"Why are you here?" was the first thing anyone said. And that was Amber.

The girl sighed, green eyes looking around. Lex spoke for her, "She's here to help with the Mega problem. I figured we need at least one more person who's good with technology and whatnot."

"How do you know she's any good with that sort of thing?" Jay asked. Lex smiled slightly. "Jack?"

Jack looked up, "Yeah?"

"How good do you think our friend here is about technology?"

Jack smiled. "Well, um, she was there when I, uh, learned it all, I mean, well, when she taught it to me."

Jay stared at her. "She taught Jack?"

"More or less," Jack said. Amber sat back in her chair. "Why would she help us?"

Lex opened his mouth, but the girl beat him to it. "Well, I'm definitely not helping Mega, if that's what you're worried about."

Lex smiled. "Yeah, give the girl some credit."

"Does she have a name?" Salene asked, only slightly intoxicated.

"Katelyn…" Jack said, staring at her. "Kate," Kate said, not looking at him. No one said anything. Kate stood up.

"Well, if anyone need's me, I'll be…" she waved her hand, "around."

"Actually," Lex said, "We're going back to Liberty."

"We are?"

Lex didn't look at her. "I have to go meet Ram and tell him about what's going on in the city, make sure Ebony hasn't taken over Liberty, and to make sure that Ruby and Slade haven't killed each other."

And she's going with you?" Jay asked.

Lex nodded. "Ram's having trouble figuring out this new program."

Everyone seemed to understand. Lex started out towards the door and Kate followed. She turned around. "Nice meeting you all…"

The Mall Rats smiled graciously.

Only until after they were gone did Trudy speak. "I don't like this…"

Jay sighed. "Don't like what?"

"I don't know…this whole idea of using Kate to help with the technology and everything…"


Lex began to walk faster. He wanted to get to Liberty before night.

"I don't think they liked me," Kate said out loud. Lex looked over his shoulder at her, his hair falling over his shoulder.

His eyes scanned her body. She wore a long green moss colored skirt that barely touched the ground and a black and green top. Her clothes admitted she hadn't been in the city long. Clothes like her long skirt could be tied up to her knees, but pants or something else would be more suitable for the city. Her long brown hair had streaks of blue in it and it was pulled back from her face and tied in the back, the rest fell down her back.

"The don't usually take well to strangers I pick up."

"That's funny, I heard that you don't like people too well and I think you're fine. And you didn't 'pick me up' "

Lex smiled, knowing she wouldn't see it. "Well, I sort of did, in their opinion. I don't make too many friends, so they probably figured you were a prostitute."

Kate stopped. "Excuse me?"

Lex turned. "I'm sorry."

She rolled her eyes. "No you're not."

She walked ahead of him, quickly. He ran to her. "You don't know where you're going, so I don't think it'd be a good idea for you to lose me."

"I do know where I'm going and it doesn't matter to me if I lose you or not."

"You've been to Liberty before?"

She nodded. "If we're going to Ruby's saloon and Ram, Darryl, Ruby, Ebony, and Slade are there, I know exactly where I'm going."

Lex quickened his pace. "How did you know that Ram was there?"

She shrugged. "Word gets out fast if you know the right people…"

"What are you saying?"

"Well, I know a few people who know about it. But don't worry, they'll only tell if you pay a price."

"What sort of price?"

Kate looked down. "Since when is Ebony at Liberty?"


They were going to reach Liberty just before nightfall. Lex was surprised that Kate led for most of the way. This gave him a chance to watch behind them in case anyone was following them. He kept thinking that he was still wanted and Mega was probably looking for him, just like Ram and Jay. But Ram was 'deleted'.

He wondered why he kept going back to Liberty. At first it was the thought of getting away from the Mall Rats. Then it was keeping people away from Ram. Then it was Siva being there that made him go back. Siva. But now Siva was dead. He could have stopped it. He could have saved her.

It was ironic to him that every girl he loved, Zandra, Tai-San, Siva, all died. He hated that these things happened to him. He always found a way to blame himself. If they had never loved him- if he hadn't loved them, they would still be alive.

If he had never come to the city, never fallen in love, never talked to them, never have seen them smile, never thought about them…they would have still been alive.

His pace slowed and Kate noticed it. She was always glancing over her shoulder and seeing him out of the corner of her eye to make sure he was still there. When she looked again, he was rubbing his eyes, brushing hair out of his eyes. She was sure she saw wetness on his cheek.

Kate didn't say anything. She knew already if she said something, he would get hostile and angry. She thought it best to leave him to his thoughts. She knew about Siva. She had heard it from the same person who gave her the information about Ram. She wished that Lex hadn't lost someone he loved. She didn't know that it was his third.

She took a deep breath and trudged on. As they got closer and Kate was able to see the lights on in the Saloon, Lex walked up to her.

"Let me walk in first, I want to see what sort of commotion is going on," he said.

She nodded. Lex was the type of person who preferred having power and influence but he didn't want to lead. He wasn't a follower either, but no matter what situation happened, he would find a different solution and be off on his own. Only in serious matters did he agree with anyone, and he did that resentfully.

As they neared the door of the Saloon, Lex held out his arm in front of Kate, listening outside. They heard hushed whispers. Lex frowned, trying to make out the voices. Kate already knew that it was Ram and Ruby.

Ruby: "I don't like her…"

Ram: "You shouldn't…it's only natural to hate her…everyone does. Besides, she stole Slade from you…"

"I do not want Slade! And besides, didn't Slade steal Ebony from you?"

Ram chuckled and said, "Oh no, no one can seduce Ebony, SHE seduces them…I'm just interested to see what happens when she's finished with him."

"I wouldn't trust her."

There was a silence. "Neither would I."

Lex walked in, Kate following him. "I'm back," Lex said pointlessly. Ruby rolled her eyes and then spotted Kate. She grinned. "I didn't expect you to be one to follow someone like Lex."

Kate smiled, going to the bar. "Me neither. It just happened we were both heading out this way. Besides, Lex said something about needing my help."

Ram looked at Lex surprised, both angry and bitter. "Lex? Needing someone? Ha, that's a laugh! The last time I saw Lex needing someone was when he was in love with Zandra…. and Tai-San…. and Siva…"

Lex's vision went blurry. All he wanted at the moment was to kill Ram. How dare he say something like that? Ram was still bitter about Siva, but that was no excuse for what he said. Lex turned around and walked out into the night. Ruby was looking down.

She looked up at Ram, who was still smoldering. "That was low, Ram. Even for you."

He shrugged and went back to his drink. He lost Java, and that was all that mattered to him. Sure, Lex had lost Java's sister, Siva, but that wasn't Ram's problem. Maybe Lex even blamed Ram for Siva's death. Ram could have stopped Java. Then both Java and Siva would have been alive. For both either cared, Ebony should be dead.

Ebony caused the stir between the sisters in the beginning, before everyone went to Liberty. Both Lex and Ram hated Ebony and she had been the one to kill Java. If Java hadn't been aiming at Ebony, Siva wouldn't be dead and neither would Java be. Ebony should have been the one to have died. If she died, no one but Slade would have cared, and both Java and Siva would still be alive.

No one moved to comfort Lex. Ruby and Kate knew better than that and Ram wouldn't even think of it.

Lex stood outside, still angry about what Ram had said. He hated Ram. It was just like the beginning. And in the beginning, there was Siva. Actually, it depended on what beginning he thought about. There was Zandra's beginning, Tai-San's, and Siva's. But now there was this, a time without any of them. For the first time, Lex had no one to go to. Not that he needed them, of course, but if he needed, no one was there. This was new.


Hope you liked. I'm not too sure about this one. It might not last. R&R as always s'il vous plait!