Part 27 - Exposed
ALEC
The meeting was coming to an end.
"So there ya have it. I've become living, breathing canvas. Dix," I said, meeting my friend's eager eyes, "you think you can figure these out?"
He nodded. "I'll get on it right away."
Glancing around the table, I looked at the division leaders. "Does anyone else have anything to contribute?"
Biggs stood up slowly. "Yeah, I do."
All attention was now focused on my friend as he handed me a tubular object. "What's this?"
He cleared his throat and shrugged apologetically. "With everything that's happened in the past few days, I didn't get a chance to unload my bag. I'd completely forgotten about this. I stole it after Max and I had our little confrontation with White and his goons."
I unrolled the parchment and spread it out before me. The writing looked familiar. I exchanged a glance with Dix and he nodded. "Well, Biggs, looks like we hit the jackpot." He looked up at me quizzically. "The scroll uses the same symbols that now decorate this once-perfect body of mine. How the hell am I suppose to explain these to the ladies anyhow?" I said with a cheeky smile.
Max's fist connected with my shoulder painfully. "What the hell was that for, Maxie?"
Her focus solely on me, she smiled sweetly. "I never did learn to share, sweetheart." Her remark wasn't lost on anyone and as a collective snickering tittered from one end of the room to the other, her eyes opened wide in realization and she shut her mouth, crossing her arms over her chest, red-faced and scowling like the Max I knew and loved.
I bent and brushed my lips across Max's ear. "Can I make it up to you later?" I whispered huskily.
Unable to hold back her reaction, Max shivered lightly. "I'll take that into consideration, pretty-boy," she purred back.
With a wide, satisfied smile on my face, I looked at the others and clapped a hand down on the table. "Okay people, you know what to do. Dix, Luke; whatever you can scrounge up on those symbols, do it. Let me know when you're on to something. Once we know more, we can figure this out. Kat, Mel; you mentioned blood work. I don't like it, but if it will shed some light on this insanity, I'm in. I'll meet you in the infirmary in a little while. I'll see the rest of you in the morning."
I turned to Max. She looked so stressed. If it would take away even a bit of your pain, Maxie, I'd do anything. "Max, can I see you outside?" When she smiled up at me, I took her hand in mine and led her out of the room.
BIGGS
When Alec and Max came back into Command, I rolled my eyes. Max's hair was tussled and her face was flushed. She was leaning into Alec, his arm wrapped tightly around her waist, his face plastered with a cat-got-the-canary smile.
"We need to get you guys a room here," I grinned, calling across the room to my friends. "Knowing Mole, the two of you were caught on camera doing the nasty!"
Max's face darkened and her fist shot out and caught Alec square in the stomach. Watching my friend double over, I had to admit that this time I thought he deserved it. Being caught having sex on the roof? Even I knew better.
When they made their way over, I laid my hand gently on Max's shoulder. "Mel's been looking for you."
She glanced worriedly up at Alec, communicating silently with her eyes. He nodded and she hurried off, leaving the two of us alone.
Shaking my head, I clapped Alec on the back. "Damn. Wish I had something like that," I said wistfully.
Alec smirked. "Biggs, my man, when it happens to you I hope it's not quite as crazy as it was for me!" I chuckled at his comment, agreeing silently. He'd been through hell and back to get Max.
"So, any news from Dix and the others?"
I shook my head. "They haven't moved since the meeting let out. Don't worry, buddy, he'll figure it out."
As if on cue, Dix shouted for Alec. "I think we've got something!"
We hurried to his side. "What is it, Dix?" Alec asked eagerly, leaning over the smaller man's shoulder and peering at the computer monitor. It displayed the symbols Dix had downloaded from the digital camera, the photos having been taken by Max before the meeting.
"Well, I've figured out the origin of the symbols. They're ancient Minoan. The language is pretty much extinct, but the Familiars use it for their rituals. Which, by the way, are the same as the text in the Familiar scroll." Dix looked up at me and smiled. "Thanks to you, we may have a clue as to what the link is between the cult and Alec's new body art."
"So what do they mean?" Alec pointed to the few symbols that Dix had begun to translate.
Dix frowned. "So far I've got 'messenger' and what I think means 'war'. I wish I had more information, but I can't seem to get very far. I know that Max mentioned Logan has some files on the cult. Maybe if I had access to them I could tell you more. Until I've had a chance to research and translate everything I won't know."
"Can't you just hack into his system?" I asked. Dix was our computer expert. I didn't see why getting Logan's files was such a problem.
Dix pursed his lips. "Well, I've already tried. But the files don't seem to be on his computer. He may have them saved to disk."
Alec growled in response. "Damn Ordinary. Leave it to Logan to keep vital info lying around for anyone to come and take it."
When Alec looked at me, I knew what he was going to suggest. In my mind I'd already put together a crew for the job. I held my hand up and stopped him before he could speak.
"I'll go with Jake, Tanner and Steve. We'll get what we need, however it needs to be done." I saw Alec's eyes narrow and I added quickly, "Don't worry, we won't kill him." Though god only knows the man is a liability to us all. But Alec knew that as well as I did. The only one who seemed blind to the fact was Max.
I turned to leave when I felt a hand on my arm. I looked back over my shoulder. "Alec?"
He smiled. "Just...Thanks, man. I owe ya one."
I grinned at him. "After all the times you've saved my ass? I hardly think so. Besides, what are friends for?"
MAX
I entered Med Bay, thoughts swirling in my mind. Is Ben okay? Is there some problem? Something Mel didn't want to pass on through other people? I was worried, and I knew it was reflected on my face. I stopped, inhaled deeply and wiped my face clear of any telltale signs of distress. I was once again in control.
I knocked on the door to the nurses' station. "Mel?" I called out. The room was empty. I stepped inside and looked around. Like most of the transgenics, I hated hospitals. Med Bay was more homey, Kat and Mel had tried to make the infirmary less intimidating and sterile so as not to bring back painful memories of times past when we'd suffered in a similar environment. There were potted plants and bright flowers all around. The walls were painted in soft colors. And instruments not in use were hidden away from view. It was comforting, almost.
"Max?"
I looked up as I heard my name. "Hey, Mel," I smiled at the petite redhead. Her delicate face radiated a serenity I wished I could attain.
"Take a seat," she said, pointing to a chair by the desk. I sat down facing her.
"Max, I was hoping you could help me out. I don't know much about Ben or his history. Nothing since the...escape," she began tentatively. "While you were gone this afternoon, he started seizing. We thought it was a typical episode - like the other X5s - but he became...violent."
When Mel's eyes met mine, I smiled gently. "I was unlucky enough to see him like that only once before. He explained it to me afterwards. Mel, there's a lot you don't know about Ben. He's had some really bad experiences on the outside."
Mel flushed slightly. "I've heard him. He has nightmares." Her voice fell to a whisper. "What happened to him, Max?"
I shook my head. "I think Ben is the only one who should tell you that. It's...personal. But as for the seizures, he's been on medication. Stelazine, I think."
Mel cocked her head to one side. "That's Trifluoperazine, an antipsychotic. What am I dealing with here, Max?" she asked apprehensively. I knew her question wasn't medically related. She wanted to know what to expect of Ben - if she should allow herself to get closer to him.
"Give him a chance, Mel. I don't think he's had many friends over the years. He needs to feel safe enough to open up." The wise words of a good friend from the week before resurfaced in my mind. Just be his friend. Biggs couldn't possibly know just how right he was. "Just be his friend," I heard myself say, echoing the voice. Her reply sent shivers down my spine. She repeated, almost word-for-word, my own answer to the same comment.
"I think I want to be more than that, Max. I don't know what it is, but something about your brother is...magnetic."
I laughed. "I think it's in the genes. I feel the same way about Alec." She looked surprised at my admission. I was a bit surprised myself, but why hide it? Word traveled fast in Terminal City and it was no secret that Alec and I were now together.
She stood suddenly and rummaged around in the cabinets behind her desk. After some time she turned to me. "I'll bring the pills in later. Kat must have moved them. Why don't you go see Ben? He's been asking for you all day."
I rose quickly and walked towards the door. "Thanks, Mel. For everything."
BEN
I knew. The minute she entered the room, I knew that Max was here for more than just a visit. She still wanted answers. Answers to the many questions that had formed in her mind since she first found out I was killing all those months ago. I could smell her fear; was she scared I'd snap at the memories? I could sense her hesitation and the underlying scent of anger.
"You're still angry at me, aren't you Maxie."
She stopped mid-stride and looked at me in shock. "What are you talking about?"
"Come on, Maxie! I've always been able to read you. It's one of the reasons you and I were always so close, remember? Besides, it's one of the things I developed over the years; heightened senses. I can smell it on you, Max. Fear, hesitation, anger." I motioned to the chair by my bed. "Don't worry, I won't bite."
She inched closer and gingerly sat beside my bed. "Can you sense love, Ben? Surely you haven't forgotten what that's like."
I chuckled, reaching for her hand and taking it in mine. "I never doubted your love, Maxie. It's the one thing Manticore couldn't take from us."
MEL
Standing just outside the room, peering in through the crack, I overheard Ben's words. "I never doubted your love, Maxie. It's the one thing Manticore couldn't take from us." Was Ben saying what I thought he was saying? I stepped back, almost afraid to hear any more. But I couldn't seem to shake the thought. Is there more going on between them? Something that Alec doesn't know? Something I should know? And so I stood eavesdropping, the tiniest flicker of guilt settling over me. I shook it off and leaned in to hear Max's reply.
BEN
Max nodded. "Our unit was special. From talking to the other X5s, I've learned that after the escape the units weren't allowed to socialize like ours did. Deck got one thing right by keeping us close. I would have broken after the escape if I didn't have you guys to think about. I used to-"
I cut her off. I knew where she was going with this. "You used to pretend, didn't you? Make up jobs for the others? Imaginary lives? I did that too. I thought maybe Johnny would have been an-"
"Architect," we both said in unison. I was ecstatic. Max and I were still on the same wavelength. It was as if nothing had changed. Yeah right, hotshot. Everything is different. Nothing is the same anymore. But I smiled as Max ruffled my hair and I batted her arm away. "Stop messing with the hair, Maxie! You never did that when we were kids; it's annoying!"
She snorted at me. "Duh. You didn't have hair when we were kids. Neither did I."
I reached up to run my fingers through her hair. It was long, and luxuriously silky. "Did a good job on you, Max. You turned out okay."
She caught my hand, tears flooding her eyes. "Zack said the same exact thing," she whispered.
"Where is he, Maxie? Where are the others?" I asked softly. I hadn't seen them for over a year. Not since Zack had changed the contact number and forbidden me from contacting anyone. Right after he found out what you were up to. My face was grim, and I briefly tightened my hold on Max's hair before she pulled away and stared at me with slightly fearful eyes.
Her distrust was evident and I sighed audibly. "You don't trust me, do you?"
When she didn't reply I smiled sadly. "I didn't expect you to, Max. Not after everything I've done. And especially now - after Alec."
MEL
I'd heard rumors about Ben. He'd been wild - crazy, some said. But to see Max's discomfort around him frightened me. What was worrying her? Her body language gave her fear away.
What did you do, Ben? Why is your own 'sister' scared of you? And what did you mean by your last comment - after Alec, what?
TBC
Part Twenty-Eight
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