Before we can find the universal half-truth
fandom: Dark Angel
pairing: none
rating: J
summary: AU - Ben returns to Manticore to rescue Alec.
title: Before we can find the universal half-truth
He can’t help but stare. X5-494 has known about his genetic twin, of course; they all have at least one knocking around the Manticore facilities. But he hasn’t seen 493 in… a long time. Too long.
The way 493 moves, speaks, his facial expressions… It’s like watching himself, only different, somehow fantastic in the subtle differences that come from ten years more training, ten years deviation from the plan. 494 blinks. He has it easy with the guards, but it’s not like they ever just let him have visitors like this. Especially not a visit from someone who’s been on the lam for a decade. So he thinks maybe this once he’s allowed to show his shock by blinking.
“I’m here to rescue you.” He’s insistent, eyes wide with devotion at best, delusions at worst.
494 leans back in a move he’s practiced until it makes the bunk look comfortable, folding his arms behind his head. “Who says I need rescuing? I mean, money can’t buy a view like this.” His lip curls as he gestures at the dull grey brick of the walls.
“Come on.” 493 holds a hand out to him, and really, what else is he gonna do? 494 lets himself be pulled to his feet.
You’re not who I thought you’d be, hangs between them, unsaid, but he has no reason to rat out 493, and he doesn’t really care if he stays or leaves. As they run down the hall, he’s not surprised to see a dead guard, but the red of his mouth is almost startling; he’d thought they made it up when they said he was going to psy-ops in the morning because of what his clone was doing. Well, it looks like they were wrong about that.
They get to a road he vaguely recognizes from through the tinted windows of vehicles taking him out on undercover assignments, and walk along the side of it, hidden by the brush cover. A car or two passes, looming and black and unsubtle, because the only thing subtle about Manticore is the way their soldiers can move.
The two of them walk for miles that way, silent by unspoken agreement, as the words he will never let himself speak bubble inside 494.
You came back for me, he wants to scream. You came back for me. You left. He wants to know what took him so damn long, why he changed his mind. Most of all he wants to know why Ben couldn’t have changed his mind before now.
When they finally come closer to civilization, or the nearest thing Wyoming has to it, the change is obvious. Cars passing more frequently, billboards within sight of one another. 493 raises his eyebrows and 494 nods, approaching the roadside. His twin puts out a thumb and a car stops, pick-up truck with an unshaven driver.
“Thank you sir. Please, could we get a ride? Our car broke down a few miles back.” With a grunt of assent, the man throws open the door and the soldiers climb in.
“So, who’re you?” he asks as he shifts into gear again.
Eyes dart around quickly; they at last settle on one of the billboards, drawing a name from it. “I’m Alec, and this here’s my brother-”
“Ben,” 493 interrupts, and he nods, realizing from how he says it that this must be what 493 has been called for the past ten years.
The cab of the truck reeks of sweat and booze; the man probably doesn’t even realize there is something strange to letting them out just as he comes within sight of the checkpoint entering the city.
Ben sneaks through easily and stands on the other side, arms crossed over his chest, staring until Alec follows. He has nothing better to do, nowhere else to go, and he can roll with this for now, see if Ben has something planned.
There’s just one bed, a mattress thrown on the floor of the warehouse. Alec pulls his shirt over his head easy, with the lack of modesty or embarrassment of someone who has never been taught it’s awkward to strip off in front of other people. “Nice place you’ve got here,” he snarks, glancing at the slogans painted on the walls, the cracked mirror off to one side.
They weren’t built to need much down time, but Alec sprawls along the mattress, taking the opportunity to relax as long as he has it. Ben joins him on the dirty sheets, and Alec lets himself drift in and out of a hazy almost sleep.
“The Blue Lady said you’re my reward for serving her, for having faith.” Ben mutters against the damp skin of his back.
Alec pulls away, turning. “I don’t belong to anybody,” he growls; the lie of it burns in the air between them.
Alec doesn’t know or care who the hell this “Blue Lady” is. Doesn’t have faith in anything or anyone, except himself, and even that is only half the time. But he’s not gonna tell Ben any of that. No use saying it and having Ben preach to him. It’s easier just to go along, make the motions. Besides, he’s always been better at being anybody but him.
It’s a touching story anyhow, rescued by his brother because the Blue Lady sent him just in the nick of time. Maybe Alec wishes he could believe it, but he doesn’t, because he can’t let himself be that person. He doesn’t know how to believe and he’s not going to let himself need to.
pairing: none
rating: J
summary: AU - Ben returns to Manticore to rescue Alec.
title: Before we can find the universal half-truth
He can’t help but stare. X5-494 has known about his genetic twin, of course; they all have at least one knocking around the Manticore facilities. But he hasn’t seen 493 in… a long time. Too long.
The way 493 moves, speaks, his facial expressions… It’s like watching himself, only different, somehow fantastic in the subtle differences that come from ten years more training, ten years deviation from the plan. 494 blinks. He has it easy with the guards, but it’s not like they ever just let him have visitors like this. Especially not a visit from someone who’s been on the lam for a decade. So he thinks maybe this once he’s allowed to show his shock by blinking.
“I’m here to rescue you.” He’s insistent, eyes wide with devotion at best, delusions at worst.
494 leans back in a move he’s practiced until it makes the bunk look comfortable, folding his arms behind his head. “Who says I need rescuing? I mean, money can’t buy a view like this.” His lip curls as he gestures at the dull grey brick of the walls.
“Come on.” 493 holds a hand out to him, and really, what else is he gonna do? 494 lets himself be pulled to his feet.
You’re not who I thought you’d be, hangs between them, unsaid, but he has no reason to rat out 493, and he doesn’t really care if he stays or leaves. As they run down the hall, he’s not surprised to see a dead guard, but the red of his mouth is almost startling; he’d thought they made it up when they said he was going to psy-ops in the morning because of what his clone was doing. Well, it looks like they were wrong about that.
They get to a road he vaguely recognizes from through the tinted windows of vehicles taking him out on undercover assignments, and walk along the side of it, hidden by the brush cover. A car or two passes, looming and black and unsubtle, because the only thing subtle about Manticore is the way their soldiers can move.
The two of them walk for miles that way, silent by unspoken agreement, as the words he will never let himself speak bubble inside 494.
You came back for me, he wants to scream. You came back for me. You left. He wants to know what took him so damn long, why he changed his mind. Most of all he wants to know why Ben couldn’t have changed his mind before now.
When they finally come closer to civilization, or the nearest thing Wyoming has to it, the change is obvious. Cars passing more frequently, billboards within sight of one another. 493 raises his eyebrows and 494 nods, approaching the roadside. His twin puts out a thumb and a car stops, pick-up truck with an unshaven driver.
“Thank you sir. Please, could we get a ride? Our car broke down a few miles back.” With a grunt of assent, the man throws open the door and the soldiers climb in.
“So, who’re you?” he asks as he shifts into gear again.
Eyes dart around quickly; they at last settle on one of the billboards, drawing a name from it. “I’m Alec, and this here’s my brother-”
“Ben,” 493 interrupts, and he nods, realizing from how he says it that this must be what 493 has been called for the past ten years.
The cab of the truck reeks of sweat and booze; the man probably doesn’t even realize there is something strange to letting them out just as he comes within sight of the checkpoint entering the city.
Ben sneaks through easily and stands on the other side, arms crossed over his chest, staring until Alec follows. He has nothing better to do, nowhere else to go, and he can roll with this for now, see if Ben has something planned.
There’s just one bed, a mattress thrown on the floor of the warehouse. Alec pulls his shirt over his head easy, with the lack of modesty or embarrassment of someone who has never been taught it’s awkward to strip off in front of other people. “Nice place you’ve got here,” he snarks, glancing at the slogans painted on the walls, the cracked mirror off to one side.
They weren’t built to need much down time, but Alec sprawls along the mattress, taking the opportunity to relax as long as he has it. Ben joins him on the dirty sheets, and Alec lets himself drift in and out of a hazy almost sleep.
“The Blue Lady said you’re my reward for serving her, for having faith.” Ben mutters against the damp skin of his back.
Alec pulls away, turning. “I don’t belong to anybody,” he growls; the lie of it burns in the air between them.
Alec doesn’t know or care who the hell this “Blue Lady” is. Doesn’t have faith in anything or anyone, except himself, and even that is only half the time. But he’s not gonna tell Ben any of that. No use saying it and having Ben preach to him. It’s easier just to go along, make the motions. Besides, he’s always been better at being anybody but him.
It’s a touching story anyhow, rescued by his brother because the Blue Lady sent him just in the nick of time. Maybe Alec wishes he could believe it, but he doesn’t, because he can’t let himself be that person. He doesn’t know how to believe and he’s not going to let himself need to.