[b]Little Thailand, Lost Haven, Hernandez Residence and street clinic[/b].

“Is she going to be ok?” While James had seen Milo cut up before, he was a regenerator. IT was pretty evident that Kaya was not. Her face was pale, and a sheen of sweat covered her forehead. Her breathing had stabilized since she had been brought in but they all knew the next 24 hours would be critical. Hernandez had stopped the bleeding, and she had been lucky the stab had missed both livers and kidneys. But the blade had caused massive tissue damage none the less and she had lost a whole lot of blood.
“I am not sure.” Hernandez spoke solemnly at the two men had tea. On a bed right next to them laid their mutual friend and ally. That she had stayed lucid and aware for the entire trip to his clinic was a miracle in itself. Now all they could do was to pray. And Hernandez was not the praying kind.
“I knew she’d bite off more then she could possibly chew.” The combat medic spoke as he sipped the warm, soothing concoction that was earl grey. 

“For how long has she been doing this?”

“She been doing this since she returned from Burma. So she’s been at it for the better part of two years.” Hernandez confirmed. “Coming back to the knowledge that her entire extended family was dead, and that the neighborhood that helped raise her was turned into yet another Triad stronghold. Kayas tough. Tougher then anyone I ever met. But man. The shit she has seen.” Hernandez said, his eyes seemed to betray that he was as haunted if not more so then this friend. “Her first week back, she found one of her old friends dead. He had been given a bad batch of heroin and died on the toilet of his own apartment. Nobody had been by for a month. God the smell…”
“That’s awful…”

Hernandez shook his head. “He had issues ever since he and kaya first met as teens. But Kaya had worked really hard on pulling him out of the habit. He was clean when she left for the army. Turns out that when the Triads moved in, they brought upped the heroin trade.” He put down the now empty mug and poured himself some more tea. It was eerily reminiscent of a alcoholic pouring another drink.
 “And actively targeted old abusers they found in the old corner boys contacts. Skinned of everything they have. They own all the pawn shops in the area to, so they undercut the junkies on the deals. It’s just one big racket.” Hernandez voice dropped into a dark, hateful his.

“Jesus. What’s the police doing?” James eyes widened.

“Not a damn thing. They can’t.  Syndicate ties help steer the police towards other things. The Triads bribe most of the local beats.”  Hernandez answered. “Yeah, so we are pretty much fucked. People like Kaya are our only hope.”

As if on cue, Cabbies eyes opened and she sat up screaming with fire bursting out of her eyes and finger. She let out a unholy scream and then went back to unconciusness. The two men stared at each other wideyed.

-----------[b][i]Inside Kayas mind[/i][/b]----------------

There was fire everywhere. White, angry and holy fire. Kaya had slipped back into darkness the second she had seen Hernandez at the clinic. And now she found herself stuck in a sea of flames. Sitting on the sole part not covered with white fire was the woman from before. She looked down at Kaya with a smile on her lips. 

[i]“Good. You almost woke that time. I can feel the fires of life reignite inside you”[/i] The woman said with a grin like a Cheshire. She had been with Kaya all this time, coaxing her, talking to her in a stern but supporting manner. A maternal kind of presence all about her that put Kaya to ease.

[Color=#6660CC]“I don’t understand. Why can’t I wake up” [/color] she inquired confused.

[i]“You are still wounded. Your friends have stopped death from seizing you. The rest is up to you and your will to live. Now, let us do the mantra from bottom to top.” [/i]

------ 
Back at the Clinic.

She awoke with another scream. This time her eyes stayed open. Staring at Hernandez tired but now wide awake eyes she gave him a smile. [Color=#6660CC] “Never have I been happier to see your ugly mug Hernandez.” [/color] Hernandez response was to all but crush her in a bear hug [Color=#6660CC] “Ooof! Ease up man, I am still wounded.” [/color] She wheezed out as he let go of her with a sheepish smile on his lips. 

“You’ve been screaming your throat hoarse. I thought it was fever dreams and was afraid you were slipping away from us.” He explained. His eyes narrowing critically as he took her in. “For a human sish kebab, you look pretty good.”

[Color=#6660CC] “You won’t get rid of me that easily. You know that.” [/color] She shot him a weak grin. “And I would have you know I always look great post-stabbings.”

“So what do we do now.”

[Color=#6660CC] “We?” [/color]

“There is no chance in hell I am letting you run solo like this. You almost got killed.”

[Color=#6660CC]”Well. First I need to get better. Then we are gonna look up how to fight a bitch with a sword…”[/color]