Chapter Fifty-Four

The morning of the election dawned dark and dismal, the sky overcast and not a trace of the sun shining through. Ebony feared that the threat of rain would discourage voters from coming out, but tried to keep her mind from dwelling on that thought. Instead, she spent extra time doing her makeup and hair that morning as well as selecting an outfit – an outfit that spoke of power and yet invoked trust.

In the end she selected her tried and true black leather hip-hugging trousers, a deep red leather halter that she wore under a black leather jacket. To her, it looked a bit like a funky remake of the professional businesswoman’s suit from the old world. She had done away with her bandit stripe, instead opting for a softer look, though still employing the use of black eyeliner. She wore her hair swept back in a high ponytail with half of it hanging down, the ends curling up.

After checking herself over in the mirror for a third time, Ebony left her room hoping to catch Amber in the corridor before having to go into the café for the early morning meal. Since the majority of the Gaians had left nearly a week before, the atmosphere of the mall had shifted entirely and Ebony felt as if she had lost almost all of her allies.

Ebony was in no such luck, however, and made it all the way to the café unaccompanied. It was nearly empty, however, though the one individual Ebony did not want to see that morning was seated with his fiancé at a table in the corner. Ebony shuddered at the thought. She still couldn’t understand why on earth Danni would have accepted Bray’s proposal, but it was not her place to ask questions.

“Good morning, Ebony.” Minxy, who now preferred to be addressed by her birth name, Marie, greeted her as she entered the café. “You’re looking well this morning. Nervous at all?”

“Just a bit.” Ebony admitted as she poured herself a glass of orange juice out of the pitcher on the counter. “Not that I won’t loose the election, but I keep worrying who might win. What if Moz wins? I’m terrified of what she might do with our city.”

“What Moz might do?” Bray snorted loudly from the corner. “I’d be more afraid of what you’d do with our city, Ebony.”

“Shut up, Bray.” Danni ordered, but Bray’s words had already done their damage. Many of the kids in the city thought like Bray did, thanks to Billy Boy’s and Moz’s smear campaign. They seemed to take great pleasure in bringing up all of Ebony’s faults from the past for the voters to examine and hopefully judge her guilty by.

“Don’t listen to them.” Marie assured Ebony with a smile. “No one’s paid any attention to Moz, or Bray for that matter. Everyone knows you’re the best leader for the city. That’s why Jet backed out and urged all her supporters to vote for you instead.”

Ebony nodded, though Marie’s words gave her little comfort. When Jet had announced her decision not to run in the election, Moz had begun to spread rumors that Ebony had paid Jet off. Jet had done her best to discredit Moz and her lies, but once again the damage had been done.

Ebony took her glass of orange juice and wandered out of the café, not willing to listen to any more of Bray’s snide comments. He had not made the mall a comfortable place for her to live in over the past several weeks and Ebony was storing up every grievance against him.

Bray’s words were not the only thing bothering Ebony, however. Even bigger than her fear that Moz or Billy Boy might be elected as city leader and being a more tyrannical leader than the Guardian, Ebony was afraid that Bray’s words might ring true, that she would give in to that evil side of her that she thought she had killed on Eagle Mountain so long ago and become the monster he believed her to be.

“Please no.” She whispered, staring deeply into her orange juice, wondering just where her self-confidence and poise had gotten off to. She could not appear like this before the voters, somehow she had to remember just why she believed in herself, believed that she wouldn’t return to the old Ebony, the Ebony who had been the hard-nosed cruel-hearted Empress of the Locos…

“Ebony?”

Ebony’s head shot up at the mention of her name. She smiled, mildly surprised to find Danni, heavily pregnant, standing tentatively a few feet behind her. “Hi Danni.” Ebony gave her a half-smile, trying to keep her eyes off the silver colored band that Danni now wore on her left hand’s ring finger.

“You alright?” Danni slipped up alongside Ebony at the banister as she tucked her dark brown hair behind her ear. “You seemed pretty shaken up back there. Are you really that nervous?”

“Yeah, I guess I am.” Ebony nodded, swallowing hard. “The election is a pretty big deal.”

“But everyone knows you’re going to win, Ebony. Even Bray knows you’re going to win. That’s why he’s so upset, because he knows that the voters believe in you, and that is going to show in the election today.” Danni smiled broadly at her.

“Yeah, well, maybe.” Ebony shrugged, her eyes trained on the lower level of the mall, which was empty, save for Cloudy the dog who was wandering around aimlessly looking for someone who cared. “But let’s not count our chickens before they hatch, eh?”

“Alright.” Danni pressed her lips together in a tight smile, “But you’ll see I’m right. You’re going to be city leader and you’re going to prove Bray wrong once and for all.”

“Am I?” Ebony breathed out quietly, not really sure if she had said it out loud or not.

“What was that, Ebony?”

“Nothing, just…” Ebony trailed off, locking gazes with Danni. The taller Mall Rat was watching her, her expression kind and understanding and Ebony felt a resistance inside her slowly begin to break. “What if I don’t prove Bray wrong? What if I prove him right?”

“What do you mean?” Danni wrinkled her brow.

“I mean,” Ebony let out an exasperated sigh. “You don’t know what it’s like, to constantly be fighting against two natures. One side of you is telling you to do things one-way and the other another. I know that I’ll try and be a good leader if I’m elected, but what if I’m not. What if I fail everyone and turn back into the old Ebony that everyone hated?”

“That’s not going to happen.” Danni assured her with a calm certainty. “And you know why?”

“Why?” She asked sarcastically.

“Because you’re not the old Ebony. That woman who rode alongside Zoot in the squad car back in the days of the tribes no longer has a hold on you. You killed that part of you when you chose to spare Amber’s life, chose to help the Mall Rats time and time again when you could have really screwed us into the ground. You’re a good woman, Ebony. I know you are.”

Ebony’s lips quirked up in a half-smile, Danni’s words affecting her slightly, though she herself was not quite as convinced of the death of the old Ebony as Danni was. “If you say so, Danni.”

“I do.” Danni nodded her head just once. “Now come on, Amber wanted me to let you know that she and some of the others have already headed out to the voting site in Sector Ten. She had a hunch people would be quite anxious to get their vote in, rain or no rain.”

“I hope so.” Ebony forced herself to smile. “And I really hope you’re right about the whole Moz thing, and about me.”

“You hope, I know.” Danni looped her arm through Ebony’s. “Now, come on. Let’s go.”

“What about Bray?”

“Oh, him?” Danni rolled her eyes and let out a small laugh, “He’ll come along once he’s realized I’ve left him behind. He always does.”

~*~*~

It was still early morning but Cloe had already cast her vote for Ebony as city leader and now she was bored. There was not much that needed to be done at the voting site, so she found herself wandering about the city streets, trying to avoid all the haunts she knew KC to hang around.

Since the night of the party KC had become her shadow, always following her around and wanting to be involved in whatever Cloe was doing. He was especially annoying when Cloe had said her goodbyes to the Gaians, mostly when she had kissed Jaguar goodbye. She knew she had shocked several of the Mall Rats, but she was making use of her weapons, though probably not exactly how Lex had in mind.

That morning Cloe had made sure she awoke earlier than KC and prepared for the day at double-speed. She, Amber and Pride had all gone to the voting site and she had been the first resident of Sector Ten to vote. Shortly after, the rest of the kids began to line up and while Cloe had amused herself talking to the voters, urging them to vote for Ebony, she had quickly grown bored and decided to explore.

She had passed several other voting sites before she realized just how far she had traveled. She was all the way in Sector Fifteen, and though it was not that far away from the Phoenix Mall, Sector Fifteen was a far more dangerous area than Sector Ten. Rather than turn around and head back immediately, like she knew she should, Cloe pressed onward, remembering the last time she had ventured into Sector Fifteen.

She had been with KC at the time, intent on winning back Porky from the evil Tribe Casino. Back then she and KC had been mates, her best guy friend. She had always thought they would remain that way, but then he had to go along and change, get a crush on her and ruin everything.

‘He hasn’t changed.’ Her mind suddenly told her. ‘You’ve changed.’ Cloe knew it was true. KC was still the same old KC he had always been. Even back then KC had always had a soft spot for her, but Cloe had been oblivious to it then. She wasn’t oblivious now, though she wished she was.

Before long, Cloe found herself standing in front of the entrance to the casino. It had changed a lot, but was still recognizable as the same establishment that had been run by Top Hat, though he was long gone now. She entered the casino, more out of curiosity than really wanting to get a drink or gamble and was immediately assaulted by the thick stench of smoke and the unpleasant odor of bodies pressed tightly against each other.

“Welcome to The Casino little lady.” A kid looking to be about Cloe’s age greeted her with an impish smile. “Care for a game of cards?”

“No thank you.” Cloe shook her head. “Not at this time. I’m just looking around.”

“The lady is welcomed to look.” The kid informed her. “As long as she allows me to buy her a drink.”

“That’s alright, I don’t drink.” Cloe shook her head once again.

The kid seemed surprised at this but shrugged his shoulders at her response. “Well, when the lady decides that she does drink, promise you will come back and ask for Kyle and he will make good on his offer.”

“I’ll do that Kyle.” Cloe smiled. “And by the way, my name is Cloe.”

“A beautiful name for a beautiful girl.” Kyle stated with a wink. “You a Mall Rat?”

“How could you tell?”

Kyle shrugged his shoulders. “Everyone knows a Mall Rat when they see one. They have a look about them.”

“Is that a good thing or a bad?”

“Oh a good one. Very good.” Kyle was quick to assure her. “The Casino has had many pleasant dealings with members of your tribe… KC and Lex most notably.”

“How am I not surprised?” Cloe rolled her eyes. “KC isn’t here by any chance is he?”

Kyle shook his head. “No. He usually doesn’t come in until later. Would you like me to let him know you were asking about him?”

“Oh, no. Please don’t.” Cloe stated hurriedly. “I, uh, well, I don’t want anyone to know I was here.”

“Don’t worry, Cloe. Your secret is safe with me.” Kyle stated with a wink.

“Thank you, Kyle.” Cloe smiled broadly at him, then casting one final look over her shoulder at the door, she turned back to him and added, “And you know what? I think I will take you up on that drink.”

~*~*~

Ravenscroft tugged nervously at the high-collared black lycra ‘Techno’ uniform wishing that somehow he could make it just a tad looser. The form fitting material was much more clingy than Ravenscroft was used to and caused him to be even more uncomfortable than he was already with the whole situation.

“At least the trousers aren’t skin tight.” He muttered to himself, glancing down at his reflection. He didn’t care how much good the Technos were going to do for the world, if they had forced him to wear skin-tight pants he would never have signed on.

After at last being satisfied that he didn’t look completely out of place in the jet-black uniform with deep red accents, he reached for the cold metallic mask he would be required to wear once they arrived in city limits. Jay, his general, had also supplied him with a utility belt, a zapper, and a headset that would keep him in communication with the rest of the Technos at all times.

To Ravenscroft all the technological gadgets were a bit much. He knew for a fact that the only weapons the residents of the city carried were sticks and stones, the firearms and more dangerous objects having been secured in a secret location by the last remaining adults shortly before they died.

“Ravenscroft,” A familiar female voice crackled over the Techno communication line. “Are you there?”

“Yes, Siva.” Ravenscroft pressed the appropriate button on the headset to allow two-way communication. “I’m here.”

“Good. Plane one and two are preparing for take-off. Jay really needs your help, but before you join him in the bunker, Xenia would like a word with you.”

“Xenia?” Ravenscroft made a face at the thought of the beautiful blonde woman who had thrown herself at him on numerous occasions, even after she had officially become Zoot’s Woman. “What does she want?”

“I don’t know.” Siva responded, sounding only slight harried. Out of all the Technos, Siva was the one individual who actually seemed real. She, like the rest of the Technos, put on false airs when around any of their superiors, but when she and Ravenscroft were alone she was able to relax and have a normal conversation.

Jay, though better than most, always seemed distracted by something, his distraction growing worse the closer they approached the launch date for the second stage of Zoot’s plan to restore order back to the city. Siva had assured Ravenscroft that Jay was only worried about the operation, but Ravenscroft could sense that Siva knew more than she was letting on.

“Let Jay know I’ll be there shortly. I’m sure it won’t take long with Xenia.” Ravenscroft stated at last, running his fingers through his jet black hair with recently re-bleached tips.

“I’ll let him know.” Siva responded, then the communicator fuzzed for a brief moment and clicked out, once again leaving Ravenscroft in privacy. He quickly gathered his belongings, glancing around the room one final time to make sure he had missed nothing.

The small cell turned living quarters had been his home for nearly two months now, his only real home since before the Chosen occupation. However Ravenscroft had never felt settled in the safe house, his heart always yearning to go back north, back to the arms of his beloved.

Ravenscroft often wondered how she was doing, if she was all right. She was rapidly approaching the end of her term and it killed Ravenscroft to know that he could not be with her, standing by her side and holding her hand as she moved through these last few excruciating weeks. He didn’t even want to think about how he would feel knowing that she had delivered the baby without him by her side. He would deal with that later.

His thoughts dwelled on Danni as he quickly made his way through the long twisting corridors, still half amazed that he could find his way in the maze of hallways. There were so many secret entrances, hidden doorways and dead ends that it had taken Ravenscroft weeks to figure out how to get from the mess hall to his quarters, but at last he knew the majority of the layout, even more than most of the other followers did.

When he at last reached Xenia’s quarters he hesitated outside the door, part of him wanting to just pretend he had not received Siva’s message and leave without saying goodbye to Xenia. That’s what he knew she wanted, to say goodbye, perhaps make one last desperate attempt to win his affections or to plead that he not go back to the city. He really didn’t know.

Before Ravenscroft had the chance to fully make up his mind, however, the door swung open revealing the blonde in question standing on the other side. She had swept her long golden tresses back away from her face in a loose chignon with a few tendrils loose and curled about her face. She wore a black leather cat-suit that showed off her every curve to its fullest, causing even Ravenscroft to become slightly aroused.

“Xenia,” He forced a smile to his lips, trying to ignore the activity happening below his waist, again thankful for the baggy trousers. “Siva told me you wanted to see me.”

“Yes.” Xenia whispered softly, her expression subdued. “Could you come inside?”

Ravenscroft nodded and brushed past Xenia, forcing himself to keep his eyes on her face and not on her other extremely attractive attributes. “What is it that you wanted to see me about?” He inquired after she had shut the door behind them, locking it discreetly.

“I wasn’t really sure you were going to come.” Xenia ignored his question, her soft gray eyes studying him thoughtfully. “Wasn’t sure if Siva would give the message. She refused at first, but at last I convinced her I wasn’t going to try anything.”

Ravenscroft stared at her, trying to understand just where the complicated young woman was going with this. He had not been able to understand her before she had become Zoot’s Woman and he understood her even less now. She was always so cryptic, hiding behind masks and barriers, refusing to let anyone know the true Xenia.

“I only want to say goodbye.” Xenia stated at long last, her eyes pooling with tears. “Though I hope it’s not forever. I do hope we will see each other again.”

“More than likely we will.” Ravenscroft cleared his throat, distracting himself from Xenia’s face by studying the ornate art decorations that adorned the walls. “Especially if the Techno mission is successful. Once order is restored to the city Zoot can return, setting things back in place.”

“Order.” Xenia’s lips twisted up in a wry smile. “Since when has Zoot been interested in order? All he wants is power and chaos.”

“Not any longer, Xenia.” Ravenscroft stared at her puzzled by her statement. “I’ve heard him speak several times. He realizes the mistakes he had made, the mistakes that tore him away from his family, and he wants to remedy those. He wants to see his brother again, his daughter. He wants the city peaceful again.”

“You really swallowed all that?” Xenia shook her head slowly. “I thought you had more sense than that, Ravenscroft. Zoot is tickling ears, telling everyone exactly what he knows they want to hear. Zoot isn’t interested in hospitals or schools or newspapers… He’s interested in one thing and one thing only. Revenge.”

“Revenge?”

“Yes, against the Mall Rats.” Xenia’s eyes narrowed. “All of them. He wants to destroy them, the entire tribe, but especially his brother, the mother of his child, and the man who pushed him from the balcony.”

“But why? Why is he saying that he only wants to restore peace when he has a different motive?”

Xenia let out a long heavy sigh and pursed her lips together a thin line. “It’s a means to an end. He knows that the majority of the kids in the city are sick and tired of war and struggling to survive every day, so he’s going to give them exactly what they need. Food, water, hospitals, shelters… Everything. He’s going to set himself up as a hero in their eyes and what way he’ll have amassed a large number of followers who will hang on his every word no matter if he’s speaking peace, power, chaos, or even death.”

“I can’t believe it.” Ravenscroft mumbled in dismay, wondering how on earth he had allowed the man to dupe him so. Not only him, but Jay, Mega, Siva… So many decent people he had convinced that he only wanted peace.

“It’s the truth, Ravenscroft.” Xenia assured him, her voice tinged with sadness. “I wanted to warn you, before it was too late. Once you get to the city, you have to break free from the Technos. Pretend you were never one of them. Find Danni. Find your tribe. I don’t care what you do, but I don’t want you to be involved in all of this. Its too dangerous.”

“But what about you Xenia? Isn’t it dangerous for you as well?” Ravenscroft looked up, his concern for this beautiful young woman growing. “You’re right here by his side. One false move and—“

“I’m well aware of the risks, Ravenscroft.” Xenia furrowed her brow. “I was aware of them when I signed on for this. But the benefits far outweighed the risks. I managed to convince Zoot to get rid of the Guardian and his wretched sister, didn’t I? Banish them. Shame them in front of everyone…”

“That was you?”

Xenia nodded. “Jaffa was one of his top operatives. You think he would have just gotten rid of him on a whim? I had been working on him for weeks, telling him that both Jaffa and his sister were too much of a liability, that they both had reputations in the city and even if he did all this good for the tribes once they saw he was in league with the Guardian he would be back to square one.”

“Wow.” Ravenscroft was impressed. “That was so dangerous, trying to turn Zoot against his own man… What ever made you do such a thing?”

“Grieco once told me that I would be key in the destruction of the Guardian.” Xenia shrugged her shoulders indifferently. “A prophecy of sorts. I didn’t want to disappoint her. And now I want to do more. I want to see to the destruction of Zoot’s entire diabolical plan, and the way I can do that best is here, by his side. I have his ear, Ravenscroft. More so than any other individual in this entire house. If anyone can sway him from his plans for revenge and mass destruction, it’s me.”

Ravenscroft swallowed the hard lump that had formed in the back of his throat, the admiration for this strong woman growing more and more with each passing minute. He had highly underestimated her, assuming that now that she was in a place of power she would use it for her own selfish purposes, not for the good of the city.

“You need to go, Ravenscroft.” Xenia said after several seconds of silence had passed between the two former Chosen prisoners.

Ravenscroft nodded. “I do. Jay’s waiting for me.” He hesitated, locking eyes with Xenia, for once allowing himself to read the love that shone brightly through them. “I, um, well, I…”

“Before you go,” Xenia moved forward slowly, stopping when she was a mere foot away from him. “Kiss me once. Just once so I can know what you taste like… Willingly. Please.”

Ravenscroft stared at her, feeling himself torn. His entire physical self wanted to do far more than kiss her. He wanted to feel her, touch her and caress her, hold her for as long as she needed to be held, but all the while his heart screamed no. Xenia, no matter how lovely and how appealing was no substitute for Danni. She was the one his heart belonged to… No one else.

“I-I can’t, Xenia.” Ravenscroft finally choked out, dropping his gaze. “I love Danni.”

“I thought you might say that.” Xenia commented wistfully. “In fact, I almost hoped you would. It would be an exquisite torture for me to taste what I can never know.”

“I—“

“Go Ravenscroft.” Xenia tipped his head up so that once again their gazes were locked. “Find Danni and make sure she knows what a lucky, lucky woman she is.”

“I’ll do that.” Ravenscroft nodded, feeling the heat rush through his body. “Goodbye, Xenia. And good luck.”

“Goodbye.” Xenia repeated, stepping away from Ravenscroft and effectively breaking the tension. “Always remember, keep the dream alive. And Ravenscroft…”

“Yes?” Ravenscroft turned back to her, hating the look upon the raw emotions that flitted across her beautiful face.

“I-I’ll… I will always love you.” Then she spun around, her shoulder shaking and Ravenscroft quickly ducked out of her room, knowing that she needed her privacy.