TITLE: A NORMAL DAY

AUTHOR: SARGE

E-MAIL: SARGE2525@HOTMAIL.COM

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN DARK ANGEL. JAMES CAMERON, CHARLES EGLEE, AND FOX DO. 

SUMMARY: LOGAN AND ZACH REALIZE JUST HOW DANGEROUS MAX'S SITUATION IS AND TRY TO CONVINCE HER TO LET THEM
PROTECT HER.

Logan watched Zach pace around his small computer office where he operated his "Eyes Only" news bulletins. Zach's pacing was very similar to a jungle cat's
and Logan realized that he was not much safer around Zach than he would have been around the cat. 

"So let me get this straight," Logan began after watching Zach pace for another few seconds. "Max not only noticed that you were following her and made it
very clear that she didn't like it, but she also almost turned you into the police?"

"Yes," Zach answered, a snarl forming on his face. "Then when I tried to get her out of the situation she tugged on my arm like she was a five-year-old girl
trying to run away from a parent who was going to scold her. When I didn't let go she slashed me with her nails." 

Logan noticed then with mild interest that this was the only time a slightly pleased look came over Zach's face. Logan imagined that it was because he was
grateful Max had used creativity. Even if she wasn't the same old Max, she wasn't going to blindly follow where people led her... or tried to drag her.

"So, if one just one of Lydecker's personally trained soldiers tried to take her, what odds would you give her?" Logan asked. He had to know. If Zach gave her
zero odds Logan was going to panic, and he already knew that wouldn't be helpful. 

"I'd give her a pretty good chance of getting away," Zach answered. "Just because she'd respond to it unlike any other one of us would. She'd have no clue what
was going on and therefore would surprise him in vain attempts to get lose, until she surprises herself. Then I believe she might handle the situation."

"That's not really what I wanted to hear," Logan answered truthfully. Still, what Zach had said made it seem slightly possible. "What are the chances of that
happening?"

"Who knows?" Zach said as he continued to pace about. "All I know is that right now Max is this close to running away from us. If that happens I'd give
Lydecker a fairly good chance of having her back within the year."

"True, but that's a year she would have to get her memory back," Logan reminded. "Once she gets it back she'd be able to handle it." 

"Depends on how much had been exposed," Zach answered, giving Logan a wary look. "If Lydecker knew too much by then, the only solution would be for
her to leave and start a new life." 

Logan didn't like that at all, but recent events had made it clear that Max leaving was a good plan should Lydecker ever get too close to her. Logan knew that
Max was in already in danger because Lydecker was almost positive that she was in Seattle. Logan also knew that there had been increased Military interest in
Seattle lately. All violent outbreaks were being analyzed for the possibility of a Manticore involvement. Logan knew that Zach was mostly interested in the
safety of his sibs; especially Max. He also suspected that Zach didn't think of Max as his sibling, which genetically was true. They were only related in their
own minds, which Logan hoped would remain in Max's eyes. 

"So what are our options?" Logan asked Zach. "I've been reading up on head trauma, and she does have a good chance of regaining her memory. But according
to the books, if it's going to happen it could take up to two years. After that there really isn't any hope."

"What about simply regaining pieces of it?" Zach questioned. "Are those better odds? I'm thinking she'll believe the whole truth from us if she remembers at
least part of it for herself." 

"No, actually and I found this to be surprising. The chances are greater that Max would regain her full memory and not just pieces of it. When she does, some
things may be missing, or not as clear as they were before, but for the most part if it comes back it should be complete." 

"So until then we just have to keep watching her," Zach said. "She's not going to like it very much if she knows about it though." 

"I think we knew that already," Logan answered as he checked the security system over on his apartment quickly. Max had gotten off work two hours ago; he
had hopes that she would stop by to talk to him. "So all we have to do is convince her that letting us watch out for her is a good thing." 

"I think in her current state of mind she'd be more prone to calling it stalking," Zach responded as he paused in his pacing for the first time. "I don't think she
likes that idea. At least based on what she's said to me."

"Max has to have questions," Logan observed. "I mean, she has to be wondering why we think she's in mortal danger without knowing what she doesn't
remember. She has to wonder why we even care so much. I gather we didn't make a very good impression when she woke up." 

"We have to answer them carefully," Zach warned as he began to pace again. He didn't want to risk exposing the others just so that he could save Max. Plus he
didn't really like this Max. She didn't remember him, she didn't fight, she wasn't really all that interesting. Plus she had an attitude and the mouth to go with it.
Truthfully she had the mouth and such before, but she seemed to at least slightly respect Zach at that point it time and didn't make as many comments. "We
answer in the wrong way and she may just think we're the danger to her and take off. Even without her Manticore knowledge, I don't want to have to hunt her
down."

"So what are we going to tell her?" Logan asked. "Max, you're not really human, but you were created by the government to be a soldier capable of killing men
with the flick of your pinky finger. I don't know about you, but I have no urge to become an inmate of a mental ward." 

"The government would get a hold of you before you could be admitted," Zach answered absently. "Though I think something similar may do the trick." 

Logan could tell that Zach had an idea and when Zach was suddenly typing away on the computer faster than Logan had thought he could Logan smiled
briefly. Truth be told, with Zach around Logan highly doubted Lydecker really had all that good a chance at getting Max. 



******************************************************************************

Max entered Logan's apartment complex and gave a sigh of relief. She had managed to find it without any major mishaps. Plus while she had been walking she
had been able to think about what she wanted to ask Logan and Zach, and where she wanted the answers to lead her. While her top choice would be getting her
memory back, she realized that getting it back the same day she lost it was highly unlikely. At the same time she hoped to at least learn enough so that she
could keep herself out of trouble until it did return. As Max reached the elevator it occurred to her that Logan lived in the penthouse suit and you couldn't just
push the button the elevator to get there, you needed a key. Which she didn't have. 

"Can this day get any worse?" Max muttered absently to herself as she looked for some sort of button she could buzz in order to tell Logan she was here.
Luckily for Max, Bling had decided that he wasn't going to simply slip out of Logan's life until this catastrophe with Max blew over. For one thing ,Bling was a
trained Physical Therapist and had taken some basic medical courses on a number of other subjects. While Head Trauma hadn't been one of them, he did have
connections, and he knew the phone number for the police should Max's friend Zach decide to kill Logan because he got irritated.

"Max," Bling exclaimed in shock as he entered the elevator and found her looking for Logan's call button. "Come to see Logan?"

"If I can manage to tell him I'm here so I can get up to his floor, yes," Max answered, irritation clear on her face as she glared at him. "Why are you here?"

"Because I chose to come," Bling answered, smiling as her expression just got more frustrated. "You should thank me for showing up; I have the key." With
that Bling pulled out the key, inserted it, then pressed the button. They were soon on the way up to Logan's floor. 

"I have a question," Max announced hesitantly after a few seconds. "How well do you know Zach?"

"Army brat?" Bling asked, but then went on. "Not that well. All I know is that you two were close. He just showed up awhile ago. You weren't too happy
about it at first. Apparently he tried to get you to leave Seattle, and when you wouldn't he ditched you. Now I have no idea about your past, but to me it
seemed that you were hurting for a day or two after that. Then he showed up again."

"So you have no idea if I should trust him?" Max asked with a sigh. "Does anyone know Zach better than I'm supposed to?"

"Trust him? I wouldn't trust him with a nail file," Bling responded. "And no, I think you're the only one that actually knows him."

"What about Logan?" Max asked, but then the elevator reached the top floor. "Never mind." 

Bling could tell that Max was nervous, but at the same time was ready for battle with Zach and Logan. Funny how some things you just couldn't lose. Then he
added, as an afterthought, that it was really too bad her attitude wasn't one of them either. Things would be so much more pleasant whenever Logan upset her.
Not to mention he was sure that Zach would make her worse. He had a way of getting very defensive and high-minded around her, which as Bling knew Max
didn't handle very well.

"Hope they can answer your questions, girl," Bling said before heading to the kitchen. "Would you be so kind as to tell Logan that I'm here and I'm making you
all tea?"

"Sure," Max answered. "No problem." 

Zach had heard both the elevator and Max's voice so even though his back was toward the door he was slightly prepared when she walked into the room.
Logan on the other hand had been rather absorbed with one of his other computers; fixing a bug that had just popped up. 

"Max," Logan said as he looked at his security monitors. The screens were still empty, and he mentally berated himself for being so lax. "How'd you get up
here?"

"Elevator," Max answered. "Why? Is there another way I should be aware of."

"About three," Zach answered as he turned. "However, those are rather unconventional." 

"Bling's here," Max told Logan. "He said he's going to make tea." 

"And that answer's how you got up here without a key," Logan said smiling. "And what exactly does bring you here?"

"Well, the other guys that offered to refresh my memory just didn't interest me. Too dull. They also seemed to think that I enjoyed their awful breath."

Zach had to contain a snarl at that comment. He had an intense desire to know exactly what was going on in Max's life. He'd really like to know if any of the
usual Seattle scumbags were a danger to her. That would be typical Max, he thought. Getting involved in something and then completely putting herself in
danger because of the amnesia.

"Well, at least you retained some common sense," Zach said once he calmed himself. It wouldn't be wise to goad Max into a fight or cause her to flee in fear.
"Not that you had that much in the first place." 

Max glared at Zach after his comment. It sounded somewhat challenging. If Zach had known what was good for him he wouldn't have chosen to be patronizing
towards her. Then again, maybe if she had her memory she would know something about Zach other than the fact that he was a patronizing jerk. At least she
hoped she did.

"I don't think you should talk to me about common sense," Max suggested mildly, controlling her anger. She reminded herself that she was here to get answers,
not to hurt Zach, even though that thought was appealing. "So, you people seem to think that I'm in danger. A lot of it. So much that if you let me out of your
sight you think that I'm going to killed on the job. Come on. Normal didn't even give me the run to the west side." 

Logan who actually knew the physical danger of the west side breathed a sigh of relief. Then again, he knew that if Max had been sent back there Zach would
have been very displeased with Normal. It was a really good thing he hadn't done that, Logan decided as he paused to collect his thoughts about what to tell
Max. Just follow the plan, he reminded himself.

"Max, you were involved with the military for awhile, and so was Zach. That's how you know each other. You sort of became like a brother and a sister."
Logan started. Mentioning that Zach was like a sibling to her was definitely done on purpose.

"We weren't that close," Zach objected as he glared at Logan. He had already strongly disliked the man for his influence on Max, but this was getting to be over
the top. Soon Zach might lose his temper, which wouldn't end well for Logan. Then again, if Max got her memory back, it wouldn't end well for him either.
"We were more like really good friends." 

"Your group of soldiers decided to split from the military after seeing some things you shouldn't have. You lost faith that your work was right and fair."

"We got sick of taking orders and being treated like dirt," Zach summed up. "We escaped the compound where they were training us for field Ops. Some of us
didn't make it. Those that did have important classified knowledge which the military doesn't want leaked." 

"So let me get this straight. I'm in danger because I quit the military and I know something that's important to them?" Max asked. "How does that put me in
danger if I've lost my memory. Plus, aren't there still laws against murder?" 

"They don't apply to them. Or to us," Zach answered, flashing her a predatory grin. "Still wanna go out on your own and let them have a crack at you when
you don't remember a thing about it?" 

"I'm not worried yet," Max replied as she turned to Logan. "Finish. There has to be something more than something I simply 'know'. If the don't want it leaked
then we don't have a problem. Not many people go by just what others say. They generally want proof."

"They're persistent," Logan answered, deciding to avoid the question for now. He got the feeling that even if Max didn't remember what had happened with
Lydecker and his crew, she was still very unlikely to enjoy becoming a science experiment.

"You are the proof Max," Zach answered. "They hunt the eleven of us still free. They are hunting for you every second of every day, of every year. They will
not stop. They will know you; we were labeled. The labels are bar codes on the back of our neck." 

"Right," Max said, nodding her head in agreement as if she believed them. However, her voice told the truth. "So, what are you two on?"

Zach groaned. She would choose not to believe him. That stubborn instance on disbelieving the danger. If he hadn't been ready to take action before he was
now. Lights were starting to shine.

"Max, please," Logan started to plead. He was interrupted by Bling, who walked in carrying a tray of tea. He set down the tray on a table but didn't leave the
room. Logan didn't mind, but he had a feeling that things were going to get ugly on the home front.

"So what did I miss?" Bling asked. "Explain to the little lady exactly why she's going to die?" Bling asked, making it very clear he thought they were
overreacting to this. He knew that wasn't helping Max cope with the truth. Realistically Logan and Zach knew that if Lydecker found her he wasn't likely to
kill her. However, out of a deep urge to protect Max, they seemed to think it best to scare her into safety. They knew the danger would still be there, but they
were willing to risk allowing Max some freedom even then. Surprisingly it had been Zach who objected most to just locking her up someplace until everything
came back to her. 

"They spit some shit out about how the military was hunting me because I knew something," Max told Bling. She paused then added, "That's what they said
at first anyway. Zach decided it would be more fun to tell me that I was what the military wanted. He said that I had knowledge about what went on and that I
had the proof because I was it."

"Not quite the truth," Bling observed as he looked over at Logan and Zach. They looked back at him with shock on their faces. Then he changed his look to
stern and took on a commanding tone. "Shame on you boys. How's she supposed to get her memory back if you're telling her lies about her past? She'll try to
connect to those memories your feeding her, and they won't be there." 

While Logan felt guilt at once for this, he could see that it was not going to go over well with Zach at all. In fact, he had a feeling that Zach was likely to get sick
of playing good non-threatening member of the Manticore team very soon, and then all hell would break lose. Disastrous hell most likely.

"Bling, can Zach and I have a word with you?" Logan asked as he started toward the door. He was quite surprised when Max grabbed his chair and pulled him
back. When he was back where he started she locked the wheels and sat back, still very angry with both of them. More so since Bling had entered and given his
insight.

"Nobody is leaving this room. Not until I get the truth," Max announced as she stood and went to lean against the wall beside the door.

"Bling is going to tell me when you lie again. The second you do I walk out this door, and I don't come back. Any questions?"



* * *