Big Bear Lake and Los Angeles, CA

What was going on? Yeah that was a good question. Erin watched closely as maxis started to greet her and then turn his attention elsewhere. The situation wasn't good but at least the house wasn't on fire. With that little mystery solved she felt the tension melt away. The house was alright which meant all was right with world. She kept her eyes on the mechanic keeping her amusement to herself. Well, that was till he sent his wrench flying. It was then that she started to laugh. Arms lifted and wrapped around her waist as she watched Chris duck and then start to respond. Erin took a few moments to enjoy the hilarity of the situation. It felt so much better to laugh then to contemplate your existence. Especially when that existence amounted to almost nothing. Cutting off that thought before it could ruin the new mood she stood up. She took a deep breath to clear her mind. A bright and playful smile placed on her mouth as she started to say something to the both of them. She wanted to lighten the mood maybe even defuse the situation and keep things from getting worse.

The smile withered and died the moment she heard Seiko shout. Her mouth closed and she felt her face harden in an expression of distaste. It wasn't that she didn't like the woman. She just got this nagging feeling that Seiko hated her guts. Truthfully Erin couldn't think of one reason the woman would have to hate her. So she figured she could give as good as she got. Erin's posture changed and her eyes turned hard. She watched the woman walk toward her and then heard her message. She didn't give any indication she understood or cared. Once Seiko had moved on Erin turned and left the others heading in the direction of the front door. Lex wanted to speak to her? What could her cousin have to tell her? She guessed he wanted a report on the last job. That would make since. She headed up the stairs then burst into the main house.

Beetch, you just blame moi for your fuckups! "You keep telling yourself that, Christian. " Maxis grumbled as he remembered what Chris told him as he walked off. He wouldn't be yelling if he messed up his car, he would just be sulking. Besides, the last time he fucked up was... oh, year and a half ago? And he knew that was his own fault. He didn't attach the motor correctly: Too drunk. That didn't go over well. But besides that, what really got his blood boiling was Chris's parting comment. You are a sheet meec’aneec! "I'm the shitty mechanic? Puttana, you couldn't figure out where the gas goes in a car!" He laughed to himself, realizing he was still in the garage and Christian had gone.

He shook his head, and spun around. His eyes scanned the entire room, only looking at Seiko for less than a second. He didn't need her distracting him right now, he needed to get to work getting the 'car' out of his garage and salvaging any pieces. He sighed, looking down at this overalls and cracked his neck. He quickly went to work, slowly making 2 piles of metal: Ones that were burnt, and ones that he could use again. The process was slow, but not for him. His nimble fingers quickly moved with precision as he tore the entire burnt car apart.

Victor scanned the wreckage as Maxis lifted the pieces of the car and placing them into piles of metal. Victor looked at Maxis realizing he is having a terrible day, feeling sympathy for Maxis actually. Victor decides not to show it though, but he walks towards Maxis, who was busy cleaning up the wreckage. Victor looked at Maxis and realized how he doesn't like Victor, but that wouldn't stop Victor for what he has to ask. He recites it a couple of times in his head before looking at Maxis one more time, then leaves the room entirely. He walks quickly towards his room and opens his small and tiny refrigerator door, sliding out two large bottles of Vodka and taking out some shot glasses. Victor shuts the door and walks back towards the garage, still seeing Maxis work faster and quicker than ever.

"Since I am feeling generous today, my friend, I vould like to help you clean zhis ztupid and annoying wreckage up. I've brought some things that vwill help cheer you up as we do so...", Victor says, his accent still thick, as he holds up the bottles of Vodka to Maxis face. If Maxis rejects, then Victor will just have to try and finish these bottles of Vodka himself and it also means Victor can't do anything entertaining. After all, Victor can't do his job unless someone were to be shot, but Alex strictly forbidden Victor from wounding anyone for the sake of doing his job. So, Victor decided he can help Maxis while both of them drink Vodka. After all, he does know Maxis loves his fair share of Vodka...

Mark's car rolled to a stop in the circular driveway.
He got out and picked up his rifle case from the back seat.
With the strap firmly place around his neck Mark set about securing his car.
He then looked over at the garage and saw the smoke pouring out of the open mouth of the garage door.
"Fuck!" he said louder than he expected to "So much for getting a tune up."
He glanced over at the assembled crowd and noticed the majority of them leaving.
Even Erin who looked particularly eye catching.
Mark walked toward the range at the back of the house mumbling.
"To hell with it if Ryder wants to talk to me I'm sure he'll know I'm here after my silent partner makes her statement."

Viper as it turned out his code name was.
Wasn't the most social of individuals.
Usually people came to him rather than the other way around.
After all who hires a hit man that talks his head off?
It was no small distance to the other side of the range to start with but Storm could not resist making his shot that much harder.
He found an old discarded soda can that someone dropped on the grounds and walked to the very end of the range.
He did not bother to put it on a post or anywhere high instead he left it to lay on the ground.
Walking back to the mansion he set the stand up for his rifle on the back porch.
Which was sure to cause one hell of a wicked echo.
Then as he pulled out the rifle he whistled "Sweet Home Chicago" by Robert Johnson to himself.
He wiped the barrel of his rifle with an oiled towel down to the trigger.
Once he was satisified he laid the rifle down on the stand gently like a father would his only child.
Mark took off his trench coat and hat, laying them in a nearby chair.
He then laid prone on the back porch, adjusting his sights for the target.
Once he was comfortable with his sights he checked the prevailing winds and made a few more minor adjustments.
He then smirked to himself and mumbled.
"This will teach that gunsmith that my baby needs a silencer."
He'd been waiting for quite a long time on the silencer and while he was a highly patient sniper.
His patience was wearing thin.
He then looked back to see if anyone was watching.
Once he saw the hall way was clear he took up his position once more and his eye beared down in concentration.
"Here we go. It's time for a little recycling Storm style." he muttered before steadying his breathing.
His hand tightened up on the end of the rifle and his body looked very relaxed but his mind was as tense as tense could be.
He closed his eye once and right after he opened it he took the shot.
The can was obliterated not even a memory left of it.

The sound of the veritable cannon that, that gun was did in fact exactly as he hoped.
It rang through the halls.
Anyone paying attention or not would know he was here now.
He then laid by the rifle his hands over his ears as he cursed at himself.
"Damn it you moron! Put in your ear plugs next time!"
His ears were ringing like he'd been sitting under a speaker at a concert and his head was now throbbing hard.
Still he sauntered back to the chair putting back on his coat and hat.
He lit a cigarette and waited patiently by the chair to see just whom had gotten his message.

Seiko was still sitting in the chair when her Phone rang. Seiko reached in to her boot and pulled out her IPhone, it was Nayatami calling and she thought finally some news. Seiko got up walked over to the doors and answered with
"Nayatami finally, so what news?"
" Mercy, I'm sorry that it has taking so long to get back in touch with you but I wanted to make I had good information for you."
" Yes, and that is. Come on Nayatami, spill"
Okay, Mercy, that man who ordered the hit on you Father and possibly your mother as well. well he is Austen Myers"
"Right, but who was it that actually killed them, this Austen person will be left for last"
"Mercy, they are ruthless, I tailed one and he killed a man in cold blood"
Seiko giggled as she said " Nayatami I'm ruthless two and I don't care what happens to me....." She turned and looked at Victor and Maxis and them continued ".......Just as long as they are safe and my family are at peace. So Nayatami where are Austen's hit men"
"Mercy, they are all in Austen's house in California."
"Thanks Nayatami that's all I need to know for now, but try and get names for them as no doubt they already have my name"
Seiko heard him plead with her as she cut the call off. As she walked back in to the Garage and she looked at Maxis and Victor, she smiled and said "I will take my leave as you. Hopefully I will see you soon" She walked of out of the garage. Seiko decided to go to the Firing range.

Seiko ran to her 'office' which was actually just a workshop but she liked it. she ran in to the room grabbed Akki and then half ran/ half walked to the Firing range. She walked in and as she looked up she almost scared the living shit out of herself as she saw that Mark was there, she hide the fact the he had scared her very well and all she said was "Hello" and then she took out one of her Kuneis and pressed the button for the target to move and then she Readied it with her arm across her chest and then moved her hand quickly and the throwing knife came out her hand and hit the target in the face, slightly off from where she wanted it but in the head anyway. Seiko then looked at Mark.

Seiko thought about if something did happen to the team she would really miss them, even Erin. Seiko just looked at Mark and said " So do you still want that silencer because you knew if you do have one we could get the job more quietly.

Maxis heard as everybody left, and sighed. This would take a while, and it pissed him off at his calculations of how long. At least 2 hours to make sure he got every piece scavanged, maybe longer to try getting some of the pieces covered by the scorched metals. Dammit, this wasn't going good. He slowly got the front of the frame done, as there wasn't much to salvage. Most of it had been destroyed in the fire. He did manage to get a bit of the axel, and a few pieces off the doors. So far, he had gotten more than he hoped. Maxis continued to pry, swear, and saw his way through the car, causing quite a bit of noise.

Maxis suddenly heard a door shut, and turned to see Victor standing there. Since I am feeling generous today, my friend, I vould like to help you clean zhis ztupid and annoying wreckage up. I've brought some things that vwill help cheer you up as we do so... Maxis stared at the bottle of vodka, and then back to Victor. Was this guy serious? Normally they didn't get along, unless drunk which was an entirely different prospect, but Victor? Helping him? Shock of the day. And Maxis didn't turn down a drink. Ever. "Dannazione (Dammit), Victor, you know how to bribe a guy." Maxis smiled, snatching one of the bottles of vodka out of Victor's hands.

"If you are serious, grab a saw, or whatever you want to pry this thing apart. Scrap metal doesn't care if you are rough." Maxis grabbed a shot glass, poured himself a bit and took the shot. "Damn Russians make good vodka."

Mark sucked in a long drag from his cigarette then holding it between his teeth he said to Seiko.
"I could use it.
My silent partner isn't quite living up to her name anymore.
I'm going to say if you haven't finished machining it you're close to it by now.
Otherwise you'd be trying to avoid my normal bitch session about it.
You did remember the inner diameter of the silencer has to be within .0002" right?
The last one was .0005" as I recall you telling me."

Mark then took another draw from his cigarette this time blowing the smoke from his mouth and his nose as he said.
"It worked but it didn't do quite what I wanted.
Which was when you suggested the tighter tolerance.
I want this one to be a whisper.
So quiet all anyone can get from it is the muzzle flash."
He then put his rifle away and folded up the stand putting it in the case.
This time his tone became more of instructor than of client.
He then pulled a pistol from his right side with his left hand and aimed at the target putting six bullets in it's chest leaving a hole the size of a quarter.
"Here's something I learned in my job.
When you want to drop a target.
Don't aim for his head, aim for his chest.
That way at least if you miss you're almost guaranteed to hit something.
I don't know alot about throwing hand weapons but I'm pretty sure the end game should be the same.
To leave your target laying on the ground bleeding.
As my instructor used to say
"There's nothing so pretty as the back of a man's head."
The point is always aim where you know you'll hit.
Never close your eyes not even for a second, and never tense up.
Most of all never look your target in the eye.
Even if that person is your worst enemy.
You'll always see their face if you do.
Both while you're awake and while you're asleep."
He then put on his sunglasses and said to her
"Are you ready to move up to a pistola yet?
Or are you going to keep messing with those blades?
They maybe great from short distances but nothing touches hearts and minds quite like a screaming 50 caliber shell you know?"

"Ah to hell with it..."
He said with a pained expression on his face as he pulled a pistol from his left side with his right hand.
Without missing a beat he fired on a target down range and hit it dead in the center of the head.
Over the first hole, on opposing sides he fired one shot with his left hand.
Underneath the center holem his right hand Mark popped off five more shots.
This caused the target to have a face, complete with nose, that looked to be smiling.
With his usual dry sense of humor Mark smirked and said
"Of course if you're firing at paper targets, having some fun isn't all out of the question either."
Mark then spun both his guns backwards llike an old west gunslinger and put them both back in their holsters at the same time.
He then folded his arms and awaited her reply looking quite pleased with himself.

She looked at the target and giggled under her breath and she said "Yeah the silencer you need is back in my workshop." she looked at the target again took out Souji and then shot of a few shots, she decided to show off just a little so she looked at mark while she shot and when she stopped she saw that she had made a line going straight though the paper targets chest and down it's abdomen.

She then looked down at Mark, brought back Souji, brought the gun to her lips and blow the smoke towards Mark. Seiko half smiled at him and then said " Well Viper how was that, or was it not up to your standards" She put Souji back in to the holster and put her hands on her hips. As she did this she was thinking about all the different way she could get the hacker to help her get layout plans of this Myers persons house without having to tell him what they really are for. She realized that she was in a complete daze and she would most likely have a thoughtful look on her face and now she was waiting to see if he would ask her what she was thinking about and also his reply.

Victor smiled as Maxis accepted his bottle of Vodka. Victor then looks at the saw Maxis was talking about. Victor sets his bottle of Vodka down, along with his shot glass, and picks the saw up. He tests the weight and he smiles as some light shines of the rusty saw. Victor realizes that it reminds him of his tools that he uses in varieties of surgeries. "Damn, Russians make good Vodka.", Maxis would say aloud. Victor smiles to himself and says, "A Vodka zhat is not Russian is not zhe vreal Vodka experience, my friend. Russians is what makes zhe strength that comes vrom within zhe Vodka itself...", Victor concludes this statement with a hearty chuckle, a chuckle Victor hasn't heard slide out from within for years. He feels, somewhat, redeemed for having himself feel this way. After all, everyone needs to have a good time every once in awhile.

Victor uses the saw on the left front door of the car. A large piece of metal stuck out from it and Victor cuts through it, precisely, without any issues or annoyances. Victor looks down at the saw in total shock and awe, "Zhis thing... It cuts like butter!", Victor shouts out with glory and some passion put into his voice. He then pops open his bottle of Vodka and pours some of the content into his shot glass. He gulps it down his throat and pours some more of the alcohol inside his cup and turns around to face Maxis. "Zhis is for our jobs, zhey vrequire special and unique tools, zhese tools help guide our vway to our glory in zhe future!", Victor shouts, with his thick Russian accent, and raises his shot glass up in the air, waiting for Maxis to tap the shot glass with his.

Maxis smirked as Victor expalined to Maxis the obvious. He knew they were known for their damn good vodka, that much was easily found out. Italy, wasn't really known for alcohol much. Sure, Maxis was a wine drinker, as were most Italians - wine had been drank there for thousands of years - but he preferred a beer or something stronger. Maxis shook his head, how petty to think about such boring things. He turned to see Victor grabbing the saw and slicing through the sheet metal with ease. Maxis smiled, he kept his tools sharp. He made sure of it. Zhis thing... It cuts like butter! "That it does, Victor, that it does." He watched as Victor took a shot, poured another, and turned around. By then, Maxis had sneaked in another shot and filled his again.

When the Russian yelled, Maxis cheered and tapped his glass. Alcohol: It brought odd people together. He downed the shot, shaking his head a little. The alcohol was starting to sink in, and he was feeling a little funny. He didn't mind though. "Alright! Now that we are all good and ready, let's tear this car apart!" His Italian accent nearly distorted his words, changing them into Italian, but he kept them English and slightly slurred.

To'ka stood in the middle of an old, semi-dilapidated gym, lazily analyzing the three so-called fighters who were sparring inside. Though he looked a bit of out place being there now, with his black button-up shirt, black slacks, and shiny new boots, that dingy place had once been like a second home to him.

A short, stumpy man with an obviously receding hairline walked up next to him with a smile on his face. "You ready to get this thing started, To'ka?"

"I suppose so... " To'ka replied, a bit reluctantly. "I don't have much in the way of expectations, to be honest, but.. I said I'd take a look, so..."

He made his way over to the ring steps before turning back to his companion. "You owe me for this, Davis. Oh.. and that Hawaiian shirt you're wearing makes you look like an extra from an old episode of Miami Vice.. just saying."

He turned back to the ring with a lazy smile on his face, just barely catching Davis flipping him off in response, and walked up to the young men inside.

"Ok..." He started, staring them down one by one. "First off... no headgear, no pads, no boxing gloves. That's all fine and dandy, if you're training for boxing.. but you're not. You wanna learn to street fight. Out there, there's none of this crap. So if you're gonna train with me, it all has to go, got it?"

He waited patiently a moment while they grumbled and removed all their equipment.

"Good. Now that that's out of the way... show me what you can do. What you can really do. Because, honestly, after watching you guys spar for a while, I'm really not impressed. So... come at me.. all of you."

They all stood there looking at each other with dumbfounded expressions on their faces.

"Okay..." To'ka said after a few moments. "We'll do it this way... Rule Number 1 - Never hesitate." And he delivered a well placed kick to the gut of the nearest fighter, which left him falling forward onto the mat. in a heap

"Well....?" To'ka said to the two who were left standing. "Shall we get started?"

That apparently got the gears in their heads turning enough to assume defensive stances. Not that it did much good. Every other word To'ka spoke for the next half hour was to tell them that they were doing something wrong, and every time they did something wrong, they received a bit of aversion therapy, which usually took the form of a fist,knee, or foot to the head or stomach.

Once he decided that they had been sufficiently "schooled", he called the session to an end and watched them limp off to the locker room to lick their wounds.

"So.. what do you think?" Said Davis, all but waddling over to him. "Any keepers?"

"Uh..." To'ka started. "Well.. the shorter one can really take a hit.. that's about the only positive thing I have to say. I think the lot of em have taken too many blows to the head. I've met crack addicts with more brain cells."

"Well damn it..." Davis replied, kicking the floor over-dramatically. "There went' a few thousand bucks down the drain. Ah well.. I appreciate you coming out today man.. it's been too long. You'e not forgetting where you come from now that you're all famous,are you."

"Heh..." To'ka replied with a smirk. "More infamous than famous, really. Not that we should really be discussing that in the open like this... actually, I should probably have killed you off a long time ago, considering how much you know about me. You're lucky I like you, old man..."

"Yeah yeah..." Davis replied with a slightly nervous looking smile. "I'm 57 years old, 100 pounds overweight, have a diet of mostly fried food, and I smoke two and a half packs of smokes a day. I'm not gonna last much longer as it is."

"I'm sure you'll manage to outlive us all, Davis." To'ka replied, as he turned to make his way to the double doors that led out of the building. "Anyway,the sun is coming up, and I need to go and check in. I'll see you again before too long.. take care of yourself old man."

He had just reach the doors when they opened from the other side, revealing two rather muscular men in dark suits.

"You're the guy they call Night, aren't ya." One of them said, with a smug grin on his face. "You're one of Ryder's guys, right?"

To'ka looked the two over for a moment, and proceeded to make his way to the exit, offering no response.

"Hey! Where the hell do you think you're goin?" The man called after him. "You and I have some business to discuss. I have a message for your boss."

To'ka stopped in his tracks, having already figured out where this was going. "Fine... but let's take this outside."

As the three of them made their way out the door, he crossed his arms over his chest, inconspicuously grabbing for the hilts of the knives he had hidden there.

It had been about a week since he had had to kill someone. He figured he was about due anyway.

Erin stood in the doorway taking a slow look around the entry. It never felt like home till she had stepped foot into this house. Arms crossed around her waist as she smiled a little to herself. She could remember chasing Lex around the house begging him to play with her. She had to have annoyed him as she tagged along. Closing her eyes she took in a deep breath and held it for a moment before she relaxed. Arms dropped and her hands filled her pockets. Her eyes opened and she forced her face to take on her normal “I'm at home.. Lets play!” expression. She had perfected this over years of working and practice, it was almost flawless. She should have been an actress, seriously.

Erin started in the direction of the kitchen. It was still early enough to sneak in breakfast before she headed toward Alex's office. Coffee and a bagel or maybe even a toast sounded pretty awesome to her empty stomach. She stepped into the large kitchen only to see Elleiya and she felt herself tense. Great that was just who she wanted to see. She was already in a foul mood and this little twerp was going to push her over the edge. Yea, she could see herself in Lex's office with her hands behind her back. Feet shifting as she shyly explained how and why she killed his little sister. That would be a really fun conversation. So was the coffee worth murder? She looked at her watch and groaned. Dammit, it seemed like it might be.

Mark smirked in approval.
"Not only my best looking student but also the deadliest.
You've been practicing Mercy.
Very good, very, very good though you forgot one principle...."
He said stifling a laugh coupling a wink to indicate a joke as he said
"Never take your eyes off your target."
He then pushed his sunglasses back up on his face.
"Your form is excellent, your stance is solid, looks like you've even quit locking your elbows when you shoot.
I've got to say I'm impressed.
You keep up at this rate and I'll be out of a job."

Mark's eyes watched the change in her face.
It was almost as if something had washed over her in just the last few moments alone.
Like an invisible cloud, a fog only she could see.
Mark then said with a furrow of his brows.
"Ok enough talk about shooting, something's bothering you.
Have a seat and if you'd like, tell me about it."
It was no secret Seiko trusted no one .
Still she was his most faithful and adept student and Mark was hoping to use this to find out what might be lurking behind her eyes.
Viper was very much the same in temperment and demeanor.
He was even more hermit like than Seiko however when it came to his private life.
No one had ever even seen his home even Ryder.
The meetings between him and Ryder were always held either in town or at Ryder's house which was how Mark liked it.
He never really bothered much with many of the others.
They were always too busy for his lessons or too drunk to stand up long enough to squeeze the damn trigger.
Even the hacker who was an invaluable asset on an op, was often left alone by Mark.
Not that the hacker wasn't top notch Mark just always kept his line of work to himself.
It was no secret he was a marksman beyond all understanding but Mark saw it as the hit was between him and his target.
And unless you'd killed for a living all the time you really couldn't understand the life.
To most people it was thought of as just point, shoot, and go home to a fridge full of beer and whatever ball game might be on tv.
To Mark every hit was personal and should be treated as such.
There was always locations to consider, recon to perform, the prevailing winds, even the weather could throw quite a monkey wrench into any well laid plan.
On more than one occaision a change in weather, changed where Mark was forced to ply his trade from.
Still he was for the most part successful with his "One shot, one kill" mantra that he not just held as a philosophy but lived by ferociously.

He smirked and she gave him a half smile, he then said
"Not only my best looking student but also the deadliest.
You've been practicing Mercy.
Very good, very, very good though you forgot one principle...."
She looked at him and said
" Well I will take the first part as a compliment and a very well placed one at that."
She smiled at him. She had so many barriers up and she felt her cheeks blaze a little. She looked away, studying the targets.He started to tell her about the one thing she got forgot and she giggled a little, turned to look at him and said
" Come Viper another lecture."
and then he said that he was impressed and this surprised her, she smiled at him again and said " why thank you Mark."

What mark said next surprised her and she could not stop the surprise showing on her face and instantly she thought why does he want to knew what I am thinking she hide her surprise straight away and said "I don't know if i should say anything." But she did sit down and as she did she crossed her legs. Seiko crossed her arms just under her chest and she moved one hand for her head to lean on. She smiled and said " No doubt you have noticed my disappearing acts, or seen me leaving late at night and coming back early in the morning" She him dead in the eyes with a stare that would make a weaker man either crumble with fear at her feet or make them follow her around like a lost puppy dog but not him. She was still considering whither or not to tell him as she did not want Lex finding out just about it just yet as no doubt he will want to talk about it with her or something. She did trust him, maybe a little to much but Seiko had a funny way of showing that she trusted you for instance if she did trust someone she would steer clear as not to hurt them, but if she did not trust someone she would either just plainly shot them and cause them pain (her specialty) or just out right tell them what she thought of them and then shoot them either way they were most likely going to lose there knee caps.

She was waiting for his reply and no doubt he had seen her laps in composure earlier, with her cheeks slightly changing color and her surprise. She was still wearing her Cool, calm and composed demeanor but inside she was cringing at the thought of him seeing her in a weak position, she really hates it when her emotion run riot.

Mark leaned with his right foot and back against a column on the back porch.
The cigarette made it's way to his mouth as he listened intentfully to her replies.
The blush that came over her face and the accompanying stare immediately caught his eye.
Still he looked on at her with the same poker face he kept for anyone that dared to try and enter his world.
As she sat and crossed her legs he could not help but look at her up and down slowly.
This momentary lapse in concentration could quite easily be noticed by anyone paying even the slightest bit of attention.
It was motions like this, no matter how slight or fleeting they were, that would give Mark away.
They were the closest gestures he knew to show interest of any kind.
The fact that he spoke more than two words outside of business to anyone indicated some small interest.

Still something in how she spoke managed to make him think.
'No doubt you have noticed my disappearing acts, or seen me leaving late at night and coming back early in the morning."
Soon after Mark became reflective even over the last week.
After all it was true he had sometimes spied her arrival over the early morning from his house.
Evenings proved more difficult for Viper as he lacked any kind of night vision gear.
A problem he was soon to take up with Ryder again, very soon.
Still he wrested control from the crippling silence he was more than tempted to take solace in and replied with a nod.
"I have, though to this point I have made none of it my business.
Mr. Ryder probably would not be pleased with my actions but I am not paid for intelligence gathering.
However..."
Mark pulled off his sunglasses and folded the frames in one by one slowly, tucking them back into an inside pocket of his coat he said cooly with a pull on each of his gloves.
"I am intrigued by what I have seen and maybe, just maybe, I can help you.
But..."
he said extending a black gloved hand, peering out from under his grey fedora hat his expression still stoic.
"I can only help if you let me.
I am not the easiest person to know but many have trusted me.
Ryder trusts me to some small extent."
Mark then flashed a smile and said reflectively.
"Many of my other clients have trusted me also.
I am not perfect but on an op there is no one you want watching your back more than me.
If you are simply gathering information I can provide overwatch for you.
My other talent goes without saying."
Mark swept his gaze over her once more before pushing off of the column and looking out toward the range.

Flashback

His mind drifted back to a time when he was watching over a small squadron in a zone with heavy combat.
It was little more than an Iraqi slum that looked like all of world war three had taken place there.
Shattered stones walls laid in the streets over stretching the pavement.
What didn't lay rubble in the streets was either on fire or blackened severely from bomb blasts.
Once again he could hear the deafening blasts of bombs and artillery fire.
The smoke was stifling and made breathing like trying to sift air from concrete.
He was once again laying on that rooftop looking over the street.
The rooftop was one of a family that lived and worked on that street not two days before their patrol showed up.
They had been wiped out by insurgents who viewed them and their help of the Americans as treasonous.
For this they were left with mortal wounds, all of them but none deep enough to kill.
No, no that was saved for the fire started in their kitchen by the terrorists.
They didn't die quickly instead they were left to bleed out and burn to death at the same time.

Just then the convoy came under fire and a voice shouted over the walkie talkie.
"Storm! Whatever you're doing up there get your rifle and get moving now!
We've got tangos coming in from all sides!
Repeat incoming hostiles.
This street is hot."
Soon the voice faded and it was just Mark looking over the structures gazing into the scope of his rifle still without a shot fired.
The next call he heard screamed
"Storm! What the hell are you doing? Fire that damn gun!
Do it now soldier!"

A volley of machine gun fire followed from the soldiers in the platoon.
The humvees they had taken with them to provide support had proven useless as the streets were too filled with rubble for them to go through there safely.
Storm finally loaded his rifle and staring back through the scope he found his first target.
The shot hit him right in the head causing his head to shatter like glass.
The sound of the commander could be heard once more.
"DAMN what a shot!" followed
Mark answered in kind with
"Not so good, I was aiming for his chest."
The next thing he felt something hot in his leg.
As he turned around to address the cause he discovered his leg was bleeding profusely.
Over him stood a 16 year old kid packing a revolver and aiming squarely this time at Mark with his hands trembling as he did so.
Mark laid on the roof there with his hands up.
Very slowly he rose up to his feet, his hands still held high.
The kid was as pale as a ghost and trembling all over now, not just in his hand.
A nearby grenade blast soon caught his attention and before he could turn back.
Mark pulled his desert eagle and shot without aiming at all.
The kid fell like a stone and as Mark walked over to check on him he prayed he'd only wounded this very stupid kid.
But his shot did exactly as it was supposed to do and he he'd caught the boy squarely in the chest.

Present time

Mark snapped back into reality, the only indications that such a waking nightmare had taken place would be the depth of his breathing which was now considerably heavier like he'd ran a race and the full body shiver that overtook him.

He then looked at Seiko with a bit of a lost look in his eyes after clearing his throat.
"I'm sorry, you were saying... about your comings and goings?"

Seiko looked over at Mark and she half-smiled. She noticed that he let some of his walls slip and then he said
"I have, though to this point I have made none of it my business.
Mr. Ryder probably would not be pleased with my actions but I am not paid for intelligence gathering.
However............
I am intrigued by what I have seen and maybe, just maybe, I can help you.
But........
I can only help if you let me.
I am not the easiest person to know but many have trusted me.
Ryder trusts me to some small extent."

Seiko straightened her back and her arms went ridged under her chest and she looked at him. she saw him turn toward the targets. She heard the his breathing was a lot heavier then normal. She got up and walked over to him, put her hand on his shoulder and said
"Mark are you alright"
He turned to face her with a sort of lost look in his eyes and she asked again
"mark are you alright"
Seiko still had her hand on his shoulder and she had worry in her eyes. he replied with
"I'm sorry, you were saying... about your comings and goings?"
She looked at him and then took my hand away from his shoulder , she made it drop to her side, she was standing so close to now she could slightly feel his heat so she took a step back and said
"if you want me to trust you then you have to trust me and tell me what you were thinking just then"
She looked at him, hoping just a little that he would tell her.