Chapter 1 – Blood
Dr. Death Defying looked up from his radio and towards the four killjoys. "What is it Dr. D?" Party Poison asked, he always seemed to know when something was wrong. "Listen up Killjoys, just picked up a radio conversation over at BL/ind. They're after a young girl out in the desert in zone 3, she's wounded and slowing so you better go." Dr. D replied looking at them. They all smiled and headed out of the diner pulling on their masks and helmets. This was going to be a good day.
The black and white car containing the three Draculoids was quickly gaining on Geeky Chic as she ran over the dusty desert plains. One of the Draculoids fired from the car window and grazed her arm. She kept on running aware of the painful throbbing sensation coming from her left thigh where she had been shot by a blaster. Her head was spinning and her vision was blurry but she pushed on with all her strength. Through her blurred she saw another car coming towards her over the horizon. Her stomach lurched but she carried on running, grabbing her purple blaster from the holster over her chest. She raised it as the oncoming car fired their first round of shots. Only they didn't hit her they hit the two Draculoids hanging out of the tailing car. She spun round and fired through the front window killing the final Draculoid. It slumped forward and the car came to a halt right in front of her. It was the squealing of tyres that automatically grabbed her attention. She rubbed her eyes and noticed that the previous oncoming car did not belong to BL/ind but was spray painted silver and had a large painted spider on the bonnet with a lightning bolt running down its back. She looked from the car to the four men who were getting out of the car. A red-haired man wearing a yellow eye mask walked towards her, his mouth was moving but she didn't hear any sound. It was then that she noticed the world around her was spinning. She opened her mouth to talk but she just fell to the ground, darkness closing in around her.
Party Poison ran towards the young girl as she lay in a crumpled heap on the floor. "Jet, Kobra, pile some blankets up on the back seat. Ghoul come help me lift her." Fun Ghoul hurried over to Party's side and helped him lift her off the hot desert ground and towards the car. Jet and Kobra had made a soft cushion out of some blankets on one of the backs seats. Jet and Ghoul got in the back, Geeky Chic's head resting on Ghoul's shoulder. He looked down and noticed a large gash running across her head that glistened with wet blood. Party and Kobra jumped in the front seats and Party started the engine. "She's got a nasty cut on her head that needs seeing to quick." Ghoul was talking to Jet who immediately responded by taking a roll of bandage out of his jacket pocket and handing it to Ghoul. He carefully wrapped it around her head then tucked the end in to keep it from coming undone. They could see the diner ahead of them. Kobra picked up the radio and set it to call Dr. D. "We've got her; make sure Show Pony is ready with some bandages. She's been hit pretty badly. Kobra out." He replaced the radio and looked at her in the mirror, her golden brown hair was covered in dust and grime and there was blood and dirt that had dried on her face. Party braked hard before getting out and helping Ghoul to lift her out of the backseat and towards the diner where Show Pony was waiting with bandages and anti-septic.
The four killjoys headed into the diner but Kobra couldn't help but just pause before he walked through the door to watch as Show Pony carried her away. "You coming Kobra?" Ghoul asked. "Yeah," he replied casually letting the door swing back on him as he entered. Dr. D was at the counter with all his music equipment placing records onto the turn table, broadcasting the tunes to all the rebels and zone runners. He took of his headphones and spun his wheelchair round to face them. "What's the news then?" he asked looking at all four of them squashed into one booth. "Show Pony's applying new bandages to her shot wound." Jet replied. "She'll be ok though." He added, Kobra felt his stomach do a little somersault and he immediately felt better. He didn't know why, he just did.
Kobra and Jet set up a thin mattress on the diner floor and layered it with blankets to make sure it was soft. Show Pony walked through the saloon-style doors and laid the girl down on the make shift bed. Party appeared from out back closely followed by Ghoul with some new clothes and a bar of soap. They set them down on the counter before going to join the others. "Who wants food?" Party asked heading towards the pantry to grab some tinned food. He didn't wait for a reply and came back with for cans of power pup the disgusting dog food that filled there cupboards. The black smiling face logo of BL/ind was printed on the cans wrapper along with the slogan 'the aftermath is secondary'. The four of them sat in the booth and dug into the poor meal that they had.
Just as they were finishing their meal the young girl stirred on the floor before carefully raising a hand to her head. She touched the bandaged wound and grimaced in pain. Slowly opening her eyes and not knowing where she was, she sat bolt upright and looked around the room eventually noticing the four men sat in the booth watching her. She tried to stand up but her weak leg soon gave way and she crashed back down to the floor, rattling her head and making it hurt even more. Party got out of the booth and crouched by her side, "Its ok. My name is Gerard but you can call me Part Poison or Party, I don't mind" He already trusted her with his real name and she felt honoured, blushing slightly. "Annie or Geeky Chic." She croaked surprised at the sound of her voice. "Where's Baby Sass?" she asked looking round the room. Party raised his eyebrow at the rest of the killjoys who looked just as puzzled as he did. "Sorry, who?" he asked, shooting Geeky a puzzled look. Realisation hit Annie. She hadn't turned round to check that Baby Sass had been following for the previous zone. She sat bolt upright frantically searching round the room for the girl.
Korse and two of his Draculoids roamed the streets of Battery City heading out to zone 3. He had received a radio message from one of the Draculoids who was following a girl in the desert, they had already hit her once but she had carried on going. He had no doubt that this was Geeky Chic. One of BL/ind's most wanted. He put his foot down on the car pedal and they exited the gates of Battery City and entered the desert. Up ahead he could see a Draculoid holding onto a girl in purple trousers and green leather jacket. He grinned deviously and got out of the car, striding towards them. He looked down at the girl in disgust realising that it was not who he was looking for. The girl was young, about 9 years old and had tear tracks down her face that stood out from all the dirt that was on there. He grabbed her roughly by the scruff of her neck and she whimpered a little. He leant in close to her face, "Where is she?" he sneered, smirking after at her discomfort. "I-I I don't know." She managed to choke out between sobs. He through her to the ground and kicked a pile of sand with the toe of his boot. He picked the girl up and shoved her into the backseat of the car. "Take us back, she'll come running to us when she finds out we have this one."
