Fun Fact: I don't know how or why, but sometimes this character reminds me of Lady Macbeth. You know, is sane then goes crazy before killing herself? Well, the killing-self party (might) not happen here (ooh, spoilers (or not spoilers - PLOT TWIST.)) but the part were she is sane then goes crazy slightly happens here. Hmm.
"Drop your weapons. Now."
I grinned, recognising the male voice. I whipped around, knocking the arm that held the ray gun against my neck, and grabbed spun my attacker around. Kicking the back of his shin, the guy fell down and I only just managed to grab him with my arm around his throat. The final touch was to add my stolen ray gun to his temple. Breathing heavily from the adrenaline that'd barely stopped pumping through my body, I looked up into two familiar faces and grinned widely, despite their ray guns trained on the spot between my eyes.
I lowered my head and breathed in the scent of the man's hair below me. I lowered my face down a bit and felt him flinch as I exhaled gently by his ear.
"Hello. Party Poison," I whispered. My head snapped up to gaze at Kobra Kid and Jet Star. "Hey Kobra Kid and Jet Star. Long time no see, huh?"
"Dark Star?" Kobra gasped. I frowned. How did he know my Killjoy name? I was sure I'd never told any of them.
"How do you know my name?" I growled, arm tightening against Poison's throat. I felt him trying to pull my arm off until I kicked his back and growled at him to stay still.
"Easy kid," Jet Star began, lowering his gun (but not putting it in its holster) as he raised one hand with his palm facing towards me. "We found out from Dr D's database. It turns out there was also a malfunction with a the machine. You're not Korse's daughter; in fact the two of you aren't related at all."
"So you let me run off into the desert so I could be kidnapped by a passing Scarecrow!" I practically yelled, my arm now almost impossibly tight against Poison's throat. At this particular point, I didn't really care. Kobra and Jet seemed to though.
"No, no! That's not what we meant!" Kobra said almost frantically. He kept glancing at Poison then at me and so on. "Like Jet said, it was an error. A grave one we know! Please Star, don't take it out on Poison. Just let him go and we can grab Ghoul and get outta here." His voice almost cracked with emotion and his eyes begged me. I grunted before grudgingly shoving Poison to the floor.
"He's in there," I pointed behind me. Jet nodded before darting into the cell, Kobra rushing to Poison's side.
"Are you okay?" he asked softly. Poison nodded as he coughed, although I could tell he was trying to keep down the noise.
"Ye… ye… ah," the red head managed to say with a wary glance in my direction. Rolling my eyes (how weak he was, even as a Killjoy leader, to not be able to cope with a mere strangle), I began picking up my items I'd dropped in the scuffle with Poison.
"Let's go," Jet said from behind me. I turned and saw the man carrying another in his arms like a groom would do for his bride. I knew instantly that the man in Jet's arms was Fun Ghoul, even if I couldn't see his face, as it was facing Jet's body. Poison jumped to his feet and ran over. He muttered something under his breath to which Kobra replied with, "let's get him back to Dr Death."
Poison nodded at Jet and the two darted off the way I presumed they came. Kobra went to join them but I remained rooted to the spot. Why would they want me with them? After I was close to killing their leader, why would anyone want me now? If any Killjoy found out about what I'd almost done (and I was sure they would – that kind of news would spread like wildfire), I'd be shot without second thought.
You're no better than a damn Draculoid.
"You coming?"
I looked up to face Kobra and told him why they (or anybody) would want me now. The blonde man frowned and walked up to me, slapping his gloved hands onto my shoulders.
"Listen," he began, crouching down so we were eye to eye. He opened his mouth to say more when a loud march of clunk! clunk! clunk! echoed from the right.
"Another time?" I suggested, slight amount of humour in my voice.
"I think that'd be best," Kobra smiled slightly before grasping my hand and pulling me into a sprint.
As the two of us ran through the Better Living Industries building, a million and one things began rushing through my mind. Would we make it out? If we didn't, what would happen to us? Instant death? Torture for information then death? But, what would happen to all those Killjoys out there that needed their leaders for guidance and inspiration? I shuddered as brief images of Killjoys being shot down like criminals (although to some degree, aren't we criminals?) in the Zones; Killjoys being beaten to death, starved to death, frozen to death. I gripped onto Kobra's hand tighter as the images became more violent and disturbing. The Killjoy turned and flashed me a brilliant smile, one that told me everything was going to be okay.
But it's not.
We made it out through the doors and I let go of Kobra's hand, although he still held onto mine.
"Let me go Kobra!" I yelled at him. I saw the Trans-Am ahead, Jet in the driver's seat and I could just make out Poison in the back seat with Ghoul. "You four go now, I'll try and lead them away."
"No, you bloody well don't!" Kobra yelled back, refusing to loosen his grip an inch. "Now isn't the time to play hero Star, we need to get you and Ghoul to safety."
A flash of light soared through the air as Kobra and I dodged the Draculoid's blasts. I aimed my gun behind me and fired blindly, hoping I killed some damn Draculoids. When we reached the car, the front door was flung open and just as Kobra shoved me into the seat, I whacked my forehead against the car.
"Shit!" I yelped as I fell into the vehicle. I barely managed to get my feet inside before the door was slammed shut.
"Go, go, go!" Kobra, Party and I shouted as the Draculoids came closer to the car. The engine roared to life and Jet stamped on the gas. I looked in the wing mirror and saw Kobra's hand sticking out of the window, firing blindly behind us. I saw a Draculoid or two fall to the ground and smirked in satisfaction.
I sighed, slumping down against the seat as a yawn escapes my mouth. The last thing I remember is the landscape of the desert, empty except for cacti. Then, I close my eyes and fall asleep, exhausted as the adrenaline leaves my body.
Maybe everything will get better now we have Ghoul.
PS. To all those other writers who read my stories (or story), is it me, or every time you're writing and you're imagining what's happening so far, does it feel like everything is going in slow motion? *shrug* I dunno, maybe I'm just mad (as a Hatter)? Yeah, I think it's that…
And yes, I realise this is a small chapter AND I'M REALLY SORRY but this stupid text edit thing doesn't have a word counting thingy and it looks like loads but then FF.N tells me how much it really is and I'm like *RAGE*
I. LOVE. YOU. GUYS