2 days later Max was finally discharged from med bay after she threatened bodily harm. Quickly losing weight and gaining her strength, her brothers were hasty to let her go.
Max hummed to herself as she bustled around the kitchen, preparing supper before Zack came home from Jam Pony. Original Cindy had given her a few cooking tips so now she could cook something that was at least edible.
She abandoned her work as she heard Tiana start to cry. She hurried over and picked her up from her playpen, rocking her in her arms, cooing softly. Ben looked up curiously, then went back to playing with his toys after he saw that nothing interesting was going on.
"Are you hungry honey?" Max asked her as she lifted the corner of her shirt. At the sucking sound Ben looked up again, and seeing that his sister was being fed, tossed his bear aside disinterestedly. He raised his arms towards his mother and Max laughed.
The door opened and Zack walked in looking disheveled. Original Cindy was staying with her lickety-boo of the week because it was getting a little crowded in the apartment, so only Lucy and Alec walked in behind him.
"What's wrong?" she asked worriedly.
He came up to her and kissed both her and Tiana, then bent down to pick Ben up too.
"Hey sport," he said. "You being good for your mommy?"
Ben nodded and Zack smiled slightly. He looked at Max.
"We have a problem. Lucy and I just stopped by Terminal City to see if Dix had finished translating the runes. They stopped appearing on your body, right?" Zack asked.
"Yeah. Did he translate them?" Max asked.
Zack shook his head. "He's almost done though. The thing is, Dix gave me a tape of the news two days ago. None of us were watching it because you were in labour, but remember he was always taping it to make sure nothing on transgenics came up?"
"Oh my God. Do we have exposure?" Max asked worriedly.
Zack nodded grimly. "Watch." He walked over to the VCR and popped it in. He pressed play on the remote and they watched in silence as a man talked about his experience watching a bunch of revved-up people fight soldiers.
"This guy was on the news again today," Zack said as it finished. "He was killed. One clean shot through the head."
"White," Max said. "He wouldn't want the news that there are transgenics out in the world to get out."
"The only person I can figure," Zack agreed. "Unless it was some disgruntled transgenic, but I think that they would be smarter to keep a low profile now that we're out. They're pinning this on us, you know? They're saying that since the man figured out the truth we killed him."
"This isn't good at all," Max said. "The news is out for two days and they're already starting to turn against us."
"Of course they are," Alec said. "We're genetically superior. They're afraid of us, afraid we're going to take over. If stupid Logan hadn't made all those hacks – "
"Logan's dead, so there's no point dissing him," Max said angrily. "Just drop it."
Alec fell silent.
"Maybe if you guys do some good stuff that people will notice, maybe they'll be grateful towards you," Lucy suggested.
"What, like transgenic heroes, swooping in and out of burning buildings saving people? This isn't a movie. Besides, they'll probably pin it on us anyway. They'll make up something like we set the building on fire in the first place," Zack said.
Max's shoulders sagged and looked at Tiana and Ben who were completely oblivious as to what was going on in the world.
"I didn't want our children to grow up during a war with people trying to kill them," she said quietly. "I just wanted them to be able to live a normal life."
"At least they don't have barcodes," Lucy pointed out. "No one will ever know that they're different."
"Unless they know that you and Zack are the parents," Alec said.
"Why do things have to be so complicated?" Max said. "Haven't we been through enough?"
Zack put Ben back in the playpen that Jace had sent awhile back and put his arms around Max and his daughter, who she was still holding.
"It'll be okay," Zack whispered in her ear. "We won't let anything happen to them. And I won't let anything happen to you." He kissed her temple and she felt slightly better.
Max and Zack were in their own little world so Alec and Lucy felt slightly uncomfortable. Alec tugged at her arm and they left the couple with their children to have some space.
"Where are we going?" Lucy asked Alec as he led her up a series of stairs.
"You'll see. It's a good place to clear your head," he answered, but stopped abruptly and looked at her.
"You're not afraid of heights, are you?" he asked.
"No," she replied and they kept walking until he opened a door at the top and a rush of air smacked her in the face. The cold air was almost refreshing.
Her breath was taken away when she saw the sight. On top of the space needle she could see the entire city and the people milling about. She walked forward and saw the sunset, a beautiful mix of yellow, orange and red.
"Like it?" Alec asked. He didn't know why, but he wanted to bring her up there. The place was sort of a haven for him, just like it wasfor Max and Zack. He was in a way, for lack of better words, touched by the fact that she had accepted all of them, the transgenics, even the anomalies, so readily, and he wanted to show his appreciation. He liked Lucy. Even though she wasn't like them she had also undergone a hard childhood and knew just how he felt.
She nodded. "It feels like we're in a completely different place. Watching all the people down there, it makes you feel as if you belong."
Alec smiled slightly. "Exactly."
Alec walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. Max had told her that although she had to admit he was good at heart, he was somewhat of a ladies man. She didn't want to become another one of his conquests.
But somehow she knew he wouldn't use her. One, because Max would kick his ass. Lucy almost chuckled at the thought. Two, because it felt right. So she didn't move from his hand and watching her reaction, Alec smiled.
A figure in black watched the couple through their window and he smiled.
It's good that they have such strong love for each other. That will be what will get them through such a disaster.
His smile grew wider as he saw them pick up their children.
They will help their parents when the time comes. They are all connected, and the bond that they share will save us all.
The figure watched as Zack bent down to kiss Max, then after another smile, it turned around and walked away.
"Oh, it's horrible," Wendy Olsen-White said as she watched the news reporter tell America about Mr. Shields' tragic death. "These transgenics are vile, aren't they Ames?"
"Extremely," White agreed as he got into bed beside his wife. Too bad when the Coming happens, she'll be killed as well. It's so nice having a wife who shares the same views as me. But thank God Mary-Anne will be gone. I can't stand her.
Wendy's sister Mary-Anne had left earlier that day and White was glad to be rid of her. Mary-Anne had a thing for trying to baby him and it pissed him off like hell.
White watched as the news reporter described how Mr. Shields was killed, and had to restrain himself from rolling his eyes when she started rambling on about how it was such a loss and about how he was a hero for informing America about the transgenics.
I wonder if we have a Familiar at the news station. I bet they'd be a lot more interesting than this woman.
White's phone rang and he flipped it open.
"Hello?" he said.
"Agent White? It's Joe Trim. There's been a sighting of a panther-looking transgenic south of Euclid. I need you to contain the situation immediately."
White sighed. "I'll be there."
A transgenic's gonna die today.
An anomaly ran down the streets of Seattle, trying to get away from the mob of people chasing it. It was starting to breathe harder as it ran because it wasn't made with as much stamina as the X series. It saw a fence up ahead soit ran faster and cleared it, but didn't stop running. It still heard the people running after it, climbing over the fence. Suddenly a bunch of people in uniforms appeared around it.
There was nowhere to go.
A/N: I hope you liked it. Please review and give me feedback!
Thanks ever so much to my wonderful reviewers –
elle6778 – Thanks! LOL I just had to make Mole meet Original Cindy. I could see his face in my mind. It was priceless.
HoneyX5-452 – Thanks!
Kelzaa – Thanks!
MoonAngel23 – Thanks! LOL I bet Cindy could kick Zack's ass. Just kidding.
shygirl1 – Thanks!
sun-shy – Thanks! Your review made me happy. LOL
Please keep reviewing everyone and giving me feedback! I'd love to hear your thoughts. And please check out my other fics, I'm sure you'll like them. Hugs and kisses, aod78