A/N: Since I have started a new MA story, I'm hoping to end this story as soon as possible. I like the plot I have designed for my new story much more and have far more ideas than I do for this story. The poor writing at the beginning of Then and Now will disuade readers from continuing to read, and I personally have little interest in the story line. If you've been following this, I really appreciate that you have taken an interest. It gives me motivation to come to a conclusion. (My goal is to complete all my old stories before summer ends).

If you're interested in another MA fic; however, I would ask that you check out The Reins of Leadership, my new storyline. It's an AU story that takes place in Manticore. Max is made a commanding officer to prevent her from attempting escape again. She meets Alec, of course, and well, read to find out the rest.

Thank you all for reading, and please review!

Chapter 16: Familiar Territory

Alec nodded and watched Welm leave before turning his attention back to Max. She looked so peaceful in her unconscious state. He smiled as he realized that everything would be ok.

...that was, until a familiar voice spoke, "Don't move 494."

Alec turned around and came face to face with Ames White. "Dropping by to say hello?" he asked casually.

White smirked, "We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. The easy way – you carry 452 for me and we leave peacefully. The hard way, I kill you and take 452 myself." He then revealed a gun.

Alec glared at White as he went over to Max's side. "What the hell do you want, White? She's already dying from whatever the hell you put in her."

White sneered. "Good, but my people are interested in her. I'm giving you a chance to accompany her before she dies 494, but if you're not interested, I'll just finish you off now. Just trying to show my humane side."

"Humane. I didn't know you guys had it in you to be sarcastic."

The window opened and in popped another Familiar.

"Fe'nos Tol, brother," the Familiar greeted White.

White returned the greeting. "Looks like your time's up 494. I hope you've come to a decision."

Alec sighed as he carefully removed the wires and tubes connected to Max and gently scooped her into his arms. "I'll come with you."

"Very well." White didn't really like the idea of 494 coming along, but he also didn't want to risk a panic in a hospital by killing 494.

White's Familiar friend climbed back out the window and led the way to their transport. White smiled as he got into the vehicle and drove off to the Familiar's headquarters. It won't be long now. He looked into the sky and could see a few shooting stars. As soon as the Conclave had what they needed, 452 would be eliminated and 494 would die as well, but only after he would watch 452 die a slow painful death, White thought to himself.

Alec continued to watch Max sleep peacefully as they drove in silence. He would check the vial in his pocket every now and then. It would be the only thing to save her now. There was still an hour remaining before he could inject it. He only hoped they would survive that long.

After they arrived at the headquarters, Alec was taken one direction by the Familiar while White took Max.

"Don't worry, you'll see her again," he sneered.

Alec waited patiently in his cell for what seemed like hours. Finally, they tossed in a barely conscious Max. She had apparently woken up sometime after they took her away. He could see a few bruises on her face, arms and legs. They were looking for answers for something.

"Max!"

"A-Alec...is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me, Max. Are you ok?"

"Yeah...I think so. Alec...where are we?"

"The Familiars Headquarters, from the looks of it. How are you feeling?"

"Not...good. I...can't walk. I can barely move. Alec...they did something to me."

Alec found the vial in his jacket and took out the syringe he had gotten from Welm. "This is supposed to counter what they did to you Max. Just hang on..."

Alec quickly injected the solution and prayed that it would work. He watched as Max stirred a little, blinking in and out. He pulled her hair back, hoping it would start taking effect soon.

Max calmly breathed in and out. The solution traveled through her system, eliminating the enzymes that had started hacking away at her DNA. After ten minutes had past, she started to feel again. She tried moving an arm and could see Alec next to her. She smiled faintly as she tried to sit up.

Alec helped steady her as he saw the solution work. "Max...how are you feeling?" He reminded himself that if they made it out of here alive, he would make sure to thank Welm.

"Alec, what happened?"

Alec sighed, realizing she was probably only conscious for bits and pieces of things these past few days. It would be best to wait until all this was over before he broke the bad news. "We're locked up in the Familiar headquarters, Max. I think they want information from you. Max, they can't know I injected you with this solution to make you better. They think you're really weak right now because of some enzymes they put in you to mess with your DNA."

"We need to get out of here," Max suddenly said. "They're in trouble."

"Who's in trouble?"

"Logan and Joshua. White has them."

Alec frowned, but decided to tell her later. "The place is heavily guarded Max. We need to be careful. We don't want them weakening you again with that special solution of their's. You can't let them know you're feeling better."

"What should we do then?"

"We need to get out of here. Maybe someone will come unlock the door if they think you're dying," he suggested.

Max sighed and nodded as she feigned weakness again.

"When we get out of here, we'll need to run fast, Max. White will stop at nothing to find you and make sure you're dead before whatever special event is arriving for these cult goons. If something happens to me, don't worry about me...just keep running. Terminal City's the only place you'll be safe, Max. There's enough transgenics still there to protect you. Promise me...you'll stay safe."

Max nodded, "Don't worry, we'll get out of this together. They need our help, and we're not going to let them down."

Alec said nothing and walked up to the cell door. He started banging loudly to attract attention. "HELP! SHE'S DYING. SOMEONE PLEASE HELP! SHE STOPPED BREATHING!! PLEASE HELP!!!!"

He smiled as he heard a pair of footsteps walking towards them. It was White. Of all people, it had to be White. He would make sure this bastard didn't make it out of here alive, if he could help it. White smirked as he arrived at their cell. "Don't worry 494. You'll be next."

"What did you do to her?!" Alec demanded.

White drew his gun. "Step back 494. You try anything and you're dead. I need to see her."

Alec hid a smirk as White started to unlock the cell. They couldn't be this lucky, could they? Surely White would have come with additional guards. Maybe they were coming, just not yet arrived. Then he heard it – distant footsteps running towards them. Yep, they were not that lucky.

White slowly approached Max, cautious to make sure Alec didn't try anything. As soon as White was within kicking distance, Max kicked the gun out of White's hand and kicked him in the face with the other leg. Alec came up from behind White and held him in a choke hold until he was unconscious. He would have to end this now. White would be their most knowledgeable agent when it came to the transgenics. If he was eliminated, then they would be greatly deterred. Without a second thought, he twisted White's head and heard a snap. Alec then threw his dead body aside. They would have to deal with the other approaching guards now.

Max didn't say anything, but Alec knew she was going to ask why he did it. There were so many things he would have to explain to her later...and he wasn't looking forward to it.

They blurred out of the hallways and took out the guards that just arrived. Unless they set off an alarm of any sort, there shouldn't be anymore guards. Alec locked up the unconscious pair of guards and took their keys. Quickly and quietly, the two navigated their way around the building to find a way out. As soon as they found an open window in an abandoned classroom, they headed back.

They were almost to the gates when they were spotted. Both Max and Alec quickly jumped over the gate and took off running. Alec reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. After all the attention they had given to Max, none of them had thought to search Alec.

"Hey Brad, are you busy? I need a pick up. We had another run in with White, but he won't be bothering us anymore."

A pause.

Alec smiled as he gave Brad a location. "Thanks man. I really owe you."

Alec led Max to the location he had given Brad to pick them up. They would have to keep running – the Familars were most likely going to start a search. They arrived at a small restaurant. Alec saw a car...so, making sure no one was watching, he broke in and hotwired it. "Hop in Max. Brad's going to pick us up, but the location I gave him is a bit of a drive. The Familiars are going to be after us, so we need to get away from here as fast as we can."

Max sighed and got it. "You certainly seem to have this all figured out, Alec."

"Just making this up as I go," he said with a grin.

"So what did I miss? And where are Logan and Joshua? The last I remember was us in this warehouse with White. I wake up and I see a bunch of hooded weirdos chanting around me, with White occasionally asking me these questions and throwing in a punch or two. Then I'm thrown back in with you."

Alec sighed. "Max...things didn't go so well at the warehouse. White shoved Logan at you...and you accidentally reinfected him. He...died. When we escaped, Joshua gave his life to allow us a chance to get out..."

Max couldn't help the tears that were emerging. "You mean to tell me...they're both dead?!"

Alec nodded sadly. "I got you out of the warehouse and brought you to a friends. We took you to a hospital and a transgenic with a background in medicine took a look at you. They said White had injected a solution into your system that consisted of enzymes meant to repair your junk DNA. Except you don't have junk DNA. You were weakened because the enzymes kept trying to change your DNA back to normal, or rather, junk. It would destroy whatever purpose you had in life."

Max rubbed her head as she absorbed the load of information. "I wish the Familiars would all just...die," she mumbled.

They drove in silence for a while, left to their own thoughts.

"White." Max began. "You killed him, didn't you?"

Alec nodded. "I had to. He's the one who knows the most about us. He killed Joshua, and Logan. He wasn't going to stop coming after us if I didn't."

"The rest of his cult buddies are still going to be after us though. We can't fight them all," Max said sadly.

"We're going to need some help."

"How?"

"I have some connections...and there's still some transgenics lingering around in Terminal City, you know."

Max sighed. "Will they help?"

"You saved them from getting lynched by the public. They owe you that much."

"It's worth a shot."

They dumped the stolen car a few blocks away from the pick up point and hurried to meet up with Brad. Brad was waiting for them, attempting a smile.

Alec and Max returned a forced smile. They had too many things on their minds, and too much tragedy to be truly happy about anything. Brad drove them back to his place, where Alec briefed Brad on the whole Familiar situation. He asked for his help in the cause, and Brad agreed to help, promising to contact those he knew as well.

Max and Alec had decided, for safety reasons, to work out of Terminal City while contacting all the transgenics they knew to help in the cause. As soon as they arrived at Terminal City, they got to work. It wasn't long before they had an army ready for battle. All the inhabitants of Terminal City were willing to battle – it would give them the action they had been missing since Manticore. A few others they contacted also agreed to help and were making their way to Terminal City, where Max and Alec officially established a base of operations.

That night, a star shower illuminated the sky, sprinkling unknown toxins into the atmosphere. By morning, many humans were already infected with a deadly toxin, but they would not find out until many days later.