They trooped in single file and two by two, the group of Mallrats who were checking out the hotel. Mouse and Sammy excitedly led them, an equally excited Brady pulling Trudy along behind her. May and Siva followed, laughing at the antics of the children and the indulgent young mother. Amber was next, carrying Bray and chatting with Jay. Jack and Ebony were just behind them, Jack's arm encircling Ebony's burgeoning waist as he eyed the equipment displayed around them. Ellie brought up the rear, snapping photos and taking notes on her little pad.
"…And this is the monitoring room, as you can tell by the monitors." Mega tried to make a small joke. Trudy smiled at him, encouragingly and he continued. "From here we track all of the cameras we have up in the City, from the market to just before the forest." The Techno commander pressed buttons on the console, changing the views on the monitors to show the areas he had mentioned.
"Oooh look, a fight!" Sammy exclaimed, pointing at the screen showing the activity at the market.
"What?" Mega turned and Jay stopped talking to Amber, their attentions focused on the screen. They saw Lex and Pride, along with several militia members, defending themselves against a mob. The Sheriff and Gaian were back-to-back, moving in a circle, keeping attackers in sight at all times.
Siva gasped. "Lex!" She gripped Jay's arm, putting her full weight against him as her knees buckled. He grabbed her just before she fell to the ground.
'We've got to get them back up and out of there, now!" He looked over at Mega, who nodded, his hand going up to his earpiece as he gave instructions to his men.
"Siva!" Ebony ran to her side, Jack just behind her.
"Let me get her." Jack said. Jay gave him a wary glance, but saw the look in the shorter boy's eyes the one that declared at least a temporary ceasing of the animosity between them. They worked quickly; and somehow in the tangle of arms, Jack lifted Siva into his arms as Jay let go of her. Jay led the way to the rooms, Jack and Ebony following closely.
"Is Siva going to be okay?" Mouse asked fearfully, looking up at Trudy.
"Sure she is sweetie, she just had a bit of a shock." Amber responded, kneeling by the young girl. "Once she has had a little lie-down, she will be as good as new."
"That's right, Mouse; Siva's going to be fine." Trudy added.
"And what about Lex and Pride?" The little girl's eyes filled with tears.
"Don't worry about them; they're kicking butt." Sammy nodded his head at the screen. He was not wrong. It appeared that the tide of the fight had turned, many fighters having fled when they heard the Techno sirens approaching, and the others falling underneath the skills of Lex, Pride and the militia. Just as Lex was planting a face-kick to an assailant, the image changed, showing instead the pool of the hotel.
"Aw, what happened to the picture?"
"Well the monitors aren't stationary. We have less of them than cameras, so the shots rotate," Mega replied.
"Phooey! It was just getting good." Sammy whined.
Trudy threw Mega a grateful glance over the heads of the children before declaring, "I think this tour is officially over, don't you Amb?"
"Definitely. Let's go home." She stood, taking hold of Mouse's hand."
"C'mon, Sammy, we are leaving." The young boy pouted, but followed.
"Just a minute." The group paused, turning to face Mega. "I don't know how safe the streets are right now. Let me send you with an escort." He looked behind him. "Q, Chip, escort our guests back to the mall."
The tall afro-ed Techno nodded, as did the red-hair pigtailed girl at his side. He took the lead of the group and Chip walked at the rear, a two-man team, so to speak.
Mega followed them to the entrance, seeing them off. He stoically watched as they left the building, but became uneasy when he saw them stop a short while later. His heart skipped a beat when he saw Trudy hand Brady off to May and turn around, heading back in his direction. She ran over to him, stopping a foot away from him. He silently asked her what was the matter and she moved, stepping in close to him, throwing her arms around his neck and pulling his head down for a kiss. He just stood there at first, too surprised to respond, but very quickly got into the moment slipping his arm around her waist and pulling her close.
A long moment later, Trudy pulled back, her eyes slightly glazed. She was gratified to see that Mega had a similar stunned expression on his face. She stepped out of his grasp, placing one finger on his lips before turning and running back to the little troop heading back to the mall. She blushed when Mouse and Sammy began the inevitable teasing, joined by May and Amber as well. But their good-natured teasing couldn't wipe the smile from her face and as she snuggled Brady close to her, she sent up a prayer of thanks for this second chance at love.
Ellie furtively moved around the hotel, stopping when she found the room she was looking for, a room that had not been on the tour they had received earlier. For a moment, she felt a twinge of guilt, but quickly threw it from her mind. This just goes to show just how much attention everyone pays to me, doesn't it? If they paid me any regard, then I would not have the chance to be here. It's their own fault! This thought dominating her thoughts, she gently turned the knob, opening the door slowly. She already had a story formulated for if someone stopped her. She was just looking for the ladies' room and got a little lost; clichéd but plausible. She opened the door all the way and found the room empty of Techno personnel, but filled with so much more.
There were maps hanging on the walls with pushpins for sites of attacks. There had been two smaller incidents since the explosion two weeks ago. There was a model of the City on the table, with little numbers on it for each sector, also reflecting the sites of the attacks. Ellie pulled out her camera, taking pictures of everything she could. As she moved around the table, her skirt brushed against a sheaf of papers, knocking several to the floor. She bent to pick them up, absently scanning the pages. Her attention was caught when she saw that they were reports of the attacks. One word jumped out at her again and again.
"Who the heck are the Marajav and why do they have a hard-on for the City?" Ellie asked herself.
"That's what we have been trying to figure out, and it would help if you kept this under your hat until we have some answers."
Ellie spun around. "Jay, uh I was looking for the bathroom?"
"Well, it's not in here, now is it?" He crossed his arms over his chest and raised a brow at her.
She became defensive. "Well, you have no right to keep this information from the City."
"Right, instead we should give them incomplete information and incite panic. Much better plan; I don't know why we didn't go with that one."
"You have a name for these wackos. You could at least share that." She raised her chin defiantly.
"And lose the only element that we have to discern true tips from the crazies who just want some attention? I don't think so."
"So you're just going to keep all this from the public?" Ellie got close to Jay, standing toe to toe with him.
He leaned down, his face inches from his. "Yes."
"Arrgh!" She screamed in frustration, throwing her hands up in the air. "You are the most self-righteous, pig-headed, arrogant…umph!"
Jay cut off her words by the simple but effective means of a kiss. He lifted his head, "overbearing, secretive…" he lowered his head again, silencing her once more. He slanted his mouth on hers, deepening the kiss until she softened against him, making mewling sounds into his mouth. He lifted his head, looking down at her.
She stared back for a couple of seconds, but then came back to herself, wrenching herself from his embrace. She smoothed her hair with shaking hands, before clasping them together tightly at her waist, as if she didn't trust them not to stray.
"Fine, I won't go public with this Marajav stuff, yet. But I still think the City has a right to know. I will hold this for two weeks and not a moment more. If you haven't found out anything by then, then maybe you guys just are the ones for the job. Until then, I suggest you stay out of my way and I will stay out of yours. We won't speak of this—this aberration ever. Amber is unstable enough as it is, goodness knows what this could do to her."
Jay opened his mouth to speak, but Ellie forestalled him, holding up a palm. "I don't want to hear it Jay; you're not going to change my mind."
She brushed past him on her way to the door, spinning when her grabbed her arm and whipped her around.
He held her gaze, piercing her with his hazel eyes.
She pulled her arm from his grasp. "Face it, Jay. There's nothing there." She stomped out of the room.
He stared after her. "Don't bet on it, Ellie."