AN: Sorry about the delay in updates but I've been busy with other stories and school work. It's the same as always. I hope I haven't lost anybody due to my late update. This story is almost done so I hope you guys will stay until the end. Anyway I hope you like the update and please R and R to let me know you're still there. Enjoy

"Logan right now isn't a good time right now; I have to go talk to…" Max started.

"Max it's important. Plus I need to talk to you about that drug in those Xs." Logan rushed before Max could reach the door.

"Really? Then we should get Alec, he needs to hear about this." Max once again tried to leave but Logan stops her.

"Alec can wait Max; I need to talk to you." He bellowed and Max turned to face him fully with her arms crossed.

"What is it Logan?"

"About me and Asha…."

"Logan I said it was okay, you're a free man you can do as you pleased."

"No Max, there is no me and Asha." Logan said getting frustrated.

"Really because it didn't seem like that to me, do Asha know about the passionate kiss you two were in wasn't anything?"

Logan's mouth was kept in a tight line as Max looks him over.

"I guess not."

"It's just…you hardly even come up to see me any more and when you do its business. I've missed you Max."

"Logan…" Max said uncrossing her arms.

"It's like I don't matter to you anymore. It's this place, Manticore, your people, and him." He points to the door with anger.

"That is not true, Logan I care about you too, I just…."

"What Max, what is it?" He said with a little of his anger seeping out.

"I…I…me and Alec aren't together." She said in one breath. There I finally said it, she thought looking up at Logan's shock face. Now all I have to do is explain.

……

Alec backs away from Max's door and down the stairs to Head quarters. He sat down in an empty chair and lean his head back. She finally told him, he thought. I wonder what that leaves us.

……

"What?" Logan asked still a little puzzled.

"Alec and I are not together, we never were. What you saw at my place was Alec leaving after a long night of rescuing him from jail and talking. Nothing happened between us."

"Then why did you say there were?"

Max walks back to her desk and lean up against it. "I did it to protect you. I was a danger to you; I could get you killed one day with this virus still in me and with White and the National Guard lurking around. I wanted you safe."

"And how does Alec play in this?" Logan asked curiously.

"Alec was helping me. He didn't know about it until he went over to Joshua's to hand over some parts you needed. So don't go blaming him alright."

"Max you could of told me instead of putting up this little make-believe to push me away."

"You're the one who thought there was something going on between us in the first place, I just went with it."

"So where that does it leaves us?" He said walking up to her. Max moves away from him and to her chair.

"Good question because I don't know right now. Since these past couple of months, I'm starting to see things clearly, seeing someone clearer for the first time."

"You mean Alec?" Logan asked with his shoulders slumping down.

"He's changed Logan. You may still see him as the arrogant screw up but he's grown since then. He is finally showing the real Alec for once and I…I think I might see him more then just a friend now. In fact I know I'm starting to see him more then just a friend." Max said trying to hold the smile on her face from showing.

"So you're just going to give up on us because you think you might be growing feelings for Alec."

"No I'm not giving up on us, not the cure part and wanting you safe. I'm just giving up what we once had. The love we once had is not there, here anymore, Logan."

"That's giving up Max."

"What, like you haven't giving up on us either, what was that with you and Asha? Logan you deserve someone like her then me in your life."

"And you think you deserve Alec in yours." He said, his anger returning.

"Logan I don't have time for this, there are more important…"

"More important…"

"Yes, there are more important things then this right now. You said you have information about the drugs, so what is it?"

…….

Alec was still in Head quarter looking over some papers when his enhance hearing picked up on heavy breathing and running coming towards him. He quickly turned around to see an X8 climbing the stair to him.

"Alec sir it's Minx, she needs you to report to the infirmary right away, it's urgent."

"Why what is it?" Alec asked following the young boy to the infirmary.

"It's Dawn and Chest, they're having seizure."

Alec and the X8 picked up speed as they near the infirmary. A small crowd gathers around the small building when they finally reached the building and pushed their way through.

"Everyone please go back to your work station there's nothing to see here."

"Alec what's going on, I heard two X5 having seizure," CeCe said following Alec through the crowd.

"Yeah I heard too but it's urgent from what Minx said."

Finally getting inside the building, they were met with two transgenics lying on a stretcher, convulsing severely. They were two of Gabe's minion. Minx and two other field med tries as much as possible to keep the two X5 down on the stretcher with straps and work on them at the same time.

"Minx what happen," Alec asked rushing over to help.

"I don't know. They were brought in and all of a sudden they started having seizure. It could be the drugs they were giving and their bodies trying to get rid of it."

Soon the convulsing starts to ease off and everyone around them remove their hands to let their bodies fall still on the stretcher.

"Alright take these straps off and get an IV in them. And take a blood sample; I want to know what just happen." Minx said giving orders to her helpers. Alec and CeCe stayed out of the way to let the medics do their work while they gaze from afar.

"Alec, I'm just making conversation here but if the drug causes these two to have seizure then Biggs could be next. And if it gets worst…" CeCe started.

"C don't worry okay, we'll figure something out. Plus I over heard Logan talking to Max saying he found something in the drug so that might help us in helping them."

A loud gasp coming from one of the medic causes Alec and CeCe to look over at the work station where one of the medics is backing away from the male X5. They rushed over to see Chest smiling and laughing as he begins to lean up on the stretcher. Dawn soon joined him until they both were standing up in front of the shock observers.

"Well it looks like our plan worked" Chest said removing the IV from his arm.

"What plan?" Alec questioned.

"Faking our own seizure of course and you all felled for it, especially you Alec."

"What the meaning of this?" CeCe jumped in.

"To distract you." Dawn finally said. "For X5s you're sure slow."

To distract us from what, Alec thought, searching his brain for what could they distract him for. What could Gabe have up his sleeve this time? And then it hits hard.

"Max" He whispers.

"What?" CeCe said looking at him to repeat.

"They're distracting me to get to Max." He rushed out backing up to leave.

"Go, hurry. I'll handle these two." CeCe said looking predatory at the two smiling X5s.

Alec nods and ran out of the infirmary. Please don't let me be too late, he thought blurring to Max's office.

……

"We should get Alec, he needs to hear this," Max said rubbing her temple, sitting in her chair.

A knock came at her door and then it opens. In walked Gabe and two male X5. Max stood up at their entrance and walk ahead of her desk a little in front of Logan.

"Gabe what are you doing here?" Max asked getting in her stance. Her voice trembled just a little because she knows she won't be able to fight these more experience Xs with steroid in the mix.

"Ah to see you may sweet." Gabe said before blurring to Max and Logan.

He pushed Logan away and grabbed onto Max's arms. His two friends grabbed onto Logan to hold him back as Gabe do what he came here to do. Max struggle against his hold to get free but he has a tight grip on her arms. He pushed her against the wall and held her there.

"I wish I could play longer with you Max but I'm on a time schedule and its no telling how long my buddy Alec found out about my little distraction." Gabe said. Max still just for a moment to process what Gabe has said.

"What do you want?" Max asked getting back to her struggling.

"I want you."

With that said Gabe kicked Max's feet from under her, knocking her to the ground. He straddled her and held her hands above her head. Again Max tries to struggle from his grip as he leans forward, inches away from her face.

"Max" Logan yelled from his position. The two X5 had Logan down on his knees watching emotionlessly while they wait.

Gabe pulled at a syringe from his back pocket and held it in front of Max's face for her to see the yellowish liquid.

"I knew it was you who was in my apartment yesterday. I could smell you." Max kept her eyes on the syringe as Gabe rub the needle part on her lips to her cheek. "You really thought I'll have just that one bag hiding in my place? No there is more. Enough for everyone in this forsaken dump you call home. And under my wings we'll be stronger then ever before. Once I get rid of a few nuisances."

"Then what do you want with me?" Max once again tries to struggle away from the needle he keeps moving across her face.

Gabe grabbed onto her collar of her shirt and pulled it down to reveal the fading bite mark on her right shoulder.

"This mark doesn't make you his." He said fingering it, making Max shiver from his touches. "I can prove it." With his hand raised, he plunge the needle into Max's shoulder, releasing the yellow liquid into Max.

"Max, no," Logan once again struggle to get free.

Gabe leans close to Max's ear and whisper just enough for her to hear. "Now that you're mine, I need you to help me keep 494 away. Long enough for me to finish what I came here to do and then you can kill him." He leans back to see Max's eyes start to flutter. With a satisfied smile, he gave her a quick kiss on the lips before getting off of her. He walks over to Logan and kneels in front of him.

"I wouldn't stay here much longer human." Gabe said seeing the fear in Logan's eyes. "You don't belong here and if I see you again, I'll kill you." He punches Logan hard in the face, knocking the human unconscious. There the three X5 walks off to leave the room.

………..

Alec was almost there. He could see Max's office coming into view. He was so focus on Max's office that he doesn't see the prone body lying on the ground in front of him. With quick reflexes, he jumps over the body landing in a crouch position. He turns back at the body and realizes it was Mole. Alec kneels down next to Mole to check for a pulse and there was one steady beat. He looks around and can see Dix, Luke, an X6, and two more transhuman lying on the ground, unconscious. Figuring they are okay, he left Mole on the ground and heads for his first priority. Reaching the stairs, he made it half way when Biggs block his way at the top of the stairs.

"I don't think so Alec." Biggs said with his arms crossed.

"Out of my way Biggs" Alec tries to run pass him but Biggs push him back.

"Let him finish," was Biggs last words before the door to Max's office opened.

Gabe and two other Xs behind him stepped out of the room and Gabe smiled at the irritated Alec.

"Alec what's a surprise seeing you here, I thought you were at the infirmary seeing to the two seizure patient." He said smiling bigger.

"If you hurt Max I swear…"

"Swear what Alec? You can't beat me; we figured that out yesterday remember. You've grown soft Alec, for this 09er and in your fighting. You don't have that killer instinct in you anymore."

"You want to bet." Alec move to attack but Biggs stop him again.

"Maybe later, I still have other business to attain to."

Gabe and the other two behind him head downstairs with Biggs still blocking Alec way. Once they were down the stairs Biggs follow down himself.

"Later Alec" He said before following the others down the street and disappears behind some buildings. Alec let out a breath to calm himself down.

"Max," he remembered and ran the rest of the way upstairs to her office. There he finds both Logan and Max on the floor. He quickly checked Logan's pulse before heading over to Max after seeing was Logan okay. He kneels next to Max and pulls her in his arms. Max eyes were still fluttering when she spoke.

"Alec…Gabe… was here."

"I know Max." He said brushing her hair out of her face.

"I'm so…tired." Her eyes stopped their moving and settled on remaining close.

"I'm sorry Max; I should have known he'll do something. I wished I've gotten here sooner."

Max slowly lift her hand to Alec's face and rub her thumb over his cheek and bottom lips.

"S'kay"

Grunting sound behind him was heard but he didn't bother to turn around to see Logan slowly coming to consciousness. Max's hand fell from his face as she succumbed to the induced sleep, due to the drug. Alec stayed with his arms wrapped around her ignoring the new presence of CeCe and Joshua. He closed his eyes for good measure just to pretend just for now that Max was just sleeping. Ignoring the worried eyes on him and Max, he just sat there. You'll pay for this Gabe. I won't let you win.