AN: Hey you guys sorry I didn't update last weekend but I here now and here it is. I would like to say thanks for the lovely reviews and I hope you like this chapter because I love it. I think this is the longest one ever. Enjoy.
Max walks into Alec's apartment excepting to see her two friends but they were no where in sight. She walks further in the room and notices that Biggs' room door was left ajar. She makes her way over to it and fully opens the door to see CeCe sitting up on the bed with her arms wrapped around her legs.
"Hey CeCe," Max said walking in.
"Hey Max"
"Where's Alec?" She sat down next to CeCe who scooted over to make room for Max.
"He's in his room, thinking."
"How is he?"
"You know him, he's always alright."
"You"
It was a short pause before she answers. "You know I don't know at this point. I want to be mad but after seeing Biggs so…How could I have missed it? He was acting so, quiet. I should have known."
"What happen?"
"When I got there Biggs was attacking Alec. You should have seen the anger in his eyes Max. He was calling Alec a traitor and saying it was his fault that he was hurt. They did something to him Max and now we lost him."
"Don't worry, we'll get him back okay, we'll get them all back. I'm sure whatever was in that vial, Logan will find out what's in it, and Alec probably in his room right now thinking how to beat this bitch and getting your Biggs back." CeCe gradually nods her head. "We'll get him back C. It's like what they two heads are better then one but in this case three. You just have to hang in there and together we'll beat it."
She stood to leave but turn back once she got to the doorway to see CeCe lowering her self on the bed and hugging a pillow. Max walks across the living room to Alec's room to see him standing by his window. His face was distorted for her to read but she caught anger and sadness in there just a little. She closes the door behind her which got his attention.
"CeCe told me you took some punches. Do you mine telling me to what happen in just distracting the guy and not fighting with him?"
"He started it I just had to defend myself."
"And it looked to me that you didn't do that well."
He let out a laugh and sat down on his bed. "He's fast and stronger now. I gave him everything I got and he counters my move every time, and this was him holding back I know it. And then Biggs, they brain washed him somehow because the things he said and the anger. That stuff Gabe gave them is doing something to their head I know it."
He sat back against his head board and Max joins him. He was again lost in his thoughts just like before when Max walked inside his room.
"What are you thinking about?"
"I am thinking about Manticore."
Max frown at him but it some was gone when she saw his eyes, how distant they are.
"Don't you think it's about due time you tell me about your time in Manticore? You know the part where you and Gabe was friend once and up to the point where thing changed between you two."
He scoots down in his bed until he was lying on his back with his hands folded over his stomach.
"You sure you want to know?"
"Hey you promised," she said scooting down as well beside him.
He let out a long sigh and begins:
Ten years old 494 walks in the woods with his M-16 in hand and wearing the official field uniform. He was walking quietly in the wood when he heard a noise. He squats down behind some bushes and readies his weapon just in case. He listens clearly at the steady foot fall of someone approaching behind him and tightens his grip on his weapon. He stayed crouch down as the person moves closer and waits for the right moment to attack, letting the person get as close as possible. When the person reach just enough in his reach zone he turns around only to have his gun kicked right out of his hands and the person jumping on him. They tumble over a steep hill to the bottom with the person still having his grip on him and landing on his back with the person over him ready to strike. Using his legs he propels his attacker over his head and flips on his feet to get in fighting stance. The other person did the same and they were face to face. 494 recognize the person as 568 and a smile grace his face. On cue they both launch at each other. Throwing punches and kicks at one another. Each time one block the other moves and the another throw another punch. 494 saw an opening and follow through it with a fake punch to 568 side and countering it with a side hit to his head, knocking 568 back and then spinning kick his feet from under him. He went down and 494 place his right boot right on 568's throat but with no pressure to it.
"Looks like I won this round," 494 smile.
"You got lucky that's all, now get off me," 568 said moving 494's boot and getting up.
"Don't tell me you're a sore loser 568?"
"Please, I could have taken you if I wanted to, I just felt sorry for you since I had one up on you already."
"Right," 494 laughed.
They grab their gear that had fallen on the ground during their tumble and climb back up the hill. When they arrived at the top, another X5 greeted them.
"We are to report now to the training ground."
"What for," asked 568.
"My orders were to just round up all stray soldiers to report to training ground. Your guess is good as mine on this matter."
The X5 turn to leave and 494 and 568 soon followed after. They arrive just in time to see a line of soldiers walking inside the building with guards surround them. The two friends shared a look before they follow behind at the rear of the line. 494 look around to see some of the guards looking at him and turn to face 568.
"What do you think is going on," he mouth.
568 only answer was a shrug of his shoulder.
"Eyes front soldier," one of the guards yelled at him and he follows.
The line went on until a TAC officer in front of the line guide the young soldiers to two different rooms across from each other. 494 was about to turn into the right room when the TAC officer grabs him by the shoulder and pulls him off to the side. He watch as 568 went into the left room and disappears when another soldier behind him went in behind him.
"494," another officer calls behind him. 494 turn and stood at attention to the officer. "Follow me soldier." He did as he was told and follow behind the officer, leading him down the corridor to another corridor into a room. In it was his unite and Renfro along with Lydecker who stood behind a desk. Behind them were pictures of…well them. Well he thought it was them once he read the barcode next to the picture. He stood by 600 and waited at attention until order to at ease. He watches Renfro's jaw tense and relaxes in front of them as she looks the twelve over.
"Last Saturday twelve X5 soldiers escape into the night of the Gillette facility, these are the twelve that escaped," Renfro pointed to the twelve pictures. "As you can see you guys look just like them. You are X5-R of these soldiers, these rogue soldiers, which means you are their clones." She paused to watch the soldiers in the room look over the pictures. "You're probably wondering why I brought you here. Simple really, you guys are twins of the soldiers and I need to know if you guys are going to do the same as those traitors of yours. Colonel Lydecker agrees with me in my decision on this," she looks over at the Colonel and he looks down. 494 could read some kind of emotion in his eyes but he dismisses it when Renfro continued. "There will be testes done to make sure this won't happen again, so I'm sending you soldiers to the lab to be tested is that understood."
"Yes mama," they said in unison.
She presses a red button on her desk and two guards came in. "Escort these soldiers to the lab."
In a line they followed the guards. 494 look back at Renfro and Lydecker who look at them as the leave. Again he lowers his head and faces the smiling Renfro. Before them was lead far from the room, 494 caught some of the conversation.
"This is unnecessary, I could work went them."
"Really Donald, let you work with these group of X5s like you did with those escapees. And what are the chances that these soldiers won't do the same under your order. No, this is better, just some minor testes and then they came go back to their training. It's just precaution."
They went on to talking but 494 didn't hear the rest because they were moving down another corridor. The door to the lab was coming into view and he could feel the tension in his entire fellow unit. They were nervous as he was but also shock to find out that they are clones. Once inside, a technician looks over at the soldiers and walks over to one of the guards.
"Is these them," he asks.
"Yeah, it's all of them."
"We can only deal with some of them, so split them up. Half stay here and the rest go to the Subliminal room."
The group was split up and 494 were in the group to go to the Subliminal room. Once there, the five that was with him sat in the back and watch the screen in front of them. Varies of images of the escapees and word was displayed on the screen and he concentrated on them. It was like seeing himself up there along with the others in his group. This went on for hours.
Once done it was lunch time and all gathered in the mess hall. 494 were by 702 and 600 in line when they got their tray to head for a table. Eyes were on them when they walk down the aisle to their table. He sat down and looks at the wonder eyes their way.
"I don't like this," said 702 before taking a bit from her mash potato.
"I don't either but what can we do about it? It's those traitors fault we have to go through this, 600 said.
"I don't like the stare," 494 said still looking around. "It's like we're them and everybody knows it."
"It's bad enough being their clones but now we have to take their punishment too."
The five at the table look up at 600 words with frowns and he looks at them and rolls his eyes.
"What do you mean," 453 ask.
"I over heard one of the technician before we left and he said that it's bad news for us because we're getting what they deserve. A punishment meant for the traitors."
"But Renfro said we're just going to have some test done and that's it, why would that be a punishment," ask 211.
"I don't know but that's what the guy said."
The table went quiet as they continue to eat their food. 494 was looking around the room for 568 and spotted him eating his food. He frowns at his friend because his stature was different. He carries him self with anger and forcefully that the fork in his hands was literally bending. I should talk to him after lunch; he thought and went back to eating. After his meal, he went to the training area where he followed 568 in. No one was there except for 568 and him self. It was kind of early to be in here since class doesn't start until 1400 hours but they would sneak in anyway. He follows him to the mat where he stood with his back turn towards 494.
"Hey I've been following you back there why didn't…"
"Why are you following me," 568 interrupt.
"Just checking up on you, you seem upset in the mess hall earlier and I just thought…what's wrong."
"What's wrong," he turns around. "What wrong with me is you?"
"Me what are you talking about?"
"Did you see the screening earlier, those twelve that escaped were, were you."
"No they are not me, they're clones. Didn't you read their barcode," he said getting offended. "I was shock as you are but thanks to them my units have to endure weeks of testes because of them, can you believe that? 600 said it's a punishment." 568 didn't say anything. "You do believe that isn't me or my unit right?"
"Yeah it's just hard to see that image and you standing right here without those words popping up in my head."
"Mines too but you know what's a good way of forgetting about it?"
"What?"
"Sparring"
568 look up from a spot on the floor to look at his friend. A small smile form on his face and he got into a fighting stance.
"Three years later it only got worst for my group and I when word came in from Lydecker that he couldn't find your group. Renfro was getting angry and the only way she can release her anger was on everyone else. Forcing more training, more subliminal, more testes. This was force for everyone but it seems like it was meant for us the most."
494 was once again walking in the woods by him self. He was a little out of it today since he just came out the lab for his weekly pocking and probing. Not to mention psy-ops in forcing more of the traitor escapees. He looks around his area when he senses something was wrong. He looks towards the bushes to see if any were broken and follows a trail of them to his right. There he found a little clearing with some stack branches in the middle. He went over to them and found the branches spelling TRAITOR. He kicks the word apart and went back on the path he was on before. Once there someone jump him from behind, pining him to the ground. He struggles to get free but couldn't. The person on top of him wraps one of his arms around his neck and begins to choke him. He spins them to their side to apply more pressure. 494 use all the strength he could muster and elbow his attacker in the side several times until his attack was force to let go. He took in some oxygen once he rolls from the person's grip and looks up. 568 was standing in front of him holding his side.
"Taking it a little to far aren't we," 494 said getting up.
568 ignore him and charge at him again but this time 494 was ready. Countering every punches and kicks, he manages to push 568 up against a tree and held him there with his elbow over his throat.
"Occasionally I would be up for this but right now I'm not, so I'm going to ask you what your problem is?"
"You are my problem."
"Again I'm your problem, what have I done this time?"
"You know what. It's you and those clone of yours. It's causing too much tense here and I'm sick of seeing your face." He pushes 494 off of him and 494 got in a fighting stance just in case. When he sees his friend's intention isn't to fight any more he relaxes.
"What are you talking about?"
"Those stupid 09ers had to escape which now we have to suffer for. Their faces are everywhere and I'm tired of seeing them, seeing you."
"568 you have to stop associating me and mine to the 09ers. We're not them."
"Yeah but everybody else does and I'm starting to think…"
"What, you starting to think what, they're right. I can't believe this."
"Is it so hard to believe? Maybe you are them and they change you barcode or something."
"Will you listen to yourself, you're talking nonsense. You're letting them play with your mind, everyone's minds."
"Every time they show us that film, I get so anger because what they did to us. They left us behind to take their punishment and I just want to strangle them for it. And when I see you, I see them and I can see it, see myself doing it."
494 reach for his neck and took in a hard swallow. His throat was still sore from earlier.
"So you tried to kill me because I look like 493 and every other 09er."
"It would help rather then seeing you when I wake. It's bad enough that you're in my head when I close my eyes but when I'm awake too."
"You think I'm not suffering from this too? I am reminded everyday that I'm a clone of one of the 09ers and am paying dearly for it. It's bad enough that everyone sees me as one but treat me as is just cruel. And you, my friend no less, are following in everyone foot steps, bad enough to try and kill me."
"I heard one of your unit mates died yesterday. People say he died because he was too weak to handle the pressure and that more of your unit is showing signs of weakness. I thought that maybe it would be best to go ahead and put you out of your misery. Help me sleep at night and maybe others."
"I not going to let you kill me, 568," 494 said getting in a fighting stance.
"Maybe not but I can still make your life a living hell. Maybe then you'll beg for me to kill you. Consider now my friend, my enemy."
"Then enemies we are," 494 said still in his stance.
568 walks pass him and disappear in the wood before him. 494 relax with a long sigh and put his back against the tree. He just lost the only friend he have in this place to feel a little comfort. His unit is showing signs of pulling away from each other, treating each other like a soldier and not like they use to treat each other. There's no communication anymore. He is alone. Maybe he should let 568 take his life, and then he wouldn't have to deal with this. But he is a soldier and soldiers don't quit. He will just have to fight until his time come or hopefully until this torture is over. He stood up from the tree and walk back to the training ground before the TAC officer think he ran off or something and that would be more problems added to him self.
"For years it went on like it did, the testes, the film, psy-ops. And to his word like every soldier, 568 tried to make my life a living hell. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction, but Manticore did their hardest. Most of my old unit broke under the torture Manticore inflicted on us and they just gave up. Only a few of us survived. When word got out that 493 went crazy they did more testes on me to make sure it wasn't genetic. There were times I wanted to give up but I couldn't. I wanted to live for my sake and the others and to hopefully see them drag you guys in and inflict everything they did to us to you guys. But it never happened. 56- Gabe was only helping them make me creak but I beat him every time and it felt good to have an enemy to let my anger on. Soon my group was split up and I was t transported to another unit because I was one of the best soldiers they had, thanks to Biggs of course." He pauses a little and thought about his friend-turn evil. "We were trained for solo mission and I was glad to get away from the testing for awhile after six month continuous for 493. But then I screwed it all up when I fell for my target's daughter and you know the rest to that story."
Max nods her head softly, understanding fully about the mission. She listens to his entire story and couldn't help but feel guilt for what happen to him. She wishes she could have changed his time during Manticore but she can't. She just hopes he is happy now that he is out and would all that she can to make him feel happy. She turns to look at him as he lay reminiscing about his past. He soon sat up on his bed and turn to Max. Max did the same and tries to study his eyes for the answer for his sudden action.
"Max I want to thank you."
"For what Alec?"
"After my time in psy-ops and after they put me in a holding cell, I was thinking about giving up. Letting them turn me into their perfect soldier. Once I got out of psy-ops, they told me I was in the breeding program and that I had to copulate until my breeding partner gets pregnant. I wasn't informed that it was you until thirty minutes before I went to your cell. If it wasn't for you they would have succeed. So thank you for giving me a name for my personality and not just a number. Thank you for getting me out and the others. Thanks for letting me in your life and friends."
"Well actually you butted into my life."
"Max I'm trying to thank you here."
"Sorry, go on."
"But most of all I want to thank you for trusting in me and being a friend."
Max had the biggest smile on her face and went to hug him.
"You're welcome Alec."
"Okay could you let go you're kind of hurting my already sore chest."
"Ah do you want me to kiss it all better?" Max eyes grew big after she realizes what she just said. She looks up at Alec and he had the biggest smile on his face. She rolls her eyes and look away.
He yawns and leans back against his bedpost.
"You think you wouldn't mind staying here tonight?"
She smiles at him and crawls up the bed to his side. She snuggles up to him until her head was on his shoulder.
"I wouldn't mine."
She stayed in that position until his breathing slowed and his body begins to loosen their grip around her.
"Tomorrow, we need to figure out Gabe's…" he said sleepy.
"Alec just goes to sleep."
AN: What did you think?