Desert Children (Killjoys)

Drop The Knife

My heart pounded in my chest as we approached the tunnel entrance to Battery City. A Drac came to meet us at our car. He removed his mask. Behind the mask was Jet Star. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes, but I held them back and slid into the backseat of a Drac car. The car was cool and smelt sterile, reminding me of my days spent in my room in Battery City.

    Jet Star said nothing to me at first. I thought Cola was coming with us, but Jet told him to send more Killjoys in an hour. I assumed that Jet had really betrayed us and turned me in. I slammed my fists on the window and screamed at Cola. He couldn't hear me as he drove away.

    "So you're going to turn me in now?" I asked.

    "Why in the hell would I do that?" Jet responded.

    "Then why is Cola leaving? We were supposed to be in this together." I yelled.

    Jet sighed. "Calm the fuck down, first of all. I'm sending you to get Ghoul. The rest of them will be a little more difficult. They are controlled by chips on the back of their necks. The only way to save them is the removal of the chips."

    We had to go through several checkpoints before we were allowed into the city. I clenched and unclenched my hands and stared at all of the tall, chrome buildings. Moving ads on the buildings advertised their medication with phrases like, "Be Happy" and "Live Life In the Fast Lane". We drove over a small bridge and parked in front of the HQ. Before I could open the door, Jet swung it open and yanked me out. He tied my hands behind my back and I did not struggle, remembering the plan.

    It found it extremely hard to balance trying to walk across the pavement where I had held Ghoul in my arms a month before. Jet pulled his mask back on and showed the Dracs at the door his ID. They stared at me and took notice of how obedient I was. Walking into the reception area, memories flashed through my head. I remembered the white floor with the BLI logo in the center smeared with the blood of Killjoys and Dracs alike. I felt sick to my stomach.

    "May I help you?"

    A grinning, Japanese reception lady looked up at us from an organized desk. She held a silver pen in her hand with another BLI phrase printed on it. I could almost see my reflection in her straight, white teeth. Her perfect ponytail swung slightly when she moved.

    "Here to bring in a captured bandit." Jet said in a monotone voice.

    "Good! I'll sign you in." She said in a way too bubbly voice, her pen moving as she wrote down a name on a chart.

    Jet guided me past her to an elevator that I remembered from the time I was with Ghoul. We stood in the quiet elevator, a funny feeling in my stomach coming when the elevator shot upwards. Out of the corner of my eye, a small camera watched our every move. I glared at it and narrowed my eyes as the door to the elevator slid open.

    Jet pushed me out of the elevator and I stumbled, almost falling on my ass. He caught me before I fell. His gloved hand reached for an office door and opened it before pushing me again into the darkness. A light flickered on to reveal a long, glass table surrounded by black chairs. Computer screens printed with the BLI logo filled the room. Jet checked the room for bots and cameras before pulling off his mask and untying my hands.

    "Take the elevator up to the 64th floor. Take a right and go straight until you come to the last door on your left. Good luck." Jet ran out of the room and slammed the door before I could ask any questions.

    I took a deep breath before opening the door and going to the elevator again. I waited for the elevator doors to open. A young woman with blonde hair in a bun smiled at me politely before I stepped in. We sat in silence until she got to her floor and stepped out.