"So, am I being a good boy, or do I need a spanking?" The deep voice whispered into her ear, not a trace of amusement apparent, just raw… everything.
Max could feel tingles going down her spine and she almost had to force herself to spin around, careful of what she was going to see. The hazel eyes of the man behind her weren't exactly reassuring when she finally did turn, but at least she could see that he was smiling slightly. "Alec, would you let it go already?"
Finally letting out the laugh that wanted to escape, Alec resumed his position sitting next to Max in front of the massive piles of paperwork. "Sorry, I'll be good, promise," he had no qualms about promising something, because he had seen the way Max had jumped slightly when he had come up behind her.
Tossing him a look that clearly stated what she thought about his ability to keep such a promise, Max resumed sorting through the papers as she had been assigned. Logan had gone so far as to print out a 'fake-id's-r-us' order form, and each woman had been asked to fill in the basics. Then he'd told Max and Alec that they got the joy of alphabetizing by age and first name. "Would you just get back to work? I want to get this done so that maybe we can go to our own apartments tonight instead of crashing here."
Alec opened his mouth to protest, but thought better of it; he certainly didn't want to be sleeping on Logan's floor, with peach colored blankets, because he had no doubt that Logan would not let them steal his bedroom again. It's not like we broke anything… he lamented silently. "What are we up to?"
Tossing him a pile, Max announced, "The parental units of the X-3's. Joy, oh joy. I don't even remember seeing any X-3's around Manticore," she sighed and continued, well aware that they had still some seventy women to run through, at least.
"Find anything useful to us yet?" Alec questioned cautiously, looking around to make sure that nobody was in earshot before adding, "Weren't most of the early X series' nomalies? Because in that case…"
Motioning frantically, Max smacked Alec only half-heartedly but hard enough to make him be quiet. "Alec, God, shut up. That is up there on the top five thousand subjects I'm trying not to bring up to anyone here." Pausing in order to calm herself, Max took a deep, over-exaggerated, breath, and answered the other transgenics earlier question. "So far, from what I can tell, these women are all from our Manticore, but we're missing another hundred at least…"
Sighing, Alec began shuffling through the papers at a superhuman pace, joining Max in her work, "Which means there's another… facility…" he spit out the word, "not to mention the other Manticore buildings."
Max shifted subjects swiftly, because she didn't want to worry about all the other Manticore's that could still be in operation, or about the other women. She would worry about them, just not right now. "Alec, once we get this all sorted, do you think you could hack back into that database? I'd like to be able to give these women an idea of who they're looking for and where to head."
Alec's head shot up at this, and he regarded Max with a suspicious look, fingers momentarily fumbling before picking up their pace again. "You know where the others are? Max?"
Shaking her head softly, Max avoided his gaze, "No, but I've been working on it. Some have passed through, and I know more or less where they went. Zack… he used to have some sort of system set up, he knew where we are were… I got kicked off though, because I wouldn't leave and now…" She stopped and shook her head, "I've been working on it, and I used to have a few contacts."
Setting the paperwork back down into the appropriate piles, Alec nodded shortly. He completely understood Zack having kept track of his troops, although he wouldn't have expected Max to, it was the job of the CO of the group, keep them together and know where they are. "I should round up my group then, probably some of them have mothers here, or maybe they could go after any other facilities Manticore has set up."
Now it was Max's turn to be startled. She actually stopped sorting, having been up to the X-6's anyway, and turned all the way to the side until she was face to face with Alec. "You can do that?"
Grinning cheekily just to get some sort of emotion visible on Max's face, he nodded again, "Well, yeah, Maxie, it's my job." at her slightly startled look and eye roll, he elaborated slightly, "What, you thought I took all those little road trips for the hell of it? I don't know where they all are, but most of them."
Remembering the way Zack had looked out for her as he had undoubtedly looked out for the rest of their siblings, with such concern if slightly misguided, Max smiled. Her whole demeanor softened slightly as she looked at Alec now, tilting her head slightly to the side to see what had changed. For such a stubborn ass, he's been protecting them… "That's…"
Unconsciously tilting his head to the side in much the same gesture as Max he tried to figure out what had suddenly changed. She was looking at him… differently… Leaning closer ever so slightly, Alec stared into those haunted brown eyes and tried to figure out what he'd said that was so profound. "What?"
Listening to his quiet reply, Max nodded slightly, feeling more playful and relaxed than she had in a long time. A team, our own little group. Enough to take out White, Manticore; all of it. No more running, and… Letting her eyes slip closed, Max leaned forward and breathed, "…Great…"
Before he knew what was really happening, still trying to figure out what was so super great about him being in touch with his siblings, there was a soft brush of lips against his. Eyes jerking open, he met the brown of his companion, both pulling away, and laughed slightly. "You have an eyelash right," Alec brushed his thumb over Max's cheek and wiped away the offending hair, "there…"
Scrunching up her nose, Max straightened in her chair and shook herself free of whatever little trance she had been in. Left with an urge to tease more than hurt, she chuckled, "You're such a smart-alec."
Refusing to break eye contact, not even with a blink, Alec also sat up properly in his chair, allowing a smirk to grace his face. Eyes twinkling mischievously, he announced loudly, "Yeah, well, that's what you love about me. I'm God, and we all know it."
Rolling her eyes skyward in a gesture she probably did with Alec more than anyone else, and in the least seriousness, Max ruffled his hair slightly, trying to keep the atmosphere of the room light as a million possibilities rushed through her head. We both just leaned too much and that was all, just, leaned forward and whoops… Oh, God. "Pfft, only in your own mind," almost sheepishly she added, "well, and when you hack into that database for me again."
"Aww," he placed his hand over his heart, "I'm wounded." When the only response was a raised eyebrow, he sighed, putting down his part of the paperwork. "Right on it, Captain Maxie," he gave a mock salute and jogged out of the room before she could decide to hit him for the nickname.