CH1

"the Start"

squeeksqueek-squeek- squeeksqueek-squeek

And…

taptap-tap-taptap-tap

Thus together it sounded more like:

tapektapek-tapek-tapektapek-tapek

Which leads Jabs to yelling for someone to knock the hamster off it's weel and for someone else to smack Streeks. a typical day in the life…

"What miss your guppy-lover at night?" quoth the Streek never more.

"Hey at least I have one, twinkle fins." came the Jab. And thus ensued another semi-short sibling slap fest.

"You know, (que pillow at Streek's) I think we should bane saying things like Jawsome…" started Ripster as he dodged a stuffed Pikachu. Where did they get that anyhow?

"Don't forget Shark-Attack!" this from Slamu who as currently balancing a plate of burgers on his nose.

"Twinkle fins…" this from the hand, or rather the Streeks that was burred under a LOT of pillows.

"Guppy lover?" or at least that's what it sounded like, Jabs kinda had a stuffed Pikachu parts in his mouth. So much for the electric mouse.

"Don't forget Shark-arific." add's Benz who just randomly shows up. Much like the way he randomly finds super powered things in the trash. Don't ask. He looks towards Ripster "but why?"

"Because at this rate that's the only other thing we'll be known for. And I highly dought we could-, Would like being made fun of the way we make fun of Emeril's 'Bam!' note how Lena refuses to watch his show with us now."

"Ok, so it's agreed? No more fish related catch phrases. This includes puns." Benz says looking over his ever-present sunglasses.

"Agreed!" can the unanimous vote. Then laughter, lot's of laughter. What happened to the laughter? When was this? Last week, moth, year? Longer? What happened…?

Was it the drugs? Instead of just easing the pain, did they have another side affect? Memory loss? Specific memory loss? Why can't we remember them? Her? She cooked tons of things we never dreamed of trying. Yet Slamu remembers, remembers being shown how. But not by who.

"So Slams's, what's on the menu for tonight?"

"Chicken-Chattaroy with Alfrado pasta on the side."

"And caramel pairs with peppermint ice cream?" Jabs asks with a pleading look.

"Yup" Jab does a little 'score' dance. Don't ask.

"From school I think…"

"Man, I don't remember you being able to cook like this back in school. In fact, didn't you flunk out of coking class?" Moby

"I know I was taught but-"

"Just not by who?"

"Yeah…"

"This has been happening  a bit, first the blue screen of death, then the extra mortercycle parts. What next? Coto and Poto from Beastmaster?"

"Maybe… I think I stepped on a squeaky toy last week."

"But now the hard question, was it the same person?"

"I don't think so… something bout ice and palms… never mind.  I don't think it was the same person. What do you think?"

"No, defiantly not the same person."

"Why? Not that I don't agree, but how do we know this?"

"While we're on the topic, does anyone remember a girl obsessed with foxes?"

"Dude I think you've seen to many Disney flicks."

"Something to do with pink maybe?"

"You both probably saw her at a rave."

"Hmph"

"Wow talk about MIB experience. Speaking of which did any one see the sequel? I heard it was good."

I guess the system wasn't expecting anything like this. All the same players, but all of them switching teams & sides. With or with out realizing it.

Assassins, terrorist hunters, Hybrids, genetically engendered solders fighting someone's sick privet war. People vanishing with out a trace, then reappearing to ask for help.

But when was that? And who? Too many questions with simple or no answers.

Like for instance, why us?

Every one that has been affected by this seem to be from the FSH district. Maybe I should start there… no, that lead to a dead end. Maybe there's a clue to the past? In the past?

This all started 5 years ago… I had just gotten int- no, out of High School. But then what? Paradime kidnapped us? Forced us into this life? What happened at the mall? and here does that girl fit into this? Maybe… no, I should go thru the schools records again.

What to search for?

Keywords: party, senior, water, rape, penpa-… rape? Where did that come from? Something to do with an attack?

Maybe. But maybe I'm insane.

"Let's see here. Jabs has a simple broken leg, in three places. His 'nurse' Mobey has a broken arm because he tried to catch his falling love. Then Streex, well… he was getting his ass handed to him from that start. Next would be Slamu and Rox. They both have mild concussions and broken jaws. Why? Because their heads were slammed together. And you, Ripster, tried to catch a double barreled sawed off shotgun round with your chest. Now... You tell me why you hurt." Lena stats as she finishes pushing Rip 'gently' back down into his bed.

"But…"

"NO. Streex is on EQ and the others are playing Smash Bros Melee. Find something to do."

"This isn't fair. I'm fine."

"You almost died! Think about that. Your brothers could have lost you."  She says as she leaves.

"Dude, you ok?"

"No, I feel like I'm missing something… something important."

"You missed a lot, and rightly so. What ever that psycho did to you had you out the longest. not that the hole thru the chest didn't help… but still,  what could you possibly miss?"

"The person that shot me. And why."

"Dude, that guy was a psycho, he had helpers all around. A girl shot you. We all saw her do it. Odd reaction, but nonetheless she tried to kill you. Why would you want to find her?"

"I don't know, maybe see why she shot me, and why she's working with a known rapist."

"Was."

"Huh…?"

"The guy, the rapist, was found dead earlier. Streex seemed almost relived."

"How did he die?"

"Not sure, cops found a cement block on their steps. The block had a sticker on it that said 'hello my name is' something or another… don't remember. Strange… anyhow, they did a DNA test on it and found the guys ashes mixed in it. Some one really didn't want to chance him coming back."

There! Was that the first key? That guy never existed. I've searched for hours and never found any record of any rapist in Fission City. Was it a hoax? A dammed painful one if it was. Maybe a cover up? That sounds about right… but what did it cover up? The only one…

The only one I know of is the Hybrid I almost murdered.

"Rip! Don't!" Streex says into the headset. She turns, looks at me, or is it past?

*BANG*

"SHE'S ONE OF US!" Streex's yells in the headset, but by then it was to late.

It caught her high on the chest, near the hart. She could have survived the shot easy. Had it not been from a high powered gun, one that could nock even Mantaman from the air. She had hovered, and looked right at me. Just as I pulled the trigger. Her eyes were wide with shock. She could have passed for human, had it not been for the fine like thing. She was part manta ray. But with the face of a human.

A human about to die.

The shot knocked her back, maybe a foot, it seemed like more at the time. time seemed to slow down. Time enough for the rest to turn and see her get hit, lean over back wards…

And fall.

If she had only hit the water… she was so close to it… but closer to the cement bridge support. We all thought we heard the sound her head made when it hit. The sight of her bouncing forward just a few feet, into the waters open arms.

Mako was the first to react. He dove in after her. And managed to pull her to the surface. There was so much blood. So much. So very much…