Jay walked into the temporary kitchen they had set up and found Amber making some food. The kitchen was a former staff room and along with tables and chairs it had cupboards and utensils. They had managed to get a hold of a camping stove when they had gone for food and it ha come in really handy. Jay grabbed a bottle of water and began pouring himself a drink.
"Smells great," Jay said, putting the bottle back and taking a sip of the water.
"Who would have thought after everything we've been through we'd be back to fighting the Chosen and eating this tinned muck again?" Amber said as she mixed the food.
"I know. The next thing you know the Locos and the Demon Dogs will be fighting for power, the city will be thrown into even more chaos and everyone will be struggling to survive."
"You're not funny," Amber said, hitting him gently on the stomach. "I just thought we'd left all of this behind us. Now the Chosen are taking away everything the city has worked for. It makes me sick." Jay sipped his water and watched as Amber continued heating the food.
"Things have a way of working themselves out. You'll see." Amber laughed.
"I thought that the first time we defeated the Chosen," Amber said, casting her mind back to the cities victory. "But I lost Dal and Bray was taken from me, then Techno's came and to top it all off I lost Pride...I can't help but think that this new world of ours is becoming a bit too hard."
"It's always been hard, Amber," Jay told her.
"I know but surely, after all this time, it shouldn't be getting harder." Jay watched Amber for a few minutes more. He sat his glass down and walked out of the kitchen. Amber turned and watched him leave. She sighed heavily, as she continued to stir.
"Maybe after this battle we can live peacefully...maybe then it will be easy."
--
Lex sat outside the mall, taking cover behind two disused Chosen vans. He had been sitting there for over two hours, watching the comings and goings of the guards and the slaves. The building loomed over him and he was constantly looking up to the roof, making sure that there were no guards on the roof. Lex stared at the guards on the front door. There were only two guarding the entrance and, from his time in the mall, he knew that there were two just inside the door. In his mind he was weighing up fighting his way in or going in under cover. His mind was telling him to go undercover but his rage was building with each second he looked at his former home.
--
Ebony stood outside Lex's room. She was leaning against the wall, tapping her hands on her legs. She had been standing for only a few seconds and was already bored waiting for Lex.
"Look come on, Lex, hurry up," Ebony said, loudly. She looked around the corridor and continued to tap her hands to a silent beat. "Lex hurry up. I don't have all day. We need to go check out the food place." Ebony stood for another few minutes then turned and opened the door. "Lex we need to go now so stop..." Ebony stopped as she came face to face with an empty room. "Lex?" She asked, even though there was no one in the room. Ebony looked around and then turned on her heel and walked out of the room. She began walking down the corridor and saw Lily and Bray up ahead.
"Lily," Ebony said, almost shouting, after her daughter. Ebony ran down to join Lily and Bray. "Have any of you seen Lex? He was supposed to be coming with me to check out the food store but he's not in his room." Lily shrugged.
"Not me," Lily told her. "I've been in my room all day."
"I saw him earlier," Bray said slowly. "He was going out. He didn't say where he was going." Ebony shook her head.
"I know where he was going," Ebony said. "He's gone to do something very stupid."
--
Lex crouched behind the van. He had lost count of how long he'd been there. All he knew was that his wife and daughter were in that building and that he had to get them out. All of his reasoning was gone and all he could think about was fighting his way in and getting them back. He stood up slowly and looked at the guards. If they turned they would be able to see him but Lex didn't care, all he cared about lay inside the mall. Lex began to step forward and was tackled from behind.
--
Salene sat playing with Rhoda in the café. Tai-San was watching as Ryan came to join them. Ryan smiled as he watched Salene and Rhoda play.
"She would make a good mother, wouldn't she," Tai-San said, invading Ryan's thoughts. Ryan smiled and nodded. "She is so good with children and has so much love to give."
"I know," Ryan said, not taking his eyes off of the pair. "I must have told her that a million times while she was pregnant. She never believed me but then I reminded her of Brady, Cloe and Patsy and she would just light up."
"Salene always has had a way with children," Tai-San said.
"She has. Brady wouldn't have survived if it wasn't for Salene and Cloe wouldn't be the amazing woman she is now...and Patsy..." Ryan dragged off, trying not to think of Patsy, who had been like a daughter to him, and what had happened the last time the Chosen invaded.
"You're right," Tai-San said, taking the subject away from Patsy. "Salene has been at the heart of this tribe and she has been there for everyone." Ryan nodded. As he gazed at Salene he thought back to their wedding. He thought about when she accepted his proposal. Mostly, however, he thought about Salene kneeling beside him telling him that he was going to be a father.
--
Lex felt the massive weight on his back before he could take his first step. Lex fell onto his stomach and the other person fell on top of him. He tried to get up but the person forced him to stay down. Gravel clung to his face, scratching and scuffing his skin. He again tried to push himself up but the position he was in made it near impossible.
"Get..." Lex began but was quickly cut off.
"Shut up, Lex," someone said in a loud whisper. Lex narrowed his eyes and managed to turn his head to the side. Stones and pieces of gravel scratched his face as he looked at the person who was on his back.
"Jay what are..."
"I said be quiet, Lex," Jay said, again in his whispered voice.
"What are you doing?" Lex asked, lowering his voice.
"I'm saving you from making a big mistake."
"I wasn't going to..."
"Yes you were," Jay said, still in the loud whisper. "You were about to go into the mall and get yourself captured or worse."
"I wouldn't have gotten captured."
"Yes you would have. You were about to risk your neck and ours. What if you had gotten captured. Do you think the Guardian wouldn't ask about the rest of us?"
"I wouldn't tell him," Lex said, finally getting Jay off of his back. Lex sat up and arched his legs and Jay sat beside him. "I wouldn't give you away if I got captured."
"I know that and so does the Guardian," Jay told him. "Do you think he would just let it go? No he would throw everything he has at you."
"I could take it," Lex said defensively.
"And could you take it if the Guardian used Tai-San? Or Rhoda? Face it Lex you can't afford to go wading into the mall. We need to bide our time. Going in now wold be suicide." Lex made a face.
"I know...I just can't stand it. I can't stand my family being alone in there. At least when I was a prisoner I could protect them but now...I don't even know if they are being tortured. I need to see them."
"And you will but you need to be patient. This is harder for you than for any of us but you need to keep focussed. The more focussed you are, the faster we defeat the Chosen and the quicker you get to see them again." Lex pressed his forehead to his knees and both of them sat, in silence, thinking about the end.
--
Amber and Ebony sat at the large office table. A heavy silence hung in the air. Even though it had been years since their problems and they had been living together for a long time it was still hard for both of them to become close. Both of them knew that they could never ever be friends despite the obvious similarities between them. Not many saw those similarities but a few could see that they were both strong, independent women, who were opinionated and good leaders. They both had strong characters and they were both prepared to fight until the very end. Many people only saw the surface, saw that they had different styles, different beliefs but, deep down, they had fundamental similarities that normally would bring people together. The only problem, with Amber and Ebony, were the things that had happened in the past; the issues with Bray, the trouble on Eagle mountain and the minor clashes that had turned into major problems. Having grown and matured they could still not accept each other. Ebony looked up at Amber.
"Do you think Jay stopped Lex in time?" Ebony asked. Amber looked up from the glass she had been concentrating on since the second that she had walked into the room.
"I hope so," Amber said, after a few minutes of quiet contemplation. "If he hasn't I think we'll all be in trouble."
"Jay's good," Ebony told her. "He'll find Lex."
"He is capable," Amber said nodding to herself. "He should get the job done." Ebony's defences started to raise. She saw the look in Amber's eyes and heard the tone in Amber's voice. She knew Jay was a very attractive man and knew the amount of women who had fallen for him; tribe leaders, Techno guards, ever her own sister.
"Don't even..." Ebony began. The door to the room opened and Lex and Jay walked in, both in silence. Ebony stood up and kissed Jay lightly. "I take it that you found him then."
"And stopped him from launching a one man attack on the mall," Jay said, as he and Ebony sat down.
"What?" Amber asked, looking at Lex as he sat down beside her. "You could have been captured or killed."
"Don't work yourself up," Lex said, folding his arms. "I got a little crazy but I didn't do it. Jay made me see..."
"Good," Ebony said, clasping Jay's hand tightly. "We can't afford to lose you, Lex."
"Gee, thanks." Lex rolled his eyes.
"Now that Lex is back in action we need to go over our plans for the food store..."
--
"It won't work," Bray said in frustration. They had been sitting discussing plans for over an hour and they weren't coming up with much. Lex wanted an all-out attack as soon as possible, Amber wanted to wait and gather as much support as possible and Lily wanted to go that night, in a sneak attack to get the Mall Rats out of the mall.
"Well why don't you come up with something," Lily said defensively. "All you do is sit there and complain about our suggestions. You wouldn't have to if you came up with one yourself. So come on hot-shot, what's your suggestion?" Bray sat quietly, with his head leaning on his fist, and stared at Lily. Lily smiled. "You don't have one do you?"
"Look this is getting us no-where," Ebony said, bringing a quiet to the room. "It seems to me that there is only one thing we can do…"
--
Ved lay on his bed. It was his turn to watch the kids and both Rhoda and VJ were sleeping peacefully. He sat up and walked over to look at VJ. Ved loved his son but he knew that this was no life for him. He looked at VJ and thought about how young his son was. He couldn't help but hate himself for bringing VJ into the city and causing his only child to spend so much of his life as a slave. In his heart he knew that it hurt Cloe as much as it hurt him but he still felt responsible. He stroked VJ's face gently and watched his son make a face in his sleep. He smiled and went back to his bed. He knew that this could not go on forever and that someone would bring the Guardian down but he wished that it would happen sooner, rather than later, but something gave him a heavy heart.
--
"It won't work," Bray said again, this time more defiantly. Lily went to speak but he held a hand up. "I know I don't have an idea but this will not work. From the stories we've heard Lily we know this can go wrong. I don't want to go on a suicide mission."
"It could work," Lex said, beginning to thing. "It has worked before…" Bray threw his hands up in exasperation.
"What is wrong with you people? It won't work."
"It will work," Ebony said, standing up and placing her hands on the table. "The Guardian will be expecting an attack, that's what we've been doing so far, so he won't be expecting us to go undercover."
"I hate to say it but Ebony might be right," Amber said, looking apologetically at Bray. "I'm sorry but it's the best idea we've had." Bray shook his head.
"Fine but when we all get captured and sacrificed to the Mighty Zoot; I am not taking responsibility for it." Everyone stared at him for a few seconds before shaking their heads.
"Stop being so negative," Lily told him. "Keep that attitude up and the Guardian will be recruiting you!" Everyone laughed and Bray smiled his fathers smile.
--
Ryan sat alone on the stairs leading to the café. He had been given time off of his work duty. The guard told the Guardian that he had slipped and hurt his ankle. What the guard didn't say was that he slipped because he had been roughly pushed from behind. Ryan didn't see who it was but he could guess. The sadistic guard who ran the work parties loved to cause pain in the slaves and Ryan had just been his most recent victim. He knew the Guardian was smart so he couldn't understand how he couldn't see what was going on. Ryan rubbed his ankle. He had to make it from the stair to his room and he knew that it was going to be hell. He stood up slowly, holding onto the railing, and tried not to put any weight on his foot. He struggled for a few steps then had to lift his foot, before it gave way beneath him. As he was struggling Ved came out of his room, as Cloe had taken over with the kids, to get a drink. He saw Ryan and walked quickly over to him.
"What's up?"
"I busted my ankle. That guard throwing his weight around again. Why aren't you on your work party?"
"I'm doing the night-shift at the petrol place."
"Hard luck."
"Do you want a hand?" Ved asked. Ryan nodded. Ved slipped Ryan's arm over his shoulder and helped his to his room. He put Ryan onto his bed as gently as he could and stood up. "Can I get you anything else?" Ryan shook his head.
"Thanks for the help though." Ved simply nodded and left the room. As soon as he was away, Ryan lay back. For the first time since he got back he was able to really think about coming back to the mall. He thought about Joanie and how the Chosen has mercilessly killed her in front of him, of returning to the mall and of seeing Salene again. He couldn't help but remember all the feelings he had for her and he could help feel a tiny spark ignite inside him when he thought of her.
--
The Guardian sat in his office, crossed legged, trying to talk to Zoot. His connection to Zoot had grown during the time that he had been stuck in the Techno camp and, as he tried to recruit others to the cause, he felt his connection deepening even more. Zoot had shown him where he'd gone wrong and he felt stronger, as if he could take on the world. Before returning to the city the Guardian had managed to recruit from many villages and cities, turning them into Zoot occupied land. The Guardian stood up and walked behind his desk.
"Guards," he called to the door. Two guards rushed in, carrying weapons. They bowed to the Guardian. The Guardian loved the respect they showed him and he loved the power he had over them. He knew that if he ordered them to jump from the roof of the car park that they would follow his orders. "I want you to bring the Divine Child to me. Do not let the Supreme Mother know of our meeting." The guards nodded and left the room, closing the door quietly. The Guardian sat back in his chair and waited for the arrival of Brady.
Moments later Brady entered the room, a petrified look on her face. The Guardian liked that look, he liked seeing the Child of Zoot scared. He had seen her stand up to him once but as her voice rose and became stronger he could still see the fear in her eyes. He knew that she was scared death of him and he often made little meetings like this to show her that he was still in control.
"Ah Divine Child," the Guardian began, a smile spreading across his face. "It was nice of you to take the time to talk to me."
"It is no problem, Guardian," Brady said, taking a seat in front of him. He watched her sit down and could not help but see Zoot staring back at him. She had taken many attributes from her father and the Guardian was more than impressed with this. Brady was an excellent figure head for the Chosen but the Guardian knew that she had no interest in power and that she was too weak to take the position that he held.
"I just thought that you and I should have a talk," the Guardian told her, dismissing the guards with a flick of his wrist.
"What about Guardian?"
"Many things," the Guardian said, moving his hand softly over his desk. "Let's start with the rebels."
"So when should we move?" Jay asked the group.
"We can't move too soon," Ebony said. "We need to wait a while. Know the routine of the guards."
"But we already checked the place out," Lily said. "We know the routine."
"Don't you think that the Guardian would have changed that after the temple?" Amber asked. Lily nodded slowly. "So we need watches posted again. We need someone to get Chosen weapons. If we walk in there with non-Chosen weapons we'll be spotted. Lily and Bray. You two are on watch at the food store. Lex and Ebony, you two are on weapons duty. Jay we'll stay here and guard the HQ." Everyone nodded.
"Sounds good to me," Lex said. He stood up from his chair and grabbed his coat. "Let's go, Ebony. We better get started." Ebony nodded. She stood up and kissed Jay on the forehead.
"Be careful," Ebony said looking at Lily and Bray. "Amber you should check the Chosen robes we have. Make sure they didn't get damaged when we took them." Amber nodded and Ebony and Lex left the room. Lily and Bray stood up as well.
"We better get started too," Lily said, throwing on her jacket. Bray nodded and the couple left the room without another word.
"I don't know anything about the rebels," Brady said, avoiding the Guardian's stare.
"I know you don't," the Guardian said, causing Brady to let out a long breath. "If you did know anything about the rebels, you would be betraying the cause and be betraying Zoot. I know you would never betray your father." Brady kept her head down. The Guardian smiled as he watched her. "I was just wondering how you felt about the rebels. How do you feel about them escaping?" Brady looked up for the first time and her eyes met the Guardians. The Guardian's cold eyes stared at her, watching her every movement.
"I hope that they are caught soon," Brady said, her voice shaking slightly. "They should not have been allowed to escape in the first place."
"You are right of course, Divine Child," the Guardian said seriously. "The Guards have already been punished." The Guardian paused for a while and stood up, walking behind Brady. Brady sucked in a breath "Speaking of guards...I have been told that you have been dismissing them. Those sworn to protect you." Brady herself paused for a second.
"I have, Guardian," Brady began tepidly. "They follow me everywhere..."
"But they mean to protect you Divine Child."
"I know but their constant presence is a hindrance," Brady told him. The Guardian was still standing behind her and although Brady was not scared for her safety, she still did not like having him behind her, where she could no longer keep an eye on him. "I cannot be expected to talk to my father when I don't have a moment to myself. While I am inside the mall I am safe. The mall rats will not harm me, I used to be one of them. So I do not understand why they follow me everywhere."
"I see your point..."
"If I go out," Brady kept talking, as if she hadn't head him. "I may need my guards but not in the mall. What could possibly happen to me in my home."
"I take your point, Divine Child, and I shall tell the guards that they are no longer required to protect you in the mall."
"Thank you, Guardian."
"Do you have anything else you wish to discuss with me?" The Guardian asked. Brady thought for a second. She wanted to ask the Guardian about the sacrifice but he seemed to be in a good mood so she decided not to bring it up. Brady finally shook her head. "Good. You may go back to your devotion." Brady nodded and stood up. She walked quickly to the door. Brady's hand touched the door-knob as the Guardian spoke again.
"Zoot be praised," The Guardian said, in a haunting tone. Brady's hand slipped from the door-knob and she turned around.
"And to his Chosen victory and to his ever lasting glory," Brady said. She turned around, opened the door and walked quickly into the hallway. A guard closed the door and again the Guardian was left alone in his office. He sat back down and stretched back, crossing his hands on his lap. He laughed lightly and took a sip of the dark red liquid that was in front of him. He could not stop thinking of how proud Zoot would be of his accomplishments and the power, chaos and fear that he was spreading amongst the people.