A/N: I have to say, Kiwi's 'Oi' was what spurred me to update quickly! But also Dazedizzy's comment as to the abrupt ending of chapter 8 which I only noticed after re-reading after she pointed it out. So, thanks to those who reviewed, sorry for the short chapter last time, hopefully this doesn't elicit similiar sentiments! Again, reviews welcome!

Chapter 9

"That's your plan?" Alec sneered, standing up from where he had been leaning against her desk. But Max detected a slither of panic in his voice, which accompanied the glimmer of fear in his hazel green eyes. It was the rare absence of that spark in them which brought the first real shreds of doubt to her mind, before the rationale behind it all came back to her.

"There's no other way to simultaneously play this in our favour and credibly expose them," Max insisted patiently.

"She's right," Logan added, "what's going to make people sit up and take notice more than seeing what they think is superhuman, get ass kicked by something even better?"

Max coughed involuntarily at that.

"There, you see, she's got a little transgenic pride," Alec said, distinctly unimpressed.

"In context of the potential situation," Logan begrudged, shaking his head slightly.

"Well no wonder you had to 'think about it'," Alec continued as if Logan hadn't spoken. He was referring to Max's earlier excuse for adjourning the impromptu meeting without having reached any conclusive plan of action.

"There wasn't any point telling them their beloved leader was going off to get herself beat to a pulp," Max retorted, pulling a face. She was aware that in spite of her stirring speeches and good leadership, she was still mistrusted by a fair few – remnants of their resentment to her escape. But if Alec thought she was taking this mission on herself in the name of redemption, he was wrong. And since he never was, the thought didn't even occur to him.

"What?" came Logan, finally fully clueing in to her great plan.

Max threw him a look usually reserved for Alec, that of a challenge, daring him to tell her it was a stupid idea.

"Well that's about the stupidest thing I ever heard," Alec told her right on cue, almost as if he could read her mind. Truth be told, she had expected the first reaction to be from him but he came through eventually.

"Clearly never heard yourself speak," Max shot back with a smirk. Alec humoured her with an intentionally false grin.

"Max, seriously," Logan interceded, earning himself a reproaching look from Alec who was all set for their verbal sparring. But he directed his quick wit elsewhere.

"Yeah, somehow, I doubt these Familiars are gonna go easy just because you meant for'em to bring it."

Max rolled her eyes.

"No really?"

But straightening up, she addressed them both.

"Look, I'm not gonna send anyone else to do my dirty work –"

"Perks of the job, why else did you rush for Hitler rank?" Alec interrupted, referring to her leadership role.

Max only gave him a dirty look. Alec stared at her.

"You're never gonna get anywhere with that holier-than-thou attitude Maxie," he said carelessly but deep down feeling an odd sort of pride at her unfaltering adherence to principle. Pride? he asked incredulously at the randomness of the thought, especially with regard to Max, before rolling his eyes at himself.

"Logan," Max started, seeing the older man about to voice another protest even though he had done a pretty awful job so far of persuading her not to carry on as she intended.

"Look," she said, eyeing them both, "I am not sending someone else into the lion's den. White doesn't need a reason to kill anyone from Manticore, he'll do it with a smile on his face. But he'll give me a fighting chance, hell, it'll probably amuse him to mess me around before he tries to break my neck."

"Or put a bullet in your brain," Alec added helpfully.

"White's not stupid," Logan told her, knowing he was stating the obvious, "he isn't going to pick a fight with you in public."

Max shrugged.

"Guess I'll have to push a few buttons."

Logan regarded her, willing her to toss this idea.

"Not that I like to stand between you and a good ass kicking especially if it's not mine, but the rest of the guys here see you get taken down and you can kiss goodbye to any semblance of respect they have for you," Alec said finally. But it was more the hard edge in his voice that caught her attention.

"I don't need their respect," she replied forcefully, almost defensively. Respect wasn't really a luxury she could afford anyway. To her mind, it only added to the disappointment if she should let them down and that was something she could live without, call her a coward though one might.

"All sentimentality aside, how else do you think you get them to do what you tell 'em to? Right now, it's only your ten years outside and their respect for the experience you have from that that's got them listenin'."

Max glared at him. Trust him to force her down the hard road, make her make the hard choice. He was always so good at confronting her with the reality she didn't like to think about. Logan never attempted to hide the truth from her but it never sounded so harsh as when Alec lay it to her.

"One way or another," she said after a severe hesitation, fixing him with a look that brooked no arguments. But even if either man had wanted to add something, they couldn't because she had stormed out.

"That went well," Alec said cheerfully, rubbing his hands together, "you don't think so?" he added off Logan's look.

The older man didn't reply as Alec followed him out to the main command area to find Max, Dix, Luke, Mole, and two other X5s huddled around communications.

"Guys –" Alec started but found himself cut off by a short shake of the head from Luke. Alec's brows furrowed as he focussed his hearing on the transceiver Max was listening intently to. A dark look marked her features.

Before he could piece together what he heard the line went dead.

"What was that?" he asked immediately.

Max didn't answer him immediately, a frown crossing her expression as she put the headset down, fully considering all that she had just heard.

A/N 2: At this point, I have to say updates will take a little bit of a while. I have written two chapter 10s - the one that instinctively followed straight after this chapter, and then the one that felt more natural after going back to it. So, I shall have to decide. If I go with the former, then updates after that will take years because I'm none too sure where on earth it's headed! Let's hope I go with the corrected version!