Grand Metro Hotel, Uptown area, Metro City
"Screw this, I'm out," Juri muttered as the fight started. It was getting too complicated for her taste. There was no point hanging around with the Feng Shui engine retrieved. At the moment, Balrog's attention was focused on Vega, so Juri attacked the Illuminati newcomer blocking her exit.
Aiden set down a briefcase and brought his fists up. Juri activated her artificial left eye, the swirls of black energy tendrils briefly catching everyone's attention. She crouched and launched herself at Aiden, becoming a wisp of mist. The Illuminati agent only saw the white flash of the artificial eye before Juri hit him. She spun in mid-air and kicked, her foot connecting with his chest and sent him crashing into the television stand.
Juri followed up with several more kicks and punches in rapid succession. However, Aiden blocked a couple of the attacks before countering with a jab to her face. Juri faltered as the punch landed squarely on her right eye. Both combatants paused and collected themselves.
Both Vega and Balrog resumed their fight after watching Juri activate the eye. So far neither scored any major hits on each other.
"Bastard," Juri snarled, placing a hand to her eye. It smarted from the Illuminati agent's hit. She didn't expect a simple jab would have that much power behind it, while her attacks did less damage than anticipated. Aiden shook his head to clear it and snorted.
"If you can't take what you give out, then you have no business fighting," he replied, placing the back of his hand to his mouth. A thin trickle of blood oozed out from the left corner. "Your technique is relentless, but you foolishly leave yourself open."
"Are you seriously critiquing me in the middle of a fight?" Juri inquired, her head turned slightly aside and eyebrows raised. Aiden shrugged.
"I prefer a challenge, much like you," he responded. "How am I to better myself otherwise?"
Juri didn't answer since her attention shifted to the scuffle behind Aiden. Balrog steadily forced Vega back towards the balcony. She assaulted the Illuminati agent again to finish him off.
Another flurry of kicks and punches knocked Aiden on his back. Juri was surprised that he went down so quickly but took the opportunity to turn and run through the small foyer and out the door.
Vega chuckled as he noticed Juri fleeing. The Illuminati agent was laid out on the floor.
"It seems that your alluring quarry is making her escape," he remarked, still chuckling. He backed up to the balcony railing. Balrog risked turning his head and saw the woman rapidly exit the room. An angry roar erupted from his throat and he charged after her, leaving the Spanish ninja to break into loud laughter. He grinned beneath his mask and followed closely.
Heavy footsteps thudded behind Juri as she turned the corner of the hallway. The street fighter sprinted to the stairwell door before turning sideways to smash into the push bar. She rebounded slightly as the heavy door hesitated before opening. The street fighter raced down the first flight of stairs. Juri was already on the first landing when the door above slammed backwards against the wall. She jumped and briefly glanced up as the sound echoed through the entire stairwell. The imposing presence of Balrog stood above her.
"You're dead meat!" he bellowed, rapidly descending the stairs. "We're not finished yet! Nobody steals from me!"
Juri was already dashing down the next flight as Balrog was yelling. She nimbly darted down the stairs but could barely put much distance between herself and the boxer. He was jumping down two or three stairs from each landing, the stairwell vibrating with each leap.
Juri was panting and her right eye was swelling up as she reached the final landing of the ground floor. As with the door upstairs, the exit door hesitated slightly before giving way when Juri crashed into the arm bar. However, as she passed through, Juri literally ran into another problem. A couple was walking past the door when she rushed through. Her good eye widened in surprise as she plowed into the pair, cursing loudly as the momentum sent all three to the ground. The guests both cried out as Juri untangled herself from the pile, yelling in Korean. She shoved one of them off and got up.
As she broke free, Balrog bulldozed through the stairwell door. The door almost unhinged from his powerful blow. He took one look at Juri and charged, roaring furiously. The couple barely scampered out of the way as the boxer shot past them. Juri cursed again and reluctantly prepared for the onslaught. She avoided the first couple of blows, but Balrog relentlessly slogged away. Juri painfully blocked a third punch and managed to kick his chest. He simply shrugged it off. The boxer couldn't feel anything in his berserk state. Juri noticed Vega just behind Balrog. The Spanish ninja passed on attacking the boxer from the rear. Instead, Vega circled to her left.
The lobby erupted into chaos from the unexpected brawl. People first stared and then ran screaming from the epicenter of the storm. Staff ducked and crouched behind the main front desk, hoping that mere oak wood would protect them from the raging tempest in front of them.
Juri's Feng Shui engine finished recharging and she leapt backwards in a somersault away from Balrog. The street fighter was vulnerable for a second or two while she activated the engine but risked it anyway. The odds at the moment were too great not to use it.
The engine sprang to life just as Balrog closed on her. Vega hovered menacingly to her left but hung back. He didn't have a clear shot at Juri with the boxer flailing away at her.
Balrog threw several more punches at Juri, but this time she evaded them with ease. Several kicks landed against his chest and face, driving him back momentarily.
Juri sensed movement behind her and scurried backwards, but not before Vega slashed with his tekko kagi. The swing grazed Juri's right leg just below the hip and blood oozed from the shallow cuts. Juri cried out and recoiled from the strike. The slashes weren't deep but stung a great deal. Vega backed off as Balrog recovered from Juri's attacks and advanced once again. A couple of cuts to his face as well as a large welt on the right side along the cheek could be seen.
"Your loveliness has been marred through carelessness and must be punished," Vega said, noting Juri's swollen right eye. He brought the back of the blade to his mouth and licked the blood from it. He sighed deeply. "Such an exquisite vintage. I want more!"
Juri glanced down at the wound to make sure the bleeding wasn't heavy before responding to the Spanish ninja.
"Man, you're such a freaking perv," she shot back as she tried to defend herself against Balrog.
The Feng Shui engine ended its current cycle and began to recharge. Juri could fight one or the other, but not both of them at once. She was getting worn down.
'How did everything go so fucking wrong so fast,' she wondered as Balrog closed in. For the first time since starting this mission, Juri was definitely in trouble.
Metro Main, Uptown area, Metro City
Kara turned onto the Metro Main and drove towards the hotel. The nurse had no real plan for what to do upon arrival. Should she wait outside in the car or go into the hotel to locate Juri? Kara belatedly realized that she should have asked Menat for more details. Now that she was here, her task seemed far more daunting than it sounded after getting the tire fixed. Kara knew she wouldn't last long in a fight with people of Juri's caliber.
"God, this is so stupid," the nurse told herself as butterflies formed in her stomach on top of the various aches and pains received earlier. "What the hell was I thinking? I'm probably going to wind up getting myself killed."
Despite her misgivings, Kara continued on until she reached the hotel. The majestic height of the Grand Metro loomed before her on her left. The riots had one beneficial effect; the traffic was practically nil in this area. She slowed down and observed the front entrance. Nothing seemed out of place. However, a glance to her right showed Juri's motorbike parked on her side of the street. The problem was that the front wheel was lying on its side. It had been neatly cleaved off!
'What the hell happened to it?' she thought, placing her hand to her mouth. 'And who could have done that?'
Kara's hands started to shake. It was highly doubtful that Juri destroyed her own bike, so that left one of her adversaries as the culprit. Did she really want to meet up with whomever carved that wheel off? The nurse already knew how difficult it would be before agreeing to this crazy rescue. The person who did this to Juri's motorcycle must be dangerous and was a succinct reminder that she was in over her head.
Even if Juri came storming out of the hotel this very second, her car was facing the wrong direction. Heading east meant they'd be going towards the bay, not acceptable considering the upcoming curfew. Kara needed to turn the car around but felt uneasy making a three-point turn directly in front of the hotel. The nurse decided to drive further on before attempting it, hoping that she might have some plan cobbled together upon returning.
Grand Metro Hotel, Uptown area, Metro City
Juri blocked another swing from Balrog. Sweat covered his face and dark spots had formed on his purple dress shirt. The welt had become more prominent on the right side of his face while he bled from several minor cuts on his face and lip. The berserker frenzy which enveloped him earlier was fading.
Juri wiped sweat from her forehead and winced. Her swollen eye and a cut on her lower lip stung from the salt, though she resisted the urge to wipe the perspiration away. Blood continued to ooze out from Vega's slash across her leg. It wasn't serious at the moment, but it would be if the fight lasted much longer. That didn't even include the multiple bruises Juri felt all over her body. She was also running out of room to maneuver in the lobby.
She suddenly turned and ran for the front doors, hoping the sudden retreat would surprise her opponents. The street fighter knew that she wouldn't be able to beat both of them at once in this relatively enclosed space. Once outside, Juri would have more room to fight or flee.
The unexpected flight caught both men off guard momentarily, but they soon recovered and pursued. The commotion caught the attention of the doorman just outside the door, who quickly backed away. Juri crossed the sidewalk but came to a screeching halt, her jaw dropping. She gawked at her bike across the street. The front fork of it had been cut neatly in half, the front tire lying on its side. There was only one person who could have cut so perfectly. She wasn't going anywhere.
"You weren't planning on leaving, I hope?" The Spanish ninja asked. "I so wish to see you bleed more."
Juri spun around, curled her lip and glared at Vega.
"You bastard!" she screamed as her good eye narrowed, her nostrils flaring. "I really liked that bike!"
Juri charged straight at Vega, her pain momentarily forgotten. Balrog halted in his tracks, surprised at the sudden assault.
"That's two bikes you owe me," the street fighter snarled. "I'm gonna take that payment out of your hide!"
The Spanish ninja braced for a flying kick, but Juri pulled up short, crouched and sent a low energy wave. It crashed into Vega, knocking him backwards. She resumed her attack by driving her elbow into his chest before pivoting and kicking upwards into his face. He shrieked as the mask buckled under the blow.
"You dare try to ruin my face?!" Vega cried. "You cannot destroy perfection, you insolent wench!"
Juri simply pursed her lips into a smirk in response, but she had to back off because Balrog was moving in again. However, she miscalculated where the curb was. Juri's left heel stepped awkwardly on the corner of the sidewalk and she stumbled. The street fighter quickly regained her balance, but the damage was done. A jab caught her in the chest, driving her back several steps. Vega had recovered from the kick and was already rushing forward with a feral snarl. Juri tried dodging him, but a swipe from his claw struck a glancing blow on her upper arm. She screeched as the tips of the blades raked her skin.
As the street fighter wavered from Vega's strike, Balrog dashed forward, winding his arm back before swinging. Juri barely had time to react when the boxer's first punch smashed into her right side just below the armpit. A follow up shot caught her in again the chest and sent her flying backwards across the median. Juri suddenly found it difficult to breathe as she hit the pavement, slid across it and received several scrapes from the friction. A loud groan escaped her lips. The ring box which the street fighter had been clutching this whole time was jarred loose from her hand, bouncing a few times until it lay just beyond her.
Both Vega and Balrog advanced confidently. Juri choked back a moan, dragged herself to the ring box and clutched it against her chest. She rolled on her side and watched the two Shadaloo lieutenants stride across the road. Juri tried to get up but stumbled and fell back down. Her eye was swollen shut, blood oozed from a number of cuts and slashes, her back and chest throbbed and she knew that several ribs were, at the very least, cracked and possibly broken.
Her attention was suddenly drawn to her right as a car sped towards the combatants. Vega and Balrog had just crossed the median when they turned to face the oncoming vehicle. It skidded to a halt just before them. The car's lights were off and was close enough that Juri could see the driver. The wounded street fighter winced as she let out a sharp laugh.
"You've gotta be kidding me," she muttered in disbelief as the two men marched towards the newcomer.
Metro Main, Uptown area, Metro City
Kara watched the hotel entrance from her vantage point just down the road. It felt like a detective movie stakeout scene to the nurse. She had turned the car around and parked it next to the curb. So far, apparently nothing had happened. The doorman remained standing near the curb, seemingly waiting to greet incoming guests.
The nurse continuously drummed the steering wheel as she waited, still unsure of what to expect. The pepper spray container originally in her handbag lay on the passenger seat. Kara briefly considered grabbing the kukri knife in the back trunk but left it. She wasn't proficient with the weapon and figured it would be more of a hindrance than help.
'Should I stay in the car or go inside?' the nurse asked herself for perhaps the twentieth time in the last five minutes. The butterflies continued to bother her stomach while her breathing quickened slightly. Kara took a couple of deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself down. She then rolled the window down to get some air.
As she mulled over the question once again, there was a sudden eruption of activity at the entrance. The doorman flung himself out of the way as Juri flew out the door. The nurse's breathing increased again. Several seconds later, two men followed, the doorman scurrying further away from the action. One of them was a hulking man in a business suit and boxing gloves while the other wore a face mask and sported a long claw blade. The nurse gawked at the sight of that menacing claw. That thing could rip someone or a bike in half...
Juri stopped at the edge of the street and noticed what was left of her transportation. Kara watched as the street fighter spun around, angrily shouted at the two and sent off a familiar energy wave towards them. It hit the masked man, driving him several steps back before Juri threw an elbow and then kicked him in the face. His fists clenched and he yelled something back while the larger man advanced. Juri retreated but took a misstep on the curb, losing her balance for a brief moment.
Kara inhaled sharply as the large man punched Juri in the chest, driving her backwards. The masked man had recovered and slashed her upper arm. The nurse heard the street fighter cry out in pain. The boxer then delivered pair of hard punches to Juri's side and chest that sent her flying several feet before skidding along the pavement. Something fell from her hand and bounced just beyond the street fighter's reach. Juri slowly crawled over to the object and held it to her. The two men advanced towards the injured woman and the nurse reached over to unlock the passenger side door.
"Oh my God, this is so fucking stupid," Kara breathed as she grabbed the pepper spray, turned on the ignition and slammed the accelerator down. The car rumbled out of the parking spot, the nurse forgetting to turn the headlights on as she raced towards the scene. The two men turned toward her car and Kara instinctively slammed on the brakes as she neared them. Her eyes bugged as the pair took a couple of steps towards her. The nurse stared at the long triple-bladed weapon the masked one carried and she was close to hyperventilating in response. He stopped just short of the door and pointed at her with the weapon.
"Ah, an innocent beauty in the midst of such carnage," the masked one said, regarding her face. The silky accented voice purred. "You should run along now since this doesn't concern you."
Kara froze, shaking visibly as he talked to her. The only thing she could discern were his piercing pale blue eyes. They were so mesmerizing! The large boxer said nothing, although he grinned and bumped his gloves together. The nurse noticed that Juri was slowly getting up, holding her side. The masked man sighed impatiently and spoke again.
"Apparently, you do not comprehend what I'm trying to say," he continued as his eyes narrowed. "I'll make it simpler to understand. If you do not leave, I will reluctantly have to kill you. It would be a shame to waste such beauty on something so trivial."
The threat finally snapped Kara out of her trance. With a start, she passed the pepper spray from her right to left hand, thrust her arm out and shakily aimed the canister towards the two. The masked man's eyes widened as she pressed the button lever. A spray of orange mist splashed against his mask and into his eyes. The boxer had only a second to react before the spray was turned on him. Both let out agonized cries and staggered away from the car.
"You treacherous bitch!" Vega wailed as he turned away, throwing his mask and claw off. "My eyes! I can't see! What did you do to my perfect face?!"
Balrog yelled something less eloquent but was just as irate. Juri took advantage of this to stumble and weakly kick both of them in the back, sending them sprawling onto the pavement. She looked at Kara and gave a trembling grin.
"Get in!" Kara ordered. Juri needed no encouragement as she lurched forward and rounded the front of the car to the passenger's side. The nurse leaned over to open the door while Juri slipped into the seat as gently as she could.
The nurse glanced in the side mirror and noticed that Vega and Balrog had stopped writhing on the ground and were getting up, cursing loudly as they did so.
"Oh shit, time to go!" Kara yelled as she hit the accelerator. Juri grunted as she was pulled backwards into the seat from the sudden momentum. Kara drove off down the street and realized that her car lights were off. As she rounded a corner, the nurse turned them on and took a peek at Juri, who was giving her a sidelong look of her own.
"Small world," Kara remarked with a shaky smile before returning her attention back to the road.