Chapter Three

The Godfather Waltz

The shiny ebony limo pulled up to a stop in front of a ritzy highrise building. Shin got out and then opened the back door to allow Rei to exit. As she stepped out, her eyes widen in surprise. She knew that the elders of her Order were powerful in more than just being masters of the art, but she had never seen the opulance that their wealth and power bought. Her obsidian gaze moved up the building proper, and it was when Shin touched her on the shoulder, that she came back down from her mental climb. She looked up at Shin and nodded. "Nice accomadations," was all she was able to stammer out. As she glanced more around, she started feeling out of place. Wealth could be seen everywhere and here she was looking like some homeless waife. "Are Adam and David not coming?" she asked of Shin.

"They have other assignments to attend to." Shin took her gently by the elbow and escourted away from the motor vehicle and into the building. As she stepped onto the rich carpet that covered the entryway floor, she had to stop and actually kneel down and touch it. "Please Miss Tsung," Shin said hurriedly. "Vicious doesn't like to be kept waiting."

Rei stood up and looked at Shin with an arched brow. "Vicious? Is that the name or the personality?" She was truly curious now, and just wondered what kind of person wanted her to purchase her contract. Those didn't come cheap.

Shin just ushered to the elevator. Once inside, he pushed a couple of buttons and then inserted a key and turned it on. "Both," and then Shin fell quiet. He had no idea why Vicious wanted this assassin, but he wouldn't dare ask. He might not have liked the answer.

They rode up in silence, and Rei was a bit unnerved, which wasn't normal for her, when Shin had replied with 'both'. She knew she could take care of herself, but this did cause one to stop and take pause. "Vicious," she mumbled under her breath. She turned to ask another question, but the elevator came to a stop and the door slid open.

Shin urged her out of the elevator and to a seat in front of a cherrywood desk. "Wait here and I will inform Vicious that you have arrived." Shin gave a small bow and then moved to a side door and knocked. The door buzzed open and Shin disappeared inside.

Rei, took that time to take in her surroundings. Though richly appointed, the interior of what she assumed was a waiting area was all business. She saw not an inkling of what could be the person who resided her. Even her small room in the temple, had a few things that made it her room. She began to walk the room, taking in everything she saw. She was impressed and seemed fascinated by the collection of books that were along one wall. When she turned to move to another wall, she stopped dead in her tracks. Pearched on a maghony railing was a large bird. She was trying to place the species of the bird. It had features of a few birds she had seen pictures of.

Shaking her head, knowing that it would come to her in time, she began to walk and study all the interesting objects in the room. They all so fascinated her and it scared her. There was a part of her that wanted to run back to the safety of the temple. She mentally scolded herself for even thinking that. "Grandfather," she mumbled under her breath. "I miss you." She heard that door that Shin disappeared through open and turned to face, who she thought would be Shin, but instead she faced a tall man with hair the color of the moon, and in his bearing she could see that this man was indeed a power to be reckoned with. "Lord Vicious, I presume." she said suddenly with a bow of respect. He was her Master now.

Vicious just nodded. Shoving his hands into his pants pockets, he approached her and walked around her as if inspecting a piece of chattle or something. He stopped for a moment when he saw her profile. It was so very familar..no..could it be. "You will do," he said matter-of-factly. "Follow me." Without waiting for a reply he started off to another door at the far end of the room. Rei easily followed, and then he stopped. "Shin," he said turning to the younger man, a young man who held his fear well, Viscious noted. "Get her appropriate clothing." He then continued on his way with Rei in tow.

Vicious opened the door and stepped inside. "Shut the door," he clipped out. Rei followed and when he heard the door click shut, he then turned around to face her. Rei noticed that this room was smaller, but it seemed to have a bit of character to it. Perhaps, she could evenutally learn all she needed about this man. He moved to sit in an overstuffed chair. "Your name," he hissed out.

Rei didn't flinch and didn't show any fear. She had guessed from the moment she first laid eyes on him, that Lord Vicious didn't look favorably upon any sign of weakness. "Tsung Wan Rei, Lord Vicious." Her tone was full of respect, not faked either. She sensed he could tell when someone was covering a falsehood. She kept her eyes resting on the man sitting in front of her. They were both sizing each other up.

Vicious remained silent for the moment. The spark of illumination within the room kept most of his body hidden in the shadows, but allowed him to observe Rei fully. "What do you know of why you were brought here?"

Rei cocked her head a bit. "You bought my contract. I owe you the same loyalty that I owe my Order. I am answerable to you." She was about to add 'and you alone,' but she was also answerable to the Order of the Black Lotus. "That is all I have been told."

"And what about the Order you belong to?" He rose with that and approached her, forcing her to look up at him.

"I answer only to them if our Mandate of Secrecy is broken." She was calm and collected and never showed any sign of fear or weakness to him as their gazes lock, as if in a bizzare dance of trying to outwit the other. Rei ended up looking away first. His cold, intensive, merciless gaze was unnerving to say the least.

Satisfied with her answer, he finally stepped away from her and walked over to look out the window. "Only Shin and myself know that you have 'special' talents. And it will remain that way." He kept his back to her, as the sky clouded and the rain started to pelt against the glass. "To everyone else I have brought you here to be my concubine, consort, plaything, use whatever term you please. " A cold smile touched his lips as he heard a small gasp that she couldn't seem to have hidden. "When we are seen together, that is what you are." No words were said about what her real purpose was. She was to become his personal assassin. "This will be your room. You will not step out without either myself or Shin with you." He finally turned to face her and then sat back down in the chair. "Tell me about yourself."

It was a lot for Rei to take in at the moment. Though the room was larger than her cell back at the temple, it seemed that her ability to move about freely was being curtailed. There was something going on that wasn't being spoken. "My mother died when I was five. My father brought me to the Order and I have been training for the past 22 years. I am familiar with the art of my Order, and also Snake Style Kung Fu and Chi Hsuan Men, the White Jade Fan. My only relative left is my grandfather."

Vicious noticed the small backpack still slung over her shoulder. "Show me what is in the bag." There was no asking or simple chit chat it was a command.

Rei slung the backpack from her shoulder and sat it down on the floor. She knelt and opened the bag. First she pulled out a couple of simple tunics, showing they had been well worn. Then she pulled out a comb and various other items needed for grooming and then a small, very old and faded stuffed porcupine, and then, a small framed picture of her grandfather. She then turned the bag upside down and shook it showing it was empty.

His brow arched a little at the stuffed animal. "Is that all?"

"Yes, Lord Vicious," she replied as she resumed to her feet.

"That is another thing. Do not call me Lord. Vicious will do." He was starting to rise from his chair when there came a knock at the door. "What is it?" he called out.

Shin opened the door. "I have what you requested." He looked at Vicious and then at Rei and back to Vicious.

"Put it on the bed, Shin and then make reservations for me at the Golden Pagoda" Vicious then dismissed the man. Once the man left, Viscious walked over to Rei. "Be ready for dinner in one hour." Then he to left the room, leaving Rei alone.

Rei bent down and picked her meager belongings off of the floor. She put her tunics away in the dresser and set other items on top of the dresser. She wiped a tear as she placed her grandfather's picture on the table beside her bed. She then moved over to look at the items that Shin had brought in. She spread them out on the bed and then gave a quizzical look when she saw they expected her to wear high heels. How was she to be able to walk in those things? Okay, what was the first rule of adversity? There was none.

Rei pulled the tunic off of her body, folding it and putting it carefully away. She then stepped into the adjoining bathroom and started running a shower. As she allowed the water to bead across her skin, she sighed a bit and actually relaxed. She had never been one to waste time, it wasn't nothing for her to be clean. She then walked backed to the bedroom and sat down on the corner of the bed combing her hair out. She then turned her attention back to the clothing.

The underthings were easy to put on, but the bra seemed to push her breasts up and she felt as if she was falling out of it. She kept tucking her flesh back into the cup, but it seemed it wanted her breasts to seem larger than they were. She would tell Shin to get her a larger one as she felt top heavy. The panties were not as bad, but that tiny strip of material up the back felt weird. She kept pulling at it to keep it from riding where it shouldn't, but alas it would cooperate either. Okay, now she felt like she was being served up for a main course. Taking a deep breath, she looked at the dress that was there.

It was made out of ebony silk and embroidered with red and gold dragons. Okay, she turned it this way and that and figured the zipper went up the back. That was fine. She pulled the dress on and it felt like she was pulling more skin over her body. Once she had it on, she noticed that it was very form-fitting and wondered how one could even fight in something like this. She played around with zipper, and it took a bit of controtion to get it zipped up. Rei felt as if her very breath had been squeezed out of her. "How do women wear this stuff," she grunted as it was finally zipped all the way up. It was a floor length gown, but what really spooked her was the long slit up the side that revealed a lot of leg. Much more than what she was use to.

She sat on the corner of the bed, and peered down at the shoes. "Great," she muttered. "Now he wants me to break my leg, on top of not being able to breath." She glanced to the clock on the table, she had ten minutes left. She slipped one foot into a shoe and then the other. She then stood up and it felt as if she was walking on her toes. She took a couple of breaths, which surprised her that she could in that dress. Then she took one step, and then another, and fell flat on her face. Slapping her hands on the carpet, she gingerly got back up and tried it again. By the time there came a knock at the door, she could walk pretty normally, but she knew she couldn't run or fight in them.

The door opened and Shin stepped in. "Vicious is..." and he stopped in mid-sentence. He couldn't believe that only an hour ago she looked like some refugee. "...waiting."

She nodded and moved towards Shin, though she was still a bit unsteady on the heels. She quickly did a couple of twirls with her hair and had a very attractive bun with cascading strands of hair trailing from the center of the bun. She gave Shin a wan smile and relying on her martial art training to stay upright on the heels.

When she made her way out into the large waiting room, she saw Vicious was waiting with a couple of other Syndicate member with him. He watched her, and though he didn't allow it to show, was taking back by how different she was. Though she wore no make-up, he realized that if she did, she would end up looking like a hooker. He offered her arm, and though she was a bit unsure, rested her hand on his arm, and then they all entered the elevator. Though she did use him as a means to supprot herself, but only he could sense what she was doing.