Chapter 13: Early Sunsets Over Monroeville

Gerard was finally in the car, along with Mikey and Ray, when Frank appeared. Gee groaned as soon as he saw the look on Frank’s face. Frank got to the window of the car, and sighed. “Let me guess. The car doesn’t work?” Gee said.

“Uh, yeah. Sorry, guys. But the good news is, the VW right over there works, and I have the keys.”

“Whose Karmann is that?” Ray asked, looking at the dark, mottled purple car with desert dust caked onto it, inches thick.

“Long story,” Frank said. “And I have a couple of things to do inside. I’m gonna get some food and shit for us. Here,” he handed Gerard the keys. “Go get into the car, preferably the back seat. I’ll be back in a few minutes, hopefully before Dracs get here.”

He jogged back inside. Gerard groaned, before he opened the car door and got up. He dragged himself over to the Karmann, as Ray and Mikey helped each other over to the car. Gee unlocked it and got into the front passenger seat, as Ray and Mikey filled the back.

Doctor D appeared, a duffel over his shoulder, followed by Adrenaline D and Show pony, also carrying duffels. They disappeared into the tiny lean-to garage, and Gerard realized that the reason they had those bags was Doctor D needed to continue transmissions, no matter what.

With the volume of the raid sirens getting louder, Gerard groaned. He’d heard those enough to know what came next if they didn’t get out soon.

--------------------------------------------------------Emma------------------------------------------------------------

She ran downstairs, her small bag over one shoulder, just as Fun Ghoul was beginning to run up. They ran into each other, and both fell down the stairs. Em landed half on top of him, and rolled off in about a second. “Shit. What time is it?” She asked him.

“I have no idea. But they’ll be here soon. We have to get out.” Em nodded, and he swallowed before saying, “I gave them the keys and told them to get in your car. Doctor D woke up, and he got a whole bunch of his radio shit together. Adrenaline D and Show Pony helped him pack up, and I just saw them head out. I don’t think there’s any more transmission stuff in the radio room.”

“I have everything I need.” She replied, nodding at what he’d told her. “Now we should check the radio room to make sure we’re clear, and then leave.”

The ran toward the radio room, swung open the door...And the sight there astounded them. “I guess I get it though,” she said, considering the homemade bomb he’d probably just set up. “We don’t want BLI to find evidence of us, or be able to track us, so this...makes sense. It will be a diversion.” She paused a moment, considering, then nodded. “Let’s go, Fun Ghoul.”

“But -” He protested, and she cut him off.

“If you don’t want to die here, I would strongly suggest you and I get out before it blows.” She said firmly, catching his wrist and dragging him away from that room, and out the front door into the dark desert beyond. The abandoned gas station they inhabited would soon be lit up, and she didn’t want to be there when it happened. “Where are my keys?”

“I told you I gave them to Ge-Party Poison!” He said. She sighed as she jogged around her car, climbed in the driver’s side, as Fun Ghoul climbed into the back, behind the redhead in the passenger’s seat, who handed her the keys. Just as she got them into the ignition, Dr D appeared at her window. She rolled it down, and he leaned in.

“They’re coming in from the Zones. Someone tipped them off that this spot is inhabited, so they’ll check all the local buildings, since injured Killjoys like rundown-looking buildings best. Head towards BC, but look for the best detour when you get to Zone 2 - cut towards House of Wolves if possible. You don’t want to get caught in Zone 1 with Dracs on your ass. If they catch up with you guys, fight with your mask on, okay?”

“Alright. You too, Doc. Stay safe.” She said. It was unbelievable that, a week ago, she’d donned her mask for the first time out of necessity, and now she was going to have to drive far and fast for her life.

She turned the key in the ignition, and smiled as it caught on the first try. Then gunned the engine..Now, the car in gear and foot on the gas. They pulled out of the gas station onto the road. She turned toward Battery City as the sirens got louder. She heard Doctor D’s car, heading toward Battery City through the desert. She saw the dust it was kicking up as it sped on. She took a moment, before gunning the engine and speeding down the deserted Route Guano.

And then she heard the detonation. She pulled over to the side of the road, as she heard Fun Ghoul yell, “What the fuck are you doing? Drive!”

She turned in the driver’s seat to look over her shoulder at the radio tower that was now burning ruins in the distance. A moment later, the raid sirens stopped as the Dracs’ vehicles pulled into the gas station, now a mess of burning brush and gasoline reserves. She sighed. She’d lived there since she’d been eighteen, and she was going to miss the radio tower. There were so many memories of her and Dr D. God, how badly she wanted to just stop and give herself up to the Dracs now swarming around the building. But she couldn’t.

With that new resolve, and the realization of the other four lives that depended on her judgement, Em gunned the engine and drove down Route Guano, heading toward Zone 2.