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skylar0graceTitle: Heat.
Author: SkylarGrace.
Status: Complete.
Rating: PG-13.
Summary: Sometimes heat can be a problem...
Spoilers: Set after Freak Nation so all of them :)
Disclaimer: Dark Angel and all related elements belong to Cameron Eglee Productions and FOX No infringement intended.
Notes: Thanks to Sprucegoose for beta’ing!
The seven transgenics sat in their cells. Jondy, Zane, Syl and Brin sat with their backs to the wall trying to think of a way out. In the cell opposite theirs sat Zack, Krit and Jace. Zack had collected all of his brothers and sisters and attempted to get them to TC to aid Max in the fight for their freedom. Travelling in a large group was dangerous, however Zack was persuaded there was safety in numbers and had eventually given in. Something he now regretted.
“This was such a stupid idea. I can’t believe I let us do this!” Zack yelled in frustration, slamming his fist into the concrete beside him.
“Look Zack, we had to try. We’ll find a way out of this,” Jondy said trying to reassure him.
“How?”
“Max! She knew we were coming and she’ll know something is wrong when we don’t turn up,” Syl said, standing and moving toward the bars.
“If she doesn’t get caught herself,” Jace said glumly.
“Does anyone know anything about those guys?” Zack asked the group. They all shook their heads.
“They’re not transgenics; they’ve got no barcode,” Krit said.
“Yeah but they’re just as strong as us,” Syl stated. The door opened and Agent Ames White walked in.
“Well, well, well. I have the complete set now. I’ve done what Manticore spent over ten years trying to do.” White gloated as familiars brought in two slumped figures. Zack felt his heart drop when he saw the curtain of dark brown hair surrounding one of the figures.
“What did you do to them?” Zack asked angrily.
White just smiled. “They’ll be fine. I’ll leave you guys to have a little family reunion and then be back to slice and dice you,” he replied as they unceremoniously dumped them in a separate cell and they left the room. Jondy moved quickly over to the bars.
“Ben?” She looked at Zack. “Why didn’t we pick up Ben before? Was he always in Seattle?” Zack shrugged.
“Maybe. I don’t know. You know I can’t remember everything,” Zack replied quietly.
“Uh oh,” Krit said nervously. “Do you smell that?”
“Crap!” Zane said, moving to the opposite end of his cell. “Who’s in heat?” The women looked at each other and shook their heads.
“It’s gotta be Max. It wasn’t an issue til she got here,” Jondy said. Zane sat back down with a frown and turned to the opposite cell.
“Is it affecting you guys?” Both Krit and Zack shook their heads.
“I can smell her but that’s it,” Zack said. “That feels weird.”
“Eww, she’s your sister!” Syl said standing up. Brin looked at her with amusement in eyes.
“It doesn’t work that way.”
“Zack’s right, it does feel weird. It’s like my brain has a barrier or something,” Zane said looking over at Max.
Their train of thought was interrupted as Max began to wake, stretching a leg.
“Max! Are you alright?” Jondy called through the bars. Max ignored her as she stared across at Alec’s figure on the ground. She slowly began creeping up on him. “Max! Max! Stop. You’re in heat!” Jondy continued to yell, only to be ignored further. Zane let out a small laugh.
“Ben’s gonna have one hell of a wake up call!”
Brin hit him and scowled but Zane only shrugged in return. They watched as Max slunk across the floor and rubbed her hands up Alec’s chest, leaning over to kiss him. At the sudden contact of her hands on his chest, Alec’s eyes flung open and he grabbed her hands. He could see the look in her eyes and was bombarded with pheromones. He groaned.
“Hey!” Max said seductively and leaned down and kissed him on the mouth. Alec pushed her to arms length and sat up, keeping eye contact with her trying to determine her next move.
“Come on baby! Snap out of this! You know we have to get through this mission first.” Max leaned in close and he could feel her breath on his neck as she purred. Alec closed his eyes and let out another groan of frustration. He could feel his body aching to be near her.
“Please baby,” he begged opening his eyes and staring straight into hers, “You know this is hard for me. I need you to try!”
“Eww!” Syl said from her cell. Alec’s head shot around as he realised they weren’t alone. As he looked around, he saw seven faces with mixtures of disgust and horror written on them, one of them he recognised as Zack. He smiled at them.
“Hey guys! Looks like we found you!” He tightened his grip on Max’s wrists as she started to struggle free.
“Again I say eww!” Syl said from her cell.
“Yeah Ben! She’s your sister!” Jondy yelled out. Alec looked across at her and they saw confusion cross his face before he started laughing.
“What’s so funny?” Krit asked.
“I’m not Ben,” Alec said. He stopped laughing when Max’s hand slipped free of his. He quickly spun her around and pinned her to the ground, her arms behind her back and she whimpered softly at the new distance. “I’m Alec. X5 - 494.” He looked at each of them. “You do know that Ben is dead right?” He looked over at Zack.
“I don’t remember everything,” Zack stated.
“Understandable,” Alec said nodding his head. Zack’s eyes narrowed.
“Why is that? What do you know?” Zack asked, his voice lowered. Before Alec could respond, Syl interrupted.
“How did Ben die?” she asked softly. Alec took a deep breath.
“Look, both of those are things I think Max really needs to tell you.” He looked toward Zack. “Don’t blame her Zack, she’s feels guilty enough as it is. She did what was right. You’re just lucky I didn’t find you,” he said pointedly.
Zack glared at him again. Max started thrashing around wildly under Alec and he groaned, the rest of the room forgotten as he looked up at the ceiling. “Please stop that,” he said to her, his voice dropping noticeably lower and his head lowering to look at her. She turned her head to look at him. “You are making this so much harder!” Max grinned and fluttered her eyelids, a purr escaping her lips. “Please baby. Don’t make me do it.”
She started thrashing underneath him again, pressing her body as close to his as possible. He jumped up, releasing her and moving to the opposite end of the cell. She let out a loud purr and started stalking him. He let her move close to him before his fist connected with the side of her head. She dropped unconscious and he caught her before she hit the floor. He missed the gasp coming from the cell beside theirs as he slowly lowered her to the ground. He placed her gently on the floor. “Sorry baby,” he said. He placed a light kiss on her forehead.
“What the hell did you do?” he heard Zack say. He looked up to once again see seven pairs of eyes looking at him, mostly in horror again. He sighed and stood up.
“I had to do that. I was losing my control and apart from the fact that you’re all here and it would have been very awkward later, White is responsible for us being here and we need to leave before he comes back for Max and me. I won’t let him take her again, so we need to think of a way for all of us to get out of here, hopefully before she wakes up.” Alec heard Zack growl from his cell and Alec turned to him, desperately trying to keep his cool. “Zack, don’t! We do not have time for a smack down.” Zack continued to glare at the man who had just knocked out his sister and Alec took a deep breath before he looked back at Zack. “Stop it Zack! I had to do that. White is here! I won’t let him get her again. I have the information we need to get out so we need to formulate a plan and get the hell out of dodge before he gets back!”
Alec saw Krit cross the cell and push Zack out of the way.
“What can you tell us?” Krit asked and saw Alec visibly relax.
“Right. Well, White is part of a cult. You probably fought some of them out there, based on your injuries. They’re not transgenics, they were bred. They’re fast, strong and they don’t feel pain. White has been on our ass for over a year now.”
“And he’s gotten Max before?” Jondy asked. Alec closed his eyes and leaned his head on the bars.
“He’s gotten both of us before,” he replied softly. He opened his eyes and looked at them. “I’ve always gotten to Max before he could do to her what he did to me.” His face hardened at the memory it obviously conjured up. “We need to get out of here. I managed to get blueprints to this warehouse before I came and I’m assuming we’re in the basement. It’s a simple layout but it’ll be hard getting past the familiars, especially White.” Alec suddenly heard footsteps coming down the hall. He slipped back onto his training and automatically signalled for them to be quiet and move back from the bars. He picked up Max and laid her against the far wall before stepping back up to the bars. The door opened and White stepped in, followed by two Familiars. He looked straight at Alec.
“You’re awake! That’s great.” He saw Alec’s eyes brush over the two Familiars behind him. “They’re not the only ones 494. I’ve taken more precautions this time now that I have you both.” He stepped up to the bars, just out of arms reach and pulled a gun out. Alec did not move. “Where is my son 494?” Alec scoffed.
“You think I am going to tell you so that you can try and sacrifice him again for your own sick purposes?”
“Wrong answer,” White said as he squeezed off a round, the bullet passing straight through Alec’s left shoulder. His body moved slightly from the force of the impact but he did not lose eye contact with White.
“Come on White. This isn’t really your style. Where’s the torture and games? Where’s the piñata?”
“Tell me where my son is and I’ll let you live.”
“Go to hell,” Alec spat. White lowered the gun and shot a round into Alec’s stomach. Alec automatically pressed a hand into the wound to stem the blood, the other hand using the bars to hold him up. He ground his teeth.
“This isn’t working 494. I need my son now. If you don’t tell me, I will have to go in there and take your mate.”
Alec growled. “You can come in here and try,” Alec said, his voice dangerously low and threatening.
“Don’t think she will escape any of the pain I put you through last time. When I do get the information, and I will get the information I need, I won’t hesitate to kill her.” White put the gun back into its holster and Alec pressed himself against the bars.
“Trust me when I say, I will kill you before you lay one finger on her.”
White raised an eyebrow. “Really?” he placed his hand out behind him and a Familiar put a taser in his hand. “We’ll just have to see about that.”
He quickly pulled the gun up and shot. Two electrodes shot out and connected with Alec’s chest. He momentarily shook before collapsing on the ground, shaking violently. The two familiars stepped forward, unlocked the bars and moved into the cell.
The two other occupied cells began shaking as the seven transgenics tried to divert their attention. White turned toward them.
“Shut up! Don’t worry, your turn is coming,” he said with a smile.
The two Familiars moved toward Max and were surprised when two feet lashed out, kicking them against the bars. Jondy turned and saw Alec pull out the electrodes.
“Nice try,” he said, getting to his feet shakily. White turned to him shocked and looked at the taser in his hand. “Next time you want to take out this transgenic, bring another.”
He let out a couple of kicks and punches, succeeding in removing the two Familiars from his cell. One Familiar was pushed back into the cell opposite and, with quick efficiency, Zack snapped his neck. White stepped forward and Alec moved defensively in front of Max.
In a flurry of kick and punches, both men fought. Alec felt his strength slowly seeping away but he caught a glance of Max on the floor and pushed on. He needed to end this fight soon.
Zane watched Alec and White fight. What began as an even match soon deteriorated as Alec’s wounds began to wear him down. Whilst he was sure White had a couple of broken bones, they didn’t seem to be slowing him down and he saw Alec was favouring his right arm and side. Zane looked across at his CO and saw Zack trying to find a way out of his cell. Zane watched helplessly as Alec began defending more than attacking.
White got in a number of good punches and Alec shook his head trying to clear it. He had lost a lot of blood and the blood loss was starting to affect him badly. He defended against a few more blows before a stirring caught his attention. It only took that split second for White to land a punch to Alec’s head. His head slammed back against the concrete wall behind him and Alec saw white spots dancing before his eyes.
“Alec!” Zane called out as he watched his head hit the wall and his body sag against it. White began moving toward Max and Zane saw Alec blur in front of White. He let out a low growl and kicked with such force that White flew back into the bars. He momentarily stood stunned before collapsing down on the ground. Zane watched as Alec swayed on his feet and an arm reached out and caught him before he fell. Syl pushed her other arm through the bars and held Alec’s arms which caused a gasp of pain to escape Alec’s lips. Zane moved forward and helped her lower Alec to the ground.
“We need to get out of here,” Zack ordered from across the room. “Can any of you reach the keys?” The second Familiar was just out of reach for the seven transgenics trapped in their cells. Syl saw Alec begin to stand.
“Alec, you need to rest,” she began.
Alec glanced at her pointedly and she sighed and let his arm go. He staggered to the edge of his cell, giving one disgusted glance at White on the floor before moving to the Familiar and dropped heavily to his knees, using his uninjured arm to release the keys from the Familiars’ belt. He tossed them towards Zack’s cell and they hit the bars before sliding down. Zack reached out and unlocked both cells.
As the others moved to attend to Max and Alec, Zane helped Zack move the men into the cell and lock it. Zack reached down and picked up Max in his arms and Zane and Krit held Alec between them. The group moved into the hall.
“Right,” Alec directed, “Head to the end of the corridor and turn left. It should take us out the back entrance.” Zack nodded and moved forward, leading them out, pausing only to avoid Familiars. Once they moved to the back of the building Alec directed them to the van in the shadows and they all piled in as they heard shouts ring out. Zack started the van and drove it with Alec giving directions. Alec reached into a box in the back and pulled out a mobile phone and quickly dialled a number; it was answered on the second ring.
“Hey Dix. Can you get Kellie to meet us in the garage?” Alec said into the phone. He paused as Dix spoke and then rolled his eyes at the response.
“I don’t always get shot!” he protested and the others sitting in the back stifled laughs. Dix began speaking again and Alec sighed.
“Okay fine. I did those times but that’s not every time!” Dix spoke again and Alec frowned.
“Well, I had to knock her out. She’s fine though. We got everyone out,” Alec looked out the windshield.
“Maybe 5 minutes. Get the gates open and we’ll meet you there.” Alec closed the phone and closed his eyes, leaning his head back.
“Why did you bring her if she was in heat?” Zack said gruffly from the front seat. Alec raised an eyebrow and turned to look at Zack.
“You’ve met Max before right?” Alec said only to have a glare shot back at him. Alec sighed. “I did what I could but she wouldn’t stay. It was supposed to be quick. We didn’t know White had found out and we thought we would have time.”
“Well, you didn’t did you?” Zack snapped. Alec glared back but he bit his tongue and tasted blood in his mouth as a result. Max’s eyes opened and the conversation died. She looked across the van and saw Krit, Syl and Brin sitting in front of her.
“Hey guys!” she exclaimed. She leapt up from her seat and hugged Syl. As she released Syl and moved to hug Krit she stopped and sniffed the air. She turned around slowly and purred ‘Alec!’ Alec closed his eyes briefly and when he opened them he saw concern etching its way across her face.
“What happened?” she asked “Did you get shot?” Alec shrugged, immediately regretting it.
“Eh, it’s just a flesh wound,” he replied, ignoring the soft snort from Jondy.
“Let me help you fix them up,” Max said, reaching out toward him. Alec moved quickly to the other end of the van.
“I don’t think you are the best person to do that at the moment,” he said warily. Max smiled.
“Oh, come on, I won’t hurt you,” she began with a slightly seductive tone to her voice.
Syl reached out and slapped her across the face. Max turned to her with a slightly pained look on her face.
“Thanks.”
She sat at the other end of the van from Alec, and sat on her hands. Her knees bounced up and down as she tried to distract herself. Alec gave Zack instructions once they got close to TC and Max began unintentionally purring at the sound of his voice.
“Stop it Max!” Alec snapped desperately from his end of the suddenly too small van.
Max stopped purring and blushed. When they entered TC, Alec practically threw open the van doors and fell out. Kellie helped him up and cursed under her breath, complaining about the workload she always had with him. He smiled but felt Max’s eyes burning a hole in his back as he left.
“I should go with him,” Max said in a breathy voice as everyone got out of the van. Syl shook her by the shoulders.
“Say hello to us first!” she said as she rolled her eyes. Max smiled and hugged her siblings.
“It’s good to see you!” Max said happily. She led them to Command, though every instinct she had was telling her to go in the other direction. It was early in the morning and no one was around. As they sat at the conference table, Max paced the floor and Jondy laughed.
“How much longer do you have?” she asked. Max didn’t stop pacing as she answered.
“One day, give or take.”
“So, how did you escape?” Syl asked. Max continued to pace.
“Alec. He was my breeding partner. Helped get me out,” she said quickly. Krit raised an eyebrow.
“You mated with your breeding partner?” he asked in a slightly disgusted tone. Max’s face screwed up in disgust.
“Eww. No! I kicked him into the cell door and told him that was the only physical contact he would get from me.” She smiled but continued to pace, wringing her hands.
“So why did he help you escape?” Zane asked. Max continued pacing but her smile dropped.
“Jerk was ordered to. They infected me with a retrovirus to kill Logan if I touched him and he was supposed to help me do that.” She cast glances out the door. “I revealed the location anyway and they tried to cauterise the site. Got there first and let everyone out.”
“But I thought you guys mated?” Jondy asked confused.
“We did.” Max gave them a huge smile. “Guess he grew on me.” She saw Zack’s frown. “He’s a good man Zack. I think we have all done stuff we aren’t proud of. But he loves me and I love him.” Zack sighed.
“What happened to me?” Zack asked. “And how does Alec know about it?” Max stopped pacing and looked at Zack. She sighed and began pacing again.
“You had no memory and some Steelheads were using you as muscle so Alec and I went to find you. You tried to kill him before I showed up but we helped you remember. Later, Steelheads drugged me, took me, and you came to find me on your own; Alec was furious.” Max smiled and kept glancing toward the door. She was getting very antsy and not in the mood for talking, especially not about this.
“How did I lose my memory again?” Zack asked.
“You tried to kill Logan. Manticore put a command in your brain and made you believe he was the enemy. I tried to stop you but you were too strong, you hurt me. I didn’t want to but I had to stop you. I electrocuted you and it wiped your memory. Carr said if I let you remember everything again it would probably play out the same. So I did what I thought was best and tried to give you the normal life you never had. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Max almost whispered the last part. Syl watched Max pacing.
“How did Ben die?” she asked softly. Max stopped and looked up at her horrified, an expression that did not go missed by anyone. Max shook her head furiously.
“No,” she whispered. Syl stood up. “Please?” she asked. Max looked up again with tears in her eyes and sat down at the end of the table.
“He was killing people,” Max said softly. She looked at her hands and tears fell down onto the table. “He was tattooing his barcode onto their necks and hunting them down. Killing himself over and over. After he killed them he would pull their teeth and offer them to the Blue Lady.” There were a few shudders around the room as they remembered the man they had killed in the woods.
“I remember trying to track him down,” Zack said, frowning at the memory. Max nodded.
“He knew. I tracked him down to the woods and he was hunting down somebody else. We fought and I broke his leg.” Max paused, more tears falling silently on the table. “That’s when we heard the choppers and we knew Lydecker had found us.” Max looked up at her siblings, her voice stumbling over her next words. “I couldn’t carry him out; we both would have been caught. He asked me to do it. I didn’t want to but he didn’t want to go back, he was so scared.” Max looked back at her hands. “I asked him to tell me about the Good Place. And I did it. I killed him.” Max put her head in her hands and sobbed. Syl stood up and wrapped her arms around Max. “I killed Ben and left his body there for them to find.”
“There wasn’t anything else you could have done, Max,” Jondy said softly.
“I’m sorry Max,” Zack began as their siblings stood and enveloped her in a hug. “Ben wasn’t your responsibility. It shouldn’t have fallen on you. I’m sorry.”
~
Max smiled softly as her siblings sat once again around the table, talking about the different things they had done growing up. Max felt herself growing more and more anxious. ‘Alec should have been back by now’ she thought. She didn’t even realise that she had started pacing again. Syl looked up at Max as she passed by again for the fifth time and reached out and touched her arm. Max’s focus snapped to her sister who was smiling at her.
“Just go Max,” she stated simply.
Max smiled and ran out of the room as her siblings began laughing. She blurred to the med bay, only to stop short of it. Alec wasn’t there. With a small sniff in the air, she blurred, following his scent, only to find herself staring at the door to their apartment. She opened the door and saw him sitting on the couch watching TV with a huge grin on his face.
“What took you so long?” he asked without even turning around. Max’s face broke out into a seductive smile as she slipped into the apartment and closed the door behind her.
~Fin.
Author: SkylarGrace.
Status: Complete.
Rating: PG-13.
Summary: Sometimes heat can be a problem...
Spoilers: Set after Freak Nation so all of them :)
Disclaimer: Dark Angel and all related elements belong to Cameron Eglee Productions and FOX No infringement intended.
Notes: Thanks to Sprucegoose for beta’ing!
The seven transgenics sat in their cells. Jondy, Zane, Syl and Brin sat with their backs to the wall trying to think of a way out. In the cell opposite theirs sat Zack, Krit and Jace. Zack had collected all of his brothers and sisters and attempted to get them to TC to aid Max in the fight for their freedom. Travelling in a large group was dangerous, however Zack was persuaded there was safety in numbers and had eventually given in. Something he now regretted.
“This was such a stupid idea. I can’t believe I let us do this!” Zack yelled in frustration, slamming his fist into the concrete beside him.
“Look Zack, we had to try. We’ll find a way out of this,” Jondy said trying to reassure him.
“How?”
“Max! She knew we were coming and she’ll know something is wrong when we don’t turn up,” Syl said, standing and moving toward the bars.
“If she doesn’t get caught herself,” Jace said glumly.
“Does anyone know anything about those guys?” Zack asked the group. They all shook their heads.
“They’re not transgenics; they’ve got no barcode,” Krit said.
“Yeah but they’re just as strong as us,” Syl stated. The door opened and Agent Ames White walked in.
“Well, well, well. I have the complete set now. I’ve done what Manticore spent over ten years trying to do.” White gloated as familiars brought in two slumped figures. Zack felt his heart drop when he saw the curtain of dark brown hair surrounding one of the figures.
“What did you do to them?” Zack asked angrily.
White just smiled. “They’ll be fine. I’ll leave you guys to have a little family reunion and then be back to slice and dice you,” he replied as they unceremoniously dumped them in a separate cell and they left the room. Jondy moved quickly over to the bars.
“Ben?” She looked at Zack. “Why didn’t we pick up Ben before? Was he always in Seattle?” Zack shrugged.
“Maybe. I don’t know. You know I can’t remember everything,” Zack replied quietly.
“Uh oh,” Krit said nervously. “Do you smell that?”
“Crap!” Zane said, moving to the opposite end of his cell. “Who’s in heat?” The women looked at each other and shook their heads.
“It’s gotta be Max. It wasn’t an issue til she got here,” Jondy said. Zane sat back down with a frown and turned to the opposite cell.
“Is it affecting you guys?” Both Krit and Zack shook their heads.
“I can smell her but that’s it,” Zack said. “That feels weird.”
“Eww, she’s your sister!” Syl said standing up. Brin looked at her with amusement in eyes.
“It doesn’t work that way.”
“Zack’s right, it does feel weird. It’s like my brain has a barrier or something,” Zane said looking over at Max.
Their train of thought was interrupted as Max began to wake, stretching a leg.
“Max! Are you alright?” Jondy called through the bars. Max ignored her as she stared across at Alec’s figure on the ground. She slowly began creeping up on him. “Max! Max! Stop. You’re in heat!” Jondy continued to yell, only to be ignored further. Zane let out a small laugh.
“Ben’s gonna have one hell of a wake up call!”
Brin hit him and scowled but Zane only shrugged in return. They watched as Max slunk across the floor and rubbed her hands up Alec’s chest, leaning over to kiss him. At the sudden contact of her hands on his chest, Alec’s eyes flung open and he grabbed her hands. He could see the look in her eyes and was bombarded with pheromones. He groaned.
“Hey!” Max said seductively and leaned down and kissed him on the mouth. Alec pushed her to arms length and sat up, keeping eye contact with her trying to determine her next move.
“Come on baby! Snap out of this! You know we have to get through this mission first.” Max leaned in close and he could feel her breath on his neck as she purred. Alec closed his eyes and let out another groan of frustration. He could feel his body aching to be near her.
“Please baby,” he begged opening his eyes and staring straight into hers, “You know this is hard for me. I need you to try!”
“Eww!” Syl said from her cell. Alec’s head shot around as he realised they weren’t alone. As he looked around, he saw seven faces with mixtures of disgust and horror written on them, one of them he recognised as Zack. He smiled at them.
“Hey guys! Looks like we found you!” He tightened his grip on Max’s wrists as she started to struggle free.
“Again I say eww!” Syl said from her cell.
“Yeah Ben! She’s your sister!” Jondy yelled out. Alec looked across at her and they saw confusion cross his face before he started laughing.
“What’s so funny?” Krit asked.
“I’m not Ben,” Alec said. He stopped laughing when Max’s hand slipped free of his. He quickly spun her around and pinned her to the ground, her arms behind her back and she whimpered softly at the new distance. “I’m Alec. X5 - 494.” He looked at each of them. “You do know that Ben is dead right?” He looked over at Zack.
“I don’t remember everything,” Zack stated.
“Understandable,” Alec said nodding his head. Zack’s eyes narrowed.
“Why is that? What do you know?” Zack asked, his voice lowered. Before Alec could respond, Syl interrupted.
“How did Ben die?” she asked softly. Alec took a deep breath.
“Look, both of those are things I think Max really needs to tell you.” He looked toward Zack. “Don’t blame her Zack, she’s feels guilty enough as it is. She did what was right. You’re just lucky I didn’t find you,” he said pointedly.
Zack glared at him again. Max started thrashing around wildly under Alec and he groaned, the rest of the room forgotten as he looked up at the ceiling. “Please stop that,” he said to her, his voice dropping noticeably lower and his head lowering to look at her. She turned her head to look at him. “You are making this so much harder!” Max grinned and fluttered her eyelids, a purr escaping her lips. “Please baby. Don’t make me do it.”
She started thrashing underneath him again, pressing her body as close to his as possible. He jumped up, releasing her and moving to the opposite end of the cell. She let out a loud purr and started stalking him. He let her move close to him before his fist connected with the side of her head. She dropped unconscious and he caught her before she hit the floor. He missed the gasp coming from the cell beside theirs as he slowly lowered her to the ground. He placed her gently on the floor. “Sorry baby,” he said. He placed a light kiss on her forehead.
“What the hell did you do?” he heard Zack say. He looked up to once again see seven pairs of eyes looking at him, mostly in horror again. He sighed and stood up.
“I had to do that. I was losing my control and apart from the fact that you’re all here and it would have been very awkward later, White is responsible for us being here and we need to leave before he comes back for Max and me. I won’t let him take her again, so we need to think of a way for all of us to get out of here, hopefully before she wakes up.” Alec heard Zack growl from his cell and Alec turned to him, desperately trying to keep his cool. “Zack, don’t! We do not have time for a smack down.” Zack continued to glare at the man who had just knocked out his sister and Alec took a deep breath before he looked back at Zack. “Stop it Zack! I had to do that. White is here! I won’t let him get her again. I have the information we need to get out so we need to formulate a plan and get the hell out of dodge before he gets back!”
Alec saw Krit cross the cell and push Zack out of the way.
“What can you tell us?” Krit asked and saw Alec visibly relax.
“Right. Well, White is part of a cult. You probably fought some of them out there, based on your injuries. They’re not transgenics, they were bred. They’re fast, strong and they don’t feel pain. White has been on our ass for over a year now.”
“And he’s gotten Max before?” Jondy asked. Alec closed his eyes and leaned his head on the bars.
“He’s gotten both of us before,” he replied softly. He opened his eyes and looked at them. “I’ve always gotten to Max before he could do to her what he did to me.” His face hardened at the memory it obviously conjured up. “We need to get out of here. I managed to get blueprints to this warehouse before I came and I’m assuming we’re in the basement. It’s a simple layout but it’ll be hard getting past the familiars, especially White.” Alec suddenly heard footsteps coming down the hall. He slipped back onto his training and automatically signalled for them to be quiet and move back from the bars. He picked up Max and laid her against the far wall before stepping back up to the bars. The door opened and White stepped in, followed by two Familiars. He looked straight at Alec.
“You’re awake! That’s great.” He saw Alec’s eyes brush over the two Familiars behind him. “They’re not the only ones 494. I’ve taken more precautions this time now that I have you both.” He stepped up to the bars, just out of arms reach and pulled a gun out. Alec did not move. “Where is my son 494?” Alec scoffed.
“You think I am going to tell you so that you can try and sacrifice him again for your own sick purposes?”
“Wrong answer,” White said as he squeezed off a round, the bullet passing straight through Alec’s left shoulder. His body moved slightly from the force of the impact but he did not lose eye contact with White.
“Come on White. This isn’t really your style. Where’s the torture and games? Where’s the piñata?”
“Tell me where my son is and I’ll let you live.”
“Go to hell,” Alec spat. White lowered the gun and shot a round into Alec’s stomach. Alec automatically pressed a hand into the wound to stem the blood, the other hand using the bars to hold him up. He ground his teeth.
“This isn’t working 494. I need my son now. If you don’t tell me, I will have to go in there and take your mate.”
Alec growled. “You can come in here and try,” Alec said, his voice dangerously low and threatening.
“Don’t think she will escape any of the pain I put you through last time. When I do get the information, and I will get the information I need, I won’t hesitate to kill her.” White put the gun back into its holster and Alec pressed himself against the bars.
“Trust me when I say, I will kill you before you lay one finger on her.”
White raised an eyebrow. “Really?” he placed his hand out behind him and a Familiar put a taser in his hand. “We’ll just have to see about that.”
He quickly pulled the gun up and shot. Two electrodes shot out and connected with Alec’s chest. He momentarily shook before collapsing on the ground, shaking violently. The two familiars stepped forward, unlocked the bars and moved into the cell.
The two other occupied cells began shaking as the seven transgenics tried to divert their attention. White turned toward them.
“Shut up! Don’t worry, your turn is coming,” he said with a smile.
The two Familiars moved toward Max and were surprised when two feet lashed out, kicking them against the bars. Jondy turned and saw Alec pull out the electrodes.
“Nice try,” he said, getting to his feet shakily. White turned to him shocked and looked at the taser in his hand. “Next time you want to take out this transgenic, bring another.”
He let out a couple of kicks and punches, succeeding in removing the two Familiars from his cell. One Familiar was pushed back into the cell opposite and, with quick efficiency, Zack snapped his neck. White stepped forward and Alec moved defensively in front of Max.
In a flurry of kick and punches, both men fought. Alec felt his strength slowly seeping away but he caught a glance of Max on the floor and pushed on. He needed to end this fight soon.
Zane watched Alec and White fight. What began as an even match soon deteriorated as Alec’s wounds began to wear him down. Whilst he was sure White had a couple of broken bones, they didn’t seem to be slowing him down and he saw Alec was favouring his right arm and side. Zane looked across at his CO and saw Zack trying to find a way out of his cell. Zane watched helplessly as Alec began defending more than attacking.
White got in a number of good punches and Alec shook his head trying to clear it. He had lost a lot of blood and the blood loss was starting to affect him badly. He defended against a few more blows before a stirring caught his attention. It only took that split second for White to land a punch to Alec’s head. His head slammed back against the concrete wall behind him and Alec saw white spots dancing before his eyes.
“Alec!” Zane called out as he watched his head hit the wall and his body sag against it. White began moving toward Max and Zane saw Alec blur in front of White. He let out a low growl and kicked with such force that White flew back into the bars. He momentarily stood stunned before collapsing down on the ground. Zane watched as Alec swayed on his feet and an arm reached out and caught him before he fell. Syl pushed her other arm through the bars and held Alec’s arms which caused a gasp of pain to escape Alec’s lips. Zane moved forward and helped her lower Alec to the ground.
“We need to get out of here,” Zack ordered from across the room. “Can any of you reach the keys?” The second Familiar was just out of reach for the seven transgenics trapped in their cells. Syl saw Alec begin to stand.
“Alec, you need to rest,” she began.
Alec glanced at her pointedly and she sighed and let his arm go. He staggered to the edge of his cell, giving one disgusted glance at White on the floor before moving to the Familiar and dropped heavily to his knees, using his uninjured arm to release the keys from the Familiars’ belt. He tossed them towards Zack’s cell and they hit the bars before sliding down. Zack reached out and unlocked both cells.
As the others moved to attend to Max and Alec, Zane helped Zack move the men into the cell and lock it. Zack reached down and picked up Max in his arms and Zane and Krit held Alec between them. The group moved into the hall.
“Right,” Alec directed, “Head to the end of the corridor and turn left. It should take us out the back entrance.” Zack nodded and moved forward, leading them out, pausing only to avoid Familiars. Once they moved to the back of the building Alec directed them to the van in the shadows and they all piled in as they heard shouts ring out. Zack started the van and drove it with Alec giving directions. Alec reached into a box in the back and pulled out a mobile phone and quickly dialled a number; it was answered on the second ring.
“Hey Dix. Can you get Kellie to meet us in the garage?” Alec said into the phone. He paused as Dix spoke and then rolled his eyes at the response.
“I don’t always get shot!” he protested and the others sitting in the back stifled laughs. Dix began speaking again and Alec sighed.
“Okay fine. I did those times but that’s not every time!” Dix spoke again and Alec frowned.
“Well, I had to knock her out. She’s fine though. We got everyone out,” Alec looked out the windshield.
“Maybe 5 minutes. Get the gates open and we’ll meet you there.” Alec closed the phone and closed his eyes, leaning his head back.
“Why did you bring her if she was in heat?” Zack said gruffly from the front seat. Alec raised an eyebrow and turned to look at Zack.
“You’ve met Max before right?” Alec said only to have a glare shot back at him. Alec sighed. “I did what I could but she wouldn’t stay. It was supposed to be quick. We didn’t know White had found out and we thought we would have time.”
“Well, you didn’t did you?” Zack snapped. Alec glared back but he bit his tongue and tasted blood in his mouth as a result. Max’s eyes opened and the conversation died. She looked across the van and saw Krit, Syl and Brin sitting in front of her.
“Hey guys!” she exclaimed. She leapt up from her seat and hugged Syl. As she released Syl and moved to hug Krit she stopped and sniffed the air. She turned around slowly and purred ‘Alec!’ Alec closed his eyes briefly and when he opened them he saw concern etching its way across her face.
“What happened?” she asked “Did you get shot?” Alec shrugged, immediately regretting it.
“Eh, it’s just a flesh wound,” he replied, ignoring the soft snort from Jondy.
“Let me help you fix them up,” Max said, reaching out toward him. Alec moved quickly to the other end of the van.
“I don’t think you are the best person to do that at the moment,” he said warily. Max smiled.
“Oh, come on, I won’t hurt you,” she began with a slightly seductive tone to her voice.
Syl reached out and slapped her across the face. Max turned to her with a slightly pained look on her face.
“Thanks.”
She sat at the other end of the van from Alec, and sat on her hands. Her knees bounced up and down as she tried to distract herself. Alec gave Zack instructions once they got close to TC and Max began unintentionally purring at the sound of his voice.
“Stop it Max!” Alec snapped desperately from his end of the suddenly too small van.
Max stopped purring and blushed. When they entered TC, Alec practically threw open the van doors and fell out. Kellie helped him up and cursed under her breath, complaining about the workload she always had with him. He smiled but felt Max’s eyes burning a hole in his back as he left.
“I should go with him,” Max said in a breathy voice as everyone got out of the van. Syl shook her by the shoulders.
“Say hello to us first!” she said as she rolled her eyes. Max smiled and hugged her siblings.
“It’s good to see you!” Max said happily. She led them to Command, though every instinct she had was telling her to go in the other direction. It was early in the morning and no one was around. As they sat at the conference table, Max paced the floor and Jondy laughed.
“How much longer do you have?” she asked. Max didn’t stop pacing as she answered.
“One day, give or take.”
“So, how did you escape?” Syl asked. Max continued to pace.
“Alec. He was my breeding partner. Helped get me out,” she said quickly. Krit raised an eyebrow.
“You mated with your breeding partner?” he asked in a slightly disgusted tone. Max’s face screwed up in disgust.
“Eww. No! I kicked him into the cell door and told him that was the only physical contact he would get from me.” She smiled but continued to pace, wringing her hands.
“So why did he help you escape?” Zane asked. Max continued pacing but her smile dropped.
“Jerk was ordered to. They infected me with a retrovirus to kill Logan if I touched him and he was supposed to help me do that.” She cast glances out the door. “I revealed the location anyway and they tried to cauterise the site. Got there first and let everyone out.”
“But I thought you guys mated?” Jondy asked confused.
“We did.” Max gave them a huge smile. “Guess he grew on me.” She saw Zack’s frown. “He’s a good man Zack. I think we have all done stuff we aren’t proud of. But he loves me and I love him.” Zack sighed.
“What happened to me?” Zack asked. “And how does Alec know about it?” Max stopped pacing and looked at Zack. She sighed and began pacing again.
“You had no memory and some Steelheads were using you as muscle so Alec and I went to find you. You tried to kill him before I showed up but we helped you remember. Later, Steelheads drugged me, took me, and you came to find me on your own; Alec was furious.” Max smiled and kept glancing toward the door. She was getting very antsy and not in the mood for talking, especially not about this.
“How did I lose my memory again?” Zack asked.
“You tried to kill Logan. Manticore put a command in your brain and made you believe he was the enemy. I tried to stop you but you were too strong, you hurt me. I didn’t want to but I had to stop you. I electrocuted you and it wiped your memory. Carr said if I let you remember everything again it would probably play out the same. So I did what I thought was best and tried to give you the normal life you never had. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Max almost whispered the last part. Syl watched Max pacing.
“How did Ben die?” she asked softly. Max stopped and looked up at her horrified, an expression that did not go missed by anyone. Max shook her head furiously.
“No,” she whispered. Syl stood up. “Please?” she asked. Max looked up again with tears in her eyes and sat down at the end of the table.
“He was killing people,” Max said softly. She looked at her hands and tears fell down onto the table. “He was tattooing his barcode onto their necks and hunting them down. Killing himself over and over. After he killed them he would pull their teeth and offer them to the Blue Lady.” There were a few shudders around the room as they remembered the man they had killed in the woods.
“I remember trying to track him down,” Zack said, frowning at the memory. Max nodded.
“He knew. I tracked him down to the woods and he was hunting down somebody else. We fought and I broke his leg.” Max paused, more tears falling silently on the table. “That’s when we heard the choppers and we knew Lydecker had found us.” Max looked up at her siblings, her voice stumbling over her next words. “I couldn’t carry him out; we both would have been caught. He asked me to do it. I didn’t want to but he didn’t want to go back, he was so scared.” Max looked back at her hands. “I asked him to tell me about the Good Place. And I did it. I killed him.” Max put her head in her hands and sobbed. Syl stood up and wrapped her arms around Max. “I killed Ben and left his body there for them to find.”
“There wasn’t anything else you could have done, Max,” Jondy said softly.
“I’m sorry Max,” Zack began as their siblings stood and enveloped her in a hug. “Ben wasn’t your responsibility. It shouldn’t have fallen on you. I’m sorry.”
~
Max smiled softly as her siblings sat once again around the table, talking about the different things they had done growing up. Max felt herself growing more and more anxious. ‘Alec should have been back by now’ she thought. She didn’t even realise that she had started pacing again. Syl looked up at Max as she passed by again for the fifth time and reached out and touched her arm. Max’s focus snapped to her sister who was smiling at her.
“Just go Max,” she stated simply.
Max smiled and ran out of the room as her siblings began laughing. She blurred to the med bay, only to stop short of it. Alec wasn’t there. With a small sniff in the air, she blurred, following his scent, only to find herself staring at the door to their apartment. She opened the door and saw him sitting on the couch watching TV with a huge grin on his face.
“What took you so long?” he asked without even turning around. Max’s face broke out into a seductive smile as she slipped into the apartment and closed the door behind her.
~Fin.
