Authors Note: Thanks for the idea inspiring review, Rocketfist. I could have sworn I posted this chapter earlier, but I cant be sure. Anyways, here we go again...(I think)

As the woman continued to fire the revolver, a sudden swirling ball of light soared towards her from around the corner. A quiet 'snap' was heard through the darkness, and the woman screamed as the ball of light engulfed her.

"Nice job, Trish." said Jack as the two continued into the hall. Tristina was about to reply when another splicer ran towards them. "Why are you making this so HARD for me?" she screamed, firing wildly at the two.

Tristina slashed her hand through the air, and a wave of light struck the woman across the face. letting out a high pitched shriek, the woman collapsed and was still. "Jack, are you..." Tristina stopped as she saw her friend laying on the floor, his beige knitted sweat beginning to form a pool of red in his chest.

"T-truh..." Jack stammered, beads of sweat forming along his forehead and running down his face. "Hang on, Jack, hang on." Tristina whispered, digging at the bag on her side.

"Lass, get the lad to the vita chamber! It'll patch him up better than you can!" Atlas advised from the walkie.

"Vita chamber. right." Tristina whispered, hoisting Jack onto her back and, staggering slightly under his and his weapons weight, began to trudge back towards the Medical pavilions entrance. "Hurry, Lass!" Atlas cried from Jacks walkie.

"This better work." Tristina growled. closing her eyes and gritting her teeth. after a few minutes, Tristina felt a burning pain at her ankles and felt herself begin to hover slightly off the grimy black and white tiled ground. with a resounding BOOM, Tristina took off towards the receptionists desk.

shooting past it, Tristina pulled her feet towards the ground and stumbled a little as she re-made contact with the ground. using her momentum from her flight, Tristina jogged towards the bright blue chamber.

Prying open the glass doors, Tristina half shoved half hoisted Jack into the midst of the electric blue light. closing the doors, Tristina trembled as her adrenaline coursed through her body as a electric blue glow engulfed Jack.

Leaning against the wall, Tristina rubbed her ankles to ease the sting from the burning sensation she had experienced earlier. "Oh Manka." Tristina sighed, trying to get herself to stop shaking.

Looking up at the chamber, she watched as wave after wave of blue light washed over Jack. As she stared, mesmerized, she didn't notice Jack's eyes slowly fluttering open.

As the blue glow slowly faded, Jack straightened up and pushed the chamber doors. "J-jack?" Tristina stammered, unconsciously backing against the wall. "Tristina? what the hell happened?" Jack asked, running his hands through his dirty blond hair.

"You were shot, Jack. here." Tristina said, pointing to her chest. "Atlas told me to bring you here, so I did." "Wheres the angel?" Jack asked, looking around. "Angel?" Tristina asked, just as confused.

"Yeah. while we were flying, I thought I saw..." Jack stared at Tristina, then pointing to his own back. "Never mind." said Jack, running his fingers through his hair again. "Come on, lets get back to where we were." said Jack firmly, walking ahead to the entry way.

Breathing a quiet sigh of relief, Tristina glanced over her own shoulder then hurried off after Jack with a slight skip in her step.

It was not difficult.

Stepping down into a water filled area, Jack sloshed past a woman he had just electrocuted. The vending machine was unlike any other Tristina had seen. "Circus of Value?" Tristina asked, reading the name on the panel.

She folded her ears back at the face of the clown wearing a teal blue ruffle collar, white makeup, and red markings around his lips, nose, and mouth. "Okay, lets see here..." said Jack, inspecting the machine.

"What are you looking for?" Tristina asked, uneasily drawing closer to the machine. "A way to...a ha!" Jack pulled out a golden nob revealing a set of wires and more tiny clear tubes.

"A way to what?" Tristina asked. "Hack this machine so we don't have to pay so much for stuff." Jack explained, stretching his hands into the small space. "Oh" Tristina replied as she leaned against the grime covered wall, her feet and ankles now numb to the icy chill of the water.

"Hey Trish?" Jack asked suddenly, still focused on working with the machine.

Tristina's ears perked forward, attentively listening to the young man as he squatted in front of the vending machine.

"Yes, Jack?"

"Thanks."

Tristina relaxed, smiling quietly to herself as Jack continued to tinker with the vending machine. He's thanking me for saving his life.

"Your welcome." Tristina replied, staring blankly out into the filthy medical pavilion hallway.

"Why?"

Tristina rolled her head to Jack, frowning. "Why what?" she asked, her eyebrows knitting together.

"Why'd you save me?"

Tristina chuckled as she remembered asking Jack the exact same question. "I figured everybody deserves a second chance." Tristina said, smiling as she quoted Jack from earlier. Tristina's grin broadened as Jack chuckled.

"Hey Trish?" Jack asked, still working with the machine.

"mmm?"

"On the flight, your feet and wrists were shackled. why?"

Tristina's heart dropped into her stomach as she closed her eyes and held her hands to her chest...

"Run! Run! Its Tarkama!"

"Run!"

Tristina raced against the crowd, staff in her hand as the more common villagers raced towards the exit. Flames leapt from various wooden huts around her, hot thick smoke pillowing into the cool night air. The flames bathed the area in red, orange and yellow as the heat cocooned the village square. small sparks of yellow occasionally flew into the air from the various huts bathed in flames. Upon hearing a maniacal laughter, Tristina turned with a snarl to face a tall man with shimmering emerald green eyes. the glow of the flames danced off his chiseled features as his greasy black hair framed his face. a few black strands lashed across the front of his face as he continued to grin insanely. "Surprise." Tarkama said softly as the screams of villagers continued to echo around them...

"Tristina?"

Tristina snapped out of her daydream to find herself on her hands and knees in the freezing water, trembling. "You alright, Trish?" Jack asked, squatting next to her in the water. "Yeah." Tristina's voice broke as she wiped her eyes, which she realized were wet.

"Yeah just...er...remembering something." Tristina said, standing up. "About your shack-" "I'd rather not discuss my shackles right now, if its alright." Tristina replied, cutting Jack off mid sentence.

"Okay, Trish. Okay." said Jack, backing away at the suddenly irritated wolf.

"Anyways," said Jack, changing the subject. "I hacked the vending machine and got us a few pep bars, some ammo, as well as some purified water." said Jack, handing Tristina the items as he listed them.

"So that makes three pep bars, a couple dozen ammo for your guns," Tristina listed, rustling around the bag at her side. "a few first aid kits, some med hypos, some eve hypos, and 3 new bottles of purified water." Jack nodded and peered out of the alcove they had taken shelter in.

"So what now?" Jacked asked. "We find Steinman" said Tristina, bathing her hands in Ki in emphasis.