Miss. Ecofreak: would you consider it hard if you were the leader of a crimson guard patrol and at the same time looking for a kid and a crocadog and make sure the other guards don't find them first?

Zakura: Torn's got his hands full, that's for sure.

CHAPTER 24

THE LOST KID

Torn

It was not easy keeping an eye out for the crocadog and at the same time, making sure nobody else in my patrol saw him first.

The baron was very hard on stray dogs and had ordered every dog running around on the streets killed.

And as if the situation wasn't bad enough, later that day I got a message saying the kid had managed to get out of Shadow's house and was probably looking for his dog.

If the other guards spotted him it would be a disaster!
Not that there were many guards patrolling right now, actually, in this section there was only three.

"This is boring!" a young man named Jim said, "Nothing ever happens when I'm patrolling. Besides, I hate the smell of this part of the city"

I laughed, couldn't help it, "You hate the smell of every part of the city" I said, "But if you want excitement I can get you transferred to the wasteland-patrols"

"I'm not that desperate, this city's ok" Jim said quickly.

And let's hope it stays that way I though for myself, as I lead the small group down the streets.

The slums had been falling apart the last years since the baron took over, since the people there were too poor to pay their bills he refused to repair the streets so the roads were full of holes.

The last member of the patrol was an older guard named Bart.

He was mostly silent, the only thing he cared about for the moment was to do his job and get back to his family.

Jim on the other hand…

"I'm hungry"

… Was far from silent.

"Do you think anyone would notice if we ran out to grab some snacks? Nothing ever happens here anyway"

"If we away something might happen while we're gone" Bart snarled, "The shift is over in half an our, you'll live until then"

Jim started staggering and hat to lean against the wall, "I must eat something" he said weakly, "its getting cold. I see a long tunnel".

"Will you knock it of?" I asked. That guy was getting on my nerves.

"Just a mouthful. I need food, and I'm talking real food, not some poor slum-food" Jim said, "Please?"
"Why the hell did you sign of for being a crimson guard?" I asked, "You never do anything!"

"What am I supposed to do? I was told being a crimson guard was much more fun! Fighting dangerous criminals, stop the rebellions threatening this city!" Jim said.

"Stop that enormous mouth of yours" I said, "The less you complain the sooner we can go"¨

Jim muttered something which sounded a lot like "Not fair". He didn't know what that phrase meant.

Jim had grown up in the richer parts of the city. His family were loyal to the baron and he was one of the first and youngest who attended to crimson school.

Though I guessed it must have been his parents who sent him there.

I wondered whether Jim ever thought about the people living in the slums, where he spent most of his working days.

The streets had not been asphalted in 15 years and the people were lucky if they got three meals a day, Jim ate five meals, during patrol.

"Hey! Stop that dog!"

I turned around quickly, the crocadog came running with a piece of meat in his jaw and followed by an angry salesman.

"Finally. Some action!" Jims said, reaching out for his gun.

"Wait! I'll handle this" I said.

"No way! I've been waiting for his since I started! Come on!" Jim said sounding annoyed.

"What's your problem? It's just a stupid mutt" Bart said, I wasn't sure if he was talking to me or to Jim.

"You were hungry weren't you? Why don't you go get a snack then I'll take care of the crocadog" I said.

"Wow! You really mean that?" Jim said, as if I was his father who had just promised him a trip to an amusement park.

Before I even got to answer he (who was "dying" only seconds ago) ran away towards the stadium section.

"What was that all about?" Bart asked.

"I am sick of his complains. Besides I don't trust his ability to tackle pests" I said, "Just keep on patrolling. I've got a dog to catch.

I ran for the dog as Bart walked in another direction.

Although I was a bit scared he would run into the kid while I was looking for Crocket.

Finally I managed to trap the dog in a corner.

He was growling at me, still with the stolen meat in his mouth.

"Don't worry you crazy mutt. I'm just going to take you home" I said as calm as I could.

Crocket didn't understand a word I said of course. He just kept growling and threatened to bite my arm of.

What now? I've never liked to kill stray dogs but this was a pet!

I tried to get closer to the dog but every time I moved he snapped after me.

There was only one thing to do, I took up my communicator and called the only person (except little Jak) who was able to handle Crocket.

Minutes later Shara appeared, closely followed by Cornelius.

"It's a miracle, Torn found him and the dog's still alive" Cornelius said, "Or is the little dog to scary for a hardened crimson guard?"

Shara walked up to the dog, "There you are you little troublemaker" she said, "You've had your fun now, time to go home"

Crocked barked happily, he let go of the stolen meat and ran towards Shara.

"What's with you and that dog?" I asked, "He refuse to let anyone else touch him"

"I guess I'm just good with animals" Shara said (A/N: sounds familiar to you?) "Thanks for finding him. Who knows what Jak would have done if we lost him"

"No problem. I have to get going" I said, "I fear with the kid on the run our problems have hardly started"

"Why don't you just take your guard friends and go home and leave the kid to us?" Cornelius asked, "I don't mean to be rude… or maybe I dot. I don't want a bunch of crimson guards looking for him"

"I am one crimson guard, not a bunch" I said, "And you know I won't hurt the kid not all crimson guards are evil you know"

"So you mean I'm going to trust every guard I see?" Cornelius asked angry.

"Relax Cornelius. Why don't you and I go look for the kid, instead of arguing with Torn?" Shara said while she was still holding the dog in a firm grip.

Shara put Crocked in a small cage she had placed on her zoomer and started the engine.

Cornelius started his zoomer too and flew up to the high hover zone.

"You'd better hope your friends won't find the kid before we do" I said to me, "Because I'll hold you responsible"

After this threat he flew of so his bird actually fell of the zoomer, Shara grabbed the sparrowflut and said to me: "Don't mind him. I'm sure he'll learn one day", then she followed Cornelius.

The boy was right in one thing. I had to make sure Bart or Jim (if he actually came back) didn't found the kid first or he would be done for.

I found Bart quite quickly.

"There you are. Did you get the dog?" he asked.

"Sorry, it ran of. But maybe we're lucky and someone else find it" I said.

"I knew I should have gone for it myself" Bart said, "The city is overrun by strays. Being soft won't help, what if that dog hurt anyone? Crocadogs can be very aggressive"

You don't have to tell me I thought.

Saying the city was overrun by stray dogs was an extreme exaggeration, a few dogs were abandoned in the slums when its owners could no longer care for it but apart from that you rarely saw stray dogs in Haven City.

Time to find the kid. I really hoped Cornelius and Shara or anyone else in the underground found him first.

Bart was loyal to the baron and there was no way he would let Mar's heir get away.

Zakura: what will happen next? Will Torn manage to find little-Jak before Bart finds him?

Miss. Ecofreak: I don't know... chapter 25 is about Kate and Cornelius

Zakura: how bout chapter 26?

Miss. Ecofreak: non-existing. I've got writers block

Zakura: pity. Well, let's just hope Ecofreak mangages to write chapter 26 and you'll get nr 27 right afterwards. cause that's finished right?

Miss. Ecofreak: sure, and we still got chapter 25 to look forward to.

remember to send in a review and I'll upload chapter 25, Renegade as soon as I can.

Zakura: renegade?

Miss. Ecofreak: Title will be explained later.