"Takemura…?" V couldn't hold back. She stared at him, dumbfounded by the surprise. Meanwhile, the nomads and River looked at her with varying degrees of confusion.

Eventually, River was the one who spoke: "You know him?"

"What? Oh, yeah… This is Takemura, he's…" As she spoke, it dawned on her. What was he doing here? Last she'd heard from him, he was still a refugee from Arasaka. But now, here he was, on their payroll. "An acquaintance who helped with Silverhand," she eventually chose to describe him.

"She seems to recognize you," the other combatant spoke as they likewise approached V and removed their mask. Sure enough, it was Oda. Although more of his face seemed cybernetic now. "And I recognize that pistol," he continued with a glare down at the gun in V's hand.

"What, still butthurt that I beat you?" V couldn't help herself.

"A fluke. If-"

"Oda. Worry about your pride later," Takemura cut him off. Though clearly disgruntled, Oda obeyed and stepped back, his narrowed eyes returning to the nomads. It was like someone had pressed the pause-button, no one moved a muscle. Although both nomads, the commander and the one remaining bot were aiming at each other, no one dared pulling the trigger. The nomads because they wanted to see where this would go. But Arasaka, why they had stopped, no one could figure out.

"V," Cassidy spoke. "Friend or not, he assaulted the camp. He tried to kill Panam."

"And broke my rifle," she added.

"I know, I know, I know…" V frantically tried to calm them down. "Goro… What are you doing here?"

Takemura observed her for a few seconds in silence. Then he extended an open hand towards her.

"Come."

V stared at it, once again dumbfounded. "What?"

"Excuse me?" River added.

"The fuck?" Carol mumbled under her breath.

"Arasaka wants you, alive," Takemura began explaining, but there was something odd about his voice. Like he was explaining it to V and himself at the same time. "Come with us, and we will retreat without any further hostilities. It is the best outcome for all."

"You mean, Yorinobu wants me," V corrected. "Besides, if you wanted to take me alive, why did your other mates try to kill me?"

"They did?" Takemura seemed genuinely surprised, although he quickly washed it away. "I… I cannot speak for the rest of Arasaka, but my mission is to take you, alive, unharmed. And that, I intend to fulfill."

"Yeah, right," Panam scoffed. "And the second she's in your hand, you'll just continue."

"I do not know which values you 'nomads' live by," Takemura said as he turned around to face them. "But I am Takemura Goro. I uphold my promises, I do not tarnish my honor by cutting corners. Even if you do not believe me, kuso-ama here can vouch for me."

"Goro," V placed a hand on his shoulder and made him turn to face her. "Even if I trust you, why would the rest not go back on their promises as soon as you're gone?"

"I know Arasaka hasn't inspired loyalty or faith, especially with Yorinobu in charge. But you must be able to see, this is the only way this can end peacefully. Resistance will only cause further pain."

V's head swirled. Thoughts, memories, questions, they all flooded her mind and a thudding headache began to appear in the back of her head. Takemura here, coming for her, at Yorinobu's orders. And she had to choose? How? How could she make such a choice? It was almost too much to process, just in the blink of an eye.

"You're wasting your time," Oda commented without prying his eyes off the nomads. "Just knock her out and take her with you. Yorinobu-sama never said she had to be unharmed, that's just your misguided sympathy for these… parasites."

"Wait, what-" River was about to ask, but he was cut off by Panam.

"The hell? Parasites?" she shouted.

"Arasaka hasn't forgotten what you did," Oda almost hissed. "Be thankful our orders are only to take one of you."

"Yeah, we're real grateful."

"Oda," Takemura was now the one to cut her off. "Are you questioning my loyalty?"

Everyone's attention was homed in on Oda and Takemura, so no one noticed as V slowly stepped to the side and leaned up against a trailer, breathing heavily.

"Loyalty?" Oda replied. "Ha. If anything, I am doubting your ability to get this done."

"Remember who your superior is, Oda."

"And remember who's in charge of keeping an eye on you, Takemura."

The pair stared each other down. If looks could kill, they would've both died tenfold by now. Instead, the air around them felt tense enough that no one really dared stepping in between them.

Eventually, Oda sighed. "The slightest sign of resistance, and I won't take any chances," he said while pointing his one, intact mantis blade at the nomads.

"Great," Cassidy mumbled under his breath before reloading his gun and preparing to duck behind cover once again.

"It won't take-"

"Arasaka." Both Takemura, Oda and River turned to the source of the voice: V. She was still leaning against the trailer with her gun in her hand, something akin to frustration or confusion spread across her face. She scratched her head, while tapping the trailer with the gun.

"Arasaka," she said again. "'Saka, 'Saka, 'Saka, 'Saka, why is it always you? Why do you always come back to fuck with me? FUCK, I AM TIRED OF HEARING ABOUT 'SAKA!" As she shouted the last part, it finally became clear. It wasn't frustration or confusion. It was hatred. "Tell me why I shouldn't just blow your fucking heads off and send the rest back to Yorinobu?" she asked, threatening enough to send chills down even Takemura's spine. Especially as she raised her gun and aimed it at him, along with her narrowed, hate-filled eyes.

"V?" Takemura mumbled.

"Ha!" Oda exclaimed. "Your judge of character is as terrible as always, Takemura."

"Oh, piss off, you rotten lapdog" V replied as she turned the gun on him. "Or do you want me to choke you on that fancy leash of yours?"

"You…"

"V, what the fuck are you doing?" River interrupted her, pulling the gun from her hand.

She turned to look at him, but as she did, her eyes became foggy, unfocused, which cleared the uncharacteristic hate from them. Instead, she stared at him like she had just woken from a deep sleep or a trance. "What?" she mumbled, her voice equally as unfocused and trance-like. Suddenly, it seemed like she lost her balance and took a step back. River reacted immediately, catching her before she stumbled too far back. "River, I… I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's all right."

As she stood and regained her composure, Takemura observed her with an alarmed expression. "You're… still unwell?"

"… Yeah," V just answered.

Takemura's face slowly went from alarmed to concerned, thoughtful, almost pained. It was obvious he was thinking hard about something, but what that was, was an enigma. His eyes flickered, both between V and River, but also to Oda and the nomads.

"Takemura was it?" River asked.

"Hm?"

"V said you were an acquaintance. I'm not gonna pretend to know how everything worked between you, but… Is this how you want to treat her, after all that?"

"Kuso-ama had her goals, I had mine," Takemura replied with his eyes cast down. "At that time, they were aligned. Now, they are in conflict."

"But did the time you worked together mean nothing?! It-"

"Relax, River," V cut him off. Her voice was weak, but there was a bit of melancholic amusement in it. "He's Arasaka through and through. Loyal to Saburo to the end."

"Yes, Saburo…" Takemura hesitantly agreed.

"In fact, I'm surprised it took you this long to get on my case," V admitted. "Guess I got lucky sometimes. This, and meeting you, River. That's at least two times."

"River?" Takemura asked.

"Me. I'm… well, I guess I'm her boyfriend if anything," River managed to introduce himself through the embarrassment and blush.

"Boyfriend. I see," Takemura mumbled.

"A-Anyway, Takemura. I just want to know something. Are you okay with this?" River asked. "What you're doing, who you're doing it to, who you're doing it for, are you okay with that?"

Takemura was silent. Taking V. For Yorinobu. Did that sit right with him? With gritted teeth and a pained expression, he began pacing back and forth. She was sick, she had friends and loved ones, pain and love. Was it right to take her from that? For Yorinobu?

"Don't tell me you're going soft," Oda said.

Takemura froze. Then he chuckled. "Of course, that's how it looks to you. Going soft." With determination once again in his movements, he turned to the commander: "Kamekura-san."

"Hm? What?"

"I believe it would be too big of a risk to bring her back. I suggest we retreat."

"WHAT?" Oda roared. "Not only are you going soft… Have you forgotten what loyalty even is?!"

"I could ask you the very same question, Oda. Did you forget your oath to Hanako-sama's ideals, or did you cast them aside?"

"You dare speak of her to my face like that?!"

"Enough!" The commander, Kamekura, stepped in between them. "Takemura, Yorinobu-sama will flay you alive if you're lucky. Why?"

"She is not what I expected. I thought she had been cured, but that doesn't seem the case. If she has another… episode, more vicious than this one, then I doubt even me and Oda combined could stop her from hurting Yorinobu. And I believe the resources to keep her under adequate lock and key would be too great for Arasaka right now."

"You mean we couldn't do it?"

"No, we could. But it wouldn't be worth it. That manpower and materials, all to house one person."

"I understand you reasoning, but Yorinobu-sama will not be as open."

"You're seriously considering this?!" Oda hissed.

"Remember your place, Oda," Kamekura replied in a stern voice. While Oda turned around with a small grunt, Kamekura returned to Takemura: "I cannot say I approve of this. This was a direct mission from Yorinobu-sama himself. Besides, you're already on thin ice. Yorinobu-sama should decide this, not you."

"With all due respect, Yorinobu is blinded by rage when it comes to her. He wouldn't be able to make a rational decision."

"As opposed to you, who has even more history with her?"

"I…" Takemura fell silent. There was nothing he could say to that.

"I will take your worries under consideration and relay them to Yorinobu-sama," the officer simply said before walking forward towards the nomads, all of whom immediately pointed their guns at him. "This is your last warning," he spoke loudly. "Hand her over, or we will take her by force."

"As if," Panam shouted.

"V's family. And you don't give up your family," Cassidy joined.

"SCREW THAT," Oda shouted, interrupting his superior officer. He bent forward slightly, clearly ready to strike at a moment's notice. "SCREW YOUR WORTHLESS IDEALS, SCREW YOUR IDEA OF FAMILY!"

"Oda, restrain yourself!" the officer ordered.

"NO!" Oda replied, seemingly taking Kamekura aback. "I won't waste anymore time on these cretins! They clearly don't intend to give her up, so let's get rid of them and take her ourselves."

"See? That's who you are," Cassidy said, earning him a confused yet nonetheless enraged glare from Oda. "A bloodthirsty, coldhearted killer. The only difference between you and those NC gangs is your shiny tools, but it's the same, dirty job."

"I… am nothing like those rats. And you…" he pointed his glowing mantis blade. "You will be the first to go."

"Oda!" Takemura tried calling out, but he could not stop him from bending down, getting ready to pounce once again.

"God, you're annoying. Shut up, will ya?"

Surprised, Oda looked behind him. He barely caught a glimpse of the bullet before it penetrated his forehead and went out the other side. He then fell to the ground, limp, dead.