Life of a Street Fighter

Death or Cooperation

* edited on 11/26/15

As Scarlett stared up at the building, she noticed that one of the windows was cracked open, and she could hear voices coming from it. She strode forwards until she could lean up against the brick wall, directly below the window, hoping to hear better.

"So, it's Christian, isn't it?" she heard Kaiden's rich, smooth and emotionless tone.

There were a few moments of silence, broken by the traffic noises, and Scarlett imagined Christian sitting defiantly in front of Kaiden.

"I imagine you're wondering what I want from you, and what I'm going to do to you if you don't give me what I want" he said in a cheerfully dangerous tone.

Christian remained silent and it was another few moments before Kaiden spoke again, his voice hard with anger. "Tell me where Scarlett Brooks is and I'll let you go free. Don't tell me and I'll torture you until you die. I imagine she cares about you, right?" he said in a cocky voice.

"I'll tell you nothing" Christian said in a low, angry voice.

"Oh, so you talk?" Kaiden asked in mock surprise.

"I talk. Just not to you" Christian retorted .

"Hmm, so are you going to tell me anything? Death or cooperation; its your choice" Kaiden said in a cool, smug tone.

Christian remained silent and a few moments later, there was the sound of flesh on flesh. Scarlett scowled and flattened her lips in displeasure when she heard it.

"So...I take it you choose death then?" Kaiden asked, his voice dripping with contempt.

"I'd die for her Kaiden. You're going to have to find her the hard way" Christian spat and Scarlett felt her heart contract.

"How do you know my name?" Kaiden asked in faint surprise.

"She told me...a lot. That's why we're out here. To find her little sister" he replied.

"Oh, you mean Ellie? The one whose inches away from dying? I'll make you a deal, one I'm sure you'll find irresistible" he said, emphasizing the last word. "Tell me everything Scarlett has told you and where she is, and I'll let both you and Ellie go" 

Scarlett narrowed her eyes, wishing she could go up there and murder Kaiden.

"...no" Christian replied after a moments pause.

"Why?" Kaiden asked, genuine surprise in his voice. "Wouldn't it please you to go free and alive and take a little eight year old kid with you?"

"I don't believe that you would actually harm an eight year old kid within an inch of her life to try and get information when she had nine to give" Christian said coldly.

There was another moments pause and then Kaiden said, "You saw past my little facade. You're right, I didn't harm Ellie, but...I'll make an exception for you"

"Clever. Did it take you all night to think of that?" Christian sneered.

"Nick, Mike. Have fun" Kaiden said, and Scarlett could imagine him scowling with displeasure.

A few moments later, there was the sound of flesh on flesh and Christian's pained grunts. Below, on the ground, all Scarlett could think of was flying up there and ripping Kaiden's head off. But, she was powerless except to stand there, her fists clenched, and listen to Christian getting beat up.

A little while later, the sounds stopped and she heard Kaiden's oily voice. "So, is that enough to change your mind, even though that's merely a small dose of what we can do to you?" he asked.

"Beat me up all you want, bastard! I will never spill!" Christian said, and there was the sound of saliva being spit from a mouth.

Scarlett's heart thundered wildly in her chest as she waited to hear what was going to happen next. "...you are going to pay for that" Kaiden said in a hushed voice that Scarlett had to strain to hear.

"Yeah, in blood and lies" Christian retorted.

There was a sudden crash as though someone had thrown a chair to the ground. "Do that again and I'll...." Kaiden voice dropped to low for Scarlett to hear, but she did hear his next sentence. "Hey Mike, got the brass knuckles on you? Nick, the knives?"

Scarlett let out a choked breath and waited. Then a few moments later, the air was broken by a guttural scream.

"What did I tell you?" Kaiden said mildly.

When Christian spoke again, he was panting in pain. "Touch her and you'll die" he said.

"I'll be the one making the threats here" Kaiden said, nonchalantly.

"Before you knock me out, I want to tell you one thing" Christian said.

"Yeah? And what's that?" Kaiden asked in a bored tone.

"I'm pretty sure she's outside right now" he said.

"What?!" Kaiden shouted and there was the sound of feet running towards the window.

Scarlett tilted her head back, looking up at the open window. When she saw Kaiden's head, she smirked, and raised her gun, firing two shots at him, before taking off like she'd been shocked.

"Damn it!" she heard him shout, as Scarlett pulled the motorcycle out of its hiding spot. As she started up the motorcycle, she heard another scream, followed by a gunshot, and then silence.

Scarlett struggled to breathe as she squeezed the throttle, the bike leaping away, down the street. Her hand remained clenched around the throttle as she turned the corner with deadly accuracy and speed.

I'm just jumping to conclusions, she thought, staring straight ahead. There was no way Kaiden would've killed Christian.

A loud wail, and flashing lights suddenly broke through her foggy thoughts and she glanced back to see a police car tailgating her. With a loud sigh, she pulled over and waited for the police officer to come up.

A disturbance in the crowd of people on the sidewalk, caught her eye, and she saw a man pushing a terrified woman into an alley. She narrowed her eyes and was about to get up, but the police officer's voice made her turn.

"Papers?" he asked in a bored voice.

"Scissors" she snapped, about to stand and go into the alley, but the police officer drew his gun and pointed it at her.

"Shoot" he said in a cold tone.

Scarlett gave him a cold stare, then said, "Look dude, I don't give a rat's ass about getting arrested, but if you really want to help society, go stop the raping I'm sure is happening in the alley" she said, pointing towards the alley.

The officer paused the lowered the gun. "Consider this a warning" he said, before striding off toward the alley.

"A warning?" she snorted, squeezing the throttle as she pulled into traffic.

A few minutes later, she realized that she couldn't return the bike because the bouncer was with Kaiden, so she drove around until she found the old warehouse where Christian lived.

She paused before opening the door, wondering how they were going to take her presence, but she felt it wouldn't be fair is she didn't tell them where Christian was.

The door suddenly blew open in her face and Chase stormed out. "What the hell did you do to Christian, you little bitch?!" he shouted.