Christique's Journal

Stranded!

Tue, 10 Apr 2007 04:36:37 GMT

...And one more. Another story I dug up from out of the wasteland that is my computer! Don't be shy! Go on; read it!

Genre: Dark Angel fanfic, adventure, comedy
Summary: Max 'n' crew get stranded on an island while attempting to go on vacation. Can they survive? Or will they kill each other before any rescuers arrive?

Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel.
Story: Max and the gang are going on vacation! Or so they think...
A/N: Hi, everyone! This fic has been sitting on my computer collecting dust for a while. That's not to say it's finished yet, but I got sick of waiting around to post it. So here it is! I hope you all enjoy it!

Stranded!

The big man standing by the fireplace appeared to be made entirely of money, from his rich, maroon silk robe right down to his rich, well-bred voice and rich Cuban cigar. He laughed softly at the expression on his colleague's face.

"Why so stunned, Vic? What did you expect, that the guy's informants lurk about the city slums 24/7, looking for a 'freak of the week' to squeal on? No, we don't look too fondly on moles in this business, Vic. We can't afford to. And, consequently, they can't afford to stab us in the back, 'cuz they know we'll return the gesture quite literally."

Victor stared in disbelief. "So you're saying, not only is the guy rich, but he's going on some dream vacation in a week?" The man nodded smoothly. "How did you find this out?"

The man smiled. "Well, Vic, Mr. Eyes Only has his informants, and I have mine," he answered cryptically.

Victor decided to drop it. Pushing this guy's buttons was a bad idea if you enjoyed breathing. And there was no question that Victor most certainly did enjoy breathing. He had a lot to live for; he had a great deal of influence in the city of Seattle's shady underground, as well as in its government, despite his having to defer to the big man in front of him now.

"Well, Rich, you're saying you want me to take him out?"

Richard's lip curled contemptuously at Victor's stating of the obvious. "Did I say that? I was simply relaying information pertaining to the whereabouts of an Eyes Only informant that has been causing both you and I many headaches of late by digging up classified dirt on us for Eyes Only to broadcast to the world." He shot Victor a meaningful look.

Victor bowed his head awkwardly in acquiescence. "Of course, Rich. I'll take care of it."

"See that you do, Vic."

"Alec! Hurry up, will ya?" Max yelled over her shoulder. She headed for the plane's entrance at a brisk pace with her luggage crammed in and under both arms. They were running a bit late, but Logan was piloting the plane. Max felt fairly certain he wouldn't take off without her, but counting on the same courtesy for Alec was questionable at best. After all, he was only coming because he wouldn't quit whining about never having seen Hawaii before.

"Don't worry about me, Maxie," Alec said with a grin aimed at her back. "I'm not missin' this for anything!"

Max rolled her eyes and boarded the plane.

Logan stood in the aisle looking anxiously at the doorway. "Is he coming or not?" Max pursed her lips and nodded.

Logan checked his watch in annoyed panic. They were behind schedule. They had to get there in time to set up before the plan could be set into action, or else they were risking some major exposure. Logan's tip-off had warned that the place was swarming with Hatch's men, and they would need to procede with the utmost caution.

It was incredibly bothersome that no one else on the trip seemed to take it seriously. Well, Zack did, but then again, Zack took everything seriously.

It certainly didn't help that Max had insisted on letting her best friend and roommate to come along for the ride. Logan grimaced at their conversation from earlier, when he had told Max about the plan.

"Ohmigosh! Hawaii? Seriously? You have a mission that's gonna let a girl get some rest and relaxation on the beach? Sun, sand, flowers and tropical breezes - the works?" she asked excitedly.

Logan smiled. "Yeah, the works. We can even go shopping at this great outdoor mall down there, Ala Moana. After the mission's taken care of, that is."

Max squealed in delight, apparently not hearing the last part of what Logan said. "Ohmigosh! I have to tell OC! She'll be thrilled!"

Logan frowned in sudden alarm. "Wait a minute, Max. What do you mean, she'll be thrilled? She can't come on an Eyes Only mission! It's too dangerous! It's just gonna be you and me."

Max pouted angrily. "As much as I'd love a romantic week with you in an island paradise, you cannot expect me to be as cruel as to leave my best girl out of the one chance she'll ever have to go to the best place on what's left of this earth," she said with a frown.

Logan sighed in exasperation. "Max, it's not about the location, or a romantic week, although that sounds like a wonderful idea...," he trailed off thoughtfully.

"Logan!" Max said sharply. "We can't even touch without you ending up dead. Did you forget? A week by ourselves in some romantic place sounds way less safe to me than letting Cindy come along for the ride. Besides, the mission part won't take the whole time, right?" she asked hopefully.

Logan sighed again. She was right. They couldn't really trust themselves around each other, especially not in a place as famous for honeymooners in pre-Pulse times as Hawaii.

Max took his silence for agreement. "OK, I'll go tell Cindy, and then we can rustle up some more help."

"Wh- help? Who exactly are you gonna call for this, Max? Not more vacationers, Max. One, I can deal with, but I can't guarantee to protect a whole group of 'em!"

Max gave him a level look. "Chill, OK? I'm calling some reinforcements. I'm gonna see if I can't contact Zack."

Logan kept a neutral face. He didn't much like Zack, and Zack certainly made no secret of not liking Logan. The X5 had something akin to an obsession with Max, in Logan's opinion, and Zack thought Logan was a danger to his 'sister,' whom he definitely didn't treat like a sister. Zack's 'thing' for Max was glaringly obvious to everyone, except to Max herself. Logan suspected denial, but would never say that to Max. She'd be furious with him.

"Alright. You can tell Cindy, and I'm sure Zack's help would be useful, against such a large crime lord's empire," Logan said resignedly.

Max flashed a bright smile. "Thanks, Logan. I'd hug you, but, uh... I kinda like you alive."

Max had indeed told Cindy, who in turn had to contain her excitement enough to tell Normal that she and Max would be missing an entire week of work at Jam Pony. An outraged Normal had demanded an explanation, and since nothing along the lines of their typical excuses would work in that situation (like a week-long funeral or traffic jam, or a pre-planned, week-long illness), Cindy had to go with the truth. She told him they were going on a vacation, and he wouldn't drop the issue until she grudgingly gave him the details.

A jealous Normal, who obviously never got to go on fun vactations and thus had never been to Hawaii, complained about Max and OC to all of the employees for a solid week until the girls had every Jam Pony messenger bugging them to let them come along. The worst was Sketchy.

"C'mon, Cindy! It's Hawaii! And, did I mention, you are my best friend in the whole world? Max! I, uh, I love ya, Max! ...You know you wanna take me with you, right? Hawaii just wouldn't be the same without the Sketch-meister, eh?"

"Oh yeah, you got that right, foo'," Cindy interjected sarcastically. "It would be... too peaceful and relaxin' witout you."

Sketchy frowned in confusion.

Then, when Max was having trouble locating Zack, Alec became a royal, whiny pain in the ass.

"Maxie! What's this I hear about you going to Hawaii?"

"Well, it's like this. I'm going to spend a week in Hawaii," she explained condescendingly, as if to a two-year-old.

"And where exactly does Brother Zack fit into all that?" he asked suspiciously.

Max glared at him. "I need him there... to help."

Alec arched one brow in curiosity. "Help? Really. What services can Zack provide that I can't? Huh? ...Unless it really is incest you're after; I can't help you there, Maxie. But I gotta say, that's kinda kinky. I didn't realize you were the type to roll that way..."

Max hit him upside the head. "It's to help out Logan, you ass!"

Alec's eyes widened in shock. "Woah! I really didn't realize that Logan was the type to roll that way! Damn. Such a waste, y'know? If I had a chick as hot as you all googly-eyed over me, I think that would be enough to keep me on the straight side of the road, if ya know what I mean," he said, giving Max an appreciative once-over and earning yet another swat to the head.

"Ow!" he rubbed his head briefly. "But seriously, Max," he took up without missing a beat. Max groaned. "How come you didn't invite me? I mean, I've never been to Hawaii, and I would love to see it! What's the point in letting a guy out into the world and not even letting him enjoy a vacation in the most gorgeous place on earth, complete with beaches full of scantily-clad ladies touching up their tans?"

Max shot him a glaring, disgusted look. "The fact that you have to ask after saying something like that is proof enough that I made the right choice in NOT inviting you," she said coldly.

Alec's face went from smart-alec teasing to serious. "Aw, c'mon, Maxie! It's Hawaii!"

Max put her hands on her hips. "I just love how everyone says that and thinks it's gonna change my mind! 'It's Hawaii!'" she said mockingly. "DUH! Of course it's Hawaii! And yes, I'm sure it's gorgeous, but that doesn't mean we can take along everyone in Seattle who's never been there. Ever heard of the Pulse? Yeah, NO ONE has been to Hawaii; nobody's got the cash to leave work for a week and go on a vacation, unless you're that Hatch scumbag, apparently."

"Or you and Cindy, apparently."

"Shut up! It's for Logan, OK?"

"Oh, so it's worth the time off from wage-earning 'cuz you'll get a reimbursement from your boyfriend, right?"

"He's not - "

"Right, he's not your boyfriend. You're not even like that. Got it."

Max's glare was laced with venom. "Anyways, I only stopped by to ask if you knew a way I could get in touch with Zack," she asked, pouncing on a way to change the subject.

Alec looked thoughtful. "Hm. Maybe..."

Max sighed with exasperation. "But...," she started for him expectantly.

"...but it's gonna cost ya."

"Lemme guess. You'll only tell me if I let you come with us to Hawaii," Max said with a glare.

Alec's face brightened up like a little boy on Christmas morning. "Well, I was actually gonna say somewhere around 500 large, but since you offered, that's way better!"

Max clutched her face in her hands to keep them from strangling the life out of Alec.

They had luckily been able to reach Zack through some contacts Alec had, but that meant that Alec had to tag along for sure, much to Max's dismay.

When Max had come back to Logan a week later with the dramatically enlarged guest list, Logan had flipped.

"What?!? What do you mean, Sketchy's coming? And Normal? What the hell, Max, you don't even like Normal!"

"He, uh, kinda threatened to fire us both for real this time if we didn't agree to let him come with us...," Max trailed off apologetically. "Trust me, Logan, I want nothing more than to board that plane with all of our extra baggage and start chuckin' it all out the window myself! Unfortunately, I really need that job. Without my Sector Pass... I don't know what I'd do. Life would be pretty rough on a poor helpless cat burglar."

Logan squeezed his eyes shut tight and massaged his throbbing temples with two fingers. "So we're taking Zack, Cindy, Sketchy, and Normal?"

"And Alec."

Logan looked up. "What!?"

Max shrugged.

Logan liked the idea of Alec being so close to Max on this 'dream vacation' even less than the idea of Zack in the same situation. Logan simply did not like the screw-up, named 'Alec' for his smart-alec attitude. He always managed to make a mess of things, and that is exactly what Logan feared would happen, even without help from Alec, on this risky mission. Logan decided he needed some damage control of his own...

"I have to make a phone call real quick," he said and left to call Asha and invite her along with all of her experience in the S1W she had to offer for this case.

So Max stood in the doorway to the plane, and looked around to see all of her companions, invited and forcibly accepted alike, smiling at her in eager anticipation of leaving for the beautiful island of O'ahu, HI.

Finally in charge again, Victor entered the dimly-lit, plush room. Personal laptop computers circled the inside, each with a chair and set of advanced controls by them for their several users. In the very center of the room stood one incredibly large computer terminal that glowed with multiple screenshots of radar and program codes running in realtime, as well as the progress of the server trying to download documents, multiple computer connections, and other such media.

Men sat at nearly every terminal, typing away and staring intently at their screens. They were all part of Victor's personal army of informants, black market accountants and dealers, and general information-gatherers. Victor smiled broadly as he thought of all the men he had the power to step on and still have benefit him. He had everyone in the city under his thumb. Well, everyone except Richard...

He cleared his throat loudly in greeting, and immediately, hundreds of chairs scraped the tile floor as men turned around to see their boss.

"Gentleman," Victor began with a falsely ingratiating smile, "we have some business to take care of today."

"Oh! I've found them, sir!"

"Good work, Otto. Keep on their tails," Ames White said in a cold voice. "That filthy transgenic scum can't hide forever."

Otto's face was an interesting mixture of pride and fear. "Very good, sir," he said awkwardly.

White turned to face his companions on the private jet. "So. The plan goes as follows. We've intercepted 452 and her little friends, and now we're gonna keep a close eye on them, follow 'em to the landing site, and take them out when their collective guard is down." His face stretched into a malicious smirk that never reached his icy eyes. "They're on vacation," he said in a simpering voice, showing his contempt for such a frivolous way to spend time.

Renfro smiled tightly at her new boss. She didn't like the plan very much; it was all too easy. Something was bound to go wrong, but there was no way she was going to try and explain that to a man as unfeeling as Ames White. He would just scorn her for her pessimism, and then she could very well end up like Otto, a totally submissive lackey. Or worse, she could end up like the other occupant of the private jet they rode in.

White turned his gaze onto Lydecker. "Why the long face, Deck?" he asked, pinning Lydecker's downturned head with an intense stare. "Here I thought you'd be looking forward to seeing your pretty little pet project again. Don't tell me you've had a change of heart?" White managed to feign a somewhat concerned look.

Lydecker raised his head, barely, and met White's cold gray eyes with dark ones of his own. He stared at White with a resigned sort of hatred as a response and then let his gaze fall to the floor again.

"Hm. I was so happy when we first fished you out of that river, too. But it seems you may as well be dead, for all the responsiveness I get out of you. Or don't, I should say. No worries, Deck. I'm sure your tongue will loosen up when we reach our destination," White commented in a lazy, uncaring voice. Lydecker didn't even show a sign that he had heard the man at all.

Renfro cleared her throat softly to break the tension. "Well, Ames, what do we do now? We don't even know where they're going, let alone how long the flight will last."

White gave her a cursory glance. "Well, Director, we prop up our feet and listen to some relaxing music to fly by," he said with frigid sarcasm as he took out a pair of silver ear buds, kicked back in the seat he occupied, and closed his eyes as the music flowed through the tiny headphones.

The lackeys at the computer radar screens looked up at their boss expectantly.

"Sir, there are two planes reported in range, one closely tailing the other. What should we do now?"

"Well, the poor bastard has to be in one of 'em, right? Take 'em both out."

The young man gasped. "But, sir...!"

"But nothin', Swanson! Any collateral damage is worth it, to get that damned pet of Eyes Only out of my hair for good."

The man at the controls hesitated for a second before Victor spat at him, "Do it!"

He pushed the angry red button that read, "Launch" and sent two missiles at the private jets in the sky.

The group of men safely tucked away in their expansive computer terminal watched on the main central screen as the long, thin shafts of metal steered with deadly precision toward their targets.

A/N: OK, so... what do you think so far? Good? Bad? In between? ...Stop writing? (That's just a joke... please don't say that last one! My fragile writer's ego can't take it...) Whatever you think about it, please take the time to review and let me know! Thanks so much for reading this!

-christique

The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

Tue, 10 Apr 2007 04:19:00 GMT

Dooski's comment reminded me of this story, so I figured, what the hell. Why not? I know... Christmas is a very long way off, but I liked this story. Hopefully you guys will, too!

Genre: Dark Angel fanfic, a Christmas story
Summary: Max hates Christmas. Alec doesn't. Can he help Max out of her funk so that she can enjoy the most wonderful time of the year?

Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel.

A/N: Hi, guys! This is just a quick little meaningless fic that was inspired by my most favorite holiday! Let me know what you think!

Max walked at a brisk pace through the cold streets of Seattle with her hood up and a black snow cap on for good measure. She absently rubbed her hands together briefly for a little warmth, the black leather riding gloves with the fingertips missing making a soft scratching sound to her sensitive ears. It was simply too cold outside today.

Max had to get back to Terminal City with the medical supplies in the brown leather drawstring sack slung on her shoulder. She desperately wanted to be off of the streets and back in TC, but it really wasn't the weather that was troubling her. Cold, Max could handle if she had to. She had, after all, stayed submerged in a frozen lake waiting for the guards to pass by when she had escaped from Manticore back in '09. No, it was the incessant cheerful mood of the people of Seattle that Max could not deal with today.

Everywhere she looked, people were smiling at each other, holding packages and shopping bags, and holding doors for other people to pass through. They were being nice and polite, chatting in a friendly manner to total strangers and occasionally giving some money to those in the streets who obviously wouldn't be emerging from any store laden with purchases. They were directing lost visitors to their destinations, and they were taking fair turns in the gas lines. There weren't even any crooks lightening the loads of unsuspecting passersby!

Max mused that she should probably be happy to see world peace in action, but she just couldn't, because she also saw those cheesy Christmas decorations and bright lights everywhere she looked, too. It all served as a reminder of why these people were being nice.

Christmas is coming soon. That means people are nice to each other. For once. They treat others how they should for one day of the year, and then the other 364 days can just go to hell. After Christmas, it's like, 'OK, guys. Christmas is over. Now, gimme your purse or the baby gets it!' What the hell is that?

Max passed a group of carolers and grimaced at them in disgust as they approached her. As one, the group stopped short and looked fearful before backing away slowly. A few minutes later, Max heard rusty notes of "Jingle Bells" from a distance. She rolled her eyes. What was so great about Christmas anyways? There were Christmas carols about everything under the sun, from "Silent Night" to "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer." Do they even know what they're celebrating?

Max certainly didn't know. Manticore never really had a class on the meaning of Christmas. The best understanding she could get came from a TV special played ad nausium called "A Charlie Brown Christmas" or something to that effect. Some little boy with a blanket told some other boy about the meaning of Christmas, and it was something about a savior being born. Max didn't really care for that whole religious storyline about the holiday. She just wanted to know what a big tree with too many lights and random decorations had to do with a savior. For the life of her, she couldn't draw a connection.

Then the gift thing threw her for a loop, too. What was up with that? 'Oh, look, it's someone else's birthday, so I'm gonna shop all over downtown to get YOU the perfect gift. And dammit, I'd better get something just as nice back, or we are so through!' Psh, just like Darren. Stupid ass. I still remember that terrible Christmas I had...

Max had never had a significant other during the holiday season until Darren, and she didn't realize how important the whole gift thing was back then. On that particular Christmas, she had found a stunning pair of onyx earrings under the tree for her, and all she had to show for Darren was a mediocre necktie. Hey, the lady at the department store said he'd love it. How was I s'pose ta know that she was a tasteless piece of shit trying to line her own pockets? So, to make a long story short, Max had seen Darren's less than excited reaction to his present and she had ridden home crying.

"Well... it's the thought that counts, right?" That's what he had said. Yeah, Merry frickin' Christmas, Darren. You sure know how ta make a girl feel special. Some holiday. All about how good your present is, trying to outdo each other. Make someone else feel like shit.

Max watched a pair of girls pass by with a pad and pen, trying to write a good Christmas list telling everyone exactly what they wanted. She rolled her eyes again. Or make someone go broke getting you what you want.

Some guy in a shabby Santa outfit approached her with a red tin bucket. "Excuse me, Miss? Would you care to donate some money to the poor this Christmas?"

Max glared at him, reaching her last nerve with these people. "Why? I don't see your ass out here any other time of the year trying to help the poor. Why bother now?" The Santa dude stared at her in shock as she stalked off.

She felt like screaming in frustration! How can these people act all caring to all things alive and then turn around and burn crosses and throw garbage at my kind? Ya wanna help the needy? How 'bout getting human rights for transgenics? For the living things that you made and tried to sweep under the rug like last year's filth? If there was ever a noble cause for all their self-righteous Christmas giving, it's sitting right there in Terminal City!

Yep, that was it. Max realized that her city and her people and the horrible treatment they received daily from the rest of the world made her hate Christmas. It was truly nauseating to see them be so kind to each other and then so terribly cruel to other living things, other humans, regardless of how they came into the world. Isn't this s'pose ta be the time of peace on earth and goodwill toward men and all that crap? Well, world, I'm still waiting.

At long last, Max could see the secret tunnel entrance to Terminal City off in the distance with her enhanced sight, and she almost sighed in relief. Finally, I can get away from this hypocritical city with its goofy lights and back in my nice dark place where no one's heard of 'Jingle Bells'!

She entered the tunnel after casing the area to ensure no one was watching, and then she passed by the guards after flashing her barcode, even though they obviously knew who she was. They smiled as they saw her bag of goodies, but quickly erased those looks of happiness as they picked up on her grouchy mood. Eyes front, the guards simply nodded to her.

Max didn't even notice. I swear, if I see one more set of red-and-green anything, I'll puke in my mouth! That being said, Max decided to lose herself in the dull activities of organizational leadership for her growing city. Paperwork, food counts, and people counts required a certain mood to trudge through them, and Max knew that it would be almost therapeutic for her right then. Off to the old office, then.

Alec paced the halls of HQ, waiting anxously for Max to get back from her medicine run. She certainly seemed to be taking her time with it. Maybe she's just admiring the holiday decorations... I don't blame her, though. We certainly never had anything like that back at Manticore!

He had far too much energy today, and his restless impatience for the week to skip quickly to Sunday night was showing itself in full bloom.

"Alec excited," guessed Joshua from behind him.

Alec spun around at the voice. For a big dog-boy, Josh had a scary habit of creeping up on Alec when he was lost in thought. "Oh, hey, Josh. I dunno if I'd say 'excited'. More like, 'antsy, anxious, and impatient'. To start," he added off-handedly to his hairy transhuman pal.

"Alec impatient and antsy for Max," Joshua said with an eager smile.

"Yeah, I sure wish she'd get back... I still need to find out what she wants for Christmas! It's comin' up quick, buddy. I'm gonna get her the perfect gift. I just don't know what that is yet." Joshua widened that unsettling, knowing, canine grin, barely showing his pointed teeth. Alec frowned. "What's that look fo - ?"

Just then, he heard the quick sounds of Max's thick boots clomping through HQ. He turned around in time to see that she was clearly headed to her office and stole away after her. He whipped his head around to wave at Joshua. "Later, buddy! I gotta take care of something now!"

Then he faced the curtain of long, dark hair swaying gently as Max widened the gap between them down the hallway. "Max! Hey, Max!" She kept walking. Alec stopped and frowned at her back. Well, that's rude...

Max stepped into her office and sat down. Alec was about to go in after her, but he saw Mole passing by and hailed him quickly. He motioned the smoking lizard-man toward himself and asked in a low, confidential whisper, "Hey, Mole, whaddaya think I should get Max for Christmas? I'm drawing a blank..."

Mole looked at him like he was crazy. "How would I know, Princess? You're the one who spends the most time with her. You tell me." At Alec's pleading look, Mole sighed. "I dunno. What does any woman want for Christmas? Jewelry, clothing, and fancy perfume. In that order. Get her something like that."

Alec shook his head. "No, no, it's Max we're talkin' about! She doesn't get into all that stuff." He paused and added as an ill-tasting afterthought, "Besides, that stuff's the kind she'd expect from Logan, not me. He's her boyfriend; let him buy her a diamond necklace."

Mole glared at him and blew a puff of smoke out in a snort. "Then why do you care, huh? Hell, what she really needs is a pill, or something to remove the stick from her ass right now! You seen 'er lately? She's even worse than me!" With that, he walked off, leaving Alec to stare at Max's office doorway with a worried look. Max was feeling down? That would explain her angry step and deliberate ignoring. Well, it's not really that odd for her to ignore me...

Alec decided that he had to help his friend. Maybe a little holiday cheer can rub off on her. Maybe that's just what she needs! Without further ado (and without knocking), he entered her office.

"Guess what day it is, Max?"

Max looked up from her mindless paperwork once Alec's voice interrupted. She saw him relaxed and leaning against her doorframe, looking comfortable in his loose jeans and leather jacket. He was trying to appear nonchalant, but his face held excitement in his boyish grin and sparkling green eyes.

"Wednesday?" she guessed apathetically. She was in no mood to fuel his enthusiasm.

Alec frowned in disappointment. "No, it's actually Friday. But that's not the point. It's December 22nd!" He smiled brightly at her.

She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Do you have a point?"

Alec shrugged off her harsh words and went on as if she hadn't answered. "Only 3 days 'til Christmas!"

"So?"

"So? What do you mean, 'So'? It's almost Christmas, Max! Only the greatest holiday ever!"

Oh, great. Another one of Santa's little elves. Max had come to her office to be rid of that cheery crap, not to welcome it inside. She raised her eyes to the ceiling in mock wonder. "Huh, that's funny. I woulda thought you'd like your birthday best. Y'know, the day you graced the world with your presence 'n' all," Max shot back sarcastically.

Alec frowned again. "Gee, Ebeneezer. I didn't know they celebrated birthdays for test-tube babies. If you ever figure out the exact date when I was formulated in the lab, let me know, will ya?"

Max sighed. OK, so maybe Alec didn't deserve that. But she couldn't help it; he was just the perfect punching bag for her! Still, Max noticed that she had crossed the line. "Look, I'm sorry, Alec. I just..." She trailed as she struggled to explain to him how she felt. "I don't get why people get all excited over one stupid day outta the whole year."

Alec was slightly surprised to hear that negative talk out of Max. She had tasted freedom, true freedom, for much longer than he had, and he thought that if anyone would understand the ways of the world outside of Manticore, where December 25th really was just another day of the year, it would be Max. Yet here she was, talking like a total Scrooge.

He walked up to her slowly and spoke gently, trying to help her understand. "They say it's a time of peace, love, and happiness, Maxie. What's not to be excited about?"

Max snorted. "Yeah, they're real nice to each other, aren't they? For one day. Then it's back to war, hate, and anger."

"Max..."

"It's so incredibly fake! I mean, no one's ever nice to their fellow man 'n' all that crap any other time of the year. What's so special about Christmas that they act like good people for that day and that day alone?"

"But, Max - "

"Oh, and why do people bother buying gifts for each other? It's like they feel obligated to buy dad a necktie and mom a pearl bracelet. Who cares? They only do that so they get gifts back! It's all so selfish and materialistic!"

"Hey, what about - "

"And all those lights look tacky anyway. The whole thing's a load of crap, if you ask me." Max crossed her arms and glared at Alec, defiantly daring him to make a smart-ass comment about her opinions. She blushed slightly under his incredulous stare. She really hadn't meant to lay all her feelings out there, but his manner and her need to prove him wrong about the so-called 'holiday' had opened the floodgates, it seemed.

Alec gave her a pained look. He couldn't get a single word in with this fierce little woman! "But that's what makes it so special, Max! People set aside their differences and do nice things for others. They donate all sorts of toys and clothes 'n' stuff for poorer people who don't have as much. They open up soup kitchens, and even sometimes their homes, to people who don't have homes or family to be with. And yes, Max, they buy each other gifts, to show how much they care about each other. It's not fake. It's... wonderful! It's the most wonderful time of the year!"

Max snorted again. "Yeah, yeah, like the cheesy song, right? The way I see it, if you care about someone so much, you'll tell 'em. And you won't need to buy their affection with gifts."

Alec nodded slowly, looking as though her stubborn role of devil's advocate in their conversation had helped him reach a decision. He smiled that self-assured smirk and the light played in his eyes once again as he captured her in a playful but intense stare. "I couldn't agree more. But not all gifts are bought, Maxie!" At her dark and suspicious look, he widened that impish smirk he always wore around her and left his CO to her paperwork.

Max frowned at the doorway after him. "Just what are you up to, Alec?" she softly asked the air.

Hmm. What is Alec up to, LOL! Feel free to review! Thanks!

Time To Pay The Price!

Sun, 08 Apr 2007 23:56:36 GMT

Genre: Dark Angel Fanfiction, Humor
Description: Alec has one heck of a strange day, and it just keeps getting weirder! Max/Alec

Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel. Or Alec. But a girl can dream, right?
Story: Alec gets a hard lesson in responsibility...
A/N: This is just a whimsical one-shot. The idea comes from a cartoon called "Home Movies," from the episode where Brendon Small realizes that all of the mini movies he makes end in the same phrase: "It's time to pay the price!" I hope you like it!

Rated T+ for some language and some explicit content. (Not too bad though, don't worry...)

"I bet you fifty bucks you can't do it, man."

Alec grinned at his old friend from Manticore. "Well, I'll raise you another fifty that I can and will," Alec informed him smugly.

Biggs shook his head insistantly. "No, I'm tellin' ya, man. She'd never let you get close enough! You'd hit the floor faster than you can say, 'Manticore.'"

"Hey, are you in or out? One hundred bucks... C'mon, if you're so sure I can't do it, then you got nothin' to lose, right?"

Biggs looked uncertainly at his friend. "Fine. I'm in, but it's your wallet, buddy."

Alec smirked, supremely confident. "Just sit back and watch the master at work." He turned around and sought out his victim.

Finally, he spotted her by her locker, stuffing a jacket inside and pulling out a Jam Pony bag. Alec crept up to the locker silently and watched her for a second, studying her movements.

He eased the camera from his own bag slung across his shoulders and adjusted the lens to focus on the big, ugly bruise staining her cheek. It rested just below her eye and almost made that eye appear to be swollen shut. All in all, it made quite a spectacle, since it rested on the face of the bad-ass female who practically ruled the roost known as Jam Pony.

Lens adjusted properly, Alec simply stood in silence and waited for her to turn to the right angle before taking the shot that would make him a hundred bucks richer.

At the sound of the camera, Original Cindy looked up from her locker in shock, looking for all the world like a deer in the headlights. Alec chuckled as her swollen eye fell on him and her face scrunched up in anger as much as the bruise would allow. He decided to make his grand escape.

"Alec."

Hearing his name spoken like that, deadly calm and quiet, Alec winced and looked up at the speaker. "Oh, hey Max."

Without warning, she grunted as her fist smashed into the camera that had taken the offensive picture. It broke into a million unrecognizable pieces of metal and plastic.

A wide-eyed Alec helplessly watched the shards fall. "What the hell was that, Max? Look what you did!"

Max shrugged and casually brushed camera guts off of her fist. "That's what you get for tryin' to take a snapshot of the bruise OC got when she fell off her bike this morning," she said nonchalantly.

Alec's mouth hung open. "That was Sketchy's camera, Max. The one he takes everywhere with him! Like his teddy bear. He let me borrow it! What the hell do I tell him? He's gonna be so pissed!"

"Not my problem. That's the price you pay for being a dick." And with that, Max walked away with a glowering Original Cindy.

Back at his apartment that night, Alec held his head in his hands. Stupid Max, breaking the camera like that and not even caring! Stupid Biggs, challenging him and putting money at stake! Stupid Sketchy, acting like a father who just found out Alec impregnated his daughter! Stupid OC, getting that ridiculous bruise in the first place! Really, who falls off their own bike? Stupid, stupid Max!

Alec checked his watch and saw it was high time he got some sleep before facing his demons at work again. He threw off his shirt and jeans, crawled into bed in his boxers, and drifted off to sleep with Max's last words ringing in his head.

"That's the price you pay..."

The sun on his face woke Alec the next day, and he hopped out of bed, pulled on some fresh clothes, bolted a quick breakfast, and revved up his motorcycle to take him to work.

At the entrance of Jam Pony, he was greeted by Biggs. Alec sighed in relief that it wasn't Max.

"So. Did you get the picture?" Biggs asked expectantly.

Alec's features twisted into a grimace. "Sort of. I took it, but then... uh... Max kinda... smashed the camera. But I took it. I just can't get it developed," Alec said with a chuckle, spreading his hands helplessly and shooting Biggs a disarming smile.

Biggs smirked at his friend. "I didn't see it, so how do I know you're not lying, Alec? That means it's time to pay the price," he said, rubbing his fingers together in a gesture implying the $100 pay-off.

Alec groaned and fished two fifties out of his wallet.

Biggs walked off whistling a happy tune as he pocketed the cash.

Alec started toward the Jam Pony entrance, glaring behind him at his friend's retreating back. He whipped his head around just in time to avoid crashing into a very angry Sketchy. He smiled nervously. "Hey, Sketchy, my man! How's it goin', buddy?" he asked, patting the glaring man on the arm amiably.

"Alec. It's time to pay the price."

Alec almost fell in surprise. "Wha... Were you talkin' to Biggs or somethin'?"

Sketchy ignored him and pressed on. "C'mon, man. You lost my camera! Dropped it in the sewers! Pay up, dude. You owe me a new camera."

Alec heaved a defeated sigh. Stupid Max! But he really did owe Sketchy. He pulled out his wallet again. "So how much do I owe you?"

Alec rode off on his bike with packages to deliver, fuming. He would need to pull another night-job heist to make up for the hits his wallet took today. It wasn't even ten o'clock in the morning yet! Incredible. Just frickin' incredible.

Alec reached the delivery point and knocked on the door of a beat-up, dirty little home on a slummy street. "Jam Pony messenger! I've got a package for you!"

The door opened after a minute, and Alec found himself frozen to the spot with ice forming in his belly. There in front of him was one of the blonde bimbos that stood in Alec's long line of conquests. Holding a baby.

The woman apparently recognized him, since she glared at him venomously and began to yell in a whiny voice. "You! Just what do you think you're doing here? After all, I thought you never wanted to see me again. At least, that's the impression I got the morning after!" she shouted at him in a rage. "I mean, we went to my place, and I had thought you were wonderful, and then I wake up and find you GONE! Leaving me alone and pregnant like that, you cheap bastard!" she screamed.

A dog barked in the yard and the baby in her arms started to bawl shrilly. The woman patted its bottom absently, a little harder than necessary in her anger, still glaring daggers at Alec.

Alec's eyes were wide throughout the whole tirade, and when the woman said, "pregnant," he swallowed hard. "That's... mine?" The woman gave a curt nod. "You're sure," he asked, sounding uncertain.

"Of course I'm sure! As if I wouldn't know!"

Alec felt it safer not to mention that she was the type to have a few contenders for the title of "my baby's daddy," and also decided against telling her the baby was too ugly to be his. Instead, he shrugged and said, "Well... what do you want from me?"

"Child support would be nice, dickhead! You're a year late! Take some responsibility for your actions!"

Alec's mouth fell open.

Taking that for an argument, she shouted vehemently, "It's time to pay the price!"

Alec's eyes bugged at her words. He slowly shut his gaping mouth and silently pulled out his wallet. Again. He cleared his throat to allow him to speak, and asked in a small voice, "How much do I owe you?"

Alec was riding his bike back to Jam Pony for another package, wallet considerably lighter, when he found himself surrounded by large, unpleasant men with bulging biceps and callused knuckles. Oh, great. What now? he thought as he pulled his bike to a stop.

"Hey, fellas. What can I do for you gentlemen this morning?" Alec asked with a charming smile.

All of them continued to glare at him. One of the toughs cracked his knuckles loudly. The one in the center facing Alec directly spoke after a moment. "Mista McDowell. Our boss sent us to give you a message."

Alec frowned slightly in confusion. "Your boss."

"Mista Lorenzo wanted us to let you know that he don't like bein' double-crossed," the man said coldly.

"Oh, Lorenzo! I remember him. So you mean he didn't like his supply of andy?"

"He never got none o' the andy!"

Alec feigned shock and anger. "You mean to tell me that my supplier never came through? That's an outrage! I am going to have a stern talk with him, and I can assure you gentleman that Lorenzo will get his andy soon. Now if you boys will excuse me...," he finished quickly, making a move to leave.

The thug took a step closer. "Nuh-uh. Mista Lorenzo wanted his andy a week ago. You didn't deliver. Now Mista Lorenzo don't got no andy, and now you don't got no luck, Mista McDowell. It's time ta pay da price," the man said with a cruel smile.

Alec was stunned. Was any of this really happening? Was he just going crazy? He shook himself out of his reverie and scanned the circle of big men with guns. Hell, they looked like they used andy themselves! Alec was in a royal fix this time. All because he sold the friggin' stuff to a higher bidder at the last minute. Some junkie who had doubled Lorenzo's pittance of an offer.

Alec swallowed. "How much do you want for the andy, and the mess-up? Hm? Five hundred? Eight? C'mon, name your price."

The men cracked their knuckles again. "Don't worry, Mista McDowell. We don't want ya money," the big guy in the middle said menacingly as he rolled up his sleeves.

Alec finished brushing dirt off of his good jacket as he rode quickly the rest of the way to work. Damn, that had been close! Good thing he was a genetically engineered killing machine who, it turned out, could also make grown men, ex-cons and mobsters that were all ten times his size run off in fright and cry for their mothers. Alec almost laughed. Real men don't cry, he thought contemptuously.

At the sight that met his eyes at Jam Pony, though, Alec certainly felt like crying.

There at the door stood Marina and Little Suki, two ex-employees of Jam Pony. The lovely ladies had quit once they found out they were both dating Alec at the same time. They smiled sweetly at him as he approached. That terrified him infinitely more than having them scream at him in a rage.

"Oh Alec! Can you come here? We'd like to talk to you," said Marina in a sickeningly sweet voice.

By contrast, Little Suki's voice dripped with venom behind an obviously fake, tight smile. "Yeah, Alec. It's time to pay the price!" She was even cracking her knuckles!

Alec nearly fainted.

Just when he thought he was dead for sure, the heavens parted and Max rushed outside staring straight ahead, heading away from the two deadly women. She nearly collided with Alec in her haste.

"Hey, hey Max! Max, wait up!" he jogged after her. She turned around and looked up at him a little wild-eyed. "Max, here, I'll go with you to deliver these," Alec said, nodding to the packages she held while keeping a keen eye trained on Marina and Little Suki.

Max looked up at him with eyes like saucers as she bit her lower lip. "N-no, Alec. I can do it myself."

Alec gave her a pleading look. "Max, c'mon! I'm trying to escape a fate worse than death here! Give a guy a break, will ya?"

Max's eyes narrowed. "A fate worse than death?" she said skeptically.

"Yeah, like if two girls totally kick my ass in public, or tell the world I'm a two-timing jerk, thus eliminating any chance of sex for at least a week or two," Alec mused.

He thought he heard Max's breathing hitch a bit at his candid mention of sex. Her eyes grew wider again.

Alec frowned. "Max. Max? Are you OK?"

Max's breathing definitely quickened as she became aware of Alec looking at her. For that matter, her face had a light sheen of sweat covering it. Her eyes locked with his for a moment, his full of concern and hers fevered.

Abruptly, Max ripped her gaze away from Alec and sprinted towards her bike, taking off on it at a crazy speed. Unfortunately for the oddly behaving transgenic, she hit a pothole in the road and fell off of her bike, her face hitting the ground with a loud thud.

Alec had just been staring in confusion, but he jerked once he saw her fall. "MAX!" he yelled. He quickly ran to catch up with her and knelt down, scooping her limp form up into his arms.

"Max, are you alright? Max?" he asked as he brushed her hair out of her face.

A dazed-looking Max's eyes fluttered open, and she tensed once she saw Alec holding her. Alec felt her body temperature rise, felt her breaths quicken, saw her lips part slightly as she looked at him, saw her pupils dilate and light on fire.

Finally, Alec understood what was happening. He should have guessed; Max's pheromones were nearly smothering him. Alec felt his own body react painfully, as well. He had to get out of there, get away from Max!

Alec slowly let her down onto the ground and stood up.

So did she.

And before he had time to react, Max pulled Alec's mouth down onto hers.

The reaction was immediate. Alec felt like every fiber of his being was on fire. He couldn't think straight, and he sure as hell couldn't stop himself from returning her kiss hungrily. His arms circled her slender waist and he pulled her closer to him, deepening the kiss and caressing her back.

Max pulled away slowly, and when Alec opened his eyes again, they were at his apartment. Part of Alec's heat-stricken brain found this very strange, but the majority focused on the gorgeous woman in his bedroom looking at him with passionate eyes and undressing slowly.

Alec threw off his jacket, and Max walked up to him in her lacy black lingerie. In one smooth motion, she ripped the white T-shirt he was wearing right off of his chest and tossed the tattered cloth to the ground. Alec watched as she admired his bare upper body and purred with pleasure before closing the space between them and ravaging his mouth once more.

He broke free of the hot kiss for a breath of air and gasped in utter disbelief, "Max, what are we doing?"

She looked up at him through long lashes. "What do you think, pretty boy? You mentioned sex to me while I was in heat. And then you didn't leave me alone, and then you touched me, and now there's no turning back." She slid her face around his to put her mouth next to his ear. "It's time to pay the price, Alec," she whispered in a voice soft as silk.

This time, Alec thought his heart might have stopped. That's it. She killed me with six words. So I'm dead. And oh, God, this must be heaven!

All other thoughts were drowned out by the feel of Max's body on his.

Alec lay in his bed, reflecting on his encounter with Max. He felt her hand slide around and rest on his bare chest. He turned to look at her sleeping figure laying languidly under the covers and briefly wondered what they were to each other now, how what they had just done had changed things. He sincerely hoped she didn't hate him, thinking perhaps that he had taken advantage of her heat cycle to get some meaningless action. He had to tell her that that wasn't the case, even if she couldn't hear him.

"Max, I - "

Just then, the door to his bedroom was thrown open, and Logan walked in looking at Alec murderously.

"Alec. I knew it."

The startled transgenic sat up and looked at the homicidal Ordinary, who was now pointing a gun in his face. "Logan, what the - "

"Get the hell away from her! Get your greasy paws off of my woman!" he screamed at Alec.

Max stirred at the noise and sat up, pulling the covers over her bare body with a start as she realized what was happening. "Logan!"

"How dare you! She goes into heat, and you grab her up and spread her legs while she'll let you, is that it, Alec?"

"What the hell, Logan! It's not like that! Put the gun down before you do something you're gonna regret!" he said, eyeing the piece of lethal metal aimed at his head.

Logan shook his head. "No. See, blowing your arrogant, sex-crazed, ego-centric, punk-assed brains clean out of that pretty little head of yours is not something I would regret." Logan cocked the gun and kept it trained on its target. He spoke in a deadly voice, soft and filled with malice. "Alec, it's time to pay the price."

The gun went off loudly, and Alec briefly heard Max scream before the whole scene faded from existence.

Alec shouted a curse as he sat bolt upright in bed, panting and sweating. He felt his chest, still intact, as he tried to control his breathing. He threw the covers off of his body and saw that he was still wearing his boxers. "It was all... a dream?" he asked himself out loud. "No way, it felt too real!"

Just to check, Alec took his wallet off of his nightstand and took a peek inside. Yep, his money was all still there. "So it was just a dream," he said, feeling a bit disappointed for some reason.

Alec started as he heard a knock on his door. He slipped out of bed and padded over to the doorway, the impatient knock continuing all the while. "I'm comin', I'm comin'! Keep your shirt on," he mumbled.

Alec pulled open the door and was surprised to see Max standing there with OC. On second thought...

Max looked stunned at his state of undress, and Alec found his bare upper body the uncomfortable object of her scrutiny. He swallowed and found his voice. "Max. Cindy. What're you ladies doing here? Are we having a slumber party?" he added with a mischievous grin.

Max snapped her face up to Alec's and shot him a deadly glare. "In your dreams, Pretty Boy! Me 'n' OC just came to collect."

Alec stared in shock. Her words hit way too close to home for his comfort. "Collect...?"

"Yeah. You owe my girl an apology, and you owe Sketchy a camera. So I figured if you apologize nice and sincerely to OC right now, I'll help pay for the new camera, since technically my fist was what smashed it in the first place."

Alec snorted. "Technically? Are you serious?"

Max glared again. "Fine. I broke it. But if you say you're sorry, and mean it, I promise your face won't be the next thing I break. Got it?"

Alec nodded sourly.

"But first, you gotta pay the price," Max added to emphasize her point.

Alec's eyes bulged and his skin paled. Abruptly, he pushed past the two girls and blurred away as fast as he could down the street, leaving them baffled in his dust.Max and OC gave each other incredulous looks.

"What the hell was that all about? Hot Boy looked like he was gonna throw up all over da place," OC said.

Max shrugged. "I don't know what's wrong with him, and I don't care." The girls turned to go to work. "Oh well. I'll just have to kick his ass later."

OC paused. "D'ya think he knows he's practically naked?"

Max shrugged again nonchalantly.

"Should we bring 'im some clothes?"

Max started to chuckle. "Nah, no freakin' way. Like I said, that's the price he pays for bein' a dick."

A/N: Well, that's all, folks! I hope you enjoyed the ride. Let me know if you liked it, or go ahead and tell me if you thought it sucked. But please, be tactful about it. Just don't be afraid to tell me what you really think. I love to see people's opinions! Thanks for checking this out!