Robin stuffed his hands deep into the pockets of his black Levi's as he trudged wearily down the winding road towards the farm buildings. 

A herd of cows grazed contently in the lush green field next to the road, their golden brown coats and large liquid brown eyes shining with health.  On the other side an equally large and lush field was dotted with what looked like small tin air-raid shelters outside many of which there were pigs basking in the sun like beached whales gasping for their last breathe stranded marooned upon a sandbank.  For animals that were meant to be so intelligent pigs were sometimes Robin thought unbelievably stupid. 

As he turned into the farmyard a dozen or more large snowy white geese came running forwards hissing venomously at him.  Robin took off at a run and kept going until he came to what looked like oversized black paddling pools this was where the young fish were kept until they were large enough to be safely released.  He could hear the faint hum of machinery coming from the large corrugated iron workshop, which was his destination.

The sliding door had been left ajar to allow the sunlight to enter and as he stood there he could see Kennis's feet peering out from underneath the large white transit van the Elite used when they went out to collect their new members.  Kennis slid out from underneath the van and removed the welding mask which had been protecting her face from any stray sparks as she had soldered a join which needed repairing.

Her long ebony coloured fringe had escaped the grips she had used earlier that morning to fasten it out of her midnight blue eyes, the top portion of her grey mechanics overall hung down about her slender waist reveals her toned midriff barely covered by a tight black tank top, she wiped her face briefly on one of the black sweatbands she wore on each of her wrists and smiled warmly at Robin by way of a greeting as she bent down to retie the lace of the clumpy black steel-toe-capped biker boots she wore to protect her feet whilst she worked.

"Hey boss-man, what brings you here?" she asked him as she set her mask and tools down upon one of the metal workbenches lined up along the front wall of the workshop.

"We don't need the van until tomorrow now Kennis, Ed decided to leave 'Joe Public' to dwell on the delights of a return to civilisation whilst they spent another night starving and cold on the streets".  Robin told her.

"It's cool, the van's ready anyways. I was just about to start on something else". Kennis replied trying to keep her disappointment hidden as she had been looking forwards to testing out the van on something better than the deserted car park or the farm track.

"Dan's fixed up a mini camcorder for all of you to wear tomorrow.  He wants to get some shots of the outside world to use in some of his broadcasts.  Which brings me to the reason for my visit, not that it isn't always nice to see you".  Robin paused as his face flushed crimson with embarrassment.   "Dan wanted to check that the radio in the cab is working".

"Go ahead, make yourself at home".   Kennis told him as she opened the door to the cab and stood back so Robin could climb in. 

He fiddled with the switch until he could hear a fainted buzzing sound.  "What shall I say?"  He asked Kennis. 

I dunno, what about a nursery rhyme or something".  Kennis replied Robin glanced across at her in order to ensure that she wasn't winding him up.  Her face was completely straight not even a hint of a smirk so he picked up the mike and holding the button down with his index finger he started to recite.

"Georgie Porgie pudding and pie kissed the girls and made them cry when the boys came out to play he kissed them too cos he was gay".

Kennis started laughing "Sometimes you really surprise me Robin".

"I'm flattered, I think".  Robin replied unsure whether she had paid him a compliment or not.  They waited in silence for a few seconds but there was no response from Dan's end.  "I guess it's not working then? Robin said.

 "Either that or he's fallen asleep or something". Kennis agreed.

The ancient walky-talky Robin carried around with him suddenly crackled and spluttered into action inside his back pocket. Robin took it out and held it up to his ear.

"Of course it's working you stupid twat!  You just need to take your finger off of the frigin' button".  Dan shouted loud enough for not only Robin to hear but Kennis as well. 

Kennis started to laugh again only this time Robin got the feeling that she was laughing at him rather than with him and he could feel his cheeks burning with embarrassment once more.

"I guess I should be heading back now".  He told Kennis as he switched the radio off and climbed down from the cab.

"See you later Robin". She replied still bent double with laughter.

As Robin made his way back through the farmyard he could hear footsteps coming in the other direction.  Out of habit he quickly hid himself behind the hen house.

Kennis's younger brother Travis came around the corner.  He was tall for his age, tanned with brown eyes, his dark brown hair was twisted up into short dreads, he was wearing baggy black skater jeans, a black hooded sweatshirt, and black sneakers, black being the regulation colour worn by the members of the Elite. 

He was pushing the motorcycle that Kennis had fixed up for him; his black motorcycle helmet with T-Bone emblazoned across the back was hanging from one of the handlebars. 

Robin liked Travis he was a good kid always running messages on his bike or helping out in the small school the Elite had set up by teaching the younger kids maths. 

Robin was just about to step out of the shadows and say 'hi' to Travis when Jeremy came swaggering round the corner, he slung his arm around the younger boys shoulders; presumably they were both on their way to visit Kennis in the workshop. 

There was something about Jeremy that Robin just couldn't put his finger on, he was average height with reddish brown hair and green eyes, he wore black jeans, a tight t-shirt and a black shirt buttoned down with the sleeves rolled up to reveal some black plastic bangles on one of his wrists, on his feet he wore old school vans sneakers.  His electric guitar dangled carelessly from its strap slung over one shoulder. 

Although Kennis had been friends with Jeremy since high school and Robin couldn't find fault with his work as a building's constructor and repairman for the Elite there was just something that stopped him from liking the guy and it wasn't just that Kennis fancied him rotten. 

As the two boys disappeared from view Robin stepped out from his hiding place behind the hen house and began the long trudge along the farm road and back to his office.