DISCLAIMER: All DARK ANGEL characters belong to James Cameron and Charles Eglee (Cameron Eglee Productions) and DARK ANGEL itself belongs to FOX.
ARCHIVE: No
The following scene is based on characters
created for the television series DARK ANGEL,
and is set in the time frame following the Max Allan Collins novel AFTER THE DARK. -- author's note
Something Different
By Valjean
*************************************
Terminal City (March, 2022)
There was something different about Max and Alec lately -- but Mole couldn't quite put a finger on what it was.
And that bothered him to no end. A pragmatic soldier kind of guy, he could sense when things were out of place or changing, and change certainly seemed to be happening with regards to his two X5 friends ... subtle as it might be. For example, had that actually been a sneaky little smile Max had shot the asshole's way last night when Alec was expounding (make that bragging) about how he'd bargained down the price of a case of ammo in Little Korea Town earlier that day?
And more importantly ... had Alec's smirk broadened into a genuine grin when he noticed her appreciation?
What was going on with those two?
Oh certainly Max, their bitch of a leader (and Mole meant that in a complimentary way), was still mainly like her old self, preachin' and plannin' and givin' orders at each morning meeting, supervising everything and everyone in Terminal City with her very own style of personal charm (or lack thereof), making sure her grunts kept their noses clean and were well fed and taken care of.
Alec was ... just Alec. Nothing different there. Right beside Max every morning like always, call him what you would -- side-kick, right-hand-man, second in command, or (as rumor had it) 452's assigned-but-adamently-rejected Manticore breeding partner -- Terminal City's handsome, self-centered, scheming alderman answered to no higher power than himself--
--with one exception.
Pretty Boy would listen, and (wonder of wonders) sometimes even acquiesce to Max. She was one of the few people in the world, Mole thought, who had a hold on the guy, although whether by the balls or the heart strings was the question. She was someone X5-494 not only respected, but acted as if he was indebted to. In fact, the lizard man figured there had to be a back story there ... between those two ... but as of yet no one had spilled their secret. Why else was Alec always hanging around the command center while Max was out on a job, or casually waiting for her in the motor pool when she came blazing back from a successful solo heist on that Ninja of hers? The X5 would laugh if anyone suggested he was watching over Max ... worrying about her. But still ... there was something in Alec's eyes sometimes when he looked at 452 that Mole recognized, a possessiveness of sorts that wasn't in keeping with the fact Max supposedly was in love with Logan Cale.
On the other hand, Alec was just about the only one in TC who'd dare argue with Her Highness and tell her straight up when he thought she was wrong. Nothing pussy-whipped about that boy, Mole thought, even though Maxie's beauty had brought many a man to his knees, including that aforementioned Ordinary she was dating.
Logan ... Come to think of it, Mole hadn't seen Logan around lately, or heard Max so much as talk about the man. What was up with that? But what he had seen was a lot more of Max and Alec together ... discussing the Art Mall or city council sessions ... working as partners on a heist ... sparring with each other down at the gym, kickin' the shit out of one another with the protection of pads and gear (Not -- Mole suspected -- that 494 had ever totally unleashed on her pretty ass. Alec was too chivalrous for that.) ... having breakfast, lunch, and dinner together ...
As a matter of fact, Mole realized, it had been quite awhile since he'd seen Alec out on a date, or caught the tomcat sneakin' off into a back alley for a little quick action of the sexual kind with some willing female like he occasionally used to.
The lizard man's reptilian eyes narrowed as he watched the two X5s from across the room, Alec -- dressed in typical jeans, black t-shirt, and his favorite grey leather jacket -- leaning low over Max's shoulder while they studied a blueprint they'd spread out on the big oak table that anchored the middle of the command center. 494's face was inches from hers. His breath had to be tickling her ear. And then suddenly Mole saw it -- Alec's hand resting ever-so-lightly on Max's waist -- which is when he knew.
Hot damn! Those two were doin' it! Max would never let any male, let alone that smartass, touch her like that if they weren't on intimate -- as in gettin' naked together -- terms.
Lizard teeth peeled back in a lascivious grin, and at that very moment Alec raised his head to look directly at him, almost as if Mole had shouted his revelation out loud. A quick cocky grin, a shake of a slightly shaggy dark blond head followed by a wink, and Mole realized the sharp-as-nails X5 had all but read his mind.
Hot damn! Mole thought again as he lit up a cigar and puffed deeply and contentedly, his curiosity satisfied at last. Maybe there was some justice in their shit-hole of a world after all. Maybe something finally had gone right.
THE END
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