Leora looked to the man on the bed and suppressed a sigh. The man was wrapped in bandages, and when she came into the room, she saw him wake up with a start, wondering where he was. She had heard what happened from the nurses. The man barely survived an explosion. There were some bruises showing on the little skin that wasn’t wrapped in bandages.

Leora grabbed a chair, and sat down beside the bed. “Calm down,” she assured him. “V.S. sent me.”

“Your partner, Nene, couldn’t come. She was undercover in France for a while, then only came back to Seattle recently. Things… There were a lot of things that happened to her while you were recovering. I’m only here because Nene vouched for you.”

Leora looked to the man who was recovering and said a bit more softly, “I may not be as subtle or seductive as Nene, but I’m a good one to have in tough fights. I heard from her how stealthy you were. Think of me as… the frontline. Or a meat shield, whichever suits you.”

Leora was already kidding as he patted the man strongly on the arm. She heard a soft grunt and said, “Take it like a champ buddy.”

Strider grunted as he struggled to sit up, all the while keeping an eye on his visitor. He gave her a once over before speaking "So V.S. sent you did they. And you are to replace Nene as my partner you say." Suddenly he clutched his chest and he started coughing and then pointing towards the table.

"Get me some water please" he asked feebly as he slid a hand under the pillow and held the handle of his switchblade firmly. When Leora turned around to grab a glass, he pressed the tip of the blade to her throat.

"Don't make any sudden movements" he said hoarsely, his hands shaking as he held the blade in place. "How do I know that you are who you claim to be. Lucius could have sent you to finish me off. Do you have any proof that you were sent by Vincent." he questioned her while watching her every move. She slowly retrieved a piece of paper from her bag and handed it over to him.

After examining the contents of that paper he knew for certain that she was working for V.S. Associates and he removed the blade from her throat. Closing his eyes he started to think of his next step, he knew he couldn't stick around here for long. "The doc will be back soon, we don't have much time. You have to help me get out of here" he insisted. Taking hold of the IV tube, he gave it a tug, pulling it out of his wrist. He did the same with the rest of the instruments and wires attached to his body while Leora gave him a bemused look. A few of the machines stopped whirring and ticking while the electrocardiogram flatlined.

"What the fuck are you waiting for. Help me up dammit" he barked at her while trying to stand up. Holding onto her shoulder, he finally managed to get on his feet. "Lucius might send someone to kill me if I stay here for too long. We need to find a place to stay for a few days. I know a hotel nearby" he stated. 

The doc had yet to show up, he quickly grabbed his coat and draped it around his body, hiding the bandages. Wincing in pain he transfered his weight to Leora, hanging on to her for support. "Alright, let's go. I'm trusting you to get me out of this place. Once we are outside I need to make a call so take me to a pay phone outside the hospital." 

"Geez, you're bossy for an injured guy," Leora complained as she patted him hard on the back. That made him wince. She got his arm on her shoulder and helped him walk. Strider was walking towards the door when Leora started guiding him to the window.

"What-" Strider tried to say as Leora broke it with her bare fists. She shook the shards off her gloved hands, and smiled.

"I told you I wasn't the subtle type. Just use me as a meat shield later." Leora savored the thought as she jumped with Strider.

Unsurprisingly, at least for Leora, she caught the edge of the roof of the next building. "Upsy daisy," she sing sang as she pulled them both up the roof.

"You know what, I think I'll just carry you. You're slowing me down," she said. She hoisted Strider on her shoulder and started running. The man was bouncing up and down on her shoulder as she sprinted.

"This is payback for pointing a knife at me," she said as the wind rushed past her face and blew her hair.

"Over there. A phone booth" he managed to say while he was carried around like a rag doll. Strider felt his head throbbing and he felt dizzy when Leora let him down from her shoulder. It took a while for him to regain his balance but once he did, he walked towards the booth. He motioned for her to wait while he stepped inside and picked up the receiver.

"Operator. How may I direct your call."

"V.S. Associates please" he replied and started twirling the cord of the telephone while waiting to be connected. The secretary picked up the phone and she rerouted the call to Vincent.

"Hello Vincent, this is Strider."

"Where are you calling from. Are you alright" asked Vincent.

"I'm alright, my wounds are healing. I'm near the hospital" he looked back to see if Leora was still around. "Listen, why did you send this behemoth of a woman instead of Nene."

"We sent Nene on an undercover assignment. You can trust Leora. She can protect you from Lucius in case he shows up"

"But I preferred working with Nene" he protested. "Do you know when she will be back"

"Sorry Strider, she won't be back for a while" Vincent paused and then added "Nene submitted your weekly report before she left. She delivered the girl to the safe house as well. You should rest up and heal. Find a quiet place for a few days till this thing blows over"

"Ohh, its just that I wish I could have said goodbye... " Strider trailed off.

"Never mind that. There is something else you should know. Its about your friend William Callahan"

"What about William" he gripped the receiver tightly. His heart was beating faster as if something ominous was approaching. Why had William not visited him at the hospital he thought.

"I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news Strider but William has been killed. The police found his corpse in Market street alley a couple of days ago. His funeral is to be held this Sunday." 

The receiver slipped from his hand and it dangled near his feet. The overwhelming grief suffocated him and his whole body trembled. He felt like throwing up as the words kept repeating in his head ' William has been killed .... William has been killed.' 

He stumbled back against the door which gave away and he started to fall when he felt a strong pair of arms grip him, breaking his fall. Tears were running down his cheek and he buried his face in Leora's shoulders.

She patted the poor guy on the back, gently this time. Leora, for all her confidence, wasn't sure what to do. So, she started simply. She got the receiver and told V.S. that she'll handle things from here. She hung up the phone, looked around, and spotted a corner. She slowly led Strider there, so that the public didn't have to see him.

"There, there," she whispered soothingly. She let him cry out out for a few more moments when she suddenly asked, "Want revenge?"

Leora didn't know the exact details of what happened yet. However, revenge had always been the staple to soothing grief, as far as mafioso were concerned. Leora looked around for posters and asked the locals about cheap hostels. She didn't really like them (she preferred the luxurious hotels), but those were the places people didn't notice, and it was probably prudent to keep low. Once she found them two rooms, she laid Strider on one of the couches. 

"I'm sure that William's family is in grief. We'll go to the funeral, console their family, and promise them their revenge," she assured Strider in a steely voice. Leora always tried to look feminine, however, this wasn't one of those moments. She unconsciously clenched her muscles out of anger, and she almost ripped her suit.

The car ride to the cemetery was a quiet one, he barely spoke a word to Leora who stayed focused behind the wheel. Strider closed his eyes and his mind drifted to that fateful night when he last saw William. If only he had noticed the signs. William was jittery that night and had even asked Strider to accompany him home.

"Fuck" he banged his fist against the side of the door making it rattle. "I could have saved him... I should have" he said berating himself while Leora remained quiet. Looking out the window, he saw the cemetery grounds come into view. 

"Could you park the car at the far side" he turned to Leora and continued "I don't think I can face his family right now." Without a word she drove past the row of vehicles parked near the entrance.

Dark clouds had gathered overhead and the sun was hidden behind them. Strider stepped out of the vehicle and buttoned up his brown striped jacket. A black homburg covered his head while a dark pair of glasses masked his eyes. A close friend of his was about to be laid to rest and he was ashamed to show his face and be a part of the service.

Only a handful of people appeared to be gathered around the casket. As he moved closer he could hear the priest offer a prayer to the deceased. He stayed hidden behind a cedar tree and watched the proceedings. Mary was dressed in all black with a veil over hear head, the baby bump  visible even in her loose clothing. Little Annie and Suzy clung to her sides while crying for daddy. No one from V.S. Associates had made it to the funeral save for Frank Sciandra, who looked on with a sombre expression.

The pitiful sight was too much for Strider to bear and he turned and walked towards the car."I'll be in the car" he murmured to Leora and he passed her by. Just as he was about to step in, he felt a little droplet of water hit his arm. Taking his glasses off, he looked up to the heavens as they began to weep for William.

Leora looked to Mary and her family, Vincent Sciandra in his suit, and the sky raining. The grief was palpable. She opened an umbrella and approached them. She said her condolences to the family, and asked Vincent in a whisper,

"Any info on the assassin?"

Leora understood Strider's grief. It was probably worse for him, since he seemed to be the subtle type, the type to notice assassinations in advance. Leora would definitely be mourning if her friend died.  However, her style was to be as domineering as possible, so that nobody ever tried. And in this case, she wanted to decorate William's grave with the bodies of his murderers.

Once the family had finished mourning, and they were about to leave the cemetery, she approached them and asked,

"Any details you think may help in catching the assassins?"

Once she got everything she could get, she went in the car. She saw a stoic Strider, and knew that they were dead.

Almost a week had passed since William's funeral and Strider was standing in front of the office building owned by V.S. Associates. He was ready to get back to work and had called Leora the previous night to let her know the same. Taking a deep breath he stepped into the building.

Ed and Al were the two bodyguards employed by Vincent and they were waiting at the entrance as usual ready to frisk him. Strider didn't know what to make of those two, he knew they were brothers and were very loyal to Vincent. Ed was a short guy, a pip squeak with blond hair whereas his brother Al was the complete opposite. He had long black hair and was built like an ox. They confiscated his blade and his Colt pistol before letting him through; he felt naked without his weapons, the .45 was not something he liked to part with. 

Climbing a flight of stair, he turned right and went in the direction of Nene's old office. He assumed that that was where Leora would be. A couple of knocks produced no reply so he walked into the office to find it empty. The place looked a lot organized and cleaner than the last time he was here, the files were neatly stacked and the dim light bulb had been replaced by a brighter one. He wouldn't have guessed that Leora was a neat freak.

On the table he found a manila folder with a few pages sticking out of the sides. He pulled the edge of the paper with his fingers trying to see its contents. A name was visible, Nika Petrov , which seemed to be a Russian name. After making sure that Leora wasn't standing behind him, he pulled the sheet further and found an interesting detail. Last seen - Drug den.

He quickly pushed the paper back into the folder and took a seat wondering if that was a random piece of paper or whether that was to be his next assignment.

Leora dropped a massive barbell on the ground. The mirrors and and dumbbells in the gym shook as a few bodybuilders felt their legs shake a little. She wiped the sweat off her neck and left for the changing room. She waved goodbye to the shrimps in the gym, and they sheepishly waved back. She felt bad for the runts, but also empathized with them. She was the smallest in her family, and they were even smaller.

Leora still had a slight sheen of sweat on her forehead when she entered her office. Strider was there, snooping around. Leora wasn't surprised. He was the ever vigilant type.

"So, that's our next mission, huh," Leora commented. She hadn't read it yet and only looked at the picture. She clapped her hands when her army of butlers started marching through the doors. "You forgot to serve the man his biscuits and tea," she complained. "Also, please  clean everything up later." Leora would appear as a neat freak to her acquaintances, but it was all due to her army of servants.

Leora stirred her tea when she accidentally bent her teaspoon. She handed it her butler as if it was a usual occurrence as a maid replaced it for her.

"I'm ready. She looks slutty to be honest," Leora declared. Leora had been waiting for an excuse to fight. And looking at hints of destruction her actions are showing, she was ready.

They grabbed the file and made their way out of the building but not before Strider took his weapons back from the front desk. He did not see Leora collect her gun and wondered if she was heading into this mission with just her bare hands.

"I'll drive" he stated and got into the vehicle. "The drug den mentioned in the file is at the lower west side isn't it", that was not an area he was familiar with. Illegal drug trades and murder were a common occurrence in that part of the city. The normal folks stayed away from lower west side, even the cops had given up trying to bring order to that region.

It didn't take them long to reach their destination. He turned to Leora and asked her if she knew where this drug den was and she just shrugged in reply. He scanned the area looking for signs of life. A few homeless men were wandering around, it was doubtful that they could provide any information. Then he saw three little girls playing hopscotch nearby.

"Hi girls, what's your name" he smiled at them and asked.

The older of the three girls who appeared to be the leader spoke up "I'm Blossom, their names are Bubbles and Buttercup"

He pulled out the photo of Nika and showed it to Blossom "Have you seen this woman around sweety. We are trying to find her, she might be in danger."

Blossom looked at the picture intently before pointing towards a building on the other side of the street "Yea mister, I saw her go in there. But she wasn't alone. There were these scary looking big men with her" She spread her arms wide when she said big.

Leora was waiting beside the car and he jogged back to her "We are in luck Leora, I have a good lead thanks to those girls. Luckily they haven't been taught not to talk to strangers." As they crossed the street he warned her. "Let's try to be discreet, we don't need to get into an unnecessary scuffle you hear?" 

When they left the the front desk, Strider looked to Leora, as if looking for weapons. Strider was well-armed, with pistols, knives, and everything you could need in a mission. Leora smiled and cracked her knuckles. She also used guns sometimes, but not today. Her knuckles were feeling itchy.

As they neared their destination, Leora looked to the three tiny girls- a readhead, a brunette, and a blonde- and the way Strider approached them. They were taught well by her parents, all right. Leora was already thinking about coming back for them, after the mission. She would offer them candies, and kindly kidnap them. They seemed like sugar, spice, and everything nice. They even had the "X-factor" she was looking for in maids.

After Strider informed her of the target's location, she followed behind him. They crossed the street, and sneakily went behind the building. Leora may have hit a bunch of trash cans, stepped on a sleeping homeless man, and hit her head on the emergency ladder escape, but she thought that they were doing quite well. She usually just kicked the front door. However, this wasn't a solo mission, and V.S. would have his reasons if he sent both of them.

Nika Petrov looked nothing like the woman in the photograph. Strider spied on her through the window, Leora was standing right beside him. With sunken eyes, hair like a bird's nest and disheveled clothing, she was a complete mess but it was her alright. She was stuffing her handbag with packets of white powder and he couldn't see anyone else in the room with her.

He signaled Leora to go around the back. The door was locked but before Strider could pick the lock, Leora had broken through it. He glared at her, stealthiness was paramount in this assignment. Luckily no one was yet aware of their presence, so they moved quietly towards Nika's room and pushed the door open.

"Nika?"

"Who are you, how did you get in here?" she questioned them.

"Shh. We have come to rescue you" he assured her while stepping closer to her.

"Rescue me? From what?", fear was written on her face. "If you don't leave, I'll scream"

The next step he took forward made her scream in terror. He was quick to respond, a quick jab to her stomach knocked the wind out of her and she folded into his arms. Handing her over to Leora, he started to hunt around in her handbag. There was no question about it, the white powder was pure, unadulterated cocaine. He grabbed the handbag and they made their way towards the exit.

"Hey you! What are you doing around here?" a male voice shouted at them, as they passed through the back door.

Strider turned around to see half a dozen dangerous looking men advancing towards them. They were staring at the bag in his hands and he had an idea. Lowering his voice he whispered to Leora. "Let's split up and try to loose them. Keep the girl safe", with that he dashed towards the street while Leora went the other away with the girl in hand.

Looking back over his shoulders, he saw three of the thugs pursuing him. His plan was working, but he knew it wasn't an easy task to break away from them. He sprinted towards the intersection as they closed in on him. Just as they were about to grab him, he stepped into the streets, barely avoiding the oncoming traffic but one of his pursuers wasn't so lucky. Horns honked and breaks screeched as the bus rammed into one of the thugs , sending his body flying across the street, killing him instantly.

A crowd gathered around the lifeless man and when his companions saw the state he was in, they were enraged. Strider had hoped that they would go to aid their friend but he was mistaken. They came after him, their faces masked in fury.

Leora watched Strider as he speedily ran away. What surprised her was that three minions could actually keep up with him. She swore she only saw Strider's shadow when three more shadows followed behind him. Leora looked to the three minions who stayed behind. They had muscles on their muscles, at least six feet, and were carrying bats. She was visibly impressed.

Leora looked at Nika slung on her shoulder and hit her on the back of the head, just enough to knock her out. Strider emphasized the stealthiness of this operation, and she couldn't have a person screaming while she ran. When she looked at her surroundings again, the three beefy minions had already formed a triangle around her.

She was worried about Nika. Leora was very durable, and even blushed as she blocked a bat with her forearm. She breathed heavily and kicked the man on the chest. The man hit a wall, dropped to the ground and fainted. Leora charged forward and soccer kicked the man on his chest. Leora was inhumanly strong, and her punches could make someone's heart vibrate and hit their ribcages. So, she didn't bother to look back as she left the room.

The other two bodyguards were stunned. As stereotypical minions, their minds couldn't process how they had underestimated the woman. Sure, she was tall as them, and also had muscles on her muscles, but they thought they could immediately react when something happened.

"Mother fucker," spat one of the minions. "Don't underestimate her this time."

The two minions immediately ran after her.

Strider kept up his pace as he tried to outrun the two thugs chasing after him; they weren't about to give up now that one of them had been killed. Up ahead he saw an abandoned construction site which looked like the perfect place to lose them. One of the wooden planks blocking the entrance was loose and he squeezed in between them into the construction yard.

The skinnier of the two thugs followed him through the narrow gap but the other one was too bulky to get through. Strider raced up the building, taking two stairs at a time. The footsteps of his pursuer could be heard who was close on his heels. He ran all the way to the third floor and  looked around for a place to hide. 

Up ahead was an elevator shaft. If he managed to jump across the gap to the other side, he could get away from the thug. Or he could wait and hope to take him out with his .45 but after the incident with Lucius, he wasn't too confident. With no time to waste he decided to go with his former option. Sprinting at full speed he headed for the drop up ahead. He ran right to the edge and with all his might he sprung forward, clearing the gap easily. Not missing out on leg day might have just saved his life he thought and he paused for a while to catch his breath.

"Aahhh" the thug screamed and ran towards the drop and he leaped forward. Strider was too shocked to react but he saw that the thug wasn't successful. He clung to the edge of the elevator shaft, trying to climb up.

"Help! Save me" he cried as Strider walked closer to him. He looked down at the man hanging from the edge and his first instinct was to save him.

'Kill him' the voice nagged in his head. This lowlife  would most certainly have killed him if he got the chance, so why shouldn't he kill him, thought Strider. He took a step closer to him and stomped on the fingers of the man's right hand prying it loose.

"No please. I have a family, save me" he begged for his life.

'Lies' the voice hissed. Strider lifted his foot and crushed the thug's fingers till he let go. The scream was loud and it echoed through the building but it ended soon. He lay on the ground below, a pool of blood around his head, his hands and feet bent at an awkward angle.

Strider turned around and walked away, towards the stairs. The powerful punch came out of nowhere, right at his head sending him careening into the concrete wall.

Thud. One of the minions had charged into Leora. He took advantage of his knowledge of the terrain and circled around her. Leora, to the minion's surprise, maintained her balance. Another minion came charging from another direction. He didn't follow the other minion's mistake and started reaching for his pistol.

He never had a chance as Leora, with a minion around her waist, started charging towards him. They all hit the ground in a mess of limbs. Leora bit off an ear and kicked the balls of another. Nika, however, was kept safe. Leora had lifted one hand as she kept her target safe. Leora may be a brute, but V.S. had chosen her for a reason.

The scuffle continued for a few more moments. By the end of it, Leora was on both of her pursuers. One knee was on each of their necks as their faces turned blue and they struggled to breathe. Their hands scratched at Leora legs but she ignored it. Eventually, they stopped breathing. Nika was again slung on her shoulder as she started jogging. She had to find Strider.

Wiping the blood from over his eyes that ran down his temple, Strider looked around for his assailant. He found the bag with the drugs lying a few feet away from him. His gun was beside it so he crawled over and reached for it. Just as he was about to pick it up, a strong kick to his stomach knocked the wind out of him.

The last thug left alive, the one who was well built, came charging at him as he lay on the floor. Strider rolled out of the way and struggled to get back on his feet. Using the wall for support, he slowly managed to stand back up and as he turned around he saw another punch directed at him. He quickly raised his arms in defense but he could barely block the flurry of punches. 

Seeing an opening, he jabbed at the thug's face with his right fist. The uppercut hit him in the chin and the man grimaced while holding a hand over his mouth. He then grinned wide, showing his bloody teeth before coming for Strider once again. 

By now it had become obvious to Strider that he had no chance of defeating this giant of a man in a fist fight, maybe Leora could but not him. He ducked past the oncoming punch and raced towards the gun that lay on the floor. The thug was no fool, he reached out and caught hold of the locket chain around Strider's neck and stopped him from getting to his weapon. The giant then lifted him up and threw him towards the corner, a mound of sand meant for construction broke his fall. 

The thug picked up Strider's pistol and fired at him, the bullet burying in the sand next to him. Strider dived to the side to avoid the next shot as the man kept firing at him. Picking up a piece of timber that was on the floor, Strider swung it in an arc towards the head of his attacker. It smacked against the side of his head and he roared in pain like an animal. Blood leaked out of the man's ear and that is when Strider noticed a thick blood soaked nail sticking out of the end of the plank he held in his hand.

While the thug was distracted, Strider got back to his feet and swung his makeshift weapon at him once more. This time the nail drove itself into the top of his skull. Strider kept bashing him over the skull repeatedly till the giant fell to the floor, stone dead. He tossed aside the piece of wood and went in search of Leora and the girl.

Leora met up with Strider. Both of them were a mess. Strider's clothes were wrinkled in the stomach while he was breathing heavily. Leora wasn't doing much better. Blood dribbled down her lips and bruises were forming on her body and face. Nika was safe though, and she wasn't the worse for wear.

Leora patted Strider, and this time, it wasn't only Strider who was hurt. Leora cringed as her shoulder ached from the previous scuffle. "V.S. sure knows how to make us work!" she complained jokingly.

She looked to Strider, a bit worried. Sometimes, he would just stare off into space, and that got her worried. The life of crime wasn't the easiest way of living, and she knew people who had gone too dark because of it.