Together -- Chapter 26

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.).

“Nice place you’ve got here, Xavier,” Becky remarked as she and Zack followed Xavier into the abandoned office building in Phoenix that Xavier had settled into.

“It’s either that or foster care,” Xavier said. “I’m barely fourteen. Technically, you have to be at least eighteen to get your own place without parental permission, but most cheap or cheaper places will rent to you if you’re at least sixteen. I’m not even that and I’m not about to risk being in the foster care system.”

“Good idea,” Zack said.

“This place isn’t bad,” Xavier said as he walked around. “There’s a ton of different people around. Families, young single people, old drunks, you name it. I blend right in, plus I get the ‘code taken care of on a regular basis.”

Becky nodded. “As long as you keep on being careful, I don’t see any reason you should leave in the immediate future.”

“Thanks,” Xavier said. “How’s Kyle doing?”

“Pretty good,” Becky said. “He’s got a girlfriend.”

“Good for him,” Xavier said.

“Good for him? She’s a skank. I think he just needed to get laid,” Becky said. “Besides, she tried to put the moves on Zack when Kyle went out of the room for a minute.”

“Wow,” Xavier said. “She does sound skanky.”

“Yeah,” Becky said. “She was just lucky that Zack’s girlfriend wasn’t with us.” She grinned mentally when she saw Zack glare murderously at her out of the corner of her eye.

“You’ve got a girlfriend?” Xavier asked.

“No,” Zack said. “Contrary to popular opinion.”

“It’s not official yet,” Becky said. “But I’ve got a feeling it will be soon, if you get my meaning.”

Xavier nodded. “Yeah.”

“Anyway,” Becky said. “I warned her that she shouldn’t break Kyle’s heart.”

“How many bones did you leave unbroken?” Xavier asked.

Becky blinked and tried to look innocent. “Why would you think I’d do something like that, Xavier?”

“Do I have to remind you about the time that you practically made 486 piss in her pants after she pulled that prank on 029 about three years ago?” Xavier said.

“Hey, I didn’t hurt her,” Becky said. “I just told her what I thought of the prank and how I felt about it landing 029 in solitary for a week. If she got so scared that she required a change of pants, that’s her problem. And your memory might be slipping, but 486 pulled that stunt in the first place because she was upset that 029 outscored her on the missions test. You remember that one, right, Xavier? The one we all had to take when we were eleven to clear us for group missions? And no, I didn’t physically hurt Kyle’s girlfriend. Threatened, yes, injure, no.”

“Bet my score is still the highest,” Zack said. Xavier gave him a look and Zack shrugged. “I was thirteen when I bailed back in ’09. I took the test.”

“It is, but I tied it when I took it,” Becky told him.

“I remember that test very well, Becky,” Xavier said. “My score was in the top ten percentile for that year. I got to shove it back in Suzanne’s face after she’d been teasing me that I wouldn’t out do her score from a year-and-a-half before.” He got quiet. “I wish she was still here.”

“Me too,” Becky said. She gave Xavier a quick hug. “She’d be happy for you that you’re okay.”

“I know,” Xavier said. “You guys want to go get something to eat? There’s a place just down the street that’s got pretty good burgers and pizza.”

“I’m up for some pizza,” Becky said. “Zack? You coming with us?”

“Sure,” Zack said. “I don’t mind.”

“Great,” Xavier said. “Follow me.” He led them down the block and up to a building that didn’t look too much better on the outside than the one he was living in. He walked up to the door and opened it. “In here.”

Becky and Zack walked inside and immediately Becky made a face. “Xavier, this is a bar.”

“No shit, Sherlock,” Xavier said.

“Nice mouth you’ve picked up since we last saw each other,” Becky remarked. “They let you eat here by yourself?”

“Yeah,” Xavier said. “As long as I don’t have anything with alcohol in it, they don’t care. They’ll probably serve you.”

“I don’t drink very often,” Becky said. “My age is one reason and I just don’t feel like it, anyway.”

The three of them sat down at a table and ordered a pizza when the waitress finally came by to take their order. “Place is pretty busy for lunch time,” Zack said.

“Like I said, the food is good,” Xavier said. “This also isn’t the absolute greatest neighborhood. Lots of people like to get their drinking done early so it frees them up for serious mischief later.”

“If I didn’t know you could take care of yourself...” Becky said.

“Relax,” Xavier said.

“It’s in my job description to worry. Read it sometime,” Becky deadpanned.

“I’ll read it while I’m on the throne,” Xavier said. He got up and walked towards the men’s room.

“I need to go, too,” Zack said.

“Behave in there,” Becky teased.

“Very funny,” Zack said as he followed Xavier. Becky shook her head and watched Zack go into the bathroom before she sighed and looked down at the table, bored out of her mind. Her boredom barely lasted two minutes.

“Hello, cutie,” a deep voice said from behind her.

Becky turned around, one hand instinctively going up to her neck even though she knew she’d gotten her barcode taken care of the day before she left Seattle. She saw a drunk man standing in front of her. “Hello, sir. Can I help you?”

“You bet,” the man said. He leered at Becky. “You sure are a pretty one. I don’t normally go for blonds, but I’ll make an exception for you.”

“I normally don’t go for disgusting drunks and I won’t make an exception for you,” Becky replied. “Can you please leave me be? I’m with some friends and they’ll be back soon.”

“Oh, no,” the man said. He yanked Becky up out of her seat. “I see you and I want you and I’m gonna have you.”

Becky thought quickly. She knew she couldn’t show off in a place this public. She looked down for a moment and then looked back up again, smiling to herself. “You’re not going to have me.”

“Says who?” the drunk said.

“Says me,” Becky said. She slammed her knee into the drunk man’s groin. “When the swelling goes down, you can go screw yourself, okay?” She smirked and sat back down and watched as the man was helped back to his seat.

“You have been hanging around Max for much too long,” Zack said.

“Thanks. How much did you see?” Becky said.

“Everything from the blond remark on,” Xavier said. “Why only the knee to the groin?”

“Come on, Xavier,” Becky said. “We’re in a crowded place. Not the best place to pull off something fancy. And before you have a fit, Zack, I didn’t use any superhuman strength there. Well, maybe a little more than someone my size would normally have, but nothing suspicious.”

“I still say you’ve been spending too much time around Max lately,” Zack said.

“Jealous?” Becky teased.

“No,” Zack said immediately.

“Is this something I should know about?” Xavier asked.

“I’ll tell you later,” Becky promised. “It’s a good story.”

“I’ll bet it is,” Xavier said.

TBC