A/N: This has taken way longer than expected. I know I said updates would be quicker once I got all my stuff back in one place but now I have hit the much resented problem of plot stuck-ness. I was writing, then had to go somewhere for some reason and went back to it only to completely have forgotten where I was taking the story with that particular build of plot. Grr! Anyways, I've adapted. So, hopefully, we're back in action. Short chapter, but let me know what you think.

Chapter 8

"Besides the chances of us pulling one over 'em being pretty slim, someone remind me again why we don't just take the game to these snake shippers?" Mole wondered as they stood round the collection of screens on different channels broadcasting the same piece against transgenics.

It was old footage of Ames White's testifying against the Government, the moment the Manticore project was blown wide open on national television. It was being replayed as part of a report that White had now made chair of a committee seeking a solution to the transgenic problem.

"Apparently they don't punish whistle blowers these days," Alec remarked dryly.

"Actually they do," came a familiar but recently unheard voice.

They turned to find Logan standing at the foot of the Communications platform.

"The Government had White removed from the Agency and he was down for a court martial –"

"But he's not military," Max interjected, "I thought he was just a suit heading up the transgenic recruitment drive post-Manticore."

"Navy," Logan informed her, "before moving onto bigger and better things."

He glanced down at the file in his hand.

"White was never going to see the inside of a court room though; he's got friends in high places. Senator McKinley finally got his way. White's been given his own team."

"A little crude for a politician isn't it?" Alec wondered.

Logan only shrugged.

"Yes and no. The enlightened among us obviously know that the solution they're referring to only means one thing. To everyone else, it's an influential figure of authority finally doing something about the perceived transgenic threat."

"Wrong again," a young voice drawled. All eyes turned to find Dalton sitting atop a desk a little behind Logan.

"What do you mean?" Logan asked, puzzled that a sixteen year old could possibly have enough of an interest in politics to have an opinion on this particular matter. But then, he's no regular teenager, he reminded himself silently.

"McKinley was voted in six months ago but he only went worldwide after Manticore went down. Before that he was creepin' with a desperate need to grow a spine. Suddenly this transgenic thing blows up and he's all over it like a rash."

"So what are you saying? That he was planted?"

Dalton shrugged like it was obvious.

"By who?" Logan wanted to know, part of him thinking the boy crazy for such a random suggestion but the other part knowing he was a fool not to consider it and also recognising that it wasn't quite so impossible.

They fell silent for a moment, not wanting to jump to conclusions.

"Familiars," Max spoke up finally, giving voice to all their thoughts.

"Not that it takes a massive leap of imagination but you got any evidence there Max?" Alec queried.

She shook her head slowly, seeming to be lost in thought.

Alec cocked an eyebrow dubiously, casting a look at Logan who was regarding Max with a frown.

"You alright Max?"

Max looked up, meeting his gaze briefly before addressing everyone.

"It doesn't matter whether he was planted or not. The priority is to spin this another way. We can't fight a war on two fronts; not especially when we're totally outnumbered on the one side, and completely overpowered on the other. White's playin' trasgenics and Ordinaries off against each other. Sounds like a fun game. I want in," she shrugged carelessly.

"Eyes Only can do another hack –" Logan began but Max stopped him before he could finish his sentence.

"No. There's no point. Nobody on the outside even knows Familiars exist. They'll never believe it. They see any amped up behaviour and think transgenic in a second. So I say it's about time White and his goonies meet their adoring public."

"And how do you plan to do that exactly?" Mole asked, ever the one to pour cold water on Max's ideas no matter how early in the stages of development they were.

But the leader in her knew that his unforgiving and what often seemed negative attitude did her the world of good in not letting her get carried away. Max wouldn't mind beating a little faith into the lizard man occasionally, but she appreciated his input however unproductive it sometimes seemed.