TEKKEN: THE COLD AND THE WARM
ACT 7: With or Without You
In a apartment near City, London, United Kingdom
Steve Fox and Eleonore "Leo" Kliesen sat in the living room of Steve's apartment. Everything looked quite nice in there, seeing as the apartment was close to City, London's financial district. Still, none of that helped ease the atmosphere that existed inside the two friends.
For some reason, Steve looked quite miserable, crossing his arms as he sat on his sofa, with Leo sitting right beside him.
"It's gonna be alright, Steve" Leo tried to reassure him. "I know that you're not 100 % okay with this, but we should at least hear him out" the German girl went on easing his concerns.
Steve grunted. "Fair enough. He better not waste my time. I've already got enough rubbish on my hands to deal with" he responded, not sounding pleasant at all.
The pair of friends were waiting for somebody. In time, the doorbell rang and they quickly got up from their seats. In the hallway, Leo ran up to the door to see who stood outside as Steve stood behind with his arms crossed.
Leo looked at him with a smile. "They're both here" she told him and proceeded to open the door.
The German girl smiled once she was greeted to the sight of Julia Chang standing there with her trademark pose.
"Julia!" Leo exclaimed.
"Hey there, Leo! Long time no see!" Julia responded, embracing the blondie in a warm hug. It soon ended and the two friends looked at one another.
"Wow, it sure was one heck of a coincidence of us two being here in London" Leo remarked.
Julia giggled. "You could say that" she agreed, only to see Steve standing there leaning against the wall. "Steve! I'm so glad to see you too!" the four-eyed brunette exclaimed.
Steve waved back at her awkwardly. "Likewise…..Julia….." he responded.
However, Steve soon turned his attention to the one standing in the doorway. It was Jin Kazama, his half-brother, whom he barely knew.
Jin entered the apartment, eventually removing the hoodie of his jacket, thus exposing his hair. His eyes met Steve's. Still, that changed nothing with regards to the blonde-haired Brit.
Leo and Julia watched as Jin approached Steve, his expression looking quite neutral. On the other hand, Steve was not as receptive, frowning deeply at the sight of Jin.
As they stood face to face, Jin formed a weak smile, yet Steve's disapproving frown never changed.
"We meet again, Steve Fox. It's good to see you once again" Jin broke the silence between the half-brothers.
"Don't give me that stupid bullshit! Do you have any idea what sort of craziness you've gotten us into?" Steve responded rudely.
"Steve, you didn't have to….." Leo tried to intervene, only for Jin to raise his hand at her to make her stop.
Jin looked at Leo. "There's no need for you to interfere, Eleonor Kliesen. This conversation is between me and my brother" the Japanese man informed her before looking back at Steve. "Besides, Steve is right to feel this way. After all, he is in deep trouble, in part because of me" he went on explaining the obvious.
"Bloody right you are! Then you probably know what me and Leo stumbled upon yesterday" Steve said.
Julia stepped in between the half-brothers, hoping to ease Steve's aggression a little.
"Settle down, everyone. We can talk about this in the living room. Then we can figure out on how we go from there" she suggested and all of them seemed to be in agreement.
"A wise suggestion, Chang" Jin replied.
With that said, they all sat in the living room of Steve's apartment, each of them looking quite somber. They told each other what had happened in the last couple of days. Once things were cleared, Steve started to realize the predicament he was in.
"So let me get this straight. Some top-secret criminal organization is after your head, but uses me as a means of getting close to ya? Damnit! Just as I had feared" Steve pretty much summarized it all, based upon what Jin and Julia had shared with them.
"Exactly. This Kometa also seems to possess knowledge of your blood relations to the Mishimas, all the more reason for why they pursued you" Julia chimed in, starting to tap on her tablet computer. "Now about this individual you met the other day. This…Edgar Grant. Did he ever say anything about Kometa?" she asked Leo and Steve.
"Not really. But he did mention something about belonging to a prestigious grouping. To me, that could perhaps be Kometa" Leo answered.
"Great. I finally thought I had gotten the Syndicate off my arse, only to be followed by Kometa" Steve grumbled, lamenting his current situation.
"Actually, it is me they're after" Jin corrected him.
"I know that! Still makes no sense that I'm getting dragged into this search of theirs" the young Brit snapped, only to stop once Leo nudged him with her elbow.
Julia kept trying to find some data about Edgar. Surprisingly, she managed to find some very interesting clues about him.
"Hold on…it says here that Edgar Grant was once a member of the MI6. Then that means…" the four-eyed woman was almost rendered speechless.
"He has plenty of experience in the intelligence agency. That's why he is often considered one of the most dedicated assassins in the criminal underworld…alongside Nina Williams" Jin interjected her.
Steve clenched his fists tightly when thinking about this man. "Cheeky bastard. He tried playing gunpoint with Leo. I would give anything just to punch his smug face" his distaste for Edgar was on full display.
"Then perhaps we can do it together" Jin suddenly spoke up, catching Steve's attention. The Japanese man weakly nodded his head. "Indeed. Edgar Grant is devoted to hunt me down by making us seek each other out. That's why it's probably best if we give what he wants. Believe me, Steve, ensuring your well-being is something I really want" he insisted.
So far, Steve had only looked at his half-brother with a raised eyebrow. Still, his frown slowly turned upside down, indicating that he was somewhat amused with Jin's suggestion.
"I can't say that this will make me like you more. Still, I fully agree with your suggestion. No corrupt ex-agent is gonna be the end of me" Steve replied, determined to not be targeted once again.
Julia and Leo smiled, finding it good that the half-brothers had started to get along with each other a little better. Still, it would take some time before the relationship between them could be considered healthy.
"Alright. I suppose we all know what must be done" Leo chimed in. "Any idea on how to find that creep?" she suggested.
Jin shook his head. "Given that he is a trained assassin, he will not show himself to us in the open" he replied.
"Then I guess we'll just have to improvise" Julia chimed in.
Just then, the Julia's tablet computer rang and the Native American woman looked to see who it was that was ringing her. The eyes behind her glasses widened in surprise.
"Incoming call from…Lee Chaolan!" Julia exclaimed out in surprise.
Her friends all got curious, as they took their seat beside her on the sofa. Julia put her tablet computer in the middle, so that they all could see the screen. With that taken care off, Julia pressed on the screen, thus answering the call.
All of a sudden, the screen showed the group friends Lei Wulong and Lars Alexandersson standing there.
"Hello to you, guys! I hope we're not interrupting you with anything" Lee spoke.
"Mr. Lee! Gosh, what a surprise!" Julia exclaimed, feeling happy to have this business mogul call him. "It's been so long since you last called me" she then remarked, to which Lee found himself chuckling.
"Indeed, it has, Mrs. Julia" Lee replied, only to observe the other friends on the sofa. "I see that you've already gathered some great friends. Even Jin and Steve are there, just as we expected" he noticed the two half-brothers sitting there.
Steve shrugged his shoulders. "Why, it's my apartment, of course. Why else would I be sitting here?" he pointed out, yet Lee didn't seem to care.
Jin narrowed his eyes, specifically facing Lars on the screen. From what he could tell, the Swedish man had done the same thing towards him in return.
"What's the meaning of this, Lars? Why have you called on Chang's tablet computer instead of me directly?" he wanted some answers.
Lars found himself sighing a little before responding. Clearly, there was something he wished to share with his half-nephew.
"We can't risk you calling to your phone. For all we know, our enemies could be trying to intercept every phone call we make to you" Lars spoke through the screen. "But that's not the reason why me and Lee has reached out to you. We're here to deliver some bad news" he revealed.
All the friends' eyes widened in astonishment.
"Bad news? This doesn't sound good" Leo expressed her worries.
"Come on! Does everything involving around me have to be so unfortunate?" Steve lamented.
"Relax, Steve. I don't think this have anything to do with you" Julia told him before looking back on the screen. "Isn't that right, you two?" she asked them.
Lee looked quite somber as he was being asked that. "I wouldn't put it like that, madam. All of you guys are familiar with Ling Xiaoyu and Asuka Kazama, yes?" he brought up two names familiar to the group.
While everyone in the group were surprised, Jin was perhaps the one most riled up about it. He was especially concerned for Xiaoyu, whom he had known for a long time.
"Xiaoyu….as well as the girl who's my distant relative….." Jin uttered out, fearing that the worst had happened. "What happened to them? Tell me!" he was really demanding some answers.
"It happened several days ago. One of your former schoolmates, Miharu Hirano, informed us about those two vanishing without a trace. After some investigation around Ebisuhigashi, we have reason to suspect that they were kidnapped" Lars informed Jin and the others.
"Xiaoyu and Asuka…...kidnapped?" Leo was in disbelief.
"Damn…that's terrible!" Steve exclaimed in shock.
Jin's calm rage was on full display, yet he had not dared unleash it. Those sitting beside him could see that, yet made no effort to try easing it.
"Who captured them? Tell me now!" Jin wanted to know the perpetrators.
Before Lee or Lars could even answer, Julia and Steve suddenly recalled something.
"You know, now that I think about, there was a certain guy who were targeting those two, as well as Hwoarang and Steve's mother" Julia recalled to the aftermath of the previous tournament. She looked at Steve. "Steve, you remember him, don't you? That Italian exorcist with the slick hair and mysterious power" the Native American woman reminded him.
At first, Steve seemed confused. But it soon hit his head once he realized whom she spoke of.
"Ah, that guy! I remember him all too well" Steve exclaimed, before facing his half-brother. "Wanker was on a hunt for you and Kazuya, so he tried capturing the girls and Hwoarang to use as bait to lure you to him" he informed him.
Jin was in disbelief. "Is that true!?" he looked at the screen in the tablet computer.
"It is as Steve says. We fully believe that the one responsible for kidnapping the girls is Claudio Serafino, the leader of these Archers of Sirius. Based upon the files about him, let alone his recent activities, it's most likely him" Lars spoke through the screen, thus confirming that the perpetrator was Claudio.
Jin had seen Claudio before, yet barley remembered him. He did, however, recall almost getting into a fight with him. It was when Jin was trying to free Angel from the Heihachi's clutches, only to have the exorcist intervene.
The more Jin thought about this, his anger was beginning to be more visible. It was as if the power inside him was one the verge of breaking out.
"Bastard…HE DARES BRINGING THEM INTO THIS!?" Jin was like an erupting volcano, and those around him kept their distance from him. Still, Jin remained seated on the sofa. "I could care less about grudge he has against me…..he has no right to bring Xiaoyu into his schemes. It's only between me and him. Nothing else!" the Japanese man showed great concern of Xiaoyu.
"Calm down, Jin. We're all just as distraight as you are" Julia encouraged Jin, but it was no use.
"Have you guys found any leads on where Xiaoyu and Asuka could be held at?" Leo asked Lars and Lee.
"So far, our search has been in vain. Because according to some of our contacts in Rome and the Vatican, the Archers of Sirius seems to have deserted their HQ. We don't know where else they could be at besides that cathedral" Lee revealed, shaking his head weakly in the process.
All of a sudden, Jin rose up from his seat, the Japanese man seeming very determined.
"I don't give a damn about where those exorcists are hiding! I will search every last Italian town and village until I find them!" Jin exclaimed, his gloved fists clenching.
Steve stared at him dumbfoundedly. "So that means you're gonna find them on your own?" he asked him.
"What other options do I have!? Standing here doing nothing will definitely not solve any….." Jin hit back at his brother.
"ENOUGH, JIN!" the loud voice came from Lars through the tablet computer and it made Jin actually stop with whatever he was doing and listen to his half-uncle. The Swedish man sighed before continuing speaking. "We know what you're thinking. That's why me and Lee have reached out to you in order to ask you to come back to us. We along with Alisa have been working on a plan to find Xiaoyu and Asuka" Lars revealed, weakly smiling.
There were expressions of relief amongst those in the living room. Even Jin's had slightly started to turn upside down.
"You have a plan? That's great!" Leo exclaimed at what she heard Lars say.
Lee found himself smiling. "We currently have our base of operations set up in La Défence in Paris. If all of you are interested in helping us with this rescue mission, come see us there" he told everyone.
Jin was surprised by what he said. "What? You mean you're no longer in Japan? But that leaves Violet System's HQ open to….." Jin was interrupted when Julia interjected him.
"There's no time to argue, Jin. Xiaoyu and Asuka are in grave danger. I say we head over to France this instant" the brunette said.
"Count me in!" Leo spoke in agreement.
"Me too!" Steve seemed very interested.
The Japanese man looked at them questionably. "You're all willing to accompany me on this mission? Not to sound dismissive, but what makes you think I will let you?" Jin asked them with his arms crossed.
The three friends frowned at hearing Jin asking them that question. For them, it almost felt like an insult.
"You're kidding me, right? Those two are our friends! No way we're gonna let some overzealous cult hold them captive!" Leo rebuked him.
"Not to mention that I've got nothing to do" Steve spoke up, catching Jin's attention. "You know what I'm talking about! Because of recent events, as a result of your warring, I'm temporarily unemployed! The least you can do for me as a brother is to let me do something productive such as accompanying you! Plus, with this Kometa-bollocks gagging up on me, leaving England for a while would be a great idea" the young boxer pointed out.
Realizing how pointless it was to argue against them, Jin conceded to their demands of accompanying him.
"Fine. You may come along. But I warn you: this mission may be the toughest you will ever be in" Jin uttered out.
"That's a pretty dumb thing to say, Jin. Trust me, we've been through worse things" Julia said while adjusting her glasses.
Jin stared at her with what appeared to be annoyance, sometimes finding Julia's assertiveness to be irritating at times.
Both Lars and Lee smiled at seeing how Jin would not come alone to Paris.
"She's right, Jin. Their help will without a doubt prove useful to our search for the girls" Lars told him, frowning as he reverted back to his serious. "It's best if you leave London as quick as you can. Lee will give you the coordinates you need to found our HQ. And remember, make sure that you're not followed by anyone, especially Kometa" he went on.
Steve groaned as he heard that. "God, please stop saying that stupid word. It gives me a headache!" he complained.
"But how will we travel to Paris? Any of you have suggestions" Julia asked everyone.
"Booking a plane ticket is complicated, and crossing the English Channel with a ferry takes long" Leo said, her lips curving into a smile. "The quickest way to get to Paris….is taking the Eurostar" the German girl told everyone.
"The Eurostar?" Julia was surprised at her suggestion.
"But isn't it shut down? I was under the impression that the war had made it more difficult for operations to continue" Steve asked, scratching his hair.
"Not exactly" Jin suddenly chimed in. "Powerful countries in the EU and NATO are spared from any attacks from the Zaibatsu or the G Corp. At this rate, they are more concentrated on larger countries" he shared with whatever knowledge he possessed.
Steve crossed his arms. "Wow, you certainly know a lot. Not surprised, though, seeing as you were on the verge of attacking them" he threw a jibe at his half-brother, yet Jin didn't take any offense at all.
"Steve…." Julia chided him, yet Jin seemed to have enough of this.
"Very well. We'll take the Eurostar. But we best be quick about it" Jin told everyone.
On the tablet computer's screen, both Lars and Lee smiled seeing as Jin would be coming to Paris while bringing some new allies with him.
"Then you all know what is it stake here. While Yggdrassil would've liked to dedicate itself on preparing the world for the continued war effort, we can't just let our great allies get captured. After all, they are what makes us strong in these dangerous times" Lars told everyone through the screen.
"Come to Paris as quick as you can. Then, we will discuss on how to bring those two girls back. But make haste, friends. For it appears time is not on our side at the moment" Lee told them.
With that said, the conversation with those two was over. Jin and Steve looked at each other. They each nodded, realizing how important it was for them to leave London.
Outside, on top of a nearby building, City, London
While Jin and Julia had visited Steve, they failed to realize that there was someone watching them. Not far from where Steve's apartment was, someone was standing on top of what appeared to be a hotel. This was Edgar Grant, the assassin-turned executive of Kometa.
He was holding a sniper rifle, his aim focused on the balcony of Steve's apartment. Apparently, Edgar had spied on the group of friends, although he had not fired his weapon.
Edgar had been tracking down the activities of Steve lately. But the young man was not his target. Rather, Steve was a means of letting Edgar find the whereabouts of Jin. Having spied on Steve for a while now, the assassin was pleased to know that his strategy had worked.
"Hmph. So they finally decided to meet up? Charming" the middle-aged man remarked.
Holding his rifle, Edgar made sure that his rifle aimed Steve. Why was doing that? He smirked as his finger was placed near the rifle's trigger.
"Sorry, chap. But I can't let you nor those two girls stand between me and Jin. I need him alone" Edgar said, a smirk forming on his lips. "Besides, killing you will do exactly as we of Kometa wishes to see. Jin Kazama unleashing his devilish rage…that will result in him losing all remaining traces of his humanity" his motive for carrying out this assassination was devious.
Edgar had barley been in contact with his fellow executives of Kometa. Still, he hadn't paid them nor Lana any heed, seeing as Edgar was focused on capturing Jin. But was he really doing this for the organization….or himself?
"Farewell, Steve Fox. A shame that you had to die so young" Edgar declared and was about to pull the trigger of his rifle.
But just as he was about to, something loud managed to pass right beside the back of his head. Edgar froze completely, not even pulling the trigger. Fear and shock took hold upon the assassin.
"SHIT!" the British man quickly hid behind what appeared to be a large air conditioner.
Edgar knew what had just happened, he had dodged a bullet from a sniper rifle. Needless to say, he was THIS close to being shot dead like a deer unaware of its surroundings. The assassin realized that someone was out there trying to snipe him.
Because of this near-death experience, Edgar waited to catch his breath. He had a right to do so, seeing as he had narrowly dodged a sniper bullet.
"Bloody hell…...WHO JUST DID THAT!?" Edgar was frantically angry, pulling out a pair of binoculars.
Waiting in twenty seconds, Edgar slowly rose above the air conditioner, using the binoculars to look for the origins of this bullet. Since it came to him from his left side, the sharpshooter was without a doubt standing somewhere across Thames. But London was huge. From which building could possibly give that person the opportunity to snipe him.
"Damnit all…that sniper couldn't have possibly been that far away from…" Edgar suddenly stopped when he spotted something in his binoculars. What he saw, made the Englishman scowl. "Impossible…" he was almost at loss for words.
Someone was indeed trying to snipe at him, yet from the most unbelievable location. Edgar had discovered the shooter from a high distance.
Believe or not, someone was standing near the top floor of the Shard. This was the tallest building in all of Britain. Right underneath the top floor, where there were no glass windows, stood the sharpshooter.
It was Nina Williams, the Irishwoman smirking as she looked through her sniper rifle's scope. Clearly, she had been tracking down Edgar's movements ever since their meeting in Belfast. Nina had, after all, warned him to not pursue Steve and leave him alone. She was now living up to her promise.
Once she realized that Edgar had spotted her location, Nina waved down at him in a somewhat sarcastic manner. In response to that, Edgar flipped the bird at Nina, much to the usually stern blondie's amusement. Judging from her overall attitude, she had no regrets for what she just did and was having fun in it.
"I told you, didn't I, Edgar? Mess with that boy, and you along with your boss will have a one-way ticket to the cemetery" Nina spoke as if she and Edgar could hear each other, despite being many centimeters away.
But in addition to tracking down Edgar, Nina had also monitored Steve's movements. She had also taken notice of Jin and Julia entering his apartment. That had clearly sent some signals into Nina.
"I don't know why your current plans are, Jin. But if you're planning on bringing that man with you…then I can't let you walk away. You have a lot of explaining to do" Nina spoke of Jin.
Even though she had severed any contact with the Mishima Zaibatsu, Nina still possessed some form of interest in Jin, her former employer. She was curious to know what his plans were now that he was no longer leading the Zaibatsu.
"I must know the truth. Given recent events…...I suspect that you're seeking to end Kazuya's life…...or is it something else?" Nina pondered as she looked through her scope. "Either way, that explains why Edgar and his Kometa lapdogs are so interested in capturing you, let alone using Steve as a means of getting close to you" the blondie had so many questions, yet she remained dedicated to holding Edgar at bay.
As Nina kept her position at the Shard, Edgar lamented the position he was in. He kept glaring up at the tall building, narrowing his eyes in the process.
"Poxy doxy! You just don't know when to not trifle with those far more powerful than you, do ya!?" Edgar called out with an insult, even though he knew that Nina couldn't hear him say that. That's when something hit his head. "Then again, she did react quite motherly when I spoke about that boy during our previous encounter. So I suppose the reaction should not come as a surprise" the Englishman admitted.
With that said, he took a brief look to his right, watching Steve and the others inside the apartment. A smirk crept on his lips.
"She may not realize it, but her bastard of a son seems to be willing to follow Jin wherever he goes. And I intend on doing the same thing" Edgar thought. "With some assistance and preparation, I will eliminate those pests and capture that devil boy myself. Hopefully, Lana and the rest of those misfits will not fail their end of the plan" the Englishman went on.
In a short while, Edgar surprisingly waved his hands at Nina in the air. Clearly, he was trying to tell her that he would leave Steve and the others alone…..for now.
Yet Nina didn't seem to believe it. She still had him in her aim.
"You can play this game with me as much as you want, Edgar. But I won't fall for them" Nina spoke as if she was speaking with him up close. "Either way, I'm not letting you out of my sight. With guys like you, there's no telling what will happen" she added.
In the streets of Siena, Tuscany, Italy
The medieval Italian city of Siena was located among the verdant hills of the Tuscany region. It was perhaps most famous for its old town, let alone it's fascinating 13th century-inspired streets.
Walking from the famous town square called Piazzo del Campo and into the streets were Sebastian and his young ward: Emilie "Lili" De Rochefort. Lili, emboldened by the knowledge of her sister still being alive, had partaken this trip in search of her. That's why she had started a search thorough Italy, in hopes of finding Elizabeth De Rochefort aka Eliza.
As they started walking through the streets, Sebastian took his time to observe their surroundings, taking notice of some of the stares they were given by the locals.
"Mon Dieu, I have never seen such streets like here before. There is just something that makes Siena's stand out from other Italian towns I have visited" Sebastian expressed his interest in where they were.
Lili giggled at seeing her butler's reaction. "Trust me, there are plenty of towns in France that offers the same charm as Italian ones do. The two countries are not that different after all" the young blondie told him.
"But we're not exactly French in terms of nationality, madame" Sebastian pointed out.
Instead of replying, Lili proceeded to walk, her butler coming soon tagging along.
"Let's not get too distracted here, Sebastian. We didn't come to Siena for sightseeing. We're here for an important search" Lili informed him.
Sebastian adjusted his glasses. "Certainement, madame. The cathedral is not far from our current standpoint" the butler said while pointing his finger towards the direction they were headed towards. "Still, I cannot help but to feel a little doubtful about these sources of information you have used. That cathedral is open to most denizens and visitors every day. Can you be sure that these Archers of Sirius has their headquarters there?" he then asked her.
"It's not just that cathedral, Sebastian" Lili shot down what his assumption was. "From what I've read about them, these exorcists have their secret holdings all across Italy, especially in the cathedrals. However, my sources tell me that Claudio Serafino is no longer at the cathedral in Rome, meaning that he and his followers have moved their operations someplace else" the rich girl spilled out all the details.
Sebastian, as speechless as he was about Lili's knowledge, decided to not question her. Still, he felt the need to state his opinion on the matter.
"So that means they are operating at the cathedral in Siena. Quite an odd choice, seeing as the Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence is much bigger" the butler remarked.
"We'll find the answers we're looking for soon enough" Lili chimed.
In time, the pair stood before a stairway that would lead them to the cathedral itself. But before they could walk up, Lili and Sebastian heard a loud voice calling from behind.
"Hey! Fermati là!" it came from a man who was accompanied by what appeared to be several ruffians. "Where do you think you're going?" a mustached man with a flat cap asked the pair with his arms crossed.
Despite seeing the aggression in those men, Lili smiled at them as if she was amused by it.
"To the cathedral, of course. Me and my butler wishes to see it" Lili told them.
The gang of men all laughed at what the girl just told them.
"You hear that, miei amici? This French fairy here wishes to tread on our territory in order to see the cathedral!" the bullying man continued laughing.
Sebastian was confused at these ruffians' behavior. "Excuse-moi, messieurs. But what do you mean by saying that this street is your territory? Do you all live here?" the butler asked them politely.
Another ruffian, who had slick hair and had quite a tanned skin, scoffed at his question.
"What else do you think, Vecchio uomo? Anyone who likes to flaunt their wealth needs to pay us before passing through!" he spat out, reaching out his right hand towards the pair. "So cough up all your valuables! You do that, and nobody gets hurt" the ruffian went on promising the two.
Sebastian didn't seem slightly concerned about this. He even looked at Lili and saw her having the same reaction. The butler knew what this meant.
"Madame Lili. Perhaps we should…." Sebastain was immediately interjected by Lili.
"Not now, Sebastian. Because like it or not, I'm in a good mood today" Lili told him, taking several steps towards the gang of brutish men. "Such strong physical features you have. I wonder how you will sing when I hurt you. A good round of opera, perhaps?" the young girl was already entertaining her fighting urges.
All the men looked at her dumbfounded. But in two seconds, they laughed out once again. Understand, they didn't take Lili's words seriously enough.
"You can't be serious! Do you really believe you are capable of standing up to us!? You and that pathetic butler of yours!? Ragazza stupida!" the man with the moustache exclaimed, still laughing.
Sebastian started making coughing sounds, thus getting all the men's attention. He looked at them cordially, standing beside his ward like any devoted servant would.
"I hate to interrupt your entertainment, but I must advice you that leaving us is the wisest course of action. And I say this with regards to you" the old man told the gang, with Lili still looking at them with excitement.
"Sei sordo? This area is where we decide what goes through or not! And there is no way that we will let a pompous, French fica and her ugly maggiordomo decide for us!" the slick-haired man retorted, using such vulgarity that made Lili flinch a little.
"Goodness, your language is terrible. And I only have such limited understanding of Italian" Lili remarked, all of a sudden standing in her fighting stance. "Regardless, that doesn't change anything. It's been a long time since I've had a decent fight. Hopefully you guys can provide me with some entertainment" the girl spoke.
The man with the moustache was growing irritated over being spoken to like that, so he angrily charged towards her. But before he knew it, Lili delivered a flying kick straight to his face. The ruffian was sent flying, blood running from his mouth and nose.
His friends were all in shock of what just happened, eventually looking at Lili completely stunned. The blondie stood there, giggling while acting all cavalier in face of their aggression.
"Well? Who's next?" she literally toyed with them.
As Lili got to have her fun with beating up the street ruffians, Sebastian watched from the sidelines, shaking his head as he witnessed the ruffians go down, one after the other.
"Seigneur. I guess sometimes, some girls have the most unusual ways of finding entertainment. But at least Madame Lili is satisfied" Sebastian thought as he adjusted his glasses. "Then again, she really managed to fool her father's security guards by giving them those coupons. That means he will come after them for their failure to keep us safe in Monaco" the butler then mused at himself.
In a short while, the fight was finished, and all the ruffians were on the stony ground groaning in pain. They all cowered away as Lili started approaching the man with the slick hair.
Not surprisingly did he try backing away. "Please! Don't hurt me! I promise you that we won't bother you ever again! Just don't harm us!" the brutish, greasy man.
Bending over, Lili gave him an expression that seemed so innocent that nobody would dare think of her as someone who loved fighting. She giggled at the man's constant pleading.
"Harm you? I just wanted to thank you and your friends for this fight. It just helped making my day much better. Hope to see you around here someday" Lili told him before turning around to walk away. But she stopped, looking over her shoulder to glance at the frightened crook one more time. "And by the way, I'm not French. You see, I'm actually Monegasque, although I do speak French like most Monegasques do" the explained before taking her leave.
With that, the men disappeared from the street like rats and cockroaches. This gave Lili and Sebastian clear way to the stairway tot eh cathedral.
In time, they stood right before this building, with Sebastian not helping but marveling it's exterior.
"I must say, for being located at such a small place like Siena, this cathedral's architecture is to be admired indeed" the old man said.
"We've got no time to lose, Sebastian. We're going inside" she said with so much determination that it surprised Sebastian.
"Bien sûr, madame" the butler responded formally.
With that, the duo entered the cathedral, each of the doors being open apparently. Still, they were greeted by the sound of silence, as there was nobody inside the nave. There was not a sight of any human beings in the cathedral.
"How odd. I expected to at least see an usher…..let alone a priest" Lili remarked, observing the many fascinating objects that were spread across the hall.
"Indeed. Given that the cathedral's doors were open, I had hoped that we would find someone. This does not seem right" Sebastian agreed.
In time, the duo found themselves walking right underneath the dome itself. As such, they were distracted by the spectacular patterns and designs.
"Nice design…..looks very antique" the blondie commented while looking up.
"C'est ça. It is to my knowledge that this cathedral…" her butler was about to explain, only for a loud noise to interrupt them.
The duo snapped, wondering what kind of noise it was. At first, they believed that it came from an animal or some sort. But that didn't seem to be the case, seeing as they saw nothing around the hall. There was no sight of any people besides them.
"Sacré bleu! What is that horrible noise!?" Sebastian couldn't believe his own ears, getting so uncomfortable that he actually covered them with his hands.
Lili looked up, hoping to spot someone. When she nothing, she decided to listen closely to what that sound really was. Eventually, Lili seemed to get a clue.
"I don't know who's causing this…..but it almost sounds like…..snoring….." the rich girl expressed her curiosity.
Sebastian looked at her confused. "Snoring? This? Surely you jest, madame. How could anyone be sleeping inside a cathedral like this?" he wanted to know how.
As Lili started looking around in the hall, she started picking up the traces of the sound itself, where it originally came from. To her left, she spotted something large made out of wood. She knew what it was. It was a confessional, a booth in which the priest would often sit and hear the confessions of penitents from churchgoers.
The young girl knew that the voice would have to come from there. Driven by curiosity, Lili approached the confessional.
"Attendez, madame. It could be dangerous" Sebastian followed behind, not bearing to see his young ward doing something dangerous.
But Lili's curiosity had already taken hold on her. As such, she approached the right of the confessional, realizing that the noise kept getting louder and louder.
"So this is where it's coming from. I wonder what's in there" Lili uttered, proceeding to open the door.
Once Lili and her butler got to see who was really making that noise, they were left awestruck by who it was.
The one who made all those snoring noises, was Eliza, the vampire whom Lili herself believed was her long lost sister. That's right. Eliza was actually sleeping inside the confessional, snoring loudly as she did that.
"Oh mon Dieu….Eliza…" Lili stammered, gobsmacked and surprised by what se saw.
Sebastian adjusted his glasses, shocked as he tried to get a better look at the female vampire.
"So THAT is Elizabeth De Rochefort?" Sebastian asked while studying the features of this woman. "But she can't possibly be your sister. Just look at her shape!" he tried talking some sense into his ward.
As he said those words, Eliza's eyes suddenly opened wide. Without even hesitating, she aggressively unleashed a dark wave of energy towards Lili and Sebastian. In the response, the duo quickly backed away by jumping, although Sebastian jumped much afar than Lili.
"Madame Lili! Vous allez bien?" the butler asked her in French.
"Oui. Pas besoin de s'inquiéter à ce sujet" Lili responded, her eyes fixated upon the confessional, which seemed to have been broken.
Eliza emerged out of the wreckage, her demonic-like eyes piercing upon the duo standing before her. Clearly, she didn't like being awoken.
"Who dares disturb my rest!?" she demanded. But as Eliza got a good look at Lili, her eyes widened in astonishment. "What? You again!?" the vampire scowled.
No matter how dangerous Eliza seemed like, Lili refused to back down and be scared of her. She remained on her spot.
"That's right! It's me, Emilie De Rochefort! I have been looking for you, Elizabeth" she responded.
Eliza growled, thus exposing her sharp fangs. "My name is NOT Elizabeth! It's Eliza!" she spat out those words. Her clawed hands clenched together tightly. "Now speak up, filthy humans! Why have you come here? Or importantly, how did you find me here!?" Eliza demanded answers.
While Sebastian was too stunned to reply, Lili seemed to have enough courage to do so.
"Truth by told, our meeting in this cathedral is coincidental. Me and Sebastian actually came here to Siena in hopes of finding clues about the Archers of Sirius, seeing as they would've had knowledge about your whereabouts" Lili answered, her lips curving into a smile. "But that doesn't matter anymore. Now that we've found you, I can finally bring you back home, sister" she exclaimed, sounding very excited on the process.
Sebastian weakly shook his head, not knowing whether to take Lili's words serious or not. Still, he had to admit that there was some facial resemblance between this woman and the young girl.
"Just what kind of curse is this?" the butler wondered to himself.
Meanwhile, Eliza was fuming, seeing as she resented being referred to as someone's sister.
"Get it through your thick skull: I am NOT your sister! What part of that don't you understand!? Are you really that retar…" before Eliza could bash Lili further, she did the most unimaginable.
Lili and Sebastian were dumbfounded as Eliza suddenly fell asleep, yet she still stood on her two feet. Neither of them could comprehend what this vampire just did.
"Sleeping in the middle of a conversation? Incroyable" Sebastian remarked.
Lili, on the other hand, shook her head while facepalming. "She should drink more coffee and less blood in my opinion" the young girl groaned.
Eventually, Eliza awoke from her sleep, returning back to her senses.
"Now, where were we? Oh, right. There is no way that I will ever return to the Rocheforts! After all, they're the ones responsible for my imprisonment ages ago" Eliza expressed her bitterness of the secret order.
"I know, because my father had given up on saving you" Lili spoke up, acknowledging the truth in Eliza's words. "But I haven't! I want to save you from whatever undeserved fate you have received" she then insisted.
Eliza remained unmoved by her words, not matter how sincere they sounded.
"Undeserved fate? Me? What are you talking about!?" Eliza spat, her fangs on full display for Lili and her butler to see. "I have always been what I am! A vampire who has been evaded slaughter at the hands of filthy humans!" she exclaimed.
Sebastian was surprised by the way Eliza spoke.
"Interesting. It appears that whatever curse befell upon this poor dear, it must have changed her into vampire who lived once perhaps" the old man remarked.
"What were you doing in this cathedral anyway?" Lili suddenly asked Eliza.
As irritated as Eliza seemed, she decided to answer regardless.
"I hunger for blood…celestial blood" she answred, her lips curving into a smirk in the process.
Both Lili and Sebastian were cautious, yet they were nto surprised with Eliza's words. She was a vampire. As such, she craved blood. But this talk of celestial blood was what interested them.
"Celestial blood?" Sebastian adjusted his glasses.
"That's right. While we vampires do feed upon all humans…..it is those with celestial blood which is the most nutritious for us. One bite alone is enough to grant a vampire stronger power" Eliza informed her "visitors". She looked around in the cathedral as she did that. "I came to this cathedral, in hopes of finding the man whose celestial blood is said to be most extraordinary of all…Claudio Serafino" the vampire brought up a well-known name.
"Claudio Serafino…the leader of the Archers of Sirius…." Lili noted.
"Exactly. Over the last couple of weeks, I have felt my powers getting weakened with each passing day. But if I could just get a one taste of his blood….my power would not only be restored….but also empowered to new lengths!" Eliza felt so much desire to bite the exorcist.
Lili grew very concerned for Eliza. She knew that deep inside, traces of her sister's humanity still existed. But all this hunger for blood and power was slightly overturning her. Because right now, the spirit of the vampire who hated humans was now in full control of her body.
"What happened? If only I could understand the reason behind the vampire spirit's hatred towards humans. The stories I've heard have never mentioned her life" Lili thought, worried that the vampire's anger was consuming his sister's soul.
All of a sudden, Eliza bared her hands, readying herself for combat against Lili and Sebastian.
"Now if you excuse me, there is blood I need to manifest. So unless you want to become my next victims, I suggest that you stay far away from me!" Eliza warned them.
To the vampire's astonishment, Lili refused to stand aside. She even readied herself for combat too. Clearly, the rich girl was intending on let letting Eliza pass.
"I can't let that happen" Lili said, her face looking quite sympathetic towards Eliza. "After hearing so much stories about you…..there's no way that I will return home to Monaco. No matter what you say, you're still my sister!" she sounded her intention on never giving up on her.
Infuriated by Lili's pestilence, Eliza unleashed her powerful dark waves. They were just like winds, with the noticeable difference being that they were filled with so much darkness inside them.
"GET OUT OF MY WAY, FOOLS!" she yelled as she did that.
Eliza was not holding back, so she unleashed what power she had. A dark atmosphere began taking hold inside this hall.
Eliza's dark waves were so strong that both Lili and her butler were down on the floor. Still, the attack hadn't managed to injure either one of them. After a while of cowering themselves, Sebastian lit his head up, slowly putting his glasses back on. Things seemed to have calmed down, and the darkness had gone away.
"Milady! Are you alright!?" Sebastian called out to his ward, only to see that she was getting up on her feet.
"I'm fine…." Lili stammered, only to notice the sound of the cathedral's doors moving. This meant something. "Merde! She got away!" she cursed with clenching hands.
"But we'll still follow her, won't we?" Sebastian suddenly asked her. Lili stared at him bewildered, her butler nodding his head at her. "Yes, I know realize how much important this means to you. As such, there is no way that I can deny you my uttermost devotion. So allow me to accompany you on this trip….without any reluctance in my heart" he explained all the details.
Lili smiled gleefully, happy that her butler was finally understanding how getting Eliza back meant so much. With a quick nod, the blondie clenched her right hand.
"Then let's do this together, just you and I!" Lili sounded very determined, much to the old man's amusement.
"Comme vous l'ordonnez, madame" Sebastian responded.
With nothing left to do inside this cathedral, the pair headed for the doors, intending on keeping with getting Eliza back.
Outside, Eliza had used all her strength and power to get away from the cathedral as fast as she could. Using the rooftops, the vampire had moved through Siena without even looking back. When she felt that she had wasted breath far enough, Eliza stopped on a rooftop.
She panted deeply as she tried to capture her breath. Clearly, her run had taken a lot of energy out of her.
"Damnit all…..I used to much energy to get away from those two…but it was worth it still" Eliza cursed beneath her breath.
Looking around the cityscape she was in, Eliza started pondering on what to do now that she was out of the cathedral. On another note, she was not completely out of the city's area just yet.
"Those exorcists weren't in Siena as those cultists said they would be. Curse them! I knew it was a bad idea to heed their words. They're as honest as a pack of snakes" she lamented her failure.
As she looked around from the rooftop, Eliza caught sight of what appeared to be the railways. She also saw the nearby train station. While there appeared to be some passenger trains, there were also those that transported goods.
When Eliza looked closer, she spotted one of the wagons that appeared to be open. Even better, the train was currently standing still. A devious smirk crept upon her lips.
"Wandering around is such a pain. However, I could really use a place where I can rest without having to worry about that pesky girl and any other humans" Eliza remarked, standing on the edge of the rooftop. "Yes. With that train, I'll be able to reach Rome faster. That must be where Claudio Serafino is hiding. Oh, how I long to taste your blood so much!" she imagined herself doing what she just said.
Feeling so anxious to travel to Rome, Eliza darted herself from the rooftop, quickly running towards the railway and the train wagon. Hopefully, boarding that train would leave her safe from any nuisances, including Lili.
On the airstrip of Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok, Thailand
It was night across the giant airport of the Thai capital. Still, business was going as usual, given that planes were either landing or taking off. But one particular plane was standing very far from most planes, near the back of a hangar. This appeared to be a cargo plane, due to it being at such location.
But from that cargo plan, a van was being driven away from the hangar and down south to the highway that ran south of the airport's area. A group of men in black were waiting for the van to arrive. Two of them were armed, yet their leader made sure that they didn't fire at the van.
"Hold your fire. This is the van" the informant told his colleagues.
As soon as the van stopped, its backdoor opened. Out from it came a group consisting of 5 people. They were Brian Fury, Armor King, Feng Wei, Sergei Dragunov and Kunimitsu. The last person was the same Kunimitsu with red hair, but her daughter instead.
Somehow, these individuals had been "hired" by Kometa to do a mission in Thailand. With the exception of Kunimitsu, all these people had worked with each other in the past. This was perhaps why Kometa had sought out their services.
Having met somewhere in Japan, the group had flown to Thailand via a cargo plane. In that way, not even Thai authorities would suspect of them, let alone find out who they were.
The Kometa-informed smiled, approaching the group, which seemed less than happy to see him.
"Welcome to Thailand, Bryan Fury, Armor King, Feng Wei, Sergei Dragunov and Kunimitsu. I trust that the flight was great" the informant greeted them.
Bryan scowled. "Spare us your fake pleasantries! We didn't come all the way here for that" he snapped, yet the informant was calm.
"Of course. Pardon me for my careless choice of words" the informant "apologized" to them.
So far, most of the fighters had been very interested in what exactly Kometa had hired them for. As such, they felt like asking some questions about it.
"Let's get down to business, shall we?" Armor King interjected, the masked luchador crossing his arms as he looked at the informant. "What is this weapon you seek to have retrieved?" he asked them.
The informant smirked, deciding to show them the answer via a tablet computer. The group was given a picture of what appeared to be a very tall, muscular man. His upper torso and face were covered in tribal tattoo. Needless to say, this man didn't seem like any ordinary human at all. Even the usually emotionless Dragunov was intrigued by him.
"Behold, the so-called pride and joy of Thailand. A man whose power is said to be a blessing from the Gods of fighting themselves. The Muay Thai fighter: Fahkumram" the informant revealed them their target.
Feng looked closer at the picture on the screen.
"Blessed from the Gods of fighting, you say?" Feng found that statement a little ridiculous. Yet he found himself smiling a little. "Still, it will be interesting to meet a real Muay Thai fighter" the Chinese man remarked.
"Damn…..is he even a human?" Bryan asked. "He looks just like a test subject gone wrong to me" the cyborg pointed out.
Feng smirked at him. "Like yourself, I suppose" he threw a jibe at Bryan.
Understandably, Bryan didn't appreciate Feng's insult. "Shut it, dragon eyes!" he hit back.
Armor King took his time to study Fahkumram. "As much as I hate to admit it, I must agree with what the cyborg says. The size of this man is similar to that of Craig Marduk…if not taller" he started analyzing his size.
The informant chuckled. "Well, his size is indeed over 200 centimeters. He's taller than the average human. So in a way, you could say that he's a monster" the man dressed in black informed them.
Kunimitsu looked at the photo on the screen, the masked woman clearly interested in this individual.
"Come to think of it, I've heard a little about this Fahkumram before. To my knowledge, he was once hailed as a champion of Muay Thai. That said…he's believed to have been on the verge of death once" the young kunoichi explained everyone what she knew.
"On the verge of death? You must be joking" Bryan snorted at her words.
Armor King looked at the informant. "And you are saying that he is currently being held captive by the Thai military? But for what reason?" he wanted some answers.
"All that we can confirm, is that the Royal Thai Army seeks to use Fahkumram as a potential weapon against enemy invaders…especially if they're from the Zaibatsu or the G Corp" the informant answered. But he seemed to have more to share with the group. "Alright. Let's cut the chit-chat. Your job is simple. The Thai army has a military camp somewhere outside Bangkok. You are to infiltrate it and bring Fahkumram to us. Yes, I mean you will bring him to us while he's in chains. One our transport ships are docket at Bangkok Port. Drop him off there and you'll receive your reward" he explained what their job was.
"Bringing a tall man in chains to Bangkok Port? That is easier said than done" Feng noted.
Still, the informant remained unfazed by his words. "I'm sure you'll figure something out. After all, Kometa is more than willing to give you anything you desire. My advice to you is not throw this opportunity away" he replied.
So far, there was nothing but silence between the two sides. But it eventually broke when Kunimitsu spoke up. She smiled.
"Very well. If stealing a man is what you desire, then I as a thief will be more than happy to offer my skills" the young woman said, only to look at her "compatriots". "After all, we all have something we want, don't we?" she asked them.
There was truth in Kunimitsu's words. Armor King, Bryan, Feng and Dragunov had each something they wanted from Kometa in return. Perhaps then would they be aided in their goals. As for as anyone was concerned, none of them had any interest in the welfare of the common people, with the exception of Dragunov, of course.
"Fine, I'll tag along on this mission. But don't expect me to pay me emptyhanded! I've got someone I really wish dead!" Bryan was thinking about Yoshimitsu.
"Same here. And know that I take no hesitation in putting the lives out of those who betray me" Armor King gave the informant a warning.
Kunimitsu seemed to be amused with that those two were after, yet Dragunov and Feng were less than impressed. They each had different goals in mind.
The informant, realizing that he had said what was needed to be said, turned around, his accomplices doing the same thing.
"Then I believe this conversation is over. You know what you're supposed to do. Just capture Fahkumram and bring him to our ship in the city harbor. And believe me…..you guys do NOT wanna cross us. That said…..see you on the other side" the informant bid them farewell before taking his leave.
This left the group alone with the white van behind them.
"Well, this could be an interesting mission" Kunimitsu spoke up, all eyes on her. "I really want that blade so bad for my mother's sake. So I'm willing to do this mission for her" the kunoichi told them of why she was willing to this.
But Feng and Dragunov didn't necessarily share her sentiments.
"I do not fully trust this Kometa. From where I see it, they are a force no better than the Zaibatsu or the G Corp. The only difference is that thy are willing to do this in the shadows" Feng expressed his suspicions.
"Then I suppose we will know more about this Fahkumram once we meet him in person. Let us see who he really is" Armor King suggested.
"Hold the phone! Since when did we get sentimental all of a sudden?" Bryan asked everyone. "Not that I really care, of course. But it sems kind of foolish if you ask me. I mean, none of us are really heroes" the cyborg realized what he was saying.
Armor King crossed his arms out of his dispassion. "In this world, almost anyone can claim to be a "hero", even a ruthless killer who has escaped punishment for too long" the masked luchador growled as he thought about Marduk.
Bryan smirked. "Really? Then that means I can claim myself to be one, can't I?" he remarked, yet Armor King seemed unimpressed with his attempt to be humorous.
All of a sudden, Feng noticed something was amiss.
"Where did Dragunov go? He was just…" his question was interrupted when car lights were suddenly upon them.
Looking at the wan, they all saw the Russian soldier already being at the van's driver's seat. Apparently, he had started the motor while his compatriots had been busy conversing with each other. Using his hands, Dragunov motioned for all of them to get inside the vehicle.
"Hmph…smartass…..." Bryan muttered beneath his breath.
Kunimtsu smirked beneath her mask. "He is certain to become an asset in our group. With his military expertise, it will be easy to infiltrate the military base" she remarked.
"Don't give him too much credit, child. Status alone does not define who you are as a fighter" Feng spoke up.
The woman with the kitsune mask giggled. "No need to tell me that, Feng Wei. Despite my age, I'm much humbler than you may realize" she insisted.
Feng shook his head weakly at her. "That remains to be seen" he replied.
With nothing else to do, the group of fighters entered the white van, eventually driving onto the highway. It was uncertain how they would fare with this mission. But on the other hand, each of them had grown interested in knowing more about this Fahkumram. To put it another way, they wanted to see who he was as a person. There had to be a good reason for why the Thai military valued him so much, let alone why Kometa wanted him in their hands.
To be continued…
