Title: Predators
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Spoilers: Post Freak Nation. But the Runes, and the whole M/L dealio never happened.
Pairing: M/A
Genre: Action/Adventure/Romance
Summary: This is a sequel to "Dark Angel". The transgenics in TC are in danger. X5s start disappearing, and transhumans are getting killed. Will Max and Alec be next?
Recap on "Dark Angel": Alec was captured and tortured by White, and Max confesses her love to him when he was unconscious. Just go and read it first! I reposted the whole fic in one chapter a few days ago...
A/N: This fic used to be entitled: "Flirting with Danger", but I rewrote it. It's a lot better now!
Predators
1: Flirting with Danger
Deep within the forests of Seattle, Washington D.C., a wide-ranging building was being constructed, along with several smaller ones. Walls that rose over thirteen feet bordered the vicinity, and a number of heavily armed guards stood on sentry duty just outside the entrance gates. The implication was clear: try and break in, and you're dead.
Colonel Donald Lydecker smiled in satisfaction as he stood in front of his latest project: New Manticore. Around half a dozen X5s stood on either side of him, observing the work that was being done. Four were male, three were female. They had been on missions on different parts of the world when Old Manticore met its destruction, and Lydecker had immediately taken the responsibility of rounding them all up before the news of 'freedom' reached them.
The Colonel had taken them into a safe refuge in Los Angeles, one of the few cities in the world that went by almost untouched by the Pulse, and questioned their loyalty. They proved to be very faithful soldiers, carrying out the missions that Lydecker had commanded them to do, efficiently and successfully. A few of these missions were the retrieval of two of Old Manticore's topmost geneticists: Andre Damasco and Ian Glacier. Both of which had agreed unreservedly to work on the development of the X9s. The generation of soldiers that will earn him millions.
Of course, he still thought of his precious kids: the X5s, as the most perfect of them all. And that was probably the reason why he was sending two of his best X5s to hunt down all the X5s they could find, and incarcerate them in the New Manticore, where their minds will be cleared of any of the 'dirt' that they acquired through their months of so-called freedom and independence.
Brainwashing, as everyone liked to call it.
A week had passed since the unforgettable 'torture incident' with White, and Max was happy, (although she wasn't showing it) to see Alec back to his old self again: cocky, charming, and completely ignorant to the fact that she had spilled out her soul to him several days ago. As she watched him polishing his Glock from her spot in the Command Center, she wondered why she hadn't – hadn't told him yet. Replayed to him what she had said when he was unconscious.
'You're scared,' A voice taunted in her head, mocking her with the truth. 'You're scared of having a relationship with him, scared of losing him in the end...just like you almost did...he was THAT close to dying, Max.'
She shook her head, clearing it, pushing away the nagging voice – even if she knew that it was right. She wasn't just scared, she was downright terrified. If she gave her love to him...and lose him...she'd only have her heart broken. She knew she was being selfish. But she just couldn't bear to see herself go through such a painful process. It would break her to see Alec die. And the only way to make it less painful was to stay away from him.
'Or,' the voice piped up again. 'You could get him, and keep him safe in your arms.'
Her head started to whirl in perplexity. She would've given everything in the world to have her best friend here right now. Original Cindy would've known what to do. She would've stopped her head from spinning – she would've given her answers. Answers to questions that had been in her mind since – since that fateful night – answers that Max could not provide for herself.
Her confusion seemed to grow by the minute, and as the Command Center started to fill up with more people and more noise, her head felt like it was going to explode.
She needed out of here.
No, what I need is Original Cindy.
An idea began to form in her head – alright, so it was a tad bit insane, but when she got an idea in her head. It stuck there. And it would not disappear until it was done.
Allowing herself a small smile – the first one for the whole day – she exited the Command Center.
She was going to pay OC a little visit.
Alec leaned back more comfortably on the old couch that Joshua had salvaged from 'Father's House'. Everyone had agreed to place it in the Command Center, a spot for a bit of relaxation from a hard day's work. Not that he had much of a hard day's work. Although all his wounds had long since healed (thanks to his healing abilities) Max had been generous enough to give him a few days off for 'recuperating'.
Speaking of Max, he frowned. She had stalked out of the Command Center a few minutes ago, with a look of deep concentration and anxiety on her face. He had shrugged it off, dismissing it as her 'guilt' at having killed White. Most of Terminal City had been beyond happy at the news of White's death, and so was Alec for that matter, which only made him wonder why Max was so down on killing a cold-blooded murderer.
Alec replayed the events of that night. Okay, so he can barely replay it, seeing as he was unconscious most of the time. The most he could remember was a sweet voice whispering into his ear...and the next thing he knew, he was inside the safe walls of Med Bay.
And he could've sworn that sweet voice was Max.
"Hey sweet-cheeks!" a gruff voice called out from behind him. He twisted his head around and saw Mole standing in front of the entrance doors, with a very worried Joshua. "Come over here for a second."
Alec did as told, prying himself off the comfort of the couch. The minute he was within earshot, he asked. "What's up?"
"Devon is missing," Joshua replied, naming one of the male X5s that had sought refuge at Terminal City. "Has been missing for three days already."
Alec frowned. "Maybe he just went on vacation, or something."
Luke, who had joined their unprompted meeting, shook his head. "If he did, his mate, Katie didn't know anything about it."
"And why tell me this only, now?" Alec asked.
"We had no idea. I ran into Katie this morning and that was when she reported Devon's disappearance."
Alec sighed. So much for his day off . "Well, let's go investigate, shall we?"
Katie lived in apartment building number 12, which was located near the exit tunnels (a hidden outlet that was used by the transgenics who wanted to get out of Terminal City as discreetly as possible). It was as dilapidated as any of the old buildings inside TC, and had no vacant room left.
Mole rapped loudly on the door with the numbers 54 engraved on the wooden surface. Footsteps sounded from within and the door creaked open. Katie, a pretty blonde-haired X5 stood in front of them, an exhausted look on her face. The second she saw her guests, she invited them in.
Alec studied the room in mild interest. It was identical to most of the apartments in TC. With two rooms, a bathroom, a small living room, and a miniscule kitchen. And it was just as messy. Katie gestured for the two of them (Joshua and Luke had stayed behind, having their own tasks to complete) to take a seat on either of the frayed armchairs. They obliged gratefully.
"I guess you want some info on Devon," Katie said, sighing. And before Alec could confirm her presumption, she continued. "He left early, Tuesday evening. He had sentry duty, and he didn't come back the next morning."
"Why didn't you report his disappearance?"
Katie shrugged. "Devon tends to lose track of time. He loves going around TC and looking for stuff to do. Besides, you guys just implemented that monthly heist thing...I thought he got sent one of them. I didn't really mind...not until now." She sighed again. "It's already been three days, and I'm really getting worried. I mean, I already searched the whole of TC by myself the second day he went missing."
"Sentry duty," Mole echoed thoughtfully. "He was assigned somewhere around the back entrances. You know, near the tunnels...maybe he was kidnapped."
"You think he got snatched?" Katie asked incredulously. "Because the last time I checked, X5s were pretty damned hard to catch. Besides, who would want to capture X5s? It's not like White's still around anymore."
"Well, there's the sector police, the Seattle city Council, scientists from other countries who would kill to study our DNA..." Alec ticked off from his fingers. He frowned. "That's a hell of a lot. Guess they'll have to get in line."
"Don't you have surveillance cameras near the tunnels?" Katie asked.
Mole shook his head. "Nope. We figured that an X5 on guard would be enough security, and we're running short on surveillance equipment. We never thought that one of your kind would get snatched."
"Hey," Alec protested. "We're not even sure if he got snatched. In fact, we pretty much don't know anything too useful. The least we can do right now is ask around TC if anyone's seen him, and scan around for clues."
"Really getting into detective mode, aren't we sweet cheeks?" Mole asked with a grin.
Alec grinned, but sobered quickly when he saw Katie's concerned, tearful face. "Don't worry, we'll find your man." He said, patting her comfortingly on the shoulder. A weak smile was all he received in return.
"Go on ahead without me, Mole." Alec gestured towards the lizard-man. They had arrived at the main area of TC. The two had decided to start off their little search party, but he forgot one minor thing. "We gotta let Max know about Devon's disappearance, or she'll blow the top of not being informed."
Mole fixed him with a glower. "You're not trying to weasel your way out of our little task, now are you?"
Alec flashed him his most charming smile. "Would I ever do that to you, Mole?"
Mole's glower deepened. It seemed that the brusque transhuman was immune to his charms. In the whole of Terminal City, there were only two people who were unaffected by his implausible charisma. Mole and Max. The two Ms. MnMs. Alec checked himself, that last thought was a bit – insane. He'll have to ask Max if White hit his head with a rock that got him thinking a bit – insanely.
"Just get your ass back here," Mole said and went off in the opposite direction without a backward glance.
Alec shook his head in amusement before making a beeline for Max's office – makeshift office to be precise. He let loose a series of knocks on her door before waiting patiently outside. When no response came, he knocked again.
Silence.
Alec frowned, and knocked again.
Silence.
"Max?" he called out, twisting the doorknob and letting himself in.
The office was empty.
I wonder where she went. Alec thought, as he thoroughly searched Max's office for any clue on where she might have gone. He had been in her office enough times to notice the exact location of her belongings. The paper cup that she used sat on the upper right side of her desk, her documents and papers were strewn over haphazardly on a small coffee table, but her leather jacket wasn't hanging on it's usual perch, her sunglasses were gone, and her keys to her Ninja which she usually kept in the upper drawer of her desk was missing.
It was either Max was robbed, or she had left Terminal City for an early morning drive.
Alec figured that it was the latter and went off to her apartment to check if her motorbike was still there. It wasn't. Alec cursed under his breath.
Devon just went missing, Max just left...
Another string of obscenities left his mouth loudly, that several X6s turned around from their work to stare. "What're you staring at?" he yelled out. They hastily when back to their jobs. He didn't know why he was feeling so – irate.
Alright, so he did know why. They just had a big unpleasant incident with White not more than a few days ago. And now they were faced with another crisis.
Alec preferred TV and beer to crisis and 'incidents'.
He bumped into Mole in Oak Street. "It's about time you showed up--" he was cut off by the look on Alec's face. "What's up with you? You look like you've got a stick shoved up your ass."
"Max left." He stated flatly.
Mole raised an eyebrow – well, if he had any. "So?"
"So? She friggin' left! It's not safe for us to go out there! Wasn't she the one who keeps telling us that? And now she just blazes off out there without telling anybody--"
"Little fella tell Joshua," a gruff voice said from behind them. The two conversing transgenics turned around to see Joshua looming over them carrying one of Sandeman's books.
"She did?" Alec asked, feeling his tone soften. Joshua always seemed to have that calming effect on people. It was his child-like innocence and pure bliss that made him so relaxing to be around. "Where'd she go?"
"She went to Cindy's," Joshua replied. "Said she needed to have 'girl talk' with her." At the look on Alec's face, he continued: "Joshua told her not to; people are afraid of what they don't understand and all. But she won't listen. Said she was very confused." He tilted his head to one side and scrutinized Alec carefully. "Confused about Middle fella."
"Me?"
"Alec?"
He and Mole said at the same time.
Joshua nodded wisely. "Yes. Alec and Max getting' busy?"
I wish. Alec thought thinking back to previous dreams... "Uh, no Joshua. We're not – not like that." He finished lamely.
"Right, and I'm the Queen of England." Mole crowed.
Alec grinned rakishly. "Sorry Mole, but the color purple just doesn't suit your complexion."
"Who said I had one?" Mole shot back.
"Let's just get our search started, shall we?"
What they didn't know was that the person they were searching for was already in Lydecker's clutches.
"Wake up, 720." A cold voice ordered from behind him. Devon's eyes snapped open, and he whirled around, dropping into a fighting stance, trying to ignore the painful feeling that scorched the back of his head just as he did so. They must've drugged him. As his environs started to lose much of its blur and started to clear, Devon took the opportunity to look around. He was inside some sort of warehouse. An old one judging from the rusts and dusts covering every inch of it. Several armed guards stood on either side of the room, eyeing him cautiously.
"I suppose you're wondering why you're here."
He tore his gaze away from his surroundings to look at the person responsible for holding him captive. "Colonel Donald Lydecker." He spat out as though the words were poison. The very name used to bring shivers to his spine when he was still a child – back at Manticore.
And until now.
"You were incarcerated by none other than a few of your fellow X5s," Lydecker continued as though he had not spoken at all. His stead gaze was relentless, and Devon found himself almost snapping to attention. "X5s who had remained loyal to me all throughout the years – even when Manticore was destroyed – they came back to me."
Devon then understood. The X5s Lydecker was mentioning where those who were doing long-term missions – those who had no idea that Manticore had burst into flames.
"And so will you – soon." Something shifted in the Colonel's dark blue eyes. Something unreadable. "A little trip to Psychological Operations will make you as good as new – as loyal as ever."
Fear gripped Devon's heart.
"What are you talking about? There is no Psy Ops. It burst into flames along with the rest of Manticore..."
"We still have the personnel and equipment to rebuild it – just like we have the funds to reconstruct Manticore. A better Manticore that will hold a new generation of soldiers." Lydecker smiled mirthlessly.
Devon snarled and lunged at him, but no sooner had he had attacked, he was lying on the floor being shocked with a hundred jolts of electricity. The moment he weakened, the guards held him up and dragged him to a cage standing a few feet from the Colonel.
"You don't belong out there, 720." Lydecker said. "Animals belong in a cage."
A bitter expression came over Devon's face. "There are hundreds of us back at Terminal City. You won't survive against that many, Deck. We're genetically enhanced supersoldiers that are fueled by hate and anger. And there are dozens of us who just could not wait to get their hands on you. Retribution will kill you one of these days...sometimes I think that you have a death wish..."
Lydecker smiled just as the X5 was hit by a tranquilizer dart.
"Maybe I do, 720. Maybe I do."
A/N: Review and you shall receive...another chapter. :-)