01:19:30 Saturday, November 1, 2070 – Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 136 Lane NE
Fool

Hmmm the October Ravens. Fool was aware of the power Ravens used to have around 300 years ago and more but lately they were just birds. Then the magic hit and the Raven regained its power among the folks who had become awakened. He guessed he could live with it. He couldnt think of any movies about ravens off the top of his head but atleast he had something to do for later.

Great. I hope I dont get stuck with Child all the time just because we were in the same gang. The dude is quite and works on shit all day. I was looking forward to hanging out with some of the others and bonding but oh well. Guess we have to prove ourselves to the new boss. I guess I will follow orders so as not to ruffle any feathers. Fool quitely laughed at his own joke, "hehehe".

His bright neon blue eyes watched as people began to turn and move off and then a thought occured to him. "Hey! shouldnt we all exchange commcodes and shit to keep in touch? Heres mine.." Fool read off the number and played with his comm ready to accept anyone elses and put it into his comm's memory. After the numbers had been exchanged he turned to Child and shrugged, "Ok how can I help man?". Fool stood there with his long flowing shoulder length black hair and his long black armored duster style coat and fiddled with the butt of his knife.

01:19:33 Saturday, November 1, 2070 – Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 136 Lane NE
Doc

Doc watched Thumper and Grack head off in search of a new headquarters for the freshly formed October Ravens. Doc mused on the name for a second. He had never really been one to worry much about names, they always took on much more importance after they'd been used for a while. The name itself was not really much of the intimidation, but after a few people had died while messing with the October Ravens, they'd learn what it meant. It had been the same with the 8-Balls, the Hammerpack, the LoCoS, the SSR.

Doc nabbed Thumper's commcode from Legion, and took down the boss's comm while he was at it. He was already formulating a plan of attack. Go home, sleep an hour, then start cooking. He'd have to make sure Slippy didn't drop by, but Doc figured that he could make some Nova and some Bliss pretty quick, and those two were always guaranteed to sell, no matter the market. He sent Thumper a text message:

<@Thumper[Doc] Gonna start cooking. Let me know when you find a place. Sorry about Grack. He angers easily. So do I.>

He felt weird apologizing, but Doc needed allies right now, and Thumper was a good place to start. Doc hefted his duffle bag, saluted the gathered gang members with his mechanical hand, and started off back towards the Evergreen Hospital Med Centre. Confident that he would not be attacked, he slipped in his ear buds, and started listening to $ir Explicit and the NDY Crew.

You know they shot me eight times, bitches never killed me.
Got a warhawk in my palm, and I got the skills, see.
When I hit the streets, you know the pinkskins scatter.
Star wants me for life, but that shit just don't matter.

01:19:10 Saturday, November 1, 2070 – Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 136 Lane NE

Ink

"Actually, I could use some sewing." Says Legion as the Gang starts on it's appointed tasks.

Ink nods and rifles through his backpack again, then hauls out his medkit.

"No problema hefe, have jou stitched up in no time. Min' jou I'm going to need some shit for this piece of drek soon."

He hands his new boss his demo book. "Here hefe, lemme know if jou see anything jou like."

He considers the wisdom of offering the bossman something for the pain and comprimises. "Jou want some musica while I work?" He grabs the lowlight goggles from the bag of wealth and gets them subscribed to his link.

01:19:10 Saturday, November 1, 2070 - Following Thumper south on 124th Lane NE
Grack

Led Gurkhas. All dead.

Led Pack. All dead.

Only two strongest lived.

Now lead again?

Turn off music.

"You follow Legion?"

01:19:20 Saturday, November 1, 2070 – Southward bound on 124th Ave NE
Thumper

Thumper glanced sideways at Grack.

"Yeah, I do. I have."

He paused, slowing his stride.

"I don't like how he dropped the 'Pack like it was a fucking torn up T-shirt. You, me, we're 'Pack for life even if we don't have the sash. He's doing something bigger than the 'Pack or the Ghurkas or probably the October Ravens, and we're just hanging on."

He stopped, then popped a knuckle absentmindedly. Stared intently at the sturdiest building in the area. The fighting here was sparse, the street people were crawling back out of their hovels and into the gutters. The gunshots were faint and they didn't reverberate as painfully through his skill. Thumper could start to smell Seattle through the smoke. It was an instant where he was keenly aware of his decisions.

He knew what he wanted to do, but family came first.

"You following him?"

01:19:10 Saturday, November 1, 2070 - Following Thumper south on 124th Lane NE
Grack

"Vut. Followed five years."

Think of it.

Screaming.

"Loyal."

See it.

Begging.

"Then he made his choice."

Taste it.

Blood of living flesh squirting over tongue.

"What's an October Raven?"

01:19:25 Saturday, November 1, 2070 – Southward bound on 124th Ave NE
Thumper

"It's us for now. What the fuck was a Hammerpack anyway?"

Thumper resumed walking and grinned to himself.

"Even if Legion's not family, he's still tough and fucking smart. He's got people already and he's only going to get more."

He shook his head.

"He's a bad motherfucker...I say we wait and watch what the Ravens turn into ..."

He stared intently at a concrete building as he spoke. It seemed promising, but he discarded it once he realized the far wall had collapsed.\

"... what else we going to do?"

01:19:35 Saturday, November 1, 2070 - Following Thumper south on 124th Lane NE
Grack

Tough.

Smart.

Useful to me.

Useful to my Legend.

Duke Thumper speaks truth.

And yes.

What else?

"You are right. I will wait and murder the troll when no one will know."

01:19:40 Saturday, November 1, 2070 – Southward bound on 124th Ave NE
Thumper

Thumper burst out laughing.

"Fuck, you always say that shit with such a straight face. You're the fucking best cerri."

He spent a moment regaining control of himself before continuing to speak.

"Big guy's a little weird but he tries hard. You seem to think different."

01:19:45 Saturday, November 1, 2070 - Following Thumper south on 124th Lane NE
Grack


"Dissed me.

"On my turf.

"In his colors.

"And spit on our dead.

"He must die.

"My Legend demands it.

"He lives, all becomes meaningless.

"That is djoto."

01:37:06 Saturday, November 1, 2070 – Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 136 Lane NE

Legion

"All set, hefe." Ink packed up his gear. Legion probed at the wound on his side, now closed by a series of neat, tight stitches. Exhaling a stream of smoke, he smiles grimly.

"That's good work."

He stood, breathing deeply without the stabbing pain he'd suffered. It did much to lift his spirits. The figures approaching from a cross street elevated them even more, although as the light revealed their features, Legion's eyes hardened again. Who he expected was not among the crowd, and that could mean very bad things. With a casual gait that belied his suspicions, he crossed the street to see what the story was.

00:21:14 Saturday, November 1, 2070 - At the intersection of 126th Ave NE and NE 142nd Ln
Bockscar and Nevada

As Nevada ran back to check on Badmarsh and his girls, Bockscar continued to move cautiously towards the back door, his senses on edge. The sudden silence that had descended on their area once Badmarsh went down made him even more nervous. Finding a window that gave him a good angle of fire on the submachinegunners, he carefully peered out the window.

Nothing. He stayed there for several minutes, long enough that he figured at least one of them would have gotten curious and either peered down the alley or come through the building. Still nothing. Moving back to the front of the building, he noted with approval that Nevada was keeping watch out of a window, careful not to expose herself to the sniper. When he saw the girls crying over the Indian man’s body, not even attempting to apply first aid, he knew what had happened, but decided to confirm anyway.

“Badmarsh?�

“He bought it.� Nevada’s voice was hard and flinty. Whatever attachments she’d had for the man were buried deep beneath a more overriding concern: her survival. Bockscar could relate to that.

“Fuck. Did he get a hold of Legion?�

“Don’t know.� A pause. “What about the Raiders? I didn’t hear anything.�

“Don’t know. Maybe he was their main target. After all, he was a big shot in the Hammerpack, right? They probably don’t even know who the fuck we are.�

“So what now?� she asked coolly.

Before Bockscar could answer, Badmarsh’s commlink crackled to life. “Badmarsh, it’s me. Fall back to 124th Ave NE and NE 130th Lane. Bring any of the others you can find. I’ll update you when you get here.�

Before Bockscar could see who it was, Francesca had pocketed the commlink. Standing up, she looked at Nevada and said, “Hey Mac, that was Legion. Think it’s safe to head on over?�

Bockscar noted that she didn’t ask if they should head over. It was a foregone conclusion the girls were going. Being whores, it wasn’t like they had a lot of choice. If they didn’t find someone to protect them, they were fucked. And not in the way they usually wanted.

“Coast seems clear out back. If they’re gone, it might be a good idea to make a break for it now, before they come back.� Nevada looked over at Bockscar, seeking his opinion. She noted with cynical amusement that as the two of them discussed their next move, the girls, led by Frankie, were quietly divesting Badmarsh of anything of value. True children of the streets.

Bockscar nodded. “Sounds good to me. Let’s get the hell out of here before they come back and we get overrun. I’ll lead.�

What the fuck am I leading for? I’m the one who’s fucking bleeding out here. Dammit, I can’t trust these chicks to take point though. That just makes me more likely to get geeked than if I lead. If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. Fuck.

“What about him?� Dahlia had been quiet to this point, moving quietly and dutifully along with the group despite the violence and chaos of the last few hours. Now she pointed to Badmarsh’s still warm body (warm to anyone with thermographic vision, at least), tears flowing silently down her cheeks. It was as if she was saying, ‘What about his life? And his death? He wasn’t a great man by any means, and he might not have meant much to everyone else, but didn’t he mean something to us?’

Gently, Nyna wrapped her arms around the other girl and pulled her to her feet. “He’s gone Dahlia. We’ve got to go now.� For once the usually talkative Nyna didn’t have much to say. Death in the sprawl was an everyday part of life. One minute you were here, the next you weren’t. Your friends grieved for a moment, and they’d think about raising a glass or two in your memory. Then reality set in, and they looted your body for anything they needed before turning their backs on you and walking away. If they didn’t sell your corpse to the organleggers for drinking money first, that is.

Hefting Badmarsh’s gun in her hands, Francesca rose to her feet. “Lead on, we’ll follow you.� Although ostensibly speaking to Bockscar, she kept her gaze on Nevada the whole time, clearly communicating where her loyalties lay, at least for the moment.

Bockscar didn’t dwell on it. He knew that as long as he was useful and didn’t hose up, they’d all follow him. They were using him for his leadership and combat savvy, and he was using them as extra targets in case the drek hit the fan. Everyone was using everyone. Sounded like business as usual in the sprawl to him. Determining the coast was clear, he moved swiftly into the night, the girls trailing along in his wake. Nevada brought up the rear, but she never looked back.

01:28:49 Saturday, November 1, 2070 - Following Thumper south on 124th Lane NE
Grack and Thumper

"That is djoto."

No sooner had the words left young Grack’s mouth than he heard a voice.

“Skraa Grack!�

Not Duke Thumper’s voice.

Looking around for the voice, he ignores Duke Thumper’s sudden alarm and confusion.

“What’s up cerri? Someone out there?�

WHACK! Young Grack feels someone cuff him from behind and whirls quickly, ready to pounce.

No one is there.

“You have quaalz!� the voice shouts. “Color world! Not this one!�

Now Young Grack understands. “I return cerri, keep watch.� He calmly instructs the other ork.

In retrospect, Thumper isn’t sure if he’s more surprised by the fact that Grack flops on the concrete and closes his eyes, as if sleeping, or the calm, controlled tone of his friend’s voice, which was about as anti-Grack as it got. Thoroughly confused, he pulls out the gun he picked up earlier and sits down next to his pal’s body, looking up and down the streets. Peeking over to make sure Grack is really asleep, he turns the Indie Elves back on. Quietly.

As Young Grack closed his eyes, he felt himself drawn upwards and outwards, as if his soul was departing from his body. He saw Duke Thumper sitting next to himself, lying flat on the concrete.

That does not draw his attention.

Right in front of him is a gargantuan Alligator, easily over 40 feet long. If not longer. It opens its mouth and roars, “You know djoto?�

Before Grack can answer, the Alligator roars again, “Vut! You not know djoto! How you know wejoto?�

His anger roused, Grack yells, “Pack was eth! Pack was cerri! Eth gone! Cerri gone! Legion’s fault! Now he help zakhan? He not egrand! Egrand not turgma!�

The Alligator roars. “I AM GATOR! I AM DJOTO! YOU KNOW ME?�

Grack nods. He does not fear Gator. But he does not have quaalz. When Gator speaks, he must listen.

“WHERE IS MY ETH? WHERE IS MY CERRI? I AM GATOR!�

Turning with a ponderous grace that belies his massive size, Alligator says, “Follow.�

Grack trails behind Gator obediently, and suddenly he finds himself standing next to Alligator deep in the sewers. Gator motions from side to side with his giant snout. “My ereth. Your ereth’cerri. You not have enough hez to have ereth’cerri. Learn. I show you.�

Gator motions to the swirling sewer water with a flick of his massive tail, a mess of drek, garbage, water, sewage, and god only knew what else. Down the tunnel, almost at the edge of Grack’s vision, from the fetid depths a baby alligator crawled slowly onto the walkway.

It walked towards them, and as it did, numerous smaller gators approached it, only to be eaten in turn. As they were devoured, the original alligator gradually grew bigger. Suddenly it stopped in front of a giant anvil with a hammer resting on top of it that appeared out of nowhere. After considering it for a moment, the gator crawled on top of the anvil. Once there, it flopped onto its back, as if sunning itself. Rolling about contentedly, it basked in a light that only it could see.

After what seemed like a very long while, the anvil and hammer slowly disintegrated into ashes. The gator, which seemed to have grown since it first climbed onto the anvil, sniffed around the ashes for a bit and moved forward slowly, as if confused. As it proceeded, the ashes gradually formed into a raven, which flew in front of the gator and stared it in the eye, cawing loudly as it hovered in front of the gator’s face. The gator roared back, and the two faced off silently for a moment.

Finally, the raven turned and flew towards Grack and Gator, and the alligator trailed along behind. After a short time, a dark cloud formed on the walkway, blotting out the path and preventing Grack from seeing either the raven or the gator. An eternity seemed to pass before the snout of the gator, now a fully grown adult, poked through the darkness. It lowered its head to Gator, then looked around the sewer and roared. Gator waited a moment, and then roared as well in acknowledgement. For a long while, the tunnel echoed with the roar of the alligators, sweet music to Young Grack’s ears.

When at last the echoes ceased, Gator turned its head towards Grack and said, “To have eunabo, must have hez. To have hez, must grumoge. This is djoto.� From the depths of the black cloud, the raven cawed. Whether in pain, fury, or triumph was hard to tell. Then Young Grack opened his eyes, and he saw the smoggy sky of Kingsgate.

He turned his head to see Thumper frantically fumbling with his commlink, for a moment. Duke Thumper asked, “What happened cerri? You ok?�

Rising to his feet, Grack answered, “Go back now.�

“But we haven’t found an ereth yet.�

“All is ereth. We are where ereth’cerri is. Go now.�

Without waiting to see what Thumper did, Grack began ambling back to where Legion and Ink were waiting. Thumper didn’t know what the hell had gotten into his friend, but he decided not to push the issue at the moment. Grack had been acting really weird the last few hours, and him passing out on the street for several minutes obviously hadn’t helped. Shaking his head, Thumper quickened his pace and pulled up alongside his friend. Some days even he didn’t understand Grack. The two cerri walked in silence the rest of the way.

01:31:27 Saturday, November 1, 2070 – Cruising around the former 8 Balls Turf
Fool and Child

The mismatched pair drove carefully down the streets of what was once the 8 Balls home turf. One chattered incessantly about how the situation reminded him of this sim or wouldn’t it be so freaking cool if things turned out like that trideo show. The other drove quietly and paranoidly (if that was even a word), keeping a close eye out for danger.

After cruising the area for several minutes, it was rapidly becoming apparent to Child the odds of finding a decent place to set up shop were pretty slim. There were a couple buildings that had the space, but they were either falling apart or so rundown just clearing the space would be a significant investment of time and resources. The other problem was there was nothing resembling a decent machine shop, with the necessary infrastructure/setup to do anything more than the most basic repairs or modifications. Challenging the Asphalt Kings was not something they’d be doing any time soon. It was clear just from the neighborhood the 8 Balls had been limited in their potential to expand and grow.

Finally it occurs to Child there might be one potential spot, but the danger could be pretty high. Slowing the bike to a stop, he looks back and asks his friend, “Hey Fool, what about that oil change place up by NE 132nd Street and Totem Lake Blvd?�

The question pulls his friend up short, and the normally talkative ganger is quiet at last, thinking. “I dunno man, that’s right across the fragging street from the Steel Demons. I mean, that’s like that one sim where the one guy’s home is across the street from the other guy who wants to kill him, but he doesn’t know it, and the bad guy just keeps spying on him right through the freaking bedroom window, and when he finally makes his move, the main guy…�

Before Fool can get rolling, Child interrupts, “All right, I get it. Maybe we shouldn’t go checking it out ourselves. I don’t want to get jumped by the Demons, especially when they already wiped out the rest of our crew.�

“You freaking kidding me? You don’t want to geek a few of those bastards for what they did to us? My knife’s just itching to get stuck in a couple of ‘em. The two of us against all of them? It'd be like that one trideo show...�

Child just shoots him a look that says, ‘Have you forgotten who you’re talking to?’

“Oh, uh, right. Maybe we better go talk to Legion and get backup. They always call for backup on the trid, especially in those cop shows, like SLS Blue.�

“Right Fool, good idea. Let’s go report in and maybe get some of those big guys to come check the place out with us.�

The matter settled, Child turns the bike around and begins driving back to where they first split up. The return trip is silent and peaceful.

“Did I ever tell you about that one sim…�

01:28:51 Saturday, November 1, 2070 - 124th Lane NE
Grack

Mellifluous mystifications!!! Young Grack's brilliant mind spun with the myriad implications of this latest manifestation of the Brilliant One's will. Ever eager to acquiesce to the admonitions of his betters, the lad bent his not inconsequential faculties to the task of deciphering the vision he had just been bestowed.

Indeed, so marvelous were these portents that they all but eclipsed his surprise at once again in a single night having found himself quite...beside himself - literally! Closing his eyes, he had intended merely to once again access the multihued effervescence of the Color World, only to find himself leaving his corporeal form quite behind. Fortuitously, the only witness to this event was the one person in the world he truly trusted, the Master of Libations himself, Duke Thumper.
This left his capacities free to be consumed in unravelling this new revelation.

It soon became clear that the smaller beast represented himself, and once that was established, the eth symbology became readily apparent.

He supposed further layers of meaning would become clear with time, but for now one thing was crystal.

Whatever his misgivings may have earlier been, his destiny now lay with the October Ravens.

01:15:44 Saturday, November 1, 2070 – 1035 116th Avenue NE - Overlake Medical Research Center
Felix

Somehow, time had passed. Ever since they had rolled Halo behind those huge glass doors, time had vanished far away in the back of his mind. All he could see was the blood on his hands. In almost a trace, he had slowly rubbed them over and under, trying to make the blood go away by some sheer strength of will and mind. Shade was somewhere around, back in the real world; back outside Felix's little bubble.

His bubble.
Like there was anything left from it. It had exploded some long time ago. He had gone trough life, thinking and telling himself every day that things weren't as bad as they appeared. There was always someone who had it worst than you. There was always someone you could help. People could be saved, and humanity, even down here in a part of the world forgotten by all, could be salvaged. Bad things happened, all the time and to all. But things always found a strange way to make sense.

Not today. Nothing made sense.
Felix could see his hands tremble, but there was just nothing he could do.
He could hear his own sobs and cries.
He could see dark dried up red blood start to detach itself from his smalls hands as tears began to shower down. Everything else felt so far. So muffled out. He felt as if he was underwater. His hearth was beating in his head hard enough to rip a hole in his mind.

Something broke inside of him. He could feel a part of him shatter in a thousand pieces as everything blurred out. Felix slumped slightly forward as his now limp body headed for the concrete. But he never quite reached it.

Shade. Shade was there to catch him.
Holding Felix's broken body, the young man held him almost like a child.
Now kneeling on the floor, barely conscious of his actions and words, moans of pain began to flow from Felix's throat. His hands grasping Shade's jacket with all the strength he could muster, the young mage, literally started to scream his lungs out, his usual pale face now flushed red, his veins seemingly ready to pop out of his body. No matter how hard he'd tried, Shade knew very well there would never be something he could say that could comfort Felix. As he saw Felix cry out all his pain away, he felt as if the little mage was releasing all the world's pain in a single blow.

A few minutes later, Shade was carrying Felix into the waiting room of the ER unit.
As soon as he'd wake up, they'd go check up on Aziz.

01:30:33 Saturday, November 1, 2070 – Cruising around the former 8 Balls Turf
Fool

All the streets were drenched in fear, anticipation, and some puddles probably made of piss or blood. Fool had tried to take his mind off driving along with Child alone through these war torn streets in the middle of the night by talking about his favorite subject, trids and movies, but Child was having none of it. Unable to grasp at how annoyed Child was he just took his friend's silence as concentration on the task.

Fool had no clue what to look for, he wasnt a mechanic so he just kept his glowing neon blue eyes out for danger. The silence was forcing him to think about things. First the list of new releases that would be coming next week and how best divide them up over a few days so he could watch them all. Then briefly to Beyonce', but holding on to Child quickly ruined those thoughts. Finally he was only left with his current situation.

All he had wanted was to just find a place where he could survive to live another day. Now he was getting mixed up with one of the area's toughest gangs that is constantly getting destroyed and is almost always at war? He was probably going to get saddled with a ton of responsability that he didnt want, like helped and protecting Child. If he said no or took off he would lose alot of safety thought and just be forced into joining another gang though so he guessed it was just time to man up. He knew he would always someday have to, he just didnt think it would happen so soon.

Maybe this was his chance to do a little more than survive. Maybe if he stepped things up he could start making some serious money and have a serious relationship. All he had to do was help out and keep his addictions in check. As he accepted his situation he couldnt help but get drawn back to the physical world as the vibration of the bike and the wind in his face stimulated his other senses.

His mind drifted and he couldnt help but wonder why he hadnt been more into riding bikes especially being a bike gang. It felt great, like you were flying. He was going to have to start getting into them. It would probably help the gang out having some guys who could move around fast.

His thoughts were broken after that though, “Hey Fool, what about that oil change place up by NE 132nd Street and Totem Lake Blvd?�

02:25:06 Saturday, November 1, 2070 – Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 136 Lane NE

Ink

Ink wanted to scream at Legion as the other man dropped his demo book and walked away to talk to the newcomers.

Shit, hefe, give me a job and then don’t give me no hints.

He shook his head and stuffed the medkit and his demo book back into his pack. He looked again at the blank brick wall. He closed his eyes and started flipping through the pages of his book in his mind.

He had done this a more times than he could count, trying to find the perfect piece for an unsure customer. He paused in his mental flipping. One of the older pics in the book had struck a chord. Sertado had found the image somewhere. A firebird, the wings spread out like some terrible demon. Yah but somethin’ is missing. Darkness, that was the answer, the blackness and fear that the war had left in its wake.

Ink started putting the pieces together in his mind, the flaming bird, the black terror, the drive that had let all the gangers survive, his own sadness at losing lifelong friends and the joy at finding some new hermanos. Oh hell yah!

He started up the torch and set to burning brick into legend.

01:50:16 Saturday, November 1, 2070 – 1035 116th Avenue NE - Overlake Medical Research Center
Shade, Aziz, Felix

"Hey guys, good to see you... Whats the story on Halo?"

Shade glanced over at Felix, standing by his side. Since they’d arrived at the hospital, other than his frantic attempts to stop the EMTs from taking Halo to the emergency room, the slender mage had been silent. “Hey Felix, why don’t you wait outside for us?�

In response to Shade’s gently spoken instructions he simply shuffled along, as if in a trance. Shade felt a little guilty for treating the mage like a little kid who couldn’t bear bad news, but given Felix’s obviously fragile mental state, he figured there was no need to burden him with the details of what he was about to tell Aziz.

Once his friend had left the room, Shade shook his head. “Bad. Really bad. In addition to all the external damage we could see, she’s got a lot of internal trauma as well. Internal bleeding, organs ruptured, that kind of stuff. I didn’t catch all the details, but right now she’s in a coma, and it could be a while before she recovers.�

“Shit.�

“It gets worse. Even if she comes out of the coma, she’s messed up. Bad. She’s going to need some replacement organs for them to take her off the machines, and she’s definitely going to need a lot of rehab before she can function like she used to.�

“Fuck. Sounds like it couldn’t get any worse for her.�

Shade shakes his head. “I wish that were true. But it does get worse.�

“Are you fucking kidding me?�

“Believe me, I wish I was. I haven’t even mentioned the cost of all this stuff yet. You know the score. They aren’t going to do this for free.�

“How much are we talking about here?�

Shade doesn’t mince words. He tells Aziz the number point blank. The dark-skinned Arabian ganger almost goes pale when he hears the digits involved.

“Motherfucker! You’re fucking kidding me! Tell me you’re fucking kidding me Shade!�

Shade shakes his head. “I wish I was man. I wish I was. But that’s what they’re estimating the cost will be right now.�

“What if we can’t pay?� It wasn’t lost on either of them Aziz had used the operative word ‘we’ instead of ‘she’. It was assumed they’d take care of Halo. She was family, and family takes care of its own. Inwardly, Shade smiled. Aziz might come off as a jackass son of a bitch sometimes, but he was still someone you could count on when things came down to the wire. You couldn’t ask for more from someone than that.

Shade shrugs. “Depends on what we can afford to pay and when we stop paying. Maybe she lives, but she’s stuck in bed the rest of her life. Maybe she has to use a wheelchair. Or maybe she just dies. My friend pulled some strings, they’re going to try to delay collection of payment for a while and work out some kind of payment plan so we can try to chip in a little at a time. But the bottom line is, we need to come up with a lot of money. Over a period of time, sure, but we still have to get our hands on it.�

Aziz leans back in his hospital bed and stares at the ceiling. Unlike his Asian counterpart, he hasn’t had time to let the magnitude of the task ahead sink in. “OK…any ideas where the fuck we’re going to get our hands on that much nuyen? I mean, it’s not like we can go to a bank and get a loan.� Even though he asked the question, they both already knew the answer. For people in their situation, there was really only one feasible choice. Silence hung in the air for a few minutes. Finally Shade spoke.

“We’re going to have to join a gang. A real gang. Not a neighborhood watch association like the Crash was. It’s the only way I can think of to even have a chance of consistently scoring the nuyen we’ll need on a regular basis.�

Aziz nods, then hesitates for a moment before asking, “What about Felix?� voicing their shared concern about their young friend with the tender heart. They knew that joining a real gang, one of the hardcore players in Kingsgate would probably require them to do on a regular basis things the Crash never would have dreamed of. Their friend’s spirit was already in a delicate state, and neither of them wanted to risk making it worse.

Before either of them can say anything more, a piercing cry rang out. Almost primal in its release, it spoke of suffering, grief, and loss. And it unmistakably came from Felix. Rushing outside, Shade saw his friend stagger and begin to fall. Swift as technology allowed him to be, he stepped forward and caught the mage. Lifting him up as easily as a child, Shade carried him to a couch and gently laid him down as Felix’s body shook with quiet sobbing.

After a few minutes, the sobs ceased, and it appeared Felix had drifted into a fitful slumber, probably born of exhaustion. Shade had just decided to let his friend sleep for a while when Aziz limped out of his room, fully dressed and clutching Kalila in his hand.

“Whoa!� Shade leapt up to see to his friend. “Are you supposed to be moving around right now?�

“Docs already told me I could move around. They used magic to heal me up first, told me they’d done all they could with magic, and I needed to rest to let the rest of it heal naturally.�

“So…shouldn’t you be resting?� Shade examines his friend critically. “You still look pretty messed up.�

“I’ve been worse. Besides, we ain’t got time for me to get back to perfect health. Now’s the best time to hook up with another gang, while everyone’s reeling from the war. Everyone’s going to be looking for new recruits, and by now most of the people they’ll find are going to be nothing more than scrubs, punk kids looking to get their teeth cut. You and I, we’ve got experience, street savvy. Guys like us who’ve been around the block and know the score, and even better, are unaffiliated, have got to be scarce and valuable commodities right now. We should cash in on that while we can, and join up with who we want to before everyone reloads their ranks and decides they can afford to be picky.�

Shade had to admit, his Arabian friend made complete sense. Sometimes he was so used to seeing Aziz stoned, drunk, or just flat out nonchalant he forgot his friend was extraordinarily sharp when it came to having a finger on the pulse of the streets.

“All right, I buy that. I’ll ask my friend to find Felix a place to stay while we go work the streets.�

“No.� Felix’s voice is quiet but firm. The young mage wipes his eyes with his sleeves before standing up. “I’m going with you guys. I heard what you said in there Shade, and I know you were just trying to protect me. But I can’t let you guys do all the work. Halo…Halo is…�

His eyes suddenly fill with tears again, and he wipes his eyes, determined to stop crying. “Halo is everything to me. I have to do anything I can to help her. I can’t let you guys risk your lives every minute of the day while I sit safely at home.�

The two fighters exchange a glance, and Shade says gently, “We’re not talking about joining another Crash Felix. If you heard what I said, you know what kind of money we need, and you know we can’t get our hands on that without joining one of the serious players. We’re talking the big leagues now buddy.�

Wiping away the last remnants of his tears, Felix says firmly, “I know Shade. I appreciate you trying to protect me, but I have to do this. Wherever you guys are going, I’m coming too. And you can’t stop me,� he adds defiantly.

Gently grabbing Shade’s arm, Aziz says, “Come on bro. Let him do this. He’s right, he needs to do this. And we need to let him. We can’t shelter him forever.� He smiles at Felix. “Especially not if he’s going to be taking care of Halo once she gets better. Dude’s got to learn now to man up and take care of business now so he can look after her later. She’s a strong girl, gonna need a stronger man to keep her in line, you feel me?�

Once again, Shade was impressed by the depth of character Aziz had. He might not reveal it very often, but the guy really did care about his friends. And he showed surprising insight into how to do so. Today Aziz was full of surprises, making Shade start to wonder if the persona he usually presented was just a front to fool the rest of the world. If so, it was a very good one. In the end, it didn’t really matter, at least not right now. Now was time for business.

“All right,� he nods, “if you really want to do this Felix, I won’t try to stop you. You guys go make sure we can actually start that car again, I’m going to make some last minute arrangements with my friend for now until we can get things settled on our end.�

Aziz and Felix nod and head outside. After numerous curse words and somewhat sincere appeals to a higher power, the two of them manage to get the car started. It sounds like it’ll fall apart if they take it past 15 mph, but it’s running, at least for the moment. Shortly after Shade comes out of the hospital. “Things are settled here for the moment. I’ll have to check back in a few days so my friend can tell me how the money situation will need to get itself worked out. Let’s go.�

Without another word, the trio begins driving back through Bellevue, leaving this land of luxury and riches, heading back into the depths of the Kingsgate Barrens. Back to the gutter that called itself their world.

02:15:31 Saturday, November 1, 2070 – Near Doc's Doss
Shade, Aziz, Felix, and Doc

Elsewhere, Doc was cursing loudly (but not too loudly, lest he attract the wrong kind of attention) to himself. He’d managed to get his hands on his stash, which was distinctly positive, but his place was shot to hell, and was no longer a safe working environment, which was distinctly negative.

Judging from the carnage in and around the building, it had been the site of a battle between the Side Street Rollers and either the Steel Demons or 405 Hellhounds, as the gangs had probably battled it out in various parts of the 8 Balls turf during the final stages of the war. Salvaging everything he could, he figured it was better to go back and report in with Legion before starting work. In the hours it would take him to cook up a useable batch of stuff, a lot could change, and he was determined to stick as closely as possible to the boss during the gang’s formative hours.

Taking a last look around, he packed up the last of his stuff and left his old place without looking back, everything he owned pretty much literally on his back. He hadn’t walked more than a block or so when he heard some fairly loud and explicit cursing. Quickly moving to a nearby building, he flattened himself against the wall to make himself as unobtrusive as possible. Creeping forward, he saw three figures standing around a broken down piece of drek car. One of them was kicking it and yelling words in a language he couldn’t understand.

As he moved a little bit closer, one of the three figures came into a better angle of light, and he recognized one of his regular customers, Aziz. Gradually the language returned to English, and Doc was able to make out the key points of their conversation. Namely, they were looking for a gang to join, but the car had broken down on them, forcing them to trek through Kingsgate on foot, a prospect they did not relish. Given the state of the place over the last month or so, Doc didn’t blame them.

Suddenly one of them stiffened, an Asian guy, and he gestured towards approximately where Doc was. The three of them spread out, as if expecting a fight. The Asian guy called out, “Who is it?�

Figuring that bringing in some new recruits to the gang would earn him points with the boss, and not too worried about the situation (he figured Aziz would vouch for one of his dealers, after all), Doc stepped out of the shadows coolly, as if that had been his intention all along.

“’Sup fellas? Couldn’t help overhearing your conversation Aziz; you looking for a new crew to run with?�

“Who the…Doc! What’s up? Glad you’re still alive after all this shit man! How you been?�

“Fuck yeah. You think this shit could keep me down? Hell no!�

Their identities established and the customary small talk exchanged, Aziz and Doc approached one another casually and performed the traditional handshake/half-hug greeting common to urban predators on good terms with one another everywhere.

“So who’re your chummers Aziz?� Doc asked, putting on his ‘friendly neighborhood dealer’ façade he used when selling drugs in person.

Introducing his friends, Aziz turned back to the troll, “Hey man, sorry to hear about what happened to your crew. Who you running with these days?�

Shrugging it off, Doc casually replies, “Ain’t nothing compared to what happened to your boys. That shit happens. But hey, I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation. You looking for a new group to run with, yeah?�

“Yeah, why, you got a lead into one already?�

“Not just any gang my man. Legion himself is putting this one together. If you’re interested, we could probably use a few good people, whadda ya think?�

Catching Shade’s eye, Aziz shoots him a questioning look. Without hesitation, Shade nods his head in the affirmative. Getting in on the ground floor of a gang was even better than joining one. That Legion was putting it together, probably around a core of Hammerpack survivors, was even better. It meant more experienced gangers to build around, which meant their chances of survival and even profit, which they desperately needed for Halo, were that much higher. Sure, the danger was proportionately higher too; trying to be a player in Kingsgate, as Legion undoubtedly would, meant more people taking shots at you. But if you could weather the storms, you stood to gain lot more too. High risk, but high reward. Just what they needed right now. Not that they had much choice.

Turning back to the troll, Aziz nods amiably. “Sounds good to us Doc. How ‘bout takin’ us to the man himself so we can say hi?�

“Cool. Follow me.�

Leaving the car sitting in the street, the now ex-Crashers followed Doc to Legion, and to the next stage of their destiny.

02:15:31 Saturday, November 1, 2070 – Near Doc's Doss
Felix

Ever since they had left Overlake, Felix had said very little. Actually, he hadn't said a single word. The big lump that had clog his throat pretty much kept him from talking. Every second that his mind drifted away from the present, he started to think of Halo... But no matter how sad and desperate he felt, no more tears crept to fill his eyes. His eyes were red and puffy, but no more tears rolled out of them to streak his pale cheeks. He simply could not cry anymore. He still felt like a wounded animal. He still felt like something was eating at the core of his mind... but he simply could not cry it out anymore.

As his head rested against the half rolled down window of the car, mostly to keep the gasoline fumes from choking him to death, he watched the decrepit and worn out buildings slowly creep by. Something had also changed in him. He could feel it deep down that things would never be the same again. Aziz knew it. Shade knew it. Felix knew it too well. Soon, it would be asked of him to walk a very thin line; a fine border between the person he had always been and strove to be, and what he could become. Although physically frail, Felix had been granted powers others could only dream of... powers that would grow in time and make him not only a commodity, but a target. By keeping his head down, like always, he had avoided all confrontations. But now, the time they were living in was pressing hard changes and choices upon him.

He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths, trying to calm his shaking body down.

Now, was the time to be strong. Not for himself, but for Halo.

He simply could not fail her.

When the car broke down, Felix wasn't particularly surprised. He wasn't a great mechanic, not by any means, but knew his way around vehicles enough to recognize that the piece of junk had been push much further than it's intended lifetime. But the fact that it was now dead in the middle of the street meant that they, also, could soon be dead in the street. Even though Shade and Aziz were both sturdy street fighters, Aziz still looked like hell... and Felix knew very well that his busted ankle wasn't anywhere near being healed. If the drek was to hit the fan in a number greater than theirs, odds were they probably wouldn't last very long.

As Aziz began cursing the car and kicking it, Felix simply slid his tiny frame out of the back, and leaned against the now dead frame. Slowly, he raised his face toward the cloudy ski, squinting his eyes a bit as if it would help him pierce through the thick layer. Here and there, rays of sun made brief appearances, feeling like soft warm caresses. Gently, as if falling in a sweet dream, the young mage closed his eyes, a mixed expression of relief passing on his face. For a second, he simply lived in the moment. That was, until Shade informed them they had company.

Before Felix could even get his hands out of his hoodie's front pocket, both of his friends were on the move and fanning out. Not having a damn clue as to what the hell was about to happen, the young mage did what he usually did very well; he simply duck to the side, crouching himself into a tiny ball behind the car's trunk. Felix felt his pulse quicken as he pulled his breathing mask back unto his mouth and nose. Peering from his hiding spot, the young mage swallowed hard when he both saw and heard the giant troll coming their way. He had already started to allow the voices back into his head, when Aziz cut him short, approaching the troll.

Still unsure as to what was going on, Felix opted to stay behind the car... until Aziz made a move toward him, telling him it was alright to come forward. Dragging his feet, shoulders slumped low, his eyes avoiding the troll's to fix themselves on a random spot on the ground, Felix simply nodded timidly when his friend introduced him. He wasn't quite sure Doc knew who he was, but Felix sure as heck knew the troll. He hadn't quite recognized him, having only seen him a few times, mostly through his dealing with Aziz. Doc was one of those people living down here in the forgotten sprawl that made him nervous enough to puke. He was big, short tempered and mean. The kind of guy that picked on him.

It was only when Legion's name was mentioned that Felix came out of his little shy bubble. Nervously, he looked up and toward Shade, trying to find some sort of reassurance that they wouldn't be dealing with the man... but the stare he got back told another story. Both friends looked at each other for some time.

Deep down, Felix knew that this was the best move for them. The best move for Halo. As much as he didn't like it, they had to. It was a question of survival. Without saying a single word, Felix simply did what he usually did best; he tagged along with his two friends, following Doc's lead.

01:30:51 Saturday, November 1, 2070 - 124th Lane NE

Grack

As the two robust robusti retraced their steps, Our Hero, ruminating upon recent events and occurrences, bethought himself of a loose end that needed tying off. It was altogether premature to have his new powers the subject even of conversation among friends. No, best to lie beneath the surface of the water for now, the better to snare unwary prey when it approached too close.

And however convinced that his path now lay with the October Ravens, if this night had taught him nothing else it was that even the strongest perception of loyalty can prove a bitter disappointment.

And so it was that, in his characteristically diplomatic and genteel manner, he came to grab the inestimable Duke Thumper by the shoulder.

"I got tired.

"Took a little nap.

"Not important.

"Tell no one."

The pressure his fingers applied on the last line would have broken the clavicle of a human or even a lesser ork, but The Duke was no weakling.

02:25:26 Saturday, November 1, 2070 – Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 130th Ln. NE
Nevada

Surprisingly the rest of the guarded walk to Legion's position had been almost uneventful save for a few attempts of Dahlia trying to go back to do "something" for Badmarsh when there was nothing to be done. Nevada had kept her eyes and ears wide open for any sign of ambush or walking into some twisted kind of trap laid by the Raiders. They had stuck to mostly side streets running in parallel to 124th to keep their asses from hanging in the wind out in the open. They leapfrogged 124th from side to side, making their way through the old turfs of the Hammerpack, the Corsairs, the LoCoS and finally making their way back into her old stomping grounds, 8-Balls' turf.

Where others might have gotten cocky walking streets they knew like the back of their hand, Nevada's cautiousness grew with each step further across the invisible boundary. With every draw of breath she could smell the acrid smoke. With every blink of her eyes she could still feel the flames. With every step forward she could feel the ever-growing heat of the fire. But there was nothing, the streets were deserted, dark and cold. Only a few rounds of gunfire could be heard echoing in the distance and the shuffle of the girls' feet as they dutifully moved forward ahead of her.

As the motley crew approached the intersection from the north down 132 Lane NE, Nevada found herself paused to take a good look around the neighborhood, or what was left of it. She was surprised it was as quiet as it seemed, she had figured there would be a greater sense of unrest as those who remained were making power-plays while the getting was good. Perhaps everyone had instead suffered great losses and were sitting back licking their wounds and trying to regroup. The only thing she was certain of was that this war wasn't over yet.

She caught up quickly to Bockscar and the girls, halting her mild jog mid-stride as she noticed the two figures across the street, one quickly rising up to meet them. She squinted slightly to get a better view of who they might be as well as to try to gauge their intentions on the off chance this was some fucked up trap. Out in the open like this left her very few options but she stood her ground, only settling the barrel-end of her shotgun on the concrete, leaning the stock up against her thigh, as she made out the familiar form of Ink, furiously flipping through his book and then finding inspiration, setting to work on a building with his torch.

Internally she winced as she watched the flames lick at a building on her old turf, but watching the approach of someone who was considered a legend in these kinds of parts quickly stole all of her attention. She made no sudden movements, but took the initiative out of Bockscar's hands as the man approached.

She slowly fished out a crumpled pack of Sampoerna's from her pocket, sliding a thin shillouette of black and gold between her lips as she moved up to stand beside the girls and barely tipped the open pack in Legion's direction. Her dark eyes moved up and down the man as he stood before the group as if she were sizing him up, the look on her face cool and calculating and betraying no real emotion.

"Consider it a peace offering." She spoke up from around the cigarette an instant before she lit it and pulled in a long breath. At first it wasn't clear if she was offering the girls, or a simple smoke.

"Marsh didn’t make it." Her eyes grew ever colder as the swirl of exhaled smoke shrouded her face in a pale blue-grey veil of mourning, the scent of cloves lingering thick and cloying in the air.

00:21:14 Saturday, November 1, 2070 - At the intersection of 126th Ave NE and NE 142nd Ln
Bockscar

Scoot from the door as a minute passes by. Move to the window. No shooters. Time passes, and I'm fighting with the urge to attack. Sit on the paranoia - that the Raider fucktards are flanking me - because I know it's the Kamikaze talking.

After a bit, duck-walk to the front of the building. Chiquita is watching out the window; Other Dude is dead. Comms squawk with Legion's locale, and the ladies handle Other Dude's shit. I move back, grab my grenade and my pistol. Raiders are gonna try to confirm the kill. They'll be expecting the grenade-under-the-body trick. Motion the chicks towards the back, then grab some loose boards and shit off the floor and pile it over the 'nade. Rig a tripwire low across the front door, to trigger when they come in. Keep 'em from getting a pretty corpse to brag about, too.

Move out back and take point.

00:54:12 Saturday, November 1, 2070 - Midway down the road.

Streets are dark, Kingsgate is surprisingly quiet. Come up to an intersection, about the seventh of the night, and signal to Frankie to scroll across the road. As the last of the young ladies pass by and I move across, it hits me.

Hit the other side of the intersection, stagger, and slam into one of the chicks, the quiet one, I think. Exactly whom I laid out is fairly low on my give-a-shit meter. Lean against the wall, but I'm too heavy to hold myself up. Stagger to one knee and puke my guts out. It comes out through my nose. Lots of blood. Probably not actually all that much, but it looks like a lot when you're puking it.

My wounded side can't breathe. Grab onto something. Somebody is saying something, but I don't give a fuck. Suck down the panic for a second and try as hard as I can to take a real breath. Condom flutters. Pull the condom out and dig out the clot. Spit. Cough. Cry out, because coughing hurts so much. Stick the knife between my teeth and try to fake it.

Somebody helps me up. Someone else is having a conniption fit, about how I'm going to die. I say something that's probably macho. I don't even fucking care. I feel so tired that I can barely see.

Start walking. Gonna suck when I come down off the cram.

02:25:26 Saturday, November 1, 2070 - Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 130h Ln. NE

Walking helps. I didn't pay attention to shit on the way. Bismallah, I hope this shitbrick walking up to us is legit. Nevada moves to talk to the asshole. I move off to the right, keeping the rifle low and tight on the opposite side of the dude. Plan to pretend later that it was deliberate, but I really just need the fucker to lean on.

Nevada talks to the dude, and I realize it's Legion. Circle a bit further as I walk up, try to fake looking healthy and shit, let the rifle hang off the sling and grab a square, motion for a light with my other hand. Loosen the slivergun in the holster as I do.

01:31:01 Saturday, November 1, 2070 - 124th Lane NE
Thumper

"No problem." A confused look passed across Thumper's face.

Grack did strange things. That was a fact of life as true as "you need to break someone's skull to get them to pay attention to you" and "Glow city smells like burned garbage." But, being ashamed of taking one of his many naps usually wasn't on Grack's agenda. Acting like he'd passed out and then joking about tearing out your throat wasn't out of the norm, but this kind of ... trance ... was something new.

Thumper started walking warily.

02:25:30 Saturday, November 1, 2070 - Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 130h Ln. NE

He was happy they'd turned around and headed back toward Legion. He didn't want to have to drag his potentially comatose buddy through potentially hostile territory. Not that he couldn't beat the shit out of everyone here at the same time, but he didn't want to. And, being a fundamentally gregarious person, Thumper liked being around other people when Grack got into his thinking and/or stabbing moods.

As the duo rounded the final corner Thumper realized that going back to the boss empty handed was kind of terrifying, but nothing in the 8-balls turf seemed worth their time. And Legion might be angrier to be missing his muscle than to find out there was nothing worth having here.

Legion was still waiting at the intersection, but standing and speaking with someone new. No, two new people, and one had a motherfucking assault rifle.

Thumper froze for a split instant in a combination of awe and terror. He'd only seen things that beautiful in the weapons catalogs he had read when he got reception over Redmond's patchy matrix. He limbered up his bat and moved to close the distance between him and that gun, torn about whether or not he wanted this to become unfriendly. He was dangerously aware that he could be turned to hamburger if Legion's discussion went the wrong way ... but that gun could be his.

Wires on, he eased towards the conversation.

02:15:31 Saturday, November 1, 2070 – Near Doc's Doss
Aziz

Aziz decided not to bother with conversation in the car ride away from Overlake. The gloom over the three men was practically visible, caused by the seemingly nonstop downward slide over the past several hours. The death of most everyone in the gang at the hands of the 162s, Halo's severe and as-yet unexplained injuries, and now the realization that they'll all have to get involved in the street politics and warfare just to keep her going.

I'm so tired... how much sleep have I gotten? Does being under and worked on even count as sleep?, he thought, yawning. He stuck Kalila down between his feet, and balanced his elbow and chin on the bottom of the hilt.

I really just want to head home... change out of these torn clothes, smoke a bowl, and sleep for a week.... He thought about how ridiculous he must look, with his jeans and t-shirt having numerous holes and rips, with the skin underneath covered by bandages. At least my jacket did its job... My arms and back weren't ripped to shreds, but they made it up everywhere else...

He closed his eyes and contemplated sleep for a moment or two, but the sudden revelation that the car was grinding to a stop made that a foregone conclusion. Aziz angrily got out of the car and looked around, cautious of anyone hanging around to prey on them in their weakened condition. Seeing no one, he resorted to kicking and swearing in Arabic at the car.

"Come on Aziz, thats not helping.", Shade said after letting him indulge himself for some time.

"Haneek rabbak! Ana aneek amouk! Kiramo bemek! A tabbub zibby ib teezik! Bah... fuckin' car.", he said, and sighed. "I'm not looking forward to hoofing it through here, 'specially not at two AM. Don't want to get cacked by some koondeh..."

"We don't really have much choice. Besides, there's still the matter of finding a crew thats shopping."

"Mm. Think Raider Nation needs to fill their ranks? Taking out the Hammerpack couldn't have been an easy job."

Shade opened his mouth for a reply, but suddenly looked past Aziz, calling out "Who is it?". Instinctually, Aziz sidestepped and turned to face whoever it was, putting himself between them and Felix, half-drawing Kalila.

Oh shit, it's Doc...

02:25:30 Saturday, November 1, 2070 - Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 130h Ln. NE
Aziz

Aziz followed Doc through the streets, walking alongside his fellow ex-Crashers. He clears his throat and decides to make some conversation.

"What's Legion calling this crew anyway?", he asks.

"October Ravens", Doc replied. Aziz snorted.

"Ha! Who came up with that one? Sounds like a band name."

Aziz exhaled some vapor into the night and looked at the intersection. There was a girl talking to a guy that he slowly recognized as Legion himself.

Feh... doesn't look so tough. I bet I could take him if it came down to it.

Of more interest though, was an ork and another human walking towards Legion and the girl, one choking up on a bat and the other unsnapping a holster.

Interesting. Wonder what they're doing?

"Well, let's go introduce ourselves.", he says, nodding his head over to the scene.

He hooked his thumbs into his pockets and strolled up to the scene. Seeing that there was a pack of cigarettes being flashed around, he smiled amiably at Legion and the girl in turn.

"Think I could get one of those? I lost mine in a ghoul attack."

02:25:32 Saturday, November 1, 2070 - Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 130h Ln. NE
Grack

Once his concerns regarding his one true cerri had been allayed, Grack set about reevaluating his plans for It. While less than an hour past his design had been to feed on It's flesh at the earliest available opportunity, the Shining One's glorious teaching had convinced him that he must not act precipitously. No, if his immediate future lay with the October Ravens - and he was sure beyond any shadow of doubting that it did - then he would have to put the eth first, and It's renowned scholarship meant that some bridges may have to be unburnt for the sake of the organization's newest incarnation.

At least for now.

So preoccupied was he in these ponderments that he at first failed to notice the knot of people that had suddenly come into view. Only The Duke's sudden air of caution roused him from his thoughts, and then our protagonist met a sight that nearly stopped his young heart.

There, talking to the egrand swordsman he had once called master, was the Object of His Affection, she for whom he had pined and plotted from afar.

But now he had the Power - no longer must he skulk in shadows in awe of her Presence. No indeed. She was to be his Queen and he would brook no further delay. Cutting the volume on his earbuds to a mere whisper of tortured violence, he strode into the center of the group with an air befitting his rank, paying no heed to his lessers as they engaged in their petty tobacco-exchange rituals.

Of course, our young Hero was not only an unstoppable force of death and hate, no, to the contrary he was also schooled in all the higher arts of life and love. Thus, addressing Legion directly, he brought to bear all the not inconsiderable gifts of oration and rhetoric that were his noble birthright.

"Give her to me and I will forgive your turgma."

02:25:32 Saturday, November 1, 2070 - Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 130h Ln. NE
Bockscar

Some dude who looks like roadkill interrupts our conversation. Says some dumb shit in Or'zet, but that language seems written specifically to say dumb shit, so who knows.

His approach unfocuses me enough to see movement out of the corner of my eye, and roadkill's boy trying to slide round my rifle side. Pretty casual, like the way I was tryin' to slide round Legion. The classic conversation-that-might-turn-to-beef-quick move. I think Leon introduced me to this kid at some point. Don't remember. Too lazy to look it up on my commlink. Says alot about my mental state.

Cram's making me focus too much, shoulda seen the kid earlier. Pull another square and a packet of weed out, offer him the smoke. He can ask for the weed.

"Thumper, right? Bockscar."

02:25:32 Saturday, November 1, 2070 - Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 130h Ln. NE
Fool

Fool's new thoughts about getting into bikes was somewhat put off by the freezing wind. He wondered how in the hell Child put up with it, he didnt even have anyone in front of him shielding him partially from the effects of the beginning of the winter weather, he was just taking it all head on. They turned the last corner and Fool could tell that the something was up. When they had left Legion had sent everyone off to do their own thing and now everyone seemed to be gathering again.

Except now there were more than before. As they got closer he could make out Ink rubbing a torch all over a brick wall, was he drawing something, it was to hard to make it from where they were. There was a girl in front of Legion and Grack had just walked into the center of it all.

Fool leaned in closer and tried to raise his voice enough to carry through the wind, "Looks like there are some new people to meet. We better stop about half a block away from them and walk the rest of the way so nobody gets spooked."

As they got closer the entire group turned to face them. Some had already had there hands on their weapons casually and now they were taking stances to face a threat when the bike slowed down and then Child killed the engine. Fool unstraddled the bike and began walking by Child's side towards the group.

Fool saw people exchanging glances with one another and especially at Legion and then he barely heard Legion say something and everyone turned back towards him and thier gathering ingoring the two new guys except an occasional glance here and there.

Fool nooded at people and who glaced his direction and then took up position so that he could hear everyone easily. He glanced around at the surrounding buildings and up and down the street but it looked like everything was ok right now.

He folded his arms and tucked his hands into his armpits to get the feeling back in them quickly in case he needed to fight. It looked like this was a feeling out process the way everyone was positioning themselves.

02:25:32 Saturday, November 1, 2070 - Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 130h Ln. NE
Felix

Felix tagged along silently, next to Shade and a few steps behind Aziz and Doc. His ankle was still painful enough that after about a block, he had pulled his hood a little further on his face to hide his winces. Truth was, he wasn't really walking next to Shade... it was his friend who had slowed down his pace to keep up with him.

Stepping off the curb, the young psychic made a slight a grunt, as his leg almost gave up under his feather weight. It need to rest... he needed real rest. Ever since the 162s had came for them, he had found himself on the run, with no time to sleep or eat. Slowly but surely, fatigue was starting to catch up with him rather heavily. He would need to settle down soon, or he'd collapse.

As they neared 124th avenue and 130th lane, Felix was once again the very last one to notice the small band of people that had started to congregate. It wasn't that he wasn't very observant... it was more due the fact that it was hard to spot things ahead of you when you mostly looked at the ground. A quick and timid glance around was all he needed to recognized most of the faces. Felix didn't quite know every single ganger around Kingsgate, but the Splintered Crash had dealt, at one point or another, with pretty much everyone. That and they threw really great parties. The Splintered Crash had never been very clear cut gang like all the other ones either, more of a group of friends hanging out all the time and finding ways to help each other out. By doing so, the Crashers had not only never been seen as a threat by anyone else, but it also wasn't as frowned upon to socialize with them.

Aziz moved forward to introduce himself, and Felix was about to tag along, but Shade's firm hand took a hold of his shoulder. He glanced back over his shoulder, a puzzled face hidden behind his breathing mask. The young Asian man simply smiled at him for a brief moment, slightly shaking his head from side to side. Felix answered back with a nod and retreated to the nearby curb, where he sat down to watch things unfold.

As he painfully sat down on the bare concrete, Felix slid his shades off and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He was getting tired, really tired. But things weren't about to slow down. At least, not right now. The young mage might have been an optimist, he wasn't fragging stupid. Everybody seemed mellow on the outside, but everyone was as tense as they could be. In the blink of an idea, things could explode. Looking up from the sideline, Felix started to release control of his mind, lowering the constant barrier that he had walled himself in.

They started as distant murmurs, like far away sounds carried by the wind. Slowly, the murmurs turned into whispers, and then into a mix of almost discernible voices. Felix hadn't listened to the voices in some time... he just never really needed to when around his friends. He already knew them well enough. But right now, his friends might need all the help he could muster in the blink of an eye. The back of his head was already starting to throb from all the voices filtering in and out of his mind when the colors started to shift. Long colored tendrils began to glow in the space around him. Like water, they flowed around space, emanating from people and from the air around him.

Slowly, certain voices started to grow louder in Felix's head.

02:25:38 Saturday, November 1, 2070 - Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 130h Ln. NE
Thumper

Keeping his hand steady as he moved it was an ordeal, like playing tug of war with a bullet. The wires wanted it to jump at Bockscar, but Thumper knew that enough was resting on the line here that he had to keep it together.

Slowly, with only a few tremors passing up his arm. He took one of the proffered cigarettes.

"Yeah, it's Thumper. Thanks, man."

Leaving the cigarette hanging between his lips his hand slowly went to his pocket and fished shakily around. It came back with the remains of his punctured flask and a heat warped, but functional department store lighter. He struck it a few times before getting a flame that, in spite of licking dangerously at the lighter's plastic case, sufficed to start his cigarette.

With the same slow deliberate movements he'd used to take the cigarette, he offered the lighter to Bockscar.

02:25:41 Saturday, November 1, 2070 - Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 130h Ln. NE
Bockscar

Let Thumper light my cigarette. It hurts to smoke. Course, it hurts to think, but there ya go. Conversation's muffled between us - I dont want to miss the 3-ring circus happening in front of me, so its one of those "don't look at each other and talk out of the corner of your mouth" deals.

I know he ain't swervin', 'cause he wouldn't be acting like this if he was. Somethin' else up.

"You tweakin', man?"

02:25:45 Saturday, November 1, 2070 - Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 130h Ln. NE
Thumper

"Wires. I think they're old Russian shit; makes them shaky." It was said with a calculated detatchment.

Thumper put the cigarette to his lips as he eyed his companion's side, noting for the first time the contraceptive bandage.

Gesturing with the cig, he spoke in a more genuine tone:

"You Okay? That shit doesn't look too good."

02:25:41 Saturday, November 1, 2070 – Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 130th Ln. NE
Nevada

The smell or rather stench alerted her to their presence before the visual of their shapes came into view. Two large Orks, they had moved up behind Legion with no sign of malice which only made her a little more edgy. Three whores, a beat to shit street merc and her wouldn’t exactly hold their ground for long. As Grack moved out of the shadows and into the light Nevada could clearly see the amount of flesh that had been removed from his face. As he spoke to Legion she was acutely aware of the movement of his jaw and the visibility of his teeth. Grack’s demands however only amused her.

“Ain’t gonna happen boy-o.� She coolly pulled the black cigarette from her lips between the fingers of her right hand.

“For two reasons. One, I’m not his to give.� She exhaled the lungful of smoke she’d been holding in Grack’s direction.

“Two, Sugar… you’re not my type.�

As she kept her eyes fixed on the Ork who seemed to think he deserved her, the long fingers of her left hand snaked further down the stock of her shotgun that leaned against her leg.

02:25:44 Saturday, November 1, 2070 – Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 130th Ln. NE
Grack

This, dear reader, was the first time our Grack had heard the voice of his queen-to-be. Melodious, it was, even more beautiful than Orxanne's "Bite Me, Bang Me, Break Me," if such a thing were possible in the universe of all things aural. Of course he paid the words themselves not the slightest heed whatsoever. It was nothing he hadn't heard a thousand times before, but they all changed their tune. Our Hero's memories were fresh in his mind of his first, blossoming infatuation, watching her on her corner years ago from the safety of a gutter drain. Standing there at night for G-Daz, and then for Caine. They were lesser creatures, unworthy, but for them, any disease-ridden weakling became her type for the price of a hot meal.

It was what had given him hope.

Not sparing her a glance, his fiery eyes bore into Legion's. He knew Gator's will placed him with the October Ravens, but Gator had not said who or what, exactly, the October Ravens necessarily were. So he gazed at the wounded man he had followed for so long, and searched for some hint, some inkling, of whether he could be trusted; if tonight's flaunting of djoto had been fleeting, or an eternal stain on his status as egrand.

"If she is yours to give, buy your redemption."

The shining warrior shrugged, his axe hanging carelessly from one hand.

"If she is not, I will take her now."

02:25:46 Saturday, November 1, 2070 – Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 130th Ln. NE
Fool

Heh. Fool ran his cybernetic eyes over the female Grack was talking about...and the other three. They were pretty good looking but the one Grack was obsessing over had something special about her. A backbone. He could tell her words werent just a warning meant to scare Grack away. She really would fight him if he tried something. She was a warrior. That was sexy. Fool briefly concidered the benefits to stepping in and acting like her knight in shining armor. Would it be enough to get him laid? Would she atleast put on a nice little show for him so he could record it with his eyes?

More importantly could he take on Grack. Fool was fast and deadly but Grack's appearence and his way of talking were more than convincing that he would be extremely tough. Bah screw it he thought. I'm already working on a girl and I dont need to possably ruffle feathers with my new gang. Fool laughed to himself at his own joke.

02:25:47 Saturday, November 1, 2070 - Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 130h Ln. NE
Bockscar

"The condom? Nah, that one ain't nothing. I poked that hole so I could breathe." Puff out a breath, note with pleasure that the condom doesn't flutter up. Nice to see that the lung is mostly resealing. Readjust my jacket a little, loosen it up. Point at the entrance wound, turn away and motion to the gaping exit wound. "That's the bad one."

Pause as the circus unfolds. Take another drag, wallow in the smugness that with the chest resealing I'm probably not gonna die unless I get an infection. And I got some antibiotics in my first aid kit.

Roadkill says some more dumb shit. Puff a cloud of smoke. "Your boy gonna make a scene? It's late for this shit."

02:25:50 Saturday, November 1, 2070 – Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 130th Ln. NE
Child

Child had seen posturing before. It was something he always watched intently. There where often far more subtle aspects to it then simply whipping it out and comparing the goods. This was looking to be a case of whipping it out and waiting for the response, and while scary as hell Grack might be out matched by the strength of will he was about to deal with.

The hours spent driving around south Kingsgate had been all but a total loss. There where no safe usable locations. Not with the recent destruction. The Quik-Lube place had some promise, but it would put them right on the lines with the wrong people right now. He would need to find time to pull Legion aside and give him the skinny on the area.

It was some what reassuring to see a number of people that seemed to be in the same situation as Fool & himself, homeless and soon to be hungry. A quick glance at Ink told him that he had the torch well under control and was just getting into something with what may have been wings. Now was his turn to turn it on a little, and see who he could make friends with. The big one with the big gun was a safe bet, especially with how bad that hole in him looked. But first...

Child dismounted his pilfered ride and pulled the crushed pack of Camels from his pocket. A simple peace offering He knew of the tattooed arabian with the fancy sword, and made a simple assumption. "Your Aziz right?" His voice came out almost a whisper compared to the guttural tones Grack was going on with. He offered a smoke to the man with the topknot.

02:25:50 Saturday, November 1, 2070 – Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 130th Ln. NE
Felix

Felix simply sat on the curb with an idle stare on his face. Under the green hood of his battered sweater, the number 410 still shoulder-patched, the young psychic's mind was occupied by a thousand different things. Voices came and went through his head, murmuring their feelings and whispering their thoughts.

A few years ago, he had found him driven to the edge of sanity by the voices. Listening to them day and night, they kept him awake; twisting and bending his mind around until it had almost shattered. They all had something to say; something to teach him. But it was just impossible to understand them all. He had then started to ignore them entirely... but that had proven as bad of a choice. They would plague his dreams, transforming every moment of rest into the most horrible nightmare. Finding the balance between opening his mind and closing it had been the very key to his survival. It was in moments like these that he was somewhat glad he was in tune with them to certain degree.

Putting both of his tiny fragile hand on the edge of the curb, he pushed himself up slowly, avoiding to put weight on his ankle as much as he could. Seeing him rise to his unsteady feet, Shade immediately looked down at Felix, his brow furrowing. He'd known the little wizkid long enough to feel when he had an idea under that little hood of his. The young Asian man had his hand already outstretched toward him, half to help him up, half to restrain him, when he met Felix's green eyes. Even behind his breathing mask, he could sense the gentle smile.

“It's alright Shade. I think I can help.� simply said the young mage, motioning him to hold off.

With an uneasy limp, the little fragile mentat approached the main source of everyone's attention. During his sideline watch, another kid, not much bigger than him as a matter of fact, had apparently joined in. Felix couldn't help but smile when he noticed it was Child. He was actually really glad he was alive and in one piece. The now probably ex-SSR had worked on his bike a few times, and he had found his company very enjoyable.

Shuffling his feet around a few more steps, the tiny wizkid arrived next to Aziz, putting a fragile hand up on his friend's shoulder. It wasn't just as a sign to let him know he was there to back him up... it was mostly to help him stand off his ankle. Head still held low, his own eyes avoiding everyone's, Felix simply stood next to his friend, not saying a single word. Not yet at least.

02:26:15 Saturday, November 1, 2070 – Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 130th Ln. NE

Ink

Ink finished the piece with his usual flourish. Hell, yes!

The Cubano glanced over at el jefe and saw that the boss man was dealing with some new faces. Some of the faces were familiar to him.

Nevada he knew anywhere with her creamy skin and take no shit attitude. It looked like Grack was hasslin' the boss about "payback" and shit.

Can't take hermano nowhere.

He sidled up to the group and pushed his grinning brown face between two of the girls.

"Como esta chicas? How's about we blow this shit hole?"

He notices Bockscar's gaping wouds and decides that the muchacho could use some help.

"Que pasa homes? You gonna smoke all that primo weed outta a hole in yer side? Or you gonna share?"

02:26:15 Saturday, November 1, 2070 – Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 130th Ln. NE
Shade

As Felix rose slowly to his feet, Shade immediately felt a twinge of concern. Right now everyone was chill, playing it cool. They were still feeling each other out, working it with the others in their own way.

And that was fine, except there was a lot of potential here for things to go south in a hurry. The giant ork with the holes in his face called Grack was acting more than a little psycho, and who knew who he'd swing at first if things got ugly? The way he was talking, there seemed to be an equal chance he'd swing at Legion and try to whack his boss(?) or take Nevada's legs off at the knees and bang her brains out while she lay bleeding and legless in the street.

The other ork, Thumper was making nice with the guy who called himself Bockscar. It figured he'd jump in on Grack's side, but would he do so against Legion? And who the hell knew what that assault rifle could do if its owner decided to rock and roll? And the quiet guy giving Nevada the once over who'd called himself Fool...there were a lot of ways this could end badly and not enough ways it could end right.

Even as Felix motioned him to hold off, Shade whispered as quietly as he could, "If things get crazy hide yourself and get out of here. Don't risk getting killed, cause these people will play for keeps. Aziz and I can take care of ourselves."

“It's alright Shade. I think I can help.�

Reluctantly, Shade backed off. He didn't want Felix to feel like he was being babied. If he was going to be on the streets with them, he'd have to be able to take care of himself. If the young mage thought he was up for the task, Shade wouldn't hold him back. He nodded in acknowledgment and support as Felix walked past him.

Double checking the wires were on and the spurs ready to pop at a moment's notice, he remained where he was, not wanting to appear as if he were 'joining' a particular group and risk making things more tense than they already were.

02:26:15 Saturday, November 1, 2070 - Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 130h Ln. NE
Bockscar

This is getting fucking ridiculous. YET ANOTHER shitbag pushes up into the middle of the fucking conversation. There's more fucking specatators than the goat show in Little Hollywood. Part of me wants to pop the slivergun out and blender this dumbass's intestines. Instead, I stub my cigarette out on the butt stock and turn to the kid.

"Share the weed, or the holes in the side? Roll us up a couple. Papers in the bag."

Hand the bag to him. Gesture at a space away from the cluster-fuck as I do so. Look around a bit, see who else wants to get their opinion in. Two skinny kids seem alright. Glare at the giggly dumbass hypnotized by Nevada's ass. Arab dude's being affable, grab myself another square and hand him one. Light it up, but fake inhaling. Lung hurting too much.

02:25:55 Saturday, November 1, 2070 – Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 130th Ln. NE
Aziz

Aziz blinked a few times as the scene unfolded. The ugly ork that smelled like a rotting cow that exploded on a hot summer day had strolled up, demanding the pretty dark-haired girl, pre-empting his cigarette request.

Well that's just rude..., he thought, briefly fantasizing about grabbing the newcomer by the hole in his cheek and pulling.

"You're Aziz, right?", a small voice said behind him. He instinctively jumped a hand to Kalila's hilt and whirled around. There was an equally small frame to match, holding out a wilted pack of Camels. Aziz smiled and let his hand drop from his sword, instead reaching out to negotiate one from the pack.

"Yeah... thats me.", he said, looking back down at Child. He sticks the cigarette into his mouth and reaches into his jacket, pulling out a zippo to light it with.

"Guess my reputation precedes me... where do you know me from...?", he asks, turning his head slightly and pausing to get a name.

Felix's small hand landed on his shoulder, and Aziz glanced over and checked on him.

Tag's looking down... hope he isn't wigging out. Good that he's standing with me, though, let everyone know he's not to be messed with.

02:25:58 Saturday, November 1, 2070 – Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 130th Ln. NE

Ink

"Whatchu, think dumbass?" Ink snags the dime bag and rolls a joint. He considers the shot up ese. He rolls up another and passes the muchaco his weed back, plus the fresh joint.

"Step into my office and we'll take care of those holes, ese."

He waves his backpack into the circle of gangers.

"That goes for everyone. Can't keep a bod goin' if jou bleedin'. I ain't the Losers, but less jou wanna bleed yer way up there, I'm it."

02:25:59 Saturday, November 1, 2070 – Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 130th Ln. NE
Felix

Both hands still stuck deep in his pockets, Felix's gaze kept hovering toward the broken asphalt surface of the street. He had now pretty seen everyone's shoes and boots, and no ones eyes. Slowly, his head went ever so slightly up, until his green eyes peak from under the hood of his sweater, and over the rim of his glasses.

Felix looked straight at Grack, a sort of strange fixated gaze in his eyes. He stood there, a few feet away from the ork, and just looked straight a him. Matter of fact, it almost seemed as if the young little wizkid was looking straight trough the tough ork. Looking at something only he could see.

Everything around Felix became distant. Sounds muffled themselves, as if words were spoken slowly underwater. The clouds froze in the sky. Everything slowed down, until it was as if, to Felix, the world itself had stopped spinning. Even the constant hum and drum of the voices was silenced. He was well alone in the universe. Alone with Grack.

Slowly, Felix's lips started to move ever so slightly. No actual words escaped his thin lips. Nothing anyone but Grack's subconscious mind could hear, at least. He started to murmur to him; to whisper him feelings and thoughts that weren't truly his own. Just as Felix started speaking to Grack's mind louder and louder, something else happened. They weren't alone anymore. Something big, dark and menacing was also there with them. Under his fingertips, Felix felt the something rough and scaly brush up, like a dull razor blade slipping by passed him. He never saw it, but he felt it's looming presence between Grack and himself. It was something bigger than he had ever encountered. Something totally alien to him.

It approached him, it's shadow clouding everything around Felix.
It was big. Very big.

It made some sort of lot guttural roar
... and then it came for him.

It drove him back, abruptly cutting the grasp Felix had started to hold on Grack's mind.

Everything rushed back. The sounds. The smells. The sights. The voices.

Felix started to blink again. Once. Than twice, faster. He saw Grack looking at him. He averted his own eyes, lowering his head again.

02:26:15 Saturday, November 1, 2070 - Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 130h Ln. NE
Legion

Legion pulled the slim cigarette from the package Nevada offered. It wasn’t his usual brand, but he would never pass up an opportunity. Lighting up, he blew a stream of smoke towards the darkened sky. He could feel the storm gathering once again, a restless electric energy fed by the raw emotions of his fellow predators circling. He shifted to grip the cigarette between the ring and pinky fingers on his left hand, the hand that still held his sheathed sword.

“No, Grack, she’s not mine to give.�

He let his eyes rove up and down Nevada’s body, lust evident in his frank appraisal.

“She might be mine to take, though.�

Legion pivoted away from the look of interest on Nevada’s face, the edges of the world beginning to sharpen to razor clarity beneath the influence of adrenaline.

“You speak of redemption, Grack, as if I had sinned against you. As if you could sit in judgment of my actions.�

Legion faced his enforcer, his attention focused solely on the tall ork.

“You have been my brother for more days than I can remember. We have shed blood together on this battlefield. You are right to push, it is the law of the jungle, the law of the pack. But haven’t I followed the laws of the pack as well? Haven’t my decisions been ruled by the laws of the jungle? Have I not looked to the welfare of the pack as well as my own?�

His voice was quiet but it carried in the night, filled by a tone of deadly calm. There would be no blame, no recriminations. Only action. This was a moment of decision, and like all pivotal points in the urban jungle, history would be written in motion, perhaps in blood.

“If we’re going to do this, do it now. Let it begin here. But know they will not follow you. Push now and all you are doing is finishing the job Raider Nation started. The decision is yours, brother.�

02:26:25 Saturday, November 1, 2070 - Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 130h Ln. NE
Grack

Our Champion held Master Legion's gaze for some time, though perhaps only the smoking human himself could see that Young Grack's eyes were unfocused, his stare bent inward.
Indeed, his mind swirled with a veritable kaleidoscope of impressions, each new shade superimposing upon the last in a dizzying array of spinning colors, tumbling down a rabbit hole into an emotional maelstrom.

Five minutes earlier, everything had been so simple. The Scintillating One had said to be a Raven, so he would be a Raven. For the Ravens, he would let It live. For the Ravens he would consider overlooking Legion's befouling of djoto.

And then SHE had appeared on the scene. But even then, it had been simple. Two choices. She was his to give, in which case he had been determined to receive. Or she was not, in which case he had been equally determined to take.

But it seems that there had been a third choice. Indeed, the look that had passed between his future Queen and his erstwhile Master had not been lost on our partially paralyzed in perplexity protagonist.

And suddenly it was about more than simple rights to a common joygirl.

But before his razor-keen faculties could line it all up, the talking had begun. Here was Legion to a tee - talk talk talk. He always confused things, muddled them up in the fiercest of ways. He spoke of a pack...quiet ...he spoke of brotherhood...shut up!...no, not this time, you will listen. He spoke of past glories. He spoke of eth. He reminded our bewildered knight of what he'd had, and what he might be giving up. And without Legion, there would be no October Ravens, and the Glorious One would be most displeased indeed.

And he would be alone again.

And then with one phrase, the Young Lord was jolted back to reality as though his mind had become a prism distilling truth. ...they will not follow you. What? Was this more than about the whore? To be sure, Legion thought he was about to be brutally slaughtered over leadership of the gang! To think that the Master saw our very young hero as a rival?

Why, this opened up worlds of possibilities indeed. A rival.

But a rival for what?

He broke his gaze from the other man's. He looked around. He saw a motley collection of weaklings and boy-lovers. The only real people present were The Duke and Master Legion himself.

And so, several long, confused, and tense seconds after the egrand had finished his soliloquy, Lord Grack knew he could not hide from the truth that now forced itself, transcendant, upon his heretofore resistant consciousness. And casting a glance at It, and then back to Legion, and then out into the universe at large, he asked in a low voice the only question that mattered: "Is it true. Are they all dead?"

02:26:28 Saturday, November 1, 2070 - Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 130h Ln. NE
Fool

Fool looked past all the ritual hand shaking and crotch sniffing going on around the center of the newly forming gang, his bright blue neon pupils narrowing and then expanding to get a crystal clear close up of Legion's reply to Grack's question. This would be a very important answer for this new gang, did Legion care about his troops, did he learn anything from his mistakes. Whatever he said would likely influence how long this gang was going to be around.

02:26:28 Saturday, November 1, 2070 - Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 130h Ln. NE
Bockscar

To roadkill and Legion: "Leon and some kid are. Badmarsh is. Except this crew, that's everyone I saw on the north side. I'm Bockscar. Leon's cousin. We met last week."

Pop the joint that tatooed dude rolled behind my ear. Might need it in a few. Sideline to tatooed dude: "Thanks, but unless you know more'n I do, ain't much you can do for this I ain't already done."

02:26:29 Saturday, November 1, 2070 - Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 130h Ln. NE
Child

"Guess my reputation precedes me... where do you know me from...?"
The Arab stood a good head above Child.

"Heard stories. Not many Persians with something looking like that out on the streets. I kinda made an assumption."
Child vaguely waved an unlit Camel at the weapon that Aziz had at his side like it was a natural extension of his being. "Heard you could ride too. Word on the street is your pretty good." He pulled a book of matches from his pocket and let the cigarette. He was doing his best to pay respects to the bigger stronger new comer.

"''Round here I'm Child. Fix stuff. Try not to get shot at. S all I'm good for."

The pecking order was falling into place as he stood there. Always good to know who is where. Make friends.

02:26:35 Saturday, November 1, 2070 - Intersection of 124th Ave NE and 130h Ln. NE
Aziz

Aziz looked down at the smaller boy, and smiled.

Flattery will get you everywhere...

"I also make a pretty good shawarma, but that hardly ever comes up out here...". He laughs and takes a drag from his cigarette.

"You hoping to join up with Legion, too? Quite an assortment out for that purpose it seems."