The next morning, we were packed up and readying to leave. I was sitting on the trunk of the Trans Am, flanked by Jet and Ghoul, watching Space Nuke say goodbye to his clan. He hugged both of the girls and bro-hugged the guys, lingering on the girl with the green mohawk, who looked him straight in the eye, as if telling him something important.
“Girlfriend, you think?” Jet said, watching them.
“Nah, he’d have his tongue in her mouth if it was like that.” I shook my head, leaning back on my elbows on the Trans Am.
“Really? Does our Terror have a thing for Space Nuke?” Jet glanced at me, grinning widely.
“If the wind changes, your face will stay like that, Jet.” I rolled my eyes. I looked over, hearing the crunch of gravel and seeing Party striding towards us.
“Ready to go?” He asked, rocking up on his toes. “Where’s Kobra?”
“He’s in the car. What’s your hurry, got a hot date?” I waggled my eyebrows and winked at him.
“Shut it.” Party made a face and headed towards the car. “Go get Space Nuke.”
“Fine, mom.” I stuck my tongue out, walking backwards. “You’re no fun.”
“On the contrary, I’m amazingly fun, when our whole organization isn’t about to turn into zombies, that is.” He rolled his eyes and got in the driver’s seat. I turned around and headed over to where Space Nuke was saying goodbye to his clan.
“It’s time to go, dude.” I offered a smile to him and his clan, who attempted halfhearted smiles in return, but were obviously going to miss him.
“Bye, Nuke.” The girl with the mohawk bit her lip, trying not to cry.
“For Pete’s sake, Cricket, I’ll be back in a few months, stop acting like I’m going to die.” He hugged her again. “I’ll see you soon, don’t worry.” He said softer, to his whole clan. The guys clapped him on the back, while the other girl hugged him again. He turned to me a few moments later, a nervous smile on my face. “Let’s go.”
“Alright. Bye, guys.” I waved to Space Nuke’s clan before turning and walking off, Space Nuke falling into step beside me.
“Hopefully Party already said goodbye to Sally so I don’t have to deal with her.” I said as we walked towards the Trans Am.
“What, you don’t like her?” Space Nuke questioned.
“I can’t stand people who fawn over the guys like they’re some type of gods.” I made a face. “I’ve even been used by people to get in with them. I think it’s disgusting.”
“Well, I can’t blame you.” Space Nuke replied.
“You’re in the back with Kobra and Jet, Space Nuke.” Ghoul called as we approached the Trans Am. “Terror, darling, you’re stuck on my lap.”
“What am I, five?” I grumbled, piling into the car on top of Ghoul.
“You’ll always be my little girl.” Ghoul mocked me, laughing. I elbowed him in the stomach, only causing him to laugh harder.
“And we’re off.” Party shifted the car into drive and sped off down Route Guano under the hot Californian sun.
Three days later, we were stopped for dinner as the sun began to sink beneath the horizon. I sat on the trunk of the Trans Am, having just downed my warmed mush-and-flatbread-type-stuff sandwich, staring at the reddish-orange sun sinking behind the excess radiation.
“Can I join you?” I looked up to see it had been Space Nuke whom I had heard approaching, carrying a newly-made mush sandwich.
“Go ahead.” I scooted over, making room for him to climb up. “Did you get sick of their bickering?” I jabbed a thumb to the guys, who were currently spitting insults and laughing at each other.
“They never stop.” His eyes widened at me in disbelief.
“They can go for days.” I chuckled. “It’s a combination of raw talent and years of experience.”
“How long have you been running with them?” Space Nuke looked at me curiously. “You seem to know them really well, yet you’re not on any wanted posters.”
“Well, I uh...” I leaned back on my elbows, chuckling nervously. I had no idea how to answer that question. “see, it’s like this. I was eight when the bombs hit, in town for a parade with my mother. I got separated from her, thrown into a school, actually, which saved my life. I never saw her or any of my other family again, just hiding and scavenging to survive. I got really good at picking locks and getting into small spaces, so I ate plenty, not enough to be healthy, but enough to keep living.
“They found me two years later, when I was about 10. I'd seen them get out of the Trans to chase some Drac or something and broke in, taking most of their food and all their fresh water and running back to my hiding spot. I fell asleep for the night and woke up the next morning to Ghoul standing over me, taking my food. I sliced his shin open with my knife to get him to drop the food before he could convince me to come with him. They did, eventually, and I rode with them for almost three years after that." I smiled.
"I would've stayed with them if it hadn't been for that last mission." I chewed my lip, remembering.
"What happened?" Space Nuke looked at me quizzically. "I mean, you don't have to tell me..."
"I don't mind. It's the past, I can't change it now. It really isn't my fault anyway." I shrugged, leaning forward to put my elbows on my knees. "We were on a mission in the biggest Drac outpost in the Zones, y'know, Building 473-2, to get some data on Killjoys in prisons awaiting 'rehabilitation.'"
"You went in The Beast?" His eyebrows went up.
“Don’t look at me like that.” I narrowed my eyes. “Anyway, the plan was for me to hack the control room while they kept the Dracs busy. I got into the room and was so focused on hacking it that I didn’t hear the Dracs behind me until it was too late. Two held me pinned to the wall while the other gave me this.” I moved my hair to point to the 4 ½-inch scar on my right cheek. “He was gonna slit my throat when Ghoul shot him down. I’d never seen him so angry at anyone, and those bastards certainly paid for it.” I glanced at Space Nuke. “No offense.”
“I’m not a Drac, I’m a Killjoy. It doesn’t offend me.” He nodded. “I was wondering what that was from, though.”
“Everyone does, but no one asks.” I pushed my hair out of my face. “It’d be better if they just asked instead of stared.”
“Yeah, I get that with my tattoo.” He rubbed it almost unconsciously. “You wouldn’t believe the things people say behind your back and even to your face thanks to markings.”
“Yeah.” I contemplated that for a moment before continuing. “The guys pretty much flipped unanimously. I was dumped off at Ma’s right after that.” I looked over my shoulder at the bickering men. “They visited a lot in the beginning, then less and less until they just stopped coming all together. I didn’t see them for two years until they turned up because of this tower thing and Ghoul almost tried to kill that kid...”
“I thought you were bluffing about that!” Space Nuke looked terrified.
“The kid tried to... ahem... y’know...”
“Yeah, I got it.” He stopped me.
“I took him down before anything happened. The guys heard me yelling and ran out to see what happened, which is when Ghoul flipped.” I chewed my lip.
“Do you do that a lot when you’re thinking?” Space Nuke asked out of nowhere.
“Do what?” I asked quickly.
“Chew your lip.” His eyes bored into mine. I looked away quickly, embarrassed he noticed.
“It’s just a gross little habit.” I suddenly found the ground extremely interesting. I hadn’t realized I’d been doing it again, and I was kinda shocked that he’d noticed.
“It’s kinda cute, actually.” He smiled at me.
“Warzone Wasp to the Fabulous Killjoys, over.” The radio buzzed from the car, causing me to jump. “It’s important, come in Fabulous Killjoys!”
“Hey guys, the radio, it’s important!” I yelled to the guys, jumping off the trunk. They all jumped up and ran over, Party, being faster, grabbing the radio to respond. “Fabulous Killjoys to...” He looked at me. I mouthed ‘Warzone Wasp.’
“Warzone Wasp.” Party released the button and we all waited to see what would happen.
“We have just uncovered detailed plans for something top secret and extremely dangerous. It might not be safe to discuss over the radio. How should we proceed, over?”
“Plans for what, over?” Party responded.
“A tower, over.” We all shared a look of terror for a moment before Party could figure out how to respond.
“Okay, listen to me very carefully, Wasp. Don’t show anyone, don’t do anything with it. We’ll be there as soon as we can.” The look on Party’s face was a mixture of fear, determination and nervousness, but he hid it well, like the leader he was.
“I haven’t actually seen them for myself, they’re on their way currently, over.” Wasp replied.
“Okay, tell me when I get there, it isn’t safe now.” Party had barely heard her. “We should be there by late tonight if we hurry, over.”
“We’re in a huge acid storm, we have been for two days, so it might get a little hairy, be careful.” The woman on the other end cautioned.
“Will do, over. Keep running.” Party ended the transmission. We shared a look of understanding before the guys rushed to put out the fire, carefully collect their extra food and pile into the Trans Am again.
I wiggled on Ghoul's lap, trying to get the least bit comfortable in the crowded space. "I'm really starting to hate this car."
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