The Killjoys all sat huddled around the campfire, as close as they could stand to stave off the cold desert night. Kobra Kid lounged to the left, on his side, propped up by his elbow. The wind had deflated his perfectly sculpted bleached blond hair that he had gelled back from his forehead. Now it flopped over his right ear and shone in the firelight. Fun Ghoul sat cross-legged to Kid's left, fiddling with something he promised would make their Trans-Am faster. None of them understood when he tried to explain, just trusted that if he understood it, that was good enough. The tip of his tongue protruded through his pursed lips above his lip ring in concentration, his raven black hair falling in his face. Jet Star was lying on his stomach on his sleeping bag, dividing his attention between Fun and the Killjoy on the other side of the fire from them.

Party Poison was squatting in the sand, one hand curled into his bright red hair, the other holding down the piece of paper between his ankles. His small hazel eyes were downcast, the slight upturn of his pointed nose throwing a shadow across his pale cheeks. He was the unofficial leader of the Killjoys, it sort of just happened one day. But the guys across from him were like brothers, well Kobra Kid was actually his younger brother, so he never felt like the leader. Day in and day out they put their lives in each other's hands just trying to survive.

"Give it a rest, Party," Jet sighed, his thick curly hair bouncing as he laid completely down, "we can all look into it in the morning."

Party shook his head in disagreement before looking over at him. Jet looked tired, so did Kobra. Party shook his head at Fun, he would tinker with whatever he was working on until the sun came up. Truth was, they were all tired, and the more he stared at the paper the less it seemed to make sense. It was a map of Battery City, but by this point all of the white lines indicating roads had begun to swim together.

"We have to find her." He murmured.

"We will." Kobra nodded reassuringly. Party smiled back at him and watched as he settled down on the sleeping bag. He began to fold up the map carefully, the only sound to be heard was the soft pop and crackle of the fire.

"Ah ha! I got it!" Fun exploded, holding up the trinket in his hand triumphantly. Party, Kobra, and Jet's heads snapped up. Fun's large, round eyes sparkled in the light and they all knew what was coming next. "I told you guys I could do it," he started, as Kobra and Jet groaned and rolled away as he began to explain, "see all I have to do is pop the hood…"

"Shhh." Party held a leather gloved finger to his lips. Fun let the trinket drop dejectedly into his lap as Jet and Kobra rolled back over. Party cocked his head to the side, straining to hear. His heart began to pound in his chest and up into his ears when he heard it again, a barely audible rustle in the brambles behind him. He pivoted on the balls of his feet back towards the fire and judging by the looks on everyone else's faces, they had heard it too.

They all slowly rose, hands immediately going to the laser guns in the holsters at their sides. The sound came again, this time more loudly, and the bushes visibly shook. Party pushed the tinted goggles from his head down to his eyes as Kobra handed him a lit piece of kindling. Jet was soon by his side as Fun and Kobra fanned out. With a nod from Party, they all stalked steadily forward.

None of their boots made a sound along the gritty sand, no one even dared to breathe. Party held the stick out in front of him, casting a weak glow over the gnarled, skeletal thorns on shriveled vines.

Just when he was almost ready to admit that it was probably just a desert hare, a lizard zig-zagged across the ground. He followed the path when the light from the stick fell upon a dusty black boot sticking out of the tall grass. Jet saw it too and grabbed Fun's sleeve to get his attention. Party did the same to Kobra and they all turned towards it. The boot shook slightly as they neared, then lay still. When Party reached the boot, everyone else instinctively circled around, guns drawn, fingers on the trigger.

Party inhaled sharply as he squatted down, thrusting the light forward. It first illuminated dusty black leather chaps over dingy white skinny jeans. A black studded belt held a holster, the butt of a purple laser gun jutting out. Party felt his cheeks get flush at the strip of tanned stomach above the belt, a gold belly button ring glittering back at him. Gulping down his fear of needles, he continued on to the green and black shirt under a fitted black leather jacket. Long, delicate fingers lay draped across her check, shiny black nail polish on long, rounded nails. The swell of her breast as she breathed softly made him wipe sweat from his brow as his gaze followed the tip of a purple bandana around her neck. It covered up to her chin before it was met by a black mask bejeweled with clear, purple, and green rhinestones. The mask covered her nose up to her forehead when it was met by bright purple hair, some pieces having gotten loose from the high ponytail at the back of her head.

Fun had been trying to get his attention for longer than he realized when he hissed through gritted teeth, "PARTY!"

"Hm, what?" Party mumbled back.

"What do you want to do with her?" Jet asked.

He looked back down at her, at the pink cuts on her hands and cheeks from the briars. But her lip was split, dried blood caked on her chin. There was also a hint of a blue-green bruise under her eye. Whoever she was, she was in trouble.

"Um….bring her back to camp." He decided tentatively and handed the stick to Fun. Wiping his hands on his own faded white jeans, he gingerly slipped one arm under her neck and the other around the back of her knees. She muttered something unintelligible and nuzzled into his chest. Fun and Jet shared a weary look and took the lead, Kobra scanning their surroundings as he followed behind Party.

She was still out cold when they made it back to the fire. His heart was pounding again as he looked back down, wanting to pull the mask away. But the rustling of everyone bedding down again roused him from his daze. Suddenly at a loss as everyone turned away, he tucked her into his own sleeping bag.

His fingers trembled over the mask as he tried to rationalize taking it off, maybe she'd be more comfortable sleeping without it. But as a breeze blew by, sending chills down his spine, he pulled his hand away. Jet began snoring softly and he suddenly felt horribly alone. Alone with this captivating stranger. Did he dare wake her up? She could be a threat to them, it should be his job as leader to find out. But none of them had seemed too concerned so after fetching a blanket from the trunk of the Trans-Am, he nudged as close as he dared and watched the dying embers toss shadows across the mask, making the jewels sparkle. He couldn't help but smile as he drifted off to sleep.