Chapter 17 #2
Raven engaged the closest operative, a woman, smaller than her, faster, moving with the efficiency of someone who'd been well trained. They traded strikes and blocks.
Raven won quickly by being willing to take damage to create an opening. She ate a punch to the ribs that cracked something but used the momentum to drive a knife into the woman's throat. She moved to the next target.
Viper was holding his own against two operatives, his movements controlled despite the odds. She dropped one of his opponents with two shots, giving him space to finish the second.
The fourth operative retreated before either of them could engage.
“Dropping back or being pulled back,” Raven said as she pressed a hand to her ribs. She felt the sharp pain that meant one was broken or cracked. She breathed through it.
"You good?" Viper asked. His voice was tight.
"Good enough. Let’s go."
They backtracked, found a different route, and pushed deeper into the tunnel network.
Another fork.
Another choice.
This time, they went right.
The tunnel opened into a larger chamber. An old excavation point, reinforced with new supports, lit dimly by battery-powered lanterns scattered around the perimeter. She took off her NVGs.
And waiting in the center of the chamber were six figures.
Five in standard tactical gear. One different.
Tall. Broad-shouldered. Scarred face. Bald head.
Exactly as Sienna had described.
Alexei Mori.
He smiled when he saw her.
"Emi," he said. His voice was Russian-accented, carrying the warmth of someone greeting an old friend. "It's been a long time. I understand you’ve been tracking us for years now."
She didn't lower her weapon. "Alexei. I didn’t know you existed until two months ago."
"You remember me. I'm flattered, but you don’t need to lie to me." His smile widened. "I remember you, too. Sensei Kuro's favorite. The girl who could do everything. The one he watched more closely than the rest of us."
"He watched all of us."
"But you most of all." Alexei took a step forward.
The five operatives around him moved a bit, weapons ready but not raised.
The bastard probably told them not to shoot until he gave the word.
"I used to wonder why. What made you special.
And then I realized, it wasn't what you could do.
It was what you represented. Proof that his doctrine worked.
That he could take broken children and make them into something extraordinary. "
"He did. Dan and I are both exceptional."
“Danji is dead.”
“He’s not. We both escaped. Is there a point to this little convo?”
"The point is that you were his masterpiece. And I was—" He gestured at his scarred face. "I was the one who disappointed him. The one who wanted more than he was willing to teach. So, I left and built something better. I built something that served a purpose instead of philosophy."
"You built a murder factory."
"I built an organization that provides a necessary service. The world needs assassins, Emi. You know that. You were trained to be that. "
"No, I don't kill for money."
"No? Who do you kill for? For governments? Institutions?” He laughed. "That's not better. That's just more complicated."
She was aware of Viper beside her, weapon trained on Alexei but holding fire. Aware of the five operatives positioned around the chamber. Aware that this was about to go very bad very quickly.
"Where's Dan, if he’s alive?" Alexei asked suddenly.
"He's killing your people."
"Is he?" Alexei's smile didn't fade. "Good. That means I get to kill you while he's busy. Call it a consolation prize."
He raised his hand.
The operative to his left raised a weapon and fired.
Not at her.
At Viper.
The shot caught Viper in the thigh, and he went down hard, his weapon clattering away, his voice cutting through the comms in a sharp burst.
"Fuck! I'm hit! Raven's taking on some bald fucker with scars!"
Dan’s voice came through immediately. "Alexei."
Raven didn't look at Viper, and it was hard not to run to his aid, but they both knew the mission came first. She kept her eyes on Alexei. Kept her weapon trained center mass.
"You could shoot me," Alexei said conversationally. "Try to put me down from a distance. But you won't. Because you know that's not how this ends. You know what this is."
He was right. This wasn't going to end with bullets. This was going to end the way Shinobi confrontations always ended. Close. Personal. The doctrine tested against itself.
She moved suddenly, pulled out her second handgun, and while keeping her weapon on Alexi, she shot each of the five men Alexi had around him.
They dropped rapidly, and only one shot was fired back, hitting the wall five feet from where she stood.
When she finished, she lowered her weapon and set it on the ground.
"Hand to hand," she said.
"Hand to hand," Alexei agreed. He smiled. “You’re more ruthless than I gave you credit for. Bloodthirsty. We could’ve worked together.”
“You don’t know the half of it, fucker. I’d never work with you, but I am going to kill you now.” Raven rolled her shoulders and flexed her hands.
Alexei walked forward, rolling his shoulders, his movements loose and confident.
Raven moved to meet him.
They circled each other for three seconds.
Then Alexei attacked.
* * *
Alexei was fast. Faster than she'd expected. His opening combination was textbook Kuro. A high feint, low strike, redirection that forced her weight in the wrong direction. She blocked most of it but took a hit to the ribs that made breathing sharp and difficult. She saw it in his eyes when he realized she’d already been injured. He’d found a weakness.
She countered with a leg sweep he saw coming and jumped, using the momentum to deliver a knee that she barely avoided. They separated, circled again.
"You're good," Alexei said. "Better than I remember."
"You never saw me at my best."
"Let's fix that."