The Wastelands

"No!" Heather screamed. Then suddenly, the wind picked up, whipping around like crazy. Almost blowing everyone off their feet.

"What the hell!" Someone yelled, probably the Captain.

Heather felt someone grabbed her one of her shoulders and turned her around. She looked up to find Terran's worried expression. "Heather, Look, Sil's fine. See!" He was cradling the falcon in his other arm. Sil looked so small, but he was still breathing.

She placed her hand on his feathered c.h.e.s.t, feeling his heartbeat relieved. However, that didn't change anything.

"But Lilia… I can go and get her…I can…" She didn't finish, feeling Terran tightened his grip." Terran?" He wasn't looking at Heather; he was looking behind her. Terran's face had gone pale. "What's wrong." Heather looked behind her, and she couldn't believe what she saw. At first, it looked like buildings were then suddenly a gigantic bird which looked like a turkey vulture with scales rising out of nowhere. "A Protector? Here?"

The vulture opened up its beak and screeched. Heather covered her ears as the sound resonance painfully through her.

'Not good!'

Heather's ears were ringing, but she could clearly hear Terran saying in a panic, "We need to run. Now!"

***

Towa

Druid's head was resting on the rim of the tub, with her eyes closed.

Her head jerked as a voice echoed. "You dumbass!"

"Bryson?" Druid's eyes moved frantically. Until they finally settled on Bryson, and she sighed in relief. He was still unconscious, but the water that was slowly filling up was helping a great deal. His absorbing the liquid had helped speed up his healing tremendously. Although in Druid's opinion, not quick enough. "He's going to be okay." She whispered, more to reassure herself than anything else.

Although Druid couldn't help but feel guilty. 'I should have seen this coming.' Kept rolling around in her head. Her foresight never even gave her a hint that Bryson would be in any kind of danger. It's so frustrating. Putting the Lumeye thing aside, 'I could have lost Bryson.'

Druid dipped her finger in the water, swirling it around. "I was right. You are mad at me," she whispered. Druid always thought that her foresight had a mind of its own; this just further confirmed it.

A loud crashing sound from the next room made her almost jump out of her skin. She whipped her head toward the closed bathroom door. "I better see what's going on," Although she was reluctant to leave Bryson, another crashing sound and some screaming made Druid's choice.

Once Druid opened the door and finding Statson and the woman, he called Marty squaring off like they're going to fight each other.

"Do you know what you have done? Do you?' Marty's voice was challenging.

"Yes, I know. You keep telling me other and over again." Statson replied, throwing his hands up in the air. Marty growled and threw another plate, and Statson dodged it like a pro. "Hah,"

Druid was kind of impressed; he moves well for a man his size.

"I worked so hard to get out of that hellhole, and you get to just show up at my door, dragging along a boatload of trouble. The Guard, really?" Marty gave Statson a skeptical look.

"it's not that bad." Statson tried to console Marty's volatile temper.

"Not that bad!" Marty almost screamed. "You pretty much destroyed a part of a government-sanctioned building with who knows how many important personal trapped inside? And it was obvious that Lumeye were involved. It would be crazy for the Guard not to be involved."

Druid stepped in. "I…"

Marty waved her hand in dismissal. "No, sweet-pie, it's not your fault. You were only trying to get out of a bad situation." She leaned against the table, staring straight at Statson. "It's solely on the shoulders of a.d.u.l.ts who were idiotic enough to put you in that situation in the first place."

"Marty girl…"

She held up her hand. "Don't Marty girl me. You know I'm right. I told you long before this whole mess happened that something rotten was going on in the WMP, and you know what you told me?"

"That there was always something rotten going on somewhere. The only way to bear the stench is to learn to breathe through your mouth," Statson repeated, giving Marty an annoyed look.

A smirk slowly formed on her face. "How's that going for you."

Statson shot her a dirty look. "I just wanted…"

"The thing is, you're not good at following your own advice, and it was only a matter of time before you stepped on the wrong toes." She paused, her gaze softened. "Why did you come back."

"I just couldn't let it slide. I could have died. My trainee could have died. I just wanted to know why." Statson was still a tough guy, but there was a pleading undertone in his voice.

Marty nodded her head. "So it's not exactly about you but your trainee. You'll not only be a dumbass, but a softy to boot. Glad nothing changed."

Statson growled a little but seemed to puff up a little.

Druid looked back and forth with bemus.e.m.e.nt and raised her hand. "Um, should I leave? " Pointing to the bathroom door.

"Oh, no sweet-pie," Marty hurriedly said with a smile. "Come on, and sit. I have food ready in just a minute." She reached out to gently touch Druid's arm, probably to guide her to a seat. But Druid couldn't help but flinch away.

Druid laughed awkwardly. "I should check on Bryson."

There was a look of understanding before she stated, "He's not going to suddenly disappear, sweet-pie. And it's not only about the food. I need to know what's going on so I can help you. Plus, you need a break."

Conflicted, Druid looked toward Statson.

"No worries. Marty's more than okay. She used to be the Forensic Scientist with the WMP, but she left years ago and was living down here ever since, so she's probably our best bet getting out of here," Statson explained.

"So, you finally came to your senses, huh. A little too late if you ask me." Marty turned and smiled at Druid. "I don't know if you heard before, with how messed up that boy was. My name is Marlene O'Conner but call me Marty."

"Druid." She whispered; Druid was still feeling raw, and seeing their interactions usually would amuse her to no end. Still, all she could do was think about Bryson. Although Marty was interesting, she certainly noticed that Druid and Bryson were Lumeye, but it didn't seem to phase her one bit. Not even after they took over her bathroom.

"Nice to meet you," Marty said, settled down in a chair. "Now tell me what the hell's going on."

Statson was the one who started after he finished.

"Rachel," Druid whispered. "So, they were after her at the Outpost."

"Yeah, it looks that way, but not only her," Statson confirmed and sigh. "That Deken guy is cleaning out a couple of compounds for his experiments. That's why he bought the WMP. That's why he tried to kill all those compound leaders at the Outpost." He shook his head, from side to side. "He's a sick f.u.c.k."

"But if that's the case, then Deken might try again," Druid said, thoughtfully. "The Caravan."

"We need to get back right away," Statson added, leaning against the counter.

Even if we get out of the city, it'll be..." Druid whispered.

"I know." Statson interrupted a pause then. "I don't like it. Why go to such extremes." Statson mumbled, fiddling with his hat.

"I found some things as well." Then she told them what she found out. At the time, she thought everything was going so smoothly. She couldn't believe how foolish she was.

As she finished talking. Statson slammed his fist on the counter. "We're stuck in the middle of a damn turf war. What the hell." He looked so pissed off.

Marty, who sat in silence all the way through, finally spoke. "One thing is for sure, as soon as the boy's back on his feet. You guys have to leave. We're all in danger if you stick around."

Statson eyed Marty. "So, you do have a way out of Towa. I knew it"

Marty clicked her tongue. "Of course, I do, but..." Marty trailed off.

"What?" Statson asked.

"There are some train tunnels that lead out into the Wastelands," Marty replied. "Although there's a couple of problems."

"And…" Statson prompted.

Marty glared at the man. "Hey, I can still shoot you."

"Okay, okay, I'm good." Statson brought up his hands in surrender.

Marty stared like she didn't believe him but continued talking. "The whole thing is unstable, and you can easily get lost, but after hearing what you found, something just clicked." Pausing. "A lot of people are disappearing."

Statson just shook his head. "Come on; this is undercity. Down here, people disappear all the time."

Marty whirled on Statson. "Do you think I don't know that? I live here, for god's sake. This

feels different. A lot of people are disappearing, disappearing around those tunnels I just mentioned. If you say that it was just a coincidence that you're more of a dumbass than I thought."

Statson didn't say a thing for a moment then. "Damn."