Not all hunts go according to plan. This one went sideways almost from the start. Several young teens find the unconscious Jay and Sunshine, and help them recover. The two make very sure these kids are protected afterwards. -- Anon Guest
They were lucky to be alive when the gang found them. Generally, the enforcers were lazy enough to just shoot until the perp stopped moving. These two had somehow caught enough ire to get beaten to a pulp. There was one in a sweatervest and one with braces. Sweatervest had gone down protecting braces, who had also gone down fighting.
They were a mess. So was the dead-end alley the gang found them in. Broken and battered, bleeding... and still breathing.
They couldn't be left there. Anyone still alive when curfew hit was going to be eliminated. Diin was the one to rig up junk together that would help drag them into shelter. Or something that would pass as shelter.
Hox was the one who was strong enough to lift them up out of the muck, and onto the niches that had once been made for something else. They were cleaner than the floor. That was the best the strangers could hope for.
Lynn had enough knowledge to set the broken bones into alignment. Strapping the limbs to anything straight and solid enough. They also announced, "There's something weird happening with their bodies. It looks like they're healing way too fast."
Kron was keeping watch for the drones. "They're gonna need food. Water. A better resting spot. This kind'a place gives people the rot."
"It's okay for the night," said Lynn. "Rot takes a week to set in. We can get 'em to the holla t'morra."
They hunkered in various other niches. Taking turns to keep watch. Taking turns to check on the strangers. Taking turns, especially, to sleep. They finally moved when the end of curfew sounded with praise to the Great Master of Commerce.
They hauled the strangers through the warren of back-alleys and tunnels. Getting them to the one place that the authorities had never been found. It was cleaner and dryer than their emergency stopover, but that was a low bar.
At least nobody caught the Rot here.
Sweatervest startled into consciousness as Kron was dripping water into his lips. Snatching the hand that fed him while glaring pure venom. Venom that ebbed when he recognised that Kron was trying to help.
Quick glances around the holla. "I'm not captured."
"Yeah you're lucky. Gotcha before th' drones did. Y'r friend's still como. You okay t' sit up?"
He slowly did so, and found Braces before he relaxed. "Ah. Rescued by natived. My thanks. I understand your food supplies are limited, so I will not strain your resources."
"Naw, we're good. Hox bagged some meat. Lynn's swiped some algablox. We got us a good stew going." It was in an old oil tin, held over the fire. Diin was stirring it carefully, making sure that none of it spilled.
"I see," said Sweatervest. "Thank you for your hospitality. We will make amends as soon as possible."
Which happened to be one month after they left the holla, and one week after the Great Master of Commerce mysteriously died by being sprayed all over the walls of his gilded seraglio.
[Photo by Lukas S on Unsplash]
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