Year: 5478

Present Day Los Angeles

"Shit shit shit" I muttered quietly. Gerry was standing, in all his glory, at the top of The Metropolis's only entrance. An outrageously tall metal wall now surrounded the entirety of downtown Los Angeles. At least a mile high and topped with electric barbed wire, the wall was intimidating as hell. The entrance, an eighth of the height of the wall, was literally a square cut out of the massive expanse. An observation deck sat on top of the entrance way, on which Gerry Hanniter stood with his AR-15 at the ready. Two men armed large, mounted machine guns to his sides. Massive metal doors that could be slid shut rested wide open, giving the impression of welcome. However the ten militia men standing at the base with assault rifles made you question yourself. Ares growled low, sensing my panic. I tightened my grip, pulling him closer to my side.

"It's alright boy" I said calmly, and for once he didn't sass me back.

"Whoa there!" Gerry's annoying voice rang out over the wide open expanse of desert. He slung a leg over the railings and grabbed on to the edge of the balcony. Slinging his rifle over his shoulder, he dropped down as far as his arms would stretch, then let go, falling to the sand below.

Still an athletic show off....

"Now who are you?" Gerry asked, cockily striding up to me.

"I'm Constance" I said, instinctively using my mothers name. It was the first thing that popped into my mind and I had stupidly not thought of a fake name before now.

"I'm Gerry Hanniter"Ares growled low, appearing to gain Gerry's attention for the first time. "Interesting pet ya got there" he said with a pointed nod.

"He keeps me safe" I said, trying to sound meek and slightly scared, a feat almost impossible for me.

"And we're all thankful for that." Gerry said with an appraising look. I had to fight not to vomit.

"I-I saw the billboard. I came from Oregon, hoping to find places down south. I happened to pass close enough to see the billboard and I changed my direction. Is it true everyone is welcome here?" this stupid damsel in distress routine was making me want to kill my self permanently.

"You're very lucky. This is the only city on the West Coast. We let in pretty much everybody that comes a knockin. But before we do, we gotta ask you some questions, explain the rules, and get you registered. First, let us search your pack. Got any weapons?"

"Ummm yeah, my knife and a two guns. I try not to use them, they scare me" I mumbled, looking at the ground.

"Come on" Gerry threw an arm around me and led Ares and I to a table just on the inside of the gate. I sat my pack on the table and pulled out my weapons slowly. Gerry examined them and then set them down.

"Now, you're allowed to keep the guns, but know that if you use them inside the city, you'll be apprehended and questioned as to why. If you injure or kill someone you'll be tried by a select jury and judged for your crime to see what your punishment will be. Most of the time, the punishment fits the crime" he said, trying to give me the hint.

Idiot.

"Oh good. You wouldn't believe how long it took me to find those" exactly thirty seconds to steal them off of two incapacitated soldiers from this very city, "I wouldn't feel right without them".

"Yeah. About the cat, I don't know if you can keep him" he said, nudging Ares with his boot. I couldn't have been more proud of Ares than right that instant when Gerry touched him and he did not retaliate in any way.

"He's safe. And he doesn't eat much, I can take care of him. We've been together so long I couldn't imagine leaving him alone" I explained.

"Well... I guess. But make sure he behaves" he muttered.

"Oh I will" I said with smile, finally making eye contact with him.

"O-ermm okay" Gerry said, suddenly at loss for words.

Fuck.

"Is everything alright?" I asked shyly, shifting my eyes downward.

"Yeah. Umm yes. Your eyes remind me of someone I used to uhhh-know" he said. I could feel his gaze on me, I could imagine his furrowed brow. If this idiot recognized my eyes then I was screwed if I ran into Brock.

"Oh yeah, I umm changed them from brown before all this started. Bright emerald" I said trying to cover myself.

"Right yeah the person I knew was born with em. Speaking of, where is your pod?"

"It's hidden in the desert. The last people I trusted to show my pod betrayed me. If it's ok, I'd like to leave it out there. I mean I won't be dying anytime soon right?" I asked with a disgusting giggle.

"Nah nah we protect our own. But I wouldn't trust that desert too much. You never who might come across it. We've got a pain in the ass out there and she likes to fuck shit up"

"Does she?" I asked, attempting to hide my pride with curiosity.

"Yeah, but don't worry. We're gonna catch her" Gerry said with assurance.

"I'm sure you will"

___________________

Fifty years ago

Las Vegas, Nevada

"You're going to die out here" Gerry Hanniter said from behind me.

"Thanks" I said blandly as I picked up my tenth throwing knife.

"I'm just being honest. You're practically helpless. It's a good thing we found you" he explained, scraping his knife against a rock.

"That's why I'm learning ass face. And I'm not helpless" I answered, finishing slightly out of breath after hurling the blade at the tree twenty feet from me.

"Name one weapon you can operate" he continued. I bent down and picked up another blade then turned around. Gerry was laying out against some boulders watching me intently.

"I am a damn good archer" I tried to be fierce but when Gerry threw his head back and guffawed loudly I couldn't help but laugh a little before I threw on a pouting face.

"That's not a weapon. It's a stick. And even if it was, where are you going to find one? Or find wood healthy enough to make one" he asked condescendingly.

"I'll find one, you'll see. Besides, I prefer compound bows" I retorted.

"Hanniter! When was the last time you stripped your weapons and cleaned them?" A sharp voice came from behind and above us.

Brock stood on two of the largest boulders, looking down on us.

"Uhhhh" Gerry said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Get going" Brock said sharply. Gerry stood up and left. I expected Brock to leave too, as was his custom, but instead he jumped off the rock, landing smoothly and gracefully.

"You are smaller than us" he said matter-of-factly.

"Yes" I agreed, not quite sure what he meant.

"You are weaker. In order to get the desired effect you have to change your angle of attack to increase velocity. You cannot throw like this," he picked up a knife and weighed it in his hand, flipping it one time to grab it by the blade, then he bent his arm, turned his torso and threw it, finishing with an extended arm. The knife embedded itself in the tree three inches, "because you are not as strong or as tall. You cannot learn everything by observing" he finished. It was astonishing how he could say something so emotionless, his eyes so vibrant, and yet there was nothing there.

"Alright. So how do I throw it?" I asked, still a little nervous around him and the power and confidence he exuded.

"Pick a knife up"

I nodded slowly and bent down to pick up a knife, when I stood up, he was directly behind me. He moved like a cat, quiet and deadly.

"Take this arm" he said, grabbing my left arm and straightening in front of me, "and point it at the target" he used his other hand to grab my right arm and bend it upward, trailing his fingers along the sensitive part of my arm. When my elbow was by my ear, he stopped. "And start from here" he said in my ear. My body was turned completely sideways, facing the tree. I felt Brock step back.

"Deep breath and throw" he said.

I inhaled deeply through my nose and out through my mouth, just like in archery.

This time, when I launched the blade, it flew and embedded itself in the wood for a few seconds before falling out.

"Hey, look at that. I got it to stay, well for a little bit. Thank you Brock" I said, trying not to sound like and excited 12 year old. When I turned around Brock was walking away, arms stiffly at his sides. He stopped and turned for a split second.

"That is not my name" he said, then continued walking away.