Poker has always been Victoria's favorite pass time, what better way to prove you're the best than taking someone's money? With the upgrades to her mind control she could just make them give her the money, in fact that's what she use to do.
In the old days she played like a pro but if she ever lost, assuming she didn't jump across the table, she would just wait outside for the other players; the moment they heard the first note of her recorder her profits would be more than tripled. But tonight was not going to be one of those nights as she peeked over her cards reading her opponents.
Her hand was crap but she could tell so was everyone else's. A boss from both the yakuza and the triads on both sides of her and across from her was a particularly fowl tempered member of the Russian mob. They had nothing and it was all laid bare to her.
"So what'll it be boys?" She said with a control confidence that communicated a false faith in her hand. Bother Zhao, the Triad boss, cursed under his breath in mandarin; he was buying her bluff. Kitano-san was also caught up in her trap, eyeing his cards in a manner that to Victoria conveyed disgust.
"I fold." Kitano-san finally said throwing down his cards. Bother Zhao's face contorted into a scowl; realizing he had no other options he followed Kitano's example. Victoria's cards hid the grin she had plastered across her face.
"So Anatoly what's it going to be?" She asked the last hold out. He threw his cards down, "I fold." He said accompanied by a certain Russian curse word. With a triumphant smile she showed her hand to the rest of the table. "Ha, ha boys one pair just barely." She laughed pulling the pile of cash over to her.
"Oh look at the time," She said looking at Kitano-san's watch that she had pulled from the pile. "I must be off; save up your money for next time boys." She added her winnings to the roll of cash in her pocket. Victoria never worked an honest job in her life but that cash roll never shrunk too small or ever had anything less than a twenty.
She was slipping into her new coat she had won off Bother Zhao when Anatoly slammed his hands on the table and stood. "You're a cheater Best and you're not leaving here with my money."
"Oh really now?" She said in a sarcastic tone obviously not worried about Anatoly's wrath. "Brother Zhao, Kitano-san; do you feel the same way?" She took a look at the contempt on their faces.
"Guess it can't be helped." She said with a shrug.
She strutted around the table towards Anatoly. She stopped in front of him; he stood firm not moving.
Victoria took Kitano's watch off her wrist, "Anatoly be a dear and swallow this." She said waving the watch in front of him.
To the surprise of everyone but Victoria Anatoly grabbed the watch and stuck it in his mouth. After a gulp it moved down into Anatoly's throat and stayed there.
Victoria smiled while everyone else watched in horror as Anatoly choked to death on the large Rolex lodged in his windpipe. His body hit the ground and Victoria turned to the other two who were frozen in fear. She gave a look that dared them to make a move as she walked out the door into the street.
"Thing was to big for my wrist anyway." She said to herself pulling the coat tighter as she fought the harsh city wind.
On her way home she passed by a group of men standing around. "Hey tight pants," One of them called as she walked by. "why don't you come here and show us you pretty blond hair?"
Victoria was in a good mood and wanted to keep it going. "If you want it you'll have to fight me for it." She said beckoning them to follow her.
The group instantly decided to take her up on the offer and all five followed her. She led them down into a dark alleyway to a dead end.
"You really think you can take on all of us blonde?" One asked reaching out and grabbing her arm.
"Is there any doubt?" She said with a smile as she grabbed and broke his hand. She put him in an submission hold when one of his friends rushed foreword only to have his ribs destroyed by a roundhouse kick.
She broke the first assailant's arm before moving on to her next victim, who was flicking open a switch blade. Victoria caught him with a powerful straight punch and took the knife right out of his hand. She gave him a quick slash across the face before jamming the blade into his neck.
The other two got cold feet and tried to run for it. Victoria jumped clear over their heads, "Where you headed, I'm just getting started." She jumped up and delivered flawless kicks to each of their faces.
She didn't let them get to their feet; she caught one in the spine with an axe kick and gave the other a kick to the ribs. Victoria spied the one who's arm she broke trying to sneak pass.
"No lady I give." He pleaded being forced into a corner.
Victoria rushed him and struck both of his temples, digging her fingers in. He let out a blood curdling scream that turned to pained groan and his body went lifeless.
After she tore her blood covered fingers from his skull she went back to the other two. When she saw one was crawling away she ran over and jumped landing with her foot on his neck; the distinctive cracking sound put a smile on her face.
Her eyes honed in on the other cowering against a wall. She cracked her knuckles moving in on him. He held up his hand in surrender. Victoria grabbed his hand and broke his fingers. She hit him with a palm strike, driving broken bone into his brain killing him instantly.
"Don't think I've forgotten about you." She called over her shoulder to the man who's ribs she had broken.
"Over here playing possum on me." She grabbed him up by his hair and stood him up.
"Now you're going to feel an excruciating pain, everywhere." she said in a joking tone.
Victoria pulled back and delivered a spectacular leopard blow, a dim mak she had learned in Tibet, and he was dead before he hit the ground. Victoria walked out of the alley counting what little money they had on them when her stomach growled, nothing stimulated her appetite like the sight of blood.
She stopped off at a diner, which to anyone else would have been a bad idea given the dried blood still on her hands. While waiting for her food she saw a family sitting and just enjoying each other. They were so happy and loving, it made Victoria sick to her stomach.
"Their daughter isn't going to get anywhere with the way the mother dotted on her." Victoria thought to herself while remembering how when she was younger her mother would have her kneel on rice and walnut shells while she drilled her in trivia facts and math equations; Victoria wasn't allowed to eat until she could answer every question given to her.
She could still feel the sting of the switch her mother would hit her with whenever she mispronounced a word. Victoria continued to observe the family, seeing how loving the father was.
Her father never coddled her like that, not that super athlete. On cold early mornings he'd have her swimming laps, and would hold her under till she passed out if she didn't make record time.
He required her to be on every team in high school and she made everyone she tried out for even the football team, but she still got a beating at home for being running back and not quarter back. Oh the nights she spent laying bloody on the basement floor after a sparing session with her dear father.
They never let up on her not one bit and she was grateful for every moment of it; she wouldn't be the best if they had treated her like a baby.
She was snapped out of her thoughts by the sound of a plate being sat in front of her. Without a word she took a bite of the stake sandwich she was given and slowly chewed her food before sitting it back down.
"It's wrong." she said pushing the plate away from her.
"What do you mean it's wrong?" The cook fired back.
"It taste like shit is what I mean," She stood firm behind what she said. "I'm not eating it."
The cook pushed the plate back over to her. "Well I'm not remaking it so you'll have to make do." He said in a frustrated huff turning back to the grill.
Victoria let out a whistle to catch his attention, "Place your face on the grill and keep it there." She told him.
Without a word he walked over and calmly placed his face on the hot sizzling grill. Victoria walked away amidst the blood curdling screams from inside; she looked up at the stars and heaved a content sigh.
Finally she was walking up to the door of the halfway house they had the team living so they keep an eye on them.
"Well look what the cat dragged in from it's litter box." Toby said when he heard her walk in, to busy with the contents of a brief case to look up at her.
She said nothing a she shuffled up stairs; she was determined not to let Toby ruin her night. She flopped down on her bed to finally able to relax.
"That was the best." She said with a content almost happy sigh closing her eyes ready to have the best dreams.
I've decided to do a few character pieces in-between mission, about three at the most, just so you can learn a bit about how I imagine the characters.
