Timeline: Post - �And
Jesus brought a Casserole�
Author�s notes: This is one of two endings to �And Jesus Brought a
Casserole� that I intend to commission, because I believe that we�re dealing
with a half-dozen ways to go on this thing.
Renfro � Madame X or Madame Bitch for those who didn�t catch the
name during the finale.
�Shit, what now?� Max grumbled as she awoke on a cold concrete floor, dressed in military fatigues.
�Now your training begins sister.� Brin
announced as Max saw Brin through drug-fogged eyes as she struggled to pull
herself to her feet.
�Don�t even start with me, you�re going
to have to kill me first, you and that blond bitch.� Max snapped at Brin as
she pulled herself up and leaned against the wall of the sparring area she had
awoken in, still faint from the drugs.
�You don�t seem to understand, our leader
Zack took his own life so that you may live and we are not going to see that
sacrifice go to waste.� Brin announced as two other X5�s stood next to her.
�Hello Max.� Alyssa said as she stood next
to Brin. Alyssa never made it out that night either, and she�s paying the
price for it! Max thought as she tried to focus past the drugs injected into
her onto the third person in the room.
�Been a long time little sister.� David
added as he stepped up.
�What the hell do you want with me?� Max
asked as he held back, knowing that she didn�t stand a chance with the drugs
in her system throwing her off.
�We�re here to show you what its like to
be a soldier, what you should have learned a long time ago.� Brin announced
for the three X5�s arrayed against Max.
�You�ll never turn me.� Max snapped at
them as she braced against the wall, knowing that anything could come at her.
�You are going to remember what it is to be
a soldier and why you should join the rest of us, now come here.� Alyssa said
as she extended her hand towards Max.
�Make me.� Max uttered, even though she
knew retaliation was imminent.
Retaliation came instantly, Alyssa and David moved at lightning-quick speed and
appeared behind Max in a matter of seconds, each taking one of her arms and
pinning her to the ground.
�Hold still and stop squirming, or we will break an arm.� Alyssa said as Max
tried to fight her two siblings.
�Hold still Max, this will only take a
second.� Brin said as she produced a needle and checked its contents.
�I don�t need any more of the shit you
pumped into me, I can barely think as it is.� Max growled as she threw her
head up and glared at Brin.
�We�re fixing you up Max, we care what
happens to you.� David hissed into Max�s ear as he pulled Max�s arm up so
Brin could inject the clear liquid into Max�s arm.
�If you cared at all about me you�d let me
go.� Max uttered as she felt Brin stab the needle into the crook of her elbow.
�Back into that? The world is a complete
wreck, no real protection, gangs everywhere, no way to make a living that
doesn�t involve crime, Manticore is safe.� Alyssa snapped into Max�s ear they�re
trying to turn you, fight it! Max thought as she felt the liquid that Brin
had injected into her course throughout her body.
�It�s better than waiting to be dissected
after you have a seizure and wait to see what freakish genetic anomalies you
present so they can treat you like a lab rat.� Max snapped, she felt strength
return to her limbs they�re bringing me out of the drugs so they can fight
me.
�That doesn�t happen anymore, they figured out what was wrong with us, they healed me right away when I came here.� Brin announced as Max felt her senses returning to normal, her mind no longer clouded.
�Figures, they knew that saving your life would have to make you grateful on
one level or another, so it was easier to trick you to buy into their shit.�
Max grunted as she felt herself regaining control at last, now they pay for
letting Zack kill himself, and bringing me back here.
�We brought our sister home to where she belongs, where we all belong, Manticore is what we are and you have to realise that.� Alyssa hissed into Max�s ear, then Max acted.
Using the newfound strength she had gained
when Brin had shot her up with the stimulant, she flipped back and landed on her
feet, while twisting out of David�s grip and delivering him an elbow to the
face. Under the same momentum, she brought her right arm out of Alyssa�s grip
and kicked her in the side of the head as she rose up, until a hammer blow
caught her in the small of her back. Brin had been waiting for Max to act, and
now David and Alyssa rose, all arrayed against her.
�You can�t beat us, but we can at least
show you how soldiers fight, go on, fight like you were trained, you just did
it.� Brin said as she, Alyssa, and David took fighting stances.
�No.� Was Max�s simple response as she
folded her arms as she faced the trio of siblings arrayed against her.
�You have to fight us.� David said as he
took a step forward and fell back into a ready stance.
�No, because when I start fighting you,
you�ll start turning me to fight on your side by having me team with one of
you against the rest, and make me subconsciously think I�m one of you, that is
so 2008.� Max announced as she stood there, refusing to participate in
their games.
�You haven�t forgotten all of your time at
Manticore I see, why not embrace it like we have?� Alyssa offered as Max stood
there staring at them with cold eyes.
�Because I know better than to think that
Manticore is my friend, you�re trust trying to trick me into believing that
you are my friends, and that since Manticore is your friend, it is mine as
well.� Max snapped at them think you can play mind games with me? You
forgot that Manticore gave me an IQ of 195!
�She�s not responding, alternate methods will have to go into effect.� Brin announced to the mirror in the room.
�Proceed X5-734, try again, initiate
training protocol A39.� Renfro�s voice echoed from a speaker.
�Why don�t you come out here you heartless
bitch and try to break me? Or are you too busy performing lab rat experiments on
my sisters?� Max yelled at the mirror.
�Ignore X5-452, subject is still suffering
from the delirium of having lost her CO after he sacrificed himself, initiate
training protocol A39.� Renfro�s voice echoed as Max turned to face her
siblings.
�Max, you caused the death of your CO by
allowing him to develop feelings for you that were in fact a weakening to him,
you were responsible for his death, under normal circumstances, you would be
executed for it.� Alyssa said, her voice taking on a formal tone.
�You allowed your own judgement to
compromise the mission when you refused to use firearms, your reluctance to
engage cost you your leader�s life.� Brin continued as the three X5�s
stared at Max.
�You have nearly destroyed Manticore by
destroying the DNA lab, without it, Manticore will not be able to treat the
genetic ailments effectively for some time, many X5�s may die as a result.�
David finished, as the X5�s pushed guilt upon their sister.
�No! I did what I had to do, without doing
what Zack, Krit, Syl and I did, Manticore would never have been stopped, I will
never regret laying those charges or attacking Manticore, you won�t turn
me.� Max snapped at them, but kept her cool attacking them is what they
want you to do, by provoking you they will direct your anger against the
siblings that escaped instead of Manticore itself.
�She�s not responding, we�ll try different techniques tomorrow.� Brin announced, and with that the three X5�s produced tasers at lightning-quick speed and shot them into Max, shocking her and putting her out.
�She is more resistant than I thought, we
will have to revert to drugs and subversion material, her anger will not work in
our favour as it has for others in the past.� Renfro spoke through the speaker
in the room.
�What of X5-599?� Brin inquired, wondering
how the handling of Zack would be.
�X5-876 will try it, he is more hot-headed
than X5-452 according to your own admissions, we may be able to use him more
effectively on that method, but X5-876�s team will handle X5-599, you have
your orders, they have theirs.� Renfro announced as David picked Max and slung
her over his shoulder.
�What was Max talking about? What did she
mean by turning our sisters into labrats?� Alyssa asked as they proceeded to
return Max to her isolation cell.
�Who knows, maybe she�s just trying to
distract us while we try and deprogram her.� Davis responded as he shifted Max
as they turned the corner.
�Odd how she seems to have this notion that Madame Renfro was involved with
the death of Tinga, Renfro reported that Lydecker himself interrupted her
treatment.� Brin noted as they made another turn down the hall to the
isolation cellblock for reprogramming X series.
�She�s just trying to turn us against the
Director, so she can trick us into helping her escape, nothing more, she just
wants to subvert Manticore again.� David snapped finishing the argument as he
opened the door to an empty cell and deposited Max into it, then shut and locked
it and then closed the view slit.
�Where is Zack being housed?� Alyssa asked
as they started walking back to the X5 barracks.
�Other side of the compound, we decided that
if we use the deaths of each other against them, it would be easier to deprogram
them from outside notions, but once the retraining is complete, we will all be
united soon enough.� David responded as he recalled speaking with Devon
earlier that day, Devon had been attached to Thomas�s team.
�Let�s just hope that Max and Zack come to their senses, it�s a wasteland
out there, Manticore is home to who we are.� Brin finished as they entered the
barracks.
�How�d it go?� Chris asked as he stood up from his bunk whilst talking
with Amy and Jake.
�Not good, the world really poisoned Max,
and I doubt that reforming Zack will be easy either, but I�m confident they
will come around eventually.� Brin answered.
�Let�s hope, we need Zack back, and Max,
they were the best.� Laura noted solemnly as she sat there on her bunk.
*************
�Did you find anything about Zack or Max?� Krit asked as he and Syl came in on Logan, who was tapping away rapidly at his computer.
�I found the records of a single body being
processed for organs for X5�s that required fresh organs, but all events about
their death, even their identifier and barcode were removed, I�m not sure.�
Logan reported as he read through Manticore morgue data.
�Reports indicate that an emergency heart
transplant was performed in the emergency room, but it could have just as easily
been Zack, we were never sure about his wounds as I recall.� Syl noted as she
read a report on one of Logan�s other monitors.
�Good, but not good enough, we have to make
her pay, and we need to do something very big to do it with.� Logan replied as
he continued to trace through Manticore video feeds, until he saw what he
wanted.
�Zack is alive, look!� Logan exclaimed as he saw an unidentified X5 carry
Zack over his shoulder down the hall.
�That�s Thomas, I always thought he died during the escape, guess not, and
now he�s working against us, great.� Syl muttered as she looked at the
screen.
�They must be trying to reprogram Zack, only
he�s not being cooperative, good for him.� Krit said as she looked at the
camera feed.
�Do you think Manticore knows they�re being hacked right now?� Krit asked,
wondering if a Tac team might be descending upon them right then and there.
�Not likely, this IP address is scrambled
and I�m going into Manticore by using a DOD mainframe as a proxy, shouldn�t
be any problems.� Logan replied as he tapped away.
�Which reminds me, Zack left behind his
contact number in case of you know, he failed to return, so I called Zane and
Jondy, they�ll be here in day or so.� Krit mentioned as Syl pulled him back,
but he kept a cold eye on Lydecker.
�So we�ll be at four X5�s once again,
and whatever else we can use against Manticore to break Zack out, only this time
they�re going to be prepared.� Syl noted as she read the alert status of
Manticore as Logan prodded into the secret Manticore databases.
�We�ll get them unprepared, let�s have some fun with them first though.�
Logan said as he tapped in a new set of power up and power down times for the
Manticore generator system.
�They�re going to enjoy power up at three
in the morning, and power down at noon, complete power up and power down, of all
systems, it ought to infuriate them somewhat.� Logan announced as he finished
hacking in the program into the Manticore mainframe.
�Hopefully we can tire them out enough with all these hacks that they�ll be caught flat-footed when we hit them back for Max, and to get Zack out.� Syl remarked as Logan logged off, then carefully cleared out his entry from the Manticore network, then removed himself from the DOD mainframe.
�Destroying Manticore won�t bring Max back
you know.� Krit mentioned to Logan as he took a step towards the doorway.
�But it will let her rest more easily in the
grave where Manticore stuffed her after looting her like a treasure bin for
organs, now if you wouldn�t mind, I have some things to do.� Logan replied
as he motioned for Krit and Syl to leave.
�We�re going to find some fresh equipment,
and prepare for when Zane and Jondy show up, I suggest you get some rest and
clean yourself up, you look like hell.� Syl said as she left with Krit.
�You�d look like hell to if the only woman
you truly loved died in your arms and you�ve got nothing to live for.� Logan
muttered as he consulted all the information he had gleamed off of Manticore. You
will be avenged Max, and then maybe, just maybe, we can be together at last, in
death. Logan thought as he glanced towards the drawer with his gun in it.
**************
�Wonder why Krit called us instead of Zack.� Zane mused as he drove his Dodge Durango down the road, Jondy sitting in the passenger seat next to him.
�Maybe Zack was busy, but whatever they
called us for, it is big.� Jondy replied as she let her head sink back onto
the headrest of her seat.
�Wonder if any more of our hot-looking
sisters will be there.� Zane said with a glint in his eyes.
�You wish!� Jondy said playfully as she
slapped his shoulder.
�I�m just not sure, something was wrong
with the way that Krit asked us to come down in such a hurry, I think something
bad happened already, and we�re coming for disaster control.� Zane said, I
left Kirsten back in Detroit to help my siblings with whatever�s going on, I
hope she doesn�t think I�m ignoring her again.
�Tell me about it, Andrew was not exactly thrilled when I took off either, he�s probably going to figure I�m gone for good this time.� Jondy added, she knew that Zane had been forced to leave his girlfriend behind in Detroit.
�Let�s hope our respective significant
others think the best of us while we are away, and figure that they are not better
off together.� Zane finished as he cruised down the highway towards Seattle.
�Let�s hope none of our siblings are dead,
or worse.� Jondy murmured as she slid back into sleep most of us figured
better dead than Manticore, let�s hope it�s neither the former or the
latter.
�It just doesn�t feel right, I have a gut
feeling that bombshells will drop the minute we see Krit, Syl, Zack and Max.�
Zane replied as he continued to drive please, don�t let any of them be
dead, or at Manticore, the even worse alternative.
�Just drive, we�ll find out when we get
there, no point in arguing about it until we know all the facts.� Jondy said
before she went out once again I may not catnap much, but might as well do it
while nothing interesting is happening.
**************
�Brin? Come here for a minute.� Thomas called after Brin as she headed down the corridor.
�What is it Thomas?� Brin asked curiously.
�Zack said something about Renfro killing
Tinga as well, connection?� Thomas muttered quietly as they slipped into a
supply room.
�Possibly they concocted it while they were
planning their attack, who knows?� Brin stated as she mulled over the facts of
Tinga�s death.
�Still doesn�t make sense, I�m going to
try and find the records of Tinga�s treatment and the video surveillance of
it, and check back with you tomorrow.� Thomas said, refuting Brin�s advice
that Max and Zack had pulled it out of thin air.
�Should we even be doing this?� Brin
wondered as they whispered over the evidence.
�This is simply an internal X5 investigation
into the death of one of our own, I just want to be sure that what happened to
Tinga won�t happen to any of us. It was bad enough when twelve escaped in
�09, then when Jace disappeared, I don�t want any more �incidents� to
happen to us.� Thomas replied, easing Brin�s concerns.
�And if we find out that Renfro was
responsible for Tinga�s death?� Brin asked, wondering what Thomas was
alluding to.
�Then we report this incident, and wait for
the committee to pass judgement.� Thomas replied with a simple soldier�s
tone.
�And if it is ignored?� Brin asked.
�Then we kill her ourselves, no one makes
war on X5.� Thomas replied as he slipped off through the door, Brin waited a
minute, then left in the opposite direction.
Director Renfro should be interested on this little conversation, my own brother and sister plotting against her, I should inform her immediately. David thought as he slipped out of the shadows, he had detected something going on between Brin and Thomas, he had assumed that the two had engaged in a physical liaison of convenience, but he found it was far more interesting, and disturbing. How dare they think that Manticore had anything to do with Tinga�s death, Manticore protects us, Manticore trains us, we are Manticore, they shouldn�t betray it. David thought, he had been personally briefed several months ago by Renfro to keep an eye on X5 activity, and he had gladly acted as the mole, to make sure that Manticore and the great projects ahead of it remained stable and under control.
