As I walked through the hallway on my way to his lab I saw Max and Steel looking a bit puzzled and so I decided to ask what was up. Even Shock was curious as we walked over and they looked up as we approached.
"Hey where's the fire?" I asked them with a grin but that soon changed when they both seemed surprised to see me. "Umm what's with the long faces guys?"
"It's Berto. He woke up a few hours ago and ever since then he's been acting differently." Max said and Steel nodded. "Look it would probably be easier if you talked to him." He added and they began to walk away before I could ask why. With a shrug I decided to go and speak to him directly and I soon found him working on C.Y.T.R.O.
"He looks pretty much the same to me." Shock commented as we walked over and that's when he turned around. Just for a second I saw a cold expression on his face then it changed when he saw that it was me because he grinned and walked over. Before I knew what was happening he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me into a kiss.
Just for a moment I was kind of annoyed that he didn't even ask then I relaxed when he began to nibble my lips and I soon returned the kiss. Rolling his eye Shock decided that Berto was fine and so he asked me if he needed to be here. When I didn't answer him, too caught up with my boyfriend currently kissing my neck, he gave up and flew away to ask Max why he'd told us a lie.
Oblivious to the fact that my friend had left the room I continued kissing my boyfriend and after a few seconds one of his hands left my waist and he began to run his hand up and down the inside of my leg.
Not sure what he was doing I went to ask just as he leaned forward and that's when he bit my neck hard with his teeth. I hissed in pain as a small trickle of blood begin to run down my neck and I stared at him, confused.
Giving me the oddest smile he leaned over and started to suck on the wound. As his tongue grazed my neck I groaned and he chuckled as he continued licking the bite mark. After a few seconds my head lolled backwards and my eyes closed as I sighed.
I was actually enjoying this more assertive side to him until he started to rub his hand along the inside of my thigh and when his hand moved too far upwards for my liking I suddenly pushed him away. Angry I stared at him breathing hard as he stared back.
"What's your problem? Don't act like you weren't enjoying that." He asked me and when I didn't answer too confused by his actions and his question he frowned. "Maybe if you weren't wearing that stupid Base suit we could have a little fun." The second he said that to me I growled at him, furious.
"How dare you?" I shouted at him. "You know what would happen if I removed the suit." Berto eyed me for a moment then he burst out laughing. As I stood there shocked he spoke and what he said next stunned me.
"Maybe I should find another girl who's not so uptight." Berto told me and I was so angry with him I grabbed the silver and black ring from around my neck and threw it at him. "Maybe I'll give this to her too." He added as he knelt, picking up the ring before he walked away with a grin. After he left, laughing to himself, I stood there confused by his behavior until I began to sniff.
When Shock finally returned he found me sitting hunched over on the floor sobbing. Not able to get a single coherent word out of me he went looking for help and a few minutes later Max and Steel rushed in.
"What happened?" Max asked as Shock flew over and hovered beside me as I sobbed. Mumbling something that Max didn't quite catch he walked over and sat beside me. "Sorry what did you say?" He said and I managed to get a few words out between sobs. "Berto…and broke up? Wait he dumped you?" He asked me and I sobbed harder.
"Max!" Steel shouted at him as Shock hovered beside me, wanting to help but not sure how. It wasn't until I calmed down enough that Steel asked me what Berto had said and rubbing at my red eyes I somehow told them.
"I walked in and straight away he started making out with me." The second I said that Max rolled his eyes and I glared at him. "But then he actually bit my neck really hard, making it bleed, and complained that if I 'wasn't wearing that stupid Base suit we could have a little fun'. Those were his words exactly and I got so angry that I threw the ring he made for me at him. He said he'd find another girl to give the ring to before he walked out on me." I finished before fresh tears started running down my face and I buried my face in my hands.
Before anyone could stop me I ran away and I ended up running into my mom's old office before I sat heavily on the floor and began to cry. Back in Berto's lab Max, Steel and Shock were feeling pretty thrown by their friend's actions and were trying to work out what to do.
"Should we look for Berto and get him to explain why he's acting this way? Or should we find Jessie?" Steel said as they stood next to each other.
"I'll go after Jessie and you guys find Berto. I want to know why he'd hurt someone he supposedly cares about." Shock said and after agreeing to that plan they split up. Thinking for a moment Shock tried to figure out where his partner would run to and then he remembered his link with her. Hovering in the hallway he called out to her. "Jessie? Where are you?" He asked and after a moment he heard someone sniffing.
"Mom's office." I sniffed before I began to cry again and less than a minute later he flew into the room as I leaned against the wall. Rushing over he hovered level with my face as I rubbed at my eyes, trying to stop crying and failing miserably. "How could he so cruel to me after I told him…I hate him so much." I sniffed and Shock crossed his arms in front of me.
"No you don't. Otherwise you wouldn't have gotten so upset. We have to figure out what's wrong with him because that clearly isn't our friend. Well it is but he's not acting like his usual self." Shock said and I finally stopped crying to stare at him.
"Then why is he acting like that? What happened while I was at school?" I asked as I climbed to my feet and he frowned, thinking.
"He was his usual self when we were last here. That was …what a day or so ago? What happened in the last twenty-four hours?" Shock said to me and I thought about this for a few minutes.
"I remember calling him to ask what he was doing yesterday and then there was this weird static and after that I couldn't contact him. That's just after Toxzon kidnapped him and he managed to rescue him a few hours later. When he woke up he seemed fine but now…something's really wrong. It's like he has a darker personality and I'm…scared." I whispered and Shock set his arm down on my shoulder. "What if his old personality's gone for good?"
"We'll help him. Don't worry, Jessie." Shock told me and I nodded though I was still worried. Deciding to go looking for him we took off in Flight Mode and two hours later I saw him walking towards the sewer hatch in the park. I landed, nearly rushing after him when Shock told me to watch him instead.
"But if we don't do something soon he'll vanish again and who knows where he'll go next." I replied. Then Shock told me to use Stealth mode and I mentally kicked myself before I changed modes. In this mode I quietly followed him and as I did he walked the same path Max and I had used the previous day.
"I think I've figured it out. I'm pretty sure that purple gas that Toxzon created caused his personality change. It happened to Molly once before and maybe it's been altered. Look let's just follow Berto and see what we can do about getting an antidote." Shock told me and I nodded at him as we continued to follow my boyfriend.
Eventually I saw Berto enter a small hole in the wall and as I walked a short distance behind him I made sure to watch my step so he didn't hear me. Unfortunately I stumbled and he whirled around so I quickly hid behind a bunch of pipes and after a few seconds he shrugged and walked away.
Inwardly sighing I followed him now being extra cautious so he didn't see me until Shock reminded me that Stealth Mode made it impossible for Berto to see me and I blushed. Hurrying after my boyfriend I soon found him standing in front of a door set into the wall and as I watched he placed his hand on the side of the wall and as it opened I made my move.
As he slipped through the opening I brushed past him just as he walked fully inside and just for a moment he frowned. Hoping he hadn't felt me brush past him I was shocked to find myself standing in a laboratory and that's when I heard Toxzon's voice.
"So you finally showed up." Toxzon said as Berto walked over to him. "Now that you're here my plan can begin." As he stepped towards Berto I moved closer to hear what he was saying and that's when I tripped on a metal pipe and as the sound echoed throughout the room I cringed. "Max Steel?" Toxzon shouted and I finally showed myself as I changed to Base Mode. "Wait you're not Max Steel, you're J-Shock." He said and I rolled my eyes as I stepped forward.
"Well duh. What are you doing with that N-Tek agent?" I asked and that's when I got a shock of my life as Berto attacked me. I quickly dodged and he kicked out at my legs before he took a swing at my face. As I dodged his blows, either moving out of the way or throwing my arms up to protect myself, Shock asked why I wasn't fighting back.
"I'm…not fighting…Berto." I answered as I dodged yet again. Soon I was out of breath and he managed to strike me in the ribs. I fell forward and he followed up with a knee to my face that connected and I sprawled on the ground.
Gasping I tried to stand before Berto slammed his foot into my head twice in a row and as the blows connected I felt myself blacking out to the sounds of Toxzon's laughter. Sometime later I woke to someone carrying me out of the sewer and when I finally managed to open my eyes I saw it was Max Steel in Strength Mode. As I let out a groan, my head throbbing, Shock asked if I was okay.
"I got beat up by my boyfriend. Probably ex-boyfriend now." I muttered as Max stepped outside into the sunshine and carefully set me down. Still woozy I somehow managed to stay on my feet and as I stood there Max changed back to Base Mode.
"What happened to you?" He asked as I put my hand on my head. When I gave him the short version he coughed. "You got beat up by Berto?" He commented and I sighed. "Wow."
"Yeah. I found Berto and Toxzon. Berto attacked me and because I wouldn't fight him he ended up knocking me out." I sighed. "I don't know where they are now and it's all because I went chasing after them like an idiot." Feeling pretty angry with myself I was all set to walk away when Shock detached and flew in front of me, crossing his arms as he blocked my path.
"Where do you think you're going?" Max asked and I turned to stare at him. "We need to find Berto and Toxzon. Since you messed up you have to help find them. Besides Jefferson and Kat are helping us look so it shouldn't take too long."
With another sigh I nodded and Shock linked with me. Changing to Flight Mode this time Max Steel took to the sky soon followed by me and we began our search. It wasn't until we were flying over Copper Canyon for the fifth time and as I was beginning to think it was hopeless that I spotted Berto walking along the street.
Before Max Steel could stop me I flew after him and as I did he ducked into an alleyway. Determined not to lose him again I followed and landed before switching to Base Mode again before I took off at a quick pace leaving Max Steel to race after me.
"I thought you said you wouldn't go after him without backup." Shock said as I raced after my boyfriend and soon I realized that he'd deliberately led me to the alleyway entrance of N-Tek. The second I turned into the alley he came at me and I was suddenly shoved against the wall.
"Why are you following me?" Berto growled his hand against my throat and I was about to answer him when Shock pointed out that in his current state he might not know my real identity. "Who are you?"
"I'm J-Shock. Aren't you part of N-Tek? Why are you working for Toxzon?" I replied and he loosened his grip for a moment. "Aren't you Jessie's boyfriend?" I asked him and he stared at me not seeing me clenching my fist until I struck slamming my knee into his stomach and he doubled over. Not giving him time to react I followed up with a strike to the back of his head and he crumbled.
Letting out a pained gasp he collapsed and I caught him before he hit the pavement. "Let's get him back to…oh man." I started before Toxzon appeared and he growled at me.
"I don't think so. I need him to infiltrate N-Tek and find what I need to finally take out Max Steel once and for all." Toxzon told me and I glared at him. "Hand him over." He ordered and I shook my head as I carefully set Berto down. "Then I'll just have to take him by force."
The moment he finished speaking he rushed me and I brought my arms up to stop his claws. As I did I attacked with a head-butt which he deflected. As he went to strike me I changed to Strength Mode and the instant energy blast knocked him back a few feet.
"It's on Xander!" I called out as I ran at him, smashing my fist into his mouth and he slammed into the wall behind him. "Yeah how'd you like that? That's for hurting my friend." I told him as I changed to Valkyrie mode as I chased him but he dodged and took to the skies, firing a blast of purple goop at me. I dodged one blast and that's when Shock warned me to be careful.
"That's the same stuff he used on Berto. Don't let it get on you." He told me as I dodged another blast before changing to Flight Mode. Flying after him I had to dodge again and again as Toxzon tried to take me out.
"Huh! Missed me." I called out as I crashed into him and as we fell towards the pavement I threw a punch at him but he caught my arms. Striking back he hit me and I wasn't able to right myself before I hit the ground hard. As I lay there dazed Toxzon grabbed me around my neck and lifted me off the ground, laughing.
"Now you're the helpless one. This is for attacking me and taking the antidote to save your friend." He growled as he punched me in the stomach and I gasped. After another strike to my stomach, with his foot this time, he leaned in and I found myself face to face with the villain.
"That was the most humiliating battle I have ever fought and now you'll pay for making me look bad in front of Max Steel and Fishy." He added and before I had time to dodge he struck me again in the face this time and I gasped.
In pain I fought to say conscious and as I did Max Steel grabbed Toxzon around the neck. Lifting him off the ground he threw the villain and helped me up as Toxzon struck the far brick wall. Shaking my head to clear it I went after Toxzon who managed to escape my clutches and I growled, about to race after him until Max called out to me.
"I'll go after him. You take Berto back to N-Tek." Max told me and I hesitated until I looked down at Berto lying motionless on the ground and I finally gave him a nod. Changing to Flight Mode Max took off after Toxzon while I picked up Berto and flew towards the Copper Canyon entrance. Soon I landed in the hangar and as I placed Berto on the floor to change to Base Mode, I saw Forge come running.
"What happened out there?" He asked me as I carefully picked up Berto who was now groaning. "Where's Max and Steel?" I quickly told him as I headed for the Medical Bay but Forge stopped me. "Let's get him to the Medical Bay and see what we can do to help him."
A few minutes later we were standing next to the bed that Berto was now occupying. Reluctantly I had ended up tying him to the bed to prevent him from trying to escape though he was still out cold, groaning from time to time.
"This doesn't feel right. I know he's not himself but…" I trailed off and Forge clamped a hand on my shoulder to reassure me.
"I know how you feel but it had to be done. Don't worry we'll find a way to help him." Forge said and I gave him a nod, still unable to believe that my boyfriend had attacked me. About an hour later I heard Berto groan and as he did he slowly opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling. Then his eyes moved around the room until they fixed on me and he suddenly grinned.
"What happened to me?" He asked as he went to sit only to find himself unable to move and he stared at me. "Why am I tied up? I didn't know you were into this sort of thing but okay." He added and I glared at him, knowing that he was still acting strange. When he realized that I wasn't going to untie him he glared back. "Let me go." He growled and I took a step back, scared of the coldness in his voice and Shock detached.
"You're not yourself so you're staying put." I replied crossing my arms and his eyes narrowed before he began to struggle against the straps holding him in place. But they were too tight and he eventually gave up instead growling at me and I sighed. "I didn't want to do this but you left me no choice. Hopefully we can work on changing you back to your normal self soon."
"Normal self? This is me and me only. Eres un idiota." He muttered and I frowned at him. Even though I only knew a little Spanish I knew he'd just called me an idiot. I knew Berto and he'd never insult me like that. It only took a few minutes before Berto just lay there and he chuckled as I looked on hurt.
Noticing the distress on my face Shock tried to cheer me up but it didn't work and I ended up rushing into the hallway so my boyfriend wouldn't see my tears. Though he could probably hear me as I sobbed just outside the room. When Max and Steel finally returned they only had bad news for me and as I listened I found out that Toxzon had somehow managed to escape and now he could be anywhere in Copper Canyon.
"What do we do now? Berto might be stuck like this for good." I sniffed and seeing the misery on my face he sighed feeling awful for me. "He's being so mean to me and I don't know what I can do for him."
"I have an idea." Kat suddenly said and as I listened I found out that her solution was the same one they used for Molly when Toxzon was controlling her. Walking back into the Medical Bay I stood beside Berto who stared at me and to his surprise I grabbed the ties holding him down and in a split second he was free.
With a frown on his face Berto jumped to his feet, grabbing me around the neck with both hands. Even as his grip tightened I refused to ask for help instead I made my helmet vanish before I stared Berto straight in the eyes. Confused he eyed me, possibly thinking it was a trick then as he continued to stare into my eyes I saw something there.
"Berto? Do you really want to hurt me?" I asked and as everyone watched on his grip loosened and soon he let go. Standing there I looked him straight in his chocolate-brown eyes and after a few seconds he smiled at me.
Suddenly he lunged forward and pulled me into a hug, wrapping his arms around my waist as he did and after a second I returned the hug. Then as we held each other I felt tears running down my cheeks and as I began to sob he held me tighter.
"I am so sorry." He whispered and I ended up sitting heavily on the floor as I cried my eyes out. He never stopped hugging me once as I did.