The Light at the End of the Tunnel

Previously in LET

She began to walk towards headquarters, intent on finding someone in charge, as her training dictated. As she moved closer to the building, the wind brought a familiar scent to her nose. She turned her nose into the wind, breathing the smell in deeply. Threat, her instinct told her. Something inside of her seemed to take over, just as it had done when she'd escaped.

Her hands shook ever so slightly as she clicked off the safety. The small sound made the man turn to face her. He looked at her curiously, seemingly completely oblivious to the gun aimed at his head.

"Max? I knew you'd come for me."

"Who are you?"

"You know who I am! I'm Logan. Don't you remember, Max?"

Who's Max? some part of her wondered. The more dominant personality told her this man was dangerous and the threat needed to be quickly eliminated. She stared at him with eyes of cold granite and wordlessly squeezed the trigger.

They trudged up the stairs, side by side, Joshua checking to make sure that no one saw Max. As they rounded a corner of the upstairs hallway toward the bathroom, she was pushed forcefully back as someone ran into her. "What the hell is your - ?" The rest of her words were swept away in a tide of emotions as she came face to face with a dream. "Hazel-Eyes," 452 whispered in awe.

Chapter Thirteen: Forgotten, But Some Things Never Change

Alec sat beside Max on the small cot in the infirmary, listening intently as Mira explained what tests needed to be run. Mira's face held sincere concern as she took in the sight in front of her. Seeing her leader reduced to such a fragile state was heart breaking, however glad she was to have Max back.

Alec glanced over at Joshua who was leaning on the far wall, and saw Joshua's large paw of a hand move subtley, beckoning him. After laying his hand reassuringly on Max's arm, he stood and walked to join his friend.

"What is it, Josh?" Alec whispered, stealing occasional glances in Max's direction.

"Alec, I don't know...well..." Joshua paused, looking for the right words, "Max still not Max. Not really." Alec looked at him inquisitively and opened his mouth to speak, but Joshua cut him off with a shake of his head. "She doesn't remember."

"Doesn't remember what exactly?" Alec asked, his brows furrowing in confusion.

"Doesn't remember us."

Alec let his lids slide shut as he tried to process the information. "That would explain a few things. Kind of a post-traumatic stress thing?" He remembered the way she'd looked at him and called him 'Hazel-Eyes' and shook his head in disbelief. "No, that can't be right. She looked like she remembered me, at least a little," he amended, clinging to the thin thread of hope that was threatening to break.

Joshua looked skyward as if begging a deity to give his friend some sense. "Alec, she remembers that she knows us, but not who we are. She knew Logan was bad, but didn't remember who he was. That's why she tried to - " Joshua's eyes widened and his mouth clamped shut.

"Josh? What is it?" Alec's curiosity was piqued. What did she try to do to Logan? After several moments of silence, Alec spoke again. "Josh," he asked. "What happened in the basement?"

"Um..Max tried to shoot Logan." Now it was Alec's eyes that widened.

"Tried. You mean she didn't shoot him?" Part of him was relieved that Max wouldn't have Logan's death on her conscience. But a disturbingly large portion of himself was sorely disappointed.

"No, Max didn't shoot Logan. Well...kind of," Joshua said, perplexed at how to explain what had happened.

"How do you 'kind of' shoot someone?" Alec whispered, beginning to get impatient for an explanation, but still somewhat amused.

"Bullet just...grazed Logan's head. He's fine. Not fatal," Joshua replied, expecting to see Alec relieved.

Not fatal, Alec repeated in his mind. Damn. "So, wait a minute, you're telling me that - " His words caught in his throat as a high pitched shriek rang out from behind him. He quickly turned and saw Max scrambling over the hospital bed. She fell to crouch behind it, never taking her eyes off the doctor.

"What the hell did you do to her, Mira?" Alec boomed, rushing over to Max's side.

Mira shook her head, a sad expression on her face. "Alec, I didn't do anything, except try to give her an extra-strength antibiotic." She held the needle in her open palm, proving her point.

Alec looked back and forth confusedly between the two women, his hand absentmindedly stroking Max's hair. Upon Mira's presentation of the needle, Max began to whimper and shake.

"Shit." Alec closed his eyes, realizing what had spooked Max so much. "Is there anyway you can do that without a needle?" Mira shook her head and Alec cursed under his breath. Crouching down beside Max, he whispered to her, "Hey, you okay?" Max didn't respond, still refusing to take her eyes off of the needle. "Hey," he said a little bit louder. Alec watched as she looked at him with frightened brown eyes. "The Doc needs to give you something to help you get better get back to your full strength." He'd never seen her so scared and when he noticed the tears well up in her eyes and fall, he stopped fighting the urge he'd had since he'd realizing something was wrong. He pulled her into his arms and held her. They sat on the floor while he whispered reassurances into her ear.

Then, as if realizing for the first time what she was doing - crying and holding a fellow soldier - she quickly pulled away. Wiping her eyes with all the bravado of a seasoned soldier, she muttered, "I'm ready, sir." She managed to pull herself up on the bed after refusing Alec's hand several times. Alec was stunned by the turnaround in her behaviour, but said nothing.

Mira went about administering the antibiotic and drawing a sample - a very small sample - of Max's blood. The doctor, having seen several of the scars visible on Max's body, had figured her leader had probably seen enough of her own blood to last her a lifetime and then some. All within the past two months.

"Alec," Mira said, handing him a tube of salve. "I need you to make sure she uses this on the wounds that haven't healed." Alec nodded, taking the tube in his hands. "Some of those scars aren't going to fade completely." Seeing Alec's puzzled look, she explained further. "They look like they were badly infected due to neglect - and maybe cut in the same place repeatedly." Addressing Max, she said, "Max, I think - " Mira stopped talking when she realized Max was looking at the floor listlessly. "Max?" Still no response from her leader. "452!"

Max jumped off the bed, nearly stumbling in her haste, and snapped to attention. "Yes, Ma'am." Alec gaped at her openly. She'd never even been that disciplined in Manticore.

Mira cleared her throat after exchanging a knowing glance with Alec. "Can I speak with you alone for a minute, Alec?" As they were walking away, Alec turned back to look at Max once more and realized she was still standing at attention.

Shit. "At ease, soldier," he said, barely more than a whisper. "Get some rest."

"Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir!" Max's voice sounded relieved, and in truth, she was. No one's ever ordered me to rest before. Her nose scrunched up in puzzlement. Not that I can remember, anyway. Lying back on the bed, she made herself as comfortable as possible.

Mira shook her head, staring over Alec's shoulder at her newest patient. "Alec, I was talking with her a little while you were with Joshua. There's something you should know..."

Alec held up a hand. "No, Mira, it's okay. I know she doesn't remember much." Mira sighed and shook her head once more.

I swear sometimes talking to men is like talking to children. Actually, talking to children is easier. She placed a hand on Alec's shoulder, leading him a bit further away from Max. "No, Alec. She doesn't remember anything. She has no memory of Terminal City, Seattle, and barely any of Manticore. She doesn't remember anything that hasn't been told to her. And from what I gather," Mira paused, looking at Max lying on the cot, seemingly relaxed but completely alert, "White and his cronies sold her some pretty heavy lines of bullshit. It's gonna take her a long while to get her memories back. And - I know you don't want to hear this Alec - there is a possibility that she willnever remember everything. She may never be the same Max you knew."

"You're right, Mira; I didn't wanna hear that. But right now it doesn't matter what I want. All that matters is doing what we can to help Maxie, and to make those bastards pay." His eyes took on a dangerous gleam, filled with promise of vengeance.

Mira nodded. "I don't suppose you'll agree to leave her here for more testing?" She saw Alec's jaw muscles clench and began to count down the seconds until meltdown.

5, 4, 3, 2...

"Mira, I think she's had enough goddamned testing! Don't you?" Alec stilled as he saw a faint twitch at the corners of Mira's lips. "Am I that predictable?"

"Sometimes. Usually when concerning Max," she admitted with a smile. "Alright, listen. Take her to the apartment, get her changed and bathed - I'm assuming she'll be able to do that on her own. It's okay to tell her a few things, and answer questions if she asks, but try not to push too much off on her all at once." Mira's face softened as she bit her lip. "Max is..fragile right now, Alec. She's been through a helluva lot and isn't...she's not all there right now. Maybe something in the apartment will jog her memory?" Alec grinned as if nothing was wrong as he turned and walked away. "Alec, you'd better bring her back here tomorrow sometime, understood?"

Alec turned midstride and gave her a mock-salute. "Ma'am, yes Ma'am!" He laughed as Mira rolled her eyes and waved a hand at him dismissively.

"Get out of my med-bay, would you already?" she joked, leaving to make rounds on the few other patients in the infirmary.

Sandeman tapped his cane absent-mindedly on the floor as he watched the scene in the medical bay from the door. Alec reached out to Max to help her up, but she shrugged him off. "I don't need help," he heard her say. Stubborn girl. She can barely stand, the old man thought as he saw her stand, her legs wobbling a bit under her. What in creation did they do to her? What did he do to her?

White paced his office like a caged animal while trying to calmly answer the questions being asked him on the phone.

Brother White, you know that this could be a media circus if she reaches Seattle, don't you? This could be our undoing. >>

"Yes, Brother McKinnley, I understand."

I don't believe that you do, White. The Coming is not even a month away. From what I understand, we don't have much of her blood in reserve, and we need to replenish the source! Four batches of the agent are already worthless! >> White's knuckles were losing their colour as his grip on the phone tightened.

"Yes, Sir, I am aware of this. We have three teams out ." White flinched as he was interrupted by the booming voice of the Senator.

I don't care how many teams you have out there. She's proved...difficult for even our best. You are going to find her, and you are going to bring her in. And if you don't... >> The Senator let the sentence hang in the air for a few seconds. If you don't, it will be your head. Quite literally.>> The steady pulse of the dial-tone sounded in White's ear, only serving to enrage him further.

With a growl he picked up a paper-weight from his desk and hurled it against the wall, shattering the glass of a picture frame. "This is the last time you screw me over, 452. The last time."

452 refused to allow Hazel-Eyes to help her walk as they made their way to her barracks. She had a strange urge to race him up the steps, and couldn't figure out from where the inclination had come. Did I used to race him? She pushed the thought aside, a question for another time. Right now she wanted to just get to her barracks and sleep. She hadn't slept in so long and it was beginning to catch up with her weakened body.

As soon as she stepped inside the room that was her living quarters, her jaw dropped open. "Wow. All this is mine?"

Alec looked at her in a mix of amusement and sorrow. "Well, not all of it. I live here too."

452 raised her eyebrows in surprise. "You live you mean we live here together?"

Alec almost laughed at her reaction to the news. And then it hit him like a freight train. She didn't remember anything about him - anything about them. All their years together were lost somewhere in her mind. Their passion, their fighting, their love, all gone because of one lunatic. "Yeah, that we do. But if you want, I can stay with Joshua or someone until..." he paused, not knowing when a good time would be, "until whenever you want me to come back."

452 contemplated this. He had been the only thing to keep her from losing herself completely during her stay at the Amarillo base. Those hazel eyes had been her rock on which she leaned. Not exactly like you can tell him that, though. Not yet. "Um. Sir, I think it would be okay if you stayed." Alec winced as he heard her call him 'sir'.

They really did a number on her. "Just call me Alec, please."

She cocked her head to the side and eyed him with a puzzled expression. "You don't have a designation?"

He took a deep breath and tried to reign in his emotions for the umpteenth time. "We all - all the trangenics - have names now too. I'm 494, but everyone calls me Alec."

"Oh." She lowered her head and then looked at him questioningly from under lowered lids. "Did I - do I have a name too?"

Smiling genuinely, Alec told her, "Yeah. You're Max. But you let those close to you call you Maxie."

She was silent for a minute, then smiled brightly. "Maxie. I like it."

Without warning, her eyes rolled back until only the whites showed. She put a hand to her head and her legs fold up beneath her. Vivid flashbacks began to assault her mind, the name bringing back memories too jumbled to understand. Alec had lunged and caught her before she'd been able to fall to the floor.

"Maxie, are you okay?" he asked, panicked.

"Yeah. I'm alright. I did just remember something though." She smiled widely as Alec helped her up.

"Oh? And what is that?" Alec asked, amused grin in place.

Max punched him lightly on the shoulder. "Don't call me Maxie."

Some things never change. Alec grinned as he showed Max where the bathroom and bedroom were. She picked out some clothes from her dresser, amazed at the choices she had and took a shower. Alec listened carefully to make sure she didn't fall - the incident earlier had scared him, and he wasn't taking any chances.

Max emerged from the bathroom, looking a bit more like herself. In the boxers and tank top she'd chosen, it was frightfully obvious to Alec how much weight she'd lost, and he paled. She still looks absolutely beautiful, he thought, shaking his head.

"Why don't you go on in and sleep? You could probably use the rest," Alec suggested.

In a small voice with a slight stutter she asked, "W-where will you be?" Her eyes held that fear again, and he realized it was caused by the thought of being alone.

"I just need to run down to HQ and let everyone know you're back. Everyone's been so - everyone's missed you." He caught her surprised gaze and whispered, "I've missed you."

Max bit her lip, unsure of what to say. I've missed you too? That doesn't work since I don't really remember why I missed you, she thought bitterly. "Um...okay, I'll just...g-get some sleep then."

"You'll be alright?" Concern was evident in his voice and features as he regarded her.

She shrugged and smiled. "I'm always alright." Alec's heart jumped into his throat at the familiar phrase, but he tried to hide his surprise.

"Okay. Goodnight, Maxie," he said as she laid down on the bed and pulled the covers around her.

"Goodnight, Alec."

As he headed for the door, he could tell by her shallow breathing that she was already asleep. He heard small whimpers from the room and shut his eyes as he stepped into the hallway. What did they do to you Maxie? What did they do?

Terminal City's HQ was abuzz with activity. White had been using his cellphone so much that they'd been able to accuratly pinpoint the location to even closer than the estimated 20 miles radius.

"Someone get Alec! We found them - they're in Amarillo!" Dix yelled excitedly to no one inparticular. Cheers rang out across the room in celebration.

Their triumph was soon put to a back burner as Alec walked in, a smear of blood running down his cheek from where he'd placed it on Max's head earlier and hadn't washed it. "Alec, what happened?" Dix asked worriedly.

"She's back. She escaped and came home." His eyes beamed with a light that had been absent for two months and he smiled. "She's gonna be okay." Physically, at least. An icy glaze covered those previously bright eyes as he spoke his next words. "Keep the teams ready. We're going to get those bastards as soon as possible."

To Be Continued...

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Much love,
The Vamp