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"Alec!" Max shouted his name at the still form in her arms. "Wake up! Alec!"
Sandi could tell that he was unconscious and hurt badly. "Sean," she said softly as Max started to cry over Alec's bloodied body. "Get a car and meet us at the rendevous point. Alec's hurt, bad."
~~! Hours Before - TC Command Center !~~
Alec stared down at the list in his hand. Strong. Skilled in martial arts. Definite transgenic or Familiar.
"Alec? Hey, Alec?" Sandi snapped her fingers in front of his face, causing Alec to start and fall backwards in his chair. "Are you okay?" Sandi giggled, holding out her hand to help him up.
"I'm fine." He grumbled, pushing himself to his feet and completely ignoring her hand. "What's up?"
"The boys," Sandi discreetly motioned her head toward Mole, Luke, and Joshua, who were standing nearby pretending to look at something on the computer, "wanted me to come and talk to you."
"I'm fine. Everything's peachy in Alec-land."
"Uh-huh," Sandi said slowly. She stood and walked a circle around him. "You're wearing the same clothes you had on three days ago. You're pale. There are circles under your eyes. And you smell."
"Do I?" He asked, sniffing his shirt.
"Sad, but true." Sandi replied. "Go take a shower and a nap please."
Alec sighed. "Sandi..."
"It's your place or the infirmary Alec. I have no qualms with sedating you right here and now." She said sternly.
"Don't make me go back there," Alec said softly, hanging his head to stare down at his shoes. He was, of course, referring to the apartment that he shared with Max. He hadn't been there in days and he didn't think he could step foot in it now either. It smelled, looked and felt like Max and he couldn't take it.
"Alec," Sandi reached over to take his hand, but he pulled it away, scrubbing it through his hair.
"Need some help, Sandi?" Mole asked gruffly, coming over to stand near them.
"No, Mole. I think Alec was just about to come with me over to the infirmary for a hot shower. Weren't you, Alec?"
Alec raised his head and shot Sandi a disgruntled look. She stared him down until he sighed and nodded his head. "Uh, yeah. I'll be back in a little while. Let me know if anything happens."
"Sure. We'll hold down the fort, so to speak." Mole took his cigar out of his mouth and pointed it toward the door. "Get some rest. I'll come get you if anything important happens."
Alec nodded once more before following Sandi out the door.
An hour later, Gila poked her head into Sandi's office to find the medic working at her desk while Alec slept on the couch near the door.
"Sandi," Gila whispered, entering the office and tiptoeing past Alec's still body.
"What's up?" Sandi asked, glancing at Alec before turning her full attention to Gila.
"The scout team reported back. They're on their way back with one wounded. ETA is an hour. They want Alec to meet them here for debrief."
"That won't be a problem," Sandi smiled mischievously.
"What did you do to him?" Gila asked, stifling a giggle and looking back over at Alec.
"Oh, not much. Just put a mild sedative in his drink." Sandi nodded her head toward the water sitting on the table beside the couch. "What do you think the scout team has to tell him? That they found Max?"
At the mention of his lover's name, Alec moaned and shifted restlessly. "Max?" he whispered, sounding more tortured than either woman had heard him before.
Gila started to go to him, but Sandi quickly stood and put her hand on the lizard lady's shoulder. "No. He'll be okay. Don't wake him."
"I hope they've found her," Gila whispered, watching Alec settle back into sleep, pulling his pillow closer to him.
"Me too," Sandi agreed, also watching Alec for a moment before heading toward the door. "C'mon. We need to get an exam room ready and he'll probably sleep better if we're gone."
Gila nodded and followed Sandi out after pausing to drape a blanket over Alec's sleeping form.
~~! 90 Minutes Later - Sandi's Office !~~
"Sir," Skot, the X5 who had led the scouting team to White's new headquarters, stood before Alec, addressing him as he would any other commanding officer.
"Don't ‘sir' me," Alec said in a weary tone. "My name is Alec. And sit down. You don't have to stand at attention either."
"Okay," Skot replied, sitting down and leaning back, becoming the picture perfect form of relaxation. "Your hunch was correct. White has a new facility in the mountains and it's a doozy."
"Any sign of Max?" Alec asked, leaning back in Sandi's desk chair and propping his feet up on her desk. He took a cue from Skot and relaxed slightly.
"Yes. We had a positive sighting of Max from Rex, the guy in the bed out there." He jerked his thumb toward the door and the room where Sandi and Gila were taking care of Rex, who had been shot in the leg.
"How positive?" Alec asked, not wanting to get his hopes up.
"He saw her face."
"What about her barcode?"
"Her hair was covering it."
"But he saw her face?"
"Yes. She looked directly at him."
"How did she look? Any sign of torture or injury?"
"Her face was bruised slightly, from what Rex has said. But there was clothing covering the rest of her body. She was putting up quite a fight against the two guards that were trying to subdue her."
"That's my Maxie," Alec muttered under his breath.
"Hey," Gila popped her head into the office. "Rex is insisting that he talks to you before we give him any pain medication, so could you please come in here for a minute?"
"Sure," Alec jumped to his feet and hurried after Gila. "We'll continue this in a few minutes, Skot."
"Of course." Skot replied, waving Alec away.
Alec entered the exam room where Rex lay quietly as Sandi treated him. "What did you find, Rex?" Alec asked, squeezing the X5s shoulder in support when Sandi started to peel away the bandages around his calf.
"Max," the X5 said, gritting his teeth against the pain of Sandi probing his wound.
"Skot told me that you saw her. Did she look okay?"
"Little bruised, but she was fighting. She was mad." Rex replied.
"She usually is," Alec said lightly.
"She saw me. I tried to sign to her that we were going to help her, but I tripped some damn alarm."
"It's okay," Alec said, soothingly when Rex started to get agitated. "I'm sure she understood anyway. We're going to be going after her tonight. Just rest." Alec paused before squeezing Rex's shoulder again. "Thanks."
"You're welcome." Rex replied, his eyes watching Gila inject pain medication into his IV.
Alec nodded, stepping out of the room and leaning against the wall in the deserted hallway. He slowly released a breath that he felt like he had been holding since he had found out that Max had been taken.
"Tonight?" Skot asked, stepping out of Sandi's office.
"We need to move on it now," Alec replied, pushing off the wall and rubbing his palms into his eyes. "Before he has a chance to move her."
"I'll get my squad mobilized." Skot said, starting to move down the hallway.
"No. You just came back. Tell your squad to rest." Alec said, shaking his head and moving back into Sandi's office.
"Did I hear you right? Tonight?" Sandi slammed her door as she stormed into the room behind Alec. "You're not going anywhere tonight!"
"This doesn't concern you, Sandi."
"Like hell it doesn't! Who do you think is going to be taking care of you when you come back here all shot up or stabbed or who knows what else?!"
"I can take care of myself!" Alec said, quietly, but firmly.
"Uh-huh, sure. That's why you always end up in a coma in room 494." Sandi raised an eyebrow and challenged him to throw a retort at her.
Alec sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "I don't need this right now, Sandi. I'm going to get her back. I have to. And we have to move on it now."
"Not you. Not right now." Sandi shook her head, moving to stand in his way.
"I have to be there. I have to see her. Don't make me move you." Alec said, taking Sandi's shoulders and starting to push her to the side.
"Dammit Alec," she muttered, kicking her leg out to hit him behind the knee at the same time that she took his shoulders in her hands and shoved him down.
Alec, unsuspecting of Sandi's actions, went down hard, but pulled her with him. He rolled on top of her as soon as she hit the ground and pinned her down. "What are you trying to do?"
Sandi relaxed in his grip, causing him to relax as well. She took advantage of this and ducked under his arm, throwing her body on top of his and pushing him into the floor. Wrapping on arm around his neck, she straddled his back. "Getting you to see that you're not ready yet. You're not in peak condition."
Alec sighed and softly stated. "I'm going to bring her home."
"Then I'm coming with you," Sandi said, releasing her hold on him and standing up.
"Nope, not going to happen. You have to stay here." Alec replied, standing up as well and pointing to the exam room Rex was in.
"Gila can take care of him. I want to make sure that you'll be okay."
Alec rolled his eyes. "Since when is having you along insurance that I'll be okay."
"It's not. But it's the only way you're leaving TC tonight."
Alec narrowed his eyes before turning toward the door and throwing his hands up in the air. "Fine!"
~~! Command Center - Mission Ready Room !~~
"I don't like it," Mole said, taking his cigar stub out of his mouth and poking it in Alec's direction. "You're going to get yourself killed!"
Alec gave him a ‘don't tell me that' look and sighed. "It'll be easier this way. And faster. Two men can slip in and out faster and more efficiently than ten." He explained as he checked the contents of a first aid kit and secured it in his pack.
"Let me come with you," Mole said, grabbing an extra pack from the lockers.
"No," Alec's hand closed around the pack's strap and pulled it away from Mole. "Sean and I can handle it."
"And if she's hurt? That only leaves Sean to protect all three of you."
"She's not hurt," Alec said firmly and his hazel eyes darkened at the thought. "Besides, Sandi's coming along too. You need to stay here and man the fort, so to speak."
"You. Don't. Know. That." Mole punctuated his words by stabbing the air with his cigar stub. "And what the hell? Sandi's going and I'm not?"
"You better believe your scaly ass I am. Someone has to watch out for Alec, ‘cause we all know how good he is at doing it for himself," Sandi said, coming into the room and grabbing a pack.
"I resent that!" Alec protested.
"Of course you do," Sandi patted his head like he was a child and left the room.
Alec rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to Mole. "You're not going. I need you here to monitor us."
"Dix can do it." Mole replied, reaching for a pack again.
"I want you to do it. Now stop arguing. I don't have the time." Alec replied, stepping around Mole to leave the room.
"I don't like this, Alec."
"Duly noted. Now go get set up at the computer so we can make sure the mikes work." Alec said in a tone that left no room for argument. As Mole moved away, he saw Sean enter through the main doors. "Sean, ready to go?"
Sean nodded and moved over to where Alec was standing. "Got everything but my communications pack set up. That's what I came here for."
"Here you go, guys," Dix said, handing them earphones with built in microphones. "These are the new prototypes, but they're the best we have."
"Thanks, Dix," Sean and Alec said as they put the receivers into their ears and ran through a test with Dix and Mole.
Within minutes they were ready to leave and though Mole protested once more, only Sandi, Alec, and Sean left to bring Max home.
They made it to White's compound in record time and sneaked through the meager defenses feeling like they were either incredibly lucky or incredibly unlucky. They split up with the intention of finding Max faster and soon, Alec and Sandi were standing in front of the door to Max's cell.
"Max?" Alec whispered, as he pulled out his lock pick set with trembling hands. He had seen her through the viewport window and he knew that she was in there.
"Alec?" Max called softly through the door.
"To the rescue, again." He replied as the lock clicked and the door swung open. "I seem to remember us being in a similar situation before," he teased, his relief evident as he took in the sight of her.
"Hurry up," Max replied, rolling her eyes but taking him into her arms as soon as he was in front of her.
"I've missed you," Alec whispered, dropping their banter. "Are you okay?"
She nodded, smiling as he pulled back. "I'm fine. And so are you apparently."
He looked confused for a moment before touching his eyes and smiling. He had forgotten that he was still blind when she was taken.
"We'll see how okay he is by the time we get out of here. Now, let's go," Sandi broke into their moment together. She motioned them forward from where she was keeping watch by the door.
"Sean, we have her and we're on the move," Alec said, knowing Sean could hear him.
"I could have gotten out by myself you know. I was just waiting for the right time," Max said, raising an eyebrow at Alec once she realized that more people were involved in her rescue.
Alec tightened his grip on her hand and smirked. "Whatever you say, honeybunch."
"Ew. My ears!" Sandi teased. "And I thought I was the only one that got pet names from you."
"Now is not the time, guys," Sean's voice cut into the joking. "You've got five Familiars coming your way."
Sandi and Alec nodded, both muttering affirmatives as they broke into a run. Alec pulled Max with him, not sure if she had heard Sean's transmission or not.
As they moved out of the building and into the courtyard on their way toward the forest, shots began to ring out from behind them. Alec pulled Max in front of him, trying to shield her with his body as they all blurred for the relative safety of the tree cover.
Alec stumbled as they reached the first of many large oak trees, but Max gripped his hand, urging him on. They ran for five minutes, trying to make it to the rendezvous point that Alec and Sean had agreed on. It was the 452 mile marker of highway 17, a nearly abandoned road that seemed to be a safe distance from White's compound.
They burst out of the trees together, breathing heavily and slowing down only once they reached the road. Sandi dropped into a crossed-legged position on the edge of the pavement and removed her pack so she could catch her breath easier.
Max was concerned as she turned in time to catch Alec as he stumbled and fell against her. She lowered him to the road as she called out, "Sandi!"
"What's wrong?" Sandi asked, hurrying over, dragging her pack with her.
"Stupid bullets," Alec muttered, clutching at his leg with one hand.
"Can you please go one mission without getting hurt?" Sandi said, rolling her eyes at him as she ripped his cargo pants enough to see the bullet wound on his thigh. It had been bleeding steadily, but the flow had almost stopped now, thanks to Alec's healing capabilities.
"I'm sorry, are you under the impression that I like this?" He grunted as Sandi slapped a pressure bandage over both the entry and exit wounds.
"Bullet went straight through. You might not even have to stay the night in your favorite room." Sandi smiled up at him as Max pulled him into her arms, needing to be close to him to know that he was okay.
"Hmph," Alec mumbled as his eyes fell shut.
"Alec!" Max shouted his name at the still form in her arms. "Wake up! Alec!"
"Alec!" Sandi's voice added to Max's near-hysteria as the medic shook her patient.
Alec winced and forced his eyes open with a sigh. "Could you two please keep it down?"
"Asshole!" Max shoved him away from her and stood up, moving a few feet away, across the road. "I thought you were dying or something."
"Now, would I just up and die on you?" Alec joked, sitting up and putting a hand to his head. "I think I've proven otherwise over the past few months, thank you very much."
"Smart aleck," Sandi muttered, putting a hand on his arm to keep him steady. Alec grinned broadly at her and she couldn't help but smile back. "Sean," Sandi said into her comm unit, "where are you? We need to get Alec back to TC."
"Oh, did the poor baby get hurt again?" Sean's voice mocked that of a woman talking to a baby.
"Keep in mind that I control your guard duty shifts," Alec muttered, pushing himself to his feet and swaying for a moment on his injured leg.
"Alec, sit down," Sandi said, standing with him, but trying to push him back down.
"I'm alright," he replied, starting to limp in Max's direction. "Max, I'm..."
The blaring of a horn and the brightness of headlights cut off Alec's words as an old pickup truck rounded the curve in the road and bore down on the young transgenic frozen in the middle of the lane.
"Alec!" Max and Sandi both shouted as he was struck by the truck and thrown up and over its hood before crashing to the pavement as the vehicle sped away.
Both women ran to him, but it was Max that got there first. She gently turned him over into her arms before Sandi could tell her not to move him.
"Alec!" Max shouted his name at the still form in her arms. "Wake up! Alec!"
Sandi could tell that he was unconscious and hurt badly. "Sean," she said softly as Max started to cry over Alec's bloodied body. "Get a car and meet us at the rendezvous point. Alec's hurt, bad."
Series To Be Concluded