Chapter Fifty-Seven

Looking back on it, the only thing Danni recalled clearly during the twenty minutes that passed after Ebony’s edict was the pain. It was not an excruciating pain, but incessant and foreign to her. At the time she had ignored it however, intent on pushing her way through the sweating bodies, trying to make her way to the entrance of the hotel. She had to make Ebony see reason.

Amber had called after her several times, even made a vain attempt of following Danni while she ducked through and between children and teenagers, curtly ordering them to get out of her way. She ignored the surprised expressions on the faces of those she knew or those who knew of her, dogged and determined in her mission.

Upon finally reaching the wide double-doors of the hotel she was promptly told by the lone guard there was no admittance, not even for a friend of Ebony. However Danni refused to let that stop her and pushed past the militia guard, ignoring his cries of protest. She had to see Ebony…before it was too late.

Danni feared it might already be too late. She had seen Pride dispatch from the crowd immediately after Ebony had made her announcement and knew deep inside that he had gone to do Ebony’s dirty work. The tall Gaian had never kept his disdain for Bray a secret, always open in his rude and biting comments towards the Mall Rat. Danni had always encouraged Bray to ignore Pride, telling him they were only words, but now, by power of Ebony’s decree, Pride could transform his words into actions.

“Ebony!” Danni called loudly, storming down the darkened corridors, ignoring the strange twinges of pain that coursed through her frame at regular intervals. “Ebony! I need to speak with you!” She hurriedly picked her way towards the former Empress of the Locos’ office on the second floor of the hotel. Danni knew that was where Ebony had retreated to after making her speech. Her solstice where she could think.

The pain had increased by the time she reached the door to Ebony’s office, as had her anger and without a moment’s hesitation she flung open the door, her dark eyes burning like live coals. “Ebony,” She hissed, putting far more passion behind her voice for a man she only had mediocre feelings toward than she had originally intended to. “I thought you were my friend.”

“Danni!” Ebony exclaimed, leaping to her feet from where she had sat behind her desk, shoulder slumped, braids spilling over as she rested her chin on the back of her hands, palms pressed flat on the hardwood of her desk.

“Why Ebony?” Danni whispered fiercely, “It’s public knowledge that you can’t stand Bray. But why did you actually have to follow through with this personal vendetta you have against my fiancé.” She stressed the final word.

“Please, Danni, you have to understand. There was no other way.” Ebony hurriedly explained herself, coming out from behind her desk. “I could have had him executed and you know it. I thought I’d show him mercy by banishing him.”

“Mercy?” Danni scoffed, folding her arms across her expansive stomach, “Well, I’ll tell you a little bit about your mercy, Ebony. Your mercy just destroyed any chance my child and I had at a normal life. You took my baby’s father even before they were ever born. I hope you’re happy.”

“That was never my intention, Danni.” Ebony’s brow furrowed with concern that Danni refused to see. “Bray’s no good, Danni. Surely you realize that. He tried to rape Amber. He tried to kill both Lex and I. Give him time and who knows what he’s capable of. “

Danni snorted loudly, closing her ears to Ebony’s logic. All she could see was the little child inside her growing up knowing that his or her father had been stolen from them, taken before they were ever even born. “Bray’s not like that., Ebony. He’s a good man. A good man.” She stressed, though she was having a hard time convincing herself.

She couldn’t explain the feelings that had shot through her after Ebony’s slip of the tongue. A part of her refused to believe that Bray was capable of rape, or even attempted rape in Amber’s case. She could only remember the sobbing young man who had poured out his heart, telling her how the love of his life had been ripped from him, killed during an explosion on Eagle Mountain. It had been Bray’s passion and tenderness that had drawn Danni to the Mall Rats. She would never have left the comfort of her father’s apartment if it had not been for him.

“You know you don’t believe that, Danni.” Ebony frowned at her, her eyes gentle. “Maybe Bray was once a good man, but I don’t think so. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

“What are you saying?” Danni hissed. “Are you saying Bray’s exactly like Zoot? A madman? An insane murderer?”

“Not exactly like…” Ebony drawled out carefully, pursing her lips together. “But there are similarities. I remember the way Martin was just before he, well, before he changed. He was himself one moment, then a complete stranger the next. Unpredictable… Dangerous. Just like Bray is now.”

“Bray is not like his brother. He’s not.” Danni insisted. “He loves me and I—I love him. We were going to have a family together.” She finished, wincing as yet another stab of pain coursed through her body.

“Danni, are you alright?” Ebony asked suddenly, moving forward, hand touching her shoulder softly. “You look a little pale. Would you like to sit down for a bit?”

“I’m fine.” Danni yanked her arm away from Ebony’s touch, her eyes flashing. “Or at least I was until you banished Bray.”

“Danni, please—“

“Leave me alone, Ebony.” Danni spat, stepping away from the petite City Leader. “Leave me alone before you do even more damage.” Without another word or a look back, Danni stormed out of Ebony’s office, her heart aching inside her, though she was not sure if it was more from the sudden loss of the one stability in her life or by her fight with Ebony.

The streets were still hectic, though the crowd was slowly dissipating by the time Danni reached the bright outdoors. She moved silently through the children, ignoring their conversations as they discussed the ramifications of Bray’s banishment. Try as she might, however, she could not miss how the majority of the children thought it was a wise decision on Ebony’s part, that it showed her strength and ability to carry out a sentence even if it was difficult.

Danni sucked in a deep breath, her eyes scanning the streets. She was nearly upon the mall now, her home, though it suddenly felt like a foreign country to her. She watched as Pride emerged from the main entrance, Bray next to him, his wrists bound. On Bray’s other side was Lex, obviously quickly recovering from his injuries he had sustained.

“Bray.” Danni whispered, her heart trembling inside her. Their last conversation had been a fight. A petty argument that suddenly seemed so trivial compared to everything else that was going on. Without really knowing what she was doing she began to follow the three male Mall Rats, staying at a safe distance and out of sight. She didn’t know why she was following them, perhaps she just wanted to say goodbye, she didn’t know.

They walked steadily for several minutes at quite a brisk pace that was difficult for Danni to keep up with, her twinges of pain growing closer and closer together. They traveled through Sector Ten, Sector Seven and Sector Four until they finally reached the outskirts of the city. Pride, Lex and Bray stopped there and Lex handed Bray a small bundle of what Danni assumed and hoped was food. They said a few words to Bray, then turned around and walked away, not once looking back.

Danni watched as Bray stared after them, his face a mask unreadable to even her. He held his small bundle of food, not even bothering to look inside to check its contents. Instead he stood there, almost as if he couldn’t quite believe this was happening to him. Then, at long last he sucked in a deep breath and slowly began to turn. Danni knew it was time to make her move.

“Bray.” She called softly, moving slowly from her well hidden position in a clump of trees and thick underbrush. “Bray.”

“Danni?” He turned towards her, an incredulous expression on his face. “What are you doing here?”

“I-I followed you.” Danni whispered, her eyes downcast. She could not meet his gaze. “I’m sorry about what’s happened. I-I had nothing to do with it.”

“I know you didn’t.” Bray stated, his tone neutral. “It was Ebony’s doing. Its always Ebony’s doing. I knew that she was going to somehow bring me down. I was just waiting for it to happen. I’m surprised she didn’t do it sooner.”

“Bray, please.” Danni pursed her lips, still feeling a slight tug of loyalty towards the City Leader. “Let’s not point fingers right now. This could, this could be the last time we’ll ever see each other, Bray.”

“Don’t say that, Danni.” Bray whispered, running his finger along her cheek tenderly, tracing the long scar that had slowly begun to fade. For once he didn’t wince when looking upon it. “We’ll see each other again. I swear it to you.” His hand dropped to her abdomen.

Danni nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks unbidden. “I’m so sorry for everything, Bray. I never meant to hurt you.”

“I never meant to hurt you, Danni.” Bray whispered, leaning forward slowly, brushing his lips against her cheek. “I love you.”

“And I love you.” She said the words with as much confidence as she felt.

They stood there, staring at each other for several long minutes, Danni unwilling to look away. Every time she stared into Bray’s beautiful crystal-blue eyes she could not see the monster that Ebony saw. All she saw was a good man. Confused, yes, but a good man. He didn’t deserve this. He deserved none of this.

“I’m coming with you.” Danni stated suddenly.

“What?” His eyes widened at her words.

“If you can’t be in the city with me, then I’ll be…” Danni trailed off looking at the wilderness around them, “Well, I’ll be out here with you. Wherever.”

“I can’t let you do that, Danni.” Bray whispered, taking her hands in his. “It’s too dangerous. You go back to the city where you and our baby will be safe.”

“No.” Danni shook her head, pursing her lips together in a determined line. “I’m staying with you and you won’t be able to convince me differently, so don’t even try.” She locked eyes with him, her gaze even.

Bray stared back, his expression nearly as stubborn as hers, but at last he let out a weary sigh and nodded. “Alright.” He murmured, drawing her closer to him as he wrapped his arms around her, protecting her. “Together. You and me against the world.”

“Yes.” Danni echoed, “You and me, against the world.”

~*~*~

Amber shivered as she wrapped her jet black leather jacket tighter around her slim frame, shielding her from the sudden wind that had kicked up. She could not get used to the sporadic weather. Normally she would not be bothered to go out in such a wind, content to sit at home drinking a cup of hot tea or cocoa, but nothing was going to stop her from arriving at the Horton Bailey Hotel, certainly not a little wind.

After Danni had suddenly vanished after Ebony’s sudden announcement earlier that day Amber had been trying to track her down. Danni had easily lost her in the crowds and Amber had gone back to the mall, assuming that the dark haired Mall Rat would head there to say her goodbyes to Bray. However she was no there and no one had seen her.

Next Amber had checked in the markets, trying to see if anyone at all knew of Danni’s whereabouts. A few people said they had seen her in Sector Three, but that didn’t make any sense to Amber, so she discounted the information, assuming that the people had only seen someone who looked like Danni and dressed similar. Instead, Amber decided to go to the hotel, see if maybe, just maybe, Ebony had spoken with Danni. For both of her friends’ sakes, Amber wished she had not.

A lone militia guard stood outside the hotel, though it was obvious he was half asleep. Amber nodded in his direction and quickly slipped inside the dim hotel, amazed at how quiet and still the normally busy building seemed to be. “Hello?” Amber called softly, glancing around hoping to see someone wandering the halls. “Ebony?”

When there was no response, Amber went further into the hotel, trying to remember the way to Ebony’s office. She had only been to the hotel a couple times several months ago. She understood Ebony’s reasoning for moving back to the hotel after the election. There needed to be a separation from the Mall Rats so those in the city who were mildly disgruntled by the results of the election could not make a big deal, but it was rather involvements for Amber.

“Ebony?” Amber called again, her eyes finally beginning to adjust to the semi-darkness. “Are you here?”

“I’m here.” A cracked and dry voice sounded from behind her.

Amber whirled around, her eyes widening at the sight of Ebony. Her best friend was dressed in the same red leathers she had looked so fabulous in earlier in the day, though she no longer looked even half as good. She had loosened her braids, allowing them to fall in a tangled mess about her shoulders, her makeup was smeared and her eyes red-rimmed. Amber had a hunch Ebony had been drinking.

“Ebony,” Amber’s brow knitted together with worry. “Are you okay? You look a wreck.”

Ebony shrugged her shoulders, continuing her way down the long corridor. “Doesn’t matter.” She spoke, her words perfectly annunciated, causing Amber to discard her earlier theory. “So, why did you come here? Did you want to lecture me too?”

“Too?” Amber’s eyebrows shot up.

“Yeah.” She sniffled loudly. “Danni was here right after the announcement, giving me a piece of her mind. Wouldn’t be surprised if she never spoke to me again.”

“Danni was here?”

“Yeah, she was here. Then she left. Angry with me, blaming me for everything. Like usual.” Ebony rolled her eyes, wiping at her nose. “Whenever anything goes wrong its always easiest to pin all the blame on Ebony. What’s that saying? When I do right no one remembers, but when I do wrong, no one ever forgets.”

“Yeah, something like that.” Amber nodded, distracted from her conversation with Ebony as she began to wonder where Danni might have gotten off to after her conversation with Ebony. She was extremely worried about the pregnant woman, but also worried about Ebony. She was not acting herself.

“Ebony, look,” Amber shifted her full attention back to the recently elected City Leader. “I’m worried about Danni. She’s been acting funny all day and now she seems to have disappeared. I’m not really sure, but I think… Well, I think she might have been having contractions earlier this morning.”

“What?!” Ebony’s eyes suddenly cleared.

“Exactly.” Amber nodded, pursing her lips together, glad that Ebony had snapped out of her mood so quickly. “We’ve got to find her Ebony. She can’t be alone right now. Now, it’s really important, did she say anything about where she might be going?”

Ebony shook her head slowly, her expression troubled. “No.” She whispered, her face paling, “But I can guess where she might have gone.”

“Where?” Amber asked, breathless.

“Bray.” Ebony’s eyes began to pool with tears. “She went to find Bray.”

~*~*~

After he and Pride had deposited Bray at the edge of the city and ordered him to never step foot back inside their city again, Lex had informed the tall former Gaian (or was he still a part of the Gaian tribe, just living in the city? Lex could never be sure.) that he needed to go for a walk. He wanted to look over his city, make sure that things had calmed down after Ebony’s announcement.

Pride was reluctant to let Lex out by himself, but Lex had insisted, informing Pride that his injuries were not nearly as severe as everyone was making them out to be. The truth was, however, his ribs ached and every step he took a fresh wave of pain coursed through his body. He should be lying down, and he knew it. He was just too stubborn to at the moment.

“Well, howdy Sheriff.” A familiar voice greeted him with a laugh. “Didn’t think I’d see you out and about anytime soon.”

Lex grinned as he turned to face yet another former Gaian, this one the sultry Minxy whom he had flirted with a couple of times back in the Gaian village. “Hey, Minx.” He greeted her with a nod of his head. “How’s it going?”

“Ah, it’s going alright.” Minxy shrugged her shoulders, falling in step alongside him so he could continue to patrol the city. “Just having a looksie. I hadn’t realized how much I missed the city. But I really did. This place is my home, even if I didn’t want it to be for awhile.”

“Yeah.” Lex nodded his head slowly. “The city has a way of getting into your blood. I don’t think I could leave even if I wanted to.”

“Kinda like Amber.”

“Huh?” Lex shot her a strange look, trying to control the flush from creeping into his cheeks.

“Yeah, Amber.” Minxy was grinning mischievously at him. “She used to always talk about the city, even when she was the Gaian leader. We all knew it would only be a matter of time before she came back, and came back for good. I think the only one who hadn’t quite come to terms with it was Pride, but he seems to be doing alright now.”

“He still in love with her?”

Minxy shrugged her shoulders. “Who knows. Probably, but Amber doesn’t love him. She never did.” Minxy informed him, a playful light dancing in her dark eyes. “The important thing is that he knows that now and has given up on her. Left her open for others.”

“Yeah.” Lex grunted a little, his eyes dropping to the cracked pavement beneath his feet.

“So…” Minxy drawled out slowly, her lips playing up in a smile, “You finally going to admit that you like her?”

“What?” Lex’s head shot up and he glared at her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Minxy.”

“Yes you do.” Minxy chuckled. “You like Amber and you can’t hide it. Everyone can see it. So why don’t you just tell her?”

“Because.” Lex huffed, pouting a little that he was so transparent to even people who barely knew him. “The timing is all wrong.”

“Timing schmining.” Minxy rolled her eyes. “If you keep waiting for the perfect opportunity you’re never going to get with her. There will always be something else. Someone else. I suggest you turn around right now and tell her how you feel. That way she’ll at least know for sure and maybe, just maybe she’ll have a nice little surprise for you.”

“I can’t do that, Minxy.” Lex shook his head. “That’s not my style. The girls come to me. Not the other way around.”

“Fine.” Minxy made an amused face. “Guess Amber’s not worth it then, huh?”

“I didn’t say that. It’s just—“

“It’s just that you need to go and tell her how you feel. Now.” Minxy stated pointedly.

Lex said nothing, looking back down at the pavement again. He knew Minxy was right and yet the thought of finding Amber and telling her that he liked her, that he wanted to date her scared him half to death. He had never cared so much if a girl said yes to his invitations before, but suddenly he did, and it made him nervous.

“Okay, maybe.” He said at long last, finally bring his eyes to meet Minxy’s. “Tonight, after dinner.”

“No.” Minxy shook her head. “Now. She’s at the hotel, or at least that’s where I saw her heading a little bit ago. You need to go to her. Now. Not later. Now.”

“Fine, fine. I’ll go to the hotel and talk to her.” Lex frowned as he continued to walk in the direction opposite of the hotel.

“Now, Lex, now!” Minxy chuckled as she grabbed a hold of him and spun him around. “Go! Before you chicken out again.”

“Fine!” Lex joined the dark haired woman in her laughter. “I’m going.” And with that he began to walk in the direction of the hotel, for the first time in several weeks feeling as if he was doing the absolute right thing.

~*~*~

“We won again, Cloe.” A dark-haired and older male member of the Scars announced, his face beaming as he casually dropped his hand onto her exposed leg, though she quickly brushed him off. “You’re my good luck charm, babe.”

Cloe grinned back, wrinkling her nose but saying nothing. She had been flirting with Mitchell for the past twenty minutes, sitting on his lap as he played hand after hand of blackjack. She knew he would soon loose all the chips he had won, that was the house’s strategy. Once he did Cloe knew to make herself scarce, but while he was winning he was in a good mood and kept the drinks coming.

The dealer passed out another hand and Cloe watched from her vantage point on the Scars’ lap. This was the hand, the hand where he would loose it all. “Hey baby,” She murmured softly and seductively in his ear, “I need to go powder my nose. I’ll be back.”

Cloe slid off from Mitchell’s lap and tugged down the short lime green mini skirt she had picked out that afternoon. She shot Mitchell a disarming smile, then melted into the crowds of gamblers, knowing that would be the last time she sat on the handsome young man’s lap.

“Hey Cloe.” Kyle greeted her as she passed the entry area of the casino. “Having fun?”

“You bet.” Cloe grinned at the ‘bouncer’. “The casino’s hopping tonight.”

“Sure is.” Kyle nodded knowingly. “In fact, a friend of yours just came in a few minuets ago.”

“A friend of mine?” Cloe paled, glancing around nervously to see if she recognized any of the gamblers as men that she had been a ‘good luck charm’ for over the past several nights.

“KC.” Kyle informed her. “He actually said he was looking for you. Asked if I had seen you. I said I hadn’t.”

“He was looking for me here?” Cloe’s eyes widened. “But why? No one knows I come here.”

“KC has a way of finding these sort of things out, Cloe.” Kyle chuckled. “You should know that. But relax, he didn’t seem upset. In fact, well, never mind. He can tell you himself.” Kyle pointed to someplace directly behind Cloe and she quickly spun around to find KC’s boyish form quickly making his way towards her.

“KC…” Cloe smiled nervously at the shorter boy, self-consciously touching her dark hair. “What are you doing here?”

“Nothing.” KC was beaming up at her like a kid in a candy store that had just been told he could have as many chocolates as he wanted. “I always come here. What are you doing here?”

“Ditto.” Cloe fudged the truth a little. She had only been coming here for a couple of weeks now. Not nearly as long as KC. “Just wanting to have some fun, that’s all.”

“Cool.” KC bobbed his head up and down, his cheeks flushing with color now. “Um, mind if I buy you a drink?”

“Well,” Cloe was hesitant, “I’ve already had quite a few tonight. I think I should probably started heading back before it gets too late…”

“Please, Cloe? I swear, just one drink.”

“Alright.” Cloe finally relented, smiling down at him. “Just one, but then we both go back to the mall, okay? I’m sure Amber and the others will wonder what’s happened to us if we’re out too late.”

KC quickly agreed and led her in the direction of the bar. Cloe sat down on one of the plush stools and watched as KC heaved himself up, struggling only slightly with the height, making Cloe giggle. “Two Sector Sunsets, please.” He ordered as the bartender passed by.

“Actually,” Cloe corrected him, “I’d rather have a Pineapple Princess, please.”

“One Sector Sunset and one Pineapple Princess coming right up.” The bartender repeated then turned away from them to make their drinks.

The two young Mall Rats said nothing to one another as they waited for their drinks to arrive, KC refusing to meet Cloe’s gaze and Cloe not wanting to say anything unless KC said something first. She could not forget how peculiarly he had been acting the past several days, weeks actually. Even before the dance he had been acting strange and shy around her. Not at all like the KC she had been mates with moths ago. The horrible thing was, Cloe knew exactly why, and she felt terrible for it.

“Cloe,” KC said at long last, breaking the silence between them. “I wanted to apologize for the way I’ve been acting lately.” He stated hurriedly, all in one breath. “It’s just, oh, never mind.”

“What KC? What is it?” Cloe looked down at him sympathetically.

“Aw, it’s nothing. It’s just, well, Cloe. I dunno. It’s strange and stuff. I don’t know why I ever thought a geeky kid like me doesn’t stand a chance with a pretty girl like you.”

“Pretty?” Cloe tipped her head back and laughed. “You think I’m pretty?”

“Well, yeah.” KC shrugged his shoulders. “Really pretty. In fact, I’d even say beautiful. Y-you’re amazing, Cloe. Amazing.”

“Why, thank you KC.” Cloe smiled at him, causing his blush to deepen. “That’s really sweet of you. But you’re wrong.”

“Wrong? Wrong about what?”

“Two things. One, that you’re geeky and two,” Cloe hesitated, taking a deep breath, “That you couldn’t stand a chance with a girl like me.”

“Wh-what do you mean?”

“Just this.” Cloe slowly leaned forward, closing her eyes as she brushed her lips against KC’s cautiously, hoping that somehow deep inside something would stir when their lips met. She felt sorry for KC. She really liked him a lot, but she wasn’t sure if she liked him in that way at all and there was only one way to find out.

“Oh Cloe.” He moaned softly as they parted.

“Did you like that?” Cloe smiled, masking her disappointment expertly.

“Yeah. I did.” KC replied, his face glowing. That was all the invitation Cloe needed and she moved in once again hoping that maybe this time she would feel some stirring of emotion for this boy who had been her friend for so long.