Lusmeitli - DA - YYBB - Chapter three

Title: Yadda Yadda, Bang Bang

Co-author: BHG

Author: Lusmeitli

Rating: PG-13 (until further notice)

Show: DA

Disclaimer: Cameron made them, no money, no cry

Genre: Action/Drama

Pairing: Yogi Bear and Betty Boo

Summary: My post-FN version, so to speak. It picks up right where FN left us hanging.

A/N: A very, very big thank you goes to Deb. For being so great in o so many ways. You rock.

A/N2: Thank you to everyone who reviewed, I appreciate this very much. And now: on with the story…

Chapter III

As soon as he entered the room, cameras flashed and journalists shouted questions his way. He hid his content grin and managed to put on a concerned, worried expression as he came to a halt in front of a bundle of microphones at the lectern.

“Senator McKinley, how will the government proceed in this affair?”

“Sir, will you agree on the transgenics’ request to stay and live in Terminal City?”

“Senator, will there be a war?”

“Mr McKinley, sir, what do you have to say to the accusations that have risen from the sympathizers of the transgenics?”

“Senator, how do you intend to protect the citizens of Seattle?”

McKinley slowly raised his hands and put a tired smile on his face. “Ladies and gentlemen, would you please calm down.”

His authoritative voice carried even to the back of the room and made people quiet down within seconds. The politician slowly, but carefully placed his hands on the desk so that he didn’t touch any of the wires.

“Thank you.“ He drew a deep breath. “Citizens of Seattle, it is with a sad heart that I am speaking to you today. Ever since I got notice of the transgenic matter, I have considered it to be my calling to bring about a peaceful solution.”

He paused and let his cold eyes wander over the avidly listening journalists. Then he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes for an instant, as if he were ashamed.

“I’m very sorry to say that I don’t think I can live up to my calling - to keep this city a safe place - when the other side is so wholly unwilling to cooperate.”

He managed to look apologetically and almost defeated at the murmuring journalists. He quickly raised his hand again.

“Please, hear me out. Ladies and gentlemen, you were betrayed. WE were betrayed. Not only by the government of the United States of America. It deliberately,” he raised his hands to indicate inverted commas, “omitted a very important fact that whilst people were starving in our country, the government of our nation has spent millions on so called military research programmes.” He paused, for dramatic effect. “We all, you,” his eyes fixed on a few faces before him, “and I, have been lied to for years by the President personally. Of course, he now claims that he never knew of the existence of this military compound Manticore, where they produced what they called ‘genetically engineered soldiers‘.”

McKinley paused yet again, giving his audience a frown. “I do not care whatever the intentions of such an… institution were. They were never justified, as the citizens of the United States at no point were informed that such appalling things happened in this country, financed by their taxes.”

“So it was an experiment. And it went wrong. Well, it is time to face the consequences. Those…creatures intruded into Seattle. Our streets have never been as unsafe until the transgenics arrived. Crime rate sky rocketed. Look how many women have been raped, how many children have been killed in the past few months.”

Again, he paused to look at the effect his words had on the journalists. *Once I’m done with them, they’ll believe everything I say. They‘ll fight the scum for me,* he thought, adding cold-bloodedly: *And they’ll never know they helped me kill the very person that would have been their rescue. Not one notch better than that other filth.*

“Sorry to interrupt, Senator, but crime rate has actually dropped considerably over the past year,” a journalist intervened.

McKinley graced him with a pitying look, his next words harsh.

“Nothing but statistics falsified by the government to cover up the seriousness of the situation.” He gave the journalist a smile and with a softer voice continued. “We gave those transgenics a fair chance. When they took hostages in Jam Pony, they were given a vehicle to leave.”

Another reporter immediately stood up at this. “But, sir, wasn’t that when a special troop of the police started shooting and they got out another way?”

McKinley smiled friendly. “Young man, I have no idea where you have gathered that rumour, but let me assure you, this information is incorrect.”

“But--”

The Senator ignored the reporter. “As I said, they were granted a get-away. They got all they wanted. And let me show you,” he signalled his assistant next to him to switch on the beamer, “what we got in return.”

The room grew dim, the screen at the front was a bright white. Pictures came up, showing five bodies. Or rather what was left of them. Limbs were broken, bones stuck out of bloody muscle masses, necks lay at unnatural angles, hair torn out, chests riddled with bullets or slid open. Their faces were unrecognisable, noses smashed, eyeballs popped out of their holes, dangling on mere fibres, teeth missing where once must have been Hollywood smiles. Back of skulls were missing, having been blown away by the final shot in the head. They had died a horrible, very cruel death.

Some of the journalists turned away, scandalised and horrified, hands covering their mouths, trying hard to keep their lunches down. Others had their mouths hang open in horror and disgust, not able to tear their eyes away.

The light went out and for a moment, nothing could be heard but the soft whirring of cameras and hissing of microphones. Then soft footsteps approached the lectern again and a solemn voice spoke up.

“I know what you’re thinking. I was shocked too. If this is what they did to our best special troop, then what will they do to you and me?” McKinley looked around and drank in the sight of the still horrified reporters.

“See, I was taught to trust. In the government, in the President, in other people.” He put his right elbow on the table and shook his index finger. “But I am done with trusting. We cannot trust the President, he lied to us. We cannot trust the government, it hides very important things from us. And we certainly cannot trust those transgenics. They were bred to be killers!”

He adjusted his glasses. “No one knows what it takes to make a transgenic incline such a horrible death on an innocent. But we have seen the pictures on the news already. We know that they attack randomly. They don’t care whether you have a family to feed. They are cold blooded killers. And you know what we did with killers before the Pulse? We let them drink from their own cup.”

McKinley looked furiously into the crowd. “You asked me if I would agree on having them in Terminal City.” He paused dramatically. “I don’t. I won’t. I want them out of Terminal City, I want them out of Seattle, I want them out of the world. I want them to disappear to where they came from: nothingness. And I will make sure that justice will prevail. Thank you.”

With that he turned and headed for the door. He heard the journalists jump to their feet and shout questions in his direction, but he ignored them. McKinley’s lips burst into a content grin, as the door shut close behind him and the voices were reduced to a humming.

A man walked out of the shadows and joined him. “Excellent speech, McKinley. I daresay you added a bit of fuel to the fire.”

“It is so easy to influence and control this filth.” The Senator turned his head to White. “How did you like the Phalanx?”

White arched an eyebrow and smiled cruelly. “So that was that urgent mission they were called to. Thought I recognised that red hair. Interesting. I like your policy and your way of… twisting and turning facts around.”

McKinley ignored the sarcasm in White’s voice.

“Well, the Phalanx failed. We can’t accept failure. Not even from someone like you,” he stopped in his tracks, staring coldly in White’s eyes. “I hope you understood this warning, Ames. This is the only one you’ll get. Maybe on my next press conference, I’ll show them what those ‘mean’ transgenics did to you?”

White didn’t even so much as blink at that. “Are you threatening me?”

“That wasn‘t a threat, Ames.” He watched the anger roar up in White’s eyes and a smile spread on his lips. “It’s a promise.” The smile instantly disappeared. “Stay put, Ames. Fenos’tol.” With that, the Senator walked down the hallway.

“Fenos’… bite me,” White murmured as he watched the older man disappear.

* * * * *

“…what these actions would be. There is one thing I can say for sure: what we have witnessed today was beyond evil. And I do trust Senator McKinley to fight those soulless monsters. This was Kate Robert live from the Seattle town hall for KTNR 4.”

Evelyn turned off the TV. She had enough of this transgenic debate. She fully agreed with Senator McKinley. There was no place in this city, not even in this world for those… those.. killers. Sighing, she closed her eyes for a moment. Those pictures… How brutal must a human be to d- No! Not humans. Transgenics.

Evelyn was convinced she would never forget the sight of those poor dead. Another sigh escaped her. Life was difficult enough as it was and she certainly didn’t need yet another thing to worry about.

She turned around, watching her two children play with broken toys on the floor of their small, shabby house. Her six year old daughter and son of eleven were all she had ever since her husband Jimmy had died over a year ago. They were everything she ever cared for. Her jewels, her essence of life. Just the thought that they could ever get into the hands of transgenics… Evelyn shuddered and tried to push the fear aside. It made way to anger. Growing, glowing, blinding anger.

The phone rang and brought her back to reality. She picked it up. “Hello?”

“Evy, did you just see this news report on channel four?” a familiar voice asked.

Evelyn sighed. “Yeah, Sheila, I did.”

“Well, don’t you think it’s about time to take some action?”

“What do you mean?”

Sheila suddenly sounded terribly enraged. “Well, those words of the Senator were very sweet, but I don’t believe he’ll really do something. I for my part am not gonna let those transwhatsdername-scum live in this city for another minute. I want my children safe! We need to act NOW. You in?”

Evelyn didn’t really have to think. Pictures flashed before her mental eyes. Pictures of a young man with black hair, attacking and beating up innocent people. Pictures of five bloody heaps. She glanced at her kids playing ‘extinct trannies’ with old Ken and Barbie dolls that were missing heads or limbs.

“I’m in.”

* * * * *

Dix switched the telly off. Everyone in the headquarters still stared at the black TV screen in silent disbelief.

“Well, I’d say we’ve lost one or two points in the poll,” Alec deadpanned. He turned from the screen to face Max.

Only an hour ago, Max and Alec had returned from their trip to the sewers to see their friends and fellow Manticore buddies off. They had succeeded in getting 77 people - including Sketchy, Logan and OC - out of TC and to safety, without raising any unwanted attention.

Max’ arms were crossed in front of her chest, her eyes were lakes of fire. She turned on her heels and was out the door and in her office in no time. She slammed the door shut behind her. She exhaled audibly, went to the window and looked down into the hall. Feeling numb, she couldn’t stop the hot tears of anger from blurring her vision.

Max’ office overlooked what used to be the production hall of a factory for bio-chemicals. Now it was full of people, lining up for food, joking and laughing. Despite the fate they were to expect. Obviously, they hadn’t seen the latest news yet.

McKinley. Something about him sent cold shivers down her spine. Max’ blood boiled at the mere thought of the press conference. To tell ordinaries that the transgenics had cold-bloodedly killed some ‘innocent’ special troop - ‘just because’ - was a clever strategic move. Though Max had a feeling that it might not have been such a good idea of the Senator to make the President his enemy. They would have to have a careful eye on the political developments, and the Senator particularly.

Unfortunately, the group of his supporters surely had grown considerably today. And who could blame ordinaries? She even could understand them. With corrupt politicians and manipulative media, facts were very unlikely to be told truthfully. Sketchy was right, it was high time they had a voice to be heard too. Probably not even one single person would change his mind, but maybe they could make people question a few things being said and shown. And, therefore, let them judge for themselves.

Frustration welled up again and turned into hot, white anger. Her fist connected with the wall by the window and left a dent. She welcomed the pain shooting through her hand. It was real, something she could feel. So she wasn’t numb after all.

Max closed her eyes and sighed. This was her family. She had set them free. Lately, however, she had had to remember that freedom does not come for free, the costs were rather high. *How many of them will survive this?* she asked herself silently. *What if I only made matters worse?*

“You’ve done the right thing,” a voice behind her said.

Max stiffened as she felt Alec’s hands on her shoulders. Just how did he always seem to know exactly what she was thinking? How did he always happen to find her in her most vulnerable state? And how the hell did he manage to sneak up on her like that? She really must have been deep in thought as not to hear or sense him.

He softly turned her around. “Max, look at me.”

Her eyes hesitantly wandered up from her still crossed arms to his chest. They rested there as if she were steeling herself to meet his eyes. And when she did, a hot shiver went down her spine as she locked eyes with him. Those green depths had never been more intense, sincere, determined and compassionate. They… calmed her. Unconsciously, she parted her lips and let her tongue flick over her lower lip.

He felt her eyes on his body. When their eyes met, it was as if he was able to read her every thought and emotion. He noticed how her eyes were hard and suddenly softened. *Beautiful.*

Alec, being a trained soldier, was insecure at the feelings that rose in him. But looking into Max’ eyes, seeing the pain in there, he felt a very strange urge. The urge to cry. He almost snorted at that unbelievably ridiculous thought. Max needed support and comfort now. Not a weeping genetically boosted up soldier. He noticed her tongue quickly flicking across her lip and swallowed. Pink on red.

He noticed how she had taken a step closer to him, entering his personal space. *Comfort. Support. Reassurance.* This was his mantra. “What you did was right. You set them free.”

“But at what cost?” Her eyes now reflected frustration and anger.

“Max, you surprise me.” Alec raised an eyebrow. “You should know better than any of us that nothing comes for free. Be it freedom, happiness, joy, independence…” He lifted his hand to hesitatingly caress a strand of her hair and tuck it behind her ear. “Love.”

Max searched his eyes. She saw two pools full of emotion. When his hand reached out for her hair and she felt his fingers ever so slightly touch her ear, her heart stopped beating for a moment. She didn’t know why and it was confusing. Surely he was thinking about Rachel, about how Manticore had made him pay for his feelings for her.

Alec looked down into her eyes and his gaze drifted to her lips. He was drawn to them like magnets. They looked… inviting. Suddenly, he wanted to kiss them very badly. Right now it seemed like the most important thing in the world to do. The only thing to do. His reason kicked in as he realised just who was standing in front of him and what situation they all were in. He willed those weird feelings away and quickly pulled back his hand.

Max didn’t notice. But her eyes locked with his again. “When did people in the streets become ordinaries to me?” she whispered.

Alec had not been out of Manticore as long as Max had. He knew that she had blended in to an ordinary’s life perfectly. Perhaps to a certain degree even for Logan. Sometimes, she even seemed to have been able to convince herself that she was one of them. After all, she even had found friends that were ordinaries. Seeing what happened to her ‘family’ must have made her come out of denial and realise that she wasn’t one of them after all and never would be.

Her words still hung in the air, her eyes were still locked with his. He felt her unspoken question. Since when had her origin started to count more than her personality? He sighed. “You know, maybe Josh was right.“

She raised an eyebrow quizzically. “About what?“

“Let freedom ring.“

Max pensively bit her lower lip. “Yeah,” she started after a bit, “but it won’t happen without a war.”

“Yes, it will.”

She looked up at his words. “How?”

“You said it yourself: we defend ourselves, killing only if need be.” He paused, his hand slightly touching her still crossed arms. “Max, you don’t have to hate them. Some of your best friends are ordinaries. Don’t let actions of scared, manipulated ordinaries take away your love for OC, Sketchy.” Alec paused again, adding quietly: “Logan.”

Max felt tears sting at the back of her eyes and she lowered her head, studying the pattern of her jacket. She thought of all the people that would get hurt or die in the upcoming fights.

“Max, you gave all of us the chance to leave.”

Again, her head shot up. Could he read her mind?

“Why didn’t you leave?”

The question was out before Max realised. And no sooner was it out than she realised how, strangely enough, his answer meant a lot to her. She was waiting for it breathlessly. She felt his hands slightly grip her shoulders and absently draw small circles on them with his thumbs. She felt the warmth of his hands radiate through the fabric of her shirt and it left her skin tingling.

“Well, who would kick my ass then?” He had meant it to sound teasingly, but it came out seriously.

She knew that this was the closest thing for him to admitting he would miss her. Maybe even that he liked her. Max had no idea how or why she knew this (or why the heck was it suddenly so important to her anyway?), she just did. And she vaguely smiled.

Alec saw the look on her face, the attempted smile. It was so unique that it made his heart leap in his chest. Then her face went all serious again.

“We could die. You could die.”

He smiled. This was something he could handle. “Max, I’m not scared to die.” He stopped and his thumb gently rubbed her shoulder. “I just don’t want to be there when it happens.”

She searched his eyes when he smiled at her. So many emotions swirled in them. Confusion, frustration, anger, determination, compassion and something else. But above all, there was this twinkle with which he tried to hide it all. She wanted to drown in those green pools.

Just as Alec was about to continue, there was a knock at the door. Luke’s head popped through.

“Max, video call for you. It’s Logan.”

Luke felt there was something going on, but decided to pretend not to have seen or heard anything. For his own sake.

“I’m coming,” Max said, snapping back to reality.

Luke nodded and closed the door.

Max suddenly felt very awkward and embarrassed. She didn’t dare to even look at Alec, not to mention into his eyes. The very eyes she had wanted to drown in just seconds ago, now seemed to see straight into her soul. And it scared her.

“I… I have to go,” Max almost stuttered and was out the door, leaving Alec alone in the room.

The moment the door slammed shut, he closed his eyes and a sigh escaped him. Alec shoved his hands in his pockets. He took one step forward and leant his heavy, hot head onto the wall, merely inches above the dent Max’ fist had left there only minutes ago.

Just what was going on? His head felt as if it were about to burst. Too many thoughts in it. Confusing thoughts. Starting to circle, spiralling, leaving his mind reeling, spinning sickeningly fast. The only coherent thought was Max. He saw her face, her eyes as he had stared into them only moments ago. But then another wave of irritation and confusion washed over him.

Suddenly, Alec’s eyes sprang open. *Dammit, I need a cool head now!* Alec hated being irritated and confused. He had been trained to keep his reason even when being in great pain, trained to never be confused or irritated, to expect the unexpected, to think three steps ahead.

When he left Max’ office, the dent on the wall induced by Max’ fist had been joined by a slightly bigger one, a couple of inches above her mark.

* * * * *

“Logan. What’s up?”

Max sat in front of a computer in headquarters. Only Luke, Dix, Mole and Joshua were there.

Logan looked worried. “Are you all right? I mean, after the news…”

Max raised her hand to stop him. “We’ll deal with it. But I think we must keep an eye on McKinley.”

“Thought you’d say that. That’s why I’ve already made some… arrangements to track his every move.”

Max nodded apprehensively. “Thanks. This helps a lot. So any other news?”

Logan suddenly had an excited look on his face. “Actually, yeah. Sketchy and I basically have everything for setting up the channel. All we need now is two things.”

“Which would be?”

“A transmitter, a really good one, I’m thinking military, police…something like that. Once we have that we can start broadcasting straight away.”

Max smiled. “I know just the person to see to that. What’s the other thing?”

Logan coughed and looked a bit sheepishly. “Well, as it’ll be your TV channel and we couldn’t come up with anything… well.. appropriate, really, we thought maybe you’d have some name for the station?”

“Uh-oh,” Mole sighed, but Max ignored him. Dix and Luke exchanged a knowing look.

“A name? Hm… Let me think…,” Max started, pensively biting her lower lip.

Mole raised an eyebrow and lit a cigar. “I’m taking bets now.”

Joshua snickered not really discreetly, earning a death glare from Max.

* * * * *

“That’s all for now,” Logan said and moved his hand to disconnect the line. But the look on Max’ face stopped him. “Max, what is it?”

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat in front of the screen. “I have some new runes,” she blurted out finally. “They appeared about an hour ago. I noticed when we got back.”

Logan looked worried for a second, then he put on an indifferent mask. “Well, let someone take pictures and send them to me ASAP.”

“Okay. Logan…” Max started.

“Yeah?” Logan’s voice sounded a tad impatient.

“I…,” Max continued, “were you already able to decode the old ones more accurately? And did you already have a chance to talk to the homeless?”

Logan readjusted his glasses. A movement, Max noticed, he always did when he was nervous. “Sorry, Max. I‘m working on it. I‘m waiting for some information from a contact. And, to be honest, I am quite busy organising that TV station…”

Max looked a bit embarrassed. “Yeah, of course. Sorry, I forgot. Just let me know when you need help.”

Before Logan could reply, she cut off the line. Could life be any more difficult? A virus, runes foretelling the ‘coming’ of whatever, the citizens of Seattle against them, the police of Seattle against them, the National Guard backing up the police, White against them…Had she left out something? O yes, finding her creator, Sandeman. So many things to do, so little time.

* * * * *

Alec studied the Centre Map on the computer screen closely. “Where did you say that abandoned TV station was?”

Logan - for a change using a simple phone - sounnded all excited, forgetting about his earlier encounter with Max and the fact that he was actually trying hard to be mad at Alec for taking away his girl. But not liking the young transgenic was a difficult task. Particularly, when he was behaving so… likeable. “Well, it’s just down the street from the Space Needle.”

Something caught Alec’s eyes. Slowly, a huge grin started to spread on his face. “O Logan, I just found something interesting. I‘ll check it out and call you back later.”

Before the older man could answer, he had hung up. “Dix,” he called, “I need some info on this.”

Dix looked at the building Alec was pointing at on the map and smiled. He turned to his computer and typed away on the keyboard. “It’s been closed down just after the Pulse. A perfect two man mission.”

The grin on Alec’s face grew even bigger. “And I know just the right partner.”

* * * * *

“Why the fuck did I let you talk me into this?”

Alec chuckled, stopping in his catlike movements. “Because you may fool the others, but I know you really like Logan. And you wanna do this so you can rub it in his face for the rest of your life.”

“You know that argument sounded a lot more convincing when my feet still were on safe ground.“ The lizard man snorted and his tongue moved his cigar from one corner of his mouth to the other. “And why the fuck couldn’t we just enter through the door?”

Alec adjusted his rope and smirked back up at Mole, who was about ten metres above him. “Well, any fool could have entered through the door. Where‘s the fun in that?”

“Fun? I’ll tell you about fun. Take a little bit of TNT and then there’s a whole lot of fun.”

“I know you love to be in the centre of attention, but right now is a bad moment.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Mole rolled his eyes. “So where are those sensors you babbled on about? I don‘t see ‘em.”

“Yeah. Well, you can‘t.“

“Lemme guess. No sensors?”

“Nope.”

Mole stopped in his doings. “You lied to me?“

“Well, that’s a little harsh a word, don’t you think? I‘d prefer calling it, um…“Alec paused for an instant to think. “…uh, ‘slightly altering the plan‘.” He elegantly slid down, nearing the floor.

Mole let out smoke slowly, eying the younger transgenic. “If I weren‘t hanging so high up in the air, I promise I‘d whack my Uzi up your ass.”

Alec chuckled at Mole’s threat. “Oh, come on! I know you love it.” He lowered himself easily onto the ground.

“Love my ass,” Mole swore, fumbling with his rope. Officially, he had never liked this idea in the first place, but he had let Alec talk him into it. He felt as if he could do something good - even if it included meeting that bespectacled ordinary again - instead of just doing the ‘sit and wait who pulls the trigger first’ at TC. Frankly, he was glad that Alec had wanted his company. Of course he would never admit that. And he would be quite busy once they were back at TC making sure everyone knew just how much he had hated the whole mission. And how much Alec owed him. Mole had a reputation to live up to, after all.

Under his breath, he muttered: “Gimme cold and parachutes. That‘s something I can handle…”

Mole’s right foot got twisted in his rope.

“…gimme kids like that Dalton punk, even.” Wanting to descend further, he noticed the pull and tugged his foot violently. “I’ll even talk to that ordinary.”

Tug.

“But ropes…”

Another tug.

“I hate ropes…”

Assuming he had freed his foot, he continued.

“…I hate everything to do with ropes…”

He ascended further, irritated by the repeated pull on his right ankle.

“…and hangin’ in the air and…”

Tug.

“…and…Shit!”

Trying to shake his foot free, Mole let go of the rope with one hand. Just as he was about to reach the evil capturer of his foot, he lost balance and grip of the rope. Mole fell backwards, watching the floor rush closer. Suddenly, his fall was stopped by the rope that had twisted around his foot.

Hanging there upside down, he suddenly was very aware of three things.

One: all of his blood started rushing down into his head, roaring in his ears, making it very hard to think and, more worryingly, to keep on smoking his cigar.

Two: the distance to the floor was still high. Particularly for someone who was afraid of heights, if they didn’t include a parachute on one’s back.

Three: he had no cat DNA in his cocktail, which considerably decreased the likeliness of him landing gracefully on his feet, if he were to take a fall, which - on the other hand - was very likely.

Cursing the rope not to unwind now, he tried to pull himself back up into a position that would allow his blood to run out of his head and back into his limbs again. Unfortunately, the rope loosened before Mole could get a grip of it again.

“Um… u-oh.” With those words, the lizard man landed with a loud thud on his butt at Alec’s feet.

The young transgenic bit down hard on his lip so as not to laugh. Better not upset Mole when he wasn’t exactly in the greatest of moods.

“One word and I‘ll kill you.” Mole growled, blood still pounding in his ears.

“Why that hurt, Mole. What is it with those constant threats?“ Alec shook his head in mock-hurt as he reached out his hand to help Mole up. “Come on, Drama Queen. We’ve got a job to do.”

As they made their way to the offices, Alec couldn’t resist: “You know, one day - when this is all over - you just have to show me that grand descend…”

Mole growled and walked on, puffing intensely on his cigar, trying hard to suppress a grin that formed on his lips.

“…I still am very impressed about that little twist you added there. I had no idea you were such an artist with the rope. Such graceful move–” He ducked just before a stone-ashtray could connect with his head.

* * * * *

Logan was fiddling on his computer. If only he had that transmitter or at least some access to a satellite… They could start broadcasting tonight. His gaze wandered to Sketchy who was sitting at what formerly was the anchor man’s desk in the studio, rehearsing.

“Good evening,” Sketchy tried in a sincere voice, clutching tightly to the notes in his hands. “Good evening,” he tried a little more cheerful. Still not satisfied, he opted for a different stressing. “Gooood evening.” He shook his head and lowered his voice. “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.”

Logan smiled at the young man. Ever since they had started their little project, Sketchy had opened up considerably. He had changed too… Logan remembered Max’ and OC’s comments about Sketchy. That he was slow on the uptake. But Logan didn’t have that impression of Sketchy as he watched him talk to his imaginary audience. Maybe Sketchy was just… shy. In a very Sketchy kind of way.

Sketchy had eagerly drunken in everything Logan had told him about broadcasting in general and the information he had on the transgenics’ case. Logan gave up fiddling with the computer and checked his mobile for the umpteenth time in the last half hour. Alec had promised to call as soon as they had found something. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be any old, malfunctioning device. Something new, untouched would be wonderful.

“A transmitter from before the Pulse,” he said quietly to the control desk in front of him.

“Would this one do?”

Startled, Logan spun around at the sound of the voice.

Alec smiled and walked up to Logan. Mole remained in the doorway. “Look, Mole here has a present for you, but he’s a bit shy so he asked me to give it to you.”

Logan looked at the chip Alec laid on the desk. Not really trusting his vision, he asked: “What’s this?”

“What you asked for: a transmitter from before the Pulse for the trannie TV channel.” Alec added theatrically: “Kindly sponsored by NASA.”

Logan suddenly looked like a little boy at Christmas. He took the chip in his hands as if it were the most precious thing in the world.

Alec smirked at this sight. “Oh, almost forgot,” he brought a folded paper out of his pocket and handed it to Logan. “The codes for the signal of a NASA satellite. It‘s all yours. Happy hacking.”

Mole thought the ordinary was lucky to wear glasses. They prevented his eyes from popping out. Shaking his head, he took out a new cigar, chewed off the end and spit it on the floor.

Logan didn’t see, he was too excited. Ah, the possibilities they would have now! No one would be able to trace their signal, they could code it, they could stay where they were and could broadcast as long as they wanted to--

“Logan.”

--without having to keep their messages down to one minute as he had been forced to with Eyes Only. He would finally be able to show the world all the wrong that was being done to the--

“Logan!”

--transgenics and the rest of the world. And all this due to a tiny chip and some numbers on a paper. This truly was Christmas for him. Oh, the chip looked beautiful, with its gold implant and--

“LOGAN!”

He snapped out of his thoughts at Alec’s loud voice. “I gotta stop doing this,” he muttered to himself, but Alec’s sensitive hearing picked it up nonetheless.

“Yeah, better go check your ears, buddy. You know when you get older that happens--” The death glare from Logan stopped him. “Can you receive and air the stuff Luke and Dix’ll send you?“

Logan nodded.

“So, when will you be ready to go on air?”

The older man quickly replied: “Two hours top and we’ll be ready.”

“Cool.”

It had been loud enough for Sketchy to hear and the young man blanched. “Two hours?”

“Don’t worry, Sketch, you’ll be alright, man,” Alec assured his friend.

But Sketchy wasn’t so sure about that anymore. “But there will be millions of people watching me!”

Mole spoke up. “I think millions is a bit over the top, but a couple, yeah. Besides, didn‘t you want to be a reporter?” He looked up from lighting his cigar.

Sketchy had gotten up and walked over to them. “Yeah, but I was thinking more along the lines of journalistic reporter.”

“Yeah, well this is better.” Mole spread his hands and arms out in front of him. “Just think of all the people who’ll see you.”

Alec chided in. “Sketch, man, think of all the girls out there that’ll see you.” He put his arm around Sketchy’s shoulder and waved his hand at an imaginary crowd of girls.

“Look, how they’re waving and winking at you, they’re calling out your name.”

Sketchy stared worriedly at his friend and then back at the nothingness before him. “Uh… they do?” he asked carefully.

“This one over there even has a transparent saying ‘I wanna have your baby’.”

“It does?” Sketchy was mildly alarmed, glancing at Logan and Mole.

“Yeah,” Mole said.

“Definitely,” Logan nodded.

“See? You’ll be known as the voice of justice in Seattle,” Alec drew out. “You’ll be,” he paused dramatically, placing a hand on the reporter‘s chest, “a hero. And heroes ooze sex.”

Sketchy’s mouth hung open at this. Screw his obviously hallucinating friend (evidently those toxics seemed to have an impact on them after all), but hero and sex just sounded… Too good. Again, he consulted Logan and Mole who both nodded affirmatively. A hero. He had never considered that.

“So, come on, hero, time for make-up,” an amused voice next to Mole said.

Sketchy came to life instantly and jumped towards the person. “OC, did you hear that? I’m gonna be a hero! And I’ll ooze sex like in great quantities…”

Cindy stepped up to Sketchy and shoved him towards the door and rolled her eyes at the three men remaining in the room. “More than you already do now?…” She stopped to squeeze Alec’s arm affectionately and pushed Sketchy out the door.

They disappeared and could still be heard walking down the hallway.

“Uh, Cindy, what do you think, should I say ‘Good evening’ in this really serious voice or should I go for this one: Gooood eeeev’ning?”

“And what weed exactly did you smoke tonight?…”

With that, their voices faded.

Alec felt Logan‘s eyes on him. “What?” He put up his hands in defence. “He needed a little pep talk.”

Suddenly, he caught sight of the computer behind Logan. He stared at the screen and gave Logan a look. Then he turned to Mole, quizzically raising his eyebrow.

Mole just nodded in affirmation.

Alec turned back to Logan and sighed: “Oh great, you let Max pick the name.”

* * * * *

Back at TC, Alec walked with Max out of the headquarters.

“See what you can do about it. I want a really good invention,” Max said. “Something they’ll never think we would come up with.”

“You sound like Hannibal,” Alec muttered.

“Huh?” She stopped walking.

“Hannibal, you know,” he tried to explain, “the A-team. A really good TV series. And Hannibal always was one for the plans and it was all about inventing weaponry and stuff to–” He stopped at Max’ look.

“Whatever,” she continued on her way.

“Ignorant,” Alec mumbled.

“I heard that, brat.”

“Yeah, yeah, and you’re gonna kick my ass about it later, once you have time, yadda, yadda,” he finished for her.

She just shot him a side glance, but left it at that. Her head tilted slightly and her yes wandered to the subject he had just mentioned. It sure was well formed and left nothing to a girl’s imagination. She wondered what he would do if she were to pinch him in those-

“Maxie?”

His voice brought her out of her reveries and she knew he had caught her red-handed.

“Look, I know you love my ass and so do I, but I’m afraid you’ll stare it away one of these days.” This gained him a smack at the back of his head.

“So will you see to the weapon issue?” Back to business again.

“Sure. I’m gonna go over it with Mole, but before that, I have to check on someone,” Alec said casually.

“Someone I know?” Max asked suspiciously.

Alec smirked. “Hm, let me think… Long, brown hair, a bit shy, wonderf–”

Max’s hand stopped him. “You and your women,” she steamed, poking her finger into his chest. “This is so…so…” At a loss for words added: “Pffft!”

He chuckled as she walked on. “No need to be jealous, Maxie. I have plenty of love to give,” he called after her and earned a hot glare.

“Plenty of love, huh? You‘re a jerk.”

Alec smiled. “You know, modesty is my best quality.”

She merely snorted and shook her head.

“Where are you headed at anyway?”

Max didn’t even turn around, but nodded at some transgenics she passed by. However, she was glad when she heard his footsteps beside her again.

“Infirmary, gotta check on Pillow and Liam.”

She still was angry, upset and well… well… this was just so typical for him. How could she ever have assumed he had changed? Suddenly she noticed she was alone and turned.

Alec had stopped in his tracks, as a young transgenic they were passing by suddenly shot up and saluted him. He turned to look at the young man who still stood to attention. Alec recognised the transgenic. His hand went out to the saluting hand and gently pulled it down and into a handshake. His eyes locked with the younger man’s. Alec smiled warmly and gained a beaming grin.

“Later,” he promised and the transgenic nodded, as Alec turned and caught up with Max.

“A friend of yours?” Max tried hard to sound casual.

He chuckled at Max’ curiosity. “Ah, he was in my unit.”

“He seems to be at least three or four years younger than you,” Max interfered.

Alec merely shrugged. “Coincidence,” he said.

* * * * *

Alec’s ’date’ was sitting on a couch in an apartment just across headquarters, head buried in hands, elbows on knees. Alec leaned against the doorframe, watching for a moment. Soft sounds were coming from the person. Sobs.

“Hey Josh.“

Joshua didn’t turn at Alec’s call. He just hastily brought a hand to his face, wiping off tears, sitting up straight.

“Hey, medium fella.“ His voice sounded thick.

Alec frowned and stepped closer to Joshua, putting a hand on his shoulder. “You alright?“ he asked concerned.

Joshua hung his head, avoiding Alec’s eyes. But he felt Alec’s hand gently grip his shoulder tighter, assuring him that he cared. He slowly turned to Alec, looking up to him.

Alec saw tears well up in Joshua’s eyes and slowly trickle down his face. He had never seen the dogman so sad. But one look into Joshua’s eyes told him all he had to know. Alec sighed inwardly. He wished he could have spared Joshua this painful experience. He sat down next to his friend on the couch.

“Do you want to talk about them?“ he asked.

The gentleness of this offer seemed to be too much to bear and Joshua’s hot tears now streamed down his face freely. Sobs erupting from his mouth.

“There, there,“ Alec murmured as the dogman’s figure slumped to the side, burying his face in Alec’s chest. His hand went onto Joshua’s back, patting him softly and comfortingly. He let the desperate man cry in silence for a while.

Suddenly, Joshua sat back up. His eyes were red from crying. “Sorry about your shirt,“ he sniffed.

Alec didn’t even bother to look down on his shirt, but smiled. “No worries. I‘ll give it to the housemaid.“

Joshua gave him a weak smile, but it quickly faded. “Joshua have dreams. Bad dreams.“ He gave Alec an insecure look. “About Annie. And Isaac.“

“You feel guilty,“ Alec said silently.

Joshua nodded in pain. “Annie could still be alive. Safe. But, but I left her in the sewers. My fault she’s dead.“ Tears welled up in his eyes yet again. He was sniffling once again.

Alec searched his pockets and handed Joshua a handkerchief, watching as he blew his nose noisily. “You made the right choice, Josh. You wanted to safe her. It would have been too dangerous to take her with you. No one knew White was there.“ He stopped to add with emphasis: “It wasn’t your fault.“

“But Joshua killed his brother!“ he intervened sternly.

“Again, you made a choice,“ Alec explained. “Isaac tried to kill Max. You decided to save her.“

Joshua was about to retort, but Alec stopped him with his hand. “It wasn’t your fault, Josh. It was Manticore that tortured Isaac and turned him into a danger. In the end, Isaac attacked even you. It was NOT your fault.“

He watched as the dogman let Alec’s words sink in. He saw that Joshua wasn’t convinced yet, probably never would be, never could be. But he wanted to help his friend. He ran a hand through his hair. “You know, I once loved a woman. She practically died through my hand.“

He closed his eyes, flashbacks torturing his brain. His yell “Rachel! No!“ echoing through his mind. “At the beginning,“ he opened his eyes and locked with Joshua’s, “I dreamt about it every night. But it got... less frequent after a while.“

“Medium,“ Joshua started, “medium fella still have them?“ He saw Alec clench his teeth.

“Yeah,“ Alec said finally, “I still have them. From time to time.“ He added the last bit silently.

Joshua watched his friend in silence for a moment. “Will pain ever stop?“ His eyes were begging, pleading for Alec to say yes.

It pained Alec to tell his friend the truth. “It will always be there, Josh. But you‘ll have good days when you forget about it. And you‘ll have bad days when it all comes back to haunt you.“

He caught sight of a painting behind Joshua. “Look, the next time you’re feeling sad because of this, or because of anything, we talk it over. Or if you don’t want to talk, start a painting. And afterwards you’ll show me, okay? Or talk to Max, I’m sure she’s happy to help you too.“

“Little fella too busy with TC,“ Joshua said sadly.

“I’m sure she’ll always have time for you,“ Alec replied.

The dogman smiled at Alec as they both rose to their feet. “Okay.“ With that he pulled Alec in for an enthusiastic hug.

Even for transgenic standards the hug was a tad too strong and Alec gently freed himself of Joshua’s arms, taking a deep breath.

“Will you be okay?“ he asked.

He nodded. “Alec helped much.“

Alec doubted that, but he only said: “All right then, I must be going. See you later.“ He patted Joshua on the shoulder and turned to leave. He was just by the door, when Joshua’s voice stopped him.

“Thank you, medium fella,“ Joshua said.

Alec turned around and smiled at the dogman. “Anytime,“ and with that he left.

He waited until he was out of the building and quietly slipped into a dark corner. There, Alec closed his eyes. He remembered Annie too. How her hands on his face had felt when Joshua wanted Alec to take his place. Annie had thought he was Joshua. Her hands, her loving hands had searched and caressed his face. Her touches reached his very core and left him yearning. For the lover’s touch. Alec knew Joshua had loved Annie, still did. And he felt guilty about her death. He shook his head. Another one to be added to his list of ‘things to feel guilty about’. It got worryingly long these days.

* * * * *

The traffic was loud. A motorbike was approaching the crossroads. The rider, without a helmet, waved and smiled at Max.

“Alec.”

Max suddenly felt warm at the thought of him, him coming closer. She felt – happy. She smiled and waved back at him. Max saw the car close in when it was already too late.

It hit the bike’s right side with full force.

Suddenly, all sound was turned off. Alec’s body was propelled through the air. It looked almost graceful as his body rotated in slow motion across the crossroad and towards the cars on the other side waiting at the lights. Alec’s body hit the front window of a car. Max heard the brutal cracks of breaking bones and glass. Alec’s body came to a rest, his limbs lifeless. His head fell in an odd angle to the side, facing her. A thin line of blood trickled out of his mouth, his sensuous lips were slightly parted. His eyes stared at her glassily, the light in them fading away.

Her heart stopped beating as the cold fist grabbed tight hold of it.

Like an explosion all sounds were back, invading Max’ every sense, nearly knocking her off her feet as her horrified cry echoed through the streets.

“ALEC!”

* * * * *

Clemente pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes for a moment. Rickham, the President’s spokesman, had just informed him that the task force from Washington would arrive the other morning. Until then, no actions were to be taken. Direct orders from the President.

The voice of his assistant made him open his eyes again. “Sir, are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. What else have we got?”

His assistant checked the list in his hands. “Well, we have the Chief of the Seattle Police waiting for you to report to him.”

Clemente merely grunted and waved with his hand, urging him to carry on.

“The Chief in Command of the National Guard will arrive in about two hours and he likes to have a word with you.” He stopped. His superior closed his eyes again.

“Read on, Watson.”

The younger man shuffled through his papers. “The press wants a conference on the further proceedings in that matter. And Senator McKinley would like to have a word with you, too.”

Clemente smiled. “Good old Senator, how is he these days?”

Watson hesitated. “Rather furious, sir.” He didn’t need to tell his boss about the threatened overruling jurisdiction that had been mentioned several times during McKinley’s phone call.

“Very well,” Clemente said. “Put him at the end of the list. What else?”

“The Sector Police reported that a group of ‘concerned citizens’ has formed and is trying to… um, talk people into joining them.” Watson was worried. The smile on his bosses face grew bigger and bigger. “Sir?”

“Great. Go on.”

“You mentioned you wanted to get in touch with the transgenics and talk with them about what they wanted.”

Clemente sighed. He remembered the last time he had seen the transgenics. They easily could have killed him and his men. But they hadn’t. They let them get away.

What were they doing now? They were super soldiers. So probably, they were preparing for a war. He would if he were in their shoes. No, he reconsidered, he probably would run away. Clemente needed to know what they really wanted. He couldn’t let a war start without having heard both sides.

“Next?”

“We also heard again from Special Agent White, sir.”

At this, Clemente got up and turned to the window of his office. “My dear friend White.” People were protesting outside the police station.

“All in all, a perfect day.” He turned to Watson. “What would you say?”

Watson held Clemente’s gaze and suddenly understood. “Couldn’t be better, sir.”

The two men exchanged a smile.

The phone rang. Clemente eyed it for a moment, seriously considering not picking it up. But then he did.

“Sir, it’s Webber, she has the results you wanted to have,” an officer informed him.

Clemente stood up straight. “Send her in.”

Watson turned to leave.

“You stay. I want you to hear what Webber has to say.”

*Finally,* he thought, tapping with a pen anxiously on the edge of his desk. *Finally.*

Next on “Yadda Yadda, Bang Bang“:

Be wary then

“Whatever it is, it is bigger than everything we‘ve ever come across before. Much bigger.”

Best safety lies in fear

“It’s me, Lydecker.”

Youth to itself rebels

“May my children forgive me.”

Though none else near.

“Protect her. With your life. Until we’ve prepared plan C.”

Hamlet, Shakespeare