Board Fighters 2 - Chapter 38 Part 2

Board Fighters II
Chapter 38 Part 2: Intentions and Mistakes
Writer: Animenadie (w/ Cherie, Dunes, Gouki and Iwa)

Undisclosed location in Oahu, near Honolulu - 2:35PM

Still too weak…

Eleonore fought to concentrate on her healing meditation, but her unfamiliar surroundings bothered her. She didn't like being watched, and she was well aware that she was. Need to leave, but…

She couldn't go back without completing her mission. Truthfully, she didn't want to go back. In that place it was always cold and the air was stale and dry and they always had needles and invisible fingers that bore into her brain…

The girl shivered as she pulled her knees closer, toes wiggling nervously under the blanket. What should she do? Stay with her new captors or return to her old ones? She didn't feel well, she was tired and weak…

The door opening pulled her out of her thoughts. One skittish glance told Eleonore that the man entering was her target.

Enrique didn't miss the slightest sound of a whimper coming from the girl as he slowly approached to stand by the bed. She didn't look at him, but he could see her hands fidgeting on her shins. Uncomfortable and unsure of how to speak to her, he cleared his throat quietly and asked, "How are you feeling?"

She seemed to shy away, an almost imperceptible lean away from him. He sighed and lowered himself to a kneeling position, since there was no chair in the room. "What's your name?" No answer. "Mine's Enrique… but I'm sure you knew that," he added lamely. God, he was not cut out for interacting with kids, let alone questioning them.

Lifting the shopping bag he'd carried in, he tried something else. "I got you something I thought you might like. The first time I saw you, you were finger-painting. Do you remember?"

When she didn't answer, he leaned a little closer, hoping for some sign that she was listening. "Kid?"

Apparently, he wasn't helping her get any more comfortable with his presence, since she suddenly yanked the covers over her head, shaking as if trying to shrink into herself. Enrique sighed and pulled the items out of the bag, setting them on the edge of the bed.

"I'll just leave these here, then."

It wasn't until several minutes after she heard the door close and lock that Ele slowly pulled the covers down. The objects he'd left drew her full attention, making dark eyes widen and one hand reach out tentatively to the set of markers and drawing tablet on the edge of the bed.

~*~*~*~

COF Main Arena, 6:00PM

The third match in the quarterfinals was about to begin. It was a battle between two great fighters from the USA. One was Ken Masters: famed US martial artist and winner of past US championships, and longtime rival and friend of Ryu Hoshi, the world's greatest warrior.

The other was Luke Charlton, a.k.a. Luke Blaze: popular karate and Muay Thai style fighter from California. Both at last came this far in the COF tournament and neither was going to turn back now.

The moment was finally here. The crowds cheered and roared in response to the arrival and match of the two blond haired fighters. Not surprising, there was more fanfare and cheers for Ken than there were for Luke.

"Ooh, I don't know who's cuter, but they're both so sexy!" said a cute blonde from somewhere in the crowd.

"So…" said Ken, smirking, "...I hear you're here to take me down eh?"

"You bet I am, Masters," said Luke as he cracked his knuckles. "You've fought and won enough, it's high time someone took you down from your throne."

"Well… I hope it's nothing personal, pal," said Ken. "I just happen to be the best at it."

"I don't hold any real grudges against you, Ken," said Luke. "Like you, I've beaten many great fighters in the US... but it's time someone new took over that championship."

Alex was watching from the bleachers in the stadium.

Well… this is it, he thought. I know Luke's determined, but he hasn't an inkling of how much power and fury Ken's fists have. Good luck, Luke…you're gonna need it.

Luke then pointed a finger at Ken and then did a roundhouse kick.

"You ready?" he said.

"Yeah, let's do it!" said Ken.

Luke made the first move as he ran at Ken and did his Thrust Kick, but the Shotokan managed to block it off with both arms crossed upward and skidded backwards across the ring.

Ken then threw his arms down and then threw them both forward with a single Hadouken, hitting Luke in the abdomen with it.

Luke grunted in pain as white-hot energy sizzled across his stomach.

"A little fireball won't hold me back, Ken," said Luke.

"I'm sure it won't," said Ken grinning. "But trust me I got more tricks than you can shake a stick at."

"I'll show ya tricks!" said Luke as he rushed forward at Ken again.

This time he swung out an arsenal of kicks and punches at him, but Ken simply dodged and blocked them off. Then just as Luke swung another roundhouse, Ken ducked it and then launched a fiery Dragon Punch, slamming him hard in the chin and face.

"SHORYUKEN!" he cried and Luke's entire body caught fire.

"Ouch!" said Alex flinching. "I knew he'd do that soon enough... poor Luke."

Luke fell backward and landed on his back.

"Want more?" said Ken.

"I'm just getting warmed up, man!" said Luke as he jumped back to his feet and carried on the assault.

Ken then whipped out his overhead kick and came flying down at Luke. This time, however, he was ready as he dodged it and then came back at Ken with a spin kick to his side, before slamming him in the chest several times with a lightning punch. Ken coughed and then jumped backwards.

"Okay… so maybe you're as good as I heard," he said. "But we'll see who eats the floor when this is over."

Luke then launched another thrust kick, but as he got close enough, Ken did a roll across the floor, easily dodging his attack and then got back to his stance again.

"Wha--?" said Luke as he swung back around, just in time to see Ken come at him with a Helicopter Kick, both fast and hard. Luke was hit many times in the face and head with Ken's spin kick. Once he was done, Ken then came at Luke and slammed a fierce punch into his stomach and then a head butt to the face. Luke then retaliated with his High Rise Kick, hitting Ken so hard in the face that he launched a few feet in the air.

"GOTCHA!" said Luke, but to his surprise, Ken managed to back flip and land back to his feet. He then rubbed his right cheek where Luke just bruised it.

"Nice try, Blaze," said Ken. "But it'll take more than that to topple me."

"Oh yeah?" said Luke. "I'll show ya how much I can do!"

The two blonds then rushed forward at each other, and both collided their shoulders with a loud crack.

They both then traded off blows with each other. Ken did a leg sweep but Luke jumped over it and then brought down an overhead chop to his right shoulder. Ken winced in pain, but carried on. Luke then thrust a pair of punches, but Ken blocked the first one and then caught his second fist. Once he got him he slammed a hard punch and then shoved him away.

Damn! thought Luke clutching his abs. He's more skilled than I heard. I gotta do something fast!

Ken then rushed at Luke and then did another Hurricane Kick at him. Luke then ducked it and then waited for Ken to land back on his feet.

"NOW!" said Luke as he leapt at his opponent.

He unleashed his Flaming Vulcan Kick, causing Ken in turn to burst into flames with his rapid fire kick.

"Payback's a $@+%% as they say," said Luke grinning and then slammed Ken in the face with a finishing spin kick.

Ken was hit so hard that it looked as though he might not get up, but on the count of seven, he staggered to his feet.

I don't believe this! thought Luke. I've taken down guys twice as tough as him... what's it gonna take?

"Y-you're pretty good there Luke," said Ken catching his breath. "But it looks like you've still got a way to go there."

Luke scowled in irritation and then flew forward with another Thrust Kick. Ken simply jumped over it, and then landed right behind Luke.

"HADOUKEN!" cried Ken as he slammed Luke in the back with another fireball.

"HEY!" replied Luke. He managed to swing back around, but was hit by a straight roundhouse kick to the stomach. The kick boxer wasn't going down yet, this time he thrust forward with a Knee Smash to his stomach. Ken grunted loudly in pain from the blow.

"Now I got you!" said Luke as he charged up his left fist with ki energy. He then jumped high into the air and was about to bring his Mallot Mash down on his rival.

"I don't….think so!" said Ken as he suddenly shrugged off the pain. Ken then launched upward and unleashed his powerful spinning Shoryuken attack.

"SHINRYUKEN!"

Luke was hit by a rapid upward attack of flaming and powerful dragon punches.

"YEAH MAN! LOOKIT KEN GO!" said one of the patrons in the audience.

"That move gets 'im every time. Blaze there hasn't a prayer!" said another.

"Hmmm…" replied Alex with a look of sympathy in his face. "I know exactly how it feels to get pummeled by the Shoto-twins."

Once Ken was finished, Luke's seemingly lifeless body fell to the ring floor and landed with a loud thud. Ken landed on his feet and took a deep breath.

Did it…work? he thought.

"Come on Luke!" said Alex. "Get up, it's not over!"

Luke started to try to get back up, but the feeling of pain and exhaustion was too overwhelming for even him, and he fell back to the floor, out cold.

The count came and went and the latest winner of the quarterfinals was announced. The crowds cheered wildly.

A pair of medics came and then placed Luke on the stretcher.

Ken looked back at Luke as he was carried away. Was he feeling a little sympathy?

I admit… he thought. Even I can't hold the title of US Champion forever. Sooner or later, I'll probably be the one eating ring floor. Well... I'll be ready when the time comes.

Alex went to Luke who was being treated for injuries in the locker area. Luke managed to regain his consciousness and was sitting upright on the stretcher and applying a cold compress to his head.

"Hey man," said Alex. "You okay, Luke?"

"Uh, well… it depends…" said Luke. "...I'm in pain, but which hurts more... pride or body?"

Alex smirked. "Pride isn't everything Luke," said Alex, patting him on the shoulder. "You did the best you could out there."

"He's right dude," said a voice behind the grappler.

It was Ken.

"You…?" said Luke as he got up. "Come to gloat have you?"

"Hardly," said Ken. "I just wanted to let you know… that was some of the best Muay Thai skills I ever faced."

"Really?" said Luke. "Well, I guess it's not every day you get the attention of a heavy hitter like you huh?"

"Ah, I make friends and enemies pretty easily in my career, Luke," said Ken. "But like I said, you were good… but I'd tone up those super moves more the next time."

"Duly noted, Ken," said Luke. "But just you wait... there'll be other contests and other opportunities. And I'll be there."

"Heh-heh. I look forward to it man... believe me," said Ken. "And best of luck to you in the next match as well Alex."

"Ditto, Ken," said Alex grinning. "Now why don't you both just rest up, you've earned it."

"Right," said Luke as he slumped back into his stretcher.

"Yeah," said Ken as he left, making his way to the medical personnel to receive treatment for the first time. Unknown to anyone around him, he had specific reasons for doing so.

"Hey Al," said Luke.

"Yeah?" said Alex.

"If you do get Ryu and Ken… give it your best as well for me and the rest of the fighters, okay?"

"Hey, you know I will," said Alex. "Till then, take care."

Alex then left the tent and prepared for when his next match would come up.

~*~*~*~

St. Peter's Medical Center, late evening

Several subtle inquiries had given Locke the information he needed to find out exactly where the hospital's security office was located. They were on the bottom floor, towards the back near the ER. Every hour, one security guard would make rounds around the hospital perimeter, scanning his badge at various checkpoints throughout the hospital.

Hospital security uniform was fairly simple - black slacks and a white short-sleeved button down shirt with the hospital's logo embroidered on each sleeve. He'd passed by the employee uniform department and retrieved all items he'd need. He'd even changed his appearance - nothing too drastic, just slicking his hair back and adding a thin moustache. It was the quickest change he could come up with in a short time.

Sneaking into security's office was fairly easy. He'd arrived in full disguise, and they assumed that he was the new hire starting that day. The two currently on duty had given him a brief introduction on his responsibilities and showed him the equipment. Four machines currently ran, two recording for twelve hours and the next two began recording thirty minutes left into the first two. The machines stored information and saved all the recordings as backups. They'd also shown him which cameras viewed which parts of the hospital. It didn't take him long to render them unconscious and immobile. After that, he immediately began to work on the computer containing archived footage.

After several hours, Locke was still searching. The whole process was looking like a needle in a haystack. There were at least 10 cameras that covered patient floors, and he didn't even know how far back in time he should look. So far all he'd come across was Millan being wheeled into a room, and not long after, Pierantoni pacing in the waiting room outside. As if something had caught his attention, he'd left the waiting room.

Locke ran a hand over his eyes and fast-forwarded the footage of Millan's room. So far in the last few days, no one had come in or out except the occasional nurses. Nothing. No other sign of activity. To anyone without a watchful eye, they'd assume that the room was empty. Glancing at the clock on the wall, he frowned. It was getting late. He'd have to come back...security was going to change shifts soon...

~*~*~*~

U.P.R.F. - several miles off the coast of Oahu

In a darkened room with several screens running, a man shook his head, the black and white images reflecting on his glasses.

"It looks as if someone is looking in places he shouldn't be looking..."

"I've had my men working long hours trying to find him," came a response.

"You should have looked closer."

The bottom right three screens showed three different images. All the same man. One, leaving hospital security room at St. Peter's Medical Center, dressed in the security uniform. The second, the man dressed in casual clothing passing by front desk at the Makai. The last, standing next to RJ Rinaldo at the front desk of the hotel Nancy Shan was staying at in Maui.

Carson Harris cleared his throat. "Sir, now that we have more information, I believe we can-"

"Save it," came the curt reply.

"Sir-"

"I have a different plan for our nosy detective." His eyes focused on another screen to see a brown-haired woman strapped to a steel table, her eyes closed.

"Her? But...she just got in. Her treatment isn't complete-"

"I feel like testing her out. I'm sure the medical officers would, too..."

Harris' eyes focused on the woman on screen before turning to the frozen images of the man. One thing he learned very quickly during his tenure at Umbrella was that any outsider who found out too much information always had to pay the consequences. He almost felt sorry for the guy.

Almost.

~*~*~*~

The smoke was irritating.

He wasn't unused to it, and it wasn't an uncommon smell in a bar. Or lounge, like the one he sat in right now.

The Makai's lounge was dimly lit, as usual, and dull music played quietly as a background to the various sounds of conversations and the clinking sounds of glass on glass as drinks were poured at the bar. Jin heard none of it.

At a small table against one wall, Jin slouched over his drink, elbows on the table was he stared at the near-empty sake bottle. Beside it was an identical bottle, completely drained. With the earbuds of his iPod blasting his own selections directly into his skull, the only part of the surrounding atmosphere that penetrated his thoughts was the scent of smoke and alcohol.

Dressed in typical black and wearing the slightest look of spite, Jin was the picture of anti-social. As he lifted his glass for another gulp, it was clear he preferred it that way.

"You take the breath right out of me
You left a hole where my heart should be
You gotta fight just to make it through
'Cuz I will be the death of you…

The chorus of the song he was currently listening only served - by Jin's own choice - to highlight his own reflections. He refilled his glass, emptying the second bottle, and signaled a waitress for another. Outwardly, Jin didn't appear the slightest bit drunk. Inwardly, he knew he was well on his way. And for the first time in years, he didn't give a damn.

His abdomen, wrapped in bandages beneath his shirt, still suffered from the fight with Fei the day before, as did the rest of his body. Yet as far as Kushina was concerned, it was just as well.

Not like I can do anything useful with it anyway, he thought bitterly as gold eyes narrowed on his clenched fist atop the table.

The song ended, and the next to come on was the first in a series she had apparently put on his list… the last morning she'd been at the hotel, in fact.

She wore faded jeans, and soft black leather
She had eyes so blue they looked like weather

Why the hell had she put a Tom Petty song on there? Other than the fact that the lilting strum of the tune was an endearing sort of melancholy to match lyrics that brought her image to mind, and perhaps unintentionally highlighted his shortcomings.

When she needed me, I wasn't around
That's the way it goes, it'll all work out

He clicked the button for the next song, annoyed in general but unable to delete it. She liked it, after all…

"Why do you like that song so much? It's… very unlike you…" he'd asked.

She only giggled and flopped onto her back as she let her selection play on the stereo. "It's from one of my favorite movies." With a roll of her eyes, she smirked at him. "I'll bet you can't even guess which…"

He still couldn't. The next song played.

Staring at an empty cup of understanding
Maybe you could fill it up and tell me why you left
Well I don't wanna be alone in this ocean
People passing by, washing towards the end

And I can see your soft reflection like a ghost in the mirror
And I would do whatever I could for a chance to have you here

She only recently picked up listening to this one, he recalled. She'd said something about it making her homesick for being with him, in Tokyo. But damn, had she put it on here just to depress him?

Home again
Now that you're gone I can see I was wrong
Back in your arms I feel home again…

Even as the clouds roll by, I swear they mock me
Cuz every one that fills the sky turns into your face
Maybe it was Heaven's fault, they lost an angel
Couldn't hold on and I let her go away…

The pre-chorus played again and Jin found himself staring without focus at the bottom of his glass. He thought over her words before, on how she wanted to be done with her job so they would be left alone. Over the time they'd been here, he'd watched the feisty-but-sweet, affectionate girl he knew change into a relative stranger, someone cold who often smelled of blood and gun-smoke. The carefree sparkle that had been in her eyes since she showed up in Tokyo had dimmed.

Jin slipped one hand into his pocket to retrieve her phone. Her rings and pendant still dangled from the cord attached to it. Gold eyes gazed at the turquoise stone set in her engagement ring for a long moment before he flipped the phone open.

The picture that greeted him was the one of him sleeping, but since browsing her phone, he'd found one file he'd overlooked before, mainly because the filename was one digit different from that picture. He pulled it up now.

It was a little blurry, but it was clear enough to make out the image of her, pressing her lips to his cheek while he slept.

As the next song played, he stared at the picture.

The next song, of course, seemed more to address their arguments and tension days before her disappearance. It was one of Nat's favorites - mainly because it dealt with one of favorite ways of relieving stress…

Just hear me out
If it's not perfect I'll perfect it 'til my heart explodes
I highly doubt
I can make it through another of your episodes
Lashing out
One of the petty moves you pull before you lose control
You wear me out
But it's alright now

Let's go home and get stoned
We could end up making love instead of misery
Go home and get stoned
Cuz the sex is so much better when you're mad at me
You wear me out
But it's alright now…

When, inevitably, his thoughts trailed back to their make-up, Jin sighed and switched to the next song in a long list.

-*-

The raven-haired fighter had no idea he was being watched, let alone who was at the bar observing him idly.

Taking another long drag from his cigar, Enrique sighed softly, slowly. Smoke wafted in creeping tendrils from his breath. He thumped the cigar on the ashtray and took another sip of his drink.

He'd been hoping to find some other lead to Victoria, to which side might have her, how to safely get her out of there… but he came up with nothing. Which left him sitting at the bar, casually observing the misery of someone other than himself.

Unlike other patrons who might think Kushina was drinking away his loss, Riq suspected the apparent binge had more to do with his missing fiancée.

Well, join the club of people who f-cked up, Pierantoni thought, sweeping the rest of the room with his gaze. Raking a hand through his hair briefly, he then stared back down at the bar and thought of the missing woman who made this case quite personal.

He warned her to stay away. He had told her, time and again… yet when she consented to his protection, depended on him in her weakness, what happened?

He snorted quietly to himself and snubbed the nearly-gone cigar in the ashtray, the last breath of smoke leaking from his lips.

Wherever Victoria was, he hoped the others who were missing were with her. Maybe they would have a better chance of successfully rescuing them all…

Either way, he would get her back. He refused to let himself dwell on any other outcome.

Especially one that ended with him arranging her funeral.

His jaw tensed for a moment before he downed the remains of his whiskey and looked again at the only other person in the room who had any idea of what it was like to push such thoughts away.

-*-

"I don't guess it counts that everything I've done since getting myself caught up in this sh-t has been for you."

"Maybe, but there's limits in such cases."

"Is there?"

She'd looked so tired, so earnest when she asked him that. Probably the most ironic thing was that what had taken her away was something she was doing for him. If it had been only her, he knew she could have gotten out of it somehow. But she was working to get back to their life, to keep those above her from getting to him…

He didn't suppose she'd taken into account his feelings should something happen to her.

But then, a part of Jin knew he might have done it the same way if their roles were reversed, keeping her at a distance while he did what had to be done.

It had been a big mistake letting Nat get involved in her old work. It had been an even bigger mistake staying out of her business for the most part. He had thought the rift between them and the subsequent fighting was the worst of it, both put to rest when she conceded to letting him in a little more after her loss to him in the tournament.

When had he become so naïve and complacent? He snorted softly at himself, emptying the glass again.

He should have made her listen.

He should have gotten her away from this place…

He should have-

Jin blinked as the song he'd been listening to suddenly went silent. It took a moment of fumbling with his iPod to realize it lost power. With a muttered curse, he snatched the buds from his ears and shoved it all into his pocket, concentrating on his drink instead.

It was then that he heard the conversation going on a couple of tables over.

A blond man in his early twenties was listening to a friend, a guy with darker skin and hair who looked to be local, about the same age.

"So did you see that guy's match with Fei Long yesterday?" asked the darker one.

"Nah," said the blond. "Just highlights. Looked like it was a hell of a fight…"

"Please," the first snorted. "The highlights made Kushina look better than he was. Man, Fei gave him the business. Probably the only major challenge Jin got, and no wonder why he didn't get through. I mean, if I had to beat a woman to get that far, I'd probably get beat by better competition too..."

Jin's fist tightened.

The blond guy chuckled, sipping his beer before commenting. "Yeah, it was his girlfriend too. He beat the sh-t out of that little goth. What was up with the catch at the end, though? My girl thought it was 'romantic'…"

"Probably trying to put out the fire in the tabloids. I hear she ain't been around since the fight. Probably dumped his ass…"

"Whatever the case, she was about his best fight before Long," the blond guy replied.

"You think so? He did fight that Dan fellow…" the dark-haired man said with a snicker that was shared with his friend before he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned and both men stared in mild surprised at the gold-colored eyes that were slightly narrowed on them.

"Should've kept my name out of your mouth," came the matter-of-fact tone just before the man was snatched out of his chair and lifted by the side of his shirt collar. Desperate hands came up to shove Jin away, but found that the fight was immovable, and his grip seemed impossible to pry off.

"If you've got a problem with me…"

Jin's words were cut off as the blond stood and took a step closer.

"Hey! What the hell is your problem?!"

The sidelong glare he received made him stop where he was.

"Are you going to stop me?" Kushina challenged with a quiet, dangerous tone. The loudmouth, meanwhile, continued his struggle to get free, obviously straining to breathe. "You're free to help him if you want…"

"Let him go."

It took Jin a moment to place that voice, but as he did, his grip loosened slowly, and he turned around to stare at the hand that briefly clamped itself firmly onto his shoulder, then at the person it belonged to. Gold eyes locked in a stormy stare with green as Enrique calmly held eye contact. The older man's face was stern but showed none of the aggression that underlined the expression of the younger.

"You'd do well to back off," Jin warned the FBI agent. "Unless you want to end up in the hospital… again."

One of Pierantoni's eyebrows lifted a fraction as he shot his reply, "I make it a point not to lose to the same person twice, if you wanna try your luck." With a quieter tone, he added, "But with you still beat up, with too much to drink, it wouldn't exactly be a fair fight."

Golden eyes narrowed dangerously as Jin took a step closer. Fists clenched at his sides, Kushina was seconds away from using them, before he briefly caught his own reflection in green eyes that, unknown to him, held a measure of understanding.

Pierantoni was right.

He was injured, well on his way to being officially drunk… and looking for an outlet for his anger. Jin lingered a moment longer, then abruptly turned to walk away in long, slightly unsteady strides.

Riq released a slow, silent breath as the guy Jin had been about to hurt approached him, rubbing his neck.

"Man, I owe ya. I dunno what the hell made him snap…"

"Actually, I did that for his sake, not yours," Enrique cut in. "You just happened to be fortunate."

With those words, the agent left both men to consider what had almost happened to them.

~*~

Knocking on the door for the umpteenth time, Sakura waited outside of room 105 with an impatient scowl. Something was wrong. She'd left voicemails, text messages, notes on the door. Natalie hadn't replied, and Jin no longer answered his phone when she called. With all the weird goings-on of late, Sakura was worried. No one had seen Victoria either, and Sean had supposedly left without a word, which seemed unlike him from what she knew. They weren't close, but with their teachers being best friends and rivals, they knew each other.

Ryu and Chun Li were on edge too, but Sakura knew it was about Iwa. She shook her head. There was a can of worms she was reluctant to pry into; in fact she had been actively staying out of it, but with so many mysteries surrounding the tournament…

She was brought out of her thoughts when the elevator at the end of the hall opened to reveal a familiar figure.

"Jin!"

As he walked somewhat slowly down the hall, Sakura ran to meet him, stopping directly in his way. Hands on her hips, she leveled a hard gaze on him when he stopped.

"So, mind telling me why you aren't answering my calls? Where is Nat-chan?"

There were dark circles beneath his eyes as he stared down at her with an expression she'd never seen on him before. He actually looked pissed, along with something she couldn't place.

"Not now, Sakura."

When he moved to step around her, she stepped into his path again, which plainly annoyed him.

"I'm serious," he warned.

"So am I!" she shot back instantly, undeterred. Then she continued in a tone that held both anger and concern. "Something's going on. Natalie wouldn't go so long without letting us know something. And that's not all! Victoria is missing, too. You're Natalie's fiancé right? You have to know something about all this!"

Gold eyes narrowed on the stubborn shotokan fighter. "It's not your business. Just go away." He'd had a bad night as it was, he didn't need her addition to it.

"Like hell it's not!" she snapped, standing firmly in his way and even blocking his path again when he tried to step around her. She started to say something, then her face twisted in incredulous irritation.

"Are you drunk?"

He had such an inclination to grab her forehead and shove her out of his way, but managed to put it aside. "Again, not your business, but not really."

"How could you drink at a time like this?" She almost took a step back when his eyes seemed to darken, yet she steeled her nerves and held her ground.

"Sakura, stay out of this."

"Tell me what happened to Natalie!"

"I said-"

"Where is she?"

"She's gone." Both the tone and the words stopped Sakura in the middle of what she was about to say, mouth open. And by the intensity of Jin's eyes and the way his gaze slowly dropped away, he hadn't meant to put it with such finality.

"She…" he hesitated, but figured a shred of the truth couldn't make the situation any worse. He continued more quietly. "She was working for the government, that's why she wasn't around much. She got caught up in some things and now…" He shook his head slightly, the dark scowl returning as he pushed past her. "Just drop it."

Sakura was left in the hallway, too stunned to say anything further as the door slammed behind him.

~*~*~*~

U.P.R.F. - Level 6, 1:00AM

Doctor Jacques Noiv looked at one of several viewing windows before him, watching two of their subjects battle it out in the first test run in the room below. The female was currently beating the more reluctant male senseless, her fists and feet colliding with his body with deadly precision. Had he been a lesser specimen, he most certainly would have died. Yet the last couple of treatments to enhance Sean Matsuda had worked, fortunately for him. Had they ended in failure, he would have been disposed of.

Now, all they needed to do was increase his motivation and drive through programming. The scientist sighed as the man went on the offensive, briefly driving back the woman. It didn't last long, for soon she was on him again, and he wondered how long it would be before they had to call her off.

Dr. Noiv smiled. "She's taken her programming incredibly well."

Across the room, looking over the various statistics of their subjects, sat Dr. Anthony Reis. "She has. It's hard to believe that only hours ago, she was recovering from the implant. Romanav did an exceptional job breaking her."

Jacques nodded absently. "Perhaps we should have used a similar method on Matsuda. He still shows reluctance to obey, even with the implant." He sighed before continuing, "Well, at least his body has accepted the virus to a reasonable degree."

"Hn, true. But the agent is the better host," Dr. Reis said, his eyes glancing from the fight to the data. "Although, it might have something to do with her unique healing abilities."

"Did we ever figure out exactly how that works?"

Reis shook his head. "Not entirely. It has something to do with her 'ki', for lack of better terms. While she was with her fiancé, he also seemed to heal remarkably well."

"And now? He did fight yesterday, did he not?" Noiv asked.

"He did, and though he's far better off than an average man, his injuries remain. It's the first time we really got to look at him. Apparently Miss Wynshire can use her abilities on others…"

Dr. Noiv looked thoughtfully at the woman below, blocking a bone-breaking punch from Matsuda, who seemed belatedly angered. "I wonder if she will use it on command…"

If Anthony heard, he ignored the comment in favor of asking a more important question. "They still have Eléonore, you know. What shall we do about that?"

"We'll retrieve her soon. It's not as if she can provide them with information vital to us, not in her state."

"As you wish," Reis sighed. "And our loose cannon, Romanav? Our neighbors seem intent on baiting him into fights."

Noiv smirked. "Let them. If he damages their subjects, it will be entirely on them. If he is killed, his replacement will be ready soon."

"Which one?"

Dr. Noiv turned to his peer with an incredulous smile. "Which do you think?"

Then, pushing a few keys on the keyboard in front of him, he sent the digital commands for the combatants to stop. For the male, it came almost too late. The female complied immediately, jumping away from the prone body to stand rigidly on the other side of the room. Both would need patching up.

Slowly, the male got to his feet, but instead of standing down, he resumed his fighting stance. Noiv's expression hardened, and he sent the command again, this time enforced with the chip's failsafe abilities. Matsuda appeared visibly shaken, putting a hand to his bloody head. Then, slowly, he straightened and his face mirrored the blank, emotionless expression of the woman across from him. Smiling, Noiv picked up the phone to his right and pressed one button. Reis heard the conversation seconds later.

"Sir, the trial fight is complete. The male shows signs of lingering resistance, but the female performs excellently… Yes, yes I think so… No, she has several more tests to go as well as advanced programming, but I believe that she could perform what you desire. Yes, sir," Noiv looked at Reis with an expression that plainly showed the conversation was going rather well. "I look forward to seeing how she performs in a real situation. We'll have her ready."

Shortly after, he hung up the phone.

"Well?" asked Dr. Reis.

"She'll have her first target within the next two days. Possibly sooner, and she should also be ready to give our neighbors a show of what they can expect."

Anthony smiled, looking at the two fighters in the room below. "Sounds perfect. I so look forward to showing them how inferior their soldiers are about to become."

Below them, Natalie watched dispassionately as medical personnel entered the room and took her opponent out on a stretcher. She seemed just as impassive when the same people prompted her to follow them for treatment.

Yet somewhere inside her, calm and patiently vengeful, her true self struggled to hold on, clinging to memories to keep from slipping.

~*~*~*~

The Makai - Room 105, 1:08AM

The small black cat stared up at his intended playmate with flattened ears and an irritably twitching tail. Slumped against the wall as he sat on the bed, the man was clearly not cooperating. On top of that, Freckle - better known as Baka-neko - hadn't seen his "mommy" in days, which may have well been years to an impatient feline.

Gold eyes watched Jin curiously, but the man was oblivious, lost in his own thoughts. The cat crept alongside him, then padded carefully onto his stomach. Seeing no resistance, Baka-neko placed both front paws on Jin's chest and leaned in to sniff his face.

He was promptly shoved aside.

Tail whipping to and fro and ears tilted back, Freckle stayed away for only as long as it took him to decide to claw some sense into his playmate. All claws extended, he wrapped himself around Jin's right hand, sinking pointed teeth into his palm.

"Son of a- stop!"

Flinging the cat across the room, Jin winced as the feline slid across the table, barreling into the cages and small terrariums Natalie's other pets were housed in. With a yowl, Baka-neko fell to the carpet and shot into the bathroom to hide.

Cursing quietly, Jin got off the bed, still fully dressed minus his shoes, to straighten the cages. Rosie's cage in particular hung precariously over the edge of the small table. Holding back any complaints over why Nat had to bring all these animals, Jin righted the cage and opened it to check on the spider, who appeared shaken but fine as she huddled in one corner. Her water dish was overturned… but something else caught his attention.

Beneath the water dish was a flash drive, recognizable by the size and shape of the black plastic. He picked it up, now completely brought out of his former thoughts of regret and anger. He could return to those later if needed, but right then, all that occupied his mind was why Natalie had hidden the drive there and what was on it.

"One way to find out," Jin said to himself with a glance to her laptop. But first, he needed a cold shower and some coffee if he were going to look at the contents with a clear head…