Joe stopped in front of the two strangers. His small frame stiffened, but after a brief pause he turned his eyes toward Olivia. His mother's warning echoed in his head. Women warmed to boys. They could not help it. Even with her bare scalp shining under the pale light, he could tell she was a woman. His voice came soft and sweet, and he tilted his head just like his mother had taught him. "Madame, what are you doing?" It was the trick he always used. It had never failed. Women would smile, touch his hair, and speak with gentle voices. Olivia stared back at him. Her eyes were flat and cold. She stayed silent. Harold stepped in, his deep voice calm. "We're digging. Why aren't you with your mom or dad?" Joe lifted a hand, pointing toward the opposite side of the ruins. Lisa and Bruno were bent low in the rubble. "My mom's over there. She said I could play by myself." Harold let out a short sound and gave a quick glance toward them. He said nothing more. Olivia bent her back again and went on clearing stones as if the boy wasn't there. Joe didn't leave. His eyes shifted to the big machine beside them. "What kind of car is that? I've never seen one before." Olivia raised her head just enough to look at him, then dropped it again. Her gloves scraped against stone as she kept working. Harold's eyes flicked between her and the child. He finally answered. "That's an excavator." His tone hardened. "We're busy here, kid. Go back to your mom." Joe's lips pouted. "She doesn't care about me. I like you two. I want to stay with you."His eyes glistened as he looked straight at Olivia, hoping for a soft answer. Olivia snapped instead. Her voice came sharp. "Why are you staring at me like that?" Joe smiled faintly. "Because I like looking at pretty ladies." Olivia's tone cut colder. "I've got a mask on. You can't even see my face. How do you know I'm pretty?" Joe opened his mouth, but her harsh voice slammed into him. "Liar." His shoulders twitched. He had not expected her to lash out. She's so fierce! Tears welled in his eyes. He looked at her as if she had broken his heart. Olivia set her fists on her hips. Her voice rose, fierce and unyielding. "Get out of here, kid!" Joe froze. His lips trembled. After a moment, he forced out tears. His voice trembled. "Madame, I ... " Olivia had no mercy left. Her growl was harsh. "Go! Or I'll smash you with this rock!" She bent down, snatching up a jagged chunk of rubble. She raised it high, her arm tensed. Joe's eyes flew wide. Fear shot through him. He spun and bolted, his feet slapping hard against the broken ground. Harold's lips curved. He shook his head with a small laugh. "You've always loved kids. What's with you being so harsh today?" Olivia's voice stayed flat. "How do we know he's really a kid? He could be something else hiding inside a child's body." She let out a bitter snort. "Sweet talk and flattery. Calls me pretty without even seeing my face." Harold nodded as it sank in. She was still marked by that strange, stunted woman they had met before. The memory had stolen her warmth for children. His eyes shifted toward the opposite ruin. "The boy does act older than he should." Olivia watched him vanish into the fog, then bent again to her work. Joe raced back to Lisa. His cheeks were wet, his lips trembled. He was clever, but he was still a boy. Words still cut him deep. Lisa's eyes went straight to his face. Then she turned and gave Bruno a quick look before asking, "Joe, where did you run off to?" Her gaze hardened as it caught the tears. "Why are you crying?" Joe lifted his hand and pointed back across the road. His finger shook. "There's a mean lady over there. She yelled at me." Lisa's brows arched high. "A lady?" She followed his finger and scanned the fog. Then she looked down at him again. Her voice urged him forward. Joe spoke fast. "There's a man with glasses and a bald lady. The man drives the big digging machine. The bald lady is mean. I said I wanted to play, and she lifted a rock and chased me off." Bruno finally lifted his head. The boy described the whole scene in just a few words. His eyes rested on him for a long moment, then dropped back to the rubble. Lisa caught that glance. She gave a faint smile. "Sorry. My son is too curious." She stroked Joe's shoulder. "No more crying. Stay by me. Don't run off again." Joe nodded and sat down quietly beside her. Bruno said nothing. He bent back to his work. They worked until their bodies ached, the morning fading into noon. When they returned home, Bruno's head swam from too much of the fog. He stayed in for the afternoon. Lisa used the excuse of low supplies. She led Joe out alone. Without Bruno's shadow, mother and son followed their plan, scouting out every single villa. Same old plan. Joe sat on the roadside, his eyes sweeping the fog, while Lisa crept into yards and peered through broken windows. Years of disaster had stripped every table bare. Even in this place of wealth, families had cut down to two meals a day. It was late in the day now. Across the ruined neighborhood, families sat at their tables in silence, eating their meager meals.