Yadda :) Thank you all for your reviews! It makes a writer feel good!!!

ASHLEYVASJ123: There probably will be some M/A in this story but you'll have to wait some chapters for that.

cOOkieMonster: Thanks:) I hope you'll love this one too.

Divine Fighter: Same for you. Thanks a lot.

tylee17: Well, I've always thought if there is a 453 why shouldn't there be a 451? I hope I can keep up with the whole family thing that certainly will evole with Max and 451. But well, we will see. Thank you.

Taeniaea: Thanks. I hope you're still reading.

To all of you thank you for your reviews. Keeps motivating me :)

Seattle, the present

Max was furious. She was absolutely sure this day couldn't go anywhere more FUBAR than it already had. First there had been Normal who of course couldn't hold back his usual bickering. Of course on a normal day she could have coped with that. But in the last few weeks things had been a little rough so it had taken all of her self-control not to bite of his head and lose the only job that was available to her at moment. Second one of Logan's Eyes Only missions had turned out to be much more difficult meaning that she had been dealing with a dozen armed mob gangsters instead of two or three of the usual idiots and last but not least one of Lydeckers commandos had come much too close for her comfort and she had ended up running through the most filthy streets of this city which resulted in her clothing to be an absolutely stinky mess. No this day couldn't become any worse but at least now she was at home and hopefully next morning there would be some sort of silver strife at the horizon.

She took of her dirty clothes and tossed them into the laundry basket and went into the bathroom to wash herself. For a moment she even considered taking a bath but all the effort it would take her to prepare enough hot water was too much for her, even with being an X5 and disciplined and all. She was just too worn out.

When she exited the bathroom she finally felt somewhat clean and almost her usual self when the phone rang. She groaned and picked it up.

"Yes?" she asked quite harshly. This better had to be important.

"Max?" Logan's voice.

"Who else should it be?"

"Is everything okay?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Well" he replied a little bit uncertain because of her aggressive voice, "I just wanted to know that everything is okay after that incident tonight."

"Incident?" That guy had nerves. "Those mafia bullies were trying to make swiss cheese out of me! You bet your ass this was everything but just an incident, Logan!"

"Look, I'm sorry, my intel wasn't correct. It won't happen again!"

"Damn right!" she snorted.

"I'm really sorry; it was not supposed to happen like that. I really thought it would be easy recon." He truly sounded sorry and Max silently acknowledged that even the big Eyes Only could make miscalculations even she didn't see. But she was too angry with him at the moment to say that out loud.

"It was a long night, Logan, and I have to work tomorrow." Poor excuse, he knew she hardly ever needed to sleep, but she didn't care. "Goodnight, Logan."

"Wait", he exclaimed, "don't just…"

But it was too late and he all heard was the dial tone. Sighing he considered letting her rest and calm down a little bit would be the best thing now.

Max on the other side wasn't about to rest at all. She was still full of adrenaline and decided that perhaps a trip to her own high place would help her coming down a little. It was not long after that that the sound of a Ninja could be heard through the mostly deserted streets of Seattle.

At the same time but on the outside of the city a black helicopter landed within a small military compound. There were a few tents and a couple of black Humvees illuminated by mobile floodlights. Some soldiers could be seen standing around and talking while others were hidden around the small base and doing their guard duty.

Two soldiers in desert camouflage suits jumped out of the helicopter as soon as it had touched the ground grabbed their gear and walked towards the tent in the middle. The first one was a young woman about twenty. She had her black hair in a military haircut and intense green eyes. Her tall and slender figure seemed almost too small for the military clothes she wore but the way she walked and the fact that she had her eyes always focused straight ahead told any bystander that this woman was a lot more dangerous than a first look would give away.

The same could be said for the man that followed her. He was the same age and had the same hair color and haircut but his eyes were of a cold grey. He was slightly taller than his companion but he moved exactly the same way she did and as with her there was an aura of danger around him. They were predators; everybody around them who looked intensely enough could see that. But the other soldiers knew that they were not in danger from the newly arrived X5, after all they were their predators, so they only acknowledged them from time to time with a small nod before turning back to their own respective business.

The two entered the tent in the center of the base and stood at attention before the only desk that whs in the middle of them.

"X5-451 and X5-301 reporting as ordered, sir!" the man barked.

Lydecker looked up from his laptop and scrutinized his two top soldiers. They looked slightly odd with their desert camo on. They looked fine but their mission report he had before him told him otherwise.

"At ease, soldiers", he finally ordered. "I heard you got wounded, 451?"

"Yes, sir! Bullet in my left shoulder. It went right through and should be good within a few days. I'm still operational."

The colonel nodded in agreement. Even his kids got shot sometimes - they were not gods after all – and Teheran was definitely not a nice place to be these days.

"I'm glad to hear that. Both of you deserve some rest but I have a new assignment for you." He pulled out a photo and handed it over to them. "This was taken a few days ago during an operation of the federal police in Seattle."

The picture had been taken with night vision gear and showed a slender woman with shoulder length and dark curly hair.

"We believe it's X5-452."

"Has she been located yet?" 301 asked but the colonel shook his head silently pleased with the way they took the unexpected news.

"Negative. The feds lost her that's why you two are here. Your mission is to find 452 and bring her back. Alive."

"Is there any information where we should start looking, sir?" 451 was looking intensely at the picture. It didn't give them much. Neither her face nor any special marks were recognizable.

"Not exactly, but you can assume she will not hide in the open. She knows we're after her. You will have no backup for this mission, we will move back to Gilette tomorrow. If absolutely necessary you are to contact me directly. Questions?"

"None, sir" the two X5 answered in unison.

"Very well. Then I have one: Will it be a problem for you to go after a '09er?"

"No, sir" 451 answered immediately.

"No, sir. We'll bring her home" 301 responded a little bit more kindly. She didn't show it but she looked forward to bring one of her siblings - even if it was a rogue sister of another unit - home where they all belonged.

"Good. Contact Sergeant Major Donohue, he has all of your equipment ready. Dismissed."

The two soldiers saluted and left silently.

The next day Max was on her bike on an early morning run when suddenly she had a strange feeling. It was nothing she could put her finger on but she felt like something bad was going to happen. She quickly glanced around but there was nothing suspicious. She shook her head and continued her route. Perhaps she was just getting too antsy.