Phantom: was up?

Muse: stop-just-just stop, your embarrassing me... and yourself.

Phantom: whatever, what's up everybody!

Muse: the Phantom is back YO!

Phantom: all right stop!

Muse: HAMMER TIME!

Phantom: *glares*

Muse: what?

Phantom:you killed it.

Muse: what!?

Phantom: you spread it out on the table and butchered it the a thanksgiving turkey!

Muse: I'm sorry. should we collaborate and listen?

Phantom: yes we should collaborate and you should listen. chapter 21 is here. read, enjoy, and wonder at what is to come!

Chapter 21

Krystal sat across from Jessica at a corner table in the Hospital cafeteria. The food was bland as the two ate; Krystal had opted for Chicken from the cafeteria grill. The clicking of silverware on plates filled the room, along with a low undertone of chatter. Krystal had just taken a bite of chicken when Jessica asked, "How did you two meet?"

There was a pause as Krystal stopped chewing to think about what Jessica had asked, and how to answer. "In the most unusual way you can imagine." Krystal said.

"Wow, nice detail." Jessica said sarcastically.

"What do you want a biography?" Krystal asked her.

"I want a story," Jessica said. Krystal looked at Jessica questioningly, she suspected that there was more to it than just curiosity, but there was only one way for Krystal to find out the truth of it. Krystal opened her mind, using her telepathic abilities she expanded her awareness and focused it towards the girl in front of her. Krystal fought through waves of emotions from the other people in the room, most were of sorrow and worry, one thought grabbed her attention more than the others. He's just a boy! Why? Why! Does he have to suffer like this; the doctors don't know what to do for him. This wasting disease is killing my baby boy, My Jeremy. Krystal felt a tear roll down her cheek, her fur soaked it up. She quickly pulled herself from the mother's mind, and once again focused on Jessica. Krystal delved into her mind searching for an answer; it didn't take long for her to find it. It was a very simple answer from Jessica's mind, "I need to know what they mean to each other." The answer was so simple Krystal nearly burst into laughter.

Jessica had been watching her for a while and was beginning to question the blue vixen's sanity. She had looked like she was going to burst into tears a moment ago and now it seemed like she might burst into laughter. As it happened a small giggle did escape Krystal. Krystal quickly regained her composure, took a deep breath and exhaled. "A story, huh." Krystal said. "There was once a young girl, who had lost her parents and her home, and she searched the galaxy for answers. There was also a boy who had never known his mother, but loved his father, and strove to be like him in every way." Krystal looked up at Jessica, it didn't take a telepathic ability to see that she had her full attention, and it did not escape her notice that there was also a group of children that had gathered around her. "One day the girl found herself in a forgotten corner of a system, when she received a distress call from a planet called Dinosaur planet, being of a kind nature she decided to investigate." Krystal proceeded to tell them about how she came to be on dinosaur planet, about her confrontation with General Scales on his ship, in a manner that gave no hint that she is actually speaking about her past. "The General grabs hold of the young girl and shouts 'no one can defeat General Scales' walks over to the edge of his ship and… throws the girl over the side." There was a gasp from the children who were listening, "but she does not fall far, for her friend the cloud runner catches her. And they head to the Krazoa palace." Krystal tells them of the strange creatures guarding the palace, and of the earth walker she found in the palace and of what he told her, about the Krazoa spirits and how they were dying, and that she must pass tests to reclaim a Krazoa spirit and return it to the palace, but only the pure of heart can take the test. Still speaking in the third person she tells them of the test she took in order to retrieve the first spirit, about releasing the spirit and then being trapped in the Crystal. "Now the boy of whom we spoke of before has become a man, he has lost his father to war and betrayal, but the boy has become his father's equal, the boy is now a warrior and hero to his people. He is sent to Dinosaur planet at the request of his planets leaders, for the planet is breaking apart and is danger of being destroyed." Fox had told Krystal about his adventures on the planet a couple times, enough that she could recount most of it well enough. She left out certain parts that she felt might make the story less interesting, or more realistic. She finally reached the part when Fox released the last Krazoa spirit. "When the final Krazoa spirit was returned the girl was freed from her prison and the two were together from then on. But years later they found they had different paths to follow, and so they went their separate ways."

The children waited to see if there was more, seeing that she was done one of the children stood and asked, "Pretty lady?" Krystal turned to see that it was a white furred feline, "did they ever meet again?"

Krystal smiled, "yes they did, and almost five years after they parted they found each other again."

"Did they live happily ever after?" the girl asked.

"I don't know sweetheart, I guess we'll have to wait and see."

"alright, Amy," a tall white female feline called to the young girl, you've bother them enough, come over here."

"Yes mama." The young girl said, turning and walking towards her mother. With that the rest of the children dispersed, all of the children were smiling as they hurried back to their parents. Krystal turned as the white feline approached their table, her green eyes where brilliant in contrast with her white fur, and she wore a rather ornate dress, not overly showy but beautiful.

"Thank you," she said to Krystal, "it's been a while since she's smiled, I'm sorry if she was a bother."

"Bother?" Krystal asked, "not at all, I rather enjoyed telling that." Krystal said.

"Well all the same thank you." She said, she turned to leave then paused, "um excuse me if this seems odd, but do you have any children.

Krystal was startled by the question and awkwardly responded "Children… ah no, no, I am… don't have any children."

"Oh," the feline said, "forgive me it's just you acted very mother like." The click, click of someone on crutches made the three women turn. Making his way down the row of tables was Fox, now wearing a set of sweat pants and a sleeveless T-shirt, showing a number of scars that decorated both of his arms. He skirted the white feline and moved to sit next to Jessica, the look of fear on her face made him pause.

"What?" he asked.

"What are you doing?" Jessica hissed at him.

"Getting food." Fox replied taken aback by her anger.

Krystal was studying him; he seemed off somehow, there was a subtle trembling to his hands that she had never seen before or the slight twitch in his movements. "I can see that," Jessica said, "why are you up, you're not supposed to be up?"

"Sorry I couldn't take that damn room anymore, all that beeping and whirring was driving me nuts… besides there wasn't anybody there and I was hungry."

"Hey mister,"

"What?" Fox said looking around.

"Mister?" the kid said again.

Fox turned to Krystal who was holding in her laughter, "do you hear something?" he asked looking around again, "I swear there's this." The Feline was smiling now.

"Mister, down here." Fox finally faced the kid. He was a rather thin border collie.

"Hey," Fox said, leaning forward, "do you hear that? I swear someone keeps saying mister, mister."

The boy laughed, "That was me." He said giggling.

"Really?" Fox said sounding shocked, "I thought I was being haunted… hey…" Fox turned back to the kid, "are you a ghost?"

"NO!" the boy said. "I'm just a boy."

"Oh, I guess you are." Fox said smiling, "now what is it?"

"How did you get that scar?" the collie said, pointing to a rather large scar that ran the center of his bicep and curved toward his elbow in a jagged line. Fox thought for a second then remembered.

It was raining outside that night, big heavy drops that drummed out a maddening beat on their helmets; this was a drug house raid, with a high danger rate. The building was old. But lights burned from every window of the three story house. Fox was second, directly behind the point man. He gripped this riffle with both hands, letting some of the metal features bite into his hand. The signal was given and the column moved forward. At the door the point man waited five seconds then kicked in the door. And shouted "Police Raid, everyone on the ground!" immediately there was a gunshot, a badger with a snub nose pistol came through a door way on the right. The point man pulled the trigger on his shotgun, and the slug punched a gaping hole in the badger's chest. They passed two more door ways with empty rooms, on the left of the hall was another door Fox detached from the column along with another and entered the room. The second he set foot in the room the was shot from the right corner of the room with a large caliber pistol. The bullet carved a furrow in his arm from his elbow to about mid bicep was it exited and struck the very edge of Fox's vest. The second in the room shoot the attacked multiple times with his SMG. Fox fell to the ground with a cry of pain.

He was back now, the boy was still looking at him expectantly, his face was a little paler from the memory but he shook it off, "Ah, you know I've got so many I forget how I get them, but you know I do remember this one," Fox said twisting and pointing to a jagged line that ran from the base of his skull to his collar bone on his left side. "You know I used to be a pilot, and a darn good one at that if I do say so myself. Any way when I was still in the academy I was running a test flight for a new fighter design, it was suppose to be faster and more agile and it was, but they hadn't got the engine quite right, halfway through the test the turbine jet blows up behind me and shatters the glass of the cockpit and one of those pieces catches me right in the neck. Now I'm bleeding, lost pressure and I've got a fire burning a couple feet behind me, and I'm over water. Well there was a freight ship close by and the new fighter was capable of vertical landings and take-offs so I fly my burning fighter over to this freighter and set it down on the storage containers, all the while listening to the ship's captain yell at me through the radio, man that old sailor had some good lungs on him."

"Gee misters if you're such a good pilot why are you in the hospital?" the collie asked.

"Why, because I was doing stupid things, and not paying attention. So let this be a lesson pay attention and don't do stupid things, even if they are fun."

"Little bit of life lesson, hmm." Krystal said. Fox turned and smiled.

"Better he learn it from someone else then with his own body." Fox said. The white feline who had been talking to Krystal now studied the scared Vulpine who had so abruptly sat down.

"Oh hey, so I met this kid on my way down here. While I was making my way down here I passed a room and this kid just shouts, "hey mister!" I swear I thought I was going crazy when that collie kid started talking to me. Anyway so I go back and asked the kid if he was talking to me. He says yeah, wanted to ask me why I have so many scars, so I go sit in the room with him for a bit and start talking with him, poor kid he's got a wasting disease, it's hitting him pretty hard." While Fox talked about the kid the white feline had grown pale. "Bright kid, he still manages to smile even the way he is. What was his name… blast it I can't… Jeffry… no, Jeremy, he said his name was Jeremy." The feline fell backward. Just before she hit the table Fox caught her. An instant later a little feline girl came running towards them.

"Mommy! Mommy!" Amy cried. Krystal moved forward and picked her up.

"Shh, mommy's okay, Amy." Krystal crooned, "She's just tired." Fox picked up the mother and moved her to a couch in the dining room. Jessica checked her pulse, and did some other checks to make sure it wasn't serious.

"She's fine," Jessica said, "mild shock from stress she should wake up fairly quickly." Fox nodded. Looking around he saw Krystal holding the child in her arms rocking her gently, the child had cried herself to sleep and her arms where firmly around Krystal's neck, Fox couldn't help but smile, Krystal turned then and caught his gaze and blushed turning her blue fur a shade of purple. Jessica caught all of this and once again wondered how deep their relationship was.

X

thirteen minutes had passed, Krystal was still holding Amy, and her mother was still passed out. Her eyes fluttered open taking in everything around her. She tried to sit up but firm, gentle hands held her down, "you shouldn't move just yet," said a voice. Tilting her head she saw the Husky girl who had been with the blue vixen.

"What happened?" she croaked.

"You fainted," the husky girl said.

"How long?" she asked.

"Thirteen minutes, not long. I took the liberty of finding your information," the husky girl said, "You are Amanda Vale, yes?" Amanda nodded that it was so. "good, Amanda my name is Jessica, I work at the hospital, your daughter is asleep with one of my co-workers in one of the waiting rooms, when you feel ready we will go find them."

Amanda nodded "can I sit up now?"

"If you like," Jessica shifted and grabbed her arms, "slowly now," Jessica helped Amanda prop herself up on the couch. Another minute passed, Jessica pulled over a blood pressure machine, "arm please." Amanda raised her arm and let Jessica wrap devise around her upper arm, "steady breathes please." Jessica said. She read the monitor and grunted, "Good, you check out, would you like to sit awhile longer or go find your daughter?"

"My daughter," Amanda said quickly, and then added, "please."

Jessica smiled and said, "Certainly." Helping Amanda to her feet Jessica led Amanda out the cafeteria and left down the hall until they came to a door at the end of the hall way. On the door was a sign that read "quiet, please" Jessica opened the door and peered inside. Sitting on the Sofa was Krystal and lying down covered with a small blanket, head resting on Krystal's thigh was Amy. Krystal smiled at Jessica as she came in followed by Amanda. Amanda took one look at her daughter sleeping peacefully and tears jumped to her eyes. Amanda walked forward and kneeled in front of Krystal her hand shakily brushed Amy's cheek, "what did I do for you, that you make my daughter smile, and dry her tears when I can't?" Amanda asked in a shaky voice.

"Nothing," Krystal said, "and you didn't have to, besides I've never held a child before." A small sad smile tugged at her lips as she looked down at the sleeping girl. The door opened again with the sound of hushed voices.

"And I'm telling you, you're just going to get worse if you don't lie down." Came an angry voice.

"Stuff it yah old geezer, I'll go back when I damn well please, which is never." Fox growled as he entered the room, two cups of coffee in his hand. He had changed his clothes and was now wearing a dark grey short sleeve t-shirt and dark blue jeans. His scowl vanished when he saw that everyone was in the room and looking at him. Clearing his throat Fox hobbled over to Krystal and handed her one of the cups, "two sugars, and no cream." He said as Krystal took the cup.

"Thank you," Krystal said taking the cup in both hands she blows on it a couple times then takes a sip. Fox moved behind the couch where Krystal sat with Amy. Leaning over the back of the couch Fox looked down at the sleeping little girl. Fox suddenly felt a pressure on the side of his neck.

Unconsciously Krystal had leaned into Fox, like she had done so many times before. She stayed like this for a minute before Fox cleared his throat. Krystal came out of her trance like state and finally realized what she was doing. She jerked back quickly breaking the contact between them. Her gut clenched, as her mind raced with all of her thoughts. "Krys?" Krystal's mind ceased its turmoil and focused on that word. She turned her head to look at him. Both seemed completely unaware that everyone in the room was watching them, "do you ever…" Fox stopped suddenly alert. The sudden pause made everyone take notice, from the hall came the heavy thud of boots, and a lot of them by the sound of it. A nurse must have stopped them because they could hear voices and it sounded like arguing. Fox moved toward the door and pulled something from his pocket, an injector filled with a rather bluish liquid. Jessica grabbed his wrist as he passed her.

"Where did you get that?" she asked him seriously.

"From the drug lab on the third floor." Fox replied calmly.

"What is it? Krystal asked.

"It," Said Doctor Grant, "is an experimental drug that is being developed for use by the military, it's still in its testing phase."

"But by all accounts it works." Fox said.

"What does it do?" asked Amanda.

"It is designed to inhibit a person's ability to feel pain, while maintaining full motors skills." Replied Doctor Grant. "It was meant to help soldiers in the field if wounded; they could use this as a last resort to get to safety."

"What's the problem then?" asked Krystal.

Doctor Grant took a deep breath then said, "The Base formula comes from a rather well known type of drug commonly found on the streets."

"Meth." Fox said simply.

"Yes." Said Doctor Grant, "While this form is significantly safer than its earlier application, like any drug it has side effects, which we do not fully understand. Now I was informed that two vials were taken from the lab, one was a more diluted version which we were hoping to test, the other was a more concentrated mixture from our earlier testing phases." Fox listened as the voices grew in volume; he looked at Krystal and jerked his head towards the corner of the room. Krystal nodded, standing she picked up Amy and held her close, then she grabbed Amanda's arm and led her to the corner, Krystal then handed her Amy who was still asleep. "My question is which does he hold in his hand?"

Fox met the Doctor's gaze and said, "The newer solution," as he uncapped the injector and punched it into his thigh, "was helping me get around this afternoon. And I have to say it worked rather well." There was the sound of air escaping as the blue fluid was injected. Doctor grant sighed; walking over to Jessica he grabbed her hand and pulled her over to the corner with Amanda, Amy and Krystal. There was a shout from the hall, Fox moved to the door and positioned himself so that the door would cover him as it opened. In perspective looking in from the door the door opens into the room and swings left. There is a wall immediately to the left. Krystal is in the right corner of the room against the same wall as the door. The door opens a person starts to enter, Fox heaves against the door slamming the person between the door and the frame dazed the person doesn't even register Fox grabbing their arm and swinging them into the wall, fully armored in swat gear they aren't injured merely stunned as the stand against the wall Fox brings his forearm into the front of the helmet crushing it between his strike and the wall, the first drops to the floor a crack in the helmet. The second to enter rushes up behind Fox and wraps him in a bear hug to subdue him, Fox uses his boot to perform a shin scrape against the attacker, he hears them let out a growl and tense up, then Fox whips back his head striking the man in the helmet, stunned the attacker lessens their grip. Fox breaks their hold and turns sharply to his right leading with his elbow he lands a punishing strike on the cheek further dazing his attacker. Now face to face Fox sees that it's a border collie with brown and white fur. Fox sees a tazer on the collies vest, and coming through the door a third enemy. Ripping the tazer out of its holster Fox holds the collie's body in front of him as a shield as the third attacker pulls their own, Fox fires the tazer it strikes the third attacker with both barbs one in the collar and the other on his upper arm. Fox hears the crackle of electricity as the third attacker falls to the floor. He's just about to use the tazer as a contact tazer on the still conscious collie when someone yells "STOP!" Fox looks up towards the door, Bill is standing in the door way. Behind him is Joe, Keith is kneeling beside the third swat team member Fox downed with the tazer. "Bloody hell." Bill says entering the room.

"Bill!" Krystal says surprised.

"Hey, Krystal." Bill says.

"What's going on?" Fox asks still holding the collie, who is now groaning.

"What's happening is you're doing exactly what I thought you were done doing, which is beating up my men."

"Sorry," Fox said "I was just expecting you, not three full armored guards, you, Joe and Keith." Fox said, leaning the collie against the wall.

Bill looked Fox over, he seemed kind of twitchy, and he was shaking, "are you ok?" Bill asked Fox as he watched him.

"Fine." Fox said, "Did you bring it?"

"Wha… Oh yeah here." Bill said pulling out a manila folder. "Don't know why you wanted it though." Fox took it and walked over to Jessica and handed it to her.

"Read through this would you?" Fox asked. Jessica nodded slowly, still a little shocked at how quickly and brutally Fox had taken down the three men. Fox smiled at her then turned back to Bill, "so why the change in plans?"

"I'll let Joe explain that one." Bill said turning and walking towards Krystal and striking up a conversation to Krystal and Amanda when she asked him who he was. Fox walked to Joe who was pulling the helmet off the Border collie.

"What's the deal, Bill said you would explain the game change." Fox said.

Joe patted the Border collie on the shoulder then stood, "hmm," Joe said.

"Well?" Fox asked. Joe jerked his head towards the hall.

X

Out in the hall the Fox and Joe leaned against the wall, Joe was messing with his phone, "we picked this guy up in the ghettos, and he was trying to buy military grade weapons from one of our UC's this was his interrogation." Joe said handing Fox his phone.

The video came on you could clearly make out the faces. Sitting, chained to the desk was a rather scruffy looking black lab, across from him was Joe with one other suit standing behind and to the left of the lab. "Alright," Joe said spreading some papers out in front of him "so, Thomas,"

"Call me, T." the lab said, Joe nodded.

"Alright, T, what's going on, you have never done this before, your records fairly clean," Joe moved some papers around, "ah a speeding ticket last year, some minor drug violations, and an assault charge was dropped, got a wife, three months pregnant." Joe paused waiting for Thomas to say something. A minute passed and Thomas didn't say anything, Joe sighed, "look T, this can be a big deal or it can be something simple, come on what's happening talk to me, let's make a deal here, this is serious and we can make it so you can get off easy." Thomas fidgeted.

"Forget it," said the other officer in the room, "I think he wants to be a prison bitch."

Thomas turned "that's not what your wife said while she was sucking my dick, pig."

"You little," the other officer grabbed the lab by the hair and slammed his head into the table, "maybe I'll make you my bitch!"

"Hey!" Joe shouted, "Enough, Brantley."

Brantley huffed and shoved Thomas as he let him go. "look Thomas, I think you're a good man, you seem like a family man, your wife's pregnant, you're going to be a father, what are you doing trying to buy weapons." Thomas shifted again.

"Thought I could set my family up good." He said.

"Set them up good?" Joe asked.

"You know," Thomas said gesturing with his hands, "take care of them, we've been struggling, living pay check to pay check. Besides…"

"What?" Joe asked, "come on Thomas, I can help you, wants going on?"

Thomas looked up at Joe in his mind he was thinking, 'can I trust this guy' finally he cracked, "Ariel, my wife, she was pregnant before, but we didn't know back then about her condition…"

"Condition?" Joe asked.

"Ariel's a high risk pregnancy," Thomas said "she's missing something, but they make the medicine to treat it, but…" Thomas didn't finish.

"You don't make enough?"

"I work three jobs," Thomas said, "even then we still struggle when I get good hours, but she was lost when she miscarried I thought I had lost her." Tears were running down his face now, "I thought that if I went after one of the bounties and got the money we wouldn't have to worry about anything, we could get the medicine she needs, and still eat, keep the house, I could get a better car, go back to school find a better job."

"What bounties?" Brantley asked.

Thomas whipped his eyes, "can I have my phone?" he asked. Joe slid his phone over. Thomas opened it "there's been some talk about a couple bounties on the black market,"

"You mean contracts, hits?" Joe asked. Thomas nodded, "for who?"

"There are two of them; both would set a person for the life of luxury."

"But for who, who's got the hit on them?" Joe pressed.

"A guy named Isaac Martin, and some girl named Kursed." Thomas handed his phone back to Joe, on the screen was a website blog spot the post read; Contract out: Isaac Martin, pay off upon confirmed death, amount: 200,000,000 Credits, listed by Mr. C. below this was a picture of Fox. Below that was another post that read; Contract out: Kursed, pay off upon confirmed death, amount: 180,000,000 Credits, listed by Mr. C. below was a picture of Krystal. Joe looked dumbstruck.

Now Joe seemed frantic he shuffled papers and started scribbling on one. "alright, Thomas, here's the deal, sixteen months probation, no fine, also," Joe pulled another paper out from the pile and handed it to Thomas, "there's a charity service for low income families, they help with stuff like medical expenses," Joe also pulled out a business card and handed it to Thomas, "call this number tell them you're looking for Sid Palmer, tell him Joe gave you the number, he'll help you and your wife out. Now I don't want to see you in this office again, play it safe." Joe unlocked Thomas's cuffs and shackles and opened the door. Thomas seemed very confused, but as he got up and walked to the door he looked at what he was given, and a small hope flickered, once he was out side he saw the yellow lab sitting on the bench her long hair in a braid, and her stomach slightly rounded. When she saw him she jumped up and hurried to him. When she reached him she immediately threw her arms around him and began to silently cry as he returned the embrace.

X

Fox scratched his neck "shit." He said.

"Shit." Joe repeated.

"Now what?' Fox asked.

"We're moving you and Krystal to another facility, one we can keep an eye on easier."

"Ok," Fox said, "when?"

"Now." Joe said. Fox nodded and went back into the waiting room.

"Hey Doc, we need some transfer papers." Fox said.

"What for?" Jessica asked walking up to him.

"I'll tell you in a second," Fox said, "Did you go over everything I gave you?"

"Yes," Jessica said, "but these are just diagnostic charts for drugs why?"

"Getting to that," Fox said then walked over to Krystal and Amanda, "excuse me Miss Vale."

"Yes," replied Amanda, she seemed slightly wary of Fox; given his condition he wasn't surprised.

"Amy and Jeremy, are they your only children?" Fox asked.

"no." said Amanda, confused.

Fox nodded, "how old is your third child."

"He's my first, and he's sixteen."

"I see," Fox said, "Miss Vale, I have worked with the SI division for some time now doing a number of things. But one of the cases was a new drug that was found in the systems of a number of teens who turned up dead, and many more who were in the hospital besides. Now the symptoms vary but a common thing was a certain wasting disease, has your oldest son been hanging out with anyone that seems… shady?"

"I can't say that anyone in particular comes to mind, but he has been spending a lot of time with a few new faces. Why?"

"Those who entered the hospital stated that they had been using the drug for a while and that this was something new to them, a bad batch perhaps. When I was talking to your son Jeremy I noticed that he had similar symptoms to those who had been taking the drug."

"Jeremy's not doing drugs." Amanda said.

"no I didn't think he was but… perhaps your eldest son has gotten into something bad for himself, and it's possible that Jeremy simply found a loose pill, or came in contact with it at some point, possibly a powder, or dust."

"But Luke hasn't…" Amanda paused "oh god!" she said, "I knew something was wrong when he came home late, his eyes weren't normal."

"I was afraid of that, I have included a treatment plan for the doctor inside the envelope hopefully it's what your son needs."

"Thank you," Amanda said blinking away tears, "thank you both so much." She said, addressing Fox and Krystal.

"I'm sorry we can't do more," Fox said.

"No, please, you've done so much already," Amanda said, "I don't even know your names, but you've done so much for my family."

"Fox McCloud." Fox said.

"Krystal." Krystal said.

"Thank you, both of you."

"No problem," Fox said. Fox turned around and exited the room, Krystal watched and noticed that his twitching was become more pronounced and he was now shaking uncontrollably.

As they walked down the hall Fox suddenly stopped and started coughing, then he fell to his knees and began heaving. Jessica ran to him and put her arms around his shoulders.

"Fox!" she said frantic, "what's wrong?"

Fox dry heaved then Fell onto his side, "can't fight it anymore," he said with a gasp. Dr. Grant rushed to them as Fox's eyes rolled back and he began convulsing, a nurse who had seen what was happening was running towards them.

"Prep an overdose treatment!" Dr. Grant shouted to her. The nurse froze then turned and ran as fast as she could in the opposite direction. "Help me get him up," Dr. Grant snarled. Joe and Bill pulled Fox up between them and began to drag him as fast as they could after the nurse.

Phantom: Damn. life just won't give Fox a break.

Muse: chapter 22 in the making, be prepared!