Dysfunctional -- Chapter 23

Disclaimer: The TV show Dark Angel, all of the characters that appeared on it (Alec, Biggs, Renfro, etc.), and everything else that has to do with the show belong to their respective owners, not to me. No money is being made off of this fic. I only own the original characters (X5-121, etc.).

One year and four months later…

“Come on, people, let’s pick up the pace,” 494 called out over his shoulder to the rest of his unit as he led them through the facility. “If we don’t hurry it up, not only will we be late for our time at the firing range, but those X6s behind us will be running us over.” He heard snickers from 511 and 121 and grinned.

“Who gives a shit about the little brats?” 786 said disgustedly. “Can we just shut up and keep going?”

“Keep it down, 786,” 511 instructed.

They were silent for a few moments. “I hope we’re going to use automatic weapons today,” 237 said. He cracked his knuckles and gave a rare smile.

“If that’s what you choose to practice with today, then that’s what you’ll use,” 494 told his teammate as he pushed open the doors leading to the courtyard. “It’s pretty much a free session there today. We’re just supposed to spend the hour we’ve been allotted there to just practice with whatever gun or guns that we want.”

“Good. I need some more work with that new pistol,” 121 declared.

“It looks like the overgrown idiot might just not be good at every single thing after all,” 786 remarked.

121 snorted. “Gee, somebody’s still in a bad mood because I beat your time by seven full seconds when we went head-to-head on the obstacle course this morning. Have you ever heard of Prozac, 786? I heard that it helps people like you.”

“Whatever, bitch,” 786 said dismissively.

121 stopped and turned around to face 786. “Excuse me? Have you ever heard about going through an entire day without calling me a bitch for once in your life? I know you’re a genius so it’s not out of your capabilities.”

“Oh, brother, don’t let this happen,” 511 mumbled when he and 494 stopped and turned around. He glanced at 494, who nodded in agreement.

“Don’t blame me if I just call them like I see them, 121,” 786 replied sweetly.

“Hey, if you want to talk about calling them like I see them, then I’m surprised that your legs aren’t stuck about a mile apart from each other,” 121 retorted. “I mean, they’re spread wide out so damn much of the time I wouldn’t be surprised if that happened to you one of these days.”

“And just what the hell is that supposed to mean?” 786 snapped.

“121, don’t say anything. Just let it go,” 494 half ordered, half begged. 121 nodded to him and turned around, still obviously angry at 786, but 786 wasn’t happy about that and before anybody could react, she yanked 121 around and then slapped her across the face. There was a collective gasp from the transgenics in the area and before 494 or 511 could stop her, 121 lunged for 786 and they started to fight.

“That’s it, you two! Break it up this instant!” 494 ordered. He tried to grab for one of the two struggling women, but had to quickly back up in order to avoid getting an elbow in the face. “I mean it! Stop right now!”

“Oh, fuck you,” 786 snapped. 121 took advantage of the lapse in concentration on her part and punched her in the face. 786 shrieked and belted 121 in the stomach and the two of them continued at it.

“Stand down now!” The order had as much of an effect coming from 511 as it had from 494. 511 also tried to grab 121, but he had to duck to avoid an attempted slap by 786. “121, 786, I am warning both of you…” He heard snickers from several of his unit mates and turned around and glared at them. “Your encouragement of this is not needed, not wanted, and very highly discouraged. Am I making myself clear?” He thought he heard a few of them mumble ‘yes, sir,’ but he was already trying again to break up the two cat-fighting X5s. Finally, a few minutes later, he got a break when 121 hit 786 hard enough to send 786 stumbling back a few feet. He quickly got in and wrapped his arms around 121’s waist and held her back. 494 did the same for 786.

“That’s enough,” 494 said firmly. “I hope that the two of you have gotten out whatever issues you might have had.” Like they’re really done, but hey! A guy’s gotta dream. He looked around and noted with some surprise that none of the guards had made any sort of moves to break up the fight, though at least two of the guards in the area were giving 121 dirty looks. He mentally shrugged and let go of 786 and looked her right in the eye. “I’m in a good mood so I’m not going to send you to the brig for this, but I want you to completely ignore 121 for the rest of the day. Ignoring her for tomorrow would be nice, too. One peep out of either of you and you guys will be spending quality time in the brig. Are we clear on this?”

“Yes, sir,” 121 apologized. She sounded sincere.

786, predictably, was far from apologetic. “Yes, sir,” she hissed. She turned around in a huff and stared angrily at the unit of X6s who had been behind Unit 3. Most of them looked nervous and had averted their eyes. 786 walked right up to the blond girl who was third in the line of younger soldiers. “What the fuck are you looking at, you little moron?”

The girl just stared at her coolly. “The same thing that everybody else was,” she replied, her tone of voice matching the look in her eyes. 786 narrowed her eyes and tried to slap the X6, but the girl blocked it and held 786’s hand for a moment before letting go and following the first two X6s in the line away from the courtyard.

“786, don’t pick on the X6s,” 511 warned. “Come on, people, let’s fall in line and get our butts to the indoor firing range. We still might have a chance to be on time for our time over there if we hurry up.”

“We probably won’t,” 295 whined as they fell back in line and continued on their way.

“Don’t worry about it, 295,” 494 assured him. He grinned, though nobody else could see it. “If we aren’t on time, I’ll take care of it.”

“Gonna use the 494 charm, huh?” 121 teased.

“Of course,” 494 said. They managed to get to the firing range without any other incidents and they were even still on time. 494 held his hand out and stopped 121 as the rest of the unit filed into the range. He looked at her, clearly concerned. “Why did you lose it like that with 786 in the courtyard?”

121 sighed. “I shouldn’t have retaliated like that. I mean, you were there. I was going to let it go when you told me to, but then the bitch had to go and hit me and I just couldn’t take it.” She looked down for a moment. “That isn’t an excuse for how I behaved, though. I still should have let it slide.” She blew her breath out angrily. “Still, she gets me so damn mad sometimes that I just want to wring her neck.”

“You’re preaching to the choir, 121,” 494 noted. “Look, try not to do that again, okay? The next time that 786 tries to provoke you, try to ignore it and don’t dignify her with a response.”

“Okay,” 121 said. She smirked. “Dad.”

494 laughed. “Yeah, I was getting a little preachy, wasn’t I?”

“I never knew you had that in you,” 121 agreed. She also laughed a little.

“I’ve got lots of different side to me,” 494 remarked. He smiled. “Come on. Let’s show them how to shoot guns.”

“I hear that,” 121 said. They went inside the range and joined their teammates.

TBC