TITLE: Choices-10 "Mirada a Mi Madre" (Looking at My Mother)
AUTHOR: Mystic25
EMAIL: yellowrubberduck31hotmail.com
RATING: PG14
SUMMARY: Max has longed to find out what happened to her mother after "That Night". And
now, after she has become a mother herself, she is about to find out.
DISCLAIMER: *sigh* after writing umpteenth fics, I'm gettin' tired of doin' this, but here it
goes again. Mr. "I-raised-the-Titanic-and-created-a-fascinating-show-set-in-a-futeristic-world"
(aka: James Cameron) and his lil sidekick Eglee created Dark Angel. I merely got his two lead characters to tie the knot, and have two children, who DO belong to me. Also Lucia is mine as well. Long story longer, don't sue, it's a waste of money.
A/N: My Choices fics have officially turned "10" Wow, never thought I would keep this up that
long. My writing has come a long way since I've first started. I'm pretty proud of myself..heh..But don't worry guyz; this is FAR from the end of this series.
A/N #2: As I celebrate this milestone (even if I'm the only one who does:) ) I want to give props out to everyone whose helped me along the way. bb, you've been a real great up beater, Karina, appreciate every one of the comments you gave me. Helped me out when my ideas were
running on empty. Ciderbreak, thanks for all the critiques, helped me weed out the crap.
And to all the rest, thankx guys, don't know what it means to me..but enough of this, go read..
*****
"Who's this one?"
"She's the surrogate for one of the X5 series," a guard answered to his superior officer as they dragged the woman across the concrete floor by her arms.
Lucia tried very hard to break away from the men who were griping her arms in such a strong hold that she could feel the bruising already starting to form. But it was useless, she was no match for the three men that surrounded her. Her nine-month pregnant stomach was coated with sweat under her peach cotton shirt.
She didn't know what prompted her to try and escape on this night. She had endured grueling fitness programs for a woman in her condition, and all the drugs she had been given daily so far hadn't killed her-yet.
But yesterday, when the guards came for one of the other women in the infirmary-she was two
weeks past her due date. They forced her on her feet, and delivered her baby, taking him away from her as soon as he was born.
The woman's roommate's name was Miranda; she had been here for five years. First she had wanted to be in it for the money they offered, but soon she was forced to stay in the program. The director, a particularly sadistic blonde in a power suit, would not allow her to leave. Her first child, also a boy, had been taken from her as well. Her little one was four years old when the second one came. Lucia had seen him only, once, a small little boy, would've been blonde, if he had more hair. Carrying a loaded Ak-47 in his small hands. Wearing camos, and looking for all the world like a SEAL, except for his size.
That is why she tried to escape. This child may not be tied to her in a biological way, but it was HERS. She didn't want her baby to live this kind of life.
No one cared about what she wanted, though. They strapped her down, and injected her with
a powerful sedative. She lashed out even in her drugged state. She was numb, but still felt
the hands pulling at her, wanting what she didn't want to give them.
Someone raised her baby in the air. Lucia was hazy, but heard one of the nameless ones.
"A girl Col. Lydecker"
"Suction her out, and run the regular neuro checks. Start her on the cocktails tomorrow"
"Yes Sir"
===
Lucia woke with a gasp. She had dreams like this too much. One hand moved hastily through her
long brown hair. A soft breeze wafted through her window, the first rays of sunlight peaking out of the lace curtains.
All these years- Lucia looked over at Rick sleeping beside her. He'd be up and heading out
to work soon. She never told him about what happened in Gillette, didn't know how.
She tiptoed to the master bath, careful not to wake him, man was out late delivering a
load of lumber to a project site.
The mirror greeted her. She went through the normal routine of washing her face, brushing
her hair with long, sweeping strokes.
She thought back to her dream. A girl, she had a girl. Her and Rick had no children, well
besides their "babies" the two Siberian Huskies, Kira and Abby. But no HUMAN babies.
She never saw her baby's face for more then three seconds. When she woke up, she was
back with Miranda in her room, empty. No baby to hold, no "it's a girl" balloons, nothing
but empty arms and an ache.
Her little child grew up in that hell, never knowing of love, or family, or even a name.
Lucia wiped a tear that had fallen down her face without her knowing it. She didn't even
get to give her a name.
*****
"Max, you sure you wanna do this?"
Max stared at her "competitor" wiping some sweat out of her eyes "Well, there was a time
when I didn't even LIKE this sport" she dribbled the ball in her hand. "And today I learn
that "Mr. Phony Sentimentality" wants to challenge me" she brushed past her brother,
making a shot at the three-point line. "So I say it's more of a "gonna"
Zack caught the ball in his left hand "Really?" He checked it to her, and she returned-"You
might have to be taken down from your high horse solider. And as your CO, it's my job to
see so-"
She got up near him to intercept. "Bring it on Commander"
Zack dodged Max's interception moves making a shot from center court. "S" he drew out
the letter like a snake's hiss.
"Filly won't neigh 'till you spell out his entiya name" Max checked.
"Which will be soon" Zack threw it back to her, taking a moment to wipe the sweat off his
face with the hem of his shirt, and tucked the right sleeve more under itself.
"Bout to KNOCK ya off your high horse boy" The blue bandanna in her hair moved from the
slight wind in the air. She moved left, Zack on her all the way.
Max dodged him again "Ladies and gentlemen" she was about three feet from the goal. The
ball bounced off the rim for a second, before flowing smoothly into the chain net "Girl just
got her "E" she turned to Zack "Gammeee" her gray tank top moved under her breath.
She pulled the sun glasses off of Zack's head "You sure you don't need a stronger prescription
then this?"
"Cut the BS Maxie" Zack's breathing was hard as well "Gloating doesn't make for a strong
second-in-command" he took his aviation glasses back from her.
"Bout a happy one?" Max threw back, scanning the court "watchers" The ones who didn't
play, but came out here to well, watch, but mainly to scope out the players. One pack of
guys had run through every "You're so hot baby" lines in existence with Max. She had even
"accidentally" fouled the ball into the row of benches to get them to shut up.
But it wasn't just her; there were about three women with evident drool tracks each time
Zack maneuvered down the left side court.
"Guess you've got fans" Max said, looking at the women all sitting front and center at
the bottom bleacher.
"Renfro would be so pissed if she saw us now" Zack picked up the ball, heading over to
where he left his pack.
Max took a generous sip of her water. "Yeah, I know, me beating the CO"
she teased.
Zack slipped jeans back on over the navy boxers he had on. When he removed his shirt
to put on the one he had on originally, Max swore she could count the amount of oxygen
each of the women took in.
"Well unlike you Zack-" Max said around all the fawning. "I can't just change out in the
open-think the ladies room is a safer route"
"Who needs safe baby? Danger is my middle name," she was leered at by an anonymous "admirer"
"If ya don't back off pal, you won't be able to pronounce your name" she grabbed her bag and
retreated towards the restroom.
"Nice game," a red headed woman looked up at Zack as he was sliding his leather jacket
back on his body. "You shoot well-"
"Funny, all other women seem to tell him the opposite" Jondy's voice was heard to say as she
rounded the chained linked fence surrounding the court. She looked at the crowd of women.
/Luv machine? Zack, my God it must be the Apocalypse/
"All the ops on base also seemed to tell you that 'bout your artillery handling Jondy" Zack
returned.
"Least I know how to get on top of things-" she threw back
"Why are you here?" was Zack's next statement.
"Geez, I don't know bro" Jondy lied "Let's see, Tinga lives here, Maxie lives here. Yeah you're
right what a dumb thing to want to see our sisiters"
"Jondy-" Zack had that warning tone in his voice.
"Maxie called me up here COMMANDER-" Jondy informed, "She wanted the "guys" to get together for
a pre-reunion reunion"
"Guys?" now Zack sounded really on edge "Who else is here?"
"Millie's daddy-"
"ZANE?"
"Yep" Jondy responded "Plus we got Tinga of course, and Cat-Man and Syl"
"I don't wanna hear anymore-"
"Relax boy" Jondy knocked him upside the head "It pisses me off the way you think we don't
have any experience at handling ourselves"
"The records speak for themselves-"
"Which records are those?" Max now stood beside the two in hip hugger dark denim jeans, with
her jean jacket over a white tank top.
"The non-existent crap kind Maxie" Jondy informed
"Zack's best work" Max agreed, she turned to face her sister completely. "You pealed it all the way up here in one night?"
"Not sleeping helps sis" Jondy shot Max a 'you know how that goes' look. "Made it into Seattle just as the sun was coming up over the Needle." she faced Zack "Speaking of "coming up over things-"you and Colt chick, guys a "thing" now?"
"Is that really any of your business Jondy?" Zack answered her question with a question.
"Makin' it that way, yeah," she responded. "Ya know the expression "only once in a blue moon"
Zack didn't respond to that. "If we're going to do this REUNION," he changed the subject, "then, we'd better head out"
"Talk about gettin' your "head" in the game-" Jondy broke in
"Jonnie D"
"What?"
"Run"
*****
Crash
7:30 PM
"Luc, would you RELAX!" Madeline sipped her margarita, "The whole point of coming here was to
loosen up after the work week"
Lucia took a sip of her San Francisco. Her co-workers had taken it upon themselves to bring her
to this bar to try and put some "fun" back in her life. But, she really wasn't in the party mood at the moment. Ever since she had that dream this morning, she couldn't stop thinking about that place-"Manticore" Why did she go to Wyoming? She was so naïve at 19, "paid medical research" her ass.
She turned back to Madels and Rhonda, their other friend from the insurance company. "I appreciate this guys, I do-" she played with the little red straw in her glass. "Guess I'm
just not in a fun mood tonight"
"Things okay between you and Rick?" good ol' Madels, always concerned.
"We're fine" Lucia set her mind at ease "Just worn out from work"
"Well that's what this is for" Rhoda informed "Everyone deserves to go a little nuts once in a while"
As if on cue, one of the "regulars" fell off the bike he was trying to stunt with on the bar, landing on the floor unceremoniously.
"Dude take it easy 'for you break something that won't grow back" a young woman announced to her friend.
Sketchy picked himself up off the bar floor "Just slipped" he announced, straightening out his crooked glasses.
"Uh huh-" Cindy began "And Original Cindy's gonna jump your bones tonight"
"Hey if the shoe fits"
Cindy knocked him upside the head, "Bout to fit up your ass Sketch"
"Well maybe not THAT wild" Rhoda observed the scene.
"We're we ever that young once?" Lucia asked.
"Was a time when all I needed-" Madels began "Was a guy and an El Camino with a lot of head room-" she laughed, remembering her wild youth.
"Ooo, gurl you was a lil hoe" Lucia teased.
Whistling noises made the women look up.
"Can I have some suga for my drink?"
"Like to take THAT model for a ride-"
"Shwing-"
"What's up with these trash talkers?" Rhonda asked, watching a young woman enter the bar.
"So she's good looking, why do the act like dogs?"
"Because they ARE dogs" Lucia pointed out "They're young, got testosterone coming out of their ears."
Lucia watched as the woman dumped an entire pitcher of beer into one "leerers" lap. "Ya know if you can't hold it 'till ya get to the can, you shouldn't drink so much"
"She certainly can handle herself," Rhonda said to her friends. "That child's got fire. Oughta introduce her to my son, might straighten him out"
"MOMMEEE!" the squeal of a little boy broke the conversation.
Max turned to see Jess making a b-line directly for her. She held out her arms to catch him. He launched himself at her, and she picked him up.
"What baby?" Max mused his hair "What's yo' dealio?"
"Lexi walked!" Jesse announced in a proud big brother voice.
Max was taken aback by his remark "She did?"
"Hey you finally made it"
Max turned to see Logan standing behind her, with their daughter tucked up against his chest,
the baby grabbing at his black sweater. "We wanted to show you our surprise."
"Jess already spilled" Max informed "But show me anyway" she set her son down, who scrambled over to where Logan was standing.
Her husband carefully set the little girl on her feet, grasping both her hands in his larger ones. "Look honey, there's mommy-" he held her arms as she took two assisted steps. Once she seemed to have her balance, he let her go.
Max was amazed to see her ten month old wobbling on her feet, a huge grin on her tiny face "C'mon babe," she knelt down "You're doin' great"
Jess stood beside his sister, not helping, but holding out his arms to catch her if she fell.
Lexi finally made it over to Max, who scooped her up immediately "Aiight girl" she kissed her "You did it!" she stood back up.
Logan stepped over to her. "Better watch out now baby-" he kissed her "She's gonna start making a move on your pan handling territory"
"Hey she might me some man the same way I did, and have a happy ending" Max corrected.
"Sap" Jondy gave a fake cough in her hand.
Max ignored her remark "Guess who just took to steppin'?" she kissed Lexi on the cheek.
"Yeah!" Jondy proclaimed in excitement. She looked up at her niece "Won't be long 'till
I get you kick boxing gloves sweetie" she kissed her niece.
"Hark! I hear the loud mouth of Jondy.." Zane came out of the woodwork, his hair tucked
under a black baseball cap. "Hey Maxie too! Bout damn time you showed up!"
"Yeah, well when you beat the CO's ass in b-ball, you have to celebrate" Max told him
Zane looked happy "Score again for little sis" he hugged her around the baby in her arms.
"Jondy" Zane turned to her "how the hell's it been?"
"S'good bro" she responded. "Cat-Man here?"
Zane nodded "Knocking back a few, beat out the brother-in-law here" he slapped Logan on the
shoulder.
"Yeah well, I'd rather not make an ass of myself" Logan responded "I act like chicken-shit when
I'm drunk"
"Chicken, chicken!" Jess chanted by Zane's feet.
Zane wrestled with the little boy "You like that huh kid?" he tickled him "huh?"
"Don't you know to come to attention when a superior officer enters the room?"
Zane let go of Jess "Mr. Cop Out!" he ran up to Zack " KRIT, get over here! Battle Royal on the CO!"
The younger brother soon came out to where they were. "I call the neck!" he leapt at Zack, standing near the door, who dodged him in one maneuver.
"Little sloppy boy" Zack taunted "pitiful sight"
"Down here too" Krit joked from his position on the floor. He flipped himself up on his feet. "How do you expect Asha to get any?"
Max looked at Lexi "Got dorks for uncles huh?"
Lexi just smiled her outrageously cute smile
"Hope that doesn't mean all of us"
Max turned to her brother-in-law, who had come up behind her "Nah, not you Charlie" she agreed
"I only mean MY genetics" she saw Tinga approaching behind him.
"Hey baby sister," she greeted Max "Hope ya don't mind, we're a lil short on seats, so you'll
have to-" she glanced over at Logan "improvise"
"Don't see that as a prob" Max smiled at her husband "It'll give me the best seat in the house"
Logan looked at her for a second "You didn't break anything at home did you?"
Max shot him a look "This ain't a "forgive me" fest boy"
"Just kidding-" he broke off with a slight grunt as Jess locked himself around his leg. "Far be
it for me to say that you ever have ANY accidents" he lifted their son in his arms.
"Shut up" Max barked, but there was a slight smile on her face. "Let's go grab a seat, before
the "squad" reassembles"
When Max walked past the table with Lucia and her friends, she could feel three sets of eyes on her. She glanced at all three women briefly, feeling Lucia's eyes more on her then anyone else.
*****
"Guess she can't meet Steven" Rhonda said out of the blue once Max passed their table. "She
looks so young, got a husband and two babies already"
"People like starting early" Madels finished for her "Sometimes I wonder what it would've been like if I had Alyssa at 22 instead of *32*, but motherhood is motherhood, I say good for her for finding someone to love that young"
/FLASH: "But papa, I LOVE him" Lucia looked at her father "We want to be together"
"NO!" the older man reprimanded his daughter. "Do you realize what has happened?"
his words were harsh and incredibly angry. "You are a slut!" he spat this at her with venom
"You will bare illegitimates-"
"I didn't get pregnant papa" Lucia broke in "we used protection-"
"What kind of PROTECTION will keep you from having little bastard babies? I'll tell you which-
NONE! You will keep this up until the day you die, whore-"
"Please pappy don't call me that"/
"You really want to tackle me Krit?" Max looked at her older brother with raised eyebrows "Cause I'm kinda on a role today"
"Feelin' lucky tonight Maxie" Krit wagged his eyebrows at her in a mock come on. He picked up a
pool cue in his right hand.
Max took another sip of her beer, looking at Logan, whose lap she was sitting in "Be back in a few" she gave him a quick three second kiss "Save my seat"
"Don't think anyone is jumping at the chance to sit there Max" a voice came out of the woodwork, as a familiar figure approached the group.
"Same goes for you boy" Max returned Alec's quip.
"Okay, enough male bashing Maxie," Alec informed. When she didn't say anything else he added,
"Aren't you going to be somewhat decent and introduce your fellow work partner to this squad
you got assembled? Or did you all escape before they taught all X series how to engage people in conversation?"
Max sighed, she couldn't think of a really good comeback for his remark "Everyone, this is Alec-"
"I will set the records straight now, in stating that I DO know Maxie's little military history."
"You're an X5?" Jondy asked, observing the new comer.
"X5-494" Alec confirmed "Highly constructed, well built-"
"Loud mouth" Max broke in
"Who did get you and your sister-" he looked over at Tinga-"out of that shit-crap Maxie"
he reminded her. "So I'd appreciate a little more respect"
Max looked at him seriously. Ever since that incident with Barrisford, she tried not to enjoy
putting Alec down as much as she use too. Pain in the ass or not, there was one woman who
enjoyed his company enough to love him; and she knew that it hurt him to lose Rachel, even
if he didn't want to admit it. "Fine" she finally broke the silence "Why don't you rack up with me and Krit-" she tilted her head slightly to acknowledge Krit behind her. "Any one who can kick Cat-Man's ass in pool deserves all the respect the world can dish out"
"Famous last words Maxie" Krit notified, throwing her a cue.
Max caught it expertly "When I get done wid you boy, yours will be "Damn, and here I thought I was a man"
"Hey Zack," Krit smiled, not minding Max's smart alic-ism, because he was about to turn it around "We have the same slogan"
"Hey Krit" Zack called back "How 'bout I add some new balls on the table?"
"We playin' sometime today?" Max broke in before Krit could get another remark in.
"I break" Alec announced. He positioned himself to take his shot "Go on Max, get it out-"
"Don't know what you're talkin' about" Max informed, grasping her cue with one hand.
Alec set the aim of his cue stick "The quip question Maxie. "Makes you feel like a big man to break?" he made the shot knocking the eight ball, six ball, and five ball in the right corner pocket
"Hey I didn't say nothin' " Max defended "I mean, if you hafta get your ya ya's out this way then it's coo'"
"There it is" Alec moved to get his second shot, which was a little off center and became a scratch.
"Oooo" Krit did a good impression of a sports caster "Guess that means you get to see skill-"
"Nope, just means we get to see you bro" Max knocked her brother of his high horse, as he lined up his shot.
He landed the four and three in the left center pocket. "Like I said, skill"
The rest of the game progressed rapidly, with Krit naturally winning. "What were those last words again Maxie?" Krit gazed at his little sister.
Max just sighed, slapping a five in his hand
"Thank you" Krit pocketed the money, turning to Alec "Convo, I slept through. Physics sessions I didn't"
After Alec paid up to Krit they re-joined the group that had taken up residency at three tables.
Max re-claimed her "chair"
"Good game?" Logan looked at her mischievously, one hand resting on her right thigh.
Max knocked him upside the head "Did the Pulse suddenly lift?"
"Never mind then" Logan caught her in a kiss before she moved her head.
"Ah, guys c'mon, some of us are trying to keep our drinks down" Alec complained
*****
Lucia had another dream that night. She was back at Manticore, right after the operation.
"Where, where's my baby?" she sat up, her hand instinctively moving to her abdomen. There
was a three-inch long closed surgical incision across her chest, and her baby was gone.
"What the hell is going on!" she screamed, as two ops suddenly entered the room, dressed
in fatigues.
They didn't answer her, arms trained behind their backs, grasping black magnums.
"It's okay" one of them stated, a woman. Her voice was strong, hard, but with an underlying tone of softness. "She's okay."
The op lifted her head, revealing her face from under the black beret. It was the woman she had seen that night at the bar, the young mother. "You shouldn't worry about her ma'am"
"But she's MINE!" Lucia was in hysterics "You took her from me! What the hell do you bastards
want with a defenseless baby!"
"That baby will learn to do great things," the other op informed, breaking his earlier silence. "Things you never could fathom"
He approached Lucia with a sedative.
"No!" Lucia, held her hands out defensively "Get away from me!"
She gasped as she woke up, Rick coming awake beside her "Luc, honey are you okay?"
Lucia tried to calm her racing heart. "Yeah" she took a few shaky breaths "fine, just a bad dream"
"Lie back down Luc" Rick ordered gently "It wasn't real" he coaxed her back down. "It's okay"
*****
"Who is she?" X5-452, Max stood beside her CO X5-599, Zack, and third in command X5-656, Tinga.
"A donor" Tinga answered, watching the struggle through the mirrored glass. "She was fertilized
to produce more soldiers" the bulge of the woman's stomach stuck out through the hospital gown.
Max looked at the woman, struggling as doctors restrained her. "Is that how all of them are?"
"Most of them came here voluntarily" Zack spoke out "They were brought in from the outside,
for the money, but I overheard many say they weren't aware of all the procedures involved"
==
"Stay flat 452!" the tech in the lab coat spoke at the base of the exam bench "I will not have
this project fail because of one soldier's mess up" he lifted the blue paper blanket from
off Max's legs.
"Is this how it was with our mothers Sir?" Max suddenly asked
The tech looked up "You and the others were created X5-452" his words were clipped "You
are merely nothing but a string of different species genes strung together. You have no mothers."
"Then what will I be after this Sir?"
"A donor" he moved his instrument inside her, making fire rip through her body.
*****
Max came back into darkness, choking on her own breath.
"Max?" Logan flipped on the lamp on the nightstand. He could feel her fast paced heart beating against his chest "Baby-" before he could ask her what was wrong, she bolted out of the bed, moving straight into the bathroom.
He watched her throw up in the sink, since in her haste she didn't bother to close the door that connected the master bath to their bedroom.
"What's wrong?" he came up behind her, supporting her as she vomited "Was it a seizure?"
Max heaved once more, before all that she had left was saliva. She spat once before turning on the faucet to rinse the mess out of the basin. "No" she said finally. "Just, bad dream" she splashed some water on her face.
He kissed her gently "C'mon back and lie down" he wrapped her up in his arms and supported to the bed.
She climbed back in on "her side" on her own, sitting with her back against the headboard.
He sat beside her, pulling her to him "Must've been some dream to work you up so much" he cascaded his fingers through her hair "Wanna talk about it?"
"Just a run of the mill memory from hell that manifested itself in my dreams" she said this all in one breath, not looking at him while she talked. She gave a small sigh, before speaking again "Do you think my mother really wanted me?"
Her question was out of the blue, so Logan took a moment to react "You told me she tried to escape-"
"Yeah, but she might have only been trying to save herself, and I just tagged along for the ride"
"You believe that?" Logan asked "Even after everything Hanna told you?"
A second of silence, then "I've been lied to before Logan" there was a rustle on the sheets as she shifted to face him more "How do I know that this is any different?" she looked down at her hands, twirling her wedding band on her hand with her thumb and forefinger "I'm sick of playing these damn games with my life"
One of his hands covered her left one "Can't answer that question Max, but I believe that she must've wanted to do something decent with her life to try and escape that place-" he rubbed her palm with his thumb "like you"
"Sometimes wish I could find her" she looked him full in the face, her chocolate eyes looking into his blue ones "Just to ask her why"
Logan shifted down onto the pillow with a yawn "It's late baby" he looked at the glowing "2:35" on the digital clock "and we both have work in the morning" he rubbed her bare arm with his hand "You gonna be able to go back to sleep?"
"I'm good" was all she said, sliding down to his level. She took her favorite position, pressed up against his back.
Logan switched off the lamp, bathing the room in darkness. Max's cotton tank rustled against his own white tee as he shifted to get more comfortable with his wife. He kissed the barcode on the back of her neck, feeling her shiver slightly at the contact.
Max stared out through the blackness with her night vision. Logan's arm around her waist rose and fell with her breathing pattern, as she still thought about her mother.
*****
Jam Pony
The Next Morning
"Late" Normal called out seeing Alec just enter the building "The world is going freaky. Max actually came in before you"
"Just call me Super Freak Normal" Alec headed over to the bike rack, dropping the first one to
the ground, almost smacking into Max, who was right behind him with her wheels.
"Little uncoordinated there Maxie?" Alec gripped the handles of his bike. "Kept the party goin'
with Logan after Crash?"
Max sighed, but didn't answer, pulling on the bill of her baseball cap.
"You okay Max? You're a little slow on the uptake this morning" he'd never seen the woman keep
silent this long.
"Just a long night" was all she was willing to give him.
"Best kind" Alec came back
Max brushed by him with her bike "It was a bad dream Alec, and why the hell do ya care what I do with my husband?"
"Must be the fact that all the woman I've known have either told me to kiss off, or got their asses blown" he spoke lightly about Rachel, but there was a twinge of bitterness in his tone.
Max acknowledged him then "It's coo'"
"If you say so Maxie" Alec responded, rolling his bike past her.
"Socialize on your own time people!" Normal called out "This is a place of business, we DELIVER stuff here, in case you forgot"
Max blew him off "With that loud mouth?" she caught the package that Normal threw at her
"For Winchester smart mouth, bip, bip-"
"Yeah, I got it" Max announced
*****
305 Winchester Rd.
"Hey Max-" Alec rounded the corner of the front porch she was standing on. His shoes creaked on the wooden beams of the steps.
"What are you doin' here?" she snapped back
"Chill gurl," Alec jumped onto the porch "I had a delivery a couple houses down, and saw your
bike" he peaked through the window by the door "Not too bad either" The house was one story,
oak wood sided, older then some of the others on the street, nothing luxurious, but still comfortable.
Max slapped him on the back of the head "We're not here to case the joint" she rang the bell.
After about a minute the door opened, a figure now stood behind the screen door. It was a woman
with one earring in her hand "Yes?"
Max held up the manila envelope in her hand "Jam Pony messenger"
The woman took the package, reading the label "How much do I owe yo-" she broke off when she
realized who it was "You're the one I saw at that bar last night"
"Crash?" Max questioned
Lucia nodded "Yeah, my colleagues talked me into going there to vent off some steam. You have
the cutest kids"
Max smiled at the remark "Thanks"
"Damn" Lucia checked her watch, "Here I am going on, and I'm gonna be late for work, and I'm keeping both of you" she opened the screen door all the way "You can wait in the foyer while I get my purse. How much is COD?"
"Five" Max announced, stepping through the door, Alec right behind her.
Lucia cursed something under her breath in Spanish "Sorry, but the cost of things today is
outrageous" she kept talking as she headed down the hall to the living room to retrieve her purse.
"How old are your little ones?" she dug through her knock off Vera Wang handbag for the money
"Two years and ten months" Max answered back, looking at the photos that lined the walls. Family portraits, and pictures of two Siberian Huskies.
"Must be a handful" Lucia's voice was slightly louder as she started coming out of the living room.
"Can we get this done before you start swapping baby pictures?" Alec suggested
Max knocked him upside the head again as Lucia re-emerged, money in hand. "Sorry that took so
long" she placed the five in Max's hand, along with three extra dollars "Judging by how sweaty you both look, Jam Pony must be a ways away from here, so I don't want you to leave empty handed."
Max took the money from her, staring for a minute at her face, there was something familiar about her eyes. "Thanks"
"Take care of your children" Lucia suddenly spoke up, her eyes serious "Make loving them a higher priority above the great things you want them to do"
Max looked up more at her remark /FLASH: "This race will accomplish great things 452" the base OB/GYN handed her more cocktail drugs "A interconception of Manticore's best" he watched the girl soldier take the meds./
Max stepped back out on the street, climbing back on her bike.
"That woman needs to get out more" Alec yanked his bike from the fence it rested on
"Think she sounds sad," Max argued "Like she's missing something"
"How about a life?" Alec suggested, climbing back on his bike
Max rolled her eyes at him, and pedaled down the road.
*****
FOGGLE TOWERS
"Honey, I'm home!" Max's call echoed off the walls, mimicking that of a 1950's tie-wearing businessman returning from the office. She walked into the living room to find Logan watching Jess color pictured hunched over the coffee table. Lexi sat a few inches away from them scooting across the hardwood floor in her walker.
Either Logan didn't hear her proclamation, or he was just messing with her, because he didn't look up to acknowledge her.
Max snuck up behind him, her feet soundless on the floor, she saw Jess look at her, and she placed a hand to her lips.
She placed her hands over Logan's eyes, under his eyeglasses "Sorry, guess there's another brownout"
"Yeah but I know how to make this one stop" he pulled her hands off his eyes, and kissed her open palms "See how well that works?"
"Guess so" Max smirked, bending down to give him a full kiss "What are these guys doin'?" she asked after breaking apart.
"Jess is just wowing me with his abstract art" he answered as she rounded the couch and
sat on the edge of the coffee table.
"That looks really killer" Max complimented her son, admiring his drawing, which was surprisingly good for a two year old. "What's this one hun?" she pointed to a string of
numbers above a red and orange crayoned sun.
"Numbers" Jess gave an exact answer, adding a tree to the paper.
Now Jess was two, and most children recognized what single numbers were at this age, but she could tell by his voice he knew more then that. "Honey, let's play a game for a second, aiight?"
Jess bobbed his head up and down, still focused on his drawing.
"Kay," Max shielded the numbers written in blue crayon with her hand so he couldn't see them
anymore "Tell me the numbers you wrote on the picture baby"
"2247394630" Jess rattled them of in his two year old voice without hesitance.
He was right on with each one. "How many "4"'s did you write down?"
"Two" her son responded "Tree after 2's and tree after da zero, look mama, a birdee" he
pointed to the blue bird on the paper.
Max and Logan shared glances at Jess's answers. His intelligence was progressing at an
above average level. Not as fast as Max's did when she was young since he wasn't 100
percent Manticore genetics, but still faster then a common two year old.
"I see Jess" Max smiled "It's coo'" she kissed the top of his head "And thanks for playin'
that game with mommy" she stroked his dark brown hair "You draw for a lil longer, and
I'll get you when it's time to eat"
She stood back up, motioning with a nod for Logan to follow her.
"Hang tight guys," Logan stood up as well "Me and mommy will be right in the other room" he
followed his wife to the office.
"He's starting the way Case did" Max spoke out once they were in the computer room.
"Children at this age go through physical and emotional changes normally" Logan
leaned against his desk "probably triggered your half of the gene pool, like it did with Tinga.
How old were you when you started remembering sequential orders?"
"About Jess's age" Max answered "Maybe a lil younger, one-and-a-half"
"You remember that far?" Logan sounded a little amazed.
"Around 11 months is when everyone started recalling things, we had stimuli tests and stuff
to build up our endurance." she met his eyes again.
Logan didn't press her about these "tests" He knew that some things were still hard to talk
about, even at this point in their marriage. "So when will Cindy be dropping in?"
"She's got to stop by her crib to change, and she said she's swingin' in at six" Max answered,
"Speaking of changin' I need a shower, had a long run across town"
"Normal pushing you?"
"No more then usual" she responded, "Sides the lady of the house gave me a good tip. She was
at Crash yesterday, said she saw me, and that we have cute kids"
"Can't argue on that," Logan agreed.
"Also told me to love them even if they don't do great things" she paused "which seemed weird
since I usually don't get free advice from customers."
"Really deep advice from someone you just met"
"I know," Max agreed, "Almost sounded like a spin on a Manticore mantra "Great things must take place over false sentiment Never heard anyone say anything like that after we got out"
"Do you think it's anything to worry about?" Logan asked "I mean that she saw you at Crash
and that you delivered a package to her house?"
"Don't think so," Max informed, "She didn't try to put the drop on me or anything" she shrugged
out of her jacket "I'm goin' to clean up."
"Need any help?" Logan looked at her suggestively.
She matched his sly look with one of her own "I want to take a QUICK shower baby" she slung her
jean jacket over one shoulder. "Be back in a few" she stopped to give Lexi a kiss on the top of her head as she came wheeling in the office in her walker.
The shower was just cutting off as Logan transferred the chicken quesidillas to a serving platter. He set them on the table along with a citrus fruit salad.
"Don't even think about it," he warned to Kaja, who was eyeing the food like a beast of prey.
She wined in the back of her throat, making her dog tag jingle, and pricking her ears up more.
"You're worse then Max at times you know that?" the wine cabinet door squeaked slightly when he
opened it.
"Worse then who?" Max emerged from the hallway, dressed casually in sandblasted jeans, and a
and a black, spaghetti strapped tank top. She stepped over to him in bare feet.
"I was saying how the dog acts as bad as you do when she wants something Max" Logan went for
honest, searching his racks for an appropriate vintage. He finally settled on a bottle of raspberry zinfandel.
"You just tryin' to get in your wife's good graces tonight huh?" Max asked him a one-way question. she took the bottle from him, setting it in the center of the table, before heading into the kitchen to get the plates. One thing Max was good at in the kitchen, was dressing up the table, which was good since she was shortchanged on the cooking side of things.
"I made a salsa to go with the quesalidias" Logan pulled the bowl from the fridge, taking off the saran wrap. He scooped a little into a spoon, and held it up "Think it tastes okay?"
Max tasted the creation on the spoon, testing the flavor in her mouth "S'good" she wiped a bit of tomato off her lip with her tongue.
"So are you" Logan commented, looking her up and down "Those clothes-"
"Nice huh?" she smiled slightly
"Hot" he corrected, setting the bowl on the counter before kissing her.
Max moved slightly away from the bowl so she wouldn't knock it over, when her back dipped ever
so slightly onto the counter.
"So was that" she informed when they finally came up for air.
There was a knock on the door, followed by a voice proclaiming, "Guys, I know what you're doin'
in there, but take a break to let a woman inside"
"I'll get the kids to the table" Max announced, sliding away from Logan's body.
"And I'll get the door" he could still taste the salsa that was on Max's tongue.
"Hey boo" Cindy steeped into the penthouse, in a deep scarlet halter top and leather pants.
"Appreciate you givin' an invite for me" She slid of her leather jacket, dropping it on a chair.
"It's no problem" Logan informed "Always have time for a friend"
Cindy smiled a bit at that statement. Ever since Max had married him, she and Logan had become
friends, as opposed to their casual relationship beforehand.
"There's the woman of the hour" Max entered the living room, both kids resting in each arm.
"Look whose here guys" she looked down at the pair she was holding. "Auntie Cindy"
Cindy didn't waste anytime stepping over to her surrogate niece and nephew, who were just
as happy to see her as she was them. "Get to play over at your house tonight babies, sound good?"
"Yeah!" Jess bobbed his head up and down.
"Oh yeah," Cindy agreed, "Come with me my man" she slid Jess out of Max's arms, "So you don't
break mama's arms"
Jess laughed at the notion "Can't"
"Got that right," Cindy agreed, looking up at Max "This boy's gettin' smarter every day suga"
After Max and Cindy got the kids settled in the table, Jess in his booster seat, and Lexi in her high chair, they all sat down.
"So your sibs still in town suga?" Cindy asked after swallowing a mouthful of salad.
"Well Zane had to get back home, didn't want to leave Millie by herself" Max tore up Jess's
food into smaller pieces for him so he could chew it easier. "Syl said something about droppin'
in on Craig, Jondy's crashing with Tinga. Don't know what the hell's Krit's doin' said he would
"wing it" and think Zack's doin' somethin' with Asha"
"Damn" Cindy stated about Max's last remark "That chick's got deep hooks in your boy"
Max poured some more wine in her glass, tossing a piece of chicken at Kaja, who leapt two
feet in the air to catch the morsel. "Guess this makes him happy-"
"Which is a feat in itself" Logan broke in about his brother-in-law, sipping his zinfandel.
"Just the way in-laws act boo." Cindy informed "Mean, can you imagine what a MOTHER-in-law might be like-" she stopped abruptly when she realized what she was saying. "Didn't mean it like that suga-" she looked at Max apologetically.
Max shrugged it off "Never knew what having a mother was like, so I can't really miss it" she played with the food on her plate with her fork "Sometimes, when I was 13 I use to imagine myself with a mom like everyone else, guess I wanted to belong. I was lonely then, Zack told us it was best to not contact any of the others, too risky." She looked up to her husband and friend's concerned looks "But hey, turned out pretty well in spite, wouldn't ya say?"
****
305 Winchester
Lucia stared at the package in her hands, turning it over a few times. The seal seamed to taunt her. She took a deep breath, finally pulling the flap open and sliding the contents out.
Two photos fell out along with a note.
*Mrs. Weston,
I've managed to track these down from what use to be formally known as "Project Manticore"
As you are well aware of, you were from a long list of surrogates brought in to bring about this hybrid race. If you wish to continue this search for your "daughter", you must be aware that actions come with consequences, and your safety is now not a constant, but a variable.*
The letter was at best, unnerving for her. With one shaking hand, she flipped over one of the photos, A girl with a shaved head stared out at one of the photos. She looked to be about nine, with deep mocha eyes, and dark skin. She stared out from the picture in a "face-off" position, not baring the innocent look of childhood, but of a hard soldier.
The second picture had a small memo clipped to it,
*This is the most recent image of one of the soldiers who escape during the breakout of '09,
designation X5-452. She was "born" November 17, 2000.*
Lucia gasped at the picture before her. Brown eyes, long dark hair, she looked like her, even
with all the gene splicing. November, the memo said. Lucia didn't have access to a calendar
when she was at that base, but she could tell by the sunrises, that it was around late-fall
when the baby had been taken from her.
She touched the image before her. (close up of a headshot of Max)
*****
"Whatcha doin'?" Max approached Logan, whose face was illuminated by the glow of the
computer screen.
Cindy had left an hour ago, saying she had to call an interest she had met at Crash. The kids
had both been tucked in, leaving the two of them alone.
"Just getting some information," Logan answered, his fingers gliding over the keys.
Max sat on the edge of the desk "That's kinda vague Sherlock" she ruffed up the fur on
Kaja's head, who was sitting at her feet "Might have just said, "I'm typin'"
"I'm hacking into Manticore's old infrastructure Max" Logan finally answered her "Trying to find the files the geneticists kept on the surrogates, might be something on your mom"
"Think any files are still there?" Max didn't even acknowledge the part about "finding her mother" "Manticore was always good at covering their tracks"
"I'm sure with a program this large no one simply deleted any records, especially after the recent escape. They still need viable files"
"Why my mom Logan?" Max suddenly asked, "Why do you suddenly want to look for her?"
"You've been searching for her for eleven years baby" Logan responded, "I'm doing this because
you deserve to know who she is"
"She was just a donor" Max tried to convince Logan of that as well as herself, but it wasn't working. This was something she had been looking for all her life, even longer then the hunt for her siblings.
Logan glanced at her at that statement for a moment before continuing his work. "Miranda Lewis
21 Miscarriages: 4 live births: 2 Sex: Male/Male Designations: X5-219, X5-599. " Logan's tone changed as he read the designation of his brother-in-law off the report.
"Zack's-" Max didn't really know what to call her, the woman who had given birth to her oldest brother and CO. She certainly wasn't his mother.
"Here's another-" Logan broke in her chain of thoughts "Lucia Rodriguez, 19. Miscarriages: 0
Live births: 1 Sex: Female Designation: X5-45-"
"Is there a file photo?" Max broke in before he finished, staring at the numbers that made up her designation on the screen.
Logan typed for a second; coming up empty "It's been deleted off the record," the words "file
has been aborted," flashed across the monitor in red letters. "Manticore took precautions about
what they didn't want to be seen" he looked at his wife "I'm sorry sweetheart, but now you have
a name to work with"
*****
JAM PONY
The Next Day
"Lucia huh?" Cindy leaned against her locker, waiting for Max to finished getting dressed "My
girl's momma finally gots a name"
"She isn't my mother" Max argued, shutting the door to her locker "She didn't read me stories
or sit up with me when I was sick, I do that with my kids. I am a mother, she was just, a donor"
Cindy did a "step back" stance at her girl's bitterness "Original Cindy can see right through that lie boo. I know it's a ride to get the name of her after all this time, but she IS your moms suga, she tried to get you outta there. She did things right with the time she had. She is more then a "donor" to you okay?"
Max didn't respond to that, as she and Cindy walked out of the locker area.
"Max-"
Max turned at the sound of her name "Hey" she approached Zack who stood in the center of
the building. "Why you still hangin' around?"
"Think he's got the hots for ya Maxie" Alec notified, coming up behind Zack "Wants to be more
then-"
"Shut up!" Zack barked, shoving Alec defensively.
"Whoa there Zackie, don't start anything you can't finish" Alec informed, stepping closer.
"Who says I'm not?" Zack was now up in Alec's personal space.
"Guys-" Max stepped in-between her brother and Alec "back off" she pushed them apart
from each other. "Don't want to give these guys an up close and personal show of Manticore
fighting ability do you?" she stepped away.
"How about we ceasefire?" Alec suggested after Max left. "Cause you obviously want to kick
the shit out of me right now, and I obviously want to kick it out of you. But that's a lot of
shit to clean up one we're done there commander." he paused "And I hate grunt work."
"Yes" Normal called out "that's why you do your job so half-assed, get moving before I forget
why I hired you"
"Now I remember why I quit here," Zack stated
"Hey we can at least agree on one thing," Alec returned, wheeling his bike past Zack.
"You too miss smart mouth" Normal informed Max, "Work pays, not sitting around" he shoved
an envelope at her "Gonna need a signature Mrs. Cale"
"I got something?" Max had been a little confused the way Normal had just addressed her.
"No I just want your autograph" Normal returned
Max glared at him while she sighed her name, snatching the envelope from him. Across
the bottom was the postal barcode, but it was also hers.
She ripped it open, unfolding the white piece of paper.
*Happy Early Mother's Day 452*
"Normal" Max showed him the envelope "Who sent this?"
"Does this look like a postal service Max?" Normal answered, "Because you seem to have
that misguided notion that I'm here to serve you"
"Who the hell sent this?" Max was getting angry.
"How about I answer that?"
Max turned at the hand on her shoulder, right into the face of Ames White
*****
"Don't look so shocked to see me Max" White followed her when she backed away. "I mean,
who did you think sent that to you?" he stepped up to her but she backed away again.
"Stay the hell away from me!" Max growled
"Personal matter outside" Normal called out "This is a place of business.
Max ignored him "US government could de-contaminate Anthrax letters after those terrorist
attacks, but they can't detect stuff written by shits"
"What a world huh?" White voice took on a slight whimsical tone
"You got three seconds to tell me why you're here before I make you eat your ass"
Max glared at him, circling him.
"Still difficult I see 452" he pulled out a revolver "But I can fix that" he cocked the gun
at her "I didn't come here to kill you, but I'm a versatile guy. I'm open to change"
Max faced down the gun, but didn't have the chance to knock him down before Zack
jumped White, the gun clattering to the floor.
Max snatched it up before White got to his feet, which happened three seconds later. "I
believe that's mine" he kicked her hard into a wall.
By now this scene had attracted a crowd. White aimed the gun at Max again, after he threw Zack off of him "Like I said I didn't come here to kill you"
"There are other reasons?" Max spat back, tasting blood on her lip.
"For now" White answered "Give up this search, and I'll disappear like a dream. Don't, and
remember what happened last time? It'll pale in comparison." He kicked her square in the ribs,
"At ease solider" he left then.
Alec was passing through the door just as White was leaving, they barely missed each other.
Alec ducked out of his line of sight stepping into the building. "Was that just-?" he got his
answer when he found Zack yanking Max to her feet. "Let me guess, someone pissed him
off"
"Alec, shut up" Max touched the soft areas, grimacing.
"Would somebody please tell me what the hell that was about?" Normal came out from behind his
desk, "Like I need more violence in my service. Why is this guy so pissed at you Max?"
"He didn't like the COD charge" Max made a joke of it, cursing when Zack touched her stomach
"Nothing broken Maxie," he touched an area that was already beginning to get discolored.
"How did he know where I worked?" Max hissed again, pulling her shirt down completely
"Questions later suga, you should go home and ice those" Cindy stated
"Shit-" Max cursed again. She yanked out her cell, hitting speed dial one "come on, pick up
pick up-dammit," her voice was frantic "You guys okay?"
"Max what's going on?" Logan could here the edginess in her voice
"Nothing," she lied "just are the kids okay?"
"They're fine sweetheart, are you okay?" he sounded worried at her sudden need to call
home in the middle of the afternoon.
"Tell you about it later" Max cursed again at the bruises begining to form on her ribs.
"Sweetheart" Logan's voice took on a serious tone "I just found out something you need
to know"
*****
METRO
ER
"How did it happen?" Max stared a woman getting lacerations on her face sewn up.
She was standing outside of an ER exam room watching nurses patch up her injuries.
She had just gotten her own ribs taped up by Sam. None were broken, but several were
bruised. Normal had given her the day off after what had happened at Jam Pony, muttering
something about her seeming to have shitty luck. Zack had tailed her all the way,
making sure that White wasn't following her. She finally told him to go, saying
that she appreciated it but she could handle herself.
But Zack still said he'd check in on her after he left Asha's that night,
he still was ever cautious of his little sister.
"She was jumped by three men" Sam stood beside her, shaking her out of her musings "They asked her about some pictures she had in her possession" he showed the matte finished photos to her.
Max gazed surprised at the images of herself, one at nine years old, and a more recent
photo, undoubtably taken in the last year.
"I would assume they are with the same group of the man that paid you a visit today." He indicated her taped ribs.
Max looked at the woman she had saw at Crash, that she had talked to yesterday afternoon.
"Is there a chance that I could talk to her?"
"Well her husband's on his way, but I don't think she'd mind" he handed her a prescription
bottle "Ibuprofen, for the pain. Don't argue, bruised ribs hurt like a bitch, no matter
what your DNA composition is made up of."
Max took the bottle from him "Thanks" she gazed at the woman in the other room.
*****
Lucia watched Max enter the exam room, taking in her features again. /She is so beautiful./
"Is it okay if I come in?" Max entered cautiously. She stood a few feet away from the
gurney where Lucia was seated.
Lucia nodded as the nurse left, after telling her to take it easy.
Max took in the stitches on two cheek lacerations, bruises on her face, and the dried blood under Lucia's nose.
"Ouch huh?" Lucia could sense what Max was thinking "Don't worry, I've had worse"
Max set the pictures on the gurney without a word. "I'm sure you have"
Lucia fingered them. She glanced around the room to see that they were "safe" before
talking again "On my nineteenth birthday my father caught me having sex with my boyfriend.
We were Catholic, so in his eyes I had committed a horrible sin. He kicked me out. I was on
my own with no money, until I heard through the grapevine about this surrogacy place in
Gillette, Wyoming" she saw Max's interest become more rapt "I was in need of money so I
went to this place, called "Manticore Special Operations."
They told me I would be paid for my duties to carry children for "infertile couples" she laughed a bit at this. "I didn't think anything was going on. I was cared for well, allowed to go out on the grounds. But towards my second trimester, I was kept on a strict diet, and given a lot of cocktail drugs.
I asked why, but all I ever got for an answer was silence. There were a lot of children
running around, but they all had shaved heads and camouflage. Where were these "couples"
who wanted to adopt them? In my last trimester the director finally told us what we
were really there for. /"You ladies are carrying with you a genetically enhanced race of super
soldiers, and mark my words, they are worth more to me then all of you're pathetic lives"/
"After a woman gave birth the baby was taken from her and subjected to all these cruel experiments."
/"Break below the patella, and once more in the femur" an op ordered the doctor "Make one
compound to see how fast it heals"
The doctor nodded, squeezing the clamps on 452's leg/
"I tried to escape with you-" Lucia addressed Max as hers for the first time "But the guards
were on us so fast. I gave'em hell all the way to the OR. I had made up my mind that living
in a sewer with a baby that would be better then there. I was eventually sedated" her voice got
emotional "but I could still hear what was going on. All I found out was that I had a girl, and then, nothing. I woke up back in my room." she looked at Max again, a long stare "I'm so sorry I left you, I can't imagine what it must have been like. I was lucky, I bribed some guard to get me out of there. They didn't even let me see you. Or even give you a name"
"My name's Max" Max looked at Lucia, matching her intense gaze. "We named each other, my sibs
and me" she really didn't know what to say anymore. Eleven years of looking, wanting this, and she was tongue tied at the finish line. "You shouldn't have tried to find me. You won't be left alone anymore-"
"That's why I did it Max" there was something in Lucia's tone that could only be described as a
"mother's voice" "I didn't want to be alone anymore. All my life I've missed something, that not even my husband, my best friend Rick could give me back." she sighed slightly "I can't take away your past Max. You're not the newborn I saw them raise in the air before I passed out. You're a woman, with a family of your own, all I can do is say I'm sorry for what you had to go through"
"Maybe it was meant to be this way" Max spoke out to Lucia's confusion "If you had gotten out that first night I wouldn't have met my sibs, which is something I would NEVER give up if I had a chance to do it all over again. Or Logan-" she smiled a bit "my husband. It was because of my life at Manticore that we met. If I wasn't a "super freak" we wouldn't have crossed paths, or gotten married."
"Maybe it was meant to be" like mother, like daughter, Lucia had quick wit. "I don't know if you want me to be your mom Max-but I would like to be your friend"
"Luc" the door opened again
"Rick hey"
The tall blonde man stepped into the room "I was so worried about you" he sat next to her, giving her a kiss "Are you okay?" he took in her injuries "Who did this to you?"
"I'm tough Rick" Lucia joked, "I can handle a lot" she looked to the other woman in the room "Sweetie this is Max," she looked her husband full in the face "she's my daughter"
Rick look completely bewildered "What?" he stared at the younger woman "What-I mean, how?"
"There's a couple of things I need to tell you" she maintained her cool, even after
dropping that bombshell on her husband.
"Maybe I should go" Max announced quietly. She started to leave, but Lucia's voice halted her.
"Max, if I had a chance to have had say in your life and how you came out, I would want you to turn out exactly the same"
Max hesitated for a moment, absorbing what she heard, before coming around to the other end of the gurney.
Lucia returned the hug she received, she gazed into Max's mocha eyes, framing her face with her
hands "You are so beautiful"
*****
Max closed the door to the exam room, resting her head against it for a brief moment.
"Max" Logan's hands were on her shoulders "Did it pan out?"
She turned, looking him in the eye "Yeah, she-" she pushed her hair behind her ears with one
hand "I mean, she was the one, the surrogate" her words were tripping on themselves.
Logan tried to gauge his wife's reaction, but her eyes were impassive "How are you with all
of this?"
She tilted her head upwards to him "Glad to know that she didn't think of me as a money
investment" her words cracked near the end. She stepped closer to him, looping her arms
around his neck.
"Glad that it's all over?" he rubbed her back with one hand.
"Nothing's ever over with us" she stated cryptically. She could feel the tears sting in her eyes.
"Then how about: glad that you finally met your mother?" her statement was true. Nothing ever
ended with them.
"Yeah" she started to cry then. Eleven years of pent up emotions over this finally releasing
themselves.
Logan hugged her harder then, feeling his wife tremble in his embrace. He kissed the side of her head. "It's okay sweetheart" those were the only words he could offer to his love, and even they sounded stupid to him.
"Love you" Max proclaimed suddenly
"I love you too baby" he kissed her again
*****
UNKNOWN LOCATION
*Mrs. Weston*
Keys clicked as the man in black typed in the room lit solely by the glow of his laptop.
*The search for your daughter has now placed your name on the worst possible blacklist.
She is in their eyes, a created prototype, and you are now viewed as a hindrance to them
bringing her in.*
A crackle was heard as the man lit a solitary match, tossing it in the waste basket, where
he had thrown in papers
(close up of a file marked "Manticore Designation: X5-452, underneath is a file marked
"Rodriguez, Lucia D. Surrogate #245324) The flames danced around the files, singeing the papers
inside.
*I have done all I can to cover up the trails that have been made, but I cannot guarantee you're safety or your life anymore. There will be a time when you and X5-452 will finally run out of luck.*
The typing stopped, and the whir of a printer took it's place. The man slid the not into a non descript envelope, writing down a single address.
"Sergeant." The man called out, not looking up from the envelope.
A young man in a beret and fatigues entered the small room. "Sir?"
The man handed him the envelope "Deliver this ASAP"
"Yes sir Cornel" the sergeant stated crisply, taking the letter from him
After he left, Cornel Donald Lydecker removed his glasses, rubbing his tired eyes before deleting the document on his computer.
(Fade to Black)
*****
END
I had several ideas on how to end this, but finally decided to do it this way. As much as I wanted Max and Lucia to have this tearful reunion I think if DA ever did do this it wouldn't be that happy. How many of you guessed that Lydecker was the one writing the notes to Lucia? (everyone raises their hands) I wanted to bring the Col. back, he's an interesting character.
Hope you liked the begining segment with Zack and Max. I know that Max said she wasn't
really a sport's fan, I love b-ball and I had "Smooth Chick" by Missy Elliot in my head and that's what happened.
I will bring Lucia back in other chapters, not gonna just leave it at this, Max and her momma need more time together. Also Lexi should be saying her first words soon, so that's something else to write about, should it be "momma?" "daddy?" "Manticore?"..heh, yeah, um no..I'll think about it.
Well R/R on this tenth addition, and thanks for being patient for me to get it here.
AUTHOR: Mystic25
EMAIL: yellowrubberduck31hotmail.com
RATING: PG14
SUMMARY: Max has longed to find out what happened to her mother after "That Night". And
now, after she has become a mother herself, she is about to find out.
DISCLAIMER: *sigh* after writing umpteenth fics, I'm gettin' tired of doin' this, but here it
goes again. Mr. "I-raised-the-Titanic-and-created-a-fascinating-show-set-in-a-futeristic-world"
(aka: James Cameron) and his lil sidekick Eglee created Dark Angel. I merely got his two lead characters to tie the knot, and have two children, who DO belong to me. Also Lucia is mine as well. Long story longer, don't sue, it's a waste of money.
A/N: My Choices fics have officially turned "10" Wow, never thought I would keep this up that
long. My writing has come a long way since I've first started. I'm pretty proud of myself..heh..But don't worry guyz; this is FAR from the end of this series.
A/N #2: As I celebrate this milestone (even if I'm the only one who does:) ) I want to give props out to everyone whose helped me along the way. bb, you've been a real great up beater, Karina, appreciate every one of the comments you gave me. Helped me out when my ideas were
running on empty. Ciderbreak, thanks for all the critiques, helped me weed out the crap.
And to all the rest, thankx guys, don't know what it means to me..but enough of this, go read..
*****
"Who's this one?"
"She's the surrogate for one of the X5 series," a guard answered to his superior officer as they dragged the woman across the concrete floor by her arms.
Lucia tried very hard to break away from the men who were griping her arms in such a strong hold that she could feel the bruising already starting to form. But it was useless, she was no match for the three men that surrounded her. Her nine-month pregnant stomach was coated with sweat under her peach cotton shirt.
She didn't know what prompted her to try and escape on this night. She had endured grueling fitness programs for a woman in her condition, and all the drugs she had been given daily so far hadn't killed her-yet.
But yesterday, when the guards came for one of the other women in the infirmary-she was two
weeks past her due date. They forced her on her feet, and delivered her baby, taking him away from her as soon as he was born.
The woman's roommate's name was Miranda; she had been here for five years. First she had wanted to be in it for the money they offered, but soon she was forced to stay in the program. The director, a particularly sadistic blonde in a power suit, would not allow her to leave. Her first child, also a boy, had been taken from her as well. Her little one was four years old when the second one came. Lucia had seen him only, once, a small little boy, would've been blonde, if he had more hair. Carrying a loaded Ak-47 in his small hands. Wearing camos, and looking for all the world like a SEAL, except for his size.
That is why she tried to escape. This child may not be tied to her in a biological way, but it was HERS. She didn't want her baby to live this kind of life.
No one cared about what she wanted, though. They strapped her down, and injected her with
a powerful sedative. She lashed out even in her drugged state. She was numb, but still felt
the hands pulling at her, wanting what she didn't want to give them.
Someone raised her baby in the air. Lucia was hazy, but heard one of the nameless ones.
"A girl Col. Lydecker"
"Suction her out, and run the regular neuro checks. Start her on the cocktails tomorrow"
"Yes Sir"
===
Lucia woke with a gasp. She had dreams like this too much. One hand moved hastily through her
long brown hair. A soft breeze wafted through her window, the first rays of sunlight peaking out of the lace curtains.
All these years- Lucia looked over at Rick sleeping beside her. He'd be up and heading out
to work soon. She never told him about what happened in Gillette, didn't know how.
She tiptoed to the master bath, careful not to wake him, man was out late delivering a
load of lumber to a project site.
The mirror greeted her. She went through the normal routine of washing her face, brushing
her hair with long, sweeping strokes.
She thought back to her dream. A girl, she had a girl. Her and Rick had no children, well
besides their "babies" the two Siberian Huskies, Kira and Abby. But no HUMAN babies.
She never saw her baby's face for more then three seconds. When she woke up, she was
back with Miranda in her room, empty. No baby to hold, no "it's a girl" balloons, nothing
but empty arms and an ache.
Her little child grew up in that hell, never knowing of love, or family, or even a name.
Lucia wiped a tear that had fallen down her face without her knowing it. She didn't even
get to give her a name.
*****
"Max, you sure you wanna do this?"
Max stared at her "competitor" wiping some sweat out of her eyes "Well, there was a time
when I didn't even LIKE this sport" she dribbled the ball in her hand. "And today I learn
that "Mr. Phony Sentimentality" wants to challenge me" she brushed past her brother,
making a shot at the three-point line. "So I say it's more of a "gonna"
Zack caught the ball in his left hand "Really?" He checked it to her, and she returned-"You
might have to be taken down from your high horse solider. And as your CO, it's my job to
see so-"
She got up near him to intercept. "Bring it on Commander"
Zack dodged Max's interception moves making a shot from center court. "S" he drew out
the letter like a snake's hiss.
"Filly won't neigh 'till you spell out his entiya name" Max checked.
"Which will be soon" Zack threw it back to her, taking a moment to wipe the sweat off his
face with the hem of his shirt, and tucked the right sleeve more under itself.
"Bout to KNOCK ya off your high horse boy" The blue bandanna in her hair moved from the
slight wind in the air. She moved left, Zack on her all the way.
Max dodged him again "Ladies and gentlemen" she was about three feet from the goal. The
ball bounced off the rim for a second, before flowing smoothly into the chain net "Girl just
got her "E" she turned to Zack "Gammeee" her gray tank top moved under her breath.
She pulled the sun glasses off of Zack's head "You sure you don't need a stronger prescription
then this?"
"Cut the BS Maxie" Zack's breathing was hard as well "Gloating doesn't make for a strong
second-in-command" he took his aviation glasses back from her.
"Bout a happy one?" Max threw back, scanning the court "watchers" The ones who didn't
play, but came out here to well, watch, but mainly to scope out the players. One pack of
guys had run through every "You're so hot baby" lines in existence with Max. She had even
"accidentally" fouled the ball into the row of benches to get them to shut up.
But it wasn't just her; there were about three women with evident drool tracks each time
Zack maneuvered down the left side court.
"Guess you've got fans" Max said, looking at the women all sitting front and center at
the bottom bleacher.
"Renfro would be so pissed if she saw us now" Zack picked up the ball, heading over to
where he left his pack.
Max took a generous sip of her water. "Yeah, I know, me beating the CO"
she teased.
Zack slipped jeans back on over the navy boxers he had on. When he removed his shirt
to put on the one he had on originally, Max swore she could count the amount of oxygen
each of the women took in.
"Well unlike you Zack-" Max said around all the fawning. "I can't just change out in the
open-think the ladies room is a safer route"
"Who needs safe baby? Danger is my middle name," she was leered at by an anonymous "admirer"
"If ya don't back off pal, you won't be able to pronounce your name" she grabbed her bag and
retreated towards the restroom.
"Nice game," a red headed woman looked up at Zack as he was sliding his leather jacket
back on his body. "You shoot well-"
"Funny, all other women seem to tell him the opposite" Jondy's voice was heard to say as she
rounded the chained linked fence surrounding the court. She looked at the crowd of women.
/Luv machine? Zack, my God it must be the Apocalypse/
"All the ops on base also seemed to tell you that 'bout your artillery handling Jondy" Zack
returned.
"Least I know how to get on top of things-" she threw back
"Why are you here?" was Zack's next statement.
"Geez, I don't know bro" Jondy lied "Let's see, Tinga lives here, Maxie lives here. Yeah you're
right what a dumb thing to want to see our sisiters"
"Jondy-" Zack had that warning tone in his voice.
"Maxie called me up here COMMANDER-" Jondy informed, "She wanted the "guys" to get together for
a pre-reunion reunion"
"Guys?" now Zack sounded really on edge "Who else is here?"
"Millie's daddy-"
"ZANE?"
"Yep" Jondy responded "Plus we got Tinga of course, and Cat-Man and Syl"
"I don't wanna hear anymore-"
"Relax boy" Jondy knocked him upside the head "It pisses me off the way you think we don't
have any experience at handling ourselves"
"The records speak for themselves-"
"Which records are those?" Max now stood beside the two in hip hugger dark denim jeans, with
her jean jacket over a white tank top.
"The non-existent crap kind Maxie" Jondy informed
"Zack's best work" Max agreed, she turned to face her sister completely. "You pealed it all the way up here in one night?"
"Not sleeping helps sis" Jondy shot Max a 'you know how that goes' look. "Made it into Seattle just as the sun was coming up over the Needle." she faced Zack "Speaking of "coming up over things-"you and Colt chick, guys a "thing" now?"
"Is that really any of your business Jondy?" Zack answered her question with a question.
"Makin' it that way, yeah," she responded. "Ya know the expression "only once in a blue moon"
Zack didn't respond to that. "If we're going to do this REUNION," he changed the subject, "then, we'd better head out"
"Talk about gettin' your "head" in the game-" Jondy broke in
"Jonnie D"
"What?"
"Run"
*****
Crash
7:30 PM
"Luc, would you RELAX!" Madeline sipped her margarita, "The whole point of coming here was to
loosen up after the work week"
Lucia took a sip of her San Francisco. Her co-workers had taken it upon themselves to bring her
to this bar to try and put some "fun" back in her life. But, she really wasn't in the party mood at the moment. Ever since she had that dream this morning, she couldn't stop thinking about that place-"Manticore" Why did she go to Wyoming? She was so naïve at 19, "paid medical research" her ass.
She turned back to Madels and Rhonda, their other friend from the insurance company. "I appreciate this guys, I do-" she played with the little red straw in her glass. "Guess I'm
just not in a fun mood tonight"
"Things okay between you and Rick?" good ol' Madels, always concerned.
"We're fine" Lucia set her mind at ease "Just worn out from work"
"Well that's what this is for" Rhoda informed "Everyone deserves to go a little nuts once in a while"
As if on cue, one of the "regulars" fell off the bike he was trying to stunt with on the bar, landing on the floor unceremoniously.
"Dude take it easy 'for you break something that won't grow back" a young woman announced to her friend.
Sketchy picked himself up off the bar floor "Just slipped" he announced, straightening out his crooked glasses.
"Uh huh-" Cindy began "And Original Cindy's gonna jump your bones tonight"
"Hey if the shoe fits"
Cindy knocked him upside the head, "Bout to fit up your ass Sketch"
"Well maybe not THAT wild" Rhoda observed the scene.
"We're we ever that young once?" Lucia asked.
"Was a time when all I needed-" Madels began "Was a guy and an El Camino with a lot of head room-" she laughed, remembering her wild youth.
"Ooo, gurl you was a lil hoe" Lucia teased.
Whistling noises made the women look up.
"Can I have some suga for my drink?"
"Like to take THAT model for a ride-"
"Shwing-"
"What's up with these trash talkers?" Rhonda asked, watching a young woman enter the bar.
"So she's good looking, why do the act like dogs?"
"Because they ARE dogs" Lucia pointed out "They're young, got testosterone coming out of their ears."
Lucia watched as the woman dumped an entire pitcher of beer into one "leerers" lap. "Ya know if you can't hold it 'till ya get to the can, you shouldn't drink so much"
"She certainly can handle herself," Rhonda said to her friends. "That child's got fire. Oughta introduce her to my son, might straighten him out"
"MOMMEEE!" the squeal of a little boy broke the conversation.
Max turned to see Jess making a b-line directly for her. She held out her arms to catch him. He launched himself at her, and she picked him up.
"What baby?" Max mused his hair "What's yo' dealio?"
"Lexi walked!" Jesse announced in a proud big brother voice.
Max was taken aback by his remark "She did?"
"Hey you finally made it"
Max turned to see Logan standing behind her, with their daughter tucked up against his chest,
the baby grabbing at his black sweater. "We wanted to show you our surprise."
"Jess already spilled" Max informed "But show me anyway" she set her son down, who scrambled over to where Logan was standing.
Her husband carefully set the little girl on her feet, grasping both her hands in his larger ones. "Look honey, there's mommy-" he held her arms as she took two assisted steps. Once she seemed to have her balance, he let her go.
Max was amazed to see her ten month old wobbling on her feet, a huge grin on her tiny face "C'mon babe," she knelt down "You're doin' great"
Jess stood beside his sister, not helping, but holding out his arms to catch her if she fell.
Lexi finally made it over to Max, who scooped her up immediately "Aiight girl" she kissed her "You did it!" she stood back up.
Logan stepped over to her. "Better watch out now baby-" he kissed her "She's gonna start making a move on your pan handling territory"
"Hey she might me some man the same way I did, and have a happy ending" Max corrected.
"Sap" Jondy gave a fake cough in her hand.
Max ignored her remark "Guess who just took to steppin'?" she kissed Lexi on the cheek.
"Yeah!" Jondy proclaimed in excitement. She looked up at her niece "Won't be long 'till
I get you kick boxing gloves sweetie" she kissed her niece.
"Hark! I hear the loud mouth of Jondy.." Zane came out of the woodwork, his hair tucked
under a black baseball cap. "Hey Maxie too! Bout damn time you showed up!"
"Yeah, well when you beat the CO's ass in b-ball, you have to celebrate" Max told him
Zane looked happy "Score again for little sis" he hugged her around the baby in her arms.
"Jondy" Zane turned to her "how the hell's it been?"
"S'good bro" she responded. "Cat-Man here?"
Zane nodded "Knocking back a few, beat out the brother-in-law here" he slapped Logan on the
shoulder.
"Yeah well, I'd rather not make an ass of myself" Logan responded "I act like chicken-shit when
I'm drunk"
"Chicken, chicken!" Jess chanted by Zane's feet.
Zane wrestled with the little boy "You like that huh kid?" he tickled him "huh?"
"Don't you know to come to attention when a superior officer enters the room?"
Zane let go of Jess "Mr. Cop Out!" he ran up to Zack " KRIT, get over here! Battle Royal on the CO!"
The younger brother soon came out to where they were. "I call the neck!" he leapt at Zack, standing near the door, who dodged him in one maneuver.
"Little sloppy boy" Zack taunted "pitiful sight"
"Down here too" Krit joked from his position on the floor. He flipped himself up on his feet. "How do you expect Asha to get any?"
Max looked at Lexi "Got dorks for uncles huh?"
Lexi just smiled her outrageously cute smile
"Hope that doesn't mean all of us"
Max turned to her brother-in-law, who had come up behind her "Nah, not you Charlie" she agreed
"I only mean MY genetics" she saw Tinga approaching behind him.
"Hey baby sister," she greeted Max "Hope ya don't mind, we're a lil short on seats, so you'll
have to-" she glanced over at Logan "improvise"
"Don't see that as a prob" Max smiled at her husband "It'll give me the best seat in the house"
Logan looked at her for a second "You didn't break anything at home did you?"
Max shot him a look "This ain't a "forgive me" fest boy"
"Just kidding-" he broke off with a slight grunt as Jess locked himself around his leg. "Far be
it for me to say that you ever have ANY accidents" he lifted their son in his arms.
"Shut up" Max barked, but there was a slight smile on her face. "Let's go grab a seat, before
the "squad" reassembles"
When Max walked past the table with Lucia and her friends, she could feel three sets of eyes on her. She glanced at all three women briefly, feeling Lucia's eyes more on her then anyone else.
*****
"Guess she can't meet Steven" Rhonda said out of the blue once Max passed their table. "She
looks so young, got a husband and two babies already"
"People like starting early" Madels finished for her "Sometimes I wonder what it would've been like if I had Alyssa at 22 instead of *32*, but motherhood is motherhood, I say good for her for finding someone to love that young"
/FLASH: "But papa, I LOVE him" Lucia looked at her father "We want to be together"
"NO!" the older man reprimanded his daughter. "Do you realize what has happened?"
his words were harsh and incredibly angry. "You are a slut!" he spat this at her with venom
"You will bare illegitimates-"
"I didn't get pregnant papa" Lucia broke in "we used protection-"
"What kind of PROTECTION will keep you from having little bastard babies? I'll tell you which-
NONE! You will keep this up until the day you die, whore-"
"Please pappy don't call me that"/
"You really want to tackle me Krit?" Max looked at her older brother with raised eyebrows "Cause I'm kinda on a role today"
"Feelin' lucky tonight Maxie" Krit wagged his eyebrows at her in a mock come on. He picked up a
pool cue in his right hand.
Max took another sip of her beer, looking at Logan, whose lap she was sitting in "Be back in a few" she gave him a quick three second kiss "Save my seat"
"Don't think anyone is jumping at the chance to sit there Max" a voice came out of the woodwork, as a familiar figure approached the group.
"Same goes for you boy" Max returned Alec's quip.
"Okay, enough male bashing Maxie," Alec informed. When she didn't say anything else he added,
"Aren't you going to be somewhat decent and introduce your fellow work partner to this squad
you got assembled? Or did you all escape before they taught all X series how to engage people in conversation?"
Max sighed, she couldn't think of a really good comeback for his remark "Everyone, this is Alec-"
"I will set the records straight now, in stating that I DO know Maxie's little military history."
"You're an X5?" Jondy asked, observing the new comer.
"X5-494" Alec confirmed "Highly constructed, well built-"
"Loud mouth" Max broke in
"Who did get you and your sister-" he looked over at Tinga-"out of that shit-crap Maxie"
he reminded her. "So I'd appreciate a little more respect"
Max looked at him seriously. Ever since that incident with Barrisford, she tried not to enjoy
putting Alec down as much as she use too. Pain in the ass or not, there was one woman who
enjoyed his company enough to love him; and she knew that it hurt him to lose Rachel, even
if he didn't want to admit it. "Fine" she finally broke the silence "Why don't you rack up with me and Krit-" she tilted her head slightly to acknowledge Krit behind her. "Any one who can kick Cat-Man's ass in pool deserves all the respect the world can dish out"
"Famous last words Maxie" Krit notified, throwing her a cue.
Max caught it expertly "When I get done wid you boy, yours will be "Damn, and here I thought I was a man"
"Hey Zack," Krit smiled, not minding Max's smart alic-ism, because he was about to turn it around "We have the same slogan"
"Hey Krit" Zack called back "How 'bout I add some new balls on the table?"
"We playin' sometime today?" Max broke in before Krit could get another remark in.
"I break" Alec announced. He positioned himself to take his shot "Go on Max, get it out-"
"Don't know what you're talkin' about" Max informed, grasping her cue with one hand.
Alec set the aim of his cue stick "The quip question Maxie. "Makes you feel like a big man to break?" he made the shot knocking the eight ball, six ball, and five ball in the right corner pocket
"Hey I didn't say nothin' " Max defended "I mean, if you hafta get your ya ya's out this way then it's coo'"
"There it is" Alec moved to get his second shot, which was a little off center and became a scratch.
"Oooo" Krit did a good impression of a sports caster "Guess that means you get to see skill-"
"Nope, just means we get to see you bro" Max knocked her brother of his high horse, as he lined up his shot.
He landed the four and three in the left center pocket. "Like I said, skill"
The rest of the game progressed rapidly, with Krit naturally winning. "What were those last words again Maxie?" Krit gazed at his little sister.
Max just sighed, slapping a five in his hand
"Thank you" Krit pocketed the money, turning to Alec "Convo, I slept through. Physics sessions I didn't"
After Alec paid up to Krit they re-joined the group that had taken up residency at three tables.
Max re-claimed her "chair"
"Good game?" Logan looked at her mischievously, one hand resting on her right thigh.
Max knocked him upside the head "Did the Pulse suddenly lift?"
"Never mind then" Logan caught her in a kiss before she moved her head.
"Ah, guys c'mon, some of us are trying to keep our drinks down" Alec complained
*****
Lucia had another dream that night. She was back at Manticore, right after the operation.
"Where, where's my baby?" she sat up, her hand instinctively moving to her abdomen. There
was a three-inch long closed surgical incision across her chest, and her baby was gone.
"What the hell is going on!" she screamed, as two ops suddenly entered the room, dressed
in fatigues.
They didn't answer her, arms trained behind their backs, grasping black magnums.
"It's okay" one of them stated, a woman. Her voice was strong, hard, but with an underlying tone of softness. "She's okay."
The op lifted her head, revealing her face from under the black beret. It was the woman she had seen that night at the bar, the young mother. "You shouldn't worry about her ma'am"
"But she's MINE!" Lucia was in hysterics "You took her from me! What the hell do you bastards
want with a defenseless baby!"
"That baby will learn to do great things," the other op informed, breaking his earlier silence. "Things you never could fathom"
He approached Lucia with a sedative.
"No!" Lucia, held her hands out defensively "Get away from me!"
She gasped as she woke up, Rick coming awake beside her "Luc, honey are you okay?"
Lucia tried to calm her racing heart. "Yeah" she took a few shaky breaths "fine, just a bad dream"
"Lie back down Luc" Rick ordered gently "It wasn't real" he coaxed her back down. "It's okay"
*****
"Who is she?" X5-452, Max stood beside her CO X5-599, Zack, and third in command X5-656, Tinga.
"A donor" Tinga answered, watching the struggle through the mirrored glass. "She was fertilized
to produce more soldiers" the bulge of the woman's stomach stuck out through the hospital gown.
Max looked at the woman, struggling as doctors restrained her. "Is that how all of them are?"
"Most of them came here voluntarily" Zack spoke out "They were brought in from the outside,
for the money, but I overheard many say they weren't aware of all the procedures involved"
==
"Stay flat 452!" the tech in the lab coat spoke at the base of the exam bench "I will not have
this project fail because of one soldier's mess up" he lifted the blue paper blanket from
off Max's legs.
"Is this how it was with our mothers Sir?" Max suddenly asked
The tech looked up "You and the others were created X5-452" his words were clipped "You
are merely nothing but a string of different species genes strung together. You have no mothers."
"Then what will I be after this Sir?"
"A donor" he moved his instrument inside her, making fire rip through her body.
*****
Max came back into darkness, choking on her own breath.
"Max?" Logan flipped on the lamp on the nightstand. He could feel her fast paced heart beating against his chest "Baby-" before he could ask her what was wrong, she bolted out of the bed, moving straight into the bathroom.
He watched her throw up in the sink, since in her haste she didn't bother to close the door that connected the master bath to their bedroom.
"What's wrong?" he came up behind her, supporting her as she vomited "Was it a seizure?"
Max heaved once more, before all that she had left was saliva. She spat once before turning on the faucet to rinse the mess out of the basin. "No" she said finally. "Just, bad dream" she splashed some water on her face.
He kissed her gently "C'mon back and lie down" he wrapped her up in his arms and supported to the bed.
She climbed back in on "her side" on her own, sitting with her back against the headboard.
He sat beside her, pulling her to him "Must've been some dream to work you up so much" he cascaded his fingers through her hair "Wanna talk about it?"
"Just a run of the mill memory from hell that manifested itself in my dreams" she said this all in one breath, not looking at him while she talked. She gave a small sigh, before speaking again "Do you think my mother really wanted me?"
Her question was out of the blue, so Logan took a moment to react "You told me she tried to escape-"
"Yeah, but she might have only been trying to save herself, and I just tagged along for the ride"
"You believe that?" Logan asked "Even after everything Hanna told you?"
A second of silence, then "I've been lied to before Logan" there was a rustle on the sheets as she shifted to face him more "How do I know that this is any different?" she looked down at her hands, twirling her wedding band on her hand with her thumb and forefinger "I'm sick of playing these damn games with my life"
One of his hands covered her left one "Can't answer that question Max, but I believe that she must've wanted to do something decent with her life to try and escape that place-" he rubbed her palm with his thumb "like you"
"Sometimes wish I could find her" she looked him full in the face, her chocolate eyes looking into his blue ones "Just to ask her why"
Logan shifted down onto the pillow with a yawn "It's late baby" he looked at the glowing "2:35" on the digital clock "and we both have work in the morning" he rubbed her bare arm with his hand "You gonna be able to go back to sleep?"
"I'm good" was all she said, sliding down to his level. She took her favorite position, pressed up against his back.
Logan switched off the lamp, bathing the room in darkness. Max's cotton tank rustled against his own white tee as he shifted to get more comfortable with his wife. He kissed the barcode on the back of her neck, feeling her shiver slightly at the contact.
Max stared out through the blackness with her night vision. Logan's arm around her waist rose and fell with her breathing pattern, as she still thought about her mother.
*****
Jam Pony
The Next Morning
"Late" Normal called out seeing Alec just enter the building "The world is going freaky. Max actually came in before you"
"Just call me Super Freak Normal" Alec headed over to the bike rack, dropping the first one to
the ground, almost smacking into Max, who was right behind him with her wheels.
"Little uncoordinated there Maxie?" Alec gripped the handles of his bike. "Kept the party goin'
with Logan after Crash?"
Max sighed, but didn't answer, pulling on the bill of her baseball cap.
"You okay Max? You're a little slow on the uptake this morning" he'd never seen the woman keep
silent this long.
"Just a long night" was all she was willing to give him.
"Best kind" Alec came back
Max brushed by him with her bike "It was a bad dream Alec, and why the hell do ya care what I do with my husband?"
"Must be the fact that all the woman I've known have either told me to kiss off, or got their asses blown" he spoke lightly about Rachel, but there was a twinge of bitterness in his tone.
Max acknowledged him then "It's coo'"
"If you say so Maxie" Alec responded, rolling his bike past her.
"Socialize on your own time people!" Normal called out "This is a place of business, we DELIVER stuff here, in case you forgot"
Max blew him off "With that loud mouth?" she caught the package that Normal threw at her
"For Winchester smart mouth, bip, bip-"
"Yeah, I got it" Max announced
*****
305 Winchester Rd.
"Hey Max-" Alec rounded the corner of the front porch she was standing on. His shoes creaked on the wooden beams of the steps.
"What are you doin' here?" she snapped back
"Chill gurl," Alec jumped onto the porch "I had a delivery a couple houses down, and saw your
bike" he peaked through the window by the door "Not too bad either" The house was one story,
oak wood sided, older then some of the others on the street, nothing luxurious, but still comfortable.
Max slapped him on the back of the head "We're not here to case the joint" she rang the bell.
After about a minute the door opened, a figure now stood behind the screen door. It was a woman
with one earring in her hand "Yes?"
Max held up the manila envelope in her hand "Jam Pony messenger"
The woman took the package, reading the label "How much do I owe yo-" she broke off when she
realized who it was "You're the one I saw at that bar last night"
"Crash?" Max questioned
Lucia nodded "Yeah, my colleagues talked me into going there to vent off some steam. You have
the cutest kids"
Max smiled at the remark "Thanks"
"Damn" Lucia checked her watch, "Here I am going on, and I'm gonna be late for work, and I'm keeping both of you" she opened the screen door all the way "You can wait in the foyer while I get my purse. How much is COD?"
"Five" Max announced, stepping through the door, Alec right behind her.
Lucia cursed something under her breath in Spanish "Sorry, but the cost of things today is
outrageous" she kept talking as she headed down the hall to the living room to retrieve her purse.
"How old are your little ones?" she dug through her knock off Vera Wang handbag for the money
"Two years and ten months" Max answered back, looking at the photos that lined the walls. Family portraits, and pictures of two Siberian Huskies.
"Must be a handful" Lucia's voice was slightly louder as she started coming out of the living room.
"Can we get this done before you start swapping baby pictures?" Alec suggested
Max knocked him upside the head again as Lucia re-emerged, money in hand. "Sorry that took so
long" she placed the five in Max's hand, along with three extra dollars "Judging by how sweaty you both look, Jam Pony must be a ways away from here, so I don't want you to leave empty handed."
Max took the money from her, staring for a minute at her face, there was something familiar about her eyes. "Thanks"
"Take care of your children" Lucia suddenly spoke up, her eyes serious "Make loving them a higher priority above the great things you want them to do"
Max looked up more at her remark /FLASH: "This race will accomplish great things 452" the base OB/GYN handed her more cocktail drugs "A interconception of Manticore's best" he watched the girl soldier take the meds./
Max stepped back out on the street, climbing back on her bike.
"That woman needs to get out more" Alec yanked his bike from the fence it rested on
"Think she sounds sad," Max argued "Like she's missing something"
"How about a life?" Alec suggested, climbing back on his bike
Max rolled her eyes at him, and pedaled down the road.
*****
FOGGLE TOWERS
"Honey, I'm home!" Max's call echoed off the walls, mimicking that of a 1950's tie-wearing businessman returning from the office. She walked into the living room to find Logan watching Jess color pictured hunched over the coffee table. Lexi sat a few inches away from them scooting across the hardwood floor in her walker.
Either Logan didn't hear her proclamation, or he was just messing with her, because he didn't look up to acknowledge her.
Max snuck up behind him, her feet soundless on the floor, she saw Jess look at her, and she placed a hand to her lips.
She placed her hands over Logan's eyes, under his eyeglasses "Sorry, guess there's another brownout"
"Yeah but I know how to make this one stop" he pulled her hands off his eyes, and kissed her open palms "See how well that works?"
"Guess so" Max smirked, bending down to give him a full kiss "What are these guys doin'?" she asked after breaking apart.
"Jess is just wowing me with his abstract art" he answered as she rounded the couch and
sat on the edge of the coffee table.
"That looks really killer" Max complimented her son, admiring his drawing, which was surprisingly good for a two year old. "What's this one hun?" she pointed to a string of
numbers above a red and orange crayoned sun.
"Numbers" Jess gave an exact answer, adding a tree to the paper.
Now Jess was two, and most children recognized what single numbers were at this age, but she could tell by his voice he knew more then that. "Honey, let's play a game for a second, aiight?"
Jess bobbed his head up and down, still focused on his drawing.
"Kay," Max shielded the numbers written in blue crayon with her hand so he couldn't see them
anymore "Tell me the numbers you wrote on the picture baby"
"2247394630" Jess rattled them of in his two year old voice without hesitance.
He was right on with each one. "How many "4"'s did you write down?"
"Two" her son responded "Tree after 2's and tree after da zero, look mama, a birdee" he
pointed to the blue bird on the paper.
Max and Logan shared glances at Jess's answers. His intelligence was progressing at an
above average level. Not as fast as Max's did when she was young since he wasn't 100
percent Manticore genetics, but still faster then a common two year old.
"I see Jess" Max smiled "It's coo'" she kissed the top of his head "And thanks for playin'
that game with mommy" she stroked his dark brown hair "You draw for a lil longer, and
I'll get you when it's time to eat"
She stood back up, motioning with a nod for Logan to follow her.
"Hang tight guys," Logan stood up as well "Me and mommy will be right in the other room" he
followed his wife to the office.
"He's starting the way Case did" Max spoke out once they were in the computer room.
"Children at this age go through physical and emotional changes normally" Logan
leaned against his desk "probably triggered your half of the gene pool, like it did with Tinga.
How old were you when you started remembering sequential orders?"
"About Jess's age" Max answered "Maybe a lil younger, one-and-a-half"
"You remember that far?" Logan sounded a little amazed.
"Around 11 months is when everyone started recalling things, we had stimuli tests and stuff
to build up our endurance." she met his eyes again.
Logan didn't press her about these "tests" He knew that some things were still hard to talk
about, even at this point in their marriage. "So when will Cindy be dropping in?"
"She's got to stop by her crib to change, and she said she's swingin' in at six" Max answered,
"Speaking of changin' I need a shower, had a long run across town"
"Normal pushing you?"
"No more then usual" she responded, "Sides the lady of the house gave me a good tip. She was
at Crash yesterday, said she saw me, and that we have cute kids"
"Can't argue on that," Logan agreed.
"Also told me to love them even if they don't do great things" she paused "which seemed weird
since I usually don't get free advice from customers."
"Really deep advice from someone you just met"
"I know," Max agreed, "Almost sounded like a spin on a Manticore mantra "Great things must take place over false sentiment Never heard anyone say anything like that after we got out"
"Do you think it's anything to worry about?" Logan asked "I mean that she saw you at Crash
and that you delivered a package to her house?"
"Don't think so," Max informed, "She didn't try to put the drop on me or anything" she shrugged
out of her jacket "I'm goin' to clean up."
"Need any help?" Logan looked at her suggestively.
She matched his sly look with one of her own "I want to take a QUICK shower baby" she slung her
jean jacket over one shoulder. "Be back in a few" she stopped to give Lexi a kiss on the top of her head as she came wheeling in the office in her walker.
The shower was just cutting off as Logan transferred the chicken quesidillas to a serving platter. He set them on the table along with a citrus fruit salad.
"Don't even think about it," he warned to Kaja, who was eyeing the food like a beast of prey.
She wined in the back of her throat, making her dog tag jingle, and pricking her ears up more.
"You're worse then Max at times you know that?" the wine cabinet door squeaked slightly when he
opened it.
"Worse then who?" Max emerged from the hallway, dressed casually in sandblasted jeans, and a
and a black, spaghetti strapped tank top. She stepped over to him in bare feet.
"I was saying how the dog acts as bad as you do when she wants something Max" Logan went for
honest, searching his racks for an appropriate vintage. He finally settled on a bottle of raspberry zinfandel.
"You just tryin' to get in your wife's good graces tonight huh?" Max asked him a one-way question. she took the bottle from him, setting it in the center of the table, before heading into the kitchen to get the plates. One thing Max was good at in the kitchen, was dressing up the table, which was good since she was shortchanged on the cooking side of things.
"I made a salsa to go with the quesalidias" Logan pulled the bowl from the fridge, taking off the saran wrap. He scooped a little into a spoon, and held it up "Think it tastes okay?"
Max tasted the creation on the spoon, testing the flavor in her mouth "S'good" she wiped a bit of tomato off her lip with her tongue.
"So are you" Logan commented, looking her up and down "Those clothes-"
"Nice huh?" she smiled slightly
"Hot" he corrected, setting the bowl on the counter before kissing her.
Max moved slightly away from the bowl so she wouldn't knock it over, when her back dipped ever
so slightly onto the counter.
"So was that" she informed when they finally came up for air.
There was a knock on the door, followed by a voice proclaiming, "Guys, I know what you're doin'
in there, but take a break to let a woman inside"
"I'll get the kids to the table" Max announced, sliding away from Logan's body.
"And I'll get the door" he could still taste the salsa that was on Max's tongue.
"Hey boo" Cindy steeped into the penthouse, in a deep scarlet halter top and leather pants.
"Appreciate you givin' an invite for me" She slid of her leather jacket, dropping it on a chair.
"It's no problem" Logan informed "Always have time for a friend"
Cindy smiled a bit at that statement. Ever since Max had married him, she and Logan had become
friends, as opposed to their casual relationship beforehand.
"There's the woman of the hour" Max entered the living room, both kids resting in each arm.
"Look whose here guys" she looked down at the pair she was holding. "Auntie Cindy"
Cindy didn't waste anytime stepping over to her surrogate niece and nephew, who were just
as happy to see her as she was them. "Get to play over at your house tonight babies, sound good?"
"Yeah!" Jess bobbed his head up and down.
"Oh yeah," Cindy agreed, "Come with me my man" she slid Jess out of Max's arms, "So you don't
break mama's arms"
Jess laughed at the notion "Can't"
"Got that right," Cindy agreed, looking up at Max "This boy's gettin' smarter every day suga"
After Max and Cindy got the kids settled in the table, Jess in his booster seat, and Lexi in her high chair, they all sat down.
"So your sibs still in town suga?" Cindy asked after swallowing a mouthful of salad.
"Well Zane had to get back home, didn't want to leave Millie by herself" Max tore up Jess's
food into smaller pieces for him so he could chew it easier. "Syl said something about droppin'
in on Craig, Jondy's crashing with Tinga. Don't know what the hell's Krit's doin' said he would
"wing it" and think Zack's doin' somethin' with Asha"
"Damn" Cindy stated about Max's last remark "That chick's got deep hooks in your boy"
Max poured some more wine in her glass, tossing a piece of chicken at Kaja, who leapt two
feet in the air to catch the morsel. "Guess this makes him happy-"
"Which is a feat in itself" Logan broke in about his brother-in-law, sipping his zinfandel.
"Just the way in-laws act boo." Cindy informed "Mean, can you imagine what a MOTHER-in-law might be like-" she stopped abruptly when she realized what she was saying. "Didn't mean it like that suga-" she looked at Max apologetically.
Max shrugged it off "Never knew what having a mother was like, so I can't really miss it" she played with the food on her plate with her fork "Sometimes, when I was 13 I use to imagine myself with a mom like everyone else, guess I wanted to belong. I was lonely then, Zack told us it was best to not contact any of the others, too risky." She looked up to her husband and friend's concerned looks "But hey, turned out pretty well in spite, wouldn't ya say?"
****
305 Winchester
Lucia stared at the package in her hands, turning it over a few times. The seal seamed to taunt her. She took a deep breath, finally pulling the flap open and sliding the contents out.
Two photos fell out along with a note.
*Mrs. Weston,
I've managed to track these down from what use to be formally known as "Project Manticore"
As you are well aware of, you were from a long list of surrogates brought in to bring about this hybrid race. If you wish to continue this search for your "daughter", you must be aware that actions come with consequences, and your safety is now not a constant, but a variable.*
The letter was at best, unnerving for her. With one shaking hand, she flipped over one of the photos, A girl with a shaved head stared out at one of the photos. She looked to be about nine, with deep mocha eyes, and dark skin. She stared out from the picture in a "face-off" position, not baring the innocent look of childhood, but of a hard soldier.
The second picture had a small memo clipped to it,
*This is the most recent image of one of the soldiers who escape during the breakout of '09,
designation X5-452. She was "born" November 17, 2000.*
Lucia gasped at the picture before her. Brown eyes, long dark hair, she looked like her, even
with all the gene splicing. November, the memo said. Lucia didn't have access to a calendar
when she was at that base, but she could tell by the sunrises, that it was around late-fall
when the baby had been taken from her.
She touched the image before her. (close up of a headshot of Max)
*****
"Whatcha doin'?" Max approached Logan, whose face was illuminated by the glow of the
computer screen.
Cindy had left an hour ago, saying she had to call an interest she had met at Crash. The kids
had both been tucked in, leaving the two of them alone.
"Just getting some information," Logan answered, his fingers gliding over the keys.
Max sat on the edge of the desk "That's kinda vague Sherlock" she ruffed up the fur on
Kaja's head, who was sitting at her feet "Might have just said, "I'm typin'"
"I'm hacking into Manticore's old infrastructure Max" Logan finally answered her "Trying to find the files the geneticists kept on the surrogates, might be something on your mom"
"Think any files are still there?" Max didn't even acknowledge the part about "finding her mother" "Manticore was always good at covering their tracks"
"I'm sure with a program this large no one simply deleted any records, especially after the recent escape. They still need viable files"
"Why my mom Logan?" Max suddenly asked, "Why do you suddenly want to look for her?"
"You've been searching for her for eleven years baby" Logan responded, "I'm doing this because
you deserve to know who she is"
"She was just a donor" Max tried to convince Logan of that as well as herself, but it wasn't working. This was something she had been looking for all her life, even longer then the hunt for her siblings.
Logan glanced at her at that statement for a moment before continuing his work. "Miranda Lewis
21 Miscarriages: 4 live births: 2 Sex: Male/Male Designations: X5-219, X5-599. " Logan's tone changed as he read the designation of his brother-in-law off the report.
"Zack's-" Max didn't really know what to call her, the woman who had given birth to her oldest brother and CO. She certainly wasn't his mother.
"Here's another-" Logan broke in her chain of thoughts "Lucia Rodriguez, 19. Miscarriages: 0
Live births: 1 Sex: Female Designation: X5-45-"
"Is there a file photo?" Max broke in before he finished, staring at the numbers that made up her designation on the screen.
Logan typed for a second; coming up empty "It's been deleted off the record," the words "file
has been aborted," flashed across the monitor in red letters. "Manticore took precautions about
what they didn't want to be seen" he looked at his wife "I'm sorry sweetheart, but now you have
a name to work with"
*****
JAM PONY
The Next Day
"Lucia huh?" Cindy leaned against her locker, waiting for Max to finished getting dressed "My
girl's momma finally gots a name"
"She isn't my mother" Max argued, shutting the door to her locker "She didn't read me stories
or sit up with me when I was sick, I do that with my kids. I am a mother, she was just, a donor"
Cindy did a "step back" stance at her girl's bitterness "Original Cindy can see right through that lie boo. I know it's a ride to get the name of her after all this time, but she IS your moms suga, she tried to get you outta there. She did things right with the time she had. She is more then a "donor" to you okay?"
Max didn't respond to that, as she and Cindy walked out of the locker area.
"Max-"
Max turned at the sound of her name "Hey" she approached Zack who stood in the center of
the building. "Why you still hangin' around?"
"Think he's got the hots for ya Maxie" Alec notified, coming up behind Zack "Wants to be more
then-"
"Shut up!" Zack barked, shoving Alec defensively.
"Whoa there Zackie, don't start anything you can't finish" Alec informed, stepping closer.
"Who says I'm not?" Zack was now up in Alec's personal space.
"Guys-" Max stepped in-between her brother and Alec "back off" she pushed them apart
from each other. "Don't want to give these guys an up close and personal show of Manticore
fighting ability do you?" she stepped away.
"How about we ceasefire?" Alec suggested after Max left. "Cause you obviously want to kick
the shit out of me right now, and I obviously want to kick it out of you. But that's a lot of
shit to clean up one we're done there commander." he paused "And I hate grunt work."
"Yes" Normal called out "that's why you do your job so half-assed, get moving before I forget
why I hired you"
"Now I remember why I quit here," Zack stated
"Hey we can at least agree on one thing," Alec returned, wheeling his bike past Zack.
"You too miss smart mouth" Normal informed Max, "Work pays, not sitting around" he shoved
an envelope at her "Gonna need a signature Mrs. Cale"
"I got something?" Max had been a little confused the way Normal had just addressed her.
"No I just want your autograph" Normal returned
Max glared at him while she sighed her name, snatching the envelope from him. Across
the bottom was the postal barcode, but it was also hers.
She ripped it open, unfolding the white piece of paper.
*Happy Early Mother's Day 452*
"Normal" Max showed him the envelope "Who sent this?"
"Does this look like a postal service Max?" Normal answered, "Because you seem to have
that misguided notion that I'm here to serve you"
"Who the hell sent this?" Max was getting angry.
"How about I answer that?"
Max turned at the hand on her shoulder, right into the face of Ames White
*****
"Don't look so shocked to see me Max" White followed her when she backed away. "I mean,
who did you think sent that to you?" he stepped up to her but she backed away again.
"Stay the hell away from me!" Max growled
"Personal matter outside" Normal called out "This is a place of business.
Max ignored him "US government could de-contaminate Anthrax letters after those terrorist
attacks, but they can't detect stuff written by shits"
"What a world huh?" White voice took on a slight whimsical tone
"You got three seconds to tell me why you're here before I make you eat your ass"
Max glared at him, circling him.
"Still difficult I see 452" he pulled out a revolver "But I can fix that" he cocked the gun
at her "I didn't come here to kill you, but I'm a versatile guy. I'm open to change"
Max faced down the gun, but didn't have the chance to knock him down before Zack
jumped White, the gun clattering to the floor.
Max snatched it up before White got to his feet, which happened three seconds later. "I
believe that's mine" he kicked her hard into a wall.
By now this scene had attracted a crowd. White aimed the gun at Max again, after he threw Zack off of him "Like I said I didn't come here to kill you"
"There are other reasons?" Max spat back, tasting blood on her lip.
"For now" White answered "Give up this search, and I'll disappear like a dream. Don't, and
remember what happened last time? It'll pale in comparison." He kicked her square in the ribs,
"At ease solider" he left then.
Alec was passing through the door just as White was leaving, they barely missed each other.
Alec ducked out of his line of sight stepping into the building. "Was that just-?" he got his
answer when he found Zack yanking Max to her feet. "Let me guess, someone pissed him
off"
"Alec, shut up" Max touched the soft areas, grimacing.
"Would somebody please tell me what the hell that was about?" Normal came out from behind his
desk, "Like I need more violence in my service. Why is this guy so pissed at you Max?"
"He didn't like the COD charge" Max made a joke of it, cursing when Zack touched her stomach
"Nothing broken Maxie," he touched an area that was already beginning to get discolored.
"How did he know where I worked?" Max hissed again, pulling her shirt down completely
"Questions later suga, you should go home and ice those" Cindy stated
"Shit-" Max cursed again. She yanked out her cell, hitting speed dial one "come on, pick up
pick up-dammit," her voice was frantic "You guys okay?"
"Max what's going on?" Logan could here the edginess in her voice
"Nothing," she lied "just are the kids okay?"
"They're fine sweetheart, are you okay?" he sounded worried at her sudden need to call
home in the middle of the afternoon.
"Tell you about it later" Max cursed again at the bruises begining to form on her ribs.
"Sweetheart" Logan's voice took on a serious tone "I just found out something you need
to know"
*****
METRO
ER
"How did it happen?" Max stared a woman getting lacerations on her face sewn up.
She was standing outside of an ER exam room watching nurses patch up her injuries.
She had just gotten her own ribs taped up by Sam. None were broken, but several were
bruised. Normal had given her the day off after what had happened at Jam Pony, muttering
something about her seeming to have shitty luck. Zack had tailed her all the way,
making sure that White wasn't following her. She finally told him to go, saying
that she appreciated it but she could handle herself.
But Zack still said he'd check in on her after he left Asha's that night,
he still was ever cautious of his little sister.
"She was jumped by three men" Sam stood beside her, shaking her out of her musings "They asked her about some pictures she had in her possession" he showed the matte finished photos to her.
Max gazed surprised at the images of herself, one at nine years old, and a more recent
photo, undoubtably taken in the last year.
"I would assume they are with the same group of the man that paid you a visit today." He indicated her taped ribs.
Max looked at the woman she had saw at Crash, that she had talked to yesterday afternoon.
"Is there a chance that I could talk to her?"
"Well her husband's on his way, but I don't think she'd mind" he handed her a prescription
bottle "Ibuprofen, for the pain. Don't argue, bruised ribs hurt like a bitch, no matter
what your DNA composition is made up of."
Max took the bottle from him "Thanks" she gazed at the woman in the other room.
*****
Lucia watched Max enter the exam room, taking in her features again. /She is so beautiful./
"Is it okay if I come in?" Max entered cautiously. She stood a few feet away from the
gurney where Lucia was seated.
Lucia nodded as the nurse left, after telling her to take it easy.
Max took in the stitches on two cheek lacerations, bruises on her face, and the dried blood under Lucia's nose.
"Ouch huh?" Lucia could sense what Max was thinking "Don't worry, I've had worse"
Max set the pictures on the gurney without a word. "I'm sure you have"
Lucia fingered them. She glanced around the room to see that they were "safe" before
talking again "On my nineteenth birthday my father caught me having sex with my boyfriend.
We were Catholic, so in his eyes I had committed a horrible sin. He kicked me out. I was on
my own with no money, until I heard through the grapevine about this surrogacy place in
Gillette, Wyoming" she saw Max's interest become more rapt "I was in need of money so I
went to this place, called "Manticore Special Operations."
They told me I would be paid for my duties to carry children for "infertile couples" she laughed a bit at this. "I didn't think anything was going on. I was cared for well, allowed to go out on the grounds. But towards my second trimester, I was kept on a strict diet, and given a lot of cocktail drugs.
I asked why, but all I ever got for an answer was silence. There were a lot of children
running around, but they all had shaved heads and camouflage. Where were these "couples"
who wanted to adopt them? In my last trimester the director finally told us what we
were really there for. /"You ladies are carrying with you a genetically enhanced race of super
soldiers, and mark my words, they are worth more to me then all of you're pathetic lives"/
"After a woman gave birth the baby was taken from her and subjected to all these cruel experiments."
/"Break below the patella, and once more in the femur" an op ordered the doctor "Make one
compound to see how fast it heals"
The doctor nodded, squeezing the clamps on 452's leg/
"I tried to escape with you-" Lucia addressed Max as hers for the first time "But the guards
were on us so fast. I gave'em hell all the way to the OR. I had made up my mind that living
in a sewer with a baby that would be better then there. I was eventually sedated" her voice got
emotional "but I could still hear what was going on. All I found out was that I had a girl, and then, nothing. I woke up back in my room." she looked at Max again, a long stare "I'm so sorry I left you, I can't imagine what it must have been like. I was lucky, I bribed some guard to get me out of there. They didn't even let me see you. Or even give you a name"
"My name's Max" Max looked at Lucia, matching her intense gaze. "We named each other, my sibs
and me" she really didn't know what to say anymore. Eleven years of looking, wanting this, and she was tongue tied at the finish line. "You shouldn't have tried to find me. You won't be left alone anymore-"
"That's why I did it Max" there was something in Lucia's tone that could only be described as a
"mother's voice" "I didn't want to be alone anymore. All my life I've missed something, that not even my husband, my best friend Rick could give me back." she sighed slightly "I can't take away your past Max. You're not the newborn I saw them raise in the air before I passed out. You're a woman, with a family of your own, all I can do is say I'm sorry for what you had to go through"
"Maybe it was meant to be this way" Max spoke out to Lucia's confusion "If you had gotten out that first night I wouldn't have met my sibs, which is something I would NEVER give up if I had a chance to do it all over again. Or Logan-" she smiled a bit "my husband. It was because of my life at Manticore that we met. If I wasn't a "super freak" we wouldn't have crossed paths, or gotten married."
"Maybe it was meant to be" like mother, like daughter, Lucia had quick wit. "I don't know if you want me to be your mom Max-but I would like to be your friend"
"Luc" the door opened again
"Rick hey"
The tall blonde man stepped into the room "I was so worried about you" he sat next to her, giving her a kiss "Are you okay?" he took in her injuries "Who did this to you?"
"I'm tough Rick" Lucia joked, "I can handle a lot" she looked to the other woman in the room "Sweetie this is Max," she looked her husband full in the face "she's my daughter"
Rick look completely bewildered "What?" he stared at the younger woman "What-I mean, how?"
"There's a couple of things I need to tell you" she maintained her cool, even after
dropping that bombshell on her husband.
"Maybe I should go" Max announced quietly. She started to leave, but Lucia's voice halted her.
"Max, if I had a chance to have had say in your life and how you came out, I would want you to turn out exactly the same"
Max hesitated for a moment, absorbing what she heard, before coming around to the other end of the gurney.
Lucia returned the hug she received, she gazed into Max's mocha eyes, framing her face with her
hands "You are so beautiful"
*****
Max closed the door to the exam room, resting her head against it for a brief moment.
"Max" Logan's hands were on her shoulders "Did it pan out?"
She turned, looking him in the eye "Yeah, she-" she pushed her hair behind her ears with one
hand "I mean, she was the one, the surrogate" her words were tripping on themselves.
Logan tried to gauge his wife's reaction, but her eyes were impassive "How are you with all
of this?"
She tilted her head upwards to him "Glad to know that she didn't think of me as a money
investment" her words cracked near the end. She stepped closer to him, looping her arms
around his neck.
"Glad that it's all over?" he rubbed her back with one hand.
"Nothing's ever over with us" she stated cryptically. She could feel the tears sting in her eyes.
"Then how about: glad that you finally met your mother?" her statement was true. Nothing ever
ended with them.
"Yeah" she started to cry then. Eleven years of pent up emotions over this finally releasing
themselves.
Logan hugged her harder then, feeling his wife tremble in his embrace. He kissed the side of her head. "It's okay sweetheart" those were the only words he could offer to his love, and even they sounded stupid to him.
"Love you" Max proclaimed suddenly
"I love you too baby" he kissed her again
*****
UNKNOWN LOCATION
*Mrs. Weston*
Keys clicked as the man in black typed in the room lit solely by the glow of his laptop.
*The search for your daughter has now placed your name on the worst possible blacklist.
She is in their eyes, a created prototype, and you are now viewed as a hindrance to them
bringing her in.*
A crackle was heard as the man lit a solitary match, tossing it in the waste basket, where
he had thrown in papers
(close up of a file marked "Manticore Designation: X5-452, underneath is a file marked
"Rodriguez, Lucia D. Surrogate #245324) The flames danced around the files, singeing the papers
inside.
*I have done all I can to cover up the trails that have been made, but I cannot guarantee you're safety or your life anymore. There will be a time when you and X5-452 will finally run out of luck.*
The typing stopped, and the whir of a printer took it's place. The man slid the not into a non descript envelope, writing down a single address.
"Sergeant." The man called out, not looking up from the envelope.
A young man in a beret and fatigues entered the small room. "Sir?"
The man handed him the envelope "Deliver this ASAP"
"Yes sir Cornel" the sergeant stated crisply, taking the letter from him
After he left, Cornel Donald Lydecker removed his glasses, rubbing his tired eyes before deleting the document on his computer.
(Fade to Black)
*****
END
I had several ideas on how to end this, but finally decided to do it this way. As much as I wanted Max and Lucia to have this tearful reunion I think if DA ever did do this it wouldn't be that happy. How many of you guessed that Lydecker was the one writing the notes to Lucia? (everyone raises their hands) I wanted to bring the Col. back, he's an interesting character.
Hope you liked the begining segment with Zack and Max. I know that Max said she wasn't
really a sport's fan, I love b-ball and I had "Smooth Chick" by Missy Elliot in my head and that's what happened.
I will bring Lucia back in other chapters, not gonna just leave it at this, Max and her momma need more time together. Also Lexi should be saying her first words soon, so that's something else to write about, should it be "momma?" "daddy?" "Manticore?"..heh, yeah, um no..I'll think about it.
Well R/R on this tenth addition, and thanks for being patient for me to get it here.