Author's notes: Thanks to everyone who took timeout to read through all of my blah-blah-blah. Please keep the reviews coming and let me know if you have any questions. Ok, I'm ready to move forward. Read at your own risk.

Chapter 10: If Whatever Doesn't Kill You…

This is my father's place here in Prague: The most expensive house in this high class suburb. Never shy to show off his success as doctor and plastic surgeon. I had to park block away because it is too crowded with all his friends here. Today is his birthday and I'm late for party. I have a gold locket with a picture of him and mother inside. Probably won't count for much. Rented a black tuxedo for occasion and bought pair of shades to hide swollen left eye. Cracked ribs slowed my walk. It was all a parting gift from debt collectors yesterday. Left Blackjack table with twenty grand and the fuckers somehow heard about it. Now I've return to square zero and…ah fuck it. Get through this mess first then see what happens. I ring doorbell and father answers, wearing a white tuxedo with a red rose. While I have shaved head and five o' clock shadow, he has slick back hair that he likes to dye blonde and full bread.

"Well, decided to come after all did you."

"Happy birthday father, you look well."

"Of course I do. Look halfway decent yourself Delio, despite this cheap suit you wear. Come in."

Maybe twenty people here: Father's colleagues, former patients and probably his next ex-wife. Between clothes and jewelry I'd say there's one hundred thousand dollars in this house. For music there's a live piano player. I even see ice sculpture of mermaid at center of dinner table. Some of these people I've already met but have nothing in common with. Make same old small talk: How are you doing? Nice weather we're having. What do you do for a living? When are you returning to school and be like your dad? Some guy even said 'how about those yanks?' Like anybody in Prague gives a shit about American Baseball. What a fucking prick. After meet and greet I load a plate with lobster and shrimp and sit at dinner table, which is between 12 and 20 feet long. The guest must've eaten earlier because I sit alone, and that suits me fine. Halfway through meal when I hear someone start tapping their glass. Hoped I'd already missed dinner speech.

"May I have your attention please? Thank all of you for coming today. I am blessed to have you in my life. True friends who helped me get where I stand today."

That's cue for applause, they all follow suit.

"And my son Delio, who even though has yet to learn proper English and may prefer the lower things in life, I still care for."

I raised my glass in response. Might as well flow with it. He walked through the crowd coming in my direction.

"Despite the path I laid out for him to a brighter future, he chooses to clean up shit. I mean there must be some mind blowing perks to being a janitor. In fact nobody needs to worry about cleaning after themselves, because Delio has it covered."

Father is now standing beside me with a hand on my shoulder. I continue eating while he preaches.

"My son also has more work in gambling, so I guess in his own way he has followed my footsteps having two jobs. While not having a handsome face he does have his mother's eyes. Don't know why he hides them, trying to look like James Bond."

He removes my shades, revealing my bruised eye. Heard gasps in crowd. That wiped smirk off his face and now he starts looking embarrassed, then quickly pulls my arm for me to stand.

"Uh excuse me everyone, I'll be back shortly!"

We rush off to his bedroom and he slams door shut.

"How dare you come to my party looking like that? I told you to leave your problems outside this house!"

"Better when I look like James Bond, yes?"

"Curb the sarcasm Delio."

"Of course, I had forgotten you alone have privilege."

"Enough! I'm not doing this on my birthday. What's the bottom line here?"

"There is no bottom line. I only came to-"

"It's money. Delio I've already made myself clear: You want something then you must earn it. Return to college to become doctor and quit piss cleaning. And get rid of that Charlie girl."

"Her name is Maverick Wei and she is not Vietnamese."

"Still a looks like a spook however way you cut it. Now are you ready to do the right thing for once in your life and ascend above this nonsense you call a living?"

I forced a smile and hugged him, then put my gift on his nightstand.

"Enjoy your birthday." I said before leaving.

On my way out I spot some of the guest sniffing cocaine, courtesy of father's new dealer and my on again off again employer, Margaux Leblanc. Once he vacations in the states and somehow became connected with her. Been buying from Leblanc for more than a year. Maybe she has better product or cheaper prices than local dealers. Don't think that bolds well for them, but not my problem. Father could be trying to sleep with her but she's not type to mix business with pleasure. This is how my team got work from her though father doesn't know it or type of cleaning I do. Prefer it that way for now. Funny thing is I was thinking of accepting his ultimatum until he called me out and disrespected Mav.

It was last resort to pay back Andre and Mav both, but I can only take my old man's crap for so long. Nine to five works this way, yes? Nose deep in shit taking that human body stops having bowel movements. Eventually I may return but right now I'm too steamed about it. Wasn't going to stay long either way. Need to catch early flight in mourning.

Ah fuck! Goddamn clock alarm! Need to take fucking shower and make piece of shit flight to meet dickhead friends. Yes, I'm grumpy in mourning so fuck yourself.

After shower and coffee I fly out to Taipei where martial arts tournament is held yearly. Only care because Maverick is competing and asked me to come, taking place in a dome with some Chinese name. Parking lot is full but there's one bike present and I know it is Mav's, bike as in bicycle. She owns a car but only drives it in winter time. Saving gas money I believe. Got front row seats thanks to her. I find and sit next to Andre who is too busy sucking face with some bimbo to notice me. He's startled when I slap his shoulder.

"Good to see you comrade. I was worried you'd miss fight with your date."

"Sky this is Delio. Delio meet Sky."

"Whatzzup yo. Wut da deal-io Delio?"

I hate her already. Can't stand people who suffer identity crisis. She's a Chinese with short spikey hair, one half white and the other purple. I'd consider her pretty if not for too much make-up. And she wearing dark…what are they called? Yes, dark Goth looking clothes with pink plaid skirt, black and white socks and platform boots. To top it off she speaks with black accent. There's no greater form of self-hate then…whatever this women is. Her name is Sky; perhaps that is where her mind resides. Andre knows how to pick'em.

I shook her hand and looked to the mat. Luckily there's a Chinese and English announcer. Trying to draw in wider crowd I think. Two girls wearing those…Kung Fu uniforms enter the mat and begin. Heard that different color belts represent some kind of rank but I'm halfway paying attention. Told you I'm not much into Kung Fu and would rather Boxing. It looks flashy on TV and I've seen Mav in action, but I'd like to see best of both worlds go at it, see what it's really worth. Muhammad vs. Bruce Lee maybe. After three matches they finally get to Maverick. Last year she finished in fifth place and has worked hard to improve herself. Andre breaks from smacking lips secession when he hears her name called. The Sky women seemed upset not all his attention is on her. Ugh, where he sees Xmas I only see Halloween.

"Yo ain't we in da middle of something?" She asked.

"Pick up where we left off just after this fight." He replied.

"Thought I was your date."

"Hey baby like I said-"

"Shhhhh! Mav's about to start." I interrupted.

XXXXXXX

My opponent is Li Pak Ling who is skilled in Tai Chi, a defensive style by nature. Been focusing on my Qigong to relax and brace myself. Have to approach lightly and avoid the enemy's strong points but still need to feel her out to be certain. Try to pull her outside her own comfort zone. As the match begins we bow, assume our stances and circle each other. I lead with a punch which is easily deflected but I don't launch a full combo yet. While weaving from side to side I use stick and move tactics and slowly move forward. It proves effective; she blocks every strike but I made her back away until she steps off the mat, earning my first point. Ling returns to the mat and the next round begins. I use my same strategy again. Took longer but I still force her off once more.

Eagerly running back to me, I see she is becoming annoyed. Time to switch things up before Ling adapts. Now I don't move first. Instead we circle one another again. She wants me to press forward but I refuse, not even throwing a single punch or kick. This seems to irritate her into action, charging at me with waves of hand strikes. Blocking and evading them but I see Ling is now too trying to back me off the mat. She's good but overly aggressive, a weak point I exploit by intercepting an open palm blow, positioning my back against her, then tossing Ling over my shoulder.

The crowd has begun cheering in my favor however I have no interest in entertaining them. I compete for myself. Delio and Andre are a big enough audience. Ling now tries using my stick and move tactics. I constantly move or roll from one side to the next, preventing her goals. She halts her assault upon realizing it was ineffective and I go on the offensive. Her defense remains steadfast however. I launch a roundhouse which she ducks and then lands a palm strike to my abdomen. The force of the blow backed me away and I dropped to my right knee, feeling the pain travel throughout my body.

She earned a point but it wasn't enough for her. She came at me while I was down, grabbing hold of my head and tried to shove her knee in my face out of spite but I reacted and caught it, and threw it away hard enough to make her lose balance. She quickly rose again and tried rushing when the arbitrator stepped in and attempted to hold her back, but Ling struck him down and continued her pursuit. Needed more time to recover and she knows this. Deflected what blows I could but eventually I'm hit with an elbow to my temple, knocking me back down. Try rolling to hands and knees but Ling is relentless and now I've become aggravated. She lifts her leg and drops her hill. I catch it and shove my left hand between her legs.

XXXXXXX

Holy shit! Mav hit that girl's pussy! Scratch that, her hand went in pussy! Not whole hand I think. Happened so fast but I say three or four fingers. Fight is over now. Poor girl seems ready to cry, limping in a circle with hands covering special place, and she is bleeding. The crowd all gasped, few even laughed. Not like taking hit to balls. Think it's more like…hard object suddenly shoved up your ass out of the blue. Mav strolled off mat while other women had someone carry her. If she has no children it might now be too late to start. I know they say 'whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger' but I doubt that'll be the case for Ling. Not to say she didn't have it coming when it got personal and she acted like a real bitch, but Maverick's always been a little too quick to overreact when provoked. Everything's on hold while judges make up their mind. The Ling person was already disqualified for hitting ref and Mav could be too for illegal blow. She stands in corner looking worried. That move was going to cost something. She looked in our direction and we cheered her on for support. Me and Andre anyway.

His fuck buddy was busy checking her make-up with little handheld mirror. After ten minutes the judges finally decide to let Mav stay but would be down three points in next match. Probably thanks to ref since he didn't like getting hit. She lit up upon hearing this. After two more matches it's her turn again. Losing three points means this fight's gonna be harder, and to top it off her opponent lands first blow with swift kick to Mav's chest.

XXXXXX

"Guards, put him in the black box. It's time for disciplinary action for disobedience."

They grab my arms and drag me down the hall to the doctor's office where the black box is. I fight and shout but just get tazed for my efforts. The black box is so small inside that my knees touch my chin. They warp chains around the door to prevent me from opening the door. It's so dark and uncomfortable and frightening that most of us hate spending a night here, except for me. Even though I protest, this is the only place I feel…safe; away from the doctors, guards, my brothers and Ortymer. I despised all of them. My body may ache but the pain is worth it. The guards are talking about treating the boys to a day on the outside for good behavior. I plead to be freed and they continue with their mocking and teasing, but I'm merely putting on a performance. They'll never know that I'd rather be in here. Five minutes later they finally leave and I'm alone at last. As time passes I start drifting off to sleep.

(Crash)

Loud thunderous noises wake me. There's the sound of something burning and…the floor beneath me collapsed and I was sliding down fast! The black box went fast enough to crash through something, rolled once and stopped. Was this a new form of punishment? How did they discover my secret? I no longer felt safe and wanted to get out. Don't care if the chains were still warped around the door, I'm getting out of here.

XXXXXXX

Required a few moments to climb out. Heard the sound of my bones cracking as I stretched. Behind me are the remains of the Asylum, now a burning pile of rubble. I came out of the safe or the black box as it used to be called in my former years. Unlikely 17 told our captor its true purpose, as he assumed it was to store materialistic valuables. This is merely guesswork but I think since the safe was stationed on the second floor, the fire destroyed some of the supporting pillars, forcing the second floor to crash down on an angle causing the safe to slide with enough speed to break through an old and already weaken wall leading outside. The black box…I had completely forgotten about. The drug induced dream state I was in lead me to it, otherwise I may have never considered it. A positive effect of the Salvia, and fortunate I could still fit inside the safe. It appears I'm only alive solely because of luck. Or coincidence and circumstance as my enemy put it.

Romania at dusk. My body ached as I walked along a mostly empty highway, still wearing the two pair of handcuffs and burn wounds on both forearms. Four different drivers have stopped beside me offering aid, but I discourage each of them. Half an hour passes before my preferred vehicle approaches – a police cruiser. I step out onto the road with my arms in the air playing victim. It stopped in front of me and two officers came out. I hoped there would be only one, but things rarely work out as desired.

"Sir what happen? Are you alright?"

I frantically gasp for air with my arms in front and stagger toward the one on the left, dropping to my knees as I reached him.

"He's been burned! Get on the radio and call an ambulance!"

His partner turned his back and that was the moment I've been waiting for. I snatch the sidearm from the holster and shot him in his left foot, rushed to a standing position to knock him down, then fired two more rounds into his partner's gun arm and thigh as he spun around. The one below me tried to move and I responded by putting another bullet in his right foot, trying to avoid getting as much blood as possible on the uniforms. Once control was established I made them strip to their underwear and cuff themselves, blindfold and gaged them with some of their clothes, then knocked them unconscious and put the bodies in the trunk and backseat.

I could be here for a day or two. Want to take the time for the drugs to leave my system and to heal while I decide my next move, so I'll keep a low profile. Dead police would draw attention. The cuffs on me weren't standard so their keys couldn't unlock them. However I did find a stack of reports held together by a paper clip which worked well enough. The disguise and Glock 17's are a bonus but my goal was the car's laptop. It's been more than a decade since I've seen Romania so I expect the layout has undergone changes. I use the computer as a guide to direct me to a pharmacy where I purchase medical supplies and bandages using the officer's money.

Next is to find someplace quiet as a hideout. The first abandon building I tried had too many homeless residents; a second was a gang hideout. As I drove around I come across what looked to be a gas station. It's boarded up with bullet holes and burn marks. I type in the location and the laptop informs me of a gunfight that happened a month ago, which resulted in the gas tanks blowing up. The owner has since closed shop for a new profession. This will do well enough. Police dispatch starts making repeated calls. I wake one of the officers and give him certain instructions on responding then put him back to sleep.

I intend to call Diana using the patrolmen's cell phone but do I mention that Mr. Rick&Roll is targeting Kayaru? Her recent behavior will be seen as a weakness by our rivals and possibly the ICA…Diana can handle herself. I'm not responsible for her. Whatever happens is her decision and with that I make the call.

"Agency, this is 47. Patch me through to Diana."

"We need to confirm your ID-Registration please."

"My number is Bro3886."

"Agent 47 my name is Phylicia. Ms. Burnwood left on a mission and has asked we search for you. Do you require assistance sir?"

"No. Tell me more about this mission."

"She didn't tell us about it sir, but she did take a security team along. I suspect it has to do with Serge Kayaru."

"Why do you say that?"

"We helped cover up an incident in the UK. She refused to elaborate but I believe Ms. Burnwood was attacked by Kayaru. Four of his guards were killed, one of which was…beaten to death with a child's car seat."

At first I thought Diana finally decided to end Kayaru but if she's doing this personally…hmm. And with the mass murderer after him as well the odds are not in her favor. With the damage he sustained I'd presume he'd take the time to heal, but this train of thought has nearly cost me my life. Twice.

"Agent 47 sir? In light of recent events I feel the obvious should be stated: Ms. Burnwood is an exceptional controller and one of the best assets to the Agency. However it seems she has become emotionally compromised. Wouldn't you agree sir?"

"What do you suggest?"

"Perhaps it is time to cut ties sir."

"Bold. There's more to you then your file suggest, Ms. Elliott."

"You…know my name and read my file?"

"28 years old, parents killed in a boating accident, raised by your uncle William who currently lives in Liverpool."

"Sir…I wasn't aware…"

"She has files of everyone in the agency and has paid me a large sum to destroy potential threats."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I'm certain there are contingency plans in place for myself as well, and if what you say about this bashing a women's skull cover-up is true, this may not be the most adequate opportunity for this discussion."

"I…hadn't considered that sir, maybe your right."

"But…if I should discover something we can resume this topic. You'll contact me if you do the same."

"I'LL keep you posted sir."

Since the war with the Franchise, my terms for returning to the Agency were I'd be allowed access to the personal records without their knowledge. Phylicia Elliott is a recent hire; very productive controller and ambitious, not uncommon in the ICA. I bought Diana some time with my fabrications but I still prefer to keep my options open. Because I won't deny the fact that Elliot is correct, but first I have to see how this plays out before choosing a side. There's one other matter which should resolved before going further.

"Anything more Agent 47?"

"I want Intel on Serge Kayaru including his current whereabouts. Also, contact a cleaning crew to my location. The names are Andre Neskoromny, Delio Gavanski and Maverick Wei."