<Sarai>

I wasn't going to find what I was looking for here. During the night I knew that our time here was becoming more and more limited and as the talk stayed in the past rather than the future I didn't feel that I had found the leader I was searching for.

I knew that I was never going to be a leader myself. I had plans and desires but in the end I always looked for someone to control me and my talents. Some of the men I had known had surrounded themselves with brutes of men, men who were ready to instill terror into those their master commanded. Those were not the men or the minions I associated with.

Some men though desired to be part of the world and blend in while they manipulated and control the masses. It was these men that recognised my talent. They saw beyond my gender and tiny appearance and these men could if they wish bind me to them for a steep price and ensure their own safety. Party bodyguard, part muse to men in power I was content to be a weapon for hire as whenever I had retreated into peace it never lasted very long. Someone always found me.

I was 29 and my skills I believed were at their prime. I still would learn from those around me, both the skills for my art and also social skills as I was still so immature in this. Deep down I would give up my life for love, but that had never happened and so I stayed the tool of the powerful men of the world. I did it for being controlled, but I also did it for my sister whose treatments required further and more expensive medicine and technology everytime. She was all I had as family and friend and I would do anything for her, anything.

A long time hence when I had been younger and foolish I had worked for those that now sought to destroy us. It was a period of danger and betryal and due to my heart had been on the line I had been fired on bad terms... Since then I'd always been wary of any retaliation but as my skills had improved and as I'd become more and more withdrawn into my shell I'd given it less and less thought.

Now though I had put myself back in the firing line by allowing myself to be sought out by allowing some of those who had been involved with the BBS to bring me here. I had put on a social face and talked and talked, I heard plans and feelings and I felt that I was being treated as an equal, I could even feel a few of the men's physical attraction. Neither of those interested me and as the night wore on I feel into deeper silence and my shell closed back up. I had not found someone with the talent or means to lead and command me.

My heart felt the pain coming and as this wasn't a fight I was being commanded to win I turned to BBM, Dangan and MC, "It's time for me to leave... There is a cold war being fought out there and I have not been called"

Everything about the happy woman I had been earlier in the evening had faded away and now I was just the Oriental Mystery that allowed me to stand behind the world's powerful and protect them. Entrusted with secrets I allowed myself to drown out my feelings and needs and became at peace again. I slowed my breathing and allowed my senses to lead. The others questioned me and were obviously in a state of uncertainty. I knew they had strength together, but as individuals I just didn't see it. Never-the-less as their questions washed over me I would give them one last gift.

"You know they're killing down there while we sit here. We should do something about it." BBM interjected.

"Dangan, take this," I handed him the bundle from the village and then pulled out from my jacket a silver tube covered in electronics.

"What is it?"

"The bundle is a customised powerpack, good for maybe 45minutes at the speed and skill you will use it at... The tube is a shifter. It allows you to move in one direction at speed, through obstacles. I'd stay and teach you which button sequences to press, but then I'd really be helping too much... You should watch you don't run out of power in a wall, or speed up too much... or try and shift through the ground or water, all bad ideas.... Anyway I think you know it'll help you with your goal."

I felt it in my skin and dropped to the ground pulling Dangan down ontop of me, a split second later the window shattered and bullets from some distant sniper rifles started to crack into plasterwork. I held him down and reached to my own silver device, smaller and lighter than was attached to my wrist like a bangle, "Press one, on, press two charge, press three project..." my hands flew through other combinations that were secret to my own device.

"See you later... Watch out for the grenades"

I disappeared into the shadows of the roof after running and jumping between walls and gangways. I disappeared through a skylight after a few more seconds and stood on the roof, my black clothing blending in with the night sky. Around me the town was burning and death stole through the night... Part of me hoped the guys I'd left behind would survive it, perhaps through difficulty one of them would find strength and I would serve him. I didn't bet on it though and knew that once I was away from this place I would need to find work again... My sister's treatments were so expensive...

I dived to street level and ran, vaulting and sliding around obstacles, bodies and buildings. I was a blur of speed and this exhilirated my senses and my heart. I let my Shifter stay charged, but I didn't need it... it was a device such as this that had caused my sister to fall ill and I would try and avoid the same fate.