When they reach HQ Amber was bombarded with question's. Not just about her but about the Gaian's and the Rebel's. The biggest question of what happened to her at Eagle mountain.
Alice and Ellie were asking Bray asking more question's about Amber. They wanted to know if what they'd heard was true. Bray found it difficult to explain abut Eagle mountain so he didn't even try, it was up to Amber to explain in her own time.
"Well..." Bray began "When we started the Mall Rats with the others Amber, me and Lex became leaders. Lex was leader on his own for a little while. Amber ran the tribe, Lex was head of security and I was in charge of supplies. It took a while but we eventually got together." He thought back to when at Eagle mountain, when he was about to leave how, they'd got back together thanks to Lex. "We all went to Eagle Mountain. There was an explosion and we thought Amber and Zandra were dead. But no one actually saw Ambers body and I didn't cause I was unconcious." He looked up at Alice and Ellie. "I love Amber with all my heart and soul. I always have." They smiled at him lightly.
"So why didn't she come back?" Asked Ellie.
Bray didn't know what to say. He decided it was best to limit their knowledge till Amber told everyone. "She was told some lies by someone." He replied simply "She was sick for along time but Pride..." He pointed to Pride who was talking to another Gaian. "Saved her. She became Eagle. Leader of the Gaian's."
"You really love her, don't you?" Said Alice.
Bray looked over at Amber and she smiled back at him. "I really do." He smiled at them. "Do you know anything about Danni? I still want to find her even if its only to tell her I'm with someone else."
They shook their head's. "We haven't seen her since the beach. Sorry." Said Ellie. "By the way, where Dal?" She asked. "I don't see him."
Bray took a deep breath. "He died." He replied simply. "Amber was with him, he fell when we were ambushed thanks to Mai." His eye's were full of sorrow. "I know you were friends. I'm sorry."
Ellie was upset. She'd lost first Jack and now Dal was dead. "He and Amber were friends weren't they?" She asked looking towards Amber who was introducing the Mall Rats to her Gaian friends.
"Very good friends. Before the virus. During it, after it. She took his death as bad as Dal had taken Amber's when we thought she'd died." Bray looked over to see the happiness on the other's faces fade, Amber had told them about Dal.
Then Patsy, who was obviously upset by the news and was crying, asked Amber the question that Amber had been expecting, why didn't she come back after Eagle mountain. Bray knew this would be hard on Amber so he went over and took her hand. Amber opened her mouth to begin...
...but before she had a chance to even explain one of the Gaian's came into the room. "Eagle," He began and Amber turned towards him. "One of the prisoners wishes to speak to you." Amber turned to Bray but he looked as confused as her. The Gaian continued, "She says she knows you."
Some of the Mall Rats turned to see who Eagle was. "Where is she?" Asked Amber and the others realised that Amber must be this Eagle as well. "What's her name?" Amber continued.
"She wouldn't say, but she called you Amber and said that she's pleased your alive. She has a young child." Amber's eye's widened as she realised who the prisoner actually was.
"Hello Trudy." She said as Trudy walked into the room, Brady in her arms. "Long time no see. I hope I get a better hello than our last meeting."
"Hello Amber " She replied, her face was white and for some strange reason she was dressed in a Chosen guards uniform. She looked around at the others, most of who were either in shock or were confused.
"Eagle, what do we do with the child?" Asked the Gaian guard who had brought her in before.
Amber turned to Bray, she didn't know what to do or say, she'd never been in this situation before. "I don't know. Bray what do you think?"
Bray shrugged. "I don't know either."
"I say we take the kid off her." Said Lex. "Banish her or stone her or parade her around the streets so that all the Chosen left can see we won. We have the Guardian and the Supreme Mummy the Chosen are dead and buried." He smiled at Trudy, a wicked smile. Trudy's eye's were wide with shock, she'd die from any of those. Especially without Brady. But if that was what they were going to do, at least Brady would be safe with the Mall Rats.
"But..." began Bray. He still cared for Trudy like a sister. He couldn't live with himself if he let her die and leave Brady an orphan. But before he could object Trudy spoke.
"I deserve to die, I know that, I let you all suffer and I'm sorry." She had tears in her eye's. "If you want to kill me..." She stopped and sat down on a chair, Brady was in her arm's. She was crying and holding her daughter close. She looked up at the other's "I don't care, just look after Brady. Promise me." Amber stepped forward and looked into Trudy's eye's, she was telling the truth. She beckoned Pride forward and he stood beside Bray.
Amber was surprised by Trudy's courage, she'd never thought Trudy would be so selfless. "Take Brady away." Said Bray. Amber stared at him, she knew he cared for Trudy, how could he let Lex do this to her. Other just stared at Trudy, wanting her to be back to normal and also wanting her gone. They were torn. "But just for now, we can't hurt either of them." He looked at Trudy and she looked at him. "I trust her."
Amber looked at Bray and then at the other's. "Pride will you find Fox and Pack, they have a little one the same age as Brady." She explained to the Mall Rats. "We have to find out how we got Trudy without realising."
The other's nodded and Pride walked up to Trudy, she looked up at him, scared and he smiled at her. She kissed Brady on the head and passed her to Pride, Brady didn't cry, she was happy in Pride's arms. Trudy watched her leave and then collapsed in the chair and began to cry.
Ebony walked up to her, Trudy was shaking. She stared into her eye's. "Stop crying," she said in mock concern. Then she shouted "AND SHUT UP!!!!"
In the corner of the room the younger children were standing together. They were confused at what was going on. They had question's that the other's weren't answering. They had lot's of question's.
"Why do they call Amber, Eagle? All these guywhatever have really stupid name's. Where the hell are they from?" Asked KC. "I mean look at their clothes." He pointed to a Gaian in the corner of the room. "Look what Amber's wearing. It look's like a feather duster." All there stared at Amber.
"I know," said Patsy "they are really weird. I mean look at that Pride guy and his weird hair." They looked at Pride and saw him standing next to Bray. Amber was standing nearer to Trudy. "I mean, she was alive and she didn't come back. Why? What did we do?" They looked again at Amber in the feather dress. "It's like she's not Amber anymore."
They stayed quiet and saw the Pride guy come and take Brady from Trudy. "They never tell us anythin'." Said Cloe. "I bet they hardly notice us, Amber and the other never care what we think." They looked over at the others again. Patsy opened her mouth as if to agree but before she could saw anything she was cut off by Ebony shouting. They all jumped and thought it would be better if they didn't talk now, maybe later.
"Trudy, your with the Chosen, you expect us to believe you?" She stood close to Trudy and shook her head. "You betrayed us." She continued. "But what get right up my nose is you trying to kill me." Trudy stayed silent and Ebony felt someone grab her arm. She turned quickly and saw Lex there. "Going soft on me Lex?" She asked with her sly smile on her face.
Lex just smiled at her. "You betrayed all of us. Especially them." He pointed to Amber and Bray. "It's your fault we even have Chosen. You created the whole Zoot/God thing when I killed him. To gain what you want," He paused and then tilted his head to the side slightly and smiled more. "Power and Chaos. So stop it Ebony and let her talk." He held her arm a moment longer and then let it go and stepped back. She stomped off out of the room, at the same time Pride was returning.
"Trudy, why are you here?" Asked Bray, his expression was glum and he reached down and grabbed Amber's hand. Amber didn't look at him, it just felt like the natural thing to do.
"It's a long story." Replied Trudy as she looked up towards the group of people standing before her. It was her trial and she knew that most of them would have trouble believing her, she hurt them badly. She just hoped they would accept her again.
"We can wait." Replied Salene. Her expression was of hurt. Trudy remembered when she had asked her to save Bray.
~~~~~~Flash back~~~~~~~
"Save Bray." Said Salene
"I can't. Anything else?" Replied Trudy
"But you've been through so much together. I can't believe you have no feelings for him."
"Salene, this conversation is not only pointless, it's boring."
"Please Trudy. I'll do anything, give you anything."
"Poor Salene. Still dreaming that hopeless dream? Does Ryan know? guard!"
"Trudy don't let this happen please! I'm begging you. Trudy please! Trudy!"
~~~~~Flash Forward~~~~~~
She took a deep breath and began. "After they set me up at the park. I didn't know about that. I realised that I was just a pawn to them and so was Brady. Seeing Amber alive gave me hope, for everyone. It didn't need to be the Supreme Mother. I'd lost it, completely. I realise that now. I don't have an excuse, it's just when they took me away. I can't explain it, I suppose I believed them after a while. I got so tired of fighting it. I am so sorry." She looked up at them. "I was planning to escape for month's and I chose tonight. I knocked out my guard and dressed like this." She looked at them trying to see what was going on in their head's but she couldn't tell. "Then you stormed in and before I could explain I was gagged."
They stayed silent for a minute looking from Trudy to each other. Bray broke the silence first. "It make's sense, I suppose. But you still betrayed us Trudy." He looked straight into her eye's. Then he turned to Amber. "But I think you deserve a chance."
Trudy breathed deeply with relief. "Thank you Bray. You can trust me." The others just looked at her. Their face's were expressionless.
Then Amber turned to the others. "Do you agree?" They nodded reluctantly or said yes. Lex stayed silent. Amber turned to him and he just shrugged. Then he nodded his head. Amber turned back to Trudy. "But you should be guarded at all times. The chosen might try something and we can't trust you completely." She turned to Pride. "Night and day, look after them. For her protection and ours."
He nodded and then bowed. "Yes Eagle." He replied.
"Do you agree to these term's Trudy?" Asked Bray.
"If I can keep Brady." She replied.
"Of course." Said Amber. " Does everyone agree to these term's?" Everyone did and so with some reluctance from some of the Mall Rats they welcomed back Trudy and Brady.
Alice and Ellie were asking Bray asking more question's about Amber. They wanted to know if what they'd heard was true. Bray found it difficult to explain abut Eagle mountain so he didn't even try, it was up to Amber to explain in her own time.
"Well..." Bray began "When we started the Mall Rats with the others Amber, me and Lex became leaders. Lex was leader on his own for a little while. Amber ran the tribe, Lex was head of security and I was in charge of supplies. It took a while but we eventually got together." He thought back to when at Eagle mountain, when he was about to leave how, they'd got back together thanks to Lex. "We all went to Eagle Mountain. There was an explosion and we thought Amber and Zandra were dead. But no one actually saw Ambers body and I didn't cause I was unconcious." He looked up at Alice and Ellie. "I love Amber with all my heart and soul. I always have." They smiled at him lightly.
"So why didn't she come back?" Asked Ellie.
Bray didn't know what to say. He decided it was best to limit their knowledge till Amber told everyone. "She was told some lies by someone." He replied simply "She was sick for along time but Pride..." He pointed to Pride who was talking to another Gaian. "Saved her. She became Eagle. Leader of the Gaian's."
"You really love her, don't you?" Said Alice.
Bray looked over at Amber and she smiled back at him. "I really do." He smiled at them. "Do you know anything about Danni? I still want to find her even if its only to tell her I'm with someone else."
They shook their head's. "We haven't seen her since the beach. Sorry." Said Ellie. "By the way, where Dal?" She asked. "I don't see him."
Bray took a deep breath. "He died." He replied simply. "Amber was with him, he fell when we were ambushed thanks to Mai." His eye's were full of sorrow. "I know you were friends. I'm sorry."
Ellie was upset. She'd lost first Jack and now Dal was dead. "He and Amber were friends weren't they?" She asked looking towards Amber who was introducing the Mall Rats to her Gaian friends.
"Very good friends. Before the virus. During it, after it. She took his death as bad as Dal had taken Amber's when we thought she'd died." Bray looked over to see the happiness on the other's faces fade, Amber had told them about Dal.
Then Patsy, who was obviously upset by the news and was crying, asked Amber the question that Amber had been expecting, why didn't she come back after Eagle mountain. Bray knew this would be hard on Amber so he went over and took her hand. Amber opened her mouth to begin...
...but before she had a chance to even explain one of the Gaian's came into the room. "Eagle," He began and Amber turned towards him. "One of the prisoners wishes to speak to you." Amber turned to Bray but he looked as confused as her. The Gaian continued, "She says she knows you."
Some of the Mall Rats turned to see who Eagle was. "Where is she?" Asked Amber and the others realised that Amber must be this Eagle as well. "What's her name?" Amber continued.
"She wouldn't say, but she called you Amber and said that she's pleased your alive. She has a young child." Amber's eye's widened as she realised who the prisoner actually was.
"Hello Trudy." She said as Trudy walked into the room, Brady in her arms. "Long time no see. I hope I get a better hello than our last meeting."
"Hello Amber " She replied, her face was white and for some strange reason she was dressed in a Chosen guards uniform. She looked around at the others, most of who were either in shock or were confused.
"Eagle, what do we do with the child?" Asked the Gaian guard who had brought her in before.
Amber turned to Bray, she didn't know what to do or say, she'd never been in this situation before. "I don't know. Bray what do you think?"
Bray shrugged. "I don't know either."
"I say we take the kid off her." Said Lex. "Banish her or stone her or parade her around the streets so that all the Chosen left can see we won. We have the Guardian and the Supreme Mummy the Chosen are dead and buried." He smiled at Trudy, a wicked smile. Trudy's eye's were wide with shock, she'd die from any of those. Especially without Brady. But if that was what they were going to do, at least Brady would be safe with the Mall Rats.
"But..." began Bray. He still cared for Trudy like a sister. He couldn't live with himself if he let her die and leave Brady an orphan. But before he could object Trudy spoke.
"I deserve to die, I know that, I let you all suffer and I'm sorry." She had tears in her eye's. "If you want to kill me..." She stopped and sat down on a chair, Brady was in her arm's. She was crying and holding her daughter close. She looked up at the other's "I don't care, just look after Brady. Promise me." Amber stepped forward and looked into Trudy's eye's, she was telling the truth. She beckoned Pride forward and he stood beside Bray.
Amber was surprised by Trudy's courage, she'd never thought Trudy would be so selfless. "Take Brady away." Said Bray. Amber stared at him, she knew he cared for Trudy, how could he let Lex do this to her. Other just stared at Trudy, wanting her to be back to normal and also wanting her gone. They were torn. "But just for now, we can't hurt either of them." He looked at Trudy and she looked at him. "I trust her."
Amber looked at Bray and then at the other's. "Pride will you find Fox and Pack, they have a little one the same age as Brady." She explained to the Mall Rats. "We have to find out how we got Trudy without realising."
The other's nodded and Pride walked up to Trudy, she looked up at him, scared and he smiled at her. She kissed Brady on the head and passed her to Pride, Brady didn't cry, she was happy in Pride's arms. Trudy watched her leave and then collapsed in the chair and began to cry.
Ebony walked up to her, Trudy was shaking. She stared into her eye's. "Stop crying," she said in mock concern. Then she shouted "AND SHUT UP!!!!"
In the corner of the room the younger children were standing together. They were confused at what was going on. They had question's that the other's weren't answering. They had lot's of question's.
"Why do they call Amber, Eagle? All these guywhatever have really stupid name's. Where the hell are they from?" Asked KC. "I mean look at their clothes." He pointed to a Gaian in the corner of the room. "Look what Amber's wearing. It look's like a feather duster." All there stared at Amber.
"I know," said Patsy "they are really weird. I mean look at that Pride guy and his weird hair." They looked at Pride and saw him standing next to Bray. Amber was standing nearer to Trudy. "I mean, she was alive and she didn't come back. Why? What did we do?" They looked again at Amber in the feather dress. "It's like she's not Amber anymore."
They stayed quiet and saw the Pride guy come and take Brady from Trudy. "They never tell us anythin'." Said Cloe. "I bet they hardly notice us, Amber and the other never care what we think." They looked over at the others again. Patsy opened her mouth as if to agree but before she could saw anything she was cut off by Ebony shouting. They all jumped and thought it would be better if they didn't talk now, maybe later.
"Trudy, your with the Chosen, you expect us to believe you?" She stood close to Trudy and shook her head. "You betrayed us." She continued. "But what get right up my nose is you trying to kill me." Trudy stayed silent and Ebony felt someone grab her arm. She turned quickly and saw Lex there. "Going soft on me Lex?" She asked with her sly smile on her face.
Lex just smiled at her. "You betrayed all of us. Especially them." He pointed to Amber and Bray. "It's your fault we even have Chosen. You created the whole Zoot/God thing when I killed him. To gain what you want," He paused and then tilted his head to the side slightly and smiled more. "Power and Chaos. So stop it Ebony and let her talk." He held her arm a moment longer and then let it go and stepped back. She stomped off out of the room, at the same time Pride was returning.
"Trudy, why are you here?" Asked Bray, his expression was glum and he reached down and grabbed Amber's hand. Amber didn't look at him, it just felt like the natural thing to do.
"It's a long story." Replied Trudy as she looked up towards the group of people standing before her. It was her trial and she knew that most of them would have trouble believing her, she hurt them badly. She just hoped they would accept her again.
"We can wait." Replied Salene. Her expression was of hurt. Trudy remembered when she had asked her to save Bray.
~~~~~~Flash back~~~~~~~
"Save Bray." Said Salene
"I can't. Anything else?" Replied Trudy
"But you've been through so much together. I can't believe you have no feelings for him."
"Salene, this conversation is not only pointless, it's boring."
"Please Trudy. I'll do anything, give you anything."
"Poor Salene. Still dreaming that hopeless dream? Does Ryan know? guard!"
"Trudy don't let this happen please! I'm begging you. Trudy please! Trudy!"
~~~~~Flash Forward~~~~~~
She took a deep breath and began. "After they set me up at the park. I didn't know about that. I realised that I was just a pawn to them and so was Brady. Seeing Amber alive gave me hope, for everyone. It didn't need to be the Supreme Mother. I'd lost it, completely. I realise that now. I don't have an excuse, it's just when they took me away. I can't explain it, I suppose I believed them after a while. I got so tired of fighting it. I am so sorry." She looked up at them. "I was planning to escape for month's and I chose tonight. I knocked out my guard and dressed like this." She looked at them trying to see what was going on in their head's but she couldn't tell. "Then you stormed in and before I could explain I was gagged."
They stayed silent for a minute looking from Trudy to each other. Bray broke the silence first. "It make's sense, I suppose. But you still betrayed us Trudy." He looked straight into her eye's. Then he turned to Amber. "But I think you deserve a chance."
Trudy breathed deeply with relief. "Thank you Bray. You can trust me." The others just looked at her. Their face's were expressionless.
Then Amber turned to the others. "Do you agree?" They nodded reluctantly or said yes. Lex stayed silent. Amber turned to him and he just shrugged. Then he nodded his head. Amber turned back to Trudy. "But you should be guarded at all times. The chosen might try something and we can't trust you completely." She turned to Pride. "Night and day, look after them. For her protection and ours."
He nodded and then bowed. "Yes Eagle." He replied.
"Do you agree to these term's Trudy?" Asked Bray.
"If I can keep Brady." She replied.
"Of course." Said Amber. " Does everyone agree to these term's?" Everyone did and so with some reluctance from some of the Mall Rats they welcomed back Trudy and Brady.