In the woods...close enough to hear...

[tribal_ryan]

Ryan moved stealthily through the woods. Having lived there for the past few years it came almost naturally now. He'd had to knock out two outer sentries already as he drew closer to the compound. Exactly what he was going to do to rescue Sal and his baby he really wasn't sure. He was certain it had something to do with knocking alot of heads

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[outcast_may]

And then, off to the side there were voices much closer. She motioned the girls closer and peered around a tree. Lex stood facing a blonde man with his back to her. He looked somehow familiar. Lex, you idiot! She fumed. Leave it to him to be standing around in a forest occupied by the Chosen having a conversation with someone.

She motioned for Patsy and Cloe to see if they could catch sight of who the other man was.

[_cloe_]

Cloe crept behind May silently. She guessed Lex was also looking for the missing MallRats. Cloe stared staright ahead. Without warning, Cloe fell to the groun with an "Oumph". SShe looked back and saw the root she tripped on. "Ow..." Tears formed in Cloe's eyes. She had blown their cover. May wouldn't be happy. Cloe laid still, trying not to draw any more attention than she had already.

[outcast_may]

May couldn't help it - she groaned. She certainly wasn't afraid of Lex and whoever he was talking to, but this wasn't exactly how she had wanted to make their presence known.

[_cloe_]

Cloe huffed and picked herself up off the ground. 'stupid trees.' she thought. Cloe rolled her eyes.

[tribal_ryan]

Ryan turned at the unexpected sound. Was it a Chosen guard? He moved swiftly to push aside the covering leaves, ready to defend himself, and found himself looking at several very familiar faces.

"Cloe? May? Patsy??" He didn't recognize the fourth girl, but figured she must be a MallRat too as she was with them.

Were all the MallRats attempting rescue missions on their own?

[_cloe_]

Cloe's jaw dropped. Was she seeing a ghost? Or was it really him?

Cloe blinked a few times and finally spoke.

"Ryan? Is that really you?"

Cloe stared at him, at his face. Ryan had always cared for Patsy and Cloe. And Once they got Salene back, their little happy family would be together again.

Cloe smiled and slowly walked towards him. She reached up and touched his face "Ryan...." She whispered. She suddenly flung herself around Ryan in a giant hug.

[_patsy_]

Patsy stood perfectly still, staring. She stared at the people before them, after scanning past Lex, whom Patsy really didn't care to see, she saw Ryan. Her face lit up and she smiled brightly when she realized he was really there. He was one of the missing! One of her old friends, back from the "dead", and life would be even more normal.

"Ryan! Ryan, it's Patsy! Oh, I missed you! I just got back to the mall yesterday and they said you were missing! I'm so glad you are alright!"

Patsy ran up and joined Cloe in engulfing Ryan in a giant hug.

[gel413]

Gel wanted so much to go over with her friends but she didn't know this new person. She turned to May and asked, "Ryan? Who's Ryan? Do you know him?" She looked to Patsy and Cloe, hoping they wouldn't forget about her now that they had found an old friend to talk to.

[outcast_may]

May was in shock herself. Ryan? After all this time? Well, why not? she asked herself. Patsy had just returned yesterday, and she had been missing for as long as Ryan. "That's Ryan." She told Gel. "Salene's hu....huh...huh..." she stuttered. Salene's husband. she had almost said. But with all the time that had passed, with all the changes that counted nearly as much as the wedding between Lex and Tai San! "He's a MallRat." She told Gel. "One of the first. The Chosen took him away around the same time as Patsy."

[tribal_ryan]

Ryan's face relaxed into a smile as he hugged the two girls, one in each arm. "Hey, you two! Look at you!" His eyes went from Cloe to Patsy. The little girls he had known had grown up. He looked up at May. "Yeah." Was his reply to her comment that people would be surprised to see him, looking a bit uncomfortable.

Then he noticed the weapon strapped to Patsy's wrist. "A T-Gun?" He looked over at Cloe, holding up her wrist. His eyes again went to May, frowning deeply. "Why do I get the feeling these came from you."

[_cloe_]

Ryans hands were cold as he gripped her wrist. She could feel his hand become tighter the more upset he became.

"Ryan don't be upset. We were gonna use them to get Salene back." She looked up at Ryan. A tiny tear formed in her eye. He was a father to her after the virus. He and Salene had carred for her and Patsy. As soon as they got Salene, Bray, Mouse and Baby Bray back, their little happy family would be back to the way it was.

Cloe wondered if Ryan would approve of Ved. She bit her lip. 'better not bring that up right now,' she thought to herself.

[outcast_may]

"Exactly." May nodded at what Cloe had said. "This is a rescue mission, Ryan. As I keep reminding them." Her gaze encompassed all the girls. "Would you have preferred we come with sticks and baseball bats and risk someone getting hurt in close combat?" She crossed her arms over her chest, "With the T-Guns the Chosen won't get close enough to do any harm. And we can take out more faster." She coughed suddenly and grimaced at the pain in her throat.

[gel413]

Gel noticed May's grimace. "Here have this," she said and gave May her watter bottle. She took off the scarf she was wearing and gave that to May too. "I don't want you getting any sicker than you already are." she explained. Gel adjusted the T-gun on her wrist. she was now anxious to rescue Salene and Mouse and the others.

[outcast_may]

"Thanks, Gel." She looked at the scarf a bit skeptically, but wrapped it around her neck, tucking the ends inside her jacket. She didn't need any loose ends flying that anyone could grab ahold of. She shook her head at the water. "I don't want any of you catching my cold. You three need the water." The last thing she wanted was anyone else feeling as miserable as she was. And then a sudden thought occurred to her. "Ryan. How do you know about the T-Guns?" Patsy had been missing as long as he had and she didn't know anything about the Techno technology. How was it then that Ryan did?

[gel413]

Gel put the water back in her back pack and waited for Ryan to answer May's question. Gel had been wondering the samw thing May had.

[tribal_ryan]

Ryan shifted uncomfortably, looking down at the ground. "I...used to know some people who had them." He replied sadly, "They played the Game..." He stopped himself from saying any more. He wasn't ready to reveal where he had been all this time, or what all he had been doing. And right now wasn't the proper place or time anyway.

He looked towards where the shouting had beencoming from. It was all quiet now and he didn't like it.