Orange flames burnt through white fluffy clouds and onto an equally orange land. Shrubbery hung low trying to avoid the two conflicting colors much like the way the people living in the desert avoided those who Inhabited the city.

The landscape for as long as the eye could see was that of desert. Orange sand caked the earth and specks of shrubbery scattered throughout the land. From zone three onwards though something dark loomed in the horizon.

Battery City.

The "Utopia" created by a company called Better Living Industries was a small city which backed onto vast desert called "the zones". The zones divide up the land so that Better Living could keep tabs on the people who inhabit it. The ranged from zone one to zone six. Anywhere beyond that was "wastelands" which had been decimated and deemed unsafe for human exposure due to the radiation. Those who go into wastelands hardly ever come out.

Not to mention they become pretty sick. That's where Better Living come in. Better Living way back when they started to take over the Government decided to relieve people's illnesses with some "medicinal drugs". Though what people didn't know is that the drugs had another purpose. They numbed the mind. Making emotions and other complicated human feelings non existent. The people who took these drugs became drones. They worked for Battery City and lived their lives as was set out for them by Battery City.

So while Better Living were administrating drugs and striving for power and complete control a small band of rebels started rising up. These people refused to take the drugs and did not wear the standard dress clothes. To Better Living these people were a problem. "Re Assessment of difficult patrons" was introduced which used "therapy" as a means of re assigning difficult patrons to society. So the rebel group fled the city. Claiming the zones as home the small band dispersed throughout the six zones. Most banded into small groups of four, the most famous being the the four fabulous killjoys.

These four fabulous killjoys consisted of four young men. Naming themselves as Party Poison, Kobra Kid, Jet Star and Fun Ghoul these four set up the bases for being a killjoy. Along with them was the radio pirate Dr. Death Defying and his assistant Show Pony who helped him with errands around the zones. Even though the group was small they grew in numbers slowly over the years between 2012 and 2019. Now more then a thousand killjoys roamed the zones all of them under the leadership of Party Poison and Dr. Death Defying.

And right now the four men were sitting in the Diner discussing the latest law pushed by Better Living.

"It's fucking shit! All this is saying is that their getting desperate" a man with bright red hair exclaimed. Slamming down his fist he swore softly, the contents of the table jolted at the impact as did a blonde man sitting on the opposite side of the table.

" I know! Though it is a pretty smart move if you think about it" the blonde man contemplated. The red haired man raised an eyebrow,his hazel eyes finding the blonde mans matching ones. Both men were dressed in bright leather jackets with symbols on their back and breast. Jeans caked in dirt and dust, ray guns in their holster, shirts also caked in dirt and fingerless gloves ripped and scratched. The two men looked out of sorts with their bright attire in the bland, harsh desert and yet somehow fit completely.

" I agree with Party. Its fucking desperate if they think they can do this!" a man with black long hair said. He was sitting to the right of the red haired man- known as Party Poison, and was dressed in a yellow shirt with the sleeves rolled up, black jeans, black boots and a green ray gun pocketed away in its holster around his arm.

" Really Ghoul? Well I agree with Kobra. If you think about it they pulled a smart move on us" a man with brown curly hair said sitting next to the blonde man, Kobra Kid. He had a dark jacket on with the American flag on the back, dark jeans, boots and his ray gun which was blue and was stored in its holster around his arm as well.

" Look. All I'm saying is that for Better Living to have doubled there Draculoid army is pathetic. What are they sacred of?"

"Us obviously" Kobra retorted. Party looked at his brother and glowered. The blonde man glowered back at his brother not one of them breaking their hold on each other. It was only broken when Fun Ghoul slapped Party around the head to get his attention.

"What the actual fuck Fun?" the red haired man glowered at him. Fun only smirked and jerked his head in the direction of a man sitting a wheel chair seemed to be. The man had a bandanna around tied around his head to keep his long, dirty hair away from his face. He had dark clothes on and was in a wheelchair.

"Hey Dr.D whats up?"

The man named Dr.D looked at the red head. He grimaced as he moved in his wheel chair contemplating each of the four boys seated. He wasn't sure how he was going to tell them this but he knew he had to. He leant forward in his chair propping himself up on the table with his hands and spoke looking directly at each of them;

" Well kids, I don't really know how to tell you this. But you've obviously heard about the doubling of the Draculoid army? Ah well a lot of 'joys got caught out in the new recruits. And uh well the names of the 'joys which got captured and taken in to BLI and uh one of them was Metallic Dynamite-"

"What?" Fun Ghoul had broken the silence that had hung around the place his eyes wide. Dr. D grimaced, he knew this was going to happen and he knew Fun Ghoul would act like this. He straightened up correcting his composure and leant forward once again looking directly at Fun Ghoul.

"I'm sorry kid, it's just what I've heard. Thought you should all know before someone else tells you all something different. Now on the other hand I have a job for all of you, not as a group though, on your own"

Each of the four boys eyes widened, Fun's even more so. Alone? Out here? Right when the Draculoid army has doubled? Fuck. He's gotta be mad. Dr.D leant back preparing for an onslaught of excuses and disagreements.

Surprisingly though, he didn't get any. The four men sitting in the booth looked at him attentively. So once again he corrected his composure and leant forward. Looking at the man with the brown curly hair, he assigned his job to him;

"Jet Star, I need you to go to zone four. Now I know it's a long ways away but it's not a dangerous situation. The killjoys over there need some medical attending to. You better get going now though, you wanna make it there before dark"

Jet Star nodded and collected his things. Making sure he had his ray gun and medical box he stepped outside onto his bike, kicked it to life and drove off. Dr.D watched him leave and then turned his attention to Fun Ghoul.

" Now Fun, I've got some guys in zone one looking for someone to fix their bike. So I'm getting you to do it, okay?. So yeah same with Jet, you better get going now"

Fun Ghoul nodded, his lips in a thin line. He headed outside to his van and hopped in. Waving out the window, he drove off down the dusty, hot road. Dr. D watched the van drive away and then turned to Party and Kobra. Now he had to send them together. It was just too dangerous alone. And at night. He was just hoping Johnny wasn't like the others and didn't have it in for him.

" Okay now I'm sending you two together because frankly its just to dangerous alone. Your both going to send in an order for me. Now I need it done face to face because quite frankly I just don't trust these people. You'll understand when you get there. So I'm going to need more Power Pup and some medical equipment. Got that? Good. They're in Battery City, here are the co-ordinates"

Dr.D handed Party a small piece of dirty, yellow paper with co-ordinates scribbled on it in messy writing. Party pocketed the piece of paper and motioned to Kobra for them to leave. Waving behind him as he walked out the door, Party walked towards out the trans am which had a black widow spray painted on the front and hopped in behind the wheel. Kobra hopped in shotgun and as his door closed Party slammed his foot down onto the gas and the car jumped into life, speeding down the road.

Dr.D looked out the window watching the men leave and tentatively went back to his work at the desk to start another transmission.

" listen up motor babies Dr.D here. Sad day in the zones as many comrades were struck down. Zones four and Zones five are advised to stay clear of, while we ghost the last of them. After that, activity will continue as normal. In other news the Draculoid army has doubled as part of a new scheme from Better Living. We all know we're stronger then them but stay together 'joys. I don't want to have to add anymore names to my list and certainly not to Better Livings. That's all for now. Keep safe killjoys this is Dr.D signing off"

Party Poison watched the road and after driving for another few minutes pulled into a car park behind a small building. Parking the trans am, Party got out and shut the door. Falling into step with Kobra he looked at the surroundings of the car park. It was desolate, no cars in the car park except a blue van that was obviously in possession of a killjoy. The grass was cut and green with no blades of grass an inch longer or shorter. The pavement was grey and washed as was the road. Party felt horribly out of sorts here. Why would Dr.D want them here? Party looked around and his eyes set on his brother. Kobra looked just as nervous as he did.

As the two men reached the front door Party looked at Kobra nervously. Kobra responded with grabbing onto his Ray Gun and pointing it at the door. Party looked at his brother and nodded, and then he twisted the door knob and opened it.

"Put that gun down boy I want none of that here tonight" a man with greying hair that was tied into a plait going down his back stood at a counter facing the entrance. He had a black singlet on and tattoos running down his arms. And eyepatch consumed most of his face with scars running down behind it. A gold earring was in his left ear.

Party Poison edged forward towards the man, Kobra closely following. The man behind the counter looked stern, watching their every step. Reaching the counter Party looked at the man. Kobra stood next to his brother and Party could practically feel the nervousness coming off Kobra. Party stood there for what seemed an eternity before the grey haired man spoke;

"so what can I do for you boys? We aren't a browse and buy shop y'know"

Party looked shocked for a moment before remembering Dr. Death Defying orders. Straightening his shoulders Party looked at the man and spoke;

" A well were here for some medical supplies and Power Pup"

"Okay, well we can get that to ya tomorrow. I just have to have a place to drop it off and a person to collect it"

Party narrowed his eyes for a moment. Could he really trust this guy? He lives and operates in Battery City. Dr.D seemed to trust him, enough anyway...so why not?

" You can drop it off at the Diner, zone two. And the names Party Poison" Party smirked as he said this. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Kobra had a small smile on his face. The man on the other hand had a stern look. Party cleared his throat and turned to leave through the door;

" I'll have someone down tomorrow with your supplies" the man said with a stern tone. Party stopped for a second, wait? He wasn't going to drop it off? Had Party just spoon fed Better Living information about the killjoys? Who was this person?

" Don't look so stiff boy it'll be there on time. Just make sure your there"

The man said it in the same way that sounded like he was taunting Party. Kobra looked at him and motioned for them to leave now. As they walked out Party's pace quickened and Kobra struggled to keep up. As they got back to the trans am they jumped in and Parry floored it out of the car park and back on the road back to the Diner. Yet all he could think about was the man and the situation he had just experienced.

" Hey Dr.D trusts them Party. And they looked pretty professional"

"Yeah I know. But I just gave out where we live Kobra. Where we live to some smuggler. To someone we don't even know. What if they work for Better Living? What if we come back and Dr.D and the rest of them are dead? Fuck. What would we do? "

Silence ensued the trans am. Party focused on the road thinking about what he had just said. What if he had just done that? He couldn't handle seeing that. Ever. Party looked at his little brother, Kobra was the only family he had left. And he sure as fuck wasn't losing him. Kobra looked at Party. His eyes said everything that Party wanted to hear. Unspoken words between the brothers is what kept them strong. And Party had no problem with that.

He drove on though the night reaching the diner. Stumbling out he came home to silence and calmness. Walking into his shared room with Kobra and the other boys he fell down on the mattress and fell asleep.