Zain nodded, falling silent for a moment. He gazed at Maria thoughtfully. After a few minutes he finally spoke again. "So, how do you really feel about him? Hope you don't mind me asking."

"I like him...more than friends but i don't think he'll feel the same way i feel for him."Maria said as she just kept a smile on her face.She hoped one day he would love her but she had a feeling he wouldn't.She doubted it.

"You just have to give him some time. I think he only doubts his feelings because you look so young in comparison."

Maria nodded."though im not as young as he thinks i am."Maria said with a slight smile on her face."Even though i look pretty young im not."

Zain tilted his head curiously. "Really? How old are you then? I would guess 17 at the most."

"Im 23."Maria admitted as she felt embarrassed to say her age."For almost nearly most of my teen life i've been in the hospital."Maria said as she felt more embarrassed.

"23? That means..." Zain trailed off as he counted on his fingers. "Not even ten years difference. That's pretty good odds there." Soon after Zain went quiet, footsteps came again into the alley. Zain shifted to turn and look, then let out a low whistle before pulling back suddenly to avoid the rusted scissors that came flying at his face. "I was giving you a compliment!" Zain protested.

Jason appeared beside Zain, dusting off his shirt and straigtening it. "You are the last person I would ever want a compliment from," he answered in slight disgust. Then he turned his attention back to Maria. "Anything happen while I was away?" he asked.

Maria smiled."no nothing."Maria said as she smiled at him.She thought Jason looked a bit better without his beard which only made her fall in love deeper with Jason."you look nice."Maria said with a cheerful smile.She then remembered the plan her and Zain talked about. right...when should i bring that up?going to some tropical island

Jason looked around at the alley, then back at Maria. "I think it's safe to come out now. Would you like to go for a walk?" he asked with a smile. Zain's expression turned eager at the idea and made to stand, but his leg gave out and he fell back with a thud. Jason looked over to him curiously, glancing over the other man. "How deep is you're wound, Zain?" he asked. Zain pushed himself back in a sitting position and managed to give a weak smile, though he was obviously in pain.

"Not deep at all, don't worry. Just...my legs kinda numb, got up too fast," Zain answered with a halfhearted laugh. Jason sighed, rubbing at his forhead a little in annoyance. The sooner they could get Zain somewhere safe, and hopefully with someone that could keep watch on the man, the better. The hospital was out of the question, since he doubted if they would let him back in. They would've discovered the tricks he had used by now.

Jason crouched down close to Zain and took the hem of the man's robe in hand. He glanced over to her briefly. "Maria, look away for a moment," he advised. He wasn't sure how bad the wound would be, and he also knew it was likely the other man wasn't wearing much under his robe.

Maria nodded as she turned away as she kept her attention to the sky.While she was looking up at the sky,She wondered what it would be like to be at a tropical island with Jason.The thought of that made her slightly blush. Why am i blushing?now's not the time to think of things like that! Maria told herself as she kept her hands behind her back.

Maria then began to think of one of her best friends oddly as she hadn't thought about her friend since she was first admitted to the hospital. I wonder if she is alright.

Jason pushed aside the lower half of Zain's robe and his expression turned to a grimace. "Shit," he muttered under his breath. The bullet that had grazed the other hadn't left too big of a wound, but it had festered over. The infection was too wide spread to be cured with just a thorough rinse. "Why didn't you tell me that it was like this?" he asked in a bitter tone. Zain looked at him sheepishly. "Well, it didn't hurt, so I thought it would be okay..." he trailed off at the look in Jason's eyes and shrank back a little.

Jason sighed irritably and closed the robe over the others legs. "We have to get you to the hospital. There's nothing I can do, short of just cutting the leg off." Zain flinched and his eyes grew wide in fear, drawing his legs away from Jason.

When Maria heard that they had to get Zain to a hospital,she was a bit scared for Zain. I Hope everything's alright...by the sound of it...it sounds pretty bad right now.

Jason stood and leaned back against the crates to think. He couldn't take Zain back to the hospital himself, and he doubted if Maria should. They would recognize her as well and might try to take her back. He needed to find some stranger that would agree to it, but that might be a tough task. Most out and about would likely be too busy to help. Unless....

Jason turned his gaze sharply back to Zain and the other man flinched slightly. "I can't take you to the hospital because someone there might be keeping an eye out for me or Maria. There's a bar just around the corner where I'm sure you'll find someone to help you get over there."

Zain nodded and began to stand up gingerly with the help of the crates. He paused before heading off to look up at Jason. "I'm guessing you're not going to wait for me, since you want to escape the country so soon." Jason frowned and shook his head. "It would be unwise to wait. You'll have to take care of yourself."

Maria was overhearing Zain and Jason's conversation though Maria was utterly confuzed. what does he mean by escape the country?does he mean Jason's taking me somewhere out of the city?Maria wondered as Maria was very quiet which was not really normal for Maria.

Jason noticed Maria still turned away and couldn't help but to smile a little. For some reason it seemed cute. "Maria, you can look now," he said.

Zain laughed, yet his voice had little heart in it. He was a bit depressed over Jason's words. He knew Jason was right though, so he didn't argue the point. With a huff he started off again, using the pile of crates as a support as he walked.

Maria turned around as she looked at both Jason and Zain.She wasn't really sure what was going on.She had just stayed quiet because she wasn't even sure what to even say.

Jason held out his hand to her, his smile still in place. "Zain will be fine, so long as he gets to the hospital. I hope this hasn't disturbed you too much."

Maria shook her head."It hasn't disturbed me..im just not really sure whats going on."Maria said with a slight laugh.Though she felt somehow useless to both Jason and Zain. i wish i could help.

"Zain's wound is too infected for me to help cure it. He at least need to be looked after at the hospital until tomorrow. But by then we'll need to be setting off."

"oh ok."Maria said as she hoped everything would turn out okay."what do we do though?"Maria asked Jason tilting her head as she wasn't sure what they should do right now.

"First, well need to find a boat that's willing to carry stowaway's running from the Squad. I've heard there's quite a few secret operations offering that. Then..." Jason trailed off though as his eyes wandered to the end of the alley where Zain had headed off to.

The other man was turned to them as he leaned against someone familiar, grinning as he gave a small wave. The person Zain was leaning against was the red haired woman Maria had met in the hospital, only now the woman had discarded her disguise and was dressed in a fur coat and a short black dress. The woman's red lips turned up in a mischievous smile.

Jason's grip on Maria's hand tightened and his mouth set in a hard thin line. Running now would be awkward though, and hard to explain to Maria. The red haired woman began to walk closer, keeping her arm around Zain. "Hello again, Maria....Jason," she added with a curious flicker in her eyes.

When Maria felt Jason's grip on her hand tightened she began to wonder if the red head woman and him had a painful past together or something along those lines.Maria just smiled at the woman not seeming suspecious."Nice seeing you again."Maria said to the woman.

"Don't get so tense Jason, I won't hang around for long. I've got to get this gentleman to the hospital," the woman said with a wink. Jason stayed silent, staring at the woman coldly. The woman sighed and moved to turn away. "Alright then. Hope you and Maria make it out of here safely," the woman said with a small wave. Then she slowly walked away with Zain.

Once the redhead woman left with Zain,Maria's attention was back at Jason."We should be going too right?"Maria asked looking at Jason with a soft smile on her face,holding onto Jason's hand not letting go.he must have some kind of past with that woman. Maria thought to herself keeping her attention on Jason

Jason snapped out of his cold demeanor and looked down at her with a smile. "We have some time. It's better to wait until evening, right when the Squad draws their spys back to get them ready to march."