It was massive like the pictures from our old textbooks. Buildings were as tall as the sky while both man, and machine lived side by side in an endless throng of civilians. A heavy smog resided in the air choking lungs and contracting its disease in whoever was foolish enough to brave its element without an air purifier. Casper made sure to place it over my face before we crossed through the city gate. "Did Lester finish the body count?" Casper said as he ruffled his green hair in distress. 

"Ten. He sent me the ping about an hour ago, he is on his way back..." Jafar stopped in his tracks becoming focused on his feet. "We lost Caleb..."

Casper's face turned dark. "It's his own fault. He should've stuck to the plan and not try to play big boss." I looked between the two confused.

"But Caz you can't tell that to the twins. You definitely can't tell that to Roz." Casper had placed a pained but firm frown on his face.

"He was my uncle. I watched her fucking hell spawn of a boyfriend off him with zero regret because he didn't have a stupid code." A tear crawled down his face, and I felt a knot coil in my stomach. "I will tell my cousins and my aunt what I will. Little miss princess here better hope I don't do more than give her a strong tonic to keep her mouth shut." The hatred in his eyes was evident, gone was the boyish persona which once blessed his face. Casper spit on the ground in front of where I stood and kept moving.

         After about three more hectic blocks of being dragged by Jafar, we arrived at what looked like some sort of station. "Aye! Caz! The gang! Oof-" Gus rushed to the tall dark gentleman in dusty dark blue overalls.

"Pops we did it, we did it! We got her pops!" Jafar chuckled lowly as the two jumped around, slinging out all types of foul profanity. The tall man turned from little Gus; tears of joy still in his eyes, looking to the group of us.

"Where is Caleb?" Gus gently pulled at his pa's overalls shaking his head. The man's once overjoyed features turned sour. "No amount of status can save that girl's life. Caleb was our rock!" Gus's father roared. "I told you guys it was too dangerous!" Casper rushed forward pushing the man to the ground and grabbing him by the hem of his black and white stripped shirt.

"She is going to arrive safely at the Atrium whether you or I like it or not. I will collect the bounty and give my uncle a proper burial. Is that understood Hector?" Casper pushed him down, dropping him. "Does everyone understand that!" I turned noticing several heads nodding none trying to argue or refute him. "I'd appreciate it if you prepared the fastest tram you got. With the way her boyfriend was screaming." Casper scoffed heartlessly toward me. "I wouldn't doubt if they invade here by nightfall." I followed behind them quietly after that.

          Jafar looked back at me every once and a while as I marveled at the machinery. The giant metal trains whizzed passed us at unbelievable speeds. Families of all types flowed through the gigantic underground tubular space paying little attention to us as they laughed and conversed amongst themselves. Hector stopped at a large circular door punching in key-code numbers with a slight grimace on his face.

"Not vomiting anymore I see." I jumped completely surprised to see Trish who was snorting loudly while holding her sides. "Spoke too soon?"

Jafars beady yellow eyes rolled in their mechanical sockets. "Trish if you don't leave the poor girl alone." Trish ignored him, and whatever she did freed me from my restraint to Jafar. "Trish!" Jafar roared as she grabbed my hand dragging me away from the group. We arrived at what looked to be a restroom and I wanted to hug her.

We entered and to my surprise it was quite tidy. I relieved my bladder and came out to find Trish applying a thick coat of her signature hot pink lipstick to her lips. "Sorry for that princess. The boys aren't so understanding to a girls needs. All they need is a bush and some rain and viola! It's a bathroom." Laughter bubbled out of me uncontrollably; as horribly misplaced as it was, I truly couldn't stop. "Ah, so you do have a sense of humor." Trish gave me a toothy smile before leading us back to the group.

         Casper looked as if he was fuming. "What do you think your doing?!" Trish looked bored. 

"Get out my face Caz." He stood his ground towering over her, raging. Trish rolled her eyes popping her gum in his face. "I advise you move." 

"And if I-" Trish pressed a knife to his throat. 

"Join your uncle at your own risk." Trish dared him with the sweetest smile plastered to her face. Casper begrudgingly moved out her way. "Royalty first." Trish waved me toward the entrance of a long black bullet train. I stepped in and saw it was decked out on the inside in all sorts of neon lighting. Couch like seats lined the inside walls with pool tables and other activities all about.

"This way dear." Trish pulled me along deeper in the train passing many party like compartments till we came to a windowless compartment with beds attached to the walls. She pulled out a drawer from one of the stands then placed what looked to be pants and a shirt with undergarments in my hands. "Rest up while you can, you're gonna need it. Also if Caz gives you any trouble come to me."

Trish turned pointing toward the end of the train compartment. "Three cars down is the showers. Doesn't matter which you use they each have their own showers and toilets. I advise you use one of the ten showers before the rest of the crew decides they need a bath." Trish went back in the same drawer extracting more clothes from it likely for herself before handing me a towel and a wash cloth. After dealing with me she headed to the showers herself.

        I sat there for a while feeling the stress roll off of me in waves as well as the excitement of my previous discovery. I was eager to dream or trigger whatever that was again. Part of me hoping that it may be able to get me out of this mess. One day, that's how long I've been away from the sceptors and all I've ever known. As queen, my elder extended family who currently governs the kingdoms in my stead often let me in on certain important meetings.

Though when it came to leaving the sceptors they always denied it, fearing that if anything happened to me, it would leave the kingdom without a direct heir. I knew it was only a matter of time before they found me. I had Nano-trackers flowing like red blood cells through my veins making them impossible to extract or detect unless you were the Nano-technician himself controlling them remotely. Though after today I would not be surprised if they had the technology to remove the Nano-trackers. I got up from the shower floor pressing the water off feeling restless. 

I slipped on the clothing finding the smooth black cashmere like shirt loose as it fell off of one of my shoulders. My wavy hair curled at the ends, slightly wild but I ignored it. I slipped on the frame hugging black pajama leggings before attempting to exit the bathroom and nearly tripping on a pair of black fuzzy slippers. I smiled slipping them on my feet thankfully. Once I stepped out the restroom another one of the members soon replaced me.

I listened to the steady stream of water instilling a peaceful calm outside the bathroom doors.

Such a peaceful illusion.

        I made my way back to the sleeping quarters only to find Trish on a top bunk reading peacefully. She stared from her book to look at me then pointed at the bed across from her which was already ready for sleeping in. "Unless you want to party with your kidnappers; be my guest, but your bed is right there when you need it." I nodded feeling hunger knaw at my insides as I remembered passing through the dining carts to get here.

"I think I'll go eat first." Trish nodded and returned to her book.

While I walked to the dining cart several people greeted me while some nodded politely, but none of them held any true hostility toward me. They were treating me like a fellow neighbor or a new friend. Though oddly enough, these were my kidnappers.

         I sat alone eating the warm chicken soup and bread. Slightly blander than my normal taste but filling nonetheless. I watched as the other people in the cart drank their fill of alcohol; cursing loudly, they were mourning together. One of them was red headed, freckle faced woman who looked all of 25. She was the loudest of them as mascara ran down her cheeks while talking of a man named Chuck.

"Please don't vomit that up after you eat it, portions are limited." Gus sat his plate down across from me. "You know you can take that off now princess. The air is hyper purified in here just for you." Gus tapped toward his head indicating the air purifier I still was wearing as a headband to keep my hair out my face.

I smiled "Thank you." Gus blushed, another tray slammed on the table.

"Why're you sitting here boy." Hector was gruff clearly annoyed his son had sat with me.

"Pa it's not like she asked for all this. Hell, I was more terrified than she was on that battefield and I wasn't even the one being kidnapped." Hector grumbled at his sons poor excuses. "Plus it's not everyday you get an audience with royalty. You should've seen the two men she was with." Gus got up excitedly, grabbing a chicken leg from his soup holding it like a gun. "They were like the terminators. They took down bionic's and humans alike with ease pa."

Hector frowned upon his son. "Don't you go making shows of people's death." Hector lowered his gaze toward me staring daggers into my flesh. "You never know. Maybe they'll make a show outta yours just for fun while holding your head. Right princess?"

Gus sat down staring as his father made his way to the mourners table. "Caleb was pa's best friend and my god father." Gus turned toward me but frowned. "My ma is real sick... You guys have the tech to fix her up real good but we can't live in the sceptors, not with our track record. That made the next best spot the atrium."

Gus played in his food shifting around the noodles with his bread. His round soot smudged cheeks turned rosey as tears welled up in his eyes. "We didn't have the kinda money they were asking for. Even though pa runs the underground the atrium loves to boss us around. They Charge us unfair price's, but their tech is as close as we get to the sceptors as we got."

Gus stared at me sadly. "Between my schooling bill for The Atrium, home, and mom... Dad can't afford it all... We had no choice." Gus lifted his tray while standing and he turned his back on me. "I know this all may be revolting to you; our way of living, but it's all we've got." Gus walked head down to his pa and was welcomed with open arms.

Never had I felt so alone...

        I slept that night hoping to once again encounter the stag, but I was too restless. I woke groggily in the early morning to a loud Trish squealing in Casper's grip. "Casper for the love of-" Casper smashed his lips to hers I noticed then how red his face was.

"I love you Matrisha! I know I was a duche earlier." He was drunk and holding Matrisha like a teddy bear as he rubbed his face in her bosom while weaping. His boy child personality was in full throttle and Trish looked at him in slight annoyance and worry.

"Casper we are married for christ sake." He looked up at her with a goofy smile plastered to his rosey face as his green hair stood in a wild messy halo.

"I know but I was a duche because I was mad and sad about uncle Lib. That man raised me after ma and pa died from illness." Trish laid back leaving him resting on her bossom as she smoothed out his hair as he poored his heart out. "I don't want our kids to know this. I didn't want you to know this. When this is all over I'll get us a nice home somewhere in The Atrium, maybe even a dog."

Trish giggled. "Can we call him Booze Clues." I watched in awe as Casper gave her another wide goofy smile before pursing his lips out and making kissing noises.

"If I get a kiss he can be called Mr.Booze Clues." Gagging noises erupted from several different beds in the train cars behind and in front of us. 

"Get a room!" I heard Gus's little voice shout from under me. I looked to him finding him in dark blue bear print pajamas. Everywhere erupted in laughter. Never did I think bionics and humans would laugh together, but here I was listening to them.

This was a family.

Matrisha kissed Casper on his forehead as he dozed off. "Show's over ladies! It's 4 am and we arrive at the atrium border in 5 hours!"

Casper stirred. "Shut up and go to sleep already."

A few more chuckles filled the cart before both darkness and silence set in.

I closed my eyes praying to whatever god that would listen to meet the stag again.

Begging.

Praying...

Hopin-

"You called."