The Wastelands

Shadow watched in silence when Lilia entered the building. He moved at a slower pace. Every movement Shadow made was precise and well-thought-out. It had to be; he was an assassin after all. He was the one on the team to clean up the aftermath if anything went wrong.

Well, that was his job, but quite frankly, everyone could go to hell for all he cared.

Everyone except for her.

Lee.

Oh, how he loved that name. It fit her so well. Much better than Lilia. Besides, looking at her face when he called her, that name was so addictive.

She was his everything, his reason for being, his only salvation, his precious flower. His entire everything was hers and hers alone. Nothing else mattered. No one else mattered to him. Not humans. Not Lumeye. The whole world could burn for all he cared. Even the rest of his teammates could die, and he wouldn't feel a thing. Shadow smiled. Even that sudden burst of fear, she projected thrilled him to no end.

Funny how irony worked. Shadow had empathy, the ability to feel others' emotions, but Shadow himself had none.

Shadow didn't know it was empathy until Lilia tried to explain. But what good was empathy? It was nothing but garbage to him, useless. But if there was one thing empathy was suitable for, it made it easier to trace potential targets.

He touched the belt strapped across his c.h.e.s.t, feeling the sharp points of his knives, making sure not to prick his fingers. Poison, it wouldn't do him any good to get slain by his own weapons.

It made Shadow's job a whole lot easier.

It took all his willpower not to follow Lee, but he knew that she would get upset if he didn't comply.

*We'll talk more about this later.* Lee's telepathically brushed against his mind.

Taking Lee's parting words to heart, he casually strolled into the shadows. Everything turned grey. Danger screamed at him, waiting for him to step into their grasp.

Shadow's teeth gleamed. 'Come get me. I will welcome you into my army.'

***

"Don't touch me. Boy!" Statson sneered at the guard. He deliberately used his body to tower over the knee-quivering guard.

"Sir, you and your companion can't bring firearms into the party," the guard managed to get out. "It's standard policy."

"But sir, I mean…" The guard stuttered out.

Statson methods weren't diplomatic, but it sure was amusing to watch.

Rachel heard footsteps behind. Rachel looked back to a middle-aged man with a wriggled military uniform and blanched. Oh no! Statson would not like him.

"What is the problem, Jeffries?" The man commanded.

"It's um Darrel Sir," the guard Darrel corrected. "Um, they won't surrender their weapons."

"Now, Now, Jeffries." The man patted the guard's shoulder. "We have no authority with the WMP. They can do what they please."

"But Sir, you said no exceptions." The man glared at the guard. "Yes, yes. There are no issues here." The guard backed up in a hurry.

"My name is Major Hatten, the leader of Compound 14," the man introduced himself. "I welcome you..."

Rachel saw Statson face had gotten redder, so she plastered her fake smile, perfected with years of practice, and stepped forward. "I am Inspector Liu, and he Is Sergeant Statson, it is a p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e to meet you." She held up her hand.

'Okay, I really hate this guy.'

"Yes, they are." Rachal lied. She was all too aware of what her family thought of her.

"Come, come, we have a party to enjoy." The Major leads them into the

"Welcome! I am honoured to introduce our special guests, from the city of Tawa, WMP Inspectors Statson, and Liu." The clapping now was a little forced, because no one wanted to be in the presence of someone who had the authority to shut down their compounds down.

"Its Sergeant," Statson growled out, but the Major had already moved on to greet the next person. "No, military man, would ever let their dress uniform look like that." Statson shook his head in disgust. Then he patted Rachel's shoulder. "Thanks, Girly, for earlier. If you hadn't stepped in like that, well, I was about to deck the guy."

Rachel waved her hand like it was no big deal. "That was no big deal. He was very unpleasant; I see why you wanted to hit him." Rachel answered.

Then she looked off in the distance, in silence.

Statson looked at her in silence before answering. "Girly, you know you are more than your family's name, right?"

Rachel widened her eyes in mock shock. "Why are you turning sentimental on me all of a sudden."

Rachel walked along with him; there were a lot of people who were dressed like they were at a costume party. Honestly, it was nothing compared to the parties she attended in Towa, but they're still was a lot of people wearing expensive jewelry.

Rachel looked down at her dusty travel clothes and felt really out of place.

"Don't look so shocked, Girly," Statson whispered. His large hands clapped around a mug twice the size of hers, and she would bet her last dollar that there was enough alcohol to take down a bull. She could smell the alcohol from where she was standing. "There are a lot of things that were left behind during the Lumeye Wars. Stuff like those bubbles falls through the cracks when there are more important things that the Cities need. Plus, there're always private sectors to pick up the slack."

"That is how the world works," she added in a clinical tone. "Everyone's always looking for a profit"

"You're learning, Girly, you're learning," Statson said, then he chugged down his drink. "We're not going to leave this room without being spotted. Major Shiny Suit Pants made sure of that. But even here, there should be signs." He paused. "Remember what I taught you? Look, listen and try to pick out even the tiniest thing that stands out.

"You still feel it?" Rachel asked, but it was more of a confirmation.

"Like a war tank, Sweet Cheeks, like a war tank with no breaks."

She was about to comment but got distracted by Major Hatton. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I regret to inform you that Miss Maria Weatherly, the leader of Compound 8, wasn't able to attend. Instead, she has graciously sent her representatives, two top students from her school Bryson Thornton and Drucilla Sully with their escort Mr. C.h.e.s.terfield. Be kind, ladies and gentlemen, for they not only represent Compound 8, but they represent our future, so do be sure not to pry them with drinks; they are still under-age," he joked, playing the crowd like an opera performance.

The crowd ate it up if the clapping and the happy expressions were any indications.

Rachel nodded in agreement. She had heard that Major Hatton was trying to unite the compounds under his leadership. She could almost see him shaking hands and kissing babies.

'It's none of my concern.'

Rachel noticed that everyone seemed to gravitate towards the Major and the two students. It made Rachel curious herself, and she began to move to get a better angle.

She gasped.

Major Hatten was beaming, and no wonder. He was standing beside an outstanding looking couple.

A young man and woman, just a few years younger than Rachel…eighteen, nineteen? It was like looking at fire and ice standing side by side. Impossible to behold but so hard to look away.

The male had chiselled, classic Greek good looks, his blond hair slightly spiked with blue streaks. He was wearing a tailored suit that matched his cold blue eyes, but she could see that the young man was well-built, as though sculpted by ice. His cold arrogance only overshadowed his frosty looks.

The female had wild, unrestrained flaming red hair, and deep, passionate green eyes that danced from one person to another. And her face: a goddess wouldn't even compare. She wore a red dress with gold-edged trimming that flowed with her graceful form. She was like a flame and he a moth, unable to stop looking, coming closer and closer until they burst into flames.

Between them, their grey and brown escort was barely noticeable.

"Well, well, well," stated Statson, forcing her to drag her eyes away. "Looks like Major Shiny Pants has plans to win them over to his side." He snorted with that idea. "But it looks like those kids have their own ideas."

"What does that…"

Before she could finish, the world rocked with a loud bang, then shouts, and the screams filled the room.

'Holy f.u.c.k!'

***

Well, that worked…sort of. Setting off traps was easier than Lilia thought…what she hadn't accounted for was that when setting off one trap inadvertently set off a chain of traps…who knew? She went tumbling from one direction to the next. Lilia ended up coughing dust with her back on the floor, and she could just imagine a Lilia-sized hole staring right at her…if she could see anything.

Every bone in her body ached. If she wasn't ... well ... a lot more durable, even for the average Lumeye. She clenched her teeth in pain when she tried to move but pushed through until she was standing. There was no time to waste.

After she and Shadow split from Terran and Heather, they were supposed to stick with the plan. It could have gone a bit better, or at least a little less painful. Lilia could hear the guards coming to where she first set off the traps, away from her. That was good because it would take a minute for her limbs to work.

*We felt that from here…you okay?* Druid's faint voice carried past her ringing ears. Oh, right, the link. It was still working, but Lilia must have received more damage than she thought because the connection phased in and out... it was malfunctioning.

Bryson cursed, *…the fool is okay…an idiotic…to do. You…* Even though Lilia barely made out what Bryson was trying to say, she got the gist. For once, she agreed with him, Lilia was a fool. Lilia always did this, taking the most dangerous jobs, trying to be the protector. Thinking that her body was durable enough, she could withstand the damage, and she was right. But she kept forgetting that was not only risking her own life but the lives of others as well.

It was so hard to remember that she had to consider the other five, plus her sister. Not just herself and that was why she was the fool.

*Hello! Hello!* Lilia didn't get a response, but she felt that the connection was still in synch. How long that will last, who knows, but fingers crossed that the others still were able to communicate. She should be able to connect soon …hopefully.

And then, Lilia stopped. 'Something was wrong!'

She didn't notice before, but now her senses were screaming.

First, since her eyes still had dust in them, she noticed the smell. It smelled like copper, blood, fresh and old. It was overwhelming, gagging.

Touching stone, it felt slippery with some grisly mush.

Lilia already knew what awaited her before her eyes cleared up. But the sight couldn't prepare her for the horror.

Bodies, young and old, male and female, n.a.k.e.d and in pieces. It was on Lilia and around Lilia. It was horrible, and she couldn't escape it. There were no doors, just a hole in the ceiling; leading up to the guards.

'A hole in the ceiling?' Lilia looked up to get a closer look. Wasn't that a trap door? She must have fallen through by accident. 'Oh, no!' Her eyes widened in realization, seeing her surroundings in a new light. 'This place is a frigging garbage dumping site.'

'Who would do this? Major Hatten? Was this his doing?' Her eyes changed with fury. Her thoughts raced. 'If it was? He will pay for this. No one deserves to be treated like garbage.'

Her hands were trembling, but Lilia managed to grab a camera from her gear and took some pictures. She didn't want to do it, but Lilia knew that Headmistress Weatherly wanted this doc.u.mented.

Lilia was almost finished when her ears picked up something. 'What's that? Not the guards, they are still circling the same area. Something else, but it felt off. Why do I hear only movements? No breathing, no heartbeat?'

Only her quick reflexes saved her when a huge man crashed through the wall and attempted to flatten her like a bug.