As Zero neared the Mavericks' fortress, he began to notice the force field surrounding the place. "Ohhh...pretty!" He grinned. "But...how do I get in the fortress?"

"We'll help you with that!" Called a female voice from behind him. Zero rolled his eyes. How cliche could you get? He spun around on his heel to face his attackers standing by the glaring force field....and what a pair of attackers they were.

One was a bird like reploid, a female, painted in brilliant shades of red, orange and gold. Her eyes were sharp and alert. Beside her was the all - too - familiar Violen, with the usual bloodlusty look on his simple face. Instead of wielding his spiked mace as he usually did, he carried an odd looking gun which was dwarfed against his massive bulk.

"Oy," Zero breathed.

Phoenix was pleased by the fact that Zero seemed overwhelmed. "Gaze at my splendour and power!" She crowed. "I am Phoenix, controller and user of fire."

Zero suddenly burst into uncontrollable laughter.

"Huh, what's so funny?" Violen asked stupidly, looking about him for the source of Zero's amusement. "Is my fly open? Wait, I don't wear pants...."

Phoenix became annoyed. So much for leaving a formidable first impression. "Is something funny, Hunter?"

"Oh, sorry...." Zero giggled. "It's just that...well, you look like Storm Eagle with a sex change and a really bad paint job!"

The next thing Zero knew, a orange and red streak was flying towards him, wings and talons outstretched, its beak open in a satanic scream. Zero was knocked backwards. His lightsabre flew out of his hands, out of reach. The razor sharp talons ripped the armour on his right arm clean off, from the metallic shoulder pad down to his elbow. The talons had gone through his armour, leaving several slash marks. Black circulatory fluids flowed freely from his arm. Before Zero could recover, a wave of fire from Phoenix's arm cannon washed over him. That didn't do Zero any good.

"Now, Violen!" Phoenix called gleefully. The voice seemed distant. From what seemed a mile away, Zero could see Violen aiming the strange black gun at him. Terrified, Zero tried to get up, but it was too late...the gun had been fired. Zero had been expecting a laser beam to jump from the gun and fry him, therefore he was surprised when a dart whizzed by his ear and stuck in his wounded right arm. That HURT.

Phoenix was laughing. "Way to go, Vio!" She clapped the big reploid on the back. "Good aim! Now...." Her eyes blazed as she turned towards Zero. "It's time to come back to where you belong, Zero."

Zero struggled to fight back, but whatever had been in that dart had turned his mind into mush. "Oh man, this sucks." He thought. "I wonder where X is...doesn't matter, looks like I'm dead anyway..." Zero's thoughts slurred together, and he began to feel dizzy. The last thing he saw before passing out was Violen approaching him.

"Um.....X?"

No response.

"X....."

Still nothing.

"Earth to X!?" Forrest nearly shouted.

X had his head buried in his arms, so Forrest could barley hear X's muffled "What?"

"We've been going in the wrong direction for a while now," Forrest informed him. "It's obvious, because we've reached the outskirts of another city...and no city is near the Mavericks' fortress."

X mumbled something that couldn't be heard.

"Look, X," Forrest said as if he had heard what X had mumbled. "I'm really sorry that your CD took, uh, a little flight there. It seemed to mean a lot to you. But I think that it's time you admitted that Zero was headed in the right direction and you weren't. Zero may be at the Mavericks' fortress by now..and he may need our help."

"So I guess Zero was right!" X snarled. "He's always right! No one ever listens to what I have to say! Why should they? I was only the first reploid created! And here's everyone idolising this Mr. Universe outsider! Marsha, Marsha, Marsha! ALL RIGHT, we'll follow His Majesty!" X began the difficult process of turning the Gryphon 180 degrees. Celeste and Forrest tried to think of something comforting to say to X, but what could be said?

"Okay Wheel Gator!" Drill Rhino grunted, holding up a question card from yet another game. "Betcha don't get this one! If there's a bomb on a bus that's set to explode when the bus reaches 50 MPH, what do you do?"

Wheel Gator thought that one over. He tapped a metallic claw on his extremely sharp set of teeth to help him think.

"Shoot the hostages?" The leviathan guessed.

Rhino's eyes opened wider in surprise when he read the answer printed on the card. "Lucky guess, " he muttered.

"We're hooooooommmmeeeee!" Phoenix called from the doorway of the Fortress's rec room. The Mavericks' eyes lit up. Phoenix was rapidly becoming a favourite of theirs.

"What'd ya bring me? What'd ya bring me!?" Gator cried, jumping up and down excitedly. He knocked over the game board in his frenzy.

"This!" Phoenix beckoned to Violen outside the room. Vio entered and threw Zero none - too - gently on the carpeted floor.

The two Mavericks were in a state of shock. They stood there gaping at one of their worst enemies lying out cold before them. Zero's crimson armour was charred in places from Phoenix's fire wave, and his arm was still bleeding the black fluid, which formed a neat little pool on the once clean carpet. Zero's eyes were closed, and his mouth was partway open, as if he were starting a scream. His normally good - looking blond ponytail was singed and matted.

Wheel Gator reacted first. "Eww!" He cried, hiding behind Rhino. "I don't like this! I thought you'd bring me home a chocolate bar, or a puzzle, or, or..."

"Shut up, you impossible idiot!" Phoenix roared.

Rhino nudged Zero a little with his wide foot. "He's pretty much out of it," Rhino said. He grinned wickedly. "I never liked this guy. Let's pour salt into his wounds or something."

"No, no no." Phoenix said. "Vile's orders were to bring Zero directly to him when we got back. Let's go find the big V, then the fun can begin. If all goes well, Zero will be one of us for good."

"Where were all of Zero's little do - gooder friends?" Rhino questioned of Phoenix.

Phoenix snorted and shrugged. "Who cares? My orders were to bring back Zero, not them."

Rhino looked worried. "Aren't you afraid that they'll try to rescue Zero?"

"No. I really don't give two whoops in hell for them. If you're worried, just leave the force field up."

"But the force field screws up the cable!" Rhino whined.

"Hey, Rhino,"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up."

"Oh...okay."