Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel!

A/N: first attempt. Sorry for any spelling mistakes… Enjoy!

Thanks to:

calistra: glad you like it! read on to find out what happens... ;)

Alana84: read on to find out!

lakegirl08: read on to find out... this chapter no cliffhangers...kind of... i cant help it :)

Chapter 8 – When They All Meet

When he first heard someone coming down the stairs, he hurried to hide so he won't get caught. From what he heard, someone was down here in isolation. But when he heard the same thing happen again it was strange for him. Such a thing never happened twice in the same day, or in such close time between them. When he heard the man leaving, he decided to check it out, they were locked, nothing bad can happen.

What he didn't know was that something was going to happen, and it wasn't necessarily bad…

&&&&&&&&&&&&

When 666, 687 and 249 got to their dorms they had 5 minutes still left before it was lights out.

"Its almost20:00. At 22:00 we meet at the kitchen side entrance, near the window, like always. We will grab as much as we can and then to the basement. While I was helping him, he told me how to get there without being noticed so we won't have any problem getting to him." Said 666

"o.k." both 687 and 249 said

"Isn't it enough that you are always together, you also need the speak alike?" asked 666 with a smile

"No. it's just… its not intentional you know" said 249

"It just happens." Said 687

"Whatever...Hey guys. Joshua told us that those X5s, they also had names, like he did. It's kind of cool don't you think?" asked 666

"Yeah. Actually I've been thinking about it for a while. What do you think maybe we should also have names, only for us to know?" asked 687 he was happy that he wasn't alone in wanting to have names.

"Yeah, it sounds really cool! Let's do it!" said 249

"So… how will we name ourselves?" asked 666

"Good question! What do you think 687?" said 249

"Me? Why I am supposed to know how?" asked 687

"You are the CO." said 249

"What that has to do with naming?" asked 666 sometimes 249 is really weird about staff. "I know! Let's think about names we had from our missions."

"Cool. Hey, remember the mission we had a few months before. The one with 999 and 986? Well, I think that Jessica really fits you." Said 687

"It is a pretty name. I like it! From now on I will be 666 AKA Jessica!" said 666/Jessica she was really happy that she had a name. She wanted it for a while now, but she needed other people with her on the name secret, or else who would've called her by her name? So she was really happy. Now they had to figure out names for 687 and 249.

"I like it. Jessica really suits you!" said 249 " and I'll call you Jess, for a short cut. Really cute!"

"Do you have a problem with long names? You call Joshua Josh, now you will call me Jess as a short for Jessica. Hm...I think that Benjamin will be a good name for you" said Jessica in sarcasm.

"Yeah, I like it!" said 249

"You do?" asked Jessica in disbelief

"Benjamin, and to short it up, Ben. I really like it, thanks a lot, Jess!" said 249, now called Benjamin

"I like it too. But better just leave it Ben because every time we will want to call you it will be much easier saying Ben then Ben-jam-in." Said 687

"O.k. so, what about you?" asked Ben

"I think you should be named David. I always loved that name." said Jessica

"David… it's a nice name. Yeah, I think I'll keep it!" said 687, now called David

"Good." Said Jessica, she was happy that he liked the name she picked for him.

"And for short, Dave!" said Ben and they all burst in laughs.

"Everyone get in your cells!" called one of the guards

All of the X6s went to their dorms. Every unit had their own room which was divided to two. One room with the boys and the other with the girls. They were now teenagers, and they needed more room. And there was the heat problem, so the trainers thought it was better to separate males from females. What they didn't know was that the locks didn't really stop them from moving around.

Ben, David and the other males of unit 2 went to sleep in one room, while Jessica and the other girls went to sleep in the other room.

When it was 21:55 Jessica was awake and ready to move out. So were Ben and David. When Jessica left her room, she saw Ben and David exit theirs.

"How did you sleep?" she asked them

"Who slept? Couldn't stop thinking" said David

"What were you thinking about?" asked Jessica

David was thinking about his name and about the fact that she named him the name she loved. Loved. He couldn't tell her that. "About our names, it's really cool we have them." He said. He didn't tell her about his feelings about the names. About his name.

"Cool." Said Jessica

"Are we going to go, or stay here and talk?" asked an irritated Ben

"No, we are going." Said David and they headed to the kitchen.

When they got to the kitchen, they took mainly fruits and also some bred. They couldn't take too much or else someone will notice that there isfood missing. They took the food and headed to the basement with Jessica leading the way. When they finally got to Joshua's place, they relaxed a little. Now they are here, there is no way they will get caught.

"Josh! We came back with food!" said Ben. They walked around the basement looking for Joshua.

"Where is he? He was supposed to stay and rest!" said Jessica. She was worried for Joshua. "JOSHUA!" she shouted, but not too strong so someone else would hear her.

They heard a noise from the cells.

"Was that a nomali?" asked David, a bit frightened

"Maybe. I'll go check it" said Ben

"We'll come with you, just in case." Said Jessica and went after Ben, with David right behind her.

They saw near one of the cells a big silhouette.

"Joshua?" said Jessica

He turned around, and it was Joshua. He was sleeping.

"Why are you there, you shouldn't move, you are hurt." Said Jessica. She was relieved to see that nothing happened to him.

"People come. Joshua had to hide." Said Joshua

"So you went to the cells? That isn't a smart move buddy." Said Ben. This was really weird in his point of view.

"Joshua hide before. People come and put someone in the cells. I came to see who they put here." Said Joshua and got up from the floor.

"Did you find someone you know?" asked David. He was stunned to see Joshua talk and behave so… so nice.

"He has actually" the voice came from the cell they were standing next to. When they heard the voice, they moved backwards.

"Who is there?" asked Ben

"Max" said Joshua

"Wait, Max, as in X5-452 the one you told us that tried to escape and was caught, Max?" asked Ben. If that was true, it was amazing and funny, what timing did they have!

"Yeah, that Max. Got a problem with that?" asked Max from her cell. She got up, but she wasn't standing steady, so she leaned on the wall.

Jessica looked at her through the cell's hatch. "Why are you here? Joshua told us you were in Psy Ops."

"I was. I'm in isolation now. Not so lonely if you think about it, though" said Max, trying to laugh, but it hurt after a few seconds.

"Do you think it will be o.k if we give her some of your food Josh?" Ben asked Joshua

"Little fella need food. Strength" said Joshua

"What are you doing? You can't help someone in isolation, can you?" said David. He was a little confused from this whole situation.

"We are helping a nomali that tried to escape. I don't think helping someone in isolation can make us in more trouble, if we are caught. Of course we will not be so no worry." Said Ben and gave Max an apple.

"You're a life saver, I'm starving." Said Max, and then asked "who are you anyway?"

"I thought Joshua told you, he was near your cell. Haven't you talked?" asked Jessica

"No. Joshua see Max is sleeping, so I didn't wake her up" said Joshua

"Thanks for that, big fella. So, who are you?" asked Max. It was strange to see X6s bringing food for Joshua.

"The short version or the long one?" asked Ben

"The short one." Said Max

"We found Josh while we were having a drill in the woods. We talked and decided to help him. We took him hear, and came back now to give him food." said Ben

"That sums it up" said Jessica

"Wow, really nice of you. So, I'm Max as you know already, and what are your names? If you have I mean…" said Max. She wasn't sure, but she had a feeling that those X6s had names.

"Yeah, of course. I'm Jessica, that's David" she said pointing at David, "and that's Benjamin" she said pointing at Ben "but we prefer to call him Ben, its easier that way." She said with a smile.

When Jessica mentioned the name 'Ben' Max remembered in her brother Ben. And then in Alec 'he is his twin brother after all. Maybe he wants food too. Who am I kidding, of course he wants food!' she thought, and asked "do you have more food?"

"We have some. We thought we were only bringing food for Josh, so we didn't take so much. Why, are you really hungry, because next time we can try to get more." Said Ben

"Yes and no. I am hungry, but we are not alone here." She said and looked at Joshua, "Alec is here too."

"Alec here?" said Joshua, he was happy to find his friends again. "Where?"

"In one of the cells" said Max

"Alec, as in X5-494 Alec, the one you told us?" Jessica asked Joshua

"Yes" said Joshua, and started to look through the cells' hatches trying to find Alec.

"You know Alec, I mean X5-494?" asked Max. She didn't know that X6s knew things about other X5s.

"Yeah, he is the best CO, and best soldier. Or at least was." Said David

"What do you mean 'was'?" asked Max. All she knew was that he was a CO and looked like her dead brother.

"Before a few years, one of his missions went sideways and he was sent to Psy Ops for a really long time. After he got out, he wasn't the same. Or at least that's what some of his unit members told me. A year later, he was sent again. The weird thing was that he didn't do anything wrong. He wasn't on a mission and always behaved well. After that visit, that no one knows why he was there, he behaved different. He is still the CO, still the best, but I think that all that time in Psy Ops broke something in him." Said David. He remembered when 494 changed. 494 used to be nice to him, and talk a bit when it happened so in missions or drills with both X5s and X6s, now it barely happens. He is still nice to him and everything looks o.k, but something is different. David was good in reading people, and their behavior, and something definitely changed in 494.

"What do you mean 'broke'? Asked Max she had a bad feeling about all of this,

"Yeah, what do you mean 'broke'?" asked a voice from the cell in front of Max's and two to the left, it was at the end of the corridor.

Joshua went over to that cell, and was happy to see Alec. Joshua was busy finding Alec's cell so he wasn't paying attention to what they were talking about. But Alec wasn't busy, and heard their conversation about him.

"It's Alec" said Joshua, happiness written all over his face. The X6s were a bit embarrassed, especially David.

"Nothing…" said Max and David. one from concerned to Alec, and one concerned to himself.

"Right." Alec said 'if they think I believe that they are crazy' "I'm weak not stupid you know! Who are you anyway?" he asked the X6s

"I'm David and those are Jessica and Ben" said David "we didn't know you were awake sir."

"Whatever. So you have names too? Max did you give it to them, I know you like names and naming." Said Alec, still trying to figure out what exactly is happening.

"No, they named their selves actually, unlike other people here." She said to Alec.

"Who said I didn't had a name?" asked Alec, a bit annoyed from her tone

"Did you say you had? No. you said your designation is 494" said Max. 'Why is he angry at me?'

"Did you ask? No! I had a name, but I think Alec suits me better so I kept it!" said Alec, now he was angry 'what does she think she is? The only X5 with a heart and a soul!'

"Oh… I didn't know. Why didn't you tell me?" she asked. This was new information to her.

"Well, you see Manticore doesn't really like their soldiers being named, so I didn't publish it." Said Alec, "I heard you have food. Mind if I get some too?" he asked David, he knew him, he was cool.

"Yes, here you go sir." Said David and gave him some apples.

"David, right?" asked Alec

"Yes sir." Said David

"Thanks. And you don't need to call me sir. As you can see I'm not in a command position." Said Alec, he always liked that X6.

"Yes sir! I mean 494" said David. That never happened to him. Someone telling him not to call him sir.

"And it's Alec, as long as you keep it a secret." Said Alec. Just seeing David's expression was worth being in this awkward situation.

"Yes si…Alec! I think we should go back, before someone notices we are gone." Said David

"Yeah, and next time we will try to get more food, since there is 3 people to feed." Said Ben, a bit laughing from what happened right now with David and Alec, and this whole situation.

"And Joshua, you should rest, you are hurt you know." Said Jessica. She was still a bit concerned about Joshua's condition. "We will try to come again as soon as possible." She said and the 3 of them headed back to their dorms leaving Max, Alec and Joshua with a lot to talk about.

A/N: What do you think? PLEASE review and let me know :)