ARCHIVE: No

Artwork courtesy of Jensen Ackles World

This is a stand-alone story following the events of Max Allan Collins' DARK ANGEL novels SKIN GAME and AFTER THE DARK, and incorporating information revealed in D.A. Stern's THE EYES ONLY DOSSIER. -- author's note

Photo courtesy of DarkAngelFan.com

*****

"How much time did you spend figuring this thing out?" Max asked, her expression somewhat amused as she watched her significant other fiddling with a spider-web of wires and keyboards on the front steps of Rainwald Inc.

"I've been working on this project for a few weeks now," Logan said vaguely.

Alec, watching over Logan's shoulder like a curious puppy, rubbed his hands in anticipation. "And once we get inside, it's finders keepers, right?"

"Don't worry, Alec," Max said dryly. "You'll get your fair share. But just remember, most of what's inside goes to the Terminal City fund."

A slightly hurt look on his face, Alec replied, "Of course most of it goes to TC, Max. I'm just sayin' there's probably more'n enough loot in there so a little finder's fee won't even be missed."

Max hit her fellow X5 hard on the shoulder. She knew he was most likely kidding, but with Alec one could never be completely sure. Hero of the Familiar Battle or not, the guy was still basically pretty self-centered at heart, not to mention slightly greedy, as in always looking for a way to make a quick easy buck or getting something for nothing. Eying the handsome male transgenic suspiciously, Max sighed. Just because she'd trust Alec with her life didn't mean she'd trust him with her wallet -- or with what was in this building.

"Got it!" Logan yelled.

Max stopped harassing Alec, and both X5s, along with Luke and Dix, watched as the huge steel door started to rise, machinery that had been silent for 13 years humming with barely a glitch to its tune.

"All it needed was a power nudge and the code cracked," Logan declared triumphantly. "That new program I came up with was just the ticket." He looked at Dix who he knew would understand what he was saying. "Its actually an A.I., an artificial intelligence. Sometimes I swear its even got a personality, and boy can it play a mean game of chess."

Dix nodded at the now open main door. Beyond were glass panels with conventional locks and the atrium of the genetics lab. "Once inside, you'll probably need to hook into the lab's mainframe to get the rest of the place unlocked," the bald-headed mutant said.

"No problem," Logan declared as he began unplugging wires preparing to move his A.I. program. "Alec," he said over his shoulder, and nodded at the front door. "Care to do the honors?"

Alec, who'd been arguing with Max again looked up. "Huh?" he said. Then he realized what Logan was asking. "You've got it," he declared, fishing his trusty set of lock picks out of a jacket pocket. Thirty seconds later the front door of Rainwald Genetic Inc. was wide open for the transgenics and their human friend.

"After you," Alec said with a grin and a little bow, indicating Max should be the first over the threshold.

Taking Logan by the hand, Max smiled and walked with the man she loved into the building that would, in a few short hours, claim an incredibly high price for their intrusion.

*****

Eyes Only wasted no time jacking his equipment into Rainwald's mainframe via a control panel in the security station off the lobby, and was soon busily exploring the building's systems.

"Whoa!" Alec said. "What's that?" He nodded at Logan's computer screen where the transparent, three-dimensional image of a human head had appeared. Green, with its realistic-looking "brain" pulsing red, the thing blinked beady eyes and worked its jaw, but no words came out.

Logan shrugged. "Just a little extra I added to the A.I. program, giving it a face so-to-speak."

"Dude," Alec said. "It looks kinda like you."

"It does not!" Max declared from beside him. "Logan's way more handsome than that ... that ... thing."

What are we doing today, Logan?

Alec jumped as the words came out of a speaker set high on the wall. "How'd it get in there?" he asked, pointing to the ceiling.

"I've patched into the primary data base," Logan said. "The A.I. should be able to break any codes and we'll have access to everything in the building." He turned around in the chair, a proud, almost paternal smile on his face. "That is what you guys want, isn't it? Access to the treasures of this place?"

"Got that right," Alec said. "And if A.I. boy here can get me in, then more power to him."

Dix, fascinated, was leaning over Logan's other shoulder, studying the image on the screen. "What did you base the core personality on?" he asked the older man.

"My own," Logan replied smugly, tapping a temple with his forefinger. "I've fed it all kinds of personal history, including myself and everyone within my circle of acquaintance. The program is designed to not just analyze and solve problems, but to learn as it goes."

Hello, Max.

Max glanced up and around the room. "How the hell does that thing know I'm here?" she asked, her dark eyes wary.

"Camera," Luke said, pointing to a corner of the ceiling where a red light glowed beneath a dusty remote cam. "Logan's got the security system going."

"Creepy," Alec muttered, and he meant it. Back at Manticore, he'd been constantly watched, and the feeling that it was happening again wasn't pleasant.

"But necessary," Logan pointed out. "We have to give the A.I. free run of the systems if we want it to help.

"Wouldn't a little dynamite or nitro be a lot quicker?" Alec asked.

"Not if you want to salvage any of that valuable equipment," Logan replied. He glanced back at the impatient X5. "Just give the A.I. a little time to work through the systems and everything will be fine. Easiest money you've ever made."

"Where have I heard that before?" Alec said low under his breath. But hey, he could be patient when he had to -- inhumanly so in fact. What was one more hour or so when this place had been sitting empty for over a decade?

Thirty minutes later the lights were on in the control room, as well as the ventilation system, and a number of other monitors. As the security cameras came online, they could see on a series of screens dozens of rooms full of laboratory and computer equipment. Alec was rubbing his hands together again, practically licking his lips in anticipation. This place was a gold mine.

"There," the X5 said, pointing to a screen that had just lit up. "Is that a vault?"

"CEO's office," Max said, moving up beside him. "Looks like its crackable. I think you and I could handle it." She gave her partner-in-crime a wry smile. "Up for a little work?"

"I'm always up," Alec replied with a smirk, the double entendre intentional. Dix grinned. So did Luke. Logan scowled.

"Tell the A.I. to unlock the steel door on that office," Max said, pointing to the screen. She took hold of Alec's hand. "Come on, hotshot. Time to strut your stuff. That's a two-man job, a dual lock. It'll take one of us on each side of the handle, working the combinations simultaneously."

"What about the retina scan?" Alec asked, indicating the security device by the vault.

"The A.I. can bypass that," Logan assured them, although his brow was still crinkled with a frown.

"Looks, brains, attitude, and now money," Alec declared happily as he grabbed a backpack of tools off the floor and led the way out the door. "How could I possibly be more desirable, Max? What is it you don't see in me? I always figured it had to be the money thing with Logan -- the reason he's such a chick magnet. But soon, with a haul like this, I'm gonna be as rich as he is!"

"Get over yourself," Max's words drifted back down the hallway as the two X5s headed for the stairs. "There are some things money can't buy."

"Like what?" Alec asked. "Ouch!" he yelped as Max apparently punched him.

"Like common sense, smart ass!"

Logan, listening to their friendly banter, closed his eyes and sighed as their voices faded into the distance.

*****

"You know, Max," Alec said. "This place could become a tomb if there was ever a fire." He was standing by one of the office windows while Max examined the combination locks. The opening was covered from ceiling to floor by a massive flexible steel shutter, leaving the room in darkness except for the single light on the dusty desk top. The building's back-up generator had kicked in when they'd hacked the main system, providing emergency power to all of the floors, although how long it would run was anyone's guess. "I figure the security protocol went into emergency mode when the nasty stuff got out," he continued, nodding at the intimidating curtain. "Imagine what it'd be like if you were tryin' to get out of a fire and all your exits were blocked."

"You're just uncomfortable because your soldier senses don't like not having a back door," Max commented as she looked over the retina scan device. "I wonder what's in the safe? I mean, they cleared out of here in a real big hurry, but still they locked the door behind them. The company payroll maybe?"

"We should be so lucky," Alec replied, coming up beside her and giving the five foot square safe door the once over himself. "Hey, Max," he asked. "Isn't it a bit risky Logan bein' in here this long -- in Terminal City I mean? Bio hazards and all?"

Max shrugged. "We didn't think a few hours would hurt him, and he was really anxious to try that new program of his on this building. I'll make sure he leaves before long, though -- as soon as we're done here, in fact." She pressed the discreet mic clipped to the lapel of her black leather jacket. "Are we ready, Dix?"

"You guys in place, Max?" Dix's voice chirped through the transceiver.

"We're a go here," Alec said into his own mic.

"You still in practice with your safe cracking skills?" Max asked as she took up her position at one of the locks.

"Just try me," Alec said with a wink.

"You wish," Max shot back. Then, to Dix, "Okay boys. Bypass that scan so we can get to work."

Ten seconds later the retina scan box lit up, hummed, then dimmed as the combination locks on the safe door extended. With another nod at Alec, Max went to work on the one on the right, head pressed against the door, her sensitive hearing listening for the tumblers.

On the left, Alec was performing an identical task. It wasn't a race, but both transgenics were determined to be the first to finish and the honor went to -- Alec. There was a loud click, and with a big smile the X5 stepped back and bowed. All that remained was for Max to complete her task within the next 20 seconds -- which she did. A second click, and the door swung open--

Accompanied by the blaring sound of an alarm.

"What the--!" Alec exclaimed as they heard a series of loud bangs echoing throughout the building. "Damn, we tripped somethin'!"

"How?" Max cried, her eyes catching her partner's. "We did everything right! No alarm should have sounded."

"Well, tell that to this crazy place!" Alec shouted as the alarm continued to shriek.

"Logan!" Max called anxiously into her mic. "What's happening?"

"I don't know," Logan's tinny voice echoed in both of their ears. "But the main door just closed, as well as a bunch of others. You better get back here."

"You mean we're trapped?" Alec said, his face paling a shade at the thought.

"Looks like," Max said. "But we should do what Logan says."

"The safe?" Alec questioned, gesturing at the now open vault. Max swung the heavy door further and looked inside. "Empty," she said, disgust evident in her voice.

"Shit," Alec said, echoing her sentiments exactly.

*****

"Hey," Alec said, holding his hands up defensively as he came through the door into the lobby control room. "I didn't do it."

"Didn't say you did," Logan replied levelly. He'd managed to silence the alarm, and was now typing furiously on his computer. He only looked up when Max came in.

"No," Max said. "Alec didn't do it -- this time."

"Hey!" the X5 said again. "That's mean."

"As a matter of fact," Logan said. "The system in here did it, or at least I think it did. Apparently we missed some kind of security code for the vault and it thinks we're intruders."

"We are intruders," Alec said.

"And," Logan continued, ignoring the interruption, "we're now officially trapped in here."

"What next?" Luke said with a little laugh. "Poison gas comes through the vents like in one of those sci-fi movies?"

Everyone looked at him.

The little grey mutant shrugged. "Just kidding guys."

"What's your A.I. say about all this?" Max asked. "Wasn't it supposed to be in charge."

"It is in charge," Logan said a bit defensively. "Which is what I don't understand. This shouldn't be happening." He punched a series of keys and the floating head appeared on the computer screen.

What is it, Logan?

"Why did the building lock down?" Logan asked.

The system sensed a break-in.

"That wasn't a break-in," Alec said. "That was us. Why didn't you tell it we were legitimate?"

I only respond to Logan.

"Well, pardon me," Alec said, one eyebrow rising. "Don't tell me this frickin' machine is gonna start callin' him 'master' now."

Max shushed him. "Let Logan work," she said.

Dix and Luke were looking over Logan's shoulder at a set of readings in another open window on the screen. Dix began shaking his head. "Not good," he said, indicating a series of numbers. "Somehow the entire mainframe is back online. This building is juiced with a lot more power than we thought." He cocked a head at Logan. "You sure your A.I. isn't running a bit amok here?"

"What makes you think that?" Logan asked, his voice rather cold as he continued to type.

Dix pointed. "Those doors locked down on a simple code command. Your A.I. should have easily been able to stop it." He pointed to another open window, one with a schematic of the building. "It's just a good thing the fire door to the CEO's office stayed open, or else Max and Alec would have been trapped in there."

Logan swiveled around in his chair and stared at the disembodied head floating on the screen, the one that looked like an eerie, phantom featured Logan Cale silhouette. "Explain why you didn't stop the lock down," Logan commanded.

I didn't want to.

Eyes Only did a double take. "You didn't want to?"

That's what I said. I like this system, Logan. It's much larger than the one you created me in. I've decided to stay.

"It's decided to stay?" Alec said, his voice a bit higher pitched than normal. "What the freakin' hell does it mean by that? Is it gonna set up housekeeping? Maybe put up a white picket fence and plant some flowers?"

Max's gripped Alec's arm to silence him, but then, rather to Alec's surprise, she didn't let go. Instead, she leaned into him slightly, almost as if taking comfort from his presence -- either that or she was afraid he was going to take a hammer to the A.I. which, admittedly, is what Alec felt like doing at the moment.

"But we don't want to stay," Logan said calmly into the computer's microphone. "In fact, we can't stay. We don't have food and water, and the biotoxins in here are hazardous to my health."

I'll keep you alive, Logan. You and Max.

Now it was Max's turn to do a double take. "Should I be flattered?"

Logan turned to her. "The A.I. was programmed with your profile," he explained. He nodded at Alec. "His too. Sometimes I run simulations using X5s as agents, seeing what would happen in real-life situations."

"Sort of like crash test dummies?" Alec said dryly, not fond of the idea.

"More like a computer game," Logan shot back.

"Okay," Alec said slowly. "So we're playin' Tomb Raider. Just don't tell me we're goin' up against an army of mummies or something. And, by the way, how many lives do the X5s get in this game of yours anyway?"

"Nine," Logan replied. He was obviously serious.

Alec raised an eyebrow.

"He's joking," Max said. "Aren't you, Logan?"

"Something like that," Eyes Only answered even as he was squinting at yet another open window on his computer screen. Then he took a deep breath and said, "I command you to open the outside door."

I'm sorry, Logan. But I can't do that. If I let you out you'll make me leave. This way we can stay together, you, me, and Max.

"What about the others?" Logan asked the machine. "Dix, Luke, and Alec?"

They're unnecessary.

"Unnecessary?" Alec said with a grim smile. "What is this thing? Manticore manufacture?"

"No," Logan said. "It's my design, and it shouldn't be acting like this ... so independently. At least not at this stage of its programming." Covering the microphone on the desk with his hand, Logan turned around and looked directly at Max. In a very low voice, with his hand over most of his mouth, he said, "It can read lips."

This time both of Alec's eyebrows shot up. There were cameras in every corner of the rooms in this building. Damn thing probably knew the Manticore hand signals too, what with Logan's programming and all.

Still shielding his mouth, Logan said as quietly as he could, "Alec, there are fifteen stories beneath this building. The main power switch is on the fifth basement level. "

Alec gaped. So much for being briefed on this mission. Fifteen friggin' stories! That was practically a whole town beneath their feet.

"I need you to go down to that level, find the backup generator, and cut it off. It's the only way to get the A.I. out of the system," Logan continued. "It could run for years on those cold fusion cells."

"No problem," Alec said in an equally low voice with his back to the camera on the wall. But Max's hand was on his arm again.

"Be careful," she said softly. "Maybe I should go with you."

Alec quickly shook his head, as did Logan. The A.I. obviously wanted Max and Logan together. Separating them wouldn't be a good idea. Hopefully, it wasn't lying when it said it didn't give a shit about him.

"Go," Logan said.

With a nod, Alec scooped up the tool bag again, and silently slipped out the door.

*****

Oddly, and much to Alec's consternation, he could find no stairs in the building, at least not ones that led where he wanted to go, being down. Wondering once again how the hell the builders of this creepy place had ever gotten away with violating code so blatantly, Alec spent a good 20 minutes stealthily making his way through dusty, empty corridors looking for what apparently didn't exist. There were two stairwells with steps leading up to the four floors above -- one set on each end of the building -- but that was no help. He would have thought Logan had imagined the structure's extensive sub levels if it weren't for the fact the elevator bank in the main lobby clearly showed 15 below-ground floors.

It was getting hot in here Alec noticed, as well as stuffy. Shrugging out of his jacket, he tossed it over one of the lobby chairs and wiped sweat off his face with the front of his black t-shirt. In the dim emergency lighting that illuminated the building's interior, the elevator bank loomed in front of him -- beckoning. Nothing ventured nothing gained, the X5 supposed as he once again picked up the backpack of tools, took a deep breath, and pressed a thumb to the "down" button. The door opened immediately -- so suddenly in fact he jumped back. "Whoa," he said softly. Once again, he had to wonder at the wisdom of elevators being powered when a building was on the emergency generator. Most places, the lifts were the first thing to automatically shut down. But then most buildings had stairs ... He supposed it had something to do with security or contamination containment measures.

"Alec," Max's voice chirped in his transceiver. "Where are you?"

"On my way down," Alec replied as he pressed the fifth sub-level button on the panel inside the elevator. He heard Max talking to Logan but couldn't make out the words.

"You're in the elevator?" she said. "It's showing up on the main control bank. We didn't know the elevators were even working."

"They're working," Alec assured her as he heard the gears around him whine and felt the floor slowly began to drop beneath his feet.

"Why didn't you take the stairs?"

"Couldn't find 'em," he said shortly as he watched the indicator move past sub-three to sub-four.

"Alec, the A.I. has control of the elevators."

"I know," he said wryly. "And it can also hear everything we're sayin', so what's your point? It's not like I can sneak up on anything around here, not with all the cameras and mics live."

"Alec ..."

He wondered about the tone in her voice, why she sounded worried.

"Alec ... I don't like this. It's too easy. It could be a trap."

Alec couldn't help it. He smiled. Max rarely exhibited any concern at all about his hide, but every once in awhile her true feelings peeked through the wall she tried so hard to keep up between them.

"Don't worry," he said softly into the mic. "I'll be fine. In fact I'm--"

He'd been going to say "there" but the way the elevator jolted to a screeching halt didn't feel exactly like what was supposed to happen. Planting a hand against the wall to keep his balance, he glanced up and saw the indicator had stopped on level 4. "Shit," he said, and pressed the level 5 button hard.

Nothing happened.

"Alec, what's going on?" Max said a little too loudly.

"I appear to be stuck," he snapped.

"What do you mean stuck?"

"The car stopped on level four and the doors aren't openin'." He looked up to the ceiling and saw the expected maintenance panel which would of course be Plan B. "Can Logan get this buggy goin' again?" he asked.

"He's trying," Max said. Alec could hear typing in the background. "But the program isn't responding. She paused a long moment. Then ... "Alec, can you get out of there?"

"Maybe." He looked again at the trap door. "Probably," he amended.

"Then do it," Max barked in the transceiver. "The elevator shaft has to have an emergency ladder of some kind. You'll be safe on the outside. But if you stay inside the A.I. could--"

"Don't give it ideas!" Alec said loudly as he saw where Max was going with this. He dropped to a crouch and rummaged in the tool bag that he'd left on the floor. A screwdriver, wire cutters, and a pair of pliers went into the pockets of his jeans, then he braced both hands on one side of the wall, his feet on the other, and, stretched out like an acrobat, climbed the sides of the elevator until he reached the ceiling panel. It gave easily when he shoved on it with a shoulder, and seconds later he was sitting on the roof of the car. In the dim recessed emergency lighting he could make out doors leading to sub level 4 beside him. But he needed to get to level 5, which meant taking the wall ladder down and getting beneath the car. Hopefully, he'd then be able to figure out a way to get into the hallway and reach the main power supply.

"I'm climbin' down the shaft now, Max," he said. "Tell Logan to not touch anything for a few minutes, O.K. I don't want this car movin' on me."

*****

Are you going to tell her, Logan?

"Tell her what?" Logan asked the A.I.

I think you should tell her.

"What's it talking about?" Max asked. "Tell me what?"

On one of the computer screens was a schematic of the building's elevator system, the car Alec had taken glowing red in its position in the shaft. "Emergency stop" was blinking beneath the screen.

Tell Max what we're going to do to Alec.

Eyes round with horror, Logan whirled in the chair and stared at Max. "Max, I swear I--"

Luke and Dix were watching Logan too, their mouths hanging open, not quite believing what they were hearing.

We don't like Alec. He has the potential to take you away from us. You might fall in love with him instead of staying in love with us. You could have a healthy baby with him. He's the competition, and the competition must be eliminated. An X5 is hard to kill, but we have ways.

"Logan!" Max's voice was full of fear as she realized just what could happen -- how vulnerable Alec was at the moment. "Make it stop! Don't let it hurt him!"

"Alec's necessary," Logan shouted at the A.I. "He's necessary for our missions. He's X5 and a valuable asset. Harming him would be counterproductive."

Alec's in love with Max, and therefore a danger to our happiness.

"You're wrong!" Max shouted into the air. "Alec loves me as a friend, and as his family! That's all!" She stared at Logan. "Make it stop!" she implored again. "Damn it, you created the thing. You made it paranoid ... jealous. Now talk some sense into it and don't let it--"

"Almost there, Max," Alec's voice chirped cockily in her transceiver. "I'll have you home in time for--"

Then suddenly a scream pierced her ear -- Alec's scream.

"No!" Logan shouted as he stared at the computer screen.

"What?" Max cried. "What's happening?"

Logan pointed to the elevator display. "The damn thing just dropped the car! If Alec was below it--"

"Alec!" she called frantically into the transceiver, her eyes and voice filling with worry. "Alec, answer me! Are you all right! Please, tell me you're all right!" But there was nothing but silence.

*****

Alec was on the wrong side of the elevator shaft to reach the Level 5 doors. The ladder he was clinging to for some odd reason ended abruptly just below where he was standing -- an architectural design quirk he supposed -- then continued on the other side of the shaft one floor lower. But that wasn't really a problem -- not for someone who was part cat. Still, glancing down -- and immediately wishing he hadn't -- the X5 had to rather forcefully remind himself he'd never had a fear of heights before so why start now. Although granted, the 10-story, 200 foot drop into a pitch dark abyss below wasn't exactly reassuring.

"Oh well, let's get this over with," he said out loud to himself, knowing a little bit of aerial work should be a piece of cake for an X5, that "part cat" coming into play once again. Hell, he'd done far more dangerous things than this in his short lifetime hadn't he? Besides, Max was counting on him to get them out of this damn building. But she better be buying the beer tonight.

Leaning out from the ladder, Alec expertly gauged the distance to the other side of the shaft where the steel rungs continued, and decided it would be safest to grab one of the support rods on the bottom of the elevator car and swing over rather than making a direct jump. Fifteen feet to the opposite side wasn't an impossible leap for him, but he'd rather be safe than sorry.

Taking a deep breath, Alec flung himself into the air, caught the smooth metal bar beneath the car with both hands, and like a trapeze artist swung his feet toward the rungs slightly below.

"Almost there, Max," he said into the transceiver. "I'll have you home in time for--"

But then suddenly, without any warning, he was falling.

The scream that erupted from Alec's throat came as much from surprise as from fear. The car that had been so stable was suddenly plummeting like a rock down the shaft, in free fall, its velocity plastering the helpless transgenic beneath it against the smooth metal surface of its floor.

Unable to breathe, his heart pounding out of his chest, his terror too great to even scream again, Alec's life literally flashed before his eyes as he clung to the bar beneath the car and plunged to certain death: Manticore ... missions ... Rachel ... Jam Pony ... Terminal City ... the good ... the bad ... the past ... the future that would never be ... Max ...

Fitting somehow that thoughts of Max would be his last, and her voice frantically calling his name the final thing he'd ever hear ...

His body pinned by centrifugal force, Alec closed his eyes and envisioned the girl he secretly loved so he wouldn't have to see the cement as it rushed up to meet him, taking small comfort that his end would be quicker and more merciful than what he probably deserved.

*****

"Alec!" Max frantically screamed into her mic. "Alec!"

Dix and Luke, struck dumb with shock, were staring at her as if she could somehow save the X5 with supernatural powers. But Max was fresh out of magic today ... and as helpless as they were.

"Wait a minute!" Logan suddenly shouted. "The safety system's kicking in!"

"What?" Max cried, leaning over her lover's shoulder and staring at the screen, not understanding what she was seeing.

"There," Logan said, pointing to a red set of arrows that had sprung up around the dropping elevator. "The shaft is equipped with emergency hydraulic brakes -- wedges that extend and slowly bring to a stop a car that's falling out of control as its weight goes through them." He turned and looked up at Max, his eyes still worried. "I don't know if Alec could have held on against the pressure though. If he let go ..."

"Alec!" Max tried again on the transceiver, her voice more firm than frightened now. "Come on you ass, answer me!"

*****

Prepared to die, Alec was vaguely disconcerted when he felt the car slowing, the sound of shrieking metal as it braked piercing his ears and drowning out Max's voice. Clenching fingers as tightly as he could around the metal bar, he knew he was in for a rough ride, but that he had to hang on. He was still over a hundred feet from the bottom of the shaft.

The car crashed to a jerky halt, then dropped another 20 feet and halted again, swinging Alec's body violently back and forth. He thought about letting go and leaping for the ladder, but before he could act, he was plunging again as the elevator blew through yet another set of safeties. The muscles in his arms were hot with pain, his shoulders near dislocation. Worst of all, however, was the fact his hands had grown slick with sweat and it was increasingly difficult to maintain his grip.

Ninety feet ... 80 feet ... the bottom loomed closer and closer. Then, with the loudest screech Alec had yet heard, the car whiplashed to a vicious halt one more time and suddenly -- he was grabbing only air.

Once again Alec's scream echoed through the building.

Five seconds, four, three, two, one ...

In spite of his panic, Alec twisted in midair, instinctively trying to land on his feet. However, the distance was too great and the surface too hard. He blacked out on impact -- mercifully never hearing the sickening crunch of his own breaking bones, or seeing the elevator car above once again resume its freefall, rushing after him like a merciless predator determined to catch its prey.

*****

"Alec?" Max pleaded. "Alec, please answer me."

Alec's dead, Logan. Now you and Max can be happy together.

*****

A human would have been killed. Hell, most transgenics would have been killed by a fall like that. But Alec's guardian Angel was with him that fateful day in the Rainwald Genetics building. Miraculously, the impact didn't break his neck, or his skull or his back. However, he was still critically injured.

Splintered bones protruded sickeningly through lacerated skin on the X5's left shin and forearm, blood running freely from the compound fractures. Ribs were broken too, several pressing against internal organs and one puncturing a lung. His shoulder, if not fractured, was at the very least horrendously dislocated, and his left knee joint shattered as well.

Unmoving except for a faint heartbeat and barely discernible breath, the young X5 lay unconscious and hopelessly wounded 200 feet below ground at the bottom of the elevator shaft, the massive steel car hanging less than three feet above him, its final drop halted by debris from the broken braking wedges a fraction of a second before it would have smashed that faint remaining life from his fragile body.

*****

There was a sound like distant thunder as steel doors all around the Rainwald building slid open.

You're free to go with Max now, Logan. You don't have to worry about Alec any more.

But Logan didn't move from the chair. Instead, he was typing frantically.

"What are you doing?" Max asked in a shaky voice, still not fully able to comprehend what had just happened. Alec was dead? Impossible. She couldn't imagine a world without the handsome, cocky X5 in it. Besides, Alec was indestructible. He was always "all right."

"Max?" Luke asked timidly, putting a hand on her arm. "Alec? What happened to Alec?"

"I'm trying to find out," Logan said, his voice uncharacteristically shaky as well. "According to the security layout there are cameras in the elevator shaft that can be activated for maintenance purposes. Emergency lighting too."

"Where are you looking?" Dix asked.

Logan finally glanced up, his blue eyes grim and guilty. "The bottom," he said simply.

The three transgenics gathered behind Eyes Only as he worked at bringing the maintenance cameras online. The A.I. no longer interfered, but it didn't help either, its featureless face glowing silently in one corner of the computer screen ... watching.

Five minutes later, Logan banged a fist in frustration on the desk. He wasn't having any luck. Then, he had a sudden thought. "Show me," he said loudly into the air knowing the A.I. would hear its master. "If X5-494's dead, show me proof. Show me his body."

Of course, Logan. With pleasure.

Max shuddered at the coldness in that electronic voice, as did Logan.

And then there he was on the screen, Alec, or rather what had been Alec. Shadows surrounded the still figure lying on the cement, the picture grainy, the lighting poor -- but the X5 was still discernible. There was no doubt as to Alec's fate, or reason to hope any more. He'd plummeted to his death.

Max's heart turned over in her chest. Funny, but up until that very moment she'd honestly thought that somehow Alec might have beaten the odds again -- that maybe he wasn't answering her calls because he'd dropped his transceiver, that he was hanging onto the ladder somewhere along the side of the elevator shaft, bored and waiting to be rescued.

Dix was still peering over her shoulder. "Are you sure he's dead?" the monocled mutant asked, pointing to the screen. "I mean, you X5s are one tough bunch." He turned to look up at his lady leader. "We don't know how far Alec fell, Max. It might have been a hundred feet, in which case his neck's broken for sure. But it might have only been ten or twenty and he's just knocked out."

"There's blood," Logan said with a weary sigh. "On the floor. At least I think it's blood."

"Dead men don't bleed," Luke chirped.

"Yes, they do," Max replied quietly. Alec was dead. There was no use getting her hopes up.

"But they sure as hell don't move!" Dix said excitedly, pointing at the screen. "Max, Alec just moved his arm. I saw it. He's alive!"

Max rushed back to the computer screen, wanting so badly to believe Dix that it hurt.

"There!" Luke cried out. "His right hand."

Max had seen it too -- not much more than a twitch of his fingers, but Alec had definitely moved. Bringing the transceiver close to her lips, she spoke slowly and clearly. "Alec. Alec can you hear me? If you can, move your hand. We're watching you on a camera."

Nothing. No response, verbal or otherwise. Once again, the X5's body looked like a corpse to her.

"Max," Dix said. "We've gotta try."

"To get him out?" Logan said. Brows drew down in a deep frown. "Easier said than done, even if the A.I. will let us. Guys, that elevator's stuck in the shaft like a cork in a bottle. Alec's beneath it. Effectively, he's in a tomb ... buried alive, hundreds of feet down with no access."

"We'll raise the elevator on a winch," Max said, plans for Alec's rescue already spinning in her head. "Or cut through the bottom of the car with a torch and get to him that way. Absurdly, an old expression who's origins she'd never known flew through her mind: Timmy fell down the well!

"Can you enhance that picture at all, Logan?" Luke asked, squinting his eyes at the screen.

"Some," Logan said, adjusting the controls.

Luke pointed. "His leg's broken, Max. His arm too. See the bone sticking out." He turned worried eyes on her. "That's gotta hurt -- bad. He might just be blacked out from the pain."

Max felt nauseous. Even though alive, Alec was badly wounded. He could still bleed to death or die from shock. They had to hurry, and so she made her decision. "Dix, go back to TC's control center and round up some of the guys ... the X3s if they're there. We still need to shut down the power on the fifth level so we can work safely. Have others bring equipment ... cable capable of lifting that elevator car, battery powered lights, a winch if we have one big enough. And also try and get your hands on a torch. If it comes down to it, we really will cut through the bottom of the car to get him out."

"Now you're talkin'," Luke said as he watched his partner leave. And to the computer screen, "Hang on, buddy. You're gonna get rescued. Help's on the way."

*****

"There have to be stairs," Logan said, dropping his face into his hands, his voice bitter with frustration. "It wouldn't make sense to not have them, for safety purposes if nothing else." He had the building schematics up in front of him and was staring at the architectural design. Eyes bloodshot and watering from hours of intensely scrutinizing the display, he looked up at Max, an apology written on his weary features. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I swear, I never programmed that thing to take out Alec. I made it so it could learn, then fed it data about your past missions and backgrounds, yours and Alec's. Apparently it deduced something wrongly."

"You're jealous of Alec," Max said -- a statement, not a question. "You always have been. I know that. So does Alec." She smiled a little. "But remember, Alec also figures everyone other male in Seattle envies him -- part of that small, self-centered world he lives in."

"He loves you, Max."

Max shrugged. "In his own way I suppose," she said. "As much as he lets himself. Alec's emotions can run pretty deep. I saw him with Rachel, when she was dying. He ... broke down."

"He seemed sad?" Logan asked. "Really sad?"

"He cried," Max whispered, looking at the floor, uncomfortable giving away one of Alec's deepest secrets. "No. Make that he sobbed, as in uncontrollably, for a long time. Probably the first time in his life he'd ever been able to let his emotions out like that without fear of being punished for them."

"Alec's a good guy, Max," Logan said, taking off his glasses and rubbing those bleary eyes. Then he ran a hand back through his spikey hair and sighed heavily. "In spite of everything, I like him. I really do. I know, if Alec wanted to, he could make a run at you, try and take you away from me. But he's a decent kid at heart. He knows how much I love you, and he's not one to interfere with another man's relationship."

Again, Max smiled, remembering Alec saying almost those exact words to her about a year ago, indignantly denying he was "the kind of jerk who'd steal another guy's girl."

"I mean," Logan continued, eying her, "it's not like there's ever really been anything romantic between you and Alec, has there?"

"Hell no!" Max quickly said. "Alec knows if he ever tried that I'd not just kick him in the balls, I'd cut 'em off!"

"I've seen you hug," Logan said quietly.

"As friends," Max said quickly. "Alec and I are just friends, Logan. I swear."

"But you love him."

"I also love Joshua," Max pointed out. "And O.C."

Logan nodded, accepting her logic. Still ... "The A.I. is right about one thing, though," he said.

"What?"

"Some day you're going to want to have a baby, and it would be far better if the father was an X5. Alec would be the logical choice. He's already been matched genetically with you by Manticore. His DNA is ideal. You're a pair."

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Max said, not wanting to let Logan know she'd occasionally thought about that very thing -- how a baby with Alec as the father would have a much better chance in the world than one with an ordinary like Logan. Because, as much as she adored Logan, he still was an "ordinary," and his genetics would not be compatible with an X5's.

"Which means," Logan said, turning back to the computer screen with a sad little smile, "we'd damn well better figure out a way to get the future father of your children out of that hole in the ground."

"Tell Alec he's the future father of anything and he'll probably want to stay down there," Max said wryly. But then her eyes focused on the computer screen that showed Alec lying so still and quiet at the bottom of the elevator shaft, and tears began to well in her throat.

Dix chose that moment to poke his head in through the door. "I rounded up the guys," he said. "And we're scrounging for the equipment. But Max, we're gonna hafta be real careful with that elevator car. Any weight on top of it could push it right down onto Alec and crush him. We don't know how firmly it's wedged."

"We need to secure it first," she said. "With cable ... so it won't fall any farther. Then, if we can't lift it clear up, we can at least cut through the floor."

Luke, who was listening behind Dix, shook his head. "That won't work, Max. Alec's gotta be starvin' for air down there already. No ventilation. The heat from a torch, not to mention the dripping metal, would probably be fatal. His lungs couldn't take it."

Mole, who'd come along with the X3s, shouldered his way into the monitoring room. "So," he said, with a glare at Logan as he viciously chewed on his cigar. "I hear Mr. Ordinary's computer program tried to kill our boy. What's up with that?"

"It's not Logan's fault," Max said defensively. "The program did it on its own."

"Went after Alec?"

"Something like that," Logan said without turning around.

Mole was staring at the grainy picture of Alec on the computer screen, his expression darkening even more. "He looks pretty dead to me."

"He's not dead," Max said quickly. "We've seen him move."

"Not for the past hour," Luke said quietly from the corner of the room where he was going through equipment brought in by backpack. The X3s were shuffling impatiently in the hallway outside. "And he's bleeding," he added. "Got a broken leg and arm, probably internal injuries."

"How far did he fall?" Mole asked.

Luke shrugged. "We don't know. That's part of the problem."

There was a commotion outside the room and Joshua pushed his way through. "Alec!" he called out. "Where's Alec, Little Fella? They said he might be hurt. That there's been an accident. That he fell. Where's Alec?"

"Easy, Big Fella," Max said, moving to put a reassuring hand on her friend's shoulder.

"I was at the mall, selling paintings," Joshua said. "Gem came and got me. She said Alec was hurt."

"He's not hurt, he's dead," Mole said bluntly, still looking at Alec's body on the screen. "All of this is for nothin'." He gestured at the frantic activity growing around them as their men prepared to make a try at lifting the elevator.

"Then we get his body out!" Max snapped.

"And what if this A.I. of Logan's decides it doesn't want Alec brought out of that hell hole?" Mole shot back at her. "What's to keep it from going after us? Seems to me, if it wanted to, it could shut down this building and kill everyone inside. The ventilation system works both ways in these labs you know -- air in, air out."

"Don't give it ideas," Logan said. "It can hear you. I haven't been able to bypass the audio."

"We still haven't been able to access the generator on Level 5 either," Luke said, as he listened to his transceiver. "We tried lowering a guy on a rope, but the doors are sealed tight. It's gonna to take at least a couple of hours to use a torch on them. Too bad we can't try a little nitro, but the blast would send that elevator down for sure."

"No explosives!" Max ordered. "No way."

"We oughta just clear out of here and seal the God damn building up for good," Mole muttered.

"And leave Alec buried alive!" Max shouted.

"Alec's dead!" Mole yelled right back at her. "Why can't you accept that. He's in his grave. End of story."

"And if he's not dead?" Max cried, her voice quivering. "You'd just abandon him down there? X5s can go six days without food or water. Did you know that, Mole? Six days! What if he regains consciousness? What if he's not really hurt that bad? Do we just let him suffocate, or die from thirst? It would be like being in a coffin, Mole. He'd be terrified. He'd ... He'd ..." Words failed her. She could too vividly picture Alec waking up and finding nothing but metal around him, clawing at the walls, gasping for breath ...

"He's ... not ... gonna ... come ... to," Mole said, enunciating each word slowly as if speaking to a retard. "Alec's dead."

"You don't know that!"

A large presence loomed, and both Mole and Max looked up at Joshua's stern canine-like expression. "We don't abandon Alec," the dog man said. "We don't leave one of our own behind. Not ever."

"Even if it means a lot more of us dyin'?" Mole exclaimed. "Shit! Alec wouldn't expect us to do this. He'd say cut our losses and retreat."

"The A.I. thinks Alec's dead," Logan said without turning around. "If it didn't, it would be interfering with us right now. In fact, it probably wouldn't even have opened the outside doors."

"The A.I. is just guessing," Max said. She was getting tired of arguing. But even if he was dead ... even if she had to haul that elevator out of the shaft hand-over-hand all by herself, she damn well wasn't going to abandon Alec's body like she'd abandoned his brother Ben's.

"The A.I. is using logic," Logan pointed out.

"Max," Luke said gently from behind her. "He hasn't moved any more. I know, it could be his body's resting, his blood clotting, his healing factors kicking in. But Max ... he hasn't moved."

Max was beginning to wonder if they'd imagined that faint twitch of an arm and hand hours earlier. Maybe Alec really was dead -- had been dead all along. But ...

"Just get him out," she said in a low voice, not taking her eyes off that still form on the screen. "Just get him out."

*****

They worked day and night for the next 24 hours, everyone in TC pitching in: Dix, Luke, and Mole supervising; the X3s and 4s providing manual labor and technical assistance with the equipment; Gem and some of the other X series bringing food and water for the laborers; and Logan, ignoring his own safety, combing data bases, searching for a better way to reach the bottom of the elevator shaft. A contingency of X5s under Mole's supervision even staged a raid on an industrial warehouse to steal torch equipment so they could cut through the doors to Level 5 (since the computer ignored repeated commands to open them) -- a task that was accomplished on day two, the power finally cut to the building completely, thereby theoretically eliminating the threat of the A.I. The transgenics then hooked up their own generator to the building's lights and cameras, as well as to Logan's now A.I.-free hard drives, so they could continue to work and monitor Alec. It was an awkward way to accomplish their task, but it would have to suffice.

And Joshua ... Joshua was the one who stayed glued to the computer screen, watching his friend, waiting to report if the X5 showed any sign of regaining consciousness ... any sign of life.

"If he is still alive," Mole commented, puffing hard on his stogie to the point where Max had to wave the smoke away, "it's only his genetics keeping him that way." He nodded at the monitor. "Still no movement?"

Joshua's head sank onto his chest as he shook a no.

Max put her hand on the dog man's shoulder. "Big Fella," she said. "It's been too long."

"He could be in a coma," Joshua whispered.

"Maybe," Max conceded. "But it's far more likely he's--"

"I've got something!" Logan shouted triumphantly. All three transgenics turned to look at him. "I finally found the original building plans," he said. "They'd been misfiled at City Hall. There is a stairwell going down those 15 levels. It's just well hidden for security purposes." He pointed to the screen. "According to this, we should be able to get all the way to the bottom where there's an access tunnel to the base of the elevator shaft."

Max was more than glad to hear it. In spit of their best efforts, her people hadn't been able to move the car. It was wedged too tightly. And using the torch was going to be their last resort since it would have been so dangerous for Alec.

"Let's go," she said to Mole and Joshua, all of her weariness suddenly melting away at the thought of finally reaching and rescuing her transgenic brother.

She'd actually been steeling herself for the worst the past two days. However, what Max hadn't been prepared for, or able to combat, were the surprisingly intense feelings she'd been having about Alec during those long hours of waiting and worry. She'd always told herself that the pain in the ass X5 was more of a nuisance than a help, untrustworthy, a bother, a jerk even. But truth was, Alec had become a huge part of her life ... an ally, someone she depended on, did trust, and ... hell ... secretly liked a whole lot more than she wanted to admit. Alec was someone like her ... a friend, confidant, a brother X5 who understood better than anyone (even better than Logan or O.C.) the scars Manticore had left behind on them both. But what really bothered Max the most, now that she was being honest with herself, were the possibilities she knew existed between the two of them ... possibilities that both terrified and excited her ... possibilities that, as the A.I. had deduced, took her far beyond Logan.

"Please, God," she softly prayed as she, Mole, and Joshua ran down the hallway toward the hidden stairs. "Let him be alive."

They found the concealed staircase right where the plans indicated it would be -- in a janitor's closet behind a shelf of cleaning supplies. It was obvious the stairwell hadn't been used in the past ten years, the air in it incredibly stale and musty, and most of the emergency lights burned out. They took the steps two at a time, thundering down into the bowels of the building, determined to reach their friend.

The access panel on the lowest level was quickly removed, and then the three simply stood looking at one another. Who would go through first? Who would be the one to find out if Alec was alive or dead?

Max started to move, but Mole's hand on her arm brought her to an abrupt halt. "No," the lizard man said. "Let me go. If he's-- This way you can remember him how he was, Max. It's been almost three days. After this much time, you don't wanna see. He'll be--" He didn't go into detail about what three days time did to a human corpse. He didn't have to. Turning Max around to face the stairs again, her friend gave her a little push. "We'll bring him out," he said quietly. He looked at Joshua who'd been standing silently by. "We'll take care of him."

Max suddenly felt bile rising in her throat. Mole was right. She didn't want to see Alec like that. She wanted to remember him full of life, happy, wisecracking, smiling, keeping her on her toes ... God, she wanted him back so bad ...

"All right," she said through the nausea and tears. "Go see. But I'm staying here." Still not saying a word, Joshua took her in his arms and she buried her face against his shoulder.

The passage to the bottom of the shaft stank of rot and mildew (and possibly something else) as Mole crawled through. The metal panel at the other end was secured by four large screws -- nothing his transgenic strength couldn't handle. Still, he used a screwdriver and removed it carefully, suddenly not anxious to get to the other side. Even though he knew what he'd find ... he didn't want to find it. "Damn it to hell, Pretty Boy," he said low under his breath as the third screw fell to the floor. "Why'd you hafta go and do this to us?"

The panel was free. Carefully, Mole set it aside, and poked his head through into the bottom of the elevator shaft. Alec was lying on his side about four feet away, the air heavy with the stench of the dried blood covering the floor around him. The lizard man scooted into the space, took a deep breath, and reached out a scaly shaking hand to touch the pulse point on Alec's neck.

The first thing that registered was how soft and warm the X5's skin felt; the second was the weak but steady beat beneath his fingertips.

His own heart soaring with hope, Mole twisted around and shouted back through the access tunnel, "Max, he's alive! Damn it to Hell the fuckin' kid's alive!"

*****

Alec knew that Max was feeling extremely guilty about what had happened to him -- and he wasn't above taking a little bit of advantage of that -- but enough was enough.

"Max, I don't want any more chicken soup," he said from his bed in TC's makeshift infirmary. "A hot dog would be nice though," he added hopefully. "With chili sauce and onions?"

"You were badly hurt, Alec," Max chided him. "Dr. Carr said no junk food."

"He did not," Alec replied. "'Sides, hot dogs aren't junk food anyway. But speakin' of that, how 'bout some pork rinds? Pretty please, for your old bud Alec?"

"Too salty," Max snapped. "Now eat the soup." She shoved a spoonful of Gem's culinary creation at him, her expression brooking no argument.

Alec was used to Luke mother-henning him when he got sick or injured, but it seemed really weird with Max taking on the role. However, he recognized a losing battle when he was in one. Opening wide, he let her put the spoon in his mouth and swallowed the broth. Damn, it was going to be a long two weeks -- the amount of time Dr. Carr said he'd probably be laid up with the broken leg, knee, arm, and ribs. The punctured lung and lacerations were already pretty well healed after only a couple of days, as well as his shoulder, but, even with his stem-cell-enhanced genetics, the bones would take time to knit. At least Joshua had brought him a television set, as well as a stack of Father's books he was trying to coax his friend into reading.

He'd lain unconscious for more than a day after Mole had pulled him from what had almost been his tomb, his lizard friend -- so he'd been told -- ever-so-gently easing his broken body through the tunnel, then Joshua cradling him to his chest and carrying him up the stairs. In shock, and weak from blood loss, Alec's DNA had nevertheless seen him through those rough hours while his nervous system slowly came back online, the transfusion Dr. Carr ordered kicking in. And when he'd finally opened his eyes -- and blinked in confusion not knowing where he was -- it had been Max's face on the pillow next to his that had made the X5's frantic heartbeat settle once again into a strong rhythmn. She'd fallen asleep with the transfusion tube still connecting them, curled up beside him like a kitten, keeping him warm with her own body heat, one of her hands resting on his bare chest as if the feel of his heart beating was somehow a comfort to her.

Of course when she'd awakened, Max had immediately scowled and hopped off the cot, pretending she'd just been "resting." Then she'd hurriedly left the room. Alec, too, was more comfortable not talking about the unspoken feelings between them -- feelings that had apparently taken a near-tragedy to bring out in them both. But bottom line was -- he now knew just how much Max cared about him, and it felt damn good.

Maybe Logan's A.I. had been right to worry after all. Speaking of which ...

"You do realize, don't you," Alec drawled, "that there's now a whole entire building here in TC I can't ever go into."

"Sorry about that," Logan said, ducking his head in apology. Continuing to ignore the biohazard danger to himself, Eyes Only had remained in TC, and was currently sitting on a stool that he'd drawn close to the recovering X5's bed, keeping him company while Max went out looking for orange juice (she absolutely refused to bring the patient Scotch). "Technically," he said, "the power grid's still off in the Rainwald building. Your people are having a scavenger's heyday over there, retrieving all kinds of lab and computer equipment. But the A.I. established itself in the complex's main systems, and those we can't completely rip out. There are hundreds of nodes built in, any one of which could house the program. All it would take would be a central processor and enough power to run it, and the building would come alive again."

"In other words," Alec clarified. "I should stay outta there."

"Definitely." Logan regarded him a moment. "Alec, I'm sorry. The last thing in the world I would ever want would be to see you get hurt. But I've got to admit, I know where the A.I.'s idea came from. I am jealous of you. I can't help it. You spend more time with Max than I do. The two of you work side-by-side as partners ... a team ... in a way I never can with her. You're like her. You understand her. You--"

Alec held up his good hand. "Stop," he said. "There's no use you torturin' yourself over what you can't change. Max and me will always be close I imagine. But that doesn't mean we'll ever have sex, which is what you're really gettin' at."

"You're her breeding partner," Logan said quietly.

"Not really. That distinction's yours, isn't it it? Technically speaking I mean."

"Not really," Logan said in a low voice.

Alec scowled, not understanding. Then suddenly he realized what the older man was saying, and his hazel-green eyes lit up with sympathy. "The paralysis?" he ventured.

Logan nodded.

Alec immediately saw what the man was thinking. "Logan, just 'cause you can't ... you know ... doesn't mean Max would ever cheat on you."

"Doesn't it?"

"Hell no!" Alec declared, trying to convince himself as much as he was trying to convince Logan. Max was a very sensuous, sexual woman. The thought that she wasn't "getting any" somehow seemed tragic.

"What would you do?" Logan asked him. "Man to man, if you were in my position, paralyzed and unable to satisfy a woman, what would you do?"

"Probably kill myself," Alec said before he could stop himself. Then he bit his lower lip and looked at Logan guiltily. "Sorry. But you asked."

"You wouldn't hold her back, would you?" Logan said. "You wouldn't expect her to stay with you under those conditions?"

"There's more to love than sex, Logan," Alec tried, realizing how lame that sounded, but needing to make the attempt.

Logan smiled at him sadly. "Of course there is," he said softly. He stood up, the whir of the exoskeleton sounding extremely loud in the small clinic room. Putting a hand on Alec's shoulder, he regarded the transgenic in a speculative way that made the X5 vaguely uncomfortable. "Just, be there for Max when she needs you," he said.

"I will," Alec replied, although he wasn't at all sure what Logan was referring to. Surely he couldn't mean--

"Promise?"

"Promise."

After Logan left, Alec spent a long time just staring at the door.

THE END