Chapter 51
"Now that was a surprising end." Lei said sarcastically.
"I hope Chaolan is alright." Lara said watching how Lee was helped up to his feet in the ring.
"He will have a major headache tomorrow. I remember a fight where Kazuya used that against me. I had a concussion. Unlike Lee I did not get up."
Lara got up from her seat. "It was nice meeting you again, Mr. Lei."
"Goodbye, Miss Croft." he replied.
Lara grabbed her bag and made her way out into the hall.
The only thing she could do now was wait for Kazuya. She looked around to see if any camera teams were lurking in the area, but she couldn't spot any. Suddenly someone addressed her from behind.
"Miss Croft, I expected to see you here."
She spun around to see Heihachi standing behind her. He was not alone. On his right stood a man Lara had not seen before and on his left stood Miyoko, the man with the short black hair and moustache. He had this mean grin on his face, just like his boss. Lara tensed. That was just what she needed, being confronted with Heihachi and two of his men. She wouldn't stand a chance. How careless of her, not to watch out for Heihachi, instead of television teams. Suddenly she felt a strong arm grabbing around her waist from behind. She was alarmed and about to ram her elbow into whoever it was, but before she could react she had been pulled out of the way. And the man now stood between her and the other three men. It was Kazuya. Lara tried to get past him again but he raised his arm blocking her path.
"Stay back." he said in a strict voice.
"Get out of my way. She is mine. She will pay for meddling in my affairs, once and for all." Heihachi yelled.
"That was just a fake stone. Get over it. As long as I am here I won't let you touch her."
"That problem can be solved. Miyoko, take care of him."
Kazuya rolled his eyes. "Very funny."
As Kazuya had expected Miyoko did not move. Heihachi turned towards him with a questioning look on his face.
"I have given you an order." he barked. And when Miyoko still didn't move he added: "Do I have to do this myself?"
"I think that would be better." Kazuya suggested.
They were interrupted by one of the camera teams. They addressed Kazuya wanting to ask him about the fight. He reacted quickly.
"Has my father told you about the tournament he is planning to hold?"
Their attention immediately went to Heihachi. Kazuya grinned evilly. Then he grabbed Lara's hand. "Let's get out of here." Then he raised his voice to address his father. "We will deal with this later. Have fun."
"So do you intend to go to any parties now?" Lara asked Kazuya.
"No. I am not in the mood to give silly interviews. They probably expect me to go, but I never do after the final. I don't want to be seen with all the losers." he grinned. "Did you want to go anywhere? I mean, there are other clubs in town..."
"No, it's alright. I just wanted to ask what you had planned."
"Nothing really."
While talking they made their way out through the front door, where they ran into Lei. He grinned at Lara. "I see you keep coming back to me."
Kazuya had continued on his way towards the car totally ignoring the other man, but when he heard what Lei had said he turned back and stood in front of him so they were eye to eye. "Listen carefully, Hong Kong cop. Stay - away - from - my - girl. Did you get this?"
Lara rolled her eyes. Then she grabbed Kazuya by the arm and pulled him away from Lei, which took her a bit of effort. She turned towards Lei: "I am sorry." she whispered.
"It's alright. We are all used to getting this shit from him." he said unnerved. "Goodbye Miss Croft." he then added in a friendly tone and walked away.
Lara held Kazuya back, when he wanted to react. "Leave it." she said in a strict voice. "Let's get back to the car instead."
"Alright."
They walked towards the car and got inside. Lara fastened the seatbelt and then sighed.
"I'm sorry."
"What?" Lara asked confused.
"For what happened back there... It seems that got you worried..."
"No, that's not it. I am just worried about where to spend the night. I feel I ran out of hotels."
"Let me worry about that. I have an idea." Kazuya replied while he turned the key in the ignition.
They had to drive past the convention center to get back onto the main road.
Just in front they had to stop for another car that was about to leave. Lara let her eyes wander towards the entrance, where she spotted Anna Williams and Lee Chaolan leaving the building together.
"I see Lee is dating Anna again?" Lara commented surprised.
Kazuya followed her gaze to see what was going on. "Again?" he then asked confused. "He didn't go out with her before."
At that moment the road was clear again and they continued.
"But Lei Wulong told me that Anna was dumped because of ..." Lara paused leaving her mouth open for a moment staring at Kazuya. "It wasn't Lee.... It was you." Lara said finally realising it.
Kazuya simply nodded.
Lara was silent for a moment. She knew these things were in the past and she couldn't blame him for it now. Suddenly she spoke again. "But I thought Nina hates you..."
"She does now. I treated her badly."
"And I thought the thing with Anna was only..."
"It was probably more than one night..." Kazuya stopped the car at the side of the road and looked at Lara. "Shall I confess everything I have done?"
"I don't care how you treated anyone, as long as you don't treat me that way."
"Let me at least give you the full Anna-Nina-Story. Unless you really don't want to hear it... But I know Paul, I know Law and I know Lee, they all like to twist the truth a bit."
"Ok. I'll try not to get jealous."
"Well, let me start 7 months ago... beginning of February, and since it's now September that should be right... anyway, I went out with Anna a couple of times. Nothing special, sometimes she simply came along when Lee and I went somewhere. Then one evening, after we have been to a concert, I drove her home and stayed the night. It went on for not much longer that a week, when Anna started annoying me. She suddenly started making plans for the future and I felt like a lion in a cage and wanted to break out. So I ended what she called relationship. But she didn't want to understand, she kept clinging to me, called me day and night. And then I did something for which you might want to call me asshole. Just to hurt Anna I had a one night stand with Nina. And for that Anna wanted to kill Nina... and me. Nina found out that I used her, so she hated me as well, and she sought comfort with Lee. And a month later they were dating, until now."
Lara was silent when he finished.
Kazuya looked straight at her, waiting for a reaction.
"You should consider yourself lucky, that I don't care for any of them. Asshole is an understatement."
"You are probably right." he admitted slowly.
"Probably?"
"Ok, ok. You are right.
"Tell me what's so special about you! No matter what you are doing, or have done, I can not be angry with you. But let me tell you one thing. If I were Nina, I would have killed you."
"She's trying."
"I am serious."
"So am I. That's her job. She's a professional assassin. She's probably waiting for someone to offer her the right amount for my head." he said as if it were nothing. "You are more dangerous, you don't need the money." he added grinning.
"You are absolutely right, so you better treat me well. But let's change the subject. There is still the question of where I or we will stay the night."
"I am very certain that they are tracking the Porsche again. They won't give up... So whatever we do has to be thought through."
"Do you have any idea?"
"Yes. But this might sound crazy to you. I am thinking about one hotel where you haven't stayed yet. I'd say we go there and have a drink or something to eat. And then I will drive home."
"Excellent idea." Lara said ironically. "That will tell them where I'm staying."
"I wasn't finished! I will take you home with me. They would never suspect that. And they will spend the night searching the hotel. They will think I have dropped you off there."
"Sure, and I can meet your father at the breakfast table or run into him in the bathroom."
"That won't be necessary, I never have breakfast with him and I have my own bathroom. The mansion is big enough, he won't even come close to you."
"You'd have to get me in and out unnoticed..." Lara continued to argue.
"He has not gone home yet and he'll probably be a while. I heard he wanted to deal with some things concerning his tournament. And tomorrow he's leaving the house early. He has to catch a plane to New York. I am going to enjoy living without him for a week. Miyoko is going with him. The rest of his people are clueless, leave them to me."
"Could you stop planting silly ideas in my head. That's not good."
"I actually don't think it's a silly idea. It will work, trust me."
"Okay, Okay. But if it goes completely wrong I will kill him before he kills me." Lara added grinning.
"I will give you a reward when you do that."
"Sure?"
"Of course not! Don't take that pleasure from me."
He placed his hands back on the steering wheel. "So have we agreed on something?"
Lara grinned. "Yes."
He started the engine again.
"And you really think that they'll believe I have stayed in the hotel?"
"When we are leaving it will be dark, they won't be seeing you. The only problem will be getting you through the gate, but with the roof up you can easily hide on the backseat."
They drove to the mentioned hotel and had something to eat. They were about to leave when Lara had an idea.
"I'll get a room here."
"What?" Kazuya asked confused.
"Won't they notice I'm not here, if I don't have a room? I am not taking any chances, I will take a room for one night, but I won't stay there."
"I think you might have a point. Actually I even think it would be best, if I left you here and got back to the car. I will meet you there when you are ready. It's possible we are being watched."
"OK."
"And give me a ring when you are coming down."
They said goodbye to each other loud enough for the people around them to hear. Then Lara walked towards the reception while Kazuya left for the parking deck.
When he got there he looked around to see if anyone was watching the car. Luckily he found that Heihachi's men obviously couldn't be bothered to observe the parking lot.
He got into the car and turned on the radio to keep himself occupied. 12 minutes later his phone rang once. He started the car and drove towards the entrance to the lifts.
He didn't have to wait long for Lara to come down. She quickly jumped into the car, pushed back the seat and crouched down.
"I think I better stay down here until we are out in the dark." she said.
"You are very good at this."
"Thanks for the compliment."
Moments later they were out in the streets again.
"Think it's safe?" Lara asked her companion.
"Yes."
Lara got up and sat down but she didn't bother fastening the seat belt, just in case she had to duck quickly. She looked out through the window.
"Oh, we are near your office building." she commented. "Slowly I know my way around..."
"Yes. And from there it's a 20-minute-drive home, at least with this amount of traffic and my driving."
15 minutes later Kazuya's phone rang.
"Now that's a surprise. Lee is talking to me again. That was quick..." he commented picking up. "Hey Lee. What can I do for you?"
Lara couldn't understand what Lee was saying but she could hear that he was shouting.
"Calm down, Lee. I will take care of it. I will tell her." Kazuya replied and hung up.
Lara turned to him with a questioning look on her face.
"He's still mad at me - no surprise there. So I am to tell you that he did this just for you... He said I should warn you that they have found out where you are staying. I guess our plan worked. If he asks you I have warned you."
They had now left the city and were on a straight way to the Mishima Estate. Lara shifted in her seat.
"I think I will now climb to the back."
VShe pulled her seat to the front and then climbed over it. She sat back there till she could spot the gate in the distance. Then she crouched down behind the seat.
"Stay down, I will tell you when we are through." Kazuya whispered to her.
The car slowed down and he lowered the window. The guard greeted him.
"Is my father home?" Kazuya asked him while Lara tried her best to keep her head down.
"No, he has not returned yet." the guard replied and opened the barrier. Kazuya drove the car through.
A few moments went past while the car drove up the long drive.
"It should be safe now." Kazuya said to Lara who didn't dare to move. Slowly she raised her head.
"Sure?"
"Absolutely. There is no one out here."
They approached the garage which opened when Kazuya pressed a button on the remote. He drove the car inside and parked it right next to a car that Lara recognized as Lee's. Lara climbed back to the front seat.
"And you are sure that we won't run into anybody?"
"Yes. They are not patrolling the house, Lara. But just in case stay behind me."
Kazuya led Lara into the house, all the while she stayed hidden behind him. She was still fearing that they might run into anybody and was looking around nervously.
"Lara relax, the security guards are mainly not inside the house, unless they have to report back to Heihachi, and we know Miyoko was with him, and you might also know that Nakazo did not return yet. They are the only ones who dare to come inside unasked."
They had now entered the main hall and at that moment the door to the living room opened. Lee stepped outside.
"Hey Kaz. Did you warn her?"
Lara peeked out from behind Kazuya. "Yes, he did."
Lee's jaw dropped in surprise. "Let me mark this day in my calendar. Kazuya brings home a girl..."
"And if you tell anyone you can also mark this as the day Lee Chaolan died."
"I won't. But not because you are such a nice brother, just because I like Lara."
"So how is your head?" Lara asked Lee.
"See how nice she is. She asks me how I am. You, who's the cause of my headache, don't even bother to ask... I have to take it easy the next couple of days - totally ruined tonight's party for me, besides the fact that I'm the loser - but it's nothing serious."
"Did you ever ask me how I was after a fight?" Kazuya replied.
"I wouldn't dare to ask, that's a difference."
The two looked at each other in silence. Kazuya had his eyes narrowed. Finally he turned towards Lara. "We will better get upstairs, before we run into Heihachi when he returns."
Lara and Lee said goodnight to each other. Kazuya totally ignored his brother who did the same.
Kazuya and Lara walked up the stairs.
"You might want to avoid this part of the house." Kazuya said pointing to the left. "We all do."
He walked over to the right and Lara followed him.
"Lee has his rooms over here." Kazuya then said pointing towards a door on the right. Then he walked further along and opened a door on the left side.
"Come in."
Lara stepped inside and Kazuya closed the door behind her. She stood in a large living room with a huge television, sofas... everything one would need.
"I see you got your own living room?"
"That's not all. Behind that door is a private dining room. On the other side I have a small office, the bedroom and the bathroom."
Lara walked over to inspect. "Small, huh? Well compared to your office in town it is.... This is huge."
"So you are living in a small flat?" Kazuya asked her disbelieving.
"No, our family's mansion is about the same size. We have separate bedrooms but not everyone gets his own living room, let alone dining room."
"It's not being used very often. Most of the time Lee and I have lunch and dinner together. But we try to avoid Heihachi. Living with him and seeing him in the office every day is pain enough."
"I can imagine." Lara said and wandered over to the window to look outside. The garden was lit with lanterns and looked very beautiful. "This looks lovely. I could stay here forever if it weren't for your father and my job."
"It's a shame." Kazuya commented. "I wouldn't mind if you stayed. Forget your job and let's get rid of the bastard."
"I can't. I am not prepared to do that. I am sorry."
"Don't be sorry. I guess it wasn't meant to be. I don't expect you to give up everything." He approached Lara from behind and laid his arms around her.
"But I will miss you when you're gone."
Suddenly Lara heard a growling noise coming from the garden.
"What was that?" she asked Kazuya irritated. He was totally unmoved by the noise.
"Oh, I probably didn't tell you about Kuma. Heihachi has a bear." "A bear???"
"Yes."
"A real bear?" Lara asked again just to make absolutely sure she understood that correctly.
"Yes, Lara. A real bear. Don't tell me you are surprised. It's Heihachi we are talking about."
"And it runs around in the gardens? Only at night? Or can I consider myself lucky for not running into it when I stole the stone?"
"No, no. He is either in an enclosure or chained. Otherwise any gardener might make a fortune here."
Lara grinned. "Can I see him?"
"Yes. But tomorrow, otherwise we are taking a big risk of running into Heihachi."
"No, we won't do that." Lara agreed. "I've had enough excitement for today."
"Really? That's sad." Kazuya replied with a dirty grin.
