Chapter 5

Metro Medical carpark

Alec caught up with Logan as he was getting into his Aztek. Logan shot him a warning look, but it didn't deter Alec in the slightest.

"Think what you like, Logan, but there's no way in hell you're gonna risk my kids over your bruised ego. I didn't ask for this, and the first time, before...there wasn't even a before. I tried to tell you that, I know Max set you straight, I'm not into stealing girls, okay. If I thought that Max still loved you..." he stopped short. To tell the truth, he wasn't as sure as he'd like to believe. Max cared for him, he knew that, and part of him said that she didn't love Logan anymore, at least not like she used to. But did she love him?

"This is not about you or me, Alec," Logan said levelly. His eyes lost a little of their hard edge and his relaxed his shoulders. "I know I can't give White what he wants, and even if I could, it wouldn't be the right thing to do."

"He has to know that five hours is no where near enough time..."

Logan shook his head and unlocked the car. He motioned for Alec to get in and they both opened their doors. "I think he's probably planning on it. I'm not sure he's so set on Ray anymore," Logan said starting the car. "With his resources I'm sure he's got his own people looking for him. This feels like a trap."

Pulling out of the space, Logan took the exit ramp and waited to merge with the early evening traffic.

"Take out Eyes Only, leave Max for dead, deliver the kids to his cult, sounds right up his ally," Alec said grimly. "But he's not counting on you having me. I'm a loner to him, an outcast..." At Logan's sideways glance, Alec explained, "He caught up with me in Chicago."

"Max told me," Logan said quietly.

Alec fell silent. So it mostly likely had been Max who had called. Hearing the news, she had probably feared the worst. It would explain why she'd been so relieved to see him at her bedside. He couldn't begin to describe the helplessness he felt over seeing her tears, and knowing he was partly to blame for them. He hated that he been forced to lie to her about staying, but if he hadn't she would have tried to stop him or worse, she'd try to go along with them. "So what's the plan?"

"He's expecting me to show up alone. So I'll have to go in alone. You'll have to get there earlier, stake out a place to provide back up. I would have preferred somewhere inner city, with hoverdrone patrol but the balls not in our court."

Joshua's House

Logan was on the phone with Wendy's sister. He didn't have her current address but she had left him with a cellular number to call in case of emergencies.

Laura Olsen was upset to hear about the situation but she agreed with Logan that it was best they stay well away from it. Once White had Ray, he'd have no reason whatsoever to keep the kids alive.

Meanwhile, Alec had Biggs on his cellular trying to put together a plan of attack. They didn't know how many guns White might have or what he was up too, but they had to be ready to give Logan the back up he needed. His life, and the lives of the kids depended on it.

"Is Max okay?" Biggs asked with concern.

"She will be once we get the kids back. You could have told me," Alec said exasperatedly. Biggs snorted in reply, and Alecpictured him rolling his eyes.

"Look man, it wasn't my place. She wanted to tell you by the way. And if you haven't figured it out already, the reason CeCe was pissed with you - firstly, because you acted like Max was a one night stand, and second, well she felt that you'd abandoned us all. Ouch...speak of the devil," he muttered. "Anyway, we'll be there. It'll be dark in thirty, we'll set up then. Mole scored some pretty hot stuff while you were gone - even better than those Koren dealers you had..."

Alec was glad to hear that it was just like old times. His friends were already packin' and pumped for action. It was a welcome distraction to the nagging feeling he had in his gut. He still felt bad over lying to Max, but she couldn't honestly want him to stand by and let Logan try to save the day on his own? He was right where he should be -protecting his family. The one he haddiscovered he had for just over an hour now. He glanced at the grandfather clock in the hall. 5.47 PM. He was torn between wanting time to go faster and for it to stand still. He knew they needed more time to have everything set to go. But ever second he was away from Max, and every moment he was uncertain about the well being of the kids was torture. "God, if you're listening, please keep them safe."

Max's hospital room, Metro Medical

Original Cindy felt supremely relaxed. A steam pump in the corner scented the air with lavender and she happily sighed, feeling blissfully sleepy. Dr Michaels was a miracle man. She hadn't felt this good in a long time, and she hadn't even had the foot, head and hand massage that the nurse had given Max just ten minutes ago.

Dr Michaels had instructed the nurse to rub a mix of essential oils into Max's skin. He'd been by to check up on her since, and decide that not to give her acupuncture since she seemed relaxed enough without it.

Max smiled in her sleep and turned her head on the pillow. She felt warm all over, and a most exquisite smell was caressing her senses. The headache that she'd had earlier was a distant memory. She opened her eyes and saw Alec dozing in the chair. His chin was resting against his shoulder in an uncomfortable position, he must have been like that all night.

The first rays of sunshine were gleaming through the blinds and she stretched. She felt so much better. Had to be all that rev-ed up smart-assed-transgenic-blood of his. She felt like jumping on her motorcycle and going as fast as she could push it. She felt a live, and itched to move. "Hey sleepyhead," she teased.

Alec was awake in a flash. He jerked in the chair, almost toppling it over. He groaned almost instantaneously as he attempted to straighten out the crick in his neck. "Remind me never to do that again. Sleeping was meant to only happen in the horizontal position."

"Among other things," Max muttered softly. She watched Alec's eyes widened, and she laughed. "Although, it's kinda fun to experiment...hrmm...say other avenues."

Alec raised an eyebrow. "You're in an awfully good mood. Although who wouldn't be with the miracles you pulled off over the past twenty-four hours."

Max caught his eye and followed to where he was gazing. To her left were twin baby beds. Her little angels were fast asleep, wrapped in matching white blankets.

"I told them to get rid of the blue and pink stuff. You probably don't need me to tell you, but the one with the tough jaw and dark hair's our boy and the little girl...Well she's the heart clencher, she's adorable Max."

Hearing him say 'our boy', brought a lump to her throat. She'd wanted to be the one to tell him but obviously someone had bet her to it. He didn't sound upset. In fact he sounded pretty proud. Who wouldn't be of such perfect babies. She may be biased having carried them inside her for 36 odd weeks and bringing them into the world, not to mention being half responsible for creating them, but she thought they were the most beautiful babies she'd ever seen.

"Alec?" Max asked softly. "I know this is probably a lot to take in right now, but you don't have to...don't feel obligated to stay with me because..."

"Shush, Max," Alec said sitting down on the bed beside her. Taking her hand, he kissed her palm and drew lazy strokes over her fingers. "I'm right where I want to be."

Max lifted her free hand to touch his hair. How she'd missed looking at him. His hair was softer than she remembered, longer too. Running her fingers through his hair, she curled her hand around the back of his neck and pulled his head down to hers. He resisted at first, and she read the conflicting emotions in his eyes. "Kiss me Alec," she begged quietly.

He gave into her and lifted her slightly from the pillows, pulling her into his arms. She hugged him back, kissing him hungrily. He felt so warm and comforting. How many nights had she fallen asleep cold, pregnant and alone, wishing he was next to her, needing to talk to him about her fears and hear him tell her that it would all be okay.

When he broke away she could see tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry Max," he said. "I'm sorry I didn't stay. That I missed this," he confided brokenly.

She cupped his face and kissed him gently. "It doesn't matter now," she said forgivingly. "But if you ever leave again, I'll break both your legs," she added in warning. She tried to be serious, but with his hazel eyes studying hers so intently she couldn't keep a smile from breaking her facade.

Alec curled up next to her on the bed, and Max wriggled over to make room for him. He pulled her into his arms, and she rested her head against his chest. She didn't want to know what happened to White, she was just glad that he was okay and that he'd brought their babies back safe.

Max yawned and she felt Alec chuckle, his laugh barely reaching her ears as her eyes drifted closed again. "So sleepy," she mumbled.

"And you were calling me a sleepyhead," he joked.

"You didn't just push out two mini-mes," she countered half asleep already.

Max snaked her hand up wanting to touch his face one last time before she fell asleep, and froze when her hand came into contact with something cold.

Grasping it more firmly, she wrapped her fingers around it. It was circular, solid and cold like a window pane after morning frost. She felt down its length, and felt the curves and dips of a 9mm gun fitted with a with a silencer. She squeezed her eyelids tighter, not wanting to see what her brain was telling her she was feeling.

"Say goodnight, 452," his voice said with a snarl.

"No!" Max said her eyes flying open.

Her heartbeat uncontrollably in her chest and she blinked at her surroundings. It was dark. The hallway outside her room was dim with the hospital lights turned low for the evening. Original Cindy was fast asleep in a chair not far from her bed, lightly snoring.

Max put a hand to her forehead, she was sweating. Just a dream. It had felt so real. Then it came to her. Where was Alec? He'd said he wouldn't leave. She felt considerably stronger than before, and she tested her limbs. Her felt muscles were stiff from being cramped in one position for too long. How long had it been since White had taken her? A few hours? A day? Being in that room had seemed like days, the pain, and the hallucinations, being tormented by him.

"Where are you," she whispered. She had toldAlec not to go after White, but knowing Alec he would have done exactly what she told him not. He'd get himself killed, she thought hopelessly. He'd managed to escape him in Chicago, but how lucky could he get? She wasn't about to sit around wait for the news. She'd find him, save his hide and then give him a piece of her mind.

She didn't appreciate being lied to for starters, and second, she hated being left on the sidelines like some wilting wallflower. I'm not down for the count, damn it, she argued.

Original Cindy shifted in her chair, and Max thought about waking her. If her friend woke up to find her gone, she'd panic. On the other hand if she woke her, she might have someone else telling her she shouldn't be going out. "Rest Max. Take it easy, Max. You need to heal, Max." Everyone back it up. I'm fine. I heal fast and I have a man and kids to save, so get off my case already, she wanted to yell. No, she wouldn't wake OC, besides she'd probably needed the rest. Taking a nasty bump to the head earlier today, and not the mention all the midnight backrubs she had pestered her friend for. Original Cindy would understand.

Hastily pulling out her IV and closing the tap for the blood bag, she extubated and tossed her oxygen tubing away. She crawled off the bed. The tile floor was cold against her bare feet and she smiled. Feeling anything was always a good sign. Opening one of the nearby drawers she found a pencil and paper. After scribbling a quick note, she crept out of the room and down the hall.

A few hundred meters and a couple turns later she found the room she was looking for. Slipping inside, she scanned down the line of lockers. Most of them had locks on the, except for one at the far end of the row. There were still trusting people in the world, bless them. Swinging the door open, she began sorting through the locker's contents. She found some gym clothes around her size. Pulling on the pair of sweat pants and a black hooded sweater, she found that the trainers were half a size too small. They were going to be a tight fit, but better than nothing. It was winter in Seattle, and her days of going around barefoot were long over.

She caught herself in the mirror before leaving the locker room. She'd definitely seen better. There were dark circles under her eyes and her complexion was still on the pale side, but at least she felt her strength coming back. Straightening, and squaring her shoulders, she went out the door. It was kicking ass time. White was going down. Now she just had to figure out where to find them.

Koreatown Market, Sector 12

Biggs checked his watch. 9:48. Twelve minutes until crunch time. He scanned the street below again. Lexie was in the truck monitoring their positions for hacked satellite footage. Logan had the Australian'sglobal positioningnetwork bouncing around the world, searching for his server. They had another forty minutes before they were traced. Lexie had her finger on the button, hopefully they'd have their eyes long enough to get this trade off behind them, and be back safe in TC before the Aussies had a chance to say hey bingo.

Alec caught Biggs' eye from where he sat crouched behind in the shadows. His second story, fire escape vantage point gave him a clear view of the street where Logan was parked. They were screwed if White decided to take Logan for a ride. Lexie might be able to follow them by satellite, but if White suspected that Logan had back up he might just kill them all, and cut his losses. He leaned back into the wall, hoping to blend in further.

"Vehicle approaching. Mole, he should be under you in five."

"I see him. The kids are in the back," he said confirming Lexie's report.

Alec signed to Biggs to fall back. They would wait for Logan's signal. Mole would cut off his exit from the back. Logan blocked the street ahead with his Aztek. If White still managed to get through him, CeCe would bring the truck out of the alley from down the block. The girls weren't scheduled to be a part of the action tonight, but if things did end up skew, it was nice to know they had extra muscle just a heartbeat away.

Logan got out of his car as White pulled up. He stood by and waited for the other man to get out.

Dalton was in the back of theAztek, he'd kept behind the driver's seat when the car headlights shone into the car. They'd dressed him in casual gear and he wore a scarf to keep the edges of the latex mask in place. Biggs made good on his promise that his master of disguise skills would someday come in handy. For months after his near death escape from a transgenic hate mob, the only way he'd gotten around outside Terminal City was using various disguises. Alec's personal favorite was the burly, black, ghetto brother. That guy had connections. He was on almost every VIP club list and he was friendly with the shadiest people in the worst parts of Seattle. Biggs as Ziggy B was a guy you wanted around, and didn't want to make an enemy of.

Biggs made a perfect likeness of Ray out of Dalton. Of course White had to assume that his son had grown over the past year. Dalton was a year older than Ray, but White hadn't seen Ray in over eighteen months. They were banking on the idea that White would trust Logan. White thought he had Logan's kids, he wouldn't do anything to jeopordizethe children's safety.

"We have incoming," Lexie said quickly.

Alec noticed Logan tense, and prayed earnestly that White hadn't seen it too.

A car rolled up beside Logan's Aztek, and Alec swore when he recognized the driver. It was White's sidekick Otto.

White put his hand into his coat, and scowled at his former agent. "What are you doing here, Otto?"

Rounding the hood of his car, Otto walked past Logan but not before decidedly staring into the car. "I see... it's all making sense now. 452, the kids, now Ray. Good to see he's alive by the way."

"You shouldn't be here Otto," White said carefully. "If the Director finds out that you're still involved with me..."

Otto smiled, pulling out his gun. " Ames, Ames. There's a lot you never bothered to find out about me either."

In the alley

Lexie saw a truck pull up two blocks for Koreatown Market, and she zoomed in. "It's a little late to be making deliveries..." On closer inspection the truck had "St Louis Meat & Poultry" signage. "I stand corrected," she muttered to herself.

All of sudden there was a heavy thud on the roof of the truck, and the satellite feed blacked out. The tailgate burst open and Lexie stood up, immediately on the defensive. A figure in combat riot gear rushed at her and she dodged out of the way.

Grabbing the intruder's shoulders as they passed her, she rammed them into the side of the truck. The person didn't even flinch. Lexie was stunned, but only for a split second. "Love to stay and kick your ass but I don't have time for this." Picking up her glock, she round-housed her opponent forcing them out of the truck. She raised her gun and was about to shoot, when they got up and ran quickly into the darkness of the alley. With her cat vision, she could make out their shape disappearing around the corner.

CeCe who'd been sitting in the driver's seat, rounded the back of the truck. Her hands on her hips. "I've been calling you, why haven't you responded?"

"Sorry," Lexie said sheepishly. "A little preoccupied." It was the truth, although only half of it. Ever since her escape from Manticore her hearing had been a little off. She'd been one of the first of the X5s of her unit to get out of the barracks. Knowing that they were probably trying to destroy evidence of the project, she'd gone straight to the Control Centre to try help the younger transgenics and those in the infirmary. On her way to the infirmary, one of the labs' nitrogen tanks exploded. The wall separating the lab and the hallway she was in collapsed and even though she wasn't severely injured by the blast, her hearing was affected. Every now and then she'd blank out, and then her hearing would return in what sounded similar to a static wave, and then it would be normal again. She hadn't told anyone about it, and with everything that was going on, she didn't want to come across as less than whole. People might start seeing her differently, expecting less of her, and maybe doubting her abilities.

Not entirely convinced, CeCe put her hands on her hips. "I knocked the bozo out that damaged the dish. Was everything kosher before we lost our eyes?"

Lexie bit her lip. "Something tells me it wasn't a coincidence. I say we go check our guys."

Nodding in agreement, CeCe grabbed a vest from the back of the truck and strapped it on. The Jam Pony raid had made her more cautious. She didn't care that it made some of the younger transgenics looks sideways at her, a bullet missing your heart by a hair kind gave you a new perspective when it came to the word protection. Nobody was invincible, no matter what Manticore had lead them to believe. "Let's move out."

Koreatown Market

White stood his ground, feeling his gun through the false pocket in his coat. "Don't do anything stupid Otto."

"Eyes Only, I believe," he said nodding his head toward Logan. "You're a big talker. I think it's about time someone shut you up permanently.

Before either of the men had a chance to react. Otto re-aimed his gun at Logan and fired. White stared, mouth slightly ajar as he watched the man fall to the ground. In his eyes he watched everything unfold in slow motion. The look on Eyes Only's face as he saw the gun redirected, the betrayal of shock and fear in his eyes. Watching Otto's finger pull on the trigger and the gunshot residue that hung in the air as the bullet left the chamber. The shot piercing the other man's chest and the force of the impact sending him backward, and seeing him fall and hit the ground. He came out of the trance in a rush, his gaze zeroing in on his son.

"Ray, it's me. You can come out now. Everything's gonna be okay, I promise." He held out his arms to his son, beckoning him to the come out of the car.

Dalton sat frozen in his seat. Joshua was at his feet, crouched and silent. Logan had just been shot. Joshua had not seen it, but he had and he was too shocked to move. Where was everyone? Why hadn't Biggs and Alec made a move yet. This wasn't how they'd planned. They were supposed to make the switch and when Logan had the kids, he was supposed to make a break for it.

"Ray?" White called again.

Joshua looked at the boy and urged him to go on. "You have too," he said. "Alec will come, go now."

Unlocking the door, Dalton pushed it open very slowly. As he turned in his seat, he saw Logan's hand under the door andhis heart thundered in his chest. What was he supposed to do now?

"You've gotten so big..."

Dalton didn't move, he stared at Logan who was lying on the ground. He'd given his life for this, they had to do something. Stepping out of the car, he walked to the edge of the car door. "Are we going to see Mommy?" he asked timidly.

The rooftop

Biggs crouched behind the sign and watched White and Otto talking. They still hadn't gotten a signal from Logan. What were they waiting for. Then he saw Otto draw his gun and then turn it on Logan. "He's going to take him out. Move now!" he hissed to Alec.

Alec who'd witnessed the same thing was already on his way. He slid down the stairs, and made it to the street in a heartbeat, but he wasn't fast enough. The shot echoed in his ears and the second it connected with Logan's chest, he felt all the blood drain from his face.

The Market lane

Thula immerged from the shadows dressed in a red ankle length coat, her flame colored hair blending to the bright oriental print. She walked toward White and Otto, her heavy black boots peeking out from the bottom of her coat as she walked.

More Phalanx members followed her out of the shadows and soon they had White and Dalton surrounded.

"Well done, my brother," she said looking at White as she walked toward Otto.

Otto put his gun back in his holster. Bowing his head to Thula, he said, "From our ancestors. For our children's children."

Thula smiled widely at him. "From my mother before me. For my daughters. Very pleased to finally meet you brother Gottlieb. I see you delivered the Conclave's message." She looked over her shoulder at Logan. "As for you Ames. I'm disappointed, I expected so much more from you. Especially after that embarrassing display uptown."

White snarled at her. Despite his surprise at Otto's allegiance with the Conclave, he did his best to seem flippent. "Tell me Thula, does my memory serve me correctly? I remember you being overconfident and getting beaten by a filthy transgenic."

Whirling in his direction, Thula punched him hard. "If I were you I'd keep silent."

"The Conclave suspected your loyalty had become clouded, Ames. Your obsession with your son. He's a fake," he said motioning to Dalton. "Eyes Only, played on your weakness."

Ottowas surprisingly cold, and Ames stared at Dalton disbelieving. "Ray?"

"You just couldn't follow through. I drove really slow, pushed her out of the van and left her there. That much blood loss, she would have slipped into a coma. Probably a good way to go. Almost humane, don't you think? Painless and easy. All you had to do was get rid of the kids, but you didn't. You had to try didn't you? Your son is dead, Ames but you just couldn't let it go could you? Like father like son..."

"Sandeman started the whole transgenic abomination because he couldn't face the truth. Look at you. You're not white. Unsullied." Thula laughed. "You're as deluded and pathetic as that loony brother of yours."

Dalton used the diversion from his direction to blur down the street. Nobody was coming, and he did the only thing he knew he could - run.

White turned back to the look at his son, and found no one. Otto laughed at the look of shock that washed over his face.

"And to think I once thought of you as infallible."

"The Conclave sent us to finish what you should have done months ago. Pulling out her gun, she rounded White's car and threw open the door. "First her offspring, and then 452. And if they're gracious, perhaps the Conclave with forgive you for letting the vermin live this long." A cruel smile formed on her lips, and then she gave White a piercing look. "Pity I'm not." She nodded to Otto, and he pointed his gun at White.

Thula let out a spine chilling laugh as a look of desperation crossed White's face.

The alley

Alec watched from the where he stood in the shadows. There were at least a half a dozen of them now, and all of them were wearing riot gear. All except Otto and the woman in red. She was opening the car door. Alec focused on the inside of the car. When the female Familiar turned back and said something to White, he got a glimpse of the backseat. There were the babies. Both of them asleep in their baby seats. They were so tiny, so perfect. His throat closed over and his heart beat wildly in his chest. The woman was reaching for them, and his rational brain shut down. All he could think about was how long it would take him to intercept her. She only had to move a foot and he had to cross half the street, never in his life had he ever thought his body couldn't move fast enough.

Biggs felt his stomach hit the floor even before he saw Alec dive at the woman. He wanted to scream at him not to move but he couldn't find his voice, it seemed to have vanished in the same instant that his legs nerves caught fire. Forcing himself into action, he flew at the nearest target. Wrapping his arm around his throat, he used the man as a human shield while he took out the next target with a single shot to the head. "Familiars," he barked into his comm.

Everything after that happened in a blur. Alec yanked Thula away from the car, managing to throw her into a nearby hydrant before she reacted. Her gun slipped from her hand, and skittered a few feet away.

"Kill them," she screamed at her cohorts, before hissing at Alec. "You again," she sneered.

Alec circled her in a rage, the muscles in his shoulders and neck tensing as he flexed his fingers.

Thula spat at him. "Bring it on little man." She grinned mercilessly, challenging him with an indignant tilt of her chin.

He tried to let his training soothe his heated nerves, but his anger was clouding every logical thought from his brain. She had meant to kill his kids, Max's children and that just made him see red. And to him red was like blood to a shark. He screamed and charged at her, punching her in the face and stomach over and over.

Stunned, Thula tried to block but couldn't focus on him. She was absorbing his blows, her padding beneath her coat helping but she was surprised at how much force he had behind every punch. She gave up trying to block, and reacted on instinct. Her legs connected with his and she managed to throw him of balance. When he was on the ground, she kicked him in the groin and lifted him by the neck. She threw him onto the hood of White's car and held him down with one hand on his neck. "My turn," she growled.

Out of the corner of his eye, Alec could see Mole, Biggs and CeCe fighting other Phalanx members. He tried to push the woman off him, but her hand was closed firmly around his throat. The more he struggled against her, the more she choked him.

Biggs couldn't believe his eyes. Amidst all the fighting and ruckus around him, White stood frozen his eyes glued to the spot where Dalton had been. He hated taking cheap shots but he'd been waiting so long to take this guy down that his knuckles practically sung to connect with that taut jaw. Grunting, he ran at White and knocked him out cold with one powerful upper cut. It felt as good as he imagined. Killing him would have been a shallow victory. The guy was unarmed and hadn't even seen it coming. Besides he had more asses to kick, and since his own seemed to want him dead as much as they did, he could always come back to White later. Seeing Thula beating into Alec, he was about to give his friend a hand when a boot connected with his back.

Logan blinked. His chest ached like he'd just been hit with a baseball bat. He reached under his shirt and lifted one of the Velcro strips that held his vest in place, loosening it. Air, air is good. Sucking air into his lungs in gulps, he gingerly felt the back of his head, and blinked again. He felt disorientated and sick. He must have hit his head after White's agent shot him. Adjusting his glasses, he surveyed the chaos in front of him. Biggs seemed to be kicking one of the Phalanx's neatly by a street lamp. CeCe was doing a fair job of holding back another down the lane. And while Alec was getting pummeled by a red head on the hood of White's car, Joshua and Mole were making nasty work of three Phalanx guys behind CeCe.

Nobody noticed that Otto was cowering by his car, and that he was slowly raising his gun.

Logan blinked again and followed the direction of Otto's aim. He was going to shoot Alec.

Alec clawed Thula's face and her grip loosened. It was the only distraction he needed. He brought his knee up and kicked her in the stomach. She went reeling backward. Spotting Lexie, he yelled to her. "Get the kids out of here."

Lexie decked one of the men in her way, and hurried to the car. She'd caught Dalton on the way in and forced him back. Pushing the release buttons on both of the capsules, something made her look out the front windscreen. What she saw made her blood chill in her veins. At the same instant she screamed his name, the shot was fired.

Logan tried to shoot Otto before he had a chance to shoot Alec, but the gun was kicked out of his hand, and he was roughly dragged to his feet. The next thing he saw was a fist coming at his face.

Alec didn't know what he noticed first, Lexie screaming his name or suddenly hitting the ground at light speed. He saw stars dancing before his eyes, and then he saw her face. She was so pale, yet so stunningly beautiful. He had heard a shot, and he'd felt the wind sucked out of his chest. His body felt numb all over, but inside he felt like he was floating. He looked into her eyes. She looked so distant, so pale.

"Don't you dare," Max begged her voice breaking.

He blinked. She had hit him. He felt that, and all of a sudden he heard a whole lot more. He looked over her, and lifted his hands to her arms. She was real, and she was in the middle of all this. He sat up abruptly and Max sagged in his arms. She was shivering.

Alec looked over his shoulder and saw Thula on the ground, there was a small hole in the hollow of her neck and blood trickled from her mouth. The bullet that was meant for him had hit Thula. Max had saved his life.

"Alec," Max whispered weakly.

Staring down at her, Alec brushed her cheek gently. "It's going to be okay, Max." He hugged her, his fingers cupping her shoulder.

Max groaned and winced in pain. And Alec released her slightly. Then he noticed it, blood on his hand. He pulled his hand from her, and stared at it with trembling scrutiny. "No," he said firmly. He watched her eyes closing, and he pushed his hand down on the source of the blood flow. "No, Max you listen to me," he said raggedly.

Mole's voice filtered through his tormented daze, and it barely registered in his anguished brain. "We have incoming. Ordinaries. Torches and fire power, we've got to move."

CeCe decked Agent Otto Gottieb as he tried to get Alec in his sights a second time. "At that's a wrap for you, dumb ass," she hissed collecting the gun from his unconscious form.

Running over to them, Biggs helped CeCe check on Logan. "We can't leave him," she said nodding at White.

Logan stared at the crumpled figure a few feet away, and grudgingly agreed. "He's a liability to them now. And I have a feeling we might need him."

Mole narrowed his eyes at them and dips his shot gun in White's direction. "I think we should put a hole in his head and be done with it. He's the one that was hunting us. He started all this."

Biggs strode past the lizard transhuman and picked up White. Rolling him into the back seat of Logan's Aztek, he stared at Mole pointedly. "We take him."

Not one to suffer fools, Mole planted his hand on Dalton's shoulder and pushed him slightly in the direction of the alley. "Let's roll short stuff."

CeCe jumped behind the wheel of the car and gunned the engine. Biggs was about to go back for Alec when Joshua grabbed his arm.

"You go, I'll get them."

Biggs nodded and climbed in the back next to White. With a disorientated Loganfalling in beside CeCe.

Joshua ran over to Alec and stooped down by his side. Alec was woodenly rocking Max back and forth. He was rubbing her face and her hair. He was in a trance. Shaking his friend, he tried to lossen the grip he had on Max. "Give little fella to me, we have to go. Ordinaries..."

Pushing him off, Alec glared at him. "Let them come," he said savagely.

"Don't be stupid, Alec. Max needs a doctor. Lexie can help,we need togo now," he said in his most serious tone.

Still Alec wouldn't budge. He was beyond caring now. Nobody could help them. It was over. She wasn't even moving anymore. He couldn't feel her warmth, and tears burned in his eyes. "Go," he grated at Joshua.

Knowing that it was useless to argue with him in his state, Joshua grabbed Alec by the collar and hauled him to his feet. Dragging him into the shadows of the alley, they got out of the market area just as the sounds of the mob flooded the street.

Notes: burgandy3721 I'm so glad that you're enjoying this. I do my best to write the characters as true to the show as possible. I believe in fanfiction, sure anything's free game but it's nice to show how they got there, beginning with how came to know them first. People change either because they were hurt, through learning/circumstance or by love. In this, both Max and Alec changed because of the love they developed for each other. Hopefully I continue to do the character's justice and this keeps being a neat story. HoneyX5-452 , you just can't wait for that ass kicking... VBG, no worries, a lot more pain will be coming White's way very soon.