The screamers were overly active that night for some reason and there were more of them. They were either travelling in groups or there were more that were slowly finding their way into the favela.

Their hungry cries echoed below as Jonathan sat on the edge of the window with one leg dangling out. The Asian was finally sleeping after two hours of awkward silences and suspicious stares. He was ambitious, Jonathan would give him that, but he was reckless and that ate at him more than anything. The man was built very well, he was strong, athletic, smart and was a good asset for the tower. But all of that was pointless if he didn't know how to get around properly. It was all pointless if he couldn't keep himself alive long enough to do any good. Jonathan glanced over when the man's arm slid off the side of the bed as he dreamed. At least he didn't snore.

The sun worked its way up and as soon as it breached the horizon, Jonathan slipped back in through the window and gathered his things. The Asian stirred, rubbing his eyes before he sat up in the bed. He perked up when he saw the runner moving around. Evan stood up and stretched with an obnoxious sound. "So."

Jonathan stopped what he was doing and looked over at him. "So, what?"

Evan grinned, "Are you gonna drag me back home to Mom and Dad or are you gonna let me tag along?"

"First things first." Jonathan dropped his bag. "The only reason I'm not hauling your clumsy ass back to the tower this very moment is because they want to give you a chance. Second, I'm betting you do something even more dumb than what you did last night. That will be the reason I take you back to Mom and Dad, because you don't know how to do any of this. So, yeah you can tag along but don't get comfortable because you'll be back to sleeping in a bunk by the end of the day."

Evan clutched at his chest and hissed. "Ouch. That hurt me deep."

Jonathan stared him down, but the guy just continued to smirk at him. So he grabbed his bag and secured it over his shoulder before he went for the window. "Get your shit. Let's go."

Evan grabbed his things and climbed down after him, shielding his eyes from the sun once his feet were on the rooftop beside the guy. "Well. Where to, Angel Boy?"

Anjo rolled his eyes and pulled his map out. Evan saw how much more intricate it was than his own. It was marked with pathways, symbols he didn't know the meaning of, random drawings up the corners. "Just follow me and please refrain from speaking as much as possible."

"Why? It's not like anyone's going to hear us."

Jonathan spun on him. "Rule number one. Do as I say, when I say. You got that?"

"Sure." Evan smiled. "I just don't understand why you don't want me to talk."

"Because I enjoy the quiet." Jonathan pocketed the map and started out at a jog across the rooftops. He gave the Asian a side glance. "Try to keep up."

To Jonathan's surprise, the man actually kept up. He was also pleased that he kept his mouth shut the entire time, but he knew the words were building because by the time they reached their destination, the Asian was restless. They came to a stop before Jonathan slid to the edge and lowered himself down through an open window into an abandoned house.

"So." Evan started once his feet were on the floor beside him. "What's your name?"

Jonathan didn't pay him any attention, instead he let his trained eyes scan the cramped house for anything they could use. He made a beeline for the bathroom where he found supplies in the small closet and behind the mirror.

"I mean, I can keep calling you Angel Boy if you want. Or dude. That's up to you, Anjo."

Jonathan stuffed his bag and turned, "Or you could just not call me anything and shut your mouth. How about that?"

He brushed past him and into another room, picking through the cabinets swiftly and moving on when they were cleaned out. He could see the Asian smirking as he searched his own area which was futile because it was a bookcase. Jonathan was getting anxious.

"Stop." He said firmly and the man dropped his hands to his sides. "You're wasting time looking through pointless shit."

Evan held his arms out, "Dude, then tell me what to do. Wasn't that the point of you letting me come along, so I could learn from the almighty wise one?"

He clenched his jaw. "Fine. Your priorities when you're searching should be containers; drawers, closets, cabinets, medicine cabinets especially. Look under beds for safes. When you first go into a room, scan with your eyes, if you don't see anything of interest, search the containers in the room and then move on. You need to be quick but thorough. Every second you waste looking in something completely irrelevant is daylight you're burning up. Look, search, move on. Got it?"

"I got it."

Jonathan returned Evan's nod and then proceeded out of the window and back onto the roof where they walked for a bit until they dropped down into another house. This time was much faster. They weren't in there more than five minutes which was a record for Jonathan. It usually took him around ten to fifteen minutes on a good day depending on how big the house was and how much stuff was in it. The time went by much better with two people and the loot was gathered in greater numbers thanks to the extra bags on someone else's shoulders.

All was running smoothly and Jonathan almost forgot there was someone with him until the questions started up again as soon as they emptied their bags at a drop zone and sat down the eat a bite.

"Okay, so why don't you let other people to run out here?" Evan asked and bit into his energy bar. "It'd be so much easier."

Jonathan sighed and flipped his hat around to keep the sun out of his eyes. "I'm the only one that wants to run and you're the first to volunteer."

"So I've heard." He grinned to himself before he let it fade as he swallowed down the granola. "You wanna know part of the reason I decided to come out here?"

Jonathan didn't even look over at him, "Not really, no."

"That's too bad. I'm gonna tell you anyway. I can't stand just sitting back and waiting while I could be helping. I'd go fucking crazy just walking in circles in there with everyone else. I don't wanna sit still." Evan shrugged. "Just the way I am, I guess."

Evan looked off at the horizon as the sun reached it's peak above them. He could recall most of his midday adventures in random countries when the sun was high in the sky burning down on him as he ventured through forests, sailed across lakes, walked the most dangerous trails in the world, jumped from the most gut wrenching waterfalls. Lucah never hesitated to jump after him, sometimes before. She was a fucking daredevil of a thing with a spirit that shined as bright as her hair and he missed her with every fiber of his being.

Jonathan watched him get lost in his head as they sat there on the edge of a rooftop, the tower just off to their right in the distance. It kind of unsettled him how much he could already relate to the guy. He needed to keep himself busy, he wanted to help. He didn't want to stand by while he had two hands to offer. It didn't mean that he was encouraging his reckless behavior, it just meant that they could use more like him. But someone who talked a little less.

"You said that was only part of the reason." He broke the silence and Evan looked over at him. "What was the other part?"

Evan grinned, "I just want to prove you wrong."

"The hell does that mean?"

"You don't think anyone else can get out here and do what you do and do it just as well." Evan stood and stretched. "And I really like proving people wrong."

Jonathan stood and pulled his bag over his head, "You don't know shit, kid. The tower's close if you want to call it quits for today."

"Okay, I'm not a kid. We're like the same fucking age. Also, you can't stand there and tell me that two runners isn't better than one." Evan held out his hands. "We got a lot done and it's only noon. We have six more hours and even though I don't have all the knowledge and experience that you do, your majesty, I think it's better if we keep doing what we're doing. That's double the supplies you're bringing back. Think about it."

"I have been thinking about it but the more you talk the more I want to kick your ass off this roof." Jonathan said and he rolled his eyes at the way the Asian smiled. So fucking smug. Even if he did send him back to the tower, he couldn't make him stay unless he locked him in a room by himself and threw away the key. He just seemed like that kind of guy; persistent.

Jonathan sighed and rubbed at his face beneath his mask. "Just . . . come on. Let's go ahead and take all this stuff inside."

------

Marcel was sharpening a blade when he felt a ball of spit paper hit his arm and as always when he looked up, Scotty was smiling like a fucking kid. Marcel narrowed his eyes, "One more and I'll end you, you little fuck nugget."

Scotty stuck his tongue out, revealing another spit ball poised and ready to be blown through the straw in his hand. He brought it to his lips and blew with more force than was necessary and the paper stuck itself to the side of Marcel's face. He fell into a fit of loud laughter and almost fell back in his chair trying to get out of it when Marcel stuck his blade into his wood table and ran at him full speed.

"NOO!"

Langley flattened herself against the wall as they came running around the corner. She yelled, "Hey, watch it! Precious cargo walking here!"

Murphy snorted, "Precious? Who ever said you were precious?"

Langley glanced over at her partner in crime as they walked into the main foyer with the rest of the crew, "I was totally talking about you. Duh."

Murphy clutched at her chest and wiped a fake tear away, "Bro."

The brunette winked, "So, you think they ran off to go bang?"

"Scott and Marcy?" She raised her brow. "Definitely."

"Yeah, my gaydar is pretty on point. Mixed with your gut feelings, we're never wrong."

They made their fists bump but a banging at the front doors caught their attention. A dirty grin spread across their faces. "Now, that's a pair I'd like to see bang."

Langley walked over and began unlocking the doors. "I was just about to say that. Great minds think alike."

Everyone fell silent when Anjo walked in carrying three full and heavy bags followed by Evan who was hauling just as much. The tension was hanging thick on the no longer lone runner as he dropped the bags on the floor and stretched his shoulders. Everyone was staring, waiting on someone to speak. Evan pulled in a breath and just before he was about to let a word out, Anjo turned his head and caught his eye giving him a silent warning. Evan clamped his mouth shut and held back a giggle.

"Meet me up at the laundry."

Evan nodded instead of speaking and when Anjo disappeared into the elevator, he nearly snorted. "I think he likes me."

Lui stepped into the open. "I thought we told you to leave him alone."

Evan chewed at his lip and crossed his arms, "I did leave him alone. He came to me. The tightwad followed me around for days before he showed himself and then he had the nerve to complain about the way I was doing things. Like some golden boy in class that thinks he's better than everyone else."

"He is better than everyone else." Lui said rather firmly.

"Listen, I'm just saying that I went out there and did my own thing and he had a problem with it, but he was also cool enough to let me tag along." Evan stood even straighter, holding his ground as Lui eyed him. "He taught me a few things, so maybe he's considering letting me stay at it. At least I'm trying to convince him."

"Okay. Just respect him, please. He looked aggravated."

"I'm not going to tiptoe around someone who has a stick up their ass. If he let's me stick with him, then that's great. But I'm going to be me and do what I have to do and if he doesn't like it then he can put as much distance between us as he wants. I'm not giving up this running thing. People need us." Evan ended his argument and headed for the elevator once it reached the ground floor again with a tiny 'ding'.

They all eyed each other for a moment when a silence filled the open space. Murphy cleared her throat, "Alright, well that was entertaining."

"Let's get these bags sorted and where they belong." Langley pulled the newest defender members to their feet and had them start pulling the contents out of the duffles and categorize them on the floor.

Cat was the most gossip worthy thing that had happened to the tower in the entire two months it had been established. He was the coma dude, the new face, the first guy to question Anjo and take to the rooftops. He was different and they all knew it. The fact that Anjo hadn't sent him back the first second he saw Cat out there, meant that their savior knew he was different too. Langley looked up and caught her best friend's eye and she could tell that Murphy knew what was on her mind. That cheeky grin said it all.

"What did we miss?" Scotty walked back into the foyer with Marcel behind him, a darker shade on his skin than was normal.

"Too bad you were banging because you missed Cat and Anjo. It's a huge possibility that we have another official Anjo-approved runner with us." Murphy looked them up and down, smirking at Scotty's disheveled hair. "You have sex hair."

"I do not!" He turned a deep shade of red and Marcel was smiling as he settled back down at his grinding stone.

"It's okay to be in denial, dude." Lui giggled and accepted the middle finger that was directed at him.

"So, Evan got in his good graces?" Marcel wondered while he slung sparks in his corner.

"Not exactly. Anjo followed him, criticized him, then taught him a little. Now Evan is trying to convince him to let him stick with him." Lui picked at his fingernails. "But even if he doesn't approve, Evan will still get out there and do it. I think he just wants to prove him wrong."

Marcel hummed. "That's cute."

"Right?" Langley pitched in.

Scotty's head snapped in their direction, "No, don't even start that shit again."

Murphy narrowed her eyes at him, "Why? Because once upon a time we said you and Marcel had the hots for each other and now you're running off to poke each other in the butt every chance you get?"

"What?! No!" Scotty stumbled over his words and started to fume when Marcel laughed at him. "Shut the fuck up! We don't! And all you two perverts think about are dudes fucking!"

The girls both shrugged, "Yeah, pretty much. There's nothing else to keep us entertained. Besides, you guys are gay, so I don't even know why we're having this discussion."

Scotty stood abruptly, trying not to rip his hair out. "We're not gay, goddamn it!"

Marcel sighed and shook his head. He set his blade down and stood, making his way over to his frustrated friend who was breathing heavily trying to calm down. Scotty swallowed and felt his back hit the wall behind him when Marcel took his face in his hands and kissed him right there in front of everyone. They whistled and cat-called when Scotty gave in finally and tilted his head, making the kiss deeper. Just how he liked it.

Marcel pulled away, "They all know, genius. Stop trying to play straight when all you do is flirt with me and threaten to suck my dick if I don't give you what you want. Because it's totally not a threat and you're not fooling anyone."

He walked back to his side of the foyer, wiping his lips while Scotty was still stuck to the wall by his chair. He finally peeled himself off and said quietly, "Okay then."

Langley clapped her hands once, "Alright! Now that that is settled, everyone grab a bag. Let's go."

------

Evan didn't know what else he could say to try to convince Angel Boy that he was good enough, but it didn't matter either way. He walked out into the hallway and everyone eyeballed him as he passed by and made his way into the room full of apparel and washing machines. It was silent in the room and Anjo had a small stack of clothes in his arms. Evan approached him and the man held them out for him to take.

"What are these?" He raised a curious brow.

"Clothes."

"Oh shit, you're a comedian, too?" Evan stepped back in fake shock.

Angel Boy wasn't fazed. "These are the clothes you should wear . . . when you run."

The meaning of his words sunk in fast and Evan was grinning. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

The runner blinked, "You'll need to change your shoes every so often. They'll start to wear and you need your feet to constantly be supported."

Evan nodded, still grinning at him. It obviously made the guy anxious by the way he was using his words to get away from it. He walked to a different stack of clothes. "Underwear. Wear briefs. Always have a few extra pair on you. You will run outrageous holes into them and you don't want your thighs rubbing because it's fucking torture when you start sweating. Got it?"

"Got it. Always have extra undies." Evan gave an okay with his hand.

"Shirts. Wear something thin and breathable. That's just common sense. But I'll say it anyway because I don't how thick that skull of yours is yet." Anjo smirked, Evan could tell by the way his eyes crinkled just slightly in the corners.

"You're fucking hilarious." Evan cocked his head to the side and frowned.

Jonathan felt a wave of nausea roll through him, along with the memory.

------

"Where are you?"

Tyler gave a short groan before he coughed. It sounded wet and he knew that wasn't a good sign. "I'm under a bunch of shit, that's where."

"You're fucking hilarious."

------

"So what about pants?" The Asian pulled him back to reality and he hushed the echoing image in his head and walked toward a stack of running pants, thin, loose and designed for a specific purpose.

"These. I've got special stacks here just for me. They'll always sort the clothes I need apart from the civilians so it shouldn't be hard to pick out clothes if you get confused."

Evan gave a thumbs up, "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"You're welcome. Now, let's go to the mess hall."

As it was with every other place Angel Boy went, the mess hall fell silent when they entered. But everyone's eyes fell on Evan more than they did on Anjo. It was understandable though, considering their savior never had anyone following him like a dog. Evan ignored the curious looks and walked with him to a table that always had a black running pack sitting on it. He never wondered about it, but he learned what it was.

"This table will always be stocked with a bag of food for when mine finally runs out. I'll tell them to make two bags instead of just one now." Anjo took the empty bag from his shoulder and swapped it out. He spun Evan around and checked his bag. "You're still good. But when you get low and need a pit stop, just run in here and get a new bag.

"Okay." Evan nodded and saw a child running their way out of the corner of his eye. "Small creature at your six o'clock."

Anjo turned around a second later and the kid skid to a halt in front of him. "Nana Maria wants to see you before you leave again!"

He gave the boy a nod and he could already hear the question before it came out of Evan's mouth. "She let me use her shop as shelter when the bombs fell. That's all you need to know."

Evan closed his mouth and followed him out into the hallway where everyone parted for them like the Red Sea. He chuckled to himself, "Maybe I should just call you Moses."

Anjo had no response, just stiff shoulders and a detached disposition. Evan pursed his lips, disappointed as the lack of appreciation for his amazing wit. The man was very good at ignoring pretty much everything and that only increased Evan's resolve to get under his skin. As much as these people worshiped him, he needed to loosen up.

------

Nana Maria was a very small dark leather skinned native who looked like she had seen her fair share of horrors and had many stories up her sleeve. Evan liked her immediately just because she gave off a very wise vibe and he could see the spirit in her bright kind eyes. She had her own hospital room where children seemed to accumulate, like it was a daycare of sorts. She was sat up in a chair near a window so she had a view of the city that was once her home. Her face wrinkled with a grin when they entered the room.

"It's nice to see you're making friends."

Anjo shook his head, "He's an acquaintance not a friend."

Evan clutched at his chest again, "Wow, that hurts, bro." He grinned when Anjo gave him a hard stare.

"What did you want to see me for?"

She stood and opened the window, letting in some fresh air. "I wanted to ask you how your search was going? Has there been any sign of my daughter?"

Evan's amused grin faded when he caught the look on her face as she looked longingly out at the city below. It seemed everyone was missing someone. He glanced around at the children running around them, their laughter so innocent and oblivious. Perhaps they had lost their parents and this was the only place they had to stay, in the arms of this woman who looked after them while her own child was lost.

"No, nothing. I always keep an eye out, but there's only so much I can do, Maria. It's been two months already. If she's still alive, I don't know where." Anjo pulled his hat off and ran his hand through his hair before he put it back on. "To this day I still haven't seen a living person out there. There may be some in the city but it takes too long for me to get out there and come back before the sun starts to set. I can't search it long enough before I have to turn back. Maybe one day I can set up some safe houses further out and stay out there more, but for now, I have limits."

Evan stepped up beside him, "But now I'm out there, too. So we'll be able to cover more ground. Who is your daughter?"

He could feel the runner staring holes into his face but he kept his eyes set on Nana Maria when she turned and grinned sadly at him. "Her name is Livia. Beautiful, radiant. Long brown silky hair and eyes like earth, so full of life. If you ever see her she has a small family tattoo on her left wrist."

Evan nodded and chanced a glance over at Anjo who was rubbing his eyes tiredly. When he thought about it he didn't think the guy had slept all night, he was too busy keeping a suspicious eye on him. He felt guilty for a moment but threw it aside just as quick. It was his own fault for not shutting his stubborn eyes when he had the chance.

"And she's pregnant." Anjo said and Evan's eyes widened.

"What?"

"By now she should be close to her due date."

"Then why are we still here, shouldn't we be getting more people to help look for her?" Evan pressed.

Maria sat back down, "He does not believe she is alive."

"Why not, Moses?" Evan questioned and Anjo glared at him. "You don't think a woman can take care of herself out there?"

"No." Maria shook her head calmly. "He does not hold onto hope."

Anjo turned to leave but Evan grabbed his shoulder until he stopped. "You just run from everything don't you?"

He spun on Evan, twisting his wrist up against his chest. "I run because it keeps everyone here alive. I do what has to be done. Looking for someone who probably hasn't had food or strength for two months is pointless. You should know how I feel about doing pointless things. Do me a favor and don't touch me ever again."

He pushed him away from him and left through the door as the children kept playing mindlessly, ignorant to the events that had just unfolded. Evan rubbed at his hand and gave Maria an apology with his eyes before he followed after him. He managed to jump in the elevator with him before the doors closed. They rode it down in silence and before they reached the bottom Anjo said, "Change your clothes and meet me outside. The faster you are the happier I'll be."

"I had no idea my goal was to make you happy." Evan straightened his shoulders and walked out first when it came to a stop. He turned, "But I'll make it quick, your highness."

Jonathan narrowed his eyes as the Asian disappeared into a room. He walked out into the foyer and he caught Lui's eye, "I should have left him in the fucking road that night."

Lui giggled, "Come on, he can't be that bad. Considering you haven't killed him yet."

"I'm pretty close."

Marcel propped his legs up on his table, "If you don't like him then why are you hauling him around?"

"Because he's right. Two is better than one. Even though one is how I like it. Nice and quiet." He sighed when he saw him come out of the room in record time, looking like his twin pretty much except the shirt was grey not white.

Langley whistled, "Look at you, hot stuff."

He gave her a wink and clapped Jonathan on the shoulder as he passed, completely ignoring his request not to touch him ever again. "Let's go."

Anjo rolled his eyes and turned while everyone was throwing stupid smiles at him. He hated them all for encouraging Evan in the first place. The Asian held the door for him and bowed, "After you, my king."

"Shut the fuck up, please." He muttered as he walked out into the sunlight once more.

"Sir, yes sir."

"You're not gonna shut up are you?"

Evan let a smile show as he jogged past him. "Absolutely not."

------

Jonathan's routine stayed the same pretty much except he had a fly in his ear now. A helpful fly, but a fly nonetheless. The first night was the best because even though Evan kept running his mouth about anything and everything, he was holding his tongue as much as possible. It was like he was trying his best to be likable but when it got too quiet, he had to say something to stir the dust again.

Evan wasn't a bad person in Jonathan's eyes, just the kind of guy that didn't like to act serious when their entire lives were counting on it. It was like it went against everything within him to be quiet or normal for five seconds. He didn't particularly care that he talked so much because he was good at tuning him out, but after that first night with him, things started to escalate and he could feel his nerves being tested. The Asian was fast to develop obnoxious habits, like sneaking up behind him while they searched darkened buildings just to whisper something stupid in his ear and run off before he could turn around and strangle him.

"I'll leave you in the fucking streets tonight to be eaten if you don't cut it the fuck out." Jonathan stated calmly and watched as Evan fiddled with a locked box in an abandoned bedroom.

"Nah, you'd miss me."

"I highly doubt that."

Evan looked up and gave him the same smug grin he always did, "You just wait. One day you'll be calling me your best friend and wondering what life was like without me."

Jonathan just continued to stare blankly at him before he started digging around in the bathroom.

It wasn't until two days later that Evan started asking him questions, personal questions and Jonathan was doing extra well at completely ignoring him. It seemed to encourage the man other than keep him from asking again. At that point Jonathan came to the conclusion that he was either going to have to give in or just continue to take it. It was a lose/lose situation, but considering how much he didn't like to have contact with anyone, keeping his mouth shut wasn't going to be a problem. So, he let Evan talk . . . . and talk and talk.

"Hey, I got another question." Evan caught up to him while their feet pounded on a tin roof as they made their way across town. "What's your favorite color?"

Jonathan didn't answer as usual.

"You know, hippo's sweat turns red when they're upset." Evan said randomly and Jonathan looked at him like he was an idiot. "So if I were a hippo I'd be raining red right now. Your lack of responses is killing me, dude."

Jonathan turned his eyes forward, "I'd always be red with you around."

"Oh! He speaks!" Evan laughed. "Come on, man. Lighten up a little, I'm the funnest person you know."

"David is more fun than you."

"What?! Bean Pole David that doesn't like to come out of his office because he's a hermit?" Evan was waving his hands around as they kept a steady pace. "No way he's more fun than I am."

"He hardly speaks and I rarely see him. So he's a thousands times better than you already." Jonathan slowed to a stop and dropped down to a lower rooftop on the edge of the west side of the favela markets.

"Hey, why aren't we going further down and starting with those down near the water?" Evan questioned when Anjo lowered himself down into a window that he followed him into.

"I'll tell you later. Let's search these few shacks first."

"Yes, sir." Evan gave him a small salute. "I'll go downstairs."

"Stop calling me, 'sir'." Jonathan bit.

Evan held his hands out, "If you'd tell me your name, I'd stop. So don't get pissy with me for something that's entirely your fault."

Jonathan clenched his jaw and headed into a kitchen to scour for canned foods and spices. He found a handful and loaded his bag while he heard Evan banging around in the house below him. It didn't take them long to clean out the small row of houses. An hour maybe and by then it was three in the afternoon and they had some time to spare afterwards. So, Jonathan did as he said and showed Evan why they weren't going down closer to the water. Evan followed him down onto the barren streets and walked with him until the reach a point in the road where a red line had been painted across the ground.

"The fuck is that?" He questioned.

"That is a red line."

"God damn you're funny. How are you still single?" Evan rolled his eyes and Jonathan got some sort of satisfaction from his displeasure. He shrugged it off and looked off down the road again where it cleared and turned into the main highway and fishery shops.

"I put that there so that I know where to stop running."

"So, it's a boundary?"

"Yes."

"For what?"

"The government." Jonathan stated and pointed a finger out at the road just beyond the line. "See all those little holes in the ground just there?"

Evan squinted and moved forward just a bit, stopping when Anjo put his hand on his shoulder. "Yeah, I see it."

"That's how I found out how far I could go without them shooting me."

Evan furrowed his brows, more than confused and a little angry. "You're saying that there's government assholes out there right now, shooting anyone that tries to leave, but don't have the balls to come in and help us?"

The runner nodded. "Yeah, they shot at me for three days straight until I had a boundary line drawn on my map. I'll let you see it when we head in for the night. They have barriers up in some places, signs at others. I don't know about the city, but I know how far we can go inland and around the favela."

"That's uh . . . fuck, dude." Evan rubbed the back of his neck as he paced. "We're fucking trapped here."

"Quarantined."

"That sounds even worse." Evan cut his eyes at him. "We're obviously not infected, so why the fuck won't anyone come help us?"

"I don't know. We're working on it." Jonathan shrugged and watched the fear settle and turn into determination on Evan's face.

"We?"

"There's people in the tower trying to set up some form of radio communications with anyone out there that's listening. That's all we can do right now."

"Okay." Evan put his hand on his hips and nodded to himself. "Let's go then. We're not doing any good just standing here."

Jonathan grinned beneath his mask. Evan was finally getting it. He was getting why Jonathan never wanted to stop and enjoy the scenery or dig through unnecessary things or search for people that were probably dead. He ran behind the Asian as he guided them towards a drop zone on the west side of the tower. The longer he watched him, the more he felt like maybe he was wrong about him, but that's exactly what Evan wanted him to think. He wanted him to think that he wasn't a lost cause out here. But in the end Jonathan knew he'd always feel like he needed to watch his back and time spent watching out for someone else was time he was wasting. On the other hand, Evan was an asset. Two more hands to help search and carry was worth the time and patience that he was losing. Evan was worth it, but after a week and half of running with him buzzing in his ear like a gnat, Jonathan would never tell him that. Nor would he tell anyone else.

He didn't want to admit it himself, because that meant that he would have to care. Jonathan couldn't afford to care about anyone any more than he cared about why the grass was green. All he needed to care about was finding out the reason behind the bombs and how to get everyone out alive at some point. He wanted to save these people but he didn't want to know them. He didn't want to get involved with them more than he had to. He didn't want to worry.

Jonathan just wanted to run.

------

The sun dropped fast after they emptied their bags for the night and headed for a safe house. Jonathan climbed his way up to the open window above while Evan emptied his bladder off the side of the building below. He jumped in behind him shortly and fell to the single bed in the lofty room. Jonathan was toeing his shoes off as he sat back in a large chair, sighing behind his mask and he knew Evan was about to start talking again soon. He absorbed the silence while he could. He closed his eyes and listened to the faint crashing of waves and screams of the gulls in the air before a voice interrupted it all.

"So, it's a virus?" Evan wondered with his arms behind his head and a leg hanging off the bed while the breeze blew past them.

"I think so."

"And you think that the government dropped it on us?"

"Yes."

"And they are keeping us pinned in here like animals, just so they can sit back and watch."

"Yes."

"Sounds like an experiment to me."

Jonathan opened his eyes and looked over at him laying there. He was the first person to agree with him on that. "I know, that's what I said but not everyone is convinced. They think war maybe."

Evan hummed, amused. "Yeah right. Let's just bomb these Brazilians for no fucking reason and turn them into zombies and let the survivors slowly die off and shoot them if they try to leave. That's bullshit. They're stupid if they don't think this is all just a big game to whatever government did this. Governments do this kind of shit all the time and no one hears about it. Little things, big things. It's all in the media and how well they pay everyone off. I wouldn't be surprised if no one on the outside knew that any of this was happening."

Jonathan let his head fall back again, "Well, that's one thing we both actually agree on."

"See? We're getting along so well already." Evan cracked an open and waited until he sighed and looked over at him again.

"Slightly."

Evan grinned. "A lot-ly."

"I'd watch out if I were you. I could suddenly develop a sleep-walking habit and gut you in your sleep." Jonathan blinked slowly. "By accident."

Evan just smiled and turned his gaze to the fabric that was hanging across the ceiling. Vibrant yellows and oranges, a hint of red. Beads hung in random places, moving like snakes with the wind. "Well, sea otters hold hands when they sleep so they don't drift away from one another. If you want to hold my hand while we sleep so you don't sleep walk out the window, that's cool with me."

Anjo didn't respond just like Evan expected while the sky darkened even more and he found himself drifting off to sleep with that skull mask in his head. He always wondered what he looked like behind it. Was he scarred or did he just like the look? It was just one more obstacle that Evan was bound and determined to overcome. He didn't care how long it took because for all he knew this was where he was going to be for the rest of his life; running around Rio with a bag on his shoulder and the sun staring him down, the salty wind sticking to his skin. He kind of liked that idea.

He opened his eyes again when his dream refused to continue. The sky was a pale purple and there was a dark figure looking out of the window as the screamers ran off with the light. Morning was upon them as another day coaxed the sun over the horizon and pulled Evan into a sitting position. He rubbed at his eyes and started pulling his shoes back on when Anjo finally turned around from the window and the calm scenery.

"A few more minutes and they should be gone."

Evan nodded silently and followed him through the window when the time came, running. Forever running. Evan did what he did best, which was talk to keep his mind off everything.

"So, again. What is your favorite color?"

"What's yours?" Anjo countered.

"Red." Evan said without thinking and then shut his mouth when the short conversation died after the asshole had turned his question around on him. He got excited there for a moment. "You're a bitch, Angel Boy."

Anjo kept jogging down the street, paying him no attention until he stopped dead in his tracks and said, "Whoa."

The runner looked back and came to an abrupt halt. "What?"

Evan bolted into a store and Jonathan followed reluctantly when he didn't come back out. "The fuck are you -"

"Dude!" Evan's head popped up from across the shop. "Can we take this back with us?"

"Whaaaaat?"

"It's a Furby! I haven't seen one of these things since I was like, eight!" Evan said excitedly until Anjo rolled his eyes and turned to leave.

There was a loud bang as the Furby hit the wall beside his head. Jonathan snapped his head around and glared at he Asian who faked confusion and looked around with his hands in the air. "Oh my god! Who did that?"

Jonathan had never rolled his eyes so much in his life. It was starting to hurt and it was moments like these that he silently wished that the guy was still in a coma. "Gosh. I don't know, it couldn't have been the only other person in the room. Evan."

"Did I scare you?"

"Hardly." Jonathan picked up his speed again when they were in the street. They ran for a few more minutes until they came upon their destination; the police station. It was a place he had been working his way towards for weeks, but he had put it on hold when Evan joined his ranks. He figured he was knowledged enough now not to slow him down too much. They walked into the empty building where the light fixtures were dangling from the ceiling and a thick layer of dust had settled on the floor.

"Tell me why we're in a police station. Do they have food stored here that I don't know about?" Evan asked and poked around behind the front desk. "This place is a fucking dump."

"We're here because we need weapons." Jonathan said distractedly as he searched for keys. "I have a feeling there are other people out there somewhere and if the government doesn't kill us first, or the screamers, I think a rogue band of survivors will."

"Like on The Walking Dead?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Well, let's hope that no one else out there discovers the great treasures of the tower. Full of noisy civilians, canned spam, and hot showers. What's not to love about that?"

Jonathan yanked at one of the doors and it gave a bit. "Come help me get this thing open."

Evan slid up against his shoulder and pulled the handle with him until it squealed and fell open, three or four bodies piled on top of each other fell to the floor in front of them. The stench gagged the both of them as they jumped back and looked at each other. "Holy shit. Did they die in there, or did something kill them?"

"Looks like they may have shot each other. I doesn't matter, let's go." Jonathan walked over them through the doorway, picking up a set of keys from one of their belts before moving carefully down the dark hallway. He pulled his flashlight out and clipped it to his hat while Evan pulled out his own, shedding even more light across the bare walls.

They made their way around dark corners, Jonathan telling him to wait as he peered cautiously around every wall until he gave him the all clear. It was so fucking dark and there was a smell that was getting stronger. Neither one of them could place it but if Jonathan could've described it properly it probably would have taken the image of rotting meat soaked in hot bleach. It was disgusting.

They came upon a barred door that led into the next area and Jonathan fumbled around with the keys until he found the right one. Evan was half a step behind him as they moved through the open and empty holding cells. There was a trail of blood coming from one of them that led further down the hallway. Evan saw a flicker of movement where the light ended. He grabbed Anjo's firm arm and stopped him. Evan clicked his flashlight off and then reached up for Angel Boy's when he looked over at him in question.

They stood there in silence in the dark that seemed to ripple with depth as their eyes tried to adjust to nothing. Evan squeezed his arm when he saw a pair of familiar eyes, just like the ones that had him running into that intersection that fateful night. His breath caught in his throat when the eyes snapped up, looking their way head on.

"Fuck!" Evan whispered, digging his fingers into the man's arm right before the thing bolted in their direction. Running at them in the darkness, screeching like a banshee. The sound rang in his ears and all he could think of was how close the other one had been to catching him that night. He remembered the fear and how it had crawled up his spine and made the hair stand on his head. He remembered the way the breath left his lungs and how he almost stopped running. He had almost given up until he heard someone. That was the only reason he was alive. That voice.

He snapped back to reality when the runner pulled him into a cell at the speed of light. Evan's back was firm against his chest. Anjo's hand was covering his mouth as they listened and watched the doorway until the thing ran past them. Evan jerked, wanting to run while they had the chance but Angel Boy slid his hand across his chest and held him back against him while he talked low in his ear. It did something to Evan.

It completely took away any fear he had and the slight tremble in his hands disappeared as his calm deep voice spoke to him in the dark. "It's going to come back and it's going to smell us this time and when it does, I want you to turn your light on and shine it in it's eyes. It'll be blinded momentarily and I'll kill it. Can you do that or do I need to throw you out there as bait so I can get out alive?"

Anjo removed his hand from Evan's mouth. "Yeah, I can do that."

"Good." His voice rumbled and Evan felt it travel down his spine. "I didn't want you to have to die. I was just starting to like you."

"Why? Because it's dark in here and you don't have to look at me?" Evan asked in a whisper and to his amusement he felt the man smile.

"Exactly." Jonathan drew in a breath and reached into his pocket. "Here it comes. Stand beside me, get ready."

They waited until it drew nearer and slowed down, sniffing them out until it showed it's eyes through the bars. It let out a scowling growl like a feral cat as it moved to the doorway, eyeing them. Evan didn't hesitate when Angel Boy yelled, "NOW!"

The light illuminated the monster, but Evan didn't even get to look at it properly before Anjo kicked it in the chest while it was confused and blinded, sending it out into the hallway on it's back. He held it down by the chest with his knee and stuck a blade through it's temple. It went still and silence rang out once more until Anjo's head turned and he stared down into the dark hallway.

"What is it?" Evan asked and shined his light in the same direction, seeing nothing. But he heard an echo. A growl, multiple growls and he thought he was going to freeze up again but he felt a firm hand on him, pulling him along through the door they'd entered. Anjo locked the door behind them and they didn't waste time getting back out into the daylight.

Evan bent over and let his hands rest on his knees as he caught his breath. The other runner took a deep and leaned back against he door he'd just barricaded. "Well, there goes that idea. We'll have to find weapons somewhere else. Closer to the city maybe."

"Yeah, yeah." Evan agreed mindlessly and he caught the bottle of water that was tossed his way a second later.

"Drink. Breathe." Anjo instructed and Evan wasted no time sucking down half the bottle before he threw it back to him with a thank you on his lips. The man nodded and drank the rest of it and tossed the bottle before hoisting himself up the side of a building by a rusty ladder. Evan still felt a little shaky from the encounter but he also could still feel the heat of the man's hand that had been on his mouth and the deep rattle of his voice in his ear. He took Angel Boy's hand when he reached the top and let him pull him up and over the side.

That was the first time he'd offered his hand to him. Evan grinned to himself. It was progress.

They didn't say much and Evan was already letting his mind wander which was never a good thing. It meant he probably wouldn't sleep soundly, or at all. Anjo didn't seem phased by the events that had taken place, he seemed just as detached as ever as they ran across the buildings with ease as the sun set once more on the quiet city.

Their city.

Jonathan was curious when Evan bypassed the window to the safe house and kept climbing up to the roof. He followed even though everything in him told him not to. He did it anyway and sat himself next to the unusually quiet Asian with his legs dangling off the side. Evan was staring out at everything below them as the light faded and the familiar screams rang out like nails on a chalkboard.

They didn't make a sound for a long moment until Evan spoke. "I didn't mean to choke back there. I could've got us killed."

Jonathan shrugged, "Yeah, well we're still alive. So don't linger on it. It's done."

"Yeah." Evan nodded but then he grinned. "But, I'm gonna say I'm sorry anyway."

Jonathan dug around in his pocket when things got quiet again and he held out his blade for him until Evan blinked at him and took it. He ran his fingers over it when he opened it and Jonathan watched the realization spread across his face.

Evan stared down at the matte black knife, "This is mine." He looked up at him, "Where did you get this?"

Jonathan pulled his hat off and messed up his hair as he drank in the moonlight, "I got it from you."

Evan blinked again, thinking and then it hit him. "You . . . that was you that night wasn't it? On the other side of that intersection?"

Jonathan gave him a short nod and then pulled himself to his feet before he lowered himself back down into the window and took up residence on one of the small beds in the tiny room. He didn't really know what he was doing when Evan dropped in after him a few minutes later. He didn't know why he laid there and watched him pull the shirt over his head, eyeing his body and the random bruises he'd accumulated over the past few days.

Evan sat on the side of the other bed in thought for a moment, the light of the moon barely exposing his figure in the dark. Jonathan was listening when he finally looked up and said, "Angel Boy?"

"Hm."

"Thank you."

Jonathan clenched his jaw and tried not to say something rude, but he fucking hated being thanked. He swallowed it down and said quietly, "No problem."

He could feel the slight disappointment coming off of the Asian as he continued to sit there. It was clear he was trying to keep his mouth shut, or maybe he was just lost in thought, Jonathan didn't know. He could just tell he was brooding over something. It was weird and he was waiting for the midnight rambling to start but it never did. He was waiting for the questions that never came, but he wasn't about to force them out of him if they weren't there. So he let himself fall asleep but it didn't last and he opened his eyes to find Evan sitting in the window, turning his blade over in his hand mindlessly.

Jonathan felt an urge to ask if he was okay and that was an urge he hadn't felt since this all started. It kind of scared him because that meant something that he'd been trying his best to avoid. It meant that he cared, even if it was just a spec of a feeling. He felt it and sighed, rubbing his face before he said. "Evan."

The man turned his head to look at him and all Jonathan could make out was his wide dark silhouette as he stilled the knife in his hand. "Angel Boy."

"My favorite color is blue." He curled his fingers into a fist, "And I'm . . . Jonathan."

He could tell Evan was grinning, maybe even smiling, it was too dark to tell. But he sat in the window for a while longer before he finally got in the empty bed and fell asleep without a fuss. Jonathan wanted to say he regretted it but he felt like he owed him that much. He was good at what he did even if he annoyed him while he did it. He was his partner in all this whether he liked it or, so giving him his name was something meaningless, but it was something to hold him off until he wanted something else. Jonathan almost groaned miserably when he thought about it.

He knew he'd fucked up when he felt himself being shook awake, cracking his eyes open to see a fit, half naked body standing beside him. Looked up to see brown eyes, a pretty smile, messy hair and friendly voice saying, "Wake up . . . Jonathan."