Honor Thy Father

Prologue

The air crackled with energy as the crowd roared, a sea of wild faces illuminated by flickering lights. Two fighters danced in the makeshift ring, a brutal ballet of survival and primal instinct. Excitement surged through the onlookers, fueled by the heady mix of drugs and cheap alcohol coursing through their veins. They pressed against the rusted steel mesh that enclosed the fighters, their shouts echoing off the grimy walls.

"Come on, get up," Natalie whispered, her voice barely rising above the cacophony. She ran a hand through her dyed black hair, slick with sweat, then wiped her brow with the back of her hand. The fighter on the ground stirred, but the energy was hardly in her favor.

"Hey, Red," came a voice crackling through her earpiece, a familiar and sardonic tone. "You're supposed to make this fight exciting so our target reveals herself-not knock them out at the first bell."

Natalie huffed out a breath, cradling her left cheek where a bruise was blossoming. "I know, Bow, but my opponent decided to spit in my face before the fight started. It felt like a fair response." She glanced at the figure across the ring-Khan Yun, better known as the Breaker. His reputation for breaking limbs was legendary, and he seemed to relish the role of the villain.

"Look," David's voice filtered through the comm, low and urgent. He was somewhere in the crowd, his eyes fixed on her. "You need to start losing. Play the underdog. Let him beat you first, then pull off the impossible-knocking Yun out. That's when she'll notice you, she'll want to fight you to show her strength, and that's your opening to place the tracker. Just like we planned, easy peasy."

Natalie nodded slightly, focusing on Yun's hulking figure as he rallied the crowd with his bravado. She could feel her heart pound-this was no ordinary fight. It was her chance, how useful she can be to Waller.

"So I let him beat me up and, somehow, beat him back?" Natalie gritted her teeth as she noticed her opponent standing up, being checked by the referee after she had roundhoused him in the face. Yun was focused solely on her, glaring, which made Natalie suppress a smirk as she tried her best to stay in character.

"You are dead, Russian girl," Yun spat in his native tongue, shoving the referee aside. He rushed toward Natalie with a kick, which she quickly dodged. However, he followed up with a backhand strike that Natalie forced herself not to evade, taking the blow to her cheek.

"This is going to be fun," Natalie gritted through her teeth, bracing herself for the toughest fight of her life.

David winced as he watched Natalie take the hit. "Oh, that has to sting," he chuckled under his breath. His eyes then caught sight of a woman with white hair standing out among the crowd. "It seems our target has arrived. Chien Na Wei, the adopted daughter of Zhishan-also known as China White-has entered the building," he smirked, stepping away from his table. "Time to put on the Bowman charm."

David weaved his way through the pulsating crowd, adrenaline coursing through him, until he was suddenly blocked by a drunken man lurching for a hug. With a gentle yet firm push, David laid the man back on the ground and carried on, his focus sharpened. After navigating through the crowd, he finally caught sight of China across the venue.

Before he could utter a word, a towering guard stepped in front of him, cracking his knuckles menacingly.

"What do you want, America?" the guard growled, his voice a low rumble that sent a ripple of unease through the air.

David raised an eyebrow, a grin playing on his lips. "Um, I'm Canadian, so that's a bit offensive," he quipped, glancing over the guard's shoulder to catch China's gaze. He offered her a wink, which elicited a scoff from her-an encouraging sign, he noted. "I just wanted to know if the pretty woman wanted a drink." His eyes roamed over her with playful intent.

China regarded him with a smirk, opening her mouth to respond when a sudden roar erupted from the crowd. All eyes turned to the center ring, where a bloodied Yun crumpled to the ground, his opponent, Natalie, standing over him with a battered arm cradled against her side.

"Rag girl wins!!!" the announcer's voice boomed, igniting an explosion of cheers. David felt a rush of pride swell within him; Red handled the first step, and now it was his turn. "That's my fighter! I found her fighting in the streets of Russia, covered in rags without a name. I called her Rag Girl because, you know, the rags," he explained, allowing a smug chuckle to escape.

"Of course," China said, her smirk deepening. "She's a good fighter, and with a little more training, she could be quite useful," she mused, her eyes reflecting a glimmer of interest.

David's mind raced with possibilities. This was the moment he'd been waiting for-a chance to secure a meeting with her. "Maybe we can set up a discussion about this," he suggested, catching the spark in China's gaze. He recalled her bio, the detail that she favored blondes with blue eyes-perhaps there was a way for Red to avoid the fight altogether.

Without hesitation, China stepped forward, flicking her wrist to brush past the guard. She reached into her pocket, retrieved a card, and passed it to him. "Bring your fighter with you," she whispered, her tone brisk as she turned, leading her entourage out of sight.

Once she was gone, David flipped the card over in his hand, eyes widening at the number and location inscribed on it. "Jackpot," he murmured to himself, a triumphant grin spreading across his face. The game was on.