A hospital bed. Hard, narrow.

"You won't win. I'll never be one of them again."

The bleached blonde placed a stethoscope over her chest. A heartbeat, steady, filled the room. "Listen to that. That's strong, isn't it? That is the heart of a soldier. A leader. A martyr."

A heart for Manticore. Two hearts. Max couldn't take it. " Turn it off."

The bitch turned it up. "He was quite a man, your brother, Zack. He must've loved you very much to make this sacrifice."

Max fought for the strength to smash the sneer off the woman's face. She didn't have it. "Turn it off!"

Renfro smiled. "But isn't it comforting to know that a part of him lives on in you? And that you've both come home to us? To me?"

As the heartbeat echoed through her head, Max gave in and let the blackness overtake her once again.