Chapter 1: Secrets
It had been an eventful day for the Mishima Zaibatsu. Or was it? Kazuya had seized the throne and disposed of any and everything relating to the old guard, including the former head himself.
Anna found herself in the midst of that change too. There were so many things happening at once it became difficult to process it all. She was young, upbeat, and fresh off the training field. Of course nobody expected Kazuya's new muscle to be easy on the eyes, let alone a female.
But Kazuya hadn't been the only Mishima she'd kept her eye on. Lee Chaolan, he'd introduced himself in passing one day, giving a kiss at her hand. He wasn't just another desk monkey sneaking peeks up her skirt or making idle chitchat for the sake of bragging. The suit only lended to his mystique.
After much teasing and swapping of phone numbers, Anna found herself genuinely curious with this silver-haired specimen. It was only the beginning, though. A series of firsts that would come to haunt her forever.
Rumors ran rapid about the Zaibatsu that, given all the commotion under Kazuya's new leadership, an assassination attempt was likely. That was the thing about politics; whoever was top dog and making waves on the scene always had someone gunning for his seat, literally.
It wasn't so much as the act itself but the matter of who'd be carrying it out that piqued her interest.
"So where'd Kazuya pick you up from?"
Bruce Irvin wasn't the chatty type. A man of few words and fewer facial expressions. He was private military, after all. Probably spent a lot of time away from home and seen enough crazy shit to justify the hardnosed demeanor. Although respected for his rank, he was even more feared for his brutal training regimes that left spirits crushed and made death a welcoming desire. So if he asked the question, he must've considered it important.
"My, you're nosy," Anna admonished playfully. "And Kazuya didn't 'pick me up' from anywhere. I'm not that kind of girl."
"Naw, just curious. And I wasn't trying to say you were. No need to get touchy."
He didn't know she'd come to settle an old score. She knew Nina was lurking in the shadows somewhere, waiting for Kazuya to drop his guard. But Anna too was biding her time, and whenever Nina chose to show her ugly face again, she'd be ready for her.
"It's just the way you asked. That's all."
Anna casually flipped through her book and tried to ignore him. Men...
"Well, I'll be sure to make a note of that for next time." He didn't smile but she could feel herself wanting to at his attempts to be funny. "I can tell Kazuya didn't hire you for your looks."
"And I can tell you're not just a brainless mercenary."
"We prefer the term 'contractor.' What else do you do?"
"Specialize."
"Oh, is that right? Well I can tell we're gonna have quite the friendship." He looked at her book. "What'cha readin' there?"
"Oh...not much. Just studying."
"College girl, huh?" Bruce gave her a contemplative stare. "You don't belong here."
Anna lifted her gaze from her book. "Excuse me?"
"Easy. I meant you shouldn't be in a place like this working for these kind of people. It's beneath you."
"So why do you, then?"
She didn't expect it to sound as harsh as it did, but the damage had been done. Bruce looked away and retreated. He didn't bother asking anymore questions.
It seemed she wasn't the only one with secrets.
So far, working security was as mundane as ever. Dressing down and escorting the CEO to points of interest wasn't the glamorous life depicted in television and Hollywood action films. She hadn't seen any real action in weeks and was starting to question her career choices.
Kazuya had sent her downstairs to fetch him coffee, of all things. Everything ran on coffee these days-the economy, briefings, and yes, even corrupt corporate bigwigs. It was a menial task, but she promised to be prompt and detailed with his request.
"Strong, black, and bitter," she muttered between the click-clack of her stiletto heels. After attracting a few looks and nearly fracturing the wrist of a frisky colleague trying to cop a feel, she'd found Lee leaning against the window, staring at the city.
"Admiring the view?"
He turned, half-smiled. "Hey."
"Hey, you." She stroked the small of his back. "What's wrong?"
"I just feel like I could be doing so much better than this."
Anna nodded and knew the feeling all too well. Despite working for a giant conglomerate, Lee wasn't happy with his position. He believed his only reason for staying employed after the coup was to be under his brother's thumb, to do chores that were both humiliating and degrading. Lee knew he was better than pushing papers and Anna did too. He talked about wanting to leave the company and start his own.
"You probably think I'm crazy," she remembered him saying the first time he brought it up over lunch. But Anna merely shook her head and listened as he went over the statistics and business plans of making it happen. She encouraged Lee to do it, if it made him happy. Somewhere out there, he saw his dreams among those skyscrapers and billboards. He could carve out his own slice of happiness without the weight of the Mishima name dragging him down.
Kazuya knew nothing about this plan and he would likely see to its end before it materialized. Telling one of his closest associates might not have been the wisest decision, but Lee seemed to trust her. It wasn't often she found herself in on another life that wasn't her own. Entrusting someone with sensitive information was a fool's gamble. It meant giving them access to a piece of your life, your heart, your soul. In the wrong hands, that kind of power was destructive. Anna could hurt Lee with this information. That much, she knew. On the other hand, she could hold on to it and tuck it away some place safe from Kazuya's reach. Nobody would have to know.
