-Pope-

Before the attack happened Pope had been in the medical tent, lying in a bed only a few down from where the fucking razorback who had shot him laid, he feigned sleep as the shit continued to hit the fan.

He watched as the razorback scum had a psychotic episode, but at first he was convinced that he was talking to the aliens like the little alien spy he was but that idea quickly went out of the window when Hal got this strange look in his eyes. Muttering to himself, shaking his head almost as if in denial until finally he rose from the cot and walked on shaky legs, almost collapsing but finally making it to the cot and taking the gun.

Pope was sure that only for a split second did he even think about stopping the teen but that idea was snuffed out when he remembered what the little shit had done to him and rage filled him. He watched as he went back to the cot and collapsed, the gun cradled in his hands.

Still appearing to be listening to some invisible presence he watched in twisted pleasure as he raised the gun and moved the muzzle towards his quivering lips.

Good, he thought, let the razorback shoot his own brains out, that'll save him the trouble, the only bad part was that he wouldn't be the one who pulled the trigger.

But of course papa Smurf had to come and save the day, just like he always did and not for the first time he wished the man would die already, maybe then things like this would begin to go in his favor.

The inevitable struggle over the gun occurred and of course Pope was rooting for Hal to win and blow and his brains out but things don't always come out as we wish. The gun went off and after hearing a strangled sound of pain Pope looked and saw that the youngest Mason had been shot.

The only Mason that he didn't really have anything against.

And the events continued from there, as far as he was aware Matt had survived and then the aliens had attacked.

Not one to stand back and cower away from a fight he threw the thin covers off, snatched the gun that had been used to shoot Matt and left the tent, not even flinching when a loud, earth shattering explosion happened and sent many people to the ground. He was on a mission.

First he would kill some alien scum then, as soon as he got the chance, he would put a whole clip into a certain razorback's head.

Pope watched as humans were slaughtered around him, blood coating the hangar floor like a biblical river and the anguished and pain filled screams that echoed off the walls. He tuned all this out, only focusing on the battle at hand.

When things finally started to calm down and the remaining aliens had retreated Pope waited in the background and listened as the good Dr. Glass reported to Hal and Tom that Matt was recovering. It was when the doctor led Tom away, leaving the razorback alone, that he struck.

Having emptied his clip of bullets during the battle he had to abandon the gun, which was unfortunate because he was really looking forward to shooting the razorback but he had managed to grab a blade out of a corpse's death grip, the man's eyes opened in horror and mouth forever frozen in a piercing scream as his intestinal organs were ripped out of his stomach by a skitter's deadly claws.

The razorback's back was turned to him, leaving him open for attack. A malicious grin formed on his face, his grip on the handle of the blade tightened and his pace increased.

When he was only a mere inches away from him, the blade slightly raised in the air, Hal whipped around and grabbed his arm before he could bring the blade down into his side.

And the struggle began.

-Hal-

Right before Pope attacked the back of my neck felt like millions of little insects were crawling all over it and the noises in the dwindled down to white noise. He couldn't help the momentary amazement he felt when the unmistakable sound of a heartbeat reached his ears, it was erratic and thrumming with adrenaline and it seemed to be getting closer if at all possible.

It wasn't until the sleight change of wind that he realized that the heartbeat was in fact moving and its owner was standing right behind him, the darkness covering the person's intentions made the insects start to dig their pinchers into the back of his neck.

Whipping around he instinctively raised his hand just in time to grasp the blade that was aimed for his side, the sharp sides cutting into his hand, blood began to weep down his hands making his grip on the blade lessen.

Pope must have seen this as his chance because he kicked Hal in the stomach and as he stumbled back slid the blade through his palms, opening the palms of his hands up and causing even more blood to stream down.

Catching his breath Hal dodged an attack by Pope that came very close to slitting his throat and instead received a long jagged cut on his forearm when his arm went up to protect himself.

Much like when he had been fighting the aliens the pain sensors in his mind shut off and all he felt was rage. Letting the rage guide his movements he lunged at Pope and managed to bring him down to the ground. He didn't known when his hands found their way around Pope's neck, or when he started pounded the back of his skull into the ground and he definitely didn't know when the dagger had been plunged deep into his right shoulder.

He was only returned to reality when his dad and a few standing soldiers had managed to pry him away from the barely conscious Pope and the pool of blood that was slowly forming around his head like a demonic halo.

With the blood covering every part of his body, his legs laid out straight below him and his arms spread out cross style Pope resembled Jesus when he was nailed to the cross.

It was almost an insult to be comparing Pope and Jesus but that was the only image that came to mind when Hal looked at what he had done.

-Tom-

It was almost surreal when Tom watched the events unfold. He always knew that Pope had no issue starting fights and when it came down to it killing, he even recognized that Pope would gladly take out Ben or Hal if given the chance but to see it happen a second time in less than 24 hrs. was not something he thought even Pope was capable of, especially since the last time he had gone head to head with Hal it had resulted in him with a dozen or so bullets in his gut.

All he had been able to do was watch as Pope advanced on his son, a gleaming blade in hand and malicious intent shining like coals in his eyes. His mind screamed at him to do something, to attack and protect his son but his feet wouldn't move.

When the blade moved to stab into Hal's side his son whipped around just in time to avoid the attack and grab the blade between his palms. He could see the blood dribbling down his arms like slithering snakes.

The rest happened almost in a blur and soon Hal was kneeling over Pope coming very close to smashing the back of his skull in.

Tom can honestly say, with little to no hesitation that Pope was not high on his list of people that he would be willing to risk his life for but he knew that Hal wouldn't be able to live with himself if he did kill the man. He had already been through so much, his mind still wasn't completely healed from what had happened to Matt and this was surely the final straw that would cause his son another mental breakdown, one that he most probably wouldn't recover from, or it would inevitably lead to him shutting everyone out.

Running forward, along with a few other people, they gripped onto Hal, who resisted them with the strength of a bucking bull, but they got him away from Pope who appeared to still be alive but only time would tell considering the mess that his body had become, especially the back of his skull.

Slowly Hal came back to himself and his movements stilled. He watched as mixed emotions danced across Hal's face but the most prominent and repeated emotion was fear. Hal tried to back, his breathing picking up but his eyes remained on Pope's bloody and beaten body.

-Hal-

Oh god, what had he done?! He couldn't take his eyes off the gruesome sight that Pope made and his feet subconsciously tried to take him away from the scene but the people holding him back were blocking him and he only got about an inch a half away.

Dr. Glass was kneeling next to Pope, a bag filled with medical supplies beside her and she was checking his pulse.

From the grim expression on her face it wasn't looking good.

He was sickened to find that a part of him, the part the doppelganger had exposed, felt elated at the possibility that Pope might not live and this sent a chill up his spine.

-Anne-

As soon as Hal was restrained she had sped to Pope's side and began looking over his wounds, the most obvious of course was the giant gash she found across the back of his skull.

Checking his pulse she was almost scared to note that it was beating sluggishly, like a dying battery that was holding onto every speck of power it had left. She honestly didn't know if she could save Pope. Without an X-ray or MRI it was impossible to tell what, if any, damage had been done to the brain and with the way his skull had been bashed into the hard concrete she was betting that there was definitely some type of damage.

There was a miniscule possibility that he could live but she had a feeling, as inhumane and evil as it sounded, that it would be easier if Pope didn't survive. And knowing the man that Pope was, he would rather die than have to live with a disability for the rest of his life.

Looking over at Hal she quickly noted the blood was practically seeping down his hands and the bleeding hole in his shoulder, those would be needing stitches and quickly from the gushing blood she noted. But what chilled her to the bone was the look that lasted for only a second, this was a look of pure glee, it vanished quickly and was replaced with terror.

She didn't know what to think of this but she bookmarked it for later, right now she had wounded people to look after.

Signaling Dr. Thomas over she had him and his two assistants take Pope into the medical tent to do what they could for Pope, right now Anne needed to take care of Hal.

Walking over to the visibly shaken teen she shooed off the people that were keeping a hold of Hal, besides his father, and once they were gone she started talking in a soothing voice.

"I'm going to take care of you, okay? I'm just gonna take a look at those wounds of yours" she spoke to him like you would a frightened, wounded animal and with Hal's anxious eyes and stance that looked ready to spring away at the slightest touch.

Tom kept a reassuring hand on Hal's back, she could tell that this wasn't just a way to calm the teen either, he was also trying to keep Hal from bolting and she could see how much this pained him.

Taking his hands she inspected the cuts, "I'm going to need to take him to the medical tent so I can get a better look" she was mainly speaking to Tom at this point because looking at Hal showed that he was in his own world, she wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't even seeing her right now.

Nodding his head Tom gently led Hal forward, the teen slowly walked along, his gaze continued to be seeing right through everything and everyone.

-Hal-

Sounds and the people around him meant nothing, as far as he was aware he was the only one on the planet right now. He was numb, every organ in his body had ceased to function and his very soul had vacated his being.

He was a soulless walking corpse that was forever doomed to walk the earth and his only companion was the demented form that would spend its time making sure he remembered every vile, sickening act they had committed.

His feet were moving, that he was aware of, and then he was sitting and he thought he could hear murmuring in the background but he couldn't be sure, it was like putting your ear to a speaker, the music is blasting but instead of hearing the words being sung all you hear is the static in the background and thrumming vibrations.

Suddenly feeling returned when he felt a rather hard pain in his right side. Letting out a rather unmanly squeak he practically fell off the bed in shock and this caused his hands and shoulder to flare in pain.

A light chuckling could be heard and he turned his head to find Maggie wearing a rather guilty smirk and a laid back pose.

"I was wondering where you went" she said playfully as she sat down, resting her hands in her lap, her weapon slung to her side.

He didn't know what to say to her, they hadn't really talked since he had come back. It had seemed like she was avoiding him, which he understood considering all that had happened. But why was she talking to him now? And better yet, why was she acting like nothing had happened between them?

The inevitable awkward silence happened, him not knowing what to say and her probably trying to come up with a way to bring up why she was talking to him again.

She finally broke the silence with a made-up-her-mind sigh and turned her body to face him.

"I know you and I haven't been talking much lately, and with everything that's happened I mean-fuck I have no fucking clue what I'm trying to say here" she muttered, shaking her head.

Looking at her from the corner of his eye he could see that she was fiddling with the strap on her gun, her boots thunking on the floor in a nervous beat.

"I tried to kill Pope, again" he couldn't hold back the bitter laugh at the end.

She froze at his comment, probably not expecting him to say that. Truthfully, he had no idea why he had said that, the words had left his lips before he had had a chance to fully think them through and consider a better first sentence.

He continued speaking, letting his mouth go on autopilot and say whatever it wanted.

"Every time I close my eyes all I can see is Mattie covered in blood and his cries of pain echo in my mind. And that's not all, I remember everything that happened when I was under, it's the sickest, most vile home videos I've ever had to stomach and this thing in my head loves reminding me of all the people I've killed and hurt. I haven't died yet, not from lack of trying of course, and already I'm in hell. But then again maybe I have died and this is my penance" looking over at Maggie he could see tears silently falling from her eyes.

This should have been the time where he stopped talking and comforted her, but his mouth had other plans. He continued to speak.

"But if I am alive, then the people I care about are still in danger because of me. Realistically I know that I'm not the only danger out there but the last thing my own family should have to worry about is whether or not I'm going to kill them in their sleep. That bullet that hit Mattie should have gone into my head, maybe then I could take away this black cloud of death that just seems to follow me everywhere" self-loathing tears cascaded down his cheeks and he furiously wiped them away.

His eyes traveled over to the bed where Mattie slept, there were multiple sheets that covered him and made him seem so small and fragile. He still hadn't woke up and while Anne said that that was normal considering the blood loss and trauma Hal was still afraid that his little brother may never wake up, and it would be all his fault.

Pope was in the medical van now, with Dr. Thomas and Anne doing everything they could for him with the available supplies they possessed. There was a strong part of him that was horrified and dismayed at what he had done to Pope but another part, one that cackled with delight was hopeful that the man wouldn't pull through.

A flash went through his mind and he saw Maggie strapped down, begging him to stop with blood covering a good portion of her body. He shook his head and stood up from the bed. Another flash happened and this time he found himself transported back in time when the doppelganger had been torturing Maggie and his dad.

Maggie's screams collided off the walls and created a chilling echo effect along with his father's pleas for the doppelganger to stop. He was powerless as the doppelganger carved into her abdomen. The scene melted away and was replaced with the horrifying, acidic taste in the mouth image of Maggie struggling on the ground, her face turning an unnatural blue and her eyes looked like they were about to pop out of her skull like party balloons.

But then something happened that he knew for a fact did not actually occur, he may not have been consciously active in the real world but he was smart enough to know that what he was watching was fiction.

The doppelganger kept one hand firmly gripped around her windpipe and reached over to pick up the discarded screwdriver. Before he knew what was happening it drove the sharpened end of the screwdriver deep into her heart.

Hal screamed, trying to rush to her aid but was unable by an invisible wall.

Blood began to blossom over her heart and her movements completely stilled. Eyes widened and mouth slacked. Out of the corners of her mouth trickled blood that bubbled into a creamy red color. The air that was trapped in her lungs whistled out, her eyes clouded over and she ceased to be.

Maggie was dead.

Hal began to sob uncontrollably, dropping to his knees and hanging his head in defeat.

-Maggie-

As soon as Hal started to scream Maggie shot up from the cot and went to his side, she held him as he dropped to his knees, his body shook from the sobs that wracked his body.

It was surreal to see this kind of emotion from Hal, mainly because she was having trouble separating the monster that had controlled him and the Hal that she knew and deeply cared for.

Wrapping her arms around his shaking form she began to rub his back, whispering in his ear that it was okay, that everything was going to be fine, he was fine and so was she. Slowly the sobs ebbed away and the shaking died down completely. His breathing was still a little shaky but he had calmed down a lot which was what she was aiming for.

Hal talking about all the emotions and thoughts that had been waging a war with his conscious she had been shocked. Maggie was aware that Hal had to be going through some kind of turmoil but she didn't know it was to this extent.

She had been in the background when Hal had tried to kill himself, it wasn't until she had overheard a conversation going on between a few soldiers that she even knew that Matt had been shot as a result of Hal's attempted suicide. It broke her heart to hear that Hal had been in such a dark place that the only solution he saw was to take his own life.

The defeated form that she held now was nothing like the monster that had tortured her. This was the Hal that she had slowly been falling for since the day they first met. Noted it wasn't the best first meeting but she was just glad that something good had come out of it.

-Hal-

When Maggie wrapped her arms around him he couldn't stop his body from leaning into her touch, starving for the comfort that her presence offered. He knew that he didn't deserve this, he deserved to be publicly burned to death but he was selfish and did not state this.

He just wanted to pretend for a few more seconds that the world had never been invaded, Ben and himself had never been harnessed and his mom was still alive. There were many other events that he wished were nothing but fiction but his mom being alive was one of the top three. For just a moment he could pretend that it was his mother holding him, comforting him and telling him everything was going to be alright.

The illusion was broken however by the screams of man in pain two beds over. Lourdes rushed to his aid, casting a curious and somewhat somber glance their way but quickly got to work.

Pulling away from the embrace he turned to look at her and couldn't hold back his scream at the sight that greeted him. Instead of seeing Maggie he was face to face with her rotting corpse. Maggots were crawling out of the cracked hole that once held her brain, her eyes were nothing but dried up garlic bulbs, skin was leathery and peeling off and what remained of her hair was nothing but spidery strands that dripped off in puddles. What was once a cute nose was now nothing but two thin holes, her hands were long and elongated showing off every bone that was in her and creaked with each movement.

A maggot felt from her eyehole and landed on his hand, it wiggled around on his flesh, slimy and soft and he jerkily flapped his hand to shake the disgusting flesh eating bug off.

Shooting away from her and to the other side of the room he could hear Maggie calling his name, but it sounded all wrong, it was gravely and the words were almost wheezed out. Not wanting to look, but knowing that he would give in sooner or later he finally looked over at Maggie and was greatly relieved and startled to find that zombie Maggie was gone and replaced with very much alive non rotting Maggie.

Dark laughter resonated around the room and he turned to find the doppelganger sitting on the bed beside him, basking in its sickening joke. Of course it was the doppelganger, keeping its promise and making his life hell.

Looking back at Maggie he could see that fear and concern that shone like a beacon in her posture and eyes. He could also see that she was holding her right arm, a bruise already starting to form. Oh god he had hurt her, he didn't even know when that had happened, it had to have been when he had been plagued with the image of a rotting Maggie and shooting across the room.

She was another victim of himself, so many people had been hurt and killed because of him and now he had to make the choice, one of the hardest ones he's ever had to make, to protect the people he loved. Maggie was one of the last people he ever wanted to hurt, he deeply cared for her and this wasn't the first time she had been hurt because of him.

He was dangerous and this couldn't go on. Something had to be done.

Getting up from the floor he walked past the doppelganger, then Maggie and exited the tent.

-Maggie-

She was stunned, sitting on the cold floor cradling her throbbing arm all she could do was watch as Hal walked off, she had no idea where his destination was but there was steel resolve in his eyes and it made her concerned about his actions.

The fear in his eyes when he had looked at her had left her mystified and even a little hurt. Just what had he seen that had scared him so badly? And the way he had violently shook his hand, almost as if trying to shake something off had resulted in her receiving a rather hard smack to the arm. Already she could feel the welt growing beneath her skin where the impact had occurred.

Before Hal had been taken a thump like that wouldn't have hurt at all, while he had had some muscle before now it was on an entirely differently level. The force behind the hit had gone from a mild tap from a bat to a full on swing with a crowbar.

When she had first met Hal she had been able to overpower him with a simple flick of her wrist but now she would be lucky to last a minute in a fight against him. It had been a long time since she had felt so weak. And she didn't like it.

She was taken out of her thoughts by the sound of Hal's footsteps walking past her. Instead of acting quickly and getting up to stop him, she remained seated, contemplating her next move. She didn't know what Hal was planning, though she did have some ideas, all she knew was that whatever it was it would affect not only his family and Anne, but herself as well.

Standing up from the floor she dashed after him, a moment of panic hit her when she couldn't see him anywhere but relaxed a little when she saw him lifting a backpack onto his shoulders. Jogging over to him she put her hand on his arm, getting his attention.

-Hal-

He filled a stray backpack with some essentials, a few granola bars a canteen of water and a few other things, he did feel bad about taking some of the mass. supplies but he made sure that it was only a minimal amount, one that they shouldn't even notice.

Just as he was lifting the straps over his shoulders he felt someone place their hand on his shoulder. He didn't have to turn around to know who the hand belonged to, it may not make sense but he could tell by the presence whom the owner was.

Biting the figurative bullet he turned and looked at Maggie, instantly he could see the concern and fear in her eyes.

He watched her eye his backpack, see the words forming on the tip of her tongue.

"So that's it huh? You're just going to pack up and leave?" the look she gave him made him feel like a small child being scolded by a little league coach after a bad game.

Hal shook his head, wishing that she would just let him go but of course Maggie was stubborn, it was one of the things he liked most about her but right now he really didn't need this. He was already struggling with this decision and he didn't need her piling even more guilt on him.

"You don't understand Maggie, I'm dangerous okay? I've already managed to seriously hurt Pope twice, Ben and I shot Mattie! There is nothing you can say that will change my mind. The further away I am from the Mass. the safer everyone will be. I'm fucked up in the head alright? I already have blood on my hands, of innocent humans, I'm not going to risk killing anyone else, even that bastard Pope; if he's not already dead!" stating his case, he shrugged past her and walked out of the hangar headed anywhere but here.

He wasn't at all surprised to hear the crunching of boots behind him, sensing another fight coming he kept his back to her and continued walking, hoping that she would get the hint and go back. She didn't.

Getting a good grip on his shoulder she spun him around, her eyes filled with conviction.

"You honestly think I'm going to let you walk away with that lame ass excuse? People were being hurt and killed long before you were harnessed and good people will continue to get hurt and killed even after you leave. I can respect that you want to protect us but by you leaving your only hurting us. Tom and your brothers were a wreck when you were taken, they hardly ate or slept, Anne practically had to force feed them! I can only imagine what will happen if you leave again and I can guarantee you that Tom will just go after you and I'll be there to help him and so will Ben hell even Mattie will help, it'll be like a fucked up family road trip to bring your stupid ass home!" she was breathing heavily halfway through her speech but the fire in her eyes never wavered.

For a long moment Hal was speechless, he had expected an argument but he wasn't prepared for this one. Everything she said had facts to back them up, he knew that his family would be saddened by his departure, he knew that people would continue to get hurt and killed even after he left and he was all too aware of his father's crusade to keep his loved one's safe but it all came back to his first argument: he was dangerous.

There was no changing the crimes he had committed, he had hurt the ones he loved and the fiery pain he felt throughout his entire body every time he remembered the inhumane and vile acts he had committed was only one of the consequences he would have to live with. The doppelganger was another fallout that he would have to endure until the day he died.

"You can point out all the reasons that I should stay, you can have my entire family beg me not to go but the bottom line is that no one is safe around me. What happens when I have another episode, because we both know it's inevitable, and I manage to get my hands on a gun hell I don't even need a firearm and I go on a killing spree? I could kill each and every one of you with my bare hands and no one could stop me! Ben couldn't and he's the strongest one compared to the rest of you. What they did to me can't be fixed, I'm a monster Maggie, it's as simple as that so turn around and go" he looked her dead in the eye, making sure that he was getting his point across.

For the longest time they stood in silence, staring each other down, neither one willing to admit defeat.

Thunder began to rumble in the background and storm clouds rolled out into the sky, painting the sky with blotches of black and wispy gray, setting the backdrop for pain and sorrowful resolution.

-Maggie-

Looking into his eyes she could see the pain and misery that this was causing him. He didn't want to go, she could blatantly see that but his resolve was set in steel, but so was hers and she was going to do everything in her power to make him see reason, to give him a reason to stay.

Walking closer to him she reached out and caressed his cheek, her fingers ran across faint scars and a chiseled jawbone. He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch, placing his larger calloused hand over hers.

"Please don't make this harder" he whispered, his voice nothing but a butterfly kiss against her skin.

"Then stop me" her eyes traveled down to his lips, they were slightly parted and shallow breaths escaped.

Opening his eyes he met her gaze and it was in that instant that she could see his resolve begin to crumble, the steel bricks that were closing in on him were starting to rust and fall apart.

Before she could get another breath in his lips were upon her, encasing her entire soul in warmth. Wrapping her arms around his neck she deepened the kiss, breathing into him her entire soul and praying that she hadn't completely lost him.

-Hal-

His backpack fell off his back and hit the dying grass with a thump, but they took no notice, too lost in the sensations of their hands rubbing skin and lips tasting the other's very essence.

Straying hands went down Maggie's sides and wrapped around her waist, lifting her up and turning around to lean her back against a gutted out pickup truck. She moaned and he slipped his tongue into her mouth, his own moan of ecstasy slipped out at the flavors her mouth held. She tasted like strawberries and another wild, exotic flavor that was uniquely her.

Maggie wrapped her legs around his torso, with her up against the truck he was able to move his hands to the sides of her face so that he was now leaning into her.

There was a large, black hole part of him that felt like he was not only disrespecting Karen but moving on way too fast. He was devastated when he had made the realization that Karen was dead, it was one that the doppelganger was particularly happy about broadcasting all hours of the day. He had mourned her loss and he would always miss her but the last conversation he had had with the real Karen still struck a giant cord with him.

She hadn't believed in him, hadn't for a while from what he could remember. He had loved her, there was no doubting that but when she had expressed her lack of faith in him he began to see her in a different light. She was still the nice girl that he had met, had her own inner strength and beauty but she never challenged him, they had a pattern that he could recite in his sleep.

Maggie on the other hand was always challenging him, keeping him on his toes, she called him on his bullshit and stood up for what she believed in. She was also very independent and was willing to do whatever she had to, to protect the people she cared about.

But could he really justify moving on so fast?

His head involuntarily moved up when Maggie started laying open mouth kisses along his neck and jaw line, her hands wandered up his chest and massaged the area above his heart.

Both of their breaths were coming out ragged their lips were swollen from kisses. When the time came for them to separate both were reluctant and only moved their lips away from each other but their bodies stayed in the same position.

"Say you'll stay" she breathed, her eyes heavy with emotion and tears.

He licked his lips, his heart and mind pulling him in two different directions. If he did decide to stay he would be putting her and everyone else in danger but he would also get to be with her and explore the feelings that were developing between them. And if he did leave he would be protecting the Mass. from him but that would also mean having to leave Maggie and never knowing what could have been between them.

What was the right choice?

"Maggie I-"

The chilling, unmistakable metallic groan of a mech.

Hal was about to spin around to attack when he found himself face to face with a skitter. Once again, before he could react the skitter reached out and gripped him by the throat, cutting off his air supply and effortlessly lifted him off the ground. Its claws were digging into his skin and blood was flowing down his neck and decorating the yellow grass below him.

A single shot was suddenly fired and part of the skitter's head was blown off. Hal's ears were ringing at the close proximity shot and he had no doubts that it was Maggie that had taken the shot. Having been released and subsequently dropped to the ground like a bag of rocks.

In the background he could hear more gunfire going off and looking over at the hangar he saw that people had come to fight. They had already lost too many good people in an earlier fight and they were going to take this time to avenge the fallen.

Without thinking he grabbed Maggie by the hand and started to run back towards the hangar, narrowly avoiding bullets that were flying all around them. He was almost the hangar when he was electrocuted with one of the mech's stun guns, his entire body shook and he collapsed to the ground, bringing Maggie down with him as well due to the current that had run through her but to a lesser extent.

Recovering quickly Maggie tried to get him up as well but his vision was starting to darken and his limbs were numb, there was no way that she would be able to help him. She had to go on by herself.

"Maggie go!" he gritted out, coming up behind him he could hear more gun fire and he surmised that the aliens had brought with them harnessed kids to be their backup knowing that it was hard for many of the humans to shoot them.

Before she could retort though a large blast was sent her way and she was knocked off her feet, traveling through the air and landing five feet away. Hal screamed out her name, vainly reaching out for her.

It wasn't long before he was surrounded by a group of harnessed, their expressions lifeless and movements mechanical. Through his connection with the spikes in his spine he could make out the orders they were being given: To take the traitor back to base.

Lifting him up they began to carry him further away from the hangar.

Turns out he didn't have to make a choice, one was made for him.

There you have it, the final chapter for SAVE ONE. I would now like to take this time to inform everyone that yes there is a sequel but I have made prior commitments with another story of mine, a transformers fanfiction called A LINKED DESTINY, a story I have been neglecting so I will be devoting my time to that story.

The next installment of this story will be written so keep an eye out for it.