| A Different Life A different departure Max hit the mat with a thud. Zane was instantly on top of her, holding her down. From the corner of her eye she could see a satisfied look on Renfros face. She growled and used all her strength to roll over, so that she now had the upper hand in the battle. His dark curls bounced as his head hit the ground. Zane was getting better. Much better then she remembered. It now seemed more likely that she wasn't going to win. She hated this day. She hated being watched. She new that their fights were always videotaped. But that was different. They weren't in front of everyone, and the videotapes had no sound. She struggled against Zane's strength, trying to hold him down. He had his hands in a tight grip around her slim waist. Max could see his mussels flexing through his sun darkened skin as he tried to push her off of him. A breath latter he was on top again. His Green eyes starring in to her brown ones with a deep intensity. He mouthed the word sorry as the five seconds ticked pass, and she lost. To Zane. As long as she had been in Manticore, which was 19 years now, she had never lost to Zane. And now, at her physical peek, she just had. "Back in line soldiers" Renfro said, with a serpent like smile playing across her lips. Zane rolled off of her and onto his feet. Max hopped up, rubbing her now sore neck. She saw Zane rubbing his head as he moved into line next to Ben. Max moved back into her place next to Zack. "599 and 656, step forward!" Lydecker said. Max notice he slipped a small glare at Renfro as he said this. Zack and Tinga stepped forward, and moved over to the mat that was used for fighting. Max chose this time to Zone out. She stared up at the sky, watching birds fly over. The sun shone in her eyes, blinding her for a moment. It warmed her face, and washed peace over her. This peace was quickly interrupted by Renfros yell for Eva and Zack to get back in line. She opened her eyes, to see Zack climbing off of Tinga. He had won. She knew he would. He had never lost. Not even to Ben. Lydecker moved in front of them now. Walking slowly, eyeing each of them. He stopped in front of Alec. "X5-494" He said louder then necessary. "Yes sir" Alec said stepping forward, and standing at attention. "When what your last mission soldier?" Lydecker asked, voice now softer. Max new that Lydecker knew the answer to this. What she didn't know, is what the point of this was. "The Berrisford Agenda sir" Alec answered. Max noticed his flinch at the name Berrisford. His eyes looked sad again. "And your mission was to....." he trailed off, waiting for Alec to finish his sentence for him. "My mission sir, was to assassinate Robert Berrisford, and his daughter Rachel" Alec's expression turned absolutely blank now. But Max could hear the pain in his voice as he said Rachel. She wanted now, more then ever to know what had happened. "Ahh.. yes I remember now" Lydecker said. "Well, report to Mission administration. We've got a new job for you" Max could almost see Alec's eyes popping out of his head. "599, you'll be going with him" he turned to Zack. "Yes sir" Zack said. Max saw his jaw clenching, and knew that he was not happy about this mission. She reached her hand out and brushed his fingers subtlety. He glanced at her and turned, walking away with Alec towards the main building. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Max sat nervously in the recreational room, bobbing her foot up and down. It was her Zane and Jondy. Jondy was flipping through one of the few magazines they were allowed to read, and Zane was sitting next to her on the couch. No one said anything. Finally, Zane, being unable to take it anymore, Reached out a hand and laid it on Max's knee, holding her still. "Would you stop that Max" he asked looking at her annoyed (not an expression he got often with her), "Your making me nervous" he told her. "Sorry" she said quietly. She was waiting for Zack to show up. She was hoping that he wouldn't be sent out until the next day, so that she could still talk to him. But she hadn't seen him since he was sent away at one on ones. A moment latter Syl walked through the door. Her face was dark, sad. She didn't look at any of them. She just walked right on over to the book shelf, and picked up one of the books. Zane got up after five minutes had past with out a word from Syl. He walked over to her, and gently took the book away from her, "What's wrong?" he asked, his voice soft and caring. "Their moving him" she said. Fear struck Max. Moving who? And where? And why? "They said that we were to close. "That our relationship was un excepteble That it would distract us from developing as soldiers. So they're relocating him" she looked up at Zane, who looked back at her, speechless. An icy pain stabbed Max through the heart. Krit. Her brother. Was leaving. "They're not even moving him to another group" Syl went on, "they're sending him to their other base". Max wanted to pull her hair out and scream. She couldn't believe this. They were taking someone away. Again. Another one of her siblings would disappear. She didn't understand. They had been good. Great soldiers they were. The top of their class. Yet they were still stuck in hell. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "You're leaving tomorrow morning?" Zane asked Krit quietly. Krit nodded. "When Alec and Zack get sent out on their mission, I'm going. They'll drop of them, and then fly me off. Or ship me off as Renfro said. Like I'm just some type of supply" he could still remember the delighted look on Renfros face when she told him he was to be sent away. And now, this was his last night, and he wasn't even allowed to leave the room. He had to prepare his belongings. Not that he really had any. It was mainly just clothing. Training out fits, and battle practice attire. Then a few things that he wasn't supposed to have. Pictures. From away missions. Most were from one of his more recent away missions with Syl. He had one of her standing in the sun in a white dress that fell a few inches above her ankles. Her hair shone like gold, and her blue us sparkled. It had been on the off hours. They were near a beach, and neither of them had ever seen the ocean, so the went their. There was one of him, Zane and Max together at a hotel. Then there was one of Zack and Ben. They were both smiling, which was unusual. He had one of Tinga and Jondy lounging by a pool at their hotel, and then one of Brin and Eva sleeping after a mission. They all had pictures from off hours. Manticore didn't know about any of it. On off hours they always got a camera and took pictures. Off hours were the highlights of all their lives. For brief time periods they could explore the towns, and act as normal people. Krit didn't seem the point of off hours now. He couldn't spend them with the people he loved anymore. He looked at the last picture in the pile. It was of him and Syl. It was from a mission they had gone on with Eva. In the picture he had his arm wrapped around her soldiers, and their cheeks were pressed together as they smiled for the camera. Tears formed behind his eyes as he thought about how he would never see her again. She was his light. She lived in his soul. With out her, there would be only darkness. He blinked back the tears, soldiers don't cry he told himself. And he tucked the pictures safely away in a bundle of clothing. He looked up and saw Zane standing above him. He quickly got to his feet and stood in front of his brother. Zane put a hand on Krit's shoulder. "I'll miss you pal" he said. Krit nodded. "The feelings not mutual" he said joking. Zane punched him in the shoulder, "Ow" Krit said bringing up a hand to rub the sore spot. "I'm just kidding, I'll miss you too. With that, Zane hugged him. It was a very brotherly hug. After Syl, Krit knew he would miss Zane the most. He would have no one to joke with now. No one to make fun of. No one to talk to at night. When the hug was over, Krit produced a letter from his pocket, and gave it to Zane, "Give this to Syl for me" he said. Zane took the letter, and put it n his pocket. He then pulled a letter out of his other pocket and gave it to Krit, "Syl told me to give this to you, if you had one for her. Zane went back to his bed, and laid on him back staring at the ceiling, zoning out. One of his many talents. Krit laid on his own bed, and read the letter. Dear Krit, Growing up at Manticore, we don't learn of emotions, only life skills, as they call them. Love is basically a foreign word to all of us. I don't eve know a direct definition of love. All I know is you. And that the Realization that I'm never going to see you again, causes nothing but pain. Promise you wont forget me at this other Manticore, and I swear to never forget you. I'll care for you always, ~Syl ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Zack was waiting on the roof for Max when she arrived. His blond hair blew softly in the light breeze. Other then that though, his dark silhouette stood completely still. His back was to her, his front facing the open world. "Did you here?" Max asked softly, with out a hello. Zack turned and nodded. "They were careless Max. They stopped caring, and they got caught. They have no one to blame but themselves" he said flatly. "Why do you always have to be so cold Zack?" Max asked, upset with him. "I'm not cold Max, I'm just thinking. Something you all have apparently lost the ability to do" he threw back at her. "Oh come on Zack. Just for once pretend to care. Just once. He's our brother, and he's being taken away. But it doesn't touch you. Why?" she asked. Max would swear that she saw flames in those blue eyes. "Don't you ever, EVER say I don't care. You think this doesn't touch me Max. Everything you guys do touches me. EVERYTHING. All I do is care" He yelled at her. "Oh please" she said turning away from him. "Spare me the drama. The only thing you care about is the mission. Being a good soldier. The golden boy." "You believe that don't you" Zack said. "You really believe that. Well you're wrong. I care more then you could possibly know" he said, anger flaring in his voice. "Oh, and what exactly is that supposed to mean?" Max asked turning around to face him again. Before she could think, his lips were against hers. His hands on her waist, lifting her to her toes, so that he could more easily reach her mouth. Max responded immediately. Her hands moving over his, caressing the smooth skin of the back of his hands. They moved up, resting on his shoulders. The cool night blew her hair behind her, as they stood, the unlikely couple, kissing on the roof. |