Summary: If they hadn't escaped in '09 would Ben still have been crazy. I think so. The blue lady still has plans for him and for Max…whether she's willing or not.
Warning: Mature themes and character death.
No Escape
Chapter 5: Confusion
Zack was gentle and reverent and everything she dreamed her first time would be like. She didn't know who their instructors thought they were kidding when they first mentioned the hands on training they would be getting in regards to sexual education. What…they didn't think years of living in a compound with norms discussing their daily lives during coffee breaks or while splicing genes that a group of individuals with genetically enhanced hearing and genius level IQs wouldn't pick up a thing or two about sex or to use one of the many other phrases she heard it referred to over the years: knocking boots, bumping uglies, getting busy, making love. Making love. That's the one that stuck out most in her mind when she thought about what had happened with Zack.
She was busy floating down the hall back to her barracks when a door slammed up ahead of her effectively bursting her bubble.
"Ben?" Max said startled at his behavior. Ben gave her an anguished look before turning and fleeing in the opposite direction.
"Ben!" Max started to go after him but stopped knowing that he probably wanted to be alone. It was Ben, after all.
**
The next morning things were surprisingly normal considering how intimate certain people at the breakfast table had become with one another. Max and Jhondy had spent the entire night on the roof talking about their experience. Unfortunately it wasn't as magical for Jhondy as it had been for Max. Both Zane and Jhondy had been very nervous but it was Jhondy who had been so flustered that when she went to 'manually stimulate her partner' she used all of her transgenic strength. The result had been Zane spending the rest of the hour curled in a ball clutching himself while sobbing into a pillow.
In hindsight the whole thing was funny, at least to Max and Jhondy, they both agreed that Zane would never find the humor in that situation and the girls spent a good part of the night laughing about it. Max was able to give Jhondy a few tips from her own experience which made Jhondy feel a little bit more confident about her next encounter with Zane. Their handlers had agreed that it was best to have at least three nights with the same partner in order to work out kinks such as the one with Jhondy and Zane.
Max's exuberance over last night's event began to fade as the breakfast hour came to a close. She was worried about Ben especially after the way she had seen him last night. She wanted to ask him what had happened but Ben still hadn't made an appearance. No one else seemed to notice.
**
The three days of her and Zack as lovers passed far to soon. This was to be their last night together before they had to switch partners. Max wondered who her next partner would be. This thought back pedaled to thoughts of Ben. He'd spent the last two days in solitary. Max knew the reason she just didn't understand it. She found out from Brin that nothing had happened with them. He came into the room, saw Brin, and then walked out. A few minutes later the guard escorted him back in. Brin was just as surprised as Ben was because she thought her partner was going to be Zack. It didn't matter to Brin either way. Orders were orders, right. But even after the situation was explained Ben refused to comply. They just sat on opposite edges of the bed until their time was up. Brin tried talking to Ben but he wouldn't respond. When their time was up he just stormed out. Brin had no choice but to report his behavior when Donovan asked her about what happened. Refusal to follow an order was automatic forty-eight hours in solitary. But why had Ben refused? Max didn't know. Maybe she'd luck out and Ben would be her next partner and he would refuse again. She wouldn't turn him in like Brin had done. It would be perfect because she wouldn't have to feel like she was betraying Zack since he was the only one she wanted to be with.
Yeah that would solve things for her, but what about Zack. Would he be as tender and passionate with the others or was she the only one that would get to see this side of Zack?
"Zack."
"Hmm."
"Forget it."
Zack was willing to but then he heard her sigh.
"Maxie, what is it?" He moved out from under her and on to his side and propped his head on his elbow. "Talk to me." Max mirrored him but kept her eyes on the tiny space on the bed between them.
"If I say something will you promise not to get upset or erratic."
"Max, come on, just talk to me. I'm not gonna freak out."
She giggled. For some reason it sounded so funny to her to hear Zack use phrases from common verbal usage class. Zack gave her a big smile knowing he was the object of her amusement. The smile made his lips irresistible so she kissed him. When she pulled back she quickly sobered up before she lost the nerve to get out what she had been trying to say.
"I know that it's unacceptable to disobey an order of a superior officer. And I know as C.O. and S.I.C. we are expected to be an example but I think…well you see…what we do here…I don't want to have to…I mean you and me is one thing. You and somebody else and me and somebody else, that's a whole other thing. A thing that I don't want to have to do…because to me…this…the you and me thing is…is…well its special." The last word was barely above a whisper. She hadn't even wanted to say that word and now that she did she found that she couldn't look at Zack anymore. She was never good at hiding her feelings and one look at her and Zack would see just how embarrassed she was. A soldier should never be modest. "That didn't make any sense did it?" Max said with her head still turned away from him.
"Max, look at me." Zack said, his voice gentle. He ran his hand through her hair and guided her head to face him. "I know what you mean. I only want to be with too." Zack kissed her softly on the lips. "But you are right about following orders." The euphoria Max felt a moment ago from Zack's words and then his lips on hers evaporated. "Then again, I was ordered to be with Brin first and you were ordered to be with Ben. Look how that turned out."
"Zack." Max raised an eyebrow.
"I might just have a plan."
**