Haze's Family

By

Billie Jean's real lover

Chapter 1

Jackson

Wow. Isn't that something?

What is it?

Shade won. New York is free.

Do you know how he did it?

No he was destroyed with the Change Field before he could send anything. Either that or he didn't think it happened anywhere else.

So he's the only one besides Hong Kong?

That's right. But let's see if we can get L.A. in at least 3rd place shall we?

Alright then, what's our next mission?

I've detected another escapee that the Trackers have been chasing for days, he's somewhere near the Bank of America building.

Easy enough. See you tomorrow.

Don't be too cocky.

A splash from a puddle sent the team into 'combat ready' mode. Zedda, Jackelin, and Chrystal drew their swords and Edge extended his 'claws' and metalized his forearms. "Zedda," Edge whispered but Zedda was already sniffing the air using his Change-talent to pick up the sent of the intruder. "One human, around 13 years old, no creatures," he whispered, "and a few dead rats. The human is just outside spying on us, second window to the right." Edge retracted his metal claws and returned his arms to human flesh and turned slowly to the window where he say a dirty face with a mop of dark brown hair hanging down to the neck and nearly covering the eyes. The half covered eyes showed no fear, only deadly cunning and unnerving calm. "Well don't just stand there like creature bait, come on in!" said Edge quietly. The boy then rose to his full height and walked through the back door of the Bank of America building. He was startlingly tall and muscular. He must have stood at 5' 11" and the veins on his arms bulged. Yet, even with this physique, he had a smooth grace to his step. If the world wasn't the way it was the team could picture him in a leather jacket, big, dark sunglasses, and a James Dean hair-do instead of the filthy rags he was in and the grimy, tousled mess on his head. The boy grinned "Well ya gat me," he said in a rather deep voice for his age. Edge was surprised that he could speak complete sentences. Usually newly discovered runaways could only talk in fragments. "So you got a name?" Edge inquired. The boy looked up thoughtfully. "Neva really had one a them," he said, "but I call muself Jackson." Edge glanced into his eyes; they were an odd transparent silvery-blue. "Well then Jackson, if you'll come with us we'll give you a home and a chance to get some pay-back," Edge said with a grin. "Ok," Jackson said, "where's home? But before we go, can I get some names?" Edge quickly introduced everyone and led the way slowly and cautiously out the door in single file, Edge in the lead, Zedda behind him, Jackson in the middle, Crystal, and Jacquelyn in the rear. After three blocks Zedda stiffened and tapped Edge on the shoulder. The group stopped and pressed up against the nearest building that used to be a pawn shop. "What kind and how many?" Edge whispered. "Six Trackers around the corner and fourteen Myrmididons two blocks down from them," Zedda whispered back. Edge put his head against the wall. "Great, just great. I don't want a fight while we got Jackson. You think there are any Ferrets in Line-5?" Zedda pondered for a moment. "It was pretty damp last time I checked, I guess it's worth a shot." Edge plotted their new course and checked his watch. "Shit, the suns up in two hours, no way in hell we could make it, lets get back to the bank building and camp there." The group then turned around and scrambled back into the Bank of America building and climbed up six stories to avoid any possibility of trouble from Ferrets. "So Jackson, how'd you get out of the dorms?" Edge inquired once they had reached an empty room on the sixth floor. Jackson grinned. "There were three of us been plannin this fera while. On the day when there was only one Tracker on watch I knock his lights out, my pal Joe hacks the lock, and me, Mel, and Joe slip out. Only Joe was caught outside and as much as it bugs me, we didn't try to save him, just kept runnin'. Mel and me, we split up and planned to meet ere tonight but I'm worried she got caught. A couple hours ago I went up and around a few streets to look for her there were a bunch a death markers everywhere but no sign of human blood, so I head back ere and I find you guys inside and wa-la, ere we are. Been bout a month since we escaped." As Edge nodded a high pitched scream rang out. Jackson leapt to his feet and a horrified look shot across his face. "Mel! That's her!" he exclaimed, "We gotta help her!" Edge had already metalized his arms, extended his claws, and bolted to the elevator shaft in the hallway, the others right behind him. He then plunged his hands into the small seam between the sealed metal doors and started to shove it open. Jackson stared dumb founded while the others jumped to their feet. "I'll go down this shaft while you guys take the stairs and I'll see if I can save her, a little help Jackson?" Jackson snapped out of his amazement and assisted Edge in opening the doors. "The six Trackers," Zedda reported, "can't seem to find the Myrmididons but I think they're still where the were." Edge reached out and grabbed the steel cord, arms and hands still metalized. "Get going you guys, I'll blow the whistle if it gets too dangerous." He then swung out and descended rapidly down the elevator shaft while the others took to the stairs. Mel's screams continued as the Trackers attempted to drag her away.