Three hours after being taken into the Kasai‑dojo infirmary, Hanna Skarlett is still in surgery. Outside, husband Rob Stiil paces back and forth, as he has done the entire time his wife has been in the operating room, and Hanna's best friend Maria Shanmao sits in the corner on the floor hugging her knees, lost in her own guilt‑and sorrow. Danny Brock arrives after an extensive and detailed debrief with Hideyoshi Takenaka, and immediately decides to try and comfort his friends.

"Hello Rob," Danny greets. "How long have you been here?"

"About three hours now," Rob replies.

"Have you rested?" Danny asks.

"Not been able to," Rob explains.

"I know you're worried, we all are," Danny assures, falling in step beside the hare. "But at this rate, you'll worry yourself sick."

Rob stops and sighs deeply. "I know," he admits. "It's just…"

"She's your wife," Danny finishes. "And I know what she'd be doing if it was the other way around."

"Making a scene, demanding to be at my side, and eventually being forcibly removed and locked away for her own safety and the safety of everyone else?" Rob quips, though his expression lack humour.

"Well… probably," Danny accepts. "That was a bad example."

"I appreciate your efforts," Rob thanks, "but it's not me you need to worry about," he adds, nodding towards the inconsolate lynx.

"I'm not sure how much good I'll do," Danny admits. "She been sat there the whole time?"

"I tried to talk to her a few times, but she's kinda… zoned out," Rob informs. "And the longer Hanna's been in there, the more Maria retreats from the world."

"I'll see what I can do, but I can't promise anything," Danny volunteers.

Maria doesn't appear to notice Danny sitting beside her. After a few moments of silence however, she manages to speak. "It's all my fault," he mutters almost silently.

"We were under mind control," Danny reminds gently.

"Because I got tricked," Maria reminds in turn.

"Happens to the best of us," Danny assures.

"Shoulda killed her and dumped her in the lake," Maria growls, referring to Kaede Himura. "Shoulda known she'd do something icky."

"I bought her sob story too," Danny reminds. "But we did the right thing, giving her a chance."

Maria sighs deeply. "I know," she admits near silently. "Sometimes being nice is icky."

"But it's what sets us apart from the monsters," Danny assures.

Maria leans onto Danny, the badger putting his arm around the lynx's shoulder to comfort her. "If I could, I'd go back in time and undo all this," Maria vows.

"Me too," Danny replies.

For the next few minutes, the three friends remain silent, awaiting news from the operating room. Eventually, the surgeon emerges, Rob immediately greeting her with "What's the prognosis?"

"She'll live, that's for certain," the surgeon assures. "Somehow, the sword managed to avoid doing extensive organ damage, and what little there was, was easy to repair. Unfortunately, it's not all good news."

"But you just said she'll make a full recovery," Rob presses.

"I said she'll live," the surgeon corrects. "Barring any other misfortune, she'll live well into her old age. But it's almost certain she'll never walk again."

Rob is stunned into silence at the news.

"I'm really sorry," the surgeon apologises. "We tried everything we could, but the damage to her spinal cord is irreparable. There is a tiny chance it'll self‑repair, but it would be a miracle if that happened."

"I want to see her," Rob requests. "Now."

"She's in the recovery room, sleeping off the anaesthetic," the surgeon informs. "As soon as she's awake, she'll be moved to a ward, and you can see her then."

"I want to be there when she wakes up," Rob states with authority. "I'm her husband. If anyone's going to break the bad news to her, it's me."

The surgeon pauses a moment to think. "This is highly irregular, but given the circumstances, I'll allow it," she decides. "This way."

Danny watches Rob follow the surgeon to the recovery room, holding a crying Maria close to him in comfort. "She'll forgive you," he comforts quietly.

"I know," Maria sobs.

Kaede stirs awake, having slept for only twenty minutes. Someone's here. Taking care to make as little noise as possible, the pika peeks out from under the blanket to see a jet‑black sable reclined in the front passenger seat, his usual jungle camouflage outfit rejected in favour of a colour scheme more suited to the urban environment.

"Figured you'd need a hand," Ryoichi Nakano greets.

"I'd prefer a surgeon to remove the lead slug from my right calf," Kaede replies as she props herself up on her elbows. "Did you bring my car here?"

"I wasn't needed elsewhere, so I figured I'd see what's going on," Ryoichi explains. "Where's Tsubaki?"

"Probably with her sword to Chika's neck already," Kaede shrugs.

Ryoichi is about to respond, but is interrupted by an incoming radio transmission. "She's in gaol."

Kaede snorts with dark amusement. "Doesn't surprise me. She's always been too cocky for her own good. And all that theatre too: totally unnecessary. For instance, we had Hanna and Rob Skarlett at our mercy, and we could have killed them on the spot. But she didn't want to do it that way. Instead, she rigged up this ridiculous, though actually quite ingenious, set‑up to suspend them in a way they couldn't escape from, intending for Loverboy and Kitten to find and kill them instead."

"Loverboy and Kitten?" Ryoichi asks.

"Danny and Maria," Kaede explains.

"It's not like you to feel affection for anyone," Ryoichi observes.

"Tell me about it," Kaede sighs.

"What are you gonna do now?" Ryoichi asks.

"You mean after getting the bullet extracted from my calf?" Kaede thinks a moment. "Well, there is one thing I need to do. There's a notebook of mine in Kasai‑dojo, and I want it back. Fancy helping me?"

"A notebook."

"Yes, a notebook. And any copies that might have been made."

"Must have something pretty compromising in it."

"Yep."

"What exactly?"

Shit. Kaede hesitates. "I'd rather not say."

"Can't be that bad, can it?" Ryoichi questions. "We're all aware of your perversions."

"It's not those I'm worried about," Kaede admits.

"Look, if I'm gonna help, I need to know what I'm looking for," Ryoichi informs. "How else will I know what I'm looking for?"

I need to tell him something. "All you need to know is it bears the title 'Kage Byogenkin'."

"Shadow pathogen?"

Shit. Didn't know he understands Imperial. "Yes."

"An unusual title."

"And you don't need to know what's in it."

Ryoichi shrugs. "Not interested anyway."

"Good."

The two Grand Masters fall silent.

"I'll help you," Ryoichi decides.

"Really?" Kaede asks, a little surprised.

"Sure, why not?" Ryoichi shrugs.

"Since when do you care about… anything?"

"I don't. I just want something to do." Plus, I want to see what's in this notebook.

"Huh." Kaede thinks a moment. "OK."

"Shall we rescue Tsubaki as well?"

"Nah. Let her rot in gaol: she's a liability anyway. I'd sooner trust you to lead the Jade Alliance."

"I have no interest in running the Alliance," Ryoichi shrugs.

"Oddly, that probably makes you the most suitable to do so," Kaede compliments.

"When do you wanna go in?" Ryoichi asks.

Kaede yawns. "Wake me up at midnight," she instructs, laying down and pulling the blanket over her head.

"Why not now?" Ryoichi asks.

But it's too late: Kaede is already asleep.