Disclaimer: Not mine except new characters
A/N : My first attempt. Although I've been told we're not suppose to thank anymore, I will continue as I believe I owe it to my few reviewers to acknowledge my gratitude for their comments. I won't change the storyline for them, but some comments might be added to the story.
Many thanks:
Darkangelgirl:
Angelofdarkness78: Probably
Elle6776: only cuz she's not got anywhere, can't have her sleeping in her office, can we?
Shygirl1:
Maria656: Probably
Lakergirl:
Seems everyone is looking forward to Ben's return, but please be patient he isn't due until chapter 28 or 29.
Chapter Twenty-five: Secrets
Next morning at breakfast Alec was feeding Alex and Issy was making coffee when Max joined them. "I thought you'd wait up for my return."
"Hey you were gone over an hour and with all those meetings we needed an early night. Did your shark DNA allow you any sleep?" replied Alec, giving Alex another piece of buttered bread.
"Not much," she replied. "Issy if I'm going to be there when Ben comes home, can we delay the procedures?"
"We'll probably have to if we're off to Manticore in three days. When's your next heat due?"
"About a month, I think," Max frowned, "How long since you left? The last was just after that."
"So how did Logie cope with that?" teased Alec?
"I don't think he knew what hit him," she blushed and laughed, "Guess that was when I realised how naïve we'd been. He just couldn't cope with the idea that I had no control."
"Wish I'd been a fly on the wall for that one," replied Alec.
"Just as well you weren't, humans just don't have the stamina," she teased back, "I might have come after you as well."
"What a terrifying thought," he grinned back. "And to think I was just getting the troops working and looking after Alex, while you were having so much fun. When did we swap roles?"
"About the time Issy messed with your head," retorted Max, hitting his shoulder spilling the coffee he was drinking.
Alec turned to Issy, "Are you going to let her get away with that?"
"No," said Issy absent-mindedly throwing a cloth at Max, "If you make a mess, you clean it up. Only one who gets away with it is Alex, at the moment!"
Max started wiping up the spilt coffee nudging Alec's arm again.
"Hey cut it out," Alec complained moving away and turning to Issy, "if you won't help me out here, I'm going to have a workout before the meeting."
"Sorry I was distracted, trying to work out how to fit everything in, if you and I are going to be away for more of six weeks," Issy replied.
"What do you mean?" Max was puzzled.
"I haven't trained Dage enough to do the medical procedures on his own, I need to work out what psy-ops methods may be needed for the returning X5's and I still need to work on my analysis of the blood samples," Issy paused, realising that Alec and Max were staring at her, "What's wrong?"
"Max is almost hitting on me and you don't notice," Alex replied aghast.
"Sorry it was when Max asked about delaying procedures, I just wondered how many problems are going to happen because I'm the one going with you."
"You would rather I went with someone else?" he accused.
"No, never! Just three days doesn't seem long enough for our preparations," she tried to soothe, realising it came out wrong, "besides I wouldn't trust you two alone together in the woods." She went to his side and gave him a kiss, "but maybe a workout would be good," she ran her hand down his chest, "see you later," and a final kiss.
"Ok, but I'll leave Alex for you to get to nursery," he grabbed a towel as he left.
"I get the idea that you wanted him to leave so we could talk," said Max.
"No, if I wanted that I'd have told him," replied Issy, "but since you upset him, I just didn't stop him."
"I think you had a hand in that," Max retorted.
"I was being serious, in three days Alec, you and I are going to Manticore," Issy was sincere, "that will leave TC without its leader and sic and unless Sandeman steps in it will be down one medical officer. If anything happens while we're away…" her voice trailed away.
"I hadn't thought of that," Max sighed. Then more brightly she continued, "but Mole and Biggs will make sure nothing happens. Dix will have surveillance too tight for surprises. Since you showed us that tunnel he and Mole have found two more and setup cameras.
"Suppose you're right," she replied, "Anyway we better get Alex to nursery, if we're going to get to the meeting on time. If you want to talk we can talk on the way."
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As Alec walked across the square towards the gym he overheard some of the X5's talking.
"When we reached the blockade I saw Agent White approach the first truck," said Mitch.
"What happened?" asked Alec irritated that Biggs hadn't mentioned anything.
"Sorry sir I didn't see you there," was the reply.
"First I'm Alec, not sir," snapped Alec, "secondly I asked a question. What happened when White approached the truck?"
"I don't know, he said something to Lydecker, then we were allowed to pass, but he didn't look happy."
"What do you mean not happy, he's never happy."
"It was as though Lydecker had got the better of him, like he said he was solving the problem, at least that's how it appeared."
"Thanks, but in future discuss anything like this with the command team before letting your mouth off, talk like that could cause a lynching," replied Alec, inwardly seething, "Lydecker is supposed to be here to help and should be treated as such until proved otherwise."
Instead of going to the gym, he went to the Command Centre looking for Lydecker.
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Max was unusually quiet as she and Issy took Alex to the nursery. Although Issy knew Max wanted to ask some questions, she was waiting for the younger girl to start.
Suddenly Max blurted out, "I've always thought of Ben as my brother, but Sandeman is going to want something different. How are we going to handle that?"
"By 'we' do you mean you and Ben, or all of us?" Issy replied.
"I don't know? Both, I suppose. I mean does Ben still think of me as his sister, or have psy-ops changed that?" she pondered, "If we don't click, how will Sandeman react? When will Sandeman be informed about Ben?"
"Ben's original programming was to protect and stay close to you that has been restored. Love has to come from within, but have you ever thought that the reason you couldn't get together with Alec, was because he reminded you of Ben, you're first love?" replied Issy. "As for Sandeman, he will know when the time is right and whatever his reaction you and Ben will do what's right for you."
"What do you mean my first love?" Max agonised, "we never even kissed."
"Love starts long before physical contact. When you needed someone who did you turn to for help?" Issy quizzed, trying to get Max to recognise her own feelings.
"Ben always told stories to make us feel better," Max replied.
"Was it for everyone or just you?"
"Often it would be just the two of us," Max replied sadly. "But we got spilt up when we escaped; I've spent years trying to find my siblings again."
"Everything has a time to happen," replied Issy, "it will all make sense some day soon."
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"'Deck what's this about White being with the National Guard and you implying that you're here to sort us out on his terms," Alec accused as he entered the Command Centre.
"Look son don't be so naïve, if I'd told White my real reasons do you think he'd have let any of us in," Lydecker returned in a condescending manner, "as it was he didn't search the trucks or check the drivers. He's planning something, but he's not ready yet, so can we just get back to planning."
Alec was ready to flatten him when Biggs stepped over, "look Alec I was there, and if he'd wanted to he could have told White that the drivers were X5 but he didn't."
Alec relaxed his poise, "Ok but any sign of trouble I want him guarded."
"You've already got Biggs and Mole keeping me on a leash what more do you want."
"I'll tell you when I've decided; after all you killed us on less suspicion," Alec threw back.
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Max and Issy left Alex with Gem and headed back to the Command Centre.
"What about you and Alec?" Max asked.
"That's been bothering you, ever since I arrived," Issy replied.
"Yeah, well you're so much older yet had a relationship with Alec at Manticore. Sounds a bit off, if you know what I mean," she looked at Issy who seemed puzzled, "what with him usually going for young, blonde bimbos."
"Oh. You mean if we were really together he would be chasing older women?"
"Something like that."
"We don't have time for the full story now, but here's the short version is," Issy started quietly so only Max would hear. "After your escape Alec spent a lot of time in psy-ops. I replaced the head of the psy-ops and medical facilities after the treatment of the twins left some needing termination. So I was responsible for the treatment of everyone after that," She paused waiting for Max's reaction.
Max looked horrified, this person not only worked in the worse places in Manticore but she ordered everything that took place. "So-o you'r-re responsible for the p-pain and t-torture?" she stuttered.
Issy remained outwardly calm, "I had to appear to be as ruthless as everyone else, to protect Alec and later you and Ben," she replied, "The methods had been decided before my promotion, so I had to issue instructions based on previously used methods. I always used the least harmful methods and finished with private sessions using techniques unapproved by Manticore."
Max winced at the idea of private sessions, what could she possibly mean, "what sort of techniques? I don't remember having any."
"You didn't Renfro wouldn't allow me to have any closed sessions with you, they had to be on tape," she replied. "The others had a choice of voluntary hypnotherapy or simple counselling sessions, I was trying to restore their sanity not cause any harm," she continued. "I told Renfro that these were to be unrecorded or monitored, so that the person was given free reign to say anything they wanted to and I would answer their questions honestly."
"Surely that would have put you at risk from physical violence," replied Max.
"Yeah, but it was after Manticore had done things their way, so most were more subdued than normal."
"Most? So some weren't."
"I had a few problems with both Ben and Alec, on different occasions. After his resurrection Ben was very anti-everything, so trying to get him to talk was difficult and he would either fight or cry," Issy replied. "Alec was different after each session; usually he just wanted to know why. Not a simple why had it happened, more like why the whole world was like it was and when would it stop being so stupid."
"So Alec's sessions were long?"
"You could say that, if Alec spent 6 weeks in psy-ops, we'd spend the next 6 weeks talking about it," she replied. "I didn't usually see people after they'd been in the medical facility, unless mental trauma was involved, but Alec always seemed to find an excuse for why we needed to talk about what had happened. I fact from the age of 10 he seemed to spend as much time asking questions as all the others put together."
"Didn't you think it unhealthy, him spending that much time with you?"
"I never thought about it until it was too late," she replied, "Alec has always been fun to talk to and I didn't have many people I felt I could be honest with. I rarely left Manticore and didn't trust the people I worked with, but Alec always wanted to understand everything which was good for me, by the time he kissed me at the end of one session it seemed natural."
"He kissed you!"
"Yeah that took me by surprise at the time."
"So what sort of things did you talk about? It can't all have been Manticore approved subjects," Max asked.
"Anything and everything, Alec always tried to read about the world outside, even before they were being sent on missions. Quite often we would talk about what was happening around the world and if I did go out I'd bring back something we had talked about."
Max was puzzled, "Like what?"
"Like a hotdog, candy or baseball program, I even brought some cosmetics so he could know what they smelt like," Issy explained.
"So what had you been talking about when he kissed you and how old was he?" Max was getting curious.
"He was 16 and it was my birthday. He had made some excuse to the guards about needing to see me and had brought me a card, the kiss was my present," she laughed. "If you really want to know more, wait until we're away from the others, please."
"Just one more question, how did he know it was your birthday?"
"He had been seeing me on his birthday when he was 10, so I gave him a card, present and cake. I explained how the ordinaries celebrated being a year older, so gave him a birthday party," she said, "if Renfro had known I would have been in trouble. Alec asked when my birthday was so I told him, for the next few years I was always away on my birthday. When he was 16 there had been some meetings around my birthday so I hadn't got away and he remembered."
"So he came knocking on your door," finished Max, "I have got to tease him about that."
"Hey don't you dare, otherwise I will drop some of your psy-ops secrets," Issy threatened.
They had arrived at the Command Centre.
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"What's been going on?" Max asked seeing the looks and body language in the room.
"Nothing." All the men said instantly.
"Well if you're not going to tell me, don't let it interfere with TC business," she stated. "Everyone ready for the meeting, you got five minutes to get a drink."
Alec turned to Biggs and Mole at the other side of the room, "we need to talk now in my office."
They went into his office and closed the door. Mole and Biggs were concerned about Alec's behaviour after the incident with Lydecker.
"There's something you both need to know before the meeting and because I want you on side," Alec stated.
"Ok but what's the big secret?" replied Mole, clearly agitated by the cloak and dagger stuff.
"Is it about Lydecker or our boy in Rome?" asked Biggs.
"Our boy in Rome?"
"What about him princess, the suspense is killing me?" snapped Mole lighting his cigar.
"It's Ben," Alec paused for effect, "Max's dead brother Ben."
"Well she said she could get you going again with a little luck, so I guess we shouldn't be surprised," replied Mole.
"Ben! The one that had you in psy-ops for 9 months! The one that caused you so many problems!" replied a very startled Biggs, "we always said we'd kill him on sight, if he wasn't really dead."
"Yeah I know you did, but it was Manticore who put me through hell not him and Max needs him. So we need to figure a way of protecting him, to give him and Max a chance," sighed Alec. "After morning meeting we need to get everyone from our old unit together and I'd like you there as well Mole. We need to sort this out before he comes here."
"He's going to be the first back then?" asked Mole.
"Yeah, we'll be leaving in three days to set up camp at Manticore, in case he gets back early," Alec replied. "Then we'll bring him in as soon as Issy is happy to do so."
"I'll get the unit to my apartment for 11:00, ok?" Biggs replied.
"Ok better see what Max wants today," Alec said as he went to open the door.
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A/N: Sorry if it's a bit long, once they got talking Max and Issy didn't want to stop.
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