When The Angels Came Down To Battery City (17)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

I'VE BEEN LIVING LIKE I WAS DEAD, BUT NOW'S THE TIME TO LIVE LIKE I'M DYING

Fun Ghoul ruminated about his life. There were already a million sins and missed opportunities on his list, and it kept growing as the hours ticked by. He looked around the dimly lit room made of concrete and saw that Jet Star and Kobra Kid were asleep. Fun Ghoul wished he could fall asleep too, but something inside him had been triggered to snap him awake every time he tried. Every single time he drifted close to the edge where conscious lost to subconscious, he saw an image of Party Poison hitting the floor and gasping for breath. He heard the hoarse breathing; so sharp and urgent, and he saw the blood seeping out from a burn hole in his neck, tricking over his skin and hitting the marble floors below. The colour of his hair… it was everywhere.

There was no peace for Fun Ghoul, and the man who usually had a way of seeing the silver lining on the darkest days finally met his quota of garish sights and dead ends. He was ready to give up. He had signed away his positive thinking, and in its place a dark and torturous river of self hatred and forgotten failures came rushing in. For awhile he wished his life had been different. He wished he had fallen in love with someone who had the capacity and the patience to love him back, and he wished he had taken the time to find himself. He even wished he had finished college, settled down, gotten married… got a house and paid taxes and mortgages… got a dog and twin girls and a station wagon... maybe even picked up guitar and joined an underground post punk band. Of course, all of that was pointless wishful thinking of course… especially in Better Living's new world.

"Ghoul?" Jet Star murmured and Fun Ghoul looked up to his friend who was soaked in sweat from dealing with the pain in his bandaged up shoulder.

"Hey Star, how you holding up," Ghoul asked.

"Okay," He muttered in reply, forcing himself to sit up and trying very hard not to grimace as he did so. "I'm kinda worried about Kobra Kid though… doesn't he usually twitch a little in his sleep? He's been still for a long while,"

Fun Ghoul looked over at Kobra Kid who did in fact look very still and way too peaceful on the floor. He had a bandage around his shoulder too, and some crimson spots were seeping to the surface of the white gauze. "Kid?" Ghoul murmured. "Kobra Kid…"

Fun Ghoul got up and walked over to his friend. He placed hand to his neck hesitantly, worrying about what the answer might be.

"He's breathing," Ghoul observed, "He's still running in there… just out cold I guess,"

"We need transfusions," Jet Star said, "We can't go on like this… Kobra Kid definitely can't,"

Fun Ghoul went silent, "I think that's the point, Star," He said, "They're probably just wasting time and hoping we'll die by the time the paperwork gets filled out," he sighed. "We're on the exterminate list- hell, we head the bill… we don't matter to any of them,"

"I c-can't… I can't die," Jet Star murmured. "Not like this… not when Grace's out there on her own," He let out a shaky breath. "I hope she's okay… God I hope she's okay…"

"She'll be alright, Jet Star," Fun Ghoul said. "She's a pretty strong kid, and we've got allies who are still out there. If she got out of Battery City alright she would've found her way back to Little Misfortune or Skyrocket,"

There was a moment of silence then. Kobra Kid moved a little, finally showing signs of life. Jet Star watched him for awhile then looked up at the ceiling, trying hard to break the surface of his overpowering grief. "Poison's dead," he said.

Fun Ghoul looked to him and nodded hesitantly. "I keep seeing it happen," He said. "I don't think I'll ever sleep..."

"I used to think that death was the only way out of this mess… this fucked up little corner we've worked ourselves into," Jet Star said, sounding bitter, "I used to think that it didn't matter, live or die- at least Roselyn would be there… at least the running and the bloodshed would've stopped… Rosebud… how long was I going to hold onto that and how long was I going to keep making sure that Grace believed she was still out there?" He shook his head, an ironic smile on his face. "I can't believe I did all of that- perpetuated a long list of lies and hoped that by some magnificent accident that I would be dead before the punch line hit." He looked at his bandages and his torn clothes. "Now I see myself here, at the end… waiting for la bella muerte to set in and I'm hoping- just hoping that I get to see my kid again…" He said. "I still don't have the answers. I still haven't made a difference… not for myself, not for my country and not for my daughter…"

"That's not true," Fun Ghoul said with a sad frown, "You make a difference for Grace everyday… hell, you teach her to believe in herself, and to fight back. If my dad was still around… well… I would've hoped he was a lot like you," Fun Ghoul smiled weakly. Jet Star smiled back. "And deep down inside I think Grace knows about Roselyn," He added. "She's a strong kid, Jet Star- and she's smart too. Maybe all this time she's just been playing along to help you believe."

Jet Star stared up at Fun Ghoul, his expression dropping. Maybe Fun Ghoul had a point… maybe he was even right.

Suddenly the door beeped and slid open slowly. "Away from the doors, away from the doors!" A voice called out to them and an armed guard walked in, pointing a gun at them. Miss Ophelia walked in and nodded at them, "Men," She said in that strange vapid way of hers, "Follow me and the guards… you are being transported to a different holding facility,"

"What?" Fun Ghoul said, scowling. In his head he was calculating the possibility of taking out the guard and escaping. Too bad for that laser rifle… and too bad for Jet Star's bad arm and Kobra Kid's unconscious state.

"Pick up your friend and come with me now," Ophelia ordered. "The trucks are waiting for us."

"Do what the lady says, you little bitch," The officer barked, pointing his gun at Ghoul who had no choice but to give in. Fun Ghoul wasn't a fan of being told what to do- with a gun pointed to his head no less, and found an overwhelming urge to punch the uniform clad man in the face.

"Ghoul," Jet Star said, "Come on, let's just pick up Kobra Kid and do what they say."

Jet Star moved towards Kobra Kid and slung an arm over his shoulder. Ghoul complied, though he continued to entertain thoughts of somehow breaking out and breaking the guard's arm. "Have you got a plan?" Jet Star asked him quietly as they picked Kobra Kid off the ground.

"Not a one," Fun Ghoul replied. "Well, not one that has us leaving with our lives still intact anyway,"

"Come on, ladies!" The officer sneered.

There are many dates, many days and many events that have and will go down in history. But there are few that will ever match up to the fame and infamy of that faithful day when the angels came down to Battery City. The weather was perfect; scorching hot like hell itself. The stage was set with a parade that was really kicking into gear when an old beat up Ford rolled into town.

Bloodshot and Grace sat in the front seats of the truck and looked out at the crowded streets of Battery City. It was a mess of people, confetti and brass instruments. A mascot walked past, casting its reflection against their windows as it danced along with some children following behind it. Grace gawked, in awe, "Wow!" She said, "It's so pretty,"

"I know," Bloodshot smirked, "Isn't it horrible?"

Ksch…

The car transmission radio came to life. "Come in, Bloodshot, come in," Party Poison's voice filtered through the speakers. Bloodshot reached for the radio and held it over her mouth.

"We read you loud and clear, hombre,"

"See anything?"

"A lot of the same, Poison," Bloodshot replied with a sigh, "Saw an armed bulletproof truck sail through the crowd earlier though- think it's them?"

"Could be… saw one pull up to ground zero,"

Ksch…

"Stay low, Poison," Bloodshot said. "I'll come in after you,"

"I'm sitting pretty," She heard Poison smirk. "Say, how much does a bottle of Ritalin go for these days?"

Bloodshot smiled.

"What're we gunna do, Bloodshot?" Grace asked worriedly, rubbing her tired eyes.

"We're gunna get your daddy back, Grace," She said, taking out her pistol. "Sit tight, kiddo… it's going to be one hell of a ride."

Korse followed a group of Dracula boys out the door, choosing to disregard a radio call from his higher-ups; "Korse, please report to the Board of Representatives at Better Living Main Building now, I repeat…"

He just grinned darkly and left the room, hungry for a little long-awaited revenge. If only he had swallowed his pride for just a couple of minutes, he might have noticed something a little strange on one of his monitors. In a live video feed of the empty courtyard in the centre of the Better Living buildings- just to the left of the building he was in- a man in a blue racing jacket, stone washed gray jeans and an oversized mascot head moved across the pavement hurriedly. On the back of its overgrown blue mouse head, were the words: "Ritalin of America".

Fun Ghoul and Jet Star sat down in the back of a Better Living riot van, the unconscious Kobra Kid between them. They watched as officers marched towards their own service vehicles and Fun Ghoul managed a deviant smile. He turned to the officer and Miss Ophelia who were sitting opposite them. "Geez guys, one of us has a shot arm and a bad eye- and the other's far away in coma land… you honestly think all this is necessary?" He chuckled, raising his handcuffed hands to wave them at the officer. "I'm flattered… seriously,"

"Shut up short stack, or I'll empty this into your fucking head," The officer retorted, waving his rifle in Ghoul's direction.

"You'd like that wouldn't you?" Ghoul scoffed.

"Ghoul…" Jet Star mumbled in protest, trying to stop Fun Ghoul from going on one of his furious rants.

"But you can't, and ain't that a kick in the balls? Bet your supervisor would have your head if you let any one of us die on transit," Fun Ghoul said.

"I said shut up you f-"

"Boys," Korse's voice broke up their spat. They turned and saw the demented scientist looking at them with an eerily calm smile, his hands behind his back. "Nice to see you've settled in nicely," He grinned.

"Where the hell are you taking us?" Ghoul demanded.

"Oh nowhere in particular…" He said. "And everywhere all at once…" He chuckled. Fun Ghoul and Jet Star exchanged glances before shooting confused expressions back to Korse. "As much as I would like to end your sad little lives with the simple pull of a trigger, I would only deeply regret the inability of using you to prove to the others out there who share your… passion… for chaos… that their lives as Killjoys can only end one way," He took out his laser gun and cocked it, "And that's at the mercy of a pretty little hollow point like this one,"

"You're gunna make an example of us?" Jet Star said, "That would never work… there are so many out there and they will never stop-"

"Oh Jet Star, I believe they will…" Korse smirked. "Nothing puts the fear of God into someone like a little heavy handed torture and an execution worthy of martyrs," He laughed. "Of course we'll have to take you on a little road trip first- just to make sure you're out of Big Brother's eye line… and then you're all mine for the skinning," He said. "They'll be a little upset at first, but then they'll realize that these publicised executions were important…"

Fun Ghoul, at the end of his tether, let his lack of willpower take the wheel for a split second; he spat at Korse. The doctor flinched for a moment, eyes snapping shut as it hit him in the face. "Not without a fight you bastard!" He stood up suddenly and kicked Korse in the chest, sending him crashing to the ground.

Quickly, the officer in the van jumped up and grabbed the back of Fun Ghoul's jacket, throwing him down onto the floor of the riot van. He pointed the gun at his head and barked; "One more move, mother fucker! One more move, I dare you!"

"Fuck you!" Fun Ghoul screamed and the officer kicked him in the ribs.

"Ghoul!" Jet Star called out, "Fuck's sake!"

Suddenly, a siren wailed in the background. Korse, furious as he could get, looked up at the sound. "What the hell?" The officer murmured. Korse looked to him with wide-eyes.

"Pack up the car and move out!" He shouted. Just as he got to his feet again, there was a chorus of screams. He turned.

"Sir, something's happening at the parade!" An officer yelled out as he approached.

"Well deal with it!" Korse commanded. Suddenly, there was a loud bang and black smoke rose up from a place just beyond the buildings. More screams. "Get on the road!" Korse shouted. "Get on the road!"

"What the hell's going on out there?" Jet Star murmured just as Kobra Kid moved a little and muttered in his sleep. The riot van doors shut and the officer gave Ghoul another kick in the ribs. He groaned in pain and spat out a mouthful of blood. The van started up and pulled out.

Grace and Bloodshot watched as the parade dispersed; the crowds running in panic as the side of a glass building disintegrated into flames and debris. A fleet of cars and motorcycles tore through the streets, some crashing through parade floats and splitting a line through the marching band. "It's Little Misfortune!" Grace cheered, pointing to a girl in Japanese school uniform who was straddling a dirt bike as it burned rubber through the chaos. She had a pink Hello Kitty helmet on.

"The Killjoys are here," Bloodshot said, amazed.

Ksch…

"Bloodshot, come in, Bloodshot!" Poison spoke through the radio.

"Poison!" Bloodshot shouted into the radio, "They're here! Every last one out there!"

"Perfect," Poison said, and it sounded like he was grinning. "You know what to do, Bloodshot,"

Bloodshot smiled and revved up the engine. "Right…" She said. "Let's make some noise…"