Match 1-7: Police Investigators vs. Dadallent
Author's Notes: Just a quick little chapter. Again, the tourney bracket has also received an update.
Beijing, China
Two days have passed
The heat caused by the removal of an overhead cloud was the only change that disturbed Chun-Li's finely balanced tranquility. She sat on the stone ground, completely still. Normally at this time in the afternoon China's Gate of Heavenly Peace Square would be filled with all sorts of people: tourists, local Buddhists and Taoists, businessmen, and the ubiquitous Chinese citizen practicing Tai Ch'i. For today's special event, the square had been cleared and a portion of it marked off as a battleground. It was here that Chun-Li tried to make peace with herself before heading into the fight.
Because, no matter what Ryu might say about "the fight being all" or "never give up, never lose," or "it is most important to learn from the fight," Chun-Li had never quite faced an opponent like the one she was scheduled to fight now. There was, of course, the whole Bison incident some dozen years ago when Bison had thrashed her to the brink of oblivion and then soared off laughing. But even Bison bled, as she herself, Charlie, and Guile had proved two years later. Dadallent she was less certain about. She slitted an eye open and studied him where he stood with his back turned to her some twenty meters away. By all the reports from Blake, Darrell, and Kenneth, he should've died that night during the mall firefight. No human could take those wounds and still survive without even a mark to show for it. Come to think of it, hadn't Urien met Dadallent before, too? The same Urien who had merely tested Chun-Li's skill after the third World Warrior tournament had also ran across the Chaos Prince. While the fight couldn't be labeled one-sided, by all reports Urien hadn't exactly last very long.
Abruptly Chun-Li stood up and dusted off her dancer costume. There was no use delaying this fight any longer. Behind her, Mason was still flirting with Jill Valentine. Chun-Li strode to where her two teammates gossiped and gave them both a telling look. Mason and Jill nodded silently and said nothing as the two judges came up to them. "Police Investigators, name your tactical leader," Jedah commanded.
"I am she." Chun-Li raised her bracelet-studded hand and nodded politely to the judges. They cleared out the battleground, Mason and Jill moving to the sides, the latter toying with her Beretta pistol and loading stun pellets into it. Dadallent, for his part, turned around and strode closer until he was only a few feet from Chun-Li. Despite her experience in the field, the former Interpol agent turned orphanage matron felt a definite wave of fear rise up within her as she met the pitiless expression of the Chaos Prince.
"Who are you?" Chun-Li asked, fighting hard to keep her voice from trembling. "The air has frozen like ice ..."
"You could tell? You have a discerning eye."
Chun-Li drew herself into her fighting stance, a cat-style posture with hands held protectively in front of her chest, either leg ready to kick at a moment's notice. Something must have betrayed her, for Dadallent himself did nothing, only continuing to speak. "Relax, Chun-Li. I hope you fight freely, with all your heart. No one will die today." So saying, he slowly dropped into his own fighting posture, arms both hanging tightly off his sides, feet spread shoulder-width apart, the Psychisaber's hilt protruding above his left shoulder. He breathed deeply and Chun-Li could see his chest rise and fall. So this is the dreaded Chaos Prince. I wonder how his other opponents felt when they fought him ...?
Begin!
Chun-Li struck out blindly, dazed for a moment by the impossibly bright light overhead. She lashed out with a fierce punch, but cleaved only empty air. As her eyes readjusted, she saw that Dadallent was now to her left and adjusted her fighting stance accordingly. He aimed a knife-hand attack from the side, attacking with seemingly impossible speed. Chun-Li barely managed to block the attack and the impact felt like a sledgehammer being driven into her arms, both of which went numb. She tried to counter with a swift side kick, but Dadallent stuffed the attack with a kick to her upper thigh and then moved forward as Chun-Li tried to retreat. He stepped on her boot as she tried to hop back and Chun-Li lost her balance, flailing as she fell to the ground. He's using really simple moves. I should, too. Forget the showy stuff, just stick to the fundamentals of battle.
Unfortunately, Dadallent knew the basics of combat better. Chun-Li snapped a front kick that he blocked, at the same time cursing at herself for not keeping up in fighting form after the third World Warrior tournament. When Chun-Li fired out a burst of energy from her palm, Dadallent vaulted over the attack and flipped in midair, aiming a double-heel stomp at her forehead. Luckily for Chun-Li, Mason Storm came in at that moment and retaliated with an uppercut, lightning trailing down his arms as he soared upwards. The attacks met in midair and canceled each other out. Mason landed back on the ground with the imprint of a shoe in his mouth, while Dadallent righted himself in midair as electricity crackled around his body. Chun-Li seized the opportunity to a Ten Shou Kyaku skywards, hoping to catch Dadallent unready. But he merely vanished in a plume of smoke; right as Chun-Li reached the height of her jump, he dropped out of a clear sky and deftly caught her under the chin with a single hand, pulling her to the ground and landing her into the pavement.
"And the Police Investigators are already feeling the heat!" Alia proclaimed. "Jin, Kyosuke, over the past eight years the Chaos Prince has fought thousands of opponents and never even once been beaten. Although he hasn't won every match, each of his battles only served to strengthen him and now it really shows. Eight years ago the Police Investigator team probably could've handled him; what's your analysis now, Kyosuke?"
"Much as I hate to say this," Kyosuke replied, "Dadallent is a very formidable opponent whose killed list includes many big shots in the martial arts world. Mason Storm actually fought Dadallent sometime last year, along with the other tournament participants Kikoken and Edgar; all three of them were beaten, from what I hear. Granted, Mason's on a better team this time, but Dadallent is definitely bringing the fight home to Chun-Li. At the same time, it would be hard to rule the Police Investigators out already when the fight can go either way. They have to rely on their energy-based attacks, since Dadallent can shrug off enough physical damage to sink a battleship and still keep on fighting like nothing ever happened. Alia, do we know anything about who Dadallent is?"
"Unfortunately, Kyosuke, we don't. Delta Red and the IDC both ran detailed background checks before the tournament, but no one has turned up anything that would suggest a clue to his identity. We do know that he appeared quite suddenly on the scene eight years ago and began killing opponents in deathmatches." Alia glanced back at the battle. "Wait, hold up a minute - yes, Chun-Li got in an attack!" As they watched, Chun-Li struck Dadallent's right knee with a light kick and immediately canceled the attack into a powerful back roundhouse kick, knocking the shrouded warrior into the air. Chun-Li followed on her advantage a moment later, jumping up after him with a succession of attacks: light punch, quick kick, elbow strike to the chin, stomp on the thigh, a pair of quick high thrust kicks in succession to Dadallent's chin, followed by her signature Lightning Leg kick - in midair. Chun-Li's legs blurred into a formless shape of light and the crews caught the sound of her boots impacting solidly on Dadallent's flesh. She finished with a twisting motion that put the whole force of her body into a kick; Dadallent went flying through the air, only to be intercepted by another Thunder Uppercut from Mason along the way.
"Seventeen-hit aerial rave!" Jin screamed excitedly into the microphone, nearly deafening Kyosuke.
Dadallent hit the ground, but softly, pulling his hand and his arm with it into a roll at the last moment and so avoiding the impact of a hard landing. Chun-Li had rushed closer, doubtlessly intending to attack while her momentum was still good, but fell to a surprise reprisal when Dadallent rolled along the ground towards her and jumped up, attacking fiercely. Chun-Li blocked a fast and powerful strike, at the same time wincing as Dadallent struck her knee with a side kick. Inwardly her mind screamed. That is impossible! Any normal man would be on the brink of unconsciousness by now, but he didn't even blink! And he's still attacking so quickly that I can barely see the attacks themselves ... Abruptly her train of thinking was cut off as Dadallent caught her wrist and pulled her forward, thus leaving her off balance. In a moment he'd spun around and reached for his sword, pulling it and its sheath off his back. He solidly rapped the side of her head with the sheathed blade, then his arm shot out across Chun-Li's shoulders and the Chinese girl was being rotated off balance again. Dadallent stepped forward, but his right foot did not touch the ground immediately. Instead, he flung it back and knocked out the leg that Chun-Li's weight hung upon, bringing her to the ground with a crash.
Mason Storm tried to interrupt the attack with a Renosan Kick and bought Chun-Li only temporary respite. Dadallent was forced to abandon his offensive, but he vaulted over Mason's head and in a moment was dropping back upside-down. He threw his weapon down and caught Mason by both shoulders, then dropped his weight to the ground, using his extra leverage to pull the FBI agent after him and flinging him across the square. The sheathed Psychisaber, having been thrown earlier, hit Chun-Li solidly in the stomach and drove the breath out of her. A moment later it was too late to do anything; having dealt with Mason, Dadallent took a half step backward and pulled his hand in a slicing motion across Chun-Li's throat, striking a very specific nerve as he did so. The former Interpol agent crumpled to the stones, motionless.
"Mason, you're in!" Jill called frantically.
Shaking his head clear, Mason Storm leapt into the square as the medical teams bore Chun-Li off. They were one down already. Instead of gradually building up an attack the way he normally would, Mason went right ahead into a super technique. He'd fought Dadallent before and he knew the Chaos Prince a little. Normally I'd try to secure a number of advantages while wearing him down and then take the fight home, but he's too skilled for that and I'd never win a war of attrition anyways. Best do what I can first! So thinking, Mason rushed his opponent. Dadallent punched him solidly across the jaw but the attack came through anyways as Mason's arms and legs disappeared in a blur of motion, laying a total beating on the Chaos Prince. Dadallent and Mason vanished in a haze of dust and blood. Mason completed his Requiem for the Doomed attack with a powerful uppercut that had all of his strength channeled into it. Dadallent went flying as if shot from a cannon ...
... and righted himself in midair, landing softly back on the grounds of the square. Mason stared for a moment; Dadallent was a terrible sight, bleeding from half a dozen wounds and his outfit torn in various places. "Well, at least he bleeds," Kyosuke observed. "But Dadallent still looks completely unfazed. I'm beginning to wonder if he's even human or not. Wait, there he goes in a puff of smoke ... and he reappeared behind Mason! Incredible!" Dadallent struck hard and fast; Mason blocked a chest-level kick and it felt like trying to defend against a runaway train, the attack was so vicious. A moment later Dadallent launched the Hell Cutter, seizing Mason and driving a double-armed attack at the chest. Mason also blocked this technique but guard crushed and then it was goodnight as Dadallent laid into him with a brutal combination of strikes. "Nine-hit ground combo ending with a Blazing Wave!" Kyosuke announced grandly.
To the side, Mason saw stars and spat out a mouthful of blood. For him, this battle was rapidly becoming a repeat of his encounter with the Chaos Prince a year ago, an encounter that had left him hospitalized for a month. Shakily he stood up and abruptly remembered that he had a teammate. Mason signaled Jill to enter the battle and he himself staggered off the sidelines.
Jill jumped in, assuming a defensive position. "She's in a bad position and she knows it," Kyosuke commented. "Mason's vitality isn't all that good right now. He could still throw striker assists, but one lucky hit by Dadallent and it's lights out for him. At the same time, Jill probably realizes that she can't defeat him by herself. She and Mason have to gradually wear him down, although it's much easier said than done." Jill pulled out a small grenade launcher and sent an explosive arcing towards Dadallent, but the Chaos Prince reacted almost before the move had come out; he vanished in a haze of smoke and dropped down from above, landing both heels into the base of Jill's spine and sending her sprawling into the ground. Jill snarled and reached for her Beretta; it flashed into her hand and she unloaded a whole chamber of stun pellets at Dadallent.
So her mouth nearly dropped open in amazement as he pulled the Psychisaber out and expertly deflected each one with impossible speed. Then he dropped to one knee and sank his right fist into the ground, hard. The earth trembled slightly; a column of fire sprang out of his fist and came jumping towards Jill. The S.T.A.R.S. agent dodged to the side and it slid past harmlessly. Perhaps another tactic would work better? She pulled out the grenade launcher again, only that this time she didn't fire a grenade. As predicted, the Chaos Prince again vanished in smoke, but this time he reappeared directly in front of her. Reflexes honed by years of training, Jill struck out and heard a satisfying crunch as her fist found his stomach. Dadallent winced slightly; in a moment, Jill had knocked him into the air and followed with an aerial rave attack, pulling ever closer to Dadallent after each strike. Then, hyper canceling her final strike, Jill felt her entire body burst into living flame. "You're finished!"
She flew forward as though propelled by rockets, her entire body engulfed in vivid crimson fire and colliding headlong into Dadallent. The Chaos Prince grunted and gasped for an instant as the fire seared through his clothing and into his flesh. The attack only lasted for a few moments and Jill landed lightly on the ground; Dadallent, for his part, also landed safely, but now he was breathing heavily and clutching his left side with his right hand, bent over with what Jill hoped was pain. So he wasn't invincible. She went for another Elbow Tackle and made her last mistake. Dadallent blocked the attack, causing Jill to skid to a halt practically in front of him. A moment later, he seized her shoulder and waist and jumped, bringing both of them off the ground in a spinning ascent. At the height of his jump he turned around and pulled Jill upside-down so that they both went rushing back to the ground headfirst. Jill tried desperately to escape, but Dadallent's grip was completely locking her arms and the incredible spinning kept her disoriented. She wasn't even aware of the ground until right before impact and then it was too late. Dadallent landed her on her neck, rolling away at the last moment and leaving Jill to take all the damage from both of their landings. Jill slumped on the ground, all the fight knocked out of her.
Mason walked back into the battlefield as medical teams carried Jill off. He was hurt, but at one glance he could tell that so was Dadallent. The Chaos Prince might be able to resist physical attacks; still, enough hits and even he started feeling them. Mason studied his dangerous opponent before suddenly rushing forward. Dadallent met the attack head-on; Mason dodged at the last moment, throwing out a fierce spinning back kick. Dadallent ran past him and seized his arm above the elbow while doing so, pulling Mason out of the attack and off balance. He suddenly vanished into nothingness again and the end began.
Dadallent reappeared in front of Mason and drove in a merciless punch at Mason's chest. It was a blow that would have felled an oak tree and it nearly destroyed Mason's rib cage. He vanished the moment that the attack landed, reappearing from behind and kicking Mason's knees. Again the teleport, again another attack, this time a diving punch from above. They came so fast that Mason had no chance to defend, each strike leading into the other. After a brief but vicious barrage, Dadallent reappeared in front of Mason again and knocked him into the air with a tightly controlled uppercut. The assault continued in the air, Dadallent finally ending the attack with his Soul Crush, driving Mason back to the ground exactly as he had done to Jill. Mason hit the pavement hard; his last conscious thought was At least I won't have ... to spend another month ... in the hospital ...
"And Dadallent has taken the victory!" Jin screamed.
Osaka, Japan
One day has passed
"I don't believe in meddling with the affairs of others," Guy began. "I think that people should be free to act and live as they wish. I know that I am quite secretive myself, so I can respect that in another person. That is why I have rarely, if ever, questioned your actions aloud. However, there is just one thing I would like to know. Cody, what the hell did you do this time?"
Cody sighed long and loud. "Look, Guy ... I know you're disappointed -"
"You bet," Guy snarled.
"But I think you just have to accept that this is who I am," Cody continued, holding up his wrists to show Guy that they were handcuffed. The two friends sat alone in a soundproof detention center facing each other across a small table. Cody was clothed in the standard prison garb, complete with stripes and a number. "I picked a fight with this one guy and next thing you know I was jumped by a dozen different men. And that's how I ended up here. The captain says he expects my trial to be short, sweet, and to the point, especially since they want to deport me to America. I'm looking at five years minimum here, Guy. Can't you do some of those ninja tricks and get me out?"
"No," Guy answered. "You said you picked the fight. End of discussion. I'm afraid you'll have to serve your time, Cody. I'm not about to spirit you out of here; I wouldn't do it for myself if I were in your shoes, buddy."
"What kind of a friend are you?" Cody half-shouted as Guy rose.
Guy looked back. "I wouldn't be a friend if I got you out of your own mess. I'm afraid you'll have to live with the consequences of what you did. You know my hotel number and Maki's, too. Give me a call if you need anything; if we leave, we'll let you know. Goodbye, Cody." Guy closed the door softly behind himself and sighed. You'd think that Cody would've learned his lesson the first time, he thought to himself. The police captain was standing outside, arms crossed and unsmiling. Guy nodded to him and was about to walk past, but then thought of something else. "Do you have a spare telephone I could use?"
"The receptionist will let you use the phone."
Guy did as he was told and the friendly receptionist handed him a telephone. As he pressed the first number, someone else softly opened the doors to the office. Guy frowned. "Regina? What are you doing here?" he asked.
"I heard about Cody," she said softly. "I came to visit him. See? I brought this with me." She held up a medium-sized box tied with a thin red ribbon, no doubt chocolates for the unlucky inmate. Guy nodded and said thank you; Regina replied courteously and went down the hall towards the detention center without asking for directions. She was dressed finely and Guy finished dialing the number on the telephone; accounting for time zone differences, it should be early morning on the other side of the globe. Maki had heard about the incident earlier and declined to visit Cody.
"Hello?" a feminine voice on the other side asked.
"Hi, Jessica, this is Guy, is your father -"
"Oh, Guy!" The voice on the other side was animated, excited, and more than a little disturbed. Guy's mind instantly formed a mental image of a frantic Jessica. Normally he would've been amused by this, but there was bad news to break. "I'm so glad you called!" Jessica continued. "Dad's been missing for days! He said that he'd take me out to dinner and that was three days ago! I haven't heard a word from him since! I think - I think - he might've been kidnapped!"
"What?" Guy half-shouted, not quite believing what he was hearing. "Okay, slow down, Jessica. What exactly happened to Haggar?"
"I don't know!" Jessica cried frantically. "He just disappeared! Dad was witnessing for a trial here and he was supposed to take me out to dinner that night. The trial closed three days ago; it was a not guilty verdict. Dad phoned in from the courtroom at two in the afternoon to say that he'd take me out to dinner at six o' clock and to be ready half an hour before. That was the last I heard of him. He still hasn't shown up! I notified the police, b-but ... they haven't found anything. It's like he vanished off the face of the earth! Guy, I don't know what to do!" On the other side of the line, Jessica Haggar burst into tears.
"I'm catching the next flight that goes to Metro City," Guy said instantly. "Listen. Just to be safe, make sure that you have a police escort at all times until I get there. I'll phone in again when I know when I'll arrive. Maki might be coming with me, but she might not. Oh, and Jessica. Cody's in the slammer again. He won't be coming back any time soon."
"Oh no!" Jessica gasped.
"I gotta go now and make arrangements. If you need me, you can call Maki's room number and she'll contact me. You still have it?"
"Yes."
"Good." Guy hit the hangup button and then dialed again. Whoever it was on the opposite line picked up the phone on the first ring and greeted him cheerfully, informing him that he had just reached the Cherry Court hotel in Osaka, and how could she help him? "Patch me through to room 754, for Dr. Ernest McGrath. And if he asks, tell him that it's an emergency." There was a few seconds pause and then the call went through. "Dr. McGrath? This is Guy, there's been an emergency -"
"This is Samantha," came the reply. Was it Guy's imagination, or did she sound tense? "My husband is not present at the moment. Shall I take a message for him?"
"Might as well. Listen, there's been an emergency back at Metro City. Ex-mayor Mike Haggar has gone missing and no one has seen him for the past three days. I'm catching the first available flight back to Metro City. I don't want to burden him with this, but I figure McGrath knows better than anyone how to deal with the situation. Let him know, alright?"
"I shall do so." There was a brief pause, and then Samantha continued. "Haggar has not been seen for three days and counting?"
"So I'm told. His daughter said that the police department there saw no trace of the man."
"How urgent is this situation?"
"Very, I'd say, if for nothing else than the fact that Jessica is nearly hysteric. And Cody's been thrown in jail again, so he's not going back with me. Neither is Maki. I'm gonna go back alone and try to calm Jessica down. Hopefully, by the time I've returned Haggar will also have. If not ..." Guy made a slicing motion across his throat before realizing that Samantha could not see it. The receptionist squeaked in fright and Guy ignored her.
"Listen, Guy," Samantha said, "I will arrange for a transport helicopter to take you to Tokyo. From there, a fighter jet will bring you to Metro City. You may find yourself somewhat jet-lagged, but it will reduce a thirteen hour flight to a mere four or five. Would that be convenient for you?"
"Yes, yes indeed! Can you do that?"
"Easily."
"Thank you. Well, until we meet again, goodbye."
"Farewell."
Guy exhaled deeply and set the phone down. He'd have to break the news to Cody, of course, and then get back to the hotel and talk to Maki in person. What a mess. Just then Regina reappeared from the back and Guy called to her. "Regina! Look, there's been an emergency. I have to go talk to Cody and then I'm out of the country. Would you let everyone else know where I've gone?"
She tilted her head and looked at him intently for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, I'll do that. And Guy ... good luck finding the mayor." As Guy vanished into the back of the police station, Regina sighed in sympathy. "Poor man, to have so many troubles suddenly weighing on his heart. Isn't there anything I can do for him?"
Two hours went by quickly as Samantha informed McGrath and Regina informed Maki. From there, gossip ensured that the news would spread like wildfire. It was currently nighttime, right after another delicious dinner prepared by Regina, and McGrath was not pleased. At all. He was seated at the table in his room poring over the trove of information that the IDC had so far gathered. All of which pointed to exactly one conclusion: nothing. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. During practice two hours earlier he'd been distracted to the point where Ryu had very nearly nailed him with an explosive Denjin Hadouken. And now the news that Haggar had vanished into thin air, too ... "This tournament is falling apart," McGrath muttered.
Beside him, Samantha picked out a photograph of the jewelry shop. "You look so tired, dear. This matter weighs heavily on your mind, does it not?"
"Of course," McGrath sighed. "I've finally been able to pick out a pattern to these disappearances, but I don't know what the pattern tells us." When Samantha pulled a blank look, McGrath explained. "Okay, let's refer back to the time line that I drew up here. The Darkstalkers went missing first, a day after losing a match to the Neo Commandos. We still haven't found anything and the political upheaval going on in Makai right now is nothing short of disastrous. Four days later, Ibuki and Karin Kanzuki also disappear, supposedly in the jewelry shop, and this event really gets the investigation going. I've been pressing Lloyd for a week now and I'm sure he's told me everything that he remembers, down to the individual prices on each piece of jewelry. Next, Rose has to go back to Genoa and that's the last anyone hears of her, though we don't actually realize that she's missing for quite some time. Five days after Karin and Ibuki vanish, Yun and Yang are called back to the village and Yin goes after them.
"When I was down in the village, I spoke with the townsmen there. They all agree that Yun and Yang did not appear there - in fact, they were quite surprised to be told that the village elders had called the twins back. So Blake ran a check on the airport logs. Turns out that Yun and Yang boarded the flight out of Tokyo but never picked up their luggage, which the airline sent to Yin. Yin arrived safely, but only for a day and then she too vanished.
"Go Hibiki vanished about ten days after Yun and Yang left for China; we all know what happened to him, he was killed by Dadallent. Juni went away four days ago and I just asked Cammy to call her; apparently she's still fine. Cammy and Juni have set up a schedule where Juni will call Cammy every day at noon to confirm that she is still present. This brings us to the present. Three days ago, ex-mayor Mike Haggar also disappeared while back in Metro City. Now, there's a definite pattern to all of this and I ought to shoot myself for not seeing it earlier." McGrath picked up a photograph and gazed at it. "Do you understand, Samantha? Each team that loses the tournament is slowly picked off. It began with the Darkstalkers. Karin and Ibuki went missing because they were special guests asked to come here as honorary attendees. Whoever is kidnapping our people is making sure that he or she doesn't sabotage the tournament itself. However ... I hate to say this, but ... I give Juni a week at most before those calls suddenly stop coming."
"Have you deduced the agent behind these disappearances?" Samantha asked.
"Unfortunately," McGrath answered, "that is one of the many pieces of the puzzle we're missing. Initially, I'd suspect Dadallent - he does have a habit of seeking out enemies to kill in deathmatches, after all, and history shows that he's not picky about victims - but these disappearances are not his style. When Dadallent kills an opponent, he lets everyone else know." McGrath didn't need to elaborate further, as Samantha was very well acquainted with the Chaos Prince's patterns. It was always a body, with the Chinese letter for evil carved into its chest from blood and cruelly torn flesh. That was Dadallent's signature. "They found Go Hibiki's body a week ago, with the same imprint that Dadallent uses everywhere. So that's that. Nobody in law enforcement has seen so much as a glance at Dadallent before yesterday's match. I'm sure it's not Dadallent. It's not Shadowlaw, either; Shadowlaw prefers assassinations rather than kidnappings and it has never done so many kidnappings in such a short time anyway. Nor is it the Illuminati; Regina asked Gill and he said that it wasn't, and we know that Gill wouldn't dare lie to Regina. And of course, it's not the IDC for obvious reasons."
"Then who could it be?" Samantha inquired, with a slight premonition that she might already know.
McGrath shook his head. "I'd rather not say it now. I think I know, but ... it's just something based off a rather incomplete analysis of the information here. I need at least three more days to build my case." He sighed heavily. "It'll be safer for you if you genuinely don't know who I'm suspecting right now. That way no one can take the information from you. And really, I'm grasping at straws here. I hope with all my heart that I'm flat out wrong, because if I'm not, we could all disappear before this tournament has ended."
Author's Notes: Just a quick little chapter. Again, the tourney bracket has also received an update.
Beijing, China
Two days have passed
The heat caused by the removal of an overhead cloud was the only change that disturbed Chun-Li's finely balanced tranquility. She sat on the stone ground, completely still. Normally at this time in the afternoon China's Gate of Heavenly Peace Square would be filled with all sorts of people: tourists, local Buddhists and Taoists, businessmen, and the ubiquitous Chinese citizen practicing Tai Ch'i. For today's special event, the square had been cleared and a portion of it marked off as a battleground. It was here that Chun-Li tried to make peace with herself before heading into the fight.
Because, no matter what Ryu might say about "the fight being all" or "never give up, never lose," or "it is most important to learn from the fight," Chun-Li had never quite faced an opponent like the one she was scheduled to fight now. There was, of course, the whole Bison incident some dozen years ago when Bison had thrashed her to the brink of oblivion and then soared off laughing. But even Bison bled, as she herself, Charlie, and Guile had proved two years later. Dadallent she was less certain about. She slitted an eye open and studied him where he stood with his back turned to her some twenty meters away. By all the reports from Blake, Darrell, and Kenneth, he should've died that night during the mall firefight. No human could take those wounds and still survive without even a mark to show for it. Come to think of it, hadn't Urien met Dadallent before, too? The same Urien who had merely tested Chun-Li's skill after the third World Warrior tournament had also ran across the Chaos Prince. While the fight couldn't be labeled one-sided, by all reports Urien hadn't exactly last very long.
Abruptly Chun-Li stood up and dusted off her dancer costume. There was no use delaying this fight any longer. Behind her, Mason was still flirting with Jill Valentine. Chun-Li strode to where her two teammates gossiped and gave them both a telling look. Mason and Jill nodded silently and said nothing as the two judges came up to them. "Police Investigators, name your tactical leader," Jedah commanded.
"I am she." Chun-Li raised her bracelet-studded hand and nodded politely to the judges. They cleared out the battleground, Mason and Jill moving to the sides, the latter toying with her Beretta pistol and loading stun pellets into it. Dadallent, for his part, turned around and strode closer until he was only a few feet from Chun-Li. Despite her experience in the field, the former Interpol agent turned orphanage matron felt a definite wave of fear rise up within her as she met the pitiless expression of the Chaos Prince.
"Who are you?" Chun-Li asked, fighting hard to keep her voice from trembling. "The air has frozen like ice ..."
"You could tell? You have a discerning eye."
Chun-Li drew herself into her fighting stance, a cat-style posture with hands held protectively in front of her chest, either leg ready to kick at a moment's notice. Something must have betrayed her, for Dadallent himself did nothing, only continuing to speak. "Relax, Chun-Li. I hope you fight freely, with all your heart. No one will die today." So saying, he slowly dropped into his own fighting posture, arms both hanging tightly off his sides, feet spread shoulder-width apart, the Psychisaber's hilt protruding above his left shoulder. He breathed deeply and Chun-Li could see his chest rise and fall. So this is the dreaded Chaos Prince. I wonder how his other opponents felt when they fought him ...?
Begin!
Chun-Li struck out blindly, dazed for a moment by the impossibly bright light overhead. She lashed out with a fierce punch, but cleaved only empty air. As her eyes readjusted, she saw that Dadallent was now to her left and adjusted her fighting stance accordingly. He aimed a knife-hand attack from the side, attacking with seemingly impossible speed. Chun-Li barely managed to block the attack and the impact felt like a sledgehammer being driven into her arms, both of which went numb. She tried to counter with a swift side kick, but Dadallent stuffed the attack with a kick to her upper thigh and then moved forward as Chun-Li tried to retreat. He stepped on her boot as she tried to hop back and Chun-Li lost her balance, flailing as she fell to the ground. He's using really simple moves. I should, too. Forget the showy stuff, just stick to the fundamentals of battle.
Unfortunately, Dadallent knew the basics of combat better. Chun-Li snapped a front kick that he blocked, at the same time cursing at herself for not keeping up in fighting form after the third World Warrior tournament. When Chun-Li fired out a burst of energy from her palm, Dadallent vaulted over the attack and flipped in midair, aiming a double-heel stomp at her forehead. Luckily for Chun-Li, Mason Storm came in at that moment and retaliated with an uppercut, lightning trailing down his arms as he soared upwards. The attacks met in midair and canceled each other out. Mason landed back on the ground with the imprint of a shoe in his mouth, while Dadallent righted himself in midair as electricity crackled around his body. Chun-Li seized the opportunity to a Ten Shou Kyaku skywards, hoping to catch Dadallent unready. But he merely vanished in a plume of smoke; right as Chun-Li reached the height of her jump, he dropped out of a clear sky and deftly caught her under the chin with a single hand, pulling her to the ground and landing her into the pavement.
"And the Police Investigators are already feeling the heat!" Alia proclaimed. "Jin, Kyosuke, over the past eight years the Chaos Prince has fought thousands of opponents and never even once been beaten. Although he hasn't won every match, each of his battles only served to strengthen him and now it really shows. Eight years ago the Police Investigator team probably could've handled him; what's your analysis now, Kyosuke?"
"Much as I hate to say this," Kyosuke replied, "Dadallent is a very formidable opponent whose killed list includes many big shots in the martial arts world. Mason Storm actually fought Dadallent sometime last year, along with the other tournament participants Kikoken and Edgar; all three of them were beaten, from what I hear. Granted, Mason's on a better team this time, but Dadallent is definitely bringing the fight home to Chun-Li. At the same time, it would be hard to rule the Police Investigators out already when the fight can go either way. They have to rely on their energy-based attacks, since Dadallent can shrug off enough physical damage to sink a battleship and still keep on fighting like nothing ever happened. Alia, do we know anything about who Dadallent is?"
"Unfortunately, Kyosuke, we don't. Delta Red and the IDC both ran detailed background checks before the tournament, but no one has turned up anything that would suggest a clue to his identity. We do know that he appeared quite suddenly on the scene eight years ago and began killing opponents in deathmatches." Alia glanced back at the battle. "Wait, hold up a minute - yes, Chun-Li got in an attack!" As they watched, Chun-Li struck Dadallent's right knee with a light kick and immediately canceled the attack into a powerful back roundhouse kick, knocking the shrouded warrior into the air. Chun-Li followed on her advantage a moment later, jumping up after him with a succession of attacks: light punch, quick kick, elbow strike to the chin, stomp on the thigh, a pair of quick high thrust kicks in succession to Dadallent's chin, followed by her signature Lightning Leg kick - in midair. Chun-Li's legs blurred into a formless shape of light and the crews caught the sound of her boots impacting solidly on Dadallent's flesh. She finished with a twisting motion that put the whole force of her body into a kick; Dadallent went flying through the air, only to be intercepted by another Thunder Uppercut from Mason along the way.
"Seventeen-hit aerial rave!" Jin screamed excitedly into the microphone, nearly deafening Kyosuke.
Dadallent hit the ground, but softly, pulling his hand and his arm with it into a roll at the last moment and so avoiding the impact of a hard landing. Chun-Li had rushed closer, doubtlessly intending to attack while her momentum was still good, but fell to a surprise reprisal when Dadallent rolled along the ground towards her and jumped up, attacking fiercely. Chun-Li blocked a fast and powerful strike, at the same time wincing as Dadallent struck her knee with a side kick. Inwardly her mind screamed. That is impossible! Any normal man would be on the brink of unconsciousness by now, but he didn't even blink! And he's still attacking so quickly that I can barely see the attacks themselves ... Abruptly her train of thinking was cut off as Dadallent caught her wrist and pulled her forward, thus leaving her off balance. In a moment he'd spun around and reached for his sword, pulling it and its sheath off his back. He solidly rapped the side of her head with the sheathed blade, then his arm shot out across Chun-Li's shoulders and the Chinese girl was being rotated off balance again. Dadallent stepped forward, but his right foot did not touch the ground immediately. Instead, he flung it back and knocked out the leg that Chun-Li's weight hung upon, bringing her to the ground with a crash.
Mason Storm tried to interrupt the attack with a Renosan Kick and bought Chun-Li only temporary respite. Dadallent was forced to abandon his offensive, but he vaulted over Mason's head and in a moment was dropping back upside-down. He threw his weapon down and caught Mason by both shoulders, then dropped his weight to the ground, using his extra leverage to pull the FBI agent after him and flinging him across the square. The sheathed Psychisaber, having been thrown earlier, hit Chun-Li solidly in the stomach and drove the breath out of her. A moment later it was too late to do anything; having dealt with Mason, Dadallent took a half step backward and pulled his hand in a slicing motion across Chun-Li's throat, striking a very specific nerve as he did so. The former Interpol agent crumpled to the stones, motionless.
"Mason, you're in!" Jill called frantically.
Shaking his head clear, Mason Storm leapt into the square as the medical teams bore Chun-Li off. They were one down already. Instead of gradually building up an attack the way he normally would, Mason went right ahead into a super technique. He'd fought Dadallent before and he knew the Chaos Prince a little. Normally I'd try to secure a number of advantages while wearing him down and then take the fight home, but he's too skilled for that and I'd never win a war of attrition anyways. Best do what I can first! So thinking, Mason rushed his opponent. Dadallent punched him solidly across the jaw but the attack came through anyways as Mason's arms and legs disappeared in a blur of motion, laying a total beating on the Chaos Prince. Dadallent and Mason vanished in a haze of dust and blood. Mason completed his Requiem for the Doomed attack with a powerful uppercut that had all of his strength channeled into it. Dadallent went flying as if shot from a cannon ...
... and righted himself in midair, landing softly back on the grounds of the square. Mason stared for a moment; Dadallent was a terrible sight, bleeding from half a dozen wounds and his outfit torn in various places. "Well, at least he bleeds," Kyosuke observed. "But Dadallent still looks completely unfazed. I'm beginning to wonder if he's even human or not. Wait, there he goes in a puff of smoke ... and he reappeared behind Mason! Incredible!" Dadallent struck hard and fast; Mason blocked a chest-level kick and it felt like trying to defend against a runaway train, the attack was so vicious. A moment later Dadallent launched the Hell Cutter, seizing Mason and driving a double-armed attack at the chest. Mason also blocked this technique but guard crushed and then it was goodnight as Dadallent laid into him with a brutal combination of strikes. "Nine-hit ground combo ending with a Blazing Wave!" Kyosuke announced grandly.
To the side, Mason saw stars and spat out a mouthful of blood. For him, this battle was rapidly becoming a repeat of his encounter with the Chaos Prince a year ago, an encounter that had left him hospitalized for a month. Shakily he stood up and abruptly remembered that he had a teammate. Mason signaled Jill to enter the battle and he himself staggered off the sidelines.
Jill jumped in, assuming a defensive position. "She's in a bad position and she knows it," Kyosuke commented. "Mason's vitality isn't all that good right now. He could still throw striker assists, but one lucky hit by Dadallent and it's lights out for him. At the same time, Jill probably realizes that she can't defeat him by herself. She and Mason have to gradually wear him down, although it's much easier said than done." Jill pulled out a small grenade launcher and sent an explosive arcing towards Dadallent, but the Chaos Prince reacted almost before the move had come out; he vanished in a haze of smoke and dropped down from above, landing both heels into the base of Jill's spine and sending her sprawling into the ground. Jill snarled and reached for her Beretta; it flashed into her hand and she unloaded a whole chamber of stun pellets at Dadallent.
So her mouth nearly dropped open in amazement as he pulled the Psychisaber out and expertly deflected each one with impossible speed. Then he dropped to one knee and sank his right fist into the ground, hard. The earth trembled slightly; a column of fire sprang out of his fist and came jumping towards Jill. The S.T.A.R.S. agent dodged to the side and it slid past harmlessly. Perhaps another tactic would work better? She pulled out the grenade launcher again, only that this time she didn't fire a grenade. As predicted, the Chaos Prince again vanished in smoke, but this time he reappeared directly in front of her. Reflexes honed by years of training, Jill struck out and heard a satisfying crunch as her fist found his stomach. Dadallent winced slightly; in a moment, Jill had knocked him into the air and followed with an aerial rave attack, pulling ever closer to Dadallent after each strike. Then, hyper canceling her final strike, Jill felt her entire body burst into living flame. "You're finished!"
She flew forward as though propelled by rockets, her entire body engulfed in vivid crimson fire and colliding headlong into Dadallent. The Chaos Prince grunted and gasped for an instant as the fire seared through his clothing and into his flesh. The attack only lasted for a few moments and Jill landed lightly on the ground; Dadallent, for his part, also landed safely, but now he was breathing heavily and clutching his left side with his right hand, bent over with what Jill hoped was pain. So he wasn't invincible. She went for another Elbow Tackle and made her last mistake. Dadallent blocked the attack, causing Jill to skid to a halt practically in front of him. A moment later, he seized her shoulder and waist and jumped, bringing both of them off the ground in a spinning ascent. At the height of his jump he turned around and pulled Jill upside-down so that they both went rushing back to the ground headfirst. Jill tried desperately to escape, but Dadallent's grip was completely locking her arms and the incredible spinning kept her disoriented. She wasn't even aware of the ground until right before impact and then it was too late. Dadallent landed her on her neck, rolling away at the last moment and leaving Jill to take all the damage from both of their landings. Jill slumped on the ground, all the fight knocked out of her.
Mason walked back into the battlefield as medical teams carried Jill off. He was hurt, but at one glance he could tell that so was Dadallent. The Chaos Prince might be able to resist physical attacks; still, enough hits and even he started feeling them. Mason studied his dangerous opponent before suddenly rushing forward. Dadallent met the attack head-on; Mason dodged at the last moment, throwing out a fierce spinning back kick. Dadallent ran past him and seized his arm above the elbow while doing so, pulling Mason out of the attack and off balance. He suddenly vanished into nothingness again and the end began.
Dadallent reappeared in front of Mason and drove in a merciless punch at Mason's chest. It was a blow that would have felled an oak tree and it nearly destroyed Mason's rib cage. He vanished the moment that the attack landed, reappearing from behind and kicking Mason's knees. Again the teleport, again another attack, this time a diving punch from above. They came so fast that Mason had no chance to defend, each strike leading into the other. After a brief but vicious barrage, Dadallent reappeared in front of Mason again and knocked him into the air with a tightly controlled uppercut. The assault continued in the air, Dadallent finally ending the attack with his Soul Crush, driving Mason back to the ground exactly as he had done to Jill. Mason hit the pavement hard; his last conscious thought was At least I won't have ... to spend another month ... in the hospital ...
"And Dadallent has taken the victory!" Jin screamed.
Osaka, Japan
One day has passed
"I don't believe in meddling with the affairs of others," Guy began. "I think that people should be free to act and live as they wish. I know that I am quite secretive myself, so I can respect that in another person. That is why I have rarely, if ever, questioned your actions aloud. However, there is just one thing I would like to know. Cody, what the hell did you do this time?"
Cody sighed long and loud. "Look, Guy ... I know you're disappointed -"
"You bet," Guy snarled.
"But I think you just have to accept that this is who I am," Cody continued, holding up his wrists to show Guy that they were handcuffed. The two friends sat alone in a soundproof detention center facing each other across a small table. Cody was clothed in the standard prison garb, complete with stripes and a number. "I picked a fight with this one guy and next thing you know I was jumped by a dozen different men. And that's how I ended up here. The captain says he expects my trial to be short, sweet, and to the point, especially since they want to deport me to America. I'm looking at five years minimum here, Guy. Can't you do some of those ninja tricks and get me out?"
"No," Guy answered. "You said you picked the fight. End of discussion. I'm afraid you'll have to serve your time, Cody. I'm not about to spirit you out of here; I wouldn't do it for myself if I were in your shoes, buddy."
"What kind of a friend are you?" Cody half-shouted as Guy rose.
Guy looked back. "I wouldn't be a friend if I got you out of your own mess. I'm afraid you'll have to live with the consequences of what you did. You know my hotel number and Maki's, too. Give me a call if you need anything; if we leave, we'll let you know. Goodbye, Cody." Guy closed the door softly behind himself and sighed. You'd think that Cody would've learned his lesson the first time, he thought to himself. The police captain was standing outside, arms crossed and unsmiling. Guy nodded to him and was about to walk past, but then thought of something else. "Do you have a spare telephone I could use?"
"The receptionist will let you use the phone."
Guy did as he was told and the friendly receptionist handed him a telephone. As he pressed the first number, someone else softly opened the doors to the office. Guy frowned. "Regina? What are you doing here?" he asked.
"I heard about Cody," she said softly. "I came to visit him. See? I brought this with me." She held up a medium-sized box tied with a thin red ribbon, no doubt chocolates for the unlucky inmate. Guy nodded and said thank you; Regina replied courteously and went down the hall towards the detention center without asking for directions. She was dressed finely and Guy finished dialing the number on the telephone; accounting for time zone differences, it should be early morning on the other side of the globe. Maki had heard about the incident earlier and declined to visit Cody.
"Hello?" a feminine voice on the other side asked.
"Hi, Jessica, this is Guy, is your father -"
"Oh, Guy!" The voice on the other side was animated, excited, and more than a little disturbed. Guy's mind instantly formed a mental image of a frantic Jessica. Normally he would've been amused by this, but there was bad news to break. "I'm so glad you called!" Jessica continued. "Dad's been missing for days! He said that he'd take me out to dinner and that was three days ago! I haven't heard a word from him since! I think - I think - he might've been kidnapped!"
"What?" Guy half-shouted, not quite believing what he was hearing. "Okay, slow down, Jessica. What exactly happened to Haggar?"
"I don't know!" Jessica cried frantically. "He just disappeared! Dad was witnessing for a trial here and he was supposed to take me out to dinner that night. The trial closed three days ago; it was a not guilty verdict. Dad phoned in from the courtroom at two in the afternoon to say that he'd take me out to dinner at six o' clock and to be ready half an hour before. That was the last I heard of him. He still hasn't shown up! I notified the police, b-but ... they haven't found anything. It's like he vanished off the face of the earth! Guy, I don't know what to do!" On the other side of the line, Jessica Haggar burst into tears.
"I'm catching the next flight that goes to Metro City," Guy said instantly. "Listen. Just to be safe, make sure that you have a police escort at all times until I get there. I'll phone in again when I know when I'll arrive. Maki might be coming with me, but she might not. Oh, and Jessica. Cody's in the slammer again. He won't be coming back any time soon."
"Oh no!" Jessica gasped.
"I gotta go now and make arrangements. If you need me, you can call Maki's room number and she'll contact me. You still have it?"
"Yes."
"Good." Guy hit the hangup button and then dialed again. Whoever it was on the opposite line picked up the phone on the first ring and greeted him cheerfully, informing him that he had just reached the Cherry Court hotel in Osaka, and how could she help him? "Patch me through to room 754, for Dr. Ernest McGrath. And if he asks, tell him that it's an emergency." There was a few seconds pause and then the call went through. "Dr. McGrath? This is Guy, there's been an emergency -"
"This is Samantha," came the reply. Was it Guy's imagination, or did she sound tense? "My husband is not present at the moment. Shall I take a message for him?"
"Might as well. Listen, there's been an emergency back at Metro City. Ex-mayor Mike Haggar has gone missing and no one has seen him for the past three days. I'm catching the first available flight back to Metro City. I don't want to burden him with this, but I figure McGrath knows better than anyone how to deal with the situation. Let him know, alright?"
"I shall do so." There was a brief pause, and then Samantha continued. "Haggar has not been seen for three days and counting?"
"So I'm told. His daughter said that the police department there saw no trace of the man."
"How urgent is this situation?"
"Very, I'd say, if for nothing else than the fact that Jessica is nearly hysteric. And Cody's been thrown in jail again, so he's not going back with me. Neither is Maki. I'm gonna go back alone and try to calm Jessica down. Hopefully, by the time I've returned Haggar will also have. If not ..." Guy made a slicing motion across his throat before realizing that Samantha could not see it. The receptionist squeaked in fright and Guy ignored her.
"Listen, Guy," Samantha said, "I will arrange for a transport helicopter to take you to Tokyo. From there, a fighter jet will bring you to Metro City. You may find yourself somewhat jet-lagged, but it will reduce a thirteen hour flight to a mere four or five. Would that be convenient for you?"
"Yes, yes indeed! Can you do that?"
"Easily."
"Thank you. Well, until we meet again, goodbye."
"Farewell."
Guy exhaled deeply and set the phone down. He'd have to break the news to Cody, of course, and then get back to the hotel and talk to Maki in person. What a mess. Just then Regina reappeared from the back and Guy called to her. "Regina! Look, there's been an emergency. I have to go talk to Cody and then I'm out of the country. Would you let everyone else know where I've gone?"
She tilted her head and looked at him intently for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, I'll do that. And Guy ... good luck finding the mayor." As Guy vanished into the back of the police station, Regina sighed in sympathy. "Poor man, to have so many troubles suddenly weighing on his heart. Isn't there anything I can do for him?"
Two hours went by quickly as Samantha informed McGrath and Regina informed Maki. From there, gossip ensured that the news would spread like wildfire. It was currently nighttime, right after another delicious dinner prepared by Regina, and McGrath was not pleased. At all. He was seated at the table in his room poring over the trove of information that the IDC had so far gathered. All of which pointed to exactly one conclusion: nothing. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. During practice two hours earlier he'd been distracted to the point where Ryu had very nearly nailed him with an explosive Denjin Hadouken. And now the news that Haggar had vanished into thin air, too ... "This tournament is falling apart," McGrath muttered.
Beside him, Samantha picked out a photograph of the jewelry shop. "You look so tired, dear. This matter weighs heavily on your mind, does it not?"
"Of course," McGrath sighed. "I've finally been able to pick out a pattern to these disappearances, but I don't know what the pattern tells us." When Samantha pulled a blank look, McGrath explained. "Okay, let's refer back to the time line that I drew up here. The Darkstalkers went missing first, a day after losing a match to the Neo Commandos. We still haven't found anything and the political upheaval going on in Makai right now is nothing short of disastrous. Four days later, Ibuki and Karin Kanzuki also disappear, supposedly in the jewelry shop, and this event really gets the investigation going. I've been pressing Lloyd for a week now and I'm sure he's told me everything that he remembers, down to the individual prices on each piece of jewelry. Next, Rose has to go back to Genoa and that's the last anyone hears of her, though we don't actually realize that she's missing for quite some time. Five days after Karin and Ibuki vanish, Yun and Yang are called back to the village and Yin goes after them.
"When I was down in the village, I spoke with the townsmen there. They all agree that Yun and Yang did not appear there - in fact, they were quite surprised to be told that the village elders had called the twins back. So Blake ran a check on the airport logs. Turns out that Yun and Yang boarded the flight out of Tokyo but never picked up their luggage, which the airline sent to Yin. Yin arrived safely, but only for a day and then she too vanished.
"Go Hibiki vanished about ten days after Yun and Yang left for China; we all know what happened to him, he was killed by Dadallent. Juni went away four days ago and I just asked Cammy to call her; apparently she's still fine. Cammy and Juni have set up a schedule where Juni will call Cammy every day at noon to confirm that she is still present. This brings us to the present. Three days ago, ex-mayor Mike Haggar also disappeared while back in Metro City. Now, there's a definite pattern to all of this and I ought to shoot myself for not seeing it earlier." McGrath picked up a photograph and gazed at it. "Do you understand, Samantha? Each team that loses the tournament is slowly picked off. It began with the Darkstalkers. Karin and Ibuki went missing because they were special guests asked to come here as honorary attendees. Whoever is kidnapping our people is making sure that he or she doesn't sabotage the tournament itself. However ... I hate to say this, but ... I give Juni a week at most before those calls suddenly stop coming."
"Have you deduced the agent behind these disappearances?" Samantha asked.
"Unfortunately," McGrath answered, "that is one of the many pieces of the puzzle we're missing. Initially, I'd suspect Dadallent - he does have a habit of seeking out enemies to kill in deathmatches, after all, and history shows that he's not picky about victims - but these disappearances are not his style. When Dadallent kills an opponent, he lets everyone else know." McGrath didn't need to elaborate further, as Samantha was very well acquainted with the Chaos Prince's patterns. It was always a body, with the Chinese letter for evil carved into its chest from blood and cruelly torn flesh. That was Dadallent's signature. "They found Go Hibiki's body a week ago, with the same imprint that Dadallent uses everywhere. So that's that. Nobody in law enforcement has seen so much as a glance at Dadallent before yesterday's match. I'm sure it's not Dadallent. It's not Shadowlaw, either; Shadowlaw prefers assassinations rather than kidnappings and it has never done so many kidnappings in such a short time anyway. Nor is it the Illuminati; Regina asked Gill and he said that it wasn't, and we know that Gill wouldn't dare lie to Regina. And of course, it's not the IDC for obvious reasons."
"Then who could it be?" Samantha inquired, with a slight premonition that she might already know.
McGrath shook his head. "I'd rather not say it now. I think I know, but ... it's just something based off a rather incomplete analysis of the information here. I need at least three more days to build my case." He sighed heavily. "It'll be safer for you if you genuinely don't know who I'm suspecting right now. That way no one can take the information from you. And really, I'm grasping at straws here. I hope with all my heart that I'm flat out wrong, because if I'm not, we could all disappear before this tournament has ended."