Hello, it's Kurmoi again, hacking into HanR's account, (with permission of course! :P) Here is the next chapter. And seeing as Han isn't here now, I can say without fear of repercussions…

HAYABUSA IS SOOOOOO MUCH BETTER THEN HAYATE/EIN! HE RUUUUULLLLLEEEEES! NO-ONE CAN COMPARE TO THE POWER (and sexiness) OF RYU HAYABUSA!!!!!

Err… *cough* sorry. So much for that %#$^in' new years resolution… *sighs*

The metal of the sword was once again placed against my skin; it wasn't so cold anymore because the blood I had spilled on it. She laid it diagonally across my spine, and then started pushing it into my skin. Pain rippled through my body and I gasped. It was all I knew, all I could feel just the silver metal slowly digging its way into my body. The pain was excruciating, like it was eating away at my very being. I screamed hoping it would take me away from this horrific moment. The sword kept going, kept burrowing into my body. I screamed when I felt it, the sword was grinding against my spine. Bone on metal, the only sound you could hear was my own screaming. And before I realised what I was doing, it had happened.

"Shanghai!" I gasped. She stopped as though caught by surprise. She removed the sword hastily and I cried out as the sword made its way out from the wound it had created. I felt the chains around my wrists come loose, and I collapsed with exhaustion on the floor, falling into a pool of my own blood. Ayane knelt beside me, and touched the wound on my back. I flinched, trying to move away from her, except she grabbed a handful of my hair so I couldn't get away. She bent down to my level and moved my hair away from my ear, before whispering into it icily.

"You are going to come with me. You can witness the death of the one you opted to protect,"

"No…" I whispered almost inaudibly. She glared at me, before the sword came down across the back of my legs, tunnelling into them so I yelled with the memory of extreme pain coming back.

"You will come, or suffer a slow painful death like that your friend will receive, thanks to you." She took the sword out and kicked my side, I hunched over in pain. "Stop your whining and come."

The trip to Shanghai was a long one but to me it also went to fast. I didn't really care if she killed me now, I had given Kasumi to her, and I deserved death. But really deep down inside I knew that something inside wouldn't let me die. Ayane looked at me. Her cold eyes scanned me up and down.

"I have an idea. You can help kill her with me. Maybe that will be fun for you," her voice was full of so much of loathing that it sent a chill up my neck.

"I hope you know I will do whatever in my power that I can, because I hate you Ayane. I HATE you!" I went to grabbed her round the neck but she held my fists.

"Would you like another scar on your back? Or would you rather a bullet in your head?" she muttered under her breath so the taxi drive couldn't hear. He glanced back in his mirror nervously. I slumped back in my seat. I felt so helpless, pathetic. I pulled at my seatbelt. Trying to make myself forget where I was going… to Kasumi's death.