Chapter 11
Title: Do blondes really have more fun?
"Did I, or did I not clearly say Jondy was to leave her wigs alone?"
"You did."
"And did I, or did I not tell Max we needed to keep her location hidden from the cult?"
"You did."
"And did I, or did I not just deny them permission to join the surveillance team, as their commanding officer."
"You did."
"Then why did we just hear them report their successful infiltration?"
Biggs withheld a smile as he answered. "Do you really want me to answer that?"
Alec sighed and threw up his hands in resignation, while Biggs looked on in amusement. When Jondy approached him with her plan he had been more than happy to turn the decision over to Alec, expecting him to turn it down. He hadn't counted on Max being in on the plan and endorsing it, to the point where it included her.
Was the surveillance going to be a problem now that McKinley was going to an exclusive members' only spa? Well yes. And was it likely McKinley would use the spa to slip away to the conclave? Sure it was. But that didn't mean Jondy and Max would need to impersonate employees to keep an eye on the man. And what's worse, Alec knew for a fact Biggs was counting on him to turn both of them down. But he also knew for a fact that if he turned them down, he would've been sleeping on the couch for god knows how long. And their couch was not a good place to sleep.
So they'd gone. And now they were watching their primary target without immediate backup. Alec felt like cursing the walls but he knew he needed to have faith in their abilities of to remain undetected. They had a decade of blending in on the rest of them and it showed. Issues most of the transgenics still struggled with were second nature to those who made it out in '09 and Alec wouldn't be much of a commanding officer if he ignored that. For that reason, Zack and his Delta team were the assigned back-up posing as a high-school class on a science trip.
Alec blessed the X6s for having the ability to act young enough to pass as high-school seniors because no one suspected teenagers. Even with all the information out on transgenics the ordinaries focused their attention on the X5 and transhumans. Apparently they refused to believe the reality of child soldiers, despite all the evidence showing them otherwise. It was the one thing Alec was grateful for, since it allowed him the opportunity to let the X6's train out in the open.
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Meanwhile Jondy and Max were enjoying the employee lounge at the Hills Spa and Superior health centre. They were gathering information on all the guests without ever taking a step out on the grounds to risk exposure. As their break ended Jondy returned to their room to write their first report while Max went in search of a secluded training ground. One of the reasons they had both volunteered for this mission was to train Jondy in the use of her instincts. Jondy felt more comfortable letting her inner predator out away from the other transgenics and Max was dying to get out and stretch her senses. This fact-finding mission was perfect for both of them.
Thankfully, after careful consideration of the consequences, Alec had agreed. Max smiled at the thought of Alec gulping when he realised Max was deadly serious about him sleeping on the couch. It was a good thing he wasn't yet able to use his instincts as well as she, or he would've recognized her bluff for what it was. Max took in her surroundings and was soon caught up in the beauty of the wild nature she was walking in. She was in a forest area with various hills sprinkled all around her, it gave her a funny feeling like she'd seen it somewhere before.
Breathing in the she could find no trace of chemicals in the air that was so common close to Seattle. The scattered trees provided good cover and the complex was far enough away from any town to keep nosy neighbours from visiting. It was too bad they couldn't have a facility like this instead of the one they were occupying now. It was great that they were running it but the place still held way too many unhappy memories to truly be a home for everyone. Deep in thought, Max continued to compare the old Manticore facility to her current surroundings as she wandered the forest.
Soon she found a clearing that was far enough away from the main complex to ensure security while Jondy mastered her inner predator. Clearing her head from all the confusing thoughts swirling inside, she targeted her attention on her immediate goals and decided this would be where the both of them would transmit their report from tonight and practise afterwards.
Not particularly eager to return, Max took a meandering path back to the main building. As she got closer to the group of buildings that made up the complex she headed to the restaurant building to report for her shift. Max put on her most convincing ditzy face and charmed her way across the room, using her grace to stay out of the way of roaming and groping hands as she served each table. Max could see Jondy was faring no better and was instantly pleased Alec and Biggs weren't here to see it. Repressed instincts or not, the sight of 2 transgenic males in a rage over, well, nothing really, would cause quite the scene.
Max swerved out of the way of yet another hand and smiled apologetically as she did so. She was regularly feeling a sudden urge to splash most of the men in the room with ice water, or tear their hands from their torso but she kept an iron control and kept her ditzy waitress face on at all times.
Jondy, however, was not faring so well. Having spent the last 12 months in the relative seclusion of an all transgenic society she was no longer accustomed to evading the propositions of ordinary men. Most of the transgenic males knew from her posture that she wasn't interested in pursuing any kind of physical relationship and kept their distance. Something which became even more pronounced when she acknowledged her feelings for Biggs. Even if she'd only done so to herself.
She was feeling her nerves get the better of her and escaped into the haven of the kitchen. It didn't last long however since the sous-chef 1 decided he'd taken a liking to the new girl and wanted to get to know her better. He thought it cute that she had been avoiding him after turning him down for a date and assumed she'd been too impressed with his title to say yes. After watching her navigate her way between the rich old men out on the floor he felt confident that a soothing compliment would loosen her up and warm her affections to him.
He should've realised that 'no', really means no.
Jondy heard the young man get closer and invade her personal space. She scooted further away from him and he took the opportunity to sit down on the bench beside her. "Rough night huh?" He moved his hands to her shoulders, "how about I try and help you relax?"
Jondy pulled up her shoulders and turned away from his hands. She put every effort into keeping her tone even, without a hint of a threat. The man wouldn't understand anyway. "No thanks, I'm fine really."
"Don't be like that, here let me help you."
Jondy smiled and stepped away increasing the distance between them. "No really. I should get back on the floor. The maitre'd will wonder where I am. Excuse me."
Jondy slipped back through the doors and headed to the bar area, maybe she'd be safe there for a while. The training with Max to help her make better use of her instincts was sounding better and better since Jondy was slowly feeling like she was falling apart. Losing control here, in the middle of a spa for the rich and famous would not be the best way to keep a low profile and it would certainly alert the Cult to their presence. Jondy watched as Max charmed her way along the tables and saw flashes of her instincts appear and disappear. Max was seemingly using them to keep the ordinaries from crossing the line. Maybe if she could to that to she wouldn't have to worry about getting too close to Biggs? Maybe if she could control them the way Max did she could really have something?
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Chat was working behind his desk when a window on his system began to blink. He called up the screen and watched a dot in New York flash red. He dialled a number from memory and listened briefly before hanging up. He made a note on the appropriate bar and went back to his requisitions list.
Not 5 minutes later Chat noticed the same window was blinking on his screen, he rolled his eyes at the overzealousness of the agents but dutifully opened the file nonetheless. It wasn't the dot in New York flashing, though. It was a dot in New Orleans, which was now rapidly moving across the map to a location a few miles above Vancouver. Chat picked up the phone, dialled a number and listened to the message at the other end.
He swallowed and glanced to the side at the closed door of Alec's office where he knew Alec and Biggs were working out the new training schedule of the DOD people. If the New York target was indeed travelling to that area also then this could very well be the opportunity they'd been waiting for. As usual the timing could have been better. Everyone was expecting the gathering and the subsequent assault to begin shortly but if this information proved to be correct it meant the gathering was happening close to where the good senator was supposed to be relaxing. And that meant Max and Jondy were stuck in a snake's nest. And that would be bad news, very bad news.
Chat rolled his shoulders and stretched his arms like an athlete preparing for an Olympic event. This was it; this was what they'd been preparing for. He picked up his phone one last time and buzzed Alec's office. "Sir, do you have a minute? I have something here I think you should see immediately."
----
Finally having gotten off-duty Max and Jondy snuck out of their room and headed straight for the tree line. The moon was nearly full and it was shining brightly above them. Max wanted to curse it, because it was making very hard for them to move undetected but this wasn't a high security facility they were escaping from so she was probably being paranoid, she reasoned. Somehow the hairs on the back of her neck stood up, as they hadn't done during the day.
Using her feline grace to dampen the sound of her steps she followed the path to the clearing. Both women waited at the edge to check their surroundings before risking exposure. Using hand signals Jondy signalled the need to check the perimeter and they agreed to meet at the opposite end of the clearing in time for their transmission. Max discovered no one on her side and she hoped Jondy would report the same result when they met up again. When Jondy indicated an all clear they met a small way into the clearing and Jondy set up the radio to transmit their report via relay to their command center.
When Jondy received confirmation that her report was received, including the guest list she'd memorized from the front desk Jondy packed the radio back into the bag and sat back on her heels as she watched Max with an equal measure of hope and wariness in her eyes. "Okay, I'm ready, where do we begin?"
Max leaned down to put her face level with Jondy. "What I'm about to ask you is really hard, but I'll be with you all the way."
Jondy nodded and Max continued. "I need you to release your anger. The first time I connected with my instincts was when I relied on my anger to help me escape from an impossible situation." When Jondy started to shake her head Max grabbed Jondy's face between her hands. "Remember your anger at all the men who've tried to touch you. What did you want to do to them? Feel that anger and let it go. I will watch you and I'll be here to bring you back."
Jondy slowly nodded and stood up. She walked away from Max, closer to the middle of the clearing and closed her eyes. She let all the familiar feelings of that afternoon wash back over her from where she'd pushed them aside. Her anger started to fuel itself and she was frightened by its intensity. Out of habit she tried to clamp it down but suddenly Max's words rang back in her mind and she let go of another measure of control to her emotions.
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Meanwhile Zack was still trying to get both women on the radio again. He was desperate to let them know Alec was on his way with Biggs' unit as extra back-up. He was afraid the unit would arrive too late and the girls would've headed back inside the spa already.
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Completely unaware of the approaching help Max silently encouraged Jondy to unleash herself. She suspected some of Jondy's issues stemmed from her fear of her instincts and what they could accomplish. She felt the anger starting to come off Jondy in waves and sensed the potential of it burning even higher inside her sister. Max let her inner predator out, a feral grin now flashed and her eyes glinted with the same warning. She was hoping the predator in Jondy would recognize her and let go as well.
Jondy was lost in her rage and the part of her that contained her humanity cowered in fear when she realised the potential of her rage. It paralyzed her in fear and gave her instincts free reign. Jondy sensed the presence of another in the clearing and crouching down to present the other predator with a smaller target to zoom in on. She watched as the figure wandered closer and smelled the air to gauge its threat to her. Hmm, merely an ordinary. But wait. It was a male.
A male.
Her instincts roared inside her to tear this man limb from limb. He'd been trying to possess her, take from her what she was unwilling to give. He needed to be punished. Jondy let out a loud growl that seemed to startle the small figure. She ignored her sister behind her and stalked forward, emitting low growls to keep her prey from running back to where he came from.
Max watched in amazement at the transformation that her sister made from sweet, even tempered Jondy to this predator stalking the forest. In fact she appeared…Max froze when she heard the growl coming from her sister's mouth. That had sounded like a clear warning but it wasn't directed at her. Then she saw another figure quivering at the edge of the forest. It was the sous-chef who'd been trying to impress Jondy. Max felt like cursing the man to hell and back again.
Jondy's instincts came from her aversion to men, to have one this close to her right now was not what she needed. She was most likely going to kill him before she could come to her senses. Feeling out of her depth she moved closer to Jondy and emitted soft purring sounds to try and calm Jondy down before she could do what she so clearly intended to do.
Jondy felt her sister coming closer but all her attention remained on her prey. This specimen would do nicely to practise on. Ignoring the soothing noises coming from her sister she prepared to pounce on her prey. Tightening her muscles, she prepared to jump and landed exactly 2 inches from him. As she expected, he lost his footing and fell to his knees. A feral grin flashed and Jondy cocked her head. She sniffed the air, and felt satisfied with the smell of his fear coming from him. He had every reason to be afraid.
Max ran closer and attempted to come between Jondy and the cowering sous-chef. She was well aware of the danger of coming between Jondy and her prey but she needed to do everything in her power to keep Jondy from making a capital mistake. Jondy's attention twisted from the man to her sister and she sent out a clear warning to back off. Max could feel her instincts want to relent her position but her humanity kept her firmly in place.
Jondy growled again and Max answered with a soft purr, even though she knew it would most likely have no effect. As Jondy was about to strike Max could sense more people come closer to her position. She recognized the smell of her mate and her eyes went wide in recognition. Max wasn't sure if Alec could understand what she needed so she sent her need to him in a long growl.
When she felt 2 beings separate from the group she prayed Alec would be able to calm Jondy as he had done for her. Her hope was short-lived when she saw Jondy turn on the 2 transgenic males as soon as they broke the tree line. Alec gave Jondy wide berth and took up a protective position with Max to keep Jondy from attacking the ordinary still cowering behind Max.
That left the man who had joined Alec on his trek through the forest. Biggs looked on as Jondy stalked her way to him. Suddenly he felt as though Jondy had never looked more beautiful or dangerous to him before. She was stunning in all her glory and a touch frightening too. He could sense the rage boiling beneath the surface and recognized its need to be vented. But Biggs wasn't about to surrender his alpha position to her just because Jondy had some issues to work through.
Biggs' head was clear enough to realise this was going to hurt like a sonofabitch in the morning but hopefully it would also mean Jondy would give herself to him without reservations.
Well, now that was worth a little pain.
1 A sous-chef is most like an apprentice for the headchef, he's in charge of making sauces and preparing the plates. Some call him the crown prince of the kitchen which makes most of them act like arrogant little buggers who like nothing better than to hit on unsuspecting waitresses. Yes, something like that may have ocurred during this poor writers' career and it left a mark that needed to be cleansed.