Promise

Krit knocked on her door softly, it was late evening and still Nÿx hadn't come out of her room. Her scent was fresh which told him she was still in there and not off in the city somewhere. The thought of her going off alone again made him tense with worry and once more he saw the light bruise on her lip.

'What did she do to the trucker?' he wondered. He knew her, knew she hated being beat and if she felt you got the upper hand on her somehow she made sure you paid. Krit liked that about her, liked that she could adapt easily to a situation and come out on top, he just hoped the trucker wasn't dead or damaged too badly.

"Nÿx…" his voice carried through the thin wooden door but she refused to talk to him. Instead she got off the bed and went to sit on the windowsill.

"The big meanie!" she muttered to the flowers outside her window. "Thinks he knows it all but I don't see him bringing in any goats. Hmph!"

The door creaked open and she almost turned around, angry that he would just come in uninvited. He'd never done that before, always respected her privacy, telling her she should do the same for the others, thinking that he could teach her by example.

'Well, she learned alright.'

He could see her figure outlined in the moonlight sitting in the window, the cleaqr scent of the lilies floating into the room on the light breeze.

"Nÿx," he tried again, slowly making his way towards the window. She turned her face away from him, clearly still upset. Krit sighed knowing it was going to be much more difficult than he thought to get her to understand why he got so irate and then soften towards him again.

"Nÿx, you know it's not safe for us out there." He laid a gentle hand on her bare shoulder. The warmth of her skin never ceased to surprise him because she was never cold. "They're still hunting us down, to take us back and you have no idea-."

"I've heard it before, Krit. You're not telling me anything new so go ahead and yell at me again." Nÿx said softly. He clenched his jaw at her stubbornness, how could she not understand he was trying to keep her safe?

"I'm not going to yell at you anymore." And he realized he meant it, which was a surprise to both of them. Nÿx looked up at him then, wondering what kind of game he was playing now but it wasn't a game. Krit realized she wasn't a child and that's how he'd been treating her, being overprotective and trying to shelter her from the world outside the ranch.

He turned around, grabbing the lone chair and set it in front of her, sitting down. Krit stared at her finally, taking in the delicate features of her face, noticing the smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose, the high cheek bones, down to her full lips and sighed.

"You're not a kid." He said which brought a slight frown to her face. Was that what he thought of her? That she was a child or that she behaved as one? Nÿx felt her shoulders sag because she'd thought she'd proven to be more than a child, more than just a burden to him. They had done so much for her.

'And what have I done for them? Bring a couple of goats?' she thought to herself staring at the wooden planks beneath their feet. It wasn't enough to pay them back, to show them her appreciation for giving her a life.

"I'm sorry."

Their voices echoed and both looked up at the other. It was a moment before they smiled sheepishly at each other.

Krit ran a hand through his hair which he absently noted was getting longer. That wasn't so bad since it would help cover up the barcode.

"I've been sheltering and overprotecting you too much. I think its time you learned to be independent." Krit watched her face momentarily cloud then she was kneeling in front of him clutching his wrist and arm.

"I won't break the rules anymore I promise, Krit." Nÿx couldn't imagine going anywhere else. She was happy at the ranch living with Syl and bickering with Zane, she'd even started to like their 'games'. "Please don't send me away."

Krit gently pried his arm out of her grip shaking his head. "No, Nÿx. I'm not sending you anywhere." He smoothed her hair, unable to stop his fingers from playing with the mass of inky locks. They tangled in his fingers as he raised his hand to cup her face.

Nÿx didn't resist, instead she leaned into his palm never taking her eyes from his face.

"You're smart enough to know to stay out of trouble, just-." Krit let out a heavy sigh before he said; "Let me know when you're going out."

Nÿx smiled, clearly happy he wasn't upset and the freedom he was giving her served to soften her towards him again. She threw her arms over his shoulders and to his surprise kissed him on the mouth before wrapping her arms around his neck for a hug.

Krit patted her back absently while he tried to make sense of what had happened. She hadn't really kissed him, it was more of a peck on his lips. The contact had been so brief yet he couldn't help but feel as if his lips were burning from her warmth.

'She has no idea what she did.' Krit told himself. Of course he loved her, he loved his brother and sister as well but Nÿx wasn't his sister, she wasn't even related to them.

'No.' he shook his head gently pulling out of her arms and staring at her slightly confused look.

'She has no idea.' Krit thought realizing he couldn't tell her, not then.

-X-

"Come on. Nÿx!" Aric exclaimed waiting outside another closed door.

'Why am I always on the wrong side?' he wondered.

"You should never hurry a woman." Doc muttered behind him. Aric ignored the Transgenic, knocking on the door again. They'd been waiting on her to get out of that bathroom for the past 20minutes. The thought of her going into convulsion again made him reach for the handle. What if the coolant vest hadn't worked? What if she was dying in there and they didn't know?

Aric turned the handle pushing it open and almost fell into the bathroom. Nÿx took a step back still holding the door and frowned up at Aric.

"What do you think you're doing?"

He knew that tone of voice and just because it was softly quiet didn't mean she was being nice. Aric looked her over noting the still wet strands of black hair, the slight flush on her face and the pink streak going across the bridge of her nose. The vest fit her well considering they'd done a hasty job of fitting it to her cat suit and beneath it Nÿx had a thin, long sleeved shirt. She wore the leather pants to match and gloves adding to her suit a belt with a rounded buckle. That regulated the temperature of the vest making it colder when she needed it.

"I was just checking, making sure you were still alive." He replied with a sloppy smile.

"Still breathing." She quipped going past him to Doc. "So? What do you think?" Nÿx turned slowly as she walked further into the room. Doc smiled extremely pleased with their work.

"I think you might just live long enough to get that cure." He stood and checked the controls fiddling with the dial until he was satisfied it wouldn't malfunction.

"Speaking of, where are they cuz I need to get filled in on what's going on." Nÿx raised her eyebrows in question to both men. Aric shrugged having no idea what the others were doing considering he'd been busy building that vest and Doc? Well, the poor Transgenic's last conversation with them hadn't been exactly the best one.

"Guess I'll just have to go look for them." Nÿx stated heading out of the room and into Terminal City.

"Thank you…" Aric called to her back then shook his head and sighed. "Been here two weeks getting that thing made and does she say a word of thanks?" Aric asked Doc. "Just like the bike!" he shook his head mournfully. Doc sighed and patted the ordinaries back in sympathy.

"She didn't thank me either."

Aric just looked at Doc clearly not feeling any better knowing that.

-X-

"What's the plan?" Alec leaned over Max's shoulder picking up the warehouse route they were goin to use. Max shoved him off her shoulder with a scowl while Logan missed nothing. His blue eyes turned icy as they stared at Alec who blissfully ignored the ordinary.

"Like you care." Max scoffed ignoring him.

"Hey, I care that's why I'm going." Alec positioned himself next to Max focusing on the plans. Krit shook his head to Max who closed her mouth on whatever retort she was about to make. The plan was simple; Krit, Max and now Alec would go in with Logan providing info through the earpieces. Lydecker would be a block away with Logan in a van waiting for them and checking the perimeter. Simple right? Then again simple wasn't always easy.

The first hitch in the plan walked in seemingly unaware of what had been going on.

"What's all this?" Aric asked glancing at the plans spread out on the table curiously. His brow furrowed noticing the red lines when Alec rose up scowling to block his view.

"What do you want?"

"To help." Aric stated honestly. His eyes never flinched from the piercing glare Alec leveled at him.

"Go back to your Sector."

Neither man wanted to be the first to back down, each one jealous of the other and the relationship to Nÿx the situation implied to each one.

Alec didn't like the fact that Nÿx lived with the ordinary but couldn't do much about it, then again their three day romp in the basement of that building had changed some things and after that their talk while in her iced bath firmly defined their relationship.

Aric hated that the Transgenic was Nÿx's equal. He could picture her being with them, helping them do their soldier thing and Alec-. The fact that he was always around Nÿx, rarely left her side and her smiles-. Aric hated the gnawing feeling in the pit of his stomach because he knew Nÿx would never look at him that way. He wasn't extraordinary like the other Transgenics.

"Enough already." Max stood up effectively breaking up the staring contest. She turned to the ordinary. "You can't help us anyway."

"Oh, like I couldn't help your Doc. Sure." Aric brushed out of her hold glaring down at the little brunette. Who did they think they were, telling him he couldn't help Nÿx? He turned his glare on Logan.

"Heard you got a virus in you too." Aric stated beside Max. Logan stiffened though he kept himself from getting up. He noticed Krit and Alec shift their eyes towards him. Lydecker glanced at him as well.

"You have a point or just using up oxygen?" Logan asked harshly.

"Just wondered why nobody's found you a cure or maybe your girl's going in there to find it along with Nÿx's?"

Logan practically fell out of his chair as he scrambled to get up and at the ordinary. He settled himself before answering, not bothering to hide his anger. This guy had no idea what Max and he had suffered or had to put up with because of Manticore and now with White and the Conclave it seemed there was no end to their problems.

"This isn't about us; Max is getting the antidote for Nÿx-."

"The way I heard it Nÿx wouldn't need an antidote if it weren't for your girl wanting to nose about someone else business. Don't get upset with me for her mistakes or yours." Aric threw back angry himself that they would blame Nÿx for her current situation, as if breaking into that warehouse was somehow an inconvenience!

"Hey!" Max shoved an open palm at Aric's chest effectively grabbing his attention.

"All of you shut up!" Lydecker ordered seeing Logan's face flush a deep red. Max was ready to grab the younger man and hurt him. "We have blueprints to look over and an operation to plan." His voice was commanding enough that even Max, after a last glare at the ordinary, returned to her place around the table.

Aric brushed off his shirt and left them to their soldier games and plans. He knew exactly what he was going to do and staying in Terminal City wasn't getting him anywhere, especially Nÿx. He wasn't any good to her there, not anymore.

-X-

He was upset, extremely annoyed and angry. No, not just angry, he was worried, which made this worse. How could they let her come? What could she possibly do to help in there? The ordinary was useless, which made no difference since he'd left. Alec was glad of the peaceful week even if it had been spent getting the plan together.

What the hell was she going to do in there? If anything went wrong Nÿx could die.

"Quit frowning so much, you'll get wrinkles." She teased completely ignoring the glare he threw in her direction. Alec didn't particularly find her amusing just then which was very clear to her. Nÿx followed quietly behind them the rest of the way to the vent they were using to get into the warehouse. She'd been trying to be nice, to make him smile but he wasn't having any of it.

'Well, Fine! I'm not kissing his ass anymore.'

Nÿx glared at his back as the four of them crawled down the vent. Krit hadn't been too happy with her decision to join them but Nÿx wasn't about to let them go off without her, not when the reason for going was herself. The whole time the argument had been raging between Max, Alec and Krit, Nÿx had been fighting down an 'I told you!' she really wanted to shout at Max and Krit. Her current situation was as much their fault as it was her own.

'Stupid, that's what it was. I was stupid and careless now I'm paying for it. All because she wanted to spy on the Conclave and Krit had to be the one to go help his sister.'

She could've just gone back into Seattle, back to the apartment with Aric and back to work the next morning. No worries, no imminent death…

The grate squealed slightly as Max removed it. Nÿx glared at their backs annoyed by their lack of stealthyness. Where had all those wonderful cat burglar skills gone? Then they were through and it was her turn to jump into the dim warehouse.

-X-

"What are you doing back here?"

Aric practically jumped out of his skin hearing the harsh voice behind him. He hadn't thought he'd be this nervous when the idea first came to him. He turned around and faced the night security, a grumpy old man Aric hoped wasn't a Familiar because then he'd be in loads of trouble he didn't know how to get out of.

"Me?" he asked pointing at himself and trying to buy time.

"I don't see no one else around here. You see anyone else besides us?" the guard asked looking around the empty terminal room.

"Uh, no but I-." Aric lowered his head and sighed heavily looking very much the sad excuse of a man Nÿx thought him to be. "I made some mistakes today and I didn't have time to fix them." Aric turned the miserable face on the old guard hoping he wouldn't ask too many questions. "I thought I could take care of it now before my superior finds out. I really need this job…"

The guard looked him over again, noticing the tense stance of the techno-geek and shook his head in disgust.

"You got twenty minutes before I come back here and report this." He looked him over again as if he were nothing more than an annoying bug then headed back out. Aric let out a sigh of relief, quickly scrambling back to his seat and the files he was copying for Nÿx. He'd call her just as soon as he was clear of the building and give her the good news.

'Let them snicker at me now!' Aric smirked extremely satisfied with himself and his resourcefulness. He couldn't believe Nÿx forgot he was a computer expert. They could've just asked him to get the information instead of trying to break in.

Aric sat back and waited for the cd to burn and just as it popped out the lights flickered. He sat up in his chair reaching for the cd feeling extremely uneasy. The lights shut off then red safe lights came on and not a second later was there a full-blown alarm going off.

"Fuck!" Aric scrambled to get the cd in a case slipping it into his jacket pocket. "It couldn't have been me. It couldn't!" he muttered, frantic now to get out of there. He hit a series of keys and the screen went blank before flickering. He hoped that would be enough to wipe any tracks he may have left but didn't wait to find out as he ran to the door. Lights flickered there as well but seeing the hallway empty Aric stepped out trying to look as if he belonged, as if he walked down red lighted hallways with alarms going off all the time…

He avoided most of the guards running around searching for the intruders because there had to be more than one. Who was stupid enough to break in there anyway? Oh, Transgenics. They were really stupid about breaking in there and he was pretty sure that's who set off the alarm.

'They couldn't wait another day. They couldn't just let me do my thing and get out. No! They bust in here just before I'm finished.' Aric grumbled heading down another empty corridor. Up ahead there was a juncture, which would lead him to the main warehouse, his way out and he was hoping there was no one there either. He glanced behind him nervously before rushing forward into the darkened corner.

"Oh! Just Great!" Nÿx threw her hands up as the alarm blared. Alec and Max just froze, each one searching for a point of attack and a way out. Nÿx couldn't believe they got caught so early in the game. What was wrong with them? With Max? She was supposed to be this great cat burglar!

"You're not helping." Max hissed.

"Oh! I'm not- but you are?" Nÿx didn't bother waiting for an answer instead she took the earpiece out and dropping it headed off towards the only door.

"Nÿx!" Alec hissed reaching for her arm but she moved out of the way ignoring him. He growled heading after her when the door burst open. Nÿx didn't stop even when the old guard raised his gun. She blurred yanking the glock from his weak hand and dropping him with one punch.

"I'm not waiting around for you so if you're coming get moving." Nÿx ordered before heading to the door. She peered out while Alec relieved the guard of any other weapons and finding a spare set of handcuffs grabbed those before going out the door after Nÿx and Max.

"You can't go off without direction." Max hissed behind Nÿx.

"Your boyfriend isn't going to help me." Nÿx said with a glare over her shoulder. "I'm helping me now." She made a sharp motion signaling for quiet as they stopped at a hall juncture. All three heard the sounds of shuffling steps and pulled out weapons. Max ceded her spot to Alec since she refused to carry a gun much to Nÿx's disgust and everyone else's. They didn't understand her abhorrence for the guns, not even Krit and he'd been there. He had seen Eva fall lifeless to the tiled floor…

Alec locked eyes with Nÿx; his face was stern though it wavered at her soft smile. It faded quickly and she nodded turning into the hallway. There was a shout then bright flashes as they fired.

"What's going on down there?"

White's voice echoed into the room out of the small cell phone. Audny had to pull it away from her ear making a face as he continued to threaten and scream in anger. She didn't particularly care what he was saying since she was busy delegating the Familiars currently at the site. Audny watched the bank of monitors and in the sudden lull from her cell she put it to her ear again.

"They've broken in. They'll be heading to the decoy-." She began but as usual White wasn't done.

"I want them caught!" he yelled again. "Call me when it's done." Then he hung up. Audny let out a frustrated breath wondering why she put up with him. He treated her as one of his lackeys when she was more than that, did more for him than they could.

'Time for me to bitch it up.'

Audny slipped the cell in to her back pocket her eyes trained on the monitors when she saw something unexpected. She leaned into the monitors pushing on some keys until the camera focused on the small figure. The bright flashes of gunfire lit the screen then the face came into view.

"Nÿx." Audny let out a breath watching as the Transgenic raised her eyes to the screen. She gave a jaunty wave then raising the gun fired a round. The screen crackled then went black.

"Get down there. They're to be captured alive." She turned cold eyes on a tall dark skinned Familiar. "Use force if you have to, spill some blood, just don't kill them."

The Familiar nodded once then motioned for two others to follow as they left. Audny smiled coldly heading towards the anti-virus where she was meeting Nÿx.

-X-