Reunion

The arrow struck the lead grown-up in the shoulder,knocking it back into its small group of hunters."Nice one!But don't waste those arrows!" called Leon.Jordan nodded and slung his bow,picking up his pace.Leon followed,hefting his iron bar and the bag of scavenged supplies.As the two boys ran,the hunters surged forwards,eager to catch their prey.Leon gasped,"They're gaining on us,hurry!" Jordan said nothing,but his already astounding pace increased again,forcing the tiring Leon to speed up.They just had to meet up with adults, and not just any adults.The two boys were being chased by running adults who could track them by their scents.This was bad,very bad.Unless they had perhaps five other fighters the two boys may never get back to their hiding place.In Leon's thoughts,he wondered again if there really was a God.In Jordan's he worried for Jackie living alone with two other boys and an insane girl.Just as Leon felt a cold hand brush his shoulder,a barrage of rocks and sharpened sticks struck the grown-ups behind them.

The onslaught of projectiles brought down three of the hunters and injured more of them.The remainder of the adults shrank back from the ambush and fled,howling in pain and anger.Leon shuddered at the sight.These adults were smart too,knowing when to retreat.Smart runners who could track?Wonderful.Hopefully this grotesque development would be contained within that particular group.He turned to face he and Jordan's rescuers.It was a group of kids who looked as hardened as Jordan.There were seven of them.Four boys and three girls.The kids wielded a wide range of weapons which fell into the ranged category.Leon counted four sports bows much like Jordan's,slingshots both makeshift and authentic,sharpened bamboo poles which could be used as spears and carving knives thrust into belts and pockets.He did not recognize most of them,but the lead boy was familiar to him.He whispered,"Elias?"

Jordan,Leon and Elias settled down in the void deck.Elias' kids spread out, all keeping a lookout except for his second Han,who joined in the conversation.The talk started out with many questions fired back and forth between Leon,Elias and Han,who were all from the same class.Elias and Han were well pleased that Leon,Kumar,William and Alice were still around and lamented still of the losses of Matt,Aki and the other kids who were the most noteworthy.When asked,Elias told Leon that he,Han and Mohammed were separated from the main group of students after a particularly bloody skirmish with some twenty adults.The three boys had then tried to find their lost friends but ended up gathering a new band of fighters.Mohammed had been killed only two weeks ago on a raid.The other boy and four girls in Elias' group were found scattered hiding in various buildings.Each had their own tale to tell but Elias withheld their stories 'for another time'.Jordan spoke up,"Its great you found your friends Leon,so can you and your other friends move out of my home now?" Elias and Han were shocked into silence by the coldness of Jordan.Before the silence could turn to shouting, Leon quickly said,"We'll talk about it later,I need to discuss this with Elias." He beckoned to his friend and the two boys went to a corner to talk,leaving Han and Jordan glaring at each other.

"...So he took us in,reluctantly at least."
"But I still can't believe he shot William and got away with it."
"We had no choice.With Alice's mind gone and that we were running low on supplies.."
"When someone tells you never to go into his or her room,they have something to hide,especially if its someone you don't really know.Leave Jordan." Elias finished firmly.Leon shook his head.Elias was intensely loyal to his friends,so his stand was one that Leon expected.Leon pressed,"Alice is in no fit shape to wander around like a nomad,and William still haven't recovered from his wound.At least camp near Jordan's place.I promise I'll convince him to see this arrangement's good.Until William recovers and Alice calms down long enough,alright?" Elias sighed and nodded.It was hard to argue with Leon's cool logic.They returned to Jordan and Han,suggestion at the ready.

Jordan did not take the suggestion of having Elias and his team camping nearby happily but the offer of leaving immediately after William and Alice were fit to move.The four boys in the discussion shook hands and bumped fists.Elias gathered his team and they set out to Jordan's home.