Griff followed his mental map of the layout Thompson had given him. The man's information was correct so far. Every door and hallway was where it was supposed to be and, like the man promised, it was quiet and the corridors were empty. Thompson hadn't said what the reason was for why the complex was deserted at this particular day and time, but Griff was glad there was no one in the halls to question him.

He navigated through the complex, grateful for the map Thompson had given him. This place would have been a maze without it. It was eerily quiet, and his hand twitched for want of his rifle. But strolling the halls of Golzine's complex with a military issue rifle was a dead giveaway that he didn't belong and would probably get him into more trouble than it would get him out of. Still, the revolver in his waistband felt horribly inadequate.

At last he came to the door. It was made of a rich mahogany wood and had gold plated handles, but that wasn't very different from all the other doors in the place. There was nothing special about it. Nothing that made it stand out. Griff would have passed right by it unless Thompson had told him what to look for.

Griffin held his breath as he swiped the key card. The light turned green and the door opened. There were no guards, no ambush waiting for him on the other side. He breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe Thompson was the real deal after all.

The room was spacious and dark. A thin shaft of light shone into the room between a gap in the heavy velvet curtains but it still took Griff's eyes a minute to adjust.

It was a bedroom. A massive four-poster bed stood against one wall and a single armchair sat in the corner. Other than that, the room was undecorated and completely bare except for one thing: a cage in the center of the room.

The boy couldn't have been older than nineteen. He was thin and pale and his body was covered in bruises. The boy looked exhausted and on edge. He looked up, clearly expecting someone else, and was startled to see Griff in the doorway instead.

There was no way this kid was who he was looking for. Griff had to be in the wrong place.

The boy watched him as Griff turned and closed the door. Griff drew his gun and approached warily. The boy's eyes were grim and his face was set.

Griff stared at him and then spoke the words. "Banana Fish."

The boy's breath caught in his throat. For the first time, he looked afraid.

Griff took a step forward.

"No." The boy spoke in Japanese and his voice seemed to die in his throat.

It was not fear. It was terror.

Griff knelt beside the cage.

"Please," the boy whispered. He pressed himself back, away from Griff. "Please, shoot me."

Griff stopped.

The boy's eyes were wide and filled with tears. "Please don't let them. Shoot me instead. Please."

Griff looked down at his revolver and then met the boy's pleading eyes. He put the gun away. "I'm not going to shoot you."

The boy shook his head, cowering as far away from the door to the cage as he could. "Please."

"What is Banana Fish?"

The boy blinked. "I don't know."

Griffin shook his head. "It's okay, kid. You can trust me."

"No, please," the boy pleaded. "I don't know, I swear. I don't know anything."

"Okay," Griff said gently. "It's okay. I'm going to get you out. Where's the key?"

The boy blinked. "You don't have the key?"

"No. I didn't even know you'd be here."

"Then… why are you here?"

"I'm looking for the bastard who killed my friend. I'm looking for Banana Fish."

The boy looked at him warily. "Who are you?"

Griff hesitated. "I'm Griffin Callenreese." He looked at the boy and smiled. "And I'm going to get you out of here."

Griff looked around and started searching, rummaging through drawers, trying to locate where the key might be kept.

The boy watched him uncertainly.

"There's only one key," he said.

Griff turned to him. "Where?"

"Golzine has it."

Griff stopped. He shook his head and grabbed the lock on the cage, studying it.

"You have to go," the boy said quietly. "They'll be back soon."

Griffin shook his head. "No way. I can't just leave you here like this."

"You don't have a choice."

Griff pulled at the lock in frustration, trying to break it with his bare hands. He couldn't shoot it without risking injuring the kid. He started reaching for his knife to try to pick it when the boy's soft hand touched his own. Griff looked up and met his dark eyes.

The boy was quiet, resigned. "You'll make it worse for both of us if you're caught. Please, you have to go."

Griff lowered his head and fought back angry tears. He stood and walked away. He had to find Thompson. He'd know what to do.

He paused in the doorway and looked back. The boy watched him, hopeless and alone.

"I'll come back," Griff said. "I promise."

I'll come back. Eiji ran his hand along the lock, still feeling the warm hands beneath his fingers. I promise.

Eiji blinked away tears. The hope in his chest was painful. It had been days, but the stranger's promise was a candle in the darkness. He would burn his hands before he let its flame go out.

He looked up as he heard unfamiliar footsteps in the hallway outside. The lock clicked and the door swung open. But the silhouette in the doorway wasn't Griffin Callenreese.

The man stepped forward and stared at Eiji in shock. "It's true," he said.

Eiji shrank back as the man rushed to him. The man had the key in his hand and he unlocked the door to the cage. Eiji flinched away as the man reached out to grab him.

The man withdrew, uncertainly. "Do you speak English?"

Eiji stared at him, uncomprehending.

"Japanese?"

Eiji looked up at him fearfully but nodded.

"My name's Thompson," the man said. "Griffin sent me. It's okay, kid, I'm going to get you out of here."

He reached out again and this time Eiji hesitatingly took his hand. He was shaking as Thompon led him out of the cage. Eiji couldn't keep his eyes from flickering fearfully to the bed, but the man turned and led him towards the door.

Thompson paused and looked back at Eiji. "It's going to be hairy getting out of here, understand? I need you to do exactly as I say."

Eiji nodded, the flame of hope kindling painfully in his chest. The man reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a thin chain. On it hung a small pendant.

"I need you to hold on to this for me, okay? Don't let anybody know you have it."

Eiji nodded and took it, slipping the chain around his neck and hiding it beneath his shirt.

"If something goes wrong," Thompson said. "Find Ash Lynx. He's Griffin's brother. He'll be able to protect you."

"Where's Griffin?" Eiji asked.

Something dark moved across the man's face but he smiled gently. "He's fine. He'll meet us on the other side."

Thompson put his hand on the door and took a steadying breath. He looked at Eiji and Eiji gave him a silent nod. Thompson opened the door and they slipped out into the corridor. They moved quickly but didn't run. Thompson led the way through the maze of hallways, Eiji clinging to him like a shadow.

Eiji flinched and grabbed Thompson's coat as he heard voices ahead. Thompson indicated for Eiji to wait there and then he walked casually around the corner and bumped into the chattering guards.

"Hey!" Thompson panted, out of breath. "What's the time?"

Eiji peered around the corner and saw both guards' backs were to him. He crossed the gap to the other wall, his bare feet making no noise on the floor.

"9:30," the guard answered, annoyed.

"Shit," Thompson cried. He rushed around the corner. "Thanks, guys!"

The guards rolled their eyes and went back to their conversation.

Eiji fell back into step with Thompson as he led the way. "You're doing great, kid," Thompson whispered. "We're almost there."

The gunshot was deafening. Thompson stopped dead in his tracks. He turned away from the bullet hole in the wall, gently moving Eiji behind him.

Marvin grinned. "Who said you could let the dog out of its cage?"

"I did," Thompson said firmly. "I'm taking him."

The guards from the corridor rounded the corner, their guns drawn. They saw Marvin and followed his lead, their guns trained on Thompson.

"Oh yeah?" Marvin grinned. "You and what army?"

Thompson smiled. "You don't want to know what army, Marvin. I'm a military intelligence officer and we've been casing this compound for weeks."

Marvin frowned and lowered his gun uncertainly.

"I've told my men to give me twenty minutes," Thompson said. "That means you now have four minutes to escape before they raid this compound."

Marvin frowned and looked at Eiji hiding behind the stranger. "What about him?"

"He's coming with me," Thompson said.

Marvin smiled. "I think you're bluffing." He leveled his rifle. Thompson turned at the last second, crying out as the bullets tore through him. He collapsed to the ground, clutching his side.

He looked up at Eiji desperately. "Eiji, run!"

Eiji turned and fled. He hadn't made it a dozen steps when a dart bit into his leg and he crashed to the ground. He tried to get to his feet but the ground started to move. Eiji could feel the tranquilizer rushing up his bloodstream and he dropped to his knees as the floor beneath him turned to a roiling, black sea.

Eiji woke slowly. He was dreaming. It was just a dream. He tried to move but his toes could barely reach the ground. The chains above him bit painfully into his wrists. The figure in the center of the room wobbled as his eyes swam in and out of focus.

Thompson looked up at him, despairingly. "I'm sorry, Eiji."

Eiji blinked heavily, his mind churning slowly through the drugs.

"See what happens when you try to escape?"

Golzine's voice drove fear into Eiji's heart deeper than a knife. He flinched as the man reached out and put a hand gently on his shoulder and looked down at him like a disappointed father. Eiji fought back tears, trembling under Dino's touch.

"It's not his fault," Thompson snapped. "I was the one who freed him."

Golzine looked up. "And now you'll be used to teach him a lesson." He looked behind Thompson and nodded.

The doctor, Abraham, stepped forward, a syringe in his hand.

"No," Eiji gasped. Thompson looked from Eiji to the needle, realization dawning.

"Please," Eiji begged. "Please don't."

"What will you do?" Golzine asked. "What will you do, Eiji, in exchange for this man's life?"

Golzine reached out and cupped Eiji's face but at his touch, the fear in the boy's eyes was replaced by the old spark of hatred.

"You won't give in, even now?" Golzine asked. He pulled Eiji's head back and forced him to look at Thompson. "This man risked his life for you. He was willing to die for you. But you still won't give in?"

Eiji shut his eyes angrily.

"Don't do it, Eiji."

Eiji opened his eyes, startled. Thompson met his gaze steadily. "No matter what they do. Don't give in."

Thompson flinched as the needle pierced his skin and injected the substance into him. He glared at Golzine. "It's too late. I'm not the only one who's discovered what you're doing here."

"You mean the soldier?" Golzine laughed. "He died two days ago. A shame that he would survive so much in the war only to take his own life. Unfortunately common with his type."

Thompson lashed against his restraints angrily. He stopped and looked down, dazed.

"Feeling angry?" Golzine asked. "It's a side effect of the drug you were just given. It has a tendency to draw out the violence in people."

Thompson clenched his fists, his hands shaking.

"You have no idea what you've discovered," Golzine sneered. "But you'll find out soon enough. And that knowledge will die with you." He looked up and nodded to Abraham and they both turned away and left Eiji and Thompson alone in the room.

"Please," Eiji cried. He knew it was useless to beg, but he couldn't help it. Thompson shook in his restraints, trying to fight back the drugs.

"Thompson, please."

Thompson's eyes opened, sparked with madness. The restraints released with a click and Thompson charged. Eiji screamed and pulled back against his chains in terror.

Thompson snarled and lunged like a wild animal, his hands reaching out like he meant to tear Eiji limb from limb. He was inches away when Golzine's bullet went through his head. Blood spattered across Eiji. He sobbed, shaking in shock and horror as the man fell dead at his feet.

Eiji whimpered in fear as Dino appeared in front of him. The man wiped away Eiji's tears and smiled cruelly. "Wake up, Eiji."

Dino's hands covered Eiji's arms, sliding across him, grabbing him.

Eiji sobbed and jerked away. "Don't touch me."

Ash drew his hand back, startled. Eiji's blankets were damp with sweat and his eyes ached from crying. He looked around, scared and disoriented.

"You were having a nightmare," Ash said quietly.