A lot of things happened very quickly in the next few days. Dim Mak, aware it was only a matter of time before more of Tala’s former clan discovered them as well, decided they needed to get ahead of things. They had never left their mountain further than to go to the city, but now she made plans for them to go all the way to Hong Kong.

“Isn’t that one of the biggest cities in the world?” Reina asked. “If we’re gonna hide, shouldn't we pick somewhere secluded like here?”

“Who says we’re going to hide?” Dim Mak replied unconcerned.

“The Yamata no Orochi has extensive resources and personnel there,” Tala added.

“I’m aware, but if we’re going to make a spectacle, we need to go where it will be seen the most.”

Dim Mak did not elaborate further, which only frustrated Reina, but it was lessened by her excitement at the trip. She had never been abroad or even on an airplane. Now she was going to the other side of the world. 

She could handle this sudden change, but the one she had trouble adapting to was Tala. She had shared little of her past and seemed only interested in the present and her duties to Reina. Even in just a few days while they arranged their travel plans, Tala had become Reina’s shadow. Every morning she would startle her by being at her bedside the moment she woke up.

“Good morning, master.” 

“Stop doing that!”

“My apologies,” Tala said, bowing her head. “I will wait in the dark corner of the room if you prefer.”

“No, come on that’s… it’s full of cobwebs.”

“They do not bother me, master.”

“It bothers me that it doesn't, but it’s fine, just…ease up on the ninja thing.”

“But…that is all I am,” Tala said, confused.

“We’ll work on that. Did you need anything?”

She motioned to the foot of the bed, where two bags were already packed. “Dim Mak requests that we change and join her downstairs. We’ll be leaving shortly for the airport.” 

Tala and Dim Mak both dressed in civilian clothes, which made Reina realize they shared the same concept of incognito. Both of them were dressed in dark plain clothes with a hoodie over their head and sunglasses, which only made them look like they were about to do something shady. Tala did offer to go as luggage in one of the bags, but Reina protested and found it more than a little concerning that she claimed to have experience with that.

“I can fit into anything bigger than a twenty-eight by eighteen and twelve bags.”

“Oh God, why?” Reina asked.

“I am small and flexible, and–”

“No, I mean why would you want to!”

“Sometimes it's more convenient.”

“I highly doubt that!”

“She has a point, little queen, but today it is not necessary,” Dim Mak said, as they were ready to leave. “I’ve secured us all passports and travel arrangements.”

“I object to this flagrant disregard for stealth,” protested Tala before quickly adding, “but I will abide by your decision, master.”

Reina sighed and resigned herself to the whims of fate. She had longed for a sign to tell her in what direction to move towards in her life, perhaps this was it. “Give me one of those hoodies.”

***

The joy of flying quickly dulled when Reina found out the flight would last nearly 27 hours. Reina had never sat still for that long, and she felt dizzy despite the comfort of the first-class seats, which felt utterly bizarre to her after years of living almost completely isolated in their simple little house. 

Reina supposed Dim Mak had money squared away from a lifetime of high-paying jobs, but it was easy to forget after living with her and never seeing her splurge for anything. She seemed completely at ease in the luxury, however, enjoying the complimentary champagne bottle and ordering the caviar toast as if she had all her life. 

And the expenses did not end there, even as Reina marveled at the sheer size of the airport, she was more taken aback by the shiny black limousine waiting for them outside the gates. A smiling driver greeted them cheerfully in Cantonese and offered them sodas as they entered the spacious red velvet seats inside. 

Tala at least seemed as uncomfortable with all the comfort being shown as Reina did, fidgeting on the soft couch like a cat who couldn't find a proper footing. Her eyes darted everywhere, looking for potential threats.

“You can relax, little ninja,” Dim Mak said, noticing. “No one is going to attack us here.”

“With respect, that is foolishly optimistic,” Tala countered. “They have access to all information, and we pretty much waltzed through the front doors of their backyard, in front of all the cameras at the most public place, and now this car is-

“Perfectly comfortable,” Dim Mak interrupted, “which is what we should be. As I said before, I know they know we’re here, and they will make themselves known in due time. I did not cross half the world to hide, and as a former member, you know they want to make dealing with me as much of a visible example as possible. So no, they want to be shooting in a limo in the middle of the street.”

Tala fumed a bit but said no more. Reina shared her concerns, but at the same time, she was too taken with the view of the city as they drove past sight after sight. Her home had eroded with time, both socially and in development, so her idea of a city had been limited to that. Hong Kong seemed like something out of another world. Full to the brim of people, businesses, and large signs of all kinds. It screamed how alive it was.

“That’s where we’ll be staying,” Dim Mak mentioned as they approached an impressive tower that stood taller than all the nearby buildings and stood alone, shimmering like a silver jewel. Reina was in awe, she had never seen anything that big built by people before. 

“The ICC is a bit of a landmark here, and it has an excellent hotel at the top, though I believe they’re under new management since I was last here for a job.”

Reina shifted uncomfortably at the comment, she knew what kind of job she was referring to.  Her own father took such trips that she now realized must have been assassinations. “Won’t they recognize you?”

“Of course, so we shouldn’t have any trouble getting the top suite.”

***

The man at the front desk did indeed recognize Dim Mak as soon as they approached, his face going completely pale. Dim Mak muttered a few words, and the man bowed his head as if whipped in apology. He shouted something in Cantonese, and three men came hurriedly to collect their bags and escort them to the elevator. 

“It is our greatest honor and privilege to have you here at The Golden Snake Palace,” one of them said in English, the only of the men who wasn't an usher and dressed in his sharp suit. He smiled widely but was clearly terrified. He offered Dim Mak a gold key with a handle that read “DELUXE” instead of a room number.

“The new name is a bit much, you can tell her I said so,” Dim Mak said, disapprovingly. Reina had no idea who she was referring to, but the man only seemed more stricken by the comment.

Finally, they arrived at the top floor, which turned out to be the entire suite. Reina stepped out and marveled at every single inch. It was a two-story apartment with four rooms, 3 bathrooms, a large living room with a fireplace, and a large swimming pool at the very center of it all. The most astonishing thing about it was the view, a large wall of glass that allowed them a perfect view of both the city and the harbor, which was already starting to fill with glowing lights as the sun came down.

“I will check every inch of this place,” Tala declared, and immediately set to inspect to her satisfaction.

Dim Mak shooed the hotel men away, not even letting them step inside to explain anything. “Bring us some food,” she commanded, “one of everything on your restaurant’s menu…on the house, of course.”

The men did not argue and seemed only relieved to be let go. As soon as the elevator left, Reina rounded up on her master with a few demands of her own.

“Have you seen this place? They have a jacuzzi!”

“Yes, it is very nice.”

“You couldn't have taken me on vacation like this once in all this time?”

“Reina, just because I saved a small fortune over the years does not mean I have to spend it like a rich spoiled housewife.”

“One trip when I turned eighteen wouldn't have spoiled me!” Reina said angrily.

“Forgive me if I disagree, but I think you are ready to experience more of the world now. And indeed, this trip will open you to make some very real and necessary choices about your future.” 

Oh…is that why we’re here? Some big final test for me to pass?” Reina said sarcastically.

“No, just to decide whether or not you are ready to take a life.”

***

They waited for the food to arrive, a feast worthy of a king with every Chinese dish she could think of served on a long oak table. Dim Mak had said nothing else, and Reina just stared at the floor, ignoring the food. Only Tala was restless, meticulously tasting every single one of the plates without much care for the flavor.

“There is no poison I can find here,” Tala declared after finishing her inspection.

“What if there had been?”

“Depending on the kind, I would have suffered less of an impact due to my years of building tolerance to the most common ones…or died.”

Reina sighed. She knew it was pointless to tell her not to do it. “Yes, well, thank you for that.”

“My pleasure, and I think I will have more of the dumplings.”

They ate quietly for a few minutes, the last words of Dim Mak hanging over them, but Reina didnt know what to say or if she wanted to. She tried to enjoy the meal, but expe

“There is a man staying in this hotel,” Dim said suddenly, not even looking up from her food, “ One of the wealthiest in the world, and also one of its very worst.”

“And?” Reina asked.

“He’s the one you’ll have to kill.”

Dead silence fell over the table, even Tala stopped her already silent eating, her eyes shifting nervously between the two.

“You are not going to stop with this, are you?” Reina asked, her temper flaring.

“No one has yet succeeded in stopping me from doing anything I want,” Dim Mak answered simply. “Now be quiet and listen well.”

Dim Mak pulled out a smartphone from her robes, unlocked it, and threw it at Reina, who caught it wanting to throw it back harder at her. She resisted the urge and looked to see a picture of a man on the screen. He was American or European, tall, well built, and wearing a black and gold Chinese tunic with an embroidered dragon that looked gaudy and expensive, not to mention out of place being worn by a white man.

“His name is Karov Le Gall,” Dim Mak continued. “He’s a French Russian billionaire that made his money through shady companies that pollute the environment and cover up his human trafficking operations in the underworld.”

Reina stared at her.

“Sadly, he’s also a famous martial arts aficionado, organizing many distasteful illegal tournaments around the world with his fortune. Personally, I think he might be the worst thing to happen to martial arts since the destruction of the Shaolin Temple.”

Dim Mak seemed to be waiting for Reina to acknowledge her obvious point, but she just wanted to punch her. “I’m not going to do it.”

“He is a truly bad person,” Dim Mak added condescendingly.

“So are you,” countered Reina.

“And your father, hence what happened to him,” Dim Mak countered back.

Reina leaped out of her seat, but felt Tala’s hand on her own, not even grabbing it, just hovering so she would stop. It was a warning, they both knew better than to simply attack Dim Mak.

“Point is,” Dim Mak said, growing tired of waiting, “this man is scum any way you cut it, and the world would be better off with him gone and his wealth redistributed among the masses.”

“Then why don’t you kill him,” Reina spat.

To her annoyance, Dim Mak let out a small laugh. “Job like that you don’t do for free, it comes with a lot of factors, but it is a name make kill for anyone. That is why I chose him for you, Reina. One seldom gets to pick their targets in this business, but I figured you’d prefer a morally easier one for your first time.”

“When we started training, you said I’d have a choice in how I used the skills you taught me.”

Yes, and you’re about to make that choice,” Dim Mak said, and her voice was like ice.

The severity of the situation finally hit Reina like a hundred training brack of stone, and she felt a huge pit in her stomach growing. She knew Dim Mak meant it, that she expected her to kill someone.

“I thought…” Reina tried to speak, but the word failed her. She was torn between tears and the pain in her hand she tightened her fist, her nails buying into flesh. “I thought we were done with all this after you took me in.”

“That is part of the choice,” Dim Mak said, perhaps a bit softer. “I only ever taught those I thought had the potential to carry my name one day, and you were the last. I want to know if you can, but only you can choose what your skills will be for.”

Dim Mak gestured widely at the room around them, “You grew up with very little, do you want more like this? It’s not cheap, and our skills do not open every door in the world. Will you choose the path of an assassin? A teacher? Will you dedicate yourself to the martial arts for the rest of your life simply for its sake? Or will you use this opportunity to escape your circumstances?”

The sheer manipulation of her speech made Reina so angry she wanted to jump on the table and attack the woman who had cared for her all these years, and for the first time since that night, she saw her as first remembered her the day she killed her father.

“How the hell should I know?” Reina yelled, letting out her frustration. “I don’t know what I want to do with the rest of my life! Did you have your life figured out at my age!”

“Yes, I had already killed twenty-three people by then.”

“Jesus, why!”

“I did what I was good at, what I was trained at, and not one soul I took deserved any more time on this earth.”

“So that makes it ok!”

“The only person you have to live with is yourself, Reina. And I have slept perfectly fine all my life doing what I did. I have no remorse for my career, and neither does your new protege there, who I bet has already taken more than a few lives herself.”

Tala bowed her head shamefully but did not deny it. 

“So I’m just supposed to kill this dude I've never met or what?”

“Or we part ways, like I did with my last student.” 

It was not a threat, her tone wasn't even harsh, it was just a fact that she was stating, but it devastated Reina. She couldn’t move or think. The weight of it all threatened to crush her right then and there.

Dim Mak rose from the table, and walked past Reina, uttering a few final words. “Le Gall will be at the hotel’s restaurant tomorrow night, as unprotected as he gets. You have until then to decide what to do. Whatever you decide…I am proud of you, Reina. But my stand by own choice in this matter.”