*All characters copyrighted to Poseidon Simons

Chapter 13

The City Life

                "He's here, is he?  I'll need to find him before too long.  If he makes many friends, it'll be hard to convince him to fight for me."   He had some ideas though.  It wasn't like Kain was powerless, just running out of time.  He'd have to make a move soon, or he might lose something he'd spent a fortune on!

 

                "No,"  Beremin scowled, "no, no, no, no, no!  There's NOTHING left!"  He slammed his book to the floor in frustration, "Nothing...I don't have a way to keep all three going..."  He thought through his options, "I might be able to finish one, but I'd have to shut off the power for the other two!  I can't do that!"  There had to be another way...but he couldn't find it.  What could he do?  What else could he possibly..."Wait..."   Beremin mused over another idea that had just popped into his head, "I could do that...it'd take me a lot longer, but I COULD do that..."  He didn't like the idea, but it was the only one he'd come up with so far.  With a regretful sigh, Beremin drew two blood samples from each experiment, then turned two of them off.  The excess power went into the third, sustaining it perfectly.  He glanced down at the three syringes in his hands.  Two of them held the last remaining samples of two experiments...his last hopes.

 

                "You're sure?"

                Don smiled, "This place is practically abandoned!  It's more or less a homeless shelter..."

                "Meaning?"

                "Eh, the building's not gonna last the rest of the year.  Sooner or later they'll demolish the thing, and until then, people who live on the streets are going to be the only neighbors you'll get.  I mean, the floors are all nice and stable, all you'll need is a few pillows and a blanket or two, then you'll be set!"

                Griffin still hesitated, "Look, I don't know...I'm not...this CAN'T be that good.  What about crooks and stuff like them?"

                Don gave him a look, "You're as strong as James, at LEAST.  I think you could stop a couple of crooks, and besides.  The Protector flies around this place a lot.  This USED to be a favorite hang out place for thieves and stuff, but they don't--"

                "How would you know about that?  I've heard enough from your friends to think that no one really knows that much about the Protector."  Griffin asked, folding his arms.

                Don stopped, and thought over what he'd said, "Oh great.  It sounds like I know who the Protector is.  How'm I going to talk my way out of this one?!"  He smiled weakly, "Well...I know a guy, who knows a--"

                "Never mind."  Griffin sighed, "You heard it from someone who heard it from someone, blah blah blah.  Far as I'm concerned, this place could just as easily be one of the biggest spots a criminal would hang out."

                Don sighed, "But this place would work..."

                "Yeah, it will."  Griffin nodded, but he looked a bit unhappy, "Just so long as I'm AWAY from people."

                Don half smiled, "You too?"

                "Huh?"

                "You get nervous around crowds?  The biggest reason I'm such good friends with Sargasso is because I've always been friends with Ace.  Since I was a kid...other than that, I don't know many people..."

                Griffin nodded, "It was just that girl...Julie, I think her name was.  I didn't know what to do or anything..."

                Don couldn't stop a short burst of laughter.  He stopped as soon as it had come out, but laughed just the same, "Julie?!!!  What'd she do to--"  Then he noticed, "Oh...it was your muscles, Griffin.  She's always trying to get close to James because of his muscles...I guess she just found you instead."  He held back another chuckle.

                Griffin glared at him, "Well, I didn't know how to react!  I doubt YOU could have done anything if YOU'D been in my position!"

                Poseidon just smiled, "So...should we get you settled in?"

                "Yeah."  Griffin walked over to a window and looked out, "That's a big city...and to think, all this time I thought I was the only one..."

 

                Late that night, Griffin woke, "Ugh...I wish I had my capsule..."  He'd never woken at night before...although, his nightvision certainly made things interesting.  He found he could switch it on or off whenever he wanted to.  The dark just thrilled him.  It presented new challenges that he'd never faced before.  Simply moving around felt exhilerating!

                He was down to the first floor a few mintues later, enjoying himself now...when he heard something.  It had been soft, like a footstep.  He stood perfectly still and listened hard.  When he was able to ignore all the sounds coming from outside, he heard it again.  It actually sounded like two pairs of feet.  He turned his nightvision back on and began heading toward the sound.  When he got closer, he began to make out voices.  A man and a woman.

                "How should we start?.."  Asked the woman.

                The man laughed, "I don't damn well care.  I've just been needing to do this.  That fine with you?"

                She chuckled, "So long as you're going to pay, I'll do whatever you want."

                Griffin was a bit confused by this.  He edged his way closer to the voices as they spoke.  When he found them...Griffin ran back, unable to believe what he'd just seen, "I am NOT ready for this!"  He'd never thought that it would be possible for him to fall in love.  That's what made this so shocking.  He'd just seen two anthros "involved" with each other!  It frightened him, "I can't...I just can't!  It's possible for that to happen to me now!  I can't adjust to this!  It's too hard!"  He faintly heard the two people laugh at something as he raced back up the stairs.  Back to his bed.  When he was back he laid down, desperately trying to get back to sleep.

                He could hear them below him...it scared him...Griffin couldn't understand why, but it scared him...

 

                Don stopped by the abandoned building the next morning, "Hey Griffin!  I think I found you a job!"  He shouted as he ran up the steps, "Griffin, c'mere!  You need to see...this?..Griffin?"  That was wierd.  There was no one here.  The only things left were the pillow and blanket, "Griffin?"  Don walked in and picked up the blanket.  Vitara bounded in beside him, yipping happily at the chance to explore this new place.  Don dropped the blanket and looked around, "Where'd he go?.."

 

                "Where...there HAS to be some place I can go!"  Griffin thought as he made his way through the many alleys of Yann city.  He'd been running since the sun had come up.  There had to be some place he could hide!  Anywhere!..but wherever he went was just too crowded!  He couldn't find anywhere to be alone!  All he needed was time to think...to adjust as best he could, then he'd be fine.  He rounded a corner, stopping almost instantly, "NOT there!"  That had to be THE busiest street YET!  He cringed and walked backwards until he was in the shadows again.  There were just too many damn people!

                "Hello."

                Griffin jumped around, "Who's there?!!"  How had they snuck up on him?!  He should have heard them coming!

                A speaker that had been hiddin in a corner crackled before the voice spoke again, "It's alright, Griffin.  I can help you."

                They knew his name?!.."Who are you?!"  Griffin asked, staring up at the speaker.

                The voice chuckled a little, "Well, I won't try to kill you, if that's what you're worried about.  I know where you came from.  I can help you fit in with all of these people.  Have you seen the outskirts of the city yet?"

                "No..."

                "Well, head south from Yann city and you'll find an abandoned factory about an hour's walk away.  If you want to meet me, I'll be waiting there.  Oh, and Griffin?"

                "Yeah?"

                "Welcome to Dragon Isle."  With that, the speaker fell silent.

                Griffin stared at the speaker a moment longer, "Should I go?  Whoever that was seemed nice enough...but how did he know where I came from?  To know that he'd have to have known Father...or be friends with Poseidon's group..."  Griffin dared one more question, "Is it out of the way?"

                The speaker crackled to life once more, "I will be the only one there."

                Griffin sighed in relief, "Then I'm on my way."  He just needed some time alone.  That was all.

 

                Kain smiled when the camera lost sight of Griffin, "I said I'd be the only one here.  I didn't say how MANY of me there would be."  He pressed a small button on the wall, "Everyone, activate the remaining robots.  We're expecting company."

                One voice called back, "And us, sir?"

                "I promised him he wouldn't see anyone but me.  Prepare the robots, then take everyone below ground.  It wouldn't do to break my promise, would it?"  He grinned.

                The man on the other end understood, "I'll get right on it, sir."