ACT 3

We were definately in a bind. We had no HQ and a withering army. But-Pure Eco? Maybe it's the key. Pure Eco could undo the damage of Dark Eco, maybe it could stop the Dark Makers. I turned to Torn.

Janovah: I'm having a thought here. If Pure Eco can undo Dark Eco, maybe we could use it to turn the Dark Makers back into Precursors.
Torn: It's an idea.
Janovah: Perhaps we can gather a party to scurry over to that Snowy Mountain place, we can get some crystals of it. What do you think?

Then I heard a familiar female voice, the Commander that questioned my gun idea during the battle.

Commander: Why didn't we think of that? Oh yeah, because it's STUPID! Only a lunatic would do that! We don't have the manpower or the resources to launch such a campain! and what would you DO with the eco anyway? Make a giant beam and put it on that little vessle?
Janovah: Hey, that's a great idea.
Torn: We can outfit an air train to fly up the mountain.
Commander: Well I say...

The commander pulled out a pistol and pointed it at me. Stupid bitch.

Commander: WE GIVE THEM HER!
Torn: Put that gun down or I'll shoot you myself! She's not the one they're after! We should set up HQ somewhere and fast. I also want the old KG deathbots ready for battle.

The Commander lowered her gun in disgust. She stalked away angerily.

Torn: We're going to need a party to go up to Snowy Mountain.
Janovah: I'll go.
Torn: Ugh, do you have to do EVERYTHING?
Janovah: Yes. This was MY idea.
Torn: Fine! I'm coming with you. I'll gather more men.
Janovah: I'll leave Samos in charge of the war efforts.
Torn: How will we get there?
Janovah: Dax gave me a map from a looong time ago. It's right around a volcanic crater. I have it in my pack in-Oh CRAP! MY STUFF!! It was in my room! That was everything I owned, my map, my compass, and my photo album!!
Guard: You mean this thing?

A Guard had been nearby. He was holding a slightly singed nylon pack-My pack!

Janovah: That's it!! Thank heavens!

I took it from him and strapped it on my back.

Torn: Meet me at the old Underground Hideout.

I nodded, and he turned away and began moving through the crowd of Freedom League people in the street. I raced away and found the Stadium which was still being rebuilt. I walked in the garage section. It was empty, except for a few zoomers, and my Desert Screamer. I got inside it. It was a weird feeling to be sitting in it again. I started it up, and pressed the gas. It was bumpy, but exciting. I drove out of the Stadium at top speed. I looked up in the sky to see a booger ship hovering low over the slums. As I was passing through the slums, I saw the ship in greater detail. It was alot more threatning looking now. I came to a door, one with many locks, probably one of the security doors from the Baron's rule. It slid open, to reveal sand, and hot desert. I made it to the Wasteland. I had noticed the City was empty of people; this was good, nobody to get killed. I pumped the gas and raced along the sand. There was a storm coming, so I had to hurry. After a while the place became familiar. I found the wall-less city again. I raced through the city, attracting alot of attention. But I didn't care. I went around the old corner and into the alley. I parked my buggy, and went inside the hideout. I waited for Torn, and meanwhile I saw many pictures. One was a brown haired man, with giant hands and shoulders, and his face was partially covered in metal. I read two words on the poster. "Baron Praxis". He tortured my father with dark eco, he gave me these dark powers. I saw another poster, it said "Errol" on it. That was Errol? He looked like a dork to me. I heard the doors open and close, and I turned around and saw Torn standing right behind me.

Torn: I see you took the long way around. I have some men to help us, they're all outside.

Torn took my hand. His hand was sweaty, not exactly comfortable to hold at the moment. He led me outside. I saw five men in a row, two of which I recognized; Sig and Jinx. One of the other men was a wastelander, named "Ome", according to Torn. The other was a former KG by the name of Pim. The last one was in fact, a woman. We only noticed her when she spoke.

?????: And what profit is in it for us?

Her hair was very light blonde in the front, but from there it was sable black. Torn looked suprised and smiled. Who WAS she? She better not be another girlfriend.

Torn: Sli? Is that really you?
Sli: Yes. I heard about this, and I thought I would come help.
Torn: It's been so long!

Oh really? I spoke bitterly.

Torn: Oh yeah, this is Janovah, she's my-
Janovah: Fiance.
Torn: Janovah, this is Sli, my sister.

Now I really felt dumb! Sli was his sister!

Janovah: Oh...
Sli: Pleased to meet you...oh, where are my manners?

She knelt down.

Sli: Your majesty...

Are you messing with me?

She stood back up and gave me a wry look. I hated her on the spot. I glared at her.

Torn: We should get going.

We turned and left the alley, and at the opening there was an air train. The four men and Sli got in the back, why Torn and I sat up front. There were only two seats in the front, and there was a retangular hole that let us see in the back. I saw several large explosives.

Sig: We might need these.

I saw him loading in the Gila Stomper and Desert Screamer in the back of the crago bay. Damn, this was train was freaking huge. Jinx and Ome were loading on ammo, and Sli and Pim were loading food. Finally everything was packed. I took off my pack, and opened it. I pulled out my map and compass. The back hatch closed, and I felt us lifting.

Torn: Hang on, it's been a while since I've done this.

I didn't really feel like talking to him. I looked out of the windshield and saw the world shrinking below us. We starting going foward, North according to my compass.

Torn: Pull out your map, see if you can make heads or tails of it.

I finally figured out were currently over the area that was once the Forbidden Jungle. Torn had the steering wheel locked in, and he was sipping water out of glass bottle. We hit some turbulance, and he dropped the bottle, and it smashed on the floor. There wasn't much water left, but glass was everyewhere. Torn and I started to pick it up. I had a particuarly large shard in my hand when we hit another bump. It startled me, so I accidentally grasped the shard too hard and cut my hand. I dropped the shard. The cut was deep, and stund painfully. Torn threw the glass he had in his hands into a trash compartment, then he took my hand and looked at it.

Torn: Ouch...that looks nasty.

I pulled my hand away, and rummaged around in my pack, and found a white strip of fabric and started wrapping it around my hand. He then took my hand again.

Torn: Let me.

I was still feeling sort of mad. Grow up, I told myself. He wrapped the cloth gently around my hand, and tied the cloth in a knot.

Torn: Are you mad at me? What did I do?
Janovah: It's not you...it's...
Torn: Sli? She's just jealous.

I checked my compass, the map, and I looked out of the windshield. There was a white mass coming our way.

Janovah: We're coming up on Snowy Mountain.
Torn: Oh...

He unlocked the steering wheel, and began to steer it for the mountain. After about forty minutes, we were landed on a cliff.

Torn: We should rest here tonight and set off tommorow.

Torn closed a little hatch over the rectangular hole. The men were playing go-fish, and it was becoming noisy. I stared out of the windshield. It was growing dark.

Torn: Finally we have some time to ourselves.

I looked at him. He was smiling. He reached over and stroked my face again. His hand was warm, but sort of rough. I closed my eyes. I had to breathe deep, the air was thin. And it was a little chilly. It was becoming a little harder to breathe.

Janovah: Am I the only one having trouble breathing?
Torn: You've never been up this high, you're not used to it.

I gasped for air...how do people survive like this?

Janovah: I can't breathe...

I stopped breathing, I totally out of air.