Young Writers Society

Jimmy

Cleo was really getting on my nerves now. She kept asking me if I was okay. I was fine until she decided to ask me if I was okay every five seconds. Well, that's not completely true. I was a bit ticked off earlier because of what happened with Alis. Alis and I seemed to be okay now though, thankfully.

"Jimmy, come on, what's up?" Cleo spoke again.

"Nothing, I told you." I sighed, leaning back.

Rolling her eyes, Cleo left the room. I didn't bother going after her, I was too tired. I hadn't had a decent night sleep in ages, not since I came to the gang actually. I wasn't very good when it came to not sleeping in my own bed. I was weird like that.

Everything seemed so hectic in the gang at the moment. I swore that Riley was going nuts, Reg seemed to be really quiet, Eve and Cleo still weren't as close as I'd liked them to have been, and Sal and Alis were fighting over something. I had no idea what though. I would have asked Alis, but I didn't want to wreck our 'okay' friendship. One wrong word and she'd hate me again.

I sighed heavily. Being a part of The Fishers meant more than shooting a few guns at some people. It was a lot more than that.

Alis

I open the door slowly, where Jimmy is sitting on a couch. He looked like he was about to pass out.

"Tired?" I ask him.

"How'd you know?" He asks with a little smile.

"Good guess," I say. I toss him a little bottle of a clear liquid. It was something my father gave me, along with the recipe. I had been stealing from Maitea's store of plants, but it didn't matter. She wasn't here anymore.

"What's this?" Jimmy asks.

"A really strong energy drink."

"Where'd you get it?"

"My dad." I say with a smirk. Jimmy looks at is skeptically.

Jimmy hesitates for a minute, then says, "Is it safe?" I laugh, and nod.

Reg Carter

I knew I was alone in my room, which is why I didn't fuss or hold anything back. I merely let the tear fall down my cheek like it had been destined to do such a thing and all I was seemed thin and distant. I loved her too, but it couldn't matter now. I'd just move on like she said, take it in my stride. Find someone else? Pfft, no-one could understand me like she did... except Riles.

I had long thoughts of calling my Sister that night. I hadn't seen her in 3 years and the temptation was growingly overwhelming. However, by phoning her, I would only put her in trouble, reveal to another where she was. It was pointless. Somewhen I would get in touch once more, but that time would have to wait.

I took the letter and folded it four times, placing it in my jacket pocket with a minature picture of Bree; leaving the room I found myself in the hall. A hall I'd seen so many times over the last few weeks, but this time it looked so alien to me. Screw it. I wiped the tear's trail away from my cheek with the brush of my sleeve and walked downstairs to meet the others. Riley needed my help, yes, but it was time to go back to being the real Reg Carter.

The bastard's back, I told myself, jogging down the stairs and entering the lounge.

"Right you panzys," I grunted, "Let's stop the pleasantries. Feed this bird, then send 'er on 'er way, 'cause you listen to me now n' listen 'ard. We got work to do."

I brushed past Eve and went into the back room, taking out a shotgun. Walking back through, I paused when they looked at me.

"What?" I laughed. "I may've buggered the President, but 'tis fight ain't over yet lady friends. We got a huge pile'a shit waiting down on our backs n' we got'a show 'em the Fisher's mean business."

I left the room and the rev of my 4x4 crowed through the surroundings once more.

Riley

I hear the distinctive sounds of Reg's 4x4 in the driveway. I whip out my cell phone.

"Reg, where the hell are you off to now?" I ask.

"Somewhere." He growls, and shuts the phone. He was going to hear about this later. This was just fabulous, not. We had a new girl we needed to keep an eye on, who would need to stay with us, and Reg going off to who knows where.

I walk into the room where Ace, Chris, and Aurelie are.

"Ace, come with me." I say.

"What?" He asks, once I have lead him into the dining room, and locked the door.

"Call Maitea, tell her I need to meet her at Fox Bar, on King's Street. She should know where that is. I need to talk to her, but I can't here. I can't call her directly either, she thinks I want to kill her. Tell her to meet me at six, and if she's not there..." I don't bother to finish my threat. Ace nods, and takes out his phone. I leave him in the room, and run upstairs to the library.

Reg Carter

I lobbed the cell into the back seat of the 4x4, now wasn't the time for introductions... hell, probably wasn't the time for a one-man war against the government either, but I wasn't exactly missing anything back at the mansion.

I got out of the 4x4 and flung the Shotgun over my back so the strap hung over my shoulder and then drew a jacket over the top of it so it was concealed just enough to stop any immediate panic. I searched the area before finding my target. He was merely a publicity officer for the recently deceased President, but apparently he had too much to say regarding the Fisher's.

At the current point he was surrounded on a small bench in the middle of an open park; me killing him here would essentially be suicide. I wasn't one to fuss, I'd merely wait. Waiting was boring though, and I needed my fair share o'fun just like everyone else did. I walked up to him and sat myself next to him on the bench, cursing as I sat and felt the shotgun's butt wedge into my tail bone. He was eating a sandwiche over the New York Financial times... one o'them bloody typical types then.

"What's in the news?" I muttered as I looked over his shoulder at one of the columns in the paper.

"Ah, the usual rubbish, gang's causing stirs with Wall street stocks," he began.

"Ha, bloody typical o'them Wall street pussies. Bein' put off by a bit'a light-hearted shoot ups and the odd throw in of a baseball bat, they ought'a change their dypers," I laughed, trying to anger the little rat. He didn't retaliate after he saw my size, he just squinted and agreed.

"Hey, I'm kiddin'," I said, reassuring him. "It ain't the gang's fault, neither is it 'em silly shareholders. I'll tell ya who causes all the damn trouble in a free country."

He winced, "Er... the-the government?"

"Hell no, asshole," I sneered, then put my lips right up next to his ear and whispered in a haunting monotone, "Bastards like you."

He squealed and got up, running through the park and out farther into the open. I wasn't gon'a shoot him here, no, there were little kids about and Mums. Mums were never good in violence. I sprinted after him.

I chased him through the park's river and dived over things he thought he'd chuck in my way to impede my path, such as toppling over a food stand. To be fair it wasted more of his time than it gained him. Now I was close, I sprinted and could feel the heat coming from his heels in my toes.

Now.

I lept into the air and two footed him in the back of the knees and he instantly collapsed, tumbling head over heels as his right knee cartilidge tore painfully. He lay there rolling about and squealing in terror. I grabbed his arm and dragged him down some stairs into a public loo, kicking the Gent's door down I took him into the cubicle and shoved his head into the toilet, pulling the chain.

"What was you gon'a say 'bout the Fishers?" I yelled, demandingly.

"Nothin'! I swear," he cried in return, "Nothin'!"

"Tell me you little rat," I grunted.

"Ahhh, alright! Alright!"

"Go on," I growled in his face, my fingers ripped tight around the back of his head hair and pulling it back.

"Just... just I know where you guys are, that's all, was gon'a tip 'em off, 'cause rural violence, y'know. Good stories, that's all... and... and I know you're led by some, some girl called Riley...!"

"How the hell you know that?"

"S-someone in your gang," he shouted, "They're blabbin' shit, I swear."

"Who?"

"I dunno! They just call 'em selves the Ghost!"

That name gave me the shivers, I took out the Shotgun and shot him twice in the chest and then left the loos, staggering out of the park and clambering into my 4x4.

Who the hell was using that name? It would have to be someone who knew... I thought and full-throttled it back to the mansion.

Ace

Standing in the room, wondering what the hell was going on, I took out my phone and dialed Maitea. There was no answer. Blinking, I hit redial. Still, nothing.

"What the--?" I sat down, trying to think of what to do. If she wasn't there, Riley would...well, she'd do something, but what could I do if I couldn't get ahold of her?

Then, my phone beeped, and I answered. "Maitea? Hello?"

The other line was silent for a moment. Then I heard muffled voices. Thinking fast, I traced where her call had come from. "Um...shit," I murmured, getting up, running to the library. "I'm going to get her!" I called, startling Riley slightly.

"What?"

"You heard me." I grabbed my hoodie and my pistol and dashed out to my car.

------

I stepped out of the car in front of a large house where Maitea was obviously in trouble. I mean, why else would she have called me without saying anything unless she needed me to come find her?

"Oh, thank goodness--Toby, where's the Mercedes?" I heard. The voice was male. I put my hood up over my face, figuring that Toby was a relative, and I obviously didn't look like him. I got out of the car, calmly. "Call the police, To--Toby?"

"Not Toby," I replied as I opened fire, missing. I ducked behind my car door as a few shots were returned. Bastard couldn't reload quickly enough. As he stopped to put another six rounds in the revolver, I put two shots into his face. A woman screamed, and it was then that I heard Maitea groan. Good; well, not that she was hurt, but that she was in fact there. How bad would that have been if I'd have shot some innocent bystander?

I kept my gun pointed at the woman. "What are you going to do, Lady?" I demanded.

"I," she began proudly, "am going to call the cops."

"No, you're not," I countered, and put a bullet through her chest. Then I bent down, scooped up Maitea, and put her in the car. "Emergency kit's by your feet...can you dress your own wound at least till I get out of here?"

She nodded and I floored the gas out of town and to an abandoned field. There, I helped her get the bullet out (which wasn't the best idea, but walking into a hospital would have been an even worse idea) and got her bandaged up.

"What were you thinking?" I turned to look at her, and then sighed. "What was I thinking? I killed them!" And then I began to laugh.

I supposed I'd have to get rid of the gun.

Maitea

"What were you thinking?" Ace looks at me, "What was I thinking? I killed them!" He laughs.

"Here's an idea, let's not tell Riley." I say.

"I like that idea." Ace laughs some more, then picks me up "By the way, Riley wants to talk to you in about fifteen minutes at a little bar. I'll drive you there." Ace gives me a look.

"How's Reg?" I ask.

"Well, he called you a murderous bitch..."

"How is he doing, though?"

"I don't see him much, he's usually out or shut up in his room."

"I feel terrible. Even if I was drugged, I can't believe I would do something like that..." I say. Ace wraps his arms around me, and kisses my forehead.

Eve

Reg had almost knocked me to the floor when he pushed past. I watched as he went off to do his own thing...again. I did as he said, though. Riley and Ace went to follow him. I didn't know where they were going, but I figured I wasn't a part of it. They were doing something that didn't seem like the rest of us knew about. No one did anything about it.

The conversation proceeded on the same subject: The new girl. Riley kept giving her looks that meant that she wasn't exactly welcome. We were risking our lives to have her here.

"May I please have something to eat?" the girl asked.

"Fine, but I might warn you that we're not the richest people around. Don't except any feast or something." I said.

I led her to the kitchen and took some things out of the fridge. She grimaced at a lot of it, but she ate anyway. She must have been really hungry. I do my best to avoid our food unless I absolutely need it.

"What's your name anyway?" I asked her.

She couldn't answer right away, seeing as her mouth was stuffed with food.

"Aurelie." she said quietly once she'd swallowed. I just nodded. There was a long awkward silence, but I didn't let her leave my sight. I had a feeling that's what I was supposed to do.

Chris came in the kitchen then. She watched Aurelie eat.

"Don't eat all of it." she said. We laughed for a while, and finally Aurelie stopped eating.

Riley

I take a quick glance at my watch. The girl had five minutes, or else...

She walks in, looking straight at me, ignoring the various stares. My haggled appearance and leather jacket helped me fit in here. She had a well kept air about her that didn't fit in well in places like this.

"Maitea," I say, gesturing to a seat across from me at the table. A bar tender starts to walk over, but I hold up my hand. Maitea seems ill at ease.

"I'm not here to hurt you," I assure her, "but I have something to clear up."

"What?" Her voice is full of suspicion.

"First, I had a reason for making you leave the gang. It was in your interest as much as for the rest of them."

"What?" Her voice is honestly curious now.

"The tension between you and Reg is too great. If he got mad at anything, even if it was unrelated, he could explode and take it out on you. I couldn't take that chance." I say in a voice that was just above a whisper.

"That makes sense, I guess."

"And, Maitea, I have one more thing to talk to you about." I say, and take a deep breath.

Alis

I walk into the kitchen where the new girl is.

"Why the hell isn't she gone yet?" I question.

"Riley thinks it might be...unsafe." Chris says.

"Come on, she blabs, I go after her." I say with a sinister grin. "And no one, ever, stays alive when I want them dead."

"What about Reg?" Eve asks.

"Well, out of my own best interest I don't want him dead." I say. I give the girl another pointed look, then leave the room.

Reg Carter

The rumble of my 4x4 was heard as I switched off the engine and got out of the car, taking the shotgun out and the new information I'd just been told. I cocked the shotgun, making sure it was loaded.

Someone was a traitor.

I kicked down the door to the mansion and found everyone sitting in the lounge, gingerly I burst in and looked them all up and down. It was disgusting that I could be staring at them right now but was without the nerve to pull the trigger for the bare sake of luck.

"Right. Any of you lot got some't to own upto, or do I 'ave to get serious?" I growled. One of them was using the name "The Ghost" and it had to be someone who knew the story...

Sal

"Right. Any of you lot got some't to own upto, or do I 'ave to get serious?" Reg growled.

How the hell had he figured it out already? Once I got my hands on that no-good-two-faced political moron.....

"You know, whoever was doing it wouldn't be stupid enough to tell you." I say.

"And 'ow would ya know that?" Reg says.

"I'm not an idiot, Reg. Honestly, my money's on Alis."

"You turn on your sister?" Eve asks in shock.

"She tried to strangle me in my crib." I shrug.

Eve

"She tried to strangle me in my crib." Sal said in protest.

I shrugged. "I guess I can understand why that would make you turn on her."

"Hey, wait a minute." Alis said. "First of all, I had reasons for doing that to you," she said, looking at Sal. "Second of all, I don't even know what you're talking about."

Reg looked at the new girl, Aurelie. For a few seconds he just stared at her, the turned away. I guessed he'd figured it wasn't her. He looked at all of us, pointing his gun at our heads as well.

I was beginning to get nervous. I didn't even know what the heck he was talking about, but I knew he'd shoot anyway if he thought it was me.

"Look you lot, I know someone in 'ere did it. I'm not an idiot."

No one spoke, and that only made Reg angrier.

Riley

I look at Maitea, "This is something that I have thought about for a long time, and I've decided two things. One, if you have to see Ace, it will not be in the mansion. It puts me, you and Ace in danger. Second, if we get in another hassle with the government, I would like you to fight with us. Ace will be, and I would expect you would want to fight with him." I say this all slowly, giving her a chance to absorb it.

It's odd, to me, sitting across from the girl who killed my sister and not killing her. It is even more odd we are meeting on good terms.

"I guess...that makes sense." She says after a minute.

"Good, well, I have the gang to get back to." I say. I stand up, and walk back to my motorcycle. Ace is still there. I sigh.

"Everything is fine, Ace." I assure him.

Eve

I looked over at Sal. She seemed angry, and a little nervous. I knew it couldn't be her, though.

Reg looked at Alis, then Sal, then James. I guessed that he suspected them out of the rest of us.

It looked like Reg was about ready to blow the whole place up. No one was speaking.

((Sorry it's so short, but I really couldn't think of anything.))