Tempest of Emotions
Chapter Five- Running
A/N: And here's another chapter. Sorry bout the delay- writer's block and major hw! Enjoy!
The street lamp threw an eerie green flickering light on to the damp and dark ally. Two small shadows emerged and slowly grew to reveal their crouching owners. Their shallow breathing was all that betrayed their presence. They were not safe yet.
"Why now? Why here? Dammit! White, I'll get you for this!"
"Quiet! Do you want us to get caught? We won't be much good if we are. Come on, White will probably find us if we don't vacate the vicinity now!" Alec pleaded with Max, attempting to drag her away from their hiding place.
"Alec, we need to save them. White's probably going to torture them or something even worse. He knows that they're connected with us and he is going to stop at nothing to get us. Nothing." Max argued.
"I know, believe me, I know. But you do realize this could be all a very elaborate scheme to get to us. I mean, we should never underestimate White. We still don't know what he's fully capable of. And what we do know is not to our advantage." He knew he was losing the argument and that his pearls of wisdom and caution were being thrown to the wind. He sighed, she was so reckless and someday, it was going to get her killed. Not while he was watching over her.
"There's White, come on, let's follow them." Max whispered as the two blindfolded prisoners were roughly thrown into a black van by White and his jeering men. They were preparing to drive off and Max could not afford to let them take any more of her friends. She didn't care if she had to track down White and her friends by herself, but it would probably be easier if she had some help and Alec was the only available aid near her. She should probably call Logan for backup, but he would probably slow them down and even get in their way. Besides, it would too awkward for him to be cooped up in the same room with both her and Alec. Both her strong pride and sense of decorum prevented her from turning to him. This isn't his fight, why get him involved? He won't understand that I can't let anything or anyone stand in my way and just watch White chase down and kill my friends and my family. I refuse to let that happen, even if it means that I have to sacrifice myself for everyone else's well-being. If we don't move now, I'll lose two more of my friends, two more people I care about are about to slip out of my hand just because we are who we are and that is so wrong. We are persecuted for our genes, our capabilities or even our appearances. And I thought the age of discrimination was over and here mankind rears its ugly head just to prove me wrong. Still, I wish Logan was here to help us; it was always good to know he had my back. He would never judge us by our training; why can't more people be like him? More open-minded?
As if reading her mind, her phone started ringing. Damn, who would call her at this time of night? Should she answer it? It was a good thing White and his agents were in the car and out of hearing range. Who knows, it might be important. Grudgingly she turned on the phone, "Hello? Logan? I was just thinking about you..."
Really. Well I just wanted to inform you on some major military action in the vicinity of Crash. I think you should check it out. White's moving something big.
"What a coincidence. Guess where I just happen to be. Crash and guess who I saw waltzing in and grabbing two transgenics. White. This must be my lucky day. First Normal starts harassing me about me taking too much time on my runs. And what business does he have with to do my runs? Other then the fact that these runs are for his business and that I am an employee, he has no right to be griping over my performance. As long as I get the job he should be happy and content with that. Yeah! He should be giving me a bonus for the mere fact that I don't leave the packets on some abandoned doorstep like some people I know. Anyways, what was I saying? Oh yeah, so I'm at Crash letting off some steam and trying unsuccessfully to drown my sorrows and my whole night is ruined by just the mere act of looking at that hideous face. I mean, just my luck!"
Max, you're ranting. I deeply sympathize with your spoiled evening; I wish I could make it better. But here's the other reason I'm calling: Don't go after White alone and unprepared. You need back up and supplies. Thoroughly perplexed, but understanding that she had a tough day and the best thing was to let her vent without pause.
"Oop, didn't mean to. Well, as it just happens, I have the perfect backup here with me at this very moment."
Really? Who is it? Curiosity growing and a nagging distrust seeped through his mind. His head began to pound furiously, please don't let it be him, please not him. Anyone, anyone else, just not him.
"Alec." Who else was he expecting?
Oh, I thought it was someone else. Doesn't matter, go home pack and come with Alec, I'll have more info for you then. And promise me, don't go after White; not yet, not now. Suppressing a sigh and trying to sound professional.
"'Kay, see ya in ten" She clicked off her phone and saw Alec looking at her attentively.
"You do know that the van took off while you two lovebirds were talking, right? We just lost our only chance to track them. I thought you wanted to follow them from here."
"Shut up. That was Logan and he told us to go home and pack and to meet him at Foggle Towers. He'll have the information we need there. Now go." She said forcefully, there was absolutely no time to waste on idle chatter.
Stunned by her harsh words but recovering so quickly that she didn't notice the flicker of injury in his eye. "Yeah, I'll go pack and please, only the essentials!"
"What do you take me for? Now go, we've got less than ten minutes."
"More than enough time for me." Flashing his usual cocky smile. More than a mask, it was his salvation in times when he felt very weak and on the edge of betraying his emotions. Not going to happen here. Not today, but he wondered could he keep this charade 24/7 around her? He couldn't say, but he didn't want to find out the consequences if he did drop his façade. He was a soldier first and a soldier last. Nothing else mattered. He watched her blend into the shadows and turned to do the same. Road trip with Max for unknown time, spending a lot of time close together, working together. Hmm, this should be a great opportunity for them get to know each other better; then why did he feel so edgy over the whole ordeal? He still could not believe that White would so ostentatiously capture two trangenics from a bar both he and Max frequented. Was it a trap? Was it coincidence? He felt uneasy on the whole aspect and he would have to be on his guard to prevent White from pulling one over their eyes. He had to protect her, no matter the cost.