Of Wolves and Devils: A Dark Angel Fanfiction Story

Episode 10:

Further into the night…

The ramjet has landed on a dark corporate office building: Overlooking the far side of the hill, not very far from Treyarch.

Faint smog casts rockets red glare. A unsettling afterglow of rallying cries of justice: From when the Pulse hit…and when the walls fell.

Max and Syl are out on the roof: Trying to get some clue of what's what. Syl has some blue tinted binoculars with infrared to look through. Max has her cat like eyes.

Max checks, "see anything out of place?"

Now in a black catsuit… Syl faintly chuckles nervously, "where do you start? No soldiers. No security. Plenty of unnecessary holes in the perimeter. A broken window. And…only one woman at a computer. For all we know, it could all be one big lockbox."

Max tries to say with certainty, "still…might be easier than we thought."

Doubtful sounding, Syl figures, "maybe."

Max asks, "and Sydney and Duncan?" Syl reports, "they still got normal body temperature. But…they're in some sleeping trance. I don't know what to make of it."

Max moderately sighs, "so much for easy."

Around this time, back in the ramjet…

Samantha is hooking up the computers and the mess of wires on the cart with her red suitcase computer: Using a pair of brown utility gloves to protect her hands.

She's not wearing sunglasses. Though, several sets of velcro purple gloves and black rimmed sunglasses with cycling red are resting on the lower interior half of the cart.

Logan is just sitting on a medical bed in back: Deep in his own thoughts.

Not taking it anymore… Samantha heavily sighs.

She takes a break from what she's doing. And, she turns to face him.

She says uneasily, "look. I don't want to fight anymore than you."

Kind of shaken, Logan says, "well, you sure have a interesting way of showing it."

Samantha admits openly, "yeah. Maybe. I didn't ask to bring you anyway. Max wanted you to come." Logan faintly smiles, "really?"

With a faint smile, Samantha answers, "yes. She loves you very much."

Kind of nervous with everything… Logan reflects, "I know. I'm lucky to have found her. We've both been lucky."

Samantha tries to delicately put it, "I'm not trying to ruin your mental picture of happiness…or anyone else's for that matter. But, you don't sound sure."

Logan insists firmly, "it's nothing like that. It's just…"

With hints of concern in her voice, Samantha asks, "just what?"

Logan moderately sighs.

He puts to question, "if a super secretive committee of cold blooded killers were in business in a big way…wouldn't you be having second thoughts?"

Teary eyed, Samantha thinks out loud, "I already do. I have…ever since that day."

She suddenly starts to glare at him, "you sure you didn't do some digging on us?"

Logan uncomfortably says, "no. I'm sure."

Sounding more sure of himself, he says, "I may not know what you've gone through. But, for what it's worth…I'm sorry."

Samantha is quick to conclude, "I should be. I never should have gotten up in your case about the SyBox. But…thanks."

Logan mostly assures, "it's ok. I can tell family means a lot to you."

With mixed feelings, Samantha comments, "you have no idea." She quickly adds, "I should get back to setting the mobile unit up. Very delicate equipment."

Logan says faintly calm, "yeah. Sure."

Samantha goes back over to her mostly finished mobile VR unit.

But, as she starts to continue working… She asks, "can I ask you something?"

A little surprised, Logan figures, "go ahead."

Samantha turns back to him. She asks very reluctantly, "if anything happens to us… Can I trust you to protect us?"

Like it's obvious, Logan says, "of course. But, there's more to it. Isn't there?"

Samantha admits nervously, "yeah. I don't know you well enough to trust you. But…I'd much rather we all come out alive than dead. Now, if you don't mind, I got something to finish so we can get this over with." Logan solemnly voices, "fair enough."

And with that…Samantha turns back to working on the mobile VR unit.

Not long before, in VR minutes…

First, there is darkness.

Then…out of the dark… A star shines through.

But, past the light… There is no star: Only Sydney's very shadow radiating starlight. She's floating there, with two cupped hands over her crossed legs.

In her own thoughts… Sydney comments, "faint laugh. Guess that meditation technique you taught me came in handy after all, Duncan."

Then… A blurry light crackles in the sky.

A blackened house with ribbons of light blue loom ahead on a field of grass.

And, the ghostly spirit of Sydney Bloom comes touching down before the green door: With angelic wings of white and a fancy white gown.

She nervously knocks on the door. But, it burns.

Sydney clutches her hand. But…the pain soon goes away.

And, her hand returns to normal.

From the other side of the door, Mollie calls out, "go away!"

Sydney moderately sighs to herself.

She figures, "I'm sorry. But, I can't. Whether you know it or not…you've become part of a very dangerous game. And, I'm going to end it: Even if I have to kill you."

Mollie opens the door.

Behind her is pitch black. And, the crackling is getting worse.

Her eyes are teary and reddened, like she hasn't slept in weeks.

A saddened Mollie says, "I don't want to kill either. Not again."

Kind of taken aback by this… Sydney wonders, "did you have to?"

Mollie determinedly voices, "I have to finish what I've come to do. It's the only way I can be forgiven for my sin. Just don't get in the way. Please."

Sydney tries to tell her, "the men in Treyarch have committed plenty of sins. I know that may be hard for you to take. But…"

Mollie fiercely mutters, "no! It's you who doesn't understand. I can't stop now. Only the SyBox can put me on the path to forgiveness…and for everyone else. There's too much suffering in America. And, only they can end it."

With very mixed feelings… Sydney sighs deeply, "I understand what you're trying to achieve. But, no one can make people forgive Mollie."

Mollie goes on to justify, "no. But, the SyBox is a push in the right direction. And, if we really are so alike…you'll go."

And, she closes the door on Sydney.

Sydney tries to reach for it again: Only for the house to vanish in a puff of smoke.

She groans in frustration.

And, she sits there in the white light: Trying to think of something.

Out in the physical…

The VR unit's monitors are spread out on a medical bed, along with the gloves and black rimmed sunglasses from earlier. They're lit in frozen rain like blue and yellow screensavers: With Treyarch HQ or Ramjet over each in sharply dim yellow letters.

Given the circumstances… Samantha, Syl, and Max are all putting on the gloves. And, Logan is sitting across from them on the other bed.

Samantha checks, "are you ready?"

A little nervous, Syl comments, "as I'll ever be. What about you?"

Samantha faintly smiles reflectively, "I've gone in before. I'll be ok."

Max turns to her, "you sure? Cause you sure as hell haven't been."

Logan mutters lowly, "Max."

Samantha mostly assures them both, "it's ok, Max. I'm sure I will be: After we get this over with." Max faintly says, "sounds good."

She and Syl reach for the black rimmed sunglasses before them.

Looking back over… Samantha reminds Logan, "and if we don't come out?"

Fairly confidently, Logan answers, "then I'll go into Treyarch and find a way to save all of you." Max remarks with a smile, "wouldn't expect less from a Messiah."

Logan faintly smiles back.

Syl faintly chuckles.

Samantha finishes pressing a bunch of keys. And, the VR unit starts ringing.

Syl asks, "ready, sis?"

Max figures, "as ready as I'm going to be. Let's get this bitch over with."

Samantha suddenly looks a little uncomfortable. But, she doesn't say anything: Especially with time flying by in VR as it is, and with her willful determination to shut down the SyBox for good.

Samantha reaches for her black rimmed sunglasses.

And, she faintly says, "see you on the other side."

She presses enter. And, everything starts going crazy.

In VR…

A very dark silvery purple wormhole of watery distortions appears before them: With orbs all around. Before Samantha, it stays as such.

Before Max…it all fluctuates between superfast purple binary code and orbs.

Before Syl…it all gets sharply clear in blurry afterimages. Pretty much thanks to her nictitating membranes: Courtesy of her Manticore DNA.

And, as quickly as it comes…it stops.

Not long after, in VR minutes…

Samantha wakes up in a dark room.

Assuming the worst… Samantha draws out her pistol.

She looks around to see. But…nothing.

Samantha starts muttering nervously to herself, "where is…?"

She then sees a old movie projector with the official seal of the Library of Congress on it, followed by a dimly lit white projector screen. And, on a small wood table…are some open dark red and dark brown history books.

One is Navigating the Labyrinth of Political Campaigns in the early 1900's.

Another is titled The Rise and Fall of BioWare's Old Republic.

On its cover is a Sith Lord, with black robes like death and a EA branded very dark red Mandalorian helmet styled machine head: Crushing a brain in its bare hand mostly made out of microchips, plastique, and shooting out splatters of dark red liquid.

Samantha faintly chuckles, "hmm. Don't remember finding…you."

As she starts flipping through the pages though…it all starts to hit.

Flashes of a possible future roll in her head.

Treyarch buildings grow across the country in glowing red…giving rise to billions of people in Sith robes: Praying to Mister Anthony's giant bronze statue of his bald head.

And, as quickly as it comes, it fades.

But, then…the Sith Lord's free hand comes out of the cover.

Before Samantha even realizes it…it's around her throat: Choking her.

And, the dark side of the force is the only thing holding up the book.

As the room starts to blur… She angrily glares at the Sith Lord's laughing face.

With mental resistance so fair… She reaches for her pistol: Which has now turned into a medieval torch.

She drives it into the book. And, it burns and burns in a terrifying shriek.

The torch disappears in a puff of smoke. But, the book is no more.

Catching her breath… Samantha mutters faintly, "well…that was new."

The projector starts rolling: In color…against a mostly brown and faint yellow underground bunker of some kind.

Samantha catches another sound though, and she shakily turns to face it.

A wall swings open.

And, the ghostly spirit of Sydney is there: In her near blinding white glow.

Samantha wonders nervously, "Sydney?!"

With a faint uneasy chuckle… Sydney pinpoints, "come on, Samantha. There's only one woman running everything in here, and she's not exactly willing to listen. Who do you think would give you what they were planning so easily?"

Kind of embarrassed and relieved all at once… Samantha realizes, "ohh."

Sydney concludes, "yeah. I'll explain. But, we should…go."

Then… All goes black.

In the dark… Samantha calls out to her, "Sydney?!"

Sydney mostly assures, "I'm ok. Are you?" Samantha uneasily adds, "I think so."

Dim lights come back on: Over the underground bunker they find themselves in.

Suddenly, Samantha gasps. Sydney asks, "what's…wrong?"

As they look at each other… They chillingly realize they seem to have reverted back to nine or so years old: Both in plaid dresses of pink and white, and with long hair.

A teary eyed Samantha mutters under her breath, "it can't be."

Sydney looks all the more confused, "what can't be? Samantha!"

The sound of cars speeding along fills the corridor. The water level starts to rise.

Samantha breaks into a run, heading for a ghostly white door just her size.

Sydney runs after her.

Through the peephole…

Samantha sees a figure with medium light brown parted hair before a metal table in the dark. And, she knows all too well who it is.

Standing over his shoulder is a figure in all black. Another figure is off to the side, holding a pistol and watching over a grown Samantha. And, she looks shaky as hell.

Kind of taken aback…Sydney realizes, "is that our father?"

The young Samantha sniffles in response.

Through the peephole…

Samantha's father highlights, "you're talking about VR.9 as though it's just another computer program for the benefit of mankind. But, you're looking to enslave us all. I hate you. I hate being forced to choose one life over another. But, I will never let you make me make this system!"

One of the figures voices coldly, "fine. Your daughter can carry on your work."

Samantha's father shouts angrily, "over my dead body!"

He tries to tackle him. But, the figure just takes him out with the side of his pistol.

Samantha bends over, breaking into tears.

The first figure motions over to several other guys. They drag Samantha's father out the door and down a mostly brown and faint yellow corridor to another room.

The second figure mutters unemotionally, "kids."

He drinks from his bottle of alcohol while still holding his gun.

In spite of her tears… Samantha has had enough.

She kicks straight into him and his bottle of alcohol…sending cold alcohol and glass pieces flying into him as he hits the floor.

Samantha punches him in the head for good measure: Knocking him out.

Not sure what else to do… She takes his pistol and goes after the other men.

Not caring who else hears… She calls out, "daddy! Daddy!"

The tears keep going. But, she isn't stopping.

Two guys stand before a quickly closed door.

They draw out pistols. But, Samantha just shoots their hands.

They scream in excruciating pain as they clutch their injured hands.

And, Samantha just shoots them in the heart.

They both fall over dead. But, all she can think of is her father.

And, as the last figure is aiming right for his head… Samantha screams, "no! ! !"

She shoots the figure in the heart: Multiple times.

A trail of dark red liquid flies up. And, as quickly as it happens…he's dead.

Samantha breathes heavily against the doorframe, catching her breath.

Then…she hurries over to her unconscious father.

She bends over. She checks his heartbeat with her other hand.

She faintly smiles in relief as she hears his heart beating.

But, then…her smile fades. And, the reality of what she's done finally hits.

She drops the gun.

And, she just sits there: Sobbing and sobbing for who knows how long.

With her eyes so sore from crying already…it's all silent tears. Painful silent tears.

Back with young Sydney and Samantha…

The sound of a car crashing into water echoes through the corridor.

Sydney tries to cover her ears. But, it doesn't stop her from hearing the crash.

Samantha is sobbing over the door. And, the water is already up to their shoulders.

Sydney urges, "yes. What happened was painful. But, we got to get out of here!"

Through her resurfacing tears… Samantha mumbles, "leave me here to die."

Teary eyed herself… Sydney very uneasily says, "but…you're my sister."

In a faint flash of light… Samantha and Sydney go back to their present bodies.

The water level is still rising. But, it's now only down to their waists.

Against the wall… Samantha reveals, "I know. I thought our resurfaced memories would give us peace. But… I never really have it. Sniffle! When I close my eyes, I see their faces. I see who I've murdered. And after tonight…I can see what I'm becoming."

Sydney pieces together, "you think you're turning into one of them?"

Samantha slowly nods.

The water level is now up to their shoulders.

Sydney challenges, "why? What did you do that's so wrong?"

Samantha answers bitterly, "I go undercover to Mister Anthony's because I felt I didn't have any other choice. I let Max and Syl in on it because I felt I didn't have any other choice. I let Logan come because I felt I didn't have any other choice. And, what do I do when I fly them over? I blow up in Logan's face about it!"

And, she turns back to face her, "now I ask you: Who does that remind you of?"

Sydney comments simply, "Max."

Samantha goes wide eyed…as the water level reaches their faces.

A embarrassed expression falls on her face.

Without another care…she hugs Sydney. Sydney hugs her back.

And, they both start to glow in starlight: Vaporizing the water all around them.

Samantha faintly sighs, "faint laugh. I'm just being hard on myself. Aren't I?"

Sydney insists assuringly, "it's ok. We've faced worse before."

Samantha argues, "no. We haven't. But…thank you."

Sydney faintly smiles, "don't mention it."

And, in a flash of starlight… They vanish from the bunker.

Meanwhile, in VR minutes…

Syl and Sketchy are in Sketchy's apartment, making out "very closely" over the worn out yellow sheeted bed in the dark of night. Their clothes are off on the floor.

But, then… Sketchy's skin starts feeling hairy.

On reflex, Syl pushes him off.

Very confused, Sketchy asks, "what? What did I…?"

Syl screams.

Sketchy's skin is rapidly becoming black rat hair.

His face is turning all whiskery. And, his hands are becoming pink and bony claws.

Syl gets off the bed. And, she ducks into the corner like a scared rat.

She closes her eyes. And, she takes deep breaths.

She keeps muttering to herself, "not real. Not real."

She then opens them…to find a humanoid rat coming after her: Erect fur and all.

Syl mutters to herself, "damn. Still there!"

Syl closes her eyes again: Even as they're tearing up in fear.

As the humanoid rat squeaks at her… Syl pulls out a rifle.

As tears fall… Syl voices chillingly, "I love you, Sketch. But…I'm sorry."

And as the humanoid rat tries to bite her on impulse… Syl shoots him in the head.

Dark red liquid appears around his rat head, seeping into the floor.

And, Syl just sits there: Silently crying to herself.

Meanwhile, in VR minutes…

Max wakes up: In a hospital bed, surrounded by very dark red lighting.

She finds that she can only see out of one irritated eye. And, as she desperately looks for the answer out of the corner of that one eye…she looks about ready to throw up.

Her entire left side is disfigured, with deep red burns all over. And, standing over her…sharpening some surgical knives…is Lydecker with a surgeon's mask on.

Out of the working side of her mouth… Max sputters angrily, "you…bas…tard! Logan…killed you. Go back…to hell before I…!"

Lydecker just laughs disturbingly at her, "oh, him? He can only walk through Heaven now. As for you? I'm going to enjoy every minute of this. Don't strain yourself: It'll only make the procedure more painful."

Through Max's cat like eye though, she sees some floating black digits of code. And, with her expert in telecommunications…she sees a small backdoor.

Max glares right at a piece of code…and her mouth and eyes heal instantly.

Max shouts, "what the hell are you doing to me?!"

Lydecker puts down the knives.

He goes on a rant, "drinking near destroyed my life. You and Logan actually succeeded: You and that son of a bitch Madame X! But, what matters now is that I'm alive. You can thank the last surviving doctor from Manticore for thinking up a way. Incredible. And, of course my good friend Mister Anthony for paying him off to get all of this to happen. Do you really think resurrecting the SyBox was by mere coincidence?"

Max mutters, "and where's the part where you gloat about your vision thing?"

Lydecker says all too happily, "I thought you might ask."

He takes out a photo of his long dead high school sweetheart: With her very curly medium black hair and glasses. And, he tears it in half.

The left half begins to grow exponentially.

Breathing heavily… Max realizes, "oh, god. You're turning me into her?"

Lydecker divulges, "not physically. You messed up my vision. Now I'm going to mess with yours. Somehow, it's only fitting. In a weird way…I'm going to miss you."

He lays the inflated half of a picture down on Max's side. And, it starts giving off red hot smoke: As it is grafting itself painfully into her.

Yet, with a faint smile… Max remarks, "ohh. How pathetic. Especially when another side of me is not going anywhere."

Lydecker turns around…to see Max's inner bitch in a catsuit shoot him with a rifle.

Lydecker falls on the floor: Dead once more.

Max comments, "about time."

Max's inner bitch rips off the inflated picture: Much to Max's pained chagrin.

Max's inner bitch mutters, "ok. I may have helped you against a second inner bitch. But, that doesn't mean I'm going to just let you go back in your body that easy. Manticore, the ZFA, hoverdrones with guns… Face reality, sister: You won't stand a chance out there without me as the Alpha."

Max sits up, glaring straight at her. She argues back, "I don't care if you can raise the dead! I only let Zack give me a gun once because I already used up my grenade. The same one I had saved for a hoverdrone…only to have to kill Brin before a X-6 could kill me. Sniffle! Besides…two deaths in the same night can have that effect on your mind."

In her mixed feelings of guilt and shakiness…she sobs over the bed.

After what feels like forever… She holds up both of her hands: Taking some small comfort in that both of her sides are back to normal now.

Max's inner bitch concludes, "or you had me to save your ass that night…and that one in Louisiana…and that one in Canada…"

Still teary… Max shouts back, "ok! As hard as it is for you to get…I'm not trying to kick you on your ass. Yes: You're part of me. I get it! But, even with all the bitches I go through in life… Sniffle. You're too much like Manticore. And, even with Eva's death… Hell, all the deaths in the family getting down on me… It's worth keeping me real over. I'm stronger the way I am. And, that's why you'll never be the Alpha."

Max's inner bitch bittersweetly smiles back…teary eyed herself.

She swirls back into Max's shadow: Much to a faintly smiling Max's faint relief.

Within VR, before the night sky…

Samantha is saying, "you're saying Mollie was looking for a dead body and "just happened" to find a part of the SyBox in the ashes?" Sydney reasons, "looks like."

They're sitting before a computer monitor: Surrounded in bright starlight.

Samantha argues, "but that's crazy!"

Very uncomfortably… Sydney explains more, "not really. Just very unlikely. When I was up here before with my subconscious… I hacked into the main computer and dug up her criminal record. She was charged with second degree murder of Donna Markley for reckless endangerment and arson under the influence. They were best friends in high school. They went to a lot of the same parties, movies… You get the picture."

Through the monitor… Many pictures go by. Many with a lot of partying: In not so flattering shots of close up boobs and passing out with smashed bottles of alcohol.

One though has a yearbook photo with Class of 2008 under it. In it is Donna Markley: Long blond haired, a purple lined pink cheerleader outfit with belly button showing...and with a friendly arm around a younger blushing Mollie in a matching dress.

Another has a black and white prison photo of Mollie holding up her prison number: In a ragged dress, and with a heavily bruised side of her teary eyed face.

Sydney continues, "got up to seven years in prison. Then, a year later… The Pulse came. And all the prisoners in her cell block escaped. Most of them were never found."

Samantha remarks shakily, "perfect: A runaway crusader with no flag to wave."

Sydney comments, "I don't know. She really doesn't seem like the crusader type."

Samantha just mutters, "whatever. So, now what? I'd hate to have to kill her."

Sydney figures, "I know the feeling. But, if she won't…listen…"

Samantha turns to her, "what is it?"

With a faint smile… Sydney answers, "I think I got a plan. It might put her in danger. But, if it works, we won't have to kill anyone."

Samantha faintly smiles, "I like it already. So, what's the first part?"

Sydney figures, "find Max and Syl. Even if they're not in a great mental state…we're going to need all the help we can get." Samantha faintly nods, "on it."

Samantha is already typing a bunch of keys on the conveniently placed keyboard.

Not long after…

In the office…twenty soldiers are standing ready. Their leader looks a awful lot like Donna. But, she looks a lot more serious than in the photo.

Mollie is staring intensely at the computer: With several little screens of soldiers with flashlights up. She has a purple lined pink headset on as she's sitting in a pink chair.

Duncan is still unconscious on the floor. But, Sydney has vanished.

Mollie checks, "still nothing?"

One of the soldiers reports, "nothing…ma'am. What the hell?!"

Suddenly, all the screens are filled with bright light. A deadly silence follows.

At the computer in the sky… Samantha smiles to herself, "that's twenty down."

Mollie orders, "team Alpha, come in. Team Omega, come in. Anyone, come in!"

Sydney tells her, "they're ok. They're just shut down from the program."

Mollie goes wide eyed.

She turns around slowly…to see Sydney there: Not far from Duncan.

The leading soldier shouts, "take her down!"

The soldiers fire at Sydney.

She breaks into a run...as bullets make holes through empty cubicles.

The soldiers spread out: Trying to box Sydney in one of them.

Mollie marches right over to the leading solider.

She exclaims, "what the hell are you doing?! Those are supposed to be tranquilizers: Not bullets!" The leading soldier mutters back, "take it up with Mister Anthony. We have our orders, ma'am."

Mollie fiercely figures, "well, I'm in charge as of now. And, I say…!"

The leading soldier fires her gun at her.

But, out of nowhere…Syl knocks Mollie over.

Meanwhile… Max has snuck her way over to the computer. And, she wastes no time giving the screens new targets.

Max mutters, "you guys sure have been naughty. Time to say good night."

All the soldiers suddenly vanish in bright light: With Samantha's helping hand.

Max heaves a sigh of exhausted relief.

But, then she sees Syl: Clutching her shot shoulder, which is dripping dark red.

Max hurries over to her. So does Sydney.

Albeit fairly shaken… Mollie is getting on her feet.

Max checks, "you ok?"

Syl faintly chuckles, "yeah. It's not serious. But…thanks."

Max faintly smiles in relief, "no problem. How is she?"

Mollie is in her chair: Breathing heavily to herself as tears come down her face.

Sydney solemnly says, "I think she's going to need a lot of time to recover. But, no one else has found her. So…at least she'll have all the time in the world to."

Red in the face… Syl awkwardly realizes, "maybe we should go back."

Max figures, "yeah. Logan's probably got himself all worried."

From the crystal computer… Samantha figures somberly, "time to come home."

Max, Syl, and Samantha disappear in starlight.

Sydney though stays a bit longer. She just has to ask, "you ok there?"

Mollie faintly looks up. And, she admits, "I'm not. But… I will be. Thank you."

Sydney faintly smiles sympathetically, "you're welcome."

And with that… She vanishes in starlight.

Back out in the real…

Max, Syl, and Samantha take off the black rimmed glasses and gloves.

And, Max goes over to Logan. He's at the front, double checking radar readings.

Max grins at him, "Logan."

Logan faintly smiles at her, "Max. You ok?"

Max solemnly insists, "yeah. What about you? You been worried and crap?"

To her great confusion… Logan chuckles.

He figures, "Max…it's only been eight minutes."

Syl is quick to comment, "that's very hard to believe. It's been almost 10 hours."

Max faintly chuckles in realization, "must be part of that whole VR.9 trip thing."

Samantha figures, "must be. And, Max?"

Turning back to her… Max wonders, "yeah?"

Samantha very much implies, "with everything that has happened tonight…maybe I could tell you."

With some faint amusement, Max says, "maybe later. Right now, I want to get back to the mirth while I'm still in the mood."

Samantha solemnly says, "it's ok. I've got a Christmas party of my own to get to."

Logan and Syl faintly smile to themselves.

Max states, "same. Though…there's something I got to do first."

Not long after, under one of the two trees out there…

Standing there in her jacket… Sydney goes, "ok. What is it that couldn't wait?"

Max inquires, "why didn't you tell us about the SyBox? You know, before it turned into a crappy shot waiting to happen?"

Finding it hard to look at her… Sydney moderately sighs considerately, "yeah. Well…did you tell Logan? About Manticore?"

Left a little unsure of why, Max recalls, "no. He figured it out all his own. Why?"

Sydney explains somberly, "exactly why I couldn't tell anyone else: Outside of my family...and my friend Duncan."

Max realizes, "ohh." Like it's obvious, Sydney adds, "yeah."

Max figures, "guess I could let that one slide."

Sydney adds, "thanks. So…anything else that you just have to tell me?"

Max faintly smiles, "just one. So why don't we hang out?"

A little surprised by this… Sydney faintly chuckles.

As she turns to leave… She answers, "I should go. But…I'll think about it. Deal?"

Max faintly nods, "sure. Go get your party on."

Sydney comments, "not really. But, thanks." Max concludes, "sure."

They part company, circling back to the lives and families they hold dear.

The winter breeze parts ways, as the jolly begins to settle in in the night.

But, down on Jesus Street… It isn't just about jolly and thankfulness. It's about the birth of a new hope for the next year onward.

And, through the nightmares and dreams of the past… We all have it in us to be stronger than the pain: Because there's always hope for a new hope from within.