Chapter two:
Near cautiously moves in that direction curious about what is going on. He knows that they're supposed to just leave things though he hates standing back if something horrible is happening. He wonders if he can do something without revealing himself. He peeks over a bush and a little ways ahead he spots a man with a girl.
The man looks fully grown while the girl looks to be around Near's age. He has his arms around her with one hand covering her mouth. He is taking her somewhere while she is squirming. He stops walking while Near watches wondering what he is planning. "Quit it! Maybe I'll make it quicker for you!"
Near spots a large knife in the mans belt and he realizes that he plans to kill the girl. He glances back in the direction of where Mello and Matt are. He doesn't think that they've noticed anything yet. He turns back to the two and ducks out of sight. He needs to figure out what to do. He hears some distant sirens and he stomps on a twig snapping it.
"Shit!" The man curses and something is heard dropping to the ground.
Near grabs a large rock and tosses it hitting the man in the head. He ducks back down before he is spotted. He turns as the girl manages to crawl over and she jumps looking at him not expecting to see him there. He pulls her fully behind the bush and hears the man look around before cursing again.
The man is heard running away being scared off by the sirens that are most likely just going to go past the area. His footsteps are soon gone.
Near turns to the girl who blinks to him with sparkling eyes.
"Thank you so much!" The girl goes to hug him but Near quickly moves away. She blinks in confusion at this. "I'm Linda. What is your name?"
"It doesn't matter." Near turns away. "Go home before he comes back and realizes those sirens aren't coming here." He mentions just as the sound of the sirens do indeed just pass right by the area. He starts to walk away not in the direction of the camp knowing better than to lead her to where he lives. He hears her walking to follow him.
"But I have to thank you for helping save me." Linda insists to which Near stops walking. She looks over his clothes. "Your clothes got all torn up." She gasps before blinking as if the perfect idea comes to her. "Oh! I know! Come to the orphanage and I can fix them! Or even get permission to get you new ones! The headmaster will be very happy that you helped me. I knew that someone was there when the stick cracked so I followed it and you were indeed there."
"Orphanage?" Near turns to Linda not having expected that. He has heard about them however they've heard street tales that not all orphanages are good. He's heard about some horrible ones though there is talk that there is also good ones out there.
The three stay away from them as they heard that the orphanages tend to keep those under its care in the walls. They prefer their freedom.
"Mhm." Linda nods her head. "I lost my family in a rockfall. But it's okay."
"Then how did he get you? Don't they keep you locked up in that place?"
"Well technically yes. But we have a way to escape. It's for geniuses." Linda explains. "We were going to find a way out. The adults have no clue. He managed to grab me while I was trying to sketch an alley. Then you saved me!"
Near thinks that the girl might be lying as he feels like someone like her can't be a genius. "Well you go back there. You'll be safe in that orphanage." He turns away. "And I am fine. I prefer my freedom than go to one of those places."
"Wait. You're not homeless are you?" Linda seems to finally connect the dots. "The orphanage I live in is really great! Come on!" She grabs Near's arm who quickly yanks it out of her grasp.
Near spins around to look at her. "I'm fine where I am. I have my own place to stay. Go home." He tells her then turns as Mello and Matt come over as if having just noticed that Near wasn't in their home area.
"What the fuck is this?" Mello questions eyeing Linda suspiciously.
"A man had grabbed her. She managed to get out of his hold and hid where I was chilling." Near explains not trusting Linda to explain it. "The sirens had helped in her getting away then as they came closer he fled. Not realizing that they were only passing by not coming for him." He looks back to Linda with his emotionless look. "I was trying to tell her to go home."
Mello moves closer to Linda who tenses up. "Right. Well you really should get going. You have no more reason to hang out around here."
Linda opens her mouth clearly about to protest only for Near to interrupt.
"You only got away because of those sirens. You really should get going before he comes back realizing that no one is coming here."
Linda looks wide eyed at Near before her shoulders slump. "Thank you." She looks over Matt and Mello. "Are you homeless?"
"That's none of your fucking business!" Mello hisses narrowing his eyes. "Get the fuck out of here now!" He doesn't trust her and Near doesn't blame him.
"But-" Linda starts and Near gives her a look.
"Go home." Near insists and points her in the direction to get back to town.
Linda sighs heavily and heads that way only to pause to glance back to them. She turns away and heads off going into town away from the place where their home is.
"Hopefully that's the last we'll see of her." Mello snorts once she is out of view. His eyes turn to Near narrowed as Near meets them unaffected by that look. "You didn't chase him off or anything?"
"No. I stepped on a branch which did spook him. From there the sirens did the rest. I only let her hide by me. If he found her he would have found me too. So what other choice did I have?" Near points out and Mello stares at him before snorting as he knows the other enough to know that he isn't lying.
"Fine. We'll stay here just in case she decides to stir up some trouble for us." Mello turns away stalking back towards their camp. "No more of trying to stick our noses into anything like that!" He calls to the two who follow him.
"I know." Near tells Mello while Matt walks beside the smallest of the three. "We leave them alone and they leave us alone." He knows the rules just like either of the other two. He glances to Matt feeling his gaze on him.
"Was he going to rape her?" Matt whispers before shivering at the thought.
Near places a hand on Matt's shoulder. "Not that I know of. He did plan to kill her. That's all I know." He tells the other who nods.
"Intentional or not you did good. Just maybe lets leave it. As horrible as it is." Matt glances away and Near nods.
The two join Mello as they help figure out dinner for them.
All three of them hoping that nothing comes of that little incident.
Near hopes so the most as he never wanted something like this to cause trouble for them. He doesn't want to disturb their peaceful little home. He'll volunteer for watch duty, since they're going to be on high alert for a bit because of this, to help make up for it.
