Thanks for the reviews
Elle6778: Glad you're enjoying the plot, I'm not a Logan fan but he's useful to keep Max busy!
Susnooneus: Curiosity killed the cat! I like to keep your interest, but if you're really confused let me know.
Disclaimer: Not mine except new characters
A/N : My first attempt, sorry if it seems twisted. I was waiting for 20 hits, but settled for 17 to give you something for Sunday.
Who loves the teacher?
Chapter Six: Issy's Escape
"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," Issy finished.
"You keep saying that, but I can't see any reason for you to leave," said Max.
Just then Mole came running in, "Glad I found you, Logan wants to get a message to you all. He's on the line, says he can't risk coming in."
"It's started then," said Issy, taking Alec's hand (knowing he wouldn't stay here until she came back) and following Max and Mole to the command centre.
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All terminal cities leaders were stood around the monitor when Max, Alec, Mole and Issy walked in.
"Hi Logan," Max said to the monitor.
"Hi yourself," he replied, "Is everyone there, including Issy."
"Yeah, what's this all about Logan. You're scaring me," asked Max.
"Seems you're right to be scared, I just heard Lydecker is on his way following a tracker on a rogue psy-ops operator," he replied.
Everyone turned to look at Issy, who just smiled, "Yeah, that's me."
"What you admit you're a rogue come to take us down," snarled Mole, ash dropping from his cigar.
"After everything we've just been talking about," said Max and Alec together, then looked at each other.
"You came in with a tracker so they could find me," continued Max.
"Hold up, that's not what I meant, why do you think I said from the outset that I could only be here for a short time?" she looked at their blank faces. "I knew I was being tracked, but I hadn't got time to get it removed before I came here. They may know I'm in Seattle but exactly where I have probably six hours before they get close enough, and by then I will be on the move again."
"Hey not 30 minutes ago you said you had 24 hours, why the sudden change?" asked Max.
"If you're boyfriend has enough info to guess that they're looking for me, the process of tracking has been improved." Alec was holding her hand tight and a worried look had replaced his carefree persona. "So it seems that it's back to the infirmary for Dage, Alec and myself, so that I can leave before dawn."
"If it's just a tracker surely someone in Seattle could get it out and destroy it," Max was hopeful.
"I wish it was that easy, its got a bomb attached on my spinal column. If it is removed by an amateur I lose my head, quite literally. I thought I found an ex-Manticore boffin who could do it, then he left town. I know where another is, but it will take a while to get there and persuade him to remove it." Alec and Max looked at each other, been there caused the problem.
"Sorry my fault he left," said Max and Alec in unison, both feeling guilty.
"Not your fault, the guy was always a bit flaky."
"But who put it there and why?" asked Max.
"You friend Madame Renfrew, when she realised I had been 494's teacher. She was jealous as hell, and said if I ever went near him again she'd blow my head off. Unfortunately the place got blown-up before I could get it removed," Issy said calmly, whilst everyone else winced and Alec not only winced but breathed a sigh of relief that he'd avoided a fate worse than death (the picture he could see was truly horrendous).
"You expect them to believe that," cut in Logan.
"There are three people in this room that I can't influence, so if they believe me that's all that matters. Anyway we're wasting time and I haven't got much left here."
Issy led Alec and Dage over to the infirmary.
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After they'd gone Logan asked, "Max do you believe her?"
"Yes Logan I do, she hasn't lied yet and she has given us lots of help. She even saved two of our friends from death, not the act of a transgenic hater. We need to help her get out safely. Can I count on your help?"
"Max how can you trust her, you hardly know her," Logan felt pushed out, a feeling he never liked when it came to Max.
"Fine we'll do it ourselves. I'll see you later." Max cut the line and went to talk with Mole and Biggs about Issy's escape.
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Meanwhile Issy and Dage were carrying out the medical procedures on Alec. Everything went well, but Issy was concerned.
After the procedure when Alec was back in his hospital bed, Issy upped his sedation. Max saw what she did, Issy saw Max.
"I want him to sleep and he keeps fighting the medication," explained Issy, "I need to leave some of my blood in case he needs it and I want to be far away before he wakes."
"Don't you want to say good-bye?" asked Max.
"No good-byes are final and I'd like to come back, if you don't mind."
"You don't need my permission."
"No but I'd like it. If I come back it will be to support you and Alec as leaders, but to reclaim Alec as mine," she continued, "How will you feel about that?"
"I don't know how I will feel, but Alec needs someone who understands him, not the blonde bimbo's he's usually with," replied Max with total honesty.
"Hey I'm blonde, but I'll let you off," Issy laughed. Turning to a nearby table she continued, "You might want to get Dage to give you this, but check your blood before touching Logan. I think I got it right, but with the rush I may have missed something. If there is a problem the formula is right, get Dage to mix it up again. You might want to improve the medical facilities before I return, we will be busy with the X series when I return, one every couple of days."
"Shit, you talk quick, thanks for what you've done. We'll try to get the infirmary sorted, but you need to look after yourself. Is there anything else I need to know before Biggs gets you out of here?" Max was surprised that with everything else that had happened in the last few days that Issy had found time to mix the antidote.
"Max, I'll get as many of our kind as possible to start coming here, from the end of the week. I'll send Biggs back as soon as possible. Look after Alec and Alex for me. I'll call once it's safe and get Alec on sorting out the runes tomorrow, it will keep him busy," Issy said as she hugged Max and started to leave.
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Biggs took Issy to the city limits, then she got a lift with a truck driver and he returned to Terminal City.
"Issy's on her way, I took her out of town," Biggs told Max on his return.
"She didn't even wait to say goodbye," said Alec sadly from the doorway, pale and sagging.
"Hey, what you doing up, she wanted you to sleep until lunchtime," Max said concern etching her face, as Josuha picked Alec up and carried him to a chair.
"So this is where you are?" said Dage, "I only turned my back to check the notes and you'd gone."
"I just wanted to say take care, but she already gone," Alec said the tears beginning to well. Snap out of it you fool it's no big deal plenty more fish in the sea, he chided himself, being far too emotional recently must be due to those procedures.
"She knows, but thought the parting would be difficult. Anyway she said I should put you to work translating the runes," Max tried to comfort him. He's taking this hard, always thought the 'I'm alright' was for show, thought Max.
Dix called to Max, "Hey Logan's on the line."
Max ran to talk to him, "Hi how's things," she said.
"Just thought you'd like to know that Lydecker has called his search off in the Seattle area, seems the rogue left town a few hours ago and they lost the signal."
"Thanks Logan, can you keep me posted if you hear anything, we might still have reason to owe her your life. Later."
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A/N Since people seem unwilling to review I am wanting for a minimum of 20 hits before each chapter. Seems to take two days, which is OK by me, I think I will have enough chapters to post until my holiday on 6th August.
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