DISCLAIMER: All DARK ANGEL characters belong to James Cameron and Charles Eglee (Cameron Eglee Productions) and DARK ANGEL itself belongs to FOX.

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Photo courtesy of Still Frame

Asha wasn't home, but Max had no intention of leaving without answers now. And so she waited ... and waited ... It grew dark, midnight approached, and the X5 was beginning to wonder what she was going to do if the S1W member had really left town for good. However, just as she was beginning to think about giving up and going back to Terminal City, a Volkswagen Beetle stopped in front of the garage entrance and a familiar blonde disembarked.

"Thanks, Tom," Asha said to the driver.

Max waited until the girl was at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the apartments before emerging from the shadows.

"Max!" Asha said, badly startled. "What are you doing here?" A thought seemed to occur to her. "Is Logan all right?"

"Logan's fine," Max said tightly. "Why haven't you returned his calls?"

"I've ... been out of town," Asha stammered. "I had to lay low for awhile. You know how that goes."

"And your mother?"

"She's fine. She's living out of state now ... with relatives."

"Logan needs to talk to her."

Asha shook her head sadly. "Look, Max. My mother's been traumatized. She doesn't want anything to do with Eyes Only or taking down the prison. In a way, they broke her. I'm sure you can relate."

"I can relate," Max said quietly. "Now, tell me about Alec."

Brown eyes widened. "What about Alec?" the girl said nervously. "He's gone, right? Left town? Or so I heard."

"Is he dead, Asha?" Max asked quietly, her own eyes suddenly filling with tears as she realized she was probably about to hear the one thing that more than anything else in the world she didn't want to hear.

"What are you talking about?" Asha said, pulling her hooded jacket closer around her neck in defense against the cold and perhaps the interrogation. "Why would he be dead?"

"Is. He. Dead?" Max repeated. Then ... "Asha, I'm going to get it out of you, one way or the other. I don't really care that much about the fate of your mother ... whether you're lying about her or not. But Alec ... he's family. Tell me what you did to him."

"Max," Asha said, backing up until she was standing against the garage wall. "What makes you think I know anything about Alec?"

Max glanced toward the shadows where the green Duke was parked. Asha's eyes followed -- and then she closed them, realizing it was no use. "I knew I should have sold it, but I was afraid you'd see it on the street," she said softly. "I don't know if he's alive or dead. All I know is that they took him."

Max's heart leaped, as did she. "They?" she growled, throwing Asha against the wall and pinning her throat with a forearm. "Who the hell are they?"

"Manticore!" Asha cried out. "Manticore took him, Max! I had to give him up or they'd have killed me!"

"When?" the X5 demanded. But she already knew the answer to that. "The night he was leaving town?"

Asha nodded, unable to speak due to the pressure on her windpipe.

"But he was alive?" Max implored, easing up.

"I said I don't know!" Asha got out. "They had me put something in his drink, and then they finished him off with a TASER."

TASER, Max thought. If they'd wanted Alec dead they'd have used bullets. But that had been over six weeks ago ...

"Where'd they take him?" she asked, releasing the pressure on the girl's throat completely now and taking hold of her shoulders instead. "Was it Lydecker?"

"I have no idea!" Asha said. "All I know is that they told me they'd come back and kill me if I told anyone what had happened. And I think it was Lydecker, or at least someone who looked like him. Please, Max! Don't put me in the middle of all this!"

"You're already in the middle," Max said coldly. "You betrayed Alec! He liked you, Asha ... so much so he tried to stay away from you to protect you."

"I know," she said, her voice trembling, the look in her eyes one of honest sorrow. "I'm sorry, but it was his life or mine."

"Guess what, girlie," Max said with a wicked smile as she released Asha and gave her a little shove. "It still is. If Alec's not all right, I'm coming back for you." She looked once more toward the bike in the corner. "My guys will be here soon to take back what's ours. I suggest you be gone. And don't even think about calling Lydecker. I'll know if you do, and you'll pay a thousand times over."

Asha, her face deathly pale, nodded, then turned and hurried up the steps.

*****

After sending Mole and Hampton to pick up Alec's bike, Max headed straight to the one person she knew could help her.

"Lydecker's got Alec," she said when Logan opened the door at her knock. "I need to find New Manticore's location, and I need to find it fast."

The man who'd loved her more than his own life stared down into her eyes, searching her face.

"Please, Logan!" Max implored. "I can't just leave Alec there. Not after what happened to Brin. You know I can't."

"And I should help you because?" Logan said softly.

"Because I still love you," Max said. "And because you still love me. Alec was leaving, Logan. Even if I find him and he's all right he won't be in my life any more. But I can't just let them have him." And then another thought occurred. "And besides, if Lydecker turns him, Alec will be a tremendous danger to all of us."

"In which case you'd kill him?" Logan said.

"If I had to, yes," Max replied without hesitation. "Alec wouldn't want to live as a slave anyway."

"I'm not so sure about that," her ex-lover said. "Alec's pretty good at insinuating himself into any situation and making the best of it. For all you know, Max, he's made a deal with Lydecker by now. Wouldn't it maybe be better to leave things alone?"

"Never!" Max said firmly. "I won't leave one of mine to be butchered! Now, can you help me or not?"

"I can try," Logan said gently, swinging the door open. A ghost of a smile and he added, "For old times sake."