You and Me -- Chapter 2

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.

Max yawned and stretched as she lay on her bed watching TV one night a few days later. Good grief, what a long day today. I wish I didn’t have-- She groaned when her thoughts were interrupted by somebody knocking at her front door. She got up and walked from her bedroom into her living room and over to the door. She unlocked it and opened it and smiled tightly when she saw one of her neighbors standing in the hallway. “Yes? Can I help you?”

“You’re damn right you can help me, Carol,” the woman said angrily. “You can start by not playing that God-awful metal music at top volume all night! Then how about not leaving empty beer bottles in front of my door. How about that? Do you think that you can help me with that?”

Max sighed irritably. “For the millionth time, Mrs. Stanley, it’s Kara, not Carol. For the gazillionth time, I have never done a single thing to disturb you or to litter the floor in front of your apartment. It’s the college morons next door in apartment 517 that have been blasting the music and drinking like idiots and leaving their bottles in front of your place because they’re lazy. I’m not in the best mood, either, so please leave and let me relax. I’ve been working my ass off all day and this is the first chance I’ve had all day to relax. I’ll see you in the hall or the next time that you decide to blame something that’s pissing you off on a random neighbor.” She shut the door in Mrs. Stanley’s face. “I don’t even like heavy metal.”

“Neither do I. I don’t mind hard rock, though.”

“I didn’t know you listened to music,” Max said without missing a beat. She turned to face Zack, who was sitting in her living room couch. “Fire escape out of spare room window?”

“Yeah,” Zack confirmed. “I don’t listen to music too often, mostly just when I’m sitting someplace that has it playing on their sound system.”

“Oh,” Max said. “Want something while you’re here? Coffee, soda, leftover pizza from last night?”

“No, thank you,” Zack said. “How have things been going?”

Max shrugged. “The same as they were going the last time that you checked in on me. Mr. Benton’s still an asshole though he changed mistresses a few weeks ago. I’m safe from him as long as I don’t bleach my hair. I haven’t pulled too many heists but then again, I haven’t needed to. I’m actually making enough money to cover my rent and my other expenses legitimately. The only major thing that I’ve stolen since I’ve gotten here has been my new baby.” She patted her new motorcycle proudly. “I still miss the Ninja, but this girl here is special, too.”

“That’s good,” Zack said. “I’m glad that you’re still doing well.”

“Thanks,” Max said. “Deck still doesn’t have half a clue where I am?”

Zack shook his head. “No, he doesn’t. I keep tabs on him as much as I can and from what I’ve picked up, all trails leading to any one of us have been cold since you left Seattle. You’re still in the clear.”

“Good to know,” Max said. There was an almost awkward silence between the two of them. “How long are you going to be in Toronto this time? You didn’t even stay for a full twenty-four hours the last time that you popped in on me.”

“I don’t know,” Zack said. “I’ll probably leave sometime tomorrow night or by dawn the day after tomorrow at the latest. I’m not going to be here too long again.”

“People to see, things to do,” Max quipped. “It’s cool, I guess.” She tried to shake off the disappointment she’d felt when Zack had told her about the length of his stay. “Do you need a place to crash or do you have something set?”

“I’ve got a place,” Zack said.

Max sighed. This is boring. Damn, why can’t we just… She brightened suddenly. “I know what we can do tonight if you’re still awake later. There’s an area just outside of the city where there are few police patrols overnight. It’s the—“ She was cut off suddenly by loud banging on her front door and she sighed irritably. “Can I help you?”

“You’ve got a lot of explaining to do, young lady!” Mrs. Stanley screeched from out in the hallway.

“This is unbelievable,” Max said. “I’ll be right back.” She turned around and walked back to her door and opened it. “What is it now, Mrs. Stanley?”

“What…is the meaning…of THAT!” she snapped, pointing to the open beer cans lying in front of the door to her apartment. Beer had leaked out from the containers and was staining the hallway carpet. “I just got through telling you, Carol, that—“

“Shut the hell up,” Max snapped. “First of all, get my name right. Second of all, either you’re deaf or you must have had earplugs in because the frat house idiots from 517 came back from whatever they were doing before and I heard them pause in the hallway for a moment when I assumed they were trying to sober up enough to get their keys out so that they could let themselves into their apartment. And last but certainly not least, I am currently on the phone with somebody from work and it’s a very important call that could possibly be the difference as to whether I’ll ever be promoted or not so why don’t you shut up and leave me the hell alone. Heck, I’ll do one better.” She stepped outside and almost dragged Mrs. Stanley to the college boys’ apartment door. “Here you are. Now, confront them about the problem like you should have been doing all along and leave me alone!” She went back into her apartment and slammed her door shut. “I’m so sorry, Zack. That woman…she’s just pissing me off even more so than usual tonight. I barely see you as it is and she…” Max shook her head. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, Max,” Zack assured her.

“Yeah, I guess,” Max said.

“What were you talking about before we were interrupted?” Zack asked.

“Oh,” Max said. She perked up again. “Well…”

TBC