Two hours earlier…
Zack was busy monitoring the staffs who were placing the boxes of their resources. The cruise ship had to go back to the port to collect new batches of stocks for the next month.
"Thanks for the information, I'll tell her about that." He tapped the end call button on his phone and hid it inside the pocket of his luxurious trousers.
"Sir, where should I put this?" A female staff asked, carrying a medium size box full of fruits. Zack pointed the open area of the vehicle. Jann Lee told him to bring some healthy food and he could only think about the fruits. He didn't want to earn a lecture from the Chinese man if he forgot about it. Also, they got someone who really needed it and that was Kasumi.
Besides that, he also needed to maintain his diet. He didn't want to go to waste all of his efforts for having a toned body. A healthy lifestyle was a must for people like them.
The stocks would be fifteen for food and five for other needs like hygiene. He didn't ask what products his friends used because that would be another problem for him, especially to Helena. The woman had a specific brands to use and he didn't want to hassle himself in finding those items.
Earlier, he received new information about Donovan and it was an important one. He had to tell Helena about it after he was done. Well, that means spending millions of dollars for an asset was good idea. They would've been caught in Donovan's hands again if he didn't make the choice of having an agreement with the asset.
Thirty minutes and all of the boxes were done placing inside. That means he had to go back and leave the port before anyone could recognize him. He had to change his upper garment to a black shirt and remove some of his gold accessories. And it was Jann Lee again who told him to do it. He couldn't object when the latter looked at him with a deadly glare.
Going back inside, he went to his room before seeing Helena in her office. Standing under the sun was a pain but he had to keep an eye to avoid any possible circumstances that could make their situation worse. And he didn't want to be blame for that.
"A shower would not be bad." He said, taking off his golden necklace.
He was looking at his wardrobe when something pointed against his back. It was a sharp one, he could tell that by feeling how it kept pushed against his skin even there was a cloth before it was touching him.
"Where is she?" A demanding tone of voice came from behind. His eyes immediately widened, realizing who it was.
'Damn…Helena ain't gonna be happy with this…'
He would not try to move. He wouldn't dare. There was no doubt he was a bit careless earlier. He wasn't paying much attention. Even though he had a guess there was something around him, he shrugged it off.
"Where's Kasumi?"
Zack raised his hands in the air, surrendering himself. He better not make any mistake or he'd get beaten.
Or more likely, he would get himself killed.
. . .
Lei Fang was sitting in the edge of the queen-sized bed. After eating breakfast, she went back to her room. Usually, she'd spend the whole day talking with the other two girls but right now, she didn't. She wasn't feeling great, especially when she thinks about her actions.
For past days, she wasn't acting like her usual self. She noticed it and was aware of her friends' reaction. Hitomi asked her if there was something wrong and of course, she said no. But deep inside, thousands of thoughts were flowing in her mind.
It was all about one person.
It was about him.
It was Jann Lee.
She buried her face in her own palms, letting a small edgy voice.
"Ugh! Why does it have to do with him?!"
Lying on her back, she puffed out a deep breath. If she'd be asked what it was, there wouldn't be any answer. Because even herself didn't know what was wrong.
It wasn't her intention to yell at him. He was just over protective of them. His point was understandable but his repetitive reminders was irritating and it ruined her good mood at that time. It ended up getting on her nerves when he blocked her off with the authoritative tone.
After that, she couldn't bring herself to face him. What would she say? Sorry? Like he'd believe that lame excuse. She had to have a good lie to prepare. Knowing him, he had the side of persistency when he wanted to know something.
"Should I say I wasn't in good mood? No, that would be small reason for my action. Come on, Lei! You've got to think something!" The habit of biting her finger index while thinking was showing as she tried creating various reasons.
The knocking noise came twice from the other side of the door pulled her back from the deep thoughts.
"Lei? You there?" Jann Lee's low voice muffled from outside.
Her head lifted up a little to look at the door. 'Oh no…'
She still in the process of making excuses and he was already standing outside. What she should say? Dramatically, she wanted to jump out of the window and run away.
"I need to talk to you." His voice was calm but to her, it was giving her the fuel to panic more.
'I can't talk to him!' Her mind kept shouting the response.
On the other side, Jann Lee was standing in front of plain white painted wooden door. He was waiting for Lei to answer. He wasn't sure if the lady was there but he didn't see her after the breakfast earlier.
There was something he wanted to talk with her. Helena was busy with her own business and he didn't want to disturb her. He had to respect that since the latter gave them a place to stay in temporary time and for him, it was too much to lend for friends. He thought it was a good timing to see Lei.
But it seemed the lady wasn't going to entertain him.
'She must be busy with something.' He stood there for another couple of minutes and when he didn't get any respond, he began to take steps away from the door.
Sight fixed forward as his feet kept bringing him away from the door. It was disappointing. Again.
At first, it wasn't bothering him. But Lei continued avoiding him. Whenever she saw him approaching, she'd walk away quickly. During breakfast, she usually sit next to him but now, she chose between Hitomi and Kasumi. If not, she'd take the seat next to Helena or Zack. Anyone except the seat next to him. She would talk with the rest and only he couldn't have a word with her.
He could sense there was something with Lei. Her actions were obvious. She was avoiding him at any chance. But what would be her reason?
Was she mad at him?
Why?
Was it because of the time he was scolding them?
Then, that'd be too shallow for him to accept as a reason.
He knew her for a long time. And the four of them staying in one apartment only let him saw each of the girls' attitudes, the things they like or not, how they treat each other, their crazy antics whenever they were playing games. All of those had become bunch of memories that turned to his reason for being protective. He, being a brother to the kunoichi didn't limit him to look after the other two. He couldn't find the answer why he became like this.
But, that wasn't the problem. Lei Fang's reaction was bothering him and how she treated him only made him confused. He had been asking himself why she was acting that way towards him but didn't have any clue.
"Do you need something?" Hearing that calm voice made him turned around and saw Lei stood outside of the doorway, looking at his direction. He quickly took steps back to her.
Her expression was calm and he knew she was waiting for him to say anything.
"Um…" He tried to find the right words to say. He didn't want her to get mad again.
"What is it?" She asked, sounded like she was demanding for him to spill it.
Scratching the back of his head, he gave her look. "You okay?"
Her brows went up, surprised. "Huh?" She didn't get it.
"I mean, are you feeling okay?" He tried to make it more clearly to her what his question meant.
It took her few seconds to understand. "Oh," She got it. "Yes, I'm okay." She knew his question didn't mean the same with the words. He was asking for a deeper answer. A response that would explain her actions for the past days.
"Are you sure?" He asked again, looking for a better response.
Lei bit her inner cheek. This was what she wasn't prepared. He wouldn't really accept a simple answer. She expected it but didn't have any back up reason to give. 'What should I say?"
The awkward silence surrounded the two. It was obvious they knew from each other's stares that something was off. He knew, she knew but both couldn't spill it.
It became hard to stay quiet. "Um, do you need something else?" She asked, breaking the stare between her and him.
Jann Lee continued staring at her even she already looked away from him. And there he knew,
She was lying to him…
She was hiding something…
Something he couldn't guess…Not at all
He swallowed. "I-Nothing. I was wondering if you're feeling fine or not."
"I'm fine! There's nothing to worry about. You should focus more on Kasumi. Between the four of us, she's the one who's having a hard time right now. We should look after her more." The sentence came out in the liveliest tone she could do and showed a small smile.
He knew that was not what she would say but he didn't want to force her. He didn't want her to think he was stepping out of the line. She might get mad at him for asking too much. That would only give him another problem. He understood she got her own personal issues. But he hoped it won't be related to him.
"YOU TWO! THERE YOU ARE!" Their attention was caught after the loud voice. Turning their heads to the direction where it came from and saw Hitomi running towards them. She was in complete hurry and her steps were making stomping noise.
"What happened to you?" Lei asked.
Hitomi held her shoulder and tried to control her breathing. Her face was in covered in sweat. "We got a problem!"
"What?" Jann Lee asked.
Hitomi looked at the two. "I saw them."
"Where's Kasumi?"
The German girl gave them a light shook of her head. "I don't know. I was looking for her when I accidentally saw him."
"Whe—"
They heard footsteps getting louder and that was their cue to hide.
They quickly ran inside Lei's room and locked the door.
"Shit! They managed to follow us here." He said.
"Who?" The two girls asked.
"Them." His answer meant the people the two knew as well.
"We have to find the others." Hitomi said.
"Ye—"
The stomping footsteps alerted them. They looked at each other to read the gestures. Being skilled martial artists, a simple cue was enough to understand. That sound was not familiar.
Jann walked to the closed door and looked through the small hole on it. Then, he looked back to the two who was waiting.
He leaned to them and whispered, "She's here." He didn't have to describe what and who he saw on the other side.
Lei Fang pointed something on her left side and gestured Hitomi to follow. The three moved silently. Another set of three knocks from the door. Hitomi pulled the curtains down, breaking the thin wooden pole where the curtains were hanging. Lei opened her suitcase and took a fabric covered lengthwise thing.
The knocking was replaced with continuous loud and hard slams on the wooden door.
Hitomi tied each of the curtain's ends, pulling it to make sure it was tight and won't loosen up. Lei unwrapped the fabric and it revealed three daggers.
"Where did you get that?" Hitomi can't help not to ask.
"I'll tell you later. Here." She gave one to the German girl and took the two left. Jann Lee looked at her when she handed it to him. He didn't remember that Lei is keeping those kind of weapons. But, he didn't ask anymore and hid it behind his back.
The two girls went to the huge open window and tied one end and threw outside the remaining of the curtain rope length. At the same time, Jann Lee leaned against the wooden door. The loud slam stopped.
The three exchanged gestures and prepared themselves. Jann Lee swore he heard ticking sounds and realized it. He quickly ran away from the door and pulled the two to jump outside.
An explosion roared in the room. It blasted the whole door, destroying the furniture closed to it. Wooden pieces were scattered everywhere. There were bunch of smoke.
Then, a woman in leather cat suit walked in, looking for the three who managed to escape from the room.
"You can only run."
. . .
Hitomi looked to the right, checking if there was anyone. The three agreed to look for Kasumi first as they didn't have any idea where she was.
"Anyone?" Lei who was behind her asked. They got away from the explosion far enough that they didn't get any wound or hit from it.
The German girl shook her head. Jann Lee took a look behind them to see if there was anyone following. Good thing, no one, yet.
"So, where should we go first?" Hitomi asked.
Jann Lee thought for a minute. "Kasumi should be in her room. But I haven't seen her since breakfast."
"Same. I was about to see her earlier when I saw Christie." Hitomi said. Earlier, she had second thought if that was Christie who sneaked in through an open window. She saw a jet ski on the side of the cruise ship and was wondering why it was there. Until, she recognized Christie in that leather suit and that confirmed it. That woman, she couldn't forget the last time they seen her before living in the city together in peace.
The three thought for a while. They had to find Kasumi but he wasn't sure where they'd look for her. Sure, she might've heard the explosion but she couldn't do much right now. Damn it. This was the reason why he didn't want them to have separate rooms. He had no idea where the kunoichi was. And now this happened.
Suddenly, a loud breaking glass sound roared, making them look in each directions.
"Shit, I think that's them!"
The three ran to the left when they heard footsteps again.
'Darn it. They didn't come here alone!'
. . .
Helena and Zack were in the corner of the hallway. They were taking the safest part of the ship and that was the back side.
"You could've ask me nicely!" Zack complained. "I was worried for my life ther—"
"Zack, quiet down." Helena stopped him and glanced at the man behind them. The half of his face was covered with mask. His light brown eyes kept a straight sight on the direction.
"Where's your sister?" Helena asked.
Hayate looked at her. "She's around here." He answered without taking the mask off. "The explosion. They're here right?"
Helena nodded. She knew he was referring about their enemies.
No one knew about her plan on contacting Hayate. She wanted to tell the others but she knew Kasumi would refused. The kunoichi didn't mention about them and she had a feeling those four would not agree. Even Jann Lee. She remembered a conversation with him one night. "You know Kasumi can't stay here. She's on her second trimester and we have to think of a plan."
"I have the idea of moving out of the country with the three."
"What? How?"
Jann Lee looked up to her. "Of course, I'm gonna need your help for that."
"Look, I can't let you do that. Kasumi isn't safe for that as well. The two other ladies will not agree."
"That's the only option I've got right now." He scratched the back of his head in irritation.
He couldn't blame, the three wouldn't like that idea. He wanted to bring up that idea but had some second thoughts about their responses. Kasumi had told him she didn't like going here and there anymore. She had gone so much running from assassin back in the days of being a 'runaway'. Hitomi and Lei Fang would travel if that was some vacation they had been wanting for ages.
"So? What should we do? I know we aren't safe here anymore."
Helena sighed, taking her gaze to the night view of the calm sea outside and didn't say a word.
That was a conversation that Helena didn't approve of. She understood his side which about their safety but it'd be not reasonable for the three girls if he'd do that. Since that DOATEC competition, they went through rough roads. Dealing with Donovan, interrupting his future projects, and stopping him from getting any chance of doing his inhuman researches. They all took part just to make that man to quit for his life time 'dreams'.
But things left her with no other choice than to give out information to person that Kasumi wouldn't dare to talk to anymore. She didn't tell Jann Lee about this part as she worried he'd be upset or refuse to do so. They'd be in deep argument if she informed him. She had her list full and there was no spare number for her to add that at the moment.
"Where's my sister?" He asked again since Helena hadn't gave him a clear answer. But she informed him that Kasumi was staying here. Even if the latter was lying, the blade would do its purpose. He wouldn't stop looking for his sister. And he wouldn't let anyone hold him down.
"I'm sure she's with Jann Lee and the others."
"Others? Who?" He knew Jann Lee. And if his guess wasn't right, that was the Chinese martial artist. He barely knew the latter but he wasn't interested in knowing him. But he was great with his chosen martial arts.
Helena didn't answer him and unlocked the door where it was a shortcut to the hallway. The cruise ship had some routes that only she knew about. The purpose was for unexpected circumstances.
"Stay alert. That explosion was a warning for everyone." She closed the door and locked it again.
Hayate kept his eyes wandering. He had been worried for months about his sister. The kunoichi might not be in his sight but he could feel the presence. She was somewhere here.
Wearing a blank expression was easy for him. But deep inside, he couldn't contain the running thoughts. He had been looking for his sister for months. He didn't know where to look. She left no traces in the apartment. Ryu wasn't helping. The former didn't extend his hand to assist. All he got was his absence. He went to the Hayabusa Village more than he could count. He received nothing but excuses from the servants. For him, Ryu made it clear he didn't want to involve himself with them again.
That best friend of his remained mysterious in his own ways that Hayate could not understand even for a little. That was one of his reason why he never took a single step over the line that put the distance between Ryu and the others.
But, there was only one person who had reached him beyond the unbreakable barrier.
And it was her, his own sister.
. . .
He kneeled there before the kunoichi who was in state of unconsciousness. She was on the ground. One of the hands touched her cheek.
"You gave me a hard time, Kasumi." His whispered. "But it's gonna pay off now. I can't wait to see how much fortune you can bring to my career."
He stood up and fixed his clothing. Kasumi could've fight him if she wasn't pregnant. But that she was, he wouldn't hesitate. Just looking at kunoichi already excited him. He wanted to start the plan.
"I'm looking forward to see the future of the blood you're carrying."
Helena stupid to think they could hide the kunoichi here from him. He knew her, just like she did. She was always got the huge part in interrupting his plans for the future. That woman took the chances of his success. But this time, he wouldn't let her step in.
Taking out something from a pocket, he pressed buttons.
"I got her. Prepare everything for the arrival."
. . .
An update after a long time! Thanks for reading!