Summary: Set during "And Jesus Bought a Casserole". Zack enlists Jondy's help to rescue Max. Unexpectedly Jondy brings some wild friends along and their past catches up with them at a very bad time.

Thanks to my reviewers. Sorry it takes me so long to update. Can anyone tell me where the lab is that they blow up? I'm not sure if it's in Wyoming or Seattle.

Friends and Family

Chapter 4 – New Arrivals

The doors of the warehouse smashed open, sending splinters of wood in all directions. A military hummer bounced through, breaking heavily to avoid hitting anyone and finally screeched to a halt. Through the gaping hole where the doors used to be, three more hummers pulled up. The door of the first hummer crashed open and a dark-haired young woman jumped out. It was Max. She leapt with cat-like grace onto the hood of the vehicle and looked fearfully around at her family and the strangers standing before her. She just had time to mouth 'Manticore' and slide to the ground, before gunfire erupted all around them.

Sam, Zack, Logan and Jondy dived left towards Max and the safety of the vehicle, crashing into one another as they hit the ground. Fay grabbed Radar and simultaneously kicked over the nearby table that was laden with weapons. The two of them took cover behind it as the grenades and guns clattered across the floor. Syl and Krit had retreated behind the metal supports nearby.

The group on the floor quickly untangled themselves. Sam noted the grim expressions on the faces of the others. Unlike them he had never had the 'Manticore Experience', but he'd heard plenty from Jondy. He remained outwardly calm, though their reactions unnerved him a little. He watched as Max smiled and tenderly touched Logan's shoulder. Then she nodded at Zack and Jondy before raising questioning eyes towards him.

Sensing Max's unease, Jondy signalled to her that Sam was a friend, and then using further hand signals asked her how many soldiers they were up against. Max signalled back and Jondy's heart flew to her mouth. Max had just told her that Brin was leading 20 soldiers against them. Jondy had never known that Brin had been recaptured, and she was momentarily stunned, but she was aware that Zack was glaring at Max.

"How the hell did you come to lead 20 Manticore soldiers here?" Zack hissed venomously.

Max glared right back.

"It's not my fault. They're tracing me through the implant."

Zack rolled his eyes up then turned to Sam and Logan.

"Go round the back of the hummer," he ordered, "you'll be safer there."

Sam was about to give him the finger, when suddenly a series of twanging sounds echoed around the warehouse.

Syl and Krit meanwhile had knelt down on the floor behind the metal supports. A steady stream of blood was slowly flowing down Krit's right shoulder. Fortunately, the bullet had only had sliced through the skin, but Syl was still worried. She knew that the soldiers would soon sweep the area and Krit might be slowed down by his injury. Quickly she glanced round the support, using her superior sight to evaluate the situation. Seeing another sister ought to have felt good, but she had to face facts. Brin was the enemy now and Syl was soldier enough to treat her as such. If necessary she would kill her. She had just glanced back at Krit and was about to ask him his condition when, just like their companions several metres away, they too heard the strange twangs.

There were only two people in the warehouse who weren't surprised by the odd sounds. As soon as they had taken cover behind the overturned table, Fay had her knives out and Radar his set of mirrors. Fay glanced at him sceptically.

"How else are we gonna see their positions?" he asked her, as he carefully edged the mirrors round the table until he could get a clear view of the situation. Fay sat to the right of him, her back pressed against the table. She could feel the impact of every bullet and was worried that the metal might not hold out much longer. By the time Radar had seen all he could, she had a plan and she hoped that his scan of the area would tell her what she needed to know.

"They seem to be in groups of five," Radar said. "One lot's going left, one right, one down the middle and the rest are hanging back. They've got tasers as well as guns. I think they're here to capture not kill," he winced as another bullet smacked into the table by his head. "Although I could be wrong," he added thoughtfully. "I think the leader's a transgenic. She's the only one not wearing any body armour, but she's staying well back. I don't think the knives will work, they're too well protected."

Fay smiled at him, then leaned close.

"OK, but I can still give them a little surprise. I'll hit someone from each group and while I've got them distracted, you get to the hummer and tell them that on my signal we come out and go hand-to-hand."

Radar looked at her thoughtfully for a moment, then pulled a note from his leather pocket.

"Bet you twenty that you miss one."

"Your money's mine McManus." She grinned as they shook on it, then frowned as she realised something.

"Syl and Krit dived the other way," she pointed out.

"No problem." Radar grabbed a pen and some paper out of his pocket and scribbled something, then he glanced up at Fay.

"Usual signal, right?" he asked and Fay nodded. Radar finished his note, folded it carefully then placed it next to Fay. He watched as she took a deep breath to compose herself and then she mouthed "three, two, one". She exploded into action, sending the knives streaking across the warehouse. She knew they would not penetrate the armour, but that was not her purpose. As she had intended the knives flew straight to their targets; the soldiers felt as though they had been punched in the head as the knives impacted, making a twanging sound as they did so. They reeled from the blows, and realising that they were under attack they dived for cover, allowing Radar to dart towards the hummer.

The group by the hummer looked shocked as Radar landed amidst them. Jondy reached over and touched his shoulder in much the same affectionate way as Max had greeted Logan.

"What the hell was that?" snapped Zack heatedly.

"That would be Fay and her knives," grinned Radar. "Right, listen up. When Fay yells 'whipped' we go out and fight hand-to-hand. They've got tasers, so we're pretty sure they're going for the capture."

Max watched as Jondy nodded and Zack just looked furious. If their situation wasn't so dire she would have laughed out loud. Zack's expression was priceless. He had looked like that when he had first met Logan. If looks could kill Jondy's blond-haired friend would be meeting his maker round about now. Nevertheless, no matter how much it hurt him to do so, Zack nodded his agreement.

Krit was worried when he heard the strange noises. Then equally unexpectedly the shooting stopped and something came flying out from the table, which he caught deftly in his left hand. It was a paper aeroplane. He quickly opened it and they both read the message.

Krit looked at his sister and raised his eyebrows in question. Syl looked worried and cast a quick glance at the table, but she nodded at Krit.

As soon as Fay had released the knives and thrown the aeroplane, she ducked back down behind the table and waited for the shooting to stop. The fact that she felt no fear vaguely disturbed her. Her mentor had always told her that it was her weakness. She mentally shook herself. No, she wouldn't think of him now. She couldn't allow her inner rage to surface and distract her. His time would come. Fay pushed from her mind the resolution she had made on that fateful night, took a deep breath and yelled the signal. She paused for a fraction of a second before swinging round and kicking the table as hard as she could. Simultaneously the group by the hummer also acted.

Max leapt up on top of the vehicle and launched herself off, colliding heavily with the three nearest soldiers. Meanwhile, the table had careered into two more soldiers and Jondy took advantage of the distraction it caused. She dived out and rolled across the floor only to propel herself up and deliver a stunning roundhouse kick to the nearest soldier, breaking his nose and knocking him out. Zack was a blur as he exploded into a flying kick, which sent one of the soldiers flying back, taking down two more soldiers with him. Sam and Radar barely had time to register their amazement at the incredible speed and agility of the transgenics, before they too, emerged from the security of the hummer. With a furious war-cry they charged into the fray, fists and feet flying.

On hearing the signal Syl and Krit dived out from either side of the pillar. Syl really wanted to kick some ass. Like Jondy, she sprung up and smashed into her first opponent, who had belatedly tried to raise his gun. Her fist connected solidly with his sternum and he collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. She quickly looked round to check on Krit. In spite of his injury, he had still managed to deliver a killing blow to his opponent's windpipe. She instantly moved to her next target.

Sam and Radar were fighting side-by-side, both familiar from years of training with the other's technique. As one of the soldiers swung at Radar, he ducked and Sam smacked the man in the face. They were both finding the soldiers hard to fight, especially as they were wearing so much body armour, but together they made an effective team. Another soldier pointed his taser at Sam, and Radar swiftly ducked underneath and kicked upwards hard. Even Sam winced as Radar made contact with a rather delicate organ. The young soldier quietly crumpled to the ground.

After Jondy had taken down her first opponent, she whirled around as two more soldiers ran at her, weapons raised, but they didn't stand a chance. She powered towards them, jumped high in the air, kicking her legs out as she did so. Jondy felt bones breaking as her feet made contact with the soldier's faces. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a soldier advancing on Max, who was already engaged in combat. Yelling for Max to duck, which she did instantly, Jondy propelled herself into a high dive which took her over the top of Max and directly into the soldier, who grunted in pain as the two of them crashed to the ground. Max turned and smiled her thanks, before spinning round and kicking another soldier who had crept up behind her and was aiming a taser at her neck.

Zack had fought his way to Brin, and they were circling each other warily, occasionally lashing out with powerful kicks and punches. As Zack dodged a spinning hook kick, he tried to talk to his sister.

"I'm sorry we left you little sister," he apologised, but it only increased her fury.

"Why? I'm not. Come home brother. Things are better there," she replied, as she unleashed a series of stunning moves which soon had him reeling. Her recent training at Manticore was beginning to give her the upper hand. Zack was losing and he knew it. He tried desperately to fight back, but Brin was too powerful, and he suddenly found himself sprawled across the floor. He watched horrified, unable to stop her as she pulled out a gun. A shot rang out, blood splattered, and a body slumped to the floor.