Mr. Chen

Reaching the base, Anai'ya leaned against her car and lit up a smoke. Her emotions were all riled up, she needed to compose herself before heading inside. She couldn't let her subordinates see her like this.

At times like these she missed her father the most. He was a brilliant man with a high IQ and EQ, he would help her understand her emotions. Unfortunately, the lessons were cut short and she grew up a total mess. Smoking and fashion were her coping mechanisms. She needed help desperately, but she would never admit it. Plus, talking to a therapist might get her locked up or killed, some secrets were meant to stay buried.

Finishing her third cigarette of the day, she headed inside. The smell of pine and wet grass lingered inside the cave. Rodents of a every shape and size scurried in the dark, the sounds of their squeaks and creaks echoing inside. Twisting her face in disgust she hurried inside the elevator. She needed a new base, one where the entrance wasn't flooded with bugs and whatever else hid inside this place.

Existing the elevator she headed straight for her office. On the way she ran into a couple of hackers that had recently joined the organization. Both wearing thin framed glasses with scrawny builds and the typical hacker outfit of a t-shirt and faded jeans. They stared at her as she walked by, contempt and arrogance filling their eyes.

"She must be a client. Look at how she's dressed. Typical rich girl. Probably here to ask the boss to help her find her jewelry or something." One of the hackers said disdainfully.

"Right, so useless. All they do is waste money. These kind of women have no brain." Replied the other man snickering.

Anai'ya chuckled at their antics. Did they know who they were talking about?

Not even bothering to lower their voices the two continued with their judgement and ridicule. Little did they know their lives were hanging by a thread the more they talked.

Who hired these clowns? They didn't even know what their boss looked like. She would have to find out who cleared these two idiots because what client was allowed inside their secret base? The common sense was absent and replaced by stupidity.

Walking past the training room she stopped to observe the new recruits. There was a group of four men, two tall handsome looking young men and two average looking men appearing to be in their late twenties. Each one was muscular and tall, their bodies glistened with sweat. They stood in a circle formation facing a frail looking old man in the center.

Mr. Chen was a 50 year old man with a full head of white hair and leathery skin. He was about average height and small build, he held a long black walking stick. It was made of the strongest bamboo there was. One hit from it and you were bruised for weeks, even possibly breaking a limb or two.

"Again." He ordered.

The four men pounced on him, the men descended on him like a storm rampage on an open field. From their technique it was obvious they were all professionally trained in Taekwondo. A series of heavy kicks were aimed at Mr. Chen.

However, the old man didn't even flinch. He stood there still as a rod. His facial expression was calm, showing no signs of fear completely unfazed at the approaching onslaughts aimed at his body. The moment the kick of one of the young men was about to land on his person he extended his bamboo stick blocking the hit. The young man was surprised at the mere force that small push had on him as his body flew backwards landing a couple feet away from his original spot. Bewilderment crossed his face halting his movements. He could tell the old man had not used much force to push his leg away and yet he was pushed this far back.

'What the hell was that?!' He thought as he stood up assuming a defense position.

The other three men had not fared any better than him, two lay on the floor like rag dolls while the third had managed to stay on his feet but looked haggard. Sweat droplets fell on the grey mat on the floor, his expression was rigid. He couldn't land one single hit on the old man! He had pulled out all his moves applying a great amount of strength into each one but he couldn't get within three feet of the man.

This Mr. Chen was a beast!

The four men continued trying to land a hit on the old man but after a few minutes they all lay on the floor panting for breath. They didn't dare look up at Mr. Chen, they were rendered speechless.

Mr. Chen sighed, straightening his sleeves he turned to walk away leaving the men sprawled on the floor. He raised his sharp eyes he caught sight of Anai'ya standing at the entrance leaning against the door frame, her usual expressionless face revealed an amused smile.

His wrinkled face brightened up as he walked towards her. His bamboo walking stick making small tap sounds on the floor.

Anai'ya watched him walk towards her and her smile broadened into a teasing one.

"Uncle, you were going way too easy on them." She accused him. Mr. Chen laughed shrugging his shoulders before reaching out a hand to rub her head.

"Well I can't break them on the first go, how will they train if they're broken?"

Anai'ya's mouth hung open.

"Uncle! The first time we trained I broke two ribs and fractured my arm!"

"But did you die?" He asked in amusement.

Glaring at him she gritted her teeth in annoyance. That wasn't the point!

"That's not the point Uncle. They're men they can handle a few broken bones. They should get trained the way I did." She pouted angrily. She had suffered so much under his training. It was only right he extended that cruelty to other trainees.

"Are you questioning my methods?" He said walking by her as they began walking towards her office.

"Just a mere suggestion is all." She replied rolling her eyes. This uncle was really so biased towards others.

"Plus I had more faith in your potential than I do those boys."

"So you beat me to a pulp because of my potential?" narrowing her eyes she turned to side eye him.

"Yes." He chuckled placing his aging hand on her shoulder. His sharp eyes looked at her with pride.

"Uncle was only helping you, I can't extend the same treatment to others. You are one of a kind, so your training was tailored just for you." His face was always cold and unfeeling with others but with her he always smiled. His wrinkly face showed how much affection he had for this niece of his.

"Tailored my ass!" She exclaimed as they reached her office. Stepping inside she pulled out a chair for him before heading to the kitchenette to prepare tea.

Her uncle burst out laughing at her answer. He had certainly been very cruel in her training. It was indeed a torturous experience for her but he had done it all with the best intentions in mind. He had known the path that awaited her and he had to make sure she was strong enough to withstand it all. He regretted nothing.

His younger brother had left two defenseless children in this world all those years ago and he made it his responsibility to train them for whatever the future had in store for them. He could never stand by them out in the open so he had to show them how to protect themselves when he couldn't.

Although Lucian was strong he wasn't dedicated, the one who really exploded with power was Anai'ya. All that untapped potential would have wasted away, leaving her ripe for the taking and he would not allow that. Lucian had learned to fight enough to fend off one or two assailants while Anai'ya could take on a group of them without breaking a sweat. He was extremely proud, she was his best pupil.

He would protect her and her brother in the best way he could. Even if it meant breaking them so they could rise like the phoenixes they were meant to be.