Unexpected Help

Turin Palace Hotel, Turin, Italy…

A knock on the front door is heard…

Steve: "Who is that?"

Nina: "Is it them? How did they find me out here?"

Steve: "For your sake I hope not."

Both Nina and Steve were startled by a knock on the door. Was it the Marksmen? How did they find out the room of Nina Williams? Nina knew for certain she shook those guys off. Nina told Steve to open the door but Nina would have her pistol where she left it in her room ready to aim.

Steve: "Are your sure about this?"

Nina: "I dunno, but I am not gonna get killed by these people. Open the door."

Steve did as he was told. He opens the door and immediately drops on the floor to cover himself from a potential outburst of fire. Nina nearly pulled the trigger until the person behind the door shouted out her name.

"Nina!"

Nina: "Huh? Edgar?"

Edgar: "Nina! Don't shoot!"

Nina: "How the hell did you find me here?"

Edgar: "A fellow Tekken fighter told me I would find you in Turin so I followed you here. But it looks like you won't be able to leave out of here freely just yet. What the?" (Looks down at Steve.)

Steve: "Oh uh…sup guv."

Edgar: "Who is this?"

Nina: "His name is Steve. I will explain later. We need to get out of here."

Edgar: "My car is just behind the hotel. I even brought some masks so we can leave out of here unnoticed."

Nina: "Really now? Let me see."

Edgar Grant happened to be an old acquaintance of Nina Williams right after the end of the 3rd King of Iron Fist Tournament. He had a backpack on and one of the many contents in it were some masks that Nina and Steve could wear to hide their faces. They quickly put on the masks along with carrying Nina's luggage out of the room. Edgar told them to keep their distance from him so it would not be obvious that he was escorting the two out of the hotel. Edgar was driving a grey colored car which was parked in the garage right next door so the group headed there.

Edgar: "Good no one is following us."

Nina: "Is this your car?"

Edgar: "Yes. Hop on in and we will get out of here."

Nina (Getting in the car): "Where are you taking us?"

Edgar: "To Monaco, that's where we will meet Leo."

Steve: "Leo? You know her?"

Edgar: "Yeah just recently."

Once the group were all seated in the car, Edgar managed to get out of the garage just fine. They left downtown Turin without any trouble, but by the time they were heading into the suburbs they noticed two armored trucks started gaining speed in pursuit of them.

Steve: "Those guys don't give up."

Edgar: "They are persistent I'll give em that."

Edgar hits the gas pedal, making his car go even faster on the highway. The two armored vehicles followed suit. Nina did not know if they there the Marskmen or Zaibatsu soldiers, but she had a surprise for them. She put the mask back on her face and then under her backpack beside her she began assembling a mini RPG. Edgar had a bad feeling the car would get further damaged if the trucks had ammunition to use, but Nina reassured him that all she needed was one shot and they would no longer be a problem.

Edgar: "Can you get a good shot from there?"

Nina: "Just keep the car steady."

Steve: "Aw man! This is getting too crazy!"

Nina took out the mini RPG she assembled and aimed it right at the first truck. The driver in that truck panicked seeing someone aiming a rocket dead at them so the man driving tried to swerve over in the next lane but it was too late. Nina fired the RPG at the armored truck and she successfully hit the target. The first armored truck exploded to where it made several back flips hitting the second truck from behind. The collision created a big pile on the road. Steve looked on and could not believe that his own mother had such dangerous weapons.

Steve: "You mean to tell me you had that thing inside your duffle bag this entire time? Look at the damage it caused!"

Nina: "You are still here am I wrong?" (Not looking at him.)

Edgar: "Nice shot! You haven't lost the touch at all Nina! Now we can keep moving!"

In the middle of the night in the country of Monaco…

After the brief chase out of Turin, Nina and her group made it through the borders of France and then Monaco without a hitch. In fact going through customs made things easier given Nina's special status under the Zaibatsu. Edgar was told to meet Leo Kliesen here in which it was by her that Edgar found out about Nina's fight in Italy. The location of their meeting would even more eye opening. It was the actual residence of another Tekken competitor, Lili Rochefort. Although she was not present at home, Lili allowed Leo to temporarily stay there since she respected Leo as a fighter. Leo was just recuperating from a battle versus Yoshimitsu earlier in the week, but she managed to salvage some food just in case Nina and her group were hungry. Soon there was a gate ring inside the house. Leo answers it.

Leo: "Yes, who's there?"

Edgar: "I'm back Leo! I found her! It's me!"

Leo: "Mr. Grant?"

Edgar: "Yeah I'm here open the gate!"

Leo: "Okay I will!"

Once everyone was inside the great room of the Rochefort Mansion…

Leo: "I'm glad you guys made it here. You umm are probably wondering why we are in this house I suppose."

Edgar: "I did tell them both on why we met here. Monaco is a neutral zone in the war so I doubt the Marksmen or the Zaibatsu will want to find us still."

Leo: "Steve I still can't believe it. You manage to get Nina and reunite with her again. I mean…this is unreal!"

Steve: "Yeah. I'm just trying to process all of this, but."

Nina: "Tell me where the bathroom is kid. I need to sh*t."

Leo: "Uhh it's down the hall the 3rd door to the right."

Nina gets up walks away…

Leo (Watching Nina.): "She is not gonna leave is she?"

Edgar: "No…she will stick around. I just think she finally wants some alone time."

Leo (At Steve.): "The fight between you two got cut short. I thought you won but you said you would let Nina win and then the broadcast was cut off."

Steve: "Yes, I let her get the win but the Marksmen tried to capture us, but we escaped and then we were hiding until Edgar found out where we were. And much to my surprise, we are now here talking with you in Lili's house?"

Leo: "Yeah Lili said I could stay here as long I don't enter her room or dirty up the grass outside."

Steve: "How long have you known Edgar?"

Leo: "Not long. He reached out to me after viewing my match in Miami against Josie Rizal. Even he knew about you and the connection with Nina as your biological mother. So I told him that you were going to face Nina in Turin and so now we are here."

Steve: "Well now it makes a little more sense as to what is going on. Aw crap! I just realized I left my stuff back in Turin! Even my phone! Gaahh!"

Leo: "You couldn't get your things together?"

Steve: "Well Nina did since we hid in her room but I had another hotel of course. Some of my good clothes and boxing gloves are there. Dammit!"

Edgar: "The hotel you were in is Zaibatsu owned isn't it?"

Steve: "Well yeah."

Edgar: "I'm sure Nina can deliver your belongings back to where ever you are going next."

Steve: "That is if she Is willing to do it."

After a pause…

Leo: "Soo…ehhh anyone hungry?"

Edgar: "Yes I am. How good are you at cooking?"

Leo: "I'm decent. Lili said there is lots of meat and veggies in the fridge. I have just been binging off sandwiches and toast since staying here for the last three days."

Edgar: "I see. I wouldn't mind a good French burger."

Leo: "Sounds like a plan. What about you Steve?"

Steve: "Sure. I'm fine with that."

Leo: "Burgers it is!"

After Leo and Edgar went for the kitchen, Steve remained seated on the large couch. Nina did return back to the great room only to see Steve just sitting there like a statue. She then asked a question.

Nina: "Where are the other two?"

Steve: "Huh? Oh. In the kitchen."

Nina: "I need some food."

Steve: "They are going to cook burgers."

Nina: "I do not want that. I can have something else." (Walking past him.)

So Nina waltzed in the kitchen as Leo and Edgar were thawing off the wrapped meat from the freezer. They asked Nina if she wanted burgers and Nina flat out said no. Instead she just wanted soup out of a can that she found from cabinet. That would be enough to suffice her since it was getting late into the night. Nina did not even bother to talk with Steve in the great room. She found a guest room from the other side of the first floor left wing and decided to stay in there. Steve could only wonder why Nina wanted to keep avoiding him. Then Edgar and Leo came back with the burgers and chips ready.

Edgar: "Here you go friend."

Steve (Takes a burger from the trey): "Thank you."

Leo: "Nina is not back here."

Steve: "She went to a room and stayed shut in there."

Edgar: "Don't worry I'll talk to her after this."

Leo: "I hope you do man, I was kinda missing her after our last encounter."

Edgar: "I still do not understand. The Marskmen kidnapped both Nina and Steve? For what?"

Steve: "I think they learned about my existence from the Zaibatsu and how I came to be. So they set me up, took me hostage, and later they did the same thing to Nina. Leo rescued her first and then me because she was looking for answers about her mother's past."

Leo: "Yeah what he said."

Edgar: "Hmmm. I never knew the Marksmen were so good at finding people and keeping them prisoner for whatever gains they might want. They are lot more skilled than I thought nor do they play favorites."

Leo: "What you do mean by that last part?"

Edgar: "It means an organization like them will achieve their goals by any means necessary. One day they can be your friend, the next day your enemy."

Leo: "Kinda like the Zaibatsu and G Corp."

Edgar: "Precisely." (To Steve): "So where will you go from here?"

Steve: "Me? Probably back to London for a minute and then it will be time for the elimination matches."

Edgar: "I see. Good thing you had your passport with you or we would not have made it here."

Steve: "I know right." (Chuckles.)

Edgar: "And you Leo?"

Leo: "I didn't make it into the elimination rounds, but that won't stop me from taking down G Corp or the Zaibatsu."

Edgar: "Very well then. I'd say we should keep in touch. Something big is going to happen later in the tournament. I can just feel it."

Leo: "Oh sh*t!" (Gasps with her mouth closed.)

Edgar and Steve look at Leo with confusing looks because of her sudden outburst…

Steve: "What's gotten into you Leo?"

Leo: "I just realized that while Claudio captured Nina, he took advantage of her by taking nudes photos!"

Edgar & Steve: "WWWHHAAATTTT!"

Leo: "He still has the photos as we speak!"

Edgar: "On second thought, the Sirius Marksmen are a disgraceful bunch! No wonder Nina has been acting so distant! Damn those bastards!"

Steve (Could only shake his head.): "Mother."

Inside the room, Nina could hear them gripe about her plight. She just wanted to get some sleep so she covered her face on the pillows of the bed. Of course she was nervous that Claudio or even Anna could display the pictures online. Very few people have seen Nina naked and she would literally go on a rampage if the world could see her bubbly butt for what it is. Not to mention, she did not want to be around Steve. The fault was not his own, but Nina could not believe the Zaibatsu would violate her body in the manner that they did to spawn a being like Steve. If her memory could improve, then the truth of her cryogenic sleep could answer her questions.