Adrian didnâ€™t like upsetting Rainie. His sister was the ballsy type, strong and independent. She hardly ever looked shaken or scared. Never did she cry or look lost. When confronted with anything, absolutely anything, she had the brave face, even through all this.<br/><br/>Except that one time.<br/><br/>Adrian refused to see Rainie like that ever again.<br/><br/>â€œFine,â€ said a flat voice.<br/><br/>Rainieâ€™s head whipped to the left, her eyes surprised. The man was standing, smile gone from his face. He didnâ€™t look at her as he threw the shredded remains of his shirt on the body of the Infected soldier. Her eyes were drawn to it suddenly, a thought occurring to her.<br/><br/>â€œBut you'll have to leave by the roof.â€ He continued.<br/><br/>Rainie went cold. He was kicking them out. Kicking<span style="font-style: italic">her</span>out. Words that followed faded away as her limbs moved mechanically, bringing her to the body. She dropped to her knees, not quite fully aware of what she was doing, or what was being said. Her hands appeared in front of her as she threw the cloth aside. The rotting corpse smelled ghastly and her nose wrinkled in disgust. But her hands moved as if nothing was wrong. They touched something black and plastic, and detached it from the cloth it was attached to. Then her hands delved into the pockets, removing a plethora of things. A few handfuls of bullets, and when Rainieâ€™s head cleared up she would find that they were 9mm rounds, which fit both her and Adrianâ€™s guns. Medical supplies, some kind of kit, more ammo...<br/><br/>Adrian, oblivious to Rainieâ€™s distraction, nodded curtly at the manâ€™s suggestions. He refused to call them instructions, because then he would be inclined to disagree. Maybe an hour of sleep would do his sister good. Sheâ€™d been up and running around for nearly sixteen hours, about as long as he had.<br/><br/>â€œSounds like a plan.â€ He said lowly, though not rudely.<br/><br/>At this Rainie looked up, snapping out of her mini-trance. She blinked at Adrian, the man, then back down at the items now surrounding her on the floor. She inspected the slip of paper in her hand with a befuddled expression.<br/><br/>A ticket for the second Transformers movie... Frowning at it, she tossed it over her shoulder, then sifted through the items again with growing excitement, her long braid falling over her shoulder. Everything was kind of soggy, but still in pretty decent condition. She held up a radio, watching the antenna bob back and forth like a metronome. She wondered if it worked.<br/><br/>She stood up abruptly and strode over to Adrian. She was frowning, anger smoldering behind her eyes. He looked at her in confusion, but defensive wariness lingered in his stance and expression. Rainie clutched the radio absently, which was in her right hand, unnoticeable.<br/><br/>â€œListen, Adrian.â€ She began in a hushed tone. â€œI understand where youâ€™re coming from. And I get that you donâ€™t<span style="font-style: italic">mean</span>to be an ass.â€ She was glaring at him defiantly, but was speaking in a whisper. â€œBut Iâ€™m pretty sure we just screwed this guy out of his place. To make it up to him, we should at least give him a place to stay.â€ Her voice was quiet, and she spoke each word slowly.<br/><br/>Adrianâ€™s eyes darkened angrily. â€œDonâ€™t use your interrogation voice on me.â€ He growled. He knew what she was trying to do. Persuade him into seeing her way.<br/><br/>She missed half a beat, then raised her chin defiantly, staring him down. She had to make him see what theyâ€™d done. Even if it was all her fault. At least she hoped he would see why she<span style="font-style: italic">needed</span>him to understand, how she felt responsible.<br/><br/>She watched Adrianâ€™s jaw set in an angry scowl. The two of them were silent, the two of them glaring, daring the other to say something they could disagree with. Rainie felt the victory before it happened.<br/><br/>He sighed. An exasperated, patronizing sigh. While she hated it when he tried to act more mature than her, she knew she had won. She smiled her gratitude, but before she could thank her brother, they all heard glass shattering from the floor below.<br/><br/>They all tensed. Rainie listened. Just the rain pattering against the roof. As she strained to hear more, the volume of it seemed to increase steadily with each passing second.<br/><br/>Wait... That wasnâ€™t rain.<br/><br/>It was the Infected swarming into the room downstairs.<br/><br/>The siblings let out a muttered curse simultaneously.