DOUBLE DRAGON: 1.5 INSIDE THE DRAGONS

A cool breeze made a shiver go up her naked form as she turned a little within the black silk sheets. She nuzzled her face against her lover's chest to seek warmth, as she pressed closer. The heat of his body warmed her and Jade dozed back to sleep. That evening while the rest of the Dragons were attending the party that Hun had arranged to celebrate their victorious heists, Hun and her had found another way to celebrate. They had locked eyes within the crowded room of the party and instantly knew what the 2 of them wanted.

The superior feeling that Hun had from the heists had made his primal instinct burn inside him. He felt so dominant. No one was able to stop the Purple Dragons and he was obtaining the technology that was so precious to the research facilities. Hun had obtained wealth and power at a large scale, much faster than his master, Oraku Saki or so he thought. The dominance had created lust within his body and his brown eyes instantly fell upon Jade. He had met her when he was off the streets and instantly her obedience to him had created a relationship within the 2 that was based off of lust more than love or so they thought.

Jade stirred in her sleep a little more and she shifted over to her side as she felt the weight that was on the bed decrease as Hun rose up from the bed to slip on his pants. Minutes later she heard a soft conversation coming near the door. She opened her tired eyes to fix upon Hun standing there talking to another Purple Dragon at the door. Their room was still dark, but there was some light from the hallway. Jade really couldn't make out what was said and her eyelids closed once more as her body begged to go back to sleep.

To her surprise that morning, Mel was not awake as early as she usually was. Normally one of the Dragons would be standing outside of her room for her to let him know when she was awake so they could bring her breakfast. Jade was actually surprised how much Hun was spoiling her, but she figured he was doing whatever he could to make sure she stayed with them. Mel was too vital in his heists and if he lost her, then they would suffer. The longer Mel stayed with the Purple Dragons, the more Jade and Mel began to talk and she seemed to tolerate the new girl more. Jade had caught Hun's eyes on her new friend on numerous occasions, but it seemed Mel didn't have an interest for him: especially that morning.

When Mel had awakened, she had skipped breakfast and made her way into the computer room to where Jade found her that morning. Mel was sitting blankly in front of the computer monitor, her fingers were resting on the keyboard, but no letters were being typed. "You alright?" Jake tilted her head in question as she leaned up against the room's doorframe.

"Yeah, I am fine. Just bored I guess," Mel laughed a little as she leaned back in her chair and tossed back her brown hair. "I didn't get much sleep last night."

"How was the party?" Jade walked over to her and sat down. Her hazel eyes gazing upon her friend as she tried to make a friendly conversation for once with her.

"I didn't stay long. Just wasn't my thing." Mel turned her attention back towards the computer once more.

Jade blinked as she watched her. Whatever was bothering Mel, the computer was triggering it. Suddenly Jade saw that there were some bruises on Mel's body. "What happened?"

"I…I went out last night and some people from the mob attacked me," Mel's voice trailed off as she looked down at her arm and rubbed it gently.

"Attacked? Are you all right? How did you get away?" Jade asked as fear rose in her voice, becoming more concerned for her new found friend.

"Don't worry I got away." Mel seemed to tense up as almost she didn't really want to get into the details.

"Well I will worry. How did you get away?" Jade pursued as she leaned in closer, trying to catch her friend's eyes to make her look at her. Mel looked away and seemed to fumble with her fingers as she bit her lip. Whatever happened the previous night, she seemed to shut out. Becoming worried by seeing the facial expression on her friend's face, Jade was going to continue her questioning, but she heard someone walk up to the door to the room.

Both girls turned their heads to see the mountainous form in front of them in the doorway that was Hun. The large man lifted an eye ridge as his brown eyes stared at them. There was a questioning look on his face as the majority of his attention was on Mel for some reason; this confused Jade even more. Something had seriously happened that night and Jade was left in the dark about it. "Melinda…there is an air transport of cargo from NeoTech next week. I will need your help. Jade, round up the boys." Without a response, Mel rose up from her chair and walked out of the room, past Hun, not even looking at him, her eyes were straight down at the floor. Jade watched her bewildered by her attitude, then looked at Hun, seeing him smirk over at her. Jade felt herself flush a little by the larger man's interest and then watched him turn to follow her friend.

That evening Jade was heading down towards the hallway to see how Mel was doing. Mel had gone to bed fairly early that evening and didn't hang out in the Dragon's arcade room that Hun had in the building. Strangely, Jade had no seen no sight of Hun either, but she figured he was out on business. As she neared Mel's room, the door was closed and Jade walked closer up to it to knock on it. Just as she reached out with her hand to knock gently, she heard a muffle voice inside. Pausing at the door, Jade leaned her head closer in to listen. Inside she heard Mel pleading with someone to stop, her breathing was heavy. There was silence for a moment, and then Mel's voice perked up again. Afraid that someone was in the room with Mel, Jade opened the door to see that Hun had Mel down on the bed. His body was hovering over her on all 4's Her shirt was partially opened. Jade's eyes became wide and she felt like passing out from what she had seen. There were tears in Mel's eyes as she looked up at her friend, Hun looked back over and a look of dread fell on his face. "Jade…" Mel choked some through her tears as she tried to sit up.

"Jade…I…" Hun started, but fumbled over his words. He quickly got off the bed and adjusted his clothes. "Baby..I…"

The blood within Jade's veins began to boil as hatred filled her head. "You bastard!" She screamed at the large man and before he could approach her, she took off running from the room. His voice pleaded after her, but Jade did not stop.

Jade wasn't too sure how long she ran, but it felt like her anger had increased her body energy and she wanted to get away from there…far away from that place. The vision of the man that she thought she loved over her friend in a sickening demeanor stayed in her head and wouldn't go away. Her and Hun had been together for years and she never had to deal with this. She thought for sure he was only interested in her. Whenever he needed to fulfill his sexual desires, she gave herself to him. Hun in return had spoiled her and gave her whatever she asked. Wasn't that love? There had been times to where Hun could have easily left her for another girl…a prettier girl according to Jade, but he did not. He stayed with her. Why Mel? What was so special about her? Mel didn't even want him…why did he force himself on her? How did they know each other previously without Jade knowing about it? What had happened the night before?

As her mind pondered these questions, Jade walked deeper into lower Manhattan, avoiding the crowded sections of Times Square and heading down to Chinatown and Soho. She decided to go to the South Side Street Port to look out at the darkened harbor that night to try to clear her mind. As far as she was concerned, she didn't want to go back to the Dragons that night or to him ever again, though she knew she shouldn't be out so late at night by herself.

As she walked down a side street in a hurried pace to head to Pier 17, she felt someone wrap their arm around her waist, while their hand pressed up against her mouth to muffle her cry. Their force was strong and they pulled her quickly into a darkened alley. Jade squirmed violently against their grip and tried to maneuver her mouth to where she could possibly bite their hand. The person pulled her into them closer and she could their hot breath flowing against the bare skin of her neck. "Listen, girly….you betta stop fightin' right now, capishe?" Their voice was male and appeared to be some sort of Italian accent. Jade did not listen and continued and the person jerked her closer to him. "I ain't playin' games with yas. All you have to do is listen and answer me. If dats not hard enough for yas, I'll let ya go."

Jade hesitated as she listened to his words. She felt him loosening his grip and she jerked away from him with such a strong force that she stumbled forward some. Her hands pressed up against the brick siding of a building to catch herself, her fingers touching the cool stones, she looked back over at the assailant. At first she thought she had to be dreaming because in front of her was not a human, but something else. Standing in front of her was a humanoid turtle with knee and elbow pads, a belt, and a fedora. He opened his arms a little, looking at her, as if he was waiting for her to make a move against him. "What the hell are you?" Jade angrily asked in fear.

"Oh? So you think you're betta than me is that it? I know you're with those Dragons…so you should be askin' yourself DAT question." The turtle sneered back.

Jade's mind instantly flashed back to Hun and she reached into her back pocket of her black jeans to pull out the small knife that she has always carried around. She held it up in a threatening position, the metal off the blade glimmered a little from a streetlight's reflection. "Get the fuck away…" She hissed at him.

The humanoid turtle lifted an eye ridge and then shook his head, chuckling lightly. "Now that ain't for a lady to talk." He walked towards her, his eyes fixed upon her as if he was calling her bluff.

Jade trembled a little as she stepped back, keeping the knife up, her back pressed against the wall as she tightened her jaw to try to look more tough. "I am serious…" Her voice quivered. What was going on with her? How come she felt a barrier that kept her from trying to hit him?

"Are you?" The turtle spoke lowly as he stepped right up in front of her. After a slight pause, he quickly grasped her wrist, squeezing on the muscles, making the knife topple out of her hand and fall onto the alley's floor. "Not so tough now…aren't ya? Now where's your friend?"

Jade jerked her wrist some as she snapped out of the trance she was in. "What friend?"

"The one that is working with Hun. I seen her…the boys and I have been looking for her." The turtle released her wrist.

Jade's eyes narrowed as she instantly knew he was talking about Melinda. Her thoughts flickered back to Mel's words earlier that day on how she was attacked by the mob. This guy was looking for her. She bawled her fist and struck the turtle straight in the jaw with an upper cut.

The turtle stumbled back some in shock by her hit and rubbed the throbbing spot to where she hit him. "You got a hook on yas," He chuckled. "Look your FRIEND has been messin' around too much wit my families. First she's been cheatin' on my bro and now she's hurtin' my boys. You better get her away from Hun." His voice had a more serious tone to it and less playful.

"Your brother?" Jade asked, blinking. "You mean he's like…" She started to wonder if Mel was with a turtle like the one that was standing in front of her.

"Yeah…he's LIKE me. What's it to yas?" The turtle's face became sour as if he almost sounded pain by her words. He turned back around to walk away from her, his hands adjusting his fedora. "Family comes first to me. I'll find her. THANKS for the talk."

Becoming worried for her friend's safe being, Jade shouted after him, "Are you going to hurt her?"

"Stay out of my business," The haughty turtle shouted back. Jade growled and bent down to pick up the knife from the floor. As she picked it up, the blade touched the hard asphalt and it made a sliding noise. The mutant stopped in his tracks, his shell still towards her. "Don't even think about it. I ain't the one to hurt a lady." Jade froze as she heard him address her. Hearing her not moving, he continued to walk towards the alley's entrance.

Jade tightened the grip on the knife and started to walk towards him. Right when she got up close enough to attack him, he whirled around on his heels and smacked her hand hard making her drop the knife. Both his hands gripped her wrist tightly, squeezing them hard trying to hold her into place. Jade cried out and in defense she started to try to kick at him. Her right foot almost struck too closely near his groin. "Hey, watch it. You're feisty." He taunted with a smirk on his face. "Or eager."

Jade felt herself flush from his last words and she growled a little as she gritted her teeth in defense. Crying out in anger, she swung at him with her fist and knocked off his hat. The hat almost seemed to fall off onto the ground in slow motion. The turtle quickly grabbed her wrist and held her very roughly. The look on his face had seemed to go from playful to a very serious tone, almost frightening. "NEVER touch da hat. Capishe?" He let go of her and leaned down to pick it up. "I am done talkin' to yas anyway." He turned around and put the hat back on, never once looking back as he disappeared up onto the rooftops.

Perplexed by the night's encounter, Jade slowly began to walk back towards the Dragon's hideout. Luckily for her, no one seemed to really pay attention to her to harm her, and she didn't even bother to look up for any type of clock nearby to see what time it was. All she could think about was the strange mutant turtle that she ran into that evening and how he acted towards her. Why did she flush like that?

About 3 blocks away from the Dragon's lair, Jade saw that someone was walking towards her and as they got closer, she could tell it was Hun. He was dressed in his normal black clothes, nothing too fancy. "THERE you are!" He yelled out to her as he increased his pace. His dark eyes looking right at her, and his jaw was clenched. Jade's mind instantly flashed to Mel and she wondered if anything else happened that night while she was gone. Knowing she didn't have much of a choice, but to go back, Jade continued to walk and remained silent. As soon as he was near her, he grasped her arm tightly and jerked her towards him with a powerful tug, nearly making her fly up against him. "Where in the hell have you been, Jade!" His voice was raised.

Jade felt tears rushing to her eyes as she instantly wanted to break down and give into him as his larger size overpowered her. She clenched her fists some and pushed back the tears. "Out. Did you HAVE fun?" She looked at him coldly. "How COULD you do that to her?"

Hun chuckled and said, "Are you jealous, Jade?" A sadistic, taunting smirk fell upon his face.

"No, but you practically TRIED to rape her and I better not find out that you DID," Jade yelled in defense of her friend. She knew where her morals were and that was disgusting even for someone like Hun to even think of.

"I needed to show where her place is, Jade. You don't know what I had to deal before with her. Don't even bother getting too upset over this. I didn't do anything. You ruined whatever mood I was in," He glared at her.

Jade's eyes went wide. She couldn't believe how he was acting. She had never seen him act like this since he broke away from Oraku Saki. She thought for sure he had changed for the better, but now it was like his past was coming to haunt him. Jade wasn't too sure who exactly Melinda was, but Hun had great resentment towards her. "I can't believe you are saying this…" Her voice choked as she looked at the man that she thought she knew. "What happened to you?"

"Oh, please, Jade," Hun rolled his eyes and scoffed a bit. "Just come on. I'll deal with you later. I don't have time for this. I have too much to work on." He turned as if his word was final and started to walk towards the direction he came in.

"No." Jade said as she stood in her place, she took a deep breath to regain her courage.

"What?" Hun growled as he looked back at her.

"I said no. I am not going with you. Not until you apologize to her…" Jade stared up at the large man, her fists tight as she stood there.

In an instant Hun was right up on her, he struck her hard across the face. Her face stung so badly as she fell onto the ground by his force. "Fine. STAY on the streets tonight, Jade, where you belong. Don't you DARE come back tonight at all," Hun hissed. With that he turned around on his heel and stomped back to the hideout.

Hun's words struck her hard as Jade felt herself crumbling. The hot tears rolled down her face making her skin sting more by his strike. The man that she once thought that she knew…the man that she once thought she loved…was no more. Finally pushing herself off the ground, Jade stood up and looked around. "Hun doesn't know how to treat a lady now does he?" A familiar voice spoke out.

Jade sniffed and looked around. It was the same strange Italian accent from the weird creature she met earlier. Out of the shadows nearby, staying close to the darkness was the same mutant turtle she ran into. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Wonderin' why the hell you went back to him." The turtle replied in disbelief.

"Why would you care?" Jade shot back.

"Respect."

"What?"

"Listen. One rule that I go by is dat you never disrespect a lady. No matter if she's a Dragon or not," His voice was hurt a little.

"I am not here for lectures. I gotta go." Jade wasn't too sure why she was actually being so nice to the mutant turtle. Just seeing him seemed so unreal to her.

"Go where?"

Jade stopped in her tracks and her eyes fell down. She knew he was right. She had nowhere to go. All she had was the Purple Dragons. "I'll find a place. I am use to being on the streets."

"I got a place."

Jade blinked in shock and looked over. Her hazel eyes fell upon him. "I am not staying with you…" She felt herself flushing some as her heart started to race. Why was she feeling this way?

"Why? Oh dat's because I am a freak. Just go ahead and say it. Trust me, girly, you ain't breakin' my heart." With that he turned to walk away into the dark alley.

"Wait…." Jade stepped forward.

"Yah?"

"I'll go with you…" Jade said softly as she smiled a little.

The turtle couldn't help but to return the smile. "The boys won't like it…but I am the boss after all and I ain't gonna turn back on a lady." He held back his arm for her. Jade hurried over and took his arm, she shivered as she felt his smooth reptilian skin. "Giovanni." He said as he started to walk with her.

"What's that?" She asked in confusion.

"Dat's my name. I never introduced myself. It's Giovanni."

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