"I think so....." Ramul bent down to examine the wounded animal more closely. "Still breathing, but just barely. It needs to get this cut treated, though, as soon as possible. And its leg is broken. Siro?"

But Siro wasn't listening; he was looking in the glass doors leading back into the president's office.

"Um, Ramul," he said. "I think we have far greater problems."

Sure enough, the office had filled with MPs and military units.

"Crap," said Ramul. "Hide!"

"Too late."

The doors opened and MPs ran out, followed closely by the wounded SOLDIER.

The highest-ranking MP spotted them and said: "We are under orders to apprehend you for deliberately resisting arrest!"

"There's no way out of this one, Ramul," said Siro.

"We'll just cut right through them!" Said Ramul, getting into combat position.

"We anticipated this," said the MP. He turned to one of his colleagues and said: "Notify Air units three through seven and have them assist!"

"Yes sir," said the other MP. He pulled out a communicator and spoke into it. "Targets located on the roof of the tower. This is Military Police unit 7, requesting assistance from Air Combatant teams three, four, five, six and seven ASAP."

"Oh splendid," said Siro, shaking his head. "'Why don't we just cut through them?' I should really stop hanging out with you."

But Ramul shook his head. "I got a plan, but it's crazy. Just follow my lead on my mark."

The communicator held in the MP's hand responded. "Military Police unit 7, Air Combatant units have been dispatched to your location."

Sure enough the sound of propellers was heard from the side of the building. Growing increasingly louder until it filled the night with noise. Suddenly, as the volume peaked, countless Air Combatants shot up from below and surrounded the roof.

"Don't you think this is a bit much?" Asked Siro scathingly to the MP. "I mean there's got to be over thirty Air Combatants here!"

"Our orders are to apprehend you. If you resist you will be eliminated."

"Great! Just great!" Siro turned to Ramul. "So what's you plan now, Special Lieutenant?"

"Just get ready to move really fast."

By now the units had Siro, Ramul and the unconscious Blood Taste completely surrounded. The circle moved in slowly, the MPs drew their guns.

"See those two Air Combatants just at 1:00?" whispered Ramul.

"Yeah?"

"You take the right one," Ramul said. "I'll take the left. We'll escape by air."

"Right....." Said Siro.

"Ready?"

"Sure."

"MARK!"

In one swift movement Siro and Ramul, who had slung Dark Nation over one shoulder, dashed forward. Were darting across the gap between them and the two floating Air Combatants. Their speed and sudden change from defense to offense caught all their attackers off guard. By the time that poorly aimed guns started firing Siro and Ramul had left two broken and battered Air Combatant units lying on the floor and were sprinting to the edge of the roof.

"They're getting away!" Yelled the injured SOLDIER. "Shoot them!"

But it was too late; Siro and Ramul had launched themselves off the side of the roof. As they flew forwards they held up their newest acquisitions, propellers, and flipped them on. Gunshots fired after them as they flew across the polluted sky.

"Remind me never ever to listen to you again," said Siro.

"We're not dead, are we?"

"Not yet..."

"Well, let's head that way," Ramul pointed his clawed hand to the northeast. "Towards Sector 3."

"Yeah..." Siro said. "Hey, why do we now have a pet?"

"Dunno," said Ramul. "Seemed like a good idea at the time."

"Dude," said Siro. "I am gonna need to get so plastered before I can deal with any of this."

"Done and done."

As expected their escape had been so unexpected, and their initial leap so powerful, that the Shinra troops could do nothing to time to pursue them. But soon MPs and SOLDIERs were dispatched throughout the city to search for the two. In less then an hour, SIU unit B had gone from being Shinra employees, to being on the most wanted list. They were now really the Outlaws.

Elsewhere, in Ramul's small apartment in Sector 3, Siro and Ramul were tending to Dark Nation.

"There," said Ramul, tying off a bandage around the animals cut ribs. "That should stop the bleeding."

"I just found another reason why we should have left Dark Nation," said Siro bitterly.

Ramul sighed. "Okay shoot."

"He's going to wake up, and kill us."

"That's not a new reason, that's just an addendum to your other reason that he's a vicious animal."

"But still, I don't want to be devoured."

"Listen," said Ramul. "I've heard about Dark Nation. He's an experiment, like us, he has a much more intelligent brain then other Blood Tastes."

"So, he's going to wake up, study calculus, then kill us," said Siro. "I'm not liking this."

"No," said Ramul impatiently. "Listen, I'm sure he'll know that we mean well."

"You seem keen on trusting a hunch," said Siro.

"And you seem keen on trusting your bad luck."

"Well, it is pretty bad!"

"Noted," Ramul stood up. "Well, while we're wanted and everyone wants to kill us, there's still one safe place we can go to get a drink."

"The Fallen Angel!" Cheered Siro. "Aria, she'll make today better for sure!"

"Your so pussy whipped, dude," Ramul laughed.

"Hey, shut up!" Siro exclaimed. "I don't see your girlfriend around here."

"That's because she needs space," said Ramul touchily.

"Yeah," said Siro. "But she lives in Cosmo Canyon, like a thousand miles away. That's not space, bro, that's distance."

"So we have some problems to work out-" Ramul shook his head. "Whatever, man. Let's just go and drink a lot."

"What about the cat?"

"It'll be fine," Ramul said. "I tranquilized it."

"Ah."

So the two walked out and onto the street. It wasn't much, but it wasn't as poor as the slums. They walked down the street, staying out of the streetlights just in case.

"I would say it's a beautiful night," said Ramul. "But the sky is a huge metal plate, so I couldn't really tell you for sure."

"Are you trying to be all romantic on me?" asked Siro. "Cause I don't swing that way."

"Har har," Said Ramul. "Wait, did you hear that?"

"You worry too much," said Siro. "Let me guess, the plate is gonna fall on us."

"No," said Ramul. "Someone's following us....."

Siro looked behind them and down the dimly light street.

Siro shook his head. "I don't see nothing."

"Well, whatever," said Ramul. "We're here."

They arrived at a small building with a mako lit sign in the front saying "The Fal-en A-gel." Several letters were burnt out, but warm light shone from the dirty windows.

They stepped inside; the bar was warm and well lit. It was empty but for a few people passed out on the small round tables that sat about the room. There was a bar at the far side of the room, a girl had her back to them and was cleaning glasses in the sink. Siro and Ramul walked up and sat down.

"Something really strong," said Siro, grinning. "And a kiss."

The girl turned around. She was beautiful, too beautiful; it seems, to be working in a seedy bar near the slums. She smiled and her intensely green eyes seemed to glow as she looked on the two. She brushed he shoulder length blonde hair behind her ear and stepped up to the bar.

"Siro!" She said. "You're late! I was so worried!"

"Heh," Siro scratched the back of his neck. "Sorry about that, Aria."

The girl, Aria, turned to Ramul. "Siro got you lost, didn't he?"

"Actually, not this time."

"So," she said, putting her hands on her hips. "What took you then? How was the mission?"

Ramul shook his head and looked down at the bar and said: "I think we need drinks first, bring something strong."

She smiled and turned to the bottles on the back wall.

Siro leaned over to Ramul. "So, uh... What do we tell her?"

"The truth, I guess."

"Are you crazy?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

Aria came back to the bar with two small glasses full of clear liquid. Her smile turned into a small frown when she saw Siro's serious frown.

"What's wrong?"

"Listen, Aria," said Siro. "Could you close early and lock the doors please?"

She looked as though she was about to ask a question, but then she got a determined look on her face and said in a loud voice: "Alright, we're closing early for tonight. Go home or wherever you people go."

The drunks started mumbling mutinously, but they departed. Aria walked to the door and turned on the closed sign before locking the door. She walked back to the bar and turned to Siro.

"Could you take off that helmet? I want to see your eyes," she said.

"Yeah," said Siro. "Not really my eyes but...."

He opened the clasp of his helmet and took it off.

This is where I can use some help from anyone who might be reading this fic. What do *you * think Siro should look like under his helmet? I might need suggestions, or might just wanna see if anyone really reads this fic... So um, review and tell me your opinions on this controversial matter. So um yeah