Mission 1: Prepare

[flow-ez.livejournal.com]

Title: Mission 1: Prepare
Author: Flow_EZ
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Max/Alec
Warning: AU-ish
Spoiler: General
Summary:  Part 1 of 3(maybe more)  Max is being trained, but not by Manticore but by Sandeman. He is preparing her for what is to come and is doing it by any means necessary. Even recruiting Lydecker to help and from another transgenic, Alec.

AN: Thanks for the reviews, now enjoy the next chapter of Mission 1: Prepare.

A week later...

“We shouldn’t go out to far from home Issac. Father doesn’t want us to. We’ll be seen,” Joshua said to his brother.

Joshua, Max, and Issac were outside picking up sticks for the fireplace to keep warm from the cold. The snow surrounded everything when it came falling down four weeks ago, covering everything in white wet crystals, therefore making their search for dry wood harder. The three kids wore black thick coats to keep warm from the freezing climate with Issac and Joshua both wearing hoods with theirs. Issac was leading the way four feet ahead of Max and Joshua putting more and more distance between them as he picked of speed.

“We’re not going out to far, okay” Issac said sternly. “I know where we’re going and besides, town isn’t up this way it back that way,” he stopped to point behind them. “…Miles and miles away so stop complaining.”

Issac turned back in front and began to walk ahead again.

“Yeah but maybe…” Max started.

“What, what Max? You think you know where drier woods are, than be my guest, you take the lead.”

“Issac calm down,” Joshua stated annoyingly.

Issac had been in a bad mood ever since Father suggested Max to go out to find woods with Joshua and Issac as her watchers. When instead, Max decided to play in the snow with Joshua along with her, Issac decided to take it upon himself to get them back on the real reason why they were out here in the first place.

“No, if she thinks she knows where they are then let her. I mean she know everything right? She is the precious one, right?”

“Issac stop it.”

“Come on Max,” the thirteen year old said standing in front of Max now. “You obviously had something to say, don’t hold back now.”

Max looked over at Joshua who was looking at his brother with an angry frown on his face. With her enhanced ears she could hear both of them emit a low growl from their throat. She wasn’t scared; she couldn’t be, not of her brother. She just doesn’t understand why he was so mad.

“I just think we should head back. The snow has already covered everything even the woods and this little bit we found won’t keep the fire going for long,” she said pointing to the five pieces of woods in her hands and Joshua’s. “Maybe Father…”

She wasn’t able to finish her sentence due to Issac walking back toward the cabins. The two left standing watched Issac become a black speck in the snow until it disappeared. Max turned back to Joshua who was still looking at his receding brother’s back shaking his head. When he finally turned to Max, he put on a smile and took her fire woods from her.

“Don’t worry Max, Issac is just upset,” he tried to comfort.

“Is he upset about me,” she asked.

Joshua opened his mouth to answer but there was none. The truth was Isaac was indeed mad with Max. He noticed it about two years ago when he started distancing himself from her and stopped playing with them altogether. He can’t say why…jealousy maybe. He could only presume that, because in a way he was feeling a little envious of Max also. She came into their lives nine years ago and they, Isaac and him, were pushed in the dark because to their father, she was the precious one, the soon to be savior of man-kind. Despite the fact that she was the center of their lives, he couldn’t bring himself to hate her. She was another addition to this crusade his father was slowly forming and though there were many, she was different. Where others would stare or run away, she would smile and reach out to pull him for a hug or pull to come out to play with her. She wasn’t afraid of him or his brother. He dealt with all that the moment he was born but she, when she first started to see or speak, would not show how scared she was of his appearance. And with that, they grew a bond. It was hard at first because he thought, he waited until she would run like everyone else but she didn’t and he couldn’t resist the feeling of feeling loved by someone else other then his family. He considered her as a sister after that. A sister he would forever more protect for himself and his father’s orders and that was why he couldn’t bring himself to say yes, Isaac was upset about her.

“No Max, he upset about something else. He’s just taking it out on everyone.”

Max just nod her head but still looked sadden about Isaac’s action.

“Hey, I’ll race you up that ridge up there,” he pointed to a hill up ahead of them set between trees and fallen dead ones. “The loser has to do the other one’s chores for a week.”

A smile formed on Max’s face at a thought of racing and not doing chores for a week. Even though she doesn’t have much due to her training, not doing them still sounded great.

“On three, one…two…”

Joshua cut out running before the word three, putting him in the lead before Max realized it.

“Hey, hey Joshua you cheated.” Max yelled running after him.

Since the ridge of the hill wasn’t that far and Joshua had a head start, he made it to the top before Max was a foot away.

“You cheated Joshua, that doesn’t count.” Max bellowed but her protest fell on deaf ears.

Instead of celebrating his victory, Joshua was staring off in the forest from below.

“Joshua…,” Max voiced seeing the shock expression on his face.

Looking down in his line of direction, Max could see the ground covered in white snow below them from the hill. The trees also covered setting the scene in an eerie white of nothing. Scanning the place some more to see what exactly caught Joshua’s attention; she saw it but just barely. Underneath a leaning tree covered in snow laid a small form not moving.

Finally getting out of his daze he started to climb his way down to the figure.

“Do you think…?” Max couldn’t finish her sentence. The fact of seeing someone dead was frightening.

“I don’t know Max,” Joshua answered back.

Max was right behind him when climbing down the hill but beside Joshua when they reached the figure together. Now close, they could see the shivering coming from the boy, who was thought dead, dressed in gray pair of shirt and pants, skin a little pale and flushed from the cold and puff coming from his parted lips. He was lying in a prone position on the ground with his right hand tuck under his head and the other one in front of him, turned on it side. Max dusted away the snow from his head and face and they could see his eyes were closed and the short dirty blonde hair cut. Looking over to his back that moved up and down with his breathing, Max could see the steady yet a little fast pace of his breathing.

“It’s as if he is sleeping,” she said touching his cheeks and feeling the freezing cold flesh.

“Max look,” Joshua said shocked

Max looked over to where he pointed at the nape of the boy’s neck. There in black lines was a barcode. Joshua reached over and ran his pointing finger over the marked skin and looked at his finger to see if he could see something but there was no residue on his finger. Max self-consciously reached the back of her neck, touching the black lines there.

“It’s just like yours,” Joshua said looking over at Max still with his finger up.

…………...

“I don’t care how you do it just get them back now,” Renfro said through the phone before slamming it back on the hook.

Lydecker was standing in line with three other officers in her office waiting to be briefed on the matter of the escapees. His escapees matter of fact and he just knew that he would get the full force of her anger. As if just noticing the four men in her office she stood and walked in front of her desk, leaning against it, with her arms crossed.

“What do you have for me,” she said sternly.

No one spoke up first. Knowing the news was bad and didn’t want to be the one to put more stress on the already stressed woman. But just standing here saying nothing wouldn’t falter her anger any less so Lydecker spoke. Clearing his throat he began.

“We had our men split in the directions the escapees went off to and we’re extending the search from there. My guess is that with their speed and training, they could have reached the next state in a day without sleep.”

“Your guess,” Renfro questioned. “I don’t want to hear guesses Lydecker I want to hear I know and now. How hard is it to find nine kids with barcodes on the back of their necks wearing nothing but gray shirt and pants?”

“Pretty hard ma’am considering the X5s purpose was to blend in,” one of the officer voiced.

Renfro sigh out of frustration and brought her hand to the bridges of her nose.

“I don’t care how you do it, get more men if you have to, I want them back or you’re all done, got it?”

“Yes ma’am,” the four officers said in unison.

“You’re all dismissed but Donald you stay.”

The other three officers left leaving the two together in the office.

“There your unit Decks, you haven’t noticed any sign of their rogue behavior?” She spoke with still a hint of resentment in her voice.

“No ma’am, beside the incident three weeks ago, I noticed none.”

“Why would they do this? Why rebel against us and runaway?”

“Speaking honestly ma’am, I think it had to do with Jack’s death. When he died, I guess they saw us as the enemy.” Lydecker spoke.

“Jack…” Renfro said in disbelief. Lydecker, just realizing his mistake, put his head down. “Oh right, 417’s name. I forgot that your unit gave each others names.” She laughed.

“Yes ma’am, they did.”

“What about 494, surely he didn’t go along with this getaway attempt? He was one of our best soldiers.” She said putting back on a serious face. “Do you think he could have organized this escape?”

Lydecker frowned at the woman’s allegation. Seeing this, Renfro went on.

“I mean do you think 494 could have possibly plan on escaping himself but his unit went along with him?”

Lydecker frowned only growing deeper at this question. Is there something she knows and is not telling me, Lydecker thought.

“If that is so, 494 would have acted upon his CO or SIC’s orders. Since the CO, 766, died before the escape, the SIC, 599, would have taking over. There was no way 494 could have orchestrate it. Why do you ask?”

“Why I asked Donald is because 494 is thinking on his own. At the age of five we noticed how persuasive he was and how good of a soldier he was. He was born to lead. My question is why you didn’t put him in the position of a CO from the beginning.” Renfro asked moving back to sit down in her chair.

“He may have qualities of a good commanding officer but he also had to learn team work as well. A leader must learn to work with his team then to just give orders. 494 had to learn that.”

“Team work or not, I want him back.”

“Yes ma’am”

“He’s special to me, Decks. Could be the very one to change millions of lives, but I need him here to mold him into that very being.” She said, saying it as if in a daze facing away from Lydecker.

“Ma’am…” Lydecker frowned.

“He was going to be my first specimen to try out our new Psy-Ops but since he isn’t here, I guess 599 will have to take his place,” she said turning around to face Lydecker. “You’re dismissed.”

With a nod, Lydecker left the office. Right when the door closed his pager went off. Pulling it from under his jacket, he read the emergency from Sandeman. Max he thought leaving the facility to go to Dell, Wyoming.

…………...

The first thing he noticed was the feeling of warmth around him. It wasn’t cold or stinging against his skin. The other thing he noticed was the smell. It wasn’t the freezing wet smell of forestry like before but warm pine and smoke. Something else was lingering in the mix of smell that seemed familiar but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. The sound of something crackling caught his ears, fire perhaps, but he didn’t remember making a fire or covering himself up in materials so soft and warm over him. He remembered the cold and running. The trembling and how tired he was, nothing of this nature. Then he remembered Manticore and thinking he must have got caught so he snapped his eyes open. Alec was in a building but not Manticore’s. This building was made of woods and nails, not bricks and cements. A fireplace sat adjacent from him roaring a nice fire and from its side a walkway leading to another room where a table sat. He looked down at himself to see two brown and blue blankets on him and pecking out a black shirt, not the gray one from before. Pulling his hands out from under the blankets, he stared at the trembling hands in front of him, yet they weren’t shaking from the cold. My tremors he thought putting his hands back under the blankets. He looked up at the ceiling and wonder what happened to the rest of his unit, his family. Are they safe or did they get caught.

Zack, I’m sorry he frowned and closed his eyes from the memory of watching Zack getting caught and for not going back to help. Then Eva, his CO, she was killed trying to protect them, him, because they were going to take him away like…Jack.

“Jack,” Alec whispered softly.

“Who’s Jack,” a voiced asked and he sat up to turn to face a young girl with black hair standing in the doorway of the other room with the table.

He regret sitting up too fast because a wave of dizziness hit him quick. He quickly moved his trembling hands to his head to settle the dizziness forgetting the girl who now worked her way over to him.

“Are you okay,” she asked sitting next to him on the couch he finally realized he was on.

He pulled his knees up to his chest once he dropped his hands from his head and looked anywhere but at the person in front of him.

“My name is Max, what’s yours?” Seeing that he’s not going to answer her, she went on. “My brother and I found you in the woods three hours ago. My father changed you in some of my brothers’ clothes and I put the blankets around you to keep you from catching a cold. But you still tremble,’ she said reaching out for his hands which he pulled away from and stood up.

Standing up now, he could see the khakis long pants and socks. He looked up at the girl and she smiled at him.

“You don’t have to be afraid,” she said, following him as he moved around the room.

“Where am I,” he asked and to test his own voice. It came out hoarse and he coughed from the dryness.

“You’re in my father’s cabin in Dell, Wyoming,” Max answered.

“I didn’t get far,” Alec whispered.

“Far from where… Manticore?”

Alec looked at her, shocked from knowing what he was talking about.

“Don’t worry, you and I are the same, see,” Max said turning around to show her barcode. “I have a barcode too.”

“W-what,” he stuttered confusingly.

“I’m one of you.” She said putting down her long hair and facing him. “I’m what you are.”

“I…I…” Alec couldn’t get any words out, he was so confuse and lost.

It was almost like he woke up in another world or something. And to make matters worst, he was starting to get a headache. He went too reached for his head but he was suddenly hit with a wave of quiver going through his body, causing him to fall to his hands and knees. No, not again. They are getting worse he thought as he panted.

“What’s wrong,” Max asked going to his side.

“M-my t-tremors,” Alec managed to get out, trying to keep his bearing.

“Joshua, Isaac, father come quick, something wrong,” Max yelled.

“What is it Max,” another voiced said along with the presence of others with him.

Alec managed to look up at the new arrival and shriek backwards to a corner, wrapping his arms around his legs and bowing his head.

“Anomalies,” he muffled in his legs. “I did nothing wrong. Jack, please, I’m sorry,” he cried.

Max, Joshua, and Isaac looked on in confusion and concern. Max looked up at her father to do something.

“Hey there son,” Sandeman started walking up to Alec. “No one’s here to hurt you.”

Alec looked up slowly and saw the man nearing him. He looked to Max and then the two dogs-boys. The anomalies will get you. Jack’s words played in his head and he panicked.

“No,” he yelled and stood to run out the door.

Sandeman grabbed on to him but Alec elbowed him in the stomach and pushed his back into Isaac and Joshua.

“Father,” Max bellowed.

“Max, stop him,” Sandeman yelled back.

Heeding her father’s word, Max ran out the door after him.

His body was tired. His tremors took up most of his strength and he just want to sleep but he didn’t want the anomalies to get him and eat him. So he pushed his sluggish body and ran with enough speed to get as far away from the cabin. He could hear foot fall behind him but didn’t bother to look back, it would only slow him down.

Lydecker was driving with a little more speed passing the speed limit. He didn’t care at this point; right now he was worried about the emergency page Sandeman sent him. Please let Max be okay he thought, nearing his turn. Making the sharp turn, he pulled up on the dirt road and quickly stepped onto his breaks to stop but it was too late. He heard the hit before his eyes opened to see a wide eyes Max standing some feet away.

“Max are you okay,” Lydecker said stepping out of his car but stopped short of his steps to see 494 lying on the ground motionless. “Oh no”

…………...

“Where did they say they found him at,” Lydecker asked Sandeman, who was sitting at his desk.

They were both in Sandeman’s study; room clustered with books, a computer, and stack of papers everywhere. It has been an hour since the accident and they were waiting for Sandeman’s contact, who was a doctor, to emerge from the room with 494. Joshua, Max, and Isaac were in the living room area waiting quietly while Lydecker and Sandeman talked privately.

“They found him a hundred yards from here in the woods. He seemed fine when they brought him in but he was trembling and I don’t think it was the cold. We dressed him in some dry clothes while he slept and waited. You received my message then.” Lydecker nod his remembrance. “The boys and I were in the kitchen while Max watched over him. She called out, we came running and all hell broke loose. He ran, Max went after him and well you know the rest.”

“He came out of nowhere,” Lydecker said rubbing his face. “Sorry I haven’t been around but I have this problem in Manticore that need to be solved or else I’m done.”

“Why is he out?” Sandeman asked ignoring what Lydecker said, rubbing his chin.

Letting out a deep sigh, Lydecker answered.

“Ten of my kids escaped a week ago. Only nine were able to escape and we’re trying to get them back before people find out about them and want questions, meaning bad news for Manticore. And if 494 was caught by you just imagine what will happen if the others are found. Since they are my kids, I’m responsible for their return. They could be anywhere by now.”

“Huh,” was Sandeman reply.

The room was set in silence as both men were in their own thoughts.

“What was 494 training like in Manticore,” Sandeman asked.

“What, why,” Lydecker asked suspiciously.

“I was thinking, you’re going to be busy trying to find these runaways from Manticore and 494 looked to be in bad shape to be moved, and Max still need to be trained.”

“What are you getting at?”

“I’m thinking while you’re gone who is going to replace you to train Max.”

“And you think 494 is my replacement?”

Sandeman didn’t say anything except to cross his fingers together.

“No, no 494 is not going to train Max nor is he staying here with her. I won’t allow it.”

“What’s the problem Decks, I think 494 would be a good candidate for her. You did say she needs a challenge and what is a better challenge then someone like her.”

“No, 494 is a bad seed, a broken toy. He killed one of his teammate during a drill exercise because he thought his teammate was weak. What should happen if he view Max as weak and decides to kill her. I can’t risk that chance.”

“I don’t think you understand the situation here, Decks. Max need to have someone of 494’s status to train with. We can use this for Max’s benefits. She needs to know how it feels to really be in a fight or an attack, a person who knows what he is doing.”

“And 494 is that person?”

“I don’t care about what 494 did in Manticore. He obviously hated it if he ran away. What I do care is about Max and what she could do to save millions of lives from this training. Now if it makes you feel better I could have some men up here with tasers watching their every move but that’s all I can offer. But I want 494 to train Max while you are gone.”

Lydecker scoffed and shook his head. There was a knock on the closed door to the room and Sandeman called for the person to come in. Joshua peep his head through the door and looked to both men.

“Dr. White is done and she asking for you,” he said.

Both men stood from their seated position and walked out into the living room to where the three young teen sat on the couch and Dr. White standing by the door of the room Alec was staying in. Lydecker recognize her from nine years ago taking baby Max away from him and into the van to be taken here.

“Well he’s stable right now, so that good,” the doctor stated to everyone.

“How bad is he,” Lydecker asked.

“His minor injuries are the road burns from his right arms and leg from the force of your SUV hitting him and throwing him backwards. He suffered a small concussion but he’ll be okay. The major injury he contained would be two fractured ribs on his left side. Now I got him bandaged up and his left arm is in a splint to keep from putting pressure on his side but that is just temporary. Give it about two days to take the splint off but don’t let him put it to his side. It would get a little hard for him to breathe but he would need to take one or two deep breathe every hour to relief the pressure to his side to prevent pneumonia or a collapse lung. Originally it would take six weeks for the ribs to heal but since he is a transgenic, I’ll give it half the weeks. I already gave him something for the pain but due to his concussion, I don’t want him to sleep for the next two hours. That is all for now but if his breathing become a problem just call me.” She said grabbing her things and heading to the door.

“Thanks Karen,” Sandeman said walking with her to the door.

“Oh and before I forget, here are some extra medication in case he’s in any pain.”

“Thanks,” Sandeman voiced before closing the door behind her.

The room was quiet for awhile with them all looking at the door the injured ten year old was in. Max stood up and head for the room but Lydecker stopped her.

“No Max, let me go.”

She looked to her father and he nod his head and Lydecker stepped into the room. 494 was lying on the bed with the covers halfway covering his body. The doctor was right with her treatment of his wounds and he looked bad. For a regular human, they would have died or been put in a coma but 494 is a super being and he have the ability to heal quicker then normal people. Lydecker listened to his breathing which were rapid and from his face, painful. He stayed watching 494 until 494 opened his eyes with the dark rings under his eyes and looked at him with his green with a hint of gold in them.

“It’s nice to see you again 494. I’m glad that you’re okay.” 494 just stared back at Lydecker. “You are really lucky, you know that.” He said walking up close to 494’s side. “Right now I would have men hauling you out and sending you back to Manticore within ten minutes, but I’m not going to do that.” 494 had a surprise look to his face.

“Y-you’re not going to send me back?” He asked.

“No I want to send you back but he needs you here, training her.”

494 frowned and looked away from Lydecker to look at the door. It wasn’t until a minute later did he faced Lydecker again.

“Max.”

Lydecker just stood there looking at him without saying a word. He walked up closer to 494 and leaned into his face to speak with him directly in a whisper.

“I don’t know if you killed 417 on purpose or not but if you so much as try anything with Max, I’ll make sure you’ll stay in the basement just like the others, the anomalies.” He back away and walked to the door. Looking back at the injured transgenic, he watched as 494 swallowed forcefully looking at the bed sheet.

“Oh and before I forget, we use name out here beyond Manticore’s walls, you might want to use your name giving to you, Alec.”

The transgenic eyes snapped up to Lydecker just before Lydecker left out the door. Max was pacing behind the couch waiting for Lydecker to come out when the door opened. She watched as Lydecker looked up at Sandeman and gave the older man a nod before heading to the door leading out the cabin.

“Max,” he said before leaving out. “Be careful, your new training with Alec is going to be tough. Stay on your toes.”

And with that said he left. Max was confused at first but then it clicked in and she had one of her famous smile on her face. She looked to her father and he smiled with a nod and then to her brothers. Isaac was leaving the room to go to his room with a slam of the door but Joshua was at her side with a smile.

“Let’s go check on your new training partner,” he said ushering her to the door.

Max kept the smile on her face as Joshua opened the door and they both walked in to the battered boy’s room. This was a chance for her to get better for her father and Lydecker and for her to learn about where she came from and others like her. She couldn’t wait to get started.

Enjoy