#jurixryu

Hitting receive, “Yes,” he answered in a short tone.

“Um,” the attendant responded. Ken could feel them recoil through the phone, “Sorry Mr. Masters, but Mr. Hoshi is here. I directed him toward your office.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he said slightly more coolly, “sorry about snapping like that.”

The front desk agent hung up without saying anything before Ken could even apologize.

Fuck, Ken thought to himself, that is not going to help my rep around here.

Ken had been anxious for days regarding his interview for Operations Director.

By all reports he had made a great account for himself in the interview and was more than qualified.

He did his best not to get his hopes up, but the more he thought about it the more liked the idea of moving up.

Which made it more disappointing when he was called among the tops executives this morning.

His father was among them and eyed Ken warily as it was said.

And it didn’t help that most of the assembled executives seemed too gleeful with the news.

“It is with great regret we inform you Ken,” the youngest executive said, who seemed to be remorseful, “that we’ve decided to purse other candidates. It is the opinion of this committee that your abilities are best utilized as Food and Beverage Manager.”

Ken kept a good poker face as he was among them, but he left the board room with his fists clenched and a snarl on his lips.

He continued toward his office when his phone went off once more.

A text from a number not listed in his contacts but one that he recognized.

‘I’ve been on her for this whole week. And she’s done nothing to suggest she’s into any dirt. She’s gone by your officer friend’s condo, a restaurant on 5th street, the gym and another apartment belonging to her younger friend that works at the previously mentioned restaurant. You said your friend is INTERPOL and she’s saying Juri Han’s clean as well. I can stay on her if you want, but whatever you think she’s into she’s not showing it. That tells me either she’s really good at hiding it or she’s clean. I’m leaning more towards her being clean.’

Great, more good news, Ken thought to himself.

‘Keep on her’, Ken messaged in response, ‘I’m sure she’s into something.’

Ken makes it back to his office but not before the phone goes off again.

The P.I had responded, ‘It’s your money.’

He puts his phone away as he enters his office.

His office was noticeable smaller than his father’s but larger than most. It had the same-colored plush carpet, a large desk that had a phone and computer on top and filing cabinets on the far side wall.

There were two black chairs in front of his desk, one of them was occupied by his best friend and rival Ryu Hoshi.

Ryu was relaxed, leaning back in the chair. He was dressed in a plain black T-shirt tucked into light blue jeans with white walking shoes on his feet and his hands folded on his chest.

We need to take him shopping again.

His eyes were closed with a blissful smile and small dusting of red on his cheeks.

Whatever Ryu’s thinking about has got him has him very inattentive as the brown-haired martial artist hasn’t even noticed Ken entering the room.

He walks around to the black leather chair behind his desk and a mischievous smile makes its way across his lips.

He opens a desk drawer a decent amount then slams it shut abruptly, the action making an audible sound.

Ryu unloads a surprised yelp, practically jumping out of the chair.

Wide and panicked eyed, he bored his gaze on to Ken, whose has now gone from just smiling into full on laughing.

Ryu’s features then morph into a look that says, ‘what the hell’, his eyebrows creasing.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” said Ken as he wiped tears from his eyes, an easy smile coming back to his face.

“Right,” said Ryu, as he placed his hands in his lap, his face changing into his usual yet neutral expression. “I guess I should be more attentive if I’m to continue to be your personal security. Which is why I’m here. I’d like to discuss the terms of this position with you, Ken.”

Ken’s eyebrow shot up in curiosity, “You’re not trying to juice me for a better salary, are you?” Ken asked jokingly.

“No, no of course not,” Ryu responded as he shook his head, “the salary’s more than generous Ken, it just doesn’t feel like I’m earning my keep.”

Ken leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest. “Ok, bud,” Ken spoke, “what can we do to fix this?”

“I can report for more shifts,” said Ryu, “five days a week.”

Ken nods, smiling at his friend, “A negotiation, huh? Three days.”

“Four,” shot back Ryu.

“Three,” responded Ken, “and you come visit us for Sunday dinner,” he looks up as if contemplating something. Having completed his thought his eyes go back to Ryu, “Let’s say twice a month.”

Ryu lets out a sigh, “That as good as I’m going to get?”

“Not a bad deal if I say so myself,” Ken said with a smile, as he opened his arms, shrugging.

Ryu nods at his long-time friend and rival. He then extends his arm out, offering a closed fist to Ken.

“More official than a handshake,” said Ken, as he bumped Ryu’s offered fist. “Moving on to other business, what had you so distracted when I walked in? That’s so unlike you.”

Ryu’s cheeks start to flush once more, as he looks away from Ken. “I was thinking about the other night. I spent it with someone.”

“Oh,” said Ken in faux surprise.

But before Ken can flex his acting chops, Ryu responds “And before we go any further, I know that you know who I’m talking about.”

“Juri Han,” said Ken, trying not to let judgement seep into his tone.

It doesn’t seem as if his attempt is barring any fruit as Ryu’s eyebrow shoots up as if he’s picking up on something.

It relaxes as he speaks once more “Chun-li told me you found out about us through a newspaper, that big tabloid you concern yourself with.”

Ken knows that Ryu means no judgment or offense when he refers to the San Fransico Inquirer as a tabloid, (and on a lot of levels Ryu isn’t wrong). Ryu spoke it as a matter of fact, like he’s calling the sky blue or stating that fire burns.

It’s pure vanity that Ken even pays attention to it.

He’s even caught a few of their photographers’ taking pictures of him and his family when he’s out and about.

That doesn’t stop a guilty feeling from creeping up his back.

Putting a private eye on Juri makes him feel as sleezy as the rag he spends too much time paying attention too.

He knows he can likely place trust in Juri. And who wouldn’t keep things on the straight if they were facing what she was facing should she not.

But what if that trust is misplaced?

What if this is some kind of end game? What if there’s something up her sleeve that can leaves those who’ve decided to trust her, namely Ryu and Chun-li, worse off?

Her being a former Shadaloo, and the suffering the people associated with that outfit have wrought just doesn’t sit right with him.

But what does it say about him?

That he would use his resources at his disposal like this.

“I always told you underestimate how famous you are, Ryu,” Ken said. “Anyway, are you going to share any of the details? Clearly it was a good night,” he finished, clearly implicating more than what Ryu was saying.

Ryu’s blushed once more, “It’s not like that, Ken,” he said hurriedly, “We didn’t…” Ryu trailed off.

“Then what is it like,” Ken asked, more than happy to let the conversation take his mind off things.

“I can’t quite find words to describe it,” Ryu began as a smile returned to his face.

Oh crap, Ken thought to himself, our boy’s got it bad.

That doesn’t help his guilt.

“She keeps me on my toes,” Ryu continued, “she’s got a very healthy sense of humor, she’s uniquely beautiful in her own right but she’s particularly alluring when she’s smiling at me,” he finished as his blush deepened.

“You think for sure she’s changed,” Ken asked, “I mean, you haven’t known her long.”

“It’s true. We’ve only fought previously, but I do feel she’s put a serious effort into reforming,” Ryu responded, a pointed look coming on to his face at the question.

Damnit, Ken, he thought to himself, you’re giving away the plot, letting this get to you.

“Is something on your mind, Ken,” Ryu asked, his brown eyes boring directly into Ken’s blues, “your ki is fluctuating like crazy.”

Ken’s heart rate picks up, he needs to think of something quick.

“I received some bad news regarding a possible promotion,” said Ken.

Half truth’s better than nothing, he thought.

“I was passed over and it’s kind of eating at me to be honest,” went Ken.

Ryu continues to size up his long-time friend, Ken beginning to feel smaller by the second under his gaze.

They’re interrupted by Dalton Masters knocking on the door as he barged in, “Checking in on ya, kiddo,” he went as he poked his head through the door. “Oh, Ryu,” he then went recognizing the martial artist.

Ryu gets up from the seat, breaking eye contact with Ken.

“Mr. Masters,” went Ryu, bowing slightly and reaching out his hand in greeting.

Dalton takes it, “Jesus Christ, Ryu,” the C.E.O lightly chided with a smile on his face, “you’re free and clear to call me Dalton.”

Ken is very happy to have his father’s interruption at this time.

He wasn’t sure how much longer he would last under Ryu’s withering stare.

“Sorry Dalton,” said Ryu. “It’s just a thing of respect.”

“Still though, you’re making me feel like an old man,” said Dalton. He then looks to Ken,” You holding up OK, Ken? I came to check up on because of what happen this morning, and one the front-end staff complained to his manager you snapped on him.”

“Yeah,” went Ken, “I’m fine.”

“You are sure,” Dalton added as he leaned back on the closed door, “looks like you and Ryu were having a serious discussion before I walked in.”

I don’t need two people on me like this, thought Ken as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

“I was just giving Ken a hard time about the security job he fixed me up with. I wanted to earn my way forward, you know,” interjected Ryu.

Ryu shot him a look that said, ‘we’ll talk about this later.’

Ken was grateful for that, despite the situation.

Taking the bone he was thrown, Ken said, as he smiled weakly, “Yeah, see you tomorrow for your shift, three days a week going forward, right?”

“Damnit,” Chun-li muttered under her breath. She started to brush her teeth, as she looked down at her phone. She did this just in time, as her phone flashed showing a fresh message under the name Mrs. Masters.

‘We’re outside your door…’ Chun-li read the message in a hurry, not finishing the remainder of the message.

She finished brushing her teeth, spitting out the left-over toothpaste from her mouth, “Li-Li, she just messaged me its them, can you let them in,” Chun-li asked her ward as continued getting ready for her day.

“Ok Jiejie,” Li-Fen chanted back.

She could hear the stamping of the young girl’s feet as she ran from the kitchen to the door, obviously aware that the household had a bit of a late morning.

Had a little too much fun last night, Chun-li thought to herself.

She let out a sigh.

She looked at herself in the mirror, as she placed her toothbrush in the holder (next to one of a certain visitor).

As said before, her hair is in a ponytail, a little frizzy but she’s survived worse hair days.

She notices there’s a bit of toothpaste in the corner of her mouth.

She grabs a fresh rag from the linen area by the door, wetting it then cleaning herself off as she hears the distinct voices of their visitors this morning.

Eliza and Mel Masters.

The matriarchs of their respective households sometimes swap carpooling duties, ferrying their children to school together, this one being one of those mornings.

Especially as Chun-li is expecting another visitor this morning.

She finishes, throwing the rag into a nearby hamper.

But she fails to recognize another voice among the conversation of those she’s expecting.

She walked out of the ensuite bath in her room, toward the door past her bed which held a person-sized lump that had a tuft of blonde hair sticking out as said lump was curled underneath the blankets and sheets.

Probably trying to drown out how noisy the apartment is this morning, thought Chun-li concerning the lump.

“Li-Fen, did you make sure to…” trailed off Chun-li.

“Whoa,” said a familiar, sultry voice, “we’re going with the ‘Wal-Mart cashier’ look today.”

Juri Han was dressed in blue jeans, a low-cut white t-shirt that just exposed a bit of her stomach, a leather riding jacket colored black with purple accents on the shoulders that had a pair of matching gloves hanging out one of the pockets and matching riding boots.

She had a black helmet that had a stylized purple spider on the right side, just above the visor and the woman wore a look of amusement as she eyed the Chief Inspector.

Chun-li lifted her arms from her sides, cast her gaze down appraising her look.

A navy-blue polo shirt, a pair of khakis and black walking shoes.

“Chunners,” called out Eliza, the woman herself dressed in a blue short sleeved jean dress, that reached just above the knee with a brown leather belt around the waist, a gold necklace with heart pendant and leather boots that matched her belt, “don’t listen to her. You can rock pretty much anything and make it look fabulous,” she said as she smiled brightly at the officer.

“You’re taking her side,” Juri said with mock incredulousness, a playful smile on her face as she dramatically placed her hand over her heart. “And I thought our friendship was off to a good start.”

Eliza shot a look of her own back, taking the chiding in good humor it seemed as she wore the same bright smile she showed Chun-li, “I gotta look after my girl.”

“Pay her no mind,” said Chun-li toward Eliza as she eyed Juri right back, returning a more determined smile, “these days Juri’s bark is worse than her bite. Thank you for that anyway, Eliza. And if you must know, Juri, I’m supposed to be supervising some surveillances in the field today. Since I’m going to be on the street, I need to be inconspicuous. I can’t be dress up like a higher up for this.”

Through the exchange, Chun-li caught the tail of a little furry orange visitor swishing between tables and couches.

If anyone else notices they make no mention of it, though Juri does follow Chun-li’s eyes to what has her attention.

Mel and Li-Fen dressed in similar white shirts and black pants (though Li-Fen wore shorts today), their school uniform, laughed at the exchange.

The laughter caught Chun-li’s attention, “And a good morning to you Mel.”

“Hey Auntie,” greeted the young Masters, as he waived at his ‘auntie.’

“You don’t have time for breakfast do you,” Chun-li courteously asked Mel and Eliza, though if she were honest, she was hoping she’d have less company about now.

“Oooh,” said Juri, mischievously, “what are you serving?”

“Juri…” Chun-li warned.

“No, no. It’s probably time we get going,” said Eliza, “It was good meeting you Juri. I hope to see you around,” she finished knowingly.

“Bye Eliza, bye Mel,” said Chun-li as waived as the trio of Eliza, Mel and Li-Fen walked toward the front door, “bye Li-Fen, have a great day!”

The trio returned the goodbye to both Chun-li and Juri as she also shared a goodbye with them.

The door shut, then Chun-li shot a look to Juri, “You’re early,” she said.

“I figure it’s better to get this out of the way now,” said Juri, “plus I was promised breakfast.”

“I didn’t,” started Chun-li, but she realized she’s once again taking the bait. “You know what, help yourself. Li-Fen should have left a few cheese Danishes warming up in oven. They’re from the place across the street.”

Juri placed her jacket on the back of one of the nearby chairs and made her way to the range.

“There’s like half a dozen in here,” said Juri looking back to Chun-li as the officer made her way to the table Juri just left her jacket at, tablet in her hand. “You’re expecting more company?”

A tiny bit of sweat appeared on Chun-li’s brow, as she responded, “Like I said I’ve got long day ahead of me.”

“Right,” trailed off Juri as she grabbed the nearby oven mitten, taking the gray baking sheet out of the oven. She took a paper towel from the roll close by placing a flaky, hot pastry on it, “Want me to bring you one?”

“No, I’m fine,” said Chun-li, “I don’t plan on this being long.”

Juri walked over to the table where Chun-li was situated.

She laid her helping of the confectionery treat on the table as she sat down. She tore a piece off, “You seem occupied this morning,” said Juri suspiciously, as she waived the morsel at Chun-li.

Chun-li just laid her best poker face on as they sat there for a beat.

“Should we get started or not,” asked Chun-li.

Juri narrowed her eyes at her opposite, popping the piece of the Danish her mouth patronizingly.

Juri makes a gesture as if signing for them to move on as she chewed.

“Any new business,” asked Chun-li.

“Some big wig from the FBI called me. They want to hire me for a job. Something called an ‘asset protection assessment’. I guess they want drill security protocol for when they have a big fish in custody, I’d figure I’d run it by you before saying yes,” Juri shrugged her shoulders, “that’s my all business these days.”

Chun-li smiled inwardly.

That’s not all your business these days, she thought to herself.

“OK,” said Chun-li punching in something on her tablet. “While we’re on the subject of the FBI, their backing off.”

“Excellent,” said Juri, placing another piece of pastry into her mouth, “you’re the only law enforcement I need in my life,” she went on playfully with her mouth full.

“Juri,” said Chun-li, breaking into a smile, “table manners!”

Juri swatted at her, dismissing the chiding.

“Well, then. That’s all I got,” said Chun-li, placing the tablet to the side and gave Juri an amused look, “unless there’s something else you want to talk about,” she asked as if telling a joke.

Juri huffed spiritedly, folding her arms over her body having just finished the Danish, she pouted as she turned her head away from Chun-li but still meeting her eyes, “I can’t imagine what else there is to talk about,” said Juri, “you said my name came up in case of yours the other night, let’s talk about that,” the taekwondo specialist tried to deflect.

“The other night, huh,” Chun-li questioned teasingly, happy to continue to have Juri be the focus of the conversation, “that’s exactly what I was talking about!”

Juri dropped her hands into her lap, “You’re not going to drop this are you?”

“My briefing for today’s surveillances isn’t until 11am, its barely 8:30 in the morning,” said Chun-li lowly but still maintaining her impishness, “I’ve got all the time in world.”

 “Fine,” said Juri, leaning her arms onto the table in defeat.

“You and Ryu,” went Chun-li, placing her elbow on the table leaning her head in her hand, “when and how?”

Juri shrugs once more, “There’s not much to it. I was having an evening meal on the patio of The Flemenco Tavern. Ryu happened to be walking by, with this look on his face,” Juri stops, her facing going neutral, “he looked like he really needed someone to talk to. I called out to him and invited him to join me.” Her expression starts to brighten, her lips curling into a smile, “We talked. I think I ended up unloading more on him than the other way around. But after dinner, we went to The Lemony for drinks and dancing. Tough guy had two left feet, but he was a competent dancer by the end of the night.”

Chun-li drops her head, giving Juri a scrutinizing look, “Tough guy,” she questioned.

Juri breaks eye contact, a small blush creeping on to her face, “It’s a little nick name I gave him,” she said slightly frantically, “he doesn’t seem to mind.”

It’s strange, thought Chun-li.

Despite being occupied this morning, Chun-li is somewhat surprised to see Juri in better sprits.

To Chun-li, Juri had seemed aimless and listless since she became her parolee.

It seemed as if Juri was just going through the motions with her life, only seeming happy or at the very least content with her younger friend Rachel.

Chun-li thought Juri was in such a great mood the other night was because she may have had a drink or two.

But now it’s starting to look like it’s because of Ryu.

“Well,” said Chun-li, as she reached, lightly patting Juri’s hand, “know that I’m happy for you two.”

“Really? You weren’t so happy the other night,” said Juri, mirth returning to her face, “and we didn’t even do anything.”

It was Chun-li’s turn to huff, “I specifically said no funny business after I got your statements,” she said, “and to my surprise I find you two in each other’s arms the next morning on my couch, after doing god knows what after Li-Fen and I went to sleep.”

“We talked, and did a little bit of cuddling,” shot back Juri lightheartedly.

“You kissed him that night, I know that much,” said Chun-li, “he had your lipstick smudge all over him when I came on the scene.”

“What can I say,” went Juri, “it was exciting dispatching those would be muggers. Plus, I might’ve slightly used the Feng-Shui engine, just a tiny bit. Also, he kissed a wound on my neck, well,” she started, pausing as she recalled the moment, “its probably fairer to say sucked on it to stop it from bleeding. That had me pretty revved up, but I didn’t want to scare him off.”

“So, wait. When I walked up,” she stopped short, a blush washing over Chun-li’s face at the implication, “I was joking!”

They both laughed at the exclamation.

A silence fell over the duo as they smiled at each other.

“Juri,” Chun-li said, “seriously. I think this might be good for you. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you so lively. To be honest I was worried about you there for a hot second.”

A look of curiosity comes across Juri’s face as she asks, “We’re not becoming friends, are we,” Juri’s face morphing into a teasing smile.

For the umptieth time that morning, Chun-li returned it, “God I hope not.”

***

A few more moments went by Chun-li and Juri still talking about the latter’s new relationship with Ryu.

“I do want to let you know though,” said Chun-li.

“Oh,” interrupted Juri, “is this the part where you warn me not break his heart?”

“Well, that goes without saying. Ryu’s a very cherished friend and he clearly doesn’t need my protection. But if you go about breaking his heart,” Chun-li stops, playfully punching her fist in her open hand.

“So, what? If he breaks my heart? You’re going to kick his ass on my behalf,” Juri responded.

“If he did that something tells me that there wouldn’t be much left once you got to him first. What I’m really getting at is that Ryu’s maybe recharging his batteries so to speak. He’s taken breaks in his journey before and those times we really thought he was gonna settle down. Without knowing what your intentions are with him, I really don’t want you to get your hopes up,” said Chun-li.

“Huh,” went Juri aloud, as her gaze dropped to the table.

I didn’t really think what it is we’re doing, thought Juri, I enjoy being in his company, I trust him and there’s no doubt at all we’re attracted to each other.

“I have no plans to stop seeing him no time soon, and he’s asked me out again,” said Juri. ”Maybe the third time out is the time to clarify.”

Juri then looks to Chun-li and is surprised by what she sees.

All color has faded from her face as she looks at something behind her.

Juri goes to look at what could possibly be causing this.

“What the,” Juri muttered as an orange blur darted past the legs of the table and chairs they occupied, her eyes trying and failing to follow it.

I’m pretty sure that was that cat, she thought.

She hears the light patting of bare feet on the wooden floor as she turns around once more.

Cammy White is walking straight toward them having come from one the bedrooms.

She was rubbing sleep from her eyes as she approached, dressed in an oversized blue T-shirt that had the face of Tom (of Tom and Jerry fame) in the middle of it. It was difficult to discern if that was all that she was wearing due to the length of the shirt, her legs completely bare beyond the bottom of said shirt. Her hair lacked her usual pig tail braids and was messy and frizzy from sleep.

“Chun-li,” she muttered as she walked right past Juri like she wasn’t there. She plops herself into the officer’s lap unceremoniously, throwing her arms around Chun-li, nuzzling herself into her neck. “Come back to bed, love. There plenty of time before…”

Cammy’s blue eyes go wide, then dart to Juri in panic, “Before…” she muttered dumbly.

“Before what exactly, Kitten,” said Juri, very much amused by the display.

“Juri,” Cammy said, tucking her head further into Chun-li’s neck as her face turned red, “good morning,” she mumbled.

“Sorry, Kitten,” went Juri very much enjoying seeing usually serious delta red operative all about business, “I can’t hear you over you necking with your girlfriend at 9 in the morning.”

Cammy gets up from Chun-li’s lap, placing a quick kiss to ICPO Chief Inspector’s forehead, “Right. I said going morning. Chun-li,” she went on shakily very much failing to hide how flustered she is, “I see you’ve had company this morning. If you need me, I’ll be in the bedroom, getting ready for the day.”

She then scampered off; power walking as fast as she could toward the bedroom.

Juri then looks to Chun-li, her face just as red as Cammy’s was.

“Talk about my love life,” Juri said loudly as she broke out on a cackle, clapping her hands animatedly at Chun-li, “what’s going on with yours!?”

“You don’t have to answer that!” Yelled Cammy from the bedroom

Chun-li shook her head, “No fair is fair. You told me about yours, I guess I’ll tell you about mine.”

***

That was interesting, thought Juri, zipping up her jacket as she made her way out of Chun-li’s apartment building.

She always suspected there was something between Chun-li and Cammy.

But to find out like this made Juri’s day.

She pulls out her phone, looking down at the text a certain Ansatsuken practitioner sent her this morning.

‘See you again on Saturday?’ It read simply.

She smiled as she typed back, ‘Of course. What did you have in mind? And I want to talk to you about somethings too.’

The smell of the bakery across the street is very inciting as it invades her senses as she finished responding to Ryu.

Plus, those danishes Chun-li had upstairs were amazing.

Juri tucks her helmet under her arm as she crosses the street having decided to get some of those danishes to take home.

There’s a man sitting at one of the tables outside the bakery, a newspaper in hand, baked good on a paper plate, and a drink, maybe coffee or tea in a disposable cup, sitting on the table.

He’s dressed in business casual, a white golf polo and black dress pants and dress shoes.

It seems like he’s putting a concerted effort into looking like he’s not paying attention to her as Juri’s caught his eyes on her a few times in the moments it took to cross the street.

Chun-li did say the FBI’s backing off, maybe the order’s delayed.

Ryu with an easy look on his face responded, “I took your advice to heart and looked at dancing like a fight.” He went. Though his face dropped slightly, like he’s left something out.

Juri really liked that there was no presumption to this man and that he was easy to read.

She leveled a look at him, “I feel like you’re not telling the whole story, tough guy.”

“I also may have asked Eliza for some pointers,” he went as he met her eyes.

“Eliza,” Juri questioned, slightly anxious, crossing her arms and huff in her cheeks, “is this someone I should be worried about,” she went on as she quirked an eyebrow at him.

Ryu, still looking into her eyes, stopped walking. The light looks on his face morphing into something more somber but earnest. As if he knew he should tread forward carefully. “Right,” he went on, “Eliza is Ken’s wife. I guess you haven’t been acquainted yet. When told her I was planning on seeing someone she couldn’t help herself but to lend a hand. When I told her our first date ended up with an impromptu dancing session, she invited me to one of her dancing classes. I’m happy to see the lesson paid off,” he finished smiling at Juri, “I know we’re pretty fresh in whatever we are doing here,” he continued motioning between him and her, “but I figure honesty is the best policy.”

Ryu wore a casual black jacket to fight off the unusual chill this evening, with a black shirt underneath that was tucked into black pants that lead down to black dress shoes. And his look was completed with a big shiny watch. A Cartier, by the looks of it. The outfit hung just right over the Ansatsuken fighter, Juri felt.

He’d look right at home in a fashion mag, she thought, though that watch seems a bit much.

Speaking of being much…

“I guess so,” she said, looking away from Ryu, trying to take the subject off of her small flair of jealousy at Ryu mentioning another woman, “you managed to not step on my toes the entire time.”

I was supposed to be giving you the next dance lesson, she thought to herself as she pouted, remember that tough guy!

But Ryu didn’t take the hint.

“This outfit was her idea too,” he said as lifted his arms as if to display himself and spun around, “she threw the shirt and what not at me saying I needed to make an impression if want to be in for the long haul.” He then brought his left hand to his face, bringing attention to the watch. “I found this in one of the pockets of the jacket. I hope Ken doesn’t miss it.”

At that moment, they were pounced on by two, no three men.

Juri no longer had the time to be sidetracked by her jealousy.

They were pushed into a nearby alley.

One of the men was on her, in the middle of the space. She felt the cold steel of a knife that was set to her neck before she realized, as she was restrained from behind.

The two other men had dog piled Ryu and pushed him into the wall.

One had hit a combination of punches to his face and body as Ryu bounced off the brick.

He looked unfazed.

He was ready to fight back, clenching his fists, bringing his hands up, taking a stance.

“Yo, cock sucker!” Called the man who held Juri at knife point, “stand the fuck down or we’ll get to see what this pretty little thing looks like on the inside!”

Ryu let out a breath, he unfurled his hands holding them out and opened in a placating manor.

“Fine, fine,” he said calmly, “just take what you want and leave us be.”

The one of the two men in front of him presumably didn’t take to kindly to Ryu’s tone.

“You hear that? It’s almost like he’s demanding,” said one the muggers, “how’s about we beat this guy to the ground and show his lady a good time in front of him.”

This was not how Juri imagined ending the night at all.

But then again, the club they went to tonight was just outside the Tenderloin.

Juri was still getting used to the city, so maybe they were in the notorious neighborhood.

But anyway, a plan comes to Juri.

“Oh, my goodness,” she said loudly, over dramatically even as she brought the back of her hand to her forehead, as if she’s some starlet in a soap opera about to faint, “please be merciful with us!”

The other two brigand’s attention is now on her, but the knife is still to her throat.

 “What is it that you want,” she continued in the same fashion, “Money? Jewelry? Oh darling! Please give them your wallet!”

She felt the knife relax from her neck.

Her performance must be working.

“Darling,” she goes, once more, “the Cartier! Won’t you give it to them so that we may be done with this,” she finished as waggled her eyebrows at him, signaling him to make a move.

But once more he’s not getting the hint.

Oh, fuck this!

Now that there’s some room between her neck and the blade, she can do something without getting her windpipe cut.

She grabs the knife welding mugger by the wrist, peeling his arm away from her.

She twists it, hard, so much so that he drops the blade with a yelp of pain.

She lets go, then performs a spinning heel kick, the blow landing dead center, knocking the formerly armed criminal out of the alley.

“Ryu,” she yelled, “do I need to knock all of these fuckers out myself!”

This knocks everyone out of their stupor.

The other two muggers try to charge Juri, but one is pulled back then thrown into a trash can by Ryu.

“Sorry,” he said as took his stance, the floored mugger now standing, “I didn’t know you were making a move,” Ryu said apologetically.

 “Subtlty’s not a not a strong suit of yours,” she said, “luckily you’re pretty!”

Juri was beset by the other man, but his reckless charge had him running straight into Juri’s extended leg.

He grunted in pain at having guts rearranged by her kick, she then quickly dispatched him using her senpusha, cartwheeling forward into two more powerful kicks.

The first kick landed once more in this mugger’s midsection, causing him to double over.

The second kick landed just as the man was leaning forward, his action accentuating its power. He landed hard on the ground motionless.

She turned just in time to see Ryu landing a powerful stepping mule kick causing his opponent to go flying then bouncing off the wall.

He finished this man with a shoryuken, as the mugger rebounded.

They walked back to each other.

Ryu took her chin in his hand inspecting her for any damage with his brows creased in concern.

He went to say something, but they were interrupted.

The third mugger ran toward them screaming in rage.

Poor little guy never stood a chance.

The Feng-Shui engine whirred to life, Juri’s left eye lighting up in a purple flash of unleashed ki.

The final mugger found himself in maelstrom of powerful kicks and ki blasts.

He dropped to the ground, somehow still conscious but clearly done for, groaning as he writhed in pain.

The Feng-Shui engine didn’t finish cooling down before Ryu took her chin in his hand once more.

“You’re hurt,” he said, still wearing a worried expression.

“Please,” she said, “those chumps weren’t even half a Dan Hibiki.”

Though if she were honest with herself, she did feel just a slight bit excited.

And Ryu fretting about her and the way he’s gently cradling her face is causing a flutter in her stomach.

Nah, she tight to herself, it’s gotta be the Feng-Shui engine.

Ryu runs his fingertip under her chin, toward her neck and lightly touches her neck.

She suppresses a shiver under his caress and at the same time feels a slight sting.

He brings his finger back showing the tip covered in a bit of blood.

Her lips shift into a grim line, “I guess that was a closer call then we realized.”

Ryu produced a napkin from his pocket wiping his finger, “Seems so,” he said, “its not deep but it doesn’t look like it’s stopping.”

He goes to try wipe at her wound once more but stops.

“Hold on,” he said.

Ryu tilts her head up gently.

“What are y…” Juri mutters, but then lets out a sigh of surprise as his lip are upon her neck.

She goes to try pull him against her to her as he nipped and sucked at her wound.

But it’s over before it starts, its done, him finishing the action with a good, long lick.

This time she breathes out in frustration, as his ministrations have definitely left her stirred up.

He leans back as if to examine his handywork, “That’s better, the bleeding stopped,” he said.

Juri tilts her head down, a heavy shadow going over her eyes.

Ryu takes a step back apprehensively, “Juri…”

Her left eye flashes once more and then she lunges forward.

The force of their bodies impacting is so great it knocks Ryu off his feet.

She’s straddling him, holding his hands above his head, his look of apprehension now that of surprise.

“My turn,” she said.

She crashes her mouth roughly into his, her lips sliding gracefully over his. While his lips are soft the way he’s returning the kiss leaves a bit to be desired. Dissatisfied with the way he’s sloppily returning her kiss, smacking his mouth against hers too quickly for her taste, she stops releasing his hands now grabbing his face. “Slow down,” she commands.

His cheeks are now flushed and his lips a little swollen. He’s looking her dead in the face, his mouth slightly open wearing a stunned look, “Juri, I was just trying to…” he went.

Juri interrupted, “Its fine, its fine,” she muttered before she kissed him again.

He returned it, this time much more to her liking; he went slow this time. It still needed a bit of work but for now it will do.

She tilted her head, and he followed the lead, his hands going to her hips.

She introduced her tongue, still tasting a bit of her blood though she didn’t mind.

He moaned into her mouth, and she took it as her time to stop.

They separated, breaths mingling with heated looks.

“I think,” Ryu stammered, struggling to catch his breath, “I think we should call Chun-li.”

Well, that was the last thing she expected him to say.

“What,” she questioned, almost incredulously now bunching up the lapels of his shirt in her hands.

“To get ahead of this,” he said motioning to the assorted bodies of their would-be muggers, “I’d really hate to see you sent away behind this.”

Her grip relaxes, she stands up helping Ryu to his feet.

“I guess you’re right,” she said.

She thinks back to being jealous when Ryu brought up Eliza.

After this display and his concern for her freedom, Juri recognized she didn’t have anything to worry about.

Now if we can just work on his kissing, she thought, well getting the good officer involved guarantees there will be other times to work on it.

***

This isn’t how I expected the night to go, thought Ryu as the opening of the once barren alley is now crawling with emergency personnel.

Though I am pretty happy with how some things turned out.

He’s seated at a set of stone stairs at the entrance of a building adjacent to the alley, his eyes falling to his company for the night.

Juri’s at his side wiping her face, more specifically her lips with something.

She looks over to him, “You want one,” she said offering what appears to be some kind of portable wipe.

“What is that,” he asked somewhat curiously.

“Make up remover,” she simply, a knowing smile on her face.

“I think I’m good,” he said.

She shrugs, “Suit yourself,” she went putting the wipes away as she grabbed his hand and laid her head on his shoulder. “You sure you called Chun-li? Last thing I expected was half of the police force and paramedics on this side of town to show up.”

“She did say she would send for help,” Ryu responded.

“Help,” she questioned, raising her head from its relaxed position, a prying look on her face.

“Her words,” said Ryu, “you were wounded.”

Juri brings her free hand to the fresh bandage at her neck, “Just barely,” she said. She then nuzzled up to him, her breath tickling him sending pluses of delight throughout him, “Plus you can always kiss it better for me, tough guy.”

“That’s super unsanitary you know,” responded Chun-li, with Lei-Fen in tow as she walked up to the couple.

“Chun-li,” Ryu greeted, squeezing Juri’s hand to let her know he’s about stand, “Li-Fen.”

“I’m comfortable here,” she said in an adorable huff, snuggling in closer to him, returning the squeeze of his hand.

 “Hey, Ryu,” Chun-li returned in hello with a small smile on her face, but then dropped slightly as she saw something on his face. Come to think of it, some of the paramedics and officers on the scene gave him the same look. A faded smile still on her face her eyes go to his company, “Juri, interesting night looks like you two have had. I advise against getting too comfortable. I’d like to get both of you to give statements,” said Chun-li authoritatively, “and it’d probably be a good idea to formally press charges.”

Chun-li folded her arms under her chest as she eyed the couple.

She was dressed very casually, comfortably even as if she was dressed for bed in a pair of black board shorts with white trim paired with a white T-shirt tucked into them and her badge hanging from her neck. She wore a decently thick-looking purple robe with crescent moons and stars patterned throughout and had house slippers on.

“Oh, come on,” protested Juri, “first officer on the scene already took our statements!”

She broke away from Ryu, though still close to him.

Ryu missed the warmth.

Suddenly, his jacket was not enough to keep tonight’s chill at bay.

“Ms. Juri,” the small, tired voice of Li-Fen called from Chun-li’s side, “not so loud,” she went on as she yawned. “Hey there, Mr. Ryu.”

She looked at him weird too.

Li-Fen was dressed in a set of onesie panda themed pajamas, with the hood down and her own pair of house shoes on her feet.

Chun-li pulled her to her side, lightly stroking her hair, looking down at the little girl with a tender smile. Li-Fen returned by wrapping her arms around Chun-li’s waist, “Yeah sorry about that,” went Chun-li, “I had to pull her out of bed. And the statements not for the department.”

Juri nodded knowingly, “Yeah, yeah. I’m glad I have you two looking out for me.” She went back into Ryu’s personal space, grabbing his hand again, “Hey kid,” she greeted Li Fen, “I see you liked the pj’s?”

Li-fen nodded at Juri, “Their comfy,” she responded.

“You don’t seem surprised to see us together, Chun-li,” said Ryu curiously.

“Ken brought it to my attention the other day,” said Chun-li, looking back at the couple. “It was in a gossip newspaper he reads. Come on,” she turned around, “we can get this done at my apartment. My PC is linked into the SFPD servers so we can get those charges on paper too. We can take my car. You guys can stay the night if you feel it’s too late to go home from there,” she then turned around leveling a serious look to them, “But if you stay, I want both of you in separate rooms. The couch in my office and the couch in my living room should suffice. No more funny business tonight.”

Both Ryu and Juri nodded in agreement and stood to follow Chun-li, still hand in hand.

She looked at him impishly, her lips and a single eyebrow with an uptick.

She then poked her lips out at him with a smack as she completed the action.

His eyes went to her lips, and his mind traveled to her kiss.

He remembers he was fervent in his return as he hadn’t expected one to be laid on him like that but wasn’t exactly sure what he was doing.

Luckily a little bit of couching was all he needed.

Then when she introduced her tongue, that moan was embarrassing but when she did it felt quite good.

Not to mention how she positioned herself on him. How she felt soft, warm and almost airy on his lap.

“Umm, Mr. Ryu,” Li-Fen called, interrupting his revery, “you’ve got some black stuff your face. Around your mouth.”

“I, what,” he questioned dumbfounded.

No wonder everyone was looking at me weirdly, thought Ryu.

“Lipstick I suspect,” went Chun-li with air of mirth, barely holding back a lough, “right Juri?”

He looked at Juri, in mock betrayal.

“Hey, don’t give me that look. I offered you some makeup remover!”

***

“So, you’d say this op was a waste,” continued Chun-li.

“Well yeah,” said the detective as he ran a hand down his stubble, “we’ve got a small amount of narcotics, no leads on any high-level traffickers and this guy’s not even a dealer full time. He’s part of a crew that jacks luxury cars. Anything he can give us we likely go to auto theft.”

Chun-li stops the detective.

 “Not quite,” she said perceptively, a knowing smile on her face.

“You don’t think so,” said the detective, somewhat taken a back at Chun-li questioning his take this case.

“Talk about your target, Detective Carver. Let’s see where your line of thinking takes us,” she said.

The detective returned a tired smile, “You’re not just gonna tell me what’s on your mind regarding this case?”

She leans back against the wall, still smiling crossing her arms under her chest as she tilted her head at him expectantly.

“Right, right. That’d defeat the purpose of being taken under your wing,” said Detective Carver. He released a sign as he started. “Our target is Rich Mccan. Born in the city. Career criminal. He’s part of the ‘Hole in the Gate Gang’, the outfit most known for theft of cars from luxury dealerships.”

“Right,” went Chun-Li, “but do we have him down for?”

“Distribution of a control substance, to wit two kilos of heroin,” said the detective questioningly, unable to see the pieces.

“Come on Joe, you’re right on the edge,” Chun-li encouraged.

“His gang doesn’t usually deal in drugs, but with your friend doing her consultant thing in town the high-end car places don’t find themselves being victimized as badly as before.” He stopped, then his face lit up as if he had an epiphany. “There’s less money to go around so our boy turns to drugs to make his nut!”

“And his gang doesn’t have any drug contacts according to our intel, meaning we can possibly roll him up into whoever he got his supply from,” finished Chun-li.

“Guy’s a cupcake, so they’ll be plenty of roll on him. Auto theft still gets their case, and we get ours,” said Detective Carver.

“There you go Joe,” said Chun-Li, as she playfully slapped his cheek. “You’ll make a great investigator one day.”

“Yeah, yeah. One day maybe,” said Detective Carver.

“Let’s go, you’ve got a report to type up,” said Chun-li as she pushed herself from the wall.

“Oh no, I’m sitting in on this one,” said Joe.

“You’re sure,” Chun-li asked, “you’re going to be up all night typing that report.”

“I’ll be fine. Part of learning the ropes,” responded the younger detective, “we got a uniform at the interrogation room with our papers and tapes?”

“Sure do,” she responded.

Joe Carver was more stout than smart, but that was not to say he was unintelligent.

He recently passed the detective’s exam and was assigned to the drug enforcement unit.

He asked specially to work with the INTERPOL officer, which due to the nature of her work the request has practically been granted as she frequently has runs in with the DEU.

Chun-li sees a lot of herself in him. Hungry to bust a case, but that eagerness leaves a less seasoned officer overlooking the details.

She herself was schooled by an elder officer in her early days, her father’s old partner Nate Philbin.

Last she heard Nate was working as a PI.

As they approached the interview room where a uniformed officer waited for them, Chun-li placed her hand on the knob, “Follow my lead,” she said.

“You got it,” responded Joe.

The uniformed officer handed a few envelopes to the pair as they entered the room.

The small-time crook sat at a well-worn table; hand cuffed to it of course.

Rich Mccan was a small slip of a fidgety man, a greasy head of hair and brown beaty eyes that darted back and forth until falling on the officers that just walked in.

“Comfortable,” Chun-li asked simply, as she sat opposite of him, getting the files she was just handed in order.

He didn’t answer. He sat and stared at the pair. He tried to put on a brave front, but his fidgeting gave away his tension.

“Pretty decent sheet you got here,” said Chun-li, “theft, theft,” she listed as she went through the assorted files, “grand theft, grand theft auto, and I see we’ve got 2 warrants in connection with separate grand theft auto cases.”

“Not to mention our business here today,” interjected Joe.

“Not there was any business to be done,” said Chun-li. She then cut her eyes from the paperwork, giving the cuffed man a withering look, “you stumbled your way into a buy-bust.”

“Look,” said Rich, his voice cracking, “you’ve got nothing me!”

“Oh,” in toned Chun-li in mock surprise, “our boy here’s clean. You hear that Detective Carver?”

“So that wasn’t you we pulled up on?” asked Joe, playing off of Chun-li, “That wasn’t your car and those weren’t your two bricks we pulled from the wheel well, by the spare?”

“You tell me,” said Rich, managing to keep his voice from cracking but still fidgeting with uneasiness.

“You got it,” said Chun-li.

She turned and nodded her head at Joe.

Detective Carver then stuck his head out the door, “The recorder,” he asked the uniform.

He pulled himself entirely back into the room, carrying a small device. It resembles a remote, but Chun-li thinks Rich recognizes what it is by the way color drains from his face.

Joe pushes a button, and a rough but understandable recording starts to play.

“You got that for me,” said another voice, one of their undercovers asked.

“Yeah,” said a second voice this one clearly Rich’s, “I’ve got two bri..” the voice stopped himself, “er cinderblocks,” he added as if to correct himself.

“Two kis,” said the other voice, the undercover, “and what’s your price?”

“$15k a piece,” said Rich over the recording, “I’ll call you next week with the spot.”

“That’s not me!” Yelled Rich with widened eyes.

“We pulled that off a wire, on April 3rd. I’d say that voice matches,” said Chun-li, “you nearly said ‘bricks’, as in street slang for kilos but corrected yourself. Coded language can be used to argue conspiracy.” She started to look through the papers again. She produces a picture of Rich sitting in a diner on a cell phone looking around nervously. She pushed the picture towards Rich. She pointed to him in the photo, then to the date the picture was taken.

April 3rd.

“The Detective and I were on that surveillance. I took that picture myself,” said Chun-li. She went through the papers once more. “And that’s your cell phone. We subpoenaed your carrier, and they were nice enough to provide billing information matching your current address,” she went placing a copy of his phone bill on the table. She then pulled a cell phone, Rich’s cell phone from person (which was in an evidence bag). She pulled the device from its plastic bag and dialed a number on it.

Joe’s ringer went off and he pulled his phone from his pocket. He displayed the screen to the room, it shows the same phone number on the bill copy, “Number matches.”

 “Fuck,” Rich muttered lowly as lowered his head in his hands, “Fucking Juri Han,” he went as his voice broke once more, “All those dealerships beefed up their security on her goddamn recommendation. The last Audi dealer we tried to hit put up an electric fence. Can believe that!? An electric fence! One of our boys got fried trying to get through. We had to resort to snatching cars off the street, which hit our pockets. I turned to drugs to try make up the difference,” He finished as he looked down to the table.

“That’s it,” said Joe.

“Not quite,” said Chun-li, “who did you get the drugs from? We know your boss or any of your compatriots don’t deal in drugs, so we know you went outside your crew for this.”

“I’ve got nothing more to say,” said Rich.

“Ok, ok,” said an agreeable Chun-li, “but think about this. The man you call boss has got to know by now you’ve been arrested. What’s more you’ve been arrested on drugs in a deal that he didn’t know about. How long do you think it will take for him to arrange for someone to get to you in lock up? Make it so you won’t see a court? You know, to make up for this little side deal. You tell us who’s your supplier is, we will take you somewhere quiet, maybe out in the county. And, for cooperating we get the D.A in here about a lesser sentence. Both the auto warrants and the drug charge.”

She packed up the papers and prepared to leave, “Up to you.”

Carver and Chun-li both take their leave, but before they cross the door Rich responds, “Some Chinatown boys, probably Triads. They work out of a laundry mat on the south edge of Chinatown, but anyone in the know knows it’s a front for a gambling parlor. They fronted me those bricks.”

“If you were shown some photo arrays, you think you’d be able to point these guys out,” asked Chun-li.

Rich simply nodded.

Chun-li nods, “OK, I’ll call the D.A and I’ll get writ for you go to county lock up.”

They both leave the interrogation room looking to go back the way they came.

“Not bad,” said Joe.

“Not bad at all,” said Chun-Li, “and for your first case! You were a natural in there!” She praised Joe as she smiled at the young detective.

***

Cases like this was why Chun-li continues to do what she does.

Roll the small fry into something bigger, though she did feel a little bad she used the implication of death to Rich Mccan as leverage.

She later learned from the D.A the Rich is also willing to give up the ‘Hole in the Gate Gang’ for an even better deal.

Joe’s summation of the man was correct that he was cupcake, a lightweight in the underworld. The criminal knew the risks but still took them when he decided to get into this life.

But they managed to close this case, get a notorious ring of car thieves off the street and lead for the next case.

Chun-li had a report of her own to write. Luckily, she’s got an off-site office at her condo (courtesy of INTERPOL) despite having her own desk at the local precinct.

She wants to get it knocked out as soon as possible without being disturbed.

And also…

“Li-Fen,” she called to a little girl behind her, as she unlocked her front door, “can you get started on that homework work for me? I’ll be in my office, but before that I’ll set us up some dinner.”

Li-Fen was the daughter of a hacker who themselves in cross hairs of Shadaloo.

During the raid on their headquarters 8 months back she was found to be one the captors of the group, to what end Chun-li didn’t know.

Nor her father or mother was among the captors of the main base in Thailand or any of the other bases around the world.

It was assumed they were killed by the group, and despite the resources at their disposal no other family could be found.

She came to Chun-li’s attention while escorting Juri out of the base, to the plane that took them to ICJ headquarters.

Chun-li had been a little too eager to get there and had accidentally bumped Juri right into Li-Fen, who was part of a group of prisoners being escorted out.

She’d helped the little up, as she’d been knocked down by Juri.

Li-Fen thanked Chun-li, and complemented her hair.

Such a simple gesture had Chun-li immediately taken with the girl.

When she later found out she pretty much had no family, Chun-li decided to take her into her care.

Li-Fen was currently dressed in her school uniform, a short sleeved white button-up, with a short black tie under a black vest, with a long black dress and dress shoes.

She had a slightly worried look on her face, “When you say, ‘set us up some dinner’, you don’t mean you’re going to cook, do you?”

Chun-li laughed, ruffling the kid’s hair though careful not to disturb her long pigtails.

“I was thinking something from Flamenco’s,” asked Chun-li, “the usual?”

Li-Fen excitedly nodded her head.

“Great,” said Chun-li as she smiled down at her. She pushed the glossily finished woodgrain door open, “change out of that uniform and get started on that homework young lady. I’ll call in the order from my office, ok?”

“Got it, Jiejie,” responded Li-Fen, as she ran off to her room.

Things had been rough starting out when Li-Fen first came under her care.

She’d been closed off, quiet and overly cautious like she was walking on eggshells.

Likely due to her time as a captive

Chun-li eventually managed to get her out of her shell after discovering her interest in martial arts and computers, discovering a sweet, intelligent and curious girl underneath the trauma.

Chun-li closed the door and made her way toward her office.

The condo was plush to put it lightly.

It was three bedrooms, high quality laminate floors, two bathrooms (one of which was in suite, Chun-li’s master bath), 2 car garage, fully equipped kitchen with an island and the rear was basically a wall of picture windows and a sliding glass door that led to a spacious patio that also had a great view of the city.

She walked past the kitchen, toward the last bedroom that served as her Chun-li’s home office.

This office was just as plush as the rest of the apartment. The floor was the same laminate, a caramel brown wood grain desk where a laptop, an office phone, two more monitors, a keyboard and mouse sat. Behind that desk sat a very comfortable looking dark brown leather chair and shelf that matched the color of the desk that held assorted books and files. The office was then sparsely decorated with a small couch, another chair with a lounge (both matched the color of the chair behind the desk) and there was a TV mounted to wall across from the desk.

She flicked on the light, peeling her jacket off throwing it on the office chair as she sat, turning on the laptop in her wake, taking her weapon placing it on a top drawer and putting her cell phone on the desk.

She grabbed the handset of the office phone and dialed in the phone number of the Flemenco Tavern.

A young woman answered, likely Juri’s friend Rachel, as the door to the room creaked open revealing Li-Fen, now dressed down in a pair of grey sweatpants and a white t-shirt.

“May I do my homework in here, with you,” she asked.

“Hold on a sec,” said Chun-li, placing her hand over the speaker, “of course, Li-Li. I’m just placing our order now.”

Li-Fen walks in, textbooks, notebooks and writing utensils in hand and finds a place at a chair, placing her things on the lounge.

Chun-li places their order.

At the thought of Rachel, her mind quickly shifts to Juri and her influence on how Chun-li is even here in San Fransico.

When Juri finalized her agreement that essentially placed her on parole, the question was posed to Chun-li if she would be the parole officer.

She’d declined of course, simply because after Shadaloo fell she wanted to get back into casework and chasing Shadaloo was more like the war on drugs.

One that never ended.

And, with the fall of Shadaloo, also came down those who were in their pockets that included several of Chun-li’s superiors.

Once the proverbial house was cleaned, Chun-li was offered a promotion to Chief Inspector which came with a hefty increase in pay and more authority.

The question was posed once more to act as Juri’s PO.

Chun-li once more said no.

It didn’t take long for them to ask once more, this last time she was asked by the head of the ICJ and the director of INTERPOL.

The fact that they asked her three times told Chun-li a few things.

One, whoever else they may have asked also turned them down, or perhaps she’s the only one they have in mind. Two, she may have leverage to demand more than just a promotion.

So, she accepted.

But on a few conditions.

She requested a little more money than her pay raise granted, she requested that she go back to casework, and she requested the process to start to get Li-Fen in her care.

They accepted her conditions and even did her a few better.

INTERPOL pays the rent for the apartment she and Li-Fen live in.

They also placed her in San Fransico as a liaison for between the police department and INTERPOL, as the previous one had been one of individuals on Shadaloo’s take. But liaison is a bit of an oversimplification of what she does. Organized crime has seen an uptick in recent years, namely those from Chinese and Vietnamese syndicates with international ties, justifying the need for INTERPOL intervention.

Chun-li works homicides, drug cases and the like but only with those that tie back to organized crime.

She quickly found herself in her element (in between acting as a PO for Juri of course) building cases from scratch, but Chun-li does carry a certain amount of fame wherever she goes.

Which does make some facets of investigation a challenge.

Undercover operations for her are completely out of the question.

Canvases are still on the table, but the fact that the world’s strongest woman is asking around about you, it kind of gives away you’re a target of law enforcement.

Surveillance has been a boon since she can use her own observational skills from a distance, provided their target doesn’t have lookouts.

If she isn’t investigating an incident or homicide, she’s mostly mapping out an investigation strategy to delegate as needed to the group of detectives she’s been granted access to.

She’s putting the finishing touches to her report as the buzzer for their apartment goes off.

“That must be dinner,” said Chun-li, “Li-Fen, did you finish your homework?”

“Just finishing up,” she responded, “can we have the TV with dinner?”

“Sure,” Chun-li said as she stood up to buzz the delivery person into the building, “grab some those dinner towels for us, sweetie?”

Li-Fen made her way to the kitchen running past Chun-li before she crossed the threshold of the door.

She buzzed in the delivery person, paid for the food and made her back to the office where Li-Fen was waiting, placing a towel over the lounge by the chair where she’d done her homework.

She gives Li-Fen her food and makes her way back to the desk to start on her own.

She saw Li-Fen placed a few dinner towels on the desk for her, so she places one on her lap but notices she’s got a new text from Ken.

‘Did you see this’, read the text.

It was a picture of a headline from one of the local rag newspapers Ken likes to read.

That man loves reading about himself, she thought.

She hit the picture making it larger.

On that front page was a large picture of Ryu and Juri in a night club in each other’s arms, giving each other bedroom eyes. The headline read ‘Ensnared by A Spider.’

“Oh, I definitely missed that,” she said out loud.

***

Ken sat at the head of a long oak table with a very glossy finish.

He was dressed to the nines, in a cream Canali suit jacket and matching pants. Underneath the jacket he wore a matching vest, white collared shirt and black tie. His look was completed by slippery looking black dress shoes.

He was flanked by 12 executives, 6 on each side of the table.

The ‘empty suits’ as Ken liked to call them held various looks of impatience, contempt and some wore even genuine curiosity at his presence here today.

Another man sat the other end of the table.

He was an older man, stout but less muscular than Ken. He had a dark brown crew cut, think, Bruce Willis in Die Hard. He wore a green suit jacket, pants, and a white collared shirt, though he had a black grids design on it with a green tie. He had a matching hat sitting on the table as his brown eyes sat on Ken with a twinkle while he had a small smile on his face, one of pride or maybe encouragement.

The man stood and spoke in a deep authoritative voice, “Alright, it’s up to you guys,” he put the hat on his head as he walked the edge of the table towards Ken. “Good luck,” he intoned as he put a hand on Ken’s shoulder as his smile widened, “Mr. Food and Beverage Chairman.”

Ken laughs off the nickname, “I don’t need luck, old man,” he shot back returning a smile.

The man lifted his hat in a silent goodbye as left the room.

Some of the assorted executives’ frowns deepened clearly not impressed by the display.

It’s not something Ken wasn’t used to.

Being the son of Dalton Masters did have its disadvantages at times.

In his younger years Ken questioned why he had a board of stiffs for his own company but now being a part of it Ken understood.

No one man, despite his knowledge, ability or resources at his disposal can know or do everything.

Some of them still annoyed the hell out of him.

But the reason he’s sitting practically at judgement of this group today was an interview.

The current director of operations is set to retire at the end of the summer which means her position is up.

Dalton had encouraged Ken to throw his name in the hat, but Ken didn’t really expect anything to come of it.

Dalton had of course excused himself of any decision making regarding the position, just to eliminate the possibility of someone thinking of the ‘n’ word.

Despite the light jab of ‘Food and Beverage Chairman’ that is what Ken is currently to Masters’ Hotel. Though the official title was Food and Beverage Manager.

“So, I guess I’ll start,” said one executive. This was an older shorter man. Balding but otherwise well-kept. He wore a decent suit but was one of the people present who wasn’t happy that Ken was here. He was chief executive something or other. Maybe.

Perhaps it wouldn’t hurt the cause to learn their titles.

“Tells us about yourself, Mr Masters,” he went on.

Ken had to put in a great effort to stop himself from scoffing.

You’ve got to be kidding me, he thought, of course you know about me!

He puts on a brave smile, placing his hands on the table intertwining his fingers.

“As you all know, I’m Ken Masters,” he said emphasizing his name like a title, “I’m currently the Food and Beverage Manager, or Chairman as our founder and CEO put it. I currently overlook all aspects pertaining to the culinary experience of our company, from purchasing to the actual food being served and everything in between. I’ve been around Masters’ Hotels all my life but have only started working around 5 or 6 years ago. I started work for the chief hotel, which continues to operate in this very building, working as a bell hop. One of the front desk managers recognized my interpersonal skill and recommended me for the front desk service agent. From there I worked myself into a supervisor’s role for the front desk, then interviewed for restaurant liaison, which eventually morphed into the role I currently work in.”

Several of the assorted executives seem pleased with the intro Ken provided, some seem even.

Those he whom he yet to win over still seemed unimpressed.

Another one, this one a middle-aged woman, her tied into a tight bun with streaks of grey littering otherwise brown hair here and there, dressed in a pant suit threw in her two cents, “This of course was between your globetrotting,” she said with an arrogant smile.

His eyebrow twitched, but he managed to keep it together.

Before he can respond, another executive cut in, “It’s probably best we keep questions and comments pertaining to the professional, not the personal.” This executive was a younger man, younger than Ken even. His suit jacket was on his chair, and he wore a tan dress shirt with a solid black tie and black dress pants. He ran his hand through his slick backed hair as he went, “While Ken’s wanderlust is well documented, I don’t ever recall him doing anything to embarrass this company, his parents who are also on this board I remind everyone present or himself.”

The executive looked at his older peer, giving her a withering look, then looking around at his colleagues, giving the others the same look.

The same executive then went, “Now Mr. Masters, I’m interested in what you bring to the table, what kind of vison would you bring as director of operations?”

Ken smiled, unfurling his hands as sat back relaxing in his chair.

“Well building where I left off. The reason why restaurant liaison morphed into food and beverage manger. Prior to when I took what would become my current role, all our hotels’ food services were outsourced; we were the franchisees of one big box restaurant or another. Which had worked, for years. My father built the company like that, while we focused on building other parts of the business, namely our spa services,” Ken shot a cheeky smile to assorted suits, “which is the best in game. See, being a franchisee comes with a few advantages. There’s already a built-in infrastructure of support, a network of vendors and a built-in name to which to draw from. But then there’s also disadvantages. Franchise fees and profit sharing, we are told who we can and cannot do business with, regarding food and equipment vendors, which by the way some of those organizations had ownership in some of those vendors. In some of those cases when food and equipment prices were raised, we had no recourse due to the franchise agreement. Which further squeezed down our profit margins. And lastly it caused a lack of uniformity through our hotels across the county. I had accounting and data run what it would take to get out of the franchise agreements for all locations, what kind of investment would be needed to do our food in-house, and what we would be looking for in a turn-around for a return. After the numbers were crunched, wrote the proposal and it was brought to you all, who approved it provisionally.”

“Wait a minute,” went one executive, the same older lady who sarcastically referred to Ken’s world travels, “that was your proposal?”

Ken nodded, “Yes. My father thought it wasn’t likely to be approved if it was known it was me who wrote it. I know I’m not some of you guys’ favorite person due who my parents are.”

There were hms, and grumbles among the assorted executives, some of whom are softening at Ken due to this recent revelation.

Ken took that as a que to continue, “Once it was approved, I started with our locations whose food services were franchised out to Ruth Chris, which were 12 or 13 hotels, including this one. It took 9 months of work to get it off the ground and another 7 until the business picked back up. And now we’re seeing 23% return per quarter and now we are instituting this change region by region as not to cause too much of disruption to ongoing operations.”

“And there was a recent proposal to get into catering, cause our test kitchens are doing so well,” asked the younger executive, “that was you as well?”

“That was actually my number two guy,” said Ken, “he worked as an executive chef for another hotel chain, and I consulted him for our menu.”

A hush went over the group as they all nodded silently.

“And that’s the kind of vision you can expect from me should be brought on as director of operations,” went Ken.

The interview went on, Ken being questioned in a similar vein and answering as such.

“Alright Mr. Masters,” went the older bald executive, “we’ve got a few more interviews, we’ll be in touch.”

Ken raised, thanking and shaking the hands of all present.

He left the boardroom, making his way down the carpeted hallway, finding a glass door.

Dalton Masters, Founder & CEO, it read as it parted for Ken to enter.

“Is he in,” Ken asked the secretary behind the desk, walking to another set of woodgrain French doors.

“I’ll buzz you in,” she responded.

Ken entered the office.

Its floor was a plush grey carpet and while the space itself was large it was mostly empty but for a table with a few chairs off the side, Dalton’s desk and a large filing cabinet behind it and a kitchen-like area that had a fridge, stove and microwave.

Behind the desk sat Dalton Masters, his jacket discarded resting on the back of his chair.

“How’d it go,” he asked, eyeing his son worriedly.

“I think I knocked out of the park,” responded Ken.

“You think,” questioned Dalton.

Ken shrugged, “It was a little rough. Some of them were trying to get rise out of me, but once I went into how it was me revamped our food services, I feel like I won the room.”

Dalton nodded, then broke into a wide smile, running from behind the desk taking Ken into giant hug, lifting the blonde into the air.

“That’s my boy,” Dalton practically yelled, letting Ken back on steady feet.

“Alright, alright,” Ken went bashfully at his dad’s energetic show of emotion.

“There’s some stiff competition among the other candidates, I gotta admit. We aren’t out the woods yet,” said Dalton.

“I know, dad. I’m not worried though. I’m a Masters,” responded Ken.

“Oh, look at you,” went Dalton with a teasing smile, “now you’re confident, Mr. I-think-I-hit-a-homer. Any plans?”

“Nah,” went Ken shaking his head, “I was gonna go back to the office and head home. Latest issue of SF Inquirer should be delivered by now.”

Dalton shook his head at his son, “You still read that rag-sheet? Oh, my vain, vain boy. The stuff they print ain’t fit to line a hamster’s cage.”

“It’s entertaining to see what stuff they come up with,” Ken said, breaking eye contact trying to hide conceitedness.

“I see,” said Dalton, “well don’t let your questionable taste in entertainment take your eyes off the prize.”

Ken nods.

He knows his father is right to ignore the sleazy newspaper, but he cannot let it go.

Dalton steps back to Ken, pulls him into an embrace, pushing their foreheads together.

He then breaks off, “What am I always telling you, kid? Alexander the Great only became king because he was Philip the 2nd’s son. But Alexander built his name on his own ability.”

Ken nodded once more before he took his leave.

“Alright, I’ll see you tomorrow,” said Dalton.

Ken left and made his way to his office, seeing his latest issue of the aforementioned newspaper right on his desk.

It was faced down as he grabbed it, made his to the elevator to parking lot and made his way home uneventfully.

He pulled into the driveway of his home, seeing his wife’s SUV already there signifying her and Mel already being home.

Ken’s home was in the city, it was a 3 story, 8-bedroom house on the corner of a slightly sloped street.

It had beige windows, beige trim and grey stucco/concrete exterior, sound resistant cali bamboo floors in the halls, kitchen and bathrooms, and plush carpet in the bedrooms.

Ken walked up to the side door, unlocking it and crossing the threshold.

“I’m home,” he yelled hoping the home occupants heard him.

“We’re in the kitchen, Ken,” responded Eliza.

Ken walked up a set of stairs (covered in the same cali bamboo) by the side door making his way to the kitchen.

As he walks in, he sees Eliza standing at the kitchen island, looking at the mail discarding one letter after the other on polished granite countertops.

She’s dressed in a short sleeved cyan colored sundress, with a gold necklace and heart pendant around her neck. She shifted back and forth on black flats as she went through the mail.

Her blue eyes shot up, catching Ken, giving him a better view of her angular face, her wavy blond hair bouncing with the motion. She threw the unsorted letters to the side, running toward Ken, “Baby,” she went as she threw herself into his arms, hers going around his neck, “how was the interview,” she asked, making some space between them but still in his embrace.

“I made good impression I feel,” said Ken.

“How long until you here back anything,” she asked.

“A few weeks maybe. Dad says there’s good applicants beside myself, but we’ll see,” he said, throwing the newspaper on top of the letters, “but enough about me, how was your day, and where’s Mel?”

She smiled brightly at him, “Other than freighting about your interview nothing out of the ordinary,” she then juts her head toward the nook, where the table stood, “Mel’s at the table getting his homework knocked out.”

He kissed his wife on the cheek, then broke out of the embrace.

As he approached Mel, Ken could hear a low ‘oh’ in surprise from Eliza and a ruffle of papers as he approached his son.

“Hey Mel,” said Ken as he sat next to him, ruffling his blonde hair playfully.

Mel’s blue eyes twinkled in fondness as he fought his dad’s hand off his head, then adjusted himself in his seat to get more comfortable. The youngest Masters was dressed in long sleeved white button-up, with a black tie that reached about belly button level. His uniform included a black vest but was rested on the back of the chair he sat in, and he wore black slacks and black dress shoes.

“Hey dad,” he said.

“Anything interesting happen today,” Ken asked, as he looked at one of the assorted workbooks Mel had on the table.

Mel dropped his head and blushed.

Eliza called from her spot at the island,” He told me on the ride home, his and Li-Fen’s class shared the math lab today. And her being an upperclassman she helped him out with some of his problems.”

“Oh really,” Ken questioned playfully, “did you tell her you think she’s cute?”

“I, I,” Mel stammered.

Eliza approached, newspaper in hand, “Leave him alone. Let him finish his work,” as she light smacked Ken over the head with the newspaper, “But if you’re really concerned about someone’s love life, I think you’ll find this latest issue of the inquirer a good read.”

She handed the paper off to him.

He saw the headline and the accompanying picture, and his eyebrows shot into his hair.

“What the fu…” he started.

“KEN,” interrupted Eliza.

“Right,” he went head dropping slightly in shame, “not in front of Mel.” He drops the newspaper on the table, taking a picture of it and then he taps his phone screen furiously.

Mel looks at the discarded newspaper, recognizing the couple in the picture, “Does this mean the spider lady’s going to be my new auntie?” he asked innocently.

“Not if I have something to say about it,” said Ken.

“Baby, I don’t think it’s something you should concern yourself with,” said Eliza, as she sat down with the father and son Masters at the table in the nook, “Juri’s come up a few times whenever I speak to Guile.”

“And what did he think,” asked Ken.

“His exact words were, ‘I feel she’s ready to be citizen’,” she said, imitating Guile’s voice and posture.

Mel laughs, as well Ken, “The threat of life in prison just might do that to a person,” he said.

Eliza lets out a huff, “I have no doubt Juri turned around out of preservation, but could you blame her? Besides that, don’t you think that maybe she got sick of living her life that way?”

Ken leans over, giving her a kiss on the cheek, “Part of why I love you is you always try to see the bright side of things,” said Ken.

Eliza cuts her eyes at him, “Why do I feel a ‘but’ coming on?”

“No buts,” said Ken, “I just don’t trust her.”

His phone rings, indicating a text.

He looks down, seeing Chun-li’s response.

‘Love is in the air, but that headline is a little overdramatic for my taste’, it read.

‘What do you think of this’, he typed back.

‘I guess its good they’ve found someone,’ she typed back.

‘You think she’s on the up-and-up.’ Ken punched in.

‘Believe it or not, I trust her to keep her nose clean. This might be good for her, for Ryu too. Though I am a little worried,’ said Chun-li’s text.

Another one from Chun-li came immediately, ‘I’m about to start on dinner though, Talk to you later.’

‘Got ya. Don’t burn down the kitchen’, he typed back.

She responded by sending a middle finger emoji.

“Well that was fruitless,” said Ken, “we still got that P.Is business card?”

Eliza shakes her head.

***

AN: So, this was more to establish Ken and Chun-li as solid supporting characters and to set up some conflict. Do expect some more Chun-li and Ken centric stuff going forward.

Ryu must not be used too much contact with the opposite sex, Juri guessed.

Ever since she latched on to him outside the restaurant, he’s been tense, not just in his body language but she also feels it his in arm.

It’s not like he’s trying to flex, plus he doesn’t really need to, Juri thought.

And he’s trying his best not to look in her direction.

If he didn’t have a small dusting of red on his face that wasn’t so cute, she might’ve been offended.

“So,” said Ryu weakly, still intrigued by everything around Juri, “what do you do for a living these days?”

Such a harmless, innocuous question, Juri thought lightheartedly.

She decided to answer, humoring his attempt to distract himself.

“Security consultant,” said Juri.

“I guess we’re in the same line of work,” he said, pausing to think about what he said, before he added, “in a manor of speaking.”

“Hmm,” Juri went as she gathered her thoughts. “Due to my former life, I’m decently versed in stealthy infiltration. Some of the jobs I’ve done for S.I.N required me to take down a target, some of whom were in well-fortified buildings. You know, police stations, government buildings and once or twice actual fortresses.”

Ryu nods along, now making eye contact with Juri.

“And therein lies my expertise, finding the weakness not just in the buildings that can be exploited, but patrols, the staff, whatever. There’s a lot of businesses and organizations in this town that would find those skills and experiences valuable. It keeps me decently busy, maybe 2 or 3 jobs a month. Plus, Chun-li says I need to keep some kind of employment. I can’t imagine Blondie keeps you terribly busy with the position he gave you.”

“Yeah, well,” he said somewhat nervously, breaking eye contact with her again, “I did tell you I planned to talk to him about that. I’d much rather earn my way, you know?”

“Mmhmm, prideful boy. I can respect that,” said Juri as she ran her hand down his arm teasingly slow, smiling at the small shiver she once more managed goad out of him.

“Juri,” he responded with a shutter she found to be very endearing, “Where are we going?”

“Since you asked so nicely,” she said. “Reliving some of what I told you has got me pretty worked up, and I need to work off some of that energy.”

She stops in front of him, leaning into his face while taking his chin her thumb and index pulling his face slowly closer to her, “It’s something I sometimes do on my own, but I haven’t had a partner in a while. I figured since I’m in such good company, I might as well take advantage of the companionship…”

***

As hip-hip music blared, though muffled, Juri leads Ryu by the hand down an alley toward the entrance to a building.

It was a nondescript medium sized brick exterior structure, looking like it used to be a warehouse or manufacturing building in its past life.

Besides the music ringing out, there’s a neon yellow sign above the entrance that read in graffiti style lettering, ‘The Lemony’, with cocktail glasses and music symbols underneath it that gave away what the place is now used for.

As they continued their approach, a small line could be seen, a group of friends and three couples, waiting to be let in.

Juri and Ryu take their spots in line.

Ryu can’t help but notice that hadn’t Juri let go of his hand, the simple action making him way past nervous not all used to this kind of contact from the fairer sex.

Luckily whatever deity’s looking out for him has made it that his palms are free of sweat, despite his nerves.

They got to the front of the line, now facing down the doorman, a tall muscular man (though slightly less so than Ryu), with a bald head, green eyes, black leather pants, a fanny pack around his waist, black sneakers and a black t-shirt that carries the name/logo of the club that matched the sign in color and styling.

The door man is looking to the true entrance of the building, which was a short tunnel that led to two very heavy looking French steel doors that also had the logo of the establishment on them.

The couple that was in front them opened the doors, the music now absolutely blaring, but then going back to muffled as the doors closed back up.

The doorman then looks to Ryu and Juri, his face relaxes as he sets eyes on the couple.

“Juri!” He said in a deep baritone, obviously recognizing Ryu’s company and not Ryu himself, “Been a while since you’ve graced us with your presence.”

“My friend and I feel like dancing tonight. I’m eager to see what he can do,” She responded once more.

“And this must be the boy-toy Rachel texted me about earlier,” he responded.

Juri’s face drops at the news.

“Hey,” said the doorman, as he brought his hands up defensively as he smiled, “don’t shoot the messenger. Kid’s just happy to see you playing the field.”

“She’s not the best match maker, I’ll tell ya that much,” responded Juri, folding her arms under her chest while still smiling, the playfulness evident in her features.

“And what about that other friend of yours? The uh, thick one. With the ox tails. My boss has been asking about her.” He asked.

“Trust me, he’s not her type.” Responded Juri.

They stand there for a beat.

“I’m Ronald Garett. I can guess you already met my sister at the Flamenco Tavern,” said the doorman addressing Ryu. “Through her slight annoyance with my sister, it looks like Ms. Manners here left hers at home.”

Ronald extended a hand as he dodged a mock punch from Juri.

“Ryu,” he responded taking his hand in Ronald’s, “Ryu Hoshi.”

Taking a 2nd look at the man Ryu can see the resemblance between Ronald and his sister.

They both carried a similar energy Ryu sensed but Ronald was more subdued than Rachel.

“Alright” he said, “it’s a 40-dollar cover and I’m going to need to see some I.D.”

“All business now Ronnie?” asked Juri lightly mocking, as she dug in her pockets.

“What can I say, I’m on the job technically,” said Ronald.

Ryu produced an I.D and the bills to pay the cover.

“Come on. I’m still treating you remember?” Juri protested as she saw Ryu handing off the bills to Ronald.

“No, no,” Ryu protested now, “I’ve got it. I’ll also cover whatever else we get into tonight. It’s the least I can do to repay you for dinner.”

“Fine, fine,” responded Juri. She took his hand once more, as she leaned in. “Plus, I like the sound of ‘whatever else we get into’. What else have you got planned for me?”

Ryu’s face heats up as Ronald takes the bills and hands their I.D’s back.

“Have a good time,” laughed Ronald, “And thank for looking out for Rachel!”

Ryu didn’t get a chance to regroup before Juri grabbed his hand again, guiding him toward the entrance.

She must be eager to work off that excess energy, Ryu thought.

Ryu was painfully aware of the lack of respect Juri had for his personal space, but oddly enough he didn’t mind.

The smiles, the touches, the teases were all actions he welcomed (and would tell Juri so if he were a tiny bit more courageous).

He could see himself pursuing something more than what has happened and may happen beyond tonight, but he feels like maybe he’d be pushing his luck.

Clearly Juri was a social butterfly who attracted people everywhere she went.

What would she even want with a guy like him?

He’s not even sure what he’ll be doing with his life beyond here now, let alone his non-existent love life.

Maybe she’s just being friendly?

But Ryu can recall Eliza acting similarly when she and Ken started seeing each other.

And despite the pieces that have fallen into his lap, Ryu maybe too dense to figure out this means.

She rakes her fingers against him again, and a jolt of delight runs up to his head and down to his toes.

Friends don’t touch each other like this, he thought as he shivered in pleasure.

Ryu looked around, taking in the people and the sights around him.

His summation of the building being medium in size may have been incorrect as this club looks way bigger on the inside.

The floors are made of a glossy black ceramic tile or maybe vinyl, with little white dots scattered randomly giving the illusion of a stary night sky. There is a dozen or so booths that can fit maybe 7 or people all round the edges of the room. They’re circular in nature, with tables in the middle of each that shares the same color and dot scheming as the floor and the seating looks to be black plush leather. It’s dark but not too dark to see where one’s going. There are spotlights all along the ceiling, some static, some rotating slowly.

Juri leans up as they’re walking toward one of four bar set ups, each one with bright lights along the bases and the shelves stocked with liquor.

“Ken or Chun-li ever took you clubbing,” she asked loudly as they approached the gaudily lighted structure, her breath tickling his ear.

“They have, but I never stayed long. I don’t mind crowds, but they tend to be too loud.” Ryu responded.

“And you’re enduring the noise, just for me?” She pouted, cutely poking her lower lip with her index.

Ryu dumbly nods, the cute faces she makes quickly becoming a weakness of his.

“Excellent!” Juri said, her smile bright despite the darkened place they’re in. “What’re you drinking,” she asked as they finished their journey toward the bar.

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that,” Ryu lightly chided, returning a grin, “since I’m buying and all. So, what are you having?” He finished trying to lean cooly on the bar.

“Oh my god, you’re such a dork,” she giggled at him and his attempt at being trendy, “get me a sazerac thank you,” she went on as she laughed behind her hand.

Her laughter filled Ryu with the same pleasant feeling as being called his new nickname. Still unable to put a description to it, he turned his attention to the bar tender.

“What are you having,” a young woman dressed in a white tank top that bore the club’s logo and jeans asked behind the bar.

“Sazerac for my friend for here and,” Ryu paused very unfamiliar with alcohol.

He’s had a beer with Guile before and wasn’t very impressed with the taste. He’d only finished it out of politeness since the Air Force Major paid for it.

“I’ll have the same,” he finished.

He couldn’t imagine the drink Juri’s having could be any worse than a beer.

“How’s about we put these bad boys down and hit the dance floor?” Declared Juri as the bartender approached with their drinks.

They both take their glasses, “Bottoms up,” said Juri, as she offered her glass.

He obliged, the glasses coming together in light tink, in celebration of the new friendship.

Or whatever it is they’re doing here.

He brings the glass to his mouth, but his nose is assaulted by the strong pungent aroma of its contents. So strong he must suppress a recoil.

He looks to Juri, seeing she’s already finished hers.

She’s got a concerned smile on her face, “You know you don’t have to impress me getting the same drink as me. Sazeracs pack plenty of bite, and it looks to me you may not prepared for it. We can order you something else.”

Ryu should take the advice, but the idea of being bested by a drink doesn’t sit well with him.

“Maybe one sip wouldn’t hurt,” he said.

He takes a sip and the liquid burns as it rages down his throat, so much so he coughs as his eyes water.

***

She tried to warn him.

“You don’t drink much, do you?” Said Juri, as she patted his back as coughed.

“What was that?” He asked between coughs.

“Sazerac, starts with a glass rinsed and chilled with ice and absinthe and then set aside…” She began.

“Absinthe,” he questioned, his eyes going slightly wide as his coughing started to die down, “say no more.”

The bartender sets a glass of water down for Ryu, “I can get you something a little lighter,” she stated simply.

“We just might take you up that,” Juri said addressing the bartender, “are you ok,” she asked, still with a subdued smile on her face as her back pats turned into circles.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m fine,” he rasped as he wiped remnants of the drink and spittle from his face from an offered napkin from the bartender, “your mouth must be made of metal between this and all that horseradish you had with your dinner.”

He wore a blush on his face, from the coughing Juri surmised, but probably from embarrassing himself.

“Maybe next time listen to me, tough guy,” she responded, “and by the way. My mouth is made of softer stuff than that, play your cards right and I may prove it to you.”

She takes the glass from him, downing the remainder of his portion of the Sazerac in one gulp.

His blush darkens, either from the implication of her words or the indirect kiss of the shared glass.

He coughs once more into his closed fist, probably to break his nerve.

I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of teasing him like this, she thought.

“I think I’ll take that drink,” he addressed the bartender but not breaking eye contact with Juri, “I’ll defer to your recommendation.”

It’s such a small consideration to make, but it still fills her with warmth.

Or maybe it’s the liquor.

“Get my man here a glass of a bourbon and ginger ale, one quarter bourbon, three quarter ginger ale with a squirt of cherry of syrup,” Juri requested.

The bar keep gives a look of apprehension but still goes about making the drink for Ansatsuken fighter.

She hands the finished concoction to Ryu, “Please don’t kill over in my section,” the bartender lightly joked.

“Drink it slow,” Juri asked.

He brings the glass to his face.

He’s not recoiling, so that’s a good sign.

He takes a good swig.

“It’s good,” he says, finishing the glass, “I think I’ll have another.”

“Not so fast, I don’t want you too loaded before I get a dance out of you,” said Juri, “like I said before I’m eager to see what you can do.”

Nervousness starts to creep its way back on to his features.

Juri likes that she can get these reactions out of him.

She finds his straight forwardness very refreshing in a world preoccupied with presenting a façade.

He throws a few bills on the bar to pay off their tab.

“Come on,” she said taking him by the hand dragging him to the dance floor before he had a chance to protest. “Luckily, it’s a weekday, so we don’t have to contend with a whole lot of people,” she said, as she navigated them through the assorted groups and couples in the area showing off their moves.

They settle on a spot with plenty of room between them and the other club goers.

An upbeat, relatively fast song is playing, and it doesn’t take long for Juri to find her rhythm.

She’s losing herself in the beat, her hands above her head, running her fingertips through her hair, her feet set as she moves her hips in time to the music.

She looks to her partner.

He’s moving, and well…

Let’s not be overly generous here.

He’s moving but not to any beat or rhythm Juri can pick up.

It’s more like he’s spasming out like a beached fish and said fish is being electrocuted.

He’s distracting.

So much so that she stops her own movements and starts shaking with laughter.

He picks up on this and moves closer to her.

She wipes a tear of mirth from her eye, expecting Ryu to at the very least upset at her laughing at him so.

I don’t get how such a talented fighter can be so uncoordinated on the dance floor, she thought.

He’s slightly flushed in the face, either from his one and a half drinks or from embarrassment, with a small smile playing on his lips.

“Maybe it’s too late to give a lesson,” He asked, shrugging his shoulders.

She raises an eyebrow at him, “Maybe you weren’t listening at dinner. It’s never too late.”

***

A good word to describe Juri’s movements would be hypnotic.

Ryu couldn’t help but be entranced by the way her hips swirled and twirled to the music.

And she would spin around, his eyes would drop down her figure.

Over her shoulders, down her back, to waist, again to her hips.

And lower even. Her actions producing a very enticing bounce to her…

“You sure you’re paying attention,” she asked lightly, disrupting the thought, looking back at him as she continued dancing, “find your rhythm, two-step for me.” She finished, going into the move seamlessly breaking into her previous moves sliding her feet across the dance floor snapping her fingers to the music while still maintaining her rhythm.

He tried to follow her advice of performing a ‘two-step’ to the music, but apparently, he isn’t doing a good job.

He tries the dance, but his movements are jerky and loose, and he isn’t sure what to do with his arms, so he keeps them bolted to his sides.

“Come on, do something with your arms! watch me,” she said, continuing the step, her elbows bent, fingers still snapping in rhythm as her arms flapped in time to the song.

Ryu does his damnedest to copy her motions, but he just can’t get it.

“OK,” says Juri, taking his hands in hers, “let’s try something else.”

“Thank you for having some mercy on me,” he says.

“Don’t thank me yet, the night isn’t over,” she responded.

Ryu observed her contemplation evident on her features. The Ansatsuken fighter surmises she’s working her way through her thoughts by tracing the calluses in his palms.

“You don’t have to work yourself this hard in order to teach me how to dance,” he said.

She looks up at him, her features soften as if she’s come to an epiphany.

“You’re a genius baby, I’ll be right back,” she said as she scurried off.

He stands there while he reflects on the night.

He doesn’t remember the last time he had so much fun.

Juri constantly keeps him on his toes with her teases.

And her laughter at his bad dancing.

If it was anyone else, he’d be self-conscious about it.

Melodic is the word he thinks of when her laughter comes to mind, it being added to his list of weaknesses regarding her.

Before he can consider the thought further, the lights dim, a slower song starts, and he can sense Juri making her way back to him.

“So, I’d figure a slower, more hands-on approach may be better,” she said.

Ryu laughed, “Like you haven’t been that way all night.”

“Guilty as charged,” she responded, “Well come on, budge in. I don’t bite,” she them playfully nipped at him, “unless you ask.”

He steps forward, this time he’s being the personal space invader, taking hold of her hands.

“Egar aren’t we?” She teased.

She pulls him close to the point where there’s practically no space between them. She takes his wrists, guiding his hands to her to her waist and then she places her hands behind his neck, her wrists resting on where the nape of his neck and shoulders meet.

As he adjusted his grip, looking to get a more comfortable hold on her, he noticed how thin the material of her romper is.

And the softness of her skin underneath.

She lets out a small giggle, as settled his hold on her.

“You trying to see if I’m ticklish?” She shot at him.

“I’m, uh, admiring the material of your outfit,” he responded lamely.

“Well stop admiring and start stepping. I want you to follow my movements. Treat it like a fight,” she said as she began to take small steps to the music still maintaining the same distance or lack there of between them, “like you’re looking to close the distance on me. I step, you step.”

She then fully committed, taking a larger step than before, expecting him to follow and he did.

“You got it?”

“Yeah, I think I follow.”

It took a few songs, but Ryu eventually found his footing.

He stepped on Juri’s toes a few times, but it looks like she’s not holding it against him judging by the way she’s been looking at him.

Speaking of which, his eyes fall on his dance partner.

Juri’s currently looking up at him, her expression even, eyes slightly lidded and her lips slightly parted. Despite the natural look, Ryu can tell she’s far from it.

He notices her left eye, the Feng Shui engine, glowing faintly.

“What,” she said, quirking an eyebrow at him and her lips starting to curve into a smile.

“I,” he stopped, wanting to complement her. But he didn’t want to make things awkward. “Nothing,” he completed the thought.

“Are you drunk,” she asked, “don’t worry. It’s fine if you are. I think it’s cute that you’re a light weight.”

“I mean,” Ryu trailed off, the warmth of his drinks coursing through him, “I can’t deny it, I am a little buzzed. But what about you? You did have wine with dinner.”

She laughed, her face going into his chest, briefly turning the dance into a embrace as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

“You really didn’t invoke the ol’ ‘wine before liquor’, did you,” she said as her face emerged from his chest, hands going back to his shoulders and shaking her head fondly at him. She then brings a hand to his face, cupping his cheek, “your concern is touching, tough guy, really. But I’m fine.”

Yo, Mo Bee man, drop that shit, commanded a voice over the speaker as a new song started.

This track is slightly faster than the slower songs that have been playing, but Ryu’s able to keep up as Juri’s steps have become more energetic.

Ryu recognizes the artist of this song as Tupac, mostly from Ken’s playlists.

Juri adjusts her hold on him, running her hands across his shoulders, settling on the nap of his neck.

She began to run her fingertips in circles where she placed her hands, as she began to mouth along with the song as it played, and they continued to dance.

Tell me, baby are you lonely? Don't wanna rush ya

I can help ya if you only let me touch ya

If I'm wrong, love, tell me 'cause I get caught up

In the life I live, it's Hell see, I never thought I'd

See the day when I would calm down, you ain't heard?

I've been known to clown and get around, that's my word

See you walking and you looking good, yes indeed

Got a body like a sex fiend

She went along throughout the song continuing to mouth the lyrics earnestly, never breaking eye contact with Ryu.

Despite the club being darkened, Ryu can see her eyes shimmering like a beacon with an emotion he can’t quite place.

But that doesn’t matter as he can’t help but be drawn to it.

Their faces start to drift toward each other, like two celestial bodies in space.

Juri closes her eyes.

Ryu follows suit, as his heart drumming louder as each centimeter of emptiness disappears between their faces.

Their noses touch, lightly colliding.

But before their lips can meet, the song completes, and lights cut back on.

A more upbeat song starts to play as their faces start to part once more, but they’re still in each other’s embrace.

They don’t move, caught in each other’s eyes as the club and its patrons are still lively around them.

Juri breaks first, looking down to Ryu’s lips before looking back to his eyes as she bites her lower lip.

Between the alcohol and the way Juri’s looking him, Ryu’s head is swimming.

And maybe the alcohol is affecting Juri too.

He deflates a little at the thought, but he doesn’t let it show.

“I like this, being so close to you,” she said timidly, surprising Ryu as she had been pretty bold tonight, “but I think we should call it a night.”

Yet she’d made no move to leave his arms, and his hands remained at her waist.

“Are you sure,” Ryu asked shakily, “I don’t mind this either. The closeness I mean.”

Ryu must’ve found the courage he was lacking outside the club.

“Yeah,” she responded in a small voice smiling at his response.

She looked at him contemplatively before letting of him, and he let go of her.

But before he could think twice, she invaded his space again, kissing him on his cheek.

“If you ever want an ear to vent to, or another dance lesson. I’ll be around,” she said.

Ryu stood stupefied, yet elated at the possibility of seeing her again, “Y…Yeah.”

His hand starts to go to the spot Juri just kissed him instinctively.

But she intercepts it, slipping a piece of paper into his hand.

He looks down and he sees her phone number written on a napkin.

Now it was time to plan her move on Shadaloo and nab the prize.

Bison’s head.

Juri gave the fallen android very little regard as she lifted her foot to shatter Seth’s core, ensuring he wouldn’t be coming back.

Not unlike the roach who’s fond of red military garb, thought Juri.

The moment she crushed the Tanden Engine under her own foot, that was when Bison decided to reveal himself.

The metal automatic door hissed open, Bison stepping into Seth’s office, as if he owned the place.

She could hear bangs, shouting, explosions and gunshots beyond the office, making it clear Bison didn’t come alone.

It was no secret that Bison had moles in S.I.N, but Seth, being the unimaginative automaton he was, did nothing to eliminate them; furthermore even having S.I.N’s base in the same rainforests as the main Shadaloo base.

She remembered the humanoid once stating the mountains and forests of southern Thailand were naturally impenetrable.

Naturally impenetrable my ass, thought Juri.

The devil among men barely made any preamble.

He goes on the attack after giving a haughty “humph.”

Bison left his feet, charging her, the paramilitary leader going into a spin as the ki of his psycho power enveloped him.

She just managed to dodge him, jumping out of the as he blasted past her, shouting, “Psycho Crusher!”

Looking to take advantage of the opening she charged him as he recovered.

Bison came out of the spin of the psycho crusher, landing on both feet just as Juri came up on him.

Juri threw a flurry of punches and kicks to his body and head, hoping to catch him cold.

But Bison was no push over, he dodged, blocked or parried everything she threw.

After one parry, he held on to her wrist squeezing it tight as he shrouded it the burning ki of his psycho power.

In response, Juri then refocused her attack. She threw a kick low, thrusting her foot heel first with crippling intention towards Bison’s knee.

He grunted in pain, but his grip remained tight.

She did again.

Once more.

He released his grip, then produced a burst of sudden ki creating almost shield around him forcing Juri back.

She regained her footing, then began circling Bison as she shook her wrist.

The defensive aura ki around Bison disbursed, as he kicked the kinks out of his knee.

He smiles, “You intend to cripple me, girl?” He asked mockingly as he took his stance, widening his feet, placing his hands in place to protect his face and body.

Juri smiles at him, but with no mirth in her features. “I reckon a one-legged man is easier to kill than one with two,” she said shrugging off his question.

Bison charged her once more, taking a large step throwing himself into a low kick of his own aiming for her standing leg.

Juri, no stranger to such a tactic, leaps above the strike, flipping into the air with the intention of landing on her much-hated foe.

She makes contact with Bison, touching down both feet on his armored shoulders. She recognized he’s still off balance having thrown his body into that low kick, so she pushes off him performing another flip.

Bison collied with the ground, landing on his hands his back away from Juri; while Juri landed gracefully in a 3-point stance.

He regains his footing, just as Juri is on him once more.

He goes for a double collar tie, grabbing at the collar bones on Juri on both sides.

Juri sees this another opening, throwing a barrage of punches toward his now unprotected body.

“A…small…price…to pay,” Bison managed to spit out between landed blows.

It was then that he landed a thunderous knee to her midsection, using the collar tie to tilt her body to expose the vulnerable areas and pull her into the blows.

He tilts her to his left, kneeing her on her right side and vice-versa.

She desperately tries to fight her way out this clinch, punching, clawing, even swimming her hands using circular motion to break the dangerous embrace, but Bison has too much size on her, too much strength.

She wills the Feng Shui Engine to life in a last-ditch effort.

The boost the device gives her increases her strength enough for her power out of Bison’s hold, peeling his hands from her collar bones with her bare hands through sheer brute force and creates distance with a push kick to his body.

She needed to get back on the offensive as this boost he’s been granted won’t last long.

Plus, there’s a few things working toward her disadvantage.

Bison’s most recent attack took more out her than she realized, she was more fatigued from her clash with Seth than she’d care to admit, and of course have used the Feng-Shui Engine against Seth; it yields diminishing returns if utilized too soon in successive fashion.

“Did you use your little trinket against my spare?” he asked with a mocking smile.

“What does it matter,” she responded through gritted teeth, fists clinching tight, “you’ll fall just the same.”

They clashed again, this time Juri getting the better of the exchanges, the speed and power boost granted by the Feng-Shui Engine guiding her through.

But for each punch landed, she slowed slightly.

Each kick connected had a little less might behind it than the last.

She was reaching her limit and she knew it.

And would appear Bison picked up on it too.

He timed a punch batting it down and through that opening he threw an elbow to her face, it landing square on her nose.

Juri yelled, “Bastard!” as she retreated, holding her face.

Bison then approached her, imbuing his fists with Psycho energy.

He then begun to rain down punches on her, the Psycho Power-enhanced blows not only impacting her head and body, but also burning with each one landing.

She desperately covers up, trying her best to block the incoming attacks but it’s of little use, the Feng-Shui Engine whirring down as the boost it provided has completely elapsed.

The way he rained down blows on her made it clear he wasn’t there to beat her into submission or subservience.

He wasn’t there to make an example of her.

He was there to take her out and take S.I.N.

No!

Not when she’d just taken it for herself.

She tries to activate the Feng-Shui Engine once more.

Just as it starts to hum to life once more, Bison utters, “No more of that.”

He grabs her by the neck, lifting her into the air squeezing the life out her. He slams her back into the nearby steel wall, while still holding her by the throat.

She struggles with her feet kicking in the air as she gasps for breath, pounding desperately on the arm holding her up.

Bison reaches for her left eye, his intention to rip the Feng-Shui engine right out her head clear.

“Kkekk,” she spits out as her struggle gets more erratic, batting his hand away with each attempt only being more futile than the last while Bison squeezes her neck tighter.

As her consciousness fades, she enacts one more act of desperation.

She grasps the sides of his head, pushing her thumbs into his sockets.

He lets out a wail, “Rahh! You wretch! I’ll make you suffer for this!”

Take mine, I’ll take your you son of a bitch, she thought.

He grabs her by the wrists, tearing her hands from his face.

Still holding her by the arms, he throws Juri across the room.

She crashed into Seth’s desk, the piece of furniture exploding into splinters upon impact.

Juri hacks and coughs, trying to regain her breath after being strangled. Her hand massaged her neck as body throbbed in agony after being thrown.

She observed Bison, staggering about the room, hands at his eyes, trying to rub the vision back into them.

“Tell me where you are, and your suffering will be brief!” He screamed, as he dropped his hand from his eyes, the skin around them red and swollen from being thumbed.

“Ah, a good attempt,” he said facing Juri, the south Korean presumably coming into focus, “but it will take more than that to take down the mighty Bison.”

Juri tried to push herself up but found her body too fatigued to do so, collapsing immediately.

She managed to get herself on her knee, bracing herself with a hand on the ground. She looked up and saw Bison powering his way toward her.

Is this it?

This can’t be it.

Not when I have the bastard right here!

She clenches her grounded hand in frustration but finds it closing around a piece of wood from the destroyed desk.

One surely wouldn’t be performing surgery with it but it’s ends look sharp enough that with enough force it could do some damage.

She looks around, seeing she’s not too far from a wall.

She pushed herself up, makeshift shank in hand, letting her momentum guide her to the wall to minimize any effort it would take to stand and move otherwise.

She would need the energy.

Bison continued his stride toward her, just passing where she kneeled previously.

“Run, run, little spider,” mocked Bison.

He must still be blurry-eyed, thought Juri, as he’s made no mention of the piece of wood nor made no move to disarm her.

He reaches out with both hands, clasping around her neck to finish what he started.

“Take heed and be happy that the last thing you’ll see is my…”

Bison is cut off, as the pointed piece of wood is plunged into abdomen just below the chest, Juri aiming for the heart or liver.

She stabs again, he responds by grabbing at his wounds with one hand choking her with the other, but the clasp isn’t as tight as it was before.

Must’ve hit pay-dirt.

She takes the improvised weapon by both hands, this time plunging it into Bison neck with all the strength she had left.

She pulls out the piece of wood, the crude weapon coming out with a wet splunk.

Bison releases her, as he stumbles back, blood spraying out his neck.

His now free hand goes to his neck wound trying to stop the bleeding.

He drops to his knees, now holding both lacerations.

He then holds out both hands, looking down at them with a sneering smile.

He looks up to Juri, as his face relaxes and then his body crumbles into a heap unceremoniously.

Juri throws down the piece of wood at the unmoving Bison.

“Dae-Jung and Areum Han say hello from heaven, you fuck,” Juri muttered weakly before she herself collapsed.

***

Ryu stared at Juri as finished this piece of her story, her own stare was downcast.

“That story in the newspapers was that Bison…”

“I know Juri,” interrupted, “my guess is that leaders of the world figured is better the everyday citizen thought Bison went down like some grand finale befitting an action movie villain, and not stabbed to death by a desperate girl on her last legs.”

Ryu noticed a slight tremble of her hand, the memory of her final battle with Bison obviously a very sore spot.

Juri must’ve observed him seeing her display of anguish, as she brought her hand to her mouth, biting her index finger between her lips.

“Juri, you could’ve told the story that circulated in the papers and wherever and I wouldn’t have been the wiser,” said Ryu, as he took the hand she had up to her mouth into his hand. “Why are you telling me this?” he asked earnestly.

She looked down at their entwined hands, and then looked back to Ryu.

Smiling sadly, her nodding down as she looked at him through her eyelashes, “Maybe I’m a nicer person than I’ve led on all these years. Maybe since you trusted me with your problems, I feel like I can trust you with this.” She finished as began to caress Ryu’s hand.

She took a noticeable breath, preparing to speak.

But before she could, John walked up to their table from behind Ryu, asking, “Can I get you both anything else?”

Juri pushed Ryu’s hand away, as if it was scalding hers, looking in a direction away from both John and Ryu.

She cutely pouted, as crossed her arms across her chest.

Ryu smiled at her as she angrily told John, off, “We’re fine!” She huffed out.

He can see Rachel motioning behind Juri, signaling for John to leave the couple be.

“Uh, yeah. ” said John, as he walked away.

She unfolded her arms, taking deep swig of her wine, “I’d like to continue if you don’t mind?” she asked lightly.

“Go right ahead,” responded Ryu, motioning her to go on, “I’m eager to hear what happened next,” he said as he placed his hand on the table.

“I woke up a few hours later, the first thing on my mind was…”

***

She did it.

She’d finally did it.

After almost a decade of toil her one goal since her parents’ death has come to fruition.

Bison’s dead.

And by her hand.

She ought to feel happy, celebratory even.

She opened her eyes, the lights of the florescent blubs above her burning them.

“Fuck,” she muttered to herself, covering her eyes with her arm while attempting to sit up.

But her whole body is incredibly sore, likely from the battle with Bison.

Had it not been for this pain she would’ve been left with a hollow feeling.

The empty, hollow she feared would surface once her revenge was consummated.

Just as Chun-Li warned…

“I see you’re awake,” called a voice from the side of the bed Juri occupied.

Juri looked at the figure from underneath her arm, laying her eyes on Crimson Viper.

The S.I.N agent is seated in a plastic seat, metal legged chair with her legs and arms crossed. Her red hair is in a messy ponytail. Viper has a few cuts here and there marring the otherwise mesmerizing beauty, the most obvious of which is one on her pouty lips. Viper’s looking at her with a neutral look on her face as if she’s trying to get a read on her. Absent is her usual business suit that hides her battle equipment, in its place is a skintight red catsuit with a solid black line running down the arms, sides, continuing down legs plunging into solid black combat boots and she has matching tactical gloves on her hands. She has a holster around her shoulders with a handgun the model of Juri is having trouble identifying.

“Nice to see you’re still among the living,” said Viper, as her expression softened slightly.

“I feel like death,” responded Juri through gritted teeth, as tried to stand up again this time succeeding despite the pain.

“Maybe halfway alive at least,” joked Viper.

“I take it I’m in the infirmary,” asked Juri.

“You got it.”

Juri looks around, noticing not too many of the other beds of the infirmary occupied.

“How many of ours did we lose. I mean, when I was fighting Bison things seemed to be going to hell outside of Seth’s office. I take it we didn’t lose too many?”

“Not a whole lot, though obviously we did suffer some casualties. Despite the idiocy of keeping the mobile base of S.I.N in the same forests as Shadaloo base, Seth did have an efficient plan for the inevitable Shadaloo attack. A shame he didn’t live to see it through.” Finished Viper as she gave a pointed look to Juri.

“Oh,” Juri laughed,” you’re sorry he’s gone?”

“You insult me by asking. Only thing I’m sorry about is that you got to him first,” said Viper, as her eyes narrowed at Juri, in which the Taekwondo fight reads as look of resentment, “both of them.”

Whatever plans Crimson Viper had regarding Seth and Bison are now irrelevant, and really don’t concern Juri.

With Bison dead, her next move should be moving on Shadaloo as soon as possible. Juri doesn’t doubt Bison has a spare body or two lying around the main base.

But also, she needs to do something, anything before the hollowness consumed her.

“Early bird gets the worm,” Juri responded, throwing on a façade of confidence, “and since I took out Seth that means I call the shots here now!”

Crimson Viper looks at Juri, looking at her almost as she sees through her.

If she did, Viper didn’t make any mention of it.

“I guess it does,” Viper replied simply.

“How soon do you think we’ll be able to move on Shadaloo,” asked Juri.

“In your condition?” Said Viper with a surprised inflection, leaning forward, “You can barely stand upright in that bed without wincing in pain!”

“Huh, didn’t know you cared so much Viper, but that’s not what I asked.”

“Fine, you’re the boss I guess,” said Viper, “we can probably be ready in under 12 hours. Bison brought with him about 500 soldiers, and by our latest estimation he had a total of 700 at his disposal at the main Shadaloo base. Most of those 500 he brought with are either dead or captured right now. At our last head count of our manpower, we had 400 men at our disposal, and we barley lost 100 in this battle. Plus, we can probably bolster our numbers with those we’ve captured or at least those whose loyalty can be bought. Also, those among detained we’ve got F.A.N.G, their second in command. We can probably use F.A.N.G to take ‘em without any further conflict.”

“But where’s the fun in that,” responded Juri.

***

Ryu looked on as Juri spoke further, leaning forward in anticipation of the next part of this story.

She paused as John came back, taking their plates.

“Can I get some more water,” asked Juri.

John simply nodded, stepping away from the table, having taken his que from Rachel to avoid interrupting the couple too much.

Maybe, I shouldn’t think of us as couple, though Ryu, maybe just acquaintances having dinner.

Juri, as if reading Ryu’s mind continued, “And there’s not really much to say about taking on Shadaloo. We mobilized all able-bodied members S.I.N plus those members of Shadaloo that stormed the base that we’re willing to change alliances and stormed their base. We even used the air carriers they used to come to us to travel there. They were out manned, out gunned so surrender was the only logical thing Shadaloo could’ve done.”

Ryu looked on at Juri, slightly disappointed, “I kind of expected more but considering the circumstances, surrender was probably the most likely outcome.”

“Yeah, I mean we brought F.E.N.G with us to prove we weren’t playing around let alone the troops we brought with us. The most exciting thing after that was my 1st official act as head of Shadaloo. It was well known that Bison has ‘spare’ bodies laying around,” Juri said using quotation marks. “I demanded to know where were in the base. I was taken to a subterranean room where there were 4 glass tanks, each containing a fully realized clone of Bison floating in some liquid. I ordered them all off whatever life support system they were connected to. And just to make sure there was no coming back for him, I took a side arm from one of my escorts and put two in the head chest of each copy.” Juri stopped, looking at Ryu as if she was ready for him to pass judgement on her for what she did.

“Lay it on me tough guy. I know you have something to say about this. Whatever it is, I can take it.” Said Juri impatiently.

Ryu’s brows shot up in surprise.

He could imagine being in her shoes if something happened to someone he cared for.

Hell, he almost crossed that line when Crimson Viper decided it was a good idea to torture Cammy in order to goad out the Satsui no Hado.

“Juri,” he started seriously, “While I have been a witness to the cruelty of M. Bison, it has always been in the context of a fight. I cannot begin to fathom the things he’s done to others in the name of his criminal empire, least of all what he put you through. If you thought it was necessary to complete your revenge, I will not judge you for it. The least I can say is that he will not be missed,” Ryu finished, as he returned Juri’s stare.

She laughed sadly.

“You’re being nicer to me than I was to myself was to all those months ago.”

“How do you mean?” asked Ryu.

“Well remember earlier when I described my feelings after I woke up in the infirmary. Hollow, empty. I hoped that what was left of Shadaloo had put up a fight. That way I can occupy myself with something other than this emptiness. Fucking bastards, rolling over as quickly as they did,” Juri spoke with bitterness in her tone. “And after that? After that I thought about what my parents would want. Would they have wanted me to avenge them like this? No. My dad probably would’ve wanted me to be like Chun-Li, go into law enforcement. Or be like him, become a prosecutor. Take the bad guys down, all fair and just like,” she said as waived her hand. “And that hollowness showed too. Everything I was to be briefed on, I showed no interest in. Crimson Viper knew that too. That might be why she approached me afternoon of the following day…”

***

Juri Han sat at a large desk (likely made from some rare or expensive species of wood she surmised), her elbow on its surface as she held her head in her palms as she stared down its fine finish.

Buttons and retractable screens were built into opulent the piece of furniture, likely for delegating decisions for running this to go smoother. But for the life of her, Juri didn’t know how (or even care to) work them.

Nothing in particular was on her mind, she simply sat there.

Existing.

She found herself surrounded by luxurious and posh things, but Juri just couldn't find it in her to care.

Despite that, there was no fanfare to her becoming the new head-honcho of Shadaloo and reconsolidating S.I.N back into its fold. It was just simply understood among those in the base.

It’s not that she’d expected anything either, the only thing she was given was a brief of ongoing operations.

Said briefing probably included how to work the do-dads on this desk, not that she paid any attention to it.

Almost in a haze she followed around some scientist or engineer she didn’t bother to get the name as the big brain droned on about one thing or another.

She’d ended up just leaving Crimson Viper with the scientist, leaving it up to her to brief her later.

Viper took it upon herself to be acting number two, following Juri around like she did. Juri simply made it official.

Her 2nd act as the new head of Shadaloo.

Guess I should make the 3rd act a crash course in how to work this desk, thought Juri.

But before she could put a fingertip to a button, the doors to the office hissed open.

The doors completed their cycle revealing Crimson Viper (dressed in her normal battle suit) and two Shadaloo/S.I.N troops.

“Hear for that briefing, Viper?” Juri asked.

“A briefing, I guess you can say,” Viper answered.

As the doors hissed back closed, Viper approached the control panel next to the opening typing something into it.

As she did that, the two troops came into the room with her pulled silencers from their person, fixing them into place on the muzzles of their sub-machine guns.

“I see,” said Juri, as the troops trained their weapons on to her, “making your move. Make it quick at least.” She finished, ready to accept her fate.

“That depends on you,” said Crimson Viper as she approached the desk.

“I’m sorry,” said Juri incredulously, “are you not taking Shadaloo for your own purposes? Cause that’s what it looks like to me!”

“I am, just not in the way you think.”

“Well,” replied Juri, waving impatiently at Viper to clear the air, “stop fucking double talking with me!”

“I’ve been working deep cover as an agent through the C.I.A, with the goal of taking down Shadaloo and S.I.N and considering those have just become one, though I guess it’s just Shadaloo now.”

“I just made your job easier it looks like, you’re welcome.”

Viper simply scoffs at her, staring down, almost through Juri as the C.I.A operative continued. “We were planning a joint raid of both facilities within the next few weeks as we had good information that Bison was going to attack S.I.N soon. It never could’ve been anticipated that he would strike at the same time you took out Seth. The plan was to raid whatever was left over as it’d be in a weakened state, but it could be said that’s still the plan now. Observing you after Shadaloo’s attack, I recommended we move up the timeline for the raid. It was clear to me that whatever motivation you had died with M. Bison. And with you as the head of Shadaloo the body would fall easily.”

“Ok,” said Juri, still unsatisfied with the answer, “I get arrested with everyone else here assuming you three are the only undercovers. That still doesn’t explain why you came to me now. Why not just take me down during the raid? Shit, why not just take me out of the equation right now? Something tells me you’re looking to make some kind of deal and let me walk away from this little meeting, provided I say the right things,” Juri said as she leaned back into her chair. “What makes you think I won’t just say what you want hear and I won’t just run for it afterwards?”

“Well,” said Viper, lips curling into a smile that didn’t reach her eyes, “the assumption that we’re the only three undercovers would be wrong. We’ve got people all over this place, including the exits. Should this meet go sour or you try to run, you will be killed. Cover stories already prepared, ‘Juri Han was shot dead after making an undercover operative and compromising the upcoming raid.’ And why bring you into the loop? You can leverage your current position as leader Shadaloo. Make yourself nice a soft-landing after the fall.”

“But why come to me start with? If Shadaloo goes down and me with it, I’m fine with that at this point. There’s nothing in this world left for me,” responded Juri.

“Exactly,” said Viper.

Juri’s brow creases, her lips splitting into a sneer. She brings her fist into the table, making a sizeable dent as she screamed, “You’re doing this because you feel sorry for me!”

“Maya, clear out for a shot,” said one of the agents obviously prepared to fire on Juri.

“No,” said Viper, motioning at them to hold their fire. “Call it a good deed, but despite everything I know you don’t want die to here. Shadaloo is going to fall and you along with it. The difference being is your cooperation. You want to be difficult, fine. We have enough to bury you in the deepest, darkest international hell hole we can find. You go along with it, you’re probably looking at a life sentence, with the possibly parole in a decade or two. Maybe even you get to walk, but I can’t guarantee anything.”

Fair enough, thought Juri, but it’s the pity that I cannot stand. It reminds of when my parents were killed. Everyone saying that they were sorry, it made me feel so fucking powerless! Like how I’m powerless now…

“So, what now. We just wait for the raid,” asked Juri as she unfurled her fist.

“Raid takes place tomorrow morning, 0500 hours. 0500 is an hour before the night guards switch shifts with the morning guards. That’s the best window we surmised to minimize any casualties. Night guards would be too tired and not as vigilant at the end of their shift. Moring guard wouldn’t even be in position to repel any attack. I recommend you read up on how this place runs and on current running operations as you can. The more you know, the more leverage you’ll have. This control panel should have everything you need to familiarize yourself with everything, knowing that mind of yours has perfect recall.” Viper pulls a device from a pocket on her battle suit, “One the things I was briefed on yesterday was how operate this thing, the recorded instructions are on this.”

Crimson Viper placed the recorder contraption the desk as she turns to walk away, motioning at the two guards.

The two troops lower their weapons and remove the silencers from the muzzles.

“See tomorrow morning Juri.”

Juri doesn’t hesitate to dive into Shadaloo’s files as the three C.I.A operatives take their leave, activating the recording device. The big brain from yesterday afternoon begins to drone directions for operating the desk/control console, his recorded voice bouncing off the walls the office.

Juri loses track of time, seeing things she knew, seeing things she didn’t know, but also seeing things she wishes she didn’t.

A few things she makes note of, as they may serve as leverage come tomorrow.

Before she realizes it, it’s 3 am local time. 2 hours before the raid.

She can’t sleep, she’s much too anxious.

She should probably shower as facing the day ahead with funk of the previous day not seeming like a good idea.

Luckily this office has an in-suite bedroom that included a bathroom.

After a 20-minute shower, she fixes her in her signature spider fang style, that killing another 45 minutes.

4:05am.

Still another 55 minutes to the raid.

Juri decided to eat something, as she doesn’t remember the last time she ate something and would definitely need the energy to face the day.

Luckily this office had a mini fridge stocked with fresh fruit and water bottles.

She helps herself to a few handfuls of grapes, a banana and a water bottle.

After finishing she looks at the clock again.

4:40am.

Shit.

This waiting is killing her.

So, she decided to do one more thing.

She discovered Shadaloo had money and a lot of it.

If several million went missing who’s know the difference.

And being the head of Shadaloo (though only for a few minutes more) she had access and control.

Viper even said there’s a chance she can walk!

No way she starts over without a, what did Viper call it?

‘A soft landing spot.’

A few key stokes here and a whole shit ton of money moved to an off sore account under an assumed name Shadaloo already had under its use, said account removed from the database.

There!

Soft landing secured.

Even if she doesn’t walk, she at least has something she come back to when she meets parole.

And not a moment too soon as the clock now read 4:59am local time.

5:00am

Juri waits with bated breath for all hell to break loose.

And just as clock hits 5:01am, she hears simultaneous booms indicating breach explosives have been used at all points of entry.

Then the loud klaxon of an alarm starts to blare.

She hears commotion and orders being barked but no sounds of fight being put up.

Viper was on the money after all.

It’s not until another hour after the initial raids that the doors to the office open again.

Once more it’s Crimson Viper or Maya as one the troops from yesterday afternoon called her and several more people dressed head to toe in tactical gear (she presumes they’re C.I.A).

“Had a good night I hope,” said Viper.

“Better than you might expect,” replied Juri.

Viper looks back at one of soldiers, motioning them toward Juri.

The tactically dressed soldier then steps forward, removing their helmet revealing the twin ox tail hair adorned with white broaches and ribbons, brown hair and angular face of Chun-li.

The INTERPOL officer looks to Viper, “It won’t make up for Bison,” said Chun-Li, pulling out a pair of handcuffs, “but it’s a start.”

Juri goes to stand.

“You didn’t have to do all this just to get me in cuffs, all you had to do is just ask officer,” Juri spoke lightly as she lifted her hands above her head, “though I’d prefer to be cuffed to the head of a bed than this.”

Chun-Li shook her head at Juri, her face a stone mask and simply replied, “Please fuck this up. Besides, that won’t be needed anyways. Hands in front of you and sit back down, slowly.”

Juri looked to Viper as she obeyed the command, “Is Bazooka Joe and the kitten joining us?” She asked.

“As a matter of fact, they will be, but in the meantime, I think you and the agent here,” said Chun-li as the jutted her head in Maya’s direction, “have somethings to discuss.”

Another one of the tactically dressed troops steps forward, this one with a curved grab bar (like one a person would see in a shower or bathroom, but this looked more heavy-duty) and a nail gun.

He places them on the floor as he feels around the desk, likely for a spot where no wires or electricity runs through, their intention to handcuff Juri to the desk becoming clear to her.

“This thing’s bolted to the floor, correct?” asked the faceless soldier, referring to the desk.

Viper nods.

The soldier, having found a spot he liked, places the bar on the desk quickly nails in place as Chun-Li cuffs Juri’s wrist and cuffs the other end to the bar.

Juri tugs her cuffed hand, the metal of the cuffs and bar making a loud clanking noise, “I figured I’d test…”

She’s interrupted by a high-pitched whine and a pain emanating from the left side of her head.

“FUCK,” Juri said loudly.

“That was a test of this little number,” said Viper waiving a small remote in her hand, “to ensure your compliance. It interferes with Feng Shui Engine. So don’t get cute.”

Juri, holding her head as she’s reeling from the effects of this mysterious remote says, “Bitch, I’m fucking beautiful.”

Viper smiles cruelly as goes to press it again.

“Viper, come on!” Intoned Chun-Li, as she grabs the C.I.A agent’s hand, stopping the button press. “This isn’t necessary. We’ve got her, she’s completely beleaguered, and her life is practically on the line!”

“Fine, I suppose we better get this started,” said Maya, pocketing the remote, but Chun-Li snatches the remote into her own hands.

The soldiers present then train their weapons to Chun-Li.

“I’ll hold on to this,” she said not even blinking at the fact that she has several dozen guns pointed at her. She then levels her unwavering stare at Viper, resolved steeled in her brown eyes, “While I don’t trust Juri, I trust you even less.”

Viper returns a glare at Chun-Li, “This is why your types don’t make it in espionage. Always thinking with your heart,” said Viper. She motioned the other troops present to lower their weapons. She then pulls out a thumb drive as walked towards Juri, “If you’ll be a dear get this built-in panel activated. This thumb drive contains spyware that will stream all data to a team of a few dozen analysts to disseminate everything contained in this system. All I need for you is to turn it on and insert the thumb drive. The program will do the rest. You learn anything going over this database last night?”

“I learned this organization is way more fucked up than I thought,” replied Juri.

Juri takes the thumb drive from Maya, pushing a button that pulls up a keyboard and panel, that panel acting as a screen.

“You know another thing I learned is there is cute little button,” intoned Juri.

“Juri…” warned Viper.

Juri stuffed the drive into the crotch of her tights, “It acts as mass a delete of all Shadaloo databases of not just here, but all 25 bases worldwide.”

Juri feels a slight thrill of payback as Viper’s features melt into a frown.

“Oh, looks like you didn’t know that did you? I committed the locations to memory and intentionally locked the data pertaining to those locations behind a password protected file. Windows 10 is amazing isn’t?” Said Juri as she smiled arrogantly at Viper.

Viper then looks to Chun-li, expectantly.

“Don’t look at super cop here, if you didn’t notice torture’s not something she’d stoop to. Sometimes it pays to be the bigger person,” Said Juri.

A few of soldiers then level their guns at Juri, her hand hovering over the mass delete button. “Who knows whatever else precious information I’ve committed to memory?”

“No,” said Viper commanding soldiers present to stand down. “No, you’re right. What do you want?”

“Whoever’s running this operation, tell them I want to talk about what I get for my cooperation. Tell them I want to walk! Tell them wow!” Commanded Juri, the hollowness of yesterday forgotten now that a chance to live, even the smallest chance, is in her grasp.

“Juri, I told you. I can’t guarantee…” said Viper.

But then Chun-li interrupted.

“This is a coalition run by the C.I.A, INTERPOL, International Court of Justice, Delta Red and about a dozen other international law enforcement and military agencies. We can get word to someone Viper.” Stated Chun-li.

“Fine,” said Viper, pulling out a cell phone. “But I need something from you. Anything!”

“Okay,” said Juri, “Shadaloo was aware of your status as C.I.A asset, but being seeing as you were only with S.I.N they’d decided to sit on the information until you really became a problem. They also know that Maya isn’t your real name. Also, when you’re on assignment, your daughter stays…”

Viper’s eyes go wide. “Fine, Fine. I get it,” she interrupted as punched the pad on the cell phone.

Juri can hear the dial tone ring a few times, before someone on the other line picks up.

“Its Maya,” said Viper.

Juri rolls her eyes at the assumed name.

“If we want this to go ideally, we’re going to need to wheel and deal.”

The voice on the other side of the line rambles loudly, not sounding happy at all.

“We have no leverage!”

The rambles once more.

“Chun-li took the device and refuses to use it! I told you to leave her out of the raid!” Said Viper as gestured angrily. “Yeah, guess it was stupid of me to leave Juri Han to her own fucking devices!”

The voice speaks once more, this time more calmly.

“Fine. I’ll tell her.”

Maya drops her hand holding the phone as she audibly sighs.

She turns back Juri and says, “Life, parole eligible in 15 years, a federal prison somewhere in America. It’s the best we can do right now. Those above me will discuss everything with World Court for anything better, but that depends on what we can glean from here.”

“That works, for now,” said Juri, pulling the thumb drive from her tights, inserting it in the port.

Viper puts the cell phone back to her ear, “we’re good at the moment,” she said.

At that moment the doors open once more, this time Cammy and Guile crossing the threshold.

Guile’s dressed in a navy blue pilot’s uniform, the zipper down to about the middle of his chest, revealing a plain white T-shirt underneath. A pair of aviator sun glasses also hang in space created by the unzipped one piece uniform and his look is completed by black boots.

Cammy is dressed in an oversized green camo bomber jacket, and oversized camo pants stuffed into brown boots. The jacket is covering what could be presumed to be her unitard, as despite the pants being held up by a belt, they still sag a bit revealing a sliver of her hips. Her feet pound the metal flooring covered by brown combat boots as she and Guile fall in line by Viper and Chun-Li in front of the desk Juri is cuffed too.

“Looks like we missed the good part,” said Guile as looked around the room taking in the of heart of Shadaloo. “On the way in were they still escorting people out of here. Couldn’t tell if they were newly freed prisoners of Shadaloo or soon to be prisoners that worked for them.” His eyes then fell onto Juri, “I don’t need to guess which one you fall into.”

“Please, solder boy,” said Juri mockingly, with a matching grin, “I’m in a class of my own. That’s why I’m in the big seat, surrounded by admirers, and this extra special jewelry on my wrist.”

“Hmph,” simply responded Guile.

Juri then looked over to Cammy, “Hello there, kitten,” she greeted the Delta red operative, smile never leaving her face.

Cammy’s face remains neutral, trying not to rise to the bait, “Juri. Why are you here? Why aren’t you being escorted out like the others? And what happened to M. Bison?”

“They don’t know?” Juri asked Viper and Chun-li.

Both shook their heads.

“I wasn’t told much,” started Cammy, “I was told Shadaloo was being raided while I was doing in-service training. My superiors told me Delta Red was being brought in the fold, but I wouldn’t make it here in time to participate in the op. A platoon was already near here on other business. As you can see,” Cammy then gestures to her state of dress, ”this was pretty last minute for me. I was then hurried onto a jet, that was early last night.”

“Pretty much the same,” Guile added, “except the same transport that picked up Cammy would be my ride as well. I was ushered on to that same jet as they were refueling at my base near San Francisco. We still don’t know the whole story, but seeing as you,” Guile said as looked to Viper, “aren’t in cuffs, you must be some kind of spook. And you are in cuffs,” he continued looking to Juri, “my best guess is this is the end game. Shadaloo’s done for, am I right?” Guile asked, his question directed to both Chun-li and Crimson Viper.

“You’re on target Colonel,” responded Viper.

“But what about Bison? Juri? Why is she here and not being dragged away with the rest of the trash?” Interjected Cammy, “Hell what happened to S.I.N for that matter? Last I checked both of you was still working for them and neither them nor Shadaloo were best of friends.”

“I closed the book on Bison myself after taking out Seth. I then consolidated both groups together, but as you can see that’s not going too well…” trailed off Juri. “But to some folks out there that interested in more than Shadaloo’s downfall.”

“Speaking of which,” interjected Viper, pulling palm pilot-like device from her person, “looks like were starting to glean some very interesting information from this data base.”

Juri observed Cammy and Gulie look on in shock, maybe even surprise.

“So, he’s gone?” Cammy muttered.

“Charlie can rest easy,” Guile stated lowly.

They both then snap back to reality, looking at each other, then to Viper.

“What do you mean information,” asked Guile.

“And if I can follow the logic here, that would mean you plan on bringing in Juri as cooperator?” Said Cammy, as her neutral expression began grow into a frown.

“Cooperation’s already been done, sweetie,” said Juri, “I’m just holding a few more cards close to my chest for some more leverage.”

“You can’t be serious,” said Guile, as he tossed his aviators in anger.

“Bullshit,” said Cammy, her hands clenching into fists.

“This is what it has to be,” interjected Chun-li as she approached her friends, placing a hand on their shoulders in hopes to calm them, “I know it’s not ideal, but…”

“Look,” Viper sighed, running a hand through her hair, “Bison was the catch everyone was after. There’s was no question about that. But if he were to be brought in, I highly doubt he would provide any cooperation and probably would take as many of us down with him. I sure there’s a self-destruct switch somewhere here. With Juri that presents us with a unique opportunity than to just collar a few bad guys. Shadaloo has, or had, more than a few scientists, doctors and engineers at their disposal. Some of which had joined to ply their trades away from any ethics or laws, while some were forced join. Not mention those that kidnapped to be a part of those experiments.”

“My sisters,” Cammy added.

Viper nods, she continued, “Not just the dolls. There’s also other prisoners to consider not to mention the countless killers, rapists and other criminals among the rank and file that acted as troops for Shadaloo.”

“What is Juri getting in return,” asked Guile.

“Right now, 15 to life,” Juri said.

“Jesus Christ,” exclaimed Guile, as walked in a circle, angrily kicking the air.

“And you said you were keeping things close for further leverage?” Said Cammy, her features having melted into a full-on scowl. “What else could possibly be more valuable? Juri should be put away, a killer is a killer.”

Juri just nodded to the blonde. “Can’t just give the other party everything they want in a negotiation.”

“Negotiation,” Cammy questioned, incredulously, “this is miscarriage of justice!”

“Justice? Please,” Juri stated contemptuously, “What about you, ‘Killer Bee’. I know for a fact there’s more blood on your hands than just that of a Prime Minister. And don’t feed me that crap about mind control. Killer is a killer, right? And what about the tall thai boxer, Sagat? You all are on more friendly terms with him these days, right? He was Bison’s number 2 for years! Can you imagine what he did to obtain that position? Imagine what he had to do to maintain it? Maybe throw him in cell, tell him how fair it is…” Juri trailed off.

Viper’s cell phone rang.

“You say that as if you only killed those who had it coming!” yelled Cammy.

“Oh, I have plenty of blood on my hands, but none of it was innocent.” Juri argued back.

“What of that woman at that amusement park, when you killed those S.I.N agents? Was she just collateral damage?” Shot Cammy.

“She in fact survived that incident,” Chun-li said, “it was believed she was killed but a paramedic found her to have a faint pulse and rushed her to the hospital. The local police had later received a tip someone fitting Juri’s description left a backpack with a load of cash at the hospital for that woman’s family. By the time it crossed my desk, wasn’t much we could do with that tip, considering if that was Juri she would’ve been long gone by then. It’s like I said Cammy…” Finished Chun-li as she rubbed soothing circles at Cammy’s back.

Juri would have to remember Chun-li speaking up for her like this, maybe send her a bottle of wine if I walk, thought Juri.

“As entertaining as all this is,” Viper cut in, “there’s one more piece of business we need to discuss, Juri.”

“Your boys found something they couldn’t crack into?” Said Juri.

“Yeah, there’s a file called, ‘super-secret stuff’, my guess it’s the file you’ve put an encrypted passcode too. We suspect this file contains the other Shadaloo base locations. We also suspect that the file contains the names and positions of everyone in Shadaloo’s pocket. Despite everything our analysts have found, that’s the one thing we haven’t discovered yet.” Said Viper.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if they were involved in corruption,” said Chun-li.

“A good source said they have people high up in several governments, multinational corporations, military and law enforcement agencies including all 3 organizations you all work for,” Viper than looks to Juri, “we just need the magic word from our girl here to bring it all home.”

“What’s it worth to ya? I’m sure whoever’s on the other end of that phone gave you a little more leeway. I’m sure this is what you were after all along,” answered Juri.

Viper purses her lips.

“ICOJ is willing to let you walk, with some conditions,” intoned Viper.

Juri couldn’t help but smile at the news. She let out an involuntary lough, “Well,” she said between chuckles, “what are the conditions?”

“Your case will be placed on,” she pauses, “I guess the closest equivalent would be a Maryland rule called a stet docket for a max of 10 years, you will also serve probation for a maximum of 10 ten years,” responded Viper.

“Pretend I don’t have a law degree,” said Juri through a smile, “what the hell is a stet docket?”

“It is a legal proceeding that essentially puts a case on the shelf. Obviously were not in the state of Maryland, but in exchange for this level of cooperation we were willing to apply this to your case. But know this, that case can come off the shelf and if there’s even a chance of you being involved with anything illegal. We have your file, and you will be buried with it.”

Juri is shaking her head in disbelief, her smile having left her face but still filled with jubilation.

“Society says you get a 2nd chance, look alive Han.” Said Guile sarcastically.

Her face then melts into a frown.

“Society built a man so obsessed with power he would do literally anything to obtain or maintain it, including killing and torture of the family of a man who simply sought to stop him in order to protect the innocent. I’ll give you a second to guess who I’m talking about.”

After a pause, Juri continued, “Society can lick my twat.”

***

Juri waived John over asking for the check.

“Entered the password, freeing up in the information Crimson Viper wanted so badly,” continued Juri, “after that I hand cuffed, this time for real, and escorted to a plane. It was to take me to ICJ headquarters in the Netherlands. This was to finalize my agreement. Chun-li was my only escort. She must’ve gotten the news about being what equates to my parole officer early, she was in no good humor the whole plane ride. She was empathetic enough to ask me how I was feeling,” Juri cracked a smile as she continued, “I told her, ‘I was ready to be a good girl,’” Juri shook her head as the laughed at the memory.

Ryu shared a smile with her as well, he said, “If know Chun-li like I think I do, I can probably guess how she responded.”

They both met eyes, and stated simultaneously, ”She facepalmed!”

They both laughed, coming down as John returned with the check.

Juri pulled out a few bills sending John on his way.

“Thank you Juri,” Ryu said earnestly, “Thank you for the meal, thank you for sharing with me and thank you for getting my mind off things. I feel a lot better now.”

As Ryu got up to take his leave, Juri grabbed his hand once more, “Night ain’t over yet tough guy,” this nick name she’s given him filling him with a pleasant feeling he can’t yet describe, “Think I’m just gonna feed ya and kick you to the curb? Stay with me. Who knows what havoc we can get into tonight?”