A long white limousine pulled into the parking lot just beyond the construction site. All the Union workers put a short pause on what they were working on to take a look at who had just pulled up. They knew who it was, but they couldn't resist watching the individual step out of the vehicle. There was an entire entourage; a pair of white cars were parked both in front and behind it. Men in crisp white suits stepped out of the accompanying sports cars first. They walked to the side doors of the limousine, with one man holding it wide open. A red boot stretched out of the vehicle, gracefully touching the loose gravel beneath the vehicle.

A slender woman emerged out of the backseat door. Her hair was a platinum blonde; short in the back with two long tails of hair cascaded down both sides of her face. The woman’s eyes were an emerald green that sparkled much like her pallor skin against the moonlight. The woman’s red boots matched the red skirt that ended just above her knees. On the skirt’s corner was a small white swan-shaped insignia embroidered onto it. From the waist up, she wore an immaculate white blouse, complete with ruffles

She crossed her arms and surveyed the scene. The woman remained silent, staring at all the scaffoldings and construction equipment that were strewn all across the site. A single gale passed through, flicking her strands of hair to the side as her face of disappointment remained focused on the construction area.

Coming from around the other side was a lumbering figure adorned in a long white cloak that covered the individual from head to bottom. The head was hidden underneath a hood, but red metal wings jutted out from it. The tall individual stood beside the woman, completely shrouded inside the cloak.

"Are you sure this is the correct location?" the woman asked quietly; her voice smooth and calm despite her bored poster. Her green eyes slowly scanned the construction site; everyone on the scene returned to their assigned tasks and worked at a rapid rate.

"Yes, Mistress Ulyssa," the person behind responded. His voice was the opposite; low and deep. Behind the mask were a pair of blue eyes that were in constant surveillance of any potential threats. "You picked out this location yourself."

"I suppose that's right. This is where Mother and Father used to take me after lessons to relax. I was just confused because I don't see a memorial here, Malthe." The woman turned around to her bodyguard, her eyes cutting towards him with annoyance. "Do you have an idea why that would be?"

The bodyguard angled his head towards the location of construction. "The group that was commissioned to complete the project would be the ones with the answers."

Ulyssa let out a huff of air, pouting as she crossed her arms. "Are you implying that you want me to go onto the construction site myself and ask about the process?"

Malthe didn't answer. Through his metal mask, he continued to look onwards towards the unfinished building.

"Boss! Boss!" One of the Union men came running through what little was built of the memorial's entryway, grabbing both Fátima and Hudson's attention. The leader rose to his knees, brushing off the dirt from his tattered jeans as he approached his subordinate.

"What is it this time?" Hudson said, his upper lip pulling upwards and flashing his teeth as he frowned.

"Ulyssa!" the man said exasperated. "She's here!"

Hudson froze. The anger in his face turned into worry as he took a step back. "Ulyssa is here? Now?" The other man nodded. Fátima's gaze shifted between both, unsure of who she should focus on. "Is... the other guy with her?"

"The big dude in the metal mask?"

"Yes, you dolt! That guy!"

"Yeah. They're both here. Along with some of her other men. They're making their way to the memorial and from what I saw she did not look happy."

Hudson slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand, slowly running it down his face as he let out a loud and drawn-out sigh. "Just what we needed. The Ingwersens breathing down our necks when we're already behind!"

"What should we do, boss?"

"Let me handle it. I don't trust any of you clowns telling Ulyssa anything. Outta my way!" Hudson placed a hand on the Union man's shoulder, pushing him to the side as he barged through the building's entrance. Fátima grabbed onto the vest that he was wearing before he had completely stepped out of the entrance. Hudson turned around, his eyes furrowing in rage as he stared at the kendoka.

"Is it important?" he said loudly.

"Let me tag along," Fátima replied. Despite the angered look of the Union leader, she maintained a patient demeanor.

"Sure! Why not?" Hudson barked back as he shrugged his shoulders. "There's no better time for a job interview than right now, is there?"

"Cool it, Hudson. I'm just trying to get an idea of this chick is that everyone is so worked up about."

"Fine. Just try not to say anything that'll get us killed, alright? I know you've got a real bad habit of not knowing when to keep quiet. Oh, and I hope you don't mind bowing down."

"What?" Fátima's eyes squinted at Hudson.

"Yeah. Bowing."

"You can't be serious."

"Told you this woman thinks she's royalty. She likes to be treated as such. Or else there will be consequences."

Fátima opened her mouth, her voice getting hung up on the word "I" until she caught herself.

"You were going to say 'I'm not doing that,' weren't you?" Hudson said smugly.

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I do. Just follow my lead and your lips zipped and you should be fine."

Hudson left the room while the kendoka trailed right behind him. Ulyssa and her entourage had already made their way through the perimeter of the site and were moving straight towards the memorial building itself. Hudson stopped his movement, placing one hand behind him to indicate to Fátima to stop as well. He stood up straight with his hands behind his back. Fátima looked at Hudson with the corner of her eye and immediately followed suit.

Ulyssa's arms remained crossed as she traversed across the construction site. Her head angled upward while her face had a pout that made Hudson shiver once she was close enough to see it. Her bodyguard remained right behind her, still hiding his body within his cloak. Under the constructions lights placed along the edge of the memorial's roof, the full detail of Malthe's mask became clear. It was crimson and the center of it came to a sharp curve. Ornate wings protruded from the side, emulating that of a swan. The woman came to a full halt in front of the structure, looking upwards as if the two in front of the building didn't exist. Hudson bowed first, taking his helmet off his head. Fátima did the same, placing one hand over her stomach as she tilted her upper body over.

"Will you still be able to meet the deadline?" Ulyssa asked as she walked through the open entrance. With a small spin she was able to get a view of everything within the confines of the structure. "I have an important event planned for the opening of this memorial. It needs to be ready then."

Hudson turned around, fumbling to put his hard hat back on his head. "Y-yes, Mistress Ulyssa. There have been a few hiccups here and there, but me and my men are working tirelessly to make sure that this memorial is finished by the deadline that we agreed on!"

"Excellent. Then there shouldn't be a problem." Ulyssa's eyes continued to wander around the inside of the structure, placing one hand over her head to block the bright light that came from the moon. "I don't know anything about construction, but I would have assumed that this would look more like... a memorial at this point rather than a child's playset. But you are the one that does the construction. So I'll have to take your word for it."

"You can count on my men and I, Ulyssa," Hudson said as he bowed again. Ulyssa left the room, her attention getting caught on Fátima. She eyed the kendoka up and down, staring at her jacket and slowly working her way down the boots. She peered at Fátima, staring at her as if she were a peculiarity.

"Hudson, who is this?" she said with one of her gloved fingers directed towards Fátima. Fátima took a step back, desperately looking towards Hudson for any help on what to do.

"Oh, that's Fátima Nascimento. She's... here to giving a hand with construction."

"She doesn't look the part of a construction worker," Ulyssa said. "Are you so desperate for help that you'll enlist the help of some woman off the streets?"

"I'm not some random lady," Fátima snapped. There was a moment of silence as the other stared at Fátima. Feeling the pressure, she quivered once she saw Malthe lean over, his eyes cutting towards her.

"Then who are you?" Ulyssa asked. She kept on hand on her hip while the other pressed against her chest. "What are you doing on the Ingwersen Memorial construction site? Only authorized people should be viewing this project!"

"She's security, Mistress Ulyssa."

"Security?" Ulyssa said to Hudson perplexed. Malthe let a sneer escape. "You expect me to believe that his woman will provide big, strong men like yourself with protection?"

"It's true, Mistress Ulyssa," Fátima said. She straightened her back upwards like she was a soldier. "I have a black belt in Aikido and have multiple kendo championships."

Ulyssa and Malthe looked towards at each other and then back to Fátima. "No need to lie, dear, the woman said in a calming tone. "Just tell us the real reason why you're here and we'll let you walk away."

"I am telling the truth!" Fátima declared. "I was one of the lead instructors at the Dragon's Bite Dojo!"

Ulyssa’s eyes cut towards Fátima, making evident that she had struck a nerve. "Darling, you act like I know every little run-down hovel and business in this city."

"Nobody in this city knows kendo and aikido better than me!" Fátima pointed towards herself with her thumb. "I can prove it too!"

"Normally, I'd say that I am too busy to deal with wannabes trying to make a name for themself the moment they meet me.” The woman looked at a gold locket clock that she pulled out of her blouse’s pocket. “However, I will say that I do have a bit of free time tonight and that your personality has piqued my interest."

"Shall I be the one to humble her?" the bodyguard asked of his employer. Ulyssa paused, angling her head at Fátima as she placed one hand on her chin. The jewelry on her fingers glistened and sparkled from the construction lights.

"No, I don't want you to kill her. But I think she can prove her mettle against some of the White Swan. She does seem quite eager to fight. Let's give her a reason. Summon the others."

Malthe raised one hand high in the air. He snapped his fingers and the men that protected Ulyssa as she stepped outside of the limousine came rushing to the scene. Three of them stood behind Ulyssa and Malthe with their arms behind their backs as they awaited their next command.

With Ulyssa and Malthe facing the members of the White Swan, Hudson looked at Fátima and shook his head. “You’re in for, it,” he whispered to her. Fátima didn’t respond. She was too busy staring at the men armed with metal rods to pay the Union leader any mind.

“We’ve got a challenge for you,” Ulyssa said as she walked across her subordinates. They remained still, each one eager to execute her next order. “That woman, right there, thinks she’s got what it takes to be security,” she said as she pointed at the kendoka. Fátima looked placid from a distance but Hudson was close enough to see her body tremble a bit. “Just try to make too much of a mess. This is supposed to be a memorial, after all.”