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Vigil
Max arrived at the safe house on Columbia and well…assumed command. She went over the security system, supplies, and escape routes. She 'debriefed' Dr. Carr on Logan's condition. By the time she was through with him he had completely forgotten about doctor-patient confidentiality, as well as the fact that he was honorably discharged from the military a decade ago. He actually started to raise his arm to salute when Max finally told him he could go.
Eventually Max was able to uncover some information on Kallocain. Apparently, 25 ml was generally considered a safe dose. Logan should be waking up any minute now, but he didn't. The longer he stayed unconscious, the more Max despaired he wouldn't be waking up. Kallocain was strictly black ops; it wasn't approved by the FDA. There could easily be something else wrong.
Over the next several days Max fell into a routine. She cared for Logan all night. John Feltri, a paramedic and long time Eyes Only informant, came over in the morning. They had breakfast, discussed Logan's condition, and then Max went to work. She brought lunch over around 2pm when Bling showed up. The three of them had lunch, discussed Logan's condition, and then John went home to bed. Bling cared for Logan until Max got off work, then they had dinner, discussed Logan's condition and then Bling went home to bed. Max took care of Logan until the whole cycle started again.
It was at breakfast on the second day when John asked, "Max, are you ok?"
"I suppose. Why?" Max wasn't used to people caring about her and was suspicious of his motivation.
"I was just wondering. When is the last time you slept?"
"I don't sleep."
Unfortunately, that comment didn't help the rumors that were presently spreading throughout the informant net about the already hot topic of Logan's maybe-girlfriend.
When Bling arrived for lunch on the second day Ethan and Daniel were in the front room talking to John.
"There's something odd about Max," John said.
Daniel laughed at him.
"I think so too," Ethan quickly asserted.
Daniel was still chuckling when he clarified. "Oh, I agree, it's just such an understatement. You didn't see what she did to Vivaldi's men. She went in, unarmed! Took them all out."
"She did that?" John asked, shocked.
"By herself! The place was…" Daniel started to explain.
"Hey!" said Bling. The other three men jumped slightly. "Max will be here with lunch any minute now. …You know that, right?"
"Yeah," said John. "Say, Bling? You heard from Eyes Only lately? Is he going to broadcast anything about Vivaldi?"
"No. I don't think he wants to be any more associated with that than he already is," replied Bling.
"I'm telling you, I still think Eyes Only is out cold in the bedroom." Daniel gestured in that general direction.
"I don't think so," Bling said.
"You haven't heard from Eyes Only since Logan's been out. Have you?" Daniel asked meaningfully.
"No, but that's not unusual. I normally go through Logan."
"Everybody goes through Logan," Daniel points out.
Max had heard enough of this conversation. She slammed the door after her and took lunch into the dining room. "Hey," she shouted as she set the table for lunch. "Oh, I didn't know you guys were going to me here. I only brought enough for the three of us."
"We already ate," Ethan supplies quickly.
"Okay," Max said. She smiles at them. They shift nervously.
After Max had gone back to work Ethan asked Bling, "So, about Max?"
"What?" Bling asked exasperatedly. He really didn't need this frustration too.
"Is she really Logan's girlfriend?" Ethan asked.
"If she isn't it's only because Logan has hang-ups about his injury. She definitely likes him." Bling smiled, grateful for the opportunity to steer gossip back to harmless ground.
Much later that day, after everyone else has left. "Bling, we need to talk." Max said.
"I know," Bling said.
"Does anyone else know that Logan is Eyes Only?"
"I only know of one other person," Bling replied.
Max smiled in satisfaction. "That's all we need. Here's the plan …"
By the time lunch rolled around the next day Bling had arranged the largest possible audience for this performance. Dr Carr just finished examining Logan. Ethan, John, and the Johnson brothers were there talking. Max had just finished lunch with Bling, when the computer beeped.
The red, white and blue Halloween mask with Logan's eyes began streaming across the monitor. "Turn on the video camera," said the synthesized, imitation Eyes Only voice.
Max walked over to the computer system in the corner and flipped on the video camera.
"Hey! Can you see this?" she said.
"Yes, that's fine. Dr. Carr, you're just the man I need to talk to," said the synthesized, imitation Eyes Only voice.
Dr. Carr was clearly shocked. "Me?" he asked uncertainly.
"I need to know how Logan Cale is doing," said the synthesized, imitation Eyes Only voice.
"Oh, I wish I had more information for you." Dr Carr hesitated. He thought briefly about patient confidentiality, but decided that it wouldn't be a breach to admit that he really didn't know anything. "I had never even heard of Kallocain before. I don't know what effect it is going to have on him."
"Max gave you the files I was able to uncover?" asked the synthesized, imitation Eyes Only voice.
"Yes, but according to that if Logan were reacting normally, he would have woken up by now." Most eyes in the room were on Max at this point, digesting the fact that she had direct contact with Eyes Only.
"I'll see if there is anything else I can find. I need Logan back up and functioning," said the synthesized, imitation Eyes Only voice.
"Do you have anyone else that can run the interference on traces?" Max asked.
"Logan is the best. There are a couple that could try, but I don't want to risk their lives if I don't have to," said the synthesized, imitation Eyes Only voice.
"But you'll risk Logan's?" Max demanded, apparently very annoyed.
"Even if they do trace Logan, anyone they send still has to get through you! Speaking of your martial prowess, you've scared some people," said the synthesized, imitation Eyes Only voice.
"Good!" replied Max.
"Some of our people," said the synthesized, imitation Eyes Only voice.
"Oh, not my fault that nobody clued them in on how bad things really are. You and Logan both try to shelter them too much. If they want to check my pulse to verify that I am not a vampire they can, but they have seen me in broad daylight so I don't know what they are worried about," Max said.
"There is no such thing as vampires," Ethan said.
Max just stared at him. The synthesized, imitation Eyes Only voice doesn't say anything.
Ethan looks terror stricken. "Right?" he asked meekly.
"Now you are scaring them intentionally, Max," said the synthesized, imitation Eyes Only voice.
"They should be a little scared of me." Max sighed and turned to face the men. "I'm half-were-cat. I can't transform, but I am very fast and I can jump a twelve foot fence. The good news is that full moons don't affect me at all." Max manages with a straight face.
There was silence in the room for a few minutes.
"That's not funny," Bling finally said.
"It's very funny from here. You should see the looks on your faces. Unfortunately the truth is actually scarier." said the synthesized, imitation Eyes Only voice. "And enough to have our own government kill you if you know. So I think it is best if you just let it go. Maybe someday we'll be big enough to take on Federal projects, but not right now."
"You are such an optimist," Max said.
"I know. Max, take care of Logan. Peace out," said the synthesized, imitation Eyes Only voice. The transmission ends.
"I will," Max promises.
To be continued …Waking.