TEKKEN: THE COLD AND THE WARM
ACT 8: All Down the Line
At a secret location, Hong Kong, China
Lei Wulong had experienced quite messed up night. Having been seduced by Lana Lai, as well as participated in her party on her superyacht, Lei had almost met his end. If it hadn't been for Master Raven and Raven, he would have ended up dead as a result of love. The very thought of that filled the policeman with so much guilt.
Ever since being rescued, Lei had spent time recovering from his wounds at a secret medical facility in Hong Kong used by the UN.
Right now, Lei was in deep thought, sitting on his hospital bed as he faced the blanket. Feeling the bandage on his stomach, he realized that the wound had not yet fully healed, despite the advanced medical treatment the UN medics possessed.
Still, Lei had other feelings on his mind right now. And they were filled with bitterness.
"Damnit!" Lei cursed as he slammed his right fist against the wall. "No matter much I try to bury it, I still can't! How could I've been so easily manipulated!?" he used his other hand to rub his face.
Clearly, Lei was distraught of the situation. Because from the moment he had laid eyes upon Lana, Lei always believed that beneath her mysterious appearance, she was a kind-hearted soul. Sadly, he was proven wrong.
"Why Lana…why did it have to end this way? If you wanted to kill me so bad, why not just do in the bar?" Lei spoke as if Lana was here with him.
Lifting up the hem of his patient gown, Lei observed the bandages of his wound. It was long, yet seemed to have healed. Even so, Lei could still feel a little pain.
"If only I could've foreseen it all…...maybe things would've turned out differently…..." Lei started to picture a different outcome…including one he had hoped it would be.
"You know, it's too late to have second thoughts about going on that yacht. It happened as it happened" the policeman's eyes widened and he looked to his left.
Leaning against the wall with his arms crossed was Raven. So far, the agent had been standing there observing the recovering policeman. While surprised by Raven's appearance at first, Lei eventually came to terms with not, looking away as if he didn't hear his words.
"Hmph. How long have you been standing there?" Lei asked, facing his lap underneath the blanket.
"Long enough to hear you lament your mistake" Raven responded, the man in the hospital bed still not giving him eye contact. "Listen, I can understand how much this affects you. But you must realize that sometimes you can't correct what you did wrong" the man with the sunglasses explained.
Lei scowled at those words. "Great, so now I'm gonna be lectured by you. Well, go ahead! Throw me under the bus!" he retorted.
"I don't seek to lecture you, Lei Wulong. As far as I can tell, you've already been through much. There is no sense for me to judge you for your failures" Raven suddenly revealed, thus surprising the policeman. Slowly, a weak smile formed on the usually serious man's lips. "Instead of judging you, I'm advising you to learn from your mistake. Everyone screws up big time. Use it to enlighten yourself" the agent gave him some words of wisdom.
As speechless as Lei was after hearing Raven's advice. Usually, he would've clapped back at anyone who would lecture him. But this time, Lei felt more than willing to accept it. Quite frankly, he was surprised with how compassionate Raven was just now. Lei had always assumed him to be nothing more than a dead-serious hero of justice.
Smiling weakly with a chuckle coming out of him, Lei nodded his head at the agent.
"Heh. Then I guess I learned something new today. A proper thank you is perhaps what you deserve" he jokingly remarked.
Raven weakly shook his head in return. "Please…...flattery is lost upon me….." he didn't like the way Lei spoke to him, yet the bedridden policeman didn't seem to care.
The door to the room suddenly opened and in cam none other than Master Raven. However, she was strolling a wheelchair before her, yet it was empty. She smiled as he looked at Lei.
"Master Raven….." Lei uttered it out.
"Glad to see that you have gradually recovered from your wounds, detective. You always know when to put yourself in the danger zone" she remarked.
Lei scoffed. "What can I say? It's all part of being a cop" he smirked, only for it to turn upside down. "Still, this occasion was pretty much unintentional. I would've never expected someone like Lana Lai to lead an organization that big" the policeman admitted.
Master Raven weakly nodded her head in understanding. "I can only imagine that she told you all of her plans, didn't she?" the agent questioned him.
"Certainly. But all that I can remember is how she boasted about the Mishima Zaibatsu and the G Corporation being at her mercy, as well as how Kometa would bring the entire world to its knees" Lei recalled the words he had heard Lana whisper to him personally.
"Then that alone confirms our worst fears" Raven suddenly chimed in. "The recent climatic activities occurring throughout the world…as well as that giant satellite floating above the Earth itself…they're all connected to Kometa" he remarked.
"Which reminds me….is that scientist here as well?" Lei asked the pair.
"Yes, but he is currently being held for interrogation. Rest assured, we will make sure he cooperates" Master Raven answered him, only to look over her shoulder at the opened doorway. "You may come in now" he suddenly said.
Before Lei knew it, a couple of UN medics entered the room. They approached him, while Master Raven strolled the wheelchair before the bed.
"Wait a sec…...am I being discharged now?" Lei wondered as the medics tried helping him over to the wheelchair. "Hey, it's okay. I can walk perfectly…...argh!" he tried getting off the bed on his own, only for the pain on his stomach to b felt.
"Please don't strain yourself, detective. Because the UN wishes to see you alive and well" Master Raven told him.
As Lei was put on the wheelchair, he watched the two agents completely awestruck.
"Lei Wulong. You have done the world a great service by aiding us. Therefore, the UN wishes to repay you in kind…." Master Raven spoke, only for a smile to be formed on her lips. "By letting you continue writing down your report on the Mishimas" she revealed to him.
"You mean….." Lei was dumbstruck. "You guys won't be needing my assistance with whatever your mission is?" he asked them.
Raven smirked while shaking his head. "What else do you think? Given your current state, you wouldn't be much of a help to us, anyways" he replied, yet Raven seemed to have more on his mind. "That said, you've already been through so much due to Kometa's manipulations. That's why it would be best for you to remain in Hong Kong and continue with your report" he added.
This made Lei chuckle. "Awww, turns out you guys do possess hearts of gold after all. I mean, you should show this side of yours more often" the policeman tried to flatter them, but to no avail.
"Save your flattery for another day, please. There are so many things at stake that me nor Raven have any time for jibes. Our mission is to ensure the world's safety from the shadows" Master Raven shot it down.
"Right. Not funny" Lei agreed. "Even so, I'll have to give you credit for all the assistance you've given Interpol. Heck, I wouldn't have gotten to write that blasted report without you guys backing me up" he smiled as he said that.
"Which makes us wanna tell you this. Because of your efforts, the UN's intelligence bureau has decided to cover for your independent action. In other words, you won't be getting an earful from your superiors at Interpol" Raven suddenly chimed in.
Lei whistled in amazement. "Man…..you guys really know how to support those close to ya…" he was almost at loss for words.
With that said, Master Raven ordered the medics to stroll Lei away, as well as bidding him farewell.
"Good luck to you, Lei Wulong. May fortune smile upon you someday" the agent waved her hand at him, with Raven only waving his in an awkward manner.
Once Lei was out of sight, the two agents felt like conversing, given that the detective could not hear them.
"Well, I suppose we head over to the interrogation room now. The doctor should be awake even as we stand here" Master Raven told her subordinate.
As they walked in the corridor, Raven had himself so many questions swirling inside his mind. But he was adamant that Lukas could perhaps give him what he wanted through this interrogation.
Inside an interrogation room
In a confined room where there was only one light shining, a lone scientist sat alone by the table underneath the lamp itself. This was Dr. Lukas Hayes, once an employee at Kometa's research facility. Sadly, he had witnessed to a lot of things recently.
Among the many things he had seen was his employer's true plans for his research. That revelation had devastated him completely. After all, Lukas had always believed that Kometa was fighting for a good cause.
Sinking himself further into despair, the scientist started sobbing a little as he kept lamenting the situation he was on. However, he was perhaps much more worried about the state of the world.
"After everything I've done…my whole life's work…has become this world's greatest threat…" Lukas sobbed.
He stopped that once the door to the interrogation room opened. In came Master Raven and Raven, accompanied by a couple of security guards. Clearly, they wanted to make sure that Lukas was well-protected against any potential assassins.
Even so, the meek scientist refused to look at them. The eyes behind his glasses were fixated upon the table.
"Dr. Lukas Hayes" Master Raven broke the silence by speaking directly to him. "I believe you understand the reason why we have brought you here. Do you know why?" the agent asked her.
Lukas didn't answer, still looking at the table beneath him. His interrogators could clearly see the amount of despair that dwelled within this man.
"So far, we've chosen to not speak with you, as we wanted you to regain your composure" Raven chimed in, crossing his muscular arms. "But a long time has now passed. All the more reason to start this interrogation" the man with the sunglasses declared.
"It's no use!" Lukas suddenly snapped at them. Shocked at his own impulsive move, the scientist looked down once again. "You already know about my past. It's true that I did indeed seek to get back at Dr. Bosconovitch. After all, he had stolen a research from me…..which made me desiring his downfall" he lamented his reasons for becoming this rouge.
"We're aware of that. But heinous as your schemes were, you are no Dr. Abel" Master Raven pointed out.
Something hit the scientist's mind as he heard that woman's words. For some reason, Lukas appeared to be a little flattered by that comment.
"You t-think so?" he asked her.
Master Raven's eyes narrowed further. "Don't get the wrong idea. You being less bad than Abel doesn't make you an angel. After all, you've helped Kometa commit major crimes…as well as being instrumental in their aims with regards to your research" she sternly told him.
"For the love of God! How was I supposed to know that Lana Lai was a sick, twisted…" Lukas stopped once Raven started banging his right fist on the table.
He had clearly done so to make the scientist stop talking. And he succeeded, given how Lukas was startled by Raven's bang on the table.
"First things first. You don't get to ask the questions here, doctor. Since you're now at our mercy, we will be given that right" Raven firmly told him.
Lukas cowered, not daring to speak against Raven further. He kept his mouth shut.
"We will start this interrogation now" Master Raven said, only to draw out her blade. She pointed it directly at the scared scientist. "You will speak only the truth. Deceive us, and you shall face a consequence worse than what your former peers would give you" she warned him.
"So that means you're willing to torture me for…" Lukas heard the noises of Raven's fists clenching tightly. This made him change his mind. "Alright! I will tell you everything you need to know!" he insisted.
The woman smirked. "A wise decision, Dr. Hayes" she remarked at his willingness to cooperate. "Let's start at the beginning. For what reason were you drafted into Kometa?" the first question was brought up.
"I accepted their job offer because they said they were interested in ending this global war, as well as develop a solution to combat climate changes occurring across the world. And given that I am a professor in climatic science, I came to view them as allies" Lukas answered, recalling back to the time when Kometa had enlisted him.
"But in what way did they want to help you with these climatic changes?" Raven remarked.
It was at that moment Lukas knew that he would have to be honest. That included the things he had helped create for Kometa.
"By creating a satellite that was supposed to end those problems: Salacia" he revealed, much to the agents' surprise. The scientist weakly nodded his head. "Yes, Salacia, that unknown satellite currently floating above the Earth right now…was created by me" Lukas went on.
"So it all makes sense now" Master Raven came to a conclusion. "This Salacia is the one responsible for sending the amount of radiation towards the Earth…causing the ozone layer to be destroyed….and the ice polars to melt" she summarized it all.
Raven directed his anger towards Lukas. "You knew that this would happen, didn't you!? You, the so-called climatic expert! Part of this was orchestrated by you!" he was THIS close to grab the scientist by the collar of his shirt.
The four-eyed man quickly shook his head. "I s-swear! I d-didn't know! Lana Lai and her subordinates deceived me!" he insisted.
"Then what was the purpose of using Salacia? Speak plainly if you value your own well-being, doctor" Master Raven demanded an answer.
Sighing, Lukas gave in. "It was originally intended to be used for a good purpose. I wanted to use Salacia to control the methane hydrate that lies dormant at the bottom of the world's oceans. With methane hydrate, humanity could've been used as an alternative to other energy sources, such as fossil fuels. That alone would've revolutionized the industry itself! No more oil! No more CO2 emissions! This was the idea I had in mind" the scientist explained what could've been his dream of achieving.
"In other words, you wanted to save the world by battling climate changes?" Master Raven questioned him.
"That's right. I believed that Kometa and its leadership stood 100 % behind me, but it was all a lie! They only wanted that satellite to be used as a weapon of mass destruction" Lukas exclaimed, facing down on the table. "And because of her being pretty much involved in its creation, Lai now has Salacia at her disposal. The rest….ah, who am I kidding, you know that all too well" he rubbed his face with both handpalms, his behavior suggesting the amount of despair within him.
Both agents looked at each other for a brief second before devoting their attention on their captive.
"Yes, there is no point in letting you tell us something that we already know" Master Raven said, her eyes fixated upon the scientist. "Given the current state of this world, we fear that Kometa will add fuel to the fire with this terrible scheme of hers. And just when we had already other dangerous actors in the field, including those cultists" she lamented.
Hearing the word "cultist" being mentioned, Lukas quickly looked at her quite intrigued. "Cultist? You don't suppose you mean…the Acolytes of Pluton, do you?" he asked them.
The two agents looked at him, clearly surprised by what he just said.
"You know about them?" Raven asked, to which Lukas nodded. "And how is that?" he added another question.
"Because a couple of days ago, the night I learned the truth about Kometa's plans with Salacia….I witnessed a meeting between the leadership…..and that terrifying cult leader…" Lukas revealed a dark truth.
"Impossible…..Lana Lai was reaching out to Revenant?" Raven asked.
"Yes…..but he was not onboard the yacht personally…..he was just on a screen…..which was probably for the best" Lukas adjusted his glasses before continuing. "Anyway, from what I could gather, Lai and her lapdogs sought to form an alliance with these cultists…..but I can't say for sure why….." he tried coming up with a explanation.
"That doesn't matter anymore. The fact that she and the rest of those executives are secretly engaged in meetings with Revenant and his ilk is bad news for all of us. Clearly he is eager to make his move now that the global conflict as at a standstill at the moment" Master Raven interjected. "With Kometa now in the mix, it appears that the danger to our world is greater than we thought. And should the G Corporation really launch an all-out assault as the intel says…..it will probably be the end of us" she grimly summarized.
This brought a sting into Lukas' heart. As a matter of fact, he sobbed. Clearly, he was doing that out of guilt for what he had done.
"It's all my fault…I helped pave the way for the Earth's destruction!" the scientist was completely remorseful.
But just then, Lukas was given a slap by Raven. He got cautious, wondering why he did that.
"Get a hold of yourself, doctor! Given that you helped put the world in its current predicament, there's no sense in sitting there crying over it!" Raven scolded Lukas to the fullest. "If you really have remorse and what to make up for it all, then at least have the decency to stop crying and cooperate with us" he didn't hold back with scolding the scientist.
Harsh as Raven's words sounded, Lukas felt they were right.
"Which makes me want to ask you about Kometa's executives" Master Raven said, throwing several pictures of individuals which Lukas seemed to know well. "Enrique Ortega, Bryce Adams, Edgar Grant and Shin Kamiya. These are some of the executives we have already uncovered. But to our knowledge there exists more of those, right?" she faced the meek man as she asked him that.
Lukas adjusted his glasses as he took a look at the pictures.
"Y-yes. There was that Frenchman named Vincent Bréchet, that Russian guy named Yuri Gogniyev, that Dutchman named Klaus Dijkstra….and then there was Graham Milton from the USA…." Lukas struggled to recall the names of those individuals he barley remembered. "But I don't know what happened to those men. People in Kometa claimed that Lai was responsible for their deaths…but that's just something I heard" he insisted to them.
"And that may be true" Master Raven stated, much to the scientist's confusion. "Because according to our files….each of these men sought to take over Lai's place as Kometa's leader" she revealed.
Lukas was almost rendered speechless. "W-what? You mean that there was a battle for leadership within Kometa!?" even he was baffled by this revelation.
"It still is" Raven suddenly chimed in, pointing his finger at one of the pictures. "The former MI6 agent: Edgar Grant, has long held ambitions of controlling this criminal enterprise. But we believe that he's not alone in this. Someone else may be plotting to take Lai's spot" he explained.
"That's why we need you to tell us everything you know about each of these men. Tell us about your relationship between you and each of them" Master Raven commanded Lukas.
Gulping meekly, he agreed to her demands. "Very well, if that's what will benefit the world" Lukas sighed.
Onboard the cruise ship called Amphitrite, South China Sea
Onboard Amphitrite, the floating headquarters of Kometa, there was a meeting taking place inside a room. Lana Lai was sitting by a table, surrounded by guards, as well as three executives: Bryce Adams, Enrique Ortega and Shin Kamiya. She looked quite displeased, something she had a right to be.
Yesterday, some agents from the UN had caused quite a ruckus on her superyacht Mazu. In addition to have rescued Lei from the party, they also saved Lukas from her clutches. As if that wasn't bad enough, the superyacht had been destroyed as a result of the agents having planted a bomb onboard. With that said, the party had been ruined, not mention how Kometa had one of their most important assets stolen from them.
"I believe all of you know the reason I brought you here" Lana spoke to her executives in a not-so-pleasant voice.
Enrique, already having his arms rested behind his neck, scoffed at her words.
"What kind of stupid-ass question is that? We all know why. We were onboard Mazu as well" he replied, only to form a smirk in the process. "Before it was boarded and blown off, that is" he added with a thinly veiled jibe served at Lana.
Lana's multicolored eyes narrowed at her question, hinting to her dislike of Enrique's choice of words.
"Hey!" Bryce slammed his handpalms on the table as he glared at the Cuban man. "You bogans cut Lana here some slack, will ya!? She's had too much to reckon with!" the gunman berated him.
Enrique shook his head at him. "Or else what, gringo? Will you kill me with those guns of yours?" he mockingly asked him before chuckling. "Por favor. Your shooting is similar to that of an underage prostitute!" Enrique pushed on.
"YA WANT A BULLET UP YOUR ASS, GREASER!?" Bryce hit back with a racial slur directed towards Enrique.
Standing up, Enrique drew out his katana. "I would rather stab your heart first!?" he threatened Bryce.
"Gentleman!" Lana's voice was enough to gain the men's' attention. She smirked at him. "As musing it would be to see the pair of you gut each other out, I'm afraid we have more pressing matters to deal with now. So please save your fighting urges for later" she "kindly" requested of them.
The two executives took their seats, each of them glaring at each other with killing intent.
"I wouldn't be so riled up if your boyfriend hadn't been so overprotective of you" Enrique muttered beneath his breath.
Rather than open his mouth to protest, Bryce flipped the bird at his cohort, the Australian man showing absolute no common courtesy towards him.
"Now then, as all of you already know, yesterday was supposed to be the night where we took out a potential foe: Lei Wulong" Lana spoke with her eyes closed. She then opened them. "But it didn't turn out the way we'd all hoped. And to make matters worse, a couple of meddling agents from the UN snuck onboard Mazu and crashed the party. They proceeded to steal Dr. Hayes from us" she went on, tightening her folded hands while doing so.
"Yeah, we hear ya, sheila. Turns out that Blade-wannabe had a sidekick or something. They really managed to ruin a lot for us that evening" Bryce spoke up in support of Lana's viewpoint.
Lana looked at her with a slight smirk. "Quite correct, Brycie" she told him, only to look down at the table. "However, with everything that happened, there is something that has been bugging my mind" Lana suddenly admitted.
All the executives looked at her.
"And what would that be?" Shin asked from the sidelines.
The Chinese woman lifted her gaze up. "Somehow, those agents knew where specifically to find us, let alone which superyacht we were onboard. Another thing to note is that Dr. Hayes' association with us should've never been known to anyone outside Kometa. After summarizing everything that transpired…I seriously doubt that those agent's breakthrough…was Lei Wulong's doing" Lana revealed to her associates.
"Claro. We were supposed to kill that cop, and would've succeeded if it hadn't been for them crashing the party" Enrique remarked.
"That can only mean one thing. I reckon you know, don't ya, Lana?" Bryce asked her.
Lana nodded her head. "I do. It means that someone within Kometa has been leaking information to outside actors such as the UN's intelligence bureau. That explains how they were able to find us, let alone save Dr. Hayes" she revealed yet Lana wasn't finished. "And this is not just the work of some underling. No, only a person in Kometa's higher apparatus could have pulled something like that" her conclusion
There was nothing but silence between Lana and the three executives as she said those words. For some of them, this revelation had come as a surprise.
"Ay dios mío. Then you're probably suggesting that one of us is responsible for it" Enrique spoke up.
"Now that's peculiar. I never said anything about you or any of the other executives being behind the leaking" Lana pointed out, suddenly diverting her attention towards Shin. "Wouldn't you agree, Kamiya?" she questioned him sternly.
Despite being given this creepy stare, Shin remarkably managed to stay firm as if it wasn't intimidating her.
"Sure. I heard you very loud and clear" the young Japanese man said, yet he felt like adding more words to his answer. "Now as for your claims, it's most likely true that someone within Kometa is betraying us. And that alone does not bode well for us" Shin remarked.
Surprisingly, Lana found herself smiling as she listened to him. But his fellow executives didn't seem as impressed, particularly Bryce.
"You're just saying that in hopes of saving your own skin!" the Australian man pointed out, pointing a finger at Shin. "Just own up to it, ya drongo! I've noticed how you've spent quite a lot of time with that doctor! That to me looks very suspicious" he accused him.
Shin narrowed his eyes at him. "Because someone needed to watch over him in order to make sure that he worked on what he was supposed to do. What's your point with this meaningless accusation?" he responded.
Enrique found himself chuckling on the sidelines. "Oye, chinito. No need to be acting all samurai now. You're almost sweating. Feeling caught with your ass exposed, perhaps?" he poked fun at him with a racial slur.
"First of all, I'm not Chinese, you bigoted fool. Second of all, only a handful of Japanese people imitates the samurai lifestyle nowadays. And third of all, I don't know what your point is" Shin responded rudely towards Enrique.
In response, Enrique found himself smirking at him in return. "You really wanna know? I'll be happy to enlighten you then, lab rat!" he threw an insult at him.
This caused Shin to completely snap. As a matter of fact, he was THIS close to actually launch himself at Enrique and strangle him. Fortunately, something else managed to divert everyone's attention.
"Put a sock in it, Ortega! Can't ya see the most apparent suspect we have here?" Bryce quickly interjected. All eyes were on him. "I'm talking about Ed! So far, that twat has never bothered reporting back to us about his current status" the pink-dyed man pointed out, referring to Edgar Grant.
"But Brycie, Grant is currently busy with furthering our operations in Europe. From our last correspondence, he was on the verge of recruiting Nina Williams into our fold" Lana explained, trying to soothe Bryce a little.
Bryce grunted. "Oh really? And I supposed that has worked out" he sarcastically remarked, only to grin as he said those words. "Still, I wouldn't mind having another sheila on our team. I hear that Williams has a great talent for taking out targets in addition to turning bogans on" he exclaimed.
This made Lana glare at him with displeasure, which made Brycie chuckle at her in response.
"Easy there, Lana. When I said the last part, I didn't mean me. After all, you've always been on my radar from the start" the gunman clarified himself, to Lana's own satisfaction.
"I know. Just try being more careful with your words next time, please" she requested of him. Lana then devoted her attention to the other executives at the table. "Now as for what Brycie has said. While I am not fully convinced about Grant being responsible for the leaks, I can't take that hypothesis off the table just yet. Furthermore, it appears we will need to be more vigilant from now on. With Lei Wulong and Dr. Hayes in their custody, the UN are sure to figure out whatever plans we have" Lana told them.
"Well, what do you suppose we do, querida?" Enrique asked her with an endearing term in Spanish. "Do we proceed with the next phase of our plan?" he went on.
"Obviously. However, let's not forget about the other objectives" Lana pointed out. "Even as we speak, that group of wayward fighters are in Thailand trying to free one of the country's most important military assets. Then there is Grant, who is still trying to locate Jin Kazama to our side" the Chinese woman revealed some plans.
"Then there's the G Corporation…..as well as that group of rebels calling themselves Yggdrasil" Bryce added.
"So that means the Mishima Zaibatsu are ruled out as potential allies then?" Shin asked, yet he could tell by the look on his cohorts' faces that it was true. "Figures. Those guys have really been weakened ever since that old bastard Heihachi's death" he remarked.
Lana giggled, only to look at Shin with an expression that stammered the Japanese man a little. Why was she doing that?
"Indeed, 78M. I too am glad that they are reeling from their loss" she uttered out a name which really made Shin freeze.
Indeed, the Japanese man's eyes widened. His mind drifted back to painful memories. Those days were what had changed Shin forever. Surprisingly tough, he never lashed out against Lana as he would've done so with either Bryce or Enrique.
As Shin dealt with this inner discomfort, Lana got off her chair and walked away from the table.
"This meeting his hereby over. We'll be at the Gulf of Thailand the next day. That's when we will have our next meeting. Until then, relax and enjoy yourselves on Amphitrite. You have all deserved it" Lana said, not even looking her shoulders.
As soon as they heard those words, Enrique and Bryce got off their seats, both heading out of this secret room. Shin, however, remained seated by the table.
"Hey, Kamiya. You up for some gambling at the casino?" Bryce asked him.
That's when Shin got up, walking past Bryce. "Thanks, but I'll pass. I've had enough of playing with cheaters for a while" he responded, taking off without hesitation.
Bryce scoffed at seeing this. "Tch, suit yourself then" he didn't know what Shin's deal was, yet decided to leave the Japanese man be.
As Shin kept walking in the large corridors of the cruise ship, he couldn't help but to reflect on what he had experienced during the meeting. He gritted his teeth out of frustration.
"Shit! I was THIS close to being uncovered. It's blatantly obvious that Lai no longer trusts me. Good thing her boyfriend's stupidity got in the way" Shin thought, clutching onto the left sleeve of his dress. He looked down at his bandaged left hand. "You evil bitch! Were it not for the circumstances, I would've put a hole in your head for what you just called me!" he cursed Lana.
For some reason, Shin Kamiya hated being called 78M. And for a good reason. Much like Steve Fox, he had once been a victim of the Mishima Zaibatsu's experimentations. However, nobody knew whether this was different to the one Steve experienced. Still, there was more to Shin than just being a former test subject.
Inside an orphanage in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Eddy Gordo had been through a lot during the previous King of Iron Fist Tournament. Having completely severed himself from the Zaibatsu due to his master's tragic death, Eddy had entered the tournament to bring back Christie Monteiro, his late master's granddaughter. Along the way, he had developed better relations with Katarina Alves, eventually becoming boyfriend and girlfriend as the two started to realize how similar their situations were.
After a tough journey, Eddy, Christie and Katarina had returned home to Brazil, where his master had been given the funeral he deserved. It was a sad day for him, yet both Eddy and Christie had been in peace with parting ways with him.
Ever since returning to Rio de Janeiro, Eddy continued running the operations at the orphanage and Capoeira dojo he and his master had created. For Eddy, the orphanage and dojo meant much. With it, it could help young boys and girls escape the harsh realities of living in the favelas.
At the same time, Eddy and Katarina had gone out on a few dates. While some of them had been pleasant, there had been some dates that had resulted in Eddy getting slightly embarrassed. Regardless, he still loved Katarina, and couldn't bring himself to hate her for her mischievousness.
Given that Katarina had done much to help him and Christie with moving on with his master's passing, Eddy desired to return the favor.
Right now, he was on the computer in what appeared to be his personal office. Eddy was reading what appeared to be a message. In fact, he seemed to be in direct corresponding with Lars Alexanderson.
Eddy read out his own message.
So you haven't been able to locate Katarina's father yet?
That was what he had written to Lars, who had responded back with a clear message.
I'm afraid so. Hacking into the G Corp's database is more impossible than doing so with the Zaibatsu's. Their firewall continues to block any unwanted hackers.
Eddy narrowed his eyes as he looked at the screen. He kept thinking about Katarina and her long desire to be reunited with her adoptive father. He knew how much this meant for her.
"Droga. Kazuya's really grown clever with this amount of security of his database" Eddy noted as he kept reading Lars' message.
But make no mistake. We at Yggdrasil are more than willing to help you search for the whereabouts of Gilberto Alves. According to some of Lee's "contacts" within the G Corp, they have most likely captured more martial artists to create these biomechanical weapons.
With that said, here's some words of advice for you, Eddy Gordo. You and your friends need to be careful from now on. While we can't yet confirm, the G Corp are rumored to be readying their military forces. And this, no country will be spared from getting attacked. That includes Brazil. That's why me and Lars think it would be best for the three of you to remain there.
Yes, I fully understand Katarina's desire to see her father. But let me assure you that you won't be alone with dealing this burden. I will let you know when we have learned some clues.
Stay safe until then.
Best, Lars
After reading the message, Eddy got out of his computer and approached a window overlooking the orphanage's backyard. The Capoeira fighter smiled as he watched several children play with each other. Seeing them doing that, rather than being at the favelas, filled him with a sense of relief.
"While I really feel like taking Katarina with me outside Brazil…a part of me agrees with Lars' sentiment" the man with the dreadlocks admitted.
He looked down and saw a picture of him, Christie and his late master. Eddy picked it up, holding the frame up close. Even though he felt at peace with being able to finally bury the legendary Capoeira fighter, Eddy still missed him.
"Mestre…" Eddy uttered out, being on the verge of tears.
But a knock came on the door and Eddy quickly put the picture down. He wondered who it could be.
"Yes?" he asked.
The door opened an in came Katarina Alves. Wearing her diva sunglasses, let alone her flashy smile, she approached her boyfriend with a smirk on her lips.
"Dia bom, bonito. Hope I didn't come here at a bad time" Katarina greeted with in a flirtatious manner.
Eddy weakly shook his head at her. "Still as sarcastic as ever, I see. You never change, Katarina" he remarked, only to approach the young woman. He grabbed her by her hips. "Then again, that's what makes me love you" he remarked.
Katarina giggled. "Deixa disso. You forget that I've changed a lot about myself for you" she said before planting a kiss on Eddy's lips.
The pair started to passionate kiss one another. It was surprising in how Eddy and Katarina had started as hated rivals, only to end up as lovers. On second thought, many things had changed for each of these individuals.
"So what brings you here?" Eddy asked her once the kiss was over.
"Nothing. Just wanted to check out how you were doing. Christie is off on an errand so I thought about checking on you" Katarina answered.
"Por favor. I'm more than capable of taking care of myself" her boyfriend countered.
Katarina put her hands on her hips. "Really? Well, I disagree" she smugly told him, only to look around in the office. "Besides, I really like visiting the orphanage. Deus. These children are lucky to live at a place like this. I wish the orphanage I grew up was as good as this one" the brunette lowered a face a little out of sadness.
This made Eddy put a hand on her shoulder. "It's alright, Katarina. Those are gone. You finally have someone who care about you at your side now" he told her, making Katarina smile. "That said, I'm still gonna help you find your pai" the capoeirista assured her.
A sad smile formed across the young woman's lips. "I know that. Which is why I am willing to be patient" she said, much to Eddy's surprise. "Yes. Papai may not look the same as he did….but I know that his humanity is still there" she told him.
With that said, Eddy led his girlfriend over to his computer. He showed them the messages exchanged between him and Lars.
"Ah, so that handsome sueco is helping us with locating papai's whereabouts?" Katarina asked, only for Eddy to glare at her annoyed. Katarina giggled. "Relaxe, Eddy. I was only speaking sarcastically. No way he's handsomer than you" she pointed out.
Rolling his eyes, the man with the dreadlocks dedicated his attention on the computer screen, his girlfriend following suit.
"I've been trying to follow up with the news about the G Corporation lately. But no matter how much I try digging info, I only end up back on square one" Eddy lamented as he browsed several webpages. "If only we had access to the G Corp's database. We could've located your father and created a plan on freeing him" he went on.
"But can we really be sure that he's being stashes in some storage room or something?" Katarina suddenly asked him. "Be realistic, Eddy. With all the rumors about those bastardos planning a global attack or whatever, it would be obvious that papai would've not been put aside. Right now, he's a powerful weapon" she went on.
Eddy nodded his head weakly. "You do have a point there, Katarina. He will most likely be used for whatever invasion that is planned" he remarked as he looked at the computer screen.
It featured a map of the world. Katarina grew worried as she leaned by Eddy's side.
"Even now, I hear that the G Corp has taken control over Panama, the channel included. And as if that isn't bad enough, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana and Suriname have become battlefields between them and the Zaibatsu. It won't be long before the war reaches Brazil" the capoeirista was troubled by recent activities.
Katarina held onto Eddy's right arm. "Sim. I'm afraid too. Hell, I'm more worried about the children, including those here at the orphanage. What will happen to them?" she expressed her concerns.
Eddy held onto her left hand firmly. "Don't worry, Katarina. We will find a way past this. We have to" he reassured her with a kiss on her cheek.
On U.S. Route 163, Monument Valley, USA
This vast region of was a popular place for anyone interested in the USA. The imposing sandstone buttes dotting this desert made Monument Valley one of the most recognizable places in the country. Films and music videos had been played in this location.
Located just at the border between the states of Arizona and Utah, Monument Valley was a place where there was almost no civilization. Road 163 was the only road to follow if one traveler hoped to reach civilization, whether it was in Arizona or in Utah.
But as the sun was slowly beginning to go down, a lone motorcycle was seen running down the road in such a high speed. The one driving it was a rather obese man, yet his size didn't seem to affect the motorcycle so much.
Listening to the song "Here I Go Again" from Whitesnake, Robert "Bob" Richards enjoyed his ride, wearing a pair of cool shades. From the looks of his face, he didn't seem scared at all to be riding in these red, dusty prairies. In fact, he was amused by it.
"Now, this is the life! Just me and my motorcycle riding alone in no man's land" Bob exclaimed, speeding up a little once he realized that there was not a sheriff in sight. "I'm surprised that there aren't any cops standing watch from the sidelines. Oh well, this is Monument Valley after all" he remarked, not paying much attention to anything but the road ahead of him.
In time, he could see the imposing Alhambra Rock in the distance. Bob had to admit he was impressed by its size and shape. It stood tall, like a castle, on the desolated plateau.
"Man, it sure looks great from a distance. No wonder Julia is fascinated by it" he thought, thinking about the Native American woman he had made friends with during the previous King of Iron Fist Tournament.
In addition to befriending Julia, Bob had also met other fighters such as himself. Each of them had mad an impression him. He was not the only martial artist who valued justice. Plenty of others had done that as well. That being said, Bob had been involved in the serious climax on Hawaii.
A small frown appeared on Bob's face as he was reminded about that tragic episode. He remembered everything, from witnessing Heihachi's death at the hands of Kazuya, to be one of the few individuals to get a look at Revenant's destructive powers. And who could forget Wang Jinrei's heroic sacrifice to save them all.
"Man…...I sure have been through some crazy crap, lately. And nowadays doesn't look normal either" Bob admitted to himself.
After driving on the road for a short while. Bob arrived at Mexican Hat, a small village on the banks of the river named San Juan. Given the village's name, it was not far from the Mexican Hat Rock, a famous climbing destination.
As he entered Mexican Hat, Bob slowed down. He looked to both directions and found a bar. The round man smiled.
"Well, I don't need to fuel the bike. But a drinking break is always nice. Besides, I've been sitting on my rear end almost the entire day" Bob said to himself.
Bob parked the bike near the bar, while also taking notice of his surroundings. From what he could see, there were few people wandering around Mexican Hat. What he did took note of was the many parked motorcycles near the bar, as well as some crowd of bikers standing around the corners. They did not seem nice.
Yet Bob paid no heed to them, and entered the bar. Once inside, he could feel how chilling it was thanks to the air condition. It felt so relieving for Bob, given that he had sweated while riding beneath the sun.
"Finally! Had I stayed outside much longer, I would've been sunburned for sure" the exclaimed as he entered the hall.
Entering, Bob was greeted to the sight of a crowded and noisy place. The smell of tobacco and alcohol could also be felt. He was surprised, seeing as there was so much activity inside this bar. It was a stark contrast to outside. Then there was also the sight of bikers and other country bumpkins drinking and laughing. But as soon as Bob made his way inside, all patrons and employees stopped with whatever they were doing.
They looked at Bob, watching him as if he was alien from another planet. The round man himself didn't understand their deal. Still, he felt the need to at least say something.
"Uhhhh…..hi there, fellas" Bob greeted them awkwardly.
After three seconds, though, everyone returned to what they were doing. This stunned Bob a little. Had these guys never seen a man in his body shape before? That couldn't be the case, seeing as some of these bikers looked a bit bulkier than himself.
Dismissing this confusion, Bob headed over to the counter, sitting on two stools. Considering how round his backside was, one stool wasn't enough.
The barkeep, who appeared to be a smoking lady, looked at him with zero enthusiasm in her voice.
"Hello there, mister. A mug of beer for you, perhaps?" she asked him.
Bob shook his head. "No thank you, ma'am. You see, I'm driving, so I'll need to stay sober" he replied. "But I wouldn't mind bottle of Coke, if you have that" he then requested.
The smoking lady raised an eyebrow. "A bottle of Coke, you say? It's been months since anybody asked for those. Hell, I'm not even sure if we still have those here" she remarked and looked down behind here. A small freezer. Several bottles of Coke were stashed in there. "Heh, lucky day for you. It appears we have some left" the barkeep told him.
"Great! Then I'll take one" Bob said, putting a dollar on the counter for the woman to take.
The minute the bottle of Coke was served, Bob snatched it and drank it to his heart's content. The barkeep stood and watched as the obese man drank the entire bottle.
"Whoaaa…" she couldn't believe her eyes.
After drinking it all up, Bob let out a sigh of relief.
"Ah! Now THAT was refreshing! A cold bottle of Coke is always nice after staying out in the heat for too long" he exclaimed while licking his lips. "Thanks for the bottle, ma'am" Bob then put the bottle on the counter.
"You chugged down all that liquid as if it was nothing. I can't help but wonder whether you would've done the same with a mug of beer" the barkeep expressed her slight amazement of Bob. She rested her elbows on the counter. "You don't appear to be from around here, are ya?" she asked him.
Bob dried his lips. "Nope. I'm pretty much busy across the States, so I don't have a permanent home just yet. I just came from Arizona after visiting some friends there" he told her.
"Is that so? So where will you be going next?" the woman asked him.
"I'm…really not sure to be honest. Salt Lake City most likely" Bob nervously scratched the back of his head as he answered.
The barkeep puffed out some smoke. "That's probably the smartest choice for ya. Mexican Hat doesn't exactly have anything to offer, unless you're a climbing enthusiast, of course" she told him.
But while Bob was engaged in this conversation with the barkeep, his mind had drifted back into what he had been up to recently.
In Arizona, Bob had visited the Native American tribe where Julia Chang and her mother Michelle belonged to. He had been very fond of the four-eyed girl and had decided to meet her. But when he arrived, Bob learned from Michelle that Julia was not with them. Where she had gone really set Bob off.
"Julia…..when your mom told me of your current whereabouts, I nearly freaked out. Just what makes you think that Jin Kazama can be redeemed for his past transgressions?" the blonde-haired man wondered as he thought about Julia. "I'm all up for second chances and all, but with him…..it's different. After all, Jin is partly to blame for all the messed-up things happening right now" he kept thinking.
Bob was no fool. He had followed the news about how hotter the climate had become in US states such as Arizona and New Mexico. The heatwave was unlike anything that had been felt in a long time. Needless to say, this was the result of climatic changes.
Still, there was something else bugging Bob with regards to these changes. "I'm no climate scientist or anything, but could I be possible that this heatwave and all these changes to happen simultaneously. Somehow, I fear that these changes are much more manmade than they are natural" he wondered.
"Hey! You there!" Bob's thinking was interrupted by an aggressive voice calling from behind.
Turning around, he was greeted to the sight of three bearded bikers. They looked muscular, but not just that. From what Bob could tell, they seemed pretty angry.
"You guys talking to me?" Bob asked them.
The biker with the grey beard snorted. "Who else could it have been, fatass!? I'm standing not that far away from ya!" he rudely responded.
Despite the insult, Bob didn't take it personally. He was pretty much used to such fatphobic comments.
"Okay. Can I help you with something then?" he suddenly asked them as if they were strangers in need.
"Oh, sure you can!" a brown-bearded sarcastically responded. He then pointed his finger outside the window. "That lone bike standing outside. It's yours, ain't it?" he asked Bob.
Looking briely through the window, Bob realized that it was indeed HIS bike they were referring to.
"Uh-huh. It sure is. What about it?" Bob answered with a nod.
The red-bearded biker took one step closer to where Bob was seated. "Me and my boys don't have enough bikes for us to ride home. So we're keen on getting yours. You know what means, don't'cha?" he tried to scare Bob.
Surprisingly, it didn't seem to take an effect on him. This surpised everyone in the bar, including the smoking woman.
"Sorry, buddy. My bike's not for sale" Bob flatly responded.
Hearing this made the trio of bikers, as well as some of them in the bar laugh their asses off. They were stunned by what they saw as Bob's gullibility.
"Dumbass! I never said anything about buying it!" the red-bearded biker ridiculed Bob. He then proceeded to bang his gloved knuckles. "What I meant was…stealing it from you after we beat you up to a bloody pulp!" he went on with threatening him.
"Yeah! So unless you wanna feel that, I suggest you hand over your bike!" his brown-bearded pal joined in.
"So what's it gonna be, fatso!?" the grey-bearded biker once again insulted Bob's weight.
The obese man narrowed his eyes. He briefly looked past his shoulder to see the barkeep watching him with worry. She even made some gestures with her hands as to say "just give them what they want".
Smirking, Bob returned his attention towards the biker trio. He had a plan in mind.
"You guys wanna try taking my bike? Then how about you try doing that after a round of fighting?" he told them, much to the bikers' confusion. "You heard me right. I'm challenging you three on an all-round battle outside. What do you folks say to that?" Bob dared them.
Once again, the bikers started laughing. They thought Bob was out of his mind. Even so, they accepted his proposal and went outside.
Bob looked back at the barkeep with a thumbs up. "Don't worry about me, ma'am. I've got this!" he insisted.
Outside the bar, the trio and Bob stood across from one another. Other bikers and patrons of the bar had gone out to witness this fight as well. They all thought Bob was crazy, given that he wa sup against three strong, aggressive bikers. But still, he didn't seem intimidated by them at all.
"Hope you got health insurance! Cause you're gonna need it once we're through with you!" the grey-bearded biker said while cracking his knuckles.
"Or better yet, we'll be arranging your own funeral in this town" his red-bearded comrade spoke up.
"Too bad you didn't surrender your bike sooner!" the brown-bearded biker laughed.
Seeing as how determined these guys were, Bob felt there was no need to wait for them. He made some preparations with his fists.
"Are you folks done running your mouths? If you are, we can finally let this show begin!" Bob dared his opponents to come at him.
One by one, the bikers charged straight at him. Sadly, they would fail to realize that Bob was no defenseless individual as they believed him to be. In fact, Bob managed to take out of the grey-bearded biker by uppercutting him.
His buddies were stunned, seeing as they couldn't understand how someone like Bob possessed such strength and speed. Nevertheless, they got more infuriated at him.
"You fat bastard! You're dead!" the red-bearded biker yelled, preparing to punch Bob.
But Bob, with his incredible speed, managed to land a kick onto him. He thus sent the biker flying. Now as for the brown-bearded biker, he was met with a tougher fate. He tried attacking Bob from behind.
Yet Bob was too fast for him. Jumping backwards, the biker got his entire round size upon him. No matter how strong he was, the biker couldn't carry Bob. He weighed too much.
Getting up from his defeated foe, Bob smirked as he brushed off some dust from his shirt.
"How's that for a fat bastard?" he asked his defeated foe, only to look to his right.
The crowd of bikers stood in awe of what they'd witnessed. None of them had expected Bob to actually win. Even so, their reactions pleased Bob to the fullest.
"What are you guys standing there for?" Bob asked them, only to taunt them by waving his right hand backwards. "I'm up for another round, already! Prove to me how tough you bikers can be!" he dared the bikers.
Feeling insulted of someone like Bob making such gesture, the crowd of bikers charged towards the round man in droves. Their target didn't back down though, as he smirked when realizing that it was time for round two.
As Bob kept battling the bikers, the patrons of the bar were all surprised by seeing him in action. They couldn't believe how someone so obese could be this fast. His fighting skills and moves helped him overcome the angry bikers.
"Hot damn…..I've never seen anything like this…" the barkeep remarked, her too standing amongst the peers.
But while Bob was busy beating up those bikers, the grey-bearded man he had just beaten had gotten on his motorcycle. Clearly this biker was enraged and humiliated of being defeated by this round man.
"I'm gonna kill him…" the biker said with bloodied lips. He started the motorcycle, making sure that he was too distracted by his many opponents. "I'm gonna ram that fat sonuvabitch up his ass!" his rage and desire to kill Bob was imminent.
The patrons of the bar were shocked as they saw what the biker was planning. Even the barkeep herself was keen on running over in hopes of stopping him. But it was too late.
The biker sped up, just as Bob was standing still after defeating his foes. However, he could hear the motors.
Looking to his left, Bob saw the motorcycle coming towards him in full speed. Still, there was not a tint of distress in Bob's eyes.
"Heh! Speeeed aaaaaaaand…." Bob jumped as quickly as he could backwards. "WEEEEEEIGHTTTT!" he finished his catchphrase as he avoided getting hit.
Since he drove too fast, the biker was headed towards the gas station across the bar's location. Worse, he was heading towards one of the gas pumps. This didn't bode well for the biker.
"NOO! MOTHERFU…" it was too late for him.
Crashing into the gasoline pump, an explosion occurred at the gas station. As such, the poor biker perished in it along with his motorcycle.
Everyone was stunned at witnessing this, including Bob. In fact, he held his right hand onto his chest and closed his eyes. He most likely did that as a form of remembrance.
"Man, that's just terrible. His anger got the best of him" Bob lamented, opening his eyes. He did not necessarily feel guilty of what had happened. "But alas, he chose himself to try attacking me. His end is his own fault" he said as he headed over to his motorcycle.
So far, Bob's motorcycle seemed perfectly fine, in spite of what had just transpired around town. He started the ignition, keen on heading to the road as soon as possible. There appeared to be a motive for that.
"I best continue. Whether I'll make it to Salt Lake City or not, I can't be sure. Still, I'm actually keen on heading up north. Somehow, I fear that this country's about to experience something much worse" he remarked.
But as he was about to speed up, the barkeep suddenly ran up to him. Bob smiled as his eyes met hers.
"Hey…..I just wanted to…..thank you for making a mess at the bar…..it means a lot" she expressed her gratitude.
Bob chuckled. "No problem. I'm just a regular guy who's got common sense. Besides, somebody had to teach those thieves a lesson or two" he replied.
The barkeep giggled as she heard that, only to see Bob reaching for something in the pocket of his ripped jeans. She wondered what it could be.
"Here. Here's some tips for you. You deserve some, given the good work you've done at the bar" Bob threw some cents at her, yet she appeared to miss some of them.
As soon as she picked up those cents, she looked at Bob one more time.
"Just…..who are you?" she asked him, feeling very curious to know more about him.
Surprised as he was, Bob decided to answer anyway. He put on his cool shades.
"The name's Robert Richards. But you can just call me Bob. It was nice knowing ya, missy. Until we meet again, farewell!" he said before driving off with his motorcycle.
In time, Bob was out of town. He was driving upwards towards the desolate lands.
The barkeep stood in the middle of the road, smiling as she saw the man disappear from sight.
"Bob, huh? That's a cool name for a hero" she remarked before puffing out some smoke. "Hope that he come back for visit someday" the barkeep was keen on welcoming him back.
To be continued…