Abandoned City

Six and Neuve had been forced to go back below into the sub-city of Mecha. After looking over the edge, and experiencing the physical and emotional perils it presented, their minds were in turmoil. The wind on their skin felt sharp and abusive. The sunlight assaulted their tear-welled eyes. They'd scrambled back to the hatch, and wrenched it open only to throw themselves in and slam the outside from their view. Shivering, choking back sobs, and feeling as though a terrible choice had been thrust upon them, they worked their way into the center of the sewer system.

Many hours later, they were sitting up against the back wall of Bunk 26, discussing Police and keeping an eye out for trouble among the younger ones.

"The Poncho is the best idea," Six said, not for the first time. "If we get the best of us to have a look around Outside, we may find something - if you weren't just hallucinating, I mean."

Neuve rolled his eyes at the jab. Both he and Six knew perfectly well that, no matter how vague the possibility, the threat of Police roaming their side of the country must be addressed immediately, with all possible skill and urgency available.

"When do we call the meeting?" he asked, after a short pause.

Six looked up at him. "Now."

--

An hour and a half later, the two of them were sitting in a small, low-roofed bunk room. They, along with eighteen other teens, were seated in a rough circle, picking at bags of chips and nursing bottles of soda.

Earlier, Six and Neuve had gotten straight to work alerting the other Elite members of their respective elements. Neuve didn't have trouble rounding up the Protectors - nearly all of them were in the Market, with only one sleeping in his Bunk. It had taken only a small bribe to a toddler to go and get him, while the others made their way to the meeting place.

Six, however, had a harder time of it. She found some Hunters in the Market also, but the majority of them were said to be out hunting. One had been asleep - Ten, who she recruited to help her rally the others from Above. She hadn't lost any valuables in bribes or payment, but she'd lost what she saw as valuable time.

Shortly after a series of brief introductions and updates on different sectors of Mecha, Six called herself to attention and brought up the matter at hand.

"All right," she said, rubbing her forehead with thumb and forefinger. "Not to cause a panic or anything, but there's a chance we may have a Police issue."

There were little gasps and groans around the circle, but nobody spoke into the short silence. Though they were all well disciplined, this news was unsettling.

"Neuve claims he saw them yesterday aboveground. I'll give him the floor now."

Neuve shifted nervously. He wasn't fond of speaking to crowds, even small ones such as this. Nonetheless, he began, "I had a day off yesterday. I thought, you know, I'd go up. Just like anybody wants to do when they're stuck down here for years. I hadn't seen the sun in so long ... I guess I wandered too far from the underground limits. I was sort of dazed, but I came back to my senses when I noticed the sun was too low in the sky. The air smelled different. Everything was ... still. I remember there being a wind up until that moment. I felt cold, suddenly, though the sun was still shining. Something bad was about to happen, and I knew it.

Luckily, the walking hadn't done much to my energy. Actually, it was sort of refreshing, just being able to walk ..." There was a distant look in his eyes, and his gaze was wandering. Four nudged him in the ribs, frowning. Neuve coughed. "Ah, anyway, I turned tail right then and started running back to the entrance. There were some bushes and things where I had ended up. I'm not sure, since there was wind in my ears again, and I was concentrating too hard on getting back, but I thought I saw some blurs in the foliage. I may have heard some growling, too." He finished, slumping against the wall.

Everybody turned to the end of the room furthest from the door. There sat two surly-looking twins, both with a curtain of greasy black hair covering most of their rigid features. These were the Ones of the Hunters and the Protectors, whose names they hadn't told anybody - and if they had, nobody remembered them. It was to these two boys - hardly a month older than Six, and nearly five inches taller - that the decisions of drastic measures were given.

Premiere, the first of the Protectors, cleared his throat a little. "It seems clear to me," he said slowly, his low voice reverberating throughout the small room, "that a lock down is in order." He put a hand up at the sudden outburst of noise, and their voices died down instantly. "This has happened before, when we were children. Not all of you were even born yet. But a lock down was put into action, and the Polices howls eventually died. Scouts were sent topside to investigate. All they saw were prints, and they were days old. This is the clear solution."

One spoke up, now that his brother's speech was over. "I disagree, as I usually do, with my brother," This got a low chuckle from the room. One was generally the more light-hearted, yet equally serious, of the two. "There's no guarantee they'll leave us, as with last time. That was years ago. These almost definitely won't be the same members. They will have different habits. Yes; their goal is one: eradicate under-eighteens. But their mind is not one. They may stay. They have some level of intelligence. It's possible they could figure out how to get in. Therefore, I move we reinstate the Poncho."

Six nodded silently, while people consulted quietly with each other.

Premiere nodded to himself, and rapped his knuckles against the metal walls. Once again, all heads turned to him.

"We'll vote," he said. "You have ten minutes. Discuss it amongst yourselves. The vote will be out of eighteen, as, obviously, our votes are known," he said, nodding at his brother. "Think everything through as well as you can."

Six and Neuve moved to a corner, having already discussed both options before calling the Counsel. For ten minutes, members moved around the room, joining huddled discussions and putting their two cents in. Finally, One called for silence. Everybody was seated in the circle again.

"All right," he said. "Hopefully you've all considered the options well, and have made a decision. Remember: you cannot vote halfheartedly. For either option, we will need your full commitment and co-operation. You will be directing things in your Bunks and for your children. You cannot do this lightly, or doubting your choice."

With that, Premiere raised his hand. "All for a lock down, please say aye."

"Aye," said Four, Five, Eight, Nine, and Ten. Of the Protectors, Deux, Trois and Cease raised their voices. Six did not need to count to know who the clear victor already was.

Premiere nodded. "That's eight for a lock down, which means ten are in favour of reinstating the Poncho. Am I correct?"

Everybody nodded.

One sighed. "I only wish the vote had not been so close. Now we will have eight members of the Poncho who did not choose to be there. Nonetheless, it is reinstated. Hunters will stay here, with me, for immediate instructions."

Premiere got to his feet. "Protectors, go find the young ones you are charged with. Choose the best of them to temporarily take your place. It may be long term, so choose wisely. You are no longer Protectors. You, too, will be Hunters, but of a different kind. Come, now. We must be quick in our actions."

Neuve looked back at Six once, his eyes suddenly worried. She smiled at him. 'We'll be fine,' she mouthed.

He shook his head. 'You,' he mouthed back. 'Be careful.'

For they knew the chances of them seeing each other much until the Police were taken care of was slim. And though nothing had been confirmed, she feared she may never see him again.