2015-08-21
342
Max and Logan race to find a killer as bodies begin to wash up from Elliott Bay and the Seattle police appear to be helpless. In the meantime, a new game show mesmerizes Seattle, and Original Cindy gets her shot at fame and fortune while Joshua and Gem struggle with life outside of Terminal City now that the siege is ended....
PROLOGUE
Jam Pony, Seattle – November 27, 2021, 4:45PM
Max pushed her bike down the ramp into Jam Pony, frowning at the noisy group of messengers crowding around the television set in the corner. "What's up with them?" she asked, as she wheeled the bike up to the counter where Normal was standing.
"Just the usual morons doing their usual moron thing," Normal muttered, sorting through the morning packages. "Some new game show designed to brainwash idiots like them into thinking they can make a bundle, despite being lazy and good-for-nothing."
"Well, hey, you did it, so let 'em dream, why don't you?" Max retorted, rolling her eyes and pushing away from the counter. She went over to her locker, meeting Original Cindy, who was just walking away from the crowd. "What's up, homegirl?" Max asked her. "Sorry I didn't wait for you this morning; had to make a pit stop to check on things back at the Fatherland – you know how it goes."
"Yeah. So they really leavin' the place? Seems like they'd wanna stay holed up – strength in numbers and all that jazz. Even you and Alec are having trouble out on the street, and you two are better than average-looking," Original Cindy said, giving Max a sassy grin.
"Well, nobody's standing guard to protect them in Terminal City, either, so they figure if the choice is between fighting in a nasty hellhole and fighting out in the real world, they'll take their chances." Max sighed, then nodded toward the television screen, which showed a girl playing the piano. "What's up with Liberace?"
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Original Cindy made a face. "That's Trudie – messenger that came on after you left. She got picked to be on this new game show, Seattle Superstar. These fools gotta pay 'em through the nose to do some whack talent number, and the winner gets a payoff you can live large on. Other two just go home broke."
Max slammed her locker shut. "Kickin' ass count as a talent?" She smiled at Original Cindy. "Didn't think so. Guess I'll have to be Normal's slave a little longer." She stopped and glanced back at Original Cindy, and they both burst out laughing.
"I did not just say that," Max said when she recovered. "Hey, do me a favor – try to keep Alec from finding out about this thing. Last thing we need is another appearance from Monty Cora—" The sound of her beeper made her stop, and she pulled it out and looked at it, then back up at Original Cindy.
"Original Cindy knows only one name poppin' up that could get that look outta my girl. Catch ya later, boo."
ACT I
Fogle Towers
Logan sat in his wheelchair in front of the television screen in his office, watching the same game show as had been playing at Jam Pony. Suddenly he glanced at his watch and then toward the front hallway, concern crossing his face. He wheeled out of the room and around the corner, and set the brakes on the chair. Stepping off the footrest onto the ground, he stood up slowly and, holding onto the wall for support, he carefully covered the few feet to his computer chair and heavily sat back down. He leaned back, craning his neck to make sure the wheelchair was completely out of sight, then sighed as he heard the door click open.
"In here," he called, and in a second, Max appeared in the doorway.
"Contrary to popular opinion, not all of us are so rich we can sit around all day watching the boob tube," Max said, sarcasm dripping from every word. "You got a reason for keeping me from making a livin', or what?"
Logan gave her a questioning look. "You never seemed to mind before..." After a second, he smiled. "Okay, not entirely true. But my beeping you used to be par for the course." No response, so he continued, a little look of confusion crossing his face. "I was setting up some new scramblers on the Eyes Only equipment, and when I turned on the TV, I heard one of these contestants worked at Jam Pony."
"And...?"
Logan continued to stare at her. "Sorry. Just thought you'd be interested. And...and I wanted to see you," he finished softly.
Max's look softened. She pulled over a chair and sat down beside him. They watched for a second, and she glanced at him a couple of times out of the corner of her eye. "So...you got anything to...tell me? 'Cause I'm getting really good at listening these days."
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"Oh?"
"Yeah, Original Cindy's been crying to me 'cause Ginger hasn't been coming over as much, making lame excuses. Original Cindy's thinking maybe she's out and about, you know, sampling the goods."
"Hmmm..." Logan mulled that over.
"I told her, when you love someone, you have to trust them. If Ginger really loves OC, she wouldn't lie about anything important. And if she did lie, or kept something from her, then...they didn't have much worth worrying about to begin with...right?" Max asked Logan pointedly.
They locked eyes, and after a long pause, Logan began, "Max, I—"
Just then a loud roar came from the television screen, and they both automatically turned toward it. The mood broken, Logan smiled weakly and said, "Looks like your friend won." Onscreen, Trudie jumped up and down, hugging the show host, a tall, handsome man in a suit.
"No friend of mine," Max replied shortly. "She's new. Anyway, she got lucky, but what about the other two? They paid these show people a bunch of money and they got nothing for their trouble."
Logan shrugged. "Basic human nature, wanting a chance at fame and fortune – or even a chance at the afterlife. I remember that before the Pulse, these TV evangelists would make millions when people would send them money, thinking they could win a ticket to heaven that way."
Max snorted. "And they say we're the freaks."
"I don't know...people just want hope, anywhere they can find it...everybody wants a better life," Logan murmured, as their gazes, but not their attention, wandered back to the closing minutes of the show.
Joshua's House – next morning
"Joshua?" Gem called from the top of the basement stairs.
"Down here," he called as she gingerly stepped down the stairs, Elefteria propped on her hip.
"I didn't know there was anything down here," she said once she was at the bottom.
Joshua looked up from where he was sorting through his painting supplies. "Piano...books...paints...I keep stuff here," he told her. He looked back at what he was doing, then back up at Gem. "You're dressed up...are you going out there?" he asked, pointing at the small basement window, through which the sun shone brightly.
Gem nodded, almost apologetically. "Thought I would try to see if I can get a job. Covered up my barcode pretty well." She hesitated. "I was hoping you'd watch Elf for me while I'm gone."
Joshua shrugged. "Guess that's the only thing Joshua is good for. Nothing's changed, even though we're free."
"That's not true!" Gem argued, going over to him. "I think you should definitely think about a – a career. You're...you're a teacher, and an artist. I bet you can find a way to make some money. Even if I can find a job, I'm sure I won't be raking in the dough, so we're going to need anything we can get."
"Maybe we should have stayed in Terminal City, or...you could have gone with someone...who's not different. Someone who could go outside, could find work."
"No, Joshua, we did the right thing. I wanted to bring Dalton with us, but Logan was right – he's better off with regular parents, at his age. But you and me and Elfie – we're going to do great. I just need you to stay with her today, while I go out looking. Okay?"
Joshua picked up some paints and examined them while he was thinking. Then he looked up at her, determined. "If Gem thinks we did the right thing, then Joshua does, too. Go look for a job. Elfie and I will stay here and cook dinner."
Gem smiled. "Thanks, Joshua." They headed upstairs, and she handed the baby to Joshua, grabbed a jacket, and headed out.
After a second, Joshua darted after her, throwing open the front door. "Gem! Be friendly, courteous, and kind!"
Jam Pony – 6:55 PM
"I don't know about you, but I'd never thought I'd be so glad to be working for minimum wage again," Alec said to Max as they came into Jam Pony after finishing their last run of the day. "Being in a life-or-death situation is one thing; having to scrub toilets and play poker for six months with a guy who has X-ray vision is pure torture."
Max rolled her eyes. "Don't come to me looking for sympathy, Alec. I saw you make the guy keep his back toward you while you and Mole took his gullible ass for a ride."
Alec laughed. "Well, hey, we were trained to win, not to play fair, am I right?" They approached the lockers, where Original Cindy and Sketchy were standing with concerned expressions on their faces.
"Speaking of winning, is the game show chick back today?" Alec asked them. "I was hoping you could, uh, introduce us." He winked at Sketchy, who did not return the smile.
"Nah, man, something's up with that." Sketchy shot a look at Original Cindy. "We stopped by her place at lunch, and her boyfriend said she never came home after the show. She never even called him."
Max frowned. "So? She won a ton of money and didn't want to share. What's the big deal?"
"She just made a big thing over how she and her boy was gonna take the money and go to Vegas, make even more," Original Cindy said.
Alec laughed. "Sounds like our girl, Max, hit the nail on the head. Lady wanted to start over – alone. If I had the dough, I'd be out of here in a heartbeat, too. So, who's up for a beer?"
Max slammed her locker shut. "Not me. Promised Logan I'd stop by after work." The other three immediately started making kissy noises, until she silenced them with a single look. "I'm out of here."
Fogle Towers – that evening
Logan was sitting at his desk when Max breezed into the computer room. "Glad you're here," he told her. "We've got a situation."
"You finally make some progress translating these new runes?"
"Uh, no...I'm working on that, but there are some new characters that are really unusual. It's gonna take some time. I called you over for an Eyes Only thing."
"Let me guess. A subterranean feline transgenic is terrorizing homeless people and cleaning up that pesky rat population in the sewers," Max said, propping a hip on Logan's desk.
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Logan glanced up at her with a crooked smile. "I think you have transgenics on the brain. No, this is more of the dead-body type of situation. But if you don't think you have time to help out—"
"I'm all about time," Max interrupted. "Especially for something that keeps me as far away from Terminal City, or anything associated with it, as possible. This fit the bill?"
Logan nodded. "Just came in over the Informant Net. My guy says the cops pulled a dead body out of the river yesterday and are keeping it quiet. Twenty-something female, shot once in the head, execution-style. Rope attached to her foot – the cops think it was tied to something heavy so she'd sink, but she got loose somehow."
"Looks like a slam-dunk mob hit to me," Max remarked, shrugging.
"Mob's usually a little more discreet, though," Logan countered. "While the cops were still on the scene, a second body surfaced. And just a few hours ago, a fisherman on a pier hooked a third."
"Yuck," Max said, shivering. "So, what do you need me for? I'm no PI."
"I know. I'm going to be talking to Matt about it. Just wanted to let you know what was up, so if you hear something, you'll let me know. And when I know something, then maybe you can make a move."
"Whatever." Max crossed her arms and smirked down at him. "Well, usually by now you'd have invited me to dinner, or at the very least offered to let me raid your fridge."
Logan adjusted his glasses nervously, and laughed a little. "Yeah, well, I haven't made it down to the market lately, and my fridge is pretty empty. I've been surviving on bread and water. Sorry."
"No big dealio. Guess I'll just head to Crash and meet up with the gang. Sketchy's all bummed 'cause that girl from Jam Pony who was on that lame show the other day – she never came back to work. Just took the money and split. I think Sketch was hoping he could talk his way into some of her winnings."
"Hmmm...she never even went back to her house?" Logan asked, his brow furrowing in typical concern. "Sounds suspicious."
Max snorted. "Wake up and smell the reality, Logan. She had a boyfriend, she wanted to dump him, she didn't have the guts to be honest with him. So she took off. Better than staying around and lying to his face...right?"
Logan looked up upon hearing her unusually sharp tone. "Yeah...right," he replied, leaning forward to pull out his wallet. "Well, buy Sketchy a round on me. I'm going to stay here, see if I can dig up anything else."
"'K. Catch ya later," Max said, taking the money from him and breezing out.
ACT II
Fogle Towers- November 29, morning
Logan fidgeted impatiently as the number he had called rang repeatedly on the other end. Just as he was about to disconnect the call, the ringing stopped.
"Sung here."
"Matt, it's Logan."
He was met by silence.
"Matt, you still there?"
"I'm here." Sung's voice was strictly professional.
"I need some help with an investigation for Eyes Only."
"I wasn't sure you still worked for him. You haven't seemed to care much about his stuff in the last couple of months. Not to mention that you haven't bothered to call since I helped you out with the Terminal City crisis."
"Hey, I've been kinda locked up away from it all, you know." Logan's voice took on a persuasive tone. "Matt, this is important. Innocent people may be dying."
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"Don't you mean innocent transgenics?" There was a definite edge to Sung's voice.
"Innocent people, Matt. Ordinary, normal, everyday people on the streets." Logan sighed. "Look, Matt, I know you have questions for me. Do this thing for me and then, if you want, we can get together and I'll answer what I can. Please."
Matt's hesitation was noticeable, "What do you need, Logan?"
"I understand that there've been eight bodies found in, or on the shores of, Elliott Bay recently. All of them shot in the back of the head. I was hoping you could get me the names of the victims."
"I'll fax the list to you, Logan, but before I do anything more than that, we need to talk."
"Thanks, Matt."
"Sure, Logan."
Within minutes, Logan's screen beeped to indicate an incoming fax. He quickly pulled it up on his monitor and scrolled through it. He shook his head and went through it again. On his third perusal, he gave an exclamation.
Splitting the screen, he pulled up a second list and looked at the two lists side-by-side. Using his cursor, he began to highlight pairs of names on the lists. Within minutes, both lists were completely highlighted.
"Bingo."
"Gambling again?"
Logan swiveled his chair, smiling as he met Max's eyes. "I wish you wouldn't sneak up on me like that."
"Gotta keep the cat-burglar skills intact. Never know when I'll need to use them." She paused. "Of course, now that you can walk again, you don't need me to be your legs anymore..." She left the last sentence hanging, almost a question, and Logan quickly turned away from her eyes.
"Take a look at this." He indicated the screen with the side-by-side lists, and Max walked over to join him. "I hacked into the sector police database and found out there were five more bodies recently found in or near Elliott Bay, all killed by a bullet to the back of the head. Matt Sung was able to get me a list of the victims' names."
Max leaned over him, resting a hand lightly on his shoulder as she gazed at the screen. "And this is...?"
"A comparison of the names of the victims to..."
"...the names of the winners of Seattle Superstar. Damn. They match. What the hell is going on?" She straightened up and leaned back against the desk, facing Logan. He casually reached out and began to run his fingers softly over the back of the hand she had rested next to his keyboard. Max briefly glanced down at the contact, and smiled slightly, but refrained from comment. She made no attempt to pull her hand away.
"Simple. The producers collect the prize money supplied by the sponsors, plus the money that the contestants pay to enter each week. Rather than paying off, they pocket the money and eliminate the winners. I figure they've taken in close to half a million already."
"Why haven't the police made the connection?" Max demanded.
"The bodies have all turned up in different sectors. With the state of the sector police these days, it's obvious that no one has put the names together into one list, much less compared them to anything."
"Nah, they're too busy hassling the transgens, and figuring out how to collect more bribes from the average Joe." Max's tone was bitter.
Logan reached out and took her other hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "It's still the same screwed-up world, Max."
Max looked down at their clasped hands. "Yeah. Guess so." She looked like she wanted to say something but thought better of it. "Gotta blaze. Just thought I'd stop in to see if you needed anything, since my last run took me near here." She gently pulled her hand free, and with a wistful smile, she was gone, leaving Logan staring after her.
Max's Crib- that evening
"Girl, you gotta stop ruinin' my work." Original Cindy scolded as she worked on Max's fingernails with an emery board. "Can't redo these every day."
"Kinda hard to worry about your nails when you're havin' to kick some idiot's ass just to get through the day."
"It ain't gettin' any better out there?"
Max shrugged. "Ya know how it is. Some greasy, unwashed creep wants to show his buds how macho he is by kickin' a transgen's ass. Too many of ‘em know my face, is the problem. But hey, I'll deal. I always do." She gave Cindy a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"It's more than that that's buggin' ya, boo." Original Cindy looked down at Max's nails as she spoke.
"Yeah." Max's tone was low as she stared down at her hand. "I've been feeling kind of punk lately, sort of queasy. But that's prob'ly just 'cause I'm not used to eatin' real food instead of the K-rations we were getting in TC. The runes showing up again haven't helped."
Cindy studied her friend. "I think there's one more thing you ain't sayin'. It's hot boy, ain't it?" She saw the quick flash of pain that crossed Max's face. "If he's givin' ya grief, you say the word, and I'll kick his sorry ass. Is it the blonde hangin' around him again?"
Max laughed at that. "No, Asha has other interests these days besides Logan."
"So then what's the problem? You don't spend too many nights over there, and when you do, Original Cindy sure ain't seein' the look of a female who's been well and truly taken care of by her man. I thought ya said your boy had what it took in that department."
Max blushed slightly. "He does. It's just that we don't...I mean we haven't lately..." she trailed off.
Original Cindy stared at her in disbelief. "Why in hell not? Ain't you two done enough dancin' around and wastin' time? Is it the heat thing? You and him still ain't freakin' out over that?"
"No. It's not that. I think...I think he's losing his legs again. Asha let something slip, and I started to put it all together. The transfusion from Joshua must be wearing off."
"And hot boy don't wanna tell you. Damn."
"It's not like I care if he can walk, but he'll never believe that. We were on the floor in his shower one night last week..." She stopped at the look Original Cindy gave her. "It wasn't like that. I was showering and I kind of passed out, and when I came out of it, he was sitting next to me on the floor, holding me. I don't know how he managed to get there, but he gave me some lame excuse about wiping down the shower and sent me out to the kitchen to get some food. When I got back, he was in bed. I just don't get why he won't tell me. He's gotta know by now that his walking doesn't matter to me. It never has."
"Men." Original Cindy shook her head. "The all-girl team just looks better and better, sugah."
"I want him to trust me enough to tell me, OC. Is that too much to ask?"
"Nah. But he's as stubborn as you are. You might hafta hit him with it yourself." Original Cindy waited a beat, but when Max refused to answer, she continued gently, "Thing is, boo, you two got a good thing. Don't let pride screw you up again. His or yours."
"Yeah, maybe." Max looked around and picked up a bottle of nail polish. "Here, use this one."
"Bright red, sugah? You sure about that?"
"Damn sure. C'mon, finish up and let's hit Crash. I feel a need to kick some butt at foosball." Max flashed a bright smile, obviously closing the conversation.
Original Cindy sighed and set to work, shaking her head as she did.
Joshua's House - the next afternoon
The smell of paint and turpentine was strong in the basement, as Joshua happily wielded his brush on the canvas in front of him. Elfie gurgled behind him, but he was lost in his work and he paid no attention to her.
The large canvas was a typical Joshua, bursting with color, with a unique texture that came from the objects he had found and used on it.
"Maybe Rita will like this one, Elfie. Then maybe Joshua can buy you some toys," he murmured to the baby.
"Gabbadabbadummmmm..." Elfie babbled.
Joshua sighed. "Wish I could take you outside, Elfie. But people are afraid of Joshua. They might hurt Elfie if they see her with me."
Joshua finished with the painting, and used a brush to carefully sign it in the bottom left corner. He laid the brush down and turned to Elfie, and then let out a horrified gasp.
"Joshua..." Gem's voice preceded her down the stairs.
Joshua looked around in a panic, and stepped in front of Elfie. "Gem. Did you find a job?"
"No, not yet. No one wants to hire someone without any references or skills you can put on a resume. 'Trained assassin' wouldn't go over too well," she sighed. "Where's Elfie?"
"Uh, she's here. Why don't you go up and get a drink, and I'll bring her." Joshua sidestepped as Gem began to move around him, looking for her baby.
"Joshua? I want to see my baby girl."
Joshua stood there guiltily. Just then, Elfie crawled through his legs, heading straight for her mother. Gem let out a horrified gasp, and Joshua cringed.
The baby was covered from her head to her toes in a rainbow of paint colors. Red dripped from her tiny topknot and bright yellow covered her face. Streaks of blue, purple, and green covered her smock and continued down her arms and legs.
"Mamamamamamamaaaa," she chortled happily as she reached Gem.
Gem stood speechless as she took in the sight. Joshua waited in dread, but suddenly Gem began to giggle.
"Oh, my God...Elfie..." She dissolved into laughter as she scooped up the baby, heedless of the paint. Joshua stood there shamefaced, waiting for his punishment.
"Joshua, I should kill you..." Gem managed to get out between laughs. "But instead I'm gonna let you clean her up. Here." Before Joshua could react, she had deposited Elfie in his arms. Elfie reached up and put her hands on his face, leaving a trail of red and blue streaks. Gem laughed even harder. Joshua stood there a minute, but then he began to laugh as well. Elfie giggled in his arms, and the three shared a rare moment of mirth.
Cup a' Joe Coffee Shop, Seattle
Logan sat and sipped his coffee as he waited for Matt Sung. He glanced around warily at the other patrons of the coffee shop, but none of them paid him any special attention. His face had been in the news, but not as much as Max's had, since he wasn't a transgenic.
"Logan." Matt Sung dropped into the chair facing him. His expression was unreadable, but there was little warmth in his tone. A waitress came over to take his order. Logan waited to begin until she had brought a cup of coffee and departed.
"Matt. It's good to see you."
Matt just sipped his coffee and waited.
"I'm sorry for whatever it is that you think I've done to you," Logan offered.
"Whatever I think you've done to me?" Matt said. "Logan, do you have any idea of the position you put me in?
"I'm not sure what you mean. How did I put you in a position? What did I do exactly?"
"How about not being up front with me? Why didn't you level with me about the transgenics and your involvement with them?"
"It wasn't my secret to reveal."
"But it was okay to drag me into your secrets without my having a clue what was going on? Do you really think so little of me that you believed that I'd turn out to be some kind of freak-hater if you were straight with me about Max and her friends?"
