Crystal Mayhem Part 1

Chp 8

Zen arrived home earlier than expected. She took out a piece of paper and the pencil she had stolen from Suzanna and began to draw her goddess of freedom. A woman wearing a gauzy gown and holding a flag with a brownie. Despite its silliness, it was beautifully drawn. The details of the battlefield were so real and the gown was exquisite. Zen erased the woman's fly-away hair and gazed at her creation. All it needs now is some watercolor. Mostly brown to represent the class.

Zen passed the time until cooking time came, and she got up stashing her pencil and paper in her material dimension pocket, and headed to make onion soup. Mmm, my favorite!

She detested it. You never know what you have until it's gone. What I wouldn't do for one slice of pizza or a hamburger!

She put the soup to a boil. Her mother would be home early tonight. She didn't want cold crap soup again...or ever. Two Rollers stopped in front of the house intriguing Zen. What could the Enforcers want with us?

There was a pounding on the door and Zen went to answer it. Two Enforcers wearing the customary white uniform were standing there. One had a palm book and was noting down things while the other Enforcer was grinning nastily at her.

"May I help you?" She asked not liking the Enforcer's smirk.

"Mayo is that her?" He asked his partner who nodded.

"Yup. That's Zen Amargarita," he said tapping the palm screen and showing a picture of her to the Enforcer. A whip of light encased her wrists and she was suddenly dragged to the ground like a common criminal.

"What! Hey! What is this? I deserve an answer!" She cried halting the men from dragging her and standing up. Her smock dress was torn and it was the only one she was allowed to have.

"A kidnapping, drug wielding, thief doesn't get any say! Mayo! Drag her to the Roller! We have a schedule to keep!"

"Who did I kidnap? What did I steal? Wait a minute!" She screamed as she was knocked onto her rear and was once more dragged to a Roller.

"What is going on here?"

Zen once more stood wiping the mud from her face. She turned to meet the cold black eyes of Don Rodriguez who was holding her hysterical mother.

"Don Rodriguez. We are simply taking another criminal to the converter sir," the Enforcer said tugging Zen forward with the whip. Zen dug her heels into the muddy streets and held her place. No way was she moving til this was resolved.

"What are her charges," Carmelo asked running his hands down Rosa's arms soothingly.

"Mayo! What are the charges," yelled the Enforcer.

Mayo flashed to her file and read the charges. "Abetting kidnapping. Giving Android Fluid to a student and robbing a necklace from the Arrio treasury."

"I can assure you this girl has not abated in a kidnapping, she has not coerced anyone into drinking such a horrible influence and she has not stolen anything from the Arrio treasury," Carmelo said walking over to Zen and unbinding her wrists.

"But Don Carmelo sir! It says in the report she knew who kidnapped Edline Marquis and that she had been drugging one Suzanna Constantine with android fluid and she is wearing a necklace, sir."

"I only recognized the symbol of a local gang in a picture!" Zen screamed, wiping and squeezing mud from her hair.

"And how would you know about gang signs if you're not in one yourself," the Enforcer sneered ready to wrap her wrists again.

"My uncle is the reining Don. He has shown me the local gang signs to protect myself since I was young," she replied glaring. "Suzanna Constantine is a drug addict of Android Fluid. She and her friends drink it like water. I merely observe, as a Brownie is not meant to react and the necklace was given to me by Don Arrio himself!"