Escape and Evade

Chapter 6



Max ran...ran as far and as fast as she could through the thick forest. She couldn't stop or what just happened would catch up with her. Every muscle in her body screamed for her to stop but she kept running. Her head began to throb with pain from the stress she was putting on her body and she fell to the ground from a full out run. She grabbed her head and cried out in pain her screams echoing through the woods. Her sobs racked her body violently as she moved herself into a kneeling position.



She couldn't believe she left him behind. She couldn't believe she left him for White, but she couldn't bring herself to do to him what she did to Ben.



Ben...Alec..





Now, only a year later she was in the same situation with Alec. Being chased by people wanting to kill or capture them with Alec being injured to where he couldn't walk on his own. White's men were catching up to them and they had to make a choice. Someone had to stay behind and Alec chose himself to save her. They were tracking his blood trail so as long as he was with her they could track them. Alec told her to leave him behind but Max didn't want to hear it. In the end at the last possible moment she made her decision to leave him behind, but swore to him she would come back for him.



She stood from the ground with unsteady legs. Earlier, as she and Alec were climbing out of the whole she fell into she removed the brace that he put on her. Her leg was badly bruised but it wasn't broken like Alec thought, and the aching was starting to catch up with her along with her head. She listened to see if they were following her and didn't hear anything but the usual sounds in the forest. That's when she noticed it was raining. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back letting the rain fall down her beautiful features. She ran her hands through her hair and leaned her head forward again and started walk again. She took a couple of steps and turned to look behind her.

"I will come back for you Alec, " she turned and ran away towards the city.



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"Where the hell are they Logan!" Original Cindy yelled as she paced his apartment at Foggle Towers.



Logan clenched his jaw and took a deep breath. He looked to Asha as she walked back into the room. She'd been on the phone with a couple of her informants about Max and Alec. They'd been missing since the night before and it was early morning and no word from either of them.



"Anything?" he asked hopefully.



Asha shook her head, "Nothing, none of my informants have heard anything on them. Good thing is no military convoys have came or left the area that Max and Alec were last seen in so..." she trailed off knowing it wouldn't help matters any.



"Maybe they just havin to lay low till the coast is clear, " Original Cindy said trying to put some light into the situation.



"Could be, but I think they would've found some way of contacting us by now, " Logan said shattering Original Cindy's hopes.



Original Cindy slumped against the wall in defeat. She hoped nothing had happened to Max or even Alec. It was supposed to be an in and out mission and Max and Alec would've been home in time for Crash. Apparently, something went wrong.



"Maybe they are just laying low Logan. Alec's cell phone could've went dead and they've got no other way of reachus, us, " Asha said trying to help matters with some hope.



Original Cindy couldn't take it anymore, "Or maybe Logan sendin Max on a supposed 'full proof' mission blew up in her face and she got herself captured."



"Cindy..." Logan was cut off by Original Cindy. "...I don't want to hear it Logan. It amazes me how you send Max on these dangerous missions over and over again without thinkin. Yeah, Max is a revved up female but she still human Logan and even she can get hurt or worse die!"



Logan and Original Cindy just stared at one another until Original Cindy sighed, "I'm sorry, look...I'm gonna go if if Joshua's heard anything." She grabbed her coat and left without another word.



Asha took a deep breath and let it out crossing her arms over her chest, "Don't let it get to you Logan. She was just venting...she's just as worried about them as you are."



"But she's right, " he said plainly. "I put Max's life at risk every tI asI ask her to do an assignment."



Asha walked closer to him, "She's got Alec to help her now..." she was cut off.



"...Alec's with her now Asha...and we haven't heard from them. What does that tell you?" he asked getting irritated.



Asha looked at him closely, "What is this really about Logan? I know you're worried but what else is bothe you you?"



Logan sighed closing his eyes, "Nothing is bothering me Asha I'm just worried about Max."



Asha shook her head, "I can't believe you, at a time like this you're worried about her being with Alec."



"No I'm not, " he said getting upset.



"Well what do you expect Logan? Alec is someone she can confide in someone who can truly understand what she's been through in her life and you...you never try to look at what you got right in front of you, " she rambled upset.



Logan just stared at her. "What are you saying Asha?"



Asha was upset, with herself most of all. After all this time she'd kept her mouth shut so Max and Logan could try to find some happiness, but she couldn't hold her feelings in anymore. "I'm saying the whole time Max was back at Manticore I was here for you and you couldn't see me...me."



Logan's face fell into a sad expression. He stepped forward and hugged her, "I'm sorry Asha I...I..." He didn't know what to say. He was so consumed with getting back at Manticore for killing Max he didn't have time for anything else.



Asha pulled away from him and wiped the tears that had fallen down her face. "No, I'm sorry I shouldn't have gone off like that. Not at a time like this and...I know how much you love her and much you want to get this virus cured so you can. It was selfish of me to do this, " she reached for her things but Logan stopped her.



"Asha don't go, " he said grabbing her arm.



She stopped and looked am, \m, "Logan don't...please...I couldn't handle it. I know you don't feel for me the way I feel for you so...lets not go into it okay."



"Asha..." he pulled her to him until they were only an inch away from kissing. They were snatched out of there moment when the elevator doors opened. They instantly pulled away from one another and Max stumbled into view.



"Al...ec..." Max croaked out before she fell to the floor and passed out.



"Max!" Logan yelled running over to her.



Asha followed closely behind and kneeled down next to her to examine her injuries. "Check the elevator for Alec. He might've passed out before they got here."



Hesitantly, Logan stood and went to the elevator and pushed the button to open it. The doors opened fully and no Alec.



"He's not in here, " Logan said coming back to stand over Max and Asha. "Is she okay?" he asked worried.



"I think she took a fall. She's got a nasty bump on her head and a severely bruised thigh, and she's lost a lot of blood, " she looked up at Logan sorrowfully.



"What the hell went wrong?" he asked himself.



"And where's Alec?" Asha asked in wonder.



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Alec stirred fsleesleep as he heard voices around him. Slowly, he opened his eyes, which he regretted immediately because of the bright light in the room. He blinked a couple of times to clear his blurry vision. He could tell there were two people standing in front of him but he couldn't make either of them out. Finally, his vision cleared and he saw the two people in front of him.



"Nice to see you're finally awake 494, " White said wng ang around Alec.



Alec took in his surroundings and noticed he was chained to the ceiling completely nude.



"Hope you had a nice nap, " White said coming to a stop in front of Alec.



Alec shrugged as best he could considering his position, "I could've slept longer, but that's the thing with tranquilizers...can't keep a good transgenic down."



White snorted, "You think you and your fellow transgenics are so perfect...your nothing! Filth is what you are, including 452."



"Then why do you want her so bad?" Alec said angrily.



"It's not important, " White said.



"Why is she so important to you?" Alec wanted to know once and for all why White and his superiors wanted her.



"The only thing you need to know is that you're the bait. It's a weakness I've noticed in 452. Whenever one of her fellow transgenics gets themselves in trouble she's got to come to the rescue, and I know she'll come for you, " White said pacing back and forth in front of Alec.



Alec laughed, "You don't know her as well as you think you do."



White stopped with his back turned away from Alec. "Tell me about her, " he asked curiously.



"I'm not going to tell you anything, " Alec said bluntly. He would not betray his kind or Max ever again. The anguish on her face when she found out he'd been killing transgenics to save his own ass was too much for him he couldn't bare to see her that way again. At least she was far away from White and safe. Who cared if White killed him no one cared about him anyway.



White turned and slowly started to pace until he came to a stop in front of Alec. "Tell me something, why were you and 452 assigned as breeding partner?"



"How the hell should I know. Maybe they thought the kids would look good. Brown hair...blue eyes..." Alec trailed with a smirk on his face.



"Or maybe it had something to do with your genetics, " White snapped his fingers and Otto gave him a folder out of his briefcase. White opened the folder and thumbed through it. "Says here that you and 452 were genetically perfect for one another." White looked up from the folder, "s its it was to have perfect kids." He closed the folder and walked till he stood in front of Alec. "I'll be back in a few hours, and then I hope you'll be in more of a mood to talk...for your sake."



He turned and motioned for his assistant Otto to follow him out. "Catch you later 494, " White said as he and Otto exited the cell. The door shut and locked.



Alec swallowed the lump in his throat and closed his eyes. Don't come back here Max, please.