Disclaimer: Not mine except new characters.
A/N: Sorry this is a bit long winded but I wanted to explain some things before people start getting sick.
Who Loves The Teacher?
Chapter Seventy-one: Helping their friends
Biggs, Jondy, Judd and Raven took the boat out before dawn to collect the NorBAC team and their escort.
Max, Alec and Greg were waiting in Max's office for their return.
"If this vaccine works, how are we going to get it to everyone in the world in time?" Alec pondered.
"I don't know," Max replied thoughtfully. "According to that Priest we've got about a month. It's going to take nearly that long to produce enough."
"I've still got friends in the Air Force who can get you anywhere we're on active service," Greg responded. "But what about these test samples, how are you going to get them to your test subjects."
"Issy and Alec will do Jam Pony and Alec's contact, Ben and I will take it to Sam Carr at the hospital and Dage and CeCe will do the same for Clemente and the police station."
"Thought you didn't want White to know you were alive?" Greg replied surprised.
"We don't, but where we're going we need them to recognise at least one of us," she responded.
"Jake won't trust anyone else and both Issy and I have been at Jam Pony recently," Alec added.
"Do you want me to organise flights through my contacts to distribute the vaccine?" Greg asked, wanting to find something to do that would help.
"It wouldn't hurt, I know Lydecker and Sandeman will be working towards that end in Washington, but it'd be nice to have a backup in place."
There was a knock and in walked Jondy and Biggs with the NorBAC team.
"Everyone else went straight to the canteen," Biggs stated to the questioning looks.
"Any problems?" asked Max.
"No."
"What about Peter and Fritz, did they behave themselves?" asked Alec.
"They were fine, no snide remarks," Biggs replied.
Max looked at Jondy. "Look he's saying it like it is. You might want to talk to them later, but talk to Sam first," Jondy stated.
"Ok," Max replied. Turning to David she asked, "so when do you want to start?"
"Thought we could start after lunch, if that's OK with you?" he replied.
"We are splitting into three teams, each with a member of your team," she stated. "You're going with Issy and Alec," Alec rolled his eyes at that. "Mina will be with Ben and I, which leaves Colin to go with Dage and CeCe."
"Where will we be going?" Colin asked.
"Your team will be going to the police station and seeing Detective Clemente. Alec's team will be going to Jam Pony and one of our suppliers, whilst my team will be seeing Dr Sam Carr at the hospital. Any questions?" she looked pointedly at Colin, but no-one murmured. "Good then let's hit the canteen."
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As they entered the canteen Max saw Peter and Fritz sat with Judd, Raven and Sam talking with none of the animosity that had been so prevalent before. She looked at David, "so what did Psyche do?"
"What makes you think she did anything?" he replied.
"They've changed too much."
He laughed, "yeah, one day they were being pains and Psyche took them to one side while we were working. When we were together that evening it was like what happened did you kill them and replace them. I did ask her and she laughed said something about correcting wrong thinking."
"Is Psyche with you?"
"Yeah, though she's probably gone to find Issy and Dara to catch up on the news."
As they went to collect some food Alec turned to Max, "let's hope it lasts, I don't feel like fighting our own. You gonna be ok with Sam now, she's looking at you warily."
"Yeah, I'm ok," she replied.
As they went to sit down Issy, Psyche, Dara and Dage came in for their lunch.
"It's filling up well in here," Alec commented to Max before psychically telling Issy where he was. Issy turned to him and signalled that they needed four more places.
"I wish you two would quit that," Max sighed.
"What?" replied Alec innocently?
"That thing you do which excludes the rest of us," she complained.
"Why? You feeling left out Max?" he teased whilst organising the extra places.
She huffed as Raven broke into their conversation. "Hey Alec is it true you're going to Jam Pony today?"
"Yeah why?" Alec replied cagily.
"They've got a parcel for me. Could you collect it while you're there?" she replied innocently.
Alec looked confused, "Sure, so long as it's not too big."
Max asked his question before he had chance. "So who's sending you parcels?"
"Oh it's from our last assignment, someone had something they thought we might find useful," she replied cryptically with a grin. "I asked them to send it over."
Alec looked at Raven, "friends from the assignment?" he asked.
"Yeah but I want to check it out before saying more," she replied.
Alec had worked out that since their assignment had been against the Reds in South Africa it might be something to do with Max's implant. He also realised why Raven was being tight lipped, he wouldn't want Max thinking they could get it out until they knew they could. "We'll be going straight to med bay when we get back so meet us there, ok," he instructed, hoping she'd realise he had an inkling about the contents of the parcel.
"Sure, no problem," she agreed and went back to her food.
Max looked at Alec, "are you going to explain?"
"Explain what?" Alec looked at her with a blank look.
"What that was all about?" she asked annoyed.
"Later, now I just want to eat and chat with my friends, before we go and start this trial," he replied turning to talk to Issy.
Max was fuming but saw Ben smiling as he sat opposite her, "what are you grinning at?"
"The most beautiful woman in the world pouting because she wants in on the secret," he replied.
Max stared at him for a second wondering whether to hit him for being as annoying as Alec, then changed her mind and punched Alec in the shoulder.
"Ow, what was that for," Alec complained.
"For being annoying and too close," she snapped.
Alec looked at her then at Ben and nodded before going back to his conversation with Issy.
Psyche had found a seat near David, Dara was sitting with Greg and Dage had found a place near Faith. They were all deep in conversation about their respective partnerships.
Peter and Fritz saw Natasha and Raisa walk in but refrained from talking to them. Peter felt the need to talk to Alec and Issy and he and Fritz moved closer. Alec watched them out of the corner of his eye unsure whether this was a threat or not.
Peter spoke first, "Issy we understand that we should thank you."
Issy was confused and looked at Psyche then back at Peter, "I don't know what Psyche has said, so I'm not sure whether that's in a good or bad sense."
"Psyche filled in some of the blanks from Manticore," he replied. "We understand that you could have had us decommissioned at any time but didn't."
"More than once that was due to someone else," she replied.
"Yeah we know," he replied turning to Alec, "but why you saved us I still don't know."
Alec looked at him, "because no matter what pains you were, you were good at the job. Enough of us got put down because Manticore broke their toys; while you weren't broke we had leeway."
"Is that why we didn't go on missions together," Peter chided.
"No point messing up a mission because you wouldn't follow my orders," Alec replied easily.
Peter looked at him for a moment, "I suppose you're right, but I don't know why you put you're position on the line to save us."
"Let's just say I didn't want to be the reason you got put down," Alec replied.
"Why did you believe Psyche?" Issy asked. "I tried to tell you before."
"She wasn't screwing 494 back at Manticore," Peter replied with no rancour. "We thought you'd say anything in his defence."
Alec and Issy both laughed. "Only to keep him out of the worst Psy-ops treatment," she replied. "What good would lying about him do, since you never believed it?"
"True," replied Peter. "But he did seem to be Teflon coated."
Alec laughed, "oh the dirt stuck, but I was too good for them to do anything about it."
Issy laughed, "and modest too." Turning to Peter, "you were all created to perform a task with Max, Alec and Ben as leaders. With Max and Ben on the outside it left Alec to perform the role in Manticore."
"Why wasn't everyone told?" Peter asked confused about this information.
"Because Manticore didn't know, only Sandeman and I" Issy responded. "That's why I was created, as a back-up data bank and research assistant."
"That sounds tough, so what X series are you."
"Original X5, but Sandeman lost the info when his lab was destroyed. He had to wait until he could retrieve the info from me when he was working at Manticore."
"Hey much as this is interesting I think Max wants to get going," Alec interrupted. "See you both later. See you Raven, don't wear Judd out too much," he called to his friends with a grin clapping a hand on Biggs back as he got up.
"Later," agreed Issy as she left with Alec.
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The teams met in med bay to collect their vials of vaccine and receive last minute instructions from Max.
"Ok, you know your assignments any problems Biggs and Jondy will send reinforcements. We meet back here at 18:00, if you're going to be late radio in. Right let's do this," Max instructed.
They left TC through the tunnels getting into vehicles supplied by Detective Clemente that had been left near Sandeman's apartment.
Jam Pony had provided ids for the check points, although they didn't expect to need them considering the source of their vehicles.
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Max was pleased to get to Metro Medical Hospital without any hitches.
Dr Carr met them at a side entrance and usher them straight to his office. "It's good to see you Max and Alec," he greeted.
"Actually it's Ben, Alec is on another run," Max corrected with a grin.
"Oh, like Sam is your twin," Dr Carr replied remembering the girl who came to his office pretending to be Max. "So you said thirty samples, I'll get my staff to collect those who won the draw."
"Hope you've still got the names in a hat because we brought you two hundred samples," Mina interrupted. At the surprised looks she continued, "we did initial tests on the staff at NorBAC and needed to make this one much larger."
"Well we'd better get started then. If Mina gives you your's I'll start getting the others," Max instructed.
"Two hundred won't cover everyone in the hospital," Dr Carr replied, "not even all the staff."
"Then we cover key staff until we run out," Max replied.
They started organising themselves. After the first few nurses had been vaccinated they helped vaccinate the others to speed things up.
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When Alec and Issy arrived at Jam Pony Normal was so pleased to see them that he almost ran from his office to greet them. "My Golden Boy and his lady friend are back," he grinned grabbing Alec into a bear hug.
"What can I say Normal," Alec sighed as Normal released him. "It's good to see you too."
OC and Sketchy came out of the locker area after hearing the commotion.
"Hey Pretty Boy, you here to give us a prick?" OC asked.
Alec blushed faintly as he replied, "I thought that wasn't your gig."
OC glared at him and hit him in the shoulder, "now don't go coming that shit with me, you know I mean that medicine stuff."
Sketchy hugged Issy and Alec, "good to see you, we've been worried since the bombing and stuff."
"Hey Sketch my man, we're fine, but we won't be if we're late back. Her Highness still doesn't like waiting," Alec hadn't realised that they hadn't been in touch with their friends since everything had happened in TC. They just had been so busy he hadn't thought to call them and obviously neither had Max.
"Don't talk about my Boo like that," snapped OC.
"Why not Missy Miss can be late but not my Golden Boy," Normal retorted.
"You got somewhere for us to do this OC?" Issy asked, knowing that OC would probably have sorted things ready. "We can do two at a time; we'll split you between David and me."
"If you do Normal and me, then I'll sort the others while Normal gets back to work," OC stated, Normal stared at her. "What you looking at, you knows I better at this?"
Normal stopped staring and got himself ready for his vaccination not knowing what to say, he'd swear that woman was trying to take over.
Alec stayed by the front desk watching for danger and talking to his old friends, letting them know some of what had happened but leaving out his brush with death.
As Normal came back to the desk Alec said, "I heard you've got a parcel for a friend of mine, it's from South Africa."
Normal looked at him, "that's for a friend; I suppose you want to be let off the surcharge?"
"I'm sure that's a small price compared to what we've just given you," Alec smirked.
"Ok but don't be a stranger afterwards or I'll send you the bill," Normal relented.
Alec looked offended by the suggestion, "well its difficult getting out, but we'll try. I might send Max next time though."
Normal shuddered at the thought of Max coming back and seeing OC, what would they cook up together.
When they finished David had a message for everyone. "Anyone feeling unwell should contact Cindy and she'll contact Terminal City, alternatively get to Metro Medical Hospital and ask for Dr Carr."
As they were about to leave OC grabbed Alec, "now don't be a stranger and tell my boo I miss her."
"Yeah well she's busy with her boy now," he replied. To OC's look he added, "she's with the older twin, Ben, same looks but not as much charm," he smirked.
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As CeCe, Dage and Colin approached the side entrance to the police station Detective Clemente opened the door.
"You're a sight for sore eyes," he said to CeCe. "Thought we took you out in a body bag after the Jam Pony siege."
"Can't keep a genetically engineered super soldier down for long," she replied with a grin. "Actually its Issy's skills that are really amazing."
"I can believe that from the news I've heard," Clemente replied guiding them down a corridor. "I've got a room here ready for you."
"We've brought fifty doses for you," Colin stated.
"I thought you were only bringing fifteen?" Clemente queried.
"We were but we produced more than we anticipated and rather than hold some back we thought we'd increase the number of people in this trial."
"I'll get the original fifteen then bring as whoever's on duty down," Clemente replied. "I've got my family in my office so I'll send them first," he finished taking his jacket off to have his own shot.
"Just a word of warning if anyone feels unwell they should get themselves to Metro Medical Hospital and ask for Dr Carr or you should get in touch with Max," said Colin Patterson.
"Anything else I need to know before you start on the others?"
"No that's all."
"Thanks for the vehicles; did you tell the check points to let us through?" asked CeCe.
"Of course you're on police business," he replied with a grin.
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When Alec's team arrived at the rendezvous with Jake he was expecting trouble, everything had been so smooth thus far.
Not to disappoint Jake's men were ready in ambush.
Alec saw them before they drove into trouble and stopped the car, using the car's speaker he called, "Jake this is silly I have doctor's here who can inoculate you and your men, but if you don't withdraw I'll just leave what we agreed and then it'll be your funeral."
Jake thought twice and ordered his men to stand down.
Alec wasn't happy so made a decision to stay put that way they could get out if Jake's men started anything. He spun the car round and kept it running. "You can approach one at a time any false move and we're out of here."
Issy took the wheel and Alec kept look out as David inoculated Jake's men, then they left with out giving them the information about what to do.
As they left David turned to Alec, "what happens if they get ill?"
"Jake will probably call and I'll tell him where to go."
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A/N Sorry for the delay I'm hoping to finish in a couple of chapters, but since its close down I'm not sure how exciting they'll be.
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