CHAPTER 38

Bottle Cap ran, unable to see through the dark rain which engulfed her. Shivers took their toll down her spine as freezing raindrops splattered upon her bear skin, her hair clinging to her face and making it even harder for the girl to see in front of her.

"Hey!" A husky voice hollered from behind her. She need not turn to see who it was, for she knew exactly who she would find. She ran faster, as fast as was humanly possible. She couldn't hear anything but the roar of the rain, and she turned to see if he were even still there. At that moment, she tripped clumsily over a child's wooden sword which had been carelessly abandoned when the rain had begun. She looked up just as a streak of lightening set alight the sky, illuminating her pursuer's luming fingure, and a face that held nothing but hatred.

*

"She was headin' fa Manhattan, le's go dat way!" Dibs called to Spot over the torrents of rain.

"Aight! I sent some boys at Hahlem, Queens, an' da lowah east side!" Spot responded, his eyes darting aimlessly around as they ran, only a few boys in tow. Dibs couldn't control his breaking heart, even though he appeared a tower of strength and composure.

"I hear somethin'." Caps informed Spin, "Sounds like da fellahs." He looked out from under the newspaper they had been walking under and saw figures rushing forward.

"It's Spot." Spin rolled her eyes. Caps reached out and grabbed Spot's wrist as he flew by.

"What ya doin' out in dis, Spot?" He inquired, squinting through the rain.

"Bottle Cap ran off tryin' ta find Spin…we can't find 'er." Cajun answered, seeing Spot's intense glare toward Spin. "We think Benjamin mighta gotten 'er. Everyone's out lookin'."

"We'll help." Spin spoke up, feeling gross remorse for the crisis she had caused.

"You'se done enough." Spot spit at her, "Ya had no right ta say da things ya said an' den run off widout even explainin'."

"You don't undahstand…" Spin tried to defend herself.

"It doesn't mattah!" Dibs cut in, frustrated that they were arguing instead of searching. "She's out theah all alone, stop fightin' long enough ta realize dat ya both are gonna miss 'er if she's gone!"

"He's right." Spot nodded, "If ya gonna help, c'mon."

*

"I can't see a blasted thing in dis damn rain!" Jack grumbled as he and his gang trudged through the streets, searching every alley and back route possible.

"Bottle Cap!" Tipsy yelled at the top of her lungs, cupping her hands over her mouth. "Please, please be okay." She said softly, her eyes hunting restlessly in the shadows.

"Damn it!" Silver cursed, kicking the crate she had just stumbled over. It was all she could do to keep the tears from escaping her eyes in fear and frustration.

"You okay?" Blink asked as he passed, "Be careful." Silver ignored him, her mind focused upon one thing. Illusion and True stuck together, peeking under hanging clothes and inside darkened gutters, occasionally spooking each other. It seemed nearly useless to Chipper, who climbed a fire escape and was scoping out the street from above with Dragonfly and Racetrack.

"Come down from theah, Chip!" Jack called, "We should stick tagethah."

"Yeah, an' ya can't see anythin' through dis down pour anyhow!" Tipsy added, being joined by Dragonfly. They continued hollering through the darkness, the only response being the roar of thunder.