****

Glancing back, I hear her sweet voice whisper her good byes, How I long to go after her. When I saw her, talking affectionately to Maliki I wanted to skin him alive. When had they become so close. Through the entrance, Brittany jumps grabbing onto me like a stupid little girl obedient to my every wish. It's almost too easy it's annoying.

****

"Did you see that?"

"Yeah report back to our lord and lady."

Two shadowy figured who had been watching Ren, Maliki and Anna from an ally next to Hashiro Corp. emerge after Ren and Anna split ways.

****

It's pitch black as I reach home. I feel even more exhausted but I still have practice. I switch into my jogging clothes and shoes and hide my vest harness I bought myself under my clothes and switch the gun from the thigh holster to its new home for the time being. I hear a honking noise outside my taxi has arrived. I grab my things and head back out feeling foggy. The dojo was pretty empty at night classes but it was okay for me because we were able to get through more self-defense material. However, the teacher Gary Langdon gets really annoying with his persistent date invites. I refuse but maybe I should it's not like I'm dating anyone and Gary's not terrible looking. He is well proportioned you can tell he trains regularly with his huge muscles but I never really cared for guys with bulging muscles. His hair was strawberry orange probably why he started working out probably got picked on a lot as a kid. His eyes where your basic blue and he was at least 26 if I had to guess. Even still I'm also not sure my hearts in it yet.

"Oh, Anna my beautiful pupil how I am glad you have come however; I can't open today. Please forgive me there is much I'd like to teach you and that body of yours." Gary starts spouting nonsense standing at the entrance to the small dinky dojo the moment I get out of the cab. "But alas we have to close today due to basement flooding." He finally says explaining why he's outside waiting to tell the other students.

"That's okay this body was feeling fatigued anyway, maybe I'll go for just a jog instead." I run off wanting to put distance between us. Exhausted I slow my pace to a brisk walk. Going through the lit park and back through the business section I am surprised to suddenly hear a woman crying for help. I stop looking around spotting two men grab a woman and pull her into the ally. I chase after them, if my training was for anything least I can do is protect an innocent. One man holding the scared woman at knife the other had her pinned to the wall covering her mouth I couldn't make out there faces. But I could see the gleam of the knife. Before I knew what happened the sound of gunshot echoed in my ears as I heard a man cry out in pain he was holding his hand. I had done it I shot perfectly disarming him without killing anyone. Standing in disbelief I realize I was surrounded by the two men the woman frozen watching, and begging me to help. Maliki and Mike often had men gang up on me dodging was just as important as attacking they would say. My body moved reflexively ducking and rolling and side stepping as their swings came my way waiting for an opening. As one opened up I took a high kick shot to his upper chest then down on top of his head as he bent over however, doing this I let my guard down I heard the girl cry out as I was grabbed from behind. Throwing myself back then forward I used my weight to off balance him throwing him and me both forward. Landing on the ground hard my back hurt but I forced myself to stand as the other guy that had grabbed me was struggling to stand but was still moving. Quickly hitting him knocking him back to the groan he gowned in pain as he passed out. I was so dizzy as I wobbled to the girl her figure was oddly familiar.

"Hurry up and get out of here." I say trying to stand but my vision gets cloudy only hearing the girl talk as if on the phone. My body hurts.