Brin layed on the soft ground next to Alex. "Alex?" she mumbled quietly. "You awake?"

Alex didn't move. "Unfortunately," Alex answered quietly. "What's the matter?"

The two had arrived at the mansion around 6:30, after the wires and contacts had been put in. Card hadn't bothered putting a wrist band on Brin like he had done to Alex. He knew she wasn't going to disobey him. But even when they were supposed to be asleep neither could seem to fall asleep. "I...I don't think I can sleep..." She muttered sleepily.

Alex unconsciously moved closer to Brin. "Just close your eyes...Brin...Breathe deeply and just...dream...force yourself to dream, Brin. It shouldn't be long before --"

"We're going to die here..." Brin interrupted. Alex looked over at Brin, for the first time since they'd arrived at this piss hole. "Aren't we? They're going to find out -- they'll --"

"No," Alex interrupted. "Don't talk like that. Just go to sleep..." Brin was quiet for a moment then muffled weeping reached Alex's ears. Brin was weeping. "Brin..." She didn't reply by Alex could feel furious movement beside him as Brin started to shove the tears away. "Brin, everything's fine...just...just go to bed...please god -- go to bed."

Brin continued to brush her tears away until she felt another hand brushing the tears away. Brin stared forward in the dark. "I'm fine..." she snapped to the dark silence. "I'm fine..."

Alex's arms were around her again. Unlike earlier, Brin let the boy hug her. She slowly sank into the gently hug, resting her pounding head against his chest, listening to his pounding heart. That was the last thing she heard until the next morning. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Breakfast," Alma Leal declared dully. She'd always had that dull sort of voice, but she'd learned to live with it...be a depressed person. Alma's birth father was not Todd Collins -- psycho terriost. No, sirwe...according to her she had no exact birth father -- just a sperm donor. But Todd was the man that her mother chose to marry. He was the man that took them out of poverty, off the evil streets of Illinois and California alike. He was the man that bought his mother's love. But he couldn't buy Alma, she was a street punk for christ's sake, and nobody would buy her. Just a month ago she'd caught a bit of his meetings with 'work stuff' and heard enough to guess what he was actually up to. Instead of heading for her mother, the queen of bitch, she went straight to someone who could help her -- Brin Adams. Alma was the first one to find out that Brin was a spy...and she was also the first one to keep that secret from all.

Alex eyed the cheese pizza Alma had just cooked up. "Pizza?" He asked uncertainly, as though this pizza was just a disguise of a much better breakfast.

Alma's eyes narrowed. "Of course, Rider," Brin answered him instead. "It's the American way."

Alma nodded in agreement. "Want some ice cream with that?"

Alex shook his head. "Are you kidding me?"

Alma had already pulled herself out a fudge bar. She turned back around to face Brin and Alex and shrugged. "Suit yourself."

Brin was flipping through the channels on Collins' massive television, while shoveling a piece of pizza into her mouth. She paused on an old fairly unfamiliar channel. Fox Family. "Hey, look what's on," she spluttered around a mouth full of food. "Bi' wo' on capus'," she mumbled.

Both Alma and Alex paused in their eating. "What the hell is this?" Alma asked casually. Despite Alex's better judgement, he was actually enjoying himself. He liked them, alot. He liked their personalities, he liked pizza and Alma, despite her image and personality, was an amazing cook...pizza cook at least.

"Big wolf on campus, man!" Brin exclaimed overlyenthusiastically. "The greatest show in the world! It's the greatest show in the world, goddamnit!" She took another large bite of another slice of pizza. "Go' ep'sode.." she muttered around the food in her mouth.

"Could you perhaps talk before eating? Would it have killed you to say something before shoveling the food into your mouth?" Alex asked quietly, inspit of himself. He knew most shows Brin liked were pretty good. Seriously, Animal house, the breakfast club, pump up the volume, gleaming the cube. They were all good films, hell, he'd even watched an episode of Higher ground. She ignored him completely. Which was another reason he liked her. She (and most of her female friends) we're like other girls. They didn't obsess over stupid stuff that won't matter in a few weeks. They didn't complain, bitch or whine about anything. And most of all, she was rock hard...nothing he said seemed to offend her.

Brin seemed too much into the television when Todd Collins walked into the living room. He stopped in the room and stared down at the trio. Alma and Alex stared back at him evenly, but Brin didn't even seem to notice his presence. "What the hell are you kids doing?" he snapped. Alex looked to Alma to support an answer and Alma didn't bother looking to Brin, the excessive talker that usually got them out of trouble when anyone -- adults, teachers, hell, even kids. But she appeared to be a tad busy right now.

"We're eating breakfast," Alma answered casually, taking a big bite of the vanilla ice cream she had in a bowl. "What the hell are you doing?" She asked casually, and Collins didn't even notice it when Brin turned to look at him. "Don't you kids have school or something?"

The three exchange looks. "It's three o'clock," Alex stated first, slowly.

"And it's the goddamn summer, man," Alma threw in. "We could go somewhere, of course...but we have no money...no transportation...and I have no clean clothes..."

Collins groaned loudly and dug deep into his pockets. He pulled out a big wad of paper, receiving expressive noises from both Alex and Brin. He threw Alma a few bills. Thirty dollars. "I'm not the only one here..." Alma pointed out slowly. Collins groaned louder and threw Alex and Brin the same amount. "Gee, thanks."