Third time lucky

I have had to watch my step the last two weeks. 494 has started travelling to work on his motorcycle which he keeps locked inside his living room. There is more than one way to skin a cat fortunately.

Our glorious leader and her ordinary husband have finally separated. If it hadn't been titillating gossip all week, I would have worked it out today. I saw Zack and Krit Max's unit mates and 'brothers' at the café today. Well Krit looks like her brother, Zack's just a stalker. You think some people would realise what's obvious wouldn't you, when an X5 female just doesn't see you that way? So I wish Zack luck. We have more in common than I realised.

Alec was surprised to see a message from Original Cindy on his phone, asking him to meet her for lunch in Pioneer Square that day.

In her early thirties, O.C. was still a fine looking woman. She never had found a permanent partner. Alec didn't think she ever would.

He kissed her cheek and sat down with her in the Chinese restaurant. "Spill." He said, "Is it about Max and Zack, her metal head stalker extraordinaire?"

O.C. nodded. "I can't smack him down. I think even you would have trouble boo."

"You've got that right, big brother Zack's got that whole iron man thing going with his arm." Alec looked at her. "Do you really think Max belongs with Logan still?"

O.C. shook her head. "I just doan' trust Zack. It's sad and all, what they did to the boy's brain. But he's never been right since 2020. Krit and Syl should have left him on that farm."

"I disagree there Cindy." Alec said, "I'll have number 5 thanks." He said to the waiter.

"Number 21. How are you Boo? Haven't seen you since Joshua's funeral," Original Cindy commented.

"Surviving." Alec smiled at her. He was always a survivor after all.

I think this method should work. An oldie but a goodie. Well classics never date do they?

"Coming." called Alec, as he ran down the stairs. The one day off he had, and the door bell had to ring. Right in the middle of painting Reagan's nursery ceiling.

Max was standing there in her old motorcycle leathers, with a folder in her hand.

"I'm real sorry Alec, but these forms need to be signed by you today." Max apologised to him.

"No problemo." Alec said. "Want coffee?"

"No I've got to take this back to T.C. right away." Max said, handing him a pen. "I like the colour, nursery? She asked, looking at the paint splashes on his clothes.

Alec nodded, as he signed the forms hurriedly

"You're so lucky Alec." Max said softly. Alec put his arms round her shoulders and squeezed.

"I know, but you'll be okay Max. Been enjoying having Krit and Zack in town?" he asked her sardonically.

"I don't know why you don't like them." Max chuckled, rolling her eyes as she walked back down to her bike.

"They're insane!" Alec laughed back at her,he went to his mail box as Max got on her bike.

Max suddenly felt dizzy and as if she was looking down at herself and Alec from a great height, she looked at her wrist, a rune had appeared.

"Get away from the Mail box!" Max screamed at him.

Alec stepped backwards and looked at her weirded out.

"One of your little moments?" He asked shakily. Just like during the good times of the T.C. siege he remembered.

"One of my little moments." Max answered equally frightened.

Didn't they used to burn witches at the stake? Bring back those enlightened times I say. They called in the bomb disposal squad and found my little booby trap. I saw the whole damn thing from the video camera I'd installed, in the roof of the neighbours across the street. Good thing I'm too clever to get caught.

Dani and Nikie the next two X9's to be born after Eve. Were having a pleasant forbidden exploration adventure, around Terminal City. They went into the room that seemed blocked off. They were so small, they were able to crawl over the rubble easily and slip into the basement below. They were amazed at what they had found. But they knew Eve's mom would want to see it. After all it was all about her.

Gem stood in the room with the two little X9's and Max beside her.

"You're pretty all big like that aren't you?" Dani said to Gem.

"Yeah I am." Gem smiled falsely, looking revolted at her painted image on the wall.

"You normally wear clothes." Nikie commented innocently to Gem. "I suppose you posed for this in the bath?"

"Yeah." Gem lied. "Do you think you two can promise you won't tell anyone else about this? I'll give you a free hot chocolate, every Thursday for a month."

The two transgenic children looked delighted. Then Dani looked sad. "Mom said I was never to keep a secret from her."

"I'll talk to both your Moms." Max promised. "You're right you should never keep a secret from your mothers, so we'll let them on this secret too, but no one else, that is an order."

The two children nodded with instant understanding. In spite of Max's best efforts the transgenics still tended to live their lives like they were in the military, and they were carrying it on to the next generation.

Max and Gem looked at the pictures painted of Gem all round the room. It was Max that found the disc, buried in the box under the tile.

"Let's just tell Alec at the moment." Max told Gem. "Pick up your kids and go to my place. I'll tell the Dani and Nikie's mothers to keep their mouths shut about this."

It was annoying that my little Gallery got discovered. It was so much better than the crap poor old Joshua had produced as well. But I knew I'd left no DNA traces, and these diary entries on disc I keep anonymous. So I'm still cleverer than them. I'll just have to be more patient about courting her when I finally manage to kill him.