The Phoenix Colony

Allen looked down, and then back up, away and back again. He didn't answer questions. He couldn't afford to give out answers without knowing what effects they would have, but...she had asked the question that he needed to answer. He licked his lips before speaking.

"I...They didn't betray my trust. If they had done anything else, then I would have been deeply dissapointed. I was the one who broke the trust. I had to do it, but I still broke it. There was a man named Lawrence. Calvin Lawrence. He was the man who taught me my trade. He sent me on my first mission. He trained many people, and he believed with all his heart that while the government was not perfect, it was still the best thing we had, and worth preserving. As time went on, he became the director of intelligence. He was the best of the best. Nobody could come close, except me. I was never quite as good as him though, how could I be? He had years of experience that I would never catch up to, and he was always a good friend. On Aprit 24th at 3:35 P.M. I killed him in his office. It was the middle of the day. I had no chance of getting away. But...I didn't really want to. I knew what I did, and I was willing to pay the price to protect something more valuable."

 

Reva listened to the end, transfixing him with her gaze.

"What was that?" She asked quietly feeling more than knowing the question's importance.

 

Those words stabbed through Britney like a knife. Tears began to fall from her eyes. "They would sacrifice our lives to save money. The Watts family has helped this government since its induction. We have served as soldiers, cops and agents. Some people in my family has even given their lives to protect this government. Is this what we've been protecting? A bunch of people who value money over human life." says Britney.

As the anger in her grew, the fire reacted. It began to bend towards her. It flared up, and the heat from it grew more intense.

 

It was amazing how much the night sounded just like a spring night back on earth. The bugs made their noises, so did the small animals. It was so familiar, yet so alien. Just like these people. Why did she care anyway? He was supposed to kill her, and she knew it. He looked back at the cave, glowing with the firelight. He could walk back in, or he could just walk away into the night.

"Jacob. He's my little brother."

There was a very long pause, and then he started speaking again.

"I hadn't seen my family in fifteen years. We can't take the risks. Agents might reveal secrets that shouldn't be spoken. Agents might decide they don't want to do what they do anymore. They might decide they just want to go home. Someone else might find out and use that agent's family as leverage, promise "protection" if he cooperated. Our family is allowed to write us at a central address, but we can't write back.

I was the oldest of nine kids. Eric, Rachel and Lisa died in a terrorist attack when I was eighteen. That's what prompted me to join the military. I knew what I was giving up, my family, my freedom, the chance of having a family of my own someday.

Last year Jacob graduated. He'd been told about me his whole life, but we never really knew each other that well, by the time he was old enough to pay attention I had moved out. He had heard about me all the time though. My parents were so proud of me, giving everything to my country. They never knew exactly what I did. Jacob decided he wanted to follow my footsteps. I recieved a letter from my parents telling me all about it.

I broke my oath. I went home when I was supposed to be starting a mission. I figured I had time before I had to leave. I needed to convince him not to do it. He shouldn't have to give it all up. He had a future. The director found out about it, and I had to kill him, or he would have "removed" Jacob.

Now you know why I'm supposed to kill you. You know my name, and what I do. If you wanted and if we ever got back to earth you could find them, and you could do...whatever you wanted.

I...won't kill you though. You're a good person. I think."

 

Fox, Viva, Juliano and Raylene arrive at the entrance of the cave, to find it ruined. Fox runs inside to see Cull and some woman standing there.

Everything they left in the cave was gone. Fox asks Cull "What the hell happened here?"

 

Cull shrugged and turned to Fox, “I don‘t know I just walked in after getting the wood for the fire and a little fruit.”

Cody nodded, “We‘ve been out most of the morning.”

Cull felt his face flush with anger, “What kind of anal retentive prick would do this to us. We can‘t start again. It‘s not right!”

 

Fox took a couple deep breaths to calm herself down. "I guess that there is another tribe out there, that is surviving by stealing from everyone. I know this isn't right but we have no choice right now. We're going to have to start over in a different cave." says Fox.

She turns toward the woman and says "Oh, um by the way, I'm Fox. Its nice to meet you, too bad it couldn't have been under better circumstances."

 

Now you know why I'm supposed to kill you. You know my name, and what I do. If you wanted and if we ever got back to earth you could find them, and you could do...whatever you wanted.

I...won't kill you though. You're a good person. I think."

Reva shook her head with a little half-smile.

"It's amazing that you can say that after I've shown you this," she waggled the bruised wrist again before stuffing her hands back into her pockets.

Reva looked down, digging her boot-toe at the dirt before looking into Allen's eyes once again. She wondered if he knew how much they seemed to beg her to understand.

"I wouldn't do that," she said finally,"but I do think you have to worry about those who might use you as the ultimate plea-bargain if we ever get back."

She paused, removing one hand from her pocket to push a few strands of hair back from where they'd blown across her eyes.

"But you could try making friends of us rather than enemies. If all you do is kill us then anyone left has no incentive to keep quiet other than fear. And once you get back - if we get back - they'll tell as soon as you're not in the same room to scare them."

She bowed her head and continued, "I'm sorry to hear about your brother."

 

“Hi Fox I‘m Cody. By the way just so you know. My tribe might be a bunch of low down fat trashy bikers. But they aren‘t responsible for this kay. I know for a fact that if they were going to pick on someone they‘d be cowards and pick on a lone person not a whole freaking group.”

She bit her lip and looked to Cull. He nodded it was all the reassurance she needed.

“Why wouldn‘t you use the cave you said you were in before Cull all you‘d have to do is dig out the entrance a little more and you guys would be sweet. It would be harder for people like who ever did this to get in and get out.”

Cull shrugged, “It‘s not up to me I‘m not group leader. In fact I have no idea who is.”

“Well if things don‘t go down well. Come see us Cull we could use someone like you.”

 

"I'm more or less the leader of the tribe. That cave you were in sounds like a good idea. For now though we should just wait for the other members of our tribe to get back here." says Fox as she sits down by where the fire used to be.

"One things for sure, I'm not going to let our new cave go unguarded. Someone will always stay behind." says Fox.

 

Cull nodded, “this new cave we should have guard duty, get people to do shifts of watch. That way the cave will never be unprotected. As for my old cave guess it‘s like you said lets wait it out.”

Cody put a hand on Cull’s shoulder, “Well Cull nice meeting you but I guess I have to go back now before my name becomes a curse word.” she left and Cull stared as she did. She was good they worked productively together. He was looking forwards to the next time they went gathering together.

 

"I'd be more than happy to sort out the security details. I was in the Force for 17 years so I know a thing or two. Shall we start going then?" Said Juliano, adding his part to the conversation.

 

Viva wasn't very overjoyed to see the cave in a mess, and quietly kept her emotions down and hidden as they thought of moving to a new cave. For some reason, Viva was now reconsidering moving with these women. As far as her other target was concerned, she could sacrifice it as well. Hell, she could sacrifice her job no problem. She wasn't for all the butchery thing. But she knew the consequences - they weren't very bright.
She looked around the cave, and shivered.
Wow, imagine Pasha going all crazy when he sees his hard work dunked.
Just then, Pasha came marching in with a codfish in his hand. He dropped it, and then growled angrily, attacking them. Viva's eyes widened.
"Mr. Huggles, calm down!"
She bellowed, taken aback by his temper in which he pawed at Fox and then pulled out his knife.
"WHHOOO DARES!"
He roared. Viva could feel her veins bursting.

((This is not Pasha himself, Viva's powers are acting up. Everyone in the cave should experience this hallucination for about a minute, not more. However, any wound in the hallucination will seem very real until it finishes. Viva will also see this since this is the negative aspect of her power.))

 

((EVERYONE PLEASE SEE THE GM NOTE IN THE DISCUSSION THREAD. Thanks.))

A moment slid by between Allen and Reva. She could feel the indecision radiating from him and thought that if she took one step more he might turn and walk off.

She took a step backward instead, giving him space and scanned the sky. The sun had been covered by a thin gray haze and she realized that she had been clamping her elbows to her sides, hands in pockets, for some time.

It was getting colder.

"If you really have to go I understand," she told him, "but your chances don't look good with a broken arm and hand."

She stopped, maybe Allen would see sense. Maybe he wouldn't. She had to leave it up to him. She gave him a ghost of a smile and turned, intending to follow the beaten grass in the direction Derek had gone. She heard the low mumble of conversation from the cave. There had been no gunshot so she assumed Ben was ok...at least he probably was.

 

"If you really have to go I understand," she told him, "but your chances don't look good with a broken arm and hand."

With that she smiled and walked away leaving Allen to his own thoughts.

.........The t.v. showed the twisted remains of the school. That was the school his brother and sisters went to. His mother sat on the couch crying........


Allen shivered. It was looking like the night was going to get very cold when the sun finished setting. He slowly walked back to the open mouth of the cave. The firelight washed over him.

 

"Well, I am going to sleep now, im getting tired. Ill try not to wake you when i get up in the middle of the night!" siad Juliano, grabbing a blanket from the floor. Just as he started walking to the back of the cave
he added "Oh yeah, can I borrow this blanket for a while?" he asked, not at anyone in particular.

"I know the place is a mess but hey. If you guys find a new cave ill come and find you. Don't worry about me!"

 

Dry grasses crackled and swished underfoot as Reva walked, still unwilling to enter the cave and risk more arguments. Finally she saw Derek, sitting by a running stream, staring into it as though contemplating.

"Wishing you brought a rod and reel?" Reva asked, bending over to see if she could see a fish.

 

Cevin slowly retraced the creature’s tracks back down the mountain. After several hours, he heard whimpering. A man. Cevin crouched in a bush as he got closer.

The stranger looked weak and wounded. Bloody hands covered his face. Cevin watched the pit pit pit of bright red gore against the grass and pebbles.

“How the hell did you survive this long?” said Cevin. Those ape things should be able to smell that blood a mile away.” He sniffed the air. There was a sharp tang of ozone. Snow was coming. If the ape things didn’t get this guy, the weather would.” Was he crying? Wondered Cevin. What kind of convict cries? “I should leave you here. You’ll only slow me down.”

The sun caught his forearm. Jesus’ face, the tattoo old but the color was still rich, stared back. Every Sunday school lesson he was dragged to began to run through his mind. “I guess you can see me here to. OK, I’ll look after your sheep.” Cevin looked back at the convict. “Well let’s see if he’s good for anything.” He grabbed a branch, making the bush rustle slightly.

The stranger kept bleeding and sobbing.

Cevin shook the brush. Still nothing. Finally he snapped a couple of branches. The stranger never looked up. Cevin got up. “Oh for the love of God. Oy! How come you’re still alive?!”

 

Raylene entered the cave and just starred at the distruction in front of her. Everything was distroyed. She slowly walked to the back of the cave and realized that even their water source had been clogged up, making the water undrinkable.

"We can't stay here tonight. There's no water, no barrier from the wind, and look at the clouds. It's going to snow. Can't you smell it? I don't think we have time to find another cave before sunset."

Raylene slumps to her knees and begins to cry. "I don't want to die here. I will never see my kids again. I don't want to die here!"

Just then, an angry and crazy Pasha marches into camp. "WHHOOO DARES!" He bellows as he paws at Fox. Immediately, Raylene jumps to her feet and gets in between Fox and Pasha.

"We didn't do anything! We weren't here and came back to this." She shoves Pasha backwards and braces for his wrath.

 

Juliano was woken from his brief sleep by that idiot Pasha. Didnt he know the situation was bad eough already without his ranting! He jumped to his feet, this could be a chance to put back into his place.

"What do you think you're doing!?" He shouted at Pasha, who looked as if he was about to hit Raylene.....

 

Pasha got up from his rest, his body aching, but moreso the wound on his head. He looked at the dead bird that now sat on his lap. It was getting colder, but cold was something he was use to. It was heat that he couldn’t stand, the Russian winters were his favorite. He smiled, taking on the cool, it had to be getting near freezing.

He got up, and flung the bird over his shoulder. He had long ago put his knife back into his pocket, and walked steadily onward with the help of his bludgeon stick. He just hoped Viva wouldn’t worry, he didn’t mean to take so long. The wounds from the birds talons seemed to sting the worse, but he didn’t care. He wanted to get back to his love.

He continued onward until he reached the field, stopping momentarily so his aching body wouldn’t take too much. He only rested for a few minutes and came towards the cave at almost a run. He was quickly stopped when he saw the mess of what once was his fence. His heart dropped, and the anger seemed to fill him. He looked at them, had they done it?

“No! Idiot. Obviously it was someone else, why would they destroy their own home?”

Pasha stopped, his anger quietly going within, and he looked at the others.

“I’m not staying with this group any longer.” He said.

 

Viva breathed in and Pasha struck Juliano with a knife.
"Stop-p!"
Her voice struggled to be harsh, as she pushed Fox and Raylene away from Pasha.
"Quit being a maniac!"
She shouted at which Pasha pushed her, raising the knife to strike her. Tears streamed down Viva's eyes, when Pasha disappeared. Everyone seemed fine, except the horror on their faces.
"What...what was that?"
She asked hypothetically, staring into thin air. Then, she saw Pasha standing with a cross look on his face at the front of the cave.
“I’m not staying with this group any longer.” He said.
"You've could've said that coolly!"
Viva cried, and then backed away. Something wasn't right.

 

Pasha looked at her confused. What had he done that hadn’t been ‘cool’? He didn’t yell and scream like he wanted to, in fact he hadn’t even gotten remotely close to any of them. He furrowed his brow angrily.

“Did I have one of my attacks?” he asked Yuri.

“No…” Yuri mumbled, unsure of himself.

Pasha walked forward just a little more, “Are you all right,… overreacting?”

 

Smith watched Britney helplessly wanting to comfort her but not wanting to give her false hope. He was about to speak as the fire flared up. He had to get up off the rock seat as the heat overwhelmed him. Britney didn't seem to feel it at all. "Britney, I'm sorry." Was all he managed.

Joey had ran behind Chrys useing her for shealding from the heat, while Chrys snatched the cooking food off of the hot rock before it was burnt to badly. "What a strange fire." She said and trying to change where the conversation was headed.

 

Viva backed away as he stepped closer, afraid.
"You sure he isn't alien or something? 'Cause a moment he's screaming and yelling like crazy, beating the folks and then he's at the front of the cave...with a wound on his head...being all polite?"
I think I'm crazy.
"You know...I just had an idea!"
What?
"Pasha came up just when you thought he would, all crazy and angry. Maybe...maybe he was just an illusion?"
Yeah right!
"Look at it. No one's wounded anymore."
Viva trembled, not believing her own mind.
"Well, here's the deal. You were screaming and attacking us like a madman, and now all of the sudden you're all so very polite. Explain."
Viva doubted if he could explain any better, but she just wanted to make sure.