Hopeless for You

The next morning was quiet and everyone was in a much better mood. They ate breakfast and made friendly conversation. Afterward Dr. Death asked if Grace could go to another room. Mortician did not like that idea.

"Why does she have to leave?" Mortician asked defensively. "Anything you have to say to us, you can say to her too."

"I don't think she'll like what I have to say," Dr. Death began. "And I don't think you will either."

Mortician furrowed her brow and crossed her arms. "Oh? And What is it you have to announce?"

Dr. Deathdefying sighed and bowed his head. "I'm sending you out to Battery City."

"What?!" Poison, Revenge, Ghoul, Lucky, and Mortician blurted abruptly.

Jet, Kobra, Show Pony, and Grace stared with their mouths gaping open in protest.

"You've done enough here. There hasn't been a Draculoid attack since last year. It's time for you to take action in Battery City." he further explained.

"Then, why did you need Grace out of the room?" Mortician asked concerned.

"Because she's not going with you." Dr. Death replied, finally making eye contact with her. "She'll be safer here. We'll just have to make sure you all keep a low profile. We don't need any Dracs noticing you aren't guarding us and come after us."

"I want to go!" Grace whined in protest, clinging to Mortician's leg. "Don't leave me here."

Mortician sighed, fighting back oncoming tears and glaring angrily at Dr. Death. She inhaled audibly and finally looked down at Grace. "It'll be for a little while." she promised the child.

"NO!" Grace wailed.

Lucky got on one knee in front of Grace to make leveled eye contact with the child. She took Grace's tiny hands in her own.

"We want you to take care of yourself and the doctor because Pony does a horrible job." Lucky said jokingly. Show Pony quietly chuckled. "Here." Lucky pulled out a bracelet from her back pocket and stuffed it in Grace's tiny fist. "It's a got lucky charms on it, Grace. Do not lose this. And whenever you miss me, just remember, my whole life, heart, and soul is in this bracelet. This little piece of jewelry means a lot to me." Lucky finally stood.

"Here, kid." Revenge said a little uncomfortable. In her hand, she held her blue bandanna out to Grace.

One by one the Killjoys, even the boys, gave Grace a memento of themselves.

"I suggest you all leave tonight. Ditch the Trans Am a mile before the border crossing. There's a house Show Pony bought out for you all."

"Don't ask how I got it. I'm not telling." Show Pony added with a wink.

"And some of you will have to change appearances to fit the Better Living criteria. No colors." Dr. Death's gaze landed pointedly at Poison's bright red hair.

"No!" Poison exclaimed, fingers running through his hair. "I have colored hair for a reason."

"Lucky's joining you, along with Revenge, Destroya, Kobra, and Jet." Dr. Death added.

"No!" Lucky gasped.

"Fuck no!" Revenge shouted.

"Just a dye job. Don't be pussies."

Mortician's hands slapped over Grace's ears and she gave him a motherly "Watch your mouth" look. Dr. Death nodded in a silent apology.

"I snagged a shit-tone..." Show Pony trailed off, glancing at Grace's covered ears. Mortician rolled her eyes. "...of black hair dye for those who needed it."

"Get to work." Dr. Death said. And with that, he dismissed the conversation.

Jet, Poison, Revenge, and Lucky followed Show Pony to the showers.

Mortician sent Grace to go play in their bunk as she flopped on a bean bag. Ghoul joined her.

"I understand your concern." he said to her. "I would never leave my babies behind."

She just shook her head and stayed silent.

"What's your name?" he asked her in all seriousness.

"Mar-"

"No, no, you're birth name."

She pondered on it, gaze distantly staring into her lap. "Jordan..." she finally admitted.

"I'm Frank." he said, extending a hand to her. She shook it politely. "You have a beautiful name."

"I've been told that my whole life. You only like hearing it so many times before it starts to get annoying. I've always wished for a more girlish name."

"Like Blair?"

"How did you-?"

"Poison told me. Why'd you lie to me?"

Mortician paused, still in shock that he'd found out about Blair. "I didn't lie to you. I really didn't want kids, but-"

"But you had one and didn't tell me?" Ghoul asked almost heartbroken.

"Why do you care? You aren't her father!" Mortician retorted defensively, tensing with anger. She wanted to slap him so much right now.

"And what happened to him? He just left? Or did you lie to him about not having kids, too?"

"Yes, he left! And you know what? He's either brainwashed or dead!"

They both fell silent, letting that theory hang like a deadly plague in the air.

~~~

After all goodbyes were said and Grace was safely tucked away in bed, the Killjoys filed out of the bunker and into the dark desert where their beat-up Trans Am awaited them.

It was a long drive to the border, but when they finally made it, they got out of the Trans Am and began looking to the home Show Pony had managed to get them. The border was heavily guarded, but Dr. Death assured them that the ones taking watch tonight were rebels disguised as Dracs.

Poison lit a flare and led the way to the border of Battery City.

"Hey," a hushed voice beckoned to them.

They all took turns trying to find the voice.

"Over here!" The whisper came louder and closer. Soon there was an unfamiliar man approaching them, dressed in a white tux and clutching a Draculoid mask in one hand and a black-and-white ray gun in the other. "Follow me. And put that flare out. You're attracting too much attention."

So they followed the rebel.

Once inside their new home, the rebel in disguise laid down the rules.

"You do whatever they say," he began. "They'll dope you up with meds, make you watch their hypnotic 'thought adjustment' every morning, and here, no colors exist except black and white. There are lots of us rebels in disguise, pretending to be brainwashed tenants or Dracs. The Exterminators are the ones you really want to steer clear of. They're cold-hearted killers. Anyway, most of the rebels here know about your arrival. Everyone who delivers your medication are rebels."

"How will we know they're rebels?" Jet asked.

"They'll state their gang name before they leave. The meds they deliver are just sugar pills. If a Drac does not speak, do NOT take those pills. Understood?"

"Understood." Ghoul replied with a nod.

The rest nodded in agreement.

"Good." he said, turning to leave. Then he turned back and quickly added, "I advise you four men to keep your heads down. Though your appearance is masked with black-and-white, you're still familiar. The women will fit in better than you because Korse is unaware that these four have joined the Killjoys. So keep your head down as much as possible."

And with that, he pulled the Drac mask on over his face and left them alone. All the way out in Battery City. Cold, quiet, empty Battery City.