California 2019

Battery City

Static slowed the Trans Am down as she pulled slowly towards the exit on Route Guano. She looked out her window at Poison, who nodded and pulled behind the car. Val pulled her gun out. Just in case, she thought. As they pulled into a tunnel, they noticed there was a barrier near the end of it.

"You don't think there are Dracs on patrol there, do you?" Static asked Val.

"Yeah, I do. Drive fast, go right through the barrier, and do not slow down." Val rolled her window down and leaned out. She caught sight of two Dracs in the booth on the barricade, and shot them down before they realized that the fast approaching car contained Killjoys. Static blasted through the barrier and followed the signs directing them to the S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W unit. She looked in her rear-view mirror and saw Poison following close behind on her bike, with her gun out and her mask on.

"SHIT! Val, put on your mask!" Static screeched, while pulling her bandana over the bottom of her face and sliding her aviator sunglasses on. Val scrambled with the yellow mask around her neck. Once they were on, the car sped up towards the large building that had begun to show in the distance.

A few moments later, they had pulled up along the alley by the unit, and a man, woman, and small child hurried out of a side door. Val leaned out the window and spoke to the man.

"Transmissions sent. Show Pony knows we'll see you in the desert again one day. Ashton, right?" She smiled. Ashton nodded.

"Yep, that's it. Jackie, honey, go ahead. Get in the car." He nudged the small girl forward, and opened the door for her. Suddenly, an alarm went off.

"SHIT! Hurry, they're coming!" Ashton pulled a gun out, pushed Jackie into the backseat of the car, and turned to the woman. She had also pulled out a gun.

"Emma, you need to go." He said.

"I'm not leaving you here, I'll stay and fight, and then we can leave. They'll kill you." She said.

Poison rolled the bike over "Umm, yeah, well, if you want to get her," she motioned to the frightened girl in the car's backseat, "You may want to move. Emma, right? Get in the car." She said firmly. Emma looked from the car, to the short red haired killjoy, to Ashton. She turned towards the car, and a door slammed.

"RUN! THEY'RE COMING FROM THE FRONT!" Ashton screamed. Emma leaped into the Trans Am, and the car took off after Poison's bike. Emma and Val leaned out the window and turned around, shooting as many Dracs as they could. Emma watched Ashton fighting, too.

Then he screamed.

"TURN AROUND! THEY HIT HIM! THEY'LL KILL HIM!" She screamed. No one listened to her, and Jackie began to cry. She saw Ashton on the ground, and watched a Drac put a gun to his head. She watched as the beam of light go through his brain, and she fell back against the car seat and cried.

"Emma? What happened?" Jackie sniffled.

"He's gone." She said blankly.

"Emma. Listen to me." Val was talking sternly, but gently. "This is how it was meant to be. You and Jackie are safe. And right now, you need to turn around and kill as many of those motherfuckers as you can."

Emma didn't move. Val spoke again.

"Emma. Turn around. Shoot."

Robotically, Emma leaned out the window and began to shoot. Eventually, the Dracs pulled back. They were strong in numbers. Not to mention, the Killjoys had left Battery City, and were speeding through the desert.

"Everything's changed, hasn't it?" Emma heard the Killjoy driving whisper to the passenger.

"Yep. Follow Poison. She knows a safe place we can stay."

Emma leaned back against the seat, pulled Jackie, who was trembling, into her arms, and cried herself to sleep.

California 2019

Zone 6

Dr. D leaned forward and flipped the switch on his control board. The lights came on, and the microphone crackled. He lifted it up and spoke.

"Killjoys, this is Dr. Death Defying. You're listening to the hottest new radio show under the desert sky. Listen now and listen loud – we're here to keep you 'live and running. We've got an oldie by the big boys themselves; this is Green Day's 'American Idiot'." He clicked off the microphone and leaned back in his chair, and Missile Kid and Show Pony came running – and skating – in.

"That was great!" Missile squealed, and she ran over and hugged Dr. D. Show Pony nodded in agreement, and leaned against a desk covered in tapes, CDs, and records.

"Not bad, Dr. D. You've got something here; just try not to fuck it up!" He joked.

"Don't you try to be tough, Pony Boy. I may be in a scooter, but I can still kick your ass." Dr. D laughed, and Pony gulped. "Ah, I'm just messin' with ya, kid!" He laughed, and Pony smiled. Missile ran to the door.

"I think Cherri's back – does she know about the Fibs yet?" Missile asked.

"Nah, we'll tell her soon. They're supposed to show up in two days, at 6 pm, in the area that used to be their neighbourhood. That's now Zone 5, right on the border of Zone 4." Dr. D said.

"Okay! I'll go see if she needs help!" Missile said, and took off towards the front of the diner.

"I swear, she was born running, that girl." Dr. D turned his chair around to face Pony. "How'd you find her, anyway?" He asked. Pony shifted awkwardly.

"Well, she was my friend's sister. I couldn't find him after the bombs, and when I went to his house, I found her there. She had left the shelter, but rather than go to Battery City with everyone else, she went home. She was trying to find them – her mom and brother." Pony sniffled, and turned towards the front door. "So I took her in, and we found the diner, and you. I'm gonna go see if Cherri and Missile need help." He skated out the door, and Dr. D turned back to the mic.

"Alright motorbabies, this next song is a classic from our boys in Jersey – this is My Chemical Romance's 'Famous Last Words."