Disclaimer: The TV show Dark Angel, all of the characters that appeared on it (Max, Zack, Alec, etc.), and everything else that has to do with the show belong to their respective owners, not to me. No money is being made off of this fic. I only own the original characters (Becky/X6-405, etc.).

Max crept into her and Zack's apartment after getting back from the raid that she'd gone on with Karen. It's nice to be able to have a partner along and still be able to do some extra recon before pulling off the heist and to take your time when pulling it off. If there's one thing I've learned since I pretty much made being a cat burglar my unofficial job, it's to take your time when doing a heist. Let's hear it for shark DNA! That reminds me, maybe Jondy will go along with me next time. I hope Karen's apology to Becky and later the others go okay. No, I know it will go okay. I know Becky and I've seen how the others in their family have been getting along with Karen since they rescued her from White. I know things will be okay with them now.

She listened for any noises in the apartment, but the only thing she heard was the soft, regular sound of Zack's breathing. He's still asleep. I guess he got to bed a little bit later than when he usually does. Time for me to go wake him up! She walked into their bedroom and looked over at Zack and smiled. He's so innocent when he's sleeping…and so damn sexy! She walked up next to the side of the bed that Zack was sleeping on, leaned over him, and kissed him on the lips. Zack woke up and without missing a beat, responded to the kiss and pulled Max on top of him. They deepened the kiss, but as Zack tried to roll over so that he would be on top of Max, they fell off the bed and landed with a thump on the floor.

"Damn," Zack swore. "Are you okay, Maxie?"

"I'm fine," Max said, laughing. "Don't worry. Are you okay, Zack?"

"I'm fine," Zack said. He shook his head and sat up and brushed some dust off of his boxers. "I'm going to go get changed."

"You want me to help you?" Max asked suggestively.

Zack started to say something, but his stomach growled and he sighed. "No, unfortunately. I'd ordinarily wouldn't mind, but I'm too damn hungry this morning."

"Okay, I'll wait for you in the living room and we can go over to the cafeteria to get some breakfast," Max said. She kissed him on the cheek. "Good morning. I love you."

"I love you, too," Zack said. He gave Max a quick kiss and then they got up and Max went into the living room to wait for Zack. He was dressed in only a few minutes and they left their apartment and walked over to the cafeteria. They went inside and grabbed some trays and got some food. Max looked around and saw Becky and Karen sitting at a table together, talking and laughing.

"That's definitely a good sign," Max said. She and Zack walked over to the two X6s. "Mind if we sit down with you?"

"Nope, go ahead," Karen said. "It's nice to see you guys."

"It's great to see you too," Max said.

"You can take those gloves off, Max," Becky observed. "We're only eating breakfast, not riding our motorcycles."

"I know, I know," Max grumbled. She took her leather gloves off. "Those damn things are still on my hands. Not only there, but I've spotted them on other parts of my body. And yes, Becky, I spotted them and not Zack. We are not that bad."

"Not that bad? Kevin and Kyle told me that just about half of the time they see the two of you, you're always giggling or you're acting stupid like you just got laid," Karen said.

"I refuse to dignify that with an answer," Max said.

"Whatever," Karen said. She started to shrug, but then saw the markings on Max's hands. "Those are weird."

"You didn't notice them when you and Becky and the rest of your family got back to Terminal City and met up with us in the control room after the rescue?" Max asked.

"No," Karen said. "I was pretty out of it. Maggie gave me a painkiller injection while we were on our way back."

"It was the same stuff that she gave me after I took the Dumpster Dive back in August," Becky said.

"Dumpster Dive?" Karen repeated.

"Yeah. It was my first major meeting with White," Becky said. As she was telling Karen the story of what had happened that night, Joshua came over to them and sat down on Max's other side.

"Hey, Max," he said.

"Hey, Joshua," Max said cheerfully. "Karen, this is Joshua. He's the first transgenic that was created. Joshua, this is Karen, one of Becky's siblings.

Joshua nodded. "Please to meet you." He sniffed. "Cat and shark, like Max."

"Yep, like Max," Karen agreed. "You're just canine?"

"Yep," Joshua said. "A little too much in my cocktail." He started to eat, but then the markings on Max's hands caught his eye. "Your runes."

"Runes?" Max repeated.

"Like in Father's books," Joshua said.

The other four were confused. "What books? Do you know what these are, Joshua?" Zack asked.

"Those are runes," Joshua said. "Father told me. He never taught me to read them, but I saw him reading a book written in those runes." He frowned. "Wait, not a book. A journal."

"So there might be some way to find out exactly what they are and why they're on my skin?" Max asked hopefully. "Finally! Do you know where this journal or journals might be, Josh?"

"Probably Father's house," Joshua said. "His house is here in Seattle. He took me there a few times when I was young. I'll never forget it."

"We should go there and try to recover these journals," Max said.

"Can I come too?" Joshua asked hopefully.

The other four exchanged worried looks. "If you do, we'll have to try to keep your face hidden until we get inside the house," Zack warned. "If the public sees you, it'll be a disaster."

Joshua nodded. "Joshua knows. I've seen the news on TV. I'll be careful."

"Then let's get to the boys in Control when we're done and start planning this bitch," Max said satisfactorily.

TBC

Notes: Thank you so much again, angelofdarkness78! If anybody is interested, I'll be starting to put up the fic about Caroline, "Thwarted Dreams", up on my website soon. Check it out and let me know what you think!