In Cold Blood [Ash Lynx] - Banana Fish

Fourteen - What Are You So Scared Of?

"Damnit!" She groans, wiping the sweat from her forehead.

Yelping, she pulls her body back off the floor and stumbles over to the door. Yanking it open, her legs give out and she falls to the tarmac.

The dark streets are empty, lit only by a few street-lamps and Tora cries out. Glancing behind her shoulder as his body rises from the floor, she weeps and drags her leg as she limps down the road.

"Just die, damnit!" She exclaims, breathing heavily.

He gains on her, teetering as blood trickles down his shoulder from the gunshot. Dried blood covers his face and stains his shirt. His body trembles and he wheezes as his arms thrash.

Growling, he lunges forward, the knife in his hand as Tora outstretches her arm.

With a deep breath, her head clears and she squeezes the trigger.

Fire rips through his body, his feet buckle and he crashes down to the pavement —a clean shot to his forehead.

She shakes her head, gaining her footing again and staggering down the road. Her body is numb and her head is pounding.

Black spots consume her vision and her legs give way as she falls.

-

Gathered around the table in Ash's gang's hideout, Ash, Alex, Bones, Kong, Cain and Sing discuss their next moves over a few beers.

"Man, we've got to do something about those Soho guys," Cain groans. "They're relentless. My guys and I don't know what to do anymore."

Sing shakes his head. "Us too. It seems like a lost cause."

Ash shrugs. "They'll keep it up until we try to reason with them. They know us guys are better acquainted nowadays, that's probably got something to do with it."

Cain chuckles. "Maybe we should have a tea party together, become best friends."

"Nice idea." Ash raises an eyebrow, his lip turning up in a smirk. "But seriously—"

The ringing of Ash's phone interrupts him and he furrows his eyebrows, grabbing it from the table.

"What's she doing phoning me at 2 am?" He questions, placing it to his ear. "What do you want, Tora? Do you even know what time it is?"

From the other line, he hears her panting and her breathing shallow.

"My God, what are you doing?"

Tora whimpers, soft sobs escaping her lips. "A-Ash— I can't—

"What's going on?" He asks, his tone more serious, and he stands up from his chair. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

"Ash—"

"I swear to God, if this is some kind of sick joke you're playing to get back at me—"

She stumbles, weeping down the phone. "Ash— Please— I can't walk anymore..."

"Where are you?" He asks, running a hand through his hair and the others look to him confused. "It doesn't matter, I'll find you. I'm coming now."

Discarding his phone to the side, Ash runs out the room, charging up the steps and throwing open the door to the hideout. His eyes widen.

He looks down to see Tora collapsed on the pavement with her phone in her outstretched hand. Tears stream down her face and she pulls her limp body up, as Ash holds out an arm.

"Tora?! What happened?!"

"Ash—" Clenching her teeth, she howls in pain and her ankles buckle, falling into his arms.