Disclaimer: All of the characters that appeared in the TV show Dark Angel (Max, Zack, Logan, etc.) belong to their respective owners, not to me. No money is being made off of this fic. I only own the original characters (Becky/X6-405, etc.).
Becky was not in the best of moods as she walked into Zack's cell several days later. She kept it off of her face until the door closed, then handed Zack his tray. "Here ya go."
Zack picked up on Becky's mood immediately. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Becky said. "I'm being sent on a mission to Russia. It's gonna take a few months. I report to mission prep tomorrow for last minute briefings and prep and I leave in two days. At least three freaking months in Siberia, lucky me."
"At least you get away from this hellhole," Zack pointed out.
"Yes and no," Becky said. She sighed. "Every three weeks, I have to fly back to Manticore's facility in Seattle for a few days to be debriefed and to keep up on my training. So I'm sort of trading..." She trailed off when she noticed the color draining from Zack's face. "Oh man...one of your siblings is in Seattle."
"Max," Zack said. "Damnit, I told her to get the hell out of Seattle. I told her it wasn't safe for her to be there, and now..."
Becky was worried for Zack, but something in his expression and tone of voice almost made her smile. "You're in love."
"Huh?" Zack said.
"Don't BS me," Becky said. "You're in love with Max."
"How...?"
"I might have spent my life here, but I have gotten out on missions and we are at least mostly human," Becky said. "You are in love with Max. Admit it."
Zack sighed. "Since we were kids."
"But..." Becky said.
"...I don't know," Zack concluded. "We had to split up when we escaped and I kept my distance from her for the past ten years or so, only keeping an eye on her from afar. I never even gave her my contact number."
"Because you were scared?" Becky guessed.
"Yeah," Zack admitted. "I only started keeping closer surveillance on her a few months ago when she hired this sleazy PI to help her track us down and he sold her out to Lydecker. Both of us almost got caught then. I tried to convince her to leave Seattle then, but she refused. I met up with her again a few weeks ago to get her help when Brin was captured by that rogue ex-buddy of Lydecker's. I found out the reason she didn't want to leave."
"What's his name?" Becky asked.
"Logan Cale," Zack said angrily. "Eyes fucking Only. I'll give the devil his due, he's amazing with computers and he came through for us, but damnit, he's all wrong for Max. Can't stand his holier-than-thou attitude."
"Maybe she's scared, too," Becky offered. "Maybe that's why she's with this Logan guy because she's scared you'll never come back and so she wants someone safe."
"Most people wouldn't consider Eyes Only safe," Zack pointed out.
"Most people aren't X5s," Becky countered. They both smiled.
"I just can't picture Max scared," Zack said. "She's tough, smart, a smart alec when she wants to be, very independant, just not scared of anything."
"No offense Zack, but you're a pretty big badass yourself," Becky said. "And you're scared. So why can't she be?"
Zack nodded. "True."
Becky looked at her watch. "Damn. The guards will be back in two minutes." She looked at Zack and smiled a little. "I'd hug, but the cameras..."
"I understand," Zack said. "One day, you'll get out of here too. I swear."
"I know," Becky said. "When the time is right, I'll get out and I won't look back." She bit her lip. "I'll miss you, Zack. I hope I don't see you when I get back from Russia."
Zack grinned, understanding what she was saying. "I hope I don't see you, too."
TBC