They had both taken the shot. First, just as the kid past, one member of the rivalling gang stepped out and swung the weapon low, catching to shots in in the spine and one in the shoulder as his partner shot twice more through the window and hit Viper only once in the arm. Instantly, the sedative began to course and before the end of a five minute spree the two male were setting this captive down in an empty home garage to slit minor veins and drain the potent tranques. Within the hour Viper had been relocated to a blood-covered table set high beneath a single glaring light that hung four feet overhead and bleached the room. Huge hooks still hung overhead where meat should have been, and in the corner a man and a woman were dressed in normal attire while they played cards. Beside them both were cattle prods. Over their heads a radio played an old sentimentalist's song to the thick leather straps that held Viper to that steel table.

He thrashed against the table when he returned to conciousness, hisssing obsenities to himself to the helplessness of the situation. Someone had caught him, he wasn't dead just tied down. A prisoner. Damn he was stupid. Looking around he saw there two playing cards and cursed more. "WHo the hell do you think you are? Let me go!"

Looking up, the woman smiled lightly and raised her middle finger above the hand of cards. Prompting a laugh from the other, the woman chose to purr; "Shut the f**k up, you Leprechaun. When that big-mouthed funder of yours gets us the d**n papers you can go". And before she could finish the other barked, "Unless you think you can do something about it, tough guy?". Not moving from their cards, both shook their heads and resumed their task with a low utterance of this newer addition to the city, and the obviously dropping standards for the 'streetrats that call themselves guardians of the city they destroy'.

Viper fumed from his helpless position, thrashing in the bonds that held him back from killing them. Their lowly uttered comments really shut him up though, made Rin feel horrible for supposedly tarnishing the Jades reputation. But who the hell was this funder?

Seeing the boy from the corner of his eye, now knowing that he was able to fight and thus to move, the male looked at his cohort and smiled at the smallest little nod before he stood. "Good boy.", the male picked up prod and started over to double check the power switch, still off, as he poked the captive and added in a serpent's voice, "Now I wanted to put a bullet right here". Swinging the prod up, he slammed its end down hard between Viper's eyes and drew himself a bit closer so that he could hiss, "But the council says you gotta stay alive". Soon the woman showed up from behind her cohort and watched. With one dainty hand on his shoulder and the renewed idea of mod-mentality it was all too easy for the man to purr, "So I'm a-going to make you a compromise. We already proved you were alive, those papers are coming either way, so I'm going to let you earn this little mercy called 'Life' ".

Cutting his sentence off where it was, the female started around him and held a pair of handcuffs in the air above her bust. When she slapped the first ring around Viper's wrist she continued where the male left off, "And if you even think about denying this, he'll claim self-defense and we'll mail a different part of your body to each corner of the city until we find your little buddies who come to avenge you and pick them off one by one'. Not having to speak you rfirst command, the woman held the other handcuff up and waited for Viper to comply so that her cohort could unhook the other's hands from the cold grip of leather straps on the face of the steel table.

He screamed in pain from the blow, wide eyed as the spoke of things he didn't ever want to hear again. Earning life huh, well he'd just have to put up with whatever they did. He needed too stay alive. Rin weakly held up his hand, eyes blurry from the intense pain of that blow. "Aas if they'll come.. I'm not important."He whisperd.

"Good.", the female smiled as she threw the first arm up around his neck and wrenched his other arm back to lock it behind his head while her cohort freed the boy's feet. It was in a single motion once the cuffs were set that he was torn from his place and thrown to the floor like a sack. No sooner than dust rose from that fall then did a foot come driving down on his **s to pin him where he was as the male's voice rose again, "First thing's first, you little shit. You're gonna keep my sis her company. Do her a bit of a favor if you know what I mean". The foot spun in his flesh and treated him like the butt of a burned cigarette, "And when she's done with you, I'm gonna let you do the same for anyone else who's interested. Mae a d**n holiday out of your little visit while we wait for that d**n funder to show his f**king face!!". And like that the view of the ground began to incorporate first one high-heeled shoe and then the next as the bargaining period for his life was made true.

Whimpering in pain Viper looked up and dreaded the implications of those words. He was utterly helpless in those cuffs. But he had to survive.

When the linebacker-sided male laid Viper out it was with a degree of sympathy and a triangulated sandwich of spreadable pepper-filled cheese and thick slabs of pickle. The house which was occupied by female known as SweetPea was orderly and mundane but served as the perfect haven for the injured and ill. When she was next able SweetPra looed Viper over and began trying where she could to reduce the signs of his fight with ice and gauze and tape.

Viper hadn't wanted to let his rescuer go, but clutched the sandwich instead and savored the ingrediants until the female arrived. Anything to rid his mouth of their taste. Numbly he let her bandage him and huddled there in his sliced up clothes. He looke dlike hell when the tears slipped down his cheeks at long last.

Still bandaging him over, the birdish voice broke SweetPea's silent word. Despite being what most called 'well-endowed with curves' the woman's voice was like a young tween's when she asked, "Viper? I'm sorry. Fang said he saw what happened, but. But, we thought when Joseph agreed to pay them you'd be okay. We couldn't have known...". Seeing those tears, SweetPea leaned in close and laid her large bust against his chest to kiss one tear from his cheek. With nothing else to say or do to help him, she simply embraced the weary male and held him like she had so many before. She was a healer. She was the one who held the scissors and gauze, but she was also the one who gave these men a mother and a lover when most had had neither there before and none still around. Even their highest Enforcer, Roderick 'Fang', had been there. And like them all SweetPea sang in a whispered tone as she tried to ease Viper's pain with her love.

He sobbed in her arms shamelssly, clutching himself to the womans ample chest. This woman hadn't hurt him- he was safe right. No SweetPea hadn't abused him and it was safe to curl into her warmth. "H-he saw.. oh god just end it now please?" Shuddering he only knew the humiliation of having such raw moments be seen by another in full.

Part of him wanted to forget everything while the other part wanted to drown its sorrows in cheap booze and die. He must hate me now. Find me disgusting.

"Yes. He thought you would be safe. He never wanted you to be hurt because of his own interference. It was just too late before any of us knew.", SweetPea stroked the male's back and silently hummed that tune beneath her breath. The silence everywhere else was a stark comparison to the way that the room was lit beneath the two lights that occupied the room. In the glow there were certain curves and ridges that had never been so apparent on the slee young frame of Viper's shaking body. Gorgeous as he was and more so now, SweetPea held him like a child and cooed; "Just let it all out. Think about how much you hurt, I'll bear that pain with you Viper, and let out every tear so you can start again without them. You're safe here. Safe to cry. And safe to recover when you can. That is what we are in the Jades. Protectors. Lovers. Family. You are safe, dearheart. So let it out. Let it all come out."

"Won't forget- can't forget. It was the first time. They ruined my first time..."He shuddered, letting loose another round of sobbing tears. "I - I thought I could survive all the stupid things, that woman but god I didn't know men could be that cruel to a fellow man."Curled up in a tight ball on her chest he wept and shriekd in frusteration. He ended up telling her every last detail she'd listen to, just to get it out of his head.

Listening through the entirety of his story, the woman was totally unphased by the thing that she was told; Showing no end to her appallment that it had happened but showing no surprise that it was real. Working her hand up and down the back of his shoulders and neck, SweetPea cradled him until he fell silent again. "There we are.", her childish voice like that of an angel made flesh, "And when it was done you are still here. Three of those men are in UN control now. Fang shot the other. There is justice, even if you were the frontline for it. I promise. You're safe now". But this one was different than the others. He still seemed to have a soul. No amount of soldier mentality would change his view of reality, it was beginning to seem. He was very much alive in her arms, and very much more interesting for it.

"Safe now."He cooed smiling softly. The words cleanse his mind for the moment. The thought that they wouldn't hurt him or any other ever again. But he couldn't hve his own revenge, couldntmake them pay for ruining his body. atleast Fang was bringing his stuff back. And then he remembered more than his ordeal."Specs... I left him aat the house- you think he's worried about me?"

"....", SweetPea looked at the boy for a moment before she let her face finally show the hints of something other than the patient bliss. For a long second it seemed like she might off and kill the boy simply for speaking, and then she was up and heading away with the voice that still sounded happy as she called, "I'll get UPS for you. Let you have some guy time. About Patrick, Specs, I think he'll be perfectly fine without you or any of us". Colder than ice, the words were hidden for truth by her joyous farse. Two rooms out UPS and another male were busy eating sweetbuns and discussing the civil issues that faced them as a people and as a gang of illegal thugs.

He didn't understand why she was being so cold and shivered in the aftermath of her words. His name was Patrick- he hadn't known that before. "s-sorry I mentioned it..."Curling up without her warmth he felt the tears slip down his cheeks again. He hated this weak feeling- this fear of people.

For a moment the absence was actual between them. But, soon enough a voice came laughing down the short distance and stopped finally to chuckle amidst the doorframe where a heavyset man stood with his green bandanna still tied around his head and a good number of stolen necklaces with fake rubies and gold spelling out CS at the end of gawdy chains that where slung around his belt. "Man, you did a number to set off Sis like that. A goddam genius. You gotta be, man, if you got her to flinch.", the man laughed his words and approached to simply place his hand behind the fallen comrade's shoulders so he could speak, "But. You prolly don't think its as funny. Just, I'm sorry that he wasn't able to stop that. With the Civil Guard at his *ss and mine both, we really let you down... And I'm sorry". That was UPS. The big in every directions man with the booming smile and the voice that sounded like a stong punch to the eardrum when he spoke.

"I- I just mentioned my trainer. Thought he'd be worried if I just disappeared aftr a fight like that."He shuddered not thinking upsetting his comforter was funny at all. Weakly Viper smiled up at the large man and pulled himslf up to cuddle into the expansive lap. "Y- you don't mind do you? He needed a physical touch, reassurnces that he wasn't tainted or dirty by that twist of fate.

"What? This..?", the man laughed and pulled his hand back to rest on the base of Viper's neck as he spoke out, "Nah. Fang's doing worse with his toys all the time. Just kinda get used to being touched when that nympho is involved". Perhaps long ago the Sicilian public thought it strange to kiss your enemy on the cheek and your friend upon the mouth, or for the publics of the capitalist world to find the attraction of testicles for the use of humiliation weird. Now, as it were, the city of Berlin was from the idea that two men being held was sign of sexual choice to the idea that one was injured and the other holding a gun. That nearness came into urban warfare and played a huge role in duping appearances. This gesture of support was not one to be minded, but at the same chord UPS was not one to explain all of the knowledge to asomeone so recently hurt. Instead he waited patiently for the fit to pass and he touched the other's neck and replied with a caring silence.

"His toys... oh ok.."Viper shivered, enjoying the simple comfort the mans body posessed. He was so naive about this warfaring city his words had already hurt his healer. it made s ense that one os expirience as Fang had a string of lovers, he'd been a fool to start believing their diversionary tactics could morph into something.

But hell Fang wouldn't want him now, he hadn't fought back when they used their bodies against him. After a few long moments he scooted away from UPS, resting only his head against the others shoulder. "Thanks.. for being here for me.."

"I now him, man, from before all of this. He wouldn't have let this happen if he thought he could have won against it. Hell, once he joined I had to to be sure he didn't gauze the rival gangs during a fight. He may hide behind his gun, but he is a good man. He never would have let this go.", UPS sighed gently against the male and began to consider all of the illegal acts he'd done to be beside Rod through everything they had seen. He was not one of those that had slept with his now superior, and he never would be, but he was the closest thing he'd ever had to a mate. Knowing him on that level it was easy to speak up, "when you are ready I want to give you one of the automatics we have here, so you can go back into the streets without having to deal with the rd tape. YOu'll need to tell Fang if you want to take this risk for the gang. If you tell him you are going to quit, I just don't know what he'd say or do about it..."

"Can't quit. Going out like this will just make me lok bad. Hell specs hasn't had time to teach me anything useful." Viper told UPS quietly, a rumbling conviction in his voice. Part of him was broken but that part wasn't needed for combat. His body was just a weapon after all.

Reaching up he stroked the charms around his neck and felt a little it of peace. "he still here? I'd better tell him quick so he doesn't worry."

"Nah, he left quite some time ago. Had to. The riot is making waves in the south end of the city, so he went back to mae sure we don';t see this s**t again right after we just resolve it here.", UPS nodded at the boy and added a small correction, "Besides. When Specs didn't respond, leaving us short a post-grade member, I think Fang decided to take over anyway. At least til Specs can clear his name."