He jumps. The force of his fall makes the water feel like breaking through concrete. It jars his bones to the core, tearing the man from his grip. No, no, no! He screams in his mind, thrashing around to find him in the murky half-light near the muddy bottom. He can't see anything.

Digging his feet into the soft canal bed, he launches his way back to the surface. The first breath of real, clean air rakes his smoke-singed lungs, making him cough as he swims his way back to the grassy bank. He lies there hacking for a moment on his hands and knees, a string of spittle hanging from his mouth and a sense of failure burning in his chest.

If the guy wasn't dead already, he sure is dead now.

It's then he notices the group of kedan fishing something out of the water. Another few are running in his direction. In his gut, his first reaction is to run away from the screaming mob. But before he can completely catch his breath, they're helping him up, thanking him. And he just stands there stunned. All these people who just yesterday hated his guts are actually grateful for what he's done. It's kinda nice, actually.

When he asks about the man, they tell him he's still alive. Exactly how alive, he doesn't even want to know. He can't be all that well-off after what he's been through, but he doesn't even want to think about the details.

He just wants to find Leo and figure out what the hell that metal thing was that started this whole freakin' mess.