Chapter 20
"Perhaps it's time we headed back," Jay suggested, looking around him as he spoke..
Luke glanced at his watch, then at the sky.
"Yeah, it'll be dark soon and it'll take us the rest of the time to get back to the mall."
"I don't know that I like the idea of Lex and Sal going back out when we go back though," the blonde man said as they turned in the direction of the mall. "They've been out once today and it's dangerous out of the mall after dark."
"Don't you mean more dangerous?" Luke asked as the two walked side by side. "Besides, you won't keep Sal in the mall if she's determined to get out. She's safer if she goes with Lex."
"I guess."
****
"Would you have returned?" Pride asked. "If Jack hadn't turned up, would you have stayed there or would you have come back to us eventually?"
"I don't know," Alice replied. "What about you? Will you ever go back to the Gaians?"
"Maybe, one day."
The two walked on in companionable silence for a while, each scanning the streets to either side, until Alice suddenly stopped.
"What is it?" Pride asked, walking back to her.
"A movement," Alice replied, peering down a shadowy side street. "Down that alley somewhere."
"Worth checking?"
"Maybe... Yes. There's definitely something there."
Leading the way as he would in a forest, Pride crept down the narrow alleyway with Alice following close behind him. About half-way along, there was a section of the ground cut away to lead down a few steps to a still secure fire door. In the slight shelter of the doorway was what first appeared to be a black rubbish bag. The dark bundle shifted slightly, cowering away from the newcomers and trying to appear inconspicuous. Pride reached down and put a hand on the top of the bundle, pulling back a hood to reveal a young boy.
"It's okay, we won't hurt you," the Gaian said, gently.
"Y-You're not with them?" the boy asked, hesitantly.
"With who?" Pride asked as Alice glanced over her shoulder and all around her.
"Th-the raiders," the boy said. "They've been round here today. They're taking kids now! Just a little thing she was. Only a couple of years old. I-I saw 'em."
"No," Pride said, his hopes raising. "But we are looking for them - that little girl was from our tribe. Do you know where they went?"
"Went out to the old warehouses by the docks," the boy replied, more readily now. "I heard 'em complain about 'em. One of the girls. Said they're all cold and stink of fish. All apart from his!"
"Whose?"
"I dunno," the boy shrugged. "It's just what she said. I didn't hear no more. I ran when I heard 'em."
"That's okay, that really helps. Here," Pride reached round and took a small loaf of bread and some fruit out of his pack. "If you need anything you will be welcome in the mall."
"I don't go near city centre now," the boy said, taking the food. "Too many people. Thanks though."
Pride and Alice turned and headed out of the alleyway. They didn't speak until they reached the open street and even then it was only to agree to return to the mall before going to the docks.
"We'd need at least some of the others anyway," Alice reasoned.
They made good time on their journey home and reached the mall about the same time as Jay and Luke. Jay called the tribe together in the cafe and Pride and Alice recounted their story. When they had finished, there was a general uproar of outrage, questions and suggestions. Jay tried to pacify the group, but it was Pride's voice that cut through the babble and regained order. Jay glowered at the Gaian as he once again took charge where the ex-techno general could not.
"We'll take a small group of our best fighters," Pride explained. "Try to sneak in, then out again with the minimum of disturbance. We don't know how many fighters this group has, so we can't afford to go for a full attack. Morgaine, Alice has been telling me much of your fighting skills. I would like you to accompany us on this mission."
The Amazon warrior nodded regally and ignored the slight grumble of hurt pride from a nearby Lex. The Gaian observed her acceptance and turned back to the rest of the group.
"Lex, Alice, Jay and myself will also be going along. The rest of you will stay here to look after the mall. It's still not certain that this new group, whoever they are, will not come back when they think our forces are weakened. I know Ebony and Amber are normally good enough fighters to take care of this place, but for now they are out of commission. Trudy has Brady to look after, also. Gel, Sammy and Mouse don't have enough experience. That leaves KC, Salene and Ryan, all of whom are good fighters, and Luke, Ellie and Jack."
"Hey!" Ellie cried, indignantly.
"Ellie, you couldn't fight your way out of a paper bag!" Jack replied before turning to Pride. "I'm going with you."
"Jack, you've already proven yourself not to be in the best of health and, if I remember correctly, your fighting skills are mainly verbal!"
"And technological. If they have an alarm system, I can take it out. Much quicker than Jay could too."
"You're still not fit for this, especially if it does get nasty!"
"Then I'll take a spare laser! Jay let me study them when the Technos were still around. I have a couple in my room. They should work okay."
"I don't think it's wise..."
"Pride, Hope is MY daughter!" Jack yelled. "I am going with you, like it or not!"
"Fine," the Gaian replied, sternly. "But when we're there, you do as I say. Agreed?"
"Agreed," Jack shrugged grudgingly.
"Then let's go. Get what you need and meet me by the fountain ASAP."
The five chosen followed Pride out of the room, filing off to their rooms to retrieve weapons and warmer clothing. Within five minutes, the group was gathered at the Phoenix fountain, the rest of their tribe surrounding them.
"I don't like this," Ebony said to Jack quietly. "Something's not right."
"It's okay," Jack reassured her. "We'll all be back soon and we'll have Hope with us."
"I'm just scared I'm not gonna see you again," Ebony looked up into Jack's eyes, earnestly willing him to smile and tell her if it mattered so much, he wouldn't go with them.
"I'm coming back. I promise."
"Just try and make it sooner than four months this time, right?"
"Right," Jack replied, kissing Ebony on the forehead before kneeling down and kissing her small bump and whispering: "I'll be home soon baby."
"I love you," Ebony whispered when he stood up again.
"I love you too," Jack replied.
"This doesn't mean you're forgiven, you know."
"I know."
Ebony watched as the group left the mall and Luke began lowering the grill behind them. The other mallrats behind her turned to head back up the stairs to their rooms. Ryan headed off to check the sewer entrance.
Ebony turned towards Jack's room and headed straight for the CD player next to the old two-way radio he had tried to contact adults with so many years ago. Flicking through his collection of CD's she found the one she was looking for and fitted it into the machine. Sitting back she closed her eyes and tried to imagine, as she had so many lonely times before, that Jack was there before her singing the song himself.
Sure I know you'd like to have me
Talk about my future
And a million words or so to fill you in about my past
Have I sisters or a brother?
When's my birthday? How's my mother?
Well my dear in time I'll answer all those things you've asked
But for now, I'll just say I love you
Nothing more seems important somehow
And tomorrow can wait, come whatever
Let me love you forever but right now
Right now.
Some fine day when we go walking
We'll take time for idle talking
Sharing every feeling as we watch each other smile
I'll hold your hand, you'll hold my hand
We'll say things we never had planned
Then we'll get to know each other in a little while.
But for now, let me say I love you
Later on there'll be time for so much more
But for now, meaning now and forever
Let me kiss you my darling then once more
Once more
Ebony felt herself drifting off to sleep as the music played. The chatter of restless voices from the upper level disappearing into the instrumental.
But for now, let me say I love you
Later on I must know much more of you
But for now, here and now, how I love you
As you are in my arms I love you
I love you
I love you
****
It took them an hour to reach the dockland warehouses and, when they got there, it was clearly obvious which one was inhabited.
"Doesn't look like they've got an alarm system," Jay said, quietly, regaining some of his command by scouting round the building. "And I heard a young child crying at the far end. There was a girl complaining that the kid wouldn't sleep."
"She never does at this time," Jack replied. "She never settles down until almost midnight and with all this going on, probably later."
"Well, with Hope awake, nobody in that warehouse will be getting much rest either," Morgaine observed. "It would be prudent to wait until there was at least a chance they were sleeping."
"There's at least half an hour to midnight," Pride replied. "And as Jack says, the disturbance to her normal routine could keep Hope awake for hours. I would rather not wait that long. How many do you think there are, Jay?"
"I don't know. Not a huge crowd, anyway. A dozen, twenty at most."
"I say we go in there and take 'em out then," Lex cut in.
"You realise that's a little more than three of them to each of us, Lex," Morgaine chided.
"Yeah, but we've got three of these," he replied, holding up one of the techno lasers, "That should even the odds a bit."
"He's right," Alice told her friend. "I've seen what those can do. In the right hands they're very effective."
"And in the wrong hands?" Morgaine queried. "Do we have three people who can use them?"
"We have two," Jay replied. "Myself and Jack. I'll take two, I've trained with them. Jack can take the other one. He'll need an arm free for Hope anyway."
"That's right," Pride agreed. "Listen Jack, you agreed to do what I asked when we got here and this is what I ask you to do: when we go in there, you get to Hope and you get her out. We'll follow as soon as we can, but you would only be a double hindrance if you stay. You are here for your daughter. Once you have her, you leave. Do you understand?"
"I understand," Jack frowned.
Everything went according to plan. There were only fifteen in the room and the girl looking after Hope. Jack grabbed Hope and ran from the room, returning to the shaded area where they had agreed to meet if all went well. Not long after, his five companions joined him, Lex limping from a cut on his lower leg. Morgaine bound up the cut with a bandage from the small pack she always carried and the group headed back to the mall.
Silence and darkness greeted them as they approached the grill. Unheeding, Jay stepped forward to raise the mall's main defence, reaching through one of the small gaps in the grill to activate the secret lock Jack had set up there years before, after the Chosen invasion, to allow access from the outside should any Mallrat be locked out. It was a well kept secret. Only Jack himself and the past and present leaders of the Mallrats knew of its existence, and Lex of course.
"It's open!" Jay exclaimed in surprise, withdrawing his hand.
"Something's not right," said Pride.
Jay glanced at the Gaian, who returned his worried gaze. Together, they reached down to pull the grill up. As they did so, a shape, propped up by the grill itself, fell out fo the darkness and landed on Lex's foot. The sheriff jumped away and yelled out involuntarily. Morgaine removed another item from the folds of her coat and flicked on a small flashlight. It's beam came to rest on the blood covered, lifeless face of KC.
"Oh no," Jack exclaimed, panic creeping into his voice. "Ebony..."
"Woah," Alice caught him. "Let Jay get the lights first."
It only took Jay a minute to find the switches for the various lights that illuminated the atrium of the mall at night, but to Jack and the others if felt like an hour. When the lights did come on, nothing they saw made any of them them feel any better.