Disclaimer: I don't own Dark angel

A/N: first attempt. Sorry if there are any spelling mistakes! Enjoy!

Thanks to:

Alana84: Hope this answer your question. It will all get clearer in the next few chapters. Thanks for reviewing!

Wildsky: read up and see what happens. Thanks for reviewing!

DA-X5-494: Hope you like it. Thanks for reviewing!

Lakegirl08: Joshua will be in the next chapter, I think, it's a working progress. Thanks for reviewing!

Calistra: Glad you liked it. Joshua in next, hopefully. Read and find out more. Thanks for reviewing!

Chapter 3 - The Treatment Has Begun

Max was so tired. It has been 4 and a half months since she was caught and thrown into psy ops and reintroduction. Her treatment was intense and she barely had time to recover between sessions, let along get strength for the next one. 'This really sucks' Max thought to herself 'they just don't stop! It wasn't like this before! And to top it all, they haven't told me what happened to Alec and Joshua. If they were even caught, I don't know, maybe he is bluffing. I don't know what to think, but I know one thing – they won't break me!' Max was determent not to give up and not to let those freaks win!'

"Rise and shine 452. It's a day of celebration." Said Mr. Smith

'I hate that man! Everyday for him is a celebration' She thought

"Why, are you dying? Because that is a day I would defiantly celebrate" Max told him

"Now now, no need to be impolite. You must have learned that from all the time you spent with 494."

'Did he just mention Alec?'

"What are you talking about?" Max asked him

"You'll see."

'Oh my god. You'll see here, you'll see there. What's up with him and his sighting?'

"Don't you want to know why it's a celebration day?"

"Not really."

"Well, I'll tell you anyway. It's your 100th day in Manticore. Aren't you happy?"

"No, not really, nope."

"Well, we still have a special treatment for you. But not now, I need to arrange it first with your friend. Yes, there is no point to lie to you now. 494 was captured when you fools tried to escape. Actually, he's right in the room next to you. But no more talking about 494, there are some lab tech that need to do their job."

And as the lab tech approached her, she felt guilty about Alec. It was her idea running away, and she kind of forced him to help her. And with that thought her treatment began.

Alec was awake and was counting down the seconds for Mr. Smith to enter his room. That guy was so predictable.

"Rise and shine 494, It's a special day today. Do you know why it's a special day today?"

"Of course I do. I always like to keep track on the days of my torture, today is the 100th day."

"Glad to know you keep track of your humiliation. I guess that's what you do because there is nothing else to do." Mr. Smith was a bit shocked that he remembered. "I guess we have underestimated you. Or maybe is it because of your regular staying in psy ops with me." He said more than asked.

"No, it's not because of that. It's just that you are really predictable, and it is hilarious to see that look on your face when I said it. And now too." Alec said in laughter, but his laugh hasn't reached his eyes.

"You will regret that 494. No one makes fun of me!" he said, mare inches from Alec's face. "And I'm not predictable."

"I see you have healed. Took you a while. What? One hit from me and it takes you almost a month to heal? You should back off a bit, unless, of course, you want another one?" Alec said. It was so fun giving him that black eye. Although it had been the worse month ever after that. But every time he saw him he remembered why he was going through hell and managed to stay still and not break under the pressure.

"Oh, don't think that I have forgotten about that. Actually, that is another reason to celebrate today. We're going to have fun today. Me, At least ."

"What do you have on mind? I really want to know" Alec said in pure sarcasm.

"You'll see. It is a new treatment that we decided to take. We have noticed from previews visits that you never break completely, you just pretend. It didn't bother us before, as long as you behave and obey your orders. But we now see that there is a need in a new technique. Today will be the first day. We will check and see how it affects you and another X5 we have in psy ops."

'Which X5 is he talking about?' "Lets see what you've got." Said Alec. 'What new treatment is he talking about?'

Alec saw that Mr. Smith told something to the lab tech in the room with them. Then as the lab tech was doing something behind Alec, so he wouldn't see, Mr. Smith opened the door and 3 lab techs entered the room. One of them had a folder, he handed it over to Mr. Smith. The other one set the TV, and the third arranged the lazar position.

"You should cooperate or else you will suffer from your own actions."

"If you think that speech of yours made me afraid you are very wrong."

Mr. Smith opened the folder. It contained a CD and photos. He looked at one photo and then showed it to Alec.

"Remember this 494? It was your mission – Robert Berrisford, you were supposed to kill him, but instead ended up here, with me. Do you remember what happened? Let me remind you. You were working undercover. You were Mr. Berrisford's daughter" -now he showed him a photo of Rachel Berrisford -"piano teacher. When you were ordered to kill them both, apparently you couldn't do so. You tried to rescue them but they died."

"No, no" mumbled Alec.

Flashback

Rachel told him she loved him

Flashback

Alec was preparing the bomb

Flashback

Alec put the bomb in the car. He then decided to rescue Rachel. He ran up the stairs towards her. She looked so surprised and worried. He tried to make her leave with her father, but she wanted to know why. 'Why, why did you have to know' Alec thought to himself. He didn't want to lie to her so he told her the truth, he was there to kill her. She slapped him, and ran away, he tried to stop her, but instead he caught her locket. He ran after her down the stairs and to the driveway, and then the car exploded. He was taken by Manticore and spent 6 months in psy ops and reintroduction.

End flashback

"I can see from the look on your face that you do remember. Well, as you know, you tried to help them but it didn't work."

"The bomb exploded, it wasn't my fault! I tried to help them but she didn't listen! It's all your fault!"

"You disobeyed your orders and we had to do your job. You are useless!"

"Killing isn't a job! I am forced to do it!"

"You tried to help them and failed. Like now, you tried to help 452, and look where you are, here again."

"Shut up! You don't know anything and I won't tell you anything! Shut up!" Alec shouted at him.

"You will not shout at me! You should behave better, or else…"

"Or else, what?" He shouted at him.

"Or else you will suffer, and your behavior will cause suffer for 452 too!"

"She's here?"

"Yes, she was caught trying to escape. I guess her luck ran out the last time she tried to escape. You remember that right? You spend 6 months in psy ops just because you were 493's twin. And then, 10 years later another 6 months to make sure you're not psychic like him. So tell me 494 why did you help a 09er that caused you so much pain?"

"I guess you will never know because you don't have a heart and human feelings now do you?" 'So Max was caught. Damn can't that girl not get in trouble. So I was in here all this time not telling them where she is or where she is going to when she is right here? So what do they want from me?'

"Operate the TV and the lazar – he needs to know he must respect those above him!"

The tech labs opened the TV. There were photos of Manticore with the words 'Duty' 'Discipline' 'Mission' etc. Underneath it. Then there were photos of the 09ers with the words 'Traitor' 'Deserted' etc. then there were photos of himself – 494 with the word 'Soldier' and every second the photo became bigger and bigger until you could only see the barcode and the word soldier. All this time the lazar was operated and Alec was shaking. But then the worse thing happened. The TV started showing photos from the Berrisford mission going sideways. Rachel was his first and only love. Those photos hurt him not only physically, but emotionally too. As the pictures of her continued passing by with the word 'Failure' underneath, Alec became weak and powerless to fight against his emotions, and a single tear has managed to escape his eyes.

The treatment was repeated over and over again for the next month and Alec didn't think about anything but her and him failing her for that period of time.

Little less did he know that someone else was watching him.

A/N: please review and let me know what you think! It means a lot to me:)