"Cure?" Logan asked, as if the word was foreign. He and Max had been looking for their own cure, but there's another one which Max has?

Sandeman just nodded, without offering anymore.

"She has the cure for what, exactly?" Logan asked, intense curiosity laced in every syllable his mouth uttered. In his bones, he still felt the shock of Sandeman's words.

Sandeman took a long drink of coffee while it was still warm. It bought him some time to decide how to answer. She should be here for this.

Sandeman looked out of the dirty kitchen window and into the deserted backyard. Just then his sons, Ames and CJ, came into view - about nine and seven years old, respectively. They were tossing a ball decorated with cartoon characters back and forth and laughing on a bright sunny day. His wife was exiting the back kitchen door, jogging out to meet them with a smile on her face as long, curly brunette locks bounced behind her.

"Hey!" Logan exclaimed, snapping the older gentleman out of an abrupt reverie.

Sandeman shook his head and his family vanished, like a good dream you wake up from too early to see what happens next. Sandeman knew what happened next. The good dream dissolves into a nightmare and it's all real.

"Sorry." He offered, still transfixed by something outside the window and took another drink as he came back to the present day and formulated an answer for Logan.

"There's a virus coming. Humanity is not immune or equipped to deal with it. They won't be ready and therefore will all perish before they can find a solution. They don't know it's coming." He expanded.

It was Logan's turn to take his time taking a long, drawn out sip of coffee as he tried to understand and grapple with what he was being told. Logan fixed Sandeman with a hard look, though he wasn't sure Sandeman noticed or cared.

"And you know? How does Max play into all of this?" He continued with his questioning.

Sandeman finally broke his attention away from the window. He shifted in his old wooden kitchen chair.

"I think that's a question best answered when Max gets here," was all he offered in return.

He rose out of his seat, coffee left abandoned like he did everything else in his life.

"Where are you going?!" Logan asked urgently. The guy had just told him the world was ending and he was still Max and Logan's best chance at their own personal cure.

"Relax. Just getting some fresher air. I'll return shortly." He reassured and made his way out the back door.

The wooden, decayed red door creaked in protest of being used after so long. It barely shut but Sandeman heard it slam as CJ came tumbling in, chasing his older brother and laughing. He remembers chastising him at the time for it. How silly the scientist had been to think it mattered. Ironically enough, he'd pay nearly anything to hear his son slam it again. Sandeman sat down on a weathered stone bench and looked out over the abandoned backyard. There were debris and grass not well managed. There was an old swing set: very simple with just a swing and a metal slide. The swing hung crooked. One chain had given away. The seat rusted. There were wooden boards missing on the deck, which led to the rusted metal slide. Amazing how it had persevered through the years. Sandeman sighed. Coming back here had proven even more haunting than he imagined. He ran off and pushed this past so far behind him. Here, the past came back alive powerfully - a reminder of everything he'd once had and lost. He took a deep breath before standing up and walking back in. Behind him an apparition of a young, carefree CJ trotted in behind him - all smiles and adoring eyes.

~ ~ ~

Max and her TC crew had found the library again. They did quick recon to check out the entrances - or exits - depending on what you needed them to be. There were four - a manageable amount. None looked particularly safe or inviting. Night had fallen again, so they had that advantage at least. Max knew that if her friends were alive, it was bait. She was smart, but sentimental. She wasn't leaving here without them, even Alec. There were no guards outside, which only meant there were that many more inside. The building looked abandoned and empty, so Max would waltz in thinking it was clear and get caught. They underestimated her.

She looked back over at her TC backup and nodded. She did some hand gestures to tell them of her plan. They nodded in response. The male offered her a hand gun. She shook her head, sending dark hair swishing back and forth. He looked very confused but just nodded. He wasn't like Zack, and wouldn't force her to take it, if she didn't want. Currently hidden behind some shrubs nearby, they each popped out and took off for the nearest door - good as any based on the non-existent intel they had. Max braced herself for anything they might find, as she kicked open the door. She put her arms up, ready to throw some wicked punches that would teach Familiars what pain felt like, but to her surprise, there was no one there to punch. The hallway was devoid of any persons. It seemed to be just them three - but Max knew better. She knew how sneaky these cult creeps were. She scanned all around, trying to see where her enemy was hiding, not one found. They advanced onwards. This was a complete hail mary, whipped up from scratch at the last minute type of mission. They had no library layouts mapped, no intel or eyes at all. This was a far cry from the night she attempted to take down Manticore - none of the support, all or maybe more of the danger. She swallowed, suddenly feeling unsure if this was the right choice, but she needed to get her friends out asap. If the cult thought Max wasn't coming, they could do away with her friends. She was not letting that happen. As thoughts flew around in her head, she was keeping her eyes open, searching for any clues as to how many Familiars were here, where they were, and where her friends were. Surely, if this is a trap, they'll lay out obvious clues as to where the they are.

The blood trail from Alec had disappeared just inside the door. Damn transgenic clotting. Max looked back at the transgenics with her. They had soldier expressions on their faces and guns drawn, ready to shoot if a mouse breathed. Logan had quickly briefed them on how formidable Familiars were.

Just then, she looked down and zoomed in on a dark spot on the floor. Blood. Alec must've realized he'd stopped bleeding and reopened the prick. It led a faint trail to some stairs which led down to a sub level. Presumably, the library's basement. The stairway was dark and narrow. Anything could be waiting on them. Max looked back in question at her aid and they nodded their heads confidently, not a trace of fear to be found. They were with her no matter what.

She gave a small smile and they cautiously started down the stairway. It was straight, but long. They walked very slowly and stepped with much careful intention, as to not cause the old boards to give them up by creaking. Sure, they knew Max was coming, but she wasn't about to make a parade out of their entrance. As soon as Max took the last step off the stairs, five Familiars appeared out of seemingly nowhere. Across the room she saw her friends in cells, which would've been more reassuring, if she didn't also see Familiar hands wrapped around each of their necks.

"Nice to see you again, 452." Ames stepped out of the shadows and greeted her with his typical wicked, smug smile.

Shit.