Chapter One :: Mission Unlikely

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**Two - Three Years Later**

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The music boomed through the speakers set on the wall. The lights spun round the crowded club like a rainbow spectrum, changing the color of people and objects. A lot of smoke was in the air, and smashed glasses lay around the floor and tables. The dance floor was littered with people, having a good time, as you do on a Friday night.

Mai sat by the bar, holding a glass in her hand and eyeing someone on the dance floor. Her best friend Isis sat next to her, drinking her own Vodka. "Who you looking at?" She asked Mai, having to shout over the noise.

Mai grinned and nodded towards a man, dancing wildly on the dance floor, surrounded by women. Isis grinned back at her friend, unable to say anything she gave her the thumbs up and Mai raised an eyebrow. "You think so?" She shouted back.

Isis nodded, "Go for it!"

Mai got to her feet, pushing her drink over to her friend, so she could keep it for her. Mai's hair hung behind her back as she walked slowly over to the boy on the floor. His own short, brown hair swaying in the little air there was in the club as he danced, he stopped, as he saw Mai approach and eyed her, as she got closer.

She hadn't thought about Joey much over the years, the promises she had made had faded away, sometimes she forgot he even existed, especially nights out like this. She eventually reached him and he smiled down at her. "Hey gorgeous," he said, in a husky voice. Mai didn't really know what she was doing; she didn't even say hello just continued to dance with him.

These times had to be cherished, because sometimes she never got them for months.

Back at the bar, still sipping her drink, alone, Isis saw someone walk in the door. She eyed the dark figure, who was wearing a dark suit. He looked around, like he was searching for something. Isis sighed, she knew who he was already and turned her gaze back to Mai, who was still dancing. Isis got to her feet, trying not to let the man see her and made her way over to Mai.

Eventually she reached her and put a hand on her shoulder, turning her around, "Ok!" Mai cried, "Don't get jealous - You can sha- Oh Isis-" she said, moving the hair out of her face and looking at her friend, "What's up?"

Isis didn't speak, just glared in the direction of the man, who was now gaining on them quickly. Mai held the back of her neck as she watched him, "Oh great-" she sighed, Isis was unable to hear her through the noise of the music, "All I need . . ."

"Mai," he said in a loud, harsh-sounding voice, still meters away, but making them up, fast. Mai rolled her eyes, taking a few steps foreword. "Fancy meeting you here."

Mai glared at him, the free time she had was not enough and she didn't like anyone interrupting it. He took this and a hint and nodded firmly, "I need to talk to you," he said simply, "Follow me." Mai looked back at Isis and signaled a thumbs-down then nodded towards the man. Isis frowned but nodded back to her and watched her follow him as they left.

Once in the night air with the music fading into the background Mai and the man were able to speak without having to shout. "What is it you want now Yami?" Mai grunted as they made their way along a narrow path that led up a hill outside of the club.

"It's not my fault Mai," he grunted back at her, his face shadowed by the night, "I'm only doing my job you know?" Mai nodded, allough she couldn't care less.

"So what now? Another mission?" she asked as they reached a small bench and took a seat together.

"Surprised you figured that out." Yami said ironically, looking around to see if anyone followed them.

Mai ignored him; she was never in the mood for jokes lately. He pulled a brief case onto his lap and drummed his fingers against it, as if waiting for something. "What?" Mai hissed, figuring he might just be wasting her time because he enjoyed it.

"I'm just waiting," he said calmly, "Ain't you gonna' give me all that crap you normally do?"

"I can't be bothered," Mai sighed, turning away, "Now explain this bloody mission or I'm off OK?" Yami nodded and looked at her as she turned back round.

"GDL," Carl said and immodestly Mai's expression changed, for the worse, her night just kept on going from bad to worse. The GDL stood for Global Domination League. They were the natural enemies of Mai's own organization, ROOD, Royal Organization Of Defense. Every mission she had been on so far had had some involvement with GDL. Yami continued, ignoring her. "Lara Revaldi, have you heard of her?"

"Was I meant to have?" Mai asked, annoyed, "Sorry, I didn't do the homework."

Yami tried his best to ignore her; she was a very hard person to ignore. "Revaldi is a Russian working for GDL. Her mission as we understand it is to take out the main billionaire's of Earth, therefore more money will be spent on their program."

"And you want me too . . . ask her nicely to stop?" Mai asked, irony dripping from her voice.

Yami leaned back. "Pavell Yascoff, have you heard of him?"

Mai was beginning to think this was a test, was she meant to have heard of these people? When she did not answer Yami took it as a "no" and continued without listening to her. "Yascoff owns two companies, one is an electronics company, which devolves everything from laptops to beauty cosmetics. His other company is a media based one, located in Hollywood; he deals with the usual stars. And most of all, he is a billionaire."

"How nice for him, now, could you please get to the point?" Mai hissed, longing to be back in the club.

"There will be a beauty competition in Paris, starting in a few days. Yascoff is one of the judges there… And guess who's going to be there?"

Mai wasn't listening.

"Lara Revaldi." Yami began again, "And guess who else Mai?"

Mai raised an eyebrow, "Huh?" she grunted.

"You." He said, opening his case and taking out some papers.

"Me?" she asked, and started to laugh slightly, she was a bit drunk; "Yeah, ok, Mai go to a beauty contest!" she continued to laugh as Yami examined the papers and then looked at her.

"We have your entry papers here, your name, which will be Kate Roxton by the way and some plane tickets."  He handed them out to Mai who took them reluctantly.

Suddenly she was taking it seriously, "Oh come on!" she cried, "You know I can't do this Yami!"

He ignored her; "Once in Paris go to that address," he pointed at something on one of the papers, "That's Ed, he can get you the training you need, a talent, a make over-"

"Eh?" Mai cried, sounding offended, "What are you trying to say?"

Yami grinned, "Good luck Mai," he smiled and then closed his case and got to his feet.

"Hold on a second!" Mai cried, also standing up, "Where are you going?"

"Home."

"What about me?" she hissed.

"You, Mai, are going to Paris," he said and without a goodbye he turned round and walked away farther into the shadows, leaving Mai standing alone wondering what the hell he was on about.

"OK," She muttered, "That's it Mai, you are sooo going to quit and become a lap dancer…"