A/N: Thanks for BS and F ;) They are probably the only ones who have been kicking my ass cause of this story. No worries, I have this story rewritten till chappie 10, I've just been REALLY lazy when it comes to posting them. I'll try to get them up as soon as possible and continue rewriting J


Chapter six: X5- 452

Left kick! Good, very good, soldier. I see you learn fast and your reflexes seem to be in good condition. Right hit, left kick! Right hit! Again! Move faster, 453, faster I said!" female director screamed orders to Angel who was doing reflex exercises in a big training room underground. She had been there all day already and she was a bit tired but yet kick after kick and hit after hit she followed the orders she received. She hadn't done even a single mistake during that practice and she wasn't about to do it now! All she had to do was focus and that was easy. All those days in psy-ops had "helped" her to get into the point she was now. She was calmer and more receptive though she was still under work, unfinished version as the doctors called her.

"You can call it off today. I think she have proven her abilities already", a familiar voice said in her left making Angel to stop exercising. Her entire body tensed as she heard some one coming closer. Him coming closer. Finally he stopped in front of her and Angel saluted. "X5-453 reporting to duty, sir!"

"At ease soldiers You -" Colonel Lydecker, her superior said with his deep voice pointing his finger down to the woman next to them. "I want to change couple words with 453 here - alone so go make yourself useful and check your unit", he continued nodding towards the door.

"Yes sir!" Angel watched her going and as soon as she was gone she felt insecure. She like so many others was afraid of Lydecker, always had been. Some one always got hurt when he was nearby that was a fact and she couldn't help but wonder what was going to happen this time.

"I have news for you my dear", Lydecker said softly like he would have been speaking to his own daughter which Angel of course was not. She didn't reply in any way just waited him to say something else. She wasn't sure was she expected to say something or not?

*Why doesn't he speak? Am I supposed to say something?*

"Don't you want to know, 453?" Lydecker asked when he didn't get any respond. "Of course, sir", she lied. "Well then, come with me, 453. I have something you may find pretty interesting."

*I pretty much doubt that*, Angel thought but didn't let her feelings to bee seen from the outside. "Follow me, 453."

Angel did as she was told as usual and followed Lydecker through the dark hallway eyes front. He didn't speak at all and it was more than fine to her. Even his voice crept her back. It was like Lydecker once again had read her mind because all of a sudden he started to speak again.

"I want you to remember that I'm not the enemy, 453. It may seem like that to you but I'm not. You'll find it out soon - I hope."

"I didn't say anything, sir."

"No, but your eyes sure did. One look into your eyes 453 and I know exactly how you feel and exactly what you think. That's going get you into trouble someday, so you should learn to cover up your emotions better, 453."

"I'll do that, sir."

"I'm truly sorry for you feeling the way you do because she - Renfro I mean, is the enemy not me. She even tried to put me in jail - well, that's a whole different story to which I don't now have the time right now." He had had a weird tone in his voice as she looked at her and Angel frowned. Had she just seen a flash of the real Lydecker within him?

"Sorry, sir but how does this have to do with me?"

"Nothing I guess, 453 - I want you to meet some one."

"Who, sir? I mean if I may ask, sir."

"X5-452."

Angel stopped like she would had run to a wall. Lydecker turned around to find out what was keeping her and when she saw her reaction he raised his eyebrows a little. "What is it, 453?" he asked in concern.

452? Wasn't she the one who had escaped from Manticore? Wasn't she the one that Ben had mentioned sometimes? Wasn't she - wasn't she her twin? The one with all the good genes? The one she hated? Angel knew the right answer. Yes. 452 was exactly this person. *But how? How can they have her?*

"What do you mean by that, sir?"

Lydecker gave a laugh. "That we have her, of course. She has been unconscious for a long time but now she has woken up. You want to meet her, don't you?"

"No, sir, actually I prefer not to. I don't want to meet her, if that's acceptable sir", Angel replied immediately. "But can I see her, sir?"

"Why?"

"Why what, sir?"

"Why don't you want to meet her?"

"I just don't think that it' necessary, that's all sir." she lied again. *Cause I don't want that bitch into my life, that's why*, she thought angrily but this time Lydecker wasn't able to read her mind. Angel didn't know her but she didn't have to, she already hated her from the bottom of her soldier heart and speaking to 452 would only make it worse.

"I see. Sure you can see her. Come on, 453, we don't got all day."

Angel didn't now what to think or who to act when they got into the infirmary. The white sterile room they had come into was little and one of the walls was window, a mirror from the other side of the glass. She had been there too many times to forget hat.

Angel's eyebrows raised into a question as she noticed that both of the rooms were occupied by three guards. What were they doing there? Where Manticore so afraid of her running away again?

*Oh my God, there she is!* Angel drew her breath when she saw her - *No, not her." - 452 through the glass, lying in the bed. Without noticing it she backed off.

"Don't worry, 453 - she can't see or hear you but we can do both."

Angel glanced at Lydecker and then again her. She looked at her carefully but didn't go any closer. 452 was tied on to the bed with leather belts and her eyes gave her away - she had been crying. Automatically Angel felt sorry for her - sorry for Max, not the 452 but at the same time she felt that she got what she deserved. Feeling of pain, feeling of fear. But as she looked at 452 again she saw the soldier in her - she didn't look like she had been scared. Sad, angry, furious - yes, but not scared.

"What happened to 452, sir?" Angel asked. "She was shot by X7 when she tried to escape from - from us", Lydecker answered. "How did she-" Angel was about to ask something when she heard 452 screaming out loud. *No, it's not 452 anymore. There's no 452*, she realized in confusion. "It's definitely Max who's in control now.*

"You bitch! Hey, where'd ya go? Come back here! I wanna give ya piece f my mind, asshole! Come back here!"

Angel watched how she struggled to release herself from the chains and even though she knew it wasn't going to work, she had the guts to try.

"She's not talking to you, 453", Lydecker said to Angel with a silent sigh. He glanced both of them, first 452 then 453. Both of her girls were in there, both in a situation where neither one of them wanted to be. And it all was his fault. He shook his head without being noticed.

"I know", Angel answered trying to sound normal. "But I just-"

"You'll never get me!" Max yelled again. "You here me, bitch! You'll never get me or Eyes Only! I'll fight to death! Yours or mine, I don't give a shit but I'll make you pay for this - for everything! Answer me bitch! Or are you to afraid of me? Had to sent your stupid puppies here to watch me! Well they ain't keeping me here long, you hear me!" She seemed to be screaming with all the power she had in her lungs. And that was a lot!

Somehow her words got Angel little scared. Max's voice was full of anger, hatred, pain - she could here it as easily she saw it in her face, as easily she felt it in her bones. And the fact that she was ready to fight to hard got Angel to think. *No. Fighting against them isn't the answer! She had definitely picked the wrong path!*

"You see that she ha a big trouble with adjusting into here again but it'll change", Lydecker said after she had stopped yelling and Angel nodded to show him that she had understood. Lydecker had just given her a silent warning not to do anything stupid or she would end up exactly there were Max was. Down.

"I can see that, sir. Can I go now back to my cell, sir?"

"You really don't' want to meet her?" Angel shook her head for an answer. "Fine, you're dismissed, 453. You're free to go but keep in mind what you saw. You get what you ask and this is what she asked. You do no what I mean by this." Lydecker pointed at Max. "This is what you'll get if you choose not to obey, got that, 453?"

Yeah she got that.