Aya nearly went insane when she found the blood and dismembered corpse. She calmed herself, and since it was the lab she was used to, she moved like a machine.

She spent hours in the operating theater. Blood vessels clamped and cauterized. The limbs sealed against further bodily fluid leaking out. Heart restart. Basic life support for the body.

Removal of the section of Tandy's skull that protected her brain. Removal of the bullet. Micro surgery to reconnect blood vessels within the damaged brain portions.

By the time she was finished the life saving operations, Tandy's limbs were beyond retrieval. They should have been put on ice immediately, but she had more important things to worry about. The mind within the shell of her body.

Aya moved her comatose body out of the lab in a body bag. She cycled the video feed so her grandfather would believe she failed.

* * *

Middle Part of October, 2012

"Have you located her yet?" He said quietly.

"No sir. The body is also missing. She left no clues as to her whereabouts. She has, for the most part, gone ghost." George said and watched his employer's face.

"She'll resurface in the future. Don't bother to watch pharmacies, hospitals, or medical supply depots for purchases. She's already prepared for this eventuality, and worse. Just keep an eye peeled, and be prepared." He said.

"And as to the guys who were involved?"

"Consider them as expendable assets. I won't be surprised if they survive a year or two, or die tomorrow. Do not put them into places where they have access to our structure." He smiled a little.

"You know that won't do any good. She'll find out everything anyway." George said.

"True, but she needs to work for it, George. The world is a dangerous place, and if she's not prepared to be the worst one in the pond, she'll get eaten up early." He sighed. "Not like it would happen though. After all those operations on her mentor, and not breaking. After the design of the collars, and how they screamed, she didn't flinch at all."

"Correct. She's actually worse then you."

* * *

November, 2012

"Computer, monitor brain activity. Turn up nutrient solution by three percent." Aya looked at the readings and growled.

"Brain activity is minimal. Nutrient solution increased by three percent." Tandy's soft voice soothed her mind a bit.

"Any response to the nutrient solution?"

"Negative."

"Hm. Simulate regular brain activity through programmed neural stimulus. Use data acquired through interface downloads to simulate memory access. Start at one percent of recommended energy levels." Aya started to work on the keyboard and monitored the activity while she began to program a macro to control the solution.

"Program initiated. No change."

"Wait sixty seconds and increase by one percent until energy levels reach ten percent. Continue to monitor and inform me of any changes." Aya closed her eyes for a minute.

"Dozens of operations. I need to work on the neural interface. Even if I can get her brain to function on its own, other then the minimal activity she'll be capable of, without the interface, she'll go bonkers." Aya said and opened her eyes. Tandy's body blinked.

"Computer, is there increased brain activity?" Aya asked.

"Affirmative. The host has begun to activate their own pathways in order to access memory function. Higher brain functions are still minimal. Correction. Higher brain functions have become stimulated. The host brain functions have begun to access the areas needed for dreams, and creativity." Aya looked over the data.

"Confirmed. Is the stimulation self sustained?"

"Negative."

"Continue with the minimal stimulation, increase incrementally until at fifteen percent. Increase nutrient solution by another three percent." Aya let out a slow breath.

"Come on, doctor. You can do it." She looked at the tank in front of her. Suspended within a oxygenated gel solution, her mentor's body could be seen. The straight cuts of a carpenter's crosscut saw could be see at the top of her biceps and the upper part of her thighs.

In spite of the horrific damage, Aya could still see the woman's physical beauty.  Lean muscle beneath thin skin, well defined, and well proportioned.  Tandy was the image of physical perfection in her eyes.  Except for the damage that marred that beautiful form.

By all the evidence, with a part of her skull missing, and with an exposed damaged brain, her doctor should be dead. She lost a ungodly amount of blood, her heart stopped, and the bullet put the final nail in the coffin.

If not for the immediate attention she received, and by such skilled hands, Tandy would not have this chance to live. Right now, Aya fought a battle for her doctor's brain, and hoped she could pull her out of the jaws of hell.

Aya was unnaturally stubborn. She wouldn't let her go no matter what.

"Higher brain functions have begun to stabilize." The computer said in Tandy's voice. "Host continues to access her memories. No sign of approaching cognitive alert functions."

"Is brain activity self sustaining yet?" Aya asked.

"Negative."

"Continue current parameters. Inform me of any changes."

* * *

January, 2013

"Doctor." Aya said softly as she looked into the eyes of the one she's been desperate to bring back from the brink. Her eyes blinked rapidly.

"Alright. Tandy." Three blinks. Aya smiled. "Is there pain?" Three blinks. "Computer, increase pain medication dosage by a milligram."

"Pain medication dosage increased. New formulation effective, and non addictive. Increase as needed." Tandy's voice said. Aya watched the look on the doctor's face change to concern.

"I needed to hear your voice." Aya put her head against the glass. "It's been four months." She sighed. "I've been working on the interface, and have had some progress. It's not completely stable yet." She closed her eyes. "So tired." She looked up and saw the facial muscles twitch.

"I know. If you were here, I would be knocked out." The lips smiled a bit lopsided. She was still in recovery, and would need more time. A lot more time and medical therapy.

"Do you want to sleep?" Two blinks. "Do you want to watch me sleep?" Three blinks. Aya put her hand onto the glass.

"Some day, I'll make you whole again. The interface is the key to that. It will be able to do some things that I can not." She sighed.

"I'll pull my cot over." She yawned delicately, which touched that spot deep within Tandy that only Aya could access.

"I think I can sleep a little now."