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Fatal Instinct

Chapter 2

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Anna sauntered out from behind the pillar, meeting Kazuya eye-to-eye for the first time in years. By now, she could hear the constant trekking of footsteps from outside the office before the doors swung open. She noted the four guards clad in advanced combat uniforms through the corner of her eye priming their weapons. Though entering with haste, they did not fire off a single shot. Perhaps waiting on Kazuya's order.

Kazuya put a hand to his mouth, clearing his throat as the lights brightened as if he had summoned it. "Didn't expect to see you again. Are you still familiar with the consequences for trespassing, Miss Williams?"

Anna smiled, hands still gripping at the double-edged knifes. "Awww, come on, Kaz. You could at least give me a hug. You know you missed me."

"Humph! Hardly." He sneered. "You've always been known to be a bit of a sneak, but as I said before….nothing gets through my security. I have some of the best in the world."

How ironic it was to hear that when Anna knew she had reduced the number of his guards quite a bit. However, time was running out and she thought she could sense Kazuya's willingness to order his men to fire. There were no signs of a potential exit in the room.

"Just who are you working for anyway?" The color in his eyes switched to a demonic red, soon blending into yellow.

"Wouldn't you like to know," came Anna's retort.

"Heh, forget it. Lucky for you, I have a meeting to attend and I'm rather late due to your sudden interruption. Since I don't have time to punish you myself, I'll let my men do the honors."

Once Kazuya had left, Anna found an angry array of light beams gathering at her chest. The men stood silent with the intent to fire gleaming in their eyes. Now was the time to make her move.

"All right boys, show of hands. Which one of you can see in the dark?" She aimed her pistol up high and shot out the lights with a spark, shrouding the office in darkness.

Then blazes of gunfire erupted across the room as she dive-rolled to the nearest pillar, hearing bullets whiz past her ear.

Once all the noise had calmed, Anna strapped on her night vision goggles and found the guards lying in blood pools. "Best security in the world my ass." She spat as she ran out into the hall to catch up with Kazuya, reloading a clip into her pistol. Various doors flew by in blurs as she caught sight of him several steps away. He was much farther than she would have thought, nearing his private elevator.

Another group of hostilities burst forth from the side hall, ruining her chances of gaining a clear shot at him. Cart wheeling to the side, she squatted against the wall and primed a flash grenade before tossing it at their feet.

The explosive detonated with an overwhelming bright flash that gave Anna time to strike as it blinded its targets. Her knives surfaced again, streaking blood along the wall with every swipe as she relished their pained cries. All the tension held within from missing her chance at Kazuya was unleashed on them.

She rewarded the resilience of the trio remaining by severing their limbs, splotching the carpet with puddles of crimson. Her pistol sealed their fate with a couple well-placed shots. There was no need to keep silent anymore, as everyone within now knew of her existence.

Up ahead, Kazuya had vanished, the elevator pad indicating his descent to the lowermost floor. Anna darted to the staircase and shot anyone that dared to confront her. Chaos had filled the building as she felt herself closing in on the target, drawing panic everywhere.

The deeper she got into the complex, the stronger the opposition became. Their armor was much tougher, wielding heavier weaponry best suited for an army. Kazuya must have been desperate to bring in his elite forces; they were only necessary for emergencies, but in this case, he had every right to consider this one.

Grenades launched from the bottom stairway to Anna's position and exploded, the impact flinging her a great distance back. Clouds of gray smoke blinded her vision a moment as she switched on the infrared goggles.

The first heat signature coming into view met with an array of bullets. However, her rounds could not match their superior armor, the realization frustrating her. The elite guard was drawing closer by the second, his comrades heard backing up the rear. She would be as good as dead if she did not think of something fast.

Beside her, she grasped the rifle dropped on the floor by one of the guards killed earlier. It had two functions, the first was obvious, but the second Anna decided to find out for herself. A mine shot out from the barrel as the recoil knocked her light form back a bit. A large explosion that shook the staircase punctuated the elite guards bellowed cursing once they noted the danger.

"Nowthat's what I call a weapon." Anna said on her descent to the next and final floor.

There was no sighting of Kazuya, but in his place were six elite guards anticipating her arrival. They used mounted guns to fire at their target without warning. Glass shattered and fell like rain as she shielded her head on sprinting to the adjacent walls for cover. Fired rounds came her way and she rolled out into the open to blast away each threat with separate streams.

Only one survivor left, but he did not intend on going out the way his colleges did. Anna kept movement to a minimum behind the pillar, the ammo in her rifle almost empty. No doubt he was awaiting the chance for her to slip out to get in a free shot as his gun hushed. Anna made the decision to reveal herself, running faster than ever to the northern pillar.

Due to the gun's massive weight, the guard did not have near enough time to turn it when she flashed her rifle. "It's been fun, sweetie." She quipped and licked her lips.

Fear lit up in his eyes as his body stiffened, then falling to his knees once the shot penetrated his skull. Anna could not relax yet, her eyes turning with caution toward the opening elevator door. No one was inside. Then came the understanding that this was a trick to buy Kazuya more time to escape.

Anna returned to the stairs and searched every previous floor, but he had already gotten away somehow. She had missed her chance, failing to complete the mission. As she stared out the broken window feeling glum, footsteps came pounding from the rear. Then she noted the aircraft in the sky making its descent on the building, her ticket out of here. An extending rope lowered to her position and she took hold of it without delay.

The guards were relentless with their fire, trying to ensure she would not leave this place alive. Coming into the chilled night, she sent them a parting farewell in the form of a mine exploding on contact. Despite the destruction the Ziabatsu had suffered in this battle, Anna knew Kazuya's wealth could repair it without problem.

The aircraft took her halfway through the city, passing various skyscrapers and rooftops as she frowned.

Her commanding officer was not going to be too happy with this.

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The lipstick was soft and ticklish against Anna's lips as she applied the bright red before clipping on the earrings. A slight beep of the communicator drew her away from the mirror and into the purse on her hotel bed. The screen illuminated with static before the usual crackling noise cleared into speech.

"Perhaps letting Kazuya live was the better thing to do. We probably would not have been able to find out what he was up to if you had eliminated him right off the bat. This makes things much more interesting as it gives us an opportunity to hit him right where it hurts."

"Oh really?" Anna said on applying the black-heeled slip on sandals to her feet before smoothing the zebra-striped miniskirt.

"Yes. Word has it that your last visit sparked a massive increase in Kazuya's security. He has not been able to go anywhere without them. We have also gathered information he's experimenting again, moving various projects to an undisclosed facility. Find out what he's up to, where this place is located, then take him out along with the facility."

Anna sprayed a bottle of rose scented perfume at her neck and nodded. "I already know about that. And I think I know just the person who can tell me what I need."

"You certain they'll disclose that kind of information to you?"

"Trust me, I know how to get men to talk. Leave it to me."

"Well, its great to see you're on your job this time."

"Hey, a girl does her homework too, you know?" She giggled and set her sights back on the full-sized mirror.

"Report back to me once you get the information." The screen flickered off as she deactivated the device.

"Will do."

She checked her appearance one last time and grabbed her purse with the necessary tools stowed inside. Last time she had been unfortunate, but today was different.

Kazuya would not escape her for long.

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Anna came into the bar and gazed at all the men seated inside, as the air smelt of cigarettes and wine. No matter how tantalizing they were, she had to stay focused on her objective. She caught sight of the whiskered bartender wiping down a mug with a damp cloth behind the counter.

On her approach, he smiled and leaned over where she sat. "Can I getcha anything, beautiful? Sherry? Vermouth? Brandy? Gin? Rum?"

Her eyes flickered, taking his hand away from the glass with her own as she spoke in a seductive whisper. "Information, sweetie."

"Wha—wha--what kind of information?" He stammered with a dreamy look in his eyes that suggested she had hooked him in her trap.

"Lee Chaolin. Where is he?"

He scratched his temple before his eyes widened to pinpoint the location of what she sought. "Oh, he's over there."

Chaolin sat over in a lonesome corner, sipping away at his drink as a couple dancers entertained him. His appearance had changed upon closer inspection. His hair had grayed some and the wrinkles were starting to creep in though it seemed he had done his best to hinder that.

It did not take long for him to notice her once she went behind the couch, soon leaning right into his lap. First came a look of confusion, then pleasure before he snuffed the scent her body emitted.

"Can I help you, Miss?" He looked down at her, wiping the alcohol residue off his lips.

"What's wrong, Lee, don't recognize me?" She caressed his chin with her thumb and laughed, sitting back up. "I feel so insulted."

"Anna?" His gaze froze with the drop of his mouth before he replaced it with a calm expression. He took her hand and kissed it after pardoning himself. "My, you look gorgeous as always. You look like you haven't changed a bit."

"That's because of the cryo-sleep, honey." Knowing how Lee monitored Kazuya, Anna thought it was obvious he knew what she meant.

Nineteen years ago, Kazuya had relayed news that her sister Nina was planning to become a guinea pig in some new cryo-sleep experiment. With it, her older sibling would remain young while she would grow old and lonely as the years went by. Despite how much they quarreled, Anna could not live with that and decided to be in the experiment too. Now here she was, nineteen years later since awakening, still young while everyone she knew had aged.

"Of course." Lee drew her mind back to the present. "Glad to see it was a success. Now," he said with a pause as the pleasant look on his face faded into a serious one, "what exactly did you come here for? As you can see I'm a really busy man and don't like to be interrupted when my girls are…entertaining me."

She cupped his chin and brought his gaze to meet her own. "Why don't we just cut to the chase then, hmm?" Her nails stroked his hair back as she spoke. "You wouldn't happen to know where your dear, sweet brother is, would you?"

"Why would you want to know? What has he done that has you so interested in him?" Lee had every right to be concerned of that if it involved his adopted brother. Although he loathed Kazuya, it was likely he would not just give out such information to anyone. He was involved in the Zaibatsu as well, working under Kazuya's rule since before and after he took over.

Anna reseated herself on Lee's lap, ensuring no one saw hand movement as she poked the semiautomatic pistol into his crotch.

"Ahh…" His teeth gritted after a feminine squeal and before long, his skin started to pale. He swallowed hard, eyes drifting down on biting his lower lip.

He had two choices and in his situation, it was wise for him to make the right one. "Now, you either tell me the information I want to hear, or I'll see to it that your family jewels are instantly shot off," came the whispered threat, letting him know she was all business. "Understood?"

A slow nod confirmed his answer and with that, she withdrew the firearm into her purse. Intimidation always served as her best weapon for getting the information needed.

"I'll tell you, but not here. Follow me." His eyes shifted both ways, speaking silent.

He motioned her on, leading her to a door that required his personal code for entry. Once he completed the sequence, he stepped in and flipped the switch. The lights revealed the interior of a bedroom that was a near replica of something fit for a five star hotel. In the center was a projector.

"Wow." Anna said after an astonished whistle, reclining herself along the twin-sized bed. "Not a bad place you got here."

He fiddled with the machine, a bluish light flashing upon the wall as the motor within stuttered. "I own the club and the girls need some place to be more--comfortable after a rough day."

"Comfortable? I'm sure they'll feel more embarrassed once they see you with your pants down." She grinned and observed the screen. "What's that?"

"This is the fortress Kazuya has set up his operations at, several miles north of Sado, Japan, built on an island he had constructed for himself." He clicked to the next photo of a large complex surrounded by water. "A number of experiments are being conducted there. For what reason, I do not know. Kazuya's real tight-lipped about that sort of stuff."

"How did you get these photos?" Anna asked, head rising off the pillow.

"Hired spies." Lee smirked. "He thinks he's so sneaky with what he does, it's pathetic." He scrolled to another photo.

Then, before he can swap to the next one, shock gripped Anna's heart, the current image seizing her attention. "Wait!" She walked to the screen, mouth almost ready to drop at what she saw: an unconscious young woman floating inside a liquid filled tube. "Nin—Ni--Nina?"

Lee studied the image and nodded, enlarging it. "Yes, I knew that would catch your interest. Seems he's captured your sister, using her for one of his experiments."

Anna felt the anger bar her teeth at this, fists shaking before knocking the projector off its stand. Nina had disappeared after awakening from the cryo-sleep. Now she was Kazuya's prisoner, treated as nothing more than a common lab rat. It was not just the fact he was doing this to a human that disgusted Anna, but to her own sister.

"Hey, that stuff is expensive!"

"Your brother's gonna wish he had never been born the next time he sees me again." She hissed.

"You're going to kill him?" Lee turned to her, one eyebrow cocked.

The tone in his voice made it sound like he wanted her to, but she was not doing this for him. In the beginning, this was just a mission, but for Anna it had now become personal.

Lee brought himself closer to her, unveiling the truth of what she had perceived. "I would appreciate it if you did kill him, Anna. Kazuya is always getting in the way and I would like a woman of your expertise to take him out. He's not fit to rule the Zaibatsu…I am! I was always much more capable of such an honor."

"If he's such a nuisance to you, why didn't you hire someone to take him out?"

He sighed and rubbed the side of his head. "I have, but he always seems to know what I'm planning before it happens. Killing him is becoming quite a challenge. Reason he still keeps me employed is to give me orders and embarrass me. But one day…his time in the Zaibatsu will end, and I shall become the one in charge. Then I'll demote and humiliate him and see how he likes it!

"Whatever floats your boat." She gathered her stuff, ready to walk out until a pair of suits busted in unannounced.

"Mr. Chaolin, are you all right? We heard you scream and--" The first spotted the gun in her hand, reaching into his pocket with the wrong idea in mind. Anna would not give him or his partner the chance to pull their firearms out as she shoved past them. Their heavy footsteps followed close behind, but she managed to run faster to the outside. She had no idea she had ran into the streets until car headlights flashed in front of her.

The driver rolled the window down and peeked out. "Anna?" The familiar bass in his voice made her glad to know it was him.

"Bruce!" She darted to the passenger door and stepped inside. "Quick, drive!"

He slammed his foot on the gas, tires screeching before the car sped away. Anna looked over her shoulder, letting out a sigh of relief, as she saw no one behind them. "Good, they're not following us."

The speedometer read the car was doing forty miles per hour, but it seemed to be going faster than that. She leaned back against the leather seat, closing her eyes a moment before they shot open to Bruce's voice.

"Seems like I picked a good day to be out running errands. Anna, what the hell is going on?" He took his eyes off the road and glanced at her waist before retracting his gaze. "You wanna tell me why you're holding a gun?"

There was no use lying to him or keeping secrets now. She took a deep breath after a muffled curse, feeling the cool breeze out the window push back her hair. "It's a long story, Bruce."

"Well I got time and we're almost home, so you can tell me when we get upstairs." Straight and to the point, as Bruce often was all the years she had known him.

Her head bowed as they crossed through the next intersection. Asking for an explanation could not have come at a worse time.