Marco teleported to an empty room on the other side of the theatre. As soon as they landed, he dropped to his knees and tugged the little girl into his arms. Zen stood back trying not to ruin the moment by spewing all over them. She took deep breaths.

“Edline!” He cried.

The little girl turned bright citrine eyes on him. “Marco? Is that you?”

“Yes!”

The little girl struggled in his hold again.

“Um, Marco? You’re smothering your sister,” Isaias said as he took in the color the little girl was turning.

“Marco looked at Edline and sighed letting go. The minute he did, Edline kicked him in the shin. Marco winced and rubbed his leg.

“Why did you run away? You really did it this time Marco. Stephan hates your guts and I don’t like you either!”

“But! I had to run away! There were bad men after me!”

Edline pouted crossing her arms. “Then why not take us with you? Stephan begged you to! I would’ve too!”

“I was too young to take care of two children,” Marco began.

“Stephan is two years younger and I was eight! We could look out for ourselves. You were selfish, Marco and it’s going to bite you,” Edline signaled her rear end, “right in the kisser. I might forgive you but not Stephan.”

“But you’ll forgive me?”

“If you can get me out of here.”

Zen smiled.” We’ll get you out...that I promise you,” she said kneeling to gaze at Edline in the eyes.

“Who’re you,” Edline asked with a tilt of her head.

“Ed, these are my friends. Zen Amargarita and Isaias Amargarita,” said Marco pointing to each one.

“Are you two married?”

Isaias choked and Zen turned a little green.

“It’s enough to be related to this pain in the rear,” said Zen smiling. “He’s my twin brother.” She turned to Isaias and patted him on the back. “Isaias, you can breathe now,” she said rolling her eyes. Her brother was so dramatic.

“Listen, kid, don’t ever say that again,” he muttered shuddering.

Zen tugged on his hair. “I’m not that bad!”

“Oh heck yes, you are! You are a clone of Mama! I pity the guy that falls for you.”

“Well, I pity the guy you are into!”

“Zen!” Cried Isaias eyes wide. He turned towards Marco who glared at him.

Zen covered her mouth. “Oops?”

Edline giggled at the twin’s antics. “You guys are funny,” she said.

A loud alarm busted into being around them.

Zen covered her sensitive ears. “What is that?” She screamed as the others were busy doing the same.

“They know I’m gone. We have to leave. Now!” screamed Edline as she took Marco’s hand. Marco took Isaias’s and Isaias grabbed Zen’s hand before all four were gone in a teleport.

Zen promised herself she was never teleporting again after this as she ran to catch up to the other three still feeling queasy. It didn’t matter who was doing the teleporting. It was a horrendous way to travel.

Stolen novel; please report.

“Hurry up Zen!”

Zen flipped Isaias the bird, but she quickened her steps not wanting to get caught in the act of stealing a vehicle from these people. She made it to the rusted Humvee. It was the color of canned sardines. She stood by her brother who was trying to rewire the ugly thing.

“No use! If this thing doesn’t have enough electricity to power the battery, none of them do!”

Edline grinned. “If it’s electricity you need, I can help with that.” She began crackling with bolts of electricity and soon more electricity gathered into her hands. She shot it into the car and the vehicle coughed to life right there in the underground parking lot.

Isais slammed the hood down and gave Marco a curious stare.” How come all three of you have different elements, Marco? She has electricity, you have wind, and your brother is water? Asked Isaias.

Marco glared at him again. “Stay out of my business, Isaias!” He pulled the rusted doors open and slid in before slamming them shut.

Isaias glared at Zen who withered slightly and got into the passenger seat after making sure Edline was secure with her brother in the back.

Isaias got into the driver’s side and began to pull the bucket of bolts out of the parking lot and onto the main road. He was backing out of the lot when Mara and Neta came into the parking lot. Shifting gears and spinning the wheel Isaias punched the gas and they were free. Not ten minutes later two 3017 Rollers, (half monster trucks, half tanks,) were gaining on them.

.

Zen looked into the side view mirror.

“Those Rollers are getting closer!”

Marco sprang from his seat. “On it!” He cracked open his window and aimed his Destroyer at the large wheels. He shot off several rounds before climbing back into the car.

“That’ll slow them down approximately ten minutes…unless they have disengaged drive system installed…which they probably do.”

“Brother, use your wind element to knock them out of the sky!”

Marco was tempted but he was exhausted too. A move like that might cost him later.

“I can’t Edline, I’m too exhausted.”

“Then let me fry them! They’ve been a sore in my back for a long time,” she said.

“Kid’s got ya there Marco. She’s powerful enough to stall for some time,” Isaias said.

“We are not using my sister!”

“She’s our only chance!”

“She’s my baby sister! What if it was Zen that was used like this?”

Zen rolled her eyes. “First I wouldn’t give him a choice I’d just do it and second…it’s her choice. She is plenty grown up to make the choice to use her powers or not. Third baby sisters kick ass!”

Edline smiled at Zen and inclined her head. “If brother will hold me so that I don’t slip out the window, I can shoot some electricity at those Rollers.”

Marco scowled but did as she said and held on tightly to her waist as she poked her body out the window. Electricity charged into her hands and she shot several bolts making the cars skid off the road.

Edline pouted. “I missed.”

“At least it will slow them down for a few minutes while they get those massive Rollers on the road again,” Zen comforted the distraught 13-year-old.

Edline grinned “Yeah! And I can always shoot again too!”

Marco pulled her in and sat her next to him. “You aren’t doing that again Edline!”

Edline frowned. “If I’m needed to, I will big brother!” Then she crossed her arms over her chest and huffed. “I’m not a baby Marco. I’m almost 14 now!”

Zen smiled from her chair.

“We have to discuss…whoa,” Isaias swerved the wheel taking the car sideways as the Roller tried ramming them. “Not on my watch!” He spun the wheel and shifted gears. The car spun and then took off, a mighty Roller behind them. “We’ve got to get them off our tail! Edline you ready for another try?”

Zen shook her head. “They’re shooting us now! That’s dangerous Isaias!”

“Right! Marco, can you shoot them again?”

The rapid fire hit the car, making them all duck and the car tailgate.

Isais held on to the wheel and shifted again slowing down, and turning direction, heading into the ruined city. “Pray I lose them in this mess!”

They drove for a few minutes on the streets. Zen looked into the side view mirrors and the back mirror. “I don’t see anything.”

“Yeah, Isaias maybe we…get down!”Yelled Marco.

More rapid fire. They were stuck in the old car.

Edline didn’t hesitate, she ported everyone out of the car and onto the streets several ways away from the car just as it exploded. Zen stood shakily hanging onto her brother as the effects of porting wore off.

“Good thinking Edline! We were goners in that car,” Isaias said.

Marco placed a hand on Edline’s shoulder. “Good job baby sister.” Then he looked at the others. “What’ll we do now though? That car was our way out.”

“It’ll be safer on foot I think,” Zen muttered finally able to stand upright again. Whether she’d be able to walk was another problem. Rapid fire rained down upon them and she found the energy to run right beside everyone else.