Many thanks
Elle6778: Glad you're enjoying the plot, I like to make things sound feasible. Dage named by Max as in BANDAGE, The common field dressing.
Susnooneus: Nice to find a new reviewer, glad you enjoyed my ramblings. Hope this doesn't disappoint.
Honey-X452: Sorry thought you'd forgotten about me, were you out on business.
Disclaimer: Not mine except new characters
A/N : My first attempt ,sorry if it seems twisted. Sorry to those thinking I'm stupid I put breaks in for change of scene, but download didn't keep them. I'll try to remember to put them in differently in future.
Who loves the teacher?
Chapter Five: Father's Legacy
"Why aren't you staying to help?" the question had been bothering Max.
"I can't, someone has to direct the other freaks here, or where you decide to make your base," said Issy.
"More like she can't wait to get away from me," said Alec, with what seemed like regret in his voice.
"Thought you were irresistible to all females, seems you're slipping," joked Max, not pleased that Alec looked defeated (he never did if she tried slapping him down).
"That's not true, but there are other reasons, which will become apparent shortly. That's why I need to get as much information to you as quickly as possible, but I think we need a break, it's getting late and Alec needs to get back to bed," Issy replied to Alec, ignoring Max's statement.
"There you go again, wanting me in bed," laughed Alec, not sure that he believed her, but needing a comeback after Max's comment.
"Well I must admit I wasn't expecting that when I arrived," replied Issy looking at Max as she led Alec back to the infirmary.
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Halfway across the compound Alec stopped, "So if you don't want to get away from me, why don't you stay, I want you to stay."
Issy looked at him, "It's complicated, but the longer I'm here the more at risk you are. Father left me a different legacy than you, he hates that I fell for you and could upset his plans, but worse something linked to me has fallen into the wrong hands. When it's sorted, I'll come back if you want me, but you have to ask."
Alec opened his mouth, but Issy put a finger to it, "Not now, later," then she kissed him gently.
They continued to the infirmary. Dage was surprised to see them, "I thought I wouldn't see you again tonight," he remarked.
"Sorry to disappoint, but our patient needs his rest so that we can start in the morning. I'll be back at 9:00 to set-up and get started, after all I want to finish by lunchtime," Issy commented, "Have you looked at the instructions yet?"
"Yeah, everything is ready, but I don't like the look of that chair," said Dage.
Alec shivered at Issy's side, the memory of that chair was not one he wanted to sleep on. Issy felt the tension in Alec as he stiffened, "It's alright I'll stay with you and promise to do no more than to unlock what is needed. If I could stay here I wouldn't do it, I can interpret them, but there are more to come and I might not be here. Speed is of necessity when the next ones arrive, and please stay close to Max, that encourages them to appear."
Issy stayed with Alec until he fell asleep, then she went to look for Gem.
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She found Gem in her apartment with Eve and Alex fast asleep.
"Sorry to intrude Gem," She said.
"That's alright, I was expecting you. Would you like to leave Alex here, I understand you will be busy in the next few days?" asked Gem.
"Actually, I was going to ask if you could help Alec look after her until I return in a few weeks," said Issy.
"That's ok but I thought you would be staying here."
"I'd like to but there are some things I need to do first," she replied.
"We could do with you in the infirmary, Dage has little training."
Issy left Gem without letting her know that she didn't think she would be back, happy that Gem was a good mother and would take care of Alex for Alec.
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Next morning Max was in the command centre at the morning meeting at 9:00, but missing were Alec, Dage and Issy. Max wanted to hurry through the meeting wanting to find out how things were going in the infirmary.
"Well don't know why we turned up," said Mole, "Hey Max are you listening to anything?"
Max was startled out of her thoughts, "Thought so," said Mole, "look Issy left a list of things that we need to get for the infirmary, there's food needed and she reckons we could have upwards of 200 more coming here in the next few weeks. They'll need food, accommodation, weapons and medicines, we've got to get organised."
"Ok so you sort it, if you know what is needed," snapped Max.
"Look we all know you're worried about princess, but he's strong and she care's for him, so no problem there. You've got the normal so stop messing up princess's chance because you can't make up your mind and get your mind back on running this place. You're the leader, so lead will you?" Mole snarled through his cigar.
Max looked at everyone at the table and sighed, this was where she had put herself, Mole was right she had to lead. "Ok let's prioritise and start planning." Max concentrated on the meeting.
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Issy, Dage and Alec were talking, as they went to the room for the procedures. Alec took one look at the chair and began to freak, Issy upped the sedation and he immediately calmed. With just Issy and Dage, they needed Alec to get himself into the chair, otherwise he might get injured.
Once Alec was in the chair, Issy started putting on the restraints, explaining that she didn't want Alec to hurt himself and that the chair would move so that she could get the samples without him needing to move. She hoped it would help him relax.
The first part required removing some skin from his bar code, which despite requiring Alec to be sat upright (not the most relaxing of positions) went well. Issy continued talking throughout, partly to calm Alec, partly because she was nervous. Although she had already carried out the first two procedures several times, she didn't want to do the final procedure of the day. It brought back memories of watching psy-ops at Manticore and the torture they inflicted, and she was powerless to stop. Now she was going to do the same herself to someone she said she cared for, it didn't make sense even to her.
The second procedure required some brain tissue, not the easiest of thing to get without drilling into the brain, but that wasn't an option. Alec stiffened until sedation was increased. The procedure was soon over.
The final part was to unlock his brain, psy-ops techniques put to the best use. Issy sat with him talking through what was needed, until he started reciting the inscription that was on the screen.
Issy finished the procedure immediately and with Dage's help took him back to his bed, to sleep. Then she went to the lab and started work modifying his DNA ready for the next procedure tomorrow morning.
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At 12:00 Issy appeared at the command centre, the meeting was still in progress. Issy stopped to observe for a minute, happy that everyone appeared to be working well together. Biggs and CeCe had joined the command and although there were two places at table, she knew Dage would be there soon and Alec would be back in a couple of days. She wished she could become part of this group, but that would have to wait.
"How are things going?" she said at last.
Everyone turned to look at her, "How's princess doing," called Mole, Max couldn't say anything.
"He'll be back before you know it," replied Issy.
"Now that's not what I meant and you know it," snarled Mole through his cigar.
"I think everything went alright," she looked at them. Realising what they meant she added, "He started interpreting before we finished, so I guess that's ok."
"Good that means we can get rid of that stuff then," Max said with venom, referring to the psy-ops chair and equipment.
"I agree it shouldn't be needed for transgenics, but what about familiars?" asked Issy, as innocently as she could.
"What do you mean?" shouted Max, hating the thought of what had already happened, "Haven't we seen enough of that in our lives?"
"O come on, haven't you ever wondered how long White would last in psy-ops?" Issy teased.
"You're evil," sneered Max.
"Actually I'm not, but we've got X's out there trained in interrogation techniques, it would be a pity to waste their skills when we need information," Issy raised her eyebrows.
Everyone looked at Max, they could see the logic, "A-Alec won't want it around," she stammered.
"Actually, I would quite like to see them suffer for what they've done to us and what they want to do to the ordinaries," said Alec from the door.
"Why is it whenever I leave you in bed to recover, I find you stood behind me?" Issy asked as she turned to face Alec.
"Maybe it's because you don't hide my clothes. Anyway since I'm here I may as well join the meeting," he replied with a smirk.
"Are you sure Alec, you look very pale?" Max asked very quietly.
Alec took a seat and the meeting continued, Max still worried about the prospect of having psy-ops personnel in terminal city, how would their victims react.
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A raid was planned for that night, but Alec was ruled out, with Biggs taking his place. Everything went smoothly but Alec disliked being out of the loop.
Josuha found Alec in the basement doing some training.
"Hi Medium fella should you be doing that," he asked.
"I can't sit around while the others are out, besides we heal really fast and I'm alright now."
"So who you fighting?" asked Josuha
"Me I think, too many questions I can't answer, so I train to forget,"
"They'll come back. You confused about you, Max and Issy."
"Well there's never been a Max and me, not that I would've said no, if Logan hadn't been there. We're 'friends' but I'm still not sure she wants me around. Then Issy, god that's an enigma, my guardian angel from Manticore, mother of my daughter, who say's she loves me, but she's too old for me and will be leaving in 24 hours. With the memories back, I know I fell for her but to save me she got Mia to block that during my last trip to psy-ops. Why would she do that?" asked Alec as he did a series of kicks and blocks.
"Max cares about you, but doesn't know herself what she wants, so she pushes you away. I don't know why Issy did that, must've thought she had to, talk to her Alec. Talk to Max as well."
Josuha left Alec to finish. When Alec had finished he had a shower then headed back to the infirmary.
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"You should have been back in bed an hour ago," she said without looking up. "You'll need your rest, tomorrow's procedure's will take longer."
"Ah, but will they hurt more?" Alec joked.
"They shouldn't, but no promises. Now are you going back to bed, or do I have to take you there myself."
"Promises, promises," he teased.
"Seriously you need your rest," Issy stated simply.
"Just answer a few questions and I'll go peacefully."
"I will, if I can," she replied.
"Why did you get Mia to stop me knowing I loved you?"
"Start with one of the big ones, why don't you," laughed Issy. "You were supposed to fall for Max and she for you. Together you would rule the transgenics like queen and king. Your presence would enable the runes to appear at the correct time and you would interpret them for her. Although he never said it directly, I believe you were destined to mate revealing more runes." Alex was staring horrified at what was being said. "As I said yesterday you and Ben had identical mods, this was so you could be interchangeable. So long as Ben was alive there was a choice, the minute he died your destiny was chosen, I had no choice. If Sandeman's dream of defeating the familiars was to succeed then you had to be with Max. I heard that she had been captured whilst you were still in psy-ops, so I asked Mia to block our past and made sure that Madame Renfrew paired you with Max. My part in your combined destiny fulfilled. I didn't know about Logan then, or my pregnancy, but even so I had to do someone else's bidding," she finished brushing her hand across his cheek, wiping away the tears.
"Just when I thought my life couldn't suck any more." They jumped at the sound of Max's voice and turned to look at her. "So what you're saying is I should be jumping his bones and getting this sorted out?" she continued.
"Max I knew you couldn't resist me," joked Alec, the smile lighting his face, but not his eyes, though he didn't know whether he wanted her. Max punched his shoulder. He wondered if Max had seen his tears and hoped she hadn't.
"I so don't want to go there, anyway I thought you were going to get me the cure for the virus that stops me touching Logan," she accused Issy.
"Well if you listen into other people's conversations, you often don't hear what you think you want," Issy replied, "Anyway I don't remember saying I wouldn't give you what you wanted, did I?"
"No, but with you wanting Alec and I to start 'mating'," complained Max.
"This conversation was about Alec, not you and I was only saying what destiny was supposed to happen. Your escape messed that up, but some things can still be salvaged," replied Issy, with no more emotion than a lab tech talking to the rats. She hoped she didn't sound too hard, but her own feelings couldn't be allowed to alter this fate.
Alec was looking at them, once again it looked like a cat fight over him. He smirked, "Now ladies much as I like the idea of you fighting over me, can we just sort out where we go from here."
Issy and Max looked at each other, Issy smiled. "I would never fight over you," spat Max to Alec.
"Whatever! Issy you seem to have answers so spill before morning," Alec turned to the other woman.
"So long as the two of you continue running Terminal City together and don't worry about touching each other occasionally the runes should continue to appear," she said.
"But you said we had to 'mate'," said Max not able to hide her disgust for the word.
"If they suddenly stop and the message isn't complete, we'll know we have a problem. Until then carry on as usual and just relax around each other," continued Issy, like the older sibling she felt she was.
"What about her heat, those hormones are meant to drive any man wild and she can't help herself?" asked Alec.
"That's up to you two, but whatever happens, you still have to be friends and leaders of this city together. No running away from here for either of you, unless everyone is moving out."
"What about the virus?" asked Max lamely.
"I have the formula in my bag, if I have time I'll mix the antidote, but I have less than 24hours before I must be gone."
A/N Will update at 20 hits, can't wait for the reviews, I might forget to update.