Party drove fast enough to melt your face off the entire ride, flooring it to get there as fast as humanly possible. I couldn’t blame him, I mean, I was worried too. Too many people knowing means too many people panic, and when too many people panic, they charge into Battery City and get themselves killed trying to play the hero. We needed to get there and quell the excitement before anything got out of hand.
I eventually became used to the perpetual face-melting and fell asleep quickly, curling into a ball on Ghoul’s lap. It was fitful, but needed, and i awoke to Ghoul shaking me a few hours later.
“Terror, time to get up.” He shook my shoulder gently. The sun had disappeared, replaced with rain so heavy there was barely any visibility beyond four or five feet around the car. I was surprised the noise hadn’t woken me up in the first place, considering it was loud enough to drown out an air horn. I blinked a few times, clearing the sleep out of my eyes and looking out. In the distance, I could make out the faint lights of our destination. We neared, and I jumped off of Ghoul’s lap, quickly ducking under the overhang of the diner. The guys piled out a few seconds later and filed inside quickly, Space Nuke bringing up the rear. I grabbed his wrist and pulled him aside just as the guys went inside.
“Hey, what-” He started to ask.
“Listen to me, okay?” I cut him off quickly. “People in this area can be a bit judgemental and don’t exactly... trust the whole Drac Recovery Program. For now, at least, keep your tattoo covered and don’t talk to them, okay?” I looked in the window quickly before heading toward the door. “And Party’s in a mood, so don’t say anything for now, got it?” He nodded as we both walked in the diner to stand with the guys. A short, dark haired woman I recognized as Warzone Wasp, the clan head and outpost leader. The guys were shaking hands with a crowd of people. I’d heard about Wasp’s huge new clan, but I didn’t realize it was THIS big. There had to be at least 10 people here. And I thought my clan was huge...
“Is this everybody?” Party asked.
“Except the two youngest girls, yes.” Wasp looked tired, but was still in charge.
“So who’s the one with the plans?” He was expectantly examining Wasp.
“He’s having a hard time getting here, he’s on his way.” She nodded.
“So basically, your clan has become drama-filled and petty and you let them run all over the desert doing whatever they want?” Party Poison was looking down, pinching the bridge of his nose with his index finger and thumb. He looked up, waiting for Wasp’s answer.
“Well now-”
“I just drove halfway across the second Zone in the pouring rain in the dark at 120 miles PER hour to rush over here for these plans, and you have NOTHING to show for it?!” Party nearly screamed. “You let your clan run amuck with no order, you let your diner go to shit-”
“Party, calm the fuck down-” A tall man with frizzy brown hair put a hand on his shoulder.
“I will not calm the fuck down!” He raged. “There’s no one responsible here!”
“Hey, you can’t just come in here and say-” A blonde girl I hadn’t seen before started, before Party cut her off
“And you! You just run off into the desert for no apparent reason because your little boyfriend broke your heart? Seriously? We’re in the middle of a war, you can’t just run off-” Just about then, the blonde girl punched him square in the jaw, knocking him to the floor. Space Nuke quickly pulled me back by my shoulders and out of the way as Party fell, the stunned silence lasting only a nanosecond before they all simultaneously combusted.
The yelling could’ve awakened the dead as the blonde girl was scooped up by two larger guys from her clan, her biceps held so she couldn’t move. It seemed unnecessary, considering she wasn’t struggling. Party spit out a wad of blood on the floor as a war waged above him. The noise seemed to drop out suddenly as Party started laughing. I looked back at Space Nuke, who simply shrugged, confused.
“Wow, I totally deserved that, didn’t I?” He took his hand off his jaw and looked at it before staring at the blonde girl. “You have some left hook.”
“Thanks.” She smiled nervously.
“You totally did deserve that by the way, dumbass.” I rolled my eyes, trying to cut the tension. Jet and Kobra hauled Party to his feet.
“C’mon, knucklehead, let’s go clean you up.” Ghoul led the way to the kitchen, rolling his eyes. The guys let the girl down, which is when they took a look at each other before howling in laughter. After a few moments, they quieted, finally noticing me.
“I would’ve done the same thing.” I grinned, offering my hand. “It was nice to see someone stand up to him for once. I’m Tear Gas Terror.”
“Alabama Napalm.” She watched me cautiously as I shook her hand, as if expecting a trap. “This is Disco Destroya, Zebra Kiss, Raging Radiohead, Lightning Laserstrike, Solar Crash, Plasma Noise, Adolescent Suicide, and of course, Warzone Wasp.” I shook hands with each as she pointed them out
“But yeah, I promise, Party isn’t always such a hardass. He’s just stressed from... some stuff.” I bit my lip and glanced away. “I’m gonna go check on them.” I smiled before headed through the swinging kitchen doors the guys had disappeared into.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” I marched up to Party, who was sitting on the counter in the kitchen with a bag of ice on his face. “What on Earth was running through your head just then?”
“I was aggravated, okay?” He sounded rueful, like he actually felt bad for yelling. “I know, I should’ve controlled my temper, but it’s been a long day.”
I was silent for a second. “Well, couldn’t you have gone all apeshit on the crazy one, like Sally?” A smile crept onto my lips as the guys all started laughing. I rolled my eyes.
“Alright, alright. Terror, you and Space Nuke head to bed. We’re gonna wait up for the kid with the plans.” Party nodded.
“I’ll be right there watching you both though.” Ghoul glared at us.
“Oh yeah, we need watching.” I rolled my eyes before smiling seductively at Space Nuke. “C’mon, before he’s watching us.” I winked and grabbed his hand, scampering out of the room with Space Nuke in tow before Ghoul could blow a gasket and murder him.
We got to the mattress room quickly, laughing. “Dude, you’re gonna get me killed!” Spacke Nuke laughed.
“Nah, they need you too much.” I laughed it off, out of breath.
“Not that much.” He shook his head.
I chuckled before slapping my thighs and looking around. “We should probably be more quiet, there’s too many people sleeping.” I whispered. “C’mon, there’s some mattresses over here.” I pointed to three unoccupied mattresses, picking my way over sleeping Killjoys to get there. I laid down on one, Nuke grabbing an empty one near it and both of us laying down, quickly falling asleep.
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