The Wastelands

"Dear child, it's such a p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e to see you again." The General said with a smile. "Have you been well?"

"Well enough," Druid returned his smile, a genuine one. "General Kelly, I was hoping to see you today."

"What's with that General nonsense? You know better, call me Julian," Julian smiled deepened, forming laugh lines around his hazel eyes.

"General…"

Ah," he protested, shaking his finger at her. "Indulge an old man, will you?"

"You're not that old," Druid said.

Julian gave her a long stare.

Putting up her hands in surrounder. "Okay, Julian." He was beaming. Druid's tone turned serious. "Can I talk to you about something?"

Julian straightened, his eyes sharp. "What do you need."

General Kelly was one of their Compound's top supporters, and he was also a good source of information. But more than that, he was one of the few humans Druid genuinely looked forward to spending time with.

She nodded to the man of the hour. "Do you know any information about Deakin?"

"Deakin?" he stroked his mustache thoughtfully. "That man is trouble. I advise staying far away from him."

Her expression was pained. "I would if I could."

General Kelly was silent for but a minute, then spoke. "Maybe we should find a quieter place to talk."

Druid hesitated, not because she didn't trust Julian, more because she would get yelled at if Druid didn't tell someone first.

She spotted Statson, who looked drunk, stumbled into a young man with light brown hair. The man looked disgusted and walked away. Then Statson suddenly stopped playing the drunk and be-lined after the retreating man's back. Ah, he musted of noticed something.

Now, where was Bryson? Her eyes narrowed as she spotted him dancing with a gray-haired woman. She wasn't jealous or anything, Druid knew how loyal Bryson was, but there was something strange. "Bryson only likes dancing with me," Druid whispered.

"Pardon?' The General asked.

She turned to Julian. "Nothing, just wondering what your wife would say."

He paused for a moment and burst out in laughter. "Liza? Probably wondering why a young woman like you would want to keep company with an old fool like me."

Druid nodded her head in agreement. "How's she doing?" General Kelly wouldn't even think of cheating on his wife. If he did, he would be out on his a.s.s in seconds. All in all, they were a very loving couple.

Julian offered his arm, and Druid took it. "Wonderful as always. She still wants to set you up with our grandson." He leaned in closer and whispered. "But between you and me, I think you're way too good for him.

Druid couldn't help but laugh as they walked out into the hallway.

***

"Please, Randell, you got to help me!" A balding man begged, the brown-haired young man. "Tell me where they took my son, please!"

"Mr. Beakly, not now. Take your concerns up with my brother, not me. Then excuse me." Randel tried to move past the begging man, but he was stopped.

"Concerns?" Mr. Beakly's tune was desperate. " Don't you see I've tried that already! But he won't even let me through the front door. Why? I did everything he told me to do. I've been loyal."

"As I said, this is not the place." Randell hissed. "What this about loyalty? Your son was dumb enough to steal money from Deakin in the first place. You know how Deakin is when someone betrayed him."

"I'll pay back the money. I'll do anything." Mr. Beakly insisted. "You know where they're going to send him, right? I can't have my son turn into one of those Zombie Freaks."

"Like a said, it's not up to me." Randell turned his back. When Mr. Beakly tried to stop him again. Randell called out. "Guards!"

He kept walking as guards who materialize out of nowhere dragged the screaming and shouting Mr. Beakly away.

Statson, who witnessed everything, pushed off the wall he was leaning against. "Damn, that's cold." He mumbled. Glad, he noticed the guards before getting to close the that Randell boy. Still, he managed to find himself quite a show. "Deakin's brother? And that Rookie boy, who attacked us, huh."

He took a chug out of his glass until It was empty. "And zombies? Didn't that Lilia kid mention something about a zombie in Outpost 23's bas.e.m.e.nt? Riddled with Vine, was it?" He sighed thoughtfully. Things were adding up, but he didn't like the answer, not one bit. "Outpost 23, hmm. Eyes who likes to watch, Deakin. I finally have a name for all those cameras."

Although more than that was the reason why he was following Randell in the first place, he didn't know his name at the time, but Statson certainly had seen that face before. "Randell Deakin, wasn't he Girly's fiancée?" He mused, but he wasn't happy about it. "I don't like it. We might not be the only ones in trouble here." He hurried back to the party. "I need to find the kiddos."

***

Druid moved quickly down the hallway, wanting to hurry and reunite with Bryson and Statson as soon as possible. Druid learned from General Julian Kelly was very useful, and she couldn't wait to tell the others.

***

"Drucilla, you must have felt it, right? The tension." General Kelly inquired.

Druid nodded. While she was dancing. Many were jumpier than usual. She could get a once of information from them, which was why she was grateful that the General was there.

"There is a conflict, as you may say, between Castie Hospitals and Deakin Pharmistical," Julian stated. "So much so that I almost declined coming today."

Druid was quiet for a second and said. "So that means.

"Worst case scenario, the city is on the verge of collapse." General Kelly stated.

Druid swallowed. "So they have that much influence?'

"Money makes a lot of difference." The general sighed with a shake of his head.

Druid was quiet for a moment then responded. "Who do you think would win?"

"Deakin," General Kelly said without hesitating. "His influence has reached far within the police, especially WMP, and it pains me to say, within the military as well. I have my hands full, trying to untangle that mess.

"And Castie?" Druid asked.

"He went into hiding." General Kelly answered. "And I'll advise you to do the same. Deakin doesn't treat his enemies kindly. I would make a couple of calls…" he trailed off.

Druid nodded and finished. "It'll probably bring even more trouble my way instead."

"Exactly."

They stood there silently when Druid spoke up. "General… I mean Julian?"

"Good. Yes, Drucilla?"

"I've always wondered. Why help us? You must know the risk." Druid finally asked. Druid met a person outside her group that didn't want to use her, but he was always different. This might be the last chance to ask.

He gave her a thoughtful look. "Before your time, my father was faced with a choice. To follow an order or his integrity. He had chosen order. As a result, he not only lost a friend, he laid waste to what they both strived for." He paused as he stared meaningfully into Druid's eyes. "It broke him, and I vowed if I could appease his guilt even just a little, I would do so." He moved to leave, but he left her with parting words. "Take it as you will, but I will be there if you need me. Anytime, anyplace."

***

Druid didn't know what to think about the last part General Kelly told her, so let's just concentrated on what she could use, at least for now.

Suddenly her quick pace made a sudden halt. She placed her hand against her c.h.e.s.t. 'Oh no! I can't feel Bryson anymore.'

"Ha, fire-princess found you. I've got news for you." Statson interrupted.

Druid turned to Statson. "Did you see Bryson?"

He stopped. "No, isn't he still at the party?"

"Oh, you're looking for Bryson?" A man with blond hair asked. He pointed to the right."Upstairs, third door to the left."

"Ha, how do you know Bryson?" Statson asked, but then Druid didn't even stop and rushed on ahead. Statson had no choice but to follow after. "Ha, wait up! That guy's most likely a…"

"A Lumeye, I know," Druid said, but she kept on running. "And this is most certainly a trap. I don't care. Bryson's in trouble."

"Ha, I'm just saying." Statson was only a few steps behind.

When they finally got to their destination. Druid stopped and gasped. "Oh, Bryson." There, tied to the chair, Bryson's slumped body looked so shredded, his suit stained with blood. Druid rushed over to him. "Oh sweetheart, what did they do to you." Druid was checking over his body, good he's still alive, just unconscious. But she spotted something around his neck. "What's this?" Druid reached out.

"Ha, don't touch that!" Statson shouted out, but it was too late Druid was repelled back, her fingers going numb at the touch.

"What is that?" Druid asked, shocked to her core. Shaking the numbness out of her fingers.

Statson kneeled to get a better look at the collar. "Yep, seen these collars in the war, they're supposed to suppress a Lumeye's mogo." He grimaced with distaste, "Nasty business."

"Can you remove it?" Druid attention turned to the door.

"Yeah, it isn't hard," Statson said. "Wait, you mean here? No, it's too risky. Remember? Trap."

"I don't think I could teleport all of us unless that thing is off." As she moved to peek down the hall.

Statson noticeably paled. "Oh hell no, I don't want to be burnt toast." Statson sounded dubious, and he had every right to be. Plus, Bryson was a water element. Fire and water don't really mix well.

"I don't think we have a choice." Druid spotted someone with grey hair walking down the hall. 'Ah, that grey-haired woman. I should have known.' Suddenly her foresight warned her to ducked right as the blond-haired man tried to grab her on the side. She uses his own momentum as she helped him crash through the opposite door. Druid called out to Statson. "We have no time!"

"Yeah, I could see that," Statson said, taking out a pocket knife as he concentrated on Bryson's collar, "How long?" His voice was professional.

She shot fire at the woman. The flames travelled down the hallway like a chute. The woman dived out of sight. Soon after, the same grey-haired woman appeared a little further away, then another just to the right. "No time at all," Druid said as she kicked at the closest one, the clone disappeared as it hit the floor.

"I was afraid of that," Statson stated.

A crunching sound came within the destroyed door room. There the man was changing into something, Something with teeth. He turned toward her and roared. Her snake-whip crawled up to her upper arm and hissed in response.

Druid backed up and shut the door behind her, just as Statson got up. "Done," his voice relieved, throwing the pieces of the collar away.

"Good," Druid said and ran right at them.

Statson put up his hand in surprise. "Wait."

Druid tackled both Statson and Bryson and disappeared in a puff of smoke, just as the door exploded behind them.

***

Someone was hammering against the door. A woman with graying hair, and brown, swore up and down with a shotgun in hand as she opened it to find an older man with a burnt-up cowboy hat and suit. Holding up a teenaged boy who looked half dead. A teen girl with red hair and wearing a beautiful dress was standing right behind them.

The woman looked confused. "Statson, what the hell?

The man with cowboy hat replied, "Hi Marty girl can we come in?"