I do not own anything...literally. Here is the list of what I DON'T own:

Tiki is a Xenomorph, which I DON'T own. No Xeno in this chapter belongs to me!

War of the Worlds (And it's aliens) is another thing I DON'T own.

And the Crystal Egg is another thing I DON'T own.

I disown everything!

I have yet to open my eyes. I tried to move but I was held in place. I was also laying on something cold and hard. I don't know where I am yet, but I don't think I want to find out.

"Zerxus?" a quiet voice called. At last I opened my eyes with much effort. I was on the dissection table! I found metal-like binds keeping me here. And pull as I might, I could not get free. I then saw Melissa in a cage like device, but the bars looked like simple beams of light. I knew better than to think that. She was staring at me.

"Are you hurt?" she asked. I didn't have the strength to answer.

"Found you!" I heard Tiki yell. She and Morphius ran for us when suddenly another cage came down over them, trapping the two.

"Found YOU." Machi came in and smiled at my pets. He then turned towards me. "Look what I caught Zerxus. And all I had to do was wait. Now I have the whole collection."

"Why do you want us for?" Melissa asked. Machi chuckled.

"You'll see soon enough."

The table I was bound to rose into an upright position, rising. Soon I was eye to eye with Machi.

"Now Zerxus. You know I'll do anything neccesary to get the pzanos, which includes killing you. But it doesn't have to be that way. Just tell me now and save yourself the grief."

Grief? What? Machi sensed my confusion. He wandered to Melissa's cage and removed the protesting human. I knew his intention immediatly.

"...No..." I whispered softly. Machi took out his feeding device and smiled.

"Tell me the pzanos' location if you ever want your precious pets alive." he threatened. To this, Melissa thrashed harder.

"No! Leave us out of this! Put me down!" Machi ignored her.

"Obviously torturing you isn't working and I'll only end you as a last resort. But how will the suffering of these 3 work, I wonder. Well, let's find out."

He pinned Melissa to the floor, pointing the sharp needle like pipett at Melissa's face. My little human started crying, tears going down her cheeks. She has seen Machi feed before...and it wasn't an event she was looking forward to.

"Machi. No. Please. Don't do this." Melissa begged as Machi moved the needle over her neck.

"Zerxus...you're the only one who can save her. Just tell me what I need to know."

I stared at Melissa for the longest time. What am I to do? I don't know what's right anymore. A heavy feeling of failure came upon me. My 2 main goals were to keep the whereabouts of the pzanos secret and to keep my pets safe. Now I have to give one up for the other. This can't be happening.

"...I..." I don't know what to do. I paused. Machi moved the device ever closer to her skin. Melissa was crying hard, trying her best to stay away from the needle. I sighed as I made my horrible decision.

"...I..." I paused yet again, then continued. "...can't..."

"So be it." Machi jammed the needle near Melissa's collarbone area. I quickly closed my eyes and turned my head away as I heard Melissa's peircing scream.

"MELISSA!!!" I heard Tiki and Morphius shout similtaneously. I took a deep breath, almost wanting to shout myself. I looked to see Melissa still alive and in extreme pain, screaming and crying as Machi fed on her, sucking the life sustaining blood out of her system and injecting it into his. This was a horrible way to die and we all knew it.

Melissa had managed to squirm out of Machi's grip, but she was so weak of blood loss that she couldn't do much else. Machi quickly took control of her again. She didn't struggle or even move as Machi dragged her back. But I can still see her breathe...barely.

"Leave her alone Machi! She's suffered enough already!" Tiki yelled, crying. Machi chuckled. He slowly, almost carefully, removed the blood covered device.

"You're right. She doesn't have much more blood to offer. Last chance to save her Zerxus. Do you change you're mind?"

I remained silent...and it pained me to do so. Machi flipped Melissa onto her back and literally stabbed her stomach area. Melissa's eyes snapped open in shock and she gasped. She clutched the device tightly as what little blood she had left puddled under her.

"Melissa..." Morphius mumbled.

Machi drove the needle deeper, giving as little thought as a human would while impaling an ant (Now I feel bad about doing that to the local ants...SORRY ANTS!). He then yanked it out. Melissa clutched the wound and rolled onto her side, facing me. She stared at me through half opened eyes and it felt as though she wasn't in any pain. A tear went down her cheek as she gave a weak smile.

"I will always love you Zerxus...I'm sorry..." she whispered to me. Machi smiled as Melissa closed her eyes and breathed no more. I was on the verge of crying as her hands fell limply to the ground.

She's over...

Finally I am not grounded anymore! Yeah! Freedom! Freeeeeeedom! Hahahahahaha! -clears throat nervously- Anyways...One more chapter to go. What do you think will happen? Test your foreshadowing skills.