Shilo stood off to the side of the alley wearing one of the less skimpy addict outfits she owned, a black tank top under a forest green shirt just far enough past her hips to cover the essentials that was littered with tactless tears, a pair of black leggings—oh how she hated leggings—(also torn) and a pair of beaten up combat boots. Today, her hair was tucked up under a plan auburn bob of a wig, and was shocked to realize that, very soon, she would need to wear a wig cap for the first time. She was chatting with addicts who were still, at least to their own opinion, woefully sober. Someone commented that this was the longest time that Graverobber brought the same woman to the alley. Another said with a laugh that perhaps Graverobber had finally been tamed. Shilo joined in their laughter, but she didn't think she'd imagined the tinge of jealousy and regret in their voices. That was one less payment method after all, and the remaining one wasn't nearly so fun.

Graverobber wandered over, trailed his fingers down Shilo's bare arm, raising gooseflesh as we went before leading one of the still sober addicts gathered around away for their hit. She couldn't help the blush that crept up her neck to flush her cheeks a faint scarlet, nor could she help but notice a few unfriendly glowers sent her way. Luckily, most of the addicts had accepted the change and the sour looks came from addicts that didn't frequent Graverobber's branch of the Zydrate Support Network.

The blush drained from her face when the addicts started to scatter. Police raids happened all the time, there were usually a dozen cops bursting into the alley. They were loud and gave the gathered ample time to bolt. The police never arrested anyone. The raids were always just meant to get the gathering to disperse. It was part of the balance. The illusion that the police had authority.

But this time there were no shouts, no sounds of a dozen pairs of combat boots storming in heavily armed with pointed guns despite the fingers that never strayed to the trigger. People didn't start to scatter until the two heavily armed women were halfway down the alley and the wrongness of their presence registered with the few who were still clinging unhappily to sobriety. It was the sober ones that started the bolt, but it didn't take long for the rest to follow.

The Henchwomen reached Shilo before Graverobber could. One grabbed her arm, forcing her to her knees and pulling the wig off, while the other pressed her pistol to Shilo's temple. The barrel was cold. Tears fell from beneath Shilo's closed eyelids; she didn't want to see what was about to happen. She was about to die.

"We're supposed to kill you on sight and bring your head to Amber Sweet, Shilo Wallace. Sierie still might if we can't fake your death well enough," Adrien informed her captive when Graverobber had drawn close enough to overhear.

"I don't want to die," Shilo whispered, unwilling to open her eyes, still petrified to hear the mechanisms turn as the trigger was squeezed.

"We figured as much," Sierie stated, her gun didn't waver, "This is what's going to happen: your cottage will burn to the ground—they'll let the building burn if it doesn't spread—inside will be a woman similar to you, burned beyond recognition. When we find the body Amber Sweet will be told that the corpse belonged to one Shilo Wallace. Amber Sweet will allow herself to be mollified as long as Shilo Wallace doesn't appear on her doorstep claiming to be the rightful owner to GeneCo. If you do something that stupid, I will not hesitate to kill you."

"Do it tonight," Graverobber said before Shilo could wrap her head around what was happening; he didn't give a second thought to the woman who had to die in order for Shilo to live. For all he knew, the woman was dead before she went into the cottage. He'd tell Shilo that was the case, even if he never figured out the truth, if Shilo ever asked.

"We already have. A candle tipped over while Shilo was asleep, the old house didn't have a chance," Adrien told them nonchalantly, "There's a duffel bag on the stairs over there with a few of the outfits you've come to own, and some other belongings. Graverobber, you don't make it a habit to keep your belongings in one place, you'll figure out what you'll do now. We'll hold onto Rotti Largo's will. All that's left now is for you to disappear."

"Graverobber, we'll be in touch," Sierie said, putting up her gun and turning away.

"Oh," Adrien said and paused at the mouth of the alley, "I should have to say this, but don't go sniffing around the wreckage."

And then the Henchwomen were gone.

It was several minutes before either of them believed that Adrien and Sierie were gone. Graverobber pulled Shilo into his arms, holding her tightly while she sobbed into his chest; her entire body was chilled by fear and he soothingly tried to rub some of his warmth into her arms.

"They killed someone," Shilo gasped.

"Maybe. Maybe not. No way of knowing. No way of changing it. Don't waste it, the Henchwomen aren't going to risk their lives for yours a second time," Graverobber told her absently, the lie he'd planned to give refusing to pass his lips.

Shilo hiccupped and nodded, but she didn't say anything.

"We have to go, kid," he whispered into her hair. He let her stand there forlornly wiping moisture from her face as he went to grab the duffel bag Adrien had thought to put together that was sitting on the nearby stoop.

"Where will we go?" Shilo asked.

"There's more than one abandoned home in this city," he told her in response.

"That's true."

"Hell, maybe we'll live somewhere legally; we could even pay rent," he said with a laugh.

"I don't think we have to go that far," Shilo replied with a chuckle.

"Rogues we'll be, then," Graverobber declared, wrapping a possessive arm around her shoulders, slinging the duffel bag over his own.

"You know what I think?" Shilos said. Graverobber gave her a sidelong glance as invitation to continue but said nothing, "I think I can do this."

Graverobber gave her shoulders a squeeze, "I'm glad to hear it from your own lips. Personally, I know you can do it, kid."

She laid her head on his shoulder for a moment and then they were off on the hunt for a new abandoned home.