Part 12

The expression wasn't Rev's normal look, Harper realised, as he looked into the eyes of an instinctive beast. The expectation of being once again sprayed with the paralysing venom was high now, as Harper grimaced and closed his eyes to the inevitable.

"I," Rev began to speak, but then sniffed the air that was now so strong with the scent of fear, as he struggled to contain his inbred instincts.

Harper couldn't speak, and his eyes were now unfocused as his fear took him to his darkest place. He could smell, and feel Magog, the fur taunted his bare skin, as the claws heightened his sensitive and pained skin. He felt Rev's hand resting against wounds already inflicted earlier, imagined it touching his blood and then Rev admiring his injuries like some trophy.

"I can't fight this," Rev then spoke uneasily, blinded by his instincts and not seeing Harper for who he was, but what he was.

Above them the crowd were silent bar a few cries of encouragement, and they were transfixed now, seeing the Magog turn on the one man who seemed prepared stand up to save him.

"No!" Harper suddenly seemed to snap, and tried to fight Rev's hold on him. "Rev! Fight it, fight your hunger! Remember your pain belongs to the divine, repeat after me, your pain belongs to the divine!" Harper yelled frantically in his last gasp at survival, his own movements causing him more pain as he was caught by Rev's claws that continued to pin him down but he didn't care, as his own past instincts began to kick in with his life under threat.

"So hungry," Rev said in almost a daze.

"Rev, that's what you say right, that your pain belongs to the divine, it is like air, it is like water, right?" Harper shouted now, losing his own focus with his own determination as he continued to frantically struggle, but as Rev's hold failed to shift, Harper suddenly relaxed slumping back. Closing his eyes to his fate momentarily, as the tears threatened to fall down the sides of his face and Harper finally looked upwards with despair, but also with a strange calm. "Why did I have to be there when Rev lost the faith," he whined, as the fight left him and he stopped the struggle.

"Harper," Rev suddenly spoke, seeing Harper relax beneath him.

"Rev, just say it," Harper took some deep breaths, finding some shreds of hope in Rev's voice.

"My pain belongs to the divine, it is like air, it is like water," Rev slowly spoke, and his grip on Harper lessened, and was then soon removed, as he backed away with haste.

Harper quickly pushed himself up, backing away in the opposite direction, breathing heavily now as his adrenaline kept him alert, and then he glanced at the door. Barton was transfixed at that point, until he saw what had caught Harper's attention, and quickly acted.

"Secure that damn door!" the yob yelled, and in their sudden need to leave, the yobs had failed to properly shut the heavy door properly.

Without another thought, Harper scurried to his feet. "Rev come on, I need you now," he stressed urgently.

"Harper, I'm not sure," Rev showed his doubt and confusion.

"Just come on!" Harper insisted, but hesitated before reaching forward and pulling the Magog to his feet, risking being so close once again. "I trust you," Harper then spoke to reassure Rev, and the words had the desired affect as Rev found his feet and they both hurried forward to the door moments before the yobs reached it. "Rev, smile for our friends," Harper ordered, and all too soon they were watching very fast retreating young men, and pushing the door wide enough to enable them to escape.

"We need more than my smile to get out of here," Rev warned, as they quickly hurried along the walkways of the energy plant.

Harper didn't respond immediately, and it didn't go unnoticed by Rev, the human then abruptly slowed down to walking pace. "I can't go much further," Harper panted heavily now, leaning on the hand rail as he tried to continue to move. "I feel like crap, what about you?" Harper asked wearily, now barely managing walking pace.

"Why do we attempt to escape if you are unable to?" Rev questioned with concern.

"Just needed free of that room," Harper gestured, as they found a small alcove a short distance away, and Harper rapidly collapsed into a sitting position. "Now my hands are free," he offered and touched his port. "I can reactivate the signal," he frowned, knowing the Magog was learning something he should have known all along.

"It wasn't activated?" Rev questioned quickly, the whole reason he hadn't run before to save Harper, was due to the human claiming the signal would save them both.

"It's activated now, that's what counts right?" Harper gestured with a painful shrug, as he sank further to the ground, holding his stomach where his wounds hurt the most.

"The young men have left the compound," Rev then announced, sniffing the air.

"Don't tell me how you know that," Harper requested tiredly, knowing he didn't want to be reminded of the Magog's instinctive skills and then he looked at Rev with sadness. "Rev, was there really a chance you might have attacked me back there?"

"You would prefer it if I didn't answer that just yet," Rev could only answer, and Harper noticed the distance between him and the Magog now. "I have no desire, but I am still suffering with the illness, and I may have misjudged my decision too quickly at this time."

"Please, Rev, for your own sake just leave me here and get the hell away from me, because I don't want to be a part of your downfall," Harper wearily requested, as he fought consciousness. "Please?"

"Harper, out of the two of us you showed the greater faith back there, in reminding me of mine, in showing me the way," Rev simply said. "You are right, I can't stay here with you, not with the instincts that I fight, I am not well and can not be trusted," he determined with regret, his voice low and troubled and he knew this time Harper would not be able to stop him. "Beka will find you of that I have no doubt," Rev stated fondly, but keeping his distance, as he looked around with anxiety, and then he hurried off.

"Yeah," Harper responded with little awareness. "I knew you wouldn't eat me," he murmured before losing consciousness.

"It's back," Rommie suddenly declared, walking beside Beka and Dylan along the darkened streets of the drift. "Harper's signal, loud and clear," she added, closing her eyes to get a location. "The main power compound, underground, the signal is stationary."

"Let's go," Dylan ordered with urgency, and they began to run the short distance.

He vaguely heard their shouts, but he was comfortable now and the thought of yelling back didn't appeal, he was too tired. He felt drunk, his head heavy as it rested against the wall, all he wanted to do was sleep but the pain in his head was preventing a restful escape, and he'd been drifting in and out of consciousness for a short while.

Suddenly he was aware of someone putting their hand on his arm, and he tried to focus, seeing Beka and Rommie now kneeling down beside him. Their mouths moving but he was having trouble recognising the words they spoke. Concentrating, he soon picked up that Beka seemed angry, and finally her words began to make sense.

"Did Rev do this to you?" she demanded.

Harper desperately wanted to answer, but the tiredness that threatened finally took him, and darkness overcame him.

End of part 12