Out Of Breath
Chapter Five
"Oh Boo" Cindy cried, entering Max's room and rushing over to the bed. Max tried to smile up at her but the shaking got the better of her and it turned into a wince. "What are you doing hiding up in here?" Cindy asked, stroking her friend's sweaty face tenderly. "As soon as this happened you should have come straight to Original Cindy. You know i've always got your back" she tisked and set about cleaning wounds.
"I can't let anyone see me like this" Max whispered, "If they knew…."
:Shh" Cindy cut her off " don't try and talk and get all stressed" she rubbed Max's hand "You just concentrate on beating this bitch, we got everything covered out there"
"So how… how do we fix this?" Alec asked getting up off his stool and starting to pace.
"We need more tryptopohan and we need a doctor" Logan began, his face unnervingly blank.
"Neither of which we have Logan" Alec almost snapped, giving Logan a glare his pacing brought him back to the kitchen bench top and he idly picked up the file Logan had dropped there a while ago. "Whats this again?" He asked
Logan looked over "an old friend of Max's has resurfaced. Actually you have probably heard of him, Colonel Lydecker"
"You mean ex manticore employee turned traitor Colonel Lydecker" Alec asked, raising an eyebrow as he flicked through the file. "I heard he assisted you guys in destroying the labs a while back"
"yes" Logan nodded "then after Max was captured I heard he had been killed in a tragic car accident. Now it seems it wasn't so tragic after all" he added and Alec nodded in understanding.
Turning the page Alec came across a photograph of the colonel and his brow furrowed, he didn't just know of this man, he had seen him, had worked under him. Lydecker had virtually run Manticore since day one, he knew anything and everything there was to know about them and whats more, every major operation or experiment that was conducted he had always attended. Alec looked up, his eyes thoughtful and his brain ticking over.
"So what we need is a doctor" he began and Logan looked " or possibly even a man who knew everything there was to know about a transgenic, a person who virtually created them…" he slapped the file down in front of Logan who looked once at the photo and nodded.
"Where did you say the had sighted your old friend Deck again?"
Walking along the pier in broad daylight seemed such a foreign thing to be doing that Alec almost turned around and left the way he had come. The squawking of seagulls and the gentle slapping of the waves against the hulls of the assortment of ships and dingys moored throughout the bay did nothing to quiet Alecs uneasiness. Many times he had walked the same path, on various missions around the country, no matter what enemy he was working against at the time someone would have the bright idea to use a port and a loading dock for him and his team to storm or infiltrate. So walking down pier, on a bright sunny middle of the week morning such as this with crewman going about the job of loading or unloading their vessels about the place, did seem a little unorthodox. But then again since when had anything that had happened over the last couple of days seemed anything but, Alec pondered. Keeping his eyes focused on the larger ship that was his destination he hunched his shoulders, sidestepping container crates and the workers that dotted the place.
He and Logan had worked on their plan all night. Whatever minimal amount of tryptophan that existed had been scrounged, Dr Benson had been contacted and arrangements had been made to have her brought in TC. OC had stayed diligently by Max's side while Alec paced outside the bedroom door, both watching helplessly as the seizures became more and more frequent. Finally Logan had pinpointed Colonel Lydeckers location. He was working as part of the crew for one of the largest shipping companies in the world, who's employees numbers were so large it would be very easy for lydecker as a mere loading dock crew member to be missed.
Wincing a little as the sun reflected off something on the pier and shone straight into his oversensitive eyes, his back straightened as he felt the familiar cold metal of a gun press into his spine.
His mind flashed back to minutes before he was leaving Max's apartment. Logan had stopped him as he was at the door. "What are you going to do if Lydecker misreads you as a trap? The last time he saw you, you were working for manticore"
Alec had shrugged and kept walking "don't worry Logie, ill be careful," he had sung out over his shoulder.
Now, scowling as the gun was jabbed even harder into his spine he slowly raised his hands and concentrated extra hard on keeping his body relaxed.
"I saw you coming a mile away X5 494" Lydecker shifted behind him.
"That was my intention Colonel. We need to talk."
"I was banking on the fact that you would know a trap when you saw one and you would be aware by now that this is not that type of situation. There is no unit backing me up, I am no longer with manticore, I am here on behalf of a mutual friend." Alec continued, eyeing Lydecker.
"How old and rusty do you think I am son" Lydecker jabbed him again with the gun and Alec rolled his eyes. "I know you were promoted to solo missions long before Manticore went sideways. You, my boy, don't need a team."
Alec smirked and decided that enough was enough, quickly twisting himself around, taking the gun with him. He was about to speak when Lydecker, who had stepped back a couple of paces, held up his other hand, showing a small blinking detonation device.
"The whole place is wired. I'd just walk away if I were you son"
Alec once again held up his hands, a hint of annoyance flashing across his features as he eyed the colonel. "Well that's enough to just ruin everyones day" he huffed, relaxing against a pile of crates next to him as if settling in for a leisurely chat but never taking his eyes off the detonator.
"I told you I don't work for manticore anymore. It's Max. The seizures are back and she needs your help. Logan told me to give you this" It was the shirt Logan had worn the night he and Lydecker had helped the X5's take down manticore, the night the both had found Max dead in the forest. It still had her blood all over it.
Lydecker looked down at it in Alecs outstretched hand, then taking it from him he paused. "Doesn't mean anything" he shook his head.
"It does because it's hers" Alec countered looking the older man in the eye. "Logan told me how special she was to you."
Deck looked down at it again frowning, seeming to be collecting his thoughts finally he looked up again. "How bad are they?"
"Her body can't overcome them any longer" Alec answered soberly. "They will kill her this time." As he said this, Ales own face paled and he pushed away the panic that threatened to burst to the surface.
Lydecker, who had been watching him nodded and turned the detonator off, pocketing it.
"Alright ill help."
Alec nodded, mentally rejoicing as he watched Lydecker start to pace in front of him, his hard face thoughtful he turned back to face Alec looking him up and down as if somehow including him in his calculations.
"First things first" Lydecker started and Alec got the feeling this was not going to be a fun speech. "I have a contact, an ex manticore med tech who can treat Max" he offered and Alec nodded, watching as Lydecker went back to pacing.
"As im sure Logan has told you, I have been inquiring after manticore for quite some time now son." He squinted up at Alec as he paced. "And I have come to believe that the entire operation runs a lot deeper than I first anticipated. I needed to disappear for a while to gain the necessary information unhindered, but now I have found I am going to have to infiltrate the system once more. Get back onto manticores payroll."
Alec nodded in understanding, after all, this was hardly a new tactic "you plan to show up o their doorstep as if nothing had ever happened" hell he even wished the old man the best of luck.
"Pretty much, yes. But as with all white flag events I need a peace offering. Something to show for my time away and to entice them to want to take me back no questions asked."
"Of course" Alec nodded, keeping his eyes on Lydeckers moving form.
"Now in this case i'm thinking a bunch of flowers and a box of chocolates arnt going to do much in my favor" Lydecker continued, turning to face Alec once more. "But what if I showed up on their doorstep with a genetically engineered super soldier?" Lydeckers eyes glowed coldly as he watched Alec catch on to what he was getting at " Infact what If I showed up with one of their top of the range male X5s. One who had completed training and already had some notable solo opps under his belt."
Alec remained still while Lydekcer was talking, the expression on his face never changing though there was now fire in his eyes. "You son of a bitch" he said slowly "What makes you think I would agree to do this?" he sneered.
Lydecker regarded him for a second, then squinting in the sunlight he looked out to sea.
"Well son, the practical level headed soldier in me knows you will because we both know that Max is the future, for both humans and transgenics alike. The situation is going to get worse very soon and when it all comes to a head, Max will be the deciding factor." He looked at Alec again "And then the man in me knows you will do it out of love"
"What" Alec spat.
"You think I didn't notice, I knew the minute you came here, the minute you spoke her name" the Colonel chuckled. " I understand though, its hard not to be, with her."
"Okay enough" Alec stopped him. He now had a better understanding of why Max and her family had despised this man so much. He stood quietly for a while before he looked at Lydecker again. " And if I decide to do this?"
Lydecker quickly wrote out a number on a piece of paper "you're a smart kid, always were. From what you've told me she hasn't got more than a few days before her body gives out completely. I can have my contact there tomorrow." He handed the paper to Alec "you've got till then to make your decision."
TBC…
A/N - Hey guys! I know its been a while but im hoping your all safe and well. I don't really have much to say bout this chapter except that its been in my head for ages and I needed to get it out there. It has a lot of talking between Alec and Deck and I really hope I haven't made it too confusing. Anyways your opinions (whether good or bad) are strongly welcomed and appreciated!