Immediately Introducing Implicated Interlude

"Have you seen Max?" Logan asked the table. Two faces turned to him, one dark, one pale.

"She went to see you." Original Cindy replied, unsure of how much he knew.

Logan raked a hand through his hair and sighed. "I mean since then."

Cindy's eyes narrowed. "Why? What did you do to my girl?"

"I messed up everything." Cindy raised her eyebrows, indicating he should continue. Alec looked on unemotionally as Logan heaved in a breath, trying to gather his wits. He knew there was a lecture coming his way, but he was hoping to avoid the overprotective brother talk with Alec. "Max-told-me-she-was-pregnant-I-kinda-accused-her-if-sleeping-with-him-" he indicated Alec, "-behind-my-back-and-asked-her-why-she-said-she-loved-me-if-she-was-gonna-let-someone-else-get-her-pregnant-she-got-angry-and-accused-me-of-calling-her-a-slut-and-said-I-was-the-father-then-she-left." Logan finally took a breath, and looked down at the table while he got his breath back.

Alec had a grim expression, and shook his head. "Are you completely dense, or just that insecure? Why did you do that?"

"Do what? Original Cindy don't understand when you talk so damn fast."

Alec sipped his beer lightly. "Nothing much, he just assumed that I knocked up Max. She said she loved him. He said she snuck around behind his back. She left."

Cindy unleashed fire and brimstone forth onto Logan. "What the hell were you thinking? Which head were you using? Max would never-" She stopped abruptly. The kicked-puppy expression was a tad pathetic on a grown man. "Why are all men so stupid?" She asked him somewhat softer, knowing he was genuinely regretful.

Logan groaned and rubbed a hand over his face. "We spent one night together…I didn't think I…And Asha kept telling me about the two of you…" he indicated Alec again, "…And with the virus…I thought she was gonna break up with me."

Cindy looked at Alec. "You think she will?"

"I know she will." Alec replied with the confident arrogance that so often irritated the subject of their cryptic conversation.

Cindy's face was determined as she rose to her feet. She paused and rested her hands on the table, leaning down towards Logan. "Max is in love with only you. She's happy with you. And for a girl like Max, that's extraordinary. Don't take that away from her. This virus has messed with her head, not her heart. Give her time."

Logan watched as Cindy straightened up, then threaded her way through the crowd to the door.

"You're a lucky man Logan." Alec's voice broke through his trance. "Max loves you. Good luck."

"Aren't you going to fight for her?"

"No. She's yours. And as much as I love her, it's a one-way street, and Max will never draw that white line down the middle. You're the only one she'd ever allow to catch her when she falls from the pedestal."

"What pedestal?"

"My one." Alec watched Logan's face as his words sank in. "Asha's quite persistent in claiming you as hers. She'll realise soon enough that you were never hers." He rose from the table. "I'll make sure of it." He murmured.

"Why are you gonna make sure of it?" Logan asked; he had heard Alec's comment.

Alec shrugged, "I'm Max's personal punching bag. When she finds out Asha's been meddling I'm gonna have to stop her doing anything she'll regret. It's gonna hurt."

"Max."

A statement not a question. The slender woman turned around to face Original Cindy, having heard her friend's quick footsteps down the hallway. She wore a peaceful expression but her normally olive complexion was married with red splotches from tears long since dried.

"Hey Cindy."

Original Cindy rested her hands on her hips, annoyed at her friend's calm pretence. "Don't 'hey Cindy' me, Missy. Logan came by Crash." Her voice softened slightly. "You wanna tell me your side?"

"He asked if the baby was his." Her voice was strangled and she sniffed noisily. "Does he really think so little of me? Wait, don't answer that."

"Wasn't gonna." Cindy waited a beat before asking, "So you're running again?"

"It's what I'm good at isn't it? That's what everyone thinks. Even Alec agrees." She paused, and Cindy decided not to mention to confidence at which Alec had predicted her actions. Max gave a weak grin, knowing the question lingering on her friend's lips. After all, uprooting and running was permanent, and right now, the impression she was giving was that it was pretty permanent; walking out the door, bike and all. "I'll be back, I promise. I just need some space. To sort things out in my head."

"So play hooky tomorrow, and figure things out." Cindy made the suggestion without much hope, knowing that it was an X5 trait to be annoyingly stubborn.

Max shook her head, "I can't do it here, gotta do it somewhere where I have no connections."

Cindy nodded. She knew there was no stopping Max when there was something the girl needed to do. And she would be back. When Max made a promise she made every effort to keep it. The only question was what Max wanted her to tell the people left behind. "So how long does Original Cindy wait before she hauls in the rescue team?"

"Don't tell Logan." Dark brown eyes darted up in panic. "Please. Just-"

"He's gonna figure it out. He ain't stupid. As much as he's doing a damned good impression of it at the moment."

"I need time."

"How long?"

"Two weeks, give me two weeks."

Cindy nodded. "Remember writing is sometimes easier than trying to say what's hard to get out."

Max gave her best friend of seven years a lingering look before turning away.

And then she was gone.

"We're lost." Syl commented as she looked around in an attempt to find a familiar landmark.

"We're not lost." Krit retorted.

"We're lost."

"Fine."

"Honestly Krit, how difficult can it be to find a completely enclosed city block?" Syl asked as they rounded a corner.

Krit grinned and indicated what lay in front of them; Terminal City. "Not that hard."

Max didn't know where she was going, but that really wasn't her top priority. The pieces were suddenly being broken apart, torn…like her. She got pulled up and just had to get fucking pushed down again. She was falling and couldn't see anything to grab a hold on. Something to save her. Just when she thought she was in control over everything, something had to happen just to rub in her face that she had control over nothing. That she was hopeless. Pathetic

I love him damn it. She knew she couldn't fight it. She couldn't stop feelings from finding their own way inside me. She loved him with everything she had. She had never felt this way for anybody before. And I'm pregnant for goodness fucking sake. And THAT'S just another reason for me to go.

She kept on riding…she just kept on riding. I have nowhere to go and no place to stop, so what's the reason for not riding? So she just kept on riding. I'll stop eventually when I need gas. Without gas the bike wouldn't go anymore so she'd be forced to stop. That would be the only way to stop her. Max's hands were locked in an iron grip around the handlebars. She glanced in the side mirror quickly, and was shocked to find herself unable to recognise the woman staring back at her.

Those eyes weren't hers. They were dark and dull, no sparkle of any sort. Nothing. They were cold and empty. And that scared her, scared her to see such a thing inside her. To see her mask tail her. To see the emptiness she felt inside when she should feel complete, whole. I should be feeling alive for being in love, for having a person growing inside my body. Instead I'm a reflection that looked like Tinga when she died. When I cradled her blue body to the floor.

Then she felt that burning behind her eyes turn into real tears, which blurred her vision. But she didn't stop riding.

Max wondered when she had lost control over things. When they had escaped her tight grasp. She wiped her eyes with her long sleeved shirt and sniffed. She breathed in and out slowly, getting her breaths back to normal.

Then she kept on riding.

"Someone's following us." Syl looked around warily.

"Oh honestly Syl -"

Syl cut Krit off, "Shut up Krit." She turned to the darkened area, "Show yourself!" There was no response. "I've got an M16A2 and a Beretta 92SF ready to put more holes in your pretty body."

"And I've got a Colt Cobra and a USMC Extra and I wanna carve another barcode on your body." Krit added.

"Well I've got an Uzi SMG that could just blow you away." A voice came out of the darkness.

Krit and Syl focused their vision and made out the X5 aiming said Uzi at them.

"Ooh are you pulling out the big guns for me?" Syl giggled flirtatiously.

"Syl are you flirting with this asshole?" Krit asked incredulously.

"Not one bit darling." Syl deadpanned.

"You're mocking me aren't you?"

"Absolutely." She turned back to the X5, still hidden in shadows. "Can you tell us where the Control Centre is?"

"Preferably without hitting on my girlfriend." Krit put in.

"What's your designation and business?" Came the stern voice.

"We want to meet 494." Krit answered.

"Everyone does." Was the response. "I need a designation."

"His name is Krit." Syl pointed to her left.

"Her name is Syl." Krit pointed to his right.

"I asked for a designation '09ers." The X5 looked mildly annoyed.

"He's 471."

"She's 701." Krit and Syl answered for one another as usual.

"I'll tell him you were here." The X5 motioned for the two of them to leave.

"This is -" Syl began, but the X5 cut her off.

"- transgenic territory."

Syl was now getting irritated. "Are you saying I'm not transgenic?"

"No, I'm saying you need to be approved before entering."

"You can't stop me."

"I'd like to see you try '09er."

Krit saw Syl bristling and knew she was about half a second away from attacking the X5. "Come on." He pulled on her arm, "We'll come back later."

They walked back the way they came, passing a blonde woman.

The X5 guard didn't bother turning around to the hurried footsteps that approach his position. "I thought I told you to piss off."

"I'm hurt, 920, real hurt. Did you really forget your SIC so soon?" The woman faked a hurt voice.

The familiar voice made the man turned around and he saw her pout. "157. I thought you were someone else."

X5-157 gave a half-hearted glance behind her. "You mean the '09ers who just passed me?"

X5-920 grunted an affirmative. "It's good to see you again. You're looking good."

"Yes, considering the amount of training I've missed out while being outside. It's amazing I haven't gotten fat."

"You're looking hotter than ever."

X5-157 rolled her eyes, "Flattery will get you nowhere with me 920, you know that."

"Are you sure?"

"Are you excited 920?" She asked with a saucy smile. "Besides, I've got my eye on someone else."

X5-920 nodded. "They call me Cal."

"Simone."

They turned as one and walked towards the central area.

"Why don't you enlighten me on the developments so far?"

"There has been a significant influx of anomalies and X-series into Terminal City since 494 has declared himself the leader of this clandestine population."

"Is there some way in which I may assist you as your second in command and friend? Perhaps I can organize the housing of these new inhabitants?"

"Thank you, for offering your time and dedication into this matter. However several members of 494's unit have already undertaken this task. It would not do well to tread on their toes as a relative newcomer."

"Of course. I harbor no hard feelings. I understand the complexity with which our people function as a society and I accept your decision in this matter."

"There is, however, another task in which I am interested in discussing with you. May I know the location of your lodging so that communication between you and myself will not be too difficult?"

"Would it be an acceptable alternative if I gave you a contact number as I am still finding permanent accommodation?"

Several transgenics had tuned into the conversation, however Cal and Simone ignored the darting looks their way.

"Yes. I find that suitable. However, may I suggest that if you are unsuccessful in your search, that you take my offer of housing within this community?"

"For how much longer do the pair of you intend to converse in this obscene manner?" Hart cut in, "It is becoming increasingly humiliating for others to approach this area of the compound. If you wish to continue your dialogue, I must insist that you take it inside headquarters so that the other commanders may be thoroughly horrified at you atrocious behavior. I anticipate hearing the harsh reprimand your actions deserve. I will be inwardly pleased if, so they desire, their final judgment will also consist of severe punishment." He finished with a wry smile.

"You are such an idiot." Simone responded. "How-"

"-did you think she was going to react?" Syl exclaimed when Logan told them what had transpired between him and Max.

"I know." Logan replied solemnly, "I need to find her."

"You won't find her unless she wants to be found," Krit put in, which earned him a glare from Syl and a sigh from Logan.

"You are really not helping the-"

"-situation. Cops are getting antsy. Food's running out." Onyx switched into French and let out a rapid string of words that sounded like ramblings, until someone coughed politely.

"In English pal, so we can all enjoy it." Mole set his rifle heavily on Onyx's shoulder.

"Bloody Anomalies," the X5 muttered under his breath, "almost as useless as-"

"-ordinaries and your freakin' soap operas. Why would she say she loves you then go and a breed with someone else?" Syl asked.

"Okay, can we not say breed, you know? She's not a horse." Logan replied.

"Never know." Krit interjected, "She could have some horse DNA in her-"

"-cocktail." Everyone stared at the hyperactive X6, York. "What? Don't we have money allocated for alcohol?"

Cal shook his head, debating whether to be amused or disgusted. "Not enough for the expensive fancy shit. You're a freaking lightweight."

Cece laughed, "Haven't you heard? Andor and Trent have set up their own brewery."

"Damn those insolent little shits and their high-proof booze. There's enough trouble with keeping off the radar already, no need to add drunk transgenics to the circus. Ever since Eyes-"

"-Only? Why haven't you been doing any cable hacks lately?" Syl asked, outlining Logan's keyboard with a finger.

"Bet I know why." Krit snickered, "He's been having dates with the palm sisters after Max leaves each night." He shook a finger at Logan, "Tsk tsk. And you accuse Max of cheating on you."

Syl turned away from Logan's desk to stare at Krit. Logan watched, amused, as Krit stared defiantly back at her, waiting for the inevitable yelling.

But it never came.

Syl merely stared at her boyfriend for a long thirty seconds before turning back towards Logan, who was sitting at his desk. Behind her, Krit visibly relaxed, and it was then that Syl kicked out behind her, catching him in the shin.

"Oww!" He clutched his leg and glared at Syl's back, "You really need anger management-"

"-classes. You know; diagnostic and repair, recon, tactics, search and rescue, field med, sex ed-"

"Sex ed?" Simone interrupted.

"DNA can be a fickle thing." Cal replied.

"Fickle?" Cece interjected, "Try plain nasty. Especially the urges."

"At least most of the younger ones don't have much canine DNA."

"Doesn't stop this bunch from acting like dogs most of the time." Cece indicated the surrounding transgenics, most of whom were male.

"They think with a different head in the real world." Simone agreed.

"Didn't know any Manticore creations had two heads." Biggs looked genuinely confused as he walked up to them and stood behind his mate.

Cece smiled up at him, "There isn't much brain power separating you and Chopin."

Simone looked surprised, "I didn't know you switched to composers."

"How did you know what they call it?" Cal asked.

Cece glared at both Cal and Simone before fixing her eyes on Biggs. "Explain. Now."

"Sweetheart…honey…darling…" his voice was sickly sweet but everyone in the room knew he meant it, "You know you're the only one for me."

"Keep going." Cece's expression didn't change.

Biggs took a breath, "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day/Thou art more lovely and more temperate/Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May/And summer's lease hath all too short a date/Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines/And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;/And every fair from fair sometime declines-"

"By chance, or nature's changing course, untrimm'd;/But thy eternal summer shall not fade/Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;/Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade/When in eternal lines to time thou growest;/So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see/So long lives this, and this gives life to thee." Krit finished.

"And?" Syl asked, raising an eyebrow.

Krit's shoulders slumped, "And I'll be sleeping on the couch tonight. Wherever that happens to be."

Syl smiled, "Got it in one. And without any hints too." She sounded vaguely impressed.

"Speaking of sleeping…" Logan broke in, off Krit's smirk he added, "I wasn't going there."

"How many rooms are there?" Krit asked, eyes roaming the penthouse.

"Uh, abou-"

"Great, and you're the only one living here right?"

"Yes…"

"Wonderful. We'll be out of your way now. Come on Syl, let's find our room." Krit grabbed Syl's hand and attempted to move out of the living room, but she resisted.

"Your room is right here. On the couch."

"If you'd just let me offer first." Logan finally finished a sentence. "You're welcome to stay."

Alec was having an awful day. Not the awful I-woke-up-and-ran-out-of-coffee bad day variety, but the-whole-universe-is-plotting-against-me type of Bad Day. And it was not improving.

Life was Officially Boring.

Why?

Because Max left.

Why?

Because Max always ran when things got tough. And she left without saying goodbye to him and he was perfectly fine with that. He was. Mostly. Vaguely. Not Really. Not one bit.

It hurt.

There he admitted it. Then why wasn't he feeling any better?

Alec glared and kicked the ground again with more force. Ouch. He wished he had worn his steel-capped boots this morning instead of his old sneakers. He sighed, then stopped abruptly when he realised what he was doing.

There was this feeling of insignificance that loomed over his head. It was a familiar emotion he felt when he was around Max.

Alec hissed in anger. Then he smiled because he sounded like a cat and it amused him. Just barely. And right now he needed to have distractions, considering life without Max was busy but monotonous.

Only two day without Max, and Alec's life now solely revolved around Jam Pony and Terminal City. There seemed to be an endless amount of work to be completed with every new transgenic coming into the City, but there also seemed to be a diminishing amount of people able to carry out his orders. It wasn't true of course, but on a day like today, Alec felt the irrational need to vent.

Maybe he'd even blow off the extra money of a late Jam Pony shift and meet a few new people in TC. He might even meet a skinny X6 that named himself Butch or some of the ones who had named themselves after a variety of food snacks. Hmm.

It was amusing, to try and figure out the reasons behind a particular name. There was always a story. When he first met Max back at Manticore, he had no idea of her determination for naming people. He had come out of that experience as Smart Alec.

Now seven months out into the world, Alec found he preferred, to some extent that they had names as well as designations to refer to. It made it easier for them to blend in with the Ordinary community when given the need.

And it gave them all something to do. So he encouraged the Naming Ritual among the transgenic.

Max would be so proud.

And he was back to thinking about the source of his Bad Day.

She left. Max actually left. I guess this puts me in the same category as Manticore and White. I chased her away.

Logan moved aimlessly around his apartment in his wheelchair. He had no interest in walking if Max wasn't there to see.

In his insecurity, he had idiotically accused Max of cheating on him with Alec.

'What do you think I am, some kind of slut?' Her words came back to haunt him.

'Ours. Yours and mine.'

'I loved you.'

He wanted to blame his actions on alcohol, but it was his belief in Asha's words that had driven the wedge between him and Max.

'You deserve better than someone who will cheat on you the moment you're not around.'

The honest-sounding words only intensified the fear that has steadily developed in his mind since his unintentional meeting with an extraordinary woman. The fear that he would, one day, be inadequate for Max. How could a genetically enhanced superwoman ever be satisfied with me? I'm half a man.

The apartment was silent except for the low hum of his computers – which he couldn't work on without thinking of all the times Max had read information over his shoulder. He no longer had visitors. No Max translated to no transgenics needing him.

And Asha no longer came to visit him either. The day after Max left, Logan had been despondently remembering all the times Max had arrived unannounced, and when the door opened he looked up hopefully. Asha's unwelcome appearance turned his depression into irritation. However Asha's characteristic dark cloud of pessimism had dispersed to a somewhat lighter haze of optimism when Logan told her of Max's abrupt departure. This sparked a memory of Alec's words the night Max left: 'Asha's quite persistent in claiming you as hers.' To put it mildly, Logan hadn't taken kindly to the fact that his friend wanted to take this opportunity to fulfil her own happiness.

'Have you really sunk so low? Did you really think that we'd still be friends after the all the lies you've spread about Max? Would that convince me to like you as something more than a friend?'

Asha had protested vehemently, but Logan had been relentless in his accusation, having finally found someone other than himself on which to lay the blame for Max's disappearing act. She had left in a huff and wisely laid low ever since.

Four days later and he was still sitting alone in his apartment. The beep indicating an incoming email echoed throughout the empty space, and Logan turned back to the computer with a sigh.

Men. Dogs. There was no difference. Especially when it came to Max's two puppies, Logan and Alec.

After eight days of silence on the Max front, Original Cindy was very tempted to blurt out to everyone concerned that this fine chick knew very little behind Max's latest disappearance.

Alec had withdrawn further into himself. He kept a slight but noticeable distance between himself and Max's friends, conversing only with other Jam Pony employees that OC presumed to be transgenics. Spent less time at Crash and more time out on runs by himself.

Meanwhile Logan appeared to be convincing himself, impressing on all who would listen, that Max would be back, while still full of self doubt about their relationship.

Asha was no blonde bimbo. Like everyone else, she knew that Logan was particularly insecure in his tenuous relationship with Max and intentionally played on his fears. The realities of his medical condition had made the poor man believe his overactive imagination. Not only believe it, but also causing him to say boldly to her face that she lied about loving him.

If there was one thing OC knew – not that she knew only one thing – it was how much Max loved Logan.

Alec gave his true opinion about the whole thing once, on that rare occasion he had stopped playing his masquerade long enough for them to carry out a meaningful conversation. And he explained Max's thinking in a style that, frankly, Original Cindy found it kind of freaky. The way he understood and accepted why Max always wanted to be in control of everything, how she found it hard to show affection and love to the ones she cared about and why she was afraid to commit. It was a behaviour common among transgenics. OC suspected that Logan had seen this quazi-bond between the two transgenics and it formed part of the reason why he thought Max and Alec were having an affair.

But there was no halo on her girl either. Max had done nothing to reassure him that she returned his feelings. She had let things stew over in Logan's head for too long by not saying the words 'I love you' after the night of the temporary cure.

You don't know much about relationships, suga. You gotta continually remind them how you feel, 'specially the three legged gender.

However much she disliked Puppy Logan for upsetting her sista, she understood, if only to a certain extent, why he had accused Max of running around his back.

Pretty Boy was equally pathetic and easy to manipulate when it came to Max. Whatever she said was the Law in his books. Never wrong and never questioned. And Alec would never make Max choose between himself and her new squeeze 'cause he knew that when push came to shove, he didn't stand a chance. Max would forget him like yesterday's trash.

She didn't much like the position Max had put her in. As a result, she was snappish to everyone. She hoped Max would realise how lucky she was to have such loyal and devoted friends.

Syl walked through the side entrance of Jam Pony and headed for the locker area where she could hear Sketchy complaining to Original Cindy.

Cece fell into step beside her. "Hey."

"Hey." Syl replied, as they came into ordinary-earshot of the locker area.

"…Max always came with me when I got a run in Rydin' Forties turf so I'd get paid as well."

"What's wrong Sketchy?" Syl asked in a condescending tone.

Sketchy, being Sketchy, didn't notice that Syl was talking to him like one would speak to a three-year-old, and continued to whinge. "Normal's Golden Boy, and your boyfriend-" he nodded at Cece, "-keep taking runs off me."

"Original Cindy thought you said you were allergic to yellow tape." OC commented.

"Didn't you ask them to take the runs?" A smile played on Cece's lips.

"But Max used to come with me." Sketchy explained, still using the three-year-old tone that had prompted Syl's motherly one.

"Poor baby, do you miss her?" OC remarked with a smirk.

"Not as much as you do." Sketchy's uncharacteristically sharp response put OC at a momentary loss for words.

"I bet not as much as Logan," Syl commented in the relative silence. "He's probably spent more time pining after Max than the both of you put together."

There was a pause while the other three took in the comment, nodding their assent.

"Speaking of bets, how many people are still in contention?" Cece spoke up.

"What pool?" OC and Sketchy asked in unison.

"There's a bet that's been going around-" Syl cut herself short at the quick jerk of OC's thumb towards Sketchy. "-just going around, about how long it's gonna be before Max comes back." She turned her head towards Cece, "The only ones left are me, Hart, and the people who think she'll never come back. Not that they could ever claim their money…" She trailed off.

"So when did you bet?" Cece asked.

"Eleven days. So if Max comes back tomorrow, the pot's mine!"

"Who bet on ten days?"

TO BE CONTINUED…

Again, sorry for the LONG wait, but school's a bitch, and it's gonna keep being bitchy, so very positive there won't be another chapter out until at least end of November, if not December. And a note to all beginner-writers, don't try and write fanfic while stressing about exams. That's how we came up with the random scene cuts in the middle of this chapter…doesn't mean a whole lot, aside from giving you guys some more Syl/Krit banter and letting you meet a few new transgenics…but it did relieve us of some stress. The random title alliteration can be blamed on MissBehaving, who had to be restrained from making it even longer and less coherent.

Roll Call (by SA):

intodust, Black Rose9: thanks for the comments about keeping true to the characters, we try our very best to do so while still making them do what we want them to do…

idlehands452: Max handled the accusation better than I would've too, but then again I probably would have pummeled the guy to the ground and if Max does that she'll kill Logan so she's gotta settle for words…

M/L Only: yeah, Logan has learnt to share his feelings, but now Max's gotta learn to do the same…we're actually looking for a creative way for her to do so, anyone got any ideas?

Alexandra Bruderlin: wow, such high praise from arguably the best S/K writer out there. Thanks, the random S/K banter in this chap is for you.

Babyangel86: thanks for the praise, and never fear, Alec will never stay with Max in any of my stories, even if they're together to start with…not that I'm planning any like that…and he will get his own chick soon, but he has to figure out his feelings for Max before anyone serious comes along. And yes, I have been influenced by other people's work, but I made sure it wasn't exactly that same – Logan's reaction was focused on one person rather than anyone like in Mystic's story, and as for the S/K thing, just about every story I've read that includes S/K has them together – barring Mystic's Choices that is – and I think that's coz they're so fun to write!

maritje: OC was gonna go ghetto on Logan, but he looked so upset with himself that she just couldn't do it. Also she had to attempt to prevent Max from leaving (which obviously didn't work…) And no, we're not from the US, we're from Australia, and we're just finishing our last year at high school – finals are in October/November, so we won't be writing much til after they're over.

bitterlullabies: Max will forgive him, eventually…and as for the cure, thanks for reminding us! We are gonna cure it eventually, but you're right, in the meantime we should have them looking for a cure…About the other stuff to explore – that's kinda the point! We've added some more stuff in this chapter that will be explored later, mainly stuff on TC and some new transgenics…

maggieann452: thanks for the positive feedback.