Part 24 – Last Call For Sin
"May! Have you seen Salene? I've been looking for her everywhere!"
May looked up slowly and saw Trudy standing before her, a frantic look on her face. May fought the urge to roll her eyes. She hadn't known Trudy long. Her first memory of her was seeing her as Supreme Mother with the Chosen. Even then there had been a slightly unhinged look in her eye. And since she'd come to the Mall the only Trudy she knew was either hysterical or in a complete dazed. It looked like she was having one of her hysterical days today.
May shrugged. "No. What's happened?"
Trudy frowned deeply. "She's— she's upset. We had an argument and I don't know if she's going to do something… drastic."
May titled her head. Maybe Trudy's hysteria was warranted if there really was something up with Salene. "Must've been a serious argument if you're that worried. What was it about?"
Trudy shifted uncomfortably. "Salene wouldn't like me to say. But that's beside the point. I have to find her before—"
May raised an eyebrow. "Before what Trudy? If there's something wrong with Salene, I want to know!" She stepped closer to Trudy and lowered her voice. "Do you… know?"
"Know what?" Trudy asked nonchalantly.
"Trudy… come on. I've noticed how Salene's been acting lately. Hell, everyone has!"
"So?"
"When I first met her, before she brought me to the Mall, I realised something. Something she was keeping a secret from her husband-to-be…"
Trudy's lips parted. "You know?"
"About the baby?" May whispered. "Yes, I know."
Trudy shook her head. "Well then you know she's been hiding it from everyone. The night she told me, Lex overheard her. He threatened to tell Ryan today, and Salene didn't take it very well. I don't know what she's going to do May, she was really upset."
May was about say something when Ryan walked by, looking dazed and very lost. He had something clutched in his hand.
"Ryan?" Trudy asked tentatively.
Ryan looked up. "She's gone. Salene's gone."
"What?" May exclaimed.
She and Trudy looked at each other simultaneously. Trudy went to Ryan, a compassionate look on her face. "How do you know?"
Ryan held out the piece of paper in his hand. "Because she left me a note. A note! She couldn't even tell me to my face!" he cried, his tone a painful mixture of anger and devastation.
Trudy looked the note and read it aloud softly.
Ryan,
I don't know how to say this. It isn't easy, believe me. It's part of the reason I can't say it to you in person. I've wanted to tell you so much since we got married, but I just couldn't. Ryan, I haven't felt the same about you in a long time. I've been living a lie staying married to you, and I can't do it anymore. I want both of us to be happy, and neither of us will be if we go on like this.
It's over Ryan, our marriage is over. I hope you can forgive me for telling you like this in a letter, you don't deserve it. And I don't deserve you. You are a loving and kind man, and you'll find someone who's your equal. But that someone isn't me. It never has been. I sincerely hope that you will still be one of my best friends, just like you were in the old days, before Eagle Mountain, before all of this craziness started.
I had to tell you this in a letter Ryan, because I'm leaving. I'm leaving this mall, and I going to try and find some kind of peace. I've felt so claustrophobic, so unhappy here recently. Lex will probably tell you something, a secret I've been keeping. Maybe he's told you already. It's true Ryan, it's true. And I know you'll be even more worried about me now. Don't be. I swear I will take good care of myself. And I'll come back as soon as I can.
Please forgive me for hurting you Ryan,
Love, Salene
Trudy finished the letter, and looked at Ryan mournfully. "Oh Ryan. I'm so sorry."
"Why? Why did she do this? Why didn't she just tell me she was unhappy?" Ryan exclaimed.
"She didn't want to hurt you!"
"Well she did! She hurt me more than you can imagine!" Ryan snapped.
Trudy was silent, and she and May exchanged worried glances.
"Maybe you should go and chill out Ryan. Take a couple of hours to think about this," May suggested.
"No! I can't! She said something about a secret that Lex is going to tell me," Ryan said. "What's she talking about? Do you know Trudy? She must've told you something."
Trudy paused, and sighed heavily. "Ryan… Salene's pregnant."
Ryan said nothing for a very long time, he didn't even blink. "What?" he finally asked.
"She's having a baby Ryan, your baby," May said.
"And it's been killing her to keep it a secret, but she didn't know what to do! She was unhappy before she found out about the baby, and it just made her more confused," Trudy explained.
"Oh my God… I pushed her away with my worrying and my fussing. I made it worse! And now she's gone, and my baby's gone with her."
"She'll come back Ryan." Trudy placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure of it."
After few awkward moments, all three flinched as they heard shouting and commotion downstairs in the Mall.
"What the heck is happening now?" May asked under her breath.
She walked off and Trudy followed her. Ryan didn't go with them. He went the other way, to think about what had just happened and what he was going to do now. May and Trudy walked down the stairs and stood at the railing where the steps split to the left and right.
"What's going on?" Trudy asked.
Bray, Lex, Jack, Ellie and KC stood by the fountain, all looking harassed and worried.
"We've got a killer on the premises," Lex said, sending Bray a dark look.
"What?" Trudy paled and felt a horrible, icy coldness wash over her.
"There's a Loco down in the car lot attacking a girl. Jack saw it on the surveillance TV. We think it's the person who's been killing girls in the City," Bray explained.
"You said he'd been found!" May cried.
"And he got his information from Spike," Jack pointed out wryly.
"So he lied," Trudy stated breathlessly.
"Yeah, he lied. And right now a girl is in danger!" Ellie shouted. "You guys need to get down there now!"
Bray nodded. "You and me, Lex?"
"Let's move."
"Be careful Bray!" Trudy shouted after him.
Lex and Bray started off to the exit, leaving the rest of them behind, fearful and worried.
"One of us should go with them," KC said shaking his head.
"Who? You?" Ellie snorted. "Right, that Loco would knock you flat in a second. And what can the rest of us do against a Loco?"
They were all silent.
"Look, one thing we can do is watch them on the surveillance TV back in the shop!" Jack said.
Trudy followed the group back to Jack's shop, a terrible sense of foreboding building inside her.
Spike cautiously looked around the parking lot. He wasn't familiar with it and had no idea what area that camera was in. He suddenly heard a muffled cry echo and saw the back of the Loco as he stood up from behind a burnt out car. Spike quickly ducked behind a pillar. He paused for a few moments and then peered around. He could see no one. He got down on his hands and knees, and looked under the car, which was about thirty feet away. He could vaguely see that two people were on the ground behind it.
Spike stood up straight and stealthily made his way across the parking lot, making sure his boots did not echo on the concrete. As he neared the shell of the car, he could hear the sounds of the girl putting up a very strong fight. The Loco was hissing and swearing, and Spike heard more than a few unpleasant sounds which told him he was hitting her.
Spike finally arrived at the car, completely unnoticed. The Loco had his back to him. He was sitting on top of the girl, pinning her to the concrete, but the girl got a clear view of Spike as he came to stand behind them. She couldn't have been more than fifteen or sixteen, and certainly looked a little worse for wear. A huge gash on her forehead was trickling blood down the side of her already bruised face. Her eyes went wide as she saw Spike, but he put a finger to his lips quickly and shook his head.
The girl remained silent. Spike took the opportunity to pull his baton from his waist, and he raised it over his head, ready to strike the Loco. But just then, the sound of boots pounding against the parking lot concrete alerted the Loco, and he looked around. He saw Spike… and Spike saw him. It was Jax.
"Jax… you goddamn idiot!" Spike exclaimed, not able to comprehend that it was one of his most trusted men.
"What the— Get out of here Spike!" Jax spat.
At that moment, Bray and Lex came running around the burnt out car. Spike rolled his eyes and swore under his breath. He would have been able to handle this just fine if they hadn't made such a noise and alerted Jax.
"Helping your buddy?" Lex asked Spike, a triumphant smile on his face.
"No, I was trying to help this girl, but you oafs had to run in here acting the heroes, didn't you?" Spike yelled.
"Jack saw him on the surveillance TV," Bray informed Spike. "Next time, do a better vandalism job."
Spike ignored him and looked at Jax, who was looking at them all with unbridled disgust obvious on his face.
"Jax… just give it up and get away from the girl," Spike advised.
"What?" Jax uttered, only tightening his grip on the her. "We're Locos Spike, we stick together! You're on my side, you have to be!"
"No I don't Jax," Spike shook his head. "I came down here to stop you."
"Sure you did," Lex muttered.
While Jax was distracted, the girl took the opportunity to try and push him off of her. She almost succeeded, but Jax turned around and grabbed her by the hair, pounding her head on the ground. The dull thump of her skull against the concrete met the ears of the men surrounding her. Jax just smiled, while the other three cringed.
Bray stepped forward, unable to deal with just standing by at the sight of such wanton barbarity. "Let her go, right now," he said in a surprisingly dangerous tone.
Jax shot him a disbelieving look and smirked. "You don't scare me, neither of you pretty boys do!" he said, looking derisively at Lex, and then back at Bray.
"Let her go Jax!" Spike said, echoing Bray's words.
"This is ridiculous! Just take them out Spike!" Jax exclaimed.
Spike shook his head. "Let her go, or I'll take you out."
"You wouldn't dare," Jax breathed.
"Really?" Spike asked. "Why do you think I have this in my hand?" He lifted up the baton he was holding. "I was ready to knock you out Jax, regardless of the fact that you're a Loco."
Jax realised then that it was true, that Spike wouldn't be backing him up… and that he was completely outnumbered. He squared his jaw, obviously furious. He glared at the girl beneath him darkly. She just looked back at him, appearing very dazed, and on the verge of passing out. Jax gritted his teeth, and yanked a knife from his belt. He moved from straddling her to kneeling on the concrete in a second. He then grabbed her around the neck and pulled her back against him, pressing the knife to her throat.
"You don't want to do that," Spike intoned softly, gripping his baton even more tightly.
"This is pathetic. There are three of us, and one of him!" Lex exclaimed. "Let's just take him!"
"I wouldn't do that if I were you, not if you don't want me to splatter this girl's insides all over the parking lot!" Jax shouted.
Spike, Lex and Bray looked at one another, and knew he was serious.
Spike stepped forward. "Jax, the Militia will be back any time now," he said reasonably. "Let her go now and you'll get the chance to escape before they get here."
"The hell we will!" Lex snorted.
"No, we will," Bray insisted, looking at Spike and catching on. "You'll have a huge head start… but only if you start running now."
Jax looked insulted. "I shouldn't have to run! I'm a Loco! We have every right to do what we please! We own this city! Spike! Come on, you're our lieutenant! You believe in power and chaos just as much as I do! This kid is nothing to you! Nothing! Don't turn against me for her."
"I'm not turning against you for her Jax. I'm turning against you because you've betrayed the very tribe you're saying you're so proud to belong to," Spike replied stoically.
Jax's eyes flared. "I have not betrayed the Locos! I never would! You are the betrayer Spike! You should be protecting me from these morons and their self-righteous judgment, not joining them!"
"I did try to protect you!" Spike yelled, all of his calm authority slipping from him.
He was angry now, livid almost. He'd put himself on the line. He'd lied to Ebony, to his tribe, to the Mallrats, to everyone to protect the Loco that was killing so many girls in the City. And here the killer was, Jax, one of his closest friends, and he was accusing Spike of being the betrayer?
Spike shook his head, and gritted his teeth. "This ends now," he intoned.
He shot a sidelong glance at Bray, hoping he got what he was planning to do. He moved forward a quarter of an inch, barely noticeable, and then… he lunged for Jax. Jax recoiled immediately, standing up and dragging the half-conscious girl with him. Spike tried to knock him from his feet by hitting his legs with the baton, but Jax just growled at the pain, and pressed the knife into the girl's throat. A thin trickle of blood slid down her collarbone.
Bray lurched forward and grabbed the arm Jax had across her torso. In the scuffle, Jax stabbed the girl in the shoulder with the knife before Bray was able to wrestle it from him. The girl let out a sharp strangled cry of pain as Jax dropped her in order to fight the men advancing on him.
"Lex, get her out of here!" Bray shouted.
Lex looked annoyed that he couldn't join in the fight, but sighed, and went to the girl anyway. Reaching out, he pushed her dark locks aside to see her face. It was covered in cuts and bruises, most prominent being the gash on her brow and a worsening black eye. Her eyes fluttered and she moaned a little, muttering something. He couldn't hear what it was. Looking over the rest of her body, he noticed other injuries, as well as her torn clothing. Her top was ripped straight down the middle revealing a good deal of skin.
Lex picked up a torn remnant of the top from the ground and pressed it to her bleeding shoulder.
"Here, hold this," he told her, but she just groaned. "Hold it there unless you want to bleed to death!" His sharp voice seemed to jolt her, and she pressed the material to her shoulder.
Lex slid his arms under her and picked her up. He looked at the fight playing out between Spike, Bray and Jax. It was getting ugly. Already Bray had been stabbed in the lower abdomen. He was still fighting, so it was probably just a shallow cut, but Lex could still see plenty of blood seeping through his shirt. Lex turned to go back into the Mall with the girl and see if he could rustle up some help. Ryan, or Alice maybe.
But he wouldn't need to it turned out. He saw Ebony and four Locos coming toward them.
"You better move it. It's not pretty over there. Bray's been stabbed, and so has she," Lex said, gesturing to the girl.
Ebony, despite the fact that the girl in Lex's arms looked to be at death's door, seemed infinitely more alarmed when he mentioned Bray's injury. She ordered her Locos to subdue Jax immediately. She, meanwhile, rushed to Bray as Spike and the other men fought Jax. Bray leaned against the shell of the burnt out car, and curved an arm around his injured stomach. Ebony was by his side in an instant, pulling his other arm over her shoulder and supporting him.
"Come on, lean on me," she instructed.
Bray did so, and slowly walked with her.
The Locos pushed by with Jax who was struggling viciously. Axl had taken Jax's knife, and slid it into his own belt.
"What do we do with him?" he asked.
"Put him in the cage in the basement," Bray rasped. "It's got a deadbolt and the basement door is steel. He'll never get out."
Axl and the Locos walked off with Jax, who was shouting at the top of his voice.
"How did you know we were here?" Lex asked Ebony.
"Half the tribe were huddled up inside Jack's shop watching you guys fight," Ebony said derisively. "They wouldn't even come out and help. Nothing but a bunch of frightened little rabbits."
"What did you expect Ebony? For little kids, and women with babies to take care of to come rushing out here? The guy had a knife to this girl's throat," Bray pointed out. "Speaking of, is she okay?"
Lex looked down at the girl in his arms, but found she'd passed out. "She's unconscious."
"Are you sure she's not dead?" Ebony snorted.
Bray reached out and check for a pulse on the girl's wrist. "No, she's alive. But we'd better get her inside and tend to those wounds."
Bray, supported by Ebony followed the Locos inside the Mall, and so did Lex, cradling the unconscious girl in his arms.
That evening in the Mall was tense and unnaturally quiet. Once Jax had been detained in the basement, the whole Mall was deemed dangerous, so all of the kids had been sent with Alice and Dal to the farm once again. They seemed to be spending most of their time there nowadays, much to their chagrin, but it was the safest place for them. No one wanted any of them getting hurt should Jax escape. Without their noise and chatter, the Mall felt empty.
As they all by now knew, Salene had run away, and Ryan was nowhere to be seen. He had presumably gone looking for her, or wanted to be alone. Though the tribe were worried about Salene, especially since the news of her pregnancy was now common knowledge, they had no one to spare to go and look for her. May had already left in a huff to go and search though, so hopefully she would find her.
Java meanwhile was nowhere to be seen. She had left early that morning, saying that she was hoping to catch up with some old friends in the City. She knew nothing of the commotion and action that had happened in the Mall that day. Solaris too had gone out to see her old friend from the Mosquitoes. They were in for a shock whenever they came back anyway.
The Jane Doe that was Jax's would-be victim was still unconscious, and laid out in the lingerie shop, Zandra's old room. Tai-San had had the job of tending to the girl's more serious injuries first, and went to clean up Bray's wound afterwards— on his insistence. Trudy was now watching over the girl, and Tai-San was with Bray, seeing how much damage Jax had done.
Brady and Micah were causing havoc in Jack's shop, much to Jack's annoyance, but Ellie was keeping them happy with milk and biscuits and would probably be taking care of them for the rest of the night.
And Danni, she was dealing with the new crisis alone in Bray's absence. She stood in front of a table, staring at the few people in the near empty café. Just Spike, Lex and Ebony were present. The Militia were all down in the basement, including Axl and Milton, so that left only three people that had witnessed what happened in the parking lot – and not one of them was very trustworthy. But right now, they were the only people who could tell her what had happened.
"So it was Jax. It was Jax all along," Danni said softly, pacing.
"What's your point?" Ebony asked in a bored tone.
"He was one of your men! How could you not have known it was him?" Danni demanded, placing her hands down hard on the table before her.
"I can't keep track of what thirty some guys do in their own time!" Ebony exclaimed.
Spike sat silently in the corner, staring at the floor, Bray's blood still staining the front of his Loco uniform. Lex sat on the opposite side of the café from him, his own clothes stained with blood too, that of the young girl's. At Ebony's exclamation Lex's head snapped in Spike's direction, a finger pointed accusingly.
"He knew!" he said menacingly. "He knew all along!"
Danni arched an eyebrow at Spike. "What?"
Spike rolled his eyes and raised his head. "I didn't know 'all along'. I found out the truth just before I told Bray we'd found the killer."
"Why did you lie?" Danni asked in an icy cold tone.
She seemed almost overly calm to everyone in the café, it was slightly eerie. For her though, it was the only way to keep herself from shattering completely. When everyone had been fearfully watching the drama unfold on the surveillance TV, she had still been with Micah in her room, reading to him in hopes of lulling him to sleep. He had just nodded off when she had heard panicked cries and commotion down in the Mall.
When she'd run out, and seen Bray covered in blood, Danni had felt like she was moving under water. Everything around her had looked like it was moving in slow motion. She had felt like she hadn't been able to get to him quick enough, whereas in reality it had taken just a few seconds for her to reach his side.
Bray, while completely lucid and conscious, was weakened by his blood loss, and had been leaning on Ebony for support. In fact, Ebony hadn't let anyone else near him as she had laid him on a bench and put pressure on his wound. Danni had stood by, feeling like a complete outsider, as Ebony had tended to her boyfriend.
But was he even her boyfriend anymore? Danni felt uncertainty creeping into her as she remembered what she'd said to Bray just before he'd left her room. Would she have said that if she had known that straight afterwards he was going to get injured?
"Why did you lie?" Danni asked Spike again, more sharply.
"Because before Jax was part of this Militia, before I was, we were Locos. And that meant something. It meant that I wasn't going to betray one of my own."
"How touching," Lex commented.
"And convenient," Danni agreed, nodding.
"I did what I had to," Spike said simply, ignoring their derision. "But it doesn't matter now, does it? He's been caught— and don't forget that I helped."
"Oh please Spike. Don't act all noble on us now," Ebony scoffed at him. She looked at Danni and Lex distastefully. "And don't you two condemn me along with him. He was in this alone."
Spike looked at her irately. "Only because you were too much of a stuck-up cow to listen to me! I tried to tell you that the killer was a Loco, and you wouldn't listen!"
Danni sent Ebony an accusing look. "Is this true?"
"He's full of it!" Ebony insisted. "He knows he messed up, and now he's looking for someone else to share the blame!"
"You treacherous little liar," Spike hissed.
Ebony just shot him an unpleasant smile. "Find another scapegoat Spike."
Spike looked truly disgusted with her, his lip curling and a hard, cold look in his eye. Danni wondered at the legendary Loco allegiance then. There seemed to be no such loyalty between Ebony and Spike. She had turned away from her deputy at the first chance, and he hadn't seemed to want her support anyway.
"There's no point arguing about this."
The four of them looked up at the sound of the thin voice. Bray stood in front of them, Tai-San by his side.
"Bray! You should be resting!" Danni exclaimed.
"I'm fine. It's just a scratch Danni. Tai-San bandaged it all up."
Tai-San looked at him doubtfully. "All the same Bray, some rest will do you good."
Bray shook his head. "We're in the middle of a crisis. I need to be here. End of discussion."
Danni nodded reluctantly and watched Bray slowly walk to a chair and sit down heavily in it, wincing with pain. Tai-San sat opposite him.
"We need to decide what to do about Jax," he said softly, wrapping an arm around his abdomen.
"What we do with every criminal. We put him on trial," Danni said simply.
"Trial?" Ebony said scornfully. "And what laws have you written up for murderers Danni? What can we do to punish him? Send him into exile? Yeah right— he'll just keep on killing in another city. Or what about execution? Will that fit in with your noble ideals?"
Danni eyed her coolly. "I don't know. I guess we'll have to assemble a jury. A jury comprised not only of Mallrats, but people from tribes all over the City. They'll sit in judgment of your Loco betrayer, and they'll decide what justice will be done."
Bray nodded. "I think that's the best course of action."
Ebony stood up, incredulous at their stupidity. "You can't bring other tribes in here to decide what happens to him! How will they ever respect Loco authority again when they find out Jax is a killer? How will they ever believe the Mallrats when they find out you put your trust in a killer?" she shouted. "It's a lose lose situation for both my tribe and yours!"
"It's what has to be done Ebony!" Bray said firmly. "How can we ask other tribes to be honest and admit when they're wrong if we won't? This will come out one way or another if we don't do this, and the repercussions will be much worse."
Ebony shook her head, fuming. "This is suicide!"
"Worried about your reputation Ebony?" Spike asked, smirking. "Worried people will realise that you've totally lost your touch? That you had a killer right under your nose and never even realised?"
Ebony laughed harshly. "And what about you? Did you forget that if Jax goes on trial, you do too? You lied to protect him, you obstructed the course of justice."
"Like you care about justice," Spike countered.
"I care about the good name of the Locos!"
"The Locos don't have a good name," Danni interrupted frostily. "So you needn't worry."
Ebony sent her a slow, burning glare, but Danni just smiled back at her distantly.
"The time for arguing about this has come and gone. Right now, we need to make a decision. Are we all agreed that Jax goes on trial with a jury of people from all over the City?" Danni asked.
"I have no problem with it," Spike said, shrugging.
"Ebony?" Bray prompted.
Ebony stared at him darkly. "Fine. Do whatever you want. I guess you're determined to drag us all down with you with this farce of a trial."
"What about the rest of the tribe? They're not here to vote," Tai-San pointed out.
"It doesn't matter," Lex countered. "All of them would agree that he needs to be put on trial."
"And this isn't something any of the kids could vote on anyway. They wouldn't understand," Bray said.
Tai-San sighed impatiently. "You underestimate them."
"It's not up for discussion Tai-San. We've agreed on what will happen," Danni said shortly, ignoring Tai-San's righteous expression. "We need to decide who'll represent the prosecution, and the defence."
"I'll defend Jax," Ebony said quickly.
"I thought you wanted nothing to do with this 'farce of a trial'?" Danni said, rolling her eyes.
"I'm protecting my tribe. If you're intent on bringing strangers in to judge Jax, then I won't let them hear anything bad about the Locos."
"They all know everything bad about the Locos," Lex snorted.
"I'll be the prosecution then," Bray spoke up.
"Oh perfect," Ebony said wryly.
"Isn't it just?" Danni said snidely.
"Bray you can't," Tai-San said. "You're a witness— you, Jack, Ellie and Ryan! You all found Micah's mother."
Bray frowned. "I guess so. It wouldn't be right."
"And I can't do it, I'm the judge," Danni said.
Bray paused for a moment before speaking. "How about you Tai-San?"
Tai-San was shocked. "Me?"
"Her?" Ebony uttered, at the same time.
"Yes her!" Bray insisted. "Everyone in the City knows what kind of person she is— that she's fair and honest."
"And a crack pot!"
"They respect her Ebony! She gave them the Antidote! The jury won't question her if she represents the prosecution. She won't be biased because she's not representing the Mallrats, she's representing the entire City. How about it Tai-San?"
"I'll do it," Tai-San agreed. "But we can't hold the trial here, the other tribes wouldn't feel comfortable."
"The City Courthouse?" Lex suggested.
"Half of that was burned years ago," Ebony pointed out derisively.
"So we hold it in that half that wasn't burned then," Bray snapped at her.
"I think that's about it," Danni said. "All we need to do now is send out messages to the City tribes, and ask for three volunteers from each one. We'll ask them to come here the day before the trial and Tai-San and Ebony can choose their jury."
"This is all suspiciously like how the adults used to do everything," Ebony snorted.
"And what's wrong with that?" Danni asked.
"It's flawed! Even if he's convicted, what can we do to punish him?"
"We'll let the jury decide, won't we? Meeting over," Danni said shortly.
She went to leave the café but Bray grabbed her arm as she passed by.
"Can we talk?"
Danni shook her head. "I have to check on Micah." She walked off without another word.
Bray frowned and dropped his head in defeat. Ebony sidled up and took the seat Tai-San had vacated. She had left to go and help Trudy.
Ebony looked at Bray, smiling a little. "Need help getting back to your room?"
"No thanks," Bray muttered.
He stood up slowly and left, his arm still wrapped carefully around his stomach.
Coming soon in Part 25 – Bleed Brother Bleed:
- Another crisis sends the Mallrats reeling
- Jax and Spike have a little chat
- Java pays someone a visit
