Title: Only The Lonely
Chapter Title: Sweet Honeydew
Author: Restive Nature
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Dark Angel. They belong to Cameron/ Eglee. No infringement is intended and this fiction is for private enjoyment only.
Rating: NC-17
Genre: Fan Fiction
Type: Romance, Humor
Pairing: Max/ Alec
Summary: A remake of the "Pretty Woman" movie, with Max and Alec in the lead roles.
Spoilers/ Time line: This takes place pre-series. Due to the nature of the fiction, some information will be different, but should not overly affect the fiction.
Feedback: Always welcome!
Distribution: Ask first please.
A/N: We finally get to a chapter where I can introduce Logan to the story. He may seem a little out of character, but please remember, this is pre-series and he wasn't in the same space that he was when Max initially met him in the actual show.
Chapter Seven
Sweet Honeydew
"Max?" 494 called as he straightened the infernal bow tie that was the approved neck wear for the evening, "are you about ready?"
"Just a moment," the girl called back. She was still in the bathroom of their suite, doing any of the myriad of things that females did to get themselves ready. 494 wasn't too surprised by this. It wasn't long, once the X-5 kids had started doing away missions, that the males had learned a little bit about this ritual. For even the females of their series, supposedly superior to the normal human race, were not immune to it. 494 knew, he just knew, that their female counterparts could wash, dress and present themselves as fast as any of the males. When they were younger, they'd made a game out of seeing who could be fastest and the results were always mixed. But the moment they had gone away from Manticore, suddenly those same females had taken to lounging in the bathroom. Suddenly caring what they smelled like. If their hair was perfect. That their make-up was just so. It had puzzled the males, until one of the obliging females had smilingly explained to them, that in the outside world, there was a lot more expected of females in the looks department. It wasn't enough to look that good. Females had to look perfect.
And so after a crash course in the art of female preparation, 494 kind of understood the amount of work that had to go into being ready to face the world, even if he wasn't getting all the subtleties of the layers. But the end result was that he was patient for the understanding and certainly appreciative as hell at the end result.
Just as he was now that Max had finally presented herself. As she had before, she posed in the doorway, though her stance was modest. "What do you think?" she asked a little shyly, moving one leg forward to emphasize the center slit at the front of the dress that ended just above her knees. 494 licked his suddenly dry lips and perused her from the ground up. The black dress was indeed tight if not down right form fitting all the way up her long legs, over the curve of her waist and up over her breasts. The wide straps that covered her shoulders broke into material that cascaded over her back, shot through with a kind of silvery thread that glimmered in the light as she moved. Her face was made up subtly, the colors accentuating her features rather than glaring. And her hair was pulled up high atop her head, and each strand tamed down into a carefully, artfully designed curl. The results made 494 think of a dark, exotic flower. He grinned at the thought. That was Max all right. Dark and exotic.
"You're going to knock them on their asses darling," he decided and Max giggled as she finally stepped forward. 494 held his arm out to her and led her to the front door. "I uh, wasn't sure if you'd remembered some evening wraps, so I had Marjorie send this over," he informed her as he opened the closet door and removed a fur stole from inside. It was a dark sable and would go well enough with what she was wearing. "You don't object to fur, do you?"
Mm-mm," Max shook her head as she indulged a little in letting her fingers slide through the long hairs. "I've got a leather coat at home that I treat like it's my best friend sometimes," she smiled up at him. "Besides, this is what all the fashionable ladies wear, right?"
"Right," he agreed. 494 wrapped it about her shoulders and Max let the back slide so that it was covering most of the area of her back bared by the dress. Immediately she knew it would help ward off any chill. As she let it settle, Alec reached in and pulled out the long three quarter length black coat that he used in conjunction with his tuxedos. That done, he led them to the elevator and down to the lobby. He was surprised to note that every member of the hotel staff that they passed were smiling happily in their direction. Strange, but he had never gotten that reaction before as he'd passed through these vaulted rooms. "Well," he smirked as they reached the front door and the doorman quickly jumped to open the portal for them, tipping his hat jauntily. "You've certainly seemed to charm the hotel staff easily enough."
"I tip well," Max shrugged one shoulder.
"Your limousine is waiting Mr. Spalding," the doorman informed them, gesturing wide armed, to the curb where indeed a long black limo awaited them. The driver had already exited the vehicle and was holding the back door open for them.
"Thank you Jed," it was Max that spoke, giving the man a small smile that 494 had seen on her face every time he'd seen her with other staff members. He waited until she had been handed into the limo and climbed in himself before continuing the conversation.
"I think it's more than that," he prodded. "For instance, I had no clue what that guy's name was."
"Oh, well he helped me get all the bags out of the cab, when I got back here this afternoon," Max explained as she settled herself into the car.
"And he just told you his name amidst all that?" 494 prodded. Max shook her head. "Ah, you asked," she surmised.
"I don't know," she hedged, glancing out the car window. "I mean, I know myself, how tough this world is. And even if they have better jobs than... some... it's still tough to make a living. And sometimes a little human touch goes a long way."
"Which is why they're all so eager to jump to do your bidding," 494 grinned. He waved a hand to ward off her protests. "It's okay. I don't care. I mean, I'm reaping the benefits as well, right? And I get it. I was just... surprised at first, I guess."
"Mmm," was her only reply to that. She looked around once more. "I'm glad you got a limo tonight."
"And why is that?" 494 asked gently. Max gestured him closer. He bent over a little and let her lips brush against his ear.
"Because I've always wanted to have hot, dirty sex in the back seat of one," she whispered sexily into his ear. 494's mouth gaped for just a moment and then laughter burst out of him and he pulled away shaking his head.
"You know what?" he chuckled. "You are one unique creature, unlike any other I've ever known."
"Well of course I am," Max straightened up, seeming indignant, though her eyes were flashing merrily. "Isn't everyone? I mean, you know, except twins?" She didn't notice that Alexander's eyes had flashed as well. Though not with merriment, but he forced himself to a calmer state. There was no way that Max would know that twins were a very sore subject for 494 and many other Manticore alumnus.
"You got me there Maxie," he sighed, moving away from the sore spot. He did however notice, that her smile faltered a little and a faraway look entered her eyes. "Hey," he said softly, nudging her arm gently and she startled just a little bit. "What is it?"
"Oh n-nothing," she stammered, embarrassed at having been caught out. "It's just... that's what my family used to call me. For a second there..."
"Flashing back?" he queried and she nodded. He leaned away from her for a moment, giving himself some freedom to wrap an arm around her shoulder, pleased when she leaned into his side. "I'm sorry babe. Didn't mean to bring up any bad memories."
"Oh no, it's okay," Max hastened to assure him. "Not bad per se. Just miss them."
"That's understandable," 494 nodded. "Tell you what, I'll try and remember not to call you that, okay?"
"Oh, but it's okay," Max shook her head. "I mean, lots of my friends call me that. It was just, with the twins, thinking about family and then..." she shrugged one shoulder again and he understood. "I don't mind when you call me that. It sounds kind of... nice."
494 grinned, amazed at how easily they were falling into this ease of a pretend relationship. "You know what I like you calling me?"
Back on even footing once more, she mock pouted up at him. "Tiger? Baby? My sex god?"
"Oh yeah," 494 let out a harsh bark of laughter. "Those are great, but there's something I actually like more."
"Really?" Max smiled, bemused. "What's that?"
"You said it last night," he prompted. Max gave a small frown as she tried to remember. Besides the usual endearments in her line of work, she'd only called him Alexander or Alex, hadn't she?.
"Alex?" she wondered aloud.
"Not quite," he muttered. "Say it again."
"Al-!" she was about to repeat herself, but was surprised when his head suddenly ducked and he was sucking on the sensitive skin just below and behind her ear lobe. "-eck!" she ended in surprise.
"There it is," he grunted with satisfaction, pulling his lips away from her.
"Alec?" she repeated, questioning this time. And 494 shrugged. He couldn't really explain it himself. He just knew that he liked the way she said that name. For each time she'd said it before, it had been when she'd been caught in surprise by something he'd done. Everyone else had been calling him Alexander or a few brave people opting to shorten the name to it's acceptable nickname form without his permission. 494 didn't care, as those people calling him by a nickname that meant nothing to him, thought they had something over him, that by his unspoken permission to play around with his name gave them some sort of leverage or intimate connection with him. They didn't realize that it was just another word to him. But Alec. It had somehow become personal between him and Max. And the more he thought about it, the more he liked it. Alex and Max was too harsh. With both of the X's there at the ends of the names. But somehow, her calling him Alec gave it a different measure. Like he could be different with her, relaxed and not on guard all the time, always having to play the game. He could allow little bits of his true self, without still revealing who and what he was, to shine through with her. Able to joke with her about the society playground there were running through. Able to appreciate more things in the world than they were supposedly apt to see through the rose tinted glasses he was forced to don, like those he was acquainting with.
He didn't know. He just liked it.
"Well that's fine then, " Max finally grinned. "Was there someone special in your life that called you that?"
"You're the first," he answered honestly. "But..."
"Oh, don't worry, tiger," she winked up at him. "Pet names always have their time and place, don't they."
"You got it... Maxie," he grinned back down at her. The held one another's glances for a moment as the limo slowed in reaction to a red light. But once they began again, the little moment had passed and 494 glanced out the window and then back at his companion. "Oh, did I tell you some actual friends of mine are going to be at the party tonight?"
"Oh, no," Max frowned. "That's not going to be a problem is it?"
494 shook his head. "Nah, they've never met Denise and it's not like she's the topic of discussion whenever we talk. Besides, they live on the west coast. I only see them when I travel."
"Okay," Max nodded in relief. There could have been massive problems, were his friends to blow the whistle on him. Because really, it was not as if Alexander would go around telling his friends that he'd hired a hooker to play his girlfriend. An escort they'd understand, but this was a little out there. Of course, maybe Alexander was known among his circle of friends as being a maverick, a black sheep. How the hell was she to know. "So what are they like?"
"Well, Sabine's okay I guess," Alexander answered her pensively. "A little mousy in my opinion. I don't know her as well. I only met her after Jackson started dating her."
"So Jackson is your friend?" Max prompted, enjoying hearing a little something that wasn't business related.
"We went to prep school together," 494 nodded, trying out the story the unit had come up with prior to arrival at the mission site. "Known each other for years."
"Good friends or rivals that evolved?" Max asked teasingly.
"Oh rivals, definitely," 494 grinned brightly. "At least on his part. He was always eating my dust."
"And is that his version too?" she chuckled, relaxing back into the seat. They were starting to leave the city now, after being waved through the last sector checkpoint before heading up into rich man's land.
"Believe me, no matter who's version, Jackson Daniel Biggs has nothing on me, now or ever baby," 494 smirked down at the girl beside him and stifled a laugh when her nose wrinkled and her brow furrowed.
"Your friend is named after whiskey?" she asked dryly. The laugh finally did escape, because that was indeed where the name 511 had chosen had come from.
"He told me one time, I think, we were kind of drunk," 494 made up, "that he was distantly, distantly, related on his mother's side and they keep the connection alive through the name. He's like the third or something. Tom, my other friend, says a bottle of J.D. was probably the first thing his Dad had in his hands after his son was born." He'd have to remember to tell that to 511. It was a good back story if anyone questioned his credentials. He chuckled mirthfully. "Laurie, Tom's wife, always gives him a smack when he repeats that." At least 798 and 220 had been given normal names that wouldn't draw too much attention to themselves. Of course, they'd been on undercover ops together before and were comfortable enough with one another to play a married couple.
"Weird," Max whistled softly. "Sorry, but some people have no imagination at all."
"Yup," 494 agreed readily, the syllable popping from his lips. "All those mint juleps just evaporated the creativity right out of their brains."
"You do realize that you're dissing on your own, right?" Max teased and Alex threw his head back and laughed even more.
"Who better?" was his answer. "I mean, hell, look at the names some people give their kids, like... Jaleeland."
"Shawanda!" Max crowed.
"Moon Unit Zappa," 494 recalled from a pop culture book he'd once picked up. Max rolled her eyes and then collapsed in a fit of giggles. The recollection of the most outrageous kids names they'd heard of, took up the most of the rest of the ride. The rest of the time, 494 told her just a little about his other friends, Tom and Laurie Salinger, who also lived on the west coast, although up in Oregon.
Once they'd arrived in the home of the Marchmont's on a very palatial country estate, Max handed over her fur stole, while Alexander folded over his coat on the maid's arm with a thankful smile. The butler ushered them towards the opened doors leading into a large room, what could almost be called a ballroom, even if it was only half the size of the ballroom at the Centrium. Max nearly gaped at the number of people crammed inside.
"I thought she said intimate little gathering," she half-complained. 494 smiled down at her and then caught a passing waiter, snagging two glasses of champagne.
"This is intimate," he shrugged. "Only the best of the best."
"And we're included," Max pointed out.
"Oh baby," Alex sighed. "We're the 'IT' couple of the moment. Didn't you know?"
"Only because they know nothing about me," Max ruminated. "Once they've trolled all my secrets, we'll be yesterday's news."
"And that's fine by me," Alex decided. He took her free hand and tugged her towards the throng. "Come on, let's mingle." Max followed after him, keeping a good grip on his hand. She was extremely relieved to see that she was dressed appropriately. Some of the ladies had opted to go a little shorter, more cocktail than full evening wear, but she didn't stand out like a sore thumb. "Hey hey," she suddenly heard Alexander call out and he let go of her hand. She managed to stay behind him as he hurried towards a group of people. "Biggs, my man."
"Hello Spalding," she heard a man drawl, sounding amused. "Finally showed up, hmm?"
"Was just waiting on this vision of loveliness," Alex replied, undaunted. He reached behind him without looking and Max knew what part to play. She caught his hand again and allowed herself to be pulled forward. "Honey, this is J.D. Biggs. I told you about him." Max smiled softly at the man before them. He was shorter than Alexander by a few inches, dark haired and wickedly handsome. "And Biggs, this is my Maxie."
"About time I got to meet you," J.D. grinned, holding one hand out to her. Max took it and with a quick wink, J.D. had turned it over and brought it to his lips. Max allowed it and with her hand still in his, turned to look up at Alexander.
"You're right sweetheart," she grinned. "Definitely a troublemaker."
"Uh," J.D. grimaced up at his friend. "You wound me man. Disparaging me to the little lady before I had a chance to corrupt myself in her eyes. Thanks a lot."
"With you, it wouldn't have taken long, believe me," 494 retorted. "So where's Sabine at?"
"She's right here," a feminine voice answered from behind Jackson. And suddenly the girl herself appeared. Max took the moment to study this girl that Alexander considered mousy. In way of appearance, there was nothing mousy about her. She was very good looking, her light features a nice compliment to Jackson's darker looks. Almost like the flip side of her and Alexander. And yet, there was something very reserved about her and Max could see where Alexander had drawn the comparison. She turned to Max and held out her hand as well. "Sabine Tyler and you must be Alex's Max."
"Actually, I'm my own Max," she quipped. "I just let him think I'm his. In fact, it's really the other way around."
Sabine's eyebrows went up and she looked between Max and Alexander and then laughed. "I definitely am going to like you," she decided. Still holding the other woman's hand, she turned to Alexander. "If anyone was going to do it, this would be the one to tame you."
"Since when have I been wild?" Alexander pretended to be hurt at the thought. Sabine simply ignored his mocking pout and urged Max closer.
"So I've been hearing a lot about you," she intimated. Max took a small swallow of her champagne and then made a noncommittal sort of noise.
"Been bragging about me sweetie?" she threw at Alexander and he tilted his head to the side and gave a warning look to the others that Max missed.
"Oh no," Sabine shook her head, her hair shimmering like a curtain around her head. "He's been as closemouthed as usual. No, all the ladies around here tonight have been tittering about you."
"Told you so," Max smugly informed Alexander and when Jackson and Sabine looked interested, she just waved it off. "Inside joke," she said in way of explanation.
"Oh my dears," a new, but familiar voice interrupted their get to know you session as the form of Tina Marchmont made her way through the crowd. "I am so, so glad you made it."
"Of course we did," Max simpered. "You were so kind to invite us. You're home is just, unh!" Alexander bit down on his lip as he watched Max playing up to the older woman like it was a life or death situation. "You must tell me who your designer was?"
"Oh dear," Tina patted the girls' hand. "You simply couldn't trust this to a simple designer. No, I had a whole team working on it. Under my direction of course."
"Well, hat's off to the genius than," Max smiled, lifting her champagne glass slightly in salute. And once again, she had this woman eating out of the palm of her hand.
"Yes," Tina seemed to sigh. "Not many people seem to understand the strength and stamina it takes to make other people understand what you want of them and then to actually have them comply."
"It can be a strain," Max sympathized, crossing her arms in a way that was telling 494 that she was holding herself back. He knew, from their earlier conversations that she didn't particularly like the way high minded society treated the working class. But before he could intervene to move the topic away from this sore point, Max had done so herself. "And dare I hope that you've been as diligent with the catering staff? I could have sworn that I caught the scent of sashimi when we came in."
"Oh good nose dear," Tina tittered. "Yes, I'm using Ellisandra's tonight. I know, I know," she held up her hands and her voice went dry. "They're new, but Catherine highly recommends them."
"And we all know we can trust her judgment, hmm," Max giggled. "Did you see that little blue number she's in?" 494 swept his eyebrows together, a hint of curious frustration. The looks he exchanged with 'Biggs' and 'Sabine' showed that they were equally as puzzled, Sabine even going so far as to give a frown and a tiny shake of her head. She had no clue who this woman was being referred to by Max. But the girl must have picked up on this, because she suddenly linked arms with Sabine as if they were the best of friend's and partially explained. "I swear, I don't know what miracle she used to squeeze into it. It was that dress I was looking at in Tiente's last night, sweetie." She addressed the last to Alexander and he finally understood. Max turned her head back to sweep over Tina Marchmont consideringly. "You know, that shade would have suited you wonderfully."
"I'm glad you think so dear," Tina smiled warmly at the compliment. "I thought I recognized that dress you wore last evening."
"Well, I was in a pinch," Max sighed dramatically. "And since the airport was so kind enough to lose my luggage..." she trailed off and everyone nodded understandingly. "So tell me," she whispered conspiratorially to the women, drawing them slightly away from 494 and 511, "is Tiente's owner as good as they say?"
Tina laughed out loud and squeezed Max's arm between her own and her ample bosom. "Tell you what, have brunch with me and the girls tomorrow and then we'll do a little browsing and see what Marjorie has to say to us."
"That sounds lovely," Max smiled sweetly and then turned to Sabine. "Have you managed to make your way around yet? Alexander tells me that you live on the west coast."
"True," Sabine agreed and both men noticed that the females were starting to slowly drift away from them and shared a grin. "I live in Los Angeles and I don't get up to Seattle very often."
"Oh well then I'm sure Tina can tell us all the right places to go," Max decided triumphantly, even as the older woman nodded her agreement. "I was out and about this afternoon and some of those shop girls, uh! Just because they're doing the selling doesn't mean they know, you know?" 494 squinted as he tried to decipher that. Obviously Max was referring to the trouble she'd had that she'd told him about, with that one store, but from the way Tina and Sabine tittered along with her, she must have scored a point in the us versus them debate that raged on in societal warfare. Shrugging it off, he realized that he and 511 were now on their own and saw that his friend was shaking his head in something akin to amazement. He glanced about the room, wondering where 798 and 220 were.
"What?" he demanded to know with an expectant smirk on his lips.
"I'll be damned," 511 sighed. And when 494 gave an impatient jerking gesture with his left hand, he went on further. "She's been trying to get in with Marchmont all night," he explained to his friend, referring to 684. It was what had been agreed on that afternoon at the planning meeting. That since it had worked for 494, they'd try it for the secondary mission they'd been assigned. "And now, a few words from your little... girlfriend, and they're as thick as thieves."
"I told you she was good," 494 smirked happily. It reflected well on him and he was sure that Manticore would be pleased.
"She is, I'm very sure she is," 511 smirked back at him. With unspoken agreement then, they moved their own way, towards the gentlemen of the party that they had been assigned to, to gage the depths of how deep their welcome would go.
*****
"There you are," 494 rejoiced as he made his way to the long banquet sized table. Dinner had been announced several minutes beforehand and 494 had followed the rest of the crush into the dining room
He'd looked for Max occasionally as he and 511 had swept the room, seeing the odd glance here and there. Both he and 511 were glad to see that 648 was with her most of the time and that both were happily ensconced in the group of highly socially acceptable wives, the cream of the crop. 798 and 220 were easily handling their assignments and needed no supervising from the others, even if they did stop to say hello.
They were happy that 684 was staying with the hooker, because it kept Max busy while 494 and 511 fished for information. Good because that way, 648 was able to monitor whatever Max said so that she could jump in and steer things in a different direction if it looked like Max might compromise their position. And content because it also put 648 in the position she needed to be in to influence the Marchmont's. But still, 494 found that he was able to relax even more when Max was there with him. It was like, her perspective on things was needed.
494 knew that he could get into a role, all of them could. That's why they were out in the field. He could so totally immerse himself in his role, that he could brainwash himself into believing that he really was Alexander Spalding, heir to a vast fortune and the genius out gunning for new technology to acquire for his families company, with a gorgeous girlfriend and several homes around the country and overseas. In fact, he could do it so well, that it would take scientific intervention to bring back 494.
And that was something that 494 never wanted to have done again. Manticore had out done themselves when it came to reprogramming the clones of the twelve X-series children that had escaped. They had been "simplified" as the bigwigs termed it, made to be more compliant with what the handlers wanted. But in doing so, they made it even more possible for the X5's they'd reprogrammed to assimilate themselves totally into the world around them. And that was why they and all other Manticore operatives were put into solitary with a side order of a trip or two to psy-ops upon their return from a mission.
If a soldier had gotten to the point of immersion, they needed time to find that trigger within themselves that brought out the soldier in themselves, to shed the part they'd been made to play. Few got so deep that they couldn't pull themselves back after a day or so alone without outside stimuli. But for the few, all of the case subjects, reconditioned clones, there was the next step. Intervention from psy-ops.
It had happened to 494 once. He'd been in a dangerous situation in the Congo. He'd been found by the enemy and imprisoned. Knowing that his best bet would to be to keep up the lie he'd presented from the first, he'd immersed himself in that world, where he was just a young business man who had no idea what he was walking into. The enemy had held him for a month before a police raid had scattered them to the four winds and 494 had been found in a damp little cell, half-starved and weak. Even then, the police had no idea that he was more than he'd presented and with their apologies, arrangements had been made to go back Stateside where he'd been snatched up by Manticore.
All of that had been bad enough, because he'd really believed he was innocent of anything. He'd had no clue what or Manticore was and why they wanted him enough to kidnap him. But then psy-ops had come. The scientists, with their instruments of torture, the lasers, the probes and then, even worse, the freaks themselves, delving into his mind to find the trigger that would bring 494 back to them. And then the memories had come, washed over him, bathing him in a purifying hellfire as he remembered his life in seconds, moments.
So yeah, 494 liked having something to remind him that this all wasn't real. And Max could do that for him. With her acerbic wit and earthy appeals to his base nature.
He called his attention back to the present, though like the properly trained soldier that he was, he'd never fully lost it and realized Max was talking.
"... but you and your friend looked like you were having fun," Max smiled. She glanced at the couples around them and 494 followed her gaze. Everyone was sitting. Quickly, 494 pulled out a chair before the little black card on the table, embossed in gold with their names and Max smoothly sank down to the seat and scooted in. 494 followed suit with his seat to her right. But instead of continuing their conversation, she leaned forward to speak to a man across the table from them. "Hi, you must be Logan Cale?"
"I must?" the man before them laughed, his voice slightly husky. 494 caught the name and paid attention, since Jonas Cale, his mark, had mentioned his nephew the evening before. The man, probably early thirties or so, glanced down at his own card just above his place setting and seemed to do a mild double take. He was okay looking, in a scruffy sort of way. He had thin wire rimmed glasses perched on the bridge of a long aquiline nose, and was fairly wiry himself, judging by the slim lines of his tuxedo. "Well, if the place setting says so, then I guess I must. And you are...?"
Max reached across the table and shook his hand. "Max Gueverra," she introduced herself and then turned to Alexander. "And this is my boyfriend, Alex Spalding" She pulled her hand back and leaned back in her chair, her body angling itself slightly towards the man by her side. "You remember honey? This is Jonas and Margo's nephew."
"Oh right, right," 494 played along, shifting slightly so that he could shake hands with the so called black sheep of the Cale family. For some reason, Logan didn't seem as interested in greeting Alex as he did Max and gave the other man a perfunctory shake. "Pleased to meet you."
"Likewise, I'm sure," Logan returned in that patently false friendly tone of voice.
Still paying more attention to Alex than anyone else, Max smiled. "Tina mentioned that Jonas said he wanted you to meet, so she took the opportunity of seating us with Logan and his wife."
"Good, good," 494 nodded, wondering why the hell he was saying everything twice. He cleared his throat and tried to act interested in this other man. "So what is it you do at Cale Enterprises?"
"You mean besides bemoan the act of fate that landed me my father's seat on the board of director's when I'd much prefer to be out on the yacht?" Logan asked in a dry tone that spoke of much resentment simmering under the surface. Once that barb had been delivered, he seemed to lose interest and swirled a drink around in a cut crystal glass before swallowing the rest and signaling a waiter for a refill.
"Ye-ah," 494 murmured under his breath. But it seemed that Max was not to be deterred. She leaned forward then.
"So Marianne was telling me that you really like working with computers," she tried to open a new subject and then said to Alexander, "Bennett's girlfriend." 494 nodded his head minutely.
"You met Bennett's girlfriend?" Logan quirked his mouth up into a facsimile of a smile while Max nodded.
"Last night," she confirmed. "We're lunching with her tomorrow."
"We are?" 494 questioned with a small frown. When had that happened?
"No silly," Max giggled. "Sabine and I." She looked down the long table to nearly the other end, where Biggs and Sabine were seated, caught the other woman's eye and gave her a discreet wave. The other woman nodded back and then tilted her head to whisper in her 'boyfriend's' ear. Max turned back to the two men in her scope of the table.
"I can't believe it," Logan then chuckled, bringing the attention back to himself. "We were starting to think that this girl was a figment of Bennett's imagination."
"Oh she's very real," Max shrugged one shoulder. "And very sweet."
"Ah, that'd be it then," Logan decided knowingly and then leaned over to inform Max in a conspiratorial tone. "He really likes her then and is trying to save her from the family scrutiny. Jonas can be something of a..."
Max pressed her lips together a moment and then responded, with a twinkle in her eye. "Between you and me... I don't fault Bennett's reasoning at all." As the younger Cale let out a hearty laugh, drawing surprised attention from his side of the table, 494 leaned over to his girlfriend.
"Damn, you're doing good here," he complimented. She was making his job damn near effortless so far.
"Easy peasy," she whispered back. There was a small commotion at the door to the dining room and finally the waiters came forth to begin serving the meal as the last member if the dinner party they were waiting for finally slumped down in her seat, right next to Logan.
"Couldn't wait for me again I see," the woman complained as she reached for the drink that the waiter had been bringing to Logan. The older man gave a small, long suffering sigh and nodded to the waiter who discreetly retreated to bring yet another drink.
"You're the one who didn't want to leave the bar Val," Logan pointed out a little harshly. "Or was it the bartender?" His voice was cold.
"Better him than you sweetheart," the woman, whom they now realized to be Cale's wife, slurred back. Both 494 and Max recoiled slightly, Max's hand going up to delicately place a finger under her nose to forestall the generous whiff of alcohol reeking from the woman.
"Can we please not tonight Val," Logan hissed from between clenched teeth. "Just eat something and we'll go."
"But why should we?" the woman demanded sourly. "After all, it's a command appearance from good old Uncle Jonas, isn't it? Got to keep dancing to the old man's tunes."
"Val," Logan sighed and both Alex and Max could see that this must have been a long standing argument between the couple. The woman, faintly redheaded, turned to them, a hint of malice in her expression.
"It's a damn lucky thing that Logie's got stock from his parents or there's be no end to Jonas' demands," she shared with them, not caring that they were total strangers to her.
"I'm sure that would be difficult," Max tried to sympathize, but the other woman scoffed, hefted her drink and turned away completely, to talk to the man on the other side of her. Dismissing, as it were, Max, Alec and even her own husband, like one truly self absorbed in her own alcohol hazed world demanded. Both Max and Alex could see that Logan was torn between apologizing for his wife and keeping quiet. Fortunately, he chose to smile briefly at them and let the waiter serve the first course before turning the topic to another. Too bad it was one 494 didn't like.
"So Max, you look a little familiar to me," he smiled at the dark haired woman. "Have we met before?"
"Not that I can recall," Max responded easily as she lifted the 700 thread count linen napkin and snapped it into place on her lap. "Perhaps at your uncle's party last night?"
"No, I don't think so," Logan's mouth pursed as he pursued it. "Have you lived in Seattle long?"
"Actually I don't," Max shook her head.
"We're in from New York," 494 interceded. "Although Maxie here lived in L.A. until recently." He waited, a little nervously. Here was the one hitch to his plan.
"Mmm," Logan shook his head. "I've can't say I've ever been to L.A.," he pondered. "Maybe when I was a boy, but I certainly don't remember."
Max simply nodded and paid attention to spooning soup into her mouth.
"So, have you ever done any modeling?" Logan continued on. "Because I could swear I've seen you before."
"No," Max said with surprise once she'd daintily wiped at the corner's of her mouth. "No modeling."
"She's certainly beautiful enough for it, isn't she?" 494 stepped in again figuratively. He lifted her free hand and brought it to his lips. "And she's all mine. Not stupid enough to share her with the world, my good man."
"No," Logan simply smiled.
"You are a sweetheart," Max simpered to her 'boyfriend'. "A bit of a Neanderthal, but sweet nonetheless." 494 chuckled at her rejoinder and allowed their attention to go back to eating. But it wasn't long before he felt his ire starting to rise, again. This Logan character seemed determined to figure out where he knew Max from, and was putting all his effort into drawing Max into conversation. Max, bless her heart, was trying to go along with it, without revealing too much. And when that didn't work, by drawing Alexander into the conversation. 494 of course kept up with her, but the other man's attitude kept shutting him out. And it was starting to wear on 494. And to piss him off. This guy just had no conception about the terms "hands off", did he?
Dinner was long. Much longer than 494 would have liked. Because Max was walking a precarious, albeit not her fault, he hoped, line with Cale, 494 was forced to keep his attention focused on them. He was unable to really converse with the person on the other side of him, one of Cale Enterprises directors, or any others around them. And since Valerie Cale was more intent on drinking her dinner than anything else, she was easily left out of the conversation.
494 was just glad to see that Max seemed as eager to escape the table as he himself was, when dessert was finished. Now was a time to mingle once more and congratulate one another on all the absurd tidbits of gossip they managed to garner from one another. A few more drinks and the evening would be over. At least he thought so until Tina Marchmont announced that as a special treat, she had invited La Riente, the opera diva whom some of them would be seeing later in the week, to entertain them during drinks. And even worse, the diva of course had to be specially catered to before she could perform before any crowd, so time was being spent kissing her Italian ass before she would consent to grace them with a few arias. And those that weren't kowtowing were talking together in intimate little groups.
And no matter where 494 led Max to, Cale managed to show up. And not the right one either. After the third time of insinuating himself at Max's side, 494 decided that he'd had more than enough. Maneuvering the conversation around to something that finally caught Logan's attention, the downtrodden state of the homeless people, and who the hell would have thought that could do it, 494 was able to pull Max aside.
"Oh thank God," Max breathed out. "He sure likes the sound of his own voice, doesn't he?" she shook her head a little like a dog, trying to clear it's ears.
'Especially when he's talking to you,' the thought came unbidden to 494. Aloud he told her, "do you mind if we take off. I've got a headache and I don't really think opera will help it tonight."
"Oh, of course," Max sighed, instantly responsive to the plea. "Let me go find Tina and make our apologies. I'll meet you in the foyer."
494 nodded gratefully, really not wanting to have to dive back into the fray. He watched as Max began to effortlessly make her way through the crowd, but his teeth began to grind upon one another as he saw the Cale bastard break away from his group and make a beeline after her. He caught Max by the elbow, causing her to stumble slightly to a halt. 494 had already started to move forward, but halted himself. Max had already disentangled herself from the man and was saying something, gesturing to her waiting boyfriend. She moved off again as Logan watched Alexander for a moment, before smirking and then turning away. 494 stared after the retreating man, feeling like some sort of gauntlet had just been thrown down. And he didn't like it at all. He turned on his heel and stalked out of the room.
When Max returned to his side some fifteen minutes later, Tina was following after her, both of them talking quietly. Upon reaching Alexander, she smiled sympathetically. "I'm so sorry you're unwell Alexander."
494 smiled tightly at the other woman even as he held Max's fur wrap. "I am as well Tina," he sighed. "These headaches just sneak up on me half the time."
"Oh," nodded the other woman knowingly with a barely concealed smile. "They do with my husband as well. I'm sure he's already sneaked off to his library with his brandy and cigars. It happens every time La Riente is in town." The trio chuckled quietly and 494 took the opportunity to slip the wrap around Max's shoulder. Settling it in, Max then stepped forward and pressed a kiss to Tina's cheek, which the older woman accepted happily.
"So, Massie's tomorrow?" she asked and Tina nodded.
"One o'clock dear," she reminded and then walked the couple to the door. She waved them away before shutting the door herself and returning to her hostessing duties.
Once out in the cool crisp Seattle air, 494 was able to take a deep breath and relax if only marginally. And then, without saying a word, he latched onto Max's hand and pulled her to the waiting limousine.
Chapter Eight
No comments:
Post a Comment