Perfectly Matched

Chapter 9

 

“We have strange results in the blood work done for X5-452, ma’am” a lab tech interrupted Renfro’s thoughts.

 

“Show me,” she took the folder from his hand and started reading through the information.  “Have we ever seen lab results like this before?”

 

“No, ma’am.  X5-452 is the only transgenic without junk DNA.”

 

“Then what else do you have to tell me?” Renfro gestured at the other folder the tech held in his hand.

 

“We also have the work up for X5-494.”

 

“He has junk DNA, right?” she asked.

 

“Yes,” he handed her the folder, “But look at it.”

 

“The genetic coding for the junk DNA is all recessive,” Renfro frowned.

 

“Precisely.  Without 494, 452 would be unable to pass her genetic superiority to the next generation.”

 

“Oh my God,” Renfro whispered.  “It’s like they were designed…”

 

“To fit together,” the tech nodded enthusiastically, “Their combined DNA is what we’ve been trying to achieve in the labs for years.  Look at the rest of this.”

 

“Everywhere she has a dominant, he has a recessive…and vise versa,” Renfro was talking to herself.  “Does anyone else know about this?” she asked suddenly.

 

The lab tech shook his head quickly.

 

“Excellent,” she whispered, pulling out a gun and shooting him.

 

Renfro picked up the phone immediately.  “I want a team ready in fifteen minutes, we’re picking up X5-452 and 494.”

 

Alec had trouble focusing on the flashing images in front of him.  He wasn’t going back to Manticore.  The news had come out of his mouth just moments before.  Life would be better anyway.  He flipped a channel.  Flipped again.  Nothing was on.  How long were they going to gab in there? 

 

Getting up, he wandered around the apartment, arriving in front of the expansive computer system.  Ignoring the ‘Cable link established’ he brought up another window, curious to see what Mr. Eyes Only was about to tell the world.

 

“What are you doing?” Max asked a minute later, coming up behind him as the hack ended.

 

Turning around, he saw Logan wheeling up next to her and both of them eyeing him suspiciously.

 

“You aren’t actually going to release this, are you?” he asked Logan.

 

Logan frowned, “Is there some reason I shouldn’t?”

 

“Max,” Alec turned to her for support, “Did you see this?”

 

“If anything can bring down Manticore,” Max smiled at Logan, “It is that.”

 

Alec’s eyes widened, “BRING DOWN MANTICORE?  Are you insane?”

 

“You think they will just let us walk away?  I’m tired of running, Alec.”

 

Alec shook his head, “This isn’t the way to do it, Max.  Manticore is bigger than one location.  They can just build another one.  What do you think they’ll do to everyone already there?”

 

“Renfro said she’d burn the place,” Max shrugged.

 

“So, what…you don’t believe her?”

 

“She was just trying to scare—trying to prevent THIS,” she gestured to the computer.

 

“Max, I’m all for getting Manticore off our back, but think about it!  If he releases this hack, Renfro burns Manticore to the ground, puts our pictures on the news and we’ll be running indefinitely.”

 

“What’s to stop her from doing that anyway?” Logan asked.

 

“She wants us alive, it limits her methods,” Max answered, meeting Alec’s eyes in understanding.

 

“Assuming I didn’t release this tonight…” Logan ventured, “What would you do instead?”

 

“We need to take out the committee,” Alec told him. 

 

“How do you know about that?” Max asked.

 

Alec rolled his eyes, “I know about everything, Max.”

 

“What’s the committee?” Logan asked quickly.

 

“Whoever is in charge of Manticore, government officials, I’d guess,” said Alec.

 

“Know any names?” Logan asked.

 

Alec shook his head and Max smirked.  “Not quite everything then?”

 

He glared at her.

 

“Lydecker would know.”

 

The X5s gaped at Logan.

 

“What?” he asked as they glanced back at each other.

 

“You’re in contact with Lydecker?” Alec asked.

 

“You know Lydecker?” Max shot back at Alec.

 

“He stopped in during my stay in psy-ops.  Apparently, I’m fully functional.”

 

“Yeah, but what functions?” Max muttered.

 

“Oh, I think you know,” he winked at her.

 

Max shot an alarmed glance at Logan, who frowned.

 

“Anyway,” Max sidestepped the potentially dangerous conversation, “YES, we took down the DNA lab with Lydecker’s help.  It was his plan.”

 

Alec was surprised, Lydecker hadn’t been that fun to deal with.  “So how do you contact him?”

 

“I’ll find him,” said Logan.

 

“Hey…Logan,” another voice joined the mix.  Both transgenics turned to find a blonde in the doorway.

 

“Hi Asha.  These are…friends of mine.  Max and Alec, Asha.”

 

“Nice to meet you,” Asha seemed confused for a second, “Wait.   MAX?  You’re alive?”

 

“Yeah, I try to drink my milk,” Max crossed her arms, looking from Asha to Logan.

 

Alec grinned. “It is wonderful to meet you, Asha,” he stepped forward and took her hand.

 

“So how do you know Logan?” she asked, apparently not in any hurry to let go of his hand.

 

“We just met, actually,” Alec smiled and let go of her hand, turning to look at Logan and Max, neither of whom looked particularly happy with him.  This was better than television!

 

“Well, I didn’t mean to interrupt anything…” Asha moved as though she was leaving and Max did not appear inclined to stop her.

 

“Oh, don’t worry about it,” Alec jumped in, ignoring Max’s glare, “Max and I were just leaving anyway.”

 

Max and Logan looked surprised at this news.  “Remember our unfinished business, Max?” Alec tried to remind her without having to say ‘Remember the Manticore doctor we handcuffed to the pipe?’

 

“Oh, that’s right…” Max looked from Asha to Logan, “We’ll see you tomorrow, I guess.”

 

“OK, be careful,” Logan caressed her with his eyes.  Alec thought it was possibly the most disgusting thing he had ever witnessed and by the look on Asha’s face, he wasn’t alone.

 

Max smiled back at Logan, but looked at Alec impatiently, as though he was holding up everything.  They walked out the door, leaving Logan and Asha to do…who knows what.

 

“So,” Alec broke the silence after they left the building, “You think they’re just friends?”

 

“OF COURSE they’re just friends, what else would they be?” Max snapped.  “Why? You want to make a move?”

 

“Why? Are you jealous?” he smirked.

 

“Whatever you have to tell yourself, pretty boy,” Max snorted.

 

“It’s nothing to be embarrassed about, Max, I understand.  You’re at an emotional time right now, it is perfectly natural-”

 

Max stopped walking and he turned to her, “You really need to shut up if you want to live to see Manticore chase you.”

 

“Sorry, Max, just trying to lighten the mood.”

 

“Smooth, Alec, let’s just bring up the pregnancy to lighten the mood.  Was there a CLASS on this at Manticore?”

 

“No,” he grumbled, kicking the gravel at his feet as they started walking again.

 

“Let me be the one to tell him,” Max whispered after awhile.

 

Alec was offended, “You honestly think I would just come out and say, ‘Hey man, knocked up your girlfriend, nice to meet you’…??”

 

“He’s not my boyfriend.”

 

“Sure he isn’t, Max,” he turned to her and batted his eyelashes, “Be careful,” he said soulfully.

 

Max smacked him, “He hasn’t seen me in months and he thought I was dead!”

 

“Wow, your relationship is doomed,” Alec shook his head.

 

“What?  Why?”

 

Alec chuckled at her alarm over her ‘non-relationship’ not working out.  “If you can’t even admit you’re together, there’s a problem.”

 

He could almost SEE her mind furiously attempting to come up with an answer.  There were two choices, she could A. admit they were together, thereby making herself a liar or B. continue to deny it, making him right about their relationship.  It was beautiful.

 

Max opted for C. and told him to shut up. 

 

Alec gave her a knowing smile as they arrived in front of the clinic.

 

It was clear when they opened the door that something was wrong.  There was a funny smell in the air…what was it.  They both ran to the back room. 

 

Blood was everywhere.  The nurse’s body was riddled with stab wounds and her hand was still cuffed to the pipe.

 

“Oh God,” Max whispered, looking at the other set of cuffs, dangling from the pipe empty, “Why did he kill her?”

 

Having no idea, Alec just shook his head and unlocked the woman’s handcuffs.

 

“Hello?  Is anyone there?” a woman’s voice called out from the other room.

 

Max and Alec’s eyes met in alarm.  This could not be good.