“Well I can tell you why they are probably seen as important… They are Mallrats, I only knew the guy though and I can assure you that he was a thief but not dangerous. The other seemed to know me however I had no idea who she was, except the fact she was oddly huggy” I shrugged.
I couldn’t imagine either as dangerous but it had been a long time I had seen Kc.
I leaned my face against his hand “I don’t think you’re a monster, I just don’t agree with people being taken or in cages. And as normal as we can be I suppose” I tell him before moving closer to him.
Hearing her comment I tilt my head slightly, I remembered the Mall Rats from my days in the city and it does explain why they are important. “And of course, because they were your tribe you now want to protect them.” I comment before shaking my head, “well, you may say they aren’t dangerous but the report I got through says different. Our commander wouldn’t go down without a fight, and she’s down.” Hearing Zandra comment one was a thief and the other a hugger I can’t help but shake my head, “I don’t know why they are classed as prisoners of interest, and it may have nothing to do with their backgrounds. I mean, you weren’t a prisoner of interest love and we both know where you came from.”
She moves closer and I let my free arm slide around her waist, “so you aren’t cross with me then?” I question, pulling her closer to me as I do, “I mean, I did technically lie to my squad and commanding officer for you… if i get caught i’m royally fucked so… you can’t really be mad at me, right?”
I let out a laugh “You do realise no one else knows or remembers I was a Mallrat, I wasn’t a Mallrats when I was captured so no one knows my past really” I tell him “I suppose all we both know are just parts of what happened and not what actually happened.”
I rest my head against the chest “Right. I can’t really be mad, I know who you was when I first kissed you” I say honestly.
“No, you weren’t a Mall Rat when you were taken.” I agree before sighing quietly, “we have our stories and that’s all we have to work with.” I agree. I didn’t know why the Mall Rats were of such high importance, to me they were just a pesky nightmare that kept getting in the way.
“You’ve always known who I am, i’m the one who is still learning about you.” I tell her honestly, “now you have to decide whether you can live with me being me, or if its too much for you to handle.”
“My past is complicated but when I was no longer part of the Mallrats it all changed and became alot calmer”
I give him a look “Its not as easy as just living with with it, we are in a complicated situtation and I’m even sure how it will go because I am basically living in the woods and we just find time to meet but we can’t do that indefinitely” I tell him “But I do know I want to be with you when I can” I smile.
“Sounds like leaving them was the best choice you could have made.” I tell her honestly. We hadn’t talked much about why she’d left, i’d picked up that it was a sore spot and had decided not to question her further, she’d talk to me when she was ready.
“You could always join us.” I comment before shrugging, “I mean, yes there would be questions about where you’d come from but we could work something out.” I point out. “I know how you feel about us Zandra but it would mean you’d be safe. You’d have food and we could be together.”
Hearing Luke’s comment I shake my head slightly, eliciting a quiet gasp of pain. “Those damn Mall Rats…”
He moves and helps me sit up, which sends a wave of nausea and dizziness through me. Shifting slightly I bring my hand up to the back of my head and wince slightly, my fingers coming away with a hint of blood. “What happened is I got cocky and underestimated them.” It was hard to admit my weakness but I wasn’t going to hide it from Luke, there was no point.
“Someone threw something at me, I don’t know what it was but it hit the stunner and I dropped it. I don’t know if it wrist is broken but I didn’t help by using it to punch Alice.”
Luke’s radio crackles and I shift listening to the report, I want to go and help round them up but the dizziness isn’t abating. “Ved and Debian won’t let them get away,” I agree quietly. I feel like I’m swaying slightly, “I don’t think I can drive the buggy back.” I tell him after a moment, “unless you’ve suddenly grown an extra few heads.”
Debian sends a further report advising that the fugitives have headed north. Swinging the buggy in the direction I rev the throttle hoping for some additional speed. I understood why Debian hadn’t approached on his own given the report that had come through from the lieutenant.
Reaching the beach the radio crackles again and the lieutenants voice comes through, his anger palpable . If we don’t get them captured its our heads on the block. “Debian, Ax, come in.” I radio, the radio crackles but no response comes through, where they hell are they?
Slowing the buggy I look along the beach for any sign of tracks, be they Debians or the virts, I just wanted to make sure I was headed in the right direction. “Debian, i’m on the beach but can’t see any sign of you, where are you?” I radio, unsure where he is.
Lottie goes of without paying attention to me, oh these kid… i sigh and turn back to the boat. What now? The others also leave one by one and i look arround to see what i can carry , as i heard Slade asking what we should take with us for a camp.
" Food and covers i guess. " i suggested, “need a hand?”
KC
“Ok, but be careful.” i take one last look at Zandra before i go back to the bedroom and look througth the window. Nothing to see… i walk back and was about to go back to Zandra as i hear footsteps. Panic grabs me and i try to locate the steps. Someone on the boat is running, but why? Zandra! Maybe she has seen someone!
I was about to run back to her as i see her leaving the boat. What is that all about? I run back to another window. A si look throguth it, a shiver was running down my spine: A Techno? Holy shit… I watch the scene a little longer. The Techno ignore the wreck and runs in Zandras direction. Arhg, why does she have to leave and do this alone??? Women…
I rush over to where we left Alice " We have a problem. " i tell her as i enter the room.
I let out a small sigh “If only it was that easy, I couldn’t work for the Techno’s when I cant stand the thought of those people in cages, I would most likely end up doing some stupid and put you at even more risk then I probably already have” I tell him.
“However if you happen to became really high ranked where you get your own place and can have a girl who doesn’t have to be a techno I will be there” I smile and move my arms around his neck “We can dream though that maybe one day this will be easier and we could actually wake up together” I said with a small smirk.
I knew she’d never agree to join the Techno’s but I was going to keep asking her, just in case. “I know it would be a challenge, but there are jobs that don’t involve being near the cages.” I offer, I don’t know if that would tempt her but it’s worth a try.
“I don’t know if I could ever be ranked,” I admit, “I’m not the brains of the operation but maybe I could try and see how I get my own room.” I suggest. Maybe that would work, if she’d work with that I could claim she was part of the tribe working with us. I’d have to get her some new clothes and stuff but that might work. “Wake up together,” I comment smiling slightly, “which would mean we’d get to go to bed together.”
Moving my hand down her back I chuckle quietly, “although to wake up, we’d need to have gone to sleep… and I don’t know if we’d manage that… you’re such a little wildcat you’d probably keep me up all night!”
I listen to him talk, I know he is trying anyway to make it work but I couldn’t bring myself to be a Techno even if it did mean it was harder being together and only getting fleeting moments alone.
I smile innocently and press up against him “I have no idea what you’re talking about, I’m an aboslulte angel” I say tilting my head to the side “You planning on trying to sneak me into your room? I’ll warn you now I am a quilt stealer”
I stir as I hear KC mumble something but it is not enough to wake me. There was no way he was going to wake me up. The rum has intoxicated me, and keeping me in a divine sleep.
…
I wake up from a dream in a cold sweat. Not really sure what I was dreaming or how much time has past. The sun is lower in the sky so I know some time has past.
I can’t explain it, but the dream I was having. I just can’t shake the feeling there’s something but I’m not sure what. Deciding I should probably go look around the shipwreck to jog my memory I leave the room.
KC is slumped up against the door frame fast asleep. With us both being asleep it meant anyone could be closeby and we wouldn’t know, but I was fine with that. I was just happy to know we had both finally got to rest. Maybe Zandra was keeping eye?
Stepping out onto the deck it’s cooler as the sun has gone down and the sea seems calmer and further out. Low tide. I make my way across the deck and down to the still damp sand below.
Taking in the structure it’s the first time I realize we haven’t been unleveled while on the ship. It’s a old tall ship but it seems as if it were docked. The anchor resting in the sand confirms this. I frown thinking, this isn’t a wreck as we first thought.
Why would an old tall ship anchor at the island? I walk along the wet sand and reach a rocky outcropping. Looking back at the ship the puzzle starts to come together. There was no sign of Zandra.
I head back to the quartermasters chamber and a still sleeping KC is vigorously shaken awake, “Ahoy KC fancy an Adventure matey?” I ask. He’s used to traversing tunnels and I have a feeling the skill will come handy.
" Alice? Alice, can you hear me. Wake up!" i walk over where she is lying, place my hand on her shoulder and start to shake her a bit. Nothing. " Seriously? Alice we could be in trouble." i almost shout at her now, but all i get his her snorring…
The panic was about to hit me again, what now? I can’t leave her here. I glance arround the room before i rush over to the next window and take a look outside. Nothing to see. I take a short breathe in relief. Then i leave the room and back to the “bedroom” to check the other side of the boat througth the window. Also nothing. I calm down a bit, maybe it was just one? That one which is following Zandra?
I walk to the next room and see the stairs up to the top of the boat. I swallow hard before i decided to go upstairs to have look arround. Slowly i walk step by step to the next level. Carefully i look arround. The whole beach seems to be quiet. I stand there for a moment, always ready to jump down again if someone would show up. After minutes of silence i decided to let it be. Maybe it was really just one person. But what now? I can’t leave Alice, but what about Zandra? With this thoughts i walk back to the room where Alice is sleeping. Why they hell is she still sleeping? i know she has a good sleep, but i like that? I walk closer and see a bottle in front of her, full of dust but with little prints on it. Are that….finger prints? i observe the bottle. Fresh prints, there is no question about it. Oh Alice
I open it and careful start smelling " bah… Alice… how could you… if it would have been Lex, but you?" i mumble. "Perfect…. just perfect…. sitting here with a my own little drunken whale and there is nothing i can do."i almost shout and was about to throw the bottle against the wall. In the last second i hold myself back, no clue who could hear this from outside.
With a sigh i place the bottle back on the table. Ok, what now? i grab a blanket which is lying next to Alice and place it over her. Then i walk back to the door, seem like there is no question, which has to do the first duty shift, i grin a little to myself before i sit down and lean at the door frame
Later
" Wait , what?" i mumble as suddenly Alice stand in front of me.
I startle KC as I shake him, “Do not fear it is I Alice the queen of this vessel. You will come to no harm!”
What on earth are these words coming out of my mouth? Jeepers, how strong was that rum. It definitely has taken effect. That’s coming with us for sure.
I place my hand down for KC to grab to help him to his feet. “Let’s grab some supplies and get moving. I think I may of just found our saving grace from those knobhead Techno’s. Where’s that dead bird gone? I guess we have to take her too, she did help us after all.”
My mouth was even more uncontrollable under the influence of that succulent rum. I didn’t even think that was possible …
I roll my eyes about her comment, then i remember the rum and i need to grin. The rum is still working i guess. With that i take her stand and stand up. As she mentions Zandra my grin disappears.
" One of the technos was on the way to the boat, zandra spotted him first and leave the boat to make him follow her. I wanted to follow and help her, but i found you asleep and i couldn’t wake you up. I couldn’t leave you alone here and i had to make a decision." i explain her, feeling a bit guilty for leaving Zandra alone… again
“Don’t beat yourself up with your decision. I am truly grateful you stuck by me. Zandra will be just fine. She isn’t that spoilt princess she once was, she can handle herself. We will see her again I just know it.”
I raise my arms and lean into KC to grab him into a hug but I then stop. My arms drop back down by my sides. Laughter fills the chamber.
My laugh begins to soften. I awkwardly shift over to the rum bottle. I bend down and pick up the bottle.
“Don’t judge, a scallywag like me needs this right now. It is coming with us.” I smile widely.
We really needed to get moving so it’s time KC and I flew around and grab whatever might be useful and get to that rocky outcropping and slip through the crack into the unknown passage. I had a good feeling about it. I certainly had had a Taisan moment.
“KC could you please head to the front of the boat. I had a look around earlier and I noticed a couple of rucksacks. They are not in the best condition but they will be perfect to carry our supplies in.”
Paul glanced annoyed after him and rolled his eyes, just who did he think he was giving him orders? No Paul wasn’t going to go there, nor was he going to the shipwreck, firstly it would take him hours, secondly why would escaped prisoners be at the beach or near a wreck? He sighed and turned off his hearing aids. He felt much better using his senses rather then using the aids. Besides out in the woods, the aids at times did not work, to far away from the base. He walked into the forest, every now and then stopping, and feeling for any movements.
Patsy looking around she placed the bag over her shoulder as she started to walk further into the woods together with Ryan. “Hopefully we can find a way off this island soon Ryan, away from the woods, maybe we could find a farm?” She suggested. After walking for a while she stopped walking, and started to pick berries, placing them into a container that had been in the bag.
Paul continued to walk, it felt as if something was coming from the left. He turned around and started to walk that way. It didn’t take him long before he saw her. There she was, he stopped in his own tracks and stood there watching her. She was still alive, the technos had not found her. But that man from their past was with her, he had to get her away from him. He had to save her! Maybe he was keeping her as his prisoner? Paul turned his stungun on and stepped forwards. The man was standing between himself and his twin sister.
It was so quiet, not a sound to be heard, as Paul stepped forwards, not before he spoke. “Stop” he said holding out his arm pointing his zapper at Ryan.
Looking over her shoulder as she heard a voice she slowly stood up. She looked at the techno standing in front of Ryan holding his zapper out. There was something familiar about him. Paul looked at his sister before looking at Ryan. “Step away from her” he ordered still holding his zapper out.