Part Five - Letting Off Steam
MAX
I woke shortly before dawn to find myself wrapped in two strong arms. I twisted around to see a very uncomfortable looking Biggs, fast asleep. Not wanting to disturb him, considering the distance he had travelled the day before and the stiff position he had held whilst I slept, I gently disentangled myself from his arms.
I thought back to our conversation of the previous night. It had felt good to talk. I had needed to unload on someone and knowing that Biggs was there for me meant a lot. There weren't many people I trusted and on the occasion that I decided to share my feelings, I would normally turn to OC. Recently, however, I'd begun confiding in Alec. And now I could add Biggs to the inner circle.
I quickly showered. Feeling a damn sight better than I had yesterday, I went about preparing a breakfast of coffee, eggs and toast. Without my daily dose of caffeine I knew I would be too much for Biggs to handle. Alec could hold his own with the Uber-Bitch. Biggs would not.
Biggs stirred on the couch.
"Morning." I said, handing him a cup of coffee. He took it, flashing me a grateful smile. "Sleep well?" I winked at him and grinned.
"Not bad, considering the position." He said with a chuckle.
"Eat up. We've got a long day ahead."
I crossed the room to retrieve my map. Our first course of action would be to find a safe route out of the city and maintain a low profile. I bit my lip as I focused on the paper in front of me.
Biggs laughed and I turned to him and scowled. "What's so funny?"
"You are! Your eyebrows are all scrunched and you're biting your lip. It's cute." he reached out to touch my shoulder lightly. "Don't worry so much! Everything will be fine."
I glared at him. "Are you trying to jinx us?" I quickly packed my bag. Everytime I say it'll be fine things go horribly wrong I couldn't shake the feeling of foreboding that settled on me and I shivered.
"They probably wouldn't expect us to stowaway on a train..." He looked at me and grinned. "If we did, we could be in Portland by Wednesday evening or Thursday morning at the latest."
"I've got a bad feeling about this, Biggs. And my instincts are rarely wrong."
"Same here." came the muffled reply. Biggs had already left the room. I followed close on his heels, eager to put as much distance between White and myself as was possible.
Using a series of back alleys and side streets, we made our way to the train depot. It was still early. Lack of daylight meant little or no people were out and afforded us much needed cover. We walked our bikes to a carriage at the end of the platform. Biggs motioned to me to keep watch as he loaded the bikes into the car. Giving the all clear, I turned to him as he reached out to help me up.
I secured the door and looked around the space that would be my refuge for the next day or so. There were bales of hay and a few empty crates. At least we won't have to sleep on the cold metal floor. Biggs' idea to stowaway was definitely a greatly preferred mode of transport. I didn't relish the thought of riding my motorcycle in the chilly air or the inevitable muscle cramping that would follow.
"You know Max," Biggs mused. "It's gonna be a loooong trip. We might as well get comfortable."
I leaned back against a crate. I closed my eyes and let my mind wander.
The train began to move. Biggs and I fell into a comfortable silence, both of us lost in our own thoughts. Some time later I broke the stillness.
"Tell me about Alec." I said wistfully.
Startled, he shot me a curious look. "Alec? What do you wanna know about him?"
"What was he like back in Manticore?"
Biggs' face fell. I caught a glimpse of pain flitting across his eyes before being replaced by the practiced, empty soldier's mask every transgenic had learned to perfect. I shuddered at the blank look he sent my way.
"494 was a soldier through and through. He followed orders to a T and was the crowning success of Manticore. He was the finest, the brightest. He was respected, feared and envied. We strove to be like him. He inspired trust and loyalty.
"He was my C.O. And I was proud to call him Sir." Biggs let out a sigh.
"Wow. Alec was an officer? I never knew…" Biggs interrupted me in a tightly controlled voice.
"You don't know shit about him, Max. You never cared enough to find out.
I glared at him. He has a point though I conceded to myself.
"494 was a fun-loving prankster. Always pullin' scams and messin' around, crackin' jokes. We loved him. 494 rivalled none. Then he was sent to take out Berrisford. It was his first and only failure. When he fell in love with Rachel and botched his mission, it cost him his rank. And his sense of self worth. He stopped believing. 494 retreated into a shell and hid from everyone. He became distant and cold. It was as if he was just going through the motions, robotic. We'd lost our friend and were left with a stranger.
"You can't begin to imagine how happy we all were to see him come back to some semblance of himself. Being out here, he's come alive again. The pain is still there. And he hides behind his 'I'm always alright' defense. He's scarred. Hell, we all are. Broken toys he once called us. But he has an identity now, no longer just a number. He's Alec. And Alec survives and lives to smile another day."
I hung my head in shame as the harsh reality of Biggs' revelations washed over me. His friends and those under his command held Alec in such high esteem. I should have more respect for him. But I'd made it my personal mission to knock him for everything he did. I'd done it for so long that it had become second nature to me.
I choked out a ragged "I'm sorry."
A sad smile graced his lips. "Max, I know you've finally clued in to the truth. Alec loves you. He's always been there for you. Even when you slam him he's always got your back. You've gotta start treating him with the respect he deserves. He's more than earned it. It's not just damaging him, it's hurting all of us."
I let Biggs' words sink in. He was right. Alec had always been there for me. Starting back at Manticore after I refused to follow orders he'd had my back. I shuddered, thinking of the breeding program. He'd covered for me the next day, lying to protect me. And later, when Ames White implanted that bomb in his brainstem and he'd had to procure 3 barcodes in exchange for his life, he'd almost tried to kill me but had chosen his own death over mine.
"I know it must have been hard for you, Max, to be on your own out here all these years. But you have to recognize we suffered too. Alec's suffered. He needs your acceptance, not your abuse!
"Be his friend."
I held Biggs' gaze with mine. "I want to be so much more than that."
Countless memories flashed in my mind's eye. How many times had he brought me back from the brink, risked his life for mine? I bit my lip as tears streamed down my face. Resolute, I straightened upright making a silent vow. I'll make it up to him somehow…when we get back to Seattle
BIGGS
I saw Max brace her shoulders, sitting erect, her face determined. She's got spunk, I'll give her that I scooted over and put my arm around her shoulder.
"Max, things'll work out. Start small. Show him you care. He needs to believe. Make him believe."
She gave me a quick smile. "It took me a whole year before I told Logan how I felt. We danced around each other. It's kinda obvious why, now that I look back. And then I waited almost another year before I left him. Two years, Biggs. Feels like a lifetime.
"But I know what I feel for Alec is real. And I don't plan to waste any more time.
"I'm not good at this kinda thing, but I just wanna say I appreciate what you told me. I needed to hear it. So, thanks."
I can see why Alec finds her so attractive. It's more than her looks. She's strong, yet vulnerable. Makes you wanna reach out and hold her. Kiss away the tears. Whoa, where did that come from I'm suddenly feeling warm. My arm is tingling where it rests on Max. The thoughts come unbidden. She's beautiful. Bitchy, passionate, opinionated. I like.
I practically leapt from her side, as if burned. Max looked at me curiously. "You okay?"
"Uh, yeah. I'm fine." I'm anything BUT fine. Right now I'm feeling guilty. Shit. Shit. Shit. This is just so wrong. Get a grip soldier! She's not yours for the taking.
"Hey, I got an idea. Wanna spar?" I let out in a rush.
"Sounds like a plan." She replied as she climbed to her feet.
We circled each other like predators stalking prey. Our movements graceful, calculated, precise. I tried to assess her weakness. She seemed to leaning a bit to the left. I filed that away in my mind. Might come in handy.
Alec once warned me that sparring with Max was full of dangerous potential. She had a penchant for fighting dirty, not fair. And when fuelled by anger she fought harder. His exact words came to mind. 'When she's pissed she fights harder, better. But she loses focus quickly. That's your advantage.' He'd told me with a wicked grin.
This could be fun.
Having heard about Alec's stint in the ring as Monty Cora and Max's cruelly delivered kick, I chanced a peek at my lower region. I wondered if I had reason to fear for the crown jewels.
My indecision must have shone on my face as she caught my downward gaze. Max laughed a full throaty laugh I'd never heard from her before.
"Don't worry, soldier. I promise to fight fair."
I laughed. At that moment, Max launched herself at me with a kick to my chest. With me momentarily distracted, she'd taken the opportunity and it paid off. I bowled over. As I regained my balance, her arm shot out toward my face. I blocked and countered with a blow to her left side. Max grunted.
I raised my leg and lashed out at her other side, now exposed to my attack. Somehow, she managed to grab my foot, twisting me midair and causing me to flip. I'm off my game today.
I land in a crouch, and I punt left, sweeping her feet out from under her. Max crashes to the floor with a loud thud.
"You're gonna pay for that" she hissed as she jumped to her feet, coming back to fighting stance. She was livid and her face flushed. Alec was right, she is sexy as hell when she's pissed off!
We continued to toy with each other. Raining kicks, throwing punches, flipping, circling. It was fluid motion, fast-paced and adrenaline driven. My blood pumped hotly in my veins. I growled deep in my throat.
Suddenly, Max blurred around and came at me from behind. She was angry now. Max landed a solid kick to my kidney. I doubled over in pain. Max was going in for the 'kill' intent on putting me down hard. I'd anticipated her next move, way ahead in the game. After all, I had years training on her. But something stopped my counter-attack. I don't want to hurt her I thought, stunned.
Instead, I let her take me down. She kicked hard at my stomach, effectively throwing me across the train car and onto a bale of hay. It exploded in a shower of straw, covering me completely.
I couldn't contain myself. I burst out laughing, sputtering and coughing as straw flew from my mouth. Max let out a giggle and ran over to me. She lay down on the hay by my side.
MAX
There's nothing like a good round of sparring to give you a rush. I'd been through a lot in the past few days and the stress had finally caught up with me. Our sparring session had challenged my suffering, tired body. I needed to recharge.
Our breathing evened out slowly. Sweat-covered and plastered with straw, Biggs resembled a character from a pre-pulse film. I told him so.
"Biggs, you look absolutely ridiculous. I could peg you for the scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz."
"And that coming from the mouth of the Wicked Witch herself. I'm flattered, Max." Biggs smirked at me.
I ignored him, reaching out to pull some stray bits of straw from his face and chest. I burrowed down into the hay to keep warm and pillowed my head on Biggs' chest.
I'd laughed today. I tried not to feel guilty about it. The constant danger in my life weighing heavily on my shoulders; the threat of extinction at the hands of cult loonies and foreign governments so desperate to get their hands on one of my kind, made it impossible for me to give in and cry. I'd done that already. Crying took too much energy. Laughter is my defence. One I employed as a shield for my pain.
Krit and Syl were constantly on my mind and the images of their battered bodies lying in pools of blood were imprinted in my memory. I'd lost them for good and hadn't even had a chance to say goodbye.
I whispered a silent prayer to the Blue Lady in hopes that she would watch over my brothers and sisters in the 'Good Place'.
Finally giving in to exhaustion and lulled by the deep, even breathing of the man beside me, I fell into a fitful slumber.
TBC
Part Six
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