Gunslinger Girls - Paths Intertwined

[Director of Music]

Hilshire and Triela were the first to make it into the room where Franz's form lay.  Hillshire's mouth twitched as he went around to survey the room.

Triela immediately went down to Franz, checking a pulse.  "Sir.  He's got a pulse, but it's very faint.  If he doesn't get attention soon, he's going to die."

Hillshire waved his hand.  "Wait till Guiseppe and Henrietta come.  In the meantime, make sure there isn't anyone else."  Triela merely nodded and started searching.

Guiseppe and Henrietta came in only seconds later.  Unlike Hillshire, Guiseppe went straight to Franz, his mouth set in a firm line.  "Christ...he's gotten stabbed multiple times..."  He checked his pulse and paled.  He gently grabbed Franz and slung him over his shoulder.  It was then he noticed Hillshire watching with distaste.

"You were here first.  Why didn't you grab him and go?"

"Needed to make sure there weren't anymore of them."

"That wasn't the reason, was it?"  Guiseppe growled.  "Franz took one for the team.  And technically, he's not part of it.  The real hostages are safe."

Hillshire shrugged carelessly.  "The man's a murderer, and assasin.  He's merely paying his dues."

Guiseppe wanted to jump the other man, but he realized he was running out of time.  "Henrietta.  Cover me."  Henrietta nodded, and Guiseppe, with Franz made his way out with Henrietta.

[Kasawa Lanford]

Ryoshine continued to keep an eye on the building; listening to Guiseppe when he told him that Franz had been stabbed several times, and that he needed attention. He got on the line and called in one of their own doctors who was in town for just such an occasion and told him to get to the hotel as soon as possible, he wanted to avoid using this countries hospitals since he knew the police would get involved.

He also listened as Hillshire and Triela took the young girl, the one who Franz had found, and apperently discovered wasn't a hostage at all, out of the building and into an awaiting car. The two real hostages were escorted by some of their men to a safe house for temporary care and then would be released back home.

"Giorgia, keep an eye out just in case," he told her, then relayed the same message to Jean.

[Director of Music]

Guiseppe was breathing hard as he finally came in front of the hotel's back doors.  The less people that saw Franz, the better.  Carrying Franz inside, Guiseppe saw the doctor and motioned him over.  They headed up to the room they were using, and Guiseppe was able to gently lay Franz on the bed. 

"I know there may not be a lot of medic-"

The doctor shook his head, "I've got my bag.  But...it's going to be hard." 

Guiseppe nodded and turned to Henrietta as to leave.

The doctor however, asked one more question as he started to work.  "How...important is this man?"

Guiseppe stopped, pausing.  He tilted his head to the side.  "Very important.

  As he opened the door, he patted Henrietta on the back.  They had to go and make sure the other allyways were clear.

Giorgia nodded in affirmative to Ryoshine's request.  Franz would be okay.  Franz had to be okay.

[Kasawa Lanford]

Several minutes passed with no sign of further hostilities, with that out of the way Ryoshine sent the all clear signal. "Arrest those we didn't kill, interrogate them, then discard them," he ordered then took the headset off and let out a sigh. "Nice shooting Giorgia," he said and smiled at the little girl and patted her on the head. The training has paid off immensely, but we still have a long way to go... after today we'll be making our trip to Texas and then we get to play the part of a family.. that'll be fun..

[Director of Music]

Giorgia nodded, but her eyes were deeply troubled.  While she was satisfied that Ryoshine was not injured or hurt in anway, with no distraction now, her thoughts focused to Franz; the one in question.  She didn't know how deep the extent of his injuries were, or if he had gotten injured at all.  Some part in her brain told her that she was not to be troubled with this man.  And yet another part of her willed herself to think about it.  Franz Bietrich was her godfather.  She could not just trash that away.  He was the only link to her otherwise dead family.

The young girl followed Ryoshine as the two of them made their way to the hotel.  She had a distinct urge, the same as a couple of minutes ago, to see him.  All she wanted was to make sure he was alright.  Even a quick glance, and she would be fine.  Because, after all, Franz couldn't be that badly hurt, could he?  He was so strong, and so proud, he wouldn't have gotten hurt.

But what Giorgia didn't know was the extent of Franz's injuries.

She dimly got into the elevator, the tinny, metallic music somewhat irritating her.

[Kasawa Lanford]

Ryoshine stood there, his mind recalling what had just transpired. He wonder what he could've done better, or what orders he could've given that would've pervented the current outcome. He watched Giorgia as she left, smiling somewhat as she disappered into the elevator down the hall. "She's done a good job so far, but she looks so much like my deceased daughter..." he sighed.

[Director of Music]

As the elevator doors opened, Giorgia finally realized that Ryoshine had not been in there with her.  Frantically, she looked around.  She was torn at what to do.  Should she go back and find Ryoshine?  Or should she go find Franz and check up on him?

Her face contorted into an agonized one, weighing her choices.  Although the...robotic part of her, per say, immediately told her to go back and find Ryoshine.  She took a step back to the elevators and hesitated. 

She made her choice.  She would just quickly find Franz, just check up on him.  After all, he couldn't be hurt.  And then...and THEN she'd go back and find Ryoshine.  She ran down the hallway, listening acutely.  Although her hearing wasn't as acute as some of the other girls, hers was pretty advanced.

[Kasawa Lanford]

"It isn't good," the doctor finally said with a sigh. "He'll live, but I can't say for how long," he added.

"It's that bad?"

"Worse, I won't go into details but I can say this - he'll be in a lot of pain," the doctor said and took a seat. "The cuts are deep and one came real close to cuting a vital vein, he's lucky it missed or else he'd be dead. I can stitch up the open cuts and then cover them, but without the medical technology of our country..."

Guiseppe nodded and sighed. "Ryoshine ain't going to like this...."

"Well, he'll still be able to work, that is the important part. However, the human body is an amazing thing, for all we know his body will heal up completely and he'll be fine," the doctor said, though even he thought it was wishful thinking.

[Director of Music]

Stopping at the correct door, Giorgia paled as she heard bits and pieces of the conversation.

...a lot of pain...vital vein....lucky....dead...

Giorgia felt she couldn't breathe.  What was going on in there?  What had happened to Franz?  Her blue eyes darted frantically, trying to piece the puzzle together, but she found that she just couldn't figure it out.  Steeling herself, and trying to put on an expressionless face, (after all, all of them, Giorgia had realized, Henrietta, Rico, Triella...they were merely machines) and knocked lightly on the door.

[Kasawa Lanford]

Henrietta turned her gaze toward the door and Guiseppe walked over to it and opened. "Yes?" he said before noticing Giorgia standing there. "Giorgia? Why isn't Ryoshine with you?" he asked, though he somewhat knew why she was here and not with him.

[Director of Music]

"May I come in?"  Giorgia asked plainly, standing still.  She had her emotions in tact.  With a hesitant nod from Guiseppe, Giorgia side stepped him  and walked in.  What she saw however, she was not prepared to see.  Although the sight was gruesome, her legs carried her even closer to the barely breathing Franz.  Giorgia had to constantly reassure herself that she was alive from the jagged breathing, and heaving of his chest.

She glanced around quickly, noticing subtle things  that the damage had done.  His hand, ribs, face, leg...

What had Franz done?!

She hesitantly put one of her small hands atop of one of his.  She then turned her head to face Guiseppe.  "Will he....be alright?"

[Kasawa Lanford]

"He'll be fine, just needs some rest," the doctor said, though his voice was flat and devoid of concern, much like how the doctors back at the agency react.

***

"Where is your cyborg?" Hillshire asked when he noticed that Giorgia wasn't with him. Ryoshine sighed slightly and pushed off the wall. "More than likely she's with Franz," he said.

"And you trust that traitor?"

Ryoshine thought about it for a full two seconds then said. "Sort of, despite him being a traitor, he does still have a role to play and his knowledge is useful," Ryoshine shook his head when he saw Hillshire's expression. "Don't do anything that might compromise this mission.. don't forget why we are here," he warned him then casually left the room. Hillshire is smart enough not to pull anything rash, but I worry that Franz might be having to 'much' of an influence on Giorgia, I better keep an eye on her and wrangle her in if it starts to become a problem, he thought.

[Director of Music]

Giorgia stared at the doctor for a full three seconds, trying very hard to believe the doctor, but finding that she just couldn't.

"Thank you."  She said briefly. 

Giorgia felt sick.  She had to get out of here as fast as she could.  With one more quick glance at Franz, she strode out of the room with some sort of balance.  As soon as she rounded the corner however, she was running.  Running as fast as she possibly could, not knowing where she was going, yet somehow having a destination in mind.

[Kasawa Lanford]

Jean and Rico were just putting their things away when Rico heard something down the hall. "What's wrong?" Jean asked as Rico stood up and opened the door and walked outside, the next thing she felt was someone running right into her.

[Director of Music]

Giorgia saw Rico, but in her current state, couldn't put on her "brakes" fast enough.

The next thing she knew, she had collided full on with Rico.  Neither of the girls were hurt, just slightly stunned.

"Sorry!"  Giorgia said quickly, apologizing.  She got up, smoothing her clothes.  Now this was quite the awkward situation.

She briefly looked at Jean, then back at Rico.  Making sure Rico was truly fine, Giorgia gave them both a slight smile, and then took off again.  She had to find Ryoshine.  Ryoshine would know what to do.  He always knew what to do.

[Kasawa Lanford]

Jean just watched with utter silence, Rico let out a slight smile before walking back into the room and past Jean. "That.. .was unexpected," Jean finally said before turning his full attention back to what they were doing.

***

Ryoshine soon found himself on the roof the hotal; watching a distant gathering of clouds. He could tell that a storm was brewing and that within a matter of hours they'd have to readjust their plans slightly to compensate for the delay. "I guess we'll be a bit late," he said, Ryoshone was planning on leaving around midnight for their excursion but if the weather truly caused them problems then they'd have to wait until morning.

"Doesn't matter much, from my understanding that drug lord will be in town for many months to come, so hopefully he doesn't change his plans," Ryoshine said, taking out a cigerrate and twiraling it between his fingers. "I wonder what Giorgia is up to right now..." he pondered.

[Director of Music]

Giorgia, went crashing into Ryoshine's room not five seconds later.  Not winded, she stood there, wondering how to ask, wonder how she was supposed to approach him.  She knew that she wasn't supposed to have any sort of feelings for Franz, and she knew that she was...programmed to save Ryoshine.  Her mouth twitched.

"I uh...the doctor said that Franz would be fine but....but I don't....believe him"

[Kasawa Lanford]

"Why don't you believe him?" Ryoshine asked suddenly, only not from the room but rather from behind her. He had come from the roof and had neglected to lock the door, it hadn't surprised him that Giorgia thought he might've still been in the room.

[Director of Music]

Giorgia swiveled around, and if Ryoshine's presence had startled her, she maintained her composure.

Knowing that Ryoshine couldn't do a thing if she didn't tell him the truth, she replied quietly, "Did you...have you had a chance to look at Franz, sir?  Even if he does get...better, he won't be the same.  The doctor there...they don't...they're not trying."  Giorgia murmured.  "If you had seen the look on their faces..."

[Kasawa Lanford]

Ryoshine sighed slightly and glanced to his right. "You know what your thinking and saying can cause us both to get in trouble right? You need to keep your emotions in check," he said and walked up to her. "We are in a different country remember? This isn't Italy, this is America.. and thus if we get our injured we can't exactly go to the hospital and get patched up - we have to rely on our safe houses..." he said to her.

If her emotions continue run unchecked, I may be forced to administer a control drug while we are in country and that'll be cause for problems if I choose the wrong moment to do that... he thought as he watched her to see how she would react to his words.