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((ok you guys, sorry, I should have ellaborated, but I think I got a little bit at least...))

In the dusky light the two men exchanged glances, but it was at the wrong angle for Ruby to be able to see what they were.

"My names Bob, and this is my fellow soldier Joe," said the stranger who had stayed where he was in the big crash of rubble. His tone was slightly sarcastic and Ruby wondered what kind of 'soldiers' they were.

She crouched down slowly where she was, and her hand instinctively went to the gun that was tucked into the small of her back and her jeans. No, she thought, I know I can use it, and that I am a good mark, but I shouldn't, it wouldn't be right. But it's self-defence, Ruby's other side argued. After a couple of moments of nothing happening and the arguing in her head, she decided not to grab it, but knew she could if the need arose. She watched the scene unfolding before her.

"Now wouldn't you like to know?" asked 'Joe'

Ruby caught the look in his eyes and knew that the others had better be right there with Azalia. Leaving the scene very quietly, she went to the back of the room and found the sturdy ladder that she was so familiar with climbing, she knew it didn't squeak, and she climbed upwards to the third floor. She took out her flashlight and covered it with her hand, turning it on she made sure she was ok to walk to the window which was now just a hole in the wall. The two soldiers couldn't see her unless they turned, but she could see them. They were standing together now, and from the looks of it they had moved closer to Azalia.

"Now who are you?" the so-called Bob asked, a demanding tone in his voice that promised a threat if he wasn't answered.

But I am...Ruby thought to herself. Looking a little to the left she spotted a rock that could easily be thrown and not hurt her arm, but would make it a good distance. She picked it up to find it was part of a broken brick, and chunked it at the man that called himself Bob. Seeing her target hit, she hid stiffly against the wall, and hoped her beating heart would slow down enough to not be heard by the others. Ruby could hear footsteps coming closer, and quickly. She slid down the wall to lay on the dusty floor beneath the window sill where she couldn't be seen.

Bob turned and ran to the direction that the rock came from, he was angry. Looking around quickly he shone his flashlight in the small alleyways between hidden buildings and in the windows of buildings. Bob couldn't see anything. His anger shook him. "SHOW YOURSELF!" he yelled, "IF YOU DON'T, WE WILL FIND YOU OURSELVES!"

Ruby squeezed her eyes shut at the sound of the meance in his voice. She crawled to the ladder and climbed down. Not knowing what else to do she walked out of the building with her hands at her sides.
Bob caught the movement in the doorway almost immediately, he walked in the direction of the person, and shone his light in their face, making her put her arms in front of her face. He lowered the light a little, and the girl put her arms back down.

Ruby tried to make herself seem as unafraid as Azalia had sounded, but she knew that one look at her eyes and one would know how terrified she truly was.

"Who are you?" Bob asked the girl, his voice kept at a hiss as he had just reached her. Grabbing the girl's shoulder with one hand, he had put his flashlight on his beltloop, the other hand held his gun. Bob shook the frightened girl as she just looked at him with terrified eyes. He could see a million questions, fear, and a spark of something else there, and avoided actually looking at her eyes, focusing instead elsewhere.

Ruby stood where she was, all of a sudden being shaken by this man who seemed now a bigger threat than she thought. Her mind tried to work as she tried to answer him, but all she could do was look dumbly at the guy, wide-eyed and frightened. Say your name, she told herself, say your name! but no words came to her lips as she tried to move them.

((I know this seems long, but think about it, it would only take a few moments...I dunno, I guess I just started typing without thinking about it...))

What the?! Azalia thought when the brick was thrown. Soon 'Bob' was telling whoever it was to come out. Before Azalia could shout for them to stay where they were, Ruby had appeared, and 'Bob' was shaking her. "Leave her alone!" Azalia shouted. She could hear Mia's voice in unison with hers, although Mia sounded distraught, while Azalia was furious. Azalia ran to 'Bob' and pushed him away from Ruby. "You get away from her!" She stared at him coldly, praying he couldn't sense her fear. He clearly had a gun, and all she had was a knife.

Jason seized the opportunity and went for it. e moved low and swift to the 'Joe'. He rested his hand that held the knife on the man's right shoulder. The man's left hand instinctively went for his hand. He then grabbed the man's right wrist with his free left hand and jerked it up and over the man's left shoulder. The man's own right arm pinnned his raised left arm so that it was unusable. He placed his knife so the blade rested lightly on 'Joe's' right armpit, right next to the relatively large artery that could kill the man within moments if severed. The man was unable to speak due to his own arm tight against his chin. Jason spoke loudly to the 'Bob'. "Move away from her. I really don't want to hurt your friend, so let's try to settle this in a diplomatic way."


(((A little bit of god-modding for the NPC, but other than that, it was a realistic move that I have done countless times on my little brother when we 'fight'. it is a wrestling move my neighbor taught me. i prefer it second only to the cradle. 3nodding )))

"Kinda," Runy answere, her eyes not leaving his except for to look at the commotion Jason was making, "Blaze," Ruby said, "what are you doing out here, and what kind of 'soldiers' are you?"

Blaze looked at the ground, "we aren't really, but we have no other way to live, it is be this, or die."

"Why isn't there another choice?"

"Because there is nowhere to go."

"Who is the other person?"

"A friend, his name is Zane, he is good, too."

"Jason!" Ruby called, "It's ok, bring him over here please!" While she waited for them to reach where they were standing she asked Blaze, "can you explain the argument you two had in the building that I came from just before leaving it?"