Chapter 2:

5:30am…Monday

After a decent two hours sleep, I was up and running again. My throat was dry and the only thing I knew that would wash it down the way I liked it was a nice cold beer. But with Clark waiting for me outside and Leona's life possibly on the line, time was of the essence . As much as I was willing to go head on to find Leona, I wasn't to thrill about going over to South town. Even if it was rebuilt back to the way it was before the zero cannon fired, that city marked a dark time in my life.

"Well there's no time like the presence" I said out loud as I locked the front door and made my way out of the building.

" Hurry up!" Clark yelled, waving at me to come over. He then proceed with getting into the jeep wrangler.

" Clark, you got to reconsider what you drive, this isn't a real jeep. It's a small clown car that looks like a jeep"

" Just get in Ralf. You can complain all you want later." he said. I got in and as soon as I shut the door, he took off. Clark isn't much of a talker, so I have to be the one to start a conversation as usual.

" Worried Clark?" I asked. I figure he wasn't. Clark had seen a lot of things in the past that would traumatize a person for life. Being his war buddy and all, I have lived those moments with him.

" Yeah I'm a bit worried. After the phone call from Heidern, I was thinking about Leona more then usual. A woman like her should be able to defend herself from any kind of criminal or kidnapper. For someone to have raid her home and take her… they've must have been someone powerful… dangerous even. So yeah I'm worried."

" Didn't think of it that way. Let's see what Vice tells us. So till then, let's not jump into any conclusion."

After I have spoke, there was just silence. We've been on many assignments before, but a rescue mission to save one of your owns, are always the toughest. Besides what Clark had told me, I knew the real reason why he was worried. He never got over the time he made his first rookie mistake and was captured along with his fellow men. The enemy had tortured and killed every single one of his comrades, he manage to escape but the images of his friends being tortured haunted him. We remained silent the whole way to South Town. He drove and I just stared out the window. Before I knew it, we had stop moving and we right across from the Illusion Bar.

" This is your stop Ralf." Clark said.

" Is a bar really open this early in the mourning?"

" Not really, but the owner lives there, so the bar is open all the time."

" What about you?' I asked.

" I'm actually going to pick up someone that Heidern recommended to come along with us. He said she might be of some help."

" Who's she?" I asked, even though I did know.

" Her name is Mary, a local detective that works around here. She does good work I hear, but listen Ralf. I have going to leave you hear for now, I'll pick you up as soon as I get her.

" Fine, but don't let me wait to long." I said as I got out of the crummy Jeep.

"At least I'm going to get myself a beer" I thought. I open the front door and walked in. I notice there were no customer. It was early, even for my liking. But at least the bar looked decent. A piano was sitting in the far corner of the bar and the floor was covered with carpet tiles, it gave the bar a good look.

" Can I get you something to drink?" Someone asked with a tomboyish tone.

I looked over to the direction where that voice was coming from to spot some guy wearing a standard bartender uniform. He was cleaning a glass mug with a piece of cloth.

" I just want a drink, give me the best beer you have here." I said. The bartender had a small femine look that gave off the vibe that he might be gay and not in a happy way. I took a seat in front of him by the bar and I awaited my drink.

" You look sort of familiar, have we met before?" He asked.

" I don't think so, I've never seen you before…or have I? Wait a minute. Have you enter the King of Fighters before?

He smiled as soon as I asked the question. I'm guessing it was a yes.

" I've enter the King of Fighters every year except this one. Apparently no invitations have been given out. Has the KOF finally finished?"

She placed the mug of beer in front of me and I drank it down before answering her.:

" I don't know, I guess after Nest going public and eventually being destroy, There's no one to host the tournaments now. I honestly hate the idea of not entering KOF. I love the fights, the thrill of meeting new people and competiting is the only excitement this old dogs needs."

" Sounds like you fight for no real cause.." He said sadly… " I fight for my younger brother, I want to keep him safe and eventually, move away from here. I've met a lot kind people here…Terry, Ryo,…Robert. But this place isn't safe for kids."

Before I could respond to what he had said, a loud slam boomed into the bar as if some kicked the front door down. The bartender and I snapped our heads towards the entrance. Standing at the front door, like those old western cowboy style movie was a tall man wearing black. He stood there, staring us down like if we were his prey. The bartender jump over to my side of the counter from were he was serving beer and stood in a mual tai fighting pose.

" Yamazaki!" He yelled, still sounding like a women to me " What's your business here?"

His pose look so familiar, I had met this person before in a KOF. He is a she and her name is King.

" The business isn't with you bitch, it is with him" He said pointing at me.

Looks like I might be getting the fight I wanted for a long time. I rose from the stool I sat on and tighten my leather gloves.

" What is it that you want Yamazaki?" I asked.

" I want you to die!" He screamed in a sinister tone. He charged at me, pushing King aside with great force considering he only used one hand and leaped towards me.

" Shit" I hissed as I step to the side to avoid his attempt to stab me with a hidden knife in his pocket. My movements weren't as smooth or fluid as I remember…in other words...I'm rusty and that's not good.

" Got lucky there!" He said as he walked calmly towards me. I put my guard up, waiting for any cheap attempts he tries at me.

" Watch out!" King yelled from behind me, I look over at her and then at Yamazaki. He flinged his arm at me with incredible speed, his arm seemed to have extended by a few feet hitting me in my midsection. How can a guy standing 6 feet away from me, could still strike me?

" Alright wise guy, enough of your shit."

I rushed towards him. He attempt to strike me again but I tilt my head to avoid a strike to the face. His stupid evil expression on his face change to a worried one as soon as I was close enough to deliver a powerful right hook and I did. His head crash into the floor, but not before long I grabbed him by his shirt, pulled him over my head and I tossed him up. Looks like I Still have some of my original strength to perform an Argentina backbreaker. His heavy body collide into my shoulders were I then grab him off of my and tossed him down, again he hit the floor face first.

" Looks like your going to un-pretty up that face, Yamazaki."

" am I?" He said, working his way back onto his feet. " You just getting lucky for now. I guess I'll leave you alone then" He smiled. He turn away and headed for the entrance door. He turn half way to me and said:

" oh…and one more thing" he said when suddenly, a shiny bright object was coming at me, I couldn't tell what it was but it was aimed for my face. An unfamiliar hand caught the object in the air. Turns out, it was Yamazaki's knife. I should be dead if it weren't for someone stopping it from hitting me. Yamazaki disappear by the time I check him again. The hand that caught the knife belong to Vice.

"Your rusty and you should've been dead." She said.

" Well thanks, but I can take care of myself. Yamazaki is nothing compare to what I've dealt with before (who am I kidding?)."

" He obviously went easy on you, so you should be happy. Well I'm here, where's your partner?"

She sure is a talker for someone who's suppose to be evil. I walked past her to make sure King was alright.

" You ok?" I asked.

" Yeah, of course. Going to pay for the beer you drank?" She said smiling.

" Um…yeah" I handed over the three dollar that I owe her. I then turn to face Vice who conviently came in the nick of time.

" How long were you watching the fight?" I asked

" I wasn't to far behind when Yamazaki walked in."

" Do you know why Yamazaki came after me? There isn't any real reason why someone like him would walk in here and want to kill me for no reason."

" It's quite simple really." She said calmly with a poker face, I couldn't read her expression: " Yamazaki probably found out I contacted you and Clark to help me and he came to get you."

" That make some sense, but help you with what?"

" You'll see."

I didn't like this one bit, Vice has a reputation for being cruel, merciless, and just plain evil. Now Clark and I will have to depend on her to find Leona. What ever she wanted us to help her with, didn't sound too well. But what's more important was saving Leona. I still think there's something wrong here, who could have really raided her home and taken her.

" Do you know what happen to Leona?"

Vice smiled wickedly and said: " Maybe I do"

She didn't say anything after that. Her attitude was beginning to piss me off.

" What happen to her?"

" Hey, it's not for sure if I do know or not. We'll find out together" She said.

" Tell me god damnit, do you know or not!" I yelled as I lift Vice by her collar.

" Hey, if you two are going to fight, take it outside." King said , then going on with her duties of keeping the bar clean.

" Put me down or I'll kill you" She said, I let her go and walked out of the bar. I needed the fresh air. After the fight with Yamazaki, I realize that I was rusty, more then ever. Yamazaki could have killed me, but he left as soon as Vice came in. I wonder why? Maybe he figured he couldn't win if King, Vice and I all jumped him.

" Don't think to hard, you might hurt yourself" Clark said He had the window rolled down and sitting beside him was a familiar blond from KOF. I should really start remembering the people I've seen before.

" You should have been here sooner, Clark. Yamazaki was here and I couldn't used some help."

Vice appeared from behind me. She must've heard Clark and I talking.

" Your going to stand there or are we going to find someone" Mary yelled over to Vice and I.

I made my way across the street toward the jeep. Look like I'll be sitting in the back since Mary is going to take the passenger side seat. Vice sat by me and as soon as Mary shut the door, Clark took off.

" Nice to meet you Ralf, It's going to be an honor working with the legendary Ikari Warriors." Mary said.

" Um…thanks I guess."

" Enough small talk, let's get right to business." Clark said. " Vice, what are we doing? Are you going to give some Intel or what?"

Vice stared out the window from her side for a little while and then turn to face Clark and answered:

" There's been more drug activities in this area then usual"

" I notice…" Mary interrupted but Vice continue speaking:

" Yamazaki and his men are behind it and they have ties to what happen to Leona. I need something that Yamazaki has and at the same time, we can get Intel from his men."

" You make it sound easy" Clark commented " Where would we find Yamazaki and his men?

" At the sea port, not to far from here. It will take us less then 15 minutes to reach that place." Vice said.
" There going to transport the drugs with the boats that they own."

" So we go in, hassle a few people get what we want and leave with no incident? Sounds like it's more harder then it seems" Mary added."

I had nothing to contribute to the conversation. I was thinking about Leona. What does Yamazaki had to do with all this? Was he the one who took her? Maybe…or maybe not. Perhaps we'll find out soon enough……

end of Chapter 2