Disclaimer: The TV show Dark Angel, all of the characters that appeared on it (Max, Zack, Alec, etc.), and everything else that has to do with the show belong to their respective owners, not to me. No money is being made off of this fic. I only own the original characters (Becky/X6-405, etc.).
Notes: Just in case anybody forgot, Wes' designation is 312, Jeff's is 941, Vance's is 437, and Riley's is 252.
Wes slowly started to regain consciousness and groaned. Oh man, did that hurt. I forgot just how much a sustained Taser hit sucked. He tried to move his arms and legs and found that he couldn't, though he could feel the occasional uncontrollable twitch from them. He took a deep breath. Nothing like the pain and the temporary loss of control over your limbs after a hit like that. He took a deep breath to try to clear his head and his eyes opened wide.
Damn, where the hell is Colonel Robinson? He remembered seeing her tasered by another man and concentrated and listened as well as he could. I don't hear her anywhere, not even breathing hard like she just woke up from a Taser-induced nap like I just did. Shit, this isn't good! He took a deep breath. Calm down, Wes. It's time to calm down and use your training and think.
He took another deep breath. First things first. Where on Earth am I? He looked around as best as he could. Hidden in some bushes. He closed his eyes and listened to his surroundings. It sounds like I was hidden pretty decently out of the way. It's like whoever attacked Colonel Robinson and me not only didn't want much if anything to do with me, they almost wanted to protect me in a way. Very odd.
Wes tried to move his arms and legs again with only minimally better success. My limbs still aren't working right. Okay, let's move on. The evidence seems to point towards the fact that they were only out to get Colonel Robinson and not me. But why? He thought about it. Start with what you recognize. The man that tasered you. His eyes were familiar to me. I know that I've seen those eyes before. He remembered what one of the trainers at Manticore had taught him and the others. Think of your mind as if it were a database. Enter the data that you have available. The man had familiar eyes--I'm pretty sure that they were blue--and he was of medium height. Search through the database until you come up with a match. He thought about it for a few moments before a memory came to him.
312 was sparring with 437. The two of them went back and forth and it seemed to be heading towards a draw when the trainer suddenly yelled out "Halt! Director Renfro in presence!" 312 and 437 immediately stopped and went back into line with their unit and watched as 941, who had been called out of their martial arts class earlier to Director Renfro's office, entered the gym. Marching next to him was a girl who was unfamiliar but was obviously another X6 as she looked to be the same age as 941 and was wearing the same gray t-shirt and gray urban camouflage pants and army boots as they all were. Behind the two of them were Director Renfro and next to her was a man.
"At ease, soldiers," Director Renfro said. "941, you may rejoin your unit." She waited until 941 had retaken his place at the head of the line next to 252 and then she gestured to the girl. "This is X6-405. She is from our Wyoming facility and she is the other soldier that will be going on the mission that X6-252 will be undertaking in three days. She will be temporarily attached to your unit until the completion of the mission. 405, you may take your place with Unit 4."
"Ma'am, yes, ma'am," 405 said. She saluted both Director Renfro and the man and took a place in line between 252 and 312. 312 managed to restrain his surprise. Normal protocol said that a soldier temporarily attached to another unit would take a place at the end of the line if the unit had been lined up in rank order, which they were since Director Renfro was in the gym with them. If 405 took a place that high up in the line then she must have been highly ranked herself back in her own facility.
"Also, soldiers, some of you may or may not remember or have seen before Colonel Lydecker, who is not only in charge of the Wyoming facility but is also in command of the entire Manticore project," Director Renfro said. She motioned to the man. "He will be observing you for the duration of this class. That is all." She turned around and left the room.
The trainer waited until he received a nod from Colonel Lydecker before he turned back to the unit. "No more wasting time! Let's see what this new girl is made of. 405 to the mats. 941 to the mats." He paused and waited for another nod of consent from Colonel Lydecker. "Ready? Begin!"
312 watched as 405 and 941 sparred. His eyes drifted for a moment from the two over to Colonel Lydecker and he immediately turned his attention back to his commanding officer and temporary unit-mate and managed to restrain a shiver. That glare and those eyes gave him the creeps.
That was Lydecker! Wes frowned. I guess that explains why he didn't want people to see me helpless and unconscious. He groaned again, though it had nothing to do with the pain that he was in. And the definitely explains why those people wanted to take Colonel Robinson! Oh shit! I better regain control of myself soon, or... He heard something and took a deep breath and concentrated with everything that he had on moving his legs and grinned when he succeeded. I hope they hear me!
Biggs stretched his arms as he and Alec were walking. "It feels good to get out for a little bit. It's nothing against Sasha or the girls, but..."
"I think she knows," Alec said. "Wasn't she the one who noticed that you were getting a little antsy because you have been so busy at work and almost ordered me to get your ass out of the house before she made me kick your ass?"
"No shit," Biggs said. He rolled his eyes but he smiled. "Man, what I wouldn't do for that woman."
"I hear ya," Alec said. "Brin's got me as whipped as Sasha's got you." He smirked. "If you tell Max that, I will kill you."
"Don't worry, bro," Biggs said. "You've got my word." They both stopped suddenly and turned to look at the bushes a few yards away to their right. "Did you hear something in the bushes back there?"
"Yeah," Alec said. He looked at Biggs worriedly when they heard a male voice moaning and they both bolted towards the bushes. "Who is it? Are you okay?" He and Biggs parted the bushes and his eyes widened in surprise when he saw Wes laying there. "Wes! What the hell happened to you?"
"Hit by Taser. Big time," Wes said. "I still can't move around much."
"Not a problem," Biggs said. He leaned over and picked Wes up and over his shoulders. "We'll get you to the car and we'll head over to Harbor Lights. Wayne's on duty and I'll call ahead to make sure that he meets us in the emergency room."
"You better make sure that you call Zack and Becky too," Wes said. "And it might be a good idea to ask Wayne to keep some tranquilizers on hand to calm them down."
"Huh?" Alec said. "What do you mean?"
"Lydecker was the one who tasered me," Wes said. "But I wasn't the one that he and the soldiers that he was with were after..."
TBC