CHOOSING THE BEST
Disclaimer: I don't own anything!
Summary: Max has to choose between saving Alec's life and finally having Logan after finding the cure.
Max crept silently into the dim lighted building. Alec followed suit behind her his green eyes flicking back and forth scanning the area for guards. Max's own eyes locked onto the door leading into the office. She was about to kick it open when Alec grabbed her arm.
"What?" Max hissed frowning. Alec clamped a hand over her mouth and pointed towards the end of the hallway were two dark shadows were heading towards their direction. Max nodded and they backed away into the corner of the hall until they were hidden in the darkness. Two security guards appeared into view carrying cups of coffees. Max waited impatiently till they neared them. The moment they did Max punched them both in the face hard. The two guards fell unconscious on the floor. Alec grinned at Max and kicked the door open.
Inside the room Max searched for the computer and found it on top of a messy desk filled with books and papers. Alec stood beside her opening the many drawers of the desk. "What's so important about this disc anyway?" Alec asked.
"It has something about the cure," Max replied feeling something twitch inside her. She'd had that sinking feeling ever since Logan said he had some leads about the cure. She didn't know why she was feeling that way, she just did. It was almost like…disappointment. She sighed and continued looking for the diskette.
Alec scowled inwardly. Everything's about that fucking cure. What does she see in that man anyway? Alec thought rolling his eyes. Logan practically spends his whole lifetime in front of his computer trying to save lives. Yup, he saves lives alright but it's always him and Max doing all the dirty work.
"Jackpot!" Max murmured raising a black diskette in front of her eyes. She slipped it into her back pocket and signaled to Alec that she got what they came for. They left the building as quietly as they had entered and headed off to Logan's.
Logan looked up from his computer as Max and Alec entered his room. He raised his eyebrows at Max. Max reached into her pocket and pulled out a black disc. He inserted it into his computer and waited for it to load.
"So how did it go?" Logan asked the two transgenics. Alec had dropped down onto the couch with Max. A twinge of jealousy hit him but it passed away quickly. It won't be long until I have her. Logan thought confidently but he carefully searched Alec's face for any sign of interest towards his girlfriend. But as always his face was unreadable.
"It was fine," Max answered flatly. She couldn't get why she didn't feel too excited about the fact that Logan almost had the cure. She assured herself that it was only nervousness.
Logan turned his head back to the screen of his computer. He expected to see the contents of the cure but he only found a short list of names. There were four. George Simeon, Anthony Marcus, and Bernard Desmond. One of these people must hold the cure. Logan thought. But which one?
It was almost dawn when Max's mobile phone started to ring loudly. She groaned and tried to block out the sound through covering her head with her pillow. It did not help. Not one single bit. Sighing she grabbed it from her bedside table and answered it with an irritated tone.
"Yes?" she asked through gritted teeth resisting the urge to break it in two. It was Logan.
"Max? Are you awake?" Logan's voice came into the receiver.
"I am now!" she snapped annoyed.
"Good cause I want you and Alec to go to each of these people's offices…"
Max listened bored as Logan babbled on and on.
"Does it have to be now?" she asked. The sun was barely up. OC was even still asleep and it was Max who was usually the one up late.
"Of course," Logan said.
"Of course," Max mimicked and switched her phone off and climbed out of bed. She pulled on her usual black outfit and scribbled a note to OC and drove her ninja towards Alec's apartment.
Alec staggered out of bed as the another bombard of knocks rapped on his door. Who the hell would wake him up at this hour? He thought sleepily. He was about to open the door when it slammed open to reveal…Max.
He stared at her. She stared back at him.
"What!" Alec practically shouted.
Max rolled her eyes. "Geez Alec, do you wanna wake the whole city?"
"Look who's talking," Alec muttered as he checked his door for any damages. There were thankfully none. "What do you want?"
"Logan's found a couple of scientist who might have the cure but he's not sure which one. So were gonna have to go to each of their offices." Max informed him.
"Now?" Alec asked in disbelief. He had gotten like only two hours of sleep. Even a transgenic needed his rest. It's not like they had shark DNA.
"No next millennium." Max said sarcastically. "You think I woke you up just to tell you that? Now hurry up already!"
Alec changed slowly. His head was whirring. This was getting serious. If they did find the cure, that meant that the two of them will finally be together. Face it Alec, she likes Logan and there's nothing you can do about it. Alec thought feeling depressed but he shook it away. There were plenty of women out there and he was free to take his pick. That brightened him up but only a bit because deep down he knew that it was only Max who can ever fill the empty hole in his heart that Rachel had once took.
Max looked up at the ten-story building. It was shabbily built. The red brick walls were covered in dirty graffiti and all the curtains were drawn to all the rooms except one. It was on the seventh floor and it was the only room that was lit. Max turned to Alec and they hopped out of her ninja and walked over to the entrance. A steel gate covered the entrance door and it was bolted heavily.
"Ladder," Max whispered to Alec and started to climb the black iron ladder outside the front of the building. They finally reached the lit room. Max peered through the glass window and into the room inside. It was surprisingly neat considering the state of the building. There were three wooden desks on either side of the office and a few plastic file cabinets lining the off-white walls. A man at the age of about thirty was sitting comfortably one of the larger desks sifting through papers and typing briskly on his laptop. Max guessed that this must be Bernard Desmond.
After making sure that there were no guards around she jumped right through the glass shattering it into a thousand pieces. Bernard looked up and stared in horror at them. He reached for his phone but Alec was too fast for him, he kicked it out of his hands and it fell to the floor with not more than a mere clang.
Max smiled sardonically at the man. "The cure," she said bluntly. "Where is it?"
Bernard backed away to the wall. "I don't know," he said weakly. "Your one them aren't you?"
Max didn't answer. "Where is it?" she asked again speaking slowly her eyes narrowing dangerously.
"I said I don't know," he repeated his voice shaking. Max was losing her patience she grabbed his neck. "Tell me!" she demanded tightening her grip. The scientist choked and tears started to run down his eyes.
"Please no! It's gone!" he squeaked. Max loosened her grip. "What do you mean it's gone?" she asked.
Bernard gasped for air as Max released him. "Anthony Marcus," he said softly just as running footsteps sounded outside the door of his office. Max nodded and she and Alec dived out of the window just as the door banged open.
"52nd Street, Arcellum Avenue, Sector 7." Max read from the scrap of paper that Logan had given her. "This is it."
Alec stared at the large mansion. Unlike the other scientist this one must live richly. A perfectly manicure lawn stretched in front of them and he could just make out the rippling waters of the Olympic size swimming pool at the backyard. A black Mercedes was parked just outside the front doors and five guards were circling around the lot their rifles set and ready for any intruders.
He and Max were hiding behind a huge oak tree waiting for the guards to finish their rounds and for the next set to do the next shift. They didn't have to wait long because after a few minutes they disappeared into the garage. They took their chance. With transgenic speed they blurred past the security cameras and onto the front steps of the mansion. Max turned the gold doorknob slowly and to their surprise it opened easily.
Max closed the door behind her as they stepped onto the carpeted house. It was thankfully dark inside and using their night vision they crept up the marble staircase and up the second floor. Max glanced around and saw a half-open door at the end of the living room. Voices were echoing from inside it.
Her heartbeats jolted as she caught the words, 452, kill, and cure. Max wasted no time, she sped across the room and threw the rest of the door open with a loud bang to reveal several armed men, Ames White, and whom Max figured was Anthony Marcus. "Talking about me boys?" she asked with a sardonic smile.
White returned it with an equally cool one. "452, nice of you to join us." he said and with a wave of his hand the guards lunged at them. Max threw a punch at one while spin kicking three. Alec grabbed the rifle of a guard and knocked it into his face while elbowing two out of the way. He kicked one in the midsection hard which sent him flying to two other guards. As the two transgenics fought mercilessly they just had a minute to notice two people leave the room: Marcus and White.
"Let's go!" Max yelled at Alec before throwing him a rifle he caught it easily and slung the strap over his shoulder and together they ran out of the office filled with more than a few unconscious guards.
Alec glanced left and right and saw two figures disappear up a steel staircase. He heard the sound of a gunshot and Alec climbed up to be greeted by White's gun. With a loud bang it shot him right at his chest. He could feel the cold steel bullet pierce through him and winced as it created a hole at his back. Alec glared at White. "That really pissed me off man," he said and snatched White's gun, pulling not only the gun but White as well back down the stairs. They tumbled down uncontrollably and he could hear Max's angry swearing.
Max stared at Alec and White as they fell down the stairs. She could just make out the pale body of Anthony Marcus up the stairs in a small puddle of blood. Max rushed towards the two and grabbed White by the neck and pulled him away from Alec who was clutching his chest. He was slightly paling. The blood kept flowing out the wound and he was slowly wrapping it with the ripped hem of his shirt.
"You shot him!" Max said shrilly to White and slammed him against the cold wall tightening her grip every second. White didn't answer, instead let out a scornful laugh. "Kill me now 452 and you'll never see your cure again," White bit out and that's when Max saw a tiny see through bottle filled with ice-blue liquid in White's right hand. He was clutching it tightly and Max could almost see cracks breaking into the glass bottle. But White wasn't finished. "..And 494 will be gone from your life forever."
Max stared at him. "What are you talking about?" she asked deridingly. White smirked spitefully. "I shot 494," he said. Max rolled her eyes. Alec had been shot numerous times, and he had been able to survive them. Plus the shot was a clean one.
"WE know that!" she said. White had diverted his gaze onto Alec. "That was no ordinary bullet 452. It was a virus filled one. And in exactly 47 minutes and 15 seconds he will be as good as dead. This cure is the only thing that can stop it." White was looking more confident than ever. Max wanted to kill him now and then but she knew she couldn't do that. So she released him. But not before punching him hard in the face and kicking him in the midsection. The bottle dropped from his hands and Max caught it in her open palms.
"You'll pay for that 452,"White said, malice dripping from his voice. And without waiting for any reply he ran out of the building clutching his stomach and wiping off the blood pouring from his mouth and nose. Max stared at the bottle in her hand and rushed towards Alec's side. His usually bright green eyes were slowly darkening. But his voice came out clear and strong. "I know how much you love Logan and how much you think I'm a screw-up so I wouldn't be surprised if you'd leave me hanging here and rush off to your boyfriend."
Max stared at him in shock. Did he really think that she thought of him that way? He was more than just a screw-up to her. He had been there for her countless times. Including the time when she felt weakest the most. When she had told him about Ben.
"What makes you think I'll do that?" Max asked incredulously as she opened the cap of the bottle. She got ready to pour it into Alec's mouth when he stopped her. "No, this is your last chance in being with Logan. You need him more than you need me."
Logan checked his watch for the thirteenth time that evening. What was taking them so long? He had paged Max for about five times but there was no answer. He threw up his hands in frustration and ran out of the door. He jumped into his car and drove off to Arcellum Avenue. He arrived there in a few minutes and climbed out of his car. As he locked the car door he looked at the elegant mansion in front of him. Shrugging he headed into the house. He listened for any sign of dangerous activity but found none. He trudged up the stairs to the second floor were he heard voices deep in conversation. His fear reduced when he recognized them. He opened the door and saw Max kneeling beside Alec. He growled. They were sitting too close to each other for his liking. He cleared his throat. The two transgenics looked up at him and he walked over to them.
"Do you have it?" Logan asked Max not even noticing that Alec was hurt.
He was surprised to receive a glare from Max. "Yes I have it!" she snapped. "But I'm not going to use it on me." she added in a much quieter tone.
Logan stared at her. "What? Why?!"
Max felt a lump in her throat. This was the first time in her life that she was not happy to see Logan. "Can't you see that Alec is hurt? This cure is the only thing that can stop him from dying."
Logan looked like he had just been slapped. "But Max! you—he, you hate him!" he spluttered out. That really got her. She did not hate Alec, not even the slightest bit.
"No I don't," she said trying to keep her voice as calm as possible. She was nearing tears. Not angry or sad tears but more of the confused and desperate ones. But she kept them in. She was a soldier and she was determined to stand strong.
"This is our chance of being together!" Logan said pleadingly. "And your gonna let one measly little jack-ass ruin it?"
Now that was just too much. Her fist came flying out and into Logan's face. "You know what Logan? Maybe you're the one I hate. Now if you please get out of my face?" she spat out. How could he be so selfish? Alec was even willing to give his life for them to be together and he was just going to take that gratefully and even throw insults at him?
Logan stared at her with a look of pure horror and envy. "Fine! If that's what you want then so be it, just don't expect me to see come running back to me." Logan said furiously and without another backward glance he left them behind. Max didn't know what to feel. But one look at Alec, she knew she had done the right thing.
Alec had sank to the floor and Max opened the bottle and leaned closer to Alec. "Open your mouth," she said softly. Alec just gazed at her, surprise and gratefulness filling his handsome face. "You know, I may have just underestimated you," Alec said with a weak smile and opened his mouth. Max poured the whole bottle filled with blue liquid into his open mouth. He swallowed it and struggled to sat up. Max wrapped an arm around his shoulders and helped him up.
"You can never underestimate me," Max said smiling the first genuine smile that day.
Later that night…
Max helped Alec on the couch. He was doing much better and the wound on his chest was starting to heal. Max poured some coffee onto a couple of cups and brought them to the couch. She gave one to Alec who gulped some down.
"Hey Max I never really got to say thank you, you know." Alec said with a smile.
"What?" Max said as if she hadn't heard him. "I didn't quite hear you," she said innocently. Alec made a face at her. "I know you heard me, you just want me to say it again."
Max laughed. "You're right, it's just the first time you had ever said thank you," she said sipping her coffee and relishing the taste of warmness washing away the cold.
"Why did you do that anyway?" he asked curiously.
"Do what?"
"Save my life instead of having Logan."
Max didn't know how to answer that. She couldn't tell him the truth. That she was falling for him? she thought nervously. Her actions that night just spoke the truth and there was no denying the fact that she was in love with the one she had never thought she would fall for.
"Because I--" She stopped in mid-sentence. She could always say that it was because he had saved her ass millions of times but something inside her pushed her to tell what she really felt. And so with a voice just above a whisper and that only the transgenic ear could hear she whispered softly. "Because I love you."
Alec stared at Max. She was staring at the floor and was turning red all over. Did he really hear that? The words he had been waiting so long? She loved him?
Alec wasted no more time. With all the strength left in him he leaned over Max and captured her lips in his own. "I love you too."
--The End—
A/N: Alright, so the fic was a bit amateur-ish ( I wrote around two years ago) and a bit corny plus a bit sappy but I think it was worth posting… please review…I really need to find out if this fic was any good at all.