A dark figure moved through the prison. No one roused as the figure moved to a cell and ripped it open, except the young woman inside.

"Who's there?"

"Time to go." The figure said and walked out. The young woman paused for a second and then decided to follow. Their footfalls of the two were nearly silent. The dark figure walked out of the main building of the prison. The young woman followed more cautiously. The dark figure picked up the pace to a light jog and then launched over the twenty foot tall fence. The young woman stared after, only her kind could do that. She then picked up her pace and launched over. She landed in a crouch and grabbed the hand of the figure who was walking away.

"Not so fast. Who are you?" The woman said.

"Not here. We're in enemy territory here. I've got transportation half a klick away, keep pace." The figure said and then took off lightning fast into the forest, the footfalls never heard.

The young woman did not hesitate and followed after. She cut through the woods, the dark figure stuck in shadows...

Whoever it was didn't want her to see. The young woman tried to pick up her pace but the figure notices and also picked up the pace. Finally the figure slowed. A clearing was up ahead.

A black BMW sat in the clearing. The young woman stopped next to the figure. "Not one more step until I get an answer. Who the fuck are you?"

"You can't guess, 518? Or should I call you Faith?" The figure said removing the hood.

Faith looked at the figure. It was a woman, tall, dark hair (like her own), blue eyes, and ears that slightly pointed. It took Faith less than a second to recognize her savior.

"Jondy. Long time no see."

"Especially when you get your ass arrested."

"Long story."

"Long drive."

Jondy moved to the drivers side of the car and entered, Faith climbed in the passenger side. "Where are we going?"

"New Mexico then Washington."

"What for?"

"All in due time." Jondy said and she started the car. She pulled a bag from the back seat, "There's a change of clothes in there. Put them on."

Faith nodded.

Jondy put her foot on the gas, the wheels squealed as she pealed out.

Roswell, New Mexico

A day later Jondy and Faith sat in a cafe. They had driven all night and day from LA to get to New Mexico. Faith had slept almost the whole ride.

Jondy did not need sleep.

In the light of day both women were able to finally get a good look at each other. Both were very strongly built women, dark hair, a tendency to wear tight and revealing clothes, dark eyes (dark brown for Faith and a deep, dark blue with brown highlights for Jondy) and tatoos. Faith had a tribal marking on her right bicep while Jondy had a tribal bird across her lower back.

They also each had another marking, this one sat on the back of their necks... Barcodes, but this hid behind their dark hair.

"What are we doin' here?" Faith asked finally.

"Waiting." Jondy said sipping her coffee.

"Waiting? What the hell are we waiting for?"

"I don't remember you asking this many questions when we were younger. Freedom has made you obnoxious."

"Yeah, well being cautious is part of my nature."

"Cautious doesn't get you in prison."

Faith stared across the table. "How about you not say that again?"

"How about you take your hand off of the knife you're hiding and you act more responsibly, soldier."

"Soldier? No, we stopped being soldiers back in '09 when we got away. I'm not a soldier anymore, and if this is some cracked out mission, count me out."

Jondy closed her eyes. "Christ, I've become Zack."

"Zack? How would you know how he is? He didn't make it. I saw him."

"If you hadn't of gone so far you would have known that he escaped later. Shit's gone down since and last I knew he was compromised... But 'it's' gone now."

"Gone? How can it be gone?"

"Fire. Here's what we're waiting for." Jondy said looking to the door.

Another young woman with dark hair entered. She had dark eyes and a calm way about her.

"No shit, is that who I think it is?" Faith asked quietly.

"She'll come to us, if she recognized us. I got recon that she works here. Let me do the talking."

"Why? So you can pull that mysterious bullshit?" Faith asked.

Jondy smiled, "Of course."

The new young woman walked past the table with Faith and Jondy, she looked hard at both of them who met her gaze. She walked to the back of the cafe and changed into her work clothes. She exited several minutes later and went straight to the table with the two women.

"Do I know you?" The girl asked.

"Of course you do, 603." Jondy said. "Liz."

Liz's eyes went wide. She looked at the two figures. After a moment, she recognized them. "Faith? Jondy?"

The girls smiled. "Who else?" Faith said grinning.

"What are you doing here?" Liz asked.

"Beats the shit out of me, ask Jon." Faith said quirkily.

"You need to come with us." Jondy said ignoring the comment.

"What? Why?" Liz asked.

"Now is not the time to tell." Jondy responded without emotion.

"I just can't up and leave. I've got a life here. I have to tell my friends and my parents."

"We leave at sunset tonight with you wether you're ready or not." Jondy said.

"Christ Jon, give her some time. She's settled." Faith said.

"I'm the CO now. It's an order, Liz." Faith tried to say something but Jondy's gaze silenced her. Liz looked at the Jondy for a minute. "Fuck you." And she walked off.

A few minutes later Liz exited the back, dressed in the street clothes she had worn a minute before.

Jondy set a few bills on the table and got up, Faith in tow. They walked to the BMW.

"Nice ride." Liz said admiring the car. "But how could you afford something like that?"

"I've got a good job, cheep living, and I stole it." Jondy said with a grin. "Need a ride anywhere?"

"No. I left a note with my adopted parents and I can call everyone from the road. I'll be home soon anyway, right?"

"No guarantees." Jondy said. She climbed in the car.

Faith shrugged. "You want shot gun?"

"Why not."

"It's good to see you."

"You too."

They both get in the car. And Jondy speeds out. As Jondy heads away Liz catches sight of her boyfriend's car. She sighs.

Back in LA

A dark brooding man hung up his phone. His face emotionless then he suddenly threw the phone down. A pretty brunette entered. "Who was on the phone?" The girl asked.

"Faith escaped." The man said.

"How?" The woman asked sitting down hard.

"Someone looped the security cameras and disarmed the motion detectors and pretty much walked in. The door was torn off, so this person was strong."

"So she could have just walked right out."

"After clearing a twenty foot tall razor wire fence. My contact at the prison is sending me the footage of the exterior, it was the only non-looped footage. Can you access that for me Cordelia?"

The woman sat at the desk and began typing on the computer. "Coming up."

A video began to play on the screen. It was nothing but a barbed wire at first and then a figure in black (Jondy) jumped over the fence and landed on their feet. A second figure, identifiable as Faith, jumped the fence too.

They exchanged indistinguishable dialogue and then Jondy took off so fast that Angel didn't realize she was gone until Faith disappeared from the screen too.

"Is that humanly possible?" Cordellia asked. "Maybe a Slayer thing?"

"No, I don't think so. Buffy couldn't do that. Roll back, let's see if we can see them run." Cordellia rolls the footage back to when Faith lands and plays it at a frame per second. The conversation is too shadowed to see what they are saying then the figure takes off. The frames are too slow to show each step."

"Holy shit." Cordellia said.

"Took the words out of my mouth." Angel agreed.

Faith then ran off the screen at the same pace.

Angel picks up the phone and dials a number. "Cor... Look up the number to that Eyes Only contact, please.. Hello, Buffy. It's Angel."

"Angel?" Buffy said tiredly. "It's late."

"I know... Listen. I've got something to tell you."

"What?"

"Faith escaped."

Somewhere on the way to Seattle

Jondy drove through the night and the next day. They only stop for food, bathroom breaks, and security check points. Jondy has very well forged papers so they passed through each point easily. On the night of the second day Faith's curious nature surfaces again.

"Do you need to sleep? It's two in the morning." She asked softly looking at Liz, deeply asleep in the back seat.

"Shark DNA, I don't need it."

"Ok... Where are we going?"

"Seattle."

"For who?"

"Max."

"Really?"

"According to Syl and Krit she was killed in action but I don't believe it."

"You're chasing after someone who's probably dead?"

"I know she's not dead."

"How?"

"I just do."

"Again how?"

"We were tight back there."

"You can say the name."

"I don't like to ok." Jondy snapped. "Sorry."

"No harm, no foul." Faith looks at Jondy and smiles. "You look like your going to fall asleep."

Jondy returns the smile. "The next hotel I see, we'll pull in for beds and showers. How about that?"

"Five by five."

Ahead a hotel can be seen. Jondy pulls in to it and they get a room. Liz wakes up enough to go from the car to the king size bed.

"I think she has bear in her to sleep this long." Jondy said covering Liz with a blanket.

"Probably." Faith said laying down on the floor.

"What are you doing down there?"

"Gonna go to sleep."

"Are you kidding? We're sisters dude."

"Beds are kinda uncomfortable for me after.."

Jondy regards Faith for a second and then tosses her a pillow and a spare blanket. "If you change your mind you can climb right up. I'm gonna hop in the shower now. You and Liz can spat for it in the morning."

Faith said something but it didn't leave her throat. She was asleep.

Jondy sat and looked at her two sisters for a moment, "What the fuck am I getting us into?" She thought. She sighed and then went into the bathroom.

Fifteen minutes later she exited the bathroom. She let her eyes adjust to the dark, it took only a second. Faith had moved to the bed. Liz and Faith were curled up next to each other. Jondy smiled and pulled on a clean shirt and boxers she had stolen from her ex-lover from her bag. She changed into them and dried her hair with her towel. She glanced into the mirror and looked for a moment at her ears. She dug into her bag and pulled out a phone, she walked into the bathroom once more. Several minutes later she exited. Her eyes adjusted again, Faith and Liz were still deep asleep. She sighed and then crawled into bed.

The sound of running water awoke Jondy. It took a second to register where she was. Faith was sleeping next to her, Liz in the shower. The water turned off and a few moments later Liz exited with a towel around her torso and her hair in a turban.

Jondy glanced at her neck. "Shit, that must have hurt."

Liz looked at Jondy and then realized she was talking about her not having a barcode. "Yeah, I get it removed every fifteen days. Kept me off of radar. And I played a totally chick too, not athletic or anything."

"I admire your balls on that. I did it once. I cried. Never again. I wear turtle necks or my hair stays down. If someone does see it, like a boy or something, then it becomes a statement against conformity. If someone bad sees it, then I deal with it."

"Do you mind if I call back to Roswell?"

"Go ahead. I am sorry for dragging you out."

"I know."

"And I'm sorry for pulling rank too. We're not military anymore, it was a cheep shot."

"Really Jon, it's no problem."

"Thanks."

Liz went to the phone and Jondy roused Faith from sleep. Faith groaned and then got up. She b-lined to the shower. Jondy found an excuse to leave Liz to her call.

The phone rang and the machine picked up. "You've reached Michael and Max's bachelor pad. Leave a message."

"Max, it's me, Liz. Something came up. I had to leave and I don't know when I'm coming back, if I do at all. I'm so sorry. I'll call you again and explain everything. I love you."

Liz hung up. She dialed another number.

This time someone picked up.

"Hello?"

"Maria."

"Liz? Where are you?"

"I had to go away." Liz said silently.

"Where and with who?"

"I can't tell you where, but who, I can. You remember how I was adopted? My parents don't like to talk about it... I looked like their daughter who died during a Pulse-riot."

"Yeah..."

"Well, my real family found me and something came up and I had to come with them."

"What came up?"

"I don't know. I haven't been told all the details."

"But you'll be home soon, right?" Maria DeLuca asked, hoping for 'tomorrow' as an answer.

"I don't know. It's been forever since I've seen my family Maria."

"You're keeping something from me..." Maria said with hurt in her voice.

"I'm sorry, Maria. I have to go. I'll call as soon as I can."

Liz hung up without waiting for a response. Jondy returned seconds later to find Liz crying on the bed. Jondy rushed over and hugged Liz. Liz cried in her sister's arms. She cried for a few minutes and then pushed gently away from her sister. Faith exited from the showers.

"The joys of non-communal showers."

Liz and Jondy smiled. Faith realized she had no clean clothes.

"Uh, Jon..."

"The bag has some stuff in it. For you too Liz, the clothes are in bags and marked."

"Somebody's anal." Faith said with a smile.

"Organized does not equal anal. And Faith, bite me." Jondy said with a grin.

Faith pulled out two paper bags and tossed one to Liz. They took out the clothes and looked a them, "Not bad." They both thought. Once they were dressed they left the hotel and continued on the drive.

Roswell, New Mexico

Maria couldn't control herself, she ran to her car and then sped the whole way to Max and Michael's apartment. Max and Michael were just returning from a game of basketball as she came to a screeching halt. Maria scrambled out of the car and to Max, she struggled for breath.

"Nice to see you Maria?" Max said with question in his voice. He tossed his basketball to Michael.

"Liz... She ran away."

Max's eyes went wide. He ran to his apartment and saw he had a message.

"Max, it's me, Liz. Something came up. I had to leave and I don't know when I'm coming back, if I do at all. I'm so sorry. I'll call you again and explain everything. I love you."

Max sat down had on his couch.

Maria had finally regained the ability to speak full sentences. "She called me, probably right before she called you. She said her family came for her and something came up."

Michael stood by the door. "I saw who she left with."

Max looked to him, tears stinging his eyes, Liz was gone and had not said a real goodbye. "You did?"

"Two brunettes. Hot chicks. The one with her back to me had pointy ears. The other was a bad ass, tattoo on her arm. Both had dark hair."

"You didn't stop her?" Maria accused.

"I didn't have a chance. She was pissed and in a hurry."

Max rubbed his eyes, "She said she'll call back, and all I can do is wait."

On the road to Seattle

By the time they got through all of the check points it was late again when they got to Seattle. They found a hotel outside of town and Liz and Faith went in and immediately went to sleep. Jondy changed into a black outfit and ski cap. She headed out. It was midnight, if Max was alive she'd be out at a bar or club or something. Max also was a night person and last call for alcohol was two hours away.

Jondy went to at least five bars in three different sectors before going to Crash. She entered and walked to the bar.

The bartender checked Jondy out. "What you want sweet cakes?"

"You know how to make B-52's?" The bartender shook his head no. "911's?"

Again no. "I'll take a shot of Jack then. You do know what Jack Daniel's is right?"

The bartender ignored her smart comment and poured the shot for her. She slammed it back then she turned and looked out over the bar. She was about ready to leave when a figure caught her eyes. She had dark hair and dark eyes and her skin was olive toned. "Shit, she's beautiful," Jondy thought and she couldn't help but stare. The girl was racking it up at the pool table. Jondy left a few bills on the bar and headed up to the pool table.

The girl knocked the eight ball in and her opponent, a black girl who seemed to be her friend, clapped.

"You lookin' for a real challenge?" Jondy said.

The girl looked at her. "Do I know you?"

"A past life, maybe. I've heard that like three times in the last few days though. I must just have that face."

"Yeah, maybe. How much you want to play for?

"A hundred dollars on the game?" Jondy asked pulling a hundred out and setting it on the table.

"A bit cocky ain't we?" The sista asked.

"I don't have that kind of money on me." The other girl said.

"Fine. You win, you take my cash. I win, you buy me a drink and pay the rest later." Jondy said.

"How do you know I'd pay if I lost?"

"I have a feelin' that I'll be seein' ya around. You want to play or not?"

The girl thought about it for a second and then, "You break or me?"

"I break."

The sista and the girl racked up the balls. Jondy broke and smacked in three solid balls. "Looks like you're stripes."

The game was very close. It came down to one ball for each girl. The sista kept making comments about the precision that the opponents exhibited.

Jondy noticed how the girl kept looking at her, as if trying to remember her name. If Jondy took of her ski cap or showed her barcode it would be an instantaneous. But where's the fun in that?

The girl shot and the ball ended right on the lip of the pocket. Jondy lined up her shot and sank the last solid colored ball. The eight ball fell in just as easily. The girl pulled out a five and handed it to Jondy.

Jondy went down to the bar and bought another round for herself. The two other women watched Jondy. She raised a toast to them and took a drink.

"That girl is checkin' you, Boo." The sista said.

"You sure?"

"Original Cindy know when girls be looking. And Maxie, she's starin'."

"I'm just not catching that vibe though, it's like she's pressing me to remember who she is."

"Manticore?"

"I don't know. And I'm gonna be pissed off when I remember who she is... I have a feeling that I should know."

Jondy sat at the bar, hearing every word with her enhanced hearing. She smiled.

"Just go an' ask then. No harm." The one called Original Cindy suggested.

The one called Maxie (Max) said something that Jondy couldn't hear and then began walking towards her.

Jondy turned and watcher her walk, she could see the feline in her. She fought to hide her smile. Jondy had never been this mischievous and she wanted to straight out tell Max who she was but it was fun watching Max squirm.

Max walked up and sat on the stool next to Jondy. "I know you don't I?"

"Yep." Jondy said taking a sip of her shot to hide her smile.

"What's your name?" Max said.

Jondy smiled, "Cat's got your tongue, 452?"

Max stayed quiet in shock. "I see it has," Jondy continued. She handed Max a slip of paper. "Be here and find out, Max."

Jondy got up and exited. Max sat dumbfounded on the stool. Original Cindy came down. "You got her digits? I thought you didn't play on the all-girls team."

"I... She knew my name and my number."

"She did?"

Max unfolded the paper and it had a time, address, and room number.

"It say who she is?" Cindy asked.

"No. Just a place to meet her."

"You going?"

"Do I have a choice?"

At Logan's apartment an hour later

Max dropped silently into Logan's apartment. He was awake and working on a lead.

"Logan." Max said.

He looked at her and smiled, "Max, it's late."

"Can't sleep. Whatcha working on?"

"An informant of mine in LA sent me this tape, asked if I could tell him how the people did what they did."

He played the footage, Max watched with intensity. She didn't show any reaction when the two figures cleared the fence and took off running.

"Transgens."

"The one in black is unidentified but the one in prison garb is called Faith. In for assault and murder."

"Faith?"

"You know the name?"

"X-518. She was in my unit, she must have been one of the twelve who escaped."

"Any idea who the other figure is?"

"Jondy maybe."

"What makes you say Jondy?"

"They're twins. But no, I don't think that she'd break anyone out of prison. I think it might be the girl who I saw at Crash tonight."

"You ran into one of the twelve tonight?"

"Wouldn't say who she was, but I know it wasn't Faith."

"Faith turned her self in and plead guilty. She's a criminal. Don't get blinded by the fact she's one of your sisters."

"I'll do what I can to find out what I can."

"I'm sure you will."

"Don't return anything about Faith to your contact."

"Why?"

"Trust me."

"Be careful."

Max and Logan looked at each other for a moment in awkward silence, both wanting to reach out and touch the other.