Alana stared after him, crest fallen.

He came back and looked out the window once more, "I need to go and grab some supplies." Mark said, "Wanna come?"

Alana looked down and nodded. "Ok..." She stood up and winced at the weight on her ankles.

"Alright." Mark said as he flung a torn bag around his shoulders and opened the door ajar, peering through the slight crack. With a nod, he moved onto the streets and awaited for Alana to follow.

Alana stumbled after him, trying to walk normally on her ankle.

Mark looked back and noticed her constant stumbling and sighed before ducking back into the dusty apartment, returning with a wooden walking stick which he passed to her, "Careful with it... It was my Dad's." He said before progressing down the desolate street.

Alana looked at the stick and nodded softly. "Thank you..." She said as she began to put a little weight on it, being extremely delicate with it.

Mark smiled as he brushed his hands against the brick walls, progressing at a slow pace as he was cautious of his polluted surroundings. The sound a police siren emanated from a few roads ahead, making his eyes widen only to realise it was heading away from them.

He sharply turned a corner, the balls of his ripped shoes tearing across the gravel before he moved forward once again and neared a small building which was nestled within heaps of garbage and dumpsters.

Alana followed him. People generally stayed away from these parts of town until they were 'purified' of human rubbish. She looked around nervously, a lot of rumors went on about this area...

"You'll be fine here." Mark said, "Just pretend you're human." He said as he pushed open the door with one hand and entered the gloomy apartment, a wall of dust greeting them which sifted past their bodies. From the gloom, all that was visible was a counter in the middle of the room surrounded by a desk filled with weapons and trinkets.

Alana looked around as she hobbled along on the staff.

"Welcome back, Markus." A voice emanated from the shadows as a small light was revealed amidst the darkness. A small man the size of a ten year old female hobbled along, a brown cowl covering half his facial features."

Mark inclined his head forward, "Just come to purchase the equipment we were talking 'bout yesterday." He said as he knelt toward a brass shelf and browsed through weapons.

Alana looked on curiously.

Mark picked up a revolver from the shelf and clipped in a round of ammo. "I'll take th--"

"Who's the girl?" The owner said as he pointed a crooked finger at Alana and moved closer to the counter, the outline of his eyes drilling into her.

"U-Um... I'm Alana... It's nice to meet you..." She said uncertainly. "Mark helped me out of a... sticky situation and he's kinda helping me get back on my feet..."

The man dismissed her with a hand before placing it back in the coat which disguised him, "Okay. Okay." He asked, "I only needed your name." He then placed both hands on the counter in front of him, holding out one palm so the revolver could be dropped into it. Mark placed the weapon in the extended hand before taking one step back.

He leaned backward so he could reach Alana's ear and spoke in a hushed tone, "Don't reveal too much about yourself." He said before being interrupted by the owner's voice once again.

"Pass over the cash and it's yours." He said, his voice slightly joyous from the purchase. Mark dug into his pocket and pulled out a stash of green notes which he passed into the man's hand. With a nod, the revolver was given to Mark and he left the shop in one brusque movement, holding the door open for Alana.

Alana nodded politely to the man and followed after Mark, feeling kind of stupid as she hobbled outside with a sigh. "So what now?" She asked, her mind somewhere else.

He closed the door behind him before further progressing down the streets, "I need to duck in to the streets and give a man this revolver." Mark said as he placed the weapon in the torn bag which was pulled around his arm.

Alana nodded. "Alright..." She looked at the bag where some cloth could be seen sinking out of a hole. "I could sew that up for you if you want..." She said.

Mark shrugged, "I think it's best we do that when we get back." He said, keeping his voice in the dark alleyways, "But I'd be more than happy for it to be sewn up when we get back."

Alana nodded to him. "Alright..." She said as she followed him through the alley way.

They broke from the gloom of the alleyways and the light of the streets where the sun painted its final strokes across across the lands. "Alright." Mark inhaled before stepping forward, looking around as he pushed down his frail hat. "Keep low and stick to the shadows he said."

---

Felix sprung from his bed and placed a firm hand on the handle of his door. He opened the door and stepped into the well lit corridor which was broken off by dozens of other rooms. "I'm gunna go for a walk." He called, assuming his Mum heard him.

If his parents had replied, he didn't have time to here. He burst from the door and entered the polluted city which he had lived in all his life.

Alana nodded and brought her hood up over her hair to hide her face as she stuck next to the buildings behind the bushes.

The shadows concealed most of their features but their suspicious activity received the casual glance by others as they moved. They began approaching one of the less busier streets which was filled with teenagers and adolescents. Mark adjusting the bag on his shoulder and looked back at Alana as the gun fell from the gaping hole in the material and clanked on the ground.

---

Felix had successfully escaped the crowded house and exhaled with relief as he was greeted with fresh air. Two figures were approaching him - not coming toward him but headed his way. They looked awfully suspicious. As he passed them, the man turned around to look at the boy - the slight movement beckoning the fall of an item from the bag.

From pure instinct and the life of respect he had been brought up in, he turned around and knelt over to pick up the object which had been dropped. Felix's hands touched a cold, metal object which caught rays of sunlight. He paused before looking back up toward the man.

Alana's eyes widened nervously and she took a deep breath before bringing down her hood, hoping he hadn't heard the news yet she spoke to her old friend with a smile. "Hey Felix, what's up?"