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It was late at night as Akira woke up.

Lightning lit up the whole bedroom. 'Do invaders and humans fight again?' he thought.

But it was just a heavy thunderstorm. Akira slowly and cautiously opened the door and looked at Shane.

Shane clutched a pillow while whimpering on the couch.

He winced at each lightning strike. 'What a coward.' Akira thought.

Akira laid back in his bed and tried to sleep.

As lightning struck he suddenly saw a shadow standing in the doorway.

He took his sword and pointed it at the dark figure in the doorway.

"It's only me. Can I sleep here?" said the voice.

With the next lightning he recognized the figure. It was Shane.

"Why? Go away." Akira said, putting his sword aside.

"The storm scares me. I can't sleep."

"No. Get out this is my bed."

"Please, Akira." Whined Shane.

"Okay, lay down on the bed with your face to me."

Shane got into the bed and stared at Akira, "Thank you."

"If I weren't too tired I would have kicked you back on the couch. Now sleep at last!"

Akira watched as Shanes eyes got heavier and closed slowly.

'I should get out of here. Why should I care for Shane. I should look for the Lupain from the transporter. If I meet O'Hara and his men I will fight them.'

Akira too, fell asleep slowly.

When he woke up Shane sat on top of him.

"Give me one good reason why you're sitting on me?" asked Akira, clenching his fist.

"I changed your bandages. Your wound is almost healed. Good thing it was just a graze."

"That was close. Now get off me."

"No, I'm not done yet"

'What is that? Suddenly my heart is beating faster when he sits on me and I feel his fur on mine. It smells good ...' thought Akira and turned his head to the side.

"Now go down, that's enough!" Akira said.

"Never mind, I just wanted to help you."

"Yeah, maybe you should do this when I'm awake. Your face is not a pretty sight."

"Well, thanks...."

"Do we have something to eat?"

"Here is an apple." Shane said, and laid it gently in Akira's hand.

He however, grabbed Shane's hand and rubbed his thumb over the inner surface.

"Is everything ok?"

"Yes. I only wanted to check if your hand is fine."

"And what should be wrong with it?"

"Forget it."

Akira thought. 'The more the drugs wear off the more I feel attracted to Shane. It has to be more than just his scent.'

Akira followed Shane and sat down on the couch.

"Sit down, Shane."

"Okay but stop beating me!"

"Only if you tell the truth. If you lie I'll slap you. Tell me everything you know about the lab and the military base."

"Well, I remember how I was examined several times there. Humans have often taken my blood."

"Anything else?"

"Yes. There was a doctor. She was always nice to me and helped me to escape."

"You do not know her name at all?"

"I've heard her first name. It seemed like she never wanted that I hear her last name or she thought it was too impersonal."

"What was her first name? Maybe I know her."

"Carol."

"Dr. Carol Witta?"

"I don't know."

"Did she had blonde hair and a pair of glasses?"

"Yes, she had blonde hair and sometimes she wore glasses."

"Do you know more?"

"I remember they often got their orders from a man who had a uniform with many badges. Myers was his name, I think."

"What have they discussed?"

"They wanted to cut me open. She had postponed the deadline for it again and again."

"Cut open?"

"Yes. I have seen other subjects, that's how they called us, cut open and sewn up again. Some did not survive. One or two got tested for diseases."

"How do you know all that?"

"Carol told me."

"Ah, I understand, and how did you escape?"

"Carol promised me to protect me. But she couldn't. I fled during an operation. Carol helped me to escape. She gave me only a very weak anesthetic. I woke up in the operating room."

"Just in time, right?

"Not quite." Shane said, and took off his scarf.

"The scar is from where they cut me."

Akira gently caressed the scar.

"What did the humans looked for inside your throat."

"They wanted to examine the vocal cords."

"So, you fled from the operating room and then?"

"Carol came to me in disguise. She locked the door of the operating room and pressed a cloth to my neck to stop the bleeding. She then gave me a backpack. There were $10,000, the address, a map and the keys to this apartment in it."

"Nothing more?"

"She said she would come visit me. I should not turn back and walk down the street for 1 hour. The soldiers would not follow me further. It would be too dangerous for the humans to send a search party. The Lupains would be looking for us. I should go to them in case I would meet them."

"You should go to the Lupains?"

"Yes. Carol said they are searching for us. All Lupains in the cultural program are now in the military base and are searched for."

"Why didn't you do it? Why didn't you just run to the Lupains?"

"I was scared. When I talked to them they began to speak in their own language. I thought of the program. In my mind I still had the idea that Lupains were only invaders and I had to fight them. So I ran away from them until I found this apartment."

"Why did Carol believe that no one would find you here?"

"She said this area was so poor, Lupains would carry out food transports here on a daily basis. The humans would be stupid to look for me here as it would be too risky for them."

"Okay and the program in your head? What's that?"

"Carol said every memory is faked. Humans have taken us because Myers wanted revenge. A family member of him died."

"You mean everything I know is wrong? The invaders did not destroy the United States?"

"No. Carol said a city was conquered completely by us, the Lupains. When the humans realized that it was impossible to recapture it they destroyed this city. I have repeatedly seen pictures of the city. According to what was said in the program it should be like that everywhere. But that's not true. I have seen pictures in the television. Everything is intact and all humans are living there."

Akira took a deep breath.

"That means there are no invaders? Only humans and Lupains?"

"Yes?"

"That means the humans have used me like a puppet. I've killed whole lot of us with the other Lupains."

"Hundreds?"

"Maybe even more."

"It's not your fault. You believed them and carried out your orders."

Shane put his hand on Akira's shoulder.

"You can cry if you want."

"Crying? Never! I've carried out commands and killed soldiers. I know it was wrong but I will not grieve for these invaders!"

"Lupains! We are Lupains. You are one, just like me, just like the soldiers you killed!"

"Be careful how you talk to me! I am the stronger one here."

"Would it be in my best interest to listen to you? We are Lupains and they were too. Accept that, Akira."

"Maybe they were Lupains too but now they are dead. Without me you would have died of starvation."

"Maybe. I should not have gone out the streets with so much money." whined Shane and began to cry.

"I've lost Carols money. I didn't know that humans are so mean to each other."

"Stop crying. This world belongs to the fittest. Crying won't get you the money back."

"I'm sorry I'm not as strong as you."

"Yes that's true. Do you have any more clothes in the apartment?"

"Unfortunately, no. What are you up to?"

"We walk through the streets and get your money back. But before that I have to get clothes."

"Why?"

"I thought I should disguise myself."

"You cannot just take clothes from a clothesline and put them on."

"Why not?"

"You would look stupid."

"Shut up. In that case get me better clothes."

"Will be done, sir."

"Do you want to be funny now?"

"Oh come on now. Don't you understand fun?"

"No!"

"Look. There's a window open. Maybe I'll find something for you."

"I thought you didn't want to steal?"

"I'll make an exception for you." he said and took off his shoes. He climbed up a drainpipe along the facade.

"Be careful. I'm not going to scrape you off the ground!" called Akira.

He slowly and carefully padded around the apartment. 'Perhaps someone is still at home.' he thought.

He slowly opened the closet door and found, except clothes, some guns and ammunition.

"Akira, there are guns and ammunition."

"Do not be so loud!"

"Should I take the guns?"

"Yes, of course. Throw out the clothes first and try not to shoot yourself."

"How was that again with being funny?"

"No, I'm serious, do not shoot yourself!"

Shane threw a pair of blue jeans, a white T-shirt and a large robe in Akiras direction.

He found a backpack. There were many white bags inside. He removed some of them and put ammunition and guns inside.

Suddenly Shane heard several people running down the hallway. One of them opened the door and saw Shane.

"Yo, what's goin' on here? You rob from the gang? Nobody robs from the gang. Kill this little bastard!"

Shane took the backpack and turned to the window. He ran to the window and carefully grabbed the drain pipe.

"Is everything okay?" Akira asked.

"No! run! Those are the ones who stole my money!"

"The gang?"

"Yes, exactly!"

"Yo, they stole my cocaine and clothes. After them!"

Shane carefully slid down the drainpipe. The gang began to shoot at him. Shane slipped and fell down several meters.

"Ouch!"

"Is everything all right? Give me the backpack."

"Yes, I'm okay. We need to get away from here."

"Hurry up!"

"Wait, I still need my shoes." Shane said, and reached for them.

He ran after Akira, barefoot.

"I have to put on the shoes otherwise there's no point in my camouflage!"

"We have other worries. Now hurry, they are on our track!"

After a while the two had shaken off the gang.

They sat on a roof. "So let's see what you got there. Three pistols, ammunition for all of them and this white stuff."

"What is that Akira?" asked Shane and put on his shoes.

"Could be salt? but it doesn't smell like salt."

"Just throw it away. We do not need it."

"The guy said 'where is my cocaine'. Could it be some kind of spice?"

"Maybe ... just throw it away. It is some human stuff that we don't need. Only the backpack is interesting for us."

"Come give it to me!" Akira said and poured about 5 kilograms of cocaine out the backpack in an alleyway.

"What are we doing with the weapons?"

"We could sell one."

"Sell? Why?"

"Well, I think this Desert Eagle is rather impractical. High rebound, relatively heavy, just seven shots. It is also made of gold. I have heard it should be a valuable metal."

"So we sell the Desert Eagle and then buy something to eat?"

"You just stole 3 pistols, ammunition, and this 'cocaine'. Do you think the food will stand out?"

"Yes that's true but the people selling the food unlike this gang. They appear to be normal and earn their money with normal work."

"Okay, I have no idea how much the Desert Eagle is worth but it should be enough for a few days. However, I want to try something else first."

"What do you want to try out?"

"Do you know a place where there are no human beings and a firing exercise won't be heard?"

"Why target practice?"

"I want to teach you how to shoot"

"Why?"

"You have to learn to defend yourself. The gang is going to kill you if they find you. You should not leave the house without guns."

Both ran far out of town to a remote area.

Akira set up a couple of bottles and placed a pistol in Shanes hand.

"So, how would you shoot? The gun is unlocked and loaded. There is also the recoil, don't forget that."

Shane closed his eyes, turned his head aside and shot. He missed the bottle.

"That is how you shoot?"

"Yes, so laugh at me. I never learned that."

"I'll help you."

"Thank you."

"Look how I shoot."

Akira took the pistol and shot seven times. With each shot he hit a bottle.

"Wow show me how to do that!"

Akira gave Shane the gun and stood behind him.

"It's best to hold the gun with both hands." explained Akira.

"Yes I understand."

"Is everything okay? Your heart beats so fast. Does target practice make you this nervous?"

"No. I think that's because you are near me."

"Uh, just try to hit. You'll make it." Akira said, patting Shane on the shoulder.

'Does he feel something for me? That would be ridiculous. I treated him badly.' thought Akira.

Shane shot again. "Missed it again."

"We have time. Just practice more. We have plenty of ammunition for the whole evening."

"Throughout the evening? But I'm hungry. Aren't we going to sell the gun?"

"We'll go to the dealer once you've hit two bottles successively."

"All right, I'll try it."

Shane successfully shot two bottles in a row after half an hour and with help from Akira.

"Akira, Akira I've done it!" shouted Shane. He jumped up and down and smiled.

"I've never seen you smiling. You're not that ugly. Well, for a Lupain at least."

Akira approached Shane. He touched Shane under his chin and looked into Shanes eyes.

"Akira what are you doing?"

Akira shook his head. "Nothing at all. We have to go now."

'Did he want to kiss me? Yesterday he would have killed me and now he is so different... so nice? Is he playing with me?' Shane asked himself.

"Here, look closely. It's very important. Always secure the guns. Exactly like I do, got it?"

"Yes, I'll remember."

"We have to go now."

Both were looking for an arms dealer but found none.

"There's an antiques shop."

"Well then, let's go in. Let me go first and you put the robe on." Shane said.

First, Shane entered the antiques shop. Akira followed him. The windows and the door were barred.

In the shop, furniture and clocks from past decades stood around everywhere.

The wooden floor creaked with every step the two made.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" asked Shane.

"Yes, I'll be right there. I'm not quite young anymore."

An old man appeared. He had a full beard and a bald head.

"Come to the counter."

Both approached the man who was standing behind a wall. In the wall a latticed glass plate was installed. It had an opening just large enough to fit a head in there for handing over small goods and money.

"What can I do for you?"

"We have a gun to sell."

"Ah, let me see." he said.

Shane took the Desert Eagle out of the backpack, pointing it to the old man.

"You want to sell something or rob me? Do not point the gut at me. Lay it on the counter." he snorted.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Here you go."

"A Desert Eagle and even gold-plated." he said, looking at the gun.

"How much is the value?"

"Well, I'm not an arms dealer but I am still very interested. I can't give you more than 1,500 dollars for it though."

"1 ... 1500 dollars?"

"Yes. What would you expect, boy? This is 24 carat gold."

"We need the money, all right."

The man turned away from the two. "I have to get my money." he said and went down an old wooden staircase.

After some time the man came back. He gave Shane $1,500 and a receipt.

"You have quite hairy hands, boy. You might want to go to the doctor." complained the old man.

Both left the store. "$1,500 Akira, 1500 dollars!" shouted Shane.

"Keep it down. People shouldn't find out."

Shane smiled and grabbed Akiras hands. He hopped several times slightly upwards. He looked into Akira's eyes and stammered. "$ 1,500...... $ 1,500."

'That smile, it makes me happy somehow.' thought Akira.

Shane suddenly ceased to hop. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes, I'm just very hungry. We should buy some food."

Both ran quickly to the market and bought as much as they could carry.

Then, they went back to the apartment.

"So much food. We can't eat that much." said Shane joyful.

"It's not just for today but for the whole week."

"The whole week? Won't the food spoil?"

"Yes, it would but you have a fridge. You can put all food in it."

"Fridge? What is that?"

"It cools the food so is stays fresh longer." Akira said.

"Do I have something like that? Where?"

"In the bedroom is a new one. Carol has bought it for you but she apparently didn't have time to connect it to the electricity system."

"What does a fridge look like? White?"

"White? Yes. Just like you, only square."

"Ah, now I know. I've thrown my blanket on it."

"Yes, you did."

"And you can plug in something like that? Have you done that before?"

"No but that thing has a plug and that plug goes into a socket."

"What is a socket?"

Akira placed a hand in front of his face. "I'll explain you sometime."

He carried the fridge into the kitchen.

"Look, you put the food in there and close the door."

"Nothing more?"

Shane sat down and put some food in the refrigerator. He played with the hatch of the refrigerator like a little kid.

"Door open, lights on. Door closed, lights off."

"Yes. It's nice that you like the refrigerator but stop that please."

"I'm sorry but I'm just curious."

"We really should eat now. I'm very hungry."

They ate together and then went on to go to bed.

"I'm on the couch. You can have the bed." Akira said.

"Thank you Akira." Shane said and hugged him.

Both felt the heartbeat of the other. Shane put his head to Akira's chest and closed his eyes.

"I really like your heartbeat, Akira."

"Yes. Good night." Akira said and took a step back.

Before Shane disappeared into the bedroom, he looked again at Akira. "Good night." he said, closing the door.

Shane lay in the bed, thinking about Akira.

Before going to sleep Shane thought. 'Was he afraid? Should I leave him alone? He has changed so much lately. At the beginning I hated him but I'm beginning to think I'm in love with him. Is it the loneliness or something more?'