Kasumi awoke with a start; something outside had made a large bang, perhaps a car had backfired, and disturbed her sleep. She thought it was a nice sleep, dreamless and peaceful, making her forget about something... which she suddenly remembered with stomach-kicking intensity!
Kasumi opened her eyes wide, searching the room in which she was held captive. Not hours before, she had been in the Ladies Bathroom to powder her nose. After spending a couple of minutes in the mirror she espied an old man in the reflection behind her. She wasn't seriously surprised, as she had experienced complete and utter perverts before; she had turned and performed a back kick, but this old man was quick, and grabbed her foot with ease, before it buried itself into his stomach. Kasumi, wraught with surprise, stood there on one leg until he let out a howl of delight and rotated her foot harshly to the right! Luckily, she was prepared enough so it didn't break the ankle, but she still spun 360 degrees in the air and landed on the cold, tiled floor beneath, where the old man, short yet strong, held her arms and placed a tissue over her face, dipped liberally in chloroform, causing her to lose consciousness quickly...
She opened her eyes wide as she examined the room before her. She was lain out on a bed, not wearing her normal clothes. It was too dark to see anything clearly, but the dress felt expensive; it was most probably of silk and had bows attached! It billowed out at the skirt and even had a metal frame to support it; Kasumi had never worn a dress like this before. Once her eyes had adjusted to the light she noticed she was sat on a rather horrible-looking bed. It was something you'd most likely see in a movie, where someone who hadn't changed the sheets for three years might sleep.
With a huge struggle, as she was extremely tired, Kasumi lifted herself off the bed, landing in a heap on the floor. She did not hurt herself though, as the dress was so soft and had that many layers that it softened the blow of the hard, wooden floor beneath her. She crawled around for a bit, not caring if the dress got in a least bit dirty, and headed straight for the outline of what seemed to be the exit. She reached out for the brass doorknob of the metal door, but before she even turned it she knew it was locked. She sighed heavily in anger as she sat up against it, her eyes almost fully adjusted to the darkness. Noticing the light switch above her head she exhaled sharply as she dragged her body up, whacked the light switch on and crashed back down on the floor again in a tired heap.
The room was rather small, but long and narrow; she couldn't believe what she had been sleeping on! The sheets on the bed were filthy and the mattress appeared to be just some styrofoam cut out in a rectangle! She gasped in disgust, but couldn't believe it when she looked down and noticed the white brilliance of the dress she was wearing; it was a wedding dress! And it wasn't dirty at all! She suddenly grew quite afeared by the weirdness of the situation and woke up a lot more as the adrenaline coursed through her veins. She tried the doorknob furiously, but resigned to do so after a few minutes, guessing it was steel bolted on the other side. Standing up, keeping her balance just about, she clambered about the room, searching a chest of drawers that was beside the bed.
The first drawer contained an overflowing ashtray, a half-full pack of cigarettes and an expensive looking lighter. She closed the draw, not really interested. The next drawer was a lot more interesting; inside was a dirty magazine! A note was attached to it: KASUMI: SEE YOU SOON, DON'T GET TOO RILED UP!
Where the hell was she?! She thought, grimacing and putting the magazine back quickly, slamming the drawer shut. The third drawer, at the bottom, was empty. Stressed and freaked out, she opened the first drawer again, picked up the packet of cigarettes and attempted to pick one out of many. At first it fell to the floor as her hands couldn't stop shaking, but she bent over, picked it up and lit it with the cigarette lighter. She inhaled deeply and smiled for the first time she had been here.
Kasumi wondered what was going to become of her... someone could enter her room at any moment, after hearing the drawers slam and her crashing around the room like some pissed bird on a Hen Night. She took another drag from the fag she had found and looked above her, hoping to see a large vent, big enough for her to crawl through... however, no such luck. With sudden realisation, she looked down at the floor, realising again it was made of wood... old wood! Strange, considering the walls, doors and ceiling consisted of metal. Holding the fag in her mouth she stood up and took deep breaths. After getting her full strength back she took off her shoes: white, leather high heels, and counted to three. On the third count she brought her foot down hard on the floor board. With an almighty crash it snapped into two! Success!
Kasumi, smiling, fag still lodged into her gob, craned down to the floor and lifted the floorboard that had given so easily. Looking underneath it, past the small pipes than ran across the width and length of the room, she could see a hallway below! She stood up and smashed five floorboards with only the strength of her feet... quite an easy feat when you have been practicing martial arts for so long, she thought, loosening them from their nails. She knew that the metal frame in the skirt of the dress couldn't fit in the hold she had made, so she ripped the skirt off, leaving a chic-looking, tight-fitting, long white dress. She stubbed the cigarette out casually into the overflowing ashtray and held her breath as she lowered herself into the hole, careful not to get caught in the pipes below.
Kasumi, like a cat, landed on her feet into the long hallway below. She looked up and down, but no one was there, luckily. Breathing deeply, yet quietly, she randomly picked a direction to go in, opting for North. Twisting corridors and long hallways presented themselves to her, all in glorious dark and omnious lighting, she thought with sarcastic glee. She laughed quietly to herself at the general horror-movie-like situation, when she turned a corner and ran directly into someone.
"Nice knickers!" Zack sniggered, looking up from his rung of the ladder. Ayane looked down at him, a scowl on her face. They were both high up on a ladder in Big Ben, attempting to reach the top, and here was Zack, peering up her skirt!
"If you don't want to fall ten storeys to your death I suggest you look elsewhere!" she spat. Zack laughed weakly, decided against mentioning her pink underwear again, but kept on looking as they continued to climb the ladder that seemed to go on for-bloody-ever.
"Why couldn't we jus' get the lift, like Bass and Helena?" Zack whined, for the twentieth time.
"..." no reply came from Ayane.
"Well?" "Because if they get caught, we get caught!" she cried, annoyed.
"What is going to catch us?" he smirked. "Ugh, just continue climbing... I hope Kasumi's OK"
"She'll be fine..." he replied. Ayane was touched by his consideration. "She's a tough old boiler."
"Hello, Kasumi." the man said. He wore a black suit and a ninja mask. Recognition spurted without a hitch into her mind.
"...Ryu!" she cried, instinctively reaching to hug him. Had he come to rescue her? No, she suddenly thought. "...what are you doing here?" she asked him, quietly, unable to control the fear in her voice.
"I should ask: 'why aren't you in your room?'. The groom shouldn't see the bride before the wedding..." he laughed. Confusion wrapped it's cold hands around her.
"What..?" was all she could say. She suddenly remembered the expensive wedding dress she had ruined in order to escape. "Are you insane!?" she cried, stepping away from him.
"Don't be so reserved!" he sniggered. "I know you like me. You know I like you, too... what's stopping us"
"Uh, perhaps that you kidnapped me, didn't even ask my permission? It's hardly the most romantic of places to wake up on a pissy bed in a cheap wedding dress with a porno mag inches from your head!" she shouted in defiance. He simply stood there, laughing manically.
"That was no cheap wedding dress... it cost 5000 pounds." "Oh..." she replied, unable to stop herself from laughing weakly; she had only just destroyed it. He had noticed.
"No matter, our love should transcend such trivial things as money!" he rambled on, stepping closer to her, holding out his hands. "I've waited so long for you, Kasumi." he sighed. "Before, we weren't allowed to even look at each other, but now we can have each other without anyone saying otherwise."
Kasumi stood there, caught between emotions. It was true that in the past she had harboured feelings for him; she was young, and fell in love easily. Everytime she saw him her heart beat wildly, but her elders scorned her harshly, telling her how it was forbidden, how she shouldn't even look his way. It was true that they were now in a foreign land and now older, able to do what they want. But not like this; Ryu had obviously lost his mind.
"What has this, and you, got to do with the Dead or Alive championship?" she asked, after what semed to be the longest of times.
"Not now..." he whispered. "You're still part of your group, Kasumi. How can I trust you? I hate myself for saying that! But it's true. I will say that I do play a part in the Dead or Alive championships, and I wouldn't keep you locked up.. I would love to see you take part"
"Oh, Ryu, I don't get it!" she cried, anger boiling up. What was going on?! "Why bring me here? Have you lost your mind?" she shouted. She sensed his anger building up too.
"If insanity means loving you, then yes!" he retorted, bitterly.
She stood on the spot, uncertain. Maybe it was best to play along? It wouldn't do to mess with the unsound of mind.
"Well... Ryu... do you really love me?" she put on her most girlish of voices, hoping not to show her nervousness.
"With all my heart!" he replied, hopefully.
"You would honour me as a wife and a woman?" she also asked. He said all the usual things, like yes, he would, how he loved her all his life, he would honour and obey her 'till death do they part...
In a way, Kasumi was happy someone was showing her true emotion, especially considering it was Ryu, even if he was insane. But she couldn't love him now, not after he had kidnapped her. She didn't even know the full details of his involvement with DOA, but still she held no trust for him whatsoever as she took his hand and they entered the elevator together, at the end of the hall, to leave Big Ben.
Eventually, Ayane and Zack reached the top floor of Big Ben and the massive room which contained it's clock face. They met up with Bass and Helena, much to Zack's annoyance; they could have all gotten into the lift together, saving that long, dangerous and tedious clamber up the bloody ladder!
"It doesn't appear that anyone is here..." Zack whispered.
"Shit!" Bass bellowed. "Are we too late"
A sudden noise echoed throughout the room, as if metal had hit metal, and three figures emerged from the shadows: Tina, Bayman and Gen Fu.
"Tina!" Bass shouted, running over to her. The old man Gen Fu swiftly kicked Bass back away from Tina, knocking him into Ayane. They were sent flying onto the floor.
"Ouch! God, you're heavy." Ayane whined. They stood up in anger, peering in the direction of the three.
"You bastard!" Bass snarled. Looking at Tina he could tell she was not herself. "What have you done with Tina"
"Yeah, old man! Hey, babe, what's up?" Zack addressed Tina directly. Bass directed all his anger at Gen Fu, ignoring Zack's blatent objectification of his daughter.
"Bayman, Tina, are you all right?" Helena said softly, genuinely concerned. The old man started to cackle wildly.
"Yes, yes, they are fine, fine! But will you be...?" he sniggered, procuring a remote-control-like thing from his front pocket. He pushed a few buttons here and there and instantly Bayman along with Tina came to life. The fight that ensued was a short one, as Tina and Bayman fought as if drugged.
Tina staggered towards her father, fists raised. She performed a right hook, but Bass avoided it easily, grabbing her arm, putting it into a lock and raising her from the floor. He threw her to the ground, but she did not cry out in pain. Bayman came next to Tina's defence, attempting to kick Bass' head off, but he grabbed his leg quickly and directed it somewhere else. Helena quickly stepped in as Tina composed herself, ready to strike again. With a quick motion of the legs, Tina was on the floor as Helena sweeped her; banging her head on the metal floor, Tina was out of the count. Now it was just Bayman left. Summing up her anger as Kasumi was nowhere to be found Ayane curled her hands into fists and jumped high into the air, landing on Bayman's neck. She pummelled the back of his head as Zack made some sly comment about wanting her on his back, but she was thrown quickly from him as all she did was cause a few bruises. Zack came into play now, and like the speed of lightning kicked six times into Bayman's torso, the last one striking directly onto his chest; a large cracking sound echoed throughout the room as a large BEEP echoed throughout the hall; Bayman collapsed to the floor, breathing heavily.
"Quickly..." Bayman gasped, "get the remote and smash it!" he cried.
Gen Fu, with horrible realisation, began to run, only to be kicked in the back by Zack. The remote-control fell out of his hands, but Gen Fu's foot got caught on a small hole in the floor; arms flailing widly, old man Gen spun out of control as he tried not to fall over, not realising he was drawing ever closer to the clock face! The moments that followed were shocking, as he stumbled through part of the clockface, going straight through part of the glass pane! He screams faded out of earshot as he travelled incredibly quick onto the cold, hard road below.
Zack stamped on the remote.
"It's me." Ryu whispered, not conveying any emotion. Kasumi sat in the limo beside him, also stoney-faced, sick at the sight of the dead body on the road as they looked out the window.
"Gen Fu is dead, stupid idiot. Fell from Big Ben. Over." he laughed weakly.
"He served well, Ryu. Did you secure the girl? Over." a woman's voice came back from the other side of the radio; Kasumi felt stupid as a pang of jealousy swept through her. This wasn't the time nor the situation.
"Yes, I did. Don't say secure though... I'll meet you at new HQ." he replied. "Over and out"
The woman's voice sounded so familiar to Kasumi, she knew she had heard it somewhere before. It wasn't any of the girls in the group she had gone with here, to London, but she knew it from somewhere! Looking away from the old man's corpse, Kasumi reached into her bra and procured the packet of cigarettes she had stolen from the skanky room. "Those were Bayman's, you know." Ryu laughed quietly. Kasumi was shocked, had Bayman been there too?! Was Bayman in on this strange plot, or had he simply been a victim like she had...? She remained as stoney-faced as possible, hoping not to convey any signs that could give away her new knowledge... she wasn't the only one involved in this. Looking back, what was she thinking?! She couldn't marry under these circumstances! She would go along with it for a while, but she would get out of this, by HOOK OR BY CROOK.
"Agh!" Tina screamed, awakening from her brain-washing, Bass held her in his arms as she woke up, but she instantly broke free when she noticed her choice in, or rather, her lack thereof, in clothing. "What the hell am I wearing?!" she cried. "Red in silk?! And what's this thing in the cup?" she wondered, pulling out a small radio-like device in the right one. She stamped on it. "Typical." Bass whispered, under his breath. He was glad she took his jacket when he offered it though, even if she just hated the colour and material. Bayman was equally as confused, but he had a stronger mind than Tina and remembered fragments of what had happened over the past few hours. He also remembered being changed by that old pervert Gen Fu... he was wearing a bikini underneath his ordinary clothes! He didn't mention it though.
"Guys..." he whispered, quietly, in order not to rouse his headache. "Jann Lee and Lei Fang are being held in the other HQ of this weird company behind the DOA Tournament"
"What about Kasumi?" Ayane spoke up, worried about her sister.
"I'm sorry, Ayane, we didn't take her." Bayman sighed. "Damn"
"So what, Bayman?" Tina smirked, "Lei Fang hated it with us anyway." "Don't be so inconsiderate, Tina!" Bass bellowed. "Yeah, we should rescue them!" Helena added. Tina shrugged her shoulders non-commitedly; she didn't really care if Lei Fang was kidnapped, she just needed a change, and a shower.
Just then, a shot fired into the air as Leon charged crazily into the room.
"Nobody move, I'm here to save all my friends!" he bellowed, firing madly into the air with a tommy gun. Everyone, after having finished picking themselves off the floor in fright, stared at him blankly, then burst out laughing. Leon scratched his head as he blushed deeply.
Jann Lee and Lei Fang stood shoulder to shoulder, their faces set straight, no expression. They both wore matching bikinis, each with the mind-control electronic box sewn into the lining. In a dark room they stood in the shadows as before them a television screen showed rapid images of the prime-minister, doing many things, such as shaking hands with sick children, meeting with foreign diplomats et cetera. They now knew what their next target would look like tomorrow, when they would go to Buckingham Palace to pay their respects...