Disclaimer: Dark Angel does not belong to me. It is the masterpiece of a mastermind by the name of James Cameron. Charles Eglee helped out too, I guess.
A/N: Lots of action! Action packed! Guns blazing, people running, getting shot in the butt—okay, just the leg—yelling, fireworks—not the fluffy kind…at least not yet—the whole deal.
A/N2: Situation "barrowed" from episode 2 of season 2, "Bag 'Em." Of course, it has been spiced up a bit, by yours truly.
The Identity of a Soldier
Chapter Five: Listening to Mommy and Daddy
They took Max's motorcycle nearly twelve miles north east, where they found an abandoned barn. Looking around outside, the two found evidence of junk food. In this area, that wasn't possible. Max looked sideways at Alec.
"They aren't too bright are they?" He smirked.
Max smiled, he had a point. "You'd think Manticore's finest would be able to go to ground and have the resources to keep their tracks hidden."
Alec shrugged. He couldn't remember much about being the "perfect Manitcorean soldier," and he wasn't sure that he wanted to. The two stepped through the door quietly. Seeing four lounging x series in their teens and one younger, Alec thought he would have some fun. "Daddy's home." Max looked at him oddly, a small smile touching her lips. She knew there was a reason she had named him Alec, short for smart aleck.
The kids all jumped, standing to attention with perfect salutes. "X6-787, sir!" "X6-809, sir!" They began giving their designations. X5-494 had appeared, they all began breathing cautiously. The 494 they had known was like a split personality. While in command, he was strict, allowing no errors. But anytime in off hours, 494 was never professional. He was always laid back. They didn't know which personality to expect. His opening remark came from his loafing persona, but they couldn't be sure.
"Yeah, whatever." Alec was confused at their use of numbers instead of names. Something was way more than screwed up with Manticore, but still it hinted at something. The numeral 494 flashed through his mind, but Alec stubbornly shoved it away in favor of the issue at hand. "What were you bozos thinking…knocking over a Quickie Mart?" He waggled the empty bag of chips in front of him.
"Sir?" The unit seemed confused. This 494 was an odd mixture of both militaristic transgenic soldier and sarcastic normal human.
"You have obviously never been on the outside before." Max took a stance reminiscent of the TAC officers. But she saw something in the corner, watching them. It still weirded her out to see the X7's. "What's that doing here?"
The kids didn't respond to her. Max frowned. Alec noticed their hesitance and ordered "Answer the question!" Max's posture demanded obedience, yet they didn't respond to her. They seemed only to give any answers when he asked or prompted them to. What was so special about him? He didn't know these kids. At least he didn't remember knowing them…
"He escaped the attack with us, sir." A girl who looked to be about fifteen years old with loosely braided long blonde hair answered.
"Attack?" Alec questioned. He didn't know anything about an attack. He remembered an explosion, but it wasn't an attack. The fires had been set from the inside.
"On Manticore." A tall male responded. He looked to be the oldest, about seventeen.
Another male spoke next, he looked to be about sixteen, but he emitted the kind of authority associated with the CO of a unit rather than an underling. He was the main voice of this rag-tag unit. "Command's been re-established. We saw the signal to regroup last night."
A red-blonde girl with short hair continued, "The rendezvous is about six clicks from here, south south-west. We were just about to move out."
"Well, I hate to break it to you, but Manticore wasn't attacked." Max took up the debrief. "They tried to barbeque you."
The kids didn't even acknowledge that she had spoken. They instead turned to Alec for explanation. "Sir?"
He understood Max well enough to take the lead. "They're trying to kill us. The signal is bogus. It's a trap." He dropped the empty bag and stuffed his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket.
The leader of the unit spoke up, confused, yet trying to radiate with the military bravado that they had been trained to use. "If I may, sir, that doesn't make any sense. We're valuable military assets, representing millions of dollars in R&D."
The oldest among them spoke again. It seemed he was searching for the truth. He wanted to believe what Alec was telling him, but was still doubtful. "Why would Manticore want to get rid of us?"
Alec smirked at them. "I want to get rid of you. And I just met you." Max nudged his ribs. That was not the way to win them over. But then again, they weren't listening to Max right now.
"We should get going, sir. They're waiting." The unit CO seemed impatient.
"What part of 'they're trying to kill you' do you not understand?" Max was loosing it. So, what? They weren't listening to her? But that was understandable. She hadn't exactly been a prominent figure at Manicore, so they wouldn't associate her with Command, or any higher authority. But it seemed that they knew Alec. He must have had some kind of higher position, they listened to him.
The leader of the group looked snidely at her. "All due respect, sir," he said sarcastically, then turned to Alec "but officers of rank superior to yours left standing orders to regroup when ordered to do so."
Alec waved a hand in seeming defeat, "well, far be it from me to violate the chain of command." He crossed his arms over his chest and waited. Max dropped her jaw. He was just leaving them to fend for themselves.
"Fall in." The CO of the unit stepped forward and turned to face the unit.
"I can't believe you're really gonna do this." Max watched them arrange themselves in ranks.
As they marched outside, Max went for her motorcycle. She trusted her gut more than the blind faith these kids had in Manticore. "Alec, wait here. I don't know for sure what's gonna happen, but I've got a bad feeling that if those kids go to regroup like the signal said…they won't be going home, if you know what I mean." Max was irritated with him. He just let the kids go, probably right into a trap, just like they had said…lambs to the slaughter. "If anyone else shows up, make sure they stay."
"Max?" Alec didn't understand why she wanted to go after these kids. In his opinion it was their own problem if they wanted to believe a lie.
"Alec, this is happening because of me. I let everybody out." Max thought about the ones Joshua had shown her in the basement. "Some of them don't even look human, but that's my family. I'm responsible for them." Max got on her bike, revved the engine and took off after the kids.
They arrived at the bridge, finding what they expected. Or so they thought. Men in special-ops black gear toting M-9's stood facing them at the other end of the bridge. The soldiers raised their weapons at the kids, preparing to take aim and fire. But before a shot could be taken, Max sped up the bridge and launched herself past the kids, ramming into the soldiers, knocking them down.
Max spun the bike around and shouted at the surprised kids, "RUN!" For the first time, they listened to her. But one teen wasn't lucky enough to get away unharmed. He barely took a few steps when one of the soldiers on the ground let off a shot that tore itself through his calf muscle.
Max hauled the kid behind her on her motorcycle as she followed the others back to the barn.
A/N: Wow, that is the fastest that I've ever gotten my three requested reviews, and then some. Not to mention time enough off from work to be able to post up the new chappie. Hope you enjoyed it, and don't forget to review.
A/N2: Next chapter coming soon, I'm almost done with it. Give it a couple of days and three reviews:)
Review Responses:
calistra: I thought that might be appreciated.:)
J.D5: I like connecting my story to the series, helps in keeping it in perspective, I guess. I will probably have Max go into heat…though I'm not sure how to write it and keep it decent at the same time. We'll see.
Angel of Darkness231: Well, thanks. I'm glad that you think so I will continue when I have time to do so. Please don't be mad if it takes me some time to update after this…school and all that jazz. You know how it is…lack of time all around…blah, blah; woof, woof.
lakergirl08: Thanks. Though, White doesn't actually come into the story for a bit yet…He will, just not now.
