(Logan is in his apartment working on the exoskeleton. Sebastian is on the phone and web cam assisting Logan.)

( Computer beeping )

SEBASTIAN: How did you manage to get the money?

LOGAN: Never mind that. Can you help me get my hands on one of these gizmos?

( Computer beeping )

SEBASTIAN: I'll call my contact in Singapore. They'll probably have it here in 12 to 14 weeks.

LOGAN ( Sighs )

LOGAN: That long?

SEBASTIAN: Patience.

LOGAN: I'm all out of patience. I need to be up and walking now.

(Logan is holding the damaged chip in his hand.)

SEBASTIAN: Well, the kind of processor you're looking for is also used in nuclear reactors to control the robotic arms that handle radioactive fuel rods.

LOGAN: And how am I supposed to get a hold of one of those?

(Max has just entered the apartment.)

MAX: Knock, knock.

SEBASTIAN: Could always ask your in-house cat burglar.

MAX: Logan.

LOGAN: Yeah, I'll be right there. She's not in the loop on this little project and I want to keep it that way.

SEBASTIAN: No reason she needs to know what the chip's for.

LOGAN: That's sneaky. I like it. Got to go.

(Logan ends his web connection to Sebastian and rolls into the kitchen.)

MAX: What happened to that Chinese urn that was there? Don't tell me you sold it.

LOGAN: Got to do what you got to do. We've got an "Eyes Only" situation that needs your immediate attention.

MAX: Got anything to eat?

(Max opens the refrigerator door and takes a green apple.)

LOGAN: Max, this is a red alert for what remains of western civilization if Pierpont Lempkin fences one of these to the Taliban militia.

MAX: Pierpont Lempkin's in bed with the Taliban?

LOGAN: I'm afraid so. And they're looking to get their hands on a chip just like this one programmed with the sequenced activation code for the star wars missile defense system launched back in '05.

MAX: So? That stuff's just a bunch of space junk.

LOGAN: The government's trying to keep it under wraps, but some of the warheads are still alive. I got word that the chip that we're looking for is in the servo-controller of a robotic arm in the Orcas nuclear facility.

MAX: Are you sure about all this? Pierpont Lempkin and the Taliban after some star wars widget and a robotic arm somewhere? Next thing you're going to tell me aliens are involved.

LOGAN: I wouldn't rule it out.

MAX: Really?

LOGAN: The point is I need you to do this for me.

MAX: You know, it's hot in here.

LOGAN: So, are you going to do it?

(Max takes off her jacket.)

MAX: Whatever.

LOGAN: Thank you.

MAX: I think I might be coming down with something.

(Max is fanning herself with her hand.)

LOGAN: Really? I hope not. 'Cause you know it was a year ago Thursday that you broke in here tried to rob my place.

MAX: Is that right?

LOGAN: It's an anniversary of sorts and I was thinking we should celebrate.

MAX: I could use a little mirth in my life.

LOGAN: Yeah. Can't be easy knowing they have Tinga.

MAX: Zack found out they didn't take her back to Manticore. Hope he can turn something up on where they've got her.

LOGAN: Then we'll get her out. Thursday night there will be an abundance of mirth and maybe a little surprise.

MAX: What?

LOGAN: Then it wouldn't be a surprise.

(Max goes home to her room. She takes off her jacket and lies down on her bed to sleep. She hears vehicles approaching. Max gets up and goes to the window. She sees that Manticore hummers are in the alley. She escapes down her building by rope wearing her black clothes. As she is walking down an alley, two Manticore soldiers come towards her, one on each side. Max fights the two soldiers. She gets one of them down and pushes the other soldier to the wall. She grabs his weapon and the soldier has his hands in the air. Max directs the soldier to move with the gun in her hand.)

MAX: Take off your clothes.

SOLDIER: Excuse me?

MAX: You heard me. Make it snappy.

(The soldier starts taking off his clothes. And a rap song by Missy Elliot starts playing in the background.)

MUSIC: What's your name?/ 'Cause I'm impressed/ can you treat me good?/ I won't settle for less/ you a hot boy/ hot boy/ a rock boy/ a rock boy/ a fun toy/ a fun toy/ tore-up glock boy.

(The soldier takes his shirt off.)

MAX: Nice pecs. Over on the bed.

MUSIC: Are you by yourself?/ Can I move with you?/ Do you need some help?/ A cook boy/ a cook boy/ I'll give you more/ I'm a fly girl/ and I like those/ say what?/ Baby, you got what I want/ 'cause y'all be driving/ Lexus, Jeeps and the Benz.

(Max pushes the soldier to the bed. She throws the weapon down and gets on top of the soldier.)

MAX: I hope you're as good as you look, soldier 'cause I'm not a girl who takes disappointment lying down.

SOLDIER: This can't be happening.

(Max is kissing the soldier's body up towards his mouth.)

MUSIC: See? 'Cause y'all be driving/ Jaguars and the Bentleys/ and the Rolls-Royce,/ playing hardballs..

(Max pulls back and sees Logan's face instead of the soldiers.)

. MAX: Logan? What are you doing here?

LOGAN: Don't ask me. It's your dream.

MAX: Yeah, and you know what that means?

(The music comes to a scratching stop and Max gets up, breaking in sweat.)

MAX: Oh, God. I'm in heat again.

(The next morning in the kitchen area of Max's apartment.)

ORIGINAL CINDY: You're joking, right?

MAX: I wish. It's yet another of the frightening biological facts of my rotten, miserable life.

ORIGINAL CINDY: So how often does this estrus cycle bitch happen?

MAX: Two, maybe three times a year. It's awful. I get this uncontrollable craving.

ORIGINAL CINDY: So, basically because of this feline DNA that you got in you, every few months you run around acting like an average male?

MAX: Somehow guys can pull it off. I just turn into this freak show.

ORIGINAL CINDY: Mm, you could always lock yourself in a closet until it's over with.

MAX: Tried that. Blew the door right off the hinges.

ORIGINAL CINDY: Damn.

MAX: If you see me going to the dark side, do me a favor--smack me really hard right in the face.

ORIGINAL CINDY: For real?

MAX: That's the only thing that seems to work.

ORIGINAL CINDY: Oh, okay.

(Max walks over to the window and spots a guy down below. The guy is wearing a white wifebeater and carrying crates to a truck.)

MAX ( Moans softly )

MAX: Look at hot boy down there. He's got some biceps on him. Mmm...

( Original Cindy's footsteps approaching )

ORIGINAL CINDY: Don't make me put the smackdown on your ass.

(Original Cindy is ready to hit Max with her backhand.)

MAX ( Sighs )

MAX: Yeah. Oh...

ORIGINAL CINDY: Walk.

MAX: Right.

(Madame X and Agent Sandoval are walking down some stairs outside some big buildings.)

MADAME X: I'm reluctant to use stealth drones in what is, after all a garden-variety police action.

AGENT SANDOVAL: Your call.

MADAME X: Right answer.

(Lydecker walks up towards Madame X and Agent Sandoval on the stairs.)

MADAME X: Deck...

LYDECKER: You want to tell me why the executive committee met this morning and I wasn't notified?

MADAME X: Would you excuse us, please, Agent Sandoval?

(Agent Sandoval walks down the stairs leaving Madame X and Lydecker alone.)

MADAME X: I didn't notify you because I didn't want you there.

LYDECKER: I'm sure you didn't.

MADAME X: The boys upstairs are on the warpath about that x5 female who escaped last week--Tinga, is it?

LYDECKER: You're responsible for her escape and you damn well know it.

MADAME X: Committee doesn't see it that way. They see it as another example of operational mishandling on your part.

LYDECKER ( Sighs )

LYDECER: You've always been a genius at covering your ass.

MADAME X: I went to bat for you and I think that I managed to fend off a full procedural review, so say "thank you."

(Madame X walks away. Zack is far away watching the meeting.)

LYDECKER: Pissy little bitch.

(Lydecker walks away. Madame X joins up with Agent Sandoval at the bottom of the stairs.)

(Jam Pony locker area)

MAX: Do I look flushed?

ORIGINAL CINDY: You're tripping, boo. You got an itch, go scratch. It ain't got to be all complicated either. The male mind understands the difference between love and sex. Sketchy, come here.

(Sketchy walks over to Max and Original Cindy.)

SKETCHY: Hello, ladies.

ORIGINAL CINDY: I want to get busy with you.

SKETCHY: Outstanding.

ORIGINAL CINDY: But I want you to forget about it as soon as it's over.

SKETCHY: Yeah, no problem.

ORIGINAL CINDY: Don't be following me around all moo-eyed and "Baby, I love you."

SKETCHY: Yeah, whatever you say.

ORIGINAL CINDY (to Max): See? No complications.

(Sketchy is standing behind Original Cindy and puts his hands on her shoulders.)

SKETCHY: So when we going to do this?

ORIGINAL CINDY: Get away from me, fool 'fore I put you in a world of hurt.

SKETCHY: I knew it!

MAX: I'm not going to just hit it with some guy. That's how I looked up with Leo and Darren and Eric, almost. Total disasters that never would have happened if I wasn't a teenage Frankenstein created by people at Manticore.

ORIGINAL CINDY: Fine, so you don't want to be 'bout it with just anybody. What about Logan? Somebody you're into.

MAX: It's not what I want to happen with us. We're not even like that.

ORIGINAL CINDY: Whatever you say.

MAX: Can we stop talking about scratching? I want to beat this bitch. You got my back?

ORIGINAL CINDY: Who's your girl?

(A delivery guy walks in with a pizza. Max turns around and bumps into the guy.)

PIZZA GUY: Oh... uh...did, uh, someone order a large sausage?

MAX: Hi.

ORIGINAL CINDY: Max...

(Original Cindy drags and pushes Max away.)

MAX: What's your name?

PIZZA GUY: Uh... Rafer.

NORMAL: Hot run to 95 Round Hill Road.

MAX: I'm on a hot run.

ORIGINAL CINDY: No, you're not.

(Original Cindy gives Max a package.)

ORIGINAL CINDY: Come on.

MAX: See you around.

RAFER: Whoa!

(Lydecker is debriefing with Brin in his office.)

LYDECKER: According to your debriefing regarding Tinga's escape, "x5-656 somehow managed to slip out of her shackles and overpower the soldier detailed to her guard."

BRIN: Yes, sir.

LYDECKER: You were unaware of the struggle going on right behind where you were sitting?

BRIN: It happened very fast, sir. Before I knew it, she had punched through the partition and grabbed the driver from behind.

LYDECKER: And you couldn't stop her?

BRIN: I was trying to keep control of the vehicle, sir.

LYDECKER ( Sighs )

LYDECKER: I'd made a deal to secure Tinga in exchange for sparing her son's life. Yet you tried to capture the boy and x5-452, as well.

BRIN: Yes, sir. The scope of the mission was changed during the briefing.

LYDECKER: That wasn't my mission briefing.

BRIN: I assumed you were in the loop, Sir since Agent Sandoval was...

LYDECKER: Agent Sandoval?

BRIN: Yes, Sir.

LYDECKER: Thank you. You've been very helpful, x5-734. Dismissed.

(In Max's apartment, Max comes out of the bathroom looking very wet and starts doing push-ups.)

( Soft rock music plays )

MAX: Nothing like an ice-cold shower to get your mind off the dirty deed.

ORIGINAL CINDY: I'm not even going to ask.

MAX: I got to sit in the same car with Logan tonight.

ORIGINAL CINDY: Is that wise? You keep saying you don't want anything to happen between you two.

MAX: I have no choice. I have to run an...errand.

ORIGINAL CINDY: He got the 4-1-1 on what's up with you?

MAX: Are you kidding? He's the last person in the world I want to know about this.

ORIGINAL CINDY: How are you going to keep from laying out for the boy?

MAX: Going to sit on my hands, try not to look at him, try not to think about...his scruffy beard and those cute little glasses that make him look all sexy and intellectual. Oh, God, I got to take another shower.

(Max runs to the bathroom.)

( Knocking )

(Original Cindy gets the door.)

LOGAN: Hey.

(Max walks up behind Original Cindy and takes off her hair tie.)

MAX: Hey, yourself.

LOGAN: You ready?

MAX: Never readier in my life.

LOGAN: Well, let's do this.

ORIGINAL CINDY: Give her a minute. She'll meet you downstairs.

LOGAN: Okay.

(Original Cindy closes the door.)

ORIGINAL CINDY: You...drop and give me 20.

MAX: Okay.

(At a street noodle place, Lydecker meets up with a guy eating noodles there.)

LYDECKER: Zakes.

(Zakes turns to his side and gets up to greet Lydecker.)

ZAKES ( Laughing )

ZAKES ( greeting in foreign language )

LYDECKER ( replies )

LYDECKER: It's good to see you again. What brings you here?

(Lydecker and Zakes sit down. Zakes continues eating his bowl of noodles.)

ZAKES: Well, I was hoping we could do business.

LYDECKER: Every few years we talk about business and you go back to Johannesburg disappointed.

(Waiter gives Lydecker a bowl of noodles.)

ZAKES ( Chuckling )

ZAKES: I'm a persistent man. We remain interested in pursuing a transgenic program along the lines of Manticore. I'd like to propose a trade.

LYDECKER: I'm not interested in neural implant technology. Mm...my kids perform fine without sticking some gizmo in their brain to rev them up.

ZAKES: Ah, you've made that quite clear.

LYDECKER: So, what are you offering?

ZAKES ( Chuckles )

(Zakes takes out a picture from his jacket.)

ZAKES ( kani sings )

(Zakes places a picture of Max on the table.)

ZAKES: We can find her for you.

LYDECKER: How?

ZAKES: She's got one of our implants.

LYDECKER: How the hell did that happen?

ZAKES: Ah, long story. The point is, the mechanism is made of a metallic alloy that returns a distinctive signature when hit with an electromagnetic signal.

LYDECKER: What would that alloy be?

ZAKES: If I tell you that, then what do you need us for?

LYDECKER: All right. And what's the price tag for your assistance here?

ZAKES: Ah... some genetic data from your early prototypes maybe an in vitro embryo, huh? Ah, to sweeten the pot.

LYDECKER: All right, but nothing current, understood?

ZAKES: We can live with that.

ZAKES ( Kani chuckles )

ZAKES: We'll have her home for you in no time.

(Logan and Max are inside Logan's Aztec. The windows are fogged up.)

LOGAN: What's up with the windows?

MAX: I don't know. Why you asking me?

LOGAN: I'm just saying they're all fogged up. Must be humid or something.

MAX: Must be.

(Missy Elliot rap song starts playing in the background.)

LOGAN: The guards should have...

LOGAN: ...changed shifts by now.

MUSIC: Hot boy, oh, check me/ what's your name?/ 'Cause I'm impressed/ you/ treat me good/ I won't settle for less/ you are hot, boy/ hot boy/ a rock boy/ a fun toy/ a rock boy...

(Max starts looking at Logan, concentrating on the details of his face while the music plays. She sees Logan's tongue licking his lips slowly. Logan turns around says...)

LOGAN (in Max's head): Can you make out with me while we wait?

MAX: What?

LOGAN: Can you make out anything past the gate?

( Record scratching-- silence )

(The music comes to a halting stop.)

MAX: No, not a thing.

LOGAN: Where's my phone?

(Logan reaches over to the glove compartment. This is tempting Max even more.)

LOGAN: I'm sorry.< p> MAX: I got to get this thing over with.

(Max gets out of the vehicle really fast.)

LOGAN: Hey, the guards haven't...

(Max climbs up on top of the bridge and runs across the top to get inside building. Inside the locker area, Max puts on a white suit and hard hat, carrying a rad test device with her hands. She goes out to the work area and walks over to the two workers controlling the robotic arm.)

MAX: Just doing a rad test. Don't mind me.

(Max holds up the rad test device up next to one of the workers.)

( Loud static )

MAX: Wow!

WORKER #1: Is there a problem?

MAX: Have either of you been experiencing any hair loss lately?

WORKER #1: What?

WORKER #2: No.

MAX: Maybe you should go get some coffee while I figure out what's going on here.

(The two workers leave. Max gets the chip from the computer and puts it inside a little plastic bag and leaves. The two workers are talking to a supervisor.)

SUPERVISOR: Guys, there's no rad test scheduled for tonight.

(Max runs by the three guys on her way out.)

SUPERVISOR: Hey! We have a security breach.

(The alarm sounds and Max runs out. The security guards are chasing after Max outside. They shoot at her and Max jumps off the cliff into the water below.)

(Max dripping wet returns back to Logan's Aztec.)

LOGAN: Did you get it?

MAX: No, I just won a wet t-shirt contest. Course I got it.

(Max gives the little plastic bag with the chip inside to Logan.)

MAX: Yeah, yeah, we foiled Pierpont Lempkin's evil plan and saved the world. Can we get out of here?

(The next day at Jam Pony Headquarters.)

ORIGINAL CINDY: So, the Lady Max made it home with her virtue intact.

MAX: Very funny. I just got to get through the next 24 hours. And, of course, today had to be the one-year anniversary of the night Logan and I met. And, of course, he had to remember. And, of course, he wants to have dinner.

ORIGINAL CINDY: Think you can make it through without jumping his bones?

MAX: I don't even want to think about that. I just need to focus on the task at hand and the task at hand is delivering packages.

(Max grabs a package and reads it.)

MAX: Where does this go?

MAX ( Mumbles the address to herself)

(Max gets up to go deliver and bumps into Rafer, the pizza guy.)

RAFER: Hey.

MAX: Hi.

RAFER: Max, right?

MAX (yelling): Normal... I need to take a personal day!

(Normal in his office cleaning his shirt. He has his wifebeater on. Max walks in.)

NORMAL: Just a minute. Which part of just a minute do you not understand?

(Rap music starts playing in the background.)

NORMAL: Got some coffee on my brand new chemise. Maybe I'll get it out before it sets.

(Max checks out Normal's body as he is cleaning his shirt. She focuses on all the muscles on the upper body. Normal is pretty cut. There is a slow-mo shot of Normal's tongue licking his top lip. Watching Normal is tempting Max's craving.)

MUSIC: Uh, oh/ dance/ uh, oh, uh, oh, uh, uh, uh/ dance/ yeah, uh, oh/ uh, uh, oh/ come and dance/ uh, oh, uh, oh/ uh, uh, oh/ come and dance/ uh, oh/ come and dance/ uh, oh/ if you feel it in back/ baby./ It's the sounds...

NORMAL: So hold on one cotton-picking minute there, girlie, girl. No knock.

(Max walks over to Normal and touches his arm.)

MAX: Normal? I didn't know you worked out.

NORMAL: Are you all right?

(Max pushes Normal to the wall and gives him a kiss.)

NORMAL: Oh...

(Original Cindy walks into Normal's office and sees this going on. She quickly runs and breaks Max apart from Normal.)

ORIGINAL CINDY: Whoa, whoa, slow down my female.

(Original Cindy punches Max in the face. The music comes to a scratching stop.)

MAX ( Grunts )

MAX: Thanks. I needed that.

ORIGINAL CINDY ( Panting )

ORIGINAL CINDY: Max needs a personal day.

NORMAL: Take a week.

(Original Cindy walks out with Max.)

ORIGINAL CINDY: Damn. I didn't know this condition of yours was that bad.

NORMAL ( Shocked laugh )

(Normal puts his hand over his mouth.)

(Agent Sandoval walks into Lydecker's office.)

AGENT SANDOVAL: The South Africans are airlifting their tracking equipment into town this afternoon. I need your authorization to release those files to them.

(Agent Sandoval gives his pen to Lydecker for him to sign the papers. Lydecker takes the pen with his right hand.)

LYDECKER: I'm putting Dochnovich on point in the search for the girl.

AGENT SANDOVAL: But sir...

LYDECKER: I need you here.

AGENT SANDOVAL: Yes, sir.

(Lydecker signs the papers and Agent Sandoval turns to leave.)

LYDECKER: Peter.

(Lydecker gives back the pen to Agent Sandoval with his left hand. Agent Sandoval leaves. Lydecker sits down and looks at the pen in his hand.)

(Madame X and Agent Sandoval are walking somewhere.)

MADAME X: He's taken you off the search? Something's going on. He's badgering an x5 for information, poking through evidence and now you say he's giving classified information to the South Africans? He's obviously desperate to salvage his reputation with the committee. Who knows how far he's willing to go?

MADAME X ( Heavy sigh )

MADAME X: Well, I was hoping it wouldn't come to this. Lydecker's going to have to be contained.

AGENT SANDOVAL: Are you sure that's necessary?

(The screen shows a sound wavelength graph on a computer. Lydecker is listening in on the conversation.)

MADAME X: I haven't told you everything I know. I can't. He's been compromised. Containment is the only option at this point. You're the only one that I can trust with this.

(The camera turns back to Madame X and Agent Sandoval walking.)

MADAME X: I know. It's for the good of Manticore. Set up the drum. His photo id.

(Madame X gives Agent Sandoval a photo of Lydecker with his I.D. on the bottom.)

MADAME X: You know what to do.

(Lydecker takes off his earpiece in the office.)

(In Logan's apartment, Logan is trying on the exoskeleton. He turns the exoskeleton on.)

exoskeleton ( Beeping )

(Logan gets up and is standing. He moves forward a step.)

LOGAN ( laughing )

(Back in Max's apartment. Max and Original Cindy are sitting at the table playing a Scrabble-like game with dice.)

MAX: I appreciate you staying home with me.

ORIGINAL CINDY: No problem. How do you feel? You going to be okay for anniversary shindig with Logan?

MAX: I think so. Feels like the worst of this thing's past. Is it sweet he remembered?

(Max spells the word "hung" with colourful alphabet pieces.)

ORIGINAL CINDY: Real sweet. And I thought lesbians were the only ones who grabbed any opportunity to celebrate an anniversary.

MAX: You know, I feel pretty okay. It's going to be fine with Logan tonight.

(Max spells the word, "prick".)

ORIGINAL CINDY: You might want to stay home to play it safe.

MAX: I've been cooped up all day. It'd be nice to get out.

(Max's feets are shaking.)

ORIGINAL CINDY: Okay, that's it.

MAX: What?

ORIGINAL CINDY: We're done with this game.

MAX: Why?

ORIGINAL CINDY: Look at your words.

MAX: So.

ORIGINAL CINDY: "Hung."

MAX: Like a noose around your neck.

ORIGINAL CINDY: "Prick."

MAX: Like with a needle. You have a dirty mind.

ORIGINAL CINDY: Yeah? Well, then, what about this one which I'm not even going to say 'cause I kiss my mama with this mouth.

MAX: Oh, God. You're right. And I'm supposed to be there in an hour.

ORIGINAL CINDY: Are you going to go?

MAX: I can't. Not like this.

ORIGINAL CINDY: Well, then you'd better call or cancel.

MAX: I can't cancel.

ORIGINAL CINDY: You either go or you cancel. It's on you.

(In Logan's apartment, Logan is setting up the dinner table.)

( Phone ringing )

(Logan answers the phone.)

LOGAN: Hello.

MAX: Logan, it's me.

LOGAN: Hey, I'm glad you called. You think you could stop at the market on your way over and pick up some strawberries?

MAX: Listen, I really hate to do this...but I can't make it over tonight.

LOGAN: Oh.

MAX: Something came up.

LOGAN: Is everything okay?

MAX: Can we talk about it tomorrow?

LOGAN: Max.

MAX: I'll call you.

(Max hangs up the phone.)

MAX ( Panting )

(Logan sits down at the table and puts out the candle with this thumb and fingers. Max is rolling around in bed. She puts the pillow over her head. She finally gets up to leave.)

ORIGINAL CINDY: Where you going?

MAX: I'm going to put 600 cc's of raw power between my legs. Gotta clear my head.

ORIGINAL CINDY: Okay.

(Max leaves.)

( Motorcycle starts )

(Max takes off on her Ninja. An Animal Control van pulls up where Max leaves. Insides the van is Zakes and his men. They have computers and a tracking device.)

computer beeping )

ZAKES: Any reason you want to start here?

MAN: Target's last known location. We intercepted a call she made a week ago from a pay phone on the corner.

ZAKES: If she's anywhere within two kilometers we should get a hit.

MAN: Two klicks. About covers all of sector five.

ZAKES: Right. Give us a minute to configure the antennae and we'll get started.

( Motorcycle engine running )

(Max stops at a sector checkpoint. She is waiting to get pass. Meanwhile, Zakes is on the computer putting a track on sector 5.)

ZAKES: Now, here we go.

(Max shows her Jam Pony pass to get through check point.)

MAX: Jam pony messenger, can I go through?

(Max gets waved off. She drives off. We see a sign above the sector check point that reads: YOU ARE NOW ENTERING SECTOR 6.)

(Inside the Animal Control van, the computer has just finished tracking sector 5.)

ZAKES: Nothing. Where to?

MAN: Let's move on to sector four.

(Max is riding on her Ninja. Another guy on a bike is riding next to her. They both stop and the guy takes off his helmet.)

MUSIC: You want a ride,/ is that your request to test?/ You'll soon assess/ the skills that I possess/ that are the best/ I'm doing 90,/ freshly all behind me/ leaving dust as/ a bust, / making it hard to find me/ I move with this metal/ like focus in your motion/ you're stuck in captivity,/ I'm flowing like the ocean...

RAFER: Max.

(Max smiles and they both go riding off.)

MUSIC: Baby, I ride this body/ made of steal/ I'm showing you the deal/ home/ with the thick of us/ come on, you wanna fly/ with thick of us?/ Come on, get live/ with the thick of us/ come on, you wanna roll/ with the thick of us?/ Roll with the thick of us/ come on, you wanna fly/ with the thick of us?

(We are now in the hallway of Rafer's apartment building. Max slams Rafer to a wall and jumps on him, kissing him. She keeps on slamming Rafer from one wall to the other down the hallway. Max takes off Rafer's clothes as she does this. Eventually they hit Rafer's apartment door and they go inside.)

MUSIC: Come on, get live/ with the thick of us/ come on, you wanna roll/ with/ the thick of us?/ Roll with the thick of us/ come on, you wanna fly/ with the thick of us?/ Come on, get live/ with the thick of us/ come on, you wanna roll/ with the thick us?

( Rap music ends )

(We see Max sitting up in bed with sheets over her, with Rafer sleeping next to her. Max has a really disappointed and sad look on her face. She goes home and walks past Original Cindy's room where Original Cindy is sleeping. There is a shot of Logan in his apartment staring off into space. Then the camera goes Max in the shower. She is crying as the water runs.)

(Max's apartment the next day. Original Cindy is coming out of her bedroom with tissues in her hand. Max is on the couch. She's been crying. Original Cindy sits down next to her.)

ORIGINAL CINDY: All right...Original Cindy is going to break it down for you, boo. You can sing the blues all you want to about how what you did was wrong and bad and now you feel cheap and empty. But that's just a bunch of BS. The truth is you love Logan.

MAX: Look, we're not even like that. The fact is, we'd both be better off if we never even met.

ORIGINAL CINDY: Yeah, right.

MAX: He has to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair on account of me.

ORIGINAL CINDY: I didn't see you on TV pulling no trigger.

MAX: No, but I could have protected him, and I didn't. That's on me, 100%. I'm nothing but trouble. I'm poison. The best thing for me to do is keep my distance before I get him killed.

ORIGINAL CINDY: Well, he doesn't seem to be too worried about that--the way he's always looking at you all dreamy-eyed.

MAX: And what do I do...I stand him up on our anniversary and go have sex with a total stranger. That's what I call true love.

(Original Cindy puts her arm around Max.)

ORIGINAL CINDYM: The only reason you ended up with hot boy is because you were running from the reality of the situation. Now, you gonna have to step to the real about you and Logan--sooner or later--or your little head's going to explode. But what do I know? I'm just a big 'ol lesbo.

(Original Cindy hands Max a tissue.)

(Inside the special mission place where Tinga is held up.)

MADAME X: Why is it taking so long?

TECHNICIAN: She's a fighter.

( Cell phone rings )

MADAME X: Yes.

(Agent Sandoval is walking around somewhere with abandoned warehouses.)

AGENT SANDOVAL: He's on his way here. I told him I needed to talk to him in private.

MADAME X: About what?

AGENT SANDOVAL: About you-- said I didn't know if he could trust you.

MADAME X: That hurts my feelings. When it's done, go back to the tracking van. I'll meet you there. This girl they're looking for...I'm anxious to bring her in.

(Madame X leaves the special mission place. Zack is watching from a far. Lydecker is driving to the meeting place. He gets out of the vehicle and walks around.)

( Faint whirring growing louder )

(A hoverdrone flies by.)

(Lydecker walks up behind Agent Sandoval and puts his hand on one of his shoulders.)

LYDECKER: Do you want to talk?

(A hoverdrone comes up in front of Agent Sandoval and Lydecker.)

LYDECKER: I wonder what this is all about.

(Lydecker steps away from Agent Sandoval and puts his glasses on. The hoverdrone comes in closer and scans Lydecker's face. The face is not a match for a possible target. The hoverdrone then scans Agent Sandoval's face. Agent Sandoval's face is a match.)

AGENT SANDOVAL: What the...?

LYDECKER: You forgot who you work for!

(Lydecker takes out a picture of Agent Sandoval with Lydecker's I.D. on the bottom.)

( Gunfire )

LYDECKER ( sighs )

(The hoverdrone shoots down Agent Sandoval. Lydecker takes off his glasses and leaves. Madame X's car drives up next to the Animal Control van. Madame X knocks on the back door.)

MADAME X: I'm taking over this operation. Anything you get on the girl should be reported to my office immediately.

MAN: But Colonel Lydecker...

MADAME X: Forget about him. Where's Agent Sandoval?

(Lydecker walks up from behind Madame X.)

LYDECKER: I gave him time off...he wasn't looking well.

MADAME X: I wasn't expecting to see you here.

LYDECKER: Surprise.

MADAME X: Just came by to get a progress report.

LYDECKER: I'm glad to see you have a personal interest in x5-452.

MADAME X: You don't know how important your kids are to me.

LYDECKER: No... but I'm beginning to get an idea.

(Lydecker gets inside the van.)

(In Logan's apartment, Logan is putting on the exoskeleton. He quickly sits back down in his wheelchair when he hears Max. Max is coming into the apartment the same way she broke into it one year ago. She comes down by rope. Logan rolls over to Max.)

LOGAN: I think you got your nights mixed up.

MAX: First time I broke in here, it was about midnight so, way I figure, it's still our anniversary.

LOGAN: Well, in that case I've still got a bottle of cheap champagne in my fridge.

( Soft piano music plays )

(Max is sitting on the couch. They are each holding a glass of champagne.)

MAX: So, about last night...

LOGAN: Mm-- it's no big deal.

MAX: I owe you an explanation. See, I go through these phases.

LOGAN: Phases?

MAX: 'Cause of my feline DNA. Oh, God, this something I so don't want to talk about. You know, cats? Mating cycles?M

LOGAN: Oh... cycles. Really? So, you go into...wow.

MAX: So, that's why I decided not to come over because, well, because.

LOGAN: Well, I'm glad you're here, and let's just forget about it.

(Logan and Max have a toast. Max drinks some of her champagne.)

MAX: Yeah, let's.

LOGAN: Max, it really is okay.

MAX: No, it's not. I hate it. I hate that this happens to me. I hate what it does to me, the things it makes me do.

(Max walks over to the window.)

LOGAN: All you did was miss...dinner...right?

MAX: I should have stayed home and gone to sleep, but I didn't. I went out for a ride to clear my head and get some fresh air. I ran into this guy...it was a mistake. It wasn't me. It's just something Manticore tricked up inside of me that I can't control. Makes me feel... like no matter what I do or how far I run I can never get away from them. Never.

(Max tears up and turns around to face the window.)

MAX ( Sniffling )

(Logan gets up and walks over to Max. Max turns around and is shocked.)

LOGAN: It's all right. Courtesy our crazy friend Phil.

MAX: Why didn't you tell me?

LOGAN: I wanted it to be a surprise for last night an anniversary gift.

MAX: I'm sorry.

LOGAN: You have nothing to be sorry for...or ashamed of. I know who you are.

(Logan falls back down on the floor. His legs begins to shake.)

MAX ( Gasping )

LOGAN: Ahh! Damn it!

MAX: It's okay.

LOGAN: Sorry, let me just...

exoskeleton ( beeping )

(The exoskeleton stops and doesn't work anymore.)

LOGAN: I'm sorry.

MAX: Logan...you've got nothing to be sorry for or ashamed of. It's never been about you being able to walk--not for me.

LOGAN: Will you look at us?

MAX: Pathetic.

LOGAN: Hopeless.

MAX: Lucky we hooked up.

LOGAN: Happy anniversary.

(Logan leans over to kiss Max. They kiss some more.)

LOGAN: Maybe, uh... maybe we should wait. You know, until you're yourself again.

MAX: This isn't Manticore. This is me.

(Logan and Max continue kissing.)

ZACK: Looks like I caught you at a bad time.

(Zack is in the room. Logan and Max stop kissing.)

ZACK: You want to go save Tinga or has something more urgent come up?

(Inside the Animal Control van.)

ZAKES: We've covered sectors one through eight and everything south of Seneca.

LYDECKER: That only leaves sector nine. The high-rise district.

(Logan's apartment)

ZACK: Got some info from a pencil-pusher inside Manticore. Same guy that told me about Tinga.

MAX: Where is she?

ZACK: There's a research facility they've set up inside a converted silo near the municipal border. Pretty sure that's where they got her.

MAX: When do you want to do it?

ZACK: Tonight.

(Max motions Zack to leave the room.)

MAX: You know I have to do this.

LOGAN: She's your sister.

MAX: We can't let them do to her what they did to Brin. And I promised her little boy he'd see his mom again.

LOGAN: I know. I want to help. I'll hack into some surveillance on the place. We can stay in touch on coms.

(Logan gives Max the coms. They hold each other's hands for a moment.)

MAX: This will wait, right?

LOGAN: We have all the time in the world.

(Inside the Animal Control van.)

ZAKES: We've got a hit. Locked and tracking.

LYDECKER (to walkie-talkie): Base, this is command, authorization Longbow portent. Calling for mobilization.

ZAKES: Oh, come on, come on, come on. She's headed northeast on highway... nine.

LYDECKER (to walkie-talkie): Base, we have the subject in pursuit. Rendezvous at three klicks northeast of checkpoint K to form a convoy behind my lead.

ZAKES ( Laughs )

(Max and Zack are on a bike in a tunnel. Manticore hummers are on their way to the same destination.)

MAX (to com): Logan, you there? We're in the Silo approach tunnel. You got anything?

LOGAN: Yeah. I hacked into the feed off a Chinese spy satellite. Got the location on screen. There's cloud cover, but from what I can tell not a whole hell of a lot of security.

ZACK: We're going in.

(Outside, Lydecker's got his men around him. Lydecker is giving out directions and looking at a computer map.)

LYDECKER: All right. This is the location. Form a containment field in full perimeter around the structure. Let's go.

(Zack gives Max a gun.)

ZACK: Take it, Max. We don't know how much muscle they got in there.

MAX: I'm not going to use it.

ZACK: Take it! I'll go up front and you see what you can find on the other side.

(Zack leaves and Max throws the weapon away. Max kicks down a soldier.)

soldier ( Groans )

MAX: I'm headed up top. See if there's a way in from above.

LOGAN: Copy that. Still can't see much, but I'll keep you posted.

(Max climbs up on top of the facility.)

(Lydecker is inside a vehicle looking at the computer map.)

COM VOICE: Control, perimeter is established. Over.

LYDECKER: This time...there's nowhere to go.

ZACK: I'm down front, Max. Close in.

(Max is inside.)

(Zack is outside shooting off men.)

( Gunfire )

(Inside, Max comes down from the top by rope. She kicks down two soldiers on guard. Then she knocks down the technician monitoring Tinga. The cloud cover is clearing up on the satellite feed. Logan sees that Manticore men are around. Meanwhile, Zack is about to shoot some more men, but he gets shot in the knee.)

LOGAN: Max, Zack?

LOGAN: Max, Zack. Full military convoy.

ZACK: I'm hit.

LOGAN: Get out of there.

(More Manticore hummers are pulling up to the facility.)

LOGAN: Max? Max, pull out.

(Max is looking at the glass case that Tinga is in. There are tubes hooked up to Tinga and she is surrounded by lime green water.)

(Outside, Lydecker is walking up with his men. He checks out the body of a dead soldier outside.)

LYDECKER: It's Manticore special op. Under whose command is this location guarded?

LYDECKER: I don't know, Sir.

LYDECKER: Prepare to engage.

LOGAN: Max, you got to go.

(Max is still looking at Tinga inside the glass case.)

MAX ( Loud grunting )

(Max grabs a chair and breaks the glass case. The green fluid rushes out. The door to the facility opens, Lydecker and his men walk in. They find Max hugging Tinga by the case. Lydecker looks very concerned.)

LOGAN: Max? Are you okay?

( Water dripping )

LOGAN: Talk to me. Max?