"I'm not gonna ask you again! Where's Hudson and the rest of the Union hiding out?" Rodney exclaimed as he brandished one of the bokkens that he had claimed for himself earlier in the day. The Union man that they had caught continued to quiver as his back pressed against the wall of what remained of Rodney's studio, his hands raised in front of his face to protect himself. Quang, Selene and Rodney all stood over him, each giving him a glare of anger as they waited impatiently for his response. Rodney slammed his weapon into the ground once more, creating an almost deafening crack as he did so. The Union man cringed as he curled his body up more.

"I-I can't tell you," he stammered. He kept his eyes closed and head turned away. "Do you know what Hudson will do to me if I let you know where that project is?"

"Why are you worried about Hudson when I'm right here holding two wooden swords in my hands?" Rodney shouted. With the fling of his wrist, he smacked the man in his leg. He let out loud yelp and rubbed the afflicted area with his hand.

"Y-you know we're working on something for the Ingwersens, right? You don't want to get mixed up in that! It'll be bad for me. It'll be bad for Hudson. And it'll be really bad for you."

Quang became furious. He leaned down and hoisted the man up by his collar. With a shove he pressed him against the wall and stared into his eyes with anger. The man put up both of his hands as he looked at Quang's face. His lips were pursed. His eyes cut directly towards him. He could feel his tank top wrap in between the fingers of his fists. Another shove came that pressed him against the wall once more. "Don't worry about us, understand?" Quang said in a deep and annoyed tone. "You're the one stuck here, remember? Tell us where your guys' latest project is or else our weapons will be seeing some use. Your boys destroyed the practice dummy here, and Rodney is in serious need of a replacement."

"I told you already, I—" Before the man could finish his sentence, Quang placed foot by his ankle and with both hands, turned him to the side and threw him onto the ground. The man landed arm first, his helmet falling off his head as he collided onto the floor. Quang pulled out his nunchucks and struck the grounded man in the other arm. The victim flailed about, trying to squirm away while his skin was red with pain until Quang nudged his shoulder with his foot so he would face upright. He then pressed his foot onto his chest, putting his weight onto his knee while looking at the Union man in the eyes.

"Don't give me that!" Quang shouted. He held his weapon in one hand, spinning it around in a circle. The captive looked towards him and then weapon. Quang could feel the man's heartrate rise through his shoe. "Just tell us what we need to know and we'll let you walk out of here," he said with as much disdain as a whisper could possibly carry.

"But—"

Quang pressed his foot down again, cutting him off once again. "Get to the details."

The man looked around once more, only to have the other two in the studio return his glares with no sympathy. His words became lost on his lips as he opened his mouth only to say nothing. Quang raised his weapon and with a quick swing, hit the Union man in the cheek, turning his entire head towards the side. The smack echoed throughout the ruined studio, making Selene wince when she heard it connect. He let out a cry and raised a hand to touch his injured cheek. Quang attacked again, striking the hand so hard with the baton of the nunchucks that it slammed into the ground. With his fingers curled, he began to turn his head back and forth as he tried to bide through the pain.

"Fine!" he shouted with both frustration and sorrow. "I'll tell you!" Both of his hands flailed around before resting on the ground when he realized that getting Quang off him was futile. "The Union's working on a memorial for Mister and Misses Ingwersen. Commissioned by their daughter. She's paying us good money to set up a space for her to place a couple of monuments in memory of her parents. It's over in Royal's Peak. Right next to Stevenson Garden! Once you walk past it, you know exactly what I’m talking about!"

Quang lifted the man by the collar once more, staring him in the eyes as he gave him a shake. "And you're telling the truth?" he asked sternly.

"Honest!" The man nodded his head nervously. “That's probably where they're headed right now. Ulyssa Ingwersen is coming by soon to see the progress we've made. We've been behind schedule for a while, but the money that Belanger offered to have us come here was just too good to pass up. Hudson asked Fátima and her crew to stop by here with us so that we could get the job done faster."

Quang gave him a shove, sending the back of the man's head onto the cold floor. He clutched where the impact occurred and began to upright himself, until Rodney came by and pressed one end of his bokken into his chest. "Don't bother getting up just yet," he said. "You think you're off the hook just because you got yourself a big mouth?" Rodney turned his attention from the man he had pinned down to Quang he paced around the building, his head looking up towards the ceiling with his hands on his hips.

"What's on your mind, boy?" Rodney asked.

"A lot, Rodney. A whole lot. Where do I even begin?" He gave the man's hardhat a soccer player's kick, sending it soaring across the room and making it bounce against the wall. "Selene still doesn't have her necklace. My family's restaurant got attacked. Your studio is trashed. Vic is still missing and now we've got to deal with the city's most powerful and corrupt family!" Quang hid his nunchucks beneath his jacket again before running a hand through his untidy hair. "It's a lot to take in at the moment, Rodney! I... just don't know what to do." He pressed his back against a wall and slowly slid down it. He put his hand against his forehead while making sure his face was kept down. "I'm sorry Rodney..." he muttered in a low voice close to a sob.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Listen now," Rodney replied, making sure that the Union man remained still. "You're not the one that barged in here, disrespected me and started breaking my stuff. Nor did you pay someone to do it. That's all on Belanger, Fátima and Hudson. They're the ones that are gonna be sorry."

"I know I didn't break anything, Rodney. But it was all my doing. If I didn't have a big mouth. If I didn't think I was so tough. Then all of this could have been avoided. I just wish I could take it all back. Barely been forty-eight hours and look at all the mess I've caused."

"You've always been hard-headed, kid. You don't listen to advice and you think with your heart instead of your head. But at least you got a heart. That already puts you above anyone that walked in here today looking to start trouble. It's about time someone in this city started standing up for what's right. Fighting for the little guy. But you can't just jump in headfirst. That'll get you," Rodney turned towards Selene and pointed towards her using his empty hand. "And you hurt. Or worse. You need to pick your battles. I already know what you two knuckleheads are thinking. But before you two commit to anything, think about it first. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to either one of you because you tried to get revenge on my behalf." He looked back down at the man on the ground and pressed the bokken further into his chest while twisting it. "What did you just hear?" Rodney asked the man angrily.

"I-I didn't hear anything."

"Damn right."

"Rodney," Selene said as she took a step towards him. Her face looked more tired than anything else. "What do you think we should do?"

The old man rolled his neck and thought for a moment. "What do I think you should do? Or what do I want you to do?"

"Both."

"I want the two of you to teach all of those clowns a lesson. We can't just let them get by thinking that they can get whatever they want by showing up to someone's doorsteps with some goons and weapons. I doubt they'll mess with me again. They already trashed my studio, but it's not like I had many students anyway. The money I get from my old movie royalties is enough to keep me afloat. But you two. They know you're close to me. They know that you two still have got dreams you want to chase. And the minute they know that they can take it from you… they will." Rodney clenched a fist and took in a deep breath. "But I can't just tell you to go out and fight and put yourselves in danger like that. What kind of instructor would that make me if I told people to go out and actively search for trouble? It goes against everything I've ever learned about martial arts."

"It doesn't, Rodney!" Quang sat up straight and met his old teacher in the eyes. "I remember you always telling me and Vic that martial arts is meant for self-defense. And that's what we're going to use it for. What's more defensive than setting up a good offense, huh? We go in, we hit them where it hurts the most and they'll know better to come down here and pushing us around whenever they want a paycheck." Quang stood up, punching his hand into the palm of his fist. "I'm telling you, it's preemptive self-defense!"

"Tell yourself whatever you want to. But you know what I mean when I say 'self-defense.'"

"What do you think Selene?" He turned to look at his friend. She didn't look back at him. Instead her eyes were focused somewhere in the distance. "You think Fátima is just going to give you that necklace back if you ask nicely?"

"Of course not," she said in a soft voice.

"Don't try to guilt her, Quang. Her life is more important than some necklace. If she doesn't want to go, then she doesn't want to go."

"Thank you Rodney," Selene made eye contact with Rodney. "But I can make my own decisions. It's not just about my necklace anymore. It's about doing what's right. Both of you are making sense. We can't just let them keep getting with this. This city’s police force won't be able to do anything. The only answer is to take matters into our own hands."

"Why do I feel like I've had this conversation before," Rodney moaned as he shook his head. "Well, I've got a feeling that you two have made up your minds again. I spout all this stuff about doing what's right. But since I have a captive audience right here," he caught the Union man trying to get up. With a quick butt from the bokken into his chest, he back to laying across the floor. "I just couldn't resist going through that heroic spiel. I am an actor after all."

"Rodney, I'm sorry too." Selene said with tears forming in her eyes. "We've messed up so bad. We just want to make things right."

"I get it, I get it. I've made my fair share of mistakes too at your age. But if you insist on going out to take matters into your own hands, you have to promise me that you'll actually plan out what you're going to do first this time."

"Will do, Rodney," Quang said. "But do you want to come with us? We know where the Union is. And you could take on three of them easy. With the three of us together, they don't stand a chance!"

"Hold on a minute," Rodney said as he put one hand up, implying Quang to stop. "Now I can't do that. For one, just look at my studio." He looked at the smashed glass and shattered bits of debris that were all over the place. "I got fix my place up first. And I've gotta work with the ILPD to make sure this sucker gets what's coming to him," he said as he looked down at the Union man. "Besides, me leading you two into battle changes everything. Then whatever happens to you will be my fault directly. And that's just a responsibility I'm not willing to take. The only reason I said what I said was because you two don't listen. No matter what my advice, you had your minds made up. You just wanted me to confirm your beliefs. Am I wrong?"

Quang scratched the back of his neck. "No. You're not wrong."

"I know I'm right. So, if you want to pursue the Union and the Dragon's Bite, that's all on you. I support you, but I don't support you. Get what I'm saying?"

"Makes sense," Quang said with a twinge of disappointment. "Well, do you want us to help you out in here? The least we can do is help tidy this place up for you."

"No, I'm fine. I can handle this myself after the ILPD comes to haul this guy off. You two just need to be careful out there. Got it?"

"Yes, Rodney," Selene and Quang said in unison. Selene placed her arms around Rodney's waist and embraced him in a hug. A few tears streamed down her cheek as she gave him a pat on the back. "I'm sorry," she whispered with a sob.

"Don't be. I can buy new pottery. I can replace the glass. But I can't replace you two. If you two are going to pursue this..." Rodney took in a deep breath, managing to hold back a tear that was trying to escape. "Just. Be. Careful."

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"Are you alright, Quang?" Selene asked. He stared off into the distance. The sun was setting just below the horizon, giving the city a dark purple glow. On his face was a forbidding glare. He remained quiet, as if he was having a showdown with an invisible enemy.

"Selene," he said, looking down at her. She was clearly worried. "I'll get your grandmother's necklace back."

"We've been through this, Quang. I'm sticking with you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

He turned back towards the horizon, clenching his fist as he grit teeth. "We'll make them pay."

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