• Kreed's phone rang again, reaching once more into his pocket he placed the phone to his ear. "Umm...Kreed. There's a girl here. She's refusing to leave until she sees you."

    "Relax Dahli." Kreed comforted his fellow council member.

    "Relax? I can't stand this time of year. Every pup who calls themselves a helldog sees fit to try and attend the running of fire before the day of classes starts. Do you know the pressure I am under!? Get the the hell over here now, I don't have time to deal with this crap!"

    *CLICK*

    He tried to process what Dahli had told him. He was certain that it wasn't the girl he spoke to earlier as she took off in the opposite direction, in a hurry to boot. He dismissed the thought, he knew not to upset Dahli, a lesson he learned when he was first drafted as the 3rd council member for the cerborian populace of the campus.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    The Docks. Dock 7. Munitions Factory *Abandoned*
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Arriving at the docks Kreed quickly jumped up the side of the abandoned factory, the campus's gathering point for all cerborians. Peeking into the hazy faded window he peered to the left and right, hoping to avoid Dahli, alas today luck was not on his side as a boot was quickly thrown at him, missing him by a few inches.

    "She's in the lounge. She smells like you Red." Dahli crossed her arms, her eyes lit up from anger. "And your late!"

    "Always cute when angry...I think the accent plays into it." Kreed grinned as he hopped from the window and onto the floor, walking past her he made sure to keep his guard up, always wary of catching a playful backhand.

    Knocking on the lounge door before entering, as taught, Kreed heard shuffling on the other side. Opening the door, his jaw nearly hit the floor.

    "Kreed!" The girl stood from her seat in a hurry, nearly toppling over from light-headedness.

    "Lily..." Kreed spoke softly, closing the door behind him, leaving a peeking Dahli to herself.

    "Bollocks.." Dahli huffed.

    ________________________________________


    Kreed smiled warmly as he cast a soft gaze onto the girl that stood before him. "It's good to see you Lily."

    Lily instantly smiled upon hearing his voice. "I've come a long way big brother!" She puffed up proudly as she set her backpack down beside the chair that she had been setting in prior to his arrival.

    "Excuse me for a moment." Kreed sighed as he took his right foot and kicked the door behind him.

    "You a**!" Dahli clutched her ear in pain as it had been pressed to the door for most of the conversation.

    "Quit eavesdropping and that wouldn't have happened." Kreed motioned for Lily to grab her backpack and follow him into the main offices or what used to be before the place had shut down.

    Sitting in a dilapidated chair, Lily sitting across from him in another cubicle, Kreed spoke once again.

    "So tell me. What are you doing here? Not that I am not glad to see you. But the journey from..." He paused, not feeling right about calling her home his own. "It takes almost a day to get here."

    "Well!" Lily spoke, full of life and eagerness to tell her story. "I hitched a ride with some bikers for the whole trip actually. They called themselves *Typhons Watchers*." She turned her head slightly as she watched his reaction which was a wicked yet hearty grin.

    "Those are Victor's riders. Nice guys, wouldn't harm a thing unless they see fit to. They actually have honor." Kreed nodded sagely.

    "Mom and Dad miss you too Kreed." Lily changed the subject, she knew that she would have to bring it up now or later, she figured that she would go ahead and get it over with.

    "I have no mother, nor father. I'm glad we're catching up but..." Kreed narrowed his eyes, plumes of flame flowed from his mouth as he spoke. "Don't speak on that subject again."

    Lily nodded, she understood where he was coming from and she now knew his temperament on the matter.

    ________________________________________

    "I'm sorry Kreed. I kinda figured that even though this time has passed, you still hold such feelings."

    "Stop."

    "The look that you gave before you left with them..."

    "Stop talking..."

    "Please tell me Kreed. What was going through your mind at that moment..."

    "You want to ******** know!? My parents. MY PARENTS! Who I adored! Who I thought made the damn sun rise in the morning handed me to the collectors without a second thought!" Kreed stood, kicking over a chair in the cubicle with enough force to knock a hole in the wall. "And do you want to know the best part Lily? The best part of that moment!? The look that they gave, you were clutching to her leg so you couldn't see their faces, and he was simply looking ahead. BUT! The best part! They never looked at me. They pushed me out of the door and turned away. Not a second thought."

    Lily could not speak, she could not muster the courage to look her brother in the eyes. That look had been haunting her for so many years was finally explained. She would not cry, not in front of her brother, this would only upset him further.

    Kreed stormed out of the door, his blood to the point of boiling over. Dahli stood outside, waiting, her preparations for the run was complete, she was just killing time from here on in.

    "Oi! You alright?" She spoke softly, she felt the heat emanating from him, it was rage.

    "Get her a place to stay and something to eat. I need a drink."

    "But you don't drink that..." She stopped, she was puzzled, she had known him to always reject that part of him. The part that still tied him to a more feral nature.

    "I might start..." With that final comment he walked out the back entrance of the factory.

    Dahli poked her head in the doorway where Lily was still sitting, head looking at the floor.

    "You really must have pissed him off there sweets...."


    ((( TO BE CONTINUED? )))

    smile