Disclaimer: Dark Angel belongs lock, stock, and smoking barrel to James Cameron & Co. I own none of it. No reason for legal action

BLOOD OF THE PHOENIX

By

X5R-731

PART 1: And Mary Magdalene Brought Cake …

Zack stared past the rifle barrel at, well, himself. A ten-year-old clone of him stared back at him coldly and Zack knew that the X7 would kill him without a second thought. Suddenly there was a gunshot and the X7 flopped backwards without making a sound.

"Zack," came a familiar hoarse voice. "Zack are you all right?"

Zack groaned. Rescued by Lydecker, he was never going to live this down.

Lydecker jogged up to where Zack was lying and knelt down next to him. "Are you okay? Can you walk?"

"I'm fine," Zack growled. When Lydecker moved to help him up, he shook him off. "I said I'm alright."

Zack pulled him self to his feet and limped/ran back to the van, Lydecker covering the rear. They met up with Krit and Syl at the van.

"Krit get the van started." Lydecker ordered.

"Where're Max and Logan," Syl demanded.

"Don't know. We lost contact with Max and Cale went after her."

"We're not leaving without Max," Zack stated.

"There's no time. The X7's and base security-"

Zack jammed his gun in Lydecker's throat and said menacingly, "We're – not – leaving."

"You heard him. Start the damn van!"

Everyone looked up to see Logan racing towards them, carrying Max in his arms. She was as limp as a broken doll and her breathing was dangerously shallow.

"Max," Zack cried.

Lydecker grabbed Zack by his injured arm and practically threw him into the van. "Get in the goddamn van!"

Everyone piled into the van, while Krit gunned the engine. Base security arrived just in time to see their unmarked vehicle disappear into the night. In the van, Lydecker was examining Max's wound. It was bad. She was bleeding profusely and he was certain an artery had been pierced.

"Logan," Max said weakly.

"I'm here."

She looked up at him with her big expressive brown eyes. "I have to tell you something. Something I should have told you … a long time ago."

"It can wait."

Lydecker admired Cale's composure and optimism, but he must see that she was dying. He was positive nothing short of a heart transplant could save her now, and while they had no shortage of donors, none of them had been trained with that particular skill. When Lydecker saw Max smile sadly up at Cale, Lydecker knew that she had deduced her fate.

"Thank you," she said weakly. "Thank you so much … for showing me what it's like … to be human …"

"Max," Logan choked, unable to say anything else. Lydecker could tell by the look on Cale's face that he understood what Max was saying – she was saying good-bye.

"I love you," she continued. "I can say that now … and not be scared … I love you …"

"Max," Logan tried to speak but was too overwhelmed with emotion. "Don't …"

"Logan …" Max's eye's closed and her head lulled to one side, resting in the crook of Logan's elbow, as if she'd just gone to sleep.

"Max," Logan rasped, clutching her to him tightly. "No."

"Max!" Zack screamed. "Max!"

Lydecker reached over to check her pulse and found none. He shut his eyes tight to hold back his own tears, then ordered Syl to tend to Zack. Cale just held Max's lifeless body gibbering softly to himself, staring into nothingness with eyes dead to the rest of the world around him.

Back at their temporary headquarters, the rogue X5's and their surrogate father were going over their next step while mourning the loss of one of their own. (Logan had been left alone in the van with Max's body to grieve.) They'd dealt Manticore a severe blow, but Renfro was a past master at covering her own ass, so they should be alert about Manticore's status. Unfortunately, with Max dead and Logan incapacitated, they were effectively leaderless. None of them trusted Lydecker and Zack's ideas verged on the suicidal.

"We have intruders," Krit announced, pointing at the surveillance monitor Logan had installed. Three individuals on bikes could be seen just outside.

"I know them," Zack said. "They worked with Max. What're they doing here?"

"I called them." Logan appeared looking haggard but determined.

"What!"

"They have as much right to be here as any of us."

Logan marched passed Zack and the others and opened the main door. Original Cindy, Herbal Thought and Sketchy entered, looking around warily at their surroundings and the strangers in front of them. Original Cindy addressed the one person in the room she recognized.

"Logan, what's all this about?"

"Follow me," he said somberly.

He led them to the van and pulled back the sheet he had carefully wrapped Max's body in. Upon seeing Max's body, Original Cindy covered her mouth and turned away sobbing, Herbal began swearing in a most un-Herbal-like way and Sketchy removed his bandana.

"This ain't happenin'" Sketchy said numbly. "This ain't happening'"

"Who's responsible for dis," Herbal demanded, glaring at the group accusingly.

"Cindy," Logan said calmly. "You feel up to explaining it to them? They'll believe it if it comes from you."

Wiping her eyes, Cindy nodded and began to explain Max's bizarre life story to her fellow Jam Pony riders.

"I don't mean to interrupt," Lydecker spoke up. "But we seriously need to consider our next move. First off we need to loose the van. Then there's the matter of Max's body."

"Cremation," Logan stated. "It's the only way to make sure they don't get their hooks into her again."

The van was moved outside with Max in the back. Each of the paid one last respect to their sister, friend, pupil and something more before she and the vehicle were doused with gasoline. When they were all a safe distance away, it was Logan who tossed the match onto the flammable structure. As the van exploded into a fireball, they all watched in solemn silence, keeping it going until there was nothing left but charred scrap metal and ashes.

It was Lydecker who stepped into the spent pyre and dug out the near indestructible Red chip. He tossed it into the harbour, just in case Renfro tried to trace it like he had. They watched as the mourning breeze scattered the ashes, none of them willing to put into words the creeping feeling that this was not over.

To Be Continued …