A Zusi's Path

Chapter 10: Trapped

(Art of 5k10L by me (c) )

"How did you manage that!", 5k01L said looking at the gold Re3x0 had just put on the table. "Boss, I thought you said he couldn't do it!", R4y1n said looking in awe as to what Re3x0 has retrieved. "Now, now. I never said that. I merely said that it would be difficult!", 5k01L rephrased as he walked towards Re3x0. "Hey run- kid. Do you think you could possibly get more?", he asked with a grin on his muzzle. Re3x0 rubbed the back of his neck, "I am not sure.. I don't want to get in trouble with my dad if he finds out", he answered.

"Your dad?", 5k01L asked tilting his head. "D6a50, why?", he answered. F4ng1 and R4y1n both gasp in surprise to hear. "He has the silver tag right?" R4y1n asked. "He is covered in scars right!", F4ng1 exclaimed.

"Now now boys, settle down! Your father can't possibly be the top defender of the capital is he?", he asked. Re3x0 hesitated but gave a nod, "He is.. Why do you want to know that?", he asked. 5k01L just grinned, "Oh no reason, no reason at all... Let me talk with these two, and we'll think about letting you join our little group", he said calling his two henchmen to the corner of the room.

"Are we really gonna let him in the group?" F4ng1 asked. 5k01L just smiled, "This is perfect! I mean his father is powerful and a role model to many, this runt is probably going to have a similar task given to him as his father. If we get his loyalty with us, we get away with crime!", he plotted looking at the two. "Uh.. Don't we already do that though?", R4y1n asked, raising his paw slightly.

"Yeah, but think about all the trouble we go through! We could really use a guy on the inside! He could always claim we're innocent even if we get caught.", he cleared up. "Oh! I like that a lot better, don't have to clean up our mess!", F4ng1 agreed nodding his head.

"Now you see why we need someone like him don't ya? Now, he's in. We'll inform the others soon", he said before standing up tall and facing Re3x0's direction who was clueless about what they were talking about. "How would you like to meet the rest of our group?", he asked. Re3x0 tilted his head, "There's more of you?", he asked.

"Yeah yeah! There's uh.. One two.. Three.. Six of us! Oh uh.. Seven now, including you", F4ng1 answered grinning slightly. "Seven.. What is this group called anyway?", he asked. "We are, the ones no one in this town truly accepts. Outcasts, or some like to call us the Rejects, or Rebels.. Either way, we always have something up our sleeves though", 5k01L said unsheathing his claws only to seath them back. "Come along now, Re3x0. We'll introduce you to the others", he said lifting his tail off the ground and began to pad out of the abandoned building.

"He's gonna get to meet the big guy!", R4y1n said rubbing his paws together. "The big guy?", Re3x0 echoed as he followed the three, beginning to question their motives. The four Zusi were walking down the town, and soon they came towards a metal covering in the ground which lead to the Koina .

5k01L grinned as he lifted the cover that led into the down Koina, which was where the colony's waste went. The sudden horrid smell hit Re3x0 smack in the face, causing him to dry heave and take a few steps back. "I am not going in there!", he quickly complained. "It seems that you don't really want to come and join us", 5k01L snickered.

This causing Re3x0 to cross his arms and take a few steps closer to the hole in the ground and took a deep breath before he started his way to climb down the hole.

The three still above ground all chuckled and smirked. "Alright! Here we go!", 5k01L says to the other two before they put the metal cover over the hole, blocking the light source to the Koina. The moment the area went pitch black, Re3x0 panicked and ran back to the beginning of the tunnel, and hit his paws against the opening.

"Hey! That's not funny! Open it up!", he demanded, before retching from the smell. The two above ground were laughing. "You have to keep going runt! Make it to the end!", F4ng1 sneered at him.

Re3x0 lowered his ears and squinted his eyes and looked through the depths of the tunnel, he could hardly see the faintest bit of a yellow light shining through. Holding his paws and tail close to his body he then briskly made his way in that direction. His ears perked up, and twitching at every sound, running water in the distance and water dripping from pipes that lined the walls. He began to go nose blind to the horrible stench, and all other scents that lingered in the air.

Suddenly, that single yellow hue of light faded and grew closer on its own. Re3x0 soon stopped in his track once he felt two things quickly rushed past him quickly. "What is that!", he yelped as he quickly tried to look around to see what loomed in the darkness and he began to slowly back up.

"Who's the new meat?", a voice echoed in a soft voice. "He looks small, not a lot of meat on the bones", another responded. Feeling threatened Re3x0 fluffed out his tail and got his horns ready to attack. "I wouldn't do that if I were you kit", a deep and scratchy voice sounded directly behind Re3x0.

Without a moment's hesitation he quickly turned around and charged at who he heard, though he was instantly apprehended by something that charged him in response. Re3x0 then was knocked to the ground on his back, his head throbbing from the blow. Looking up he saw a faint light began to grow. Not long later the entire room was illuminated, and he saw four Zusi looking at him. A purple and black Zusi with dark green eyes, a White and silver Zusi with pale cream eyes, and a Dark grey Zusi with white marking and purple eyes. In front of those three was a black Zusi with white diamond markings and thicker horns. What stood out the most about him was his eyes, one green and one yellow.

"And who might you be kit?", the black Zusi asked looking down at Re3x0 his eyes narrowed on the younger Zusi. Re3x0 just took frantic breaths, and just wildly gazed around the new surroundings. Not long after three familiar faced entered the room, it was 5k01L, R4y1n, and F4ng1. "He's the fresh blood I found", 5k01L said, gazing down at Re3x0