As Akira stood up and wanted to climb into the truck, he winced. Something wasn't right.
„Akira, what is it?", Amber asked.
Akira didn't answer and touched his hip with a face contorted by pain. When he carefully lifted his hand again, blood was smeared across it.
While he still stared at his trembling hand, Amber got herself a flashlight and carefully ran past Akira. She shone the light onto his blood kissed armour, which partially reflected it.
„What the hell, is that your blood?", Amber asked him.
„What is it, why aren't we driving yet?", Mike questioned.
„If we don't hurry the Singarti will find us!", Dr. Drew told them.
„Shit! ", Amber shouted.
„What is it, where does the pain come from?", Akira wanted to know.
„There's a piece of metal lodged in your back", Amber explained.
„Pull it out", Akira commanded.
„Are you nuts?! If I did that, you'd bleed out!", she threw back.
„Throw him onto the truck, we'll pull it out later! Right now we have to get out of here!", Dr. Drew shouted.
They heaved Akira up and carefully slid him over to the Mk1 on the truck, while Amber also got up on it.
„Hey there, mate", he said to the Mk1 and sat next to him carefully.
„Are you talking with your new friend?", Amber more said than asked and sat down next to Akira.
The truck started, while they were still talking with each other and with every start Akira slightly winced.

Just as they stopped in front of a stone wall, another vehicle could be heard.
It came real close real fast.
„Are we getting attacked Amber?", Akira wanted to know.
„I don't know", she said and took out her weapon.

„Don't worry, those are just the survivors from the factory", Dr.Drew reassured them.
„The survivors? Are coming here?", Amber questioned.
„Yes, I know it's risky. We'll drive away", answered Dr. Drew.
„Where to? There is no way anywhere?", Amber asked.

Some of the soldiers laughed loud, as a road slowly opened up.
The whole ground seemed to shake, as the stone wall slowly went up.
It creaked and squeaked quite loud, stones fell from the wall and almost hit the transporter.
You could see lights behind a thick dust cloud and they were getting more prominent by the minute. "Look at that, it works. Who tried to bet against me?", laughed Dr. Drew.
„For how long has this stupid wall been closed anyway?", one of the soldiers asked. „Some years, but it functions", Dr.Drew answered.

„Some years? We are being chased by the singartj and are just standing here, presented on a silver plate!", Amber shouted at him.
"We don't have a choice, this is the fastest way. The Singarti won't chase us, because they don't even know we exist. I sent two technicians to the gate, by the way, they'll make sure it runs smoothly", Dr. Drew told her.
It shook lightly at first and then more and more, until it finally stopped with a loud squeaking noise.
"And now?", questioned Amber.
"We wait", Dr Drew said.
„Akira loses more and more blood, we need to do something!", Amber cried out.
„It's alright", Akira cut in.
„No, it's not, the whole truck is full of blood!"
„What's the big deal, if one of those kicks the bucket?", one of the soldiers asked.
„One of those? ", Mike wanted to have his say in the conversation.
One of the men on the truck of the factory workers stood up. „Hey soldier, this wolf saved my and the lifes of the others here. I don't know what he is but he isn't one of those. He has more balls than any of you. Alone against a dozen of those beasts", he shouted.
He sat down and silence commenced again.
A loud boom shook the crowd.
„What was that? ", many asked.
„It was Akira, ", Amber shouted.
They looked at Akira staggered, he laid on the ground without moving an inch.
„What just happened? ", Dr. Drew wanted to know while Mike ran up to the truck.
„He need medical assistance immediately or he'll die!", Mike shouted.
„He's completely out of it", said Amber.
„I can't do anything for him as ling as the gate's still closed", Dr.Drew told them.
„The gate is opened up enough for a human to squeeze through, so we could carry him inside", Mike cut in.
„That would be two miles from here, you'd never accomplish that", one of the soldiers thought.
„Better than to stand here and wait. You can pick us up again when the gate's open", Amber told them.
„Alright, we need to volunteers and a stretcher", Dr. Drew requested.
„I'll do it! ", shouted Mike.
But other than Mike no one volunteered. At that Amber stood up and looked at the cars.
„A heap of soldiers and saved people and none of you want to help him?", she asked loudly.
Some of the injured people stood up and just wanted to get off of the truck, when Amber spoke up again.
„Wait!", she shouted, „Here are dozens of soldiers and you are too cowardly to help another one?"
One soldier climbed out of his truck. „It's not, that we can't help another, he just looks like the enemy", the soldier explained.
„But he isn't, he is the complete opposite! Look back - do you see the smoke over there? - that was him. He alone destroyed that factory with that robot. What else is he supposed to do to earn your respect?", Amber shouted.
„She's right", said a soldier and climbed out of the truck. The others gave each other questioning looks and finally did the same.
Some of them ran to Amber and climbed onto her truck, to lay Akira onto the stretcher with caution.
After Akira was on the stretcher, you could see a great pool of blood on the truck.  
„He must have lost a lot of blood, we need to hurry!", screeched Amber.
Four people carried the stretcher and the other ran next to them, to change with the already exhausted ones.
„I'll accompany you. After all, I am the doctor and I already tended to a lot of wounds. I just hope the anatomy of a hybrid doesn't differ to much from ours", Dr. Drew told them. He also climbed out if the truck.
He ran behind the others and called one of the soldiers in the underground. „You need to prepare the operation room! The hybrid is fatally wounded!", he shouted into the phone.
„What changed your opinion?", Amber wheezed.
„The hybrid is the only living specimen of this species. He could be the only chance, that'll the tides will turn and we'll have a chance to free this planet of Singarti",  Dr. Drew answered panting.
The way to the inside of the resistance held some kilometres but with the last bit of energy the soldiers were able to get Akira into the operation room.
Dr. Drew followed them close behind. „Amber, listen, I could use someone, who helps me with the operation. Wash your hands and change into something sterile."
„I'll do it, but I never gives anything other than cars and robots before. Where are the other doctors?", asked Amber.
„Drunk or dead, either way, not of any use!", he shot back.
„Drunk?", questioned Amber, while she washed her hands.
„Well, what can I say. For years, there wasn't any retaliation. I noticed Akiras wounds too late. A small party was planned and well, a few doctors already started. I should've examined Akira before giving the go-ahead for the party."
„Yes, you should have and if he does, it'll be your fault!", shouted Amber.
„You're right, I didn't expect such a wound. But right now we should hope the best and you should help me or he'll die for real."
Dr. Drew removed the metal from Akira in an operation. He did what he could and stitched the wound shut again.
„We can only wait and hope now. He did lose a lot of blood though and I don't think he'll make it through the night", Dr. Drew explained.
„Don't we have any donated blood?", asked Amber.
„I'm sorry, his blood type is very rare and nobody I know has it."
„What is his blood type then?", Amber asked curiously.
„It the blood type AB and not only that is a problem. The cells changed because of the Singarti-DNA. He is, after all, partly alien and we can't forget that", explained the doctor.
„That means we can't do anything to help him?", she questioned.
„If you don't have the blood type AB then no, we can't do anything to help", he said.
„Unfortunately, I don't. But what about the civilians? Maybe somebody there has it?", Amber asked.
„Even if someone has it, we would have to find that out emidiatly. Also, we don't know how the hybrid Akira would react to that", Dr. Drew told her.
Amber threw a chair to the ground:„That can't be! He isn't even a normal human, get is also one of those things. He can't die from something so small. There must be something we can do?", Amber asked frantically.
„He is, just like us and the Singarti, just a living being and when the organs give out, well die."
„Then stop it!", she screamed.
„Amber, I noticed that this creature here means a lot more to you than to some others here but there's jogging else I can do. We lost the war against the Singarti and don't have the equipment we had twenty years ago."
"If he has Singarti-DNA in him then Rivatim shouldn't kill him, eight doc?", Amber suddenly asked full of energy.
„It could. I don't know what happens when hybrids get into contact with Rivatim. Not do I know if there where any experiments before."
„Do it! If we wait too long it could be too late", Amber commanded.
„You're lucky. I held on to an ampoule of Rivatim for private experiments."
„I'll go into the room and wait", Amber told him and disappeared.
In the room Akira laid on his back, his heartbeat was very weak and he was breathing irregular. Amber took a chair and put it down next to his bed. Carefully she enveloped his hand with hers and gently caressed the back of his hand with his thumb.
Dr. Drew charged into the room. „I prepared a needle. You just need to put it into the cannula and let the rivatim slowly into his body."
„Me?", Amber asked horrified.
„Yes, I won't do it. You know, my reputation isn't the best. To be responsible for the death of the only living hybrid? That'd be too much for me", he explained.
„So you're letting me do the dirty work?", Amber shouted at him.
„Yes, if you need any help, there's a button over there. Just push it and I'll come over", Dr. Drew told her.
„Why don't you just stay here?", Amber wanted to know.
„It'll still take a few hours before you need to decide. Akira made us have a win in a long time, what do you think is going on?"
„No idea?", answered Amber.
„After we put the victory live we got notifications from all over the world. The humans start regrouping again. Did I mention the party?", Dr. Drew explained.
„What does that have to do with Akira?"
„If Akira dies or not doesn't matter anymore. He already accomplished more than most and he changed a lot", he told her.
„That doesn't matter to me!", Amber screamed at him.
„I know that you two are close and of course I wish the best for Akira but if he does die I'd like to personally inspect his corpse. Because of purely scientific purposes obviously. He is, after all, the last of his kind."
„Scram!", she shouted angrily.
Dr. Drew vanished out of the room quickly before he came back and stood inside the door.
„I understand that and I hope you're successful. I'll ask if any of the civilists have his bloodtype", he said fast before he finally absconded.
Amber sat back with a jerk and took Akiras hand. She quickly noticed that he lost a lot of warmth.

 „Akira, please stay strong I don't want to inject that stuff into you, you hear?", Amber muttered.
She stayed several hours at his side and watched the electrocardiogram closely.
But Akiras condition only got worse when the door suddenly opened and Mike carefully stepped into the room.
„I'm sorry, I couldn't come earlier", he said.
„Were you on that party as well?", Amber wanted to know.
„No, we had to take care of the civilists. They were quite beat up by the Singarti. How is Akira doing?", Mike asked.
„He's doing worse. He lost a lot of blood and we don't have any blood for him", she explained.
„That's horrible! Can we really not do anything?", Mike wanted to know.
„He does have a chance. Over there is a syringe with Rivatim."
„Revatim? Where did you get that stuff from?", Mike pried.
„The doc had some but the problem is that we don't know if it will kill him or save him", Amber told him.
While the two talked Akiras condition worsens and his heartbeat slowed more and more.
„Amber, waiting won't do any good. He will die if we don't give him the Rivatim now!", Mike shouted.
„But what if he does? If the blood loss doesn't kill him, the Rivatim will do him in", responded Amber.
„We need to risk that", he stated.
„No!", she screamed.
„If we don't do anything now he'll die! His heartbeat is nearly gone! If we just wait he'll kick the bucket!", Mike snapped.
„Okay, I'm sorry, you're right", apologised Amber.
„I can do it if you want?", he asked.
„No, it's alright. I'll do it", she said.
She picked up the syringe with trembling hands and slid the needle into the cannula slowly.
„You alright?", asked Mike.
„Yes, I can do it", she told him.
"Please forgive me. I hope this will help you", she thought.
She slowly pressed the Rivatim through the cannula until she reached the halfway point.
At first nothing happened but then Akiras heartbeat increased.
„That looks good", said Mike. „The pulse normalises itself", he added.
But the pulse skyrocketed and Akira had an epileptic fit.
„Fuck, no! Mike, press the button over there!", shouted Amber.
„We need to hold him down before he hurts himself even more!", screamed Mike.
Both held Akira down until the fit suddenly stopped.
„Is everything play? It suddenly stopped", Mike stated.
„His heart! It doesn't have a beat!", cried Amber.
Dr. Drew barged into the room:„What happened?"
„What do you think! I gave him the Rivatim and now he doesn't breathe anymore and his heart stopped pumping blood!", she screamed frantically.
„I need all the details before I make any decisions", Dr. Drew told her.
„He just had an epileptic fit and now his heart stopped", explained Mike.
„Mike, in the next room is a defibrillator", said Dr. Drew.
„Alright", Mike said and ran.
He got the defibrillator and Dr. Drew handled the rest.
„Everyone away from the bed!", he shouted and charged the machine. He pressed it to Akiras chest so he moved some because of the shock. But Akiras heart stayed still.
„I'll try again, away from the table!", Dr. Drew shouted again.
Again Akira moved because of the electricity but his heart didn't twitch.
Dr. Drew tried another three times. "Please Akira", thought Amber but Akiras heart stayed dead still.
„I'm sorry, Amber. It's over", said Dr. Drew.
Amber fell to her knees. „No, that can't be. That's not possible", she whimpered.
„Doc, we should let Amber alone", Mike told the doctor.
„Understood", he answered.
Both slowly left the room.
Amber started crying and stood up slowly to look at Akira. Carefully she caressed his cheek and closed his eyes.
"This can't be. I don't understand", thought Amber.
She looked at the syringe which was still stuck in the cannula. After pulling it out she held it in front if herself.
"What am I supposed to do? I can't believe it", she thought.
She took the syringe and aimed for her vein.
„Just stopping to give a shit,it could be so easy", Amber told herself.
She held the syringe with the rectum in front of her artery and trembled.
Suddenly a hand pulled at her. „Are you crazy? What are you doing?", a voice asked.
Amber slowly turned to the voice. It was Akiras hand that held onto her arm.
„Let the syringe go", he commanded.
Still under shock she let go and the syringe fell to the ground, shattering loudly.
„Is this a dream?", asked Amber.
„No, I'm alright. What happened?", Akira said.
But Amber didn't answer. She climbed onto the bed and hugged Akira tight.
„We thought we lost you", explained Amber.
She pet his fur with her right hand.
„Can't be, I feel fantastic", he answered.
„Is this just a dream? Did I fall asleep? I can only find out one way", Amber thought.
She pulled back a little and looked into Akiras eyes.
„You're crying, Amber. Is everything alright?", Akira asked.
She carefully caressed Akira cheek who then closed his eyes and enjoyed the affection.
Amber took Akiras chin between her fingertips, tipped it up and kissed him.