Timebomb Central

A/N Thankyou for the great editing job by my beta team at the Editing Room:

Dreamer, Kiwi and Roon.

Chapter 5: A sense of losing ground......

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Max felt her baby throb between her thighs. Normally, this gave to her an intense feeling of exhilaration but today it left her with nothing but a queasy sense of trepidation. The partially concealed gates of TC lay waiting before her but she felt an unsettling sense of fear at the thought of passing through them. She knew she was expected in Canada, that Dix had made all the arrangements for her. Yet, she hated the idea of having to leave her home, which TC had very quickly become, with so much anguish abounding. Her eyes shifted to focus on the infirmary. Inside its walls lay the main reason for her hesitation. She knew that he was in good hands, but the thought of leaving here while he was like this seemed to be ripping her apart inside. Funny, many times in the past she had wanted him gone, out of her life. Now that there seemed to be actually a chance for that to happen, she couldn't imagine a life without him, didn't ever want to have to live one. Her bottom lip trembled again at the thought, but she pulled herself together, nearly in time to stop the tears, which welled in her eyes before beading on her lashes. Twin tracks slid down her cheeks and plummeted to the ground.

Straightening her shoulders, mentally shaking herself, she revved the throttle a little. The sound of the full gritty growl soothed her soul slightly. Nodding to the nearly hidden sentries they opened the makeshift gate to let her pass through...out into the real world. One where she was nothing more than a normal girl, more beautiful than most, just out for a ride. She rode away quickly and hopefully unseen. Swiftly she moved through the seedier parts of Seattle that surrounded TC in a concentric circle. It was like a buffer zone, the radiation from TC had created a zone of lower life around it...people didn't want to become mutants it seemed. These people had better things to do than watch her ride away, they had enough trouble just living their own lives. It meant that there was at least some anonymity for those trying to enter and exit Terminal City unseen.

As she cleared the city limits and the last checkpoint, she opened the bike up. Feeling the air as it rushed past whipping her hair out like a flag behind her she wished it could also whip her troubles away with it. Images invaded her mind, vivid scenes of Alec, losing his mind in his apartment, strapped to the bed in the infirmary, so vulnerable and honest. It haunted her that he was still trapped there, tied to a damn bed, and they couldn't do any more than hope it went away. Angel wasn't too sure how much longer the drugs could keep him lucid before he slipped back into whatever hell his mind had been creating. She felt like she was losing him and was completely helpless to stop it. Going on this trip now made her feel that she was running away, deserting him, when she needed to be at his side like he had always been at hers.

This fact-finding mission was something for the good of them all, she kept telling herself unconvincingly, but it felt so wrong. She had been on a knife's edge since the strange deaths had started, the ongoing tension was really taking its toll. Along with that came the guilt she felt for not protecting those that had died, guilt that she didn't know how to prevent the deaths of any others. Max knew she that she shouldn't beat herself up over it, but that didn't stop her feeling responsible. Now something had claimed Alec as well, it was becoming too much to for her to bear alone. She wished someone else could share her burden, her feeling of duty. Logan had offered, well more truthfully demanded, that she leave him in charge of the Freak Nation. Somehow she had unwittingly founded a community that night after the Jam Pony siege. Strangely, she could only think of one person who would have been capable of holding down the fort with her gone, and funnily enough it hadn't even occurred to think of Logan. But it was TC business, and as much as they had fooled themselves into thinking he was a part of it at one stage, in reality, he never would be. Problem was, he didn't seem ready to acknowledge it. Nor was he ready to accept that the virus had achieved an unpredicted goal, it had cured her of her love for him. She had been forced to decline in a blunt manner, which he had obviously not appreciated. Actually it was becoming increasingly apparent that he wasn't enjoying being pushed to the periphery of her life, but he didn't fit into her priorities, he didn't belong to her kind. He wasn't important in her life anymore.

She had always felt ashamed of what she was, but something during that fateful siege had jolted to life inside of her. Being in Terminal City had initially rekindled the sense of belonging that had been present for her as a child. To truly be amongst those that shared her fate, to be a freak in a human world. The hostage situation had taught her more, they were special, not just different. They had fought side by side, back to back...and she was truly what she was meant to be, not a wannabe human but a unique creature. It was like her soul had been released from a self made prison of revulsion. She had felt stronger, more alive, and exactly what Alec had described them to Normal as...genetically enhanced. Logan may insist that he had accepted her, but he had made it clear that he never really accepted the others. In the long run she doubted he wanted to know what she really was, he preferred to think of her as human, like the facade Manticore had made to present to the world.

Tears formed in her eyes as she contemplated how long she had been trying to fight what she was inside, how long she had wasted pretending. Finding herself, finding her family and a sense of belonging...it all meant so much to her. Clenching her jaw, she urged the bike to go faster. The quicker this was done the quicker she could be back at TC. Hopefully she could bring them good news.

********

Alec felt his eyes drift to closed again, he knew he was losing track of the days. The windowless room he was in meant that he saw no change of light, and the drugs they were pumping into his system seeming to making any logical thoughts a bit fuzzy. As best as he could tell, Max had been gone 3 days, his only way of judging was the changing of the guard. He opened his eyes and shifted them to check which one was sitting watch over him now. Sometimes he was sure he lost segments of time, whether through sleep or just the sedation he wasn't sure, he hated this surreal feeling it brought with it. He knew he had never been a good patient. Sure he had been injured, bullet wounds seemed to be his speciality, but he just didn't like being confined to bed. Especially when he was strapped to it for his, and others, protection.

Joshua's worn face showed the strain everybody seemed to be experiencing. Looking at him Alec felt guilty for being the cause of more anguish for his friends. Mole, the gruff , had shown a side of loyalty and companionship that Alec felt proud to be the recipient of. In fact, if he survived this whole damn thing, he would feel that it was because he owed his life to his friends being there for him. Even she had been there. His eyes closed on a groan as he replayed their history, sometimes violent, often bloody, but now just plain confusing. When his mind settled on their last encounter he felt his chest tighten, something serious had been shared between them. He couldn't begin to analyse what it meant, only that she had really opened up to him for only the second time that he could remember. This time she had given him a grain of hope, that she thought he was important to her.

Flickering images started to invade his mind as he felt conscious slipping. "No" he mumbled shaking his head in an attempt to erase the savagery he was getting glimpses of. "No, no , I can't, Noooooooo" his anguished scream brought Joshua to his friend's side in an instant. His body was convulsing against the straps that held him down.

With a howl of need, Joshua's bellow echoed through the wards of the infirmary to reach Angel's ears.Within seconds Angel came running with a hypodermic full of clear liquid.

"Back," she placed one arm across the concerned transhumans chest, pushing him away to allow her access. At his resistance she turned to reason with him, to make him let her do her job.

"Joshua I need to give him this. The other drugs are becoming less effective, but this is an experimental cocktail, hopefully it will buy us a bit more time."

The canine man moved back and allowed her into Alec side. She primed the needle. Pushing back the cover she took a firm grip of the struggling arm tied to the bed and took aim. She jabbed the needle and plunged the liquid into his raised vein. Stepping back, she watched as the convulsions gradually eased till only the occasional quiver passed through his body. Placing the needle down in the kidney dish she had carried it in, she once again moved to Alec's side. Taking hold of his wrist she checked his pulse, it was still a little rapid but she could actually feel it slowing in her grasp. She moved her hand to his face and lifted an eyelid to check his pupil, dilated but the eye was still no longer rapidly moving to alert her to dream state. Hopefully her little booster had pushed him beyond that for now. He couldn't stay sedated too long. Her thumb pads ran over the broken skin on his wrists where he had been pulling at the restraints, lifting the covers she checked the damage to his ankles also. The flesh was raw and would need tending. She would have to send someone in to treat them while he was so heavily under, there was little chance of him being violent at the moment.

Satisfied that he was at peace for now, she pulled Joshua out into the corridor. She had other patients that needed her care, but these faithful friends could act as her eyes and ears to alert her when Alec needed her. Terminal City needed to look after this man, he was valuable. The frightened look on the transhuman's face made her feel a sense of compassion, he was coping well with the hard facts being thrust upon him.

"Ï need you to help me monitor him." She shook him gently to break his focus away from the still figure in the room. "He needs to be watched so that he doesn't get into such a agitated state. When he begins to stir, observe him. " She knew that she might miss the new shift of bedside vigilance. Firmly she made him focus on her instructions. "watch him carefully. Please tell whomever comes in after you to let me know the instant he shows signs or distress.

*******

The trail seemed to be stone cold. She hadn't managed to unearth any clues that could give them something to work with. Sam's husband had been a little freaked when she had gotten there. Max guessed that he wasn't as ready as he thought he was to come face to face with the image of his dead wife. He had done his best to tell her everything he knew. His leads though plentiful, had all amounted to nothing. Same pattern, but one that left confusion in its wake. Though something did worry Max a little. Sam had been having nightmares prior to her death, ones that had left her detached and a little bit disoriented. Her mind had immediately flashed to Alec, that first night when she had found him a wreck in his room. Whatever had gotten Sam, it seemed Alec was another victim.

Knowing this had made her search more urgent. She needed to find out the truth before whatever or whoever claimed him as well. When Angel had told Max he was slowly losing his mind she had been terrified that she was losing him, but now, knowing he could be gone in an instant, had spurred a fear she had never experienced, one where she felt she would lose a part of herself if he died. She hadn't slept since she had gotten here but tiredness was starting envelop her. The couch she was sitting on was not particularly comfortable but her weary body didn't seem to mind. Telling herself she would have just a short nap to refresh her, Max swung her legs up and lay down. The moment her head lay on the cushion, consciousness ebbed away.

*******

Something was following her. She could feel it, sense its creepy presence, but not see it. Something dark, sinister and terrifying. The more she ran the faster it seemed to be gaining. Pausing to catch her breath, she listened but could hear nothing. Darkness crept in and was almost upon her. In the last moments as she felt like prey just about to be pounced upon, she turned to see piercing eyes hurtling towards her. She screamed, in terror.

Max jerked awake. Her mind stretched tentacles back trying to grab a hold of her dream. Dream, nightmare more like it. Shaking her head she couldn't dislodge the sense of foreboding. She felt haunted by some intangible terror. It was woven through the fragmented images she could piece together. Something was seriously not right.

A frightening thought struck Max. This could be more serious than her being plagued by simple nightterrors. Alec. His dreams. Were they the thing that was slowly driving him out of his mind? He had seemed to fear sleep, only succumbing when exhaustion had taken over. She felt an urgent need to hurry home. This was all giving her a bad feeling. Inside she harboured a niggling fear. She was going to need Angel's help too.