She eyes me like a Pisces when I am weak
I've been locked inside your heart-shaped box for weeks
I've been drawn into your magnet tar pit trap
I wish I could eat your cancer when you turn back

Hey! wait!
I've got a new complaint
Forever in debt to your priceless advice
Hey! wait! (alt: hate! haight!)
I've got a new complaint
Forever in debt to your priceless advice

Meat-eating orchids forgive no one just yet
Cut myself on angel's hair and baby's breath
Broken hymen of your highness I'm left black
Throw down your umbilical noose so I can climb right back

Hey! wait!
I've got a new complaint
Forever in debt to your priceless advice
Hey! wait!
I've got a new complaint
Forever in debt to your priceless advice
Your advice.

Nirvana- "Heart-Shaped Box"

As he nervously pulled on his fingers, Cranky again found himself in Colonel Wolfman's office, except this time Cammy sat beside him. He hated himself for being nervous, but hell, it wasn't everyday he ratted on an evil terrorist crime syndicate. Of course his nervousness could have been attributed to the fact that it wasn't everyday he said, 'I love you' to someone. So what if he was scared? He had regretted it the moment the words came out of his mouth and even more so when Cammy repeated them to him. Love wasn't a concept Cranky liked. It always brought betrayal and pain. The only person he had dared to love since the day he ran away from his parents at fourteen was little Kenny. The kid had just been so damn cute and innocent and Cranky had proven to be a bleeding heart. Before he knew it, Kenny was like the little brother he'd never had. But even Kenny, through no fault of his own, had been taken away.

He cut his eyes to Cammy who sat beside totally comfortable and un-nervous. He found it odd that she, having worked with Delta Red, didn't know it was Shadowlaw he was dealing with. Or why Colonel Wolfman had told him not to tell her. Surely she would have to know. Then he remembered the file Wolfman had given him and made a mental note to read it. There was a reason Wolfman gave it to him, and Cranky was going to find out.

The door to the office opened and a seemingly different man entered. It was Colonel Wolfman but if Cranky hadn't met him yesterday he wouldn't have believed it. The professional looking man was gone and had been replaced with a biker. Wolfman's long hair, which had been tied back, was now only held with a bandanna. But most of all, he looked tired. Wolfman immediately put his attention on Cammy, leaning over and whispering something into her ear. She stood, squeezing Cranky's hand before she left. He shifted his eyes downward until Cammy was out of the room. Colonel Wolfman spoke.

"This is a big deal."

"I know."

"No, it's a bigger deal than even I thought."

He dropped a huge pile of file folders on his desk and spoke again as he sat down across from Cranky.

"You said it was Shadowlaw you were dealing with?"

"Yes."

"I didn't believe you. If there's one thing we at Delta Red know, it's Shadowlaw. They don't play around. It's not like them to do things like this…and sorry to say, leave someone like you alive to tattle."

"What are you trying to say?"

"We were both right. It is Shadowlaw in the sense that they are the backers of all of this. They are using smaller companies. I just don't know why. Those weapons you were supposed to pay for, well, when the money wasn't there they were stolen and all of the traders were killed."

"Killed!"

"Or cut in half with machine guns, whichever you prefer."

Cranky suddenly felt as if he were on trial as he replied.

"You think I knew that would happen!"

"I never said that, but you are quick to defend yourself."

"I had nothing to do with that. I even gave the money back."

Wolfman was surprised by that.

"You didn't tell me that yesterday."

"I didn't think it mattered. All I knew was that they were still in for me even though I returned the money. Does it matter?"

"Everything matters with them. They probably would have killed you if you did go to make the deal. I have a feeling they don't give two shits about the money. Now I'm sure they want you dead."

"Me? What do I matter in the scheme of all of this?"

"Exactly what's going on right now. You have information and you're giving it to the authorities. I'm sure they didn't vouch on you meeting Cammy. They probably didn't know what she was when they found you two together."

Cranky's face went red.

"She told you about that?"

"I had to get her side. I don't trust people off of the street, and Cammy knew that. So she told me everything."

"I feel you. So why's this such a big deal?"

"Because, if Shadowlaw is hiring out others to do their work, something has gone wrong and we need to strike. I need you to tell me everything from beginning to end."

-

"Ms. White, do you understand what I am saying?"

Cammy snapped form her daze just in time to mutter softly.

"Huh? Oh can you repeat that?"

She couldn't help but let her mind wander; this was a big deal after all. Wolfman said Juli had been asking for her all night. Well actually she'd been asking for Camilla. That meant Juli had remembered something. The staff psychologist spoke again.

"I said that this meeting isn't for you. It's for Juli."

"Yes, I understand. I'll answer any questions for her I can."

The psychologist stood before speaking.

"I'll bring her in."

Cammy couldn't sit any longer. She stood and paced the room for what felt like hours but what in reality was only minutes. In all of her life she never thought she'd meet someone who she could relate to so closely. But she had to remember Juli was worse off than her. Juli had lost eight years of her life and had no family, blood or not, to help her through. Cammy would help her.

The door opened and Juli entered, shutting it behind her. For a long moment they stood still, staring at one another intently. Finally Juli spoke in a shaky voice.

"You're Camilla."

Cammy nodded before she answered.

"Yes, but call me Cammy. No one has ever called me Camilla."

"Except for Vega."

Cammy was nearly floored. She regained her composure before she spoke again.

"He was the only one."

"Was?"

"I killed him."

Juli walked across the room and took a seat as she spoke.

"Good…that's real good."

Cammy went and sat next to Juli.

"So…you remember me?"

"Yeah, I've had dreams and you were in them. Is it how it happened with you?"

"Yeah, I've had a lot of dreams but I've also had memory flashes."

"Like when something suddenly causes you to remember something?"

Cammy nodded. Juli sat there for a moment as if she was collecting her thoughts then looked up at Cammy with tear filled eyes.

"Does it ever stop?"

Cammy grabbed the sides of Juli's face and lied.

"Yes."

Juli smiled and after wiping the tears from her face spoke.

"How long have you been out? I remembered you being captured after killing Robert Sellers, but I have no sense of time really."

"You remember than much?"

Juli nodded as Cammy continued.

"I've been out a little under eight years."

"Oh."

"But I've been fighting to free you and others like us since then."

"And I'm the first one you saved?"

"Yes, and that was only by luck."

"Bison holds us close."

Cammy shook her head in agreement.

"He doesn't like to lose us."

"You say it like he cares about us."

"Juli, after I was rescued he tried to have me killed countless times and he's even come after my family."

"What is it, pride?"

Cammy stood and faced away from Juli as she answered.

"We are an integral part of his organization. We know the ins and outs and all that goes on, basically a walking filing cabinet full of evidence. We're a danger to him if we get our memories back. I've proven it."

Juli spoke sounding much like Cammy herself did upon discovering a way to get revenge on Shadowlaw.

"So you remembered and used it against Shadowlaw?"

Cammy smiled to the blank wall, her face hidden from Juli. She kept her voice sympathetic as she answered.

"Yes."

"Can I do this too?"

-

"I want the base in England secured as soon as possible."

Bison spoke urgently to Marquez as the older man cowered under him.

"I can't. Everything is way behind stateside. I cannot afford it."

Bison was waiting for another procedure, the fourth this year, and Marquez was trying his patience.

"I'm keeping the boy alive am I not? Perhaps you want all this over so you can go back to how it was?"

"No! No, leave Dorian be, please."

"Alright then, I'll say it again. Secure the England base or he dies. I don't care how you do it, just get it done."

"Yes."

A doctor nodded at Bison, signaling that they were ready and Marquez took his leave. Of all the groups he'd hired out the Latin Kings had proven to be the most profitable mostly attributed to the fact that he didn't give them anything. He had Dorian Marquez's life hanging in the balance; Marquez's precious grandson. And best of all, the boy's father thought he was dead. It was like killing two birds with one stone. He got his revenge on Julian and power over his father and in turn the Latin Kings.

The doctors prepped his arm with and alcohol swab and a rubber tie. Just because he was inhumane didn't mean he wasn't human. Bison took in the pain of the initial injection with rapture and slowly relaxed as the IV dripped a combination of chemicals into his body. Pain made him real again, not a weakling with a deteriorating body. That's why the pending tournament and the redevelopment of bases around the world were so important. That's why the Shadow technology was so important. Dr. Feng thought he was developing a device to create a new, elite army for Shadowlaw, but it was also, secretly, to keep Bison, himself, alive. This was the very reason that Dr. Feng had backed out of the project and tried to hide the results. With the Shadow Technology, he'd be unstoppable. For now he was weak, dependent on others for his very survival, but not for long. After the tournament he'd be strong enough to regain control over the Shadow Technology and handle the transfer of it from Kenneth Feng to him. Then he alone would control existence, outlive existence. God be dammed.