A/N Slightly shorter chapter and thanks to all reviewers

Disclaimer: JP owns them all.

Claimer: Orphius is mine.

Chapter XXXVII

Black Out

Max PoV

Rotating my shoulders, I eased my shoulder muscles and slowly rubbed circulation back into my arms.

Walking over to the unconscious wolf, I checked her pulse, shaking my head at the response I got. It was weak. It was so terribly weak. How much longer she had, I had no idea what-so-ever. I doubt it was longer than an hour or so though.

Positive that she was unconscious, I unfurled my wings. The joints cracking as I stretched them. Flapping my wings a couple of times, pain shot up my back. Not a lot, but it was still there. Guess I haven't gotten over the worst of my injuries after all.

Sighing, I did a quick survey of my surroundings. Locating possible exits, entrances and anything that I could use to help me in a fight.

We were in a tunnel so only two passages in or out. Despite that, I still looked up. I guess movies can come in handy after all. Rubble lay everywhere, pipes, cement blocks, couple glass shards and only one glass panel that wasn't too badly damaged. You name it and it was there.

"You do know you're an idiot."

"Where have you been? I was getting lonely without you."

"You shouldn't have saved her, you do know that right? She'll only slow you down. It was a stupid risk."

"Right now, you're sounding like the Voice," I retorted annoyed. I had bargained for a rest, not another fight.

Moving towards the glass panel I had seen later, I peered in and sure enough, there stood Eraser Max instead of my reflection. Correct me if I'm wrong, but vampires don't have reflections. . . right? So what if a person has a reflection, but it's a hairy wolf?

"It makes that person crazy," supplied my other half.

"Crazy people don't know they're crazy. And I'm sure I am exactly that. Crazy. After all I did spend a while in a mental institute." I gave my reflection a cold look. "Now, is there a reason for this little chit-chat or is there something you want to tell me?"

"What can't we have a friendly discussion?" she replied innocent.

Let me see, if an Eraser came up to you and told you all he wanted was a friendly chat, would you believe him? I think not. Would you start looking around you for his friends? Almost definitely.

Turning, I had just enough time to see a Flyboy bearing down on me, before I had time to react, I found myself falling backwards with a broken nose. Reaching back, I found the glass panel, but before I could brace myself against it, the whole thing broke. A nice perfect hole. A nice perfect hole with very, very jagged edges.

Realizing what was going to happen, I managed to rotate my arm at the last moment. Gritting my teeth as the glass cut into my forearm. I didn't have the balance or time to pull my arm out and so as I fell, the glass continued to shred my arm. In the end, only my body crashing completely through the glass prevented any further damage.

Hitting the ground, I rolled until I smashed straight into a pile of rubble. I lay there for a couple of minutes as the pain was slowly blocked out. The best I could manage though, was reduce the acid running through my arm into liquid nitrogen running through my arm. Some wouldn't call that an improvement. But hey, you don't choose what bucket to put out your flaming house with either

Standing up, my right arm swayed limp by my side. My right arm was already submerged in blood and there was even a trail of it leading from the glass panel to me.

My face stung and had multiple cuts running across it. Sorta like a cat's whiskers. Reaching up, I brushed out the glass shards impaled on my arm. I would have removed the rest if there wasn't a sadistic machine bearing down on me, bent on capturing me and sending me to its master.

Side stepping nimbly to the side, his fist brushed harmlessly past. Dancing back, I took a couple of breaths, eyes darting from side to side, looking for some way to end this quickly.

So busy in my frantic search, it wasn't until I felt something connect with my jaw did I realize there was someone else. Or accurately something else.

Stumbling back, I doubled over as it struck again, this time at my stomach. I don't know how much time passed, but I doubt it was a lot for the next thing I was conscious of was me lying on the ground staring up at the ceiling.

Pain made my mind groggy and slow. Not even adrenaline help clear my head. Everything that happened from then on was pure instinct. My mind was no longer functioning, so weighted down from the pain.

I can't remember everything that happened from then on. All I was conscious of was avoiding more pain that was directed at me and dishing out enough that they would just die. Just die and leave me alone.

I stood there. Overlooking the remains of the Flyboys. There were torn, shredded to bits. All that was left were scraps of metal. I doubt a piece was larger than an inch.

Blood pounded in my ears. Ragged breathing reached my ears. Along with that breathing was whimpering. The distinct whimpering of a wolf.

My right arm still burned, more than before. The soft pitter patter of blood echoed in the empty tunnel. Looking down, I was almost afraid of what I would see and rightfully so.

It was a claw. No, not a claw, but both my arms were claws. Reaching up, a muzzle greeted my hands along with coarse fur and a tail.

I don't even remember transforming.

Searching, I found the wolf that I was protecting. She must have woken up in the fight. She did that from time to time. Woke up when I was carrying her, her eyes were always glazed over and fevered though.

This time, they were still glazed over, but something dominated over it. Something very much akin to fear. Fear. . . of me.

Blinking, I slowly eased myself out of my Eraser shape. I don't know how I did it, up to that point I wasn't even sure I could. Instinct, I believe helped me. But all I cared about was getting out of that shape. To remove that taint on me.

I don't know what happened in that last minute or so. I don't think I'll ever find out. I don't think I'd want to. Was it pain? Or maybe adrenaline. Could it have been a combination of both? Something happened and that something. . . I don't even want to know.

Walking over, I saw the wolf scramble back, growling as she did so. She tried to get up and for the effort along I praise her, but she flopped back down. At that point she started whimpering. The closer I got, the easier it was to make out words. It took a couple of minutes to compute what she was saying and once I did, I realized she was begging for her life.

That realization made me freeze. She was begging for her life. Orphius would rather die than do that. He would fight to the bitter end. Snarling and growling, doing everything he could even in a hopeless situation.

This female wolf on the other hand, was a complete wimp. I saddened me. I suppose somewhere deep down; I was hoping she would be like Orphius. He seemed so lonely without anyone like him. Except Total, but some may want to argue that point.

"It's me, Max," I whispered.

"Max?" behind those fevered eyes, there seemed to be recognition at the name. "It sounds so familiar."

"I won't hurt you," I extended my hand. "Please, come with me and I'll fix you up. I'll help you."

She looked at me, momentarily losing that slightly crazed glint. Before she could reply her eyes rolled back, crumpling into a heap on the ground.

Sighing, I walked over and was about to gather her into my arms, but only stopped when I saw my mutilated arm. It was still covered in blood and most of the wounds had clotted over, but some still bled.

Under all of the blood, I couldn't tell how bad the damage was. Sighing, I ripped the clothes off the Flyboys and used that to bandage my arm. Why Itex bothered to give robots clothes, I'm at a loss.

Gathering her up in my arms, sent a bigger jolt through my body than I imagined. I gasped, I shifted the weight, but I didn't put her down. I came this far and I'm not giving up so easily. I've swum through sewage, almost got killed and turned into an Eraser without my knowledge. I am not giving up after I've spent so much time and effort on her already. I just wish it was worth it, that's all.

"I told you. . ." started my Voice, but I cut him off.

"Get lost Voice. What's done is done so help me or I swear I'll hunt you down and I'll invent some way to keep you alive while I shredded you to pieces like those Flyboys back there."

"Okay Max, just follow my instructions." He sounded strangely muted. Probably due to the lost in cockiness.

Total POV

It was strangely muted during my watch. No sounds emitted from Itex. No explosions, not gunfire. Nothing. Pure silence. It was unnatural I tell you.

They would drift in, the Flock I mean. One by one they would drift in, look around the tent, say a couple of words in a muted tone to each other and then leave again.

When Gazzy and Nudge found out about Max being gone. . . well. . .

I suppose the easiest description is that they crumpled in on themselves. You know how it is; they seemed to lose all hope. I think they truly believed that they could not win without Max. They were willing to give up.

When Fang found out, he acted as he normally did. A shrug and an expressionless mask. His acting was good, I'll give him that. He fooled the others; you could hear their screaming from across the room. But he just shrugged it off and left the room, leaving everyone staring after him.

Later when I went to have 'chat' with, I stopped outside the door and I could smell the sadness swamping out of the room. It flooded out of the room like a tidal wave. I suppose being able to smell emotions is a good thing, but what I smelt coming from that room. . .

It faded in comparison to real emotions.

When he came out in the middle of the night, he gathered everyone around and gave them all a stern talking to. The Flock, every single last one of them felt Fang was cold blooded, indifferent to the fact that Max is possibly dead.

But they were so angry at him, that they missed what was truly being said. His eyes, the way he stood, even his appearance announced how much he had suffered. I doubt he got any sleep in those hours he was here.

I think Iggy and Orphius also knew. I think they could tell something was wrong. Everyone has their own way dealing with pain; Fang was always different from everyone else. It stands to reason his method with dealing with pain would also be different.

At the end of the meeting, Orphius went back to Itex to oversee everything, while everyone stayed back and rested at the Medical Center. Fang was best suited to the job, but Iggy argued and in the end, Fang stayed. I'm glad someone else beside me noticed Fang's condition. It's not as if he liked me or anything.

Right now, all I have is one wish. Please, bring Max back to us.

A/N Reviews would be nice.