Danger Days

Divided

"So they were here. Just a while ago." Kobra held the gloves in his hand, thick black dye dripping onto the floor slowly from the fingertips.

"Yes." Diamond whispered, still holding the empty medication bags.

"They couldn't have known we were coming." Jet said.

"Of course they could have." Ghoul countered, "They know everything. No doubt they know we're here right now."

Diamond's eyes scanned the room. She had that paranoid feeling again, like someone was lurking in the shadows, watching. Listening.

"We've gotten everything we need here." Kobra said, his fist clenching on the gloves, "Let's go. We'll stay at the next safe house and get over to the last base as soon as possible in the morning."

The others followed him out the door quietly. Each was focused on their own thoughts as they made their way to the car, the California sun setting behind them.

________________________________________________________

This safe house was only a bit bigger than the last, still very run-down. Three Killjoys stood outside, waiting. The Trans Am pulled up, parking as a cloud of dust reared up behind it, carried by the wind away from them.

Kobra Kid was the first to step out. He pulled a friendly smile, despite the thoughts racing through his head.

One of the Killjoys, a girl with bright red hair, waved. "Hey!"

The oldest, a tall male with shocking blue hair, smiled.

The other, a girl with dark blonde hair standing beside the waving girl, simply stared.

The other Killjoys got out of the car. Jet went to the trunk to unload the bags.

"Hi." Diamond approached the group with Fun and Kobra behind her. "I'm Diamond Dahlia."

"Red Dead." She girl who had waved smiled. She looked about sixteen.

"Forbidden Love." The blonde girl introduced herself.

"Agent Jumper." The boy smiled and shook Diamond's hand.

"Nice to finally see a boy at one of the safe houses." Ghoul commented with a smile.

"Yeah well, I gotta stick with my sister." He put his hand on Red Dead's shoulder. She smiled up at him.

"No need to help me, guys!" Jet called from the car. They turned to see Jet carrying as many bags as possible on his back and arms. He looked ready to collapse.

Ghoul and Diamond burst out laughing. Kobra hurried over to help Jet.

They rushed inside as a sandstorm kicked in. They collapsed into the chairs surrounding a table in the middle of the room.

"Water, anyone?" Red called from the mini-fridge in the corner.

"Please," the Killjoys croaked out. Water bottles were passed around, light conversation was made.

"So where will we be sleeping tonight?" Kobra asked.

"There are some rooms down there," Love pointed down the hallway, "It's a lot like the last safe house you were at. Four rooms, a bathroom, pretty basic."

"Diamond, you can share with Love and me if you want." Red smiled. "There's an extra bed in one of the rooms, we can move it in there." Diamond returned the smile.

"Sounds good to me." She looked around the table. "Where's Ghoul?" she asked Kobra.

"He said something about going out for a smoke." Kobra shrugged, "You must've missed it."

Diamond stood up, walking out the front door into the cool night. She was immediately hit by a wave of smoke, traveling downwind.

"Sorry," Ghoul muttered as she coughed a bit.

"What are you doing out here?"

"What does it look like?" he smirked.

"Well, I mean, what are you thinking about?"

"Is my mind that interesting that you have to keep asking me about what's in it?" he laughed a little to himself before answering her question, leaning against the wall. "Just what's going to happen tomorrow."

"What do you mean? We'll save Party. Everything'll be okay."

He shook his head, "After what we found today, I'm not so sure Party's okay."

"He's strong." Diamond persisted, "He'll keep fighting them until we get there. I know he will."

"What makes you so sure? What if his mind's been damaged beyond repair?"

"You'd better not let Kobra hear you talking like that."

"You didn't answer the question."

She scowled, "I just know he'll be okay. How can he not be?"

"I've seen BLI do terrible things to people." Ghoul flicked his cigarette into the sand, where it died out, leaving a small trail of smoke, "I just don't see why they wouldn't do the same to Party."

"How can they? He's the only thing giving them the upper hand against us. They wouldn't do anything to him, otherwise we'd have no reason to go near them."

"I guess." Ghoul stared up into the sky, "I just don't see why they wouldn't try to pull one over on us. They've got more than enough reason to."

Diamond walked over to him, pulling him into a hug, "Everything will turn out okay in the end. I promise."