Warren was pissed. He was consumed with a deep rage that was overwhelming his fear from having been kidnapped by a psycho who was supposed to be in jail. Max was supposed to be safe from this monster. She was supposed to have been able to avoid this torture, at least in this reality. Max had told him bits and pieces about her experience in Jefferson's dark room. Drugged and helpless, she was forced to jump from reality to reality until she had no more realities to jump to. David Madson had been able to rescue her, to which Warren had always been beyond grateful for.

But now this was their reality. He sat completely unable to move, at least two layers of duct tape keeping him in his chair, and a pair of handcuffs locking him to a metal support to boot. Jefferson was busy trying to frame Max in his camera. The sick bastard now was the only other person other than he and Max herself that knew of the other realities, of their secret, and he was reveling in his revenge and his new sick obsession. Max looked really bad. Her face was red and blood was running down her nose. Had it been like that the whole time? He wasn't sure. She was just hit with a truck, he reminded himself. He was furious and sick to his stomach at the injuries she'd sustained, and was angry with himself that he hadn't been able to protect her. Her pretty face bruised and her delicate mangled arm kept running through his mind. Warren began struggling again, trying to break free so he could beat Jefferson to death.

"No, no, these aren't coming out, Max," Warren heard Jefferson say, "We need something more."

He watched Jefferson set his camera down on his table and pick up a dark object. A gun. Warren's adrenaline began pumping through his veins as he began thrashing desperately against his restraints. He watched as Jefferson passed Max and walked straight towards him. Warren thought things seemed to be moving in slow motion as he watched Jefferson raise the gun and point it right at his face. Warren then became aware of a slight breeze blowing around him that seemed to be getting stronger.

Suddenly a loud booming voice pierced Warren's reality. "JEFFERSON!" He would have covered his ears if his hands had been free. The voice seemed like it was right in the middle of his head. It was immense and inescapable.

The breeze had turned into a swift wind and Warren saw Jefferson turn toward Max, a look of complete shock on his face. Warren followed the gaze toward his girlfriend and his mouth opened in shock. The wind was coming from Max. All around her dust was kicking up. Her hair blew furiously toward the ceiling. Most surprising were her eyes, which were glowing a bright yellow like the sun.

Jefferson dropped back a couple of steps. "Wh-what is going on!?" he yelled.

Warren watched as Max, chair and all, began to slowly lift off the ground. The wind grew stronger and Warren thought Max's entire body was starting to glow. The duct tape surrounding his girlfriend began to simply dissolve around her until the chair she had been strapped to dropped to the floor and then was blown behind her across the warehouse floor. She straightened her body and seemed to be glaring at Jefferson. Her feet remained a foot or so off the ground. Her broken right arm hung down to her waist as her left arm was held out in front of her.

Jefferson looked like he'd seen enough, and he began firing the gun at Max. He fired until the slide locked back and the pistol was empty. Warren thought he saw a slight grin form in the corner of Max's mouth, and she seemed to glow even brighter. Not one bullet seemed to have hit her.

Max opened her mouth, and the consuming sound that pierced Warren's head was there again, "JEFFERSON, EAT SHIT AND DIE!"

Suddenly a pulse of power and light exploded from Max, which launched her backward. The shockwave blew Warren back as far as his handcuffs would allow as well. He had to adjust his view as the pulse headed right for Jefferson. His eyes were wide and his mouth opened to scream, but Warren couldn't hear him over the gale of wind and the echoes of Max's enhanced voice ringing in his ears. The pulse hit Jefferson and his face began to seemingly melt away. Flesh and then muscle was ripped off until only patches of red remained on his skull. His upper body also took the blast, which removed Jefferson's flesh from his ribcage and the portions of his arms that faced Max. Warren was stunned as Jefferson's body dropped to its knees, and then fell forward onto what was left of his face.

Warren's heart was pounding as hard as he thought it ever had, and his mind was having trouble processing what he'd just seen. He stared wide-eyed at Jefferson for another moment and then slowly looked back to Max. Her teeth were gritted and her face was straining. Veins pulsed on her forehead and she was breathing very heavily. Her body was still glowing slightly and the gale of wind was still blowing all around her, but soon it began to subside. Her glow seemed to fade and her body began to sink back to the ground. The gale began to subside and her breathing began to normalize. Her feet touched the ground, and then she sunk to her knees. After a few moments Warren could tell she was sobbing softly. He tried to call to her, but his voice was still muffled by the duct tape. She looked up and her face brightened slightly when they made eye contact.

"Warren!" she exclaimed. She stood up slowly and shakily, her right arm still dangling. With her left hand she gently grabbed it to keep it from moving and cringed. Warren could tell she was in a lot of pain as she limped her way toward him.

She reached him and cupped his face in her left hand as she knelt down in front of him. She stared into his un-swollen eye for a moment, and he could tell she was trying to make sure he was really there. He stared back, trying to reassure her. Tears were still streaming from her piercing blue eyes. She pulled the duct tape from his face as gently as she could.

"Holy shit, Max," he whispered.

"Warren, I saw you die so many times. I'm so sorry," she cried as she wrapped her left arm around his neck for a moment, before backing off and giving him a thankful kiss.

"Max, what are you talking about? Don't be sorry! You just saved us! I don't know how, but…holy shit!"

"I-I don't either exactly," she said as she started to work at the tape binding Warren with her free hand, "I saw Chloe, Warren."

Warren felt he should have been surprised at that, but he really wasn't. This was another one of those days where nothing could surprise him.

Max continued, "She told me that I could beat Jefferson. She told me I could stop the hurricane."

Warren had almost forgotten about that, "I guess we're going to have to talk about that. But Max we've got to get out of here and get you to a hospital!"

"I don't think we have time, Warren. I have to get to the coast! I have to stop that storm! I can' let it hurt all those people!"

Warren noticed that she wasn't making much progress with the tape only using one hand and he began to look around for something to cut it with, "We'll talk about that later. Can you find something to cut me out with? I don't think we're going to make any progress like this."

She stepped away briefly and returned with a couple of pens from her bag. Once she was able to poke a hole through the tape it began to tear more easily. Warren was finally able to free his right arm and started tearing the rest of the tape off. He stood up and was able to stretch his legs finally.

"He's probably got the keys to these cuffs on him or on the table," he said yanking slightly on the metal bracelet holding him to the metal support.

She shuddered slightly, and he could tell she really didn't want to search the remains of Mark Jefferson. Luckily for her she found the keys on the table. The camera had fallen on the ground and had broken during the ruckus Max had caused. She limped back over to Warren and freed him from the cuffs and then fell into him exhausted. He grabbed her protectively, making extra sure to be careful with her wounded arm. Reaching down, he picked her up and cradled her light form as he walked toward the nearest exit. Neither of them looked back at the scene of devastation they were leaving. They both had a lot to talk about, but neither had the energy. They just wanted to go home.

Okay guys, I know this chapter might be a little controversial. Yes, I just gave Max DBZ-esque powers, but I think it makes sense. She can control time, I don't think it's that far-fetched that she can control space to a degree as well.

Anyway, I hope you're still enjoying the story. I'm having a blast writing it. I'm trying to give some allusions to certain events in the game, such as Max's last words to Jefferson. Maybe you can see some others?