Home Coming
A Motel in the Middle of Nowhere
December 26 2021
The sun sent its piercing rays through the flimsy cotton curtains that hung limp over the half rotten window. Max blinked a few times and looked wearily around her, it wasn't exactly a five star hotel in fact the dark old motel room in the middle of nowhere looked like it had been there for a hundred years before the pulse.
Being a genetically engineered killing machine meant she never slept much but last night was an exception. Her arm ached like hell, she rubbed her forearm and felt the blood soaked bandage
"Owww, so it wasn't a dream" then it hit her "Logan!"
"Yeah" Logan came waltzing out the kitchen carrying a plate with some slightly blackened toast and some strange looking orange juice, looking very pleased with himself
"What are you so happy about?" Max asked suspiciously
"Waking up next to you" Logan smiled, Max went a slight tinge of red, "Well here is some breakfast, its not exactly bacon and eggs but it is the best I can do"
"Why didn't you wake me?" Max asked
"Well I figured you probably haven't had a good nights sleep since this whole thing started ... yow are you aware that there is a hole in your arm?"
She squinted her eyes in pain as he reached over and lifted the bandage "Yeah unfortunately"
Logan got up and headed towards the kitchen "I'll get some more bandages".
Max looked blankly at the toast, breakfast in bed was one of the many things that she missed out on in her deprived childhood. For a moment the pain in her head left when she realised how hungry she was, she'd barely eaten since the night Logan was taken. The toast and juice wasn't much but Max was accustomed to eating small rations and it was all she needed to bring to life her tired, sore body.
Logan returned with a tattered old bandage (that looked strangely similar to the curtains). He gently removed the old bandage and redressed the bullet wound, they were still very careful when touching. It had been less than a week since they found out they had beaten the killer virus that plagued Max, a careless whisp of hair could have been the death of Logan.
"Your lucky you don't bleed much" Logan said as he inspected the wound
"Yeah one thing that Manicore actually got right"
"We'll have to get that bullet out soon, we're still a half day drive out of Seattle"
"I'll be ok " Max groaned "I'm sure Alec, Mole and Joshua can handle the citizens of Terminal city for one more day"
Logan smiled and flopped on the bed beside her.
Seattle
December 26 2021
The night was only young when the truck turned into the first sector checkpoint,
"Well Donny boy, here we are home sweet home" Alec glanced over his shoulder at the withered body that was Donald Lydecker,
Lydecker just stared blankly out the window. Joshua sat up excitedly, despite his size he had the intellect of a young child
"Settle down there rover, we are not there yet" Mole croaked as he puffed on his cigar,
the lizard man kept his tough exterior though he really had a soft spot for his canine like companion. They drove up to the gates of Terminal City where the guards waved them through, getting in and out of the transgenic settlement was a lot easier than in the days of the siege. All that was left from the siege were a few anti-transgenic protest signs and an ever present sector cop guard not so much to keep the transgenics in any more but to keep the protestors out.
The citizens of Terminal City were continually working on their new home, they now had a generator and their own water supply, they also ran an increasingly successful mall. The truck rolled into the main building where everything was returning to normal after the battle with the Conclave the night before. A few wounded were being treated in the infirmary other than that everyone was getting back to work. Mole brought the truck to a halt Alec and Joshua jumped out and dragged Lydecker out,
"Call Dr Carr and keep him under guard" Mole growled as he headed for the control center
Alec looked up in surprise "You want to keep this dirt bag alive!"
"Just do it, Max's orders" Mole continued up the stairs
"Max's orders" muttered Alec and carried Lydecker to the infirmary "and suppose I have to do the first shift as well"
"Thanks Alec" grinned Joshua and strode off to check on all his friends,
Alec rolled his eyes and dumped Lydecker on the first free bed. Alec called Dr Carr and he was on his way, so Alec settled down in a chair at the end of the bed.
Alec woke up with a start, a huge hand was shaking him "Damn it Joshua don't do that, you don't know your own strength buddy" Alec stood up to see what was happening
"Sorry Alec" Joshua said trying to hold back the goofy grin on is face. Dr Carr was tending Lydecker lying unconscious on the bed where Alec had left him
"He's lucky to be alive, he is extremely malnourished and dehydrated" Dr Carr said as he put away his stethoscope "the next few days will be critical, he really needs proper medical attention and facilities"
"Nah uh, sorry he's not going anywhere, he's got too much influence on the outside and I'm under strict orders to keep him guarded" Alec replied
"He will die if without proper medical attention" Dr Carr argued
Mole walked in "What's this about dying? Can't have that now can we, after all the trouble we've gone to rescue our damsel in distress"
"What are you, the knight in shining armour?" Alec said flaking back on to the chair "Dr Carr was just saying that our damsel over here needs 'proper medical attention and facilities' or he'll die, but I pointed out that if he recovers he can just walk right out of a hospital. More trouble than he's worth, let him die one less problem one less pain in the ass"
"Max wants him alive, you'll just have to go with him" Mole smurked
Alec jumped out of the chair "What! No way man! Where is Max anyway? And what does this pile-a bones have that she wants?"
"I wouldn't wait up for her, she's coming back with Logan" Mole winked "I dunno what she wants with him but she wants him alive, and you should know better than to mess with Max"
"Yeah, yeah whatever, she off on a honeymoon while we hafta babysit the scum of the earth" Alec groaned
"I will organise a private room with limited access, you shouldn't have a problem with security nobody will even no he's there" Dr Carr packed his bag and left the infirmary
"Why don't you go and freshen up, your socks must be a bio hazard by now" Mole growled
"What about him" Alec nodded at Lydecker
"He's not going anywhere but I'll stay and make sure he keeps breathing" Alec walked out towards his living quarters. When he returned Dr Carr was waiting for him with Mole,
"Everything's set, just waiting on the bodyguard" he said as Alec walked in
"Yeah I'm coming"
"Just make sure he gets there in one piece ok? Or you'll have Max to answer to" Mole grumbled
"If she ever comes back..."
"Get moving soldier, I'll send someone to relieve you of your duty at tweleve hundred hours"
"You can take the Mole out of Manticore but you can't take the Manticore out of the Mole" Alec sighed and they pulled Lydecker onto the stretcher and carried him out to the car.
A Motel in the Middle of Nowhere
December 27 2021
Max rolled out of bed and headed for the shower Logan looked so peaceful she couldn't disturb him, she thought she was tired and she was a trained soldier, he must have been exhausted. When she came out of the bathroom Logan was up and had the little luggage they had all packed and ready to go,
"You're keen, I thought you'd enjoy a little time off from saving the world"
"I'm worried about your arm, I think we should get back and get it looked at" Logan said as he struggled with the zip on the bag
"I guess your right, besides I'm not sure how long Mole can refrain from dislocating Lydecker's head from his neck. We better blaze if we wanna get home before noon"
-
The car rolled along the road in silence as they approached the city, Logan looked across at Max "Hows your arm?"
"Its ok" Max shrugged and stared at the all to familiar gloom of Seattle "back to reality"
"I think we should visit Dr Carr before we head back to Terminal City" Logan turned the car towards the hospital
-
"So what have we got here?" Dr Carr struggled with his rubber gloves and removed the makeshift bandage from the wound
"Just a piece of lead lodged in my arm courtesy of Special Agent White, and I would be ever so grateful if you would remove it so I can get back to my busy schedule"
"Well that might be a bit harder than you think, the bullet is fairly deep and the hospital is in short supply of general anaesthetic" Dr Carr proceeded to probe the wound with his tweezers
Max flinched "No anaesthetic needed just pull the sucker out and I'll be on my way"
"I can at least give you a local to numb most of the pain but its still going to hurt"
"I can deal, lets just get this over with doc"
-
"Keep the wound clean and re-dress it everyday. I will get some anti-biotics to stop infection, while your waiting you can visit your friend down the hall" Dr Carr turned and started walking down the hall towards storage
"What friend?" Max yelled back, she looked at Logan for answeres but he just shrugged
"Dont' ask me"
"Max? Logan?" a voice came from behind them in the hall, Max turned
"Alec? What are you doing here?"
"I could say the same thing to you. I'm babysitting your new pet"
"Lydecker? What's he doing here?"
"Dr Carr insisted. I thought you and Logan were ... well having a vacation..."
"We are, or were but it seems that even when he's dead Ames White can ruin my life" Max said as she revealed the small patch on her arm "Shouldn't you be keeping an eye on Lydecker?"
"Owch, you've got a habit of gettin in the way of bullets haven't ya Max." Alec smerked "The Colonel, heh, He's not going anywhere. Besides I have been relieved for my post, and I was just going to see whether there was anything decent to eat around here other than that lame excuse for hospital food."
"Where is he Alec?" Max asked not looking at all amused
"Still the same old Max. He's down the hall third door on the right. I don't know what you want from him Max but I not sure that you're going to get anything out of him" with that Alec continued down the hall in the direction of the cafeteria
Max headed down the hall with Logan on her heels
"Do you really think he's going to help you find your mother Max? Even if he recovers, you know what he's like"
"I still have to try, he's my only lead" she marched towards the door Logan grabbed her shoulder and spun her around, their eyes met
"I know this means a lot to you, just don't get your hopes up" he said gently
Max's face softened, she looked into his eyes, she loved this man and he just didn't want her to get hurt but did he really understand how much she needed to know her mother. Max carefully opened the door, immediately the guard jumped up and aimed the sawn off riffle at the intruders
"Hey, you wouldn't shot one of your own would ya?" Max said calmly and the guard lowered the gun, he was probably an X5, tall, handsome not at all animal like. Max went over to the bed where Lydecker lay. He opened his eyes slightly and stared at Max
"452, you were my best student but you always had an emotional weakness" Max lent down
"Now Colonial if you think I would have a hard time killing you, you've got me all wrong, the only reason that your alive is that you have some information I want. You try anything stupid and the only way your leaving here is in a body bag, got it"
"I trained you well"
"We'll chat later" Max turned walked out
"He's always been a stubborn son-of-a-bitch" Max was a bit peeved after her chat with Lydecker
"What will you do if he won't help you?" Logan put his arm around her as they walked casually down the hall
"I dunno" Max looked up at him "But I have the world's best cyber journalist on my side, I'm sure we'll think of something. Do you wanna join Alec in the cafe, I could use a coffee about now"
"Yeah me too"