CHAPTER 8

Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel or any of it's characters.

So much for leaving as soon as I hit New York... Max thought sadly, it had been months now, months of interferences and dodging death. The Familiars were bent on killing her and a national hit for her immediate death was out. Little did she realize before that these guys were all over the place, they worked in transportation places, food restaurants, and just the 'average' person on the street. She tried to lay low and disappear as best she could but that just didn't seem to be happening, she thought hard to change her name, but after careful thought and remembering how hard she fought to keep it, she decided not to, she'd simply add on to it. Maxine, that's what she'd tell people from now on... not Max, not Guevera, Maxine Torres, she didn't like it but then again she didn't like her new life either. She missed Logan, and Original Cindy and the gang at Terminal City and Jam Pony. Now she was reduced to a small abandoned building in a big city, somewhere in New Jersey. She cut her hair, kept it curled again, taking off a couple years of her age from her, she dressed pretty much like everyone else did, and stayed in with the big crowds, and shopped at the popular places to keep everything impersonal. She kept her senses heightened at all times, and didn't talk to or trust any one. She stole the money she needed and the food required to survive, it brought her back to when she was a kid, and ran from that foster home she left her foster sister, Lucy in, the days she hid from Manticore. Every now and then she'd sneak into a hotel or motel and shower and clean up real good, on other days, she used the cold water she hooked up herself in the bathroom she had to build from scratch in the abandoned office room she now made her home. It was bad at first but there was nothing she could do about the situation but sit tight until one of the Familiars slipped up at the bus stations and missed her slipping by. But for now they were on high alert, they knew she was around and she could almost tell who was who by looking out the window onto the street. She could see undercover cops, to federal agents, to the average familiar looking around. Some of them were unnoticed to her, and she knew that she could be missing some of them, that's why she had to be careful for now. That's why the months slipped by quite quickly almost without notice, and the unbearable days of her lying on some brand new stolen mattress dreaming about Logan and their last day seeing each other went by like a cloudy dream. She tried countless times to ride across the border in some stolen car, or motorcycle but the Familiars had those filled with their people in the sector police district, and they made sure to check all Ids before crossing, even vehicles large enough to be searched were getting pulled over. She was running out of ideas, and beginning to give up on her family and friends helping to find her.

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It had been almost five months now, he knew because he counted every single day that passed. Logan now sat in front of his computer looking at the Intel Alec, Jondy and he had collected over time, it wasn't much to go on, but it was something. It had been found out by a very angry Jondy that it wasn't an intention of Seth's or Coran's to go to war with the Familiars, they just simply wanted to go back to their old lives they had after they escaped Manticore. The very thing Max didn't want, was for the anomalies and the X series to separate and lose contact, but that was what was happening. Terminal City couldn't handle the heat the public was giving them, so slowly they dissipated into the sewers and streets, those that couldn't fit in went underground, and those that could went elsewhere to fit into the normal world. Many that thought that Manticore was regrouping, slowly figured out what was really going on, and stopped hiding and started living. Seemingly homeless kids were really X7 units, and groups of X6s traveled together lifting from trucks and shops where they could. Xs knew each other when they passed, and seemingly had a look about them that exchanged a silent hello as they walked by. Logan seen a lot of this, and only some of the anomalies and X series knew who he really was, some would give him that same look they gave each other, while others just nodded and continued on their way.

Jondy stayed in town living with Alec who lived in another location outside the city. She seemed to keep things with him tight just as Max had seemed to but still managed to fall for his little cracks every now and then. She was frustrated however with how poorly they were doing in trying to find Max, and was almost ready to give up a few times, he smiled at how that differed from Max's attitude... she would never- had never- given up when things got rough... especially when it came to her siblings. Max was dedicated to what ever it was she set her mind to, he loved that about her, and he would keep that in his mind until he saw her again. Jondy, now sitting in front of the television with all the information they had collected so far turned to face him,

"Alec...?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

"We are going to find her right? I mean, aren't we close? She's somewhere east, or maybe Canada... what do you think?"

"I think Max is lying low... and if she stays that way we'll never find her. If she did try to come back she was probably stopped somehow. If she's staying where she's at the she's probably waiting for someone to find her and bring her home. So I think we should do what Logan said for once and check any locations of a Max Guavera or someone close to that name, and check the activity they been doing in the last five months."

"Logan's doing the same here in the states?" Jondy asked but she knew the answer to that already.

"Yeah. He's been working harder on this than we have. I don't even think he sleeps anymore." Alec scoffed.

Jondy mumbled a silent agreement. "Where's Joshua today? I thought he'd be stopping by?"

"Yeah, Big Fella'll be here soon. Said he found a few things out about White's men, said it was urgent. I wonder what it is..."

"Think they found Max? Cause if they found Max then they can be followed, and we'll get to her first."

"I don't know, we'll have to sit tight until he gets here. We'll see."

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Max got tired of laying around in the sorry excuse she called home, she needed to get out- around. She began walking the street, again for the millionth time thinking of her beloved bike the one Logan got for her when he saved her from White. She thought about the last time her and Logan were together, it wasn't perfect- well, the part of her being in heat wasn't- but everything else was. He was perfect, and their life would be too if the bad guys would just leave them alone and let them live a normal life... She sighed, but that just wasn't so, White was still bent on killing her or cutting her open or whatever it was he constantly rambled on about whenever he captured her- that was when he wasn't trying to beat the information out of her on the whereabouts of his son.

Crossing the street, she decided it best to cut over to the pier using the alley system she so frequently became accustomed to in the hopes of avoiding any undercover NSA, or Familiar. She would sit by the pier and listen to the wind and waves, sometimes watching a boat or two cross her, it was the only relaxing place she could think of to let her mind and worries escape her for the time being.

She almost hit the end of the alley where she would then cross a pretty busy intersection in order to get over by the pier, when someone intentionally behind her kicked a garbaged can probably trying to get her attention. She whirled around quickly only to find a poorly dressed man covered in dirt smiling a not so friendly smile at her.

"Hello." he rasped.

"Ugh," she said "You might wanna invest in some hygiene first."

There came a sudden voice behind her, a voice that caused a chill to run down her spine,

"Or maybe, 452 you might want to come freely so we don't go through the usual song and dance. What do you say?"

Trying to keep her cool she quickly turned around and saw five Familiars standing behind him,

"What? Couldn't finish the job yourself?"

"No, just thought I might have a little help with your body when I'm done."

She swallowed, she couldn't imagine going through that again... not like the last time. But White had other plans, he pulled a baton seemingly out of nowhere and struck out extending it.

"Let's not make this hard 452."

Max jumped at him throwing a combo of kicks and punches a normal human being would get dizzy watching. She did her best to take the few punches he got in here and there, but noticed strangely that something was wrong... very wrong. Her stomach lurched and for that split second she took her eyes off of him in the horrible, confused moment the baton struck out and knocked the air right out of her lungs. She fell to her knees confused and dazed by not only the impact to her ribs and stomach but the gut feeling that something just went horribly wrong with her. Her head felt light, but pounding, the taste of blood in her mouth, and the horrible pain of the impact where the baton struck probably bruising or cracking a few ribs.

"Give up 452..."

Whatever insults or comments he had for her afterwards went unheard as she began to lose consciousness and everything went black.

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Harry Peterson witnessed the horrible beating the young girl was taking in the alley by a man in a suit and some more behind him. Sitting in his delivery van about to turn into that very alley he saw the poor young woman pass out just moments after the assault, he had two boys of his own probably a couple years older than her, and couldn't imagine what he would think if they were to ever commit such a crime as the one he just witnessed. Harry decided he had to do something about it, the bum on the other other side of her walked around her body saying something to the men in the suits, causing their backs to face him, it was then that- no matter what the situation was, or who they were for the matter- he was going to do anything to get her out of there and possibly save her life. Instead of stomping on the acceleration he eased on it hoping not to draw too much attention, so by the time they turned around, or possibly tried to jump out of the way, it would be too late. Getting as far as he needed to now so he can hit the men, and brake before running the girl over too, he floored the pedal causing all of them to turn just in time to see the inevitable. He ran over a couple bodies, some others were stuck under the van, but the man who did the beating was thrown into a nearby wall like a rag doll. Harry's heart was slamming now against his chest, he only had seconds to get the girl into the van and get away before- if anyone was even conscious or alive at that point- they saw his plates.

He scrambled out and as he bent behind her to scoop her up, he saw it... the black bar code on the back of her neck... He saw the news, the chaos in Seattle, the small riots through out Canada and California- the protests. He had to make a decision, help her or leave her to die or be detained by the police. He turned her face towards him to get a good look at it, she was human, not like some of the creatures he'd seen on TV, she was beautiful too, and no more than maybe 20 years old. His heart broke, he couldn't just leave her, she deserved a chance, and with his medical history and background, he was going to give it to her. Quickly he placed her in the back seat of the truck and reversed out of the alley hoping a body didn't get trapped under the wheel, and raced to his house.

Taking out his phone, he quickly dialed his friend's Taj's number, checking his mirrors for this girl's friends or the cops every three seconds trying not to look suspicious to anyone around.

"Yeah."

"Taj?" His voice was panicked and shaking but he couldn't stop it. "Hey I need a huge favor, come over right now, please."

"Hey, uh... Harry what's wrong? You ok?"

"Right now!" Harry managed before snapping his phone shut anxious to call the next person he desperately needed.

"Tony?"

"Yeah, dad? What wrong? I'm working..."

"Call Frankie and you two get over right away with everything you can get- there's been an accident and there's no time to explain."

"Are you ok?"

"Son, do as I asked and don't waste any time!"

He drove a little over the speed limit and kept it that way until he got passed the sector police then raced to his little cottage outside the city limits. His new friend in the back seat wasn't looking so good and he sent a silent prayer to the "Man upstairs" to keep her safe until help arrived. Taj was already in the front of his house when he came skidding to a stop in the drive way.

"Oh my... Harry! Harry, what the hell did you do?" He saw the blood in the front of the van which he excused to the sector police as dog blood... said next time the kid would have a leash.

"I need you to clean this up real good, and give it a new paint job, some new plates and a new front and back end... I'll explain later and give you the cash first thing in the morning."

Taj saw the young girl's body as Harry rushed her inside and placed her on the futon which he then layed out.

"What happened Harry? You got to tell me." Taj pressed.

"Look, she was being beaten by some men in suits, I couldn't just let that happen not after what happened to Susan... I had to help."

Taj bowed his head, "Your right, I know she was like your sister as well... I'll get it fixed up in a jiff, you'll have it by morning."

"Thanks, appreciate it." he smiled.

Taj took one last look at the beautiful girl on the futon, the blood on Harry's shirt and now on the futon.

"That's a lot of blood…" he said warily.

"I know, she held her own, until he got a good one in on her ribs." Harry sighed.

Taj's eyes scanned the rest of her body and noticed with alarm her jeans, "Harry look."

Harry's heart kicked it up another notch as he looked for whatever caused his friend more distress. It took only a glance to notice the deep crimson stain on the insides of her thighs, barely noticeable with her dark jeans. He cursed silently.

"You think maybe… well she's a girl and all, right?" Taj tried.

"No. I don't think that's the case." He said sternly. "My sons will be here any moment, take care of the van and please don't tell a soul."

"Wouldn't dream of it." He slapped his shoulder and ran out of the door.

He knew it would be too much coincidence for a female's monthly to cause this here, no he knew enough to know that there was a lot of blood that appeared too fast for it to be that. There was something else going on here, and only when his sons got here would they be able to explain this- which he thought maybe he knew the answer to anyway, but hoped to God he was wrong.

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Her head was killing her, and she ached immensely, due to her slow mental response her body started to kick in the senses, firstly telling her that it did not register the unusal scent of the room, or the incredibly soft surface in which she lay. She didn't hear the cars and noisy backround she usually did when waking in the shack that she currently resided in. Slowly, she blinked her eyes…

The room was almost lavish. Mahogany walls, a queen sized bed with expensive looking sheets, the dressers where huge, the television a flat panel… Did those even exist anymore…? A rolling table, with a try of food on top, much fancier than any hospital she'd ever seen. She sat up taking in more of the beauty of the room. Pictures of beautifully drawn people and landscapes decorated the walls, a luscious carpet padded the floor, and although the door was merely cracked, she could see the entry way to possibly the biggest walk-in closet she'd ever laid eyes on.

"Where am I…?" She mused quietly to herself.

"Ah!" An excited voice said from the doorway, "You're awake!"

Her eyes flew open wide in fear and shock at the stranger all her senses telling her danger.

"Please don't be frightened," he said with a smile, "My name is Harry, I was the one that picked you up from that alley where those men were beating on you."

"You…?" She struggled to understand.

She suddenly remembered the alley… White, he found her and started a fight. She knew he hit her hard, and she must have blacked out at that moment because the rest was lost on her.

"That's a horrible crime, all of those men banging you up like that…" There was sadness in his voice, "I couldn't just let them do that to you, I had to stop them you could have been killed!"

She didn't say anything instead she looked down at herself and was surprised to notice she was in a different set of clothes… pajamas. Hers was neatly folded on the table next to him.

"Oh," he said and moved closer, "I changed you. There was so much blood you couldn't very well keep them on."

Her heart sped at his nearing proximity, "You did what?" Anger tainted her voice.

He sat casually at the end of the bed still smiling a friendly and genuine smile, "Please I only want to help you…"

Suddenly two sets of pounding feet could be heard racing to the stairs. Once the thudding reached the door she could see that it was two men, younger than this one talking to her, but clearly related. One was a bit older than the other, but both in their mid twenties or so.

"Dad!" The older looking one said.

"Dad, move away from her, she's dangerous!" The younger one jumped in.

"Excuse my sons," he chuckled, "This is David and Asa they are the ones that fixed you up good. But as you can see they are concerned about the danger you might present to us."

"Oh." Was all she managed, and knew his sons were right.

The older one stepped forward cautiously and grabbed his father's arm pulling him away from her back towards the door. Harry complied with mild amusment.

"Dad," David said in a low voice, "You have to be careful, she's one of them."

He knew… Did he see the barcode? Did the east coast hear of the monsters running wild in the west coast and Canada?

"You know…?" She asked and hated the anxiety coloring her tone.

Harry looked at his sons angrily now, "Don't you two. If you feel as though you would like to leave, there's the door. Feel free. She is a guest in this house, and she will be treated as one. She's my guest, I brought her here, show her respect." He turned to her and said,

"Yes, we know. I knew before I put you in my van I saw the barcode in the back of your neck… we've heard the stories. But you were being beaten, they could have killed you, just because you were a little different didn't mean you deserved that. I decided a life was a life, and chose to get you the help you needed. Whoever those men were didn't get a chance to look at my plates or van, I think I killed a couple of them…" He looked concerned by the thought.

She doubted that though.

"Lucky for you I came along, huh? We were able to save you and your baby." He looked at her warmly.

She could stop the sarcastic scoff escaping her, "I don't have a baby." She rolled her eyes and started to get up, "You shouldn't have did that though…"

The sons took a step back as she tried to slide off of the bed, but Harry took a step forward, "You lost a lot of blood, you need to lie down."

She paused but didn't move to lie down, "I feel fine. The threat however isn't from me, it's from those men you hit. I bet they're just a little furious that I escaped, and they might be tracking you, you should lose that vehicle you took me in. But I got to go, got things to do, ways to get back home."

She advanced again and this time the youngest son moved forward, "Um… sorry, I didn't quite get your name, but my father's right, you need to rest… you've lost a lot of blood, and since we couldn't take you to a hospital, we had limited supplies to fix you up here."

She did feel a little light headed so she scooted back and leaned against the pillows to make dizziness pass, "Maybe you're right." She said in a low voice.

"Normally, it wouldn't take long for your body to replenish the supply of blood loss, and with your enhanced healing it should take even less time, but with the fetus lowering your immune system and draining your nutrients it might take a little less the average time to recover."

She had closed her eyes, but now slowly reopened them, "How many times do I have to tell you people, I'm not pregnant. I think I would know, don't you think? You got your diagnosis wrong docs."

Now each looked at one another in concern and her heart picked up a notch in speed.

"She doesn't know…?" David asked in concern, "She's pretty far along now."

"Dad," Asa said with the same tone, "She needs to know- she almost lost it. All that blood, even if she is enhanced I'm still shocked."

Harry now looked concerned as he turned to her, "Um, we did some blood work, and well I'm sure you already know how genetically fascinating you are, but we also found that you were indeed pregnant. David even did an ultrasound to make absolutely sure and yes, you are pregnant. He can even tell you the gender if you'd like." He finished with a warm smile.

If Max was sarcastic before, you couldn't tell now. Fear settled in clearly, and panick as well. They all could see the shock and terror in her eyes as she processed this. Pregnant? How? When?

"P…preg…" She couldn't spit it out.

"Oh my God," Asa said in a low voice, "Dad… she really didn't know. Great way of informing her."

She hadn't felt the warm tears escape her , wasn't seeing the room or the people in front of her. She saw Logan, so many months ago…

"How long?" She asked now to her silent and wary audience.

Harry cleared his throat, "Well, um, you're about twenty-four weeks… so you're almost six months now. The baby's healthy, a little stressed in the beginning, but it pulled through. Everything's fine, very happy in there… even sucking it's thumb."

"Sucking it's thumb?" She asked her voice cracked.

"Yeah…" He looked at his sons, "Let's give her a minute ok? We're going to give you a minute." He said turning to her once more.

She merely nodded, her own personal world going going to pieces as the seconds ticked by.

*** Sorry for the long absence!!! Had a baby two days before Christmas- boy his name's Jayden. Lol. Ever typical…