Marvin wanted to strangle his sister! He silently strode several paces behind her as the man named Daniels walked a little ahead of them, leading them down a dim tunnel to the elevators that would take them "upstairs."

Watching her ponytail swishing side to side and the bloody collar peeking out as it did made Marvin's blood hot. What the fuck had she been thinking?

If she was someone who wasn't so damn impulsive, didn't lose her temper at a moment's notice and didn't have a record of bringing the worst out in people, maybe this wouldn't be so hard to watch.

As it was every time he saw her shift or scratch her nose with her cuffed hands, all his muscles would clench in anticipation. As a boy, the idea of finding something to shock his sister with would have been funny.

But that was because he would have been in control of the pain given. It wasn't rational, but he was the only one allowed to torture her if she was going to be tortured. She was his sister. Yet, he didn't have those desires anymore—age, maturity or whatever it was had caused it to diminish slowly.

Derek bumped his shoulder. "Chill, man. She seems to be practicing commendable control today. She didn't even yell at him when asked for weapons."

Marvin snorted. Derek had a point but was it her control or Derek's saving her ass that had stopped her from losing her shit on Daniels?

She hadn't looked right this morning. Marvin had woken in their roomette to find her already gone. That wasn't unusual in itself, but she'd come back to get her coat and other things looking like she had just witnessed something terrible.

Marvin hadn't seen that look on her face since they had watched their parents being eaten by a scaly black monster the size of a small car.

Marvin shivered at the memory. He shook his head to rid his mind of the image. Now was not the time to revisit that day. Maybe Aiya had woken to a nightmare? She used to dream of that night almost every night.

However, it had been years since she had suffered a night terror. But something was up. There was the hug Derek had given her too. That had been a little weird for Marvin in more ways than one.

He knew how his friend felt and knew Aiya didn't return the feelings. However, when Derek embraced her, she had almost looked like the young girl Marvin remembered from his childhood.

Marvin's heart broke just a little for both of them as he had watched. His friend would never have his feelings returned, and his sister was a lot lonelier than she let on.

Marvin shook his head again, letting out a heavy sigh.

"Fuck this shit!" Marvin grumbled miserably and rubbed his face as he walked, head hanging low.

Derek was right. Whatever was up with Aiya he couldn't fix right now, and what was done was done. He just prayed to whatever higher power that might exist that she would keep her damn mouth shut!

"Man, you need to get laid! You are wound tighter than the sphincter muscles of a straight guy in a gay bar!" Derek gave Marvin some crazy eyes for emphasis as his mouth twitched at his own joke.

Marvin felt his mouth twitch. Derek was his hero.

"I am glad you joined us on this mission. I never understood why you always tagged along with us but never actually joined us, man." Marvin hadn't meant his words to sting, but he saw Derek wince slightly.

"Would you want to watch the only family you have left go and get themselves killed?"

Marvin thought about it for a moment. Was Derek his safety net? He had never really considered it before.

Now that Derek had asked the question, Marvin realized the only reason he kept his cool when he and Aiya went out on missions was that he had a childish belief his older sister was invincible, and he knew Derek would be there for him when it was all over.

Bloody hell, I am a fool.

Marvin realized he had been extremely naive up until now. Derek's words brought a reality to him he had been avoiding for far too long.

Derek knew the truth. No one was invincible, and everyone could die. Especially in today's world. The image of Derek wondering, waiting to see if his friends survived and returned haunted Marvin's mind. He suddenly felt like an asshole.

Derek had been the only one to survive when a monster had exploded into the field behind his grandparent's farmhouse. His mother, brothers, grandparents had all died.

Derek's father had saved him but died from wounds a few days after. Eventually, a day and a half of walking later, a young Derek had found his way back to Aiya and Marvin in the city, who were recovering from their own traumas alone in what was left of their family home.

The image of a straggly dirty Derek in tattered clothing stumbling through their door, crumpling to the floor to weep, flashed in Marvin's mind. A bond was made then through old friendship and their surviving utter chaos and destruction together.

Marvin put an arm around Derek's shoulders and felt a bit of his old self return as he jostled his friend playfully.

"Right. Well, now we just get to watch Aiya possibly flop around on the floor like a dying fish and piss herself."

Derek burst into a loud guffaw.

"I pity the bastard who makes her piss herself in front of other people!" Derek roared again.

Marvin heard himself chuckle. Ok, maybe the thought of his sister getting herself electrocuted was still a little funny even if he wasn't the one responsible.

"You assholes having fun back there?" Aiya yelled over her shoulder at them.

Marvin knew that even though she sounded pissed, she was smiling. He was sure the sound of his laughter brought her comfort, just like the sound of hers did for him.

"Whatever the reason you came, man, I am glad you did. This is way more fun with my brother!"

Derek punched him in the arm.

"Gross man. Are we gonna kiss next? Cuz I ain't really into that."

Marvin rolled his eyes but felt a wicked smile on his face.

"When I decide to swap spit with you, brother, don't expect a warning first!"

They both started laughing.

"Ok, you two are disgusting. Still disgusting, that is." Marvin could hear the mirth in Aiya's voice. Yea, she likes having Derek here too.

—————————

Aiya felt her lips twitch. Thank the ... well, thank whoever for giving Derek the desire to join them this time. He was the light in Marvin's gloom. And the only person able to stop the guy from brooding.

Marvin only had two moods. Melancholy brooding and obnoxiously happy. She preferred the obnoxiously happy.

She heard her brother and Derek exchanging crude jokes and laughing some more. It made the trudging along in electro cuffs seem not so terrible.

She shot Daniels a glance and noticed he strode purposefully without looking back at them. He seemed confident he was in control. Whatever made him feel good.

For a second, Aiya wondered how 80,000 volts would feel like and if she would survive without brain damage. She knew she had issues when she heard herself snicker at the idea of herself being electrocuted. That probably should not have been funny.

Daniels gave her a dirty look over his shoulder.

They finally reached a smooth metal wall mysteriously built into the rock. Aiya eyed it and saw that the door to the elevator was not only locked but looked airtight. Almost like a door to a bloody bank vault. They were not taking chances.

Daniels thumbed a sensor pad beside the door and looked up into a camera. The gears inside the door's locking mechanism hissed and clicked, indicating they had released. Daniels spun the giant wheel that was front and centre, then pulled the massive door open.

Behind the door, a solid, shiny metal room large enough for maybe 6-7 people met them. Turning, Daniels addressed Aiya and her people while Grayson looked bored and a little annoyed.

"We will escort all newcomers four at a time with two guards. Bryan and Mike, you're on elevator duty."

Daniels coldly looked at Aiya.

"I will take the freak and miss confidence here with me along with two others."

Derek and Marvin didn't hesitate. They strode up behind Aiya and stared at Daniels, daring him to tell them no.

Daniels rolled his eyes as if to say he was not impressed by them.

"Let's go, people. I need to get back to my post and make sure my men don't get lazy."

You mean you want to find some poor bastard to take your frustrations out on.

Aiya felt sorry for whoever Daniels found to pick on when this was over. Maybe she'd find a reason to punch him before they left this place. That would feel good even if he kicked her ass after. She heard herself snicker again.

Ok, I probably need therapy.

Aiya shuffled into the elevator with her brother, Errend and Derek. She felt goosebumps rise on her skin as the hairs on her neck seemed to reach for Errend, who was standing behind her.

How had she never noticed the feeling of charged energy around him before? He was like a walking static ball but subdued somehow. Almost like there was a blanket covering him. Yet, the energy was still there. It tingled slightly across her skin, and she felt herself shiver.

Aiya glanced back at him. As usual, she couldn't tell anything from his expressionless face. Would it kill the man to show emotion? He did have them. Last night was a testimony to that.

He just stared intently into her eyes. She felt like he saw her soul, the darkest parts of her, and she wondered if this was worse than being naked in front of a crowd of people. The feeling was so raw.

"Are you in any pain Aiya?" His voice held no inflection. Yet Aiya had a feeling he was genuinely concerned, even if his face or posture seemed to indicate he did not care either way.

"Nope. May have to borrow these next time I find someone to hanky-panky with." Marvin groaned audibly and put a hand over his face.

Derek burst into laughter and commented. "Way to ruin a good line! Hank-panky?" He roared some more at Aiya's expense.

Ok, so she wasn't precisely a promiscuous person or good at jokes, but she was trying to lighten the mood for Errend's sake.

"What is hanky-panky?" Errend stared at her intently with concern in his eyes.

"Bloody hell," Aiya groaned this time and felt her cheeks flush.

Derek's laughter returned with enthusiasm, and she heard her brother laughing now too.

Men!