"You either have to trust me or you can stay here just as you are. "

☆

His frame is heavy as he is a literal dead weight pressed against Rio's body. The light is getting closer, but he still has time if he acts. Without another moment to wait, Rio tightens his grip around the fallen male's body as he finds himself stepping backwards, pulling the heavy weight onto the grass embankment. He carries on and on, pulling at the heavyweight towards the few trees planted beyond. On and on until he finds his body wanting to give up as he finds a hiding place behind a fallen tree.

He can hear and see in the distance the ambulance approach. The mumble of voices as words unheard were being spoken. Rio looks at the unconscious man slumped against the tree. He needed medical help. Was he doing the right thing. "Hey….wake up….wake up." He shakes the man slightly. The efforts managed to cause a stir. "What do I do?"

The man opens his eyes, slowly focusing on the face before him. "Go…we need to…go." Rio pulls out his phone, lighting up the screen. "What are you doing now?" The man huffs as he slowly comes around again.

"Checking your symptoms. I don't know you, but I don't want your death on my conscience. I know someone who can check you over. I'll take you to them."

The male slowly gets up to standing. "Give me your phone for a minute. I just need to check something." He holds out a hand for the device, which Rio reluctantly hands over.

"Hey, what…." The phone is thrown to the floor before being crushed by the heel of the man's boot. "Why did you do that?"

"We leave no trace." He takes a heavy step forward. His hands rest heavily on Rio's shoulders. He looks into the other male's face, catching his eyes in the faint light radiating from the distant road. "I still don't trust you?"

Rio emits a chuckle, seeing the slight shift of power fall into his court. "You either have to trust me, or you can stay here just as you are.'' He looks over the man's shoulder at the arrival of a police car. "I'd say we only have one option."

The male, who was beginning to feel light-headed once again, nods. "I still have a gun, don't forget."

"Just….come on." Rio says as he takes some of the weight of the other male. "Lucky for you, we don't have to go far."

"Lucky for me." He chuckles at the comment, thinking how already his plans had taken a turn for the unexpected.

***

Remi yawned for what felt like the umpteenth time, but the cosy position she had found herself in, under the warm blanket on the sofa, had become too comfortable for her to disturb to make her way to bed. The drama on the tv was not all that interesting, but entertaining enough to keep her glued to the spot, until she felt her eyes getting heavy.

"RIING"

She jumps out of her skin at the sound of her doorbell ringing, instantly making her feel on edge and alert. She sits upright, staring towards the door to the hallway, as if for a moment, she even doubts the sound in the first place.

"RIIIIING"

Then it comes again. That definite sound of someone at the door. She stands up and heads for the hallway. Her head peers around the frame, staring at the strange silhouette of what looked like two people through the glass. "Who is it?" She calls with a tremble to her voice, not expecting a call from anyone so late and definitely not opening the door until she was sure of who was on the other side.

"Remi, it's me, Rio. Open the door." Comes the distant reply.

On recognising her brother's voice, she quickly heads to the door, unlocks it and pulls it open. "Rio, what's going on? Who's this?" She questions as the two males enter the hallway, with the stranger looking decidedly worse for wear.

"Just help me." Rio says as he glances up at his sister, who instantly heads to the other side of the stumbling male as together they take him through to the lounge, where he is laid on the sofa.

They both take a step back, with Rio gazing down at the man, a little out of breath as his head rolls to one side. "Rio, who is this? He's bleeding." Remi instantly gets on her knees as she gently cups the man's face to assess the cut to his forehead.

"Can you patch him up?" Rio does his best to answer the questions without telling the entire truth.

She looks up at her brother. "Rio. Who is he? He should be at the hospital."

Rio is about to speak when Remi feels a hand grab around her wrist. It causes her to jump at the contact as she looks at the man lying on the soda. "No hospital."  He mumbles as the hold releases a fraction.

"Please, Remi. Just fix his head." Rio finds himself pleading as he looks at the patient, as blood continues to trickle from his head, in danger of getting on the upholstery.

Remi again looks at the wounded individual. She had to do something, regardless of her deep curiosity. Her duty of care embedded in her bones.
Ok. l'll tend to his head. But on one condition."

"Thank you," Rio squeezes lightly on her shoulders with gratitude. "Yeah. Anything."

"You need to tell me everything…"