Deviant

Chapter Four: The Tank

Still running we make it out of the alleyway and into what looked like a main street we begin to slow our pace to a walk and enter what looks to be an auto shop, Boomer looks to me and sees my still fearful expression. "Calm down, kid, your safe here," he says quietly, and approaches the counter and rings the bell. A girl about my age slides out from underneath a car, she stands and wipes at her coveralls, a futile attempt to banish the immortal grease and oil that stains them, she approaches the counter and let's her silky blond hair free from a tightly bound pony tail and leans in the counter. "Wassup?" she asks, addressing me as if we were close friends.

"unita nos deviare," responds Boomer in a language I didn't recognize.

"Ugh, finally!" Praises the girl, she hops over the counter and pulls me into a hug, "great job, Caz!" She releases me and holds her arms stretched and her hands rest on my shoulders, she smiles, "I knew you could do it!" How does she know my name? who is she? why am I here? what's happening?

"Liz, come here" says Boomer in a somber whisper, confused she makes her way over to Boomer. "he can't remember a whole lot, but don't worry, I think I can get through to him," he says "now let's go to the tank."

Liz walks to the door sadly and shuts off the open light that illuminates the front entrance in a blueish hue, "this way" she says to me stiffly, not showing the emotion she did before, she almost seems disappointed. we walk behind the main desk and Liz reaches under the counter, she presses something and a small click is heard and the floor panel closest to the wall slides under and reveals a dimly lit stairwell, I look at it nervously and then turn to Boomer, he laughs.

"Go on!" he says, "we're definitely not going to torture you," he gives me a quick wink and a light pat on the back, "you can trust us, were friends," he admits, "me and Liz will fill you in at the tank"

Following Boomer and the new girl down the long flight of cold concrete stairs and into a huge room full of futuristic looking gadgets and gizmos, and in the end of the room were numerous television screens with what looked like security feeds from all around the city. "Where are we?" I ask in awe this secret room looks amazing.

"Welcome to the tank!" Boomer exclaimed! "This is where all the sciencey shit goes down!" he stops and a sad look overtakes his face, "well, back when we had a full house."

"There was more of us?" I inquire.

"Yup!" answers the new girl, Liz, "Well there still are, all over the world." She gestures swaying her hands around to make an earth shape. "But we meant us, this used to be the underground headquarters for a bunch of Deviant Rebellion fighters back in the day, we fought against the government trying to regain our freedom!"

"wait. what?" I stuttered "regain our freedom? what did we do to get it taken away?" I ask.

"Absolutely nothin'," Boomer responds, effectively cutting off Liz "apparently we were deemed to dangerous for modern society, so then the feds started taking us away to 'work camps, never to see the light o' day again." Boomer explains gruffly, but just then he got a shine in his aye and his attitude completely changed. "well at least until the revolution." he added

"There was a revolution?" I asked Boomer hooked on his story,

"Damn straight!" he exclaimed. "we took down armouries! liberated camps! and gave the feds a good stern middle finger!" he continues almost yelling with excitement. "an' you know the best part?" he asks me excitedly

"What!" I exclaim ready to hear the epic conclusion. A shine glints in Boomers eyes as he says

"The best part was, you were the big man in charge!"