.
(Trust)
There was a vague sense of urgency that Jun couldn't shake. A nagging feeling in the back of her mind that maybe she'd forgotten something or needed to do something.
She scanned the vast desert. I don't think I want to be here.
But where was here?
Every worry melted away when she saw the elephants in the distance. She wasn't in the desert. She was in the jungle. Why did she think she was in a desert? The warmth and humidity in the air felt as comforting and familiar as a well-worn blanket. As Jun walked toward the elephants, a young female named Kannika ambled over to meet her. Jun held up her hand and offered the gentle behemoth a piece of sugar cane. Kannika used her trunk to pick it up with a precision that never ceased to amaze her.
"You are so pretty." Jun ran her fingers over the rough, wrinkled skin of Kannika's trunk and laughed when the elephant tried to bypass her hand and pick her pocket for more sugar cane. "I don't have any more." She tried to run her fingers over the elephant's trunk again, but her hand went right through. Then, Kannika was gone along with the greenery.
Jun found herself in the middle of the desert, Angel's statuesque form standing before her. Her silvery-white wings shimmering in the sunlight, and a divine glow emanating from her very being.
Angel folded her arms. I have been waiting for your answer.
Jun used her hand to shield her eyes from the brightness. I said I needed time to consider your offer. And I'm making progress with Kazuya.
Slow progress.
Devil is gone.
Angel's right eyebrow rose ever so slightly. Was it you who sent him away?
The heat rose in Jun's face. I didn't personally do it, but-
What do you think will happen when he returns?
It was like being in school all over again, worse, like being in trouble with her mother. It grated on her. How did Angel expect anyone to live with that admonishing tone inside their head? Jun kept her thoughts to herself and changed the subject.
Where is Devil?
Angel fixed her gaze on the horizon. I do not know where he is. He does not know where I am.
Then maybe this is good. I can feel Kazuya changing. I know that if I-
When Devil returns and sees that Kazuya is changing, the consequences will be dire.
Is that certain?
It is possible.
They could argue for an eternity about certainties and possibilities, and Angel would always win. It was best to be direct.
I don't want you in my head. I don't want you controlling my body or my thoughts.
I have said that I will not invade your person without your consent.
My person...and my mind? A small gasp escaped Jun's lips as a sliver of suspicion invaded her thoughts. I was here at first, and I tried to leave. Did you make me dream about Kannika?
I had to make sure your guard was down. It was imperative that I speak with you.
Jun woke herself up. She was in Kazuya's room, inside the museum that was his house. She wanted to touch him, but he looked at ease, and it was such a rare sight that she pulled her hand back for fear of waking him. Her method was working. And Angel was using trickery to force Jun to put her guard down, manipulating her, seeding her mind with dreams. How could she trust her? If Angel's objective was to save Kazuya's soul "at all costs," would she have any regard for Kazuya's physical body? For his life? For Jun's own life? If she couldn't trust her, she couldn't risk it.
Lee adjusted the front of his brown jacket. The cell phone in the inside pocket weighed the garment down and made it awkward and somewhat uncomfortable. The phone was a new purchase. Kazuya had never allowed his employees to own one. Now, Lee was free to have a damn phone, and he was free to make and execute his own plans. It was a glass-half-full kind of day.
It could be a glass-half-full kind of day unless Ganryu decided not to show up.
They had agreed to meet before the first match of the day, and he was cutting it close. Lee checked his watch as he waited inside the restaurant across the street from the stadium. He looked through the window at the pedestrians, searching for any sign of a corpulent figure. After a couple of minutes, he spotted Ganryu walking with his head down and shoulders hunched. Probably trying to go unnoticed. But the mere fact that he existed made him stand out; it made people look.
Ganryu entered the restaurant and looked around. His eyes narrowed when he saw Lee, and he walked over to the table.
"Good morning," Lee grinned. He motioned to the chair in front of him. "Join me for a drink."
Ganryu pulled the chair out and sat down. He leaned in. "I didn't know I would be fighting her."
Lee shrugged. "You knew it was a possibility."
"My only choice is-"
"To win, I understand."
"But Michelle will hate me."
"She probably will."
Ganryu wrung his hands. "Can you-could you talk to her for me? Tell her it was nothing personal. That I had no choice but to win."
Lee raised his hand and nodded to the waitress across the room. He looked back at Ganryu. "I'll tell her. But I don't know how she'll react."
The waitress walked up to their table and set a wooden tray with a bottle of sake and two drinking cups. She put a cup in front of each of them, then bowed before walking away.
Lee picked up the bottle and tried to pour it into Ganryu's cup.
Ganryu held up his hand. "I can't."
Lee poured anyway. "You look like you need it."
Ganryu sighed, his shoulders slumping. Lee put down the bottle, then Ganryu picked it up and poured it for him.
Lee raised his cup. "Let's make a toast to honor."
Ganryu raised his cup, then downed the contents.
"Easy," Lee pulled the bottle closer to his side of the table. It was imperative that Ganryu not overdo it. "Your fight will start soon." He checked his watch. "In fact, you should get going now. If you're late, Kazuya may actually kill you, then you'll be no good to anybody." He pulled a card out of his pocket. "Here's my number," he handed it to Ganryu, "call me when the fight is over."
Ganryu took the card, nodded, and stood up. He walked out of the restaurant with a heavy sigh, his head down. Then with a mix of anxiety and anticipation, Lee watched through the window as he crossed the street and walked toward the stadium.
"Need anything else?"
Lee looked up and saw the waitress standing next to his table. He reached into his jacket, pulled out an envelope full of cash, and set it on the tray next to the sake bottle. "No, that will be all."
The young woman bowed before picking up the tray and walking away.
Lee hated what he was doing. He hated talking; and, even worse, dealing with the dredges of society. It was part of his past, but he didn't want to relive it, didn't want to do it again. And he wouldn't have to once the Zaibatsu was his. He'd have other men to do his dirty work. He shook his head. The entire point of taking over the Zaibatsu was that there wouldn't be any dirty work to do at all. But that was later, and this was now.
He resolved to push negative thoughts out of his head and moved from the table to the bar to get a better view of the TV. He lit up a cigarette and pulled the ashtray closer as he ordered a drink. He fixed his gaze on the screen above the bar.
The camera focused on Michelle. She stood tall, determined. But the one he wanted to see was Ganryu. Then the camera zoomed out, capturing both opponents. Ganryu wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. It was working. But maybe he was just nervous.
Then, the fight began, and it wasn't even close. Michelle was agile, swift, and relentless. Ganryu looked like he could barely stand. Michelle moved between low kicks and high strikes, hitting her target with ease. Ganryu merely tried to defend. Then he tried to grab her and missed, as he was falling down, and Michelle did not let the opportunity go to waste. She charged and was merciless as she switched between kicks and elbow strikes. Never stopping, never giving her opponent an inch. All Ganryu could do was back up and try to avoid the flurry of kicks and punches until he backed up a step too far and fell off the stone square and onto the dusty ground below. The fight was over.
Lee didn't wait to see the audience's reaction. He snuffed out his cigarette in the ashtray, stood up, and went outside. He was smiling, actually smiling, as his heart beat a mile a minute. His plan was actually working; finally, something going right. Though the day was far from over, and the plan far from complete. He halted the pessimistic thoughts. Yes, it was still early, but damn, he was off to a good start.
The leather envelope was as rough and coarse as Heihachi's own hands. It was older than him too, and it bore the creases, cracks, and scars of time to prove it. Heihachi opened it, pulled out the photographs, and set it on the dining table. He quickly flipped through pictures of his parents, his wife, and himself, then slowed when he saw the images of his sons.
There was nothing natural about those photographs. Kazuya and Lee were posing perfectly in each one, but only Heihachi could see through every fake smile and intimidating stance. Only he could see the turmoil and the hate bubbling beneath their skin. Things had been better then. At the time, he had genuinely believed that he was raising boys into men.
"Where the hell did I go wrong?"
He looked up when he heard the door open and saw Rei walk in carrying a tray with a teapot and two cups.
She put the tray on the table. "Feeling nostalgic?"
"Hmph. Hardly." He continued to flip through photos as she poured the tea.
He stopped and straightened in his chair when he found what he was looking for. He studied the picture for a moment. Lee's wide, frightened eyes looked back at him. He had been twelve years old then. It was taken as they flew from Shanghai to Tokyo. Lee's first time on an airplane, his first time wearing clean clothing, his first time eating three square meals a day.
He'd forgotten how it felt to look into those eyes. For the briefest of moments, he was back in that plane with that boy, and a pang of pity, perhaps even compassion, forced itself into his chest. But he buried that feeling, then burned it with the white-hot rage that surged within him whenever he was reminded of Lee's betrayal. He had looked at that boy and seen his potential. Years later, he had nearly made him his sole heir.
He drank his tea in silence, then handed Rei the picture. "Make a duplicate of this."
Rei looked the photo over. "Certainly. Are we sending it to a newspaper?"
"No. It's a private message. A reminder."
"Do you think he might act against you?"
Heihachi sipped his tea. He had not expected Kazuya to fire Lee. He had expected his two sons to fight amongst each other, to be too distracted to think about him. But now that Lee was out and had no way in, who knew what he would do?
He looked into the dregs of his tea. "Act against me… that's all the damn boy has been doing the past two years. And he's been meeting with Anna Williams too much for my liking."
"Maybe they're just rekindling their romance."
"Maybe they're just planning my downfall."
Rei bowed her head. "Apologies. You're right. We should be ready for anything."
"We should be ready for everything."
Defeat wasn't an option this time. Heihachi was going to take everything back, and if he ended up burying both his sons in the process, so be it.
Lee stood in the ally behind the restaurant with his back against the wall. Every second that passed chipped away at his enthusiasm. Every second was an opportunity for Ganryu to screw up. He rechecked his watch, then pulled the phone out of his pocket and checked the signal one more time.
He looked up and saw Ganryu stalking toward him as he pointed an accusatory finger.
He stood in front of Lee. "You put something in my drink. You criminal!"
It was clear that Ganryu was trying to look imposing and sound intimidating, but to Lee, it just looked like the sumo was about to be sick. Maybe it was the after-effects of the drink, or maybe it was the stench of the dumpster behind them. But more than likely, it was the realization of the predicament that his gambling compulsion had caused.
"A criminal?" Lee scoffed. "I'm not the one who kidnapped and imprisoned an innocent woman."
Ganryu grabbed the edge of the dumpster for support. "I-I-I didn't mean-"
"What do you think Kazuya will do with her after he gets what he wants?"
Ganryu looked down at the ground. "I don't know."
"It could be as benign as putting her on a plane back to Arizona. But maybe…" Lee glanced at the dumpster. "Whatever it is, we both know Kazuya won't do it himself. He'll make you do it. Could you live with yourself if you have to harm her?"
The color drained from Ganryu's face, but he still managed to speak in an even tone. "I will tell the boss what you're doing."
"Then you'll have to tell him that you gambled with his interests, and he will literally kill you. Or, you can free Elizabeth Chang, then hide until someone becomes a bigger problem for Kazuya."
He wiped the sweat from his brow but shook his head. "I can't do it."
"You're the only one who can do it."
"I can't."
"Anna's fight is next. So she will be at the stadium, as well as Bruce. You will be the highest-ranking employee at the Zaibatsu. No one will question your orders or actions."
"What if the boss shows up?"
"Everyone is going to be distracted at the stadium. Jun Kazama will fight after Anna, and Kazuya is not going to miss that." Lee moved his hand to put it on Ganryu's shoulder but decided against it. "There will never be another opportunity. Go now. Free Mrs. Chang and bring her to me. By the time Kazuya figures out what happened, you will be long gone."
Ganryu stood immobile and silent for a too-long, excruciating moment. Then, his shoulders seemed to deflate, and he fixed his gaze on the ground. "I don't want anything bad to happen to Michelle's mom."
Lee nodded. "Good. It's now or never."
Ganryu stood still again. Lee instinctively began to search his mind for the right words to convince him, but the sumo straightened his posture and nodded. There was steel in his eyes as he turned his back on Lee. His gait was purposeful, perhaps even predatory. It was what Kazuya had seen in him, strength, and determination, ruthlessness too, no doubt.
Too bad he failed to see his shortcomings.
Lee pulled out his phone and dialed Yamada as he watched Ganryu disappear around the corner. "You need to be an hour late for work."
"Why?"
"Ganryu's orders."
"Anything else?"
"No."
He ended the call and dialed the number to Michelle's hotel room. "Miss Chang?"
Michelle answered in a measured voice as if she were expecting bad news. "What?"
"Make sure your bags are packed, and reserve two plane tickets for Phoenix."
"He's going to do it?"
"He's on his way."
"What can I do to help?"
"There is nothing you or I can do other than wait. I'll call you when it's time to go. Be ready." Lee ended the call and put the phone back in his pocket.
It was unbelievable. He was entrusting Ganryu with such a monumental task. But he had no other choice, no other way to destabilize the power dynamic in the Zaibatsu.
My entire plan is hinging on the actions of an imbecile.
That was not a helpful thought. Everything was going to go as planned because it had to, because he had paid his dues, and the Universe owed him a win. Everything was going to go as planned.
Unless Ganryu finds something to bet on between here and there.
He needed to find a way to distract himself. He made his way to the stadium.
Instead of sitting in the stands, Lee opted to watch the fight from one of the monitors in the concourse. With the fight about to start, the area was nearly empty, save for the food vendors watching on the screens fixed to the wall. He looked up at the nearest one.
Anna and Wang Jinrei stood facing each other. Anna stood with her arms crossed, stone-cold eyes on her opponent. She wasn't trying to get under Jinrei's skin, wasn't even making a spectacle of herself.
Lee smiled. She's gonna throw the fight.
He had trained alongside Anna enough times to know when she was serious about a fight and when she wasn't. If she looked like she didn't give a damn, she was serious. And if she looked serious, she didn't give a damn.
When the fight started, Anna looked like she would charge but hesitated. Jinrei didn't miss the opportunity and closed the distance between them faster than any man his age had the right to. He spun and kicked, hitting Anna in the shoulder and causing her to lose her balance. She nearly fell but caught herself and tried to kick Jinrei. He took a quick step to the right and avoided the strike. The rest of the fight continued in a pattern of Anna kicking when she should try punching or moving away when she should try to get close. It ended when Jinrei struck Anna in the ribs, and she fell to the ground. She failed to get up before the count down was done.
Lee almost laughed. Anticlimactic.
After the fight, he walked toward the locker rooms and caught Jinrei before entering.
Lee bowed to him. "Congratulations on your victory, Master."
Jinrei bowed as well. "One step closer to the goal."
"All the training and the sacrifices seem to be paying off."
Lee wanted to tell him about his plans. He almost told him that he was following his advice. That soon, Heihachi would cease to be a threat. But he couldn't do it. He couldn't get the words out. Some part of him was ashamed to tell him. It made no sense. Jinrei himself was the one who had suggested it. Still, he couldn't bring himself to say the words and was relieved when he saw Anna walking down the hall toward them.
Anna looked at Jinrei and bowed deeply. "Good fight." She said as she rose.
Jinrei bowed his head in acknowledgment, then turned to Lee. "May luck be with us both." He said before walking into the locker room.
Lee turned to Anna. "Did you even try?"
Anna shrugged. "All I wanted to do was beat Nina, and I did. After today, the fights are gonna get all serious, and I'm just not in the mood for that."
"Congratulations, then."
"Thanks. And also for…the advice."
"I hope it helped."
Anna nodded and gave him a small smile before going into the locker room.
He couldn't help the twinge of guilt that settled in his chest. At that very moment, Ganryu was betraying her, and Lee was the one to blame. And when Kazuya found out what had happened, he was going to rain hell on everyone. But really, she had brought it on herself when she chose to take Kazuya's side. If she had chosen him… But she didn't. And there was no point in thinking about it or feeling guilty.
The first thing that Jun saw coming was a giant metal boot flying at her. Then, she was on the ground. She rolled to the side and avoided a heavy foot, then sprung up and took her stance.
How do you beat someone twice your size? She heard her father's words.
Be faster, and don't get hit.
But she did get hit. And was knocked down again. The scrape of metal on stone made her bones vibrate. Armor King was coming at her again, ready to pounce. Jun rolled again and catapulted up before he could touch her.
Don't get hit again. Get close.
He was strong, but Jun was fast. She sprang forward, dodging his punch, and landed a blow to his abdomen. She landed palm and elbow strikes, avoiding the hits from his much longer limbs. When he staggered, Jun hopped to the side and kicked with all her strength, the blow landing on the back of Armor King's left leg. He fell to his knees and tried to stand upright, but he failed, and the countdown began. Jun had won.
She bowed to her opponent as the paramedics checked him.
She had beaten a man twice her size. A man wearing armor. She had to admit that she was proud of herself. She turned to walk away and found a microphone in front of her face.
"Jun Kazama! You are one of only two women left in the tournament. How does it feel?"
Jun's body grew shakier, her cheeks warmer. "It feels like I'm doing my best." She gave a slight bow and turned to leave.
"How do you feel knowing that you are inspiring young girls all over the world?"
"I…hope that they too will do their best." Jun speed-walked out of the arena before the reporter had the opportunity to ask more questions.
Inspiring young girls all over the world? The thought replayed in her mind as she cleaned up in the locker room. It made her self-conscious. What if she embarrassed herself in the next fight? What if they found out the real reason why she had entered the tournament? For a man. That was the short and oversimplified answer. But the reality was so nuanced, and it wasn't for a man; it was to help a man, everything else that came with it was… It was best to find a way to avoid cameras and questions until it was all over. And to forget about the young girls she had not even known existed until now.
Lee pulled out his pack of cigarettes. One left. He looked down at his shoes. Four cigarette butts were crushed on top of the asphalt. It was time to quit again. After the tournament.
He could have easily walked to the ashtray at the building entrance or even stood near the building entrance, but he stayed put. He was standing in the perfect spot in the building directly across the street from the Mishima Zaibatsu. A blindspot for the security cameras. Halfway down the block, a taxi waited. He had paid the driver an entire day's work to have him ready for Mrs. Chang. He had been waiting for more than half an hour and felt on edge for just as long. Every pedestrian walking by, every damned pigeon that flew down, and every shadow he saw made his heart drum in his chest. As he reached into his pocket for his lighter, every muscle in his body ceased to move. Ganryu emerged from the front entrance with a woman by his side.
"The son of a bitch actually did it."
He pocketed his last cigarette and held his breath as Ganryu and the woman crossed the street and walked directly toward him.
He kept his eyes behind them, on the Zaibatsu's entrance, his fists clenched, knuckles white. In his mind's eye, he saw guards or armed men, maybe Kazuya himself, burst out of the door behind them, but…nothing.
When Ganryu and the woman reached him, Lee motioned to the taxi down the street. "Mrs. Chang, your daughter will be waiting for us. We shouldn't linger here."
She spoke in a voice that sounded raw with overuse. "Is she safe?"
"Yes."
Mrs. Chang ran a hand over her disheveled dark hair and looked at him with glistening eyes. "Thank you." She said before following behind him.
Lee opened the vehicle's door for her and motioned her inside. She didn't wait and entered the taxi.
"What am I supposed to do now?" Ganryu asked as Lee was about to step into the car.
It wasn't his problem. But the big oaf looked so scared and clueless, and he had honestly gone above and beyond Lee's expectations. "Pull all your money out of the bank immediately, and find a good place to hide outside Japan. Somewhere he would never think to look for you. A place he doesn't even know exists."
Ganryu looked like he was about to throw up. But he turned and began speed walking down the street.
Lee got into the taxi and told the driver to go. The last place he wanted to be was anywhere near the Zaibatsu.
When Jun stepped out of the locker room, a Zaibatsu employee was there to tell her that Kazuya wanted to see her. She followed him to the skybox. When they arrived, she knocked lightly on the door before entering.
Kazuya stood next to the bar with a glass in his hand. Exactly the same as the day before. She didn't want to be bothered by it, but she was. Though it could be his way of coping with uncertainty. A very human way of coping. So in a way, she was thankful. Devil was nowhere, and Kazuya was learning to cope without him. There was a small victory there.
Kazuya looked into his glass. "Every single fighter today was worthless."
Jun crossed her arms. "I won."
"It was close."
"It wasn't that close."
He set his glass on the bar. "There's still time to d-"
"Don't even say it."
Kazuya sighed and turned his back to her as he walked to the glass wall.
In a way, the thought of Kazuya being worried about her was heartwarming, but... Maybe he was worried for a different reason.
"Are you afraid that you'll have to fight against me in the end?"
Kazuya scoffed as he turned to face her. "Afraid?"
"Not afraid…" She felt a chill run through her body. "If we do have to fight, what will you do?"
"Win."
He was serious.
And she was disappointed.
But what had she expected? A slight hesitation, maybe. At least.
There was a light knock on the door before Jun had the chance to say anything else. The door opened before Kazuya gave permission to enter. Jun sensed the dread and fear surrounding Anna Williams before she stepped into the room. The woman walked in with quick steps, hands clenched into fists. She quickly glanced at Jun before approaching Kazuya and speaking to him in hushed tones. The low voice wasn't necessary; they spoke in English, so Jun couldn't understand anyway. But she didn't need to understand the language to know something was wrong.
Kazuya looked like he wasn't even breathing. His eyes bore into Anna, and Jun had to give her credit for not backing away despite the dread that enveloped her. Kazuya's mood went from annoyed and concerned to pure unadulterated rage. Even without Devil to augment it, it was nearly palpable. Anna finished speaking and took a small step back. Kazuya said a short, sharp sentence through clenched teeth. Anna hurried out of the room, leaving Kazuya shaking with fury.
"What's wrong?" Jun asked.
He walked toward the door and picked up his jacket from the coat rack. "I have to go." He said without even giving her a glance.
Then he was gone.
Jun stepped out of the room in time to see him and his entire entourage rushing down the hallway.
She watched the empty corridor for a moment. It obviously wasn't a security issue and probably had nothing to do with the tournament. Otherwise, there would be law enforcement everywhere, maybe even a lockdown. That left the Zaibatsu, and she wanted nothing to do with that. It wasn't her problem. But as she watched the empty hall, a trembling in her heart, in her gut, gripped her and refused to let go. As long as she was in Kazuya's life, everything to do with him affected her.
Kazuya stormed into his office, leaving Bruce and Anna in the front room. He didn't bother closing the door and instead rushed to one of the cabinets and pulled out a bottle of scotch.
"You are not pinning this on me." He heard Anna speak in a low, clipped tone. "I'm the one who's been–"
"Talking to him way more than me." Bruce hissed, his voice barely audible. "Didn't you notice something?"
"Why is it always up to me to notice everything? "Why–"
Kazuya poured from the bottle. The liquid splashing into the glass drowned out Anna's whisper.
Bruce sounded like he was speaking through clenched teeth. "All I know is that things were fine until you showed up."
"Things were not fine. Everyone was just too–"
The bottle left Kazuya's hand. It whizzed through the door and shattered against the wall in the other room.
Bruce and Anna stood still as stone as he stalked back into the room.
"Find him." Kazuya's jaw was so tight that it hurt to move it. "Bring him to me alive."
Bruce straightened his posture. "I won't let you down." He said before walking out.
Anna waited until Bruce had stepped out the door. "I think we both know that I'm the only one you can trust. I'm the only one who-" Kazuya took a step toward her. "I'll find him." She turned and rushed out of the room.
Kazuya was left alone, standing between Lee and Sayuri's desks.
Empty desks.
Downstairs was another empty desk left behind by a traitor.
He had trusted Ganryu with his life. Had let him into his house. He knew so many secrets and had so much information that could bring Kazuya and the entire Zaibatsu down.
The thought sent his heart pounding, the heat rising in his neck and face. He didn't feel right. The back of his head was tingling, throbbing. The lights were too bright.
Ganryu had betrayed him. And he had sent Anna and Bruce to find him. They were his friends. They said they were loyal to Kazuya, but Ganryu had said the same thing. What if they were in on it too? What if they were all conspiring against him? Who could he trust?
You know you can always trust me.
He didn't dare move a muscle as Devil's voice faded in his head. He didn't even breathe.
I'm gone for a few days, and already the empire is crumbling.
It was real. He was back.
Kazuya's relief was quickly drowned out by his anger. "Where the hell were you?"
You know me, Devil droned, everywhere and nowhere.
As the anger ebbed away, dread began to creep in. Devil had left with an unfinished threat, and now that he was back…
It occurred to me that I approached the situation in a way that was…counterproductive. I want you to see things my way. And I know that we can get to that point. The question is, how do we get there when threats don't work? Devil paused, and Kazuya held his breath, bracing for his next words. The answer is: with a gift.
"A gift? What gift?"
Wings.
