‹ Prequel: Danger Days: The True Life of a Real Rebel
Status: Active
The Fabulous Killjoys Second Generation: The Fantastic Rock 'N' Rollers
003.
RESUME TRANSMISSION
“Grace, I’m sorry, but she’s gone.” Gerard said, holding Grace’s hand as he broke the news. The Killjoys had scoured the entire area between the Dead Pegasus and the Diner, and come up empty. They had found the abandoned bike on the outers, as well as the bag that had once belonged to Suicidal Smile, but there was no trace of Lee having ever even been there. It was as if she had simply vanished from existence. “We just have to let her go.”
“But Gee, she’s my baby girl!” Grace cried, and the older man winced, gently rubbing Grace’s hand in both of his own.
“I know, Gracie, I know. She was my grandbaby, remember?” he said gently, and Grace wailed even harder.
“She still is! Don’t talk about her like she’s not around anymore! She’s tougher than nails! She’s a Killjoy! She’s my baby!” Grace sobbed, and Gerard pulled her in for a hug, wishing something he could say would make it better. Knowing there was nothing, he settled for singing one of the songs he had written so long ago.
“At the end of the world, or the last thing I see,
You are never coming home, never coming home,
Never coming home, never coming home,
And all the things that you never ever told me,
And all the smiles that are ever gonna haunt me,
Never coming home, never coming home…”
“Gerard, stop.” Grace whimpered, burying her face in his shoulder. “She’s coming home. She has to.”
“Of course she will.” Gerard whispered softly, rubbing Grace’s back like he used to, way back when she was a kid, crying over something small. He wished this was as easy a fix as a bad sprain, or a “runaway” goldfish. “She’ll be back, safe and sound.”
Their moment was interrupted by a crash outside, and many curses. Twitch burst through the doorway of the Minimart, gasping slightly, hair somewhat singed and head twitching, smoking ray gun in one hand. “They’ve found us! We’ve got to move!” He shouted, and the two Killjoys sprang into action. They had known this was coming, just not how soon- luckily, they were prepared to run, grabbing their travel bags and bursting onto the parking lot.
There were Screamers everywhere, firing from anywhere they could find cover as the Killjoys hid in the cars, waiting for their final few allies. They fired out the windows and sunroofs when they could, but otherwise just bided their time as they put off their escape. Twitch, Gerard, and Grace piled into the nearest car, which peeled out, the Civic close behind as they tore off down Guano, raising a dust cloud as they left the yellow Yamaha and black leather bag behind.
“No! We can’t leave!” Grace yelled suddenly. “When Lee comes back, she won’t know where to find us! She could walk into an ambush! We have to go back!” She clawed at the door handle, well beyond reason, and Gerard had to grab her and hold her down.
“Grace, I know, but there’s nothing we can do!” he yelled, trying to get through to her. “If we go back, we’ll all die, and who will she have, then? At least now, she’ll know we’re still alive, we’re out here waiting for her, looking for her. If she found our bodies, do you really think that would help her?”
Grace sniffed for a moment, then dissolved into silent tears, burying her face in her hands as she curled up, feeling physically sick to her stomach, the real, aching pain of loss eating at her, as vivid and ferocious as when they buried Frankie, Mikey, and Faye.
“Mom?” Ryan said tentatively, turning to kneel backwards on the front seat, ignored by Neb, who was driving. “It’ll be okay. Lee’s smart. She’ll find us. I know it.” He reached out a hand, and Grace took it, holding on for dear life as she cried over her two fathers, her sister, and her baby girl.
Later, when everyone agreed that it was safe to stop for the night, both cars pulled off the road and drove a ways onto the dust. Killjoys spilled out, calling to each other, though the nearly-good mood that came from surviving depleted quickly as Gerard and Grace were informed of what was happening in the other car. Tock had been driving with Clash riding shotgun, since his sister was busy tending to Ray. He’d caught a bad laser bolt from one of the Screamers, and he was bleeding like mad. Twitch and Ryan hung back with Tock as Gerard, Grace, Clash, and Neb darted in to help take care of Ray. They spoke to him, applied pressure, tore bandanas into bandages – until he waved them off, asking to be alone with Grace, Gerard, and Ryan.
The other Killjoys exchanged somber looks, then faded into the shadows to ready the camp for the night. The trio Ray had called for knelt around him where he lay on a faded picnic blanket. Grace automatically reached out and held his hand tight, her eyes wide and over bright with unshed tears.
“Toro, stop bullshitting everyone and tell them you’ll be fine.” Gerard said gruffly, narrowing his eyes slightly at his old friend. “You’ve got everyone all worried.”
“Will it really make you feel any better, Gee?” Ray asked, then coughed, expertly hiding the blood that came up. Gerard’s face fell, but he tried to force a tremulous smile as he reached out and took Ray’s free hand. “Bury me with the others, Gee. Put me next to Frank, so he can jump on me and yank on the ‘fro, and I’ll kick his ass like I used to.”
“Shit, Ray, don’t say that.” Gerard choked, closer and closer to tears. “Killjoys never die.”
“Promise me, Gee. Please.” Ray said, his dark eyes intense as he squeezed Gerard’s hand, refusing to look away until the blue-haired man bit his lip and nodded, dropping his gaze as he tried to hide the tears finally spilling over, down his cheeks.
Ray turned to Ryan, his eyes serious as he regarded the young boy, who was trying desperately hard not to cry. “I know this sucks, Ry. But I need you to promise me something, too.” He said, waiting for the boy to nod before continuing. “Your sister is out there, one way or another. Don’t ever give up on her. She needs you right now, you more than anyone else. There are two rules when it comes to being a Killjoy, Ryan, you know what those are? We don’t die, and we don’t quit.”
Ryan swallowed hard, then nodded gravely, his face set and determined. “Promise.” He whispered, his already-broken voice cracking. He knew he was dismissed, and hesitated before bending down to kiss his grandfather’s forehead – an unusual sign of affection from the shy boy, who barely hugged either of his grandfathers anymore – and went off to help the others, who said nothing about the tears streaming down the young Killjoy’s face.
“Ray, you can’t do this. We need you!” Grace said, not bothering to hide the tears running freely down her face. “You can’t leave me, not after Lee, not like this. We need you! I need you!” She protested, shaking her head and holding Ray’s hand in both of her own.
“Gracie, you don’t need me. You have ‘Fro Power.” He tried to grin, but it was more of a painful grimace. “That’s how I know you – and Lee – will both be fine. Besides, I’m not really leaving you, not forever. This isn’t really goodbye, just… see you later.”
“Ray, it’s not fair! You can’t do this, I… I won’t let you!” Grace tried to rein in her tears, but she was already too far gone. “Ray, don’t go.” She cried softly, knowing it wasn’t fair to ask that of him.
“Grace, I love you, just as much as I love Ryan, and Lee, and Gerard.” Ray said patiently, wincing as he shifted slightly. “That’ll never change.”
“Love you, too, Ray.” Grace whimpered, kissing him like her son had before she got up to follow Ryan, leaving the two faded, Fabulous Killjoys to themselves.
“Well, I guess this is it.” Ray sighed, looking up at Gerard, tears forming in his eyes. He wasn’t scared, but he would miss everyone he was leaving behind.
“When… when you get… wherever, …can you tell them I said “Hi?”” Gerard asked quietly, glancing up from the dust to hold Ray’s gaze. “Mikey, and Frankie, and Smile, and Dr. D?”
“Sure, Gerard.” Ray said softly as he nodded at his friend, squeezing his hand slightly. There was a long moment of silence as the two stared off unseeingly, Ray at the sky and Gerard at the dust, both of them lost in thought.
“Hey, Gerard?”
“Yeah?” Gerard asked, looking at Ray, his voice equally quiet. Ray wasn’t looking at his lifelong friend, however, but up into the sky, his eyes slightly glazed.
“I’ve always wanted to see that parade of yours.”
-
“Welcome to Voltville.” Said the Drac from the driver’s seat as the car pulled into what appeared to be suburbs. Lee looked around nervously as she took in the identical houses with identical yards, all with identical cars parked out front. As she watched house after house flash by, identical citizens suddenly walked outside, broom in hand and Scream mask in place, to sweep the front porch from left to right, each stroke in time.
As the suburbs gave way to the commercial district, each squat, square, grey building had Nirvana Inc.’s logo splashed across it- a laughing smiley face, with either a bat or crow playing the mouth, wings outstretched. The Bats meant it was a communal facility, the Crows were for high-ranking Nirvana employees only. The third type of logo was only on one building. Almost no one went in or out of the opaque glass doors beneath the face with a Crow for a smile, and each of the eyes formed by pairs of crossed syringes that made an ‘X.’ There weren’t many Exterminators in Nirvana’s knew world just yet, but it was only a matter of time.
Lee quivered on the leather seat as the two Screamers drove her into the parking garage in the Exterminator building, cutting the engine and dragging her roughly out of the back seat. They lead her roughly inside, pushing and pulling her along, and shoved her into the reception desk, winding her. The woman, who wore white kabuki makeup on her face, her eyes ringed in black to match her lips, looked up, then keyed a sequence on her computer. The entire time, her face was decidedly disinterested. A door to the left slid open, and Lee found herself dragged through it before she could even consider protesting.
Next thing she knew, she was flung down onto an armless, steel chair in front of a blank, sterile table in a white room. Bright fluorescent lights buzzed from the ceiling, blinding Lee for a moment as the two Screamers exited, the door sliding shut behind them and locking with a conspicuous click. The girl looked around in horror, wondering what they would do to her. She was a Killjoy, and that was a crime.
Hours later, a Screamer with the Crow emblem on her sleeve entered the room, holding a file that she glanced at before tossing carelessly on the table. It was unmarked and closed, giving Lee no clues as to what was inside. “Sweetheart, you can cooperate with us, or you can do this the hard way.” The Crow said, her voice soft but in no way comforting. “We’ve been looking for people like you. You can take your time in finding an answer, if you want.” Lee nodded, hoping she’d have time to plan an escape. She was a Killjoy- she should be good at that. “Alright.” The Crow agreed, then looked at the door, walking towards it as it slid open. “Process her.”
The two Screamers entered the room again, each grabbing one of Lee’s arms and hauling her up and out of her chair, then the room. She was half-dragged to a room where her head was shaved, then she was stripped of her Killjoy uniform and thrown into a new room, terrified for a moment before scalding water poured from the ceiling, making her scream. After her forced shower, she was handed a grey jumpsuit and forced into it by the waiting Screamers, who then dragged her back to the interrogation room. Lee was crying, those horrid, gasping sobs that come when a person is trying impossibly hard to get his- or her- self under control, and shaking, arms wrapped tight around herself, when the door to the interrogation room opened again.
“Hello, Lee.” The tall, pale man smiled down at the girl as he stepped inside. His bald head shone slightly under the overly bright lights, his dark eyes glimmering evilly. “Welcome to Nirvana, where everything is perfect. My name is Korse.”
TRANSMISSION INTERRUPTED
“Grace, I’m sorry, but she’s gone.” Gerard said, holding Grace’s hand as he broke the news. The Killjoys had scoured the entire area between the Dead Pegasus and the Diner, and come up empty. They had found the abandoned bike on the outers, as well as the bag that had once belonged to Suicidal Smile, but there was no trace of Lee having ever even been there. It was as if she had simply vanished from existence. “We just have to let her go.”
“But Gee, she’s my baby girl!” Grace cried, and the older man winced, gently rubbing Grace’s hand in both of his own.
“I know, Gracie, I know. She was my grandbaby, remember?” he said gently, and Grace wailed even harder.
“She still is! Don’t talk about her like she’s not around anymore! She’s tougher than nails! She’s a Killjoy! She’s my baby!” Grace sobbed, and Gerard pulled her in for a hug, wishing something he could say would make it better. Knowing there was nothing, he settled for singing one of the songs he had written so long ago.
“At the end of the world, or the last thing I see,
You are never coming home, never coming home,
Never coming home, never coming home,
And all the things that you never ever told me,
And all the smiles that are ever gonna haunt me,
Never coming home, never coming home…”
“Gerard, stop.” Grace whimpered, burying her face in his shoulder. “She’s coming home. She has to.”
“Of course she will.” Gerard whispered softly, rubbing Grace’s back like he used to, way back when she was a kid, crying over something small. He wished this was as easy a fix as a bad sprain, or a “runaway” goldfish. “She’ll be back, safe and sound.”
Their moment was interrupted by a crash outside, and many curses. Twitch burst through the doorway of the Minimart, gasping slightly, hair somewhat singed and head twitching, smoking ray gun in one hand. “They’ve found us! We’ve got to move!” He shouted, and the two Killjoys sprang into action. They had known this was coming, just not how soon- luckily, they were prepared to run, grabbing their travel bags and bursting onto the parking lot.
There were Screamers everywhere, firing from anywhere they could find cover as the Killjoys hid in the cars, waiting for their final few allies. They fired out the windows and sunroofs when they could, but otherwise just bided their time as they put off their escape. Twitch, Gerard, and Grace piled into the nearest car, which peeled out, the Civic close behind as they tore off down Guano, raising a dust cloud as they left the yellow Yamaha and black leather bag behind.
“No! We can’t leave!” Grace yelled suddenly. “When Lee comes back, she won’t know where to find us! She could walk into an ambush! We have to go back!” She clawed at the door handle, well beyond reason, and Gerard had to grab her and hold her down.
“Grace, I know, but there’s nothing we can do!” he yelled, trying to get through to her. “If we go back, we’ll all die, and who will she have, then? At least now, she’ll know we’re still alive, we’re out here waiting for her, looking for her. If she found our bodies, do you really think that would help her?”
Grace sniffed for a moment, then dissolved into silent tears, burying her face in her hands as she curled up, feeling physically sick to her stomach, the real, aching pain of loss eating at her, as vivid and ferocious as when they buried Frankie, Mikey, and Faye.
“Mom?” Ryan said tentatively, turning to kneel backwards on the front seat, ignored by Neb, who was driving. “It’ll be okay. Lee’s smart. She’ll find us. I know it.” He reached out a hand, and Grace took it, holding on for dear life as she cried over her two fathers, her sister, and her baby girl.
Later, when everyone agreed that it was safe to stop for the night, both cars pulled off the road and drove a ways onto the dust. Killjoys spilled out, calling to each other, though the nearly-good mood that came from surviving depleted quickly as Gerard and Grace were informed of what was happening in the other car. Tock had been driving with Clash riding shotgun, since his sister was busy tending to Ray. He’d caught a bad laser bolt from one of the Screamers, and he was bleeding like mad. Twitch and Ryan hung back with Tock as Gerard, Grace, Clash, and Neb darted in to help take care of Ray. They spoke to him, applied pressure, tore bandanas into bandages – until he waved them off, asking to be alone with Grace, Gerard, and Ryan.
The other Killjoys exchanged somber looks, then faded into the shadows to ready the camp for the night. The trio Ray had called for knelt around him where he lay on a faded picnic blanket. Grace automatically reached out and held his hand tight, her eyes wide and over bright with unshed tears.
“Toro, stop bullshitting everyone and tell them you’ll be fine.” Gerard said gruffly, narrowing his eyes slightly at his old friend. “You’ve got everyone all worried.”
“Will it really make you feel any better, Gee?” Ray asked, then coughed, expertly hiding the blood that came up. Gerard’s face fell, but he tried to force a tremulous smile as he reached out and took Ray’s free hand. “Bury me with the others, Gee. Put me next to Frank, so he can jump on me and yank on the ‘fro, and I’ll kick his ass like I used to.”
“Shit, Ray, don’t say that.” Gerard choked, closer and closer to tears. “Killjoys never die.”
“Promise me, Gee. Please.” Ray said, his dark eyes intense as he squeezed Gerard’s hand, refusing to look away until the blue-haired man bit his lip and nodded, dropping his gaze as he tried to hide the tears finally spilling over, down his cheeks.
Ray turned to Ryan, his eyes serious as he regarded the young boy, who was trying desperately hard not to cry. “I know this sucks, Ry. But I need you to promise me something, too.” He said, waiting for the boy to nod before continuing. “Your sister is out there, one way or another. Don’t ever give up on her. She needs you right now, you more than anyone else. There are two rules when it comes to being a Killjoy, Ryan, you know what those are? We don’t die, and we don’t quit.”
Ryan swallowed hard, then nodded gravely, his face set and determined. “Promise.” He whispered, his already-broken voice cracking. He knew he was dismissed, and hesitated before bending down to kiss his grandfather’s forehead – an unusual sign of affection from the shy boy, who barely hugged either of his grandfathers anymore – and went off to help the others, who said nothing about the tears streaming down the young Killjoy’s face.
“Ray, you can’t do this. We need you!” Grace said, not bothering to hide the tears running freely down her face. “You can’t leave me, not after Lee, not like this. We need you! I need you!” She protested, shaking her head and holding Ray’s hand in both of her own.
“Gracie, you don’t need me. You have ‘Fro Power.” He tried to grin, but it was more of a painful grimace. “That’s how I know you – and Lee – will both be fine. Besides, I’m not really leaving you, not forever. This isn’t really goodbye, just… see you later.”
“Ray, it’s not fair! You can’t do this, I… I won’t let you!” Grace tried to rein in her tears, but she was already too far gone. “Ray, don’t go.” She cried softly, knowing it wasn’t fair to ask that of him.
“Grace, I love you, just as much as I love Ryan, and Lee, and Gerard.” Ray said patiently, wincing as he shifted slightly. “That’ll never change.”
“Love you, too, Ray.” Grace whimpered, kissing him like her son had before she got up to follow Ryan, leaving the two faded, Fabulous Killjoys to themselves.
“Well, I guess this is it.” Ray sighed, looking up at Gerard, tears forming in his eyes. He wasn’t scared, but he would miss everyone he was leaving behind.
“When… when you get… wherever, …can you tell them I said “Hi?”” Gerard asked quietly, glancing up from the dust to hold Ray’s gaze. “Mikey, and Frankie, and Smile, and Dr. D?”
“Sure, Gerard.” Ray said softly as he nodded at his friend, squeezing his hand slightly. There was a long moment of silence as the two stared off unseeingly, Ray at the sky and Gerard at the dust, both of them lost in thought.
“Hey, Gerard?”
“Yeah?” Gerard asked, looking at Ray, his voice equally quiet. Ray wasn’t looking at his lifelong friend, however, but up into the sky, his eyes slightly glazed.
“I’ve always wanted to see that parade of yours.”
-
“Welcome to Voltville.” Said the Drac from the driver’s seat as the car pulled into what appeared to be suburbs. Lee looked around nervously as she took in the identical houses with identical yards, all with identical cars parked out front. As she watched house after house flash by, identical citizens suddenly walked outside, broom in hand and Scream mask in place, to sweep the front porch from left to right, each stroke in time.
As the suburbs gave way to the commercial district, each squat, square, grey building had Nirvana Inc.’s logo splashed across it- a laughing smiley face, with either a bat or crow playing the mouth, wings outstretched. The Bats meant it was a communal facility, the Crows were for high-ranking Nirvana employees only. The third type of logo was only on one building. Almost no one went in or out of the opaque glass doors beneath the face with a Crow for a smile, and each of the eyes formed by pairs of crossed syringes that made an ‘X.’ There weren’t many Exterminators in Nirvana’s knew world just yet, but it was only a matter of time.
Lee quivered on the leather seat as the two Screamers drove her into the parking garage in the Exterminator building, cutting the engine and dragging her roughly out of the back seat. They lead her roughly inside, pushing and pulling her along, and shoved her into the reception desk, winding her. The woman, who wore white kabuki makeup on her face, her eyes ringed in black to match her lips, looked up, then keyed a sequence on her computer. The entire time, her face was decidedly disinterested. A door to the left slid open, and Lee found herself dragged through it before she could even consider protesting.
Next thing she knew, she was flung down onto an armless, steel chair in front of a blank, sterile table in a white room. Bright fluorescent lights buzzed from the ceiling, blinding Lee for a moment as the two Screamers exited, the door sliding shut behind them and locking with a conspicuous click. The girl looked around in horror, wondering what they would do to her. She was a Killjoy, and that was a crime.
Hours later, a Screamer with the Crow emblem on her sleeve entered the room, holding a file that she glanced at before tossing carelessly on the table. It was unmarked and closed, giving Lee no clues as to what was inside. “Sweetheart, you can cooperate with us, or you can do this the hard way.” The Crow said, her voice soft but in no way comforting. “We’ve been looking for people like you. You can take your time in finding an answer, if you want.” Lee nodded, hoping she’d have time to plan an escape. She was a Killjoy- she should be good at that. “Alright.” The Crow agreed, then looked at the door, walking towards it as it slid open. “Process her.”
The two Screamers entered the room again, each grabbing one of Lee’s arms and hauling her up and out of her chair, then the room. She was half-dragged to a room where her head was shaved, then she was stripped of her Killjoy uniform and thrown into a new room, terrified for a moment before scalding water poured from the ceiling, making her scream. After her forced shower, she was handed a grey jumpsuit and forced into it by the waiting Screamers, who then dragged her back to the interrogation room. Lee was crying, those horrid, gasping sobs that come when a person is trying impossibly hard to get his- or her- self under control, and shaking, arms wrapped tight around herself, when the door to the interrogation room opened again.
“Hello, Lee.” The tall, pale man smiled down at the girl as he stepped inside. His bald head shone slightly under the overly bright lights, his dark eyes glimmering evilly. “Welcome to Nirvana, where everything is perfect. My name is Korse.”
TRANSMISSION INTERRUPTED