candyabble - Thanks for your review. There are so many stories with her back at Manticore, post season one, but not a lot if she got caught in season one...which will be explained later. I'm so glad you like it.

ramzgurl - Thanks so much! I'm glad you'll be looking out for it. :D Makes my day.

Zoey24 - A lot of people think it's 453, but I'm still denying season two ever happened. If '453' ever existed, Lydecker would know what she looked like and he would have discovered who she was during the conference. So in my world, 453 doesn't exist...lol. Thanks so much for the review!!!

Chapter Three

He adored you. He adored everything about you. He wouldn't let the Madame touch you. Not you. Because you were special. Because you were his favorite. Maybe even before you were born. Your surrogate showed as much spirit (and trouble) as you did.

You were a loyal soldier again. You were the best again. And you were rewarded. You were named commanding officer of all the X5 you happened to be in the presence of. Only because they should have grovel on their knees when you walked in. You were perfect. You were a masterpiece of genetic research and military training.

He called you in and you went willingly. Two months ago you would have been kicking and screaming.

He acknowledged your presence when you enter. You saluted him before you stood at attention. You were always a good little soldier.

"You haven't been able to get any information from your brother, have you?" Lydecker asked you. You automatically feel disappointed when you have nothing to bring to your superior officer. You wanted to please him, you truly did.

"Sir, no, sir." You tell him, lacking any enthusiasm.

He nodded. "Good."

Your face automatically broke. Lydecker saw that and you automatically regain your composure. "It's alright for you to be surprised. I can't believe I'm saying so, either." There was silence and he turned his head to the side. "You would like to know why, wouldn't you?"

"Yes, sir." You replied.

"There's a new director to the base. Elizabeth Renfro. I don't know what she'll do if she gets her dirty little hands on you kids." You think about Brin. You know Lydecker had nothing to do with her transition back home. You know because you hadn't seen her when you were being re-educated. "Continue to question 599. I have the fullest confidence he won't give up their locations. But make sure Renfro goes nowhere near your brother. Understood, 452?"

"Sir, yes, sir."

A smile appeared on his face. "That's my girl." The smile quickly disappeared before he stood back. "Dismissed."

You salute him before you turn on your heel and leave. You don't know if you should go back to the barracks or back to your brother. Either way, Renfro found you. She would have. She was scraping around for pawns to play with. You being the Colonel's favorite, she was going to seek you out.

Being a good soldier, you salute, but you have no desire to obey her. You were loyal to one person, Colonel Donald Lydecker. Not Renfro, not your fellow X5s, and not even Manticore.

"State your designation." She ordered you. She wanted to know whom was this soldier Lydecker put so much confidence in.

"X5-452, Ma'am!" You told her firmly.

"Well, 452. I hear you have your fellow 09' escapee in your responsibility."

You stared at her. Her blonde short hair swept neatly to the side, her black suit was tailored neatly, her legs bear as she fashioned a deadly pair of heels, and a trench coat to hide the holster you knew she was packing.

"Ma'am, yes, Ma'am."

Her narrow eyes stared at you with need. You thought of her weak. You don't know why she rubbed you the wrong way, but usually most people higher than you did.

"I need to see him."

"599 is not allowed any visitors except the Colonel and myself during his interrogation, Ma'am." You told her. You wanted to laugh. Was she so desperate to come to you? She was obviously turned down by Lydecker and now relied on you to lead the way to his room.

"Do you understand that I am your superior officer?" She questioned you, stepping forward and violating your personal space. Even Lydecker was respectful not to get too close. He learned the hard way at first. After all, you spat at anyone who got too close during your time in solitary.

"Not even you." You smartly said as you kept your eyes ahead of you. "Ma'am."

"Tell me where 599 is, soldier!"

"I can't do that, Ma'am."

"Can't or won't?"

You answer truthfully. "Won't, Ma'am. Excuse me."

You left without being dismissed. You couldn't have done it if you weren't his favorite. You would have been put in the basement with the anomalies if she wanted to. Instead, you broke rules.

The other two X5s saluted you when you came back to your brother's room. You were uneasy. You never wanted to be the commanding officer. That was Zack's place. You could never fill his shoes and that's why you wanted him back.

You still loved him. You really did. You would do anything to protect him. But you also wanted him back.

You entered the room and he automatically saw the sister he lost to the enemy.

"Commanding role is not what you thought it would be?"

"Unfortunately." You dryly said as you took a look at his chart. You noticed he was on the same serotonin drip you were when you were transitioned. Oh fun, you sarcastically think. "Looks like they already go you on your drip, you'll slowly go through re-education before the week is up."

You watch Zack grimace. "I'll rather die than end up like you."

"That wouldn't be good. Lydecker wants you alive and I'll do anything to keep it that way." You told him, putting the chart back by his bedside.

You watched him as he closed his eyes in agony.

"I should have found a way to protect you. I should have paired you off with me. I should have…I failed you, Maxie…I'm so sorry."

You was tired of the 'should' and the 'would have been' in her life. Either way, what happened to you was the inevitable. What was going to happen to him was too.

You come around to the side of his bed and pressed you hand against his cheek. He stiffened before his eyes began to glass over with tears.

He hated seeing you like this.

"I know you're scared. I was too. But I'm going to be with you. I promise." You caress his cheek and promise him he wouldn't be alone. You wish you had him there when you went through the transition. "You'll be commanding officer again and I'll be your second, like it always should have been. Don't you see, Zack? This is how it was suppose to be. You and I, together?"

You took your thumb and wiped the tear away. He was surprised by your tenderness. For a killer, you showed emotion show so easily. However, you only showed it to him.

"I always loved you Zack. I still do."

When his blue eyes pierced into yours, you were uncertain if you meant as a brother, or as a lover.

You move in, about to bring your lips down to his. You don't know what really compelled you to do that. He had been your 'brother' for so long, why change it? Because you wanted to offer him something more, a special piece of you that only he could have if he had stayed. Anyway, the Colonel told you to do what was necessary, and you did have very persuasive lips.

You knew you were destined, though. Since the moment you were created. You were meant to be his.

TBC