My eyes flew open as I heard rapid footsteps approaching Alec’s door. A moment later the door was flung open and Krit entered. My brow furrowed slightly in surprise and confusion. What was Krit doing here?

“There you are!” Krit said, hurrying over and kneeling next to Alec and me. He placed a hand on Alec’s shoulder and gently shook him, “Wake up, man. We need you at the infirmary.”

Alec groaned and I released him from my embrace.

“Max?” he demanded before he even appeared to be fully awake.

“Yeah, Max.” Krit agreed, “But it’s not what you think. She’s okay. She’s just freaking out. She won’t listen to anybody. We need you to come talk to her.”

Alec nodded. He placed one hand on the ground and pulled his legs under him before pushing himself up. He looked a little shaky for a second, but then his strength seemed to return. Krit offered me a hand and pulled me to my feet. My legs felt like rubber, but I forced them to support me. Krit looked at me questioningly and I nodded. I would stand on my own. I had had time to recuperate. One little fight was not going to keep me down any longer.

Krit led the way out the door and down the stairs of the apartment complex. The stairs were difficult. Both men watched me like they thought I might collapse at any minute. That made me very determined not to despite the fact that I did, in fact, feel like collapsing. But it was all mind over matter, right? That’s what Manticore taught us.

“What the mind can conceive, the body can accomplish. Repeat that for me, soldiers!” Lydecker said as he walked down the line, glaring at each of us in turn.

I made it to the bottom of the stairs and paused for a moment to recover.

“Are you alright, Jess?” Alec asked, his eyes searching mine.

“I’m fine.” I replied, mimicking Alec.

He rolled his eyes and smiled.

I followed Krit and Alec out the door and was immensely grateful that Alec didn’t live very far from the center of TC where HQ and the infirmary were located.

I heard Max screaming from down the street.

“Well, that’s not a good sign.” Alec commented, eyebrows raised, “Usually the yelling doesn’t start until after I’ve arrived.”

“She’s been like that ever since she regained consciousness. My ears are still ringing.” Krit complained.

“Great.”

Alec paused before the infirmary door and seemed to be preparing himself. He took a deep breath, then pushed the door open. I followed and Krit entered last, seeming rather reluctant to get any closer to the noise.

“Hey, Maxie. What’s up?” Alec asked casually.

“Alec! Where the hell have you been?” Max demanded.

She pushed away Syl who was trying to keep her lying down and sat up.

“Well...” Alec began, but was immediately interrupted.

“You jackass! I thought you’d been killed. I mean, there was no way you could’ve taken on that many Familiars alone. I was there, I know. And then, you take your sweet time to show up and let me know you’re okay. You’re such a jerk, you know that?”

“Yeah, I know. Damn me and my helping you out. I’ll have to work on that.” Alec replied sarcastically.

“Helping me out? You call putting yourself in danger so that I have to risk my neck to save your ass helping me out?”

“Oh, that’s exactly what happened. Right.”

“Are you calling me a liar?”

“If the shoe fits.”

“I am so gonna kick your ass!”

“Somebody save me, a handicap transgenic is after me!”

“I’m not handicap, I’m fine.”

“Well, you sure look like hell.”

“You...”

“Guys!” Krit yelled suddenly, “Would you both please take it down like fifty decibels? You‘re killing me.”

“Shut up, Krit.” Max and Alec both snapped.

I couldn’t stand any longer. I found a wall and leaned against it, slowly sinking to the floor. Alec immediately noticed my movement and came to my side, kneeling before me.

“Are you really okay?” he asked.

“I’ll be fine. I just want to sit for a minute.” I assured him.

“Did you get her beat up, too?” Max snapped.

Alec stiffened instantly. I could see the hurt in his eyes for a fraction of a second before all emotion disappeared from the hazel depths and he stood up.

“Glad to see you’re okay, Max.” Alec said.

Max opened her mouth to make another comment, but paused. Her brow furrowed for a moment as if she were thinking hard about something or was confused.

“Look, Alec. I need your help. We’ve got to start getting everything back together.” Max said, changing the subject and no longer shouting.

“About that, you got any ideas about where we’re going to go? I’m thinking TC has been pretty much compromised to hell and back.” Alec moved a little bit closer to Max’s bedside, almost like he was testing the waters, seeing how close he could get before she started yelling again.

Max nodded, but said nothing. I had the sneaking suspicion that she had no idea what we were going to do and generally when you’re leader is clueless, you’re in trouble.

“Jess?”

My head snapped around to face a bed across the room. Kira was lying in it. It appeared that she had just woken up. How she had slept through all Max’s shouting I had no idea, but she was rubbing her eyes and scooting back to prop her back against the pillows.

“Kira.” I said, struggling to get up again.

Krit helped me up again and walked with me over to Kira’s bedside. I felt Alec’s eyes watching me.

“Are you okay?” I asked my friend.

“Yeah, I’m alright.” she said, “I just got hit in the shoulder. Max was way worse when they brought her in. We weren’t sure she was going to make it at first. She almost fell into a coma. But she woke up about an hour ago and has been yelling about Alec and Joshua, demanding to see them and make sure they’re okay. Joshua came by right away, but no one could find Alec. I guess I kind of tuned her out and fell asleep.”

“I’m surprised she’s as...uh...lively as she is.” Krit agreed, “She should be dead asleep right now, recovering.”

“I’m quite aware.” I said dryly, “I ran into a few Familiars myself.”

“I can see that.” Kira said, eyes narrowing slightly as she looked me over, “Are you okay?”

“I’ve been asked that a lot. Yes, I’m fine. Just a little shaky. I just need time to recup.”

Kira nodded, accepting my diagnosis. Kira didn’t usually doubt me, which was another reason why her objection to Alec was so strange.

“I hear Krit bailed you out?” I asked.

“More like assisted.” Krit said, “I just happened to be in the neighborhood, you know.”

“Well, thanks.” I said, quietly.

Kira wouldn’t appreciate me advocating someone looking out for her.

We all turned our heads towards the infirmary door just as Dix entered.

“Hey, Max. You’re awake. Logan’s been on the computer for hours trying to get a hold of you. I’ve been trying to get rid of him for the last hour, but he won’t listen.” Dix reported.

Max sighed.

“Is there any way you can get a hookup in here?” Syl asked, glaring at Max until she gave up protesting.

“Be right back.” Dix nodded, disappearing back out the door.

“What are you going to tell him?” Alec asked, “Are you going to break the news to him? Tell him you’ve got to skip town?”

Max remained silent.

“Max?” Alec pressed.

“I don’t know, okay? Back off.” she burst out, “Just leave me alone.”

“Do you still want me to...um...you know...play my part?” Alec asked quietly.

Max paused. It appeared that she was considering whatever Alec was talking about.

“Maybe.” she said finally.

“Do you know what they’re talking about?” Krit whispered.

“No idea.” I replied.

“Hmmm. I wonder what’s up. But I suppose we’ll find out since she won’t get much privacy taking the call in here.”

I nodded mutely, but I was more preoccupied with searching my memory for some mention of Logan. I couldn’t remember ever hearing that name before, but obviously it was someone of some importance given the way Max and Alec were acting.

Finally, Dix returned carrying a laptop computer. He placed it on Max’s stomach and opened the screen to face her. A few quick punches at the keys and a voice came out of the computer. I assumed it was Logan’s.

“Hey, stranger. I’ve been trying to get a hold of you. I was a little worried about you what with the government sending the troops in and all.”

“Well, as you can see, I’m fine.”

“You’re in a hospital bed, Max.” Logan was suddenly serious. “You look horrible. You should have contacted me. I could have helped.”

“I’m perfectly fine and we’re perfectly capable of handling our own problems, Logan.” Max said, her eyes flashing dangerously with growing aggravation.

“I’ve seen the news, Max. You call that handling it? CAT’s reporting that they took down about sixty transgenics. Yeah, that’s nice work. Obviously, you don’t need any help at all. Obviously, you’ve...”

“Don’t even pretend you know how it is in here. You think you could do a better job trying to protect hundreds of people that the entire world hates? You...” Max began angrily.

Alec jumped to her side.

“Hey, let’s break this up, guys. I think we’ve had enough excitement around here for awhile.”

“Alec.” Logan said, none too pleasantly, “You’re still around. I figured you’d have taken off by now.”

“And miss the party. No way, Logie boy,” he put his arm around Max’s shoulders, “Besides, I’ve got a lot of incentive to stick around.”

My brow furrowed in confusion. Was Alec implying something? Was that the “part” he was supposed to play? Was he trying to make it look like he and Max were together? And if he was, why?

“Whatever.” Logan said darkly, “So, what are you going to do now? You have a plan?”

“We’re working on it.” Alec answered for Max.

“Well, when you do figure out what you’re going to do or if you come to your senses and realize you might need some help, let me know. It’s not safe in Terminal City anymore.”

“We know, Logan.” Max said, much calmer now that Alec had given her a chance to reign in her temper, “I’ll let you know what we’re going to do.”

She hit a key on the keyboard and closed the computer before handing it back to Dix. She looked at Alec appreciatively and he gave her shoulders a very gently squeeze before stepping back.

“So, apparently he didn’t take your call screening very well.” Alec commented.

“Apparently.” Max agreed. She fell silent for a moment, then looked over at Alec, “Alec, I need to talk to you. You and Krit and Syl and the others.”

“I know. But not now. You’ve got to heal up a little before you start tackling anything else,” he paused and raised his eyebrows at her, “Unless, of course, it’s me.”

Max rolled her eyes.

“You’re an idiot.” she said.

Alec grinned and I smiled.