Half an hour later, Maria stirs. Ow… in so much pain… can barely move… Shakily, she props herself up on her hands and knees; she spits a mouthful of blood onto the tarmac. Three of my teeth are in there… no, make that four. Looking around, she sees the smouldering wrecks of the two bikes. Am I dead? No, that's silly; I'm in too much pain to be dead. Wait… two bikes… Xander!

Maria scrambles to her feet; after a few attempts, she's standing. "Xander!" she cries repeatedly, each time in increasing panic and desperation.

"Here," Xander replies weakly after the fourth call.

Xander's voice is quiet, but Maria's hearing is easily good enough to pick it up. Her attention snaps to the wreck of the bus shelter; seeing the limp steel blue wolf within, she dashes to his side, falling a few times. "Xander!" she pants when she reaches him. "Are you OK?"

"No, not really," Xander wheezes.

"Sure you are!" Maria counters out of desperation and denial, tears streaming down her face, her voice shaking. "So stop being a big silly and get up!"

"I can't; you'll have to go on without me."

"But-"

"Maria, please listen." Xander raises a shaking arm, placing his unsteady hand on Maria's cheek. "I'm hurt bad, real bad. I can't ride; I don't think I can even stand. For me, the mission is over."

"Please, don't leave me," Maria sobs. "First Hanna, then Danny; I don't want to lose another friend."

Xander's chuckle is interrupted by a fit of hacking and coughing. "I'm not leaving you, little one; you're leaving me."

"I-"

"The fate of Shang Tu rests with you. Now go."

"But-"

"I'll be here when you get back, I promise."

"No, I can't-"

"Do it for Hanna; I know how much you love her. And not just because she saved you."

Maria stares at Xander in surprise. "How…"

"I may be dumb, but I'm not stupid. Plus, your reaction just now kinda gave it away."

"That was a dirty mean trick… thank you."

"Hey, I'm your friend; it's what friends do. Now stop being a silly kitty and go."

With a determined nod, Maria stands and resumes her mission, her heart filled with renewed vigour. Hanna once saved me from a terrible fate, and now it's up to me to save her. And Xander. And Danny. And Rob. And Shang Tu. And… Is that a sports bike, begging for me to steal it?

Midnight; Maria rides through Dragon Valley. Almost there… just keep going… just keep going… Suddenly, the bike splutters and dies; Maria coasts to a halt. No… not now… Maria desperately tries to restart the bike, but the engine refuses to fire; after a few tries, she notices the fuel gauge is reading 'empty'. That's it then. Game over. I failed Shang Tu. I failed my friends. And worst of all, I failed Hanna.

The magnitude of her failure hits hard. In a daze, Maria dismounts; she walks, zombie-like, away from the useless motorbike, which drops flat into the mud. After a few yards, she falls to her knees, and takes a deep breath.

Maria's scream of anguish and frustration echoes throughout the valley.