Time inched by and everything slowed down. The loud roar of the steam passing became background noise and the only thing that was holding my attention now was the teary blue of Beka's eyes. I looked pass her to Tyr who grunted in strain and stared down at me. His survival was at steak...would he drop us? I looked down at the void below us, the swirling darkness that seemed to have triangular teeth jutting out from the walls. The steam finally stopped and I looked down at Harper and trance. Trance whimpered loudly while Harper constantly murmured things to keep her calm through choppy breaths.

"I can't hold you any longer!" Beka screamed I grimaced at her words...I knew what I had to do...but I would be condemning myself as well as Harper and Trance to a horrifying death. There life and death has always depended on me...but never before had it been like this. Tyr and Beka...I trusted them...but they have always had there ulterior motives. The irony was not lost on me that I could be sacrificing my life and the two innocents below me to save the lives of two possible murders. They were the only one's unaccounted for, the only ones with keys to our room. It all made sense that it was them...but they were still my crew and still my family...I couldn't watch them die if there was a way to save there lives. I looked down at Harper and trance who were now waiting for my decision but they already knew what I would choose.

"I love you Harper!" Trance said quickly slipping from Harpers grasp and falling soundlessly into the darkness.

"NOOOOOOO!" Harper screamed.

"Trance! OH GOD!" He reached out to grab her but she was long gone...Harper went limp in defeat letting the tears flow. He sobbed for all of us and my heart sank. He mumbled her name over and over seeming to hope that maybe she'd respond, maybe there was some sort of glimmer of hope that she survived.

"She did that on purpose. OH GOD!" he said to me as if i had an answer... but i didn't. I looked down at Harper and he looked up at me gathering himself the best he could. He nodded letting me know that he was ready...ready to join his pixie in the shadowy beyond. I knew he loved beka, but she was far from his mind right now...he just wanted to be with Trance, even in death.

I released my hand and slid a little before Beka tightened her twisted fingers in horror.

"No Dylan! "She said pleading for me to hang on...trying to tell me that she could take it, but the pain was etched on her face so deep that her pleas didn't have any merit. I smiled up at her.

"I trust you Beka..." I said...more to myself then her...more of a reassurance on my belief in her character, that even though all clues pointed to her and Tyr...that they didn't do it. I closed my eyes...I let go. The fall wasn't so bad, the cool air that zipped passed nurtured my scorched skin. Of course there was panic, panic of the unknown but not as much as I thought. Me and Harper still held on to each other. A strong bond through the darkness, maybe together we'd make it. Slowly my world started to disappear, but it wasn't so bad. It felt like sleep overcoming all of my senses. I felt like I was going dormant, all my functions slowing down until my body was rendered alive yet dead. It felt good. Every muscle relaxed except for my hand...I held on to Harper for dear life and he held on to me. Then I slipped under wondering when we'd finally hit bottom.

Light and static was all I could make out. The swirls of haloes and fuzz filled my eyes and my brain. I squeezed my hand but there was no one there. I immediately sprung up looking for Harper, which was a horrible mistake. The room spun and my guts jolted and rolled in protest. I breathed through the confusion. The doors that were amazingly obscure swooshed open and a green shape oozed forth. I rubbed my eyes...was I drugged? How did we survive the fall? Is this a dream? A bright light snapped on and I whimpered as my eyes seemed to dry out and crack at the smallest ounce of light. A voice cut through all of the confusion and fear.

"We have proof that your crew members... Beka and Tyr killed our 3 family supporters. If you tell me where they are...we will let you, Trance and Harper go free." The light exuded something that felt like electric heat lapping at my exposed skin. His words were lost on me, as soon as his words were done my mind dumped them. The lack of control over this situation left me frightened and emotionally withered.

"Harper has already told me that Beka and Tyr shot my people...all you have to do is tell me where they are...and I will let you go free."

"Harper! Trance! Where are they!" I shouted

"They are well, for now...your Harper is not so well, he's harder to make better...if you tell me where Beka and Tyr is we will surely let you go and put our utmost attention toward healing the little one." I thought for a second. The decision seemed to be an easy one but it wasn't. I had sacrificed my life to save theirs...I had told Beka I believed in her...But once again doubt sprung forward. I could save Harpers life if I just gave up the hot headed Beka valentine and the scheming neitzchean, but they were my crew.

"No." I said sturnly

"What? You will let Harper just die? He said that he saw Beka shoot 3 of my people...The evidence is clear!" The rollan said with exasperation.

"Harper would never snitch on Beka. Your lying and I trust my crew...They didn't kill anyone!"

"So you're blaming this on the nietzcheans or maybe the than...you think they set you up?"

"I'm not blaming this on anyone! I just know that my crew, MY FAMILY! Didn't do this!" I spat through my drug filled haze. The light snapped off but a huge halo still hung in front of my eyes. Silence filled the room other then disembodied whispers. My head spun, Was I doing the right thing? Was I risking Harper's life for nothing?

"Congratulations Captain Dylan Hunt." Came a familiar voice as the overhead lights flickered on.

TBC