KILLJOY

Chapter 9: A Common Cause

Four Days Later, March 11th, 2057

He hated them. All of them. They were just so tiring to deal with all the time, and now he was roped up in their mess. Why was Mayeda even making him come along, he should've just let them handle their own problems. But, if this is what it took him to get into Killjoy along with the others, then fine, he would work with them— just this once. He jumped down from the top bunk, first thing in the morning before even Liam woke up, heading to the lounge to practice a bit with his knives before the others came.

— — —

He woke up to see Max had already left the room. He wanted to follow him immediately, but he needed to at least freshen up a bit first. He stepped into the bathroom, splashing water on his face before running his wet hands through his hair to try and straighten it up a bit. It was a mess after his training last night, not to mention from his night of sleep. He felt the blond and brown streaks of his hair give to his hands as he brushed them into shape, eventually managing to clean it up pretty well. He stepped out of the bathroom, and went into the lobby, waiting beside Max as he waited for their third member to come out.

— — —

Eli had been awake for a while, sitting on the edge of his bed. It was the first time he'd been alone in here, and the company of Liv was something he was wishing for right now. God— why did he even let them do this? He should have known that he had a target on his back, that they wouldn't let him go that easily. He was under the assumption that they had just forgotten about him, or that they just didn't care anymore. But they clearly wanted him to come back to their gang, despite him being against it. He pushed his thoughts aside as he stopped sulking in bed, standing up, quickly brushing a hand through his hair before walking out to wait with the others. They couldn't go, until...

— — —

He wouldn't let them leave until he said they could. Of course, he knew they were ready, he saw with his own eyes their progress. The faint trickles of their life force burgeoning— however that was something they could not yet perceive. He knew they just needed that push— that spark to get the ball rolling, and then they'd be valuable assets. Besides, they seemed like they would fit in with the rest of the misfits, so he didn't have any worries. That was... except for Max. He wasn't sure why, but he seemed to hate his fellow recruits, and frankly, most people in general. He wasn't sure as to why that was, but he wasn't the type of person to pry into people's personal lives. So, he stepped into the lobby, standing in front of his recruits, tossing a key to Max. He easily caught it, as he prepared to speak.
"You three may leave. Now get the mission done."

— — —

He didn't need to think twice as he, along with Liam and Max rushed out of the complex. Since he was the only person who knew where the warehouse was to meet at, he led the charge as they rushed through the streets of the Strip on foot. The pink and blue lights seemed less harsh when they weren't focused on them, only focused on what was in front of them. The wind rushed against his face as he ran faster than he ever had before. He wasn't blind— he could clearly see that Mayeda was on to something with them, seeing their results.

— — —

The walls of the warehouse were dark and dingy as a single chair sat in the centre, with Liv tied to it. She had tape around her mouth to keep her from talking as they waited for them to arrive. Cycles of all kinds sat in any spare corner they could find to keep them, with one man standing in front of the girl. He lowered his mask as he revealed a scar across the right corner of his mouth, forcing it to curl up slightly.
"Do you believe your friends will come find you? Come now, do you really expect that much of them?"
But he knew. He was well aware of the fact that they were going to come sooner than later, he was taking advantage of them in fact. He knew what drove Eli, what pushed him, even back when he was working for him.

The girl. He did it for her, so one day they could live off on their own someplace nice and live out their days. He pushed that sickly sweet though down back into his psyche as she just nodded in front of him, prompting him to laugh at her for a moment before pulling his mask back up, white teeth contrasting the black background.
Some commotion was heard from outside as he looked away from her, stepping out to look.
"Sir, they're here, and earlier than we thought!"
He merely looked out at the three young adults sprinting towards the warehouse from a distance, a wide, cocky look in his eyes that could make anyone's blood boil.
"Then let em' have it!"