Rubbing the center of his chest, Jack winced in pain. His chest felt like someone had beat him senseless and cut him open for good measure. Yet, peeking under his shirt, he saw no scars of bruises. Squinting through hazy eyes, he asked Marvin and Henrik in a strained voice. "Where is my brother?" Marvin shifted uneasily, looking to Henrik. Henrik glared back at Marvin, gesturing for Marvin to answer. Rolling his eyes in response, Marvin reluctantly told Jack in a gentle voice. "He's... Anti's got him. I'm sorry." Jack didn't have to hear more. Flipping the covers off of himself, he swung his legs off the bed. Marvin rushed to his side, warning him anxiously. "No! Don't!" Swatting his hands off him, Jack snapped out. "He's got my brother! I'm not just gonna sit here." He tried to stand, but the pain in his chest flared until he sat back down. Henrik ushered Marvin aside, Dropping to his knees before Jack. Pulling his stethoscope up to his ears, Henrik slipped the rounded end up under Jack's shirt.

The shock of the cold metal made him flinch, while Henrik quietly told him. "Sorry. Just breathe for me." Taking slow deep breaths, Jack could hear his own breathing wheezing and straining. Lowering the stethoscope to his shoulders, Henrik informed him gently. "Jack... I love your brother too. But you are not strong enough to leave. You need to rest and let me take care of you." Jack shook his head, stubbornly telling them. "He'd come looking for me! I have to save him." Henrik placed his hands on Jack's shoulders, pleading desperately. "I know. We all want him back... but you can't save him if your dead. You'll just be sealing his fate. Please, Jack..." Reluctantly, Jack groaned in pain as he laid back down. At the foot of the bed, Marvin mumbled out. "He's not looking good." Henrik tugged Jack's legs under the blanket, bitterly scolding Marvin. "Give me a break. I only just got him here. I can't just snap my fingers and he's better. But if you'd like to contribute to more than just negative output, be my guest!"

Glaring at Henrik, Marvin snapped back. "My magic doesn't work like that! You think I wouldn't heal him if I could?! I'm not a healer! I specialize in divination and protective spells! I'm still studying! What's your excuse?!" Henrik straightened up, starting to yell back. "I've been working my ass off to save his life! While you've been sitting on your ass in that study looking into a crystal ball!" Marvin's voice rose louder as he retorted over Henrik. "I've been trying to figure out how to deal with Anti! You know, THE REAL PROBLEM!" Henrik opened his mouth, but Jack screamed out in a broken voice. "STOP IT!" Panting hard, Jack rubbed his aching chest. Leaving them in silence for a minute or two as they stared at him with worried faces. Once he caught his breath, he told them in a lower tone of voice. "Please... stop. Fighting isn't going to save Chase... or me." Henrik lowered a hand to check Jack's pulse, while Jack continued a bit weakly. "How long have I got?"

Marvin lowered his gaze to the floor, mumbling out. "The other times we tried this... you didn't make it past the first week." Henrik pulled an oxygen mask from beside the bed, carefully playing it over Jack's nose and mouth, when he stated confidently. "That won't happen this time. It took me a few tries... but I know what I.R.I.S. did to you now. I can fix you. I won't lose you again. I promise, Jack." Jack placed a comforting hand on his friend's wrist, taking deep inhales of fresh air that the mask pumped out to help him expand his lungs. At the foot of the bed, Marvin leaned on the wooden footboard, dryly stating aloud. "I.R.I.S. is just half of it. Most of the damage was Anti. He is pure antimatter. Fusing with Jack, he practically dismantled him from the inside out. That's... That's a lot of damage to undo." Henrik shot Marvin another glare, until Jack squeezed his wrist and strained out. "If anyone can figure it out. It would be you two. I believe in you." Henrik let a tiny smile tug at the corners of his lips.

While Marvin tightened his grip on the bedframe and asked nervously. "But what if we can't? Jack, I think I.R.I.S. lured Anti here. They found out he existed and want to use him to... to power everything. To make themselves rich. To take over people's lives!" Tapping Henrik's wrist for him to move the mask off his face a moment, he told Marvin seriously. "I know for a fact they did... Marvin, you can't fight Anti. He's too strong... and he's going to get stronger. But... if it is true that he's a... a darker clone of me. No one knows me better than you. You can play his mind games. You won't be able to save everyone... but you can try. Just promise me one thing..." Marvin shook his head, his tears tearing up like he knew what he was going to say and didn't want to hear it again. Henrik placed a hand on Jack's shoulder, squeezing it like he too knew what was coming. Swallowing, Jack, told them both in a strong firm voice. "Both of you. Promise me that if you have to kill me to stop Anti and save Chase. That you won't fucking hesitate. Promise me!"

Henrik mumbled under his breath in a broken voice that he would. While Marvin resisted, retorting defiantly. "It won't come to that. We need you. You're our friend." Sitting up, Jack stared him down as he commanded. "Marvin. Look at me." Marvin shook his head, but slowly met his eyes. Marvin's foot was tapping the floor restlessly and his fingers dug into the wood of the frame like he wanted to run from here rather than listen. Reaching out, Jack touched Marvin's wrist, watching how Marvin went completely still now. A single tear slid down his cheek, when he pleaded to him in a pained voice. "Jack... Don't make me do it. Please... I don't want to." Holding his wrist tightly, Jack sweetly chuckled out to him. "It has to be you. The others won't be able to live with themselves if they do it. You know it. You've seen it. I need you to promise me that you'll do it if it comes to it. They'll need you. Chase will need you." Marvin sniffled, grumbling as he bowed his head. "Chase will kill me if I hurt you. They need YOU." Grabbing Marvin's shirt, Jack put his forehead to Marvin's and whispered to him. "You know I'm right. Stop stalling. This is the last time... Make it count, Marvin."

Marvin shook his head weakly, sniffling out. "Anti's not alone anymore. He brought in Dark Energy and Dark Matter. I can't... I don't know how..." Jack kissed his forehead, whispering lightheartedly to him. "You've never known how. You just... tend to figure it out when the time comes. It's what makes you magnificent. I believe in you, Marvin. Do this for me. For my peace of mind. Then I'll get better to save you from this decision." Marvin chuckled weakly to himself but nodded and whispered back reluctantly. "I promise, Jack. I'll save him. I'll stop Anti. Whatever it costs." Patting Marvin's cheek, he laid back down and uttered in relief. "I know you will, Marvin." Henrik put the mask back over Jack's face, telling Marvin a bit anxiously. "So, what do we do now?" Marvin slowly collected himself and told Henrik seriously. "You stay here. Take of Jack. I'll put up wards to keep you both safe. Then... I'm gonna track down I.R.I.S.. When Anti makes any moves. They are certainly going to go after him. And I'll follow. I'm gonna bring Chase and Anti home."

Chase

After freeing Natemare from his cell, Anti grabbed Chase around the back of his neck and teleported. The sensation stung like hell all over. Like a thousand icy needles piercing his skin, then it stopped. Chase fell flat across the desert dirt, groaning in pain. While behind him, Anti staggered on his feet and fell to his knees to throw up. Nearby, Dark's deep voice was vaguely concerned as he said aloud. "You're not doing so well. Vessel giving you trouble?" Spitting blood, Anti sneered back at him over his shoulder. "I'm fucking grand! Just a little drained. You think any of that was easy?!" Natemare inched closer to Chase's side, jumping into the conversation as he stated seriously. "This one isn't your vessel. Just a carbon copy... What's going on, Anti? Your spark isn't dying, is it?" Chase sat up on his heels, just as Natemare dropped into a crouch in front of him so fast that it made Chase gasp. Grabbing his jaw, Natemare's eyes rippled with purple flames as he purred out to Anti without so much as looking his way. "If you die, Anti. I call dibs on him. I'm starving."

Natemare's opened his mouth and leaned closer to Chase, until Dark's voice boomed across the empty valley. "Enough! Leave him be, Dark Energy!" Natemare snapped his jaw shut and snorted with bored distaste. Rising slowly to his feet, Natemare hissed out. "Then what do we do now, Dark? Anti just teleported us into the fucking desert! What the fuck are we supposed to feed on out here?!" Chase glanced at Anti, emotionally torn between whether he wanted he wanted him to be ok or not. Dark took a few calm steps away from them, taking in their surroundings. The only sounds around them were those Anti coughing and retching. After a minute, Dark turned to face them, clapping his hands to get their attention before casually answering. "We walk, Gentlemen. We let dinner come to us. And we get out from under I.R.I.S. radar. They'll no doubt track Anti's energy signal here. This benefits us, Natemare." Natemare rolled his eyes, grumbling out sourly. "Benefiting for you two, maybe. I'm starving! Even if food comes, it won't be enough for all of us."

Dark walked a few feet away and took a knee with his back to them. His voice was still so calm and unphased when he said. "We've survived worse. This is just another day in the park for us." Standing up, Dark turned to show that he'd pulled a large lizard out from a hole in the dirt. The lizard squirmed and screamed aggressively in Dark's hand. Natemare frowned at the lizard but licked his lips eagerly all the same. Walking over to Chase, Dark kneeled in front him to lock black eyes with his. Chase leaned back as the lizard snapped its jaws and whipped its tail around. Staring him down, Dark told him in a cold unfeeling voice. "What's your name, Boy?" Chase swallowed, reluctantly answering in a timid voice. "Chase. Chase Brody McLoughlin." Dark flashed him a lifeless grin, telling him coolly. "Well, Chase McLoughlin. You better keep up and do exactly as we say... Or you'll end up like this lizard." Dark handed off the lizard to Natemare without looking away from Chase's face.

Natemare grabbed the lizard by the head and tail, stretching it out before opening his mouth. As his mouth drew closer to the lizard, sharp fangs spang out of Natemare's mouth and he bit into the lizard's throat. The lizard screamed and began to shrink as Natemare drained its insides to a dry husk. Not a drop of blood or fluid was lost. Natemare retracted his fangs, tilting his head back as blue lines pulsed along his face and body like neon blue veins. Dark then took the husk of the lizard's body and snapped the dried-out creature in half. Biting the head off without any concern for the bones, Dark smiled around a mouthful as he added. "You're either with us... or your food. Doesn't fucking matter to me." Finishing off the top of the lizard, Dark got up and hanged the other half of the lizard to Anti. Anti accepted the lizard, but didn't say a word and didn't eat it. He looked to be in a lot of pain. Dark touched the back of Anti's neck, causing him to flinch like a startled cat. Chase worried that Dark would kill him for being weak.

Instead, Dark ordered Anti sternly. "On your feet, Anti." Anti obeyed. His legs shaking and barely able to support him, but he straightened himself up enough to lock eyes with Dark. Dark coaxed him to eat, standing guard beside him as Anti carefully ate the lizard. When he finished, Anti tried to take a step, but his leg gave out on him. He almost fell to his knees, but Dark hooked an arm around Anti's belly. Without asking, Dark used the strength on a single arm to heft Anti up over his shoulder. Anti hissed in protest but was too weak to fight him. Starting to walk onward, Dark told Natemare in passing. "Get Chase on his feet. We're leaving." Natemare tilted his head toward Chase, flashing him a menacing grin. Chase didn't bother to wait. He carefully got to his feet and stumbled after Dark. Natemare watched him pass by him, before tagging along behind him like a predator ready to pounce on him at the slightest hint that he was going to run.

Glancing over his shoulder, Dark told Chase bluntly. "You so much a sleave a trail for I.R.I.S. to follow and bleed you for every hour of inconvenience. Am I understood?" Chase nodded, turning the bill of his hat around to shelter his eyes from the intense heat of the sun. He was already starting to sweat. Dark stopped abruptly, sneering out at him. "I said, do you understand me?!" Parting his dry lips, Chase squeaked out. "Yes! I'm sorry." Raising a hand toward the sky, Dark waved his hand over the sun. Instantly, a darkness blanketed the sun like an eclipse before Dark told him coolly. "Good. Now keep up. It's a long walk."  To Be Continued...