Huang went over the details of our mission. Apparently, we were to break into some Yakuza leader's house and steal some computer file that had information regarding The Gate. We were given new ID cards and information about our aliases. I was to become the new love interest for Mr. Nakamura. I glanced at his picture. He wasn't ugly, but he was still a middle aged man with a fetish for underage girls. It wouldn't be difficult to catch his eye. Hei was to become his body guard. Hei was to steal the files while he was distracted with me. Then, we get out.

-Meanwhile-

"Miss Kirihara, I have the reports from last night."

"Thank you. That's all for now." the female detective said. The intern slipped out of the room and left her to her reports. Hmm…. That's interesting. That star hasn't been active in while. The international community had decided she disappeared. What's PI329 up to?

-Back with Hei and Anna-

We were given a day to recover from our previous mission. As we walked back to our apartments, Hei decided to strike up a conversation with me. "Are you ready for this mission?" He wanted to make small talk this time.

I shrugged, "I guess. Are you?"

"Sure." He said nonchalantly. I could tell something was on his mind, but he didn't say anything more. We walked in silence until we reached my apartment. I invited him in for a meal. We were in the kitchen preparing food before he spoke again. "Why were you late last time?"

"I was d-"

He cut me off, "You were detained. What else happened?"

"Does it matter?" I really did not want to answer that question.

"Yes!" Hei was beginning to get frustrated with my lack of cooperation.

"I didn't know you cared that much." I said just to get under his skin. "That's not something contractors normally do." He pinned me to a wall with one arm and glared at me. My eyes flew open in pain as my previous injuries hit the wall. I gasped, but managed not to cry out.

"Was anything compromised?" He seemed livid at my stubbornness and concerned for my welfare at the same time.

"No." I said flatly.

"Are you sure?' He asked as he raised me higher against the wall and pushed me into it farther.

My wounds reopened, and a small sound escaped my mouth. It sounded pathetic, almost like a mouse or other small animal. "Of course I'm sure," I said with all the confidence I could gather. "Do you really think I would be here if anything was compromised?"

He set me down and continued chopping vegetables. I stood there for a while to regain my self-control. It took all my strength to keep from falling over. Hei dumped the food into a pot of boiling water, walked over to me, grabbed my arm, and lifted my shirt up until it was just under my bra. His face contorted when he saw the bruises across my stomach, sides, and back and the (mostly) small cuts across my back. "Who?" he demanded.

"Pandora." I said flatly. He dragged me to my bed, pulled off my shirt, and took out the first aid kit that was sitting on my dresser. He fixed what he could then told me to lay down on my stomach. He unfastened my bra and continued in his efforts to put me back together.

"Put some clothes on when you're ready. I'll finish cooking."

-Hei POV-

I turned around and walked toward the kitchen. I couldn't believe what I had just seen. She lost a fight? No. That couldn't be right. Those weren't injuries from a fight. Whoever detained her clearly tortured her. The last time I had seen any thing like that was in South America. Anna didn't deserve that. She's so young - actually, I had no idea how old she is. I didn't even know if Anna was her real name.

She came around the corner a few minutes later wearing an over sized T-shirt and sweats. I couldn't believe how much smaller she looked. Her red hair fell over her shoulders and upper body and ended at her waist. She looked like a teenager - a young teenager. Where were her parents. Did they know that she was participating in dangerous missions for The Syndicate? Did they care?

I set her food down on the table in front of her. She mumbled her thanks and began. I sat down and started shoveling food into my mouth. She picked at her food for a few minutes. My stomach rumbled, and she pushed her plate toward me. She began cleaning up while I finished eating. We mumbled our goodnights, and I left.