Chapter16
Lara walked out and found the two men at a table in the cafe. Lee was talking about how he got his car back. All the while Kazuya's thoughts seemed to be miles away. Lara got the feeling that he wasn't himself today. Maybe this was all her fault?! He might lose his match because of her, he wasn't concentrating at all.
"Are you listening?" Lee finally said.
"Yes, yes. And then you notice that the tires were missing..." Kazuya replied.
Lara sat down. Lee looked at her and shrugged. Then he continued telling his story.
"How did Paul steal your car without breaking a window or short-circuiting it?" Lara asked.
"Oh, I was really stupid. Nina must have nicked one of my keys."
"Never trust a woman, I say." Kazuya interrupted.
Lara looked at him raising her eyebrows. Secretly she asked herself 'Why don't you follow your own advice?'
"You are right, next time I will be more careful."
They all stayed quiet for a while, then Lee spoke again.
"Lara, see that girl over there? With the red hair?" That's Nina's sister Anna. The two can't stand each other. They are worse that Kazuya and Heihachi."
Kazuya glared at Lee. Then he stood up.
"I have to prepare for my fight. And Lee, stop spreading rumours. See you later, Lara."
****
Lara looked after him when he left the cafe. She was now alone with Lee. But at least he had learned something during the last few days. He wasn't as annoying as he had been on Wednesday any more. Lara continued looking around in the Cafe and saw the girl called Anna leaving as well.
"So I heard you are an Archaeologist." Lee said getting Lara's attention back.
"Yes."
The thought that Lee also knew made Lara a bit nervous. She hoped that Heihachi didn't know. He would suspect something right away.
"That must be really interesting. Have you found a lot of rare artefacts?"
"Some. Especially in Egypt." she replied.
"My father collects artefacts. Whatever is for sale, he will buy it."
"So he likes artefacts."
"He likes to show off. Kazuya is the same. He would spend a fortune for a suit as long as it's somewhere between blue and purple."
Lara had to grin. Lee was right. She had seen Kazuya in many different suits, they had all been dark bluish and expensive.
"Dad has got a new artefact." Lee was now whispering. "A red gem."
Lara was listening intently, would Lee tell her something she shouldn't know? Was he that naive?
"Kazuya has seen it in his study. I am really curious about it. At first I told myself I shouldn't be, but I am. Heihachi likes to keep things secret."
Lee stayed quiet for a moment, then he got up.
"We have another 25 minutes before the fight starts. I need to go to the bathroom. Let's meet in the arena.
"Ok, see you there." Lara replied.
****
Lara still couldn't believe that Lee had been so careless and told her that Heihachi was hiding a mysterious artefact in his house. Kazuya would never have told her. She got up and went outside as well. She took her phone out of her bag and called Downey.
"Glad to hear from you Lara" he said. "How is everything?"
"Very well, I guess. I will attempt to get into the Mishima Mansion on Monday. Lee has just given me the hint that I might find the stone there."
"So you have taken my advice and stayed away from Kazuya?" he asked.
"Ehm, no." Lara said.
"No?"
"Don't ask questions, you don't want to have answered!"
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Oh nothing, don't worry about me, I have things under control."
"So do you have a plan for Monday?" he asked.
"Kind of, I have told Bryce to come and help me. But I have to go now; the next fight will begin soon."
****
Lara said goodbye, hung up and walked into the arena again. She took her seat next to Lee, who was already there. The ring was still empty, but moments later the announcer entered. He introduced the fighters. Law came in first. He had a determined look on his face. As soon as he had entered the ring he started jumping from side to side in his fighting pose.
"I would like to punch him for doing that. It makes me nervous." Lee commented.
Just a moment later Kazuya entered wearing white trousers with a yellow/red flame on one leg. Lara was relieved to see that he was very concentrated now that he was in the ring, unlike he had been before. Still she was a bit worried.
****
The fight began. Law proved to be a very skilful fighter. Unlike Paul who used mainly brute force he did some very nice combos. He was also much faster than Paul. But Lara's concerns were fading away, when she saw that Kazuya could easily keep up with Law's speed and he was much stronger as well. Law's single punches and kicks weren't very effective against a stronger opponent. So he used to do a couple of them in a row. But each time he wanted to start the second wave Kazuya had enough time to react and hit him hard. The fight went on for 30 minutes and in the end Law had to give up. Lara now knew why Kazuya was such a feared opponent, he was perfectly balanced. His kicks and punches were powerful and he was quicker than most of the others. But he was also very good in evading attacks.
Lara walked out and found the two men at a table in the cafe. Lee was talking about how he got his car back. All the while Kazuya's thoughts seemed to be miles away. Lara got the feeling that he wasn't himself today. Maybe this was all her fault?! He might lose his match because of her, he wasn't concentrating at all.
"Are you listening?" Lee finally said.
"Yes, yes. And then you notice that the tires were missing..." Kazuya replied.
Lara sat down. Lee looked at her and shrugged. Then he continued telling his story.
"How did Paul steal your car without breaking a window or short-circuiting it?" Lara asked.
"Oh, I was really stupid. Nina must have nicked one of my keys."
"Never trust a woman, I say." Kazuya interrupted.
Lara looked at him raising her eyebrows. Secretly she asked herself 'Why don't you follow your own advice?'
"You are right, next time I will be more careful."
They all stayed quiet for a while, then Lee spoke again.
"Lara, see that girl over there? With the red hair?" That's Nina's sister Anna. The two can't stand each other. They are worse that Kazuya and Heihachi."
Kazuya glared at Lee. Then he stood up.
"I have to prepare for my fight. And Lee, stop spreading rumours. See you later, Lara."
****
Lara looked after him when he left the cafe. She was now alone with Lee. But at least he had learned something during the last few days. He wasn't as annoying as he had been on Wednesday any more. Lara continued looking around in the Cafe and saw the girl called Anna leaving as well.
"So I heard you are an Archaeologist." Lee said getting Lara's attention back.
"Yes."
The thought that Lee also knew made Lara a bit nervous. She hoped that Heihachi didn't know. He would suspect something right away.
"That must be really interesting. Have you found a lot of rare artefacts?"
"Some. Especially in Egypt." she replied.
"My father collects artefacts. Whatever is for sale, he will buy it."
"So he likes artefacts."
"He likes to show off. Kazuya is the same. He would spend a fortune for a suit as long as it's somewhere between blue and purple."
Lara had to grin. Lee was right. She had seen Kazuya in many different suits, they had all been dark bluish and expensive.
"Dad has got a new artefact." Lee was now whispering. "A red gem."
Lara was listening intently, would Lee tell her something she shouldn't know? Was he that naive?
"Kazuya has seen it in his study. I am really curious about it. At first I told myself I shouldn't be, but I am. Heihachi likes to keep things secret."
Lee stayed quiet for a moment, then he got up.
"We have another 25 minutes before the fight starts. I need to go to the bathroom. Let's meet in the arena.
"Ok, see you there." Lara replied.
****
Lara still couldn't believe that Lee had been so careless and told her that Heihachi was hiding a mysterious artefact in his house. Kazuya would never have told her. She got up and went outside as well. She took her phone out of her bag and called Downey.
"Glad to hear from you Lara" he said. "How is everything?"
"Very well, I guess. I will attempt to get into the Mishima Mansion on Monday. Lee has just given me the hint that I might find the stone there."
"So you have taken my advice and stayed away from Kazuya?" he asked.
"Ehm, no." Lara said.
"No?"
"Don't ask questions, you don't want to have answered!"
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Oh nothing, don't worry about me, I have things under control."
"So do you have a plan for Monday?" he asked.
"Kind of, I have told Bryce to come and help me. But I have to go now; the next fight will begin soon."
****
Lara said goodbye, hung up and walked into the arena again. She took her seat next to Lee, who was already there. The ring was still empty, but moments later the announcer entered. He introduced the fighters. Law came in first. He had a determined look on his face. As soon as he had entered the ring he started jumping from side to side in his fighting pose.
"I would like to punch him for doing that. It makes me nervous." Lee commented.
Just a moment later Kazuya entered wearing white trousers with a yellow/red flame on one leg. Lara was relieved to see that he was very concentrated now that he was in the ring, unlike he had been before. Still she was a bit worried.
****
The fight began. Law proved to be a very skilful fighter. Unlike Paul who used mainly brute force he did some very nice combos. He was also much faster than Paul. But Lara's concerns were fading away, when she saw that Kazuya could easily keep up with Law's speed and he was much stronger as well. Law's single punches and kicks weren't very effective against a stronger opponent. So he used to do a couple of them in a row. But each time he wanted to start the second wave Kazuya had enough time to react and hit him hard. The fight went on for 30 minutes and in the end Law had to give up. Lara now knew why Kazuya was such a feared opponent, he was perfectly balanced. His kicks and punches were powerful and he was quicker than most of the others. But he was also very good in evading attacks.
