A/N: This chapter took me ages to write and I'm still not happy with it.  Oh well, here it is.  *shrugs* Feel free to laugh at its pathetic ness.

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Chapter thirty: United We Stand, Divided We Fall

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'What are you bozos thinking, knocking over a Kwick-E-Mart?'

-Alec (Bag 'Em)

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'While at the gates of paradise they beat us down some more

But our mission's set in stone

'Cause the writing's on the wall

I'll scream it from the mountain tops pride comes before a fall'

-Creed (Freedom Fighter)

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Erin sighed as she watched from her position at the back of the crowd, leaning against a pillar with her arms folded.  In front of her stood about 40 transgenics- anomalies and X series alike.  Max was stood on an upper level with Zack, Alec, Zane, Jondy and Mole, talking to the crowd below them.

"The 15 selected X5s will be under Zack, Jondy and Zane's command; the remaining people will be under Mole's- helping with the unloading." Max looked down at the soldiers she ruled over "This job is meant to be kept silent.  We don't want anyone to know of our involvement in this."

Erin wanted to move.  She'd been called away from hanging with Sketchy and Dalton, and now she was bored.  Back home, Erin had generally been known as a patient person.  Both of her parents had had this quality and out of her siblings, Erin had got it.  Because of this ability, Erin had taught herself to play the acoustic, rhythm and lead guitar.  She'd taught herself to blade and skateboard, including all of the tricks she knew now.  She'd taught herself sign language when she was 11.  Because of this ability, Erin was great with kids and was able to stay calm in most stressful situations.  Recently however, she had noticed that this ability was slowly disappearing, she now got bored very quickly.

She began to examine her nails yet again, zoning out Max's speech.  This lasted for about 3 seconds.  Now, she began to tap her foot to a song in her head.  This lasted until the nearest transgenic gave her an annoyed look.  Then, she began to examine the back of every transgenic's head.

"You're still not one of us" a voice from beside her made Erin jump.  She turned to look up at Jes leaning against the pillar beside her.  His dark eyes were on the crowd but he spoke to Erin so only she could hear unless a transgenic wanted to focus on their conversation.  "You think just because you're going on this mission that you've been accepted.  But you never will be, you're weak.  The only reason why you're still here is because they" he nodded in Max and Alec's direction "like you here."

Erin rolled her eyes and wondered when Max would stop with the speeches already.

"If they didn't like you, I'd have killed you already" Jes's words made Erin turn to stare at him.

"Will you quit it already?!  I know you don't like me, and if it makes you feel any better, I don't like you either.  I think you're an idiot.  If you have this attitude on the outside, you wouldn't last a week.  I don't want to fit in Jes; I'm here because I want to survive.  Ordinaries are a way of life.  If you don't ever want to accept us for the way we are, shoot yourself now cuz you ain't ever getting' away from us.  They don't have to make you accept them; you're the ones who have to make them accept you.  This attitude you have is one of the things you have to get rid of if you ever want to live free.  If I can accept you for what you are, why can't you accept me?"

"Everything okay here?" Alec appeared beside them.  Erin hadn't realised that the meeting had ended.

Erin was feeling bitchy today and she smiled brightly as Zack walked over to them "Everything's fine.  Jes was just tellin' me my place."

Zack raised his eyebrows and simultaneously both men folded his arms and looked down at a now pale Jes.

"Really?" Alec asked quietly "And what is Erin's place, Jes?"

Calmly, as this was going on, Erin pulled out a pack of gum she'd stole from the warehouse the first time around and offered it to Zack. Zack took some and turned back to watch as Erin did the same.

"I asked you a question, soldier" Alec waited for an answer.  Jes didn't say anything and Alec gave Erin a questioning look.

Erin already knew that Jes would hate her no matter what, so thanks to her bitchy mood, Erin decided to give him a reason.

"He says I'll never be accepted here because I'm weak.  The only reason I'm still here is because you guys like me, and if it weren't for that, he'd have killed me already."

Zack grabbed Erin's arm as Alec shouted "Mole!" at the top of his lungs.

Pulling her away, he gave Erin a serious look as he let her go "You shouldn't have done that!"

"What?" Erin stared at him "It's the truth."

"But now he'll be gunnin' for you" Zack folded his arms as Alec volunteered Jes as a volunteer for whatever messy jobs Mole had lined up.

Erin rolled her eyes and folded her own arms "He hates me anyway.  Now he's got a reason too."

"But now you have to watch your back, Erin.  He'll try to get revenge.  He's a transgenic; he'll go as long as it takes."

Erin shrugged "Then I'll get revenge for whatever he does.  I'm not stupid, Zack, and neither is he.  He won't do anything too bad, not with Max wanting to keep me safe."

Jes walked away with a grinning Mole and Alec approached them "He won't bother you again."

"Yeah, he will.  You ain't with me for 24/7" she shrugged again "Doesn't matter."

"If he comes near you, he'll have me to deal with" Alec muttered.

Zack and Erin stared and Alec changed the subject, looking uncomfortable "Right, the mission."

The three of them walked towards the sewer entrance.  "Remember, you do as Zack says.  Don't do anything stupid and don't get caught."

Erin gave him an offended look and Alec sighed "Just don't get into trouble and come back in one piece, okay?"

They reached the sewer entrance and Zack passed Erin a small torch as Erin mock saluted "Yes boss."

She tucked the torch into the back of her combats and climbed down the ladder "See you in a few hours" she grinned and slid down out of sight.

"This is SO gross" Erin kept the torch trained on the ground so she didn't step into anything.  Everyone else walked through the tunnel easily, seeing perfectly in the almost pitch black conditions.

She heard Zack chuckle beside her.  That was a sound she'd never imagined Zack making.  Erin was used to the serious yet hot Zack he'd been before the raid on Manticore.  Now, he was just as hot but much more relaxed.  He smiled a lot, usually around Max or his family.

"It's alright for you, Soldier Boy.  You don't have to breathe this shit in."

"Quit complaining Ewok, it's your own fault you're on this mission."

"How'd you work that out?" Erin sidestepped a nasty looking thing that looked like it was alive.  When it gave a squeak, she realised that it was alive and was actually a rat covered in God knows what.  Erin grimaced.

"You should've worked out you exact location" Zack explained calmly as the continued steadily through the sewers.  Jondy was up front taking point and Zane was at the back of the line.  Zack and Erin were in the middle of the line and Erin knew that Alec and Max had probably told him to act as her bodyguard or something.

"Hey, I don't have a photographic memory and I'd only been in the city for a few days! It's not my fault! Besides, I'm complaining about the sewers, not the mission."

Again, that chuckle.  "Whatever you say, Ewok."

"What's with that? Are you a fan of Star Wars or something?" Zack? A Star Wars fan? Now that was weird.

"I always thought the Ewoks were too cute." Did Zack sound embarrassed?  "I always thought that they were really dangerous but hid it under their own version of camouflage."

"So, you think I'm dangerous? Or are you tellin' me I'm small and fury?" Erin frowned "Cuz I can tell you now, I am in no way furry; I don't carry around a tiny little spear and I don't wear a loin cloth."  Erin thought about it a second.  "Or are you sayin' I'm cute?!  That is so not right! I lack in cuteness, really!"

"All I'm sayin' is, because you're small, people tend to underestimate you."

"Thanks… I think."

They walked in comfortable silence, or as comfortable as you could get in a stinking rat infested sewer.  10 minutes later, they turned a corner to see the transgeincs ahead of them disappearing up a ladder.  Erin turned off her torch, stuck it in a pocket and climbed up the ladder, taking in big gulps of clean air after her head had reached the surface.  Climbing out, Erin looked around her.

They were surrounded by warehouses, no people besides transgenics in sight.  She wondered idly if Seattle had any actual buildings that hadn't been deserted after the pulse.

With Zack by her side, Erin followed the transgenics into the nearest warehouse.  Inside were 2 black vans and 2 trucks.  They were nondescript and wouldn't stand out at the docks.  Alec must have had them stolen not long after they'd had the meeting.  Thinking about the meeting caused the smile to disappear from Erin's face.  That did not go well.

"We're at the vehicles now" Zack spoke into the radio headset he was wearing.  Jondy and Zane each had one too.  The transgeincs were being split into 3 groups once they'd reached the target.  Jondy had 5 transgeincs under her command, Zane had the same and Zack had 3 and Erin.

Jondy climbed behind the wheel of a truck, Zane behind the wheel of a van and another X5 climbed into the other truck.  As the transgeincs split up in the other vehicles, Zack got behind the wheel of the other van, gesturing Erin to sit beside him.  "Copy that" he said to whatever HQ had told him.  He started the engine "We're moving out now."

"Copy that, Alpha" Alec spoke into his headset "resume radio silence until target is sighted."

"Understood" Zack's voice sounded in his ear "Alpha team out."

"Beta team?" Alec watched over Dix's shoulder as he pulled up several maps on his computer screen.  He was keeping them informed of their location.

"Understood HQ" Zane's voice came through loud and clear "Beta team out."

"Aye aye Captain" Jondy's amused voice came next "Flying Monkey's out."

"Jondy!" Max grinned and spoke into her own headset.

"What, Maxie?" Jondy's innocent voice reached her.

"You could take things a little more seriously" Max rolled her eyes at Alec when she saw a pissed off Logan stalking towards her.

"A girl's gotta have a little fun, little sista.  Jondy out."

"Max, I need my computer" Logan stopped in front of her with his arms folded "I'd just got everything set up for an Eyes Only broadcast and then I was literally picked up and kicked out of Headquarters.  They gave me some lame assed excuse saying it was under your orders."

Max stared at him.  Was he blind? Couldn't he see what they were doing? "Logan, it was under my orders.  If you hadn't noticed, we're kinda busy right now."

"But, Eyes Only needs to reach out to the masses! The people need him, Max!"

Silence settled over HQ and all eyes turned to watch the exchange.  Alec walked up to stand behind Max.

"Logan, we've got 3 teams of transgeincs out there, including Erin.  All of them are wanted by White and the public.  Right now, they're risking their necks for supplies.  If we don't get these supplies, we'll be dead in a couple of weeks max.  Now, you want to make an Eyes Only broadcast?" Max fought to keep her voice level and she counted to 10 in her head.

"Need I remind you, that Eyes Only has put a lot of time and energy into helping the transgenic cause, time and energy that could've been spent on other things?" Logan felt like he was talking to a child.  He'd spent days working on his computer and keeping out of Max's way.  He was sure that she'd come to her senses and was ready to apologise to him about the little spat before.  Now this is what he got?

"Logan, shut up" Alec's voice was calm and his face was emotionless.  He was really pissed off.

"Alec, it's okay" Max tried to calm him down, knowing he was ready to beat Logan to a bloody pulp.

"No, it's not Max" Alec didn't turn his gaze away from Logan.  "I'm sick of your bullshit, Logan, so let's get a few things straight, shall we? 1) Stop referring to Eyes Only as if it were someone else.  It's annoying and everyone in TC knows it's you.  2) That computer was leant to you by us because you were stupid enough to let White find you.  3) We didn't ask you to start crusading for our cause and everyone here from the age of 8 upwards has better computer skills, including myself and Max.  Now, shut up and let us all do our jobs, people's lives are at risk and they're far more important than your pathetic attempts at playing hero, so BACK OFF."

The silence in HQ was broken by a loud whistle of appreciation.  "Now, THAT was a put down" Mole's voice started everything up in HQ, and everyone got back to work.

Logan looked between Alec and Max, his mouth flapping like a goldfish.  "What?..." he spluttered "How…How dare he!"

"Oh, he dares" Max's voice came out as calm as Alec's had been and Alec walked away.  "And he did.  Think, Logan.  We've got people on an extremely important mission and you're thinking about Eyes Only.  Not the right thing to do right now."  She moved away to talk to Brin at the other computer.  Logan shut his mouth and stormed away.

Alec moved to lean on the railing "Hey, Mole!"

Mole walked into view "Yeah, boss?"

"Everything ready?"

"Yeah, boss.  We got a protected chain of people in the sewers, ready for unloading.  I recruited some extra people to make it quicker." Mole replied with a grin.

Alec nodded "Now, all we have to do is wait." So far so good.

"That's it" Erin scooted forward in her seat, her eyes on the buildings they were approaching on their right.

"You sure?" Zack used his enhanced eyesight to focus on the area she was looking at.  With the sun almost below the horizon, he could make out the police barrier and 15 foot high fence.  There must've been at least 10 warehouses within the fence.

"Positive" a slow smile spread on her face as they drove straight passed it.

"Location confirmed" Zack spoke into his headset as they parked a block and a half away amongst some other delivery vans outside several warehouses.

"Put this on" Zack handed Erin a black ski mask- one of those with only a hole for the eyes.  "So we don't get identified" he told her as he put his own on.

Rolling her eyes, Erin did the same the climbed out of the van.  'Part time' she thought to herself before jogging away, not waiting for the others.

"Damn it Erin!" Zack's voice crackled through Alec's headset.

Max moved closer to Alec at the computers as Dix and Brin simultaneously sat up straighter.

Dix touched his headset briefly before focussing on the computer, his fingers flying over the keys.  "Copy that, Beta team.  I have you location confirmed.  Any police response time would be ETA 7 minutes."

"Alpha team, what's your status?" Max spoke quickly, examining the more detailed maps that Dix brought up of their area.

"Moving into position, out" Zack's response was immediate and they could hear him moving.

"What happened to Erin?" Alec gripped the back of Dix's chair, his knuckles turning white.

"Your girlfriend ran off to find the hole in the fence." They heard the sound of a slap "And now, she hits me." Zack sounded exasperated "I have no idea how you put up with her, man."  Another slap and Zack chuckled "The hole is big enough for us to get through.  We're not risking jumping the fence, out."

"Surrounding area seems secure" Jondy's voice was calm but Max knew she was enjoying this "2 cops at the front on the barrier, floodlights at the front, non near the rear.  Don't think we'll have to take 'em out."

"Target confirmed" Zack sounded just like he had the night they went to find Tinga and Max shuddered, remembering what had happened next.  "Loading vans now, resuming radio silence until mission is complete.  Alpha team out."

"Beta team out."

"Monkey's out."

"Copy that" Alec spoke calmly, his death grip on the chair now relaxed.  That still didn't mean he liked waiting.

It was amazing how much merchandise could be shifted when you had genetically enhanced people doing the shifting.  And what was even more impressive, they did it all in total silence.  You could hear a pin drop.  Erin helped move the lighter things such as clothes and food, taking extra care not to drop anything.  They only took what was needed though that was a lot of things.  When they were finishing loading the last truck, Zack sent 2 transgenics to check out the other warehouses closest to them.  3 contained armoured vehicles and another was identical to the one they'd raided.  Zack thought it was unwise to check out the other warehouses because they were on a schedule and it would spread them out too much.  As it was, Beta team were back at the vans.  Jondy and Zack's team still remained while Beta team were loading the last truck. Zack and Jondy's teams were retreating when it happened.  2 cops walked out of one of the furthest warehouses.

"Oh shit" Jondy muttered, grabbing Erin at the same time as blending back into the shadows.

Genetically enhanced or not, 10 people could not all hide from their flashlights as they pinned them against the walls of the warehouse.  It was one of those movie moments.  All movement seemed to slow down and all breathing stopped.  Then all at once, time started up again impossibly loud as at least 20 more cops ran out of the warehouse they'd been in, probably doing some illegal dealings.

As Jondy and the other transgenics took fighting stances, Zack spoke into his concealed microphone "Zane, get those trucks outta here now! Get you ass back here little brother, we got trouble."

"Copy that" Zane's reply was immediate.  That was when more floodlights came on and they were all bathed in blinding light.

Even Erin could hear the sound of police sirens getting closer.  An alarm must've been tripped.  Blinking against the light, Erin looked for a way out.  The rest of Zane's team minus 2, came back from the direction of the fence.  Transgenics joined together and it was a face off.

"Something's wrong" Max began to pace agitatedly "I can feel it, something's definitely wrong."

"Max, chill.  They still have an estimated 3 minutes before they should be on the move." Alec tried to clam her down.  He was used to these kind of situation, Max wasn't.

"We've got movement" Brin spoke up from her computer.  "Police are moving in on their position fast."

"Command, do you copy?" Zack's voice reached them and Dix put them on the speakers.

"Go ahead, Alpha team.  What's you status?" Max replied immediately as silence settled on headquarters.  Only static reached them and Max began to panic even more.

"Alpha do you copy?" Alec spoke quickly "Jondy? Zane?"  More static.

"Zack?! Jondy?! Anyone?! Max yelled into the radio, panic clearly evident on her features.

The static from the radio was loud in the silent Headquarters as everyone held their breath.  Then the static was broken as Zack's voice reached them.

He sounded emotionless which only meant one thing.  It was confirmed when he spoke "We are under attack."  There were sounds of fighting in the background, and Jondy swearing loudly "I repeat, we are under attack."

"Police are moving in fast, Alpha" Brin spoke into her headset "Get you asses outta there."

"We're tryin' HQ, we're tryin'" Zane spoke over the speakers, "The trucks are already on the way."

"Hey! Leave my monkey alone!" Jondy's voice sounded in the background at the same time Zane was speaking.  "You son of a bitch! I'm gonna kick your… Wow Erin, you sure know where to aim.  Hope he didn't want kids."

"The trucks are at the drop off point!" Dalton ran in "Mole's team are unloading them now.  Any further orders?"

"Get the back up team waiting outside; tell them we might have a situation." Alec ordered and Dalton was gone.

"Alpha team, are you in need of further assistance?" Max continued to pace.

"No, I think we're good" Zack's calm voice reached them.  "Put the gun down, man." Zack left his radio on and they could hear everything "I said, put the gun- ah shit!"

"Bastards love tasers" Zane grunted.  The sound of a fist hitting flesh "Keep away from her! Erin run!"

Total chaos surrounded her, police fighting transgenics with tasers.  Any guns they had were immediately disarmed, the transgenics were trying not to kill them.

Erin was trying to keep out of the way but it wasn't really working.  Erin had already helped Jondy get rid of one cop by kicking her attacker between the legs and she tripped another up as he was trying to get Zack with a taser from behind.  Erin had no idea what to do.  Should she stay and try to fight? Should she run? Should she hide and see what happens?

Just then, a cop grabbed her from behind only to be yanked away from her by Zane.  He was knocked out with a punch in the stomach and a spinning kick to the face.  "Keep away from her!" Zane roared as another cop came after her.  Zane was too busy fighting off 3 more cops but he saw what was happening.  "Erin run!"

She didn't need to be told twice.  Erin made it to the fence before looking back to see another cop had joined in the chase.  They probably thought she was just a kid, less able at defending herself.  They were right.  Erin made it through the fence and ran away from the vans.  She couldn't let them get to the vehicles; the cops had to think that it was just a new gang doing a heist.  They couldn't seem so planned out.

Her feet pounded the tarmac in a steady rhythm until she reached another corner and she faltered, skidding slightly before she got her balance and the rhythm started back up again.  She wondered how much longer her trainers would last in this world.  So far, they'd gone for several miles through a forest, walked through God knows what in the sewers, stayed a night on the streets and were now running down an empty Seattle neighbourhood.  Erin dreaded to think what was next.

Erin knew that she wouldn't get caught.  She had a good chance of getting away because it was dark and she was small.  She could hide easily and she was quicker on her feet than the 2 slightly overweight cops, and she was nearing the part of Seattle that she knew.  She hoped to outrun them and double back to the unloading area, where they'd stashed the vehicles before.  Dalton had told her that transgeincs were successful because they knew how to use their skills and they could adapt to any situation.  Erin had noticed that she had become adapt at several skills since arriving in this reality.  Erin had been constantly adapting to every situation that was thrown at her. She could steal, lie, act and when need be- run like hell.  Hoping that her friends were alright, Erin put on a burst of speed.  He legs aching and her heart pounding in her ears, she ran out onto a street she recognised.  This area was more awake at night thanks to its nightlife and all of the clubs and bars in the area.  Erin pulled off her ski mask before the cops rounded the corner and slipped into a crowd of people leaving a bar.

"Everything's okay, HQ we're heading back to the vehicles now" Zack climbed through the fence quickly as the 3 teams made their way to the vans, leaving over 20 cops unconscious on the cold floor.  The sirens got louder.

"Good to hear, Alpha team.  Any casualties?" Alec sounded relieved.

"Just a few cuts and bruises.  We'll be okay" Zack looked around at his team mates.  His eyes widened when he looked around and spotted one person missing.  "Where's Erin?"

While the cops were looking around, scratching their heads trying to see where Erin had gone, she separated from the crowd and slipped into an alley as the crowd walked past it.  Smiling and slowing her breathing, Erin dumped the ski mask into a dumpster and continued deeper into the alley.  The plan had worked like a charm, now, all she had to do was get back to TC without being spotted.  The smile disappeared when she walked around a corner and was grabbed by a strong pair of hands.

"Ah shit" she muttered, her voice sounded strange from lack of use.  "This is all I need."  As she was dragged off into the shadows, she realised the flaw in her plans.  She was alone.  Maybe she wasn't gonna get back to TC after all.

Next Chapter: Frozen In Time

She wasn't going to cry, Erin decided then and there.  They would not see her cry.  Jake wouldn't see her cry.  She had to be strong for him, she had to protect him the best she could and if that was doing what they wanted- so be it.  Her jaw clamped shut as they broke another finger.  She wouldn't scream, she wouldn't make a sound.

A/N: Hope you guys still want DA to come back.  They're considering bringing it back for a third season and want to know what the viewers think.  Remember, no threats or insults people :) Write to…

Bring Back Dark Angel

c/o Fox Broadcasting Co.

PO BOX 900

Beverly Hills, CA. 90213

Marty: Yeah dude, she talks like a northerner. *grins* Strangely enough, she talks exactly like us.  How can Jake come back dude? *looks confused* She told them that he died!  Alec is very protective and Erin finds it annoying.  I wouldn't of course but sadly, Jensen Ackles must've got lost on the way to my house.  You know how horrible it is to find it :P

Messymissy: *falls off chair* Dude, that was like an essay!!!  I take it you like my story then? :) Well, The Link thing isn't scientific at all.  The story is mixing science (transgeincs) and a bit of supernatural.  Max hasn't told Erin much about her dreams because she knows that Erin doesn't know much about it anyway.  Max thinks that Erin is a normal girl, and, Erin thinks she's a normal girl in a different reality.  *grins* they're both gonna get a shock.

Moonlight:  The Jake thing will gradually be revealed it's just that Erin doesn't like to talk about it.  It does get pretty interesting though.  Erin has some real issues with it, as it was suggested that in the other chapter, she actually went to see a shrink.  I'll go into that more in later chapters

MaxCat452:  Hey dude *waves* Yeah, um one of my reviewers Elin told me about it.  Thanks Elin! *waves at Elin*  She said that they're considering bringing DA back for a third season cuz the show they replaced it with isn't doing as good as they hoped it would. *tries not to laugh at Fox*

Shards Of Normality: Don't worry dude, I'm thinking about writing a whole chapter dedicated to Max and her feelings for Zack.  I think she's in need of some girl talk. Um dude? Sadistic teddy bear? *shakes head* He's all yours.