It Never Ends

Terminal City, the only Sector in Seattle were ordinaries couldn't live, at least not for long. Transgenics however had no problem with the toxins or pollutants that abounded in Sector7. After the raid at JamPony and the subsequent escape, not without a few casualties, most of the ordinaries had gone back to their own homes or with Logan's help had moved out of the city. Now, the only ordinary in Terminal City spent most of her time in the medics clinic.

The clinic was housed in the largest building which had been cleaned and spartanly furnished with whatever furniture had been found. The beds weren't exactly hospital issue but they were there and obviously needed. The rooms had been given a coat of white paint and smelled strongly of disinfectant, not that Transgenics had to worry about germs but still…

"Hey." Max stood in the doorway looking at the pale form on the bed.

"Hey boo." OriginalCindy's voice was weak but not lacking in any of her customary sassiness. She waved a thin arm for the other girl to come in. Max hesitated but slowly moved until she was standing by OriginalCindy.

"How do you feel?" Max asked low voiced. She looked guilty and sad and OriginalCindy was having none of that.

"Boo, why you sad? And don't be telling OriginalCindy you're not when it's all over ya." Her tone brought a slight smile to Max's face but not for long.

"You have to go." Max said softly as she lay a hand on her friend's thin arm.

"Go? Girl you be trippin." She replied with a weak wave of her hand. "OriginalCindy's gonna be on her feet in no time. Then we'll see how long those boys-," a racking cough cut off her words and Max hovered worriedly until the fit ceased. OriginalCindy's face was covered by a light sheen of perspiration and her breathing was shallow. Seeing her friend laid so low hardened Max's resolved.

"You're going. Today. As soon as I can get safe transport for you but you're getting out of here." Her hash features softened at the hurt in her friends eyes. "You can't stay. It's making you sick, you can die. You are dying." Saying it out loud brought the hurt of their current situation to light and Max fought back the sting of tears. OriginalCindy was sick because of her and no matter how much Logan and she denied it Max knew in her heart that it was so. Max was done letting people die for her.

"I know." OriginalCindy said softly. Both women looked at each other knowing they would part ways and might never see each other again. At least not until the war was over and neither of them could see it happening any time soon. OriginalCindy patted the bed and Max gently lay down next to her best friend. For the next few minutes she would offer the Transgenic girl what comfort there was knowing how unfair life could be.

In the doorway Logan silently hung his head and moved off giving them some privacy. The least he could do was make some calls and get the transport for OriginalCindy. If there were no other place for her to go he would take her to Joshua's old house which currently housed 'EyesOnly' and himself whenever he wasn't at Terminal City. He knew better than anyone how much Max was suffering, the guilt she placed on herself because of OriginalCindy and her condition. The medic had told them the illness would be terminal if she stayed any longer. He was surprised OriginalCindy had lasted this long before showing signs of being sick.

-X-

"Well, it's officially Transgenic Central." Alec quipped with a faked sigh. He seemed satisfied with his observation and Max turned to him with a frown and a punch to his arm.

"Oow!" Alec grumped rubbing at his arm. Max glared stomping off in the general direction of their base ops. Behind them, the feline guards, Felicia and Katrina closed the gate as Logan rode off with Sketchy and OriginalCindy.

Sketchy had quit JamPony and taken the photographers position at the rag he called a paper. The one he'd been taking pictures for, in the sewer of Gopher, the Transgenic White had set up at the Sector check point.

"Supplies are running low." Max stated.

"That happens a lot around here." Alec quipped again. "Oh wait, we're in a city full of Transgenics walled off from the ordinaries and no way to grow our own food because nothing will grow here." Alec grinned, the sarcasm blatantly obvious.

Max stopped where she was, arms crossed and stared him down. "Why don't you help fix that instead of telling me something I already know, Alec? Don't you think this is difficult enough as it is? You think its easy keeping Mole and the others calm and contented?"

"Whoa, whoa! What's with the lecturing?" Alec threw his hands up as if he were surrendering when he really wanted to get as far away from Max and the responsibility she was constantly thrusting on him. He'd never asked to be put in charge of anything; all he'd wanted was to go on his way without worrying about anyone or anything.

"It's not lecturing Alec! You know you can be so selfish-!" Max threw her hands up almost walking away but knew she needed him in order to get the supplies. "Look, I got a fence willing to work with us. He'll get us supplies; food, some weapons but he needs cash."

"Yeah, I haven't seen any trees growing it around here. I'm sure if Manticore'd had time they would've bio-engineered one." He replied sarcastically.

"Since we don't have the cash," Max continued ignoring his sarcasm. "You're going to have to steal a certain statue."

"Ha, ha, ha. I'm just going to steal… ha, ha." Alec laughed. The look on Max's face was priceless and he enjoyed getting her mad. "Why don't you go?"

"Because I'm going to be stealing a painting." She clipped.

"Alright Maxie, don't get your panties in a bunch." Alec retorted. He knew he would go he just wanted to give her a hard time.

-X-

Another night, another heist and here I am still alive. I suppose I could've left from the very beginning, not that I didn't leave Seattle a couple of times but I was never able to stay away for long. You'd think a guy could get lost in this big world now that Manticore was burned to the ground but no. There's the Conclave to worry about and White. Yeah, White… he's like a plague, all of them are.

Now with all the Transgenics barricaded at Terminal City White was not gonna have a problem getting rid of us. Nope, we're all sitting ducks right there but does anyone wanna listen to me? Not Max. The others, aah! They just want a place where they can belong. Can't blame them for wanting what everyone else wants but I guess when you look like Mole or Joshua not everyone's gonna let you belong.

They're all so focused on getting supplies or fixing up Terminal City to make it livable. They're more worried about setting up guards to keep the ordinaries out or finding more weapons and now they wanna set up regular training sessions like we didn't have enough of those at Manticore. Max is no better. She's completely ignoring the markings on her skin and Logan… well, he's not much better. His contact hasn't deciphered them yet and no one at Terminal City can read that chicken scratch.

It wouldn't be such a bad idea if I left. I mean Max has all her little soldiers, what's one less? It's not as if she wants me around. I lost count of how many times she's told me to leave…

Maybe its time to get serious about leaving. Maybe I just need to worry about getting some cash together. Maybe I should just forget about the maybes and do it.

…

So that's settled.

I'll get Max's little statue, find something else I can fence while I'm in there and get my little stash started. Two weeks. That's how long it's gonna take and then I'm gone.

Two weeks…

-X-