Sometimes, there were good perks when you were a federal agent of the government. Yes the pay wasn't great, but you didn't become a federal agent because you wanted to make some money. You become a fed because either you're passionate about your work and you have lots of ideals and want to save the world; either you enrolled because you thought that you'd have a job till you retired and then got a pension; or like Ames, you enrolled because you have some other secret agenda. But there definetely were perks : first of, you got to never pay your parking tickets – and when you're a good agent, you get those for parking wherever you can in the heat of the moment; and second of all, even in this post-pulse world, if you left a paper trail somewhere, the system could find you. As a sworn officer, you had access to lots of information on anyone. Sometimes the information was really important, sometimes it was things that you didn't give a shit about, like what the Chinese President was eating in the morning. That didn't interest White, what he was interested in was the fact that someone in Russia had produced the antidote of the mutated strain of the bio-warfare zycinor. The one that Max was looking for. The one that would allow her in the future to carry a pregnancy to term.
He couldn't explain it even to himself why he was doing what he was doing, but he did it anyway. He had put a lot of money, time and effort in the search of the antidote and who could splice it for him. It took a lot of effort to hide it from the bureau and from the Conclave.
When he found himself alone in his apartment, at night, he wondered why he was doing all of this. A voice inside him said 'because you care for her'. Knowing that he cared for her wasn't enough. They didn't live in a fairy tale: just because he'd figured out his feelings didn't mean they were going to get their happy ending. If the Conclave had its way she would already be six feet under. Against all odds, he had gone and fallen for the one woman he could never have.
Nonetheless, he felt compelled to make her happy. Or at least to give her the chance of being happy. Finding the right information for this commission hadn't been that hard. It was taking that decision that had been hard for him. Sending her this particular package meant letting go of her and every little part of him rebelled against that. Logic told him that either way, they would never be together, but logic had nothing to do with what he felt.
In the end, it came down to the fact that he was in a position to help her and so he was going to do it.
In three phone calls, he had the antidote sent to TC by a Jam Pony messenger, with just a note: "I hope you'll get another chance."
She was guilt-ridden. Since Richard had brought Ray to Terminal City, she hadn't made one single move to contact Ames and tell him that she had his son, that Ray was fine. At first, she just wanted to wait for the right moment. Now she couldn't use that excuse anymore. She wanted Ray to stay, so she made little to no effort at all to contact his father. She had come to love the little familiar and she was loathe to let him go, even if it was the right thing to do.
The young familiar continued to ask about her progress and each night she told him the same lie: she was working very hard at contacting his father. She knew exactly where his father was, and how to contact him. Everyday she put her head in the sand, ignoring the nagging feeling in her gut that told her she had to deliver the boy to his father. The sooner the better.
She watched him every night as he slept and she dreamt of a different life for her, for him and for his father. She wanted to hold onto Ray because he symbolized Ames. But Ray was just an innocent child who missed his father very much although he'd manage to make do with her the past month.
So when she received the package and understood what it was exactly, she knew what she would soon have to do. She would soon have to let Ray go, as Ames let her go.
She was re-reading the note when Alec when he came in the comm room. Being in the headquarters, it was one of the first rooms that had been renovated. Joshua's crew had done a great job : it was clean, repainted, furnished with second hand furnitures but it was enough to chase the dilapidated feel it had before the make over. On the biggest wall, they had pinned a map of Seattle, the timetables for each unit/crew's and all the things they were resposible for. Terminal City had become a hive and even though they all had photographic memory, this was a reminder for all of them that they were all working to build themselves a home. A place where they would be safe, safe from the hate, the torture, the experiments. A place where they were free. A place where they could be accepted, and loved and cherished.
Max had gotten out of a call with one of her contacts when Joshua had arrived with the package. He had sent it like a gift, in a velvet box; and there in the middle of it was a simple vial. She had never thought that he'd do something like this. And how could it have ever crossed her mind anyway.
"So what's new?" the dark blond transgenic asked as he observed Joshua and then Max.
"Little fella receive a package." Joshua said. "Little fella haven't said a word." Joshua had looked at his watch. "Ten minutes." he gruffed out.
She was processing the all thing, she wanted to say; but as she opened her mouth to speak, no sound came out.
Alec gave her a quizzical look and she nodded toward his office. They needed privacy if they were going to talk about this. He followed her, closed the foor behind him and took his seat, his feet propped on his desk.
"It's the antidote." Max announced without preamble.
Alec expected her to tell him that Logan had given her something, but he didn't know that the journalist had found a cure.
"Wow! Logan must be happy then!" he tried to be cheery about the ordinary being in the picture again, but he tried too much.
Max shook her head. She had come to terms with the fact that she didn't really want to have anything to do with Logan again.
"Logan didn't send this." she simply said. "He doesn't even now that I have this."
Now he was intrigued – and happy that exo boy wasn't going to make a come back in her life.
"Oh. Then who sent it? Are you even sure it really is the antidote?," the hazel eyed X5 asked in quick succession.
"It's…" she didn't seem to get a grip on her tongue and she really looked unsure of herself. "Dix tested it for me. It really is the antidote." She finally said between her pacing. His eyebrow rose.
"So what's the problem?" asked Alec. That should be good news in her book.
"Nothing. Just…" she took a deep calming breath and looked at her friend. "Ames sent it."
"Oh." he said again. He didn't voice his thought that he'd suspected that much. "Well that's weird." Alec rose and took the package from her hands, and unwrapped the already torn paper. "Sit down." He ordered, but he looked at her softly.
She reluctantly agreed.
"Give me your arm." He instructed as tooked the vial and the syringe.
She extended her arm and he injected the contents into her.
She closed her eyes and in a minute, it was all done. There was no more retro virus. She could probably slap Logan around – and if her temper didn't get the best of her – she wouldn't kill the wasn't a walking death anymore. But best of all, she knew that like Gem and the other pregnant X's in TC, she could allow herself to dream that she too would bring a new life in this world someday. She just had to make the world better first.
"There done!" Alec said as he patted her arm.
"Why did he do that?" she asked. Alec knew that she wasn't really asking him the question. She just needed to get her thoughts together. Being the only one who knew about Max and White was an uncomfortable situation for Alec. It wasn't that he was in love with Max, but they had grown on each other. They had formed a unique bond of their own. He was glad that she confided in him, he was glad that she was alive again, and not wasting away in a dark room like she did when she came back. He hated the fact that having spent time with White, she didn't hate him, but she thought about him constantly. He hated the fact that her time with the familiar had got to her and he hated the fact that they seemed to have form some sort of bond too. No matter that he supported Max, he felt he had to say something.
"You know nothing will ever happen between the two of you. You're fighting on opposite side and you'll probably even fight against each other in the near future."
She was annoyed that he thought he had the right to tell her that. She bit her lip because in the last months Alec had earned that right ten times over. But it was more complicated than just being on opposite side and at the same time, he was right: they were on opposite sides, they were probably going to go against each other in the near future. But it was more complicated than that.
So she just whispered a non commital, "I know that." Alec nodded, not because he was reassured by her answer, but because he had said his piece and that was enough for now. Even though, he knew there was no telling Max anything.
"I'll get you a coffee. I think you need it." Alec finally said when she remained silent for a long time.
She didn't even notice her fellow transgenic friend exiting the room. In a daze, she took out her cell and dialed a number she had learned months ago.
One ring. Two rings. Three Rings. He picked up.
"Agent White."
He heard the breathing on the other line. He didn't know he'd waited for this call until he felt in his gut that it was the woman occupying all his thoughts.
"It's me. I received the package," she rushed on. She wanted to say what she had to say before she lost her courage. She wanted to end the call before Alec came back and she saw the disappointed look in his eyes.
"Oh." He was still conflicted about his decision and his prior actions. She was going to be the death of his race, but he'd just made her happy and that was enough for him.
"I just wanted to thank you." How lame was that. She never thanked for anything or anyone! The whole situation made her squirm though she'd hid it well from Alec. Or maybe she wasn't doing such a good job at that. She was glad that he didn't call her on it. "And..." she hesitated. "It's just really weird you know. Why? Why'd you do it?" she finally asked. Although she had suspicions, she needed him to tell her why was it that he'd researched, found and sent her the antidote.
"I …" he seemed to think of it for a moment and then continued, "I have no idea." He had no idea why he wanted to keep her on the phone. He wasn't even tracing the call. Not she would be stupid enough to get traced, but he didn't even bother to do his job now where she was concerned.
Anyway, he wasn't going to spill his heart's content on the phone, with the whole office listening in. And even he did, what good would that do to them. They simply never could be. Ever. Ever.
He was about to continue – add something trivial things about how it had been hard to find the antidote - when he heard his name being called.
"WHITE!" It was Otto who'd bellowed. Ames closed his eyes in annoyance and wished he was somewhere else, anywhere else.
During his "leave" his transgenic hunting division had gone under some changes: Special Agent Otto Gottlieb was now his superior. If people like Gottlieb were in charge they wouldn't even need to intervene he thought, the human race would be its own worst enemy. Since the dumbass was in charge, he had become a stupid arrogant norm, too dumb to see that he was teaming up with his own kind's enemy, and that Ames could his ass from here to hell if provoked.
"Get your gear, we're moving! X alert in south market." Power had clearly gone to his head. He wondered if he was this arrogant when he was the one giving orders.
He let the phone call ran on, he wanted her to hear what Otto was saying. It wasn't his show anymore and he needed some kind of entertainment, if he wanted to keep sane.
"I have to go…" he whispered into the phone. Max smiled, was she imagining that his tone was like a caress? Was it all in her head?
"I heard. I'll see you there." she promised.
Ames smirked at the thought. Since their little ceremony on the space needle, it wouldn't be the first time that – again – their paths crossed. He amused himself by watching Otto's failed attempt at capturing her. The fact that he was once the unsuccessful agent who couldn't catch a transgenic didn't make him empathize with Otto. On the contrary, he was happy that the blame lay elsewhere, content in doing nothing, and reporting to the Conclave that he was being benched and trying hard to regain the trust that he had lost. He was enjoying the situation far too much.
As soon as she hung up, Max hollered at Alec.
"Your highness called," teased Alec. He handed her the coffee.
"X alert." Max told him with a smirk of her own before adding, "White's goons are on their way."
The hazel eyed transgenic nodded. He frowned because he didn't like that she was excited at the thought of seeing White.
"You want me to send someone? Jon's team is on deck." he asked though he knew that she wanted to go.
"No. I want to do it myself."
She was playing with fire, but he had said his piece once, he wasn't going to repeat himself. However, he had her back.
"Ok. Let's go then."
When he first came back on the field, doing nothing was harder than Ames thought. He had to be seen trying to so something, or doing something. But that meant he had to do the most feckless jobs around. The pretending was taking its toll on him because he had to keep two different pretenses : one for the bureau to maintain his cover and one for the Conclave, to everything that had happened with 452.
So he listened carefully on his surrounding, as he worked very hard at not doing anything while pretending to do something.
If he cared or if he still was Otto's boss maybe, just maybe he would have warned Otto. If he wasn't pissed at the stupid wanna be super agent in charge Otto Gotlieb, he would have told him that there was a squad of X5s heading their way.
He may even have told them to turn around and face those damn transgenics. Instead, he kept his mouth shut and didn't peep a word about the roar of engines that he heard approaching. Stupid Otto was busy ordering people around. He was going to enjoy this so much.
Before the "incident" he had to admit that he'd already thought she was magnificent. In an animal sort of way. But now that he got to know her, he was even more excited to see her in action. Seeing her kick some butt turned him on.
He watched on as Otto continued to issue some order. He was acquiescing event though he didn't listen to a word the man had said. Damn he could be annoying. Was he as annoying when he was the one running the show he asked himself again. No matter, now it was time to play agent White and he drew out his gun like all the bozos surrounding him.
It all happened in slow motion. The contingent of agent – minus White – hadn't even heard them coming so entranced were they on cornering the two X5s. It was a stroke of luck that they had tracked the two transgenics here. Maybe the freaks had been too preoccupied or something, because the federal agents had herded them to a dead end. They couldn't flee. They had to fight or surrender.
Otto was already imagining getting a medal for bagging the two transgenics. That was more than Ames White. His captures always had a tendency to die along with several agents. Maybe after this catch, White would stop looking at him with those mocking eyes of his.
Otto might have been the boss, but some part of him recognized the power that was harnessed in White. Unfortunately for him, he wasn't animal enough to bow to the superiority of White and he always found the most disgusting jobs and gave them to White. He was amazed that White hadn't complained yet.
He shook himself and focused back on the task at hand. He was son intent on the transgenics in front of him that he didn't hear the noises first.
When he and his team finally turned around, it was too late.
As agent Gottlieb turned around, he saw three motorcycles and their riders, two man and one woman.
Must be transgenics, Otto thought. The woman, he later recognized as 452 was riding in the middle of the two others transgens. Leading them.
The two males X5s, 494 and another one that he didn't recognized, pulled out their guns and were shooting at his men! He ducked for cover as bullet missed him by a breath.
452 was showing no signs of slowing down as she barreled her way towards him, her feet obviously on the gas pedal. She was going to knock him down with her bike, he thought. He found himself paralysed and closed his eyes.
When he heard the screech of tyre, he reopened his eyes. He saw 452 putting her weight on the front of the bike, the rear rose in the air and the tyre continued to roll in the void.
Max winked at Otto and turned her bike around, with her rear still in the air. It hit the poor man with all it torque. The impact sent him flying straight into a hard wall.
"Attagirl," whispered White to himself. Damn, but he loved watching her. He put a show on as he aimed for her, but missed his shot by a large margin; and she retaliated by trying, not very hard, to run him over. She laughed as she pushed her baby to its maximum speed leaving the scene.
"Later!" she hollered.
Alec and Biggs had already taken care of the two X5s and soon the only proof that they had been there was the dust and the battered body of the special agent Otto Gotlieb and his team.
It was only when they were in TC that Max found out who the two X5s were. She was few seconds behind Biggs and Alec.
"Wicked move Max!" commented Biggs.
"On my baby, I can pretty much do anything." she replied with a smile. She had perfected acrobatics on bike since she had fallen in love with her baby.
This intervention was one the funniest and easiest they'd had to do: no casualties on their part, and they got to make fools out of feds. It was nice that for a change no one had to go to med bay, or that the only thing they could take home was corpses.
"Max?"
The raven haired transgenic turned toward the voice who'd called her name. She found the features of two friendly faces staring back at her in stupor.
"Syl! Krit!" she rushed in Syl's embrace.
"Max! It's really you" exclaimed Syl. "You're really alive!"
"We thought you were dead." whispered Krit in her hair as he joined in the group hug.
Max felt some sort of flutter on her abdomen and took a step back. She finally noticed the round belly of her sister and that what she'd felt was the baby kicking.
"You're pregnant," Max said with a slightly accusatory tone.
"It kinda happened in the heat of the moment," intervened Krit grinning sheepishly, letting her know that he was the father and unconsciouly waiting and wanting her approval.
The happiness and pride on the faces of her siblings were plain to see. She bit back her tears and hugged her sister again.
"Max, I'm okay!" added Syl thinking that her sister had been worrying about her.
Slowly, Max released her hold on Syl before turning her heals and left them there.
Alec nodded to Biggs to take care of the new comers and followed after the dark haired transgenic.
"Come on," said Biggs before Krit or Syl could protest or follow too. "We'll find you some nice place to crash."
"But Max," tried Syl. She clearly didn't understand.
"She's fine," cut Biggs a bit roughly. "She just needs to wind up okay." he softened his tone a bit.
Like Alec, he had come to be a bit protective of Max. Although he didn't know the details of what had happened to Max, the transgenic grapevine had whispered rumors of a miscarriage. But Max's avoidance of pregnant transgenics had been confirmation enough.
Miscarrying was something that was unheard of among the transgenic population. So far all the pregnant X's that they sheltered in TC were having scare-free pregnancy and when Alec had let slip once that something happened with a familiar, Biggs knew that she didn't lose the foetus naturally, but that someone had intervened.
Alec found Max in her apartment looking through her window. Something that she used to do before she had spread the baby's ashes a few month ago.
"Hey," he said quietly.
She smiled, her sad smile again. Last time he saw that one, she had come back from a trip with White. He didn't want to see that particular smile on her face again.
"I shouldn't have reacted that way," she whispered. "I spoiled it for her, didn't I?" and she turned to look at him. She wanted his honesty.
He shrugged.
"I don't think that she knows why you reacted that way and Biggs won't say anything. Don't worry so much! It doesn't suit you!" he was trying to get a rise out of her.
"Does everybody know? About...you know who?"
"No. I didn't tell anyone. But they guessed that you were pregnant. You avoid the pregnant female at all costs and when you don't think no one is watching you look at them with so much longing..." he stopped as he saw the emotions displayed on her face. "They guessed, they're clever that way. Rumor has it that they are genetically engineered to be that way!"
This time she smiled.
"I guess my actions were dead giveaways." she conceded.
Alec was about to argue some more but Ray barged in the room excitedly and ran straight to Max.
"Max! Max!"
"Hey!" Max nuzzled the little boy's neck, taking comfort in his odor. He smelled of his father even though he hadn't see his old man in a long time.
Ray giggled at the ticklish touch.
When she released him, he said: "I did it! I did it! I really did it!" the excitement still visible in his eyes and all his little demeanor.
"And what exactly did you do, young man?" she asked mirth replacing sorrow and pain in her eyes.
"I managed to do what you taught me today! In training! Jack knows it! He can tell you."
"I believe you," replied Max with a very amused smile. "You mind showing that to Alec."
The little boy nodded vigorously and ran to the living room.
The two amused transgenic followed suit at a more sedate pace. They both watched with great attention Ray doing the said move successfully, putting the right amount of force and pressure on his right foot, pushing agaisnt the wall, and somerhaulting safely back after a left kick.
"See! I can do it!"
"Yeah, we saw that!"
Max ruffled Ray's hair affectionately. Alec watched the two of them his face marred by concern. He had been there from day one when the little White arrived in TC, and he had watched how attached Max had become to the little guy.
He cleared his throat to get Max attention. She raised her eye brow at him but told Ray to go clean his hands.
"You gotta tell him soon Max!" he warned.
"I know."
Alec saw the defeat in her eyes. He felt like crap for making her feel this way, but it had to be done. He hadn't said anything at first because the little familiar brought Max back to life. But the little one didn't belong with them and his people were asking questions about the little guy. As much as he had come to love Raymond White, he would have to go.
"Soon, Max!" he insisted again before taking his leave.
Max was debatting with herself again about the Ray situation. Ames had found and delivered the antidote, it was only natural that she returned the favor. But then something would happen and she'd made herself forget about White and concentrated on Ray. The little man was full of energy wanting to try everything, know everything and she distracted herself with his antics.
But fate was calling and she was having none of Max's denial. She came knocking on the door of the transgenic in the form of a call.
"Go for Max."
"Max, it's Andrea."
Max recognized the voice immediately. The familiar rebel that had housed Ames and her when they were in France.
"Andrea? What's up?" Max frowned, usually she was the one calling. In fact, this was the first time that Andrea initiated contact with her.
"He contacted us a few hours ago. I'm sorry I should have called you earlier but I didn't really get the time…"
Andrea didn't need to precise who the 'he' was.
"You've got something for me?"
"I have more than something for you." Andrea paused for dramatic effect. "He wants to meet you. He's in Baltimore" the familiar rattled and adress. "He'll wait for you in there."
Max was going to meet her creator.
