(A/N): Hey everyone! I hope you all had a nice Christmas/Hanukah/holiday, and a new year as well! I'm not ready for 2014. I keep on thinking, "2010 was 4 years ago now" and it freaks me out a bit. Still, I'm hoping this will be a good year (year of the horse, to those who are interested) and that everything goes well for you all :)

Wow this was another chapter that I really hated. Not the whole thing, just the end part, really. I would write a load, then change my mind and rewrite it and it would take ages, then change my mind again, and it just took ages, so sorry about the wait. My writer's block was huge. I hate writer's block.

Also, fanfiction went weird, and I couldn't access 'manage stories' to upload the chapter, which was very annoying. I was meant to upload this two days ago on Sunday, but it ended up that I couldn't.

I've been back at school for a few days now :( I'm really tired. And the teachers are giving us loads of homework...I'll try to upload when I can, but it might be tricky due to controlled assessments and revision. Sorry about that.

Last time, I asked about what to do with perspectives for the next story. I think I might carry on writing in John's point of view, simply because I can write the best in his. There will be other point of views, like in this story, and they might be more frequent. It won't be a completely John central fic, and will focus a bit more on a different character, but he'll still play a part. I just find said character's perspective a bit too tricky to write in to do for the entire story, which is why I think I'll stick with John's instead.

Ok review answer time!
To CatMaz: I would have felt way too guilty doing otherwise :) I hope your Christmas was great!
To 14AmyChan: Hahaha definitely :)
To Good Anonymous: Sorry for killing you with the cliff hanger, I promise that I don't enjoy torturing you. I'm glad that you liked the chapter, I certainly found it a relief to write! I didn't like killing Houshou. Thanks, my Christmas was really good! How was yours?
To WhisperToTheWolves: Thank you! I'm glad you found it cute, that's what I was planning on ;) Yeah, the police officers were fun to create, and next chapter, I'll make sure to describe them a bit more. Are they realistic? Thank you!
To Li Clark: Thank you! I'll try and update as soon as I can, but unfortunately revision can get in the way a lot. Nonetheless, I'll try and keep things regular (I've never gone months without updating, so don't worry! I know it's really annoying when authors don't update for ages)
To NaginiFay: You're absolutely right there!
To Raven's Shadow: Hahaha yes, I thought that, since it was Christmas and everything, I would make sure the chapter ended happily. There are still more mysteries to solve, though, like you said, so I thought I'd treat John to a non-chaotic ending before everything starts up again...:P
To NightOfTheWriters: First of all, I love your shipping attitude. John/Kazuki is a very cute ship in my opinion, and I know I feel so guilty all the time about killing Kazuki :/ And I will be explaining why Saburou and co. at the Ward were torturing people, don't worry! I hope your Christmas was great too!
To Lizzy: Don't worry, I'm not that mean :P
To Ananas: Hahaha, you're welcome ;) I've written a little more about Chosovi in the next chapter, so you'll have to wait until then, I'm afraid
To ThatCrazyGinger: Congratulations, you are the first person I've talked to on this website who ships John/Takigawa! I SHIP THEM TOO. IT'S MY OTP. You have no idea how happy your review made me. Heh heh heh I see you liked the kiss :D Unfortunately, the ship is pretty small, so my actions are limited, and a lot of people reading don't actually want John to get with anyone, so it's a bit hard to decide what to do, which is why I never mentioned that I shipped them shhh don't tell anyone. You may have read my author's note about how I was going to tread lightly with romance, that is partly because of this. But even so, we can still be squealy over it all! ;)
To morganallisan: I really liked your review, because one of the reasons I wrote this fanfic was to try and create a personal story for John that people could connect to, so this made me really happy, and I'm really glad that you found a new love for him :D Do you ship John/Takigawa? (I hope so) And I'm glad you can see the love, because that's what I hopes. I don't mind how people interpret it, like platonic or friendship or romantic, but there is definitely a very deep relationship after every that's happened. And I love your description of John, it was what I was aiming for!

Thank you for reading, favouriting, following and reviewing this story! Thank you for all your support, and I hope that this year is an absolutely fabulous year for you all!

Here comes chapter 34!

It took a long time to explain everything to Sinead – right from the beginning. Not just from the hospital, but from the day I first met Kazuki in the hospital. For the entirety of my explanation, she remained still, listening intently. Not once did she interrupt, or even ask questions while I spoke. And for almost the entire time, she had a shocked, yet thoughtful look on her face as she comprehended the information.

We had taken Houshou to a small inn in Shiroku, a tidy building with neat hedges at the front, and gave the impression of pouring in effort to highly maintain a business that was not used much. There was even a car park available, but it was almost completely empty, despite being open for public use, and we were easily able to park the two eight-seated cars there. Inside the inn, Chosovi and another officer immediately tended to the injured Houshou, making use of the few medical facilities available. Chosovi was efficient and fast working, yet was so tentative and gentle that Houshou barely made a noise. The other officer, who looked European, seemed much more uncertain, and watched Chosovi as he observed every movement she made. I briefly remembered Sinead muttering that he was new. Now, Houshou was sleeping, and Sinead and I had been quietly conversing near him.

Sinead took a deep breath. "…How did this happen?" She murmured. "How did I not know?"

"There was no way you could have." I assured her. Then I asked, "Actually, what made you come over here?"

She exhaled. "…When I got the message from your 'colleague' about your business trip or whatever, I became suspicious and investigated. But before I could really fully start an inquiry, I was pulled into a nasty business at some temples in Mexico involving a drug ring. By the time I managed to get away from it all, and reached Tokyo, Kazuya told me you were gone, and I set off to find you."

I smiled. "Thank you."

She smiled back. "Of course I would come and find you." Then, looking at Houshou, she added, "…So, he knows?"

I knew what she was talking about. "…Yeah."

"And he accused you of having schizophrenia?"

"Yeah, but…he knows he made a mistake."

Sinead did not look so convinced. "Hm. Well, I know you've forgiven him, but…"

"He saved my life on that cliff. He knew he would probably die, but he did it anyway."

Sinead frowned. "…Fine. But I still don't like him much."

"…Sinead."

"Mm?"

"What…is Roku Monsuta?"

She looked troubled. "…Not here. I'll explain later."

I nodded, then fell quiet. This time, Sinead spoke up.

"So…you think they put you in an anechoic chamber?" Her voice was soft.

I pursed my lips and nodded. "Yeah. I think so." I sighed. "Sinead…I don't want to remember. But I keep on remembering things. And I want it to stop, and remained locked up."

She put a hand on my shoulder. "You've been remembering things, but I doubt that…that memory will come back so easily, if your mind is so determined to forget it. And I won't let anyone force you into anything."

Her words troubled me. "Wait, you think people will?"

She grimaced. "The police have gotten themselves into a lot of trouble by not acting, and they will be determined to try and redeem themselves. And…Roku Monsuta is much, much bigger than you think. So, don't tell anyone that you once knew about it. Don't tell anyone about that writing you found at the ward. Or rather, don't tell anyone that we think you wrote it. Also, I have a feeling that Oliver might try and convince you to try hypnotic therapy again. Knowing him, he'll be investigating already. Actually, he was the one who sent the Japanese officers, I think. So don't let him do that on you, not after what happened last time."

At that moment, Lin walked in through the door, followed by an officer who was called Andy.

"Hey!" She called excitedly to Sinead, holding up a bag. "I found this bakery, and they do cherry cake!"

Lin looked less enthusiastic. "The area is clear. No sign of colleague-san or any threats."

"Good." She gestured to Houshou with her head, and Andy quietened down. "We'll stay here for the night. The place is pretty much empty, so you'll have no trouble getting a room. Stay in at least groups of three, and make sure one of you is awake at all times."

Darkness fell surprisingly quickly, and Sinead and I spent the entire time talking. Conor came in, and joined the conversation, being brought up to speed with the situation.

"…So, you were right about the 4XS files, then." He mentioned to Sinead, after we told him about Roku Monsuta.

"What's that?"

"Remember that agent who went missing? Matthew Forcit? He was investigating 4XS. So was Sophia Shole."

Something clicked in my mind. "…Kazuya mentioned that they were investigating a smuggling ring. Is that what 4XS is about?"

"Yeah." Sinead nodded. "Actually, he and Matthew met, once. In Ireland."

"What happened in Ireland?" I asked.

"Nothing major, really."

"So…is Roku Monsuta the name of the smuggling ring?"

"Yeah. But it's a lot bigger than that." Something was troubling Sinead, I could tell, but she did not speak up about it. Instead, she glanced at her watch.

"It's late. You should get some rest; you look exhausted. I'll keep watch."

I knew that Sinead would protect me if anything happened. I knew I was safe now. But I could not dispel the fear from my mind. It was illogical, but I couldn't help it. So, once more, instead of taking a bed, I curled up in the corner, while Houshou slept in the bed. The rooms were big, with a sleeping area and a communal area, where Sinead was sitting on a sofa, gun at the ready. Roku Monsuta…what was it exactly? I knew it was a smuggling ring now, and had something to do with Mattaku, but Sinead had said there was more to it than that. What had she meant? And how had I learnt of it? When we had been in the forest, those men had mentioned something about an office. And that spirit from the ward told me I knew what was in there. So, my amnesia was blocking whatever I had learnt. Was it important? It sounded important. Yet…Sinead said not to mention it to anyone, in case they forced me to remember. What should I do?

It had been a long day, that felt more like a month. I had no energy left. But I was safe. I relished the thought over and over again. I wasn't alone anymore. Sinead was here, and the police had been forced to investigate, too. Colleague would not be able to get me so easily now. Regardless, the fear was still there, swirling around me hungrily. I closed my eyes, trying to ignore it.

Someone puts something on my back. Something cold and wet. I bite my lip to try and stop myself from making a noise, and take a deep breath.

I'm lying down somewhere. Back in my cell. Not in solitary isolation anymore.

Painfully, I sit up, resting on my arms. Matthew is beside me. He looks grim.

"You ok?" He asks.

I exhale, and shake my head.

"You did well." He says. "When I first went there, I passed out immediately. I hear you were awake for longer."

I pale. "They…they branded you too?" The word seems obscene and dirty.

He nods. "…Yeah. Twice."

"How did I get here?"

"That doctor brought you here. The half-American one."

Kazuki. I look down. "…Why?"

"I don't know. Not many doctors here care about what happens in solitary isolation."

"…What's an anechoic chamber?" I ask, thinking back to their words.

Matthew's eyes widened. "What, did they put you in there?!" He sounds angry and scared.

I shake my head. "But they mentioned it. They said…that another patient was in there."

Matthew pales again. "Damn it. Claudia."

I tilt my head. "Who?"

"She was sent there yesterday. Claudia Howe. Friedrich Howe's sister. The one who got him the lead in the first place." He rubs his hand over his face and through his hair. "…I knew she was gone, but the anechoic chamber…" He shivers.

"How do you know she's…gone?"

"I asked about her. One of the orderlies said she'd 'gone for a walk'. From my experience, it means they're dead."

I shuddered. "What is the anechoic chamber?"

"Ritsuka Amane told you about it. The silent room."

The blood drains from my face as he continues talking. "Look, don't think about it. Just try not to end up in solitary isolation again."

I nod. It's the last place I want to end up.

"How's your back?"

"…Better." It still hurts, a lot. And it doesn't really feel better.

"Well, I'm afraid you're going to have to go to your session soon."

All too soon, I am back in that room with Kazuki. He does not look at me, although I stare at him the entire time, daring him to make eye contact. I notice his face is badly bruised.

"…Why did you take me out of there?" I ask, breaking the quietness.

"Because they had no right to take you there." He answers, still not looking at me.

"Do you know about the anechoic chamber?"

He pales, but says, "No. I don't know what you're talking about."

I laugh bitterly. "You're lying. You know exactly what it is, don't you? You know what happens in that place. Why do you pretend there's nothing there? That you're completely unaware of what happens here, and how many have died?"

Finally, he looks up. "You don't know them." He tells me, his voice solemn. "Why do you think I'm back here? Do you think I want to be here?" He looks away. "Slipping and hitting my head, having to go to hospital…that was a miracle. It gave me an excuse to get away from this place. I lied about the details, and I was off for months. But of course it wouldn't last." He says bitterly. "Once you're here, you can never get out." He touches his face briefly. "They did this to me because I got you out of there, and confronted Saburou about it. They did worse to me when they found out I had been off for longer than I needed."

I do not answer him for a moment. Then I ask, "Why did you tell them about me? Why did you turn me in?"

He does not give me an explanation.

The next day, I am cleaning the halls again. But I cannot see Ritsuka. Instead, a different patient is here, cleaning the floors and not giving me so much as a glance. He must know I was in solitary isolation, and doesn't want to talk to me, in case he ends up there himself.

And orderly comes by to make sure we aren't, I don't know, killing each other or something ridiculous. I quickly ask,

"Where's Ritsuka Amane?"

"She went on a walk."

The orderly did not say that. Instead, I see Saburou has entered the room, leaning against a table. The orderly scurries away to a safe distance. The other patient simply walks to another part of the room.

"What did you say?"

"I said, she went on a walk."

His words fill me with dread and sorrow. Ritsuka is dead.

"…How?"

"She collapsed. I don't think she ate enough. Heart attack."

I stare at the floor, feeling anger and grief wash through me. Saburou walks forwards.

"You know, Brooks got you out of solitary isolation." He mentions.

"I am aware."

"It's such a shame. You two got quite…friendly, didn't you? I was surprised. He's never got that close to somebody before."

I say nothing, and he continues. "Do you know why you're here, pretty boy?"

"He told you about me."

"Well, sort of. I made him tell me about you."

I tense. "What do you mean?"

"I can be very…persuasive sometimes, pretty boy." He walks over to me, and his hand presses down on my back, where the number is. I gasp in pain.

"Like that. I'm persuasive with my actions."

I feel sick. "You tortured him."

"Mm." He acknowledges. "That's one way of putting it."

"Son of a bitch." I hiss, despite myself.

He just shrugs. "Well, he deserved it. He really didn't want to. He was very fond of you, you know. I'm not sure what hurt him most: me, or having to sell you in."

I contain my anger. I don't want to end up in solitary isolation. Calm down. He's just provoking you.

He looks over at me. "Nothing?"

I look away.

"I thought you'd have more to say than that."

I start cleaning the floor again, ignoring him. Somehow, it makes him uncomfortable that I am not responding, I think. Why is that?

I glance up. The other orderly is watching intently. Is that it? Saburou wants to keep up his dominance or something?

Saburou suddenly grabs me and pulls me forwards. The mop falls from my hands and clatters onto the floor.

"You're very quiet." He says. When I say nothing, it seems to aggravate him more.

With no warning, he hits me across the face. Hard. It makes my head reel. At this violence, the orderly stops watching, and retreats to an even safer distance. Satisfied, Saburou releases me.

"Bye, pretty boy." He sneers, before walking over to the other orderly…So, he feels like he has to be violent towards other patients in order to keep up his authority. I keep the snippet of information in the back of my mind. Maybe it will come in useful later.

I cannot help but listen to them. They speak quietly, but not quietly enough. They seem to think I won't hear them. Whatever it is they are talking about, it doesn't make sense. Something about monsters...

Six monsters.

Roku Monsuta.

Suddenly I am back in the room, scratching it into the wall behind the bed. I can't forget. R.M. There is no time to write the rest. That will have to do, as I write more information. My mind is reeling with it. R.M. Roku Monsuta. I can't forget about it.

I hear footsteps. Quickly, I push the bed back into position, covering the writing.

The door slams open. Saburou is standing at the entrance.

"Come with me." He orders. I shake my head, and back away from him. Irritated, he strides forwards, and grabs me. I struggle from him, so he hits me hard, and my strength drains away. I hear an orderly ask where he is taking me.

"Solitary isolation. He's found out about 'it'. He needs to forget."

No. I don't want to forget. I can't. No, no, no…I can't forget about here. What is he going to do with me?

Somebody, anybody…help me, please…

Houshou woke up, groggily. How long had he been asleep? It was dark outside. A while, it seemed. He could vaguely remember the officers arriving, taking him to Shiroku, and getting that bullet out of him. Then he had fallen asleep.

Wincing, he sat up. His shoulder felt a little better, and his arm was in a cast. He didn't feel so hot now. Looking around, his eye fell on John, who was curled up in the corner. What was going on now? Were they safe?

Carefully, he stood up, and made his way over to John. Sitting in front of him, he made to wake him, then hesitated. John looked very pale, and he was muttering again. He was having a flash back. Would it be wise to disturb him?

Nonetheless, Houshou shook him gently. "John?" He whispered.

John frowned. He looked scared. Again, he shook him. "John?"

John gasped awake. "Roku Monsuta!" He muttered.

"What?"

John grabbed Houshou by the shoulders, making him wince. "Roku Monsuta! Don't let me forget!"

"Ok, I won't."

"Don't let me forget! We can't forget!" He repeated urgently.

"Ok. I won't let you forget." Houshou reassured him.

John paused, looking confused, as if he wasn't quite sure where he was. Houshou placed his hand on John's shoulder.

"Hey. You awake? Properly?"

For a minute or so, John looked dazed. Then he came to his senses.

"I…What…" He rubbed his eyes, grimacing. "God, my head…what was I saying just now?"

"Hey, just calm down. It's fine. Were you having a flash back?"

John swallowed. "Yeah."

"Was it…bad?"

He frowned, and closed his eyes. "I don't…it starts off, and nothing really bad happens…and then it's like my mind's jumped to a completely different memory…it's so confusing…"

"But…you're ok now?"

John hesitated, then nodded. "…Yeah. I'm fine." He didn't look it. He looked spooked.

Sighing, Houshou sat next to him. "You didn't remember the anechoic chamber, did you?"

John shuddered. "No. But…" He looked down. "…I think that's where they were going to take me."

They remained silent for a minute. Then Houshou asked, "…What's Roku Monsuta?"

"…A smuggling ring. Matthew Forcit, the missing FBI agent…he was investigating it. Sinead thinks it's related to Mattaku in some way."

Houshou looked at John. "You seemed troubled by it."

John sighed. "…I thought it was over. Now that Sinead is here, and we're protected, I thought it was over. But now this smuggling ring has changed that. Sinead said that it was bigger than we thought. What if…"

"Don't think like that. We're safe now. Colleague-san can't get you. Just think of that."

John nodded miserably. "…Sinead said we shouldn't tell anyone about Roku Monsuta."

Houshou nodded in understanding. "I won't."

John sighed, and leant his head on Houshou's shoulder. "…In my flashback, I found out that…the reason why Kazuki turned me in, was because Saburou tortured him into speaking."

"…That's terrible."

John nodded, and they fell into silence again. This time, Houshou was the first to speak.

"Did I…tell you anything earlier today? About Miyuki?"

John nodded. "Yeah. You told me about how…she died of cancer."

"And the…promise?"

"Yeah."

Houshou pursed his lips. "Sorry to spring all that on you."

"Don't worry about it."

"…John. Can I ask you…about your eating disorder?"

John inhaled sharply. "What do you want to know?"

"Well…why?"

John's face darkened. "It had nothing to do with weight. It was more about…my appearance. My body. My father wanted me to be more like my brother. More well-built. Taller. More interested in military and hard labour work. Things like that. But I wasn't. I was small and thin. I was more interested in looking after my younger sister. I didn't like violence, and I wanted to pursue a medical career. I wanted to be a nurse. And my father didn't like that. He never said it outright, and that made it worse. Knowing he was disappointed, but half-heartedly pretending he wasn't. It was terrible. And it got worse as I got older. I was good at medicine, and I was offered a place to study early. Of course, I wanted to do it. And after a lot of arguments, my father agreed. But we had a bad argument. He said, why couldn't I be more like him? Why did I have to be like this? He asked why I had to be such a disappointment. I knew that he regretted saying it. But…I didn't forget it. And when I went to study, I couldn't forget it. And…I don't know. I wanted to prove him wrong. I wanted to punish him. I wanted to be exactly what he thought was a disappointment, and prove him wrong. So…it started. I wanted to be thin and feminine, which was exactly what he didn't want. And I couldn't stop. I just…I don't know what it was. It became necessary. I couldn't stop. I didn't see myself as thin. I didn't realise. I didn't see how bad it was." He stopped abruptly, withdrawing his knees closer to him. "…I was hospitalised for half a year. It didn't get any better. I was sent to a psychiatric ward. It took a long time before I had recovered."

He fell quiet after that, and stared at the floor.

"…Are you ok now?"

John shrugged. "I don't know. Yes. Sometimes, I think about it, but then I remember what I had to go through, and I stop. But it doesn't change who I am. It doesn't change me."

"I know that."

After that, John fell asleep again. He looked exhausted. So was Houshou…

Morning came slowly. When I woke up, the pains in my chest had subsided a little. It still hurt, though, after Saburou's beating. At first, I simply drifted back asleep, exhaustion overwhelming me. The next time I woke up, I forced myself to stay awake. Houshou was sleeping next to me, and I remembered our conversation last night. And, for once, I did not feel regret our humiliation about explaining my situation. Instead, it just felt like a burden had been lifted. It was pleasant, and not what I had expected, since that was the first time I had spoken about my eating disorder for at least a year.

Finally, I forced myself up. As I did this, Houshou stirred and woke up as well.

"How are you feeling?" I asked him.

"…A little better." He rubbed his eyes, and rested his head against the wall. "How have you been managing to sleep like this and not wake up with a load of cramps?"

I shrugged, and helped him to his feet. "I'm used to it, I guess."

We went into the next room, where both Sinead and Conor were awake. Sitting at the table, Sinead seemed to be reading through some files that she had sprawled out in front of her.

"Morning." She greeted us. "We'll be heading back to Tokyo today. I don't like it here. We're much too close to the Ward for my liking."

I sat down by her, helping Houshou into his seat as well. "What are you looking at?"

"A few notes about R.M." She told me briefly. I could sense she didn't want to talk about it just yet. "Have something to eat, then we'll figure out how to get out of here."

"What do you mean?" I asked, concerned. "Is there a problem?"

Sinead swore silently in her head. "No. Don't worry." The truth was, Sinead had been nervous ever since coming here. Shiroku was far too close to the Ward for Sinead's liking, and it made her feel anxious. The colleague had escaped, and who knew what he was planning or where he was? All Sinead knew was that he would most certainly strike again. John had given her an insight on the man's twisted personality – even though his operation had been ruined, the colleague would not rest until he had gotten revenge on John and Takigawa. Right now, the monk was badly injured and would not be able to fight back if he was attacked, creating a good opportunity for the colleague to attack. Plus, she was down on two of her officers; Eliot and Andy had already gone back to Tokyo early that morning, bringing the man they had captured with them. On the way, they had been attacked. Neither of them had been hurt, thank goodness, but it was a close call. The prisoner was clearly the target. The colleague, as Sinead had guessed, was eager to get rid of 'evidence'. If he had been daring enough to attack two armed officers, then there was a high possibility that he would try it again.

Including Lin and herself, there were six armed people at the inn: Sinead, Lin, Conor, Chosovi, Lukas and Winter. That seemed enough protection, but even so…if it was just the colleague, then Sinead would feel more confident. But with the introduction of Roku Monsuta…things just got a whole lot more complicated.

"It's time to leave." Sinead announced suddenly. "I don't like this place. It's too near the ward. Lin, Chosovi and Lukas, take Takigawa-san. Your car isn't parked too far away, so it should be fine. You know what to do if you run into any trouble. When you're at the car, ring us and tell us whether you had any trouble or not."

Again, Lin nodded, and helped Houshou move forwards. Before they left, Houshou looked back at me.

"Be careful. Ok?"

"I will." I assured him. "You be careful, too."

It felt like a long time before we received the phone call, and during that time, I was on edge. Had they made it to the car safely? Well, Lin and the other officers were with them, so they were probably fine, but even so, I could not stop my worries. When the phone finally rang, my worries vanished.

"Hello?" Sinead picked it up. "…So no trouble?...Good. We'll come down and meet you. Drive the car to the front of the inn."

We hurried from the inn; Sinead by my side, Conor in front of us, and the other officer called Winter – a tall man with three scars on his face – behind us. The square was barren, and it made me nervous. Where was everyone? More importantly, where was the car?

"Don't worry. It's coming." Sinead spoke comfortingly. "We'll be fine." Her phone began to ring.

"Hey, where are you?...What do you mean?" Her tone made me worried. "…Ok. We'll head back inside until you reach us." She hung up, and I asked,

"What's wrong?"

"They've been stopped by a police officer about parking."

"Didn't you park in a car park?"

"Exactly. It's a rouse to distract the others." She sounded very calm. "We'll just wait inside. Everything is fine."

Everything was not fine, Sinead thought. A distraction most certainly meant that someone had something in store for them, and whatever it was, it was not good.

Anxiously, she scanned the perimeter. She couldn't see anyone suspicious…there was a car parked near the inn, but no one was out, despite it only being around 10 in the morning…

Wait. There was a car parked outside the inn. But there was an almost empty car park available.

One of the back windows was slightly opened. The glass was tinted.

"Three o'clock." She said simply. Conor brought his gun out, just as a patch of brick work exploded a mere inch from where his head had been.

Taking out her own gun in one hand, Sinead rang Chosovi with the other.

"Is something wrong?"

"We've met hostilities. Get the car out of there. Head to the square. They've got a sniper, and they're using silencers. Be careful."

"Yes, chief."

Sinead turned to Winter. "Take John to the square, Chosovi will meet you with the car."

"Roger that."

"What about you?" John asked, concerned.

Sinead gave a smile. "I've faced much worse." She turned her attention back to the sniper in the car, firing a shot that shattered the window. "This is nothing."

In the distance, near the car park, she heard a gun shot echo out. Sinead prayed it was Chosovi's gun, and not an assailant's.

"Six o'clock." Conor called, and she spun around to face the inn. Someone was walking out, reaching for their gun. Sinead was far ahead of them, and fired. The assailant dropped his gun, swearing and clutching his arm. Before he could grab his weapon, Sinead had strode over and kicked him, sending him to the floor.

"Always have your gun ready." Sinead picked up his gun before he could reach it, and opened the chamber. As the bullets spilled out, she threw it into a hedge. Another movement caught her eye. Sinead swung the gun to her left, but Conor was already firing at the black clad woman who was approaching them around the corner of the inn. It missed, but the woman retreated around the corner, trying to aim her gun at Conor. Quickly, Conor and Sinead retreated around the opposite corner of the inn.

"Watch my back." Conor tried firing at the woman.

"No need to ask, my sweet." She told him, giving a crooked grin, and turned her attention to the approaching assailant who was coming from the square at the right, and shot near his feet. He paused, then continued. This time she shot him in the foot, and he fell.

"Who is it?" Conor asked, peering around the corner, firing a shot, then withdrawing.

"I think it's R.M." Sinead guessed.

"You sure?"

"The colleague is a twisted individual, and his main target is John. He would have planned something much more sadistic, and aimed primarily at John, not anyone else."

"I see…" He quickly reloaded his gun, and continued. "They're a bit sloppy, aren't they?"

"They're uncertain of what to do, I think." Sinead saw that the car had reached the square, and Winter and John were almost there. "They're too nervous to plan a full attack right here in public, but they're still going to try. Any luck?"

"…She's gone." Conor reported.

"Excellent. Shall we leave?" Sinead suggested, her eye roaming across the square.

"Sounds good."

"Cover my back." Sinead told him, as she began heading towards the square, gun reloaded and ready.

"No need to ask, my sweet." Conor replied, in jest, walking behind her, keeping his eye on the inn behind them.

Sinead kept her eye on the buildings. Had another sniper been positioned somewhere? If so, they would probably be aiming at Conor and herself, being out in the open and exposed. It was eerily still in the square. Despite the businesses and the houses, no one seemed aware of what was going on.

They finally reached the car. Chosovi leant out of the driver's seat. Sinead noticed her front had been sprayed with blood.

"You made it, I see." Chosovi remarked.

"So did you. I assume that's not yours." Sinead gestured to the blood splatter before getting into the car, closely followed by Conor.

The car jerked forwards, being propelled into a fast speed in an instant. "Yeah. Our 'police officer' left with a nasty wound. But he'll live." Lukas was next to her, looking a little startled at her complete indifference to the violence and the blood.

"Nobody hurt?" Sinead asked.

"Not really." Chosovi, despite her frightening speeds, was completely relaxed. "But I'm going to have to throw out this jacket. Blood is tough to get out, and this material doesn't wash out well."

"Shame." Sinead remarked.

"Are we safe?" Lin asked, somewhat irritated by Sinead and Chosovi's casual conversation.

"Yeah. Winter got the sniper in the square, and I got the other one. Sinead and Conor dealt with the hostilities at the inn, I assume. Besides, we're pretty far away now."

"Well done." Sinead looked to Winter.

"All in a day's work, eh?" He said.

"Eeehh?" Chosovi mimicked his Canadian accent, and they both laughed. A stern look from Lin made them stop.

"I doubt we'll have a car chase." Sinead added. "They weren't brave enough to deal with us properly back there, so it's highly unlikely they'll come after us."

"Hey…." She heard the monk whispering to John. "What's going on?" Sinead realised they had been speaking English, and he probably had no idea what was going on.

"We're safe. Don't worry." John whispered back. "Are you alright?"

"Y-Yeah. I'm fine." He looked a little shaken up. Sinead herself was keeping watch out of the windows, in case the hostilities did pursue, but no one came. After a while, when they were far away from Shiroku, she deemed it safe.

"What was all that about, then?" Chosovi asked.

"…They're very uncertain." Sinead explained. "Not sure whether to try and wipe us out, or let us be."

"They? So it is R.M?"

Sinead nodded gravely. "Yes, unfortunately." She sighed.

"Things just got a bit more complicated."