A/N: WARNING, THIS STORY INCLUDES VERY GRAPHIC AND SOMETIMES RACIST LANGUAGE MUCH LIKE THE CARTOON ITSELF. IT IS BY NO MEANS CREATED TO INSULT ANYONE OR ANY RACE. PLEASE BE CAUTIONED WHEN READING THIS STORY. Themes are rated G, language rated M and violence rated T.

SORRY THIS CHAPTER WAS SO LATE! PLEASE REVIEW!

"I'm sorry, Jack. There's nothing I can do."

The red haired man grits his teeth, desperation clouding his eyes. "Please, Banes! If we don't do anything, Lavinia will die!"

The older man simply shakes his head. "I've tried. But the government has far too many ties with Danilo Ribeiro to involve themselves in their feud. I'm terribly sorry, Jack."

Jack clenches his fist, his nails digging into the skin. "You don't need to involve the whole unit! I'll infiltrate their hideout alone! I'll bring Lavinia back by myself! I just need the proper in-"

The superior shakes his head again. "I can't do that either, Jack. We both know you're one of the best and a top agent in our company, but ever since that incident with Wuncler, the head has been putting pressure on us. They've told me to excommunicate you, Jack. I did what I can to drag this out, and I was able to reduce it to an early retirement with honours…"

Jack turns and slams his fists onto the desk. Stacks of paper tumble over the edge and scatter across the office floor. "I can't… accept this…! I can't lose her too…!"

The director sighs again, gently placing his hand on the agent's trembling back. "An agent's life is hard. You know this; we all know this. You were prepared when you signed on. It's a dangerous job that not only affects you, but potentially your loved ones as well. But there's nothing we can do. Sometimes you just have to move on. I'm sorry, Jack, but I still hope you find happiness one day." He stares sadly at the poor man's back.

The agent is so taken by helplessness and grief that his once bold frame now seems oddly fragile. Jack remains hunched over, pressing into the desk with shaking arms. A chocked sob escapes his lips.

The director tightens his lips, unable to watch such a broken man. He folds his arms and looks to the wall. "As the director of CTA, I've come to witness many things over the years. Always tried to recruit the best and brightest. However, sometimes these people elude us, choosing to live and fight for things that don't always agree with us. There are many ways to attain something you want, Jack. And there are always people who are capable of helping you. You just need to know where to look, even if the person was once an enemy."

The agent straightens and slowly turns around, a look of confusion on his face.

The director bends down and picks up a file from the floor; its contents are thick with documents. "Quite the brilliant mind this boy has, even if he causes Homeland trouble to no end." He hands the folder for Jack to take. Puzzled, the agent receives the folder and opens to the first page. Memory serves as he stares at the young boy's profile.

"He should be almost 18 by now. It'd be interesting to see how he's progressed."

Jack looks up to his senior, stunned at the suggestion.

The older man nods with thin smile. "Goodnight, Jack Flowers. I bid you good luck wherever you might end up."

Jack watches in awe as his director steps out of the office and disappears behind the elevator doors. Looking back down to the file, he takes out the first page and clutches it in his hand. He might be his only hope now. "Thank you, Banes…"

~With Huey~

Turning his head slightly to the side, Huey stops mid step. Something is off; he's been getting an odd feeling for a while now. Glancing around, Huey surveys his surroundings. Everything seems to be normal: students chitchatting as they start for home, the sounds of car tires as they race down the streets…. Narrowing his eyes, Huey takes another step forward and continues down the sidewalk. He keeps his stance natural but his guard up. Turning another corner, he walks into a deserted courtyard in a more remote part of downtown. Huey steps toward the wall before turning around. He eyes the steel bar by the beaten up trash can in the corner. Looking up and around, he grabs his backpack by the strap and slides it off his shoulder. He tosses the bag to the ground and draws his body into a defensive stance.

"Whoever you are, you can quit hiding." Huey strains his senses for any change in the environment. His instincts tip him off. Ducking down, he spins to his side, rolling off his shoulder. Something clangs to his left. He snatches the steel rod and skids a few meters away. Looking back, he notices bullet markings across the walls. He grits his teeth. "Show yourself, dammit!"

A familiar clacking of an automatic catches his ears. Jerking his head skyward, his eyes widen. Four steel rods plummet towards him, each with an unnaturally sharp edge. Huey plants his legs firmly on the ground and spins the metal bar at its centre. Rotating his body, he weaves through the rain of metal spears, knocking each out of his way. Before the scattered bars clang to the ground, Huey dashes towards a corner of the building. He notices the direction of both the bullets and metal rods are the same. Setting his feet securely on the cement, he leaps step by step up the vertical wall and springs over the ledge to the roof. He catches the sight of a silhouetted figure and charges forward. Seeing the shine off the gun barrel, Huey dives to the side. He ducks behind a large cement structure and notices a few boxes piled up beside him. He hears his attacker advancing. Tipping his weapon, he swats the box up and launches it over his head. Using the box as a distraction, he springs over the structure and his eyes lock on his target. Before his assailant can comprehend his mistake, Huey knocks his gun away and crashes the man into the pavement, holding him down with the steel rod at his neck. Successfully securing his victory, Huey's eyes refocus, widening when he realizes who the attacker is.

"The hell? You?"

The man gives a grim nod, his red tousled hair glisten in the evening sun. "Hello again, Huey."

Jack Flowers, a legendary agent from the Central Terrorist Agency or better known as CTA.

Huey narrows his eyes, pushing the bar further into the man's throat. "What the hell do you want from me? I already told you I'm retired!"

Jack chocks a bit, the steel bar is preventing him from taking sufficient breath. "I'm here… ugh…to ask for your help."

Huey scoffs. "Interesting way of asking."

Jack swallows a bit, feeling the soreness in his throat. "I apologize, but I needed to make sure you were still up to… standards."

Glaring down at the old enemy and ally, he eases the bar off his throat and pulls back. Huey straightens on his feet but keeps a good hold on his weapon. "Did I pass?" His tone drips with sarcasm.

The older man rubs his throat and slowly gets up. He coughs out before giving a small chuckle. "Quite." He looks Huey squarely in his eyes. "I'm glad to see the years haven't worn you down."

Huey scrutinizes him, unimpressed. "I can't say the same for you."

Jack gives a weak laugh; his eyes flicker to the ground. When they look up again, his face is contorted into an expression of desperation.

Huey's eyes widen, getting a better look at this man. His hold on the steel pipe loosens.

Jack's green eyes tremble with suppressed emotion. "Please. Listen to my story."

~With You~

You stretch your arms and tip your head side to side to work out the cricks.

The uproar regarding the sudden transfer of Kyle Anson has died down after the first few weeks. Most of the rumours regarding the reason for the withdrawal centred on Huey and their fight. You, however, suspect the withdrawal to be a product of Mikhail's meddling. In any case, you're hardly remorseful over this turn of events, so you never bothered to ask.

Today, you were unable to go home with the Freeman brothers due to your early retreat for a shoot. April has just dropped you off in front of your new favourite café. Ok, technically, it's Huey's favourite café, but ever since he had introduced you, you've fallen in love with it. Pulling at the narrow door, you step into the familiar stairway and head upwards. Nearing the landing, you catch two voices, one familiar, one foreign. 'Huey?' You glance at your phone. It is 5:23 PM, Huey should be at home right now. Curiosity getting the better of you, you tiptoe into the room and hide yourself behind the partition. A childish excitement bubbles within you. You've never spied on Huey before. You hold back a giggle.

"Her name is Lavinia Santos, she's my fiancée. Unfortunately, her father is Adriano Santos, one of the four leading crime lords in Brazil. He and a man by the name of Daneilo Ribeiro, another crime lord has been at war for the dominion of Sao Paolo for the past 6 years. Recently, there's been a truce, but secret battles still erupt occasionally between underdogs..."

"… She's kidnapped, isn't she?"

"… By Daneilo, but that bastard won't own up to it. Without concrete proof, her father won't do anything because he's afraid of restarting the war."

There's a strained pause, and you realize this isn't a typical conversation.

"And now, you need help rescuing her."

There's another pause before you hear Huey sigh.

"I don't know if I can help. These are real gangsters, Jack. In a city I've never been in, nor am I really familiar with the language."

A strangled noise sounds. "…Please, Huey. There's no one else I can rely on. I've been decommissioned by the state. I'm cut off. You're the only person outside the CTA I know who has both the skills and means to tackle this. I know it's selfish of me, but I have nowhere else to turn…. I can't lose her…. Please."

You clutch onto the strap of your bag. The sincerity and the pure desperation behind his words strike a chord in you. You want to help this man.

Huey sighs again. "Even if I agree to this, we'll be going in completely blind. This is a warzone. We'll be killed before we can even track her location. Do you have any information on this Daneilo, his whereabouts or movements? A means of transportation? Weapons? Inside connections? …A map of the city?"

Another silent pause. You guess the man isn't able to answer. Your pity grows. Frowning, you decide it's time to intervene. "If it's a map, I have one."

Huey and his companion snap their attention towards you.

"As well as transportation, inside connections, weapons and very possibly exclusive information on Daneilo Ribeiro, himself." You step away from the partition and walk towards their table. You grab another chair and pull it between them before taking a seat.

Huey shoots you a look. "When did you get here?"

You grin at him. "Just a few seconds ago. Sorry, I eavesdropped."

Huey frowns.

You direct your attention to the other man. His face is worn with worry and fatigue; the days have aged him. Your gaze softens. "Nice to meet you. My name is Naomi, I'm Huey's friend." You extend your hand towards him.

His eyes flicker to Huey before switching back to you. Forcing a small smile, he accepts your handshake. "Jack Flowers. It's my pleasure."

You nod.

"You said you could help?"

You nod again. Huey moves to protest, but you cut him off. "It's actually not me exactly who will do most of the helping. It's a friend of mine from Brazil. She knows everything that goes around in the city-."

Huey grabs onto your wrist, directing your attention back to him. "Slow down, Naomi. This isn't a game. How do you even know if your friend is willing to help with something this big?"

You pat his hand lightly, slightly patronizing. "Relax Huey, she's my friend." You grin, recalling her personality. "Trust me. This is exactly her kind of thing."

There's a peeved look on his face.

You clap your hands together. "Great, so it's settled then. We'll fly to Brazil in two weeks-"

"Two weeks?!" Huey coughs out.

You glance at him. "Yep. School's almost over. Then it'll be the summer holidays."

Huey scowls. "Don't you have work?"

You send Huey a look. 'Oh now he wants me to work.' "I just finished my last shoot today. I haven't accepted anymore offers. I think I remember someone telling me not to accept so many." You end with a rather snide remark.

Huey isn't impressed with your comment. "What are you gonna tell your brother?"

You shrug. "The truth. I was actually planning on visiting her this summer anyways. It's been awhile since my last visit."

Huey's face falls into his palm, frustrated with your nonchalant attitude.

"Naomi."

You look back to the older man.

"If you and your friend are willing to help, I'll be forever grateful."

Your eyes soften at his words. "Don't thank us just yet. We've still got a long way before we start this operation. Hopefully with these two weeks we'll be able to come up with a more decent plan."

Startling you, Huey suddenly stands up from his seat and pulls you along by the wrist. "Excuse us, we'll just take a second," he says back to the surprised man. Placing you behind the partition, Huey lets your wrist go. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. "No."

You rub your wrist, raising an eyebrow. "No what?"

"No, you're not going."

The edge of your brow twitches. "And why not?"

Huey scowls. "It's far too dangerous, and you're treating it like a vacation! Just refer us to this friend, and we'll take it from there."

You shake your head. "She won't help you unless I'm there. It takes a lot to earn her trust." You glare at his frustrated expression. Your eyes soften again when you think about his intentions. "I want to help, Huey. And I can help. This man seems really desperate, and we're his last hope. You can't deny him of that."

Huey frowns. "I'm not about to let you put yourself in danger again."

Your eyes widen. Your temperature start to rise and you immediately force the blush back. Reaching out, you take Huey's hand into your own and give it a reassuring squeeze. "I'll do my best to stay out of trouble, I promise! I told you, it'll be my friend who'll do most of the helping. I'll probably just get in her way if I tried."

Huey relaxes a little.

"I promise it'll just be a vacation for me." You smile, crossing your fingers behind your back.

His lips pull into a thin line, unconvinced by your words.

You clap your hands together in an effort to distract him. "Well, so that's it." You walk away from the partition and move towards the exit. "You guys better start packing soon! I'm gonna book the flights the minute I get home."

"Naomi-"

You step out into the landing before Huey can stop you. Giving a quick wave, you hurry down the stairs. "See you soon, guys!" Giddy with excitement, you fly out the door and onto the streets. Hailing a taxi, you jump in and direct the driver to take you home. You can't wait to see your old friend again, plus you'll be visiting with Huey. It'll be your first time traveling with him. You grin at the thought. What's even better, you're going to see some action again. It's been so long since the last time you've experienced excitement, and you know that as long as it's with her, it's going to be one helluva adventure.

XX

"Brazil?!" Mikhail exclaims.

You give him a sheepish grin. "Uh, yeah. I already bought the tickets."

Your brother rubs the bridge of his nose. "I wish you gave me a little more notice, Naomi!"

You shift uncomfortably. "Well, I did tell you before that I was going to visit her this summer…"

Mikhail shoots you a look. "Told me how? In passing?" He sits down on the couch behind him. "Brazil is a dangerous place for a girl like you to travel by yourself-"

"I'm not going alone."

Mikhail raises a brow.

You smile. "Huey's coming with me." You see the worry lines on Mikhail's face retreat just a bit.

"So it'll just be the three of you? Two teenagers and a girl who's barely an adult." Mikhail shakes his head. "That still doesn't sound very convincing."

You sit yourself down beside him. "Oh, come on, Mikhail. It's just a vacation. We've lived there before, remember? Nothing's happened to us then. And even if I run into any trouble, she'll get me out of it right away."

Mikhail keeps his brooding face. "I just don't understand why this is so sudden." He eyes you suspiciously. "You're not hiding anything from me, are you?"

You give him your best grin. "If anything, you're always welcome to come with us. I'm sure she'll be happy to see you too!" Your brother instantly shuts his mouth. You giggle.

Mikhail sighs and gets up. "Alright. You can go-"

"Yes!" You jump up and give him a hug.

"Not so fast!" Mikhail eyes you with a stern look. "You have to promise me that you'll call me at least once every day, and reply to all my messages."

You nod with a grin. "Of course!"

Mikhail folds his arms and narrows his eyes. "And since you asked, I think I might just make a visit." He pauses to measure your reaction.

You show no change in your expression. "That's great! It's about time you took a vacation."

Relaxing, Mikhail gives a wry smile. "Heh. A vacation does sound nice." He shakes his head of the thought. "In any case. Be careful when you go. Don't talk to strangers if she's not there. Don't leave with strangers either. And don't get into a stranger's car-"

"Mikhail." You deadpan. "Stop worrying. We'll be fine."

He makes an unconvinced noise.

A knocking at the door catches your attention. You look to the front entrance. Glancing back at Mikhail, he only shrugs. Neither of you are expecting any company. When you open the door to receive your unexpected guest, you're surprised to see Huey standing at the threshold. His mood seems restless.

"We need to talk."

You press your lips into a thin line, knowing what must be bothering him. You step back for him to enter but he lingers by the doorway. As you hear Mikhail shuffle towards you, Huey's eyes flicker past you.

"Hello Huey. Naomi was just telling me about your trip to Brazil in the summer." Mikhail's tone is amicable enough.

There's a slight twitch in Huey's brow before he glances to you and back. "And you're ok with it?"

You tense up. There is no way you're going to let Huey ruin this for you.

"Well, it's unconventional, but I trust that Naomi won't get herself in too much trouble when she's there."

You sweatdrop as you hear him stress the word trust. He is definitely on to you.

Huey narrows his eyes at you. "You didn't t-"

"Ah! Right! I just remembered you were supposed to help me prep for exams!" You turn around and give Mikhail a convincing grin as you start to push Huey out. "I'll see you later, Mikhail!" You quickly close the door before your brother can protest. Dragging Huey quickly out of earshot, you glare at him when you're on his front lawn. Huey is unfazed from your glower and returns with an equally heated look.

~Mikhail's P.O.V~

I move to the window and watch as my baby sister drags the neighbouring boy onto his property, well away from my earshot. I squint my eyes to catch the movements of their lips.

The boy shoots my sister a look. "Tell him the truth, huh?"

"Ok fine. I told him a half truth." I watch Naomi fold her arms. "Still counts."

I sigh. My teenage sister has been hiding more and more things from me as of late, and they're always connected to that Freeman boy in one respect or another. It's irritating. She believes she fooled me regarding her little vacation to Brazil. Though I do know how competent her friend is, there is little doubt they'll be up to no good.

The boy snorts. "Really. In that case, if I were to go up to your brother right now and tell him the reason we're going to Brazil is so we can confront the regional crime lord to save a kidnapped hostage, your brother would be perfectly fine with it."

I close my eyes. Dammit. Of all things. Really. The girl has always been a magnet for danger even before she was born. And to make matters more difficult, she has an appetite for it as well. My foolish baby sister seems to think it as an exciting adventure. I shake my head wearily. When I open my eyes again, Naomi is gritting her teeth.

"Don't you dare! There's no way Mikhail would let me go if he found out."

I give a wry smile. Unfortunately, it's not that simple.

The boy's eyelids droop. "Exactly my point. It's too dangerous."

She glares at him. "But we can't just do nothing! This woman is the love of his life! There's no way we can just stand by and watch."

I narrow my eyes. So there's a third party involved here.

The boy looks down with a frown. He doesn't respond. Naomi's expression suddenly softens. I recognize the strategy she's about to implement. This persuasion won't take much longer.

Her voice begins in a soft pleading tone. "He needs our help, Huey. Mine as well as yours."

The Freeman boy keeps his eyes cast, his expression solid.

Naomi takes his hand into hers. I feel a mixture of irritation and pity for the boy.

"What if we were in his position, Huey? What if the love of your life was taken from you? What would you do?" He looks back up. I instantly recognize the emotion behind his eyes. They are burning with conviction. I have little doubt as to what he is imagining at her words. The emotion fades when he seems to realize the point she's trying to convey. Naomi lowers her head and peers into his eyes. "Please Huey."

I give a sardonic chuckle. There's no force in the world that can help him against that. I fold my arms and lean onto the glass, watching the helpless boy bend to her will. He starts to shift uncomfortably. Before he can look away, Naomi moves her hand to his face. "Please, Huey…."

And he's a goner.

The Freeman boy sighs and looks away. "You're not playing fair."

She beams and throws her arms around him. Judging from his softened expression, she must be saying something, but her head is hidden behind his. After their little reconciliation, they both move back to his house. Final exams are coming and Naomi will definitely need all the tutoring she can get. I move back to the couch and collapse on it, slinging my arms over the backrest. So their trip to Brazil is actually a rescue mission… involving crime lords. I sigh again. She never makes things easy. I pull my arms back and fumble around in my back pocket for my pager. Taking off the cover, I input the password to activate the caller inside. I speed dial the third number down. After the second beep, the connection is made. I hold the device to my mouth.

"Gin. I'm gonna need a change in my schedule. She's going to Sao Paolo in two weeks. Find a replacement for me at the hospital by then. Also, give me a list of all the crime lords in the vicinity, ranking them according to their resources and territory."

"Do you want me to monitor her flight?" The static voice asks.

I knit my brows in thought. "Yeah, that would be best. Do a background check on the other passengers. Cancel the tickets of anyone who seems suspicious."

"Will do."

"Thanks, Gin." I disconnect the call and reassemble the device back into my pager. Yawning, I decide to move upstairs for a nap. I still have a night shift tonight.

XXX

~With You~

Your lips pull into a devilish grin as you see Huey's back turned to you. He's on the phone right now, probably with Sam. You slowly creep your way towards him and raise your hands in preparation. You inhale as you launch your hands at his shoulders. Before you meet contact, Huey side steps out of the way and your arms swing uselessly back to your side. You scowl and ready for another attack. Huey turns and rests his free hand atop your head and keeps you at bay. You glare at him as you try to pry off his hand. He stares back down at you lazily.

"Yeah, thanks. That would be good. Sorry again 'bout the short notice. …Yeah, I will. …Bye, Sam."

Click.

You finally manage to get his hand off. You fold your arms crossly. "How did you know? I didn't make a sound!"

Huey shrugs. "You're just predictable."

You narrow your eyes, dissatisfied. Huey knows you much too well. Deciding to drop the subject, you and Huey start to move towards the kitchen. "I'm guessing you were settling your work schedule for the trip?" You pull out a chair at the kitchen table and sit down.

Huey does the same. "Yeah, I told him to give me two weeks, but things may change, so he's gotta have a backup prepared."

You beam. "Great, I knew Sam was understanding. Now there's nothing preventing us from going." Huey doesn't answer as he rests his chin in his hand. You choose to ignore his incompliant attitude and begin to pull out your books. You stare at your geography textbook. Which reminds you…. You peer over to Huey. "How's Jack doing? Is he gathering more information?"

Huey nods, his eyes pensive. "He said he's gonna do a one last run around of his old colleagues. One of them might have more information on the man who kidnapped his fiancée."

You nod, hoping the best.

Pausing, Huey's eyes slide towards you, and you notice their scrutiny.

"What is it?"

"Tell me about this friend of yours." His tone seems almost hostile.

You ignore it. Pulling out your workbook, you flip to the correct page and run through the list of topics you have to study for. "Her name is Bianca Calvacanti, and she's 26 years old."

"What does she do?"

You hesitate, staring at the page you left off from this morning. "She's in management."

"Oh? Of what?" He's getting suspicious.

You shrug. "I think she dabbles in lots of odd jobs here and there. She has a wide variety of skills. You can ask her when you two meet." You do your best to settle the question. In truth, you don't quite understand what she does yourself, nor are you entirely sure if what she does is legal. You've just been so used to the mystery of her lifestyle that you no longer question it.

Huey narrows his gaze. "How did you meet her?"

You exhale through your nose. What is this? Twenty questions? "Mikhail was a surgeon in Sao Paolo for a 1 year term when I was 8. I didn't really get along with the neighbouring kids. Maybe we didn't know how to deal with each other… but either way, it made things boring. I spent a lot of my time just exploring the area, and occasionally I would run into some trouble, but nothing I couldn't handle." You smile at the memory. "That day, Mikhail had gotten home late the previous night and was resting. I had just finished school and was bored, so I decided to explore a little farther away from home…"

You tilt your head upwards towards the glaring sun. 'Sooo hoooot….' You're walking aimlessly down a neatly paved street. School had just ended at 3 and you're deciding what to do with yourself for the next few hours. It's been a month and you've already explored the majority of the neighbourhood, even expanded your route to parts of downtown. Mikhail had given you some rather strict boundaries as to when and where you are allowed to go.

You scowl. You are so bored.

Something moves in the corner of your vision, and you look back down. A scraggily medium sized dog crosses your path. It hardly gives you glance as it moves towards a smaller alleyway. You stare as it trots away. Not because of its strange behavior, or that it looks like it has the worst fur cut in the history of grooming, but the fact that it is carrying a small bag in its mouth. Your eyes light up with curiosity. Before the dog turns a corner, you quickly move to catch up to it. When you reach the same corner, you realize the dog is quite a few metres ahead of you. You break into a run. As you begin to close the distance between you, the dog gives a quick glance back. Acknowledging your presence, it seems to give almost a snort like bark before turning away. You breathe out a grin and continue to follow it down numerous twists and turns in the neighbourhood. After rounding one more corner, you suddenly lose sight of it. You glance about, wondering where the dog could've disappeared to. The sound of sliding gravel catches your attention and you look up. The canine had hopped onto the roof of a local house. You bite your lips in anticipation. Its actions are provoking you. You leap onto a nearby trashcan and bound left and right between walls until you land successfully onto the same roof. The dog glances back and gives another snigger. You continue to pursue, leaping from roof top to roof top. After a while, the canine finally stops. It looks down from where it's standing. When you close in, you realize it's looking through a window. There's a sweet smell of bread in the air. You watch entranced as the dog leaps from the roof and into the window, landing with a soft thump. You hear some slight rummaging in the room and your curiosity grows. Leaping down from the roof, you walk towards the window to get a better look. The room is a kitchen, but it is a little different from the normal household kitchen. The oven is quite grand and there is a large amount of shelving with several kinds of bread stacked on top. You breathe in the aroma. You're starting to get hungry. More rustling carries your attention elsewhere. Your eyes widen when you see the dog push another loaf of bread into the open bag on the floor. Is this dog stealing bread? Reaching for one more piece, the canine suddenly freezes and looks up, its ears alert.

You hear a husky female voice in thick Portuguese tongue. The door to the kitchen swings open and a woman cries out. "Ah! É o cão de novo!"

'Uh oh.' Though you don't comprehend the words, you had more than an understanding that the dog is unwelcome. The canine instantly grabs onto the full bag with its teeth and leaps toward you. You gasp out and fall back as it flies over you.

"VOLTAR AQUI!"

Your eyes focus back at the woman, realizing with alarm that she's holding a shot gun aimed straight at you.

"Tu é o ladrão pouco!" The woman spits venom as she eyes you.

"I… don't know…" You clamp up as you see her slide the barrel for the first shot. It's time to run. You scamper off your feet and launch yourself in the other direction. You hear a loud bang and you duck. The shot misses and is planted a few feet away into the opposite wall. You gulp and leap back onto the roofs.

"VOLTAR AQUI!" Several other harsh words pour from her mouth as she fires another shot. You run after the dog, somehow believing that it'll lead you to safety. Glancing back to see if you're in the clear, you're surprised to see the same woman perched on her roof top, aiming the gun at the dog. Moments before she pulls the trigger, you leap forward with a burst of speed and grab onto the dog. The canine yelps as you both tumble down the side of a roof and fall into a backyard just as another shot is fired. Your face meets a bundle of small twigs and leaves as you land. You realize with a groan that a bush has caught your fall. As you pull yourself out from the bush, the dog is already up and placing the scattered bread back into the bag. You glance around for any other signs of danger.

"Hey. Mr. Dog. I think we need to go before someone catches us." The canine huffs, but otherwise ignores you. Picking up the bag once more with its teeth, it sniffs the air before it trotters off in another direction. You sigh and continue to follow. After easily hopping over the fence, the dog leads you down another series of twists and turns before it finally stops at another building. You've long realized you have just entered one of the areas Mikhail specifically told you not to go. You examine the building wearily. The walls are worn and covered with graffiti. The medium sized windows that run across the grey concrete are broken and boarded up. You look around and realize there's no one in the area. You look back down at the dog and watch as it moves nonchalantly towards the front door.

"Um… is this where you live?"

The canine pushes the door open with its shoulder. It looks back to you and barks out.

You blink. Is the dog inviting you in? You bite your lips in excitement and quickly follow in. Stepping past the solid metal door, your eyes search the room. The tattered building appears to be some kind of an abandoned warehouse. However, even with its worn state, there are stills signs of inhabitancy. Your gaze trails to the odd arrangement of mismatched furniture assorted in one corner before noticing the laundry strung across the ceiling on a clothing line. You hear a familiar barking and turn your head towards the noise. You catch sight of a rusting staircase leading up towards the upper level of the warehouse. The second level is supported completely with metal bracing, same as its flooring. Held by a total of six pillars, the second floor only covers half the ceiling, stopping midway with a guardrail cutting across the width of the building. Through the gaps in the fenced flooring, you catch glimpses of a moving figure with the dog. The canine is restless, barking with its every movement. Giving a quick turn, it suddenly moves towards the guardrail and looks down at you. You stare back at it.

"O que é isso?"

You bristle at the new voice. Alarm and curiosity glues you to your spot. You watch as the figure slowly makes way towards the same guardrail. A stream of light breaks through one on the many holes in the ceiling, illuminating the dust in the air. The figure walks into the light and the first things you notice are her grey eyes. Through the shadows on her face, those pupils seem to glow. The next is her auburn hair, and with the sunlight dancing off her head, the rich brown is almost akin to a deep crimson. The girl seems to be in her teens, with a drawl like smirk as she gazes down at you. Placing one elbow on the guardrail, she leans over with a casual stance.

"Oh? Nina, tu trouxeste um amigo?"

The dog barks again, its tail wagging.

You look back and forth between the two, not sure if you should speak.

"Oy." The girl seems to address you. You stare back at her. A string of Portuguese flows from her lips, and by the intonation, she's asking you question.

"Um… I don't understand Portuguese." You call back.

The girl blinks before a look of interest spreads across her face. "Hoooh… Americano?" Straightening, the girl grabs onto the metal bars and swings herself over. Your eyes widen as she jumps from the second story, crashing towards you. You leap back just as she lands in the same spot you previously held. You stare alarmed as the girl easily stands back up from her landing crouch, seemingly unfazed and unscathed. You're too surprised to even utter a protest for her actions. As she stands there, a dominating pressure exudes from her. This girl is a born leader. "I asked for your name."

"I…" You shake your head from the stupor. "My name's Naomi."

She grins and extends a hand towards you. "Mine's Bianca. Prazer em conhecê-la."

You nod, accepting the handshake. You know enough Portuguese to understand pleasantries. "Nice to meet you too." You detect a hint of Portuguese accent in her English, but she seems quite fluent otherwise.

"So…" She places her hand at her hip. "You're acquainted with Nina."

"Nina?" You tilt your head to the side.

Bianca jerks her head to the dog, now making its way down the stairs. "S'what I call her."

"Is she your dog?"

The older girl shakes her head. "I ain't her owner. She's a friend."

The dog seems to bark in accordance, now reached her friend's side.

"Huh, so Nina's your name." You lower down to one knee and move to pet the shaggy creature. The dog stays still, looking not particularly pleased with your actions but tolerant. You move back, feeling a bit rejected. "Does she not like me?"

Bianca lets out a loud laugh. "The opposite actually. Usually, if anyone tries to touch her, she'll bite your hand off. I nearly lost my pinky the first few times." She chuckles a bit more. "It takes her awhile to warm up to people."

Looking around bored, Nina trots off the nearby couch and jumps on. You notice the bag of stolen bread on the mismatched coffee table by the couch.

"Oh nice, Nina brought food. I was getting pretty hungry." Stretching, Bianca strolls towards the same couch and seats herself. Lifting her feet onto the table, she reaches into the bag. Her expression turns a bit sour when she realizes there's dirt on her bread. Sighing, she begins to pat off some the dust. She looks over to Nina with a peeved expression and mutters something in Portuguese. Nina whines and looks away.

From what little of the language you know, you catch the words dirty and bread. With a sheepish smile, you rub the back of your head. "Um… that was kind of my fault. I kinda had to push Nina off the roof…"

Bianca raises an amused eyebrow.

You shake your head. "…Wait a minute! Nina was shot at and almost killed because of that bag of bread! You should tell her to stop! She might not be able to get away the next time!"

The brazen girl smirks. "So that's why Nina likes you." Tearing another chunk off the bread, she lets out a dark chuckle. "You're naïve, but you're young so it's a given."

You stare at her, perplexed by her cynical tone.

Swallowing the final bite, she claps her hands of the crumbs and leans back. She drapes one arm over the back rest. "Naomi, was it? If you haven't noticed by now, this is where Nina and I live. Other than each other, we have no family and not a penny to our name. Technically, to society, we don't even really exist." Noticing the expression on your face, she smiles. "What I mean to say is: there are no records of us. We're both strays in a way." You watch her carefully, unsure of what to say. Although you think you're supposed to feel sympathy for her hardship, there is a certain pride in her tone that stops you. This girl has no wish for sympathy. "We do what we have to to get by, even if it is illegal." She pauses to examine your expression. "Do you think it's wrong? Are you disgusted?" Her words are spoken with a smile, but there is a quiet fury burning behind them.

You stand your ground, feeling like you're being confronted by her heated gaze. "I don't know what to think." You declare.

Your words knock off her intense expression. Surprised, Bianca stares at you blankly. A second later, she bursts into laughter. Your cheeks redden as you watch her stomp her feet while guffawing. You notice Nina give a similar reaction.

"W-what's so funny?" You don't like feeling embarrassed.

"Hahaha… perdão." She tries to stifle her laughter. It takes her a few moments longer before she calms down. Staring back at you with her piercing gaze, she grins. "I like you, kid."

You make a face, unable to comprehend her reactions. You jolt when she suddenly stands up.

She gestures towards the ceiling with a jerk of her thumb. "Come with me for a sec. I wanna show you something." Bianca starts to walk away, not even bothering to check if you are following. You notice Nina lift her head in her direction, but she quickly rests her head back down, seemingly uninterested. You debate whether or not you should follow. Although you're curious, you don't like the way she's pulling you into her pace. You bite you lip. Scowling, you let go of your stubbornness and hurry after her. You quickly climb the metal stairway until you catch up with her at the top. Bianca turns her head and gives you a knowing smirk. Reaching the south end of the second story, she stops at another stairwell. The narrow metal steps spiral upwards with a rusting pole running down its centre. You peer skyward through the entrance. The opening at the end of the staircase reveals the sky. You follow closely behind Bianca until you step onto the landing. Looking around, you realize you're on the roof of the building. Bianca is sitting down at the edge of the roof, one of her legs dangling while the other is crossed. Her posture is inviting and you take a seat next to her. Her face is serene as she looks out into the horizon. You follow her gaze. Your eyes widen a bit at the view. Realizing the building is at the top of a hill, your eyes overlook the city. With the setting sun slowly descending towards the horizon, the dark shadows running along the tall buildings become increasingly prominent.

"I'm gonna take over this city."

You do a double take, not completely comprehending her words. "Take over? Like running for Mayor?"

She gives a small grin. "No. Not like a Mayor. Mayors in the town have no control." Her gaze hardens, a glint lights her eyes. "When I take over, there will be no second place. Then, neither of us will have to starve ever again..."

You continue to stare at her. Bianca's words paint her in a new light. Smiling, you turn back to the dazzling sunset. "I'm looking forward to it."

Her grin widening, she lets out another boisterous laugh.

…

What happened after wasn't so fun anymore. You had completely lost track of time, and when Mikhail called you on the cell, he had been furious. To add fuel to his fire, you had also wandered completely outside of the parameters he gave you. Bianca had to take you home, and that was Mikhail's first encounter with your new friend.

You smile at the memory. Thinking back, you realize the woman never changed. You wonder how far she got at achieving her goal.

After you moved, every few years you've made an effort to visit her. Every time you did, however, the place she lived in became increasingly more extravagant than the last. And although she had made plenty of time for your visits (always finding new things to entertain you with), in the few times she had to work, she's always sidestepped the subject of what it was she had been doing.

"Isn't it obvious? She's in the crime industry herself." Huey is becoming increasingly unsettled. "I'm surprised your brother is ok with you bring friends with her." He looks to the side, deliberating.

You narrow your eyes at him. You pretty much guessed as much, but you don't like the way he's talking about Bianca. You cross your arms defensively. "So what if she's in the industry? This way she'll be able to help us a lot more!"

Huey glares at you before looking away with a sigh. "God, you're so naïve sometimes, it's almost insane…"

You glare back at him, huffing. Bringing your anger to a broil, you take a breath to calm yourself. You trust Bianca with your life, and nothing is going to change that. "You'll meet her soon enough, then we'll see who the naïve one is."

Huey shoots you an it'll-still-be-you look.

You scowl at him.