69Okay, again, mad props to my totally awsome beta - Insane Troll Logic. She kicked me in the ass for my original version of this chapter and I made some changes. (That's what took the majority of the time.) We both agree, it still is pretty sucky, but I need to get on with the next few chaps I have planned out, and this is just flat out driving me nuts. So my apologies up front that this chapter isn't as good as I wanted it to be. Please do not hold Insane Troll Logic responsible for the suckiness. She helped me get it this good, and trust me it wasn't anywhere near this good before.
jgrisham - Okay, I need to add some tension to the story. If Max says that there is nothing going on between her and Alec I'm left without Logan's next couple of pieces. It will all play out. Unfortunatly I do need to do a little season 2 recap, but hopefully this is gonna go the direction I want it to after this chapter. Bling is a good character, but due to all of the other problems I'm having getting this story done at this time, he's probably not going to show up. Sorry - I'm having major multiple personality issues, and I'm ready for the psyc ward! I know that you'll have a lot of wants and this chap does suck, so I'm sorry in advance, but like I said, I just needed to get the info out in this chap so I can continue on with the the next few before I throw the story out all together.
dutch - Thank you for the encouragement. I'm working on the cure part as you will see in this chap. It's just going to take a few chaps to get there. I really hope you like Logan's thoughts in this piece.
dgurisko2001 - Thank you so much for understanding where I was going with that. I was thinking about using another character, but at this point Max and Alec have such a wonderful developing friendship that it is easy to see the wrong thing. That's what I needed from Logan. Don't worry, Logan's not about to roll over!
Beth - Thanks for your support. I promise I'm not trying to rehash season 2, I needed tension and some reason for Logan to do a lot of self examination. Besides, who says that the virus will be around forever! I really loved Alec's character and I felt that he and Max were like a few of my friends and myself. It's just a closeness. Tough to describe if you haven't been there. Please don't let this chap scare you away, I promise better soon.
Mari83 - You are so sweet. I know I'm mean about the whole M/A thing, but I needed the drama. I sure hope I do this a lot better then Season 2. That's a big goal of mine. The virus is there, but I also needed a hurdle for Logan to jump emotionally. I have to apologize that this isn't the best chapter. I really hope that the next one will make up for that. The flash back of Elliot Bay just seemed so perfect at the time. I needed Logan to remember that emotion, as you will soon see. I totally agree about the Alec being kinda like a S1 Max. I hope I haven't made his character too different though. Let me know!
Okay one last note - Like I said earlier, I was having an identity crisis trying to write this chapter. I'm not to keen on bringing Bling back into the picture at this point. My story though, so rules are subject to me breaking them with a 5 pound sledgehammer at any moment. I live outside the box and love putting my toes across any line so who knows who I'll use or why!
After about 10 min of research I was finally able to come up with the guy who created the virus's name! Woo Hoo go me!
Chapter 7 Transitions and Decisions
The noise in the bar was irksome to her sensitive hearing, but she adjusted to it. After all, her favorite man wanted to be here tonight, and she was happy to oblige even if would sleep through most of it.
Mia smiled slightly as Dougie snorted and almost woke himself up for a moment. She scanned the patrons and noticed the various array of men and women that seemed to seek this place for the atmosphere. It was bordering on loud and dark, but the bar served some of the best mixed drinks you'd find this side of the border.
As she was perusing the cliental she saw a familiar face a few tables over that caused her to do a double take.
A chill ran down her spine.
He was Manticore.
His name was Engel.
He was a scientist who did a lot of work in the genetics labs. She had met him a few brief times. His being here could not bode well for herself or her fellow transgenics.
She honed her hearing into Engle's conversation. She cast occasional glances at the pair pretending to be appreciating his table mate's, a darker skinned and well toned man's, good looks.
"I knew you wouldn't be able to resist a genetic challenge, even if I only have access to the local college lab." Engel's partner exclaimed.
Engel shot the man a knowing look. "Jon, I've only been out of the business for a few months, besides, you know a challenge like this is too enticing not to check out."
Jon just grinned in return. "My source says she's never seen a virus like this. She's done some undergraduate studies in Microbiology, but this is no where near her league."
"I'll definitely take a look at it for you, but I really do need to lay low." Engel leaned in across the table and dropped his voice, "They aren't the only ones looking for me anymore."
"Engel, my man, what have you gotten yourself into now?" Jon asked and shook his head.
"There are other people looking to utilize my talents. What can I say? I'm in demand." Engel forced a laugh.
"I have the stuff back at the lab. If you want, we can go take a look tonight." Jon said in a soft voice. He glanced side to side and noticed Mia's appreciative gaze. She offered a flirty smile before returning her eyes to her table.
"Sounds good, let's get going." Engle stood up and threw some money down on the table.
"Whatcha looking at Mi?" Dougie's voice broke her trance-like state.
She gave him a quick smile, "Not much. C'mon baby, let's get going. You look exhausted."
Joshua's door wasn't usually this intimidating. Today, however, Alec felt like he was facing a giant wall of indecision. All he wanted to do was crash on the sofa and watch TV. That would be fine if he lived alone. His apartment was lost, no thanks to his evil twin, Ben. The cops had raided it and destroyed/looted most everything he had. Now he was living with a love sick puppy, literally.
He knew it was cruel punishment to leave Max alone with Logan. He couldn't help himself. It was payback for telling Joshua that he was going to have a roommate from now on. She just didn't know about Joshua's love interest. She was too wrapped up in her and Logan's saga to notice much else these days.
Lately he felt like he was Max's go to man for everything bad. Max had a problem with Logan; she took it out on him. Max was frustrated; she took it out on him. Hell, he didn't know why he took as much shit from Max as he did, but he couldn't seem to distance himself too much from her. She was like the sun, a very dark sun but a sun none the less; he seemed to be caught in her orbit like everyone else the girl had in her life.
Like he told Logan before, the girl is hot, but he wasn't going to get any from her. So why was he wasting his time? The plain truth was there, he just didn't want to see it. He looked up to her and even though he would never say it, she was one of his guides to becoming a better person.
He had silently berated himself when he found out Logan was really sick and had almost died. He was being impetuous and Original Cindy threatened to kick his ass if he didn't get his head out of it. That was one Ordinary that he believed might be able to. She was right though. He had been mad at Asha and taken out his relationship problems on Max. His problems keeping a relationship were constantly a sore subject. Maybe Max was right, she lit up in happiness or anger every time she talked about Logan, and either emotion was equated with passion.
He made his decision. His attitude was going to change, and he was going to help Max and Logan get their happy ending. White and his cronies be damned.
He shook his head and realized that he was standing in front of the door to the house for several minutes while contemplating his life's course. A smile crossed his face as he realized the odd place to have a revelation, but smiled as he entered the house to greet Joshua.
"Yeah," Max's eyes looked straight into Logan's, as though daring him to contradict her, "Me and Alec." Logan saw the almost guilty look pass rapidly over her face before it was covered with her stalwart mask once again.
"I know it's really none of my business," Logan said trying to cover his disappointment at Max's words. "I know we're friends, but I'm sure you don't tell me everything."
"No, Logan. Its fine," Max said quickly. "I'm not trying to hide anything."
"I know Max." Logan's voice held a slightly defeated tone. "Like I said, it's really none of my business."
Max made some excuse to leave the room, but Logan wasn't really listening. He was focused on the almost physical pain he felt at Max's words. He didn't know why. Did he love her? Was there more then what she was telling him?
He could see a guilty look pass through her eyes when he asked about Alec. He didn't know why she would feel guilty if there was nothing to hide or things had been as copasetic as she emphasized over the past few days. He felt like he wasn't getting the whole truth.
His rational mind kicked in quickly and condemned him though. He was wheelchair bound, and bound to be more of a liability to her. He still had a hard time conceiving why a genetically enhanced human would want anything to do with him. Some part of his brain that was still Logan Cale, and not the depreciated man in the wheelchair, kicked in and said he had this niggling feeling that his attraction to her was there for a reason.
The flash had been nothing more then him and Max on the beach. He was looking into her dark eyes. He hadn't been seated in the wheelchair looking up at her gorgeous face. He was standing and felt like he was only seconds away from tasting her lips.
The memory of the feeling he had in his legs only moments ago brought a new thought to his mind. What if he could stand again? What if there was a way for him to look down into her deep brown eyes? She had seemed to look up at him with an unveiled look. She almost always seemed to have a mask in place. He wanted to see that unmasked look again. Was it because he was standing? Would he be able to be more of the man she needed? The feelings for her were so strong, and he wanted to know what they meant. The more his mind thought of it, the more intent the idea became. There were feelings dancing around the edges of his mind, but every time he tried to grasp for them they retreated into the darkness.
Logan tried to clear his head and focused on the things Max had told him about the Familiars. He'd listened as she expanded on a few more details and pointed out some of the files he was storing research in. His mind kept wandering back to the idea of walking, and how he was going to accomplish it.
He regretted not remembering the man named Bling that Max and Beverly seemed quite fond of. Max talked at length yesterday about him. When he asked what happened to him, she said something about Bling meeting a wonderful woman around the same time Logan had gotten the exo. Bling and his now fiancée were expecting a child. She lamented the fact that it wouldn't do any good for Logan to call him until he remembered who Bling was. Logan had simply asked why she didn't call him and got a strange look.
"Logan," Max's voice called from the doorway to the office.
He noticed it had been close to fifteen minutes that he had been thinking and randomly searching through files. "Time to go, huh?" his voice was slightly downtrodden. He felt like a dog being asked to do tricks when he was at therapy. This was a major source of amusement for Max.
"If you're a good boy I'll give you a biscuit." She was definitely milking that joke for all it was worth. "I also want to ask the guy about you getting started with the exo soon, while we're there."
Logan turned and for the first time all day felt a true smile cross his face.
Please forgive me for the roughness of the chapter. I promise to try really hard to have the next one make up for it! Please R&R if you have a heart :)