One Plus One Equals Two

"Something doesn't add up." Logan tells her, looking like he hasn't slept in the three months since they'd abandoned Seattle for the relative safety of Terminal City. She's tetchy today, he doesn't know why, all he knows is that she somehow managed to sneak across the border still heavily patrolled by armed guards in order to see him, to find out what information he has come up with. Max is like a cat in the way she circles him, never touching or coming too close, wouldn't want to kill him accidentally.

"Like what?" she asks him, confusion skating across her perfect features even as a distant look clouds her chocolate brown yes.

"Well I've been talking to other X5's who were paired off and their accounts all share the same story."

Max gritted her teeth, not wanting to be reminded of her time at Manticore, not now she was free. They all were. But it may have something to do with the others so she sat to listen, staring defiantly back at Logan.

"Yeah? And what's that?"

"In every case the Breeding was either successful or the unsuccessful partner was reported. What happened with you and Alec was… a one off. A one off that eventually would have cost him or maybe both of you your lives."

"And? His orders were probably to earn my trust and besides, I kicked his ass. Probably didn't wanna get beaten by a girl." Max brushed it off.

Logan looked directly at her for the first time. His eyes serious. "No. They wanted you to have a child with him. And according to the data I've recovered, 494 was a very good match for you genetically, physically, and intellectually."

"He hides it well." She snorted, interrupting him but Logan carried on like she'd never spoken.

"And his orders would have been to get you pregnant, no matter the cost or methods. You were an escapee, a rebel trapped. Your baby would have been tightly controlled and brainwashed from the word go. A perfect soldier. And with the extra training he would have received after you left… he should be able to easily subdue you."

So wait, what are you saying? That Alec didn't force himself on me as a favor to me!" She got up, started walking around.

"Gem said she was raped three times before she conceived. And X5-765 was in her unit and refused to rape his and he was shot for refusing to co-operate. He was an example though, most others were just re-trained after torture."

"But not Alec…"

"Because he lied and they believed him. Luckily for you both."

"So you are saying I should pop in on him and say, hi, thanks for not raping me."

"All I'm saying is that he isn't a bad person. Apparently. And you need to figure out what makes you automatically think the worst of him. He could have killed you, back when he had that chip. It would have saved his life. But instead he trusted you, a near stranger who he knew didn't particularly like him in the first place. Just… think about it." Was all Logan would say and Max left, thoughts heavy on her mind. She needed to go to the Space Needle to figure the bitch out.