Chapter 2: Brothers and Sisters

Quite a crowd had gathered at the boundary of Terminal City. Most were just there to gawk at the destruction, but some had a less morbid reason to be there.

Cindy and Sketchy counted themselves among the latter. "Damn, the airforce did a good job," said Sketchy.

"Yeah, unluckily for Alec and Logan," replied Cindy.

"Who knows, maybe they survived somehow. I wouldn't put anything past Logan's brain, he's the smartest guy I know."

"True that. I've met some of your friends. And Alec has his superpowers, I guess."

"How's Max doin'?"

"How do you think? She's blaming herself for the whole thing. Joshua told me she sent Alec back instead of her to get Logan out. And Logan wouldn't have been there if it weren't for her. She still won't even move from her corner of the office." A young woman who was definitely out of normal earshot approached them. She was tall, slender, blonde and blue eyed and definitely very beautiful.

"Seems a shame, doesn't it," she ventured, sounding a little nervous.

"A shame? Those people didn't deserve to have bombs dropped on them just 'coz they're different, sugar."

"I heard you mention Max's name," the blonde said, conspiratorially. "I need to get in touch with her."

"And what makes you think we could do that?"

"Because I'm her sister." The girl pulled her long, loose golden hair aside and showed them her barcode. "My name is Jondy."

Alec awoke in darkness. He was lying on the floor of the Medtronics tunnel, and every part of his body hurt. The worst were his head and his right shoulder. Carefully, the X5 touched his scalp and felt warm, sticky blood matting his hair. The shoulder was pretty painful too; exploring it gingerly, Alec discovered that his collarbone was broken. He struggled, with difficulty, out of his denim jacket and fashioned it into a crude sling.

Now to get the hell out of here, he thought. Even his transgenic night vision was useless in the pitch black, dust filled space. Alec groped blindly forward with his good arm, until he found a wall of rubble blocking one end of the tunnel. He checked thoroughly, but found no gaps he could fit through. He then followed the wall around until he found the other side of the tiny section of free space he was in. This time, he was lucky. There was a gap large enough to admit him if he crawled, and he thought he detected a faint breeze coming from it.

Having no better options, Alec crawled through the gap. It was difficult with only one arm, as it sloped steeply upwards and was full of obstacles. Eventually, the young transgenic saw a light ahead. There was a crack in the roof of the tunnel and daylight was filtering through. He squeezed through it and stared at the remains of Terminal City.

The buildings he was so familiar with were gone, leaving only heaps of rubble. He recognised one as the X7 barracks, and used it as a landmark to find the command centre. Alec was determined to find out if Logan had survived, even if he wasn't very hopeful. The area was deserted; in fact, the troops had just completed their first sweep of the area and were regrouping for the second. He pickled his way through the debris as quickly and quietly as possible, still unable to accept the devastation around him.

The command centre had been one of the worst hit. Alec clambered over to the corner where Logan's workstation has been. A girder had fallen, partially sheltering it from falling masonry. Digging with one hand, desperate for some human contact after the ordeal he had just endured, Alec uncovered an arm encased in a brown leather jacket.

"Oh, no." Alec pulled away a fragment of plasterboard to reveal Logan's face. He was lying on his back directly under the girder, buried to the waist in what was once Max's command centre. His glasses were missing, he had numerous cuts and grazes on his face and thick, choking dust coated his clothes and skin. "Logan?" he checked for a pulse and found one, weak but steady. "Can you hear me, Logan? It's me, Alec." To his astonishment, the most famous pair of eyes in the city flickered open.

"Alec?" said Logan faintly.

"Logan! How bad are you hurt? Can you move?"

"Is… is Max ok? Did everyone get out?"

"Yeah, they're all fine," said Alec, hoping it was true. "Come on, we gotta go join them."

"We?" Logan laughed wheezily, soon degenerating into a coughing fit. Alec was frightened by the blood that appeared on his lips. "My leg's trapped under the girder, Alec. Even Joshua couldn't lift that."

"I can't just leave you here, Logan. Max would kick my ass, right?"

"Max… you'll look after her for me, Alec?"

"We both will, like always."

"I'm dying, Alec. No miracles this time, I've had more than my fair share already."

"You can't die, who'd watch out for the downtrodden?" A smile flickered across Logan's dusty features.

"Blah blah, woof woof. Max would. Just don't tell her I said that. I need three things from you, Alec."

"After all the lives you saved today? Anything."

"In the inside pocket of my jacket is something I want Max to have. Been waiting for the right moment to give it to her. Pass it on for me?"

"Sure, no problem." Alec found a small black jewellery case and put it in his jeans pocket.

"Take my cellphone and wallet. too. Don't want to make life too easy for them."

"Ok, got them."

"Next, I need you to tell Max that I will always love her, and I don't blame her for anything. She couldn't have stopped me if she tried."

"She knows that already. And just so you know, she lied about me and her."

"I thought so. She was trying to protect me. Tell her I understand."

"Why didn't you run? Why did you stay after you'd taken care of the CCTV?"

"I was trying to give you more time. Tell Max I was trying the Sedro Island trick, she'll explain."

"If you say so. What was the third thing?"

"I want you to kill me."

"What! No way!"

"I'm dying anyway, Alec. I just want to make it quick and painless."

"I can't, Logan, I just can't, I'm sorry. You saved every transgenic in Seattle today. A whole people, a whole race and culture only still in existence because of you. Eyes Only has done so much for so many… and look at what you got in return. A wheelchair, the virus, bankruptcy, and now this."

"Please, Alec. Just do it, then go find Max. I need her to be ok, and she needs someone to help her be. She's only 21, Alec, don't let her grieve too long."

"I'll do my best, Logan." Alec realised his face was wet with tears.

"Thanks, Alec. Now finish me and go." The X5 gripped Logan's neck in his left hand, ready to snap it.

"Goodbye, Logan Cale, Eyes Only, brother to all transgenics everywhere. It's been an honour."

The smile returned, even stronger than before, as Logan closed his eyes. "Max…" whispered Logan, finding no last words more fitting than her name.

Camera shot changes to view of outside of command centre. We hear a snap, and then Alec comes out.

Alec turned to the ravaged building, not even trying to stop the tears running down his usually cheerful face. He saluted, properly this time, despite the pain in his shoulder, and whispered "Sorry, Logan."

He was just getting ready to leave when he spotted a patch of red in the greyness. He pulled Joshua's flag out of a pile of rubble and rolled it up. Might as well, he thought. The big fella would like it back. Then he ran, trying to figure out where he had left to go.

That evening, Normal's apartment

Normal returned home from work with a bag of groceries… and found his door unlocked. Cautiously, he made his way inside. Alec was standing in the middle of his living room, looking like he'd just survived World War Three.

"Normal, I need your help," he said. Then he fainted.

"Oh, for the love of Mike…"

I just couldn't resist mentioning BBWW, the best episode of DA ever.

Don't worry, fellow Logan fans, all is not as it seems…