Fiona closed the door and leaned on it, so tired. Her sister and those two Hyperions were also getting themselves comfortable in what little space Felix's place could offer. Fiona frowned seeing that Rhys had already occupied the couch and was definitely going to lie down.
"So, now we have to wait while Scooter gets our ride ready," she stated. "Sash, how are our supplies?"
Sasha smirked at her. "We have enough grenades, bullets and money. No so much food or water, though." Scooter was going to take a couple of days more at the fastest, and they needed something more substantial than sandwiches.
"All right. We shall contact that trader, Felix's acquaintance. We must keep low profile, so Loader Bot is not an option. I doubt Kroger and Finch would be a problem for now. That woman, on the other hand... Two of us must go buy food, it's too dangerous to go alone." Fiona suggested, sitting down on a chair. She glanced at the others expectantly.
"Okay, Vaughn and me will wait for you here," Rhys replied with a smile. It was nice to be even in that house comparing to hot Pandoran desert.
Sasha sprang to her feet, agitated. "No way! I say, one of us goes and one of them! We can't trust those Hyperions with our home!"
Her sister nodded. "You're right. We'll draw straws to decide who goes."
And thus, Fiona found herself treading carefully along the streets of Hollow Point, followed by the displeased Hyperion man, who had already planned to spend the day in a horizontal position. He was silent nevertheless, for it was one of the things they'd agreed upon the departure. The other condition stated that Fiona buy pizza. Rhys found the pact not at all unfair.
Suddenly, Fiona stopped, raising a hand. He noticed it also - the movement on the roofs. It seemed the nutcase warrior woman was back.
"Quick, to the alley on your right!" Fiona whispered forcefully, and they ducked behind some big case looking and smelling like a dumpster. They sat there holding their breath, staying alert, watching each other tensely. After several minutes which seemed an eternity to them the noise from above dissipated. Finally letting themselves to breathe fully, the two of them relaxed their muscles leaning on the brick wall of some abandoned building.
In the darker end of the alley some dark figure stirred. Noticing it, Rhys hurried to scan the movement with his ECHO eye.
"Just a homeless man." He whispered to Fiona, sounding relieved.
"Still, let's get out before he notices us." Fiona replied worriedly. On Pandora, in that city, no witness was welcome.
Sadly, they never managed that.
"Why, don't I know you, lady?" Came a low, cracked voice. The man came nearer, and they could see him in the weak street light. He was short, dirty and thin, but his clothes, hanging around his sorry figure, implied that once he was fatter and wealthier.
Rhys glanced at Fiona, trying to figure out their next step. Her widely opened eyes and shocked expression suggested that she recognized that man. So Rhys decided to keep himself out of the deal.
"Yes, look at me, that is your doing, you lying scum!" The homeless stranger continued, his tone, however, much less agressive than his words. "You and your fake Atlas stuff brought me down, ruined my artefact selling business. And I paid you real money!" He pointed his finger at Fiona, almost touching her nose. She was still as if stunned by a Hypetion baton.
"I see you've got yourself into trouble, serves you right, lady! I could sell you out, but I won't. Listen to me, and I will teach you what I learned on these streets. It is not only Hyperion who ruined this planet, but thieves like you. Everything you want is to rob Pandora and be off with the money. This way, Pandora will never recover. Think about it." And than the man left, walking slowly and muttering something quietly.
"What was that?" Rhys asked when he noticed Fiona coming back to life, turning her head around and checking her gun.
"An old con," she answered somewhat unwillingly. She seemed to be upset and ashamed by the encounter.
"Huh. So, how does it feel to be blamed for just trying to get on with your life?" Rhys wondered, watching her closely. It was rare to see Fiona speechless, even rarer to see her in shame.
His question was not expected by the con artist. She flung her gaze to his face. She did feel the accusations were not fully justified. She was not to blame for trying to earn her money, to get a better life for Sasha and herself. Then her thoughts switched to that Hyperion who asked the question. It seemed he had a good measure of the unjust blaming himself. Fiona realised she had made him answer for the whole corporation more than once. Maybe, she reasoned, he was not as bad as she saw him. They were together in that mess, both guilty and innocent.
Rhys never expected her to answer. He returned his gaze to the sky and added in amused tone: "Guess, I'm not the only bad guy here."
"Yep, I'm Pandoran scum." Came the dull reply.
Rhys let out a short laugh.
"I'm Hyperion jackass, nice to meet you." He stood up, stretching out his robotic hand to help her up.
Fiona couldn't help smiling back. He was cheering her up, as if they were indeed friends. But before her smile could get bigger than almost unnoticeable, Fiona decided to keep things professional. Their task was nowhere near completion.
"It's clear, let's head out," she called and gestured him to follow.
Rhys didn't move. He needed to clear things up.
"Now, let me get it straight, are we friends or not?" He asked, trying to sound matter-of-factly.
"Never said we were," Fiona said not even turning her head to him.
"But you did!" He objected. "At Scooter's."
Fiona came back to face him. He was being impossible once more, pulling on her words, playing some games of his own.
She measured his with the displeased eyes. "Why do you ask then?"
Rhys arched an eyebrow, as if her question was absolutely silly to ask.
"Words are wind, as they say. But when I scanned you a moment ago, your hostility status changed." He ended his phrase with a smirk on his lips.
"My - what?!"
"Hostility status. It is a part of the ECHO eye readings." Rhys explained now fully grinning.
Fiona huffed in exasperation. "You're making fun of me!"
He raised his hands in the air. "No, not at all!"
Fiona frowned thoughtfully. Then she asked, glaring at him, challenge declared: "Scan me. What does it say now?"
The blue eye bore into her.
"It says - alarm, alarm, she's going to punch you in the face!" Rhys stuttered in a feign scared voice.
Fiona almost rolled her eyes. What a childish game! Then she crossed her hands in front of her and stated: "For an imaginary device, it's giving highly accurate readings. You'd better trust them."
"It still says you're a friend." Rhys lifted his eyebrows as if surprised by his own words.
Fiona finally smiled at him. He was too adorable in that stuid nonsense talk to be angry at him.
"Okay. We're friends. As long as you do not scan me." Fiona added hurriedly, still a bit unsure whether he was telling the truth about that 'status' changes.
Rhys opened his mouth to answer her, but Fiona was quicker one more time.
"...and as long as you keep your mouth shut. Let's go."
Rhys widened his eyes at her, not ready to believe she was treating him like some pet of hers again. Finally he followed her, keeping some distance that allowed him to whisper to himself: "No wonder you don't have any friends."