Title: The Glory Of Manticore
Author: Restive Nature
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Dark Angel or to X-men. They belong respectively to Cameron/ Eglee and to Marvel Comics. No infringement is intended and this fiction is for private enjoyment only.
Rating: up to NC-17
Chapter Rating: PG-13
Genre: Crossover
Type: action/ Romance
Pairing: Max/ Logan
Summary: Max is once again on the run. But this time a safe haven awaits her in the form of Professor Xavier’s School for Gifted Children.
Spoilers/ Time line: Post the first movie, for X-men. First season for DA, starting off from Episode “Blah Blah Woof Woof”
Feedback: Always welcome!
Distribution: Ask first please.
The Glory Of Manticore
Chapter Twenty-one
“Gotta say,” Logan commented as they were walking back to the hotel. They had just left Shorty's bar and he was currently counting up their take from the evening's entertainment as they moved. “This was a nice little haul, for bein' unplanned.” He'd finished mentally tallying the bills and split the amount in half, holding one bundle out to Max, who took it and just stuffed it into her jeans pocket.
“Certainly covered beer huh?” she chuckled in response as she returned her hands to her coat pockets. Logan smiled, thinking fondly how relaxing the evening had actually been. After chattering quite a bit of time away, the pool table had come free and they'd touched on more subjects, such as how Logan and consequently Rogue had come to be introduced to Xavier's school. Logan didn't add much more than the truck had run into a fallen tree and Scott and Ororo had gotten them out before the fuel tank in the back had exploded. Max had seemed to accept that at face value, though she was interested in why he stuck around.
He mentioned again wanting to watch over Rogue and figure a few things out. On top of the obvious lack of transportation since his truck had been destroyed. Then the incident at Liberty Island happened, which Max clued in to as being a little bit more than terrorists planning on attacking the conference. He was pleased that she didn't automatically assume the worst. They talked about the reasons each had stuck around their respective chosen bases, again. Mostly, they found, it was a need of a connection of sorts, though Logan had growled out that she better not repeat that to certain people. She had laughingly agreed as long as he did the same for her.
They'd been enjoying themselves so much, pretty evenly matched on the pool table, that they hadn't really, other than on a subconscious level, noticed the attention they'd garnered. Eventually the rematch boys from earlier had returned to ask if they could join in since they were a little tired of playing against only each other. Logan had chanced a glance at Max and she had nodded. So the play started and it moved on quickly to friendly bets and wagers. Logan had realized then that she had been holding back quite a bit, as had he, intent on enjoying the time passing rather than the challenge of the game.
“You hustled them boys like a pro, you know,” he complimented, with a glint in his eyes and then wondered if she'd take that in the vein that he meant it. To his relief, she just chuckled.
“It's paid the bills before, so yeah,” she smiled and then glanced down at herself. “Of course, if I'd chosen a top that was a little more risque, they wouldn't have known what hit them.”
“Well, I think you look just fine darlin',” he complimented, his eyes lingering just a little longer than necessary. “But maybe...”
“Oh don't worry, I'm used to it,” she teased as Logan glanced up to see her watching his face with amusement clear on her own. “Males and females the world over all have the same equalizer of their own, huh?”
With her almost tacit approval, Logan allowed his eyes to openly run up and down the length of her as they continued. He knew that his body definitely liked what he saw, it was just the other things that tripped him up. Whether being too much of a loner to worry about the social niceties, or too much of a pessimist to want to indulge in the hypocrisy of them, he didn't care.
“Am what I am sweetheart,” he finally uttered. “And if it's wrong to appreciate your attributes, then I don't wanna be right.” That caused a gale of laughter from her that had her leanin' on him for support. Finally, she snorted out a last chuckled and turned her head up to meet his gaze.
“Again, if I get the same rights, you'll have no arguments from me,” she informed him and then smirked. “Really hate double standards, you know.”
“That's fine by me,” Logan told her with a wink. “You can appreciate me anytime.” She giggled again and he was extremely pleased that she didn't move away from him and he cautiously moved his arm just a little to where his hand was around her lower back, to rest cautiously on her hip. She just turned slightly into him, snugging her arms in tightly against herself so that she wasn't jabbing him in the ribs with her elbows.
“I think you must be a little drunk,” she finally sighed, though there was no censure in it.
“Can't get me drunk,” Logan grunted and when her head turned up to his again, he found himself explaining further. “With the way I heal, my body burns through the alcohol too fast. Maybe get a buzz if I drink fast enough, for a little while anyway.” He didn't mention that that little while, was a few seconds or just slightly longer.
“Gotta say,” Max shook her head, “that... sucks. But, on the bright side, no hang over, right?”
Logan hummed out an agreement and they fell silent as they continued. It wasn't awkward or charged with anything other than what had been there all evening long, alone, just the pair of them, or in the company of others. Logan walked along, this beautiful woman under his arm, feeling closer to something that mattered, really mattered in his life than it had in a long time. It was all he needed right then and he could only hope that she might feel something of that too.
If this was what he thought it was, then he'd definitely found a way to be drunk and happily so.
*****
“There's Jean and Scott,” Max noted quietly, as they neared the hotel. Logan glanced up from where he had been alternating between watching Max's profile as she animatedly explained something and where his feet had been stepping. They'd steered each other around a few obstacles and it seemed to work okay. The breeze that was playing through the city that late at night, given the naturally cooler temperatures didn't bother him, but he wasn't as sure about Max. And since she hadn't shrugged off his friendly embrace or said anything, he'd kept her tucked into his side the entire way back.
He could see the familiar pair just climbing out of a taxicab. Scott was holding Jean's hand as she tried to exit the vehicle without sullying her long dress. She was mostly successful, more because the cab was close to the curb than any other reason. As if he had heard her murmur, Scott glanced up just after she said it and after an appraising moment, smiled and glanced back down to his girlfriend. She turned her head and smiled as well, continuing to move out of the way so that Scott could shut the vehicle door.
The look that Scott had thrown at them though, had two effects. One, it caused Logan to squeeze Max a little tighter in a masculine predatory manner and two, it made him realize that Scott was thinking what was natural to be thinking and he really shouldn't be thinking that, because the thinking was none of his business. And also, that if he said anything to Max, Logan was likely to break his nose. Which would not be a good thing, because then his smarmy little shades wouldn't sit right and New York would add a new skyline to the tour guide.
But Max seemed to have no problem with being held tighter and her happy little sigh seemed full of contentment. Logan noted that the couple were waiting for them before going in. The doorman for the evening shift was eying both couples and relaxed when Max called out her greetings.
“Hey you guys,” she wasn't overly loud, just enough that she could be heard from the remaining few feet away that they were. “Did you enjoy the theater?”
“It was enjoyable,” Jean said, a little tightly, her features slightly pinched.
“Oh,” Max seemed to pout. “Headache again?” Both Scott and Logan evinced surprise at that one. Looking closer, Logan could see that the usual lines, not always noticeable around Jean's eyes, tension lines, were etched in a little deeper that before.
“Just a little one,” Jean concurred. Logan and Max had joined them at that point and they all seemed to silently concur in getting out of the still cooling evening air.
“Why didn't you say something?” Scott protested as they moved through the door, Max right behind him, though Logan's hand had slipped to her lower back and she was slightly ahead of him now.
“It was just a small one,” Jean reassured him. “I took some pain medication at the intermission and went through my meditation routine.”
“Oh,” Scott murmured, looking slightly perplexed. “I wasn't aware you were doing that again.”
“Max suggested it earlier,” Jean smiled up at him. “And you needn't worry. The headache is gone.”
“I'm glad,” Scott smiled, though to Logan's watchful eye, he still seemed concerned. Not that he could blame the guy. Jean's power unchecked could be a serious thing.
“A good night's sleep will probably help too,” Max piped up helpfully. Jean nodded as they made for the elevator bank.
“Mmm,” she agreed. “It'll be good to get out of this dress though,” she chuckled, rubbing at her side. “I wasn't thinking of all that rich food at dinner tonight when I put it on.” Both women chuckled as Scott and Logan shared an amusedly exasperated glance over their heads.
“Well now see,” Max chucked suddenly, turning to look up at Logan. “If I'd worn a cut like Jean's bodice, easily, like triple our take.”
“Triple your what?” Scott asked from the far side of the group.
“Our take,” Logan repeated with a grin. “Max suckered some locals into a few wagers.”
“How much did you win?” Scott asked, eying them appraisingly. “If you don't mind me asking?”
Logan shrugged down at Max and she turned to tell him the amount. Scott let out a low whistle. “That was each of us,” Logan added and Scott's eyebrows nearly climbed into his hairline.
“Remind me to challenge you guys sometime,” he grinned. Jean smiled as well and turned to Max.
“He won't play against me because every time I make a 'too good to be true' shot, he accuses me of using my gift,” she informed the girl.
“Well, don't you?” Scott teased. They all laughed as the elevator slowed as they reached their floor.
“Only when there's money on the table,” Jean confided and Max knocked her shoulder gently against Jean's arm and gave her a not so subtle thumbs up.
“Just don't let Max challenge you to foozy ball,” Logan grunted, knowing that he'd deliberately messed up what it was called and not caring. “Apparently she rocks that game too.”
He heard Scott gently murmuring a repeat of what he'd called it before the taller man burst out into more chuckles. “I'll keep that in mind,” he guffawed. They exited the elevator behind the females who had already moved on to the topic of the next day. By the time they'd caught up to them, standing between Scott and Jean's suite and Max's, both women had agreed upon a time to be up and ready to go. That decided, Max turned to Logan and smiled up at him.
“Thank you for tonight,” she smiled happily, her entire face shining. “I really enjoyed the chance to kick back and relax.”
“It was no trouble at all, darlin',” he demurred, only slightly startled when she was rising up on her toes to press a kiss into his cheek. He had the strongest urge to turn his head at the last second, but Scott's smug visage had him resisting the urge. The one to knock that self satisfied smirk off his thin face, that reared it's head again and Logan was close to giving in.
“Good night Logan,” she murmured and with that, all his attention was back on her. She squeezed the hand closest to her, the one not ensconced in his jean pocket.
“Good night Max,” he murmured back, wondering if there was even a slight chance that after Scott and Jean had retired, that he could return. Not because he was after something, but just because, the longer he was in her presence, the more it seemed right to be there. He liked the feeling and being a simple guy, figured the quickest way to be happy was to give in to that and go with the flow. But their smug, slightly expectant faces seemed to have something different in mind for the pair of them.
Max smiled at the couple and then inserted her key card into her room lock. It lit up immediately and she slipped inside, with nothing further said. The moment the latch sounded, very audibly in the hallway, Logan nodded to the others and spun around on his heel, heading for his room, reaching for his own key card. He didn't bother trying to decipher the reason behind their chuckles.
*****
Max turned and pushed the door shut gently, tuning out the trio in the hallway. She was surprised at herself. She wasn't usually one for demonstrative gestures, such as she had just exhibited with Logan, out in the hallway. Although it had happened on occasion, when she did so it was usually someone that she had known for a good long while. Still, it hadn't been that bad. She'd almost been expecting Logan to turn, but perhaps Scott and Jean's presence had forestalled him.
She heard heavier footsteps fade away and the soft murmur of Jean and Scott fade as a nearby click was heard. She smiled ruefully. “I sure didn't expect to see you tonight,” she spoke softly, not turning just yet, wanting to get the goofy smile leftover from an evening spent relaxing with good company, wiped from her lips.
“I suppose,” he answered with a small chuckle. “But one of these days you'll figure out that I'm always watching out for you Maxie.”
“I know Zack,” she retorted, feeling very much the put upon younger sibling, with big brother forever trailing after her to clean up her messes. Of course, they weren't always of her making, but then.. that was family for you. She turned and he had moved closer and she shook her head up at him, wondering if he'd accept a hug from her. It had seemed strange to him, the last time she'd been physically affectionate with him. And then she decided it didn't matter. The affection was there, whether he wanted to acknowledge it or not. She'd hug him and if he hugged her back, then great. But even as she opened her arms to greet him, he was smiling and doing the same.
The hug was longer than she'd normally give someone, but she was very relieved that he hadn't stormed in with his “world is ending, Maxie in peril, must leave now” attitude. When she'd spotted him earlier, at the bar, she wasn't sure what to think. But he had made no move to intercept her or give her any indication that something was wrong. So when she'd found a pen in the back hallway on her way to the bathroom, she'd written down her hotel name and room number on the back of one of her receipts and “accidentally” dropped it for him. Logan of course, had noticed, but when she'd glanced, the receipt was gone from the floor and her brother was calmly sipping at the beer he had ordered. Through his stay, he'd had two beers, totally ignoring her until he had slipped out with a simple hand gesture they'd learned as children that roughly translated into 'see you later'. And now here he was.
They parted easily and Max moved to lead her brother over to the couch. “So not that I'm not thrilled to see you, but why are you here?” she asked. “Or is it more just lookin' out for me?”
“That's it,” Zack sighed, answering quickly. A little too quickly for Max's liking, but as she covertly studied his face, saw he was doing the same to her. “Just keeping an eye on you Max. From what I understand, you seem to attract trouble.” She snorted delicately and angled her body so that she could talk easily with him. “And I just wanted to let you know that you're off the hook.”
“Off the hook?” she repeated slowly, an inkling immediately in her mind about what he was talking about. “With...?”
“Vogelsang,” he answered succinctly and looked so smug that warning bells were going off in her mind.
“What did you do?” she demanded.
“Cleared your name,” he shrugged one shoulder. “It was simple, really. Just got my hands on a voice modifier, called in an anonymous tip on the murderer and pretty much led the cops to the murder weapon.”
“And whose prints were on the weapon?” she asked archly, knowing exactly what her brother would have done to cover his tracks.
“Non-local gangster,” Zack shrugged, completely unconcerned with pining his crime on someone else. Max sighed. Well, at least that cleared her up. “Bugged out of there and as soon as I figured the heat had settled, I contacted Cale.”
“You actually willingly called Logan?” she scoffed teasingly and her brother shrugged one shoulder.
“Tried a few times,” he muttered. “When I finally got a hold of him though,” Zack continued, “I got him to check with those contacts of his and he confirmed that you've been completely cleared as a suspect.”
“Good to know,” Max frowned, wondering at the comment on Logan's nonavailability. “Anything else?”
“Not much,” Zack sighed. “Sounds like the cops are now looking at a male suspect. They're still interested in talking to you, see if you know anything about what went down. But they aren't actively looking. So you are technically free to go back.”
Max could hear the tone in his voice that told her that big brother didn't think it was a very good idea. “If I go back now, there's no guarantee that they won't try to pin me as an accessory down the line,” she hesitated. Zack was nodding instantly. “If they think I know anything...”
“That's the cops usual method,” he sighed and then smirked slightly at her. “What're you thinking Maxie?”
She hesitated. Her brother was very much a soldier through and through, even if he wouldn't admit it. Well, he had to some extent, admitting that it was what kept them alive, the training they had received. But it was all utilized in an effort to keep them alive and to keep them safe. He had already reamed on her for being sentimentally attached to Seattle, more so the people in it. She was sure that right off the cuff, he'd say the same thing about Xavier's people.
It wouldn't matter to Zack that they were mutants. That they'd perhaps be a bit more understanding than the rest of the general populace about the difficulties they faced. He'd tell them they were all fools for banding together where they could be found so easily. Never mind the old adage about safety in numbers.
There was also the matter of Logan. The newer Logan in her life. The attraction, if that was what one called it, that had been growing since the first moment they had laid eyes on each other. Max was still of two minds in exploring that. But for the greater part of her urged her to consider at the moment, she was safe here. As safe as she could be anywhere. Zack would argue that there was no safety anywhere and that's why moving on was the best way to achieve anonymity and safety.
There was also the niggling suspicion that Zack wasn't just here for her. She wondered how she could get him to admit that and then figure out what it was he was after in New York. There could have been multiple things, reasons, but the only thing that he'd kept from her was the locations of the rest of their unit. If it somehow involved one of them, then Max wanted to stay in the general vicinity as well. But how to accomplish that?
“I'm not so sure that heading back now is the best idea,” she murmured, low and slow and Zack nodded his head.
“Where would you go then?” he wondered and Max refrained from sighing, or rolling her eyes. For all that he expounded on being a step ahead of the bad guys, he was utterly predictable to her.
“Back to Westchester,” she decided aloud. “For now,” she hastened to assure him. “So far, these people aren't pushing and things are good. If I have to bail, then I bail.” The lie passed her tongue only moments before she knew it as such. She didn't want to have to pick up and leave again. Start fresh on her own. She knew without a doubt that once Zack knew that she was on the move again, he'd disappear from her life unless she called for help or he deigned to make another appearance.
“You shouldn't let it get down to an either or situation Max,” he lectured and this time she couldn't refrain from the eyes rolling heavenward. “Leave before they get attached. Before you get attached. Look what happened this last time.”
“Yeah yeah,” Max sighed, as if resigned to the idea. “I need time to lay my plans,” she offered, not outlining exactly what the plan was and hoping he wouldn't ask. To her utter relief, he didn't.
“All right,” he acquiesced with what she assumed was meant to be an encouraging smile. “You know how to play it right Max, I know you do.”
“Only 'cause you made sure those contingency plans were pounded into out thick skulls, right?” she teased. Zack allowed himself a grin and then hunkered down a little.
“Okay, is there anything I can help with to get you going?” he offered and she was slightly taken by surprise at that.
“Yeah,” she murmured. “Actually there is.” She paused and he waited patiently for her and she darted her eyes to the safe and smirked. “Know any good fences?”
Zack chuckled and his eyes followed hers as well. “The safe?” he asked and then made a tsking noise. “Sloppy Max. But yeah, I've got a line on one or two guys here in the city. And if I talk to 'em, they'll either deal with you, or I'll play middleman.”
“Okay,” Max grinned. “Saves me the pavement pounding trying to suss 'em out.” Zack nodded. “Can we get it done this weekend?”
“Think we can,” Zack mused for a moment. “You're going to be here until when?”
“We're supposed to go back Sunday afternoon,” she informed him. Zack looked thoughtful for a moment.
“Would you be able to get away from your... friends, tomorrow?”
“Eh,” Max hedged. “We've got plans to take in the Museum of Modern Art at some point tomorrow. And in the evening, we're going to some blues club they like.”
“Okay,” Zack nodded once more and straightened up. “I'll find you then.” He moved towards the window of the living room and Max cocked one eyebrow at him. As he popped it open and climbed out onto the fire escape, he turned to part with one last sally. “And if you do sleep, don't let the bedbugs bite,” he teased. Max followed him, to shut the window behind her paranoid brother.
“You remember that, huh?”
He smiled, gently, reaching for her cheek and his thumb stroked it once. “I remember everything about you Maxie,” he told her softly and then with a powerful jump upwards, was gone again. Max stared out into the night for a few moments before she pulled the window shut gently and re latched it. She stood, staring out into the night, musing over how quickly the winds could change. Like the change now where she decided that since she no longer had to go out prowling for a fence to offer her goods to, that she could find something relaxing to do around her hotel room.
Television sounded good and she moved over to pick up the remote that was laying on the top of the mid sized entertainment center that house the television. Just as she was moving to take a seat on the sofa, she heard heavy footsteps stop outside her door and a heavy pounding on her door began.
Chapter Twenty-two
