.

(No Good Deed)

Spectators chanted his name, and reporters and cameramen tracked his every movement, but Lee couldn't even enjoy it. Their boisterous cheers and applause were nothing more than a monotonous whirring in his head.

Two years of suffering humiliation after humiliation, of betraying his own moral compass to do Kazuya's bidding, had all been for nothing. All of his plans, his attempt at sabotage, had led him nowhere. All he had was one man on the inside. What could he possibly accomplish with one man? Nothing. Brute force was the only way to cut a path back into the Zaibatsu.

"Fighters ready?"

Lee took his fighting stance, and Baek Doo San did the same.

"Fight!"

Lee was a vessel of barely contained rage. After two years of holding back, he stood before a real outlet for his anger. He went for Baek first in a whirlwind of kicks that his opponent kept dodging. He couldn't land a single one, and he knew that Heihachi and Kazuya were watching. He could feel their eyes on him. Almost heard their jeers, their insults. Before he could react, he was met with a kick to his middle and an elbow to the face.

And Heihachi and Kazuya were watching.

He could imagine them scrutinizing his every move like they did in the days when he practiced in Heihachi's dojo. And they wouldn't stop unless he stopped them, and he couldn't stop them unless he won the fight.

He blocked everyone thought out of his head and ignored the metallic taste in his mouth. Just like he used to do in the dojo.

He focused on his opponent as he bounced from side to side, guarding himself against punches and dodging powerful kicks. He saw an opening. He took it and began a relentless assault, kicking high and low, channeling all his pent-up energy into his attacks and not allowing Baek to counter or even block. He drove him back, alternating between punches and lightning-fast kicks. He spun around and kicked him in the chest; the force of the impact pushed Baek off the edge, and he fell backward onto the dirt.

There was no need for a countdown. Baek was disqualified for stepping off the fighting ground.

But Lee wasn't satisfied. He wanted to keep going to hit, to lunge at his opponent, to strike until...

"Mr. Chaolan, congratulations!" A reporter's voice pulled him back like a tether. Lee turned around and faced a woman holding a microphone. "How do you feel?"

In his mind's eye, he saw himself pushing the reporter aside and walking away. But his muscle memory betrayed him, and the corners of his mouth turned up into a smile.

"I feel ready for the next fight."

"You had your fans worried for a minute. But overall, your moves, your demeanor during the fight," the reporter continued, "you seem more assertive, more aggressive than you did at the first tournament. To what do you owe that change?"

He laughed. "Training and determination."

"We all read the letter from your father, Heihachi Mishima. It said, and I quote, 'my adopted son, chosen by my own hand.' You must be so grateful."

His muscles tensed, and the heat rose in his face. How much had Heihachi paid the reporter to say that?

"What was the question?"

"Do you have anything to say to Mr. Mishima?"

"I, too, am here to prove myself to the world."

Lee turned his back on her and walked away from the arena, his blood pounding in his ears. He had to leave to find a way to suppress his rage. The last thing he wanted was to provide the media with any excuse to paint him in a negative light.


The clank of metal hitting metal reverberated throughout the stadium. Watching the fight from the skybox should have been an enjoyable experience for Anna, but she had to put up with Bruce's sullen demeanor and Kazuya's death stare. She was used to it; still, it was unsettling. But hopefully, as long as no one made a mistake, and as long as no one mentioned Heihachi or Lee, the rest of the day could be smooth sailing.

Fat fucking chance.

She tried to focus on the fight again. She hated to admit it, but Bruce had been right. No one wanted to watch two androids go up against each other. The fight was going on too long, and it was hard to know which one was winning. The stands were only about half full, and the spectators didn't look particularly enthused. Even Kazuya was more staring off into space than death-staring.

Ganryu was the only person thoroughly enthralled with the scene before them. He was sitting on a chair, fidgeting with a small piece of paper in his hand, gaze fixed firmly ahead. The man was annoying as hell at times, but couldn't be worse company than the other two prospects.

Anna sat next to him and leaned in to whisper. "Which one do you have money on?"

He sat up straight. "I-I-" He lowered his voice. "What would give you such an idea?"

"Don't worry. Our guy's looking pretty good."

Ganryu seemed to deflate, his shoulders stooping. He crumpled the paper in his hand.

Anna gasped in delight and leaned in closer. "You bet against us?" She whispered. "You bad boy. How much?"

"Stop your giggling," Kazuya's voice made her straighten in her chair, "You sound like a couple of schoolgirls."

The two metal behemoths in the arena suddenly stopped and bowed their heads slightly to each other.

Anna turned to Ganryu. "Are they done?"

Before the sumo had a chance to answer, the two androids lifted their arms into the air and began to levitate. They began to gain speed, lifting themselves higher and higher until they were above the top of the stands. As everyone in the skybox looked on in disbelief, they flew out of the stadium.

Ganryu stood up. "No..."

Anna exhaled and closed her eyes. "Fuck."

Everyone was silent for a few moments until Kazuya stood up. "What happened? What the hell happened? Get Bosconovitch on the phone!"

Bruce went immediately to the corner of the room and picked up the phone. Ganryu stood staring through the glass as if in shock. Kazuya began yelling at him in Japanese. Anna exhaled slowly and began to tune them all out.

She turned toward the glass wall and looked up. There was no sign of the androids. The sky was blue, cloudless, and bright, perfect for a swim or lounging by a pool. She sighed and turned her attention back to the men.

"...If Prototype Jack flies into restricted airspace," Bruce said, "we're gonna have something else to worry about."

Anna picked up her purse from its hook on the wall. "I'm taking off."

Kazuya crossed his arms. "No, you're not."

"I'm going to the Zaibatsu to make sure everything is ready for your meeting with G-Corporation." She gestured to the window. "We wouldn't want another incident."

Kazuya said nothing but didn't object.

"Bye, boys."

It was as if a weight had lifted off her chest when she left the room. She would go back to her hotel for a shower, check in with the Zaibatsu, and if things were looking good, maybe even take a quick nap.


Lee drove straight home after his fight, and then... Nothing. When he got there, he took the first bottle of alcohol he found, poured himself a glass, and sat on the couch. The anger that he had counted on to propel him forward, to urge him into action, was ebbing away. In its place was a sickening feeling of guilt that made his chest tight, his body lethargic.

Heihachi had given him things that children in his situation never dreamed about, could not even imagine. He had saved him from the streets, set him up in a mansion, and given him a world-class education. In return, Heihachi had demanded perfection. And when Lee couldn't attain that perfection...

He reached for the pack of cigarettes on the coffee table and lit one up.

He downed the rest of the alcohol when he heard the front door open. Sayuri was going to be mad; he had left her at the stadium without leaving so much as a message. He watched her as she took off her shoes and walked into the living room.

He set the remainder of his cigarette on the ashtray. "I know you're upset, but I had to leave. I didn't want to take my anger out on you."

She leaned forward. "Is that blood on your face?"

He touched his fingertips to his cheek. "I don't know."

"You didn't even get cleaned up yet? What-" She sighed and sat by his side. "Are you all right?"

He picked up his glass but noticed that it was empty and set it back down. He looked at Sayuri, hoping to see anger on her face, but all he saw was concern. "I'm not all right. I wasted two years of my life, and now, winning the tournament is my only way back in."

"You're off to a good start. You did well today."

He shook his head. "Even if I win, they won't let me have the Zaibatsu. They'll do everything they can to take it back. Kazuya and Heihachi talk about honor, but I know how much they love to kick someone when they're down. That's what they're both trying to do; they are trying to bring me down, trying to make sure I'm at my lowest before they deal the death blow. And they're doing it to each other too. It's-" He sighed. "They will always be a problem. They will always be in my way."

She nodded and looked down at the coffee table as she spoke. "What if…" She folded her hands on her lap. "What if one of them stopped being a problem?"

"That's impossible."

"I know, I just mean...things can change. People can change..."

"You think I should handle this differently? Find a more direct way to stop them?" If he ever wanted to beat them, it was the only way. It was what a Mishima would do.

She shook her head. "I don't mean you, specifically. I mean, people, in general, can change." She shook her head again. "Never mind."

"What were you going to say?"

"Heihachi is your father, and as terrible as he is, maybe you could find a way to deal with him if Kazuya... wasn't a problem anymore."

Sayuri didn't know Heihachi. In his eyes, Lee had betrayed him. There was absolutely no way that he could be dealt with.

Except maybe a bullet to the head.

Lee almost reached for the empty glass again. "Did your parents expect gratitude from you?"

Sayuri shrugged. "I think all parents hope for it in some way. But expect it? I don't know. Gratitude for what, exactly?"

"For everything."

Someone born into a normal family could never understand what it was like to be adopted by someone like Heihachi. Someone who made him feel like he owed him for every breath he took. And now Lee had found himself entertaining the thought of actually killing him. He kept telling himself that he had to stop Heihachi, but deep down, he knew the true meaning of the word stop. But what if Wang Jinrei had been right and killing Heihachi did serve a noble purpose?

"Is this about the letter?" Sayuri asked. "This morning, you said you were not going to let it get to you. He's trying to get into your head."

"I know."

"It's like with my mother, she always-"

He exhaled. "No, it's not like with your mother; Heihachi is not a normal person. He killed his father and threw his own child down a cliff."

"What?" She crossed her arms and shook her head slowly. "You never told me any of that." She gave him an uneasy glance. "Was it Kazuya, or..."

Lee nodded stiffly, eyes fixed on his empty glass. He had revealed too much, and now he didn't know what to say. She sat immobile next to him, probably feeling sorry for him after piecing together how truly hellish his upbringing had been. Lee stood up and picked up his keys from the coffee table.

"Where are you going?"

"Maybe you're right." He said. "I think it's time for a more direct approach."

"Wait, I didn't say that." She stood up. "What are you going to do?"

He couldn't tell her. He couldn't say it out loud for fear of changing his mind. "I have to do something; otherwise, the Zaibatsu will never be mine."

"Why do you want it?" She sounded tired, exasperated. "You have money; you have a new company. Let them fight to the death for it if they want. You're better than that."

"I don't want it; I need it."

She scoffed and shook her head. "Fine." Then she turned and headed toward the bedroom.

He picked up his boots and opened the door. He had to leave before he changed his mind.


The last thing Lee wanted to do was speak to Anna. But he found himself waiting at her hotel. He had left her a message at the front desk, and now he was waiting at the bar. It wasn't the most effective way to reach her, but it was the only option he had other than showing up at the Zaibatsu. He asked the bartender for another whisky, he knew that he shouldn't overdo it, but it was only his second, maybe his third. It had to be his last one; he needed to keep a clear head.

He looked up when a spot of color caught his eye. Anna stood at the entrance staring daggers at him; she didn't even try to fake a smile. He stood up, picked up his keys, left his unfinished drink at the bar, and walked up to her.

"I need to speak to you privately."

Her jaw tightened. "Oh my God, you're drunk."

"No, I'm not. I only had a couple."

"A few."

"Can I please just speak to you?"

Anna regarded him carefully and crossed her arms. "My father threatened to send me to a convent more times than I can remember. Sometimes I wish he had. At least I wouldn't have to put up with men asking me for favors and making my life a living hell."

"I'm not going to ask you for a favor."

"It's obvious that you're here because you want something from me."

"It's a business proposition."

Anna cursed under her breath. "I'm going to say no, but..." She walked out into the lobby toward a secluded alcove on the opposite side of the front desk. "Tell me what you want. I'm in a hurry."

He looked around and leaned closer to her. "I need you to take care of someone for me."

"Are you serious?" She gave a short, wry laugh. "You used to say my job was the one thing you hated about me."

"One of the things."

She gaped at him for a moment. "Wow...I know you had a rough day, so I'm going to pretend that was the alcohol talking."

"It was."

"And I don't do freelance work anymore."

"I know, but this will benefit both of us."

"You'd better not be talking about Kazuya."

"I'm not."

"Who?"

"Heihachi."

"No."

"I know how much you charge. I can double it, I can-"

She fixed her flinty gaze on him. "No. There is no way in hell I am getting involved in-"

"Kazuya will never find out."

She shook her head, jaw tight. "He will definitely find out, and then he will kill us both."

"You would be helping Kazuya; he wants Heihachi out of the way as much as I do."

"More. Which is why he wants to do it himself, and I will not be the one who takes that from him. And if you're smart, you won't be either."

"Anna, if you do this, I will never bother you again."

She looked like she was about to say something as she clenched her jaw. But then, her eyes softened, and she moved closer. "I know how you feel. I was there two years ago. Nina humiliated me and-"

"And I was there for you."

She sighed, then gently set her hand on his shoulder. "Things were different then."

His heart began to race as her fingertips trailed slowly down his arm and onto his hand. When she took a step back, it took him a moment to realize that his keys were in her hand.

When she spoke, she sounded weary. "Go home, get cleaned up, and sleep it off. You'll see things differently with a clear head."

Deep down, he had known that it was going to be a wasted trip. Still, he felt defeated.

"What is it about Kazuya? I know you're not in love with him, but what did he do to deserve your loyalty."

She opened her purse and dropped his keys inside. "I don't know."

"When he goes down, he's going to take you down with him. And I really don't want to see that."

"Then I'll have to make sure he never goes down." She turned her back on him and walked toward the elevator.

Lee watched until the elevator doors closed. He felt exhausted; the mere act of going home seemed nearly overwhelming. He had hoped that Anna would help him or that she would at least consider it. Perhaps luck was still on his side. If the assassin killed Kazuya, he was sure that Anna would take him up on his offer.


All Anna had wanted was to take a shower and maybe a quick nap before heading back to the Zaibatsu, but after hearing Lee's demented plan, she couldn't relax. Sleep was out of the question.

What was he thinking? What the hell was he thinking?

She seethed as she drove her rented BMW to the Mishima Zaibatsu, wondering what had possessed Lee to ask her to kill Heihachi. Now, if he actually killed the old man, Kazuya would find out that it had been Lee's doing and that she had known about his plans. Then he would kill them both. Maybe not literally, but that remained to be seen. And if Anna told Kazuya what Lee was planning... But she couldn't do that.

She tried to calm down, tried to put the problem out of her mind. What she needed to focus on was making sure everything was ready for Kazuya's meeting. The better she performed, the more likely Kazuya was to overlook any transgression.

Who am I kidding? We're both screwed.

"What the hell?"

As she neared the Zaibatsu, a construction crane with an elevated platform came into view. It was parked next to the building. She knew that the window in Kazuya's office was supposed to be repaired earlier in the day, but the crane was at the wrong side of the building.

She left her car in the garage and instructed one of the guards posted at the elevator door to park it for her. She ignored all the men that bowed as they passed her by and walked straight to the security monitoring room. She opened the door and stepped inside. The men stood up from their workstations and bowed. She looked at the security monitors and walked up to the one showing the black and white image of the crane.

"Was the window in Mr. Mishima's office replaced?"

A man to her right spoke up. "Yes, Miss Williams."

Anna tapped the screen. "Then why the hell is there still a piece of heavy machinery parked next to the building?"

The man looked around the room before speaking as if hoping that someone else would do it. "They found some problems with a few of the windows; they said they would fix them first thing tomorrow."

"They were supposed to fix the window in Mr. Mishima's office, nothing more, nothing less. Didn't someone verify the work order?"

"I did. They were to fix the window in Mr. Mishima's office and check the integrity of the windows on the top floor. They found some issues and will come back to fix them first thing tomorrow."

"So the work order changed?"

"Yes."

Anna shook her head. "I don't like it. Where's Yamada? Did he authorize this?"

"No, Miss Williams, I did."

She pointed to the screen. "That is a security risk. They need to make the repairs now and finish before Mr. Mishima's meeting, or someone, I don't care who, needs to get rid of that crane immediately."

She stared at the image on the screen as the men scrambled around the room. She felt on edge. Something didn't sit right.

"How far does the crane's lift reach, what floor?"

"Thirty-ninth, Miss Williams, beneath the conference room."

Anna walked out and headed for Yamada's hole in the wall that he called an office. Either he had dropped the ball, or whoever hired those idiots had really messed up.

"Knock, knock," Anna said as she opened the door.

He stood up from his chair and bowed slightly. "What can I do for you?"

She leaned on the doorframe rather than going in. There was barely enough room for a desk and a filing cabinet. "We have some issues."

"What issues?"

"Oh," She tapped her index finger on her chin. "I don't know. An altered work order, a construction vehicle, and a serious security risk."

She explained what the men in the monitoring room had told her.

Yamada furrowed his brow. "I was not aware of these changes. But I can assure you that if the guards had seen anything suspicious, they would have brought it to my attention."

His dismissive attitude grated on her. "In case you forgot, someone tried to blow up our boss, so I don't care if no one saw anything. If something seems out of place, I'm going to check it. So, I'm gonna need you to join me upstairs."

She felt a chill up her spine at the thought of Kazuya being attacked in his own building. She had failed to protect him one too many times. Her lack of attention had nearly gotten both of them killed and had caused the death of an innocent man.

Yamada's demeanor was stone as he followed her down the hallway and into the elevator. He, along with the men in the monitoring room, obviously thought she was exaggerating. And if they were right and she was wrong, her reputation would take a serious blow.

"I know that you have important things to do right now, but you don't get to where I am without having a sixth sense about these things."

She remembered something Lee had told her days earlier. She could frighten the men into compliance, but Bruce was well respected, and he was also liked. If she wanted to dethrone him, she had to have the men on her side.

"And if I'm wrong, you and the rest of the boys can have a laugh at my expense. I won't even be offended."

That seemed to ease Yamada's reservations somewhat. "With all due respect, Miss Williams, what threat could a crane possibly pose?"

There was that dismissive attitude again, and she had to get that son of a bitch on her side somehow. They stepped out of the elevator and began their walk to the conference room. "Maybe it poses no threat at all. Or maybe someone packed it full of explosives and parked it next to the building to try taking out our boss again."

"Seems highly inefficient."

Her jaw tightened. "You're right. How would you do it?"

He stopped in his tracks and looked at her. "I-I would never-"

"It's our job to think like that. If you have no imagination, you'll never get ahead in this line of work."

They walked in silence until they reached the conference room. Anna opened the door and flicked the light switch on. They both walked to the window and looked down at the crane.

Seeing how Kazuya's office was one floor above them, she was forced to eliminate her first theory. "Okay, maybe explosives would be inefficient, but could someone use the platform to climb up or-"

"No one can get in through here." Yamada's expression remained impassive, but his voice had a slight edge. "These windows are sealed and-" His brow furrowed as he stretched out his hand, his fingers gingerly touching the seal around the glass.

"What?" She moved closer, and her gaze followed his hand as it slid down the side of the window. She noticed a thin line on the seal. "Let me see." Yamada pulled his hand away and took a step back. Anna pushed on the seal with her fingertips and felt a slight wiggle. She pushed harder with the heel of her palm and felt the window nearly give way. She stepped back and looked at Yamada. "This has been tampered with."

"To what end? Getting into the building? Impossible."

"Maybe to get out."

"The platform is too far down; they would kill themselves trying to jump out."

Anna looked down at the platform. "I could make that jump. After sticking the landing, it's not that hard to climb down the crane."

Yamada's lips were tight, the impatience beginning to show in his eyes. "Miss Williams, no one can get into this building unseen, especially not through windows."

She stared out into the sprawling cityscape. She knew he was right, but she still had a lingering feeling that something wasn't right. "There was a big open window in Mr. Mishima's office today, though. And a conveniently changed work order." His silence said that he didn't believe her. She turned to look at him. "Put the building on lockdown."

He looked as if he were about to object but thought better of it. "Yes, Miss Williams."

He followed her out of the room. "I want you to get ten men ready. We need to check every room on both this floor and the top floor." They stepped into the elevator. "Look for anything that seems out of place." He stood silently beside her. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "Got it?"

"Yes."

The elevator doors opened, and they walked out. "I need to make a quick stop. Meet me here when you're ready."

Yamada nodded before walking away. Anna headed straight for the armory. Maybe she was paranoid, but a healthy dose of paranoia was essential in her line of work. She input the code into the panel next to the armory entrance, and the door slid open.

She walked past the racks of conventional and unconventional weapons to a little-used corner of the armory and chose a tranquilizer rifle. She opened the storage cabinet where the darts were kept and loaded the rifle. She didn't bother taking any other weapon; she already had her own gun holstered under her leopard-print coat.

When she arrived back at the elevator, Yamada and the ten Zaibatsu guards were already waiting for her.

Yamada looked at the weapon in her hand. "That's not a real gun."

You son of a bitch. "Oh, honey, I don't have time to school you on guns. And if we do have an intruder in the building, we want him questioned, not dead."

He was trying to undermine her in front of the men. Most of them couldn't speak English, but she was sure they all understood the dismissive tone. If he was speaking to her that way, he was loyal to Bruce. She couldn't afford to be wrong on this.

"You take five men. Check every room on the thirty-ninth floor. Five come with me. We'll do the top floor."

There were no objections or smart-ass remarks. They each took their teams to their respective floors and checked every room. But they found no other damaged windows, no intruders, no signs of a break-in anywhere. With each room they cleared, she lost a bit of credibility. Yamada's team cleared the thirty-ninth floor, then Anna's team finished with the fortieth floor.

Yamada stood in the hallway in front of Kazuya's office, a smug look on his face. "Shall I lift the lockdown?"

She looked from him to the men standing behind him and smiled. "Why are you in such a hurry?"

Anna turned her back on them and opened the door, her smile fading as she stepped into the room. She walked by Lee and Sayuri's desks went into Kazuya's private office. She walked around the desk and stood in front of the window. The crack on the glass was gone, the room untouched. She set the rifle on top of the desk. She had been wrong, and the men knew it.

I'm gonna have to be more of a hardass now.

Most of the current guards had not been working at the Zaibatsu when Anna was in charge. They had already seen her falter by failing to notice a bomb at the stadium. And now, they'd witnessed her overreaction. Surely in their eyes, putting the entire building on lockdown because a crane was parked in the wrong spot was utterly unnecessary. She got as close to the glass as she could without touching it and looked down. She couldn't even see the crane from that angle. She sighed and fixed her gaze on the clear sky, wondering if Prototype Jack would make its way back to the building like a dog that had strayed from its home.

In the stillness, a heavy feeling settled in her chest. Her heartbeat began to accelerate. Her eyes moved to the tall wooden cabinet next to the window.

Please tell me they checked that.

She reached for the handle and grit her jaw, her right hand moving into her coat and resting lightly on her gun. A strong force pushed from inside the cabinet and knocked Anna off her feet. As she moved to a half-raised position, a black-clad figure leapt out of the cabinet. Anna reached up to grab the intruder, her hand nearly closing around his ankle. Feeling him slip away, she reached for her gun. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of blonde hair, and before she knew it, she found herself staring up at steel-blue eyes behind the barrel of a gun.

Anna froze, her fingertips nearly grazing the grip of her gun. "Are you gonna do it?" She was surprised by the mirth in her own voice.

This was a new situation. She'd had scuffles and outright fights with Nina before, but now her sister was the real enemy. There was nothing funny about it, but she almost wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it all.

Nina's jaw clenched at the faint sound of voices. "Don't move."

Anna chuckled and carefully took in her sister's appearance. "So much shiny leather. Were you gonna go clubbing after?"

"Pull your hand out of your coat and lie back on the floor."

"This is such a nice floor. I don't really mind." Anna honestly wasn't sure if Nina would shoot her.

"Put your arms above your head."

She did as she was told. "You're in my territory, Nina. There's no way you can wi-"

White-hot pain coursed from her right wrist to her fingers and elbow under the weight of Nina's boot. She reached for the gun in her holster but found it nearly impossible to pull it up; the weight was too much for her wrist.

Nina had already run for the exit in the split second that it took Anna to get back on her feet.

The door burst open.

The first man to step inside was greeted with a kick to the face. The man behind him fired his weapon and missed, but Nina didn't. The bullet from her gun hit him square in the chest, and he fell backward with a groan.

"Shit." Anna rushed to the rifle on the desk as the sound of a bullet whistled over her head. She cursed again and picked up the rifle, she tried to aim, but Nina had somehow gotten outside the door.

Anna walked out, stepping over the two fallen men and finding two more on the floor on the other side of the door. She steadied the butt of the rifle against her shoulder. When she saw Nina sprinting for the exit, she tried to aim straight, but her hand was shaky. The sharp, searing pain throbbed from her wrist to her fingers. Before she could pull the trigger, Nina made it out into the hallway.

"No."

Anna clenched her teeth and ran through the office and out the door. Nina moved like lightning, taking down every guard before they had a chance to fire their weapons. Anna lined up her shot. Hand, shaking, pain burning, and pulsing through her hand, she pulled the trigger. The dart hit Nina on the shoulder just before she disappeared through the door to the stairwell.

Yamada stood up from the floor and wiped his bloody nose with the back of his hand.

Anna pushed the tranquilizer rifle into his hands. "Elevator. Now."

Someone pushed the elevator button and held the door for her. She didn't wait to see who followed. She stepped inside, heart pounding, mind racing. Yamada and four men walked in with her. When the elevator door opened, a group of guards was already waiting, but Nina wasn't there yet.

Anna pulled her gun out of its holster through the burning pain in her wrist and hand. A few seconds later, the door to the stairwell opened, and Nina walked out. She was out of breath; her steps looked heavy. She tried to point her gun at them but fell to her knees. The gun dropping next to her.

Anna walked up to her and kicked the gun away. "Who sent you?"

"You know I won't tell you."

"The bomb at the stadium, was that you?"

Nina scoffed and closed her eyes.

Anna went down on one knee. "Oh, Sis, you used to be so good with explosives. That must have been so embarrassing, but it's okay; we all miscalculate sometimes. I know that you don't like to admit it, but you're human too."

Nina exhaled and opened her eyes. "You're only here because I chose to let you live. Just like tonight." She collapsed on her side.

Anna kneeled on the floor next to her and whispered, not wanting the men to hear. "What are you talking about?"

Nina looked at her with glassy eyes. "I never miss, Anna. I never miscalculate."

"Except for at the stadium, and right now."

You weren't supposed to be at the stadium." Her eyes closed. "And you weren't supposed to be here either."

Anna felt the heat rise to her face. "Take her, lock her up."

Yamada stood next to her. "Your sister?"

She turned to him. "Don't ever disrespect me again. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Miss Williams, I apologize."

Anna kept her eyes on Nina's immobile form. "Go check the damage to Mr. Mishima's office."

He walked away without saying a word.

Too many thoughts were racing through Anna's mind, but the one she couldn't shake, the one that made her burn with rage, was that Nina had let her live. Why?

As she watched the men put Nina on the gurney and wheel her into the elevator, she didn't feel any sense of victory.


It was nearly midnight when Lee heard the knock on the door. It was Anna. Even though he had been expecting it, he felt somewhat apprehensive as he opened the door. She had called to tell him that she was bringing his car over and had said nothing else, but he knew her. There was usually a reason behind her seemingly kind actions.

"Sorry," Anna said when he opened the door, "I know it's late."

"Come in."

She nodded stiffly and stepped inside. There was no smile. She seemed guarded as she looked around the living room. "Where's..."

"Sayuri's in the bedroom."

Anna nodded and pulled the car keys out of her coat pocket, then handed them to him. "You're lucky I didn't sell it for parts after what you did to me."

"What did I do?"

"The position you potentially put me in. I-" She exhaled sharply. "Can we speak in private?"

"Okay."

He walked to the back of the living room and opened the door to the balcony. Once outside, he felt the chill of the night air and wished he had grabbed something to put on over his t-shirt, but Anna was already closing the door.

Anna crossed her arms and looked at him. "Anything on your mind tonight?"

Not even five minutes into their visit and she was already grating his nerves. "Just a couple of things. It's not really a big deal."

"Can you cut the damn sarcasm?"

"Can you cut to the chase?"

She looked almost hesitant before she spoke. "Was it you?"

"Was what me?"

"At the stadium."

He sighed and shook his head. "I already told you it wasn't. You know Kazuya is not the one I want t-"

"Don't say it. Don't you dare say it."

"Fine. Do you think I would put innocent people in danger? Or you?"

"No. Something happened tonight...There was another attempt."

"What? Where?"

"I need you to look at me and tell me that it wasn't you."

"It wasn't me." An unexpected feeling of dread crept into him. "Anna, did something actually happen? Is Kazuya-"

"He's fine. He wasn't even there." She fixed her eyes on the railing. "It was Nina."

He felt anger instead of relief. How could he have allowed himself to feel anything other than hate for Kazuya? He turned to look at Anna. "Wait-It was Nina? Jesus, Anna. You actually thought I would hire Nina behind your back?"

"I guess not. I just had to ask you so I can look Kazuya in the eye and tell him I'm sure it wasn't you."

"What are you going to do with Nina?"

Anna looked into the distance and rubbed her arms over her coat. "She had me tonight. She had me, and she didn't pull the trigger. And now I have her and..." She sighed.

There it was, the thing she wanted from him: advice. The last thing he expected.

"I'm one of the worst people to ask for advice on family matters."

She turned toward him. "I don't want advice; I just..." She shook her head and turned away from him again. "Forget it."

Lee wrapped his hands around the railing, the cold metal sending a chill up his arms. Nina had been the assassin. She had failed to kill Kazuya, and she had been caught. Kazuya was still there. Still a problem.

He looked at Anna. Even though he didn't envy her position, he wanted to yell at her. He wanted to tell her that she wouldn't be in this predicament if she had taken his side instead of Kazuya's. Nina would have succeeded, and Kazuya would have been gone. But he felt for her.

"Why didn't she pull the trigger?" She seemed to be asking herself more than she was asking him.

"She's your sister."

"And the way she said it," Anna laughed. "Like she was gloating about some good deed she'd done." She sighed. "And now I'm the one..."

It wasn't much of a solution, but it was the only advice Lee could offer. "Talk to Dr. Bosconovitch, and Kazuya. You might be able to convince them to use Nina for the cryosleep experiment."

Anna shook her head. "I can't turn her into a science experiment against her will."

"It's better than putting a bullet in her head against her will. Or do you think Kazuya will set her free."

She nodded slowly. "I know you're right, it's just... Thank you." She moved toward the door. "It's gonna be different without you at the Zaibatsu."

"I guess I'm destined for better things."

"Good job on your fight today."

"Thank you. You did well too. If I were your boss, I'd give you a raise."

She gave him a genuine smile. "It's all in a day's work." It reminded him of the first time he met her. "Will you call a cab for me?"

"Yeah."

They walked back inside and said their goodbyes; then, Lee called a cab for her. When he finished the call, he saw Sayuri step out of the bedroom wearing a black robe; arms crossed tightly.

"What did she want?"

"Nina Williams broke into the Zaibatsu to kill Kazuya. But Anna caught her before she could do any damage."

"She-she caught her?"

He nodded. "Anna wanted advice on how to deal with the situation. It's her sister."

Sayuri stood in silence for a moment, then shook her head. "Are you sure?"

"It's what she told me."

She walked back into the bedroom without saying a word.

Lee waited for her to close the door, then dialed Yamada's number. "I heard you had an eventful evening. How are things now?"

"Tense. Chaotic."

"I have a strange task for you."

"What is it?"

"I need you to get me a meeting with Ganryu."

"I'll get on it."

"And I need you to find someone to do a...risky job."

It was true, Heihachi was the reason that Lee was alive and wealthy. But he was also the one who had expected him to stop Kazuya and take over the Zaibatsu using any and all means necessary. Even Wang Jinrei expected him to do it. It didn't feel like a choice anymore, it was duty. And if Anna wouldn't help him, at least he had one man on the inside. It didn't seem like much, but it was a good place to start.