Chapter 13: Pasta & Problems

Wow! This place is seriously snazzy!, 494 thought upon arriving at the apartment. This guy much be rich! He amused himself with another thought, maybe it's her sugar daddy.

A man answered the door. Intense eyes and a serious demeanor- too serious for 494's liking. He held out his hand for the man to shake, "Hey! Thanks again for inviting me over!"

The man stared at his hand for a moment before accepting it. He didn't say anything, just let 494 come in and shut the door behind him.

494 smelled something that seemed like food. Suddenly he was starving. He hadn't eaten anything in a while. "So, whatcha got cookin? Can I have somethin' to eat? Man, I am starving, and that smells so good!"

The man looked very annoyed. "Well, I was cooking right before you called. I also wasn't expecting anyone."

"Now that's a lie. You've got settings here for 2." Poor guy looks lonely!, 494 thought. "So, whose meal am I eating, then? Your girlfriend?"

The man didn't answer, but instead handed 494 a helping of what he was cooking.

"Hey, thanks, man!" 494 took a bite. "This is delicious! You really have a gift here. By the way, nice apartment, too." He took the moment to look around, seemingly admiring the place. Really he was scanning for anything that might connect this guy with Max. He was an ordinary. Why would he be paging her?

The man nodded, "Thanks." He kept staring at 494, an intense stare. Did nothing break his concentration? It wasn't exactly going to be easy snooping around if this guy wouldn't focus on something else. The girlfriend didn't distract him. The digs didn't distract him. "You work, uh… what did you say your name was?"

"Logan. My name is Logan." Logan, 494 thought. Good to know. Logan still kept his stare. "So, Ben. You said something about Max being in trouble."

494 was curious, seeing the look in Logan's eye. This man, though holding his composure very well, looking skeptical of this whole situation, who incidentally was a great cook, sincerely cared about Max. 494 could tell just by the look in his eyes right then.

"Wait…" 494 began, "This meal was for Max?…You cooked this for Maxie!"

Logan got up, losing his composure but still not moving his sight to something else, "Listen, Ben. If Max is in any kind of danger you need to tell me right now."

Or what? You're a freakin ordinary. Don't make me laugh!

Before Logan could get an answer, his phone started ringing. Thank God! Now maybe he'd finally be able to snoop a little bit. To his surprise, Logan let it ring. What the hell? "Aren't you gonna answer that?" he asked Logan with a smile.

Logan kept his focus on 494. It wasn't unnerving, just incredibly annoying. It seemed he was trying to prove something by keeping his focus on 494. "What's going on with Max." Logan demanded more than asked as the phone kept ringing.

Who does this guy think he is?, 494 thought. Making dinner for Max, a damn good one, too, wanting to know where she was all the time- was this her boyfriend! He almost laughed out loud at the thought. Tough Maxie, an X5, in a relationship with Eyes, here. "Max.." he started, but then he heard Logan's answering machine pick up the call. The caller started to leave a message, "Logan. So, I really thought you would be there. Maybe I won't swing by today-" It was Max. Shit, I have to get out of here.

At that, finally Logan quit staring at 494, and immediately picked up the phone. "Max! Wait, I am here."

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"What!" Max exclaimed once Logan had finished, "Ben was here? What the hell did he want?" She was standing in Logan's apartment, and couldn't believe what she was hearing. Work had been hell, and she was only half-done, running all over town to make up for missing the past few days, and now she had to deal with more from this jerk when she didn't even know who he was or what he was doing here!

"Not a big fan of his, huh?" Logan asked with a slight smile. He'd gotten over the afternoon. Looking at Max, he found himself calm and happy. Nothing really seemed to get to him when he was with Max. Not to mention she looked adorable when she was upset.

"Hell no!" Max answered, just then realizing the extent to which he annoyed her. "And that is not Ben. I don't know who he is, I never got a chance to figure it out before he took off." She was getting furious hearing about this idiot's latest move.

"He said you were in danger."

"What an ass! You didn't seriously believe him, Logan, did you?"

"He had me going for a little bit. I mean, I still hadn't heard from you."

Ouch, Max thought. He was still mad about her not returning his call and storming out last night. Max looked down. She felt bad. "Yea, sorry about that. I really don't even know why I left here so angry the other night. I was just upset because I lost Zack."

"It was my fault."

"No-"

"No, really, it was. I fed you that fake source."

Max reached out and touched Logan's hand. "It's okay, really. I promise I'm over that." Her eyes smiled into his. His face changed when she touched him, he looked like he was going to make a move, and for some reason it made her uncomfortable. She let go of his hand. "So what do you think of 'Ben'. I hate calling him that, it isn't his real name."

Logan didn't mind that she backed away. He never felt like she owed him anything, he was always just trying to give her what she needed. He was always patient with Max. But the look in her eyes troubled him. Things had been awkward between them before, but this look was new to him. He wasn't sure how she felt, but their relationship, whatever that was, was the last thing they needed to focus on right then.

"He's a character!" Logan began. "Seriously, he's pretty weird. I still don't know if he got what he wanted in coming here- I can't tell what he wants."

Max sighed, "You and me both. All I know is he drives me nuts! I'm gonna be pissed forever until I find him and kick his ass." She meant that literally. She had a yearning inside of her to fight him, and she really wouldn't rest until she did.

"I think he assumes we're dating," Logan said, "He made some comment about the meal."

But we're not like that, Max thought, about her and Logan. "The meal?"

"He ate your lunch!" Logan added with a laugh.

Max stared at the mess he'd left. Seriously, what a jackass! And a slob, too! Max noticed it was pasta- she loved eating pasta with Logan! Scratch kicking his ass, she was going to kill him! "Well now he owes me. After I beat the crap out of him, he's taking me out to eat, you, too, Logan. He can pay for both of us."

Logan smiled, he obviously wasn't as worked up as Max. "I really wouldn't want him there if it was you and me going out." That really hadn't come out the way he wanted it to.

He had that look in his eye. He was gonna try to make a move again, or have the relationship talk. Maybe not, but Max could tell he wanted to. She suddenly didn't know why she was there. He had no new information, and she didn't have anything left to say. "So I probably should be heading out. They're expecting me at work anyway. I'm lucky to still have my job! OC came through for me once again."

Logan nodded. He smiled, but his eyes looked sad. He didn't say anything, though. Max knew he wouldn't. In a way, it made her feel more guilty.

Max smiled back. "I'll give you a ring later. I mean it this time! Oh, that reminds me, how 'bout I get my phone. I don't want to have to use a pay phone again."

Logan left to get it, but it seemed he was gone a long time for just going to another room to pick up a phone.

When he came back he looked pissed, for the first time since she'd gotten there. He'd been pretty calm and happy the whole time, but now he looked upset. "What is it?" Max asked.

"Ben, whatever the hell his name is, took your phone. That must have been why he came here."

"What?" Max cried. "You have got to be kidding me! So this jackass now has my phone! Always a gentleman… my ass!" She couldn't wait to get her hands on him. He really would regret being such a pain in her ass.

"Well what do I do?" she asked, "I don't know him! I don't know his name, I didn't find anything about him. Just that he is a jackass!"

Logan shrugged.

Max had an idea, "Wait, he's got my phone. You have that number, Logan, can't you trace it?"

Logan shook his head. "Max, that was the whole point of that thing. It was specially designed so that no one can trace it- not even me."

Damnit!, Max thought. She couldn't remember a time where she'd been so pissed off.

She felt her pocket vibrating. Perfect timing, as usual, she thought of her pager. It was Cindy. "Shit!" she said, "I really am late. That's the last thing I need on top of all this- that jackass getting me fired! I've got to go."