Resurrection

Dr.D paused at the door and drank the sight in.
It was something he had believed was lost, the council had fallen into new hands and although he loved them all it had never been the same. Now there was something in the air that approached hope and it had come in the form of the man in the seat at the head of the Council. He had insisted and nobody had argued, once Frank had been seen back in the familiar green and yellow, his raygun under his arm and the Frankenstein mask parked on the side of his head.
“We have very little time. They wanted all of us for some unknown reason and now I am back on the outside we don’t know what that will mean for the others.”
There was a pause, all of the group taking in the fact that Fun Ghoul had returned to them from the grave and the tantalising news that the others were still alive. Not only Party but Kobra and Jet. It had sent a wave of hope and fresh buzz through the killjoy community and it was that which Rainbow wanted to build on. She sat next to him, it still felt like a dream to feel his arms around her and to hear his voice and it was hard to focus as he listened to the various reports from around the zones.
“Have we heard from Kobra?”
All eyes turned to where Crimson stood leaning against the back wall. She still kept herself apart and Ghoul had been horrified to learn second hand of the reason for the new scars on both his friends. He wanted to hear it first hand and slap them both but he knew that could wait. The photograph of Gerard had appalled him, to see his best friend and lover as a grinning shell of his former self was something he couldn’t take in and it had been that which had spurred him to attend the meeting despite the pain and disorientation he was feeling.
“No. Not since we freed you but they are bound to be watching them closely so it could be he can’t get clear enough to call.”
“And Toxic?”
Neon half raised a hand, entranced like all the others to see Ghoul return from the dead.
“He’s watching Gerard and listening for any command to act. If they try anything he’s still too outnumbered to interfere.”
A rise of voices greeted this. There had still been the arguments about raiding the city now they knew that the men were still breathing. Ghoul himself had pointed out that the numbers were too small to try that, Rainbow adding that it could mean Korse pulled the trigger on their friends before they even got close. It had got heated and Dr D now turned his attention to Crimson, her face impassive until she caught his eye and winked. He smirked, never quite able to reconcile her loss to his cause anymore than losing the boys.
“Shut the fuck up and listen.”
Their heads turned, Ghoul hiding his smile in his coffee mug as Crim looked at the group.
“You’re both right in a way. We need to go get the others but we don’t have the numbers to do it upfront. So we use what we have. Mikey has a tracker on his phone, we point Toxic to follow it. If Korse is going to attempt to move the guys then he will use the Scarecrows. We get into the city and find them via the Stealthsuits. You guys create a diversion elsewhere and draw troops away from the city.”
There was a silence, Crim knew that a good percentage of the room wanted her dead as much as Korse and wondered even now whether attempting this was a good idea but Party’s face in her head said she was going to find him or die trying. She glanced at Ghoul, the same resolution on his face as Neon and Fairy raised their voices to be heard.
“You think Korse will move them?”
“You trust HER?”
Ghoul shook his head as the room descended into chaos. More than ever he missed Party and the way he could hold all the egos together. They couldn’t fight BLI while they were fighting themselves, it just wouldn’t work. He pulled himself painfully to his feet, both hands resting on the table in front of him as he shouted to make himself heard.
“HAS IT COME TO THIS?”
A silence immediately fell, all eyes turning to the angry man before them. Frank was sick of this shit, sick to his stomach of seeing how their deaths had torn his family apart. It had to end and end now if they were to find his brothers and bring them home.
“No more infighting, no more bullshit. I want to storm in there like the rest of you but it won’t work and I won’t risk their lives again to appease some hot headed fucks who don’t know what total war means.”
A few of the younger killjoys dropped their eyes, only Crimson and Rainbow now wearing broad smiles at the resurfacing of Ghoul’s temper. Most of the killjoys had only ever seen his humour and not the driven and somewhat hard man beneath. Frank was a good man but Ghoul could be a demon.
“Crim’s plan is logical and whatever problems have arisen while I’ve been away can be addressed AFTER we get the guys home.”
Ghoul continued to stare around the room until everyone nodded and he looked over to where Dr D continued to keep watch. There had been a long discussion with the DJ about a way of provoking the enemy and now he told them the plan.
“Tomorrow night Dr D is going to get Toxic to patch us back into Battery City.”
He paused, letting this sink in. Even Rainbow looked a little surprised, they had not tried to tap into the media system of the new city since the boys had died and she didn’t know that it could still be done. Dr D had been keeping the news close to his chest, waiting for just the right moment to spring this surprise.
“I am going to tell them I’m alive just as Gerard is and send them the message that we are not dead and that we are coming for them.”
There was a massive swell of cheering and clapping, the feeling again running through the killjoys that now they could once again come out of the shadows and actually strike a blow at BLI. Crimson nodded, seeing the plan within the plan as Rainbow allowed a small smile to cross her face.
“You’re going to force them into trying to move Gerard.”
Ghoul nodded, his smile purely for her as he looked at the others.
“Yes, we want them to think we are attacking in force. I suggest a couple of squads strike as we send the girls in. Toxic has already been briefed. If we are really lucky they may bring the three of them together. If so, having Kobra ready to help to is also an advantage. If anyone can break the programming it could be Gerard seeing his brother.”
Crimson was now on a high, this would work and she could get them close as long as Toxic could keep broadcasting and once in the city, they would be able to contact Mikey if needed. She picked up a bottle from the table and took a swig before realising that several of them were staring at her. One of the older ones, Black Mercury was in the front, they had long since hated each other. Crim being responsible for her lovers death didn’t exactly help.
“After the rescue, there has to be a trial.”
“Don’t worry, I could die in the rescue.”
Rainbow winced at Crimson baiting the angry section of the crowd as Ghoul started to giggle. It was all too familiar and the pain started to abate a little as he settled back into his life. Being dead had been fine, being tortured not so much but now he felt things were right again and that included the first hot rush of desire flooding his system as he looked at Rainbow. He had never wanted her so much and it took an effort to turn his attention back to the confrontation.
“We can discuss this after. You have my word.”
Mercury nodded slowly and the room started to empty. Ghoul allowed the exhaustion to take over and sat back down. Instantly Rainbow had a hand against his forehead and she gazed anxiously at Dr D.
“Does this have to be so soon, he needs to rest.”
“I’m fine.”
“You are not!”
Dr D and Crimson shared a hug, the moment making them feel as Ghoul had done. Things were getting back to how they should be and what mattered now was bringing the others home. After that they could go after BLI proper.
“I am, I need to do this.”
Rainbow sighed and kissed him, his hands stroking down her back told her his thoughts and she knew she could never let him out of her sight again. For now though, he needed her support to stand and both Rainbow and Crimson supported him as they headed back up to the radio station near the top of the club.
Again it was time for goodbyes as the girls went to get suited up. They were going to plant the message in the zones so everyone outside could tune in. Ghoul watched them go, setting his watch to three hours on the timer. He knew they would have no contact now until the plan was initiated and he allowed himself to hope that Party, Kobra and Jet would be with them when they returned. Rainbow and Crimson needed time to get into the city and the squads needed time to prepare.
“Now then Dr….”
Dr D grinned at the huge smile on Ghoul’s face as both men turned their attention to the consoles in front of them. They were on the clock, less than twenty four hours to work a small miracle and it was time to make some serious noise.

Notes