AFTER THE DARK takes place over 5 days during the week of Christmas, 2021.

The virus is gone.

The Breeding Cult storyline is resolved.

Ames White is dead.

The runes on Max's skin prove to be meaningless since the "apocalyptic event" they predict ends up not happening.

The mutants of Terminal City are now free citizens of the U.S., although many people still don't accept them, and there's a round-the-clock police guard at TC's entrance to keep riots from occurring. They're getting their own Seattle city council representative after the next election. (Alec's running for the post.)

The TC residents are making money by selling art and scavanged antiques in an "art market" they've set up in the building across the street from TC's entrance (where Max and Clemente met in SKIN GAME). Logan loaned them the money. Gem now runs the coffee shop. Alec was instrumental in getting the mutants going in their own business endeavors, and he's now an important figure in TC.

Logan and Max are still together.

Alec and Max both still live in TC, although at the end of the book Max is considering moving in with Logan.

Colonel Donald Lydecker has been a prisoner of the Breeding Cult, and is rescued by Max in return for promising to tell her where her "mother" is.

It's generally accepted by the end of AFTER THE DARK that Alec will be Terminal City's new elected leader (Max doesn't want the job anyway).

Max's feelings about Alec ...? She finally admits to herself that she's sexually attracted to the guy, and, at the end of ATD, trusts Alec with saving the world if she gets killed. But she still keeps telling herself he's "no good." You can tell from the tone of the book, however, that Alec is Max's most trusted friend and ally.

As for Alec in ATD ...? He's very happy making money for the TC residents (and himself) through the art market, and still enjoying his one-night-stands with women (although he definitely does NOT have a girlfriend). Max describes him as an "'80's yuppie reincarnated." He's also (in Max's opinion) still self-centered, although he's "changed for the better" in the past few months. Max pictures Alec as believing he's someone who "all the females want to 'jump' and all the men want to be." She thinks Alec's quite happy in his own little world -- but he's still got that Machiavellian/devious side, and is a natural born, albeit handsome, liar. Alec, however, proves in ATD that Max is the highest priority in his life. Over and over again he risks his life just for her, without ever getting any real thanks, and he wants her to be with Logan because he wants her to be happy. IMHO it's very obvious in ATD that Alec is deeply in love with Max, whether he admits it to himself or not.