Seattle Ain't What it Used to Be

Disclaimer-Nothing that has to do with Dark Angel or Dark Angel books belongs to me. Only the parts of the story that I make up are mine.

Summary-Sequel to Reliving Manticore. After escaping, Max and the other transgenics find refuge in Seattle. More people from Max's past start showing up, the humans start finding out about transgenics, a heat experience changes Max and Alec's life and it doesn't help that White is back in the picture.

Pairings-Max/Alec and Syl/Krit. More people will be paired off as the story goes on.

Chapter Six-It Just Got Worse

Max took her time as she slowly walked down the street from Logan's penthouse. The night air seemed to be warmer than usual, but as a wind breeze ruffled her hair, she felt a shiver go down her spine. She stuffed her hands in her jacket pockets and quickened her pace. She suddenly stopped when a faint noise reached her ears. She glanced to her left than her right, seeing nothing. She swiftly ducked, barely escaping a kick aimed at her head. She sidestepped to the right and faced her attacker. Her body immediately stiffened.

"Brin," she stated. A slow smile spread across Brin's face, which had an eery effect in the silver moonlight.

"Hello, little sister," she greeted in the same tone.

"What are you doing here?" Brin's eyes hardened but her smile didn't falter as she held her arms out wide.

"What? No hug? I'm really feelin' the love," she replied sarcastically.

"Coming from the psycho that just tried to kick my head off," Max retorted angrily. Brin mock-pouted.

"Aw, did I hurt your feelings?" Max retaliated by throwing a punch. Brin easily twisted her body so Max missed her. She grabbed her fist and twisted it behind her back. "That was rude, little sis. Show some manners for your family." She roughly pushed her away. Max tightly held her arm, shocked that it hurt so much.

"What do you want?" she asked through gritted teeth.

"I've come to take you home," she said seriously. Max let out a bark of laughter. Brin cocked her head to the side, studying her. "What? You don't believe me? Don't you remember what was said in our last conversation?" Max stared at her incredulously.

"Of course I remember," she replied slowly. "Even though it was about two years ago." Something that looked remotely like surprise and confusion passed through Brin's eyes before she quickly masked it.

"Interesting..." she muttered. Max's brow furrowed but Brin didn't wait for her to speak. "It's not time yet. I'll be back soon." Max blinked as she was gone.

"Okay..." she murmured. She flipped her collar up against her neck and cautiously looked around her before she continued walking.


When Max walked into her living room she was surprised to find Zack, Syl, and Krit waiting for her. Alec was pacing back and forth across the room.

"Be careful, you might burn a hole in the ground," Max quipped. Alec's face broke into a relieved grin and he gave her a quick kiss and hug. Max looked over at her siblings. "Is there a specific reason you're here?" Zack stood up warily and took a step toward her. Her face remained blank.

"I'm...sorry, Maxie," Zack began, not able to meet her scrutinizing gaze. Max struggled to keep the surprise from entering her expression. "I...I should have listened to your side of the story before..." Max grinned at him and gently touched his face, making sure he was looking at her.

"As long as you understand fully what went down and what may happen if we don't help Brin...I can forgive and begin to forget," she assured. Zack smiled slightly and nodded before turning to Syl and Krit, who had remained silent.

"Something you'd like to say?" Alec asked pointedly. Krit and Syl exchanged looks before stepping towards Max.

"Zack and Alec filled us in on what parts of your dream you had told them...sounds like a bunch of fantasy-surrealist-shit. But hey, who am I to judge? Considering I was made in a lab and can snap a guy's neck with my thumb and index finger," Syl commented. Max smiled slightly. "Doesn't mean I forgive you yet for what you did...and then didn't tell us. But it's a start and I'm willing to help in any way I can." Max's grin widened and she looked over at Krit expectantly.

"What she said," he replied simply.

"Lovely. Now that that's over and done with...what are we gonna do about our friendly neighborhood killer?" Alec questioned. Max frowned.

"I don't know...I ran into her on the way home," she began.

"My god, are you okay?" Alec asked, suddenly worried. Max rolled her eyes.

"Of course. I'm here and alive aren't I?" she countered. Alec copied her expression. "First she tried to kick my head off, but then she said she was gonna take me home.Which wasthe same thing she said to me when she was trying to capture Tinga and her son." The others' faces grew somber at the mention of their dead sister. "When I reminded her of the date that conversation happened, she seemed a little surprised."

"What do you mean?" Zack asked. Max raked a hand through her hair.

"Like she didn't know the current date? Or maybe she just wasn't conscious during part of the past two years?"

"And what makes you think she wasn't conscious?" Alec questioned. Max raised her head higher, as if trying to appear defiant.

"My dream," she stated. "In my dream, Brin said something about being a guinea pig for someone. Didn't say who or what for, though." Alec rolled his eyes. Max glared at him. "What?" He looked at her pointedly.

"Come on, don't tell me you don't know," he received confused looks in return. He sighed. "Does Ames White ring any bells?" Max stiffened as realization hit her.

"You think he's capable of something like that?" Krit asked.

"That son of a bitch is capable of anything, unfortunately," Max growled.

"How do we find out for sure?" Syl questioned.


Brin walked stiffly through an alley surrounded by warehouses. She stopped when she came across one that had a rusted red door instead of a blue one. She looked to her left then right before she gripped the handle and slid it open. When she stepped inside, she was met with pitch black darkness. This didn't seem to bother her as she walked purposefully forward. She came into contact with someone and immediately wrapped her hand around their neck, shoving them against the wall. As she did this, a blinding white light filled the room. Brin winced against the intensity of it but didn't relinquish her grip. Her cold dark eyes narrowed at the obviously frightened blue ones belonging to the lab tech that she was strangling.

"What year is this?" she bit out. The lab tech could only gurgle a response. "What year is this?" She tightened her hold.

"Oh for the love of...let the man go," a calm voice, edging towards a violent outburst, came from behind Brin. She blinked and let the lab tech fall. "Good girl." Brin whirled around to face the speaker and was met with a needle filled with reddish liquid puncturing her neck. She grit her teeth against the searing pain and glared at the man that had injected it. Ames White.

"What...year...is this?" she breathed heavily. The slash in White's face widened. He probablythinks he'ssmiling.

"Why do you care?" he asked, his murderous eyes betraying his calm exterior. Brin tried to maintain her glare as a cloud of darkness began to cover her eyes.

"Just...curious..." she managed to get out as she slumped against the wall.

"2022..." she faintly heard before she completely blacked out.


"What?" Logan asked, a bewildered expression on his face. Max rolled her eyes impatiently.

"You heard me. All five times I said it," she replied. Logan just stared at her. "I need your help tracking down Brin. I need for you to use your sources and find out where White might be keeping her. Labs, warehouses, forests, houses, I don't know...the mall? Just check. Please." Logan's expression didn't falter.

"What?" he repeated. Max groaned in frustration.

"Fine. If you don't want to help I'll go find someone else," she said angrily as she began to walk past him. He reached out his arm and grabbed her wrist, stopping her from leaving. She glared at him.

"I'll help," he stated. Max's anger faded.

"Thanks," she said genuinely. Logan nodded.

"No problem. So where do you want me to start looking?"


"Say what?" OC stared at Max with the same expression Logan had. Max rolled her eyes at the irony.

"I'm trying to find Brin and I need all the help I can get," she explained.

"Yeah, I get that part, Boo. It's the part where you're asking me is what's getting my head all spun. What is it exactly that you want me to do?"

"You know a lot of people, right?" Max asked, rummaging through her bike bag for a package as they walked up steps to a house.

"Course," OC confirmed, still confused.

"Therefore you have a lot of sources to talk to. I just need for you to ask around about sights of where Brin might be." OC grinned.

"All right. Whatever else ya need girl, I'm your woman," she replied. Max smiled gratefully. "Now let's get back to deliverin' this package before Normal gives in to his inner-stupidity and decides he don't want us fine ladies working for him." Max laughed.

"Agreed."

Two Days Later...

Brin's eyes flickered open. She groaned as a splitting headache made her close them again. She tried to move her hands but found them strapped to a chair. As were her legs. She forced her eyes to open and examined her arms. A long, thin cut crusted with dried blood starting from hershoulder to her wrist was on each arm. Similar cuts covered her legs, chest, and stomach. She kept her expression blank but she could feel her body stiffen as she remembered what these marks meant.

"I see you haven't decided to add anything new to your little science project," she said dryly as White appeared next to her. Hechuckled humorlessly.

"Now, where would the fun be in that, 734?" he retorted. Brin didn't respond. "734?"

"My name is Brin," she growled. A loud crack rang out as he backhanded her across the face. She grit her teeth against the pain but was thankful it wouldn't leave a bruise, no matter how freakishly strong White may be.

"It won't be once the drug kicks in," White stated, calm once again. Brin felt her lower lip began to tremble and she bit into it, drawing blood.

"No," she stated, beginning to shake her head but stopped when her headache immediately returned. "No. I won't let that happen again. I don't care what you think your lame-ass drugs can do. I won't kill any more people." White rolled his eyes. "What? You don't believe me? Unstrap me and found out." She gave him a heated glare.

"Tsk, tsk, 734. You can stop your incessant rambling now. I'm not going to have you kill people," White replied. Brin held her breath, knowing what was coming. "I'm having you kill your transgenic filth of a family."

"No...I won't..." Brin began, but White just ignored her, looking down at his watch.

"8...7...6..." he counted down. Brin struggled harder against her restraints.

"No!" she screamed. "Don't do this! You son of a bitch! You heartless bastard! You..." Her eyes suddenly rolled into the back of her head and she slumped against the chair. White didn't even look up from his watch.

"2...1..." he finally glanced over at her as her eyes snapped open. "Showtime." He smirked as Brin examined her restraints. She broke free of them with ease and her feral gaze fell on White.

"734?" Brin stood up and dropped into her soldier position.

"Reporting for duty, sir," she replied, her voice sounding thick and menacing. White nodded.

"You know what to do. Do it," he ordered. Brin cocked her head to the side. A sadistic grin appeared on her face as her eyes suddenly began to glow a deep, blood red.

"As you wish," she nodded as her voice pitch dropped considerably.


"Got something?" Max asked as she walked briskly into Logan's penthouse. He smiled and held up a piece of paper. Max took it. "Is this a place where she's been seen?" Logan nodded.

"Yep. Original Cindy told me about someone seeing an Asian woman leap over a fence 60 feet off the ground to get to a bunch of warehouses," he explained. Max's eyes widened slightly.

"60 feet..." she murmured. Logan's brow furrowed.

"Something wrong?" he asked. Max forced herself to smile.

"No. This is great. Thanks a lot, Logan." She turned to go.

"Uh...Max?" Logan's voice stopped her. She glanced back at him.

"Yeah?" she asked warily. He opened his mouth to say something but then changed his mind.

"Be careful," he finally replied. Max nodded and rushed out the door.


"You sure this is the place?" Alec asked as he, Max, Zack, Syl, Krit, and Blake walked cautiously towards the fence Logan had been talking about.

"I'm sure," Max replied firmly.

"Good. 'Cause I'd hate to run into a different psychopath than the one we're actually supposed to be looking for..." Alec muttered. Max whacked him upside the head. "Back to the basics then, are we?" He rubbed his head, glaring at her.

"Sorry," she apologized. "I'm just worried. We just need to find Brin and sedate her if we need to."

"Yeah. Who's going with who?" Syl asked.

"I'm with Alec," Max began.

"Well duh," Blake muttered. Max glanced over at him.

"And Blake too," she added. "You, Krit, and Zack go together." They all nodded.

"So how are we supposed to get over this?" Krit asked, looking up at the 60 foot fence. "How the hell was Brin able to jump 65 feet high?" They exchanged looks but were unable to come up with an answer to that question.

"Let's just climb it then..." Zack suggested.


Max, Alec, and Blake walked down a very ripe-smelling alley. Puddles of unidentifiable liquids were found about every 4 feet.

"This is just the best search ever..." Blake commented sarcastically. Max ignored him. "How long are we supposed to look for her?"

"As long as it takes," Max replied. Blake sighed.

"Right. So when do we know..." Alec began. A wizzing noise flew by Max's ears and she whirled around in time to see two darts shoot into Alec and Blake's chests. "Son of a..." Their eyes rolled into the backs of their heads as they collapsed onto the ground. Max made a move to go over to them but was suddenly swept off her feet and flew through the air. Just as her eyes fell on her captor, her body crashed on top of a roof. Her head cracked against the wood. She groaned as she felt blood began to fill her mouth. She quickly spat it out. She began to stand up but was kicked in the stomach and she rolled over onto her back.

Someone who looked a hell of a lot like Brin stood over her. But it can't be her...For one thing, Brin's eyes don't glow like big red blood balls.

"Better believe it sister."

And her voice isn't supposed to be that deep either...

"What the hell happened to you?" Max bit out, clutching her stomach. Brin's smiled at her sadistically. "Oh god...What the fuck did White do to you?" Brin slowly raised her hand and examined it closely as she flexed her fingers.

"Made me...stronger," she replied, her voice pitch still not normal. She backhanded Max across the face and she flew across the roof, landing on her back again. She coughed up more blood as she looked back over at Brin.

"I'm gettin' that..." she said through gritted teeth as she slowly stood up.

"Little Maxie...so helpless," Brin teased before she elbowed Max in the face. She stumbled back, almost falling off the roof. "I could help you with that. If you let me." Max landed a quick left hook to her face. She didn't seem affected. "Or not." She twirled around and landed a hard kick to Max's chest. Max flew backwards and smacked onto the pavement. She screamed in pain as a rusty, iron bar impaled her leg. Brin suddenly appeared next to her. "Let me help you with that..." She roughly tore the bar out of her leg. Max let out another cry of pain and her eyes filled with tears. She struggled to get up but collapsed helplessly on the ground.

"Don't..." she begged. Brin's sadistic grin didn't falter as she wielded the bar above Max's body.

"Say pretty please," she growled before bringing the bar down. It viciously cut Max's face and broke her nose. Brin brought it down again.Max felt a few ribs crack and break.

"T-this...c-c-can't...be...good...for...the...b-baby..." Max's breath came out in shuttering gasps. Brin suddenly stopped hitting her with the bar.

"What did you say?" she asked, her deep voice shaking slightly. Blood seeped into Max's eyes and she couldn't see her expression. She shakily began to try and swipe the blood away. A loud crack rang out. Max squinted and realized Zack had hit Brin over the head with a metal shard. Brinwas on the ground, knocked out. A muscle twitched in Zack's jaw as he saw the state Max was in.

"Syl! Krit! She's over here!" he shouted before he kneeled down over Max. "Oh god...How could she...oh god...Maxie..." Tears began to form in his eyes as he held her hand. Syl and Krit blurred over to them.

"Jesus Christ..." Syl breathed.

"I think it just got worse..." Zack stated softly.

A/N-Lot of action in that chapter...none of it really good...But I also added more insight into what's going on with Brin so I hope you still liked it ;o) Review please!

a reader-Thanks, I'm glad you're enjoying the story ;o)

angelofdarkness78-Thanks ;o)

Kristibella-Thanks ;o) No, that definitely wasn't good for the baby...even worse in this chapter. But a transgenic baby isn't like a normal baby...

Angel Of Darkness231-Lol. I'm glad you liked it so much. I'm not sure I can do an exact repeat but there will be plenty more scenes like that ;o)