K.C looked up from his clipboard as three trucks came around the corner and stopped in the middle of the courtyard. Ecko jumped out of the first car and approached K.C.
"These ones are ready for you, Sergeant," he said, gesturing towards the back of the truck.
"Excelent," K.C said, walking over to the first truck, "Let them out one by one."
He took position at the back and watched as Ecko opened the back doors and looked inside. He closed it slightly and leaned in towards K.C.
"Watch out for this first one," he said under his breath, "She may seem tiny and delicate, but she's feisty - trust me." He held up his arm to show a set of teeth marks.
"Damn," K.C said with a small laugh and rubbed the back of his neck. He was kind of impressed - and a little scared, "Better keep a safe distance, eh?"
"I would say at least 10 feet. Keep your cool, man," Ecko said with a grave face and opened the doors again, ordering the people to come out, one by one and in good order. K.C felt intrigued by this apparent would-be Amazone and waited with excitement.
A girl stuck her head out. Her hair was golden brown and long - all the way down to her waist. It was tangled from struggle and looked like it hadn't seen a hairbrush for some time. She was still pretty, K.C thought as he watched her jump down from the truck. Ecko grabbed her arm and pulled her to the side, putting her as the first in a line.
"Get off!" she snarled, pulling her arm from his grip rather aggressively. Ecko turned to K.C, lifting both his eyebrows and then shaking his head. K.C had to suppress a giggle. He looked at the girl and found her staring at him, her mouth slightly open in shocked realisation. He looked her in the eye and then felt a shock go through him as he recognized those eyes. He couldn't believe he hadn't see it before.
Patsy.
His head jerked to look at Ecko. He had his back turned on them, helping the next person down from the truck. K.C looked back at Patsy and saw that her buttom lip quivered and angry tears spilled over and ran down her cheeks. He knew she felt betrayed, thinking that he had joined the enemy. Well he sort of had, but not by choise. Afterall, this was better than the alternative; being wasted for leading a resistance group.
He looked at her, fearing she would yell at him and quicky put a finger to his lips, hushing her silently, with pleading eyes. But she wouldn't have any of it.
"K.C!" she cried, her tone thick with accuse. "I can't believe you went over to their side - not you!"
K.C winced at the angry tone in her voice and he looked away from her big hurt hazel eyes, staring at him with angry tears. He couldn't tell her about his and Cloe's plan to overthrow the Technoes. Not with Ecko standing so near. He had to play along until he could talk to her, freely, without prying ears.
"Quiet!" he barked at her. Ecko whirled around to glare at Patsy. He strode over to her and put his face all the way down to hers, "I've just about had it with you!" he yelled into her face, "Shut up! Or I'll shut it up for you!"
Patsy glared back at him but went silent. K.C thanked the heavens in his mind. He knew Ecko - both the good man that he was; a rightous man of his word, but also the dark Ecko; the man who was exstremely loyal to his master and dedicated to the course. That Ecko didn't have any mercy.
"Do you know this one?" he asked, turning to K.C with a scowl.
"Not directly," K.C lied. He had to pull out his best lying abilities, something that wasn't unfarmiliar to him. He'd always schemed his way through life. That's just how he survived.
"I know her from the city, but not personally," he said with a poker face.
Ecko glanched at Patsy, "I don't know if she's more trouble than she's worth," he said. K.C's heart started to pound with fear. He had to think fast before Ecko decided that she was too much of a handful.
"Purhaps," K.C said with forced indifference, "I like her spirits though. She'd be a great worrior. If I can break her first. I'd like to try."
"Really?" Ecko said, sceptically. He clearly couldn't see the appeal in such a difficult task.
"You know me, E, I always love a challenge," K.C said, winking at him. "In fact, I think I'll start right now. Do you mind unloading the rest of the virts and show them to the cells?"
"It's your funeral," Ecko mumbled and then nodded, "Alright, I'll take care of the rest."
"Perfect," K.C said and hurried over to Patsy. He didn't stop when he reached her, just grabbed her upper arm when he passed her and dragged her along. It had to look convincing.
She didn't protest as he took her inside and lead her down the hallway and into his room. The second he closed the door behind them Patsy exploded.
"Unbelieveble!" she cried, "I knew you were sly, K.C, but I've never known you to be a traitor!" Her hands were clenched into fists down her sides and her cheeks shone with fresh tears of anger.
She stiffened in surprise as K.C threw his arms around her and held her tight, burying his head in her hair.
"I can't believe it's you," he choked out, "I thought you were dead."
Patsy's tense body relaxed a bit and she padded him awkwardly on the back, "It's okay K.C. It's really me."
After a while K.C released his hug and stepped back, looking at her. His eyes were glossy.
"What happened to you? We all thought the Chosen had killed you."
"They almost did," Patsy said softly, "But Danni rescued me. She died saving my life." Her voice broke a bit in the end and she swallowed hard.
"Oh god, Pats, I'm so sorry," K.C said, taking her hands and holding them. Patsy looked at him, perplexed, and K.C realised that she must be surprised to see this softer side of him. Back in the days when they had all lived at the mall together, K.C wasn't exactly known to be a softie. He'd been just a kid – a selfish brat, always looking for a new scheme.
But being in the mines had done something to him. He'd grown so much since he last had seen Patsy – not only in height, but in character as well. He'd become softer, less selfish and more of a man. He wondered if he looked as different to her as she did to him.
"What are you doing, K.C?" Patsy asked, interrupting his thoughts, "- with these creeps."
"I know what it looks like," K.C said quietly, "but it's not as it seems."
He told her the whole story; right from what had happened with the Chosen, then about the Technoes coming to the mall and taking some of them, including himself, away. He told her about the resistance group, the afterwards punishment and then coming here. And of his meeting with Cloe. When he finished, Patsy had sunk to the bed, trying to take it all in.
"I can't believe all that's happened," she said quietly, "Poor Dal."
They sat in silence for a long while, letting everything slowly sink in.
"I can't believe how much you've changed, Pats," K.C then said, smiling at her.
"You too K.C. You've grown! And got a beard," she grinned and scratched his unshaved chin playfully.
"Yeah, guess I need to shave," K.C said with an embarrassed smile and looked down.
"No, don't," Patsy said, "It suits you."
K.C sent her a crooked smile and flushed.
Patsy suddenly moaned and ran a hand through her tangled hair, "God, I need to wash. I must look awful."
"They have showers here - real showers with running water! You can use mine, if you like," K.C said. "I'll see if I can find you some clean clothes and stuff." He got up in a rush, but then stopped and turned to look down at her, "I'm so glad you're alive," he said softly.
Patsy smiled back up at him, taking his hand and squeezing it, "Me too, K.C."
He then turned around and walked out of the door, feeling strangely lightheaded.
—
Patsy stepped out of the shower, feeling more warm and clean than she had for a long time. She dried herself and went to stand before the mirror. She picked up the hairbrush that K.C had provided for her and ran it through her hair. It was easy to brush as she had used considerably amounts of conditioner to be able to get all the tangles out. Now it was smooth and clean and smelled deliciously of apple flowers.
She glanced sullenly at the black folded suit K.C had laid out for her, and she pushed it further away with a snort. It didn't feel right, putting it on. She felt like a traitor. And she would rather die than betray her friends, she thought dramatically. But eventuelly she picked it up with a sigh and put it on. It was, after all, just a pretend and she intended on not wearing it for too long. And she couldn't run around naked.
There was a small knock at the door and K.C's muffled voice.
"Patsy, there's someone to see you."
Patsy knew who it was and flung the door open. She squealed loudly and threw her arms around Cloe, crying, "Oh my god, oh my god! Cloeee!"
"Oh Patsy!" Cloe cried and held her dearest friend tightly, "I thought I was never gonna see you again!"
"I know, me too," Patsy said. They stood there for a while, just hugging each other, reunited sisters. When they finally broke apart they both had tears of joyish reunion streaming down their cheeks.
"We all thought you got wasted by the Chosen," Cloe said with a sniffle, "They told us you were dead."
"I know," Patsy said and then told Cloe the same story she had told K.C.
"Why is there always some stupid tribe trying to take over the city?" Cloe said, looking to the heavens, "I'm so sick of it. Why can't we just live in peace?"
"I dunno," Patsy said with a sigh, "I guess it's always gonna be that way. There'll always be someone who wishes to rule the world."
"Yeah well, we're gonna be here to fight them every godanm time," K.C said with a clenched fist, "Like we always do."
The two girls nodded in agreement. The Mallrats had always won and they would this time too - they were sure of it. They just had to figure out how and when. That was what they were here to figure out.
They used the rest of the afternoon brainstorming and working on their plan. Eventually Cloe bade the other two goodnight and went to her own room. Patsy and K.C were sitting on the bed, just talking.
"God, I'm so tired," Patsy said at last and yawned.
"Right," K.C said, "I guess it's been an eventful day for you." He smiled at her, "Tomorrow I'll see if I can get you a room. You can have the bed tonight - I'll take the couch."
"Thanks K.C," Patsy said and laid down immediately. K.C covered her up with the blanket before he went to get the lights. Then he walked over to the couch and laid down on it. There was a quilt hanging over the armrest which he pulled over himself.
"Goodnight, Patsy," he said into the dark. The only respons he got was a soft moan and then the deep, heavy breathing of sleep.
