Bruno cut her off before the words left her mouth. His voice was sharp and cold. "I asked him, not you." Lisa's lips pressed tight. She looked at her son and coaxed gently. "Joe, the man is talking to you. Answer him." Joe lifted his head, his voice calm and steady. "It's Joe Barnett." Bruno's voice rumbled deep, harsh as stone grinding. "You're not afraid of me?" Joe Barnett shook his head. "No. I'm not afraid." Bruno's gaze narrowed, heavy with challenge. "Why not?" Joe tilted his head. His eyes held confusion. "Why should I be afraid?" Silence spread. Bruno's stare pinned him in place. Bruno's features were fierce, too sharp, too rough. His face often stirred fear the instant people saw him. Children always burst into tears. Even hardened men avoided his eyes. He had seen people flinch in disgust, hiding behind their fear. But Joe sat without flinching. His back was straight. His hands rested neatly. His eyes were honest. He was not shaken at all. It was wrong. It was unnatural. Bruno's eyes bore into the boy, but Joe did not waver. He stayed still as if carved from stone. Lisa's voice broke through the tension. It carried unease. "Mr. Reed, is there something wrong with my son?" Bruno's tone eased slightly. "Your boy's got courage." Lisa blinked, then her expression shifted as she understood. "Sir, you mean his reaction to your face?"She paused, her words careful. "I know it's rude to say this. But my boy has seen people far worse. Compared to them, you don't frighten him." Bruno said nothing. He only gestured for her to go on. Lisa's gaze dropped, then lifted again. "You haven't gone down the mountain much since all this began, have you?" Bruno's reply was flat. "I go often." Lisa frowned. "You go into the city that often? Why?" Bruno's tone stayed firm. "To find supplies." Lisa glanced toward Whitney. The thought burned in her mind. This family is not wealthy at all. She cleared her throat and pressed on. "The city is filled with the broken. Burned faces from the rain. Scarred skin from blades. Joe has seen it all." And she caressed her son's head. "He grew up in this nightmare. He learned to be steady long before most children." Bruno parted his lips, but Whitney cut him short. "Enough, Bruno. Don't scare the kid." Her eyes softened as she looked at Lisa. "Don't take it the wrong way. My friend is a bodyguard. He's trained to be cautious." Lisa's eyes lingered on Bruno. "A bodyguard?" A small smile curved her lips. "That's impressive. I've only seen bodyguards on television. You must fight very well, right?" Bruno stayed silent. His face gave nothing away. But suspicion gnawed at him. Something about this woman and her boy felt wrong. Off. Yet Whitney wanted them here, and he would not argue. He would simply stay vigilant. Whitney soon led Lisa and Joe to a room in the basement. She helped them settle in, gave a few gentle words, then left with Bruno upstairs. Lisa waited until their footsteps faded. She closed the door tight. Then she sank onto the bed, her chest rising with a long breath. Joe pulled out the candy Whitney had given him. He unwrapped it, tossed it into his mouth, kicked off his shoes, and climbed into bed beside her. "Mom, did we make it?" Lisa gave a low hum. Then she muttered, "I didn't expect that man to be so difficult. The girl was much easier." Joe rolled the candy on his tongue. His words came soft. "She's a good person." Lisa arched a brow. "They say rich people have no kindness. I don't think there's going to be any saints in this area." Joe blinked at her. "Does that mean the rich are never kind?" Lisa's voice was sharp. "It means the rich are never good people." Joe tilted his head. "But she's good. Mom, can we not hurt her?" Lisa stayed silent. After a pause, her words came heavy. "We'll see." She thought again, then corrected herself. "Joe, don't forget who you are. We're part of the Grayhound Sect. One day we'll be stronger than anyone. You can't get soft just because someone shows you kindness." The boy said nothing. The silence stretched. At last, he asked, "What do we do next?" Lisa lay back, her hands tucked behind her head. "We learn everything we can about this place. Then we wait for the gang to come." The next morning came. Whitney worked in the kitchen, her hands busy with breakfast. Bruno tugged on gloves, ready to head out for supplies. But he refused to leave Whitney alone with strangers. He ordered Lisa to come along. Lisa agreed quickly and brought Joe with her. The three of them reached the ruins of a collapsed villa. The air hung heavy with dust. Stone and wood lay broken in piles. They prepared to dig. Lisa rolled up her sleeves. She glanced across the street and froze. Her eyes widened in shock. She rubbed them hard, certain she was mistaken. In the wreckage across the way, two figures worked. A machine roared as the ground trembled. Her jaw dropped. "What the hell? Are those people actually using an excavator?" Bruno gave a single glance. His tone was flat, unconcerned. "Neighbors. Searching for supplies."