The Phoenix Colony

The voices had been gone since she woke up in the forest. A slight ringing began in one ear, then clear as day she hears, "That was close. At least Ben didn't find out I was a spy like Allen. Well, he wouldn't have hurt me, seeing he's helping Allen - but I don't think it's nice to blow cover when you're here to kill." The ringing spreads and envelopes her mind.

"Oh God! Not another one!" She hollers to no one. She collapses on the ground and quickly loses conciousness.

 

"The festival? Oh, I just don't like dragons." Allen laughed. "My team found out that Chin Yun was attending the festival. He didn't have anything planned, but it was the perfect opportunity and we didn't want to lose it. As for your other question, I was convicted, but managed to pull in some favors and change it from death to life."

The whole time Allen kept his eyes on Ben, making sure he wasn't listening.

 

"Haha. You know, I was actually on a really special date that night. No thank you."
She then consumed the latter and nodded.
"Okay, well, you're awfully lucky. I've been arrested for a mission! I'm lovin' it."
She gave a sardonic smile and then waved off.
"I'm off. Though, I wouldn't like word about me around. I don't like cheaters."
"Funny, it's not like you're the loyalist girlfriend."
Viva ignored the words and walked back to the cave.

 

Reva came down the steep part by the cave in a controlled slide, stones running along ahead of her and skipping away. The bulking shape of Pasha suddenly appeared as she descended.

When she got to the flatter part by the cave she stood, brushed her dirty, berry-stained hands and tried not to scowl. She was still upset that the group up out of sight were being idiots to each other.

“I made you something," the giant muttered.

Reva saw he held a spear of some sort in his hand and for a moment she wondered if he was going to use it on her. She remembered the uncompromising weight of his hands on her shoulders. She fought the uneasiness down and prompted herself to smile.

"Thank you," Reva was surprised. He didn't know her, "What prompted you to do this?"

 

Viva was walking back into the cave, when she noticed Reva and Pasha. Pasha had a spear in her hand. Shocked, she hit behind a rock and listened to them.
"Thank you. What prompted you to do this?"
Viva realized that the spear was a gift of some kind. A pang of jealously hit her as she felt anger drive into her. She wanted to go and kick Reva off the cliff.
"Oh, never thought a crazy guy like him could be a two-timer."
She turned away, clenching her fists. She was so angry all of the sudden, though it didn't really make sense.
"You know, you're a cheat too. If he's one, what big? Men are like that."
Viva knew that, accepted that, and always followed that thought in every namesake relationship, but this didn't fell right. She felt a boiling tear wash down her cheek. She wiped it away and grumpily went into the cave, sitting in a corner.
"I so hate you Reva. For ruining my day."
She grumped to herself, feeling confused as to why did she feel so bad.

 

Pasha watched as Viva quickly walked by, managing a smile on his face. He’d have to see her later.

He quickly handed her the spear, leveling it in her hands to show it was pretty evenly weighed.

“It’s pretty even… shouldn’t be too bad.” He mumbled at first. He honestly couldn’t think of a proper answer to her question. Why had he done it? Maybe his black heart was coming back to life. He sighed.

“Just trying to show I’m not just a monster.” He finally said.

“Nice answer, I’m sure that won’t scare her more then you did this morning.” Yuri mumbled irritably.

“I could get you a bludgeon stick too… if you’d like. Lighter then mine maybe… Do you need help learning to use the spear?”

“Such a conversationalist…”

 

After working on the gate for awhile, Britney stops and looks back at Fox. She stands and walks back to the fire. Grabbing one of the blankets, she walks over to Fox and kneels down. She rolls the blanket up and very gently lifts Fox's head up. Placing the blanket under it, Britney gently lets Fox's head fall down on the blanket.

She goes over and sits by the fire, putting her hand into it. She could feel the bright red flames carress her hand as they danced around in their cage. As the raises her hand, the fire begins to go straight up. She pulls her hand to the left and the fire bends, almost as if it was trying to reach out to her. She quickly pulls her hand back, and the fire returns to normal. "Fox, what....what is happening to me?" whispers Britney as she looks back at the silent figure, laying there.

She then sees Viva coming in to the cave, looking as if someone just took her favorite treasure. "What's wrong Viva?" asks Britney.

 

Viva tried not to cry as she replied.
"Nothing."
An impulse of anger hit her.
"Just that Mr. Huggles has a new girlfriend."
Her voice was shrill, yet childish. She then kicked the wall due to which a rock stumbled down at her foot and she scowled.
"Provided I was ever more than a plaything!"
She screamed, retreating towards the corner.

 

Britney goes over to Viva and hugs her. "Listen, you can drop the ditz act when he's not around. And as for him not caring about you; he's a psychopathic killer, just by the fact that he didn't kill you and use your skin as a mask means that he does like you." Bitney lets go and asks, "If you don't mind, could you tell me who you really are? I don't care why you got arrested, I just want to know that we can trust you not to turn on us."

 

"Listen, you can drop the ditz act when he's not around. And as for him not caring about you; he's a psychopathic killer, just by the fact that he didn't kill you and use your skin as a mask means that he does like you."
"That's comforting."
Viva bit her lower-lip, not really agreeing.
"And oh, she does not think you're ditz."
Thanks for reminding me.

Britney lets go and asks, "If you don't mind, could you tell me who you really are? I don't care why you got arrested, I just want to know that we can trust you not to turn on us."
"Let's start with the fact that you're hungry, weaponless and in love with the guy you were supposed to kill."
Viva looked away, not dropping her act.
"I'm not ditz, just really sweet. That's what Mom used to say."
Well, that is what Mom used to say.
She then shrugged her off.
"I'd like to be alone, please and thank you."
She made sure her voice was as merry as possible.

 

Ben's eyes reluctantly opened and he sluggishly got to his feet shortly after Viva left. Spy? Agent? What is going on? He approached Allen, his feet buried in the snow that once buried him. "We should go, get to the cave, not that we'd expect a warm welcome, but I'm hungry and there is no doubt in my mind that you are as well." He motioned Allen to follow as he began to walk back to the cave, holding back a branch and stepping over a bush, the sun beginning to shine in his eyes, glistening off the morning's snow covered grounds.

"Once we eat, we discuss out next move away from everyone." He continued, reaching the mouth of the cave, a few of what looked like segments of fencing laying there in front. Waving Allen to follow Ben entered the cave.

 

"I'd like to be alone, please and thank you."

"Allright, if that is what you really want, I'll leave you alone." says Britney.

She walks back over to Fox and sits next to her. Britney gently moves Fox's hair out of her face and smiles at her. She leans back against to cave wall, wandering what will happen next.

 

"Yes, we will."

Allen watched the others with a wary eye as he and Ben entered the cave. It looked like everybody was there. He watched everything as he went over to the fire and got some food. It looked like Fox was still unconcious. Good, hopefully she won't wake up. As he watched her the puppet walked over to her and sat down, brushing her hair out of the way of her eyes. No thoughts of her own, just what others tell her. Typical puppet.

 

Britney looks at the two men that came to the fire. As she stares at them she can feel her anger and body heat rising. She grabs Fox's gun, that was at Fox's side along with the clips of ammo and her crude knife. She thinks to herself, "These guys have hurt Fox. I should kill them right now. No, Fox would want to be the one to get revenge, if she even wants revenge."

She lifts the gun up and points it at Ben. "Reva told me about what happened. You guys can eat breakfast here, but when you're done, leave and never come back, or I'll kill both of you." says Britney, "And we'll be keeping the meat and skin of that animal. Consider it payment for me and Reva saving you and letting you sleep in our cave."

 

"That bitch stabbed my foot!" Yelled Ben, but he calmed himself quickly, she didn't know any better. "You need to think for yourself for once, what reason do you have to distrust me or Allen besides what some women told you? She's was on that ship for a reason, what makes you think she didn't lie, that she isn't just a little shook up from the crash?" He pointed to Allen, "She was going to let him die, you think life is something to play with? I'll leave if you want me to, but for your own damn sake think. Think hard, and when your done ask yourself if throwing your undying loyalty to the first strong-minded person you ran across was really in your best interests." He finished speaking and went back to eating, an awkward silence now thrown over those in the cave.

 

Raylene woke with a throbbing head. She could count her pulse with each heartbeat as it surged blood through her body. Unsteady, she managed to stand and started walking towards the cave.

"That bitch stabbed my foot!" Someone yelled from within the cave. The voice came again with less force, but just as much hate. "You need to think for yourself for once, what reason do you have to distrust me or Allen besides what some women told you? She's was on that ship for a reason, what makes you think she didn't lie, that she isn't just a little shook up from the crash? She was going to let him die, you think life is something to play with? I'll leave if you want me to, but for your own damn sake think. Think hard, and when your done ask yourself if throwing your undying loyalty to the first strong-minded person you ran across was really in your best interests."

Raylene struggled to get to the cave entrance. She had to make sure they knew what was going on.

"I am not just some crazy spouting off inane things. I heard HIM," she pointed at Allen, " in my head saying he was going to kill us. I heard HIM in my head while he was tied to the tree talking about someone named Jacob. I'm not crazy! Believe me or don't, see where it gets you, but I promise you, if Fox, Reva or myself end up dead, it's at his hands." She sits in a huff across from Ben, starring at him.

 

“It’s pretty even… shouldn’t be too bad.” He mumbled at first, seeming nonplussed at her question.

Reva nodded as he showed her the weapons' balance and reached for it.

“Just trying to show I’m not just a monster.” He finally said.

Reva turned the spear over in her hands. Considering how basic a weapon it was she was surprised how well it fit her hands.

“I could get you a bludgeon stick too… if you’d like. Lighter then mine maybe… Do you need help learning to use the spear?”

Not far from where they stood, it sounded like an argument had erupted in the cave, voices raised. Reva didn't want to go in there again for now.

"I might need help learning," Reva answered honestly before she realized that would be the answer that caused Pasha to stay with her longer. But the words were out now. "Not that, you know, I can really imagine poking anything with it."

 

Britney listens to what Raylene says, and then turns her attention back to Ben and Allen. "Look I don't follow her because she has a strong will. For some reason she is....she is...intriguing." says Britney as she looks back at Fox.

"How can someone that killed so many people look like an angel while she sleeps." thinks Britney.

She looks back at Ben and says " I don't know if Fox is a monster, like the news vids portrayed her, or if she really does fight for justice. Either way, it was her idea to come to the mountain. That idea is what lead us to a cave with its own water supply. It was her idea for us to become our own tribe and work together for our survival. The others might think that she is a bossy b**** at times, but I'm sure they'll agree with me that she gives us a better chance at survival than you or Allen. And I believe that Reva heard what she says she heard."

 

"I am not just some crazy spouting off inane things. I heard HIM in my head saying he was going to kill us. I heard HIM," she pointed at Allen, "in my head while he was tied to the tree talking about someone named Jacob. I'm not crazy! Believe me or don't, see where it gets you, but I promise you, if Fox, Reva or myself end up dead, it's at his hands."

Allen raised his broken right hand and his left arm in it's splint.

"Umm, what hands? That's a rather insensitive comment you made there. I should sue. You know, for someone who's supposed to read minds, you're remarkably bad at picking out peoples intentions."

 

Pasha let out a half-smile, and gently took the spear from her hand.

“Why don’t we try poking something then.” He nodded for her to follow until they were a few meters from one of the larger trees on the tree-line. He lifted the spear in his hand, bending his elbow slightly.

“When you’re throwing it, it’s best to throw from the middle. Though, you’ll probably want to check what’s before for you. The closer you are to the front of it, the more powerful the point will hit, but if you’re too close it doesn’t necessarily mean it will hit where you’re headed. It’s all about the weight.” He moved his elbow back and forth, aiming with both his eyes. He let it go after one more forward thrust with his arm, sending it flying, and missing the tree all together.

He blushed, embarrassed, and ran to get the spear. He ran back, the spear in hand, his face still red.

“Well, I guess I’m out of practice with this… I haven’t been a caveman in centuries.” He said with a wink. He quickly handed her the spear.

“It’s basically like tossing, but it’s not a ball. Just aim and throw as hard as you can.”

 

"Why do you think I broke your hand? I had to make sure you weren't going to use the one good arm left. AND WHO IS JACOB YOU FILTH!?!?" Raylene screams at Allen. The throb in her head renews itself tenfold. She steadies herself and looks at Allen, waiting for his reply. How will he get out of this one.

 

Reva relaxed for the first time around Pasha when he threw the spear at the tree and missed completely. So he was human. Intimidating but imperfect.

“Well, I guess I’m out of practice with this… I haven’t been a caveman in centuries.” He said with a wink. Just that quickly the spear was in her hands.

“It’s basically like tossing, but it’s not a ball. Just aim and throw as hard as you can.”

"Well," Reva said, hefting the spear and narrowing her eyes at a the enemy tree, "You're ahead of me, then. I've never been a cavewoman before."

She drew back her arm and concentrated. As her hand began the forward travel of throwing noise seemed to burst all around her.

"...AND WHO IS JACOB YOU FILTH!?!?"

The spear flew wide of the tree and Reva cursed.

"What was that?" They had come farther away from the cave and the argument had been an indistinct occasional yelping sound. Easy to ignore. Just as quickly as the loud voice started, it stopped again.

Reva trotted forward to retrieve the spear.

"I'm about ready to go somewhere else," she mumbled, "if people here won't stop yelling at each other."

 

“AND WHO IS JACOB YOU FILTH!?!?"


………Allen stood at attention in the director’s office. Around him was mahogany paneling and stylish decorations detailing the history of the bureau. Behind the desk, on the wall was a picture of the current director. He had once been an agent like Allen, and like Allen he had been the best. In front of that picture the director stood speechless with an agonized look on his face.

“I followed you yesterday Allen. I saw what you did. Why? Why did you do it? Now we have to remove Jacob. You are the best Allen, you knew what would happen if you got caught. I have no choice.”

The director placed his hand over the call button on his phone, and hesitated for a moment. That was a moment Allen did not waste.

The fight was quick and bloody. The director was old, he wasn’t the best anymore........

Get out of my head.

 

Pasha looked at her a bit concerned. He hadn’t heart much but the distant ramblings from the cave. He looked up, not seeing anything different. He turned back as she picked the spear back up.

“Just takes practice, I think you can get it.” He said, trying to sound reassuring, “Maybe we can find another tree further away?”

“Sounds like you’re trying to lead her away from the group, like a stealthy little predator.” Yuri said with a laugh. Pasha narrowed his eyes, and pawed at the dirt.

“I can be good sometimes.”

“That’s only recent you know, you were never good before. What’s wrong with you?”

“I don’t know…”

 

Viva's agony was removed as she saw the girls and boys fight. She clapped as they fought, and it was actually entertaining.
"Oh, nice wound Ben. Looks like cherry pie on a foot!"
She giggled as they screamed, but made sure she didn't get involved. That wasn't very wise to do. Instead, she went on with her hyperactive attitude.
"You know, if they ever learn you are like this when under normal circumstances, they'd think you're an alien."
That's why I won't tell 'em.