The world was spinning, or at least thats how it felt. Green eyes opened slowly, as Riq found himself lying face down on the hard concrete. The room was dark and the few shadows he could make out seemed to gyrate around him. The sterile, overly sanitized air of what should have been a hospital was replaced with a musky, stale odour reeking of humidity and soil.

Enrique blinked several times, with a low grunt propping himself on his forearms, as he shook off the dizziness. This wasnt the medical centre how did he get there? Teleportation He concluded, recalling his last moments of consciousness.

It took a few more seconds for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. With a click of a button, his digital watch produced a soft blue glow, allowing Riq to see the time. He cursed inwardly, realizing he had been out for more than an hour. He finally stood and studied the unfamiliar surroundings, which appeared to be untouched for months, perhaps years. It was a mechanical storage warehouse of some sort with overlaid tools, equipment and abandoned machinery.

Pierantoni gave no importance in exploring what the equipments purpose could have been during its useful life. Instead he followed the trace of the audible whimpering of a child, though the small maze of boxes and tool sheds.

Eleonore Dumont, the murder child, trembled in a corner, every now and then releasing a deep sob as she held her head tightly in her hands. For a few moments, Enrique was witness to Eleonores true form. Her tiny hands tangled in soft brown hair and her bright blue eyes every so often fluttered open in her strenuous battle with those controlling her mind.

Feeling his jaw tense and his fists clench, Riq wondered how anyone could be heartless enough to inflict such inhuman suffering to an innocent child. Quietly and cautiously, he approached Eleonore careful to not startle her into a more chaotic state.

Eleonores eyes snapped open. They were again deep crimson as was her hair. An angry, frustrated glare was all Riq received, before the girl pointed one palm in his direction, lifting the FBI agent from the ground and hurling him into random machinery.

Damn it kid, I just want to help you!

His words went unheard by the child, for again she had fallen to her knees in internal conflict. Almost every object around her levitated several inches off the ground, and although Riq could see little through the darkness, he heard the metallic crashing on the ground as the suspended items fell one by one.

Hoping the child would eventually wear herself out, Enrique tried moving closer once more only to be forced back onto a wall by a powerful chi attack, which momentarily lighted the area, as Dumont fell once again into a fit of uncontrollable sobbing.

To Enriques surprise, her weeping turned into complete silence. Eleonore had managed to strain her mind into unconsciousness, and somehow return into her normal appearance.

That didnt take long

Ignoring the slight pain on his lower back, Enrique stood and approached Eleonore again. He was vigilant at first, but the child seemed to have simply slipped into a peaceful snooze.

Riq pulled a cell phone out of his trouser pocket and flipped it open. Unsurprisingly, there was no reception. Ready to find a way out of his unknown location, he kneeled and collected little Eleonore in his arms.

==

-Somewhere in Tibet, 1:37PM local time-

Everything seemed so black. He fought to open his eyes, but he couldn't seem to get them to move. His head hurt like hell. What was going on? He tried to talk, but his vocal cords didn't seem to be working. He felt himself drift back into darkness.

"Don't quit on me..."

A woman's voice? She sounded so far away. Wait. He knew that voice.

He tried to open his eyes again, just a little. His vision slowly cleared, and he saw something come down over his nose and mouth, blocking the sunlight. His lungs filled with warm air and the instant whatever was on him came off his mouth, he moved, coughing slightly.

"Turner? Turner! You're all right!"

He suddenly felt two arms around his shoulders and a weight on his chest, before he was rocked a couple times. He blinked to clear his vision one last time before glancing down to see the top of a head. He coughed some more, reaching up to shake the person who had him in a tight grip.

"Esperanza...I can't...breathe..."

She immediately sat up. "Sorry!" She watched as he carefully propped himself up on one elbow, slowly surveying their surroundings. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah..." He stared at her. "You...went after me."

"Well...yes." Esperanza looked back at him, confused. "Wouldn't anyone-"

"Are you crazy?!" Jacob practically shouted, causing her to flinch.

"What...What's wrong with you?" Her eyes had widened in shock at his reaction.

"You could have gotten killed," he retorted.

"I-"

"And then what?" Jacob interrupted. "Someone has to stop that psycho from getting more relics. If both of us died, who'd stop him?"

Esperanza settled back on her heels. "I...I..."

"Wasn't thinking?" he filled in.

Esperanza looked away. They were quiet for a long, long time. She sighed.

"Turner...sit up. I want to check for a concussion." Esperanza settled her weight on one side. "I felt a bump on your head. Do you...remember what happened to make you get that?"

He scowled. "Not really. I just remembered being dragged under." When she didn't say anything, he shifted to a sitting position.

Esperanza leaned forward closely, requesting that he open and shut his eyes a few times so she could check his pupil dilation.

"Crazy, huh?" he muttered. "I've been surfing since I was a kid. And I get pulled under rapids instead of twelve foot swells."

"You imagined if you nearly drowned underwater it would be because of the ocean?" Esperanza pulled away.

"Something like that."

"You're okay. I'll check again in a few hours." She paused. "Turner..." Esperanza looked away, unable to meet his gaze. "You...were right. About me not thinking. It's just that...I've already lost one friend thanks to these items...Besides...I...don't think I can face him by myself if the chance came."

"Sorry...about earlier," he said quietly. Jacob pushed damp bangs away from his forehead. "If it came down to it, you'd have to go on if something happened to me. Just like I would if something happened to you. It'd be hard, but we wouldn't have a choice. The less he has, the better."

"Mr. Turner! Ms. Rios!" Their guide appeared at the top of the bank, slowly lowering a rope down towards them.

Good thing, too. They had lost a lot of time and needed to set up camp and get into dry clothes as soon as possible.

==

-Bagna-Trat Highway, 12:21PM local time, Thailand-

Without regard for the country's speed laws, the ocean-blue coloured Ferrari tore along the motorway, sailing past the vehicles before it as if they were part of a F1 racing circuit. Clad in black and dark-blue racing gloves, the driver took his hand off the stick long enough to adjust the rear-view mirror before returning it back to its original spot. Just as he approached a sleek, black Porsche he followed its driver with his eyes, and saw that it was a woman. As both drivers made eye contact, and his car passed hers, he flashed a winning smile towards the woman before returning his gaze back to the road.

It would be about an hour until they'd reach the hotel in Pattaya, Pablo Veracruz noted. From there, his plans were to spend the rest of the day enjoying whatever the city had to offer in other words, its women, its bars, and its nightclubs and then eventually take care of business from the next day onwards. That "business" included connecting with an old friend, a grave robber like himself, and learning where the next artefact could be.

"Nice day," Pablo spoke as he stared out at the moving urban expanse before him. He took a quick glance at the expensive-looking watch hugged snugly around his wrist, confirming to himself that it was set to the country's local time.

In the passenger seat, Juli gave what appeared to be a disinterested look as she stared out at the greying sky. "It looks like it's about to rain."

Pablo regarded Juli's observation with a silent response, though he mentally noted her point. Indeed, if Thailand were anything like he remembered it, then it wouldn't be long until the rainy season made its arrival. Depending on its impact, it could lead to things either being delayed or even becoming more... troubling. Plus, there was the possibility that Esperanza and her partner was here as well.

What was his name again? Oh yeah, Jacob Turner. That's it.

Discovering Jacob's identity had been relatively simple on the Mexican's part. By luck or fate, a recent book that Veracruz had bought years ago a guidebook of sorts, centred on certain cultural hotspots in Southeast Asia was written by Turner himself, complete with his portrait on the inside cover. A part of Veracruz had found a certain, nagging familiarity with the surname, yet he didn't bother to look further into the matter. Instead he took refuge in just knowing the name of the man bold enough to get in his way on two different occasions. He'd make time for such minor details when it was time to take care of the duo, after getting as much of the remaining relics as possible.

I had one of our operatives do a little background check on our friends. It seems that Esperanza, besides being a renown expert in Aztec and Maya history and culture, is an old friend of the Croft family, Juli spoke up, as if reading his mind. Which would explain why she knows as much as she does.

And Turner?

Nothing much so far... just that hes a writer and freelance contributor for magazines. A writer, Juli said, bitterness tainting her voice. A highly skilled Shadaloo agent like her obviously wasnt happy with the fact that Turner had managed to knock her unconscious and stop Pablo from retrieving the item in Peru. Juli idly tapped her chin in thought. So far they havent found a connection between Esperanza and Turner...I dont think they know each other. She paused. Its strange, isnt it? That he came to rescue her at just the right time? And you said that you saw him at the museum.

Your point?

If were just encountering him now... and he has no connection to Esperanza or Ming... how does he know about the artefacts?

You think someone sent him.

Right. Esperanza had no idea about those items, otherwise she wouldn't have helped us. So someone must have told her after we left Mexico. Juli shook her head, frowning. Im starting to think someone else higher is involved, and theyre watching us. Ill send a message to our operatives here, Tibet and the Middle East to keep an eye out for anyone who could be watching us. She turned to him. So who exactly are we meeting tomorrow.

"An old friend," Pablo responded, keeping his eyes on the road.

Juli regarded him critically. "You actually make friends?"

A smile was her answer. "Everyone needs friends, Juli."

"In our line of work, you have people that help you get a job done." She shrugged. "Anyway... so about your friend?"

"He's also an antique collector."

"He steals from temples or graves, you mean," Juli corrected with a wry smile. She remained silent, studying him. She turned away to look out the window. "Were you two trying to steal the same thing?"

"No, we ended up in a car accident on a road like this. We were both driving sports cars, and..." he shrugged.

"You ran into each other?" Juli stared at the road in front of them before glancing behind her.

"We were racing."

"You're insane."

"Thank you."

"Who makes friends during car accidents?" Juli muttered.

The sound of an engine roar cut off the conversation and he stared up at the rear-view mirror just in time to see the same Porsche he'd passed earlier. The woman threw Pablo a smile of her own before she shifted onto his lane, in front of him, moving on with a sudden burst of speed. Veracruz merely grinned to himself in response, immediately understanding her open challenge, and rose to engage it with equal hot pursuit.

==

Hawaii, the next day

-U.P.R.F., Level 2 Blue Sector Cells (Shadaloo side), 8:02AM-

The aroma of coffee whiffed through the air; a pot of fresh thick brew sat upon a trolley that held the said cups of coffee and some files. There were a few half-eaten sandwiches as well. It would seem that the four scientists had brought their breakfast down to the cells area. On and off they rotated between scribbling down notes, taking sips of coffee or a bite of their sandwiches. A short distance away was The Assistant Doll, Satsuki, currently seated on the floor finishing off her bento.

It could have been much simpler for them to monitor her through the video feeds, but sometimes having a direct view of a subject tended to give a better impression in customizing future tests. Through reports they knew very well who she was and more or less how capable she was. The PSI chip would have prevented her from attacking them mentally if she were even capable of doing something like that of course.

Among the various things they were interested in was her reaction to all this. Her interaction with her nearest neighbour was a concern to them as well, since it would be used to figure out the potential Doll hierarchy and mentality. So far it seemed that she was taking quite a while to sleep off her medication. Either that or she was pretending to still be asleep. If she didn't get up within the next half hour, they would simply go back upstairs to take turns by the video monitors.

She would have to get up eventually.

==

-St. Peter's Medical Centre, 8:40AM-

Stepping into the lobby of St Peter's Hospital Guile frowned on seeing the Chinese woman and Japanese man coming to meet him. He didn't have time for this; he had to get to Iwa before she slipped away

"What do you want, Chun?" He stared down at the woman trying to intimidate her into backing off.

"Don't go up there." It sounded like a warning.

"I need her for investigations."

"I just got her back. Do you know how long it took me to convince this lunk that we should get her back?" Indicating a slightly offended Ryu.

"Yeah, and how long would it be before she runs off again?"

"The moment you show up and spook her. I am not going to lose her again."

"At the expense of the other kids?" He retorted.

At this point Chun Li started to drag Guile off. He knew better than to kick up a fuss when the woman had something to say out of public earshot. She had dragged him to a quiet garden area where the noisy bubbling fountain would have prevented eavesdropping. Ryu had naturally followed them of course.

"Bison did a number on her head."

"And he will do a number on the others as well. Some know what they got themselves into while the others don't. I'm not gonna lose them just to get yours back."

"Well, if you go up there, you'll lose all of them."

"What are you getting at Li?" He hated it when she made a good point that ended up getting in the way of doing his job.

"This could end in two ways," Chun Li lifted up one finger. "One, you go up there, compromising her standing with Bison. She bolts and is barred from returning to wherever it is the kids are being held. Bison gets all the kids." She then lifted up another finger. "Two, you don't go up there. I'll see what I can get from her. For all we know we might even get all the kids to bring the house down on Bison."

Guile crossed his arms. "Weren't you the one who said it was a trap for Ryu? What, having regrets now?"

"It's still the same trap Guile. He still wants Ryu. The kids are just a prelude."

"And you believe she'll get them back for you?"

"At least it's better than any way you might have dragged the information out of her. She's a stubborn one." Chun Li smiled knowing that at least she had a better chance than Guile.

"Hmph, and you think can make her cooperate? She turned, Li. We trusted you both to get her back but you let her go rogue."

"Six months versus Fifteen years. I have my ways of getting to her. Besides, a prize like Ryu is hard to resist."

"You're playing a very dangerous game Li," Guile spoke. "I'll be keeping an eye on you three." He would not promise her anything but she did make her point for now.

Seeing that Guile had no choice but to let her have her way for now. Chun Li smiled and left the garden with Ryu. She trusted that Guile would keep to his word and let her work on Iwa. Out of sight from Guile, Chun Li handed Ryu a thumbdrive.

"Keep this for me."

"You're not going to view it?" He took the thumbdrive and kept it in a bag of food for now.

"I don't need the information inside my head clouding my judgement when I speak to her. I'll view it when I know for sure where she stands." She rubbed her arms, feeling cold.

"You're afraid of her turning," Ryu pointed out.

"Yes," she admitted. "I've seen such things before. Bison set a trap for us. I want the kids back, I want her back and I want to break his hold on her as well."

Ryu was silent for a moment as they headed to the lift. Chun Li touched his arm for a moment.

"Give me a little more time. I need to prep her and be sure before I let you see her. Somehow I get this bad feeling that Bison wants her to freak out on seeing you."

They both sighed as they entered the lift. The operation had gone too far to be stopped now. The best they could hope for is to minimise the damage
 

-*-
 

Sitting in her hospital room Iwa fiddled with her mobile phone, killing time until her Master would eventually make contact with her. She had a feeling that something had happened last night as the nurse assigned to her room had checked in on her way after lights out and had whispered to someone else how Iwa was still present. Then when she was alone again, she'd caught sight of security guards patrolling the grounds.

Iwa had a feeling that it might have had something to do with Victoria. She could send Maru out to check of course, yet there was a nagging feeling that not knowing might be better for her. Still, if it was related to Victoria, she wondered whose hands her former comrade had fallen into.

Hurried footsteps broke her train of thought, and she grabbed a throwing knife in readiness. A knock on the door and a familiar voice followed.

"Can I come in?"

"I can't stop you." Iwa answered and Chun Li made her way in, noting the dagger that had disappeared back into Iwa's beltful of knives just by the bed. Ryu of course had wisely stationed himself on a seat in the visitor's' lounge a little distance away from her room. There was an awkward silence as the former teacher and disciple stared at each other.

"I was worried about you." Chun Li grabbed a chair. "A nurse was attacked last night and a patient went missing. I would have come earlier but Guile had this place sealed up. Much red tape for me to come through here but there's an equal amount preventing him from harassing you last night." Chun Li laughed but Iwa remained quiet.

"Poor Victoria's been stalked by the paparazzi lately. The nurse assigned to care for her was attacked, or so I heard. She probably even knew her stalker was coming and ran away. Poor girl." Chun Li was absently studying Iwa for anything that could give her away.

Victoria's missing?! Genuine surprise showed on Iwa's face. Surprise for the sudden change in decision. It would have explained a lot about the strange things last night as well as the need for radio silence and information blackout. Sneaky indeed.

"When can I discharge? I don't like it here"

"They want to observe you for one more day, just to make sure there's no side effects," Chun Li answered. "I've made arrangements for your things to be transferred to a spare room next to mine."

"I have my own room," Iwa added. She suspected the older woman was using this as a chance to rummage through her things but other than the odd bits of distractions there wouldn't be anything else there.

"I had your room blocked off and swept for bugs and any other devices. The boy was overzealous in his work, pretty much overstepped his boundaries. You could have thrown a Personal Protection Order at him you know." It sounded like a lecture

"Whatever." She knew her tone annoyed the older woman.

"There's something else we need to talk about."

Iwa grimaced, knowing full well what was coming and that it would be a test of her own control not to blow this chance to get the biggest prize of all.

"We're sorry we did what we did," Chun Li swallowed. "I admit we were frightened of Bison. I can understand the choice you made in order to survive. I was afraid he might kill you if he so much as think that you were a mole."

In silence Iwa took note of the carefully chosen words. Vaguely Iwa remembered the Master mentioning something about a test of trust and how he found it hard to believe someone like Ryu would abandon her. Yet, he left her to die while the Master was convinced enough to spare her. It was interesting enough to hear this from her former mentor. It seemed like this particular piece of information was being constantly turned on its head. The Master had predicted this.

"He left me to die," Iwa repeated this, her anger pretty much controlled.

"He was afraid of Bison. We both were."

Iwa was almost convinced by Chun Li's words. Almost. The older woman had been sneakily baiting her, bit by bit, for this moment. The Master had warned her she might try something like this. Of course, she couldn't be seen as being too eager to return.

"I need to think." There was no commitment in her voice.

"Take all the time you need. We'll always be here for you." Chun Li placed a hand on the back of Iwa's hand. It took a whole lot of control on the younger woman's part not to pull away she had to maintain impassive. Chun Li's hand retreated a moment later. Silence took over once again yet both sides had now laid their traps... but to what result?

==

-U.P.R.F., Level 2 Blue Sector Cells (Shadaloo side), 9:30AM-

With a small frown and unopened eyes she registered the strain on her back produced by the hard surface she laid on. She awoke startled; obviously missing the comfort of what should have been her hospital bed. Victoria sat up as much as the grogginess permitted, noticing first the nagging ache on her forehead, which she tried to subdue with her hand, and secondly that the thin fabric of the hospital gown provided little protection from the blasting air conditioner.

Victoria rubbed her shivering arms and after her vision cleared, studied the confinement she found herself in. It was a small holding cell, the only light source coming from the dim incandescent light above. The locked entryway was a steel metal door, complete with metal bars that ended about a foot off the ground. With some effort she stood up, staring at the tiny video camera perched on the ceiling, which followed her movement up to the bars. Somewhat self-conscious, Enid crossed her arms over her chest.

Holding one bar with her hand, she looked outside. No one. The cells across from hers seemed to be empty, and other than the soft humming of the air conditioner and the unseen machinery, the place was completely silent.

Hello? She almost expected her voice to echo back.

There was a tiny stir of movement from the compartment diagonally left from hers. A moment later a figure appeared, staring straight at her from his holding. Victoria recognized him immediately.

Oh my God... John?! Are you okay?

There was no reply at first, as a very tired looking John Heagy took a moment to rub his eyes. Im okay, he finally said.

Turning her attention back to any means of escape, Victoria moved her hand over her side of the metal door, until she reached the locking mechanism. She closed her eyes in concentration, in an attempt to pry it open.

Dont do that! John yelled, realizing what she was doing, but was too late. The girl was already on her knees, gripping her head and screaming in pain. You alright? The fact that Victoria, slowly, pulled herself to a standing position again signaled that she was.

What the f--k was that? She asked, still massaging her head.

The chip in your head. It limits your psionics. John was, Victoria noticed, completely averting his gaze in the other direction.

Enid cursed audibly. Any attempt to use her mind would prove useless and rather painful. Looking down on herself she realized why John had been looking the other way. The almost transparent garment she wore did little for modesty. Not even the distance between both fighters was able to hide the reddish coloring of his cheeks. Some things never changed.

Sorry, John. She moved away from the metal bars and towards the back of the cell, noticing for the first time that her gym bag was on the floor, next to the metal bed.

Victoria unzipped the bag and pulled her sneakers out first, then looked through the rest of its contents. Her Kali sticks were missing, but in it was a full change of clothes nonetheless.

Enid directed an irate glare towards the video camera that relentlessly spied on her. With one swift motion of her right arm, she hurled a sneaker at it. As soon as the shoe left her hand, another sharp electrical impulse raced through her neurons, forcing her back onto the wall grimacing in pain. The action had served its purpose though, for the electronic device was now lying in pieces on the floor.

Victoria waited a minute for the ache to level down, then from the bag pulled out a pair of sweat pants, tank top and jacket and proceeded to dress. They would be down soon, no question about it, since they could no longer survey her remotely.

The loud clacking of high heels echoed through the otherwise silent cells, stopping when a redheaded woman appeared at Victorias cell. Through narrowed eyes Enid looked at her, meeting the scientist on the other side of the bars. Victoria did not make it her point to hide her fury in any way.

Where the hell am I?! Victoria pummeled the barrier between her and the other woman with the palm of her hand once, emphasizing her question. Who are you?!

The woman looked surprised at first, her six-foot frame towering over the young fighter, but still keeping a safe distance away from Victorias reach. Dr. Romanov held Enids gaze until the girl yelled for answers again. Her only reaction was to jot down several notes on her clipboard.

Answer me! Victorias plea was again dismissed.

Another man appeared, who, like the female scientist, was wearing a white lab coat. The unmistakable Shadowlaw insignia was adorning the headband on his forehead. Victoria ignored the fact that the man looked strikingly familiar. His insensate, bloodshot eyes studied Victoria as he hyperactively tapped a pen on his own notepad, an effect of one too many shots of coffee.

Yalana, have them prepare the specimen. Dr. Yamadas voice was oddly energized, contrasting his visibly sleep deprived self. A certain thrill was evident as he spoke of their newly acquired test subject.

To both scientists, Victorias voice had merely fallen into the background.

Of course. Yalana replied. Should I advise Dr. Weizheimmer as well? Hes been eager to find out more about this subjects neurological patterns...

HEY! Im talking to you! Enids loud outburst and the rattling of the metal bars made both scientists finally direct some attention her way. Their awareness of Victoria seemed to only last a second since both retreated into another room to continue their conversation.

Victoria felt her shoulders sink, her hands still helplessly pulling on the door that kept her trapped. Defeated, she slowly peeled herself off the metal bars wondering if this is how lab rats felt. Her body collapsed onto the steel, cushion-less bed and she brought her knees up to her chest holding herself. The fear she had been burying in the back of her mind suddenly became a reality. Victoria allowed herself to shed one, single tear as the hope of Enrique coming to her rescue now turned into her biggest dread.

He will come for me... And would most probably die trying.

==

-FBI Honolulu, 11:38AM-

"I'm sorry sir, but I can't let you-" Parker heard Linda say from outside before her words were cut off by the sound of his office door bursting open. Kyle snapped his head up, locking eyes with the intruder just as he shut the door behind him.

"As much as I enjoy these meetings of ours, Mr. Kushina," Kyle began. "Should you continue to endanger my staff I will be forced to call security to remove you from the premises."

"If by "staff" you mean yourself, then it'd only make sense," Jin replied with a surprisingly cordial tone, as if playfully bantering with an old friend.

Parker simply grinned smugly as he leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. "Now what can I do for you Jin? Or should I just make a wild guess?"

"She's gone missing." There was a slight steel edge to Jin's voice now, though the cordial tone remained. "I was hoping to get some answers," he added. Parker, however, surmised the hidden implication in Jin's words, which inferred answers that I know you have.

He deliberately ignored it, intentionally presenting a cool, ignorant gaze before he spoke. "Ohh, right. Well, Jin, she put herself on the line so many times. It's a dangerous job. Sometimes things go wrong." The barest hint of a self-satisfied smile crossed his features momentarily, a self-satisfied smile that did not slip past Jin's notice.

"I agree, things can go wrong," Jin said. "Take for example our conversation right now. There's the chance of you making things right between us, otherwise I'd say you're about one more slick or patronising comment away from things become very unfortunate..." Kushina's hand moved slightly, and that was when Parker noticed it: the hilt of a sword, barely poking out from the folds of his lightweight coat.

How the hell did he get that past security?! Parker wondered, just as the smile faded away from his face. "You're right, things could become very unfortunate," he said, followed by him leaning forward to now sit upright, with his hands placed in front of him, hidden under his desk. What Jin didn't notice was how one of those hands inched further under his desk, to where his gun was secretly strapped. "However, Last I checked, Mr. Kushina, your name isn't listed in either the spouse or next-of-kin columns in her contacts sheet, so I'm not liable to tell you anything."

Jin flashed a small grin. "Fair enough, Parker. Maybe it'd be better if I set up a meeting between you and someone more "liable", like her overprotective brother, yes?"

The agent tried to smirk, only for it to come out looking more like a small snarl. "It might, but I suppose I'll be generous and save you the trouble and just tell you that it looks like they might be leaving that tombstone up for her from four years ago." A slight smugness returned to Parker's face as he caught Jin's reaction. "Unfortunately, it seems she's disappeared without a trace during her last investigation. We've had this happen before in this case, and if and when we found bodies, they were barely recognizable." He took a short pause. "So there. Are you satisfied now?"

"What last investigation?" Jin's cordiality was all but existent by this point.

"Now you're pushing it, Kushina. That's classified information." Parker responded with a sudden sternness, which unsurprisingly coincided just as his hand got a grip on the 9MM. "You'd do best to leave and just hope we can recover her." The look in his eyes clearly implied otherwise as far as his involvement, however.

"You've brought us this far, Kyle, haven't you?" Jin pointed out. "You've already proven to me how you're not the type to easily abide to rules and regulations. Or do we need to recount how you got my fianc into this mess in the first place?"

"I just do my job. How I do it is my business." He accentuated his words with another self-satisfied smirk before he continued. "They wanted her back in, and I got her. Trust me, I never actually wanted to go through all this trouble for a little pyromaniac." There was a slight, growing bitterness in his voice now. "She's never been anything but trouble or amusement to me. Whatever she's gone and gotten into, in my opinion, she deserves. I don't know if you've realized it or not, but your fianc is quite the killer. She got herself into this mess. Years ago."

"Are you done?" Jin gave Parker a blank look. A part of him wondered if Parker would take his statement as an opportunity to continue his rant.

"Exactly what I was going to ask you, Jin." Parker answered. With his free hand, the SAC reached for the telephone. "Or do I need to call somebody?"

Gold-eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. "No, we're not done. Far from it." Kushina knew it wouldn't be wise to push his luck, at least not now. "We'll meet again. I only came here for answers today, and not your head," he finished, turning to leave the room.

Parker only smirked at Jin, placing the phone back on the cradle, and unable to resist throwing a parting shot. "We'll be in touch if the body is found."

That made him stop in mid-action, his left hand on the doorknob as he opened it slowly and turned back towards the desk. "For your sake, Kyle, I suggest that you hope a second meeting between us doesn't occur under such circumstances..."

The door fell shut on Parker, and Jin was gone, while the former went back to his paperwork, an all-knowing smirk plastered on his face.

==

-U.P.R.F., Level 6, 11:54AM-

The first thing she noticed when waking up was the smell. The scent was faintly chemical and just shy of stale, altogether unnatural. It was that of oxygen that had been recycled through the filtration system of the building countless times, hardly ever venting in any fresh air from outside sources. The second thing she noticed was how cold she felt.

Pale turquoise eyes opened slowly, squinted and blinked as they fought to adjust to the fluorescent lighting of the plain, sterile room she was sitting in. Sitting, not lying, for she was in an uncomfortable metal chair. As Natalie looked around, she took note of the three steel walls and the wall in front of her, which had a large viewing window next to the door. Memory returned to her, telling her where she most likely was. The thought was confirmed when she tried to move her hands, only to find them bound behind her.

"Sh-t," she muttered softly, closing her eyes against a mild headache. That was when she noticed she should be hurting in other places.

Confusion masked her unease as she inspected herself, glancing down to see that her suit was gone, and taking its place was a loose, light blue shirt and matching pants. The material was thin, hence the fact that she felt cold. Experimentally, she moved her legs, which were bound at the ankles to the chair. By flexing them as best she could, she could tell the bullet wound was no longer there, and breathing was easy, so any bruises from the bullets blocked by her flak jacket were gone as well.

Strange, she thought. I couldn't have healed myself...

Umbrella was an advanced pharmaceutical company, so she came to the conclusion that they had methods of restoring the body quickly, which was perhaps their only positive secret in comparison to the experiments she'd seen documentation of. Now, it was only a matter of getting out of this room. Closing her eyes again, Natalie fought the mild pain in her head and concentrated on her spiritual energy...

Then, blue eyes opened wide in shock as nothing happened.

Nothing, not the slightest azure flicker, not even the warmth that tingled along her skin when she summoned her flames. Nothing. She cursed vehemently and rattled her bindings, understanding now that they had done something to her to prevent her from using her natural gifts. She felt enraged, bitter, helpless... and now, afraid. Because she knew, unlike in the federal building when Parker had caught her, that she didn't have the advantage of power on her side. She was at their mercy, and if Jin didn't get the message and find her phone, and by chance the flash drive, he would have no way of knowing what happened.

Head bowing as she prayed silently, Agent Wynshire realized that she had few options but to wait. Part of her put faith in Jin coming to her rescue... but the reasonable side of her rejected the idea. No, he should stay away, for his own sake, and aside from that he probably wouldn't be able to find her, let alone get to her. Bitterly, she knew she would have to take her own chances, if any came. Calm returned to her; a cold sense of numbness to the fact that she was going to be a guinea pig at best, dead at worst. She would need her senses if she were going to have a chance at surviving when no other missing agents had ever returned or been found.

With dark eyes, she passed the time remembering what she'd seen of the layout plans Jack had given her, the levels, estimating where she was and how to get out, if and when she escaped the cell. Feelings of longing, self-pity and fear were pressed down, ignored, and eventually forgotten as the pragmatic part of her kept its firm hold.

It wasn't long before the door to that cell opened.
 

-*-
 

So, this is the mysterious Level 6... Sergei thought to himself as he was escorted by nameless security personnel from the elevator. As he walked the long hallway, carrying a steel case, he glanced through the view panels into empty rooms and busy laboratories, seeing nothing different from most of the other levels, except noticeably fewer people. It reminded him of the facility where he had first been 'altered.'

It's not that impressive, he mentally added with a snort, wondering where they kept the more interesting specimens. His thoughts were interrupted when they stopped before a holding cell, the first he'd seen with a live subject within.

A guard pulled his pass card from his pocket. "No broken bones, no severe abrasions, no head trauma, and no internal injuries. If you damage the subject too much, we are authorized to stop you in any way necessary."

The tone was cold and detached, and Romanav didn't doubt for a moment that he was disposable. A smirk twisted his lips. "Of course."

Swiping the card and typing in the clearance code, the guard opened the door and stepped back. Rez was unsurprised to see the woman awake and staring at him with a harsh gaze. Chuckling, he stepped into the room and the door slid shut behind him. He set down the metal case.

"You healed well," he said, extending a hand to brush his fingertips over her temple, where he has struck her the last time she saw him.

Rather than flinch at his touch, as she knew he expected, Natalie merely glared at him. "So what the hell are you here for?"

Another cool chuckle, then, "Mien, is it? Or should I call you Natalie? Such a lovely name, but I think I prefer Natalya... you don't mind if I call you that, do you?"

This was decidedly different from the way she'd seen him act with Parker, but she was correct in guessing it had to do with her being female and in a non-threatening state.

She didn't answer, so he went on. "I'd like to know a few things. You were, after all, digging a little too deep into things that weren't your business..." He walked around her as he said this, but her eyes did not follow him.

"So you're here to interrogate me," she stated flatly. "Why don't you just ask my boss? He has all the information on the investigation." Sourly, she thought of the traitor, Parker.

"I'm inclined to disagree, Natalya."

"However you are inclined means nothing."

"You've been talking to someone. Information was leaked..."

"F--k yourself," she said in an almost sweet tone.

Sergei ran a hand through her hair admiringly, and then snatched it to crane her neck backward, forcing her to look at him. Her expression remained cold.

"It would be wise of you to be nicer to me, girl. We'll be seeing a lot of each other. Even working together, if you're lucky," he whispered, twisting his fist in her hair.

The reaction he got was not what he expected. Natalie merely covered any wince with a mocking grin and snorted her response. "I guess you think that hurts. Did you stop to think that with hair this long, I'd be use to getting it pulled? Please. Threaten all you want, I've got nothing to tell you."

Rez smiled, a slow change of expression that didn't warm the icy look in his blue eyes. He released his hold on her long mane, straightening himself fully. "We shall see."

Reaching into his jacket, he procured a small, folded pouch, and began to reveal its contents slowly. Pliers, wire cutters, a cigarette light, and various other mundane objects whose purpose in his hands was anything but what was originally intended. Agent Wynshire watched impassively as he showed her his small collection.

"Do you know what I will do with these?" he asked.

"With what they plan to do with me anyway, does it matter?"

"Ahh, it will. You see, they will at least administer anesthetics to you before any major procedures, though I won't lie and tell you there's no pain involved. But believe me, Natalya, when I say that compared to what I can do, the pain they cause will seem like an insect bite."

The problem, Romanav knew, was that he wasn't allowed to use his full arsenal of techniques. But he was confident in his ability to instil fear, and that was always his greatest weapon. She would come to fear what he could do, and fully believe that he would follow through with any threat. Once he had her in that state of mind, she would tell him anything.

"I could, for instance, remove those long nails of yours..."

He watched, but no reaction came, not even the slightest hint of fear in her eyes.

"Your teeth, your hair... but to be honest, I do not wish to detract from your beauty. You already have a few unsightly scars..." He chuckled as one of her brows arched the slightest.

"Oh, you were unconscious at the time," he elaborated. "I just happened to be in the room when they pulled you out of the recovery tank, so there's no need to be modest..." And Rez didn't doubt she did hold her share of modesty, after digging into her personal history enough to find out about her religious background and upbringing. Still, he got no more than a slight look of distaste. "Does it bother you more that I've seen your flaws, or that you were naked?" It was too bad the latter part was mostly a bluff, but she didn't have to know that.

"You really need a hobby, other than spying on local lab-rats."

Romanav laughed then, a sound that trickled into his next response. "I have many hobbies, girl. Most of which you would find more disturbing. Or perhaps not, according to some of your history..."

Natalie scoffed quietly, watching with carefully uninterested eyes as he pulled a long, thin needle from the pouch.

"I think we will get started now. Are you sure you want to do this the hard way, Natalya?" he asked, stepping behind her again and letting the needle trail along her cheek.

"I told you, I've got nothing to say."

"Too bad."

The next instant, pain exploded in her shoulder as he drove the needle into the joint of her bones.

==

-Lahaina, Maui, 4:00PM-

"This should work, right?"

Locke looked up from his laptop to see Meliza standing a few feet away, wearing a clingy burgundy dress with cap sleeves and a low vee that laced up the front. The skirt ended about three inches above her knees. A pair of black thigh high boots completed the outfit. She turned around to reveal the back of the dress...or lack of one. The dress dipped low to the small of her back, leaving quite a lot of skin exposed. He arched a brow, thinking she looked just fine. But...

"Something seems missing," he stated.

"Huh." Meliza moved to the vanity to examine her reflection. She gathered her hair on top of her head, apparently trying to decide how she should wear her hair.

"Down," Locke answered, surveying her with a slight frown.

She began to brush her hair. Since when was Locke the expert on women's fashion? She caught his reflection in the mirror from his sitting position on the bed. He gave a pointed look to the skirt of her dress, his right hand slicing across his upper thigh.

"No," Meliza retorted.

"You're supposed to be an escort," he reminded.

"Escort, not prostitute."

"You should have looked at that clothing website again."

June Panaloa had given them a web address that sold women's clothing to give her inspiration on what to wear. The site mostly had very short halter dresses, strapless dresses, dresses with cut outs in the bodice, dresses that dipped to the navel...All things that she would NOT wear to a club.

She grabbed the material at her hips and moved it up a few inches, glaring at the look of amusement in her boyfriend's eyes. "Now look who's having fun at whose expense."

"I can't decide between helping you or watching you."

Meliza turned around and tossed her hairbrush at him, the item hitting him in the chest and falling in his lap.

"This is way too revealing," Meliza grumbled.

"I've seen you wear less."

She shot his reflection a look. "You have. Not anyone else." Meliza adjusted the ties at the front of the dress.

"You wanted to help," Locke pointed out, moving behind her to put on a necklace comprised of a black leather rope and a brown and silver iridescent shell. He fastened the clasp at her neck. "This contains a microphone."

"Do I want to know where you got this?" Meliza inquired.

"Probably not."

He also handed her an earpiece. She glanced at it before placing it in her left ear.

"Microphone so I know if you're going to run into trouble, earpiece so I can talk to you."

"Okay, okay." Meliza took a deep breath. "So basically, we meet up, we eat, he takes me back to his hotel. I call for room service and you pretend to be room service."

"Right." Locke took a step away to give her a final check. His eyes moved from her back to her face in the reflection. Her cheeks were dusted with bronze, her lips were a shiny pale mauve, her eyes lined with black swept with smoky gray eyeshadow. And she was wearing fake eyelashes. Very different than the all-natural look he was used to seeing. "Panaloa said that he usually travels with two people, one always being his assistant. He'll most likely have his assistant with him at all times."

Fifteen minutes later, Locke pulled the rental car to the curb half a block away from the restaurant. He pushed the gear in park, reaching into the compartment between the seats to put on a headset.

"You clear on what to do?" He turned to her.

Meliza opened the car door. "You really should trust me on this, Locke."

His eyes narrowed slightly. "Just...try not to get into too much trouble."

"I can't make any promises," she teased.

Locke circled her wrist with his hand. "This isn't a game, Meliza. If you want to find out who went after RJ-"

"I know," she cut him off, her eyes flashing. "Once we get to the hotel, you make sure he tells us everything."

He squeezed her hand before letting go. "Good luck."

"Thanks." Meliza carefully got out, closing the door behind her.