A/N- Here we go, all done. Damn this was fun and I thank everyone for joining me on this adventure. I hope no one was disappointed, I know I wasn't and I would love for people to say what they thought. (plus 1,000 reviews would be cool for the story) there is a remote possibility for a sequel if people are interested but it will be a while in coming. Feel free to email me to ask me to send you an email when it's posted.
Thank you to everyone who reviewed from chapter 1 to this- I love you all. Blue Lady Bless.
AN2- Mini thanks to Max Allan Collins for Kelpy—who I don't own and to Itay and Kat for being my betas.
I guess that's it, except to say Tissue warning.
Implausible accountability
"You're mad."
"I'm not mad."
"You are mad."
"I'm not mad."
There was a beat.
"Are you sure you're not mad?"
"I'm fine."
Silence.
"Can you pass the salt?"
"I knew you were mad!"
"I'm NOT MAD!"
The crack of glass and the tinkle of shards made them all look down at the smashed salt pot in his hand.
"Okay, maybe a little mad," Alec admitted reluctantly, shaking glass splinters from his palm.
Biggs looked frantically around the table to the amused and pitying glances that littered his friends' faces. They so didn't want to be in his shoes, but that didn't mean that they couldn't commiserate.
"It's not my fault you get that, right Sir?" he asked desperately.
"Biggs, will you chill?" Chance asked, rolling her eyes in disgust, "You are seriously freaking me out. No one blames you. Least of all Alec, right?"
"Right," Alec replied tightly with a grin that was as fake as the sentiment.
"That's why you haven't said two words to me since…" Biggs moaned and banged his head on the table and resting it on the wooden surface.
"Oh lord, please tell me we didn't share a test tube. The madness might spread," Chance grimaced as she pushed around the food on her plate.
Biggs glared at her without moving his head from its prone position on the table, "At least I can walk and talk without falling over."
Flex choked on a laugh and Cece hit him.
Alec had decided to sit with Unit 8 at dinner to let them know that they were still his unit, no matter what anyone else said or did.
As it was he wished he had sat somewhere else. On another planet, for example.
Biggs was trying to apologise and make him feel better when all Alec wanted to do was hit him, preferably with something large and heavy. Victor maybe.
After all it was that damn geeky, chicken-necked, penicillin pushing freak that paired him with X5- 901, otherwise known as Mouse, while Biggs got paired with Max.
Not that Mouse wasn't sweet and all, but Biggs and Max.
Biggs and Max.
He looked down to find his fingernails making half moons into his palms and Biggs sweating nervously.
"I need a walk." He pushed away from the table and stormed out of the hall.
"Huh," Feen nodded at Techie who rolled his eyes.
"Okay, so he's in love. You win." He handed over his chocolate chip muffin and she grinned, taking a bite as they all ignored the sounds of Biggs repeatedly bashing his head against the table.
---
"So are we ready for it then?" Zack asked impatiently, running his fingers through his blond hair. He was more than frustrated by the constant interruptions and was just ready to throw explosives at the facility to get Max out.
Even though there was a niggling doubt that she wanted out. After watching her at the facility, she just seemed to fit in. The applause that she received when she and that no-good, pretty boy, clone of his brother made up had placed doubts in Zack's mind that he was doing the right thing. Max had always been the strong one, despite her young years she had been the one to lift up her head and carry on no matter what the Trainers did. Max was strong and she had seemingly learnt to survive Manticore, but what if it was more than survival?
What if Max no longer wanted to be free of that place?
No, she had to. There was no other way about it. Zack shook off the thought and turned to the man in the wheelchair.
"I have the broadcast ready to go out," Logan nodded at Zack as he ran through the computer program again, "I just have to hit enter."
"Not until we receive signal that troops are in place," Syl ordered, her voice clear and concise and Logan found himself nodding at the authority in the girl's voice.
Although they were all soldiers, it was obvious that they seemed to have their own specialities and abilities, Zack was the obvious leader even though his shaggy hair and hard muscles made him look more like a male model that a military commander. Syl with her elfin looks and baby fine blonde hair wasn't the obvious choice for second in command and yet there was no denying her commanding presence, she also seemed to be the weapons expert for the group.
The sandy-haired, good-natured Zane seemed to be the Diagnostics and Repair expert, laying out the equipment for maintenance and restoration while dark and serious Ash was more at home with Logan's precious car, Bessie, fitting added 'extras' that he wasn't sure he wanted to know about. Zack said that Ash was a farm-hand and so his love of tinkering with machines sort of made sense, as much as any of it did.
Tinga was very much the 'mommy' of the group specializing in Organization and Heuristics, mapping out every possible scenario for the upcoming escapade.
The fast talking, snappy red-head Jondy handled Munitions and Explosives grinning as she described, in detail, the effects of certain levels of alcohol in Molotov Cocktails. Krit, the apparent crack-shot of the group as well as Field Medic, was laughing in delight at her expressions as he masterfully assembled his own explosives. Quiet Jace was standing in one corner, her eyes fixed on Zack as she watched the body language of those around her, and she was the Surveillance and Intelligence expert and unnerved Logan just a little with her ram-rod posture and military precision. She sought approval from Zack as being the one most loyal to his teaching and exclamations of constant vigilance.
Lastly, Ben was the Computer Technician and vocal spokesman for the group. He hadn't said much but when he did open his mouth everyone was captivated by the way he spoke, Jondy said that he could take a horse to water, make him drink and make him pick up the tab afterwards. Ben was the one that disturbed him the most out of the nine of them. His mocking smirk beneath his haunting eyes was enough to give Logan nightmares even if that selfsame smirk wasn't directed at him. He'd asked what the missing one's speciality was and immediately wished he hadn't.
"Lemme see," Ben had drawled, "Before you killed him, Seth was Advance Scout and Seeker, before Brin died of Progeria she was Master of Statistics and Aviation and our little Maxie, before she got left behind was Martial Arts expert and general aide. But two are dead and we aren't gonna let that happen to the third, stop chatting and do your research thing already. That answers your question?"
Logan had gone back to his computer.
"Ok. What do we have?" Zack asked quickly pulling Logan out of his thoughts.
"Russian-made RGN-3s, fragmentation pattern explosion." Syl threw one at him and Zack nodded in appreciation even as Logan winced at the casual handling of the grenades.
"Nice!"
Logan looked at the pile of weapons that had been amassed from the few soldiers.
It was like disarming a small country.
Explosives, grenades, machine guns, hand guns, Tommy guns, M16, HK 94's, pistols, C4, plastic-explosives and detonators.
It had made him uneasy to have that much fire power piled in his living room. Lord alone knows what Mrs. Moreno would have said if she'd walked in. At the thought he'd glanced nervously up at his ceiling hoping that the slightly batty neighbour wouldn't suddenly appear.
He was slightly more relaxed now that they had relocated to an abandoned warehouse near the military base. At least if things went wrong it wouldn't take out his security deposit.
He actually wondered briefly at the convenience of the presence of an abandoned warehouse so close to the military installation but just like actors in a cheesy action movie, he didn't push his luck by asking questions.
"Bizon 2. Russian Pistol machine gun. 66 rounds in cylinder.," Krit pulled out two machine guns and Jondy hissed in approval.
"Cute."
"I got some L96 sniper guns," Zane said and handed over a few rifles to the ever growing arsenal at Zack's feet.
"What about you big brother?" Jondy asked Ben who was sharpening a knife, "You packing?"
"I prefer my kills up close and personal," Ben's smile was bordering on psychotic and Logan wondered if they were doing the right thing by taking him into the field. He was sure than Ben would be better used elsewhere— like in a straight-jacket somewhere a million miles away from him.
His nervousness around the slightly crazy transgenic was showing and so Zack switched the subject.
"Are we all clear?"
"Oh no, can we please go over it again?" Ben pleaded with excessive sarcasm, "I don't think our genetically enhanced memories took it in the first twenty times!"
"Don't forget, Ben, sweetie, we have an ordinary with us," Jondy sang as she examined her nails.
Logan tried not to look too offended.
It wouldn't do any good.
"So, Logan waits until we radio in our positions. We have plans for the facility thanks to Eyes Only's radio satellite link up," Zack ignored Ben's scoff and nodded his thanks to Logan who was slightly mollified at the acknowledgement. "We go in and take out the DNA labs so they can't make any more of us."
"Yeah coz seeing one twin is freaky enough," Ben said suddenly standing up and stretching. None of them questioned his tenseness; he had always been like that just before a fight.
"Especially one that looks like you," Jondy teased, "Lord knows we couldn't handle it!"
Ben preened before she added, "Just think, two vain egomaniacs with combat skills, it'd be deadly. The fight for the bathroom mirror would devastate small populations!"
Ben rolled his eyes, "Thanks, Jon!"
"Then," Zack continued unabated by the byplay, "Eyes Only broadcasts and the place is thrown into confusion. We punch out command and hope to hell we can get Max out."
"She'll know it's us," Ben replied confidently, "She'll be waiting."
It didn't occur to him that Max might not want out. In his mind she had been ready and willing to come with him and had only stayed because his twin had convinced her that, by staying, she was saving his life.
She was selfless like that, even though he knew that she wanted to be with them more than anything.
She needed him as much as he needed her. It had been obvious and he couldn't wait until she was by his side again with her big brown doe eyes smiling up at him with love and trust, faith and confidence.
He shivered and danced on his toes.
What was the freaking hold up?
"What about your twin?" Jondy asked suddenly. "Do you want big brother to come along?"
"He's Manticore," said Ash dubiously and Ben shrugged.
"If Max says he's okay… no wait, he was the one that said she had to stay behind," Ben bit his lip. "I think Ash's right. He's too much of a risk."
Which was a shame, just think of all the tricks they could pull on people with the whole 'twin' thing.
Zack nodded and continued.
"Syl and Krit will proceed via service corridor 4 alpha to the main and auxiliary generators and set charges. Zane and I will take the basement to the east airshaft and proceed to the DNA lab. At 0430 we set charges. By 0440 the firing sequence will commence. Ben will go to service corridor 5 beta with Ash and check out the cell allocations. They'll locate Max's and proceed to her cell to let her out. Meanwhile Jondy, Jace and Tinga can lay down fire from these positions to cover us and lay down escape."
"We'll detonate the charges from there," Jace nodded to her position as pointed out on the map by Zack.
As Logan watched he was amazed that they had gone from squabbling siblings to confident soldiers in less than two breaths. It was a remarkable transformation as their spines stiffened, their faces dropped into seriousness and maturity and all by-play was put on hold. The conditioning that they had gone through as children seemed to have held even after ten years and it just reinforced what Logan had been told about the place that they had called 'home' for the first nine years of their lives.
Although most of the time they all seemed to regard Zack as an annoying older brother, once he changed from the quiet calm young man to the Military commander and had begun to give out directives their attention was riveted, their respect and allegiance assured and Logan got the impression that they'd follow him into hell if he gave the command; which, if he could believe everything that he had heard, was pretty much what they were doing.
Distracted from his thoughts it was several seconds before Logan heard a bleep from his computer, "I'm in," he said needlessly as they had all turned at the sound, "I've accessed the internal surveillance system. I'm copying loops into each camera feed so they won't be able to see you, but we will. So we can monitor you, steer you around any obstacles."
"We?" Ben drawled, "That'd be you and Mr. Invisible Eyes Only would it? Or did you name your computer?"
"Ben," the reprimand in Zack's voice was clear and Ben backed down without another word.
Zack nodded to Logan in acknowledgment, "We rendezvous here by 0448," he glanced around at his family, "Questions?"
"Yeah, what if I need a bathroom break?"
Everyone just looked at Krit who pouted and folded his arms over his chest.
"You know, I can't wait until we get Max back, she'll appreciate my humour," he said sulkily and slumped back in his chair.
"Only if they gave her a lobotomy," Tinga teased ruffling her little brother's hair.
Krit glared and pushed her away, his eyes dancing in mischief.
"Thanks, mom!"
"Hmm," Tinga paused, "sounds so much cuter when Chase says it!"
"Am I ever going to meet my nephew?" Krit asked and the talk slowed as everyone surreptitiously stared at Zack.
Zack sighed, "Meeting like this was a bad idea, and if everyone knows where everyone else is the chances of us being compromised are that much stronger. It isn't tactically smart to gather in groups, we've been over this!"
"And yet here we are," Jondy pointed out quietly and Zack stiffened.
He'd been trying so damn hard to keep them all alive and safe; after all it was his idea that they all leave the relative safety of Manticore for the insecurity of the outside world.
He was responsible for their well-being and he wasn't going to fail them. Not like he did Brin and Seth and… Max.
He swallowed as he recalled the last time he had seen Brin.
He'd been relaxing, for once, in the Midwest when he'd gotten a call from Brin in LA saying that Lydecker was on her tail and she'd had to leave pretty quickly, she was spooked and needed her big brother.
Zack had hot-wired a truck and been in LA to meet her, barely managing to keep her from Lydecker's Black Ops Unit.
He'd brought her back to his apartment and told her to rest. The next night she looked like she had aged ten years.
Over the next week Brin had deteriorated further and Zack had watched as his baby sister got worse and worse until finally, one night, she lay sobbing in his arms, pleading for him to save her, and took her last breath.
Zack would never tell the others how close he came to calling Lydecker, finding him and handing Brin over so that she could be well; so that, even if she was in Manticore, she was alive. He'd buried her himself on a hill overlooking the city that she loved so much, the sweat of his back and the tears he cried soaking the ground, christening her grave.
She deserved so much more than that. They all did.
More than an unmarked grave and an un-mourned passing, and Zack was going to make damn sure that that is what they were going to get.
Even if he had to move heaven and hell to do it.
"It's okay Zack, we get it!" Jace said and patted his back in that rigid way that made him despair that she'd ever grow out of her soldier mind-frame.
He looked around at his siblings.
Had he been too harsh, too demanding? Should he have let them stay together, pretend to be more human, less soldierly and let them just be 'normal?
Suddenly he heard Max's voice in his head. Max who always knew how to make him feel better.
Nah, they're all alive aren't they? That's down to you. You're a great big brother, Zack!
Even the phantom voice made him feel better and he smiled at Jace and Jondy, "Well, we need to get Maxie out, don't we?"
"Too true!"
And the tension was broken like that.
Ben grinned and clapped Ash on the back and the boy winced at his brothers' exuberant slap.
"Is it tactically advantageous to set the charges and then try to find Max? We won't have a lot of time to get to her if she's not where they say," Ash rubbed his sore back.
"I don't like it either," Zack said with a small glare at Logan who'd come up with the plan. They wanted to have the charges set and ready to blow before anyone realised that they were there, which they were sure to do once the boys started hacking to find where Max was. That was the only reason that Zack was going along with the idea.
"There's no "I" in team Zack," Logan said sarcastically as he felt another wave of unease at being the only human here.
"No," Ben snapped, "but team is an anagram of meat- which is what you'll be if you screw this up and get Maxie hurt. Meat."
There was silence for a moment and then Jondy breathed,
"Did someone forget to give Ben his Prozac?"
----
Max sat on her bed, with her knees drawn up to her chest and her back to the stone wall, and tried to control her breathing.
In and out.
In and out.
There was no need to get panicked about this for Manticore's sake.
Just because she'd had the same lead feeling in her stomach from when the tech had first mentioned her designation didn't mean that she was ill nor did it forebode some great disaster.
It just meant that she wasn't attracted to Biggs in that way.
At all.
This was fine by her. He was sweet in that cheeky little boy way but Max had never had any use for boys; least of all flirtatious ladies, men with egos the size of small countries.
Not that Biggs wasn't a nice guy, he was; it was just that he wasn't her type.
Until recently she wasn't even sure that she had a type.
Until she had curled into the arms of a certain tousled blond who made her feel safe and comforted and cared for. Until she had realised that she missed him more than anything and that the hole in her heart only filled when he was around.
Until he smiled down at her and said that he would do anything to keep her safe. Until he said that she was the most important person in his life.
Until… Alec.
She loved him. She needed him.
She was terrified.
Not of Alec, but of how she felt. What did she know about love? She was a genetically engineered super-soldier who was trained to kill, not love. What was she supposed to do with this feeling inside her?
It was just crazy, they didn't need seduction lessons, they needed lessons on these damn emotion things.
Unfortunately the thought of the damned seduction lessons brought back her apprehension about what was going on now.
Biggs.
She took a deep breath and released it slowly waiting for her heart rate to calm down. Biggs was her friend. There was no way that he would ever force her into anything, Alec would kill him if he did and Max could maim him herself pretty well too.
No, Biggs would be fine and he'd cover for her with Renfro… Right?
She stiffened as she heard footsteps coming towards the door and she braced herself, listening as they slowed to almost stopping.
It seemed Biggs had the same reservations that she did. The thought made the knot in her stomach ease and she let loose a small smile of relief.
He was her friend.
The handle on her door turned and she looked up with a smile of welcome.
"Hey, Max."
She blinked.
"Alec?"
----
Ben and Ash waited silently at the perimeter fence and stared at the monstrous building.
It really wasn't much to look at, not really. White walls and chain link fence— probably electrified— and concrete yards. It could have been a strict boarding school, or a high security lab. But instead inside those cold stone walls was the most sophisticated in Military technology, the most advanced soldiers and the biggest torture chamber of the last decade.
It was home to those inside but this wasn't home to them, oh it was a version of the Wyoming facility, almost identical and that was enough to inspire the memories.
But this place was Ben's nemesis the place that he, and his brothers and sisters, had been running from all of their lives but never quite managed to shake off. They were never quite able to rid themselves of the training and lessons that were inculcated in them from birth.
No matter how hard they tried.
The same thoughts of Wyoming and drills and torture ran through both Ben and Ash's minds and they didn't need to be Psy-Ops to know that Zack, Zane, Syl, Krit, Jace, Jondy and Tinga all felt the same.
"All teams Ready?" Zack hissed down the radio breaking the reverie which they were grateful for. They need their heads in the game.
"Check," came from the strong nasal voice of Logan Cale; briefly Ash wondered what Logan would be like if he had some girl to obsess about rather than the fate of the world. Maybe a bit more laid back?
Like anyone could make the man more laid- back. He was trying to save the world for crying out loud! Ash dismissed the thought as irrelevant and steadied his breathing feeling his brother do the same by his side.
-
"Here goes," Syl breathed in her silk voice.
Krit shrugged, his eyes dancing. "Who wants to live forever anyway?"
Syl glared at him, "Well, not forever but I don't want to die tonight."
He rolled his eyes at her and spoke down the com link.
"Team wuss, ready."
Syl smiled sweetly at his little joke, not amused.
"Did you go before we came?"
-
"Are we sure we're related to them?" Jace asked Jondy as Syl and Krit's bickering came down the wire. "I'm sure we never used to be that immature."
Okay, that was a lie. She distinctly recalled tying Seth's shoes together and hanging them out of the window before drills one morning. And then again there was that time with the Trainers cat…
"Mommy team ready," Tinga said with a smile throwing her long dark plait over her shoulder and Jace sighed.
"I stand corrected."
-
Ash looked at Ben, "Do we have to come up with a goofy team name too?"
"Team Maxie is a go."
Ash smothered a laugh as Zack bit off a curse.
"I think you stole Zack's thunder."
Ben grinned wickedly.
-
"Alpha team ready to deploy," Zack turned down his radio. In a very childish display he poked his tongue out at the radio and ignored Zane's smothered laugh.
"We could always leave Ben there instead."
Zack considered that for a moment and then shook his head. "Nah, they would definitely come after us if we left him there."
"Yeah and you wouldn't wish that on your worst enemy," Zane grinned.
Zack paused, "Are we talking Ben or Manticore?"
"Ah, whatever," Zane shrugged and it was Zack's turn to grin.
"Come on, bro'. Let's go get Max."
They took deep breaths.
"All teams set…deploy," Zack ordered and they jumped into action spurred on by the image of their baby sister.
---
"Hey Maxie." Alec leaned against the door jamb sheepishly.
Max was curled up against the wall and she was looking so relieved that it was balm to his ego.
"What are you doing here?" She let a smile slip over her lips, "I thought you'd be with Mouse."
"Change in plan," he said and walked in, kicking the door shut behind him.
"Really?" she raised an eyebrow.
He ran his fingertips over the wall as he walked slowly around the cell. "See, after lunch Flex and I went and had a word with Victor, our assignment manager and he made a few…alterations at my behest."
"Uh huh." She wasn't buying it, "Out of the goodness of his solid ice Manticore heart, huh?"
Alec smirked and stretched his bruised knuckles. "Pain is such a great motivator."
Victor had, at first, been unwilling to help them out at all. He had basically called them mindless animals who wouldn't mind copulating with each other. He'd changed his tune pretty quickly once Alec was through with him.
Max burst out laughing at the image, "So, lemme guess, Biggs got reassigned to...?"
"Sunny," Alec nodded, "and Mets went to Mouse. Cute couple."
"Adorable," she agreed, glad that that was settled at least. "But that means you are stuck with me." She teased playfully, her eyes lighting up.
"Can't think of a better place to be," he murmured staring at her bright expression and just wanting to walk over there and throw his arms around her.
"What?" she didn't quite hear him. She reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear smiling up at him in a way that made his heart leap in his chest and his throat tighten. Damn she was so beautiful and not just because Manticore made her with perfect genetics, but because of who she was.
She was the one that pushed everyone to be better and she was the girl who went out of her way to make everyone feel good about themselves. She was the type of girl to save her enemies, tend their wounds and yet still be a soldier. She was the girl who had survived several kinds of hell and yet could still light up the room with a smile. She was a true blue soldier but she would defy orders and risk death for the ones she loved and their families. She was the girl who sat up all night with a girl who was afraid of the dark and told her stories. She was the girl who made friends with a dog-man even though she was afraid of anomalies. She was the girl who faced her worst nightmare just so that he could take comfort from her presence.
She was the girl… no, she was the woman that he had fallen head over heels in love with.
And it was about time she knew.
Alec took a deep breath, "Max, there's something I need to say to you."
---
Clearing the fence had been eerily easy and as Zack and Zane raced down the corridor towards the labs they wondered if the level of security had always been this low or even Manticore had grown complacent with age.
When they were nine it had so hard to escape and yet they had practically strolled in the front gates.
"Too easy?" hissed Zane.
"I don't know, maybe the Director of this facility isn't as harsh or paranoid as Lydecker was," Zack hushed back with a half shrug as they skittered down the halls. It was strange how alike they were to those at Wyoming, the grey walls with muted green bars stretching down the silent corridor distending to make them seem even longer and lonelier. They were so cold that Zack could feel his breath turn to fog as it hit the atmosphere. Or maybe that was the chill within as echoes of thousands of young footsteps pounded the floors. Memories of drills filled him, memories of everlasting exercises that he had to be best in, that he had to push and try and work harder and harder, he wasn't allowed to fail, he had to lead, he was squad commander and he had to excel. Failure was not an option. X5-599 was the best and if he fell short of the mark they'd take it out on his squad, they'd take it out on Max and Jack as the youngest two. Jack couldn't take another round with the Tank, he hated the water and was growing more afraid every time that Lydecker locked that steel door and ordered them to strap in. The poor kid winced every time the metal screeched shut and he was panicking even before they had tied the metal down. If he wasn't careful he was going to end up like Merie; drowned in the Tank. And Max— his precious Maxie— looked so delicate, especially as she lay sleeping. She wasn't ready. He had to protect them, he was their big brother. He had to—
"Zack?"
Zack was jolted back to the present as Zane's apprehensive face turned to him. "You okay, pal?"
Zack nodded, his hands shaking as he tightened his grip on the barrel of his gun. He shivered and poked the mike in his ear.
"Team Wuss?"
They both heard Krit call down the comms, "Nada, you see anything in the south corridor, Logan?"
Logan's voice came heavy over the wire, "You're clear all the way to the generator."
"Copy that."
Static fizzed as Krit signed off and Zack sighed knowing that part one of the plan was underway.
"Logan?" Zane called after looking at his CO's troubled face. He knew that Zack didn't have the most pleasant memories of this place—an understatement— none of them did. And it was bitch to be back here, running down the halls that could have easily transported them 500 miles and ten years past. It was understandable that the shadows that chased the all would attack here and now. Besides, after all that they had been through Zack had earned the right to some distraction.
"I got you, Zane," Logan said, interrupting his musings and he tuned back in. Okay, it was all right that Zack took a 'time out' but one of them had to be focussed.
"We good to go?"
"You're clear."
Zane and Zack edged down the halls, careful to avoid the cameras even though Logan was overriding them to show the same looping tape in which nothing that had happened for the last twenty minutes and would continue to happen while they destroyed the heart of the facility.
They reached the entrance to the DNA lab. It was such an innocuous door for a place that held the results of years of scientific research and sadism. Just a plain white door with a small glass panel and a security code box.
Zack took out a switchblade and flicked it into the control panel. Then he typed in the twenty digit code that Logan had found on the computer. The computer flashed.
"SECURITY CLEARANCE APPROVED."
"Twenty digits, can you say overkill?" Zane spat disgustedly and then shrugged, "It worked. We're in."
They entered the DNA lab and looked around. The bright room was lit with fluorescent lights that cast supernatural shadows on the white-washed walls which were covered in floor to ceiling shelves and compartments, each equipped with barcodes for identification. The icy metal tables were overflowing with bizarre glass vials and apparatus that looked like something from a Victorian Gothic novel. Frankenstein's lab, come to life in a modern setting but with the same nefarious agenda. Playing God.
Zan steeped forward nervously and ran his fingertips over the codes scrawled on the walls.
"Hey Zane, it's you…and me…and Max."
He seemed stunned to see evidence of his existence written out on the wall. For someone who had never even owned a birth certificate, this was unflinching evidence of his own life and it strummed something deep within. He was alive.
This was proof that he existed, that he was a person, that he had been given life. His hand trembled.
"Yay look ma, I'm a frozen Popsicle," Zane grimaced not noting the serious mood that his brother was in. "This place is giving me the creeps, can we go already?"
Zack nodded tearing his eyes away from the profound revelation and shaking himself off.
He was alive and he had a mission.
He pulled the plastique from his backpack and pushed the C4 into the corner of the large white unit. Zane followed him around the lab setting the charges.
"What's with the white?" he remarked playfully, "I mean I thought the villains went for the good old black on black?"
"Manticore always did go in for denial," Zack said abruptly, still unsettled by what he had seen.
Zane clapped him on the back and offered a sympathetic smile, letting Zack know that he knew how he was feeling.
"They want denial? Let's drown them in it."
-
Ben kicked open the door with malicious glee and shot the two guards before they time to register that he was even there.
Ash glanced worriedly at his delighted smile.
"You enjoyed that."
Ben shrugged, "Sue me."
Ash pretended to think about it. So Ben enjoyed what they were doing. That wasn't a crime. He was looking forward to kicking it back at Manticore himself. "Nah."
Ben rushed to the computer and began to hack into the personnel and barracks files.
Ash slid next to him, his eyes raking over the scores of codes and designations urging, "Come on, come on give me 452."
Ben glanced up to see the vid feeds of what was going on over the facility. "Creepy kids," he said staring at the pictures of X7s in barracks twitching at each other.
"Like we were normal!" Ash laughed not turning away from his task.
"Normal is as normal does," Ben added with a grin feeling his eyes flit back to the unnerving children. He flicked the channel over to what the other Xs were doing and his eyes almost popped out of his head.
"Oh, Blue Lady!"
"What?" Ash spun and his jaw dropped. "Are they allowed to do that?"
"What, is it the porno version of Manticore?" Ben choked and flipped the switch to cut the picture of the Xs in X-rated action.
He exchanged glances with Ash who reached to switch it back on. He slapped his hand away.
"As entertaining as it is, we aren't here to get cable," Ben smirked. "What if Zack found out we were watching that instead of looking for our Max?"
"What if one of 'em is Maxie?"
"Best not be!" Ben growled at the thought of one of those slimy Manticore creeps with his paws over his baby sister. He shuddered, "We need to get Max and get out."
----
"Tell me what?" Max asked worried at the look of intensity on Alec's face.
"Did you want Biggs to be your…recreation partner?"
Max blinked at the sudden subject jump, "No."
"Really?" He searched her face as if the answer was important to him and she grinned.
"Actually, I was planning on kicking him across the room and telling him that that was the only physical contact we were going to have."
"Ouch!" Alec said as he had been on the receiving end on Max's kicks before and felt sympathy with whoever else she inflicted them upon. Except Victor and Renfro obviously-- those two deserved to be beaten.
"Yeah," Max continued, her grin mischievous, "but I figured it was overdone."
"And painful," he grinned and slid net to her on the bed.
"What about you and Mouse?" Max feigned nonchalance at the question that she had been dying to ask.
"I'd tell her she was a unique creature, unlike any other," he teased.
Max hit his arm and he chuckled and pushed her hair behind her ears letting his finger stroke through the strands as he watched her.
"You okay?" she asked, he was acting weird.
"Fine. Actually better than fine," he edged closer and she edged away warily.
"Really?" her voice was sceptical.
Alec was amused at her nervousness, he didn't often get to have Max off kilter and now that he did he was so scared to push things. But this constant dancing around wasn't helping. She had to know how he felt before something like this happened again. Before she found someone that wasn't afraid to tell her and they took her away from him.
"Max," he hedged, "I know we promised that we'd tell each other the truth from now on. No secrets, right?"
"Right," her voice was edgy.
"Well there's a secret that I've kept from you for a while now."
Max stiffened as if her worst fears were confirmed. "What?"
He bit his lip and ducked his head. "I want to tell you… but I'm afraid it's going to screw up things between us."
"I see," she nodded thoughtfully as if in understanding. "However if you don't tell me, I will be forced to kill you with your shoe laces."
---
"Charges set by Team Wuss," Syl said as Krit pushed the last of the plastic explosive in. She signed off and turned to the small dark-haired man. "By the way Krit, nice name."
"In honour of you darling, Syl," he grinned and she slapped his shoulder.
"Dammit, what is it with you and violence?" he rubbed the sore spot. "No wonder Fred left you."
"No, Fred left me because he realised that he was enjoying banging the cabana boy. Peter left because I hit him."
"I thought he left because I hit him?" Krit asked confused
"Two broken arms, two broken ribs whatever," she shrugged. "Cheat on me and see if I care."
Syl really had lousy luck with men. She enjoyed her job as mild mannered school teacher but she really didn't meet the best calibre of men. They were either middle aged losers or jerks who went for the young looking teacher for an easy lay. Not that they got it. But it did tend to put her off the male gender. Except for Krit.
He was the only one, other than Zack, who had found her and he had refused Zack's orders to spilt and cut off all contact with her. They stayed in constant touch and he was her cornerstone.
Krit snaked an arm around her, aware that she was upset. "Let's get out of here and get a beer."
Syl nodded, her mood lightening, and hitched her gun higher on her shoulder whilst yanking her blonde hair out of the way.
"You're buying."
"As if!"
-
Logan waited patiently until all of the charges had been set and then took a deep breath. This was it. This was the biggest that Eyes Only had ever gone up against; his defining moment. The moment of truth.
He knew this was going to come back and bite him on the ass.
"Ready to transmit the Eyes Only broadcast."
"Go Eyes." Zack commanded, "We are in position."
Logan turned and hit enter.
"Do not attempt to adjust your set. This is a streaming freedom video bulletin. Your location has been revealed. Your secret is out. And now Manticore will be held accountable for its crimes. Manticore's facility is located an hour southwest of metropolitan Seattle."
----
Alec laughed at her threat, "Okay. You know you really have a way with words, Maxie."
"That I do," she admitted and smiled up at him, her lips pouting. "So, what's the deal, Alec?"
"What would you say if I told you," he took a deep breath, "that I was completely, undeniably, irrationally, insanely head over heels in love with you?"
Her jaw dropped.
"What?"
Alec grinned, "Max, I'm completely, undeniably, irrationally, insanely head over heels in love with you."
Silence and Alec had the singular experience of seeing Max speechless and at a total loss.
"Oh!" she breathed eventually, her eyes glazed. "Okay then." She swallowed, "Well, that's…I mean I was…you know…Alec."
He grabbed her flailing hands and pulled her closer to him cutting off her rambling with his finger against her mouth.
"Shut up, Max." His gaze dropped to her lips.
---
Although many would doubt its very existence, at the sight of the bands of blue and red, Renfro's heart plummeted and, as the television grew static again, she swallowed hard.
Eyes Only had just revealed the location of the base. Years, decades of secret work and frantic searching and now because of the pretensions of one upstart pseudo-Batman-esque journalist with a hero complex they were screwed.
Her cell rang.
"Yeah, what?" she snapped, angrier than she could ever recall being in her life. Even more furious than when Lydecker had crawled out of being severely reprimanded for the loss of several soldiers.
She was just about to shout at the person on the other side when her world shook.
Literally.
--
"Shut up?" Max raised an eyebrow, glad to be back on familiar turf even though her heart leapt. Alec was in love with her. He was IN love with her.
She just couldn't believe it. No one had told her that they loved her since Zack and Ben, but she knew that he didn't mean it that way. He wasn't her brother. He loved her the way that she assumed she would never be loved and it made her dizzy even as she grabbed his hands.
"Yeah," he breathed moving his head closer and cupping her cheek with his hands, stroking her silky smooth cheek with his fingers. His eyes glistened with emotion as he gazed at her as if she was perfection itself and it hurt to look on her.
Max stared into his eyes, into his soul and then down at his lips. A smile curved her full mouth.
"Okay." She ducked her head and moved closer. He could feel her breath mingling with his and his eyes drifted closed.
---
The explosion was sweet as Tinga blew the door charges.
"Fire!" yelled Zack into his comm. as he raced down the corridor and Jondy answered jubilantly.
"Lit, baby!"
The resounding boom and force that almost knocked him off his feet let him know that they had indeed let the charges blow. The DNA lab was effectively charred ruins.
He heard Krit and Syl call, "Clear."
"Sparked!" Jondy called, enjoying herself immensely as she remote detonated the charges and the lights overhead suddenly flickered and went out dousing them all in darkness so that they could make good their escape.
---
Renfro snarled as the lights went out, her eyes darting up at the ceiling.
"Scorched earth? They want it, they got it," she spun on her heel and glared at the techs that surrounded her looking worried. "Lock down the barracks. Full alert we are under attack. Someone get auxiliary power back on."
She stalked over to the console, her heels clicking on the ground and flipped a switch. A disk ejected and she slammed it into her briefcase.
"Plausible deniability," she whispered and turned to the men swarming around. "Well, what the hell is going on?"
"We've got teams sweeping the compound, but according to control, there's no one out there," a tech muttered as he tapped away at his console and Renfro rolled her eyes pointing to the still pictures of the surveillance cameras.
"Yeah, that's because they hacked a fake feed into the damn surveillance system."
She made him override it to see several unknown Xs running down the halls. She might not like the damn animals but she sure as hell knew their faces and those were unfamiliar.
They moved like Xs and unless Lydecker was into sabotage…
"Damn '09ers!" she cussed and her heart sank as they exploded the DNA labs.
"NO! DAMMIT!"
She spun on her heel, "Well they want to play rough? Give it to them; cauterise the site," she glared at the fractured images of the soldiers running through the halls, "Burn them all."
---
"What the hell was that?" Max pulled away as the lights went out and an explosion rocked the compound. She shot to her feet and wrenched open the door. She could see out of the window at the end of the row flickering lights and she stood on tiptoes able to make out flames.
There was a fire in one of the buildings!
Her transgenic sight could make out people running in and out of the building which housed the science bases.
"Alec?"
All she could hear behind her was a thumping and she turned to see Alec banging his head against the wall.
"Someone up there hates me."
A smile played over her lips as he moaned at being thwarted.
"Alec? Earth to Alec. I think Manticore is under attack."
"Figures," he pouted and slumped on the bed glaring at the heavens and whoever he held responsible for the interruption.
They heard the sound of sliding bolts and Max raced over to the opposite cell. She tugged on the door unsuccessfully.
"Alec, it's locked," she said panicked and went back into her room which was only unlocked because she had thrown it open in her haste to see what was going on.
"Lock down. Standard procedure in an attack," he shrugged unconcerned until they felt the earth begin to shake.
They braced themselves as another explosion rocked the place.
"If the fire spreads and we're locked in, we'll all die," she caught his eye and he stood up quickly.
"We need to get to command and override the system to unlock the damn barracks."
She nodded and moved out of the doorway pausing when she reached the door jamb. "I'm on it. Oh, and Alec?"
"Yeah?"
Max spun on her heel and raced back in, grabbing the back of his head and dragging it down to hers. She captured his soft lips in a fast, furious kiss before bolting back to the door. She popped her head back in before he had time to move and grinned at him. "I love you too."
Then she headed for command leaving Alec with a stunned yet satisfied grin on his face to chase after her.
---
"There!" Ben called. He had finally spotted her after scrolling through hundreds of designations. "Cell block 4a, alpha quad sector 2."
"She better appreciate this," Ash moaned rubbing his head, "One more designation and I was about to get seasick."
They shouldered their guns and ran down the halls, hearing the booms of explosives going off indicating that their siblings had completed their parts of the mission.
The hall was rocked by one nearby and Ben swore and stared at Ash, "We didn't do that."
They had specifically chosen the sites to minimise damage to the barracks and civilians. That explosion was way too close to have been one of their charges, which meant…
"Oh shit!" Ash flipped his comm. channel, "Zack, they're cauterising the site. Burning it down."
"Retreat, I repeat all units retreat!" Zack ordered his voice harsh.
"What about Max?" Ben called irately.
"Get out, Ben!" Jondy called, her voice tense.
"I'm not leaving without Max!"
"Go," Ash pushed him along, "We'll find her."
-
Syl and Krit froze as they heard the instruction from Zack.
"We'd better get out of here," Krit said even as his heart sank. They couldn't leave Max here and he knew that Ben would stop at nothing to find her. Dammit, he couldn't lose them both.
They rounded the corner and saw two guards who fired before they could dodge.
"Son of a bitch!" screamed Syl as she was hit, blood spurting down her arm as she hit the trigger.
"SYL!" Krit screamed and dragged her against him shooting at the guards and taking them down in two shots.
"Syl is hit. Repeat Syl is hit!" he called frantically.
"GET OUT OF THERE!" Zack yelled again. "I'm coming, Syl, location?"
"Section 4b hallways 9, 10, coming to Junction 3a, come on Zack meet us half way."
Krit ripped off his jacket and wrapped it around Syl's arm trying to stem the gushing wound. Her face turned ashen and she grit her teeth against the pain.
"Damn that hurts," she hissed.
"Just keep cussing," Krit begged, "Zack's on his way, he'll get us out."
"They're going to grill everyone!" Syl said horrified as another explosion rocked the compound.
"We'll get out," Krit vowed as they struggled down the corridor, "we'll get you home and I'll buy that drink and… where the HELL is Zack?!"
----
Max and Alec hurtled down the halls and ducked under the closing doorway. They knew this place like the back of their hands and had taken three shortcuts across the facility gaining vital seconds.
They reached the control room and Alec kicked down the door.
"Ooh manly," Max smirked and he poked his tongue out at her his face a mask of delight at her teasing. He could still taste her on his tongue and couldn't wait until he could kiss her back. He had to stop himself from grabbing her right now and…
Max reached over and tapped in several commands on the console and looked up on the vid feed as the barracks spilled open and all the transgenics spilled free. Hundreds of Soldiers raced into the halls in their khaki's and fatigues.
"Ok we're done. Let's..." she trailed off as she stared at the locations of the fires. Alec followed her gaze and all thoughts of romance were eradicated from his mind.
Their gaze was caught by the control panel showing the locations and it showed multiple fires breaking out at strategic positions all over Manticore.
It wasn't random damage.
"Alec," Max said slowly, "We're not under attack."
"We're being barbecued," he finished and they exchanged horrified glances.
"We need to get the hell out of here," he said grabbing her hand.
"No!" Max's voice was fearful. "We can't. We have to help them." She pointed to the milling transgenics who had no idea what was going on.
Alec shook his head, "The fires are spreading, Maxie, we have to get out of here."
"We can't leave them!" she said frantically.
"There's no way we can get to them all in time and making them believe it?" His face was a mask of desperation. "Impossible!"
Her head was shaking in denial, "I won't let them die! I'm their CO—"
She broke off her eyes flashing as she had an idea, her hands searched for the PA system.
Her fingers flashed on the keys and she grabbed the microphone.
---
Ben rounded the corner and his heart sank. Her cell door was open and it was empty.
"She's gone."
He couldn't believe it, she wasn't there!
"That's good," Ash comforted, "that means she's out. Probably looking for us. She'd get out."
Ben nodded relieved at the simple explanation.
"We need to…"
There was a loud click and the doors around them swung open and transgenics spilled out. Ben and Ash tensed and grabbed their rifles.
A dark haired man who was tugging on his shirt raced towards them and they got ready to shoot but he was half grinning.
"Alec, what's going on?"
Ben looked at Ash who shrugged.
"Is Manticore under attack?" the man asked and Ben found his voice.
"Uh yeah. Everyone needs to get the hell out."
"Yes, Sir!" The man saluted. "I'll get Chance and Sunny to spread the word."
"Whatever," Ben waved his hand unnerved at the man's deferential attitude.
"Do we have a rendezvous point yet, Sir?"
Ben glanced at Ash who shrugged again
"You're not being helpful," he glared at his brother.
"Sorry, Sir!" Ash smirked.
"Not at the present time. Uh go to…" his mind went blank.
"Ground?" the man supplied.
Ben pointed, "Yes, go to ground."
"Meet you on the outside," the man grinned and raced off.
Ben stared after him thoughtfully.
"Ok-aay."
---
One of the techs turned to Renfro.
"We've got a security breach. Someone's unlocking the cell doors."
Renfro watched as the transgenics scrambled out of their barracks and headed for the outer doors. She panicked. Oh this wasn't good!
"Well, override the system. Lock down those doors."
"I can't," he trembled, "Control conduits must be burned out."
They watched as blips headed over the screen towards the perimeter.
Renfro's heart sank further as things spiralled out of her control.
"They're in the yard, heading for the fence."
"Well, stop them," she screamed, "No one gets past the perimeters. Shoot them!"
The tech relayed her command to the gate command when the PA system crackled into life.
"What the--?"
----
Max took a deep breath, "Halt!" she ordered, "Do not panic, this is X5-452 speaking. Code-word 946. Listen to me," she took anther deep breath. "You are being betrayed by your command; Manticore isn't under attack, except by your superiors. Head out and go to ground, repeat head out and go to ground. This is not a drill. Do not accept any other correspondence than that, which is coded, do not trust any other. Wait for my signal to reconvene. Repeat. You are being betrayed by command; redeploy, take your unit and go to ground. This is 452 and 494 out," she hesitated, "Good luck."
Alec stared at her, "Damn Max, when you declare war!"
"Why do things half-assed?" she smirked.
"Can we go now?" he asked and she started to nod before her eyes opened wide.
"No wait. Joshua!"
Alec heaved a sigh and sagged, "Max, come on we have to get out."
"He won't know what's going on and the basement grids are on a different switch, we need to get to the psych room to unlock them."
He deliberated for a second and Max's big brown eyes swayed him.
"We'd better hurry."
He grabbed her hand and they raced down the halls hand in hand passing panicking transgenics.
"Sir?" several called, "where do we go?"
"Get out of Manticore," they yelled, "Head for the hills and go to ground anywhere. We will send for you!"
The soldiers who now had a purpose moved with decisiveness rather than the chicken panic that they had before the alarm call. They formed lines and raced to follow the orders.
---
Max screeched into the psych room, skidding on the shiny floor. She reached for the controls to open the basement doors. They were on a separate grid because Command didn't want anyone to let the freaks and rejects out, even by accident. It would be bad for business for people to see what went wrong with their tax dollars but, as Joshua had proved to Max, he was still a person and deserved to be saved, not roasted alive.
She flicked the switch, relieved to see the panel light up as the door bolts unlocked. She spun and turned to leave when she caught someone moving from the corner of her eye.
She edged forward ready to tell whoever was there that they needed to get out when the door swung open, she gasped.
"Director?"
Renfro smirked, "Well, well, my own little traitor 452, I caught your show!" She pulled a gun from her back pocket and aimed it at Max who took a step back. "Nice piece of work, destroying their faith in command and ensuring that recapture would be impossible. I knew when you first showed that the '09er would be trouble."
Max eyed the gun, "I was never a traitor."
"Oh really, 452?" Renfro laughed haughtily, "You instigated the biggest revolution and ruined decades of scientific research, you are a picture of allegiance."
"Lady, you're tripping!" Max held her hands up, "You are the one blowing the place up."
"It's your fault!" Renfro yelled, "You and your stupid Unit. Animals!" She shook the gun at Max, "I worked hard to get here 452, damn hard!"
Max had enough, "Oh, I'm sure that torturing kids was so rewarding, you psychopath!"
"I made you better soldiers!" Renfro insisted, "You are alive because of me."
"We were in hell because of you!" Max screamed, "If we were so god-damned important why the hell are you torching the place?"
"It's the data that's important!" Renfro yelled, "You are just meat to me 452," she pulled a computer disk out of her pocket, "This is what is important, with this I can start over anywhere."
"Then what did you need us for?" Alec said distracting her and Max took the advantage to twist the gun out of her hands.
Renfro gaped as the tables were neatly turned on her and she stared down the barrel of the gun.
"Now, now, 452, you won't get anywhere with this!"
"It's Max, you bitch!" Max hissed, "I'm just meat to you, what the hell should I care what I do now. According to you we're animals."
Renfro swallowed, "You don't understand. It was his idea, Sandeman. He needed to do this to prove to them."
"Uh, not to break a good soliloquy but we have to go unless we want to be char-grilled," Alec insisted.
Max glared at the woman who had been responsible for so much suffering, from sending Alec to Psy-Ops and ordering him to kill Rachel down to the sadistic seduction program. Her eyes had glittered in triumph as her chosen victims had to kiss and caress. She had mocked as they came out of Psy-Ops and had gloated when they completed missions. She had lorded herself over them at every opportunity and she had revelled in her power over them.
Max had always thought that Lydecker was the devil, but he, at least, wanted them safe. She was, if not evil, then pretty close.
She had flipped the switch to kill them all without blinking an eyelid.
Alec twitched, "Max?"
"What are you going to do, 452?" Renfro smirked, "Shoot first and ask questions later?"
Max calmly raised her hand and fired.
One shot.
Renfro's face went slack as she fell to the floor, blood seeping from her temple, pooling around her head like a macabre halo.
Alec stared at Max who looked evenly back at him.
"There was nothing I wanted to ask her."
Alec nodded and held out his hand, "Let's get Joshua."
Max stepped over Renfro's prone body and without a backwards glance raced down the hall again, her heart pounding and her grip on the gun tight.
----
Joshua pulled on the iron door worried about his fellow anomalies and transhumans. The first of the explosions had scared him and as the fire crept closer he was in a state trying so desperately to help his fellow transgenics.
"Let us out!" screamed Gabriel all six of his arms pulling at the bars as he sobbed.
"Trying!" Joshua called nearly in tears. He could feel the flames as they came closer. He could hear Kelpy crying and Dill trying to calm Oshi and he felt the rise of fear and frustration.
Then it came, the magical sound of clicking and the doors flung open.
Joshua called frenzied, "Move. Move. Go! Free! Free! Move!"
"JOSHUA?!"
He turned to see his little fella racing towards him pulling the screaming man—Alec.
"Little fella!"
"Is everyone getting out?" she called worried about his friends.
"Kelpy can't," Joshua pointed to where the chameleonic transgenic was caught in his Plexiglas box.
"I'll get him," she let go of Alec's hand and rushed into the cell. Alec yelled.
"Everyone out. Head for the hills and go to ground!"
"OUT. GROUND!" Joshua roared and ran with the hoards as they made their way out.
"Max, c'mon!" Alec called loudly, trying to be heard over the screams and yells. "MAX?!"
-
Max raced into the room and looked around, all she could see was a white Plexiglas box in one corner that seemed empty.
But Joshua had said that someone was in here. Plus why would they have a locked empty box in the centre of the room?
"Hello, is someone in there?"
"Me!" came the strangled reply and a there was a flicker of something in the box. "Help me, please, I don't want to die!"
"Don't worry," she said. "Everybody's getting out."
Max squinted, trying to make anything out, another flicker of a dark colour made up her mind.
She glanced around for anything to use and noted a steel bunk in one corner. She pulled it up and wrenched off one of the steel legs.
"Okay, stand back!"
She saw another flicker of something move back and she raised the bunk leg, crashing it down on the Plexiglas box with all of her strength. The plastic around the metal lock shattered and the door opened.
Max reached in and grabbed hold of something.
As soon as it touched the blistering air the flicker became stronger until she could see the outline of something, a person. In a straightjacket.
Max swung him around and tore it off, the tattered remains hanging low on the floor as he shrugged it off.
"Down the hall to the right," she said, her voice calm. "Follow the crowd, stay close to someone, and we'll all get out of here."
He nodded and she squinted, looking closer at him. He was so nondescript. Fair skin and dark hair, dark eyes and medium build, she would have passed him and never even noticed.
She glanced at the box and then back at him. He must be a chameleon; able to meld in with his surroundings which was why she hadn't seen him in the plastic box.
He was shaking as he stared at her.
"Can you talk?"
"Yes," he managed to stammer.
"Good—you can help. Keep people moving, follow the crowd. Got it?"
He nodded again and Max smiled at him nodding her approval. She pushed him towards the door and headed out, almost getting swallowed up the crowd. She turned to try to see Alec who she knew would have waited for her.
That was when the explosion hit the basement and a ball of fire swept through the hallway like an express train hurtling straight towards her.
-
Alec pushed against the tide that swept him along and he jumped trying to see Max. He started to choke on the fumes that filtered through the vents and down the narrow hall filled with bodies running and screaming.
"MAX!" he yelled.
In the smoke and the confusion he had lost her.
"MAX?"
He panicked and his heart sank. He had just found her, just got her back he couldn't lose her again. Not so soon, not when they had just admitted they had feelings for each other.
He battled against the floods of transhumans who pushed against him in their rush to get out. He felt himself being dragged along towards the end doors.
"Come on," Joshua said grabbing his arm. "Little fella will make it."
"Let me go, Sasquatch. Max!" he called but the man was too strong and he was dragged outside into the fresh air and the unwelcome sounds of heavy artillery fire.
"They're shooting at us," Joshua yelled and dodged, sprinting for the fence.
"No shit!" Alec ducked as bullets flowed all around and he saw several soldiers fall. His heart sank as he recognised one or two of the younger Xs that he had trained. His eyes stung with a mixture of smoke and frustration. His eyes swept the courtyard.
"We're taking friendly fire," he called to a nearby transgenic with a gun. "Shoot the damn guards out!"
"Yes, Sir!" The boy—an X8— pulled out his gun and aimed for the perimeter guards.
Several others took his idea and started to return fire at the guards taking them out with perfect night vision and crack aim.
The flow of transgenics was slowing as they all hit the fence and sped for the hills; thousands of people looking for safety in a new world racing to escape the nightmare that awaited them here.
Alec turned, his eyes darting around as he frantically searched but he couldn't see her. There was no tell-tale whip of raven hair and no lithe goddess racing from the burning building. Alec wanted to scream her name again but it was so loud with the fire roaring so close and the sounds of gunfire echoing in his ear.
Suddenly there was a deafening boom and the whole of the block he had just run away from exploded sending clouds of rancid smoke billowing into the night sky.
The force of the blow knocked him off his feet and he lay on the ground staring in horror at the sight of the whole place going up in flames.
"No," he hissed. Not again. He couldn't lose anyone else in a ball of fire and a spark of light.
The deep reds and yellows of the blaze taunted him as he staggered to his feet and breathed hard as the ash rained down on his shoulders. The grey dust settled and he didn't care that he was starting to look like a snowman, he didn't care that he was a target for the guards, he didn't care that the flames might just burn him too.
He just didn't care.
"Fire pretty," Max said as she slipped her hand into his. He jumped, his eyes wide as the pretty woman smiled at him, her face almost ethereal in the fire-light.
"Max!"
She smirked and his breath left his body in a whoosh.
"Can we go now please?"
He let loose the biggest grin and grabbed her hand tightly and spun, dashing for the perimeter fence in a blur.
They jumped the fence with one transgenic leap and landed in a crouch, never once letting go of each other, and headed for the hill and the forest that covered it.
Scrambling up to the top of the grassy enclosure they stopped and slowly turned to see Manticore burn.
The windows exploded with fire and jets of flame spurted from every crevice as the firelight caught the glass shards sending spouts of colour as they fell to the ground in a shower of sparks. The roar of flame and rumble of collapsing buildings turned the once secure facility into a parody of hell as their place of torment turned into a literal fiery furnace.
Max and Alec stared down at the burning ruins and he edged closer wrapping his arm around her shoulder.
It had been the place where they were tortured, a place where they were trapped and denigrated and deindividualised and pushed past endurance. Yet it was also the place where they had met, the place where they found friends and family and laughter and love.
"Alec," she said quietly and he watched her profile, alive in the reflection of the dancing flames.
"Yeah?"
She swallowed and said softly, "That was my home."
"I know, Maxie. Mine too."
She rested her head on his shoulder and a tear slipped down her face as they watched the only home they had known burn to the ground.
---
Ben reached the vehicle and watched as Krit staggered with Syl under his arm and Zack's. His shirt was soaked with blood and Syl had passed out already. Zack panicked as he draped her on the floor and threw the med kit at Krit.
"Move out!" Zack yelled.
Tinga pulled them in and adjusted her jacket under her sister's head.
Jace fired up the engine and the van roared to life.
"Hang in there, sis. We'll fix you up," Jondy maintained as she passed gauze to Krit.
"What about Max?" Ben called over the sound of fire and machine guns. They hadn't found her yet and he didn't want to go without her. What if she was hurt?
"We'll find her," Jondy yelled and put her hand on is shoulder. "I promise." She glanced through the trees at the mess that they had left behind. "Quite a calling card we left. We will find her. There is no way she's going back, Ben."
With one last look at the raging chaos around them Ben allowed himself a small satisfied smile and jumped in the van.
"We'll find you, Maxie," he vowed and the van roared away.
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The sounds of gun fire faded and Max and Alec moved further into the dark clearing, hiding amongst the trees and breathed for the first time in what seemed like hours.
Max closed her eyes. Damn, so she was finally out. What the hell was she supposed to do now? They were all out, so many and she had told them that she would call for them.
She placed that behind her for now and rubbed her arms trying not to think too hard.
"Ok, before anything else happens there is something that I have to do," Alec said decisively and Max glanced at him.
"What?"
Alec grabbed her shoulders and crushed her against his body, fusing their lips together in a kiss.
Max clung to him, moving closer, lost in her first real kiss as he angled his mouth better and moved them backwards until she was against his hard chest and the tree. He reached his hands up and tangled them in her soft dark curls and tasted her.
She tasted like honey and he could drown in the luxurious feel of her forever. She nibbled on his bottom lip and he traced kisses down her neck and jaw line. Her hands fisted in his shirt as she tugged him in closer and purred, the sound doing delicious things to his insides.
"Max," he groaned looking into her eyes. They reflected the light of the fire and the fire that she held inside and it made him catch his breath.
"You are so beautiful," he breathed his eyes intense as they held all of his longing for her and he caught her mouth again.
This one was softer, still as passionate but not as fierce.
He broke away first and buried his face in her hair.
"I love you," he whispered, "so much." He felt her run her hands through his hair.
"I love you too," she breathed.
He grinned at her words feeling a rush in his heart.
"I've wanted to do that for years," he confessed and she chuckled into his ear.
"You should have done," she pulled away reluctantly and twisted in his arms to stare back at Manticore.
"What if they didn't make it?" she clenched her fists. "We have to find our Unit, if they survived, I- I don't want to lose them, Alec."
"We'll find them," he looked down at the compound and slowly tugged her away.
"What do we do now?" she bit her lip feeling unsure as they slipped through the trees. She sounded almost defeated and Alec smirked.
"I don't know, Max. But it's going to be a lot of fun finding out."
She rolled her eyes at his impishness and almost grinned as she felt her fight returning. He always brought that out of her.
"I can't believe they unleashed you on the world."
"Hey, I'll have you know I'm prime material!"
"Somewhere you are depriving a village of its idiot," she retorted as they made their way through the forest.
"And yet I got the girl," he kissed her quickly and they walked off into the darkness, unsure of what lay ahead, but knowing that, together, they'd face it head on as they moved ahead.
The End.
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Ouch! It's done, its over. It hurt! SOBS Thanks for riding the Moving Ahead express, for those catching the adjoining Moving Alongside flight we'll see you there, for those disembarking now we hope you had a pleasant flight and will fly with Fayth Airlines again.
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Chaosti- see didn't forget you this time. I promise I will reply to your emails! You know I care. Mwah!
EMI- I know ?sigh but hey, someone has to be! Hope you had a great birthday pet, I did make him end up with Max- aren't I good to you? BTW love your book covers and thanks for the two of my stories, love them!
Restive nature- Renfro makes my stomach turn at the best of times. Evil wench. I blushed a tonne! Even more so with the last chap of MAL- I had to change the rating! Urgh! I'm plenty evil but those that read MAL knew why! Heheh.
Ronda TIW- Crazy enough to work in a twisted way. Which is what you should expect from me by now! yeah the suspension sucked so now I have to be extra careful. Thanks to my devoted cult member!
Kat461- evil? Who me EG I will update for your sanity, sweets…and mine!
Raven- Urm, I went both ways sadistic and then nice. So I am evil but trying to redeem myself- does that work? LOL- aww you don't trust me?
Geminangel- 6 hour car journey? Eesh! Next time print out a m/a fic to keep you occupied. I'd suggest this one but I don't think the rainforests could take it. too damn long!
Sanna- LOL, thank you… I think. So sorry that you had a bad and I am pleased that I could make it even the slightest bit better. Big hugs for ya and hope the week improves.
Tina N. Blair- Hmm, Alec does knock her own but that girl has him on the run big time. Jealous Alec- ooh that was fun to write!
Givenalias- yeah possibly, evil is fun. I think we got plenty of '09ers in this chap and we see more sex-ed in MAL. Enjoy that!
Sigma1- Hehe tigger sigma. She was such an evil bitch but damn that was fun, it was like letting the inner Fayth take over and I find that truly scary. The books are okay if you ignore Logan.
Mely's the name- take deep breaths and try to relax. It'll all be okay. Twisted square indeed but they'd both be more secure. But nah I like the angst. I know it feels final- uh because it is? Sequel?
Gilly loves smut- expecting M/A action? Well in a way obviously. Check out Mal for action!
Care189- hehehe dead nerds! What are you going to do when this is over? Hmm, reread it all again? what am I going to do? I miss them already!
Lolitaro- why do you have that feeling? Its because you know me very well by now to know I love mixing things up!
Sassycanuck- not as sorry as me, I love the characters and getting inside their heads was fun in the extreme. I may have to write a sequel just to keep up with them.
Moonlite star- yeah I tried to line it up with the shows timeline so it would all fit in nicely when this chapter happened. damn it was a headache, but hey I'm there now. so were you right?
Kim- I hope so, I need 55 reviews to hit 1,000. that would be so so so cool! The 09ers growing up? Doable, but I so could go on forever doing this. Best not to start. Who is ordering Renfro? No idea just yet, two parts Sandman and one part the committee.
Crimsonshadoe- ooh questions. Okay, they don't have to copulate but have to show some signs of using the lesson- so sweet talk etc. there are cameras in the halls that can look into the windows of the rooms but none on the rooms themselves. Does she know about the relationships? Yes. She's evil. Do any of them notice the cuddling- the trainers don't say anything because they actually like the Xs (most of them) and Renfro is too underhand to say.
Fangedangel-really I can't? Damn I was so sure wait a sec… Flips through author handbook yep see Chapter 10 under death threats 'you have the right to end the chapter as you see fit.' I sooo can. LOL. DON'T blow them up? Damn are you sure? As for the sequel-it's looking more and more likely that it will appear. whimpers at the thought.
Natasgi- how could I be so cruel? Um residual hard feelings to ? Latent sadism? Take your pick G Tamah- that's not a M/A fic is it? I thought it was A/Oc.
Aisling- Its okay, I'm back, I just have to be careful. I don't always give the obvious choice but in this case…
Honey00- that was the plan- sort of setting you up for the grand finale. Now we know and it was all sorted- enjoy?
Miasalter- Death to Renfro- damn that was fun- what did you think?
Bluie Twilight star- Not to much of a cliffhanger here for ya.
Senoirta-DHL- okay I posted soon, couldn't leave you to combust! I want to see how they all end.
Starr Light1- does he get to be with Max- yup. An uprising? Hehe ESCAPE! Mutiny and outbreak.
Silsecri- I think the chapter title was somewhat misleading- I make up for it in MAL though so check that out. This was a kind of happy ending, worked in designate this anyway. Expect the unexpected.
Anyone- Hey there! Now we know!
Feenian- would I do that to you? I don't do forced sex, if they do it it's because they want to. I'm mean but I'm not THAT mean.
Jade-K- bad Fayth? Yeah okay it was a tease. The codeword was a lead into this. I love Dek too, poor guy… I mean uh- wait and see.
Lynsi-LOL- I don't know if I want to be likened to Manticore? Oh the cliffhnager? sheepish yeah well, it was fun. blowing everyone up? It was sort of a joke…kinda.
Jynx- uh not that I was aware of, but hey. Evil, I know I keep getting told that. 494 with… everyone. Mwah ha ha ha.
Lyndsay- no spontaneous combustion! It's not allowed, you have to review this chapter and tell me what you think. I wont write a sequel if everyone is going to explode pouts, it's not fair!
Poo- isn't that a variation of the dog ate my homework? Well then Ms. Poo, I expect twenty lines from you and to stay after class. Is there a sequel- possibly.
Talichernin- hehe damn she knows me too well!
Ganko- AAHHH put those two thumbs down! You'll fall! aww bless ya, love ya too. You kinda guessed where I was going, well done you! Don't balance on the cliff- coz when you get high- you'll fall off. She has a heart but it's stone- bitch. A little violent? Rrr-ight. I hope they came together in way that was natural and not forced. Yup Maxie setting up her won revolt. Came in handy actually.
Arwen-amy- aww so sorry sweetheart, I promise no more hurtful… well actually.
Sanna- POUTS, I did it because I wanted to keep people guessing. I love you all really, don't hate me sobs remain faithful and I will sequelise. Uh… were you calling me a dumbass?
RPGirl2- - hey welcome! Wow, you had a lot to read pet; did you read Moving Alongside too? It has a lot of M/A interaction in that isn't in this fic, plus you see more of Max's family. Glad someone else doesn't go for the quick fix, but I hope you like the ending.
Aimee- yeah everyone was expecting smut, but it didn't really end up that way- it was intended but hey that was why I wrote MAL. Renfro is evil!
Balckrose9- YOU squirmed? I was in stitches and eesh, not pleasant! No Lydecker in the seeable future- but lets not rule him out.
Elfie- they were equal up to a point…the point where I watched the first few eps of season 2 and recalled what a jerk Alec was. Adorable, sexy and fit as hell, but a jerk. He's CO of Unit 8, that's enough for now. yeah setting the Xs up for escape and life on the outside. The promised land? LOL, fair do. Max and Pix were the ones to catch on but he was preoccupied, check out the reasoning in MAL for that. BJ has a twisted sense of humour- kinda like me, only more so. Yup Jace's Viktor- little shite. How am I going to wrap it up in one chapter? Got ya guessing! Be careful?? Shudders.
Kristibella- LOl, where were you? Glad you liked it thus far, well done for joining us. I did get the review for left behind thank you and I hope you enjoy Mal. Too! Hugs
Stormvind- hey wondered where you were! You okay pet?.
SGOU- Yeah I was both looking forward and dreading it too, it's the end of an era. Yeah I do have hundreds of unfinished fics to write, which I should get to soon. Ahh its great to know that my sense of humour is appreciated the people around here just think I'm strange. I am but that is not the point. The revolution was fun to plan and even more fun to write. Max is a cynic and that works well with Manticore. Dek rocks, I've said it before and i'll say it again and often. Max and Alec are now back the way they should be and its been a great ride to be with them. I love their interaction and I know you have too. Thanks for saying thanks- means a lot. Love ya!
Nora- ooh I went to NY- loved it so much, I was in Las Vegas for my 23rd too, that was a blast. Enjoy this too.
Orli43- have a great vacation, or at least try. Yeah I was waiting until the last chapter but it was a fun ride to give them at least, hope this entertained you.
Jaded- no familiars in this story- I didn't like them so much but Sandeman is there as a kind of fail-safe for my possible sequel if people are interested. Max's DNA isn't important to me anyway. I prefer to think she did it all off her own back rather than have the cheat of mystic DNA.
Lynn- hehe I can imagine you jumping like a crazy girl. I did wonder where you were. Logan was smart to be afraid after all Ben is scary as all hell, teeth necklace notwithstanding. Yeah Alec going to see Max and then finding she wasn't there was cruel but it needed to be done to get things rolling again. yep one more—this was it. I hope you had as much fun as I did. I cried so I'm sure you will. Check out MAL for the sex-ed class. Yeah it was all x5s. they won everyone's heart? I think that is the nicest thing anyone's said to me. hugs and kisses
Shyleigh3- oh well, better late than never! I think everyone loves Dek, he is cool and sexy and ahem. Wow, the best? Huge kudos thank you so much that means a lot to me. The codeword was an addition that I was pleased with myself and I am glad that you are too. I am planning a sequel to the story.
Queen of the Myrmidon- Great name BTW. So glad that you love this, thanks for the review!
Eden- I'll be patient, I can wait… just like you can. Cheers pet, I look forward to hearing from ya.
Sanna- yeah here ya go, just for you guys. Quick update.