Just outside the S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W/ camp, one of us steps on a particularly crunchy patch of gravel.

"SHHHHH!" Poison whispers.

"YOU'RE THE ONE MAKING ALL THE NOISE, SHITHEAD!" I whisper back.

He sighs, smiling. "Okay, you see the one standing by itself by the fire?" I nod. "That's not the only guard. They always have one hiding in the shadows on the outside of the main camp."

"So he could be right behind us."

"Yep. You see him?"

"Nope. Must be behind one of the tents."

"Let's walk around the perimeter. You go one way, I'll go the other—if you see the second guard, TURN THE FUCK AROUND and head back towards me. I'll do the same if I see it."

"Got it." I draw an X in the dirt. He looks at me inquiringly. "To mark our spot," I explain.

"Okay. Go."

I turn from him and stalk into the night. The camp isn't too big; maybe thirty feet, tops. It has a row of boulders on one side. The tents—there's eight of them—circle a small bonfire. Beside that fire stands a bored-looking Draculoid. As I pass the second tent, I start to worry about being seen. Where could that outside guard be? Up ahead? Behind a tent? Behind a boulder? Has Poison seen it yet?

Third tent.

"Hey!" Someone whispers behind me.

I turn around, expecting to see Poison, but instead I receive a fist to my face.

When I come to, I'm tied to a chair. Behind me is intense heat—the bonfire. Facing me is a Draculoid. I don't see Poison.

"Well, well, look who decided to wake up." He sneers. I spit at him, and in turn he kicks me. I make an effort to not cry out. "What're you doing out here by yourself, sweetheart? You should know better than to raid a S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W/ unit by yourself. You Killjoys are getting dumber and dumber."

"And yet one of us is smarter than all you Dracs combined."

He actually growls. But then he laughs. "Well, we sure got the better of one of you this morning out on Route Guano. Real easy picking out there—he's the fourth we've ghosted out there this week." He leans in. "And you know what?" He asks with a lowered voice. "We twisted his arms the wrong way. We shot his kneecaps. We put rusty nails in his back. And when we were done, he begged for death. He begged like the dog he was." He backs up and resumes a normal tone. "We didn't fulfill his wish. We left him to die alone in this wasteland. It was fun. But you know what? I think I can have even more fun with you. I've never met a girl Killjoy before. I wonder if you have a different capacity for pain?"

I just glare at him.

He laughs and grabs my hair at the top of my head, forcing me to look at his ugly mask. "These are dangerous days to be fighting against Better Living, sweetheart. Oh yes," he laughs, "we know you Killjoys are planning something. We just don't know what. But sweetheart, no matter how fast you work you won't be able to dodge the iron fist of Better Living much longer. We've developed a new method of…. Getting things done. But to instigate our plan, we need to disrupt the Killjoys by taking their leader. So why don't you make my job easier and tell me where he is."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Where is Doctor Death Defying?" He screams.

"Who?"

"YOU'RE FUCKING USELESS!" His hand still in my hair, he pushes me back so my hair is almost in the fire. "YOU WILL TALK!"

I can't help it. I scream. But I don't say a word.

He laughs maniacally. "No one out here will care if you scream, sweetheart."

"Oh yeah? I care." A new voice states.

I can barely see Party Poison holding his gun to the back of the Drac's head. I can't help but smile.

The Drac is barely fazed. "In case you didn't know, I'm not the only one here."

Poison smiles. "Actually, your friends are sleeping right now. And actually, I don't think they'll ever wake up. That cloth your tents are made of; it's very easy to rip and sneak inside. Oh, and I took care of your back-up guard too. So why don't you just untie my friend here."

The Drac snarls and points his gun at Poison, aiming to kill. Poison shoots first, though, and the Drac falls.

"Thanks."

"Any time, Angel," he says as he starts untying me.

"So you really took down the whole place yourself?"

"Well, yeah. They were all sleeping, so it wasn't hard to cut their tents open, step inside and fire a couple shots. I got lucky with the outside guard, though. I just so happened to sneak up on him." He sighs. "I guess we won't know why they were here after all."

"Wrong. That Drac was an idiot. He told me that they're looking for Dr Death 'cause they want to start another war with the Killjoys. They've developed a new drug or something and they think they can beat us with it."

Poison's face falls. "Did he tell you any more?"

I shake my head. "Hey, any idea how long I was out?"

"About an hour. That's how long it was since I saw them tie you up anyway."

"So you started ninja killing then."

He laughs. "Yeah, basically."

I get out of my chair and look down at the Drac that tormented me. Bending down, I take off his mask.

And scream.

I barely notice Poison jumping in surprise. "What the hell?" He exclaims.

My eyes start to well up, and I fall to the ground before completely breaking down.

"Angel?" I hear. "What's wrong?"

"That…. That man there… my… fiancé…"

"Oh my God. I'm so sorry Angel!" He wraps his arms around me, and I lean into him.

"He… went missing a few weeks ago. I thought… he was dead… but oh God, BL/Ind got him! And I didn't know…! Didn't… even look…"

But I look now at the shocked expression of the man I once loved. In the terror and hatred of life under a brutal sun and an evil industry, I had found someone to help me survive. But now he was ripped cruelly from my arms. It wasn't fair.

"I'm sorry Angel, I wouldn't have shot him if I knew…" Poison was saying.

"It's okay. I'd rather have him be…dead…. Than continue to be corrupted by BL/Ind…"

Then I just sobbed onto his shoulder. And he never loosened his grip; he held me so close and stroked my back, murmuring apologies I didn't really hear.

After a while, he pulled back. "We should get some sleep now. Okay?"

He tries to help me up, but I shake my head. "I want to spend one last night with him."

At first he seems troubled by that decision, but then he nods and walks into the closest tent. When he emerges, he's carrying a sleeping bag and two pillows. "A pillow for each of you, and you can share the blanket," he explains.

Nodding, I take the supplies from him. "Thank you. Really"

"It's the least I can do. Good night, Angel."

"Good night, Poison."

I watch him walk into one of the tents before put the pillows beneath the heads of myself and my dead fiancé. I pull the blanket up to our necks, making sure it's sufficiently far from the fire. Reaching out, I close his eyes and push his mouth closed.

"So long and good night, sweetheart."