[Chapter. 8]

"I'll kill him." A woman's voice declared.

"I'll hide the body." Another woman said, in return.

Ayane's eyes slowly opened, pure pain surging through her body. A large throbbing pain circulated throughout her whole being. She struggled to move, but the restraints along her bed denied all movement. She struggled to talk, but the breathing tube prevented sound.

"She's awake." The second woman announced.

Ayane saw a shadow move. Starting at the right side of her room to the left, then to her bedside. Stepping into the light, Kaplan came forward, a coat in her arms as she gently smiled. Ayane saw, behind her eyes, the immense hurt and anger that swirled beneath them. She struggled to speak but Kaplan 'shh'ed her.

"Don't speak." Kaplan said, reaching for Ayane's hand. She held it, and covered it with both hands. Ayane moaned, her eyes becoming teary. The look in Kaplan's eyes told her that she would die, she wasn't ready to leave. "You lost a lot of blood, but you'll be okay. The doctor said that you need plenty of rest. You'll be out in four weeks."

Ayane nodded slowly, wishing Kaplan wouldn't carry the same tears as she. The other woman in the room made a slight sound of disgust for the two. The girl was all right, no sense in crying if she's going to be ok. She stepped beside Kaplan and leaned forward with her hands against the bed rail.

"We thought you wouldn't make it. In ER, they said you flat lined three times. If you didn't pull through, we had plans of replacing you at the faction."

Ayane's eyes widened with worry. Kaplan shot her friend a look then turned back to Ayane.

"…Cora and I were worried. When the train stopped at the central station, a bag boy found you. He called 911 and you were rushed here."

The other woman chimed in. "I was not worried. I knew you'd make it." she said dryly "Besides, if you didn't, you'd be replaced," she reiterated.

Ayane whimpered. Kaplan elbowed Cora. "She doesn't mean that, really—"

The doctor came in, reading the chart that was in the bin outside Ayane's room door. Her eyes shifted over to him as he neared her bed. He looked over to the two women.

"Can I have a moment with you two outside? It's important."

Ayane's eyes were flooded with panic. What could he possibly say to them that he couldn't say to her? She squeezed Kaplan's hand, making her look toward her. Kaplan frowned sadly, and patted her hand.

"It'll only be a minute," she told her, before removing her hands from hers, and turned to follow the doctor. Ayane sighed heavily, shutting her eyes as the door closed. Her eyebrows drew together in anger and self-pity. She started to sob.

            "What's wrong?" Kaplan asked, bringing a hand up to push some hair behind her ear. Her friend leaned against a wall, listening. The Doctor flipped through a few papers.

"A lot of things are wrong, at the moment, but we're working to fix them." He said, rubbing a hand against his forehead. "She's recovering, but not as quickly as she should. And the blood loss has done a lot of damage."

Kaplan sighed and he continued.

"…I cannot guarantee that even with her progress, she'll make it. We'll need to run some more tests and take a few more cat scans."

Cora shut her eyes. She knew it. She knew Ayane wouldn't make it. She directed her eyes to the shaken Kaplan and watched her frantic movements.

"Isn't there anything that I can do?—" Kaplan asked.

"Tell her goodbye and let her rest in peace."

Kaplan turned toward her friend, who stood against a wall with her arms crossed over her chest. Cora's eyes were directed toward a window with a sense of admiration to the rainfall. Kaplan sighed, quite disgusted with her friend's remark. She turned back to the doctor just as he slid the chart into the bin on the door.

"Make her better. When I return, I want to see her the way she was."

The doctor watched as Kaplan began to walk. Cora nodded in the doc's direction.

"And tell her, we said goodbye." She said as she walked off after Kaplan.

David and Otacon sat in front of each other in the comfort of David's home. Otacon stared at his friend in silence, clearly letting him think. For days, David's been looking for Ayane and had no luck in finding her, or valuable information leading to her whereabouts. He sighed, bringing his chin to rest on his folded hands.

"Did you check recent train tickets recorded on the computers?" David finally said.

Otacon sighed. "Yes. But her name didn't appear. No response from codec either."

"Damn."

"Have you talked to Meryl?"

"Not since the party."

"Oh."

"Someone contacted me on codec the day she disappeared."

"Who?"

"Dunno."

"And you're now informing me about this?"

"Didn't think you needed to know."

"…Snake." Otacon sighed. "You have to start telling me about these things.—Hm? What's this?"

David glanced over to the laptop that Otacon fiddled with. Otacon turned the screen whereas they both can see and pointed to an article. He read aloud the bold lettering.

"Two victims of a train shooting: one dead, the other, in critical condition. Do you think—?"

Before he could finish his question, David was already stepping into his shoes and loading his .50 Desert Eagle. Otacon's brows lifted in surprise.

"I don't even have to ask where you're going…"

"That's right. What hospital?"

Otacon scanned the article. "Mount Sinai Medical."

David pulled open the front door and stepped through, he grunted as he stumbled back inside. Otacon saw a woman's hand shove him back through the door. Kaplan stepped in, scanning the interior of the house. Cora stepped in behind her with a colt python armed and ready. As she advanced, she brought her aim up to Otacon while Kaplan shoved David into a wall and placed a berretta against his jaw.

"What'd you do to her?" She sneered, cocking back the hammer. David was surprised.

"What're you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about!" she said. "You shot her!"

David pulled her hand from his face and pulled her aside, making her back slam against the wall. He now had her pinned to the wall with a hand heavily set against her shoulder. She gasped and he leveled with her.

"I didn't shoot anyone. Ayane? Is she okay? Tell me!"

Kaplan narrowed her eyes as she looked upon him. She tilted her chin upward.

"If she dies, I'll kill you."

He mocked her with a smirk. "You couldn't kill me even if you dreamed it."

Codec sounded and David paused to answer it.

"…'It's a thin line between love and hate.' Dunno who wrote that one."

He sighed. "Lee-Anne, this isn't a good time."

"Oh, then I'll call again."

"…" He turned back to Kaplan who struggled with him. She sighed heavily, setting her head back against the wall.

"Let go of me!"

"Tell me what you know."

"She's dying! That's what I know!"

"Damnit" he cursed, biting his lower lip. "Who shot her?"

"You."

"What?"

"People IDed you walking from her room on the train." She struggled once more. He pushed her against the wall. "Ugh! They say you shot her!"

He paused, looking off to the side a moment, then looked back to her. "What was I wearing…?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Just answer my question. What was I wearing?"

"A trench coat—"

"…Liquid." He mumbled bitterly. He pulled away from her and she fell from his grasp. As David walked toward Otacon, Cora directed her aim toward him.

"Stop." She commanded.

"Fuck off. He's coming with me."

Cora's frown deepened and she pulled the trigger. Spiraling out of the chamber, the bullet grazed past his head, causing the tassels of his bandana to wave. His eyes narrowed on her.

"Don't make me kill you." She said, cocking the hammer back once more. "I'd hate to see a nice home covered in blood."

"Let him go." Kaplan sighed, walking in behind him. He glanced over his shoulder at her. She crossed her arms loosely and shut her eyes. "He didn't do it."

"But—"

"Don't argue. He didn't do it."

Cora scowled, unlocking the hammer, and dropping her aim. She holstered the weapon, then grunted, crossing her arms. David grabbed Otacon up and led him to the doorway. Kaplan and Cora followed.

"Otacon, I need you to get any and all information you can about Liquid's whereabouts."

"Okay." They nodded to each other and Otacon took off toward his vehicle.

"I'm coming too." David spun around to find Kaplan beside him. She had this intent look on her eyes. Cora stood a few feet behind, watching. " I have a score to settle with this 'Liquid'."

He had no say whether to keep her from accompanying him. If he were to take down Liquid, he'd need as much help as he could get. He turned to go inside but as he reached the doorway, Cora stopped him with a hand to his chest. He looked down and she removed it.

"I'm coming also. If Kaplan dies, you and Liquid will both die."

He frowned, pushing the front doors open. He needed to pack. Codec filled his ear. "…."

"Need to save Mr. Snake?"

"…."

"Hello? Mr. Snake?"

"Uh…yeah. Let's save."

"Okay."

Lee-Anne recorded the passing data into her computer while David waited. When she was done, she sighed.

"Okay Mr. Snake. All done."

"Great."

"Call me when you need to save, okay, Mr. Snake?"

"…right. And just call me Snake, no Mister, please."

"Makes you sound old?"

"Yeah."

She laughed.

"Okay then, Snake."

"Bye."

[Go to Chp. 9]