Chapter 4

Joshua's House

Alec paced by the fire place, while Logan was busy in the other room scouring the hoverdrone feed they were leeching off the police server.

"Don't you have another computer? If we split the files we can work through them faster."

Logan looked up from the computer screen a moment and shot him a dark glare. "Don't you think I would have done that if I had the equipment? I want to find her just as badly as you do Alec. Maybe more..." he finished a little less loudly.

Alec didn't miss it and clenched his fist at his side. What? Max meant more to him than she did to everyone else? Who died and made him divine judge of everyone's feelings? He cast a glance at Original Cindy who had been uncharacteristically silent for the past hour. He wondered if Logan had even spoken one word to her the whole time he'd been crawling around in the Sector HQ's air ducts.

"Are you okay?" Alec asked, coming over to sit next to Original Cindy on the lounge.

"Head's a little sore, but I'll live. Thanks for askin'," she answered with a half smile.

"I knowI didn't tell anyone, but is everyone really cut up over me leaving?" Alec queried. He'd just gotten off the phone with Biggs and CeCe thirty minutes ago. His calling them served a dual purpose. One, to drop them a line after his self imposed- five months code of silence. And second, to get both of them to check out White's last known locations. There was no sign of him or anything else at either of the warehouses, and both places had been cleared out for what appeared to be quite a while.

Neither of his friends had sounded very impressed over his disappearing act. CeCe had been barely civil to him, it took explaining the full White-hostage-situation to her, to finally get her to co-operate. Come to think of it, she had only agreed to help him after he mentioned that it was Maxwho was missing. Why was everyone being so snippy? So he'd wanted a little alone time, what was the big deal?

"Guess, they all have their reasons. Woulda been nice if you'd said laterz at least," Original Cindy sighed. "Kinda quiet without you 'round."

"Yeah, I'd believe that," Alec grinned. "Hey Logan, need a break?"

"No," came the abrupt blunt reply.

Alec shrugged, and stood. He was trying to be courteous and helpful, the guy aught'a try it some time. It reminded him of the time he'd tried to explain that he hadn't stolen Max away. That she'd just used him as an unwitting and unwilling excuse to break off their flagging, almost non-existence relationship, but Logan hadn't given him a chance. Obviously they'd managed to patch things up. Last word he'd heard was that they were just friends. Max having given up, yet again, on finding a cure.

Of course in the mean time, their relationship had taken a turn down entirely different road. Both brains zipping back to that night, he felt the urge to break something. He thought he'd finally put it behind him, obviously not. Five months, damn it, you'd think his fantasies would end already. She had made it pretty clear she didn't want anything more to do with him.

Wondering through the house he stopped short in the hallway when he found piles of boxes filled with soft toys, baby clothes and a crib. Max was planning on bringing the baby here? So she and Logan were chummy again. They had to have found a cure. It would certainly answer the baby question. How else would they have managed it? Not that he didn't picture Max as the maternal type, at least to a small degree, but he certainly never pictured her as the in-vitro or donor-sperm kinda girl. Considering their parentage, he knew he would love nothing more than to steer clear of labs and white coats for the rest of his natural life, and he assumed Max felt the same way.

"You know what," he said coming out to the lounge area again, "I can't wait around here. If you want me, I'll be staking out every warehouse and fox hole in Sector 11."

And without waiting for either of his cohorts to object, he was out the door.


A dirty and poorly lit room

White stood nearby, holding the tiny baby in his arms. He looked over at the unconscious form of its mother. She was so quiet and pale that she looked fragile, almost innocent. He scoffed at that thought, the day anyone believed that, it would be their last fatal mistake.

The midwife cast him a worried glance and he frowned. "What's the matter?"

"She's contracting again," she answered stiffly. Quickly she went to the head of the table and slapped the girl's face firmly. "Wake up, Miss I need you alert for this." When the girl didn't respond, she took out a small bottle, and waved it contents under her nose. It brought a whimper from her lips but still she didn't rouse.

White moved closer to the table. "What does this mean? Is it the drugs?"

"It means she's having twins. She passed the afterbirth for him before she fell asleep. There's another baby," the nurse answered quickly. "Put him down, I need your help."

Shooting her a look of distaste, White put the child into the baby capsule. "Okay," he said slowly. "What do you need me to do?"

"I can't give her any more stimulants. We already gave hermore than the safe recommended dosage. Smelling salts didn't work, and her contractions are getting weaker. I don't want to have to cut this one out of her. This place is hardly the most sterile environment."

"Just do it," White said bluntly.

"What?" the midwife questioned wide-eyed.

"She's built to recover, do it and don't ever make me tell you twice again," Ames snapped.

The nurse fumbled with her bag. As she brought out a scalpel and dosed it with alcohol, there was a strangled cry from the bed. The girl was dreaming. The nurse abandoned her kit, and massaged the girl's stomach.

"Okay honey, you can do this. Now push. It won't be much longer, I promise." She prayed she was right because by her pallor and her weakening pulse, she didn't think the girl had much left in her.

White pulled on a pair of gloves and took over rubbing 452's belly. At this point he didn't care what she thought. If she died, keeping the kid would be pointless. She couldn't really give up that easy could she? Manticore had started a breeding plan before it went down. Surely they wouldn't have started it without knowing that theirlab ratswere capable of surviving it. He pursed his lips into a thin line and stared down at her face. This was proving yet again that his assessment of her was true. She was weak, her kind were weak. Not only were they genetically inferior and created in a test tube, a blasphemy to God, but they couldn't even pass on their heritage. They were never meant to live, never supposed to procreate.

"You're doing great. Come on sweetie, only a little longer," the nurse urged encouragingly.

452 jerked on the table, and White stilled his hand. She groaned and her hands clenched into fists at her sides.

"That's it. One more push and..."

The baby slid free. It was a girl. White couldn't believe it. She was just as perfect as her brother. Ten fingers and toes, he would never voice his thoughts but they were even more beautiful than his children had ever been. The boy had a strong defined jaw and long limbs, and had a matt of dark hair. The girl was petite and delicately formed, a little button nose and a thick mop of curly hair. It looked dark now, but from the golden streaks that caught the lamp light, he would bet that she had straw-colored hair. He fought back the lump in his throat. He reminded himself that they were still part of their mother, a testament to an experiment that should never have come into existence. The nurse handed him the girl child and he turned her over and slapped her bottom.

A strong wail reverberated of the walls of the small room. She had a healthy set of lungs on her, but that's not what caused White to pale. On her neck wasn't a barcode. There were symbols. They were runes.

The promise.

Quickly, he bundled the child and placed her in a box. He hadn't prepared for two. He grabbed the nearest thing he could house her in for the moment, and turned away. He could look at them. His hands trembled and he shot an angry glance at the girl on the table. This was Sandeman's doing. It was all about her.

"She's hemorrhaging," the nurse cried.

She's what? White stood their numbly. He watched as the nurse put swab after swab between 452's legs. He saw the blood pooling beneath her and dripping off the edge of the table. The nurse sent him a desperate look.

"We're going to loose her. I can't stop it."

Despite how much he'd love to let her die right now, he couldn't bring himself to do it. She knew where Ray was. After he had used the Phalanx to raid Jam Pony and he'd failed, the Conclave had all but cut him off. And now, although he believed in their cause, it's not what mattered most to him anymore. He wanted Ray back.

Ames pulled out his cell phone and called the one person he still trusted. "Otto, I need you to come alone to 250 Yestler Road, Dockers Point. I have an urgent job for you."

She needed medical care, and a blood transfusion. Neither of which he would risk in this place. He would get Otto to dump her at Metro Medical. Then he would leave and take the kids as far away from this mess as he could. Maybe Eyes Only would find her, he had in the past. That was the only explanation he had for her convenient escape from Harbor Lights.

Perhaps these kids where his. So they'd found a cure to the nasty retrovirus Manticore had cooked up for him. The kids had suddenly brought another bargaining tool the table. The thought brought a satisfied smile to his lips. No need to wait for 452 to heal. He'd have Ray sooner rather than later.

If Eyes was as motivated as he was, and was half the man he claimed to be, he'd move Earth and Heaven to get his kids back. Things may turn out even better than he had planned. Aside from 452 being a torn in his side from the beginning, there was the irritating, and meddling, Eyes Only. He'd turned out to be even more of a menace that 452. If they'd given him even one more broadcast, he could have blown their whole operation wide open. He'd seen the man's whiteboard. The Conclave, Sandeman, Manticore, the NSA operation, he could have brought it all crashing down. He'd very much like to give Mr. Eyes Only a piece of his mind. Not just for Ray, but for planting crazy ideas in Wendy's head - costing him his wife, his marriage, his family. Before he was through with him, he'd take his family, just so he understood what it felt like to loose everything.

Before he went to the door, he cast one last glance at 452, Max, as she liked to call herself. She was slowly bleeding out. A sheen of sweat covered her body and her lips were chapped and gray. "You'll get off easy, 452. Seems nature took care of you for me."

He almost felt sorry for her. He had believed C.J.'s ramblings about 452 being the one that Sandeman was so proud of. The one that would save humanity. The poor thing couldn't even safe herself. There was nothing spectacular or apocalyptic about her destiny. She was going to die any moment now, slowly and uneventfully. 'That's were you're wrong," a distant voice said. "The products of her destiny are right under your nose. They are the promise."

If that's all her life amounted too, two helpless, and tiny babies, then he did feel for her. Because without her to care and protect them, they would never survive. And after he had Ray, he'd deliver them to the Conclave. That would forgive any suspicions of disloyalty they might have over his past actions. And it would ensure that their plans, their destiny would be fulfilled. Without Sandeman and his creations, nothing would stop them from taking over. The strong would inherit the Earth from the hands of the weak and unworthy.


A deserted alley, Sector 11, late afternoon

Soon after he left Logan's the second time, his pants buzzed against his leg. After he dumping the ride he'd borrowed for his trip, he fished his phone out and, he noticed the message alert was showing. Funny, he hadn't missed any calls, at least not recently. Dialing his message service number, he followed the prompts and waited for the messages to play.

"You have 5 new messages. July 10th, 6.57 AM," the computerized voice alerted.

"Alec, it's me, where are you? You're right we need to talk, hit me back...please."

It was Max. Alec frowned. After he left Seattle, most of the places he'd stopped at between here and Chicago he had one bar or no reception at all. While he was in Chicago he'd mostly just used the cell as a time keeping device, it was pretty much useless as anything else. Like his bike he'd kept it mostly because it was his last link left to Max. Parting with the Duke had been painful on too many levels, but necessary considering how closely he'd come to becoming one of White's meat puzzles. Or whatever else he did to transgenics.

He saved Max's message and listened to the next one.

"July 15th, 8.32 PM."

"Biggs here. Where are you man?"

Deleting Biggs' message he waited for the next one to play.

"July 30th, 3.15 PM."

"Okay, now you're just being plan rude. Call the woman already. You owe each other that much," OC's authoritative voice said.

Alec smirked, pity Max hadn't clued in OC before he left. He might have stuck around. He deleted OC's message. "Sound advice, sistah. Just a shame Max couldn't decide to talk through this sooner." He looked into window as he passed it, while waiting for the next message to play.

"November 15th, 10.04 AM."

"Look Alec, if you're in trouble you know you can call me right? I've got your back... whatever it is...We need you here man, bad."

Alec paused a second before deleting the message. Biggs rarely sounded tired or dejected. His friend's message bothered him. When he'd spoken to Biggs just before, he hadn't mentioned the message at all. And everything seemed fine. In fact, he'd sounded really relieved. Maybe Biggs had just had a bad day or something, but it was nice to know that the guy still wanted to look out for him though.

"December 9th, 11.52 PM."

That was only three days ago. Alec's heart rate picked up as he strained to hear the message. There was hardly any noise at all, and he thought that perhaps it might have been a wrong number or a prank call till he caught the distinct sound of crying. The person stopped breathing for a moment, probably trying to stop and calm down enough to talk, but then there was a defeated sigh and the message ended.

Alec fought against the impulse to hurl the phone at the wall. How pointless was that? Why leave a message at all if you weren't going to say anything? Three days ago. Then it something dawned on him. Just over three days ago he'd been in Chicago. Three days ago he'd slipped out of White's hands barely unscathed. Jake and two of White's agents were shot when he'd made a break for it. Alec remembered reacting, instinct and his survival training had kicked in automatically.

Jake froze behind the counter. The sight of men in trench coats with comms glued to their ears, chased any disillusions that he'd been spending time with an average-Joe from his mind.

Alec grabbed a large bottle from the bar, and hurled it the fire place, behind one of the agents. The bottle smashed against the bricks and the alcohol ignited, shooting flames onto everything in the nearby vicinity.

Elbowing White hard in the gut, Alec wrestled free and blurred for the door. White recovered almost immediately and started shooting. Alec didn't even have time to throw Jake down. A bullet sailed harmlessly by his ear but sunk into the bartenders head.

Alec crawled behind the bar. The flames from the fire spreading now to the wooden rafters and support columns of the bar. Fire licked along the floor, agents retreated as the flames found more fuel under tables and chairs.

Black smoke curled toward the ceiling. Alec kept close to the floor and crept a long on his hands and knees, till he came crashing into someone's leg.

It was one of White's men. He grabbed Alec by the jacket collar and dragged him upright, pushing the nose of his gun into his forehead. "Get up."

Alec obeyed. Staying very still as the man handcuffed him, Alec obliged as he was pushed him in the direction of the exit. He stumbled over Jake's lifeless body, feeling a chill set in over his skin. He shouldn't have stayed here so long. He shouldn't have gotten comfortable. With the transgenic fear steadily on the rise, he should have kept moving, taken more precautions. He'd gotten careless and now someone was dead.

The man nudged the gun into the small of his back. The smoke was steadily filling the small bar and Alec couldn't still just make out where all the agents were standing, including White.

White was blocking the exit. The only other way out, was the painted glass window.

The man coughed behind him and Alec took the opportunity to break away. He ran for the window. Holding the cuffs, he snapped a link just in time the brace his head as he crashed through the pane.

Gunshots sounded behind him but he just kept running. It was still dark so the he hid among the shadows, keeping out of the street lights, he didn't stop running until he was several blocks away.

Alec shivered. Too close. It had been too close. Considering the last time he'd encountered White he'd almost had his brain stem popped, he swore never to let the guy have a next time. Pity he seemed to have a short term memory. And now that White had Max, it looked like he was going to have to retract that oath again. "If you're careful, and you're quick about it, you won't have to worry about that next time," Alec cautioned himself.

Had Max found out about that run in? Was it her that called? He wished that he could believe that she'd be concerned about him. But other than the time she'd been close to tears talking about Ben, Alec never imagined that she could cry. After all soldiers didn't cry. And as much as she stuck it to Manticore every chance she got, her reactions and her attitude were more a part of their influence than she'd like to acknowledge.

He was mulling over those thoughts, when his cell phone buzzed again, and he picked it up. "Yeah," he answered, as he peered through another partially blacked out window.

"Forget the search. We've got a unidentified woman dumped at Metro Med's emergency entrance. It could be Max. We'll meet you there."

"Got it, on my way."


Metro Medical, Sector 9, early evening

Logan spoke with the doctor that was handling Max's case. Beverly was on her way, but in the mean time they had to stop any tests that the hospital might be keen to run.

"She's lost a lot of blood, and she's still hemorrhaging badly. We've plugged her womb, but if it doesn't stop we might have to do a hysterectomy."

Alec had to remind himself not to stare at that point. He hadn't been that attentive in Physiology 101, but he knew what that meant. Max would never be able to have children again. So she never came over as the maternal type but he knew for a fact that no woman he'd ever met would want that option taken away from them. "They can't... I mean, there has to be another..."

"A last resort, doctor," Logan interjected. "Did anyone get a look at the guy who dropped her here?"

"No, someone pulled up in an dark van. Practically rolled her out and took off. We got that much from the surveillance tapes. An out patient found her outside the emergency doors. We might not have got to her so quickly if they hadn't notified us. Security here might as well be non-existent. The cameras are unmanned."

Hurried footsteps, sounded up the corridor and both men turned around.

"I came as soon as I could. Thanks George, she's one of my patients," Dr Beverly Shankar said.

"Okay Bev, I'll let the girls know. If you'll excuse me, Mr Cale, we'll be getting back to Ms Bamber now."

Bamber. Alec scoured his brain in a bit to find what that name sounded familiar to him. Then it hit him. Jamie Bamber, his alter ego. The one Max had bought for him to clear his name of Ben's crimes. She was using his name? No, Logan would have cooked that up as a cover for her real identity. But why had he used Bamber, it couldn't be a coincidence could it.

"She'll be okay, Logan," Beverly said touching his arm. "I'm sure she's survived a lot worse. She's strong, and she'll pull through."

"Thanks Bev."

Alec watched as Dr Shankar followed Dr Michaels to Max's room. "You used the name Bamber?"

"Why," Logan asked with a frown. "I got the papers from a guy I know."

"It's fine," Alec replied not meeting Logan's eyes. Why would the guy do that?

A nurse came out of the room, and Original Cindy stood up and joined them. "Is she okay?" she asked with concern.

"Lost a lot of blood, things are still a bit hairy," Alec offered.

"Dr Shankar asked me to give you this. Said you know who to get it too," the nurse offered Logan an envelope with a pair of eyes on the front.

Subtle wasn't a word Logan would use to describe Ames White. After the nurse walked away, Logan opened the letter.

"You want to see your kids again, you give me what I want. Yours for mine. Koreatown Market, 10 o'clock. I hope I don't have to remind you what's at stake here. Come alone."

Alec had read over Logan shoulder, and stared in surprise at the contents of the note. "So you found a cure after all," he said mostly to himself.

Logan's jaw dropped in shocked indignation. He understood how White could have mistaken the children as his, but the nerve of Alec. The muscles in his neck tensed and he was about to plant a right hook on the younger man's face, when Original Cindy intervened.

Seeing the fury in Logan's eyes, Original Cindy moved between them and glared at Alec. "They're yours Alec. And right now Max is in there hanging on by a breath. You're gonna march in there and do everything you can to bring her back, beg, plead, promise - I don't care. You do what it takes..."

It was Alec's turn for reel in disbelief. First Max was pregnant, second they were his kids, third White had them. He noticed the room beginning to spin around him.

A stinging slap connected with his cheek, and he focused on the dark pair of eyes shooting daggers at him.

"Don't go all woozy on me now. You'll save the day, Alec. You have to. Don't prove me wrong." She shoved him in the direction of Max's room for good measure.

When Alec disappeared inside, Original Cindy turned to Logan. "I'm sorry boo, but fate don't play fair in love and war. So Max had two mini boos, maybe more. Whoa that woman never ceases to amaze..."

"That she does," Logan whispered his eyes drifting to her door. She might not be his, but he'd be damned if he let White get away with what he'd done to her. He'd get her children back even if it cost him everything he had.

Dr Shankar fitted him with a needle and tubing and started the scales. "We gave her what O-neg we have, but something tells me yours is going to do her a whole lot better."

"Yeah," Alec offered stiffly. It was tearing at him inside to see her so bruised and pale. Her chest was barely moving underneath the heavy blankets. She was so cold, and she'd lost so much blood they were doing everything they could to keep her warm.

Oxygen tubing ran over her face and her eyes were firmly closed. Alec reached over and gently brushed the hair away from her cheek. Her eye moved beneath her lids and his breath caught in his chest. Had she sensed him?

"I'm here, Max," he said his voice breaking. "I'll never go anywhere without you again, I swear." He took her limp hand in his and brought it to his face. He tried to rub warmth into it, and he breathed on her skin hoping to evoke a response from her again.

Her fingers tightened over his. The movement was weak and barely noticeable but his heart soared. Had she heard him?

"I'll get them back Max, but they'll need you. I need you," he concluded brokenly.

Max moaned softly. Her throat felt so dry and it hurt so much to swallow. Her lips were as rough as sandpaper, and she tried to speak but her tongue just wouldn't function. White had her babies? She had two. Vaguely she remembered the midwife urging her to push again. She had been so tired, so weak, she thought she had been dreaming. But her daughter's vocal cry urged her to believe that it was real. Tears burned in her eyes. He had them.

Alec watched her eyes. She was staring ahead, and her hand was tightening over his. He felt a painful stab in his chest when he saw her eyes pool with tears. When she turned her head slowly, his heart almost stopped beating.

"Alec," she managed in a rasped whisper.

He went to her then. Ignoring the tug of the needle in his arm, he went to her side. Pulling her into his arms, he was careful to avoid the tubes in her skin. "I'm here for you Max." He held her and stroked her hair, and kissed her cheek.

"He took them, Alec," she sobbed, her body trembling.

"We'll get them back," Alec soothed.

"I know, it's going to be okay," he soothed.

"No, you don't understand," Max protested, her throat aching with every word she said. "All he wants is Ray, and then he'll kill us all. You can't, Alec. No, you can't." Tears slid down her cheeks, and she was powerless to stop them.

"We'll find a way. He'll never hurt you again, I promise you." Alec wiped her tears way, and smiled hopefully at her. "Just get stronger okay. Rest, you need to rest."

"Don't leave," she begged when he pulled away from her.

"I won't," Alec said softly. He held her hand, and watched her tiredly drifty back into the pillows. She kept her eyes on him, fighting her fatigue. It was as though she didn't trust him to stay.

When she fell asleep, Alec pressed the call button. Dr Shankar appeared moments later.

"You're done?" she checked the scales and then extubated him. "That should do. We got the bleeding to stop, and with your blood I'm sure she'll be on her feet sooner than you think," she said brightly.

"I need you to give her something. Keep her resting. She needs time to heal properly and she won't if she's worrying about us," Alec said quietly.

Dr Shankar nodded understanding. "You have to leave?"

"I'll be back, but I know if she wakes up and I'm not here it'll be upsetting for her."

Beverly nodded again, and moved to Max's side. She preferred not to give her any more drugs, but there was another way she could keep her resting. Dr Michaels was into herbal remedies and acupuncture. He would be able to help with that.

Alec left the room and went to where Logan and Original Cindy were waiting. "Doc says she's going to be okay. So what's the plan?"

Logan have him a hard look. "The plan is you stay here and I meet White."

Alec couldn't believe the guy. He was seriously deluded if he thought he could take White on his own. And he certainly wasn't going to let him jeopardize the life of his children let alone his own hide, just to prove a point. "They guys bent, Logan. And he's got one up on you if you hadn't noticed. You're gonna walk in there without back up, and..."

"I've got it covered, Alec. The last thing Max needs right now, is thinking you've abandoned her again."

"I didn't know!" Alec bellowed, his anger beginning to override his sense of courtesy. Logan was a nice guy, and he'd call him a friend but he was pushing it. "And I'd much rather bring back the kids and get back to Terminal City so she can rest easy, than sit around here and wait for you White to takes us all out."

Original Cindy put her hand on Logan's arm. "I'll stay with Max. You two figure out how to take care of scumbag, and bring the bubs and both your asses back. Ya hear?"

Logan nodded gruffly, and stalked off in the direction of the exit. Alec stood there awkwardly for a moment, wanting to say something but not knowing how to say it right.

"Thanks for watching out for her," he said honestly. "While I wasn't around."

"Look Alec, I know deep down you love my boo, and you wouldn't have gone if she hadn't pushed you away. But I thought you were tougher than all that. She needs you Alec, more than she's willing to admit. Don't give up on her this time."

Original Cindy left him and went to Max's room. Alec shoved his hands in his jean pockets and looked at the door Original Cindy had just gone through. "I won't," he said aloud. And that was a promise he would fight to keep.

Notes: Thank you so much for the positive feedback, keep them coming and I'll keep on posting :oD X5-459, since you're begging for an update. Here you go. Enjoy. g> You all rock!