The rubble and destruction lay on the ground, prodded by the boots of unnecessary rescue teams, police officers and firemen. We snuck quietly away towards the nearest hospital...the hole in the back of the left of my jaw hurt like hell, no more than what I was used to in Fight Club, but it still needed to be seen to.

Marla held my hand the whole way, squeezing it every so often to get me to squeeze it back, reassuring her that I was ok. Not so much that she was reassuring me that she was there for me. The hospital was only a few miles away, but the drive felt so very, very long.

Operation Mayhem had been a success. Tyler got what he wanted and I, well, I was going to have to think now, now wasn't I?

When I'd realised what was going on I had panicked. I had got so scared that I had gone to the police and asked them to arrest me. They knew EVERYTHING. Or at least, most of everything. They'd find me eventually. And if they didn't it would be because the guys Tyler...we...I had on the force were doing everything they could from letting me or anyone else who was part of Project Mayhem or Fight Club get caught.

I don't know whether I should be thankful or ashamed. Whenever I heard about a horrible crime; a murder, a rape, a horrific assault on someone, whatever I always felt sorry for the victims...but now, I was technically both a victim and a criminal. I hadn't been in the right state of mind (urg...pun) and everyone who was involved either directly (the space monkeys) or indirectly (Marla) knew me as Tyler Durden.

The leader. The superior officer. The only one who was allowed to have a name in this insane freak show of 'revolution', of 'freedom' and reckless incidents of stunts that go far beyond 'funny', 'innocent' pranks known as 'Project Mayhem'.

No.

This was very serious.

I am Jack's nagging conscience.

I should offer myself up to the authorities.

I should be trying to focus on where I was walking as I was led down the corridor of the ER.

I should not be here at all.

Tyler is gone....but for now, I'm going to have to live with the name for as long as I am still with the monkeys and Marla. Maybe I could tell her my real –

"OW!"

"Sorry, sir. It's a pretty nasty wound" The doctor says to me. His broken nose far too familiar to me for my liking. "If you don't mind my asking, sir, but, how did you get it?"

I looked up at him as he continued to stitch and sew, eyes never leaving the wound and his handiwork.

I rolled my eyes trying to convey that I was not going to tell anyone.

Angel Face stood close to Marla's left and the very first applicant stood to her right. I looked at them and furrowed my brow. They backed off a little and Marla smiled at me and uttered "Wimp" or something.

"Aaaaand there we are" The doctor said as he stepped back and allowed me room to get up and stand, "Sir, if it's all right, I advise keeping it clean and not touching it" He attempted to reach up and swat my hand away but stopped himself, as if remembering who I was. He shuffled his feet and looked at his shoes.

"Sir?" I turn, Angel Face...heh...began, "What now?"

"'What now'?" I repeated. "What now?" I whisper. What do we do now? The police know about the house, the garden and Bob...the plan...not all of the men on the force are ours so it isn't like we'd be able to stay away from them forever.

The house might end up on auction....the monkeys who don't have a home anymore could put their $300 'burial' money together and buy it...

I'll probably end up in jail...Marla probably wouldn't visit...

I sigh.

"Um...we see if we can go back to h-head quarters" I rasp, "We get the guys on the force to keep an eye on it...see if it comes up for auction"

"Mr Durden?" Ricky (First recruit) asks "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that we will get caught if we are not careful. Not all of you are to blame..and I am but you guys...you're just..you're just a bunch of fucking monkeys!" I walk forward a little and take the pants the doctor had brought in. "You know what? Get everyone to meet at Lou's. Don't ask why...we just need to..to talk about something"

Ricky stares and nods his head. Angel Face mentions a list of names that Tyler kept in his room and that they weren't allowed in there.

"I can't go there, right now. You have permission to go in and take the list" I wave my left hand up and down to show that I mean what I'm saying.

They leave.

Marla looks at me, I look at her.

"So what the fuck is going on?"

How eloquent.

"The explosion we saw. That was Ty-my idea. Those guys who picked you up? My...uh...'followers'"

The look she gave me was priceless.

"I know, sounds weird. But. Remember I told you I found a "new thing"?" She nods "It was basically me
and some guys who got together and beat the shit out of each other as a...uh....a release"

"And when did blowing things up come into this?"

"When ... I uh... lost control of my body"

I am Jack's idiotic honesty

"Well...maybe not so much...my body but...uh" I sigh. Rub the back of my neck and look at the floor for a few moments before sheepishly smiling at her as I raise my head. "Basically, I wanted to rebel against consumerism and wanted to erase the debt record and...and...Listen, I'm not sure what I wanted...or how explosions got connected to fighting for some kind of stress reliever"

"Sir?" I turn around, the Doc is back. "There's someone on the phone for you"
"Who is it?"
"In project mayhem we have no names so-"
"Project Mayhem is over" I state. He still has a blank expression. "Blonde hair?" I sigh.
"Yeah" He smiles and moves from the door way to let me past.

"What is it?"
"Sir, we have the list of names and locations for tonight and have managed to get in touch with the leaders of each group of people. We have told everyone to get to Lou's immediately. A car is ready to pick you up if you want it"
"Thanks...good. Send it over I'm still at the hospital" I hang up and tell Marla to get a cab back to her apartment and wait for any news.

The doctor and I share the cab to Lou's. Silent and oh, so very pleasant.

When we open the doors, there is a loud chatter which stops as soon as my feet hit the bottom step. Heads turn to face me. Eyes open and watching my every move. Hands covering mouths as they see the damage at the back of my jaw.

I stop in the middle of the room; a circle is formed around me as I take a deep, deep breath.

"Project mayhem, is over. We have accomplished what we set out to do!"
There is an unwanted cheer and I hold my hands up and there is silence...this amount of power is both intoxicating and terrifying.
"Project Mayhem is, as of now, OVER! Do you hear me? OVER" They turn to one another, slightly confused "Fight Club is officially starting again, nothing else. So you guys can meet here and fight. But no more pranks or anything like that until I get back!"

"Sir?"

"A little while ago, I-" I stopped. I didn't want to admit that it was ME that had told the police...I never really wanted to be a Castrati Singer...but the Officers who had been in the interrogation room had moved forward "I alerted the police about what we were doing" Faces contort into expressions of confusion, anger and uncertainty. "As part of a test" Faces are confused.

"The test was to see if it was possible for you to stop me. You failed"

Faces are ashamed.

"And I am probably going to have to go away for a while"

Years more like.

"While I'm gone, I want you guys to just keep Fight Club going. As your outlet. No pranks, unless I tell you. Marla Singer is to be left alone. By all means, keep an eye on her to make sure she's safe but nothing else. Also, I want you try and see if you can buy the house on Paper Street, those of you who don't have a home I especially want you to try and buy it. Keep it as your own, do it up, I don't care"

I explained what might happen, what they had to do, and that if they needed me (because the sheep always need their leader) if they absolutely needed me they had not to return address it, and if they did, make sure it had my old PO box address on it.

"So, for now, go home. Live the lives you had before Project Mayhem and...and just lay low!" I said as I backed off towards the steps. I got back in the car and drove to Marla's explained what I could to her and then drove to the police station and turned myself in.

Again.

But with a totally different and not-to-mention totally unexpected outcome...

At least it boosts the legend of Tyler Durden being born in a mental institute.