Max's gets an unwelcomed visit.

-co-written with sammycolt-

The clouds had parted. The rain storm that had blanketed the city with rain for the last week had finally lifted. The streets were still wet but the sun was shining and in Seattle sometimes that was the best you could hope for. Max looked up at the mostly blue sky, maybe they could squeeze a few weeks of good weather before summer ended. That at the very least would make her job more enjoyable. Nobody liked riding a bike in the pouring rain.

The good weather had seemingly brought everyone outside. People crowded the street and Max patiently made her way through them. She had left her bike at JamPony yesterday so now she was on foot. It was only nine in the morning and she was in no rush to get to work. No rush to hear about Sketchy's latest scheme or hear insistent yelling from Normal.

It was less than three blocks from Jam Pony when she noticed the black limousine. It stood out even more in this part of town. Maybe it was someone else, a coincidence. Max knew that was hopeful thinking.

Cautiously she approached the car, its rear window sliding down slowly the closer she came. Jonas Cale’s grey eyes stared at her from within the car. Giving her a slow once over before looking her in the eye.

“What now?” Max asked cocking one hip out.

“Get in the car, Max.”

Max stared at him as if he had just made joke. “People just can't seem to take a hint nowadays. Do you not remember how our last conversation went? Why don't you drive your yacht of a car back to Sector Nine and go back to drinking margaritas while counting your money. You keep parking around here and before you know it someone is going to steal your tires.” Max turned to walk away.

“When was the last time you saw my nephew Max?” Jonas asked, his voice somewhat softer than before. “I haven't been able to contact him.”

Max stopped and turned back to face him. Three days, Max counted in her head, she had run into him at the entrance of his apartment. They had plans, but he had brushed her off told her that he had something important to do and he would make it up to her. It had put her in a foul mood the rest of the day, leading up to her rendezvous with Darren.

“Why?” Max asked.

“I am concerned,” Jonas stared intently at her. “I have come into some information and it seems like he might be in some danger. Logan might be wasting away his life in that penthouse of his but he is still a Cale. Since you seem to be his only person he seems to associate with anymore I thought maybe you would know something.”

The door swung open and Jonas slid over to make room for her. She knew she would regret it but for the second time in as many days Max got into the car with him. As soon as the door closed behind her the car pulled away from the curb.

Max shot Jonas a questioning look.

“Like you said, we're likely to lose our tires if we hung around any longer.”

“So what about Logan, why would he be in any danger?”

“First I'd like to apologize for our last meeting. I have clearly misjudged you and I am sorry for that.” Jonas almost sounded sincere. “About Logan… You see, he seems to be associating himself with some interesting company.”

Jonas handed Max a thin manila folder. Inside some papers she looked down at them, flipping through them quickly until a something caught her eye. Her heart skipped a beat, as she stared down at a medical report for a subject X5-452. Behind it was a full page print out of her own face at eight years old.

Max looked back at Jonas and did her best to keep her face neutral.

“You see, Cale Industry has many contracts with the Department of Defense. The drones they use bomb our enemies overseas and protect our American cities, the body armor that saves our soldiers and policemen’s lives are made by me. My position in the company gives me access to a wonderful amount of information on other government projects. Things that seem almost impossible. Take for instance a Project “Manticore”, an experiment to using genetic manipulation to create super soldiers. Faster, stronger, better than a normal person. Real life super heroes if you will.”

“What does this have to do with anything?” Max glared at him. She glanced out the heavily tinted window and did her best to gauge the speed of the car, at thirty miles per hour if she timed a roll right she could get away with little more than a few scratches.

“I knew you were special, Max, just not this special.”

“I don't know what you’re talking about,”

“After our last meeting I had you followed and the excitement in that alleyway with those thugs did not go unnoticed. It was enough to peak my interest so I had my people dig a little deeper. Some money in the right pockets and I had your work records and a mention of a barcode tattoo, it all came together after that. ” Jonas looked at Max intently, “At first I thought you were working for some agency; that the very government I work so hard to help was out to get me. Using my worthless cripple of a nephew to get to me and the business I made great!” Jonas paused, “But then I read about something that happened a decade ago. Twelve of these genetic super soldiers escaped and still to this very day some are unaccounted for.”

Some? Max's mind reeled, could he know even more that he led on. More than Logan had been able to find out. What the hell was his game?! Max moved, in a blur she was straddling him her hands her forearm pushed against his neck.

“I don't know what game you’re playing, but I ensure you that you won't like how it ends.” Max whispered.

Jonas's lifted his hands up to his sides as if in surrender. The last time she had done this to him he had looked frightened but this time he seemed assured. “Just how strong are you?” he asked, his eyes lightning up.

“Strong enough,” Max told him, pushing harder on his wind pipe until he choked out a gasp.

“There is no need for this,” he said coughing. “You must have so many unanswered questions about what you are, why they made you, and the things I know now.” He moved his hands to her hips, spreading his fingers over the outside of her thighs. The biker shorts she wore were so tight and thin it was the second best thing to touching her bare skin.

Max's stomach turned, “Get your hands off me, or I swear I'll…”

“You'll what, Max.” Jonas interrupted her, “Kill me.” He dared to slide his hands around her thighs until he cupped her firm buttocks. He couldn't help himself and squeezed them, enjoying the firm flesh beneath his fingers. He swore he heard her gasp before she shoved her elbow into his throat.

Jonas coughed, and groaned in pain and Max pulled back and off him until she was crouched in the middle of the cabin, between the seat rows.

“You I know everything about you, 452, and the rest of your kind. You think getting that information came without consequences?” Jonas rubbed his throat and looked at Max. She looked almost like a caged animal ready to pounce. “A thousand flags went off as soon as I made the request. Within a day people will show up at my office asking why. They could find me there ready to tell them that Cale Industries is looking to get into the genetic game or maybe they'll find me dead.”

Jonas pulled on his tie, loosening it. “Me dead and my files on you… Jam Pony and your friends Cindy, Sketchy and Herbal. Your relationship with my nephew. You could leave town, but what about them? What would your old friends from Manticore do to them?”

“What do you want?” Max spat.