“What did you just say?” Max broke in as Alec stared at the young man that somehow knew his designation.
“Chill, 452, have a seat.” He motioned toward the couch and chair.
“My name is Max and this is Alec, who the hell are you?”
“X6-785, not that that means anything to you.”
Alec’s eyes narrowed. “You look old for X6.”
“You look pretty for X5.” 785 batted his eyelashes.
“Boys,” Max interrupted before Alec made his next comment. “Stop.” She looked at Alec meaningfully and he gave her a look that radiated innocence. Max turned back to 785, “Suppose you cut to the chase and tell us how you know us? It would save us the trouble of beating it out of you.”
“So you can go back to your place and get it on?” 785 asked mischievously, eying them both as their eyes widened in shock. He rolled his eyes. “OK, how do I know you? I have connections in Terminal City. A few friends of mine like to get together and discuss what is happening in the little world of transgenics. And I’m hearing things about new leadership…a couple X5s, 452 and 494 are organizing things.”
“So…you had us followed or something?” Alec asked, genuinely curious about the odd X6.
“Of course. I want to know what kind of new leadership we’re looking at.” 785 looked at him as though he was daft.
“So why didn’t you just say something when we came to the door?” Max asked, suspicious.
“Oh, I didn’t set this up.” He said with a laugh, “I just needed the package.”
Max and Alec just rolled their eyes at that. “So you just recognized us? Never having seen you before?” Max was incredulous.
“Like there are any other Jam Pony couples that happen to know about Manticore.”
He plopped himself down on the couch with a grin.
Max and Alec opened their mouth to argue about the ‘couple’ comment, but shut it again. Apparently, it was obvious to everyone, why bother?
“So…how do you guys feel about organized crime?”
Alec’s ears pricked up at that and Max’s eyes narrowed.
“What, like prostitution? Drugs?” she asked.
“I’m more on the side of burglary, information trafficking, bribery, cons…but whatever you’re into, I guess.”
Alec jumped in at this point, “Are you asking us to join your crime syndicate?”
785 smiled, “Nope, I’m asking you to create it. Or at least, take it to the level it should be.”
“We’re trying to protect trangenics, not increase crime.” Max spat out, disgusted. “Come on, Alec, let’s go.”
Alec raised an eyebrow, but moved to leave.
“You let her order you around all the time, 494?” 785’s cocky grin stopped Max in her tracks. Alec looked at Max and then back and 785 and laughed.
“She does what she wants…as do I. We’ll be in touch.” Alec smiled at Max as they left the room and walked down the stairs.
“Why would we even want to be in touch?” Max asked Alec angrily, climbing onto her bike.
“Saying ‘no’ is never good business…you never know what might come up.” He slid behind her, again and he had to smile at her immediate tension.
“Alec…we need to get you another bike.”
“Well, yeah, but we could do another run first…or see what’s up in Terminal City…” He did his best to convince her, driving her crazy with the slow exploration of his hands and the affectionate massage of his lips as they trailed their way across her neck.
“Alec! We have plenty of time for that, we need to get you a new bike.”
Alec sighed, “Well, that’s a knock on wood statement if I’ve ever heard one.”
Max shook her head in annoyance. “You think Dix has any extra bikes laying around?”
Alec took a break from the ministrations he was delivering her earlobe to whisper his answer in her ear. “Not the working variety.”
Max snorted, “Come on, I could get some of those things working.”
“All of them, probably, but we could just grab one a lot easier.”
“We’re not going to waste our money on…” Max cut herself off as Alec burst into laughter.
“Max, sweetie, when do we ever spend money on vehicles?”
The man had a point.
“You know where they have some nice bikes…” Max commented, swinging her Ninja in the opposite direction. “Police impound.”
Alec just smiled. She was perfect, he was convinced of it.