It was still very warm in the middle of this summer night, and most of the residents of Milan were already at their homes and sleeping peacefully in their beds.
A bright red colored Lamborghini Huracan Evo made it's way down the Autostrada 8 heading forwards to the Skyline of Milan.
The highways and streets in and around the city were almost empty but the lights of the city shone brightly into the cloudless night.
Inside the Lamborghini were a man in a black suit and a chauffeur hat on his head and a black haired woman. Music was playing and while the chauffeur concentrated on the street the woman looked over to the lights of the skyscrapers coming closer. Not a word was spoken.
They turned off from the Autostrada and headed further towards the skyscrapers.
A few moments later the loud sounding super sports car stopped in front of one of the buildings, a glass office tower with dozens of floors.
The driver, a brunette, sportive man around the beginning of his thirties, opened his vertical door and got out of his seat, walking around the front of the car. He opened the co-driver's door and offered the stunning beauty in the seat a hand to get up.
The black haired Asian beauty, around the same age as the driver, maybe a few years younger, looked up to her chauffeur before she gracefully swung her legs around, making sure that she wouldn't give any intimate insights while getting up, before she took the driver's hand and lifted herself up.
As she was standing she thanked the driver with the hint of a smile and a nod.
The driver bowed down slightly.
The woman smoothed her dress, a maxi dress with low back, the same color as the car, with an outrageously high slit on it's skirt, showing off the Asian's perfect, long legs. The dress highlighted the curves of the stunning beauty. Her straight, silky, black hair was flowing loosely over her shoulder, on her feet were red Louboutin High Heels and in her hands a small red leather purse from Gucci.
In her ears the Asian wore black earrings looking like artfully depicted birds, winding around her ear with red stones enwrought into them. And as far as visible her whole back was covered with a traditional japanese tattoo showing a phoenix rising out of the flames. Also depicted as tattoos on each of her arms were the pictures of two crows, one with red eyes, the other with purple ones. Her intelligent looking, almost black almond eyes scanned the surroundings, before she glanced back to her driver.
"Driver, bring the car to the underground garage. This might take some time."
The driver bowed down again.
"As you wish Kaen-Sama."
The woman looked over to the entrance of the skyscraper.
Two large men in dark suits came over to welcome her.
They bowed down politely and invited her in English with heavy Italian accent to enter the building.
Both men apparently had problems keeping their stares from the magnificent female as they lead her into the building.
At the parking spot, SunTzu followed Rei inside the building with his gaze.
This red dress was breathtaking on her and she moved with a grandeur as if the role she was playing tonight was her actual position. And the fake Tattoos suited her so good also.
Goddamit Girl, you're the baddest.
As soon as she entered, he got back into the car and drove it down into the underground parking lot of the skyscraper, humming and tapping happily on the steering wheel to the beat of the radio playing inside the sports car.
The Day before:
SunTzu was allowed to leave Brentaal in advance of the Taskforce and he got to Coruscant roughly on the same time of night he had left the few nights before.
Before he could even think about how to get inside the apartment without waking his girlfriend, Hotaru, again in her Pyjamas but also having her Silence Glaive with her opened the door.
She began to grin and gave him a small hug before she went back to bed, yawning and giving him a small wave on her way to her room. All this was done in complete silence by her and SunTzu had to admit that sometimes it still surprised him how soundless she could move.
Finally the male pilot shrugged and, using his phone as torch, made his way to Rei's bedroom, trying to not hurt himself or make any sounds.
He opened her door, walked in and closed the door cautiously again. He slipped out of his pilot suit before he laid down on the bed next to Rei.
He cuddled onto her and in her sleep the Guardian of Fire embraced SunTzu, although she didn't wake up.
The next morning Rei woke up and while she opened her eyes she though about how real one of her dreams this night had been. She dreamt that SunTzu was lying next to her, the dream was so real she could have sworn she could have felt his embrace and his smell next to her. She actually still had his fragrance, one of his favorite perfumes he always applied on his neck, in her nose.
She opened her eyes and twitched. There was someone lying next to her and her sleep drunken mind needed a moment to notice that it actually was her boyfriend peacefully sleeping next to her. So peaceful that he was drooling on his pillow.
She smiled, this somehow was cute. When did he arrived here though?
The pilot and his two favorite black haired girls had breakfast together and while Rei left for a last meeting in the senate's rooms, Hotaru took AICA to the Pilot Academy. SunTzu told her to take AICA for today and him and Rei would take the Y-Wing the two Senshi came to Coruscant with to home.
The Senshi of Silence said that she had some business to take care of after her lessons and when SunTzu asked if it was about a boy the two raven haired women both just shrugged.
Rei came back shortly before noon and on the way to the Imperial Palace to meet with Ada, the two lovers had a light lunch at one of Coruscant's most hip lounges, on a rooftop that was high up, even for Coruscant's standards.
When the couple arrived at their respective flight deck of the Palace they noticed that the other Recon Y-Wing of the Taskforce, a one-seater, was there also. That would probably be Ami then.
A guard brought them to Ada's office and they entered after knocking on the door and being allowed to enter.
Ada and Ami were sitting at Ada's spacious desk.
"Ah, the upcoming dream couple of the Galactic Alliance. Hey guys, how are you?"
"Hey Ada, long time no see. Apart that nobody saw the latest attack coming again we're good." SunTzu said as he closed the door behind Rei after holding it open for her.
"Don't blame me. Predicting enemy attacks is job of Military Intelligence. Although I also have to admit we fucked up again. Anyways, glad that all of you found time to come here. I already talked a bit with Ami about why I wanted to see you." She motioned them to sit down
The couple sat down at the sofa near the desk.
"So, what's up? Why you needed me to come along?" Rei asked the Intelligence Officer.
"I guess we need Akira and Max again." Ada told them.
"Although we both assume that your both undercover agent careers will soon be over if you gain more popularity and public interest." Ami chimed in.
"Yes, unfortunately. But don't worry, we and Ami will find a way that you still can carry out missions."
"If we find the time. You know about my and SunTzu's obligations." Rei replied skeptically.
"Of course. But you two are just too successful together. And your chemistry is so perfect. Ah." Ada explained to the couple, the latest sentence with a touch of tangency
"Anyways. We have a new assignment for you guys. Ever been to Italy?"
Members of all three Italian mobs, the Sicilian Cosa Nostra, Neapolitan Camorra and the Calabrian 'Ndrangheta had formed a completely new Mafia Clan in the wealthy Milan and now wanted to strengthen their power with ties into foreign countries.
The new Mob, at present simply called the Neapolitan Mafia, also contacted the Yakuza in Tokyo, a mutual alliance would be of advantage for both of them as the Yakuza in Tokyo has been weakened by the death of lots of their members and bosses lately. And as sign of their trust they would lay open data of most of their illegal activities.
The attempts to establish contact came to attention of the Royal Intelligence in Crystal Tokyo, and since the Milan Mafia specified in modern crime activities like data espionage, dark net criminality and also galaxy wide smuggling it was in the best interest for the kingdom to stop them. Royal Intelligence transmitted the information that one of the highest ranking remaining members of the United Yakuza in Tokyo would be willing to visit Milan soon.
The Lady of the Red Phoenix Clan, Akira Kaen. Of course such a woman didn't exist, at least not that high in the hierarchy but Intelligence made the background believable enough that Mistress Kaen was invited to Milan.
For her safety a Bodyguard and Driver had been hired. To not ring any bells the man had been recruited in Europe, and was told his client was a wealthy businesswoman from Japan.
Within one hour the two Y-Wings with Ami, Rei and SunTzu were on their way to earth and arrived there ahead of the Far Side and the rest of the Taskforce.
Since he wouldn't need AICA for the next few days, SunTzu told Hotaru to keep her for the time being. The teenager was delighted and announced that she would immediately ask her mother if it would be okay if she could stay a few days longer at the Academy, nourishing SunTzu's fear's that a boy, or a girl, but definitely something about love was involved.
Rei laughed at him for this and accused him of being a total overworried dad right now.
They would leave for Milan the next day, with SunTzu, been flowing in nearby with a shuttle, getting there a few hours in advance while Rei would take a space flight from Tokyo Haneda to London and then a regular plane flight to the Italian metropole, both first class of course. Gone were the days of Intelligence struggling with budget it seemed.
Interpol would provide more backup proof and weapons. As the meeting was scheduled in one of the office towers of Milan SunTzu developed a very specific backup plan for a fast getaway in case they would need it.
Things were different when AICA wasn't around but he was pretty sure he could handle everything that would come their way.
While SunTzu was getting ready to leave Rei was getting prepared for her role, fake Yakuza tattoos were applied on her back and arms and her blue eyes were hidden with dark colored contact lenses.
SunTzu was secretly flown to a remote farm in the Lombardy and Interpol Agents welcomed him there.
The two agents brought SunTzu to a luxury car rent where he took over a red Lamborghini and took it back to the farm where he received weapons and the gear he asked for before he went to the hotel, where Rei and him would stay and he checked the rooms for bugs and other dangers before he left for the Airport of Milan to get his new boss.
Dressed in a black suit with white shirt and black tie and the chauffeur hat Rei had got him for the first time he took on the position as her driver SunTzu was waiting at the airport with a sign saying Kaen-Sama in Japanese Kanji. He hope he had written it right, he'd never be any good in writing the elaborate signs.
Emitting a quiet aura of importance and grace she stepped out of the arrival terminal, a employee of the airport carrying her small designer luggage suitcase.
She was dressed in a black three piece suit with white shirt and black tie and had her long black hair in a ponytail and nothing in her looks gave away that she just flew around half of the world.
As Rei or rather Kaen-Sama, the Lady of the Red Phoenix Clan approached her driver, SunTzu bowed down and introduced himself.
"Max Mustermann, your driver. Pleased to make your acquaintance Madame Kaen."
The fake Yakuza leader just nodded slightly as the airport employee put down her suitcase.
She motioned her driver towards the employee as she slowly walked on, towards the exit.
SunTzu had to suppress a grimace as he gave the man a tip and took over the suitcase.
Rei was smoking a cigarette while SunTzu put her suitcase in the cargo compartment, in the front of the Italian sports car.
When she finished her cigarette he opened the door for her.
A minute later they were on their way to the Hotel.
"My room has been taken care off?" Was the only thing she said as she got out of the car at their hotel and before she went off in her exclusive room in the patriarchal hotel.
Half an hour later, it was afternoon by now, Rei sent a message on her phone she had received for the mission on the one SunTzu got.
It only said, Trip to the city.
And when SunTzu went up from his room to her exclusive suite she opened the door, wearing another buisness outfit, this time a skirt instead of pants and no vest.
She literally just left him stay where he was and walked to the elevator.
He closed his eyes for a moment and took a big, inaudible breather before he followed her.
They both were alone in the elevator on their way down to the hotel lobby.
Rei was grinning at him through the mirror.
You're enjoying this way too much, my Love.
As if she could read his mind she leaned into earshot.
"This is too much fun."
She straightened up and had a stern face on again as the door opened.
They took the car to the city center and while he was looking out for any trouble she enjoyed some sightseeing in the city center. Rei actually let SunTzu take pictures of the Piazza del Duomo, as tourist behavior was under her grace, before she enjoyed an tradition Italian Espresso in a cafe nearby, with him standing guard. The driver and bodyguard had also to take pictures of the Basilica di Santa Maria delle Grazie.
The church was awe inspiring and beautifully inside and outside and they awed at the mural of the Last Supper Leonardo da Vinci painted on a wall inside.
When they were sure to be on their own Rei let her role slip for a moment and grasped his hand as they were looking at the murals. She gently pressed it and when SunTzu looked over to her in surprise she formed a I love you with her lips.
SunTzu smiled for a moment before he looked up at the murals again, squeezing her hand gently in return.
The short touristic trip was ended with a small shopping tour, Rei went to quite some stores and SunTzu always had to wait outside. She was in six stores before she finally was done but it wasn't that much of bags she had.
Kaen-Sama made her driver carry the bags to the car and they headed back to the hotel.
Rei let SunTzu carry her bags all the way to her room. In the elevator mirror she could see that she was getting slightly pissed with the situation and she had to suppress a laugh.
I'm enjoying this way too much.
As he put the bags on a table in the classy decorated room Rei called the lobby and let them know that she'd like to dinner in her room. She ordered a gratuitous amount of food with Minestrone, Ossobucco, Polenta and Risotto and quietly thanked Intelligence for paying the bill.
SunTzu had left the room and as two employees of the hotel prepared the table for Rei's dinner he came back with the scanner for bugs. As soon as they left he scanned for bugs again and was glad that there were none. He was about to leave again, as Rei stepped in front of the door and motioned towards the food on the table.
"Don't want to pre-taste and make sure nobody wants to poison me?" She asked with an annoyed tone in her voice.
He closed his eyes for a moment and took another big breather.
"What?" He asked, trying to remain calm. She really was overdoing it now.
"Pre-taste my food. A person like me is living dangerous, you know." Rei repeated.
With a serious expression and a raised eyebrow she looked onto his annoyed face.
And then she broke into laughter.
"Oh God TopGun, you should see your face right now." She walked up to him. "Sorry, but this was just to tempting."
Rei slung her hands around her still annoyed looking boyfriend.
"Sorry, i know I was giving you a hard time today. I'll make it up at home, I swear."
SunTzu just grumbled.
"Oh c'mon, it's not that it would be new to you that I can be bossy." She kissed the tip of his nose. "And now let's have dinner together before I have to get ready."
SunTzu finally gave in and as she walked over to the table he grabbed Rei's hand and spun her around to him, planting a passionate kiss on her lips.
"Mister Mustermann, i didn't know you were so impulsive."
With the room clear of any onlookers or onhearers they could enjoy the hearty and delicious meal in cozy twosomeness.
Afterwards Rei, after a long, long kiss shooed SunTzu out of her room, she had to get ready for tonight.
As she closed the door behind him, he shrugged and went to his room.
Next time I'll make sure we're working as couple again.
When she was done, Rei shot her boyfriend and bodyguard a message over her phone.
It only read Departure.
She had to giggle when she sent it, just ordering him around like that was way too entertaining, especially when she thought about, how much he already was annoyed with it.
Reluctantly SunTzu went back up to his girlfriends room and knocked three times in short order followed by a break and another knock on the door.
Rei opened up and his jaw dropped.
That red dress. He didn't even know if he wanted to allow her to wear that outside at all.
She smiled and pulled him inside the room on his tie.
"From your reaction i guess I do look quite okay."
"Everytime I think that you can't get any badder you find something else to stun me."
She kissed him with a smile, before she fell back in her role.
"Anyways, please put my luggage in the car. I assume we'll be hitting the road after I get the data.
SunTzu nodded and took her luggage. He had brought his backpack already into the car.
They left the room and took the elevator down to the foyer.
In the mirror he saw that he was almost drooling at her. What would a Female Yakuza Boss do in this situation.
Ah yes, i know.
SunTzu suddenly felt Rei's hand grip on his crotch.
"Driver, I'll need your services later on as well."
"With Pleasure Madame."
Both smiled at the other through the mirror.
Present:
Rei gave her purse over to a guard to check it for weapons.
Another guard wanted to frisk her and already was grinning like stupid.
The fake Yakuza Lady just stared the man down with a dark glare until he excused himself and backed down.
She took her purse back and was escorted to an escalator.
Meanwhile SunTzu had driven the Lamborghini in the underground garage and parked near the elevator.
Another guard was stationed there.
In broken English he asked the man if it was possible to have a cigarette on the roof, because of the view.
The man nodded friendly and motioned SunTzu, who was still wearing his black leather gloves for driving, into the elevator.
They went up to the roof and stepped outside.
SunTzu offered the man a Cigarette after he lighted his and when the man nodded, took one and was searching for his fire, slightly turning around SunTzu grabbed him and put him into a headlock.
"Nothing personal, I just have a problem with organized crime." SunTzu said, cigarette in mouth before he broke the man's neck with a force empowered move.
He hid the body around the corner, took and threw his cigarette over the railing, down the house before he took the elevator back to the parking lot again.
From the car he got a big black bag and took it with him to the roof again.
He went to the underground garage one last time, where he took the Lamborghini and parked it outside.
A last trip to the roof followed and when he looked at his watch he nodded. All well in within time. As soon as he was at the roof he lighted another cigarette.
It was time to put his backup plan in motion.
Amongst others there was a long black rope in the bag including a rappeling harness for two persons.
SunTzu pulled it out and fixed one side form on the a strong metal bar. Then he checked the tool for controlling the speed of descending down that was attached to the rope and rappelling gear.
Next thing he did was putting on a double holster and putting two long magazines into the two full automatic Glock 18s that had been in the bag as well. A belt pouch for two additional mags, each of the 33 round capacity magazines filled with a mixture of armor piercing and hollow point ammo, followed, before he checked the Glock 23 in his appendix holster.
Everything was ready and so he put on the harness and concentrated onto the Force and on Rei a few floors beneath him.
Rei had been brought into an financial company office on one of the top floors of the skyscraper and lead through a corridor that connected several offices, some open plan offices, some for just a few persons but all of them only marked off by glass to the long, broad corridor to the glass front where huge office gave a spectacular look onto the old town of Milan. On the other half of the glass front towards the city was the only regular office room of the floor, with walls. Both were also connected with a door.
The Senshi counted at least twenty guards, some of them openly armed with pistols and sub machine guns.
By now she was escorted by four man, the two guys from foyer were now joined by another pair of two sleazy guys in suits, both of them carrying SMGs.
Rei played the cold hearted and unbothered Yakuza Lady so perfectly that her Ice Queen Stare would have even given an angered Setsuna a run for her money.
They escorted her to the door of the office with the window ,where an elderly, stern looking, grey haired woman in a expensive looking black dress and even more expensive looking gold jewelry was waiting with a huge guy in a suit.
They were standing near a desk where a opened and booted up laptop was located on.
A Guard outside the room opened the door for Rei and she stepped inside, walking up to the elder Lady.
"Miss Kaen, it's my pleasure to meet you. I'm Donna Colombo, the head of our respectable Famiglia."
The grey haired Italian woman said and bowed down a bit. In response Rei bowed down slightly.
"The pleasure is all mine Donna Colombo. I'm honored by your invitation."
"I'm not a woman of small talk so shall we cut straight to the buisness. Don't worry, you'll get to know me more tomorrow though."
"Very well, I like efficiency."
The Italian Mafia Boss took a look at her huge bodyguard behind her and nodded.
The bear-like Italian pulled an USB-Stick out and handed it to her boss.
Donna Colombo held the stick up.
"All our international businesses, especially the ones located in Asia are on this."
"Very well. The organizations I represent are very interested in helping co-financing your businesses. We imagine these new branches of economy are the future."
The old lady smiled.
"There is only one problem. The stick is not for you but for our other guest."
She pulled away the USB-Stick and her bodyguard knocked on the door to the other office.
An ice cold shiver ran down Rei's spine and she knew she was in trouble.
Three floors above them, on the skyscraper's roof, meditating with closed eyes and tapped in into Rei's aura, SunTzu, immediately felt that something just went wrong and got to work.
The door between the two executive offices opened and an around thirty year old apparently Japanese, sportive and handsome man with black hair let down and dressed in an all black suit, black shirt and white tie entered the room. The huge Italian Bodyguard now stepped behind Rei, immediately ready to grab her.
I hope your grand Plan B works, TopGun.
The Japanese man smiled broadly as he entered. He came off as a psychopath Rei thought immediately.
"Too bad you're not the represent of the Tokyo Yakuza, Miss." The old lady said, her voice spitting venom towards Rei.
The black suited Japanese walked up to the two women.
"Ara Ara, looks like someone tried to take my place here. And if that isn't the lovely daughter of Minister of the Interior Hino. Quite far away from home."
"I was in need of a holiday anyways. And who the Yomi are you anyway?"
"Oh, let me introduce myself. Name's Kozawa, but I'm rather known as Oni."
The Yakuza put on a maniacal grin.
"I think we might get some nice ransom from your father for you. But I cannot guarantee he gets you back unharmed. Or unsoiled." The man began to laugh.
"Oh please. The only demon that will ever touch me will be your demise. Just give it a few more seconds." Rei said unfazed and rolled her eyes.
You better hurry up SunTzu! This guy is a freak and I'm moments away to do something I shouldn't do.
"Would you care to enlighten me what you two were talking about?" The Italian Mafia boss asked and before the Yakuza could answer Rei chimed in.
"We we're just talking about how all this jewelry is a waste of money on an old hag like you!" She spat out to the Mafia Boss.
The old woman's eyes widened in shock and she striked out to slap the younger woman that had the impudence to insult her.
Suddenly the windows bursted and two of the guards waiting in front of the office were hit by bullets.
A few seconds before:
SunTzu had checked the roof fixation on the rope again, just in case he also boobytrapped the fixation with a small hand grenade. If someone would try to open the fastening he would die too, all allowed in love and war, after all.
Let's find out if I fixed everything as it should be.
SunTzu could feel Rei's nervousness deep down but also her determination to stay strong and show no sign of it. The Guardian ran towards the roof's railing, jumped on it and dived down, rotating a 180 degrees in the process and after a fall of one and a half stories downwards he dragged the fall and stopped on the glass of the tower.
"I already know that Rei will hate me for this."
He drew his two full automatic pistols and pushed off from the building.
One of the best things of the force is that you can feel beings. SunTzu couldn't see much that was going on inside as he pounced towards the window but he could feel where Rei was.
Before he crashed into the window that was on the floor Rei was he gave a salvo into the window to weaken it, the bullets also hit two of the Mafiosi Guards.
SunTzu crashed through the weakened window, made of safety glass, blasting off.
Before the slap of Donna Colombo could hit her Rei ducked down in a swift motion and drove her igniting fist into the old woman's stomach, hurting her terminally.
In the same moment her leg shot up behind her and hit the giant mobster towering behind her where it hurt the most. In agony his his head snapped up and because this one of SunTzu's bullets, a hollow point one with more stopping power, hit his jaw and basically tore it off.
Meanwhile Rei grabbed the USB-Stick from the old woman's hand and stored it in her purse in a swift move. The surprised Yakuza next to her jumped back as the window bursted and people were hit by bullets around him.
SunTzu landed standing and blasted of some more, first hitting the rest of the guards outside out of the door before he aimed for the guards further down the corridor.
Chaos broke out on the floor.
The giant, his jaw only held up on his skull by a few pieces of skin and flesh tried to get up and attack with a ferocious howl but was stopped dead with a small move of SunTzu's right hand and pistol and a bullet into the side of his skull.
SunTzu emptied his magazines in a matter of seconds then ducked down to reload.
The Yakuza had shaken off the surprise now and reached into his jacket to pull out a Wakizashi. After his jump SunTzu was more near to him so he pounced onto him, slashing at him.
SunTzu blocked with one of his pistols while the man pushed the short sword further down, trying to break the block.
The Guardian stood against and when he tapped into the force he succeeded to throw the blade off.
The Yakuza countered immediately with a slash at SunTzu's leg and managed to do it so quick that not even his force powered reflexes safed SunTzu and he fall on his back, the metal pieces of the harness not making it pain less.
The Yakuza that labeled himself as demon grabbed his short sword firm into his hands again and with his tongue out wanted to stab the lying SunTzu, the pilot's face in discomfort and pain.
"Hey fuckhead!" Rei shouted out and the man turned around in a swift motion.
As his head was facing Rei something hit his forehead.
Should have made sure I'm not a threat before. Here have something for you dirty mind.
Rei was still kneeling there and made hand signs, gaze locked on the Ofuda on the Yakuza's head.
"Akuryo Taisan!"
The Ofuda immediately bursted into flames and set the hair of the criminal into fire. He grabbed onto his forehead to rip it away, which was enough for SunTzu to grab his pistol beside him and shoot the man into his chest and throw his body, head still burning, off from him.
In the blink of an eye Rei grabbed her purse was next to him.
"Told you this demon will be your demise." She said looking at the burning man before she turned back to SunTzu.
"You okay?"
SunTzu sat up, rubbing his back where the metal hit his bone.
"I'm good." He mentioned over to the burning Yakuza. "I didn't know you had some with you."
With a sexy smile the Senshi lifted her dress on one of the slits and showed off her black laced underwear, where two more Ofudas were fixed in the panty line.
"I stay strapped."
In that moment a bullet hit the glass a few centimeters above them.
"Stay down!" He told Rei and jumped up.
Within a second SunTzu was up again, both pistols raised and unloaded their magazines into the nearest incoming Mobsters. The
Within seconds all of them were neutralized and his magazines empty, the rest of the criminals taking cover, before he just threw the empty guns away and looked down to Rei.
"Let's go." He extended his hand, she grabbed it and he lifted her up in an embrace, close to the edge of the now destroyed windowZ
"Glad I came in time." He took the second harness on the rope and slung it around here.
Rei looked out the window, down the building, thinking about what they were about obviously about to do now.
"This is insane. Even for your standards."
With a wry grin he grabbed her leg and pulled it around his waist, as she pulled her hands around him, before they kissed. Outside the Gangsters already began to look out their covers again.
And then SunTzu let both of them plunge out the window, down the glass and concrete tower.
A few dozen meters before they smashed onto the ground he slowed down their fall gradually and soon they landed gently and and unharmed on the concrete plaza next to the skyscraper.
Rei was grinning nervously before she put her hands around SunTzu's neck.
"I love you. Although you'll kill both of us one day."
"Don't give me that. Ami told me you once ran away from a accelerating plane."
"Shut up." She said gently and kissed him.
"Perfect Timing. I have to give you that tho." The black haired Senshi said after the kiss as SunTzu was getting both of them out of the harness.
After he freed them both he took her hand and they rushed to the red Lamborghini around the corner.
Behind them guards were coming out of the underground garage already.
SunTzu stopped for a second while Rei rushed on, good thing she was so used to run in high heels, and he draw his third pistol and shot a few shots toward their chasers, before he followed Rei.
With a click he unlocked the super sports car and both jumped in. More enemies were coming around the building.
They closed the doors, SunTzu started the car and immediately drove off, while the mobsters behind them began to shoot.
Accelerating the red sports car as fast as it could they headed back to the autostrada, ultimately leading out of the city.
After a minute and shortly before the interchange to the highway, Rei let out a big sigh and reached for her purse.
"That was close. I secured the data tho."
SunTzu, gaze into the rear mirror, replied with a grim expression on his face.
"It's not over yet."
Rei turned around and saw that two black BMW sport limousines and a couple of motorbikes were approaching them, closing in fast.
The driver on the first motorbike had an Uzi SMG in his hand and began to fire at them.
A bullet put a hole through the rear window and traveled through the car before it stopped somewhere in the console.
"Not the car, man!" SunTzu yelled out looking at the hole in the console, right behind him and Rei.
"There is something for self defense behind the seats." SunTzu told Girlfriend and she grabbed something from down there.
She leaned back and had a gimmicked out UMP-45 Sub Machine Gun and two magazines in her hands.
"Good thing, I've been hitting up the range more lately." She said as she loaded one of the magazines into the gun, put off the safety and slapped the charging handle to get the weapon ready to shoot.
In the meantime SunTzu already had opened her window and she leaned out and aimed before she let off the first salvo. The first driver fell back but the other three came nearer and were almost at the car. A second salvo got one of the motorbikers in his chest just before was about to open fire and the biker behind him had to swerve to not hit his bike or him. The first of the BMWs hit both though and while his front was badly damaged now he drove on in pursuit. The bikes fell back a bit and the BMWs took the lead.
A longer, well aimed salvo hit the undamaged BMW's windshield and left four holes in it. The fourth, at the height of the driver's chest, also made blood splatter on the inside and the car lost control and peeled off. One of the bikers behind couldn't act fast enough and crashed into the car, that then jack-knifed and almost lost traction before it hit the side rail of the city highway.
In his side mirror SunTzu saw the other BMW come closer. It was a tuned M6, so it's performance was almost as high as the Lamborghini's.
On the other side Rei was keeping the quick and agile motorbikes at bay but had to reload soon.
The pilot saw that a back window opened and a guy in black suit and with an short barreled AK leaned out. A salvo hit the side of the Lamborghini and also ripped the side mirror away.
SunTzu opened his door, pulled out his sidearm and leaned slightly out of the car, trying to hit the BMW. Unfortunately he just hit the grill of the car without any effect.
"Rei, i need you over here!" He yelled as she just had finished changing magazines.
She leaned over to him, face almost down on his crotch and aimed out of the opened door.
Half the weapon's Magazine later the damaged BMW, no with also destroyed left front tire and dead passenger seat, jack-knifed as the other BMW but actually lost traction and overturned. Parts of the car crashed into and over the side rail and the road. The second last biker was hit by a tire on his head, crashing his helmet's visor and ripping him off of his bike.
Rei smiled up to SunTzu who glanced down after making sure that the BMW wouldn't hit them in it's crash.
A hand appeared on the visible dent on SunTzu's pants, almost next to Rei's head.
"I see you're actually enjoying this." She said with a smile as she grabbed onto his private parts.
In that moment a bullet ricocheted from the car frame, just centimeters away from Rei's head.
Her grin disappeared and she leaned out again, immediately opening fire on the last biker that just had closed in and was shooting a pistol at the red Lamborghini.
The other half of the UMP's Magazine and quite a few hits into the biker's body and helmet later the biker slumped from his bike and the motorbike crashed into the side rail.
Rei looked up to SunTzu again and both began to smile mischievously.
Rei got back into the car as SunTzu's jaw dropped and he looked back.
Rei turned around as well and her eyes widened.
"Are you fucking kidding me?!"
A helicopter appeared behind them, a light cone following them and the door opened and a light machine gun appeared.
Next to the car the asphalt spit away concrete pieces as it was hit by machine gun fire.
"I'm empty." Rei stated after she checked the Submachine Guns magazine.
"I'm trying to leave them behind!" SunTzu said, shifted down and pushed down the gas pedal.
The super sports car made a jump forward and that probably saved their lives as the next salvo hit the car and if they would have been slower the gunfire would have hit directly into the seats.
It missed them but hit the motor and the car began to slow down.
"Fuck! They hit the engine, we're getting slower!" SunTzu shouted.
Beside him Rei's face became determined.
"Pull the car around!"
"Rei?"
"Just do it!"
She pulled up her car door as the helicopter came near and was almost beside them.
"How many times do I have to tell you? Rei Hino doesn't run away from a fight!"
SunTzu shook his head.
"Hang on!" He yelled, made an U-Turn, shifting gears and now was racing in the reverse, the front of the car facing towards the helicopter almost next to them.
Beside him Rei hung out of the door, holding herself with one hand while her eyes where closed and she concentrated.
"Fire…"
A fireball was forming in her hand, growing larger and larger.
"… Soul!"
The fire ball, as big as a head, left her hand and was catapulted towards the helicopter, just as the gunner inside was adjusting his aiming onto the vehicle's seats.
It broke through a window on under the pilot seat, set the pilot ablaze, who ripped the joystick around and traveled through another window in the cockpit before it hit the rotor head, exploding. In a fracture of a second the helicopter's engine followed and the whole helicopter exploded.
SunTzu made another U-Turn while Rei ducked down back into the car, just in time before a part of the rotor blade hit frame of the car.
Behind them the helicopter crashed onto the road and although the car began to slow down they still were fast enough to get away.
Somehow even with the damaged car they managed to get out of the city and some distance afar they left the highway and turned onto a field path somewhere in the nowhere in the Lombardy. A few hundred meters after the interchange the engine finally gave up and they stopped.
Both passengers sighed and SunTzu leaned his head back on the headrest before he glanced over to Rei.
"You're good, right?"
The raven haired beauty brushed through her hair.
"Yeah. I don't know how, but I actually am."
Both began to laugh manically.
After a while the laughing ebbed up and they got out.
While they smoked a well needed cigarette, SunTzu called Ami up while Rei examined the USB-Stick in her hand.
He finished the call and went back to Rei who was sitting on the hood of the wrecked red Lamborghini, a small cloud of smoke still rising from a whole on the rear, out of the motor.
The Senshi packed the Stick bag in her purse as SunTzu stepped in front of her.
"They'll be here in twenty minutes."
Twenty minutes? That will be sufficient.
She grabbed his tie and pulled his head down to hers, biting his lip and then kissing him passionately, while she wrapped her legs around him, before she seductively hushed a question into his ear.
"Ever had sex with a fake female Yakuza boss on the hood of a red Lambo?"
Twenty one minutes later a Lambda Shuttle sat down next to the bullet hole riddled Lamborghini. Rei and SunTzu were sitting on the hood of the car tightly embraced, smoking and joking with each other.
Apparently they were in their best mood although they almost just had died.
The ramp of the Lambda lowered and four Commandos from Team 3 moved out, securing a perimeter.
Two agents of Intelligence followed, one armed with a sub machine gun.
A few moments later two Royal Guards followed and escorted Ami and Mamoru, with Motoki in front of them, out of the shuttle.
"You're a minute too late." Rei stated jokingly motioning at her watch before she opened her purse and pulled out the USB-Stick.
"Mission accomplished."
"And you guys left total chaos in and around Milan. Every police man in the city is on the streets right now. And they will probably need till morning to clean up the city highway." Ami stated in a stern voice.
The couple sitting on the car just shrugged, drawing on their cigarettes.
"TopGun jumped out of a Skyscraper with me."
"So we don't get shot."
"So we don't get shot. Sheesh, that one freaky Yakuza wanted to kidnap and abduct me, so don't give me that shit right now, Ames."
Five minutes later a limousine with Interpol agents arrived as well.
Rei gave Ami the data and the blue haired genius immediately began to check the data, with SunTzu next to her.
In the meantime Rei began to talk with Mamoru. The King actually just tagged along because he was bored of being in the palace. He probably regretted his decision to join the mission right now as Rei was wheedling something out of her Monarch.
The data really was on the stick and it looked like a pot of gold, that could hurt global and intergalactic organized crime sustainably.
SunTzu and Ami walked back to the wrecked super sports car.
"It's all on there. We can really hurt the mob with this." Ami told to Mamoru.
"And squeeze out millions of millions for us as well." SunTzu chimed in.
Mamoru, glad that someone interrupted Rei from demanding things from him smiled.
"Good work then Guys."
"Thank you Mamo. Which is just another justification for what I'm asking you of."
An unnerved Mamoru closed his eyes.
"Fine. You have Five days. If nothing happens. But be contactable all the time. We're at war and I need two of my best warriors at the ready when something comes up."
"Sure thing. Thank you your Royal Highness." Rei said with a smile and way too friendly.
Mamoru nodded at SunTzu and he and Ami began to walk away.
"Hey Rei, why there's one of your Ofudas here?" Ami asked as she found an Ofuda on the ground near the car.
Rei shrugged and hoped her friends wouldn't see her blushing.
"Hey Topper Harley, I just managed to a five day holiday out of our favorite rose throwing king." Rei stated happily and hugged SunTzu.
The Pilot was surprised but happy to hear that.
Of course she wants to stay longer. Rei loves Italy. She always wanted to spent some time here. Thanks for the opportunity, Mamoru.
But first there's one last thing to do…
One of the Commandos gave SunTzu an Incendiary Grenade with an empathetic look. What would follow now would hurt.
SunTzu took out Rei's and his luggage out of the Lamborghini and loaded it into one of the Interpol cars before he pulled the splint of the grenade and threw it in the car. In a matter of seconds the more than thousand degrees of heat producing Grenade ignited the car.
A few meters away SunTzu saw how the fire emblazed the beautiful car.
Rei stepped up next to him and put her hands around his shoulders.
"I know this is hard for you and that this car saved our lives but you have to be strong now."
Men and their toys…
After the Shuttle left the Interpol Agents drove the couple to a small, romantic family lead hotel near Como, with a direct view of Lake Como. The agents agreed with SunTzu to
The owner came down in his Pyjama and cursed after they rang a bell on the reception.
His anger vanished the second he catched a glimpse of the beautiful Rei in her beautiful red dress.
Although neither Rei nor SunTzu spoke Italian, with SunTzu at least being able to halfway say Scusi, Prego and Grazie, they managed to book a room and a few minutes later they were in a room with direct view and balcony towards the lake.
On said balcony with view of the lake as it quietly laid under the moon reflecting on it this balmy August night they went for a second round of romantically making love under the stars.
After the couple slept out and had a late but typical Italian breakfast, sweet pastry and strong Espresso, a Interpol Agent showed up and handed the car keys of the car SunTzu had ordered over to him. The man had an immense smile on his face.
Rei wearing one of her buisness outfits again wondered what made the man so happy and when the couple stepped outside after the agent left, she couldn't believe her eyes.
Sometimes she forgot that he was rich now and she smiled as she behold the yellow Huracan Spyder Cabriolet.
SunTzu next to her started beaming.
Behind the building the beautiful bright lake began.
"Let's buy you a bikini and take a swim in the lake." SunTzu told to his girlfriend before he opened the car door for her.
After a small shopping tour where they got swimming clothes as well as normal clothes and a nice, relaxed afternoon in the sun at the lake the couple drove on.
Rei now dressed in a bright yellow dress with polka dots held her hands up high to feel the wind run through her fingers as SunTzu drove over a beautiful and quiet rural road, heading towards Parma.
They stopped at a small intercourse in the backcountry to observe the sunset.
Rei got out the car and ran off into the nature, near some green fields.
SunTzu catched up with her and they both let themselves fall onto the green grass, embracing and kissing each other enamored.
They had dinner in Parma, of course with a starter of the famous ham of the city and honeydew melon, followed by a main course of fresh and delicious pasta. The couple enjoyed themselves at their romantic dinner in the old town, letting each other taste their meals, drinking way too much of the excellent red wine of the restaurant and sharing dessert before the now tipsy couple went to an historic hotel nearby to stay the night. As soon as they entered their room, Rei immediately pounced onto SunTzu and he held her up against a wall as they started making out. Their kisses, tasting like a mixture of red wine and hot passion, soon lead to more.
The next morning and a more ample breakfast the couple left, heading for backcountry, just driving around the beautiful region of Emilia-Romagna, enjoying themselves.
They had an afternoon snack in Bologna but decided to sleep on a rural hotel somewhere between Bologna and Ravenna.
It was a family buisness and the kitchen was run by the Nonna of the Family. She was cooking old, secret family recipes and the food was fantastic.
Late at night the couple was lying in the spacious bed, their naked bodies only covered by sheets.
Firmly embraced the looked out their balcony door and listened to the relaxing sound of the crickets in the night outside.
"Remind me to thank Mamoru again for this free days. I never had such a nice holiday ever before."
Rei turned around and kissed SunTzu gently.
"Thank you for this nice trip through Italy. I never imagined it to be that nice."
SunTzu's lips curled up.
"Anything for you." He began to laugh.
"What's so funny?" Rei asked, her voice hushed.
"I was just thinking that I'm glad this mission wasn't in Las Vegas. Otherwise I would have to do a great lot of explaining to Grandpa Hino, why his precious granddaughter is married all of a sudden."
Rei also smiled now.
"Marrying you in a little White Chapel in Vegas would be so lunatic that it would fit us."
"You said us."
"Of course, unfortunately your madness now completely rubbed off on me. I don't even complain much anymore when I jump out of a skyscraper with you."
SunTzu smiled embarrassed for a second before he supported his head on his hand and looked straight into his girlfriend's blue eyes, his look firm now.
"My madness has it's reasons."
"Is that so?" Rei asked smiling.
"Of course. Sono pazzo di te, Amore."
Her face took on an enquiring look.
"What does that mean?"
"I'm crazy for you, Love."
"Awww." She smiled a beaming smile and began to caress his cheek.
"I love you." She hushed gently.
"Ti amo." He replied.
"I understood that. I like when you talk Italian, you seem to do that quite well."
"Must be the latin-roman blood in my heritage." SunTzu joked, happy that his googling of Italian Words worked. "And now let's sleep Amore mio. We have another wonderful day together tomorrow."
The couple kissed tenderly.
"Good Night."
"Good Night Rei."
The raven haired woman closed her eyes and with her head resting under his chin she immediately fell asleep.
SunTzu watched her sleeping for a bit.
"Resta con me per sempre." He hushed before he closed his eyes as well.
The next day they drove to Ravenna and from there they hit up the beaches nearby.
Of course the raven haired Asian turned heads in her white bikini, the matching summer hat and a light red sarong around her hips when the couple took a walk on the beach.
The sporty, well defined body of the Pilot walking next to her turned quite some heads as well and not only in jealousy because of the Asian goddess beside him.
They left at the sunset and went back for a evening walk and dinner to the beautiful city of Ravenna, with typical food of the town and lots of fresh, delicious sea food.
Linked arms with her boyfriend, Rei and SunTzu walked back to the car afterwards.
He opened her door and went around to get in as well.
As soon as he was sitting Rei leaned over to him and whispered into his ear.
"I wanna go back to the beach. And swim naked in the sea."
Within a minute the yellow Lamborghini was on it's way to a remote beach and SunTzu had to concentrate on not breaking the speed limit.
The couple woke up late morning in a hotel room at an Art Decor Hotel on the beachside and after a morning dip in the ocean and breakfast or rather brunch they hit the road again.
They took their longest trip yet and SunTzu didn't tell Rei where they were going.
But she had to admit just driving along the coast was worth it. The weather was great and the Senshi enjoyed feeling the airstream blow through her long hair as her boyfriend steered the high powered yellow convertible through the countryside with view of the Mediterranean Sea.
SunTzu loved Rei's hair in the sun as it took on a certain shade of purple when the sun shined directly on it, making the Shensi's beauty even more exotic.
A few hours later Rei found out where they were heading to and she was overwhelmed with joy. She always dreamed of coming here she thought as the skyline of Venetia appeared on the horizon.
She flung her arms around his neck and began to shower his face with kisses.
They parked the car, grabbed their luggage and took a water taxi to the Main Island, where the Centro Storico, the historic city center, was located. The taxi directly stopped in front of their exclusive hotel. SunTzu had rented a suite with view to the canals from the balcony and towards the city center from the windows.
To Rei's pleasant delight SunTzu had decorated the whole main suite room with rose petals. Who knew that her lunatic Ace pilot and elite soldier was such a romantic.
In this very moment, if he would have proposed to her, she'd say yes, no matter what, even concerning her career.
SunTzu actually was thinking about to propose in Venetia but first he wanted to get a fitting ring. And the okay of her grandfather to marry her. Or maybe even wait till this horrible war was finally over. And he knew that she probably wouldn't say yes anyway, before she had her seat and meaning in the senate. But it was okay, he could wait.
Nonetheless his heart was overflowing with joy as he saw how deeply joyful and grateful she was that he brought her to Venetia.
I love you Rei Hino. And one day, I'll marry you.
After they arrived the couple did some sightseeing by foot through the beautiful town. While the city was magnificent the hordes of tourists and it's side effects weren't exactly pleasurable.
Soon they decided to change to the waterways and took a romantic gondola ride through the canals of the world famous town.
Before dinner the newly rich Pilot treated his beloved Senshi girlfriend to a shopping trip through some exclusive boutiques as he told her they had to be dressed classy tonight.
After an more than excellent dinner in a Michelin Star rated Restaurant, thanks Luna for marking out Diplomat Hino's importance to the world, they enjoyed the now way more empty city before the two Guardians in Love visited the Gran Teatro La Fenice di Venezia for an opera representation of Verdi's La Traviata.
Another time the couple caused quite the commotion as the local high society never had seen the beautiful Japanese woman in her black, embellished tulle evening dress from Valentino, a dress that would actually became quite prominent later on, as a certain wife of a British prince would wear it to a wedding of a friend, and the handsome middle European man next to her, dressed in a black tuxedo, white shirt and black bow tie.
The opera was magnificent and especially Rei enjoyed it a lot.
Hand in hand they strolled out of the theater afterwards. The night was still young and the enamored couple in the mood to do something more. Rei had an idea.
"We've been doing secret agent stuff for quite some time now and still haven't been to a casino? We have to change that."
They took a water taxi directly to the Casino of Venetia and walked inside.
After enjoying a cocktail at the bar and getting chips they decided to play some Roulette.
At first they just observed the game going on.
"Wouldn't it a bit unfair if you play? I mean I'm a psychic but you can actually manipulate the game." Rei whispered into SunTzu's ear.
"Yes. That's why you will play."
Rei sat down and put her Dry Martini on the table. Behind her SunTzu took a sip of his Vesper. The cocktails were exquisite.
Eyes widened as the stunning woman joined the game and she placed her bet.
Before she rolled her dice she held them, secured in her hand, up to SunTzu and he kissed her hand holding them. She smiled and threw them.
And of course she was lying right with her guess and won.
This went on for a few rounds and Rei left the table with a small fortune.
With a sly grin she said Ciao to the people at the table and walked off.
They went back to the bar to have a celebratory drink on her gambling success and when she was unwatched, Rei slipped a credit worth ten thousand Euro in SunTzu's boxer short.
"Your salary as my lucky charm."
The couple left the casino in high mood and went to their hotel room as Rei stated that she might double her payment if SunTzu would provide a continuing high standard of service.
The next day, leaving at early noon, they enjoyed the beautiful city some more and also took a tour of the Laguna de Venecia and visited some of the smaller islands, that thankfully weren't that crowded as the main islands.
In the afternoon they were back in their room again.
"It's crazy beautiful here, but I miss the others." Rei stated.
"Yeah, I miss them too. I also hope that AICA and Hotaru are doing good on Coruscant."
"Stop worrying so much, DAD." Rei laughed.
Awww, he will make such a good father one day… Wait! Did I really just thought that? C'mon Girl, you're Rei Hino, cut it out! Don't listen to your biological clock, you're a Senshi and Diplomat!
But she had to admit, that maybe one day, she would be happy to have this man's children.
Italy had really been a once in a lifetime experience but both of them really missed home or rather their friends. And their sense of duty began to nag onto them too.
"Shall we go home? I'll offer French Toast as welcome back breakfast at my place."
SunTzu said as they lay next to each other on the bed, cuddling. Rei had her phone in hand.
"We could fly to Frankfurt or London and take a space flight back to Tokyo. Trip is on me. It's crazy how much money I won yesterday."
"Cheater!" SunTzu joked.
"Hey, it's not that I manipulated something. I just was lucky with my predictions." Rei smiled with a sly grin.
The couple decided to take a last ride out in their Lamborghini and while Rei knew SunTzu would miss driving the super sports car she knew exactly what to do to make their last ride in Italy an experience he wouldn't forget.
Two hours later they took a flight to Frankfurt am Main and after dinner in a German restaurant at the airport, much to SunTzu's delight, they took a space flight to Tokyo Haneda.
It was eight in the morning when they arrived at SunTzu's place and to fight their Jetlag the couple decided to not sleep at all. After all they had gotten some power naps on the flights in and weren't that tired anyway.
Rei had been writing with Minako since ever they landed.
"Hey TopGun, Minako asks if she could come over for breakfast. I guess I made a bit too much advertisement for your breakfast cooking skills. She's bringing the ingredients for French Toast tho."
"Sure, just tell her if we don't open the door when she rings, we need another twenty minutes of our own." SunTzu said dry as a bone.
Rei began to laugh loud as she texted her best friend back to come over, the thought of the blonde waiting dumbfounded outside their door, impatiently looking at her watch was too funny.