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Déjà vu

Lee had not expected Kazuya to hire a stranger from a PR agency to speak at the banquet. His days at the Zaibatsu were coming to an end; there was no doubt about it. The only thing worse than knowing was the thought that everyone, including Heihachi, saw it as well. Lee was head of public relations at the Zaibatsu, that was his official title, he should have been the speaker if Kazuya didn't want to do it himself. That had been the first thing that was brought up during his interview.

"You're still head of public relations, is that correct?" The interviewer had asked.

"Yes, I am."

"The program indicates that the speaker will be someone from the Nakajima and Hamasaki Agency. Any particular reason?"

He had smiled and tried to look like it was no surprise. "It was decided that I should forgo some duties to focus my full attention on the tournament."

Bullshit answer. It had been woefully transparent, and Lee was sure that everyone saw it. He just hoped that his performance at the tournament could help everyone forget about it; hoped that his demeanor could fool them all. When the speaker finished, Lee clapped on cue wearing his award-winning smile and looked around the room nodding in acknowledgment at the sight of familiar faces; the smile never left his lips, though he wished he could be anywhere else.

He turned his gaze to the balcony exit and had had the nearly overwhelming urge to go out for a smoke. Not yet. He had to make a few rounds and shake some hands first, keep up appearances, look like he was enjoying himself.

"They didn't even mention him." Sayuri's demure tone reminded him that he wasn't alone.

He turned to look at her. "Didn't mention who?"

She sipped her champagne then set the glass on the table before answering. "... His name was Katsi Oshiro, the driver who died today." She didn't look at Lee as she spoke and pulled at the long sleeve of her green, silk dress instead. "Twenty-four hours ago he had plans; maybe he had a party of his own to go to...and now he's dead, and no one cares." She picked up her glass drank.

"Did you know him?"

She shrugged. "No, but he was a human being, and he was part of the Zaibatsu."

Lee nodded solemnly as he watched Sayuri reach for the champagne bottle and refill her glass. Her behavior had been strange lately, but it was completely understandable. She had discovered his infidelity, was mugged at the metro station, and he was sure that his inability to tell her that he loved her had not helped. Adding to that pile of misery, was the fact that Sayuri had been interrogated like a common suspect and without his consent. It made him look like he had no authority at the Zaibatsu whatsoever.

He took her right hand. "I wish I'd known that you were going to be questioned, I would never have let it happen."

With her left hand, she picked up her glass. "It's not the worst thing that's happened to me." She shook her head slightly before sipping her drink. "I didn't know that you were going to fight...things that aren't human. I don't want you to get hurt."

He chuckled lightly. "They're not the ones that worry me; they're all show."

"The androids are hulking monsters and-"

"Don't worry, I'm the one who got that hunk of metal to work, and I know its weaknesses, the Russian one can't be much different. They'll probably end up facing off against each other anyway."

"You can't know that."

"Kazuya had me reactivate the android as an answer to the Russian android entering the tournament, he'll make sure they fight."

A new computer program. That was Lee's area of expertise, he should have been heading the project. Kazuya was taking everything from him, his responsibilities, his reputation... What else will he take before he fires me?

Sayuri shifted in her chair. "Do you still think you can win the tournament?"

He gently kissed the back of her hand. "Yes."

She smiled then was quiet for a moment. "...When you're in charge will you make sure Katsi Oshiro's family is taken care of? See to it that they never need anything like money or work?"

"I'll make sure." It wasn't something that he would have considered, but it would be one hell of a PR move. It would paint him in a positive light from the get-go, would let the world see that he was as different from Kazuya as night was from day.

"What about the kangaroo and the...dinosaur?" She shook her head then took a sip from the glass.

"What do you mean?"

"Can you beat them too?"

"I've been training longer than they've been alive, and to be honest I don't think they're very interested in winning the tournament."

Sayuri sighed. "I honestly thought that Miss Kazama would stand up and say something against having animals participating in the tournament. She was a wildlife officer before she met him, but now…"

Lee tried to follow what she was saying. "Met who?"

"...Mr. Mishima…" She fixed her eyes on the tablecloth. "He corrupts everything that he touches…everything." She reached for the champagne bottle again.

Lee took her hand. "Why don't you have some food instead? I'm sure the server will be here with our meals any second."

"I can't eat."

"Why?"

"Because I feel sick knowing that Katsi's family is in mourning while we're having a party." She fixed her gaze across the room then turned to him with a look of concern on her face and moved in closer. "Do you know Michelle Chang?" She asked softly.

He shook his head. "Not personally."

"I thought you knew all the fighters."

Lee spoke carefully and quietly not wanting to give too much away. He couldn't have anyone knowing, not even Sayuri, that Heihachi had arranged to have Michelle's father killed years earlier. "Given the history with our families...I don't think I'm someone she'd like to know. Why do you ask?"

Sayuri looked around before speaking. "...I think Mr. Mishima has her mother."

"There he is!" Lee didn't have time to react to the boisterous voice and found himself slumping forward when a large, heavy hand slapped him on the back. "You don't send me free concert tickets, you don't even call anymore, I thought we were friends." Lee stood from his chair and turned around already knowing who he would see. Paul Phoenix stood tall, wearing leather and denim and looking entirely out of place with his ridiculously high hairstyle. Marshall Law stood next to him, wearing a suit and smiling awkwardly.

Lee extended his hand. "It's been a while, Paul, how are you?"

Paul shook his head as he took Lee's hand in a grip that was tighter than necessary. "Wearing a monkey suit. Always so fuckin' formal, what, don't you want these stuck up, rich folks to know you can really party?"

Marshall sighed softly "We're at a formal function, Paul, not a club."

Lee shook Marshall's hand. "Nice to see you, Marshall. This is my girlfriend, Sayuri Yoshida." He introduced her as he took her hand, she stood up and bowed respectfully to both men. "How are Melissa and Forest, Marshall? Did you bring them?"

Marshall shook his head. "No, Melissa's got work and Forest is in school, we didn't want him to miss an entire week."

"He's in school already? The last time I saw him, he could barely talk."

"Yeah, he's-"

Paul held up one of the gift bags in front of Lee's face. "You know we're getting a free Walkman? And a Rolex, a fuckin' Rolex!"

Lee pushed the bag away from his face then gestured to Sayuri. "Well, you have her to thank for that, she chose each item and organized this entire-"

"She busy later?" Paul smiled as he eyed her appreciatively.

"...She's my girlfriend."

Paul laughed. "No way, you finally settled?"

Marshall groaned and shook his head.

Lee looked at Sayuri. "He means settled down," he clarified in Japanese knowing full well that she spoke and understood more English than she let on. "I think he's drunk."

Paul shook his head. "Unbelievable, you used to be my hero, you never saw a woman twice. What happened to you?"

Marshall elbowed him in the ribs. "Paul…"

Paul groaned. "It all started at the last tournament when you met... What's her name..." He furrowed his brow. "You know, the hot one, Nina's less bitchy sister, her name's on the tip of my tongue... Caroline!"

"Anna," Marshall said flatly.

Paul snapped his fingers. "There you go, Anna! Now she's with Kazuya, that's gotta be awkward."

Lee sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. "She's not with Kazuya."

Sayuri bowed to Marshall and spoke in English. "Enjoy the party." Then turned and gave Lee a smile that he knew was anything but genuine. "I'm sure I'm needed...somewhere."

Lee watched her leave then turned an admonishing gaze on Marshall. "He's drunk already?" Paul was now sitting in one of the chairs rummaging through his bag.

"I'm not his mom," Marshall said defensively. "He wanted to get an early start. You know, get drunk early, go to bed early, sleep it off and get up early ready to fight."

Lee sighed. "Who am I to argue with that logic?"

Paul held up his wrist showing off his new timepiece. "Hey, guess what time it is?" He didn't wait for an answer. "Time for one last drink!" He stood and made his way toward the open bar.

Marshall sighed. "I'd better go make sure he doesn't do something stupid. See you 'round, man."

Lee nodded. "Good luck tomorrow."

He looked around the room and spotted Sayuri speaking to one of the hotel employees. She looked like she had resigned herself to be there and wasn't having fun; she usually enjoyed social functions. He felt guilty knowing that she was not even wearing the dress she had wanted.

He smelled Anna's perfume before he heard her sultry tone. "Déjà vu."

He turned his head to look at her. "Since when do you drink vodka?" Not much of a greeting and he knew it.

She delicately sipped the clear liquid in her glass. "It's water. I don't drink on the job."

He looked to where Sayuri had been standing but she was gone, he slowly scanned the area looking for her. "What do you mean déjà vu?"

"Just seeing you here, on the eve of the tournament watching a woman and trying to figure her out."

"And you here, bothering me." He scoffed. "Yeah, déjà vu."

"Bothering you?" She laughed lightly. "That's rude, and I didn't bother you, I saved you."

It was what she always said. She claimed to have saved him.

At the banquet, the night before the first tournament, Lee had been watching a beautiful blonde in a short, purple dress. The young woman had not seemed interested in anyone or anything; she had not seemed bored or anxious or overly alert. She was unreadable; she was a challenge. He had watched her all night waiting for an opportunity. When she sat at her table, he finally saw it and would have walked over to her if not for the melodic voice he heard behind him.

"She's not interested in you."

He looked over his shoulder and saw Anna, not for the first time; he had seen her the moment she stepped into the room, everyone had. With that face, that body and that slinky silver dress everyone had noticed her.

He turned to face the lovely brunette. "I'm afraid we haven't met," he extended his hand. "Lee Chaolan."

She delicately shook his hand. "Anna Williams."

"A pleasure, Anna, if I may ask, how do you know she's not interested?"

"Because I'm her sister. Don't take it personally, she's just not interested in anyone or anything. She's probably just here for a work thing."

"Work? What does she do?"

She placed her hands on her hips and gave him a look of mock offense. "I'm here saving you from embarrassment and giving you the opportunity to get to know the fun Williams, and you're asking me about my sister?" She shook her head. "I would say that's kinda naughty, which I like, but it's actually just rude, so you'd better rephrase that if you want to keep my company."

He couldn't help it and smiled a genuine smile. Those blue eyes and that wit did him in before he even had a chance. "That is unforgivably rude. Please allow me to make it up to you."

She gestured toward the bar. "The bartender won't serve me. Everyone is perfectly okay with letting men twice my size and twice my age kick my teeth in, but God forbid I should have a little whiskey."

He eyed her cautiously, her face did look quite young. "How old are you?"

She shrugged. "I'm legal in my country." She gave him a knowing smile, and he swore that a light blush had crept onto her cheeks. "Don't get any ideas, I know how that sounded but I'm to that kind of girl, not on the first date anyway."

He chuckled. "It never crossed my mind. So, where are you from?"

"Ireland."

"You sound American."

"So do you, but don't worry, I won't hold it against you." She took his arm and guided him toward the bar. "Now let's go get my drink."

Lee did not have eyes for anyone else until they broke up, and even then, she was always on his mind in one way or another. He looked at Anna as she was now, a hardened killer, soon to be Kazuya's right hand again. He wondered how long it would take her to dethrone Bruce.

"You didn't save me." He said bitterly. "Being rejected at a party by someone I've never met is not worse than being unceremoniously dumped by someone I trusted."

She sighed. "I'm sorry, Lee but if I had stayed neither one of us would be happy."

He eyed the balcony exit aching for a cigarette. "Right."

Anna looked into his eyes. "Look, I know we're not together anymore, but that doesn't mean that you can't trust me. Our split was amicable...ish."

He looked around for cameras and saw someone snapping photos. He smiled as he looked at Anna. "I can't trust you or anyone, the fact that you interrogated my girlfriend without my consent-"

"Without your consent?" She laughed lightly and shook her head then lowered her voice. "I know you don't even realize it, but that makes you sound like an asshole. And it really pisses me off when you talk to me with that fake smile. I'm just here trying to make friendly conversation."

"Friendly conversation? I feel like you're trying to get me to say something, to confess to something. I have absolutely nothing to confess, certainly not to you. You're just another one Kazuya's thugs."

She gave an impatient sigh. "Thug, really?"

"They're taking our picture, so you should probably simile." Anna looked at the photographer and smiled when she turned her attention to Lee. "You say that I can trust you," he said as he put his hands in his pockets. "Do you want to take a walk with me and tell me the truth about what happened at the stadium? Who's responsible for the attack?"

"They were apprehended, everyone knows who it was."

Lee shook his head. "Earth Ethics? The group against genetic manipulation, you expect me to believe that?"

"It's a fact. It was all over the news."

"And that's all you know."

She sipped her drink. "That's all I know."

"Of course you won't tell me anything else, you've always been loyal to Kazuya."

She shrugged. "It's my job, you know I'm a career girl."

"And you always chose him over me." He saw her shoulders tense, and her grip tighten around her glass, still, he kept talking knowing full well that he should stop. "You know what everyone's thinking?" She shrugged and sipped her water. "That you and Kazuya are together, even Paul sees it."

"Even Paul? Or just Paul?" Her eyes bore into his. "Paul is an idiot, and he's drunk, but you should know better."

He felt his temperature rise, the events of the day had been chipping away at his temper and his patience. "Who will you pick?"

"Who will I pick?"

"When I win the tournament, and the Zaibatsu is mine, will you stand with me? Or will you stay by Kazuya's side and go up against me?"

Anna stared daggers at him. "...Do you really want me to answer that? Because I don't think you'll like my answer."

He nodded. "Thank you for this conversation. Now I know that I can't ever trust you, that I should never have trusted you."

They stood side by side for a few moments; his head was buzzing, he felt her anger, the tension that suddenly enveloped them both. He knew that he had gone too far, that her relationship with Kazuya was nothing beyond a trusted employee, but there was no way in hell that he would apologize. Forgetting about the cameras he walked toward the balcony exit, he really needed that cigarette.