No, This Is My Heist

The building was dark and silent, everything locked up tight for the night, as it should be. Then again the lithe figure moving from shadow to shadow on silent feet had no place in such a building especially at night. The alarms were still in place, all windows were closed, the lights were off but the darkness didn't bother the cat burglar. As a matter of fact, the burglar seemed to move better in the shadows than in the light. Some how managing to look more than comfortable…

At the balcony two gloved hands held onto the rail while leaning over for a look at the lower floor. The eyes glowed with refracted light focusing on the pedestals and displays beneath. There were cameras all pointing down at the floor but they weren't a problem. A mischievous grin spread across the burglar's features seeing the dark figure beneath. That wouldn't be a problem either considering…

'Hmm, looks like someone got here before me. Wonder who else wants my treasure?'

-X-

Nÿx dropped down easily pushing her hands palms down so that she seemed to float the last foot before dropping lightly to her feet in a half crouch. She waited a second to see if her presence had been noticed but when the black clad figure made no sign of it she stood smiling. There was a quick rush of pleasure through her body, as if someone had run their hand down her hair in a light caress, the feline in her almost purring at the ecstasy. Thieving had always made her feel so alive even at the ranch when no one had dared go into the city. Except for her…

Yes, she had dared plenty, never afraid of anything and tonight would be no different. In a blur she moved until she stood behind the dark figure. This close she caught his unmistakable scent and gave in. Her eyes closed briefly taking in the male scent, her lips curving in a sensuous smile. It was time to play with the mouse.

Nÿx pouted slightly at not being able to look over his shoulder and leaned around instead. She noticed his hand move steadily, working the screws then lift the top to retrieve the small statue and replace the lid carefully. With a slight grin Nÿx stared at the dully-gleaming statue.

"Now, that's not yours." She said with obvious mirth in her low whisper.

The burglar turned, visibly startled and Nÿx took the opportunity to relieve his tired hand of the statue. He tried to strike her with his elbow but she ducked it easily and grabbed his arm with another smile before kicking the back of his knee. As a result his leg gave out and the man went down to which she rammed her arm to the back of his head. He grunted in pain as his face hit the marble post. Nÿx leaned over his body with a soft compassionate smile and said; "Thank you."

She had taken a step away when suddenly her feet were swept out from under her and she pitched forward. She rolled into her fall and regained her feet turning to the man who now stood ready for a fight. He had a cockiness in his stance that alerted her to his obvious love of fighting.

'Well, maybe I get to have some fun tonight after all.' Nÿx thought with pleasure.

"You're not too smart are you?" she asked with a feigned frown. Personally she didn't care one way or another so long as he provided good entertainment.

For his part, Alec found himself slightly annoyed and unusually interested in this little mystery. He took in a quick look of his adversary noting the black leather cat suit covering her from neck to toe and hiding nothing of the female curves before him. The mask hiding her eyes was a little much but he could forgive that. He arched an appreciative eyebrow before he focused on the mission. They were in need of supplies and that statue was going to pay for them. Just as soon as he got it back to Max, not to mention having to find something else for himself to fence.

"That's mine." He said nodding to the statue in her gloved hand.

"Actually," she replied with a slight arching of her eyebrow behind the mask. "It belongs to the creep sleeping a block away from here." With another smile she tossed the valuable statue and caught it. "Now it's mine."

"Hey! I was here first!" Alec grouched moving towards her before he realized it.

"And I'm the one holding it so I guess I'm the one who's walking out with the prize." She retorted, the words sounding familiar.

"Whoa! No, no, this is my heist. I did all the work!" Alec cursed under his breath realizing why her words had been so familiar. A clear memory of Max fighting with him while they swung on their harnesses the night he tried to steal from her. His intentions had been good! Even so, the botched heist still rankled and now having it returned to him didn't make it any less bitter. Especially when it was a girl!

"I said 'Thank you.' Don't expect more." She turned her back on him, her head slightly shaking. Alec scowled. At Manticore they'd been taught never to turn their back on the enemy and this girl gave it to him as if he weren't a threat to her safety. One, she was stupidly thinking he wouldn't hit her or the second option; she was clearly stupid. He preferred the latter.

"Hey!" Alec yelled blurring into motion. His hand caught her shoulder to pull her around. "You're not takin-."

Nÿx turned under his hand taking his wrist and pulling his arm up behind his back. Alec was once again on his knees with her standing over him.

"You're all the same." Nÿx sighed as if it saddened her. "Manhandling women. When will you guys learn?" she wondered out loud.

Alec winced as his arm was held in a vise like grip.

'She sure is strong for a girl...' he thought but there was that nagging feeling touching at the edge of his mind again. He dropped forward suddenly, knocking her off balance. She fell and before she could get to her feet Alec rested his body over hers effectively pinning her down.

The look of surprise on her face was priceless and he wished he had an unobstructed view of her features. She tugged at her hands but Alec had her wrists in a firm grip, he shifted so he could look at her better.

'He's too strong for a regular guy.' Nÿx thought frowning at what this might mean. She tried again to buck him off but he had her firmly in his grip. As if it weren't bad enough that he had the upper hand she could feel every part of him on top of her. Somehow that unnerved her more than getting caught.

"Get off!" she yelled sounding angry though that was just a cover for her unease.

"Finally." Alec smirked grinning down at her. "A girl who'd rather be on top."

"You'd be so lucky." She retorted shifting once more but there was no way out.

"Ah-ah! No squirming." He reprimanded with laughter in his voice. She could tell he was enjoying being on top.

'Just like a guy!' she fumed.

"So, what's behind the mask?" Alec asked as if it didn't really matter and for the moment the statue and the fence were forgotten. After all, Alec couldn't help himself when it came to women. Deep down he was still searching for that something, someone that would fill the emptiness he felt.

"Why don't you let go of my hand and I'll show you?" Nÿx asked lowering her voice and relaxing her body. She smiled impishly and Alec noted the slight twinkle in her dark eyes.

'She's playful.' He thought in pleasant surprise.

"Sure." Alec replied, he figured he could play along and leaned down so that their breathing synchronized almost absently. As Alec moved ever closer to her lips she began to feel that uncomfortable anxiousness come back in full force and hated it.

"Where'd you hide it?" he asked quietly. His eyes locked with hers and where before the atmosphere had been lightly playful it was now charged with tension.

"Come a little closer and I'll show you." Nÿx enticed feeling anything but playful. She saw his smile widen, his body shifted just a fraction as he moved closer still. His mouth hovered tentatively over hers, barely grazing her lips.

Alec could almost forget where he was. In a dark building lying on top of a mysterious woman with a statue he would fence for money to buy supplies for the Tansgenics at Terminal City. However, the most important thing at the moment was her. He didn't even know her name but that didn't matter, not terribly…

He grunted looking confused because he had been about to kiss those full lips, which were now turned up in a satisfied smiled. Had he missed something?

"Men." She scoffed shoving him off easily. "You're so easy."

Alec saw her stare down at him while his body convulsed in spasms. He hadn't seen her hold a cattle prong or a tazer and she had nothing in her hand but the statue.

Nÿx stuffed the prize in her bag and slung it over her shoulder before leaning down. She grabbed Alec and turned him over, unceremoniously pushing his head down so she could see the back of his neck as she yanked the shirt down.

There in the darkness she clearly saw the barcode.

'X-5-494. He's a Transgenic.' Nÿx realized with a heaviness in her stomach at finding another one of them. She had been hoping there wouldn't be any out of Terminal City, that they would all be content to stay behind the fence and – and- what? She could go home?

Reality set in. This was her life now. Seattle was home and this war, Transgenics vs. White and the Conclave. It was her war too.

"You're a Transgenic."

He heard the words and somehow felt cheapened by them. He tried to speak, to tell her how sorry he was to have disappointed her or that she'd had to touch a super-enhanced-genetic-soldier who obviously offended her just by existing but all that came out of his mouth were incoherent grunts.

The twitching lessened perceptively and Nÿx rolled him onto his back. He frowned trying to form words when suddenly the lights began to flicker on and off. She gasped looking around as if expecting guards at any moment. Alec felt slightly panicked seeing as his body was still convulsing.

"Yo-u sset off the al-larm." He managed to stammer.

"Goddamn genius aren't you?" Nÿx retorted with heavy sarcasm.

Alec tried to stand and managed to get on his side. Nÿx leaned down and helped him to his feet. Both legs kept twitching out of his control like fishes out of water. It would have been funny under any other circumstances but somehow she thought he wouldn't agree.

"U-uh! I-I'm-." Alec stuttered again trying to help her along and pointing to where he'd left his rope hanging.

"Shut up!" she hissed just when his legs buckled again. She grunted with the effort of keeping him up and dragged him closer to his exit. "Would you shake it off already!" she griped obviously frustrated with his lack of function.

"H-ey, you did th-this to me-e." he retorted. Some of the feeling was coming back and his arms were easier to manage. At least they didn't spasm out of control.

"You were getting fresh! Whatever just move soldier!" Nÿx used the term hoping it would spur him on and was rewarded by a glare and the hardening of his jaw.

"Sorry, if I'm not exactly up to standards. I've bee-."

"Shut up!" she ordered cutting him off. She grabbed the rope and shoved it in his hand. "Here."

He took it still supporting himself on her shoulder. He absently noted that she was just the right height that he could comfortably drape his arm over her shoulders or lean in for a kiss…

"Now climb." Nÿx ordered as she finished clipping him to the rope.

"Climb?" Alec asked still in his daydream where she-. His legs gave out and without her to hold him up he slipped down the rope with his knees almost to the ground. She let out a small laugh seeing him like that then cleared her throat.

"They're not far." She warned but Alec had no idea what she meant. "Police, Alec. I can hear the sirens." Nÿx looked at his startled face and knew he was trying to figure out who she was or why she would know his name.

"You're a Transgenic." Alec stated.

"Catch on quick, huh?" Nÿx quipped tilting her head to the side in a thoughtful pose. "Bet you were the brightest in your series."

Alec opened his mouth to reply but nothing came out. He couldn't find words to answer that statement, none of his cheeky remarks came to mind or any smart ass retorts. Then she was moving, faster than anyone he'd seen before. Her knees bent slightly then she was almost flying up into the darkened balcony. Her body straight, seeming to flow through the air, then she was gone.

"Alec," she called, her voice echoing back from the ceiling. "You should wear a mask next time."

He knew she was gone. Her presence had been like a warm blanket and now the building felt cold and abandoned. Lightly fluttering down was a black swatch. Alec reached a hand out and caught it knowing what it was before quickly stuffing it down his shirt.

-X-

I guess if I had to choose somewhere else besides the space needle to go and think it would have to be here. Terminal City, Transgenic central at the foot of our flag; Joshua made it. Had to hand it to the guy he was getting better at the painting not so much with the squiggles now but still pretty sellable. I wondered if I could make it back to that lady, the one from the art house... Joshua probably wouldn't want to paint something else for her. Maybe we could find something of Max's to paint over?

Three weeks.

Today made three weeks since the botched heist and her. I couldn't stop replaying that night over and over in my mind. I never heard her come in, didn't even feel her but after being so close to her I couldn't understand how someone could ever fail to notice her.

I glanced down to the black cloth I held in my hand. It was soft and still seemed to hold some of her warmth. Who was she? What series? I'd never heard of an X-5 being capable of emitting an EMP. And how did she know my name? I could understand if she'd used my designation since it was there for the world to see but my name? Max had given it to me the day they'd put me in her cell. We were breeding partners. I didn't mind, hell why would I? But now, life was definitely different and Max seemed to be closer to Logan than at any other time even with the virus bitch still in full blown effect. I couldn't help feeling lonely but I wasn't about to let anyone know.

I looked back out at the city. The sky was darkening and the lights came to life sparkling like shiny little raindrops. Seattle was huge, or so I thought but this was the only place I'd ever really been to. Hadn't I given myself two weeks to get out of here? Max had gotten on my ass about the heist. I knew we needed the cash, knew supplies were running low and I could've told her about the second cat burglar but some how I couldn't bring myself to spill. I mean, she would've laughed, said I deserved it, poetic justice or some other krap then harped about how I'd botched another mission.

So I took it like a super-genetically-engineered man. I picked a fight with her.

I had to smile at that. I could've definitely kicked her bitch head in but what was the point? Terminal City was blocked in, walled off from the homosapiens and in need of supplies again. I wondered if I'd see her. I must be dreaming or maybe I've been hit in the head too many times. Short of actually looking for her I doubted I'd ever run into her. If I didn't know better I would think I was building her up in my mind. Making her into the perfect woman.

Perfect for me.

-X-