Matthew still stood silent in the doorway, not even the wind from outside disturbing his long black coat. He stood with his arms crossed, his face frozen in a cold smirk at the two rabbits before him.

He'd won.

Matthew loved winning; he'd succeeded in destroying the leader of the Loonatics, the leader that now sat helpless on the floor, tears soaking his fur, his eyes unfocused.

Ace turned his head to him, his voice was shaky. "Why her." he said slowly.

Matthew's smile grew, "She was the weak link."

At that point, Ace could hold his anger no more, hearing those words tore open a part of him he had never felt. A feeling of duty to react to the words Matthew said. Ace's eyes glowed and he ran at Matthew, they tumbled through the open door and down the metal steps down the side of the building. They hit the floor at the bottom and sprawled along the cold floor. Ace scrambled to his feet and backed off, giving himself more space. Matthew stood and shook his head.

"Well, that's gonna hurt tomorrow." He said calmly.

"Yeah, if you last dat long." Ace said through the silence.

Matthew's confidence was growing, the rabbit wasn't focused. "You really think you can hurt me don't you, stupid animal."

Ace ran forward and wrapped a hand around Matthew's throat. Matthew's new found confidence shattered.

Matthew launched forward and threw Ace across the floor, he slammed into the far wall of the alley and he groaned. Ace rubbed the side of his head, he look at his hand and saw the blood that soaked his fur.

Ace gritted his teeth against the pain on the side of his head and stood. Matthew stood not too far in front of him and Ace drew the guardian strike sword. The weapon glowed.

Ace stepped forward and the sword drew closer to Matthew chest. Matthew stood perfectly still, that smile still covering his face. Ace looked at him quizzically.

Matthew's eyes flashed, as did Ace's. Ace gasped and dropped the sword, the sound of the metal echoing through the silence of Acmetropolis.

Ace heard sirens.

The sirens were coming from above them, from the inside of HQ, the Loonatics were coming.

Tech and Rev emerged from the door and immediately Rev was by Ace's side, not taking notice of the colour Ace's eyes glowed.

Ace slammed his fist into Rev's neck and Rev dropped to the floor, he turned to face his attacker. He saw Ace's eyes and gasped.

There was a shout from inside HQ and Tech ran in. He flicked the light switch and saw Lexi's crimson coloured body on the ground of HQ. Duck and Slam sat beside her, tears filling their eyes.

Duck shook his head, "No pulse."

Tech immediately realised what had happened and ran to help Rev.

"Rev! Watch out... Ace is still under his control, REV!"

Rev zipped back to the wall, and Ace closed in on him, his expression blank.

Ace's eyes closed tightly, his breathing became unsteady. One word passed his lips.

"Run!"

Rev did as he was told and ran back to a safe distance. Matthew looked at Ace quizzically, amazed at how he had overcome his control. Matthew knew that if he had one person under control for too long, his powers would weaken, but he'd never seen it happen.

"Ace." Matthew walked away slowly. His voice serious, no more playing around now. Ace tried to resist but then followed suite, taking one look at his friends before disappearing from sight.

Back in HQ, the Loonatics sat facing their weakened friend, her limp, lifeless body cold and her fur damp with tears, sweat and her own blood. Tech pressed a finger to her neck, he felt nothing, he pressed harder, hoping he could detect any sign of life in the girl that lay before him.

He wasn't so lucky.

Rev turned his head away, seeing his friend this way was one thing, knowing it was caused by his leader was another. Anger shot through him, throughout the years and months the team had been together, they had trusted Ace. Rev knew Ace couldn't help it, but he managed to tell Rev himself to run, why couldn't he tell Lexi.

A tear fell from his eye and Rev felt a hand on his shoulder. Rev turned to see Tech looking into his eyes.

"You don't have to be strong, Rev."

At that point Rev broke down, burying his head in his hands. The others gathered around him. Their hearts aching, their eyes pleading. Pleading that somehow, Lexi might be okay.

Duck pulled away from the group, composing himself slightly. He pushed Lexi's hair out of her face, hoping they had been mistaken of her identity. He was never good to her, she had an amazing personality and all he ever did was put her down, torment her. He was her brother; all of the Loonatics were one big family, though Lexi and Ace seemed to have something different to a brother-sister relationship.

Duck remembered the way that Ace had always protected her, he protected all of the team, but Lexi he was much more protective over. Duck knew that Ace didn't do this, it was Matthew. But still a part of him hated Ace for what he did.

Tech stood, stepping towards Lexi and sliding his hand under her neck. He carefully lifted her lifeless form and stood facing the others.

"I need to know that I tried to help her." He said solemnly. The others nodded.

As Tech walked through into the first aid area of HQ, he felt a cold sensation in his chest. Like he had been stabbed through with a blade of pure ice, what if he couldn't save her? What would Ace do if they got him back and his second in command was no more than a shadow? A dying flame. Would he be angry with himself? Would the team ever be the same?

Tech didn't know the answer, but he knew one thing, he was going to do everything he could.

He gently placed Lexi's lifeless form down on one of the medical beds. He closed his eyes slightly, the lights in the facility hurting his eyes. He shook his head and pressed his finger once again to Lexi's neck.

He didn't get his hopes up.

He felt something, something so brief he could have imagined it, but he was sure it was real. His heart skipped a beat, maybe there was a hope for Lexi, maybe this wasn't her time.

Tech leapt over to the other side of the room, to the doorway, he was about to shout to the guys, but voted himself against it. If Lexi did wake up, being surrounded by people would only make it more stressful for her.

Tech picked up a small needle from a cabinet on the wall; he inspected the sharp tip of the syringe before piercing it into Lexi's skin. A small breath passed her lips and her eyes fluttered lightly.

Tech backed away and held out his hands, they glowed lightly green and a ray of energy flashed towards the sleeping bunny. The light rays twisted through into her blood stream and she jerked slightly. True, Tech's powers only involved healing himself, but he recently discovered that he could emit an energy transfer. Hypothetically placing his own energy into someone else. Tech dropped his hands and sagged, his eyes closed. After a brief moment of dizziness the coyote was dragged back to reality.

Lexi still lay flat on the bed. But now Tech could see her chest lightly rising and falling, it would be unnoticeable if Tech didn't know what he was looking for. Blood still stained the female's forehead and hands, her white tank top now a crimson red below her waist. Tech saw her hands shake; there was no colour in her face. She was blank, but she was alive.

Rev zipped into the room, and saw Lexi's short breaths. He sighed with relief. Tech smiled weakly.

"She's going to be okay, I hope," He said.

"She's-a-tough-girl," Rev chirped, his sight not wavering from the peach coloured bunny lay before him.

"But-do-you-think-she'll-forgive-Ace?"

Tech smiled. "She will, I know it,"