Hey guys! So this is my first shot at writing strictly Dark Angel. I've written some Supernatural/Dark Angel Crossovers so if you're interested in those, check them out! I wrote this one because I'm take a small break at my other fic, so I really don't know where it's going...we'll see. If you like it, let me know!
Alec was alone on the roof now; the flag was still up, but everyone else had gone back inside. Alec stayed where he was. They were surrounded by the police, but they hadn't made any move to come inside. He didn't quite know what the plan was; Max had her own ideas about what they should do, but she wasn't giving them an actual plan.
He really wouldn't care what the plan was, but now they were all trapped there. So far, there was no way out as far as Alec could tell, and they couldn't really fight their way through.
"Hey," Max called out. Alec didn't turn; he'd heard her coming and he really didn't want to chat right now. His shoulder was throbbing and his ribs felt like they were on fire from the incident just a few hours before.
"What are you doing up here?" Max asked when he didn't respond. He still didn't turn around and he knew she was starting to get annoyed and he was proven right when she said, "We're getting together to make a plan, so get your ass downstairs." She turned and practically stomped down the stairs after she said that and Alec couldn't help his small smirk.
He still didn't move from his spot. He knew whatever was decided, Max would tell him later. There was so much they needed to do. They had some things set up from before the Jam Pony incident, but that didn't mean they were ready for long-term living. They needed to clean up some of the buildings so people could live in them, they needed to set up a better patrol and security system, and they needed to get some teams together to do supply runs. And those were just the more urgent things.
Alec ran his hand through his hair, exhaustion already starting to pull at him. But he couldn't sleep yet; probably wouldn't be able to sleep for a while actually. He finally hung his head, and then pushed off of the wall he'd been leaning on. He decided he actually should go to the meeting just so he could know what was really going on. Max would probably assign him something to do and she'd be pissed if she had to hunt him down later.
He casually walked down the stairs, and then leisurely made his way over to the group of people in command. Max was there and unfortunately so was Logan. It wasn't that Logan was a bad guy, in fact, he was an annoyingly good guy, but he was there all the time. This didn't even really affect him, and yet here he was, sticking his nose in their business again.
Besides Max and Logan, there was Mole, Joshua, Dix, Carter, Rain, and Jen. Alec had met Carter here in TC, but he knew Rain and Jen from Manticore.
"Look who finally decided to show up," Mole grumbled as he walked up. "Now that Pretty Boy's here, can we get on with this, Princess?"
Max shot the lizard man a glare, but then addressed the group, "Ok people, listen up, we have a lot to do since it looks like we'll be staying here-"
"Not like we have a choice…" Mole muttered.
Max ignored him, "Rain and Jen, you two get some people together to start cleaning up some places for us to live. Take however many people you need to get the job done and make a list of things for Alec to get. Alec and Carter, you guys get some supply teams together and get food, clothes, anything we need to get by. Alec, I hate to say it, but try and get your contacts to help us."
Alec just nodded in reply, even though he didn't think any of his contacts would actually deal with him anymore. He was a transgenic after all, and he wouldn't be surprised if his picture wasn't being sent around right now.
"Mole, get this place secure. I want patrols 'round the clock, but do not engage unless it's self-defense. Understand?" Mole grumbled something around his cigar, which Max must have taken as his grudging agreement. "Dix, keep doing what you're doing. If you find any other transgenics, let me know, and try to get any intel on where White is." Dix nodded his ok and Max looked around the group to make sure she'd gotten everyone.
"What about me? What should Joshua do?" Joshua asked after a moment.
"Try to keep everyone's spirits up, ok Big Fella?" Max asked with a small smile.
"Ok Little Fella," Joshua excitedly replied, and then he bounded off to do what Max had told him.
In fact, now that Alec looked around, everyone had gone off to do their jobs and now it was just him, Max, and Logan. He'd missed everyone leaving and now he was just standing there.
Max raised her eyebrows in question. She was starting to look a little concerned so Alec suddenly threw on his smirk so she wouldn't ask. It worked just as he wanted because as soon as his smirk appeared she glared, and then immediately turned to Logan, completely dismissing him.
He took as deep of a breath as his broken ribs would allow and slowly turned away from Max and Logan. He needed to find Carter and see what he wanted to do. Carter was an X5-series with short brown hair. He was a little smaller than Alec, but he was fast which made him really good on supply runs.
"Hey man," Carter greeted as Alec walked up.
"Hey," Alec easily replied.
"You have any ideas for the supply teams?"
Alec nodded slowly; he absentmindedly rubbed his injured shoulder as he said, "Each team should have six people so there are enough to get the supplies and to cover just in case…"
Carter nodded in agreement and then said, "You think 6 teams? We do a rotation and depending on how much we need, we have one or two teams out at a time. To start, we'll probably need more out at a time."
"I agree," Alec replied, "We're going to need 36 people who are fast and good at blending in."
"And who can work together," Carter threw in and Alec bit his bottom lip in thought and nodded.
"Alright," Alec finally said, "Let's ask around and see who we can get, make a list, and then split up the teams. I'm going to try and find a safe way out of here so we can get the teams in and out, and then we'll make up the teams in the morning."
"Sounds like a plan," Carter replied. He clapped Alec on the shoulder and Alec had to hide his wince of pain as Carter walked away.
Alec stood there for a minute thinking about the best way to get out of TC without the sector cops seeing him. It had to be good for 6 people carrying supplies, sometimes really big supplies. They needed a really easy way in and out, but big enough to get cars through.
"Hey," Max suddenly said and Alec couldn't help jumping in surprise. He actually hadn't heard her walk up this time. Max narrowed her eyes at his jumpiness and asked, "What are you doing? You look like you're about to have an aneurism with all that thinking."
"I'm gonna find a way out of here for the teams to go through," Alec answered with a scowl.
"Want some company?" Max casually offered, but Alec knew she was already starting to feel trapped here.
"Y'know, I'm trying to be sneaky," Alec said with a small smirk. Her eyebrows drew together in confusion so he said, "Every person in Seattle knows what you look like. Besides, don't you and Logan have things to talk about?"
"For one, they should know what you look like too. Besides that, if you're being sneaky, then they shouldn't see me at all. And two, me and Logan are none of your business," Max replied crossly.
Alec just smiled more at getting under Max's skin. She bristled even more when he smiled, and then grabbed his wrist and started pulling him towards the tunnels. Alec couldn't help his hiss of pain as Max pulled on his hurt arm.
Alec wrenched his arm from her grip and rubbed his shoulder. "Obviously you forgot I was shot," Alec said hotly.
Max turned and looked at him in confusion that turned into guilt, "Alec, I'm-"
"Its fine," Alec interrupted, brushing by her and taking the lead to the tunnels.
He didn't wait to see if she was following him or not, honestly, he didn't care. He had wanted to go by himself anyway, but Max was going to do whatever she wanted; it didn't matter what he wanted. She caught up to him a moment later, confirming what he had already thought.
He slowed down as he got closer to the tunnel that he thought would be far enough outside of the radius around TC. There was a maze of tunnels through TC and into the city that turned into the sewer system. This part was really nice compared to the sewers in the middle of the city.
Alec quickly climbed up the ladder, and then barely pushed up the manhole so he could see the street outside. It was pretty clear on this side of the city so Alec pushed the cover the rest of the way off and hoisted himself onto the street. He waited for Max to come up before they both started jogging to the closest cover in case anyone saw them.
"Ok, so we got out, what else did you want to do?" Max asked as they crouched in the darkness of the alley.
"Well, that one is only really good for one or two people, not for a team of 6 carrying supplies," Alec said.
"6?" Max asked in surprise. "You really think that many need to be on a team?"
"Yes," Alec said firmly. "Do you even realize how many supply runs we're gonna have to do?" Max slowly shook her head no. "How many transgenics are in TC?"
"Umm…over 100?" Max said, more of a question than a statement.
"218 and counting," Alec said. Max opened her mouth to ask how he knew that, and he answered before she could, "I've counted and I have Dix and some others keeping track of who's coming and going. Each person needs 3 meals a day so that's 654 meals in one day for only 36 people to go get. But, only 2, maybe 3, teams can really go out at a time, so at most that's 18 people for 218. Unless you want all 36 to do nonstop runs and push ourselves past the point of exhaustion."
"Ok, you've made your point," Max grumbled. "I'll leave the supplies to you."
"Good," Alec shot back. He was being short with her, but she needed to start realizing the magnitude of their situation. She was all for them sticking together, but she didn't have all the logistics figured out. "Let's circle around TC and maybe we'll find a good spot to sneak some trucks through," Alec muttered after a minute.
Max just nodded back and they started making their way around their new home. It looked just as depressing and desolate on the outside as it did on the inside. Alec couldn't believe he was willingly living in this dump.
He'd entertained the idea of leaving, but now he was in too deep. People were depending on him now and he couldn't just abandon them. And he couldn't leave Max on her own to deal with this.
Alec suddenly got an idea and started to look around for a building that would be tall enough. He wanted to get high enough up that he could see all of TC and maybe see a good spot. He looked up and down the street for a building and finally saw one a few blocks away. He took off at a jog, and Max actually didn't question what he was doing for once.
He went to the back of the building and looked up for a fire escape. He finally spotted one to the side of the building and made his way to it. He bunched up his muscles, and then easily jumped up to the first landing. Max jumped up after him, and then they slowly started to climb.
They made it to the top where the wind blew their hair and clothes, but it was peaceful up there. And it had the desired effect; Alec could easily see the entire layout of TC from where he stood.
"Do you see what you're looking for?" Max asked.
Alec didn't answer. Instead, he crouched down and scanned the fence line until he saw what he wanted. Alec moved to stand so he was slightly behind Max but almost as close as he could get; her back was just barely touching his chest. She stiffened with his proximity, not used to him being that close to her.
"See that section to the left?" Alec whispered by Max's ear and pointing to the stretch of fence that was dipping down. Max shuddered when his breath brushed her skin, but she nodded that she saw what he was talking about. "That's what I want," Alec lowly breathed out.
Max barely turned her head and their lips were suddenly just a breath apart. Alec could practically hear Max's heart pounding; his own was going twice as fast as normal. Max's eyes closed, seemingly of their own accord, waiting for him to make the move.
He waited for just a minute, and then suddenly took a step back, losing the heat that was pouring off of her. She looked up at him in surprise and he shook his head.
"Max," Alec said lowly; amusement coloring his voice. "You can't pretend that I'm your boyfriend, and then go and hold hands with your ex…"
Max glared at him and for a second, Alec thought she was going to push him off of the roof, but she didn't. She just spun on her heel and stomped back to the fire escape.
"You're an ass," she threw over her shoulder.
"Hey, I'm not the one cheating in this fake relationship!" Alec called back.
"I am not cheating!" Max practically yelled. "We aren't in a relationship and me and Logan are not getting back together."
"Coulda fooled me," Alec replied, slowly following her down the ladder. "Y'know, when I hold hands with someone, it probably means I want to be in a relationship with them. And, you're the one who asked me to be your fake boyfriend…I can't believe you're cheating in our fake relationship. I haven't cheated on you…"
"Would you just stop talking," Max said.
"You didn't have to come with me Max," Alec said, slightly annoyed now.
Max jumped to the ground, and then took a deep breath as he landed next to her. "Sorry…you just caught me off guard…and now I'm just…"
"It's ok," Alec brushed off, taking the lead again to head back to TC.
"When do you think the first team can go out?" Max asked; changing the subject back to business.
"I'm going to talk to some people tonight and try to get some to commit, talk to Carter in the morning to see who he's got, and then hopefully that night two teams will be ready to go," Alec said.
"What about the fence?" Max asked.
"I'll get some people to work on it tonight. I want it to be a kind of gate, but I don't want it to be obvious so it might take a while…" Alec replied, trying to calculate how long it would take to get it done.
"If it's not done, what will you do?"
"We'll use the tunnels if the gate isn't available…you know we're going to have to steal this stuff, right?" Alec suddenly asked. He knew how Max's morals shifted around. Sometimes she was all for stealing and other times she criticized him for how he got his things.
"I know," Max said quietly. "Just try not to steal it from people who can't afford it…"
"So steal from the rich," Alec said with a smile.
"Exactly," Max replied, matching his smile.
They walked in silence for a few minutes until Max asked, "So, when do you sleep in that schedule of yours?"
Alec huffed out a laugh, "What's sleep?
Max lightly pushed him to the side and he smiled. "Just try to fit it in somewhere," she said with a chuckle.
"What about you? When are you going to sleep?" Alec asked.
"I don't need sleep, I have that handy shark DNA," Max replied.
Alec laughed and admitted, "Yeah, I don't have that…"
They were almost to the manhole now, and Alec noticed that Max actually looked reluctant to go back.
"You ok?" Alec asked, slowing down so Max would hopefully keep talking.
"Yeah…" Max started slowly. "I just…"
"Don't want to go back?" Alec asked, trying to figure out Max's hesitation.
Max took a deep breath and looked at him with her big brown eyes. She was almost begging him not to judge her. "Everyone is just looking at me like I'm going to fix everything…but I don't know if I can…" Alec moved forward to put a comforting arm around her shoulders. "I got everyone to stay, but what if I just end up getting everyone killed?"
"Hey, it's alright," Alec reassured. "They wouldn't have stayed if they didn't believe in you, trust me. Besides, we're a bunch of fighters, we're not just going to lay down and die. We'll figure it out."
Max took another deep breath and nodded, composing herself. "You're right…"
"I'm sorry, what?" Alec said with a smile. "I don't think I heard you…"
"Shut up," Max said, smiling back. She moved to shove him, but he had already darted away and started down the manhole.
"I wish I would have recorded that!" Alec called up. "No one will believe it now!"
"Shut up," Max said again, but she was trying not to laugh as she followed him down.
More soon?