"That's an interesting proposition, and let's face it. This is a proposition. I'm as committed to the group as anyone here, I don't think that can be disproved...However, why would you assume she would be better off with me? I'm not saying I'm opposed to the idea, but I need to be convinced this is good for her, me, and anyone else involved," Kareem finally replied as he stood adjusting his suit. Paislee turned some, surprise in her eyes but an oddly satisfied smirk on her lips. Athan's smile faded and it was replaced by a rather fierce frown, "You can't be serious...."<br/><br/>Kareem didn't acknowledge Athan's words, instead his eyes flicked to Ellie's own tense figure, walking over to her in a fluid motion before placing his hands on her shoulders from behind. Ellie's form, if possible, had gone even more rigid. "You..." he began saying to her as he guided her gently to the couch, "Need to relax. Have a seat dear, please." With that, Kareem eased her to sit down, though it was obvious she was hesitant. He took his own place next to her and she tried to make herself seem as small as possible in her seat. Paislee observed silently, only for her attention to be brought back to the window. While she agreed with Athan's reasoning, she was not going to be joining in with defending their decision. They had given their commands and she did not feel they had to explain themselves.<br/><br/>Athan gave a sigh. He would have agreed with the way Paislee was acting if the person they were talking to had been someone else, but it was Kareem--someone he was rather fond of in a brotherly type way. He felt as if he could at least take the time to outline their reasons for him, "I was hoping we could just avoid all this discussion and get this over with...but I guess we do owe some sort of explanation..." Paislee gave a hmph, turning her head slightly--though never taking her eyes off the window, "As if. You forget how this works..." Athan's frown deepened and he continued as if Paislee hadn't spoken, "We don't know what Ellie has been through, and while we expected violent outbursts, we did not expect her to be able to overpower Paislee the other night. You know far more about what she's gone through than we do. You are the only person we know of who can approach her so comfortably--I mean, just now you were able to sit her down...we can't even walk within a few feet of her before she starts becoming skittish...Then there is Marqu..."<br/><br/>At the mention of Marqu, Ellie visible flinched and looked as if she were ready to bolt. Athan ran a hand through his hair, clearly agitated, "Marqu has apparently been looking for her and rumor has it that he knows she's here with us. Everyone knows where we live--we haven't made it secret for a variety of reasons, but no one knows where you live. She needs to be somewhere hidden. She can't be out in the open with us. We risk ourselves willingly, we do not wish to risk Ellie falling back into Marqu's hands--and I am sure you don't want that either."<br/><br/>Kareem seemed to ponder for a moment as he snuffed out his joint, placing it on the table next to the sofa. "Alright, she can stay. I have requirements though, and they all have to be met. I can provide food and shelter for us both, that isn't an issue. The issue here is water. People require a lot of water, more than even my plants need if you can even imagine. You tell me where you get your water from and I'll take her in. The second requirement is that you gather some things for me, free of charge. Do we have a deal?" Kareem asked with a smile. Athan looked to Paislee to see if she wanted to have any input, but she had only moved closer towards the window, her hand raised up to move the curtains out of the way. She seemed intently focused on something outside, forgetting the others in the room entirely. Her brows were furrowed in concentration and for a moment Athan wondered what could have enthralled her so. He looked back at Kareem and shrugged, "That sounds fair to me."<br/><br/>"Do you hear that?" Paislee suddenly asked, stepping closer to the window. "It sounds like screams..." she said. Athan tried to focus, though he could not hear anything. He looked to Ellie and Kareem questioningly--Ellie shook her head in the negative. She couldn't hear anything. Athan stood, joining Paislee at the window. "What are you talking about?" he asked, his eyes filling with concern. The dark haired woman looked up to him, "I hear screaming outside. In the distance--do you not---" Paislee didn't have a chance to finish her sentence as a deep rumbling shook the floor beneath them. A loud explosion sounded not far down the street and new screams could be heard nearby. Smoke and dust filled the air outside while Paislee and Athan watched in horror as a building crumbled only a couple of hundred feet away.<br/><br/>"It has to be Marqu!" Paislee said, quickly turning around and pushing Athan away from the window. "Stay away from the windows and doors. We need to leave before he gets here..." she said as she moved the green chair. She seemed to be searching for something on the floor, but nothing looked out of place. That was until Paislee reached down and removed a loose piece of wood, which revealed a handle. She grabbed it, yanking the door up, "Ellie, you go first. We'll follow, alright?" Ellie didn't seem as if she would move at first, but an explosion echoed through the street, this time closer. It seemed to be all the motivation she needed and she climbed down the ladder.<br/><br/>"Paislee, I can see him!" Athan shouted over the loud screams and booms that resounded outside. "I said stay away from the windows!" Paislee shouted back, adrenaline rushing through her as she stood from her crouch, letting the hidden door shut. With quick and purposeful movements, she grabbed Athan's arm, snatching him away from the window--apparently just in time, too, as their window blasted in, along with pieces of the wall. The three of them were thrown from their places, Paislee and Athan hitting the wall on the other side of the room and falling to heaps on the ground. Paislee struggled to get up, trying her best to regain her bearings, "A-athan?" she called out, coughing some, "Kareem?" It was difficult to see and she could feel blood dripping down the back of her head. She couldn't hear much other than the blood thrumming in her ears and the wails of people outside. She stood, stumbling towards the trap door, only to find it blocked with a giant piece of the wall. "No!" she cried out, trying to push the large debris off their only chance of escape.<br/><br/>When she realized there was no hope of moving the piece, she whirled around in search of Athan and Kareem. She found Athan easily enough as he was standing against the wall, trying to balance himself. Blood seemed to seep from him from a variety of cuts and gashes, but he was alive. Paislee pushed her way through furniture, glass, and brick to get to him. "The door is blocked, we'll have to go through---" once again, Paislee was interrupted, but this time by a hand grabbing her by her hair. She reached back instinctively to grasp the hand, but her clawing did nothing to grant her release. "Here are our little outlaws!" a mocking voice stated with a deep laugh.<br/><br/>"Let her go, Marqu," Athan demanded as he pushed himself from the wall, though he wobbled some. "Oh, I think not, Mr. Namikal. See, you and your little friends have taken what's mine--and if I don't get her back, then I'm going to take this one with me as a replacement," Marqu replied in a dark voice, bringing Paislee close to him and wrapping his free hand around her waist. Paislee shut her eyes as she tried to suppress the urge to vomit. "People aren't toys to be traded, you fuck!" she spat out, dropping her arms and snapping her elbow back. It landed squarely on Marqu's face and he gave a yelp, dropping the fiesty woman. She landed on her knees and hands, but did not have the time to move as he gave a hard, booted kick to her side. An audible crack filled the air, along with a pained cry from Paislee.<br/><br/>Athan rushed forward without thought to help Paislee, only to be smacked away. He stumbled and tripped backwards on a piece of rubble, landing on a shard of thick glass from the window. It ripped through his side, impaling him through, though he still muffled his pained yelp. He clutched at his side, though he did not remove the glass. He was going to die, he knew that--but he couldn't let Marqu get away. His eyes scanned the area for Kareem or an escape.<br/><br/>Paislee was curled in a ball on the ground, her own arms clutched around her middle, a rib poking through her torn shirt as blood oozed out of the wound. "Where is she?" Marqu asked as he crouched down next to Athan, lifting him by the collar of his shirt. Athan gave a bitter smile, "Who are we talking about again?" Marqu gave a growl, his free hand reaching down to grab the glass sticking out of Athan's side. Athan gave a pained grunt as Marqu wiggled the glass some, gritting his teeth.<br/><br/>"Leave him alone, you shit for brains!" came Paislee's voice from behind. Marqu didn't have a chance to react as he was hit across the head with a brick, but it didn't seem to phase the cruel man. Instead he ripped the glass out of Athan's side, turning quickly around and slashing at Paislee with it. He managed to get her neck, but she had move back quickly enough where it wouldn't kill her. Athan, on the other hand, was closer to death than he already had been. "You little bitch. I've had enough of you," Marqu growled out, managing to grab Paislee by her arm. He threw her to the ground, never letting her arm go in the process. She landed on her stomach, her breath leaving her in a whoosh. Soon Marqu's foot was on her back as she struggled to get up once more. He was too strong for her.<br/><br/>"You know, maybe you just need to be put back in your place. Maybe you need to be reminded who has the power here," he stated as he began to pull backwards on Paislee's arm. Paislee clenched her eyes shut as a burning pain began to spread through her shoulder, but she could not stop the screams that erupted from her throat when she began to feel the muscles and ligaments tear away from one another. "Pa-Paislee!" Athan called out as he tried to crawl towards the two of them, a trail of blood following him.<br/><br/>It was too late, though, and soon Paislee's screams became a single, long wail of pain as the sound of tearing flesh filled the room. Marqu stood as he dropped the arm he held and it landed with a sickening plop next to the woman, her eyes glassy and unfocused. Marqu gave a disgusted look at Athan as the man tried to reach for him. "Pathetic..." Marqu stated, kicking Athan in the face. He then stepped over Paislee, whose breathing seemed to be a struggle. "We can't find her, sir..." a figure said from the hallway. Marqu waved his hand, "No matter. I think I'm done here..." With that, he was gone.