a/n: Sorry that this update took a bit longer than I wanted. Thanks to Deirax, timetowaste247, lakergirl08, christique, purplebunnywabbit, and src13 for your kind reviews! Hopefully this chapter will not disappoint! One question is definitely answered...


Chapter 8

Max woke up with a smile that had been missing for the past several days. In Alec's absence, she'd realized how much happier she was with him around.

She had known for quite some time now her true feelings for him. It was herself that had placed a veil over her eyes regarding him.

But now that it was lifted, she was free to enjoy fulfilling what she truly wanted. And what she wanted right then was to get a nice good morning kiss!

Max turned her head around with an excited grin only to find the smile fade from her face. She was staring at an empty lump of covers where Alec had fallen asleep the night before.

Now where has he gotten to?, she wondered with a quiet sigh. He'd seemed so happy to see her again last night, and he still hadn't told her anything about Canada. She didn't think he would leave without at least filling her in on something.

As Max got up with a stretch, her eyes scanned the clock and surprise immediately spread across her face. It was far from being the morning! She'd slept in until past 4 o'clock!

Right on cue, Max heard the faint vibrating of her pager in the opposite room. She rushed to see who she'd missed hearing from, hoping to see Alec's number.

Max had missed 4 calls. Two from Cindy, one from Normal, and one from… "Alec!" Max said, grinning despite the fact that she'd have to come up with a new excuse for missing work for the day.

Max immediately picked up the phone and punched in Alec's number. More than likely, he had gone to work and allowed her to sleep.

Unfortunately, his phone only rang once before the voicemail picked up. Max hung up without leaving a message.

Hmm.., she thought, wondering why his phone would be off right then.

Max decided not to worry about that for now, and instead dialed Cindy's number to gage what kind of an excuse she'd need to offer Normal tomorrow for why she'd skipped out on work.

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The wind was blowing stronger than he remembered. He'd only been up here one other time before. It really was on top of it all, the 'high place'. He scanned the space needle to see if he had his scheduled company yet.

The city really looks dead from up here, he noted, staring below. All the mindless unknowns, bustling about their day, as if whether they made it to work on time today even mattered. Or rather, made it home, he corrected himself, as he stared at his watch. Just where was 'eyesonly4u'? I may be waiting for a while, he realized with a sigh.

It only gave him more time to contemplate Max. Just the person he didn't want to think about, even though she was his reason for being there to begin with. She's my mission, he reminded himself, recalling in his mind his training for this moment of being in Seattle to find Max.

"Can you do this 493?" Renfro asked him. She knew he was ready physically and mentally. It was all about motivation. He didn't exactly appear enthusiastic to take on a new mission even though he'd already been briefed and gone through preliminary training for the successful execution of her plan.

"Yes, Ma'am," he responded accordingly. He really was ready. He couldn't remember his own personality, so having one spoon-fed to him wasn't such a difficult task.

"Practice," she demanded.

"Ma'am?" he asked for clarity, unsure what she meant. How am I supposed to do this with her? She was always 494's superior.

"Come on, Alec," she demanded, giving special emphasis to the name. "Let's see what you've got. I don't want to send you into the field only to tip off 452 that we're onto her."

"What do you want?" he asked more directly. He still didn't know what it was that was expected of him in this moment.

"Pretend I'm Max," she offered.

493 almost laughed. "With all due respect, Ma'am. Even in play land, Max is irreplaceable. I could never effectively picture you as her." Ben held in his mind the image he'd been shown of his grown up sister. Strangely, he held no brotherly affections or regard for her, though he did have to shake the overwhelming urge to keep her safe. A soldier had no room for sentimentality getting in the way of carrying out the mission. His brother Zack had taught him that well enough.

Thoughts of Zack assaulted 493 as he remembered his brother's overbearing personality and orders. Ben…he realized. My name is Ben.

Renfro smiled with pride at his blunt response. "There he is!" she commented. "That smart-ass poor excuse of a soldier, 494. You paid attention in training."

"Were you expecting otherwise?" Ben snapped at her confidently. He was careful to portray the image of Alec to her. But his mind was struggling at remembering his own identity.

Part of Ben didn't want to remember who he once was. He had a horrible feeling that 'Ben' ought to be buried forever to never return. Besides, being 'Alec' was much easier than trying to figure out his own complex identity. And Ben had to admit, playing Alec had its perks. He had never really taken a liking to Renfro. In his eyes, Lydecker was always his one true superior. At least in this way, he could insult her and still somehow satisfy her. As he contemplated her twisted nature, he found himself getting disgusted and focused to quit that train of thought before he got carried away.

"Good," Renfro continued to compliment him. "Now you fully understand your mission?"

"Successfully con X5-452 into believing I'm her trusted sidekick, otherwise known as Alec."

"And?" Renfro demanded impatiently. That was hardly the most important part of her plan.

"I wasn't finished," he responded rudely. "Geez! It wouldn't kill you to work on your patience!" After her response of another satisfied grin at his successful transformation, he continued. "I am to earn 452's full trust and retrieve any information that might lead to finding the whereabouts of-"

"Don't say his name!" Renfro interrupted with an unexpected order.

493 stifled a laugh. This time he wasn't just being condescending and rude simply to play his role. He truly found amusement in her hatred of the man. "Madame Director, I never pictured you to be so superstitious. Is his name now a taboo? You should have mentioned that in my briefing."

As Ben recalled his conversation with the director, he found himself considering something else she should have told him in the briefing. He replayed in his mind Max's reaction upon realizing it was Alec.

They're together, he realized with a hard swallow. That certainly wasn't brought up in his briefing. It would have been a good advantage to know ahead of time that he was expected to kiss and hold her.

But holding Max wasn't new for Ben. He'd always tried to comfort her when they were younger. As soon as he had taken her into his arms and had her scent surround him, he found himself remembering. He'd done so before, so many times.

But not like it was at the penthouse. When they were younger, it was different. As he held her in that penthouse, he could feel her love for the man holding her. It affected him even more than his memories, this beautiful love that she carried for him.

But it's not me, he realized with a frown. It was Alec that Max wanted. It was Alec that she was with.

It's not my place, anyway, Ben told himself. Jealousy was a new feeling for him, and one that he didn't want to experience any more. The fact that Max cared for Alec was just another facet to his mission. Now that he knew this, he simply had to adjust the way he carried the whole thing out, keeping it in mind.

Thoughts of his mission drew him back to contemplating his previous conversation with Renfro.

"Well I'm mentioning it now!" she snapped at him. He was thoroughly annoying with his cocky, smart-ass attitude. But it was exactly what the mission called for, so she couldn't help being pleased at his current persona.

"There's one more thing you need to be aware of before you go," she told him.

"What's that?" he asked, speaking entirely out of command. He really had successfully taken on the cocky, self-serving smart-ass's personality. The realization only increased his confidence and anticipation of the mission at hand.

"452, or Max, as you are going to refer to her as," she began. "The two of you are a high match for breeding capabilities."

Possibilities flashed through 493's mind, but he couldn't find the answer within as to what exactly that meant or what it had to do with his mission. "What do you mean?" he asked her.

"I paired her up with 494 as breeding partners before due to their high compatibility. I wanted successful copulation and it just so happens that their DNA is a very good match."

"So I need to act hot and bothered by her?" he asked smartly.

Renfro laughed coldly at his naivety. "You won't have to act," she informed him. "You and 494 are twinned, if you didn't put two and two together." She paused for effect. "You and 494 have very similar genetic sequences." She let him finish connecting the dots.

"So Max and I are also highly compatible breeding partners," he finished.

"You're not breeding partners," she told him. "494 is her assigned partner. I'm just offering you a warning."

"And what is that?" he asked.

"Don't get carried away or too caught by surprise when you find yourself forgetting about the mission and getting wrapped up in your own animal desires for her."

493 found her assumptions of his primal reactions insulting. He was a soldier above all else. He couldn't believe she was doubting his abilities in the mission before it even began. "Why don't you try and hold in your surprise when I am successful in this mission," he responded confidently.

"Did you gather what I just told you?" she asked him, again showing her impatience.

"I'm going to be turned on by Max. Point noted," he replied. "So when am I leaving for my mission?"

"Immediately," she answered. "You're ready."

Ben swallowed as he again thought of Max. He hadn't anticipated having to kiss her, but it was clearly what she wanted from Alec. He did what he had to do for his mission.

But it wasn't so much the affectionate act that bothered him. It was his own reaction to the taste and feel of Max's lips. He hadn't just enjoyed it. When he'd tasted Max, he felt a desire burn within him that was almost out of control. Max, too, had noticed. It had almost cost him blowing his cover.

Ben smirked at his own limitations. So Renfro was right. He needed to keep his desires in check. But she's not all-knowing, Ben commented in his mind of the director with a satisfied smirk. She hadn't known about the intensity of Max and Alec's relationship. She'll be expecting it in my report, he realized. For the time being, he wasn't so sure that he was going to mention that detail to her. He was more than certain she had left out a few details herself in informing him of his past.

Ben breathed a heavy sigh as he considered his current situation. For the time being, he felt like he should follow the mission. Whoever he truly was, he still had the overwhelming desire to be the very best soldier he could possibly be.

But the motivation is difficult when you hate your director, he realized, again smirking as he realized that his mind was finally safe from her. At least for now, he could enjoy the liberty of leaving out whatever details he wanted. He was on a solo mission, and so she would have no choice but to believe him.

That thought, as well as the natural smirking, led to another. He really was taking on the cocky, self-serving, smart-ass personality of the rogue soldier. Whether or not that was a good thing, he didn't know. It would make his mission easier. As well as manipulating Max.

The thought of using Max's desires against her didn't sit well with Ben. But he wouldn't allow himself to reflect any further on that. Get it together, soldier!, he told himself. If he was to succeed the way he intended, he couldn't afford to second-guess himself or his mission.

Which is why he was actually grateful when he noticed a slight change in the wind atop the Space Needle at that moment. He grinned while remaining hidden in the darkness. Finally he could do what it was he did best. He never wasted time second-guessing his actions as a soldier. His hazel eyes narrowed upon his current target. Finally, the man had arrived.


a/n: Thanks for reading! I would love a review! Sorry to again leave a clifie, but that means you'll know for sure who it is at the start of the next chap!