| ~ ~ ~ �So what happened to you� ebony asked as ved drove the buggy stroking the now bloody cloth that taisan and mega had put on her wound. �I was thrown back,� replied ved simply eyebrows shooting up �Flash Back� I achingly stood up using my hands to push me off the floor, the ground beneath me felt warm. I slowly opened my eyes it wasn�t a dream as I had hoped; the area was a wreck. �Amber� I murmured seeing the Zulu haired mall rat lying on the floor. I saw her sleepy eyes flicker open briefly. �I�m going to look around� I said and left her. I turned to survey the hotel. It was in ruins. The wooden exteriors were still burning showing the metal lifts that held it up. I walked round to where the main entrance door was I shivered as I felt a cool breeze. I inspected my clothes they where in ruins hole patches on the leg chest and arms. I walked closer to the door the heat became stronger; I gently put one foot through the door but jumped back quickly as a plank of wood fell in front of me. I decided to walk round the side of the hotel and inspect the surroundings. I wondered if she was could had died in the blast. I peered through a half broken window on the ground floor there was no sign of life. After searching further I gave up the smell of scorched dead bodies filled the air it was hard to take in. I stepped back to the edge of the pool once blue was now black and dusty. I looked up at the hotel and called out her name. �Ebony� I yelled out a couple of times but �silence�. Only the scattering of birds could be heard. I sighed she was gone. I turned and walked back to the front the streets the area was still quiet I thought it would had been fluttering with people from the impact of the blast but maybe they where too scared to come close. I spotted some squatters on the road scarping for food in the bins. I turned to the alley where the mall rat girl was but she was now gone. I wondered if she had got up and walked away or if she had been taken. I looked to the burning hotel strange things where going on. I quickly ran towards the end of the alley, my legs still feeling weak from the exercise of the night. I saw sleepily glances looking at me; I ignored them, I turned back briefly and saw the squatters who had been scraping for food now form a crowd near the hotel. I heard vehicle engines. My heart raced. I brushed the wall slightly as I ran and like a light switch I remembered my haven; it was quite far from the hotel but it was my only choice. I quickened my pace much to the discomfort of my legs muscle. I had found my haven ever since ram had cunningly trapped me in vr. I never really knew why but I figured it was because I was getting to close to cloe he didn�t like that. Us getting to close to virts. Not because of his obsession with germs but the thought of us conniving with them sort of led him to think we�d betray him, he wanted us to believe that he was all we had. Before he trapped me in vr I had spent days looking for her but with no luck. I was bewildered to how she could have got lost in the system without me knowing. Then when ram got ill I clicked on that he had something to do with it, I didn�t dare say it to him but I could tell from his eyes that he knew I�d figured it out. His eyes almost challenging me to do something about it but I never took his challenged. I could feel his frustration growing I was disobeying his orders. I was hiding things from him; he didn�t like to be kept in the dark he didn�t like to feel he was not in control. Then that was when it happened. I foolishly went into the game to look for cloe, that�s when I realised I couldn�t get back out. I knew it was rams doing. But I had become smarter than him, what he forgot was that I had helped to create the vr world. I knew how to get out. It was all in the mind. Vr plays on weak minds. I shut my mind and my body on the outside world stopped responding to the game. Almost like I was dead. I was taken off line. When I woke up I was in the connection room I was strapped up in a circle; with other virts around me still in the game. I had become part of the experiment. I closed my eyes as the guards took of the vr gear from me when they finished they walked out leaving me there, I heard one of them say that they where going to get ram. I waited till I was sure they had gone and escaped. I ran as far as I could from the hotel. I found myself in a place called liberty. A shantytown where rams cameras didn�t reach he thought the place to dirty to bother watching. I was soon taken in by a bunch of youths they didn�t question as I was still in the white experimental outfit my techno trading mark gone. I was amazed by them they all had plans. some farfetched. I was drawn into their plans they where planning to finish the technos, it was perfect it was my chance to get ram but I never got my shot. I was distracted by a more desirable offer. A guy, long greasy hair if you ask me, approached me, he made me a proposal. He said he knew of my work, I didn�t even question how. I just heard all the gifts, power I would have I couldn�t refuse I was with the loco�s now. My clan knew I had dealings with a powerful tribe, they never knew who though. I was soon pronounced leader of them. My power in the locos growing they saw all the equipments I had, cars they wanted to be part of that. But I never mentioned them to zoot they where MY clan. As I headed towards my haven I was met by incoming vehicles. It was my clan they said that there had been an explosion at the hotel and where coming to inspect it. I quickly turned them away from the hotel. I scurried into one of the buggies and that was when I saw you in megas jeep. �End of back flash� Ebony looked at ved who would had guessed he had a story to tell. They where two of a kind they had both been betrayed by people. Yet always finding themselves going back to the dark side. �I don�t think zoot wanted you dead� ebony sighed turning away from him �how can you be so sure� he asked keeping his eye on the road �I don�t know but I�m sure he didn�t want to get rid of you. He still needed you� ebony continued �but me; my job was over. He used me as a face to talk to the other tribes. He knew I would be able to con them into joining him. He wasn�t ready to show his face and now he is so I�m not needed anymore� �Why did you go back to him?� ved asked questionably Ebony hesitated then replied �for power, revenge I guess� �Who in particular would you have had your revenge on well apart from the whole city of course?� she didn�t answer but kept her gaze on the road �So if zoot didn�t want me dead why did he set of the bomb in the hotel? Knowing it would had killed me and the rest of the militias?� said ved changing the subject �It was spike that snake� she spat �what�s your obsession with him� ved asked curiously looking at her but she didn�t return his gaze �I learnt a long time ago that obsessions are pointless they get you nowhere� he finished she remained quiet. They drove in silence for about 10 minutes until she finally spoke �you know what I�d like to know is how and why they faked their deaths� veds eyebrows rose immediately. that got him thinking; he had heard that zoot had been cremated after his death �mans a genius� he answered merely Ebony thoughts where on spike again; why would he had staged his own death. He seemed fine after the death of zoot he brought no reason for notice of any alliance left to zoot. It just didn�t make sense maybe mega was right; maybe they where planning something more than just a mere invasion. Too much thought had been put into their plans. Nothing felt real anymore. �Were nearly there� ved said turning into a narrow road, the road way scattered with leaves and tall broad trees blocked almost all the light from the road making it spooky. Ebony�s eyes widened as she met her horizons. At the end of the narrow road was a tall brass metal gate. Opening slowly as the buggy got closer. Ved drove through the gate �wow� ebony admired as the buggy came to a stop ved jumped out of the buggy to her seat and helped her out. �I knew you�d like it� said ved �I found this place abandoned while doing some scouting for zoot. I informed my clan about it and we soon made this place ours. No one knows about it� ved grinned �you can�t find it unless you�re actually looking for it� �take her to orien� said ved as two girls came out to greet him they looked at ebony sceptically remembering her face �its okay� ved said noticing their glances �she�s one of us� the girls seemed reassured by his words and helped a limping ebony inside the grand building ~ ~ ~ �Please give me back baby� Trudy cried as Brady was tugged away from her arms and taken away. She marched forward but was thrown back, she collapsed on the floor in desperation; she could hear bradys loud cries for her mother. She was powerless siva ran to her aid and helped the weeping mother up from the floor. �get her� a lean brass guy growled siva and a hazy trudy watched as two men came for them �leave her� siva pleaded as they grabbed trudys arm and dragged her out of the mall �careful idiot� the lean one said �untouched that�s what he said� as they dragged trudy carelessly away. Siva quickly shuffled back up to the caf� where salene and pride where being forced down the stairs by some youths. There were like 50 of them running around the mall ran-sacking the place. they had come out of nowhere. siva wished that she had gone with mega, but she decided to stay cause of lex reluctance to believe mega. A wary pride, salene and siva watched as dozens of people beneath them ran around the mall. They where looking for something �what are they looking for� salene whispered to no one in particular siva and pride both looked at each other with no answers �where�s amber� a plum one in with a loud cockney accent bellowed at them �we don�t know� an earnest salene said holding her arms around her as a sort of comfort. She wished she had been faster and had left the mall. The loco�s had came soon after mega and taisan had left. She had immediately started packing some stuff. She was about to leave when lex stopped her in the basement. He was angry with her for believing mega. She knew his anger was because taisan seemed smitten with him. They went into an argument she had given up talking with lex and left little bray with him, and a sleepy mouse and sammy and went back up to the mall to see what was taking trudy so long. To her amazement she was manhandled and settled on the mall caf� as she watched a helpless trudy fight for her baby. She just hoped that lex had heard the commotion and had escaped with bray, sammy and mouse. �you�re lying� the plum one yelled not believing her �look she�s not here she went to get some food for her baby� pride lied �fine take them all� the lean one ordered immediately siva, pride and salene where hurled down the stairs towards the exit �they�ll answer to bray� the lean one finished �bray� salene whimpered wide-eyed it couldn�t be bray he was talking about ~ ~ ~ �What happened to you� jay asked as taisan and a dusty mega walked into the stadium. He was just about to send some people to look for him but he saw the techno jeep drive up to the stadium and he waited for him at the entrance. �I was diverted,� said mega. Taisan walked past both of them and clear into the stadium. She shook her head discreetly as she walked past jay. Mega had confused her yet again. She didn�t understand his motives sometimes or him even after all that time they had spent together him reprogramming her like he had called it. On the drive here he had made it perfectly clear that he didn�t want her to mention their encounter with ebony or ved to jay. She had questioned him as to why; she figured it would not be too long before jay found out cause the mall rats where coming to the mall and one of them would be bound to mention it. But he had brushed it off and said he�d deal with that problem when it arrived. �Everything is running smoothly guards patrolling each perimeter� jay talked as he and mega walked in casually through the stadium �Good we have more time now that the loco�s think where fried� Jay looked at him puzzled. Mega�s exterior seemed more anxious than usual; he�s brain seemed to be working hard. Jay noticed his clothing for the first time they where tattered and ripped �what happen to you� jay quizzed �Like I said I was diverted� said mega coolly as they walked through the long halls scattering techno�s getting about with their jobs. Jay was right everything did seem to be moving on smoothly mega thought. �You were caught up in the blast� jay guessed he had still been looking at him and had noticed megas bloody arms. It had to be the only explanation. Mega paused for a second and they continued walking in silence �My distraction was ebony� he replied finally; he didn�t want to have to tell him about ebony. He knew that she�d just distract jay from the job or was there another reason. Jay swallowed. His hands started fidgeting, but he held his composure �I went back in the hotel I left something behind as I was going back out I saw her limping in the corridor� �She was hurt,� asked jay concern �Shot in the leg to be precise� mega replied he thought not to mention that he thought it was someone named spike who had did it or ebony�s weird insights �I helped her out of the hotel just as the blast went off; she was loosing a lot of blood I headed for the mall remembering taisan was there and had a vehicle. I also warned the mall rats about a attack from the locos� �Where�s ebony now� jay said ignoring the last part of mega sentence �Taken� �Where� �By your brother. There closer than I had anticipated� �What her and ved� said jay disgusted Mega snorted despite himself. He had never thought of them together like that. Could something really be going on between them, ebony did seem really pleased to see him then again he was holding her hostage. �Hmm maybe� mega thought �but now that zoots abandoned her I�m not that surprised they have formed an alliance� �He has� said jay surprised mega paused then said �I think he meant for her to die in the hotel�. �It might still happen I don�t think they�d get far with only the two of them; when zoot finds out she�s alive� jay replied soulfully �Oh there clever� mega replied rubbing his chin briefly �They have people;� �Oh� �But what is really getting me is why they took the mall rat girl� mega continued �Mall rat girl� �Yes I think her name was May� said mega jay was about to respond but mega started speaking again �maybe they�ll use her as a hostage - oh I don�t know� mega finished frustrated. jay remained quiet �stupid move though� mega said finally �What was�? Jay asked �Taking ebony she�s lost a lot of blood I doubt she�d survive the night unless they treat her fast� �She�ll get what she deserves� jay said painfully. mega looked at him shocked at his answer had he gotten over her. �The main thing is she still doesn�t know you�re alive,� mega continued pretending he didn�t hear jays� last words �And what use is that to us� jay spat as they stopped outside a room where the main office was situated. Mega looked at him surprised. Jay�s eyes where cold could he hate her also. �Surprise� mega replied calmly �I know she knows stuff about zoot she was with him for a while she must had heard something like I said before invading the city can�t be his only goal I know it� �If she�s going to die by today or the next she won�t be any use to us� said jay coldly as he walked into the room, he immediately placed himself in front of a computer screen and busied himself with some typing. Mega looked anxiously at him not knowing what he was doing. He was rather taken aback by jay�s attitude he had thought jay would show the least bit of concern for ebony, but what he got was the cold shoulder. �I guess so� mega mumbled unsure��� ~ ~ ~ I hurried through the roads; it was still quite early. The sun gave too much light shinning out our every step. I stopped near some rails on the side of a road. My heart was beating fast. I hadn�t felt this way since the attack on the chosen so unsure of what was about to happen next. I held on tightly to the baby cradled in my arms. I looked at a half awake mouse staring at me hoping for some answers. Sammy was looking just as scared and bewildered holding tightly on to her hand. �Where are we going to lex� mouse spoke �I don�t know� I replied. I immediately regretted my answer as I saw her face paled with worry �what happened to salene and Trudy who where those people we where hiding from� she carried on hoping I�d give her a reasonable explanation. I didn�t know what to say if I told her what happened to the mall rats it would just break her heart and she�d start crying. And I couldn�t take the wails of cries so early in the morning �I tell you later� I said hoping that would be enough of an answer and she�d silence. I coughed; my mouth was parched, I was in need of a drink. I sighed heavily thinking of the time before - I had tried to knock some sense into salene. I couldn�t believe how stupid she was for believing that techno. She had got frustrated of the arguing and had dumped bray, mouse and sammy with me along with their stuff and ran off back inside the mall. I waited impatiently for a while then went back up to see what was taking her long. I left sammy and mouse with the luggage�s and with bray in toll in my arms I walked back to the mall. That�s when I heard voices - shouting and arguing. I could hear trudy screams but I couldn�t make out exactly what she was saying - but it was something about brady. I was about to burst in through the basement door to see what was going on when I saw them. The loco�s. There was no, mistaking it, it was definitely them I remembered those old markings of terror and chaos. Mega was right they had indeed come for the mall rats. I quickly went back down through the underground passage I knew it would be stupid if I tried to help them. I would had just got hulled off with them. I grabbed a bag it was all I could carry mouse and sammy had their little bags on there back. I told them to hurry and follow me. They questioned �why� but the noises of the loco�s coming down the basement cause them to run out of the mall with me. And here we where now we had been walking for � I didn�t know but for a long time- Mouse and sammy continuous whining where signs of growing hunger, confusion and tiredness. I looked at bray still cradled in my arms then turned to look at the city. I had no idea of where we where or which way to go next. I had taken an unfamiliar route when we came out of the mall. I noticed some locos in front of the mall they had the mall surrounded. I only just escaped with mouse and sammy by crouching behind trash cans and we legged it through a tight alley. I brought bray to my shoulder and tightly held him there with one arm as I stretch out the other. It ached like hell. How amber carried him all the time I didn�t know. Thankfully he had been sleeping through out - there was a little twitter here and there but further still as peaceful as a baby can be. I looked ahead we were on a long street which seemed to lead to nowhere; the street was quite wide. �This must have been a motorway� I thought as we leaned on the metal railings on the side of the road resting our tired legs. I had never been this far out of the city since the virus. I never went further than the known sectors of the city. I realised that was the problem with us the �mall rats� we found the mall and grouped there not bothering to explore other parts of the city. I almost laughed despite myself our name was so fitting the �mall rats�. Rats that�s what we were. Waiting for the big cats to come and inhabit us just like the chosen, techno�s now the loco�s did who was next I thought. �I�m hungry lex when are we going to eat� Sammy voice arose breaking my thoughts �When we find some food,� I replied picking up the brown bag. It was the only piece of luggage I could take, as bray was enough luggage already. I pulled the strap too my shoulder and held on to bray tighter and began to cross the wide road. As I walked I realised I missed the sound of cars running through the roads. This would had been a busy road before the virus now it was just dead. Deserted. I turned slightly to look back at where we had came. I could almost see the plaza the tall building in the centre of the city from behind the many buildings in the city. It almost looked like a mirage. I almost gasped as I realised how far we had walked really. I had intended to go to the stadium where the techno�s where but got lost as soon as we went though that alley at the mall. �Why don�t we go look for some food�? Mouse started �Cause we haven�t got time� I answered continuing walking them lagging behind �How can we not have time to look for food?� sammy challenged �Will you two stop it?� I growled getting frustrated. The suns heat wasn�t helping either it was boiling and all the luggage I was holding was making be sweat. �Just keep walking we have to get off the road,� I continued as I gently climbed over the metal rail at the other side of the road, mouse and sammy crouch underneath the railing �Salene will never talk to us like this I wish she was here why isn�t she here�, mouse whining started again �Because she got kidnapped by the loco�s,� I snapped but sighed yet again as I regretted my choice of words as mouse and sammys face fell �Look sorry � salene didn�t get kidnapped they just needed to talk to her for a while� I stopped and looked at each of their faces they weren�t buying it they where too bright for little kids �look we just need to keep on walking for a while till we get to the food place� �What mc Donald�s� mouse offered? �More like a barn with cows and chicken� sammy laughed. mouse frowned she was about to say something but I interrupted before she had the chance �Look over there� I said gesturing to what seemed like group of houses. We quickly scuffled closer to the buildings and we came to an opening. behind the bushed there laid a dirt road. We followed it until we could see a sign �liberty� it read. �That�s we are� I said amazed we had indeed walked far. I knew of liberty it was an olden day town, old style buildings. The government was going to destroy them so they could modernise the place with high-rise flats and shopping centres. But some history company got involved and fought to protect the buildings saying it was part of the cities history. We walked underneath the steel sign. The place seemed like something out of a western TV show. We cautiously walked through the road; I immediately sensed eyes watching us. I heard whispers. Mouse must have heard them to because I felt her walk closer to me. I turned my head to what seemed like a bar and saw a bright red sign, which read vacancies. I walked towards the building and opened the doors. I admired the door it was like those swinging doors in the cowboy age. I scanned the place it was quite busy; some kids where slumming on chairs they looked like they where drunk. Things here weren�t as different from the city as I thought. The place looked decent, it was well looked after. I walked up to what seemed like the reception there a blonde haired girl, pretty looking stood behind the counter. She had been watching us and gave me a brief smile as we came closer �Looking for rooms,� she asked �That be great� I answered my feet where killing me I looked at mouse and sammy dry faces �err can I have some milk and two glasses of water where parched� �Sure� she said and was about to go to a room behind the counter when I called out �make that three� she nodded �Are we still going to go to McDonalds lex� mouse asked I looked at sammy and we both rolled our eyes. ~ ~ ~ Two Weeks Later�. Hasely ran into the stadium. up the rounded stone steps and ran straight into the main office where he was met by mega and jay who seemed engaged in work like they always where. �What is it� jay asked seeing the anxious expression on hasely�s face �Zoot is holding a gathering� hasley breathed out of breath as he leaned on one of the desk �What� jay asked confused? �For all city leaders� hasley rambled on �Why� mega asked his eyes urging hasley to say more �I don�t know� hasley said shaking his head �When� asked mega �Tonight� �You�re not considering on going,� said jay seeing the glint in mega�s eyes �What other choice do we have� mega replied spinning round on his seat and looking back at the camera screen he was watching before hasley had come in. He had full view of the stadium and some parts of the city, cameras where still up from when ram ruled. �We can stay here� jay challenged �We�d be fools to miss the opportunity� mega said dismissively �Maybe� jay said his brain thinking �but it could be a trap� �That�s why we prepare� and he then turned to hasley �find out what you can about this gathering hasley and be discreet we don�t want the loco�s to know about us yet!� Hasely nodded and walked out of the room. Jay also got up and followed hasley out of the door. He shut it behind him. He sighed and leaned back on the door for a while he turned to his right where hasley was walking down the long halls. He moved away from the door and walked in the other direction. Things where just too strange lately. Zoot hadn�t made a move on the city like mega had thought. There had been no sign of any of his activities for two weeks now. All they knew was that the locos had moved into the plaza building positioned in the centre of the city. Mega had called zoot a fool for moving there; that he had trapped himself in the middle and all they�d have to do when the time came was to surround them from all sides. He had a point jay thought but he didn�t think it would be that easy something wasn�t right. The past days seemed to go slower and the atmosphere seemed darker something bad was brewing and he didn�t think he�d come out alive. Jay walked up to the last floor of the stadium. On this floor was where most of the rooms where stationed. Old delectate rooms had been converted into homely bedrooms not as luxurious as the hotel was but it was something. �How are you feeling?� said jay as he opened one of the room door, he closed it behind him and sat on the edge of ambers bed. She slowly sat up straight �as good as I can be� she said sadly �You�ve been crying� said jay sympathetically seeing her sore red eyes �you can talk to me about it� he offered amber smiled tears still foaming in her eyes. she remained silent. Jay moved his hands closer to her and took her palm gently in his. �I told myself I wouldn�t do this� said amber now sobbing �but its been two weeks and no word; there all gone maybe even dead my baby how can zoot be so evil� she cried her whole body was sobbing uncontrollably Jay moved further up the bed and hugged her to him Amber took warmth in his comfort and cried on his shoulders. They remained in the same position for a good ten minutes until ambers sobs capsized. Jay gently pulled away from her bending his head down slightly to look at her weeping face. He brought a hand to her face and wiped away loose tears running down her cheeks �Thank you jay� amber spoke hoarsely �I don�t know what I�d would have done without you� jay smiled at her words. Ever since he and hasley had found amber on a pile of trash on a road he had taken it upon himself to look after her. She was very vulnerable now even though she tried to act strong, he could tell she was really hurt and depressed. She had lost her child, the mall rats, bray - everything. He felt for her but what made him even angrier was that amber had told him that she had seen ved after the explosion. She said he was talking to her when she was awake but she fainted probably from shock and when she had woken up again he had disappeared. She had left the hotel confused and had collapsed in a rubbish heap and that�s when he and hasley had found her. Ved had abandoned her how could he jay thought angrily. He had no good bone in him anymore. �Thank you� amber smiled as jay finished wiping her face �You�re welcome� jay spoke resting his hands on the bed he moved back from her slightly then looked at her with serious face �zoots has called a gathering for all tribe leaders� he said slowly �Gathering� amber, squawked �Tonight� jay continued, �where going� �Is that wise it could be a trap� amber questioned her voice now more monotone �It probably is but it�s an opportunity to find out what they are up to, get answers to questions�.� �Do you think we�ll find any answers there�? �Not the ones where looking for� he replied �but its obvious that they where the one who kidnapped the mall rats and your son. Maybe you can appeal to zoot� �What do you think he�d actually listen�? �It�s worth a shot� said jay he looked at her, he wasn�t sure about this neither but he carried on �you know zoot� �I wouldn�t say we where friends� she started �but maybe I can appeal to him through our contact with bray� she said a smile forming on her face as she saw a glint of hope. Jay watched her it was the first time he�d seen her smile like this since they found her. He returned her smile glad that a ray of hope could still yet be found. Mega had been optimistic all along that they would win in the end but he could not see the light at the end of the tunnel. All he saw was darkness. In his heart he knew that there would be no dawn for him he�s time would soon come to a dark end. But at least, he could help bring hope and happiness to others� ~~~ �They�re getting stronger. I bet this was his idea,� said ebony as she flexed her leg muscle on a leg rest in front of her. She then angrily crumpled the piece of paper she was holding and threw it on the floor. �Spike is too dumb� said ved as he bent down and picked the litter she just threw and sat in a couch opposite her and watched as she continued to massage her healing ankle. She looked at him �true� she agreed. She was in the front room of veds mansion and had been relaxing her ankle when ved had come in with a poster advertising a gathering �a party more like� for the entire city. It sounded like zoot wanted to show the city who was now in control. She heave a sigh and looked at her ankle she hated being in this state so useless. Though her ankle was healing she still hadn�t recovered fully. The strength she used to have in her ankle had fully come back; It hurt when she ran and she had a slight limp when she walked. She hoped it wasn�t going to be a permanent thing. �You two seen it then� they both looked to the door to see May coming in holding another copy of the advertisement. They nodded. It was strange may too had become and unlikely ally to them. When ved and his crew had first took her they had planned to use her has some sort of ransom, but so that she�d be no use and she ended up staying at the mansion with them. Ebony understood her feelings of being betrayal and lack of want from others; for the first time in a long while she felt like she was on the same level with people. �The whole city must have a copy by now� said ved �What time are going� both ebony and ved looked at her in disbelief �are you serious� chimed ebony �there�s practically a bounty on my head. Well if zoot knew I was still alive. It would be like walking into a lion�s den�. �True� ved supposed slumping further into his seat �but it will be a miss opportunity if we don�t go� She looked at him sceptically and stopped massaging her ankle �Your not suggesting we go� she said surprised �we can�t hide here forever someone is going to have to do something about the loco�s� he appealed �Oh it�s the zootists as well now� may added pointing to a small imprint on the poster �the worlds gone mad zoots gone and named a tribe after him� ebony said in disgust �got to hand it to him he�s nearly got the whole place in his hand� ved admired �Not hard. - the city is filled with idiots� ebony snarled clearly not impressed �We should go for information if anything,� may spoke as she sat on the edge of ebony�s couch. �And what good will information be to us� challenged ebony �We need to know what their plan is� ved appealed �What so we can overture him� ebony huffed �the captain America tribe is back at the mall. God ved think�� �Well forgive me if I forget to think� he answered also frustrated �come on ebony veds right we can�t hide forever no matter how nice this place is� she said looking at the infrastructure of the mansion �the loco�s will soon have the whole city covered, people will follow them just like they did with the guardian and there�ll be no where left to hide.� There was pause �Okay fine� ebony piped up �let�s say we do go. What are - we just going to walk straight in there oh hello zoot long time no see great party?� �Its not going to be like that� ved replied �obviously we�ll go in some kind of disguise so where not spotted� �What if it�s a trap?� ebony asked refusing to back down �it�s a risk we need to take� answered may �and l for one I�m going� �I to and I�ll take some of the veds with us for backup.� �Veds� may asked baffled looking at him �He means the rest of the �crew� your not zoot� said ebony as ved sniggered �so let�s get prepared then� she finished getting up �Oh so your going to the gathering then� said orien as they made their way out the room. �We wouldn�t be ones to miss a party,� ved grinned �You too ebony� asked orien. Ebony nodded in answer and then walked past her out of the room. She always got a strange feeling when she was around orien. She didn�t trust her one bit. ~ ~ ~ I watched mesmerised as two sparrows twittered after each other in the sky. Endlessly trying to bite each other�s feather tail - it was like watching a dog chase its tail forever failing to catch it. I smiled as the sun began to set. I could see the preparations for the gathering still going on in the city hall; some kids waiting outside eager for the event. I moved away from the huge sphere window of the tower. The top was like a big glass dome it was a magnificent building. �The ball starts rolling tonight� I spoke not to anyone in particular. There where two other loco�s in the room with me getting on with this and that. I watched as my brother walked around with his baby in his arms, the kid had been crying all morning and I was thankful that he was finally asleep. �Still no sign of the mother� I asked him looking at sleeping baby. He shrugged. I looked at him disapprovingly; he didn�t seem bothered in finding her any time soon. I scowled why he didn�t understand the urgency. It only took one to rise up ad things could change dramatically and amber was certainly one. She had to be found. I knew he still had feelings for her no matter how much he tried to hide it. He had done a good job of it so far but now with his baby in his arms for the first time I knew he was going soft again. I could see doubt in his eyes when I spoke of our plans; still it was miracle that he had even joint up with me in the first place. I guess he felt the need to. After finding out that I was still alive he probably felt he had to do the big brother duty and be loyal to me. I easily brainwashed him to his brink. Guilt was a horrid emotion. I looked at him closer smiling at his son. He�d better be careful I thought any sign of treachery and he�d be dealt with permanently. �No matter I�m sure will find her soon enough� I started again �this gathering is like bait if she�s out there she surely cone looking for her baby� I smirked as he looked at me sceptically �she�s not to be harmed remember� I held my hands up in acceptance. He turned back to the baby. I turned back to the window more people had gathered outside the hall. They probably saw the gathering as a big party with free food and drink for grabs. Yeah right like I was charity. I was bringing a new order to the city and things don�t come for free. I looked back at bray; if amber was stupid enough to come she�d deserved everything that came to her � just like the rest of the mallrats�. ~ ~ ~ Mega looked down at his outfit; he wore a black cut off sleeve jacket, with a red t-shirt underneath and some dark denim jeans. He had decided against removing his glasses he was blind enough. But it was a comfortable change from his techno uniform. He didn�t even know why he still wore the thing. Conformity he guessed. He was at the gathering with about 20 other techno�s they where also dressed casual. The gathering was being held in the city hall and as he took in his environs he noticed that zoots tower was only a few blocks away convenient he thought. It was a nice enough evening the moon had not come out yet so it was quite dark only the few working streetlamps gave the roads enough light to see where you where going. He scanned the crowd people where already making there way in the building, he could hear the beat of music coming from inside the hall. �A gathering or a party� mega thought aloud. It felt like the whole city was here. As he looked at the different faces hen wandered if she was �dumb enough� � �curious� he rephrased himself after all he was here �To come�. Unlikely he thought as he remembered the wound she had taken. She might be laying six feet under by now. �Who are you looking for?� He jumped slightly, spooked by the sudden voice �sh!t taisan do you have to do that� mega snapped as he turned to the petite girl. He had to refrain his gaze as she had also changed clothing. She wore some oriental dress and she had neatly tied up with a blue streaked fringe in the front. She was about to speak again but they both got distracted as jay and amber came to their side �ready to go in� asked jay. they all nodded �move around act causal any sign of trouble bail� said mega and they all spread out mega with taisan, jay with amber and the rest of the techno�s moved in different directions. Jay gently squeezed ambers arms as they walked and whispered in her ear �you ready� she breathed inwardly �I�m ready� she smiled as they made their way through the halls large double doors. He noticed how heavily guarded the place was. Their where guards with weapons from the ground to the roof of the building. The front doors and around the perimeters. He began to wonder if this was good idea. But there was no turning back now he told himself as walked on. He was amazed by the turn up, there where large numbers of city youths gathered in the front about 40 of them just chatting and laughing. As they walked inside there was no disappointment. The place was crowded to its brink. There must have been hundreds of people in there. �Something is going to happen� he airily spoke ~ ~ ~ �Time to party,� said May walking side by side with ved and ebony. Only three of the �veds� had decided to come they where very reclusive people. Orien had also stayed behind which ebony was glad for. She was trouble that one she could see java�s behaviour traits in her though not as extreme but trouble never the less. They had parked their vehicles a few blocks away and walked the rest of the distance on foot. She cursed as she nearly tripped on a broken pavement, and twisted her ankle slightly. She recomposed herself and continued walking. She had changed her appearance fully. She wore a half cut green trousers, a dark green belt, a green bra and a light see through jacket on top of that, green boots, and to top it off she had taken of her braids and wore died her hair green. It was a dramatic change. But she needed the change she felt things where going to change today and start looking up. She pulled on her old black long cloak jacket. She had begun to think she was overly dressed and would have been spotted for sure as she came closer to the hall. But the city kids where also dressed to kill she�d mix in fine. �Time to go in� said ved and they waked to the entrance. There was a lot of kids hanging around the entrance and they had to push past them to get in. as ebony walked through the double doors she noticed something peculiar the guards face where covered as they wore huge hooded tops, she took a sneaky look at one of them and she could have swore that he was wearing an oxygen mask. She didn�t get a good chance to look as he noticed her glance and she quickly turned her face and followed the rest of the veds in quickly. They all looked up in awe at the interior of the building. The place was beautifully decorated the locos� clearly taking advantage of the electricity. They had decorated the walls with Christmas lights, which glimmered in various colours making the ceiling look like a starry sky. There was a luminary large silver disco ball in the middle of the ceiling. There was even music and it was sure was one you could dance to. As she admired the decorations May wandered why zoot would go to all this trouble maybe ebony was right and it was a trap. Get as many youths here then waste them. She immediately stopped her thoughts as she spotted a bar at the other side of the hall and walked - almost ran to it. She was delighted at the various types of beverages behind it. Whatever was going to happen tonight she was going to enjoy herself. She had worried enough in her life�. Ved and ebony both exchanged similar glances as may went straight for the bar. Most of the veds where already mingling or looking around she followed ved as he walked to an empty table they sat down and watched the crowd. �I wonder the main event is going to start� said ved �If it ever happens� she mumbled �this looks like one big party,� she finished. She had thought the gathering would be more like a meeting zoot telling the city his plans for them. She looked around everyone was laughing, dancing, chatting and drinking it was like one big rave. There was the one off worried looks, which simplified her owning feelings of the event, but other than that everyone seemed to be having fun. She got up deciding to head for the bar and join May. It was a struggle to get there the place was packed, she found herself pushing people aside. She sighed as she finally reached her destination she couldn�t see May, she�d probably gone off again. She found an empty stool and sat down. She looked around for the service. It seemed that zoot had gotten city kids to run his dirty work there was a flirting with one of the guards at the far end of the bar �Drink� she shouted to a barmaid. She came over �please� she replied �Drink� ebony repeated again. The barmaid rolled her eyes �what type� she sneered �Its there a menu� She rolled her eyes again and got her a drink. She slammed it in front of ebony some spilling on the table. Ebony eyed up the drink it was a blue liquid beverage, she�d never seen anything like it. It looked tasty she then eyed the glass it looked like it could do another round in the wash. But she opted on saying anything it was her fault for being rude. But she couldn�t help herself but be that at times it was in her nature. �That will be two.� the barmaid spoke. Ebony looked at her amused and yet baffled. Who bothered using the stupid currency she thought. That had long since died down as the techno�s began falling apart. People just traded jewellery or what ever and she had nothing like that on - her well nothing to be spared. �You don�t actually think I�m going to pay� ebony smirked taking hold of the drink and sipping a little. �You don�t think your not going to pay� the barmaid mimicked. Ebony gave a coil smile �that is exactly what I�m going to do� she said getting off her stool. The barmaid quickly called a guard for assistance �try finding me in this crowd� ebony smirked. The barmaid turned round but she had disappeared �b!tch� she said angry ~ ~ ~ |
| MY TIME HAS COME |