Season 4 ep.6
Now all I had was my less than five minute timing to bid so the lights would go out and Cece could use it to her advantage. Looking at my cell I mentally count down the time it was going to take, right down to the last second. Ten seconds to go…five…tick - tick…three….two…one…show time. Lights are out. Shouts of "The hell is that? Go check the power box!" whom I'm assuming is the leader shouts out to another guy. He gets four feet before he trips over a chair and fumbles his way in the dark.
Cece takes it as her chance and gets him into a choke hold. I signal to her not to kill, but to disarm and knock out. She grunts in response and officially knocks the guy out. I blur inside and take on the leading man as I forcefully shove the other guy towards Cece already knowing she had my back. I throw an elbow at the leaders head forcing his head to nearly snap back and crack. Thankfully I remembered how to hold back.
Training with the other X5's and transhumans in TC gives you the opportunity to not hold back as much. Gives you the chance to re-enforce you hits, put my power into the punch, only problem is you have to remember you're dealing with a norm when hitting out side of TC…and on the off chance a familiar…either way…once his head starts to come back it reassures me that I hadn't snapped it with my hit.
I use my cat like abilities and jump up, wrap my legs around his neck, then smash my boots into his back, before I fall backwards taking him with me, brace myself with my hands and fling him with my reflexes and strength over my head and onto the marble floor. "The…hell…" he mutters out, the breath forced from his lungs on impact. "You boys should know better than to threaten innocent lives." I smarted off before ending the conversation with a punch to the face.
Knocked out cold I see Cece signaling me to leave off as she smashes the other one into a plastic plant. Shaking off that image I blur from the building knowing that the security cameras don't' have night vision till switched on. And in the day time it sure as hell isn't switched on. Finding Cece waiting for me outside I flip out my cell and dial, "911 emergency, currently all of our lines are busy, please wait and the next officer will assist you shortly." Fucking Seattle!
At the end of my temper I start to snap into the phone, "Un…fu-" movement… "Seattle Police Department how can I direct your call?" the voice even sounds short and ass like, "There's been a hold up over at Seattle national over in sector five, police assistance is needed for hostages and five men, in and outside the doors." I look around remembering the one I let go of, "Make that four." I correct waiting for his reply, "And miss can I have your name please."
I look at the phone in annoyance, "Yeah my names-" I snap my phone shut effectively ending the conversation. "Dick…" I mutter out, "You sure they'll come?" Cece asks. I look around and pull out the guns giving them to her, "Shoot them off so there are more chances of a response and wipe our prints clean from them. Might wanna put in his hands as well, for effect." Motioning to knock guy to my left. Cece nods her head, "Shoot, ain't gotta tell me twice."
She wipes our prints before putting it in the guy's hand and popping off three shots into the building. Seeing my look she smiles at me, "Sometimes I forget how much you hate guns." I frown in not getting the picture, "GSR Max. If it's to be believed that they shot the guns then…" I nodded seeing her point; "Won't help if he doesn't have any but shots were still fired off." forensics would figure it out. As far as directionality, people inside will say there was a fifth one.
Shit maybe said fifth ran away seeing no good end in sight and his cohorts tried to prevent him from bailing out on them. Lights were out for a minute, it was chaotic. It's perfect. "Alright lets get the hell out of here before we're missed back home." We ran to our separate vehicles and left for TC. We made it back just in time to see the bank on the news, "Hey Dix turn up the volume!" I raise my voice over the hustle of everyone else milling about.
Cece comes up behind me to see what the damage was. The local news woman had some words, "Shockingly enough today no one was hurt other than four badly beaten down men who tried to rob Seattle National today." I turned my head briefly to hear Luke ask, "What's so special about norm's trying to rob a bank?" "The robbery wasn't the main issue today though; no it was what happened during a five minute black out that was." I looked over to see Cece's face had a slightly worried edge to it.
"What made this five minutes so frightening and yet, believe it or not, relieving, for the hostages, was what they saw AFTER the back up lights came on." Shit it took five minutes for the back up lights to come on? "Apparently the men who tried to rob the place were seen unconscious on the floor. A fifth one that the hostages described as having left the building prior to the lights out is still at large."
Hopefully he'll stay on the DL. I felt a shudder behind me as I felt Alec enter HQ…shit are we busted now? Wait…why was I scared of being busted? So we went out for the good of TC – and nearly got your prego ass shot up, beat down two men, and may have inadvertently exposed transgenics out and about…yeah he might be mad, but it was for the good of TC.
"Max…" he said trying to figure out what was going on. I bit my lip in hopes that none of it even gets related to us, "What's even more startling is that is was mentioned that a transgenic was possibly there earlier during the hostage situation, but was escorted around back to be killed. No word yet on I.D.'ing the transgenic but security footage is being pulled from right before the alleged transgenic was walked to her death." Well…at least they think I'm dead…is that good…or bad?
At this point I wasn't sure…I could hear Alec sighing as he pinched the bridge of his nose, "Was it you?" he asked, I looked around and muttered out, "W – I had good reason." No need to involve Cece into this if I didn't have to. She hadn't been exposed as a transgenic as of yet so I wasn't going to expose her involvement here either. I turned around to face him, "We needed a bank account for the money we have here at TC." I told him.
"What are we going to do? Just keep a transgenic or transhuman guarding a box for several shifts during the day? It's better to open up an account and put our money into savings than to try and keep thousands of dollars into a locked box. I went in to open an account and if it hadn't have been for the movie rol – a – dex moron's it would have been successful." I stressed out.
He pulls me over into a corner taking a good look at me, "I wasn't injured at all so you can relax. Baby's fine to. No hits to me at all. I was quite and quick about it." He arched a brow, "I have plenty of moves that help in avoiding being hit in certain areas. Trust me I knew what I was doing." I reassured him. He really looked like he wanted to argue, "Max I…" I calmly grabbed his hands and put it over my stomach. "Feel that? That warmth I mean?" he nodded his head.
"It's extra warm there because of what we both made in there. Don't think for a second that I wouldn't know what to do to save or protect m – our child. I went there on TC's account so we could better ourselves and build on investments. I just wasn't counting on those dicks coming in. I just don't currently know of any other way with everything we have going on, how to invest cash money into a bank without going through the front doors." Believe me I had my reasons over the years.
I just always used cash to avoid being tracked on a paper trail by Lydecker. Its why I choose Jam Pony at the time – besides its ability to let me ride all over Seattle and score some nice heists – it was a bi-weekly, cash payment, no need for banking, no need to start a paper trail other than was required for employment. Not that it helped improve my growing relationship with Normal at all… "Doesn't mean I like the idea of you in a hostage situation, pregnant, or at all." sweet guy he is…
The words I was about to say died on my lips the second the other part of the news caster spoke, "As for the rest of the hostages it is reported that another hostage next to the suspected transgenic, a young light blonde haired woman, was missing after the lights went out. Law officials are uncertain if she has any ties to the transgenic or to the robber's in question, though it is unlikely that she was with them. More news on this story later on."
I close my eyes briefly…Fuck…Cece…I look over to find Daniel looking at Cece suspiciously. His, "Was that other 'light blonde' woman you?" was wary stated on his tongue. She didn't look ready to argue, nor did she want to. I went up to him, "I went there to open up an account for TC. Didn't count on a couple of wing nuts just happening to shown up." I was trying to avoid him questioning Cece further.
He looks off, "That's not what I asked." he remarks, I get cut off by the look on Alec's face as he sighs in frustration. I look back and see the sketches rendered of myself and Cece on the 15 inch t.v. screen up near Dix, "These images are rendered of the suspected transgenic that was also described as being seen riding a hover drone over the Jam Pony hostage police court, and of the young woman that is now missing."
Cece's image was like mine not to clear on - for sureness, but clear enough to catch suspicious eye to a nearby trannie hating pedestrian…well shit… "It's not even a good rendering." Cece complained low, hoping no one had heard her, "So you were there?" Daniel asked, narrowing his eyes down at her. Oops…Her eyes widened before she signed, "Yeah and? It was for the good of TC like Max said." She stubbornly told him crossing her arms over her chest in a show of defiance.
Both sets of mates wanted to be upset with us but when you do something meant for the good of TC and some dick or ass just happens to spoil the party for the rest its kind of a small 'get out of jail free' card. Depending on the situation or what it was for in TC…I look at the rendering again, "Maybe not the best but its enough to cast a suspicious eye on us in the future. Better lay low till it blows over. Sides, a few wigs and we can be good for future outings." Cece seemed to agree.
"And how are you so sure on that?" Daniel snips out, I turn to him, intent on putting him in his place since he was over reacting…in my opinion, "Cause this is Seattle, where robberies are a dime a dozen almost…as bad as that is." Didn't seem to shift his irritated glare from me though. You'd think I could catch at least one break around here. Seems Gamble might be our only outside shot with that…besides our friends. Looking back and forth between Alec and Daniel I finished off my line of explanation.
"Look, nothing was taken, which is huge bonus points for us, the bad guys went down, no one officially saw us do anything, all they have is one bad guy saying I might be one, the other bad guy took me out back, I took care of him – no I didn't kill him - and so on and so on." we're good… the swish of my hands cut the conversation off. I also had to emphasis on the not killing part since everyone knows I have an issue with loosing people…I wonder if it'll be an issue with the one I let get away…?
Seeing Alec's tinge of doubt in his eyes I try to reason out again, "Look since nothin' was taken and the robbers are backwards street hoodlums anyways I highly doubt anything will come from it. I know these streets; believe me when I say a situation like this will be over in under a week. We've just got to lay low till then." I looked over to Daniel hoping he got the message as well.
He almost laughed, "And what if they start to try and blame this on transgenics? It's a high rise area maybe they drag it out longer than you think." I smiled at his asinine attempt at blame here and his lateral comment, "There's not one indication that those wannabe dicks that got nailed are transgenic. And I hardly doubt their going to blab on us." It would do them no good.
"I mean seriously how's it going to look upon them to say 'yeah a size three handed me my ass in less than ten seconds flat'? Then add to that 'yeah we tried to rob a bank in a decent part of Seattle and failed. It'll be over in a week. The only difference will be that the banks will up security, that's it." I gave a gesture similar to 'come on!' to emphasize my point on it. I knew how certain areas of Seattle worked its how I got around some of the more not so easy areas when I first got here.
Some sections I didn't dare due to the number of gangs in them. Even a mob of angry gang bangers with guns can rival a transgenic to death…or just a mob bent on hating what they didn't under stand…memories of Biggs hung like a damned piece of cattle still hurt to remember. I may not have known him very well but he was still a decent guy. I still wish I could have spent more than a week's time getting to know him. All I have is what Alec tells me.
Daniel merely smirked, "If they have no pride they will." I shot him a look as his own eyes trailed down my body, "And last I recall you weren't a size three." Flames sparked in my eyes at the insult. As his came back up to my face he saw the anger and I saw the spark of glee as he realized he was getting arise out of me. I'd had enough of his attitude towards me at the moment.
"Hey!" I hadn't cared to much that I had gained a little bit of attention from a few HQ personnel, "Not that my weight is any of your concern but I still am a size three you Redwood reject!" not only does the tall ass insult what I know will be the out come to this little occurrence he insults my weight on top of it? To a pregnant woman of any type that's like declaring war.
He looks on confused, "The hell is a Redwood?" I rolled my eyes and put both hands on either hips, "If you had any intelligence level in just about any and all matters out in the world you'd know it's just an overly tall tree! Much like your being an overly tall ass!" Alec stepped in between before either of us could get anything further in, "Enough! Dude you should know better than to insult a pregnant woman. My pregnant woman at that." The warning was clear to him. Daniel just gave him a look.
Alec seemed to be giving me a look back, something I wasn't fond of, "The hell?" I jerked back Alec's arm, "And Max he's got a point, what if those guys give you and Cece away?" slightly upset I snap at him, "The only thing those idiots today have left is their pride. Their not going to give it up to a bunch of girls they can't stand let alone on national t.v." Alec had to admit I was right.
Bouncing back and forth on his heels Daniel's next words had both Alec and myself on edge, "That's right take your mate's side…" I ground my teeth to avoid snapping at him and gaining all of HQ's attention, "Gotta keep her happy one way or the other. But then again..." Daniel seemed to be having fun. Alec closed his eyes for a moment as he tensed and released his fists in anger.
Daniel was getting on my nerves…even his laugh was grating in my ears. I wanted to shut him up, or at least knock him out for a while…a LONG while. "After all wouldn't do to good to have a overly hormonal CO-" eyes narrowing and chest billowing with air I let him have a taste of it. "Shut it Daniel. Unless you wanna finds out how hard a pregnant woman can hit, without restraining herself."
He weighted the option for a moment before ignoring me and continuing on what he was talking about, not a smart move. "Oh wait that's right, none of that has been going on for a while now has it?" it was a taunt, one that Alec was nearly going to respond to. I stepped out from behind him, "In case you haven't noticed everyone is busy working around here."
My point might have been more effective if three transgenics weren't playing poker in a corner nor if one of them hadn't shouted 'royal flush I win!' for all ears to hear. Not helping at all. New rule, no card games in HQ. It took away from authoritive points we tried to make now. Maybe we'd need a 'rec' room of sorts. Like the space at JP only with no business and no Normal 'bipping' us around.
Daniel smirked at the obvious lack of work and laughed in my face, "You know what I mean!" I bit out, "We've all had our fair share of work to do and the load keeps piling on." he just stood there smirking, "What?" I finally asked, "Oh nothing, just wondering when the excuse for your known bed room activity is coming into play. Cause even with all our work…" he signals between himself and Cece, "We still manage to keep it up at night, not to mention we can normally hear you guys."
He leaned forward in a conspirator, condescending voice, "You guys aren't exactly quite types." Cece lowered her head to avoid my gaze at the comment. Not that I'm upset with her but on anything but saying anything at this point might probably help me right about now. As it was Daniel did have a small point…but I wasn't about to let him know that, especially when he has no business getting into our personal life.
"I've been busy-" I began. He smirked before stating under his breath, "Yeah busy…busy prepping to be Gamble is it – Gamble's new bit-" I slammed my fist hard enough to crack his jaw right into his face. "I'm nobody's bitch, you dick! Gamble could be our ticket to what we need for everyone here, so if I gotta play 'sweet and nice' for a few hours or days outta the week then I'm doing it!" I snapped back. Clearly he wasn't expecting to get hit in the face. I walked up to him, Alec trying to pull me back.
I slipped his grasp as I got into Daniels face, "I don't trust Gamble for anything right now but he may be our one and only shot so right now I need to play 'good girl' so that he can grant us what we need to stay flourish and active as one big happy unit here. You understand that?" I ground out. Thankfully our conversation had dimmed down and we no longer had the attention of the whole room, only a few passerby's were paying attention to us anymore.
"Max that's enough." Alec whispered low into my ear. I lowered my head in slight acceptance of his command, but brought it right back up a mil - a - second later, "Say I understand." I commanded sweetly. He merely lowered his head down just slightly. An intimidating move I knew, but a fruitless one none the less. "Make me." he taunted. I couldn't help but flash back for a second the last time he looked at me like that so close to my visage.
He had that same look on his face, intimidation…well right before over powering lust took control as my pheromones took away most of his cognitive thinking. I still feel grateful that Alec got there when he did that day. Alec must have recognized it to, for he forcefully pulled me behind himself and away from Daniel before getting into his face himself. "Unless you want your jaw broken then back off."
Daniel smiled at Alec while massaging the sore now forming on his jaw before throwing a glare over at me, "Defending your mate huh?" he goaded. Alec's voice held a glint of humor in it as his next words had Daniel taking a step back, "Who said I'd be the one to break it? Seems your soon – to – be – mate doesn't seem so fond of your treatment of her friend." He looked back to see Cece glaring dis- approvingly at him.
He looked nearly ready to dismiss us in favor of getting back into her good graces. It struck me as odd considering his behavior for the past few minutes. He has seemed extra salty…add a testosterone boost and you could call it a day for him. Made me wonder what was going on inside his head. Maybe he was feeling the effects of not being mated yet and living with his soon – to – be – mate for so long. I know Cece had tried to make our angle work but it was a no go.
She hadn't been able to get the pheromone inducer stuff in time before her heat had hit a few months back. When it had hit we'd been going through a lot of crap with TC during the shooting that when she had gone into heat and resisted Daniel he'd been so upset he'd yelled only once at her before grabbing his jack and left for the next few days. He ended up with Alec working his ass off with cleaning up.
Deciding it would be best to clean out some of the project areas at the time to make room for the improvements. For those three days they both went through a physical hell. For him it was knowing she was in heat but didn't want to mate in heat only outside and for her, to want him but under different circumstances. If anything it put more of an emotional distance between them. She was still warring with herself about giving in, she didn't want it to hurt their relationship any further.
I eyed them. The movements were precise, I had seen them before…in other soon – to- be – mated couples…Pulling Alec back from Daniel I knew why he was acting up and it had started with Cece going out and into a dangerous situation, "Cece you've got about fiveish hours before your full in your first stages of heat." She looked stunned at me, "What are you…?" she did a mental check of her last heat.
"Damn it's already been…now I…" now she could feel it. The first stage is sometimes really hard to detect unless you've been there before and can visually see the signs like myself or can smell them like Alec can. "Shoot she's right." Alec said jumping back behind me, covering up his nose in the process. I frowned at the action…its not like he has anything to worry about.
Then again he is male…a mated male…my mind argued, "It explains Daniel's moronic actions and words these last few minutes. He's subconsciously re-directing his mating needs." I explain to them all. Daniel looks to her in question, "Do you want me? For your mate? Cause if not tell me so that I can leave now." he was warning her. Stepping forward I told her, "Cece, sometimes we have to give them a little to get a little." She still looked unsure.
"So you loose this battle. Will the battle be worth it to win?" I wanted to give her something to think about. I think she knew what I was talking about. To win this battle might be to loose the war in having Daniel. She didn't want to take that chance I could see it in her eyes. "I don't want to loose you." She whimpered for him only. "You'd never loose me, but I want to mate with you – but only if your sure." She looked resolved now as she looked at him.
"We should go. Now." She tells him, "Please barricade the door!" I yell out as they both literally blur back to their rooms. "How'd-" I turn around and put my lips to his to shut him up, "I can recognize it now. I'm shocked you didn't smell it." I tell him, "I smelled something but it was covered up and not as strong as it will be." I wonder… "What was it covered up in?" I asked. He smiles down, "You, your scent…" he touches my stomach, "It's stronger now."
Makes sense…sorta. After all the scent of two is stronger than one. Walking to my office I find Syl and Krit waiting for me. "Okay it's either really good or really bad that you're in here waiting for me." I spoke. Alec shut the door to avoid any disturbances. Krit motioned to stand up when Syl beat him to the punch. "I think we might wanna consider the notion of bringing Zack back here." I was thrown.
"Ahh Zack's at the farm, quite literally in the translation." I chirp out. "We think he
might make a good addition to TC. Someone with a different opinion." She tried. Even she herself didn't feel convinced by her words, "Right cause his presence here last time when he tried to kill Cale – not that I minded -" I shot him a look, "But he also almost choked me to death, the guy had a very big hard on for your dear sis here." Alec's words seemed to fuel Krit.
"So the great and mighty Alec couldn't handle our big brother." It was a low blow, one Alec could respond to, "Yeah it's just so easy to beat down a transgenic with a cybernetic implant firmly attached to the inside of his arm." He snapped out. "Even with his present mental condition which is none from what I remember…" he looks to me as I nod before turning back to them, "The guy doesn't have a friggin' notion of what or who he is." I saw the glint in Alec's eyes.
I wondered… "Alec's got a point; Zack doesn't have any memories of us. Once he starts to get back one they do flow but there's something Manticore did to his head, he's not the same anymore. He's…a little…lost…" I had no other way to describe it right now. Alec saw my look, "Zack was probably useful at one point…" Krit growled in response to the near insult at his CO and older brother.
"Or more than a LITTLE but point is now without his memories he's a pollo loco waiting to happen. He seems to have it in his head that he loves your sister and I don't mean in a conventional 'we're all one big happy family' I mean as in 'I want to have you in my bed for life'!" Alec's message was loud and clear. Something I wouldn't have been able to say myself. It was to weird and hard to admit that Zack in the end wanted me but not as a sister…took me to long to see it.
It still nailed me when we first saw each other after all those years, the encounters, the weird interactions that I ignored…when he touched my chin…I ignored…when he sacrificed himself for me on the murder warrant…I knew that look in his eyes…I ignored it…knowing he shot himself in the head to save my life – knowing that with Manticore brain manipulations he wanted me exactly as Alec described it. But it'll never happen, could I risk bringing him here with all that we have going on?
"Alec's right. Even if Zack were to come back who knows how he'd respond to the current situation. I don't think we can take that chance. It'd be a little like having a loose cannon on board. Will he be useful or will he try and…" I looked over to Alec and knew the truth of the matter. If Zack decided that Alec was in the way he'd try and kill him, just as he did Logan. Only difference is Alec would win. While Zack is built for more strength, Alec has speed and skills.
Not to mention protecting his right to be the father of our growing child and the right to stay as my mate, no contest. Alec wouldn't let some other man come in on his territory, not without a fight, not unless he willingly gave it over in the case of his death. But only then. The only thing standing in Alec's way would be my approval over killing my brother if it came down to it. I'm not sure if I could say yes….even then I'd want to protect those that I love.
"Bottom line is I'm not sure if bringing Zack in would be a good idea." I tell them. They look to one another, as if combating whether or not to say something, "If either of you got some thing to say spit it out. We don't have secrets around here." It helped keep trust well endowed amongst us all. "Well…" Syl started, "Zack's not on the farm anymore." I met Alec's eyes as he looked to me.
Shifting my gaze I ask, "Come again?" Krit stood up, "Zack's not at the farm. He's…" he looks back to Syl before meeting our gaze, "He's in a motel in sector two. Johndy's with him. Helping him remember. It's been a process." He admitted. Crossing his arms briefly Alec takes one hand, points to them both, "SO you two some how found your brother on a ranch wherever…" he glances to me briefly before returning his focus on them, "And just waited to tell us till NOW?" his ending words on a high note.
Krit started to snap back so I stepped in, "He has a point why didn't you tell us? And why didn't you tell me Johndy was in town? You guys are my family I have first and foremost as your sister and as your CO of this place to know!" Syl's mumbled words had my immediate attention, "Excuse me?" I shot a look to her. "I said in case your hearing is dwindling from your pregnancy…" I was beginning to get livid.
She of all people insulted my pregnancy? She was the one trying to help…sorta support it. "We didn't tell you cause you seem to have a whole new family here." I was stunned, "Syl, you, Krit, Johndy, Zack, Zane, Vada, Kavi, Seth, Jace and may their souls be at peace but Ben, Eva, Jack, Tinga, not to mention wherever the hell Brin is, if she even survived the blast from the DNA lab will always be my family! Always!" I nearly shouted in the end.
Alec put his arm around my shoulders realizing I was highly emotional more so than I did. Sniffling I managed to prevent my eyes from watering up, "I'm sorry you feel that way." I left out of my office intent on going to the gym area we had set up. I needed to work out so I could get rid of this extra angry tension now running in my body. I thought it would be different… I thought…hearing my name shouted I turned to see Krit running for me.
Rolling my eyes I barked out, "What you didn't have enough? You want more?" he had hands up but before he could get anything out I had my say, "No you both had your piece to say now it's my turn. I know I didn't do things the 'exact' way Zack did them with his system, living on the run, always looking over your shoulder, never staying in one place for too long, and never making that real connection." He sighed.
He knew it as well as I did, "Krit I will always love you as my brother. Everyone of you will always be my family whether you guys think so or not, but Alec is my family to. I can't imagine my life without him." I can't… "I would have expected Zack to say something negative, before and after his time with Manticore, but not from you." I felt betrayed by the words. I turned around, he raised his voice, "Zack may not have been perfect but he has a lot of good points. Just…think about it."
I was stunned by his still blind faith in our former CO. I turned back around, "Did you believe any of what Alec told you in there?" I asked. Krit looked highly skeptical. I nod my head to follow me. Behind the doors of the gym area I realize the closest people there are far enough away to not care. "Every bit was true…and then some." Logan may not be the greatest man right now but at the time he WASN'T responsible for our failure in taking down Manticore.
He was the one who held a gun to Deck to make him pull the fucking trigger on the explosives we'd planted. He'd made a point later the week I got back out of Manticore to tell me, I think he was trying to dispel any positive notions I might have gotten over trusting Deck, "Zack's a great guy. What did he do that was so wrong?" Krit asked. I sighed, "Your right Zack's a great guy, but even when I met him again ten years after the
fact he was still Manticore."
Krit nodded in understanding, "We all are Maxie." I looked up to him, "No we're not. I've tried as hard as possible since the day I got out to forget everything they taught us. When I saw Zack again he spoke of knowing where all of you were, but he refused to tell me where you were just in case I compromise everything." It still hurt that he thought that, but I wasn't about to just ship on everyone I loved to follow logical that I didn't agree with nor want to follow.
"You…" I took his hand in mine, a symbol of our shared triumphs, looses, and family, "Syl and everyone else will yes always be Manticore made but were NOT Manticore!" It was something Alec had made me realize. We may have been made there but we weren't them, "Zack, it was all he knew, just like for Ben." I saw Krit about to retort when I rebutted, "They just had different ways of working with it." He seemed pacified, "But Zack, he…has that commanding military presence."
It wouldn't bode well for Zack to be in a conference room with everyone. I could see him looking at the transhumans as inferior to himself. High complex, it was why he and Logan clashed and why I know he'd clash with Alec. All three guys have a form of high complexes and can only be pushed so far. "I worry over how he'd act with Luke, Dix, Joshua and Mole…" oh god Mole! Shits – ville on that one.
"Can you at least hear him out?" he asks me. I exhale, "I'll see him in a few days." I didn't want him around to many people right now. Who knows what memories have returned and what else has been warped. "Alec won't be coming?" he asked, the tone indicated something I wasn't ready to work with yet. "Alec has a few projects he's working on. I'll let him know. And besides, I'm only visiting." He nods. I wasn't going to let him think Zack was coming here…not yet.
Having calmed down, the talk having helped I left the gym area down to one of the project areas. One building was left to be cleaned out but over half of it looked good, I was pleasantly surprised. Touching one of the walls I felt a shiver of delight run down the back of my neck. "How long you been standing there?" I asked my mate. "Not long." I turn around to find Alec leaning against the frame of the door.
I love that look in his eyes…the way he eyes me up and down…like a proud cat looking at its growing bundle and the carrier of it. "Someone's in a happy mood." I comment enjoying the blatant attention I'm getting. My hormones are demanding gratification and the hunger in his eyes isn't letting up either. The previous conversation and the current one I'm supposed to have evaporates from my thoughts, "Why shouldn't I be? I'm looking at the most perfectly made woman in the world."
Those eyes of his part cat, part man, and all around Alec…his words are like silk to me, and his gaze, it makes liquid heat soak my panties…not that I'd ever tell him that cause he'd never shut up, "If only you knew what you just looking at me does to me." I give him a crumb. He smiles, eases off the door frame and comes forward. Reaching out from barely a foot away now he combs his fingers through my hair.
Without conscious thought…I presume his hands gently keep running through it, like he was petting the sides of my head. It was soothing. The cat in me purrs in content of the action, "Oh I have a strong feeling." He purrs back into my ear. I hadn't even felt him move and here he was lips and breath by my ear. My hormones can't take it anymore, "Make love to me." I beg him.
He gives me a soul draining kiss before lowering his hands from my head, grazes the sides of my sensitive breasts, grips my hips for a brief moment before lowering himself in front of me on the dusty ground. I was hoping for up against the wall but seeing as how he was on the ground, "Against the wall." I wanted to do things my way right now. He simply smiles. "Okay, just thought you'd be more comfortable." He lifts my shirt clean off my body and starts to play with my breast when we both hear an "Oh God!"
This is not happening! "Krit wadaya want?" I try not to shout out. "Will it be tomorrow or the end of the week that you'll go see Zack?" now the previous conversation hits me and so does the look on Alec's face…fuck… I nearly growl out, "End of the week Krit! Now bounce now!" we hear him grumble before he finally leaves. "You're seeing your brother? The one who-" I didn't need to hear it again. "I know the one who's 'in love with me'." I uched at the end of the statement it just sounded so wrong.
"And yet your-" I cut him off again. "I'm seeing on possibilities. He's NOT coming here till I'm sure he can be a team player and not try to go 'all my marbles required' on us. I want to be sure for our safety. Sides, I can ease him into it. What ever he asks I tell it without further agitating him to the best of my ability." He looked skeptical. "Why can't I come?" he asked. "Cause you both have alpha like qualities…" his incredulous look of 'hello I'm top alpha' had me pausing.
I needed to think before I spoke here, "He was top dog at one point. So maybe in his field he is more alpha where as in your field you're more alpha." He accepted it…belatedly. I watched him cross his hands over his chest, thus removing them from me. I pouted in disapproval. "Don't give me that look you didn't tell me." he rebutted. I widened my eyes, "I was going to but I got…distracted." I indicate him. He tried to stand his ground but ultimately it was useless.
"Well I am one fine piece of ass." He chuckled out. I grabbed him by the shirt, pulling him towards me. "Yeah, you're my fine piece of ass. I've got the growing belly to prove it." His eyes shot to me, "Will you tell Zack about your pregnancy?" I looked on, mentally debating as I hadn't thought of it. "If the question comes up or if he asks something in relation to it then I'll answer him. Till then I see no reason he should know. Unless you have a reason." I ask him.
He feeds his hands into my hair again, "I only want him to understand that your mine. No one else's but mine. As long as he understands that along with a few other things we can be cool." I cocked my eye brow, "Let me guess those few other things involve TC and Joshua, Mole and the like." He smiles, "You know me so well Max." I know my brother and how he thinks. "Zack can be a good man he just needs to have things explained to him." I take his hands into my own and hold them.
"Its something I should have tried back when the implant in his memory was first wiped thanks to yours truly." I did want to have my brother back and I did then to…but in what I thought to be an act of valor was actually an act of selfishness. What if he'd used his strength out there in the real world? What if he'd found a girl, fell in love, only to end up loosing control?
I'd selfishly chosen Logan so I could keep more of my normalcy in my life. Zack represented a part of Manticore, and as much as I wanted to keep him in my life his re-indoctrination made him worse. "I want him to be here as my family, and have him help out, NOTHING more!" I tell Alec fiercely. He agrees, "You really miss your bro don't you?" I try not to cry again.
"Think of it this way…Biggs didn't get killed he just got his memory wiped and wants his unit back." Alec seeing my point nodded his head firmly. "We'll have to have him checked at least once a week for the first few months and that's only IF he proves to agree with our terms." I nod in agreement. "Honestly I feel selfish for my previous actions." I admit. He looks down to me, "I choose Logan over him, that's why he was at the farm." He nods.
Of all the things I had told Alec, where Zack ended up hadn't come up. It wasn't something Alec liked to admit to feeling defeat on. But when Krit brought it up his defenses went up as well, "I was selfish, but maybe now he can see that we've accomplished a lot here, that we can make it in this world. That we have a fighting chance at survival without being in fear of people."
He smiles…weakly, "Yeah Max, we'll show him little by little." He enveloped me in a hug as my worried seemed to fall to the ground. My cell buzzed, "This better be global." I grumble out, grabbing the vibrating object, "Max here." I answer, "Hey its Syl I've begun a mapping route to get to the place in sector two for Zack but you'd know the quickest way so…" I looked at the phone…really? Now? "Why now?" I asked her, slightly annoyed.
"Simple you've got nothing going on right this second. You might get busy as hell in the next three days." She had a point there. Pinching the bridge of my nose I answered, "I'll be there in a few." I hear rustling, "No Max now, your few with your boy down there will be more like an hour." I opened my mouth to protest when I realized she may have had a point. "Fine." Snapping it shut I told him, "Gotta go unless you want to have to destroy my cell from buzzing anymore." He just smiled and kissed me.
"Wouldn't want that to happen. Go on before I change my mind and take you up against the wall." I bit my lip wanting to do just that. I look back at the wall thinking maybe just a few minutes…Alec lasts a lot longer than just few minutes you know that! My mind screamed at me. That much was true but…I looked back and forth…wall + Alec = hot animal sex, whereas phone + non ditch-able sister = angry on the warpath sister. Possibly chances of getting caught in the buff with Alec…VERY high.
How the hell was a pregnant X5 female suppose to survive conundrums like this. I want to have hot animal sex, but I need to go see Syl…I was starting to whine when Alec pulled me into his embrace, "Just go, we can finish this later in our own place. Sides we haven't christened EVERY wall." I smiled, "You better be awake then." I answer before kissing him passionately. His response was just as powerful, breaking it off I dashed away mumbling loud enough for him to hear the words "Annoying sisters".
Those three days passed away so fast…finding a route into sector two where the house was not as easy as I thought it would be when I found out about the road block due to a newly arisen gang war. I had told Dix to start checking up on different news bits when it came to areas that we were about to venture into that way we didn't run into any surprises. He was already checking for transgenic issues so this was just a small addition to the pile.
As for the bank bit Cece and I dealt with Alec and a few others…Daniel mostly…had managed to procure a nicely sized metal safe in the basement. The boys just decided that until things blew over we'd have to put the money in a safe place inside. So the little boxes were disposed of elsewhere while a big safe had been put it. It was right below HQ we had a steel re-enforced safe with an 11 digit code to it.
Alec had thought it was over kill at one point but when the bank bit happened he broke down and used some funding to help Daniel out in getting it. He thought that we could all trust each other but I knew differently. I had been on the run for many years…the things it can make you do…I made sure we had different metal boxes within the safe for each department within that got funded. The labels were crappy hand written but it would do for the small stuff.
We had to re-assign different transgenics or transhumans who would sign in and out, officializing it with the transgenic or transhuman on duty of who they were before the shifts were changed. I knew that we had to wait a week but when after even three days it didn't seem to be letting up we got the safe downstairs. I briefly thought of going back at the end of the week but I had remembered I needed to talk with Zack.
Sides, my 'Rachel Glasser' I.D. had been found out by Deck long ago so I knew if the old bastard was still alive he'd keep tabs on it. Its what we'd do…my 'Guevera' I.D. was still locked in with my Jam Pony I.D. badge so it'd raise a 'red flag' with sector passes and the like. Cece's run in with me at the bank had nearly given Daniel a heart attack that day. Of course he smoothed it over by lashing out. I shook my head of those thoughts as I remembered where I was walking to.
Unable to ride my bike anymore and not wanting to get Alec's car hurt in that sector…his attachment was like mine to my bike so I couldn't fault it…just made getting to the seedier areas of Seattle more difficult. After walking for an hour and a half through the sewer system I came up to the maps head. According to it I'd be a block away from the house. The next sewer exit was three blocks past it so this was the better bet. Peaking out from under the manhole cover, I saw nothing.
Shoving it aside I slid out quickly before making my way to the side walk. Acting calm, cool and like I wasn't approachable I made my way to the house. Half a block in I noticed a couple of idiots blocking my path holding out of the paper bag bottles. No doubt booze. Snorting at the notion I pulled my hoodie over my head to hide the fully formed barcode.
I hadn't had a chance to laser it off in a while and it was back in full force. I brief surge of panic hit me before I remembered I who I was and the training I had endured not only in my childhood but once we set up TC as a way of home and living. The things pregnant hormones can make you feel. "Hey there girlie! Wanna drink?" one of the guys offered as I got close enough. I waved it away trying to be polite. It wasn't till another guy grabbed my hoodie that I snapped back at him, "I've got a cold wanna catch it to?"
His slurred, "Nah…" was then followed by a low mumble. Close…I saw the house at the end of the block and quickened my pace till I reached the lawn. Here going nothing…