Heyyyy, i like Drake Merwin. If you do too, comment. If you have no idea who he is, go read Gone by Michael Grant. I'll take any constructive feedback.

Warnings: Guns, combat, swearing, cruelty? Sassiness

Word count: 1638

I was there six days ago when the adults poofed. I was there three days ago when School Bus Sam ran into the burning building. I was there two days ago when Caine and the Coates kids came. But that doesn't mean anyone noticed me. No, I just stood on the outskirts of the crowd, blending into the shadows and watching. It isn't too bad being the Girl in Black - the rumor of me which circulated Perdido Beach a few years back when they caught sight of me on a security camera, my black plait snaking down my back, nose and mouth covered by a black mask under sharp blue eyes. I've been more careful of that, keeping to the shadows of the shadows, always wearing the mask when I'm out. Well, now I don't, since there are no adults. What would be the point?

Ever since my mother died of cancer, I've been living rough. So not much has changed since the FAYZ. As soon as I realised it happened, I went to the power plant and took two pistols and a rifle, plus as many cartridges as I could. My dad, before he left when I was eleven, taught me how to shoot, for hunting. And I'm good at it. I can still hear his voice, his rich Californian drawl - 'My Rebel Davis is the best shooter in Fallout Alley, and she's only eleven!'

Right now, I sit in an abandoned house, cleaning one of my pistols, when I hear footsteps up the porch. My head snaps up and I grab one of my pistols, spinning it into my palm and getting up slowly as someone knocks on the door. Scowling, I shove the gun into my waistband, out of sight, and make my way over to the door. When I open it, it reveals a guy with shaggy sandy hair, eyes like chips of grey - blue ice, and a sharky smile. Good looking in a cold kind of way. And good looking as in full out hot, not just cute.

'Drake Merwin,' I say, recognising him as Caine Soren's own little police force.

'Who are you, and why're you in this kid's house?' He demands, pointing to the forlorn little boy behind him.

'Hm, being Caine's bully isn't so great once he makes you handle the kids, is it?' I pick at my nails and look up at him casually through my lashes.

'Who are you?'

'Did you read the news two years ago?'

'Why?' He's getting impatient.

'Because I'm Perdido's resident Girl in Black.'

'And you're what, fourteen?' He asks, trying to hide the shock in his voice.

'Yeah, well so are you, brother.'

The kid whines, clutching his teddy bear.

'Please make her go, she's scary.'

I roll my eyes. 'Isn't Mary Terrafino running the daycare?'

'You know, there are plenty of abandoned houses.'

'Yeah, but this one suits me.'

'Am I going to have to force you?'

'Is that a threat?' My hand reaches under my shirt hem, and Drake's eyes follow the movement.

'What is that?' He snaps.

I shrug casually. 'Nothing,' I breeze. 'Sometimes a girl's got to adjust her tampon.' This, of course, isn't true, but who is he to know, so I might as well have my fun. His eyes narrow, and I laugh, almost hearing the cogs turning in his head. 'Calm down. I'll go, but only if I get to speak to Caine.'

'Fine,' Drake snaps, and I go back inside and quickly pack everything into my bag, hiding my rifle and one pistol, but keeping the one tucked in my waistband right where it is.

The kid wanders back into his house, and I trail Drake through the streets. I get funny looks from the kids who are out and about, I dropped out of school when the money stopped coming, which means most of them won't remember me. We walk into the town hall and into the Mayor's office. Caine Soren sits in the too big leather chair, with Diana Ladris in a fold up one next to him and Computer Jack sprawled on the floor, typing.

'Found this one,' Drake says. 'Wouldn't fuck off unless she got to speak with you.'

'Get out, I'm busy.' Caine replies in an emotionless voice.

'I'm helpful to have on your side. Not so helpful as an enemy. I'm a sharpshooter, you know.'

'What's a sharpshooter without a gun?' Diana asks.

I smile coldly. 'Who said I didn't have a gun?' I whip out my pistol, and Caine reacts instantly, throwing out a hand and trying to yank it out of his grasp with his powers.

Making a tutting sound, I hold out my left hand and throw up a forcefield - my power.

'She knows!' Computer Jack squeaks. 'About the... about the - '

'Shut up!' Diana shrills, whacking him.

'She even has it!' I say in mock surprise, levelling my gun with Caine's head. 'Choose carefully. I bless the world by getting rid of your arse now, or you... employ me as... I don't care, bully two point oh. I just want something to fall back on if... Y'know, the kids realise the girl who all their parent's worried about is here, alive and only fourteen. I'm the Girl in Black. Cheesy, I know, but the press chose it, not me.'

'Fine,' Caine huffs. 'Put down your gun.'

'I will when you put down your hands.' He does, and slowly, I lower my pistol but not my forcefield, then hesitate and lower it too, holding out a hand to Diana. 'Go ahead, check my number of bars.'

'How...' Computer Jack says.

'Saw on your computer. And I saw Diana shaking hands all around the other day.'

Sighing, she takes my hand, then raises her eyebrows.

'Three bars,' she says, and Computer Jack rapidly types on his computer.

'What's your name?' He asks.

'Rebel Davis.'

'Charming,' Caine mutters, eyeing the bump under my shirt where my gun is.

'Thank you.' Fakely, I smile. 'Mind if I ask for a place to stay? Merwin here had me kicked out of my old humble abode.'

'She's sharing with you,' Caine says over Drake's protests, and Diana smirks over at him.

'Told you you should have taken those guns you keep on display, but you were too stubborn.' She smirks. 'Or is it just because you don't know how to use them?'

'Do you know how I got into Coates?' He hisses, voice soft and dangerous. 'I shot someone.'

'And I'll have shot you if you don't stop bragging, Drakey,' I say sweetly. His blue eyes connect with mine, and I have to fight away the sneer on my face as I continue. 'So, Bully 1, do you want to show me my new house?'

Caine waves his hand at us, and I can practically see the rage in Drake's eyes, because between us, he's the one being dismissed,the one treated like a wild animal on a leash. Sauntering outside, I just wait. Just wait for him to burst through the door, teeth bared in a snarl. And when he does, he turns on me, eyes like vengeful blue fire, no sign of that smirking shark smile.

'This is your fault.' He spits.

'Yeah,' I say. 'All my fault that Caine treats you like an animal that he unleashes on the FAYZ kids when they misbehave. My fault that he's disappointed in you for not getting rid of me. My fault that he decided to let me share a house with you. My fault that - '

'Say one more word - '

'One more word.'

I see the cogs turning in his head, the vein in his forehead popping, the muscles in his sharp jaw flexing. His eyes flash, and he's on me. Instinctively, I lash out, catching his left shoulder in a brutal punch. Quickly, I grab it and yank, using the momentum I've built up to spin us and slam him up against the building. I curl my hand into a fist, keeping my other against his shoulder to pin him there. He hurls a punch at me, and I side step and slap him hard across the face.

'Behave,' I growl, grabbing a fistful of his shirt and dragging him down to look into his eyes. Something happens in his own, as he realises that I could have shot him, I could have used my power against him, but I didn't because I needed to prove a point to him. I'm a fair match for him, and that's minus my gun and my power. I smile, a challenge, and he flicks his hair out of his eyes and locks them on my own, letting his lips slowly curl up into a smile. He bends his head, gaze flicking down, then back up, when suddenly, a rough hand yanks hard on my plait, and I stumble off Drake.

'Get off the Sheriff,' Orc rumbles, gathering the back of my hoodie in a meaty paw. I see a metal bat raising threateningly in my peripheral vision, and I hiss.

'If you hit me, you'll regret it.'

'Who are you?' Howard whines. 'You aren't Coates, and I've never seen you - '

'I doubt you'd know. Orc, get off me, before I make you.'

'You? Make me?' A laugh.

'So, it's like that,' I sigh. Rapidly, I twist, also stomping on Orc's instep simultaneously, spinning on my heel to face him and slamming a knee right between his legs. Howling, he crumples, clutching himself, and I casually catch the bat as he drops. Swinging it until it rests on my shoulder then moving it until I can hook it under his chin, I tilt his face up with the wide end and cock my head, glaring into his eyes.

'Meet me, the new sheriff. I'm Rebel.'