Chapter 1: Early Days, Max

Her first day in TC, Max wandered around nervously and cautiously, both arms crossed across her chest, whether to ward off others or to hold herself together, she didn't take time to analyze. Probably both.

After four years of running after Manticore was burned down, she found herself hungry and lost and deeply tired more than ever before. But here she was at last, at the infamous TC, finally found by her sister Jondy and invited to stay at TC. At first she was stubborn, as true to her nature, wanting to stay out on her own and fend for herself. But glimpses of the TC on national TV and the rising order and sophistication that appeared to be springing up within its walls, as well as the siren song of her siblings, drew her inevitably near.

When she entered the walls, the guard stationed at the entrance immediately made her hair stand on end. Irrationally, flashbacks and fears of her former life at Manticore bombarded her. Her heart pounded painfully in her chest and her breathing quickened.

"MAX!" a familiar voice sounded to her right, and before she could react, she was engulfed in a huge and physically painful embrace.

"Jondy" she managed to mutter though partially restricted due to the arms encircling her face.

"I can't believe you are here, let me show you around!" Jondy grabbed her hand, barely even pausing to get a good look at her to make sure she was hugging the right person.

"As you can see" Jondy excitedly exclaimed, "it's everything I promised. You will have a permanent apartment of your own here. There is basically everything you will need, shampoo, showers, alcohol, clothing. Well, I mean not everything is top of the line, but this is post-pulse and we are not exactly the most well off section of society, but still…"

Jondy's voice faded to the background as Max found herself distracted as she took in the grey tall buildings, the busy commotion of transgenics of all levels passing her on the streets. It all seemed so eerily remanent of Manticore. But there was a important but subtle difference, and that was the smiles and the laughter.

"This is HQ" Jondy's voice came back into her consciousness, the pride evident in her voice. HQ basically consisted of an abandoned factory building, but there did not seem to be an inch that was not utilized. Transgenics and transhumans bent over tables debating about what appeared to be city policies, plumbing difficulties, equipment needs.

Suddenly, Max found her eyes drawn upward to the only second level room in HQ with a small balcony and stairs leading down to the ground level. The door opened, and a young blond transgenic came out. Max's heart skipped a beat. He was handsome to say the least, as most transgenic males were, but there was such a gravity to his presence that she noticed other transgenics at HQ also looked up expectantly at the same time even though they must see him day in and day out.

"That's Alec, our leader I guess you can say, though he would never admit to that" Jondy informed her in low tones, bordering on reverence.

Max looked at her in slight confusion, remembering a ravened haired X5 named Kennedy who was often televised during his speeches, so Jondy continued, "Kennedy is our official spearhead at public negotiations and appearances, but Alec is who really runs things around here."

Max continued to follow the "Alec" with her eyes. There was something about his demeanor that was offputting. He was quiet and stoic and spoke with his SICs presumeably in hushed tones, his eyes dark and devoid of emotion. His face which by any standards would be considered handsome, but it was overshadowed by a strained and severe expression.

He turned down and coincidentally caught her eye, and she could not help but gasp a little at the sadness she felt run through her when their eyes met. Surely there must be a story there.

A/N: Hope you liked it :)