Dragging Alec into it

Chapter Twelve: 

Finally able to breathe, Alec rolled over, bring Max with him. She lay her head on his chest as he stroked her back, telling herself to breathe as she relived what he had told her and the way he cut off her reaction.

“Well…” she said finally, “That was fun.”

Alec laughed at her understatement. This wasn’t a card game. “You want to have some more…fun?” he asked, looking down at her.

“I don’t know if we have…” she looked up at him and met his gaze. Max swallowed hard.

“Time” was cut off as their lips met and they were once again encompassed by the power that pulled them together.

They arrived back at command HQ two and a half hours after they left, trying a little unsuccessfully to contain their smiles.

785 looked up from where he and Biggs were writing lists of who knows what. 785 looked at them for a moment, opened his mouth to comment, but then just smirked and shook his head.

“$175,000 is in, there is an hour and a half until Alec meets his man. Biggs is finishing off the buddy lists and I’ve got the supply lists. You guys have a good round or three…of walking?” 785 grinned at them and Biggs tried to suppress his smile.

Max and Alec, both in a lot better mood than they were earlier, took a seat at the table with Biggs and the X6.

Alec put one leg up on the table and leaned back in his chair.

“785, when was the last time you were laid? Just ballpark.”

785 looked at Alec and then at Max, who didn’t seem at all disturbed by the question, but waited expectantly for his answer.

“I…” 785 started to speak, but Alec interrupted him.

“Breeding Partner?” he asked with a grin. 785 glared at him. “Don’t worry about it, man, not everyone just slips right into the normal life.”

“You need a name.” Max commented, breaking in before 785 attacked Alec.

“All in favor of ‘The Mouth’?” Alec asked, raising his hand.

There were chuckles around the room. Max rolled her eyes. “He’s supposed to choose his own, Dick.”

Biggs broke into he conversation, snapping to get their attention. “You waiting for them?” he asked, pointing to the X6s standing at the door.

The X6s looked happy carrying all that money. Not because they were carrying money, though that may have done it for Alec, but because there was organization, something going on. Every one of them woke up daily to face routine and order. They might not have liked it, but they were lost without it. Now, they had it. They had orders, a new mission. And this time, they were fighting for themselves.

Alec gathered the money, counting it up rapidly.

“We’re two thousand over,” he said with a smile, “Let’s go, Mouth.”

785 looked at him sharply. “Go where?”

“Well, you’re going to go with me. You’re my buyer.” Alec explained, zipping up his coat and loading all the cash together. “Bring a couple kids to load up the stuff.”

“Hey,” 785 swallowed, “I don’t usually meet with anyone…”

“It’s all right, pal…can’t come up with anything to say?” Alec was enjoying this.

“I’ll be fine.” 785 snapped.

Alec lifted his eyebrows at Max. “Wanna ride in the truck? Bring your bike, we can head out from there?”

Max nodded and they moved out. 785 was fidgeting on the way over.

Alec looked at him and then at Max, raising his eyebrow and smirking in 785’s direction.

“What?” The Mouth asked, annoyed.

“God, 785, could you please go get some head so we don’t have to put up with your fidgeting?” Max smiled at him sweetly, sitting back for the ride over.

Alec laughed in the mirror as he drove the truck. 785 scowled at first, but the corner of his mouth curved up.

They pulled up to a warehouse and Alec and 785 left the truck.

“Hey, Ralph, this is the man we like to call ‘The Mouth.’” Alec said with a smile, introducing the arms dealer and the X6.

“Much as I’d like to exchange pleasantries, I have places to be, fellas. You have the money?” Ralph asked.

“Everything you asked for,” 785 brought out the case, but waited. “Let’s see the merchandise.”

Ralph smiled, backing up and pulling a canvas off a row of guns, explosives, grenade launchers and ammunition. 785 inspected all of it.

“Amy I getting my cut anytime soon here, gentleman?” Alec wanted to be out of there, he and Max had to be on the road as soon as they could be.

“Got a woman waiting, Alec?” Ralph asked, surprisingly on target.

“Always.” Alec said with a grin, “A nice load of cash would be good right about now…”

Ralph started counting the money as 785 finished inspecting the weapons, looking to Alec for a split second, unsure what to do. Alec nodded furtively and 785 declared his satisfaction.

“Well, if I can take my cut, I’ll be on my way, gentlemen.” Alec walked over to Ralph, who pulled a gun on him.

“Not so fast, son.”

“Oh, hell, Ralph, what are you doing?” Alec asked, shaking his head in annoyance.

“No hard feelings I hope, Alec,” Ralph packed up the bag.

785 frowned, “So just to clarify, you are taking his money, but you are leaving the weaponry?” This made absolutely no sense.

“Sorry, we’re going to have to keep the weapons.” At the mention of ‘we’ men entered from the side room, all holding sub machine guns.

“What’s wrong, Ralph, we’ve always dealt before. I’d be willing to take it down to 20%, but we could have negotiated before.” Alec looked and sounded bored. There were twelve men, tops.

Out in the truck, Max was getting worried and annoyed. They were taking WAY too long. What was the hold up?

“I’ll be right back.” She told the X6s.

Getting out of the truck, she stepped to the door, jumping back as she heard a shot fired inside.

“That was a warning, Alec, hands up.” Ralph kept his gun trained on Alec as he raised his hands. “I know what you are.” He said finally.

Max fell back against a big electric box. She smiled…and yanked it off the wall.

Inside, the lights died and Alec smiled. Shots rang out as men panicked, firing all around them. Soon, all of them were laying silently on the floor. Max walked into the room and looked around her.

“Let’s grab the kids and load this up.” She said, not at all surprised at the unconscious bodies littering the floor.

The X6x loaded the truck as Alec tried to wake Ralph back up. As the X6s were just finishing, Ralph started to respond.

“Hey Ralph…I realize you just wanted the money, but I’m still giving you a free piece of advice.” He whispered firmly into the man’s ear as they were still surrounded by blackness. “Get out of town. I will be watching you. If you do anything I don’t like, I would really enjoy killing you.” Alec let him fall back to the floor and went out to climb in the truck.

“You ready?” Max asked as they drove away, thinking of the few hours ahead of them.

Alec just smiled.