Disclaimer: We do not own any of the characters from Dark Angel the belong to James Cameron, Charles Eglee, and Fox. But, Mercy and Amora are ours, as well as any other characters you are not familiar with.
"Hello?"
"Zack?"
"Yeah," Zack said, shifting his weight to his left foot in the cold air. His breath looked like he expelled a small cloud into the midnight air. "What you need, Logan?"
"We're set." Logan smiled proudly. "Everything is in place. We can move in tonight, just in, out, ka-boom."
"Seriously?" Zack's voice was surprised. "I thought maybe another week-"
"I don't have a week," Logan snapped. "I- We need to get Max back. Soon."
"Alright. See you in a bit," Zack closed his phone with a click.
"How is she?" Amora asked Ben as he walked out of Mercy's infirmary room. Amora had yet to visit her. Something in her felt uneasy, and she felt horrible about how she treated Mercy. Somehow this might be her fault.
"A bit better. Why don't you go see her yourself?" Ben said, placing his arm around Amora's waist.
"I- I will," She replied nervously. "I just need time. To think, and stuff." She leaned in towards his body, and he held her tight.
Laying her head on his chest, she thought about how good he smelled. She couldn't describe it, it was just Ben. Her eyes filled with warm tears. "Am I a horrible person?"
"No, of course not," Ben kissed the top of her head. "You need time, take time."
Alec and Max walked out of Mercy's room. The four of them said nothing, just looked sadly between themselves and started towards the mess hall, as if reading each other's thoughts. Alec stopped and went back to the door of Mercy's room.
"Biggs, we're grabbing some chow. You want anything?" He asked, leaning into the door frame.
"No." Biggs replied groggily. It pained Alec to see him like this, just sitting by Mercy's bed as she slept. Alec had been sweetening the deals with the guards to let Biggs skip out of training. He looked pathetic. His eyes were empty except for the misguided tears that were slowly finding their way down his face.
Alec's eyes looked to the heart monitor beeping weakly. There were all sorts of tubes attached to this and that, everything interconnected in an attempt to save Mercy's body from the shock and blood loss. It seemed to be working well enough, but her body looked so small in the large hospital bed, her lungs steadily pumping.
"I'll pick you up some crackers, or something..." Alec mumbled, trailing off as he left. He made his way down the hallway to the mess hall. He quickly found his place beside Max, smiling at her and giving her hand a quick squeeze.
"What's wrong?" Alec asked, seeing the worried look on Max's face.
"I just got a bad feeling, and I can't shake it. It's whack," Max said quietly. She felt a stirring in her stomach, almost an anticipation. She didn't know for what, it was just the nervous excitement she was used to. "I think something's gonna happen. Something big."
The van came to a halt. Zack looked at his siblings, well the few that were close enough to help. Jondy and Syl were still chatting up a storm, catching up on the past ten years of their lives. Krit and Zane were talking about explosives, guns, and cars. Logan was typing away furiously on his lab top getting ready to send out his cable hack. Lydecker was sitting on his own, twiddling his thumbs boredly.
"Nighty-nine bottles of beer on the wall," Lydecker started on a very off-key tune, causing everyone to turn and stare profoundly at him.
"Deck, shut up before I 'Deck' you," Logan said, turning, laughing loudly at his own joke. Everyone just stared in return, making him slowly silence and then mutter something to himself.
"So," Krit said to the entire group. "Think they'll build us a monument, or a statue?"
"What?" Syl looked at him strangely.
"A big metal thing shaped like us." Krit raised his eyebrows and shook his head slightly. "Sometimes I worry about you."
"No stupid." Krit gave his sister a hurt look. "I meant, why would they?"
"Well, once those silly mortals find out how great we really are, they'll practically make us gods." He smiled proudly. He then looked troubled, but soon smiled again. "Or at least super heroes."
"Yeah. That'll happen, Krit-man." Jondy said with a light laugh.
"Krit-man. I like it!" Krit smiled proudly again. "Think they'll give me an action figure? I mean a cool, decked out one. I'm talking toy rocket launcher, motorcycle, hot bikini babe, the works."
Syl lightly punched Krit in the arm and laughed.
"Hey," He said, raising a hand. "Never punch a super hero. You never know when we might do something crazy or super hero-ish. Or maybe even...villain-ish!" His face lit up with the idea. "You know, like one of those issues where the super hero turns evil? All the good heros get those," He crossed his arms childishly. The group laughed, all except Zack, who sat with his arms crossed in a corner of the van.
Zack was still unsure whether or not they could trust Lydecker. Hell, Zack still had a problem trusting Logan.
"Almost got it working, geek-boy?" Jondy questioned with an innocent smile, turning to face Logan.
"Deck, why on earth are your kids all so..." He glanced at Jondy. "Childish?"
Jondy stuck her tongue out at him, and crossed her arms. "I saw that," Logan tapped on her reflection in the computer screen.
"Not my fault." Lydecker said pompously. "I was always a mature child."
"Not that there's a connection. No blood relation... Wait. There isn't, is there? 'Cause if there is I'm flingin' myself to the midgety bat kids." Krit said, looking out the window for patrolling X7s. "Sorry." He muttered to Lydecker at the glare he received.
Clearing his throat, Zack looked at Jondy, Syl, Krit, and Zane, "You guys know what to do, right?"
"Yes sir!" His siblings chorused, laughing as soon as the words left their mouths. 'Old habits die hard,' they all thought.
"As soon as we leave this van, Logey boy sends out the hack." Jondy smirked.
"And that should make the big wigs in the base crazy." Krit added.
"Giving us a chance to surprise them, while they try to figure out what they're going to do about all of it." Zane piped up.
Syl looked at her siblings and smiled, "And then we'll hopefully be able to get Maxie and Ben out of that hell hole."
Zack partially wished he had called more of their siblings, and waited for them to get there. He also knew that if he had done that, and this was a trap, they would all be screwed over because of him. Zack wouldn't have been able to live with himself if that happened. Even if it happened now, he wouldn't be able to.
Lydecker made his way into the back of the van. "Soldiers, you should head out. Logan will get the cable hack out in a few minutes, and when I give you the signal you'll move in."
"Wait...what's the signal?" Jondy questioned looking up at the man that she had feared for so long.
"Jon, hun, when he says go we go." Syl stated.
"I know, but that's not much of a signal." Jondy complained rolling her eyes. She picked up one of the comm's and put it in her ear.
"Now is not the time to complain." Zack stated.
"Sorry." Jondy mumbled.
All Jondy wanted to do was see Max again. Her sister. Her best friend. The girl she thought was dead because of her. Jondy had blamed herself everyday for leaving Max behind in the ice. When she found out Max was alive she was ecstatic, but then Zack had told her that Max had been captured by Manticore. That had brought her happiness right back down to the cold hard reality that Manticore had ruined for them all.
"Everything's set. You all ready?" Logan said, turning his eyes from face to face. They all nodded their approval. He nodded back solemnly and turned to face the camera and equipment he had brought with him.
"Do not attempt to adjust your set. This is a streaming freedom video bulletin. Your location has been revealed. Your secrets out, and now Manticore will be held accountable for its crimes." With a smile of satisfaction the five soldiers went out into the night, running towards the base.
"Lock down the barracks," Renfro said as she dashed about her office. She pulled papers out of folders, glanced at them and threw them on the floor. She seemed rushed more than anything.
"Why?" One of her soldiers asked, suspecting she was going insane.
"Don't question my decisions, just do it," She snapped viciously. "And set the charges. We're cauterizing the base. Eyes Only has planned something, but we're one step ahead. Get to it."
The soldiers ran out to do as told. Renfro turned back to her folder cabinet. Pulling out the paper work on X5-452, she glanced at it and smiled menacingly. "You are in over your head, darling."
Mercy slowly opened her eyes. She could smell him before she could see him. "Biggs?"
"I'm right here Mercy."
As soon as her vision cleared she shook her head. Biggs looked so tired, and weak. He looked thinner, and not at all healthy. "Biggs, you look like crap."
"What a nice thing to say." He smiled weakly at her.
"When was the last time you ate?" Mercy questioned, her eyes locking with his.
"I don't remember."
"Biggs, go to the Mess Hall and get yourself something to eat."
"Alec's gonna bring me something back."
"No," Mercy said firmly. "You go get something to eat. I'm not going anywhere."
"But..."
"Biggs please. It hurts me to see you like this." Mercy whispered. "You can't let yourself fall apart 'cause I'm stuck in bed."
"It hurts me to see you lying here." Biggs replied.
"Yea, well if I could help it, I'd be up and about right now. But they won't let me get off this bed. So I need you to do the wandering around the halls, and hanging out with the others for me. Kay?"
Biggs looked at Mercy. She was slowly getting better, he could see it in her face. It wasn't pale anymore, the color was coming back to her cheeks. Swallowing the lump in his throat Biggs said, "Fine I'll go get something to eat. But I want you to know that as soon as I'm done eating, I'll be coming back."
"As long as you get up and move around I'm happy." Mercy smiled at him. "Oh! And bring me back something. The food in here sucks worse then the food they serve in the mess hall."
Biggs forced himself to stand up. He didn't want to leave Mercy's side. It scared him to think of Mercy in such a weak and vulnerable state. She was usually so strong and, well, strong. As he headed for the door he turned to Mercy, "I love you Mercy."
"I love you too Biggs." Mercy replied with a small smile on her face. Turning Biggs left the room and headed towards the mess hall.
Mercy shut her eyes and planned to sleep, when a creaking sound startled her. She sat up quickly and faced the door. A Manticore officer stomped in and started patting her walls and knocking at certain spots.
"Oh, great, the welcome wagon." Mercy said with a sarcastic smile.
"I'm checking the walls for rats." He snarled back. He finally heard a knock and was satisfied. He placed a small black box on the wall and pressed a button on it. He stomped back out of the room.
Mercy lay back again and closed her eyes. She gave little thought to the box or why it was there. She figured it was probably a comm to listen in on her, not that she would be discussing a mutany or anything. She sighed with frustration at how stupid Manticore could be.
Jondy and Zack ran silently together until they got into the thicker forest. Using hand signals, Zach told Jondy to go right, while he went left. She nodded quickly and went, being as silent as she could.
Every time an X7 neared her, she would press her small body against the ground or a tree and waited for them to leave again. Eventually she made her way to the building. She forced her weight down, then heaved it up, grasping onto a piece of railing about seven feet up. She pulled her small frame over it, and went to the window. It was locked. Grabbing a rock, she hammered it over and over until the handle entirely snapped off. She then elbowed the window until it creaked open enough for her to sneak inside.
She walked down a corridor, made some turns, and finally stopped at her destination: The DNA lab. She was going to set charges inside to eliminate the chance of Manticore's rebirth. She quickly punched the code Logan had given her into the security system, and when it said it was unlocked, grasped the door handle.
Something was wrong, she couldn't turn it. She moved her wrist aside and looked. A key lock? How old-fashioned. She pulled a pin out of her hair, which was tied up with a few almost white blond whisps framing her face. She started to pick the lock when she heard footsteps. Jondy started in the other direction when she heard another set of footsteps. She was trapped.
Thinking quickly, Jondy jumped up and pressed herself tightly between two ceiling beams. She held her breath as two guards passed underneath her.
"Evenin' George." The first guard said, yawning widely.
"Hey, Henrey." The second nodded.
The two guards went on chatting, while Jondy was above them, sweating with the effort to hold herself against the beams. The two guards left after a fifteen minute conversation. Jondy breathed out a sigh of relief and almost let her self go when she heard footsteps once again. She was forced to grasp the beam again, just in time to pull herself back up.
The first guard walked back underneath her, whistling. He walked to the conveniently placed coffee machine across from the DNA lab. He placed a few coins in the slot and waited. Jondy felt like her limbs were slowly breaking.
The guard stretched, scratched his rear and picked out a very obvious wedgie. Jondy tried to stifle a laugh while the guard carefully picked up the steaming coffee and left. As soon as it was clear, she dropped her small body.
Jondy walked back over to the door and finished picking the lock. She entered the lab and closed the door. Flicking on the lights, she gulped as she gazed around the hexagon shaped room. There was a stainless steel table in the middle of the room with a work space and lab equipment, and the walls were lined with drawers, each with a designation on the front and containing a test tube of green liquid.
The overall room seemed to glow; the walls were the brightest white Jondy had ever seen, and there were lights all over the ceiling and behind the drawers on the walls. Hesitantly, Jondy stepped into the center of the room and breathed out slowly.
Walking around the outside edge of the wall, She traced her fingers over the numbers carved into the gold plate on the drawers. X5-497, 496, 495, 494- then she saw it. X-5 493. She smiled warmly as her eyes dampened, remembering his sandy blonde hair, that sweet smile and those eyes you could drown in. She felt her heart lift, only to drop again and break at the thought of the last time she saw him.
Flashback
Jondy stepped quickly down the San Fransisco street, tying her hair up as she walked. She smiled at everyone she saw, she couldn't help it. There was something about him, something- almost magical. It made her feel like a giddy school girl, giving her the childhood crush she never was able to obtain.
She skipped a few feet, and then stopped and faced the street. As soon as she saw an opening in traffic, she bolted through the traffic. A car swerved just in time to miss her, and honked angrily. She smiled with a blush, and muttered a sheepish, "Sorry," before carrying on. Then she saw him, just casually reading a newspaper from a magazine stand.
"Ben!"
"Hey," He said as Jondy tackled him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. He patted his hadn on her back and she let go, smiling widely at him.
They started to walk together, Jondy jabbering inscessantly about everything she could possibly think of. She wasn't trying to chatter, but rather avoid any awkward silence that may have come. Finally, Ben stopped her and grabbed her shoulders, looking her squarely in the eye.
"Look, Jon," He started, breathing out through the side of his mouth.
"I'm talking too much. Am I talking to much? I didn't mean to, I just thought that talking too much is better than not talking at all, cause that'd be awkward-"
"No." Jondy immediatly stopped and stared up at him, the blue in her eyes seeming to freeze."Jondy, about last night... It was a one time thing. I can't see it going anywhere. You're my sister, one of my best friends- It would be too weird. I'm sorry-"
"No need." Jondy said shakily. "I was thinking the same thing. In fact, let's just forget it happened, Kay?" Ben started to say something, but Jondy cut him off again. "I won't mention it to Zack if you won't. I gotta go though, I'll, um, see you around." She smiled a plastic smile and turned on her heel, walking sharply away.
She pushed her way through crowds of people, shouldering and elbowing several. She broke into a jog as tears ran down her cheeks. Ben called after her, but she ignored it.
"Jondy, wait," He whispered, more to himself than anything. How could he do that? But Ben knew he couldn't stand the thought of using her as a one night stand and then faking a relationship. He knew he was leaving San Fransisco soon, probably North. Maybe it would be easier this way.
Sighing, he shoved his hands in his coat pockets and started to walk back to his apartment. He paused, fingering a soft papery square inside his pocket. He drew it out, and looked at the napkin that Jondy must have stuffed into his pocket. She had written her cell number and a small note on it. Ben crumpled the napkin and threw it on the ground, and stomped away. He was about 2 blocks away when he realised what he did. Running back, he picked up every napkin on the ground until he found it.
He couldn't help it. He missed her already.
End Flashback
Jondy shook her head. Back to work, she needed to distract herself. She carefully placed the charges around the room in the spots she had been instructed. She turned them all on and was about to leave the room when she gave one more glance at Ben's designation on the drawer.
She missed him so badly, but maybe with any luck they could pick up where they left off. Jondy vowed to try her hardest, to not let anything get in her way. 'And that means anything, Jondy,' she thought to herself as she made her way back out of the lab and to the window. She gave a proud smirk as she expertley jumped from the window ledge to the ground again.
"I can do this. I can. I know it. I can do this." Amora stepped firmly, pressing her soles into the ground as she marched. She walked strictly forward, stopped, and layed her hand on the handle of the infirmary entrance.
"I cant do this!" She cried and ran to the other side of the hallway. She plastered her body against the wall and let out a long, agitated grunt. She turned and pressed her forehead into the wall and pounded the wall with her fists.
A couple X5's walked by and stared at her curiously. "What are you staring at!" Amora snapped at them. They quickly left just as Ben entered the corridor.
"Biggs just went to take a nap. I think he's getting- Do I want to know?" He asked cautiously. Amora turned her head slightly, her forehead still pressed on the wall. "Um, Sorry?" Ben prepared himself for yelling.
"You better be. I blame you." Amora turned fully, crossing her arms and pouting angrily at him. Ben laughed softly.
"For what now?" He shrugged.
"That." Amora stuck her arm out straight and pointed at the infirmary door. Ben looked from her to the door and back again, raising an eyebrow. "I cant go in there, Ben." She whined, pressing her face into his chest.
"You can, and you will." He replied. She glared up at him.
"Is that a demand?"
"No, but I know you will." He smiled simply.
"Fine." She glared at him once more, then broke into a smile and went up on her toes. "I'm hungry, lets go get me food." She said happily with raised eyebrows before she kissed him quickly. He laughed and picked her up, carrying her to the mess hall.
Mercy woke, yawned and stretched. Not that she could stretch much, she was hooked up to too many cords to move. She sat up and grabbed a glass of water from her bedside table and gulped some down. She was about to sleep again when she noticed something out of the corner of her eye.
The box. Just now she realised there was a light on it that was flashing red every couple of seconds. Her mind was foggy. She had seen it before, but where? She shook it off and rolled over when it hit her.
That little box was the same kind of explosive charge they used on missions so often. Mercy's eyes grew wide as she sat up again. She had to get out. She stood and immediatley fell to the floor. Pain grabbed her entire body, and it took a few moments before she could slowly raise herself to a standing position.
"Screw this." She muttered, and ripped out the oxygen tube in her nose and the I.V.'s and other cords in her body. It hurt incredibly, but she valued her life more. Leaning on the wall for support, Mercy gradually made her way across the large room. She was about halfway when the door opened again and she saw the officer come in again.
"I forgot to do something." He said to her as he stepped out of the doorway. Mercy gasped and bolted towards the door. Her foot was wrapped around some cords and she fell just as the officer pulled the door shut. Her cheek scraped the floor and her head hit the door with a "thunk". She clawed at the door just as she heard the click of a key sealing her inside. Trying to stand up again, she failed and sunk into a heap on the floor. Everything hurt. She pounded her fist on the door so hard it ached, unable to get up.
"Help," She tried to yell. Her voice was hoarse and barely made a sound. "Anyone. Biggs." She stopped trying, and stared at the box from her place on the floor. The light began to blink faster and faster.
"Hey," Alec said cheerily as he walked into the room. Max glanced up at him and smiled immediatley. He sat next to her on the rec room couch and kissed her before going on. "I was wondering where you had been hiding all day."
"I'm not hiding," Max said, rolling her eyes. She recieved a disbelieving look in reply. "I'm not!"
"Uh-huh. Sure." Alec nodded and smiled sarcastically.
"I'm not. I was simply... Relaxing." Max said with a small nod of approval.
"Whatever. So what's wrong?"
"Nothing, who said anything was-" Max stopped at the raised eyebrow and look of annoyance on Alec's face. She sighed. "I just can't shake this feeling something bad's gonna go down. It's whack, and driving me nuts." She had a skeptical look on her face. "Speaking of, I sound like a loon."
"No... Well, maybe a little. Half and half." Max rolled her eyes at the comment. "Maybe Manticore will make bird people next?" Alec added with a laugh. Max immediatly froze, reminded of Joshua. How could she tell Alec? Or the others? She couldn't keep him "her little secret" forever. "Um, Not funny?" Alec looked puzzled.
"No- I mean yes. It was. But I gotta go, do- something," Max said, flustered. She got up and bolted to the door, turned and smiled. "Sorry?" She asked as she ran out the door. She ran to the Mess hall and waited impatiently for food, which she carried swiftly down to Joshua's lair.
"Little fella?" Joshua stepped out from behind an old radiator. He smiled as he approached Max.
"Yeah, I brought you dinner." Max smiled as she wiped white powder off Joshua's nose. "Uh, what exactly have you been doing big fella?"
"Joshua found fun." Joshua's smile grew larger. "Come."
Max set the food down on an old desk and followed him. He went around the radiator and past a few more broken machines until he came to a small clear area.
"So...?" Max looked around, puzzled. There was nothing there.
"Joshua found white-sticks." He reached and picked up an old wooden box filled with broken chalk.
Max nodded as she noticed it had been used to write measurements on the walls between machines. Probably some saftey hazard. Max shook her head. Why would Manticore start worrying about safety now? They didn't exactly have a knack for it.
"I see." Max nodded and turned to leave.
"Max wait!" Joshua said. She turned and came back to him. "Joshua and white-sticks, make outside." Max shook her head in confusion.
"Joshua, I don't-"
"Down. Look." Joshua pointed to the floor. Max then realised there were lines and scribbles of white underneath her boots. "Come again." Joshua grabbed her hand and pulled her through the basement and up some small stairs to another abandoned wing. He pressed his fingers to his lips. "Shhhh." Max understood. Right above them was the ground level of the base, and they could easily be heard. She nodded in agreement.
Joshua went through a few more rooms with max until they got to what looked like a horizontal ladder with Joshua's lair below it. Max then realised the "ladder" was the ceiling beam of the lower level. Joshua darted across the beam without falling, making Max grimace with worry. She folowed after him steadily, until they got to the clear area again. Only now they were above it.
"Joshua and white-sticks make outside." Joshua said again, pointing down.
Max gasped. She understood now. Below her, on the floor, was a 20 square foot white and cement picture. It was the view of outside from the window Joshua found. Everything was just right. The chalk was spread and swirled to form the exact trees outside the window, down to the exact knot holes. "Josh, it's-it's-"
"Max like Joshua's white-stick picture?"
"I love it Josh," Max said quietly. She hugged him. How could he have such a flair for art when he was down here for his entire life? He made texture with the chalk, did shading, everything a professional would do. She almost felt she could touch the grass and it would be Manticore-prickly, as usual.
"Joshua is glad Max likes it." Joshua smiled. They sat for a few minutes, until Joshua proclaimed he was hungry and bolted back to where Max had left the food. She chuckled and followed him, still in awe. She then left him after a huge hug, and went back to find a very confused Alec.
"I'll go after lunch." Amora said, slamming her fork down on the mess hall table. Alec and Ben stared at her, puzzled. "Don't pretend to be confused." She added angrily.
"Um..." Ben glanced nervously at Alec.
"You've both been probing me with your minds, while outside you're not saying anything. You want me to think its no big deal I won't go see her. But you both lose, I'm going." She stood up and stuck her toungue out childishly. She then turned on her heel and left.
"Bye?" Ben said, utterly confused.
"I will never, and I mean never get women." Alec shook his head and began telling his clone about what happened with Max.
"Are the charges set?" Renfro snapped at the officers.
"Ma'am yes ma'am!" They both replied at once.
"Good." Renfro waved her hand. "Dismissed."
The two officers left and she wandered to her desk. Picking up Max's file again, she wandered over to the window. "Know who you're fooling with, 452. Try as you may, Madame X will rise again."
"All set!" Jondy said into her comm. She was perched in a tree for now, waiting for more commands.
"Good. Everyone else is done." Lydecker replied.
Inside the van, Logan started the hack.
"What is that!" Renfro screamed at the officers she called back. She pointed furiously at the computer screen.
"I believe it's Eyes Only, ma'am." One officer replied.
"I know that! Why is he on my-" Renfros screaming was cut short. Her eyes widened as the nameless voice exposed her and Manticore's secrets.
"We're going to cauterize, now! Move to your transportations!" Renfro screamed.
"Now! Set them off, now!" Lydecker said into the comm. All of the X5's on the comms took the cue and pulled the controllers out, laying their fingers on the buttons. All at once, the buttons went down.
Renfro climbed into the helecopter. It took off into the air, letting Renfro get a look at the building.
"So long, fellas." Renfro smirked. She saluted sarcastically, then pressed the button of the charges' control. "I told you all. I always win."
"Here I go." Amora blew out her breath through the side of her mouth and placed a hand on her forehead. "I can do this. I can." She placed her hand once more on the door handle of the infirmary entrance. She felt a searing heat as her body was thrown across the room, until her head smashed against something and everything was black.
"Max, we've got to go, you were right," Alec ran into her cell and grabbed her by the arm. He tugged hard, but she tugged harder.
"Let go!" She yelled. "What are you talking about? You sound like a maniac."
"You said something bad was going to happen."
"And?" Max shook her head.
"It happened." Alec pulled her again. "Someone set charges in the base, the whole place is in flames."
"Joshua," Max said under her breath.
"What?"
"Now's as good a time as any I guess," Max said, half to herself. "You need to come with me and meet someone. Now."
"Now isn't really a good time to-"
"Shut up and come." With that, Max grabbed Alec by the wrist and pulled him down the corridors past a few rooms on fire, until they got to the stairs. Max grabbed Alec and practically shoved him down them, smacking him over the head when he uttered a complaint. He glared at her and continued down.
"Joshua!" Max called when they entered his area. He quickly came and smiled widely.
"What the- Its- Um-" Alec gulped nervously.
"Max bring Joshua food?" Joshua asked, sniffing the air.
"I don't like the sound of this." Alec said nervously. He turned to face Max and pointed at himself. "Alec not happy, Alec is scared." Max smacked him over the head again. He glared at her once more.
"This, is Joshua. He was the first Manticore creation. I'll explain later." Turning to Josh she said, "Josh we gotta go to that window. We gotta get outside, now."
"Joshua outside? Thats the plan?" He responded hopefully.
"Yeah. And Everyone else," Max started in the direction of the old psy-ops room. "The building is on fire."
Alec took one more look at Joshua and shuddered, then followed Max. Joshua was right behind them. They finally reached the room, and Max quickly went to the window. She picked up a large rock and started pounding on it. She had been at it a few seconds when Joshua silently went over to her, picked her up and moved her away from the window. She looked at him in confusion, only to see him draw back his fist and with a roar smash the window. He ripped away the bars and threw them to the floor.
"Convenient," Max said with a small nod. "Joshua, you go first, and run until you get to the outside gate, no matter what." He looked back at her sadly and climbed out the window.
"Bye, little fella." He smiled and then ran through the nearby forest.
"Well wasn't he ni-"
"Shut up and get through the window." Max snapped.
"Jeez, your just plain mean under stress," Alec said with a grunt. He climbed out next and Max followed him. She stood up and began to run when something hit her. Everything went black and she felt her body crumble.
Ben ran frantically through the halls. "Amora!" He kept yelling, but there was no answer. He then remembered she said she was going to go see Mercy. The infirmary! He turned quickly and ran as fast as he could towards the infirmary. It was completely in flames, there must have been a charge inside of it. He scanned the front entrance way and was about to go search somewhere else when he noticed a small black heap in the corner.
"Amora!" He ran to her unconcious body and lifted it. Her hair was over her face, and her arms and face were badly burned and charred. He felt for a pulse, and stood up when he detected a faint, small beat. He carried her in his arms, kicking over anything in his way until he got to the courtyard. He broke into a jog when someone grabbed his arm.
"Zane!" Ben smiled at his brother.
"Hey," Zane said. "Like your siblings' handy work?"
"You?"
"And a little outside help. Come on, we gotta get her to the van," Zane grimaced at Amora's burned face. Ben nodded silently, his eyes filling with tears as he followed his brother into the forest.
"Aw shoot." Alec looked down at Max. The chunk of the wall had come out of nowhere. "This is bad." He was about to bend down to pick her up when a tap hit his shoulder. He turned, and before he could get a good look, the girl in front of him grabbed his face and pulled him into a kiss. His open eyes looked back and forth until she pulled away.
"Ben, I missed you, and Im so-" She started.
"Um, I'm not Ben," Alec looked the girl up and down. She was short and thin, with almost white blonde hair and bright blue eyes.
"You don't have to use lame excuses Ben, it's me, Jondy." She smiled.
"I'm his twin." Alec smiled nervously. "And that's my girlfriend. Boy are you lucky she didn't see that."
The girl immediately slapped her hands over her mouth.
"I'm so sorry!" She gasped! "Follow me, and bring her," She said quickly. She waited for him to pick up Max, then she took off through the forest, Alec right behind her.
"I think she's coming to," Max heard a voice say. She was suddenly shivering, and had a massive headache.
"Maxie," Alec said from above her. She looked up and realized she was laying in his lap, and he was staring down at her.
Max sat up, and looked around. She was in a van, with all of her siblings. Lydecker and Biggs were there, but no sign of Mercy. Amora was lying unconscious in Ben's lap, badly burned.
"Where's Mercy?" She asked Biggs. He looked worried, and so...broken.
"She's a smart girl, she'll find us." Biggs stated. It sounded to Max like he was more trying to convince himself than anyone else. Max just nodded silently. Then she saw him. Logan spun around in his chair.
They locked eyes and stared in silence for a few minutes, And she noticed something brighten in her eyes. Something she feared she couldn't return. She glanced at Alec, and then at the floor.
"Well, I guess we'd better get moving." Logan made his way to the driver's seat and sat. He turned the key in the ignition, took off the parking brake and gripped the wheel. He pulled to the left, and hit the gas. With a long sigh, he turned the van, its passengers, and their lives back onto the bumpy road to Seattle.
AN: Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Sorry it took so long to get posted. Don't forget to leave us a review!
