by Hugo Damas
Zion died trying to lead some kids to safety. Emery was wounded doing the same, she was still being bandaged right there, as she tried to sit up straight in the chair that had been brought out for her. Andy was passed out on some bed, they didn’t know whether he’d make it. Blake was also dead. River and Sage were fine, as was the Schoolboy. One kid Jamie knew as a friend had died, but otherwise, the Street Rat had lost no other close friends. Just a balking number of acquaintances.
The Street Rat kept the mind busy, the role going. Kept the show on. Honest feelings itched the skin and pulsed within the heart.
They wouldn’t get through.
Kids and nurses were spread out around the large room, still the same underground basement, which was now open for others to take cover from an eventual, though highly unlikely, second attack.
The Street Rat was doing all he could to stand upright. He stood a bit bent on his good leg as if too cool and relaxed to stand straight. The truth was that the leg wound pained too much when he put weight on it.
“I think we just received a grim reminder,” Sage said, as a start to the impromptu meeting, “that we forgot something. In our planning.”
“Led By Anarchy,” River said with a despising nod.
“This…collection of psychopaths has been allowed to operate for far too long,” Emery said, angry. Visibly angry.
“We aren’t the only targets,” Jamie put forth to give a little push towards the decision he wanted from them. “They’ll be striking others. Whoever supports the Shadow Conclave…”
“They’ll want to strike back,” Emery agreed, slamming her fist on her chair’s armrest.
“We’ll find out where to direct their efforts,” River said, looking around. Jamie then noticed the right side of her head was actually bloodied, so she had not been untouched after all.
Jamie also couldn’t help but notice they weren’t arguing as the rules dictated they should, they were speaking their own minds. This only went to show how shook everyone was.
“We should go after them ourselves,” the Schoolboy put forth.
“Us?” Emery threw him a dirty look.
“Kids can make great assassins, we should just--”
“This line of thinking won’t be tolerated,” Sage interrupted, already playing the part of mediator. Zion’s part. Even his vocabulary had sharpened.
Clever nugget…
“We have one of the best information networks in the world. Beggars and homeless are more invisible than shadows and spies. We will find them,” Sage said.
The Teens, what was left of them, nodded. The Street Rat nodded with them, but the Schoolboy was a second behind, looking all the more foolish for even trying.
Jamie smirked victoriously. “I will still go to convince the Holy Lady.”
“Is it needed? With this attack, will that–”
“Yes.” Emery interrupted since it wasn’t a Teen talking. Jamie felt good they hadn’t interrupted him, it was a good sign. “That oaf’ll get even more scared after losing three planes. ‘this is how we did against normal people,’ he’ll say, ‘imagine if we fight the dark ones!’”
“Coward,” River spat.
“None of us are that brave,” Sage commented. “We’re simply not foolish. Yes, Jamie, your mission stands.”
“What about leadership?” The Schoolboy, of course. “We need replacements for Zion and Blake, possibly Andy.”
Emery threw him another look. “Andy will be just fine, boy.”
“I’m guessing my boy here wants a spot,” River mentioned with a hint of amusement, “he’s of age, we could consider it.”
“Not the matter at hand,” Sage said, waving it away. “Especially right now that we need you in the field, too. We need everyone in the field, at least for the next week.”
The Street Rat shrugged at the Schoolboy, who shot him a mean look.
I’m not scared of bullies, Jamie indicated.
His look said ‘you should be’ but Jamie didn’t even have to try to look unbothered, it came quite naturally.
“Jamie. You can get going,” Sage said.
“Shouldn’t I stay and help with the rest of the decisions?” Jamie asked.
“We’ll have to survive without you,” River quipped. “I think we might manage.”
Jamie chuckled and turned around, walking out.
“Well, I certainly hope so. It’d be a pretty ugly shame for the Scavengers to crumble ‘cause o’ some rotten radishes like the LBA.”
“The Scavengers do not crumble,” Sage stated as the Street Rat climbed the stairs, smiling to himself. “With or without the Street Rat.”
It didn’t matter what he said. Just the fact Sage had acknowledged Jamie’s comment was victory enough. It meant Jamie was seen as an equal.
The Street Rat left back out into the street. It had been dirty before, dirt-poor dirty on the surface, but now it was a wreck. Emergency responders were everywhere, medics and firemen trying to help people still stuck and wounded inside broken buildings and exploded streets.
It was the greatest attack to the ego, to see the place that originated the Scavengers so… humbled. It was the sight of defeat, or at least, of a severe blow.
It was inevitable that the LBA would pay for it. Antagonizing everyone around the world? They couldn’t really expect to survive the year, but then, that was the point, wasn’t it?
They didn’t expect humanity to survive the month, let alone the year.
Jamie had never been a very emotional person, of course, because of the fact she spent so long expertly faking it. But seeing that? Children she had interacted with for so many years, hurt or dead, and her home smelling of burnt concrete and fear instead of the sea and confidence?
Her home was scarred. Her past was marred. Pretending like she was still on top was very difficult.
I wonder if Falk’s got anything to do with this? That moment of doubt quickly dissipated. Jamie was certain of his character, he would most likely prefer to slaughter his whole guild rather than help them assist the Beasts, insulted as he was. Hunter’s Guild, The Wild Felids, would probably be targeted as well, as would House of Magni, the Mafias, etc.
They would probably leave the Kagekawa alone since the Beasts were already targeting them. But still, how would they fare against organizations that actually possessed the ability to handle combat? Probably not as well.
But against them? Against a bunch of kids who spent their lives bluffing their way past danger and into ultimate riches? It had worked pretty well.
The Street Rat sighed, her spite alone giving her the stubbornness to ignore the pain in the leg.
Jamie went to Andy. As much as she could get away with antagonizing someone like Sage or Emery, it was important to have an ally, someone to vouch for the Street Rat. Schoolboy had River.
Andy was lying in bed in an underground floor of a house. Some of the houses had them, basements or caves turned into a one-bedroom flat. He was awake, lying on top of his hair rather than the bed sheets. Most of his torso was bandaged, and his left arm was mutilated. Nothing was there from the elbow down.
“Hey Andy,” Jamie greeted, standing at his side. “Yer gonna make it or what?”
“I figure,” Andy said, groaning painfully. “Death don’t hurt like this.”
“Yeah, it’s more sneaky, right? You wanna know stuff about the Teens?”
He looked at Jamie. The eyes were crying, they were red, probably from rage. Yet, they did not look the part they were playing. They loved, they asked for compassion, for Jamie to do whatever Andy asked and to trust him implicitly no matter what happened.
Andy was a dangerous individual.
“Lemme guess… they’ve decided to root out LBA members,” Andy casually stated with a hint of pain stiffening his voice. “LBA will be attacking other groups, so we’ll help them find out how and where to fight. Then, and I’m just guessin’ ‘ere, your task’s still the same. Then someone talked about electing new Teens. Th
at made you be a smart-mouth, which got you kicked out.”
Jamie smirked, crossing her arms. “I am a smart-mouth, you trained me.”
Andy rolled his eyes and looked aside. A part of Jamie was sad at that, looking eye to eye was a warm feeling. The Street Rat ignored that part, of course.
“I lost my arm, and I’m in a stupid amount of pain, Jamie, I don’t really have the patience for your games.”
Andy hadn’t trained Jamie, not really. They all trained themselves, sometimes by observing the Teens, but the only thing they were really taught by the Teens was independence. Essentially sucking it up and not looking for help they didn’t need.
“They’re gonna pay, Andy,” Jamie said, relaxing a bit so she would sound more honest. “And we’ll take down the dark ones, too.”
Andy tried to laugh, but the pain forced him to cough and complain instead.
“Ow…ah. It might be the sedatives speakin’, but I believe ya.” Andy looked back at her. “You’ve always been different, Jamie. Better.” He squinted his eyes, lovingly and pleadingly at the same time.
What the void?!
“If anyone can juggle the powers o’ the world n’ direct them right…it’s you. If anyone can make a real difference in this fight, it’s you.”
Jamie opened her eyes, startled, almost shocked. Andy clearly thought they were all doomed if he was being honest.
The Street Rat paused. “Yer bein’ weird,” she complained.
“Well, look the part, I always say,” he said, lifting his bandaged stump. “You want to be a Teen, right? Or are you seein’ bigger things than the Scavengers?”
“I’m seein’ nothing but the LBA and the dark ones for my future,” Jamie told him, still weirded out by his forthcoming attitude.
“Yeah, one problem at a time.” Andy looked up thoughtfully. “Things I say. I never trained you, but it seems I was still able to teach you.”
“Of course.” Jamie raised an eyebrow. “I was a kid once, who knew nothing.”
“You’re still a kid, Jamie,” Andy said thoughtfully.
“That’s what we want others to think,” Jamie said with a smirk, but he shook his head and grabbed her hand with his hand, his remaining one. She shuddered at the touch.
What…is going on? Jamie thought, more than a little disturbed. Is he testing me?
“You can’t change what you are, no matter how well you act,” Andy said, pleadingly.
The Street Rat regarded him seriously challenged. She put all of her will into ignoring the feelings that were being manipulated by his eyes and by his words.
“Yes, I can.” She felt very honest, good delivery.
“Jamie,” he called.
Jamie pulled her hand out of his grasp in a quick jerk. “’m not holding yer hand, Andy. If that’s what you want, you’re in the wrong outfit.”
“Heh.” Andy looked away again, relieved that time. “So are you, if you plan on visiting the Holy Lady.”
Jamie frowned and crossed her arms. He was touching on an annoying point, which was the necessity to be Lady Sarah, which was Jamie’s identity in the royal courts. She dressed in fashionable dresses and acted utterly fragile. The Street Rat didn’t like it.
“I’ll change, of course,” Jamie said.
“And what about that wound on your leg?” Andy asked.
So he noticed it. Am I not hiding it well enough? Jamie thought about it for a moment. Ah, when I pulled away from his hand, I must’ve skipped my foot. Nice one, Andy.
“The dress will hide it,” Jamie argued.
“Like it hides you?” Andy pressed.
Jamie scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Andy, please.” Reflexively, she arched her arms, placing her hands on her waist. “Yer bein’ a mucus butt, what’s wrong with you?”
Andy laughed his way into pain again. He was being way too familiar.
Once he regained control, he relaxed, even to the point of closing his eyes. For some reason, right then, she noticed they were alone. There had been a nurse there, but she had left when Jamie had walked in, and no one else had come inside.
“The Street Rat,” Andy voiced ominously. “The original was the source behind an entire criminal culture and the founder of the Scavengers.” Andy paused with a heavy breath.
Then, Andy looked over at her. “Do the name justice, Jamie.”
She softened her face, unable not to.
“Justice?” Jamie smirked, “by the time I’m done, that guy’s cred will be ancient history. They’ll be sayin’ ‘yeah, the first was hot stuff, respectable deeds, but the fourth, though? That was the real deal.’”
Andy chuckled into a smile, and gave her a thumb up with his good hand. “Get goin’, then. Go make your legend. But remember, if you have to remember anything, that the Scavengers just get the scraps.”
The Street Rat raised an eyebrow.
Like any other big name organization, they had words, a mantra that defined them. “They get all the scraps they want,” the Street Rat finished the saying, feeling odd.
It made it feel so dramatic to finish the saying like that, when it was started by someone else. “You really are drugged up like crazy, huh?” Jamie asked, snickering.
Andy smiled meaningfully..
“Took a bit to kick in.” Andy dropped his hand in a sudden movement as if he had forgotten it was up there. “But boy, it almost makes getting bombed worth it. Get outta ‘ere already.”
“Alright. See ya around, Andy.” She turned around to leave and Andy just hummed in response.
Jamie walked out of the room and left the building feeling rather incomplete. There was something she had missed in there, but to return would make her look bad. Despite the strangeness, she was confident Andy still had her in good consideration, and if there was a test, she had passed it for sure.
Still, it made her think. All the scraps we want.
Such a Scavenger thing to say. It was saying that they get what they want, but in a way, it seemed it was saying what they get is worthless. It was disarming and belittled, but it was still saying they get whatever they want.
Nobody thought highly of the Scavengers. Only those at the highest top of the underworld were aware of the power and sway that the organization had over the nations of the world, and somewhat of an idea of the fortunes the Scavengers had amassed.
Everyone else didn’t think much of them. Jamie was pretty sure only one or two members of the LBA knew how important it was to try and strike them out.
That was, in many ways, their greatest achievement. To have so much control and influence, limitless resources, and still be underestimated.
The Street Rat put all those thoughts aside. One problem at a time, after all.
First order of business, wear a dress and manipulate one of the most powerful women in the world.
If not the.
End of a Dynasty
The Shadow leveled her breathing as much as she could under the circumstances. She wished she had accepted the task that ended up going to the Circus Freak instead of playing favorites with her clan.
It was very likely that his mission was less suicidal than the one given to her.
“They consider us inferior! And weak! We will show them otherwise!!”
The army was assembled on the valley beneath her, hidden from the sight of the Beasts, which were yet destroying the nearby city of Pelindrad, a few miles away. Truly, that was the feat that had enraged what was left of the nation to all-consuming depths.
“They consider us defeated!”
The army booed.
“WE WILL SHOW THEM WHAT DEFEAT TRULY IS!!”
The man drew his sword. General Melor, commander in chief of the Runsshia forces, was giving his last speech before the battle. A rousing cry to rally the military might of all Eastern nations.
“We will break them! Mark my words, history will mark this day as the last of this conflict, and no other city shall suffer the fate of Pelindrad!”
The soldi
ers cheered and roared, realistically defeating the purpose of being hidden by the terrain, but it wouldn’t make much of a difference.
The Shadow was crouched next to one of the siege weapons that they would employ for the combat, a mechanized ballista that could automatically fire and reload, only needing to be aimed. Even while idle, it kept spewing vapor from its exhaust tubes. There was a row of them trailing the top of the valley’s perimeter.
“It always impresses me how quickly warriors can be encouraged to rush to their deaths.”
Ayane almost reacted. The voice had appeared before he had, and what he was, was pure darkness. Her left peripheral vision went dark in two successive seconds as the man, Darkness, appeared.
She felt nervous. Ayane didn’t show it, but she wondered why he was interested in talking to her. After all, she was the whelp, the one nobody expected anything from.
What should she say to the comment? Perhaps nothing?
“Don’t you think?” The Darkness pressed, as casually as he could.
Perhaps she should say something. The Shadow tilted her head in his direction.
“They are not throwing their lives away, they are fighting to protect those who can’t. I do not believe that deserves mockery.”
It was not her intention to antagonize him. On the other hand, Ayane was already considered to be the inexperienced brat so she might as well not worry about speaking her mind in private. The Darkness was not, after all, her superior.
I owe him no deference, the Shadow thought, in an attempt to convince herself.
“I do not believe all of them hold such righteous morals as motivation,” the Darkness pointed out.
This was the Darkness, the assassin, the main combat force the Kagekawa could deploy. The avatar of its military might. He was considered by many to be the most dangerous individual in the world.
For some reason, that didn’t phase her. “Who are we to judge their moral conscience?” Ayane asked, and he chuckled.
That alone startled her in a way she couldn’t hide. Ayane stood up in the hopes it would hide it.
“You are not very formal, are you?” The Darkness asked.
The Shadow looked his way, which reminded her that she could see through his cloak. What did that mean, exactly? Was his cloak not actual…clothing? Was that why it seemed to move, ever so slightly, around him?
