The farewell of a friend
Many run scared by the sound of the thundering Harley thinking it is the evil Top Hat. But it is not. The motorbike stopped in front of a raided electronics store. The teenager stepped of the now silent motorbike. Standing 5"8, dark hair, wearing a raincoat and a sword on his back he walked through the broken window into the store. "Someone should clean this place." He said to himself. He looked around at the leftover electronics spares.
"Here we go." He said and grabbed a big roll of 3way cable. He stuffed it into his backpack. He also grabbed some radio's and a video camera. "This should keep Gizmo busy for a while." And he walked back outside and stepped onto his mighty iron horse. As he drove away you could read on the back number plate Hood1.
The motorbike drove carefully through the streets of the city.
Suddenly he heard sirens. "Damn, I hate Loco's."
He stopped the motorbike and waited. Flashing lights came from behind him. Hood got a small bag of sharp tacks and threw them over the street. The police car was about 100 meters away and closing.
"See ya suckers." Hood said and drove of.
The police car with about 7 Loco's on it skid for a bit then stopped.
They found 3 blown tires beneath the former law enforcing car.
Hood drove out of the centre of the city to the outskirts. There, at the end of the road, was a great round fort. Left from the time of adults, it stood tall with impressive walls. On top of the walls 2 guys walked up and down with wooden poles in there hands. They greeted Hood as he drove into the compound. Inside there was a small patch of garden with vegetables and next to that was a small fuel tank with marks of a motorbike on the ground before it. Attached to the inside of the walls were big tents.
A girl ran across the compound to Hood.
"Hi honey, I'm home." Hood said as he stepped off the motorbike and embraced the girl. She was 5"6, brown and blond hair, she looked like she was 13 but in fact she was nearly sixteen. And she wore a short army skirt with jeans under it.
"What took you so long?" She asked.
Hood grabbed the backpack from the back of the motorbike. "I had a run in with the Loco's."
"What happened?" The girl asks excitedly.
"Let's just say the got a flat." Hood responded with a smile. They walked hand in hand to one of the tents attached to the fort.
"Hood, Catgirl, hurry I think I got something." A voice sounded from the side of fort next to the tent. The 2 ran into a small room with wires and other weird looking stuff hanging from the ceiling and coming from the walls.
"What is it Gizmo?" Hood asked. The boy turned a few knobs on what seemed to be a Did It Myself radio.
"Listen to this." He said and from the crackling noise coming from a speaker came a voice boom.
"If you are listening to this, the only hope for humanity lies with you, whoever you are. Listen carefully to what I have sgggrrahh"
The voice of an adult changed back to crackling noises.
"What happened?" Hood asked. Gizmo checked a few dials and buttons but nothing happened.
"The message became coded." He disappointedly said.
"Where did it come from?" Asked Karen worried. Gizmo pointed up to where a model satellite was hanging.
"Great. Now what?" Gizmo said in despair. They all walked outside to the centre of the compound.
Hood rang a bell in the middle of the fort.
"Raiders meeting in 5 minutes." Hood shouted. Hood, Gizmo, Karen and the rest of the tribe walked to the biggest tent in the fort. Inside it was full of blankets and a couple of couches. The tribe sat in a circle.
Hood stood up. "Thanks to Gizmo we have heard a message from a satellite orbiting earth. Someone has just received a message that might contain info about an antidote."
There was sudden mumbling between the tribe members.
"Gizmo can you trace the signal?" He asked.
"Sure but it will take a couple of hours. Maybe the entire night." He answered.
Some one else stood up. It was Chain, Hoods right hand man
"Are we going out to find it?" He asked.
He look delighted and troubled at the same time. "First we vote on it." Hood said.
The tribe started to mumble again. Jade stood up. She was the only one that had started ageing.
She looked like Cher (If Cher was still alive).
"I say we go for it. I want that antidote." She said. She looked angry. She always did.
"Okay," Hood said, "All who want to go for the antidote, raise your hand."
Everyone stuck their hand in the air. Karen whispered to Hood as he sat down.
"Looks like a school trip." He smiled. Everyone waited for him to say something
He stood up again. "As soon as Gizmo has found the place we leave."
Hood said. "I want a few to stay behind to guard the fort. Any volunteers?" 2 guys stood up.
They stood as soldiers.
"Pete and Jack, thank you." Hood said. They sat down again and everyone waited for the final order.
"Okay people let's get going." Hood said and he left the tent.
There was a garage next to the tent. 2 army cars were inside. Hood and Karen drove them outside. They stood in the shade of the windmill which supplied power.
Chain, Sally, Jack and Joy walked to the cars.
"Guys can you start supping them up?" Hood asked.
"We'll start right away." Chain said with enthusiasm. Jade walked to the side of the fort. Inside she had a room where she slept. Hood followed her into her room.
"How are you feeling?" Hood asked. Jade sat on her bed.
"Like a teenager ageing to death." She said sarcastically.
"Don't worry. We'll be back with the antidote and you'll be kicking Chains butt as normal." Hood said with a smile. Jade tried to laugh but instead coughed.
"Take care of my little bro, huh Hood?" She asked. Hood nodded.
The Journey begins
In Hoods room there was a black metal cupboard with a padlock on it. Only Hood had the key to it.
The only time he had opened it was when he had a run-in with a couple of demon dogs. In the Cupboard were 2 shotguns, dynamite sticks, grenades, 3 M16's and a lot of ammo. He opened the cupboard and grabbed a crate from outside. He laid the guns and ammo in the crate.
"Jack, gimme a hand with this." Hood shouted. Jack was a big guy not to smart but built as a wall. Jack walked up the stairs.
"Waz up?" Jack asked.
"I need to get this downstairs." Hood answered while he grabbed 1 end of the crate and Jack took the other end.
"What ya got in here?" He asked.
"You'll find out downstairs." And they carried it carefully downstairs.
They put the crate down in front of the cars.
"Okay Raiders," Hood shouted out. Everyone gathered round to find out what was going on. "I never wanted it to come to this but I know that other tribes heard that transmission so it's likely we're going to encounter other tribes."
It was starting to get colder and you could see Hoods breath. It was getting dark. "No doubt those tribes will want to challenge us so I've got a couple of friends you might want to meet."
Everyone was looking confused. Karen knew what her boyfriend was talking about.
"Hood what are you talking about?" Jade shouted.
"Jack if you could do the honours." Hood asked. Jack took the lid of.
Everyone looked surprised and happy.
"Meet my arsenal." Hood said. He dealt the guns and ammo out. Pete and Jack got the 2 shotguns with ammo. Everyone else got dynamite, grenades and Chain, Hood and Sally got the M16's.
Gizmo suddenly came running out of his workshop.
"I got it, I got it!" He kept on shouting. "It's Eagle Mountain." He continued.
"WHAT?" Chain shouted.
"What's wrong?" Hood asked.
"Eagle mountain is about 50 miles away. First we go through the city and then 30 miles into the country." Chain said.
"Giz, how much fuel we got?" Joy asked.
"Full tank." He replied.
"Alright Raiders, we got guns, gas and a map. Tomorrow morning we leave." Hood said.
"Giz, get us some batteries for tomorrow. Alright we leave at noon tomorrow." They all left for bed. Sally and Joy went to their tent, Jack, Pete and Chain to their tent, Jade to her room at the back of the fort, Gizmo to his workshop and Hood to his room followed by Karen. As Hood plonked onto the bed Karen stood in the doorway.
"Wanna remember our second date?" She asked in her own mischievous way.
All Hood needed to do was smile, and he did.
The next morning Hood was awakened by the sweet smell of pizza.
"Cheese and tomato.....Heaven." He whispered to himself. He got up and got dressed. He put on his jeans and his army jacket. He grabbed his coat and his sword on his way out. He looked down to the centre of the compound. There Karen and Sally were making a couple of pizza's. He ran down putting his sword in his holster on his back. Hood walked to the roaring fire with pizzas on top.
"Good morning baby." Karen said. "Sleep well?"
"Like a rock." Hood replied. "Mind calling everyone?" Sally asked while she was spinning a pizza. "BREAKFAST!!!" Hood yelled. His voice was unbelievably powerful. But there was no reaction. "PIZZA!" He then yelled, suddenly all the Raiders woke up and ran down to the compound. They all sat around the massive wooden table.
The girls laid the pizza on the table. Unfortunately they weren't cut. Hood who sat at end of the table drew is sword.
"It slices and dices." Gizmo said just before Hood used his sword. In about 15 seconds the pizza's were sliced for all to eat.
"Eat up people, we leave after this." Hood announced.
"Bon Apetit." Jack said.
After they finished breakfast they loaded up the cars and were about to go when they were interrupted by a distressed Pete.
"Loco's coming from the city!" He shouted from the top of the fort.
"Damn, Pete, Jack and Chain go up to the top. Only warning shots. NO casualties. The rest block the entrance." Hood shouted. They moved the wooden table in front and some empty oil drums. The Raiders didn't like hiding but they were on the defence. The sound of sirens and shouting sounded from in front of them.
An interruption
"Nice tires." Hood smiled. "Let me guess, your Spike. I heard about Ebony."
"You heard right then. But you made a big mistake when you blew our tires." Spike snarled.
He grabbed a baseball bat.
"What? A baseball bat? That all? You call yourself a loco." Hood said sarcasticly.
The Locusts look puzzled. Then Hood pointed upwards. Spike looked to the top of the fort where Jack, Pete and Chain loaded their guns and aimed them downwards to the Loco's.
Spike's face turned white. "Don't worry, they wont fire unless I say so." Hood said with a smirk.
The loco next to Spike took a step forward. Chain fired a bullet in front of the foolish Loco.
He stepped back immediately.
"Or if you get to close." Hood continued. The others behind the blockade showed their faces and their guns.
"Just you wait Hood." Spike said as he walked back to the police car.
"Don't let the virus hit you on the way out!" Karen screamed as she ran to Hood.
"Okay, let's get out of here and that antidote." Hood shouted as he walked back to the fort.
Pete suddenly came running to Hood.
"Jade wants to see you, alone." He said.
Hood left the rest of the tribe getting ready to leave. He walked into Jades room.
"You wanted to see me?" Hood asked Jade. She was sitting on her bed.
"Yeah, I'm not coming. The virus would get me halfway." Jade said as she opened a draw and grabbed something.
"Hood take care of my little bro. And give this to him." She handed Hood a necklace with a diamond on it. Then she grabbed a small bottle. "I don't have a chance Hood."
"No Jade you're gonna make it." Hood grabbed her hand.
"Give it up Hood you know it and I know it I'm dead meat." Jade opened the bottle.
"I don't wanna lose you. You're my best friend." He nearly started to cry.
"You don't need me anymore. Trust me. Vincent would have been proud of you."
"He was the best sword instructor I had."
"Look at you, you've got a tribe, a girl and sword skills no one has ever seen before." She looked at Hood. Jade stroked her hand over his cheeks.
"Get the antidote, the tribe needs you." She smiled and her last words were.
"For the Honour." And she drank the bottle. Jade closed her eyes and feel on the bed.
"For the Honour, Jade, for the Honour." Hood left her and walked into the compound.
"Raiders, the virus has claimed another victim." He spoke and walked to Karen who started to cry. Later they gave Jade a funeral of fire.
"Goodbye old friend."
Gizmo, Chain and Joy were the second turtle with Joy in the back. Also with a M16.Hood was in front on his Harley.
"Wagons hooooowww!" Hood shouted and the sound of screeching tires echoed in the fort. The only ones that heard it were Pete and Jack.
The Raiders drove out of the outskirts and into the city.
As the tribe entered the city the could smell the scent of hatred and fear.
They knew that the Loco's would be on the hunt for them. That and Demon Dogs prowling and the worst tribe of them all at the north of the city the Tribe Circus.
They saw here and there some slow movement of aged teenagers hiding behind cars and in the shadows. The Harley slowed down to a stop in front of a shopping mall.
"Why ya stopping?" Chain asked.
"I heard that a tribe that lived here also had a clue to the antidote. Joy, mind taking a look inside?" Hood asked.
"Sure." Joy replied and ran inside the mall. Quickly she came running back outside.
"No one but that tribe must have gone long, it's a mess there. And I found a mirror saying 'gone to eagle mountain'." Joy said while she was climbing back into the car.
"Alright, on we go. And keep an eye out for Loco's and the Mall rats, they're headed the same way as us." Hood shouted and he started his motorbike.
The Raiders drove past the old railway yard. They weren't comfortable driving past the old home of the locusts but if they would show up they would still be out gunned.
They stopped at an old diesel locomotive. Hood and Karen sat in it.
"Wanna drink Hood?" Gizmo asked.
"No thanks."
"What was that?" Gizmo suddenly said.
"What?" Karen asked.
Gizmo and Hood looked around.
"There it's again." Gizmo said. A soft cough sounded. Hood grabbed his sword.
"Karen, stay here." Hood said. He walked to behind the carriege attached to the diesel. Slowly he walked into it and waited behind the door.
He jumped into the carriege. All he saw were seats. Hood walked through the alley and stop when he heard a cough again. Then at the last seat he turned to his right with his sword ready in his hands. There he saw a boy. He was huddled up on the floor.
"Thon hrrt me." He said. Hood didn't understand. The boy looked 11 years, he had brown hair and old paint on his face. He was very dirty and looked like he hadn't eaten in ages.
"Gizmo, Chain, Karen, in here." He shouted. Hood put his sword back in his holster on his back. Everyone ran into the carriege.
"Who is it?" Gizmo asked. The boy stood up. He was still look frightened.
"Alright, who are you?" Hood asked. The boy signed something with his hands.
"What?" Chain asked the others.
"Sign language." Joy said. She walked to the boy.
Joy asked him to do it again and the boy did it. "He has been wandering for a month or 3" She said. The boy continued. "He says his name is Paul. He was part of a tribe but then ran away." Joy also continued.
"Can he understand me?" Hood asked. Paul nodded.
"What do you think guys? Extra edition to the Raiders." Hood asked. The Raiders all said yes.
"Well Paul do you want in?" Hood asked him and he extended his hand. He nodded yes and grabbed Hoods hand.
"Welcome to the Raiders. Honour for All!!" Hood shouted.
"Honour for all." The rest shouted. "Honour for all!"
After the newest member of the Raiders had got cleaned up a bit they got underway to Eagle Mountain. They drove through the last marker of Locusts territory and left the city.
"Hey Paul," Joy asked. "Do you have any family?" Paul nodded yes.
"A sister?" She asked again.
Again he nodded. "I guess you miss her huh?" Paul made a couple of signs.
"What did he say?" Gizmo asked.
"He said that his sister is in a tribe and he can't find them." Joy answered.
"Which tribe was that?" Gizmo asked. Paul made some more signs. Gizmo looked to Joy.
"He said they didn't have a name but they lived in a shopping mall." Joy said.
"Wait a minute, the shopping mall is home to the Mall rats. They're headed to eagle mountain too." She continued.
Paul looked suddenly very happy.
"Siester?" Paul tried to say.
"Yes, we're gonna find ya sister." Chain said who had been listening all the time.
With their newly found friend the raiders drove of to the mountains in search of the antidote.
Hood drove up ahead with Karen on the back of his motorcycle followed by Gizmo, Paul and Joy in one of the turtle cars and Sally and Chain in the other.
They drove through a blown up barricade. Everyone looked surprised at the remains.
"Feel sorry for the guys that stood behind all of this junk." Gizmo said.
While they were driving he was busy working on Paul's hearing aid. He had just finished when they arrived at a smoking radar station. "Here ya go Paul, you should be able to hear way better now." Gizmo said while he handed the enhanced gadget to Paul. He signed back a happy sign.
"WAGONS HALT!!!!!" Hood shouted over the sound of his Harley. The sound of screeching tires followed. They turned of their engines and jumped out.
"Woah, someone really been partying last night." Chain said while he helped Sally out of the car.
"Alright guys scout about the place and see if you can find something useful and bring it." Hood said to the rest of his tribe. "But don't wonder of to much, don't want any you guys meeting the Nomads." He continued. The Raiders split up going into different directions.
Hood, Karen and Gizmo went into the radar station itself. There was still smoke coming out of the place.
"Giz take a look around, see what happened to it. Karen and me are going to try to get the systems back online." Hood said.
"Didn't know you knew computers, Hood." Gizmo said with a surprised face. "There is a lot of things you guys don't know about me." Hood said with a mysterious smile. Hood didn't like to tell people about his past. No one really knows who he really his and where he came from. Except Jade, but those secrets died together with her. Gizmo went down into the engine room while Karen and Hood looked around.
"Hood could we hurry up, this place gives me the creeps." Karen said while she nervously looked around.
"Don't worry babe, nothing is gonna happen to you, I promise you." Hood reassured her.
A couple of steel beams dropped, scaring Karen.
"What was that?" Karen asked. She held Hood hands tightly. She felt safe with him by her side, but was still a bit scared.
"Here we go." Hood said. He stood in front of a computer, the monitor was smashed.
Gizmo returned from his trek into the machine rooms within the observatory.
"Generators are completely screwed. The fuel lines must have blown and the tanks must have followed." He walked towards Hood and nearly tripped over some loose wires.
"Giz got the laptop with ya?" Hood asked Gizmo while he helped him up.
"Yeah one sec, I got it in my backpack." Gizmo answered and he took the black computer out of his backpack.
"Hook it up to the mainframe and see what you can get."
Hood and Karen walked outside.
"Hood. I got something here." Joy shouted. She sounded distressed.
Hood and Karen were joined by Chain and ran up to where Joy was standing.
She was standing in front of 2 rock piles with crosses.
"Who are they?" Chain asked.
Karen read the names on the crosses. "Amber and Zandra."
"Mall-rats, I heard about them." Chain said. Paul ran up to them.
Joy told him who were buried. He started to cry.
"Joy, take him back to the cars. We're heading back soon." Hood said.
Sally came running back from the Radar station.
"Gizmo's found something." She said from a distance.
They ran back to remains of the radar station. Gizmo came walking out with a smile.
"I got some info you might like." He said while holding up a piece of paper.
"What is it?" Karen asked with a pleased voice. She was eager to find the antidote more than anyone. She always wanted to help with everything even though she knew some people found it annoying. Even Hood sometimes.
"I've got 3 possible locations of the antidote." Gizmo said with a giant smile.
"Sally, Chain, Gizmo, raid the building for whatever there's worth raiding." Hood said.
Gizmo grabbed some equipment out of the cars and then ran with the others into the radar station.
After the Raiders had loaded the cars up with leftover food and equipment they left for the city. Gizmo looked at Paul, who was still crying a bit.
"What's eating him?" He asked Joy.
"We found two graves of his tribe members. Close friends of his apparently." She answered.
Gizmo suddenly felt guilty. He turned to Paul.
"Don't worry kid, we'll find ya tribe." And he patted Paul on the back. Paul looked a bit better.
The Raiders drove to a big building. It was getting dark.
"This the place?" Hood asked.
"According to Giz it is." Sally answered.
"Alright, Gizmo, Chain, Sally, come with me. The rest of you stay here and guard." Hood said and then ran with the rest inside.
Later in the evening they returned and brought back only an empty canister where the antidote was probably in. They all looked at each other in despair. With no antidote they were all doomed.
They drove back to the fort in the midst of the night.
They entered the centre of the city, fires roared in burnt out cars left over from the fleeing people a year ago. That was when the virus struck.
They drove slowly. The Raiders didn't want to tempt fait and have a aged teenagers swamp them or have Demon Dogs bash their brains in.
Karen was asleep on the back of Hoods motorcycle. He wasn't surprised, they had had a long day.
Suddenly out of the darkness five shadows appeared, holding baseball batts and metal bars they stood their ground.
"Raiders, lock and load!" Hood shouted to his tribe. The sound of guns being loaded echoed through the street. Hood stopped his motorcycle and the cars behind also stopped.
"Listen we have had a long day and we ain't looking for trouble .So let us pass and we'll be outta ya hair." Hood said to the five shadows. One of them stepped forward. He had was covered in silver paint and clothing.
"Great Demon Dogs." Hood whispered to Karen.
"You ain't goin nowhere with that attitude." The guy in silver said. He was holding a metal bar in his right hand and held a fist in his left.
"Chain, mind showing this gentleman a sample of our firepower." Hood asked Chain.
Chain aimed the M16 and fired a bullet at the Demon Dog. The metal bar was hit and flew out of his hands and onto the ground. Without giving it a second thought, they ran as fast as they could away.
"Let's get back home guys." And the sound of engines filled the streets of the city.
The Raiders left the city and now drove over a deserted road leading to a fort.
The motorcycle and cars entered the compound and stopped. Footsteps sounded on metal stairways. Chain jumped out of the car and shouted.
"Honey I'm home!" He was glad he was home.
Hood parked is bike next to the fuel tank and stepped of it. Karen nearly dropped of the bike but Hood caught her in time. She was exhausted. He gently nudged her awake.
"Karen, we're back." He whispered into her ear. She slowly woke up and stood on her own feet now. They walked to the rest who were standing in a circle waiting for Hood and Karen.
"Well, did you find it?" Pete asked.
"No." Hood said looking down at the ground. He didn't like failing someone, definitely when it means mankind's existence.
"Lock down the fort and go to bed guys. Tomorrow we go to routine raids. Give me the guns and I'll put them back." Everyone threw their guns and grenades in the centre of the circle and left for their beds.
"Pete, Jack, give me a hand with these." Hood asked while a grabbed a couple of guns.
They helped clear up the guns and put them in the locker in Hood's room.
Dropping someone off
The girls woke up separately and Pete woke to Jack's snoring.
Karen walked up the metal stairways to Hood's room. But Hood wasn't there.
She knew there was only one other place he'd be in the morning. She walked up to the roof.
She was still wearing her long nighty.
There on the roof was Hood practising some sword fighting combined with tai-chi.
All he was wearing was army trousers and a necklace. He never took that necklace off.
She tried to sneak up on him from behind. Then she stopped just a meter behind him.
"Good morning." Hood suddenly said.
"How did you know?" Karen asked.
"Ya learn stuff when you've done stuff like I've done." He replied continuing his training.
Karen stroked his back and then held him tight against herself. Hood laid his sword down and turned around facing Karen. She looked beautiful in the morning sunshine.
"Hood, what are we gonna without the antidote." She asked worried. Karen was about an inch or two smaller then Hood.
"There's one thing we can do, but only I can do it." Hood said.
He stroked her hair. Her hair was shoulder length and waved in the morning wind.
Then they kissed. And not just like a peck on the cheek but full on the lips.
Karen let go off Hood and walked down to her tent to get dressed.
Hood sat on the roof staring at the city.
Somewhere in the city, someone had the antidote.
Later in the day Hood called all of the Raiders to the meeting tent.
Hood was standing on a platform.
"So what's up boss?" Gizmo asked.
"Well because we couldn't find the antidote there's only one more thing we can do." Hood answered.
"Well what is it?" Joy asked.
"Today, Paul, Chain and I we'll be going to the shopping mall. Hopefully we'll be able to find the mall-rats. We need their help on this." Hood said while he held Karen's hand.
"But they left the mall." Joy said.
"I got a gut feeling we'll find them." Hood answered and then shook his head.
They all left the tent. All except Hood and Karen.
"Listen Karen, I don't know if we'll be able to get the antidote." Hood said and he held her hand tightly.
"But I would like you to know I love you very much and..." He hesitated, this was a very tough question to ask, but he had to ask it. "would.. would you marry me?" He finally asked her.
It had been chewing at his mind all week, he really felt happy with her, and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with this girl.
"I don't know, Hood. I...don't know." She answered.
"I don't expect you to answer right away, but think about. Tell me when I get back." Hood said and he left the tent. Outside Paul and Chain were waiting in one of the turtles.
"Alright guys. Let's roll." Hood said as he jumped into the passengers seat. Pete and Jack opened the gates of the fort and Hood, Paul and Chain left for the mall.
The turtle car stopped in front of the Phoenix Mall.
"Chain, you stay here and keep the engine going. I don't wanna be stuck here if the rats turn nasty." Hood said.
"Sure boss." Chain replied. After Paul and Hood got out he drove the car into an alley so that it wouldn't get to much attention. They stood in front of the gates.
"Ready to go back?" Hood asked Paul. Paul was looking more nervous than ever and when he nodded yes they walked to the gates.
"Hey anyone here?" Hood shouted when he couldn't get the gates open.
A Loco suddenly appeared. Hood and Paul jumped back.
"We'll have more antidote tomorrow. Come back then." The Loco said.
"We're not here for the antidote," Hood said "we're looking for the leader here."
Someone came walking down the stairs. He had a black T-shirt and a rats tail in his hair.
"I'm one of the leaders, what do you want?" He asked.
"I found someone you lost." Hood replied and Paul stepped forward.
A girl suddenly came running to the gates. Paul looked like he knew her.
"Patsy!" He said with difficulty.
"Jack, open the gates." The other guy yelled.
A boy with trousers from the seventies and red hair turned a winch and the gates went up.
Paul and the girl hugged tightly. The little girl nearly started to cry.
"What's going on?" A girl came walking with 3 more Locos. One of which Hood knew. The girl had long black and blond braided hair.
"It's okay Ebony. This guy just brought back Paul." The guy with a rats tail said.
Suddenly more people came from the upstairs level. One of them had spiky blond hair and a yellow and black T-shirt.
Another had red hair too.
"Paul." Some of them shouted at the same time. Hood stepped back.
The girl called Ebony stood in front of 4 Locos. She obviously was their boss.
A guy with a painted goatee stood at the top of the stairs accompanied by a Chinese looking girl.
"Well I guess I'd better be going." Hood said.
"Not that fast," The guy in black said. "you've brought back a member of our tribe and this means a feast." and he walked towards Hood.
"What's your name anyway?" He asked.
"The name's Hood." He replied. He didn't say he was also leader of a tribe otherwise there would probably trouble.
"My friend is still outside." Hood said pointing outside.
"Of course, Dal call the guy outside to come in." The guy said. A small boy ran outside. He looked partially Indian.
"My name's Bray and we're the mall-rats." He said and he pointed to the rest of the tribe. Chain and Dal walked in.
"This is my friend Chain." Chain walked to Bray.
"Chain Reaction." Chain said and he shook hands with Bray.
"Okay, well this is KC, Ebony and her umm friends, Dal and Jack, Ryan, Salene, Cloe, Patsy, Dani, Lex and Tai-san." Bray said while pointing at them one by one. Spike suddenly came forward.
"Long time no see Spike." Hood said.
Spike looked pissed of by that remark.
"Don't push your luck, Hood." He replied. He walked away with his goons.
After a while they were all talking upstairs in the cafe.
Bray and Hood were in heavy discussen. He had told Hood about Tai-san and the antidote and that she was the only one who could make it.
"Alright, listen not to start any trouble but we knew about the antidote." Hood said.
He was drinking a cup of tea.
"What, you mean Chain and you?" Bray asked. There was music and dancing in the background. Paul and Patsy were real happy.
"No I mean my tribe. I'm part of the Raiders." Hood continued.
"How did you find out?" Bray asked. He was sipping a cup coffee.
"A few days ago our engineer received a transmission and tracked it too Eagle mountain. We passed here on our way there. Someone scouted the mall if someone knew about but we only found a mirror with 'gone to eagle mountain' on it." Hood paused. He took a sip of tea. "When we got to the radar station it was blown up but we were able to get info that there was antidote. We checked the buildings but we only found an empty canister. This morning I decided to come here to see if anyone knew about it. And here we are."
Lex was standing behind Bray and listening to. He stepped forward.
"So how does Paul fit into this?" He asked.
"On our way to eagle mountain we found him in sector 17." Hood answered and then finished his cup of tea.
A girl with purple hair walked towards Hood as he got up. She was holding a baby.
"Who is this guy?" She asked Bray.
"This is Hood, he found Paul and knows about the antidote." He replied. Hood stood up and turned around. "I don't believe we've met?" He said.
"I'm Trudy, and this little girl here is Brady." She replied while showing me her baby.
"Cute kid. Little sister?" Hood asked.
"No, she's my daughter." She replied. Hood looked surprised which is difficult to do.
"Surprised? Well tough, that's life." She said sarcastically and she ran away holding Brady.
Hood turned to Bray.
"Don't worry, I'll talk to her." He said and ran after her.
Tai-san walked up to Hood as he sat down again. She sat down next to him.
"Well here's a surprise." Hood said to her." Looks like you got a bit of power here."
"Missed you to." She said.
"How do you know about the antidote?" Hood asked.
"What do you mean?" She looked puzzled at Hood.
"I know for a fact, that you're granddad never taught it to you." Hood paused and gave Tai-san an angry look.
"San, why don't you give the formula? The antidote will get around faster then." Hood asked her.
"It's for there own good. If anyone else knew it, like Ebony or Spike, I would be their main target to get rid of. If they're the only ones who know it, then they'd rule the city."
"Good tea." Hood said as he had a sip tea again. "
"I'm impressed you got so far San, Chi-lang would have been proud ... or furious."
Hood stood up and walked away from Tai-san. Patsy walked up to Hood.
"Thank you Hood. I'm really happy Paul's back." She said and gave him a hug.
"Well I'm glad I could help." He said and walked to where everyone was dancing.
He tapped Chain on the shoulder who was dancing with Salene.
"Time to disappear." Hood said. Chain nodded. They walked down the stairs to the gates.
"Hood." Bray shouted from the top level. "Here's something for your tribe."
And he sent Dal down with a bottle with yellow fluid.
"Thanks." Hood shouted back as he grabbed the bottle from Dal.
Hood and Chain walked through the gates and left for the fort.
Love doubles up
"You rang?" He said calmly without looking up. He was sitting down and working on some circuits.
"What did you do to my gameboy?" She asked annoyingly while waving a dismantled gameboy in her hand.
"I needed the circuits for the generator." He said. He was trying to plead with her. And with some luck.
She started to smile a bit. "Alright, but don't you dare start on my laptop." She said.
While she walked away she move her butt allot. Gizmo was looking very surprised. Happy but surprised.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you… the Antidote." Hood shouted while holding the bottle of yellow liquid. Everyone came running out of the quarters. Among them of course was Karen.
She ran to Hood and rapped herself around him. She couldn't stop kissing him.
"Is this for me or the antidote?" He asked.
"Both."
"Well, mainly you." She replied and gave him another kiss.
"Alright, give the man time to breathe."
Chain said with a slight smile.
Everyone got a plastic cup and Hood filled it with antidote.
"Cheers people, to life." Hood said and raised his cup. The others did the same and then drunk it down.
"Argh, that tastes awful." Joy shouted. The others agreed. After the drink Hood and Chain told the rest of the Raiders about the Mall-rats but Hood left out the part about Tai-san.
"Well guys, what now?" Hood asked. They all looked at each other with no idea of what to do. Hood was looking at Karen. She was happy as could be.
"Okay then, normal raid tonight at the old power plant." Hood said then. Everyone decided that was the only thing to do. They all left to get ready for nightfall.
Hood followed Gizmo into his workshop. "Giz, I need ya help." Hood said.
"What else is new?" Gizmo said with a laugh.
"I need you to find out what's in the antidote. I got some here." Hood handed Gizmo a small bottle of antidote.
"I'll get on right away." The Hood left.
He walked up to his room. He sat down and grabbed a book from his desk. 'A Warriors Tale' it said on the front.
After half a hour someone knocked on his door.
"Yo, come on in." Hood said without looking from his book.
"Hi." Karen said. Hood sat up right away and put his book on the ground.
"Well have you decided?" Hood asked while Karen sat down on the bed.
"Yeah." She suddenly looked serious. "Hood , I want to marry you." She suddenly smiled.
Hood didn't waste a second and gave her a kiss. They started to roll on the bed.
"Don't you think we should wait until we're married?" She asked. Hood looked at her.
"Naaa." They both said at the same time and Hood kicked the door shut.
About the size of a small water tower. It was first a guard tower but Hood decided that they needed some power. He was laying under the generator on a big skateboard.
"Gizmo?" Some one called.
"Yeah?" Gizmo shouted from under the generator.
"Hey there." Sally said. "Ouch! Damn it." He shouted as he hit the metal machine when he tried to get up.
Sally rolled him from under the machine.
"You okay?" She asked. She carefully touched the spot on his forehead.
"Yeah I'll be alright." He answered. "What did ya want?"
"I wanted to apologise."
"For what?"
"For this afternoon." She put out her hand. Gizmo grabbed it and Sally pulled him up.
She pulled him a bit to close. Their faces were only an inch from each other.
Their bodies close to each other.
"That's okay." Gizmo said carefully. "That's not the only reason you're here is it?" He asked.
She looked straight into his brown eyes.
"No,... umm. I wanted to say that.... well the last couple of days I've been kinda..." She tried to go on but Gizmo put his finger on her mouth. "Don't need to say it. I know." He whispered.
"How?" She asked.
"I just do." He answered and his lips got closer to hers. Then they kissed passionately.
"What?' Hood shouted down to Chain.
"Bray's here to see ya." He shouted back.
"I'll be down in a minute." Hood went back into his room to get a jacket.
"What's up?" Karen asked. She was still under the covers.
"Bray is here. I'll be back in a minute." He replied and he gave her a kiss.
Hood ran down the metal stairs and jumped of the last couple of steps.
He walked up to Chain and Bray.
"Hey, how'd ya find us?" Hood asked.
"Where else would a tribe called Raiders hide?" Bray answered.
"Come let's go to the canteen." Hood said and lead him to an old army canteen. Joy was doing a bit of cooking for diner. She was making some spaghetti.
"Hey Joy, what's cooking?" Hood asked her while smelling the lovely food.
"Spaghetti." She answered while lifting the pot to show him.
"Looks good." He said. He got a pot of tea off the stove and a cup from the cupboard. He poured himself some of the tea. He offered some to Bray but he didn't want any.
They both sat down at a table.
"So what's up?" Hood asked.
"Well, when you were talking to Tai-san I noticed you to knew each other." Bray said.
"You're right there." Hood said and took a sip of tea. "Before the virus we were students of master Chi Lang, her grandfather. We lived a while up in the mountains. He taught us fighting skills but also things about life." He paused. Gizmo and Sally walked in and sat down in the corner.
"Go on." Bray said. "Well a couple of months before the virus he past on. Tai-san and me didn't have any family we knew of, so we stayed in the mountains.
"Actually, I've got Gizmo working on what's in the formula for the antidote." Hood said.
Gizmo stood up and walked towards Hood and Bray.
"Did I hear my name?" He asked. Bray looked at him.
"Can you find out what's in the antidote?" He asked. "Sure, I was already doing it. I'd better get back to it actually." Gizmo replied and ran of with Sally to his workplace.
"Well if that's taken care of I'd better be going." Bray said and he stood up.
Hood and Bray walked to the compound.
"Don't forget Bray, you and your tribe are always welcome here." Hood said.
"So are you at the Mall." Bray said and they shook hands. Bray left for his home.
Hood walked to Gizmo's workplace.
"Hand me that tube could ya?" Gizmo said. Sally handed him a test tube with a blue substance.
"Thanks." He said. Hood walked in. "Oh hey boss. Nearly finished." Gizmo said.
"Good, what ya got so far?" Hood asked and looked around the place a bit.
"Well just plants." He answered. "In fact these are practically everywhere."
Gizmo held a tube in his hand and shook it a bit.
"And so is this one." He continued. He looked surprised at Hood.
"Well, Tai-san did know how to cook." Hood said. "Great work Giz." And he walked out to the compound.
Karen walked down the stairs from Hoods room.
She was wearing a long army dress. "What's happening?" She asked.
"Chain, Jack and me are going raiding at the power station. I'll be back by midnight." Hood answered.
He gave her a kiss and then called Chain and Jack. They jumped into the turtle car and then drove out of the fort. Karen watched them drive of.
Breaking hearts
"Yeah, Gizmo might want it." Hood answered.
"What about this?" Chain held a generator in his arms. "Definitely." Hood answered.
Hood looked around the place a bit but didn't find anything useful.
"Alright guys, let's head back." Hood shouted. They jumped into the car and drove back. While they were driving they passed the mall. Hood looked behind him."
Jack, how many generators we got?" He asked.
"Five." Jack answered.
"We got 4 more back at the fort." He added.
"Chain turn around and head to the Mall." Hood said.
"You're the boss." Chain said and he turned the car with screeching tires.
"Happy raiding season." Hood shouted through the gates of the mall. Bray and Dani looked from the top level.
"Hood, what ya doing here?" Dani asked. Tai-san and a rather large girl followed Bray.
"We had some spare generators so I thought we'd drop by." Hood said. Jack and
Chain arrived with 3 generators. The other Jack turned up with a blond girl holding his hand.
"Hey Hood, what ya got.?" He asked.
"Something ya can fiddle with." Chain said.
The larger girl stepped forward.
"Who's this guy, Bray?" She asked.
"Hood, he's a friend." He answered.
"Well a friend of Bray is a friend of Alice." She said and shook hands with Hood.
He discovered she had a rather strong grip. "And this is Ellie. My sis." She continued.
She pointed at the girl with Jack. "Where's Dal, KC and the others?" Hood asked.
"They went to Alice's farm to help." Dani said. "Well we'd be happy to trade for food." Chain said.
"You kidding? You brought us 3 generators and found Paul. We owe you." Bray said.
"By the way, we're having a meeting of tribal leaders soon." Trudy added.
"Hope it's better than the party the Loco's threw." Hood said looking at Ebony. She stood halfway up the stairs.
"Chain, Karen and I will be there." He continued.
"We'll send word when we got some more details." Bray said.
"Well you know where to find us." Hood said. They said there goodbyes and left.
But when they were starting their car. Hood, Chain and Jack were being watched by figures hiding in an alley.
"We must wait my brothers. Our time is near. "A voice said in the alley.
Jack walked into Gizmo's workplace and left the 2 generators on his bench.
He then walked away and up to his room.
Hood was tired as well. The stars shined brightly in the clear and dark sky.
He looked up into the sky and thought deeply. He was thinking about before the virus. When he was with his master Chi Lang and Tai-san in the mountains. About what he had learnt.
"Wounds take time to heal. But the deeper the are, the longer it will take." Chi once said.
"He was right." Hood said to himself. He ran his hand through his dark hair and sighed.
Hood walked up the metal stairs to his room. There he found Karen already asleep in his bed.
He got undressed and got in bed. Karen moaned. "Hood?" She said in a sleepy voice.
"Shh, sleep." Hood said and rapt his arms around her. She smiled and they both went to sleep.
A breeze coming from the south turned the windmill and started to turn the generator.
"HOOD!!!!" Someone shouted from the gates. It was KC. He seemed slightly upset. Pete walked from his tent to the gates and unlocked them.
"What is it?" He asked and the yawned. "I got to talk to The Hood. It's urgent." He said and ran to the compound. "Hood!!!" He shouted again. Hood stepped out from his room and looked down to the compound.
"Why does it have to be that every morning I either wake up to pizza or someone shouting my name." He said as walked down the stairs and putting on his T-shirt. "KC, what news do you bring from the mall?" Chain asked and joined Hood down in the compound.
"Brady has been kidnapped." KC said.
"What?" Hood said suddenly. "Trudy, Bray, Patsy and Brady went for a walk and someone kidnapped her." KC explained. "Bray would like it if you would help look for her."
"Of course." Chain said. "But watch out for Ebony, she's up to something." KC added.
"We'll be down at the mall this afternoon." Hood said and walked of with Chain and Pete.
KC ran back to the mall.
"So what's the plan?" Sally asked in the meeting. Hood had told the rest of the Raiders what was going on.
"This afternoon we go to the Phoenix Mall and help the Mall -Rats with the search." Hood said.
The tribe started to whisper and mumble. "I want the complete armoury up in the turtles and Gizmo, get your stuff in there to." Hood said. He walked out of the tent over the compound and up the stairs to his room.
"Yes your majesty." Gizmo said sarcastically. The rest of the tribe left the tent and scattered through the fort.
Sally and Joy went to the canteen to get food for the day. Pete, Jack, and Chain got out the army vehicles and loaded them up with Hoods guns. Gizmo went to his room to get his equipment. After the virus he had appeared he stole some listening equipment in some science labs.
Karen and Hood were in his room talking.
"Who would wanna kidnap Brady?" Karen asked. Hood pulled out his sword from his harness.
"Mall-rats have the antidote. The kidnappers could ransom the baby for the formula and everyone who knows it." He said. He got a cloth out and spat on his sword. He then started to polish it.
"Listen, Hood? I don't know if I can go on with getting married." Karen said.
Hood looked up surprised.
"Ya kidding right?" He asked.
"No, I don't think I am anyway. I'm sorry but I can't do it Hood." She said and then she walked out of his room.
The gob smacked Hood looked at the door. He couldn't believe it. He had known Karen for 5 months. He thought he knew everything about her, but he was wrong.
Sally and Gizmo lifted the last batteries into the back of the cars. They were now ready to leave.
"Ain't Karen coming?" Gizmo asked Hood as he approached.
"Uh no, she's on guard." He said hesitating.
Chain, Jack, and Pete jumped into the car and Gizmo, Sally and Joy in the other. Hood of course was on his Harley.
His sword reflected the afternoon sunlight on the walls of the fort.
"What's going on between those two?" Jack asked Chain.
"Don't know." He answered.
"Alright guys!" Hood shouted "...let's go." He continued but with a softer voice. They drove off out of the compound.
Karen watched from the roof as the rest Raiders drove off. Her arms were folded. A tear fell from her eye.
Losing and finding
They pulled up in front of the Phoenix Mall. They parked the vehicles behind the mall. Chain walked up to Hood.
"Hey Hood," Chain asked "what's wrong?"
"Me and Karen have broken up." He answered and then went to the sewer entrance.
"Shit" Chain said to himself. Hood climbed in followed by Sally, Joy, Gizmo, Pete, Jack and Chain.
They walked through the maze of tunnels in the sewers. "Dam this stinks." Jack said with a weird voice.
The Raiders came out at the doorway into the mall.
"Lucy I'm home." Chain shouted. Joy giggled. Immediately a horde of Loco's arrived followed by Ebony and Lex.
"Oh, it's you." Ebony said in a rather disappointed voice. "Hey we can't all be like Lex." Chain said. Lex looked a bit pissed of. Bray and Danni came from the upper level. "Nice to see you again." Bray said and shook hands with Hood.
"I wish it could be under better circumstances." He answered. "We still got a while before we head out."
"Good, most of us skipped lunch." Pete said with a bit of a smirk. "Well in the cafe you can eat, just don't eat to much, there's a tribe living here after all." Bray said. The 2 tribes scattered through the mall talking with each other.
"Dam." Hood answered. Chain joined him.
"What?" He asked. He was eating a sandwich he'd nicked from the cafe.
"Trudy's missing as well." Hood whispered to him.
"Dam." He said and looked at Bray.
"Yeah?" He answered. He didn't look up from his work. He was tinkering with a walkie talkie.
"Cool place." "
Thanks, Hoods says we got a lot in common." Jack said still not looking up.
"Well that would explain why we would be brothers." Gizmo said and Jack jumped up. He didn't realise that he was talking to Gizmo, or even to his own brother. He stood and walked over to him.
"Little bro." Gizmo said and the both hugged each other.
"Man what happened to you? I thought the virus got you." Jack asked. The let go of each other.
"Part of the raiders. Been there for a couple of months now." Gizmo replied. "I thought you were got by the virus too." He continued. He walked around the place.
"Well I could never leave dads shop." Jack said. "Well I didn't have much choice seeing as I torched dads wallet." Gizmo said looking at an Imac. "366?" He asked.
"466 actually." Jack replied. Ellie walked in.
"Who's he?" She asked. "Stay away from that!" She continued.
"Ally, meet my brother, Gizmo." Jack said to her.
"Don't worry, I wont tell. I sold one like this to a Loco for 5 batteries." Gizmo said.
"That's a rip off." Ally said to Gizmo.
"Don't worry, I've got 5 more back at the fort." Ally and Jack looked surprised. "Being a Raider has it's peaks."
"We checked already the north and east of the city, so my guess would be that there near the train site." Bray answered.
"Makes sense, enough places to hide." Hood said.
"Chain will take my Tribe to sector 7, you take the Rats to sector 5, we'll meet up in sector 6." Hood said pointing the sectors out on the map before them. Bray, Danni, Chain and Hood sat around a map of the city. "What about you?" Danni asked. They all turned to Hood.
"I'm going to the mines on the edge of sector 6." He answered.
"Why, what's there?" Chain asked.
"The caves go underground and surface at the beach, they might try to escape." Hood answered.
"Alright then, now that we're finished we'd better go." Bray said, and they stood up.
"Hold on," Ebony suddenly said, she was listening from a distance and decided to make a stand.
"I don't know if anyone has bothered to ask, but why are you helping us?" She continued. Hood and Chain looked at each other and then at Ebony. "We're doing this because I believe in honour, and those who have kidnapped Brady deserved to be dishonoured." Hood said, and then walked down stairs with Chain.
"He may talk about honour, but I don't think he knows what it means." Ebony said as Hood walked away.
"Ebony, he's trying to help." Bray said.
"I don't think he's doing it for honour." She continued.
Hell begins
Hood had taken his Harley to the north of sector 6. There were the deserted lands of an old construction site. Everywhere there were mines in the cliff sides. The wind swept over the land stirring up the sand. "Amazon!" Hood shouted when he turned the motorcycle off. He looked around. Hood stepped of his Harley and climbed up the sided of a bulldozer.
"Amazon!" He shouted again. It echoed over the wastelands. Suddenly someone emerged from one of the mines. It was a girl about 15 years old. She had a blue leather jacket, a dark blue T-shirt and tight black jeans. "Hood!" She shouted back to him. Hood jumped of the bulldozer and walked to the middle of the site. Amazon walked towards him. They stopped about 50 meters from each other.
"You're still alive." She said. The sun shined brightly over the site.
"I got my ways. You still connected?" He asked.
"Yep. Come." Amazon said and walked back into one of the mines. Hood followed her.
In the mine Amazon lead Hood through a maze of caverns. They came out in a large cave.
"Nice place." He said.
The cavern had Christmas lights hanging from the ceiling. There were blue and green curtains hanging on the walls.
"Demon dogs found my last place." She said and sat down on a large dark blue bench.
"What ya know about the Chosen?" Hood asked.
"Gang of monks worshipping Zoot. Think death is paradise and to join Zoot." She answered and grabbed a bottle of water from under the covers. "They hang about between this sector and the beach."
"Thanks." Hood said and was about to go away.
"Karen?" Amazon asked.
"We broke up." Hood answered.
"I'm sorry."
"Not your fault."
"What happened?"
"That, I don't even know." Hood said and then walked out of the cavern.
Hood walked onto the site to his Harley.
"Will you come back?" Amazon asked standing at the entrance to her cave.
"Yes." Hood said. He started his motorbike and road of.
"This means war." He said to himself and entered the fight. He stood next to Chain who was fighting a Chosen.
"Nice of you to join us." He said.
"Wouldn't want to miss the party." Hood answered and punched a Chosen in the stomach. Hood looked around. He saw bodies everywhere.
Chosen were dropping but so were the Raiders. He saw Sally, Pete and Gizmo on the ground bleeding from the faces.
Couple of Chosen were laying dead over the bodies of Jack and Joy. Hood was suddenly hit from behind.
He swung his sword round and got the Chosen in the stomach. Suddenly a Chosen stabbed Chain in the shoulder.
He fell to the ground.
"Chain." He said and then Hood started. His best friend was just killed. His eyes filled with rage.
Hood started a rampage. There were about five chosen left. Hood slaughtered two of them in one swoop.
He then stuck his sword through a Chosen. The other two ran of and were joined by some more in the distance.
It was over. Hood stood in a field of bodies. His sword dripping with blood. A soft moan sounded.
Hood dropped to his knees in front of Chain. He was alive but barely.
"Hood?" He asked.
"I'm here friend." Hood answered.
"This is it, ain't it?"
"No you're gonna life." Hood said holding Chains head.
"For the glory." Chain said and blew his last breath. Hood laid him down on the ground. He stood up and spread his arms. One hand his sword, the other a fist. He took a deep breath.
"Noooo." He shouted. It wasn't just a shout, it was a mighty roar sent into the heavens above.
In the distance, just on the edge of the forest and the beach, the mall-rats looked.
They walked out to the beach.
Bray walked up to Hood together with Tai-san.
"I'm sorry," He said. "we should never have involved you."
Tai-san put her hand on his shoulder.
"Come with us." She said.
"No, I can't. I've got to start again." He answered.
A tear fell from Hoods eye as he looked over the sea to a sunset. Never in his known life had Hood shed a tear, never.
Returning to a new life
He walked through the forest. He carried a large backpack. In the distance he saw the wastelands.
"Back home." He said to himself and walked to the top of the cliff.
Hood walked down the slope to the bottom of the site. The bulldozers and cranes were exactly where they were when he'd left. He looked around. The wind swept up some dried up leaves off the sand.
Hood suddenly turned around. He had heard footsteps.
"Come back have you?" A girls voice said. Hood looked towards the girl. It was Amazon.
"I said I'd would." He answered.
"Heard about the Raiders and Karen." She said. They stood again fifty meters from each other.
"I need a place to stay." Hood said.
"What about the fort?" Amazon asked.
"Hurts too much." He answered back.
"You can stay here if you want."
"You sure?"
"Sure."
Amazon walked back into her mine followed by Hood. They entered her cavern. It was the same as when Hood last saw it.
"There's a cave there you can have." Amazon said pointing to another cavern in the side of Amazon' wall.
"Thanks again." Hood said and threw his backpack into the cave. It wasn't big but it was enough for Hood. There was a bed there with a small desk next to it.
"You ever wonder?" Amazon said leaning against the entrance to Hoods cave.
"About what?" He asked.
"What it would be if the adults were still around?" She said.
"No, I'm glad with what we got now." Hood said unpacking his backpack.
"What do we have now then?" Amazon asked walking over to Hoods bed.
"Freedom." He said and sat down on the chair next to the desk.
"Don't you miss your parents?" She asked.
"Yeah, but I wouldn't trade this world for any other." He replied and took out a coffee mug from his backpack.
"Got some water?" Hood asked. Amazon pointed to a tank in the other cavern. "Thanks." He walked of and got some water.
"What ya making?" Amazon asked.
"Herbal tea." He said walking back into the cave. He then took out a tea light and a stand. He got a lighter from his pocket and lighted the candle. Hood set the candle under the stand the mug of water on it.
"Want some?" Hood asked while getting some herbs out if his backpack. She shook her head.
"What about you?" He asked while making his tea.
"I guess I don't miss anything, or anyone." Amazon said.
"Why that?" Hood asked and sat down at his desk.
"I wanted to live, not be at school all day and be told what to do all the time." She answered.
"Same here." Hood said and raised his mug.
"Here's to the Tribeworld. Cheers."
"Morning." She said. She was working on a laptop connected up to a large car battery.
"Morning, by the way, my cave is leaking." He replied getting a plastic cup and pouring water into it.
"If you paid rent, I'd be able to do something about it." Amazon said without looking up from her computer. Hood walked to the entrance of the mine only to find that it was pouring outside.
"Dam." Hood said too himself. He walked back into the cave.
"It's freezing here." Hood said and sat down on the dark red bench.
"Can't do much about that." Amazon said while she closed her laptop.
"Got any music?" He asked while looking at the stereo in the corner.
"Yeah, mainly chart." Amazon said walking to the stereo and grabbing a CD from the top.
"Fine by me." He said and lay back on the bench. The stereo sounded in the background. Hood and Amazon started talking for about an hour or two. Suddenly Hood noticed a small stream of water entering the cavern on the ground.
"Ah shit." He said. Amazon looked to the ground. "Got a spade?" Hood asked. Amazon quickly grabbed a spade from behind a curtain and handed it to him. He ran up the mine to the entrance. It was raining more than ever. He started digging up the ground around the entrance and pilling it up against the entrance. Hood was joined by Amazon later with a spade. They both stood outside in the rain pilling the ground against the entrance. The construction site was turning to mud. About half an hour later Hood and Amazon stopped seeing the ground was pilled up about a meter and a half.
They jumped over the dam into the mine. "Phew that's over with." Hood said leaning on the spade. Amazon and Hood walked back into the cavern. They were both drenched with water.
"Hood I can't feel my hands." Amazon said holding her hands up. They were bright red. Hood took a couple of blankets from his cave and rapped them around Amazon.
"Don't worry. Let's just stay warm." He said and put his arms around her. She held Hood tightly against her. "I'm so cold." She said. Hood sat her down on her bed and sat next too her.
"Aren't you cold?" She said with a shivering voice.
"After a month or two in the mountains, ya kinda get used to it." He answered and wiped some drips from her forehead.
"What now?" She asked.
"We wait." He answered and laid her back onto the bed. Hood and Amazon held each other tight. They looked at each other. Their faces only an inch from each other.
"I think I should tell you something." Amazon whispered. Hood put his finger on her lips.
"I already know." He said and he kissed her. She kissed back.
Bubbles and priests......
The dam that they had made was still there even though it shrank to half it's size. He walked back to the cavern. Amazon was still sleeping. She looked so peaceful when she slept. Hood bent over and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
He then went to his cave. He got some clothes out of his backpack and laid them on his bed.
"Hey." Amazon suddenly said standing in the entrance to his cave.
"You okay?" Hood asked.
"Yeah, thanks to you." She answered.
"I'm gonna have wash, so don't walk in on me." She continued and left Hood. She walked to another cave where there was Jacuzzi which she had dragged into there when she moved in. It was already full with water. Hood watched her until she closed the curtain to the cave. He took his clothes of and threw them on bed. He then grabbed a pair of trousers.
A bit later Amazon appeared in a short bathrobe. It barely reached her knees.
"You want a dive?" She asked while drying her hair. Her dark red hair was wild in the air.
"In a minute." Hood answered and grabbed a towel from the bed. He then walked into the Jacuzzi-cave and closed the curtain behind him. He took of his clothes and slowly got into the bath.
A just sat there soaking up the water.
"Life is good." He said to himself.
"It could get better." Amazon suddenly said.
She was leaning on the wall of the entrance to the cave.
"Huh..... Amazon?" Hood hesitated to say.
"You never said you didn't want company." She said and slowly walked up too him. Hoods eyes were nearly popping out. Then Amazon slowly took her bathrobe of and let it slide down her body.
"Amazon?" Hood said again. Amazon got into the Jacuzzi.
"Don't worry, I won't bite." She said and slowly swam over to him. Hood was a bit uneasy at first, but Amazon always knew how to calm him down.
They had fun with the bubbles that afternoon.
"If only I had been there for them, they would still be here," Hood thought to himself. "Maybe she'd still be here." In his mind he saw a picture of Karen. Hood got out of bed, and got dressed. He took his sword and walked out of the caverns and out of the mine.
Hood probably walked all night. About midnight he arrived at the fort. It was covered in Ivy and some parts had even started to crumble. The gates were rusted solid. But Hood kicked them open. He walked up the metal stair case to the top floor where his room was. Hood opened the door. It was still the same as had left it. He walked to the cupboard and opened it. To his great surprise the guns were still there. Hood took out a M16 and took to rounds worth a of bullets.
"This time you're gonna get it." He said too himself. Hood walked out to the roof and looked out to the coast. It was a clear night so you could see for miles. The fort was also set partly on a hill so it had elevation over the city.
Hood noticed smoke coming from Hope Island. No Tribe dared go there because the virus was strongest there. Even though it was gone, people still feared the island. Only one tribe would be smart enough or dumb enough to go there, The Chosen.
Hood walked to a shack on the roof. He opened it and found a two large packs. He took one out and laid it on the roof. After a kick and the pack opening a large delta flyer folded out. Hood set it up and prepared for lift of. He hung the gun on a railing.
"Here goes shit." He said to himself and began to run on the roof. With speed he jumped of the edge. Hood noticed the strong current of air coming from beneath him.
"YEEEEEHHHHHAAAAAAAA!!!!!!" He shouted as he flew into the sky. Hood gained altitude. In the distance he saw Hope Island. He tightened his fists around the bars.
'This time, you're not getting away.' He thought too himself.
The stars shun brightly in the night sky. A man standing on the roof of a shopping mall looked up towards the sky. There he saw a delta flyer in the shape of a bat flying across the sky. It was Bray.
"Hood?" He quietly said too himself.
Suddenly a second delta flyer flew across the mall.
"If that was Hood, who the hell....?" Bray said with a confused voice.
The delta flyer got closer to Hoods.
"Now you don't think I'd let you fight on your own?" A girls voice said. Hood quickly looked to his left. "Amazon?" He said. She looked at Hood and smiled. "How did you...?" His voice trailed of.
"I was the one that got you these if you remember." Amazon said tapping on the bar.
"Go back, this isn't your battle." Hood said.
He was upset that someone actually was able to sneak up on him, even in the air.
"No, you can't stop the Chosen by yourself." She replied.
"You'd be surprised." Hood said.
They were now flying above the island. Hood circled around the smoke of the fire. Amazon flew behind him. They saw the Chosen standing around the fire. They were chanting Zoots lines: Power and Chaos.
"I hate power and chaos." Hood said and dived away from the fire. He landed behind the complex which was blown up in the early months of the virus. Amazon landed next to Hood.
"I told you to go back." Hood said. He detached himself from the flyers.
"And I said you can't do it alone." Amazon replied also detaching herself. Hood walked away from the flyers to the trees which separated the virus complex from the rest of the island. He and Amazon walked carefully through the bushes and shrubs. They stopped behind a bush. Hood peered over the top and saw the Chosen walking around the campfire. He also saw a white tent at the back. suddenly a guy in white appeared, it was the guardian.
"Dam." Hood said and ducked behind the bush.
"What?" Amazon whispered.
"One annoying bastard of a priest and a gang of worshippers. Nothing much." Hood said and took his sword from his back.
The battle of freedom
"Unlimited power and the saddest security." Amazon said quietly. Hood sat down on his knees and started to pull away some of the pins .
He lifted the tent cover slightly and looked inside. There he saw a girl holding something in her arms looking forward to the entrance of the tent, not noticing that Hood was looking. Amazon joined Hood looking into the tent.
"Hell would be better than this, huh Brady?" The girl said quietly. Hood got back and pulled Amazon back by her trousers.
"Not now Hood. Maybe later." She said quietly. "Funny," He replied
"That's Trudy, The Chosen kidnapped her 6 months ago."
"So?" Amazon confusingly asked.
"Kidnapped from the Mall-rats." Hood continued.
"Oh"
Hood opened the back of the ten up a bit more. He did it with such silence that Trudy didn't even hear. He crawled in.
Trudy suddenly had her mouth covered with Hoods hand. She tried to scream but nothing happened. Trudy turned around and saw Hood. He still had his hand on her mouth.
"Whod?" Trudy tried to say.
"Don't scream." Hood said and slowly let his hand go. Trudy put Brady down on the blankets and cloths on the ground. She suddenly put her hands around Hoods neck.
"Hood, you got to get me out of here." She said and let go of him.
"Well I wouldn't be here for the picnic, now would I?" He said. "There's a girl outside she'll take you to the beach, I'll see you there." Hood said and lead Trudy out the back of the tent. Brady was laughing softly when Trudy picked her up and carried her out. "Amazon, take her to the beach." Hood said. Amazon nodded and lead Trudy and Brady into the forest. Hood got back into the tent and closed the back of it. He laid down and covered himself with blankets, so the guardian couldn't see if it was him or Trudy laying down. He put his sword under a cover next to his hand. He laid on his back and waited. The front of the tent suddenly opened.
"Mistress, it is time." The guardian said standing in front of the so called sleeping Trudy. "Mistress?" He said with a puzzled voice. He bent down and took the cover of Hood. Hood looked straight at him with a evil smile.
"I'm back." Hood said with an evil voice. He flung his legs into the Guardians stomach. He flew threw the opening in the tent just before the campfire.
"Hood!" He shouted. The Chosen gathered around the Guardian. Hood suddenly stood in front of the tent with his sword in his hands.
"Pretty fancy getup ya got here." He said. Strangely some of the Chosen ran off into the forest to the complex. Only five remained.
"Get him." The guardian said pointing at Hood.
Two Chosen ran of against Hood. He flew his sword through one of them and sliced the other in the stomach. They both fell to the ground. Another Chosen ran with full speed towards Hood. He only stepped to his left and tripped the Chosen, who flew into the tent, making it collapse. A Chosen also tried to run against Hood but he only pushed him away. He fell next to the fire. His blue robe caught fire and he ran of into the forest. Suddenly a Chosen stood behind Hood.
Without looking Hood flew his elbow behind him into the Chosens stomach and flung his fist backwards into his face causing an immediate blood nose. Then it was only the Guardian and Hood left.
"Zoots strength is within me. I will not be defeated." He said. The Guardian took out two metal pipes from his sleeves. He stuck them together to for a large metal staff.
"I said it before and I'll say it again. I HATE POWER AND CHAOS." Hoods voice started to change. It got deeper and darker. The Guardian stood on the opposite side of the fire with Hood on the other side. Suddenly the Guardian made a flying salto of the flames.
"Shit." Hood said quietly too himself. The guardian swung the metal staff towards Hood, but he blocked with his sword. Hood pushed the bar away. The guardian stepped backwards. He started to twirl the staff. Suddenly two sharp spikes emerged from the ends of the bar. He kept twirling the bar and the he plunged towards Hood. Hood suddenly felt a stabbing pain in his shoulder. He started to bleed.
"You will not walk away from this battle." The Guardian said. He and Hood started an immense sword fight. Hoods eyes filled with fury. He remembered the beach, the massacre, the dead bodies of his friends and then he suddenly remembered Chain. His heart filled with rage. Hood couldn't control his anger any more. He suddenly burst out with rage.
Hood stepped backwards and then plunged his sword into the Guardians chest. The Guardian suddenly looked at his wound.
Hood took his sword out of his enemy's chest.
"You die, without honour." Hood said. His voice had gone deep and dark.
There was cold feeling to it. The Guardian stepped backwards. He tripped over a Chosens body. He feel into the raging flames of the campfire. A horrible scream followed. It echoed through the forest. Amazon and Trudy heard the screaming al the way at the beach.
"Hood?" Amazon said in a quiet voice. A tear rolled over her face.
Hood was standing with his back to the fire. He was catching his breath, only once he had a fight like that before. The guy then that he fought with was also not standing on his feet.
"Don't ever make me angry." Hood said too himself.
He put his sword back on his back and then ripped a long piece of his T-shirt. Hood rapped it around his shoulder. "Glad I watched ER." He thought too himself.
The beginning of another day
"I don't think he made it." She said. "I don't think anyone has defeated the Guardian, ever."
"Then you thought wrong." A voice said from the forest. It was Hood as he was walking down the path to the beach. Amazon ran straight too him. She rapped her arms around him.
"Ouch, watch the shoulder babe." Hood said and put his hand on his shoulder.
"Sorry." Amazon said and gave Hood a long kiss. Trudy looked at them. There was a massive smile on her face. Brady was smiling as well. The three of them, four if you include Brady, found two canoes attached to each other. They set of the beach to the sea. About half an hour later they arrived back at the mainland.
Hood helped the girls out even though his shoulder was killing him.
"Do you want us to come with you to the mall?" Hood asked.
"Oh could you? I'm still a bit frightened of the woods at night." Trudy replied.
"Don't worry, after about 3 months in the mountains, nothing much can scare me." Hood said with a reassuring voice. The four of them then walked through the forest back to the city. Trudy was looking at everything. It had been a long time since she had seen the city.
They then stood in front of the Amazon mall.
"We'd better go." Amazon said. Hood was looking a bit bad.
"Please come with me. You've done so much for me." Trudy was nearly begging.
"Alright, I could never say no to a girl." Hood said smiling at Amazon. He was looking bad. He had started to sweat. They walked into the mall.
The four brave travellers stood in front of the fountain. Suddenly Brady started to laugh.
"Shh, don't won't to wake everyone." Trudy said with a sweet voice to Brady.
"Trudy?" He said quietly. Bray ran down the stairs. Trudy ran to him, she was in tears. They embraced each other.
Suddenly others appeared at the top level. All the mall-rats came running down the stairs.
Hood and Amazon were smiling. Hood was still sweating and looking pale. The Mall-rats grouped around Trudy. She was happy as could be. Bray was holding Trudy tight. He had missed her for so long. They all did.
Amazon dropped to her knees next to Hood.
"Hood? Please don't do this." She said bowing over him.
Bray and Tai-san appeared next to her.
"What's wrong?" Bray asked.
"I don't know, he has wound on his shoulder but that couldn't be it could it?" Amazon answered with a worried voice.
"What's happening?" Alice asked.
"Get my herbal bag from the lab." Tai-san said to her. Alice ran up the stairs. The mall-rats started to gather around Hood. He was breathing but with trouble.
"Salene get everyone upstairs." Bray said and Salene guided everyone to the cafe.
"We should get him up to CD-shop, there's a spare bed." Ryan said.
"Good idea, give me a hand." Bray said and lifted Hood together with Ryan. Trudy had already gone upstairs and laid Brady to bed. Tai-san was at the CD-shop getting ready for her patient. Bray and Ryan laid him down on the bed.
"What now?" Ryan asked Tai-San.
"You leave, I need to take care of him." She replied and pointing to the door. Ryan, Bray and Trudy left. "Can I stay?" Amazon asked.
She was nearly in tears.
"Alright, take of his bandages for me." Tai-san said while she was getting a bowl out and sprinkled some herbs in it. Amazon took the Band-Aids of Hood and also his T-shirt. There was a large, blood stained hole where Hood got stabbed. Tai-san looked at the wound, it was large and still bleeding.
"Hood, you never did like taking care of yourself." Tai-San said and sprinkled some herbs of a clean Band-Aid.
"At least grandfather taught you to fight. What happened?" She continued. Amazon looked up from Hood. "He had a battle with the Guardian, one of the chosen. Thank God he won." She explained. Hood was still looking pale.
"He's lost allot of blood." Tai-san said. "He needs lots of rest." And she rapped the Band-Aid around Hoods shoulder.
"What do you mean, your grandfather?" Amazon asked.
"I shouldn't tell you, it's rather personal." Tai-san said and stood up. "I'm getting a drink for him, I'll be back in a minute." And she walked out of the CD-shop. Amazon sat down next to Hood and held his hand.
"Please stay."
"I've missed you too, it was horrible." She replied holding Bray's hand.
"He made Brady and me live in a tent for 5 months. And they were planning to kill them selves because the virus had gone."
"Don't worry, it's over now." Bray said reassuringly to her. They embraced each other.
Hood was still unconscious in the morning. His fever had broken but his wound wouldn't heal fast enough. Amazon had fallen to sleep. She was still sitting next to Hood. Tai-San peered in through the window.
"He did good didn't he?" Someone said behind her. It was Salene.
"Where do you know him from?" She asked. Tai-San looked at her. "I think only Hood should tell that. He doesn't like telling about his past." She replied and walked away.
"Come one, let's get some breakfast." Salene said and walked of with Tai-San.
Amazon fell to sleep after that. She was still holding his hand.
"He's not staying." Lex shouted across the cafe.
"Lex, shut up." Bray said.
"He has done so much for us, and asked nothing in return. We have to help him." The Mall-Rats were all in the cafe. They were in discussion about Hood and Amazon.
"I say vote on it." Salene said.
"Everyone, who wants him too stay." Salene put here hand up together with all the others. Lex was the only one who didn't put his hand up.
"Hard luck Lexy." Alice said and bump her hips against Lex'. He nearly fell down.
"Thing is we don't know anything about him." Ryan said.
"We know he was leader of a tribe and cares enough for people to risk his life for them." Trudy said
"I don't care about his past. I care of what his future has in store." Tai-San said.
Hood was still out cold that afternoon. Amazon was still sitting next to him holding his hand. Down in the Mall the Trading market was well underway. Lex and KC were still, pulling a couple of scams even though Alice was keeping an eye on them. Danni and Trudy were helping some kids divorce who were divorced five times before and kept remarrying. Tai-San was talking too Bray about 'the aura of all the tribes.'. Jack and Ellie who had again got back together were busy dealing out the news sheet. Patsy, Cloe and a bunch of other kids were all in school doing what they do best, annoying Salene.
Dreams do come true
"Who are you?" Hood asked. The figure moved into the light.
Too his great surprise the figure was... him.
"This is it, Hood. This is the end." He spoke.
"What do you mean?" Hood said. Suddenly a sound echoed in the distance. It was a growling sound. Out of the darkness a pack of wolves came and started circling the two Hoods.
"They'll be here." The second Hood said.
"If I must die, do it now. But don't keep me waiting." The real Hood said.
"You hate that, waiting. The end is coming. Another cycle will begin" The Hood said and then vanished with the wolves.
Hood suddenly sat up in bed.
"Wolves." He said quietly. Amazon woke up still holding his hand.
"Hood? You're alright."
She said and embraced him. Hood held her but could not stop thinking. What did the wolves mean, and the double of Hood.
"I've missed you so much." Amazon said and nearly started to cry. She looked at Hood.
"Don't do that." He said and wiped a tear away from her face.
"It's alright now. I'm here to stay." They moved closer and kissed.
Through the window Patsy and Cloe were looking.
"Why can't we get a guy like that?" Patsy said,
"Maybe KC?" Cloe said, they then looked at each other.
"Naaa." They said at the same time and they walked off.
"Should we stay here for a few days?" Amazon asked Hood.
"No, you can but I don't want to stay." He answered.
"Why not?" She asked with a puzzled looked.
"I got a bad feeling." Amazon looked even more confused at him.
"Don't ask." He said.
"Well if you're going I'm coming with you." Amazon said holding his hand.
"You sure?" Hood asked. She nodded yes. Hood grabbed a piece of paper and a pen.
"What ya doing?" Amazon asked.
"Saying thanks." Hood said and stood up. He laid the piece of paper on the bed.
"Where's my sword?" Hood asked looking around.
"It's here. KC was polishing it earlier. He thought it was great." Amazon answered and handed it to Hood. "Thanks. Let's go." He said and grabbed his rain coat and then took Amazon by the hand.
He walked out into the mall. Hood and Amazon suddenly stopped.
"Shh." Hood said. Three Loco's were keeping guard of the gate into the mall. It was amazing how loud a loco could snore, let alone three of them. Hood and Amazon carefully walked by the Loco's.
"Mummy." One of the Loco's suddenly said. He was using a kinda baby voice. Amazon had trouble not to laugh. They cleared the entrance of the mall and were standing in the street.
Amazon started to laugh.
"It's like the three stooges sleeping." She said. Hood smiled.
"Come. We got some travelling to do." He said and took Amazon by the hand.
"Where we going?" Amazon asked.
"Ever been to the north of New Zealand?"
"Bray, Danni!!!" She then shouted. Bray Danni and Lex came running into the shop.
"What's wrong?" Bray asked.
"They're gone." Salene said. Lex walked to the bed and picked up the note.
"What's it say?' Danni asked.
"Umm... see for yourself." Lex said carefully. He handed the note to Bray.
"Thanks, I'll be back." He said reading the letter.
"Well, we did owe him one." Bray said and looked at the others.
"Where do you think they are?" Salene asked.
"No idea." Bray shrugged.