A Near Gaffe

Jouzhou Yuan Temple, Fujian Province, China…

With the end of the 2nd round in the Five Elder Tournament, everyone either went home or retired for the rooms at the nearby hotel next to the temple grounds. Urenna was instructed by her master, Hide (aka Crow), to spy on Kang Yingjie. Kang was one of the Five Elders who hired Bogdan Dragunov. They are both suspected of knowing the whereabouts of the killer of Urenna's Nigerian family. Everywhere Kang went, he had security close by him. It would not be easy to follow the man so closely. Urenna was determined to keep near Kang nonetheless, using disguises and hiding by furniture. Finally when Kang retreated for his bedroom, the security eventually left the man be on his own. However the door to his hotel room was locked. So Urenna would need to find another way in his room.

Urenna was forced to go outside via the rooftop because the ventilation ductwork was too small for her body to squeeze inside. So using a tightrope, Urenna descended towards Kang's room which was just a short ways down. The curtains blocked the view of the room, but lucky for Urenna there was a balcony for each room of the hotel. She would wait and rest there while listening for anything Kang was saying or watching on television. The old man did not talk much in the beginning, but there was a phone call as Kang answered it before retiring for bed.

Kang: "This is Kang?" (Hears the voice.) "Oh Vicky my dear! How are you tonight?"

Urenna (Listening from the window with an ear microphone): "Vicky?"

Kang: "Oh yes! Are you enjoying yourself in Spain? Oh you spoken with him recently. What was his name again? Cain wasn't it?"

Urenna (shocked.): "Cain?"

Kang: "Good good. I'm glad that he was able to give you the narcotics that will soon open for me in the European Black Market. When you return to me in Tianjin, I will take you to your favorite theater for an Opera Show. Would you like that?"

Urenna (Thinking): "Ugh. I can't take much more of this! I wish I could just bust in there and make him tell me where Cain is! But master said to only watch him. I can't risk making gaffes."

Kang: "Wonderful! Don't keep me waiting now! After the next round, I will contact you again. Alright? Bye bye!" (Hangs up.) (Giggling.)

Urenna: "Good he's done. I'm gonna tell master about this. He definitely knows about Cain."

As Urenna descended back on the rooftop, a security guard noticed the rooftop door was open as he ascended the staircase to investigate. When the guard was outside, he took his flashlight to scope out the roof. Urenna saw the guard coming and was surprised that someone was up here at this early morning hour. She hid around fans so the guard never did see her within the darkness of the night. Obviously, Urenna couldn't just go back to the staircase so she needed to find a place to land. Looking around, there she found a tree close. She could throw the tightrope with a small hook and swing downwards towards the grass area. It was a risky move, but Urenna could pull it off. Once the guard gave up looking around he went back for the stairs.

Urenna: "Now is my chance."

With the rope, Urenna threw the rope downwards at a large tree branch. When she got a solid hook around the branch, Urenna placed her feet on the edge of the building and hopped off! She swung like Tarzan on the rope. Urenna just made sure not to yell like him. There was some grass in between the parking lot and the front of the hotel garden so Urenna could make it back on the surface. The kunoichi was going so fast down, that landing on her feet would mean twisting an ankle or worse. When Urenna let go of the tightrope, she rolled on the grass as best as she could. After rolling 10 times, Urenna finally stopped. Standing back up, she brushed herself off and caught her breath.

Urenna: "Whew. That was risky, but at least I can still walk. Now to report to Master."

Hide was asleep at the medical tent outside the courtyard where he was allowed to spend the night just in case something were to wrong with him. Urenna was allowed back in the tent by the guards who recognized her from before. When she made it to his corner, Urenna carefully shook Hide on his right shoulder to have him wake up.

Urenna: "Master? Master!"

Hide: "Mmmmm…Urenna? Back so soon?" (Rising up.)

Urenna: "Yes, I just left from Kang's hotel room."

Hide: "Were you able to get inside?"

Urenna: "No. It was too risky, but I did listend to a conversation he had with a woman named Vicky. I heard them talking about Cain!"

Hide: "Is that so?"

Urenna: "Yes. They definitely know him. Kang is asleep now, but tomorrow I want to personally question him about Cain and where he could be hiding."

Hide: "I understand. However, how tight is Kang's security?"

Urenna: "His guards were close by him until he entered his room. And then they left his hall shortly after that. Look! I'm not afraid of his guards! I will have Kang answer me!"

Hide: "Don't be in such a rush Urenna. One bad mistake, and this investigation can go wrong in an instant. If you do plan to speak with him 1 on 1, then you must do it discreetly and in disguise. He cannot see your face. And please do not engage him in combat."

Urenna: "Ok, but why?"

Hide: "Remember, the Five Elders are all high level martial artists themselves. They know many ways to kill or damage you. It would be a foolish decision to challenge them with your level of skill. You may question him, but not do anything else. Are we clear?"

Urenna: "Yes…Master." (Lowering her eyes.)

Hide: "Now you get some sleep. We have 1 more day before Round 3, and I will concentrate my ki to heal more quickly."

Urenna: "Understood. Goodnight."

The Next Day…

Urenna woke up after sleeping for most of the morning. She overslept by accident. First she got dressed and hurried back to the medical tent where Hide continued to rest. Hide was still asleep, so Urenna left and went to get some food back at the hotel. After that, Urenna began to put on a disguise like a hotel maid to track down Kang once more. Returning to his floor at the hotel, Urenna first noticed that Kang's room was vacant. She even had the master key she took from the lobby to open his room. He was not around. Perhaps she could follow someone else or return to the lower levels.

Making up her mind, Urenna when a few floors down to start looking at the conference rooms. There were some meetings going on with various guests, but still no sign of Kang or the elders. Finally, she spotted an entourage of Russian Spetsnaz Soldiers leaving from the elevator heading outdoors. Behind them all was Bogdan Dragunov! So Urenna quickly returned the master key in its proper place behind the desk before leaving the hotel. Just outside the car pool, the Spetsnaz were riding in a limosine as the vehicle began to leave the hotel. So Urenna carefully trailed the limo until she could hop on top of a container attached on a large delivery truck heading into downtown Nanping.

After a long ride, the limosine stopped at a government office building and standing outside the main entrance was Kang Yingjie himself! He greeted the Russians as the group entered the building. Urenna had to do a bunch of car hopping in order to keep up. She was curious to know what Kang was plotting with the Spestnaz so she needed to infiltrate the building somehow. There was a side door opened at the West side of the building. Urenna carefully went over there to sneak in while avoiding security cameras. She made it inside the custodian's office. The elderly man was too busy cleaning up around the garage to notice her. So Urenna put on her disguise again as a custodian worker herself and began to enter the government building hallways.

Soon Urenna would spot the Spetsnaz entering an assembly room at the second floor of the building. The assembly hall took up three leves of the building for large audiences. Urenna decided to take another floor up and enter the atrium room facing the stage of the assembly hall. Several officials from the Chinese Government were making presentations about warfare armaments and vehicles which could make for devastating results if they were used one day. Midday through the meeting, Kang stepped out of the assembly hall. Now was Urenna's chance to confront him.

Kang decided to use the restroom which was a little ways down from the assembly hall. Lucky for Urenna, she dressed as a male janitor so she could get in the men's restroom. Once Kang finished his business inside his stall, Urenna pretended to wash her hands while in disguise to speak with him.

Urenna (In disguise): "How are you this afternoon?"

Kang: "Fine."

Urenna: "Are you with those Russians talking about the tanks and those planes?"

Kang: "Yes what about it."

Urenna: "Why? Are you selling them to the government or black arms merchants?"

Kang: "It is of no concern of yours. I have no reason to give classified information to a mere toilet washer! Now move!"

Urenna: "That's not my only job. I also know people like you who are dealing with explosive toys if you know what I mean." (Laughing.)"

Kang: "Huh? Just who are you?"

Urenna: "Let me ask you this. Are you familiar with a man named Cain?"

Kang: "Just how do you know about him?"

Urenna: "I know because he took some very important people away from me. I will leave you alone if you can just tell me where he is Mr. Kang."

Kang: "If you don't move, I will have to use force and then have you arrested!"

Urenna (In her real voice.): "Or maybe I can just force you to talk!"

Urenna uses a smoke bomb…

Kang: "What? Aaaaccckkk!"

Urenna (grabs him by the neck choking him.) "You have 10 seconds to tell me where Cain is! If you don't then I will be forced to end your life for good!"

Kang: "Sssssaaaaa!"

Suddenly Kang contorted his body in a way that caught the kunoichi by surprise. In surprising strength, he managed to contort his body & neck like a screw as he slipped out of the chokehold. Urenna couldn't believe it! Then Kang headbutts the kunoichi in the head as she backpedals into the wall. Kang took the opportunity to flee the bathroom and yelled for the security to help him catch the intruder.

Urenna: "Crap!"

In desperation Urenna ran out of the bathroom too only to hear loud steps of security running at her direction. So she ran back for the exit staircase. She would use the staircase and climb it all the way to the top of the roof just like last night at the hotel. From there Urenna scopes out the scenery. There was a staircase across from the government building which belonged to a housing complex. Urenna jumped to reach the staircase and descend down from it. After that, Urenna bolted as fast as she could until she could find another vehicle to hop on as she fled away from the inevitable pursuit of the Chinese police.

Back at the Temple…

Urenna: "Master!" (Breathing hard.)

Hide: "Urenna?" (Yawns) "Now what's wrong?"

Urenna: "I…I failed. I tried to make Kang tell me where Cain is. But he surprised me."

Hide: "I told you not to fight him."

Urenna: "I didn't plan to fight him, but he was alone in a bathroom so I put on a disguise and tried to make him talk and he refused."

Hide (Sigh): "And that is when Kang attacked you wasn't it?"

Urenna: "No. I used a smoke bomb and tried to choke him but he got out of it somehow. It was weird how he was able to do it. He moved like a snake."

Hide: "Interesting. The Five Elders are known to have unique abilities compared to other people out there. You were lucky he only gave you a bruise to the forehead."

Urenna (Pout.): "Real funny master."

Hide: "Were you in disguise?"

Urenna: "Yes."

Hide: "And yet. He still could feel your prescene with your ki I bet. You better stay in the hotel for the remainder of the day. He could use the Chinese government authorities to start questioning people about his would be assassination."

Urenna: "What if he suspects you?"

Hide: "He can try but I've been here the entire time. Resting. I bet the Spetsnaz will stick really close to him for now on. And this will slow down the investigation. You head on back before Kang returns."

Urenna: "Understood."

Urenna relutanctly returned for her hotel room. On the way she went to the restaurant and ordered some snacks to keep her full. She just hoped that Kang's associates would not suspect Hide or her of plotting an assassination. If they were found out, then there would be serious trouble ahead.