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denyceMasterpost
previous chs: 1
For the next three miles they hiked inland through the jungle. Max tried to block out Rodney’s continuous list of complaints and questions. Everyone seemed to have the patience to block or ignore what Max considered a less than favorable aspect of his personality. That and he wouldn’t let it go, what she had meant by, ‘that it goes both ways’.
“But the point is my readings indicated she had no technology beside the disc, and now she doesn’t even have that, it’s in transit because her brother stole it.”
Max stopped in her tracks, her voice was hard as she addressed Rodney. “White is not my brother.”
“Okay well technically he’s your half-brot…” Rodney didn’t have time to finish when Lorne whistled and held up a fist, signaling for everyone to be quiet.
Quickly they moved off the path to take cover when they heard the rumble of vehicles getting closer. Max cursed herself under her breath, pissed that she was off her game. She suddenly felt guilty that she had been thinking of Logan instead of keeping an ear to the ground and paying attention to her surroundings. With renewed focus long after they passed and the taillights faded, Max heard the faint sounds of the vehicles stopping. Spotting a tree tall enough, Max jumped up to catch a branch, then swung her body up. Max climbed until she found a clear view.
What she saw was a thick fortress wall with one entrance, and a gate with a line of traffic backed up. One by one, cars and trucks drove past the gate until men closed and secured the gate after the last vehicle drove through.
Behind the gates, the only structure standing was a temple. Surrounding the temple was stone rubble, indicting other buildings of worship. Although it was dusk, it was easy for Max to see and she watched as men poured out of the vehicles. Those in charge shouted out orders; it was obvious they were setting up camp for the night. Then one man stood on the roof of a jeep barking out instructions. Max cursed under her breath; it was Alec.
Max barely made out the silhouette of a man in the shadows as he banged his fist on the hood of the jeep drawing Alec’s attention - White. Alec paused only long enough for White to give him a new list of instructions then Alec started implementing the orders.
Things were about to get complicated.
Max started to climb down then jumped down to face the others. Her mind was whirling wondering why Alec was working for White. It could only be for the obvious reason – money.
Glancing at the others, she finally noticed the way they were staring at her – in confused awe.
Max glanced back at the tree and the branch she caught in order to swing herself up. It was at least ten feet off the ground, not something an ordinary human could do. Suddenly she felt nervous. Outside of a select few: Dad, Sketchy, Logan, and Alec, even White, Max wasn’t in the habit of letting people see what she could do. John might have his secrets, but so did she. Max eyed John daring him to say something. Though the words were mumbled under his breath, Max read his lips and knew he was repeating what she had said earlier: ‘works both ways.’
John nodded as if he came to a decision and silently acknowledged they were at some kind of impasse.
Inhaling, Max pushed on and reported her intel. “Just over four miles southwest from here is a barrier wall built to protect a temple within the walls. Where they’re setting up camp, the equipment suggests there’s an entrance to underground caverns. They’re working to secure the perimeter. I’ll go in…
John asked, “In? How?”
“Same way I climbed the tree, only up and over the wall.”
Though initially hesitant, Rodney’s voice rose in excitement. “Ah so, how did you do that?”
Max ignored the question. “I know White, he has no patience. Though the disc won’t get here until morning he won’t wait. He’ll start searching for the lock tonight.”
John nodded. “You’re right. Not when he has Michael. Michael knows how to read ancient. I’m sure he started searching already.”
Remembering he had mentioned Michael earlier, Max said, “Should I even ask who Michael is?”
John’s lips thinned as he crushed them together contemplating what to tell her. Finally he met her gaze and stated, “Avoid him if you can. He’s extremely dangerous; stronger and faster than an average human. He wouldn’t think twice at killing anyone who got in his way.”
“Honestly he doesn’t sound any different than White – they make the perfect pair. Alright, I gotta blaze.”
“Wait, where are you going?”
“To see if we have an ally. Get to the wall. I’ll find you; once it gets dark I’ll get you inside.”
Without waiting to explain, Max took off.
Behind her she heard Sheppard’s, “Go.” He’d ordered someone to follow and be her backup. Max didn’t take the time to look behind her, instincts telling her it had to be either Ronon or Lorne. Picking up the haggard sounds of breathing she guessed it was Lorne.
Max didn’t stop, but she did slow down just enough that he’d be able to keep her in sight. Focused, Max continued running in the direction of the wall. She had to get to Alec, let him know what White did.
---
At the wall, Max searched for small indentations and listened for the right opportunity to jump. Finding what she needed, an abandoned nest that would make a good foothold.
Behind her, still a bit winded, Lorne asked, “Now what?”
“Now you stay here and wait for the others.”
Lorne reached out gently touching her elbow. Max turned around. Even within the shadows, she could see what his voice only hinted at, deep concern. “If you help me get in,” he tilted his head back looking up at the wall, “or over it, I can stay at your six. John wasn’t kidding or downplaying how dangerous Michael is.”
Max nodded, her voice low and deadly serious. “I know, but neither was I. Don’t underestimate White – use the same caution you’d use with Michael.”
Lorne held her gaze accepting her warning. “Alright, then how do we get in?”
“We don’t. I need you to stay here. I’ll be back, with help.”
“Help? From who?” His confusion was clear.
“Alec.” Max didn’t wait to explain and jumped. Digging her fingers in, she secured her footing and scaled the rest of the way up to the top. After signaling Lorne, Max found where she wanted to jump down and made her way toward the tents.
Once she was closer to the camp it didn’t take Max long to spot Alec, Now it was just a matter of how she was going to get him alone without setting off an alarm to everyone else. The moment of opportunity was taken away as a guard spotted her. She quickly took him out, but it brought more attention from others that had been close by.
Max took out two more opponents and was holding her own in the fight when she heard a roar behind her. She tried to turn, but she was caught in someone’s grasp. Their large hand gripped and clasped tightly her around the neck pulling her off the ground cutting off her air supply. Kicking she clawed at the hand until her body stilled and everything started to blur and fade to black. Oddly she thought she heard Joshua’s worried voice. “Little fella?”
---
When Max came to, she was alone lying on a cot in someone’s tent. Max tensed and sat up when she heard someone coming. She relaxed when she saw it was Joshua and smiled at her old friend.
Joshua had lived with Sandeman who he called father, while she grew up with her adoptive dad, a former Marine colonel named Donald Lydecker and had had a close relationship with him until he disappeared enroute to an expedition. Growing up, it wasn’t until she was around six when Max realized she could do things other kids her age or even adults couldn’t do.
Faced with questions, dad told her that her mother was part of an experiment where they enhanced the DNA of embryos. Confessing that her mother had had several miscarriages and feverishly believed Sandeman, when her biological father that he would be able to help her conceive and deliver a healthy baby. She did both, but not without dire consequences to her own health and she had passed away before Max reached her third birthday.
Ten years later, at thirteen, she finally met her biological father Sandeman. That same day she also met Joshua and White. Though her time with Joshua was brief, they immediately hit it off. It didn’t hurt that Joshua disliked White as much as she did - even more after she discovered was her half-brother. He was an arrogant asshole then just like he was now. From the moment they met, he looked down on her as if she was his inferior.
Her fathers had argued fiercely over some testing Sandeman wanted from her. Dad had refused and they left.
Afterwards, Dad took her on all of his expeditions and they never slowed down, always staying on the move from one expedition to another. It was there her training started in earnest, everything from her education to military combat in all forms. As soon as she excelled at any given level he’d raise the bar and challenge her again honing her skills.
Two years ago, while investigating her dad’s disappearance and going through his papers she discovered files that disclosed details on her origins and the part he had played in it. It wasn’t her mother’s decision seek out Sandeman, but rather, both parents were part of a secret military operation. Her mother was part of the project as a military nurse before she became a human incubator. More importantly she wasn’t alone; there were others - hundreds of them. They were all products of genetic alteration to create a perfect soldier. There were several different X series, only a few dozen were like her of her series, X-5s, with feline DNA mixed into their cocktail.
At that revelation her entire life shifted, leaving her with more questions than answers. When she finally tracked Sandeman down, to demand answers, he was gone. Instead she was greeted by White who enjoyed rubbing her nose in the fact he considered her substandard.
According to White, his modeled genetics were superior, clean of junk DNA. Although it contradicted what she found in her dad’s paperwork where Sandeman considered White’s series inferior with several problems unlike her series, the X-5s, that he had declared the ideal model.
Joshua’s voice brought her back to the present, “Little fella, you okay?”
His concern was palpable. Max smiled and nodded. Behind Joshua, Alec walked in smiling. “Hey Maxie, this is a surprise.”
“Really?” Max didn’t try to hide the anger or disappointment she felt.
Alec flinched at her tone. “Well yeah. Didn’t think you were interested in anything Ames was going after.”
Max stood, her emotions bubbling to the fore when Alec said her brother’s name.
Alec didn’t seem to notice or care about her reaction and instead narrowed his eyes staring at her neck and the strangle marks Joshua left. He moved closer but before he could reach out and touch her, Max stepped back and turned around. “I’m fine.”
Ignoring her rejection, Alec whistled and stated, “True, you’re always looking fine, Max.”
Though he was trying to be flippant, Max heard the undercurrent of worry laced in his voice. Without turning around she felt his heated gaze on her neck. Inhaling, knowing she couldn’t put it off she had to tell Alec about Logan. Turning around she addressed Joshua, “Hey big fellow, think you can give me and Alec a minute?”
Joshua hesitated, staring at her neck then looked between them before he consented and left.
Before Max could say anything, Alec sighed. “Suppose you think I’m just a greedy, unscrupulous sell-out who’ll do anything for money?”
Max smirked. “Yes.” Although silently Max conceded it was only a small portion of what she thought of him. Like her, Alec was an X-5, genetically modified with feline DNA. However he wasn’t luckily enough to have been adopted like she was; Alec, along with the majority of the X-5 series, including his twin brother, Ben, grew up in an orphanage, Manticore. Max had seen the place, it was a cold unforgiving institution, not a place to raise and nurture children. Instead they fostered an environment that catered to Sandeman’s ideology of creating a perfect soldier. At least until a fire destroyed Manticore. Luckily Alec and his brother were days away from their eighteenth birthday and legally didn’t have to return to Manticore’s new facility. Sadly that’s when they’d parted ways, and though he didn’t have to, Ben returned to Manticore leaving Alec alone for the first time in his life.
It was a sore point and they rarely ever talked about it. In fact, she wouldn’t have known Alec had a twin if Logan hadn’t told her why Alec didn’t like to celebrate his birthday. It had been the year following the fire; Alec returned hoping to see Ben. Manticore stated Ben had left their facility months ago and left no forwarding address. Alec tried to find his twin but never turned up any clues. As the years went by Alec tried to convey his default attitude, I’m fine, I’m always fine. From the very beginning when Alec and Logan first met, Alec’s default was one Logan never fell for and unlike her, Logan saw the man behind Alec’s practiced façade.
Thinking of Logan reminded her why she was there in the first place; she had to tell Alec.
Alec shrugged, “Well, the money part is true I guess. What can I say Maxie, it was a good deal. He offered a hell of a lot of money to run this expedition. Okay maybe we’re a little in the gray here and there cutting through a bit of government bullshit by greasing a few palms. But hey, he let me hire Joshua and a few of his friends. Besides the last time I checked Cambodia wasn’t even on your radar.”
“Alec…” Her voice faltered, her mind replaying the scene that was going to haunt her for the rest of her life: Logan lying in a pool of his own blood.
Alec caught Max’s gaze and stilled in fear. By Alec’s reaction whatever was reflected in her eyes was projecting the words she had trouble getting out.
Alec’s voice was barely above a whisper, when he asked, “Logan or Ben?”
A lump formed and she couldn’t utter a word only nod as tears escaped and she struggled to swallow.
Suddenly Alec was there and engulfed her in a tight hug. She felt the tremors under his skin as he shuddered, his own fear and pain surfacing. Just above her ear, she heard Alec’s voice break, questioning, “Logan?”
Her response was to return Alec’s embrace, her arms tightening with each shudder she felt.
They stood there for several moments before Alec pulled away, his eyes glistening, lost in memories. When he did look at her, it was in complete shock as he asked, “When, how?”
It was only then Max realized Alec thought Logan was dead. Swallowing hard to get past the lump that was lodged in her throat Max shook her head frantically and blurted out, “No!
“No, what?”
“He’s not dead, he didn’t die. Or at least I don’t think he is, but it’s serious, Alec.”
Nearly shouting Alec demanded, “What the hell happened?”
An emotion she needed to hang on to, anger, flared to life. “White happened. Early this morning, he ordered his men to break in and steal a disc - using any means necessary. Apparently Logan got in their way as they escaped.”
“Logan’s here in Cambodia? Let’s go.” Alec grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the door.
“Wait, no he’s not here. Here’s…” It was only then she realized she had no idea where Logan was, only that John’s people had him. “I don’t know where he is.”
Alec turned and gaped at her, his temper rising as he blurted out, “What the fuck! Max you’re not making sense. Are you even sure Logan’s hurt?”
Snapping back, “Yes, I’m sure. I was there, damn it!” As if to prove the point her mind replayed the memory supplying her with every excruciating detail. “When I got there, he was just lying there… so much blood I thought he was dead.”
Max felt Alec’s hand anchor on her shoulder bringing her back into his embrace, kissing the top of her head. “If it happened this morning where then, Bangkok? If you don’t have a plane waiting I can get us…”
Facing Alec, Max spoke, her voice steady. “It happened this morning at Croft Manor.”
Alec blinked in confusion as he tried to comprehend what Max was saying. “That’s impossible.”
“Alec, it’s true. Though on a different scale, it’s no more impossible than the things we’re capable of doing.” At that she had Alec’s attention. “White’s on one side and John’s group on the other – they both want the disc. One asked without firing bullets the other didn’t! The disc was hidden in the clock I found at one of dad’s sites – it has something to with dad’s disappearance I’m sure of it. Besides the disc, John’s group is after a man named Michael. They suspect he is working with White.”
At the mention of Michael, Alec’s eyes widened. It was obvious he knew the man in question. “Earlier today I was in Ames’ office when some guy Michael walked in demanding to know what the delay was. By his looks I thought he was one of Sandeman’s mixed cocktails. Although White said his name it wasn’t an introduction, he was addressing Michael telling him everything was handled that their package was on its way and would be here first thing in the morning. White gave me orders to get everyone ready to move out two hours later then dismissed me.”
Max bobbed her head over the news. “It was John, Colonel Sheppard and his people, they saved our lives. They brought me here in a plane that belongs in a sci-fi movie in order to get the disc, catch and stop Michael and White.”
“Alright fine, but what, you’re telling me you just left Logan?” The accusation in Alec’s voice cut Max deeply.
She couldn’t deny the truth and looked away from Alec’s charge. “He’s not alone, Sketchy’s with him. Alec there was nothing I could do – only follow my gut. If Logan has a chance to live I believe their doctor will make it happen, so I allowed John’s people take him.”
Internally Max struggled against telling Alec there was a chance Logan might be paralyzed. From under her lashes Max saw Alec’s glare intensify. Abruptly he broke eye contact and started to pace the room; his fingers angrily threading through his hair in frustration. “And they’re here, this John? So what, you want to steal the disc back when it gets here? What’s its purpose, why do they want it?”
“I only know the disc is a key to some kind of lock. They’ll soon have possession of the key, but they’re still searching for the lock. What does it do? I don’t know, but I’d rather John have it over White. I already know what kind of man White is. And it’s not stealing when it’s already mine.”
“And after? Once they have the disc, they’ll take us to Logan?”
Thinking back Max realized she hadn’t really discussed anything with John regarding Logan or even when they had the disc. She didn’t have time for anything else she had to rely on her instincts - her gut. And although Rodney annoyed her she trusted him, trusted John and the rest of John’s men. Confident she spoke the truth Max stated, “Yeah, he will.”
Alec gave a clip nod, “Alright then, how do you want to play this?”
With Alec on her six, Max felt the tension she was under start to subside. “Okay, they’re waiting on the disc, but they still need to find the lock. Let’s let White do the work for us…”
“Alright, but I think this Michael already has an idea of where the lock is. I suspect we’ll have a short window once the disc arrives. What about your band of merry men?”
Max tilted her head, not bothering to hide her amusement. “We have the advantage of surprise on our side. So we’ll keep it simple and stay hidden. Once the disc gets here then we’ll make our move and take it back.”
Alec cocked an eyebrow at her immediate inclusion of as he called them, her band of merry men, but didn’t say another word about them. “I’ll let Joshua know. There are a few others I hired, friends of Joshua. I met most of them before I hired them on. I think we can count on their help. White has only a small crew going down into the caverns with Michael leading the way. I plan on staying close; I won’t let this go south.”
Max heard the hard edge in Alec’s voice and knew he was thinking about Logan. She didn’t know what else to say or do, but Max found herself mere inches outside of Alec’s personal space. “I told him…”
Alec didn’t have to ask who, he knew who she was talking about and encouraged her. “Told him what?”
“To be strong, that you needed him…” Alec was there pulling her body to his, as she choked out, “that you loved him- couldn’t live without him.” Alec tucked her head under his chin. A heartbeat later Alec added, “Yeah, we both do Max, we both do.”
How long they stood there Max wasn’t sure, and she didn’t care. For once she wasn’t going to run away from the comfort Alec offered.
Gradually they grudgingly pulled apart, but not without Alec lifting her face to his, his eyes searching for something, “Max, when we get out of here and back to Logan safe and sound, I want us - the three of us living together and sharing one bed. No more of just you and I, hooking up on the side, or Logan getting a migraine or feeling guilty whenever we’d force him to choose between us.”
Max stared wide-eyed at Alec. It wasn’t exactly a shock they had the conversation (argument) several times in the last six months. There was no real reason the three of them couldn’t work out. She had no problem with Alec and Logan being together just as they had no problem with either of them being with her. In fact, they had on more than one occasion compared notes and shared each other’s fantasies, issued challenges, dares – no, the only reason the three of them were not together was on her.
Max knew the reason, it was simple – she was afraid. She had already lost her father and she feared if she let either of them get too close that she’d lose them and then lose herself in the process. That had been her argument up until this morning. Seeing Logan lying there in a pool of his own blood, it had been her nightmare come to life. It made her realize several truths: what she already felt for both men – she loved them. Emotionally, she was already too close – whether they physically lived together or not, wouldn’t change that.
Outside they heard a whistle – someone was coming.
“Maxie?” Max blinked seeing the longing in Alec’s eyes.
Slowly she nodded, and the word yes slipped out. It came out in a rush, on a single gust of air that Alec greedily devoured. The kiss, though brief, was thorough and wrought promises that made Max blush. However seeing the glint of pleasure in Alec’s eyes she no longer cared.
Joshua suddenly entered and stopped. His eyes twinkled mischievously and eagerly asked, “Max and Alec gettin’ busy?”
Alec broke away and laughed, “No, not yet big fella, this time we’re going to wait for Logan, then I’m gonna have me a Maxie sandwich.” Max didn’t see Alec’s brows bob in a dance in time to blatant innuendo of his voice, but she could easily visualize Alec’s face and smack him for it.
“Ow!” Alec rubbed the spot dramatically as if she really hurt him – she hadn’t. Then she watched Alec try to fight against the smile that was twitching at the corners of his mouth. “What can I do for you Josh?”
Remembering why he was there, Joshua’s easy composure faded. “White wants to see you, now.”
“Figures. Slight change of plans then, Maxie you’ll have to fill Joshua in while I’m forced to listen to Ames.”
“Fine, but do you have to keep referring to him by his first name? It’s giving me the creeps.”
“For now, yes. I can’t raise his suspicions.” Leaning in he gave Max a quick kiss on the cheek, “Watch yourself.” Then he turned and addressed Joshua, “Max will explain what’s going on. Talk to your friends, see if they’ll help? In a half hour create a small distraction and make sure Max gets back to the wall unseen. If I can’t break away from Ames after that, come looking for me with some excuse – just so I know things are going as planned.”
Max could see with every word, Joshua stood taller, proud of Alec’s trust in him. Patting Joshua’s chest Alec made his way toward the tent’s exit. There Alec paused and met Max’s gaze, his tongue slid out to run over his bottom lip before his lips slid into his trademark smirk. For once Max saw through Alec’s usual carefree façade as his green eyes took in every inch of her – his fear coming to the fore if things didn’t go their way. She wanted to say something to promise that everything would be okay, but she couldn’t, she had the same fears Alec did. She could only hope they would come out unscathed.
Suddenly Max was blinking away tears. Alec was gone. She was left with Joshua staring at the empty space Alec had filled.
---
It didn’t take long for Max to explain to Joshua what was going on. The hardest thing was to watch Joshua’s reaction when she told him about Logan.
The fact they had a plan, and that Alec had already issued orders with the expectation for Joshua to follow through was the only thing that helped ground and center her friend. As far back as she knew there had never been any love lost between White and Joshua; it was only Alec’s orders that kept Joshua from tearing the man apart.
Once he had calmed down, it was time to for her to meet back up with the others, her band of merry men, smirking as she remembered Alec’s rephrase.
Within minutes after they left Alec’s tent they heard yelling, a skirmish between Joshua’s friends drawing the attention of everyone at the site as they made their way to the wall. There with a long rope looped around her shoulder, Joshua gave her an extra boost to easily sail over the wall to land on her feet startling Lorne and the others not four feet from her - their guns raised and ready to fire.
Seconds later they registered it was Max and lowered their guns.
Lorne was the first to react and lowered his gun, exhaling his relief. Rodney mumbled, “thank goodness” while the hard plains of alertness across John’s face suddenly melted, his lips shifting to a goofy smile. Like Lorne, John and the others were relieved to see her. Meeting Evan’s gaze, Max suddenly understood the undercurrent of emotion she was feeling from them it wasn’t just seeing her at the rendezvous point, but seeing and knowing that she was okay, unharmed.
“Glad you could make it.” Although it sounded hard, cavalier, Evan’s eyes expressed his true sincerity.
Max smiled. “Wouldn’t start the party without you.”
“Good to know. Now what happened?” John questioned.
Turning back to the business at hand, Max filled them in on everything Alec had conveyed to her about White and Michael. “Alec will stay close to White and Michael. Right now, Joshua’s waiting; he’s on the other side of the wall. Here,” Max showed them the mountain climbing rope. “We get over then we wait for the disc to arrive. It should be here by morning.”
The disappointment heavy in voice, Rodney asked, “So we just wait?”
“Right now they’re searching for the lock, without the key they can’t do anything right?” Max didn’t wait for Rodney to respond and looked at John. “You said it yourself, Michael can read the symbols. I figured we could rest while they do the work – then take them by surprise.”
John’s head cocked to the side, his eyes shifted and sought out Lorne then Ronon as he silently conferred with them. Neither objected or seemed to find a flaw with her plan and nodded their consent. John pursed his lips, before he spoke. “Alright, sounds good.”
Max stood, dropping the rope so it’d untangle. Grabbing one end, she made a secure knot then stepped back knowing Joshua would easily hear her and calmly stated, “Joshua, head’s up.”
Max ignored their stares and threw the knotted end over the wall.
Immediately Joshua responded, “got it.” Seconds later Max felt the tension in the rope.
Holding the rope, Max turned to John, and asked, “Ready?”
He gave a sharp nod, and stood to take the rope.
Max wanted to warn John, but didn’t want to say ‘oh by the way Joshua is a dog man so don’t freak out’. Instead trying to choose and emphasize her words carefully, Max said. “Ah, by-the-way Joshua’s on the ‘DADT’ list and don’t let his size or…” she paused a second knowing Joshua could hear her, “his good looks surprise you.”
John stared then cracked a smile his eyes drifted over to Ronon, sharing some inside joke that had Ronon smiling showing his teeth. Beside Ronon, it was Rodney’s snort that she realized John had turned what she said into some kind of sexual reference - one she didn’t want a clarification for.
Max made a face, and was more than happy to let John face Joshua without any further description. Though for Joshua’s sake she leaned into John and whispered, “Don’t hurt him.”
Wordlessly John nodded, gripping the rope as he started to climb.
Once John was halfway up, David came over with Lorne. Lorne continued to quietly give David a pep talk. “Keep it simple, just like John is doing, one hand over the other and use your feet against the wall to keep moving up.”
Max could see David was nervous and noticed his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed. Then Lorne handed David gloves for him to put on. Lorne leaned in closer staring into David’s face, blocking her view to see anything else. Lorne’s voice was low and encouraging, “Don’t worry, you’ll do fine. At the top just close your eyes and I’ll be there as quickly as I can, all right?” She didn’t hear David respond to anything however his silent question must have been readable in his eyes as Evan firmly answered, “You won’t, but if you did we’d catch you.”
Then Max understood, David wasn’t just nervous about climbing, he was terrified of heights. Max heard David’s broken sigh, listening to him take several small breaths before he inhaled to hold his breath, as if he was going to be left without oxygen or submerged in water. Lorne brushed his lips over David’s cheek and whispered, “Close your eyes and breathe.” Lorne guided him to the wall where Max watched the man’s clumsy start. Lorne kept his hands on David for as long as he could, whispering words of encouragement until he reached the top where John was waiting and pulled the frightened man to his side.
Lorne didn’t wait for David to reach the top before he started his climb up. John patted David’s shoulders, leaving the man in Lorne’s care. John signaled, and Max held her end of the rope tight as John started his descent down.
Nervously Max waited and listened, hoping. Max knew the moment John touched ground and saw Joshua up close. A gasp started to escape, before John swallowed it down then offered a nervous, “Hi, guess you’re…”
“Joshua, I’m first.”
Max could only imagine the shock on John’s face nodding his head when she heard him say, “All right, you’ll have no argument from me.” Joshua grunted, then there was silence and she imagined John was rocking on his feet, staring up at Joshua. Finally she heard John say, “Okey dokey” and Joshua in turn repeated the phrase before silence followed.
Unable to do anything, Max focused her attention back on the others and watched as Lorne whispered encouragingly to David as he made his descent while Rodney was climbing up. Like Lorne, Ronon started before Rodney reached the top. Once there, they each quickly descended.
Seconds later Max joined them; any tension she felt about them accepting Joshua disappeared when she saw the look of admiration on Ronon’s face, looking up at Joshua’s taller frame.
Quietly she wound up the rope before they stealthily made their way toward White’s encampment.
Shortly afterwards Joshua rejoined his friends while she and the others hunkered down in a secluded area that she and Joshua had scouted out earlier that Max suspected were once gardens. Now they only had to watch and wait for morning when the disc arrived.
Everyone but Parrish and McKay took turns to act as sentinels while the others rested and slept; Ronon took the first watch.
Max tried to ignore they way Lorne sat closely with David. It was easy to see by the way Evan leaned into David with each touch, he was proud that David fought against his fears. Max swallowed and turned away from raw intimacy.
Her eyes locked on to John. He was in Rodney’s personal space; like Evan and David, there was an air of intimacy that surrounded them. She couldn’t stop herself, her eyes shifted to glance in Ronon’s direction to see if he was aware of their familiarity. He caught her eyes and smiled, letting her silently know he was more than aware of John’s relationship with Rodney. His brow rose, wordlessly asking if she had a problem with that.
She shook her head, no, offering a small, contrite smile before she turned away avoiding the couples as she settled in, ignoring the ache as the scenes reminded her of own relationship with Logan and Alec.
Max gnawed on her lip thinking about both men, wondering if she made the right decision to take the next step by agreeing to move forward in a three-way relationship.
It was almost six years ago when she’d met and hired Logan. He was older, twenty-eight years old to her nineteen after having graduated from M.I.T at the top of his class. Initially she wanted someone to work on ideas, mechanical designs she had created where she had trouble with the technical applications.
Not only did Logan have the credentials, but from the moment they met there were sparks that ignited playful flirting. She had been so enthralled by Logan she immediately offered him a job. The offer included room and board at Croft Manor on top of a generous salary.
She had been so smitten it hadn’t occurred to her until Sketchy had questioned her that with Logan living at Croft Manor that she’d have to watch and curtail any actions that’d fall into an abnormal category. At the time she wasn’t quite ready to share her secret – that she was genetically enhanced.
Thankfully Logan arrived with a solution, his RV Bertha with the intension of living inside the vehicle.
They worked well together. Logan took her schematics then went beyond the original design and more often than not going in an entirely different direction to reach her desired end result.
Each day, what had started as simple attraction and playful flirting snowballed into more admiration and respect. Simply they enjoyed each other’s company. Max had never laughed or smiled as much as she did when Logan was around. After six months Max finally gave into her desires and they became intimately involved.
In the first two years they were exclusive, not that she ever told Logan that.
In the beginning, although Logan shared her bed, she still kept her abilities a secret from him. Multiple fears of how different she was from everyone else hung over her head and kept her at bay. However after a while Logan started to notice the little things she could do. Heightened reflexes, like grabbing a glass seconds before it hit the floor. They were small accidents where she reacted before thinking, but as she became more comfortable with Logan in and out of her bed, Max started to trust him with her secrets. Of what she could do physically: her increased strength, speed, hearing, and sight along with her agility, flexibility and intelligence. Instead of being afraid, Logan was fascinated and wanted to focus and test all of her abilities.
To a certain extent Max indulged in his curiosity up until the day her dad disappeared, in what authorities classified as an accidental death – a cave-in at a new site her dad was supposedly exploring four years ago.
After receiving the news of the cave-in, Max formed a team and quickly headed out to the location. It had taken her and her team three days to arrive with equipment to dig her father and his crew out. However once they arrived, even with the equipment they’d brought, the government authorities declared it unsafe for a rescue attempt and refused to allow her or her team access to the caverns. Authorities pointed out only three people were missing, her dad and two guides he had with him. The evidence gathered appeared that they disregarded protocol and had gone down into the caverns without any equipment before it was deemed safe. Between the depth of the cave-in and that it was nearly a week later, everyone believed they were trapped and by now dead - everyone but Max.
Something Logan and Sketchy never understood. They thought she was hanging on to false hope unable to face the cold reality that her dad was dead.
However for Max none of it made sense. The site and these particular caverns were never listed on her dad’s agenda. Then going down without proper equipment before he had an engineer examine the cavern’s strength – no!
She didn’t care; he’d never endanger not only his own life, but anyone else’s. Still, even if he had gone down, Max couldn’t shake the feeling that regardless of what anyone said that he was still alive.
It had been her dad who taught her listen to and trust those instincts in the first place. Although it went against all logical reasoning with overwhelming supportive evidence, Max took it even further and didn’t believe he was buried somewhere in the caverns – instead he had somehow disappeared, and could be anywhere. Until she was proven wrong she had no plans to deviate from what her instincts were telling her.
Though Logan and Sketchy had tried to be supportive they both believed she was in denial. It had created a strain between her and them, but especially between her and Logan. Not only did she stop sleeping with Logan, she had barely talked to him for nearly six months.
Max couldn’t deny she was angry that they didn’t believe her, but worse was how much it hurt. They knew her, and should have trusted her word. Still she couldn’t deny their concern and love for her – it was obvious. They were family and that truth eventually bridged the gap enough for her to forgive them. They didn’t understand, and she couldn’t explain the how or why she knew it wasn’t false hope.
With Alec she didn’t have to explain. He understood.
Max didn’t meet Alec until after her dad disappeared.
It was during her investigation when Max started to trace her dad’s steps before he arrived at the excavation. Looking through his cell phone records proved interesting. They showed there were several calls to and from Sandeman. She called the number and though there was no answer it was enough for Logan to triangulate the call giving her a location to start her search.
After locating Sandeman’s residence she discovered that like her dad, he was missing.
Logan and Sketchy were skeptical and believed it was a consequence – the problem was Max didn’t believe in consequences and added Sandeman to her investigation. It led her back to Manticore’s orphanage, where Sandeman was reportedly last seen.
It was there at Manticore she met Alec.
Like her, he was a transgenic from the X-5 series. At the time, Alec let her draw her own conclusions on why he was there – supposedly seeking answers on his parentage.
He appeared as earnest as she was to find Sandeman so Max allowed Alec to join her in her investigation. It didn’t hurt that she didn’t have to explain her need and intuition to keep on searching. Alec understood, guided by his own intuitive instinct. Together they pooled their resources to share any vital information.
Working together, Max got to know Alec – possibly better than she wanted to. In the beginning, he grated on her nerves and pissed her off. He readily used his looks to his advantage, had no problems bending the rules, and was a flirtatious womanizer. He loved the finer things in life, everything money could buy, and loved that she had money. He was witty, quick to smile, laugh and would find and utilize the quickest and easiest way to do anything.
Although she’d react, her temper short, he’d just smile and shrug his shoulders like nothing bothered him, even her smacking him on the arm.
The more she was annoyed, the wider Alec’s smile would get – worse, his eyes would dance with mischief as he took pleasure in her frustration.
Admittedly it took her awhile, but Max started to catch Alec with his guard down. She’d then see glimpses of the man behind the mask of persona. It was that person that piqued Max’s curiosity.
However it was never enough to derail her from her primary focus – to find Sandemen and more importantly, her dad.
Surprisingly, Alec was just as single-minded and driven to find Sandeman. Alec gave her the support and understanding she wanted and missed from Logan and Sketchy.
Each day their bond grew; Alec understood what it was like to be so different. At the manor she no longer had to hide her abilities from Logan or Sketchy, but she was always consciously aware they were there and every time she’d use an ability it came with the cost that they knew exactly how different she was from them. With Alec those feelings didn’t exist; she’d had no idea how liberating it would be until she had it.
Days turned into weeks. What had started as witty retorts between them started to fall flat and doubts about whether she’d ever find her dad plagued her. Each lead quickly turned to disappointment as every clue they ran down turned out to be a dead-end.
Whether it was due to seeing each other every day, eventually their mutual frustration started to manifest itself physically. First it was just a knock of shoulders and getting too close in each other’s way that they’d bump into each other. It quickly escalated to pushing and shoving that led to more aggressive actions: hitting and punching.
The fact that Max didn’t have to hold back was exhilarating. If she pushed or punched Alec, he’d punch her right back. Each pushed their limits. Alec was just as enthralled – she wasn’t weak or fragile; her strength equaled his. Both recognized that in the real world with anyone else they wouldn’t be able to fight someone without seriously injuring them. Alec took what she dished out and upped the ante until the exchange of blows turned into a real fight.
It was easy to see they both felt the same excitement as they continued to fight, each vying to outdo the other - it was intoxicating. They fought until they wore themselves out and ended up in a clinch – when a simple kiss exploded into sudden passion.
Max did nothing to stop Alec, instead she grabbed him and demanded more. She needed to feel. To feel anything, to feel alive and Alec gave that to her. Sex with Alec was explosive, similar to their sparring: fast and hard.
Max had no regrets, nor any plans to stop seeing Alec, and had no illusions as to what kind of relationship she had with him. It wasn’t on the same level as the relationship she had started to build with Logan; no, it was purely physical, down and dirty – but satisfying. Yet it wasn’t the sex that made her want more, it was everything else Alec offered that Logan wasn’t capable of and never could be – he was an X-5. With Alec she no longer felt alone.
After four months with no leads, Max and Alec parted ways and she returned to Croft Manor. She still believed her dad was alive, but those same instincts started to warn her that she’d never see him again. The thought crushed her.
At the manor without Alec around, and unable to deal with Logan and Sketchy hovering over her, Max started to mope, sliding further into depression as she was forced to deal with the outside world that had already declared her dad dead. Word quickly spread that she had returned and calls filled the silence at the manor, as lawyers, shareholders, and condolences quickly turned into demands that she start being proactive in Croft Industries by making necessary financial decisions, or to step down and sell her shares.
She shouldn’t have been surprised to find Sketchy and Logan had her back, but after she had rejected their support and pushed them away she truly was. However, if she was honest with herself it was Logan’s reaction that really surprised her. Upon returning she had made no secret of the fact that she was seeing someone, Alec, and that they had become intimate.
Max wouldn’t say that Logan didn’t care she was seeing someone else, but he certainly didn’t turn away from her either. She thought things between them would have been awkward or tense; she was wrong.
Logan quietly stood at her six, waiting for her cue to accept the comfort he had to offer – to offer what she didn’t know she needed. Logan did what no one else could; he challenged and forced her to face the various emotions that she had, up until then, refused to deal with. In anger she verbally acknowledged that she’d never see her dad again, and asked if he was happy now then promptly fell apart. Logan waited until she was ready then opened his arms accepting her as she cried until she was cried out.
Afterwards it didn’t take long before they were back to flirting, igniting a spark that fanned the embers to a crackling blaze between her and Logan once again creating a heat neither of them could resist.
Though before things got too complicated Max told Logan she wasn’t going to stop seeing Alec. She could see he wasn’t happy about it, but Logan reassured her that she could see anyone she needed to before he kissed her again.
In so many ways Logan was the opposite of Alec, the flip side of the coin. Between the two of them, with their different approaches on just about everything, Max felt grounded.
Both were easy on the eyes, had a sharp intellect and challenged her in different ways. In some of those differences Logan was the one that wasn’t afraid to share and open up emotionally. Where she and Alec were stoic to differing degrees, they hid their emotions. Alec hid behind a smile of ‘everything’s okay’ attitude as compared to her own ‘keep everyone and everything at bay unless she’s able to physically pound it or them into the ground’.
Alec, on the other hand, from day one, almost against her will, Max bonded with him. He satisfied a need that neither Logan nor even her dad could fulfill; that even though she was different she wasn’t alone.
When Alec showed up at the manor it wasn’t long before he started to linger and just hung out enjoying life at the manor – including interacting with Logan. To her and Sketchy’s surprise, Alec and Logan got along - really well. Before she knew it, Alec was coming and going from the manor whether she was there or not.
Both men were quite aware she was seeing and sexually active with the other and to their credit neither appeared to harbor any resentment. Whether he initially intended to or whether Alec’s charm won him over, Logan accepted Alec’s place in her life just as Alec accepted Logan.
It should have been awkward, strained, they should have fought, and forced her to choose between them – instead both took the same stance that they wanted her happiness even if that meant sharing her. Max couldn’t deny having both of them in her life eased a lot of the pain she carried around about her dad. The mystery around him was still important, but it was no longer her main focus.
Max had traveled with Alec for months. She saw him flirt with everyone, so it came as no surprise when he flirted with Logan. What did surprise her was that Logan flirted back. At first she thought it was a taunt to her and maybe it started out that way, but even she couldn’t deny there was an energy between them that was palpable.
She doesn’t know the specifics of when they started other than what Alec told her, that he had kissed Logan and to his surprise (and hers), Logan kissed him back. By the time Alec told her they were doing a bit more than kissing, and apparently both were interested in doing more, but not without letting her know. Although neither of them wanted to stop being with her, they confessed they also wanted to see where things went between each other.
It might have been strange to consider, but what they were already doing went against conservative convention. Without skipping a beat Max readily told them she didn’t foresee a problem. In fact, once she got over the curiosity of why she wasn’t jealous, she found herself intrigued enough that she might have tried on more than one occasion to catch them in a clench.
Ironically it was by accident rather than design when she did catch them, and they moved quickly into slow smoldering kiss. Max froze and watched them. Her playful excitement at finally seeing them together quickly turned into desire as she stood there watching, panting in want. Her heart rate accelerated and she was mesmerized, forcibly denying her immediate response to go over and join them.
Instead Max focused on the differences of how they interacted with each other versus how they each were individually with her. Although both men allowed her to direct how things went in the bedroom, of what they did together, they also let her set the pace. Yet their behavior toward each other was vastly different than when they were with her. Everything between her and Logan was intoxicatingly slow, gentle, sensual and erotic. Even after time apart when they came back together it was a charged frenzy where Logan gave up complete control and allowed her to ravish him. On the other hand with Alec, although he ended up giving her control, it was a battle to be fought, tit for tat - dueling for dominance. It was a game they both knew she’d win. The point was she didn’t want it handed to her and Alec intuitively knew that and gave her what she wanted.
However watching Logan interact with Alec, it surprised her to see Logan aggressively dominate Alec. Yet even stranger to see Alec didn’t fight it. There was no push to take control, only Alec’s complete submission. It was easy to see in Alec’s posture that he basked in the attention Logan bestowed on him. Their liaison quickly escalated to the point that Alec was needy and wanton, begging for more as he leaned into Logan’s explicit touch. Their desired interactions were seamless where each let go and melded into the other as if they had been partners for years.
Abruptly Max fled, and not in embarrassment but in fear that she’d go over to them. Not to confront them in anger, but rather, her own shocked surprise, to join them, discovering she was genuinely turned on from watching them. Worse, she wanted to be a part of something she had no business being a part of.
It didn’t take long for them to realize she had seen them, but instead of feeling somehow violated that she’d spied, both enjoyed knowing she had. Each of them, when they were alone, took the time to tease her with their words and touch. Whispering and telling her what they did, how the other acted and responded, drawing out her pleasure with the picture they created.
It didn’t matter if she was alone with Logan or Alec; it always felt like the other was there with them. Not intruding, but enhancing the experience so that eventually they both brought it up – and argued the point that they should just be a threesome.
Privately Max admitted it wasn’t the principle that scared her, but the promised intimacy did. Afraid of exactly what would change between them that wasn’t sex: their friendship. Max couldn’t take the chance of losing what she already had and dug in her heels to keep things status quo.
Coming back to the present, Max blinked back tears thinking about the situation now - of her promise to Alec when this was over - of Logan. Now all she wanted was for all this to end so she could be home, safe and sound with Alec and Logan at her side.
Although her mind wouldn’t shut down, Max forced herself to close her eyes and lay there quietly, waiting for the morning sun.
next~
previous chs: 1
For the next three miles they hiked inland through the jungle. Max tried to block out Rodney’s continuous list of complaints and questions. Everyone seemed to have the patience to block or ignore what Max considered a less than favorable aspect of his personality. That and he wouldn’t let it go, what she had meant by, ‘that it goes both ways’.
“But the point is my readings indicated she had no technology beside the disc, and now she doesn’t even have that, it’s in transit because her brother stole it.”
Max stopped in her tracks, her voice was hard as she addressed Rodney. “White is not my brother.”
“Okay well technically he’s your half-brot…” Rodney didn’t have time to finish when Lorne whistled and held up a fist, signaling for everyone to be quiet.
Quickly they moved off the path to take cover when they heard the rumble of vehicles getting closer. Max cursed herself under her breath, pissed that she was off her game. She suddenly felt guilty that she had been thinking of Logan instead of keeping an ear to the ground and paying attention to her surroundings. With renewed focus long after they passed and the taillights faded, Max heard the faint sounds of the vehicles stopping. Spotting a tree tall enough, Max jumped up to catch a branch, then swung her body up. Max climbed until she found a clear view.
What she saw was a thick fortress wall with one entrance, and a gate with a line of traffic backed up. One by one, cars and trucks drove past the gate until men closed and secured the gate after the last vehicle drove through.
Behind the gates, the only structure standing was a temple. Surrounding the temple was stone rubble, indicting other buildings of worship. Although it was dusk, it was easy for Max to see and she watched as men poured out of the vehicles. Those in charge shouted out orders; it was obvious they were setting up camp for the night. Then one man stood on the roof of a jeep barking out instructions. Max cursed under her breath; it was Alec.
Max barely made out the silhouette of a man in the shadows as he banged his fist on the hood of the jeep drawing Alec’s attention - White. Alec paused only long enough for White to give him a new list of instructions then Alec started implementing the orders.
Things were about to get complicated.
Max started to climb down then jumped down to face the others. Her mind was whirling wondering why Alec was working for White. It could only be for the obvious reason – money.
Glancing at the others, she finally noticed the way they were staring at her – in confused awe.
Max glanced back at the tree and the branch she caught in order to swing herself up. It was at least ten feet off the ground, not something an ordinary human could do. Suddenly she felt nervous. Outside of a select few: Dad, Sketchy, Logan, and Alec, even White, Max wasn’t in the habit of letting people see what she could do. John might have his secrets, but so did she. Max eyed John daring him to say something. Though the words were mumbled under his breath, Max read his lips and knew he was repeating what she had said earlier: ‘works both ways.’
John nodded as if he came to a decision and silently acknowledged they were at some kind of impasse.
Inhaling, Max pushed on and reported her intel. “Just over four miles southwest from here is a barrier wall built to protect a temple within the walls. Where they’re setting up camp, the equipment suggests there’s an entrance to underground caverns. They’re working to secure the perimeter. I’ll go in…
John asked, “In? How?”
“Same way I climbed the tree, only up and over the wall.”
Though initially hesitant, Rodney’s voice rose in excitement. “Ah so, how did you do that?”
Max ignored the question. “I know White, he has no patience. Though the disc won’t get here until morning he won’t wait. He’ll start searching for the lock tonight.”
John nodded. “You’re right. Not when he has Michael. Michael knows how to read ancient. I’m sure he started searching already.”
Remembering he had mentioned Michael earlier, Max said, “Should I even ask who Michael is?”
John’s lips thinned as he crushed them together contemplating what to tell her. Finally he met her gaze and stated, “Avoid him if you can. He’s extremely dangerous; stronger and faster than an average human. He wouldn’t think twice at killing anyone who got in his way.”
“Honestly he doesn’t sound any different than White – they make the perfect pair. Alright, I gotta blaze.”
“Wait, where are you going?”
“To see if we have an ally. Get to the wall. I’ll find you; once it gets dark I’ll get you inside.”
Without waiting to explain, Max took off.
Behind her she heard Sheppard’s, “Go.” He’d ordered someone to follow and be her backup. Max didn’t take the time to look behind her, instincts telling her it had to be either Ronon or Lorne. Picking up the haggard sounds of breathing she guessed it was Lorne.
Max didn’t stop, but she did slow down just enough that he’d be able to keep her in sight. Focused, Max continued running in the direction of the wall. She had to get to Alec, let him know what White did.
---
At the wall, Max searched for small indentations and listened for the right opportunity to jump. Finding what she needed, an abandoned nest that would make a good foothold.
Behind her, still a bit winded, Lorne asked, “Now what?”
“Now you stay here and wait for the others.”
Lorne reached out gently touching her elbow. Max turned around. Even within the shadows, she could see what his voice only hinted at, deep concern. “If you help me get in,” he tilted his head back looking up at the wall, “or over it, I can stay at your six. John wasn’t kidding or downplaying how dangerous Michael is.”
Max nodded, her voice low and deadly serious. “I know, but neither was I. Don’t underestimate White – use the same caution you’d use with Michael.”
Lorne held her gaze accepting her warning. “Alright, then how do we get in?”
“We don’t. I need you to stay here. I’ll be back, with help.”
“Help? From who?” His confusion was clear.
“Alec.” Max didn’t wait to explain and jumped. Digging her fingers in, she secured her footing and scaled the rest of the way up to the top. After signaling Lorne, Max found where she wanted to jump down and made her way toward the tents.
Once she was closer to the camp it didn’t take Max long to spot Alec, Now it was just a matter of how she was going to get him alone without setting off an alarm to everyone else. The moment of opportunity was taken away as a guard spotted her. She quickly took him out, but it brought more attention from others that had been close by.
Max took out two more opponents and was holding her own in the fight when she heard a roar behind her. She tried to turn, but she was caught in someone’s grasp. Their large hand gripped and clasped tightly her around the neck pulling her off the ground cutting off her air supply. Kicking she clawed at the hand until her body stilled and everything started to blur and fade to black. Oddly she thought she heard Joshua’s worried voice. “Little fella?”
---
When Max came to, she was alone lying on a cot in someone’s tent. Max tensed and sat up when she heard someone coming. She relaxed when she saw it was Joshua and smiled at her old friend.
Joshua had lived with Sandeman who he called father, while she grew up with her adoptive dad, a former Marine colonel named Donald Lydecker and had had a close relationship with him until he disappeared enroute to an expedition. Growing up, it wasn’t until she was around six when Max realized she could do things other kids her age or even adults couldn’t do.
Faced with questions, dad told her that her mother was part of an experiment where they enhanced the DNA of embryos. Confessing that her mother had had several miscarriages and feverishly believed Sandeman, when her biological father that he would be able to help her conceive and deliver a healthy baby. She did both, but not without dire consequences to her own health and she had passed away before Max reached her third birthday.
Ten years later, at thirteen, she finally met her biological father Sandeman. That same day she also met Joshua and White. Though her time with Joshua was brief, they immediately hit it off. It didn’t hurt that Joshua disliked White as much as she did - even more after she discovered was her half-brother. He was an arrogant asshole then just like he was now. From the moment they met, he looked down on her as if she was his inferior.
Her fathers had argued fiercely over some testing Sandeman wanted from her. Dad had refused and they left.
Afterwards, Dad took her on all of his expeditions and they never slowed down, always staying on the move from one expedition to another. It was there her training started in earnest, everything from her education to military combat in all forms. As soon as she excelled at any given level he’d raise the bar and challenge her again honing her skills.
Two years ago, while investigating her dad’s disappearance and going through his papers she discovered files that disclosed details on her origins and the part he had played in it. It wasn’t her mother’s decision seek out Sandeman, but rather, both parents were part of a secret military operation. Her mother was part of the project as a military nurse before she became a human incubator. More importantly she wasn’t alone; there were others - hundreds of them. They were all products of genetic alteration to create a perfect soldier. There were several different X series, only a few dozen were like her of her series, X-5s, with feline DNA mixed into their cocktail.
At that revelation her entire life shifted, leaving her with more questions than answers. When she finally tracked Sandeman down, to demand answers, he was gone. Instead she was greeted by White who enjoyed rubbing her nose in the fact he considered her substandard.
According to White, his modeled genetics were superior, clean of junk DNA. Although it contradicted what she found in her dad’s paperwork where Sandeman considered White’s series inferior with several problems unlike her series, the X-5s, that he had declared the ideal model.
Joshua’s voice brought her back to the present, “Little fella, you okay?”
His concern was palpable. Max smiled and nodded. Behind Joshua, Alec walked in smiling. “Hey Maxie, this is a surprise.”
“Really?” Max didn’t try to hide the anger or disappointment she felt.
Alec flinched at her tone. “Well yeah. Didn’t think you were interested in anything Ames was going after.”
Max stood, her emotions bubbling to the fore when Alec said her brother’s name.
Alec didn’t seem to notice or care about her reaction and instead narrowed his eyes staring at her neck and the strangle marks Joshua left. He moved closer but before he could reach out and touch her, Max stepped back and turned around. “I’m fine.”
Ignoring her rejection, Alec whistled and stated, “True, you’re always looking fine, Max.”
Though he was trying to be flippant, Max heard the undercurrent of worry laced in his voice. Without turning around she felt his heated gaze on her neck. Inhaling, knowing she couldn’t put it off she had to tell Alec about Logan. Turning around she addressed Joshua, “Hey big fellow, think you can give me and Alec a minute?”
Joshua hesitated, staring at her neck then looked between them before he consented and left.
Before Max could say anything, Alec sighed. “Suppose you think I’m just a greedy, unscrupulous sell-out who’ll do anything for money?”
Max smirked. “Yes.” Although silently Max conceded it was only a small portion of what she thought of him. Like her, Alec was an X-5, genetically modified with feline DNA. However he wasn’t luckily enough to have been adopted like she was; Alec, along with the majority of the X-5 series, including his twin brother, Ben, grew up in an orphanage, Manticore. Max had seen the place, it was a cold unforgiving institution, not a place to raise and nurture children. Instead they fostered an environment that catered to Sandeman’s ideology of creating a perfect soldier. At least until a fire destroyed Manticore. Luckily Alec and his brother were days away from their eighteenth birthday and legally didn’t have to return to Manticore’s new facility. Sadly that’s when they’d parted ways, and though he didn’t have to, Ben returned to Manticore leaving Alec alone for the first time in his life.
It was a sore point and they rarely ever talked about it. In fact, she wouldn’t have known Alec had a twin if Logan hadn’t told her why Alec didn’t like to celebrate his birthday. It had been the year following the fire; Alec returned hoping to see Ben. Manticore stated Ben had left their facility months ago and left no forwarding address. Alec tried to find his twin but never turned up any clues. As the years went by Alec tried to convey his default attitude, I’m fine, I’m always fine. From the very beginning when Alec and Logan first met, Alec’s default was one Logan never fell for and unlike her, Logan saw the man behind Alec’s practiced façade.
Thinking of Logan reminded her why she was there in the first place; she had to tell Alec.
Alec shrugged, “Well, the money part is true I guess. What can I say Maxie, it was a good deal. He offered a hell of a lot of money to run this expedition. Okay maybe we’re a little in the gray here and there cutting through a bit of government bullshit by greasing a few palms. But hey, he let me hire Joshua and a few of his friends. Besides the last time I checked Cambodia wasn’t even on your radar.”
“Alec…” Her voice faltered, her mind replaying the scene that was going to haunt her for the rest of her life: Logan lying in a pool of his own blood.
Alec caught Max’s gaze and stilled in fear. By Alec’s reaction whatever was reflected in her eyes was projecting the words she had trouble getting out.
Alec’s voice was barely above a whisper, when he asked, “Logan or Ben?”
A lump formed and she couldn’t utter a word only nod as tears escaped and she struggled to swallow.
Suddenly Alec was there and engulfed her in a tight hug. She felt the tremors under his skin as he shuddered, his own fear and pain surfacing. Just above her ear, she heard Alec’s voice break, questioning, “Logan?”
Her response was to return Alec’s embrace, her arms tightening with each shudder she felt.
They stood there for several moments before Alec pulled away, his eyes glistening, lost in memories. When he did look at her, it was in complete shock as he asked, “When, how?”
It was only then Max realized Alec thought Logan was dead. Swallowing hard to get past the lump that was lodged in her throat Max shook her head frantically and blurted out, “No!
“No, what?”
“He’s not dead, he didn’t die. Or at least I don’t think he is, but it’s serious, Alec.”
Nearly shouting Alec demanded, “What the hell happened?”
An emotion she needed to hang on to, anger, flared to life. “White happened. Early this morning, he ordered his men to break in and steal a disc - using any means necessary. Apparently Logan got in their way as they escaped.”
“Logan’s here in Cambodia? Let’s go.” Alec grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the door.
“Wait, no he’s not here. Here’s…” It was only then she realized she had no idea where Logan was, only that John’s people had him. “I don’t know where he is.”
Alec turned and gaped at her, his temper rising as he blurted out, “What the fuck! Max you’re not making sense. Are you even sure Logan’s hurt?”
Snapping back, “Yes, I’m sure. I was there, damn it!” As if to prove the point her mind replayed the memory supplying her with every excruciating detail. “When I got there, he was just lying there… so much blood I thought he was dead.”
Max felt Alec’s hand anchor on her shoulder bringing her back into his embrace, kissing the top of her head. “If it happened this morning where then, Bangkok? If you don’t have a plane waiting I can get us…”
Facing Alec, Max spoke, her voice steady. “It happened this morning at Croft Manor.”
Alec blinked in confusion as he tried to comprehend what Max was saying. “That’s impossible.”
“Alec, it’s true. Though on a different scale, it’s no more impossible than the things we’re capable of doing.” At that she had Alec’s attention. “White’s on one side and John’s group on the other – they both want the disc. One asked without firing bullets the other didn’t! The disc was hidden in the clock I found at one of dad’s sites – it has something to with dad’s disappearance I’m sure of it. Besides the disc, John’s group is after a man named Michael. They suspect he is working with White.”
At the mention of Michael, Alec’s eyes widened. It was obvious he knew the man in question. “Earlier today I was in Ames’ office when some guy Michael walked in demanding to know what the delay was. By his looks I thought he was one of Sandeman’s mixed cocktails. Although White said his name it wasn’t an introduction, he was addressing Michael telling him everything was handled that their package was on its way and would be here first thing in the morning. White gave me orders to get everyone ready to move out two hours later then dismissed me.”
Max bobbed her head over the news. “It was John, Colonel Sheppard and his people, they saved our lives. They brought me here in a plane that belongs in a sci-fi movie in order to get the disc, catch and stop Michael and White.”
“Alright fine, but what, you’re telling me you just left Logan?” The accusation in Alec’s voice cut Max deeply.
She couldn’t deny the truth and looked away from Alec’s charge. “He’s not alone, Sketchy’s with him. Alec there was nothing I could do – only follow my gut. If Logan has a chance to live I believe their doctor will make it happen, so I allowed John’s people take him.”
Internally Max struggled against telling Alec there was a chance Logan might be paralyzed. From under her lashes Max saw Alec’s glare intensify. Abruptly he broke eye contact and started to pace the room; his fingers angrily threading through his hair in frustration. “And they’re here, this John? So what, you want to steal the disc back when it gets here? What’s its purpose, why do they want it?”
“I only know the disc is a key to some kind of lock. They’ll soon have possession of the key, but they’re still searching for the lock. What does it do? I don’t know, but I’d rather John have it over White. I already know what kind of man White is. And it’s not stealing when it’s already mine.”
“And after? Once they have the disc, they’ll take us to Logan?”
Thinking back Max realized she hadn’t really discussed anything with John regarding Logan or even when they had the disc. She didn’t have time for anything else she had to rely on her instincts - her gut. And although Rodney annoyed her she trusted him, trusted John and the rest of John’s men. Confident she spoke the truth Max stated, “Yeah, he will.”
Alec gave a clip nod, “Alright then, how do you want to play this?”
With Alec on her six, Max felt the tension she was under start to subside. “Okay, they’re waiting on the disc, but they still need to find the lock. Let’s let White do the work for us…”
“Alright, but I think this Michael already has an idea of where the lock is. I suspect we’ll have a short window once the disc arrives. What about your band of merry men?”
Max tilted her head, not bothering to hide her amusement. “We have the advantage of surprise on our side. So we’ll keep it simple and stay hidden. Once the disc gets here then we’ll make our move and take it back.”
Alec cocked an eyebrow at her immediate inclusion of as he called them, her band of merry men, but didn’t say another word about them. “I’ll let Joshua know. There are a few others I hired, friends of Joshua. I met most of them before I hired them on. I think we can count on their help. White has only a small crew going down into the caverns with Michael leading the way. I plan on staying close; I won’t let this go south.”
Max heard the hard edge in Alec’s voice and knew he was thinking about Logan. She didn’t know what else to say or do, but Max found herself mere inches outside of Alec’s personal space. “I told him…”
Alec didn’t have to ask who, he knew who she was talking about and encouraged her. “Told him what?”
“To be strong, that you needed him…” Alec was there pulling her body to his, as she choked out, “that you loved him- couldn’t live without him.” Alec tucked her head under his chin. A heartbeat later Alec added, “Yeah, we both do Max, we both do.”
How long they stood there Max wasn’t sure, and she didn’t care. For once she wasn’t going to run away from the comfort Alec offered.
Gradually they grudgingly pulled apart, but not without Alec lifting her face to his, his eyes searching for something, “Max, when we get out of here and back to Logan safe and sound, I want us - the three of us living together and sharing one bed. No more of just you and I, hooking up on the side, or Logan getting a migraine or feeling guilty whenever we’d force him to choose between us.”
Max stared wide-eyed at Alec. It wasn’t exactly a shock they had the conversation (argument) several times in the last six months. There was no real reason the three of them couldn’t work out. She had no problem with Alec and Logan being together just as they had no problem with either of them being with her. In fact, they had on more than one occasion compared notes and shared each other’s fantasies, issued challenges, dares – no, the only reason the three of them were not together was on her.
Max knew the reason, it was simple – she was afraid. She had already lost her father and she feared if she let either of them get too close that she’d lose them and then lose herself in the process. That had been her argument up until this morning. Seeing Logan lying there in a pool of his own blood, it had been her nightmare come to life. It made her realize several truths: what she already felt for both men – she loved them. Emotionally, she was already too close – whether they physically lived together or not, wouldn’t change that.
Outside they heard a whistle – someone was coming.
“Maxie?” Max blinked seeing the longing in Alec’s eyes.
Slowly she nodded, and the word yes slipped out. It came out in a rush, on a single gust of air that Alec greedily devoured. The kiss, though brief, was thorough and wrought promises that made Max blush. However seeing the glint of pleasure in Alec’s eyes she no longer cared.
Joshua suddenly entered and stopped. His eyes twinkled mischievously and eagerly asked, “Max and Alec gettin’ busy?”
Alec broke away and laughed, “No, not yet big fella, this time we’re going to wait for Logan, then I’m gonna have me a Maxie sandwich.” Max didn’t see Alec’s brows bob in a dance in time to blatant innuendo of his voice, but she could easily visualize Alec’s face and smack him for it.
“Ow!” Alec rubbed the spot dramatically as if she really hurt him – she hadn’t. Then she watched Alec try to fight against the smile that was twitching at the corners of his mouth. “What can I do for you Josh?”
Remembering why he was there, Joshua’s easy composure faded. “White wants to see you, now.”
“Figures. Slight change of plans then, Maxie you’ll have to fill Joshua in while I’m forced to listen to Ames.”
“Fine, but do you have to keep referring to him by his first name? It’s giving me the creeps.”
“For now, yes. I can’t raise his suspicions.” Leaning in he gave Max a quick kiss on the cheek, “Watch yourself.” Then he turned and addressed Joshua, “Max will explain what’s going on. Talk to your friends, see if they’ll help? In a half hour create a small distraction and make sure Max gets back to the wall unseen. If I can’t break away from Ames after that, come looking for me with some excuse – just so I know things are going as planned.”
Max could see with every word, Joshua stood taller, proud of Alec’s trust in him. Patting Joshua’s chest Alec made his way toward the tent’s exit. There Alec paused and met Max’s gaze, his tongue slid out to run over his bottom lip before his lips slid into his trademark smirk. For once Max saw through Alec’s usual carefree façade as his green eyes took in every inch of her – his fear coming to the fore if things didn’t go their way. She wanted to say something to promise that everything would be okay, but she couldn’t, she had the same fears Alec did. She could only hope they would come out unscathed.
Suddenly Max was blinking away tears. Alec was gone. She was left with Joshua staring at the empty space Alec had filled.
---
It didn’t take long for Max to explain to Joshua what was going on. The hardest thing was to watch Joshua’s reaction when she told him about Logan.
The fact they had a plan, and that Alec had already issued orders with the expectation for Joshua to follow through was the only thing that helped ground and center her friend. As far back as she knew there had never been any love lost between White and Joshua; it was only Alec’s orders that kept Joshua from tearing the man apart.
Once he had calmed down, it was time to for her to meet back up with the others, her band of merry men, smirking as she remembered Alec’s rephrase.
Within minutes after they left Alec’s tent they heard yelling, a skirmish between Joshua’s friends drawing the attention of everyone at the site as they made their way to the wall. There with a long rope looped around her shoulder, Joshua gave her an extra boost to easily sail over the wall to land on her feet startling Lorne and the others not four feet from her - their guns raised and ready to fire.
Seconds later they registered it was Max and lowered their guns.
Lorne was the first to react and lowered his gun, exhaling his relief. Rodney mumbled, “thank goodness” while the hard plains of alertness across John’s face suddenly melted, his lips shifting to a goofy smile. Like Lorne, John and the others were relieved to see her. Meeting Evan’s gaze, Max suddenly understood the undercurrent of emotion she was feeling from them it wasn’t just seeing her at the rendezvous point, but seeing and knowing that she was okay, unharmed.
“Glad you could make it.” Although it sounded hard, cavalier, Evan’s eyes expressed his true sincerity.
Max smiled. “Wouldn’t start the party without you.”
“Good to know. Now what happened?” John questioned.
Turning back to the business at hand, Max filled them in on everything Alec had conveyed to her about White and Michael. “Alec will stay close to White and Michael. Right now, Joshua’s waiting; he’s on the other side of the wall. Here,” Max showed them the mountain climbing rope. “We get over then we wait for the disc to arrive. It should be here by morning.”
The disappointment heavy in voice, Rodney asked, “So we just wait?”
“Right now they’re searching for the lock, without the key they can’t do anything right?” Max didn’t wait for Rodney to respond and looked at John. “You said it yourself, Michael can read the symbols. I figured we could rest while they do the work – then take them by surprise.”
John’s head cocked to the side, his eyes shifted and sought out Lorne then Ronon as he silently conferred with them. Neither objected or seemed to find a flaw with her plan and nodded their consent. John pursed his lips, before he spoke. “Alright, sounds good.”
Max stood, dropping the rope so it’d untangle. Grabbing one end, she made a secure knot then stepped back knowing Joshua would easily hear her and calmly stated, “Joshua, head’s up.”
Max ignored their stares and threw the knotted end over the wall.
Immediately Joshua responded, “got it.” Seconds later Max felt the tension in the rope.
Holding the rope, Max turned to John, and asked, “Ready?”
He gave a sharp nod, and stood to take the rope.
Max wanted to warn John, but didn’t want to say ‘oh by the way Joshua is a dog man so don’t freak out’. Instead trying to choose and emphasize her words carefully, Max said. “Ah, by-the-way Joshua’s on the ‘DADT’ list and don’t let his size or…” she paused a second knowing Joshua could hear her, “his good looks surprise you.”
John stared then cracked a smile his eyes drifted over to Ronon, sharing some inside joke that had Ronon smiling showing his teeth. Beside Ronon, it was Rodney’s snort that she realized John had turned what she said into some kind of sexual reference - one she didn’t want a clarification for.
Max made a face, and was more than happy to let John face Joshua without any further description. Though for Joshua’s sake she leaned into John and whispered, “Don’t hurt him.”
Wordlessly John nodded, gripping the rope as he started to climb.
Once John was halfway up, David came over with Lorne. Lorne continued to quietly give David a pep talk. “Keep it simple, just like John is doing, one hand over the other and use your feet against the wall to keep moving up.”
Max could see David was nervous and noticed his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed. Then Lorne handed David gloves for him to put on. Lorne leaned in closer staring into David’s face, blocking her view to see anything else. Lorne’s voice was low and encouraging, “Don’t worry, you’ll do fine. At the top just close your eyes and I’ll be there as quickly as I can, all right?” She didn’t hear David respond to anything however his silent question must have been readable in his eyes as Evan firmly answered, “You won’t, but if you did we’d catch you.”
Then Max understood, David wasn’t just nervous about climbing, he was terrified of heights. Max heard David’s broken sigh, listening to him take several small breaths before he inhaled to hold his breath, as if he was going to be left without oxygen or submerged in water. Lorne brushed his lips over David’s cheek and whispered, “Close your eyes and breathe.” Lorne guided him to the wall where Max watched the man’s clumsy start. Lorne kept his hands on David for as long as he could, whispering words of encouragement until he reached the top where John was waiting and pulled the frightened man to his side.
Lorne didn’t wait for David to reach the top before he started his climb up. John patted David’s shoulders, leaving the man in Lorne’s care. John signaled, and Max held her end of the rope tight as John started his descent down.
Nervously Max waited and listened, hoping. Max knew the moment John touched ground and saw Joshua up close. A gasp started to escape, before John swallowed it down then offered a nervous, “Hi, guess you’re…”
“Joshua, I’m first.”
Max could only imagine the shock on John’s face nodding his head when she heard him say, “All right, you’ll have no argument from me.” Joshua grunted, then there was silence and she imagined John was rocking on his feet, staring up at Joshua. Finally she heard John say, “Okey dokey” and Joshua in turn repeated the phrase before silence followed.
Unable to do anything, Max focused her attention back on the others and watched as Lorne whispered encouragingly to David as he made his descent while Rodney was climbing up. Like Lorne, Ronon started before Rodney reached the top. Once there, they each quickly descended.
Seconds later Max joined them; any tension she felt about them accepting Joshua disappeared when she saw the look of admiration on Ronon’s face, looking up at Joshua’s taller frame.
Quietly she wound up the rope before they stealthily made their way toward White’s encampment.
Shortly afterwards Joshua rejoined his friends while she and the others hunkered down in a secluded area that she and Joshua had scouted out earlier that Max suspected were once gardens. Now they only had to watch and wait for morning when the disc arrived.
Everyone but Parrish and McKay took turns to act as sentinels while the others rested and slept; Ronon took the first watch.
Max tried to ignore they way Lorne sat closely with David. It was easy to see by the way Evan leaned into David with each touch, he was proud that David fought against his fears. Max swallowed and turned away from raw intimacy.
Her eyes locked on to John. He was in Rodney’s personal space; like Evan and David, there was an air of intimacy that surrounded them. She couldn’t stop herself, her eyes shifted to glance in Ronon’s direction to see if he was aware of their familiarity. He caught her eyes and smiled, letting her silently know he was more than aware of John’s relationship with Rodney. His brow rose, wordlessly asking if she had a problem with that.
She shook her head, no, offering a small, contrite smile before she turned away avoiding the couples as she settled in, ignoring the ache as the scenes reminded her of own relationship with Logan and Alec.
Max gnawed on her lip thinking about both men, wondering if she made the right decision to take the next step by agreeing to move forward in a three-way relationship.
It was almost six years ago when she’d met and hired Logan. He was older, twenty-eight years old to her nineteen after having graduated from M.I.T at the top of his class. Initially she wanted someone to work on ideas, mechanical designs she had created where she had trouble with the technical applications.
Not only did Logan have the credentials, but from the moment they met there were sparks that ignited playful flirting. She had been so enthralled by Logan she immediately offered him a job. The offer included room and board at Croft Manor on top of a generous salary.
She had been so smitten it hadn’t occurred to her until Sketchy had questioned her that with Logan living at Croft Manor that she’d have to watch and curtail any actions that’d fall into an abnormal category. At the time she wasn’t quite ready to share her secret – that she was genetically enhanced.
Thankfully Logan arrived with a solution, his RV Bertha with the intension of living inside the vehicle.
They worked well together. Logan took her schematics then went beyond the original design and more often than not going in an entirely different direction to reach her desired end result.
Each day, what had started as simple attraction and playful flirting snowballed into more admiration and respect. Simply they enjoyed each other’s company. Max had never laughed or smiled as much as she did when Logan was around. After six months Max finally gave into her desires and they became intimately involved.
In the first two years they were exclusive, not that she ever told Logan that.
In the beginning, although Logan shared her bed, she still kept her abilities a secret from him. Multiple fears of how different she was from everyone else hung over her head and kept her at bay. However after a while Logan started to notice the little things she could do. Heightened reflexes, like grabbing a glass seconds before it hit the floor. They were small accidents where she reacted before thinking, but as she became more comfortable with Logan in and out of her bed, Max started to trust him with her secrets. Of what she could do physically: her increased strength, speed, hearing, and sight along with her agility, flexibility and intelligence. Instead of being afraid, Logan was fascinated and wanted to focus and test all of her abilities.
To a certain extent Max indulged in his curiosity up until the day her dad disappeared, in what authorities classified as an accidental death – a cave-in at a new site her dad was supposedly exploring four years ago.
After receiving the news of the cave-in, Max formed a team and quickly headed out to the location. It had taken her and her team three days to arrive with equipment to dig her father and his crew out. However once they arrived, even with the equipment they’d brought, the government authorities declared it unsafe for a rescue attempt and refused to allow her or her team access to the caverns. Authorities pointed out only three people were missing, her dad and two guides he had with him. The evidence gathered appeared that they disregarded protocol and had gone down into the caverns without any equipment before it was deemed safe. Between the depth of the cave-in and that it was nearly a week later, everyone believed they were trapped and by now dead - everyone but Max.
Something Logan and Sketchy never understood. They thought she was hanging on to false hope unable to face the cold reality that her dad was dead.
However for Max none of it made sense. The site and these particular caverns were never listed on her dad’s agenda. Then going down without proper equipment before he had an engineer examine the cavern’s strength – no!
She didn’t care; he’d never endanger not only his own life, but anyone else’s. Still, even if he had gone down, Max couldn’t shake the feeling that regardless of what anyone said that he was still alive.
It had been her dad who taught her listen to and trust those instincts in the first place. Although it went against all logical reasoning with overwhelming supportive evidence, Max took it even further and didn’t believe he was buried somewhere in the caverns – instead he had somehow disappeared, and could be anywhere. Until she was proven wrong she had no plans to deviate from what her instincts were telling her.
Though Logan and Sketchy had tried to be supportive they both believed she was in denial. It had created a strain between her and them, but especially between her and Logan. Not only did she stop sleeping with Logan, she had barely talked to him for nearly six months.
Max couldn’t deny she was angry that they didn’t believe her, but worse was how much it hurt. They knew her, and should have trusted her word. Still she couldn’t deny their concern and love for her – it was obvious. They were family and that truth eventually bridged the gap enough for her to forgive them. They didn’t understand, and she couldn’t explain the how or why she knew it wasn’t false hope.
With Alec she didn’t have to explain. He understood.
Max didn’t meet Alec until after her dad disappeared.
It was during her investigation when Max started to trace her dad’s steps before he arrived at the excavation. Looking through his cell phone records proved interesting. They showed there were several calls to and from Sandeman. She called the number and though there was no answer it was enough for Logan to triangulate the call giving her a location to start her search.
After locating Sandeman’s residence she discovered that like her dad, he was missing.
Logan and Sketchy were skeptical and believed it was a consequence – the problem was Max didn’t believe in consequences and added Sandeman to her investigation. It led her back to Manticore’s orphanage, where Sandeman was reportedly last seen.
It was there at Manticore she met Alec.
Like her, he was a transgenic from the X-5 series. At the time, Alec let her draw her own conclusions on why he was there – supposedly seeking answers on his parentage.
He appeared as earnest as she was to find Sandeman so Max allowed Alec to join her in her investigation. It didn’t hurt that she didn’t have to explain her need and intuition to keep on searching. Alec understood, guided by his own intuitive instinct. Together they pooled their resources to share any vital information.
Working together, Max got to know Alec – possibly better than she wanted to. In the beginning, he grated on her nerves and pissed her off. He readily used his looks to his advantage, had no problems bending the rules, and was a flirtatious womanizer. He loved the finer things in life, everything money could buy, and loved that she had money. He was witty, quick to smile, laugh and would find and utilize the quickest and easiest way to do anything.
Although she’d react, her temper short, he’d just smile and shrug his shoulders like nothing bothered him, even her smacking him on the arm.
The more she was annoyed, the wider Alec’s smile would get – worse, his eyes would dance with mischief as he took pleasure in her frustration.
Admittedly it took her awhile, but Max started to catch Alec with his guard down. She’d then see glimpses of the man behind the mask of persona. It was that person that piqued Max’s curiosity.
However it was never enough to derail her from her primary focus – to find Sandemen and more importantly, her dad.
Surprisingly, Alec was just as single-minded and driven to find Sandeman. Alec gave her the support and understanding she wanted and missed from Logan and Sketchy.
Each day their bond grew; Alec understood what it was like to be so different. At the manor she no longer had to hide her abilities from Logan or Sketchy, but she was always consciously aware they were there and every time she’d use an ability it came with the cost that they knew exactly how different she was from them. With Alec those feelings didn’t exist; she’d had no idea how liberating it would be until she had it.
Days turned into weeks. What had started as witty retorts between them started to fall flat and doubts about whether she’d ever find her dad plagued her. Each lead quickly turned to disappointment as every clue they ran down turned out to be a dead-end.
Whether it was due to seeing each other every day, eventually their mutual frustration started to manifest itself physically. First it was just a knock of shoulders and getting too close in each other’s way that they’d bump into each other. It quickly escalated to pushing and shoving that led to more aggressive actions: hitting and punching.
The fact that Max didn’t have to hold back was exhilarating. If she pushed or punched Alec, he’d punch her right back. Each pushed their limits. Alec was just as enthralled – she wasn’t weak or fragile; her strength equaled his. Both recognized that in the real world with anyone else they wouldn’t be able to fight someone without seriously injuring them. Alec took what she dished out and upped the ante until the exchange of blows turned into a real fight.
It was easy to see they both felt the same excitement as they continued to fight, each vying to outdo the other - it was intoxicating. They fought until they wore themselves out and ended up in a clinch – when a simple kiss exploded into sudden passion.
Max did nothing to stop Alec, instead she grabbed him and demanded more. She needed to feel. To feel anything, to feel alive and Alec gave that to her. Sex with Alec was explosive, similar to their sparring: fast and hard.
Max had no regrets, nor any plans to stop seeing Alec, and had no illusions as to what kind of relationship she had with him. It wasn’t on the same level as the relationship she had started to build with Logan; no, it was purely physical, down and dirty – but satisfying. Yet it wasn’t the sex that made her want more, it was everything else Alec offered that Logan wasn’t capable of and never could be – he was an X-5. With Alec she no longer felt alone.
After four months with no leads, Max and Alec parted ways and she returned to Croft Manor. She still believed her dad was alive, but those same instincts started to warn her that she’d never see him again. The thought crushed her.
At the manor without Alec around, and unable to deal with Logan and Sketchy hovering over her, Max started to mope, sliding further into depression as she was forced to deal with the outside world that had already declared her dad dead. Word quickly spread that she had returned and calls filled the silence at the manor, as lawyers, shareholders, and condolences quickly turned into demands that she start being proactive in Croft Industries by making necessary financial decisions, or to step down and sell her shares.
She shouldn’t have been surprised to find Sketchy and Logan had her back, but after she had rejected their support and pushed them away she truly was. However, if she was honest with herself it was Logan’s reaction that really surprised her. Upon returning she had made no secret of the fact that she was seeing someone, Alec, and that they had become intimate.
Max wouldn’t say that Logan didn’t care she was seeing someone else, but he certainly didn’t turn away from her either. She thought things between them would have been awkward or tense; she was wrong.
Logan quietly stood at her six, waiting for her cue to accept the comfort he had to offer – to offer what she didn’t know she needed. Logan did what no one else could; he challenged and forced her to face the various emotions that she had, up until then, refused to deal with. In anger she verbally acknowledged that she’d never see her dad again, and asked if he was happy now then promptly fell apart. Logan waited until she was ready then opened his arms accepting her as she cried until she was cried out.
Afterwards it didn’t take long before they were back to flirting, igniting a spark that fanned the embers to a crackling blaze between her and Logan once again creating a heat neither of them could resist.
Though before things got too complicated Max told Logan she wasn’t going to stop seeing Alec. She could see he wasn’t happy about it, but Logan reassured her that she could see anyone she needed to before he kissed her again.
In so many ways Logan was the opposite of Alec, the flip side of the coin. Between the two of them, with their different approaches on just about everything, Max felt grounded.
Both were easy on the eyes, had a sharp intellect and challenged her in different ways. In some of those differences Logan was the one that wasn’t afraid to share and open up emotionally. Where she and Alec were stoic to differing degrees, they hid their emotions. Alec hid behind a smile of ‘everything’s okay’ attitude as compared to her own ‘keep everyone and everything at bay unless she’s able to physically pound it or them into the ground’.
Alec, on the other hand, from day one, almost against her will, Max bonded with him. He satisfied a need that neither Logan nor even her dad could fulfill; that even though she was different she wasn’t alone.
When Alec showed up at the manor it wasn’t long before he started to linger and just hung out enjoying life at the manor – including interacting with Logan. To her and Sketchy’s surprise, Alec and Logan got along - really well. Before she knew it, Alec was coming and going from the manor whether she was there or not.
Both men were quite aware she was seeing and sexually active with the other and to their credit neither appeared to harbor any resentment. Whether he initially intended to or whether Alec’s charm won him over, Logan accepted Alec’s place in her life just as Alec accepted Logan.
It should have been awkward, strained, they should have fought, and forced her to choose between them – instead both took the same stance that they wanted her happiness even if that meant sharing her. Max couldn’t deny having both of them in her life eased a lot of the pain she carried around about her dad. The mystery around him was still important, but it was no longer her main focus.
Max had traveled with Alec for months. She saw him flirt with everyone, so it came as no surprise when he flirted with Logan. What did surprise her was that Logan flirted back. At first she thought it was a taunt to her and maybe it started out that way, but even she couldn’t deny there was an energy between them that was palpable.
She doesn’t know the specifics of when they started other than what Alec told her, that he had kissed Logan and to his surprise (and hers), Logan kissed him back. By the time Alec told her they were doing a bit more than kissing, and apparently both were interested in doing more, but not without letting her know. Although neither of them wanted to stop being with her, they confessed they also wanted to see where things went between each other.
It might have been strange to consider, but what they were already doing went against conservative convention. Without skipping a beat Max readily told them she didn’t foresee a problem. In fact, once she got over the curiosity of why she wasn’t jealous, she found herself intrigued enough that she might have tried on more than one occasion to catch them in a clench.
Ironically it was by accident rather than design when she did catch them, and they moved quickly into slow smoldering kiss. Max froze and watched them. Her playful excitement at finally seeing them together quickly turned into desire as she stood there watching, panting in want. Her heart rate accelerated and she was mesmerized, forcibly denying her immediate response to go over and join them.
Instead Max focused on the differences of how they interacted with each other versus how they each were individually with her. Although both men allowed her to direct how things went in the bedroom, of what they did together, they also let her set the pace. Yet their behavior toward each other was vastly different than when they were with her. Everything between her and Logan was intoxicatingly slow, gentle, sensual and erotic. Even after time apart when they came back together it was a charged frenzy where Logan gave up complete control and allowed her to ravish him. On the other hand with Alec, although he ended up giving her control, it was a battle to be fought, tit for tat - dueling for dominance. It was a game they both knew she’d win. The point was she didn’t want it handed to her and Alec intuitively knew that and gave her what she wanted.
However watching Logan interact with Alec, it surprised her to see Logan aggressively dominate Alec. Yet even stranger to see Alec didn’t fight it. There was no push to take control, only Alec’s complete submission. It was easy to see in Alec’s posture that he basked in the attention Logan bestowed on him. Their liaison quickly escalated to the point that Alec was needy and wanton, begging for more as he leaned into Logan’s explicit touch. Their desired interactions were seamless where each let go and melded into the other as if they had been partners for years.
Abruptly Max fled, and not in embarrassment but in fear that she’d go over to them. Not to confront them in anger, but rather, her own shocked surprise, to join them, discovering she was genuinely turned on from watching them. Worse, she wanted to be a part of something she had no business being a part of.
It didn’t take long for them to realize she had seen them, but instead of feeling somehow violated that she’d spied, both enjoyed knowing she had. Each of them, when they were alone, took the time to tease her with their words and touch. Whispering and telling her what they did, how the other acted and responded, drawing out her pleasure with the picture they created.
It didn’t matter if she was alone with Logan or Alec; it always felt like the other was there with them. Not intruding, but enhancing the experience so that eventually they both brought it up – and argued the point that they should just be a threesome.
Privately Max admitted it wasn’t the principle that scared her, but the promised intimacy did. Afraid of exactly what would change between them that wasn’t sex: their friendship. Max couldn’t take the chance of losing what she already had and dug in her heels to keep things status quo.
Coming back to the present, Max blinked back tears thinking about the situation now - of her promise to Alec when this was over - of Logan. Now all she wanted was for all this to end so she could be home, safe and sound with Alec and Logan at her side.
Although her mind wouldn’t shut down, Max forced herself to close her eyes and lay there quietly, waiting for the morning sun.
next~