I don't know Metropolis or its characters

Last in Chapter 9: Trust and Betrayal

Tima smiled happily but a question bothered her; why did Duke Red have Rock in the hospital when he could afford to take care of him in a private place? She slept on the question and in the morning the thought still troubled her. She wondered about it as they walked out of the little shack and up to the surface.

"Duke Red is up to something…" Tima thought to herself as she and Sasha walked up the steps to the hospital entrance.

Chapter 10: Chaos

The automatic doors hissed slightly as they slid open to let the two girls enter the Metropolian Hospital. Tima stopped and glanced around at her surroundings. She noticed something very odd about the area; the entire hospital. No chaos. Not a single sound could be heard but her faint breathing. Sasha stood next to her.

"Rock is on the 4th floor." Sasha said softly, her rag doll in her arms.

She began to walk, and Tima followed after her. They strode passed the nurse station; no one there either.

"What is going on?" Tima thought as she and Sasha walked down the hall to the elevator.

"Duke Red is the cause of this, I'm sure of it. Consequently there isn't any other way I can get Rock right now."

Tima sighed as she pondered this. Sasha pushed the up button on the elevator. She looked at Sasha, noticing the grim look on her face.

"Sasha, what's the matter?" Tima asked as the elevator door opened.

"Nothing…" she answered, her hair covering her eyes.

They both walked into the elevator.

"How can you do this?" Sasha asked herself silently, amazed that she entered the elevator.

Tima stood next to her. The door closed, but the elevator didn't go anywhere. She noticed her friend glance over at her. The look on her face stood firm as she held her doll with one hand and slowly lifted the other to press the fourth floor button. As her hand got closer, she extended her index finger. She hesitated for a few moments, and then pressed the key. The elevator rose as her heart sank.

"This is for Hugo, it's all for Hugo" She reminded herself mentally as tears began to fill her eyes.

"It's either Hugo or her…"

The door opened at their destination.

Tima knew that something was wrong with Sasha. She could tell that the dark haired girl was upset about something. Tima also had a feeling that this was a trap, that Duke Red evacuated every person from the hospital so no casualties would be lost. The girls slowly walked up the hall to Rock's room. Little did Tima know, the young girl next to her had an automatic handgun in her jacket pocket.

Kenichi sat in a chair in Rock's room, waiting patiently for Tima to arrive. Duke Red had told him to retrieve Tima and "prove he wasn't completely worthless" were Duke Red's exact words. He heard two sets of foot steps echoing the hallway, and then saw two disoriented shadows from the open entrance.

Tima noticed as they walked that all of the rooms on this floor were empty. She didn't like this at all; panic filled her as she walked next to Sasha.

"Sasha…where is everyone?" Tima asked as she continued looking into the rooms.

"Probably another group of people tried to continue the 'Uprise' so the staff evacuated everyone that could be moved. Rock can't be transported because he hasn't waked up yet I'm guessing." Sasha answered.

As she spoke her face didn't show any emotion. The nine year old had decided to keep feelings out of this mission. She stuck a hand in each jacket pocket, her doll under her arm, and slowly wrapped her little fingers around the custom made automatic.

"This is it." she said, stopping short of the door.

Tima stopped next to her. The blonde hesitated on entering the room, and then she peaked from the doorway into the space. Everything was white in the open area, there only being the bed Rock lay in, a chair, and the contraptions to make sure Rock was comfortable. Tima relaxed a little bit, relieved that no one else was in the medium sized room.

Rock's face held color instead of pale as his blood left his body the night Kenichi injured him. It still pained her to see him like this. The blanket over his frame covered the wound in his stomach, but Tima knew it was there. She walked into the room; her eyes now on nothing expect Rock's sleeping form. He looked as he did when he slept at the ruined laboratory. As he slept his true feelings shown on his face, Tima could see it.

He always looked sad as he slept, and she remembered thinking at one time he must have had a dreadful childhood. She stood next to his bed, looking down at him, hesitantly reaching out a hand to touch his face. It came in gentle contact with his cheek and his lips parted slightly, taking in a breath. A small smile spread on her mouth, this was Rock. He was real.

Sasha entered the room and stood on the other side of Tima, away from the open door. Tima didn't notice Sasha staring intently at the door, her head tilting to get a better look.

Tima pulled her hand away and jerked her head in the direction of the door when she heard it creak. Her eyes widening and her body tensing as she found the action that caused the door to move. Her lips moved, and she managed to whisper one name.

"Kenichi…"