Chapter7
The ringing of the telephone woke Lara at 8. Her head was spinning. She took the receiver and mumbled a tired 'Hello'.
"Good morning Lara" said Downey in a cheerful voice. "Did you sleep well?"
Lara looked at the watch.
"Not really, I got home 4 hours ago."
"4 hours ago? I thought the last fight was at 9?"
"We went to a bar afterwards." she said.
"Who is 'we'?" Downey sounded worried.
"I made a huge step forwards, getting close to Kazuya and Lee. As a result I am having a little hangover I guess."
"Oh no, Lara. You promised me to be careful."
"I was. Don't worry about me, I can handle. But I guess I need a little more sleep. Can I call you back after lunch?"
"Sure. You rest; I can listen to what you have to say later."
Lara hung up and went back to bed.
****
She woke again three hours later. She'd just had a dream about Kazuya. He had stood there, holding a gun in his hand, which was pointed at her. His eyes were glowing dangerously red. He was angry that she had used him to get close to his father. At first this was quite unsettling for Lara, but the dream was slowly fading from her mind.
Lara went into the bathroom and had a long shower. She combed her hair and tied it back, then she got dressed and went down to have lunch. When she got past the reception the guy there gave her a letter. It was from Kazuya. "Dinner, tonight. I will pick you up at 7." After lunch she returned to her room and called Downey. He seemed relieved to hear Lara's voice again.
"Lara, I am worried about you. You are getting too close to Kazuya Mishima. If he finds out..."
"Don't you worry about me. He thinks I am a bored rich girl. I am the perfect match for him, don't you think?" she said grinning.
"I know you love danger. But I am not sure if you understand how dangerous it really is."
"It's my only chance at the moment." Lara told him. "Maybe, if they trust me I will get a chance to see the Mishima Grounds from the inside. Sooner or later I have to get in there. The more I know the better."
"So what are your plans for today?"
"Kazuya invited me for dinner tonight. Till then there is not much to do. I would ask you to get me another ticket for the next fights but I guess I have another source now. This way no one will get suspicious."
"Lara, Lara, I would sleep better if you were going out with Lee Chaolan."
"Well, I guess I wouldn't sleep at all if I were going out with him. Believe me it's for the best that I picked Kazuya. He wouldn't trust one of Chaolan's girlfriends. But now even Lee treats me with respect, and he doesn't respect many people."
"Shall we meet for lunch tomorrow, Lara?"
"I am not sure if I can plan that far in advance. I have to see what happens tonight."
"Ok, but call me. I am really worried."
"You shouldn't be. I'm always prepared for anything."
****
They both hung up the phone. Lara spent the rest of the day in the hotel. First she went to the boutique to pick a new evening dress. When she came to Tokyo she didn't think she would need one. She tried on a few of them. First she tried a black one, it looked really boring. Then she tried a dark blue one. She really liked it but the price was really high, even though she could afford it she didn't want to spend that much money on a dress. So she continued to try on other dresses including a dark red one. But she had funny thoughts in her mind, like 'it wouldn't go with his car'. In another blue one she looked really overdressed, so finally she picked the expensive one anyway. After that Lara went down to the hotel pool and stayed there till 5 o'clock. Then she went back into her hotel room and had a shower. Her hair was in need of treatment after spending too much time in the pool.
The ringing of the telephone woke Lara at 8. Her head was spinning. She took the receiver and mumbled a tired 'Hello'.
"Good morning Lara" said Downey in a cheerful voice. "Did you sleep well?"
Lara looked at the watch.
"Not really, I got home 4 hours ago."
"4 hours ago? I thought the last fight was at 9?"
"We went to a bar afterwards." she said.
"Who is 'we'?" Downey sounded worried.
"I made a huge step forwards, getting close to Kazuya and Lee. As a result I am having a little hangover I guess."
"Oh no, Lara. You promised me to be careful."
"I was. Don't worry about me, I can handle. But I guess I need a little more sleep. Can I call you back after lunch?"
"Sure. You rest; I can listen to what you have to say later."
Lara hung up and went back to bed.
****
She woke again three hours later. She'd just had a dream about Kazuya. He had stood there, holding a gun in his hand, which was pointed at her. His eyes were glowing dangerously red. He was angry that she had used him to get close to his father. At first this was quite unsettling for Lara, but the dream was slowly fading from her mind.
Lara went into the bathroom and had a long shower. She combed her hair and tied it back, then she got dressed and went down to have lunch. When she got past the reception the guy there gave her a letter. It was from Kazuya. "Dinner, tonight. I will pick you up at 7." After lunch she returned to her room and called Downey. He seemed relieved to hear Lara's voice again.
"Lara, I am worried about you. You are getting too close to Kazuya Mishima. If he finds out..."
"Don't you worry about me. He thinks I am a bored rich girl. I am the perfect match for him, don't you think?" she said grinning.
"I know you love danger. But I am not sure if you understand how dangerous it really is."
"It's my only chance at the moment." Lara told him. "Maybe, if they trust me I will get a chance to see the Mishima Grounds from the inside. Sooner or later I have to get in there. The more I know the better."
"So what are your plans for today?"
"Kazuya invited me for dinner tonight. Till then there is not much to do. I would ask you to get me another ticket for the next fights but I guess I have another source now. This way no one will get suspicious."
"Lara, Lara, I would sleep better if you were going out with Lee Chaolan."
"Well, I guess I wouldn't sleep at all if I were going out with him. Believe me it's for the best that I picked Kazuya. He wouldn't trust one of Chaolan's girlfriends. But now even Lee treats me with respect, and he doesn't respect many people."
"Shall we meet for lunch tomorrow, Lara?"
"I am not sure if I can plan that far in advance. I have to see what happens tonight."
"Ok, but call me. I am really worried."
"You shouldn't be. I'm always prepared for anything."
****
They both hung up the phone. Lara spent the rest of the day in the hotel. First she went to the boutique to pick a new evening dress. When she came to Tokyo she didn't think she would need one. She tried on a few of them. First she tried a black one, it looked really boring. Then she tried a dark blue one. She really liked it but the price was really high, even though she could afford it she didn't want to spend that much money on a dress. So she continued to try on other dresses including a dark red one. But she had funny thoughts in her mind, like 'it wouldn't go with his car'. In another blue one she looked really overdressed, so finally she picked the expensive one anyway. After that Lara went down to the hotel pool and stayed there till 5 o'clock. Then she went back into her hotel room and had a shower. Her hair was in need of treatment after spending too much time in the pool.
