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 inched around the corner, trying to make as little noise as possible. If she got caught, she would be in more trouble than she wanted to think about. She crept silently down the hall, listening for any noise coming from the cells.
Empty, empty... She paused and turned her head to the right and listened carefully. Nope, sounds like a little kid crying, probably an X8. She continued down the hall until she heard voices coming from a cell two cells up from her on her left. She recognized one of the voices and quickly ducked into one of the empty cells and held her breath.
"...so I'll see you tomorrow, same time," she heard 494's voice said. "Think you'll change your mind about contact, hmmm?"
"Yeah," a female voice said. "I might decide to kick you a few inches lower."
There was silence for a moment. "Be seeing you, 452."
Becky waited until she was certain 494 was out of earshot before she snuck out of the empty cell and to the cell she now knew had to be Max's. She took a deep breath and slowly opened the door.
Max flopped down on her bunk after 494 left, seething. Breeding partners. Only Renfro would be sadistic enough to think of such a thing. She sighed in frustration and got up off of the bunk and hooked it up to the wall. She started to remove the pick from the bottom of the bunk when she heard the door open. She dropped the pick and blurred to the door, intending to give the intruder a headache they'd never forget—only to have the intruder grab her foot in mid-kick.
Becky raised an eyebrow and let go of Max's foot. "Do I look like 494?"
"No," Max said. "But give me one reason why I shouldn't kick your ass for coming into my cell. Did Renfro send you to make sure 494 and I did the deed?"
"Huh?" Becky said, confused. "Why would—heck, why would you and 494 be having sex?" The answer to her question hit her a moment later. Why else would they be? Renfro strikes again.
"Never mind," Max said.
"Look, I'm X6-405," Becky said. "Call me Becky. I'm from Gillette, too."
"I remember you now," Max said. "What do you want?"
Becky paused and made sure nobody was around before she spoke again. "Max, Zack's alive."
"What?" Max said. "He's dead. I've got his heart." She laughed bitterly. "That bitch Renfro took great care to tell me so herself."
"And you'd believe anything that came out of that bitch's mouth?" Becky said.
"What the hell am I supposed to believe?" Max said. "All I know is some punk clone of mine shoots me in the chest and the next thing I know I'm waking up in the infirmary and Renfro's telling me that Zack shot himself so that I could have his heart. Is this some kind of new Psy Ops trick that bitch Renfro came up with?"
"I'm telling the truth," Becky said. "He's alive. I don't know whose heart you got, but it isn't Zack's."
"How do you know?" Max said, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
"I was in the infirmary this afternoon getting this gash on my cheek stitched up when I overheard a guard talking to one of the doctors," Becky said. "He, the guy's first name was Jim, was complaining about you. The doctor told him if they were having trouble with the other one and he said that Zack was going to kill himself to save you, but that your sister Brin had shot him in the shoulder and stopped him before he got the chance to. They've got him somewhere on the opposite end of the building until Psy Ops is done with both of you. I swear, I'm telling the truth."
Max looked at Becky for a few moments before she nodded. "I believe you."
"Thank you," Becky said. She looked down at the pick on the floor. "Trying to get the hell out?"
"Do you even have to ask?" Max said. She sighed and shook her head. "I've got to get Zack out, too. I can't break out without him." She looked at Becky again. "Will you help me?"
"Of course," Becky said.
"If you even think about betraying me or Zack...," Max warned. "I don't care if you are stronger and faster than I am, if there's one thing I learned on the outside it's how to play dirty and I guarantee you'll learn just how dirty I can play."
"I wouldn't expect less," Becky said.
Max nodded. "When you find out exactly where they're holding Zack, we can go from there."
"Yes, ma'am," Becky said, then winced. "Sorry about that. Force of habit."
"It's cool," Max said. "You'd better get going. The guards will be coming by any minute."
"All right," Becky said. "Max, I never hated you guys for running. I wish I could have, but my family didn't want to run and there's no way I could have left them behind."
"I know," Max said softly. She believed her. "You'd better blaze. Catch up with me when ya can."
"I will," Becky promised.
TBC