Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel or the characters you recognize, except for Alec. What? No one ever got hurt by dreaming.

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: It's been awhile huh? Sorry, sorry, sorry. Have I mentioned that I'm sorry? ;) This time I have no excuse, I admit that there was time to sit and write my ass off but every time I tried my mind went blank.

I'd like to thank all the pretty people that reviewed, I'd be like a spoon with no ice cream if you guys weren't around. And because life without ice cream is just depressing: please 'Review'.

Always

Chapter #14

Missions and time bombs

When the batted old doors opened at last both X's held in the urge to scream out in relief. The super, a mousy looking man with a balding hair line, apologized profusely and assured them that the problem was fixed. Not wasting any more time, Zack went up the last flight of stairs to the penthouse closely followed by Alec.

Before they could emerge from the gap of the stairway they heard the sound of a door closing.

Just in time.

A weary looking man in his thirties with spiky hair and very familiar brown eyes hiding behind round rimed glasses walked in front of the elevator doors and pressed the down button, immediately the access opened and Logan Cale went inside.

"That's my cue." Zack informed him before heading down the stairs.

Alec in turn went straight to one of the penthouse doors. He checked his watch and waited until it marked the expecting time.

7:19:57

7:19:58

7:19:59

When they had assessed the building the day before Alec had rigged the alarm system so it could be timed to shut down for about 15 to 20 minutes at this exact time, when the target had scheduled a meet and greet in a café not far from his home, 20 minutes was enough for him to access and destroy any computer files without anyone taking notice of his presence.

7:20:00

Alec entered the place with ease, making sure to not leave any evidence of a break in. Cale's apartment packed mostly valuable furniture and decorations, with a few rare paintings hanging on the wall. The place was far from Alec's own tastes but at least it had a good view of the city. The irony of a wealthy broken world crusader wasn't lost on him.

Finding the computer equipment proved easy enough although he could tell deactivating the shields Eyes Only put up wouldn't be as simple as he thought. He was able to get in a few protected programs before taking a small computer disk out of his back pocket and placing it in the hard drive. This would do most of the job for him lowering the processors defenses, he didn't have time to break through all the walls. Alec knew he would have to come back to finish the job.

As restless as both soldiers were the priority rested not only on the information he possessed, but also the Eyes Only's contacts that could benefit Manticore. From the same pocket as before Alec produced a small plastic bag. He took three minuscule items each one in different shapes, placing the biggest one behind the computer another on the corner of a painting on the wall behind the desk chair, facing the screen, and the last under a coffee table in the living room.

With one minute to spare he ambled out of the apartment leaving everything as it was. Right when he closed the front door the elevator doors opened revealing one Logan Cale.

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"That's my cue." Zack informed him before heading down the stairs.

He waited for the crane to reach the lobby and his mark to come out. Logan sauntered right through the entrance and out the front door, with Zack no less then nine steps behind him. He turned on the corner of his street and they walked silently until reaching a coffee shop. Zack watched him go inside and sit in a booth near the window, pretending to be waiting for someone he casually leaned against the wall behind him keeping Logan Cale in sight out of the corner of his eye.

Not a minute went by before Logan reached into his coat pocket retrieving a cell phone. He cursed himself for not going inside, not wanting Cale to panic, but now he couldn't hear what was been said on the other line. However, he could still read the other man's lips.

"Logan Cale."

"I've heard about it."

"Yeah."

"When?"

"You sure?"

"Okay, Thanks."

He closed the phone and walked out of the café. He passed right by Zack before coming to a stop. Zack was ready to blur away but whatever Cale stopped for seemed to be on the other side of the road. Zack's eyes followed the his back as Logan reached the other side.

A small pull in the pit of his stomach made him come to a halt right before crossing the street. Zack was ready to shake it off until he felt his entire body shudder, from a prickle in his neck to the tip of his toes.

Then he started to shiver.

Just slightly at first. His hands taking a life of their own, feeling the burning in his skin while he tried to close his own fists. His back went completely stiff followed by the trembling of his legs, causing his collapse on to the concrete floor.

Colors swam in front of him, blue and black and green and gray then black again.

Black.

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Alec opened his mouth, a tentative explanation forming in his head. But before he could get a word out Logan greeted him with a polite smile. Coming out of the elevator he outstretched his hand and Alec automatically extended his own.

"Christopher Palmer? It's a pleasure."

Alec only smiled and nodded going along with the situation.

"I thought we had settled on the coffee shop around the corner."

Alec weigh his options, unsure if this Palmer guy even knew where he lived. "Yes, well, I must have misunderstood."

Logan simply nodded giving no indication that anything was out of the ordinary. "I was just about to call you actually. I have an urgent matter that I need to handle, I'm afraid we have to reschedule."

"Of course, its no problem."

"Good. I'll call you to set up a meeting."

Shaking his hand once more Alec moved towards the elevator grinning when he passed him. Just as he celebrated his own good luck he sensed movement from his backside and heard Logan calling out to him.

"Christopher! I just remembered. I'm having a party here tomorrow night, my uncle's doing. I'd love for you to come, It'll give us a chance to talk before you leave town."

He saw the opportunity to finish what he started earlier. "I'll be there."

Logan smiled warmly. "Great. I can't wait to finally meet Lily."

Doing his best to contain his bafflement Alec smiled back tightly. "Neither can I."

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A/N: Next chapter? A little Krit, a little Syl, a little drama. There is a small (SMALL!) part already done, but I make no promises as to when it will be posted. I want to make it long cause you all deserve it. We'll see what happens.

No time to answer the reviews. But you all know you r.o.c.k

Confused? Got any questions? Ask away. Cause I know where it's going! And I can share…um, some of it. :D