Episode 1
TO WHERE IT BENT IN THE UNDERGROWTH

Chapter Three
PHONE CALL

< NEXT DAY > 

Max rode her Ninja back at Logan’s at dawn.  After that harrowing Eyes Only broadcast, she needed to talk to Logan about their ongoing search for Sandeman.  Plus, she had something important to tell Logan.  If she didn’t tell him now, she might never be able to.  Stopping by Joshua’s place, Max walked her Ninja beside the house and covered it with a huge cloth.

Opening the door, Max stepped inside to find the house awfully quiet.  She closed the door and stopped dead on her tracks.  No sound of Logan.  “Logan?”  Looking through the kitchen, the living room and finally looking at where Joshua used to keep his paintings.  She could see that most of the walls were painted in maroon by now and some of the computer equipment they were able to salvage from Fogle Towers had been brought by Alec.  She muttered to herself, smiling,  “Gotta give it to the guy. He sure seems to getting hooked with Logan.”

 ~FLASH BACK ~

ALEC: Yeah, Logan, I just… wanted to say that I understand why Max admires you so much. Sometimes I wish I had more of a purpose in life.

MIA*: Logan, is there something you want to say to Alec?

LOGAN: Well, it's just that… I don't know, sometimes I wish I was more of a free spirit, and… it must be nice to be a happy-go-lucky sociopath. Kinda envy you.

MIA: Awww. * Group hug! (Logan and Alec hug.)

MAX: What the hell is going on over there?!

OC: If I hadn't seen it with my own two eyes, I wouldn't have ever believed it.

SKETCHY: Uh… hey, guys. (Alec and Logan break apart to see Sketchy watching them. They stand around awkwardly, puzzled.)

ALEC: Okay. Later.

 ~ END OF FLASHBACK ~

Max called out again, “Logan!” Walking back towards the table with Logan’s computers, Damn! I wish he’d called me! She caught herself, thinking she shouldn’t have said that.  The she stopped dead on her tracks, Don’t even go there, Max! Logan can do as he pleases and he doesn’t have nor need to inform you. Cursing out loud, “Damn straight!” Then she thought, Maybe he got tired, after all. Thinking loudly, “Alec did say he let go.”  Walking towards the TV, Max turned it on to watch the morning news she sighed, but 3 months ago at Terminal City…

The camera focused on a woman reporter “Recent developments on transgenics in Terminal City has the senate debating over the revelation of Agent Ames White more than 3 months ago -”

“Like you could trust White!” Max said sarcastically as she switched to another channel.

A man was talking outside the Senate building, “Outside the court hearing, Agent Ames White is testifying against the -” 

“Damn! This man follows me wherever I go!”  She switched to another channel.

“Agent Ames White, now a house hold name for the revelation of -” Max groaned and switched to yet another channel.  Finally, we see a run down Tom and Gerry cartoons as Max turns off the TV and began looking through the books.  Settling for one thick book, Max goes over the chair that Joshua uses for read, props herself in and started reading.

A few hours later, Max read the last parts of the book and looked up the clock.  “Damn! He’s been gone for almost the entire day!  He never said he was going anywhere.” She stood up and started pacing about.  “Dammit, Logan!”

Just then, the front door creaked and the door burst open. Max looked up to find herself face to face with Original Cindy as the latter tried to push a heavy box inside the hallway with her legs.

Stretching up to stand before Max OC said, “Thought it was homeboy, huh?”

Plopping herself on the couch, Max dismissed OC’s question “Why would I do that?”

“Beats me!”  OC pukept on pushing on the box, “Original Cindy and the Jam Pony crew figured you and THE crew could use some supplies.  In here are som’a them, the rest at the store.  Could sure use yo’ homeboy’s VI-HI-CLE.”

Max lifted the book from the table to start reading again, “Well he’s not here.”

“Evi-dently.  Sure got you screwed, huh? He’s gotta call. You know he will.” OC flopped herself on the couch and watched Max.

“Yeah, before the next month arrives.” Max stood up to take her jacket and rushed to the door.

“Where y’goin’, boo?”

Max gave OC a level look. “Oh I don’t know. I just decided to go out in broad day-light and have some run-in with the psycho cult of White.”

“Now, don’t be bitin’ Original Cindy’s head on account of yo’ homeboy. Come ‘ere.”  Max walked to sit beside OC. “Maybe he just went on one o’ his mission, know what I mean? Now don’t go blowin’ yo’ top.”

“It’s just not like him not to call.”  Seeing the look OC’s giving her, “I mean, he usually pages me or Alec or even the crew at Terminal City. I even tried contacting Matt Sung. Sides, he knows I have a phone now. I called his phone earlier but couldn’t reach him.”

< AZTEC >

Meanwhile, Logan is talking to the informant at 67^th Street.  Logan looked around him as he walked talking with Marianne Forseblad, “Yes, the last record I was able to dig was the last address of Ames Sandeman 22 years ago.  Now Eyes Only told me I could contact you on this.”

The woman is around 30-35 years old, teaching some street-smart kids how to do finger painting.  She turned towards one of the younger women and asked, “Anne? Can you supervise my kids, please.”  The girl nods and Logan and Marianne continued walking, “You said he was a scientist? I can’t remember any lab set up in any of my neighbors’ house when I was a kid. That kind of thing perks up the curiousity of kids, you know.”

“He may not have set up his own lab here or… he could have set it up in his basement, who knows?  The important thing is Eyes Only needs information on this Montana address.”

I haven’t been up there for a long time.  I’ll see what I can do.  Let me see it and I’ll check my folks back in Montana.  I’ll call you as soon as something turns up.”

“Thanks Marianne.  I can’t thank you enough. I’m sure Eyes Only feels the same.” Logan left the building.  As he stopped beside the Aztec, Logan reached for his phone intending to call Max. “Damn! Should not have forgotten to charge it!”  He kept his phone back inside his breast pocket as he entered the Aztec and drove away.

< JOSHUA’S PLACE >

“It’s getting late, boo.  Normal’d have yo’head if you don’t show yo’ skinny a** back at the palce.” OC got Max’s jacket and throws it at her.  Max stood up and caught it as both ladies left for Jam Pony. “Ain’t you even gonna left him a note?”

“If he wanted to get in touch with me, he would have called.” Max said sarcastically.

“It’s your choice, boo.” And they left.

< JAM PONY >

While the rest of the Jam Pony crew were on their way home or to hit Crash Normal shouted, “Where in the fire truck is -” Sketchy arrived just in time.  Normal moved towards Sketchy, “ – Max?”

“Hey man, I have no idea.  Must have hit it with the plumber or somethin’.  You know, deliveries at night and all that.”

“Don’t you even start with me, you idiot!”

Sketchy raised both his arms in surrender, “Hey man, you asked.”  Normal gave him a look Sketchy walks over to his locker whistling.

Just then, Max entered and cried, “Where’s the pizza?!”

Normal turned and looked at her, “You’re a minute late!”

“Got busted by some sector cops!” Max told Normal.

Normal went at the back of the counter and got the packages meant for Max. “Yeah right. Where’s Alec?”

Max shrugged, “I don’t know. He’ll be here a minute.”

Just then, Alec stepped in. “Normal! You wouldn’t have been giving Max my deliveries, are you?”

“For the love of Mike.” Normal shoves Alec’s packages towards him. “I want that delivered by 9 today.” Normal looked pointedly at the two, “If you can get a signature, get it.  Don’t care if it’s the dog’s paw or the cat of the sector police manning the turf.”

“Hey listen, I really appreciate -” Alec began.

“Cut the crap,” Normal’s face softens a little, “just go deliver those packages.  You two need to get back in there to help your kind god knows with what money we all make.” He turned back looking through the packages behind him.  Max and Alec headed for the exit. “Oh! Don’t forget to come tomorrow on time!” He called on. 

Max and Alec stopped and headed out to go on with their deliveries. Max sarcastically calling back to Normal, “Beats having no deliveries!”  The two of them headed to different parts of the city.

< JOSHUA’S PLACE >

Logan sat in front of his computer fully absorbed in the conference he’s making.  “I’ve got 5 boxes here that I figured Max would pick up after her deliveries.  You sure you’re doing okay over there?”

“Yeah. Max will pick up boxes,” Joshua replied.

“I can bring it over there.  The alley where Max keeps her ninja is pretty deserted.  As it is, Max would have trouble loading it up her ninja and she’d have to make 5 trips for those boxes.  I can be there in 30 minutes.”

“Okay.  I pick up boxes.”

“No.  Better not you,” Logan moved his head to show his disapproval, “Ask some of the Xseries to do it.  They will go undetected and won’t catch much attention.”

“Uh. Yeah. Max with you?”

“No. I haven’t seen her all day. She might pass by, though.  I’d better call.”

“Virus bitch going down?” Joshua asked hopefully.

“Still working on it, big fella. I’ll leave the packages inside the building.  I’m sure they’d find it.  Will call you when I get there.”

“Bye Logan.”

“Later.” Logan stood up, picked up his keys and started transporting the boxes into the back of the Aztec.  After all the boxes were inside, Logan drove off to Terminal City.  He reached the abandoned warehouses near the Terminal City gate and carried the boxes towards a building.  As he was stacking up the second box, someone grabbed him from behind, a hand over his mouth.  Logan struggled for a minutes until he saw Alec walk up to him.

“Hey, Logan.” Logan stopped struggling and the X series Caucasian male behind him let him go.

Logan looked pointedly at Alec sending off daggers with his look, “Alec.”

“Sorry man, but if we just said hello to you, you might have yelled and we all don’t want that happening.”

“I guess not.” Logan admitted.  Then moving to Alec, he dumped the box on Alec’s arm, “You can handle that better than I could.”

A shocked grunt escaped Alec’s lips as he supported the heavy box under his arms, “Always made me wonder if you’re a transgenic.” Logan walked towards his car and 4 more X-series followed him. Alec walked over to another younger transgenic and dumped the box on him, “You can manage this,” and followed Logan, the boy tagging along after them. As another female transgenic got the other box and followed them out.

Logan stopped at his car, and opened the back of the Aztec.  Alec took the liberty to introduce Logan. “Logan, these here are Torch, Spade, Aiden, and the young boy over there is my man, Jekl.” Alec turned to the others and motioned at Logan, “And this… is Logan.”  They exchanged nods and greeted each other.

“Here are the boxes. Figured they’re from your Jam Pony crew.” Logan helps take the boxes from the Aztec and distributes them to each transgenic.  They began to make their discreet re-entry into Terminal City.

Alec called out, “Thanks Logan.” He looked like he was going to say something more, but stopped.

“No Problem.” With that, Logan went into the Aztec and drove off. While he was driving, his cell phone rang, “Yeah?”

“I hear you’ve been asking for about a Montana address…”

 ************

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