Chapter Three
Back at the Hotel Ebony was sitting in her room playing peek and boo with Brady who was squealing with delight, Ebony made a great mom.
Lex was sitting in is room fuming about the way in which they were treating him when one of the guards came in and then ran off screaming upon seeing Lex's wrinkles leaving the door wide open for Lex to leave by. Lex laughed as all the guards fled, leaving Ebony's bedroom completely unprotected.
"Well, well, well what do we have here? The Mighty Ebony, Queen of the Locos, Leader of the City and Zoot's only woman playing with a tiny little baby." Lex sneered at her, Ebony slipped into warrior mode.
"Guards" she shouted.
"They won't come, not while I'm here, they don't want what I've got" Lex advanced on her. Ebony picked up Brady and moved backwards.
"Come on Ebony just give let me what I want" Lex ducked the punch Ebony aimed at his face.
"And what do you want, the baby? Bray?" She shouted.
"Your terror is good enough for now but believe me once this virus has passed I will be wanting a lot more than that. I haven't finished with you Ebony" Lex left Ebony in the corner shivering.
Now pleased with himself Lex went down to the pool to have a nice little sunbathe and was not surprised to see Bray already there.
"Lex, I want to apologise for what I said, you saved us" Bray said sorry.
"Look, do me a favour we will call it even. Tell me about Ebony" Lex said plopping down in a deck chair.
"Well she was the new girl in school and was as pretty. I thought that I had a chance with her, I loved her. But the virus hit and Trudy got pregnant, I had a go at Martin before after he had turned into Zoot and Ebony stood up for him, I don't know why but she did. I think that it was after the death of her mother that she just really needed someone and because I was looking after Trudy she turned to Zoot." Bray looked down at his hands wondering if he could ever get Ebony back. Lex just smiled, reading between the lines Ebony was a master manipulator before the virus and was playing Bray for a fool.
Ebony was still sitting in her room when she decided that she needed to clear her mind and so put Brady for a nap before she got changed into her black bikini for a swim. Ebony arrived at the pool not noticing Lex and Bray until she removed her robe and heard Lex's wolf whistle piece the air, but Ebony paid no attention and dived elegantly into the pool, doing a couple of lengths before getting out and going to find her towel but she could not find it. She felt someone wrap the towel around her and rubbed her dry the person then began to kiss her neck softly, Ebony knew that she should, no must stop it but she could not. She turned around to see Lex.
"What are you doing?" She screamed at him.
"Ebony" one of her guards who had just appeared asked her.
"Get this rat back to his room" Ebony ordered.
Ebony spent the rest of the day thinking and at night couldn't sleep and so went to talk to Bray.
"Hey" she said sitting on the edge of his bed.
"Ebony what do you want, it is the middle of the night" Bray mumbled. Ebony smiled at the sight of Bray this was what she wanted, the Locos were going down and she knew it, what she needed to do was to make Bray love her again and then he would take her to his tribe where she in time could rule and survive.
"Sorry, I couldn't sleep and I wanted to talk" Ebony looked at her feet.
"What about?" Bray asked.
"Well" Ebony paused seeing that he was hanging on to her ever word she continued "I just wanted to say that I am sorry, I never wanted to" Ebony stared to cry.
"I never meant to Bray, I don't even know why I'm here anymore. I never wanted Zoot, I was just friends with Martin, I don't want to hurt the Mall Rats. I was playing with Brady and I just want to make sure that she is alright. I wish I had never taken the antidote" Ebony cried Bray hugged her knowing that this was the woman that he loved.
"Bray I don't care anymore, please just take the antidote and Brady, I can't be around either ... I poison". Ebony tried to pull away from Bray but he held her tightly.
"No Ebony, you are coming with me, I love you" he declared, Ebony sniffed back a few tears "go and get your stuff together, we leave tomorrow night" Bray kissed her. Ebony kissed him back. She then got up and walked out of the room where she promptly began to smile as she walked back to her room unaware that somewhat seen her.
Once she got back to her room Ebony stripped off and climbed into a hot bath when Lex snuck into her room.
"Aren't we a good little actress, fooling Bray" Lex smiled as Ebony squirmed under his gaze.
"I don't know what you mean" Ebony fluttered her eye lashes.
"Look babe, you may have fooled him with this butter wouldn't melt routine but I am not fooled" Lex sat on the edge of the bath, and rubbed Ebony's shoulders.
"So what, you want something or else you'll tell" Ebony assumed melting under his touch.
"Nope. I just wanted to let you know that I don't buy it, but also seeing as that you will become a Mall Rat I think that it is better that we understand each other, I mean who knows when we might need each other" Lex smiled "need anyone to wash your back?" He asked. Not taking him seriously Ebony just rolled her eyes, big mistake, Lex grabbed the sponge and began to wash her back trying to move some of the bubbles so he could have a good gawp.
"Mm" Ebony murmured after a while "that feels so good".
"It gets better" Lex lifted her out of the water and began to kiss her all over. Ebony kicked him in the stomach and pulled back to Lex's surprise.
"What did you think that you were doing Lex?" Bray screamed. Bray had come to see Ebony and thought that Lex had come onto Ebony and that was the reason that she kicked him and was now shacking. Bray yet again didn't realize that Ebony was fine and that she was putting on a show for him.
"What she was begging for it" Lex countered his actions.
"Oh I suppose you thought that as you have been cured of the virus for one whole day you could hurt Ebony" Bray hit him in the stomach.
"Bray no" Ebony stopped him "please I might have led him on a little, but I didn't mean to" she looked away. Bray thought that Ebony was upset by what happened and did not want to hurt anyone and so agreed to leave with Lex. As Bray pulled Lex from the room he turned to see her face and knew that she was only putting on a show for Bray.
The next evening Ebony had all her stuff together including the antidote and Brady and left the Locos for ever.
When they arrived at the Mall Amber ran over to hug Bray and he introduced everyone. Then they decided to vote on whether or not Ebony should stay.
"No" Ebony breathed knowing that this would get her in.
"No don't even vote, I don't deserve a future" Ebony looked at her feet making Amber think that she really had low self esteem and that her Loco front was just that, a front. Amber locked eyes with Dal and in a second they both knew that they had to take her in and help her.
"I have done so many things wrong and I know that however hard I try I will never make up for that, I'm sorry Trudy." Ebony let a tear roll down her cheek as she handed Brady back. At that second Ebony knew that she had Trudy's vote. Next for Salene, Cloe, Patsy, Paul, Zandra, Tia-San, Jack and Ryan as she knew that she already had Lex and Bray's vote.
"Oh I am sorry" Ebony looked at Paul realising that he was deaf and signed what she wanted to say to him. That got both Patsy and Paul's votes. Ebony also knew that Zandra and Ryan would vote with Lex.
"So basically I came to give you this to try and repair some of the damage that I have done" Ebony put down some batteries (Jack), story book (Cloe and Salene). Now Ebony had everyone's vote except Tia-San's. Ebony turned around as if to walk away but Amber stopped her "why do you think like that? Maybe where you come from that was the way that things were done but not here" Amber showed her that everyone wanted and Ebony smiled, she was a Mall Rat. "Morons", she thought.
That night Ebony sat in her new room in the mall and opened her diary.
Dear Diary, I am now a Mall Rat and live here, I think that I had better do a make over to show that I have changed. Now for my list of Mall Rat enemies.
Cloe: Small girl who is quite good hearted and very animal oriented. She was good friends with Patsy but seemed like she thinks of herself as an outsider, that could be useful, she could take the blame if anything went wrong.
Tia-San: Very spiritual and quite pretty, she thinks of herself as being a strong character. She could be a problem as she may not buy my lies, but she has feeling for Lex, black mail opportunity.
Bob: Bob has to go. One I am scared of dogs and two he knows that I am up to no good and barks, the others might work it out.
Patsy: She will like anyone who makes a good friend to Paul but is quite deceitful and could be manipulated easily.
Paul: He is quite a good judge of character and will do anything for his sister, he doesn't really like Cloe that much, again useable.
Salene: Very motherly and likes Ryan, I think that if I was friendly towards her and nice to the kids then she could be an ally.
Trudy: She still likes Bray but if I was nice to her and Brady then she would like me and make no trouble for Bray and I.
Amber: She is the leader here and doesn't trust me. She thinks that everyone deserves a future tough and wants to reform me. If she trusts me then so will everyone else will just follow. But she likes Bray so that could be a problem.
Dal: He is Jack's assistant but from the looks of it does a lot of the work, I think that he could be of some help but when it gets to really sophisticated stuff you need Jack. Dal wants to be a doctor or farmer and does whatever Amber tells him to.
Brady: She's a baby, but likes me:)
Jack: Jack is a nerd without much self confidence; he likes to hold onto Dal's hand and as such comes across slightly arrogant. He is very smart but with little experience of girls, could possibly be manipulated.
Ryan: Physically quite strong yet easy to manipulate and likes Salene.
Bray: Very good looking and so sweet. But a total idiot, I like bad boys but at least he should be quite easy to control and I will always have him on my side.
Lex: He is manipulative, deceitful, but has an amazing touch. He scares me slightly as I know that there is no way that I can manipulate him, but I will find a way.
-x- Ebony –x-
Just then Bray came into her room.
"Hey, how are you?" Bray asked.
"I'm not really sure" Ebony answered.
"How do you mean?" Bray wondered.
"Well I was the Queen of the Locos and now I am a Mall Rat. I guess ... I guess that I just don't know if I will be able to do it, live up to their expectations."
"Of course you will" Bray comforted her wrapping his arms around her tumbling body fully believing her lies.
"Thanks Bray, that means a lot to me". Bray kissed her lightly on her head before leaving wishing that he could stay and wrap his arms around her. Ebony smiled as he left, this would be easy. Ebony fell back onto her bed asleep feeling completely at ease.
The next day Ebony was shaken awake by Amber.
"Morning" Ebony mumbled wondering what was going on.
"Morning" Amber replied westerly "we need to talk".
"About what" Ebony asked stupidly rubbing her eyes, knowing that Amber believed that she truly was out of it.
"This is my tribe and I have worked long and hard to build it up, I don't want anyone to destroy it?" Amber looked into Ebony's eyes thinking that she could read her.
"I know that you are doing this for your tribe Amber and like it or not, I respect that. You know what you want and you get it with out being malicious or hurting people" Ebony let a tear roll down her check.
"I think that you give me too much credit and I am sorry for bothering you" Amber got up and left not seeing Ebony laughing at her. Within minutes Zandra, Salene and Cloe came in offering her a make over, thinking that she would look bad if she refused so she accepted.
"You are really pretty Ebony" Cloe complimented.
"Thank-you" Ebony smiled thinking that she was about to be sick if this did not stop soon. Patsy and Paul had obviously left Cloe out and so here she was sucking up to her so that she could say that Ebony was her friend and make Patsy feel bad, Ebony preferred Patsy as she had more to her.
"Yeah, so Ebony I think that we should curl the ends of your braids?" Zandra suggested. To Ebony's amazement, she liked the idea and heed to admit that it did look good.
"So what do you think Ebony?" Salene asked about her hair.
"I love it" she smiled "what next?"
"Well your make up" Zandra replied and Ebony ended up with an exquisite flame with glitter on her fore head. Gone was the bandit eye patch and now in its place she had carefully done eyes with jewels in the corners. Her lips were red and glossy as always with defined check bones. She was wearing tight leather pants and a red leather corset top which had all the men drawling. Half of her hair was swept up; she had high heeled boots to add to her height and some pretty jewellery.
"Wow you look great" Cloe put in as Patsy and Paul came around the door.
"Hey Patsy" Ebony said and signed something to Paul who giggled and turned red, leaving Cloe to look on furiously.
"Yeah you really do" Salene affirmed.
"I agree" Zandra laughed. This was interrupted by Lex clapping from inside the door way "you look sexy Ebbs a real heart breaker" he looked her up and down. Ebony sensed that Zandra was upset and that if she humiliated him then Zan would like her. Ebony stepped up to him seductively so that she was pushing against his chest "Lex" she breathed.
"Close your mouth and stop drawling I would never consider going out with you" She stepped back to laugh with the other girls as Lex left.
"You have got to teach me that" Zandra laughed.
"I will it is easy, you just have to wait until he wants you, when that happens then he is all yours to humiliate." Their conversation went on like this for hours and Ebony was happy, no scheming and people liked her. As they walked into the café that night everyone stared at Ebony. Ebony could not help but like it. They ate in silence, no snide comments or anything.
Life went on like this for a while for Ebony until there started to become a scared about the virus once again, that brought Ebony back to reality.
Dear Diary, I have been so concerned with how much everyone likes me that I have slipped up and I am no longer manipulating everyone. I have lost Bray, he is with Amber and there is a scare about the virus. Jack is working on a way of getting a cure.
I'm back and no one can hide.
-x- Ebony –x-
Ebony walked into Jack's lab where he was hard at work but not getting anywhere.
"Hey Jay, how's it going?" Ebony asked hopefully.
"Not good" Jack replied staring at the screen, she moved up behind him to see what he was looking at placing both of her hands on his shoulders feeling how tense he was.
"You're so tense, when was the last time that you relaxed?" Ebony began to massage his shoulders.
"Um, I don't think that, that will help me with the formulary" Jack pointed out.
"Maybe not but at least you will not be as worked up" Ebony smiled.
"Yeah maybe your right" Jack started to relax. Jack did not think that Ebony was so bad at that moment, there she was trying to make him feel better, what he did not realize was that Ebony was herself once more and only trying to get what was best for her, the antidote.
"Do you know the antidote, yet" Ebony asked sweetly.
"No but if we go to Eagle Mountain then we should find it" Jack informed her.
"Really well night, night Jack" Ebony said leaving him to wonder why she was being so nice all of a sudden. As Ebony turned the corner se would make sure that they went to Eagle Mountain and that she got the formula. Ebony went to bed with a smile plastered on her face and a plan forming in her devious mind.
The following day Ebony was awakened from her peaceful slumber by Lex's voice "come on Ebony, get moving". Ebony merely moaned and turned over revealing some of her thigh to his lust full gaze. Under normal circumstances Lex would have jumped the woman there and then, but Ebony was different. Although he had not known her all that long Ebony was not just some other faceless trollop like Tia-San or Zandra to be used then dissuaded. He knew that Ebony had been though a lot and had the utmost respect for her and as such would never treat her in that manner, Lex was beginning to get worried. He had never acted this way before, trying to stop himself looking weak he swatted Ebony on the behind trying to get some reaction from her.
"Hi Lex" she murmured sleepily "what's up?" What's up?" Lex had almost forgotten what he had come in for but now it all came back.
"Jack has called everyone together as he has worked out the formulary for the antidote" Lex informed her.
"Oh" Ebony extended her hand for Lex to help her up, which he did and lifted her off the bed putting her down in front of her vanity case. Lex took one final look before forcing himself to leave her alone.
Down in front of the fountain all the Mall Rats were assembled having decided tot go to Eagle Mountain in the end and find the antidote. They all left the Mall in high spirits which were soon dampened by the smell of death and decay which now filled the city. They made it to the outskirts of town when Ebony ducked into a back alley unnoticed by anyone except Lex, who followed her. Ebony ran to find her old coach that she had hidden away in case the worst came to the worst.
"What are you doing" Lex interrupted.
"I am getting this coach want to come?" She asked hoping that he had not been able to read what she was thinking before.
"Sure" Lex hoped on as Ebony speed off.
The other mall Rats came to a halt as they found their way barred by eight large men, just as they were about to turn back they saw Ebony in the coach driving up to them. Once they were all on she sped up and smashed though the barrier. Everyone was in high spirits once they reached Legal Mountain Jack found out the information and was about to give it to everyone when Ebony started a fire - although no one ever knew who it was. As everyone went running to get out Ebony yelled "Amber".
"What is it Ebony?" She asked.
"It's just that if we never make it out of here alive there is no hard feelings over Bray, he loves you. This is all that I have left of him" Ebony showed her a picture of Ebony, Bray and a baby from before the virus.
"Is that your baby?" Amber asked in a quavering voice. Ebony made her eyes fill with water before running off. Amber thinking that this meant yes but that Ebony did not want to hurt her feeling, left the Mall Rats for ever!