Finding the light

by max333

new problems arise when the government calls a reclaim on the 'Manticorian's', claiming their government property. new players come in to wreck havoc while old players seem to be behind the new ones. all that on top of raising a family, and keeping the peace within and outside of Terminal City. our beloved leaders sure have their work cut out for them before the struggle is over.

3. Lane's move & max's stand

Sorry it's taken me so long to update. I'm trying to avoid writing myself into a corner so I'm trying to tie up all loose ends. Please R & R!

Season 5 ep.3

Waking up smelling my mate's scent I inhaled deeply. His arm still wrapped around me as I turned in place. Kissing his lips I saw the sleepy smile forming on his face as he opened still weary eyes at me. "Morning." He smirked, his face now getting a slight gruff, making him scruffy but in such a sexy way I wouldn't dispute it or make him shave it. In fact, if he could keep it there, he could tickle me with it.

Seeing his stubble distracted me, he touched it, "I need a shave." I protested, "No I like it. It gives you a rough, tough and sexy look." he smirked, "Well then…" rolling me onto my back he kissed me deeply, his tongue looking for my own to mate with. Wrapping my legs around his waist I could feel him springing to life. His mild groans as he separated our lips made me pout, "Alec please…" his eyes smiled. "I wanna see something…" he grunted back as he backed up under the covers.

I got very little chance to anticipate the onslaught of his tongue but when I felt it, oh my god, was he ever amazing. And then as if he had read my earlier thoughts his stubble tickled my inner thigh on both sides before brushing it ever so gently against my clit. My head shot back in pure bliss as his worked his magic over and over till I was to overly sensitive from the motions to hold back. I came whilst biting the pillow beside me to prevent my screams from erupting.

The knowledge of our twin girls in the next room still in my mind set. Vaguely I registered him pulling my thighs fully over his shoulders as he came back up, "Alec…" sliding himself deep within me I could only grab his pillow and bite into it as he bit back his own grunts of pleasure as he slowly slid out but slammed himself in. It was torture. The pace was steady and slow till he hit a nerve that shot right through me, I held back, wanting to wait for him but my body was beyond the ability to control my oncoming orgasm.

I tore the pillow in half, a big piece in my mouth from where I bite as Alec had this ridiculous sexy fucking smirk on his own face. Pleasure and knowing at what he caused me to do radiating through him like an inferno. It made him quicken his pace as he slammed harder and harder into me. Looking to bring me there again, only with him this time. Near hyperventilating, as I was trying to keep quite I heard his voice getting louder.

Remembering what we had to do before I covered his mouth with my own and swallowed his moans as he did mine as with one last stroke his orgasm triggered my own, the heat to much for my body to take. I was in disbelief that it took me a bit of time to start to process things again, I was wondering if that bit about being a mother also lowered the intelligence rate. I shook off the idea knowing that theory, which was probably cooked up by either an egotistical man or a female who didn't like kids.

It was the call next that had Alec and myself ready to drop the girls off at Gem's daycare. "Hey Mole, what's up." I answered, Alec still deeply embedded inside of me, suckling on my nipple, gaining a bit of milk from me in the process. "Got trouble in here." Alec poked his head up at that, but didn't budge from my breast, "What kind of trouble?" I asked, still feeling his tongue absently flicking my nipple. It was a defining distraction.

"Trouble in the form of Lane and his lame ass second named Less." Mole barked, already not liking the men, "Are they here?" I demanded, as both Alec and I got ready, talking to Mole as we got dressed, "Waiting on you two." He grunted in agitation, clearly wanting to shove his gun where the sun didn't shine on either of them, "We'll be there once we drop off the girls at Gem's, where at?" I asked, grabbing my jacket.

"They found our underground entrance." Of course… "We'll see you all there." I hung up already knowing the more talking that happened meant more time for Mole to get piss ant with both men. Lane and his bunch had been forming their own 'posse' of sorts back before we took over TC. I had a feeling that they might have done something stupid if we hadn't. Rushing we grabbed the girls and the nap sack we had full of their necessities before going to Gem's nursery and dropping them off.

Quick kisses goodbye we ran to meet up with Mole who was already nearly arguing with Lane and this Less guy. "And here they come." The one I assumed was Less said. He looked over Alec as if in a sneer, already I didn't like him. His sneer turned into one of a near leer as he saw me, "Hey eyes up here punchy." I remark, indicating to stop looking me over like that. "I'll look wherever I want to look." he smarted off.

"Wow, I've known you for five seconds and I already don't like you." Looked to Lane I saw his grin. Though it was more from having sized what he thought his target was rather than from the confrontation, "What do you want?" I asked, trying to be civil about this. I didn't know either of them and they didn't know me, "A piece of the pie sweetheart." Now his look was of finding his target, me.

"I'm here to help you take care of this little treasure you've got here." Alec laughed, "We are taking care of it." Lane looked to him, "I'm talking to the Commanding Officer, not the second rate leftovers." I was upset now, "Talk to my Second like that again and you can walk right back out the way you came in." he turned back to me, "I'm merely stating a fact. 494 is a waste of time, and I think you should appoint myself as your new second."

I scrunched my face at the idiocy of his statement, not to mention he looked serious, "Alec is and forever will be my second at TC. So thanks, but I'll pass." Turning around I heard him say, "I wouldn't be so quick to judge. I have a lot of influence with some of the gangs around here." I turned back around, "Any of these gangs in the cops pockets or the other way around?" now he tightened up his face a smidge.

"Oh I get it, let me guess, judging by the area you come from and the surrounding area you're in I'd say you're near the Steel heads territory." He pursed his lips a bit, "So?" I smirked as Alec continued on, "Steel Heads are all for themselves." He started. "You don't step into their territory, unless you've got business with them or have plans to become an expensive organ donor. You'd be looking to get into a beat down and sure you'll win but at what costs?" Lane looked to him, "What do you mean?" he folded his arms across his chest.

"He means that you'll start up a gang war between your group and theirs. We've worked our asses off to be legitimate, and were going to keep it that way. The only way you come in is if it's just to help, and NO you won't be in charge of anything. I wouldn't trust you to look after our kids let alone a department or even be IN TC's HQ." I state indicating the different people and areas around me.

Lane smirked, "You think you can stop me if I WANTED to take over?" I stood my ground. It was Mole's cocked gun that was Lane's warning, "So you let the transhumans mingle about?" he questioned in a near statement form. A look of disgust approaching his features. It apparently wasn't just people that had issues with transhumans, people like Lane that felt themselves above them did to, "Yeah and if you don't want old Bess up your ass I'd suggest you start walking." The threat was clear as day. Lane looked from Alec to me again, "This isn't over."

I narrowed my eyes, "Well it certainly looks over to me. Next time you come around here, demanding and expecting that BS again, I'll have a small group of nice people to lead you right back out." The smirk was defining on my face as he spat out, "You must be reaping in the rewards 494. You're banging the CO and you've earned second for it. Bravo." I went to snap when Alec walked forward.

"Yeah she's the CO of this place and yeah I'm her second, but what I'm curious on, is, are you pissed cause she's mine and we share a bed, or because my gene pool was a LOT stronger than yours?" Lane growled low in his throat, the threat clear that he didn't like his manhood to be questioned. Well who gives a fuck?! "I'd happily prove how much better mine is than yours." He looked to me, "It may take a tad longer but I'd prove it."

It was his eyes that leered at me that made my skin start to crawl, "Besides the funs in making the brats, not in havin' 'em." I shook my head, "I feel sorry for whomever you're with…if there is anyone." His face fell a bit, "Oh there is, but she ain't got what you got." I cringed, poor thing, her man's already scouting for the next best thing. That's not right. I never understood a man's need to bang every good-looking female around.

"Look I've had enough with ego maniacal asses trying to hook up with me, I don't need that again, so do yourself a favor and leave, cause the only way you're getting past me is to kiss my transgenic ass." Cheap but the man would NOT stoop so low as to actually kiss my butt when it was obvious he was trying to go for a takeover. I refused to bow down to that. I could only imagine the chaos that would be caused if he managed to get ranking in here.

I started to walk away again then heard his, "Name the time and the place bi - " before it was silenced by a sharp jab sound. I looked back to find him pressed up against a wall by Alec, "Talk that way about the mother of my children again! Go ahead! DO IT!" he growled like an animal protective of its mate. "As much of a cold front you had, you always were more of a bleeding heart type 494. You used to be cool."

Then he looked as if thinking about it, "Though lacking in the meat department I thought we might actually become friends at some point." Lane stated, trying to act like being pinned against the wall was something that happened every day. "Careful Alec, he seems to be enjoying himself." Alec backed away, liking the anger I put into the man's eyes, "I don't suppose telling him I'm not gay would work?" he grinned in distaste.

Neither of us caring that he was standing right there, "Hey I ain't no - " but I cut him off, "Nah I don't think so…you'd have to be human or human like first." Lane looked to me, anger in his eyes, "He doesn't qualify." The smirk was back in place on Alec's face as he indicated to Mole to 'show' the men out. "Well that was fun." Alec mentioned on the way to HQ. "We have to be on our toes Alec." He turned to me, "Lane's got a small group yeah but a small group could still be enough." I stated logically.

"A small group versus a group of 200+ isn't good odds. They'd never make it past the perimeter, and Lane is built more for heavy duty BS, me I'm a lean, mean fightin' machine. If need be I could take his bigger form." I had to admit Alec was right. Lane was a bit more beefed up, more muscle. Kind of a pro wrestle type, but as Alec said, not very good for quick action, hand-to-hand combat, no Alec was the ace for that.

"Hang on a second here." Alec stated stopping me, hand on my arm, "What?" he looked almost worried, "That's NOT Lane's M.O. I know that ass, he doesn't give up that easily. He's planning something." I saw the look in Alec's eyes. "Double the guard duty tonight, just in case. Can't have Lane getting a one up on us." I told him. Pulling out his cell he made a few calls, making sure to put extra people out on rotation, "I know its poker night tonight but we might have company and I'd rather they not try something stupid."

I looked to him as we went to HQ, the phone gripped in his hands. Whatever Lane had done to him, whether it was something stupid or something hurtful really had Alec on edge. Not in a 'he could kill me type of way' but in a 'this bastard has something NOT GOOD planned'. "Arriving to HQ we spot some worried faces, "What's wrong?" Joshua came out, "Joshua met Lane, Lane looked at Joshua like upstairs people do." I frowned, "That rat bastard." I snapped.

"Don't let him get to you Joshua, Lane verbally attacks nearly anyone that's not a part of his unit. He just thinks he's better than everyone else." I looked to Alec, "How is that?" we walked up the stairs to Dix and Luke's computer area, "Manticore, before I became one of their better mission performers and successors, Lane was the top stuff, top dog…so to speak." He iterated, leaning against the desk the two transhumans were working at. I walked up next to his left side, my feline side demanding I curl in some form around him.

Luckily I managed to keep myself from literally clinging to him. "Anyways, once I came around and got up in through the rankings, he actually invited me to join his unit. Now I'd heard stories on how they worked their missions. They didn't mind civilian casualty, so Manticore hated him as much as they loved him." I nodded, "So if Manticore needed someone else out of the way that may or may not be in the way he'd kill 'em." He nodded.

Ass… "Typical. But you weren't like that." I surmised, "Nope. I didn't see the need in wasting human life. Never know when it'll come back to bit you in the ass. And for him oh it so did." He actually smirked at it, "What happened?" his smirk died a bit, "Manticore ordered this high ranking man dead, so he was sent to kill him. Whole time he couldn't get a clear shot without killing the son." I shot my eyes to him. "Now, you see the son was SPECIFICALLY ordered to be kept alive." He pointed his finger out as if in indication.

"Apparently the wife ordered the hit so she could leave the man. It was one of the few times the target was a straight up ass and bad guy." I nodded, "So what happened?" "He took the shot…" he pursed his lips together, "Right through the boys head. Killed both of them." my eyes widened in anger, "What did Manticore do?" I demanded, "Lost the contract and the money that came with it because of Lane's in ability to come up with a backup plan." I nodded and rolled my eyes.

"I meant to Lane?" I iterated, "They were pissed that he cost them a slice of the pie, so to speak and he didn't regret it. When Deck asked him about a potential backup plan Lane went silent. I think I remember hearing as I was walking by the office at the time, 'you were given strict orders X5-600! You disobeyed them and killed an eight year old child in the process. How does that make you feel?' he asked him. Lane's reply 'Sir the target was killed I don't see the problem'." I was stunned.

"Stupid ass…you murdered a child and didn't consider a contingent plan." I spat, not hating and grateful as hell that Alec had been sent to my cell that day and NOT Lane. "Pretty much what Deck said. He was one pissed off colonel." We both smirked, "I hope Lane got disciplined for it." I sincerely hoped he did. "Oh he did." Deck stated coming out of nowhere. Strolling up the stairs, though he was still hesitant.

There were a lot of people looked at him with threatening glances but since he was kept off sight so he wouldn't succumb to the toxins within TC. Two X5's were initially sent to keep an eye on him till we got the funds in to put a tracker on his person. Personally I was still on edge about him walking freely around but it had been months so…yeah. "How so?" I asked, arms crossed over my chest. I felt Alec shift to put himself between Lydecker and me.

I knew it was his protective instinct to keep what he still saw as a potential harm away from me, it was sweet and irritating…but then again, when wasn't it? "He was put into solitary for a month." I blanched, "That's it? The man purposely murdered a child just to get to a target and that's it?" Lydecker seemed to be attempting to look reasonable, "He'd had nearly a dozen successful away mission beforehand. He was a high commodity, till 4… Alec showed up." I looked to Alec, "So nice to have fans." He stated, sarcasm in his voice.

"You were a top of the line soldier, I even tried to get you and Lane to work together, and was THAT ever a mistake." It seems Deck remembered the futility of putting two alpha types in the same room ALONE together. Especially to work together, "What happened?" I asked, smirk on my face, wondering who beat who. "Me and lane got into it…badly. Ass was so friggin' bossy all the damned time…" he began muttering irritatingly under his voice.

"He demanded we take out the smugglers BEFORE the kids they were smuggling got out. But the other team wasn't able to get to the kids, something about time delay and no way around it – anyways, we couldn't take the guy out because of our argument." Alec surmised, not happy that due to their stupid argument over what to do gave a smuggler his freedom. "You both were sent to solitary for a month." Deck shook his head in disappointment, "And that ass Bronx got away." I shot my head up.

"Bronx? As is peddling little girl flesh on the other side of the world to the highest bidder Bronx?!" I demanded. I can't believe it! "What do you know about it?" Lydecker asked, his own arms now crossed. I smirked, "His ass got thrown out of a plane, courtesy of 'moa', those girls transgenic guardian angel." I smirked. Both Alec and Deck looked to me, "You finished the mission. Granted ye – when did you do that?" Deck asked.

"From today…? Roughly over four and a half years ago. Logan caught wind of the guys smuggling ring. He had a couple of cops on his payroll to grab the kids after school." Alec shook his head, "If ANY one did that to our girls…" I started to see that to, "At least the group of girls he last took, well second to last group got picked up by some of Logan's contacts in LA. The last set I got them out and sent them home." Deck nodded.

"Even on the outside you unknowingly did Manticore's work." I shot my eyes to him, "Let's get this straight, yeah I did some pretty good things while doing my quid pro quo with Logan, but reality check, whatever good you THINK Manticore did is tremendously outweighed by the crap you pulled on us and made us do." He sighed, "I only meant that Manticore wasn't the 'evil empire' you saw it as." I scoffed. "I think what she means is due to how we were treated and the people we lost its kind of hard to see things from YOUR perspective."

I looked to Alec as he tried to in some way smooth things over, "You're seeing things through a child's eyes." He smiled, "I lost Rachel Berrisford, was THAT through a child's eyes?" Alec demanded, sitting up, "She was colla - " Alec stopped him, "Don't you dare say 'collateral damage'. She was a good young girl, she didn't deserve to go out like that. She should have been spared and gotten a chance to live a long full life, found some guy and have kids with him, be happily ever after, instead she was buried at the age of 22."

I touched Alec's shoulders, trying to comfort him, feeling his tension melt at my touch, as Deck spoke up, "I wasn't there, I was out in Seattle. Business. By the time I got back you were already in re-indoctrination. There was nothing I could do." I narrowed my eyes, "You ran Manticore, how could you not know?" Alec looked up at that to, "Do you not put operations in charge while YOU'RE out of TC?" damn, he had us there.

"Sandoval was in charge of your proceedings, I merely read the reports. Besides, he worked more under Renfro than myself at that time." I wondered, "Tell me something, would it have made a difference if it were you there instead?" he wasn't able to meet Alec or my own eyes, "I think we need to get back to the subject at hand." He remarked. Obviously he was trying to avoid the fire he was under.

"He's right, can't do anything about past transgressions on people that have been dead." Alec sneered. "What do you know of Lane that as a fellow transgenic we wouldn't know?" I asked, trying to kill the staring contest. "Lane as you - " I stopped him, "We didn't name him, he named himself…I think." I was unsure on that nor did I care on it. "Whatever, you were saying." Alec interrupted, needing to know how to handle any transgressions that may come to pass.

"Lane has a history of anger issues and a competitive streak that rivaled a LOT of other X5's in the X5 series. When you made rank as good as him and didn't join his unit he took it as an insult, feeling he was better. When you did a few missions that he had done in the past better than him, it was like having a bucket of cold water thrown on him. He saw that he wasn't top dog, so to speak. According to his psychological report, he developed a near basic need to beat you at everything." I looked to Alec as he absorbed it all in.

"So I became alpha and he got pissed about it." seeing where this might be going he walked up to Deck. Seeing the look in his eyes Alec eased his stance to avoid Deck thinking it was in a threatening manner. "Why don't we finish this off in my office?" I suggested. "After all Dix and Luke need their space back." I indicated to the two guys sitting down. Alec indicated after Deck as I followed behind both. Going into Alec's office instead since it was a tad further, barely, from the upper part of HQ I shut the door.

"Do you think Lane would actually be dumb enough to try a take over here?" Alec demanded in low tones. Deck looked stunned, "Not unless he was desperate. Lane maybe hard headed but quite a few of the X5's were." He looked pointedly at me, "Proud of it too." I snarked off, crossing my arms over my chest as I walked over to the desk and leaned against it. Alec moved next to me, an exact opposite of our positions outside.

"So we set up extra posts which we've done…" I iterated, "We can also have Mole and a few others on the lookout for Lane and his crew." Alec replied back. I looked to him, "Do Mole and the others on duty know what Lane and his crew look like?" I asked, "Yeah, Lane before we came in, from what I heard tried once before but there was only a few of them, not nearly enough to take on all the transhumans here. A strike would have been a futile effort." Alec stated, so I looked to him.

"Wouldn't that still be the same deal…now?" he looked to me, "TC's numbers have increased and so have his own ranks. Not every Manticorian is within these walls. Some of them hold up with him from what I remembered. Why do you think I stayed out of that area when we did deliveries back at JP? I swapped sectors with different people to avoid a confrontation with him and his crew." I arched a brow.

"You avoided talking to him, why?" I asked, "The guys high up on his own pedestal and that kind of thinking in a serious manner unlike a joking one is irritating as hell. Besides, one of me versus however many of his crew…not very logical." He reasoned. I agreed, "Just like back at Manticore." Deck stated in mixed disbelief and admiration, "He managed to avoid confrontation at work exercises to. Bribing them to avoid it." I looked to Alec, "Wow, a con man even at the tender ages." He rolled his eyes.

"I didn't see the point of conflict between myself and another X5 at age 10. Sides I just gave him a cookie." He muttered in defense. "Either way Lane shouldn't be a threat but to be safe if you want while you two are out on sentry duty tonight I'll watch the girls." Both of our eyes widened before a mutually shouted, "NO!" echoed through the office. He arched a brow, "Just an offer. No need to overreact." That was a tad loud.

"What we mean is, while you roaming here is one thing to be cool with, you watching our ONLY kids is not, at least not yet…" I tell him, seeing the look of 'no need to be like THAT about it'. "Or ever!" Alec stated, looking from me to Deck, "Look Max may be starting to trust you but reality check, the only reason why you roam freely is due to her. If it were up to me you'd be in a cell still." Alec remarked, sounding agitated.

"I understood Max's anger at me for so long, out on the run for ten plus years, running from me 90% of the time before White came along, but you Alec…" Lydecker remarked, "You I just don't understand." Not he had his arms crossed over his chest, a hand supporting his chin in contemplation, as if trying to figure out Alec's reasons, "Yeah well try this one on for size." I saw Alec step up and get into Decks face.

"When you did get back to Manticore you gave the approval, cause no one else could have, to wipe my memories of Rachel." To that Lydecker looked away. "You were resisting subterfuge, nothing we gave you would work. It was as if you were trying to bury the memory of that girl in your mind where no one could find it. You still succeeded so why still angry?" wow…okay now I got it.

"It doesn't matter that he does, the point is you tried to break him down and forget the love of a young girl, someone who made him feel and not be the cold blooded killer you wanted him to be." I remarked, my face looking stony at his own. "We already had a cold blooded killer, Lane, with you, we could implement you in society, charm yourself into any woman's pants and talk with the men like you were the best of the best. Lane couldn't, he isn't exactly people friendly, he's more the 'get it done as whatever costs' type."

I nodded at his assessment, "So Alec's relatable and Lane has no sense of moral…is that it?" I asked, standing up with Alec, stepping away from the desk, "To a certain degree. Yes." I gave a huff before walking around Alec's office. "Your competitiveness with him it seems lives on even beyond Manticore." He spoke to Alec. Alec muttered an explicative under his breath. "Lane seemed a bit on edge when it came to Alec being in charge as my second around here…" I remark, hoping to come up with a game plan.

"It probably doesn't help that he knows we have kids, and that I'm in charge in the bedr… HEY! ouch!" he bit out as I gave him a punch. A bit harder than my usual ones since what he just said was in front of Deck, "He knows you have kids together?" Lydecker asked, "Yeah…why?" I asked even as I threatened Alec with another hit if he mentioned anything about our sex life again to Deck.

"Lane was number three when it came to genetic profiling on matches to your profile." I looked to Lydecker, "How do you know that? The breeding program didn't start till AFTER you left and I got captured?" one last swat had Alec leaning back, with one hand resting behind me on his desk, trying to weasel his way back into my good graces no doubt. "We did the genetic profiling way before you even escaped." I furrowed my brows.

"What?" I demanded, "Genetic profiling is taken when the special – soldier is born. They take a genetic sample during the testing." To this I looked at Alec, "I listened in on as much as I could, I wanted to know more about where we came from." I accepted that, "So fine he's my number three, don't you think that if he knows I have kids with Alec that he'd drop THAT and let it be?" I snipped a bit.

"Not if he thinks he can usurp the command or usurping Alec's command here, usurps things between you two. He could genuinely believe that you two while in command here, maintain your status as not only CO and SIC but also only 'act' as a couple to keep appearances up. Much like two venturing businesses, who make compact arrangements for somebody from each side, to be together so that they can merge." I don't believe this… "He thinks were faking it as a couple to keep up status quo?" I demand.

"That's just a theory Max, he could just be really pissed that Alec here is more fertile than himself and wants his SIC position so he could have better, what you call 'digs', for him and his crew." I blanched, "Why didn't you say that first? That makes a LOT more sense." He held up his hands in defense, "Working theories Max. What is your plan with him though? Cause in my professional opinion, ignoring him isn't a good idea." I agreed on that one.

"As by the books as he had been, with a few exceptions, Lane has a problem with seeing the moral conclusion to his decisions. He's good at following orders, but he lacks any real creativity to come up with something that would lead to ANYTHING but bloodshed." Great… "I say we give a 'hello' to Lane and his crew on their turf. Just a polite way of saying 'unless you can live peacefully with us, you can't live with us'."

Alec, arms now crossed over his chest, put his right hand up to his mouth, his thumb touching one cheek, his fore finger touching the other, palms spread, "I don't know Max, we could be walking in on a lot of guys. We're good but if they greet their 'guests' packing and were not, I don't like the odds there. Truthfully unless needed, knowing Lane, unless there's no fire power involved, I have zero interest in tangling with that immoral psycho again." I shot him a look, "No problem, I'll just take Daniel with me." I didn't make it a foot without a growl.

"If you think I'm letting you near Lane without me beside you, your having an illogical thinking moment." I arched a brow, "Deck, excuse us." The colonel didn't need to hear anymore, and darted through the closed door, making sure to shut it right back closed. "I get that you and Lane aren't friendlies but reality check I can take care of myself." I snapped, "Okay so when he rolls you, and with his style of fighting, and his body structure, he will, what will you do while his crew are taking the ones you take with you?"

I hate him for these moments, "I kicked ass just as well as you did LONG before you came along." I snapped, "Yeah, heavy weight bouncers with no revved up gen's in them, or the RED's whom you had to kill to beat. Oh and might I add, they were criminals with no major fighting moves." I grit my teeth, hating the facts he was pointing out, "I will go with you, and we'll have a small group as back up waiting around the corner or something."

I gripped my fists in my palms, as he tried to calm me down, "I know you can kick ass Max, but believe me, dirty tricks aside, Lane has you down right beat in the weight, height, and strength categories. Granted you've got him beat in agility, speed and snap ass maneuvers. Question I have for you and you can walk right out of here, and I WON'T say a damned word…" I looked to him in mild shock.

"That is if you firmly believe in yourself on this, but my question is, if you truly believe that within a five minute fight you can hand him his own ass, in front of his crew no less, which let me tell you is a god damned huge ball buster, then I will take back what I said and be whatever you need and want me to be in bed tonight. Hell I'll even put on an apron and nothing but that, while cooking your food if that's what you want."

Feeling my pride get the better of me, and feeling I could up one on this Lane ass I remarked, "I will see you when I get back. I'll be taking Daniel and Cece with me. Besides I wouldn't want you two to get into a literal pissing match, and make a mess of things." I walked out. I only heard his fists slamming into the wood of his desk due to my transgenic hearing. Maybe I was being a little hard headed but you know what, I could take care of myself. He needs to learn that, and what better way than to tell off his former enemy?

Stalking off to the armory I saw Mole taking in inventory of it once again, "Finally decided to check out a gun?" he asked, smirking around his cigar, cleaning a few of the shot guns we had in stock, "Nope. But…" I nearly caressed a fine looking brass knuckle set, only difference from the older ones was that this one had a stun gun embedded in it. One hit pressed the button on it to release the electric volts.

"Thinkin' more on taking this little one out and test driving her, if need be." Then I spotted a four-inch blade. Handle was just small enough to conceal and be put into a holding position right behind my back. Seeing that he took note of it I slid the blade behind me, and hooked it underneath my bra strap, letting it act as a holder for it. "Goin' to talk with Lane and his crew, wanna come along? I'm going to bring Daniel along with me to." He put down the guns, "I'd really like to shove this up his ass."

He indicated the piece he'd been cleaning, "If he earns it, then fine, but till then, even I'm playing miss nice." He grunted a 'whatever' before following me. Grabbing my phone I call Daniel, "Unless you've got broken bones – which we both know you don't, or are in deep with Cece I need you at our underground exit and entrance in five." I didn't bother waiting for a reply, part of me having changed my mind about Cece coming along.

After all she was pregnant and if this turned into anything more than a simple confrontation Daniel would kill me and Cece would never forgive me for pulling her pregnant ass out of safety for a talk that could turn bloody. "So if he don't show in five then what?" Mole asked. "Then we leave without him." I remarked, kind of wishing more than once that Lane's crib was further from ours.

Being only ten blocks away from ours made the need to drive any vehicle over there with no wounded bodies on board kind of made it redundant for a transgenic or transhuman. On the dot five minutes later Daniel came in, "What's going on?" he asked, "We're paying Lane a visit. Give him a small warning about trying anything stupid around us." He nodded, "What about Alec?" I looked to him, "He's staying here." The tone in my voice read to leave it alone.

Hands up in defense we walked through the tunnel then walked the ten blocks to Lane's territory as we instantly spotted a couple of patrol men, and two snipers. "Subtle much." I muttered, wondering when regular people would notice. Seeing his second on patrols himself I called out, "Hey!" eyes shooting to me he signaled one of the others to go and get Lane, "So you changed your mind?" Less asked smugly, walking towards us with an air of authority he didn't have. It made me smile at his thought process.

His appearance of cockiness defined put Alec's to rest, "Not really, but I do need to talk to your CO." I stated non-chalet. "That is if he's not to busy screwing one of his whores." Daniel smirked, I laughed. Even Mole gave a small smile. The SIC twitched a muscle in his jaw but otherwise didn't move a muscle till Lane came out. I had to admit Lane's appearance to Zack was uncanny. At first the way he styled himself, and the way he carried himself was different. It was how I was first able to separate Alec from Ben.

"I heard we had a visitor." He looked me up and down, then glanced seeing Alec not with us, "So I see your seconds not here." Why was he grinning? "He can man things on his own. I have faith in him." I regarded. Lane smirked, "And yet you're here and he's not. Shouldn't your lackeys do that? Mine do." He actually sounded impressed with himself, "Question is, is it out of fear or respect?" his face shifted, though he avoided letting me see the falter.

"My men respect me." he controlled his voice I could tell from shifting tones. "I don't have lackeys, I have people, people that want to live regular lives without being in fear of the people outside or of myself. You do know the difference between fear and respect…right?" I mock asked him, "What do you want?" he asked, folding up both arms over his chest. His macho show of testosterone made Daniel shift beside me.

His need to protect me while Alec wasn't around was integrated in him from Alec's constant harping of when he wouldn't be able to be around or just when he wasn't around. So technically speaking I had Alec's Second and my second…second backing me up today. Well that and if something happened to me Cece would bash him over the head for it. "I want you to understand the futility of making an error in judgment when it comes to thinking of a siege on our property." I tell him.

"See we've been working to long and to hard for some hardcore militants to try and storm through, only to be caught and waste time and energy in a pointless fight, redundant really. I don't need that." I explain. "What makes you think you could stop me?" he asked, walking up to me, only to have Daniel step in front of him. "Lane it's in your best interest to back off." The warning was subtle.

"What you're in her bed to? Jeez 452 how many you got?" I blanched, "So I have to sleep with a guy to earn his loyalty?" Lane I could tell was now trying to fish for Intel, "He's not protecting me, he's protecting you from me." Lane nearly snarled in humor, "Just for the record though, he's got his own mate as do I." now the ass laughed, "Mate! Wow. And you go with that. That pointless jargon." Then he waved it off as if it didn't matter.

"Whatever, I've got no use for mates, only in what's between their legs." I tightened my throat in disgust. This guy puts Alec's old ways to shame. "They okay with that?" I asked, though my attitude was aloof. "Who cares?" he blanched. I rolled my eyes, "My point here stands as leave us alone. We've got a sweet deal as free citizens and we'd like to keep it that way, so no futile attempts. Ruin it, and you'll bring out the inner bitch." I stated.

"Word of advice, you don't want to deal with the inner bitch." Daniel warned smugly. Grateful a bit that I had both Daniel and Mole by my side. Just because I wanted to see Lane without Alec there didn't mean I wouldn't have someone else with me for back up. I'm not blind, if there's even only a dozen transgenics I'd have a hell of a time defending myself against them all. Instead of turning our backs we eased back, walking backwards, making sure not to turn our backs to Lane till we felt safer with our options.

Truthfully I was waiting on a 'tell' from Lane to signal a firing on us. But so far nothing, "Oh 452." He called out, "The names Max." I called back, "I know. 452!" he insisted on calling me. I ignored it and narrowed my eyes, "If you think this made a difference think again. If anything baby you just added more fire to the grill." He smirked. I didn't like that, "Mark my words Lane, you do anything against us and all those responsible and behind you will be driven out of town. I guarantee that."

He still had a smirk on his face but I could tell there was a tick in his jaw, "We'll see." He stated, before walking back inside. Zooming in on my vision I saw thanks to her plainly visible barcode, the transgenic beckoning him back inside the dilapidated warehouse he was holed up in. She looked out towards us, once she got him inside and I got a good look at her, "He's got her drugged up." I had seen that look before. Years on the streets will do that to you, expose you to the darkness that others manage to hide from.

"What can we do about it?" Daniel asked. I noticed a look on his face, "You know her?" I asked, as we continually backed up, "No, but drugging up an X6 soldier to be your personal play toy is messed up beyond words." I nodded in agreement, "Maybe someone should spread the word of how much better things are with us than with Lane." I suggested. Both he and Mole looked to me, "Don't you think that'll bring fire power to our doorstep?" Mole asked.

"Whose gonna know who spread the rumor? One of Lane's guys already works around TC, why not others who decide to disappear?" I asked as we reached the street. I looked up to ensure we were out of sight of the snipers. Still seeing them I directed our path to a different route to avoid them having a shot at any of us. "Because if he starts to see his people in our residence then he know he got screwed over. It'll start up a war between us." Daniel offered.

"I don't think so." Mole said, "Look I'm all for defending but even Lane's not suicidal at least not stupid enough to try and come after us with only a few soldiers. The numbers are so easily against him." Daniel was in debate, "Look we go back to TC and find out from said X6 how many are in Lane's group. I doubt his numbers have increased lately since those that aren't with him are with us and the rest went to Canada." I iterated.

He nodded, "Let's go." Nodding we started to leave when we felt the presence of a few transgenics closing in on us. Looking up I saw the mouth of the alleyway we were in, "We need to move, fast." I remark, Mole got his gun prepped just in case, I slipped my electric brass knuckles on right before we saw Lane's second coming out of the end we were headed to. "Do you seriously think we would let you get away with breaching our turf without a fight?" he asked, wrapping a chain around his left hand.

"Considering it was a neutral meeting issue add to the fact that we came in and stayed within guest realms I didn't think it would be that bad." I snapped, as Daniel, Mole and I formed a near triangle to watch one another's backs. "We need to go." Mole growled in low tones. Lane's SIC had five men around us and two men on the fire escapes on either side of us. Shit! A fucking ambush! "You do see the futility of doing this right?" I asked.

Seemingly at ease, though my body was ready if he decided to pounce. "I've been waiting to do this for a long time 452. Heart still working good for you?" I remembered this ass. Memory clicking into place I saw his face, "You're the X5 I beat on the mat back at Manticore." Seeing now why he was so upset, "Still pissed at me for that I see?" I couldn't help but smirk at his angered expression.

"You and you little band of - " Daniel cut him off, "Oh my god just fight us already!" the X5 didn't like that, "Your goin' to wish you had chosen us X5 - " again he was cut off, "The name is Daniel! You jackass!" he barked at him, clearly frustrated and in need of anger release. So the X5, smiled condescendingly and replied back, "Then my names 'Anton'. I hope working for her is worth it!"

I looked around seeing our vantages and disadvantages. I didn't want to think about Alec possibly being right since Lane wasn't here to 'beat on me', in his opinion. The odds weren't in our favor but there have been times where if you have people in the right places with the right moves you can accomplish all that you want. Hopefully this is one of those times. With a little bit of luck we'll cream these guys.

"Max…?" Mole asked, seemingly waiting for the order, "Maim, do not kill. Not unless they leave you with no OTHER options." I knew that there were dozens of ways to take them all down, it just depended on Mole's need to kill one of our own even if they worked for Lane, or to try and preserve our strength in transgenic numbers. Orders received we waited till Anton and the others got close enough before reacting.

Seeing Anton whipped the chain out, fully prepared to take me out with one strike as he got within range, I gave half a blur for momentums sake before using the wall beside me to initially jump the chain as it slapped against the wall. Its scream against the brick echoed all around. I used the last of my momentum to flip over his head. Landing softly, I jumped up again, though now behind him, as he turned around, had my booted feet of each side of his head and flipped both of us with my strength.

He was knocked off his feet completely as I, thanks to my inner feline landed on my hands and knees before standing back up. Seeing that his chain was momentarily loose within his grip, I yanked it free and clear. Making sure it was throw far away from him, I used my strength to toss it at an X5 who was headed for Mole's back. He heard, turned, saw, looked up, spotted me, before cracking a small begrudging smile of acceptance, before turning back to the X5 he was pummeling into the alleyway.

Looking back to Anton I couldn't help myself, "What you can't beat me on your own you need help to do it?" I smirked, giving him time and room to get back up, wanting a decent fight. He was upset that I gave him the room. I saw that he took it, not as an act of wanting a good fight but as an act of bruising his ego. He charged me, I took it in and when I felt the dumpster right behind me. Using it I flipped myself up, twisted around and slammed my boots into the backs of his knees. Hearing his grunt of pain from the impact on the dumpster I smirked.

Apparently I had discovered somewhat of a trademark move. Waiting for him to stand up he looked over to me in anger, "Remember how you once told me 'they must have given you a lousy heart', that was my brother's heart, which just happens to be your CO's twin, Lane." What the hell, maybe it'll catch him off guard, not that I needed that, it seemed as if he wasn't prepared that I could actually fight him back as well as I was.

"What you think I spent ten years on the outside playing golf?" I mocked. "I still put you down on your ass back on the mats. My guess is you all thought because I'd been out for so long I wasn't a worthy competitor." His snarl confirmed it. "Yeah well guess what, I didn't take Manticore's shtick so I escaped…again. The night you all got released from your cells, that was ME! Renfro fried the place." He did not like hearing this.

"So before you decide that I'm the 'bitch' that needs to go down ask yourself this, right now, who's the bigger bitch? The one who's standing or the one who's half on the ground? Transgenics aren't supposed to be each other's enemies. And neither are they!" I pointed to the streets with few people milling about, too lost in their own dramas to care about the alleyways. "So yeah I'm not going to take your shtick either."

His anger fueled him. I smiled, "Goodie, now I get a real fight." Taking up stances we both heard two grunts of pain, one from one of his men and one from one of mine. We both looked over to find Daniel and some X5 nailed each other in the legs, not a mortal wound but enough to slow the other down. I was curious on where Daniel got a gun from, but by the time I looked back Anton had slammed his fists rapidly in my face, his speed seemingly even faster with his adrenalized anger.

Managing to block the last two shots I regained my momentum, grabbed his head and started to slam my knee into his gut till he picked me up bodily and threw me against the brick wall. I slumped down and saw him go to grab me again when a bark of orders stopped him, "I told you if anyone was to take her out, it'd be me." Lane. I stood up, my body feeling a tinge of the impact but still ready to fight.

"So you can't take me on from the start, you have to send in the rookies to do it for you?" I sneered at him. He smiled, "I am going to enjoy this." I ducked his first two blows but the third one caught me in a near death grip around my throat, as he slammed my head back against the brick wall. I saw red and stars for a moment, "See skills you may have but brute strength you don't." he mocked.

I bit out, "Bite me!" he smiled then acted a little to well in my opinion as if he was. Using the wall I swung my boot feet up. One leg inside the hold the other outside the hold as I wrapped my legs around his shoulder and neck and pushed outward, breaking his hold on me. Gaining in some air I moved my leg, kicking him in the face before looping the leg outside in, so I could knock him out. His fingers bit into my legs, sharply. Bruising the flesh I could feel before trying to bite me through the jeans I had on.

Grunting in minor pain I kept my hold up and waited for the unconsciousness to claim him. Now I could have killed him, one more twist, and he'd be gone. But I'm not a murderer, and I want that to be known. Feeling his pulse weaken enough I dropped my hold on his neck and flipped backwards to avoid his buddies from making a grab. I had no need to worry as they grabbed him up and then looked to me in surprise.

Hearing Mole help Daniel up as the other X5's were beaten down as well gave me comfort that they were okay…well okay enough to walk. It also told me to say my peace before leaving, "I have no need to kill anyone, even if they deserve it. Now if you want a better, fear free life then the way he runs things, then you know where to go, if not, be my guest in staying here." Walking away the three of us left them there. Seeing Daniel's leg I surmised, "Mole go on ahead and make sure were clear." He nodded.

Taking Daniel's arm around my shoulder I helped him across the ten blocks then down the tunnel with Mole as we made our way back inside. "I'll take him to medical, go on ahead back to the guns." Mole grinned before leaving off, "Today was fun!" he smirked. I rolled my eyes before helping Daniel to medical. Texting Cece that he was fine but had a bullet through and through didn't stop her from racing from her post, leaving the other person there alone to go to medical and see him.

Getting there I helped Daniel onto a table as I used my knife to cut through his jeans. "You should call Alec." Daniel grunted. I looked up seeing a trace of minor pain but then hearing Cece's frantic voice told me he'd be fine. I walked out of the double doors to the medical area prepared to call Alec to let him know we were back and fine when I heard his voice, "I heard you were going to medical." He stated. Then saw me. "Relax I'm fine. It was Daniel, one of Lane's boys were packin', but Daniel put him in his place." I surmised.

Pushing me back through the double doors, I smiled at his incessant need to ensure I was fine, "Relax, I'm fine. Daniel's the one with the bullet not me, though I did run into Lane." Alec shot his face to me. "Other than one decent hit he got nothing in on me. I put him into a chock hold and made sure he passed out. I think I bruised his delicate male ego though." I smiled in memory, knowing that I had beat the man.

"Where?" was all Alec demanded, I looked to him, "Where did he hit you? The man's got a decent amount of power behind a strike and I see nothing." He caresses to my face calmed me, but once he saw the hand mark on my neck his eyes turned a few shades darker. It was a primal look of over protectiveness. It dawned on me how he saw it. His mate had been attacked and he hadn't been there.

It was eating away at him, "Hey this was my decision. NOT yours." I told him, wanting him to see that I was fine. "Don't make me feel any better. God he just, bruised up your whole neck." He complained. It didn't feel that bad. Going over to a mirror I saw the extent. Lane was more that I thought he was. He left light marks of bruising on my skin. No wonder Alec was agitated with it.

Feeling a little itch, I scratched the back of my head, only to feel a little something off. Parting my hair I noticed the strange look I was gaining from Alec, "What is it?" he talked and walked at the same time, feeling the area once he was nearly up on me. I took comfort in his presence, but he backed up before I could loosen up enough. "He had a decent shot huh?" he asked, showing me the minor amount of blood. "What kind of decent shot?" he demanded. If I didn't know any better I'd say he was ready to go pummel Lane.

"He slammed her head into a brick wall. I saw it just before I got a bullet to my leg. Ouch!" I heard Daniel complain as the bullet was pulled out, "Quit whining." The X5 doc said. Looking to me she iterated, "It didn't damage anything. He'll be fine." Her last part was directed at Cece, who was waiting by his medical bed. "That's it, he's dead." Alec bolted from the double doors before I could even look back.

Blurring after him I was caught by the X5 doc. "Max your head might need stitches you have to stay." I wanted to ignore her but I had felt the wound for myself. Out in the open, I'd have the choice to keep after Alec, but right now, I couldn't just let this wound go untreated. "Damn it!" I looked back to Daniel, "Thanks!" I smarted at him. "What? You weren't going to tell him, so I did." He replied back.

Grabbing my phone I called Mole, "Stop Alec, he's goin' to kill Lane, I'll explain later just stop him!" he hung up before I could. Please tell me he's going! Hour later I was stitched up as well as Daniel as we left out. "I'm not sorry." I narrowed my eyes at him from the side, "I know." I snapped in low tones. "I just hope he didn't go after Lane. I don't need a transgenic war on our hands on top of the government making a move on us." I iterated, "Maybe he just went for a friendly warning." I gave Daniel a dead panned look.

He then scratched his own head in mild thought, before looking around and spotting the object of our conversation, "Maybe not." My eyes shot to Alec's slightly beaten form, as well as Mole's, "I'm so glad we don't have to pay hospital bills, cause 'doc' here is getting some business in today." Mole's statement was accentuated by Alec grunting a yeah, "What happened?" I was tempted to touch Alec but I didn't know where the pain was.

"Lane put out a few snipers after your bout with his crew. Alec took one to the shoulder before he could even get close enough. Me…" he showed me his side. A small graze. "Why is it always my shoulder? Every time I get shot it's my friggin' shoulder." He complained. "Would you rather it be your other body parts?" I asked. He looked up to me, "Oh Maxie…it doesn't make a difference on what body part gets hit, I can still work my magic." I was sorely tempted to slap his wounded shoulder.

Instead I gave it a gentle tap that still had him whining in pain, "Next time you go off like that when you should know that he would put up extra sentries as ANYONE who feels threatened would do, think ahead and don't go." Walking a bit closer to him I iterated in small tones that only he could hear, "I need my mate and my daughters father, not a dead hero." He smiled, "I'm not lookin' to die, but he will know that messing with you means death will at his doorstep, or at least a SEVER ass kicking."

Another half hour later Alec was bullet less, stitched and bandaged up as well. "Okay my shifts over." The doc said as she left out, "Oh and don't do anything strenuous. EITHER of you." She warned before leaving out through the double doors. "Cece why don't you pull the curtains over." Daniel suggested, "Why?" she asked. He grabbed a belt loop and pulled her closer, "For privacy." He muttered.

"Are you, she said nothing strenuous and Alec and Max are in here to!" she slapped his hand away, feeling embarrassed that he'd want to have sex while we were in the room with them. "I think we should leave out Cece, give the men some time to heal. In fact, since they'll probably be here tomorrow to for recovery, what do you say we have that girl's night tonight?" Cece brightened up at my words.

"Oh we so need that." she agreed. "Wait?!" Daniel asked, in mild alarm, "I…what about your guys' kids?" he looked back and forth between myself and Alec, "I think their transgenic father can handle them. Besides, Cece's due to give birth herself in just a few weeks, she needs this just as much as I do. And might as well add on here, if BOTH of you watch the girls you'll get a head start in being a daddy." Daniel looked nearly trapped.

"Dude you totally lost that argument. Best just to agree." Alec muttered loud enough to be heard, "Fine. But how can I run around after two baby girls?" he tried, "It's called a play pen." We waved the men off as we left to go put our plans in motion. Finally after all of that we can have some time to relax and do stupid girlie things.