Max didn�t have much in the way of possessions.
She had slightly more than your average X-series because of the presents that Bill had given her in her time here.
Not that that was saying much.
All of her possessions fit into one bag and she made her way to solitary in less than five minutes after stepping into the barracks.
�Travel light.� She grinned. She felt ridiculously light, she was finally leaving this place and these people and she had no regrets�well maybe one.
She waited until the lights had dimmed and then she walked along the cold corridor for probably the last time towards the labs.
The strains of pre-pulse singer came out singing about being predictable.
She would miss that, coming down here at night and hearing old songs that she could learn and sing along to with Bill.
�Hey you.�
Bill turned around in his chair and gave her a big smile.
�Well if it isn�t my favourite transgenic.� He motioned to his seat �Pull up a stool and take a load off.�
�Load�s off, and so am I.�
�You made it?�
�I did!� she gasped as the reality hit her �I did it!�
�Gimme five.� He held his hand up.
�Five what?�
He laughed �You slap my palm; it�s a gesture of triumph.�
�In that case.� She slapped his palm and then grinned as he gingerly rubbed it.
�Note to self, hi-five with an X-series, not a good idea.�
�I heard some interesting news today.�
�What�s that boo?� she pushed back her glee and cheeked him with a street phrase that he had taught her a while back.
�Oh a certain Colonel, who shall remain nameless, kicked serious ass on every single trainer on the area for gross misconduct and is currently undertaking a program to clear out all those responsible for neglect and abuse of a minor. Now ya�ll wouldn�t happen to know anything �bout dat would ya Maxie?� he teased
She shrugged a shoulder �Karma making a comeback.�
He burst out laughing and let it go on until it trailed off in a fond look. �Damn this place won�t be the same without you, getting into trouble and coming here at night to keep me company. I�ll miss you girl.�
She nodded wondering why her eyes were stinging.
�Y-yeah.� she croaked.
She sat next to him and looked up into his smiling face. His big brown eyes were always so expressive and right now they mirrored her as a mixture of jubilation and sadness.
This guy had managed to make her life here just bearable, and he was the only reason that she hadn�t succumbed to the darkness or to Psy-Ops. His jokes and teasing and constant presence, no matter how low she was feeling he made it easier for her to bear. No matter what her problem he had a solution or at least a sympathetic ear. He had been her salvation and there was no way to tell him that or even to thank him properly. How would she even start? How do you tell someone that they are the reason for your being alive?
She swallowed hard.
�Laura is so lucky.�
Bill did a double take at the mention of his daughter.
�Why�s that?�
�To have you as a father. I wi- I wish,� she took a deep breath �I wish I had been as lucky.�
To her horror and shame a tear trickled down her cheek. And he reached up to tenderly brush it away.
�Me too, I�ll always be here if you need me Max.� he reached over and rubbed her shoulder.
�I don�t know what�s wrong with me.� She said furiously wiping away the tear from her face.
�Hey Max, its okay to cry, it�s not a sign of weakness no matter what Manticore say.�
�Cat, water, it�s all bad.� She said in lieu of answering.
He chose to ignore that and they spent the rest of the night in meaningless chit chat about their favourite music and memories and what she would do now she was in Special Ops.
As dawn broke and she looked like she had to go he got around to asking the question.
�So how long until you gotta blaze?�
�This morning, first thing.�
�Well it�s a good thing that I knew you�d be going and picked you up a little something.�
Max�s interest was peaked �A present?�
He reached into his bag and pulled out a small box �Open.�
She tugged off the plastic lid and looked inside with surprise
�How did you?�
�Let�s just say that a few people owed me favours, which should keep you going until you find some way of getting hold of them in Seattle.�
Max picked up a few of the pills. �Tryptophan is hard to get a hold of.�
�You�ll do it.� he grinned �I have faith in you. Always have done.�
She hopped off the chair and turned to face him.
�Uh well, I guess bye.�
�Come here. It�s customary for friends who say goodbye to hug.�
�To what?� she frowned.
�Hug.� He pulled her to him and squeezed her. Max stiffened and shot him a funny look.
�Uh huh.�
He ignored her and squeezed again and after a second she relaxed.
�Bye Maxie.�
�Later.� She pulled away and swiped at his arm �Enough with the sap.�
He chuckled as she walked away shooting him a sassy smile.
�There�s my girl.�
Lydecker paced the length of the room and stared at the remaining members of Unit 6 who had been dragged out of bed at the ungodly hour of three am and put through the drills of their life, they were all exhausted and confused come seven o clock and they were still none the wiser as to what had happened.
They had been hauled into a training room and made to sit on the floor rather that the chairs.
�I have a present for all of you.� Lydecker said sharply. �A little recreational tape I think you�ll enjoy.�
He switched on the video screen and immediately the image of yesterday�s rec room flickered to life. They watched in silence as they all ganged up on 452 and then were beaten down.
�Do you have anything to say for yourselves?�
�She instigated it.� Bulli maintained and Lydecker caught him a sharp blow across the cheek.
Lydecker nodded satisfactorily at the scared look on their faces. They should be scared. He hadn�t even begun to punish them yet.
�I think she promised you all something like, blow for blow, punishment for punishment. You want to know what happens to someone who REALLY betrays their unit? Well you�re going to.�
Max climbed into the minivan and sat with her back against the wall finally letting loose a sigh of relief. It was actually happening. Her bag sat at her feet and it was testament that this was finally real.
With her were four others�elite, like her all ready to get out of Manticore and go on to something better. All the punishments and degradations, she was leaving it all behind.
A proud look graced her features as the van drove up the gates of her own personal hell and opened wide. Freedom beckoned with a smile on its face as she was no longer the one left behind.
The Beginning... kind of
If you want to find out what Maxie did next go to Moving Ahead.