AN/Yay, thankyou for the reviews guys. This is just a short chapter to keep the story running smoothly. I love hearing your theories on the Beast, it should all be explained in the next few chapters.

Alec lay in the back seat completely dazed for a second, before sitting up and glancing at the buildings flashing by.

'What the hell was that?' He yelled at the back of Astrid's head in frustration.

She shrugged her shoulders 'Do you think I'm going to stick around and wait to be killed or dragged back to them by her?' She snapped at him

'WHAT' Alec screamed 'What are you talking about girl, you're driving me crazy'

'Relax' Astrid told him.

'Relax…Relax? You just tried to kill me' He cried back at her 'Arghh, You're psycho' Alec put one hand on each side of his head and breathed in and out in an effort to stay calm.

'I had no intention of hurting you' said Astrid with a sigh

'I just had to get out of there' she paused 'you don't know what it's like for me, always looking over my shoulder, knowing one day she'll be there. I've been luckier than the others, but I can't escape forever. It's either kill or be killed, and if I want to survive I'll need your help.'

Alec climbed through and seated himself in the front seat, turning his head to look at the side of Astrid's face.

'Why do you keep saying her? Who is after you Astrid and how can I help? He asked it a rush of words.

Astrid glanced over at him. He really was clueless as to what was going on. He was a friend to the Beast and yet he had no idea of her real nature and purpose. She had no idea if he would help her if she told him, but he certainly wouldn't help her if she didn't tell him anything. At this stage Astrid had nothing to lose.

'Your friend…Max…she's the Beast'

'A Beast?" Alec asked 'I know Max isn't always the most agreeable person but I wouldn't go as far to describe her as a Beast'

Astrid shook her head, 'Not 'A' Beast, 'The' Beast. She is the hunter and killer of my kind.'

Alec was once again confused. 'Look, Max and I might not get along sometimes, and she very rarely lets me in on what she's thinking. I usually don't know what's going on in her life- unless she needs my expertise-but one thing I do know, is that she's no killer. Max helps transgenics, she doesn't hunt them.'

Astrid gave him a sad smile 'Of course that's what she would have you believe'

After that she wouldn't answer any more of Alec's questions and didn't take her eyes off the road as she sped out of the city. Astrid had said all she would for the moment.

The Beast smiled as she watched XS 006 make her escape from the female X5. She thought it extremely amusing that that foolish girl had mistaken the X5 for the Beast herself, whose name was Lyria.

She observed the X5 run over to check on the health of her male companion and had listened to their concerns about what was going on. They too, had no idea of the true situation. They were sure that 006 had kidnapped Alec for some unknown reason; the X5 had no idea that she had a twin out there who was hunting the girl. Lyria's wicked smile widened, what a mess 006 had made of everything.

Lyria would have almost pitied her, had she possessed a soul.