Chapter 10:

Trey looked frantically around him at the group of Ecos. Where was Rain? Panic began to overtake him. His sister was in danger, somehow he knew it. How far he had come since leaving the Technos…In his old tribe such feeling, such reaction, would have been unacceptable. Panic was something that Mega never allowed; family was irrelevant and emotions were something to be stamped out.

Suddenly his eyes focused on a single person standing on the fringes of the crowd before him. Patch. The look in his eyes mirrored Trey's own. They were filled with worry, fear…and love. Patch and his sister, how had this happened? She was happily married…at least he had thought she was happily married. But then, this was Rain. She had always had a knack for getting into trouble in the worst ways. After all, she had joined up with Ebony and the Locos.

Tearing his gaze away from Patch, Trey began to make his way back through the crowd toward the entrance to the little fort. He had to find his sister.

"Wait…Trey…Wait," Amber yelled as she trailed behind him.

"What," he said exasperatedly without turning to face her.

"Where do you think you're going? Are you just going to run off into the forest? It's not safe."

"Exactly, it's not safe. And my sister is out there, so that's where I'm going," Trey replied calmly.

"Well, then I'm going with you," said Amber stubbornly.

"No, absolutely not; Hawk would skin me alive," Trey responded strongly.

"First of all, Hawk would never do such a thing, he's a man of peace, not a brutal Techno," Trey rolled his eyes as she continued, "Second, he doesn't care that much about me, he's throwing me out of the tribe, so I don't think he'll care overly much if I leave a bit early."

"You are not coming with me and that is final."

"The last time I checked you were not in charge of what I do," Amber countered.

Trey shook his head in frustration. This was the most exasperating woman he had ever met. "The last time I checked you had a child to care for, so I think it's best if you stayed behind."

"Trey," Amber began again.

"Amber!" Trey yelled at her in earnest this time. How was he to get her to see reason?

"Excuse me," came a voice from behind them.

They both turned as one to see Patch standing a few feet away. "I'm going to find Rain."

"Patch," Trey began.

"No!" Patch cut him off, "Don't try to talk me out of it. I'm going. I don't care if either of you go with me, but I'm going."

"What about Paddy?" Amber questioned.

"Mouse and her family are going to look after her. They'll take little Bray too if you want to come along."

Trey rolled his eyes heavenward then looked back at the two Mallrats. The looks of determination that greeted him told him that it was time to give in. "Fine, I'll go gather some supplies and meet you two back here in five minutes."

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"What was that?" Hawk said quietly, turning to look towards the edge of the clearing.

"Hurry, Hawk," Bear said urgently. "We need to get out of here quickly."

"I thought I heard something," Hawk replied.

"Just help me with this so we can get going."

"Bear, be silent," Hawk ordered quietly. His friend immediately went still and together they began to creep through the underbrush. There, through the trees was a group of women…armed women and they appeared to be leading a prisoner.

Panic and fear gripped Hawk's heart as he watched the scene unfold before him. There, bound and gagged and being pulled along by a rope tied around her wrists, was his wife…Rain.