Authors Note: Wow, it's been awhile since I wrote for Dead or Alive. This came to me last night before I fell asleep. As a disclaimer, I don't really know all that much about motorcycles, motorbikes, or bicycles but this idea wouldn't leave me alone. Let me know how I did with lovely reviews. Enjoy!
~Scarlet
Disclamer: I don't own Dead or Alive. If I did, 5 would be out already!
Speed
It was all about speed.
His motorbike hummed reassuringly as they were stalled at the light. He was the fastest courier in this city, and he had somewhere to be. He barely glanced to the his sides as competition drew up around him.
"Jann! Hey, that's Jann Lee! You up for a race, buddy?"
He didn't say anything; never did and never had to. They would race him or they wouldn't. His consent wasn't necessary. They would show up at the bar later, the one he was a bouncer at part time, and tell him how they thought they did. He never replied, and they would interpret that as they usually did, however they wanted. It was a benefit to being part of the small delivery community on this side of town. You knew everyone, everyone knew you, so you didn't actually have to talk to anyone.
"Who's that?"
Or so he thought.
The bike that slid up beside was new to the neighborhood. A midnight blue lacquered beauty. He didn't have time to get a look at the rider as the crossing music died down and the flashing red light on the pedestrian side went solid.
The moment the light changed there was nothing but speed.
The neon in the dark around him turned into brightly colored streaks as he bobbed and weaved through traffic, the boys beside him disappearing in to his dust after a few minutes. He pushed the engine harder as he approached the intersection. As he started to make the turn, he realized to his own shock that he had someone on his tail. Midnight Blue.
The rider's helmet concealed his face as he struggled to catch up with Jann, his front wheel almost even with Jann's back one. A car slowed suddenly and the two of them broke around it, reconnecting in seconds, only to be forced apart again as they approached the clogged overpass of the bridge. A ringing sounded in his ears, letting drivers know the drawbridge was going up. He heard Blue start to wind down behind him and smirked under his visior. The engine revved as he went even faster as the bridge began to lift upwards. He forced the bike to gain speed as he climbed the increasingly steep ramp and jumped.
For a moment, there was no bridge; no cars, no traffic, no Midnight Blue. There was just Jann Lee, his bike and the air in which he was suspended. He could feel it pressing against his helmet as though it really were on his face. He made sure his front wheel stayed level, and felt the shock in his knees and the frame of the bike as he hit pavement. He didn't stop or even slow as he weaved through the cars on the other side. What he did do was smile.
He didn't need to check his mirror to know that Midnight Blue was still waiting on the other side.
That was why he was the best.
It was only a job. It wasn't worth all...that...
She watched in disbelief as the bike flew through the air. This wasn't a competition, or even an exhibition. There were cars here! People could be hurt! But the guy on the black and gold messenger bike acted like they didn't even exist. Her eyes almost popped out of her head as he actually adjusted himself in mid air, before landing perfectly on the other side, and kept going. He was long gone by the time the bridge set down again, and she fought the urge to seek him out.
She had her own package to deliver.
"Heard you had some competition at last, eh Jann?"
He stood at the door, arms crossed, motionless as his delivery co-workers began to trickle in. The speaker was a brawny old american who went by the name of Bass. They sparred sometimes, when they weren't working, which for Jann wasn't often.
"I didn't recognize the bike myself, must be somebody new. Wei Wei said he was hiring."
His memory flashed back to the rider in his mirror; head set low, determined; pushing that bike as hard as he could. Maybe he'd ask Wei Wei for the guy's name when he checked in tomorrow afternoon. Could be interesting.
He was saved from the trouble when Midnight Blue himself pulled up to the curb. He wore a leather jacket the same color as his bike, barely discernible in the low light, and black pants tucked into his boots. Oddly, Jann noticed, he was very slight, hardly any muscle at all.
"Well, who do we have here?"
There was a click as he removed his helmet, long black hair tumbled out to fall well below the waistline. Long hair, slight build, and as Midnight Blue came forward he could see a slight curve of the hip.
Jann's eyes narrowed. Not a he, a she.
"Lei Fang? Lei Fang!" Bass roared, and Midnight Blue's face came into to the light to show her surprise.
"Bass? Is that you?" The American had already put his arms out for a hug, which she gladly gave.
Jann remained stony as Bass introduced her.
"Jann Lee, this is Lei Fang. A friend of my daughter, Tina. No wonder she gave you run for your money, she's one of the fastest women in the world. Took LA this year. You'll be racing at the trials in Taiwan in a few months too I bet."
"Bass, please! You know I'm retiring. I want to concentrate on my studies, and Tai Chi Quan. This is a part time gig. Jann Lee..." she turned her eyes on him and the narrowed, and it was almost startling to realize they were amber and not the same color as her ride and jacket. She jumped as she took in his colors. Black and gold.
"You're the guy from the bridge. The gold and black bike. That was... something." Her voice became breathy, laced with awe at the memory.
Jann fought the urge to smirk at her dazed expression.
"Well," She said with a smile as she moved to go inside, where somebody was probably waiting. "It was nice giving you a run for your money."
"You didn't." he said matter-of-factly.
She stopped in the door, delicate hand gripping the frame. "I would have had you if it weren't for the bridge, a little longer and..."
He gave her a hard, jaded look. "Something else would have gotten in the way, it always does with street racing. Do yourself a favor and stick to the track. Your not fit to race out of it." There was a loud noise, a bar fight, and he pushed passed her to get inside, leaving her stunned at the door.
"Eh, don't take it personal." Bass scratched at the back of his head, "I think that's the most he's ever said to anyone around here, except me of course. Uh, but I don't get much either. He's real well known in the underground racing circles. It's a different kind of game, sweetheart."
She stared in fury at his back, ignoring the rippling muscles that caught her eye earlier.
She wasn't fit to race, was she? She'd show him.
Jann took back what he'd thought to himself earlier. Lei Fang wasn't interesting, she was annoying.
She'd been shadowing his routes. Showing up with the boys, even on her days off, to race him. Badgering him at the club. He left her behind every time, although she was steadily gaining ground. She had managed to nearly meet him nose to nose, only to be forced to divert because of an oncoming bus. At least he would get to race uninhibited at the meet Xin Rong was holding by the docks tonight. He needed to let loose.
And the best part was, no Lei Fang to worry about in the mirror.
Of course when he showed up, She was there, and so was Bass. She didn't say anything to him, refreshing since she had been screaming challenges all week. She just buckled on her helmet, front emblazoned with a golden bird, a phoenix, he realized as he watched her take her bike to the starting point.
"Yeah, uh," Bass scratched the back of his head "She kind of wheedled it out of me, ya know? Tina told her I was racing tonight..."
"She 'wheedle' my schedule out of you too?"
He zipped up his jacket, which bore his own symbol, a dragon, on the back, and took his bike to the starting gate.
Ai Lin hung off of Xin's shoulder, scarf held high. The area erupted into a thunder cloud, all exhaust and noise. She dropped her scarf, and there wasn't a bike left when it finally hit the ground.
Jann poured through the tunnel like water, running around the others. staying on the outside of the group, he didn't let anyone get close enough to bump him off. The others in the pack weren't so lucky, There was a shout as somebody's bike peeled off the road to collide with the tunnel wall. A voice that could have been Bass swore, and then he didn't hear anything because he was too far away.
Lei watched as Jann pulled out. a guy she didn't know attempted to run her off the road. She surprised him by slowing down, sending him careening into another guy with the same idea. Slowing until she was at the dead back of the pack, she swung around the side wall of the tunnel and accelerated as hard as she could, launching herself up the side of the tunnel. The effect was like a bullet out of a gun. She breezed past them, her eyes on the prize, which was in this case was Jann Lee's back wheel. Jann hardly noticed she was gaining on him until they were coming up on the bridge. It was later than last time, no cars. She was almost level with him now. The nose of her cycle inching up.
She was going to catch him! She was going to...!
He began to move even faster as the lights on the bridge went off. She was going too fast to decelerate, and instead she followed him towards the bridge at a breakneck speed. The frame of the her bike gave a a warning shudder. For once, she didn't care.
If he could do it, she could too.
Jan breathed hard, keeping his eyes forward. He had to concentrate to make it. He couldn't be worried about the fact that the rider behind him was a track person, probably never even done a hill climb, and might not make the jump.
He needed more speed.
Jann was going so fast he sailed over the bridge as though riding on concrete.
She was approaching the jump, he saw through the mirror before the gray of the bridge blocked his site.
Too steep. She wouldn't get the air she needed.
He heard an engine rev. He couldn't explain how he knew it wasn't his. Not breaking, he turned so hard he almost crashed and sped back toward the bridge just as she reached apogee.
The engine stalled well before the edge, but that wasn't the problem.
She hadn't accounted for the change of angle. She didn't have enough air, she realized belatedly with wide, horrified eyes as she frantically adjusted the chassis. She refused to look down ans she felt the bike lose momentum and gravity began its fatal pull/
A roar sounded in her ears as arms wrapped in black and gold appeared above her head. She shoved off her bike as hard as she could, forcing it into the river that much quicker. Hands wrapped around her forearms and tossed her up as the bike descended. Her legs parted and she let out at shout as Jann pulled her down onto the bike as they hit pavement. He picked up speed and they headed straight toward the crowd they had left behind, Bass at the front.
He didn't have time to maneuver.
"Bwaaaaaaaaah!" Bass shrieked like a 2 year old as he scrambled out of the way, the pack parting like the red sea as they zoomed through, bikes flying off in every direction.
Blocks away, miles away, he finally slowed and stopped. He remained pressed forward and breathed, pushing her into the bike, their helmets bumped. He couldn't stop his heart from pounding. She was shaking hard below him, her hands pressed onto the bike.
Shock. A corner of his mind recognized the reaction.
He forced his helmet off. He lifted her's off her head, hair spilling out, without resistance. He sat up and she almost fell off the bike. He catching her by the shoulders, to his own surprise wrapped his arms around her, pressing her back against him and burying his head in her damnably soft hair. Her heart was bouncing around her ribcage like a bullet in ricochet. Breath coming too fast. He forced a calm, even pattern from his lungs.
"Slow down." he commanded "Breathe."
She swallowed hard and followed the rise and fall of his chest. After what could have been an eternity, the shaking stopped. They inhaled together, exhaled, and inhaled again. She smelled like sweat, motor oil and something vaguely floral. He liked it. His face was drawn to the crook of her neck, nose tracing the ridge of her ear and throat as he headed there. Before the could go any further, she shook him off and climbed off the motorbike with a stagger.
"You...You didn't have to do that. I...I could have made it!" She said finally, only the barest trace of panic left in her voice. "If I just...
"No." It was unclear which sentence he was addressing. "I told you, stick to the track. You aren't cut out for this kind of thing."
"How did you do that?" She asked, "Two riders. You couldn't have known if you would make it!"
"I didn't." Her eyes grew impossibly large. He smirked. "And I wouldn't have ever got a chance to do it otherwise. Figured it was worth the risk."
With that, he started the engine and drove off, watching her sink to her knees in the mirror.
She didn't show up at work the next day or the day after. Word of Jann's stunt got around, primarily because Lei Fang had told Bass and Bass couldn't keep his mouth shut. He had a few interesting stunt offers, but most people thought he had been insane to make that jump in the first place, never mind turning around and pulling another rider from her bike in mid air.
As always, people talked and Jann didn't say a damn thing.
On the fifth day, Wei Wei came down from the office. Jann had a warning when inside the club went silent. Wei Wei came out and stood next to him, watching the people come down the street. After a moment, he handed him a piece of paper and crossed his arms. "Go and get her back. A cute delivery girl was good for business. She had as many clients as you."
"Find someone else."
Wei Wei didn't leave. Instead, he eased back on the stone building behind him and smiled
"Is it true? You pulled her off her bike mid-jump to save her life?"
"What do you think?"
"Wish I could have seen it," he whistled. "Get her back."
"No."
Wei Wei looked at him sidelong. "When have you ever gotten involved in other people's mistakes? She got under your skin, huh?"
He remembered the feel of her hair against his cheek, the soft skin of her neck, those accusing bright eyes...
"She's going to get herself killed if she sticks around here."
"Her choice," he shot back.
"She made it, didn't she? Not here."
Wei Wei shrugged, "because I fired her."
He gawked. Wei Wei smiled.
"Why so surprised, little brother? I don't like any who encourages you to be reckless. Mother's got enough to worry about withme. Lei Fang needed the time off anyway, nobody should be riding after something like that. Tell her I'll lend her a company bike. Go on, Bass will take care of the door."
Reluctantly, he pushed off the wall, heading to his bike.
"Oh and one more thing, brother." He turned. Wei Wei's face was bathed in the red neon of the club, crimson shadows cast on his cheek.
"If I ever here about either of you doing something so stupid again, don't bother coming in the next morning, even if it's not on company time. Mother already buried father, she doesn't need to lose you to the same fate."
Jann just looked at the paper, got on his bike and drove off at twice the speed limit.
The lights were on when he got there, and so was she. The sliding door was open, letting in the night air. He came up to the opening, but she didn't notice him. She was completely absorbed in what she was doing. The furniture had been pushed aside so she could work at the complicated blows and blocks.
He frowned as he watched the kata. Had he known she was a martial artist?'Tai Chi Quan' he remembered. Was she any good? There was only one way to find out.
She saw the fist at the last minute and moved around it liquidly, catching her attacker's wrist and forcing him into the wall. He broke her hold and tried to get under her guard, lashing out at her arm, she whirled downward, stopping the strike and forcing her leg under his guard catching him under the chin. He staggered back as she struck again. Fast, he realized grimly as she feinted to the avoided a triple punch he sent at her as he recovered. He sped up to match her, and they traded avoided blows for several minutes. Leaping into the air, he planted a foot between her breasts. They both flew forward and slammed into the back wall, sending her personal effects flying. Lei recovered quickly, using a long sweep to knock Jann off balance. With a formidable grace she thrust him into the wall with her palm, holding him there.
They came face to face.
"Jann Lee?" She exclaimed, surprised. She hadn't known it was him then?
"Wei Wei wants you to come back to work. He says he'll lend you a bike." She wasn't looking at him. Frowning, he followed his gaze. Her hand was in the center of his chest, holding him in place. His own were loosely wrapped around it, his fingers running up the length of hers.
Unconsciously, her tongue darted out to wet her lips. He took a deep, steadying breath as his eyes traveled over the distance to the crook of her neck...
He moved away, towards the door, turning his back on her. He had to keep away from this woman. Wei was right. She was getting under his skin.
"Will you race me again?" She asked.
"No."
"Then I'm not coming back. Tell Wei I'm sorry."
"No."
"No?"
"Come back to work."
"Race me."
She looked at him with a gleam in her eyes that he understood. Maybe he even reciprocated it.
"I told you, you don't belong."
"I don't give a fuck." The words sounded strange coming from someone who looked so dainty.
"Why?"
"Because I want to be the best. I want to prove to you that I don't need your help."
He shook his head and walked outside toward his bike. "Come back to work."
"Race me!" she cried after him.
He was gone before she got out the 'me'.
The next evening she showed up, much to the pleasure of Bass and the boys.
"It's good to have you back." Wei said brusquely, "The clients missed you."
She smiled. "I doubt they noticed."
"Fine," Wei said, returning the grin, "Bass missed you. He hasn't stopped making a fuss since you left. Let me show you your bike. It's not much, but..." his voice trailed off as they reached where the old junker should have been. In its place was a bike that could only have been a custom job. There was no mistake who it was meant for. It was painted an absolutely gorgeous midnight blue with a wispy golden stripe down the side. An envelope with with 'Lei Fang' scrawled across it was clipped to the windshield.
She opened it and squealed.
"Thanks, Wei!"
She was gone before her could reply, note on the ground beside him.
The bridge, 10 pm. Don't be late.
Wei Wei glanced at his watch. 9:57
Several block away, Lei Fang smiled. She'd make it.
It was all about speed.