The Light at the End of the Tunnel
Chapter 10: Sins of the Father
-Previously in LET-
"Max wasn't Max when she left. She was someone - something different. She took your gun, told Joshua to tell HQ to send back-up for fighting teams. Alec, Max...gone."
"There's nothing left, Alec. Nothing. No bodies, no equipment, no warehouse. Just ashes. They've relocated."
What's my name? Do I even have a name?. The doctors had called her "specimen", and the man with cold eyes and a suit, had called her a number. 452, she recalled foggily. Strange for a name. She didn't know the man's name, so she'd named him Ice-Eyes, because every time he looked at her, it was with an icy intensity that chilled her to the bone.
"My name," she croaked, "is Max." Then the world turned black, and she was left to her fitful slumber, still hanging limp from the ceiling.
"Day number fourteen and still no sign of where White has taken her," Alec stated coldly. He took a lighter out of his pocket and raised the metal rod he'd been holding. He brought the tip of the iron to the flame, letting it heat until it was bright red. He quickly crossed the space of the room, no emotion showing in his features, and grabbed the man cowering in the corner. He grasped the now screaming man's forearm and pressed the red-hot metal to it, searing the flesh until it hissed. When he pulled it away, an inflamed "14" was left in its place. All the way from the prisoner's shoulder to his forearm there were numbers burned into his skin; one for every day Max had been gone, a reminder of the pain he'd caused.
Chapter 10: Sins of the Father
About a month later...
It was early morning in Terminal City and darkness still hovered over the city, drowning it in shadow. Most of the city's inhabitants were still tucked in their warm beds, but inside TC Headquarters, Alec was far from sleep. He was pouring over every piece of information he'd been able to gather on the possible whereabouts of Max.
He realized vaguely that he was hungry, but he hadn't eaten properly since Max was taken. Also since then, he'd set the record for the longest an X5 could go without sleep; three weeks. Three weeks he'd stayed awake, exploring every rumour and lead in order to find her. Then, one day while he'd been on the phone with a contact, he'd passed out cold in the middle of the conversation. His body had rebelled against the abuse and completely shut down, forcing him to take the rest he needed. Mira had kept him in the infirmary for a week, for most of which he slept while his body replenished itself. He'd been fed intravenously for the duration of his stay because even when he'd awoken he had refused to eat.
A week later and he was quickly heading down the same path he'd been before, sleeping very little and eating even less. He knew that he needed rest and nourishment if he didn't want to end up back in the infirmary, but he couldn't make himself stop. Over a month and still nothing! he thought angrily, throwing his glass of scotch across the room. It shattered as it hit the far wall, smattering the amber liquid on the coarse green surface, chipping the paint.
"Dammit!" Alec exclaimed hanging his head and bracing his arms on the desk when he noticed the damage he'd done to the wall. Unwanted memories filled his mind even as he tried to banish them. His eyes upturned to stare at the ceiling, tears stung his eyes. They refused to fall for he'd cried so much already.
Flashback
"Don't go in yet," Max ordered, playfully covering Alec's eyes with her petite hands.
He laughed as she maneuvered him towards the office door. "Why, exactly can't I go into my office, Maxie?" he asked jokingly, trying none too hard to remove her hands so he could see. "Your new boyfriend hidin' in there?" he teased.
Max chuckled and used one hand to smack his forehead lightly. "No! It's a surprise. Can't you be patient for 30 seconds, Pretty Boy?" she jibed, using the nickname she'd come to favour when joking with him.
Upon entering the room, a familiar smell assailed his senses; paint fumes. "Aww man, has Josh been painting in my office?" he said, grimacing half-heartedly. "That's why you won't let me see, there's a mess, right?"
"Joshua didn't make mess. Promise," came the canine man's reply from the corner of the room.
"Come on guys, the suspense is killing me here!" he said with all the excitement of a small child. Max slowly brought her hands down from his face and moved to stand in front of him.
She shot Joshua an encouraging smile before saying, "Okay Alec, you can look now."
When Alec opened his eyes what he saw astounded him; the walls and ceiling were all painted almost the exact same colour as his eyes, even with small flecks of gold. Ornate gold trimmings lined the tops of the walls, the windows, and the door frame. A beautiful large and intricate celtic knot was painted on the ceiling, in the same shimmering gold, its center emanating from the light bulb. Alec gaped in open mouthed shock as he took it all in. "Josh, you did all this?"
Joshua shook his head side to side and pointed to the ceiling. "Max did that one. All of it was her idea. Joshua helped."
"Thanks Big Fella," Alec smiled as he stepped forward and pulled Max into a tight hug. "And thank you Max. It's beautiful." He kissed her lightly and then looked up at the ceiling once more. "Why the celtic knot? I've never seen one like that before."
Max blushed slightly, lowering her head. She was not accustomed to openly expressing the emotion she was about to share. "I...I combined the knots for love, eternity, and protection, kind of made my own up."
Alec gazed at her affectionately, tracing a finger along her jaw and making her meet his eyes with her own. He laid a gentle but passionate kiss on her full lips. Joshua took the moment of distraction to quietly remove himself from the tender scene, smiling to himself as he left.
"You know, my way of reminding you that I'll always love you, and do everything I can to protect you," Max said quietly, laying her head on his chest. "You really like it?"
"I love it, Maxie. I love you."
End Flashback
Alec fought hard to compose himself, trying to forget the scene that had occurred almost 4 years ago. Recently he'd been getting in depth memories and the slightest thing could set them off. It seemed as though the harder he tried to push them away, the more vivid the flashbacks became.
He closed his eyes and let his head drop back, as if beseeching some higher power to give him aid. Heaving a breath from deep in his chest, he leveled his head, the emotionless mask coming over his face once again, erasing the pain that was previously so evident.
The memory had triggered a chain reaction of thoughts. The event had happened 4 years ago, shortly after the transgenics' return to Terminal City after rescuing Logan.
Logan, Alec seethed, phasing back to the present. I think it's time for our guest's daily visit.
Alec entered the cell for what seemed like the hundredth time. But no matter how many times he came here and saw Logan Cale cowering somewhere, trying to hide from him, the rage he felt never dissipated. If anything his hate for the man only grew greater every day that Max was gone.
His gaze fell upon the skin and bones figure huddled into a ball under the cot. Logan had been on a very meagre diet -nearly nothing but scraps- and the evidence was obvious. The man rocked back and forth, muttering to himself, oblivious for the moment to his visitor's entrance. Garbed only in tattered and dirty pants, Alec's handiwork - as well as that of the few transgenics who were allowed in the cell - was visible along much of the man's body. Burn scars in the shape of numbers from 1 to 39 littered his arms and back and cuts and bruises of various shapes and sizes could be seen virtually everywhere.
"Forty." It was the only word Alec said, but it spoke volumes in itself. Logan jerked, hitting his head on the bottom of the bed.
"Forty," Logan repeated in a hushed voice filled with resignation. He pulled himself out from under the bed, crawling along the floor, immobile legs dragging behind him. He'd lost the use of his legs once again, after Alec's first brutal attack the night he'd gotten out of the infirmary. Logan moved to sit hunched with his bare back facing Alec. He'd long ago lost his sanity, but in a way, he'd gained something that he hadn't had before; sense. He knew that if he didn't fight, it went quicker. Besides, it wasn't as if he could get away, and fighting only used up his nearly depleted energy.
The enraged X5 brought his boot-clad foot down hard on Logan's back, leaving the imprint of the sole in the flesh. He then repeated the action he'd done 39 times already. Lighter. Flame. Rod. Burn. Logan screamed, as he always did, the sound only diminished by his burning moisture-deprived throat. When the deed was finished, Alec began to ask the same questions he put forth during every visit.
"Do you know where they took her?" His voice ground out roughly as he pulled the crying man up from the floor.
"No," Logan whimpered between sobs. Alec threw him into the wall adjacent him, dust from the brick drifting down to the floor.
"Do you have a way to contact White or any of the Familiars?"
Logan hesitated, catching the breath that the impact with the wall had stolen from him. "No." He gasped at the pain in his chest as Alec lifted him up once again
Broken rib, Alec thought with empty satisfaction before delivering a devastating blow to the other man's stomach.
"Do you -" Alec's next question was interrupted by a loud knock on the door. He released Logan roughly, allowing him to fall face first onto the hard cement floor. Walking to the door and peering through the small window, he gruffly answered. "What?"
Mole's face appeared at the window, the ever-present cigar dangling from his lips. "Doc Mira gave me orders to haul your ass to the mess hall." Alec snorted in response. "Don't give me none of that shit, Princess. She told me I could use any means necessary. Even if that means it's necessary for me to pistol whip you and give you to the Doc so the she can feed you."
Alec's eyes narrowed as he glanced between his victim and the lizard man. "I'm not finished with him yet," he growled, though he already knew that he would get nothing more from the man except screams.
"He'll still be here after you eat," Mole replied. He was worried about the once cocky and jolly X5. Alec never smiled anymore, or slept, or ate. Alec grunted non-commitally, turned to give Logan one more swift kick, and left the cell. Mole shook his head and followed Alec down the corridor. For his sake, I hope we find her soon.
The bright fluorescent lights made her head pound and she tried futiley to close her eyes against the harsh whiteness. Her eyes had been taped open, as usual, to ensure that she would have to see the man who took such great pleasure in hurting her.
Her hair was matted from sweat, blood, and simple lack of care. She ached all over, her bones weary and several of them broken. They'll heal in a few days. Then he'll do it again. Over the course of her stay here she'd learned a few valuable things. She was something called a transgenic, something not human and mostly animal; filthy. Her inhuman genetic make-up helped her to heal faster than normal, a fact which was often used against her. White took great pleasure in his 'compassion', sometimes allowing her to heal completely before inflicting even more devastating damage.
She watched as White smirked wickedly, raising his hand to the switch on the wall. She tried to prepare herself for what was about to come, like she had countless times before, but nothing could keep her from reacting. Electricity flowed from the metal shackles into her, making her jerk violently and sending white-hot tendrils of pain throughout her every nerve. She tasted the coppery tang of blood in her mouth as she bit the inside of her cheek to keep from screaming. It didn't help. She shrieked loudly, the pain too intense to hold back any longer.
White flipped the switch down, cutting off the electric current. He sauntered closer to her, enjoying the sound of her laboured breathing and expression of pain. "I knew you'd break, 452, transgenic filth that you are." Walking around the metal slab to which she was shackled, he examined her injuries. Perhaps I should stop for today. Can't kill her, he thought bitterly, frowning. The Familiar scientists had informed him a week ago that they were having difficulties in mass production of the enzyme as well as in keeping it viable. Two days out of every week, White was forced to leave her to the scientists to get a fresh sample of Max's blood. The Conclave had ordered White to keep her alive until after the Coming.
Max, Max, Max, she repeated in her mind. That was one thing he couldn't take from her; she knew her name. She fought every day to hold onto that one piece of herself, just like she struggled keep those enticing hazel eyes that haunted her memory.
"No witty remarks this time, 452? Even with amnesia and suffering you've kept that attitude that I've grown to loathe." White reared his arm back and brought it down with tremendous force, backhanding Max across the face hard enough to break the skin. "You must have something to say. If not, I'm sure I can find other ways to amuse myself. I could always let Larry and Fritz come back to clean this cell while I found something to do." A pleased smile split his face as immediately an almost palpable fear exuded from the nude girl on the slab. "They seemed so...enthusiastic during their last visit." His icy gaze passed over her body as she trembled at the memories. Familiars may be too high and mighty to even think about touching a transgenic in any way that didn't involve direct pain, but their human henchman were certainly not above taking advantage of a beautiful and trapped woman.
Max attempted to clear her mind, a trick she'd used often, but wasn't sure where she'd learned. No matter how hard she tried, however, the images of the two men kept surfacing; beating her, touching her, tasting her. She shuddered involuntarily before focusing on the one memory that consistently pulled her back to some form of sanity; beautiful hazel eyes.
White delivered another blow to her face, punishment for not responding.
"The man. The one with hazel eyes. He will come for me," she muttered through the pain. She wasn't sure how she could be so certain of this, but for some reason she knew without a doubt that it was true.
White laughed maniacally, grabbing a fistful of her hair. "You think 494 will come for you? Let him try. If he does, he'll die for you."
"No!" she cried, speaking louder than one would've thought she was physically able. "You're wrong." White let his fist fly, this time breaking her nose. Even as the blood poured she kept speaking. "Leave me alone you crazy bastard! I didn't kill your son! I didn't kill anybody!"
Punches came down on her like rain and she heard the cracks of more bones breaking. The beating continued until she could no longer feel anything, numb from the constant pain. One blow to her head left her unconscious, and yet White did not stop. He knew that she was right. X5-494 would come to her rescue when he discovered their location. White was not worried about one cocky transgenic; however, the problem was that he would definitely not be coming alone.
Alec sat at one of the numerous tables in the mess hall, pushing his food around his plate unceremoniously with his fork. Only Mole sat with him. Everyone else had learned to keep their distance from their brooding and easy-to-anger commander.
"You haven't even taken three bites of the damn stuff. Cherry worked hard on those pancakes," Mole chastised. Alec didn't look up from the plate, continuing to move the pancakes with his fork. "Didn't your mother ever teach you not to play with your food?"
Alec let his fork drop with a clatter to the plate and eyed Mole dangerously. "Didn't have a mother. Anyone ever tell you shouldn't smoke at the dinner table?" The jibe fell from his lips with ease, but held none of the good-natured humour it once would have.
Mole's approach ever since the transgenics' return from Yakima, had been to continue as if nothing had happened. A joke here, insult there; but it didn't mean he didn't care. Every day he hoped that a real smile would appear on Alec's face after he'd told some story or joke. And it never came. He returned the intense gaze being directed at him. "Like the smoke is gonna harm your precious genetically enhanced lungs." He leaned back in his chair, metal and plastic creaking under him. "Shut up and finish your food, soldier." The X5 glared at him and pushed his plate away.
"Not. Hungry," he bit out, emphasizing each word angrily.
The two sat in silence for several long moments. Alec stared off into space, his face blank.
Mole sighed heavily and in barely more than a whisper he said, "She wouldn't want you to starve, you know." Alec's head jerked up as if Mole had slapped him with the words.
"Don't you talk about her," he spat, his hands balling into fists on top of the table. His knuckles turned white and his nails dug into his palms. They bit into the flesh, leaving small crescent-moon shaped indentations that filled with blood.
"Why can't I talk about her? We need to if we're ever going to get her back. You can't do all the recon and follow all the leads by yourself!" Mole was finished being quiet. Alec was headed down a dangerous path, and everyone else was too afraid to do anything about it.
"The fuck I can't! I've been taking care of it since the beginning!" Alec slammed his hand down on the table, causing the wood to crack audibly. The occupants of the mess hall did their best to look entranced with their food while still listening to the exchange.
"And look where the hell it's gotten you! It's been over a month and you still haven't found Ma-" Mole's words were cut off by Alec's firm grasp around his throat. Mole's cigar fell from his lips to the floor, sending up a trail of smoke next to them. Alec's eyes glinted as if on fire, making the smoke an appropriate backdrop.
"I will find her!"
The door at the front of the mess hall flew open, swinging into several people holding food trays. The sound of the trays clattering to the floor caught the fighting transgenics' attention. Joshua hurried toward them, seemingly oblivious to the scene he was witnessing. He gasped, attempting to catch his breath before he spoke. Alec reluctantly released his hold on Mole's throat. Mole shook himself, adjusting his clothing dramatically, and sat back down in his seat.
"Alec, Joshua has good news!" His canine features lit up with excitement. "Father's here!"
Alec sat across the conference table in HQ, observing the gray haired man. His eyes narrowed and expression hardened upon seeing the cane at his side.The Manticore Symbol. Sandeman was responsible for so much; starting Manticore, the existence of all transgenics, and making Max so special that the Familiars just had to have her. He glared in animosity at the old man, letting his dislike for him show. Joshua, however, was almost bouncing up and down in his chair next to "Father".
"So what made you finally decide to grace us with your presence, Dad?" Alec threw at him. The way he held himself seemed almost lazy and laid back, but with a closer look one could see that everything - every move- was calculated.
Sandeman chuckled at Alec's offhand comment, only infuriating him further. "Don't be so bitter, son. I've come to help you," he stated. He looked around the room, searching for something. "Tell me, where is 452? She really should be here for this."
Alec visibly tensed, moving to the edge of his seat. "Her name is Max." Joshua whimpered at the mention of his 'Little Fella.'
"Father, Max is not here." Sandeman turned to Joshua, a puzzled expression on his features. "Max was...taken."
"I-I don't understand. Taken?" Sandeman silently prayed that he had been mistaken.
"They took her. Because of what you put in her DNA you sick fuck." Alec's voice was low, and even, but dictated far more than the words alone. Everything about the way he held himself now screamed 'danger.'
Sandeman looked genuinely shocked and horrified. "White has her?"
"Don't you mean your son?" Alec scoffed, a primal smirk playing on his lips.
"He hasn't been my son for a long time." Sandeman lowered his head, then raised it to meet Alec's gaze. "You know they have to keep her alive. Can you not take satisfaction in this?"
"With that sadistic son of a bitch's hands on her, she'd probably be better off dead." Alec's face fell and a lone tear streaked his cheek. He angrily wiped at it with the back of his hand, mentally reprimanding himself for bringing to mind Max's situation. "Do you know where they are?" he said softly, the previous rage more distant now, but not gone completely. It was always there, lurking in him somewhere.
Sandeman shook his head. "I'm sorry for that. No, I don't know where they are. There are so many places all over the country -the world- that they had when I was with them. And that was a long time ago, I'm afraid," he replied, smiling apologetically.
"Then what the hell did you come to tell us?" Alec was angry again, as was becoming a trend.
"The time for the Coming is near." His words were foreboding, but Alec only laughed in his face.
"The time for the Coming came and went, old man. The comet is long gone and didn't do shit."
"That is only what they wanted you to think. Comet," he shook his head once more. "You foolish boy, did none of you even look into the prophecies?" Sandeman's eyes had a strange twinkle.Like a mad scientist from one of those pre-pulse movies, Alec thought. When he'd processed the comparison, he almost laughed out loud at the irony. He is a mad scientist.
"So what the hell are you saying? They made up all the shit about the comet and the disease? Just to throw us off the trail?" Alec asked incredulously.
"That's exactly what I'm saying. The Coming, the real Coming is prophesied to occur in less than a month." Sandeman let the words hang in the air for Joshua and Alec to take in. "However, I happen to know that the Familiars will have difficulty with the enzyme they need from Max. It is a...very complicated procedure that will be needed. They could go ahead without it, but power hungry as they are, they will want the poison to be as potent as they can make it."
"You sound so damn proud of yourself." Alec stood up and began pacing around the room. "You Familiars and your damn egos." He spun on his heels to stand directly in front of Sandeman. "You are the reasonmy Maxie is gone." The old man examined him thoughtfully, his brows furrowed.
His Maxie? Is this 494? Sandeman quickly schooled his features, trying not to let his satisfaction show through. "And for that I am truly sorry..."
"Sorry doesn't bring her back!" Alec wanted so badly to reach out and snap his neck, bring an end to the man who'd caused so much pain. It would be tactically impractical, the soldier within reminded him. Screw tactics. Alec reached out, pulling Sandeman up roughly by his suit jacket. "Why her? That's all I wanna know. Why Max!" Alec shouted, shaking the old man violently.
Joshua looked frantically back and forth between the two people that meant so much to him. He acted quickly, putting his strong arms around Alec, struggling to stop the attack.
"Alec stop! Father not take Max! Maybe know how to help!" Joshua's hold relaxed and Alec broke free, moving to stand a few feet away. "Listen, Medium Fella," Joshua said endearingly.
Alec closed his eyes, and once he reopened them, he was all business. "What is so special about Max? If the Coming wasn't when we thought it was, why did the runes disappear right after the comet did? What's this enzyme they want?" The questions rolled out rapidly and his mannerism dictated that he wanted answers now.
The old man sat in wonder at the sudden change in Alec's temperament for a few seconds before launching into his explanation. "The runes were on a timer, so to speak. They were only supposed to show up for a certain expanse of time, and then disappear, in the event of capture. Just long enough to get the message across."
Alec rudely interrupted. "So you put them in Ancient Minoan? We didn't even get to decipher everything before they were gone!"
Sandeman clucked his tongue. "All good things in time, son." Alec glared at him, but remained quiet. "Max is the Messenger. I designed her that way. But there were pieces of her DNA that I had nothing to do with. She was destined to be the One. The one that can stop the Coming." He paused as if in reverie. Taking a deep breath, he plowed on. "The enzyme is a Trojan horse, in a way. While she is alive, it proves to be the fatal end ingredient in the scourge described in the prophesies. Mixed with the pathogen the Familiars have created, if they get it while she still breathes, it will strengthen the sacred snake's venomous powers. Enough to kill anyone who is not a familiar. Even you, who I've given immunity."
"That's just fucking great. You gave them more power. Who's fucking side are you on?" Alec burst out as he resumed his pacing.
Sandeman continued as if Alec hadn't spoken. "The pathogen must be constantly replenished with fresh enzyme, which, as I mentioned, they can only get while Max is alive. If it is not replenished, once released, the pathogen will be absolutely harmless. But if the enzyme is gathered from Max's blood after death, the pathogen will be fatal to only the Familiars."
Alec and Joshua let the words sink in. Alec stopped cold, his breath catching in his throat. He rolled the words over in his mind, attempting to determine any other meaning they could have. After death?
"Joshua and Alec NOT let Max die, Father," Joshua said gruffly, letting his stance be known.
"And if it was the only way to stop the world from ending?" Sandeman looked pointedly at Alec who was standing still, his hands moving to form fists over and over again.
"Then we all die." Alec had an air of determination and authority. He would not be deterred.
"There is an ancient prophesy in our texts, one that has been cast aside because it tells what they did not want to hear. 'The One shall shed her blood for the world, the Warrior at her side. Her sacrifice will bring forth life from death, and the Warrior's cry shall bring an end to the Snake Children.'," Sandeman recited.
"I've had enough of the bullshit prophesies you cult freaks conjure up. I'll stick to what I can see and fight. You can either help, or get the hell out of my city." Green flames danced in Alec's eyes as he stared the old man down, daring him to argue.
Sighing, the man threw his hands up in a surrendering gesture. "I will do all that I can to bring her back to you. You have my word." Alec snorted and left the room with only a curt nod.
Sandeman smiled sadly, staring at the space Alec had just occupied. You may not believe in the prophesies, but they most certainly believe in you, Warrior.
To Be Continued
Author's Notes: As to Logan's non-paralysis gone paralyzed again: Due to Josh's transfusion, etc, Logan had regained full use of his legs (as seen in episodes after Hello, Goodbye and in the Max Collins DA books). I decided he shouldn't get to use 'em anymore - I'm sadistic, I know. The Comet was supposed to bring about The Coming in After the Dark. I didn't like that either, so I re-wrote it. Fits much better into my plan. The prophesies are completely made up out of my crazy mind. If something similar is used in any other story, I'm sorry for my lack of original thinking, but I truly believed it hadn't been done.