Title: The Laws of Attraction

Author: human28

Spoilers: Post-Freak Nation.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Summary: Part Three: Terminal City and everyone within is threatened by a past enemy. Max and Alec fight to keep their family safe, and most importantly, their freedom.

The Laws of Attraction

Part Three

Chapter Three: Of Meetings and Possibilities

News of Lydecker's mysterious call spread like wildfire through the entirety of Terminal City. This was the ultimate test on Max's patience, as she brushed off another curious transgenic with promises of more information on the coming evening's meeting. It had been a tiring day. Both mentally and emotionally. She could barely look Salem in the eyes without tearing up. Alec, her ever-present support system was probably the only thing keeping her sane that day. And that tiny spark of what James would call unrelenting faith.

The day went by in a blur, and soon the sun was setting. It was time. Time to break the hearts of so many people. She thought wryly. Squaring her shoulders, she walked into the Command Center. It was already half-full. Many stopped mid-sentence to stare at her. Ignoring their inquisitive looks, she continued her short trek towards her friends, who were all gathered at one corner of the room.

"Why do I have a feeling that they aren't going to take this quite well?" James asked nervously, as more transgenics poured into the room. It was slowly becoming crowded. She silently thanked whatever gods that the Command Center was actually big enough to house their rather large number.

"Because they probably won't," Max answered, biting her lip. Their two kids were once again left with Joshua, who they had filled in with all the details already, and had agreed to be absent during the meeting. Both Aiden and Salem didn't need to hear this. Not now. But they were going to. Soon.

"You said seven, right?" Alec asked her, his gaze zeroing in on the computer's clock. It read 6:50 p.m. Ten minutes to go. More people began entering, all whispering amongst themselves. Some worried, some scared, some with confusion.

"Nine years," she mumbled softly, more to herself than to anyone. Alec heard her, however, and looked at her questioningly. "We've been here for nine years, Alec. And we've faced nothing but minor problems. I knew our lives were going way to smoothly for our own good."

Alec began to rub her back soothingly. "Relax. You're just tense."

She glared at him. "How can I relax? I'm about to tell everyone that there's a very huge possibility that they're going to die in the next few days."

"Possibility, Maxie. A possibility that they're going to die. You also tell them that they have the possibility to survive."

"Seven p.m.," James announced, giving her an encouraging smile. "We're all behind you."

She took a deep breath and began to take her spot in front of everyone. It was like pressing the mute button. Almost everyone fell silent, as all eyes turned to her, waiting expectantly for her to speak.

Let's get this bitch done with. She told herself, before clearing her throat and speaking. "I'm sure everyone of you has heard about Lydecker calling, and I will tell you exactly why." Happy that her voice came out clear and strong, she plunged on, deciding to get straight to the point. There was no use dancing around. She was in a room full of intellects. "He wants the X5s to work for him."

The X5 series perceptibly darkened at her words. One of them, a lean blonde named Rhys, heatedly yelled out. "The hell we'll work for that son of a bitch!"

"Hey calm down." Alec said in a low voice. "Let her finish."

Max shot him a grateful look before continuing. "Either we work for him willingly, or he kills those who are left here in TC."

A murmur broke out from the sea of faces. Kat, a transhuman with a humongous amount of feline DNA spoke up. "Then I suggest all of you leave. Right now. Take one for the team." There was a cold edge to her voice. This was someone who had seen the obvious favor given to the higher X series while back in Manticore, while they – the transhumans, were shelved down in the basement. But then, this wasn't Manticore anymore.

"Hey, that's not fair." She said, trying to reign in her temper. "We were put under the same amount of pain as you had been. We're not the enemy here. Manticore is. Lydecker is."

Kat remained silent, her yellow, cat-like eyes gleaming.

"And besides, what makes you think that Lydecker will stay true to his word if we willingly submit to him? Do you honestly think that he'll leave TC alone? I seriously doubt that." Quoting Alec's words, she said. "He's not one to keep leftovers." The words stung, she knew. But they were the truth. Colonel Donald Lydecker was almost as inhuman as they were. It was he, who was the monster, not them.

Beemer, the one who had volunteered to fix the Command Center's rooftop, called out from the crowd. "Then what do you suggest we do?"

"We fight." She said bluntly.

"And if we don't succeed?" Rhys asked, almost despondently.

"They drag us away to new Manticore or wherever, and kill everyone else."

"So we really don't have much of a choice, now do we?" Kat asked. "Us transhumans, I mean. We die either way."

Max felt no pity for her. Her brown eyes flashed. "Trust me, dying would be so much more enjoyable than working for Lydecker."

There was a chorus of agreement from the X5s. And soon, from the transhumans as well. Silently, Max hoped to the heavens that she had made the right decision – forcing these people, her family to fight, but then again, how could she not? It was the only option left.

…

Max sat by his bedside that night, taking comfort in her son's sleeping company. A sad sigh escaped her lips as she ran her finger's through Salem's tangled hair, the color similar to that of her own. Her son continued to doze, unaware of his mother's presence. Her fingers trailed slowly at the back of his neck, brown eyes alight with wonder as they surveyed the unblemished skin…

"Its nothing short of a miracle that our two sons were born free of a barcode. But while they're with us. They're just as branded…There will come a day when we'll have to let go of them…for their own safety."

She shut her eyes, unwilling to accept such fact as James' deep voice echoed continuously in her head, reminding her of what was probably the hardest thing she ever had to do. We'll have to let go of them.

Let go of them.

Let go of Salem?

The thought alone made her heart feel like shattering into a million pieces.

She couldn't.

But she had to.

"Max?"

She blinked, startled to find her cheeks wet with tears. Strong arms wrapped around her in a familiar embrace, as lips came to capture hers in a familiar kiss. She sought comfort in them, knowing deep down that she may never get that chance again.

…