Not a sound. Not a word. Scotch and Christoph snuck out the back door in the hush of night and hid behind some crates. There was no better time to be Sarvai than now. Every little sound, they stopped and waited for security guards to walk by. Conversations could be had in the minimalist of whispers. The only thing to watch out for was Christoph's shoes. Scotch didn't need shoes and that made walking quieter.

"Ya noisy bastard," he whispered.

"You lucky fur-foot." Christoph peered out from the wall of a building that was closest to the back gates. 

Scotch scanned his gaze up the side of the wall he was leaning against. It was another broken-down unoccupied building with shattered windows, holes in the concrete, and some of the skeleton poking out. Trifort had been a grand city once. Centuries ago, the hub of travel, of meeting citizens and exchanging goods. But war made it all crumble. Now it was more like a shady city with shady Humans and a fantastically intact, beautiful library.

They had passed it on their way. Five floors and a domed roof on the sixth with a winged snake sitting on top. He couldn't even begin to imagine all the treasures of books in there.

When all this is over, he nodded.

"Now!" Christoph hissed and they scurried off to the gates. He pushed it open slowly to not make it squeak. Scotch's heart thumped heavy against his chest. The security guard could come back around any moment.

At last, it was open enough. Christoph slid through and Scotch followed suit. Then Christoph closed the door the same way he opened it. With a nod, he kept close to the towering walls. This side of Trifort reminded Scotch of ancient anthro history. Stone pillars hugged the sides of an arch and there were other pillars holding up nothing. Whatever had roofed the structure had been crumbled into chunks.

Scotch and Christoph slipped through the fallen building, avoiding sudden rocks as much as they could. The further they got from Trifort, the less the light of the city shone the way. Scotch took out the little flashlight Christoph had given him, but it didn't really do much. It was for investigating small rooms, not traversing wreckage upon desert plains.

The plan was to go to Brickhelm first and then Sniperhelm. Scotch didn't want to end up in Sniperhelm with Luka if he could help it. Even though most of his bruises and cuts were healing and didn't hurt, the memory of the pain was still fresh in his mind.

Once they came around the rocky land, Scotch could see Brickhelm and Sniperhelm up ahead. Sniperhelm had a light on inside swaying. Brickhelm was shrouded in darkness with only the rectangular silhouette giving it away.

A chilly breeze made him bristle. He should've taken his jacket, but he thought it would be too hot. It was summer after all. But out in the desert, temperatures dropped as fast as they would rise. It didn't make sense. Why would it be cold out in the desert?

He knew the scientific answer, but now was not the time to do a mind wander. Brickhelm's guards came out from behind the building with bright lights strapped to their heads. They did a salute in the middle and crossed paths, going back around. Probably did the same thing behind the building.

"Shite, how are we gonna get passed the goons?" Scotch turned to Christoph, but he wasn't there. Bewildered, he looked around and saw him slip into the shadows that led to Barrentown, the barren land that was said to be the worst place if someone spotted you from Sniperhelm.

"Shite! Ya can't go there. They kill ya from Sniperhelm," Scotch hissed, but Christoph didn't seem to have heard. With a click of his tongue, Scotch followed. He repeated his words when he caught up, but Christoph shrugged.

"I told you to find the darkest clothes for a reason. They won't see us." Christoph pulled his hood over and poked his ears through. "Hide yourself. We'll be fine."

"I did say if we get killed I'll—"

Christoph yanked Scotch's hood over his head.

"Hey!" he whispered in protest as his glasses became askew. "Watch it." He poked his ears through and adjusted his glasses. "These are the only pair I've got. If I drop them in the dark and—"

"Paw." Christoph held out his hand. "We shouldn't use light here."

Scotch stuffed his paws in his pockets. "I can see ya fine." He didn't want to hold Christoph's hand like a child being led by his mother. He wasn't that helpless.

"You mean hear." Christoph chuckled. "Stop being a baby about it. What's wrong with this?"

What was wrong, he says? Was he out of his mind? Two males holding hand and paw in the dark? An enemy helping an enemy? Worse yet, Christoph suddenly being nice and helpful and throwing Scotch's thoughts off about him? It was getting harder and harder to hate the bastard Two Names.

"Everything!" Scotch hissed. "Why are you helpin' me anyway?"

Christoph yanked his paw out with force and held tight. "Do I need a reason?" He snapped over his shoulder as he began to walk.

Well, yeah. Scotch held his tongue. Raisin peach face.

When Christoph spoke, his voice was stiff and tinted with anger. "I'm as strongly motivated in getting justice for someone as you are. Just happened to be your father this time. Nothing personal."

Of course. What's the goal? Scotch sometimes forgot what they had all come to CPA for being so into his father's case, thinking about Tyler, and getting annoyed with Christoph. They had all joined CPA for a bigger reason than just personal gain, didn't they?

Christoph didn't say anything more. So, they trekked through the darkness in silence, all the while keeping Brickhelm in front. Scotch let his paw slip from the awkward three-finger grip of Christoph to a more proper hold.

Just because it feels weird for someone to only hold three of your fingers instead of your whole paw. Not because I want to hold his hand. Scotch suddenly remembered the taxi ride where Christoph held his paw for the first time.

"I feel your paw getting all warm," Christoph whispered in a teasing tone.

"Shut up. It's just a bit déjà vu from the taxi," he said. Then he sucked in his lips. He didn't mean to bring it up at all. Now Christoph was snickering. His temper seemed to have cooled, at least.

"Damn, it looked closer in the morning," Christoph said, wiping his forehead with his sleeve. "Like a mirage or something."

Christoph's ears twitched and then the same breeze tickled Scotch's ears. Then a gust of hot air hit their faces. He remembered Everscorch, the place that always burned for some reason. They must be closer there than Brickhelm taking such a roundabout way to keep to the shadows. But it was their only coverage in this open land.

"When we get back," Christoph said with a yawn, "I'll be a zombie."

"You haven't been sleeping?"

"Not since you'd gone missing."

He couldn't sleep because of me? Was Christoph actually nicer than he looked? This was the same guy that made up that big cafeteria scandal way back when. Now he was helping Scotch get a gem because a Sorcerer said so? What happened?

"Thanks," he said. Christoph looked over his shoulder.

"For what?"

"I mean, for worryin' about me so much you couldn't sleep."

"You want me to be sleep-deprived?" Christoph scoffed. "Torturing me, huh?"

Shite. Fignuttin' shite. This ain't comin' out right. Scotch pursed his lips. All thoughts had frozen.

"Didn't know you wanted to make me so tired and so deprived and exhausted, wow," Christoph said. "Some guy you are."

"No, not that, I mean, I'm sorry you had to-to—" He looked for words, but they weren't there. His shoulders dropped in a sigh. Christoph released his hand and Scotch reached but held back.

Shite, shite, what's wrong with me? This is Two Names! Scotch tried to collect thoughts that had eluded him, but they didn't want to be found. Usually, he knew what he wanted to say to Two Names, but right now, he didn't know what it was. He sighed. This wasn't working. Whatever he wanted to say could just disappear into the shadows of Barrentown and stay there.

Scotch rolled his eyes at himself. "Forget it."

"Anytime."

A little bug of annoyance bit him. "Anytime what?" Scotch glared at the back of Christoph's head. He was going to forget everything that happened between them?

"Worrying about you." Christoph turned with his hands in his pockets. "A little sleep deprived," He shrugged, "so what? I'll sleep well tonight."

Scotch gaped. "But ya just—"

"I was just messing with you," Christoph chuckled and held out his hand, "Come on. Just a bit further."

"Well then, raisin, I'm goin' to have to get ya back for that." Scotch took Christoph's hand. He hated that he felt relieved that Christoph wasn't going to blame him for sleep deprivation.

Be honest. Do ya like him? Scotch could just imagine Mason saying this right now if he were here. Walking side by side, he could see Christoph's expressions better than when they were standing apart. Christoph was staring straight ahead as a smile played on his lips. Scotch's eyes were just at Christoph's cheek level. Just like the insult, he had peachy skin.

Looks smooth. Scotch thought and pursed his lips. What am I thinkin'?

Something was wrong with him. Maybe it was the night breeze? Maybe it was the fact that he and Christoph were out on their own secret mission? He felt closer to the black-furred Sarvai now. He'd seen a side of Christoph he hadn't seen even when they were roommates.

Technically we still are roommates. But now teammates. He smiled at the thought.

"What are you smiling about?" Christoph said.

Scotch felt a tickle of a laugh. "Not you."

"Thank the moons." He glanced over his shoulder and widened his eyes. Scotch followed his gaze. A band of yellow and blue light stretched from one end to the other—the Second Ring. Their home.

"Wow!" Scotch breathed out. He had never seen it like this before. He'd seen the Third Ring or the First Ring, but never his home Ring. Never had the chance.

"Can't see this during the day," Christoph whispered.

"Nope. I wonder what Elgana looks like from space. All the Rings together."

"They don't even show that on the screen."

"Wanna steal a policeship when we become policemen?" Scotch smirked.

"Sounds like a plan." Christoph smiled. "Just you and me."

Scotch's heart skipped a beat. He couldn't tell if Christoph was agreeing to it like a joke or not. Back along the path to Brickhelm they went. The guards were doing a salute again, but then they went off to Sniperhelm, saluted each other in front of it, and went behind.

"Our chance!" Scotch whispered and quickened his pace.

"Run!" Christoph hissed and bolted. Scotch was hard behind him.

They reached the door in no time and slipped inside. Scotch fumbled to take out the light. Christoph already had his out, pointing to the stairs that led to the second and third floors, pointing to the backrooms of the first floor. With no door, separation was done using crates and boxes making maze-like entrances here and there.

Scotch waited, wearily glancing left and right for ambush, and up and around the ceiling for snipers. His mouth was dry, his paws shook, and his thumping heart was amplified in his ears. He waited in silence. A breeze howled through a window somewhere. Metal and wood creaked against each other. The reddish, rustic beams that held most of the building up were perfect places for Humans to hide, but no one came to apprehend them.

"Unawares," Christoph whispered in the minimal Sarvai whisper.

"Could be sleepin'." Scotch heard his voice shake.

Shite. Calm down or how will ya do this as a job? He took a deep breath and concentrated hard on the sounds. But then he didn't have to. A loud, rumbling snore came from upstairs.

"Ah, I suppose they're upstairs." Christoph crept to the stairs.

"Well, duh." Scotch rolled his eyes.

They both peered up the banister to the landing floor. A dark hallway stretched beyond. Something flew by his face then. Scotch squeaked and grabbed Christoph.

"Chill," Christoph said with a snicker, "just a crow."

Scotch let him go. "Sorry."

The crow was on the banister, looking at them. It cocked its head side to side, even turning its head upside down as if trying to see them from every possible angle.

Crow? Scotch furrowed his brows. The tailfeathers are wrong. "Not a crow, a raven."

"Kraww," the raven said as if in agreement.

Christoph flicked his hand. "Whatever."

Scotch nodded and they soon slipped down the hallway. He could only hope they wouldn't encounter any Humans along the way. It would make it complicated and deadly. His hope was to slip in, take the necklace, and slip out. If Luka was here and asleep, it would be so much easier.

But always easier said than done. He grimaced as they tiptoed up the stairs. Quickly, they slipped down the dark hallway, facing a corridor with doors on either side. A chorus of snores filled the hall.