Zero had been in awkward situations before. He was no stranger to trouble. He'd always found a way out of even the toughest problems. But this time, Zero knew he was screwed.

The crimson reploid was being held in a small cage, which was located on the floor of some sort of lab. Vile was pacing about, as if he were waiting for a bus that should have arrived fifteen minutes ago. Zero could have easily broken out of the cage if he had any strength left....however, the Nullifier he had been shot with had drained it all away.

What really scared Zero, however, was the fact that this whole scene had been played out several years ago. He had been in a cage similar to the one he was in now. Vile had been standing guard over him. "And how did the scenario end...?" Zero thought dully. "Oh yeah....I was killed. Uh, oh...."

There were a few differences between what had happened then and what was happening now....first, Vile wasn't in his precious Riding Armour, the Goliath, which was just as well. That thing could take someone's eye out. Second, several spectators, including Wheel Gator, Neon Tiger, Violen and, of course, Phoenix, were standing by to witness Zero's fate. Third, Zero was being held in what was obviously a genetics lab. Fourth, and most important, X wasn't there to rescue him. Then again, X hadn't saved Zero from Vile all those years ago...it was more like the other way around. But still....

The Mavericks that surrounded Zero seemed to be excited. All except Gator, who kept on glancing at Zero nervously, with a look in his reptilian eyes that said "Better you than me, pal!" Wheel Gator kept on fidgeting. He'd sit down for an instant, then get up and walk around, crash into something that was fragile, then sit down again. This ¼kept up until Vile shouted at him to quit it. Gator wilted at the sound of his mentor's voice.

"Where in the sam hill is Overdrive Ostrich?" Phoenix growled. I sent for that moron ages ago!!"

As if on cue, a spindle - legged, beige birdlike reploid with crystal blades jutting out of his back burst into the lab. The Mavericks quickly scattered to make way for the newcomer. Overdrive Ostrich sprinted directly to Zero's cage, but didn't look at the captive. First, he spoke to Vile. "Sorry I'm late, Vile." Overdrive panted.

Vile waved him off. "You're forgiven," he said, "now let's get this show on the road. You realise, Overdrive, that if this little plot of yours fails, you'll live to regret it."

Zero's heart nearly stopped. Plot....?

Overdrive gulped loudly. He turned for the first time since he had arrived to face Zero. He couldn't believe what he was looking at. The figure huddling in the cage didn't look like the Ze Øro he knew...it looked more like a wounded rabbit that had been scared by a pack of rabid dogs. Overdrive noted that the armour on Zero's slashed right arm was missing. That would make his job easier.

"Hi, Zero!" Overdrive greeted him brightly. "How would you like to become a Maverick?"

"How would... you like a swift.... kick in the......" Zero began, but he was cut short by Overdrive.

"Zero, listen to me. Do you know anything about your past?"

Zero suddenly fell silent. He looked down, away from Overdrive.

"Zero...? Did you hear what I said?" Overdrive questioned. He tried to look Zero in the face, but Zero kept on turning his head to avoid eye contact with the birdie. The Mavericks, including Vile, watched with interest. This was by far the most exciting time they'd ever had.

Overdrive knelt beside Zero's cage. "Want me to tell you about it?" He said softly, a grin spread over his beaky face..

"It's....okay." Zero said weakly. His speech was Ûstarting to speed up a little. He still avoided eye contact with Overdrive. "I know all...about it. I know who I am.....what I'm doing here....I know that I was...created by Wily."

Overdrive jumped up in shock. Phoenix gasped. Neon Tiger growled with the melodrama of it all, and Wheel Gator's mouth dropped open. His forked tounge unrolled nearly down to his waist. Violen found something interesting to look at on the wall. The answer to the most frequently asked question among reploids, Zero's origin, had gone totally over his head.

Vile looked impressed. Zero had known his past all this time? "This one bears study," the purple war reploid thought to himself.

Overdrive Ostrich shook his thin head in disbelief. "Zero, you KNEW all this time that you belonged with us...." he said. "Why didn't you join Sigma? You knew that Wily wanted only one thing for you, and that was to cause mischief and trouble. Sigma could have helped you fulfil your destiny."

By Éthis time, Zero had gained the courage to speak to Overdrive beak - to face. "Sigma....was a funny looking.....creep....and he smelled bad." Zero remarked. "Besides...joining him didn't...sound like much...fun. You guys....are...constantly...losing battles. When this happens...you end up... hiding.....and skulking....around. You can't....show yourselves. In other words.....I knew from the very start that you....were....all pathetic.....LOSERS!"

Gator giggled at Zero's bluntness. Vile whisked a glass beaker off a nearby table and chucked it at the leviathan. "Ow!" Gator whimpered when the glass vial made contact with his scaly head. Vile ignored the whine of pain from his underling. He frowned behind his dark cowl. Zero had wanted FUN? What had he been expecting by joining the ranks of the Mavericks, annual trips to Disney World? Perhaps a field day at Canada's Wonderland? The whole issue disgusted Vile.

"Do your friends know of your past? Ä" Neon Tiger questioned of Zero.

"Of course...not, Tigger!" Snarled Zero. "If they....found out that....I was created by Wily, It would....kill them. I kept it a secret."

"What tipped you off that you were created by Wily?" Asked Wheel Gator. It was the first sensible question he had asked all day. Zero shifted his weight to the right of him so that he could look at the metallic reptile. "I've always....have a lust for blood and....killing." He said weakly. "'Nuff....said."

"Okay, what is this, a genetic augmentation or the Spanish Inquisition?" Overdrive suddenly called out shrilly. "Let's bring our little sewing circle to an end. Zero, I'm gonna cut to the chase. I'm going to inject the Doppler Virus into you so that you'll become a Maverick. But this virus is in a biological form, so it's stronger,. and there's no cure. Your systems will be superenhanced by the virus as well. When the infection is injected, you'll pass out, due to its strength. You'll also be in a good deal of pain before you are knocked out. When you awaken, you'll have no memory of your past." Overdrive paused for breath. "That is, providing you survive the onslaught of the virus. Then you'll belong to us, body, mind and soul, just like it was SUPPOSED to be! Doesn't that sound like grand fun? Any questions?"

"Well, yeah, uh....."

"No? Good!" Overdrive began to tell Phoenix to bring the virus, when Gator sprung up enthusiastically. "I wanna help! Let ME help!!"

"No!" Barked Vile. "What would a complete moron like you know about handling a killer virus? Now that I think of it, you have no talent for anything. Sit down and stay put!"

Zero frowned. He could see who was at the bottom of the pecking order among the Mavericks. Still, it was beyond Zero why Wheel Gator didn't just turn his tonne of metal and muscle on Vile. The monster could tear out the jugu ’lar of a full grown rhino with his razor - edged teeth.

Zero wasn't extremely nervous about receiving the virus. He was still calmed by the Nullifier. It's effects were wearing off, however, and the crimson Hunter could feel panic begin to well up inside him. "I've got to keep cool," he told himself.

Wheel Gator was up to his old tricks again. "I do SO have talent!" He contradicted Vile. "Watch! Look what I can do!"

"Oh, no! Groaned Phoenix, preparing for the inevitable. She had fetched the virus culture for Overdrive, and was making the return trip to the speedy bird.

"I can....DANCE!" Boasted Wheel Gator. "Just watch!" Gator began to moonwalk across the tiled floor with surprising grace. At the same time, he broke into a song, "Billie Jean is not my lover!" He warbled.

"Gator! Knock it off!"

"She's just a girl...she says that I am the one...."

"GATOR!"

"But...the kid is not my son...!"

"Will someone please turn him off?" Neon Tiger pleaded.

Vile didn't need to be asked twice. He grasped the dancing reptile by the thick shoulders, and, to Zero's utter amazement, pulled Gator with ease towards himself. Vile forced the terrified gator to look him straight in the eye. This was hard to accomplish, due to the fact that Gator was three hands taller than Vile.

"Listen to me!" Vile hissed. "You will sit beside Zero's cage, and you will SHUT the HELL up! Do I make myself CLEAR!? If you even dare to BUDGE, I'll personally KILL you! And not just a quick, easy death. I mean a really, really, really NASTY one! UNDERSTOOD?!?!"

"Yessir." Gator's voice was little more than a frightened squeak. He turned tail and hobbled pathetically to Zero's cage, and parked himself there with a clang and a thud. Zero had never seen a reploid more woebegone then this one.

The virus was ready. "I guess this is my fate," Zero thought as he shuddered. He was still too weak to fight back, despite the fact that the numbing effects of the Nullifier was wearing off. Once the sickness entered his circulatory system, Zero knew that would be the end of him. Even if he didn't die, he'd never be the same. He could almost feel the poison coursing through his body. He was going to miss Dr. Cain, Forrest, Roadkill and Celeste...yes, he would even miss X, despite the Pulp Fiction CD issue.

Gator sniffled, and Zero finally had to say something to him. It may be his last words.

"Wheel Gator?"

"Yeah?"

"I thought your dance was cool."

Wheel Gator glanced up in surprise, then he gave Zero a watery grin. "Thanks, man." He motioned a clawed hand towards Overdrive, who was approaching Zero's bare right arm with a syringe. "Too bad this fate had to befall you."