DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANY DEAD OR ALIVE CHARACTER. THOSE CHARACTERS BELONG TO TECMO, LTD. AND TEAM NINJA. I AM IN NO WAY INTENDING ANY COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND I'M NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE USE OF THESE CHARACTERS. ANY CHARACTER NOT A PART OF DEAD OR ALIVE IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.
A/N: Sorry for making you guys wait so long and I hope there's still a bunch of you around to enjoy my latest chapter. I love to hear from you guys and I'm sorry I don't respond quickly cuz I know you deserve more. As always, thanks for sticking with me and I'll try harder to keep things up.
Chapter Thirty-two
Saturday, January 6
3:05 P.M.
Myamoto's Apartment
Kasumi, with nothing to do and an increasingly sore hip, lay on the stained blue couch in Myamoto's dim living room with nothing but the soft sound of Ayane snoozing in the easy chair and the crisp noise of Myamoto typing on his keyboard as he continued to do research on DOA 4 occupying her thoughts.
Her alert honey colored eyes shifted about the darkened room, her vision hindered by the closed window blinds and the burnt out ceiling fan bulbs. The only illumination provided was the harsh computer monitor and a dirty old lamp on a peeling end table beside the couch. But she didn't need to see the place to be able to tell that it was completely trashed. The pile of molding pizza boxes next to Ayane's chair and the rank smell of rotting food was enough to make her sick. The permeating stench of the air was so thick she could taste it and she wondered just how Myamoto could stand to live this way.
Kasumi brushed her silky red hair away from her face and released a deep sigh, making sure to avoid breathing from her nose. "I'm bored. Don't you have something useful I could do?"
Myamoto stopped typing and turned the swivel chair to face her. "Hey, I thought you were sleeping. How's your leg?"
"Not so good," she muttered, adjusting the ice pack.
"Sorry to hear it."
"It's okay, I can live with it for now and I think it's feeling better than before. It's probably just that long walk and that spill I took downstairs that's bothering me and I don't think that will last too long. But I can't stand doing nothing when I know that there's something I could do to help. I know you must need help with something."
"I don't know..." the hacker said, returning his attention back to the computer. "Jack told me that it would be best if we just waited for you to heal completely before we did anything. He's really worried about you, you know."
"Yeah, I know, but I don't mind helping out. It will only make me stronger. Besides, what else is there for me to do?"
Myamoto turned around again. "You can rest. Even if Jack hadn't told me anything, I know what a person's limits are, and it's clear that you have reached yours. If you want to do something, go to sleep."
Kasumi made an irritated expression with her fiery amber eyes that bordered on aggression and it was then made clear to Myamoto that this girl didn't like being told what she could and couldn't do. "I can't sleep! I'm a big girl, Myamoto. I can take care of myself and I know my limits better than you ever could. Jack is out there and he needs our help. We can't let him down now!"
"Wow, Ayane was right. You really are stubborn aren't you? Looks like you and Jack were made for each other. But there's nothing we can do anyway, except wait for him to show up."
"Oh..." Kasumi muttered, clearly disappointed. "But he told me you were some kind of computer expert. Can't you mess with the police station or something?"
"It's not like I can just hit a button and bust him out. That stuff takes time and right now that's something we don't have. If anything happens, we might have to leave this place at a moments notice. We have to assume that Smith is still hunting for you and your sister."
Kasumi sat up slowly and inadvertently gasped with hurt as her hip flared with intense pain.
"Sit down!" Myamoto harshly commanded. "I don't want to have to take you back to the hospital because you refused to rest a minute. I'm telling you that you're hip will never heal if you don't take it easy! Remember what the doctor said?"
"You don't have to yell!" Kasumi exclaimed, stifling her misery and rapidly blinking her watering eyes. "I'm not going to go anywhere. All I wanted was something to eat."
"Oops," Myamoto said sheepishly. "Sorry, I guess I'm being a little overzealous in my promise, huh? There's some leftover pizza in the fridge if you're hungry. Help yourself."
Kasumi shot him a funny look and carefully climbed to her feet, wobbling unsteadily as she tried to maintain her balance.She prayed that she wouldn't fall again because if she took another dive like the one downstairs she didn't know how she would be able to hide the pain. Cautiously, she took a tiny step forward, then another and another without any significant trouble. But after a few more steps the strain became too much for her injury and her tender right leg practically gave out beneath her. Then, as if an invisible force had kicked her from behind, her knees quickly buckled and she was on her way to meet the hard floor below. She instinctively stretched her arms out in front of her and used them to absorb the abusive impact of the landing. However, the strain on her shoulders and elbows was surprisingly great and she couldn't contain the pained yelp that escaped her lips as both her arms failed and she crashed to the ground.
Myamoto caught the sharp outcry and turned around again only to find Kasumi lying on the floor in front the couch, face down and sobbing. "Are you okay?"
Kasumi took a brief moment to steady her voice, but failed in doing so. "No..." she whispered, shaking her head. "I can't do this... It's just too hard..."
Myamoto didn't know whether to say 'I told you so,' or to bend down and help her back onto the couch. Meanwhile, Kasumi's pain racked mind raced with thoughts of what she should do.
'Maybe I should give in and ask for help.'
'No, I can't start depending on other people, no matter how tempting it is.'
'If I don't ask for help, I'll end up breaking my leg, or worse, inflicting permanent damage!'
'But if I do ask, I will become weak and dependent. Hayate's assassins will have me for sure. I can't!'
Fortunately for her, the choice was taken out of her control.
"Kasumi?" Ayane asked groggily, her voice thick with irritation. "Are you crying?"
"No," she sniffled, obviously lying through her teeth. "I'm okay."
She struggled to move her wounded leg, but grimaced and immediately froze as the limb was filled with a needle sharp pain that refused to subside. But even though it hurt beyond what she was used to dealing with, Kasumi put on a brave face and continued her fruitless struggle with no result other than inflicting more anguish.
Ayane, who was half asleep, momentarily forgot about her hostile facade and stood up, irritated with Kasumi's idiotic refusal to accept assistance. Then she bent down and grabbed her sister's waist, hauling her off of the ground and dumping her on the couch once again. Now that she was face up, Ayane could clearly see Kasumi's tear streaked face, and it pissed her off. "What were you thinking, moron! Do you like to hurt?"
Kasumi wiped her face and brushed her long red bangs aside. "I just wanted something to eat, that's all," she sniffled. "I thought that maybe I could--"
"Don't pretend that you're as good as new, because it's obvious to everyone here that you aren't. Stop being an idiot and get some rest, Kasumi. I know you're smarter than this. If you make even the slightest move from this couch without asking one of us for help, I'll kick your ass! Got it!"
Kasumi responded with a surprised nod, not quite sure how to react to her sister's aggressive concern.
Ayane grunted in satisfaction and then turned on Myamoto. "And what the hell is your problem? Are you too good to get my sister food when she's hungry? Is helping her out beneath you somehow!"
"Well... Uh..." Myamoto stammered. "She didn't want--"
"That's what she wants, but you should be smart enough to know what she needs. Jack wouldn't have taken no for an answer, and neither should you. If she has to move another inch all day because you're too damn lazy to get her something she needs, I'm going to kick your ass! Now all of you shut the hell up so I can get some sleep!"
Myamoto stared at Ayane as if she had just smacked him upside the head with a club. Then he got up and walked to the fridge to get a pizza while Kasumi calmed her shaken nerves. There was no way that he was going to have a Shinobi ninja pissed at him so it would be best to just do what she wanted until Jack came back. Hopefully that would be sooner than later.
Saturday, January 6
3:09 P.M.
Somewhere in Chino
Victoria Wallace toiled under the hood of her baby, a cherried out '69 Camaro SS, but her mind was far from the task at hand. She backed out from beneath the hood and walked over to her cell phone, staring blankly at it's dim screen. Ever since that bastard, Corso, showed up last week, she couldn't get the thoughts of her little brother out of her mind.
'So he ran off to Japan, huh? I wonder where he got the cash to pull that off? And why did he feel the need to leave the States?'
The only explanation she could come up with was that her little brother had followed her deadbeat dad's footsteps. And that path only led to one place; lying in a pine box buried six feet under. She had been right all along.
At that moment, a familiar figure stepped into the open garage and adjusted his hat, a confident smile on his face.
"I told you everything I know, dammit! Leave me alone, Corso. I won't hesitate to kill you if I have too."
"Now, Now, Victoria. Is that any way to treat a new friend?"
"You aren't my friend and you aren't welcome here. I thought we were through."
Corso laughed. "Ouch! That was cold. Well if you must know why I'm here it's to make sure a few loose ends get tied up and then I'll be out of your hair for good."
"Whatever."
"Do you know anything about a group of people called the Shinobi?"
"No," Victoria said, almost surprised by the question.
"What about that reference to CYPHER? Why do you think I'm with them?"
Corso had no idea what CYPHER was and why Victoria would think they were so bad, but he hoped this question would clear things up. Unfortunately he was wrong.
"Look, I answered your questions about my brother, but I don't see why you have to know all this crap. It has nothing to do with Jack and I'm not telling you shit. Now get the hell off my lawn before I get a few of my buddies to take you off!"
Corso adjusted his hat and smiled at her now familiar spunk. "Very well, Miss Wallace. It seems as though I've hit a dead end. You should be careful from now on though. Have a nice day."
"Wait! What do you mean 'I should be careful?'"
"Not everything is what it seems to be. I know this better than anyone and I'm just trying to pass on a useful bit of advice. Goodbye, Miss Wallace. I have other matters to attend to."
And with those cryptic words, Corso left Victoria alone with her car in the afternoon sun.
Saturday, January, 6
3:25 P.M.
Okashima Police Department
The booming of the gun finally stopped and an eerie silence replaced it, filling the ghostly police station like a dense fog on a chilly autumn night. "What do you say we call it a draw?" Jack said wiping the blood from a stinging cut along his cheek.
"You just don't get it do you? You filthy Americans think everything must be resolved with peace. Well, it's not going to happen!"
Jack smirked. "Oh really? Because by my count you don't have any ammo left in that Glock. So unless you have a backup mag, you're screwed."
The sound of Tom's malicious laughter filled the air, and then the room once again echoed with the thunderous discharge of his weapon.
"Figures," Jack muttered as he readied the dagger, his palm slick with sweat against the grip. He remembered his old man teaching him a few tricks with an old hunting knife and now it looked like they'd come in handy.
He listened to the timing of Tom's wasted shots and then dived out into the open accordingly, throwing the dagger sharply by the blade. It zipped like lightning straight towards the Organization's second in command and pierced the hand wielding the gun as if it were hot butter. The bloody Glock clattered to the floor as Thomas held his hand. The man made no sound though, he just winced and yanked the blade from his hand.
"Ah, so that's how it felt when Smith stabbed that red headed bitch. Shark told me all about that first week when we were starting up the computers yesterday and how much Smith had enjoyed hearing her agonized screams. It was quite entertaining."
Jack instantly remembered the deep wound in Kasumi's right hand when he had found her in the woods. He jammed a knife through her hand!
Tom laughed at Jack's look of utter rage and easily tossed the dagger back towards his opponent. The plan had worked perfectly. That little distraction had blinded him with anger and distracted him from the fight. Jack Wallace was his to kill, and now there would be no stopping him.
The blade sailed straight towards Jack's chest as if it were an arrow, and it was far too late to react. However, it was obvious that this British man had no experience throwing knives, because the heavy silver handle is what pounded him in the ribs, not the deadly blade. Still, it hurt like hell and Jack fell to his knees, wheezing.
"You aren't so tough without your gun." Tom snickered as he slowly revealed a familiar Beretta strapped to his belt. Jack's Beretta. "I think this will make a nice addition to my collection, Jack, courtesy of the evidence locker. Maybe I'll even use it to finish your cute little girlfriend after Smith is done gutting her."
His pain became nonexistent as those words rang in his ears. "You will not lay a finger on Kaz! I'll make sure of that..."
Thomas shrugged. "We'll see, Jack."
The British assassin leveled the Glock down at Jack's head and pulled the trigger, but the American rolled swiftly to the side and jumped to his feet. However, he had to take a second to regain his balance, and Thomas was getting angry. So instead of keeping it cool, the Organization goon fired off another shot in Jack's general direction without even bothering to take aim. He was pleasantly surprised to hear the man howl in pain after the shot rang out, blood staining the left side of his navy blue shirt. The bullet had apparently cut into his skin pretty deeply, but since the shot was fired at just the right angle, it was deflected by one of his ribs.
Jack grabbed his side and stumbled backwards, enraged by Thomas and scared for Kasumi. He had to stay calm and think. Thomas lined up the gun for another shot and fired, this time hitting Jack right where his right lung should be. Jack flew backwards and landed on the ground, stunned by how things had turned out.
Saturday, January 6
2:28 P.M.
Organization Compound 32
Shark smiled as he opened the mysterious CYPHER file and waited for the secrets of Smith to be revealed. Yet, he was surprised to find nothing of value. At least nothing substantial.
"What the--?" He muttered as the file popped up on screen.
There was nothing. Absolutely nothing but a progress report on what Shark already knew. After all, he had committed half of the things outlined in this report himself. But why would Smith, the head of the Organization, be making a progress report to someone else? This was definitely bigger than some gold mine. Something much bigger. He shut down the computer and grabbed his suit jacket. Maybe he should make a trip back to the hospital to see just what was going on with that Shinobi girl. And if she didn't want to talk about it, he knew that he could force it out of her as long as Jack wasn't near. He didn't spend all those years in medical school to be wasted solely for the gain of others. He wanted a payoff and he wanted some answers, but most of all he just wanted out, no matter what the cost.
Saturday, January 6
2:30 P.M.
Okashima Police Department
Thomas walked up to him and smiled. "Well, seeing as how you've only got a few minutes to live, I suppose I'll tell you exactly how I plan on killing her..."
Jack shook his head and tried to breathe, but couldn't. The pounding pain in his chest clouded his mind and all he could think about was one person. 'Kaz...'
"I think I'll start off by taking my lighter and burning her hands and feet until she passes out. Then I'll wake her and..."
Jack was wondering why he wasn't bleeding all over the place and why he wasn't tasting blood. Maybe if Thomas wasn't too busy gloating, he might actually notice that Jack wasn't really dying.
Slowly, Jack reached up into his jacket pocket and smiled as he retrieved a heavy steel case which contained the thick deck of cards that had taken the bullet for him, thus saving his life; the same deck that he had used to play poker with Kasumi and the others last week. While Thomas was in mid-sentence and laughing, Jack used his leg to sweep his feet out from under him, then he jumped to his own feet once again and smashed his foot into Thomas' gut, making the man flinch in pain and gasp for air. When he was down, Jack sprang into the air and came down hard on Tom's vulnerable chest, knees first, cracking a few ribs with brutal force. As the English man struggled to free himself, Jack brought his left fist crashing down upon his face and followed it up with a powerful right hook. Tom's head snapped sideways and blood trickled from his nose.
"That's all you've got?" he smirked, slightly surprised to see the man still alive. "That barely stung, Jack. I have to say I'm more than a little disappointed."
"I'm just warming up."
Tom merely grunted and grabbed Jack's leather jacket, using all his strength to throw the enraged detective off his body and skidding across the floor.
But Jack rolled as he made contact with the tile surface and then quickly jumped to his feet, already prepared to throw a punch. But when he turned around to face Thomas, he found himself staring down the barrel of his own gun.
"Goodbye, Jack. I'll make sure to take good care of Kasumi for you."
Jack gritted his teeth and clenched his hands into fists. 'No, this isn't over yet. I won't die here in this slum!'
Just as the trigger of the dark Beretta was squeezed, Jack reached into his pocket and, in an act of desperation, hurled his cell phone at Thomas's face, hoping it would buy him some time. The small silver phone made its impact just seconds before the shot rang out. Fortunately, the phone had thrown off Tom's aim and the bullet strayed from its intended path.
"Bloody hell!" Thomas cursed as he held his eye.
Jack grinned and took a step forward, grabbing Tom firmly with both hands on his shoulders. Then he used his knee and swiftly jabbed it into his gut until the British man dropped the Beretta. Then as Thomas stumbled backwards, Jack delivered a lightning fast left jab and followed it up with a powerful uppercut to the jaw. After that, he interlocked his fingers and made a huge fist club with both his hands and bashed it into the side of the European's head sending him crashing to the floor in a heap.
But even as Thomas was going down he reached for Jack's leg, grabbing it and pulling it forward causing the man to lose his footing. He took the precious few seconds that the maneuver had bought him to climb to his feet, but when he got up he was forced to instantly block the now predictable right hook that Jack was so comfortable using. Then, with Jack's arm in his hand, Thomas delivered a wicked mid range kick to Jack's wound, causing him to grab his sides and double over in pain.
Jack knew that he had no time to recover if he wanted to stay alive so he decided to rely on pure instinct and reflex instead of trying to plan out his attacks based on his opponents patterns. He needed something truly devastating so he waited for the man to strike again. He felt the incoming blow before he heard or saw it and simply reached out and blocked Thomas' leg with his forearm like it was nothing. Then Jack rushed forward in a crouched position and slammed his shoulder sharply into Tom's chest making the British man stumble backwards and start to fall. But instead of simply letting the man hit the ground, Jack reached out and grabbed his shirt with surprising strength and lifted him off of the ground with a single arm. Then he smashed his free fist into his opponents face again and again until Tom stopped struggling and became still. Then Jack hurled him to the ground and took a deep breath of air.
"You haven't... won... yet, Mr. Wallace."
Jack bent down to pick up his elegant weapon and grinned. "Save it for your boss, asshole. I should kill you now, but instead I will send you on your way with a message. Tell Smith that I've got an ace up my sleeve. And next time I see him, I'm going to have a full clip."
"You think he gives a damn about you and your empty words?"
Jack raised his eyebrows as Thomas cackled on the floor.
"No, Jack. He wants you to come. He would like nothing more than to have you watch while he kills her. It would be quite a show, really."
"We'll see about that."
"You know she hasn't got a chance in the world. Knowing Smith and his habits, Kasumi's as good as dead. Or maybe he'll just sell her as a slave girl on the black market. I'm sure a girl like that would make a fine prize. I'd imagine we'd turn quite a profit on a piece of ass--Ugh!"
"Shut up!" Jack hissed, brutally kicking Tom in the ribs once again.
"You'll lose...eventually..." Tom wheezed as he glanced at his watch. "You don't...have a chance to save her...even if you do find--"
The detective noticed how his opponent checked the time and that worried him. "You got an important date or something?"
Tom snickered. "Why don't you ask your little Japanese skank about it?"
Jack had heard enough so he then pistol whipped Thomas across his face. "What the hell is that supposed to mean!"
Thomas simply spit out one of his teeth and cackled on the floor like a crazed maniac. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
"If you aren't going to talk, then you're useless. And useless things get thrown away so maybe I should just kill you." Jack paused and smiled darkly. Killing one of the men that caused Kasumi to suffer so badly seemed to be looking like a pretty good idea right about now. "That'd really make my day."
Thomas smiled knowing that in his condition it was only a matter of time before someone killed him anyway. But if he had to die, this would be how he wanted it to end. "Well, you better hurry up and get it over with before it's too late. I mean if you wait too long, you won't get back in time to watch Smith take that bitch and her sister. I hope Smith does sell her. I can only imagine what the slave market would do to her. She'd never recover from that shit. That delicate girl will fall to pieces when her master rapes her over and over and-- "
Jack's deep black pool of anger came flooding to the surface had again consumed the better side of his judgment like a raging wildfire as the thoughts of Kasumi being treated in such a defecating and torturous manner entered his mind. Jack squeezed the trigger once, then again, then again and again and again until Thomas Wilson was a bloody mess splattered on the police station floor and on his clothes. He was almost unrecognizable. After he was done, he went and got his stuff from the evidence room and walked back to where the man's body lay and sighed. He was glad Kasumi had not seen what he had just done, but he had no choice. If the mercenary had lived, then he would only cause more trouble for them down the road. Trouble that they couldn't afford.
There was no question that the British man was right and such a horrible thing would damage and annihilate her innocent nature and the mere thought of such a thing happening to his love drove him into doing something that just wasn't like him. And sadly, he now regretted his rash actions knowing that this time, he had committed murder. Or was it self defense? At this point he no longer cared and he knew that it didn't matter anyway because the entire police department was nothing more than a sham made by Smith. Jack then dragged the body outside to the back alley of the station, checking his pockets for anything that could be of use. But there was nothing but an old lighter, a worn business card from a local bar with a number scribbled on the back, and some cash. The man didn't even have any ID on him. He was like a ghost. Jack placed all the items found on Thomas into his jacket and stood up.
'Who are you!'
He shook his head and considered the man's statement concerning Smith carefully, knowing that Kasumi was especially vulnerable right now and if he played this the wrong way, she wasn't going to live to see her next birthday. If Smith really knew--
Without warning, the entire police station erupted into a superheated ball of flames, consuming everyone inside like a hungry monster of death.
"Holy shit!"
Jack bolted for the street but a secondary explosion then rocked the area, causing him to lose his footing and fall flat on his face. As he was trying to climb to his feet, a large piece of debris came flying out of nowhere and nailed him in the back of the head, again sending him crashing to the ground in a heap. Jack's vision blurred and he coughed loudly from the dust cloud that he had generated with is fall.
'Sorry, Kasumi,' he thought, 'I've let you down... again...'
All the colors of the brightly lit afternoon swirled together and melted into a dark abyss.
Saturday, January 6
5:02 P.M.
Myamoto's Apartment
Ayane sat up and switched on the old television in front of her, wishing there was something useful to do. The sound of Kasumi's peaceful snoring made it almost impossible to read so she had to drown it out. Besides, Myamoto's selection of literature was weak and most of it was about technical crap that she couldn't understand even if she wanted to. As the dark screen slowly came to life, Ayane was rendered speechless at the sight of what she saw. The picture cleared slowly and came into focus just as the camera from a small news helicopter caught sight of the police station, or at least what was left of it, being consumed by flames and smoke. Debris was scattered all around the building and even into the city streets where all the traffic had been blocked off with orange cones.
"...no survivors have been found yet. It looks as though one of the prisoners tried to escape with one of the officer's firearms, killing anyone who tried to stop him. After eliminating everyone else in the building and setting fire to the station, the suspect seems to have vanished. As far as we can tell, the killer was being detained for murdering a park ranger last month, but we have no details on the status of the suspect at this time..."
Ayane froze as she muted the television. "This is bad...this is very bad..."
Myamoto walked into the room and saw her face. "What is it now? Is the coffee still too strong? I dumped a whole bottle of cream in it. It's practically milk now."
Ayane remained silent, not sure of what to say. "I think Jack's... dead."
"What!" Myamoto yelled. "What the hell are you talking about!"
Kasumi started from her light nap at the sound of Myamoto's shocked voice and winced from the sudden movement. Unfortunately, her body was still very sore. "What's going on? Are we in trouble?"
"Yeah." Myamoto looked into her eyes, and she instantly knew something very bad had happened. "I think...um...How do I say this...?"
Ayane faced her sister. "Jack's gone," she said bluntly with a steady voice. "He died in the police station just now trying to escape. Sorry."
Kasumi shook her head in denial. "You're just trying to hurt me, Ayane. You just want to make me cry again. Well, it's not going to work this time."
"It's not like that! He's really dead. I just saw it myself."
The injured red head locked eyes with her sister and refused to see the truth behind Ayane's words, blinded by her own faith. "Stop it! Why are you always so mean to me? What have I done to you!"
"Are you sure you saw this, Ayane?"
"See for yourself!" She growled angrily as she restored the television's volume, sitting back as both Kasumi and Myamoto just stared at the television. However, the story Ayane had just witnessed was now over and the reporters had moved on to a story about a severe car crash on the freeway that took place this morning.
This lack of proof caused Kasumi to feel something she had never felt towards anyone in a very long time, much less her only sister. It seemed like this was the straw that finally broke the camel's back and Kasumi just wasn't taking it anymore. Her heart raced at a million miles an hour and her palms became slick with a thin layer of sweat. She was utterly furious and her burning copper eyes reflected the emotion with unmistakable clarity. "How could you lie to me like that! After all we've been through together you still want to make me hurt! Haven't I been through enough, or do you just want to see me dead like all the others!"
Ayane was rendered speechless. She had never actually managed to make Kasumi this angry and wasn't sure she liked it. But she could dish it right back. "Back off! I know what I saw and if you can't take losing someone, I suggest you stop trying to make friends because everyone you ever get close to will just end up sharing your gruesome fate! By loving Jack, you are actually condemning him! How many people are you willing to sacrifice before you wake up?"
Kasumi gasped and blinked her eyes rapidly to dissipate the building tears. She didn't realize it then, but she had unknowingly clenched her hands into tight fists. So tight that her elegant polished nails were beginning to make marks in her soft skin. "You don't know what it's like!" she yelled with tears in her eyes. "They're trying to kill me for protecting my family. They want me dead because I was the only one that cared enough to take action! But the silence, the harsh environment, the utter loneliness of it all is just too much... it's too much!"
Myamoto was at first only interested in breaking up the fight to maintain peace, but now he wanted to know just where this was going so he stood back and made himself very inconspicuous.
Ayane again silenced the TV and got off the chair so she could stand up and look down at her broken sister, forgetting any concern she may have once held for her. "You need to wake up and smell the roses because you made a choice to leave and with that choice comes total isolation until your day has come. If you can't handle it then just give up now and let Hayate win."
"Jack's not dead!" she practically screamed. "I can't believe you, Ayane! Maybe you would understand how I felt if you had the capacity to feel compassion, but it looks like Master Genra ruined you back when we were kids. What worthless lies did he feed you to make you hate me so much? Well I'm glad he's dead because now you have some vague idea of what I feel like every second I'm awake! I refuse to be forced into the idea that just because I left home that I have to spend the rest of my life in lonely misery. Just because you're all by yourself in the world with no one to care for you doesn't mean that I have to be alone too! "
As soon as the venomous words lift her lips, Kasumi gasped in shock and tightly clamped both of her hands over her mouth.
Ayane stared at her, saying nothing for quite some time. She was thrown into frigid silence at what Kasumi just said and didn't know quite how to respond. Finally she narrowed her eyes into hateful slits and glared down at her sister. "Back when I found out about Ayame and Raidou and everyone else cast me out, you were the one that told me that I would never be alone as long as you were around. That no matter what, you would always be there for me. And you know what? I actually believed you," she whispered with an unsteady voice. "But I see now that I was wrong. I can't believe I was ever even worried about you, you filthylittle bitch! I don't need you or your stupid boyfriend! Screw all of you! I'm better off alone!" She yelled, now with hot tears streaking her face.
Kasumi was stunned to find out that she could even make Ayane feel pain, but she had tried anyway and surprisingly succeeded in her selfish mission. But now she was overcome with a feeling of guilt unlike anything she had ever experienced before and she never wanted to feel it again. This emotion was so strong that it washed away her fury like it were nothing more than soil on a river bed. Her heart pounded ferociously in her chest like it were going to explode in a matter of seconds and her stomach felt as if it were trying to swallow itself whole. "Ayane... I didn't mean... I don't..."
"Shut up! You've made yourself all too clear. I hope Smith does find you and I hope he makes you suffer before you die! It's too bad I won't be around to enjoy the show. Looks like I'll just have to use my imagination until I find some pictures of your rotting corpse."
With those hate filled words Ayane wiped her face and ran out of the apartment door, her arms at her sides and her hands balled into fists of rage.
"I have no idea what's going on," Myamoto said, "but I'm going to find out."
Kasumi watched the hacker with blurred vision as he grabbed his jacket and ran out of the open door after the purple headed kunoichi.
"Wait!" Kasumi wailed. "Ayane come back! I didn't mean it! I'm sorry!"
But her pained voice echoed throughout the empty hall for no one to hear. Her heart throbbed with profound agony at what she had just done to the sister she treasured so much and Kasumi buried her face in her arms and sobbed. 'What have I done...?'
