"Nothing will come near us without us knowing, right?" I did nothing to hide the sarcasm in my tone nor did I try. It's not the moment for the 'I told you' but I could do nothing about it, not when I could barely contain my growing frustration.

"Ooh, shut up." The arm wrapped around my shoulders slightly squeezed my neck as its owner ordered between gritted teeth. Trying to compel me to follow her words most likely, unfortunately for both of us, I was unable to comply.

"No, seriously, have I said how much was I impressed by your confidence when you said those words?" I put a hand over hers to loosen the pressure on my neck as I adjusted my hold on her waist. While we trudge down the silent corridor.

"Not-ugt as much as... as I'm by you," she said hardly formulating a coherent reply, between wincing and jaws clenching.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Well, isn't it... impressive tug-hat y-you have the strength to whine?" She said smirking.

I inhaled deeply. How much I wanted to ditch her right here and right now but glimpsing at her face, wincing every now and then in pain I decided against it. She will be useful, yes I will make sure she will.

"You are so lucky I'm a gentleman," I said after I exhaled some of the less pleasant emotions.

"L-lucky?... I'm not the one who-mh... has a sexy chick in-uh in his arms." She smiled a strained smile. Yet it's still contagious. I tried to suppress it but failed.

"But her annoying mouth dulls any sexiness she might have," I tugged on my left shoulder, shifting the weight of the two rifles into a more comfortable spot. The corner of my lip went higher when my conversation partner snorted.

I come across a severely injured Bell not long after leaving the dying Shredder at the hatch. I did err in this labyrinth on my lonesome for over two hours. Every step I took was tinged with trepidation and wariness. Like playing Roulette Russ. Each corner I turned or hatch door I opened could possibly be the last.

Fortunately, other than that one previous event, my nerve-racking exploration hadn't gotten me killed... for now.

And I ended up meeting the bleeding woman.

Bell was... less fortunate than me to say the least. She was likewise alone. Though she was armed, she ended up confronting two Shredders. Now that I think about isn't she more fortunate than not since she is still alive? Engaging two Shredder shouldn't be a fun experience, nor is it something you live to tell. I don't know what magic she used but she is alive, not unscattered, however.

Her left leg especially is not in a good shape. The wound isn't bleeding, though it was caused by the Shredder's claws. In other words, she got toxins eating her flesh. It's barely noticeable but the flesh around the injury is darkening.

When I found her she sitting on the floor her back against the wall, the dead body of a Shredder at her side, another one a little further away. Though she has the role of the medic in the team, she has done nothing to stop the poisoning. She stayed there glaring at the ceiling with unfocused eyes. I assumed she was no longer alive and... it freaked me out.

Fortunately, she was, and her cheeky mouth too. Yet what strangely pissed me off the most was that she isn't taking the medicine.

Sexy chick? Nonsense. A stubborn bull that is what she is.

Not that I don't understand her decision. The special Opioid have various side effects, some of which would be extremely inconvenient in our current situation.

It just makes me uneasy. Difference kind of uneasiness I felt until now. It put a knot in my stomach, like fear but not for myself. So strange and irrational. Though I'm not oblivious to what that means, it's just... new and too short. That is not even a week for fuck sake!

"So," she winced. "How was-uug the drinking party?"

"You knew?" I quirked an eyebrow.

According to what she told me the lights turned red no more than four hours ago. And other than the two Shredders she killed she encountered no one. She is also unaware of the cause or purpose of the light's change.

"I f-u found him drinking alone in the canteen... so I send him to the breakroom," she paused for a moment to breathe. "I-I figured hugh-he would drag you in."

So they encountered each other before Zane comes to disturb me. Why was he acting as if he thought Bell would be there then? A fake performance? And...

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

"Why did you do that?"

I was a little bit bitter after what happened to my gift. And even in a not-so-calm voice told her to leave me on my lonesome. And she did, but then she send someone when I specifically requested to be alone. I would have assumed it to be an action to take revenge or to irritate me, but oddly enough I don't see it that way.

She turned her gaze to hold mine before smiling "There is no couch in the canteen."

A chuckle left my lips. They didn't lie, it truly turns you blind. I'm not a teen damn it... still, I don't dislike it, some of the voices in my head, though, won't agree.

"I didn't drink," I answered her prior question. She didn't say anything, other than staring with her black eyes until I cracked "... maybe a little bit."

Sadly, no matter how much one drinks, the problems won't get solved. Just a matter of omitting them, which may turn out to be a mistake.

You can forget the problems but they will never forget you.

"So?"

"What?"

"Did-Co," her words got interrupted by a cough.

A frown formed on my face. "Don't speak." Her condition may be worse than I expected.

"Did it-ugh... help?" Ignoring my words she said.

"It did," I said reluctantly. I didn't want to admit it but somehow drinking with Zane helped. The tidbit of information I learned aside, some of the tension I accumulated over my short stay in this world was finally lifted off of my chest.

... only to come back a hundredfold.

"B-blessing?" She asked with one word through clenched jaws.

It reminded me of the pain once I got my shoulder pierced by the Shredder. It was excruciatingly agonizing. Not the piercing itself, although that also wasn't painless, the toxins in its claws however were on another level. Its purpose isn't to incapacitate or kill its victim but to make them suffer and anguish. Experiencing their flesh getting chewed by acid and agonizing over it.

I almost shuddered at the thought of that agony. This is what stubborn bull is feeling right now. While I only experienced it for but a couple of seconds, thanks to my ability taking over and shutting down most of the pain receptors, Bell doesn't have such a thing.

"Shh, don't talk anymore."

It should be half an hour now since we limber in the corridor. Heading to the location the others are presumably. The route is once again unfamiliar to me; white corridors warmed with dizzying red lights like everything ever has been in this place. We went through corner after corner, hatches sealed, and others that opens with a button. Generally, when we come across a sealed hatch we trace back and try to get around it, and it seems to work if I were to believe my guide's lack of hesitation wherever she points a direction.

"Y-you should not-ughmm...say that to a w-woman," I can feel her body shaking, what is her enduring the pain? Or is it a symptom of her injury?

Biting my bottom lip, I halted.

"Eh?" She sent me an inquiring look.

"We can't continue like this," I said as I approached a wall with her still relying on me. "Sit." I said with an assertive tone, not a hard task for me but I try to avoid it. I stopped ordering people since I had three maybe four years working in the company, for PR reasons.

Regrettably, that is not enough for this stubborn woman "Why?...w-we need to find... the others as-uh... asap."

I sighed. I can be stubborn too you know. I let the rifles and backpack slide to the ground, next I used my relatively healthy condition to force her to sit, her back against the wall, just like I found her. I don't doubt that such a feat would have been near impossible had she been in perfect form, but then again she wouldn't need my help if that was the case.

"What are you doiUgh," Seemingly surprised by my forceful approach she yelled in one breath before the pain reminded her of her state.

Ignoring her, I reached for the backpack, shuffling through it for a moment before taking out a small metal box the size of a smartphone.

"W-we should find t-the others first."

Flipping the box's lid open displaying its content for me to see; five grey pills sitting within. I took one pill and brought it close to her mouth without saying anything.

"O-of all people, a far gone par-" she coughed before shaking her head weakly "paranoid like you, should understand."

I understand. How could I not? The memories I had after taking this drug aren't ones I am particularly proud of. And that is not even the crucial issue. Being high in this dire situation is, however.

"You are risking your leg here."

The Shredder toxins are like acid. Slowly eating your flesh. The drug is capable of stopping it and removing it from your system but it can't grow back the eaten flesh. In other words, the more you delay taking the medicine the more irremediable damage you are causing to the body.

"A-and taking it... I would be-uh risking both of our lives."

Yes, yes, I get it. I honestly get it. But why is it pissing me off? Why doesn't she just listen to what I say? Taking the drug is risky, but enduring that pain is...

Fuck.

I pushed the pill to pill against her trembling, dry lips, but she tightly sealed them. I clicked my tongue, a display of emotion I'm not proud of.

"I will leave you here if you don't take it."

The corner of her lips quivered up lightly but she kept quiet.

"I will take Svelt with me."

Nothing still, other than daring me with her eyes.

The fucking perceptive demon.

She could discern the validity of my words even in her sick condition. I jokingly thought once that her perception is a blessing but now I won't believe her if she said otherwise.

I gritted my teeth. This is awful. Wasting time like this is irking me. She said we need to regroup with the others as soon as possible, and I wholeheartedly agree with that. But in which condition she would be at that time? Will she even be alive?

Why isn't she listening, she won't be much of help anyway, even if don't take the dug.

What a foolish woman.

I sighed. Looking at her for a moment, then I laughed. My mood switch seems to surprise her indicated by her eyebrows rising.

"Alright, alright, you want to play the difficult woman, isn't it?" my voice marred with humor and vitality contrasted my early graveness. "Either you take it..." I bend my elbow, bringing my hand and the pill it holds to the center space between us. "Or..." I trailed my smile grows even wider. "I will."

She furrowed more than the pain caused her to already. Her gaze was fixed on mine, and I looked back with the same intensity.

Needless to say, the results that will ensue if I got drugged, but to keep it spoil-free; not good.

Her eyes didn't blink nor did they move away from mine, trying to decipher my claims, my threat. But...

Will I actually do it?... Well, who knows, I will let that for her to decide.