It wasn't until they got on the interstate that the trap became apparent. Two cars pulled up, one on either side, and another tried to get in front. "Oh, here they are," Ryo said in a sarcastic tone, "Hold on!" He shifted down into third gear, and gunned it. The g-forces pinned them back into their seats, and Ryo had to concentrate hard to avoid traffic. Not after long, he was very far away, and slowed back to normal speeds. "Whew, I don't get to take this thing to the limit like that often."

Amber looked around suprised they figured it out so quickly. Amber was completely speechless at this.

"Oh, by the way, I don't know exactly where we're supposed to be going. Last thing we knew, you were just heading north, but it seemed like you were going someplace specific."

"Cutting up to Niagra Falls to get to Canada." Amber answered stunned. "How did they find out so quickly?"

"As soon as they get a glimpse, they notify everyone. Now everyone who was chasing you, Stevens, and... the other one are now chasing us."

"Great." Amber wasn't shocked at this point anymore. "Ryo, I'm sorry I got you into this."

"No, it's--it's okay. I was getting sick of them anyway."

"Okay." Amber looked down in shame. Both people she relative trusted were both dead.

Time: 11:13 PM
Location: Bowling Green, KY

Ryo turned off the interstate. "Guess we can stay here for the night. Looks like a pretty big city."

"I guess." Amber looked around the city. It was a fairly large city. "Which hotel?"

"I dunno; whichever one we come across first." Soon enough, they came across a Holiday Inn. They checked in, and went up to their room.

Ryo tossed his katanas on a desk against one wall. "I don't know about you, but I'm just going to sleep."

"Okay." Amber laid down on the bed and attempted to go to sleep. She couldn't seem to even close her eyes. Amber's gaze was fixed blankly on the wall.

Time: 7:00 AM

The alarm on Ryo's phone went off. Ryo silenced it and got out of his bed. "Morning. Got any sleep?"

"A little." Amber completely lied. She maybe got 10 or so minutes. "I assume we're heading out?"

"Yep." Ryo put on his hoodie and picked up the katanas.

Amber stood up and started to head out of the door. She didn't want to say much, because the lack of sleep generally made her inattentive and say things she may regret.

Ryo walked out the door with Amber. However, as soon as they walked out of the lobby, someone came out of nowhere and tackled Amber, bringing her to the ground. Ryo unsheathed his katanas, but then someone came after him. He managed to dodge, but the man caught him on the way down. The katanas fell out of his hands, and one of them slashed him on the shoulder.

Amber struggled forcefully until she saw Ryo get slashed. "Ryo!" She managed to slide the gun out of her boot and grabbed it immediately putting it to the man's head. "Get off now!"

(by the way, it was Ryo's own weapon that hit him; as he fell down)
"Okay, okay!" The man got off of Amber, and secretly pulled out a knife.

(I know)
Amber got up slowly with the gun still aimed. Once she was fully up, Amber glanced over toward Ryo.

While Amber was looking away, the man tried to wrestle the gun out of her hand.

Amber counteracted making the gun discharge. She froze in fear and shock. She wasn't even sure where the gun was aimed. Amber suddenly jerked the gun back.

The man kicked Amber in the stomach, and let go of the gun.

Amber fell down in pain but got up once more. She took a breath and took her mind off of it.

All of a sudden, Ryo came out of nowhere and hit the man on the back of the back of the head with a tire iron. The gash on his shoulder was looking worse than ever, and he had another one on his ankle.

Amber decided to stay out of the way. She wasn't much of a fighter.

The man tried to go for Ryo with his knife, but Ryo hit him again, this time knocking him out.

"Are you okay?" Amber turned her attention to Ryo.

"No..." He looked closer at his shoulder. He was in quite a bit of pain.

"Hang on." Amber back into the hotel room and grabbed a towel. She threw in the sink and turned on the water. Amber dug in her purse to find the painkiller as she also searched for medical supplies in the room. Noticing the water was still going, Amber cut off the water. "Sit down."

Ryo sat down, against the nearest wall.

Amber wrung the towel out in the sink and went over to Ryo. She knelt down beside him and handed him some painkiller. "Here."

Ryo took the painkiller. "Thanks."

"Hold still." Amber started to clean Ryo's gash with the towel. "Hold the towel there while I go get a first-aid kit from the front desk. Okay?"

"Alright." However, once Amber went inside, Ryo completely ignored what she had said. He got up, walked over to his katanas, and picked them up. He got a rag from his pocket that was covered in dry blood, and wiped the blood off of them, before putting them and the rag away and sitting back down.

Amber went down to the front office and asked for the first-aid kit off the wall. Once she had gotten it, Amber went back up to the room.

Ryo had also picked up his phone, and appeared to be reading something. "Hey. We've got a problem."

"What is it?" Amber looked at Ryo with concern. She didn't set down the first-aid kit in fear that it was going to be a quick leaving.

"You know Melissa Banks, one of the higher-ups in the mob? Well, I got a notification from someone who forgot to take me off their mailing list. She's coming after us."

"So, we need to go like now?"

"Pretty much."

Amber went over to Ryo. "Need some help?" She held out her hand.

"No, I'm alright." With some difficulty - as his injury was still getting worse - he managed to get up, and started to walk out the room. "You coming?"

"Yeah." Amber followed with the first-aid kit in hand.

They got out to the parking lot, and to Ryo's car. "Augh, god, can you drive? I can't drive with my ankle like this."

"Sure. Can you fix yourself up?" Amber got into the driver's seat and handed him the first-aid kit.

"Alright." Ryo took the first aid kit. "Oh, and you'll need these," he said as he passed Amber the keys.

Amber stuck the keys in the ignition and turned on the car. "Feels nice." She then pulled out and on to the road.

Time: 7:42 AM
Ryo and Amber had just made it out of the gridlock of the city center a few minutes ago, and were now against traffic. Ryo's condition had much improved.

A car overtook them and pulled in front, while two came alongside and one stayed directly beside. They started slowing down, forcing Amber to slow down with them, until they were at a complete stop.

"Jesus." Amber pulled her gun out. "Are you okay to fight?"

"Yeah. So long as I'm not too reckless." Ryo drew his katanas and stepped out of the car.

Amber stepped out of the car and immediately went to confront the men in the cars.

A female voice shouted above everything else: "Hold it!"
Someone stepped out of the car in front of them. "Well well, Ryo, it's nice to see you again! Except this time, you've switched sides. Tell you what; under my own watch, since we are friends, you can get a second chance. So - will you take it?"

Ryo stood speechless for a few seconds. He eventually made a shocking decision. "Yes."

Amber stood in shock. "R..Ryo?" She couldn't spit out a word other than "Ryo" which was a suprise.

Ryo sheathed his katanas, and got back in his car. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going back to my hotel room." They cleared a gap for him to get out, and then Ryo stormed out.

Amber thought, I'm going to die. She looked around scared for her life. Amber knew no matter what happened she was going to die. In fear, she asked, "What can I do to make you not kill me?"

"Mmm, I don't think that's an option anymore." The woman pulled out a gun.

Amber pulled her gun up and shot.

The woman fired back and took cover in her car. Meanwhile, three people had come up from behind Amber, and all put guns to her head. "Forgot that there were more people here?"

Amber teared up. "I'm gonna die." She dropped her gun causing her last bullet to misfire. That was her last last bullet, meaning she didn't have anymore stashed away.

The sound of sirens emerge from the distance. It was the police. The people around seemed panicked all of a sudden. "Oh, god, it's the cops. We better get out of here." In no time they had cleared out, leaving Amber alone.

Amber, who at this point had no car, no weapon, and no ally, started walking and trying to flag down cars. She was heading in the direction of the city. Amber figured if she couldn't catch a ride, she could make it back to the city for a place to stay and a car.

One of the two police cars that had been sent after them pulled over near Amber, and someone got out. "Need a lift?"

"To the nearest hotel, please?"

"Alright."

Conveniently, the nearest hotel was the one that Ryo was at. In the distance you could see the silhouette of his car, with him sitting on the hood, facing away.

Amber stayed quiet nervously running her finger cross the collar. She sighed.

Ryo glanced behind himself at Amber, and then returned to where he was looking before.

Amber went to go check in. She promptly ignored Ryo and went to her room.

Ryo went into the hotel and asked for Amber's room number. He went up and knocked on her door.

Amber answered and suddenly looked in digust. "What do you want?"

"Look." Ryo sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm just not sure what to do at this point."

"So you abandon me? Gee thanks." Amber closed the door and laid on the bed. She thought about what she was going to do.

"Dammit!" Ryo punched the door in anger.

Amber opened the door again. She looked frustratingly at him. "You touch my door one more time, I will call the police. You understand?" Amber was not in the mood to be harrassed by Ryo.

"I don't know what to do at this point. I'm sick of this ********. But... I can't make a choice."

"You wanna come in? I mean it's better than staying out here to argue."

"Fine." Ryo walked in and laid down on one of the beds.

Amber sat on the other. "Listen, you're perfectly capable of making the decision. Something's holding you back. I'm not sure what but I know something is."

"The thing is... if I go with you, I'm gonna be killed. But if I go with you, not only will you be killed, but I might have to kill you myself."

"Why would you kill yourself? If you kill me and have opportunity to live, shouldn't you take it?"

(You misread it. "I might have to kill you myself")

(My bad. I'm dyslexic. Bare with me.)

"Well, what are you going to do?"

"I don't know. I'm kind of inclined to go with them. In fact... I might be able to get you back in."

"If you can that's great, but whatever happens I want to say thanks. Thanks for helping out."

"No problem. And... sorry for leaving you for dead back there."

"I forgive you. By any chance you wouldn't happen to have 9mm bullets, would you?"

"Yeah, in my car. I've only got a couple clips as I prefer to fight melee, but it should be enough."

"Can I have them? I kinda ran out."

"Sure thing." Ryo started to walk out of the room. "Let's go."

"Okay." Amber followed Ryo.

They got down to the parking lot. "Honestly, I'd rather fly back. I can get a ride from a friend back in Florida, and then pick up the car when we're... in less danger."

"Less danger. That sounds nice." Amber thought about a time before the running. She started to smile.

Ryo got in the car. "Airport shouldn't be too far from here. Shouldn't be too hard to find."

"You're not going to give me up, are you?" Amber looked at Ryo sadly.

"All I'm trying to do is get them to stop shooting at you. To hear both sides of the story, because even I'm a little skeptic."

"Ryo, would you kill me?" Amber wanted to make sure it was safe for her to get on a plane with him.

"No. If so, then why the hell would I have come back and apologized?"

"True. I'm just a little paranoid."

"Alright. Let's go."

Ryo pulled up in a parking space in the long term parking garage. "Honestly, I have no clue why this wasn't the obvious choice in the first place."

"That would've been smart." Amber stepped out of car.