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CHAPTER FOUR
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Six months had past since Caliko's 'wedding night' and still she had not found a chance to escape. Top Hat kept her always at his side and in the rare cases where he couldn't, she was carefully watched. Even when he contracted the virus and lay hidden in secret from the rest of Tribe Circus, near death and delusional, he had her there by his side. She had prayed then for her to be on his death watch.. But no it wasn't to be, a tribe called the Mallrats had managed to find an antidote to the virus that unfortunately saved his life.
She longed more than anything to be free. She had even taken up the notion of killing herself. She had seriously considered it. Plotted how she would do it. It was the thought that lulled her to sleep each night. But now she feared that calming dream was taken from her.
She was late. By over three weeks. She doubted if Top Hat had noticed. She prayed he hadn't.
The nausea over came her again and she fought to not to show her discomfort.
She sat with Top Hat now, in a back room of the casino talking with some higher ranking members of Tribe Circus. There seemed to be some new unrest in the city. A Tribe calling themselves 'The Chosen' had taken over rule. Had set-up base in a Mall that Top Hat himself had tried to burn down, and they wanted the cooperation of all the tribes in the city. Top Hat planned on being far from cooperative. He planned on setting fire to the mall once again..
Caliko knew the plan wouldn't work. Any tribe that well organized was bound to have even more organized secruity. And didn't they have several ex-Locos? It was impossible and Caliko knew it. But maybe, this new tribe would take care of Top Hat for her.
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As predicted the plan Top Hat had worked out failed.
Instead of Top Hat burning the Mall down, the Chosen had beaten him to it and burned the casino.
The Chosen arrived early one morning, long before the sun had even risen. The casino was quit and empty, all of Tribe Circus asleep. Even the Kazoos set on watch dozed, the liquor they had shared had made their eyes heavy.
Caliko had just fallen asleep after another night of sharing a bed, and more, with Top Hat, when the door flew open and the robed Chosen flew in. They ripped Top Hat, naked, from his bed and bound his arms. They yelled for Caliko to dress herself, then pushed her out the door behind Top Hat.
In the casino, Caliko was once again shoved to the stage with Top Hat and thrown to the feet of a blue-haired man. Their leader or his Captain she guessed as she landed hard on her knees.
"Turn them around!" The man yelled.
Caliko was grabbed by her hair and forced to turn around. She saw that all of Tribe Circus was held by the Chosen.
"Here is your leader, naked before you, and his whore. I, Luetinent Luke, have been ordered by the Guardian to have you all placed under arrest. You are all unclean and defiers of The Cause. Your leader was offered an agreement of cooperation with the Guardian. A chance for all of you to learn and to know Zoot. He refused this offer, and so now you must pay! POWER AND CHAOS!"
"POWER AND CHAOS!" The Chosen replied.
The Kazoo's and Caliko were hearded into large trucks and taken away. She didn't know what became of Top Hat and nor did she care.
