When Alleya snapped at him about not being able to hold the cat and save him, his eyes narrowed a bit before looking away, he didn't want to snap back at her. Niké had never asked for her to save him, he'd rather she ran and let the Rebels do as they wished with him, that way they might have been calmed for a bit, enough for the gang to move locations and figure out how to deal with them, now they would probably attack in the harshest way possible, attempting to kill as many people as they could.

The grey-haired man froze for a second, sighing lowly at himself, once again he caught himself doing the one thing he wasn't supposed to… Caring about the gang and being willing to risk himself for it. Ever since he’d joined the gang he found himself having to be reminded of his real job, why he was here, he hated it.

"Look, I'm sorry. These days have been hell and I just want to go home. I don't know where Iris is but I hope she ran. We'll see her again."

The low sound of Alleya’s voice made him redirect his attention to her. “You're not the only one who wants to get back, I was just worried, she's so small,” he muttered back. Niké knew how bad these few days had been, he'd had to experience them too yet he didn't feel the need to snap at Alleya for that, even when she'd taken a huge risk with that shot. The only person he couldn't tolerate any more after these few days was Taurus, the man had revealed himself to be a complete fool with an oversized ego, unfit to be a leader in any way, shape or form.

Niké leaned his head back against the dumpster, hand still covering his wound as he started looking for a way out. The cops would probably start tapping off the area, given that there had been a shooting and the Rebels would probably not stay quiet about him and Alleya also having been there, he wanted to get out of here, or at least get Alleya out of here, he’d be fine if the police caught him, Alleya wouldn't. Best case scenario she'd get jail, worst case scenario, that ex of hers would find out and she'd end up back in his control.

He did spot a sewer vent which could be one way out but with an open wound he felt cautious about going into the sewers, he didn't want to risk an infection. The man moved his hand to look at it, it was coated in blood but the bleeding seemed to have slowed to a minimal.

After a moment of consideration, Niké sighed, “You should go, I’ll make sure they don't see you. I’m the one with a slashed throat, if I'm lucky I can get off easily by saying it was self-defense. Someone needs to get back and tell Theo, you're the fastest of us. I’ll find you, even if the whole gang moves before I can get out,” he told the woman. However knowing her, she'd probably argue back, he found it hard to believe that she'd just go along with it, even if it was their best shot.

Like Niké had thought, she wasn't going along with his idea, she didn't talk back though, instead she put a hand over his mouth and shushed him. The grey-haired man furrowed his brows at her actions but stayed quiet and tried to focus on listening, doing his best to tune out the ringing in his ear and listen to what the voices were saying.

He could clearly hear the voices of the other gang members describing them and trying to claim their innocence in the situation, no way the officers would buy it though, it was obvious that they were gang members, anyone could tell.

Anyone but these particular police officers apparently. What worried him more than the fact that these officers seemed completely incompetent was the fact that they were calling ambulances for just five people, there had been six originally so where was the missing one now?

"Niké, what are they talking about? Terminating us? What the hell did we do?"

Pale eyes dropped down to look at Alleya once more and Niké sighed softly. He knew exactly what they were talking about as it was the whole reason he’d even joined the gang, to take them down from the inside, get valuable information to help put a stop to them, only he was starting to realize that they weren't to blame for even half of what people thought they'd done.

“People like to twist the truth… They are blaming you for things you haven't done and now they want to throw you in prison, anyone under 18 they can probably ship off into foster care, and I doubt they'd mind seeing you dead… They want to split you- Us.. Split us up…” Niké whispered, he was just stating the obvious but he did also know them to be true, he'd been there for all the meetings discussing how to deal with the dangerous gang that he’d been made to believe Theo’s was.

With his still relatively clean hand, at least the one that wasn't coated in blood, he gave Alleya a reassuring pat on her back before pulling his hand back to himself. “Don't worry though, we’ll figure something out, we just need to get back first,” he told her, smiling briefly at the woman, “So let's start by finding a way out of here, okay?” Niké made sure to keep his voice low and calm, the last thing he wanted was to be found or have Alleya start freaking out, he needed her calm while he figured out a way to get away.

From the sound of it there were at least three officers on site, five of the Rebels left and there was an ambulance coming probably more than one since two of them had been shot. With some luck it was possible that they could slip away when the ambulances arrived but it would be a risk, otherwise the sewers were probably their best bet unless Alleya had thought of another plan. Had he been alone and this would have been when he was younger, he would have just made a run for it, most officer’s strength wasn't their speed and the young man had outran them several times but seeing as they were now apparently deemed dangerous, bolting might make the officers try to shot them down and he didn't want that for himself or Alleya.

"It looks like the sewer is the only way."

Niké frowned at that, it was the last thing he wanted and he looked around once again. Why couldn't there be a better way out? He looked up, hoping for an open window they could climb through or maybe there was a fence they could jump?

But of course, like all the other times his eyes had searched for a way out, there was nothing.

Nothing but a dirty and smelling sewer, just the thought of it was almost enough to make him gag.

The man looked at Alleya as she instructed him to tear a piece of his shirt off to use as a bandage for his wound. He already knew to do this but he kept silent, the woman only meant well and snapping at her wouldn't help the situation, it wasn't her fault that the sewer was their only way out.

Well, in a way it was. Had she not fired the gun then the brute's knife wouldn't have slipped and cut Niké’s throat, nor would the police be here but she'd done it to save him and now, despite his attempt to get her to leave and go warn the gang, she refused to leave his side. The redhead was a kind-hearted woman even if he and her didn't always think in the same way.

As Niké tore a piece of his shirt, he cringed slightly at the sound of fabric ripping. He didn't like the idea of Alleya acting as a distraction either but he knew it was their best shot at getting out so he didn't object, even if he wanted to.

Tying the fabric around his neck he made sure to tie it securely and tightly, not so tight that it would be difficult to breathe but so that there was pressure on the wound and that it also wouldn't slip down or that the knot would loosen.

After that he leaned back against the wall, waiting for the sound of the ambulance to make itself heard. Once they did he would just have to be quick, hesitating or looking back could mean Alleya not getting away, the faster he was, the faster she'd be able to get out too. He hated having to rely on her and letting her risk herself for his sake but he wouldn't be able to talk her out of it either, she was too damn stubborn.

As the sound of ambulance sirens could be heard in the distance he heard a whisper from Alleya, and not the words he wanted to hear.

"I'll meet you at Theo's."

Niké looked at her, opening his mouth to protest. That wasn't what they’d agreed on. She was going to go with him. They weren't going to split up.

"Don't worry about me. They're easy to outsmart."

He placed his hand on the one she put on his shoulder, a weak attempt to get her to stay. Of course he would worry about her, he couldn't make sure she’d stay safe if she went off on her own.

“No, wait…” he started but the man slowly went silent again as her hand slipped away and she moved away from her. Too damn stubborn.

Niké looked after her, pale eyes following her as she moved further away from him. What was even her plan? Surely the Rebels would say something if they saw her, she was the one who’d fired the gun and they already knew her face from before. If she got thrown in jail he wasn't sure how much he’d be able to do in order to help her.

Shit.

With a sigh the grey haired male leaned back against the wall once more. Both of them getting caught wouldn't be ideal either so he had to make sure at least he got out of here, no matter how much he hated the thought, and what would Theo think? It felt cowardly to leave the woman behind but what choice did he have?

Suddenly a scream could be heard causing him to spring to his feet, it was Alleya’s scream. He’d known this was a bad idea.

"Help me! Help me! Someone tried stealing my purse"

Her next words made Niké realize that this was the distraction though and while he didn't want to leave, he knew he had to. He would just have to trust that the woman would get away too.

With quick steps the man hurried towards the sewage drain, hoping that he would be able to fit through it, otherwise he would have to make a run for it and that would increase the risk of them both being caught.

It didn't take long for him to reach it and there he was quick to get down on the ground. The gap was small and if he fit, it would be just barely. Casting another glance at Alleya, he could see her gripping one of the officers tightly, she really looked like she was in distress for real. Niké then took a deep breath before starting to slide himself through, going in with his feet first, he was not going to land face first in shit.

It was a tight squeeze, very tight in fact, but he made it and with a small splash followed by a groan of disgust, he had made his way into the sewer. It stunk, terribly. Gagging slightly, the man moved to the side where the ground was relatively clean, as clean as a sewer got at least.

His pale gaze slowly adjusted to the dim lighting and he looked around, he had no idea where to go, or how he’d get out. “Fuck,” he muttered quietly as he started walking, hopefully he’d find a way out soon enough, a man hole cover or something. He felt completely lost but he knew one thing and that was that he needed to get back to the hideout so ignoring the terrible smell of the sewer, he pushed on, walking at a quick pace and hoping that a way out would appear sooner rather than later.

Niké moved with quick steps, he wanted out, the horrible smell was sticking in his nose and the sewers really weren't that homey, they were a cold and wet place and just a few minutes down here made him regret not making a run for it with Alleya. Iit was really only her that needed to get away, he would have been fine, no matter if he was caught and arrested or not.

Great, now he felt like a coward even more, a coward who’d left Alleya to take a huge risk while he ran off even when he had nothing to lose, at most he would have had to stay in a cell for a few days and then be released to go back and continue doing his job, his job that he had so far failed at doing.

The man had been stupid to think that he'd be able to go undercover and do his job as a police officer. He had thought that his past life would make it easier and to some extent it did, he blended in easier, he knew what to do and how to but it also meant he related too much to these people, none of them were bad people, some were assholes like Taurus or annoying like Alleya but none of them were bad people, they weren't a bunch of coldblooded killers who got off on seeing people in pain, they were people who cared about others and helped those in need, willing to put themselves at risk to do so.

With a sigh, the grey haired man lit a cigarette in an attempt to mask the stench and also, to distract himself. Instead of listening to the thousand thoughts clumping up in his head and telling him why he couldn't do his job properly and why he was such a failure, he just focused on breathing in the smoke, getting it down into his lungs, letting his whole body relax a bit before exhaling and watching the cloud of smoke exit his mouth and slowly disappear into nothingness as he repeated those very same steps over and over.

For a few minutes that's all he did, quick steps leading him forward as he had his full focus on his cigarette. The man was almost too focused because soon he was pulled back into reality when he almost stepped on a rat that hissed at him as it ran off. It caught Niké so off-guard that he took a step back, almost slipping as he did.

“Shit…” came a low mutter from the man before he finished his cigarette and flicked it on the ground with another sigh. He’d been walking for some time now and still there seemed to be no way out. He glanced around once as he started walking when he finally saw it, there was a ladder leading up to a manhole cover.

Finally!

But of course, he couldn't just be lucky. It was on the other side of the sewer, even worse, on the other side of the sewage. With a frown the grey haired man took a step into the sewage, forcing himself not to gag as he did. He hurried over to the other side, he would definitely have to find new clothes, there was no way he could go back like this, he wouldn't.

Although right now, the important thing was getting out and now he was just steps away from that. Niké grabbed a hold of the cold metal bars that made up the ladder and climbed up a bit before pushing a hand against the cover to move it out of the way but it didn't budge. He climbed up a little further and tried pushing with his shoulder but was met with the same result.

In frustration he rammed is elbow into the manhole cover with full force, wincing a bit as pain shot through his arm but it seemed to have loosened the cover as he was able to push it off after that and with a sigh of relief, Niké pulled himself out and took a deep breath of the city air, it didn't smell good but it smelled better, far better, than the sewers.