Five days later: Neo City; Anthony A. Cemetery [UN Lot] - 9:09 A.M.:
Master Raven stood under a tree in an all-black suit with a neon blue tie, Aux's favorite color, as a calm wind gently tousled her hair. The morning sun shone brightly skyward in contrast to the current situation's mood. She watched the funeral nearby through the tinted lenses of golden aviators before releasing a mournful sigh. Aux's mother wept as they lowered a black and silver-lined casket containing his body into the ground. His older brother Jalen held their mother while she cried.
Raven walked over. "He had so much ahead of him..."
His girlfriend mutely nodded in agreement.
Victor leaned against an armored 2025 Cadillac Escalade, hands in his pockets. "Truly. Though unfocused at times, Aux was a resourceful informant who cared for even the soldiers."
Raven chuckled. "I remember the first time he introduced pizza nights. You were so confused, Vic."
"Every soldier loves a classic pepperoni."
The trio of agents shared a humorless laugh at the fond memory and continued watching from their vantage point. Soon, the funeral concluded. Aux's mother, Rachel, and Jalen walked over to the agents. The maternal figure stared at Master Raven with dark eyes full of tears and a contempt expression.
"Find the bastard that took my baby."
Rachel's words were full of deepened rage only a mother could feel at the abrupt death of her child, her youngest at that.
Master Raven knew full well that Rachel didn't mean to detain before removing her sunglasses. "We'll do everything we can to bring the criminals to justice, Mrs. Oscars."
Without another word, Rachel walked away towards another armored vehicle.
Sighing, Ean spoke. "Thank you for what you've done for Aux and my family. You helped us out a lot."
"No need to thank us," Victor replied. "Just doing what we can to assist."
A saddened chuckle escaped the eldest of Rachel's three boys. "The family is gonna go read the will, but Aux had something he's been working on as a 'thank you' for the second chance. Figured my little brother would want me showing you guys."
Downtown Harbor Heights; Aux's Private Beach House:
Ean inhaled sharply, watching as the garage door of his brother's modern beach house opened to reveal a vehicle standing alone - a sports model motorcycle that caught each agent's eyes.
"Aux was able to get his hands on a twenty-twenty-four Suzuki Hayabusa, specifically a twenty-fifth-anniversary model," Ean began. "Last time I checked, he was pretty much done. The only thing that needed to be finished was the paint job."
The bike itself had a base matte black paint job with a neon blue glitches design that mimicked Victor's teleportation style with a line resembling a sword slash that went through the golden outline of the death kanji decal on its left side.
"He made sure to equip the bike with typical agent upgrades. Nitrous kit, bulletproof tires, armored body to keep the engine from getting shot, and..." Ean paused, shaking his head as he chuckled. "Aux kept rambling about adding this new feature. He added autopilot capabilities with exact location arrival and summoning."
Victor's eyebrows raised above his silver shades. "Impressive."
Master Raven blinked her eyes, looking over the motorcycle with a slight smirk. "Could be useful in a dicey situation. How long has he been working on this?"
Ean rubbed the back of his neck. "The past two months. He added jump suspicion and a fully functional stealth mode, too."
"Aux always thought of the extra details," Victor remarked. "A clever kid at his age."
Raven crossed his arms. "We'll get it delivered to headquarters."
"No test drive?" Ean remarked. "I was certain one of you would want to break it in before putting it in wait mode for who knows how long."
Raven smirked. "Can it go the same speed in reverse?"
Ean nodded as Raven walked over to the bike. "I'll see you both at headquarters then?"
Master Raven chuckled. "Don't crash the bike."
With that, Raven pulled back the throttle as the electric engine purred loudly and echoed in the expansive garage.
VrrrrRR!
Lifting his foot, Raven pulled the throttle again. Victor couldn't help laughing, catching the grin on his agent's face as he rode down the winding road.
Master Raven turned to Ean. "I'm positive your brother would be happy to know his gift made it to its new owners."
He chuckled, sniffling. "Yeah, he would."
Victor placed a comforting hand on Ean's shoulder. "We'll find who did this. On my honor as Head of the Raven Unit."
Raven pulled the throttle again, the front wheel lifting from the ground for a few seconds.
78 MPH
His smirk widened into a grin, engaging the second brake before pressing the green button above the throttle.
Pssssh!
The back tire slid across the concrete, spinning faster than the front wheel as a ring of smoke appeared from the rear tire, drifting in a half circle. Raven pulled the throttle again and leaned back into a wheelie. The engine roared, rolled on the back wheel, and merged into the freeway. He leaned his upper body weight forward again. The front tire landed on the ground. Raven weaved around trucks and cars with ease.
His eyes narrowed, catching sight of a few blocked-off lanes due to a car crash. Raven tightened his grip on the handlebars and shifted to fourth gear.
A cop at the scene sighed, shaking his head. "I don't get paid enough to deal with these tragedies."
The blur of a vehicle caught his attention, and they only seemed to be getting bigger.
"Stop the vehicle!"
Raven lowered his body to the motorcycle, feeling the full force of its roaring engine.
"Stop the—"
The cop jumped back.
Raven shifted again with his foot, pulling back the break slightly. He leaned to his left with the motorcycle. Blinking, the world seemed to slow down as he slid across the concrete, nearly touching the ground while sliding under the stopped truck's shipping container.
Screeeeee!
Pulling the throttle, Raven reversed from under the container as the motorcycle retained the same speed despite going backward.
98 MPH
Raven shifted again.
Click.
He turned the handlebars slightly until facing forward. The wind blew through his black suit jacket as he pulled the throttle again. Seeing an opening in the freeway's guardrail, he turned left.
VrrRRRR!
Thud!
He landed on the train track below, shifting again.
HOOOOOOOOOONK!
The horn of a train sounded behind him, and there were blinding headlights on Raven's back as he chuckled. "Easy."
Another pair of headlights appeared in the distance, quickly closing in on his direction. His eyes widened, the tracks curving to the right. Inhaling sharply, Raven relaxed his grip on the handlebars.
HOOOOONK!
With a swift motion, he turned the handlebars and squeezed the break.
Screeeeeeeee!
Leaning to the right, the motorcycle's tires slid across the parallel rails. Raven drifted along the rounded corner, holding it with a clenched jaw in concentration. He spotted another exit point at the end of the tunnel and increased his speed. The motorcycle once again flew airborne.
Thud.
Raven slid to a stop and placed his foot on the ground. A black armored van pulled into the United Nations headquarters courtyard as his superiors stepped out of the vehicle.
"How'd we get here at the same time?" Raven asked in disbelief.
Victor smirked. "I know a few shortcuts."
His subordinate raised an eyebrow over his red sunglasses.
Master Raven laughed. "I might've told him a few things. How was the ride?"
Raven looked over the motorcycle's dashboard screen, displaying the location, time, and speedometer.
Neo City, United Nations HQ; 10:27 P.M.
0 MPH
"Smoother than I anticipated. The back wheel drift is steady for an electric model. Worth riding."
Master Raven nodded. "Good to know. Just now noticed that it doesn't have any mirrors."
Raven looked down. "Huh... Aux thought they'd be pointless."
"Does it have object detection?"
He shrugged his shoulders. "Surprisingly not."
"I'll have a few of our vehicle specialists to add that. Could come in handy when we need it."
Abandoned Birmingham Apartment Building [Rm 156] - 11:00 A.M.:
Aron gently and steadily ran a finger around the wine glass before him. Soon, a small ring began to echo, filling the room that reverberated into his allies' ears.
Pow!
Unphased, Aron rolled his eyes as Haruto lowered his modded 1911 pistol.
"That was unnecessary," Aron remarked. "But that would explain your current temper. Certain sounds can put one into fight or flight even before one knows if there's a threat nearby. A blade cutting through the air would cause a person's instinct to kick in, but it would be a slight millisecond too late before they can dodge it, especially in the dark. Interesting, don't you think?"
Nina loaded her pistol. "How long does it take to react to a gunshot?"
Aron chuckled. "Ironically, the time it takes to squeeze a trigger is slow enough to give somebody time to run or hide. Two microseconds are needed to glance at the eyes, and the body goes on automatic survival before the trigger is pulled. You have a sixty percent chance of living unless you're slow."
"You think you have those same odds against me, Doc?" Haruto questioned.
"I wouldn't need to move when a needle dipped in a simple numbing serum would do the work for me. Besides, have you forgotten that I lost my ability to feel pain after my time at G-Corp? Or are you only thinking about the chance to put a bullet in my head?"
Hauto growled. "It would make the world a better place."
"We'll see who makes such a difference if they're still alive by the end of this job. Now, eat up. I didn't kill that man in the market just for your Wagyu Fillet to get cold."
Haruto narrowed his eyes, standing from the table. "I lost my appetite." He returned to his laptop and sat back down at the desk.
"Typical angry soldiers."
Just as Aron picked up his fork, another shot rang out. The fork in his hand clattered to the floor, landing in two separate pieces. Aron exhaled and rolled his neck. He pulled his bone knife from the table and sprinted for the Commander. Nina rolled forward just as Haruto stood from his seat—the tan point of a bowie knife headed for the Commander's head.
Clap.
Nina gripped Aron's wrist while her other hand was on Haruto's chest. "Both of you idiots, calm the fuck down! Nothing will get done if you two try to kill each other!"
"I wouldn't be on edge if you had kept him outta this Williams," Haruto said through his teeth. "Involving him was a mistake."
"It's not my fault your simpleton mind can't comprehend that I have a greater purpose other than being the armored errand boy," Aron stated.
"Enough! Now focus!" Nina shouted. "Did you find our next spot, Haruto?"
The former Commander swatted her hand away before heading to his laptop. "Of course I did. An old military base with a watch tower close to our next target."
The corners of Aron's lips curved upward until a blood-lusting grin, his canines revealing themselves in the light. "Perfect."
Nina eyed him with disgust as Aron slung the armored weapons case over his shoulder. Haruto waited in his armored Hummer. He roll-tapped his fingers on the leather steering wheel, waiting for his partner to get on her motorcycle.
"Sure you don't wanna ride along?"
The Doctor rolled his shoulders, his white-gloved left hand gripping the strap of the armored box. "I'll meet you guys there. Besides, I can tell when I'm not wanted. Besides, I don't want to end up accidentally putting my knife into Haruto's neck and cause a scene."
"Point made. See you around, Doc."
Aron nodded and walked away, placing his light Panama hat back on his head.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Nightingale Casino Rooftop - 2:58 A.M.:
"Still can't believe Aux is dead. Do you think one of us could be next?"
A pair of hazel eyes rolled with a sigh of annoyance at the voice in her ears: a light female one with a heavy French accent.
"Calm down, Lexi. It's probably nothing."
"Come on, Red. You saw the text from Raven. They haven't found a cause or a suspect!"
"It doesn't mean they won't sooner or later. Uh… Moon, you still there?"
"Yeah, just listening to Lexi panicking as usual."
"Whatever. You're not at least slightly worried at all, Moon?"
"Why should I be?"
"Moon, you—"
She couldn't help giggling, imagining Red Capulet shaking his head at her nonchalant attitude toward this situation. Something that was more than routine for the twenty-three-year-old informant.
Lexi sighed. "Vous etes un idiot." [You're an idiot] "If you get yourself killed one day, I'll just say it was to be expected."
Moon laughed again. "Love you too, Lexi. I'll make you my honored guest at my funeral and give you the chore of speaking on my behalf from the stars."
"Ew. I hate it and you."
She laughed again.
"Alright, alright. Coms down until further notice. Keep your eyes peeled, guys."
"Right."
"Will do, Big Red."
A small chuckle sounded. "Good night, Moon."
Beep.
"Moon," a slightly muffled voice called from the outside world.
"Moon!"
The woman in question lowered her body from the bar she hung from with her legs. She has a slender build, visibly toned muscles, and light mocha-brown skin. Sharp hazel eyes, button nose with full lips painted in brown lipstick, and soft features to match her angular face. Her hair was shaved on the sides and back, while the hair on top of her head was styled into two afro puffs dyed a light brown. Dyed brown braids hung from the front of her face; the tips dyed hot pink. She wore a custom pair of black aggressive roller blades with red and gold detailing. Glowing blue wheels fastened into the bearings. Black, high-waisted jean shorts with white suspenders hanging from the belt loops, a cropped, long-sleeved mesh hoodie with graffiti printed on the lower half of the shirt. Around her neck was a rainbow chocker with a golden crescent moon in the center. A pair of silver x stud earrings in her ear paired well with the bright red sweatband on her head. White letters were switched to the side that read, and silver light looks better on you.
A lollipop stuck from the woman's mouth as she held her phone. "Hmm?" She looked at the UN soldier with blatant confusion, resembling a confused child when they didn't know what was happening.
"How long are you gonna be out here?" The soldier questioned. "It's getting late. We should get going before the security guards make their rounds again."
Moon laughed, poking the soldier's nose. "Aw, come on. Live a little, Zeke. It's only been a few hours."
"A few too many." He looked around. "We should head back home."
She sighed, getting down from the bar. The two began making their way towards the latter, which led them back to the ground level.
Moon skated backward with her hands behind her back. "You ever think we'll be able to go on vacation one day? I seriously wanna go to the Bahamas."
Zeke chuckled. "One day, Moon."
"When that happens, I can finally get Red to actually enjoy himself. He has a soft spot for dancing despite having two left feet."
"I'm taking that one to my grave."
She smirked before putting a finger over her mouth with a wink. "You didn't hear that from me either, Z."
"Of course."
"Soldier, where are you?! It's late. You should be back at the safe house by now."
He paused after the stinging sensation in his ear. "Moon wanted to stay out for a few hours. We're heading back right now."
"Get here asap. We can't be caught off guard right now with Aux dead."
"Right. We'll be there soon."
Thud.
Moon raised an eyebrow, looking at the article headline on her phone.
MANIAC STABS LOCAL MEAT SELLER AT THE MARKET!
An unidentified criminal stabs Kev Martin, a butcher, at the local open market at Sunrise Harbor in Downtown Neo City. Locals say the crime began soon after they began to argue about the price of Kev's beef wagyu. He was unfortunately killed by—
"Jeez," Moon remarked. "Pretty freaked up that a guy died over some meat."
Zeke and the informant entered the dark gray 2025 Ford Mustang GTD, the soldier adding, "Another crazy story?"
She nodded. "A criminal stabbed a guy in downtown Neo City over some beef."
He couldn't help laughing, starting the car before pulling off the curb. "Seems like typical activity to me."
Moon raised an eyebrow. "Maybe... this seems over the top than usual."
Bright purple eyes watched the vehicle disappear into the distance of the street, bone knife in hand while running his thumb along the edge.
A quizzical expression soon formed on Aron's stoic face. "Hmm..."
Hilton Valley Loft - 3:48 A.M.:
Moon looked over her small collection of karambit knives that lay organized in an open case on a table, varied in size and style. Some are small with teeth, and others larger with gentle swooping edges. However, her favorite was a fixed Mako knife - a gentle swooping edge with a razor-sharp point good for quick slices and painful stabs. She had a custom black one with teeth near the edge, and engraved in pink on its blade were the words, 'Slip and Slice.' She looked over at her laptop, eyes narrowing at the screen while skimming the article until landing on a specific paragraph. Aron has been identified as the main unknown criminal with a passionate hate for G-Corp, going as far as to execute several G-Corporation military and doctors. Due to his drastic appearance change in the three months after going missing, police have not been able to identify and detain Aron.
Moon narrowed her eyes, placing a hand on her chin. "He's a slippery one. Seems like fun."
General Ray raised an eyebrow. "You're crazy. The guy's a maniac if he's this much of a threat to where the UN is having difficulty tracking him. This guy is no slouch, Moon. You may be the best fighter among the informants, but that doesn't mean you can take down everyone."
"True," Moon shrugged. "But..." She picked up the fixed Mako knife, tossing it in the air before throwing it in Zeke's direction.
Thud!
The blade nearly gouged Zeke's eye as he blinked in shock before looking over at the woman. "Moon!"
She giggled. "Sorry, Zeke."
8:51 A.M.:
Nina placed her foot on the ground, lightly gripping both handlebars of her motorcycle. The engine purred below as it stood, and she eyed the building with suspicion. It didn't look like much outside, a square building and a tall gray outpost composed of thick concrete and metal. She pressed the headset button in her ear.
Beep.
"This is the place?"
"It doesn't look like much, but it's quite the build on the inside. There are two ways of entry."
She crossed her arms. "Is that so?"
"We'll discuss the details later. Expect Aron to be there soon. I have a few things to take care of, so make yourself comfortable while I'm gone."
Nina rolled her eyes. "Will do."
"Good."
Getting off her bike, Nina took the case that held her sniper from the hold on the vehicle and walked towards the door.
Neo City; UN Central Surveillance Room - 11:52 A.M.:
Victor tapped a finger against his chin, watching the camera footage of the guy in the cream-colored hat. Around him, several analysts worked on consoles to keep track of Raven unit members while searching for Kazuya's location.
"Sir," a UN soldier remarked behind him.
Victor turned around. "Yes?"
"We spotted an unidentified yacht near Atruis Inc. Docking Bay. It has Bishop's symbol on it."
"Show me."
Atrius Inc Docking Bay
Victor tapped the button on the right side of his sunglasses. The boat was outlined in blue, with the chess piece symbol meeting his light eyes. It floated a hundred feet out from the docking bay.
He grimaced in frustration. "No wonder we didn't get notified. Anna and Bishop are already here, waiting on Nina's signal." Victor tapped on his earpiece. "Victor to Raven..."
"Responding."
"What's going on with Dragunov?"
"He's returned to Russia, but with the Mechanic at his side. It seems they're working together to modify military vehicles: extra armor plating, weapons, and more goons. The Mechanic's men are a group of wanted street racers and professional smugglers.
"Hmm... Find anything on Kazuya?"
"No, but I've seen a few G-Corporation soldiers around these two locations. Ortiz Farm in Peru and a newly built coliseum in Rome, Italy."
"Understood. Report in when the situation changes."
"Of course. Raven out."
Beep.
Victor sighed in annoyance, slipping his phone and texting a contact labeled 'M. Raven.'
Master Raven inhaled during her meditation per her temporary routine of being off from work. She listened to the music blaring from the Bluetooth headphones over her ears.
[Jhené Aiko – Savita ft. Swae Lee]
Her untied dreadlocks waived in the mild summer wind. Looking over the view of the city as it took in the morning's sunlight. Nearby, her phone was lying face up on her bed and vibrated to life. She blinked as a new message from Victor plastered itself across her right eye.
Keep your eyes out for a bright red Rolls-Royce.
She raised an eyebrow before replying, Understood. Did something happen?
Bishop left his boat out at sea. They're already in Neo City.
Did he find the tracker?
No, but he's smarter than I thought. It seems like the Williams sisters' friends aren't typical criminals. At least not Bishop & Aron...
Or he just knows more than the average criminal. Anna might've told him a few things due to her experience dealing with us.
Maybe, but we can't afford to underestimate them.
I'll contact you if I see anything.
Noted.
Master Raven's slim eyebrows furrowed. "Hmm..."
Abandoned Harrington Military Outpost - Watch Tower:
Nina looked through the scope of her TrackingPoint sniper rifle, four black lines and the center red dot landing on an unblocked window - a woman with light brown skin, a sharply shaved head, and a pair of afro puffs atop her head.
"Hmm..."
Nina looked closely before zooming in with her scope. The woman turned around; a crescent tattoo sat on the left side of her neck.
"Bingo."
A soldier pulled a black curtain over the window. Nina scoffed and rolled her eyes, and before looking through her scope again, she heard the sounds of a car engine coming to her ears. Leaning over the guardrail, she spotted Haruto's armored truck at the main building's entrance. She looked at the watch on her arm. 12:43 P.M.:
"Took him long enough," Nina remarked, picking up from her sniper and heading back inside.
Haruto watched as several Tekken Force soldiers moved his armored weapons, ammunition, and technology cases. He almost smirked at the sight of the assassin. "Familiarize yourself with the place?"
She rolled her eyes. "Typical military base, advanced communication systems, empty armory, and vehicle deployment."
"See the tunnel?"
"Tunnel?" Nina repeated.
Haruto walked away. "Follow me."
Nina followed her partner to the communications room; Haruto glanced at the powered-down console.
"Working with military bases in the Mishima Zaibatsu has its pluses. One of them being the hidden configurations of a base. Evacuation tunnels, slim hallways for hiding or slipping out of sight, and stealth vehicles. They always build it in plain sight. One useless button in English, Greek, or Arabic."
His dark eyes scanned the console, landing on a green button with a Greek word under it. Σπλιτ. Split. He pressed the button.
Click.
The console began to clunk and clank as it slowly slid apart until a seam in the middle appeared and soon split open. It revealed a short hallway with a sliding metal door at the end with a keypad nearby.
"I traced the tunnel's directions, and the other one behind the door leads directly under the loft where the next informant stays, specifically the living room. Instead of coming in through the window or a simple sniper shot, we could use their same way of entry to throw them off."
Nina nodded. "How many guards are in the tunnels?"
"Six," Haruto answered. "Two by this door and other four down the tunnel. The two guarding our target shouldn't be a problem for you."
"Noted. The plan seems sound."
"Seems... You still haven't told him your true plan to take our new target alone."
Nina gave a knowing look. "I'll tell him when he gets here."
"You better, or we'll have a new problem. Aron could put the cops on us with a simple anonymous tip. That's if he doesn't want to give us some new scars first."
She waved him off. "No need for the reminder. I'll handle it."
5:19 P.M.:
Nina screwed on the silencer to her second Fort 12 pistol, looking over its polished barrel as it caught the bleak lighting of the communications room. She was so focused on her current task that she didn't notice the person coming in.
"Hello again—"
She grabbed a throwing knife and swung her arm back.
Clap!
Aron chuckled, holding her wrist just as the blade in her hand froze, a close centimeter away from his eye. "I'd be impressed if you could harm kill me."
She lowered her hand, placing a hand on her hip with a new but familiar glare aimed at the crazed surgeon. "The least you could do is announce your presence or be less of a creep."
"When will you drain the color from this informant's throat?"
"About that..." Nina took in a deep breath and crossed her arms. "You're not going. Stay here with Haruto."
The Doctor held a look of surprise on his face. "Oh? Understood, Williams. Very much understood."
Without giving Nina a chance to explain, Aron quickly left the room. The taps of his dress shoes against the concrete floor faded into the distance until she was alone again.
"That was... easier than I thought."
Alone in his chosen room, Aron slipped the long dagger from the sheath strapped to his leg. A small smile formed on his face as the blade sang from him, sliding it from its sheath. He eyed its newly sharpened edge, never using it unless to prove a point. Aron's jaw clenched, his eyebrows sinking slowly.
"Fine... Just fine..."
He took a deep breath, his glare morphing into a laugh. "Just what the Doctor needed."
5:23 P.M.:
Nina slid the magazine into her second Fort 12 Pistol, placing the communication device in her ear. Standing at the closed door, she put a hand on her hip. "On your mark, Haruto."
"Understood. Opening the door in three..."
Aron's eyes narrowed as he watched the former Commander work away at his laptop.
Haruto looked over at the empty hallway despite feeling a pair of eyes on him while focused on his laptop screen. "Two..."
Aron exited the doors of the military base, stepping out in the afternoon sunlight toward the loft.
Two.
Nina took her other pistol from her holster, fingers hovering on the triggers.
One.
The doors slid open.
Pow!
The soldiers' bodies fell to the floor before they could react. Gripping her firearms, Nina sprinted down the tunnel. She jumped, turning upside down as she aimed at the first set of soldiers.
Pow!
Flipping midair, she aimed again.
Pow!
Pow!
Pow!
Pow!
With a small grunt, Nina landed on the ground and rolled forward with a smirk. "This almost seems too easy. Making the elevator motion sensing was a big mistake."
Upon fully stepping onto the circular platform, it began to rise.
General Ray looked over at Zeke. "Check-in, soldiers. Groundhogs, status?"
Silence.
"Groundhogs, respond."
Again, silence.
Cli-clunk.
The general and Zeke stood ready, aiming their guns. Moon grabbed her fixed Mako karambit knife.
Two shots rang out before either could see the person stand on the platform. General and Zeke fell to the floor. Spinning her guns in hand, Nina slipped both pistols into the holsters strapped to her upper thighs.
"Now, let's get this over with," Nina remarked, taking her plastic fulcrum knife from the scabbard next to her right pistol.
Moon's grip on her blade tightened as she took a defensive stance. "No wonder why Aux was killed..."
Grinning, Nina rushed right for the taller woman. Moon leaned back from two missed blade swipes and blocked Nina's punch before a heel landed in her stomach. Stumbling back, Moon changed her stance by leaning her weight on her left leg while keeping her arms up near her face.
"A Raven wannabe," Nina remarked.
Moon's gaze sharpened. "Better than an old relic."
She ducked a high kick, skipped back, and leaned away from another before rolling under a knife swipe. Moon parried Nina's punch and threw her head into the assassin's chest. Grimacing, Nina slipped her gun from its holster.
Pow!
Moon rolled forward, springing back up into 'Sudden Strike. The assassin stepped back, instead taking a hard arial roundhouse to the jaw. With a spin, she swiped her knife.
Shing!
Moon caught her hand, the blade poking through the other side of her palm.
"What...?"
Moon smirked and launched a kick, which Nina blocked but slid back from the force. The informant ran, ready to end this.
Crash!
The window in the living room burst open as Aron jumped through with a feral grin. Before Moon's kick landed against Nina's chest, Aron swiped her feet with a low kick. He then hooked his hands around one of her ankles and swung her around. Aron let go after two swings, and Moon crashed against the nearby wall, inhaling sharply from the impact.
"What the hell are you doing here!?" Nina growled.
Aron pulled the white glove tighter over his left hand. "I'm taking what I'm owed, Nina."
Nina's grip on her plastic knife tightened as her leather glove creaked. "You—"
"Hah!"
Both criminals stepped back as Moon's 'Chakram Kick' missed them. Aron and Nina looked at each other as another revolting grin appeared on his face, purple eyes glowing in excitement.
"Perfect."
Aron leaned back as Moon's split kick missed his head, smirking devilishly at the informant after blocking her blade with his hands before jabbing his short sword just under her rib. Just as Nina's high kick missed him, he threw himself to the ground.
"Get out of here, Aron!"
Aron laughed before tripping her with a low kick and taking hold of her wrist. Swinging her around, Moon's forward punch landed solely on the blonde's sternum. He lazily weaved back from her 'Backhand Blow,' laughing as he shoved her to the wall.
"Ah!" Nina grunted.
Turning around, Moon blew a handful of green dust in his face. He blinked in confusion, watching the world slowly become fuzzy and distorted. His mind felt slow, but his skin buzzed.
He chuckled. "Oh... that's nice."
Nina got back onto her feet, slipping a pistol from her holster. Aron swayed on his feet, moving from side to side as if drunk.
"Hah... come on."
She aimed for his feet.
Pow!
Rolling forward, Aron stood up and extended his foot, kicking Nina back as Moon aimed a sliding kick at his foot. Pulling off a corkscrew flip, he landed on the ground and twisted his body before swinging his feet around. Tripping both women, he smirked. His heel landed against Moon's chin while another kicked Nina's knee. Back on his feet, Aron stumbled into the informant and shoved his shoulder into her.
"Urgh!" She grunted before swinging her knife.
Aron blocked with his short sword and feinted a kick, which Moon went to block. Aron smirked and threw his head into her nose. Nina rushed forward. Aron jumped to execute a spinning butterfly kick. Moon stumbled back as another heel connected against her jaw. Nina ducked under his kick and swung her foot around. Aron held in his grunt and counter with a kick to Nina's knee, another to her stomach, and finished with one to her side. He easily parried her punches before smashing a fist into her jaw. Aron leaned forward just as Moon's knife missed him again. He spun around, the hilt of his short sword connecting with Nina's temple. Spinning into a knee, Aron's elbow connected with Moon's side before he stabbed her in the same spot. He stumbled back from another dust cloud and inhaled it before feinting a downward hook. Moon blinked as Aron's feet landed on her chest before backflipping. While in midair, he tossed a syringe in Moon's direction, landing precisely in her neck.
Nina aimed her gun for a kill shot to Aron's skull, who landed and spun around. She froze after feeling the new cold edge of his toothed short sword at her neck, the grip on her gun tightening. Behind them, Moon pulled the automatic syringe from her neck; the pale yellow liquid nearly emptied only after a few seconds. She breathed heavily as her limbs grew weak before collapsing. Nina spun out of Aron's hold and aimed her gun between his eyebrows. Her jaw stung sharply with the impact of Aron's fists, but not enough to make her mouth bleed.
Aron's crooked smile only widened. "You continue to amaze and disappoint me, Williams." His smile thinned into a dark glare. "I'm merely taking what you refuse to give me."
"Nothing is deserved, Aron," Nina hissed.
"That's where you're wrong. Everything that happens is either cause and effect or deserved by karma. You and I might share the same fate of meeting our grim reaper." Aron's shoulders slouched forward. "It depends on which of us survives long enough to postpone it."
"I made it clear you weren't supposed to be here!"
Aron glared. "You're the one that called me, remember? You know what happens when I don't get what I want. You owe me!"
"I don't owe you shit, you delusional Scarface."
The Doctor's eye twitched, and a broken, forced smile appeared. "Fine."
Nina crossed her arms. "You got what you wanted. Kill her, and let's go."
"No," he breathed greedily. "I need her alive."
With that, Aron approached the weakened informant. Moon's eyes widened with fear as he straddled atop her, spinning his blade in hand as his darkened purple tongue licked his top canines.
Aron inhaled deeply with a snarl. "This might hurt."
Nina swallowed hard before looking away. Not even she was this demented when it came to inflicting pain. Aron began carving his knife into the left side of Moon's mouth while simultaneously pulling her jaw. He grinned from ear to ear as blood splattered his fingers, working his way slowly across her mouth and cutting her lips corners wider.
"AAAAAAAaaaaaaaarr—"
Aron flipped through the tiny journal, eyeing the red and black pen ink notes. "It seems she knows something about the old tactics of herbal dust mixtures. Clever."
Nina stood from the desk of security camera feeds, successfully wiping the camera footage. "Are you done? We need to get going. The soldiers didn't conduct their daily check-in today and probably sent a team to investigate."
Aron shrugged, taking pictures with his phone before placing the book on the desk with the three monitors.
With that, they headed back for the platform.
Kingston Hospital; Room 05, Ground Level Floor - 7:21 P.M.:
A guy in a red cap rushed into the hospital room, one that had a few UN soldiers standing guard around it. Inside, a woman lay nearly dead on the bed in the room's center.
Beep.
Beep.
His shaky hands clenched into fists as hot, angry tears pooled in his eyes. Several bloodstained bandages wrapped around her midsection just under her chest. A bandage across her broken nose with several plastic tubes sticking from her arm and more dark stained bandages wrapped around her head.
Moon inhaled weakly. "R-red... Stop being such a grouch. Let me see you."
Red walked over, his heart nearly caving in after noticing how pale and sickly she looked. "W-who did this to you?"
She blinked slowly. "I can't even remember. I blacked out on adrenaline and can only remember small things."
He grabbed and held her hand tenderly. "I promise, I'll—"
"Don't... It's not your job."
"But I—"
"Red, i-it's okay."
"But you-you're not—"
Moon chuckled, a small but pained smile forming. "I'll be fine. I just need some time and... rest."
He kissed her hand, rubbing the back of her palm with his thumb. "I'll do what I can to help. I swear..."
Master Raven noticed Victor pause, hesitant to tell her why he called.
"It's Moon... They came after her. She's in the hospital."
"What!?"
Victor stood from the wall at the sight of his subordinate stomping down the hall. She looked apoplectic, even in her suit.
"Summers-"
"What the hell happened to her!?"
The silver-haired samurai placed a firm hand on her shoulder. "I know she means a lot to you, Tatyana, but take a deep breath. Moon's condition is bad, and the last thing she needs is to address one of her superior's questions. Keep them light and quick, okay?"
"Vic—"
He gave her a knowing look. "I mean it. She's not in any condition to do much talking right now."
Sighing, Master Raven touched the glass door and breathed deeply before exhaling. Afterward, she entered the room, surprised to find Red Capulet holding Moon's hand as she lay in bed. Master Raven could feel that familiar outrage simmer in her chest, rising like wildfire. Moon almost chuckled at her superior.
"Hey, Taty..."
Master Raven reined in her anger. "Moon..."
Nina looked over at Aron as they sat around the communications table. Haruto silently worked on his laptop while the Doctor cleaned his short sword. For once, the two men weren't trying to kill each other. Perhaps because Haruto finally got to see how dangerous Aron was on camera. Nina didn't dwell on the matter while cleaning one of her pistols.
The white glove on Aron's hand was still stained red with the informant's blood.
"Doc..."
"Hmm," He looked up from polishing his blade.
"What was in that syringe?"
Aron chuckled. "Did it pique your interest, Williams?"
Nina paused, remembering what she saw soon after Moon fell to the floor.
The veins in her hands and arms turned dark, making them more visible to the naked eye. Nina could see Moon's weak hands slowly clenching in pain, grimacing in disgust.
"Glad you suits aren't too busy to visit old friends," Moon snarked with a weak laugh.
A ghost-like smirk formed on Master Raven's face, but she held it in for fear of the tears that would finally fall while attempting to hold herself together. "Glad you're still alive, Moon."
"It's gonna take more than that to knock me down, but I guess I was... lucky."
Master Raven raised an eyebrow, waiting for Moon to continue. "All I can remember is the adrenaline rush, pain... and those glowing purple eyes."
Nina nodded. "To a certain extent. I'm more curious about what you put in the syringe. I've seen the worst poisons affect crime lords who thought they were untouchable, but I've never seen one do that."
Aron chuckled. "It's a special dosage, even for me. I found it difficult to recover from when I tested the final version. The only difference is the duration for normal citizens and trained fighters."
"What do you mean?"
The Doctor eyed the blade in his hand with an evil smirk, his inhuman purple tongue snaking between his teeth to lick one of his upper canines. Nina held herself from shivering in disgust.
"The serum I made is something I've been working on for years, at least it's non-fatal version."
"Still feels like his knife is in my mouth..." Moon added with trepidation. "I... I've never wanted to die so much in my life."
Red sniffled. "D-Don't say that."
"It was so painful. He made sure to cut slow..." She inhaled sharply, grimacing in pain as her head throbbed. "I hope-"
Moon's heart rate beat slowly and hard inside her chest.
"This one is somehow worse," Aron remarked. "Instead of intense pain and an eventual silent death, I made this one to..." His canine brushed against his bottom lip. "Linger."
Nina raised a puzzled eyebrow.
"It works its way through the host, invading every vein within the person's body."
"I hope... you find whoever i-is doing this," Moon finished.
Ba... DUM.
Her empty left hand clenched into hard fists, veins becoming dark again.
"And tell Lexi... I s-said hi."
Master Raven nodded and quickly left the room as she felt tears pool in her eyes. Victor instantly noticed and pulled her to the side, away from the soldiers. He watched with weary eyes as her heavy breathing increased while refusing to look at him.
"Tatyana, breathe."
She looked up, her brown eyes golden with new and old hatred.
"This one leaves the system after a few hours but leaves an indelible mental mark on the person." Aron ran a finger along the silver edge. "The body remembers pain quite well, emotional and physical especially. Pain can drive you to brilliance, ultimate destruction, or a trail to a greater path. And what the mind forgets, the body remembers - scars, trigger pains, and distress. The first wave kicks in and is paired with outside pain; it's beautiful..."
Nina's jaw clenched.
Moon could do nothing but shake in agony as he continued to saw into her mouth. Tearing the edge of her lip even further, occasional blood would spurt up into view. She could do nothing but cry and scream under him as her body failed to obey the intense need to free herself.
Master Raven's inner rage bubbled to her chest, one she hadn't felt since she was eighteen when a group of mercenaries nearly killed Raven on their first infiltrate and rescue mission. Victor still remembered how unnerving it was to see her expression against the seven criminals who laughed. They had no idea she would be their last visage before death.
"Then the second wave hits..." Aron sighed with a content smile. "It's nothing but slow..."
BA-dum...
Moon's weak smile turned into a deep, pained grimace.
BEEP.
BEEP!
BEEP!
Doctors rushed in and soon began to work on their newly pained patient.
"Oh, I made sure it's excruciating," Aron added, the crooked smile again appearing on his face. "The host won't know relief until it subsides completely after an hour."
UN soldiers held Red back as he struggled against their hold to get back to his girlfriend.
Her shoulders rose and fell slowly, hands clenched into tight fists.
"Tatyana, please say something."
The muffled screams of Moon as she cried in pain while the doctors worked on her, along with Red Capulet's desperate yells, reached Master Raven's ears. She closed her eyes, but her breathing didn't settle. Victor's eyes widened at the change in her shoulders. He moved back just as her fist landed against the wall behind him. It left a noticeably large hole, revealing the reinforced metal rods, pipes, and wiring.
Pulling her hand out, Victor noticed blood dripping from her knuckles and trailed down her fingers onto the floor—her angered expression went unchanged.
"Tatyana, please. Talk to me..." Victor pleaded.
She exhaled deeply, finally letting herself hear the screams before leaning against the wall behind her and sinking to the floor. "I... know it's not my fault. Nobody saw the pattern. But I should've been there!"
Victor joined her on the floor. "It's not your burden to carry."
Master Raven felt numb to the screams as guilt deepened the heavy weight in her chest. "Feels like it. Moon helped me a lot, and the one time she needed help, where was I? At home, relaxing. I promised Tyra to watch over her niece. What good am I if I can't even help people I care about when the chance arises?"
After a pensive silence, Victor took off his glasses. "Was Moon mad when you talked to her?"
A humorless chuckle escaped his agent. "Moon was never one to be angry, but it only comes out when she feels threatened, which is rare. But... this has me more than worried. What if it changes her? What if she's not the same person we hired when Tyra pitched her the offer when she was sixteen? Pain can do things to a person. Hell, if you hadn't caught mine when I was younger after that group of mercs almost killed Raven... It feels like my fault."
"It's not, Tatyana. You couldn't have known they'd come for her. We were just as thrown off as she was."
"But nobody should be experiencing that."
They both looked toward the room as a doctor yelled, "Hold her down!"
The vital signs monitor beeped furiously, and Red continued to struggle against the UN soldiers. Each listened with heavy hearts, knowing their jobs and everyone connected to them would be in danger. Yet this was different. The Doctor had left his effective mark despite not attacking either of the agents.
"Vic..." Master Raven began, her resolve growing. "I can't sit on the sidelines any longer. You meant well, but I can't anymore."
Though she didn't look at him, Victor could see her eyes were glossed over in pain, shoulders relaxed in mournfulness. Looking down, his eyes saw her hand on the floor beside her, still bleeding from the deep gashes but already beginning to heal themselves.
He grimly nodded. "Bien sûr." (Of course.) "I'll have a vehicle waiting nearby. Feel free to leave when you're ready to investigate the crime scene. Raven will meet you at Chevalier Palace to watch Lexi's location."
She heaved a relieved breath. "Thanks, Victor."
Victor rose from the floor and walked back down the hall, slipping his shades back on as his other top agent called.
Beep.
"Victor," Raven's voice emanated from the connected communication in his right ear.
"Raven."
"I called as soon as I heard the news. Is Moon okay?"
"Stabilized, for now."
"It's that bad?"
"I don't think you'd want to hear it if you were here."
"I see. How's Tatyana?
"I'm not the one you need to talk to about this, Raven."
"She hasn't been answering her phone."
"She's coming to terms with it despite herself."
"What? Why?"
"Her rage boiled over before punching a hole in the wall. I even saw her true anger before she turned near despondent afterward. Saying, 'Hell, what good am I if I can't even help people I care about when the chance arises?' It felt like her one chance, and she couldn't even do that."
"We had no idea, but-"
"Tatyana knows it isn't her fault but can't help but feel guilty. Head to Chevalier Palace once you're done. She'll meet you there. I need you two to watch Lexi when they show up again. Talk to her when you get the chance. She needs someone other than her superior at a time like this."
"Understood… Raven, out."
Beep.
He veered over to the hall and saw Tatyana still on the floor, her head against the wall with closed eyes, a single tear slipping.
9:55 P.M.:
Master Raven wiped off her wet hand with a paper towel, looking over at Red Capulet as he sat in a chair next to Moon's hospital room. The door was blocked by UN Soldiers, barring anyone who wasn't an agent or doctor from entering the room. His foot tapped impatiently on the floor, waiting for a chance to check up on his girlfriend. His head hung low as he rolled and flipped a golden coin in his left hand. She didn't bother looking over her injured hand since the cuts healed without a scar. Tossing the towel into a nearby trash can, she approached him.
Tink.
The coin spun in the air as Master Raven caught it in her palm. "Red..."
He slowly looked up, jaw clenched with an agitated expression.
"Listen—"
"Don't bother. I wanna find who did this and make them pay for what they've done to her." Red stood from his chair. "What's our next move?"
They walked toward the hospital's entrance with soldiers following them.
"From now on, we need you in one location. Return to Neo City and be prepared to move once Victor gives you a location."
"Got it." She flicked the coin in the air, and Red caught it. "Let's put these bastards in their place."
Master Raven padded his back. "Stay safe, Red."
"Will do, ma'am."
With that, Red and the four soldiers left to the armored Hummer outside.
Master Raven slipped her communication device into her left ear, tapping the button at its center. "Detective Greyland."
"Ms. Summers. Where did you say they entered from?"
Abandoned Harrington Military Outpost; Outside - 10:00 P.M.:
Haruto sat in his armored Hummer, his gloved hands resting on the steering wheel while looking at Nina. He gestured toward Aron with his head, which meant: Tell him. The blonde assassin narrowed her eyes as she leaned against her motorcycle, arms crossed with coldness. She looked over at Aron, who merely chuckled while slowly spinning Anna around while Bishop sat in his Royce, waiting to go.
"I'm starting to think you're the better sister, Anna," Aron's inviting tone rang.
"Starting?" Anna questioned with a laugh.
He shrugged before dipping her, his firm but scarred hand gripping her waist. "I've had my doubts due to recent events."
"Aron," Nina called sharply.
"Buzzkill," Anna remarked with an eye roll.
Aron huffed and stood the brunette up before walking over to the assassin, flxing his pale blue tie. "Is there a reason for interrupting my much-needed reunion? I—"
"You're off the job."
His dark eyebrows furrowed. "Pardon?"
"You're off the job," Nina repeated.
Aron's ease was replaced with brewing anger as he spoke through gritted teeth. "Is there a reason as to why I—"
"You're a loose end, who we can't have messing up our plans. One mishap, and we all end up behind bars. Execution is top priority, and you've become a liability."
His eye twitched with every finger clenching and unclenching. Purple eyes glowed, and eyebrows almost seemed to sink in acrimony.
'Loose end...'
"Nina, Nina," Aron said with new desperation, his cold hands landing on her shoulders. "Surely you can't be serious? After all I've done for you?"
"You're done. End of discussion."
Aron began chuckling, his head shaking before laughing with each hand falling to his side as he glared hatefully at his supposed ally. He took a deep breath before a devilish grin emerged, his canines gleaming in the night. Nina's hand fell to her gun. Before she could blink, his hand gripped her wrist with a finger poking hard into a nerve at her wrist. Nina's hand locked against her will and refused to move. Their bodies were practically pressed together as Aron held her chin up with his finger.
Nina grimaced. "Let go of me, Aron."
He looked upon her in apparent revulsion. "Let's hope you don't regret your decision, especially when the blood trail leads back to the bleeding corpse." Aron bent down to her level as his crooked smile returned. "Luckily for you, I have plans of my own. I'll be watching and waiting, Nina."
She chose to stay silent with a heated glare as Anna winked in her direction. Aron waltzed over to the Rolls-Royce and pulled Anna into his embrace. They spun in a small circle as the brunette laughed again.
"Since I'm free, how about we stop at a clothing store? I could use a refresher in style."
Bishop nodded. "Sure, white boy."
Nina rolled her eyes. "Had to Paris as soon as you're done here."
"Paris," Aron remarked. "Sounds like fun."
Without another word, Nina and Haruto rode away, leaving the trio on their own accord.
Hilton Valley Loft - 10:16 P.M.:
The engine of the 2024 Suzuki Hayabusa echoed through a tunnel as Master Raven's hair waved amid its speed. She lowered closer to the vehicle, feeling the engine's power of the engine.
Beep.
Beep.
INCOMING: Dead End ️
83 MPH
She shifted, easing her grip on the throttle.
22 MPH
Soon, the scent of blood reached her nose as the bike quieted into a calm purr. Looking right, Master Raven spotted another tunnel, a shorter one with two UN soldiers dead beside a sliding metal door. Getting off, she pressed the button at the center of her earpiece.
Beep.
"Master Raven to HQ,"
"Responding."
"Do we have anyone studying military architecture on hand?"
"Hmm… I believe so. One moment, Agent."
Several seconds of silence passed before a new voice entered her ear.
"Uh, Ms. Summers! I'm Garret Smithers. I-It's a pleasure speaking to you. I wasn't—"
She couldn't help laughing in her head. 'Rookies.' "I need information, Smithers. Introductions are better outside of a critical situation."
"R-Right. What do you need, ma'am?
"I'm in a tunnel..." Master Raven studied a nearby wall with faded letters and numbers painted in white. "D7-23."
"Ah, the old Harrington Outpost. A small ground-level base, a moderately sized main building, and a watch tower. That tunnel was for evacuation, but the connecting tunnel to the loft was left empty. Extra vehicles were left for sudden transport or evacuation during emergencies or transporting a person of high status in the military. That would explain why it has an extra armory underneath as well. Nobody would think to look there.
"Is the place still in use?"
"No, but you're welcome to check. The place has been abandoned since 2003."
"Noted. Thanks, Garret."
"She said my name. She—"
Beep.
Master Raven chuckled again at the rookie's eagerness.
Poof!
Materializing on the other side of the door and looking around, Master Raven's scanner outlined footprints on the concrete floor that belonged to a heel. Words appeared next to the footprints.
Blood Residue
Foot Print Stats
Sex: Female
Shoe Size: 7 ½
Height: 5'9
Weight: N/A
She followed the trail to the door and opened it; the tire tracks present were still recent. "Lucky timing."
Master Raven knew following the tracks would be useless since the dirt road led back to pavement. And with no street cameras around, she'd lose the trail instantly. She headed back inside and followed the footsteps backward. Her eyebrow raised at the sight of another set of footprints. Again, words appeared on her scanner.
Foot Print Stats
Sex: Male
Shoe Size: 11
Height: 6'0
Weight: N/A
Each set shared the same trace of blood residue.
'A two-person job,' Master Raven mused inwardly before tapping her foot. "Watchtower."
Poof.
A calm wind blew, and the dreadlocks hanging from her face waved in the wind. Master Raven could see the loft from this vantage, tiny in the distance but not far away. Her retinal scanner zoomed in on the house, highlighting the broken window.
"One ran in..." She traced the footprints toward the window. "Didn't think the male would be crazy enough to enter through the window, but this isn't normal."
With a blink, her vision went back to normal.
Poof!
Appearing back in the tunnel, Master Raven's scanner highlighted the bodies in the distance before information appeared on the side of her eye.
CAUSE OF DEATH:
Gunshot wound [Head]
Four Identical gunshot wounds
"The only way they could've killed them simultaneously is by jumping and shooting. A simple automatic would still be too loud even with a silencer."
Walking over to one of the dead soldiers, a bullet hole was lodged in the center of the soldier's cracked goggles.
9 x 18mm Makarov Bullets
A short list of pistols that used those bullets appeared, and Master Raven scrolled through them until one specific model caught her eye.
Fort 12
Only one person she knew used that pistol, and the thought incensed her.
'Should've known that witch was behind this, even if Raven was right all along.' She tapped her earpiece. "Master Raven to HQ."
"Responding."
"I found one of the criminals behind Aux's murder."
"So soon? Who is it?"
"Nina Williams. The bullet wounds are from eighteen-millimeter Makarov Bullets, something used by a Fort 12 pistol. She uses them in a combat situation."
"Got it. We'll be sure to inform Victor."
"Understood. I'll update you when I have any information on her accomplice. Master Raven, out."
Beep.
Getting back on the motorcycle, Master Raven slowly rode up to the descending platform of the living room. The scent of blood hit her nose again with the new sight of an expansive living room. Inside were two soldiers' bodies, several dents in the wall, and a pair of small blood puddles behind her. Master Raven set the kickstand down and got off the motorcycle.
"Standing here, Nina was able to shoot the two soldiers before they could react, leaving her free to fight Moon without any interruptions."
Then she remembered the window.
"The male comes crashing through the window, interrupting her plans. They fight, and somewhere along the line, one of them ends up on the floor."
Even while tracing the footprints of dried blood around the room, they still gave no clue as to who was on the floor. With a blink, Master Raven pulled up the autopsy report from when Moon was first admitted to the hospital. Notes were written in red and black pen ink but telling nonetheless.
Head – Several hits to the jaw and temple
Two identical lacerations across the lower face [Corners of her lips]
Broken Nose [Blunt Force Trauma]
Upper Body – Two Stab wounds under the rib cage [Right side]
Another stab wound [Left side]
"Wait..." Master Raven turned, facing the two small blood puddles on the floor. Her scanner quickly analyzes the footsteps in blue.
Sex: Male
Shoe Size: 11
Height: 6'0
Weight: N/A
IDENTICAL MATCH
She inhaled sharply. "This male suspect is truly a twisted individual... whoever he is."
Glancing at the floor, Master Raven found familiar small piles of dark green dust. Crouching, the kunoichi narrowed her eyes while swiping her gloved fingers against the substance.
"Moon's herbal dust... Vertigo."
That's what her informant called that specific blend as a short name for its list of effects. It mimicked the feeling of being heavily intoxicated, disorienting both experienced and new fighters alike.
"She must've used it on one of them..."
An object glinted in the illuminated part of the room. Her eyes immediately went to it as she walked over and picked it up. It was a custom automatic syringe, a red light near the blood-stained needle, and a thin, cylindrical body with a minimal amount of a light teal-looking liquid inside.
Master Raven's scanner picked up flakes of purple and blue inside the liquid.
Ingredients:
Water
Morphine
Nile's Deathbell [Dried Petal Flakes]
She tapped her earpiece. "Master Raven to HQ."
"Responding."
"Does anyone know anything about a flower named Nile's Deathbell?"
"One second." The male voice continued. "A flower in Egypt - doesn't state a specific region or place to find it. The only thing here is a warning not to touch or ingest. Something caught your eye?"
"I might have a clue." Master Raven paused. "Only one person could know. Send a jet to my location."
"Understood. A jet should be at your location soon. I'll inform the piolet to let the hangar down for your motorcycle."
Turning it in her hand, she spotted a green button near the plunger. She pressed it.
Beep.
The plunger and syringe flattened, transforming into screwable caps on each side. Slipping it into her pocket, Master Raven got back on the motorcycle. The platform descended, and she pulled back the throttle.
VRRRRR.
VRRR!
Lowering her body, she rode through the tunnel and turned along the tunnel's curve.
Beep.
Beep.
She looked down at the motorcycle's dashboard screen; black words pulsed in and out of sight.
WARNING: INCLINE INCOMING
7️8 MPH
Master Raven pulled the throttle. She could hear the jet's engine nearby as she approached the ramp leading to the outside world.
Vrrr!
The vehicle launched airborne. She shifted, her foot landing on the Jet's hangar floor as the rear tire slid across the metal before jolting to a stop.
"Where to, Agent?" The pilot's voice sounded from her earpiece.
"Paris, Chevalier Palace."
"Understood."
Disembarking off the motorcycle, Master sat in one of the cushioned leather seats next to a window. She slipped her phone from the inside pocket of her suit to call a contact labeled Agent D."
Giza, Egypt; Under the Sphinx - 9:23 A.M.:
A phone's backlight blared over the silver edge of a khopesh, looking new despite being centuries old. The language engraved on the blade's ridge resembled Japanese with hieroglyphics. A small crystal ball was also at the end of its hilt as a pair of green eyes looked over, Azazel's dark orb also glowing in the darkness.
Delani looked over at her mentor. "I found something."
"Take a picture, and let's go," Zafina urged. "The sun rises quickly, and we don't need any tourists impeding our trip back to the village."
Rolling her eyes, Delani picked up the sword. "It's not like any ghosts are going to want this back. They can't use it."
The ground began rumbling beneath them as Zafina glared at her protégé. "What did you do?"
Fwip.
An arrow grazed Delani's cheek just as a tile fell into the darkness below them.
"Delan—"
"Run!"
The duo broke for the small exit with a window several feet above them. Zafina leaped and landed a foot on the nearby wall, reaching for the widow's edge. Delani channeled her Ki.
Poof!
They landed in the sand and rolled forward several times before stopping.
Delani chuckled as she lay in the sand. "Close one, right?"
Zafina dusted herself off, her tone sharp with annoyance regarding her apprentice. "I told you not to take anything."
"Okay, this was my fault." Delani got up as well and followed Zafina toward their caravan on camels. "But look at the blade."
She turned the weapon in her hand as the engraving of both Japanese and hieroglyphics caught her eye. The crystal ball glowed brightly, even in bright daylight.
"Just like..."
Zafina trailed off, feeling the power of Azazel awaken in her right arm while her hand also began to glow. She inhaled sharply as the demon's energy pulsed in her limb.
"You shouldn't have taken it," she hissed.
Delani sighed, letting her hands fall to her sides. "Okay."
Clipping the blade to the left side of her belt, Delani trailed her mentor towards the caravan. The quick ride back to the village was silent even as the night loomed over their backs until the moon shined at its highest point in the sky. Zafina's phone screen illuminated inside the camel's saddle bag. Pulling it out, her eyes viewed two missed calls from a familiar number, though she wasn't expecting it at a time like this.
Master Raven – 2 Missed calls
Curious, Zafina called the agent back.
"Zafina... I'm guessing you were busy?"
"Yes," she answered. "Delani and I were searching a tomb." Zafina looked over the taller woman already inside her sandstone house, researching several books about the blade's existence. "But due to my apprentice's lack of self-control, things quickly went south."
"Delani, as usual." A chuckle sounded from the other end before Master Raven continued. "Was anyone hurt?"
"Not this time."
"Glad it went relatively well. I called because I could use your level of expertise. I'm currently tracking a high-alert POI who used a serum with a flower called Nile's Deathbell. Have you heard of it?
"That flower is highly toxic and could kill in hours if mishandled. Don't tell me you're—"
"Not me, but an informant of mine was caught off guard by the POI who used it in tandem with other substances."
"What else did they use?"
"Water and morphine."
"A simple paralyzing serum."
"What can you tell me about it?"
"The Deathbell was once only found in Azazel's Tomb as a sacred flower by those who worshipped him before he was sealed away. I set it ablaze but collected a few to study and keep them away from anyone with ill intentions. I suppose I'm not the only one who had eyes on it, which would also explain the armed men I discovered there. They weren't with either of the Tekken Force or G-Corporation military."
"He must've had a secret supplier then."
"Most likely. The Deathbell becomes a paralyzing agent in a small dosage or used with other things, sitting dormant inside the person's system until it finally appears in the form of pain coursing through their veins. It turned them visible with its dark color, rendering them immobile with its sting, paralyzing the entire body."
"That I understand. But why use other elements when a small dosage would do the same thing?"
"My guess would be to hide it's effects. Deathbell bonds well to water and is undetachable inside the body until it kicks in. Something only a specialist of some sort would know."
"Or a doctor..."
"I assume morphine is used to lessen the pain's intensity. I could be wrong."
Master Raven tapped her finger on the arm of the leather seat, eyes narrowing as she stared out the window to rack her thoughts for a hint. 'Moon passed out after the pain kicked in. Maybe it was to prevent death from pain. Being unconscious slows down the body's natural functions, making it easier for the Deathbell to leave its host.'
"Anything else I should know?"
"I discovered that the Deathbell was also used by the Hachijo clan during rituals, mostly by the ones who were given the Devil Gene. Mothers and their children only, along with select elders. This one seems to be a staple amid the clan."
"I'll keep that in mind. Do you have any pictures of the armed men?"
"I think... I do."
Beep.
Master Raven blinked, using her retinal scanner to look at the picture Zafina sent. It was heavily blurred, but she could tell those were men armed in black and gray tactical gear.
"Hmm, nothing seems out of the ordinary here..."
Her eye landed on a red blob. With a blink, she enhanced the image - a familiar red chess piece symbol sat on the short leave of one of the men.
"Checkmate. By the way, is there a cure for that paralyzing serum?"
There was a pause before Zafina flipped through pages in her herbal remedies book, glancing at the notes her tribe kept for curing ailments. "I can send over a bag of herbal sunset rose tea. It's a blend my tribe uses to counteract various poisons. Side effects include mild nausea and lingering weakness, which should be counteracted. The Deathbell poison is particularly stubborn, even with the best ingredients. Whoever takes it should avoid walking more than a few steps a day. Where should I send the tea?"
"Kingston Hospital, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania."
"Got it. I hope your informant recovers quickly."
"You and I both. Thanks for the information, Zafina."
"Glad I could help. Best of luck on your mission."
"Same to you. And tell Delani to think less with her head."
A short laugh sounded from Zafina. "Of course. Not that she'd listen."
"Right. Master Raven, out."
Beep.
Delani had her hands on her hips before sighing. "I know, I heard her. It was a close call, and we made it out alive. That's all that matters, right?"
Zafina shook her head, her expression a mix of amusement and concern. "Not entirely. While you work on your strategy, I'll prepare a batch of that herbal tea. Master Raven's informant is in critical condition."
"Who was it? Are there any lasting effects?"
Moving to her pantry, Zafina began gathering the required ingredients. "She didn't mention whom, nor was it my place to inquire. The serum could lead to paralysis below the neck or even periodic pain spikes if it lingers in a person's bloodstream long enough. If left untreated, it can cause enough physical and mental stress to induce a heart attack."
Delani winced with a sharp inhale. "Why does everything have to end in death here? Why can't the side effects be something fun? Like enhanced reflexes or photographic memory?"
Zafina shot her apprentice a dry look. "That isn't how the world works, Delani. Even poisons with beneficial effects are extremely rare."
"If I ever find one that gives invisibility, I'm hoarding it." Delani displayed a mischievous smile. "Imagine the relics I could study if no one could see me!"
"Right..."
Zafina refrained from retorting, but Delani's comment tugged at her mind. She understood curiosity and ambition to an extent, but her apprentice's thirst for power bordered on reckless - not exactly encouraging.
After a moment of contemplation, Zafina spoke with a note of caution. "Delani..."
"Yeah?"
"You don't actually mean that, do you?"
Delani shrugged. "More or less. Trust me, I would use that power responsibly and not get into trouble."
"I would hope so."
Red Capulet studied the package in his hand, a plain note affixed to its front in careful handwriting:
Herbal tea for Nile's Deathbell
One cup a day — Three Days
Serve cold or warm
Have the afflicted walk a few steps daily
He glanced at Moon lying motionless in the hospital bed, her form unnaturally still beneath the harsh lights. Strong painkillers dulled her expression, and her veins stood out, a stark, sickly purple against her pale skin.
"Hope this works..." Red murmured under his breath as he approached her bed, speaking her name softly. "Moon."
At his voice, Moon stirred, a faint grimace shadowing her face as her dulled and glassy hazel eyes flickered open like there was little left of her behind them. "Red..."
Her voice was thin and weak, barely louder than a whisper, but it was all he needed to hear.
"Here..." Red brought a small cup of tea to her lips, the surface rippling with the coolness of two ice cubes. "I think Summers called in a favor."
Slowly, he assisted Moon to sit up as he held the cup to her mouth. She took a few sips, shivering slightly at the chill but managing to drink most of it. Gently, Red laid his girlfriend back down, brushing a strand of hair from her forehead as she exhaled in a shudder. Almost immediately, her veins lightened—just slightly, but enough to catch Red's attention.
He sighed in relief. "Hold on, Moon. You'll be alright soon."
A faint smile touched her lips at the sound of his voice, a ghost of the person she used to be. Red held her hand, its warmth absent but still grounding and a piece of her.
"One day at a time," he whispered, refusing to let go.
Master Raven smirked, calling Victor.
"Tatyana… How are you feeling?"
She could tell he was nervous after her outburst at the hospital. "Better, thanks for asking. I found our killer and her apprentice."
"That was fast."
"Nina and her Doctor. While searching the crime scene, I found a serum and asked Zafina about one of the ingredients. She destroyed the origin of one of the ingredients he used but not before encountering a group of men, ones with the Bishop's symbol on it. Bishop is Aron's supplier when he wants something that isn't on the market."
"Makes sense. If that's the case, you both need to guard Lexi. I'll be in Neo City planning our next move with Dwight. Victor, out."
Beep.
"Count your fucking days, Williams," Master Raven swore aloud.