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[dadication]

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[dadication]

"That's mutual," he managed, coughing as he watched Gabe struggle to come to his area of the rubble. His face was a complete mess of blood and dirt, practically unrecognizable at this point; even his hair was matted and more gray with concrete dust than the usual blond. None of that matter though because the comforting link between them was active.

He cried out in pain as Gabe helped him to lift the slab carefully, allow himself to rip his flesh off of the rebar with spatters of blood until there was a tremble to the debris above them, and he knew it was dangerous to move it further. He tore and ripped himself off the twisted metal, cursing a blue streak as he freed himself with a cost, and in the limited space that they occupied, he helped Gabe lower it back down as safely as possible.

Some of the rubble shifted, but they were both free. He was bleeding heavily, but his bare hand reached out to touch Reyes' thigh where the rebar had obviously punctured through. "We need to get you medical," he murmured roughly, turning his head to search for any sign of fresh air. There was a slow trickle of water that he could hear, and he assumed that gravity brought it down their way.

He wiped at his face, trying to smear away the blood, but it only undid any tentative healing. He was a world of pain, but he understood they had to get out of here.

"...Talon...?" He was crawling to a narrower section where he heard water and found a place to take them up through some sandwiched floors. It would be a tight squeeze. "This way."

[gr1m]

Gabriel kept the slab as stead as he could, held up enough that Jack could rip free, teeth gritted not just from the sounds but his own pain. Could ignore it all as much as he needed. Even if he could feel his own blood loss, both of them would be in trouble sooner rather than later with how much both of them were losing. SEP or not, even they had their limits.

Looked like they were going to be pushing those yet again, some low noise made. "No," answering that murmur with something almost a growl. No going to medical. Who the fuck could they trust out there? This was an inside job, someone—

Gabriel was catching his breath for a moment, a hand pressing against his side where blood was flowing. Willing back a dizzy spell with how is head pulsed with pain and the ring still there in his ears. Vision swimming, giving himself that moment while Jack searched for some way out of this smoldering hell they were trapped in. Take the time to get himself braced to start moving again.

"Don't know, could be-" was Talon last time but how? How could they get here of all places, let alone know when—

He was following after Jack, watching for instability and even pushing the man up ahead of him when needed. Get them both moving through the cramped places, had to get out. Had to.

[dadication]

"You're as battered as I am," he countered with, though he had learned not to argue about particular points when it came to Gabriel. He felt and squeezed his way through the rubble, to the next spot, wincing and grunting as he went. "We can't die here. I won't let us... keep up, Reyes."

He knew the longer that they stayed in the rubble, the longer that their injuries would remain open. Already, he was certain that they would burn with infection in a few days, but if they didn't escape, they would die of blood loss or a lack of resources to keep their energy up. "...you're thinking it's them, aren't you?" Brief conversation, assuring himself Gabe was awake.

The hauling through the rubble was slow, frequent stops along the way and even checking on bodies as he passed them. All dead so far. He had to shove and shift rubble, shouldering it just enough to let them pass. A few times he had to stop because a shove caused a tremble and more debris above them shifted and slid, increasing the potential that they would be crushed. He was panted by the time he felt smelled rain, and he knew he would have to follow that smell for escape.

After an hour, he had to pause to catch his breath, turning in the small space to reach out to have his hands on Gabe. Just a moment. That's what he needed now. "We're both slowing down... come here and let me touch you."

[gr1m]

"We'll discuss it when we're out of this," A compromise, not just shutting it all down but there was no time to talk or argue about anything right then. They have to put everything in to concentrating where and how they moved. Crawling or climbing. Pushing, pulling, whatever would help them get out of this alive.

The fact Jack was still talking as he moved ahead was good, easier for Gabriel to be assure he was awake; not so easy in turn for Jack since Gabe was behind him and out of sight. "I don't know who else it could be," even if his tone suggested otherwise. This was- if it was Talon, which he wouldn't doubt, they'd had to have had help getting to them this deep.

Still awake, still moving just behind Jack to follow his path in getting out.

A hand reached forward to catch Jack's own, pulling himself closer with a joyless and tired sort of laugh. More a huff of breath than a laugh, "We're getting tired." Just wanted to stop, curl up with him. Knowing they couldn't linger like that, but Gabe was complying with this much.

[dadication]

"We're going to live and get to the bottom of this," he growled out because what else could he say? They were buried in rubble, the distant sound of the first emergency vehicles muffled even where they were hiding out. If it was the UN, they would want confirmation of their deaths and until that was done, they would be hunted.

Of course, aside from those at the top of the rubble, who could survive? Gabriel Reyes and Jack Morrison apparently. Despite how faint and terrible he felt - and assumed Gabe felt - they had to get out of here, had to be away from this place. If they had been the targets as his rattled brain was fixed on, they were a danger to rescue efforts being here.

His bruised and scraped up fingers curled around Gabe's, pulling the older man in against him as he let his head fall forward on Reyes' chest. His other hand reached out, searching, checking for wounds, feeling where the blood was thickest on Gabe's clothing and sighing heavily. They were a mess.

"We can't risk a nap," he slurred. They might not wake up, not with the damage they had suffered. Why didn't he keep a bionic field on him at all times? Oh right, that's because the Swiss Base was supposed to be safe. "Gabe... when we get out of this, where will we go?"

[gr1m]

The distant sounds did nothing but put Gabriel on edge, no sign of safety or rescue to him where they likely could have been for any other possible survivors that managed to be 'safely' buried in this explosion. Had to be others, even if he and Jack had only had to climb past or crawl over dead bodies so far.

"We are."

An explosion with the device planted where they were, where only dead bodies in coffins were supposed to be, had to have been targeted. Someone knowing they'd both be there- or Jack alone. Even if a part of him wasn't sure that the Strike Commander would be the sole target, likely has it could have been. A bomb planted where no other personnel were going to be when it went off was just too suspicious.

An arm draped around Jack carefully, wincing as hands searched his form, some deep gashes easy enough to find, but there was some deeper wound at his side and near his chest. Likely the reason he kept feeling blood in his mouth, it welling up in one of his lungs. Something punctured through his chest from the back, and for all he knew it was still there, but it would be dealt with later.

Breathing slowly, it hurt. "We can't, no." Could they even afford to rest now, like this? "I- I don't think we can let anyone here find us," so away was the answer, apparently.

[dadication]

Jack imagined that they had a long and complicated way to the surface, to freedom, and he was already exhausted. He also knew that they would have to pass by more dead or maybe people here or there clinging to life, but he and Gabe weren't in a position to help them, only open the way for rescue to come.

Despite the cramped quarters, the feel of Gabe's arm around him was a relief, an assurance that for this single moment, they were safe. They could catch their breath, guarding one another like wolves. He snuggled in once he had an assessment of the injuries on his partner. "Your lung... is it damaged?" He already knew the answer but it was important to keep talking. Also, Gabe's hoodie had survived as well as his uniform, so basically not at all.

He hummed, his eyes closed just listening to the sound of debris still settling or little pebbles falling. "...what if we get up there and emergency crews are there?" If the whole building had been leveled, the area would be huge and hard to navigate. They had a window if they didn't pause too long. "I'll take point. You can't move quickly with that lung of yours. I'm not risking you."

He had already made an assessment that blood loss and a collapsed lung meant Reyes was the worst off out of the two of them. He leaned in to rest his forehead against Gabe's and winced at the pain in his face.

"I'll go when you want to."

[gr1m]

They were going to have enough of an issue hauling themselves out of the rubble, already were as tired as he didn't doubt both of them were getting. Had to keep believing they'd be okay, actually get out of there, because otherwise... They were the only two who could get themselves out of this, helping each other as much as they could.

He huffed a breath, and even that was painful, but nevertheless- "Punctured at worst. Blood filling my mouth every time I cough," lying wouldn't help either of them, but his tone was more stating the fact than anything. "Deal with it when we're out of here, can't do anything for it now." Nothing to help with it now.

Still kept his arm around Jack, huddled close to him and holding him like that. Gain strength from each other like that, gather themselves to push onward sooner rather than later. "Steal shit from any emergency vehicles left unattended," completely serious, "Go as unseen as possible and just-" Take anything they needed and keep moving. "Bunker down somewhere, grab clothing from anywhere." Whatever they could. "I'll keep up well enough."

He'd survive, just like he had survived everything else. The both of them had, push through pain and weakness until they could both rest. Nudged their noses together, some brief and easy bit of affection.

"We can't stop for long."

Not with everything still shifting an settling around them.

[dadication]

"Shit," he muttered at the fact that Gabe had potentially punctured a lung. His hand smoothed to that area, where he had previously felt the puncture of before, but now he touched with more care. "Don't bleed out on me, okay?" They were both at risk of that honestly. "You're too heavy to carry into the sunset if you try to, and I don't have supplies to transfuse you." He also probably didn't have the blood volume.

Of course, he realized that he had made a mistake in stopping to catch his breath. All of his wounds took the quietness to make themselves known and his muscles were stiffening up. Now that he wasn't moving and in the protective circle of Gabe's arms, he wanted to stay just like this. It was impossible. He reasonably knew and was being reminded they had to move on, but this was safe and he felt like he'd been crushed under a building... which he had. A nice heating blanket would make his day.

"Steal an emergency vehicle, dump it after we raid for supplies," he agreed. "What do you think of the chances that there will be people up there waiting to kill us up there? It should be all rescue personnel..." He sounded uncertain though, but maybe it was a paranoia brought on by the fact that someone had tried to kill them both. He had no doubt both of them were the target here.

Despite everything going on, the nudge to his nose brought him back, and he kissed Gabe right on the mouth. He didn't even care that his lips were bleeding, that it was not the time or place. He was done caring about that shit.

"I don't want to move, Gabe." But he would. But he was.

Despite the words, the pressing need to find his partner in life medical attention, to get Gabe safe would always overtake his needs to just lay around and hope for medical intervention. So he shifted, slow at first and then more aggressively as he got himself into motion. yes, he would take point and he began to crawl carefully over Gabe to continue to long, torturous claustrophobic venture to the surface that was full of all the right complications. How they had to travel around, shove things, slide over dead comrades, haul themselves up breaks in the debris. The rain began to become clear the higher they went though. Soon, he thought, his fingers bleeding and raw from scratching, digging, shoving and shouldering debris.

[gr1m]

He laughed, the sound a little pained, but it was a genuine sound, a little blood spilling over his lips. "So long as you promise not to bleed out on me in turn," knew they were both fucked. Had managed to see enough with how Jack had been trapped and pinned, punctured. Both of them were in trouble, but hell if he knew where they could go for help; the very things they both trusted screamed danger in his brain now. They only had each other.

Someone, or a group of someones, had literally dropped a building on top of them both and everything hurt. Bruises and bones, couldn't tell what was broken and what was just radiating pain from impact. Christ. Fuck. Could take some comfort from the fact Jack was there and close, that they were both still breathing.

Mind still racing, a pile-up of thoughts and fears, paranoia and the more rational all a jumbled mix he had to sort through. Nodding to just stealing a whole vehicle. Easier. "Not hard to kill the injured under the guise of rescue personnel. Air injection, syringes aren't suspicious to carry," wouldn't look like a murder if they were found alive and someone was actually up there to make sure they were dead.

Kiss was returned, didn't care about the taste of blood or how sensitive his skin felt, it was Jack. His warmth, his weight. Alive, both still alive. Their link strong and enough to draw strength, or even gather it between them to move.

Honestly? Neither did he, "I know."

Both of them had to push through, put their own survival above anything and everything else; they wouldn't be able to help if they had come across any survivor. Using his own body to boost Jack ahead if he needed, keep something held stable before he moved to follow after. While Jack worried about him, Gabriel was damn well making sure Jack was going to make it out, even if blood slicked skin made some of his gripping to climb and pull himself more difficult.

Rain slick rubble making it that much more treacherous in some areas, but hell if the cool rain didn't soothe when it was more felt, but also stung in other ways.

[dadication]

Gabe was right, of course. If there were moles in Overwatch, if someone had been waiting for the right time to drop the building on them, surely those same people would at least estimate there was a sliver of chance that they might survive and either dig out or be rescued from the debris. Someone somewhere could hurt them the moment they were found, could try to end what was started. Killing one of them was only effective enough to sometimes stun the other. Only a few seconds to finish the second of their pair, maybe. If they were so lucky.

"We'll steal an emergency vehicle then," he agreed as they climbed. He coughed as he shifted dust in his efforts up to the surface, following the flow of water, the occasional scent of fresh air.

The closer they came, the more difficult the climb was. There were times where only Gabe literally shouldering him up was the only reason he made it. He hauled the older man up after him, and the debris became slick. Occasionally, he could hear the faint cry of someone calling for help, announcing themselves, but he moved in opposite direction instead, letting their survival be priority for once in his life.

The rain also spattered on him, washing away some of the caked on blood, but it made him cold as well. He was shivering by the time he shouldered the last piece of wall out of the way and saw night sky above them. He blinked at it and then shoved other pieces of concrete out of the way so he could pull himself up to the top level of the ruined Watchpoint base, and the devastation was in all directions. The whole building had been brought down.

Slowly, he moved back to help pull Gabe out and the rain was pouring down on them. Maybe he had his first good look at the state of them both, their ruined torn up clothing, the blood spots that were being diluted with the rain and the haggard haunted looks on their faces. He took a brief second to press his forehead to Gabe's and then scrambled up to stand to locate the area that was quickest off the debris.

Flashing lights were to their left where the vehicle garage had once been, where the main road leading away was. He moved away from that direction, scattering debris as he stumbled and slipped to the torn up and twisted wooded area that happened to be closer. There were supply roads in that direction, but it would soon be bustling with emergency vehicles and personnel. Sirens rattled his head, fogged as it was already.

He stood higher and turned to regard Gabe, taking a moment for the older man to catch up from his scouting ahead. He figured a collapsed lung would make his partner slower. He offered over a weapon he found near his feet; it seemed in working order.

"We'll have to circle or wait," he muttered coughing out concrete dust. "Come on, Gabe."

The moment the name left his lips a shot rang out, slamming into his shoulder and twisting him around with the force of it. The shooter was in the treeline, clearly having been unable to determine their identity until he had spoken Reyes' first name. He hit the ground with a sharp breath, clasping desperately at the new wound as he thrashed about for a few seconds then stilled to not draw more attention to himself.

[gr1m]

Felt like that part of whatever makeshift plan was settled, anything and nearly everything else would have to be come up with on the fly, ever changing just to help keep from going unfollowed. As undetected as possible. Be enough chaos going around to give them cover and get off the property at least.

Fresh air was a relief, as much as it burned, as hard as it was getting to breath the longer it all took. Had a coughing fit shortly after he was pulled out, hand over his mouth firmly to both muffle and try and contain what he knew had to be blood sputtering out with every harsh exhale. Hanging back in the hole before he was being pulled out.

Was holding on to Jack while looking him over, hand resting over one of the places a thick coil of rebar had gone through the other carefully. Both likely felt as bad as they looked, still scanning him over for anything missed in the dark. Taking that moment of touch after, before he was trying to follow after.

Shivering, trying to keep himself from coughing up whatever was left of a lung, scanning the area at the sort of forced slower pace. Already so many people around, hopefully occupied with finding others who survived, wouldn't see them making their way in the opposite direction. Damn well prayed that was so.

Weapon was taken, looked over just briefly to take note of the model and how to better hold it, "We can't afford to wait—"

He was on high alert the moment the shot rang out, snarling as he saw Jack go down, only seconds passing before he was bringing up the weapon and firing a few rounds towards the treeline were he thought the shot had come from. Didn't waste a second moving between where Jack had fallen and where the shooter had to be, keeping himself from running in the direction out of fear what leaving Jack there could mean.

Couldn't chance there being someone else waiting to swoop in if he went after a shooter.

[dadication]

Jack lay on the rubble, his head turned to regard Reyes as the older man fired in return, which was likely a terrible idea all around for everyone involved. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to roll from his back to his side to crowd in behind Reyes' legs, aware that they were the most protective aspect of this entire place. God, now his jacket was entirely destroyed!

He looked around Reyes' legs, trying to pick out any sign of the shooter. There was a single returned shot which ricochet off some of the debris nearby. There was a flash of the muzzle in the tree line, someone clearly trying to take a higher position to be able to see through the rain and line up a better shot. They also gave away their position.

"...you need to kill 'em, Gabe," he growled, as if it wasn't obvious already. "I'll follow you." Slower, dragging himself if he had to. They were getting out of here and if that involved shooting their way out, so be it. "Maybe also bring me that weapon as a souvenir, yeah?"

He spit blood on the ground, breathing hard and trying to apply pressure to his newest wound. The last thing that he needed right now was a new place to bleed from, but there was no helping that either. He was already exhausted, and both of them had suffered heavy blood loss. The sooner they got themselves out of here, the safer that they would likely be.

[gr1m]

"Keep low," Nearly snarled in a mix of pain and anger, zeroing in on that flash of muzzle as his body tensed as if trying to decide between running in and leaving Jack to catch up or—

He knew he had to kill them! Didn't need anyone going to run off and tell people they were alive, especially if they were already trying to kill them after dragging themselves out of the debris. "Be careful, Jack. Going to bring you back a present," As if he needed to say it, because he was about to take away that cover and protection of his body as he took off through the field of debris between them and the shooter.

Far faster than a man with a collapsed lung had any right to, but all of that shit they went through during the SEP had to be good for something. Running on adrenaline now meant he'd have to heavily rely on Jack later, this was going to take a hell of a lot out of him. Launching himself upwards as he used some stacked debris as stepping stones even as he fired directly on the spot the shooter at to be in.

Trusting that Jack would still be there when he could turn back, rather than hunting down someone in the trees to kill them.

[dadication]

"Uh huh... better be shiny," he grunted back, aware that Gabe was going to have to leave him because a gunman was targeting them. He knew that he would be vulnerable, but he wouldn't consider himself entirely helpless either. So he had a new hole in his body... it was back to the Omnic Crisis all over again in that regard.

He twisted as Gabe took off, fast and swift over the rubble, far more sure-footed than anyone who had crawled their way out of a fallen building and with a collapsed lung had any right to. He knew the older man would pay for that push, but it was to survival now, so they were both going to have to give everything they could. The gunman shot and missed twice on Gabe's suicide run, and that's when Jack knew he had to act as well. As the distance closed, the shots would be easier.

Jack began to move, squirming his way over debris and performing the elaborate 'wounded bird' dance across the rubble. He crawled and rose up then fell down, rolling down the slopes of debris with grunts of pain.

The decision was probably interesting. Shoot Gabe who was like a furious charging bull, or shoot Jack who couldn't readily defend himself and if he died, caused a potential ripple effect stun on Gabe who could then be killed. It depended on how much the shooter was pissing their pants right about now, he figured. Fifty-fifty, but he made a good scene of it.

A single shot grazed his scalp as he slipped down the next hill of debris. He acted like he had been mortally wounded, twisting and writhing on the ground, keeping attention on him so Gabe could get in close, could find and kill the single shooter. Between them, their link burned with life.

[gr1m]

Shiny, possibly covered in the blood of the previous owner. That would make a fine present once he made his way back, wouldn't it? Would also at least give Jack something to defend himself with if they came across someone else with a gun. Hell, some hope in the back of his head this was not drawing any attention their way with all the noise. Let it be drowned out by panic and rescue vehicles and the rain. His ears were still ringing but he hoped there was thunder roaring.

Anything to drown out all of this over a distance and keep this a three man battle with two against one. Anything to give them that edge of survival from any back-up coming to hunt them down just yet.

The only time Gabriel lowered the gun was to haul himself up in to a tree once he hit the tree line, practically vaulting up it as pain lanced through him from the movement. Compartmentalizing it all, every pain and weakness, so he could keep himself push forward. Only taking shots when he saw glances of the gunman in the trees.

Hell, as soon as he was close enough Reyes was bodily launching himself at them, using the weapon as a blunt instrument rather than wasting anymore ammunition. Couldn't afford to look back, just relying on that link to know Jack was still alive no matter the distraction he was putting on.

Gabriel Reyes was going to cave a goddamn skull in with everything he was riding on to keep him going.

[dadication]

"Sonuvabi...!" Their shooter tried to scramble away from the rampaging super soldier, but ended up taking a few point blank shots that could be little more than grazes or limb shots. The man in question nearly fell out of the tree he was using to assess the rubble, but ended up taking the weapon in Gabe's hands to the head. There was a sickening crack at the impact, and the gunman gave a few twitches and body slumped backwards to fall out of the tree.

There were no insignia to announce his association, just black combat gear. He carried no identification, and he had an older style walkie-talkie rather than an integrated comm unit. He was clearly outfitted to wait as long as he needed to, a pack of supplies at the bottom of the tree hidden in bushes, and he knew his business with plenty of extra ammo.

Jack had no idea that the fight had come to an end, crawling his way towards the treeline and listening for signs that others were in the area lining up shots on them. He expected the cover would be good, but then again, what was really the point with the sound of gunfire ceased. Instead, the rain took the opportunity to pick up the pace and soak everything within minutes.

He crested a larger mound of rubble and slid the long way to the bottom into a few crumpled trees. There was supposed to be a nice walking trail around here, but it was buried. However, the distant sound of sirens was starting on their side of the building. He moved to pick himself up, dazed and weak but heading into the treeline.

"...Gabe...?"

[gr1m]

Reyes came tumbling down out of the tree with him, half to make damn sure he was dead, and the rest was momentum and the fading ability to keep up in the tree himself. Landed hard, winded himself for a moment, but he was damn sure the man was dead, wheezing as he tried to catch his breath. All it earned him with coughing up a lot of blood, barely sitting on his knees as he spit out a few mouthfuls of it.

Fuck. If he were a normal man all of this would have been fatal for the both of them, but thank the good old US Government for pumping him full of who the hell knew what. Meant he could bleed out longer and still have a chance to survive.

"Fuck," spitting out blood, glancing over and noticing the supplies. Forcing himself up enough to get in a quick investigation while shouldering the weapon he'd had along with pulling the weapon off the shooter. Shivering as he moved—

He went still and quiet at the sound of movement, relaxing only once he heard Jack despite the sound of sirens, "Over here."

Was trying his best to meet Jack half-way at most, even if he was staggering as adrenaline faded in his system, the cold and pain making itself present. Had the pack hauled up with him, because this was going to be one Hell of a 'present' wasn't it? "Got something for you, Jack."

[dadication]

Jack paused to listen beyond the rain falling and the distant sirens, and there was relief as Reyes called back to him. He knew logically that Gabe wasn't dead, as it would come immediately through their bond, but the fear was there. The sheer notion of losing the partner of his life was just a black hole of madness, so he just plain avoided thinking about it as much as possible. Only shit situations like these made him clam up with panic, even if logically nothing had defeated them yet.

He was slow to drag himself to his feet, but he managed it now that the direct threat to them was over. He hobbled his way over to where Gabe was, and his arms immediately curled around the other man's waist, holding Reyes against him and resting his bloody forehead and cheek against the other man. Just... taking a moment to exist in the sphere of one another.

His eyes flicked to the pack, and he let out a low chuckle that hurt way too much. "Look at you getting all fancy on me. You always bring me the best gifts," he remarked before he was tucking his arm more tightly and hauling Reyes up. "We're going to have to hit the service road, hope we can get transport there."

He shuffled, staggered and half-carried Reyes with him through the woods. It was damn slow, the two of them flagging their energy, weak from blood loss and also the new rising cold of being wet. "You half dead or three-quarters at this point, Reyes?"

[gr1m]

Took that moment to try and once more pull whatever was left of him enough to... try and draw something from the warmth Jack provided with his presence. An arm wrapped around him loosely, head rested against his as he took in a pained breath. Just glad he was up still, even if Gabriel damn well would try and carry Jack along with everything else if he had to.

No matter how his strength was fading the longer they were out in this rain. Would do whatever the hell he had to, make sure they both got out of here.

"Of course, for you after all." Biting back the noise as he was pulled, because he needed to keep standing yes. "Hopefully, didn't look through the pack much but there's extra ammo for the gun. Good for you?" Because Gabe was going to be handing it over to him, even if his own weapon was going to be running low if there was another gun fight soon.

He glanced up ahead of them before working with Morrison to keep walking, one hand gripping hold of him tightly. "I don't know at this point, check again later and I might have something more accurate." Damn well hoped they'd still be able to snatch a rescue vehicle, hopefully one packed with the right medical supplies.

Who else might they have to shoot- or at least threaten to shoot?

[dadication]

Slowly his hands rose, stroking along that broad back, aware of the pain in those lungs by how Gabe breathed. He knew that Reyes would be paying for rushing out and killing the sniper, that all things such as that came with a cost. For now, their safety was assured, but despite all of his pain and aches, he felt most for the agony that Reyes was in. They just happened to be used to swallowing down their pain and forcing their way through it. Quiet moments like these allowed him cope with Gabe's pain in his own way, provide a care he otherwise couldn't in warzones.

He withdrew enough to take the rifle from Gabe's hands, checking it over and then he reached out to take the pack. It would be his turn to carry it first as far as he was concerned. They could switch when his energy flagged completely. He shouldered it with a grunt of pain, one arm moving back around Gabe's waist as they helped each other along in the rain.

At this point, he decided to take it slow now that they were in the safety of the underbrush, aware that no one would be looking for survivors here. He paused so they could step over flatten trees or move around rocks, leaning on each other. "Next time it's my turn to save you. Or I'll drive us out of here so you could suck back some oxygen from a tank."

As they moved, he kept an ear open for sounds of people, but sirens were just filling his head with a more aggressive headache. He moved them to the service road, keeping to the shadows because there were not fire trucks showing up and also ambulances.

He still tugged Gabe along, keeping as much to the shadows as he headed for the mouth of the service road to where the last ambulance was being parked. "That's our ride," he murmured with a slow flick of his chin. He waited, swaying against Reyes as he watched the paramedics talking among each other, confirming the situation and them grabbing supplies to head further down the road with other emergency personnel.

"...you ready? I'm throwing you in the back. You get patched up and I'll drive." Try to drive. He might be wet, but damn he still had blood flowing down his face with it.

[gr1m]

If his lung hadn't collapsed before, it had certainly now after all o that and he was feeling it. Paying for the stunt he felt was needed, but Hell if he wasn't going to survive. So long as either of them was alive the other would remain so as well. Had to push and make it until they could rest. Damn well would swallow his own pain and worry more for Jack, even as he held on to him, took some look at the shoulder where he was shot. Where he'd been grazed at the head as well.

Gabriel let him take the rifle and the pack, some bit of relief at having that bit of extra weight taken from him before they started. Did worry about what it might do to Jack's own injuries, but they could look over each other better later.

Now was just getting further away from ground zero, put as much distance between them and the remains of the HQ as possible. Watching their feet as he let Jack lead, just making sure neither of them tripped or stumbled over anything there, let alone their own or each other's feet.

"You can drive us out and save me next time, how's that sound?" Half in some jest and the other sort of letting it be said without exactly saying how tired he was getting. How much he was starting to feel every bit of pain.

He finally glanced up when they came to a stop, examining the area along with estimating just how much time they could have. Hopefully no one would be around and watching. Hopefully they could pull this off without any more trouble- "Good, was hoping we'd catch one." Because they couldn't walk out of here.

Gabriel took a deep and painful breath but nodded— "Let me clean up your face real quick before you head to the driver's seat. Better chance you'll be able to see where you're driving."

[dadication]

It didn't matter what damage was exacerbated by taking on more weight, but he figured that any supplies in that bag were going to come in handy when they went into hiding. That's exactly what he knew they were doing without even having to discuss it, that they would do whatever was necessary for each other but survival was paramount more than anything. So he would accept whatever damage he had to in order to allow them to more easily disappear for a time.

"Isn't that what I'm doing already, Reyes," he asked as he watched the coming and going of personnel. He was waiting for the right opportunity, for when the radios weren't going off or when they were making calls about bodies that were found. He strained his hearing to listen in on that, easing them slowly closer to making a run for one of the ambulances.

They were removing a gurney and hauling it off down the road. Firemen were grabbing more tools for unburying people and also heading away into the inky dark. The lights flashing were dizzying.

He leaned into Gabe cleaning his face, but any rubbing just dislodged dirt and blood clots, causing more blood to flow down his face. He shrugged it off, seeing an opportunity and grunting softly. "Now," he rumbled and dragged Reyes with him as he legged it to the back of the ambulance.

He swung off the pack as he waited for Reyes to open the bay doors and then threw it in and headed for the cab. His gun was tucked under his arm as he slipped into the driver's seat and found the keys in the ignition. He blinked blood and water from his eyes, put the vehicle into drive and glanced back to check on Gabe before he drove them off. He kept the lights on so it wouldn't look odd, didn't bother with the sirens because he might die of a headache at that rate.

"Load a bag with any all supplies you think we'll need. We'll dump this rig on the side of the road. We'll have to light it up or all our DNA will be evidence that we survived." But they would take what they needed and they would make do with it. "Where is somewhere that they won't ask questions?"

[gr1m]

"Rub it in why don't you," even if there was nothing much to the words other than trying to keep the mood light enough. Focused on watching and waiting, moving with Jack as needed to remain unseen.

Honestly? He'd done his best, frustrating as it was that even the slightest pull of flesh started Jack's face bleeding again. Looked bad from what he could make out under the blood and dirt as well, could scar and that was just if they managed to get it cleaned and sutured up soon enough. Would need something to keep the flesh together once he could help get him cleaned up properly.

They were moving then, and Gabriel was as quick as he could be in opening the bay doors, hauling himself in after the pack and closing them behind him just as quickly, securing it all back up as he took a moment to try and catch his breath. Fuck.

"Got it, got it. Can use one of the oxygen tanks back here to get it to blow and burn quicker." Already looking around and grabbing a big enough bag to start loading it down with whatever supplies he could gets his hands on back there. Careful to keep anything from damaging anything else, stubbornly not doing anything for himself until he had a full bag he could zip up.

"Slum area- you know where that is?" Shitty motels, housing complexes, you name it.

[dadication]

Once in motion, he felt a prickle of paranoia. He kept the radio on to hear the calls, waiting for when they would be called out for stealing. Off of the service road and winding through a few back roads with the lights off first, Jack knew the territory around the Watchpoint very well. He and Reyes would often run in the woods, on the old logging roads because it was quieter than the highway. The radios calls were less about a stolen vehicle and all about to send the numbers of critically injured.

There was no report on the number of dead. He knew it would be terrible. He also knew that they would find it out on the news, if they lived long enough to get to that point.

Continually, he looked back at Gabe, assuring himself that the partner of his life was moving and resting as well. They were both drenched to the bone. He realized this was the first time that they had seen one another with any sort of lights on, and god they looked terrible. Matted blood and dirt clung to them, their clothing in tatters, open wounds visible and where there wasn't a wound, it was bruised, dirty or bleed-stained.

"You look like a building fell on you," he called back, issued a low sound at his own terrible joke. Trying to keep things light as he drove them. "Just want you need... more scars. I hear chicks dig scars. Is that true?"

He made the mistake of looking at himself in the review mirror and winced. At least he wouldn't be recognized anymore at this rate. He shook his head, taking them onto the highway to enter the city limits. He flicked the lights back on, made certain to turn the sirens on too, increasing their speed as they seemed to fall into line with many other ambulances leaving the scene.

"About where, yeah." He took them into the city, wiping blood and rain out of his eyes. Forced to concentrate on the road might have been the only reason he stayed awake at all. However, sitting down made him achy. "...don't forget to grab some pain drugs. We're going to need them."

He pulled off to head to a slum area, flipping the sirens and lights off. He was shivering by this point, looking for a safe place to dump the vehicle.

"...we should dump this around here, yeah?" Gabe would know the slimy underbelly better than he would. Knew where it was safest, if that existed.