Alexis scoffed almost instantly at Blaze's words. "I doubt that. Why would they?"

Blaze shrugged. "Beats me. Maybe they know about your sister down here. But we have to consider all possibilities. For now, we'd better stick to another carriage."

As Alexis nodded in affirmation, Blaze briefed her on how they were going to do the same they just did but in reverse, so that they could go unnoticed into the next carriage in case another robot was sitting in there.

Upon completion of their little plan, they were sat a bit closer to the centre of the next carriage. They both discreetly checked around them, but there was no evidence of another robot.

"It'll take us another hour to get to Plymouth," Blaze said quietly. "Exeter was the only major city on our way, so I seriously doubt that we'll get any more of them coming on. You can try and sleep again now if you want, I'll keep an eye out just in case."

As he said that, Alexis glared at him but Blaze only sent a wink in her direction, clearly amused. She huffed, and decided she'd prove him wrong.

She grumbled when he shook her awake as the train pulled into Plymouth, and although he gave her a knowing look, she found that she was too tired to retaliate with a look of her own so she just let it be.

"Do you think he will get off here too?" Alexis asked once she was awake enough to think clearly. There was a certain distaste in her voice as she said it, emphasised particularly on the bit of the sentence that would suggest the robot was human when it clearly wasn't.

"I don't know," Blaze said quietly as he led them through the carriage and to the doors with the few who had already gathered there. "But just to be on the safe side we'll rush out and stay ahead of the crowd, which will make it less likely for them to see our faces if they're looking from behind."

Alexis nodded and they fell silent, saying nothing even as the train stopped and they reached the ticket barriers. Once they were outside the station, Blaze made sure to grab her by the wrist and pull her down the road and around a corner, away from the prying eyes of any robots that might have gone outside with them.

They were sure they hadn't been followed by anyone in the direction of the station when-

"Excuse me?" a deep voice asked from behind them. They jumped and span in unison. "Blaze Kilburn?" asked a short yet tough looking man in front of them.

"Who's asking?" Blaze asked in response, immediately on edge.

The man nodded and reached into his pocket; Blaze immediately took a protective stance. "John Thompson," the man replied, holding out a police badge with his ID on it. "These are my colleagues," he continued, indicating over his shoulders at the three men behind him.

Although Alexis became nervous, Blaze was just confused, but his body relaxed. "And to what do we owe the pleasure of your company?" he asked.

"We were informed by the police department in Bristol that you were escorting someone quite ill down here and hence we've seen to it that we'll escort her to the hospital," John replied, once again putting his badge away and then resting his hands in his trouser pockets.

Blaze chuckled breathlessly in disbelief. "The police department wish to escort an ill person to the hospital? Have you really got nothing better to do?"

John raised an eyebrow. "What are you trying to insinuate?"

Blaze was about to respond and opened his mouth before he closed it and shook his head. "All I mean is, she's just got a cough. There's really no need for concern. I'll take her to her parents to rest for a while and she'll be back to her feet in no time."

John was leaving no room for negotiation and his colleagues weren't looking very friendly. "I'm afraid we must insist."

Blaze smiled curtly, something missed by everyone due to the mask over his face. "Fine, if you insist. But then I insist that we first go to her parent's house so that we can drop our stuff off first. Is that acceptable?"

John was silent for a few moments before he nodded once. "I guess that's acceptable," he finally decided, before he indicated to a car a little way down the road. "Please, this way."

Blaze nodded, placing his hand on the small of Alexis' back and steering her to the car, following the men ahead of them. "Why don't we run?" she hissed through her mask.

"Do you have any idea how suspicious that would look?" he hissed back.

"But I have no family here. What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Just trust me," Blaze said, looking down at her with a serious look in his eyes, and as she looked up into them she felt a sense of security she didn't know he could make her feel. "I haven't let you down yet so far, have I?"

Alexis didn't know what to say so she focused her eyes to once again look forward, and coughed once Blaze reminded her to.

They slid into the backseat together as one of John's colleagues held the door open for them, John himself sliding into the driver's seat. As the colleague slid into the passenger seat, the other two men went to a car behind them, and once everyone was ready to set off, the cars started, heading off to the address that Blaze had given them.

Alexis' nerves led to her forgetting to cough, so Blaze leaned over and grabbed a hand that she had clenched together in her lap and smiled encouragingly at her. It was a reminder for her to keep coughing under the pretence that he was comforting her, for they could both feel the stares coming at them through the rear-view mirror by the colleague in the passenger seat.

She coughed as Blaze took his hand back, placing them in his own lap as he looked out of the window. He hadn't been in Plymouth in a long time, and he prayed silently to anyone who would listen that his plan would work.

It was a quick journey through the rather empty streets of Plymouth, and soon enough the house that Blaze had been hoping to see rolled into sight, though his stomach also churned from nerves at the sight. Yet, from the discreet panicked reaction that Alexis displayed when the car came to a stop in a residential area of the city, he knew he was better off than her.

"Wait there, I'll get the door for you," Blaze said, getting out and walking around to her side. As he offered her his hand she swatted it away and coughed as she did so. She glared at him as she got out, but her eyes hid the usual fire that her glare held and he knew she was truly afraid.

As he shut the door behind her and she stood motionless beside him, John got out of the car and leaned against it. "Go in and straight back out, you hear? We won't wait forever."

"Of course," Blaze responded, bowing his head slightly in a show of respect as he and Alexis made his way over to the house.

"Do you really know what you're doing?" Alexis asked, her voice higher pitched than usual but quiet nevertheless.

"What did I say? Trust me," Blaze replied quietly, but he was much calmer on the outside than on the inside; he hadn't been here in a long time, and they could have moved away by now.

The pair walked through the small gate and along the path until they reached the door, where Blaze paused only a brief moment before knocking. They didn't have to wait long before the door opened to reveal an elderly woman. She just stared in shock until Blaze removed his mask.

"Grandma, it's me," Blaze said, and his grandma visibly relaxed as Blaze replaced the mask back over his face. "Can we come in? We don't have much time."

Blaze's grandmother nodded. "Of course," she responded, eyeing Alexis suspiciously but stepping aside to let them both pass nonetheless. "Is everything alright, sweetheart? How have you been?" she asked as they reached the kitchen, about to make them some drinks.

"I'm so sorry grandma, but we really can't stay," Blaze said quickly as he noticed what she was doing. "We have to get out of here without going out of the front. Does the backway still work?"

His grandma chuckled as she turned to look at them both. "Eloping, are you?" she asked them then, but before they could respond, she continued. "If you mean the way that you used to take as a child, then yes, but I can't guarantee it'll work the same as an adult. What are you running from?"

"I have no time to explain," Blaze said as he walked over to his grandma and kissed her on the cheek, indicating to Alexis that she should come over to him, which she did. "I'm sorry that the first time I see you in so long is like this, but if anyone comes to your door looking for us, tell them that they've got the wrong house and it must be one of your neighbours they're looking for."

"That's alright, sweetie. Adult life has always been plagued with an urge to rush, and I guess this time is no exception. Just know I'll be looking forward to your next visit," she smiled up at him. He smiled down at her as his heart clenched. Would there be a next visit?

Blaze was about to warn his grandmother about the impending death sentence that was taking over the world when he instead just rested his hand on her cheek. "Grandma, take care of yourself. Please. I love you."

Leaving her no room to respond, and dragging an apologetic looking Alexis behind him, he walked towards the back garden and out towards the furthest fence. As he analysed... Whatever he happened to be analysing, Alexis looked around at the garden that Blaze had apparently played in as a child. There was still a chest of toys in the corner.

"Alright, give me your foot," Blaze demanded suddenly, holding out his hand.

"Excuse me?" Alexis asked, confused.

"This is no time for fun and games, Alexis. We have to hurry! Give me your foot!"

Alexis did as he demanded, and with a detailed and step-to-step description of what she should do, she soon found herself on the other side of the fence, courtesy of Blaze.

"Catch my bag!" Blaze whisper-shouted through the fence, giving Alexis almost no warning before he hurled the bag over the fence at her. Nevertheless, she managed to catch it.

With a bunch of disgruntled noises, and honestly some quite disturbing noises, coming from the other side of the fence, Alexis waited with bag in hand, looking at the fence occasionally in worry. She was about to ask if he needed help when first his head poked out over the fence, and his body then soon followed, landing with a thump on the ground at her feet.

"You alright?" she asked, amused.

"Yes," he grumbled, getting up and grabbing his backpack from her hands. "Let's go. We have to get out of here."

Alexis followed Blaze as he made his way down the shallow bank and onto a road. Blaze paused for a second and rubbed his hand over his face, groaning.

"What?" Alexis asked, her voice finally back to a normal volume.

"They're going to be on our tail. And we have 6 hours until we reach Tavistock," he stated.

Alexis looked at him like he was crazy. "Walking? No. We're going to take a taxi. We have to get there fast; we don't know what will happen with all that has happened now."

"Ale-" Blaze started, his eyes almost bulging out of their sockets. "Do you have any idea how much those things cost?"

"I know, Blaze. But right now I fear for my sister. Besides, the faster the better, right? It means we can get to working on the cure faster."

Blaze sighed, obviously not happy with what she said, but he knew she was right.

"Fine," he relented. "But you're paying me back half of it."

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I was worried I wasn't going to get this out on time this week because I've been ill since Saturday - but lo and behold,  a lovely comment last night helped me to pump this chapter out in mere hours. So many thanks to @snowbellex ! Just hoping it's a believable scenario in this chapter (: Thought I should finally get some action in :D Remember to vote if you liked it (and comment if you wanna help me write the next chapter!) ^^