Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel or the characters you recognize.
Summary: AU. Things are a little different. They are all still in Manticore. Ben is in Alec's unit and has never met Max or the others. M/A
A/N: Yay! That wasn't so long was it? Please R&R! And check the Author's note at the bottom.
Mel11: Thanks! Here is the next chapter. Hope you enjoy it!
Alexandra Bruderlin: Thank you! I'm glad you like Syl and Krit cause lately they've been my muse, I start out trying to write about M/A and suddenly there they are, nagging about sniper riffles.
Lakergirl: I didn't say who he was with? I am evil! Knew there was a reason people keep trying to torch my house! Oh well, don't worry... you'll find out soon enough!
Nelita: Zack is the best because Lydecker thinks so. But we know better! ;)
A lot of Alec-ky goodness coming ahead so enjoy!
Queen of the Myrmidon: Thanks! D
DiamondPrincess: Thank you! I moved a few hours away from where I used to live, it's not in the U.S though.
ontheDL: lol. Here's your update! Thank you.
Lorin: Here it is. Enjoy!
Chelsea: Thanks.
Guest type person: You got your wish, sorta ;) As for Lydecker, I'm not very clear on that myself! Lol, don't worry I have a general idea. But sometimes the characters have a mind of their own.
Always
Chapter #13
Missions, oddities and Bobby T
It was a good neighborhood. Probably one of the best districts in Seattle, despite the wrecked buildings or the mangy streets. The tiny apartment reeked of an odd smell, a combination of cabbage and peppermint. It was something a norm surely would not notice, but a crabby X5 would certainly take as a personal offence.
Zack scanned the vicinity from the window of the base they had chosen. It was near the target and essentially secured from prying eyes. On the street people went along with their normal routine, an old man walked calmly down the road clutching a newspaper, a woman sat in front of some sort of coffee shop smoking a cigarette, a couple strolled on the sidewalk holding hands as a boy kicked around a worn down soccer ball.
The plan was simple. He and 494 would do some recon over at the address his superiors had given him and tomorrow night he would get rid of the target while 494 gathered any treacherous data from his computer equipment. This fit both his assignments since keeping 494 busy and within eye site would prevent him from doing anything with Max. He looked over at the two X5s sitting on an old couch, the blonde man had his head buried in his pack apparently looking for something while the small brunette sat next to him staring straight ahead but occasionally risking a glance at her side causing a small blush to creep up her face.
Zack sighed in frustration. Maybe this wouldn't be as easy as he thought.
In a far away corner, or well just the other side of the room, Alec sat rummaging through his sack completely oblivious to the stares of the girl next to him. Mostly because he himself tried his best not to sneak a look at her. Damn the girl was fine.
But the very intimidating presence of her C.O, her very big C.O, made him think twice about appreciating the view. As to not over do it he finally settled on his walkman, talking it out of the bag and putting the head sets on. The sounds of Bobby Timmons washed over him as Alec tried his best to relax into the couch.
It wasn't the mission that made him nervous; he was highly trained after all. It wasn't the program either. He knew he was sent with them because he was compatible with 452 –Max he corrected himself. It had more to do with being away from his unit.
Granted he wasn't all that close with them, with the exception of Ben and Biggs. But he was used to working with them and had come to trust most of them in different areas. He had even been Commanding Officer of the same group a few years back before... everything. The two people in the room weren't his pack and they made him feel edgy. Each one for very different reasons, but edgy nonetheless.
He turned his head a little to the side with the intention of taking a glimpse of Max instead he caught her eye when she did the same. Attempting to appear unaffected he gave her a charming smile and looked away.
Of course that same smile made Max's hands start to sweat and her legs begin to feel like pudding. Thankfully she was sitting and neither male noticed how she was practically swooning.
She was swooning.
This guy would be the death of her.
Since they had parted with the driver that took them to Seattle Max tried starting a conversation with both men at one point or another, but with Alec she couldn't get more then two words out without feeling her throat go dry and Zack was being particularly grouchy on this mission.
Deciding that keeping at least a little of her dignity would be a good idea Max left the comfortable couch heading in the direction of her brother.
"Hey"
"We'll be heading out in less then an hour." Right to business.
"All three of us? Isn't that kind of pointless?"
"It is."
"So..."
"So only two of us will go."
"Oh." She tried to hide her disappointment from showing in her expression, Max wanted to spend as much time with him as she could get away with. "What's he going to do all alone in here anyway?"
"Not him, you."
It was easy to tell, from the guilty look on his usually composed expression, that her darling brother had planned on holding on to that information as long as necessary.
"Me?"
When he stared back at the window feign to be on the look out for anything out of the ordinary Max just glimpsed at Alec making sure he was engrossed with whatever music he was listening to, she also took a short second to appreciate how good he looked with his eyes closed and his foot bobbing to the beat of the song, before taking Zack by his forearm and leading him out the window on to the fire escape.
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On a better day, Alec would have thought this a good thing. Really.
His new found desire to rebel from anything Manticorian couldn't be happier about the sudden delay of the inevitable. But soldier Alec, survival Alec, smart Alecthey weren't so happy with been stuck in an elevator with the infamous 599.
Yes it could mean he wouldn't have to hand over information that the bastards would only use to ruin someone's life. Yes it could mean that yet another life wouldn't be taken while he stands there doing absolutely nothing to prevent it. Yes it could even mean that nothing of his disliking would take place and nobody would punish him over it. But none of that gave him any peace.
The guy was just too creepy.
For the last 18 minutes, about the same time the elevator had been stuck in between floors and the stupid technician outside still hadn't managed to do anything about it, 599 had been staring at him with what Alec could only describe as pure and utter loathing.
It had all started back at the dingy miniature apartment...
599 and 4- Max went out on to the fire escape the fact that he was also highly trained and genetically engineered had apparently escaped them both.
Talk about conceited.
He pressed his right thumb gently to the veer of the volume control and rolled it until he couldn't hear the music coming from the walkman anymore. Straining his ears a little yet still keeping both eyes shut Alec focused his attention on to the half open window and the conversation happening on the other side of it.
" –ously expect me to just sit around here doing absolutely nothing while you two go off to find mister cyber geek?"
"It's not a request it is an order." Alec could roughly picture her back stiffening as she fought the urge to stand in attention.
"Oh yes almighty commander let me just turn around while you kiss.my.ass."
At this his eyes snapped open so fast that he had to blink a couple of times to get used to the light. He half expected to see 599 holding her up in the air by her neck, or something equally dramatic. Instead what he saw was something that for better or worse would haunt him in his days to come. After being bluntly insulted and partly ridiculed by a fellow unit member, an inferior ranking unit member, 599 stood arms crossed over his chest looking quite, well exceedingly... amused.
His lips quirked upwards as if he were trying to look upset and failing miserably at it, his eyes shone with laughter and his right eyebrow raised higher then the other. Max on the other hand seemed to feel she'd stepped over some kind of boundary, her face was set with resolution but Alec could see she still squirmed a bit when she looked into her C.O's eyes. Quickly she averted her gaze.
"Do you think I'm that useless?"
The blonds smirk was replaced with a frown as he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You're not useless, far from it Maxie."
"Then why the hell are you leaving me behind. If he were Zane or maybe even Krit I'd get it. But he isn't part of our pack and you're the most distrustful person on the planet!"
"I know what I'm doing." He snapped back and then looked apologetically towards her. Reaching out his other hand he placed it under her chin making Max look up at him. The action gave the impression that they were much more then teammates. Alec felt a small pang in his chest that he couldn't identify.
"I don't trust him. That's why he's going. Besides it's a simple elimination, I could do it by myself with one hand tied behind my back."
Max rolled her eyes at his smugness but smiled anyway, all three knew the statement was true. Before they had a chance to discover his eves dropping he closed his eyes and turned up the volume before drifting into the music once more.
About a minute later they entered again and he successfully avoided any clash with either of them.
That was of course until now.
"You know, we could just pry the door open."
The glare he received was answer enough.
Of course he knew that doing so would risk exposure or at least a set of uncomfortable questions that neither could nor would answer. But it had to be better than this, heck even submitting himself to Biggs twisted taste in literature would be better.
His friend was a trashy novel junkie.
Suppressing the vast smirk that always accompanied this thought Alec decided on a different approach.
"Who's your Second?" He already knew this of course, even though he couldn't place this particular unit as average the general facts were known all through the compound. What he couldn't get was why 452 was sent on this mission instead of any other member of her unit equally capable and not in the program, she wasn't the highest ranking after her C.O.
As expected 599 looked at him like he had grown another head. "X5 798, why?"
Alec shrugged innocently. "Just curious."
Okay, so that really didn't help ease any suspicion off of him.
His companion mumbled something similar to whatever and went on to stare at the wall.
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A/N: I've had this part for awhile now, but it seemed so incomplete. That's why the next chapter is sort of a second part to this one. The thing is... it isn't all that written yet. Okay, okay, before you all go fantasizing about my death in not so pretty ways just hear me out. I intended to finish the other part and post it all together but school, life, and time just wouldn't let me. I don't know when I'll have the time to sit down and write, or if sudden motivation will strike and I'll forget all those pesky things like work and assignments, but as I've said before I aim to finish this story. So don't fret even If it is a while before I get a chance to post again.