grabbed a change of clothes, and tip toed out into the living room to dress.
Not a cold shower but the chilly, wet Seattle air did guarantee the same results as it beat against Max's face and through her hair as she cruised the Seattle streets on her Ninja. Distraction could be a very good thing when one could not sleep or wake up her genetically engineered boyfriend for round twelve or whatever. And even though the streets weren't as crowded at night, there was still always something going on.
Max figured she found what she was looking for when she pulled up next to a Ducati and revved her engine in the universal sign for a challenge. She couldn't see the person's face through the helmet but a tip of his or her head---most likely his head, Max reasoned after taking in the physique---in her direction told her he accepted.
The light changed to green and a nanosecond later the two motorcycles sped off.
Max wanted so badly to scream but she didn't want to draw any more attention to herself than she already was just by racing at break neck speed through sector six. Instead she settled for a face splitting grin. She loved this! The exhilaration and euphoria she felt when pushing her Ninja to the limit was incredible. It was almost as good as…well let's just say she was very fortunate to have more than one powerful beast to ride.
And her competition was good too. If she didn't know better she'd say Alec was playing a trick on her by disguising himself and using another motorcycle. No matter how sharp a turn she took or how fast she went, the dude was keeping up and doing a little showing off of his own.
Oh the freedom, the thrill, the joy of playing at night! The darkness added just the right element of danger and mystique to amplify the nirvana of it all. Night was her favorite part of the whole d---
Too caught up in surpassing her competition she missed the flash of lights up ahead until it was too late. There were no turn offs. All she could do was slow down and come to a stop in front of two sector police.
She could have snapped both their necks and been half way down the block before their bodies hit the ground. And even though night, with it's whole cover of darkness thing it had, worked in her favor, there were still sixteen people in the immediate vicinity; nine of which would make credible witnesses if she did resort to violence. Plus murdering some people over a motorcycle even though it was her motorcycle would probably screw up her karma more than necessary not to mention the affect it might have on her conscious. So all she could do was clench her jaw and watch impotently as they wheeled her beloved Ninja away.
"You look like you could use a lift." Max spun around towards the deep voice behind her almost hoping it was a creep looking to give her trouble so that she could have someone to vent her rage on. However instead she faced the skilled motorcyclist she had been racing against moments before.
He was still straddling his motorcycle except now his helmet was in his hand. He wasn't at all what she had been expecting. Short blond hair and clear blue eyes which hinted at an intelligence and a hardness that didn't quite fit with his boyish good looks.
"So, can I give you a ride somewhere?"
"S'all good. I can manage." Max shrugged before turning her back on him and walking away. She was halfway down the street before the stranger pulled up alongside her again.
"Look it's late and I wouldn't feel right leaving a lady out on these streets alone." He yelled to her.
"No worries." Max answered without breaking stride. "I'm not exactly a lady. Sides I'm only over in sector five.
"How far away is that?"
"Less than a mile." She shrugged. "You're not from around here are you?" Max asked after finally looking over at him cruising slowly along on his motorcycle.
"Actually I just got here earlier today."
"Visiting or running away?"
The stranger smiled, the hardness evaporating, and Max couldn't help mirroring his smile. "Actually, I guess I'm doing a little of both."
"Why do I have a feeling there's a story there?" They'd reached an intersection and the stranger took the opportunity to pull in front of her.
"I'd be happy to share over, say, a cup of coffee?" He nodded towards the all night diner across the street.
"You seem like a nice guy but I don't want to give you the wrong idea. I'm not looking to hook up or—"
"Hey I'm not trying to hit on you, honest. I really am new in town. I don't have any friends and I wouldn't mind hearing about what this place has got to offer." He gestured to their surroundings before turning his eyes, now pleading, back to her. "So what do you say? Coffee…please?"
Max stared into the blue eyes of the handsome stranger while her mind sorted through some facts.
Hmmm, okay sure, having coffee was a fairly innocent activity. Sure, both she and Alec were secure individuals. And true, they hung out with people without the other one all the time. Max thought about all of these facts before a picture of a sleepy-eyed Alec with mussed up hair asking her what she did last night in that little boy voice he always seemed to have when he first woke up flashed in her head, and then Max had to be honest with herself. After all, she would not be happy with learning that Alec stopped and had coffee with some random girl he had met in the middle of the night.
"Some other time." Max replied.
The stranger opened his mouth to argue, thought better of it and finally sighed. "At least let me keep you company on your walk home."
'Really, I'm fine. There's no—"
"Come on it's only a mile, you said so yourself." The stranger playfully added.
"Okay, fine. But I will warn you that if you try anything funny I have no qualms with kicking your ass."
"I'm not doubting that. I mean I already saw how you handled your motorcycle. Definitely not bad for a girl." The stranger said teasingly while getting off of his motorcycle and then pushing it along while he walked in step with Max. "But it had to have only been like what, 500 cc's?"
"650." Max haughtily corrected.
"Impressive."
"I was thinking of stepping up to a 1200 but with how hard it is to get fuel; just didn't make sense." She continued making the man beside her nod along with her logic.
The two kept up the all things motorcycle related chatter as they walked until they were standing in front of the entrance to the unfinished apartment complex where Max lived with Kendra.
"So this is me. Thanks for walking me home." Max said.
"You live in a condemned building?"
"Yeah. What's it to you. You got something against squatters."
"No. It's just…well…never mind."
"What?"
"Well you've got a kick ass bike that had to cost a lot yet you live here."
Max shrugged. "There's only so much luxury a girl can have in this broken world." She then added softly. "And my motorcycle was it."
"You think you'll be able to get it back."
"Cops do this kind of shit all the time." She said angrily. "Getting it back will probably cost more than she's worth, but I gotta try. Looks like I'm going to have to stop blowing my tips on beer."
"Tips?"
Max nodded her head. "Oh I deliver packages for a living and sometimes the costumers find it in their hearts to tip."
"This place you work at--"
"Jam Pony. It's a bike messenger service."
"Right. They hiring."
Max shrugged. "Boss is a pain in the ass, pay sucks and it involves being outside in Seattle's lovely weather eighty percent of the time. But it can't hurt to ask."
"Thanks." He laughed. "I think I will."
"Guess I'll see you around then."
"Count on it."
He stared after her for a long moment fighting the strong urge to go after her and talk to her some more.
He couldn't believe he found her. Granted he could still be wrong. But he was almost one hundred percent positive. It was her eyes that had told him it was her the moment he had looked over at her when she challenged him to a race earlier. Looking back at him were the eyes he had been searching for during the past ten years…ever since they escaped.
All this time he thought she had been lost to him especially after getting in touch with Jondy and learning that she had fallen through the ice that night. Deep down he knew the real reason he didn't want to believe that she was lost was because then everything…the whole escape, the years on the run…would have been in vain. He got them out to protect her and if she hadn't made it…
But to see her tonight, all his fears were put to rest. Especially when he saw the spark of light that now was present in those brown depths he never would forget in a million years let alone ten.
He never regretted leaving Manticore, but he had come across some of his siblings who fared far worse in this world and probably would have been better off there. He was so scared that Max had suffered that same fate as the years stretched on and he found some of the others but never her.
But apparently she had turned out okay. Physically she was beyond beautiful and no doubt just what the lab geeks at Manticore ordered, but to hear her speak and laugh and to see that light in her eyes he knew that she had also managed well emotionally.
It hadn't all been in vain. His Maxie turned out okay.
However he was still the C.O. first and foremost and he had to make sure she stayed safe. Clearly being in Seattle wasn't the place for her to be. After all he'd come to get another sibling out of danger. He hadn't expected to find Max at all. Seeing Seth on the news and knowing Lydecker would be all over it was what brought him to Seattle. He wondered if Max and Seth were in contact with each other. Could they be that stupid? Max was always big on family. No doubt she would be willing to compromise her safety and Seth's by staying near one another once they had reunited. Seth would know better, but when they were kids Max could always convince Seth to go along with anything, hell she could always do that with all of them. He could admit it to himself that he was probably the weakest one of all when it came to saying no to her. And that was probably the main reason why he'd needed to play it safe now. She didn't recognize him which was a good thing. He couldn't let her know who he was just yet. Not until he could build up the proper resistance against her.
***
"Now O.C., when you and a lady of your choosing are about to become intimate, which part of the bod—"
"Don't you think it's a bit early for this conversation topic, Alec?" Max interrupted.
"Come on, Max, I'm curious. And just think of this as a favor for you because I gotta feeling you're kinda curious too."
"You wish!"
"I sure do."
"Ughhh." Max nearly screamed while pedaling faster. Original Cindy turned to Alec a moment before the two began to crack up laughing.
When the three worked the same shift they'd usually meet at a doughnut shop that was fairly equidistant to all their homes and after grabbing breakfast, they'd ride to Jam Pony together.
As the trio rounded the corner they were so busy laughing and talking that they almost ran straight into a guy who'd just come out of Jam Pony moments before. Actually it was Max who almost ran into him since she was in front and looking back to once again respond to Alec's teasing and therefore not paying attention to what was in front of her.
"Whoa." The man said after Max's bike came to a screeching halt mere millimeters from his body. "Oh hey."
"Hey, you came." Max said amiably surprising the hell out of O.C. and Alec.
"Alec, Original Cindy this is…shit, you know we talked the whole walk back to my crib and I never did get your name."
"Sam."
"Max." She stated not knowing the effect hearing her saying that name was having on the man she just introduced herself to. But "Sam" recovered quickly enough and then looked behind her to the people Max was now also introducing.
Oh fuck. 'Sam' said when he saw the guy standing next to the young woman Max had called Original Cindy. Ben?
How was it possible? He had just left Ben. Actually Ben had just left him. Ben had been sick when he paid him a visit several weeks ago. He was so worried he stayed with him for two weeks; the longest he had ever stayed with any of them. But he had to because Ben wasn't right. In his feverish state, he shaved his head and then went though calisthenics and mantras just like they had to do in Manticore every morning. It made him angry at first to see Ben so out of control. He just reacted; punched him out to get him to shut up when yelling at him to stop wasn't doing the trick. He thought he made a break through a couple days later. They had stayed up all night. Ben had even thanked him for coming. He even apologized for going a little crazy there and promised he was fine now. But when he woke up the next morning Ben was gone.
Is this where he came? He thought as he continued to stare at Alec even harder than before. But then something finally clicked in his head and he knew that this man next to Max wasn't Ben. He had a full head of hair. No way, Ben's would have reached that length in the short time since he'd last seen him. But other than that they were too identical not to be related. Which meant the man in front of him was Manticore, but not someone from his unit.
This was not good.
Alec half listened while Max quickly explained the details of she and Sam's meeting last night. After hearing they had spent a good portion of time together last night while he had been home asleep, all the while thinking she was beside him, mind you, he wasn't too eager to hear more details. Also he wasn't blind to the way Sam hadn't taken his eyes off of him since the moment he saw him. Alec was, indeed, used to being stared at by both women and men but that wasn't the vibe he wasn't getting from Sam at all. He already had a reason not to like this guy and with the creepy way he kept staring at him he now had another.
"So he came down to try and get a job here." Max finished completely oblivious to the undertones and thoughts of the two men next to her. However her radar kicked in a few seconds later when no one spoke after she was done, but instead, the men just kept staring at each other. Max was about to speak again, however Alec chose that moment to open his mouth.
"So what, after meeting Max for all of ten minutes you decided to come and get a job at the same place she works. They have a name for that, you know. Stalking is it? Yeah that's the one."
"Alec!" Max hissed in complete shock at what he chose to say to break the silence.
"Hey I'm kidding, man. Really, welcome to Jam Pony." Alec thrust out his hand and after a moment's hesitation 'Sam' took hold.
What the hell? Max watched in surprised fascination as the two men clutched each others hands and stared at one another with smiles that looked more like grimaces and eyes that matched each other in coldness.
"Ugh…so Sam…did ugh…Normal hire you?" Max asked eager to interrupt the standoff.
'Sam' turned his attention back to Max and his eyes immediately softened.
"I have to bring back this application, but he seemed to like me."
"Now that in itself is a rare feat. Normal is pretty selective when it comes to employees he actually likes. Right Alec."
Alec shrugged offhandedly. Glad to see she remembers my name.
Max's eyes remained on Alec for a beat as she tried to figure out his sudden taciturn demeanor. She then turned back to Sam knowing if anything was bothering Alec it would be best to discuss it in private later.
"Well I better get started on this." Sam said holding up his application. "Later, Max. Nice to meet you two."
"Likewise." Original Cindy responded cordially especially compared to Alec's grunt.
The testosterone levels dropped significantly with Sam's departure so Max turned to Alec hoping to smooth things over further or at least change the subject.
"I checked out the impound yard." She said to him in a low voice out of range of Original Cindy. "And it'll be a breeze to take my bike back so no need to dip into the stash."
"Another score for Max, looks like you're on a role." Alec said snidely before stalking away from her presence and Jam Pony.
"What's wrong wit hot boy?" Original Cindy had caught the tail end of Max and Alec's conversation.
Max turned from staring after Alec's retreating form to her friend.
"I…I don't know." Max mumbled all the while trying to decide whether she she'd run after him and ask him what was wrong or if she should run after him and punch him in the gut for being such an ass. In the end she decided to do neither.
"Come on, let's go ruin Normal's day by telling him that Alec's not coming in." Max said to her friend.
Normal's whining about Alec every time she passed by his desk only served to remind her that Alec had walked away apparently pissed off at her for some reason. Was it because of Sam? But why? Hadn't he heard that they had just met last night and he was just a nice guy who walked her home? What's wrong with that? It's not like she invited him up.
"Don't worry, boo. Alec'll cool down once he's had time to think 'bout things." Original Cindy offered after joining her friend at their table for lunch.
"How'd you—"
"I know that look, boo. Seen it on sistas stressing over the crazy ways of their mens many a times.
"I'm not stressing over Alec. I'm just…" Max shrugged. "Curious. And he's not my man."
Original Cindy rolled her eyes. "You still playing that game."
"What do you mean?"
"Boo, I was there when you two left Crash that night all moo eyed. And as much as Original Cindy loves playing cupid, didn't take no rocket science to figure out you two were making hot monkey love long before me and Kendra plotted to hook you two pretty things up." O.C. stated in a matter of fact tone. "Why were you two faking the fraud this whole time anyway?"
Well, Alec and I are on the run from this secret government agency and they'll use any means necessary to get us including torturing whatever one of us they find until we beg for death if they know that person knows where the other one is. So since their headquarters are right outside Seattle, we decided why we're here its best if we pretend we don't really know each other.
"Well, when me and Alec first started chilling we both agreed that relationships, especially when you also work together, get ruined when everybody's in your business." Max shrugged. "So we decided to keep it on the DL." Max looked into her friend's eyes and was relieved to see understanding. "That's why we still don't really act like a couple."
"It's all good, baby doll. I can respect the fact that you two ain't been broadcasting your love channel. Consider Original Cindy's lips sealed."
"Thanks boo." Max said allowing herself a small smile even though with her mind still bothering her with thoughts of Alec and how he left, she didn't feel like smiling at all.
***
"And I thought my place was a dump." Alec whispered to himself while staring at the dilapidated building across the street. In the one hour he had spent on the roof of the equally decrepit building across from the one he was watching, he'd seen three Johns at three different times disappear inside with the same hooker, two fights, four drug deals, and a hobo throw up.
It was after the hobo's disgusting show that the person Alec had been waiting for walked out of the building. Alec waited until Sam turned the corner on his motorcycle before leaving his spot on the roof.
There was something about him that Alec just didn't like. And it had nothing to do with him being jealous of a guy that some would probably consider not bad looking and who had spent the night getting to know his girlfriend and who also had the ability to charm Normal into hiring him at the same place where said girlfriend worked. If anything it was for Max's own safety. She was way too trusting. This guy could mean trouble which was the only reason why he followed him. And it was also the only reason why he was about to go break into the guy's place.
He didn't know what room Sam was in, but some of the boys at Manticore didn't call him the bloodhound for nothing.
His nose led him to a room at the end of the hallway on the second floor. The lock on the door was laughable and Alec was the other side of it in no time.
Well the guy certainly traveled light. Absolutely no personal items adorned the walls, nightstand or the dresser. No clothes in the closet and none on the floor. Maybe he's just neat. Alec thought as he moved towards the dresser. Or really, really poor? He thought when he looked through the drawers and saw only one pair of white socks, two pairs of boxers, a white tee-shirt, and two long sleeve shirts (one black turtleneck and one flannel). We had more clothes than this back at Manticore. Alec thought even though in actuality they didn't.
Lifting up the shirts to see if he could find anything else like a wallet or a sector pass, Alec's heart nearly stopped when he came across something else. He held it up to the light to make sure his night vision wasn't playing tricks on him, but the label still read the same: Tryptophan.
***
Max turned her phone back on and was relieved to see four messages; three with Alec's number.
"Where the hell have you been!" A masculine voice yelled the moment the ringing stopped.
"Whoa. Chill out dad." Max yelled back. "I had to turn off my phone when I went to get my bike back. Couldn't have you blowing it up while I was trying to do the whole sneak and creep thing, could I?"
"Fine. Anyway I need you to come meet me. I've got some news." Alec said curtly.
"Where are you?"
"Ninth and Jackson."
"Okay, give me ten minutes."
Alec hung up. Max stared at the phone for a few seconds more. He didn't even say goodbye. "Asshole." She muttered before revving her Ninja and speeding off into the night.
"So what's the big news?" She snapped the moment she saw him leaning against the side of a building.
"Sam isn't who he says he is."
"What? Alec this is unbelievable." She said throwing up her hands. "You got me all the way out to this trash heap to talk about Sam."
"He's Manticore." That sobered her.
"What?" She nearly squeaked. "How do you know?"
"That's his place." Alec said pointing across the street. "I broke in and found his stash of Tryptophan."
"Wait, you followed him and then broke into his place?"
"Well one of us has to keep their head in the game and since you're totally fine with picking up strangers and finding them jobs, figured I'd have to be the sensible one."
"Oh get off it. It wasn't like that at all."
"Get off it. Get off it!" His volume increased each time he said it. "Max that guy is Manticore. Manticore! You remember them, right. The people we're trying to avoid. And now one of their guys knows where you work and live." Alec raged. "I can't believe you let some guy who came up to you in the middle of the night follow you home!"
"For your information I was the one who approached him!" Oops that didn't sound right. "Wait that's not how it sounded." Max backpedaled. "I challenged him to a race, but then my bike got taken away by the sector cops. He offered to give me a ride home, but I told him I was fine and I really planned on leaving it at that. But then he offered to walk home with me just to make sure I made it back okay."
"Since when do you need a bodyguard to protect your honor, Max. You really expect me to believe you didn't want to be impolite by telling him to take a hike."
"You're right." Max conceded. "That's not normally something I would do. But him being Manticore sort of explains it." She slowly nodded as the pieces of a puzzle were falling in place for her. "When we talked it felt really comfortable and familiar. It was like I knew him. He has to be one of the kids that escaped with me. The Tryptophan proves it. Anyone Manticore would have sent after us wouldn't need that stuff, only the ones the got out before they fixed the problem." Alec watched silently as Max seemed to be lost in a cloud of memories. Finally she looked up at him. "I think he's Zack." And Alec felt a piece of his heart break at the sparkle of joy and hope glinting in her eyes.
***
She couldn't wait until the next day to ask her questions. Instead they found themselves back inside his shabby apartment waiting for him to return. Alec hadn't said a word since she told him that she was going to wait for Zack or Sam or whoever he was. He knew better than to argue with her when she made up her mind about something. He was so mad he almost left but he didn't dare leave her alone knowing full well that she'd stay whether he did or not. He didn't think what they were doing was a good idea. She may think he was a member of her old unit, but she didn't know for sure. And Alec sure as hell didn't trust him. If he had been part of her unit why didn't he just tell her instead of getting a job at the same place she worked? Well he had a pretty good idea why. He was gathering Intel, maybe even seeing if she was in contact with the others. How could Max trust him? Alec thought angrily. The more he thought about it the more it made sense that this Sam or Zack or whoever was trouble.
Both Max and Alec tensed when they heard someone outside the door. He looked over at Max and his jaw clenched at her hopeful look. But then he saw her look turn to confusion.
Alec turned back towards the door and saw the reason. The doorknob hadn't turned yet and the shadow under the door wasn't moving. And then a minute later, the shadow moved away.
We've been made. Alec thought looking at Max who looked back at him and nodded.
Alec signed for her to wait while he went to check it out, but a noise from behind stopped him in his tracks.
"Shit!" They both cursed when they ran to the window only to see three Hummers, one of which was chauffeuring Colonel Donald Lydecker.
The two immediately turned away from the window, ran out the door, and barreled straight into "Sam."
"What the hell are—"Alec's fist connecting with 'Sam's' jaw abruptly stopped his question.
"Alec!" Max shouted a little unnerved by Alec's actions. "Alec!" She shouted again this time her voice colored with concern as she saw her lover go flying through the door of an empty apartment down the hall.
He hadn't expected to find intruders in his apartment. Nor had he expected for them to come bursting out of his place or for them to be Max and Alec. But mostly he hadn't expected to get punched in the face the moment they saw him. Or for it to hurt as badly as it did. But he recovered quickly enough and threw the guy who looked just look Ben across the hall.
Alec barely felt the impact of the door splintering around him. He was too incensed. He was on his feet in no time. Everything else receded as rage tunneled his vision to only see one target.
If these morons think that I'm going back to Manticore because of them, they've got another thing coming. Max saw the look on Alec's face when he emerged from the apartment he had just been thrown into. She knew he was far past words; calling his name, his designation, or any terms of endearment would not register. She then chanced a look back at the other man and saw he was ready to square off as well. Both men were so focused on how they were going to kill each other that neither of them were hearing the sounds of booted feet surrounding the building or walking up the stairs.
Max saw the exact moment when Alec was about to charge and quickly stepped in his path blocking 'Sam' from his view.
"Max, what?" Alec blinked.
"Alec, they're coming!" She shouted at him. "We've got to go now!"
Suddenly the reason for why they rushed into the hallway in the first place came crashing back to Alec and he immediately sobered. His senses instantly picked up the approach pattern of the enemy.
"This way." He said stonily before turning and heading back into the apartment he had just been thrown into moments before.
There was a fire escape outside the window and the two clambered out of it and used it to get to the roof.
Alec spotted two soldiers covering the fire escape they would have used had they left out of 'Sam's' apartment. He scanned the roof further and saw what he expected; three more soldiers covering the stairwell door.
He relayed the number of soldiers and their positions to Max via hand signals. He then signed to her which one's he'd take and which ones she'd take. She nodded and then the two exploded onto the roof.
Alec blurred to the three covering the door smashing two heads together before they knew what hit them. Before the third could take aim with his taser, Alec blurred behind him, wrapped an arm around his neck and sent him to sleep.
He looked to see Max's progress just as the soldier joined his comrade on the ground courtesy of a perfect round house kick to his temple. Alec was about to steal a weapon off of one of the fallen soldiers when a movement in the distance drew his attention.
He watched in dismay as a soldier sailed through the air on a rope and tackled Max to the ground.
"Max!" He yelled upon seeing her body jerk from the volt of the taser. He was halfway to her when the sound of a gunshot stopped him in his tracks. His thoughts of taking cover vanished when he saw the soldier who had a hold of Max slump to the ground.
"Max, go!" Both Max and Alec looked in the direction of the voice and saw 'Sam' stepping out of the shadows. He pointed to the building across the street and Max nodded before turning and jumping to the next building, the pain of the taser jolt not slowing her down a bit.
For a moment, the two men simple stared at each other. Alec eyed the other's man's gun disdainfully and then looked back at him as if daring him to make a move.
"Guys! More are coming. We gotta go now." Max yelled from one building over.
Alec sniffed and turned away from 'Sam' before jumping to the next building. He didn't give her a chance to say anything instead Alec pulled Max to the edge of the building so they could jump to the next one.
Gunfire erupting behind them, causing Max to pull away and look back fearfully. But then a figure dropped to the building in front of her and Max breathed a sigh of relief.
Knowing there was no time to argue, Alec grabbed Max's hand again and the two sprinted off with 'Sam' not far behind.
They ran at full speed for several minutes before Alec felt a tug from behind and slowed. "I think we lost them." Max said before letting go of his hand.
"I wouldn't be so sure." Alec said looking at 'Sam' as he came to a halt in front of them.
"You son of a bitch." He yelled at Alec. "You called them didn't you?"
"Me?" Alec asked incredulously. "Man you have some nerve, but if you think the whole laying the blame on someone else first to cover up what you did, you're sadly mistaken, buddy."
"What! There's no way in hell that I'd be a mole for Manticore. I would rather die than go back there and I'd risk my life to make sure everyone else stays free of them too!" He turned to Max and his eyes softened as they ran over her. "Don't worry, Maxie, you're safe now. It's me Zack."
"I knew it." Max breathed before throwing herself in Zack's arms. "Why didn't you tell me?" She asked when she pulled away with tears in her eyes.
"I wanted to but then I saw you with him and I thought he might be a spy from Manticore following you and hoping you'd lead them to the rest of us."
"Could say the same about you." Alec muttered.
"Alec's not a spy." She said ignoring Alec. "But he is from Manticore. How'd you know?"
"He looks exactly like—"
"Ben." Max whispered and Zack nodded.
"Well I hate to break up this family reunion," Alec made sure to emphasize not liking at all the way Zack kept looking at Max. "But if you're not working with Manticore and Max and I are sure as hell are not, how the hell did they find you?"
"Fuck." Zack cursed when realization struck.
"What?" Max asked.
"My barcode. I had it removed at a tattoo parlor. Lydecker must be keeping tabs on places like that."
"Makes sense." She nodded. "Lydecker would have to know that we'd try to get rid of the one really noticeable thing that identifies us Manticore. But how'd he know where you were staying?"
"The guy who did my barcode had a niece who ran a housing service. I went to her for a place to stay."
"Well that was smart." Alec said and received a glare from both Max and Zack for his trouble. He rolled his eyes when he saw Max turn back to Zack once again forgetting that he existed.
"So you found Ben?" Max asked.
"I know where all the others are Max. You were the last one I found." Zack smiled down at her and Alec almost threw up.
Well aren't they cozy. He thought when his gag reflex was back in control.
"Where are they, Zack?" Alec heard the pleading in her voice and suddenly felt the urge to punch Zack again.
"I can't tell you that, Maxie."
"Zack please. Ever since we escaped the only thing I ever wanted to do was see all of you again."
"It's too dangerous, Maxie." Zack said before looking over at Alec.
Alec held up his hands in surrender. "How 'bout I give you two a minute alone?" He smiled tightly before turning and walking off thus making the decision for them.
***
So that was brother Zack. Alec thought as he walked away with his shoulders slumped slightly. The great and mighty C.O. that led a daring escape before he reached puberty. The 'brother' that took care of Max when she was little and sick with seizures. The 'brother' that risked his life to protect hers when they came for her that night. The 'brother' that gave her freedom from that hell hole. The 'brother' that looked at her as no where near the hemisphere of a sister.
Angrily he kicked a hunk of gravel out of his way. He then sighed, his shoulders resuming their hunched position as he continued on. The 'brother' that if she really thought about it, she owed her life to.
***
Max's mind was reeling as she walked away from Zack. So much had happened in the last hour and she still hadn't sorted it all out in her head yet. But before she could remotely get a handle on things, she needed to find Alec.
She found him sitting on the curb next to their motorcycles.
"Zack wants me to come with him." She cut right to the chase. Alec smiled and nodded before slowly standing in front of her. When he didn't respond verbally, Max continued uncertain of his mood. "He said with Manticore so close to here it wasn't safe. He's leaving in a little while and he said he'd take me to see the others if I went with him."
Alec shoved his hands in his pockets and nodded again.
Max felt her patience receding with every second that passed with Alec remaining silent. "Alec! Did you hear me?"
"I know how much your siblings mean to you Max." He said calmly. "Why don't you go ahead with Zack. You can go visit with them and I'll be here when you get back."
"Alec I—"
He put a finger to her lip silencing her. "It's fine Max." He continued coolly. He then gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "Call me if I mean when you get back."
Max watched stunned as he got on his motorcycle and sped away.
He didn't go home right away. Instead he went to the Space Needle knowing that was a place where he could feel close to her and properly say goodbye without the mask since he couldn't do it face to face.
But if he had gone home, he would have been there when she walked through the door looking for him. Instead when he walked into his apartment, she was seated on the couch comfortably having been there for a while.
"Max?"
"Hey."
"Hey."
Alec ran his hands through his hair and scratched the back of his head. He should have known that Max wouldn't have been satisfied with a simple goodbye. Now he still had to keep it together why she prolonged the inevitable. He strode over to the couch and sat down on the opposite end from her.
"So when are you leaving?" He asked.
Max shrugged. "I'm not. I'd rather stay with you."
"What about the others? Your family." He quietly asked.
She shrugged again. "Figure I ran into Zack, I'll eventually come across the others if it's meant to be."
Max waited for his response but he continued to stare at his hands and say nothing.
She was staying. She was staying. She wasn't leaving with Zack. She was staying with him. The thoughts had to keep repeating in Alec's head to overcome his stockpile of disbelief.
Unable to deal with his silence anymore and figuring she'd rather wait at home or at Crash until he got over whatever funk he was in, Max let out a puff of breath and nodded before getting up and heading towards the door. "So I'll see you at work tomorrow." She turned back to him and said.
Alec nodded and Max gave a small smile before reaching down for the door knob. Her fingers had barely touched it before he was suddenly blocking the way and pulling her towards him.
The kiss he gave her was all consuming. Gripping her head to him, he molded her lips to his, fervently taking possession of her tongue and every crevice he could get to. It was too much to put into words so he let this action convey his relief that she chose him, his happiness that she was staying and mostly his love for her. And she kissed him back just as passionately so that he would know too that she felt the same way.
"Think you can give me a ride to work tomorrow?" He asked when he finally let go of her lips.
"Anytime." Max smiled delightfully. Alec returned it before sweeping her into his arms and carrying her to his bedroom; the happy couple laughing the entire way.
TBC
A/N: Yeah sorry no sex. I think I'm just going to continue keeping this story PG. shrugs We'll see.