Hi,

here's the chapter that will turn the story in a different direction. Yeah some of you might have seen it coming, but, hey, this is how the story was planned.

Thank you to everyone that continues reading this and to those that take time to comment. It's appreciated, believe me. :)

Hope you'll enjoy; feel free to leave a comment, as always.

love, winter.


Black Swan *

All characters are taken from The Tribe series. Nothing is mine; I just made up the storyline and the dialogues. Nothing would be possible without the wonderful masterminds behind The Tribe.

* The event that is a surprise (to the observer); has a major impact; after the first recorded instance of the event, it is rationalized by hindsight as if it could have been expected.


CHAPTER SEVEN

Lex estimated he was calmed down enough to step back into society.

When Bray heard steps nearing his room again he rolled his eyes. He was sure it was Trudy again, wanting to talk, or maybe Salene, desiring her leader back or perhaps even Danni, insisting he joined some fun activity she had set up.

He crossed his arms and the most polite refusal was on the tip of his tongue when Lex entered.

"Good morning!" he exclaimed cheerfully. He didn't possess this kind of behaviour, making it easy for Bray to see through the cover. Bray sat up in his hammock as Lex pulled a small table from the corner into the centre of the room. He also added to chairs. When he was done, a bottle magically appeared in his hands. Bray studied it for a moment; he couldn't read the label but was certain it wasn't apple juice.

"I didn't know you were such a dedicated observer," said Lex as he sat down and united his hands behind his neck. He grinned at Bray and his chin pointed to the empty chair. "Bottle's a good company, I admit but I am a bit too selfish to let it sit on the opposite side of the table."

Lex shooting his mouth off – part of his irritating but irresistible charm. Once Bray had considered it rude but now it was amusing. He accepted Lex's offer and sat down, facing him. He realized the label on the bottle read whiskey.

"Found it while we were cleaning the streets. Been keeping it for special occasion. And you, my friend, look like you really need it."

"Oh, so it is for me?" laughed Bray, clearly surprised and flattered.

"Of course it is not for me! It's for you… and me," shrugged Lex.

They had had a rough start, the two of them, Bray thought. Lex hated Bray and Bray was fed up with Lex's hostile attitude. Their arguments hurt the tribe; instead of caring for its well-being their main concern was winning their ego competition. Eagle Mountain was a disaster but even in worst situations something good can be found if you only let your eyes to see though sorrow. It helped them get over their issues; they were no longer fighting for the title of the dominant one; the loss they suffered was incomparable. The two of them found themselves on the same boat and their pain bonded them enough to realize they weren't that different. Surprised they discovered working together wasn't impossible after all. Of course their newly formed relationship was still far too fresh to call it a friendship but they were getting there. With steady steps they were leaving the past behind and joining forces.

"Well, we'll need glasses then, wont we?" said Bray and got up again to get them. All he could found were two plastic ones. Lex just stared at him, wondering how anyone, especially a man, can possibly have no proper glass in their room.

"They'll do" he shrugged anyway and poured the equal amount in both. His one was emptied in no time and Lex didn't hesitate to pour some more.

"Good one," he nodded, looking satisfied, "you know, the thing is, this doesn't really help. The idea of it hoping is addicting."

"I bet," said Bray and drank his share after considering it for a moment. Lex refilled his glass immediately. The way he handled the bottle indicated he had experience with it, lots of them.

Bray was never much of a drinker; not before the virus not after it. But now when he was holding the glass with the tempting liquor … he saw no reason why not to give in. nothing could be worse; if anything, it could improve. He thought back to the last time he was drinking. It was Lex's bachelor party … they had that racing thing … Jack got injured … Jack of all people … and Sasha was there. Ah, Sasha. He disliked Sasha so much. Maybe it would have been different hadn't he been with Amber … Amber … everything he thought of, everything he looked at, it all reminded him of her. No matter how much he wanted to get away from it, the past kept on chasing him. As if … as if it wanted ti stay with him, unwilling to let him move on. Echoes surrounded him, forced him to notice them. There was nothing knew he could see; only the cruel reality he was drowning in.

It's lonely being the leader.

It sets you apart somehow, isolates you.

And there's no shoulder to lean on?

She was sitting right there when those words had been spoken, all that long time ago.

Now he knew better than ever what she had meant. Leadership is a league of its own; there's space for nothing except making decisions for tribe's best; especially not for any kind of emotion. Yes, it was unfair; it demanded a special type of person for the job. It wasn't for everyone and he was now experiencing it more ever before.

"You and me … we're both so messed up," mumbled Lex, "so very, undeniably … desperately … so who do you think did it?"

"Betrayed us? I'm not sure if I even wanna know."

"So I've been thinking. The process of elimination. Out of everyone – that is me, you, Dal, Ryan, Jack, Ellie, Alice, KC – I eliminated the impossible one. I can vouch for KC."

"That's a serious dedication," smiled Bray. He began noticing the effects the alcohol had on his body. It wasn't the amount; he simply wasn't used to it. Even in the old world, before the change, he didn't drink often. As a captain of his high school basketball team he was always invited to parties but he rarely went. He preferred to spend time, when he didn't have to study or train, with his family. Now the light-headedness caught up with him. After so long he finally felt his muscles relaxing. It wasn't a mystery why Lex had given in to it so long ago.

"Look, KC's good. Yeah, he steals but he doesn't mean anything bad."

"Like when he brought the Tribe Circus onto the mall?"

"It was a moment of weakness. It strengthened him up. He wouldn't go and offer his services to the Guardian. He wouldn't do that to me."

Lex had the point he was the one that made sure KC got accepted into the MallRats. Even the Tribe Circus – it was a harmless fun gone terribly wrong. It caused much suffering to the Mallrats but Bray knew he hadn't done it on purpose it was a big lesson and he was sure KC wouldn't let himself forget it.

"Fine, we cross out KC. I'll add Dal to the list too.

"Yap. He's one loyal fella. He's too angry with The Guardian for shutting the farm down to be working for him. Another one?"

Bray only shrugged and Lex leant the bottle again.

"Plus," continued Lex, "his parents were doctors, weren't they? There, see it? His whole life he was surrounded with good, help others aura. Nah, he's not our guy. He wouldn't disrespect Amber like that."

Bray thought so about everyone. Their leader, the real leader died while trying to ensure a better future for everyone. Yet, one of them was a traitor, heartless, endangering her vision.

"Aura," he smiled and tried not to think about her again.

"What?" frowned Lex.

"Have you been talking to Tai San?"

Lex considered his words for a while. But as he couldn't find the proper response, he decided to let it go. Last night, that talk with Tai San, was nothing worth mentioning, really.

"Anyway, Ryan didn't do it either. I've known him for a long time and he's like my brother. He would..."

"Yes, I know, Lex, Ryan wouldn't do it. Jack neither."

"Yeah, he's got principles…"

Lex's mind swung back to a couple of occasions where he had tried to use Jack. He only tolerated it to the extent where it began hurting others. He was devoted to the tribe. Not a mole by any means.

When thinking about the goodness of people around him, Lex wondered how he fit into the picture. More than once he had tried his best to hurt them, to get his way. Yet he was still here; had they given him so many chances surely now one of them couldn't turn their back on them?

He felt bad as he was looking back at everything. He had been horrible to them yet they forgiven him. Maybe they knew more than he; from the start maybe they knew he was somewhere deep inside, good too. That his bullying was only a cover; a mode to survive. In reality he was just like everyone else – scared, insecure teenager, afraid to show his weakness.

"That leaves Alice and Ellie," carefully said Bray.

"Yes, our little acting wonder."

Ellie had had the virus; she would have died had Alice not come to the city to get the antidote. Mallrats hadn't wanted anything in return. They weren't the ones demanding pay for the life-saving liquid. This was the mentality of the tribe they had later joined. There were no secrets; sisters embraced it.

After they saved life of one of them would sisters really do something as horrible as betray the tribe? Every sense in Bray's body was screaming no while Lex's thoughts drifted away, to Lubie. He wondered what was happening to her. The Chosen took her as an assurance but Lex doubted it was enough to bring her luxury of any kind. However, even if he wasn't happy to admit, Guardian never broke his words. It was a small comfort for Lex, this glimmer of hope he wouldn't let anything bad happen to Lubie as long as the Mallrats didn't broke the agreement.

He needed to get to her as soon as possible. Finding the mole would increase the hopes of saving her.

"No, wait!" Lex exclaimed. "You and I knew about the plan too! Maybe it was one of us!"

Bray laughed. He was right, though. Maybe they were too naïve, painting the world in colors they desired to see but they couldn't believe one of the people they trusted with their lives could be the mole.

"Lex, are you getting me drunk so that you could steal secrets from me and sell them to the Guardian?"

"How did you know?"

There really was nothing else they could do but laugh. The position was hopeless; they should forget the past and be completely objective, finding the black swan among them, the loyal and angelic white swans. The more they thought about it the clearer it got that the mole would remain hidden for at least a little bit more.

"We really weren't formed under the lucky star," Lex sighed, "maybe the Mallrats just aren't meant to be. Just as we have some good thing going, something happens. We find news about antidote – that damned explosion. We start getting city back together – the Chosen. We find a way to might – a mole. It's like we're chasing our own tails. But you know what Bray? It could be worse. We are still together and hell yeah, we'll beat this."

Lex wanted to be the leader since day one and he always made sure everyone knew it. He claimed to have the vision others lacked – often an archaic one but vision nevertheless. And he had the drive; he never ran out of ideas.

It became obvious since the Chosen invaded; Lex was always the one making plans. He was the darest. And he had the strongest motive.

Lex was such an obvious choice.

"Lex do you still want to be the leader?" Bray suddenly said before drinking another glass.

Lex at first thought he misunderstood. He studied Bray and then put own the glass. He leant back in his chair and crossed his arms.

"Why?"

"That's not the answer," Bray got himself another shot of whiskey. Stuff was good; he couldn't deny it.

"I don't understand your question."

"What's there not to understand? You wanna lead or not?"

Lex pulled the bottle out of Bray's reach.

"You thinking about stepping down?"

Bray was the obvious choice for the leader. After the explosion nobody had any doubts he would be the one taking over Amber's role. From the start everyone appreciated his calmness, rational mind and care for others. Every decision he made was carefully thought through, making sure it was for everyone's best. His undying belief in the world and the will to fight for it made him a born leader. It was a mystery to Lex why Bray couldn't see what everyone else saw – without him Mallrats would be in even worse place. The thought of him quitting was outrageous.

"Why?"

But after all, Lex didn't really need an explanation. Bray wasn't only a leader; he was a human being. He had feelings but as a leader he had to put them aside. While leading nothing but the tribe's well-being was important. It was tearing him apart; Lex had time to deal with Zandra's passing and he was still not over it. Bray was forced to keep on pushing it away. It came to a breaking point; it was bound to happen.

"I wouldn't be any better, Bray. You remember the last time; we would start a civil war here," smiled Lex, "you're the best we've got"

"I can't …"

"I know that's why I am more than happy to stay the chief of security."

Lex maintained his serious face for a moment and then burst out laughing. Bray had no idea what he found to be so funny. He leant back in his chair and silently watched as Lex grabbed the bottle and began pouring its content down his throat.


Maybe, just maybe, Lex, Trudy and others were right, Bray wondered later that day while nursing his headache. What if not only that the Mallrats needed their leader, what if he also needed the distraction or however it was called? Because, what did he do when he wasn't helping or comforting others? He lay in his hammock and indulging in memories. For joy, he did it to be happy, he assured to himself over and over. Past was the only happiness he knew. Sun set forever when dark spread across his life, took every trace of delight with it. Facing this cave his life had succumbed to couldn't bring anything good. He knew it yet went on with his expedition. No, he didn't do it because it brought him joy; he did it out of fear. He dreaded moving on. It would mean to set himself free; no more Amber. No more precious memories of the time they had spent together. It would mean saying goodbye to what he had thought would be his life-long grace. He would turn the page, start from scratch, alone.

He could never do it with simply swinging in his hammock. If he wanted to feel better about himself, he needed to get up. Leading the tribe was the perfect opportunity. Mallrats now had bigger problems than mourning and while dealing with them he forgot. Being out in the world, however it looked, also gave him hope that maybe someday his eyes would lie on something that would bring sunrays back into his emptiness. Something special that would erase the pain and represent the second chance.

Again, steps were coming nearer. As long as they avoided his room, everything was OK. Luckily, they ascended up the stairs.

But even if decided to stay a leader, what could he do now, really? Keep on telling everyone it would all work out somehow? Yesterday was a lesson; Guardian was closer than he dared to think. He was running out of patience. Before the Mallrats attempted anything, they had to be more than sure. They needed to find the mole and then a breach among the chosen. If anyone could do it, the Mallrats could. They were after all the ones that had found the antidote. Losing faith was the worst thing they could possibly do. He couldn't let that happen. And maybe that was what Bray had to do; keep everyone's including his, dream alive.

Steps were back. He lifted his eyes to see Trudy walk in.

"What is it, Trude?"

"Someone's here to see you," she said.

He frowned and got out of his hammock.

"Yeah? Who?"

He surely didn't expect any visitors. Plus, if it was one of the chosen Trudy would be more upset. Now she only looked a bit puzzled when she shrugged.

"They said they were form out of town, from the woods."

"And they wanna talk to the leader?"

Interesting. What could it be? Maybe some people who were tired of Guardian's cruel regime and wanted to get back to the way it was? Surely they would come to the Mallrats, those who had saved the world once.

But they were from out of the city. Bray thought Guardian didn't bother to take control over the small groups that lived there. At least he didn't hear anything about it. It was weird; they could bring the great surrogate to canned food – fresh meat. Members of the Chosen wouldn't have to get their hands dirty anymore; they would have slaves to do it for them.

"No, they specifically asked for you."

"Me? Did they say why?"

"No; just that it was important."

Of course, he had been the face of the rebirth. Everyone knew he was the leader; that was also why The Guardian had chosen him for an one-sided ally. As he followed Trudy into the café Bray was certain the visitors came asking for help.

Most of the tribe had gathered in the café already. Having people over wasn't something they were sued to nowadays. There was Lex; he was half asleep behind one of the tables. Such a security man. He seemed to be completely uninterested in his duty. His body apparently handled the alcohol even worse than Bray's.

But as he walked closer, he realized there was another reason.

Since the virus he had met people that invented all kinds of fashion trends. Hair in all colours; heavy make-up; clothes, half torn, combination of styles that would be considered inappropriate in the eyes of the adults; accessories of all kinds.

But it was the first time he saw somebody who found its new home in the woods.

There were two, a man and a girl. A man was pacing up and down the café, apparently nervous. As everyone was quiet, his steps were echoing around. A girl was sitting in the corner; her eyes were following the man but the expression didn't reveal anything.

The girl had long ginger hair; they were thick and wavy, carefully brushed off her shoulders, falling down her back. But what were most remarkable about it were feathers. Long, colourful feather. But it wasn't the only indication as to where she was from. At the side of her face were carefully drawn leaves. It was the only make up she had. She wore a long olive dress, with tight sleeves, covering her skin only to the elbows. Something was glued onto her fingernails but Bray couldn't see what exactly what but it shone. The collar of her dress was decorated with little wooden pieces that were sewed into the fabric. Around her neck was also a necklace; on a long and thin robe was a wooden pendant. Again, Bray couldn't see if anything was painted on it. Her boots were made for long hikes. Around them were special straps; he guessed she used them to attach an extra pair of knives.

When the girl turned to him, Bray's heart skipped ah their eyes met. She had dark, striking eyes. They could easily be the eyes of a predator. He could feel them analysing him, waiting for the perfect opportunity to shoot. But still, they weren't saying anything. Je felt better after she gave him a small, barely visible smile.

The man stopped and took a deep breath after seeing Bray. He was about his age; his hair were black and in dreadlocks. He too wore feathers as accessories. Around his left eye the skin was colored green, another clue to his home. He wore clothes that must have been a perfect disguise; his military looking trousers kept him well hidden among the trees in the woods, whether it was day or night.

Out of nowhere the sound of thunder struck. The Mallrats startled. They didn't even know the storm was coming. As another one soon followed, it must have already arrived.

Visitors didn't show any surprise. A man stepped in front of Bray.

"It looks like it's gonna be a bad one. Luckily we were here before it," he smiled although the smile couldn't hide the tension.

"Certainly."

A weird feeling captivated Bray as he started into the stranger's eyes. For a moment he wondered whether the Guardian had sent him for whatever reason but dismissed it. Guardian never hid things in the background; he always let it all out.

"Her name is Abberay," the man said and pointed to the girl who only nodded, "and I am Pride. We are part of the tribe called the Gaians, we are from the woods."

"Nice to meet you. What brought you here?" Bray was puzzled. As a child he was often in the woods, camping with his family. But now… only the hike to the Eagle Mountain came to mind and even there he hadn't met any tribe called the Gaians. He had never seen this man or the girl. Clearly they knew him. From where? And why did they travel all this way to meet him?

"We must tell you something. You only…" he aid and glanced at the rest of the tribe that sat around them.

"It's ok, I don't keep secret from them," Bray responded. He knew how hypocritical his words sounded now that the tribe was broken because of the secret he kept from some of them. However, apart from that it was true.

Pride seemed to consider his words.

"Fine. Whatever suits you best."

"For god's sake Pride!" exclaimed Abberay. It was the first time she spoke and her voice was remarkably similar to her eyes. Striking, noticeable, effective. "What are you waiting for? For her to show up?! We don't have time!"

He dint seem to acknowledge her.

"Bray, what I'm gonna tell you… you might not believe me. And I won't blame you. But I think you have the right to know and that's why …"

"Why don't you let me decide on my own?" Bray said impatiently. He crossed his arms and little did he know how the next moments would spin his world around again. He couldn't have known. All the signs had gone past him unnoticed.

"Alright," Pride took a deep breath before saying those four much belated and desired words, "Bray, Amber's alive."


To be continued.

Broughttoyouby::: misswinter.