The Wastelands

"According to Miss. Green, Mr. Tanners, Miss. Castie and the supplies are around here." The Captain placed an x on the make-shift map. Captain Terrance made the map by memory. " So let's concentrate on this area for now. Any objections."

"No, Sir." Terran and Tyson responded sharply, While July and Kay were off in their corner whispering.

"Good. Whereas Miss Marrow and Mr. Sinclair were chased further in, around this area." He made another x. "So hopefully, they'll meet up with Miss. Green, and we'll all meet up here." He marked a building near the center. "This is our Compound's secondary base. So there might be more supplies and a working radio."

"Are you sure, Sir? Wouldn't it be better to come back here?" Tyson asked.

"This place isn't secure enough." Captain Terrance glanced at the bookshelf barricaded door. "Believe me, I don't want to be here when they finally find us." There was a pause, and he called out. "Hey, where the hell are you two going?"

July and Kay were heading out the window. July already had her hands on the edge. "Busted, hah." July jokingly replied, backing away with her hands up. "You seem well in hand, so…."

"I don't think leaving is a good idea," The Captain advised.

"Like your not counting the minutes." July teased. "Besides, we have things to do."

"You're not going to tell us, huh," Captain Terrence surmised, crossing his arms.

The cousins looked at each other before Kay responded with a glare. "Why should we?"

"In any case." July rushed in. "Who knows, maybe we'll find your missing people on the way." She waved her hand as she jumped out.

Kay shot a glance at Terran and touched his borrowed headphones. "I'm keeping these." As he too jumped.

"Your welcome," Terran called after him.

Ha, this way!" July's voice rang out. Terran rushed to the window as July and Kay were being chased by Zombies. She was laughing like being chased by Zombies was just a game.

"Are they crazy!" Tyson's eyes widened in shock.

"There're Nomads." Captain Terrance scuffed. "At least they're giving us an opening." He turned to the boys. "Anything could happen, so prioritize your lives over the supplies. And stick together. Clear?

"Clear." Terran was a second quicker than Tyson.

"Mr. Frances, watch outside to see any movement. Mr. Green, come with me." The Captain nodded at the barricaded door. Tyson stared at Captain Terrance with narrowed eyes but moved to the door. Terran followed after Captain Terrance, a little confused. "Miss. Green stint up there could be explained away with the Protector's arrival." Sighing. "In any case, it doesn't matter now." He stared straight into Terran's eyes. "If you're in a tight spot. I'm initiating code 203Lima."

Terran eyes widened. That's code pretty much gives them the green light of using their abilities at full force in front of witnesses. "How did you…."

"The Headmistress asked me to train you once." He answered, "But I thought my skills are more suited for training the other students."

"And she let you?" Terran blunted out but flushed. "Sorry, Sir."

"Yeah, she got me, one way or another." He nodded to the window. "Tell your sister, will you?"

"Yes, sir," Terran responded, turning on his flashlight; it was an attachment for one of the rifles and signalled to Heather. She responded in kind.

"And Mr. Green?" Terran turned to the Captain. "Is she going to be a problem? When she gets like this…I've heard rumours."

"I don't know. Even I can't predict what Heather would do." Terran's voice was full of concern. In a sense, Heather was more predictable than her old, childish, inventive self. The one he grew up with.

'The way she was now, behind that gun….' Terran shuddered.

"That's not what I like to hear." Captain Terrance sighed. "But like it or not, the plan wouldn't work without her." He straightened up and called out. "That's enough waiting around." He patted Tyson on the shoulder. "Come help me with this." Moving toward the bookcase.

Terran looked down as a whole bunch of zombies came stumbling past. "If Lilia was here." He whispered, glancing down at the still unconscious falcon. His gloved glowed as a bow staffed formed before receding like nothing was there as he walked out.

Towa

"Ma'am, if you have any information." A man in a full armoured uniform.

"Hah, going through my things isn't enough." Marty snorted, crossing her arms.

"The Guard has precedence…."

"If there's Lumeye activity." Marty finished. "I've read the newsletter, and the byline and those really dumb commercials. But that doesn't fix the dishes you smashed." Waving her hand around. Not only were the dishes broken, But chairs and bottles were broken, and even the fridge was overturned. "Who the hell would pay for all this?""

"Ma'am, our job is not…."

"Yeah, yeah, but I have a business to run." Patting her pockets. "Do any of you have a smoke?"

"You can't smoke in here."

"Oh, I forgot we're in a f.u.c.k.i.n.g bubble." Looking fed up. "Been twenty years, and I'm still craving the darn thing."

"Ma'am. Witnesses said that they saw some suspicious people in this area. One of those people looked a lot like your husband. He was seen with the two who is suspected to be Lumeye?" the Guard talked in soothing tones.

Marty just rolled her eyes. "Ex-husband, and why would I care what happens to that rat-bastard." Putting a lot of venom in 'rat-bastard. Half-laughing. "And him hanging out with Lumeye. That's rich!"

"We're very serious."

"Oh, I know." Her eyes turned serious. "So why are you here? wasting both of our times."

"Listen…"

"Either arrest me or get out," Marty stated.

The smooth-speaking man replied as they both headed out. "Fine, fine, we'll leave."

"Good." Hearing the door shut. Marty sighed as she tried to get something to drink but sighed again when she found broken glass. Making sure that her back was to the door, Marty leaned against the counter. "Okay, it's saved to come out, but stay low," she whispered.

A floor panel slid to the side. First, Statson pulled himself out, then Druid, wrapped in a blanket, and Bryson, who still didn't look a hundred percent, but at least he was conscious. They took Marty's advice and stayed low.

As Statson was about to talk, he hesitated; his eyes moved from one corner to the next. Marty spoke up. "No worries, I have jammers buried in the wall, but just in case, it would be nice to have this place as cool as possible." Eying Bryson.

Although Bryson was already moving his finger. "already ahead of you." Suddenly a cool-mist raised up, coating everything. Then, for good measures, drops of water sprinkled down from the ceiling.

Marty exclaimed out loud. "the sprinklers! Goddamnit!" Holding up broken glass. Marty took a gulp of the cold liquid. "Good stuff!" Raising her glass to Bryson. "I might just keep you around. We'll make a killing."

Bryson gave the woman a hard look before looking away. Marty chuckled.

Statson got up to his knees but still keeping his head low. "A hidden insulated compartment? Jammers? Marty, what are you up to?" Statson growled out.

"You're not the police anymore, so it's none of your goddamn business." Marty got defensive, glaring sideways at Statson. "Besides, I got someone to guide you through the tunnels, but you got to leave now."

Statson glanced at the door before giving Marty an incredulous look. "you know as well as I that as soon as we step out that door, we're going to be swarmed. "

"And if you stay any longer. Then the Guard… they would barge in and take me with you." Marty argued back, glaring down at Statson, and he glared right back.

"Bryson can get Statson out." Druid interrupted. The a.d.u.l.ts turned to Druid. "He can turn invisible, remember?"

Bryson turned sharply to Druid. "Druid!"

"Ice boy, I thought you can only turn yourself invisible?" Statson questioned.

"it's not an option," Bryson stated. His tone was final.

"Why? It sounds like a perfect solution to me." Marty replied.

Bryson glanced at Druid.

"I run too hot, so his invisibility doesn't work on me." Smiling lovingly at Bryson." Bryson doesn't want to leave me behind." Druid clarified.

"Ah, how sweet." Marty gushed.

"Wait, I don't understand. Can't the fire princess teleport," Statson asked.

Druid was already shaking her head, shivering even with the blanket as the air grows cooler. "I don't know the area that well. So I might teleport inTo a wall. I did that once, not fun. And…" Glancing at Marty. "And it will be noticeable."

"just for one human." Bryson snorted.

"Ha! you better have more respect," Statson growled with a hard stare. "She could have turned us in."

"And why…"

"Sweet-pie, what are you doing?" Marty interrupted.

Both the men turned to find Druid was inching her way toward the door.

Druid looked back and gave them an innocent shrug. "Nothing, just going to take a walk outside, that's all."

Marty gave Druid a baffled look. "that's all? The Guard! I don't know how many out there are specifically trained to hunt down lumeye? And you want to still out there, willy-nilly." Turning to Statson. "did you teach them to be suicidal." She tsched. " I thought better of you."

"no, she must ha, ve a plan," starting at Druid. "do you?"

Druid was humming underneath her breath. And looked up to notice everyone staring at her."Oh, sorry, trying to find the right beat."

Bryson crawled up to Druid. "How many?"

Druid leaned against him. "Two bots, two… no four people on surveillance." She glanced at Marty. "they really didn't believe you, do they?"

"Didn't expect them to." Marty snorted.

"I need to go now. More might show up," Druid pleaded with Statson.

Statson just sighed and took "Are you sure you can do it?"

"I'm not going to fight them, just going to walk out." Druid slowly got up, allowing the blanket to slide down to the floor, and wedged between the window and the front door. "Besides, you know me." A smile played on her lips, full of mystery. "I could do a lot more with seconds than an eternity." She looked sad, glancing at Bryson.

"Druid…" Bryson seemed like he wanted to say more but settled for... "Be careful, okay."

"Don't worry, they won't even see me." Then Druid slipped out.

"You're all nuts." Marty simply stated.

***

Druid stretched and allowed her foresight to take over. The path looked simple enough, but only seconds to slip through without anyone spotting her would be challenging, even with her foresight.

'Good thing I'm flexible.' Druid thought excitedly. She hadn't danced like this in a long while, and Druid was inching to get started. Finally deciding on the beat that only she could hear. Druid moved in position and waited for the timer to go down to zero.

'3…2…1…start.'

***

Ruined City

'Feeling the dirt underneath my claws. I wanted to get up, I wanted to fight, but I could only lay there as a Shadow loomed over me.'

'Hearing someone's heartbeat raced faster as people screaming. "Run!" As groaning sounds and stomping feet came over closer.'

Lilia farrowed her brow as confusing scenes invaded her thoughts. 'What's going on? Those thoughts are not mine, so why are they familiar?' Her muddled mind trying to make sense of everything.

She forced herself to open her tired eyes, but as soon as she did. "Crap," Lilia cursed, seeing that she was tangled up in some debris thirty feet off the ground, but that wasn't what concerned her the most. There, not too far off, was the biggest nest she has ever seen. With the building surrounding it carved out to make room. "Double crap."