Akira hoisted her behind the front gate and began pulling it closed, the metal hinges protesting as he threw his weight against it.
"Save her!" Saera was screaming now, looking to the soldiers who ran past, at Akira, at her own useless, shameful hands. "I have to - " she looked around her for a knife, anything, thinking she would plunge it into the attacker and drag Emi away with her.
Akira shoved the gate closed with a loud crash, nodding to a man who latched it closed. Akira grabbed the bars with his hands and leaned in, his face pressed between two bars, his eyes deadly serious.
"If you want me to save your dog, you'll keep yourself safe. Go inside."
Saera paused for only half a second. Akira could be hurt, but Emi- Emi was in danger, could be hurting, could be injured, could be dead-
