Match of the Millennium

Description: Having pledged the support of his forces to the assault, a squad of Heihachi's Tekken Force utilizes the chaos created by the NOL's frontal assault to slip into the facility. Eager to gain access to fresh subjects for their employer's experiments, the infiltrators discover that their incursion may yield an even greater prize: the Dragon herself! Caught alone in the depths of power plant, Kira must prove that her recent 'improvements' have made her far more dangerous than anyone realizes.

[KIRA VOLKOV]
No matter how often one hears it the sound of modern warfare never gets any easier on the ears. A tumultuous onslaught of gunfire and explosions fills the air in an almost non-stop wail of fury as the assembled forces of Japan's defenders attempt to breach the lines of the Dragon's mercenary squads. Thick heavy walls of reinforced concrete have been erected around the perimeter of the power plant barring easy entry into what was previous protected only by a shaky chainlink fence. Small pixboxes sit low on the ground inside the yard offering protected firing positions for the armored figures hiding within. Watch towers ring the freshly built barricade giving high vantage points from which spotters can observe and rain down enfilade fire on anyone attempting to push too far forward. Heavy machineguns set into positions entrenched with sandbags rake withing barrages of heavy caliber rounds into the enemy ranks, forcing them to remain on the defensive.

The Dragon has prepared well for this day. From the looks of it the frontal assault isn't going to be making much progress any time soon. Fortunately, hurling themselves into a Normandy Beach suicidal assault isn't the only plan that they have.

[HEIHACHI]
Asano was elated. Only days before he had succeeded in bringing in Mitsuru Tokugawa, and since the old man didn't need the money, he was building up the courage to ask him for it himself. He was given a task by Heihachi, an important one -- this power plant mission was his magnum opus. He was probably going to make Owl for this. He could see it now -- he can sneer in the faces of Parliament and sit amongst them as an equal. Many of the Tekken Force squads were doing battle in the front as well, but those guys were just patsies -- there to give NOL the impression that the Zaibatsu was really on their side. Asano and his men didn't go in the front. They had quietly breached the perimeter during the fighting, Asano and a skeleton crew of four other men -- Falcons, so better than the rank-and-file trash outside.

Tactical suppressors on their submachine guns made short work of some of the people they encountered, and the crew moved swiftly through the power plant, searching for where-ever the Dragon kept her slaves. That was the main objective -- get in and extract as much as these Darksider freaks as possible. The grim business did leave a taste in the Hawk's mouth, but greed and ambition kept him loyal.

Maybe it was because of the all the violence outside, but the deeper the team went into the power plant, the more quiet it got.

[KIRA VOLKOV]
Entry into the facility was tactical and swift, their passage barred by only a pair of guards who offered little resistance to the surprise attack. Once inside of the actual facility the din of combat became muffled and distant, as if taking place somewhere far away. It only made the unsual silence as they proceeded deeper into the bowels of the power plant all the more eerie, their descent into a series of underground tunnels marked only by the dull hum of industrial machinery.

As with the other infiltration squad, Heihachi's forces had been provided with a map of the facility's layout. A network of tunnels spiderwebbed their way between the towering boilers and the main complex in the center, buried a couple of stories beneath the surface to ensure that any sort of accident on the ground level didn't cut off access completely. It also, quite conveniently, allowed the team to move about completely unseen as they searched for signs of their target.

Yet after several minutes of encountering no resistance at all, it would become obvious that something is not right. Considering how well-prepared and tactically competent the Dragon has proven thus far, it seems quite strange that she would leave no one to guard her flanks nor patrols to wander the interior to ward against just such an infiltration attempt. Even more distressing, their search provides them with no clues that might indicate the presence of Dark Stalkers in the power plant at all. No fur, no claw marks, no strange smells.

[HEIHACHI]
Asano didn't consider himself a stupid man. In a world where some of these damn kids can punch through steel, a man like Asano (who wasn't born with any such gifts) had to wise up pretty quick. The man was strong and in good shape, sure, but he knew where he stood on the pecking order and did everything he could to compensate. It's why he felt most comfortable with a gun in his hand in situations like this. Something clearly wasn't right, and the Hawk lifts his hand to halt his squad as they begin to pad down one of the tunnels.

One soldier is stupid enough to say something.

"Should we turn the other way?"

Asano looks in the Falcon's direction. Normally he'd shoot him then and there, but these other guys were probably his friend. Asano was never invited to the after-work drinks and dinner, but the difference in pay between a Falcon and a Hawk was so vast, it wasn't his scene anyway. Instead he draws his hand over his throat to signal silence, scowling behind his gas mask before turning to move forward, gun in hand. His pace slows as they continue further down the tunnel.

He wasn't leaving empty-handed.

[KIRA VOLKOV]
Several more minutes of silent stalking through the narrow corridors yields no better results. The tunnels continue to prove empty, devoid of anything except heavy cabling and rusted pipes shimmering under the light of cheap fluorescent bulbs in the ceiling. Eventually, the pathway starts to shift upwards again, indicating that they've traveled all the way from one side of the complex to the other with nothing to show for it. While there are still many branches and side paths that they could go back and check, that they have found absolutely nothing thus far does not bode well for their chances.

But, even as the stink of failure begins to shroud this mission, a faint glimmer of light makes itself known. A voice drifts down to the team from further ahead, muted by the enclosed space and warped by the echo but still clearly recognizable. Feminine and gutteral with a heavy Slavic accent, the owner seems to be having a conversation with someone, though it is very one-sided as no other voices make themselves known.

The presence of other people inside the facility is a positive development. Considering how abandoned the rest of the place has been, whatever this person is guarding must be quite important. Perhaps the control center for the entire plant or an armory filled with supplies. While capturing free gear from the well-equipped mercenary forces would be a decent prize, that isn't the real opportunity here, as the Tekken Force leader would most likely realize.

Because the owner of that voice, is none other than the Dragon herself.

[HEIHACHI]
Kira Volkov.

Asano actually has heard her voice before. She probably wouldn't recognize him now, but Asano was a career mercenary his whole life, and the Zaibatsu wasn't the only outfit he's been in. It was perhaps only in passing, the man has always had an eye for greatness, and her voice was as memorable to him as Heihachi's growling.

Normally going up against such an opponent would be suicide, even with the advantage of numbers. Asano wasn't the tactical genius Kira was, but he heard no other voices, they were very well-armed, and these were Falcons. The Hawk rolls his tongue in his cheek -- his thoughtful expression hidden behind his mask while he and his team hug the wall, beginning to slowly approach the source of the voice. If Asano could manage it, he tries to peek in to see if the Dragon is all by herself in this room -- she is after all talking, and while he can't hear the other voice, he wasn't going to take chances. If there's a door he'd slowly creak it open, just a wee bit, so he can peer in.

[KIRA VOLKOV]
Creeping slowly up the corridor, Asano finds a single large metal door hanging slightly ajar. Warm light from much more powerful bulbs spills out of the crack in the door indicating that whatever is inside is probably a lot more important or at least better maintained.

"...in our line of work, nothing is ever easy, eh? Which is why it's best to always be prepared."

Peering into the small gap would grant the Tekken squad leader a glimpse of a large room. Dozens of computer towers line the far wall covered in an array of blinking LEDs, digital readouts, and dials. To the right, a row of monitors attached to the wall blink with constantly shifting images of information in the form of various graphs - most likely updates related to the power plant's operational status. A small end table is pushed up against the left wall sporting a half-filled pot of coffee still resting on a portable boiler, steam drifting lazily up from its open neck.

Of the dozen or so chairs in the room, only one is currently occupied. Kira sits at the center-most station, reclined lazily in the cushy chair with both feet propped up on the monitor in front of her. She holds a small radio microphone in one hand, a wire stretching between it and the console in front of her. Whoever she's talking to must be somewhere else in the plant. While her position leaves her mostly turned away from Asano, he can get a pretty good look himself.

The Dragon is dressed in the same way anyone ever seems to find her - prepared for a fight. Though her arms are bare, leaving her imposing tribal tattoos visible, the rest of her torso is clad in a thick vest of tactical kevlar armor. Rows of bright red shotgun shells fill a pair of vertical bandoliers running down the front of the vest and atleast half a dozen large military pouches are strapped to her waist and legs, each sized to hold clips of ammunition for smaller weapons. A heavy combat blade is strapped across her back, larger than a standard-issue army knife but not quite the size of a sword. A tactical pump-action shotgun rests on the chair next to her, out of the way but within easy reach.

Kira doesn't show any signs of having noticed his presence yet. Instead, she listens to a reply that must be getting piped into an earpiece as no other voices are audible. She holds up one hand, bouncing a small square device that looks like a remote detonator for explosives in her palm, grinning to herself with obvious amusement.

"Now, the smart thing to do would be to simply push this little red button right here and make my problems go away. I've found that there simply isn't anything that an appropriate amount of explosives can't fix."

The mercenary pauses, allowing whoever she's talking to a few moments to sweat at that threat. The knowledge that the facility is rigged with explosives might prove less than pleasant news to Asano as well.

"But since I'm in such a strong position right now, I think I'll have a little fun with you instead."

Kira tosses the remote onto the counter in front of her and presses a button on the console bringing up the image of a dark corridor on the monitor. A lone man can be seen in fuzzy detail, the old camera too cheap to give proper quality. The lights in the tunnel on the screen flash out for a few seconds and when they flicker back to life a second figure can be seen on the screen, a woman this time.

[HEIHACHI]
Well. Now Asano wishes he didn't come. The facility being rigged to blow makes this considerably more hostile territory, and the Hawk takes a suspicious look around, as if she'd place them in a more obvious position for him to see. He's thankful these cretins can't see him sweating behind the mask. He reigns it in, regardless, and eavesdrops as best he can. The Hawk's hand comes up to his shoulder to turn his body-cam on, though due to the power plant and other variables, the recording isn't fed directly to the Zaibatsu like it would be normally. He can record footage though, and maybe he'll get a bonus if Heihachi recognizes the people that show onscreen.

Asano takes a moment to get as much footage as he can of whatever the hell the Dragon is up to, but he doesn't hold back forever. After all, things can change at the blink of an eye -- this whole place might blow. When he sees opportunity present itself, he takes it immediately -- Asano opens the door as quietly as he can (who knows, it might be a creaky door) and his team slip in, guns all pointed towards Volkov, with Asano's voice barking out. He's speaking English -- how well-traveled he is shows, because there's no Japanese accent at all, the man clearly incredibly fluent.

"Hands behind your neck, Volkov. Stand up slowly and back away from the weapon and the detonator."

The anxiety Asano's feeling doesn't make it to his voice. Asano might not be able to punch through steel, but he is a professional.

"Falcon-3, grab 'em up and get them away from her," he adds as an afterthought.

[KIRA VOLKOV]
"My friend here has been quite restless of late. It's been several months since we last got to go out on a campaign, you see, as we're both starting to go a little stir crazy," Volkov continues as the mercenary activates his camera.

It might be difficult to tell but the footage on the monitor in front of her shows the unfortunate fate of the other infiltration team sent in to deal with the problem quietly while the ground forces keep Kira's Dragoons occupied. Zach Glen faces off against a woman in similar military attire to the Dragon's, though without the heavy armored vest for protection. A pair of deadly knives are drawn by the slender assassin as she squares up with the mercenary on the screen, both warriors preparing to do battle.

Kira fails to react as the squad leader moves in, his team right on his heels, the door proving mercifully silent as it swings inwards. Yet, when he barks his order for her to surrender, the woman hardly reacts at all. Casually tilting her head in his direction, she quirks an eyebrow at him, an amused smirk on her face rather than a look of surprise or fear. She lifts the radio up to her mouth again, speaking with the same smug confidence as before.

"Since I have some other unwanted guests to attend to, Zhenya will be keeping you company. Oh and before you get any crazy ideas, if either of you attempt to run away without giving her a bit of sport first, I'll be forced to kill your friend. Have fun now."

Negligently tossing the handset aside, Kira slowly tucks her hands behind her neck and slips her boots off the desk, making the gesture look more like she's idly standing up to stretch rather than complying with any order to surrender. When she turns around to face the infiltrators her demeanor is calm and confident, her expression that of a cat who has just spied a group of mice. The vertical slits of her snake-like eyes are far less relaxed, however, having narrowed into nearly paper-thin lines as they sweep across the soldiers.

"One for Zhenya and five for me," she says, lips peeling back to flash a pearly white grin. "She's going to be so jealous."

The hands behind Kira's back shift in a flash of motion. One goes to the hilt of the blade strapped across her shoulders, snapping the long length of blackened steel from its sheath with a sharp hiss of metal on leather. The other sweeps out in front of her just in time to snatch the shotgun as she kicks it up into the air with the tip of her boot. The movements are fast and precise, giving the Tekken Force less than a second to react. By then Kira is already moving, rolling to the side to avoid being raked with gunfire from the small but very deadly SMGs.

The combat shotgun barks deadly fire of its own as she comes up from her roll, the weapon whipped up with one hand to unleash a blast heavy buckshot straight into the chest of the nearest mook. It's a manuever that she's performed hundreds of times in the past but this time it comes to her so much more naturally than before. She hardly has to even think about where to position her hands, barely notices the normally painful thud as her shoulders hit the ground. This time there's nothing but a surge of excitement as she prepares to do what she does best - survive.

COMBATSYS: Kira Volkov has started a fight here.

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Kira Volkov      0/-------/-------|

COMBATSYS: Heihachi has joined the fight here.

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Heihachi         0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0      Kira Volkov

COMBATSYS: Heihachi has left the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Kira Volkov      0/-------/-------|

COMBATSYS: Tekken Force has joined the fight here.

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Kira Volkov      0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0     Tekken Force

COMBATSYS: Kira Volkov successfully hits Tekken Force with Painkiller ES.

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Kira Volkov      0/-------/-======|===----\-------\0     Tekken Force

[HEIHACHI]
As soon as Kira snatches the shotgun up her roll proves to be a well-timed one, because bullets now pepper the spot she just was at.

BANG!

One of Asano's Falcons takes the shotgun blast to the chest -- his body is thrown backwards against the wall, and he collapses. He's probably dead -- it's hard to tell with dark uniforms the Tekken Force is wearing, but they're definitely incredibly well-armed and armored. After that initial exchange, the men move in an effort to try and flank the Dragon, trying to keep the pressure on, submachine guns at the ready. Asano doesn't shoot at her -- he's too busy trying to get to the counter where the detonator is, barking out an order to his men.

"Cover me! Flank her!

COMBATSYS: Kira Volkov blocks Tekken Force's Quick Weapon Fire.

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Kira Volkov      0/-------/=======|====---\-------\0     Tekken Force

[KIRA VOLKOV]
Normally, the smart thing to do in a fire fight is to seek cover. Unfortunately, there isn't anything in the control room that really counts. At best, she might be able to flip the coffee table over but the cheap wood wouldn't last more than a few seconds against a sustained barrage even from the small caliber guns wielded by the corporate goons.

Forced to rely on experience and her unnaturally enhanced speed, Kira brings her blade up as she starts to serpentine back and forth. The thin strip of metal isn't nearly as good as a shield or a wall but the mercenary displays proof of the power flowing through her veins as she whips the knife around in a defensive whirl, swatting aside the handful of shots that manage to track her as she jukes wildly. The impacts send bone-rattling tremors through her arms but it's a far cry better than taking a bullet.

"Really shouldn't yell out your plans, boss!"

Kira's grin grows wilder as she shifts course, diving directly towards the gaggle of soldiers in a display of absolute insanity - or incredible tactical timing. Regardless of whether she's insane or a genius, the mercenary flies at the closest soldier and unleashes a viscious round-house kick at the side of his neck. The speed of the attack is astonishing, the tip of the woman's polished combat boot snapping forward like the head of a snake striking out. The force imparted by the strike is equally incredible, packing enough of a punch to send the poor soldier sailing like a missile into Asano if he doesn't manage to defend himself in time.

COMBATSYS: Tekken Force dodges Kira Volkov's System Shock EX.

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Kira Volkov      0/-------/-======|====---\-------\0     Tekken Force

[HEIHACHI]
She's deflecting bullets. Asano sees her deflect bullets, and for a moment it distracts him from his own objective as he watches her move with such fluid speed. The team doesn't stop firing at her as she rushes them, but they begin to panic, spreading out quickly to try and get away from the unnaturally fast woman.

All but the soldier she moves to kick. He doesn't seem to be a slouch, this guy. Asano is just as surprised as anyone to see the soldier duck the roundhouse kick swiftly. The Falcon doesn't let this opportunity slide, whipping his rifle to his back quickly so that he can try and tackle the woman to the ground. Should he succeed, the others follow, moving in an effort to surround her and start stomping down on what exposed parts of her there are underneath their buddy's body. He'd try and hammer into her with fists that suggest these guys have had rigid close combat training.

Asano isn't so caught up in the fight he forgets, though. He turns and snatches the detonator up for now -- it's no use to him while they're inside, but it's best to take the option out of the crazy Dragon's hands -- he had little doubts she'd be willing to kill them all if things looked bleak.

COMBATSYS: Kira Volkov barely endures Tekken Force's Brutal Advance.

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Kira Volkov      1/------=/=======|=====--\-------\0     Tekken Force

[KIRA VOLKOV]
Kira is just as surprised as everyone else that her sudden blitz was so artfully avoided. She doesn't have time to dwell on what went wrong, however, as the soldier hurls himself at her in an attempt to hold her down for a good old fashioned beat down.

Unfortunately for the Tekken Force, the mercenary's strength and durability goes well beyond what her average stature might imply. The first man rams into her with a low shoulder charge to the gut clearly attempting to take her off her feet with a flying tackle. Letting out a grunt, she leans into the strike and simply overpowers the soldier, skidding backwards a couple of inches instead of getting bowled over.

It still buys his companions a few seconds to move in and capitalize on the situation. Kira attempts to defend herself as fists and gun-butts slam down at her from all directions but even she has limits when dogpiled by an entire team. Several of the strikes land true, hammering into her ribs or taking her across the back. One solid blow clocks her in the jaw, snapping her head to the side with a wicked crack.

For most people, that might have ended the fight right there. But pain is an old friend for the veteran mercenary and with the power of the super soldier serum filling her veins, punches like that just don't cut it.

Kira lets out a snarl of fury, driving her knee up into the chest of the man still clutching at her waist, pushing him away. A flurry of further kicks are delivered to the goons surrounding her, each one aimed at a joint or soft spot, attempting to clear them out or disable them long enough for her to get a better position.

COMBATSYS: Tekken Force endures Kira Volkov's Medium Kick.

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Kira Volkov      1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\1     Tekken Force

[HEIHACHI]
The Falcon who managed to dodge her kick doesn't dodge this next one -- there's very little room for him to with all his buddies surrounding them. He lifts his arms to block but her knee crashes into his chest and he flies backwards, while other soldiers begin to try and throw weapon butts, kicks or elbows at the woman -- most of these blows put their limbs in place for Kira's disabling strikes. The armor prevents them from being too crippled by her blows, but they begin to scatter, none of them wanting to get close to the woman.

None of them but Asano, who sees his shot. He's that kind of guy after all. A knife is pulled from his shoulder harness and he moves forward, trying to drive the blade underneath one of the Dragon's ribs while she's occupied with his men.

COMBATSYS: Kira Volkov blocks Tekken Force's Cutthroat Tactics.

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Kira Volkov      1/----===/=======|=======\-------\0     Tekken Force

[KIRA VOLKOV]
As a fellow dirty fighter, Kira is more than aware of the sorts of tactics that might be used in situations such as this. Hell, she'd be doing the same thing herself, were their positions reversed. But if she were going to be caught unawares by such an obvious ploy then she would have died a long time ago. There have certainly been enough people who tried.

Whirling around like a dervish as Asano comes in from behind, the mercenary queen's oversized combat blade rings out as it deftly flicks into the path of the thrust, batting the smaller weapon aside. Again her speed and skill prove to be above and beyond what any reasonable human should be capable of. He doesn't even manage to get close.

Kira gives the thug a contemptuous sneer and lunges forward to take advantage of his failed attack. She slams into him with a fully body check, attempting to throw him off balance for a moment. Tossing the shotgun aside, her now empty hand snakes out to wrap around his neck and with a pivot of her hips flips the man bodily into the air, tossing him over her shoulder towards the other Tekken Force members as if he weighs little more than a pancake.

COMBATSYS: Tekken Force dodges Kira Volkov's Soldier of Fortune.

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Kira Volkov      1/----===/=======|=======\-------\0     Tekken Force

[HEIHACHI]
When Kira's blade comes up and knocks his knife away, Asano snaps backwards a step. If it wasn't for her discarding her shotgun, he probably wouldn't have been able to get another opening. When he sees her hand coming, his eyes widen behind his mask but he shifts to the side, managing to dodge her hand. He's got no time to thank his lucky stars she didn't just kill him, relief turning into exhileration. Maybe he can turn this fight around. His hand comes up to try and drive his blade into the inner bicep of the arm she lashed out with -- it doesn't stop there, though, the Hawk beginning to press with his knife lashing out at various parts of her. She might be able to tell Asano is a trained killer, though it's quite evident his skill level is nowhere near hers.

The Tekken Force squad backs up and lifts their guns, but the close-quarters exchange makes it too risky to just open fire.

COMBATSYS: Kira Volkov counters Combat Knife Assault EX from Tekken Force with Deus Ex EX.
-* CRITICAL HIT! *-

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Kira Volkov      0/-------/-----==|=======\====---\1     Tekken Force

[KIRA VOLKOV]
To her surprise, these goons aren't actually half bad. Kira feels a faint pang of regret that she's going to have to kill them all. It'd be nice to have more competent soldiers in her employ, particularly now with her assets in Africa lost. Normally, she'd take this fight a little more leisurely, wear them all down and show off a bit of her skills. Experience has proven that being humbled tends to make professional soldiers a little easier to deal with. But she doesn't have time to play around today. Everything needs to go just as planned for the final stage of her grand scheme to work out.

"Sorry."

A shimmering flash of blue light erupts around Kira's arm as the blade plunges downwards. Its tip stops short of her flesh by a couple of inches, bouncing harmlessly off a neon blue barrier as her personal shield generator winks to life for a brief moment to deflect the well-timed attack. Asano's hand is repulsed with enough force to send him staggering backwards which gives the swift mercenary all the time she needs. Darting forward, she slams her forearm into his neck in a clothesline, swinging herself around behind him to convert the blow into a deadly chokehold.

"But I don't have the time to play with you boys any more."

Appying enough force to her grip to completely cut off the squad leader's airflow is child's play. It doesn't even take super strength to manage that for a trained fighter. But when the person using a choke-hold /does/ have super strength, the attack shifts from unpleasant to bone-crushingly painful - literally.

Fortunately for him, it doesn't last long. Kira squeezes down and gives a sharp twist, ending the ambitious corporate goon's career with one loud crack. His body flops to the ground in a lifeless heap as she tosses him aside, the detonator skittering away across the floor from twitching fingers. The mercenary's eyes follow the device until it comes to a rest against the row of consoles. Her gaze lingers on the small remote for a moment then shifts back to the remaining members of the Tekken Force, giving them a sinister smirk.

"If I were the rest of you, I wouldn't want to be here in the new few minutes."

[HEIHACHI]
Asano's last thoughts are sheer terror and agony. When his knife deflects off her shield generator and she takes hold of him, he knows he's going to die. Thoughts of what this will mean flood his mind. Will he be eternally conscious? Will it hurt forever? Will he become a ghost? Darkstalkers exist, after all. Those thoughts are going hundreds of miles a minute. Was this a suicide mission? His men can't see the tears, but Asano doesn't have to wonder much longer. His ability to do so is cut short by Kira's sudden slaying of him, and the other guys watch him drop and then look down at the detonator as well.

When Kira's eyes find them again, they're all looking at her, too. Their guns are already pointing at her, but the one who tackled her is the first to speak.

"We're leaving. Don't follow us," he says, quietly. "Heihachi Mishima sends his regards." Heihachi didn't -- he didn't expect them to run into Volkov at all, but the guy decides maybe it might earn him his life. They begin slowly moving towards the door, guns still trained on her.

COMBATSYS: Tekken Force focuses on his next action.

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Kira Volkov      0/-------/-----==|=======\====---\1     Tekken Force

[KIRA VOLKOV]
Kira snorts out a small laugh at the soldier as he tries to sound imposing. As if they could stop her if she wanted to chase them down. She's already proved how worthless their guns are and even the best among them wasn't prepared to take her in close combat. But the merc doesn't make any move to follow them, instead shifting her posture to a more casual one, resting a hand on her hip as she watches the goons make a tactical retreat with a faint knowing smile.

"Mishima, huh? Guess I shouldn't be surprised."

The combat blade slides softly back into its sheath, offering a glimpse of hope for the Tekken soldiers that they might actually be allowed to leave. The discarded shotgun is likewise left lying where it is and the handgun at her side remains holstered. Yet the Dragon's eyes continue to follow them, sparkling with dark mischief.

"I'd tell you to give him my regards back but..."

A soft whisper of motion at the back of the squad betrays the presence that had thus far managed to conceal itself from notice. A pair of wicked knives glint in the darkness as a silhouetted figure darts back and forth, moving between the cluster of grunts like a skater weaving between traffic cones. As the shadow passes by each man, one of the blades flicks out, drawing a neat line across their throat that blossoms into a bright red fountain a moment later.

The shadow comes to a halt a few feet in front of Kira, its form becoming more coherent and recognizable. Zhenya doesn't even bother to glance behind her as the dying soldiers gasp and gurgle, choking on rivers of their own blood as it fills their lungs, instead offering the mercenary queen a faint smile.

"Done playing with your friend already?"

Kira steps forward and wraps a hand around the smaller woman's waist, pulling her in close to plant a quick kiss onto her lips. Zhenya returns the affectionate gesture then shrugs, wiping a few dribbles of red off her blades before sliding them back into the sheathes on her thighs.

"He ran. Some sort of teleporter."

That makes the mercenary's eyesbrows climb upwards in surprise. If her opponents have access to that sort of technology, it makes her wonder why they didn't just use it to zap themselves into the base and bypass the defenses in the first place. Perhaps it has some sort of limitation like only being able to take the user to a pre-determined spot. She'll need to do some research on this to make sure nothing winds up jumping right into her base in the final showdown.

"So hard to keep a man these days," she says with an exasperated sigh, turning the situation into a joke, as usual. "That's why I prefer you."

The merc leans in for another kiss andZhenya's smile widens but she turns away coyly, stalking over to retrieve the detonator from the floor. Kira catches the device when its tossed in her direction.

"All work and no play, huh," she says, sighing again. "Guess it's about that time."

Bouncing the detonator on her palm like a baseball, Kira steps over the dying men, collecting her shotgun on the way. Ahead of her, the sleek assassin moves to lead the way, speaking into a small radio fitted into her ear as she gives the order to begin a fighting retreat. By now the NOL would likely assume that their infiltrators had been successful in their attempts to undermine the facility. But, just to be sure, she adds a little incentive to make them more aggressive.

The first detonation rocks the entire plant as the explosives planted in one of the boilers go up with a thunderous boom. A chain-reaction of further smaller blasts rocks the ground, forcing both women to lean against the side of the tunnel for a few moments. The cheap overhead lights flicker and buzz like maddened hornets at the abuse, thick clouds of dirt and dust raining down all around them. When the tremors finally pass they continue on their way, moving at a quick jog towards the secret exit leading down into the sewers for a clean getaway.

COMBATSYS: Tekken Force has left the fight here.

[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Kira Volkov      0/-------/-----==|

Log created on 09:58:44 05/28/2020 by Kira Volkov, and last modified on 17:15:29 05/28/2020.