Max had to hand it to Bling, there weren't many people who could shock her speechless and he'd managed to do that twice in less than a week. Although Asha had been the one to break the news, she hadn't believed it until she got back to the penthouse and Bling presented the evidence.
It turned out the body in Logan's car belonged to a Con Parker, a professional strangler and all round dirtbag. His current employer was unknown, but somebody had gone to a lot of trouble to fudge the original autopsy. If it hadn't been for Dr. Shankar's suspicious eye for detail, it would have stayed that way.
Max couldn't stop the swell of hope bubble up in her chest. It had gone from a mission of vengeance to a search and rescue. Provided of course, the cynical side of Max's psyche pointed out, Logan was still alive. For all they knew, Logan had been captured and killed somewhere else. But the bond that connected them said otherwise. A part of her never truly believed Logan was gone, and now thanks to Dr. Shankar, she knew for sure.
Max, Asha, Bling, Detective Sung and even Alec were all sitting around Logan's penthouse mulling over prospective plans of action. Getting a call on her cell, Asha took it in the kitchen.
"Asha," said the voice on the line. "It's Bruce."
Bruce worked for S1W.
"Hey, Bruce. What'd you got for me?"
Bruce and his partner Robbie had followed Higgs' to one of the many abandoned factories in Seattle and were awaiting further instructions.
Asha hesitated. Should she tell the others or go it alone with a S1W squad. Show Logan that she was more than capable of handling a crisis, that he didn't need Max and then, well, maybe he'd see her as something more than just the Supreme Commander of S1W. But for how long? How long could she stay between this Max/Logan ménage a deux? How long before he started pining away for his attainable dream girl?
"Max," she called. "I got a heads up on Higgs' current whereabouts."
Asha and Max – with Alec in tow – piled into Asha's car and went to meet with Bruce and Robbie. Before leaving the car, Asha collected a colt .45 from the glove compartment and a machine pistol from under the seat.
When Alec commented on them, Asha said, stuffing the colt into the back of her pants, "Some of us don't have the benefits of super powers."
The trio met up with Bruce and Robbie at the beat up Mercury Topaz they'd used to follow the councilman.
"Hey Bruce," Asha said. "Any change?"
"Asha," Bruce replied. "No change. Higgs went in and hasn't come out. That was an hour ago."
"Thanks. Give us a buzz if anything looks suspicious."
"Right."
As Max, Asha and Alec entered the deserted factory, they were oblivious to another trio approaching their backup walking in perfect unison.
Inside the factory, Max said, "You two wait here, I'm going to scout around first."
As she disappeared into the gloom. Alec grumbled, "Who died and put her in charge?"
Asha was getting fed up with Alec's whining. "You didn't have to come."
Before Alec could bite back an appropriately scathing remark, his enhanced hearing picked up uniform footsteps. "Do you hear that?"
"What?"
Just then he saw three figures approaching them, fast. When Alec finally got a good look at them he screamed over his shoulder, "Max – Steelheads!" Just as one of them plowed into him.
Asha managed to fire off one round of her machine pistol before the Steelhead knocked it out of her hands. The bullets bounced harmlessly of its metallic reinforced hide. It grabbed her by the throat and lifted her off the ground. Asha gasped as iron hands crushed her windpipe.
Alec grappled on the floor with his Steelhead opponent as he saw another one – female if the braid was any indication – racing at almost impossible speed to where Max was. The combatants rolled to their feet and the Steelhead threw Alec against the wall. Alec's jaw dropped in shock when he got a clear view of his opponent. The face staring back at him – was his own!
Max heard Alec's warning and raced back to the others. The tactical choice would have been to withdraw and assess her options, but she'd never been the withdrawing type. Along the way she met one of the Steelheads and gasped in horror at the familiar face. "Tinga," she managed to exhale just before the cyber-chick slammed into her with the force of a Mack truck.
Blood began to fill Asha's vision as she continued to struggle hopelessly against the steel grip around her throat, gasping desperately for air. If he continued to squeeze at this rate he'd succeed in popping her head like a zit. Asha briefly wondered why the Steelhead simply didn't snap her neck - it was more than capable. Maybe there was some small part of its brain – the cruel sadistic side of it – was still human. Acting desperately, Asha pulled out her spare pistol, jammed the barrel in its remaining eye and emptied the clip. The bullets easily tore through the soft, spongy tissue and she swore she could hear the bullets ricocheting around in its metal plated skull.
It released her, staggering around waving its arms in a gruesome pantomime. Asha dropped to the floor coughing and struggling for breath. She watched the Steelhead's macabre dance before finally – its head exploded.
Hearing heavy footsteps behind her, she looked over her shoulder to see Alec walking towards her. No, not Alec. She could see the metal implants and enhancements on its face and arms. Raising her gun she fired her two remaining shots at the facsimile-Alec. It jerked back slightly, but didn't stop its advance. She saw Alec stumble out of the darkness, battered, bloodied and limping but still displaying his ever-present infuriating arrogance.
"Hey," he called, slurring slightly. "Where're you going handsome? We were just getting to know each other."
Alec leapt forward kicking his doppelganger in the spine. The Steelhead lurched forward but didn't fall. It swung around aiming a fist at Alec's head. Alec ducked and delivered an uppercut and two blows to its midsection. The X5 ignored the pain in his hands as he continued to pummel the steel reinforced flesh. The Steelhead that had once been X5-493 showed no indication of feeling the blows. Instead he threw Alec against the wall and began to throttle him.
"Okay," Alec gasped. "That's it, I don't care how gorgeous you are. I'm going to kick your steel metal butt around your shoulders."
He struggled to break free to no avail.
Asha jumped to her feet pulling an explosive she'd been hiding in her coat pocket. She taped it to the Steelhead's back and yanked out the pin screaming, "Alec run!"
"Oh shit."
The Steelhead released Alec and frantically grabbed for the explosive. Asha and Alec dove clear as the blast ripped the cyborg apart.
Alec sat up and looked over at Asha in amazement. "You busy Friday night?"
Max, meanwhile, was having her own troubles trying to fend off the lethal attacks of her mechanized sister. "Tinga, please. It's me, Max."
The Steelhead showed no indication of recognition and kicked Max hard in the sternum. Max flew six meters before hitting the ground. The Steelhead leapt after her and Max just barely rolled out of the way before she landed on her.
"If you don't recognize me," Max pleaded. "At least think of Case and Charlie. Please you can beat, don't let them win."
'Tinga' answered with another punch and kick combination at blinding speed – even for an X5. Manticore must have been working on some upgrades before burning to the ground, Max thought.
"Max," Asha yelled. "Jump!"
Max saw Asha dump the contents of a barrel and Alec pull out some power cables. When the water reached the Steelhead, Alec dropped the cables conducting the electrical current across the floor into the Steelhead. 'Tinga' jerked and twitched as its systems shorted out and overloaded the collapsed.
Outside they found Bruce and Robbie still in their car, dead – their necks broken.
SEBASTIAN'S LAB
Max, Asha and Alec hovered behind Sebastian as they watched his nurse examine the Steelhead that had once been Tinga. The whole scene reminded Max of the that time they did an autopsy on that Red when the South Africans were after her. The big difference this time being it was no faceless thug lying on the slab – this was her sister, she had a husband and son, the type of life most people only read about. Then Manticore caught her and when they couldn't convert her or find out that special part of her biology that enabled her to pass her genes to her offspring they turned her into another one of their monstrosities.
"Got it," Sebastian's modulated voice announced. They all looked up and saw Sebastian's nurse pull something out of the back of Tinga's skull. "A modified Red chip."
"A Red chip," Alec said incredulously. "Why would Manticore be injecting South African surplus into their perfect soldiers?"
"It is unlikely Manticore was responsible. The chip shows signs of modification to make the technology compatible."
"Guess that explains why they were so much stronger and faster."
"How's Tinga," Max asked. "Can we switch her back on?"
"Yes," Sebastian said. "But you should know, most of her higher brain functions no longer function. If we were to reactivate her she would be no better than a robot."
Max took another look at the empty shell that had once been her sister. "Get on the horn to Dr. Shankar and see if she can arrange for Tinga's body to be cremated."
"Taken care of," Asha said. "I had a clean up crew collect the remains at the factory. I'll just have them swing by to pick her up."
Eyes Only had a clean up crew, Max though. She felt so far out of the loop it wasn't funny anymore.
"You should know," Sebastian interjected. "That the Steelheads were receiving radio signals directing them to you. I can have the signal traced back to the source."
"How long," Max and Asha said simultaneously and glanced at each other awkwardly.
Nonplussed Sebastian continued, "Two hours tops."
Hold on Logan, Max thought. We're coming, just try to hold on a little longer.
To Be Continued …