"I think that's an objection," Rai jokes about Dion. He then asks Raez: "Why can't he talk?"
"He can," Raez corrects, still not letting Dion down. "Did you want to carry him?" Before Rai can respond, he goes, "Never mind. You're the one who actually knows what you're doing."

"An answer related to the referred democracy." Rai's smirk is invisible, unfortunately, but the general feel of it is there. "Three sentences or so ago?"
 

"Considering how they blew up the engine...I'd say a month to put together something resembling the stuff in the front of the car, give or take," Wiley says, snapping his fingers repeatedly.
"By the time we make anything resembling an engine, they'll have ganged up on us and we'll be lasered meat," Raez suggests helpfully. 
"Would be a mighty good time for, y'know," Wiley says, batting his eyes, "those supposed deities to show up and help us out with a bit of. You know. Engine magic. Better yet, just whisk us off to fairytale land." 
"Nah." Raez has a bit more experience in that field, where the last time even just four people conglomerated in a random area he nearly got shot in the head. And the last time even one deity showed up the Twister Raiders nearly disbanded. "Rather not."
"Oh, right, they can't," Wiley says, his voice becoming louder. "'CAUSE THE ORGANISMS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE WRITING US PUT THIS IN THE PRIVATE SECTION OF THE FORUM!"
Rai and Raez look very used to this.

Rai's shoulders raise in an incredibly tense fashion beforedropping again. "At this moment I'll have to say I concede with Wiles's initial idea," the cyber agent says with a sigh. "In the open I have even less ability to track what's going on than in a place with more going on. If all goes considerably well, the escape route is more likely as well." 
"Oh, so we're not summoning a demon or a god to carry us out of here?" Wiley asks, sounding disappointed. He drops to the ground briefly with a sigh, sending dust everywhere. 
Raez backs away from the dust. "I don't believe so, no. A demon would make it worse."
"Not if we have a soul to give it." Wiley's gaze then unhelpfully hones in on Dion.

Raez manages to avoid getting kicked. He is unperturbed.
Wiley gives a good squint at Dion.
"I'm going to veto the demon idea," Rai says. "Now, into the labs we go."

Rai had already started off.
"Uh, we're not all track runners," Raez reminds, perhaps not starting to wait for Wiley to start running. Which he does, but only after an awkward 5 seconds of crickets. 

For someone who seems excessively lazy at times, Raez's sprint is extremely fast. He can keep pace with Rai, it seems. 
Wiley mostly keeps up as well, though "keeps up" means that he isn't lost in the dust. 

Coincidentally, Wiley is soon complaining. "Why didn't Rai carry me?"
"He's your same height," Raez rebukes. He's actually slightly behind Rai now, maybe because he has slightly shorter legs.
"So???"

"According to Raez, 'cause you have short legs," Wiley says.
"I never said that," Raez says, checking their surroundings again.

"No, you just didn't eat your vitamins, so you're short," Wiley chides.
"You know, one day he could be saying that to you," Raez says back to Wiley. "He could still grow."
"Well, so can I!" Wiley rebuts. 
"He also gets enough sleep," Raez adds. "Good habits."
"This isn't the time to share that!!" the chemist exclaims. He doesn't manage to do an eye roll because he's running, but he'd do it if he could. "How do you know that anyways?!!"

"Those are only supplements," Wiley says, making a face at Dion.
"You all are truly huo bao," Rai calls back nonchalantly. 
"How can you hear the--" Raez decides to stop questioning reality so much. When the car you "borrowed" gets sawed in half by robots in the middle of nowhere, you learn that quickly. Raez is a pretty quick learner. 

"Thank you," Rai calls back again, sounding like he's smirking.
"Living treasures?" Raez tries to confirm with Rai.
By the way, Wiley's wheezing at the 'no u' from Dion. 

Wiley sounds like he just developed asthma, but if Raez isn't reacting, it should be fine, right?
"A mile," Rai shoots back. Not literally. 
"Wiley's not going to last that long," Raez informs helpfully.
"Is he making noises like that because he's running, or because of the meme?" Rai questions.

"That's sweet." That's a genuine statement from Rai, but it's hard to tell since he pretty much talks with the same tone. "Thank you. Raez, how are you all doing in the back?"
"Wiley's wheezing," Raez informs, this time not-so-helpfully.

"Let him wheeze, or let him suffocate???" Raez questions, sounding very concerned indeed.