Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story, except Harvey and Kylie
After a long and tedious time in the FAYZ, it was soon to be Little Pete's birthday. After ten years of fighting, hunger and darkness it was the not-so-little Little Pete's fifteenth birthday and a lot of questions were racing round Sam and Astrid's minds. They used to ask things like: What is the other side of the wall? Is accepting the temptation like committing suicide? Were everyone's parents the other side? They knew the answer to that now, after Orsay becoming the prophetess, after reading the dreams of those on the other side. Now all that they could think of was: If Little Pete created the FAYZ, would his 'stepping out' destroy it? What would happen if it was destroyed? The FAYZ was created as a preventative of a nuclear meltdown at the power plant, so would his stepping out reverse the effect the FAYZ had on stopping it? But they had six weeks to Little Pete's re-birthday, as everyone seemed to be calling their fifteenth and the two of them had more pressing issues to attend to.
Zil and his Human Crew were one of them. After ten years of fighting against the freaks you would have thought that they would have learned their lesson, but no, still running round the streets attacking anyone suspected of being a freak. Their targets were random, their methods were illogical but still they tried to take Sam down. Sam kept setting the example, but still they pursued in chasing him and his supporters down, no matter how many of them got injured. They only ever did get injured, Sam couldn't kill them but he could send a sharp burn if he needed to. Ten years can be an awful long time, practicing your powers was certainly more entertaining than running around solving everyone's problems.
Caine was still out there, him and Diana. The kids of Perdido Beach were no longer as worried of the kids at Coates, especially with Drake having been taken out of the equation on the successful attempt at killing the Darkness. Sam knew that Caine would do anything to gain control over him and all that Sam had control over. Caine and Zil were alike in that respect. There were constant fights and battles between Sam and either Caine or the Human Crew, they could never get away from violence. Ten years of attempting to do that had failed. The council had given up trying.
Food and water were no longer an issue. Harvey and Kylie had taken care of that. Harvey and Kylie were kids that Mary used to look after- used to as all the kids are too old now and used to because Mary had taken the poof (almost killing all the children as well). Mary had done a good job with them, but John, her brother, was incredible, stepping up after Mary disappeared –Sam struggled to remember as it was a long time ago. Kylie, Sam thought, best to be careful- she could knock you down with a tidal wave; Sam chuckled as he thought this. Kylie developed her powers on her fifth birthday, anyone who didn't develop powers when the FAYZ initiated developed them either on their fifth birthday or not at all. Kylie could control and create water, but only if she was upset. Kylie prevented everyone dying from dehydration. Harvey was different, Harvey was clever, Harvey was powerful. He had the ability to think of anything and see it appear in his hands- that solved the food shortage.
Sam forgot the list, it was Thursday. The one day in the week where Sam and Astrid could escape the noise and commotion of Perdido Beach. They weren't bombarded with questions and arguments on this day, Thursday. It was the one day where Sam and Astrid could enjoy each other's company undisturbed. They held hands as they walked towards the beach; towards their secret spot. A place on the sand, beneath the cliff and behind the rock pools. Secluded. Quiet. Edilio is the only one who knows where they are, and he knows for emergencies only – in case Sam's burning hands are needed. Edilio was under instruction to not disturb them unless they, the council, had tried everything else. Sam and Astrid lay the blanket out on the sand. They lay beside each other in silence, listening to the quiet of the sea licking the shore, knowing that the other was not going to leave them, knowing the other was their second half.
Caine and Diana were making their way up to the hill top. It was the one place where they could escape the nightmares that were Drake, not the whip-handed monster himself but the memories of him. Everywhere that the two of them went they were haunted by events that had happened, events where Drake the psycho had been willing to hurt and torture and kill others. It wasn't just memories of Drake that were painful; it was knowing that they played a part in all the suffering that Drake caused. All of Drake's faults were theirs too; all of Drake's actions were carried out by them too. It was knowing that they were of equal blame as that monster that everyone thought was in a whole other league.
The hill top, however, was completely different. There were no haunting memories of Drake as this was one of few places that Drake, the whip-handed, trigger happy boy, had never accompanied them to. They sought sanctuary there. Together. The two of them. Caine and Diana were alike in many ways, maybe which was why they were so good together. Caine and Diane weren't like other couples their age (that they'd seen before the FAYZ started); they weren't lovey-dovey hand holding people and they definitely weren't romantic in any way. Neither did they want to be. They climbed trees, they rolled down hills and they fought. They didn't fight like Sam and Astrid: argue, they actually fought, fists and elbows everywhere. Of course if they really meant to hurt each other Caine would win, that was guaranteed; Caine had powers. The two were content, today, to just lie there, in the sun, having a competition over who could throw the best insults. It was a competition that had lasted well into three days and still there was no winner.
Sam loved his days alone with Astrid; the feel of the sand between his toes was only beaten by the feel of Astrid's skin beneath his hands – and the taste of her lips. So he rolled over, being careful not to crush her, and kissed her. He knew she would kiss back, she always did, but he was not expecting the force at which she kissed him today. Her kiss contained such passion and need that Sam pulled back for a moment, but the look in her eyes told him everything. He lent back in and kissed her with equal strength and passion and need
"Guys," Zil said, without much success, over the noise he had created when he revealed who their next target was, and it wasn't someone with useless powers! The Human Crew were excited, worried and even scared – scared of what might happen, scared of the consequences that Sam could bring on them.
"Guys!" Zil said again, louder, but his words still had no effect.
"GUYS!" He screamed at the top of his voice – that got them to shut up. "I know that this is a big ask, but the plan is simple."
At this point, all the kids that were loyal to Zil were watching him with eager anticipation.
"We wait for the next big gathering in the town square, judging by the time of year, it will give us two or three months before the Easter celebration. As you all know, Albert, with assistance now off Harvey and Kylie, throws a feast at the most prestigious dates on the calendar" Prestigious, such a big word, I wonder what my brother would think, Zil thought- but only briefly, he didn't have time to get side-tracked.
"We create a diversion, create chaos" he continued, "and she will be at Sam's side to do as Sam asks, because he will start playing the big hero again, he always does. The others will be well integrated" –another big word he thought- "into the crowd. We walk up behind, acting scared or nosy so that we get as close as possible to the target. And on my signal – which is yet to be decided, we will grab her, covering her mouth and her hands are to go into a metallic bag that is secured tightly: we are not letting her get the advantage over us, no nasty surprises." Zil took a minute to breathe and to gather the reactions of his followers. He obviously left the gap too long because someone yelled "and then we kill her?"
Zil rolled his eyes in disbelief.
"No, we take her back to the compound, hold her hostage. We send a message back to Sam, threatening to kill her unless he hands over the control of Perdido beach. He needs her too much, so he'll agree. Then, after we have full control of the town, we send the freaks packing up to Coates. We then kill her as an example of what happens to freaks in Perdido beach... So, who's with me?