:: I :: Innocuous Introductions
It was through her work that Jun Kazama first heard of the Mishima Conglomerate and the Tekken tournament. Which had been strange because Jun worked for the Watch of World Wildlife Commission, or the WWWC. She had not even guessed that this unlikely link with the enigmatic financial group would have embroiled her in such intrigue. And yet, even from that uncertain beginning she had been inexplicably drawn to her fate.
Jun loved animals. She had done so even when she was a small child. It had been natural that she should join the Commission. Jun was gentle, placid, reflective; an efficient and dedicated worker; someone reliable and trustworthy, yet not without a sense of humour. Jet-black hair framed an oval face, brown almond eyes were set soft and pensive. Disciplined, often quiet, practical, like most Japanese. At the age of fifteen, Jun had been on holiday in Hong Kong, and there had met an old man who called himself Wang. He worked in Japan, he had told her, and he studied the martial arts. Stunned at the strength of the old man, of his graceful moves and fighting style, Jun was fuelled with an unexpected desire to learn all that he had shown her. When she had returned to Japan, Jun had sought out the old man, and became his pupil. In time, their zest and enthusiasm to teach and learn brought out a special bond that drew them closer together, and Wang soon became not only the young girl's sensei, but her mentor as well.
When at last Jun finished her training, Wang said goodbye to her and disappeared from his dojo. That was when Jun was eighteen. And now, at twenty-two, she had not seen him since. It was strange; she often thought about those three short years in the old man's company – as though something were calling her to remember.
"Good evening, Miss. Kazama. I have a very important assignment for you."
Jun entered the Director's office and took her seat without expecting anything out of the ordinary. She was obviously being sent out to investigate something – a crime syndicate dealing in illegal animal shipping; an undercover operation into underground traditional medicine stores that unlawfully poached tigers; a whale-napping no doubt.
"I was going to ask for a vacation, sir," she began, a little begrudgingly. "You know I'm due for a sabbatical."
The Director smiled. He was used to Jun's little ways, especially the fact that she tended to drop her usual tact whenever she was in his presence. She was one of the few female operatives that he employed, and subsequently Jun often took to fencing with him, and he with her. Having said that, he was fond of her, and he liked the way she was so serious about their little games.
"Unfortunately Miss. Kazama, something's cropped up recently, and I'm afraid that you're the best person for the job."
"Oh?" There was the familiar sparkle of fervour in her gentle brown eyes. The Director continued.
"This is to be strictly confidential, Miss. Kazama. My superiors have informed me of the nature of this investigated, and it involves a very powerful man. I don't want you to go trampling on his flowerbeds."
Jun pretended to think about it. It didn't make sense to her. What was the point in this assignment if she had to keep a certain amount of respect for the enemy's 'flowerbeds'?
"I'm not interested," she said firmly, a note of finality in her voice. The Director's face seemed to wither.
"I don't think you understand, Jun." He said her name delicately. "But this is of the utmost importance. If you survive the job, I'll guarantee you a promotion."
"If I survive?! You mean I could get killed?!" she shot back. The Director's face withered a little more.
"You could die at any time in this business, Jun. But this time, it's a little different."
Jun held his gaze for a moment. What did he mean?
"I'm intrigued," she finally admitted. "Give me the details and I'll assess the situation."
Normally the Director would have said that he was the one to assess the situation, but he knew that Jun was the only one for this job and he badly needed her cooperation. After a short pause, he pressed a button on a remote control on the desk beside him. Behind him a panel of wall slid away with mechanical precision to reveal a large, wide screen. Swivelling round in his seat, the Director pressed once again on the remote control and the screen buzzed into life.
"I have a video that I think will interest you, Miss Kazama," he continued, reverting to a more business-like tone. Another touch of a button, and the fuzz on the screen gave way to a landscape scene of a bustling Neo-Tokyo road. The camera angle focused onto a black figure a little way in the distance. Slowly, the center of the camera's attention drew nearer, and as Jun looked closer she saw it was a sleek black limousine that she was gazing at. The camera followed the car as it travelled down the road and came to a stop outside a building that Jun recognized immediately.
"The Mishima Building?" she mused, raising an eyebrow. The Director nodded.
"Watch carefully. There's more to come."
Jun obediently reverted her gaze back to the screen. A well-groomed chauffeur dressed in black had emerged from the car and was now opening the back door for his passenger. Out stepped two bodyguards – and lastly, the man they were there to protect. The Director paused the video.
"That, Miss Kazama, is the man you are being sent to investigate."
Jun gazed up at the man on the screen. She too froze at the sight of him, though she could not imagine why. There did not seem to be anything extraordinary about him. he had the demeanour of a well-off businessman, dressed in dark black suit, tie, brightly polished shoes – no, at first glance he looked like any one of those high-flying executive types you might chance upon on the streets. It was as the camera zoomed into the man's face that Jun suddenly felt as though something was not quite right.
The face was strong, sure, serious. Long, black hair had been swept back into a unique hairstyle that seemed to draw attention to his looks even more. The eyes were brown, and very dark. It was in his eyes that Jun saw that first inkling of hatred, and more than that; a sinister sort of presence that almost frightened her. Under normal circumstances she would have considered him handsome; but the strange glint in his eyes transformed her perception of him. And yet she remained curiously drawn to that look.
"Who is he?" she asked, after a pause during which she could barely breathe. The Director turned to look at her.
"This is Kazuya Mishima. He is the Chairman of the Mishima Conglomerate. Two years ago, he took part in the Tekken Tournament and overthrew his father, Heihachi Mishima. The actual whereabouts of his father are now unknown, and there are suspicions that he has been murdered."
"Is this part of the investigation?" Jun probed.
"In a way, yes. But there's more."
The video started to roll again, and the camera followed its subject from the car and to the dark glass doors of the Mishima Building. As he approached the rotating portals, someone moved out from behind to meet him. This man was black, tall and lean, and the austere suit he wore did nothing to detract from the cocksure arrogance of his looks. Once again, the video froze.
"This man is known as Bruce Irvin, an associate of Mr. Mishima's. He's also known to be involved with the criminal underworld. He's currently wanted by the Hong Kong police." The Director passed her a sidelong glance. "So, we've decided to cooperate with them on this assignment."
"You mean I'm being assigned a partner?"
"Exactly what I mean." He smiled wryly at her. "I know you may not like this, but the Hong Kong police have assigned one of their best to work with you on this mission. His name is Lei Wulong."
"Lei Wulong? I've heard of him. They call him the Hong Super Cop."
"And not without reason. Followed through on all his cases. The guy's hot shit, Jun, real hot shit."
Jun half frowned.
"Excuse me, sir, but aren't we supposed to be investigating endangered species?"
"Of course." The Director nodded. "The Mishima Conglomerate are known to deal illegally with animals under their Rare Species Export Division. We believe that this is a front for their R&D Department. There have been numerous reports of bizarre tests being executed on animals. I want you to find all the evidence you can to nail Mr. Mishima once and for all."
Jun glanced over the files that her boss had handed her quickly. There was obvious evidence of the breaching of several of the international laws recently stipulated by the Geneva Convention. However, it was also self-evident that there were other reasons for bringing down the Mishima Empire. Teaming up with Lei Wulong, who was also a member of Interpol, made that fact plain. So, she thought wryly, the animal testing and Bruce Irvin is just a pretext. Looks like Kazuya Mishima's the real hit. I wonder why they're really after him…
Jun threw the papers back on the table.
"What's the brief?"
The Director leant forwards, crossing his arms over the table.
"I want you to enter the Tekken tournament, Jun. That's the easiest way of getting into the Mishima Building and working covertly from the inside."
She was surprised.
"Me? Enter the tournament?"
"Exactly why I said you were the only one for the job, Miss Kazama. You and Mr. Lei will enter the tournament and find out as much as you can about what's going on behind the scenes."
"So that's what you meant about the 'if I survive' business. Sir, it's just a tournament. I've been training since I was a kid."
"You don't know much about the Mishima Conglomerate, do you," he stated, reclining back in his plush leather seat. She shrugged. "Mr. Mishima murdered his own father," he continued evenly. "And we don't even know what half of the Conglomerate's profits are being spent on. If your true identity is revealed, I don't think Mr. Mishima will think twice about killing you."
Jun disguised the small shiver that was crawling up her spine.
"Just tell me when I start."
"The second Tekken tournament begins in a week's time. That should give you plenty of time to practice your training. At fourteen hundred hours exactly a week from now, an express train will arrive to take you straight to uptown Tokyo. All tournament entrants will check into the building at precisely sixteen hundred hours." He watched her take notes briefly for a second, then continued. "In the lobby you will see a man reading the South China Morning Post. You will walk up to him and ask him if you can take a look at the business section. He will reply in the affirmative – I hope you've been brushing up on your Cantonese skills. You will sit down and get to know one another."
"Lei Wulong, right?" She grimaced over her pen.
"Of course."
"Okay, I've got it." Jun replied, biting the tip of her pen and then scribbling a last few words. "And I take it we keep tight on sharing info."
"Right." He waited for her to finish. "Are we all sorted then?"
"Completely." She stood up and threw him a glance. "That'd better be one hell of a promotion you've got me lined up, Sir."
He sighed. "Yes, of course, Jun."
"And a vacation?"
He passed her a scowl. "All right, all right."
She grinned triumphantly and turned to leave the room.
"Uh… Jun?"
She looked back at her boss expectantly.
"Come back alive, okay?"
She smiled assuredly at him and nodded her head before leaving the room.
At two O'clock the following week, Jun arrived at the station with a single packed bag, ready to begin her trip to the Mishima Building. Despite the fact that she had been through this sort of thing plenty of times before, she felt surprisingly nervous. There was something somehow sinister about the company she'd been sent to investigate. The Mishima Conglomerate was known as the name you could trust in financial management, was prestigious and highly regarded. It seemed strange to her that they should be dealing with so much shady business on the inside. True, most companies had their flaws, but, even though Jun was relatively experienced in these matters, she got the feeling that she was plunging into the deep end with this mission.
She arrived outside the Mishima Building at approximately three O'clock. That left her with an hour to get a feel for the place before the contestants gathered together for an audience. An audience? Sounded as if she was dealing with royalty, rather than the chairman of a conglomerate.
Jun passed through the dark rotating doors and stepped into the draft of cool air from the ventilation shaft above. The atmosphere was not unpleasant, yet a shiver still tingled up her spine. The reception hall was airy and spacious and was decorated in white and black marble. A receptionist sat behind a highly polished desk, looking solemn in black pinstripe. Jun took in a short breath and walked forward, her images of black-clad mafia types fading away somewhat. As she approached, the woman noticed her and smiled, a false sort of smile, the kind air hostesses would throw your way, but it was a smile nonetheless.
While signing in, Jun took a quick scan of the page to see if her prospective partner's name was anywhere to be seen. Yes, there was his name. Lei Wulong, and his signature nearby in scrawled Chinese characters. So he was here already. Jun breathed in a sigh of relief. At least everything was going according to plan.
The building was quite passably nice, and there was nothing really ominous about it at all. Like most buildings of its kind, the Mishima Building oozed modernity and efficiency, cold elegance and streamlined style. It was the sort of building that welcomed you like a bank did, a place where you knew your possessions would be safe, and therefore your well-keeping. Jun did not get the impression that stolen animals and gruesome experiments were on the Mishima agenda at all.
She went for a cup of copy while she was waiting, and then wandered into the lobby. There were a lot of people there, competitors like herself, she guessed. A lot of them she recognised from the previous tournament – fighters like Paul Phoenix, Michelle Chang and Marshall Law. She passed over these quickly however, until at last her eyes caught sight of a man sitting by himself, reading a newspaper. South China Morning Post.
Looking casual and unconcerned, she walked up to the man and addressed him amiably.
"Mind if I have a look at the business section?"
The man lowered his paper and they both stared at each other for a split second. Jun always found first impressions like this useful. It always gave her a clue as to how they would get on as partners.
Lei Wulong's was a face Jun knew only from TV reports, documentaries and newspapers. The so-called Hong Kong super cop had a face full of expression, one that gave the impression of a sharp wit and an intrinsic stubbornness. And of a maverick, like herself. A man with the tenacity of a lonewolf.
"Mo mun tai," he answered with a neutral countenance. Mo mun tai. No problem. The secret sign. Jun sat down and he handed her the business section. She scanned it briefly, feigning interest. After reading a few more lines, Lei carefully folded up the newspaper.
"So, you're a contestant too, I take it?" He spoke in fluent Japanese. Jun laid the paper on her lap, nodded.
"Hm." He half grinned. When he next spoke his tone was lower. "So, you're with the WWWC."
"And you're with the Hong Kong police."
"Actually, I'm with Interpol, but yes, I'm based in Hong Kong."
"I hear you're after a certain Bruce Irvin," Jun inquired after a pause. "What's he done to offend Interpol?"
Lei visibly bristled at the mentioning of Bruce's name. "Bruce Irvin? He's big up the criminal food chain. Drugs – cocaine, heroin. Trade he became acquainted with during his Thai boxing championship days. Fly-by-night, you could say. We suspect he's been heading a whole drug empire connected to the Mishima Conglomerate. But…" Lei grinned again wryly. "Bruce is just an excuse to infiltrate the Mishima empire as a whole." He turned to Jun. "And you're here for…"
"Animal testing. Reported bizarre experiments connected to the Rare Species Export Division."
"Another excuse to catch the big fish, huh?" He grimaced. "Kazuya Mishima."
Jun shivered instinctively at the name. "I suppose so."
Lei smiled once more and fingered the edge of the newspaper at his knee. "I'll be honest with you, Jun. I wasn't expecting them to assign me a female partner."
"Oh I get it." She gave him a level glare, her eyes glinting sharply. "Old school, right? I should've known from the way they describe you in those TV reports."
His gaze was just as level as hers, but she caught something deeper in the look – a hint of bitterness? Pain?
"Old school, maybe," he replied dryly. "But for a reason. In my experience, women tend to get too emotionally involved in their work." He watched her visibly bristle at his words. "No disrespect, Miss Kazama. But I need to be assured that you and I are going to be able to work together – ah – efficiently."
Jun stared at him indignantly. "You don't need to worry," she said coldly. "I'm a highly trained operative. And probably a damn sight more qualified than you are. And I don't take crap from anyone. Anyone. Got that?"
He grimaced at the thinly veiled warning. "Just want to be sure, is all," he said. Before Jun could make a reply, an intercom suddenly switched on, and a female voice, tinny but pleasant, spoke through a loud speaker.
"Would all tournament competitors now gather in the main hall for an audience with Mr. Mishima. Thank you."
The intercom clicked off and there was a general murmur as everyone began to herd out of the room.
"That's the round-up call," Lei stated, standing. "Come on, we'd better go."
"I can take of myself, thanks," Jun scowled at him, almost immediately regretting it. She wasn't exactly getting off to a good start with Lei, which worried her. As a rule, Jun liked to get on with her partners. It made things a whole lot easier. She sensed that working with Lei was not going to be easy.
She and the others gathered in the main hall, and sat down in the plush seats provided. There were not many contestants – only about twenty or so. Jun sat between Lei and the girl called Michelle, who seemed to Jun to be clearly agitated. She had thick brown hair tied back into a plait, tanned skin and dark eyes. There was a look of the Cheyenne warrior about her, but also an angular, Oriental look.
They had to wait a couple of minutes before their host entered onto the raised platform before them. Jun was surprised to see other people follow him.
"Get a load of that," Lei murmured to her in a dead tone. "We're getting an exclusive look at all Kazuya Mishima's most trusted henchmen."
Jun said nothing and took in each character as they entered into the room. Some of them she recognised. Ganryu was an international Sumo wrestling champion, though Jun had had no idea he had any dealings with the Mishima. Another was Bruce, who by far exceeded six foot and looked very intimidating. Then there was Baek Doo San, a Korean master of the Tae Kwon Do martial art. There were only two females in the party – a red-haired woman whose face was obscured by a pair of shades, and another who looked rather brazen and had the figure of some well-endowed socialite. The next person to venture in was the one who surprised her the most. An old man, Chinese, bearded, stern, a face she knew well…
"Wang Jinlei!" she gasped on a breath. Lei stared at her in some surprise.
"You know him?"
Jun shut her mouth. She decided not to give away too much of her old mentor. If he was working for the Mishima, then she'd have to talk to him about it herself.
"I used to," she finished on a whisper, but Lei's attention was now fixed on the next and last entrant to the room. A young man with silver hair and with very oriental features was following the others with a small smile on his face.
"Who's that?" Jun inquired, seeing Lei's interest in the man.
"Lee Chaolan, Kazuya's adopted brother and right hand man. The Silver Haired Devil, they call him. He could prove to be a bit of a problem."
"Why's that?"
"He's Kazuya's closest advisor, but he likes to keep tabs on what's going on outside the conference room. If he catches onto us…"
"I see," Jun replied wryly. Kazuya was getting ready to speak now and the room was in a hush. Jun stared up at the man, trying to look at him objectively. She still couldn't get that picture of him out of her head. He was an imposing man, but not in the regular sort of way. It was the hardness in his eyes; they seemed to be inflamed with a dark emotion Jun could not place. It looked ad if he'd never smiled in his life, even though he was relatively good-looking. Shivering again, Jun tried to concentrate on what he was saying.
"…Welcome. As you know, you have been chosen from amongst many to contend in our Tekken tournament. As such, you are counted as the foremost fighters in the world, and are honoured to be here. The Mishima Conglomerate takes this tournament very seriously, as I am sure you shall soon see."
He paused, and his eyes ran over every member of the silent audience, lingering only momentarily on Jun, who shifted uncomfortably. After a moment he frowned, then resumed.
"This tournament is not like others. You are all first-class fighters and therefore we do not class you by your type of fighting skill, nor your age, nor your gender. We treat you all as equals. You will battle each other, and those who win will proceed with the tournament, while those who lose will be dropped from the contest.
"The final fight will be against me, the present King of the Iron Fist. Anyone who defeats me will be bestowed with this prestigious title. There will be a considerable sum of money given as a prize should any of you win. But these should mean nothing compared to the pride and glory that comes with being known as the greatest fighter on the planet!"
There was a stir in the room. He was a charismatic speaker, Jun could give him that. His voice was full of tenuous emotion, one that could easily inflame others. She listened as he began to outline the rules that came with entering the tournament. No snooping. No leaving the building without clearance. No divulging the tournament's secrets. No speaking to the media. No this, no that. Jun began to feel a little wary. It seemed to her that the Mishima Conglomerate was secretive – a little too secretive.
When Kazuya Mishima had finished, he seemed to relax a little, though he did not smile.
"Bearing this in mind, I hope that you will enjoy your stay. Feel free to use the building's many facilities for training practice, and remember to carry your security tags with you at all times. If you would now all follow our ushers to your rooms, and you will find a leaflet that outlines all the dates, times and details of each round of the tournament. Dinner will be served at eight in the dining hall. Thank you."
Their host stepped back from the podium, and everyone else rose to leave the room. Jun headed for the door as fast as she could. She needed to get to their room to pore over the notes she had taken and to think on the best strategy to get to Kazuya. As she reached the door someone bumped into her and her notebook fell to the floor. Not thinking anything of it, Jun knelt down to pick it up, but someone reached it before her. Looking up, she found herself staring into the violet eyes of the man Lei had called Lee Chaolan.
"You dropped this," he said in very smooth Japanese, handing her the notebook with a smile. Jun stared, tongue-tied, heart racing. He was very good-looking, and the way he stared at her unnerved her.
"Thanks," she said, quickly taking hold of the pad. He nodded passingly, then stood up and left without another word.
Jun rose, her heart thumping.
She sincerely hoped he hadn't seen what she had written on the open pages.
Next: Nina is introduced, Lei and Michelle make a deadly pact and Kazuya Mishima makes a move of his own involving Heihachi…