So thankyou again for the reviews; these chapters sort of leap through the rest of the game a bit, we'll be hitting SR2 soon, which I'll probably start a new story for, so I'll post the link.

I woke to total blackness, the back of my head aching, and my hair matted with something slick. Ugh, blood. That Roller asshole was going to pay for this. I felt Lin curled up by my feet, and judging by the soft rumble of an engine I gathered we were in a trunk.

Fan Fucking Tastic.

The scent of the trunk was sharp and acrid – gasoline. Lin shifted uneasily next to me, trying to keep her breathing steady.

"Hey, I think we stopped moving," she said quietly. I stayed silent, trying to listen for any outside noise. "Are you listening?" She continued, "Are you even alive?" I gritted my teeth and gave her a small kick.

"Ow! I'll take that as a yes… urgh, where the fuck's my lighter? Look, stay calm, we're gonna get outta this,"

I felt her fingers brush mine and my breathing slowled - I hadn't realised how quick and shallow it had been, betraying the fear I was trying so hard to control. I looked round sharply as I heard the trunk lock click – it swung open and standing over us was Donnie and Mr Sharp. I snarled at him. Donnie gaped.

"Lin!" he yelped, moving to her.

"Donnie! Listen to me I swear to god-" she yelped, brilliant actress as ever. She was silenced by a deafening shot from Sharp's gun, which before I knew what was happening, was turned on me. It erupted again and I felt the red-hot barbed wire sensation rip through my side and I gasped. I barley heard Donnie screaming Lin's name as Sharp tried to placate him.

"Take a deep breath and count to ten,"

"Count to ten?" Donnie shouted back, "You just shot my girl!"

"Yes, it's tragic," Sharp said turning and goddamn smiling at me. I wanted to leap from this trunk and rip his lips off. But I knew I didn't have the strength to overwhelm him, and there was a good chance he'd put one between my eyes if he thought I could fight back. He slammed the boot closed, plunging us both back into darkness. Outside I could hear them talking, Donnie near hysterical and Sharp telling him to help push the car.

Shit… I could tell where this was going. I heard Donnie leave, his car screeching off. That little shit. If he actually cared about Lin and wasn't such a fucking coward he could have done something. That little goddamn shit!

The car started slowly rolling again then jolted – suddenly I felt a wave of inertia and knew the car was dropping – inside the trunk Lin and I were thrown around and inverted – the car must have flipped as it hit the water.

"Stay calm," Lin said, forcing her voice to be steady even as water began gushing in around us, "We're gonna… get outta this… I think I found my lighter…" I could hear her voice failing, rattling. "You hear that asshole Donnie," she said with a weak laugh, "Called me his girl."

I gave a shuddering laugh without any heart – my hand searched in the darkness for hers, and gripped it tightly.

Lin, I thought desperately, hold on…

She squeezed my fingers back, but then, her grip slackened, and I heard her exhale. I nudged her body.

"Lin?" I whispered. She didn't respond, didn't move. A wave of panic washed over me.

"LIN!"

My breath came hard and fast, more and more water began pouring in over us. No! No I was not going down so damn easy. My hands hunted the boot blindly for something, anything. I felt my fingers curl around a metal rod – crowbar, or maybe a tyre iron. I tried to slow my breathing, and got to work on the lock. I heard something break, the boot above me jolting up a little letting more water flood in. I felt the water rising up to my neck, and knew it was now or never. I drew a deep breath and submerged myself, twisting so my feet her against the trunk door, and began kicking with all my might. Finally, the boot broke free, lifting into the water. I barely had any stale air left in my lungs, the sheer weight of the water pressing in on them, trying to force the air out. Blindly, I began kicking for the surface.

My lungs screamed – it was an eternity. Blackness began to edge around my eyes, but finally, my hands broke the surface. My face hit the cold night air and I gasped, never thinking the smog of the city could ever be so sweet. I sucked in another breath, seeing it turn to fog before my mouth as I breathed out.

I was alive. Freezing, shot, and bleeding out into the filthy bay water, but my heart was still beating. Clumsily I began to swim for the shore, dragging myself up onto the concrete and laying still, shivering. With a grunt I turned myself over, looking up to the starry sky. My side throbbed – the icy water had managed to numb me a little. Good. I didn't need pain distracting me for what I was going to do next. My eyes trailed down to the inky black water, a few bubbles still simmering to the surface where the car lay submerged.

"Lin…" I breathed out, barely able to form the word. I couldn't let myself think on her – I had to get out of here, I had to survive, to deal with Sharp.

I pulled my top off and twisted it, wrapping it tightly around my middle, using the long-sleeves as a bandage. The cold night air stung my bare skin, but I was grateful for the way it numbed me.

I pushed myself to my feet, and started for the road, heart hammering with adrenaline. Sharp had driven Lin's car here, and was expecting a ride back with Donnie who'd left, so Sharp would've called for a ride… he can't be far off. I started for the road and jacked a car – most people would yell or chase me but when the guy saw me he practically threw himself out of the driver's seat. I must have looked like a psychotic swamp hooker, drenched, bleeding and wearing nothing but a bra on top.

I floored it towards the suburbs, livid. Lin. Lin. Don't worry, that bastard was going to pay for what he did to you. I knew shock would kick in any moment now so I had to act fast, eyes peeled for any sign of a Roller.

Then I saw the convoy; a blue and white car cruising comfortably between two of the Roller's electric blue 'suped up shitboxes. I snarled, swerving to overtake them and moved up next to the middle car, glancing aside briefly, seeing Sharps leathery old face spare me a shocked glance. Before he could react, I yanked the wheel, slamming my car into his. He twisted off the road, making a sharp U turn and heading south – my foot slammed on the gas and whipped the car around to chase him. His car was faster, and for a while I thought I was going to loose him, till he made the mistake of turning into the narrow streets of Chinatown. His car was heavy; it wasn't made for sharp turns. I'd jacked a Capshaw – it wasn't fast, but it was light, and whipped around the small streets easily. Sharp made a desperate turn and his car drifted, slamming into a street post and crumpling around it. I skidded to a stop and jumped out of the car, my legs nearly collapsing beneath me as I ran to the wreckage to see if he was even alive. His car smoked – then the door burst open and Sharp tipped out, crawling over the broken glass. His gaze rose to me when he heard my footsteps crunching over the glass towards him. We watched each other – his eyes were wide and incredulous, and slowly he shook his head in disbelief.

"You're like a god damn cockroach," he spat. I kicked him over and reached down to grab his gun from its holster. Lin. He killed Lin. He tried to fight me off but I just stomped my foot down on his chest, levelling the barrel of the gun to his face.

"Maybe." I said quietly. "Or maybe you should have just had better aim."

He opened his mouth to say something, but I didn't wait to hear what, firing the gun and landing a bullet between his eyes.

There was a long moment for silence and stillness after that – I don't know how long I stood over him for, wiping the prints from the gun on my jeans and dropping it, strangely meticulous of me.

That's the last thing I clearly remember. I have images in my mind – neon lights of streets I must have walked down, the sight of two people clad in purple racing towards me, shouting something. Being in a car, looking out the window as lights flashed past. The weird, heavy-weightlessness of being carried and familiar voices yelling. Then everything just slipped to blackness.

"Any change?"

"Jamal says the fever's comin down. She's stopped talking as much too. Any word on Lin?"

"… Heard a woman in Roller gear was found washed up under the south bridge yesterday. It ain't been confirmed, but…"

I shivered as the voices roused me and tried to open my eyes. I felt my throat make a sound and my lips try to shape it into a word.

"Whoa!" Two hands were suddenly on my shoulders, "Girl, you hear me?"

I pulled my eyes open, vision slowly focusing on the faces about me.

"Hey Troy," I croaked. My throat was sore and voice raspy, I barely recognised myself. Troy looked over his shoulder.

"Dex! Call Julius!"

"On it."

I felt like I was waking up with a rock star's hangover – my throat was dry, but the thought of trying to drink anything made me feel nauseated. My head ached but I couldn't bring myself to move. Troy laid a hand over my forehead.

"Gave us a real fright there girl," he said, still with that damn cigarette poised between his lips. The scent made my nose burn. He looked away, flicking ash and stubbing it out in a tray on the bedside table.

"Kids like you…" he said sullenly, "Man, you should be in school or hanging out at the mall. Not getting shot and thrown into the river."

I blinked, insulted. He was telling me to hang out at the mall like some college bum? I'd taken the Vice Kings apart, helped claim nearly all the Carnales territory for the Saints… I'd been the one working with Lin to destroy the Rollerz…

I blinked, and forced myself away from that train of thought. Back to Troy. Back to the weird look he had. His tone was strange – he sounded… well he didn't sound like Troy. Not the one I knew.

I released a breath and turned my head away; I was exhausted, reading into things that weren't there. Sleep was quick to invade my mind.

I woke a while later to a hand tapping me hard across the face.

"Yo! Wakeup!"

"Johnny, cut that shit out."

"Dex said she was awake and talkin,"

I groaned, opening my eyes again. The lighting in the room had changed, as had its occupants. Gat was leaning over me a little but was looking away to Julius, who stood at the end of my bed, arms folded. I parted my dry lips to speak.

"Doesn't mean I'll 'preciate bein smacked in th' face." I croaked and attempted a smile. Gat snapped his attention back betraying a look of relief, quickly replaced with a cocky smile.

"Bitch, bitch, bitch," he drawled. Julius moved to sit down next to me on the bed.

"How you feelin playa?" he asked, low voice soothing me.

"Peachy," I replied. Then I frowned. "Thirsty… where am I?"

"You at Dex's place," Julius said. Johnny turned and quickly left the room, thunking down the hall. Even with the bad knee he moved quickly.

Julius laid a large hand on my forearm.

"Hate to do this to you now," he started, "But… Lin?"

I couldn't reply – a fresh wave of pain rippled through me. All I did was shake my head, No.

Julius closed his eyes for a moment and inhaled deeply.

"… Can you tell me anything about it?"

I swallowed carefully. "They worked it out." I started, "The pool hall – it was a trap. They caught us, stuffed us in the trun-"

My voice broke and I stopped talking – my throat felt dry and tight and I knew it had nothing to do with being sick. Julius' hand squeezed my arm gently to reassure me. I heard Johnny's heavy steps again as he came down the hall. Especially with the limp, he had all the grace and subtlety of a baby elephant. He strolled into the room, three beers in hand.

"Here," he said, handing one to Julius and offering one to me, "Sit up,"

Julius sighed, "Johnny, what the hell is this?"

"She said she was thirsty."

I cracked a smile and edged myself up onto the pillow.

Julius just shook his head. "Water's whats usually recommended," he murmured, knowing Gat clearly didn't care. I reached out weakly and took the icy bottle, pouring the liquid between my lips, spilling a little. I felt it wash away my mud mouth and clear my dry throat. The room was silent for a moment. I was half expecting myself to be angry, crying over Lin. But I wasn't. I felt cold. Not numb – it still hurt to think of her – but steely.

"How long was I out?" I asked.

"'Bout three days," Julius said. "You lucky to be alive; Jamal didn't think you'd make it. He got you stitched up good but by then you'd lost a lotta blood, and was getting hypothermia, not to mention an infection from the bay water."

"Wasn't pretty," Gat said, staring at his bottle, "You was delirious as shit at first."

Another silence fell.

"Lin is dead." I said quietly. I'm not sure if I said it to bring Johnny up to speed or simply because I needed it said. Gat lowered his head. Julius lifted his bottle.

"To Lin." He said. We each reached up to salute her.

Poor Lin. She was always one of my fav characters.