Adelheid walked up the porch of a house in the South Town suburbs. "Should be the correct address," he said to himself before knocking. Within moments the door opened.

"We need to talk," Adel sternly spoke to the person answering the door.

"Huh?" the person looked up confused not knowing who it was at first.

"Been a while, has it not?"

"Who are you? There is something oddly familiar about you."

"As there should be. We've crossed paths in previous tournaments. But you might have been better acquainted with my father, Rugal."

"I know you," the person took a closer look and slowly started to recollect his memories of Adel. "Adelheid Bernstein."

"Yes, Kyo Kusangi. It is I. May I come in?"

Without a word, an uneasy Kyo cautiously gestured his ominous guest to enter the house.

"I'm so screwed," Shingo cried as his face collapsed in his hands. He sat on a bench waiting for the bus to arrive. "My mom's gonna kill me when she checks my next bank statement."

Amidst his self-pity, Shingo was spotted by a friend of his. "Yo Shingo," a girl yelled out to him. She rode up on her skateboard and gave him a hearty slap on the back.

"Hi Malin," Shingo answered without lifting his face from his hands.

"What's up with you Shingo?" Malin asked, noticing his distress. "You seem down."

"I just spent $200 on a suit to go out on a date tonight with Rose Bernstein: the spoiled snob who tricked me into that date in the first place," Shingo explained. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot. . . I also got my in-seam measured by Mr. Big!"

"Wow that sucks. Just one bad thing after another, eh Shingo?"

"You can say that again."

"So what are you going to do?"

"Just get this date over with, I guess. Hey, I have to run. My bus is here. I'll see you at school. Later Malin." Shingo rose from the bench and entered the bus as if he were a death row inmate heading for the electric chair.

"Bye Shingo," Malin waved until the bus was out of sight. She then pulled out her cell phone and began to make a call.

"Hello, who is this?" said a voice on the other line.

"Hey Eiji. It's me, Malin."

"Malin . . . what do you want?"

"I need your help."

"Hmmm . . . the usual?"

"No, not tonight. Anti-Kyokugen business will have to wait. There is a more pressing matter at hand."

"I'm listening."

"Good. Now here's the mission . . ." As Malin was filling in Eiji on the particulars she held a wallet-sized school photo of Shingo. It was pretty worn down, and covered in lipstick.

"So you got all that?" Malin questioned when she was done briefing him.

"Yes ma'am," Eiji confirmed.

"Perfect. Rendezvous outside my house at 18 hundred hours. Malin out."

"Roger."

Malin hung up, and continued to gaze at Shingo's portrait like a crack addict.

After tonight you will be all mine, Malin fanaticized, heavily drooling and hyperventilating.

"Let me get this straight. You mean to tell me that Shingo is going on a date with your sister tonight?" Kyo said in disbelief.

"Correct Kyo," Adel replied. He sat opposite Kyo in the dining room.

"Listen Adel. If you have a problem, it's with Shingo and Rose. What does this have to do with me?"

"I think you know," Adel commented with a hint of sarcasm.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kyo retorted, quite annoyed now.

"I see what you're up to Kyo. Your hatred for my family is well documented. But it isn't enough that you killed my father. Now you're sending your mischievous protégé to corrupt my precious little sister."

"First of all, I didn't kill Rugal. He died trying to a control power he was never meant to have. Secondly, I barely know Rose. Unlike Rugal, I have no personal history with her. Why would I want to do anything bad to her?"

"Hmmmm. You do make a compelling argument. But just to make sure you are telling the truth, I want you to assist me in chaperoning Shingo and Rose's date."

"You want me to what?" Kyo asked with a facial expression of someone who drank five month old milk. "The point of the weekend is to avoid Shingo. Not waste it by acting like his goddamn babysitter."

"Well, spy would be the more appropriate term. Rose would kill me if she saw us interfering with her date. Therefore, stealth is of the utmost importance."

"And if I refuse to help you?"

"Then Shingo's blood will be on your hands." Adel coldly responded, casually cracking his knuckles and adjusting his gloves.

"Fine, I'll go with you," Kyo conceded. "I can't believe I'm going to spend my Saturday night following Shingo around like a blood-sucking parasite." Kyo cringed when he realized the cruel irony of that statement.

"Excellent. Meet me at the entrance of the Dream Amusement Park at 5:30 PM. I just received intel saying that the aumusement park will be the first destination of their date. This will give us time for you, me, and the rest of the team to go over the logistics of our delicate operation."

"Wait just a goddamn minute! Rest of the team?"

"But of course," Adel answered a matter-of-factly. "I have hired a group of proven professionals to ensure that everything goes according to plan. Until then, get some rest. I bid you adieu, Kyo Kusanagi. Remember. 5:30 precisely."

Adel briskly exited the house as Kyo saw him off. When he was gone, Kyo fell back against the door and face palmed.

"Tonight is going to suck," he forebodingly stated.