Disclaimer: All characters and settings from Dark Angel belong solely to their creator, which is most definitely not me, I'm just playing around.

Authors Note: Thank you to all readers particularly those who have submitted a review or added this story to their alerts or favourites. I really appreciate it. Sorry it's taken so long to update, but with uni work, and my brother in hospital, plus managing to write myself into a corner I've been stuck with this one. I don't know how many times I've rewritten it. This is also fairly short as I just wanted to get them to meet finally. Please read and Review.


Chapter 3 – A Plan in Motion

"Alright let's just get this over with" 494 said as he looked at the guards surrounding him. To gain her trust he had to take drastic action, and making it look believable that he was in the same boat as she was would be the first step. So that meant he had to be on the receiving end of a beating.

494 stood his ground in the centre of the circle of ten guards as they each took turns with their batons to beat him. After numerous hits he felt himself drop to the ground as they continued hitting him.

"That's enough" he heard the Colonel's voice say after what felt like hours had passed. 494 could barely open his left eye it was so badly swollen, he could also feel the bruises that covered his face and body starting to show up. Just remember it'll be worth it in the end. He thought to himself.

Gingerly he got up to his knees trying not to collapse again. "Take him down to the cell opposite 452" he heard the Colonel order two of the guards before he felt them grab him under his arms and begin to drag him down to the basement.

Max had just been returned to her cell again after another day of pure torture. At least she thought it was just another day. In the dark gloom of her cell she could just make out the bruises that covered her body. Her long dark brown hair lay limp and her olive skin had a greyish tinge as though all the life was being drained out of her.

Suddenly she heard an outer door open and the sounds of two people walking. It sounded as though a third person was being half carried half dragged across the ground. Quickly she settled back on her bunk. The footsteps seemed to stop outside her cell, and she could clearly hear the door opposite hers opening. She heard a thump as the body was dropped onto the cot before the two footsteps faded away again.

After silence returned except for her own breathing and the shallow breathing of whoever was in the cell opposite her Max rose from her bunk, and made her way to her cell door.

"Are you alright" she whispered to the other occupant.

After a few moments of silence Max started to regret asking the question. "I'm always alright" she suddenly heard a husky male voice say from the cell across from her. Max didn't know why but she couldn't help the smile that came to her lips at the sound of his voice.

494 couldn't help the smirk, which quickly turned to a grimace as the bruising on his cheek was pulled, at 452's compassion towards him, before he answered with his trademark phrase. In a way it was true he was always all right. Or at least he always managed to pretend he was anyway.

494 was too sore at the moment to be able to work on her too much. Besides he heard her settle down on her cot as though she was going away to go to sleep. Tomorrow he would proceed with his plan in getting her to trust him. Once he managed that he could work on convincing her to just go along with Manticore. Then he could form his own unit. He'd already started to plan out which X5's he'd take into his team. All he had to do was complete this mission.

Elizabeth Renfro sat in her office glued to the monitor's as she watched the cells which contained 452 and 494. Trust Deck to choose his golden boy to work on 452. Although she controlled the base he controlled the unit's themselves. She pulled up 494's file on her computer. He certainly was an exceptional soldier. Apart from the Berrisford fiasco and his twin's defection he had an impeccable record, although he was far too independent especially for a reconditioned unit.

The plan he'd set in motion to gain 452's trust was well thought out as well, pretending to be undergoing Psy ops himself. He was definitely one to watch. It was just a shame he could no longer be trusted for solo ops, though he would certainly make an excellent unit leader with all the extra training he'd received to undergo solo ops.

She knew the incentive that Deck had offered the boy, and although personally she didn't feel it would be wise for him to choose his own unit she had to admit it would be an interesting experiment to see just who and what skills 494 decided to pick out if he succeeded. She would place one demand on that though 452 had to join his unit. It would be interesting to see if their prodigal X5 could submit to the X5 who was using her to get ahead.

A small smile played on her face as she saw both X5's settle down on their cots. It was only a matter of time before 452 would start to give in. She was sure of it. If not she'd have both of them terminated.