Author's Note: Hi, once again! This is now my favorite chapter. It's kind of short, but there's a lot to it. There might be some hinted-at stuff with the characters. I did that just for fun, but there's actually a story behind their behavior. (For another time, ha!) Leave comments, please! I'd love to know what you readers think about this particular chapter, since I liked writing it so much. Hopefully I've kept everyone's attention… ;) alright, enough blabbing. Read and review, if you please. Bye for now. – Captain Hilts.

"You can't! I won't let you!" Tess hissed.

She stood in front of the child protectively; the neon lights of the Bazaar flashed above her like a beacon. Her blonde hair was in disarray, the vehicle she had used in ruins. It smoldered behind her, flames flickering toward the sky. The Krimzon Guards had made a half-circle, slowly backing her into a corner. The little boy whimpered, hiding behind her. She searched for his tiny hand and clutched it. A pistol was clenched tightly in her grasp. She had aimed forward at the Guards, sweeping it across the line, as if daring one of them to shootout at her first. Tess knew she barely had a chance, but she wasn't about to let them know that. Her eyes narrowed in determination.

"So we meet again, my dear Tess," said a voice.

"You," she snarled, "I should have known!"

Before her, the circle of Guards parted to reveal their Commander. He walked calmly up to her, arms behind his back. He looked different in person; the many posters of him around town did not reveal that malicious glint to his eye. He was the same height as her, looking her straight in the eye. Tess trained the pistol on him, and he stopped walking.

"Move another step, and you'll have a bullet in your skull," she warned.

He chuckled at the malice in her voice. Tess glared at him.

"Now, there's something I never thought I'd hear from you," he said.

"You aren't taking this child, Errol. I won't let it happen."

Errol smiled at her, and she suppressed a shiver. It was too familiar a smile; something that hinted at a hidden desire.

"You won't shoot me, Tess," he said.

He took a step forward; the pistol cracked loudly, echoing around the marketplace. The KG Soldiers all tensed, raising their rifles. Errol shouted at them, his voice hardly shaking.

"NO! Hold your fire!"

The soldiers slowly lowered their weapons. Errol turned back to Tess, noticing she was breathing heavily through her teeth, fury in her eyes. Smoke curled gently into the air from the end of her pistol. The Commander of the Krimzon Guard bent to pick up his racing helmet from the dirt, placing it back on his head. He raised his eyebrows in approval.

"Did Torn teach you how to shoot like that?" he questioned.

"I learned all on my own," Tess retorted with sarcastic sweetness, "And that time I missed."

Errol smiled strangely once again. Tess kept the boy behind her, feeling him tremble against the back of her knees.

The Commander was secretly surprised at her skill with a weapon. During the time he'd known her, he never would have thought that one day the two of them would meet under circumstances like this. Her hair fell around her gently, in disarray and tinged with soot from the zoomer wreckage. Her pink lips formed a tight, straight line; her eyebrows knitted into a 'V.'

"I'm sorry, Tess," Errol told her gently, mocking pity in his voice, "But I just have to take the boy from you. So unfortunate to meet up with you like this…a nice dinner would have done just fine."

Tess glared at him, her finger tightening around the pistol.

"Go to hell, you bastard-!"

The Krimzon Guards all suddenly closed in around them. Tess fired a few shots, but she didn't know where they ended up; a wall of black and scarlet was coming toward her. The Guards swallowed her and the boy in their arms. Tess felt a burning pain in her arm. She dropped the pistol, watching as a boot kicked it out of her reach. The child cried out in fear.

"No!" Tess screeched.

She reached for him, but it was too late. A Guard was already running away with the toddler slumped over his shoulder. Tess felt someone grab her from behind, pinning her arms to her sides. She struggled, watching in horror as a cruiser hovered into the air and flew off into the fading sunlight. There were still Guards around, their rifles trained on her. Tess growled, thrashing around in her captor's grip. She could feel his hands tightening around her arms.

"Thank-you, Tess," Errol's voice hissed in her ear. She felt his breath on her neck and quivered. "I appreciate your…cooperation."

Tess flailed around once again, but Errol held her tight. He laughed loudly, as if her struggle was so amusing to him. Gently, he fingered a few strands of her hair.

"Calm down," he whispered, "You know, I've been authorized to kill you…"

Tess felt terror seize her heart. Errol pressed his cheek against hers, smiling wickedly.

"But you know I can't do that."

She had tears in her eyes, but not from the fear. She was angry, trembling with rage. Tess flinched as Errol moved in closer, kissing her on the cheek.

"Give my regards to Torn," he said with a smirk.

Slowly, he left her side. Tess could only stand rooted to the spot, her fingers curled into fists. She watched, glaring, as the cruisers lifted into the air and flew off in the direction of the Port. Tess held herself, though she was not cold; her knees were knocking. She wiped her cheek roughly where the kiss had been, sinking to her knees. Tess hung her head and fell into tears.

**********

The Underground hideout had finally fallen into silence. Torn sat on a rickety chair in the medical room, his eyes fixed wearily on the now sleeping Libby. The wounds on her body had been treated, bandages showing bright on her skin against the dirt. Jinx swaggered back into view, having come from the alley; he'd needed a smoke for awhile now. He sat on a bench across from Torn, blowing out a breath. He nodded to Libby.

"She's gonna be alright now, huh?"

"…Yeah," Torn said slowly, "She'll be fine. Scared me for a moment, though."

Jinx leaned against the wall, half-laughing. "You're tellin' me, man. I'd never seen someone like that. Although- I gotta hand it to ya- you knew what you were doing. Calmer than Ashelin, if that's even possible."

Torn nodded this time, his gaze falling to the empty jar on the table.

"Ashelin made it out of here okay? No questions asked?"

"Cool as a cucumber, my friend," Jinx replied with smirk. There was a moment of silence, then he said, "So where the hell did ya get that Light Eco? Even Krew can't get his chubby little fingers on that stuff."

"I made it," Torn said with a sigh, massaging his temples.

Jinx raised his eyebrows. "You- made it? How'd you do that?"

Torn only smiled, shaking his head. He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees.

"Very carefully. Someone taught me how a long time ago- figured it would come in handy."

Jinx would have said something, but he was cut off by the sound of a frightened voice.

"HQ, pick up!!"

Torn jumped from his seat, running down to the main room. He snatched up the radio in his hands, snapping down the button. The panic had returned; his heart reached a pound.

"Tess," he asked worriedly, "What's the matter?!"

"They took the little boy! They stole him from me-he's gone!!"

Torn's stomach twisted into a knot. What the hell was going on? First Libby and now Tess- what had he done?

"Are you alright? Where are you?" he demanded.

"I'm at the Bazaar," Tess answered, her voice tinny coming from the radio, "I'm just a little bruised up…But you have to get the boy back!!"

"Who took him from you?"

"Errol!" Tess sobbed.

Torn felt anger replace the fear. "Did he hurt you?!"

"No, I'm fine, Torn! He and a bunch of Guards grabbed the boy and they flew off toward the Port. I'm so sorry!!!"

"Tess, it's not your fault," the ex-Guard assured her, "Don't kill yourself over this. I'm sending Ashelin to come pick you up."

"Are you going after him?!"

Torn paused, but only for a moment. "Yes. I'll just have to make Hector lead the Wasteland squadron tonight. Stay right where you are, Tess. Ashelin will be there soon."

"Okay," her voice trembled through the static, "Please be careful, Torn…I think Errol knows you'll be coming."

"I'll be fine. I can promise you that. Just stay put and you'll be back here in no time."

"Are you taking Ashelin with you?" Tess asked.

Torn thought for a moment. He couldn't risk her getting hurt, either.

"No. I know where they're going. HQ out."

He clicked off the radio, gnashing his teeth. It was personal this time.