Graceful Soldier
Chapter Two: The Signs
"Well," Logan Cale murmured, his handsome face transpiring into curiosity, as his blue eyes signaled just the smallest amount of hope. "We know that our dead guy's name is Samuel T. Harrington, and that he's apparently a resident of New York state. We can only assume whether or not he was well known in these parts, but in this case, I'm guessing it doesn't really matter." He gently laid down the pen he held within his grasp, pushing the white sheet of paper towards the middle of the table, as he haphazardly tossed his coat to the far side of the booth, gazing about the restaurant with a rather exhausted appeal.
Max Guevara sighed, moving in a bit closer to him. "Yeah, and all things considered, his vitals still aren't telling us anything of epic proportion. I mean, we've got zilch on this guy, no matter how you look at it. He was forty-four, five-ten, had a somewhat flattering driver's license photo, and obviously lacked a brain if he was stupid enough to get himself killed. Not a whole hell of a lot to go on here. He had a few credit cards past their expiration dates, and little to no cash on him."
"And you guys think this Harrington guy is connected to Sandeman," Alec interjected, raising a brow, as he shot them the faintest of smirks. "Hate to break it to you, but the only thing they probably have in common is a painful death. Granted, I'm not entirely jumping off the bandwagon here, but there's a lot to be said for subtlety these days. I don't think you two are getting the bigger picture here."
Logan merely shoved the piece of paper towards the X5, neatly crossing his arms over his chest. "Well, why don't you enlighten us then."
"Okay, look, don't you get it? Yeah, this doesn't involve us, and yeah...it bears a slight similarity to Manticore. And sure, that's all fine and dandy. But we're still in danger, regardless of what Sammy here can't tell us. I mean, in case you're still waking up and smelling a rather brutal case of murder, it doesn't change the fact that we've still got a kid who saw the whole thing."
Max lifted a glass of water to her lips, taking a sip, before she gently set it down to her right, calmly folding her hands in front of her, her mouth situated in a tense line. "Nobody's asking you to stay here, Alec. And if it's all the same to you, kids don't usually baby-sit kids." She shot him a wink, tilting her head. "But given the circumstances, and how they're not exactly working in our favor as of late, she's all we've got to go on to identify these creeps. So whether you like it or not, I'm afraid you're looking after her tonight."
"You can't do this to me," he hissed. "I have...we have priorities at stake here."
"Priorities, really?"
"Yeah, and she's only going to put us further behind schedule," he retorted.
"Funny, I didn't know you had one," Logan quipped, gently pulling his glasses from the bridge of his nose, as he carefully set them down on the marble surface, tiredly rubbing at his eyes. "But clearly you can't honestly think you're going to get through this by sitting on your ass."
"Heh. Yeah, strange you should mention that. If it's between me and the kid, I figure maybe I oughta just let you guys have her, and split. But because I'm such a caring and well respected citizen-"
"I'm sorry, did you say something?" Max returned.
"C'mon, Maxie."
"Listen," she added, "if it were up to me, I'd have left you back in Seattle. But since I'm such a nice and caring citizen who wants to do her part to uphold the law, I'm stuck with you. I'm running this operation, and you're not. Get used to it."
"So you're saying it's not a coincidence that you forgot to give me cash?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Look, kids and me? We don't mix, all right? It's not that I'm not- could you just cut me some slack here?"
"Easier said than done," she assured him. "Seriously though, it can't hurt us. Far be it for me to refuse her when I'm probably the only hope she's got. She doesn't have any family, Alec. She may be a little annoying, but she also doesn't know the truth about us, and I'd like to keep it that way."
"Yeah, that'll work," he drawled. "Hate to break it to you, Max, but I think Joshua's dog-face was a dead giveaway. The big guy isn't exactly one of us, if you're still all too aware of the obvious."
"It was dark. She probably didn’t see much of anything."
"Max-"
"Why put her at a greater risk?"
"I don't think you understand what I'm telling you."
"Joshua's harmless. She doesn't know anything about the X5's, she's never heard of transgenics, and I don't-"
"Which is exactly why we should send her packing," he protested, throwing out his hands to her in a gesture of defeat. "Like she's really gonna know the difference."
"She can and she will," Max confirmed, her brown eyes narrowing. "I'm not going to bail on her now, Alec. End of story. You can think whatever you want to, but I'm not leaving her by herself."
"Even if it means getting our butts beaten in the process? I nearly got mine kicked sky high by the Phalanx, so pardon me if I have trouble accepting the fact that we're just sending ourselves into battle again, no questions asked. I knew you liked a challenge, but I didn't know you were dumb enough to trust a spoiled little brat."
"Yeah, and if you're through here, I'd like a moment alone with Max," Logan spoke up, shooting him a perturbed glare.
His green eyes widening, he held out a firm hand. "Hey, fine by me, all right? But don't say I didn't warn you. We're better off without her, Max, and you know it."
She watched him slide out from the comfort of the booth, walk to the front of the diner, and roughly push the glass doors aside. His tall frame rounded the corner with a look of mild annoyance, as he offered a prolonged glare at the young girl tucked away in the car, her eyes shut with sleep. Turning back to Logan, she reached for the fork that sat on the napkin next to her, calmly digging into the cherry pie that had remained untouched for the duration of their time in the deserted space, save for an elderly man who sat sipping coffee on a stool at the counter, a tattered ball cap shading his profile from view. A young waitress with red hair and freckles was making the rounds at each of the tables, cleaning up what was left of previous customers and their common inability to pick up after themselves. She chewed thoughtfully, looking up at him with a tired grin. "So what's up?"
"It seems our Mr. Harrington left behind another clue," he told her, a smile touching his lips.
She quickly dabbed at her mouth with a napkin. "Aw, and Alec's gonna be devastated he didn't stick around to hear it."
He laughed, his fingers eagerly pushing a slightly crumpled business card towards her, the fancy black font somewhat blurred in spots. "This was in his jacket pocket. It doesn't exactly involve a missing friend, but it does involve what appears to be a location just south of here- a building I remember getting word on was shut down about a year ago for...my guess? Illegal research that wasn't exactly entirely funded by our dear old government. I never knew the specifics, but something's telling me they're definitely not Manticore. In fact, I'd almost be willing to bet my life on it."
"Strong accusation," she murmured, shooting him a wink.
"Speak for yourself," he gently teased.
"So someone was rivaling Lydecker right under his nose," she commented, clearly impressed. "I mean, besides that Renfro bitch, right? What's the name of the facility?"
"Yeah. Now I hope you're not going to be rash about this, because just in case you need me to refresh your memory, it's not exactly the kind of thing you want to rush into and investigate without backup. We're clear on that, right?"
"That depends. Now what's the name?"
"Max."
"Are you gonna tell me the name or not?" she pressed.
"Half of its smudged on the card," he added smugly, raising a sarcastic eyebrow. "So unless you're planning on promising me you'll sit tight until morning, I can't exactly promise you I've got a name."
"Cheap shot," she muttered dejectedly, sighing.
"Look, I almost lost you once," he told her, his voice softening, his face lending itself to great emotion, as his blue eyes gently pleaded with hers. The fingers on his right hand curled slightly, as he began to turn them in and out of his palm, a dozen different possibilities occurring to him in his head. He wanted her. No. He needed her. He'd grown to need to her, to depend on her. She'd unknowingly done her part to keep him whole since the day he'd met her, and he wasn't about to let that slip beyond his reach a second time. "The night you and Zack went off to find Tinga, I remember telling you we'd have all the time in the world. I sat there, and I truly believed it. I really thought you'd get in, get her, and be back out. We'd pick up right where we left off, and everybody would be safe." His voice trailed off somewhat, pausing a moment. "But the truth of it is, no one does. This isn't something I'm going to let you do by yourself. You can paint that any which way you want. We've seen what we've seen, we know a lot more than we did before, and I hate to break this to you, but we're still doing it together," he repeated.
"Yeah, and I thought we were clear on this whole bailing thing," she sided, shooting him a quick grin.
"Adrastos," he finished.
"As in the name from Greek Mythology?"
"You know it?"
"Not it. Him. Adrastos was one of the three kings of Argos. The son of Talaus. The kind of guy legends are made of," she explained. "It means 'he who stands his ground.' He died from the woes of grief, but not before he helped put together the Seven Against Thebes."
Logan just stared at her, his eyebrows winging up in pleasant surprise, as his mouth formed a slow smile. "Okay, is there anything you don't know?"
"The way I see it, you're probably right. There's no direct link to Manticore. But if we actually found out what used to go on there, we might be able to get somewhere with this thing. Was Harrington an employee at Adrastos?"
"Hard to say," he confirmed. "I'll do more research on it when we get settled. It might also tell us if he had any family members within the vicinity. We could talk to them, find-"
"Okay, your husband, boyfriend, brother, or son works for a top secret facility out in who knows where, and they're suddenly going to talk freely about it and spill the beans? Somehow I don't think so, because one dead person becomes two dead people."
"Yeah, but unless we get someone who was there firsthand, alive and well, I'm afraid we're going to have to settle for seconds."
"Think they'll ever find his body?"
"Maybe somebody's already tipped the cops off," he suggested, fishing out a few bills, as he gently set them on the table, his eyes briefly settling on the check that had lain dormant during the course of their stay. Grabbing his coat, he proceeded to follow her out of the booth, carefully tucking away the white sheet of paper into the back pocket of his pants.
"We probably should have phoned it in or something. But if the guy was a major dirtbag, I'm not really seeing a point."
He shook his head. "Not to mention the fact that it would only lead them right to us."
"Logan, there's nobody here. Whoever did it up and left, and they're probably already miles from the crime scene by now."
"Guys like that don't usually leave without a good reason," he countered. "If Chase is actually involved in their misfortunes, it would prob-"
"Yeah, and that's a little too much for me to handle at the moment, so first things first."
"Then let me ask you something else."
"Shoot," she urged, immediately giving him her full attention once again.
"You really think it's a good idea to let Alec watch Jess?"
"Oh, wow. You know, I was just thinking that this is exactly what I wanted to talk about." Her tone was fairly evident, and while she could tell it had somewhat wounded him, she wasn't about to get into a debate on the topic, much less about a fellow X5 she was all too happy to be rid of for the time being.
"He's not exactly the poster boy for responsibility, Max, and that girl needs looking out for. Somehow I doubt he's willing to give it his best shot."
"The way I figure it, he needs a challenge," she offered simply, shrugging. She turned around, throwing one last glance at the table and the cash, curiously tilting her head. "You got that okay?"
He nodded. "For a genetically engineered girl who prides herself on not breaking a sweat, you sure had some inexpensive taste today."
She laughed. "Chalk it up to the craziness."
"Yeah, we've certainly had enough of that to last us a lifetime."
"You folks have a great night now!" the young waitress called out, as she entered the kitchen, her hands consumed with a tub of dirty dishes, an equally dirty dishcloth draped over her left shoulder. The double doors swung shut behind her, as she skirted through the crowded confines inside, setting down the contents with a surprisingly loud thud. "Try not to stay out too late!"
"Why's that?" Max returned. "You guys got a boogeyman around here or something? Likes to eat little kids and that sort of thing?"
A hoarse bout of laughter was heard from within, as the woman re-emerged, her curly red hair tied up in a loose bun, her green eyes studying them with amusement. She reached for an abandoned cup at the far side of the counter, quietly shaking her head. Her nametag read "Brenda" in bold black uppercase letters, pinned on with a noticeable trace of crookedness. "Miss, the only boogeymen you'll see around here are the cops when it gets dark. Now, I figured you for tourists the minute I saw you sitting over there, and given the right amount of booze, those guys'll hassle anything within two feet this time of night."
"They give people a hard time," Logan uttered lightly.
"Yes, sir. You really don't wanna get on their bad side."
"What, you guys got a curfew or something around here?" Max put in.
"Something like that."
"Huh. Never would've figured it."
"Hey, if you can, come back in the morning. Can't beat the pancakes and eggs here. Some of the best in the city."
Logan gave a short nod, his hand coming around to guide Max, as he gingerly touched her back, steering her firmly toward the exit. She didn't hesitate for a second, allowing him to lead her out into the cold, night air, bringing her arms closer to her chest, trying her best to stay warm. "This whole section is isolated," she whispered.
"It has more life than Chase's place."
"Seriously, what was up with her? I'm getting the impression these people haven't exactly seen the finer side of civilization out here in awhile."
"She probably lives a sheltered life," he added. "Not that uncommon after the Pulse. Her job's the only thing she's got left."
"Yeah, and I really doubt they get much business out here, anyway," she commented.
"No, but when they do, I'm sure they try and make it worth their while."
"I still want to know where Adrastos fits in," she mused quietly. "I mean there have to be records, right? And if there are, you can dig them up, and this'll go a hell of a lot easier."
"Okay, sure, no problem," he added somewhat sarcastically. "And hey, while we're at it, why don-"
"What? I'm only suggesting. There's no harm in that, is there?"
"If someone wanted to cover it up, it's a good bet they're buried pretty deep," he managed.
They both stopped as they reached the car, their eyes falling over the young girl who was still resting her eyes in the backseat, her lids stirring slightly, caught up entirely in the world of dreams. They exchanged random glances, as they cautiously boarded the vehicle, being extremely careful not to wake her.
Meanwhile, the elderly man at the counter calmly sifted through his coat pocket, retrieving a rather small black cell, his face still shrouded entirely from view. He rapidly punched in a series of digits, awaiting a response on the other end of the line, as he watched the car drive off into the distance, a brief smirk filling his dark complexion. A hoarse voice combined with static soon erupted into the receiver, abrupt and very much to the point. "They're on the move," he assured it. "They know about Harrington, though I'm not sure how much. They stopped at a small diner about five miles from our location. 452 had a pie, cherry flavored. I couldn't really make out what her and the gentleman were saying, but if it's any consolation, I trust they're going to try and pursue this further. We could just have a real problem on our hands. She's still touching base with 494, but he walked out rather abruptly on their conversation, sir. Seemed pretty upset."
"Finish them," the voice retorted rather sharply.
"There's been an intervention," he added eagerly.
"Intervention?"
"Yes, sir. They...they have a young girl with them."
"X series?"
The man carelessly shrugged out of range, as he began to mindlessly toy with the crumpled wrapper of a straw someone had haphazardly left behind, twisting it nervously around his right index finger. "I don't know."
"Take the girl alive," the voice continued. "She may just be useful to us."
"But wouldn't-"
"Take her alive," came the repeated response.
"Wouldn't it make more sense to take them all alive, sir?" he tried again.
"The X series were a mistake. They've attracted the wrong attention. The kind of attention I'm not exactly willing to risk with exposure when we're so close. I trust I don't need to reiterate that fact to someone in your position."
"I'll take care of it, sir."
"Very good."
"I'll call you as soon as it's finished."
He then brushed his thumb over the button, disconnecting the call, as he proceeded to dial in yet another number, calmly setting his ball cap on the countertop. He tossed the wrapper aside, his thoughts masked in flat determination, his green eyes narrowing into the weakest of slits. The waitress passed him by again, and he nervously forced himself to avert her gaze, his mouth set in a tight line.
"Yes?" The voice appeared slightly gruff, fatigue weighing heavily on it.
"I've got good news," he told it, as he slipped off the stool, raising himself to his full height, casually slapping down a few coins onto the worn surface. Holding the phone securely to his ear with his shoulder blade, he carefully fell into a long black trench coat, nonchalantly snapping a few buttons shut, draping his free hand inside a pocket.
"You found them?"
"Mabel's Diner," he confirmed. "They left about five minutes ago, Mr. Lydecker."
"I'm on my way."
twenty minutes later "Can't have everything." Logan professed an amused smile, pulling his own bag from his shoulder, as he gently placed it down next to hers, his blue eyes meeting her troubled expression. "If it makes you feel any better, there's running water."
"Well, that just makes it all peachy, doesn't it?" she sarcastically quipped.
"Peachy?" he returned, raising a brow.
"This place puts the Yum Yuk Tree to shame," she murmured, taking it all in again. "Let's hope they've at least got cable."
He removed his laptop from underneath his free arm, carefully setting it on the only table in the room, positioned by a terribly small window with curtains consisting of a deep beige hue in color. A painting hung on the far wall, depicting what appeared to be a rather vivid sunset, surrounded by a beach full of sand and exotic blue water, the clouds hanging low in the distance. "It's New York City for you," he offered randomly, shrugging.
"Like I said, Seattle definitely had its high points- I mean, where you could find them, right? Although I can't exactly remember anything that didn't have just a little bit of shabby in it."
He laughed. "At least we'll have somewhere to sleep."
"Yeah, there's that, too."
"So, about the tattoo," he murmured. "Was that common among-"
"That's what I still don't get," she returned. "I mean if these guys were Manticore, they'd hardly go around sporting symbols for the world to see. For one, it's just too damn obvious, and two...well, it's probably the cheesiest thing I've ever heard of."
"Oh, I don't know," he offered, tossing her a sly smirk, "as opposed to having a barcode on the back of your neck?"
"Since you put it that way, I guess I'll consider myself lucky that it wasn't my choice."
"They have to embrace it," he continued. "The cause has to mean something to them, or else it really isn't a cause at all. Now, given they had some kind of connection to Adrastos, I'm figuring some of their experiments didn't exactly go as well as planned, and they've probably got a lot to answer for."
"Yeah, and it would be logical to just skip town. Save yourself the embarrassment. But if Harrington really was another disgruntled employee, we've definitely got big time stuff on our hands."
"I agree."
"In any case, I'm gonna go shower. If this place actually knows what room service is, call up for something good."
"Ah, leaving me with the hard stuff," he mused, reaching over to open the laptop, as his free hand simultaneously made a grab for the phone. "But then again, maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to celebrate, hmm?"
"Celebrate?" she called back, as she wandered into the bathroom, leaving the door open just a crack, as she quickly peeked her head out. "Logan, we found a dead guy in your friend's house. How is that cause for excitement?"
"Terminal City?" he added.
"Yeah, and we escape trouble, only to find more of it along the way. If you ask me, it's a pretty grim view of things."
"We beat the virus," he told her, throwing a hopeful smile her way. "We found each other again, Max. Maybe it's entirely selfish of me to take comfort in that right now, but I can't exactly ignore it, either."
She tossed him a smile of her own, ducking back in, as she turned on the water, shrugging carelessly out of her clothes. He was right, she realized. No matter how hesitant she was to accept it, he was right. She just hadn't exactly had any time to think it over until now. Despite the odds stacked against her, she'd managed to triumph, though her quest for answers was far from being over. She also knew it wasn't like her to get so worked up over the fact that they could finally be together. For the first time in her life, she was actually nervous over that crazy little fact that nothing stood in the way any longer. The kind of nerves she'd experienced the night they'd almost had dinner, and he'd temporarily regained the use of his legs. And yet she still couldn't get him out of her head, envisioning him on the other side of the door, probably preoccupied with his laptop, but pulling off a persona that never failed to be entirely sexy and intellectual. More importantly, here she was, still trying to pry him for information, and once again successfully dodging the issue. They'd danced around each other so many times before, and strangely...this time was different. She let the water run over her, shutting her eyes as it ran down her face, calmly tilting her head back. Yeah, she'd be okay. She didn't know the how of it, or even why, she just knew. And now she didn't have to hide anymore in telling him she completely and truly loved him.
When she was satisfied she'd put enough shampoo through her long brown hair, and had successfully used enough soap to scrub off the dirt of New York City's less fortunate streets and alleyways, she quickly shut off the water, throwing a white towel around her slender frame, stepping out onto the bare floor with her wet feet. She glanced up at herself in the small mirror, curiously noting the fatigue that had draped itself beneath both of her eyes. She used to tell Normal she never slept. But lately, it had crept up on her, invading her busy schedule like an unwanted afterthought. She sighed, running a hand through her hair, doing her best to straighten it.
A brief knock to the door startled her only vaguely, as she stepped out of the room, a hand protectively securing the towel, as she shot Logan a look.
"It's probably room service," he noted, his fingers flying across the computer keys, as he gave her a warm glance. "I called up for whatever scraps they had left in the dungeon."
She uttered a small laugh, her lips threatening to spill into a smile. "Finally," she murmured softly, as she placed a firm hand on the knob, tugging it open to the sparse hallway in front of her. "Okay, you better have something good, because I'm starv-"
"Oh, so you're working the place again?"
The voice was annoyingly familiar, as it reluctantly penetrated her train of thought. Her expression immediately turned to ice, as she stared into Alec's green eyes, her own narrowing themselves into the tiniest of slits, as she cocked her head ever so slightly. "Sorry, party's full. No more X5's allowed."
He chuckled, gently shaking his head. "Hate to break it to you, Max, but I think you forgot a little something."
"And just what would that be, Alec?"
"The girl. With you. In there." He quickly shoved Jess into view, her green eyes sleepily staring up at Max, as she absentmindedly rubbed at them with a fist. "You have a nice night now, and don't let the bed bugs bite."
"What-"
"Josh and I need our beauty sleep, and we're not going to get it with Little Miss Muffet running around, all right?"
"Joshua? You brought Joshua in here?"
"He snuck in the back. But that's beside the point. I already told you where I stood on this, and you deliberately went behind my back, and twiste-"
"Excuse me? I twisted what around?"
"You're dripping water on the carpet," he countered, throwing her an amused grin. "I think that's gonna cost you extra."
"Ugh, how low can you possibly sink?" She quickly held a hand out to him, shutting her eyes, her patience clearly towering on the brink. "Wait, you know, don't even answer that. I probably have a pretty damn good idea now, don't I?"
"Hey, you're the one who adopted her and wanted to play house."
"House?"
"Yeah, and the way things are with you and Logan now? Maybe it wouldn't hurt to see what having one is really like, if you get my drift."
She gritted her teeth. "Loud and clear, and I'd appreciate it if you'd never set foot near here again if you still value certain parts of your anatomy with your life."
"Ouch," he muttered.
"Have you ever taken responsibility for anything besides your male ego?"
"There's always a first," he added smugly.
"Where are the others?"
"Others?"
"Oh, c'mon, Alec. The others? The rest of us?"
"Gone."
"Gone?" she repeated, her eyes widening.
"I told them to meet us at the location. Now, I know it probably wasn't the smart thing to do, since we found a dead guy and all, but to be honest, Maxie? They were kind of slowing us down."
"Which would make sense if we were actually going there tomorrow, huh?"
He threw up his hands, a brow winging up in confusion. "You lost me here."
"Not that I actually owe you an explanation, but our plans have changed. We might have a lead." She tossed him a sarcastic glare. "And that's all you're going to get right now, so I suggest you go back to your room and sit on it for awhile."
"Max, wai-"
"Sorry, your time's up." She had already slammed the door shut in his face, grumbling to herself, as she yanked the towel closer yet again, adjusting it around her chest, as she stared down at the young girl, a hand proceeding to slant itself against her hip. "Look, kid. There's only one bed in this place, and I'm not about to give it up. So if you're smart, you'll take the floor."
"Max." Logan had gotten up, moving the results on his laptop out of view, as he gestured towards them, his hands clasping together in a gesture of reasoning, a beautiful smile crossing his face, as his blue eyes almost pleaded with her.
"No, Logan. I am not about to give up a nice cozy place to kick back, just because Alec suddenly decided to lease his only free bed to Joshua."
"You left me with them," Jess spoke up, her face hardening. "I mean, it's not like I mind and all, lady, but-"
"Max. For the last time, my name is Max."
"But the other guy really scares me. Alec said he was in some kind of accident, but I'm just starting to find that a little too hard to believe, you know? Nice of you to try and dump me off on him, but if it's any consolation, I'd much rather be in here with you guys. All right? I don't snore, and I promise I won't be any trouble."
"You really think you're the only kid to use that excuse?"
"Yeah, and you're not normal, either. I mean, the crazy barcode, the freaky deaky eyesight thingy? What are you?"
"I'm human," Max snapped, "just like you."
"Right," Jess uttered, "and I'm really an alien from outerspace."
"Well, stranger things have happened, haven't they?" Max concluded, as she carefully picked up her pj's, entering the bathroom, as yet another door closed without warning.
"Is she always like this?"
Logan laughed as he approached her, hands crossed over his chest, slightly tilting his head. "She's been through a lot."
"So I gathered."
"You're more than welcome to take the bed," he offered. "I'll take the floor, Max can have the small sofa over-"
"No!" a stubborn voice echoed from the bathroom.
"She'll get over it," he whispered, winking.
"What is she?" Jess beckoned again.
"Why do you ask?"
"Oh, please, like you don't know, I'm sure. She's obviously crazy about you, and you're still trying to play it all cool, repeatedly attempting to convince yourself she's just some everyday chick."
"You don't think she is," he added, studying her.
"She's like Catwoman or something, if you ask me. I just don't get what her deal is with Alec, either. My guess would be sibling rivalry though."
"Yeah, well, it's a long story."
"And I'll bet Manticore and the transgenics are, too, huh?"
"We'll save it for a rainy day," he murmured.
"Look, you're the guy with the big brains in all this, right? The computer savvy one? You seem to know an awful lot about the garbage that graces the earth."
"Something like that." He regarded her a moment, a hand propping itself beneath his elbow, as the other casually ran its fingers over his stubble, his expression suddenly filled with meaningful concentration. "Does the name Harrington ring a bell for you?"
"Is it supposed to?" she returned, clearly confused, as she dropped into the nearby tattered armchair, nonchalantly toying with her blonde mane of hair.
"It's the name of the deceased man we found at Chase's place."
"Like I said, it doesn't mean anything to me," she quickly clarified. "But hey, you know, I'm guessing it's gotta be real important if you're going to keep asking me about it."
"Oh, I am," he conceded, edging his tall frame down onto the bed across from her, "because maybe I don't think you were there by chance."
"You're kidding."
He shook his head. "You don't strike me as a girl whose spent the better part of her existence getting herself in trouble."
"Yeah, well try watching the news."
"I have," he conceded. "In fact, I've dedicated a good part of of my life in getting it out into the open."
"Points for you," she stated dryly, rolling her eyes.
"I'd like to think so."
"Okay, so you're some kind of reporter, is that it?"
"The man in the suit," he began, successfully avoiding her assumption. "Can you remember anything about him? Anything at all?"
"I didn't come here for an interrogation," she hissed.
"See, here's the thing, Jess. This is how it's going to work. You help us, and we'll try to help-"
"You," Max managed, as she emerged fully clad in the spaghetti strap top and sweatpants. "It's Logan's quid pro quo for everything. Trust me, you'll get used to it. Bathroom's all yours, by the way."
He nodded, his attention still focused on the tired, young girl. "We're the good guys here, Jess. You don't have to be afra-"
"I'm not," she uttered defensively, her gaze revealing just the faintest hint of suspicion. "I'd just like to know why you guys are leaving me out of whatever it is you're doing. And don't think I wouldn't understand, okay? I mean, to be honest, that's just crap."
"You really think you're ready for the truth?"
"Does it have to do with Manticore?" she inquired again.
"That depends."
"On what I know? Didn't I already tell you I don't know anything?"
"You obviously know I'm different," Max pointed out.
"I've heard stories, okay?"
"What kind of stories?"
"Just, you know, stuff. I mean, I always assumed people were making it up. But then I heard about all of those weird creatures that got out, and I-" she stopped for a moment, haphazardly shrugging her shoulders, as she forced a nervous chuckle.
"What'd you hear?" Max pressed, tossing the wet towel onto the bed, much to Logan's dismay.
"It doesn't matter."
"Did you follow those guys to Chase's house?" she asked her then, as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other, her bare feet sinking into the carpet.
"Why would I do that?"
"Why don't you give it a shot and tell us?" Logan prompted.
"Okay, considering what they did to that guy in there, I really don't think I'd want to be caught dead in their path," Jess mused, shooting them both a look.
"You might have still been curious," he offered.
"Maybe about the dude they were working for," she admitted, "but it has absolutely no connection to me, so why should I care?"
"If I were you, I'd start caring, because they could just turn this whole thing around and take your life," Max reiterated.
"Yeah, well, it won't help your friend," she brought up, "and it also doesn't explain why a neighborhood like that is almost empty, even post-pulse."
"She's right," Logan said softly.
"About what?" Max cut in, her mouth set in a tight line. "I honestly think we can rule out kidnapping in this case."
"Do you have a change of clothes for her?" he questioned.
She stared at him for a good minute, hopelessly wrestling with the thought in her head, before she finally decided to take a step forward, her hands slowly reaching into the confines of her duffle. She dug out a pair of worn out blue jeans and a tank top. "These might be a little too long, so you'll probably have to...trim them or something," she suggested, her tone warming up a little, as she gestured to the petite girl. "But I think the shirt should fit okay."
Jess mustered up a short smile, eagerly accepting the garments into her grasp. "Thanks," she murmured, already inspecting them with wide eyes.
"Happy to help," she sided, shrugging, as she rocked back upon the balls of her feet, shooting a quick glance at Logan.
"Hey, can I go try these on now?"
"Be my guest."
"Great. Be right back!" She lifted herself up out of the chair, disappearing into the bathroom, as the door rapidly slammed shut behind her, the lock clicking into place.
"I think you probably just made her day with those," Logan professed, his handsome face grinning from ear to ear.
"Yeah, well, that's what X5's are for, right?"
"I'm serious, Max. It probably means more to her than either of us know."
"It's just clothes," she whispered.
"It's a chance at having a normal life," he reminded her, coming closer.
"What good is a normal life, if you're constantly thinking about the parents that abandoned you? If you ask me, she's never gonna have it normal, Logan. She's with us now, and that means looking over your shoulder every chance you get."
"That might be, but I think she's doing pretty well so far."
"So we're cool about tomorrow morning?"
He studied her, as he gave a single nod, gently pulling the glasses from the bridge of his nose. "Yeah, and while I'm all for digging further into Adrastos, I really think we should see if we missed anything down by Chase."
She shrugged. "Unless he's buried under the rubble somewhere, I think we're still out of luck."
"If it's of any interest, I did manage to pull a widow out of the woodwork. It took some skills-"
"Which you have a lot of," she pointed out.
"Yes, which I have a lot of," he echoed, laughing, as he gently reached for her hand, feeling her skin against his, giving it a slight squeeze. "And it appears her deceased husband used to be an employee at the facility. He passed away about two months ago in a bad car accident near his residence in Long Island. The name's Jennings. Leo Jennings. I can't promise it'll get us what we need, but we might want to give this woman a try. Maybe her husband told her something before he died."
"Car accident, my ass," she hissed.
"Exactly. Which is why she might provide us with some valuable information if we can get in touch with her."
"If they haven't already gotten to her, too."
"It could be they didn't know she was a threat," he guessed. "He likely kept it purely confidential, and she probably never would've known the difference. It's risky, but if you're looking for someplace to start, I think this is it."
"What's the address?"
"Well, she moved after he passed on, and something tells me Witness Protection took over the case. From what I managed to uncover, I think it's only about three miles away. We could hit it on the way."
"But if she suspects we're just a bunch of loonies, she'll probably tell them we stopped by."
"Which is why," he began, shooting her another beautiful smile, "we need a good cover story."
"F.B.I.?"
"You've been hanging around Jess too long," he jokingly countered. "See, I was thinking more like a happy couple looking to move into a house across the street, settle down, maybe have a family..."
"So in other words, we need the kid."
"Might make a good impression."
"Yeah, but I'm not exactly old enough to have a twelve-year-old daughter," she pointed out, frowning.
"Okay, this is coming from someone who was entirely reckless in going to visit Hannah, not to mention having a guy who was supposedly not her boyfriend tagging along."
"Didn't I imply I didn't want to talk about that?"
"You did," he confirmed, "but just think. This might actually provide us with more on Sandeman."
"Yeah," she sided, "I guess you're right. Only I just don't buy the fact that she'll buy it."
"Max, it doesn't have to b-" He was cut off, as a sharp knock sounded at the door, a pair of knuckles coming down across it rather abruptly, the noise making a mess of his thoughts. He quickly set the glasses down on the table, shooting her one last glance, as he made his way over, his hand gripping the knob. Lightly clearing his throat, he hesitated a moment. "Who is it?"
"Room service!" the voice bellowed on the other end.
"About time," he offered, tiredly sighing, as he pulled open the wooden contraption to reveal an elderly man clothed in a crisp black and white suit, his hands gripping the cart positioned in front of him. There were several items that remained shielded from view, and he proceeded to lift the covers and reveal them, a simply frown crossing his equally simple face, his white hair eagerly plastered to one side of his head.
"There's an assortment of samples here, sir. You didn't exactly specify anything in particular, so we took it upon ourselves to include just about everything."
Logan raised his eyebrows. "It...sounds terrific," he tried, clasping both hands together.
"Very good, sir."
Max stepped forward, handing the man a series of crumpled bills, as she eyed up the food with a renewed sense of interest. "Thanks, we're good."
"Enjoy," he stated, as he pulled the door closed behind him, professing one last nod upon his exit.
"Well, they don't have taste in sheets, but they sure as hell do with food," she commented brightly. "Jess, dinner's here!"
The young girl emerged from the bathroom, clad in the new attire, her blonde hair thrown up into a loose bun. Her green eyes inspected the contents with curiosity, as she slowly approached the cart. "Looks good," she said softly.
"Take whatever you want, Logan's already paid for it."
Logan shot her a single look, an eyebrow winging up out of pure disbelief, as he went over and slung his duffel bag across his shoulder. His tall frame calmly made its way over to the presently vacant room, abruptly shutting the door behind him after he'd entered.
"He seems like an okay guy," Jess commented, shrugging. "I mean, he's kinda cryptic and all, but...I guess I sort of like him, you know?"
"Yeah, he's all right," she added, grinning.
"How'd you two meet?" she questioned then, eagerly shoving a bagel with cream cheese into her mouth, as she quickly reached for a napkin.
"Why?" Max returned, her demeanor immediately shielding herself from the question.
"Eeesh, just asking," she mumbled, rolling her eyes. "I mean, for starters, it doesn't look like he enjoys hanging with your kind of crowd."
"Define my kind of crowd," she demanded.
"Do I need to spell it out for you?"
"Listen, kid-"
"He's got money, okay? He comes from money...whatever. I can see that now."
"So?"
"So you look like you've still got too many secrets you're not sharing."
"And if we ever get chummy and actually form a friendship, maybe I'll actually think about spilling. Until then, why don't you go enjoy the view we don't have, and maybe try catching a little television, hmm?"
"I made you mad," she whispered.
"No, you didn't. It's just...you weren't suppose to get into this, okay? I've got plans, my plans, and I didn't exactly count on taking you along- I know you'll probably get in the way, but I also never would've forgiven myself if we'd left you back there. Happy now?"
She chewed thoughtfully. "Mmm...what kind of plans?"
"I'm afraid that's hush hush, too."
"Too bad," she murmured, "because every good friendship needs a place to start."
"Yeah, and I can almost guarantee you'll run straight from this room. They'll already be calling the cops on me by the time I haul ass outta here."
"For kidnapping?"
"For the truth," she concluded harshly.
"Which is?"
"We're no longer having this conversation," she retorted simply.
"Look, Max, I'm not gonna tell anybody. I mean, the only other people I know around here, besides you guys, are Joshua and Alec. And I think they already know."
"What makes you think they know what I know?"
She merely rolled her eyes at the riddle. "It's why Logan asked me about that Harrington guy. You know, the dead one? He was kind of making it like it was related to that Manticore place, and I'd still bet you know it better than anyone."
"Yeah, and Manticore is hardly the place for you, Jess, so why don't we just drop it?"
"Hey, it's your call. I just thought you might want to try confiding." She shrugged, snatching the tv remote, lazily throwing herself onto her stomach as she landed on the bed, casually flipping on the set. She found comfort in directing her full attention to the screen before her, listening as the room filled with an uncomfortable gap of irritating silence, save for the announcer’s voice.
Max just stood there, her bare foot unknowingly tapping itself across the carpet, as she crossed her arms over her chest, her mind falling into a penetrating state of helplessness. She roughly professed a sigh, as Alec's words from the diner echoed in her head, reminding her of the unpredictable responsibility she'd chosen to take on with such a young child and no family ties to speak of. She also wasn't quite sure just how much the girl knew, regardless of what she'd already tried to put together. Sooner or later, the pieces would fit, and she just didn't know if she was ready to trust someone else, let alone a stranger who just happened to pop up as soon as they'd discovered a dead body. It seemed absurd, and yet maybe a part of her was quite possibly just a little bit glad for the extra company, despite the skepticism at hand. Or maybe it was simply the strong need she felt to watch over someone so young, because no one had ever been there for her as she'd bravely tried to make her way through life after Manticore.
"Okay, I know we're living in rough times and all? But it still doesn't explain why I have to settle for dark brown cotton sheets with little blue clouds all over them." Max casually draped her duffle over the gaudy bedspread, eyeing up the flat white pillows with a look of pure disdain, as she ran a hand over the shoddy quality, her nose proceeding to crinkle in massive distaste. She unzipped the bag, dragging out a white spaghetti strap and a pair of gray sweatpants. "Too bad the penthouse suite was reserved."