In the Shadows
Chapter 4 - Another Name on the List
“Alright Wulong, so isn’t this technically the time where you should be calling the cops in?” Hwoarang questioned. He and Lei were currently standing on opposite sides of the detective’s police car, both leaning their backs on the vehicle’s cool exterior.
Lei said nothing, and only continued to stand with his arms folded.
Hwoarang pulled his hands free from either of his jean pockets, turning around to face the other fighter, though Lei was still not facing him. “Oh, so I get it,” the redhead stated knowingly, yet mockingly. “You won’t talk to anyone but Kazama, will you? Alright, I’ve had enough of this shit. I want you to start talking. There’s something going on with you and Kazama, isn’t there?!”
Lei remained silent, seeming complacent; despite all the racket the Korean was now throwing around.
“Didn’t think I’d find out, did you?” Hwoarang angrily mocked, beginning to parade around to the other side of the car where the raven-haired man stood. “That’s when you realize but no one can fool this Blood Talon!”
Still more, Lei continued to stand, his closed, long lashes twitching incessantly in the amount of annoyance Hwoarang always managed to present him with.
“That’s right, don’t say anything until good ol’ Kazama gets back, right Wulong? But I’ll be right here. Right here the whole time...” Hwoarang sniggered menacingly.
“Grr... Just.. shut.. UP!” Lei exclaimed, turning to face the Tae Kwon Do fighter.
“Ah, so now you speak. I knew it. Afraid I was getting too close, weren’t you? See, you’re not the only one who’s a mystery-solving guy around here,” Hwoarang smirked as he looked down at Lei.
“There.. is nothing.. going on.. between me.. and Jin! I am NOT gay!!!” Lei exclaimed at the top of his lungs, “That’d be YOU!”
“Why you little fucker! I know that’s a lie... Hehe, I just know it!” Hwoarang mused as his fingers twitched, “But like I said, I’ll be watching... I will!”
“You’re the one who’s up to something with Jin, you disrespectful punk,” Lei shot back. “And don’t even try to deny it! He’s your LIFE for crying out loud!”
“Jealous I see. Haha, you think you’re the smart one, don’t cha’, but I’m the one who knows the things that you don’t, little cop.” The redhead grinned as he looked Lei face-to-face.
“What are you two doing?” Jin questioned, as he had walked up on Hwoarang and Lei steaming with anger in each other’s faces.
“He’s being an asshole!” Hwoarang and Lei then both looked at each other, since they had both exclaimed these words in unison.
Jin only sighed. “I explained to Steve and others that Lei had a case come up, and nothing more. They understand fully, and were able to go back to attempt enjoying this night.”
“That’s just great then,” Hwoarang stated, walking a few steps over to where Jin was standing, “This means Kazama and I can get back to the rides, and Wulong can leave and go investigate crap and so on.”
Jin took a brief moment to analyze Hwoarang’s words, since they were all being spoken very quickly.
“Thank you, Jin,” Lei granted with a faked smile. “You go back and enjoy the rest of the night. I’ll be leaving now.”
“After what happened, I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be wondering the streets alone...” stated Jin in assurance. “I’ll come along with you.”
“What?!” Hwoarang exclaimed.
Lei shook his head in disagreement. “That won’t be necessary.”
“See, see?” the Korean protested, looking back at Jin, “He doesn’t want you to come.”
“I already told the others I was leaving, anyway. I can’t stay here and enjoy myself if I’m worrying the whole time, Hwoa,” Jin clarified.
“Grr... Fine! I’ll come along too, then,” Hwoarang grumbled.
Lei’s eyes widened in horror. “T-that won’t be necessary. I’m just heading back to my hotel.”
“The apartment I temporarily rented is located only a block or so away from yours, so why don’t you just come stay the night with me?” inquired Jin.
Hwoarang’s jaw all but dropped. “What?! You can’t be serious! Come on’ Kazama the guy’s grown up already you don’t need to do any of this he can take care of himself let’s just let him go already damnit!”
Jin and Lei both froze as they stared at the Korean.
“If Lei’s going to your place, then I’m coming too,” Hwoarang evilly laughed, “Nothing escapes this Talon!”
“...Are you on cocaine?” Lei questioned the redhead. “Seriously, are you?”
“No I’m not!” retorted Hwoarang. “Shut that mouth of yours you little runt.”
“At least intelligent things come out of mine, you little brat,” Wulong snapped back.
“Why you...”
“Stop it!” Jin demanded, stepping between the two fighters. “Let’s just leave already. I have a bad feeling about something that may be going on in the shadows... And this isn’t the place to discuss it.”
“Yeah, I have a bad feeling about what may be going on the shadows, too,” Hwoarang smirked while looking at the detective.
Lei rolled his eyes while beginning to unlock the door to his police car, while Jin waited to enter on the other side.
“Oh hey wait a minute here!” Hwoarang snapped, “Why are you two riding together?!”
“Uh, hello, I’m the driver,” Lei smirked with a sigh.
“And I’d much rather ride in a car by far as opposed to your Harley,” replied Jin in honesty. “I also trust Lei’s driving skills much more on the contrary...”
“Why? Just because I don’t drive like an old man?”
“That’s IT! Come HERE!” Lei shouted back.
Jin banged his head against the top of the police car.
Down a dark and deserted alleyway, Bryan Fury walked between scowls. He was on his way to the Mishima Zaibatsu, which wasn’t much further by this point in time.
“That didn’t go as planned...” Bryan grunted under his breath. That damned Jin Kazama and his little friends would pay for this in due timing, as well. Fury would see to it.
“Hey, give me all your money right now.”
Bryan sighed, turned, and stabbed the man who had just threatened him right through the chest; the tip of his long razorblade visible through the man’s back. A pocketknife fell to the ground shortly after.
“You make too much noise,” Bryan smirked, then ripping the knife out from the Japanese man’s front. The shorter man gagged, his formerly white shirt splotched in cerise crimson as he dropped to the cold cement below. Fury once again turned, but then flashed back around in remembrance of something. “Got a light?” he asked, “I’m about out.”
Fury then knelt down, checking the dying man’s pockets, until he found what he was looking for. Silver lighter now in hand, Bryan once again fully stood. “Thanks man,” he laughed, then turning to continue on his way. Bryan tucked his newly acquired trinket within his right jacket pocket, once again emitting a snicker of the sorts. Sometimes, it was all too easy. Make that every time.
Bryan continued on his walk, already pondering what his next moves were to be following his visit to the Mishima Conglomerate. He already had a feeling he wasn’t going to agree with whatever suggestions he was presented with.
Just as the kick-boxer was about to re-place his blood dripping knife in the holder on his right pants leg, he yet again heard another intruding noise. Bryan smirked, yet grinned. Great. Let them come. All the more fun for Fury to rip their worthless bodies into shredded corpses. Fury took no pause, and continued on his steady walk down the alley. Another noise up ahead. Bryan kept walking, excited to greet whoever this was. He already knew they had to be standing around the next corner up ahead, where another set of paths were located in an ‘X’ configuration.
Bryan’s grip around his knife’s bloodied handle tightened in its ready to strike at the next corner, the sound of steps heard once again. Taking a final, outstretched step, Bryan lifted his knife as he reached the split. However, when looking right, no one was to be seen.
“Aw, guess they ran off,” Bryan mused in disappointment. Just as he was about to turn yet again, a sound was heard from the path that had just appeared to have been empty. Bryan’s brows furrowed, as he turned his head to scan the area once again. It was pitch dark, yet Bryan could see everything all too clearly.
Another sound.
It was a scraping sound of some sort.
“What the fuck...?” Bryan whispered to himself. It was like hearing something right in front of you that wasn’t even there.
The same sound, though this time it came from behind. In was seemed like a lightning-fast motion, Fury turned and launched a smaller knife he had rapidly pulled from the confines of his coat, sending it flying like a dart.
The sound of a low scream followed this.
“I knew it,” Fury growled. “Kazuya sent his Tekkenshu trash to follow me. That shit-head.”
“Shit-head, am I?”
Bryan turned completely around, to see none other than the CEO for himself. Kazuya Mishima stood, standing in his long, leather trench coat. He then scraped a long pocket knife he was holding against the nearby brick wall, proving to be the same sound Bryan had earlier heard only a moment ago.
“What is the meaning of this, Kazuya?” Bryan demanded in a spat. “I will not be another piece on your little chess table.”
“I am not very pleased with you at the moment,” Kazuya smirked, yet with a grin on his face.
“You think I give a damn?” Bryan questioned in annoyance.
“No matter. Despite the fact that you blatantly failed on your last mission, the pictures I have will still do. I suggest you leave Japan at once now.”
Bryan took a few steps forwards, until only a couple yards stood between them. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“This is your last chance,” Kazuya continued in his casual, yet stern tone of voice. “I do not tolerate failure. This is your warning. Next time, it will be your consequence.”
“How the fuck dare you try to threaten me, Mishima?” Bryan scowled in rage.
“I will not continue this effete conversation any longer,” the CEO stated, “In twenty-four hours from now, you better have left.”
“How about we just end this right fucking now?” Fury grunted, holding up his long razorblade.
Kazuya’s grin heightened in amusement. “Why, we’re not quite that far into my little game yet. All the cards have to be in place before I have a full house to throw down.”
“What if I don’t want to be part of your fucking game, then what?”
“You already are,” Kazuya smirked, beginning to turn around.
“I’ll let you know it will not be wise of you to turn your back on me, Kazuya,” Bryan warned as his muscles tensed.
“And I’ll let you know it will be wise of you to turn your back on me before that opportunity fades,” Kazuya stated in his stern, yet mocking voice, “Or else I’ll show you why.”
“The hell with that. Why? I’ll show you why!” Bryan yelled, taking a lunge forwards at the standing Mishima.
What happened next happened so fast.
Just as Bryan’s knife was about to penetrate Kazuya’s flesh right through his right-shoulder blade, Kazuya gave the swiftest turn Fury had ever seen. Kazuya’s left-hand grasped Bryan’s right-wrist, before Kazuya twisted his arm furiously. As Bryan grunted in the pain he surely wasn’t used to enduring, the CEO was able to retrieve the bloodied knife from Bryan’s loosened grip upon it, before smashing the blade into several separate pieces right against the adjacent brick wall. As Bryan made his way to throw Kazuya a sure fired punch with his left-arm, Kazuya was able to catch it into grasp prior to this, as well.
With a brief smirk, Kazuya raised his right-leg, and no sooner later sent Bryan flying backwards to skid down the full narrow of the path between the two large buildings.
“Why?” Kazuya asked in his unchanging voice. “I’d say you have your answer now.”
Next thing, Kazuya turned, and seemed to practically vanish into the darkness.
As Bryan made his way to stand, he let out of squint of pain in results of the vicious blow to the torso Kazuya had presented him with. Needless to say, Fury was virtually in shock from this... Someone actually able to... overpower him? But that wasn’t possible... It couldn’t be possible... What the hell was the meaning of this?
“You have made a fool of me, Kazuya,” Bryan growled aloud, his anger soaring to the limits. “I’m not leaving Japan until I kill you.”