Part Four - The 411

BIGGS

I hung up the phone and turned to my two friends. The questioning looks on their faces begged for details.

"That was Max. She's in Sacramento . Apparently, White's in town and he's on to her. She needs help getting out." I explained.

OC's face drained of all color and she looked like she was going to faint. As she faltered, Sketchy grabbed her shoulder to steady her.

"Why call you, man? Alec's usually her weapon of choice in these kinda situations" Sketchy said, looking at me in confusion.

OC smacked him upside the head. "Numbskull! You know damn well dat my boo aint down wit hot boy just now! She smartin' and she aint gonna go askin' him to save her ass. Boo's got too much damn pride."

I looked at Sketchy. "I gotta go square things with Normal . Sketch, I don't want to put you in an awkward position, but would ya cover for me? With Alec I mean? Tell him I had to leave town suddenly but I'll be back in a few days."

"It's all good, man. I gotcha covered."

I went to Jampony. I figured that the easiest way to talk Normal into giving me time off would be to play on his sympathies.

Walking over to the dispatch counter I spoke to my boss. " Normal , I need to take a few days off from work. Death in the family – funeral's in California . Can you spare me?"

"Oh for the love of Mike ! You slackers are always after vacation time! I'm not buying it!" Normal sputtered.

"Normal! We're talking about my aunt here! How can you be so cruel?" I whined, groaning inwardly. How pathetic is this? I'm grovelling to Normal for God's sake! Max owes me for this one!

Normal shook his head in defeat. "Fine. But you're doing double runs when you get back! Overtime without pay, you hear? Now go! Bip!"

I thanked Normal . Leaving Jampony, I got on my bike and went in search of Max.

The scenery passed by in a blur of green, rust and gold. Seattle , in comparison, was dull and dreary. I could understand why days out on the road might appeal to Max, soothe a troubled spirit. It was invigorating.

I reflected on my telephone conversation with Max. I hope she's ok I thought. She had sounded so tired, so sad. And scared. I'd never seen Max scared of anything. Something bad had to have happened to cause this change in her.

I'd been travelling for just under two days when I reached Sacramento . I cautiously made my way to the address Max had given me. It was a seedy bar in the worst part of town. Just the kind of place to lay low while on the run. Smart move, Max.

I made my way into the bar and took a seat at the back of the room. It was early still and I didn't really expect Max to show up for a while yet. I ordered a scotch and sat back, surveying the crowd of lowlifes and sleazy characters around me. Keeping an eye on the door I nursed my drink. And waited.

A little before midnight , Max walked through the door. I could smell her fear and pain, it was rolling off her in waves. As she caught sight of me at the back of the room, she quickly made her way through the horde of people and launched herself at me.

Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around her and held her. She was shaking, cold. Her body wracked with sobs. My god Max, what happened to you the thought repeated in my mind over and over as I held her tighter. I kept silent as her sobbing ceased and she slowly regained control.

She looked up at me, her face streaked with tears. "Thanks for coming." She whispered.

I nodded. "Anytime Max. But, uh, we should get out of here."

I didn't want to be here any longer than was absolutely necessary. Max took me by the hand and led me out of the bar. The alley adjacent to the bar led up to a small boarding house where she'd rented a room. We went inside and sat down.

"So, you wanna tell me what happened?" I asked as I shrugged off my jacket.

"I'm a mess, Biggs. A total wreck. Everything that I thought was so right in my life has gone so very wrong." Max looked down at her hands. "I don't even know where to start."

"How 'bout at the beginning?" I replied, smiling softly.

"Ok. Um, it all started when I was on the Space Needle…"

MAX

I took a deep breath and continued. "I'd been thinking about Logan and the virus. See the thing is, I'd held on so long to the idea of Logan and me being together that I'd convinced myself it was meant to be.

"When we first met he was a complete ass. He tried to guilt-trip me into doing some Eyes Only bullshit for him. Some guy was trying to kill this witness and Logan wanted me to be her bodyguard until the trial. I pretty much told him to fuck off. The next day I saw him on TV. He'd gone with the woman to the courthouse and the bad guys shot him."

The implications of my words must have sunk in as he looked at me, awareness dawning in his eyes. "And that's how he lost the use of his legs."

I nodded. "I felt so guilty. If I'd just said yes, Logan wouldn't be a cripple. I went to visit him in the hospital and managed to save his ass. Someone wanted him dead in a big way and I moved him seconds before they blew up his hospital room. Anyway, I blamed myself for his condition and so I agreed to help Eyes Only.

"I guess I felt like I owed him. In time I decided I actually liked the guy. It took while before I figured I loved him.

"But after a lot of soul searching, I realized that I our relationship had left me emotionally drained. Being with Logan brought more pain than it was worth. I'd wasted a lot of time feeling depressed, sad and lonely. The virus was just an extra burden of guilt. I mean, I almost killed the guy, again! And I knew then that I wasn't in love with him. That I never had been."

I glanced at Biggs. He looked at me silently. Then he spoke.

"When did you realize you had feelings for Alec?"

I fiddled with my hands, considering his question carefully. I raised my eyes and looked at him.

"Back at Manticore."

"Really?" He seemed surprised at my revelation.

"Yeah. Alec came into my cell and pretty much told me to get naked, our orders were to have sex... What freaked me out was that I wanted to. Hell, he's hot. And it had been a long time since I'd wanted someone like that. It scared me. I was supposed to be with Logan for God's sake! How could I feel like that about someone else? But I wanted him. So I did what I always do when I feel threatened. I lashed out.

"I kicked him across the room and told him that was the only physical contact he and I were gonna have." I finished with a shy smile.

Biggs laughed. "Oh, boy! I can see how that could happen."

Biggs looked at me, his face hardening slightly. "Is that why you treated him like crap all this time?"

A deep blush rose from my chest to my face as guilt overwhelmed me.

"Yeah" I whispered. "God, Biggs, if I could do it over again I'd never have said those things to him! I know it was wrong but I had to keep him at a distance. It was overpowering, the attraction I felt! It wasn't supposed to be like that. I was with Logan !

"These past few months I started to see what he was really like. That he wasn't only looking out for number one. And when he told me about Rachel…I saw him. The real Alec. The guy who cares, who's vulnerable. Who'd loved and lost.

"I knew. I knew then. That I could love him if I opened my eyes and accepted him for what he'd become and not what I pretended he was.

"And look where it got me. I realized finally that I love Alec and he doesn't believe me. I got up the courage to tell him what I feel and he threw it back in my face. I know I deserve what I got, but it hurts, y'know? I let down my defences and opened my heart. You have no idea how hard that was.

"It hurts so bad…" I mumble, tears streaming down my cheeks.

Biggs reached out to wipe the tears from my face.

He's so sweet and understanding. He came here, with little regard for his own safety, to help me. It's no wonder Alec knows he can depend on him. Biggs is so selfless I can't help but think as I stare at the man in front of me.

"So you got up the courage to tell Alec how you feel. He blew you off and you left Seattle ."

I nodded. "That pretty much sums it up."

"Okay." He paused a moment before continuing. "But that doesn't explain your fear. I could smell it on you the minute you walked in the room. Something else scared you. What happened?"

"Well, when I left Seattle I decided to go looking for my siblings. I wanted, no needed, to find them. I felt so empty, y'know? So I decided it was time to find them again." My voice began to quiver and I knew I couldn't hold back the tears for long.

Biggs seemed to sense the emotional turmoil. He picked me up and carried me over to the battered couch. He sat me down on his lap and put his arms around me.

I felt comforted by his strong embrace. I rested my head on his chest and continued in a low voice.

"When I arrived in Sacramento , I was in an accident. I slid on an oil slick and hit a guardrail. I woke up in the hospital. There was a major commotion outside my room and I heard some doctors yelling at each other. Apparently, there were a couple wounded transgenics in need of medical attention and they were refusing to care for them. They said something about White coming and I got ready to bolt.

"Suddenly there were a couple of shots fired. When I looked outside to see what was going on, I saw them."

My voice caught in my throat and the tears began to fall. Deep gut-wrenching sobs wracked my tired body and I clung to Biggs. He tightened his hold on me.

"Max" he said soothingly. "It's gonna be ok. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

I looked up at him, his face a blur to my tear-filled eyes. I shook my head.

"The two transgenics. They were Krit and Syl. Two of my siblings. White killed them."

"Oh God, Max. I'm so sorry." Biggs rubbed my back lightly, tenderly.

I must have fallen asleep at some point. He had held me like that all night. Never once moving, not wanting to disturb my sleep.

TBC

Part Five

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