Chapter 5

Max arrived at the club within no time, only to notice the doors were shut. She walked over anyway, trying to get through.

A bouncer looked Max up and down but wouldn't step aside for her to enter. She couldn't believe her luck. Actually, she could. Nothing was ever easy for Max.

She put on her biggest smile, "A friend of mine is in there, I really need to talk to him, it's important."

The man unfolded his arms.

"I knew you would understand!" Max exclaimed, trying to get through. Unfortunately, though his arms were now to his sides, he wasn't moving. She soon realized why he'd moved his arms- he grabbed Max firmly yet gently and turned her around, indicating for her to leave.

There was a crowd Max now noticed, all waiting to get in. Was she going to have to get a line? She'd never reach Alec in time at this rate! The crowd cheered at not letting Max in. Clearly, they all wanted in first.

She, now folding her arms in defeat, joined the crowd wondering what she would do now. She was surrounded by mostly men, the type she liked to call "pigs", and a few women here and there.

One of the pigs found his way to Max. "Baby, I hope they let you in, you can entertain me inside!"

Max could snap his neck in less than a second. But something about his disgusting come-on gave Max an idea.

Her attitude changed, she was no longer pouting. She found herself confident, working another plan she'd just come up with on the spot. Maybe she had finally just found her luck. "So then…" she touched his arm as if she didn't already have his full attention, "you're getting inside? What's the holdup?"

He nodded, "You better believe I'm goin inside! I'm waitin for the band to get here, they told me to meet 'em outside."

Max nodded, pretending to be impressed, "the band?"

"Yea, they're running late, but they'll be here any minute."

Max rubbed his arm, seemingly out of excitement. Inside she was trying to swallow back the increasing urge to throw up. "So…do you think you can help me get in?" She gave him a look she knew he wouldn't refuse.

To Max's relief, the 'band' showed up only a moment later, if you could call them that. They looked like a group of lowlife drunks holding guitars.

Once inside, Max didn't concentrate too much on her cover. She didn't care anymore. Unfortunately, the groupie still did. He kept trying to get Max to dance. She had to get away from him and find Alec immediately! She glanced at her watch. She had exactly one hour to find Alec and come to the location. She was beyond irritated. This was slightly risky, but with 2 transgenics it would be nothing. It should have been no big deal, swing by Joshua's and pick up Alec, get there early. Somehow whenever Alec was involved however, nothing was easy anymore.

"I gotta hit the ladies room!" Max told the groupie before finally yanking herself away from him.

She scanned the room for Alec. Where is he? Finally she spotted him, surprisingly however, he wasn't enjoying the ladies. He was sitting alone at the bar, looking troubled. Max eyed him suspiciously before coming over. Alec always was in a good mood, and always was working some kind of angle. Why was he so deep in thought? Usually he was too busy wise-cracking to actually appear to contemplate matters.

As soon as Alec noticed Max his whole demeanor changed. She noticed, but didn't say anything. She was too upset at having to come here and at his abandoning Joshua to bother caring what was up with his behavior. He started being the same old smart-aleck as usual at her presence.

"Maxie! Came to enjoy the ladies with me?" He couldn't help being annoyed that she was there. Max only came to him when she wanted something. He had specifically gone to the strip club hoping to avoid people, especially Max. Not to mention he was supposed to be meeting an informant in an hour. He'd come early to just enjoy time away from it all. Now that was clearly shot to hell.

If Max was there, that only meant one thing, Joshua had told her, which only meant one other thing- that Max knew he'd left Joshua to go to a club. He waited for the slap. He could take it tonight, if it meant after her scolding she'd leave him alone for the evening.

The slap didn't come. Instead, it was the other predictable scolding Max response, a lecture. "Alec, don't you care about anything? Maybe Joshua? Don't answer that. I know you at least care about yourself, and if anyone finds Joshua, that will surely lead them to you! You can't be dependable for just one night, it's ridiculous!"

The slap still didn't come. Where was it? "Maxie, I care about something. Beautiful women as you can see." He was goading her, also avoiding whatever her request of the night would be.

She slapped him upside the head.

Ah, there it is! Next was the part where Max would ask- no, order- him to do something for her.

"Cut it out, Alec. We need to be serious. We have less than an hour to make our way to Parker's Valley."

There, she'd done it. 'We'. As if he'd already agreed to this idea of hers. "Parker's Valley?" he said questioningly, "why are we going to that ritzy resort?" He'd done it again, gone along with her plan immediately, without so much as an ounce of hesitation. He'd said 'We' just as she had without even thinking.

He didn't wait for a response, "Wait, I know. You aren't going to tell me until we get there."

"All you need to know is that you better be on your best behavior and have your guard up," Max demanded, as if he didn't always have his guard up.

Alec took one last sip of his drink. He moaned in unwillingness, would he ever get a night away from Max and her problems? Somehow he'd once again found himself caught up in doing something for Max that he would never get recognition or gratitude for and that he again had no choice in. Part of him felt like he owed her for the virus, but not in this kind of a way, having to answer her every beckoning call. He was starting to feel like an errand boy, only he wasn't getting paid.

"Yes ma'am," Alec said sarcastically before walking out with Max.