Caged Hearts

Part 11

            "What's your status, 452, over?"

            "80 percent copied, Sir.  I should be done in approximately four minutes.  Over."

            "Roger.  Remain where you are until I give you the go ahead to contact 494 and set up a place to meet."

            "Yes sir."  Max whispered into the microphone attached to her collar.  From behind she heard the sound of clothing rubbing against a hard surface and quickly turned to confirm where it was coming from. 

            The man that was lying on the floor with a gash in his forehead courtesy of Max's boot was starting to regain consciousness.  Max dropped down to her knees by his head.  She put her hand to the base of his skull and drove her thumb into the crown/meridian pressure point sending him promptly back to sleep.

            When she stood and looked back over at the computer she saw that the blue bar on the screen was now at eighty-seven percent. As Max watched it inch further along she couldn't help thinking of how Alec was doing.

            On the other side of the facility, Alec was crouched low with his ear pressed against a door.  He could hear two bodies moving around on the other side.  He waited until he heard the sound of their footsteps moving away before easing up to peer through the small window etched into the door's body.  When he saw the two men turn the corner at the end of the hall, Alec deftly bypassed the electronic lock and entered.

            In a blur of movements, he made his way up and down the hall placing tiny innocuous looking devices under the keypads to each door along the hallway.

            Only the X5s watching his progress on the screen inside the control van parked several miles away could follow his movements.  To the ordinaries overseeing the operation, trying to focus on the almost instantaneous changes of the camera angles only gave them headaches. When it came to displaying elements of speed and stealth under pressure, 494 was probably the best Manticore had much like 452 when it came to hacking into and deciphering complex computer programs and codes the enemy used to store their secrets; which is why the two were chosen to initially infiltrate the South African's facility.

            452's mission was to download all files the South Africans either stole or were giving on Project Manticore and corrupt those sent and being sent electronically to the main base in South Africa while 494 mapping out the building with the surveillance equipment he wore as he laid explosives throughout the facility. With the information on the building their team was relayed back they'd be able to come up with the best plan to reacquire 268, who was undoubtedly under heavy guard, before blowing up the South Africans' entire installation.  The great thing about top secret facilities is that they tended to be tucked away in isolated areas far from civilian interference.  The Red Series Project was no exception. When the place blew, a thunder clap, earthquake, or some other natural phenomena would probably be used to describe the sound that reached the closest civilization in the vicinity.

            Alec gently closed the door he had entered only moments before and then blurred down the hall.  He went into the dark, empty room he'd spotted earlier and then lifted a hand in front of his face and made the "okay" sign.

            With 494 no longer moving around the building where he could accidentally be overheard either receiving orders or communicating himself, Sandoval instructed a soldier to open 494's link to 452's.

            Max was one corridor over from the place where she and Alec set up to meet when she heard a man speaking Afrikaans through her ear piece.

            Sandoval cursed.  He was about to ask how far away 452 was when he heard the stranger again.

            "What did he say, 452"

            "He asked 'what's that?'" Max whispered back.

            "Take him out 494, we can't afford witnesses." Sandoval ordered.

            Alec had almost made it to the end of the corridor when a door that was inches away to the right of him suddenly opened.  The man that stepped out was thankfully not a Red.  But unfortunately he was someone high ranking enough or smart enough to question why Alec was there dressed in fatigues and carrying a bulky knapsack. 

            Speaking back to the man in his dialect relaxed the South African only slightly because unfortunately he didn't buy the fact that Alec was there looking for a bathroom. 

            As the man reached for his cell phone, Alec blurred behind him.  The sound of a neck breaking seemed to echo in the empty halls.

            Max arrived just as Alec finished hiding his body under the desk of the office the South African had come out of. There eyes locked and Max didn't like the slightly haunted look she saw in his.  But they were listening so she couldn't do anything about it.

            "All's clear."  She said instead into her microphone.

            "Evacuate immediately."  Sandoval ordered.

            After being commended for a job well done, Alec and Max were sent to the supply van to turn in their equipment and get food.  They wouldn't be part of the retrieval team so after they ate if they wanted they could bunk down while the planning was being done. 

            With the bustle of activity going on around them, they sat close together but ate in silence.  Twenty minutes after they sat down to eat 396 sent out word that the director was expected to call.

            Max and Alec looked at each other with a shrug that said 'mind as well see what the witch wants,' so they got up and joined the others inside the control van.

            A collective stiffening of bodies resulted when Renfro's face popped up on the video phone.

            "You reviewed the data?"  Sandoval said.

            "Yes.  Good work 452 it seems you copied everything needed."

            Max nodded in acknowledgement.

            "All the charges have been laid I take it."

            Both Sandoval and Alec nodded.

            "Good.  Cauterize the site then.  There's no need to go back in seeing as we have all the data."

            If they were less trained the seven X5s inside the van would have turned and looked at one another.  A few whispered words may have also been uttered.  But a slight twitching that was hardly noticeable was the only outward sign of the same inner thought. 

            What about 268?

            The tension eased a moment later when Sandoval quickly explained that the captured X5-268 had not been recovered yet and that the second team was not only going to get any more needed data but also their fellow soldier.

            "The unit still inside is 268, right?"  Renfro said while pulling out a file.

            "Correct." Sandoval answered.

            Renfro skimmed the file they could only assume was 268's for about five seconds.

            "Ah yes, the one with the genetic anomaly."  Renfro said casually.  She sat the file down and looked back out at them. "That unit's expendable.  You can go ahead and destroy the facility immediately."

            "Yes ma'am." Sandoval concurred without hesitation.  He was more than happy to be done with this mission.

            So with one push of a button, 268's contract of service was ended.

            The after shock rocked the van but the affects were barely felt by the Xs inside.  The loss of power and lights was welcome because even though they could still see they knew their handlers couldn't so they took the time to silently reflect and muse over the brother they had just lost.    

That unit's expendable.

            We're all expendable.  Max thought as she fought to swallow the lump forming in her throat.  She had no idea why 268's passing was hitting her this hard this fast especially since her life was filled with examples of fellow soldiers she knew that had died. 

            But they didn't have to. A voice whispered way in the depths of her mind.  The same voice she'd hear after every time Manticore did something that just didn't feel right. 

            Next to her Alec too was desperately trying to shush the small voice in his head that kept saying that this was wrong.  Manticore's way is wrong.

Does it matter?  It's what I know.  I'm one of Manticore's soldier and soldiers follow orders no matter what. 

            But what if it had been Max still inside the facility?  Would you follow orders then?  And if it wasn't Max this time, how long before it is?

            How long before you're ordered to think of her as expendable?

            The questions stopped when the power returned to the van seconds later.  The video phone flickered a few times and then Renfro's face came back on the screen.

            "Do a sweep of the compound's remains to make sure there were no survivors and then return to base immediately."  She ordered with no preamble.  "937, 740, 494, and 452 you will remain in the area to keep watch in case some of the personnel from the facility were not there.  Destroy them on sight. Report every forty-eight hours.  Sandoval, patch me to your private line.  Another situation's come up and I need a word with you."

            Peter Sandoval nodded and then turned to do Renfro's bidding completely oblivious of the somber spirits of the young people in the van with him.

            "You haven't touched your rations, 494?  Are you ill?" Alec heard 740's quiet voice ask.

            "Not hungry."  494 clipped out.  He then looked down at his watch; his jaw clenching as he noted the time.

            "You'll be out in the field for several hours.  It's not a good idea to do your shift on an empty stomach.  What if you're confronted by the enemy?  You won't be at full strength."  740 reasoned.

            "I said I'm not hungry!"  Alec yelled.

            740, to her credit, didn't as much as flinch at Alec's angry tone.  She simply gave him a disapproving look before turning her attention back to eating her own meal.

            Still irritated, Alec angrily pushed his chair back and walked away from the table.  In any other circumstance he would have left the tension filled cabin.  But he didn't need to leave for his shift for another ten minutes, and he fully intended to remain where he was for each and everyone one of those minutes in the hopes Max would be walking through the front door during one of them.

            Max: she had some serious explaining to do.

            She was the reason why he had snapped at 740 and why he was still so angry now.

            It had been a week since the other members of their unit had packed up and left and the four of them had set up their base of operations in an abandoned cabin not far from where the South African's facility had once stood.  The cabin was ideal because it overlooked the main road so they could see the enemy or anyone for that matter coming far in advance.  Plus it was an easy climb down to that road which led to a city a mere ten miles away.

            Alec had been to the city a couple of times and although it lacked a lot of the fun places that many sectors in Seattle held; there was still plenty of places to go and stuff to do with Max that he knew the opportunities to experience with one another again would be few if at all.

            But they were losing that window of opportunity and it was all Max's fault.  Alec didn't understand why her behavior had been so dark this past week. They talked very little and she shied away or even flinched when he made the barest of contact with her.  At first he thought it had to do with 740 and 937's presence in the cabin with them.  But there had been a few times when those two had been off either in the city or on watch and Max and Alec had been completely alone in the cabin.  But Max acted the same way.  Often he would catch her staring off into space and when he tried to get her to talk to him she'd walk away or tell him to leave her alone. 

But the last straw had been last night. She never returned to the cabin after her shift.  Hours passed with him growing more and more worried but unable to voice his concerns because 937 certainly didn't seem bothered by 452's unexplained absence.  At least that's what Alec had thought until he found out five near hair tearing out hours later that Max had told 937 that she was going to be hanging out in the city and not to wait up when he had come to relieve her of her watch duty.

Alec had been furious and still was because it was the next morning, he had to leave for his shift in four minutes and Max still hadn't shown up yet!

            Alec couldn't believe what he was seeing as he looked around the cabin six hours later. 

            There was still no sign of her.  The place was deserted.  Alec went down the hall where the bedrooms were and entered the girls' room. He quickly ascertained that she hadn't been home seeing how her side of the room was exactly how it had been when he last checked.  Alec decided he'd just have to go and search the whole damn city.  But a sound from the front of the cabin gave him pause. 

            When he heard the door open he held his breath but then let it out sharply figuring it was probably only 937.  However a moment later her scent reached his nostrils when he breathed again and Alec felt the tension of not knowing where she had been all this time evaporate.  But a second later the tension was replaced with fury over the fact that he hadn't known where she had been this entire time.

            He stormed out of her room and back into the living room.

            She was standing by the window with her back to him.

            "Where were you?"  He asked quietly.  Since her back was to him she couldn't see his face or his stance and therefore the calm way he spoke those words was quite misleading.

            "I wanted some time alone.  So I just walked around that city all night."  She answered still not looking at him.

            "Why didn't you call me and tell me that?"  He said, his voice rising slightly.

            "I told 937."  She shrugged nonchalantly and Alec felt his temper snap.

            He blurred to her and spun her around.

            "Why didn't you tell ME!"  He shouted.

            "Alec, I'm really not in the mood for this." She said jerking out of his grip and walking a few feet away and turning her back on him yet again.

            "What the fuck is your problem, Max?  Why are you being this way?  You haven't said so much as two words to me since we got here.  You avoid me like the plague, ignoring me, letting me know your whereabouts via messenger service.  What did I do?"

            "Nothing." She said monotonously.

            "Then why are you mad at me?"

            "I'm not." She answered still not facing him.

            "Then why are you acting like this?" 

            "I don't want to talk about it right now." She whispered.

            "Why?  We're alone."  He spread out his arms indicating the empty cabin room.  "It's the perfect time.  You know we're going to be heading back to base in a couple of days."  He continued to reason.  "You may not get another chance."

            "I'm not going back."  She broke in abruptly.

            "You're not going back."  Alec repeated slowly.  "What the hell do you mean you're not going back."

            "I'm not going back to Manticore, Alec."  She turned around to face at him at last.

            "Max, you're not serious."
            "I've never been more serious."

            The look in her eyes scared him because he knew for sure that she was serious.

            "Why?"  He asked.

            "I just can't go back there."

            "Well where the hell are you gonna go?"  Alec shouted.

            "Somewhere…anywhere."  Max shouted right back.  "I'll figure something out."  She added in a more deflated tone.

            "Max," He said softly while closing the distance between them though not getting too close.  "What the hell is going on?  Where is all of this coming from?  Why now?

            "I'm pregnant." 

            He couldn't have heard her right.

            "What?"

            "I'm pregnant, Alec!"  Max shouted the emotions rising quickly to the surface as tears welled in her eyes.  "I can't go back to Manticore like this!  I'm not letting them take my baby!  I'm not letting what happened to Jace happen to me."  She continued to rant.  "I'm leaving."

Alec opened his mouth to speak thinking she was finished but she wasn't.

"And it's better that way.  Better for everyone.  Think of what they'll do to you too if I went back.  They'd easily identify you as the father with a few simple tests. Then you'll be punished t--"

            "I'm going with you."  Alec cut in.
            "Alec no.  You don't have to."  She said as more tears fell out of her eyes.  "You're still in the clear.  I've thought about it.  Me and the baby will alright and Manticore will never find out about us."  She said gesturing between her and him.

            "Damn it Max, I don't care about Manticore when it means losing you.  How am I supposed to go back there knowing I'll never see you again?  Losing what we have--."
            "Oh Alec, you can have that with anybody."  Max said sternly.  However inside she was quivering because of what she was seeing in his face and hearing  in his voice.  He meant it. He really would be willing to risk everything and run away with her.  A few tears were still leaking from her eyes but now she felt like laughing.  Must be the hormones.  Why else was she suddenly so happy?

            "There's no way I'll find what I have with you with someone else."  He said softly. The look in his eyes were so sincere Max had to remind herself to breath.

            "Don't be silly."  She chastised while wiping her eyes roughly.  "I'm sure it won't be hard to work your charm on some other unsuspecting horny female X5."

            Alec laughed and Max joined in.

            "Horny female X5 definitely."  Alec said huskily while eyeing her up and down. "But unsuspecting, Max, come on."  He said while shaking a finger at her.  "Admit it, you wanted to get into my pants the moment you first saw me.  I was just pretending I wasn't on to your plot every time you'd insult me or assault me."

            "You wish Alec."  Max sassed back.

            Alec suddenly stepped forward and grabbed both her small hands with his larger ones. 

"I do wish Max."  He said not joking anymore.  "I wish to spend the rest of my life with you.  I wish to see you carrying my baby in your belly.  I wish to be there when you bring it into this world.  Our world.  I can't be without you, Maxie.  I love you and wherever you go, I'll be right there next to you."

She was crying again.  Hormones or no that was the most beautiful thing she had ever heard before in her life.

            "You do." She swallowed and looked up at him still in disbelief.  A nod from him and the doubts vanished.  "I love you too, Alec."  Max nearly shouted as she threw herself into his arms. "I love you so much."

            The words were said but now they needed to show each other how they felt.  The cabin would be there's for only a short while longer but it would have to be long enough.  

            He lifted her in his strong arms and carried her to his bed.

            The two dressed in silence both content to relish in the good feelings their live making had just conjured.  But as Max laced up her boots reality began to chip away at her good mood.  She turned to look at Alec.  His back was to her and she watched his muscles bunch and flex as he pulled on his sweater.  He was so strong.  He'd protect her and their baby.  He'd fight to the death for them.  She was sure of that.  But she didn't want it to have to come to that and as much as she wanted him to go with her she felt she still had to voice the concern that was undoubtedly on his mind as well.

            "You know, Manticore's never going to stop looking for us, Alec."  She said quietly.

            Alec turned to look at her. For a while their eyes just locked and then his shoulders straightened and his voice was deep and full of confidence when he spoke. "I'll meet you tonight while you're on watch duty at around two."

            "We're gonna leave tonight?"  Max squeaked incredulously.

            "No, I think I've gotta plan.  But I'm gonna need a few things.  And it'll take a couple of days to get everything in place.  Hopefully I'll have it all worked out in my head by tonight and I'll run it by you."

            "Well what kind of plan is it?"

            "It's a way to make sure Manticore never comes after us again."

A few days later

"Report."  Renfro barked.

"The South Africans discovered our headquarters, Ma'am.  494 warned us of their situation at 11:25.  He and 452 were barricaded in the back room completely surrounded and under heavy fire. 740 and I were too far away to offer any assistance in time.

Renfro breathed one heavy breath before turning her glare away from the young soldiers and towards her office door.

"Come in."  She ordered. 

Timidly a Manticore techie pushed open Renfro's office door and scanned the room warily before crossing the threshold.   

"What have you got?"  Renfro's cold voice seemed to startle the techie into action and he quickly dashed to her desk where he set up the tape player that had been under his arm.

"Control here records all communications in the field broadcasted with our equipment."  He began in a nasally voice.  "This is the last conversation between 494 and 937."  The techie straightened and even chanced a tiny smile especially since it was his suggestion to go over the data from the Red Scare mission. "I think ya'll find that it will shed some l—"

"Play the tape."  Renfro's irritated voice sounded.

Pride wilted, the techie lifted a shaky finger to the play button and pushed.

There was a moment of distortion before 937's voice could be heard.  He was screaming.

"494 repeat!  What is your status!  Damn it 494 repeat!"

A crackle of static and then the sounds of gunfire filled the office.

"Do not return to base!"  494 suddenly shouted.  "They've got us surrounded!"

A female voice could be heard yelling in the background but her words were lost in the sound of bullets.

"452 just ran out of ammo and I'm dry too.  It's only a matter of seconds before they breech!"

This time the female voice was loud and clear.

"It's over 494.  Do it now!"  She shouted.

Then there was static.

When it became apparent that there was no remaining audio, Renfro looked up at 937 and 740.

"Did you find any remains?"  She asked.

"The whole site and everything in a one mile radius was completely incinerated. " 740 responded weakly.  "Ma'am" She tacked on as an afterthought.

            "Very well."  Renfro straightened primly.  Her demeanor after hearing the terror that went on in the cabin the same as if hearing the winning lottery numbers for New York.  "Let this be an example to you soldiers.  494 and 452 are to be commended for their actions.  They knew what it would mean if they managed to be captured by the South Africans alive or dead so they destroyed themselves for the good of Manticore.  A very noble sacrifice."  Renfro's eyes seemed to glint after those last words but as to what emotion she was experiencing neither X5s present or the technician could guess.  And a second later it was gone.

 "You are all dismissed."

            The tech quickly gathered his equipment and the X5s saluted before the three hastily retreated. 

            "Very noble indeed."  Renfro repeated once she was alone.  Then she smiled a full fledge smile at the idea of two teenage kids blowing themselves up to protect Manticore's secrets.  The body and mind of quite possibly the most powerful weapons in the world were completely under Manticore's control.  "And therefore under my control."  She said aloud and then as impossible as her reputation made it seem her smile became even bigger. 

An ocean away two others were smiling and then laughing as they wake up in each others arms.  No longer caged, they are eager to spend another day together full of freedom and love.

The End.

Thank you so much to all those who read and reviewed.  I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.  I didn't forget about Dark Angel Revised and I also appreciate the emails urging me to get my butt in gear.  Believe me they do help, I just had to take a little break from writing to work on other stuff.  However, I do hope to have another DAR chapter out by mid June.  In the mean time check out my web page.  I did some reconstruction and now there's a lot more 'tricks and treats,' for your viewing pleasure; candyabblecorner.com