A/N:  Some time back I refused to upload this chapter and the story in it's entirety in protest of a fellow writer and friend being yanked from ff.net for what I considered unjust reasons.  Since that time she has been able to post her stories without any problems.  So I decided I would repost this chapter as well as the next two.  Please take the time to review.  I appreciate all feedback, good or bad. Thanks.

Chapter 3

"Have your unit set the charges here, here and here." Alec pointed to strategic places along the route.  He intended to use the charges to force the military in a certain direction, but also slow them down should they backtrack.

"What about this area as well," Biggs replied.  Alec looked at where he was pointing. 

"We don't have enough.  So we have to pick and choose the locations.  I need maximum results from each explosive.  Any other questions?"

"No, I'll get on it right away."  Pausing for a moment Biggs continued, "Alec, let me stay behind with you.  The three of us would have a better chance of making it out alive."

Alec smirked at Biggs.  "You worried about me?"

"Hell no, I just don't want Max using me as her personal punching bag.  You know she'll have to substitute something without you around."

"You afraid of a little ass kicking?  She's just a girl."

"I don't know what planet you come from, but she's anything but just a girl."

Alec laughed, "Well my ass thanks you for your sacrifice."

"Seriously Alec, let me stay behind.  Let me help.  Let me help you get back to her."

Alec swallowed hard and shook his head, "No, I need you to be there.  To protect her.  I trust you more than anyone to do what needs to be done."

"You mean to make sure she doesn't try to come back."

Alec just stared at him for a moment, his face not revealing anything.  "She's too important to risk.  Don't disappoint me."  Alec held out his hand and Biggs grabbed it.

"You have my word."

Turning away from Biggs, Alec motioned a waiting X-6 forward.

"Boxer, I have a job for you. We want to make it hard for them to cover ground.  Take a unit of 6's and scatter debris along this path.  Anything they can find to make it so they have to go around, climb or move stuff to get through."

"Won't that cause them to backtrack and try and find another way?" asked Boxer. 

Boxer was one of many X-6s Alec had a hand in training back at Manticore.  He knew he could count on him to get the job done.  His name reflected his temperament.  He was always picking fights, mostly in defense of someone else.  At times defending Alec after the Berrisford mission.  Boxer was one of the few transgenics that remained loyal and respectful of him after that mistake.  Well, a mistake according to Manticore.  The only mistake he'd made was not trying harder.  He pushed that thought aside.  They had more pressing matters to attend to.

"No, it'll just make their progress slow.  With the charges we've set, retreating will be harder than going forward.  I just want a little more time to allow the X-4's to get away and for Mole and I to ready ourselves.  Now get going, there's not much time."

"Yes, sir."

Alec grabbed his hand, as Boxer moved to salute him.

"Don't! I expect you to follow orders, but we're not at Manticore any more, and don't call me sir, it's Alec."

"Yes, ss…Alec."  Boxer smiled and turned to leave.

Mole had been standing off to the side, leaning against a building, his arms crossed.   Alec knew he was watching and listening to all that had gone on, but had ignored him until now.  Folding the map of TC, he stepped toward Mole.

"You have a problem with anything I need to know about."

"Not with the plans or your strategies," Mole replied.

"Then what?"

Mole glanced briefly up to the roof of the HG building.  Alec followed his eyes and noted that Max and Joshua were no longer up there.  Mole's hand shot out jabbing him in the side. 

"That's what I have a problem with."

"Ahhh," Alec cried out in pain and fell to one knee, clutching his side.  His eyes squeezed shut, as his breaths came in deep gasps. 

Reaching down, Mole grabbed Alec by the arm, jerking him up and shoving him against the wall.  Grunting on impact, Alec opened his eyes in anger.  He broke out in a sweat from the effort of trying to control his breathing.

"What the hell is wrong with you!" Alec hissed.

Mole shoved his an arm against his throat. 

"What's wrong with me?  You're not just playing with your own life anymore.  How do I know you can hold up your end?"

Alec let his anger rise, then suddenly kneed the transhuman in the groin.  Bent over in pain, Mole staggered back, leaving himself open for a follow-up side kick.  The transhuman would have gone flying across the street, except Alec's hand blurred and grabbed his shirt, holding Mole just long enough to deliver a powerful right uppercut that lifted the transhuman off the ground.  Landing flat on his back a second later, the whoosh of air was heard as it was forced from his lungs.  But Alec wasn't finished yet.  Blurring again, he flipped Mole onto his stomach and pressed a knee painfully into his back.  Strong fingers grasped Mole's chin and the side of his head.  One twist was all it would take and Mole's existence would be no more.

"Oh I think I'm up for it." 

"I guess…you are," Mole chuckled, "That was pretty impressive."

"Adrenalin, it's the drug of choice."

Alec released him and gave him a hand up.  "How'd you know?" Alec asked.

"Saw it happen at Jam Pony.  You stumbled at the top of the stairs.  Figured it couldn't be that bad, since you never slowed down."

"It's not.  It won't slow me down."

"Let's have a look."

"I told you I'm fine.  We have work to do."

"She doesn't know, does she?"  Alec didn't reply.

Mole stepped closer to Alec, staring intently. 

"Okay, but I finish up.  You find a spot and get what rest you can." 

With that said, Mole slapped him on his good shoulder, turned and left.  Alec watched as he headed in the direction of the others.  Once out of sight, Alec stumbled back against the wall, the drug of choice, having worn off.  Mole was right, he needed to take what little time was left and rest.  But where?  He looked around and then up and smiled.  Max had already left the roof, she wouldn't be going back up there now.  He just needed to get up there without her seeing him. 

~ ~ ~

"This is Roseanne Dane reporting to you live from outside the NSA Command Post, where Tactical teams are preparing themselves for the fight ahead.  The National Guard have already spread out along the perimeter of Terminal City in order to prevent the possibility of escape.  Sources reveal that Special Forces troops are entering the City as we speak.  Once here, the joined forces will enter Terminal City in an effort to subdue the transgenics.   The hope is that there will be no casualties and all of Seattle will once again be safe from this ongoing threat."

~ ~ ~

Leutenant Ramon Clemente turned away from the TV report in disgust.  He'd been in a discussion with White now for 15 minutes, which so far, accomplished nothing. It was time to end this.

"What do you mean, we stay out of it?"  Clemente spoke, his voice hard, "If you hadn't been so bent on taking over, we might have resolved this better.  Or did you just conveniently forget that your people blew it."

White's face strained with tension.  His jaw clenched in frustration.  "I didn't forget.  Doesn't change anything.  Keep your men out of it."

"What exactly are your orders, Special Agent in Charge White?"

"That's information is on a need to know basis.  You don't need to know anything."

"I can understand using your own Tactical Teams and the National Guard, but Army's Special Forces?  Why would the government send Special Forces, if all they want to do is subdue the transgenics?"

"I told you, they're not human.  They're highly trained killers.  We may not be able to subdue them."

"They didn't strike me as the killers you claim them to be.  The only person that died in there died at the hands or your men!" Clemente poked a finger in White's chest, "In fact, they had the opportunity to kill you, but didn't. Those are not the actions of killers!"

White clenched his teeth and stepped in close to Clemente's face, trying to intimidate him.  But Clemente didn't budge, which only served to anger White more.

 "What you think doesn't matter.  My authority still stands.  Stay out of my way," White ground out. 

Smiling, Clemente replied, "Well Special Agent in Charge White, it may be that you have the authority to stop us from going in, but I still have a responsibility to protect the people of Seattle…Don't get in my way." 

Clemente didn't wait for a reply from White.  He just walked past him bumping his shoulder as he went.

White's anger boiled inside him till he couldn't contain it anymore and in one swift move he slammed his fist down on a table.  Unfortunately, the table didn't survive.

End of Chap. 3

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Thanks, BHG