A/N: I'm sorry for taking long to update. So much has been going on at home and I've been very busy. I'm really sorry. Also there are little changes that I've made in chapter two. I've edited the part where Max assumes that Dean is the donor. Thanks to timetowaste247 for stating that it would be better if Max thinks of him as another copy. Reviews would be greatly appreciated.

Chapter Three

Seattle, Logan's Apartment

"Sorry," Sam apologized to his brother when he saw Dean wince as he dabbed the wound on his arm with cotton ball soaked in peroxide.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Dean scoffed.

That was the fifth time Sam had said that and it was starting to get on his nerves. Sure, he was grateful but he never liked being babied around.

"Nice place," Dean commented.

"Yeah."

Max had insisted that they should stay at her friend's apartment at least until Dean's wound had been taken care of and reluctantly they agreed.

"I still think you should see a doctor just to make sure there are no infections."

The wound on Dean's arm was swollen and raw and it looked like it would take a couple of days before it could heal completely.

"No, I'm okay Sammy," Dean replied stubbornly.

"Come on Dean, you look like shit."

"Thanks."

"I'll buy you a ticket to Metallica's rock concert. I promise."

"Nope."

"I'll polish the Impala every single day if you agree."

Dean pouted his lips thinking carefully. Sam was trying to bribe him into going to the hospital and he was putting on that puppy dog face.

"No, no hospital," Dean said with finality. "So are you going to stitch my arm or what?"

Sam sighed with resignation. "Fine I'll do it. You know you're so hard-headed."

"Yep, that's part of my charm."

He rolled his eyes. Max stood in the doorway, glancing at the brothers. She smiled when she overheard their conversation. Stepping into the living room where Sam and Dean were seated on a couch, she cleared her throat to signify her presence. Logan came in as well.

"So Dean, what's your designation?"

"What? What do you mean?"

Max examined his face cautiously. He clearly seemed astounded and confused. She walked behind their couch and with her keen eyes, she looked at his neck.

"No bar code," she announced.

"You're sure?" Logan asked.

"Surprisingly, yeah. He's not one of us."

"Will someone explain what's going on?" Dean asked when he noticed all eyes were on him.

Max sat on one of the chairs and glanced at Logan. He nodded silently.

"Ever heard of Manticore?"

Sam narrowed his eyes as if he was trying to remember something.

"Yes, some kind of a government program that was shut down. The newspaper report didn't say much."

"Right. Well what you may not know is Manticore secretly specialized in creating human prototypes. It bioengineered births of hundreds of children who are genetically enhanced with superior intelligence, strength, adaptability, speed and survival instincts to make the perfect soldiers."

"Like cloning?" Sam asked.

Max nodded.

"Whoa, whoa! You're joking right? I mean I appreciate all the help but I'm not buying it," Dean said, his face impassive.

"I know this seems far-fetched but just listen," she paused, her eyes fixated on the brothers. "Yes there was cloning, only it wasn't done for some science revolution or scientific advancement. Manticore did that to create a killing machine, an army of transgenics for their own greedy ambitions. The transgenics were subjected to extreme military training and forced to live a secluded world. Luckily, when the catastrophic bomb blast occurred, some of the kids managed to escape."

"So are you one of them?" Dean questioned curiously.

"Yes. Each one of the transgenics have bar codes at the back of their necks showing their designation. Mine's X5-452. See?"

Max held back her dark hair and tilted her head slightly so that they could see the bar code. She looked at them. Through out the conversation they remained still and their faces evoked a mixture of awe and curiosity.

A thought slipped into Dean's mind. Max had called him Alec when he had woken up. Was she really telling them the truth?

"And your friend Alec?" he asked.

Max dropped her gaze to look at the window. Alec was still missing and she had no clue of his whereabouts except for the notebook. These people, do they even believe her?

"Dean," she sighed, "Alec is your clone, that's why I thought you were him when I found you. He may look a little bit younger but he's the exact replica of you."

Dean scrunched his forehead, his eyes unfocused. He was trying to make sense of this conversation that seemed anything but realistic.

"Look, I know this sounds incredible but I'm not lying. I'm telling you the truth because...because I trust you guys."

There was silence as each one of the Winchesters pondered over what was said. Then with a dismissive wave of the hand and a frown, he said, "Well I thought I was the only one with these mega irresistible good looks."

Sam rolled his eyes and shook his head disbelievingly while Max gave a wry smile.

"God, you even have the same attitude," she said.

Logan who had been quiet for a while spoke, "Max if he doesn't have the bar code then he could be the donor."

"I know. The question is how did you DNA end up in Manticore?"

Dean gazed at them. "I don't know. I've only been to Seattle once when I was a kid but that's it."

"What were you doing in Blackwood forest?" Logan questioned.

"We went camping," Sam replied.

"Yeah and then we got attacked by those filthy scumbags."

Sam hoped that they were convinced. He wasn't comfortable with the idea of telling them that they were hunters.

"I still haven't found Alec," Max said as she stood up. "I have to go. See you guys later."

She left. Logan looked back at the door thinking of something.

"Gentlemen, excuse me."

With that, he went out to follow her. Sam arched his eyebrows and shrugged.

"That was fast. So what do you think?"

Dean cuckled softly. "I think she's hot."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The night was becalmed. On top of the Space Needle the honking of the cars, the screeching of tires and the mechanic droning of the vehicles were drowned by the drifting air. Her dark curls were blown back by the caressing wind. She always came here when she needed a break, when she needed to mull over a certain issue. The hangout always helped her unwind. Max cocked her head towards the sky. The moon shimmered, its light bathing the city with its tantalizing power.

So much had been going on lately. She was becoming more distant with Logan, Alec's disappearance had somehow devastated her and the meeting with the Winchester brothers especially with Dean, seemed more of strange than mere coincidence. It had been three days since Alec went missing. Alec would not leave on his own will without a goodbye. That, she was sure of. He had told her he was glad that he was getting settled and there were no conflicts between them. In fact she had developed a good friendship with him. Max knew she could trust him with her own life. The truth was, she missed him.

She put her hands in her jacket pocket and her fingers touched a chain. It was the necklace she found in Blackwood forest. Taking it out, she whispered, "Time to get you back to your owner."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Two hours of tapping at his laptop doing research had exhausted Sam. Stretching his hands above his head, he glanced at his brother who was slouched on a couch opposite him, sleeping soundly. So far the only thing he found was that all the missing people in Seattle had no connection. He switched off the computer and lay back on the sofa. A sharp pain above his temple made him hiss. Everything happened so fast and within a few minutes, he was gasping for air, his vision swirling dangerously and a headache cut its way through his head mercilessly. He hold onto the table for support.

"Dean," he groaned.

Without realizing it he collapsed on the floor, his hands clutching his brow, his eyes tightly sealed. He knew what was to follow. He was going to have a vision.

They were in a large room with moonlight streaming down from large windows. There were two men standing before a man who looked like Dean. One of them had black eyes. Sam immediately recognised him as a demon. He flicked his hand and Dean was shoved onto a wall and held by some invinsible force.

"Relax he's just going to do a little test X5-494," the other man beside the demon spoke.

Those numbers, they sounded like Max's designation. So the man held to the wall had to be Alec! Alec tried to move but in vain. The demon approached him and touched his head. Alec started trembling uncontrollably. A flashing light emerged from the demon's hand before he started chanting something in latin.

"Enemy of my past and future, warrior of light and darkness, reveal yourself. Damnation shall come. Humanity shall perish. At the darkest hour, the war would be between us. Only the strong shall survive."

There was another glowing light which dissipated within the briefest second. Alec fell to the floor, heaving and panting.

"It's not him. He's not the one I'm looking for," the demon's voice echoed.

Dean was on his knees beside Sam, a look of concern visible on his face.

"Sammy." He shook him gently.

Sam opened his eyes, the headache still throbbing painfully.

Sam, are you ok-?"

The door was swung open and Max came in.

"Hey guys, I came to-" She stopped when she saw Sam writhing on the floor with Dean calling him.

"Is he alright?" She asked.

Sam's gaze moved towards her face and he gripped her arm.

"Max, I know where he is. I know where Alec is," he said hoarsely.