â€œOK, keep up the pressure as we turn him over,â€ Ion told Carina. â€œYou â€“ help me roll him on his side,â€ he then ordered Jake, who had been hovering nearby.  â€œNowâ€¦â€<br/><br/>The two men rolled Aiden gently over so that Ion could take a look at his back. â€œNo wounds under,â€ Ion said before nodding to Jake. The two of them laid Aiden back down on the worn concrete as gently as they could. Aiden let out a deep moan as they did so.<br/><br/>â€œAiden, did you say his name was?â€ Ion asked Carina. Once she had nodded in agreement Ion spoke directly to the semi-conscious young man in his care.<br/><br/>â€œAiden, you have been grazed on your chest â€“ but itâ€™s not bad. You managed to dive mostly out of the way. You hit your head when you landed, though.â€<br/><br/>â€œBut â€“ but there were shots! Three shots!â€ Jake argued in a confused tone.<br/><br/>â€œNo, one shot,â€ Travion corrected, talking somewhat sheepishly with his pistol now under his arm. â€œOne shot. What you heard were echoes.â€<br/><br/>â€œWe werenâ€™t the only ones,â€ Marissa added in a loud whisper, â€œI hear people coming â€“ runningâ€¦ that canâ€™t be good!â€ she said, pointing down the platform towards a dilapidated staircase.<br/><br/>â€œWe have to move,â€ Travion said, trying to take control of the situation. â€œWe have to take him with us, or leave without himâ€¦â€<br/><br/>â€œNooooo!â€ Aiden cried out half-consciously. His eyes fluttered to life at the idea of Carina disappearing â€“ again. Although he wasnâ€™t completely conscious, he was not going to let that happen â€“ not after weeks of wondering if she was dead or alive.<br/><br/>â€œJake, pick me up â€“ weâ€™re going with them,â€ Aiden said, weakly. His eyes circled around to Carinaâ€™s and he smiled â€“ seemingly dazed from his head injury. â€œHiâ€¦â€ he said to her simply with slurred speech, as if he were drunk. â€œWhere have you beenâ€¦? I have been looking allâ€¦ OUCH!â€<br/><br/>At that moment Ion had just finished wrapping a makeshift bandage around Aidenâ€™s chest from Ionâ€™s own coat. â€œSorry, you needed that,â€ he apologized. â€œThis is the best care I can give him here â€“ letâ€™s go if weâ€™re going. But where to?â€<br/><br/>â€œI know, this way,â€ Jake said pointing with his head away from the sound of steadily approaching footfalls.<br/><br/>With Jake and Carinaâ€™s help, Aiden was on his feet and staggering along behind the group. â€œHey,â€ he said to her as they went, his arm wrapped around her shoulders. â€œDo you know â€“ I really missed you. I mean, REALLY missed you!â€ he added with slurred speech and a distant smile. â€œYou are likeâ€¦ he most smartest, most funn-est, most beautiful-est woman I have ever metâ€¦ do you know that?â€<br/><br/>â€œDude â€“ shut up already,â€ Jake whispered angrily. â€œWe donâ€™t need to hear this, and you are making noise. Quiet!â€<br/><br/>â€œJake,â€ Aiden replied, turning to look at his old friend. â€œI love you manâ€¦ reallyâ€¦â€<br/><br/>â€œShush!!!â€ Ion, Travion and Marissa shouted together under their breath.<br/><br/>Thirty minutes later the small group had hidden themselves away in an abandoned switching room far from the scene of the shooting. The room was nearly pitch-black except for the faint glow from the â€˜EXITâ€™ sign over its single door. Aiden sat on the cracked tile floor holding his head with one hand and his chest wound with the other. He and Carina were on the far end of the long room, away from the others.<br/><br/>â€œUgh,â€ he said quietly to Carina. â€œWhat the hell happenedâ€¦ andâ€¦ Carina? How did you get here!?!â€ Aiden sounded genuinely excited even though he kept his voice down. Unlike before, now his tone sounded collected and rational. Later he would learn that the swelling under the bump in his head had subsided, and now he was experiencing some temporary amnesia.<br/><br/>He let go of his injuries and grabbed both of her hands, pulling her close. This caused a stab of pain to shoot through him, radiating from the muscles around his chest wound. The young man grimaced painfully but didnâ€™t make any sound, nor did he release his hold on her. â€œAre youâ€¦ OK?â€ he asked in a pained tone.<br/><br/>Although his expression was agonized, his eyes glowed with a look of sheer joy as they fell on hers.