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.

19. street fight & lane vs zack

It's coming to an end here…years in the making. I made a promise to finish this and I will. Please read and review!

Season 5 ep. 19

Continued…

Max POV

I make my way over when my soldier side takes in the odds of the four of them and Lane against me alone. These odds weren't good. Even as a transgenic it was still four guys versus one female. "Tonight Alec will kill him. There's too many for you to take on." but I look back over, then at my packages, then back over again, "When have I ever backed down before?" I drop my bike and the packages to the ground and go to confront Lane and his goons.

Upon seeing me he smiles, "Finally come to be my bitch huh?"

I blur and slam my fist into his nose on impact before his goons can even reach, "You not only threatened to kill my baby girls you were in their room last night." I made sure his henchmen knew the reason why. Maybe they would ditch out on their so called leader. I saw in the corner of my eye two of the looking from me to Lane, "Is this the man you all so willingly follow? Someone who not only threatens but breaks in the room of two helpless infants?!" I demanded. My voice full of authority.

"Lane, dude, what - " one of them tried speaking. Lane cut him off, "This bitch stabbed me, it is only fair that I take something of hers as well." his defense. My eyes hardened, "Listen you cock-eyed son of a bitch…" I felt full of confidence and anger at this man. "If you got an issue with me it STAYS with ME." I indicated. "You dragged helpless innocents into this. Its low, immoral, and downright disturbing." I knew at least two of his own men agreed with me it seemed. I was hoping it'd make it easier.

"Lane I think you're going too far with this now." one of his men braved. He looked to him, "This isn't how X5's work. It's like an unwritten rule to NOT go after the off spring of mated X5's. You only go after the mated individual. That's low. I'm beginning to think you've spent too much time under Ross's wing." Lane stood up whipped his gun out and shot him in the leg before he could even flinch let alone move.

The move wasn't anticipated nor did the X5 even think his boss would do something like that elsewise he obviously would have seen it coming. The blurred movement came from nowhere, "Anyone else goin' to question me?" Lane demanded. His eyes cold and calculating, and more that a bit outraged.

It was fear that drove his men to loyalty, "Using fear to make your men stay loyal to you...yeah you're a real X5. A real soldier." I spat sarcastically, a glare on my face, "As long as I have their loyalty who cares. He looked at the X5 he shot, "Besides..." he looked back up to me, "Real loyalty, highly over rated." he smirked, "Want to know what's also highly over rated?" he quirked his head to the side looking at me.

"You." I went in to attack and his goons made a good show of trying to intercept before allowing me space to knock them out of the way to get to Lane. But he still had one true blue X5 on his payroll. That X5 grabbed me from behind, one that I hadn't seen or even known was there, unless he came afterwards. He grabbed from behind and threw me towards the street I had crossed to get here.

Getting up I was grateful for the cleared roads before the X5 came at me again. I looked up to find Krit's look alike over me before flipping him off rolling my own flip over him, "Ah so your Krit's evil twin, we've yet to actually had the pleasure of meeting face to face." I remark sarcastically.

He goes to flip me only to find himself being pinned. One of Alec's rarely used holds now coming in handy to keep this ass beneath me, "Why would you work for such a prick?" I had to ask, "He kept Ross from 'canceling' my ass after the party bit happened." So Ross was going to cancel him for that whole episode... "So what you think you owe him your life?" I demanded. "I do." now he found leverage and flipped me off of him, only this time he kicked me mid flip and sent me into the path of an incoming car.

I widened my eyes at the vehicle as it was going too fast to stop in time. I leaped up and used my cat like abilities to jump up pass the car now under me. I only grazing it with my booted feet before landing back on the ground.

I turned around as there were no other cars nearby and found Krit's twin - really need to give him a name - barreling at me with full transgenic force. I took in the hit as it did lead me off the streets before using the momentum and tossing him over my head and into the front of a store window. The patrons gasping in wonder, some calling the cops - I presume - while the person working there looked like he was just having really bad day before yelling out obscenities in Cantonese. His co - worker yelling in Chinese at him.

Krit's twin got up and stepped right back through, "What's your name anyways?" I asked.

"Devon." he replied. "Fitting." I remark. I look about seeing a small crowd from inside the stores gather. I guess my feats with the car got people interested, "You really wanna do this?" I asked him as we circled one another.

This man was in no way like my brother so beating him down, not going to be too hard now, "Honestly yeah I do."

He went first two quick strikes to the head were blocked before I jumped up and kicked him in the head. He blocked it. Landing we both went for separate kicks to separate areas. His aimed for my gut while mine were aimed for his feet. We narrowly missed one another as the foot I would have connected with was up in the air and the gut he was going to kick was near the ground now.

Several feet apart now we circled one another as my phone rang, "Now is so not a good time." I knew it was Alec, I never did come back from the run.

We felt one another out some more, light combat moves were used to test strengths before finally we both got a figure on where to hit hard. I struck a kick to his kidneys as he struck one to my chest. Oddly enough both of us caught the foot that struck us. Balancing on one leg apiece we knew we'd never get far like this so we let the booted feet go only for him to kick his other foot up at my head while I ducked it and kicked out at his other leg. He took the hit and hobbled for a moment before regaining himself.

I made to do a flip kick when he caught my booted foot, preventing me from doing the flip portion of the kick. So I leapt off my other foot and flipped sideways kicking him in the face in the process before landing on my feet.

He blurred forward as I did. We both collided in the middle, taking one another out. He held me pinned to the ground before an oncoming semi-truck came barreling at us. He held on, probably hoping I'd get run over, "Not a very smart idea." Now he knew why, he'd get hit, I'd be under the semi.

Rolling off me I flattened myself out as the truck stopped literally right over me. I rolled to the side as the driver began screaming about a person under his truck. "Are you okay?!" he called out, "I'm fine, go now!" I called back now on the other side of the truck. The driver seeing the rally of X5's got back in and took off. Once he was gone the X5's Devon included seemed to be backing up their leader as Lane clutched at his side just a bit before looking to me, "Hurt's huh?" I remark. He growls at me, "After I get what I want from you I'm going to kill you!"

I quirk a brow, "Let's see, so far I've kicked your ass, stabbed you, even now you hide behind your goons, seems your more bark than bite."

"Trust me when I'm fully operational again you're the first one on my list." I shook my head, "And will your goons be there? Or will they wise up that the moment they do something you don't like them go down like he did?" I asked referring to the X5 that was leaning up against the side of a building.

That's when my phone rang again. Stop ringing me Alec! "You might wanna to take that. Savor the precious moments you have left with 494 before he's dead...before your dead." I ignored his words as the other X5's started to leave with him. Obviously my throwing him against a wall had had an effect on him. "You come near me, my family, TC again and you won't live to see your goons again!" I threatened.

He smiled upon looking back at me. I hated that smirk. "I live for the day when you realize just how wrong you are."

He left off in a van with his goons before I could retort. Answering the phone Alec demanded, "Where are you? I've been blowing you up for 20 minutes? Normal's on a warpath." it's not the first time, "Ran into Lane and his boys down in China town. Tell Nor - "I got cut off, "Lane was down there?" he asked worriedly. "Yeah, I ended up fighting Devon, Krit's twin a bit before they left off. Alec, his own men are only there because he threatens them. Only Devon is a contender to be truly sided with Lane." I tell him.

"What were they doin' down there anyways?" he asked. "Lane's feeling the brunt of a pissed off alpha female, i.e. me. He was getting treatment I presume. He's looking more healed up from that knife wound though." I admit. "Did you get a chance to do any more damage to the ass?" he asked, "No I barely got a chance to touch him. Devon came in before I could get a true swing in." I admit.

Silence rang. "The only thing I was able to get is that his boys were protecting him from further damage. So it was enough for that. Otherwise he slung back like usual, other than when he had his fun dealio with me." I retorted. "Okay well meet me back at Jam Pony when you're done with your deliveries." I nod then reply, "I will. Love you." I could hear the smile in his voice, "Love you to."

Hanging up I put my phone away when I see the Cantonese man coming out and yelling in his language to me. I was trying hard to gather what I could since Alec only taught me so much over the years. I struggled to hear the dialect as he was going fast. If it hadn't been for my transgenic hearing I wouldn't have been able to understand without the need for him to go slower. "Sir!" I tried. He didn't want to speak in English, spoke only in Cantonese. I tried a few words 'I am very sorry'. But my accent was off making the words come off sounding wrong to.

"Great. Listen if you can understand English then listen." he shut up. Good. "I'm am sorry about your window, send me the bill over at Terminal City. I'll handle it." sides I did kind of engage the fight to begin with. Granted with every right but I did start it.

He kept speaking in his dialect as I walked away. Grabbing my bike and the packages I finished delivering them to their respected places before leaving back for Jam Pony. Rolling in Alec caught me at the handle bars, "What happened exactly?" he demanded. Normal was smirking, as if Alec's anger at me was something to be good, "I saw him, told him if he ever came by the girls again, I couldn't be held accountable for my or your actions." simply stated but not in the exact words. "Lane isn't goin' to take this lying down." Alec muttered.

"Mind letting go of the bike. I do believe it is the end of the day." I indicated the clock, "Nope! Not for you two girlie girl. You've both got a hot run each out in sector 10." Normal said, "That's on the other side of town!" I complained, "The customer called in before closing their going to get the pickup and delivery." he threw the package at me and then Alec's to him, "Now scram!" never fails.

"Fine. You're lucky the day care we have is open till 1-2 a.m." I warn.

"More riding less talking missy Miss." he retorted, his hand waiving us off. Alec shot him a small glare, "That's enough on ridin' her Normal she just dealt with a bunch of X5's one of which was at our girls room last night. He's no joking manner." Normal looked to Alec at his words, "A bad X5?" he asked.

Alec walked up to him, "Not every X5 is a great guy like myself, some out there, mostly pertaining to Lane and his group, are not exactly of the friendly variety. The guy's bad news so IF you ever see him, contact us ASAP. I wouldn't trust him as far as - and take no offense to this - as far as you could throw him." Alec told him. Normal looked to me, "So you tangled with him? On Jam Pony time?"

I rolled my eyes before walking up, bike included to the counter, "The man threatened our daughters, what would you have done?" I asked.

Normal cocked his head to the side, "Called the sector police...but then again for you guys...I'm not sure what the protocol would be." he admitted. "The protocol would be for him to leave and hide from us both, but he isn't that smart or rather feels he is above us in everything. Not to mention I'm sure he would have just beaten the sector cops anyways." Alec muttered irritatingly. "So why not put him in lock down nor something?" Normal asked.

"Love to, but the moment he threatened to throw our girls into a river he hit the top of my kill list." Alec told him straight up.

Normal was stunned, "Why would he want to hurt such innocent little babies?" honestly I think it had more to do with them being Alec's offspring but I didn't want to say that out loud. Alec might feel responsible. I responded, "Cause their ours and it would devastate us. Man feels he can do whatever he wants and damn the consequences. However..." now I got to thinking. Alec turned around, "His men weren't so keen on being around him only one guy stood true to him and that was Devon." I explained.

"So what are you thinking? Secretly get his men to turn on him?" Alec asked, "Something like that. Maybe even talk them into pulling a mutiny on Lane. Think that might work?" I looked up asking my mate.

Alec contemplated it, "Might be worthwhile. If Lane doesn't have his fearful troops supporting him - " Normal waved in motion with his hands for us to stop so he could get a better idea, "Whoa wait a minute here. If these troops are so fearful then isn't that large numbers for a small bit like you two?"

I looked to Normal, "He means his troops are fearful of him. All but one. He feels indebted to him. But the others, if Lane were to go down they'd join us, I have a strong feeling on that one." I tell them. "But they protect him, right?" Normal asked. I nod, "Yeah, but if he can get into our girls room without our people spotting him what's to say I couldn't do the same for him." I stated more than asked.

"What are you thinkin' Max?" Alec asked. I looked up to him, "Eye for an eye." I leave out before I could get questioned further, taking the packages with me. I would need something to do so I could come up with how to implement my plan of attack and HOPE that Lane gets the hint and leaves my family alone. It was really a last ditch effort to avoid killing but I had a feeling THAT would be inevitable.

Dropping off the last package was also my pick up to. I had to drop that back off to Jam Pony before 8 p.m. I would be making it there just in time since that was the time Normal left out of the office by after taking care of all the nightly paper work.

I left and rode back as my plan came into motion. A smile on my face from what I had planned to do. You're going to regret threatening my girls...I thought. Getting back I saw Alec waiting for me, "What took?" he asked.

"Just got lost in my thoughts." I responded. "Why don't you have a night with the guys I got an errand to run." It was more of a 'go do it' rather than a suggestion. I made to turn the bike around and go for my ninja when he came barreling around to block me, "What kind of errand?" part of him already knew but didn't want to admit to it, I could see it in his eyes, "An errand, now go home." I iterated and broke his hold on the bike.

Bringing it inside I hung it up on the wall as I gave the last package to Normal, "To 849 West Lake St." I tossed it to him, "Gottcha." he muttered putting the package on his list before putting it with the rest that would wait till morning.

Walking out I go to my ninja when I see Alec blocking it, "What?" I ask, "Your gonna do something to Lane tonight. I can feel it. The boys and I are goin' to strike tonight on him, so don't do anything. I don't want you gettin' caught in the crossfire." he warned. "Its sweet that you want me out of harm's way but reality check, being mated does NOT give you permission to tell me what to do." he balked.

"Max - " I silenced him. "You're the love of my life, and I love you to death, but Alec..." my hand reached up at the now close proximity that we had before grabbing the lapel of his worn leather jacket.

It had him off kilter for a moment before I pulled him away from my bike, before slipping on it, "From a mother's point of view this needs to be done. If he's stupid enough to come again by all rights, kill on sight. Hopefully my little 'excursion' tonight will end his bit when it comes to our girls. Or frankly us period." I turned her on and felt her purr beneath me before hitching her into first gear and riding off, leaving Alec behind.

He tried to keep up for a moment but after I switched to a higher ear he stopped. Didn't want to hurt me by stopping me. My phone instantly began ringing, from him no doubt. First I had to go home and get my lock break in kit before going over to Lane's. The base I knew would be fortified but not as heavily as before.

Making it there I knew I had precious minutes before Alec would come in and handcuff me to the bed if necessary. He wanted to kill Lane with his bare hands if he could but if I could scare the man away from us... I hadn't heard his approach inside while within my thoughts until I felt his hand over my own before dragging me into our bedroom.

"Alec!" I tried to wriggle myself out of his grasp, "Not tonight Max!" he threw me to the bed and in a blurring movement did as I guessed he would. Hand cuffs and all I was attached to that bed, "Really?" I asked.

"Really. Cause tonight Lane will die for his threats on us, our family and on Terminal City." he told me in a no none sense manner, "Alec let me -" but he cut me off with a quick kiss as he moved over the bed to me. Leaning over me in the process, "Max you need to stay here. Now the girls are in daycare till I get back. In an hour I'll tell Cece that I left you locked to the bed." he got off and left for the door.

I went to grab my own phone within the confines of jeans when I felt it missing. He held it up, "You're not the other one with sticky fingers."

I fumed, "Alec!" he puckered up a kiss before walking out, "Alec!" I shouted. Nothing. My phone was gone and he handcuffed me to our bed. He knew I wouldn't be able to break through the steel of it. It was hard but we found a bed that could handle our sex lives. Unfortunately it also prevented me from breaking it unless I spent hours sawing away at it. Time I didn't have. "Bastard..." I fumed silently. Looking around I searched for anything to pick the lock. "What a time to be a girl and NOT use hair pins." I muttered in irritation.

Seeing a pen near the night stand on his side with a note pad, something he did so on the really long nights he could grab it as a to do list in the morning and not remember everything, even though he could, "Bingo."

I grabbed it and pulled the metal from the side out. It was meant to keep the pen on said person at all times for work usage, but right now I had to put its need into picking the lock. Several minutes later I was free and in need to go to Alec. I blurred through the hallways knowing he had a good ten minute head start on me. Jumping on the bike, I started her up before riding her over to the compound. I really wasn't sure if I was going to let Alec kill him or if I was going to go with my plan but I had a feeling I was going to do the former...please wait on me Alec.

I had to go through two check points before I finally came to the base. The guards on duty were watching me as I came up. This is no good. I'll have to go in through the back. I revved up my bike and went around. I didn't hear anything as of yet so I hoped I was in time. Dismounting my bike I set her off to the side and blurred my way onto the property.

Reaching the fence I jumped it in seconds before reaching the first door, evading the few guards out on patrol as I made my way inside. I made it to the control room only to find myself being slammed into its door. The X5 came out of nowhere and prevented me from discovering whom he was. Only the body's form told me it was a he. I managed to stand back up only to have him bulldozing me into the door, breaking it on impact. We both fell into the computer systems and by some miracle NOT damaging anything.

He backed up realizing he had no real ground to hit me with. I looked up to find Devon looking down at me, "Haven't I handed you your ass enough?" I asked getting back up.

"Cocky bitch." he made to swing at me which I deftly avoided before bringing my elbow up and hitting him in the back of the head. "Cocky no, bitch yes." I back handed him. "Why aren't you with your boy?" I asked. He was Lane's body guard, "He saw you on the monitors in Ross's old office, now his." he answered, "Sent me after you."

"Why are you here?" he asked, curiously in his voice.

"Thought I'd drop by, say hi, see how things were." I remark, he went to hit me when I took out his knee cap with one hit. "Well that and I need to talk to your boy about threatening two innocent baby girls." I told him.

He stumbled back on his legs, trying to ignore the pain caused by the move, "Lane wants you all dead. I don't even think he cares about gettin' you in his bed anymore, just wants you dead now for the suffering you've caused him. He's started to lose leadership status with some of the other X5's thanks to your stunt." he yelped.

"Sorry I spoiled the party." I retort, obviously glad for it.

We exchanged a few more blows, he even managed to get another hit in as he spun his whole body around. I turn back facing him, grab both hands of his and pull him forward as I slam my head into his, before pulling him further and slamming my knee up into his gut, only to have him lift me up and slam me against the computers, causing many buttons to be hit.

Realizing this he lifts me up again and body slams me into the floor before starting to rain down fists at me, my arms coming up in an automatic defense.

Catching one and taking the other I use it to lock his joint in place and shove him up enough to get my booted foot in-between us as I grab the arm being held, pull back once more as I shove with my leg on his left shoulder and yank his right arm, throwing him off kilter in his hits. He falls to the side while I yank harder and dislocate his shoulder. The pop resounds as he grunts in resounding pain.

I release him and kick him away from me as I stand up. He does the same but holds his dislocated shoulder right before walking two feet to the door way and slamming it painfully back into place.

"You will be, I'll make sure of that." before either of us could make another move to fight his walkie came in, "Devon we need your help!" another X5 yelled through it.

"I won't tell if you won't." I tell him as he looks to me with contemplation and anger. He pursed his lips and grabbed the walkie, "452 is in the building!" he near shouted, "494 is in here with 599!" the voice shouted back before the walkie had a weird sound to it. Devon looked at it suspiciously before asking, "Hello?" "Hello Devon is it?" Alec's voice came through, "494..." Devon said.

"I understand you have Max in there. The spotters here are really good. Reporting everything." he spoke. I rolled my eyes. Before Devon could say something stupid I spoke, "I'm fine! But he won't be!" Devon looked ready to snarl, "Niner X5." before tossing the walkie and going after me. The walkie spoke out once more, "Kick his ass Max!"

"You won't do anything to damaging to me. I wear your brother's face." he stated with a sense of cockiness, "Hasn't stopped me before." I remark. He faltered, "Your bluffing." he countered, "Only one way to find out." I remarked instead of telling him it was Alec's clone, Ben that I had killed. Granted to save his life but still I killed him.

"You're not going to win this." Devon remarked, "Just bring it." I shot back. He came at me first, using the small space of the control room to his advantage, he banked himself off the door to kick me in the face with his booted foot. I blocked just in time to avoid it. I attempted two hits, one with each arm to which on both of them he blocked with both of his arms before swinging me into the computer panel.

As I moved from it he slammed me bodily into it making the control panel make a few funny noises before I kicked him back and away. Before he came at me with another kick once more aimed for my head, I ducked it but was unable to dodge the fists he came at me with.

It was a fighting style I wasn't used to but was soon gaining a handle on. He slammed his knee up into me as I bend over to avoid the hit. His knee was unable to hit my hand due to the height I kept on him. We exchanged several more blows none of them truly landing anywhere but as defensive blocks to the other.

At one point I was able to slam my palm into his face before he came back at me, catching my well-aimed punch, spun me around and used my own arm to keep me in place as he wrapped his arm around my neck, "What did I tell you huh? You can't win." he grunted in anger.

It was when I felt him putting more pressure in place that I saw what he was maneuvering with. A phone cord he'd grabbed from the emergency phone on the control panel. I had to act fast or else he'd have the perfect opportunity to make a kill attempt with me.

I slammed my elbow into his side as hard as possible, breaking the hold he had on me. I ignored the call for breath not wanting him to see me in distress, "You choose the wrong side to back." I tell him.

"Nope, I just choose the winning side. I knew which player for this game to step behind. Lane you see he's not like Ross, he's worse. He knows who can be expended and who can't. And unlike Ross he won't hesitate. I know who I guard and I'd do it all day long. My path here is the one with the golden ticket at the end of the road." he grinned back at me.

He went in for another attack, I kicked him in the gut stalling him for a few extra moments. I decided right then and there that he wouldn't go down gently.

I instead saw his grabbing the phone cord with intent as he made another move for me. I gave a small jump, banked myself off the computer panel, grabbed the cord that I knew was also wrapped around his palms, and pulled it back, cutting off his own supply of oxygen while also using it to gain footing for my next feat.

As if I had done it multiple times before, I hooked my right leg around his neck, let go of the cord, and whipped myself around the back of him, before throwing myself back with all of my transgenic strength and weight. A resounding snap was heard as his body hit the floor. It was partially on top of me as I fell down with him. I crawled out from beneath him as I saw the last few seconds of life fade from his eyes, "Told you, you picked the wrong side to back."

His eyes closed as I turned away, done with the enemy. He made his choices, and he had to live with them, "Tried to warn you." I muttered leaving the control room.

I had to shake off that feeling as I moved further down the hallways only to come into contact with several X5's running away. I managed to catch one, "What's going on?!" I demanded, "The cells we were in were opened! Don't know who but were free!" was that even possible? Devon and I didn't - wait, he smashed me into the computer panel! What are the odds! "Go run now, if you need safety and shelter Terminal City is in sector three! Talk to Mole! Or Daniel!" she nodded and ran off with the others.

I kept running hoping I'd run into Alec and to my astonished luck I found him duking it out with an X5 female. He was trying to avoid doing serious damage but she was trying to do some serious damage, "You've grown soft 494!" She taunted. He blocked a few more blows. Body guards gone from Ross they maybe but not from Lane. "And you've grown homicidal!" Alec retorted to her.

Having had enough I yelled out, "I've got her, you go ahead!" he looked to me with annoyance before leaving, "So 452..." she remarked, sizing me up and down.

"Can we just skip to the fighting? I'm really getting tired of all the yapping." I stated bored, "Where's Devon?" she asked, "Dead. Where's Lane?" I asked. I then saw the look in her eyes, "No way, Devon is much better than you are." she boasted. "Tell that to side of beef laying on the ground." I remarked. She went to pull out a gun when I blurred before using the wall next to me to begin a near aerial assault on her. I managed to miss three succession shots before the fourth grazed my shoulder.

Feeling that was a little to close as I came down I grabbed her hand with the gun, jerked behind her before hauling both her and the gun over my right shoulder. She came down with a thud before letting go of the gun, knowing it was the grip I had on both that pulled her over, and vaulted herself back up preparing to fight one on one. I disarmed the gun in seconds flat as she came at me. I jumped backwards preventing her hits from making contact only to make my second jump into another person, "Great." I muttered.

In mere seconds I was being held by two other X5's. "Thought you guys were running?" I asked.

They responded, "We came to aid our leader." one said, "That leader would sooner say 'screw you' than help you himself!" I snapped. They seemed to stall for a moment before the girl snapped in response, "She's a lying niner, get rid of her!"

Not one for going gently into the night or day, I jumped up and aimed a double kick to her head with both feet to which she was barely able to block in time. When I landed I jumped back up only to swing both legs in opposing directions and slam both guys holding me back in the face. Their hold momentarily loosened and I used it to my advantage.

Grabbing one guy I slammed my leg into his chest, then swung the same leg out and back kicked the other guy in the chest to. I grabbed the guy I was closest to and twisted his arm behind his back as I saw the girl running for what I presumed to be the former Ross's now Lane's office. "Alec!" I threw the guy to the side only to have his comrade come up to me.

"Oh goodie, more idiots to take down." my sarcasm on the edge of my tongue.

It was the shot that rang out that caught my attention as well as the attention of the guys there. We all ran to see what had happened. Breaching the room I found Alec stumbling out with a bullet in his leg before grabbing the girl with another gun in her hands, "How many are you packing?" I demanded going to help him. shoving her from Alec the girl and I both fought for dominance over it.

"Max!" Alec yelped out. "Got it." I assure him. Neither of us were willing to let it go. Her fingers got close to the trigger. I pulled a pin out to release the breach from the gun, preventing it from being able to be fired right, before hitting the side piece to drop the clip. Even if the clip released before hand if there was a bullet in the chamber I was still screwed.

I grabbed it before it could fall and hit her in the side of the head with it. She backed off as I slammed my knee into her chest. She went and hit the frame of the door getting knocked out for the time being. "I see Ross trained 'em real well over here."

Tossing the rest of the gun pieces I went to Alec, "Zack's in there. Go I'll get everyone else that wants out." I looked to the office then back to him, "What about Lane?" I had to know, I did hear shots after all, and "He and Zack are squaring off. Go!" he nudged me in their direction before limping himself into the other direction. I grabbed my phone and dialed, "Hey -" I cut Mole off before he could greet, "I have a wounded Alec and more X5's coming your way. Be ready." I closed the phone before he could respond.

I walked into the office and found both men staring one another down. "This is not goin' to end well." I groan in irritation. "Lane! Zack!" getting both attentions I go to say something when Lane spits out, "Good, 452 will be here to see her former CO get his ass handed to him."

"You clearly don't know Zack if you think that." I nearly snort in defense.

This was turning out to be one hell of a day.

"Not today or any other day. You're gonna find out why we were the escapees." Zack taunted, Lane met his eyes, "Oh you're gonna turn tail and run off on me?" Zack replied, "No I'm gonna show you what superior intelligence and independence can do to an X5." He stated back, coldness in his voice.

"If you guys go through with this you end up getting yourselves nearly killed...IF not killed!" I exasperated. It was then that two X5's came around and grabbed me, "Make sure she sees this. I want her to know that after her so called 'alpha's' that she has with her I'M the best and the supreme alpha." I snapped at his words, "Supreme my ass. You had to shot one of them to be better. That's a dirty play even I don't use, and I play dirty." I tell him.

He shrugs, "We'll see who the one left standing is." he and Zack circled one another, the fight a foot as I was being brought out. Both circled one another till Zack struck first. Kicking Lane with his booted feet making Lane go back a few steps. The second high kick Lane caught, grabbed and threw over his head to make Zack's body slam into the ground.

Zack caught Lane mid slam and vaulted him over his own body. Lane bounced back up as they both went to do high kicks. Shins collided in crunches as both men winced at the force used. Lane went to hit when he caught the offending arm and socked him twice in the gut before grabbing him by the shirt and hauling him over his right shoulder. Unfortunately Lane landed on his feet and socked Zack in the gut before he could deflect. "Looks like 10 years in the world hasn't been too bad to ya." Lane gave a half assed compliment.

They circled once more, trying to find a weakness in the other, "You are going down." Zack uttered, "You seem to forget, I'm the bigger better brother here. I have 10 years of training on you, I stuck it out at Manticore with my unit, and you bailed. You're nothing but traitors, cowards... you should have been stripped of your CO title the moment you were brought back." Lane snarled, clearly having a hatred for his older by a designation twin.

He and Zack both exchanged blows with their hands till a kick was thrown from Lane at Zack's head while Zack aimed for a kick below. Zack's connected with Lane's other foot by an inch while Lane's hit air. Angered now Lane went to land three blows with his fists and ended up smashing his into Zack's all three times, both men, held their bruise hands for a moment. "Seems our thoughts might be mirroring one another." Zack taunted. I knew what he meant, he was using Lane's hatred of them being twinned to his advantage.

There was no real proof that twins born always had similar psychosis. Zack and Lane's only mirror was in looks and some amount of military strategy, otherwise they were oil and water. I know on Zack comparisons when it came to Alec and Ben, Ben was sweet, like Alec, but couldn't figure everything out the way Alec could. He could adapt to any environment. Ben went homicidal trying to re - create Manticore, Alec, used what he knew to help out others. Their only mirroring qualities were in looks and sweetness.

Even if Ben's was when he was a kid and Alec as an adult. Not to mention that Alec went through six months of Pys Ops to prove that point vividly. Some twins couldn't be any more different from one another, for Manticore these twins and clones couldn't be the same. Their personalities wouldn't allow for it. So with these two, Zack figuring him out was more Manticore based on getting to know ones enemy rather than 'mirroring' his thoughts.

Didn't make Lane any less pissed at him though. Lane made a blurring spinning kick move that Zack I knew hadn't seen before. But Zack picked the right timing in it to punch Lane's inner thigh before he landed as he himself ducked from being potentially kicked. Lane's landing was potentially harder but still on even with his now obviously bruised thigh he was still standing.

"Why don't you give up?" Zack advised. Lane shocked him with a blurring move that Zack was able to impact but not avoid. The two went crashing down as Lane began laying a barrage of punches and elbows at him. Zack for his part was deflecting as much as possible before getting his legs angled right kick Lane off of him and into the opposing wall. Now both went for a blurring move to one another, each locking the other into a head lock while delivering blows to the stomach, trying to get the other to let go.

They paused only for a moment when Lane took the punch in and snarled, "You're not gonna win, not when you know your precious 'sister' is about to be mauled by my guys." both X5's looked to me, "Oh hell no!" I leaped up and kicked both of them midair. Momentarily knocking them back as I yelled to Zack, "Do what you need to do I got this!"

He nodded as his fight continued. I took on the two X5's who looked ready to pounce. I looked them both up and down. I'll need some quick maneuvers to take them down as fast as possible. Limiting the damage and calling in to make sure Alec and the others were okay. "Come on boys!" I called for them. Jumping up quick fast I blurred midair catching both in the face with head kicks.

Landing I caught a boot to the gut but on the fall back recovered enough to jump back up and kick him away once more. "Please don't tell me that's all ya got." I taunted once I landed again. I did a spinning kick while he aimed for my other leg still grounding me. I caught him in the face smacking him back as he caught my other foot on the ground knocking me to the ground. "Finally a challenge." he snarled, "494 must have taunt you a few moves." I shrugged, "He taught I taught it's all the same for us." we circled each other.

I noticed his friend had been calling in for back up whole time and had not decided to join in, "Backups on the way." he told us, trying to scare me into leaving no doubt, "Goodie, more asses to kick." I smirked before aiming a kick at his head that he avoided by jumping back. "452 I'm going to enjoy kicking your ass." he remarked. I blanched, "All words and no play make you ass's dull, dull boys."

Both aimed a kick each to my head that I blocked with both arms to each side. Then they both kicked towards my gut that I was able to see coming. I placed my hands down flat on both boots as I used it gain leverage and flip myself over them. Blurring as I moved to avoid them keeping full track of my landing even as transgenics. Kicking one in the back he stumbled forward, the other I blocked a punch and jab combo before jumping up, locking my legs around his neck, swinging around and vaulting backwards to take him down to the ground.

I used my legs to keep him in a choke hold till he passed out while his friend grappled onto me to wrestle me away from his partner. Feeling the transgenic pass out I let go, swung my leg up to hit the other transgenic behind me in the face to get free of his binding hold. It was a crash in the office that alerted me to the fight still going on between Zack and Lane. It also gave the X5 in front of me a chance to back hand me before grabbing me, hauling my body up over his head before throwing me into the fight with Lane and Zack.

Both guys looked to me as I got up. A bit pissed now that this X5 had done that I remarked, "As you were boys."

I walked forward determined to take this last X5 down now. Blurring moves were exchanged now as we each tried to one up the other. It was when he went to grab a gun from his back that I knew I had to stop him. In a move to grab the offending gun hand, I slam my fist into his face, spin myself in front of him, and with the hand I had just hit him with grab the gun from him and threw it aside before elbowing him in the chest. He kicks me forward for the move before trying to place me in a choke hold.

Not bothering to try and hold onto the arm I elbow him in the side where his kidneys were before elbowing him in the face once I get the momentum and room to do so thanks to the prior hit. It releases the hold enough before he grapples me again. I push my feet into a nearby wall to shove him into the opposing one as we both ended up moving into the hallway now removed from Lane and Zack's fight.

We barely missed three shots a piece trying to get an in but not leave anything open before he gets his leg up high enough to kick me in that face. That's gonna leave a mark. "I know I fight dirty but bringing a gun to a combat fight..." I tisk.

"I'm an assassin, it's what we do. We don't play fair bitch." he replied. "True that." I retort, grabbing his next thrown fist and slamming my knee into his groin, "Sorry did that hurt?" I ask. Aiming my knee higher and slamming it into his bent over chest, "Or that?" I taunted. I then slammed my fist then elbow into his face as he kicked me in the gut as well. It gave him the chance to get his own elbow up to pin me into the opposing wall.

Getting my leg up I kick him away before jumping up, placing both feet on either side of his neck and twisting us both till we landed. Getting back up he went to hit me again, I blocked and countered it with an upwards elbow to the face before giving a small jump and slamming the same elbow into the top of his head. The force of it severely dazed him. Shoving him back he fell to the ground un-moving.

I made to walk away when I heard shuffling. I turned in time to hear a shot ring out. I spun around and saw the X5 with a gun pointed towards me now fall as a visible gunshot wound was at the side of his head.

Shocked I turned in the direction of the shot and saw Alec leaning against the wall. Still mind full of his wounded leg he had a pissed off look on his face, "You okay?" he asked me, his voice low, dangerous.

I nodded, as I slowly walked up to him, "I'm fine. We need to get Zack and the get the hell outta here." I surmised, seeing him now limping forward. I grab onto him giving him support, "And you better not say anything about me shootin' him." he snipped. I looked to him, "I wasn't. He was going to kill me. You stopped that. I owe you." I tell him. Turning his face to me he grins, "Owe me huh?" I smiled, "Yeah."

"When we get home..." he leans in to whisper in my ear, "I want to see your cheeks hollowed out as you blow me." his voice sexy even now with all that's going on, "Consider it done." I smirk at him. He groans and clutches his leg, "God I hate gettin' shot." I smile, "Well their not meant to be fun."

He shots me a look as we round into the office where Lane and Zack are. Both out of breath, both bruised up, but both are still fighting. "If we don't stop this their gonna kill each other." I tell him, "Their in an alpha fight, tryin' to get the better of one another. Its either gonna end with one giving in or one dead." Alec explained, I couldn't let that happen.

There was still a 50/50 percent chance of losing my brother and I didn't like those odds. "Hey!" I interrupted but neither budged or stopped fighting. I quirked my brow and idly wondered out loud, "Think if I flashed 'em they'd stop fighting?" I had no real intentions of doing so but it none the less garnered a look from Alec to melt ice. "No one gets to see my 'fun globes' but me. And you." he added.

I laughed even with the situation, "I wasn't being serious."

Instead I leaned him up against the wall and started to walk towards them when Lane doubled backed, "This isn't over!" and ran from the room. "Coward!" Zack yelled past a bloodied lip. He looked like crap but so did Lane, "Not sure if it was cowardice or he if just knew he was about to get his ass royally handed to him." I stated. "Both." Zack said.

I looked back to him, "Let's get going. Alec's been shot and the wound needs to be treated." to this Zack said, "Yeah sorry about that." to Alec. Alec gruffer and reply but it was too muttered even for us to hear it. "What do you mean sorry?" I asked Zack.

He looked from where Lane was back to me, "I wanted to deal with Lane on my own. Alec insisted on helping so when Lane pulled a gun I neglected to tell Alec to evade the area." I rolled my eyes, "So you purposely got my mate shot so you could play big man on campus with our rival?" I snapped. He stood tall, "I stand by my decision." I narrowed my eyes momentarily before snapping, "Men and their stupid missions."

Going to Alec I guided him up and helped him hobble to the front of the base where the rides were. Thankfully my bike was still there and un-touched as I helped Alec on her and then mounted her myself, "Hang on tight." I stated out of instinct. He held on as we started to ride.

I cannot believe what is happening. Lane versus Zack, no win no loose, and now Alec's shot. We've got to double up patrols for any of Lane's friends or he himself and keep our daughters windows locked at night now. I don't know what's gonna be next but I do know that Lane will meet his demise sooner rather than later.