The KG troops were yelling at them to surrender; that no one else would have to be hurt if they just gave up. Keira watched as Hector ran from their position along the stone wall, kicking up sand as he went. Gunfire sounded around them, causing Keira to flinch. Syd was still beside her, ducking down swiftly to avoid the barrage of gunfire. Bullets drummed into the rock, a few whizzing over their heads with a whine.

"We can't stay here much longer," Syd panted, "They definitely know where we are."

Keira could hear the shouting of Underground members far off in the ruins. Some of them cried for help. The Guards charged after the sounds, rifles raised. Syd turned to face Keira, saying,

"Stay close to me, alright? We're moving out."

"But they'll kill us!" Keira screamed.

"Just stay with me!"

Syd rolled to her feet, snatching up Keira's uniform in her fist. She hauled the girl along with her, and together they ran the way Hector had gone. Keira could only shriek in terror as Syd sprinted. Spurts of sand sprayed up at their feet. Syd heard the familiar coughing of the transport turret and swore, looking above her.

"It's coming right for us!!" Keira screeched.

Syd shoved the teen with all her might, sending Keira flying. She hit the ground hard and rolled down a nearby dune. Her screams were muffled by the sand. The turret opened fire, the neat rows of ammunition trailing right behind Syd. She willed herself to run faster, pumping her legs. She dove behind the safety of another rock wall, gasping for air. The turret punched holes in the stone just above her head. The torch attached to the wall shattered, spiraling flames into the air. Boiling oil spattered the ground and Syd screamed as some of the substance landed on her leg.

Keira heaved herself to an upright position, spitting out sand angrily. Her hair was falling into her eyes and her goggles had been shoved to the top of her head at an awkward angle.

"I freaking told you!!" she shrieked, "But no one would listen to me!!!"

Her cries of trepidation were swept away with the wind. She could only watch helplessly as the Underground Agents fought against the Guards. Her Blaster had been lost somewhere in the sand. Without warning, someone grabbed her by the shoulder, and she screamed, clawing at her assailant.

"Let me go! Let me go, you bastard!!"

Keira looked up at her captor, then gasped sharply. She moved the hair from her eyes as if she didn't believe what she was seeing.

"Torn!" she cried.

He said nothing in reply, just staring down at her, his expression solemn. Torn heaved her to her feet and walked through the sand toward the battle. Keeping a firm grip on the collar of her jacket, he reached for one of the twin pistols at his side and raised it to fire. The pistol cracked, and a Guard fell. Torn's face conveyed no emotion. He started running, dragging Keira with him. He threw her behind the safety of a dune, pulling out the second pistol. He fired off a volley of shots, and the Guards cried out in confusion. Torn fell to a prone position, aiming carefully at more soldiers. By now they were confused, spinning on their heels to see where the shots were coming from. The Underground agents took this opportunity to open fire.

Keira gave a start as the shooting began, instinctively covering her head with her arms. The world was a strange mixture of discord: screams, gunshots, swears, the wind howling and the sand pattering on their clothes. When a weary silence finally fell over the desert, Keira dared to look up.

Torn was standing now, staring at the clearing where his agents had been fighting. The wind blew his hair out behind him as he holstered the pistols, stepping over to Keira. He seized her by the collar of her shirt and pulled her to her feet.

"Torn, I can explain," she began, her voice strangely amplified by the silence, "It was- I-"

"I don't want to hear it," Torn growled, pulling her along as they walked.

Keira struggled to follow him, her knees refusing to straighten for some reason. The storm had subsided somewhat, and the torches lit the ruins more clearly. All the KG troops sent into battle were either dead or incapacitated. Torn stood before his agents, who were all caked in a mixture of sand and sweat. They looked relieved to see him. Torn still hung on to Keira's collar as he asked,

"How many did we lose?"

"Three."

It was Hector who answered. Syd was beside him, a pained look across her face. Torn pursed his lips.

"Wounded?"

Hector laughed lightly, shaking his head. "Nearly all of us, man," he replied.

Keira buried her face in Torn's shoulder. He pushed her away. The fire-light cast odd shadows on the group, making Torn look more imposing than he already was. His gaze settled on Syd. She noticed, and gave a small, reassuring smile.

"I'm fine, Torn."

It was the first time Keira had seen Syd's face clearly, and she noticed that the scars across her face were in the shape of Krimzon Guard tattoos. Torn nodded curtly, his gaze settling on Hector once again.

"Head back to the city. Take everyone with you. We'll have a moment of silence for them tomorrow." Torn looked behind him in the direction they were destined. "I'll go on to the cave and see if there's any activity. The kid's been stolen from us; I have half a mind they're taking him there."

The agents all seemed shocked. Keira gasped. Hector nodded at the commander.

"What about her?" he asked, jerking his head to Keira.

"She stays with me," Torn answered through his teeth, "We have a lot to talk about."

Keira winced. She could practically feel the anger radiating from him. Hector began leading the agents back the way they'd come. Syd had seemed to detect the fact Keira was in trouble. She limped up to them, stopping in front of Torn.

"She wasn't supposed to be here, was she?"

"No," Torn growled.

Syd smiled lightly, the warm torchlight playing gently across her face. The wind blew her hair back from her forehead.

"Before you bite her head off, Torn, I have to tell you that she did pretty damn good out here for it being her first time. Took out a transport all by herself. How many of our men can say they did that?" Syd told him.

Torn snorted. Syd shook her head, still smiling. She tapped Keira on the shoulder and said,

"She did pretty damn good…"

Syd turned and left them, catching up with Hector's group. Torn watched her go, sighing. He began stomping through the sand to some unknown destination. Keira followed, not wanting to be left behind.

"Who is Syd?" she asked, "She's different from all the rest."

"She was a Sergeant in the Krimzon Guard. I fought along side her and many others a long time ago," Torn answered, fiddling with the radar device on his wrist.

"But…she has no tattoos..."

"Had them removed. Very painful process. Not even I would do it."

Torn stopped walking, turning around to face her. Keira flinched at the intensity of his gaze.

"So what the hell are you doing out here?!" he fumed, "You could have been killed!"

"I'm sorry, Torn!" Keira told him, "But I thought-!"

"You're sorry?! I don't know what I would do if you got killed. Can you imagine what the consequences would be?" Torn was furious, his fingers clenched into fists. "You aren't an agent- that makes you a civilian! And do you know what happens when the Baron finds out a civvie was killed during a skirmish with us?! He KILLS everyone! Anyone associated with me dies- Hector, Syd, Libby, Tess, and even Ashelin!!!"

"I tried to tell them they were all in danger but they didn't listen to me," Keira wailed, "I had to come along or they'd leave me behind after curfew!"

"The worst they could have done was bring you to Errol, and since the bastard has a bizarre crush on you anyway, you would've been fine!!" Torn shouted.

Keira could hear his voice echo through the empty air. Torn turned away from her, his eyes blazing. She tagged along behind him, desperate to explain herself. They came along a motorcycle resting at the top of a dune.

"But I helped out the Underground! I chose to help them, Torn. Can't you at least be proud of me for doing that?"

"You shouldn't be here," he replied, his voice strangely calm.

"But I only wanted to protect you; I didn't want you to die!"

"I don't need someone to protect me, Mik!" he fired, "And the fact that you came out here, regardless of your own well-being, acting like some kind of hero-"

"Who's Mik?" Keira asked quietly, now confused.

Torn's rage suddenly subsided. His shoulders slouched slowly. A strange look had spread across his face.

"He's my brother…"

"Why'd you call me-?"

"Because you're acting just like him!" Torn growled, his voice back to normal, "He was twelve, so that shows you how mature you're being right now!"

He slung a leg over the bike, shaking his head. Keira staggered through the sand, stopping beside him. Her expression was pleading.

"I know, Torn. I can't explain why I came with them- but I did. I'm here, and there's no changing that," she said.

Torn heaved a sigh, looking up at her. The moon showed brightly over their heads and the stars gleamed.

"Well, we aren't leaving," he declared, "Because I better get the kid back while I'm here."

His voice was low and devoid of emotion. Keira felt fear grip her heart.

"Why would they take him?" she snarled, "He's not old enough to understand who's good and who's not!!"

Torn leaned forward, gripping the handle bars. "He's a Channeler, Keira. That's why they want him." He read the expression on her face and continued before she could say anything. "He's the son of the greatest Channeler I've ever seen. She had tremendous powers, and I mean it. She could use any form of Eco they gave her."

"So why use her son?" Keira questioned in disbelief, "Why not ask her for assistance?"

"She's dead," Torn answered, quietly, "They killed her on the day the Baron took over. Her name was Jinny; she was the Queen, Keira."

Awareness crossed her face. Torn had set his gaze on the horizon; his eyes were darkened with anger and remorse. He kick-started the motorcycle. It shuddered to life and roared.

"So do you want to get the kid back, or not?" he asked her.

Keira frowned. The wind blew her hair gently around her face as she thought over his statement. With a small grin, she hopped on the back of the motorcycle in reply. Torn twisted the throttle and they sped off into the desert, spewing sand into the air.