It takes place after Jax decided to join the clerics and climbed their ranks and after Nasty led Ulbrichts Great Offensive.


"Jax, may I ask you a question?"

It was a warm, sunny day in the deep forests of Edan. Jax and Falk were hunting some mutants for reasons Jax didn't want to tell. Not like Falk questioned their hunting – 'well, not until know,' Jax thought. Falk must've noticed that Jax was collecting machine parts, scrap and – pure Elex.

"Shoot," he said, watching a beast in the distant.

"Why should I shoot you? Or do you want me to shoot the mutant?"

"That... that's just a saying, it means- just... just ask what you wanted to ask me."

"Okay. Have you ever been addicted to Elex?"

Jax frowned.

"You... already asked me that. Before we did your upgrade. When we were searching for the electric parts."

"I know."

"Are you trying to suggest me again, Falk?"

A long pause. Then:

"No."

Jax threw a glance at the beast but it seemed like it didn't notice the two men and so he turned around. Carefully he watched Falk but he had the same honest, curious and somewhat naive look on his face like always.

"But you didn't give me an answer back then. And I'm curious why we are searching for so much Elex today. I noticed that you have a lot of headaches these days. And you seemed angry at people lately. A lot. But you also spared those cleric heretics. I noticed that mercy is a heavy kind of emotion you didn't had when we first met."

Jax blinked in surprise. "Well... I-" he started but cut himself off and frowned again. Falk was a good observer, that's for sure, but it took Jax by surprise that Falk obviously was so interested in him. Most surprising to Jax was the fact that Falk didn't sound like he was judging. He really was just intrigued.

"I think that this is not your business," Jax finally said and watched Falk cautiously.

"Hm," Falk hummed. "That's not logically. I consider myself to be your friend and weapon companion. For a successful hunting it would be wise to tell me what we're searching for. It's faster and easier this way."

"Yeah we're hunting mutants for their mutant parts," Jax said and was about to turn around again, to grab his lasergun and shoot at the oblivious beast 30 meter ahead.

"I wondered why Nasty led the war machines for Ulbricht and not you," Falk said and it made Jax freeze again. "I figured there could be only one reason-"

"That I'm not pure. Yeah." Jax finally sighed in defeat, lowered his gun but didn't face Falk.

"I was... and maybe still am... addicted to pure Elex. They made me eat it since I was very young. It made me powerful. In fact it made me to one of the most powerful Alb Commanders ever." There was a long silence and for a moment Jax didn't even want to face Falk. Somehow... somewhere deep inside him... he didn't want Falk to be disappointed of him. Nasty knew who he was, Ray knew and Arx, of course. But Falk didn't until now and for reasons he couldn't name Jax was glad for that. He didn't know why Falk's opinion would even concerned him so much but as a matter of fact: it did.

"I see. Thank you for telling me," Falk said finally. "I understand your pain but maybe it's a good time to stop the Elex consume once and for all?"

Jax bit his lower lip and shook his head.

"I don't like what the detox is doing to me. I don't like what I'm becoming." 'A weakling with feelings and no power, forced to seek help from the free people, forced to seek help from the damn Clerics with their stupid God.'

"You're trying to solve problems without violence. You're helping people. You're making hard decisions based on what you feel is right and not what you think. I may not be a specialist when it comes to emotions. But I like the man you're becoming," Falk said.

Jax couldn't help but smile lightly. Falk closed the gab between them, standing right next to him now. He took out his flamethrower and pointed at the beast they were lurking at. "Let's finish up what we are here for. Oh. And don't think I didn't saw your smile there. It's an interesting view to see you smile."

Jax sighed but couldn't help that his smile got wider.

Ah dammit, Falk. You lovely dork.