Carlo Anotelli.

Max’s world was hazy as her eyes opened. Slowly everything slid into focus and she found herself looking at the ceramic tile floor. Her head was throbbing and she could still feel the after effects of the jolt of electricity that had rendered her ****.

“Welcome back dear,” came the hoarse voice from in front of Max, she looked up to see an elderly Italian man in a wheelchair. “Do you know me?” asked Carlo Anotelli.

Max remained silent.

“Well I know you, know that you are more than a whore Ms. Guevara.”
Max’s head shot up at the mention of her real name, “what the fuck do you want from me? And where is”...

“Your friend Brin is safe.. for now. And as long as you co-operate that is how things will remain.”

“How do you know my”...

...“Name?” Carlo finished for her, “ I am a man of many resources Max, and I know more than just your name. How you were born in a top secrete government facility dubbed Manticore”...

Max’s eyes widened as he spoke.

...“How you are much more than an ordinary young women, bred to be the perfect soldier. And of course how you escaped twelve years ago.” Max sat there speechless, unable to think or breath or move. How did a member of the mob know about Manticore, about her?

“Of course you’re wondering how I know all this, it is an obvious question, and surely you don’t read about government projects in the tabloids. You see I was one of the anonymous parties that funded the project, suggested Donald Lydecker to oversee the training of the specimens. He did private mercenary missions for me when I lived back in Sicily.”

“So now you gonna haul me and Brin back?” Max gritted, confusion replaced by anger.

“No, no X5-452” Carlo answered with a wicked grin of his creased face.

Max suddenly grew very nervous. She had come into this mission blind, not knowing enough about her enemy, were it a Manticore assignment she would have been on her own, rejected, not that anyone was going to help her now.

“What do you want?”