Reaching Salvation: Post-Acer Part 9

Kira smiled at Luke, quietly eating the toast.

Luke extinguished the magical fire creatures flying above, figuring they were a safety hazard. He didn't want to add to their troubles by burning Kira.

"You're a good cook," Kira told Luke, smiling at him. "Do...Do you think you could help me get over my fear of f-fire...?" It was her job to supply food, wasn't it? How could she do that properly, scared of fire?

"Hmmm, maybe," Luke mused. "I mean, fear of fire is a rational thing. Fire burns plants, and people too. Part of the reason Nathan going out with you didn't upset me that much, I was afraid of burning you."

"It's not like I want to be as comfortable as you are with it... I just don't want to feel the need to hide every time I see it," Kira explained quietly, grabbing Luke's hand when he explained his fear. She still felt guilty about wondering if he would burn down the forest.

"Ah right," Luke answered, trying to thunk while also feeling guilty for not realising how badly Kira was afraid of fire. "Hmmm."

Kira kept quiet, not wanting to get in Luke's way.

Soon the motorcycles were at the main gates of the villages. The one at the Illuminati village was actually carrying a girl, no older than twelve. On the back of her dirt bike was a white flag and over her shoulder as what looked like a gun. She wore a simple uniform: a black button up shirt with a hammer and sickle on the chest, battered green jeans, worn tennis shoes, and red hair cut short under a multicolored helmet.

The one that showed up at the Acer village was a bit older as well as male. He appeared to be seventeen and his outfit was the same, though half of his face was hidden behind a wall of brown hair.

Paul hopped down from the gate, grinning madly. "That you, Mark?" he called out, the teen taking off his helmet, grinning just as madly.

"Sure as hell is," he answered, "Weirdest damn thing to see you clean and shaven, you crazy bastard."

"Why hell, shoulda seen me a couple months ago," Paul laughed, "Took me at least three weeks to get all the fucking dirt outta my hair. What took you guys so long?"

"You probably know, asshole," Mark chuckled, "We saw the hole. Killed old Betty, eh?"

"Only thing I could do, what with our local animal talker not around," Paul nodded.

"Well, just means more work for old Iron Arms," Mark shrugged.

"Well he needs the damn work," Paul chuckled, "Better than him sitting on his ass all day because he can't even lift a rag."

"True that," Mark laughed.

"Our brother. He... he doesn't know that Erika is..." For all it felt like the pit of his stomach was hollow. Just when they were almost a family again... this happened.

Joey was silent for a moment. "...Do you know where he would take her?"

"Yes..." Josh replied, gulping. "But I don't think your gonna like it..."

---

Erika heard the sound of a door opening. Footsteps echoed across a metal floor, and keys jangled as they unlocked her from her foot chains. Once they were free the women launched her knee upward until it hit soemthing soft. A grunt of surprise and pain could be heard as the person fell to the floor. The chains around her hands were not changed to the floor and she made a run for it, only to be pulled back and falling to the floor with a thud.

The sound of a young voice swearing could be heard, and she felt pressure over her, but before she could fight back somethign fine and pointy was injected via her neck, makign her lose consciousness once more...

"Where?" Joey asked, a determined look on his face.

"It's a while from here. Out in this place called the badlands, on the outskirts of what used to be the Mojave desert." Josh said. "Out there is this giant factory..."

"Home sweet home." Al replied in a dead tone of voice.

"Getting there won't be a problem." Joey said. "Can you guide me there?"

Eithne's hand went to his sword but he didn't draw.

"Who goes ther'?"

"Forward Scout Kendra of the Southern Expeditionary Movement," she replied, "...we come in peace."

"We'll be the judge of that." Carly spat, her bow of light trained on the girl.

"What is your purpose here?" Jacob asked.

"To judge whether or not you'll be a threat to our base and implore on if you'd like to trade," Kendra said, eying Carly suspiciously.

"And if we're a threat?" Elliot asked dangerously. Carly's eyes narrowed whilst Eithne merely sighed. Trust them to arrive when Nathan wasn't around.

"Well I'd disappear and guy would get a nice peppering of white phosphorus as aparting gift," Kendra shrugged.

"Our leader isn't here right now." Eithne said calmly. The girl would be dead before she could make any harmful move towards their village, but he wouldn't bring that up. Instead concentrating on keeping his flow output at a low level.
"So until he gets back we won't be making any movement either positive or negative towards you."

"Until the point he gets back or one of our allies in the neighbouring village can vouch for you, your group will keep at least fourty feet away from the borders of our village." Jacob added calmly.

"If any of you break that rule, it will be taken as an act of malicious intent and we will respond in force." Elliot finished.

The girl raised an eye brow before muttering into a walkie talkie. "Well okay," she shrugged, "Though we wouldn't need to get anywhere near you if we were gonna harm you."

"Mr. Hadden, you going all One Man Army won't work like it did at the wedding." Al stated.

"You'll need more people. The older kids are strong. And brother he- he's really good at building things. Most of them weapons." Josh included.

Eithne raised an eyebrow and stepped forward. "An' what makes you think we'd hafta' get near you?" He released his flow pressure which would have the impact of bringing the girl to her knee's.

"I don't like bein' threatened girlie... an if any harm come's ta' anyone in our family... you're little group ain't goin' ta' stand a chance."

"Right, I ask you to not try and intimidate us," Kendra frowned, kick starting her bike, "We're not even looking for a fight, we're simple traders and mercs."