Liking her had little to do with it. The pleading in her eyes, however, spoke to him on so many levels. His code forbid hurting the innocent. It was also implied that making a woman cry was to be seen as a crime. Not wanting Sabine to get the credit, he did the logical thing--he turned himself over to the one that looked to have the most to gain. She was likely seen as a ditz in the eyes of her peers and, if she could impress this 'Eleanor,' then he could rest easy at night.

"It won't be an issue," he sighed lazily. "I tent to avoid confrontation." As he spoke, he looked sluggishly over his shoulder. He had no intention to turn around to address Sabine so his half-assed glance was really the best she would get.

When another woman, this one a bit more up-beat like the unnamed woman, came into play, she mentioned finding Melik. At least he could do something productive and a lot less destructive.

That's when it hit him, he had learned her name. Nixie. The blonde with the red eyes had uttered it twice now. She also spoke of this Eleanor, too--likely the same Eleanor that appeared to be in charge.

Walking into another room, he immediately noticed all the cots. It was likely the sleeping area. Though, from the look of things, there weren't enough cots for the number of people he saw in the other room. Was there another room full of beds? Or was this truly all they had?

Noah seemed at a loss for words. Immediately, her eyes scanned the empty beds until she found the only one with a body in it. Well, technically two bodies.

"That's Melik; he's never been one to sleep alone." Sweeping past Nixie, who he glanced down at for a second, he made his silent way toward the sleeping redhead.

Bending beside the boy, he muttered something completely foreign to all the girls.

"Just five more minutes," Melik muttered while swatting Fritz away. "Just five mo--"

Melik bolted from the bed. He rubbed his eyes a few times until he was certain Fritz was truly before him.

"But... how?"

"I put a tracker on you," he said far too nonchalantly not to sound semi-creepy.

"You... what." The second the words registered in his mind, a wrinkle marred his forehead. "You what!" Flying forward, his hands wrapped around the loose fabric that sheathed his neck. "How long have you had it on me?! Couldn't trust me? Didn't have faith that I could actually get a job done. Wow," he thrust the other away, "that's...." He was seething; his blood was boiling.

Torrents of sand, dust, and dirt crashed into Fritz. But before they could truly engulf the man, an invisible force pushed the material away.

"ENOUGH!" A sheer force sent Melik and a few cots flying against a back wall.

Fritz, slowly rising from his location, wore a grimace on his face. "You know as well as I do that I didn't do it without a reason." His feet barely touched the ground and he moved over to the smaller male. "But I don't expect you to understand. You've had your life handed to you on a silver platter. You have no idea what it's like to look out for someone, as duly noted in your lack of ability to protect the SOLE PERSON YOU WERE SENT HERE TO PROTECT."

At this point, Fritz's body was shaking. He was an earthquake of emotion.

"So don't you tell me, what I can and cannot do." He was so close to Melik that his dry breath caused Melik to flinch with each word he spoke.

Tears slowly filled his eyes and not before long, Melik doubled over himself and burst into tears. It was that action that finally pulled Fritz from his frenzy.

Like a loving brother, he dipped beside the shorter male and scooped him into his arms. At first, Melik fought it but soon clung to the man with such vigor.

"I'm sorry," Fritz whispered.

"No," Melik's sad eyes rolled up to met his. "I'm sorry. I... I shouldn't have kept this from you. I shouldn't have lied."

"Melik," his words were soft and enduring. "I've known from the beginning. I choose to lie because I could see the pride in your eyes. It has been a while since you've done something alone. I thought," he bit his lip, "this would be okay. It turns out...."

Melik burrowed his head into the other man's chest.

"Is Rroy okay?"

Fritz turned his grave face to the side and uttered not a word. The silence torn into Melik to he tugged lightly on Fritz's outfit until he spoke. "He... he cried."

Instantly his face drooped and one could sense that whatever they were talking about wasn't something cheery and pleasant.

"But we'll make it right." Melik slammed his fist into his palm. "Right?"

Fritz wanted to nod but he still wasn't sure of Eleanor, Nixie, and the rest of this crew. Were they the 'good guys'? Or where they the cause of Aleu's death. He couldn't be certain one way or another until he found out more information. Still, to quell Melik's worrying, he pat the kid on the head.

"Yeah, we'll figure something out. We always do."

Pivoting on his heels, Fritz decided it might be best to explain themselves and their scenario. Only, when he went to speak, Melik's words rolled out first.

"We haven't seen each other in a while," he began. "We used to work together. Then, one day, I was taken captive and... well, you know the rest. I got a number and I got powers. I'm pretty sure you thought me dead... didn't you?" Fritz nodded. "Well, I was doing everything I could to escape. And that's when I saw her. The," Melik swallowed a lump in his throat. "When we were younger, we both had a crush on the same girl. I hadn't seen her in ages and then... there she was. I knew that I had to save her too. Every day I fought to find the courage to ask her to help me escape but...." He went silent. "That day never came. And the explosions yesterday morning happens. It's all...." He could feels the tears return. "I should have tried to do something sooner."

Fritz kept a grim look on his face the whole time. He wasn't entirely sure of his role in the story just yet so sitting quiet was the smartest move. Only, Melik didn't speak on his behalf. Would Melik's side of the story be enough? No. Of course not.

With a heavy sigh, Fritz flicked his gaze to Nixie. "I'm a hunter." In the blink of an eye, he vanished only to reappear behind Nixie. "Though I made you a promise. So for now," his cyan gaze hardened before falling on Melik. "Just keep an eye on me. I'm the reason Melik got caught. I was..." there was a hint of glee to his voice, "rewarded handsomely for bringing people to the facilities. I brought at least a dozen. No, probably three dozen. All innocent and broken."

Twisting Nixie's face toward his, a sly smirk grew on his face. "I warned you. Murderous men stirred within the still branches for the forest." Of course, it was all a lie. A facade so he could keep his head on straight. If he fell into the pit Melik was now in, how could he properly discern who was the enemy? After all, he had but one mission--avenge Aleu.

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