Chapter 7: Goodbye to you

"What do you mean that he got away?" White snarled standing in front of any empty cell. "He wasn't in any shape to do anything by himself." He could already see his plan go up in flames. He'd almost been done with his experiments then he'd have sent him back to her.

"We don't know how it happened, but they came for him." Otto replied sounding almost brave, but under his cool exterior, he was terrified.

"Was she here?" was Whites' simple question, to which Otto simply shock his head no.

All unit leaders where in the conference room, if you could call it that. It was the biggest room around for all of them to fit all at once. They'd were discussing the familiars and the increasing threat they caused for the transgenic's.

"We need to start fighting back." Riene furiously voiced his anger. "Again this week I lost two people."

"It's really bad Max; we can't keep waiting on something specific." Biggs spoke next. Somehow, this felt wrong, the way they were all jumping on Max. Truth needed to be told, she was the leader, and she was the one holding them back from taking the fight to the familiars. Somehow, she was to blame; there was no easy way against it. "We know that things are difficult for you, what with everything that's happened..."

Max stood up and glared at him interrupting his phrase. "This has nothing to do with any of my decisions. You are never to speak about it again, understand." She never noticed but she was breathing down Biggs throat ready to punch a fist through his head. Taking a step back and taking a breath, she headed back to her chair. "What can we do exactly against them? They don't feel pain and are equal fighters to us. I know where losing men, believe me I know. I think for now we should start pairing up. No one leave TC alone."

"This is ridiculous." one yelled.

"That's your wonderful plan?" another mocked.

"We should never have trusted a '09er." one accused.

Max stood there furious and drained. She couldn't help it, she thought they were right. She didn't know what she was doing. She'd run away from the exact thing she was doing now. Being a soldier. No one knew exactly what the familiars plan was and so she waited. But people, her people were paying the price because she didn't know.

His voice wasn't soft or soothing; it was hard and controlling with a hint of menace. "We're going to start training harder and longer. We're going to start defending what's our and post importantly we're not taking anyone's' crap anymore."

All eyes turned to the figure at the door. "Yes, sir." was heard from everyone, that is everyone but Max who seemed stunned. Alec nodded to them a dismissed look.

Once everyone had left Max walked to him, "Alec, you shouldn't be here." she put her hand on his arm as a friendly gesture. When he felt her touch him, it was like he'd been burned and he pulled his arm away in a haste. "What's..."

"I don't need you telling me what to do." Alec declared irately as he turned and headed out. "I'm taking my position back." he stated without turning to look at the expression on her face. What the hell was that? Max wondered, she was completely speechless.

She sat down trying to understand what that was or even who that was. He never acted like that, since she knew him that was. Maybe except for that time where Berrisford was screwing with him. Still it wasn't Alec, never had he raised his voice, threatened or even dared her so viciously. Not even that night, the night she used him. I need to talk to him. Max thought getting up and going in the direction she'd seen him go.

When he'd woken up in fear, he tried to get his nightmare out of his head. The memories were persistent flooding him with them.

She'd tried to kill him. She was a traitor like he'd been taught back at Manticore. She'd tried to kill him. She was a traitor even now, she was probably working with White. He had to prove it. She'd try to kill him again. We'll see about that, bitch. Alec promised himself.

Arriving at HQ he wondered where everyone was until Bullet told him there was a meeting. He was about to open the door when he heard Riene complaining his concerns, followed by Biggs. Hearing Max order, them not to do anything only proved his suspicions right. Fueled his anger.

After leaving, her behind he wondered if he'd done the right thing. He didn't want her to get suspicious of him. He didn't want her to know that he remember, it wasn't the right time. When she came after him, he'd told her they'd talk later he had other things to do at the time. She'd nodded and walked away.

He'd been an expert back at Manticore when they practiced escape and evade. To which he was now thankful for that training. It proved useful as he avoided Max for the rest of the day. Nothing was making since to him and no one had a straight answer for him, he didn't know what to believe anymore. His dreams, fantasies or nightmares whatever they were weren't helping anything. One his with her completely in her where he thought he belonged. Another he was arguing with her after pushing Asha away about Logan. Now it was her trying to kill him. Confused couldn't describe how he felt. There was only one thing he knew for sure, Max needed to leave.

He'd spotted her talking with Joshua, "Max, can we talk?" He waited as she said goodbye to Josh and lead her outside where they'd be in private. "I'm not sure how to say this."

"Whatever it is Alec you can talk to me. Is it about what happened to you?" Max questioned trying to read his expression.

"I'm not talking about that with you." Alec snapped anger overtaking him. "Look, Max, I need you to leave. I want you to go, I can't stand to be around you. You have 15 minutes to get out before you're escorted out." Alec could have slapped her in the face and it wouldn't have hurt as much as his words had. She couldn't find words to say, hell she couldn't find her voice to save her life as she watched his retreating back.

Nodding to Mole as he closed his office door he waited, he wasn't sure if she'd try anything. If she were smart, she'd leave quietly.

Of all the things I believed in

I just want to get it over with

Tears form behind my eyes, but I do not cry

Counting the days that pass me by

I've been searching deep down in my soul

Words that I'm hearing are starting to get old

It feels like I'm starting all over again

The last three years were just pretend

And I said goodbye to you

Goodbye to everything that I knew

You were the one I loved

The one thing that I tried to hold on to