You and Me -- Chapter 14

Disclaimer:  The TV show Dark Angel, all of the characters that appeared on it (Max, Zack, Tinga, 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 (Lana/X5-204, etc.).

Zack disconnected his cell phone the following night and turned to Max, Krit, Lana, and Syl. Zane was on guard outside of Tinga’s apartment building. “We’re all set.”

“Yeah, no problem,” Krit said quietly.

“It’s going to be okay,” Max reassured him. She gave her brother’s hand a supportive squeeze. “You and Syl heard what Tinga told the two of you when we were getting the details done. She doesn’t blame either of you for what happened to Charlie. I wish that we could have won them all, but that ain’t happening so we have to get everything else.”

“She’s right,” Lana said. She picked up a chunk of explosive putty and began to examine it critically. “We’ve got some good things in our favor. Whoever it was that was in Salem for Manticore and got the hit on Charlie hasn’t come down here to support Cody, Allie, and Richie so as far as the number of X-series present in Portland goes, we outnumber them by two to one now. Even with the training that the other three have on us, it shouldn’t be enough to overcome the numbers deficit should it come to that.” She set the putty down on the bedside table next to the other explosive devices and equipment that she was going over. “Not to mention the fact that Cody and Richie are something of a question mark. If the two of them have to confront us, will they or won’t they attack?”

“No matter what, we still have to prepare for this under the assumption that they will,” Zack said. “Believe me, I miss them as badly and I hope that they let us go as much as the rest of you do. We have to keep every possibility in our heads, though, no matter how much we might hate them.”

“Personally, I think the thought of having three-quarters of the Smartass Brigade together again in the same vicinity is a hell of a lot scarier than the thought of some our own sibs attacking us,” Max said, hoping to get at least a smile out of Krit and Syl. She smiled in relief when she saw that it did.

Syl laughed a little, though it sounded a bit shaky. “Plus Cody. Krit, Zane, Richie, and Ben usually managed to rope him into helping them with whatever form of mayhem that they were planning.”

“I guess it’s a good thing that Ben’s not here or everybody would be in trouble, whether they’re with Manticore or not,” Zack said dryly. He glanced at his watch. “Max, Syl, Lana, the three of you better get going if you want to make that call.”

“We’ll be back soon,” Max promised. She leaned over and gave Zack a quick kiss on the lips before grabbing her motorcycle helmet and leaving the motel room with her sisters. The three of them jumped on their bikes and rode several miles until they were out of the city altogether. They spotted a pay phone and slowed to a stop in front of it and shut off their engines. Lana and Syl took off their helmets and dismounted, but Max kept her helmet on and remained on her motorcycle and watched as the other two walked up to the pay phone. She gave them a nod and Lana put a few coins into the phone and dialed Tinga’s land line.

“Hello?” Tinga said.

“Penny,” Lana said. “I am so sorry about Charlie.”

“Hi, Ellen,” Tinga said. “Thank you. God, Case is just broken about this and I’m a mess and…” Tinga trailed off and Max shook her head.

Poor Tinga, she thought. Manticore needs to and is going to pay for this in a big way. She kept alert as she heard Tinga compose herself on the other end of the line.

“…it’s just crazy,” Tinga finished. “Where are you? Back in Sacramento?”

“No, I’m in Oregon,” Lana said. “I had to come as soon as I heard and was able to get away. My cousin Nancy’s here with me. You remember her, right?”

“Hi, Penny,” Syl said.

“Hey, Nancy,” Tinga said. She sighed. “I’ve got so much to do. I’ve got to check on when Charlie’s body is being sent back here from Salem and then I’ve got to make arrangements to have the body cremated and even though it’s going to cost a hell of a lot less than to have him buried, I’ve still got to find a way to be able to pay for the cost of the whole thing and—“

“—you’re running yourself ragged,” Lana interrupted. “Look, why don’t we take you and Case out for dinner. I know that there’s no way that you feel up to actually making anything. Just take a breather from those arrangements.”

“I don’t know,” Tinga said hesitantly. Max bit her lip. This was where they could really tip Manticore off. Those guys probably knew that Tinga could spot her phone line being tapped and were also aware of the fact that she knew better than to take any steps that could possibly leave her and Case wide open for the taking, so Max, Zack, Tinga and the others agreed to have Tinga hesitate before agreeing to what Lana would be asking her. “I really have so much to do and I still have to go to work. This is the only real time I’m going to have to get all of this done or at least get a good jump on it.”

“Please?” Lana asked. “You can’t run yourself into the ground like that, Penny, you’re going through enough grief and are under enough stress as it is. I’ll tell you what, Nancy and I can help you with those arrangements tomorrow morning before you have to go to work. How’s that?”

“I really don’t know…”

“Please, Penny?” Syl begged. “We want to help you and Case.”

“I know you do, but…” Tinga was quiet for a few moments. “Okay, Case and I will go to dinner with you. You’re going to have to pick us up, though. I’ve only got my motorcycle here. We only had one car and Charlie…Charlie took it with him to Salem.”

“Not a problem,” Lana said. “We’ll swing by later tonight. We’ve got to find a place to stay, we’re not even in Portland yet, but once we do that and get settled into our room and all of that jazz, we’ll come by. You’re still living at the address that you sent that last Christmas card from?”

“Still there,” Tinga confirmed. “Thank you so much again, Ellen.”

“Hey, you’re one of my best friends,” Lana said. “You’d do the same for me. We’ll be seeing you tonight, Penny. Give Case our love.”

“I will,” Tinga promised. “Good-bye, Ellen. Good-bye, Nancy.”

“’Bye, Penny,” Syl said.

“Good-bye,” Lana said. She hung up and then she and Syl walked back to Max and the bikes. “It’s officially on.”

“Looking forward to it,” Max replied. She waited for Lana and Syl to put their helmets on and get back onto their bikes before she restarted the engine on hers and then the three of them rode back to the motel. They parked the bikes and went back inside the guys’ room, where Zack and Krit were waiting. “The call was made.”

Zack nodded. “Good.” He turned to Krit. “Start getting ready to go. We need to be meeting Zane no later than twenty minutes from now.” Krit nodded and began gathering some equipment and packing it into a duffel bag. Lana and Syl went over to help Krit and Max went over to Zack and wrapped her arms around him.

“I’m nervous,” she admitted.

“So am I,” Zack conceded. “Don’t worry, Maxie. We’ve got this planned out as well as it can be. We’re going to pull this off. We have to and we will.”

“I know,” Max said. She closed her eyes and let Zack’s presence calm her, just like it always did. He could and did calm almost all of us down. He’s so strong and I love him so much for it. She gave Zack a soft kiss on the lips. “I love you.”

Zack kissed her back. “I love you too, Maxie.” Then he released her, the look in both of their eyes shifting to a harder, more determined feeling.

Let the games begin, Max thought.