Chapter 10

Alec sighed contentedly as he held Max, arms wrapped possessively around her waist. He was still in awe of their newfound relationship. It had been a little less than a week since they'd gotten together and he still pinched himself each morning when he woke to find her beside him.

They were spending an evening in the company of friends at Crash. It was the first time in days that they'd surfaced after dark.

"I don't know how to take this, man," Biggs chided teasingly. "You and Max actually left the bed!"

"You're just jealous that you're not getting any. What'd you do to piss Lianna off? Don't think I haven't noticed you've been sleeping at home lately," Alec replied with a smirk.

"Nothing," the dark haired transgenic muttered.

Alec snorted his disbelief. "Riiiiiight."

"Lay off, man. I mixed up the laundry, okay? Now her whites aren't white," Biggs grumbled.

"You tried to do laundry!" Max exclaimed, unable to resist teasing her friend. Realization dawned on her and her mouth dropped open, laughter shaking her slim body. "Oh my god, you're the one that ruined all the new lingerie she bought last week? No wonder she's pissed! That shit was expensive!"

Biggs mumbled dolefully. "Who buys expensive clothes when they can just as easily be stolen?"

"So how did you apologize?" Alec asked, taking a sip of scotch and tightening his other arm more securely around Max. She leaned into him, savoring the heat that emanated from his body where it touched hers.

"I told her I was sorry and that I'd get her new stuff," Biggs said with a shrug. "She told me to fuck off...so I did."

"Jeez, bro! Are you crazy? Get down on your knees and beg, or you might not ever get another chance. Women are weird like that," Alec added, glancing at Max who nodded vigorously.

Dejectedly, Biggs raised tired eyes to his friends. "What would you do, Alec?"

Max looked at her boyfriend, mouth twitching into a wide grin. "Yes, Alec, what would you do?"

Knowing he had no good answer to that question, Alec detached himself from Max and leapt to his feet.

"I'm gonna go get a refill and another pitcher. Be right back!" And with that he quickly made his way to the bar, leaving a scowling Biggs and giggling Max behind.

Logan couldn't shake the feeling that he should have brought Max along, even though this meeting was meant to be private. Meeting with Lydecker would always be a risk; whether from the man himself or from the threat he posed by just being in the same vicinity. Manticore was still hunting, and no doubt Lydecker was high on their list, having evaded capture many times.

Carefully making his way through the darkened alley, Logan's eyes darted left and right, searching out the man he was there to meet. Reaching a dead end, he stopped, turned and let out an exasperated sigh.

"Lydecker? I know you're here." His voice echoed off the walls, bouncing back to taunt him. He shivered.

The sound of a gun cocking in his ear made him freeze. Lydecker spoke quietly.

"You came alone?" At Logan's nod, he added, "Are you positive you weren't followed?"

"Lydecker, you can cut the covert crap," Logan responded with false bravado while trying to ease away from the gun's barrel. "I wasn't followed, I'm sure. Can we put the gun away now?"

Lydecker glared at the back of younger man's head, but eased the hammer on the gun back into place. After tucking the 9mm Beretta in its inner pants holster, he gave Logan permission to turn around. "This is a very serious matter, son. People would - and I'm sure have - killed for this information."

Logan nodded his understanding. "I understand. You may be on the run, but you're not the only one keeping a low profile. Plenty of people want me dead - I know the drill. So what do you have for me?"

Lydecker pulled down two crates from a pile next to the wall and handed one to Logan. Once he was settled on the makeshift seat, Lydecker passed him a thick file.

"The information I disclosed initially is all here. Photos and documentation that's been certified by a team of historians and archaeologists." Lydecker fell silent as Logan flipped through the now familiar photos and skimmed the contents of the folder.

Logan was unimpressed and it showed plainly on his face. "This still doesn't explain anything about the connection between Manticore and the Familiars' breeding cult."

"Legend has it that the cult began thousands of years ago. A very gifted young man was appointed leader and a woman was selected to bear his children. The first child was stillborn, the second extremely deformed. Deemed unfit as an heir, the second child was murdered. When the third child was born, they were finally satisfied. They got rid of the breeding host and buried the mother with the first two children. This has been the practice, or so I'm told, for generations. It helps explain why there are many such burial sites all over the world, spanning the ages."

"Who was the boy? What was so special about him?"

"That's still unclear though I have my suspicions. He was the chief warrior of his tribe, known for speed, strength and endurance. The cult kept to a strict in-breeding between followers. This ensured pure blood lines. These special traits and skills have been secured and passed down over time. My guess is one or more of these elite donated DNA to Manticore."

Logan looked thoughtful as he absorbed what Lydecker told him. Holding up the photo of what appeared to be the Manticore design, painted in blood on a cave wall, he speculated. "So you're trying to tell me that you think Manticore was using Familiar blood lines to create transgenics?"

Lydecker reached into a briefcase that Logan hadn't even realized he'd had, and pulled out a metal case file. "I think that this is fairly sound proof of that very theory," he said as he handed it over. As soon as Logan opened the file, his gaze fell on Max's picture. His eyes widened as he looked up, searching the other man's face for information.

"This is Max's blood work, DNA sequence...," he paused, trying to figure out what he was supposed to see. "No junk DNA. Wait a minute." The pieces finally fell into place and Logan eyed Lydecker suspiciously. "Are you saying Max was one of the transgenics that got Cult donor genes?" That would explain why everyone seems to always be after her, he thought bitterly.

"Yes," Lydecker replied, taking back the file folder. "Those pictures you're holding are from a building owned by a company that the late Dr. Renfro was associated with. A company that doesn't seem to exist." He fell silent, wanting Logan to work out the rest on his own.

"Renfro took a bullet for Max back at Manticore and gave her some cryptic dying message. 'Find Sandeman'." He looked at the pictures once more. "Renfro was part of the breeding cult? But even so, why would Max be so important that Renfro would die to protect her?"

Lydecker pursed his lips, brow creased in deep thought. "I believe the answer you're looking for is simple. Assuming that Max is indeed the recipient of Familiar pure-blood, then given her enhanced capabilities, it is entirely possible that she possesses as yet undiscovered Familiar traits.

"The breeding cult follows set traditions, one of which is a hierarchy of priestesses and carefully selected council members. With her Alpha status as a transgenic, Familiar blood and advanced skills, she would be invaluable to the cult, should they ever convince her to join them."

Lydecker watched a myriad of emotions flash in Logan's eyes. "Might I add that if Renfro was indeed working for the Familiars, and you say her dying words were to find this Sandeman fellow, it's safe to assume that he knows what's going on. Finding him may give us the information we need to unravel this mess."

Logan's tone was dubious, bordering on mocking. "Or it could potentially be a trap."

Studying the younger man a moment, Lydecker nodded. "True. But I think that's for Max to decide. About Sandeman," he began, bringing a fist up to his mouth, cracking his knuckles against his lips. "I've met him. He was the chief scientist that created the X series. He disappeared years ago, into thin air. There was much speculation about his departure from Manticore. Some thought he had an attack of conscience and gave up his work. Others believed him to be kidnapped by a rival government trying to recreate our technology. But now I'm not so sure."

"What do you mean?" Logan ventured after the ensuing silence.

"Max's DNA assay. I discovered it at the military base they set up after the Manticore facility was cauterized. The 'recovery' operation was headed by an Ames White. The file was in his possession, most likely recovered from the wreckage."

Lydecker began pacing. Logan eyed him curiously. Lydecker was usually very calm and collected, ever the uptight colonel. It was unsettling to see him showing signs of nervous behavior.

"I obviously had to check his credentials; the man was hunting down my kids, after all," he stated matter-of-factly.

"Your kids?" Logan snorted derisively. "And since you've been hunting them a lot longer, you felt you should have the upper hand. So, were you successful?" he sneered sarcastically.

"His information checked out. It was perfect, too perfect. So perfect in fact, that it was blatantly forged. I called in some favors and discovered something interesting." Pausing for effect, Lydecker took a deep breath before continuing.

"Special Agent Ames White was once known by a different name."

Logan frowned in confusion. "And that's important because...?"

Lydecker stepped into the shadows, concealing himself from view. His parting words came from a short distance away. "Contact me when she makes a decision, but remember, time is short. Tell Max to be careful. He's looking for her and he won't stop until he's found her."

Logan called out into the darkness, voice tinged with fear. "Who?"

The faint reply carried on the breeze.

"Sandeman's son."

Max's hips moved to the rhythm of the fast-paced hip-hop beat that filled the bar. She writhed, whirled, and swayed suggestively with Alec on the dance floor like nothing else existed. They moved together as one, smiling and whispering things meant only for each other. The moment was perfect. Then they heard it.

"Bip, bip, bip!"

Both groaned aloud as they turned to face the bar where their boss was standing, yelling adamantly at the bartender. "What's he doin' here?" Max whined, placing her head on Alec's shoulder and feeling as he sagged against her in response.

Resting his cheek atop her hair, Alec grumbled. "The weekend is like the only time we don't have to listen to Normal's crap. Please tell me he isn't here to...boogie."

Max sniggered at the thought. Alec's question was answered moments later as Normal's grating voice carried over the chaotic sounds that filled the pulsing bar.

"I placed this order two days ago! I don't think the guests are going to enjoy a bring-your-own policy at the reception!"

The flustered bartender tried to placate a very irritated Normal with a beer, on the house of course. He then hurried away to find the order in the back room. Normal swiveled in his seat, eyes skimming the patrons of the establishment, finally locking on a group of his employees. Rolling his eyes at the lot of degenerates, he continued to survey the room as he sipped his beer.

Please don't notice us, Alec pleaded silently. Too late - they'd been spotted.

"Well if it isn't my rock star!" Normal bellowed. Heads turned toward the transgenic couple who now stood frozen in the middle of the dance floor. Though generally accustomed to being on the receiving end of appreciative looks from members of both sexes, the amused faces of his co-workers and the regular patrons were disconcerting. Alec's cheeks flamed furiously. Please, God, kill me now...

Normal crossed the room to stand beside the couple. He swung an arm around Alec's shoulders and hugged him. The younger man stiffened and gulped. Max felt Alec cringe and shiver and she burrowed her face into his chest to muffle the laughter that threatened to slip from her lips.

"So what brings you here, Normal, my man?" Biggs asked as he and Lianna approached, arm in arm. He cast a knowing smile at his trapped friend who glared in return.

Normal tightened his hold on Alec shaking him in what could be construed as an affectionate manner. It only made Alec cringe yet again, sending Max into another fit of muffled giggles.

"What? I can't come down to this..." Normal paused, looking at the decor in disgust, "fine establishment just to hang or chill, or whatever it is that you kids call it?"

Lianna openly laughed and Biggs just shook his head. Max raised up from Alec's chest and gave Normal a hard look. "You wouldn't chill here if your life depended on it." Or unless you had a date with Alec, she mused inwardly. Pointing a finger at her boss and looking at her friends, she explained, "He's here to give our man at the bar a hard time about liquor for his wedding reception."

Normal pulled back his arm from around his 'rock-star', putting his hands up in mock surrender. "Okay, yes. But do you want to be at a reception without liquor?"

Alec knew opportunity when he saw it; the moment Normal's hands weren't on him, he quickly moved to stand next to Biggs. He held Max between himself and Normal.

"You'll protect me, right?" he whispered against Max's ear, his voice piteous. Normal was going into detail about the wedding, seemingly unaware that Alec had escaped his grasp.

"Of course I will. No one touches my man but me," she purred playfully, twining her hand into his.

"...so, the wedding will be held on the same day the greatest leader our country has ever seen was born," Normal droned on to his disinterested employees. "June 12th will now hold two special places in my heart."

Lianna leaned over and whispered in Max's ear. "Can he get any cheesier?" Max laughed and their boyfriends tuned into the conversation, still watching Normal from the corners of their eyes. "But seriously," she continued. "I wonder which place Normal's fiancé holds; first or second? My bet is George H. W. will always be first. Poor woman."

Biggs pulled a face. "Oh come on, you always side with the female. If she's crazy enough to marry him I say let her suffer the consequences."

Lianna's lips curved up in a wry smile. "I concede the point."

Max nudged Alec. "Whatever Biggs told Lianna by way of apology must have worked. I wonder what he said."

Lianna's laughter rang softly. "He promised to very, very good..." Max and Alec joined in when Biggs blushed furiously.

Turning to Max she flashed a predatory smile. "What do you say we ditch this joint and go have a little fun back at the guys' apartment?"

Alec's eyes lit up. "Fun? I'm always up for a little fun," he leered playfully at Liannaand wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Biggs let out a mock-growl and took a swipe at his friend. "Back off, she's mine!"

"I don't belong to anyone, caveman." Turning to Max again Lianna threw her arm around the other girl's waist. "Let's get out of here. Who needs men to have fun?" She winked, pulling Max after her and up the stairs to the exit, knowing full well that Biggs and Alec would see that as a challenge. She didn't have to wait long.

"Where the hell do you think you're going!" Alec called after them, racing up the stairs and out the door, Biggs on his heels. "Max and I had plan-" The insistent beeping of Max's pager stopped him mid-sentence. "Aw fuck, not again," he muttered darkly.

Even Max was beginning to get annoyed. Whenever she was having a good time, Logan seemed to know and take the opportunity to kill the moment.

"Anyone got a phone I could use?" she asked, hoping against hope that her friends had all forgotten the phones they carried with them everywhere and at all times. No such luck.

Taking the proffered phone from her boyfriend, Max dialed the familiar number.

"Blowin' up my pager, better be major," she stated petulantly when Logan answered.

"I knew you'd call as soon as possible," he replied briskly, seemingly unmindful of her tone or quite simply dismissing it. Either way, his assumption annoyed her.

"Is there a reason you interrupted my fun?" she inquired edgily.

Logan ignored the snarky comment. "I met with my contact. The information he had for me is...enlightening. I've double checked everything against my own resources. Seems the guy is on the level. I just thought you should see this as soon as possible. How fast can you get here?"

Max frowned and sighed deeply. Alec rested a hand on her shoulder, his questioning gaze locking with her troubled one. She shook her head and mouthed, 'Logan wants us to come over. Now.'

Alec wasn't quite so mindful of his audience and let out a sharp "Fuck!" Biggs and Lianna glanced at him and raised their shoulders in time with each other, heads tipping sideways in silent inquiry. If he weren't so frustrated he might have laughed at how in tune his friends were with each other.

Having finished the call, Max tossed Alec his phone and turned to offer her apologies to their friends.

"Logan's got something urgent to discuss. We have to go, sorry." She shrugged regretfully when their faces soured in disgust.

Biggs and Lianna shared a look, the kind that is reserved for couples who know exactly what the other is thinking. "Last time Logan had something urgent to tell you," Lianna said, her eyes rolling as she spoke the last words. "You guys came back all pissed because he didn't have shit. You gonna hold his hand all the time? God, I don't know who's worse, you or Logan. He expects you to bend over and take it and you keep letting him push you around."

Max cocked her head and stared intently at the other girl. "Not too long ago, comments like that would have pissed me off. But you're right. This has got to stop." Facing Alec again, she nodded in the direction of their bikes. "Let's get this over with. And I'll let you explain our feelings on the matter, babe. What do you say?"

Alec pulled her in for a kiss. When they finally broke apart to catch their breath, he grinned.

"Hell yeah!"

TBC