Organised Crime

"This is taking too long" I grumbled as we trudged along the gray pavement. Wandering around is one thing but when you have a destination it really makes you impatient.

"You know what they say," Amber spoke spiritedly." An ants work is ... it's... what is it again?" Amber cocked her head to one side as she puzzled over it.

It was about six hours since we left Mellow's very humble abode. We hadn't eaten or rested, such was our determination to find our lost friend. But I was getting very impatient not only were we going slower due to Amber's lack of genetic modification but there was so much trash littering the streets as well as a ridiculous amount of humans and animals that we spent a lot of the time walking over or around objects, sneaking past snarling pit-bulls and dodging huge trampling feet. It was certain that this trip would take far more than a day. Frustrated I sat down and stared jealously at the birds who were flitting around, high in the sky covering large distances far faster than I ever could.

"Come on Red you can't be giving up now, " Amber spoke as she walked up next to me."No matter how long the journey Reed is waiting for us we have to..." Her eyes grew wide and a look of fear washed over her face.

Turning to see what caused her reaction I saw that a cockroach was right in front of me so close I could feel his breath upon me. I backed away slowly from the giant insect moving closer to Amber. It was then that I noticed that nearly 30 cockroaches had encircled us. I had encountered cockroaches before when it comes to fighting they can really throw you around and combined with the fact that they can defy death they really weren't the kind of insects I'd like to gang up on me and I don't want any insect to do that. The biggest one, the one I saw first, stepped forward.

"Well boys looks like a couple of ants thought they could move in on our territory or maybe you were here on business," the cockroach spoke with a strange accent.

"Business, what kind of business would a roach have?" I asked puzzled.

"Oh! So you don't know about us?" The big cockroach asked, "Well allow me to introduce myself I'm Roach Muerte the Don of the cockroach mafia."

"Mafia?" Amber asked the fear was completely gone from her face and all that was left was a question mark.

"You see now basically we're the bosses around here, we keep this place safe from trespassers like you or we can keep you safe too, ya know for a price"

"Pointless," I said now bored out of mind and tired of sitting still," You're cockroaches, what do insects pay you? Garbage? And what are you the boss of exactly? Not this street cause as far I can see the humans rule without question. What are you gonna protect other insects from, yourselves? Not much of a threat considering there are many things out there which are bigger stronger and much more dangerous than you are."

Roach was now seething with anger; the other cockroaches were beginning to close in on us angry that I dared challenge their way of life. Roach held out his leg and they stopped.

"You seem to like running your mouth ant! You seem to have forgotten to whom you're speaking to" He walked forward.

"But you don't know who you're talking to!" I shouted and with that, I delivered a powerful blow to the face with two of my right legs sending him skating on his back. I grabbed Amber and dashed through the opening the cockroaches made as they tried to make it to their boss.

"Forget me fools go after those ants" The Don roared.

With a loud buzzing the cockroaches raised their wings and flew after us screaming for revenge.

They formed a shadow over us and descended slowly. I could hear my heart beating as they grew closer and closer to us...

Then we were snatched up by the hairy legs of a cockroach and suddenly we were far above the others in the cockroach swarm. I fought to try to get a handle on my attacker.

"Stop squirming ant I'm trying to save you."The cockroach yelled. In spite of this, I continued to struggle how could I trust a complete stranger from a group of cockroaches that was trying to kill me.

The swarm, including Roach, flew after him.

"Bring the ant here Rocky!" The don yelled.

Instead of answering he gripped me tighter and flew even faster creating a sizeable distance between him and the swarm. Dropping low to the ground behind some boxes where, for a brief moment, the swarm was unable to see him as he tossed us behind one of them to land safely on some cotton.

I lay silently in my soft hideaway watching as the swarm of cockroaches' zoomed pass. It was only a matter of time before they realised that cockroach Rocky didn't have us anymore and only matter of time before a swarm of nearly 30 flying cockroaches combed the area looking for the two red ants that messed with their boss. Well the one red ant that messed with their boss and the other part red ant who was with him.

It was slowly approaching dawn; I breathed a sigh of relief perhaps the sunlight would deter them. Moving in the shadow of the tall building we made our way along. That was until we head the sound of wings. We froze instantly as we waited to see who our visitor was. The sound grew louder and louder until the one making the sound was hovering right in front of us.

"Found you!" The roach yelled and charged towards us.

I tensed up as I prepared to receive a blow but before the roach reached us a shadow slammed itself into the roach sending him straight into the wall causing the roach to fall crippled to the ground.

"Rocky at your service," The shadow said turning to face us.

I looked at him skeptically."What's your motive Roach why are you helping us?"

"Well that's simple", he said, "I agree with you."

"Huh?"

"You're absolutely right, what's a roach gonna threaten other bugs for we don't have money like humans, its a waste of time we should be just out eating garbage like the rest of the roach community", he stated, "besides all that I hate to see those guys pick on two cute little ants like yourselves."

My antennae twitched, 'Did he just call me cute? cause if he did...!'

"So since we're so cute can you do us a favour?" asked Amber.

'who asked her to but in.'

"What's that little ant?"

I was seething.

"Could you take us to the factory?" Amber asked I guess the roach's comments did nothing to her ant pride, "I heard its somewhere west of here."

"Oh yeah I know the joint some weird things was happening there" he said rubbing his head," Why do you wanna go there?"

"That's none of your business now is it!?" I shouted out suddenly barely able to contain my rage.

"Sorry there little ant," the roach said," I'll do it, by the way, call me Rocky."

"Nice to meet you, Rocky," said Amber," You can call me Amber and this bundle of joy is Red."

"A pleasure, "Rocky replied cheerfully," get some rest we're leaving first thing in the morning.

********************************

We zoomed to and fro in the bright morning sky according to Rocky; the roach mafia should've stopped looking for us a long time ago. Dropping us onto the ground near the factory he flew off back in the direction of his territory.

We stood outside the large building. There were yellow straps running across the closed doorways. However, despite the abandoned look of the factory, we could hear the hum of machines inside. We made our way purposefully under the tiny space, the very second we emerged on the on the other side I was blinded by a green flash and then there was a loud screech. A stinging sensation ran through my body. I gasped for air fighting to regain my sight.

"Calm down kid it's just a scanner"

Bringing my breathing back under control I waited till my eyes could see again and then focused on the direction of the voice.

Lying in a glass chamber was the biggest ant I had ever seen. He was a yellowish-orange colour and had huge mandibles. But his size is what truly stood out, Never in my entire life have I seen an ant who could size up with...well a cockroach.

"Quit your gawking kid I'm a weaver ant, I'm supposed to be this big well not really there was this thing, with a scientist...never mind just get me outa here!" he spoke again.

I began to go towards him almost in a trance, then I realised he was bigger than me what if he was stronger than me too he might try to kill me, I dead stopped.

"I'm not gonna hurt you kid I'm sick of this place anyway why would I hurt my saviour." He said as if he'd read my mind.

"Hold on just a minute I can't take your word for it, you're a complete stranger to me," I said, "however I could take a risk if you promised me something."

"What's that?" asked the large ant.

"Swear your loyalty to me as your King," I said a smirk on my face.

"Fine I'll do it," he said, "Reed said you'd pull something like this."

"You know Reed?"

"Yea he left something for you let me out and I'll show you."

I approached the glass chamber pressing my leg against it to determine how thick it was.

"If I thought punching would help, I'd be long gone kid."

I raised my metal leg and brought it crashing into the glass.

Nothing.

I did it again.

Still nothing.

I raised my leg one more time this time I felt a surge of power go through me the leg began to glow purple and when I smashed my leg into the glass, time seemed to accelerate as the glass deteriorated before my very eyes.

The weaver stood still a look of shock on his face for a while.

"Well if my punch could do that I'd be king."

"So where's this thing Reed left for me?" I asked with a smug grin on my face.

"Hold your horses kid," said the weaver ant," I'll be right back"

Amber and I stood watching as the ant rushed off.

A few moments later there was a blare of sirens and red lights began flashing all around the factory. I looked around frantically hoping that nothing bad would happen and wishing that that weaver ant would hurry up.

Then I heard the sound of his footsteps coming back except there weren't only his footsteps. Following close behind him was a green, red, brown and black similar looking ants. I assumed they were also weavers.

"Look alive kid, get the hell out!" The ant that I freed shouted.

We made a mad dash under the doorway, emerging we came face to face with a swarm of angry looking cockroaches.

"You thought you could escape the Don!"Yelled the biggest cockroach (yes it was Roach Muerte).

Looking around I saw Rockies mangled corpse. Well, that's what you get for calling me little.

"Kid I don't really have to time to be fighting some crappy enemies of yours but since they're in the way lets make short work of this."

"Are you stupid ant?" yelled the Don, "There're twenty-eight of us and seven of you.

"Shut the hell up!" yelled the bright green weaver as she landed a powerful blow sending the Don flying. That was when war broke out.

In a few minutes, it was all over.