Fan Fiction ❯ Fighter's Crusade: Project Epsilon ❯ Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

Hitomi sat on the living room couch. Her arms were folded behind her, her head tilted back staring at the ceiling. Most of the chores had been finished, Lee was just straightening up the place. He came over and sat down next to her, his size displacing the couch and Hitomi's balance. She looked at him, his tall, dark face was stressed and drawn out; Lee looked very tired. "What's wrong?" she asked, "didn't you get enough sleep last night?" Lee nodded and laid his head on the back of the couch and closed his eyes. "Yeah, I slept enough, I'm just running myself ragged worrying…" he trailed off.

"Awww, Lee-chan, worried about me?"

"I mean, don't get me wrong, any guy would stop and help out a beautiful girl such as yourself. Although, you probably wouldn't have needed my help if you hadn't of gotten knocked out by the gas. You were holding your own back there, where'd you learn to fight like that?"

"Well," Hitomi paused as she thought for a second, "well, my father has taught me since I was a little girl. We never had much money and so my father taught two karate dojos in Germany."

"Germany? Why do you look and speak Japanese, beside the brown hair and blue eyes."

Hitomi smirked a little.

"Well, I'm sort of a genetic anomaly, why is it that I have brown hair and blue eyes? My mother is Japanese and I did live in Japan for a year, but my mom taught me Japanese in Germany. We spoke Japanese and German at home for the most part."

"And so your father taught you Karate and your mother taught you Japanese?"

"Um humm."

"I see."

"Lee what about you? What are you doing here in California, you're Chinese aren't you?"

"Yeah, I was brought here at an early age, but I don't remember getting here or my parents."

"Oh?" Hitomi seemed intrigued.

"Yeah, but I prefer to leave out the details."

"Why?"

"I can't say."

"Awww c'mon Lee-chan, don't you trust me?"

"Not enough, not yet."

Hitomi was disappointed. Not mad that Lee didn't trust her, just disappointed. She looked at him, his head was still resting on the couch. Hitomi pouted her lips as a show of her disappointment and Lee could see her expression in the corner of his eye and smiled on the inside though his facial expression did not change. "Sorry shorty, maybe when I feel like it," he said. Hitomi gave up. Changing the subject she said, "Lee, what do we have to do today?" "Well, I don't know," he replied, "we probably should go check up with Adams later." Their conversation was cut short by the growling of Hitomi's stomach. It was louder than normal, enough for her to feel it and Lee to hear it. She looked at her midsection that was exposed by her short white shirt. Grabbing it, she looked at Lee with a face about to cry, like a child that had just lost her most precious possession.

"You want some breakfast?" Lee asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Um humm."

"Well then," he said casually, "can't keep a girl from what she wants," and he rose from the couch. Hitomi smiled at him in gratitude. He had been really nice to her since that night in the club. She liked being pampered like this, it had been a long time since anyone had treated her like this. Her father never spoiled her and her mother stopped, at the request of her father, when Hitomi decided to take up karate.

"Here."

Hitomi looked up to see a red apple float her direction. She impulsively reached out and caught it. "Eat that," he told her and she looked at the apple in disappointment, "I know it's not much, but there isn't enough food here for one person, much less two people. I need to go shopping. Might as well go in a minute." Hitomi saw her chance to get something into Lee's apartment besides the microwave meals, TV dinners, and junk food.

"Can I go?" she asked.

He looked at her, thinking.

"Erm, well…"

"Pleeeeese," she pleaded.

"Well alright, but stay with me. I don't want any street punks trying to pick a fight with you."

"Hai."

"Anyway, lets get going," Lee said as he walked out the door.

"W-Wait for me," Hitomi stammered as she rushed to get up from the couch and out the door.

x x x x

Walking down the street, Hitomi looked around and was immersed in the buildings and constructions of California. There was nothing like this is Germany and Japan. It was the beginning of the afternoon and the streets were filled with sidewalk vendors, people conversing and congregating and people hurrying around. Hitomi was puzzled as to why Lee didn't drive, it seemed like everyone else did.

"Lee?" she asked, "don't you own a car?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Can't afford it."

"Oh."

They continued walking, Hitomi stayed next to Lee's side clung to his arm. Lee didn't mind that the little girl clung to his arm like a leech, he was more worried about her safety than anything else.

"How much further do we have to go?" Hitomi asked him.

"Why?" Lee asked sounding annoyed, "your feet getting tired?"

"No, I just wanted to know."

"We're almost there."

Turning the corner they came to a small grocery in the middle of downtown. Looking at the sign above the door, Hitomi's eyes lit up with delight. "Lee!" she exclaimed, "I didn't know you went to a Japanese grocery!" "Well," he began to explain himself, "I know the owners, they're good people and their prices are fair enough." Hitomi bounced with delight. "Oooooo! Let's go inside!" she said tugging on Lee's arm. Lee rolled his eyes, "Alright, alright." Hitomi pushed the door open. "Konnichiwa!" she said as she entered. Alerting the cashier by the door to her presence she was greeted with the same.

Lee walked inside and stopped at the cashier. "Is Genzo here?" he asked. The cashier was a Japanese woman, with straight black hair, short in height compared to Lee but probably closer to Hitomi's age. She nodded and pointed towards a far corner of the store. Lee started walking towards the direction in which he had been directed, but stopped when he realized he was short one person. He looked over his shoulder to see Hitomi bowing to the cashier and the cashier respectfully returning her bow.

Hitomi looked up to see Lee stopped, waiting for her, but quickly loosing his patience. She quickly caught up to him and stood to his right. She looked up to him and could tell his serious face was a little angry.

"I was apologizing for you.," she explained.

"Huh?"

"It was rude for you to just was off like that."

"So. I do it all the time."

"But it's rude," she emphasized.

"Sorry."

To cut her scolding short, Lee continued his walk to the corner where he found a door. Hitomi caught up to him, a little disgruntled at the fact she was trying to ignore her. Lee stopped in front of the door and looked at it. The metal slab with a handle was dented in places, it's paint chipped or peeling. It looked more like a vault than a door. At the height of Lee's shoulders the door bore a peep-slit, a rectangular hole in the door, that was covered from the inside to prevent people from spying. Lee brought up his hand, and loosely making a fist he knocked on the door with the backside of his hand. "Genzo, it's me," he said. For a while nothing happened. Then the peep-slit on the door squeaked upward.

"Lee? Is that you," asked the voice of an aged man.

"Yo Genzo. Can we talk?"

"Sure, sure," replied the old man as his eyes disappeared from the peep-slit. They waited for a moment and the door handle turned with a slight thunk it squeaked open. It was like the door really was a door to a safe or vault. In the doorway stood an old Japanese man. He had a round head of little white hair and a smoking pipe in his mouth. He was short compared to Lee closer to Hitomi's height. He was overjoyed to see Lee, but when he noticed the figure half hiding, half cowering behind him, his facial expression changed from joy to suspicion. He looked at Lee, his face searching for an explanation. Lee knew what he wanted and nudged Hitomi with his elbow.

Genzo adjusted the pipe in his mouth with his teeth and tongue. It bounced up and down while sliding to the left corner of his mouth and remained stationary. Hitomi shyly stepped out from behind Lee, her hands behind her back. He studied Hitomi carefully. Genzo looked her up and down, then concentrated on her face. He squinted his eyes and studied her face, as if it told her personality. Hitomi, felt pressured and embarrassed, and her head wondered slightly down and to the right, her eyes to the floor. She decided it would be in her best interest to be as respectful as possible to Genzo. Bowing, she stuttered, "B-Barrens Hitomi desu. Doozo yoroshiku." Genzo's facial expression did not change as Hitomi introduced herself in a respectful, formal Japanese greeting. He was however surprised that the girl showed him respect where Lee did not, even though Lee and he were very close. A slight smirk formed on the corner of his mouth opposite the smoking pipe. "Come in," he said turning and walking into the room that was hazy and filled with pipe smoke. Its sharp aroma stung Hitomi's nose a little. Upon entering the room she could see that it was large and dimly lit and foggy due to the smoke. They followed Genzo to a couch aligned against the wall with a chair across from the couch with a small table next to it. Genzo took a seat in the chair across from the couch and Lee sat in the couch. Hitomi followed his lead and took a seat next to Lee on his left. Lee sprawled himself out on the couch and relaxed, like he did at home, but Hitomi was a little more cautious. She looked around the room with her legs together and he hands folded in her lap. Genzo adjusted himself in the seat folding this legs into a figure four. He leaned back in the chair and took the pipe from his mouth and placed it on the table. Once everyone had gotten comfortable he started the conversion.

"Go ahead Lee," he said.

"I just stopped by to say `hi' but I also need to ask you a few questions."

"Okay, but first I'll try to be a good host. Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?"

Hitomi heard the talk of food, shifted her position in the couch and stared at her stomach.

"No thanks," he replied, "I'll pick up some stuff on the way out."

"I see. Does your girlfriend want something?"

Hitomi lifted her head in surprise. She could feel her face getting hot and knew it was turning a shade of crimson. She was too embarrassed to try and defend herself. Besides, it would be rude to correct Genzo; he was her elder and she must show respect to him. Lee took the initiative.

"I do believe she would like something," he said, "however, she isn't my girlfriend."

"Oh?" Genzo was apparently surprised. "I was hoping you had found someone. What happened to that Leifang girl that used to follow you around like a lost puppy?"

"I don't know what Leifang is up to, I haven't seen her in a while. Shorty here is a - erm, friend from work."

"So, that what they call them now-a-days."

"No!" Lee said trying to keep from laughing.

He hoped Hitomi didn't know what they were talking about, but she probably did. Lee continued.

"She's been having some having some trouble so she's staying at my place till things get sorted out."

Genzo took another quick look at Hitomi. She didn't look like Lee's girlfriend. Well, he knew that Lee's type of girl was one that could fight, pick up and throw cars, and not talk back. Lee was weird like that, but he generally didn't show too much public interest in girls. Besides, this one looked too sweet and innocent for someone Lee would fall for; she looked like she should still be in school.

"How old are you?" Genzo asked her.

"Eighteen."

She was only two years younger than Lee, it wasn't that absurd to think that they were together.

"I see. Do you want something to eat?"

This was the chance Hitomi was waiting for and she nodded her head. "Okay," he said raising from his seat, "follow me." Hitomi and Lee followed Genzo to a bar towards the back of the room. Lee took a seat at the bar, Hitomi sat next to him. Genzo went behind the bar, bent down and Hitomi could hear a refrigerator door open. Genzo appeared with a glass and set in front of Hitomi while pulling up a half gallon jug of orange juice with the other hand and filling the glass. He bent down behind the bar again and came up with a carton of eggs and a frying pan.

"You'll eat eggs, won't you?" he asked Hitomi.

"Hai."

Genzo proceeded to start the oven next to him and crack two eggs into the pan. Lee spoke up, "Genzo I'm gonna ask you some hard questions."

"Can we talk about this in front of her?"

"It concerns her."

"Alright, go ahead."

"How is Red 32 funded?"

"Huh?"

"Who funds Red 32?"

"Why Lee? Are you planning to take on the syndicate all by yourself?"

"No, but Short Stuff here pissed off one of their little gangs and now the whole package is out for her blood."

Genzo took another look at Hitomi's face. He had seen his share of "wolfs in sheep's clothing" in the past, but it was a mystery to him why one of West Coast's largest crime and smuggling rings would be after this little high school girl. When he had finished cooking the eggs Genzo placed the entire pan in front of Hitomi and she looked at the it in surprise. He handed her a pair of chopsticks and she took them while looking at the pan as if she was overwhelmed.

"Anoo…" she said shyly.

"Eat them out of the pan," Genzo told her, sensing her confusion, "less clean up."

Turning back to Lee, they continued their conversation.

"So what do you want to know about Red 32?"

"Well, is there some way to get them off her back?"

"Lee," Genzo paused with a sigh, "I got out of the game a long time ago. I could try and talk something out for you with what little power I have left, but I doubt I can do anything. But, I'll do it for you," he paused for a second, "and for your pretty friend over here."

Hitomi heard his comment, looked up to him and smiled. Her infamous "girlish charm" at work again. It wasn't like she was trying to be cute, it's just the way she normally was. It was gift bestowed on her by her parents, unknowing at the time that it would be this powerful. Since she was so used to it, she didn't really pay much attention to them other than smile and thank them. She knew it was kind of rude, but Hitomi really didn't want anything to do with them; and if they knew she was training to be a karate expert they probably wouldn't want anything to do with her. This charm more or less subconsciously affected most men, well most of them it seemed, except Lee. He called her names, complimented her once; probably because he had seen her in a towel, but other than that, he usually kept a serious mood.

Hitomi figured whatever they were talking about, it was some sort of smuggling ring or mob or something like that that operated on the opposite side of the law. She thought it best to keep her mouth shut, and just do what she was told. Genzo turned and looked at Hitomi. He was puzzled as to why one of the largest smuggling rings would be after one, seemingly harmless little girl. It made no sense to him, so he decided to try and find out.

"What did you do to them?" he asked Hitomi.

"Well, they tried to mug me."

"Yes, in the game, it happens. Street punks pick on whoever they want just because they can. But that doesn't explain why they're after you."

"Well…" she paused, not knowing if she should tell Genzo or not why they were after her. She wasn't too sure herself. Hitomi looked at Lee for some sort of sign as to if it would be okay to answer Genzo. Lee nodded, "Go ahead." Hitomi continued with her explanation.

"I threw one guy through a car door window," she grinned to herself, "he didn't like that too much."

Genzo looked at Hitomi with surprise and to Lee for confirmation as if the story didn't really happen.

"She didn't tell me that," Lee said, "but it must be true, `cause they followed her to The Shakedown and tried to take her out in the club."

"They must really have a thing for you," Genzo said jokingly to Hitomi.

She giggled, "I seem to have that effect on guys."

x x x x

"Here Lee, do you want one?" Hitomi asked him while holding out a small rod shaped object towards him.

"What's that?" he asked quickly glancing at it.

"It's Pocky."

"What's that?"

"Well, it's sort of a thin cookie stick dipped in chocolate."

"That's alright," he said, "I'm really not…" but before he could finish his protest Hitomi cut him short by shoving one in his mouth. "See? Isn't it good?" she said as if she had just invented the product by accident. Lee didn't respond while munching on the stick of Pocky that started at about pencil length but diminished and disappeared into his mouth. They continued to back to Lee's apartment after having the discussion with Genzo, about what, Hitomi was still unclear.

Lee lugged the groceries Hitomi had picked out, refusing to let him get his normal selection of frozen goods. She however, carried a box of Pocky and munched on them while they walked. She still stayed close to Lee, obeying his directions even though they both knew Hitomi was quite capable of defending herself. Hitomi wasn't too worried about Red 32, to her it was just another chance to practice her training. However, Lee seemed to be very worried, and he took precautionary measures to make sure she wasn't touched by Red 32. She was clueless as to why he tried so hard to take care of her, but it didn't really matter; Hitomi had fun babying him because he was always so serious. They continued their trek home, Lee remaining silent most of the trip, listening to Hitomi talking about something that didn't really matter to him, just useless girlish blather; only talking to answer her questions. The personal questions he would answer, but the ones about Red 32, he kept quiet and didn't say anything. She decided to stop bugging him about it.

Lee stopped walking and placed one of the bags on the ground. Hitomi wasn't paying attention; she was looking around at all the buildings, it was her first time in America, and almost tripped over Lee who was hunched over digging in the bag. "Whatcha lookin' for?" she asked him. Lee looked up at her, a big red apple in his mouth held there with his teeth. "Afle," he muffled through the fruit. He picked the bag back up and carrying them all in his left hand he slung them over his shoulder to get some leverage. He bit the apple and it fell towards the ground, but before it could land he caught it about waist height. Lee started to walk again with Hitomi but was stopped mid-stride by a familiar voice. "Leeeee." A female voice seductively dragged out his name. He turned around to see a woman standing behind Hitomi, while Hitomi looked at him with a puzzled face. In front of him stood a five foot, four inch tall Chinese woman with two long braided pigtails behind her.

"What do you want?" Lee asked her with a mouthful of apple.

"Oh, nothing," she replied.

"Nothing? You always want something."

"Well…" she trailed off.

"Well what? If your going to bother me, the least you can do is carry groceries," he said shoving a bag to her.

She yanked it from him.

"Now," Lee began starting his walk again with Hitomi and the new addition behind him, "what did you want to talk about?"

"Well, I found an ad for a fighting tournament."

They turned the corner and the new girl noticed Hitomi had been walking with them. Her unfamiliarity with Hitomi and Lee led her to some rather far out conclusions. "Who's this Lee?" she asked as if Hitomi's presence offended her. Lee was apparently thinking of something else when she asked him this question, for his mind was unaware that she had just asked him a question. "Do what now?" he asked her. She frowned and became frustrated with him. "Lee, what were you thinking of so much that you can't pay attention to me?" she challenged.

"I was thinking about Shorty and how to keep her out of trouble."

"What's that supposed to mean!?" she and Hitomi cried in unison.

Lee wasn't expecting a reaction like that and he stopped and turned around to look at them. Hitomi and the girl looked at Lee, then at each other and for a moment they stood there amazed at each other. Hitomi started to laugh and the girl seemed to get angry. "Well, introduce yourself," he ordered her. The way he ordered her around reminded Hitomi of her father. It made her happy and she smiled a little. "Hitomi Barrens," she said, "pleased to meet you," and she presented her hand for a handshake. She looked Hitomi over and didn't know that to think of this little girl with the pink headband and candy protruding from her mouth like an elongated cigarette; however, what she did know was that she didn't like her. "Leifang," she said to identify herself and started walking again, ignoring Hitomi's friendly hand, passing up Lee as if she already knew where they were heading. Lee looked at Hitomi, shrugged and hurried to catch up to Leifang while continuing to eat his apple. Hitomi was stunned. No one had ever shunned her like that before. With her feelings hurt she stood there and wondered why this Leifang person had so much against her. Maybe it was because Hitomi hadn't proven herself yet. Maybe Leifang was a fighter, and she could prove herself on the field of battle. Or could it be because Leifang had feelings for Lee and she thought Hitomi was getting in the way. Her reasoning told her that the latter was the reason. Hitomi was a little jealous. She did have feelings for Lee, but they weren't that intense more like a friend, but he did save her life and the least she could do to repay him was try and take care of him.

Hitomi realized she was being left behind. She looked up just in time to see Lee and Leifang turn the corner. Well, she knew where they were going, so it wasn't a big deal if they went ahead of her, she could find her way back. To her left an alleyway extended in the direction of Lee's apartment, well she thought it was in that direction anyway. Hitomi pulled a Pocky stick out and put it behind her ear like a pencil, stuffed the box in her back pocket and started a light jog down the alley.

Lee casually walked towards his apartment, listening to Leifang chatter on about some new fighting tournament as he turned the apple core sideways and bit it in half. He didn't have time for anymore tournaments, not with Hitomi around. Besides, the last two he had been to he hadn't gotten very far; it always seemed to him like there were one-sided because the ninjas always won. "Damn ninjas," he thought to himself. He hated them. They were fast, agile, and smart, very smart. Especially in the tag team matches. If two ninjas teamed up then no one stood a chance. Lee remembered back to the last Dead Or Alive Tournament he had entered. There were two ninjas, Kasumi and Hayabusa who had entered the tag matches as a team and he watched as they quickly and swiftly overpowered their opponents, it was quite a site. He smirked to himself; it might be fun if him and Hitomi entered the tag matches, it would be worthwhile to see how they worked as a team. "Where is Hitomi?" he thought to himself. He stopped and turned a full circle looking for her. She was nowhere to be seen. Lee cursed himself for not checking for her earlier and shoved the bags of groceries onto Leifang. Digging into his pocket he pulled out the key to his apartment and placed it on top of the stack of groceries that already towered over her. "Here," he rushed off, "take them to my place and make yourself at home!" as he finished his sentence while turning the corner in a full sprint. "Humph, what makes her so special!?" Leifang thought to herself and staggered towards Lee's apartment with arms full of goods.

Hitomi steadily jogged towards her destination or at least she thought it was towards Lee's apartment. She had only been in California two weeks, but she figured she knew her way around pretty well. Just for a bit of fun she jumped over the miscellaneous boxes that were strewn about her path in the alley, easily clearing them without breaking her stride. Ahead of her a door opened and she tried to run around it, but as she widened her path three men stumbled out laughing and she brushed the closest one. Losing her balance while on the run Hitomi stumbled to regain it or at least slow her fall to the cement somehow. She got lucky and a clump of boxes in front of her caught her attention. Using them as a bumper she not only slowed her fall but prevented herself from falling altogether. Picking herself up, Hitomi brushed herself off and looked at the man she had run into. His friends were picking him up off the concrete, looking at Hitomi with bewilderment, but the one she had knocked down seemed to be angry. "Sorry," she said and continued on her jog down the alley. "Hey!" one of them yelled in anger. Hitomi didn't want to deal with this, not again. Now she was in a full sprint down the alley and with the thud of more than just her shoes echoing off the walls of the alley; she knew she was being followed. Ahead of her she could see the alley end and open up to the back of a commercial building. As Hitomi passed the end of the alley and leaned inward to turn the corner an arm caught her around the waist and using her forward momentum, lifted her off the ground. Afraid her followers had somehow caught her she screamed and flailed her arms wildly around, with her elbow catching him in the face. A familiar voice groaned in pain and before she could protest, her arms were pinned to her side and found herself being set down on the ground.

Hitomi looked up to see Lee looking at her angrily. "Sorry," she said shyly twiddling her fingers. She could see his face was turning a shade of red as the blood rushed to where she had accidentally hit him. Hearing the footsteps of followers growing louder she turned and looked at the alley. Lee, puzzled as to what she was looking for, looked in the same general direction. The three turned the corner to see Lee looking at them and Hitomi behind him. They stopped and looked at him then to one another, discussing among themselves. One of them stepped forward, "Hey, aren't you Genzo's boy?" Lee took a step back in surprise and assumed a fighting form, bouncing lightly back and forth from foot to foot until finally settling into a stance. Two of the men took a step back and pulled out handguns, the were apparently not your normal citizens. Hitomi had only been this afraid one before. She slowly backed up and looked at Lee. He didn't seem to be afraid at all. The three attackers stood shoulder to shoulder with the two on the ends with their guns drawn. It didn't matter to Lee, he had gotten out of bigger messes than this before. He decided to make quick work of these street punks.

Starting the one on the left, he lunged forward and grabbed the gun, being careful to keep it pointed away from him, and pulled it as hard as he could. The man stumbled forward, he had a strong grip on the gun. Lee stepped to the side and brought his left hand down on the top of the man's elbow causing it to fold. With the right hand still on the gun he forced it upward and the man's skull made a hollow thud as the metal gun collided with it. Quickly Lee stripped the gun form his hands and shoved him into the man in the middle. They both stumbled backwards, trying to regain their balance and Lee administered a swift kick to their midsection that sent them tumbling into the last man who was frantically trying to aim the gun at Lee without hitting the other two that were in his way. The last man fell backwards and dropped the gun while trying to brace himself for the fall. The three of them collapsed in on the ground in a defeated pile while the gun hit the ground and misfired. Lee was too distracted by the bunch making a retreating scramble to hear Hitomi's scream.

With the trouble gone, Lee turned around to find Hitomi grabbing her right shoulder, leaning against the alley wall with her left for support. "Damn," Lee cursed under his breath, "the misfire must have caught her." He rushed to her side, his heart wildly pumping the blood and adrenaline through his veins in feat that she was seriously injured. "What happened?" he asked. Hitomi whimpered in pain, which caused Lee to become a little more frantic. "Hitomi? Hitomi, what happened!?" he asked again, lightly shaking her. She moved her hand to reveal the underside of her palm and fingers. They were stained red, as well as her shirt where her hand had been. Her brain had shut down mentally. To her, everything seemed blurred and in slow motion. Hitomi stared at Lee, oblivious to the events that had taken place, or the ones around her and Lee's pleading to get her attention.

Hitomi Looked at him, it was as if she was on drugs. Her eyes were glazed over, he could tell she was spaced out and he didn't want her to loose consciousness so he had to keep her from bleeding too much. He gently caressed her arm, working upward to the spot on the shoulder where it flowed the red liquid. Digging into his pocket, Lee pulled out a small pocket knife and Hitomi looked at it, but gave no reaction as he cut away the sleeve on her shirt and pulled it off. Hitomi's head slowly drooped down to look at the wound. She watched as Lee examined it. Bunching up the sleeve he had cut off he wiped the blood away from the wound with it. Hitomi flinched but made no audible tone as he worked. What Lee saw relieved him. The bullet had not completely hit her shoulder, but grazed it, leaving a nasty looking gash behind that bled ruthlessly. He cleaned the wide cut but as soon as he wiped it clean it filled with blood again. Looking it at, it wasn't fatal. "Hell, it's not even threatening," Lee reassured her. But in all actuality it was bleeding pretty bad and if it keeps this up, she going to have problems. He also realized that they were going to have to get away from here. The misfire would more than likely attract the police and he didn't want to deal with them. He quickly stuffed the blood soaked sleeve into his back pocket and positioned Hitomi to stand up. "Stand up!" he ordered. She tried, but her knees buckled and she collapsed. Lee caught her before she hit the ground and slowly lowered her to a sitting position. "Sit up!" he ordered again. Hitomi was at least able to do that. He moved to the other sleeve and quickly separated it with the knife. Cutting the separated sleeve along the seam he created an improvised bandage and placing it around the wound, tied it down tight, double knotting it.

Lee looked around. They were behind a convenience store, where the alley emptied into and he hoped that he hadn't attracted too much attention. So far no one had noticed. He knew he had to get Hitomi out of here, but how to do it he was still unsure. There was a payphone over against the side of the store; maybe he could call Sarah and get some help. Genzo though, was out of the question, Lee didn't want to bring him any further into this than he already had. He stood Hitomi up and slung her left arm over his neck, supporting her with his right. "Walk," he said and Hitomi put one foot in front of the other without saying a word, but obediently following his orders. They made their way over to the phone, all the while Hitomi's wound seemed to worsen. The sleeve tied in a makeshift bandage had reached its limit and could not hold anymore blood. The blood started escaping and leaking down her arm as they walked towards the phone; trickling down her arm and gathering at the end of her fingers it left little blood spots on the concrete in her path behind her. When they finally struggled to the phone Lee leaned Hitomi up against the corner of the phone and the wall, being careful to use it to his advantage to hide the bleeding arm. Hitomi's free hand started to wonder up to her hurt shoulder, while Lee frantically dialed Sarah's number on the phone. He saw Hitomi reach for her shoulder and he quikly stopped her hand. "No, you have to be strong," he told her, "don't bring attention to yourself we're not in a good part of town right now." The phone on the other end of the line rang. And rang. And rang. "Damn, no answer," Lee cursed aloud. He looked at Hitomi whose eyelids were starting to droop closed. "Shit, if she goes under, 32 will pick me off so easily around here if I'm trying to carry someone," Lee thought knowing he had to keep her alert. Very lightly he slapped her on the cheek to bring her back to life and she gasped and looped up. He had to do a better job doctoring her up, and soon or she will go unconscious. "Stay here," Lee told her just before he dashed around the corner into the store. A minute later he came running back over to Hitomi with a bottle of water in his hand and Roger Jobes behind him. Roger stopped when her saw Hitomi. "Damn," he said amazed, "okay, get her cleaned up and I'll bring the car around." Roger turned and went back around the corner. "Okay Shorty," Lee told her, "let's get you cleaned up." He took off his shirt and opened the bottle of water. Pulling out the knife again he cut off the makeshift sleeve bandage. Hitomi's bleeding had slowed and Lee let out a sigh of relief. It would make things easier for him. He poured some of the water into his hands and rubbed them on Hitomi's face. She reacted, giving a surprised gasp and trying to move her head away from his hands of water. "Here," Lee put the bottle of water up to her lips and Hitomi drank. He heard a car engine and looked behind him to see Roger's old Cadillac Eighty-Eight parked and Roger pulling open the rear passenger door. Lee wadded up his shirt and poured the water onto it. With the wet shirt he wiped up Hitomi's arm as best he could, some of the blood had already dried. When he reached the gash, Hitomi flinched as he wiped it clean. Lee was surprised that she had hardly made a sound since this had happened. He took Hitomi by the arm and guided her towards the back seat of the huge car. Getting her situated he took a seat next to her, trying no to let any blood leak onto Roger's seats.

x x x x

Back in Lee's apartment Leifang was trying to put groceries away. She hummed a joyful tune to herself while trying to figure out where she was going to put them all. She heard a car pull up and the engine stop, but didn't think much of it because she knew Lee didn't own a car, but there was a lot of commotion outside. It was pulling at Leifang's curiosity she opened the door to take a look to see Lee helping Hitomi towards the apartment. "Move!" he yelled to her. She backed up and let Lee inside with Roger behind him. He pulled Hitomi across the living room and through his room into the bathroom. Lee was thankful that the bleeding has slowed and didn't leave blood spots on the carpet that would become suspicious. Roger followed Lee into the bathroom and helped get Hitomi situated in a chair. Leifang wondered why Lee kept dashing in and out of the bathroom and she started to think. "That Hitomi girl has been nothing but trouble, she's probably just playing around pulling some sick joke to make Lee worry," she thought.

x x x x

Finally the panicked atmosphere had calmed down and Hitomi wondered out of the bathroom with a gauze wrapped around her shoulder. She seemed like she was back to normal, just really tired and wondered into the living room and watched Lee and Leifang busy trying to cook something in the kitchen. From what her nose was telling her they weren't doing a very good job. Lee noticed her sitting on the couch watching them and brought her a glass of water. Holding it out to her, he asked, "How are you feeling?"

"Alright," she replied, truth was though that she was really tired.

"Well, I'm going to have a talk with you later," he said sternly.

"Okay. And I want to have a talk with you now about that cooking. I can tell that you have too much salt in whatever it is your cooking and you also have the heat up too high, you need to turn it down."

"Oh yeah? How can you tell?"

"I can smell it."

"What? The burning?" Lee asked as he sniffed the air.

"The burning and the salt."

She took a drink from the glass and Lee went back to the kitchen to correct his mistakes. Hitomi worried about Lee. She had put him under a tremendous burden twice now and felt that her stay was over welcome. She looked up at the ceiling. "It might be easier for him and myself if I just got another apartment," she sighed to herself. "What are you thinking about?" Hitomi was startled by the voice and looked to her right to see Leifang sitting next to her.

"Huh?" she responded.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Why?"

"Because I saw you over here thinking. I bet your thinking about Jann aren't you?"

"N-no," she stammered, but actually she was thinking about him and what a burden she must be to him.

"Oh really?" Leifang replied slyly, "you weren't just doing this to get attention," she added while poking Hitomi in the bandaged shoulder.

"Owwww, stop it," Hitomi complained.

"I bet your just faking it," she accused her while still poking the wound.

"Jetzt im ernst, owwww, dass tut weh. Hör auf..." Hitomi pleaded with her.

Leifang immediately stopped her poking and brought her hand back in surprise, like some dog she had been petting just snapped at her. She was not expecting that from Hitomi, whatever she had said, it didn't make sense.

"Leifang! You leave her alone!" Lee yelled to her. She stopped and looked at Hitomi angrily.

"I can see what you're doing and I'm not going to let you do it."

"Huh?" Hitomi raised and eyebrow in confusion.

She had no idea no idea what Leifang was talking about, but concluded herself that Leifang must really like Lee and he was taking care of Hitomi and Leifang felt like her spot in their relationship was being invaded. Hitomi knew what it was like to take care of someone, just like Lee was doing to her. She had done it herself not to long ago back in Germany. Leifang left Hitomi confused on the couch and went back to helping in the kitchen. Hitomi was feeling really tired, but she didn't want to go to sleep, not with Leifang around. There was no telling what she might try to do with her, probably play some practical joke or worse if she went to sleep. Later, when Lee and Leifang had finished cooking they all crowded around Lee's table and ate a silent dinner.

x x x x

Hitomi found herself back on the poking at the wound herself. Lee came up to her and placed the box of Pocky on her lap. "Here, I took it out of your pocket so you didn't crush it," he told her. "Thank you," she replied, looking at the box of candy as if she didn't really appreciate it. "Don't let her get to you," Lee told her sensing her depression, "she's very defensive. She's been that way ever since she came to America." Hitomi was intrigued.

"Oh?" she questioned, trying to get him to explain more.

"Yeah."

"What happened to make her act like that?"

"Well, she doesn't like to talk about it, but I'll tell you the story, just so you'll have some dirt on her," he smiled.

Hitomi sat up and listened intently while taking a Pocky stick and bit off the end. "You ready now?" he asked her. Hitomi smiled while chewing the Pocky and nodded.

"Okay," he continued, "two years ago we were pulling my last job in an alley, right outside one of Red 32's warehouse. Leifang was just passing by and some of the boys from 32 though they'd have a little fun and try to take her, besides it was dark and she wouldn't expect it. When they came out the rest of my boys snuck inside, but I figured out what they were up to. There were only four of them, but they got her backed into a corner. I hate seeing women hurt, Genzo knew this, so he never put me on missions involving women."

He looked at Hitomi and could tell she was a little confused. "Just listen," he said, "don't try to figure anything out," and continued with his explanation.

"They started to go after her and she tried to run, but there wasn't anywhere for her to go. It was funny really, in all their grapping and reaching they didn't notice I was coming up right behind them. I made quick work of them and got Leifang up and on her way again, but she never just let me go. I don't know why she followed me around," he paused as if to think, "she still does."

Hitomi looked at him and took another bite of the Pocky.

"Do you know why she follows you around?" she asked him.

"Well, I think it's because she wants to defeat me in a fight. She keeps bringing invitations to fighting tournaments and dropping little hints here and there."

Hitomi's eyes lit up. Lee's talk about fighting tournaments had poured gasoline on her sparked interest. She had always wanted to go to a fighting tournament, it would be her chance to fight someone stronger; that was her whole purpose for coming to America in the first place. Lee continued with his story.

"I entered this one tournament last year called `Dead or Alive', because I had just quit and I needed some money. Low and behold Leifang followed me there and entered the tournament too. Well, I beat all of my opponents and finally had made it to the semi finals. With my luck, it turns out she is my opponent. She seemed determined to beat me by the way she was running her mouth."

Hitomi smiled a little. Leifang was also trying to intimidate her.

"Anyway, we went at it and I whooped her so bad it wasn't even funny. I was amazed Leifang even made it as far as she did, she wasn't even much of a challenge."

Hitomi smirked as the tale of Leifang being easily defeated by Lee satisfied her. She looked around, but it seemed like something was missing. Finally, it hit her, "Lee, if you won the tournament, why don't you have a house or something?"

"Well," he explained, "that was only the semi-final round. I had to fight this ninja, Ryu Haya-something for the big money. He kicked my ass. I spent a week in the hospital so all the money I had won in the tournament went to paying for my doctors bills in the hospital. Damn ninjas. I hate `em."

This brought the thought of money back on Hitomi's mind. She knew Lee didn't have much money and yet he had bought her groceries and candy, let her stay at his apartment and brought it upon himself to provide for her. This was more than anything she had expected to receive in America. The more she thought about it, the more Hitomi felt like a burden to Lee. She decided it would be best to just ask him about it. "Lee," she asked, "I am a problem? Me staying here and everything?" Lee looked at her, her question had caught him off guard. "Erm, well…" he trailed off not really knowing how to respond. He wasn't really prepared to answer a question like that.

Hitomi was crushed. Jumping to conclusions, she knew that it had been a problem with her staying with Lee. Not only was he worrying about protecting her, which was running him ragged, but he also bought her things and had now saved her life twice. She figured it was only a matter of time before he would ask her to leave. Hitomi couldn't help feeling guilty and shameful and didn't want to show it, but couldn't help the tears that her father had tried to rid her of.

"I'm sorry," she said looking at Lee, her face shining from the tears, "I figured I was a problem."

"Huh?"

"I…I thought it was going to be okay, until this afternoon, but well, maybe I need to go somewhere else," she paused and looked at the floor, "away from here."

"What are you talking about?" Lee questioned.

Then he realized what she was talking about.

"Whoa, wait. You're not planning on leaving are you?"

"Well, I'm causing you so much trouble."

"Hold on, you're not causing trouble. Actually, it's kind of fun having you around; at least there's never a dull moment," he chuckled to himself, "And it's lonely living here by myself, it's good to have another person to talk to."

"But…but…" Hitomi was shocked. She didn't realize he wanted her around, he hardly said anything to her and was always so serious.

"Look," he said, looking her directly in the face, "I don't want you to leave." When he realized what he had said, he became quiet and looked away. It just wasn't his style and he had already embarrassed himself.

"I'm afraid for your safety," he mumbled.

"Besides," he continued, "can't have you running around with this big bandage on your arm like that," he said, poking at her shoulder.

"Owww," she responded, but in lifeless monotone.

"Does it hurt that bad?"

"Yeah, it's kinda big."

"It shouldn't leave a scar," he reassured her, "it seems too shallow for that."

"What brought up the idea of causing me trouble?" Lee asked, "I mean, it's no problem. I used to have my boys shack up here all the time when they needed some place to stay. It was no big deal, we were all like brothers."

Hitomi looked at the box of Pocky, embarrassed that Lee was so worried about her. She never meant to cause so much trouble. She was familiar with how it was to take care of someone, like Lee was caring her. She did it herself to someone back in Germany, not too long ago.

Konnichiwa - Japanese phrase that means "Good Afternoon"

Japanese formal greeting, "My name is Hitomi Barrens, pleased to meet you."

Japanese _ A cute or childish "excuse me"

"Jetzt im ernst, owwww, dass tut weh. Hör auf…"- German for "Seriously, owwww, that hurts. Stop please…"

Available in Word 97+ format at

http://ownerizer.netfirms.com/art.shtml

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