Crystal Mayhem Part 1

Chp 23

It had been two days and Zen was drawing a picture of their latest escapade. It was when they had all sat down to play Hoodlum Wars. There was Kiera with a perplexed look on her face as Val showed her what to do on screen. Stephan was perched on a sofa, one fist in the air and a jubilant expression on his face. Beside him was a tense Marek gripping the armrest. On the floor were Marco and Isaias. Marco was leaning slightly forwards, one hand on Isaias's shoulder while Isaias was screaming and had both his hands raised in fists.

Zen was by the other sofa coaching a laughing Edline her hand pointing to the glowing Holo V where the characters were busy beating each other up or scrambling around for their strongholds to heal. It was a very detailed picture. You could almost feel the emotions radiating off the people in the picture. It was Zen's specialty. Stephan walked by and examined the picture whistling.

"That's amazing Zen," he said stopping to watch as she delineated Edline's face. She looked up and blushed.

"Thanks," she said. "I'm not a master but I try."

"That's a matter of perspective. You are really good. Can you draw maps?"

Zen quirked her left brow. "Yes, why?"

"Cause he really needs one," snickered Marek from the common room. He was playing with Skin although how you played with a giant iguana was beyond Zen. Can it even feel the tickles?

"Oh come on! I'm not that bad," muttered Stephan.

"Yes you are, " Replied the crew, making Isaias laugh and Marco grin.

"Still hopeless with directions, Stephan?" Marco asked, smirking.

"He needs me to read them to him. Not even the regular compasses work. It has to be by hand," said Marek grinning.

"What is this? Pick on Captain Day," muttered Stephan from Zen's side.

Zen smiled. "I can draw a map of most places if I study them. Where do you need it?" She asked.

"The Deadlands. I don't have a map of that area yet. You were lucky we found you," Stephan said, grinning his familiar grin. She was coming to like that grin.

"Ok, give me some pictures and a new pencil and I can draw you the Deadlands."

Stephan looked at her pencil. "What's wrong with the one you have now?"

She raised it to show the nub that was the tip and smirked. "See? I can't draw with this one anymore."

"Oh," Stephan scratched his head. "Sure. Kiera has a few. She can lend you one."

"I can sharpen that one as well," said Kiera as she put the Medical Miracle magazine down and looked over to the counter where Zen and Stephan were from the left couch.

"I've used the eraser of this one almost up. I'll need a new pencil anyway but thanks for offering Kiera," said Zen as she stretched from her position. Stephan's eyes watched her for a minute before looking away a slight blush on his face." I'll go get the pictures then," he muttered walking away and ignoring Isaias's glare.

Marco was sitting on the right couch a political thriller in his hands and was ignoring the storm brewing. He kept an eye on Isaias though, ready to stop him from forming one with his brother. He still couldn't touch Isaias consciously but if he forgot he was touching a male and only thought of Isaias he could manage a small brush. Something was something!

Stephan came back loaded with pictures of the Deadlands and a map of the US. An old one.

"I was hoping you could use this map as a guide," he said dropping the pictures on the table and unrolling the map. It was a large map of the U.S. before the tsunami. Zen studied it. She had never seen a map this old.