Evelyn walked behind Teresa, suspension on high alert. But there were no more weird shivers. Evelyn was still suspicious. The girls got to the corner of the building. Even before Evelyn peeked around the corner she heard the unmistakable sounds of wild cranks shoving their way out the club door and spilling into the street.

The girls had to flatten themselves against the wall back in the shadows. Evelyn and Teresa quickly glanced at each other. They had to wait until they were gone. Evelyn didn't want to charge into this fight. It sounded like way for then a few, it sounded like half the club was now in the street.

These cranks had more of their minds, they were crazy ruthless and reckless, but they had enough sense still to know what they were doing. She heard shouting and orders being given. Then the wild cheering and bets being taken.

Evelyn slowly let out the breath she was holding. She slowly reached up and slower still, pulled her trusty hatchet from the loop on her back. She gripped it tight on her gloved hand.

Teresa pulled her own knife out. Captain Jaz had given Sonya a knife so Sonya handed back Teresa's. The girls stayed flat against the wall holding their breath and waiting for the scuffle, which had escalated. Evelyn heard the unmistakable sounds of fists hitting bodies, wild screams from the scuffle and manic laughter and cheering from the spectators.

The cheering got louder, the angry screams got more aggressive. Someone or something was shoved hard into the tin garbage cans just around the corner from where the girls had froze. Teresa let out a small cry of surprise. Evelyn cursed under her breath and slapped a hand over her mouth, pushing Teresa further back into the shadows.

"What was that?"

"We got more spectators!"

"A spy!"

"Goose, go check it out!"

"Why me?"

"'Cause I said so dammit! That's why!"

"Who put you in charge?!"

"I did! When I killed Scar! Ya idiot!"

"Only cuz he was asleep! Ya filthy coward!"

"Haha it's true! But he was a wet noodle of a leader! Now go check out that woosy little gasp! I bet even you could take on whoever is spying on us!"

Evelyn turned to Teresa desperately, "Go! Go tell Captain Jaz."

"What about you? Evy I can't leave you with these Cranks!"

"Tes, I AM a crank. I'll be fine. Take my bag and go, go around! Now!"

Evelyn ripped her bag off her shoulder and shoved it into Teresa's arms and shoved her harshly down the alley. Teresa was just swallowed by the shadows when she heard the footsteps behind her. Evelyn spun around her trusty hatchet raised.

"Whoa there!" The guy held his hands out, "easy there Biscuit!"

"The shuck did you call me?"

The name was so weird it made Evelyn hesitate.

"Uhhh Biscuit? Ya know like a cookie?"

"Goose! What the hell's taking so long?"

The guy in front of her was huge. He had short black hair and bright eyes that were a little wild and manic, but he seemed to be mostly sane. The guy was huge; wide as he was tall, with dark veined muscles making his shirt stretch tight.

"Come on Biscuit. Boss wants ta meet ya." He was fast and grabbed her arm, making her hiss in pain. The guy let go immediately.

"Infected arm?"

"Yeah." She hissed and ripped her arm away, "and next time just use your shucken words! Please and thank you go a long way!" She snarled.

The huge guy chuckled, "angry little Biscuit. All right then, PLEASE move your scrawny little ass, the Boss wants to see who was spying." He made a mock bow and held his arms out.

"Shuck face."

She muttered and spun on her heel and stormed around the corner. Evelyn's heart was beating so fast and so hard it hurt her chest. Her palms were sweaty inside her gloves, and it felt like her throat was dry, despite the extra saliva in her mouth. Her eyes darted around, trying to see everything and figure out a plan of escape.

At least Tes got away. I hope.

The huge guy was right behind her, blocking her escape. She had no choice but to deal with the situation as best she could until Captain Jaz got here. The scene in front of her made her stomach twist in fear and trepidation. It looked like a fighting ring back in the Glade. Except there was no sand pit, no Gally and it looked like there was no rules here.

One guy lay on the ground dead, a knife still sticking out of his eye. Evelyn had to fit the urge to throw up. She ripped her eyes away from the dead crank and scanned the crowd as quickly as she could. She found the leader easily. He was the biggest of them all, he was leaning against the wall lazily watching the ruthless fighting. He was chewing on a toothpick, his eyes were dark and cruel. He had a scantily clad woman drapped around him.

Goose gave her a small shove and she was forced forwards to stand in front of the huge crank.

She gave him a curtsy, "your majesty." She mocked him.

The crank roared with laughter. Evelyn shoved her infected arm into her jacket pocket and rested her hatchet on her shoulder, she let a smirk appear on her face, while inside she was shoving the panic as far down as possible. Maybe now I can let the crank out and not have to hold it back...that would a nice break...just finally be able to breath...

"Hey Biscuit!" Someone was snapping fingers in her face. She smacked them away with a growl.

"Switch blade was talking to you! It's rude to ignore people."

"I wasn't. I was just listening to the voices in my head. Their more interesting." She snapped back.

This made the cranks around her laugh.

"I like this little one! She's so cute! Like a little kitten..." The leader laughed a wild frenzied bark.

The woman tangled with the leader purred, her eyes dragged over Evelyn and came to stop on her hatchet...."Oh, but a feral little kitten!"

"Where'd you get that one little kitten?"

"I took it."

"From?"

"A mall crawling with Gonners. They made me...angry."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. Same with the crazies in the Underneath."

"A little Kitten like you? Why would you be in the Underneath? You ain't past Gone?" The leader had picked his head up off the wall and gave her his full attention now.

Evelyn slowly let the hatchet drop and swing back and forth. She decided the half truth was easiest to stick with.

"Some slinthead blew the building I was in. Was either a building collapse on me or run."

"Into the tunnels of the Underneath?" The woman asked.

"You deaf? I just shucken said I was in the Underneath! Where else would the shucken tunnles lead to?" Evelyn snapped.

Her frustration was escalating. Sure these were cranks and their minds were being eaten by a deadly disease...but they couldn't be that gone! The crawling feeling at the base of her skull was starting, it made her shiver.

The woman's eyes flashed with anger but then she smiled and threw her head back and laughed.

"What's your count feral little kitten?"

"The crank mall...dunno. At least 6 maybe more, probably more...and the Underneath...7?" She shrugged.

The cranks went still for a minute, looking at her.

"Probably?" Evelyn asked raising an eyebrow and swinging her hatchet.

"I like this one, Switch." Goose smirked and went to lean beside the Leader, who's name apparently was Switch Blade.

"So...what's with the names? Everyone just picked a random object and that's what you settled on? Goose? Switch Blade?" She looked at the woman, "let me guess, your Cupcake?"

Switch Blade and Goose howled with wild laughter.

"She's gonna give you a run for your money, there Flower."

Evelyn snorted. "Of shucken course it's flower." She rolled her eyes.

"You are clearly new to this place. Let me tell you how this works." Switch Blade rumbled.

Evelyn couldn't help it, her frustration and anger were boiling in her veins and now that she was allowing a bit of the crank to show, it was hard to stop, and her mouth was moving before she could stop it.

"Oh please, wise one, enlighten me."

"This is my territory. You wondered into it." His voice had taken on a dangerous tone, it was quiet, but rippled with malice. "I get to decide if you stay in my gang or..."

"Or what, your majesty?"

"How I get ride of you." He threatened.

"Sounds scary." Evelyn said with an exaggerated yawn.

Goose and Flower both snorted and laughed. A smirk grew on Switch Blades face, his dark eyes flashed.

"Goose? You want this one under your wing?" He looked at his companion with a hunger in his dark wild eyes.

Goose's eyes travelled over Evelyn's body. It was the first time she felt actual true fear, was this guy giving her to another man? Was he going to force something? That never crossed her mind until Switch Blade looked at her hungerly and offered her to another man. Her lungs felt heavy and it was hard to breath all of a sudden.

"Yeah. Yeah I'll take the feral Kitten, tame the claws."

"Done." Roared Switch Blade, "welcome Kitten to the pack. This is my territory. You belong to my pack, and you belong to Goose. My second."

"What am I a shucken pet?" She snarled.

"You're a kitten aren't you? An unclaimed pretty little kitten wandering the dangerous streets of Crank City. We found you, you're ours now." Switch Blade yelled suddenly, spit flying from his mouth.

Evelyn didn't intend to, but she flinched. The anger and frustration was sliding away, replaced by fear. She blinked many times, trying to keep the tears inside. It would do her no good to cry in this situation, with all the wild angry cranks. Flower gave her a look she couldn't direct, pity maybe?

She turned to Switch Blade, pushing up against him and muttered something to him. It seemed to help ease him, he still looked like he was ready to smash a few heads, but it manic rage was gone. He grabbed Flower by the hips and pulled her even closer and kissed her quite aggressively.

Evelyn looked away, down the street. The wild screaming and yelling the fight behind her, the loud obnoxious music from the club beside them. What had she gotten herself into? All because she saw Tommy. And to save Tessa, she was now claimed by some Crank, in a pack of savage gangsters. She snorted to herself, she apparently had a thing for second in command. First it was Newt in the Glade, now it was Goose in Crank City.

She laughed bitterly at her luck and her life, despritly holding the tears back.

_________________________

She stayed huddled leaning on the wall beside Goose. He ignored her, too busy yelling and cheering the fights with Switch Blade and a few others. Evelyn didn't say it do anything, just leaning on the wall, her arms wrapped around herself. She hasn't let go of the hatchet, she gripped it like a lifeline.

"Thirsty?"

Evelyn looked up. Flower was holding a brown glass bottle out for her. She eyed it suspiciously.

"It's not poisoned. Still sealed."

"But what is it?"

"Beer."

Evelyn frowned. Having no memories of the outside world was really frustrating. She figured it couldn't be as bad as Gally's moonshine the first few months. She shrugged and took it. Twisting the cap off she took a hesitant sip. Wasn't disgusting but wasn't very good either.

"So where'd you come from?" Flower asked, leaning against the wall.

"Doesn't matter where I came from, I'm here now."

"That's true."

Evelyn fidgited with the bottle. Keeping her head down and eyes adverted.

"Your lucky Goose found you."

"Oh yes, super duper lucky, some dude found me, brought me into a gange of cranks and was then claimed like a shucken object."

"Goose is the only one who won't force anything."

"I'm still shucken claimed like I had a choice."

"Look kid, it's better to be part of a group, a gang, in this godforsaken city then alone. They may be ruthless, but once your part of the pack you're part of us and we have your back."

"Just like the shucken Glad..." She muttered. It made a stab of pain shoot through her heart.

"What?"

"Nothing." Evelyn shook her head, riding her thoughts of the past. "I was part of a group. I was trying to find them. Their here somewhere..."

"Well just hope they don't cross paths with Switch. He's territorial. Not sure if he'll let you go."

"He doesn't get a say. If I see them I'm gone. End of the shucken bloody discussion."

Flower looked at her for a long time, her eyes had the crazy crank look to them, but she also had intelligence behind them. It made Evelyn sad to think what kind of life she had before the Flare took over. Now she was reduced to a gange members girl friend, fighting to survive the next day.

"You love someone...in this mysterious other group."

Evelyn just nodded.

"I can see it written all over your face."

"They are my family. My boys...we...grew up together. I'd rather die trying to get back to them then stay here as a shucken object."

"Careful with those words Kitten." She hissed. Her eyes darted to the guys around. She dropped her voice to a whisper. "I understand, I get it. Switch and I had been together before the Flare, we were going to get married that summer...believe it or not, he was a CEO, I ran my own business ...But the Flare got us, WICKED shipped us here. Life here is harsh fast and brutal. We joined a gang and he worked his way up. Goose is his best friend from childhood. Keep your head down and mouth shut. You're a smart kid, I can see the intelligence there. But we're all Cranks and we're all just doing our damn best to survive."

Evelyn nodded, she got it, living in the Glade was no different. Evelyn looked back at the gang of Cranks all screaming for the death of one of the fighters.

"Please tell me his real name isn't Switch Blade."

Flower snorted, "No. It's actually Greg."

Evelyn chocked on the drink. She was laughing to hard.

"I see why he switched to nicknames. The name Greg doesn't instill fear."

Flower chuckled, and shook her head.

"And my name is Amanda. He always called me flower." Her voice was sad and whistful. She shook her head and took a swig of the drink. "So your name obviously isn't Kitten."

"Evelyn. But most people call me Eve or Evy."

"What does your boy call you?"

"He calls me his....or Love." She answered softly.

She roughly swatted at the tear that fell. She missed Newt so much. She was scared she'd never see him again.