Joe, Tai, and the Cowboys were in Joe's motel room, when Cody came in, accompanied by Bear. "Bear said we were having a meeting," Cody said, sitting down. "And it's about time you got here," said Joe. "Even though we won this battle, there are other things that are more dangerous out there." One of the Cowboys, Desmond, rolled his eyes. "Boy, I am really getting sick of this 'Let's save the whole damn world' thing. There are people who are in charge of things like this, you know." Joe glanced at him, then continued with his speech. "The only way we can stop it is if there's no Tongue Ring." "Tongue Ring?" Cody asked. "Don't you know about it?" "Well, I might've heard of it, but I don't see--" "Then shut up and listen. I don't have time to explain it to you." He cleared his throat. "Now, Card Sharp knows that it's been found, but He doesn't know where it is. And He thinks we'll give it to someone to try to overthrow Him. You looked in the Magic 8 Ball, didn't you, Tai?" Tai hung his head. "Yeah, I did." "Fine, whatever. There are still Grim Reapers flying around, and they will give their messages to Him. His eyes will come over here, we hope. We just have to keep it on us, if you get my drift." "Keep Him away from Kat, you mean?" asked Tai. "Yes. We need to get His Plastic Surgery Victims out of Nevada, too. And, as much as I hate to say this, we need to be the bait. A diversion, if you will, to let Kat and Sora do what they need to do." "We'll be killed!" Cody exclaimed. "There are still thousands of Plastic Surgery Victims in Nevada!" "I know. But I'd rather die knowing I helped, instead of living in exile knowing I didn't help." Everyone was silent. After a couple minutes, Tai spoke up: "Well, come on now! Joe gives good advice, and his plan sounds ... uh ... like a good one." "Well, I don't really have a plan yet." Joe lit up a cigarette. "Fine. The idea is all right. And when you think of a plan, I'm coming with you." "So will I," said Aiden. "Wes Scantlin from Puddle of Mudd also mentioned something like this, and we came here for that purpose." The other Cowboys nodded, although Desmond looked a little reluctant. Cody looked at everyone else. "Well ... Tai helped my people, and came to Salt Lake City when I needed him, so I should go with him." Bear, sitting quietly in the corner, finally spoke up. "I'm going to take the Lietenant Governor's place while you're gone, then. You can't come back to a place gone amuck." "I didn't want you to go anyway," Joe said. "In fact, are you even supposed to be at this meeting? I told you to bring Cody down here, that's all." "I'm a cop; I can do whatever I want." "Uh ... " Joe was at a loss for words. In the end, he just turned back to the meeting. "Fine. We'll leave in the morning." Sora woke up while it was still dark outside. She shook Kat. "Wake up. It's morning." Kat mumbled something about needing a good night's sleep for once, and sat up. "It's not morning; it's still dark." "It's morning." Sora took some bars out of her bag and gave one to Kat. "Do you want a soda? The sugar will still give you energy." Kat took one and they ate and drank in silence. When they were done, they still sat there in silence. Finally, Sora got up. "We have to do this sometime, Kat. You can't put if off forever." "I know," she said, stretching. "I'm just ... nervous, I guess." "Well, come on then. I'm still here for you." She held out her hand to Kat. Kat took it and Sora pulled her up. Surprisngly, they didn't meet any more buses full of Plastic Surgery Victims as they walked down the Interstate. Apparantly, the bus they had been on was the last. They stopped to rest at noon, and Sora found herslef licking her lips, longing for some water. There was no way they could drink carbonated, caffeine-ated drinks in the middle of the day. Kat put her head between her knees. "I can't do it, Sora. I just can't." Sora sighed, knowing what Kat was going to say when she offered. "Well, you could let me carry it for a --" "I said 'no', bitch! That's not what's keeping me. It's this damn heat and lack of water." "Yeah, whatever you say." She opened her backpack. "But we can at least get rid of these things we don't need." She pulled out some crap from her bag and flung it on the ground. Kat took off her beanie and the button-down shirt. "You'll get sunburnt now," Sora reminded her. "And I could really give a flying fuck." Sora took some of her dishes out. Dishes, really, Sora, she thought. She smiled. "Remember that day we stole all that food from Mickey D's? I didn't think it'd actually work." "Huh? No, I don't remember that. I don't remember anything, remember? I have short-term memory loss." "Only old people have that." Sora left her fedora on, but took off her sweatshirt and tied it around her waist. She rolled up the sleeves of her jersey and looked east. "We probably should get going agin." She looked inside her backpack. All that was left was the .38 Special, some snack food, the Red Hot Chili Peppers lighter, and the box of dirt Kate Hudson gave her. She thought about tossing the box of dirt, then decided against it. It was just a little box, anyway. They set off again, somehow more hopeful than before. Early that morning, Tai went to find Matt and TK. Mimi and Kari asked him what was going on, and he explained the meeting the night before. "Kari, you can ride with Joe," he said. "What about me?" asked Mimi. "You can stay here." They left soon after, Mimi sulking, but knowing that she really didn't want to go. Kari had introduced her to River the night before, and he hung out with her that day. Bear had gotten angry at Joe's remark at the meeting, and he had another officer take his place at Salt Lake City while he went to Nevada with the others. And while River was somewhat sad to see his father go, he didn't have to go to his mother's place, and now he could smoke in the house. The fleet of soldiers drove south, planning to use the entrance by Las Vegas, not knowing the road was closed. It was the closest route to the Stratosphere Tower, where Card Sharp's Suicide King sat on the pinnacle and watched with his roving eyes. Kat and Sora could see Battle Mountain in the early evening. Time must've been on their side, because it was dark by the time they reached the city. Kat didn't talk, and all Sora knew was that they were looking for a smoky tattoo parlor. She took Kat's hand and pulled her along. They didn't come all this way just to get caught. Sora didn't know where the tattoo parlor was, so she started downtown, both of them jumping from shadow to shadow and hiding behind anything that would hide them. Kat coughed and collapsed in an alleyway. "Need ... water ... " she mumbled. Sora crouched down beside her in the shadows. "I don't have water. And I think you're being a little over dramatic." "How much farther?" "How the hell should I know? I've never been in this city before, and I don't have the faintest idea where to start looking for a tattoo parlor! If you know where it is, I'd kind of like to know!" "I don't know where it is, Sora." |
| The Return of the Gov'na part eight |
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