Harbor Lights Medical Lab � October 2nd,
2:00 AM

Beverly
Shankar straightened from the microscope.

�So,
doc, whaddya think?� the lab tech asked curiously.
Most doctors never bothered to come down to the lab, preferring to read
the reports in their offices. This doctor, who took a hands-on interest
and who was reported to be a forensic examiner, was unusual.

�I
think we have a goddamn cyclospora outbreak
on our hands. Nothing more, nothing less. You�d
think something like that would have been the first thing they looked
for. Instead, they all want to expound on their pet theories.� Shankar�s
voice was bitter.

�Heard
of it, but never actually saw the bug before. How�d you recognize it?�
the tech asked curiously.

�Did my residency at Jackson Memorial in Miami. Florida�s notorious
for outbreaks of this stuff. Comes from their imports
of fruit from South America. This bug is endemic
to that region.�

�Not
like we get a lot of fresh fruit around here, especially not from South
America. �Course there were those raspberries that vendor tried to
sell my wife the other day�� the tech mused.

�What
raspberries?�

�Bunch of the vendors at the market been hawking them for the
last week. Said they were getting special shipments
from Guta�Gwata��

�Guatemala?��

�That�s
it. My wife didn�t buy �em. We�ve been short
on cash so we�ve cut back on extras.�

�That
confirms it. Guatemala is one of the prime
sources and raspberries can be a major culprit in these outbreaks. Thanks!�
With that, she was out the door, whipping out her cell phone as she
went.

Logan�s Quarters, Terminal City – 2:15 AM

Logan sat on one of the
old lab stools in his quarters, staring moodily out into the darkness.
Soft rain fell outside, creating a curtain of water that blurred the
windows. The room was dark, except for one candle sputtering softly
on a counter.

Brrinnnnng. The soft ring of
his cell phone broke the silence and he pulled it out of his pocket
and flipped it open.

�Hello?
Oh hey, Bev. What are you doing up at this hour�� he paused listening.
�You what? You�re kidding. Food poisoning?
No, that�s great news. Thanks for letting me know.� He listened for
another moment. �I think a mutual friend of ours can really do some
good with this information. It ties in with some other stuff going down.
Would you mind if I passed it on to him? Great.
Here�s what I need you to do��

When
he finished with Shankar, Logan pressed a button
on his cell phone and within seconds, he had Alec on the line.

�Alec,
I need you to call Asha for me in the morning. Bev Shankar figured out
the mystery plague and we have to get her information to Matt Sung at
the Seattle PD. He can pass it on to the appropriate parties for us.
Bev has the proof to give to Asha; she�ll meet her at Harbor Lights
at 7:30. Combined with some stuff I�ve been working
on, this should take care of our problem. Let Max and the others know
as well. Thanks.�

Finished
with his conversation, Logan pushed off from
the stool and checked to make sure the outer door to his room was secured.
Within moments, he was locked inside the panic room, booting up the
Eyes Only network.

The Atrium, Terminal City
– 6:00 AM

Alec zipped his jacket against the brisk wind, suppressing a shiver.
He stood in the crumbling inner courtyard and frowned at the dark clouds
over head. He sighed heavily, and took his cell phone out of his jacket
pocket. Staring at it for several moments, the usually self-assured
transgenic took several deep breaths, as though calming himself.

�Come on, man,� he said to himself as he punched in a string of numbers
into the phone. �You can do this.� He nodded and put the phone to his
ear. It rang once, twice, three times. �Come on, come on, come on��
Alec muttered to himself, shifting his weight from one foot to another.
He sighed as it rang a fourth time and moved to hang up, when he heard
a familiar voice on the other end.

�Hello?� the voice was out of breath.

Alec cleared his throat. �Asha? It�s Alec.�

�Alec?� Asha sounded almost confused.

�Yeah,� he grinned. �You know, tall, blonde, devastatingly handsome,
great with the ladies��

�Don�t know him,� Asha replied, deadpan.

�Ouch,� Alec murmured, not trying to hide the grin on his face. �Okay,
here�s another reminder. I�m the guy who�s holed up with a bunch of
rejects of genetic science in a condemned contaminated hell hole.�

�Ooooooooh,� Asha replied. �That Alec. I think I know who you are.� She chuckled. �What�s
up?�

Alec shrugged, �Oh, you know, not much. Another
day, another beer shortage.�

�Poor thing. However are you surviving such a crisis?�
Asha retorted.

�Am I interrupting something?� Alec ventured cautiously. �You sound
out of breath.�

�I was in the shower,� Asha informed him. On the other end, Alec�s
eyes widened, a half grin appearing on his face. None the wiser, Asha�s
tone sobered. �This isn�t a social call, Alec. What do you want?�

�What makes you think this isn�t a social call?�

�Maybe the fact that it�s been two weeks since we met for drinks�and
you haven�t called�� Asha began.

He sighed. �Logan asked me to call you,� he said quickly.

�Logan did,� she repeated.

Alec heard her sigh on the other end of the line.

�What does he want me to do?�

�You know this �plague� hitting Seattle that everyone�s so keen on pinning
on us law abiding freaks?�

Asha chuckled. �You�re not exactly what I�d call law abiding, but
I�ll bite. What about the plague?�

�Well,� Alec said. �It�s not so much a plague. It�s a cyclospora outbreak.�

�Cyclo-what now?� Asha asked.

�Cyclospora. It�s a food parasite. Dr. Shankar tracked
it down to a bunch of contaminated raspberries.�

�You mean like the ones that vendor was trying to force feed me in
the market?� Asha sounded incredulous.

�Yeah, I guess,� Alec said off-handedly. �We need you to get Shankar�s findings over to the cops.�

�And they need this information ASAP, so the whole world doesn�t
think you guys are trying to kill us mere mortals,� Asha finished.

�Yup, that�s about it,� Alec replied. �Logan�s getting the information to Eyes
Only, and they�d like the good Commander Clemente
and company to be in the know before the rest of Seattle. The cops have
never exactly loved Captain EO, and with him so pro-transgenic they�re
gonna want proof. Think you can help us without getting caught yourself ?�

�I�m on it,� Asha told him resolutely. She paused. �Alec?�

�Yeah?�

She was silent for a moment. �Nothing. Never
mind. I�ll get right on that.�

�Thanks,� Alec replied, frowning in confusion at what she had been
reluctant to tell him.

�Bye,� Asha said quickly before disconnecting the line.

Alec put his phone back in his pocket and took another look at the
overcast sky. Eyes aloft, Alec muttered to no one in particular, �Damn,
chicks are weird.�

Seattle Police Headquarters – 8:45 AM

Matt
Sung walked into Clemente�s office and lifted
a brow at the man sitting before him. Gone was the weary and defeated
man of the previous day. Clemente crackled with energy as he waved Matt
to a seat. A morning talk show was in progress on his small television
and Matt looked at him, puzzled at his choice of program. Within minutes,
a burst of static filled the room and the screen frizzed into a familiar
pair of eyes encased in a red, white and blue banner.

�Do not attempt to adjust your set. This
is a Streaming Freedom video bulletin. The cable hack will last exactly
60 seconds. It cannot be traced, it cannot be stopped, and it is the
only free voice left in this city. Recently, a mysterious illness
has been striking down Seattle�s innocent citizens. Some of you
are blaming the transgenics, the current whipping boy for all that goes
wrong in our great city.
You are looking in the wrong place. The true blame lies on the shoulders
of the Emporium Import Company. Its owners, intent only on making a
profit, have, with full knowledge, been distributing raspberries contaminated
with the Cyclospora parasite to our shops and marketplaces, for sale
to unsuspecting citizens. Eyes Only has obtained
proof of this company�s criminal activity. Even now, the Seattle Police have in their hands the
evidence needed to arrest and prosecute the owner of Emporium, Mayor
Tweed. Mister Mayor, I�m afraid you won�t be on this year�s election
ballot. This has been an Eyes Only Streaming Freedom video bulletin.
Peace. Out.�

As the screen went back to the talk show, Clemente smiled and held
up an envelope. Before he could speak, his phone rang. �Excellent. We�ll
be right there.� He hung up the phone and rose. �Our esteemed Mayor
is waiting for us in an interrogation room. Thought you might enjoy
being there. This envelope you brought me this morning has all we need
to put him away for a long time. Only one question�why do you suppose
Eyes Only chose to send it to me through you?�

Sung gave him a long look. �Eyes Only has
a pretty good nose for the good guys, sir.�

Clemente frowned. �Doesn�t mean I�m going to go
easy on him or on his boy, Logan Cale, if I ever get my hands on him.
I�m not for sale.�

�I believe he�s well aware of that.�

�So
long as that�s straight.�

Max�s Quarters – Early Afternoon

Max lay on her bedroll, curled into herself, oblivious to the world
around. She hadn�t left her room since the incident with Logan and the X5 the previous day. When
Alec had called to report that Logan and Dr Shankar had solved the puzzle
of the outbreak, she had given in and wearily asked Alec to cover for
her.

As she lay there, the faint sound of something being slipped under
her door caught her attention. She quickly rolled to her feet and crossed
the room to pick up the sealed envelope. She ripped it open to find
a police sketch of Joshua and a slip of paper that said, Call me.
Clemente, followed
by a phone number.

She picked her cell phone and dialed, hands shaking slightly. The
phone on the other end rang only once before it was picked up.

�Max?�

�In the flesh,� the quaver in her voice betrayed her attempt at her
usual sarcasm. �Ya know, if you�re calling about the latest, you�re
behind on the news�it wasn�t us.�

�I wish it was that, Max. It�s about another matter, the blind girl
who was murdered in the sewers, Annie Fisher.�

�Sorry, didn�t do it. Can�t help ya there.�
Max kept her voice light and unconcerned.

�I think you can. The suspect was seen yesterday heading into Terminal City. In fact, he attacked a
sector police officer.�

�What makes you think he�s one of us? Could be
some renegade crazy. Just �cause he was near us��

�He was with another transgenic, a human one, and they appeared quite
friendly. He�s there, Max, and you can find him for me if you want to.
I hope you can, because if you don�t, I�ll be forced to take other action.
I may sympathize with you and your people, but I draw the line at murder.�

�What other action?�

�If you don�t comply, I will be forced to arrest the following people:
Reagan Ronald, aka �Normal�, Calvin �Sketchy�
Theodore, and Cynthia �Original Cindy� McEachin.
We have enough evidence of their involvement in harboring fugitive transgenics
to bring them in for questioning. Extensive and lengthy
questioning. You know how the system works, Max. I�ll use it
if I have to.�

�I do know the system, Clemente. I�ve seen the lynchings
up close and personal. What�s to say you�ll give this transgenic a fair
trial if I do find him and hand him over?� Max�s voice was hard.

�You have my word, Max; that�ll have to be enough. It�s all I have
to give you. There�s no negotiation on this. You have ten days to locate
and turn over the murder suspect to me. Call me on this number when
you have him.�

The phone went dead in Max�s hand and she stood there staring at
Joshua�s picture.

A room somewhere in Terminal City

The
group of transgenics waited patiently as two of them checked the hallway
outside of the room they were gathered in and then, with a nod to the
leader, slipped out to do sentry duty, closing the door behind them.
Satisfied that they were secure, Zeri walked to the front of the room
and glanced over the assembled group.

�452
lucked out this time,� she began. �Next time we might not have any warning
at all.�

�What
do we do, Zeri? She�s so wrapped up in that ordinary boyfriend of hers
that she can�t see two feet in front of her face.�

�We
have outside help available to us if we want to take advantage of it.
How many of you are familiar with Colonel Donald Lydecker?�

Living Quarters, Terminal
City � Evening

Max trudged out of her quarters. Moving slowly from both physical
and emotional fatigue, she kept her head down, so as not to lay eyes
on any male she might get the sudden urge to jump. She breathed primarily
through her mouth, so as not to pick up any scents. Walking amidst the
strewn bedrolls and �personal items� acquired by some of the transgenics,
Max refused to let her heat take over. She had a destination in mind,
and neither hell nor her heat were going to
stop her.

Passing Gem�s quarters, she heard giggles coming from the room. Pausing,
Max looked up, her already lightless eyes clouding over with grief as
she saw Joshua seated next to Gem, who was holding an alert and grinning
Elfie in her arms. Joshua was reading to the baby from what appeared
to be a biomedical text found in one of the labs. From the sounds of
things, he had turned the terms pleiotropic
and hemizygous into characters
in a story he was spinning.

Max blinked back tears.

Sensing her presence, Joshua looked up and grinned. �Elfie likes
my story, Max.�

As Gem held up the baby girl for Max to see her better, Max nodded
and said, �Good, big fella.� She struggled to keep her voice light.

�Max, are you okay?� Gem asked, sensing something amiss.

�I�m fine,� Max said, nodding vigorously and plastering a grin on
her face. �Go back to what you were doing.�

Before
Joshua or Gem could say another word, Max was gone.

Logan�s Quarters – Evening

Logan stretched and rolled his shoulders, working
out the kinks from hours hunched over a keyboard. He quickly scrolled
through the files he had set up for a new Eyes Only investigation and then hit SAVE. Satisfied
with his day�s work, he shut down the computer and headed to the panic
room exit, punching in the code to open the door. Stepping out into
semi-darkness, he reached for the light switch, only to be stopped by
a soft voice.

�Don�t.�

As his eyes adjusted to the dimness, he saw Max�s figure silhouetted
in the window. She was perched on the sill, one leg drawn up in front
of her, the other hanging down, swinging gently. Her eyes gleamed
slightly, like those of a cat. He walked over and sat on a lab stool,
facing her, saying nothing.

�Logan�yesterday�I didn�t�we didn�t�� she fumbled
for words and finally gave up.

�I know. I saw it all.� His voice was flat and emotionless.

�So then�why�� she stopped, confused.

�Why didn�t you let me help you�before it came to that?�

��I�I didn�t want you to see me like that�I mean, us�what we have�we�re
not just about that��

�What are we about, Max?� Logan�s voice was low. �Or is that just an excuse?
Alec clued me in about X5s in heat. Maybe another X5 is what you really
wanted, not me. Is that the real reason?�

�Logan, no�I�it�s just�� She paused and jumped down off the
windowsill, beginning to pace. �I don�t know how to do this. I�m no
good at it�Renfro was right, I�m nothing but poison.� Her voice sounded
as if the words were being ripped from her throat, the anguish and despair
contained in them almost palpable. At the same time, a heavy, musky
scent seemed to suffuse the air of the room.

Logan sat silently watching Max. �You�re still
in heat, aren�t you?� He waited and when she didn�t answer, he pushed
harder, �What do you intend to do about it?�

She stared back at him intensely. �What should I do, Logan?� challenging him.

�You could always go find an X stud to service your needs.� He refused
to let her off the hook.

�NO.� The single word reverberated in the room.

�If you stay here, I�m through playing the gentleman.� He rose from
the stool and advanced on her until only inches separated them. Her
breath was hot on his face as she stared up at him, expression unreadable.
This close, the scent of the pheromones her body was radiating was overwhelming.
The only sound that broke the silence was their increasingly harsh breathing
as hormones and proximity worked their effects on them both. The air
in the room was heavy, almost crackling with electricity, as if a storm
was about to hit.

For long minutes, they stared at each other in the semi-darkness.
Then they were in each other�s arms, devouring each other greedily,
hands roughly ripping and tearing at each other�s clothes, all restraint
discarded as they tumbled together to the floor.

END
OF ACT IV