Don't Derail The Plot

8. Mission 1 - My Lady (3)

A/N: POV is going to be changing back and forth in this chapter (and the next). It's all still in 3rd person, but another character's inner thoughts will be present. If this confused readers, please comment, and I'll consider putting in titles to distinguish them.

Chapter Title: BusyBody

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As soon as Tanzu spun back into her original position, she quickly reached out to catch Emma before her head hit the ground. Unfortunately, Tanzu underestimated how disoriented Menisa's body would be from a single spin and ended up falling along with her. At the last minute, she was able to pad the heroine's head with her forearm. With a throbbing right foot instep and a bruised left shoulder to show for it, Tanzu had successfully knocked Emma Beckham out.

Their fall didn't seem to alert the Captain's occupied Dining Cabin situated at the end of their hallway. The muffled cheers and laughter of the men had not been noticeable before, but their sounds had carried over into the room once Emma opened the door.

Tanzu gingerly pulled her arm from under Emma's head and got up as slowly ask she could without aggravating her dizziness. Despite her efforts, Tanzu still staggered forward, only managing to stop when her arm leaned heavily against the door. As she waited out the dizzy spell, she listened to 909's concerns about her actions.

"Relax. She'll be fine."

Tanzu had been a blue belt in Taekwondo. The roundhouse kick had been the only move she could consistently knock her opponent out during the amateur competitions back in college. After graduating, she wasn't keen to test past her blue belt one the stamina requirement was no longer compatible with her foodie lifestyle, but she did keep up with her practice so she wouldn't forget her form.

[She won't remain unconscious long enough for you to perform your catalyst task.] 909 observed.

"I know." During a match, Tanzu's opponents rarely stayed down for longer than half a minute. But on unsuspecting individuals, she could push it to two minutes. She doubted Menise's unpracticed body could deliver a very long stunning period, but time wasn't what she had really been after.

It only took a few seconds for her vision to stop spinning. Tanzu straightened up moved forward to check in up on Emma. She had only taken a step forward when a presence in the hallway stopped her in her tracks. Directly opposite from Emma's room was a man leaning casually on the door frame, his arms folded and had a leg crossed loosely over the other.

How long has he been watching?

[Since you kicked Emma.]

Crap.

There were no lamps in the hallway, but the round square window of the door leading to the lively Dining Cabin spilled enough light to reveal his figure up until the lower half of his face. Tanzu could not see his full expression, but from the visibly raised corner of the lip, she could tell he was not indignant on Emma's behalf. In fact, his body language gave Tanzu the impression he was only spectating. She really hoped he stayed that way. The young man's disheveled shirt and dark breeches may look ordinary, but the golden sheen of his buckled shoes suggested he was at least gentry. Tanzu worried he would try to save the damsel and ruin her efforts.

"May I help you, Sir?" Tanzu tried to sound calm, but her heart was still pounding from discovering his a witness.

As if he had heard something amusing, revealed a tiny grin."I should hope not."

Tanzu's eyes narrowed slightly as she waited to see what he would do. When he continued to just stand there and watch her, she raised her hand and shut the door with every intention of locking it before realizing she didn't have the key on her. To her exasperation, the man decided in that moment to be a busybody.