Freedom on the inside

Disclaimer: Unfortunately I don't own anything to do with Dark Angel. They apparently belong to some guy who is most definitely in need of a brain check. What was he thinking when he decided to axe the show? Oh well, I guess when I'm rich enough I'll just have to buy the rights to the programme and then we'll finally get a third season. I wouldn't count on it though.

Rating: PG-13

Pairing: M/A (eventually!)

Summary: What if Max never escaped Manticore in 'Designate This' and didn't get the chance to infect Logan? Logan and everyone else in Seattle thinks she's dead and Renfro's still alive?

Author's Note: I know there's been a lot of 'what if she never escaped stories?' but this is my shot at what could have happened. Please read and review!

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Numb

"Hey OC," Max greeted her roommate with a significant lack of her usual lustre. It didn't take long for OC to catch on to Max's 'away with the fairies' mentality.

"So boo," Cindy said as she took the floor in front of her; Max had quite conveniently crashed on to the sofa, "You gonna let me know where you've been for the last three days?"

Max sighed, running a hand through her untamed curls.

"Manticore?"

The slight nod was all that was required,

"What happened? Where's your boy?"

The transgenic didn't utter a syllable.

"Sugar, you're scarin' me, and OC don't get ruffled easy, talk to me!"

"White's got him."

"You mean that loony cult piece of ass?"

"Yeah."

"How'd that happen?"

"The idiot offered himself up as bait."

"Idiot or not, is he ok?"

"He's alive," Max remembered the number of times she had already said those words. She could only hope it wasn't the last time.

Original Cindy smiled tentatively, "He's tough, Max. He won't put up with any of their crap."

"That's cos their crap isn't quite on par with my crap."

OC chuckled lightly, "I'll go get you a nice cup of coffee."

"That'd be nice."

Max watched as her best friend got herself up from off the floor and walked across the lounge and into the kitchen.

Shuffling herself down the sofa, Max rested her head on the arm rest, letting her eyes shut. She hadn't slept in ages, not that she normally did get much sleep, but these couple of days she hadn't even let a single eye close for more than a second. It seemed White didn't think she needed the rest. Be it yesterday, the day before that and even now as her phone rang shrilly in the empty room: White's threat was never far away.

Max took out the silver flip phone and stared at it. Its continuous ring caught OC's attention as she came out of the kitchen, two cups of coffee in her hands, she watched Max in her trance, "Are you going to answer that?"

Snapping out of her daze, Max nodded and flipped it open. Her throat was dry and her heart was pounding violently against her ribcage;

"Hello?"

Alec's eyes jolted to the door as the sound of the metal bar grinding along the rusty door hit his sensitive ears.

He wasn't scared. Well, not quite. Every second since White had left him, Alec could feel his resolve diminish fraction by fraction. Alec prided himself on being able to cope with any level of psychological crap that Manticore threw at him, but now in this godforsaken excuse of a cell, it felt as if someone had flicked a switch inside his brain; and everything was changing. Even in his sleep he had sensed it.

Again, White came in with his usually frightful grin,

"Feeling any better?"

"Go to hell."

White just laughed as he also noticed Alec's slight wince at the bright light filtering through the open cell door.

"Ahh, I see you're finally beginning to feel the effects of this little beauty."

Alec angled his head to get a view of the clear vial of liquid in White's right hand.

"What is it?" Alec asked strangely subdued and defeated.

"Let's just say it's going to help rewire a few connections."

"My wiring's fine."

"Well in that case, since you're fine . . . for the moment," White added as an intentional afterthought, "Maybe you could talk to your girlfriend for us?"

Alec watched helplessly as White punched a few numbers into the phone he was holding. He waited with baited breath to hear the voice on the other end; knowing full well he would be able to hear Max crystal clearly.

"Hello?"

"Hello?" Max said again.

"Isn't this a surprise 452?"

"Who are you?" Max knew very well who it was but she had to play along.

"Hard to believe you don't recognise me."

"White?"

"Ahh, now we're getting somewhere."

The next sounds were the horrifying sounds she had hoped she wouldn't have to hear: the sound of flesh pounding on flesh. The sickening crack of bone and the desperately strained sound of Alec gritting his teeth and baring the pain.

"Alec?" Max screamed down the phone, "What the hell are you doing to him?"

"Nothing you wouldn't have expected," White answered with that superior flair that always ticked Max off. But this time she wasn't just pissed, she was scared and murderous. A dangerous combination without dispute,

"I'm gonna kill you. You hear me? I swear to god if you do anything to-"

"We won't."

"I don't believe you."

"Well let's compromise then 452. You hand yourself over in exchange for 494's life."

"Max don't!" Alec's scream was followed by a grunt of pain as the sound of leather boots slammed against his knee.

"Stop hurting him!"

"We haven't agreed on anything yet 452."

"Fine, fine, I'll hand myself over, but . . . just don't hurt him anymore!"

White scoffed, "Well maybe I don't believe you either. So no. No deal."

"What? You son-of-a-"

"Here's what we'll do 452. You follow my orders. And when I finally have you in my custody, I'll let your beloved go. But until then . . . I'll just see how much more your transgenic filth of a boyfriend can endure. Here's what might make you slightly relieved though, I'm not so keen on the physical torture . . ."

"Please don't-"

She was cut off as White hung up; plunging the room into an obscure silence. As far as Max was concerned – Original Cindy wasn't screaming at her to explain 'what the hell had happened?', the wall clock wasn't ticking away the seconds, her heart wasn't beating and the sound of the silver cell phone hitting the wall at 30mph and breaking into a hundred shards was nothing but complete and utter silence.

The painful few seconds prolonged for what seemed months, before Max almost mechanically forced her numb body to stand upright and walk through the door. Her head was quite peculiarly light and empty, her mind blank – but the events of only a minute ago gave her a new sense of clarity. For the first time, she knew exactly what she had to do.

Logan sat staring at the blank screen, his mind flitting between past and present. He may have always had a justifiable reason for his distaste of Alec - but he still felt a guilt gnawing away at the depths of his stomach at recent events. His part in Alec's capture had been orchestrated by Manticore but nevertheless he still felt he was to blame for his current situation.

Beyond that however, was another kind of guilt. His distaste for the transgenic had now transcended into hatred. His affirmation that Max loved Alec had not been a façade. It had been the damned truth – and it hurt. And it was that hurt that had now dulled into numbness – a numbness that was his saving grace. It was with this acceptance that he had been able to boldly face Max:

"I'm sorry," Max had said as the tears had cascaded down her soft cheeks, "I'm so sorry."

Logan's tears refused to fall as he stood proud in front of her,

"I knew it anyway," he whispered.

Max nodded like a battered puppet, "If things . . ."

"If things were what, Max? If you hadn't been caught, if we hadn't wasted that year . . . if you hadn't fallen in love with Alec? We can't live on ifs, Max?"

"You know I love you, don't you?" Max spoke through glazed, watery eyes.

"You're just not in love with me. And that's fine – I can live with that. But all I ask is that you have your happiness and that Alec – if he has any sense at all – fights."

"He will," Max said finding her volume and strength, "And I will."

"That's all I ask."

And that's exactly all he did ask.

A/N 2: See that was quite a long chapter wasn't it? Please review and maybe you'll get a new chapter really soon! Lol! I don't usually use bribery, but reviews have power!

Thank you to:

TTT1901: Umm maybe just maybe! Hey, the ending of this chap wasn't too bad, was it? And hmmm . . . yum . . . I'm strictly thinking of ONLY the chocolate! Lol!

C'est magnifique: I think this chap answered your question – hope u liked

JeNsEnS wifey ChAdZ lover: Not quite that soon but I'll try. For you my dutiful reviewer, I'll try! Hope u enjoyed!

Lakergirl08: Well I finally got him out of the picture in this chap but I reckon I was merciful since I didn't make him look quite so pompous! Hope u enjoyed the disintegration of Max's 'not like that' relationship with Logan just as much as I did.

Guest type person: I'm being a friend, I updated! Hope u like!

Kristibella: Yeah unfortunately it was White doing the ass kicking but I'm sure you'll be glad that Logan's out of the picture – a small consolation for Alec's current condition!

X5-459: Hey your review made me smile too, thanks!

Suenooneus: Glad ur enjoying it and yes school sucks! Lol!

Happy holidays people!

Love SmilinStar xxx