Disclaimer: Not mine except new characters.
A/N: My first attempt.
Many thanks to the people who reviewed the last chapter; it's nice to know you still care. Hope you continue to enjoy and review.
Who Loves The Teacher?
Chapter Sixty-one: Alec's break
After leaving Alec and Issy in med bay Max and Ben head back to find Mole and Biggs. "He's not going to like it," Ben commented.
"How do you know?" Max sighed.
"Because I wouldn't in his shoes," Ben explained, "looking around it seems he did a lot to save a massacre occurring here and now you're going to demote him. I think I'd want to fight that one."
Max's expression changed from confusion to complete understanding, "that's what she wants, she wants Alec to be so mad at me that he's got to get well. I just hope it works."
"Yeah, I can't see him coping well if he doesn't." Ben replied sadly, he may not have got on with Alec when they were here last time, but the insights into Alec from their journey had brought him to respect the guy.
"Me neither," Max sighed. Changing the subject, "so what are you going to do while I'm back running TC?"
"What did he suggest before we left?" he asked. Max looked at him with questioning eyes, "I'm sure you discussed it."
Max thought for a moment, "we discussed you being in charge of the returnees, making sure they keep their training up to date, settle disputes, you know CO type stuff."
"Reporting to whom?"
"Biggs, he's the overall CO for X5s around here."
"Ok, I'll go with that for now," he agreed. "Now you need to do your leader stuff and I'll go see how they're getting on; see you in you apartment later."
"Thanks," she said quietly.
"For what?" he replied.
"For being there and somehow making this easier," she looked up at him and pulled his chin down to hers so she could kiss him.
He grinned, "I'm always there for you Maxie."
She smiled it was nice to hear him use his special name for her, the one that she always complained about Alec using.
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Max met Jondy, Biggs and Mole in HQ and motioned them into her office, "I need to be brought up to date on what's been happening," she informed them.
"What about Alec?" Biggs asked, he hadn't really seen him since their return and was concerned about his unit buddy.
"He's on the sick list until further notice," she replied, "I don't want anyone visiting without checking with me first and he's not to hear about what's happening from anyone but me, understood."
"So princess did do more damage than she'll tell us," Mole grumbled.
"Information is on a need to know basis," Max replied, "unless Alec already knows it will be between Issy and me only. So Mole what happened here?"
"Alec got Dix intercepting White's cell, got the number from Greg," he replied. "Anyway one day he picked up this message that White was planning something big to wipe us out. Alec figured that it'd be an air-raid and got us moving everything underground about the time that Sam arrived with a hard luck story. Don't know how but Alec and Psyche got her to play you for White's raid, hoping to get them to safety after White would think they were dead. Well he got the White part right, but somehow the landing didn't work out and you know what happened."
"How's Sam?"
"She got concussed and a broken leg; should be released in a couple of days, unless she upsets Issy," he grinned.
"Ok anything else I need to know about?"
"The phallux who started it are still being held, I think Alec was going to hand them over to Clemente, but didn't get round to it."
"We'll deal with them later, they can wait," Max replied. Turning to Jondy and Biggs, "and what about this mission of yours?"
"Alec got some information about where the cult's leader was and thought we could counter White's attack with one of our own," Jondy explained.
"We're not ready for that," Max complained.
"Maybe not but in doing the mission we've brought back a snake for the research team to work out the vaccine and got a date from Matthias about the supposed start date," Biggs interjected.
"When's things supposed to kick off then?" Max enquired.
"We've got two months to develop and distribute the vaccine," Jondy replied.
"I suppose it's a start," Max replied grudgingly.
"So what's Ben going to be doing?" Biggs asked.
"Looking after the returnees and reporting to you," she replied. She was pleased to see the surprised look on his face. "Alec and I agreed that before we went looking for them."
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When Ben found the returnees they were in the canteen having some food. Apart from Owen the Russian team sat away from the others, who sat around two tables next to one another and were talking together.
"I'm glad you're together it will make this easier," Ben started ignoring the Russian team. "For the time being I will be your link to the command team, Max wants everyone to keep in training for whatever is coming."
"She said something about Issy removing the serotonin deficiency," Owen stated.
"Yeah I know but until Alec's ok I don't think Issy will be thinking about anything else," Ben replied.
"So he's done himself some serious damage," asked Judd, concerned for someone he considered a friend.
"It seems so," Ben answered.
"So 494 the great isn't so perfect," Peter called over sarcastically, "not only does he mess up missions, but he gets himself hurt too."
Judd got up and walked over to him, "next time you want to mouth off about Alec make sure you're amongst friends, cuz next time might be your last," he warned.
Ben had come over to step in if a fight started, but Judd backed away.
"And why not now?" challenged Peter.
"Because I don't want my food to get cold," Judd dismissed.
"Just because Issy is busy doesn't mean I can't get Max to have a word with Psyche," Ben threatened the Russian team, "any more bad mouthing of anyone on the command team and we'll see what she wants to do, got it." Peter and Fritz glared at him, while the girls smiled innocently.
The others looked on approvingly of the reprimand. "So is Alec having visitors?" asked Raven.
"Only by appointment and then only Max," Ben replied seeing some disappointed faces he added, "but I'm sure he'll want to see you when Issy lifts the curfew." Changing the subject he continued, "have you all been given somewhere to bed down."
"Yeah, some strange dog faced transhuman gave us all details," Tori replied with a look of concern.
"That would be Joshua, he's one of Max's trusted friends and an artist, so be nice to him," Ben explained, "you met Mole when we came in, there are several nomalies and other series here, but everyone wants the same thing a safe place to live and grow old. That's what the command team are trying to organise."
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After talking to Biggs, Mole and Jondy, Max decided it was time to see the cause of her latest concerns and headed back to med bay to see Sam.
Approaching Sam's room Max could hear her shouting, "when does somebody get fed in this place."
Dage saw Max approaching, "I just wish she'd shut up, she's always demanding something," he said. "The sooner she's out of here the better."
Max went to the door of Sam's room, "so you're back then," Sam snapped, "where's that jerk sidekick of yours who put me in here."
Max's eyes blazed at the comment, "if you mean Alec, he's down the corridor under sedation still because your distrust of him has caused him to be a lot more injured than a silly broken leg."
Sam was taken aback, she had never seen Max mad and where she'd thought Issy was trying to upset her, Max just seemed livid. "So what do you expect me to say, sorry," Sam retorted.
"Since you almost carried out White's wishes, that won't work," Max rebuked. "One of the reasons you're still here is for your safety, because there's a lot of people out there who want to do to you what you've done to Alec, and at the moment I include myself in that list. So you'd better stop whining and realise you're here until Alec gets out."
"And how long's that likely to be?" Sam asked a little subdued.
"At the moment I haven't a clue, but from what Issy said at least a week," Max finished and turned to go.
"When you see him, tell him I'm sorry," Sam said quietly.
Max turned and looked at her, "no, I won't, but I will get someone to take you to see him, not that you'll be able to say those words yet." Then Max stormed off.
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Next morning Max headed for med bay to see Alec, as she entered his room she could see he was awake and eying her warily.
Breezily she said, "I thought I'd talk to you before the morning meeting." Gesturing to the outside she continues, "looks quite a mess out there but apart from you and Sam there were no major injuries, thanks to your strategies."
Alec knew she was being nice for a reason, but wasn't sure what. "Gee she comes to say thanks," he replied sarcastically.
"Yeah I've come to praise your methods which protected the people, but that doesn't mean I'm not still mad at you," she responded with an edge to her voice.
"Well excuse me for not getting up so you can use me as a punch bag," he sneered through frustration, "but I'm a bit tied up at the moment, if you hadn't noticed."
She looked at the drips still in his arm and at the restraints, it made her wince. She knew how much of a bad dream this must be for him, but Issy said it was necessary and although she would question the woman's motives if it was anyone else; Issy wouldn't do it to Alec without a good reason.
Alec was watching her and noted the concern in her face, "any chance of getting them removed," he pleaded.
She looked at him sympathetically, "no chance; your strategies for others may have worked, but you nearly got Sam and yourself killed," she snapped, "so I'm kicking you off the command team until you're fit enough to beat me."
"What you're throwing me off the command team for trying to protect you from White," he accused trying to break the restraints, and failing miserably.
"You're no use to me in this state," she snapped, fighting her own emotions.
"Bet you wouldn't have said that to Logan," he glared at her, uncaring how she would feel.
"Logan was an ordinary and his skills didn't need him to walk," she replied icily, "you watch my back, how can you do that from a wheelchair?"
"Fine you go and run TC with brother Ben," he snarled, "and I'll find my family and go to the Caribbean and catch some sun." He tried to turn so as to end the conversation, but had to settle for closing his eyes.
He missed the tears in Max's eyes as she left and closed the door.
She met Issy in the corridor, "tell me that had to be done."
"It had to be done," Issy replied. "Look after you left I got a portable x-ray machine from some friends. Psyche helped me get some pictures of Alec's spine," she continued as they walked into Issy's office. Lighting up the screen behind an x-ray she continued, "I thought I must've missed something, it seems the problem wasn't his legs but a break of the twelfth lumbar vertebrae."
Max was horrified, Alec was going to end up like Logan and it was all her fault.
Issy continued, "don't worry the treatment I'd decided on was right; in that he needs to be restrained until the stem cells repair the damage; but he'll be sedated unless I know he's having visitors." Issy realised that Max had stopped listening, "Max, I need you to focus," she demanded.
Max looked at her in shock, "you mean he really is going to end up like Logan?"
"No, Logan's an ordinary, Alec's a transgenic; so he'll repair the damage given time and that's what he needs," Issy explained. "That's why I will be keeping him sedated for the next three days, so if you or anyone else needs to talk to him you'll have to give me warning."
"What are you going to do, knock him out completely for three days?" Max asked, "surely that won't be good."
"No, not completely, but enough that he won't keep fidgeting," she replied. "What are you going to tell the command team?"
"That he broke his back in the fall," Max replied nonplussed.
"You can't let them know anything he doesn't know," replied Issy, "and he still thinks he just hurt his legs."
"When will you tell him?"
"When he's walking enough to hit me," she replied and seeing Max's surprised, "but not enough that I can't dodge."
"Can you get someone to bring Sam to see him as he is?" Max asked, "I don't think she really believes what she's done."
"Ok but some may be my fault," Issy replied and Max looked surprised, "I thought he was improving before Matthias threw him against the wall."
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When the NorBAC team decided to take a break in the canteen Ben had just brought his team in from training.
"Hey Faith isn't that Mina with those ordinaries?" asked Will.
Faith looked over to where the NorBAC team were collecting their drinks.
"If it isn't it's her twin," Faith replied.
"But Mina didn't have a twin," replied Kelly.
Ben had overheard the conversation, "so who's Mina?"
"She's the one we lost," replied Wes looking over at Dr Patel, "you're right it does look like her."
Myles shouted out, "hey Mina you gonna join us."
She turned and looked at him, blushing she turned to her colleagues and made her excuses to sit with the transgenics.
"Sorry about not contacting you," she said to Wes as she joined them.
"No problem, but what are you doing here?" he asked. "Aren't those the ordinaries that took you away?"
"Yeah, they work for a medical research team in Canada," she replied. "With my knowledge from Manticore they thought I must be a research doctor and invited me to join them. We're here to help discover this end of the world as we know it virus and create a vaccine."
"So you landed on your feet then?" Faith queried.
"Yeah I thought so until I nearly attacked the boss in my last heat," she replied, "I've heard Issy is here and can fix that, until now I didn't know how I was going to get on her list."
"So you're glad you know us now," joked Wes as David and Colin came over.
"So Mina are you going to introduce you to your friends?" David asked.
"When you rescued me I was on a Manticore mission with Faith, Wes and Myles," she explained. "Everyone here I trained and went on missions with."
"So that's why you weren't worried about the snake," he replied.
"Mina always liked snakes," interjected Judd, "I remember one mission where she posed as a snake charmer."
"Yeah that was fun," she recalled.
"So will you coming back with us?" David asked.
"I'd like to, but not until I see if Issy will book me into the medical procedures," she replied. "I don't want another unfortunate incident to occur."
David looked at her and remembered the incident she was alluding to, "I think you're right to wait for that, but now we've got the snake we don't need to stay, I was hoping to leave soon."
"I don't suppose Psyche will be happy about that," she replied, to gasps from the transgenics.
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