Picking up the long, trench coat that had been dropped on the floor, Will rolled her eyes before tossing her gaze towards the sleeping redhead residing on the couch. Throwing the article of clothing his way, she restrained a smile as the man pulled it closer, almost like a child, before picking up an empty takeout box. Collecting the bags to be disposed of, she checked a monitor to see that all was well prior to heading back to her workstation to take a seat at her desk.
Looking around to see that their little base was actually a bit cleaner than before, she reclined in her seat, even daring to kick up her own feet as she let her eyes drift shut. Her break, however, was cut soon enough when her ears caught the sound of something scampering across the floor. Grabbing hold of a collapsible pointer, she flicked it out to its full length before swinging it down. A low, perhaps almost pained or irritable chatter began soon after.
Leaning over in her seat to see what she caught, Will lifted the end of the thin rod to see her little bot rubbing the top of its head as its lit eyes flickered erratically.
"SHU?" Said thing looked up at her before it began its chattering once more. "Hey, hey." The little robot turned its back to her. "SHU, don't be that way." It didn't look at her. "Aww, c'mere, you," she cooed as she scooped it up. Bringing the thing up to her shoulder, she watched as it hesitantly took a step forward before hiding beneath her collar. "You ok?"
Rubbing the pad of her finger across her pet's head, Will monitored the screens until the little bot finally started to move. Seeing how it moved from her shoulder to the crook of her neck, she sighed before listening to the low hum coming from the bot.
Coaxing it onto her hand, she lowered SHU onto her worktable and watched as the little piece of work scurried over to her monitor. When it looked back at its creator SHU then hooked itself up to a port before surfing through its recorded data.
"What are you doing, SHU?" Will asked as she reached out towards said thing.
Having it chatter at her, she dropped her hand back into her lap huffily before looking at the screen that had gone black. Sitting up in her chair, she watched as the lights making up the bot's eyes flicker before looking at the monitor once again as she caught the sound of static. Voices, somewhat distorted, had her keying in filtering commands.
"Ren, talk to me, please?"
Brown eyes caught the subtle clenching of the officer's fist. "I don't want to talk about it."
"Why? I wanna help."
"Help?" The white-haired man had turned to face the raven . "What could a bratty teen like you do to possibly help me?!"
"But-"
"No buts! You can't do anything! Stop trying to be so nice to me. I don't know you and you don't know me!"
"I know you."
"You don't know me!" After the surveillance unit took a look at the damage done to the streetlights, it focused on the other once more as he yelled, "Stay away from me…" Evren had taken a look at his hands before clenching both into fists. "D…defective…"
"You're not defective, Ren. You're just Ren. "You can talk to me if something is bothering you. You used to in the past."
"Ren-"
"Just leave me alone!"
Dark eyes then came into the bot's line of vision as it was lowered towards the ground. "Will would have a fit if you got messed up. Go back to her."
Watching as the raven took off in the opposite direction, Will looked back down at the bot that was in the process of disconnecting itself from her computer. Moving towards another, Will began to key into the surveillance she had set up in their most visited locations. Sweeping her gaze along numerous screens, she rose to her feet as she detected movement within the northwestern area of District 6A.
"Renyx." Nothing. "Renyx!" Same as before. "Anthony!"
"Dammit, woman, what?" he grumbled as he rolled over. "And don't call me by that name…"
"Let's go."
"Where?" he groused, half asleep once more.
"Calix needs help."
"He's a big boy."
"He's with his friend."
"Friend?" Renyx questioned as he sat up, stretching. "We're right here. Who else could that oddball possibly hang out with?"
"Anthony."
Lowering his arms, he slowly dropped them into his lap as he watched his other friend hurry up the ladder. "Seriously?!"
- † -
"Ren, stop running away from me!"
Glancing over his shoulder, Evren took shelter in an old clothing store. Treading lightly over shattered glass, he hid within one of the rows prior to sinking to his knees. Hearing his name being called for once again, he pulled his knees up to his chest and hid his face the moment the lights flickered. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he looked up as the flickering died though he made out the sound of glass crunching beneath the sole of a sneaker.
Scooting back to hide in dusty clothing, he covered his nose and held his breath as the particles in the air tickled his nose. Steps coming his way made him reach for the holstered weapon at his side though he soon dropped it to his side as he watched the raven pass by him. Once he lost sight of the teen, Evren crept out of his hiding place before looking around the once bustling department store.
Spotting an escalator, he made his way up to the second then third level of the building. Stepping carefully, he hurried down the aisle before slowing as he heard the light pattering of shoes. Looking over a shoulder, he ducked after spotting the raven. Covering his mouth, he waited several minutes to keep an ear out for the sound of footsteps.
None came; however, he did catch the sound of something collapsing then smashing onto the bottom level of the decrepit place. Heading towards it carefully, he stopped before gently tapping his foot on the discolored tile.
It seemed out of place somehow.
Tapping it again, he backpedaled when the floor collapsed on itself, leaving a thick plume of dust, dirt and whatever else lingered in the place. Looking around, the white-haired man took another step back prior to freezing as he heard the unstable flooring crack. Dropping his gaze at the last moment, he cursed himself for not moving in time just as the tile gave way.
Clutching the edge with one hand, mismatched eyes slowly redirected themselves to stare down at the material that now littered the floor two stories down. Swallowing thickly, he looked back up as he tried pulling himself up. His tender hand, however, had different plans. The aching throb of it caused him to clench his jaw or bite his lip every time he attempted to hoist himself up. Hearing the floor crack again, a few pieces falling, Evren took a guestimate at the damage that would be dealt if he was to let go.
Once finished, he sighed looking back up before hearing footsteps below him. Looking down he saw the teen still looking around for him on the lowest level. Grimacing, he exhaled slowly before snapping his head up.
Dammit…
"Ren?"
Said person tensed at the name then at the sound of cracking flooring. Trying to pull himself up once again, Evren chewed his lip as the persistent ache in his hand prevented him in pulling himself to safety once again. Feeling his hand beginning to sweat, Evren tried again before acknowledging his fate.
There was only one way out of his situation.
Sighing, he let go though it seemed that his plan to get down had soon changed.
Looking up, he stared at the raven that had a hold of his wrist. "What…what are you doing?" he questioned indignantly. "Let go."
"Let g-are you crazy?" Cal shot back as he extended his other hand. "Give me your hand."
"I didn't ask for your help."
"I wasn't offering. Give me your hand," he ordered, reaching down. "You're going to hurt yourself."
"You're going to hurt yourself. Let go of my hand."
"Give it to me."
"No."
"Stop being a stubborn bastard and give me your hand."
"Let go!"
"No," Calix growled despite the sudden slack in his hold. "Give me your other hand before you fall."
"Why are you trying to help me?" Evren asked. "You don't know me."
"For the last time, I know you. You know me too." The officer made a face. "I know you do, Evren." Sliding closer to edge himself, Calix cursed mentally. "C'mon, gimme your hand, Ren."
"N-"
"Dammit, Ren!"
"Let-"
Both stopped when they heard the floor starting crack and groan. Looking at the crumbling tile beneath him, Calix looked back at the officer to see him staring at the lowest level. Redirecting his gaze to the visible portion of the second floor, he slowly started to swing his arm to and fro, rocking the white-haired man in the process.
"What are you doing?" Evren asked as he listened to the breaking flooring.
"Do you trust me?"
"I don't know you."
"Fair enough," Calix said as he scooted closer to the edge. "Get ready."
"Ready for what?"
Glancing back at the second floor, brown eyes locked with the mismatched pair before the raven released the officer's hand. Watching as the other landed just shy of the edge, Calix smiled a bit when he looked about at him. Picking himself up, he then hurried down the old escalator before stepping off in time to see the other pulling himself to his feet.
"Are you ok?"
"Leave me alone," Evren replied tending to his injured hand.
"I can get you some bandages and antibiotics," Cal offered as he jogged over.
"Stop doing that you idiot. The floors are unstable!"
"It'll be fine," he said with a smile. "We've done this plenty of-"
Pausing at an audible crack, the raven looked down at the floor then up at the officer just as the floor gave way. Grabbing the edge of it, brown eyes widened as it crumbled beneath his fingers, causing him to plummet. However, a hand grabbing his had him snapping his head up to see the strain on the other's features.
"Ren-"
"Dumbass, he grumbled in response as he tried to keep from falling himself. "I told you that it was unstable!"
"And…and you're trying to save me?"
Glaring at the teenager, Evren rolled his eyes before he began to pull. Hearing the sound of crack tiles again, he contemplated on cutting his losses and slowly began to release the other.
"Are you ok?!"
"Ren." Pushing aside the minor ache in the side of his head, said person focused on the other. "You can let go."
"I know that, you idiot."
Calix gave a one-shouldered shrug. "Well…"
"Shut up," Evren ordered as he looked down at the spot he was laying in.
There was a visible crack running the middle length of the floor and he was starting to see the lower level through it.
"Ren-"
"I said to shut up, and stop calling me that!"
"Ren-"
Oddly colored eyes glared at the raven before looking around again. Feeling Cal starting to slip from his grasp, Evren grabbed him with the other hand, wincing in the process. Chewing his lip for a moment, he pulled harder, gaining a bit of progress though he couldn't hold in the minor hiss of pain that seemed to escape.
"Your hand-"
"Sh…shut up," he growled through his teeth.
"Your hand-"
"I said shut-!"
Hearing another crack, and much louder than the previous ones, both men looked at the floor then each other prior to dropping to the lowest level of the building.
Several minutes passed before the eldest of the pair opened his eyes. Closing them again, they cracked open after ten minutes to make out something blurry a few feet away. Making them out to be dusty racks of clothing, Evren brought a hand up to his head and rubbed it gently before gradually sitting up, brushing aside the old flooring material from off his person. Tilting his head back, he looked up at the hole in the ceiling from where he had fallen before remembering the other one.
"Cal…"
"Are you ok?!"
Clutching the side of his head, he swept his gaze across the dark room before holding up finger. Catching sign of dark hair sitting under him, he lowered his hand quickly in favor of resting it along a leathery material. As his eyes adjusted to the lack of light, he made out the slack features of the teenager he had been running away from.
His eyes were shut and his jaw was slack.
Several more seconds passed before the man realized that he had indeed landed on top of the raven.
Getting off quickly, he knelt alongside Calix before pressing two fingers along the side of his neck to find a pulse. Lowering his head soon enough, he strained his hearing to pick up on the faintest of breaths before trying to determine the best course of action. Then again, the kid wasn't his responsibility and he did warn him about the flooring being unstable throughout the building. They also wouldn't have been in that mess to start with if Calix wasn't so persistent on trying to get to know the officer when he clearly didn't want to converse anyone at the time.
Brushing off the rubble from his clothes, Evren then began to pick the pieces of tile from the dark hair before pausing when it started to feel like dejá vu. With no specific training intending to the wounded, he rose to his feet and took a step back to observe the one laying on his back. When he didn't move, he nudged him with his foot before taking a step back Turning to leave, he spared Calix one last glance prior to walking down the center aisle. He didn't get far, however, due to the fact of his instincts telling him that he was being watched. And acting upon them, he looked to his right to see the same female he had a small skirmish with some time a ago, an actual gun in her hand this time around.
Seeing how brown eyes drifted towards the unconscious male still on the floor, Evren stepped out of the way of the barrel before stilling as the hammer was pulled back and the alleged safety was taken off. Slowly bring his hands up in front of him, he looked up at the lights hanging from the ceiling above her before taking a step forward. When Will didn't step back as planned, the officer glanced up at the light panels before snapping his fingers.
That caused the bulbs to blink, catching her attention before they all burst in an almost blinding display of lights and shattered glass.
Escape was still impossible, what with the warning shot she fire in his direction.
"What did you do to him?" she asked as she kept her weapon trained on the white-haired man standing before her. Not getting an answer immediately, she took another step forward, aiming a bit higher so that the barrel was now pointed at the man's chest. "What did you do?"
"Why don't you put down the weapon? You do know that it's a criminal offense to even hold that without a permit, something you lack I'm sure."
"Spare me the bullshit," Will snapped as she proceeded forward. "Tell me what you did to him!"
Taking a small step back, just to keep the distance even, Evren paused when something didn't feel quite right.
It seemed imperative that he remained focused on the armed woman yet something at the back of his head was goading him to turn around; even if it was for just a few seconds.
Lowering his hands quickly, he decided it best to take out the immediate threat to his wellbeing.
Charging his newer opponent, he sidestepped the rounds fire before he began to close the gap between them. Reaching out, he knocked the weapon aside before he began to advance upon the woman, holding his uninjured hand up and out. Seeing how she backed away quickly, he cut her off when she attempted to retrieve her lost firearm.
Slowly lowering his hand, he kept a close eye on Will. "Go home and I won't hurt you."
Straightening up, Will spat at the ground. "As if I'd listen, yet alone believe what you say."
"Suit yourself. Don't say I didn't warn you," he replied as he held his hand up again.
Catching a sudden glance the brown eyes had cast, the officer turned quickly in time to catch a fist to the face. Head swimming, he took a step or two back before finally falling over, head connecting with the floor. Blinking slowly as his vision began to blur, Evren made out the pair of tawny eyes glaring at him before exhaling softly the moment everything went black.
"Damn, his head is a lot harder than it looks."
"You did sucker punch him."
"I did not."
Sparing the redhead a look, Will hurried over towards the raven that had yet to say anything, yet alone utter a single word. Kneeling, she checked his pulse and breathing before whistling. On signal, SHU came out of hiding and hopped down to rest on the teen's chest. Moving up, it carefully provided light for the woman to check Calix's pupils before finally going back into the woman's pocket. She then looked over the teen's body not finding any visible or immediate wounds or bruises.
"Anthony."
"You know, I really hate it when you call me that," he replied as he came over. He then knelt on the other side of the teen. "Is he ok?"
"He's out cold but I don't see any injury," she stated as she looked back at the knocked out officer several meters away. "What should we do with him?"
Standing up, Renyx looked towards the other laying on his side. "Could leave him in the sewers. He'd be lost for days before he manages to get to back to Polaris, yet alone his precious headquarters."
"That's cold, Anthony."
"Your point?"
"Just get Calix and let's go," Will groused as she went to retrieve her weapon.
"Yeah, yeah," the redhead said as he picked up the smaller male carefully. He then watched as his female companion put the safety back on. "Shall we get going?"
"Do you really want to be around when he wakes up?" she asked, gesturing towards Evren prior to walking towards the door. "Then again, what's the rush? You could always knock him out again, right?"
"I…rather not."
"Oh? How come the change of heart? I thought you could take him."
"Woman, it was a sucker punch."
"So you admit it?"
"Can we just go?" She hummed. "Willow…"
"Anthony."
"Willow."
"Just be careful while carrying Cal," she muttered as she went on her way. "This place is unstable."
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