Chapter 4: Faded

Logan agreed for us to crash in his guest room for the night, reluctantly if I 
may add. Not that it did me any good. I like Krit, the guy got me out and he 
trusted me when I gave him no reason to, but he's a little dense. Did he really 
expect me to sleep? For all I l knew, Zero was lying dead in the forest and Eve, 
Dani, and the others were dead along with him. Now as 5:45 in the morning I sat 
on Logan's sofa watching the sunrise. I smiled to myself as I remembered the 
last time I allowed myself to take the time to see the sunrise. It had been so 
long ago maybe 5 years.

//flashback//
I slipped out of my bed and looked out the window and through the iron bars that 
kept us in our barracks, they didn't want us to end up like the X5's. They snuck 
out at night to go to some kind of shrine, or so I had heard from a nurse. There 
was a janitor who was killed, after he confessed to giving the X5's a prayer 
card of the Virgin Mary. I have no idea who that is, but I never really looked 
into it. I looked outside and saw the orange glow of the sun as it rose over the 
horizon. I smiled as I watched the warm glow as it rose into the sky, but I also 
noticed how it seemed to stop at the gates. The same way my world did, it 
stopped at the gates of Manticore. I ran my hand over my hair, it was more like 
fuzz. They had shaved it yesterday, after they had noticed it had grown to about 
an inch. My hair was always a thing to me. I wanted to have long black hair, 
like the nurses did. I think they will allow us to grow our hair out when we 
become 13 years old, 3 years to go. I heard movement, but I didn't need to turn 
around. I already knew who it was, their scent was unforgettable. A mix of 
gunpowder and a natural scent of honey almost. Once, Col. Lydecker had given me 
honey, which is why I know what it smells like. I'd been shot in a training 
mission and he had come to see me. He had given me some breakfast, a bowl of 
vitamin enriched oatmeal with honey. Zero had that honey and gunpowder scent, 
only he could make those things go together. 
"Pretty, huh?" Zero said, using a word he had picked up from one of the doctors.
"Yes, but it stops a the fence," I commented, "like we do."
"We won't always," he whispered in my ear, "Let's get ready for morning 
inspection," he said louder and put a hand on my shoulder and turned me towards 
the bunks.
//end of flashback//

I twirled a strand of my midnight black hair around my finger. In my mind I 
almost could see myself back when I had no hair, it had laid around me in small 
pieces on the floor as I was given a military buzz cut, the second one this 
month. I shook my head to clear it and walked over to the window. I had to 
admit, the view was gorgeous. I mean in the barracks of cellblock 53, I could 
see into the forest that was patrolled by the army of X7-354, or before they 
were around X5-494. I stared out over the city of Seattle as it woke up, I had 
never seen anything like it. I guess it's because on missions, Zero and I don't 
exactly take the time to look. I mean we find a way to act normal, I've been to 
a club before. Okay…I was sent to a club as a stripper to assassinate a 
businessman who was a "creature of habit" I believe the colonel put it. I've 
gone out to a restaurant before, a nice one not some run down diner. I was a 
bodyguard then. I guess it's true. I've never been "Kai" on these missions, I've 
been X6-711. I've been Kai in our quarters…I'm usually with Zero or Bullet on 
these missions. I would joke around with my partner and be normal, I guess is 
the only way to put it. Now, I had to be Kai and not X6-711. This was going to 
be harder then I thought it was going to be. I needed Zero or at least Bullet to 
be here for me…I had Krit. Maybe, he can take their place. I closed my eyes and 
shook my head before I could continue along that line of thought. No one would 
ever take Zero's place, Krit can be my replacement Bullet…maybe. I knew deep 
down that Zero was alive, but my head kept telling me to stop dreaming and that 
if he was alive he might be brainwashed. He WOULD be brainwashed or tortured, 
how was he going to explain my disappearance? I mean what could he say, she was 
shot and then vanished into thin air? God, I would love to see Renfro's face 
when she heard THAT response.
"He'll be okay. He'll still be my dear boy when I get him back. He'll never tell 
what happened to me. He'd make himself forget me before he let that happen. 
Would he?" I mused aloud.
"He wouldn't," a voice replied behind me.
I turned and moved quickly that I had the intruder in a death-grip before I 
could see their face. It was Logan. I released him and heard his feet hit the 
floor, I must have had him at least 3 inches off the ground. I mumbled an 
apology.
"It's okay," he choked and rubbed the red mark on his throat.
"Why do I get the feeling that's not the first time you've been choked like 
that?" I inquired.
"Because it's not," Logan said walking to the kitchen.
I followed him and decided to ask about his words, 'What do you mean 'he 
wouldn't'?"
"From what I've overheard you two seem to be…" he trailed off.
"Comrades?" I offered lamely not liking the fact that a stranger was dissecting 
my love life.
Logan looked at me as though he thought I was an idiot, he didn't need to know I 
was remembering every way in which to kill a man with a spoon the second he gave 
me that look.
"Close. Zero and I were…very, very close," I said finally.
"If he thinks you are as special to him, as you think he is to you. He won't 
forget you," Logan said, "trust me."
"Why…" I began.
"Because I've seen it happen. Zac-X5-599 had been recaptured and according to 
Max. He had forced himself to forget all the X5's but he could only remember 
her. He was in love with her," Logan said the last part with anger in his voice.
"Did she…love him?" I inquired intrigued.
"As a brother," Logan responded immediately as he began to make eggs.
"Uh huh," I said allowing my eyes to convey my suspicions, "what happened?"
"When Zack first made himself known to Max about 6 months ago she had been using 
a private investigator to locate the others. Max's P.I. was set up by Lydecker 
and Zack found out. He killed the PI to keep the others locations safe and 
Lydecker knew one of his "kids' had done it. Max had made the mistake of 
allowing Lydecker to see her and Zack's face a little while later while trying 
to save their sister Brin-"
"X5-734," I said.
"You know her?"
"I reprogrammed her," I said, my eyes downcast.
"Oh. Anyway, Lydecker put up wanted posters for Max's arrest pinning the murder 
on her. She had to be extremely careful. Zack broke into my apartment and told 
me to help him. He couldn't let Max take the blame. He forced Max to leave the 
city against her will…and I allowed them to use an old cabin of mine for the 
night. Next thing I know, Max had come back to give me a blood transfusion to 
save my life, Lydecker's cleared out, and Zack had turned himself in to save 
her."
"I remember that day…Lydecker had been pissed. Put me into isolation because he 
couldn't get to Max and I was the next best thing. I'm not eve made up of the 
same DNA! I only look like her," I grumbled.
"A few months later Zack calls and tells Max he's in the woods at Manticore. He 
needs her help. Max didn't say much to me afterward buy she did say that Zack 
had opened up to her and told her that she was the only one he couldn't forget," 
Logan finished.
"I know the feeling…I had to forget Zero once. I couldn't…I was able to forget 
vitals, but I remembered the way he was when we weren't in the presence of the 
others. He was sweet and warm. He smelled like gunpowder and honey," I rambled 
smiling, "and his eyes…they were blue with this fire and liveliness."
Logan nodded, I think he was beginning to warm up towards me. He brushed some 
hair out of my face as he stared into my eyes. I knew that Krit and Max were 
made of the same parentage, you could see it. Max and Krit were identical twins, 
except their different barcodes and the one-year age difference. I knew I must 
look too much like Max for him to stop. I looked into Logan's eyes and studied 
him. He thought I was Max, even though somewhere in his delusional brain he knew 
I was Kai.
"I'm not Max," I reminded him.
Logan tore his eyes away but his hand still rested on my cheek.
"I know that," he said weakly.
"Krit and I will be out of your hair soon enough. We'll be heading south towards 
Los Angeles."
"Yep," Krit said as he entered the room.
"Morning," I said smiling slightly.
"Right," Kit said and grabbed some eggs from the plate Logan had prepared.
He ate them quickly barely bothering to chew. I smiled softly the boy had no 
manners. I allowed my mind to wander again, as I pictured Zero. If he were alive 
and okay, right now he would be preparing his troops for morning drills. They 
might be playing escape and evade or capture the flag. I broke away from my 
thoughts as Krit said something.
"Hmm?" I asked. 
"Do you space out on all the guys or is it just me?" he joked.
"Just you," I laughed.
"We should head out as soon as possible. We don't know if it's safe yet," Krit 
said finishing off his breakfast, "ready to go?"
"I need some clothes," I said gesturing down to the ripped up and bloody jeans 
and big gray tee shirt I wore.
"You can go to Max's place," Logan said, " tell her roommate you are Max's 
brother. She'll understand and supply clothes," Logan added to Krit.
"Okay," Krit said, "let's blaze."
"Hold on a sec," I said as I reached into Logan's cabinet.
I retrieved a small jar of honey from the back. I ignored the boys questioning 
glances as I walked over to the door.
"I'm ready."
Krit walked away from Logan with only a nod. He put an arm around my shoulders 
and steered me out of the room. We made our way outside and Krit showed me his 
bike, a crimson Ninja 650. He made some crack about how great minds think alike, 
because Maxie had the same one in black. I climbed on behind him as he revved 
the engine; he gave me one more grin before we sped down the street. I had to 
rely on someone else's reflexes as I rode on the bike behind him let's just say 
I didn't like that thought one bit. Krit rode through the streets before pulling 
front of a dumpy looking building.
"That one," he said [pointing to a window.
I looked at him questioningly.
"Still has her scent," he explained, "I was one of the better trackers."
"Let's go," I said and began to climb the fire escape.
"Wait-" Krit began.
"Yeah?"
"Shouldn't we…use the door?"
"Takes away the fun," I replied.
I was set on making my life normal and fun at all costs. We climbed up until we 
reached the window; I pried it open easily. Krit slipped inside with me close 
behind. I looked at the sun it was about 0700. Krit made his way into one of the 
rooms; it was Max's room. Krit glanced at me and motioned to the closet.
"We don't have a lot of time."
I nodded and entered the closet. I quickly located a pair of clean jeans and a 
gray tee shirt. I closed the closet door and slipped off the clothes I wore. I 
slid into the jeans easily and pulled the shirt on. I heard a noise on the other 
side of the door, and quickly perked up my hearing.
"Who are you?" a female voice was saying.
"You Max's roommate?"
"You one of those black helicopter boys?"
"I'm Max's brother."
I slipped out of the closet to find a black and angry female holding a baseball 
bat ready to attack Krit. I reacted on instinct and attacked the girl disarming 
her in a matter of seconds.
"X6-711!" Kit barked using my designation.
I froze immediately and dropped the bat taking the position of attention.
"At ease," Krit barked again.
I relaxed slightly and used the time to take in the girl. She definitely had 
spirit and bravery, but she also knew about us. That was unnecessary exposure.
"Original Cindy ain't down with the soldier girl here taking my boo's clothes."
"Max wouldn't care," Krit said.
"Original ain't cool with this," she said again.
"We're leaving now anyway," I said and headed for the window. I pried it open 
again and Krit was about to climb out when she stopped us.
"What happened to Max? Where is she?"
"K.I.A," Krit said softly his eyes revealing no emotion.
"What the hell-" Original began when the revelation hit, "No. She IS not dead!"
"I'm-" Krit began.
"Let's go," I said and climbed out the window.
Krit followed me as we made our way down the fire escape jumping from platform 
to platform. I looked up at the window where I could see Original Cindy watching 
us. I slid onto the bike behind Krit and slipped my arms around his waist.
"Let's kick it," I said icily.
Krit revved the engine and we pulled away from the Seattle apartment building. I 
turned away and refused to watch as the building faded from view and mind. I 
only stared ahead at the new life that awaited me and the open road that I would 
share with my new comrade.

Disclaimer: I'm not doing these anymore!! Check all previous chapters. I don't 
own Original either. Who saw Bang 'Em? hehe Alec/Max all the way!! Alec was 
throwing popcorn at the X7, I liked that!