"Mail's
here!" Madrigal rushed in, carrying a newspaper and envelopes. Max and
Logan had been at Madrigal's for 2 days now. If the results didn't get here
soon, Max would have to go back to Seattle; she couldn't afford to get
fired. There had also been the problem of what to call the woman who may be
her mother. Ms. Guevara was out; Madrigal sounded too odd if she was
Max's mother, but Mom, if she wasn't.
Max had just avoided calling her anything. Now Madrigal picked up a long
manila folder. She opened it, and out fell two gene printouts. And a typed
message: Congrats,
it was indeed a girl!
Max,
and her
mother
(her mother, the woman who didn't want to give her up, who hadn't been a
paid deadbeat!) jumped up and hugged and laughed. Logan just sat there
looking happy and strangely sad. "I take it you have a last name
now?" he asked Max. She smiled wryly. "Yep. Your friend took his
damn time about it, but atleast you found it." Max hugged him around
the shoulders. Logan hugged her back, a little harder than he intended.
"You said he wasn't your boyfriend!" Madri's accusatory voice
chirped.
"We
really ought to explain who you are to them." Madrigal said coming into
the hall. "Uhh, well, I'm your sister. See your my our mom had me a
long time ago, and, umm I got sent to this school and when the Pulse
happened they lost the records." Max finished. They obviously didn't
believe this, but neither said anything. "Heyyyy, that means you're not
the oldest, Cole, and we have a
big
sister, so now she can boss you around" "Oh, no." Madrigal
was reading the paper. Max looked over her shoulder.
FOOD
RIOTS AND FIRES IN L.A. HEAT UP MORE TEMPERS,
the headline read. "Mommy teaches lots of kids there." Madri put
in sadly. The article went on to describe the numerous casualties and how
police were responding. "I know so many kids there. I hold classes for
street kids and just about anybody." Madrigal breathed. "There's
no way you'd get into the city today. Plus, we're not too far from L.A. It's
not safe, and" "I won't go today Max. I think I'm going to make
some hot chocolate Max, can you help me?"
"
-and, then I saw a hover drone bulletin, Logan was shot. They didn't say it
was Logan they said some one had been killed. He made it." Max looked
at her mother, who was listening attentively. "I didn't know I could
talk for that long." Madrigal nodded. "You would have great lung
capacity." She looked thoughtfully at Max. "Would you have missed
Logan if he died?" She shrugged uncomfortably. "Probably, at that
point definitely, at this point. He found Hannah for me. He found you."
"It's be pretty easy to check if he was dead. Just see if his heart's
still bleeding." Max smiled. "I know he thinks
I'm
working for Lydecker." Madrigal said. "I wouldn't. I've made my
peace with what happened, but I never forget where I buried the hatchet. I
did try to find you, Max, but one of my letters to teen shelters was
intercepted by Lydecker's people. Too risky to you and I. Tell him to hack
the US postal service records if he doesn't believe me. What does he really
do? Somehow, he seems more like Green Peace than Green Beret. " Max
smirked. "You know the eyes on Eyes Only?" Madrigal laughed.
"So that's who keeps hacking my Cable in the Classroom"
Logan
sat on the back porch, not really looking at anything. So Madrigal is Max's
mother, he mused. It was going to be hard to make sure she exercised caution
with speaking to Madrigal. He thought about what he'd to if his parents were
alive again. He'd probably tell them everything Just
to be
able
to alleviate some of the solitude.
Logan sighed.
Max's solitude isn't something she'd want to get rid of. She's been running
so long, and how the Manticore ops treated them.
Suddenly a much more real thought struck him. What if Max didn't want to go
back to Seattle? If her mother asked her to stay, what could he do to get
her to say no? Nothing really. Plus she'd be safer, riots and all. He smiled
to think of him protecting Max. "Hey Eyes Only, see anything
interesting?" Logan looked up to see Max hanging by her feet from the
gutter. "I see you've adjusted pretty well to your mom. And, no, I'm
just thinking." She flipped and landed on the deck. "Yeah, what
else would you be
doing?"
He looked slightly hurt. Max realized her mistake. "Logan, I didn't
mean-" "Yeah, I know. So, um, has your mother asked you to stay
here?" "Oh, I'm coming back for holidays and weekends, but some
people'd notice if I just took off. I'd sorta miss my friends. Then you'd
have to find a new stunt-girl." She shook her head. "Would you
miss me?" he asked suddenly, without even intending to. Max laughed.
"Why do you care? Would you miss me?" "I asked first."
"I can kick your ass." He smiled. "Fine then, yes can't put
out a classified: Martial arts expert with flagrant disregard for
personal
safety
and minimal conscience. Job pays nothing, but pseudo-siblings can be
located. The sad thing is, that might be a good way to find them."
Logan looked at her. "Your turn." "You saved my entire
neighborhood. You got Maria to a safe home. You found my mother. You kissed
me after I had those seizures." "You almost broke my jaw." He
interjected. "It's a reflex. And I was mad when you got shot. I'd miss
you." He gazed at her quizzicaly. "Mad?" Max hugged her knees
and stared up at the sky. "I didn't know what sad or grief were til I
was 10." Logan wanted to comfort her, but he didn't know how. She broke
the silence by saying. "You never did tell me why you kissed me."
He actually blushed. "It was CPR. You almost died." Max cocked her
head at him. "You know how transparent that is? I think if I stared
hard enough, I could see straight through your head." He tried again.
"I was worried."
"Like,
oh damn I'm losing a business investment, now I don't have anybody to invite
over for dinner, or I never even got to ask her out, kind of worried?"
Logan looked like he was struggling with something. Oh
shit, here comes the I don't like you that way.
If he said that, she'd hate herself for making him say it. So Max didn't.
She just sat on the edge of his wheelchair , gently turned his head, and
kissed him. And a few more times. 'Cause she was worried about him. Right.
"I
have to, Madri, I'm sorry, but the police are going to send one of my
students up river unless I can testify that he is a student. He doesn't have
any parents." Madrigal explained. "But you almost got blown up
last time!" Madri wailed, still clinging to her mother's hand. Max had
been greeted by this scene when she came down this morning. "Max, can
you and Logan, take Madri and Cole to the park or something today? I really
need to get to L.A., and getting past Sector Police will be hard enough by
myself." Madrigal pleaded with her. "Yeah, okay." Madri
brightened. "I'm gonna tell Mole-boy." She ran off (she seemed to
have boundless energy). "You look tired. Late night?" Madrigal
asked casually. "Yeah. I don't sleep, but I'm tired." Madrigal
raised an eyebrow. "I have seizures!" Max almost shouted, catching
on. "You did stay down here all night with him." Madrigal said
pointedly.
"I-wasn't-feeling-well-he-offered-to-stay-we-were-talking" Max
edged out through gritted teeth. Madrigal laughed. "What's going
on?" Logan wheeled himself in. He saw the mock-evil grin on Madrigal's
face and looked questioningly to Max. "Max just volunteered you to help
her babysit Madri
and
Cole. Max, honey, I'd brush my hair over my neck if I were you." The
barcode? Max thought dumbly. Then she checked the mirror, and noticed the
red spot on her neck. Madrigal's laughter followed her as she ran upstairs
to change.
"Mommy,
you're coming back tonight, right?" Madri wailed. "Yeah, Mom, I
mean you got hurt last time you dodged the SP." Even Cole was worried.
Madrigal was doing her best to look calm and reassuring. "Of course I
will. And Max and Logan will take care of you if I don't get back tonight.
I'll call about 4-ish, to check in. I love you." They both hugged her.
She pulled Max aside. "Okay, everything you need to know about the
incredibly complex little lives of these two is in the emergency book.
Whatever you do, don't let them catch you breaking a promise. Kids are
sticklers for your word." Max hugged her mother. Madrigal drove off.
Madri
and Cole were swinging on the swings. It was actually a pretty nice
playground, with slides and a jungle gym and all that. Madrigal had told her
the town was mostly a country place anyway, so it wasn't hit too badly by
the Pulse. Max remembered : Hiding
out in a little wood treehouse for a couple of weeks after the escape. That
was when she learned to start stealing. Of course, that was food and
adaquete clothing. She'd been walking to a kid's shelter when the Pulse hit.
She heard a distant BOOM!, something most people only felt the shockwaves
of.
"Max?" Logan asked, shaking her out of her reverie. "Were you
embarrassed, having your Mom know" he sounded afraid to finish the
question. "Logan, have you known me to be embarrassed about
anything?" she retorted. He reached for her hand. Max smiled slightly,
and pulled his arm around her shoulders, kissing his hand. "EWWW!
G-ROSS!" Cole hollered. "What?" He made face. "Can you
push Madri?
I'm
bored." Max smiled resolutely and got up. Logan was staring at her
oddly. "Logan, stare at my ass when I'm not babysitting, 'kay?"
she called over her shoulder.
"The
mobsters must be getting worried, with no one revealing their crimelife on
public TV." Max drawled, crammed on the couch between Madri and Cole,
with Logan in his wheelchair. She had no idea what the hell the ancient
cartoons on the set were, but she had her siblings, Logan, and Lydecker was
very far away. now if only her mother wasn't. Rinnnnng! "I'll get
it!" Madri and Cole yelled at the same time. "I'll
get it." Max picked up the reciever. "Is this the residence of
Madrigal Guevara?" a nearly recorded voiced chirped. "Yes."
Max said uneasily. "Ms. Guevara was shot this morning for attempting to
cross the blockade on Los Angeles illegally. Social services will come for
her children in the morning." All blood drained from Max's face. She
grabbed the wall. Logan noticed. "Max? Are you all right?"
"Can the children come see her?" Max asked. "Oh, I should
certainly think not. She's dead."
"DEAD!
MOMMY! SHE CAN'T BE DEAD SHE PROMISED!" Madri screamed. Cole just cried
silently, clutching his sister. Max tried to hug her, but Madri ducked and
ran to him. "She's my mom too-" "BUT YOU WEREN'T HERE!"
Madri wailed. Cole's head snapped up, looking at Max. "Don't worry
Madri, Mom said Max will take care of us." He looked at her and Logan,
daring them to say no. "Guys, I can't take care of you" Madri
stopped crying for a moment. "Then wha's gonna happen to us? You said
you were our sister." She hissed. "-but, I'll try, I guess."
Max finished uneasily. The kids hugged her. Logan placed a hand on Max's
shoulder. "And I'll help. In any way possible."
"Okay,
you guys can't tell my roommate anything about where you've been, or
anything other than your names and I'm your sister." Max cautioned
them. It had been pretty simple to pack three backpacks with clothes, toys,
and family albums, get everyone in the car. Thank
God Logan was rich, we'd never have gotten to the Washington border without
bribe money.
Max thought. She opened the door of the apartment. "Hi Kendra!"
she said brightly. Her roomy looked startled. "Okay, how long were you
gone? I think I'm missing something here."
"Where
are they?" Logan asked Max. "I got them to calm down enough to
trust them not to drive Kendra insane. Remind me to rid my apartment of all
things containing sugar." A weary Max fell onto his couch. "Why
not send them here? I could watch them." Logan suggested. Max eyed him
and the place shrewdly. "Way too many breakables. They'd probably max
out your credit cards over the internet, probably just run rampant. God,
everytime my feline genes kick in, I can just remember what I'd be stuck
with the rest of my life." Logan moved closer to her. "How are you
holding up, about your mother?" Max lifted her head. It alarmed Logan
to see her crying. "I never got have a family. Everyone I love gets
hurt. I can't believe she's dead" Logan hugged her and kissed her hair,
and Max just cried into his shoulder.
I
bet you think that's the end
