Epilogue

"Destiny is no matter of chance. It is a matter of choice: It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved." (William Jennings Bryan)

Max wondered if there would ever come a time in her life when she didn't need to spend time in the sewers of Seattle. In theory she could come and go from Terminal City with relative freedom, or at least with police protection, but this was a trip that she didn't want made public. There were too many lives at risk.

The Losers, even now the name seemed strange to her, but she owed them so much. They'd done more than rescue Alec, more than stay with him, provide him with something to hang onto for long enough that he could start to recover. They'd also worked to provide a better image of the Transgenics. She didn't fully know what had happened for them to no longer be part of the military, but they'd spoken out of a mission served alongside Alec. They'd had faces and voices disguised for everyone's safety, but they'd given enough detail to the media for people to see that Alec had been an honorable and loyal soldier, serving his country as his leaders dictated, saving lives, fighting for freedom. Although Alec had been out of the media eye since this had all begun, it had kept his image there and present so that when he was well again, he'd be able to take back up his work.

Or he would be able to if he wanted. Max had to admit that Alec had changed. She couldn't be sure what he'd want when he was finally well enough to have an opinion.

Sam Carr. He'd been unbelievable in the work he'd done, the risks he'd taken and the time and effort he'd put in, first to ensuring Alec could recover and secondly in attempting to implement the changes that he, Clemente and Alec had been working on to provide medical help to the Transgenics inside Terminal City. She didn't like to think too closely of all he'd given up to work for the future of her kind. It was something they would never be able to repay. Alec had identified key personnel inside Terminal City, the Xs who'd had the most medical training. Sam Carr had worked with them to improve what they could offer to their own kind, he'd ensured they had access to legitimate drugs so that Transgenics could be treated. The increase in seizures had abated; they were screening all Transgenics now for changes and trying to predict where genetic sequences were breaking down.

It had all moved so quickly, it was unbelievable they'd come so far. Incomprehensible that Alec had achieved so much before he'd been taken that it had been little more than working out logistics to put it into action. Yes, there had been problems, rioters diverting supplies and the like, but at least there was a supply, it was something to work on, to improve and protect. Without Alec, it wouldn't have existed.

Clemente had also set up food supplies as well. It wasn't enough, but again it was something, more than they'd had. It was the start of a future, something to build on. He'd also arranged for supplies of soil and seeds; all the materials for them to start to grow their own food. Teams were working to create gardens. It was something they knew nothing about, outside everyone's experience, but Luke and his team had found the information and now volunteers were clearing spaces, turning vacant lots into productive land. Nobody knew if it would work. Clemente himself had admitted that given the state of Terminal City, the levels of toxicity in the ground might mean it would never work, but it was something to try, a start to being productive for themselves.

She checked around her as she walked down the last street to her destination. There was no sign of anyone following her, paying her any attention. She walked up the steps to the door and knocked. The door was opened quickly as if they'd known she was about to knock.

"Hey," she said, trying to be friendly, yet still feeling unsure amongst these strangers.

"Hey. Good to see you." It was Jensen and seemingly he was ready to chatter. He reminded her of Sketchy in a way, random facts spouted continually and no sense of boundaries or propriety. Yet Alec liked him, seemed relaxed by him. When she'd spoken to him, he'd talked fondly of Jensen, saying that she should pay more attention to him because he was clever, quick and that he was stimulating to listen to. He was easier to be around than some of his team mates, Max would concede that, although he seemed to get flustered around her and his attempts at flirting were actually laughable and Max had heard some really bad pick-up lines in her time.

She listened as he jumped from one topic to the next, new information that he'd found about clearing toxic waste that he thought might be useful to the Transgenics, ideas for regulating their power supplies so they could have better amenities. It was heartening to hear someone be so positive, want to help for no reason other than they could.

She crossed the room behind Jensen, who paused before Alec's door, falling suddenly silent. He bit his lip and said, "Go easy on him today. . . It's not a good day."

He knocked, then stepped aside to let her go in alone. She opened the door and saw as Cougar helped Alec back to a chair. He lowered himself carefully and she could see the tight expression of pain, although he didn't make a sound.

Three months and he could still barely move across a room on his own half the time. "Max," he said softly.

"Hey," she said softly, crossing to sit on the end of his bed and take his hand.

"Thanks Cougs," he'd said as his almost silent companion headed for the door. Cougar had given him a smile before leaving. "Sorry," he said turning his attention back to Max, although she had no idea what he was apologizing for.

"Jensen said you're not having a good day," she said.

"I'm okay." For a moment she thought he wasn't going to say anymore, but then he took a deep breath and his quiet rasp continued, "Doc and I have agreed to reduce the meds again. It – it just takes a bit of getting used to."

Max knew it was an understatement. They'd discovered that the drugs Alec had been given could be broken down by the body, but only if Alec experienced the pain. She hadn't really understood the mechanics of it all, but in essence pain broke down the compounds and allowed the body to excrete them; the difficulty was in finding the balance. Too much pain and the body would fight itself rather than the compounds killing Alec bit by bit, too little and Alec would remain in the limbo half life that the pain reduction drug allowed.

She knew he was battling through it, struggling to cope with as much as he could, constantly trying to beat the obstacles. She'd spoken with Sam Carr and he'd assured her that Alec was doing everything they could ask and more to try and heal. It gave her the patience she needed with him now, knowing that this wasn't some act.

"How's Joshua?" Alec asked. She was reminded again of the suffering he'd gone through, his voice still raspy despite the time that had passed.

"He's good, missing you. Wishing he could come and see you. He's been painting. He's done one for you, we just couldn't quite figure out a way for me to get it to you. I think maybe I'll get it to Clemente after one of the supply runs and then he could bring it to you."

"Tell him I said thanks." She saw a flicker of a grimace pass over his pale features. "I talked with Lieutenant Clemente. We had some ideas . . . skills that Transgenics could offer from inside Terminal City . . ." He paused, breathing unsteadily, eyes closed as a wave of pain crested. She waited for it to pass, relieved when his eyes finally opened again and looked at her with another apology.

"Don't, Alec, don't apologize."

"There were things I was working on . . ." he sighed. "I know it's all falling to you now, I'm sorry."

"People are helping. Luke's been great. He's also managed to find some of the more reliable X5s, the ones who aren't involved in trying to set up rival gangs. We're dividing the work between more of us, but it'll be good to have you back when you're ready. You need to get well first and that's going to take a bit more time."

He nodded slowly, then added, "Sam says another couple of months and it should be out of my system, then – then it'll just be a matter of building up strength and stamina properly. I'm sorry, Max, I'm trying to beat this."

Yeah, this was a bad day, Max thought, Jensen was right. Sam had said he had them; she'd only seen two in the last three months, but she figured she'd been lucky or he'd hidden them well. Days when between the pain and the suffering, Alec couldn't see how well he was doing. Sam had also said something about the drugs meant to take the pain away also had an effect on mood, and that each time they lowered the dose Alec would suffer a mild withdrawal.

There was a knock at the door, and as she looked up, Jensen bounded into the room with his laptop, already heading over to the chest of drawers to set it up. "And here we go, your friends and neighbors . . ." As he stepped back, Max saw Joshua and Luke on the screen.

"Hey Alec," Luke called, "It's good to see you. Don't know why we hadn't thought of this before, but Jensen called this morning and well . . . here we are."

Alec smiled, the movement slow but genuine. "You're looking well," his voice was soft and Jensen stepped in closer to the machine and adjusted the volume on the mic to pick up Alec's voice more effectively.

"Did you catch that?" Jensen asked. "Alec said you're looking well."

Luke grinned and began to chatter away about modifications that he'd made to the computers following Jensen's advice and the new supply lines enabling him to get a few basic parts, nothing too fancy, although he then smirked and added that of course he knew people and so other modifications were possible.

"Joshua, how are things? Are you okay?" Max could hear the heartfelt concern, and was again reminded how much Alec had grown as a person. Joshua told him about paintings and how the medical training program was working out with Transgenics beginning to be able to treat some of their own illnesses. Joshua reached behind him and brought a painting into view, nervously explaining that he'd painted it for Alec.

Max was surprised to feel Alec's hand tighten its grip on hers and as she looked up at Alec, she saw him biting his lip and looking almost on the verge of tears. "You okay?" she murmured. He nodded, but didn't say anything for a moment or two.

The painting showed the Space Needle against a night sky, the moon bright and low with a lone figure standing, gazing out over the city below. It was beautiful but spoke of so much loneliness that Max could feel it in the air. She'd stood alone out on the Space Needle so many times over her lifetime that when she'd been joined there by Alec or found him there ahead of her, at first it had been strange. As time passed, it became less strange and her feeling of isolation had gradually reduced. She wondered if maybe Alec hadn't reached that point yet.

Alec was smiling though, so maybe he was on the way. Luke spoke again, "I know we've not got long to talk this time, but there's someone here I think you'll be pleased to see." Alec leaned forward, eager.

A girl stepped forward, X5 at a guess. "Alec . . ." she said, softly. "It's been a long time, but . . . I wanted to say thank you – you saved me."

"X5-823!" he gasped. "Y-You're alive."

"Thanks to you. The injuries . . . before . . . I'd have died. They tell me you'll be coming back in a couple of months. Maybe we could . . . meet up then."

Max looked at him again, saw a wide genuine smile, real interest in something for the future. "Yeah," he said. "That's something we could do. Y-Your name though . . . what's your name?"

"I don't have one yet – I wanted you to pick it. Once I knew you were still alive, I wanted you to pick it."

He barely hesitated before he said, "Hope – your name should be Hope. That's what we've got now. Hope for the Future and -" he looked down nervously, "I've got something to aim for."