Chapter six – the mission part two
What if, in the escape of '09, Max hadn't escaped with the others? What if Jondy had tried to save her when she fell in the ice, but in the end they both got caught?
…
'10
"Good. Then let's go." Max got up, and followed Alec into the forest.
She had only taken two steps into the forest when Alec stopped her.
"What?" Max asked.
"We need a plan."
"I never would have thought of that," Max replied sarcastically, "Now what do you propose we do?"
"Well, I was thinking that we could split up, but stay within sight of each other," Alec suggested.
"Well, if it means I get a mile away from you, then fine by me."
"A mile... but I said..."
Max cut in, "You said within sight of each other, and I can see you a mile away, not that I'd want to."
"Oh you do, you just don't want to admit it."
"Admit what? That I want to get as far away from you as possible? Because that's all I can think about at the minute."
"Yeah right, you wouldn't."
"I wouldn't?"
"No. You don't want to."
"Oh I do and I will. Goodbye."
Max stalked off, leaving Alec in stunned silence. It took him ten seconds to realize what had happened, before he ran after her.
"Wait, Max, please wait!" he yelled after her.
Max turned to face him. "What do you want?"
"Look, much as you don't want to admit it, we have to work together. And to work together means that we have to be talking to each other, and we can't do that while you're fighting with me."
"I'm fighting with you? You were the one who started this."
"Me?"
"You 494. You were the one who flicked my nose and started all of this."
"Oh yeah. I did didn't I 452."
"Don't call me 452 or I'll kick your ass."
"Oh will you now?"
Max kicked him in the stomach, and then punched his left arm. Alec swung his fist, aiming at Max's face, but Max caught his hand, and spun him around so that she had him in a headlock again.
"Would you quit with the headlocks Max?"
"No. Now, how about I let you go, and you promise not to say another word to me for the rest of the day?"
"Sorry Maxie, no can do."
"My name is Max. Not 452, or Maxie or anything else. Max."
"The others in your unit call you Maxie."
"They're my brothers and sisters. They are allowed to."
"And I'm not considered a brother."
"Not ever going to happen Alec."
"Why not?"
"Look, how about we just get on with the mission already?"
"Why so anxious Max?"
"Because isn't that the criminal we're supposed to be catching?" Max asked, pointing at a man who was standing in a clearing not far away from them, catching his breath.
"Uh yeah. You'd better make the discovery signal. Then we have to watch him."
"I know that Alec." Max let go of Alec and lifted her hands to her mouth. She made a soft cooing noise, like a pigeon. She repeated it three times, before looking around for Alec. She found him kneeling behind a shrub, watching the criminal.
Max crept over and sat next to him, waiting to see if he had noticed her. When he didn't, she poked him in the side.
"What?" he whispered.
"Just making sure you're still alive."
"Why do you care?"
"I don't." Max huffed, angry with herself for making him think that she cared. Because she didn't. Not one little bit.
Turning back to the criminal, Max could tell that he was breathing properly again, and was about to start moving. She watched as he stretched out, and began walking away, in the direction of the perimeter fence. She tapped Alec's shoulder, and signaled for him to start following the criminal, while she made the discovery signal again.
Ten minutes later, the eight of them in their team sat in a tree, watching the man drink from a small stream that ran through the woods.
"What do we do 598?" Cyan asked once the man had sat down out of hearing range.
"We have to place this bug on him, without him knowing. Then we have to track him throughout the day."
"We know that 598, but how are we going to bug him?" Alec asked.
"One of us will have to sneak up behind where he is sitting, and discretely place the bug on his neck. It will attach itself to his skin, and will not fall off. He may feel a slight pain, and turn around, so the soldier who does it will have to get away fast. Understood?"
Alec smiled. "Who's going to do it?"
"452 is." 598 replied.
"452? You mean Max is going to be the one doing this?"
"What did you call 452?"
"Max. Why?"
"Who gave you permission to call 452 by anything other than her designation?"
"I did. So what?"
"So what? You will not use those unnecessary titles. You will only use a soldiers designation."
"We all have names here. Max, Jondy, Sam, Toni, Blak, Cyan and me, Alec. Why can't we use them?"
"Because you will use a soldiers designation when you refer to them. If I hear any more about these silly names, then I will report you to the Colonel."
"Why? Are you jealous because you don't have a name? We can give you one."
"I will not have a name. I am a soldier and I have a designation. I am 598, and your CO. If you persist with this, I will be forced to take you out of the field, and place you into solitary confinement for as long as I deem necessary. I am sure the Colonel would not object. That goes for all you of you. Understood?"
"Yes sir." Barked the other six.
"494?"
"Yes sir. I understand."
"Good. Now 452, here is the bug. Make sure that the criminal does not suspect anything at all. The Colonel said that you were the best at stealth, now show me how good you are. On your way soldier."
Max hoped down from the tree and began walking toward where the criminal was sitting. She was thinking over what 598 said when a hand tapped her on the shoulder. She spun around, about to attack, when she saw that it was only Alec.
"What?" she whispered hotly, hoping that 598 wasn't close enough to hear.
"Nothing. I have to wait for you. I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry for getting you into trouble with 598."
"Alec. Let me do this, then we can talk."
Max crept over to the tree that the criminal was standing under, and silently climbed up onto the first branch. When she looked around the trunk, she saw that the criminal's neck was just below her eyes. She leant around the trunk, and slowly moved her hand forward, with the bug in her fingers. Stretching, she gently placed the bug on his neck and quickly pulled back, jumped onto the ground and silently ran back to where Alec was waiting for her.
"Now, what were you saying Alec?"