Author's note: The following text is not definitive, as I reread it from time to time. If you ever notice any incoherence in your reading, it is likely that something has been changed within the previous chapters. I'd also point that reviews would be very welcomed, but even if you don't feel like writing one I still thank you very much for having some interest in my humble work. Enjoy your reading!
Also, it happens that I managed to come past 4000 views... yes, this number has been reached on September 25th, 2018. I wouldn't ever have expected such a number of hits back when I started writing this, but more than ever it gives me the motivation to continue such a lengthy and ambitious project - combined with the reviews, favs and so on, of course. Keep up the good work people, without you I'd have long given up all this...
About languages: I'm a native French speaker having learnt English for more than a decade, so I think there shouldn't be big problems with these two - I hope, at least. Bear in mind that it isn't the case with the Thai, Japanese, Azeri, Ossetian and most importantly Russian used throughout the text. I've never learnt a single word of these at school, and even with a lot of time-consuming ressearch on the internet I can't guarantee total correctness in my attempts at using them. Just feel free to point out any error I made.
Also, please note that chapters 1 to 8 have been beta read by the awesome Charkes; and I'd like to warmly thank here my trusted collaborator KaijuDirectorOO7 for all the feedback and good ideas he brought to the newer chapters of this fic.
Newest update (04/02/2019): At last! This is it, I managed to break the curse and get it over with the last part of what I once didn't plan as three but just one chapter. What to expect this time? Well the promised further look into Kaiko and Jessi's relationship, the filling of the last blanks in the tale the latter began in 33 and to my greatest joy (I hope yours as well), the actual comeback of someone we last saw here almost three years ago. Ah, and the return of Nancy Sinatra's Bond song as well, even better used than in its original place.
Before I leave you alone with your reading, let's make one last thing official; the overhaul break starts now. Expect to see early chapters changing more or less radically in the upcoming months, and perhaps even the release of the one shot I began last year if I find enough inspiration to finish it (all I can tell you is, its POV character somehow puts it much outside of my writing comfort zone). So have a nice time while I'm away... I'll try to make this quick, 36 irresistibly calls me.
PS: by the way, I keep promoting here my standalone one-shot, 'Alluring Warlord'. If you haven't read it yet, now you have something to do in your spare time ;)
Playlist starting… Chapter one
Kavinsky, "First Blood"
"As the lightning strikes… you have to start the fight…
You're shiftin' gears, you're punishing… you step through the night…
I know you… I know you…"
The cell phone vibrated against her hip. She grunted, as she wanted her full concentration for jumping to the opposite rooftop. The priority was to get to the objective, nothing else. Ignoring the incoming call, she leant back, limbering up to take the jump and then sprung off gaining momentum. At the very edge of the roof, just before the ground dropped away, she started to fly over the void beneath her. A split second later, she landed in a perfect roulade, rolling from the upper back to the left hip, managing keeping the phone untouched.
As she stood up, she mechanically pulled up her sweatshirt's hood, while breathing deeply. Here she was. She could now see the whole building site, straight ahead. Her face formed a satisfied smile, before she pressed a small button on her Bluetooth headset.
"Sir, I made it."
"Excellent. Just in time to welcome our guest."
"Where is he?"
"In the site's central freight elevator, he should arrive in a few minutes."
She nodded silently. Her target had been sent to assassinate a notorious criminal mastermind going by the name Doctor No, who was based in one of the surrounding towers. The target was expecting to find a sniper rifle to achieve his goal, left there by the local Triad boss for a nominal fee. But the same Triad boss, allied to No, warned him of the affair. So the doctor rang one of his most reliable associates and asked to send someone to terminate the target. Someone efficient, the Doctor disliked mess.
Moving forward, she found a large silver, corrugated aluminum case. Opening it she pulled out a German made DSR-1. It was clean enough to be brand new, but it felt good as she seated it in her left shoulder. She had a smug smile, as looking down the sight barely a hundred meters away from her position an identical but empty case sat exposed.
As she prepared for the hit she slowly ran her fingers along the barrel, amazed. She wouldn't have guessed that Hong Kong Triads could get such advanced equipment. The weapon was surprisingly lightweight and well balanced, even with two magazines attached. She checked the rear one: it was filled with five .308 Winchester cartridges. 'More than enough to blow some brains out', she thought while attaching the provided suppressor. Then she cocked and loaded, sharply pulling the bolt action handle.
"Still with me?" the masculine voice asked in her headset.
"Yes sir. I'm ready."
"Good. It is time."
She lay down, shut the right eye, stuck the left one to the scope. The target had just appeared, exiting the elevator. From her point of view it was only a dark silhouette, moving rapidly towards the case. In a trice, he had already opened it, before suddenly throwing it down, an obvious demonstration of his anger. She smiled again, waiting to get his head right in the center of the reticle. He paused for a second and she pulled the trigger.
The target crumpled, disappearing into the shadows of the building site.
"Target down."
"Then you'd rather hurry to the extraction point, my dear."
"Got it.", she grumbled.
She rose up, leaving the rifle in its case: it would be removed by a Triad member. As she began running to the rooftop's right edge, she was pleased to see that the Triad boss held to his promise and installed a zip line granting access to the construction yard. She jumped on it, both hands grabbing the free moving pulley, and she soon found herself at the building site.
Her next objective was the freight elevator. It was currently her only way to the highest level, the roof of which had not been built, allowing an effortless helicopter extraction. She therefore made her way to the elevator's entrance, looking briefly where the body lay. However the area was dimly lit, making it hard to make out more than vague outlines. She sighed disappointedly, having expected to see at least a little bit more.
Suddenly an arm slammed against her neck, pinning her to a man's body as her unknown assailant tried to choke her. Surprised by the stealth attack, she didn't understand at first what was going on. She started suffocating and attempted to struggle, trying to free herself from her aggressor, but he appeared to be far too strong to do it the easy way.
Quickly concentrating all her strength into her legs, she kicked off with a desperate energy. He held her firmly enough to keep her from escaping right away, so she pressed her shoulders against his to lift her feet the highest possible, then slammed down. In harmony with all her hopes the impact loosened his grip; still she had to elbow her way out before using her remaining stamina to throw a vicious kick into the man's face. Hearing a stifled cry she guessed that she got it right, yet a mere second later he had already snapped back with an even fiercer determination to knock her out.
Since she could see his shadow, she didn't hesitate using a Mawashi Geri technique to strike her opponent in the chest, spinning her hip to throw her right leg straight to her target. To her irritation the man was faster than she thought, and had already moved to the left. She realized the extent of her mistake as he quickly seized her ankle and fiercely twisted it.
Even as she was in torment, she restrained a cry of pain and managed to keep her nerve as she quickly searched for another angle of attack. Suddenly, he grabbed more of her leg, pulling her towards him. He was still pulling her closer, when she jumped on him with a violent head butt.
As she expected, they fell together and she had the advantage of being on top. She punched him in the chest to stun him, crossed her arms around his neck and began tightening in Juji Jime style. He clearly didn't enjoy it at all and she had to firmly maintain her grip. But all her efforts weren't enough to finish him, as he managed to slightly lift, then striking her in the belly with a strength she couldn't hope to match. She fell on her back, unable to prevent him from standing up, he then pulled her up by the collar of her hoodie… and threw her head against his knee.
Again she crashed into the ground, breathless. Damn, she didn't expect such an accomplished opponent on a simple hit like this. 'Who the hell is he?', she wondered. In that shadows and speed of the fight, she didn't even see his face. Actually, she hadn't been aware that the target would be accompanied. For an unpleasant surprise, it was one of the worst of her life.
Fortunately, he hadn't the brains to finish her immediately. He was looking around for a weapon, so he could gain an advantage over close quarters combat. She took that opportunity to rest for a few seconds, gathering her energy. Hearing hasty footsteps, she looked up… rolling away in an instant, preventing her head from being burst by a crowbar.
She jumped on her feet, taking a martial arts stance. It was time for round two.
He was watching her carefully, two hands gripping the metal bar. He was far too calm. Was he so self-confident about the result? 'Well!' He'd see that his arrogance was a mistake: she was no more worried by an armed foe than an unarmed one. However, this time she wouldn't make the error of pouncing recklessly, especially when he held such an advantage, stronger and harder hitting. They were poised, waiting for the other to attack, searching for even the slightest single flaw in their opponent's guard.
Suddenly, he rushed on her, the crowbar heading for her chest. She leant back, rotated and stretched one leg to throw her heel into his ribs, but he anticipated her move, fluidly rolling over her leg. She narrowly dodged an arcing crowbar swing at her ankles, then moved backwards as another came dangerously close to her heart and ribcage. 'Enough!'
In a flash of anger, she found herself brutally grabbing the crowbar and trying to tear it away from him. They struggled for it, each of them always pulling harder than the other at the crucial moment, so neither gained an advantage. She finally gained an upper hand as his grip slipped and she took the initiative, kicking the weapon up and away with a harsh Kiai shout. 'Now the hunter is turned into the prey.', she thought with a cruel satisfaction. Now she could put an end to all of this.
Dodging a swinging kick, she could at last drive her fist into his face, knuckles first. Once, twice, thrice and a fourth time. She pulled back for another blow when she noticed the metal bar fell closer to them than she thought. She flipped to grab it in an impressive backflip then jumped again on her fallen adversary, the crowbar ready to be brought down on his head.
She thought in a moment that she saw him widening the eyes at the tool's approach, but a split second later he twisted managing to narrowly escape the hook of the crowbar that dented the fresh set concrete where his head had been. While she was still wondering how she could miss a blow like that, he planted his foot at her waist level, sending her flying over him dropping the crowbar. She hadn't recovered yet from the winding and he grabbed her raising her up, holding her over his shoulder.
"Know that there's a thunder deep inside of you…
It makes you think it's all a dream… it cannot be true…
Wheelin' hell!… Wheelin' hell!…"
'What the hell are you doing?', she asked mentally. She kept struggling, more aggressively than ever. It all left him in the cold, only concentrated on what he planned to do. 'But what? What do you want from me? Where are you carrying me to?'
It all became unreal around her, almost frozen in lurching slow motion. Now she could see him clearly, as she was falling away. He had a handsome face, if you ignored the blood, but it didn't really matter now. She reached out for his hand, as though she was still hoping for him to save her. But it was too late … he was too far and she was clutching at thin air. A pained smile crossed her face, closed her eyes, and all faded to black.
"Without love… without my desire…
I see a thing that is not real… but I'm still alive…
I know you… I know you…"
