Fic: Start From Scratch (G) 1/1

Title: Start From Scratch
Author: blue_icy_rose
Rating: G
Word Count: 1,019
Warnings: AU
Summary: It's not the first time they've been out in the world but it's the first time they've been there without orders.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these people, they belong to themselves. Anything connected to Dark Angel is James Cameron's.
Notes: Set in the same verse as Never Alone. Written for tamingthemuse (prompt: melancholy - used more for what Kris is feeling towards the end).


Adam glanced at the others as they all stared up, each of them taking in the message that was being sent out. Next to him, Kris was tense and silent.

“Should we go?” Mike asked.

Kris shook his head. “No,” he said, speaking for the first time in over an hour. “We were always taught if something like this were to happen, that we should split up and go to ground so we didn’t draw attention to ourselves. Now they want us all to gather in one place?”

“It’s a trap,” Anoop finished as he realized where Kris was headed with his reasoning.

“They’re going to put down anyone who shows up to that meeting spot.” Adam blew out a breath. “I’d bet on it.” He looked over at the rest of the unit, grateful that in all the chaos, they’d managed to pass on the message of where to meet. It was a small miracle that they’d each managed to show up.

“So, where do we go?” Allison looked around. “It’s going to be hell trying to get out of town right now and we’re not exactly easy to ignore in these.” She motioned at the gray shirts and camouflage pants that were a requirement of Manticore.

“We’re going to have to find a place to lay low for the day. Then we’ll find a place to break into tonight so that we can get ourselves some regular clothes.” Adam looked at each of them. “We treat this like a regular op, with each one of us taking our usual roles.”

“I heard a few of the other X-5s talking about a few places where they could meet, maybe even hide. We could see if they’re still there,” Matt suggested. “Might even be able to stop them from following orders.” He motioned up towards the message that was still flashing.

“Come on, we’ll look at the nearest places. We don’t want to travel far.”

Silent nods were the only acknowledgement to Adam’s statement. Adam squeezed Kris’s hand once before letting go so that they’d each be able to use both hands to talk.

It was another hour before they found a building that looked empty. They quickly motioned with their hands and then headed inside, moving carefully. They spread out, searching the place, only speaking when they realized no one was there.

“Clear,” Megan said as she and Archie came down the stairs.

“Clear,” Lil confirmed from the other room as she and Matt entered the room. Adam nodded.

“Outside is clear too,” he said, motioning at himself and Kris since they’d been the ones to check the perimeter. He glanced over as Mike, Allison and Anoop came in.

“Other side of the building is clear,” Mike confirmed. “But it looks like others were here.”

“The traces are pretty fresh,” Allison added. “I think...I think they saw the message and went.”

Adam sighed and closed his eyes, hoping that it hadn’t been anyone they knew well, no matter how callous that sounded. It’d be better if it was someone he hadn’t laughed with or joked with while sparring.

“Let’s stay here. We don’t know how far any of the other places are. We start wandering around, we’ll draw attention to ourselves.” Kris waited until everyone had nodded. “Later, when we’re able to head out, some of us will go for food too. We’re going to need something.”

“Hell yeah, we are,” Allison agreed. “I’m already getting hungry.”

They all grinned at each other until some of them began to explore the building, looking for anything that might give them clues about what it had been. Kris sighed and let himself slide down to the floor, leaning back against the wall and closing his eyes.

When someone settled next to him, he didn’t have to open his eyes to know that it was Adam. “Why do you think they did it?” he asked softly.

“Did what?” Adam shifted closer to him.

“Don’t act dumb. You’re not good at it—“

“I think you’ll find that the mission in New York said otherwise.”

“You’re not good at it,” Kris repeated, finally opening his eyes. He turned his head towards Adam. “Why do you think they did it?”

Adam sighed. “I don’t know,” he said after a few moments. “My guess is that something happened to expose them, and us, to the world. Which meant we had to be eliminated. Not something that I want to consider but it’s the only reason I can think of for our cells to suddenly go on lockdown while explosions go off. We got lucky when they unlocked.”

Kris didn’t say anything. He simply nodded. “Yeah,” he whispered, looking down.

Adam studied him for a few moments and then wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “We knew we couldn’t fully trust them.”

“I know.” Kris leaned into him. “It was still a nice thought, you know? Even after everything they’ve done to us, it was still nice to think that maybe there was something we could trust them for. I knew that they wouldn’t hesitate to use us but to just kill us all with no problem?” He didn’t continue, just shook his head instead.

Adam pulled him closer and kissed Kris’s temple. “I know,” he said, thinking of all the X-5s that hadn’t made it. He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to the spot that he had just kissed. “We’re going to work things out. They won’t catch us.”

“You sure about that?”

“Yeah. We’re going to make sure it doesn’t happen. We’re all damn good at planning—some of us more than others as that group mission a few months ago proved when it comes to Matt—and we’re going to find a way to stay off of Manticore’s radar and get the hell out of here.” His arm tightened around Kris. “We’re going to be okay,” he promised.

Kris didn’t say anything for a few moments and then he smiled slightly and nodded, tilting his head back slightly to meet Adam’s eyes. “Yeah,” he agreed. “I think we might be.”