endless_scrolls (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
endless_scrolls) wrote2010-10-21 10:11 am
endless_scrolls) wrote2010-10-21 10:11 am
Log: RM Run For Your Money
Title: Run For Your Money
Type: RP log
Fandom: AU!Naruto
Character(s): Tenten, Sarutobi Asuma; brief mentions of Aburame Shino, Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Madara
Pairing(s): None
Warning(s): None
Disclaimer: I own only the part that I played in this.
Note: Log originally started for the![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
red_moon_comm comm. 'When Asuma makes an unexpected appearance at the docks, it turns into a foot-race that Tenten had always been prepared for.'
Dedicated to: My love of mafia games
Night had always been her playground. Her sanctuary. And her greatest source of peace. All the sounds that seemed so overwhelmingly maddening during the day were muffled to a tolerant state of tranquility under the veil of darkness. Enough so that the young woman could handle her responsibilities without fail. And it was there in the darkened stillness that Tenten did her best work. She was free to move, free to stalk. To kill without interference from the innocent who lived out their lives under the sun.
And in the morning when they found what little remained of the cold body -- if they found anything at all -- it would be as if she never existed.
For years, this had been Tenten's life, moving through the shadows like a phantom ghost. A mere whisper of a dream or a nightmare. Just how she preferred it to be.
With the glow of the LCD screen as her only source of light, Tenten typed in her last response to Shino and wordlessly slipped the phone back into her jacket pocket, plunging herself back into the shadows once more while she took one last glance at the lifeless lump of flesh and bone. The blood, she knew, was still warm with life. After all, the body had only been dead for a few minutes. An informant from a rival family sent to infiltrate the organization and unravel it's mysteries from the inside out by joining the new batch of recruits that had been sent in the week before for training and evaluation.
"Pathetic," she scoffed from behind the visor of the helmet. They had seen her coming a mile away. And with not a single soul in sight for miles, there would be no one to link Tenten to the scene of the crime. Or so she thought.
The radio went off again as the detective made his rounds around the seaside of the city. There had been a few public disturbance calls about the marina with something along the lines of suspicious activity way past the docking hours. Sure several people docked their small boats to large yachts at the pier, but there was a specific time where the waters were off limits to the public. The police station had received a few complaints about the problem, and fortunately Asuma was driving in that particular vicinity to even bother with calling in a patrol unit to inspect the area. He took a long drag from his cigarette before he reached out to grab onto the small radio transmitter he kept in his Pontiac.
"Sarutobi here... don't bother with sending out a patrol unit, I'm right here as we speak, over," He spoke behind his cigarette in a gruff tone before pulling the vehicle into the pier's lot. Within a few moments, he climbed out of the car, making sure he had his badge, a flashlight, and a gun just in case something suspicious was taking place. His thumb slid the switch on and he gave the end of the flashlight a few good taps before the bright yellow light pierced through the darkness. His shoes scuffed the pavement as he neared the wooden docks.
The man took his time walking through the pier, checking thoroughly for any sort of disruption; besides, it gave him time to enjoy walking about, smoking a cigarette, and enjoying the smell of the sea wafting through the nicotine cloud. Ready to call his search off, he flashed the light down one narrow dock, finding two unidentifiable figures. However, some vaguely familiar odor came from the two, something metallic. The light flashed down at the body, seeing a pool of crimson surrounding the body. Alright, that was enough to send a huge radar off. Asuma's calloused hand moved toward the gun holster clipped onto his belt, where he unbuttoned the leather strap so his fingers toyed with the pistol's handle. The light flashed at the lone figure as his pace started to pick up just in case the figure started to run. Ninety-nine percent of the time, the person in question would run, and he wasn't going to take his chances when there was a dead body lying on the ground.
"Hey!" He barked out as he started to approach the masked figure.
The echo of footsteps had tipped her off of an intruder long before the gleam of light streamed down from the other side of the alleyway. And then it was a matter of letting instincts and learned skills take over as a flash of metal caught her eye, forcing her feet to dart off in the opposite direction of his approach. Even if it were not someone of some significance or authority, Tenten knew how the scene looked. Though the actual kill could not have taken place more than a few minutes prior to the other's arrival, the manner in which she had gone in for the fatal blow allowed for the blood to spill freely and pool in a giant puddle around the body, making it difficult to pass the body off as merely an unconscious drunk. And as the rapid beat of the other's feet slamming against the plankway followed after her, Tenten was almost certain that she was in for a rather trying battle for survival.
But if there was one thing she could rely on in this situation, it was the fact that Tenten knew the docks well enough to navigate in pitch darkness. And that the motorcycle helmet she chose to wear would keep her identity from being easily revealed. There was still a chance for her.
Trusting in that, she risked a glance behind her and found him -- because, indeed, it was a man -- hot on her heels with no intention of stopping any time soon. And the gun in his hands was cause enough to believe him a cop.
"Great, just what I need," she murmured to herself. And continued her mad attempt to escape, ducking behind crates and pulling over obstacles to block his path while she slid around corners to avoid getting caught.
"Ah shit..." the man murmured under a small breath as soon as the figure became well aware of his presence, and started running from the scene; so, the big foot race began. Some may assume that since Asuma was a heavy smoker, running wouldn't come easily. That was not the case here. A tall man of a little over six foot took long, bounding sprints to catch up to the helmet-protected person. His left hand held onto the handle of his Glock 22 firearm, while he fished out his walkie-talkie to call for back up. After seeing the scene in front of him, he knew whoever he was chasing was armed and very dangerous. The incisions on the "John Doe" body was clean, smooth, and that gave him an insight that this person was swift with a knife.
"This is D89 requesting back up at the North-Shore Docks right off of Harrison Road. Possible 10-54d at the far dock, over," Asuma requested before putting the transmitter back into his pocket and focused on keeping up with his runner. Whoever this person was, she was quick and knew her way around the dark docks rather well; it was a shame that the suspicious activity wasn't reported earlier. His dark eyes locked onto the person in pursuit, and he finally pulled out his firearm from the holster at his side. The Sarutobi honestly did not want this to turn into some reckless game of cat and mouse, but if he needed to use his gun to fire a warning shot or to actually bring the woman down from running, then he would fire. For now, a warning to get the runner to stop and think about surrendering without a bullet in her leg or falling down quite gracefully on the wooden plank. Asuma hoped she was smart enough to take the supposed "Door Number One".
"Stop!" He belted out loudly, letting his voice drown in the sound of the heavy footsteps on the wooden plank. As soon as he started to catch up, she knocked down a few empty oil drums, bringing him to a sudden stop. "Shi--!" He stopped for a moment, trying to assess the situation. "Sonovabitch..." he growled lowly, pacing the pile of wooden crates and rusted oil drums before he backed up slowly and then sprinted to jump over the pile. The land was quite graceful but he didn't lose his balance; instead he kept running, and felt that bit of frustration pass through. He hoped he didn't lose her when backup was only a few minutes away.
"God dammit..." came another frustrated growl masked behind a heavy breath when his pace slowed down, and he held his gun low; only bringing it up to aim when he neared any corners. "Come out and put your hands up where I can see them!" He shouted out, still taking every precaution needed since his target decided to switch games to hide and seek.
Tenten had learned long ago that judging by appearance was a quick way to lose a battle of any sort. Especially when the opponent was part of the police force, if his radio conference were any indication of his profession. And although the officer was a tall and lumbering looking man, he was quick and persistent. However, the young assassin's smaller stature and frame allowed her better maneuverability and ease as they both darted through the maze of shipments and dock equipment. Sharp turns and instant change of directions were less cumbersome when there was less weight and space to compensate for.
Still, all that could be easily solved with a well placed bullet. And if there was one thing to expect from a cop, it was that they were carrying a firearm, and were well trained to use it. The first thing she needed to do was get that out of his hands immediately if there was any hope of escaping alive.
The oil drums Tenten had pulled out earlier did well to buy her some extra time as she found a darn corner to hide behind. And then it was a matter of finding the right opportunity. Careful and cautious as the officer was, there was no hiding the gleam of the barrel. And that was enough of a target for her to aim at. Out of the darkness, the knife flew swiftly and silently through the air with as much force as she could muster from her angle. A small nick of the skin -- a spark of the tip scraping against the metal -- and Tenten was already moving, slipping further behind the stack of crates and going around back for another counter attack.
Grabbing a short chain laying nearby, she quickly spun a kick towards the other's chin in an attempt to stun him before he could react to her approach. And then whipping the metal links around the other's neck, she pulled with a strong jerk so that it pressed roughly against the taller man's throat.
Asuma was extremely cautious, careful, and quiet as he walked around the dock. He knew the intruder didn't go far since there was not one sound that echoed the silence; hell he was pretty damn sure he could hear his heart thrum against his chest rapidly from the distance. Dark eyes squinted in the darkness, hoping that his hearing would heighten since he was a blind target. Again, he raised his gun at any sound; whether it was him walking on a creaky plank, or if it was the target he needed to immobilize and bring into custody. He went over to the pile of crates across from where the woman was hiding, and started to rummage around when everything went to hell.
As soon as he turned around, a whirring sound whipped by as a gleam of silver jarred right into the Glock's handle, just slicing the skin of a few of his fingers protecting the gun. "Shi--" came a small growl as the weapon fell out of his hand, and before he even had time to move, a black blur came into view. Luckily his reflexes dodged most of the blow, but looking up was a poor direction to take since he exposed his neck to the woman. Now his mind told him he was in deep shit if he didn't get loose, and that the woman on his back was light; he was so tall that she would have had to jump onto his back to wrap the chain around his neck. Either way, the metal links pinched his skin and pressed against the airways firmly that prevented him from taking in oxygen.
His hands reached up to grasp around the metal links, hoping to pry it away to at least breathe while his mind formulated a plan to keep himself from suffocating. He hunched over, gripped onto the slightly rusted chain tightly, and then back himself along with her into the metal framing of the warehouse. "Nngh!" Asuma grunted as he bucked his back several times, hoping the hard force of each blow would knock her free from the deathly hold. The male hunched over again, moved toward the corner of the building and then rammed himself backward; at least the sharp corner would paralyze her from the assault.
Artful and well-trained as she was, the young assassin was well accustomed to withstanding brutal beatings. And, through the years, she had learned little tricks here and there to try and avoid maximum injuries. At the very least, the bike helmet would protect her head from a concussion or any sort of blow to the head while the officer tried to dislodge her from his back. And with a flexible twist of the young woman's body, Tenten was at least able to brace her feet against the wall to soften and stop the blows from doing their intended damage, although her efforts only lasted so long before he took one step too far for her to find purchase.
And then there was pain. Sharp and excruciating pain as Tenten's ribs took on the full pressure of his body sandwiching her between him and the wall, and she gritted her teeth against the flashes of red as they lanced through her spine. But still the young woman held on with every ounce of will and discipline that could be mustered within her.
Then, he was moving.
For a split moment, her world was nothing but the piercing ache of her ribs feeling like they had been pressed under a steamroller. But there was no time to dwell on that. Her mind was still functional and as alert as she could ever hope for. And the cop was still a threat. And when the rush of air and movement brought her senses back, she was able to gather enough wits to see the sharp corner of the building rushing towards her without pause or hesitation.
Through instincts alone, she reacted, flexing the already straining muscles in her arms to pull her lithe body up and using the other's frame as a foundation while she lightly kicked off of his back and flipped over his head to avoid the blow entirely. And hoping beyond hope that he would inflict the intended damage on himself in the process while she landed in a semi-crouched position on graceful yet wobbly legs.
Everything happened all too quickly for Asuma to even counter his opponent's move. Once he felt her grip loosen around his neck, hearing the metal chain fall lifelessly onto the dock, and then the kickoff from his shoulders he knew that this was not going to be the end result he had hoped for. She had planned her escape timely and he was moving too quick without putting a good enough halt to his intentions.
Then there was a low thud and a blinding shock of pain barreling through his spine at the impact. The Sarutobi had every intention of that pain to be for the attacker, not himself, so he was quite a bit amazed at how much force he put into that charge. A low, pained grunt echoed the nighttime air and the larger male wobbled onto his knees for a moment to catch his breath. This person, whoever she was, was well trained for this type of assault, she knew no boundaries, and could easily kill him if he made the wrong move; like the move he just made with him falling to his knees so he could regain his balance, composure, and the proper insight to gain insight of his attacker. He gave her enough time to regain her balance and then disappear into the night. And if she was smart she would have left the pier.
"....dammit," Asuma growled under a heavy breath, finally stabilizing his balance on the dock before moving over to grab the Glock 22 lying on the wooden plank. It would have been a completely stupid move if he took off in the darkness completely unarmed. He brought the weapon to eye level and cautiously walked on the pier. He couldn't help but feel extremely jumpy every time a boat creaked and moaned on the water now that his ears were in tune with every sound. He use to be great working in the darkness, almost foolproof back in his early years, but now he didn't have that ability. He knew he was now an easy target, but with his senses heightened from the adrenaline rush, he could still put up a decent fight.
Had it been any other opponent, Tenten would have stayed to gloat or mock. To tease and taunt prod at what little sense of pride was there until their senses were geared on only seeking revenge on their tormentor. And only then would they be distracted enough to make more and more mistakes as the fight continued. Only then would she gain the advantage and leverage to end it with her as the victor. It had worked so many times before in the past, and it could have worked again. But she had been dealing with mafia grunts, then. And he was definitely not a low-trained rookie of the police force. So the young assassin did the only thing she could think to do: she ran.
A voice inside her head whispered that she should kick the officer's gun into the water where it would be of no use to him and no threat to her. But the thought occurred too little too late as she zipped by the object without pause. And to turn back would be to waste the time given to her to flee and hide. She would not take the chance that he would recover quickly from the blow to the back. And then this game of cat and mouse would be one step closer to the end. Tenten did, however, managed to scoop up the chain that was dropped before into her grasp. Because if this footman with a badge was going to go creeping around the docks with a firearm in his possession, she at least needed a means to defend herself against him. And a means to take it away again. Deadly blades could only take her so far, especially when he had a height and weight advantage over her.
But size did not determine the outcome of a battle.
Sliding along the wooden planks to a stop behind more crates, she stilled all movement and waited. Lumbering around in the dark, knowledgeable and familiar with the area as she was, did nothing if he could hear her movements. And with the both of them in the open, there would be no echo to mask her location. So there was only one other option.
Ambush. Attack. Run. It was the sort of guerrilla warfare that was most beneficial in such a situation. And one that Tenten was more than willing to implore. Every step -- every breath -- he took seemed amplified in the silence while he drew closer and closer with each passing second. All the while, she waited, muscles taut and ready to spring into action. And the moment that the barrel of the gun was in her sights, she moved. Whipping the chain around his wrist, she grabbed both ends and pulled, slamming the hand into the corner of the crate much like he attempted to do with her own body only moments before. And like lightning, Tenten used the back-swing of her arm to send a well aimed elbow into the man's jaw while slipping back into the shadows, finally kicking the gun into the watery depths below before planting herself at another location to strike once more.
Oh fuck, kept repeating in Asuma's mind when that metal chain lashed out, hooked around his hands, and then slammed into the crate. The sheer force and surprise caught the male off guard completely, and soon enough his hands released the firearm; only to receive a hasty blow to the chin. A heavy grunt furled from his lips and he did not recover in time to catch where his attacker camouflaged herself. Damnit, where was the back up when you needed it!? Now his Glock was sinking into the dark watery depths. Mourning the loss of his weapon was short lived because now he was completely weaponless in an area he was not all too familiar with in the dark, and his attacker was well skilled. He was at a huge disadvantage, and his likelihood of coming out of this place alive was dwindling quickly.
He walked around on the pier carefully and quietly as his senses heightened more so now that he was completely unarmed. This wasn't good, and he screwed up completely by not responding to this woman's attacks; though he was not willing to give up, especially in his line of duty. Feet scuffed the dock when his foot tapped against a small wooden rod. Asuma quickly scooped it up and weighed his chances with her. The chain could easily snap the rod in two, but it was still better than nothing in his opinion. All he needed to do was find out where she was hiding; he was tired of playing this cat and mouse game.
Asuma took a few more steps when his ears caught the faintest of sirens coming his way. A small grin furled from his lips, as well as a slight bit of relief knowing that this battle was drawing to a close. His calloused hand tensed around the rod a bit more firmly, hoping the bitch would jump out so he could clock her one into her side or neck, or some place that would just paralyze her for a moment so he could cuff her. As soon as he approached the edge of one of the warehouse buildings, he was sure that he got her cornered. However, that assumption was short lived.
Dark eyes squinted as he moved toward the edge of the pier, glancing down to the water below. "Dammit," he growled again, finding that his attacker was not there or anywhere in sight. Maybe he took a wrong turn somewhere? Or he just was too stubborn to believe that he was lost and had lost the attacker completely. Asuma tapped the wooden rod against the side of his leg before he decided to turn around and head the other way. No sense in trying to stare into the water if he could not find anybody.
Raised on several principles of the martial arts, the irony did not escape her. This was hardly an honorable tactic befitting a master of several disciplines. But pride and honor held no bonds here. It was simply about survival. Penance and guilt could come later when she was safe from harm, detection, and capture. Besides, comparative to other, more dastardly deeds she had committed in the past, this was hardly anything to be over-concerned about. And time was running out as the faint wail of sirens drew ever closer to their location. One officer, she could manage to out wit and out maneuver with the proper amount of time and opportunity. An entire team of them was drastically more difficult to overtake if possible. It became pressingly clear that Tenten needed to act quickly.
With the visor of the helmet raised, she at least had a better view of the area, and a fresh supply of air to fuel her lungs and brain. And with those aids, Tenten was able to think quicker and more instantly on her feet. The option to take off the helmet completely came to mind initially, but then the realization that she needed to remain anonymous came quickly like a sledgehammer to the skull. If the young woman could not escape before the police backup arrived, she would need the mask to hide her identity.
Tenten had spent too long carefully concealing all direct connections to the Uchiha just to have it blown to pieces by her own comfort.
Crouched low against the crates, the girl waited for the right moment and opportunity where his guard was most vulnerable. And then she struck, swinging her leg around to strike him across the back of the knees while his attention was focused on finding another hiding spot rather than the frighteningly ominous patch of shadow at his feet. Another elbow came up to land just under the ribs where the muscle was less defined and harder to develop than the rest of the midsection. From there, the real battle would begin.
There was no more time to waste for a game of hide and seek.
The woman was fast and smooth with her movements that it was hard to even counter them. Asuma had been so blindsided by the dark environment, the slight panic of "this might not end well", amongst other things while dealing with an assassin with the right amount of skills as the woman before him. She knew the human anatomy well enough to find the right places to make any person dazed if hit with the right amount of pressure. And to say the least, this breathless wasn't the kind he would usually go for. Every blow to his body caused him to recoil with a dull ache; and aside from the pain shooting through his body, what had Asuma upset was the fact that he could hardly get a single hit on this person. This fight was suited for the fittest, and he certainly wasn't doing too well on his part.
However, when that elbow drew back from the sharp blow, Asuma quickly reached out to grab her, and then proceeded to twist the arm around to her back. No he really did not have a whole lot of experience in the fine martial arts, and sure he boxed on occasion but he really relied on brute force to tackle this bitch down; even when he probably had the biggest disadvantage in this fight.
He pulled her body back to his, and his foot hooked around hers to keep her from trying to move away. And when he had the chance, his other arm hooked around her neck, and locked her into place. Hopefully this would hold off until the rest of the police team came by to assist with the arrest.
His initial mistake was to think she wouldn't have ways of dealing with a larger opponent. On the contrary, it was one of the first things Tenten made a point of learning when she finally agreed to serve as Sasuke's enforcer. While the woman was not exactly the tiniest person in the organization, there was no denying that a fair number of the men towered over her. And more than likely the young Uchiha's enemies would spend their hard-earned filth in finding the biggest and best assassins to deal with new, rising mastermind in the making. And so learning to work past her weaknesses had become a priority. One she mastered through sheer determination.
The arm around her neck was not meant to be choking, although with all the struggling she attempted, the solid feel of his forearm against her throat was prominent and almost frightening if Tenten did not risk her life in similar ways each and every night.
With one leg hooked, she pushed off with the other, keeping the one trapped so that they both would tumble back from the force and imbalance. There was a momentary twinge in the young woman's arm as they landed with a slamming halt, but she trusted that the adrenaline already flowing freely within Tenten's body would hold off most of the damage until well after the fight was over. So the girl soldiered on. Despite the harsh impact against the ground, he had still managed to hold his grip on her arm, leaving her little other choice than to rock her helmet-covered head back into the man's face, trusting that the hard plastic would do its damage and stun the officer enough to let go; continued to do so until she felt his hold loosen. And when he finally did relent for his own survival, Tenten fled instantly from his grasp, rolling up and over to land a crouch just above his head. Just in time to grab a tuff of hair and smash his head against the ground to further his disorientation.
It was then, while he was still incapacitated and there was time, Tenten took the opportunity to listen for the sirens to determine how far away they were. Too close for her liking, but still far enough away for a perfect escape. If only the officer would just stay down.
Type: RP log
Fandom: AU!Naruto
Character(s): Tenten, Sarutobi Asuma; brief mentions of Aburame Shino, Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Madara
Pairing(s): None
Warning(s): None
Disclaimer: I own only the part that I played in this.
Note: Log originally started for the
red_moon_comm comm. 'When Asuma makes an unexpected appearance at the docks, it turns into a foot-race that Tenten had always been prepared for.'Dedicated to: My love of mafia games
Night had always been her playground. Her sanctuary. And her greatest source of peace. All the sounds that seemed so overwhelmingly maddening during the day were muffled to a tolerant state of tranquility under the veil of darkness. Enough so that the young woman could handle her responsibilities without fail. And it was there in the darkened stillness that Tenten did her best work. She was free to move, free to stalk. To kill without interference from the innocent who lived out their lives under the sun.
And in the morning when they found what little remained of the cold body -- if they found anything at all -- it would be as if she never existed.
For years, this had been Tenten's life, moving through the shadows like a phantom ghost. A mere whisper of a dream or a nightmare. Just how she preferred it to be.
With the glow of the LCD screen as her only source of light, Tenten typed in her last response to Shino and wordlessly slipped the phone back into her jacket pocket, plunging herself back into the shadows once more while she took one last glance at the lifeless lump of flesh and bone. The blood, she knew, was still warm with life. After all, the body had only been dead for a few minutes. An informant from a rival family sent to infiltrate the organization and unravel it's mysteries from the inside out by joining the new batch of recruits that had been sent in the week before for training and evaluation.
"Pathetic," she scoffed from behind the visor of the helmet. They had seen her coming a mile away. And with not a single soul in sight for miles, there would be no one to link Tenten to the scene of the crime. Or so she thought.
The radio went off again as the detective made his rounds around the seaside of the city. There had been a few public disturbance calls about the marina with something along the lines of suspicious activity way past the docking hours. Sure several people docked their small boats to large yachts at the pier, but there was a specific time where the waters were off limits to the public. The police station had received a few complaints about the problem, and fortunately Asuma was driving in that particular vicinity to even bother with calling in a patrol unit to inspect the area. He took a long drag from his cigarette before he reached out to grab onto the small radio transmitter he kept in his Pontiac.
"Sarutobi here... don't bother with sending out a patrol unit, I'm right here as we speak, over," He spoke behind his cigarette in a gruff tone before pulling the vehicle into the pier's lot. Within a few moments, he climbed out of the car, making sure he had his badge, a flashlight, and a gun just in case something suspicious was taking place. His thumb slid the switch on and he gave the end of the flashlight a few good taps before the bright yellow light pierced through the darkness. His shoes scuffed the pavement as he neared the wooden docks.
The man took his time walking through the pier, checking thoroughly for any sort of disruption; besides, it gave him time to enjoy walking about, smoking a cigarette, and enjoying the smell of the sea wafting through the nicotine cloud. Ready to call his search off, he flashed the light down one narrow dock, finding two unidentifiable figures. However, some vaguely familiar odor came from the two, something metallic. The light flashed down at the body, seeing a pool of crimson surrounding the body. Alright, that was enough to send a huge radar off. Asuma's calloused hand moved toward the gun holster clipped onto his belt, where he unbuttoned the leather strap so his fingers toyed with the pistol's handle. The light flashed at the lone figure as his pace started to pick up just in case the figure started to run. Ninety-nine percent of the time, the person in question would run, and he wasn't going to take his chances when there was a dead body lying on the ground.
"Hey!" He barked out as he started to approach the masked figure.
The echo of footsteps had tipped her off of an intruder long before the gleam of light streamed down from the other side of the alleyway. And then it was a matter of letting instincts and learned skills take over as a flash of metal caught her eye, forcing her feet to dart off in the opposite direction of his approach. Even if it were not someone of some significance or authority, Tenten knew how the scene looked. Though the actual kill could not have taken place more than a few minutes prior to the other's arrival, the manner in which she had gone in for the fatal blow allowed for the blood to spill freely and pool in a giant puddle around the body, making it difficult to pass the body off as merely an unconscious drunk. And as the rapid beat of the other's feet slamming against the plankway followed after her, Tenten was almost certain that she was in for a rather trying battle for survival.
But if there was one thing she could rely on in this situation, it was the fact that Tenten knew the docks well enough to navigate in pitch darkness. And that the motorcycle helmet she chose to wear would keep her identity from being easily revealed. There was still a chance for her.
Trusting in that, she risked a glance behind her and found him -- because, indeed, it was a man -- hot on her heels with no intention of stopping any time soon. And the gun in his hands was cause enough to believe him a cop.
"Great, just what I need," she murmured to herself. And continued her mad attempt to escape, ducking behind crates and pulling over obstacles to block his path while she slid around corners to avoid getting caught.
"Ah shit..." the man murmured under a small breath as soon as the figure became well aware of his presence, and started running from the scene; so, the big foot race began. Some may assume that since Asuma was a heavy smoker, running wouldn't come easily. That was not the case here. A tall man of a little over six foot took long, bounding sprints to catch up to the helmet-protected person. His left hand held onto the handle of his Glock 22 firearm, while he fished out his walkie-talkie to call for back up. After seeing the scene in front of him, he knew whoever he was chasing was armed and very dangerous. The incisions on the "John Doe" body was clean, smooth, and that gave him an insight that this person was swift with a knife.
"This is D89 requesting back up at the North-Shore Docks right off of Harrison Road. Possible 10-54d at the far dock, over," Asuma requested before putting the transmitter back into his pocket and focused on keeping up with his runner. Whoever this person was, she was quick and knew her way around the dark docks rather well; it was a shame that the suspicious activity wasn't reported earlier. His dark eyes locked onto the person in pursuit, and he finally pulled out his firearm from the holster at his side. The Sarutobi honestly did not want this to turn into some reckless game of cat and mouse, but if he needed to use his gun to fire a warning shot or to actually bring the woman down from running, then he would fire. For now, a warning to get the runner to stop and think about surrendering without a bullet in her leg or falling down quite gracefully on the wooden plank. Asuma hoped she was smart enough to take the supposed "Door Number One".
"Stop!" He belted out loudly, letting his voice drown in the sound of the heavy footsteps on the wooden plank. As soon as he started to catch up, she knocked down a few empty oil drums, bringing him to a sudden stop. "Shi--!" He stopped for a moment, trying to assess the situation. "Sonovabitch..." he growled lowly, pacing the pile of wooden crates and rusted oil drums before he backed up slowly and then sprinted to jump over the pile. The land was quite graceful but he didn't lose his balance; instead he kept running, and felt that bit of frustration pass through. He hoped he didn't lose her when backup was only a few minutes away.
"God dammit..." came another frustrated growl masked behind a heavy breath when his pace slowed down, and he held his gun low; only bringing it up to aim when he neared any corners. "Come out and put your hands up where I can see them!" He shouted out, still taking every precaution needed since his target decided to switch games to hide and seek.
Tenten had learned long ago that judging by appearance was a quick way to lose a battle of any sort. Especially when the opponent was part of the police force, if his radio conference were any indication of his profession. And although the officer was a tall and lumbering looking man, he was quick and persistent. However, the young assassin's smaller stature and frame allowed her better maneuverability and ease as they both darted through the maze of shipments and dock equipment. Sharp turns and instant change of directions were less cumbersome when there was less weight and space to compensate for.
Still, all that could be easily solved with a well placed bullet. And if there was one thing to expect from a cop, it was that they were carrying a firearm, and were well trained to use it. The first thing she needed to do was get that out of his hands immediately if there was any hope of escaping alive.
The oil drums Tenten had pulled out earlier did well to buy her some extra time as she found a darn corner to hide behind. And then it was a matter of finding the right opportunity. Careful and cautious as the officer was, there was no hiding the gleam of the barrel. And that was enough of a target for her to aim at. Out of the darkness, the knife flew swiftly and silently through the air with as much force as she could muster from her angle. A small nick of the skin -- a spark of the tip scraping against the metal -- and Tenten was already moving, slipping further behind the stack of crates and going around back for another counter attack.
Grabbing a short chain laying nearby, she quickly spun a kick towards the other's chin in an attempt to stun him before he could react to her approach. And then whipping the metal links around the other's neck, she pulled with a strong jerk so that it pressed roughly against the taller man's throat.
Asuma was extremely cautious, careful, and quiet as he walked around the dock. He knew the intruder didn't go far since there was not one sound that echoed the silence; hell he was pretty damn sure he could hear his heart thrum against his chest rapidly from the distance. Dark eyes squinted in the darkness, hoping that his hearing would heighten since he was a blind target. Again, he raised his gun at any sound; whether it was him walking on a creaky plank, or if it was the target he needed to immobilize and bring into custody. He went over to the pile of crates across from where the woman was hiding, and started to rummage around when everything went to hell.
As soon as he turned around, a whirring sound whipped by as a gleam of silver jarred right into the Glock's handle, just slicing the skin of a few of his fingers protecting the gun. "Shi--" came a small growl as the weapon fell out of his hand, and before he even had time to move, a black blur came into view. Luckily his reflexes dodged most of the blow, but looking up was a poor direction to take since he exposed his neck to the woman. Now his mind told him he was in deep shit if he didn't get loose, and that the woman on his back was light; he was so tall that she would have had to jump onto his back to wrap the chain around his neck. Either way, the metal links pinched his skin and pressed against the airways firmly that prevented him from taking in oxygen.
His hands reached up to grasp around the metal links, hoping to pry it away to at least breathe while his mind formulated a plan to keep himself from suffocating. He hunched over, gripped onto the slightly rusted chain tightly, and then back himself along with her into the metal framing of the warehouse. "Nngh!" Asuma grunted as he bucked his back several times, hoping the hard force of each blow would knock her free from the deathly hold. The male hunched over again, moved toward the corner of the building and then rammed himself backward; at least the sharp corner would paralyze her from the assault.
Artful and well-trained as she was, the young assassin was well accustomed to withstanding brutal beatings. And, through the years, she had learned little tricks here and there to try and avoid maximum injuries. At the very least, the bike helmet would protect her head from a concussion or any sort of blow to the head while the officer tried to dislodge her from his back. And with a flexible twist of the young woman's body, Tenten was at least able to brace her feet against the wall to soften and stop the blows from doing their intended damage, although her efforts only lasted so long before he took one step too far for her to find purchase.
And then there was pain. Sharp and excruciating pain as Tenten's ribs took on the full pressure of his body sandwiching her between him and the wall, and she gritted her teeth against the flashes of red as they lanced through her spine. But still the young woman held on with every ounce of will and discipline that could be mustered within her.
Then, he was moving.
For a split moment, her world was nothing but the piercing ache of her ribs feeling like they had been pressed under a steamroller. But there was no time to dwell on that. Her mind was still functional and as alert as she could ever hope for. And the cop was still a threat. And when the rush of air and movement brought her senses back, she was able to gather enough wits to see the sharp corner of the building rushing towards her without pause or hesitation.
Through instincts alone, she reacted, flexing the already straining muscles in her arms to pull her lithe body up and using the other's frame as a foundation while she lightly kicked off of his back and flipped over his head to avoid the blow entirely. And hoping beyond hope that he would inflict the intended damage on himself in the process while she landed in a semi-crouched position on graceful yet wobbly legs.
Everything happened all too quickly for Asuma to even counter his opponent's move. Once he felt her grip loosen around his neck, hearing the metal chain fall lifelessly onto the dock, and then the kickoff from his shoulders he knew that this was not going to be the end result he had hoped for. She had planned her escape timely and he was moving too quick without putting a good enough halt to his intentions.
Then there was a low thud and a blinding shock of pain barreling through his spine at the impact. The Sarutobi had every intention of that pain to be for the attacker, not himself, so he was quite a bit amazed at how much force he put into that charge. A low, pained grunt echoed the nighttime air and the larger male wobbled onto his knees for a moment to catch his breath. This person, whoever she was, was well trained for this type of assault, she knew no boundaries, and could easily kill him if he made the wrong move; like the move he just made with him falling to his knees so he could regain his balance, composure, and the proper insight to gain insight of his attacker. He gave her enough time to regain her balance and then disappear into the night. And if she was smart she would have left the pier.
"....dammit," Asuma growled under a heavy breath, finally stabilizing his balance on the dock before moving over to grab the Glock 22 lying on the wooden plank. It would have been a completely stupid move if he took off in the darkness completely unarmed. He brought the weapon to eye level and cautiously walked on the pier. He couldn't help but feel extremely jumpy every time a boat creaked and moaned on the water now that his ears were in tune with every sound. He use to be great working in the darkness, almost foolproof back in his early years, but now he didn't have that ability. He knew he was now an easy target, but with his senses heightened from the adrenaline rush, he could still put up a decent fight.
Had it been any other opponent, Tenten would have stayed to gloat or mock. To tease and taunt prod at what little sense of pride was there until their senses were geared on only seeking revenge on their tormentor. And only then would they be distracted enough to make more and more mistakes as the fight continued. Only then would she gain the advantage and leverage to end it with her as the victor. It had worked so many times before in the past, and it could have worked again. But she had been dealing with mafia grunts, then. And he was definitely not a low-trained rookie of the police force. So the young assassin did the only thing she could think to do: she ran.
A voice inside her head whispered that she should kick the officer's gun into the water where it would be of no use to him and no threat to her. But the thought occurred too little too late as she zipped by the object without pause. And to turn back would be to waste the time given to her to flee and hide. She would not take the chance that he would recover quickly from the blow to the back. And then this game of cat and mouse would be one step closer to the end. Tenten did, however, managed to scoop up the chain that was dropped before into her grasp. Because if this footman with a badge was going to go creeping around the docks with a firearm in his possession, she at least needed a means to defend herself against him. And a means to take it away again. Deadly blades could only take her so far, especially when he had a height and weight advantage over her.
But size did not determine the outcome of a battle.
Sliding along the wooden planks to a stop behind more crates, she stilled all movement and waited. Lumbering around in the dark, knowledgeable and familiar with the area as she was, did nothing if he could hear her movements. And with the both of them in the open, there would be no echo to mask her location. So there was only one other option.
Ambush. Attack. Run. It was the sort of guerrilla warfare that was most beneficial in such a situation. And one that Tenten was more than willing to implore. Every step -- every breath -- he took seemed amplified in the silence while he drew closer and closer with each passing second. All the while, she waited, muscles taut and ready to spring into action. And the moment that the barrel of the gun was in her sights, she moved. Whipping the chain around his wrist, she grabbed both ends and pulled, slamming the hand into the corner of the crate much like he attempted to do with her own body only moments before. And like lightning, Tenten used the back-swing of her arm to send a well aimed elbow into the man's jaw while slipping back into the shadows, finally kicking the gun into the watery depths below before planting herself at another location to strike once more.
Oh fuck, kept repeating in Asuma's mind when that metal chain lashed out, hooked around his hands, and then slammed into the crate. The sheer force and surprise caught the male off guard completely, and soon enough his hands released the firearm; only to receive a hasty blow to the chin. A heavy grunt furled from his lips and he did not recover in time to catch where his attacker camouflaged herself. Damnit, where was the back up when you needed it!? Now his Glock was sinking into the dark watery depths. Mourning the loss of his weapon was short lived because now he was completely weaponless in an area he was not all too familiar with in the dark, and his attacker was well skilled. He was at a huge disadvantage, and his likelihood of coming out of this place alive was dwindling quickly.
He walked around on the pier carefully and quietly as his senses heightened more so now that he was completely unarmed. This wasn't good, and he screwed up completely by not responding to this woman's attacks; though he was not willing to give up, especially in his line of duty. Feet scuffed the dock when his foot tapped against a small wooden rod. Asuma quickly scooped it up and weighed his chances with her. The chain could easily snap the rod in two, but it was still better than nothing in his opinion. All he needed to do was find out where she was hiding; he was tired of playing this cat and mouse game.
Asuma took a few more steps when his ears caught the faintest of sirens coming his way. A small grin furled from his lips, as well as a slight bit of relief knowing that this battle was drawing to a close. His calloused hand tensed around the rod a bit more firmly, hoping the bitch would jump out so he could clock her one into her side or neck, or some place that would just paralyze her for a moment so he could cuff her. As soon as he approached the edge of one of the warehouse buildings, he was sure that he got her cornered. However, that assumption was short lived.
Dark eyes squinted as he moved toward the edge of the pier, glancing down to the water below. "Dammit," he growled again, finding that his attacker was not there or anywhere in sight. Maybe he took a wrong turn somewhere? Or he just was too stubborn to believe that he was lost and had lost the attacker completely. Asuma tapped the wooden rod against the side of his leg before he decided to turn around and head the other way. No sense in trying to stare into the water if he could not find anybody.
Raised on several principles of the martial arts, the irony did not escape her. This was hardly an honorable tactic befitting a master of several disciplines. But pride and honor held no bonds here. It was simply about survival. Penance and guilt could come later when she was safe from harm, detection, and capture. Besides, comparative to other, more dastardly deeds she had committed in the past, this was hardly anything to be over-concerned about. And time was running out as the faint wail of sirens drew ever closer to their location. One officer, she could manage to out wit and out maneuver with the proper amount of time and opportunity. An entire team of them was drastically more difficult to overtake if possible. It became pressingly clear that Tenten needed to act quickly.
With the visor of the helmet raised, she at least had a better view of the area, and a fresh supply of air to fuel her lungs and brain. And with those aids, Tenten was able to think quicker and more instantly on her feet. The option to take off the helmet completely came to mind initially, but then the realization that she needed to remain anonymous came quickly like a sledgehammer to the skull. If the young woman could not escape before the police backup arrived, she would need the mask to hide her identity.
Tenten had spent too long carefully concealing all direct connections to the Uchiha just to have it blown to pieces by her own comfort.
Crouched low against the crates, the girl waited for the right moment and opportunity where his guard was most vulnerable. And then she struck, swinging her leg around to strike him across the back of the knees while his attention was focused on finding another hiding spot rather than the frighteningly ominous patch of shadow at his feet. Another elbow came up to land just under the ribs where the muscle was less defined and harder to develop than the rest of the midsection. From there, the real battle would begin.
There was no more time to waste for a game of hide and seek.
The woman was fast and smooth with her movements that it was hard to even counter them. Asuma had been so blindsided by the dark environment, the slight panic of "this might not end well", amongst other things while dealing with an assassin with the right amount of skills as the woman before him. She knew the human anatomy well enough to find the right places to make any person dazed if hit with the right amount of pressure. And to say the least, this breathless wasn't the kind he would usually go for. Every blow to his body caused him to recoil with a dull ache; and aside from the pain shooting through his body, what had Asuma upset was the fact that he could hardly get a single hit on this person. This fight was suited for the fittest, and he certainly wasn't doing too well on his part.
However, when that elbow drew back from the sharp blow, Asuma quickly reached out to grab her, and then proceeded to twist the arm around to her back. No he really did not have a whole lot of experience in the fine martial arts, and sure he boxed on occasion but he really relied on brute force to tackle this bitch down; even when he probably had the biggest disadvantage in this fight.
He pulled her body back to his, and his foot hooked around hers to keep her from trying to move away. And when he had the chance, his other arm hooked around her neck, and locked her into place. Hopefully this would hold off until the rest of the police team came by to assist with the arrest.
His initial mistake was to think she wouldn't have ways of dealing with a larger opponent. On the contrary, it was one of the first things Tenten made a point of learning when she finally agreed to serve as Sasuke's enforcer. While the woman was not exactly the tiniest person in the organization, there was no denying that a fair number of the men towered over her. And more than likely the young Uchiha's enemies would spend their hard-earned filth in finding the biggest and best assassins to deal with new, rising mastermind in the making. And so learning to work past her weaknesses had become a priority. One she mastered through sheer determination.
The arm around her neck was not meant to be choking, although with all the struggling she attempted, the solid feel of his forearm against her throat was prominent and almost frightening if Tenten did not risk her life in similar ways each and every night.
With one leg hooked, she pushed off with the other, keeping the one trapped so that they both would tumble back from the force and imbalance. There was a momentary twinge in the young woman's arm as they landed with a slamming halt, but she trusted that the adrenaline already flowing freely within Tenten's body would hold off most of the damage until well after the fight was over. So the girl soldiered on. Despite the harsh impact against the ground, he had still managed to hold his grip on her arm, leaving her little other choice than to rock her helmet-covered head back into the man's face, trusting that the hard plastic would do its damage and stun the officer enough to let go; continued to do so until she felt his hold loosen. And when he finally did relent for his own survival, Tenten fled instantly from his grasp, rolling up and over to land a crouch just above his head. Just in time to grab a tuff of hair and smash his head against the ground to further his disorientation.
It was then, while he was still incapacitated and there was time, Tenten took the opportunity to listen for the sirens to determine how far away they were. Too close for her liking, but still far enough away for a perfect escape. If only the officer would just stay down.