Chapter 12
They had been walking through the city for what seemed like forever. There wasn't a living soul around. The whole city seemed like it was deserted and a thick odor hung in the air. They continued to travel towards the Mall in hopes that their friends might still be there. Cloe tightened her grip on Ved's hand as the knot in her stomach tightened.
Something bad has happened here. Something bad always happens here.
Lex and Ebony slipped into a barn losing the Guards once again. At least they hoped they had. Ebony peeked nervously through a crack in the wall to see if they had really lost their pursuers.
"Chill. We're safe." Said Lex as he flopped down on to a pile of hay. A beam of light came from the other side of the barn. They jerked around to see man standing in a doorway. He looked like he had rolled around in a pigpen. He was absolutely filthy.
"What do you want?" shouted Ebony defensively.
"To get you out of my barn and back where you belong." His face remained stern but he had a hint of smart aleky-ness in his voice.
"And where do we belong?" asked Lex.
"Back at the dorm. Come on I'll give you a ride. Dinner is soon."
Lex got up and headed towards the exit.
"What the hell are you doing?" Ebony asked Lex.
"Going to eat. I'm hungry and tired," said Lex defiantly.
"You don't even know who this guy is."
"The name is Ian. Just come on it's a long hike back."
Ebony huffed at Lex.
"I better go and make sure this guy doesn't try and take advantage of you Lex." Said Ebony snottily. Lex just snorted at her. Out side the barn was a wooden cart with three donkeys harnessed to it.
"Meet my girls: Clara, Gina and Lola." Said Ian as he walked up and patted one of the donkeys on the nose.
Tears ran down Cloe's face. She had been calling out for her friends for the past five minutes. The three of them were standing around the fountain at the Phoenix mall. They found the grate left open and the place was trashed. Worst of all there was no sign of the Mallrats or where they might be.
"I think we should head back to camp," said Phillip. He had come to City with Cloe and Ved in hopes of finding his brother but now he was sure that he was dead.
"That's probably best," said Ved putting an arm around Cloe. Cloe took her sleeve and wiped the tears off her face.
"Can I see if Mr. Bear is here though?" Cloe asked. Ved smiled.
"Yeah, I'd like to see him again too."
The donkeys pulled the cart up to the Pasteur dorms. Ebony and Lex jumped out of the cart on to the ground. Lourdes walked up to them and Ian.
"I see you've met some of our guests Ian." Said Lourdes.
"Yeah, Just dropping them off for dinner." He replied. Lex glanced at Ebony uneasily.
"You must be starving. It's been a long day eh?" Lourdes said knowingly to Lex. He stood firm.
"Yeah starved."
"Well I was just on my way to see Amber. Ian why don't you come in so I can introduce you to the rest of our guests?" Said Lourdes turning to Ian.
"Sure" said Ian and climbed off the cart.
Upstairs all the Mall Rats were sitting around eating the meal brought to them by the Linuans. Lourdes walked in with Ian, Ebony, and Lex behind her.
"Well look what the cat dragged in," sneered Ram. Ruby who sat next to Ram looked up from her food to see whom he was talking too. Lourdes smiled sweetly at Ram.
"Hello all" she said merrily. Ebony rolled her eyes. This chick is just too much.
"This is Ian," she said gesturing towards him. "And he's offered to give you all a tour of the campus tomorrow." Ian raised his eyebrows at her but then decided against making a scene.
"Yeah I thought you might want to get out here." He said looking at no one in particular.
"That'd be nice" Said Trudy getting up from her seat and clearing her plate.
"Well then I see you tomorrow said Ian as he headed towards the door.
"Wait for me Ian. I need to speak to Amber for a minute." Said Lourdes walking over to Amber's table. "Amber I'm sorry I standing you up today. Is tomorrow morning alright?"
"Yes of course." Said Amber.
"Then see you tomorrow. Have fun on your tour." She said as she left with Ian. Lourdes climbed into the cart with Ian.
"Did it ever occur to you that I might have plans tomorrow?" Said Ian as the cart started to move.
"Oh shut up. You owe me." Lourdes replied gruffly.
"Ha! For what?"
"Putting up with you. That's what."
The Cart drove over the bridge that crossed the river and up a dirt road. Ian stopped the cart in front of a square cottage size building. Lourdes jumped out started towards it.
"Night" Called Ian as he headed back towards the bridge.
Mostly everyone had dispersed from the evening meal. Amber walked over to the table where Ebony and Lex were still eating. Ebony stiffened. Oh great here comes Amber to tell us off.
"Where have you guys been all day?" asked Amber pulling up a seat at their table.
"Around" Said Lex in the middle of a big bite of food.
"As in…..?" Said Amber probing for more details.
"Amber just cut the crap. We don't need a lecture from you." Said Ebony with pure venom in her voice.
Amber sighed and let her body droop a little bit.
"Ebony I'm not here to lecture. I want to know what you've seen. You might have seen something important or useful." Said a pleading Amber.
"Whatever" Ebony replied. Her and Lex told Amber about their adventure.
Lourdes walked into her small home and kicked off her shoes. She walked into the den and found Luke sprawled out on the couch with a book.
"Hey there" he said softly and sat up. Lourdes plopped down on the couch next to him and laid her head on his chest. Luke wrapped his arms around her. "Long day?" he asked as he stroked her hair.
"Yeah" She sighed. "An uprising at one of the outposts. But everything's fine now." She said as she placed a kiss on his mouth.
Later that Night….
She quietly padded down the dark hall as to not wake anyone up. She quietly turned the knob and walked into the bedroom. Some light shined in the window from outside. Only one of the beds had a lump in it. She climbed onto the bed and the lump stirred.
"Ebony?" said Lex groggily but was silenced by Ebony's lips as she pulled him into a deep kiss.