What's Next? -- Chapter 9

Disclaimer:  The TV show Dark Angel, all of the characters that appeared on it (Max, Zack, Alec, 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 (Becky/X6-405, etc.).

Notes:  Spoiler-ish stuff for “411 on the D.L.” and “Bag ‘Em.”

“You look happy,” Sketchy said to Original Cindy the following morning at Jam Pony.

“Yeah, Max dropped by yesterday,” Original Cindy said.

“Cool,” Sketchy said. “I miss her. How’s she doing?”

“Ask me that yourself, you moron,” Max said teasingly. She, Zack, Becky, Alec, Jeff, and Wayne stood at the entrance. She walked inside and gave Sketchy a hug. “How have you been?”

“The usual,” Sketchy said. “It’s been dull without you and the others here.”

“Great, here we go again,” Normal said from behind the counter. He rolled his eyes. “I know your excuse this time.”

“And it’s a good one, too,” Max said.

“Unfortunately, it is,” Normal agreed. He turned to Alec and shook his head. “I can’t believe that you never told me that you were one of them.”

“I still am,” Alec said. “It wasn’t something that I could admit in public when I started working here. I’m sorry that I lied to you, Normal.”

“Well…apology accepted,” Normal said. He turned to look at Zack. “Is that at least part of the reason why you disappeared last year? I guess that whole story about Becky being your sister and her getting into an accident was a crock.”

“Partly,” Zack said. “I had an unavoidable situation come up and I had to leave suddenly. That story about Becky being in a car accident was a lie, but she really is my sister.”

“Though I have had at least one good near-death experience,” Becky added.

Normal was quiet for a moment before turning his attention to Jeff and Wayne. “Let me guess—you two are also transgenics.”

“Yeah,” Wayne said. “We are.” He smiled. “You wouldn’t happen to have an opening, would you? I need something to tide me over until I get a position at one of the nearby hospitals.”

“Doing what?” Normal asked.

“Practicing medicine,” Wayne said.

“As in being a doctor?” Normal said in disbelief.

“Absolutely,” Wayne said. “I had years of medical training back at Manticore and I even lied about my age and used a false identity to get through medical school down in Alabama years ago. I’ve kept up on my medical training and I’m fully qualified in any specialty.”

Normal looked dazed and Max had to restrain a laugh. “Wow. That’s…impressive.” He sighed. “I do have a few openings. You can fill one of them until you get that job at a hospital. Do you want your old job back as well?”

“Yeah,” Jeff said. “I’m looking for a career but I’ll need something in the mean time.”

“And how about you, Alec? Please tell me that you want your job back,” Normal said.

Alec grinned. “Part of me does, Normal, but I’m a little high-profile these days. I’m not entirely sure that it’ll be good for business. It’ll be either really good or it’ll be really bad, you know what I mean?”

“I do,” Normal conceded. “I’m guessing that the same goes for the rest of you?”

“Yes, it does,” Zack said.

“Yes,” Becky agreed.

“Yep,” Max said cheerfully. “That and I’m pregnant.” She couldn’t resist the grin that spread across her face when she saw the look of complete shock that Normal had.

“You’re—you’re actually going to have a baby?” Normal stammered.

Max nodded, the grin never leaving her face. “I know, it’s hard to believe.” She pointed to Zack. “He had a hard time believing it when I first told him and he was the one that helped me make this kid.”

“He—he’s the father?” Normal managed to say.

“Oh yeah,” Max said. She was really enjoying this. “Do you need details?”

“No, thank you,” Normal said. He still looked a little stunned. He shook his head and turned back to Jeff and Wayne. “You two can both get a bike from the rack. If you still have your old bikes, you can just return the ones that you use today to the rack and bring in your old bikes tomorrow. You both know when to be in and when you can leave.”

“Gotcha,” Jeff said.

“Well…” Normal started to say, but he shook his head and turned back to his work and Max and the others walked over to Sketchy and Original Cindy.

“Congratulations, boo!” Original Cindy said. She gave Max a big hug. “I can’t believe that you’re going to have a little baby boo.”

“I’m still getting used to the fact,” Max admitted. “Thank you.”

“Congratulations to you too, soldier boy,” Original Cindy said.

“Thank you,” Zack said.

Sketchy turned to face Zack, clearly nervous. “Um—I want to apologize for every time that I ever tried to look down your sister’s shirt or tried to pick her up or have had any kind of dirty thought about her, especially from before she turned eighteen. Please don’t kick my ass.” He turned to Becky. “Thank you very much for not beating the living shit out of me whenever I did that.”

Zack looked amused. “Apology accepted.”

“You’re welcome,” Becky said. “I knew you were a good guy where it counted. I only beat the crap out of assholes who hit on me.”

“Oh—do you really?” Sketchy wondered.

“No, I just knee ‘em in the groin,” Becky said.

“But you aren’t doing that anymore, regardless of the fact that we’re free,” Zack said, looking at Becky.

Becky rolled her eyes. “I know, I know, I’ll try to restrain myself.”

“I’ve got a hot run here,” Normal shouted.

“I’ve got it,” Wayne said. “I’ll see you guys later. Duty calls.” He walked back over to Normal, took the package, grabbed a bike, and left.

“I better see if my old locker was taken over,” Jeff said.

Max nodded. “We should blaze, anyway.”

“You are all coming to Crash tonight, right?” Original Cindy asked.

“Sure,” Max said. “I can’t drink, but I’m all up for chillin’. I missed kicking Sketchy’s butt at pool.”

“I almost miss getting my butt kicked at pool by you, too,” Sketchy teased.

“Meet us there around nine,” Original Cindy said.

“We’ll be there,” Max promised. She, Zack, Becky, and Alec left Jam Pony.

TBC