| A different life A different escape Max stepped reluctantly away from the warmth of Zack's body. "So, what's this mission they're sending you and Alec on?" She asked not looking him in the eyes. She didn't like the idea of the two of them together. One could start talking, and that could not possibly end well. "Oh, that" Zack said quietly. His voice was deeper then usual she notice, more raspy. "It's not even a real mission. It's more of a 'Let's send 599 out to baby-sit 494 to make sure he doesn't go crazy and try to escape'" Zack said, his tone holding anger. "Have I ever told you how much being CO sucks?" he asked. "I thought you liked bossing us around" Max said smiling up at him. He glared at her. "I'm just joking" she repented herself. "Be kind to him" she said in a more serious tone. He looked at her, his brows furrowed together. "When he was growing up, it wasn't like it is with us. They weren't close in his group, he had no one. And whatever happened to him last year, it wasn't good. So just, be kind. For me" She reached up and touched his shoulder to appeal to him. "I'll try. But I only have so much tolerance" Zack said smiling at her. "We better get back to our rooms now. I have to leave at the crack of dawn. And some of us need sleep" he shifted positions a bit. "There sending Krit with us" he told her. "They're dropping us off, then taking him to some plane, helicopter place thing". "Try to get one last picture for me 'kay?" she asked him. He nodded She stood up on her tip toes and brushed his cheek with a kiss. His face was cold, and red from the weather, is sent shivers down her spine. "I'll miss you" Max said timidly, before turning and rushing away before he could respond. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Hey Jo" Max walked into they're room, using the nick name for Jondy reserved for her use only. Jondy didn't look up, she just continued to curl her soft hair around her fingers. "You Down about Krit leaving?" Max asked. "No, well, Yeah, but that's not actually what I was thinking about" she said, still not looking up. Max gave her a 'tell me what's on your mind' look. "That guy, Logan, what do you think they'll do to him?" she asked. "I don't know. Kill him maybe if he has to much information. More likely that they'll just shut down his little eyes only deal thing, and probably ruin his life in some way or another. Does it matter?" Max said to her sister. "Max, we just ruined somebody's life, of course it matters" Jondy said rather loudly to her oblivious sister. Max didn't seemed touched by the incident, she was acting almost airheadish. Leaning back on her bead against the wall, twirling her dark curls around her finger. "Jo, it's not like we haven't done it before. I don't see what the big deal is. They give us orders, we do it, they give us a cookie when we get back" she said lightly. "I must of missed my cookie this time around" Jondy said irritated that Max didn't understand. She had always understood before, about anything. "I'm going out" she said standing up. "Curfew was two hours ago" Max said. It was a flat comment lacking any form of concern, or anything else. "Yeah, well that didn't stop you from meeting Zack on the roof" Jondy said slipping silently out the door. Curfews at Manticore were pointless. They could get pass the guards and cameras at night if they chose. Not that they had free range or anything. It would be impossible to escape, Jondy had thought it over before. But she did wonder if they let them get away with sneaking out. It was painfully easy, but she knew they were being watched. She wondered if they let them have this freedom so everyone wouldn't rebel. She had heard about one unit of X-5s escaping in '09. Some of them were killed, but most of them made it. Security had tightened since then though. On this night Jondy decided to go where she always does when she skips out. There was an open field behind Manticore that they used for training during the day. At night it was empty, and you could see the moon. But Jondy went, because she knew that some one else would be there. And the second she stepped out she was proven right, because there in the middle of the field she saw his figure. He was standing up with his back arched back a little, staring at the moon. His curls were distinctly outlined in the moon light. The out line of his soft featured face seemed to glow. He turned when he saw her approaching, and the moon reflected in his eyes, making them twinkle. "Max?" he called out. Jondy felt a stab of pain. Her out line looked nothing like Max's, and she knew it. Zane knew it too, he was just hoping. "No" she called back, "It's your other prettier more fun sister" she said. "Oh, hey Jondy" he said sounding slightly disappointed. "What's up?" He asked her. "You down about Krit leaving?". He Walked towards her, and ruffled her hair in a very big brotherish way. She wanted to do the same to him, run her fingers through his soft dark curls, and watch them spring back up. But she didn't. When he did it to her, he didn't think about it, just did it. It was more if she did it to him. She nodded her head though, and he put his arm around her. "Don't worry, things will all work out. They always do. He smiled down at her, his face looking gentle and kind. Almost angelic. His face was made to smile, and she loved it when he did. She leaned into him and closed her eyes. Allowing the warmth of his body to seep into hers. "I know" she said. "It has to be". ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Alec Sat next to Zack, and Zack sat next to Krit, in the back of a very sleek looking black car. Zack and Krit were making hand motions back and forth to each other, and Alec tried to follow them. IT was no use though, it had not been the ones they were trained with, it was completely foreign to him. He looked out the tinted windows, watching the people go about their business. Some of them were bums on the street, some were people off to work. He saw a girl with brown hair ride by on her bike. The sun reflected off of it, and it shone like woven gold. She reminded him of Rachel, and he felt a sudden Ache for her. He decided that looking out the window was a bad idea, after seeing four more girls that reminded him of her. She instead looked strait ahead at the dark sound proof glass ahead of them, cutting them off from the two drivers. "Alec," Zack said softly looking at him for the first time in the trip. Alec looked back at him. "We're gong to get Krit out of here, You can help or not, what's it going to be?" Zack asked. Alec looked back at him shocked. The first thought that came to him was that he would help. Surely if he helped Krit escape the group would finally accept him. But the images of psyops flowed through is head. Lasers in his eyes, brutal beatings and reindoctronation. Or worse, what if they decided they just didn't need him anymore, and locked him in the basement with the anomalies forever. He slowly shook his head, "I can't" he said, his voice cracking on the words. "I'm sorry, but I can't" Anger flashed through Zack's eyes, but the it was replaced by understanding. He nodded his head. And the quickly, seemingly out of nowhere Zack pulled something out. It had barely glinted in Alec's vision when he felt a sharp pain on the side of his head. Then, there was only darkness. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "You ready?" Zack asked Krit. Krit nodded his head. "Are you sure you still want to do this? Once we start we can't stop. "I'm sure" Krit mumbled quietly. Zack nodded his head. They both hunched back, and put their fee up to the glass that separated them. "One" Krit said. They leaned down further. "Two" Zack said, they bent their legs at the knees pulling back. "Three" they said together. They Shoved their feet forward with all their strength, breaking easily through the glass. Krit's feet hit the driver at the back of his neck, the drivers head shot forward, and hit the steering wheel at full force. He didn't move. Krit then scrambled into the from of the car, pushed the driver aside, and regained control of the car. "Brace yourself" he shouted back to Zack. Zack leaned back down, getting ready. He put an arm over Alec chest, to protect him. The Car swerved and ran right into a wall. Krit got out, and pulled the driver back into place, then shut the door. Zack got out also, and put a hand on Krit's shoulder. "This is it" he said. "I'll see you again, or I wont" he removed his hand, and started to turn away. Krit grabbed him in a hug before he could get back in the car though. "Good-bye big brother" he said. "Take care of everyone" he stepped back from him. Zack nodded. He sat back in the car again, and handed up the medal flashlight they had used to knock out Alec to Krit. Krit nodded, and raised it above his head. Before he could bring it down, Zack raised his hands up, "Stop, wait" he said. Krit stopped and looked at him, waiting. "One question. Was it worth it?" "Was what worth it?" Krit asked confused. "You know" Zack said. "Syl. What you guys had. Was it worth it? Worth leaving us all behind? Worth risking your life?" He asked. Krit looked down for a moment, in thought. "I asked my self that same question last night, well trying to sleep. I wasn't so sure at first. But about have way through the night it hit me. I've known this thing called love that everyone out here is so obsessed with. These people, all around us, they read books about it. They search for it. And most of them never find it. But love....." He paused for a moment, thinking over his next words carefully, "love found me. Lave slept in the bed next to mine until I was 11. Love was my partner for the 19 years of my life. And it's wonderful Zack. So, how could anything not be worth it?" he finished his speech. "You always were soft" Zack said, but Krit could almost see a smile on his stern face. "Oh that's it. I'm really going to enjoy hitting you now" he said. Zack nodded he was ready. Krit hit him over the head with the flash light. It was quick, Zack barely had time to register the pain before the darkness. Krit took one last look at his brother and Alec, and turned around and ran. He had to get out of Seattle fast. |