The Wild Ones - 1 - The Start

10.

"He's gone to get a drink, and she's stood talking to someone else," Tom said, boredom thick in his voice. He'd been describing the actions of Joe and his lady friend to Becky for the last five minutes. Becky was now fully sat under the table, sipping at her drink. Max had noted how her mind seemed to be alive with thought; you could clearly see her jumping from one idea to the next. It intrigued him almost as much as it scared him.

"He's brought her back a drink and handed it to her. They're laughing together," Tom let out a yawn. "You know, we should really go see my uncle. I'm sure they'll still be here when we come back down."

"Just two more minutes. I need some firm evidence."

"What, like them kissing?" Lily asked.

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Well, they are. Kissing. A lot," Lily said, staring with a slight look of disgust on her face.

Becky popped her head back up and instantly found them in the crowd. She smiled her cruel smile once more.

"Ok, let's go," she said, shuffling her way out of the seating area and waiting for one of the guys to lead her on.

The others gave each other confused looks before shrugging it off and getting up too. Tom led the way up the metal stairs at the side of the room and let himself in to his uncle's office.

Michael was sat with his feet up on his desk, headphones on, listening to music. He did a double take as the four entered, but immediately smiled and took his headphones off.

"Only way I can listen to some decent music in this place," he said, placing the headphones on his desk. "You lovely ladies must be the ones haunting my nephews' dreams." He stood and held out a hand to be shaken.

"This is Becky and Lily. And this is my uncle Michael," Tom said, introducing them all. Becky seemed immediately chipper while Lily still seemed muted.

"Nice to meet you girls. We seem to be one short though," Michael said, looking everyone over.

"Yeah, I couldn't find the other guy at school. And the girls don't recognise him either," Max said, looking unusually apologetic.

Michael sat back down and rubbed his stubble in thought.

"So, can you shed any more light on this? I still feel like I'm three steps behind everyone," Becky said, sitting herself down opposite Michael.

Michael smiled, warmed by her curiosity. "Like I was telling the boys, I think you four, or hopefully five, are clearly important together for some reason. I've done some checking with some of my old colleagues and they've had no reports of any other shapeshifters having dreams last night. Naturally, I can't tell what yours specifically means, but clearly you guys are going to be important somehow."

"But it makes no sense. The world's not ending; there's no evil overlord sucking the life out of people. What are we saving the world from?" Becky retorted.

"Who am I to say?" Michael responded with a smile.

"So, we're going to save the world in some epic battle, right? The ground erupting beneath us, explosions all around, that sort of thing," Tom asked excitedly. He seemed overly pumped.

"No, that's not what I said--"

"But it's what you meant, right? I've always wanted to be some big billboard hero." Tom seemed to be lost in the dream.

"Either way, we've got to find this other guy, correct?" Lily asked.

"Yeah, definitely. It would seem you're all being forced together somehow. Four teens all living the in the same area; chances are the fifth follows the same pattern."

"He must be a social outcast," Becky said, almost out of nowhere. Everyone stared at her in confusion. "Well, look at it this way; he's not popular otherwise I would know him. He's not smart otherwise Lily would know him. He's not at sixth form or uni because either Tom or Max would've found him. He's an anomaly; totally separate from the rest of his generation, if you will," Becky explained it in such a matter-of-fact way, as if everyone was dim for not reaching the same conclusion themselves. Michael nodded slowly.

"Nice work. I think the search should rest in your hands, Nancy Drew," Michael smiled. Becky rolled her eyes in response.

"Anyway, it's a Friday night; you kids should be enjoying yourselves." He opened a mini fridge behind him and took out a large bottle. "Cheap bottle of Chardonnay. Should keep you guys busy." Michael handed it to Max.

"I'm still sixteen," Max said, looking the bottle up and down.

"And apparently still inhibited," Michael said, slightly under his breath.

The four said their goodbyes and left the office.

"Well that was mostly pointless. Free booze aside," Becky said, climbing down the stairs.

"Our uncle's normally good for insights into this sort of stuff. But I'd say this one's a little leftfield even for him," Max said, in his uncle's defence.

"Like he said, four out of five is good but not enough. We've got to find this other guy. Maybe he can shed more light," Lily noted.

Becky had reached the bottom of the stairs and was staring around the dance floor intensely. "See! I knew they'd disappear as soon as we left." She sighed.

"If you mean Joe and the girl you were stalking before, they're right over there. Leaving, by the looks of it," Lily said, pointing towards the door.

Becky's eye widened and she immediately began heading in their direction.

"Becky!" Lily said, almost as if scolding a young child for wandering off. "I'll go get her. I'll see you guys in a bit." Lily gave a little wave and went after Becky.

Tom sighed, "This is going well."

"Yup. You want this?" Max asked, offering his brother the bottle.

"I don't like champagne. The one alcoholic thing I can't stand," Tom said. "I'll go get us something decent." He headed off towards the bar.

Max watched him leave and rolled his eyes. He looked back as Michael came down the stairs, holding a packet of cigarettes aloft.

"They're calling to me, Max my boy," he said, leaving out of the fire escape, disturbingly not triggering any alarms.

Max stared at the bottle in his hand once more, popped open the cork, and took a drink. It was surprisingly nice. He shrugged, and, not wanting to look like a strange alcoholic child swigging a bottle of champagne by himself, he placed it by the stairs for someone else to take and went after his brother.