Together -- Chapter 23

Disclaimer: All of the characters that appeared on the TV show Dark Angel (Max, Zack, Logan, etc.) belong to their respective owners, not to me. No money is being made off of this fic. I only own the original characters (Becky/X6-405, etc.).

"Everybody set?" Zack asked as Logan parked the van a few blocks away from the warehouse.

"Yes," Becky said, zipping up her black denim jacket. She checked the straps on the holster that she'd put on around her waist, as well as the holsters that she'd strapped to her thighs and upper arms. "Good thing this jacket's tight. Makes putting the ones on my arms on easier."

"All set," Max said.

"Good," Zack said.

"Logan, be ready to hit it when we get back," Max said.

"I will," Logan said.

"Good," Zack said. "Let's move out."

Max silently climbed up the drainpipe on the west side of the building. She reached over to check if the window was unlocked. It was, so she slid it open and swung herself onto the windowsill and into the empty office. She crept up to the door and opened it a crack and looked down past the catwalk to where the captured transgenics were. She waited a few minutes until she was sure that Zack and Becky were in position before she took a deep breath and opened the door all the way and stepped out onto the catwalk.

Becky waited until Max had slipped into her office before she looked over at Zack and nodded to him. He gave a nod back and they both started to climb, Becky up the drainpipe that Max had just climbed up and Zack up a drainpipe on the east side of the building. Becky quietly reached over and lifted up the window of her office. The agent inside immediately went over to the window to check it out, but Becky quickly poked him in the eyes, temporarily blinding him, and grabbed him around the neck, cutting off the blood to his head and rendering him unconscious. She looked over at Zack to make sure he had done the same before she shoved the agent back into the office and slipped inside. She grabbed the roll of duct tape she'd brought with her and quickly bound and gagged the agent so he wouldn't go anywhere once he'd regained consciousness and opened the door to the office a crack and waited patiently for Max's signal.

Jondy sat in her chair, carefully watching the agents and looking for any opportunity to get loose, though she knew that logically, she couldn't.

"This is some mess we're in," she said. "I think it's safe to say that we're screwed."

"Looks that way," Zane said. "As soon as that bastard gets Maxie here, we're toast."

"Lucky us," 392 said quietly.

"I'm sorry, 392," Zane said.

"Call me Suzanne," she said.

"Suzanne," he repeated. "How about you guys?"

"Maggie," 691 said.

"Kevin," 773 said.

"I'm Zane, and she's Jondy," Zane said.

"Are we gonna get out?" Kevin asked.

Jondy sighed. "I hope so. If Zack somehow found out about this, then I'd say yes."

"If 405 found out about this, then I'd say yes," Maggie said.

"405?" Jondy questioned.

"Our commanding officer," Maggie said. "She wouldn't let anything happen to us if she could help it."

"Zack's the same way," Zane said.

"You know...um...I'm sorry I let them make me think that you were the bad guys," Kevin said. Maggie and Suzanne nodded in agreement.

"It's okay," Jondy said, knowing what Kevin meant. "You were kids, too. Kids believe what grownups tell them."

"I'd say we're definitely on the same side now," Suzanne said. A noise above them got their attention. "What's going on?"

"I don't—oh, boy," Zane said. The five of them zoomed in towards the now open door of the office on the west side of the warehouse. "Max went for it."

"452," White said almost pleasantly as he walked up behind the captured transgenics. "Why don't you come down here and join the party?"

Max pretended to flinch at getting caught, then grabbed the railing and swung herself over and jumped down. "I do hate missing a good party."

"I even invited some old friends of yours," White said. "Wasn't that nice of me?"

"Your generosity makes me all warm and fuzzy inside," Max said sweetly. "Do you mind if I take them home early?"

"Sorry, 452, nobody leaves until the party is over," White said.

"I can, I will, and I'll be taking my friends with me," Max said.

"No can do," White said. "Your friends, as I'm sure you can see, are secured to their chairs and aren't going anywhere, plus I have more than enough men to take you down if you tried to leave, with or without them."

Max laughed. "Not a bad trap, White, I've got to give the devil his due."

"Thank you," White said, smirking.

"Just one problem with it," Max said, smiling. Zane and Jondy looked at each other, feeling their hopes rise. They knew that look very well.

"And what would that be?" White asked.

"I didn't come alone," Max said.

Right on cue, Zack and Becky leapt out of their offices, jumped over the railing, and began firing. Max ran over to the controls for the shackles that were holding the others and slammed the button. Immediately, they jumped up from their seats and joined Max, Zack, and Becky in the fight.

"Get them!" White ordered. "None of them leave here alive except for 452."

"Oh yeah?" Becky said, tossing the others guns and then drawing her own and firing.

"Let's get out of here," Zack yelled, waving to the front door.

"Everybody between here and the door gets wiped out," Becky yelled.

"Wouldn't that include you freaks?" White said to himself as he hid behind a crate and fired at the transgenics. He heard a scream and smiled to himself.

"No, Suzanne!" Becky yelled, seeing her sister go down. She quickly put her guns back in her holsters and picked Suzanne up. "Let's get the hell out of here!" They raced for the door with Zack and Jondy still exchanging fire with the agents.

"They're following us!" Jondy yelled.

"We'll split up," Zack said. "Max, Zane, Becky, go into the industrial park. We'll meet you at the rendezvous point."

"Got it," Max said. Becky carefully handed Suzanne to Zack and followed Max and Zane, with most of the surviving agents on their tails.

"How the hell are we gonna lose these guys?" Zane yelled.

"We've got to go rooftop to rooftop," Max said. "They're gonna have a hard time following us that way." She jumped up onto the fire escape of one building and started going up with Zane and Becky right behind her, both of them shooting back at the agents following them. The three of them jumped onto the roof and started running, easily leaping onto the next rooftop.

"It's working," Becky said as they ran. "They've fallen behind. Two of them tried to make the jump onto the second roof and they missed. The rest gave up after the third."

"Is White with them?" Max asked.

Becky shook her head. "No. The bastard would have had a bullet between his eyes if he was with them."

"Let's get back with the others," Zane said. "Max, where's the rendezvous point?"

"Follow me," Max said. They jumped off the roof and raced over to the street corner that Zack, Jondy, Maggie, Suzanne, and Kevin had just gotten to. "We lost them"

"Only three agents followed us," Jondy said. "I took out two of them and Kevin got the third."

"Let's get to the van," Zack said. He handed Suzanne back to Becky and they ran for where Logan was waiting for them in the van. Zack flung open the door and they piled in. "Move it, Cale, one of the X6s is injured."

"How does she look, Maggie?" Becky asked as she lay Suzanne down on the floor of the van.

"Not good," Maggie said, barely managing to keep the worry out of her voice. "She's lost a lot of blood." She reached for the first aid kit and opened it and removed a pair of tweezers and some tubing. She handed the tubing to Becky and Kevin. "One of you hand me a lighter so I can sterilize the tweezers so I can try to remove the bullet. Kevin and 405—"

"Becky," Becky interrupted.

"Kevin and Becky, get ready for a transfusion," Maggie finished. She grabbed the lighter that Zack tossed to her and began to sterilize the tweezers.

"No," Suzanne said weakly. "Too—too late."

"No, it's not too late," Becky said. She grabbed one of Suzanne's hands as Max leaned over to insert the tubing into Becky's other arm. "Suzanne, you're gonna be just fine. Maggie's gonna get the bullet out and Kevin and I are gonna give you some fresh blood and you're gonna be just fine. Stay with us, Suzanne."

"I want to—" Suzanne said.

"Then do," Becky said. "Maggie?"

Maggie leaned over and checked Suzanne's pulse. "Her pulse is getting weaker."

"Suzanne, stay with us. You can do it," Becky said again.

"I'm sorry," Suzanne. "I'll—I'll miss you guys."

"You won't miss us because you're not going anywhere," Becky said, fighting to keep the emotion out of her voice. She tightened her grip on Suzanne's hand as she felt Suzanne's grip weaken. "Suzanne, stay with us. Damnit, Suzanne, that's an order! Stay with us!" Becky felt her heart jump into her throat when Suzanne's grip went completely limp and her hand fell from Becky's. "Suzanne!"

Maggie immediately went to work, giving Suzanne CPR. Everybody in the van was silent for a few minutes as Maggie tried to revive her sister. Maggie felt for a pulse and shook her head. "She—she's gone." She burst into tears.

"Suzanne..." Kevin whimpered.

Becky closed her eyes and bit her lip and put and arm around both of her crying siblings. I lost another one. I lost another one. She tightened her grip around Maggie's shoulders when she heard Maggie sob loudly. I have to be strong for them. I can't let them see how much this is hurting. I have to be strong. I have to be strong. Damnit, I should have been paying more attention! I should have known that at least one of the agents would be firing from behind cover! She took a few deep breaths before looking up. She saw both Max and Jondy crying a little and even Zane had tears running down his face, but when she looked into Zack's eyes she saw the same look of grief, frustration, and rage that she knew that she had in hers. Becky took a deep breath in an effort to compose herself at least somewhat.

"Come on," she said, her voice sounding almost surprisingly level. "Let's find someplace to cremate her body. It's the least we can do for her. Do you know anyplace that would work, Max?"

Max wiped her eyes and nodded. "Yeah, there's a beach about a mile from where we are right now. Logan?"

"Heading that way," he said.

"Thank you," Becky said.

"How are Kevin and Maggie?" Max asked several hours later.

"They're sleeping," Logan said. "Maggie's in the guest room and Kevin's in my room. I'll just sleep on the couch tonight."

"Where did Becky go?" Zack asked, looking around.

Jondy shrugged. "I don't know. She helped us make sure that Kevin and Maggie got settled in for the night and then she left. I guess she went for a walk or something to clear her head."

"I can't blame her," Zane said quietly.

"I think I know where she went," Max said. "Zack?"

Zack nodded. "Let's go."

Becky sat on the top of the Space Needle, her eyes closed, lost in memories that wouldn't leave her be.

--------------------

"You're the commanding officer, 405. Do you know what that means?" Lydecker asked the two-year-old.

"Yes, sir," 405 said. "It means I'm in charge of my unit. They follow my orders and I have to look out for them."

"Correct," Lydecker said. "You have four other soldiers with you in your unit right now. X6-570 was born just yesterday and he will join your unit when we have cleared him to begin training. X6-691 is expected to be born within the next month and she is also scheduled to be joining your unit. After that, a minimum of seven additional soldiers will be joining your unit after they are born."

"Yes, sir," 405 said.

"Part of being a commanding officer is that you must report anything that is detrimental to your unit and its progress immediately."

"Yes, sir."

"For example, there used to be another soldier in your unit, X6-213. He was born two months after you and a month before X6-115. X6-213, unfortunately, suffered from a more severe form of the seizures that we have spotted in a few of the X5s. At five months of age, 213 suffered a grande mal seizure that killed him. If you find that any member of your unit is suffering from a similar severe physical problem, or a severe problem of any kind, report it immediately so that it may be treated or they could end up like your unit mate 213."

"Yes, sir."

"Good," Lydecker said. "You're showing an incredible amount of promise so far, 405. Don't let me down."

"Okay, Unit 1, we'll be working in the tank this morning," the trainer said to the eleven members of Unit 1 that were deemed old enough to train in the tank. "You all know the drill, even 956 and 887. Timer starts when you go underwater and we will be shackling you to the bottom until you reached today's target time, which is three minutes, thirty seconds. Everybody makes three minutes thirty. No exceptions. Nobody is released until the target time has been reached. We will be watching you from the observation room. Understood?"

"Sir, yes, sir!" the X6s yelled in unison.

"In the tank," the trainer ordered.

The X6s marched in single file up to the tank and got in. In unison, they held their breath and went underwater, sitting motionless at the bottom of the tank as their legs were shackled to the bottom. 405 sat silently for almost three minutes until some motion coming from her left caught her attention. She looked over and saw 607 struggling a few people down from her. She frantically gestured to the trainers that 607 was having problems, but the trainers just shook their heads. When they finally let them loose thirty seconds later, 405 immediately swam over to where 115, who'd been sitting next to 607, was giving 607 CPR. She gestured to 115, who felt for a pulse, but shook his head. Furious, 405 turned around and glared at the trainers.

"Out of the tank," the first trainer ordered.

"But what about 607, sir?" 405 asked.

"607 knew the rules going in," he replied. "All of you did. Hit the showers then report to the gym."

"But sir, 607 was clearly having trouble holding his breath. He wasn't slacking off. Why didn't you release him early?"

"405, I said shower and then report to the gym. Do you understand or do you want to spend the next few days in solitary?"

405 gritted her teeth. "I understand, sir."

"Then move it!" the trainer snapped. 405 saluted him, turned around, and caught up with her unit.

"Why did they split us up for Capture the Flag?" four-and-a-half-year-old 392 complained to seven-year-old 405. "There's thirteen of us! The sides are uneven."

"Be quiet," 405 hissed.

"You're just complaining because you're on the short side with us," 773 said.

"773, that goes for you too," 405 said. "956, can you see their flag from here?"

"Yeah," 956 said from his perch up in a tree. "A half mile ahead of us, bearing west-northwest. Only one person guarding it. I think it's 144."

"Good," 405 said. "Will you be careful up there? You're sitting too far back on the branch."

"It's thick enough," 956 insisted.

"Still, be careful," 405 said. "Here's how we're going to do this. 773, 662 and I are going to sneak up on their camp. 662 will retrieve the flag while I take care of 144 and 773 will be our cover. 956 is going to maintain his position and warn us if the others are coming. 392, you're going to stay here with 956. Everybody set?"

"Yes, ma'am," the others said.

"Good," 405 said. "Let's do this."

She motioned with her hand and 773 and 662 fell in behind her and they quietly made their way forward in the direction that 956 had given them. 405 made another gesture and 773 fell back a few steps, alert and ready. 405 and 662 crept forward and 405 motioned for 662 to be quiet while she snuck up on 144 and took him down and quickly bound and gagged him. She nodded to 662, who went up to their target and grabbed the flag. They started to run back to the others when 405's radio went off.

"Report," she said.

"405, we have a soldier down, repeat, we have a soldier down," 392 said frantically.

"Calm down, 392," 405 said. "Who is it?"

"It's 956," she said. "They left 029 behind as a guard. She spotted 956 in his tree and took a shot. The rubber bullet bounced off of him like it was supposed to, but 956 was still sitting too far back in the tree and he lost his balance and he hit his head. He's unconscious and non-responsive."

"Call the trainers and medics in," 405 ordered. "Stay with 956 until I get there and we'll remain with him until they get to him. I'm sending 773 and 662 ahead with the flag."

"Yes, ma'am," 392 said.

"773, 662, take the flag and report in," 405 ordered.

"Yes, ma'am," they said. They saluted and ran ahead.

Later, after they were done with training and classes for the day, they all sat quietly in a rec room, waiting for word on 956. It seemed like an eternity until a doctor opened the door. "X6-405 and X6-115?"

405 and 115 got up and walked over to the door and followed the doctor down the hall until they were out of the others' hearing distance. "What is it, doctor?" 405 asked.

"I'm sorry," the doctor said. "X6-956 sustained severe head trauma when he fell during your training exercise this afternoon. As of ten minutes ago, he was pronounced brain dead and we began the organ harvesting procedures. Again, I'm sorry for your loss."

"What's going on?" 887 asked ten-year-old 405 as their unit and Unit 5 were hurriedly put into lineup.

"I don't know," 405 said. "I heard some loud voices way off to my right, but I couldn't see anything because of the trees. Next thing I know, the trainers are screaming at us to get into lineup." She turned to her right to 662, who stood at one end of their line. "Do you know anything, 662?"

662 shook her head. "No. I was with you, remember?"

Two trainers marched up in front of the two units of X6s. 405 was confused. When they and Unit 5 had started their exercise earlier, there'd been three trainers in charge. "All right, listen up!" one of the trainers screamed. "One of you little maggots decided it would be funny if one of us got shot instead!"

"Oh, no," 405 said to herself, quietly enough so that the trainers couldn't hear her. "This is not good."

"We don't care if it was an accident or if it was done on purpose," the other trainer said. "Whoever fired that shot is going to come up here and admit it so they will be punished! One of you little bastards is going to own up and you will own up right this minute! Who did this?!"

"We will wait here as long as necessary for the shooter to speak up," the first trainer said. They paced back and forth in front of the nervous kids. After a moment, one of the trainers suddenly reached forward and grabbed 662. "X6-662! You fired the shot that killed a trainer!"

662's eyes went wide with shock and fear. "No, sir, I didn't! I was with my commanding officer at the time. Ask 405, she'll tell you!"

"Are you trying to accuse your commanding officer of something she didn't do?" the first trainer snapped. 405 started to jump to 662's defense, but the other trainer glared at her and pointed his gun in her direction to stop her. "Are you trying to get your C.O. in trouble? You are coming with us, soldier!"

"No! I didn't do it!" 662 protested as she was dragged away by the trainer.

"The rest of you, report to the gymnasium and wait there until your next scheduled activity," the second trainer snapped.

"Sir, yes, sir," they all yelled. The second trainer followed the first one. 405 glared at the two trainers' backs, angry beyond words. How dare they? How dare they take her sister away for something that she didn't do? For something that they knew damn well she didn't do! Thanks to them, she was never going to see her sister again for no reason at all.

A week later, 405 was walking across the courtyard to her next class, happy to have a few extra minutes to get there, when she heard some voices ahead of her. She paused and listened carefully.

"I'm really lucky I got away with it," a boy's voice said.

"Got away with what, 427?" another boy's voice asked.

"The trainer incident, 179," 427 said. 405 froze.

"The—you fired that shot?!" 179 said in shock.

"Yeah," 427 said. "What, did you think I was going to say something when the trainers were screaming at us? I'm proud of myself for managing to keep my mouth shut."

"427, as your commanding officer, I should report you," 179 said.

"Don't bother, 179," 405 said. Her voice was colder than ice and the look in her eyes was scarier than Lydecker in a bad mood. "I'll deal with him."

"Um...405," 427 squeaked. "I...I'm sorry?"

"I bet you are," 405 said. She swung at 427. He wasn't able to duck in time and her fist connected with his nose, breaking it easily.

"Ow!" he yelled.

"Ow? You think that's what 662 said when they put her through the wringer in Psy Ops before they killed her because they decided to blame her for the accident?" 405 asked. "Huh? I didn't her an answer, 427." She swung again, this time connecting with his right eye.

"I...I...I don't know," 427 said.

"You don't know?" 405 said. She laughed bitterly and whipped around and kicked 427 in the ribs. She easily heard them crack when her foot connected with them. "You don't know? You betrayed her, 427! You betrayed her, you betrayed my whole unit, and you got her killed! You helped kill my s—unit mate, 427." She kicked 427 again.

"I didn't," 427 said, moaning in pain. "I was just—"

"Just what? Trying to save your own sorry butt?" 405 said. She hit him in the stomach. "I hate to break it to you, 427, but you failed." She hit him again, and again, and again.

"X6-405, you are to cease what you are doing immediately," Lydecker's voice ordered. 405 gave 427 one more vicious look before turning to face Lydecker and standing at attention. "Explain your actions."

"Sir. I overheard 427 confess to his commanding officer 179 that he was the one who fired the shot that killed the trainer in the exercise that our units ran last week, and not 662," 405 reported.

"Is this true, 427?" Lydecker demanded.

"N—n—"427 started to say, but 405 turned and glared at him and he paled. "Yes, sir, it was me. It was an accident, sir. I missed the target and the bullet had a higher velocity than I'd expected and it hit the trainer who was standing several yards from my position at the time, sir."

Lydecker gave 405 a stern look but turned his attention to 179. "179, did 427 confess his part in that incident to you just now?"

"Yes, sir," 179 said. "I told him that as his commanding officer, I should report him and that was when 405 stepped in."

Lydecker looked back and forth between the three soldiers. "X6-405, you are to report to solitary and remain there for the next three weeks." He motioned to the regular soldiers standing behind him. "Take X6-427 to the infirmary. As soon as they deem you recovered, 427, you will be escorted immediately to Psy Ops. 179, you may return to your activities."

"Yes, sir," 405 said. She saluted Lydecker and marched off, still furious. She sighed. "At least 427 is getting what he deserves."

"Becky?"

Becky opened her eyes and turned her head to see Max and Zack standing behind her. "Hey."

"Are you okay?" Zack asked.

"Just fine," Becky said sarcastically. "I only failed to protect another sister, but hey, it's happened before."

"Becky, I know it's gotta be hard..." Max began.

"Do you? Do you, Max?" Becky yelled. Her pent-up rage, nearly eighteen years of it, came loose. "Do you know what it's like to have to be the one to tell your other brothers and sisters that one of us is dead? Do you know what it's like to have one of your brothers die because the trainers wouldn't listen to you when you saw that he was in trouble? Do you know how it feels to see one of your sisters falsely accused of accidentally shooting a trainer and then finding out who the real shooter was and hear him say that he was proud of not saying anything when we were being yelled at? Do you know what it's like to have to hold everything in, to not be able to cry, to scream, to just let everything go not just because they wouldn't let you at Manticore but because your other brothers and sisters need you to be the strong one? The one they can be comforted by? Huh? Why don't you let me know when you find that one out, Max. Then come back to me and tell...me..." Becky broke down in tears. "Why can't I just...?"

"It's okay," Zack said softly. He walked up to Becky and hugged her and let her sob on his shoulder. "It'll be okay, Beck."

"I should have known," Becky sobbed. "Damnit, I should have known that somebody would shoot from behind cover. I'm supposed to know better."

"You can't predict everything," Max said, walking up to them. "I know we're physically better than normal humans, but we're still human. We're not perfect. We can't be perfect. You did the best you could."

"If I did the best I could, how come Suzanne died right in front of me?" Becky said bitterly.

"I can't tell you how many times I've asked myself that question," Zack said. He closed his eyes. "It's hard. It's very hard, but you have to move on and just remind yourself that if you hadn't at least tried, things would have been much worse."

"I know," Becky said. "I know you're right, but why does it have to be so hard?" She started sobbing again. Zack just tightened his hug and Max put her arm around Becky's shoulders and they let her cry as long as she needed to.

TBC