Chapter Seven: Deceivers, Believers, and the Ones in the Middle

Kurt was leaning against his new car, a respectable blue WRX, arms folded tightly across his chest. The other drivers were ambling about the Sweeper, the air buzzing with energy. Even Markie seemed to have perked up a bit. Kurt watched his brother fiddling under the hood of his Mustang, silently following Monkey's instructions. There wasn't a shred of attitude, no insistence that he, Markie, knew better than Monkey. Kurt caught Monkey's eye for a moment and he knew, from the concern in the mechanic's face, that Monkey had noticed the change too.

Markie had not been the same since they'd rescued him from the drones and although Kurt knew, logically, that that would be the case, he hated how helpless it made him feel. Markie had always been such a lively spirit, even if that vivacity had often taken the form of anger. Seeing the quiet, agitated creature that had taken his brother's place hurt. Knowing that there wasn't much Kurt could do about it hurt more. But knowing that it was his fault, that Markie would never have lived that trauma were it not for him, hurt most of all.

Right now, though, the thing that was worrying him wasn't Markie. It wasn't even Vert, although, Kurt thought with a stab of guilt, maybe it should have been.

Kurt watched as Taro made his way to the Teku side of the Sweeper, to Karma's car, and slip into her passenger seat. There was a comfortableness between the two drivers, an ease and a familiarity that was impossible to ignore.

Kurt knew he would have to say something to Karma soon.

A terrified scream ripped through the air.

He was on the other side of the Sweeper before he knew it, as were Taro and Markie. The others weren't far behind. Markie, fitness junkie that he was, reached the Bel Air first, right as Nolo and Lani leapt out of it. Kurt saw his brother's eyes widen with shock before his mouth twisted into a snarl. Markie flung open the backdoor and thrust his drone arm into the backseat and pulled out a man in purple and silver.

"Crap," Tork gritted his teeth. "How the hell did they find us?"

Markie had his metal hand in a vice grip around the Silencer's neck, holding the man steady. The Silencer tried to struggle out of it, kicking and punching, but when it was clear that wasn't going to work, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small device.

Kurt understood a second too late.

"No," he tried to warn, but the Silencer had already attached the device to Markie's arm. A sizzle of purple energy engulfed black and green metal and Markie dropped the Silencer. He didn't seem to be hurt, but he was looking down at his drone arm, confused. The arm lay limply at his side.

Another Silencer appeared at Markie's shoulder. Kurt lunged forward, as Tork grabbed a nearby wrench, ready to do damage.

But the Silencer instead placed a hand on Markie's shoulder.

"Easy there, Markie Mark," he said. "We're not here for trouble."

Wait a minute...that voice. Kurt knew that voice. He caught Taro's eye and saw, from the spark of recognition, that he knew it too.

"Dan?" Markie asked, incredulously, his good arm clutching his now lifeless metallic one.

The Silencers took off their helmets.

"You're both supposed to be dead," Taro said flatly.

"Sorry to disappoint," Dan Dresden answered coolly.

Banjee Castillo, still on the ground, simply shrugged and grinned, as if to say 'you know how these things go'.

"Taro, you know these clowns?" Pork Chop stepped in, cracking his knuckles.

But Lani, in an answer to Pork Chop's question, ran forward and threw her arms around Banjee's neck. Banjee looked surprised.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice muffled. "I'm so, so sorry."

Banjee smiled and patted her back. "Ah Lani. It wasn't your fault."

Lani pulled away, relief flooding her voice with emotion. "We tried to find a way to go back for you." She glanced up at Dan. "For all of you. I tried and tried but I couldn't figure it out."

From the cold, disinterested expression on Dan Dresden's face, Kurt could tell that all was not forgiven. But Banjee, at least, did not seem to blame Lani for what had happened to them in the realms. He stood, offering her a hand.

"Is Alec with you, too?" she asked, sniffing slightly, as Banjee pulled her up.

"Sure is," Banjee answered good-naturedly. "Turns out you can't keep a surfrat down, even if you're an evil alien robot." He looked at the wider group. "But then, you guys know all about that."

This prompted a chorus of gasps.

"You know where Vert is?" Nolo demanded aggressively.

"Yeah, we know where Vert is," Dan answered. "And we'll even tell you. If you come with us."

"Not a chance in hell," growled Pork Chop.

"Listen," Banjee turned to Pork Chop. "Rump steak-"

"Pork Chop," the Metal Maniac snarled.

"Oh, no thanks," Banjee said brightly and Pork Chop took a menacing step forward.

"Easy, Pork Chop," Tork held a hand up and Pork Chop reluctantly stood down. Tork turned to the Silencerz. "Give us one good reason why we should trust anything you say?"

"I just did! We can help you find Vert. Besides," Banjee looked imploringly around the room. "We're all human, aren't we? That means we're all on the same side of this. There's a war coming and if we don't have each other's backs we ain't gonna survive."

Kurt's heart sank. He knew where this was going.

"Look," Dan was apparently getting impatient. "I really don't give a rat's ass about any of you. Come or don't, it's up to you. But," Dan looked at Karma. "We're not leaving here without her."

There was a stunned silence from the other drivers. Shirako actually took off his headphones. No one, however, looked more shocked than Karma. Taro stepped protectively in front of her.

And here it was. Kurt felt a weight settle in his stomach. This was not the way he had wanted to do this. But he had waited too long and he knew now that he was out of options. His hand was being forced and it would be worse, far worse, if Karma found out later that he knew and hadn't told.

The eruption came.

"We'll kill you, you stinkin' silver trash bag!" Pork Chop roared, stopped only by Monkey's feeble attempts to hold him back.

"If you even think - if you go anywhere near Karma, you won't like where you end up," Nolo picked up a nearby crowbar and squared up to Dan.

Tork was right beside him. "There's ten of us and two of you. I suggest you boys pick up your toys and go home, before things get ugly."

Even Lani, who had been overjoyed to see that Banjee and Dan weren't dead, was on guard. "What do you want with Karma?"

"Did Tezla really not tell you?" Dan looked around the Sweeper. "Where is the geezer anyway?"

"Don't change the subject," Nolo snarled, jabbing Dan in the chest with the crowbar.

Dan shoved Nolo's shoulder, returning his aggression with equal measure. It was about to get violent. Kurt had to say something. Now.

"I know what they want with Karma."

That put an abrupt halt to things. Everyone turned to look at him.

"What do you mean, Kurt?" Nolo asked.

"Kurt," Taro warned, raising an arm to keep Karma behind him.

"Go on, Wylde," Dan almost sneered. "Tell your precious Teku what an amazing teammate you are."

Kurt swallowed. He had no idea where to begin. He forced himself to look at Karma, to face up to her.

"I came to LA for you," he admitted, finally voicing his secret.

"What?" Karma's forehead wrinkled in confusion.

"After the World Race...after," Kurt looked at his brother who looked away, "after Markie...I...I wasn't in a good space. I went to some dark places. I knew Gellorum was still out there, so I decided to do what I could to find her. I started looking and I found-well, I found lots of things. But I also found you."

Kurt looked at Markie. His brother's expression was grim, but he nodded him on. It was the only encouragement that he could give. He turned back to Karma. Her face was steel.

"I came to LA to join the Teku because I thought you were a drone. My plan was to get close to you, to figure out how to get to Gellorum, then-" Kurt broke off.

"Then what?" Karma asked bitterly. "Kill me?"

"Yes-no-I don't know!" Kurt spluttered. "I don't know what my plan was. All I knew was that you have something to do with all of this. You're connected to Gellorum somehow, I just-"

Monkey nudged Pork Chop. "And I thought the Metal Maniacs were dysfunctional."

"You only joined us...because you thought Karma was a drone?" Nolo asked, unable to hide the hurt in his voice. "This whole time you thought she was on the other side?"

Nolo, who had accepted him straight away, who looked to him as an older brother; Nolo who had always had his back, was now looking at Kurt as though he were a stranger.

"I'm sorry," Kurt said, though it came out weak. He tried again. "I'm sorry. I am. I thought," he ran a hand through his hair, frustrated that the right words weren't coming. "God, I thought I could do it on my own. Find Gellorum, figure out her plan, take her down. End everything once and for all. I never meant to lie to you. To any of you."

He hadn't understood, till right this moment, just how much these people meant to him. It was Zed-36 all over again. How did he always manage to find himself back here?

Then a light, almost amused voice, sliced through the tense quiet.

"Hey man. It's cool."

It was Shirako, of all people. Kurt looked at his teammate. Shirako was nodding to the tune of a beat that no one else could hear, looking as carefree as ever. But his eyes were kind and Kurt saw warmth and understanding in them.

"Yeah.." Nolo said slowly, as though making a decision. He swallowed. "Yeah. It is."

Kurt could hardly believe it. Nolo stepped forward and held out a hand. Kurt gripped Nolo's palm and nodded.

But there was one person who hadn't spoken.

"Karma?" Kurt asked, daring to hope.

She fixed her cool gaze on him.

"You lied to me." A statement, not a question. "You pretended to be my friend."

"Only at first," Kurt said. "But not now. I know you're not a drone. You helped us in the realms. You stopped us from getting hit at their headquarters. You helped me save my brother. I trust you. We're friends." A note of doubt. "Aren't we?"

She surveyed him with icy blue eyes. Then a small, wry smile formed and Kurt breathed a sigh of relief.

"We are," Karma said. "Don't ever lie to me again."

"I won't," Kurt promised.

"And I have questions."

"I'll tell you everything I know."

"You'll tell us all," Nolo said. "From now on, no more secrets." He turned to face the wider group. "We're a team, all of us. We have each others' backs, always. Okay?"

The consensus was unanimous. Kurt felt an enormous weight lift off his shoulders. All around him, his friends and teammates nodded, showing their support. For the first time in his adult life, Kurt understood that he was no longer on his own.

"Well," Dan said, clapping his hands sarcastically. "As heartwarming as this has been, we do have to get going."

"Aw, don't be such a tool, Dresden," Banjee gave Dan a light punch on the arm. "I think it's sweet."

Kurt glared. "This doesn't mean we're just going to hand ourselves over to you."

"Kurt," Banjee said, dropping the playful veneer and getting serious. "She's with us. The next one. The one after Karma."

"What?" Kurt didn't buy it. "That's impossible. Karma's the last. I looked everywhere."

"Not everywhere," said Dr. Tezla.

The drivers turned. Dr. Tezla had, with apparent difficulty, pulled himself into the Sweeper. He was standing on his own, albeit still in his silver bodysuit. Without Gig hovering by his side, he looked smaller somehow.

"Take me to her," the doctor said to Banjee and Dan, and Kurt realised that he wasn't demanding; he was begging.