PART 2
The sun has been up for nearly two hours and while the rest of the city slowly came to life, the Mall has been bustling with activity since before dawn. The day's chores and assignments had been handed out and Alice and Ellie were clearing away the last breakfast dishes when two stragglers came walking in.
"Please tell me you have some coffee."
"I'll brew some just for you." Alice laughed as she watched a very tired looking Jason and Cloe sit down at one of the tables. "You both look like you could use it."
Jason smiled as Cloe made a yuck face. "You don't need any anyway, it'll stunt your growth." Cloe tried not to laugh as he ruffled her hair.
"Have you two been out all night again?" Ellie asked.
Alice returned and placed a cup in front of him. "Bless you."
She smiled at him. "What is that smell?"
Jason tapped Cloe on the shoulder and she picked up a small bag and handed it to him. "That smell is our payment for last night." Jason reached into the bag and pulled out five very large fish. "I'm not quite sure what kind they are but they're a little gift from the Gulls and their newest 7 pound, 5 ounce member."
"You delivered a baby last night?"
He handed the fish to Alice who took them into the kitchen. "Among other things. Believe me after some of the nights I've had the last few weeks I'll take eleven hours of labor anytime." He yawned.
"Tired?"
He nodded. "I don't know how much longer I can keep going like this."
Alice came back. "It sure didn't take long for word to spread that there was a real doctor in the house."
"I've lost count of how many cut and scrapes I've looked at or how many broken bones I've set. And just to break up the monotony there's always the odd stabbing or gunshot to deal with." Jason felt Cloe slump into him. "Hey kiddo."
"Hmmmm?" Cloe said groggily.
"Why don't you go upstairs and get some sleep?"
"What if you need me?"
"I'll come and get you. But the shape you're in now, you're no good to me. Go up to your room and get some sleep." He beeped her nose. "Doctor's orders."
She smiled at him. "Okay Doc." She got and started to walk away. "You will get me if you need me."
"Go. Bed. Now." He said pointing in the direction of her room. Ellie and Alice were both laughing to themselves as their young friend walked away.
"She's a good kid." He took a sip of his coffee. "Did Bray and the others get off to the meeting okay?"
"They left just before you got back." Ellie answered.
"I wish them luck. If the setup for this thing is any indication they're gonna need it."
"You're not going?" Alice asked.
Jason shook his head no. "We talked about it. It might be best if I stayed out of city politics. Kay's appearance and mine has already had a pretty disrupting effect without the added inference that an adult is behind the Mall Rats pulling the strings. This little alliance is going to be fragile enough the last thing anyone wants to do is inflame the radicals."
Alice nodded her head in agreement. "Makes sense."
*~*
For many years, the Ambassador Hotel was widely known as being one of the finest first class hotels in the city. That was before the virus of course. Now it, like many other buildings had fallen into disrepair although this one was far more livable than most.
Despite much of the lobby being destroyed by the Locos during their reign of terror at the beginning, all of the upper floors and many of the grand ballrooms remained untouched. When the Locos faded into the background of city politics following Zoot's death and Ebony's defacto-defection to the Mall Rats, the Ambassador had for the most part remained unused and abandoned.
That's why it was chosen for this all-important first meeting of the new city council. In the ever-shifting landscape of tribal territories it stood, for the moment anyway, on neutral ground between several of the largest tribes.
For the better part of a week, Ebony has had her men cleaning up and preparing the main ballroom for the meeting. Several large conference tables were placed in a triangle shape in the center of the room and while her men made their finishing touches on the meeting room Ebony was busy herself in another part of the hotel.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Danni stood in the doorway of the old exercise room of the Ambassador Hotel. She was watching as Ebony punched and kicked the weight bag in front of her.
"What does it look like I'm doing?" Ebony said as she spun around and kicked the bag once last time. "What are you doing?" She asked as one of her bodyguards handed her a towel.
"I've been looking for you. In case you've forgotten we have a meeting with all the Tribes this morning and Bray thinks there are some things we need to go over before everyone arrives."
"Oh well, if Bray thinks we need to talk then we'd better go." She tossed the towel to her guard and brushed past Danni.
"Aren't you going to change?"
Ebony stopped and looked down at her clothes, a matching pair of red shorts and sports bra. "You don't like what I'm wearing?"
"Yes... No... I mean..." Danni inhaled sharply. "I mean don't you think you should put on something more appropriate, for the leader of the City Council."
Ebony almost laughed. "Fine."
She left and Danni followed her through the hotel to an elevator where another of her guards was standing. He pushed a button and the doors slid opened. Ebony walked in with Danni close behind.
After the doors closed Ebony pushed the button marked 'P' and the elevator started to rise to the top of the six-story building. Danni just looked at Ebony.
"Solar panels on the roof for emergency power." Ebony said answering Danni's unasked question. "I had Jack make a few changes to the system."
"So that's what Jack's been doing for the last week."
Danni and some of the other Mall Rats had been wondering what was going on with Jack. For days he was up before dawn and not back until after dark with the only explanation for his comings and goings being a special assignment for Ebony.
A few seconds later the doors slid open again. As Danni walked into the penthouse suite, she got a good look around. "Moving in I see." She said noticing some unopened boxes on the floor.
"If this place is going to be our new council chambers shouldn't the elected leader of the city have a place nearby?" Ebony said walking to the master bedroom.
"And I suppose the fact this is one of the few places with it's own power supply and running water had nothing to do with it?"
"Well..." Ebony returned wearing only a towel wrapped around her. "It had a little to do with it."
Danni was staring at Ebony. She looked so different now. With her makeup gone and her hair unbraided she looked like a different person, she almost looked like....
"Danni?" Ebony interrupted her thoughts.
"What?"
"What are you staring at?"
"Your legs." She coughed. "Your leg. It's bleeding again."
Ebony looked down at her wrapped right knee. "Damn."
"Let me look at it." Danni knelt down before Ebony and unwrapped her leg.
"Will I live?"
Danni smiled at her. "I think so." Danni pressed the bandage to Ebony's wound again and lifted up. "There it's stopped bleeding. I'll find something to wrap it up with then after the meeting I'll have Uncle Jason come by and check it out."
Ebony sighed. "Great another one of Doc's lectures about taking care of myself."
"Uncle Jason just wants you to take it easy, it'll be a while before you can start giving your leg the punishment it's used to." Danni found a pillowcase, which she tore up into strips and preceded to wrap them around Ebony's leg. "This ought to do until after the meeting."
"Thanks."
"My pleasure."
*~*
One of the most popular places to go in the city after dark is a little place just inside Sector 8 called Chances. Certainly not the first gambling establishment to spring up, but definitely one of the best boasting honest games (for the most part), beautiful girls (for the right price), real liquor (if you can call something made in a bathtub in back real) and the best night out you'll ever have (unless you lose big to the house that is.)
The beautiful owner of the place, a petite girl of about 15 or 16 with green hair and eyes named Topaz, is always there to welcome anyone and everyone with a smile on her face. But that smile is only a front because she knows there's a little secret to Chances that few others know and those that do will not speak of. It's the secret of who actually runs Chances.
There couldn't be a more unholy alliance of two people in this world she often thought to herself. They were upstairs right now and Topaz didn't like to think about what they were doing together. Not if she wanted to keep her breakfast down.
"You're really going to attend this farce of a meeting?" The young man said as he lay in bed.
"Of course." The girl said as she zipped up her black boots. Sitting at a dressing table she turned and looked at her reflection and smiled at herself.
"Why?"
"I want to see who's there." She rose and straightening her short black mini skirt she looked down at the man in her bed. "And because I want to know just how far they'll go for this precious peace of theirs."
"What do you hope to get from this?"
"Everything I can and more."
"You're playing a dangerous game Dreama."
"Dangerous games are the only ones worth playing. I'll go along with this city council garbage till I've learned all that I can about the Mall Rats and their plans."
"And then?"
"Then I'll use it to crush them once and for all. Then the Locos, my Locos, will be back in power where they belong."
"And what about me?"
"You? You're exile will finally be over."
"That's not what I meant."
"I know what you meant and don't worry, you'll have your revenge I promise you."
"I had better. I've waited so long to pay them all back for what they had done to us."
"Just remember the Mall Rats are yours, but Ebony is mine."
"Of course Dreama."
She turned to leave but stopped at the door. "Oh, and Tophat... make sure no one sees you when you leave."
The sun has been up for nearly two hours and while the rest of the city slowly came to life, the Mall has been bustling with activity since before dawn. The day's chores and assignments had been handed out and Alice and Ellie were clearing away the last breakfast dishes when two stragglers came walking in.
"Please tell me you have some coffee."
"I'll brew some just for you." Alice laughed as she watched a very tired looking Jason and Cloe sit down at one of the tables. "You both look like you could use it."
Jason smiled as Cloe made a yuck face. "You don't need any anyway, it'll stunt your growth." Cloe tried not to laugh as he ruffled her hair.
"Have you two been out all night again?" Ellie asked.
Alice returned and placed a cup in front of him. "Bless you."
She smiled at him. "What is that smell?"
Jason tapped Cloe on the shoulder and she picked up a small bag and handed it to him. "That smell is our payment for last night." Jason reached into the bag and pulled out five very large fish. "I'm not quite sure what kind they are but they're a little gift from the Gulls and their newest 7 pound, 5 ounce member."
"You delivered a baby last night?"
He handed the fish to Alice who took them into the kitchen. "Among other things. Believe me after some of the nights I've had the last few weeks I'll take eleven hours of labor anytime." He yawned.
"Tired?"
He nodded. "I don't know how much longer I can keep going like this."
Alice came back. "It sure didn't take long for word to spread that there was a real doctor in the house."
"I've lost count of how many cut and scrapes I've looked at or how many broken bones I've set. And just to break up the monotony there's always the odd stabbing or gunshot to deal with." Jason felt Cloe slump into him. "Hey kiddo."
"Hmmmm?" Cloe said groggily.
"Why don't you go upstairs and get some sleep?"
"What if you need me?"
"I'll come and get you. But the shape you're in now, you're no good to me. Go up to your room and get some sleep." He beeped her nose. "Doctor's orders."
She smiled at him. "Okay Doc." She got and started to walk away. "You will get me if you need me."
"Go. Bed. Now." He said pointing in the direction of her room. Ellie and Alice were both laughing to themselves as their young friend walked away.
"She's a good kid." He took a sip of his coffee. "Did Bray and the others get off to the meeting okay?"
"They left just before you got back." Ellie answered.
"I wish them luck. If the setup for this thing is any indication they're gonna need it."
"You're not going?" Alice asked.
Jason shook his head no. "We talked about it. It might be best if I stayed out of city politics. Kay's appearance and mine has already had a pretty disrupting effect without the added inference that an adult is behind the Mall Rats pulling the strings. This little alliance is going to be fragile enough the last thing anyone wants to do is inflame the radicals."
Alice nodded her head in agreement. "Makes sense."
*~*
For many years, the Ambassador Hotel was widely known as being one of the finest first class hotels in the city. That was before the virus of course. Now it, like many other buildings had fallen into disrepair although this one was far more livable than most.
Despite much of the lobby being destroyed by the Locos during their reign of terror at the beginning, all of the upper floors and many of the grand ballrooms remained untouched. When the Locos faded into the background of city politics following Zoot's death and Ebony's defacto-defection to the Mall Rats, the Ambassador had for the most part remained unused and abandoned.
That's why it was chosen for this all-important first meeting of the new city council. In the ever-shifting landscape of tribal territories it stood, for the moment anyway, on neutral ground between several of the largest tribes.
For the better part of a week, Ebony has had her men cleaning up and preparing the main ballroom for the meeting. Several large conference tables were placed in a triangle shape in the center of the room and while her men made their finishing touches on the meeting room Ebony was busy herself in another part of the hotel.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Danni stood in the doorway of the old exercise room of the Ambassador Hotel. She was watching as Ebony punched and kicked the weight bag in front of her.
"What does it look like I'm doing?" Ebony said as she spun around and kicked the bag once last time. "What are you doing?" She asked as one of her bodyguards handed her a towel.
"I've been looking for you. In case you've forgotten we have a meeting with all the Tribes this morning and Bray thinks there are some things we need to go over before everyone arrives."
"Oh well, if Bray thinks we need to talk then we'd better go." She tossed the towel to her guard and brushed past Danni.
"Aren't you going to change?"
Ebony stopped and looked down at her clothes, a matching pair of red shorts and sports bra. "You don't like what I'm wearing?"
"Yes... No... I mean..." Danni inhaled sharply. "I mean don't you think you should put on something more appropriate, for the leader of the City Council."
Ebony almost laughed. "Fine."
She left and Danni followed her through the hotel to an elevator where another of her guards was standing. He pushed a button and the doors slid opened. Ebony walked in with Danni close behind.
After the doors closed Ebony pushed the button marked 'P' and the elevator started to rise to the top of the six-story building. Danni just looked at Ebony.
"Solar panels on the roof for emergency power." Ebony said answering Danni's unasked question. "I had Jack make a few changes to the system."
"So that's what Jack's been doing for the last week."
Danni and some of the other Mall Rats had been wondering what was going on with Jack. For days he was up before dawn and not back until after dark with the only explanation for his comings and goings being a special assignment for Ebony.
A few seconds later the doors slid open again. As Danni walked into the penthouse suite, she got a good look around. "Moving in I see." She said noticing some unopened boxes on the floor.
"If this place is going to be our new council chambers shouldn't the elected leader of the city have a place nearby?" Ebony said walking to the master bedroom.
"And I suppose the fact this is one of the few places with it's own power supply and running water had nothing to do with it?"
"Well..." Ebony returned wearing only a towel wrapped around her. "It had a little to do with it."
Danni was staring at Ebony. She looked so different now. With her makeup gone and her hair unbraided she looked like a different person, she almost looked like....
"Danni?" Ebony interrupted her thoughts.
"What?"
"What are you staring at?"
"Your legs." She coughed. "Your leg. It's bleeding again."
Ebony looked down at her wrapped right knee. "Damn."
"Let me look at it." Danni knelt down before Ebony and unwrapped her leg.
"Will I live?"
Danni smiled at her. "I think so." Danni pressed the bandage to Ebony's wound again and lifted up. "There it's stopped bleeding. I'll find something to wrap it up with then after the meeting I'll have Uncle Jason come by and check it out."
Ebony sighed. "Great another one of Doc's lectures about taking care of myself."
"Uncle Jason just wants you to take it easy, it'll be a while before you can start giving your leg the punishment it's used to." Danni found a pillowcase, which she tore up into strips and preceded to wrap them around Ebony's leg. "This ought to do until after the meeting."
"Thanks."
"My pleasure."
*~*
One of the most popular places to go in the city after dark is a little place just inside Sector 8 called Chances. Certainly not the first gambling establishment to spring up, but definitely one of the best boasting honest games (for the most part), beautiful girls (for the right price), real liquor (if you can call something made in a bathtub in back real) and the best night out you'll ever have (unless you lose big to the house that is.)
The beautiful owner of the place, a petite girl of about 15 or 16 with green hair and eyes named Topaz, is always there to welcome anyone and everyone with a smile on her face. But that smile is only a front because she knows there's a little secret to Chances that few others know and those that do will not speak of. It's the secret of who actually runs Chances.
There couldn't be a more unholy alliance of two people in this world she often thought to herself. They were upstairs right now and Topaz didn't like to think about what they were doing together. Not if she wanted to keep her breakfast down.
"You're really going to attend this farce of a meeting?" The young man said as he lay in bed.
"Of course." The girl said as she zipped up her black boots. Sitting at a dressing table she turned and looked at her reflection and smiled at herself.
"Why?"
"I want to see who's there." She rose and straightening her short black mini skirt she looked down at the man in her bed. "And because I want to know just how far they'll go for this precious peace of theirs."
"What do you hope to get from this?"
"Everything I can and more."
"You're playing a dangerous game Dreama."
"Dangerous games are the only ones worth playing. I'll go along with this city council garbage till I've learned all that I can about the Mall Rats and their plans."
"And then?"
"Then I'll use it to crush them once and for all. Then the Locos, my Locos, will be back in power where they belong."
"And what about me?"
"You? You're exile will finally be over."
"That's not what I meant."
"I know what you meant and don't worry, you'll have your revenge I promise you."
"I had better. I've waited so long to pay them all back for what they had done to us."
"Just remember the Mall Rats are yours, but Ebony is mine."
"Of course Dreama."
She turned to leave but stopped at the door. "Oh, and Tophat... make sure no one sees you when you leave."