Episode 1 : Welcome Back - (A new menace approaches!)
On the last exciting episode of Street Fighter II – Deep Core Crisis! Chun-Li had fully recovered from her injuries with her fight with Vega and is about to leave the hospital for good, have things changed during her absence?
-- New York --
Chun-Li brushed her long hair in front of the mirror, and pinned it up into two braided buns, she looked in the mirror and smiled. A nurse knocked at the door to her hospital room, and informed Chun-Li that someone had arrived and asked for her. Chun-Li packed her belongings and left the room she had almost spent 2 months in. As she came down to the entrance hall, she saw Guile, dressed in his normal military outfit waiting for her, at the reception. She ran down to him and encircled her arms around his neck.
"Guile, it's so good to see you!" She said with happy smile. Guile returned the smile and looked down at her; he was seemingly much taller than her.
"It's damn good to see you too Chun! Let me take your bag." Guile picked up her personal belongings and they exited the hospital. Guile had parked his muscle car right in front of the hospital entrance just up the pavement, Chun-Li looked around and noticed how many cars drove by, and the sound of the City alive and well, combining thick horns and people chatter, everything Chun-Li seemed to have been everything Chun-Li had looked forward to. Guile opened the trunk and threw the bag in and slammed the trunk door in with a lot of power, he entered his car, and looked at Chun-Li who still was observing and admiring the scenery. Guile opened the passenger door to his right, and said:
"Look kiddo are ya gonna stand there all day smelling to the exhaust fumes or ya getting in!?" Guile looked a bit irritated as always. Chun-Li snapped out of it and smiled brightly to him.
"Dare I refuse that invitation?" She said cheerfully and got in the car. Guile started the engine, and looked over his shoulder, he waited for the opportunity to get out to on the road, when the coast was clear he stepped, on the pedal and they were off. Chun-Li looked out of the window and didn't speak. "I'm sorry kid, I didn't have time to visit you some more at the hospital, but I was sent back to Thailand to track some small criminal organization linked to the former Shadowlaw." Guile kept his eyes on the road. Chun-Li turned her gaze towards him and said: "So how did it go?" her beautiful brown eyes calm but relentless. "Ah shit another report, well we didn't find any so we were kind of screwed, luckily I didn't waste all of my time there."
"Really, how nice what happened?" Her expression lid up and her eyes searched for an answer. Guile looked at her briefly and smirked. "Huh! You want the juicy details?" Chun-Li expression turned to a puzzling one. "Well how juicy?"
"Well it's a long story, but I met this woman…" His harsh voice seemed to go hoarse.
"A girl? Now you have to tell me everything! Thi-hi!" Chun-Li giggled and waited impatiently for his reply. "Oh shit I knew it… well her name's Jane, she worked undercover in Shadowlaw for a time, but when it got too serious she backed out, and lead a small resistance group in Thailand." Chun-Li noticed he was about to blush.
"That is so sweet, so how long have you been together?" She asked gently, not rushing him.
"About one and a half months, but I can't stay today. I sort of have an appointment with Jane this evening. I'm sorry kiddo…" Guile said embarrassed and looked away for a moment avoiding her gaze. Chun-Li looked away for a moment and turned to face him. "You don't have to be sorry Guile, I'm happy for you I really am! And I hope to meet her sometime." She blinked to him, and he smiled back.
"That would be nice, so you could chatter the whole day long huh?" He said in reply. And they both laughed at his remark. "Could you just drop me off at home, or what is left of it?" She said and her expression turned to a troubled one. "Look your apartment has been taken care of. Interpol has paid for all the renovation and new security measurements. I even helped to install some myself." Guile said casually. Chun-Li looked amazed. "I'm speechless?" She said starring at the air, engulfed in her own thoughts. "Don't be so surprised, if it weren't for your work in tracking Shadowlaw in the first place, who knows how it would have ended 2 months ago." Chun-Li blushed at his remark. "Remember it was a team effort." She said with a powerless voice. "Yeah, but guess who sacrificed most for it?" Guile mentioned, and made a quick turn to the left. "Please don't mention that… I'd rather forget about what happened." Guile nodded to her response. "I understand, but the next time someone decides to sniff around, they better think again, your home has been secured Chun, so don't think about it anymore. So here we are, oh yeah and takes this." Guile parked outside a tall building, right next to the complex where Chun-Li lived, and gave her a small note. "What is this?" She asked.
"It's the code to your apartment, you have to type this in, and I suggest you changed the code, so only you know it." He said and turned off the engine.
"Thanks I will do that." She closed the car door, and took her bag out of the trunk.
"I'll be waiting for you outside. I gotta take you to Interpol's headquarters" He said and turned on the radio.
"You know what I think I'll rather walk to headquarters, and it might take some time for me adjust to the security, and it's not far away from where I live. Are the cameras planted around my apartment?" She asked and looked troubled.
"No just high sensitive sensors, so you have to know how to operate them. Shit! Almost forgot to give you this as well!" Guile gave her a small booklet.
"It's straight forward, but here you might want to check it out." Chun-Li took the booklet.
"I guess a little exercise for the legs wouldn't be too bad huh?" Guile said and started the engine.
"I see you around Guile!" She waved goodbye to him, and entered the building, she took the elevator up to her apartment located on the 20th floor. She walked down the hall, and noticed a small device planted beside the entrance to her apartment. She entered the digit code and a small noise confirmed it, the door was now unlocked, as she walked in the door automatically closed and locked. Chun-Li stood in the corridor and dropped her bag. She looked around, but nothing seemed wrong, her apartment looked almost the same as she remembered it before the brutal battle. She noticed no light in her apartment as the curtains and blinds were drawn, so the first Chun-Li did was to open her windows and let fresh air enter, together with some sunlight. She went into her bedroom and took a look in her drawer; all the clothes were folded as she remembered, she smiled briefly and undressed. She picked her blue office dress, and laid it on the bed, while she looked for her white silk brocades, but quickly gave up the search. She put some of her common makeup on, which enriched the eyelashes, dressed and entered a new code on the security panel which was located in the living room, she then closed every window, picked a pair of shoes that matched her office dress and her coat and left.
-- New York Interpol Headquarters 19.30 pm --
Chun walked steadily on the path she knew best, and that was the one to her workplace. As she entered the complex, she heard small popping sounds, and looked up to see glitter and colored balloons fall from the ceiling, the entire staff jumped out to greet her the lights got brighter and Chun-Li felt like being on a stage. Her old friends from the department greeted her, and the surprise party was up and running. Chun-Li looked surprised and blushed for a moment; she had clearly not expected a welcome party, a waiter offered her champagne which he served on a silver plate. Her chief the widely recognized Barrac welcomed her and said:
"Welcome back Ms. Li, our best has finally returned!" He smiled and made a toast.
"I'm speechless!" Chun-Li said with a happy expression.
"Your father would be so proud of you!" The chief said, Chun-Li looked overjoyed and had tears in her eyes. As the party had taken off, Chun-Li was approached by a familiar figure.
"Seems like all of the good guys always finish last." Chun-Li recognized the voice and turned to face the person standing behind her. It was no other than Ken Masters, accompanied by his wife Eliza. Chun-Li's eyes widened at the sight of Ken, she was happy to see him again. She jumped and wrapped her arms around his neck with an overjoyed expression.
"Hehe! It's good to see you Chun! And I would also like to introduce you to my wife Eliza." Chun-Li shook hands with the beautiful blonde.
"I've heard so much about you, and Ken has told me how you have been proclaimed as the world's strongest woman!" Eliza said warmly.
"I'm sure Ken is exaggerating a bit." Chun-Li smiled back to Eliza.
"I still find it wonderful that a strong woman steps up to the plate." Eliza praised Chun-Li. The two young women continued their conversation, until Chun-Li asked Ken: "How's Ryu doing?" Ken smiled and explained.
"Ryu had left to visit his family on some remote island I think, he won't be back soon." Ken said and took a sip of champagne.
"Oh… that's nice." Chun-Li saw that the Chief received a call, and looked a bit worried; he then went into his office. "Will you please excuse me for a moment." Chun-Li followed the Chief to his office and knocked politely.
"Yes… come in." Chun-Li entered his office, and saw her boss not facing her, instead looking out of his large office window. "Anything wrong sir?" Chun-Li asked with a concerned expression. Barrac parted his lips slightly and turned to face her with a smile. "Of course not…" But his look was not deceiving Chun-Li. She looked at him with a serious expression.
"Sir I know when you are concerned. Is there something wrong?"
"It's nothing just a local case here in New York. It is nothing that you should be concerned about, the important thing is that you are back and we'll just take it nice and slowly, until you are ready to be assigned to another case."
"I am ready sir! I have had enough vacation." Chun-Li made it clear.
"I need to ask you something very important." Chun-Li said and looked down.
"Yes…"
"Have you retrieved the remains of the assassin who attacked me? And how did the joint operation end? Have we recovered the bodies of the suspects? Barrac looked surprised when he heard her out.
"Don't worry Ms. Li your attacker Vega Fabio La Cerda had been successfully killed by yourself, you kicked him out of a multiple storied building, he fell down into an alley and died. End of story. Sagat got killed when we ambushed the shadow headquarters in Thailand, Bison got destroyed as he was defeated by Ken and Ryu, and he exploded together with his own aircraft. Shadowlaw is gone for good so Ms. Li you do not need to worry about it anymore." Barrac looked confident.
"And Balrog?" Chun-Li asked.
"He is missing. Although the UN has issued a reward together with another former Shadowlaw terrorist for their capture, but they are likely dead."
"Who is the other former Shadowlaw terrorist?" Chun asked with a puzzled expression.
"Nobody. Now go and have fun, this is your night." Barrac said casually.
"No… It cannot be?" Chun-Li came closer to Barrac's desk.
"Vega?" The look on her face was terrifying.
"Ms. Li I want you to use your common sense. The man fell from the 20th floor, he probably died before he even hit the ground, and we have traced several blood marks around the alley he fell in. Secondly he had jewellery and a golden arm band, he was probably found by a thief or someone and probably got ripped off and disposed of pretty quickly, you know how tough this city can be? So the warrant and reward on his head is just a formality nothing more. And we have other problems than that."
"What other problems?" Chun-Li was eager to know the truth. Barrac sat behind his desk and drew a file.
"We have a problem with a serial killer, who kills young women…"
"In which way?" Chun-Li asked.
"He kills mostly high ranked prostitutes for only rich clients. He uses a vulgar technique, almost peeling off their skin. They have all been attractive women so far. The New York police apartment wants us to help them in this matter, apparently they can't find this guy?"
"Do you know who can be responsible for these killings?" Chun-Li slammed her fist onto the desk.
"Easy now Ms. Li? The man you are thinking about is dead. Say... Do you want this case?" Barrac asked.
"No… but I would urge you to reopen the Vega file." She turned and was heading out. "But you were eager to have this case a minute ago?" Barrac tried to convince her differently, but he had no luck. Chun-Li made her away through the crowd and left the headquarters unnoticed.
A/N: In the next exciting episode of Street Fighter II – Deep Core Crisis: Haunting dreams keep their fangs deep inside the mind of a cold hearted narcissist! Stay tuned on SF II - Deep Core Crisis, and the next exciting episode: – Dreams Of The Past - (And the craving for blood and beauty!) – GONNA BURN SOME MUSCLE