There are seven deadly sins, most at times can be indulgences though could one really indulge oneself in the sin of WRATH and do so without causing harm to others? And what if that wrath is something which is coming after you rather than you yourself deciding to dive right in? If so, then what if you are not completely aware of all that could be or is going on? What then? And can one sin in particular, live completely apart from all the rest?

With the sight of beauty and wanting such beauty then it could be said that this one sin which stands apart could belong to something along the lines of LUST or even GREED, right? Heading right into something without knowing exactly what is going on, well that could be down to PRIDE, not wanting to admit a certain lack of knowledge, same might be said for holding back. One too, could even be a GLUTTON for punishment.

If you are guilty of WRATH, then wouldn't you need to feel the rage? Feel the anger? Though when it is wrath that comes for you, wouldn't what you feel be fear? Well, with all this talk of sin, be it deadly or otherwise and with what it could be linked to, I have a story to tell. It may directly deal with wrath though a wrath where lust or greed may apply in some form or another and where PRIDE extends the goings on, though who is to say that there may be absolutely no signs of SLOTH or ENVY within it?

***

You can do a lot of things in life while just being yourself and acquire little strife or hustle though simply by just remaining as you always have been, trouble comes and finds you no matter what. Such trouble at times may become a good thing but not always. As well as that, if such trouble means that a member or members of the Tiger Clan is coming for you then you know that you are in serious trouble. More than likely, your time is limited. More than likely, your life is sure to come to an end. More than likely, it will just be a matter of time as well as when, where, and how.

All members of the Tiger Clan work individually and alone and have done so for quite some time now, going back generations in fact. Therefore, if any two of them are coming for you then they probably are doing so separately, and you must have seriously upset someone for this to happen.

Tiger Clan are assassins, assassins with a purpose. They seek revenge, revenge for wrong done to them, revenge for wrong done to others, it doesn't really matter, for revenge is revenge and someone will pay. Sometimes it is justification that they seek. As long as the reasoning makes sense to them then that is all that matters. They can be hired if the connections and price is right, or they could go out on their own working on their own motives.

1.

Early evening Friday the eight of October 2015, and Ethan Glover's final weekday shift of the week in work had come to an end and he had made his way through the office building's underground car park and all the way to where he had parked his Land Rover. For some reason or another he always parked in the further most spot away to where he needed to be. The few minutes of a walk in the mornings, then again in the evenings, were always moments that could be spent on reflection. Ethan always enjoyed the moments of peace he had to be alone with his thoughts.

Having come to a point where he is just a few feet away from his vehicle, Ethan is stopped in his tracks as the lighting all around him goes out, not only does the lighting go out but it is accompanied by exploding sparks and shattering glass. Being underground the place goes dark, very dark. There is a screeching sound off in the distance.

'What the hell is that?' Ethan asks himself out loud.

Emergency low level lighting colour the place in red and the placing of such sources of light at various locations along the walls all around, ensure for the most part that it is still quite dark. Ethan briefly looks around before making an attempt to get to that Land Rover.

A loud shriek echoes out from a distance somewhere behind Ethan. His eyes opened wide, and his heartbeat begins to quicken though as he slowly turns Ethan could not and cannot see who or what had created that brief sharp shriek. Something dark comes moving quickly, heading straight for Ethan. All Ethan could do is freeze. Whatever ever is coming lets out a roar so it must be something ... human. Suddenly visible, it lifts a sword up over its left shoulder.

Ethan's face paled. Panic made his heart feel like it would burst out of his chest at any given moment though with what was coming, there may not be time for his heart to even beat one more time. Before Ethan's heart could beat that one more time, and before what is coming can get all the way to him, something moves in between having comes from somewhere behind Ethan.

What did come from behind almost ran right through Ethan, as if he weren't even there, knocking him to the ground and this something or someone goes on to intercept the oncoming swordsman, one swordsman moving to intercept another with a sword fight breaking out in this underground car park.

Soon, quick and multiple clanging sounds are being met with just as quick movement, movement almost unrestricted by the laws of gravity, three hundred and sixty degree turns, and jumps accompanied with a ferociously fast movement that goes so much as to exceed seven feet in height.

What are the chances that when something like this just so happens to happen that there is no one else present other than these two 'flying' swordsmen and Ethan himself? If he were to be freed of this moment, then who could he tell about it? And who would believe his story?

Crawling more or less on his ass, Ethan could only back up towards his Land Rover while being in complete and utter shock as to what indeed was and is going on. He knew his prior actions to all this would come with some consequence; but not anything like this. He had indirectly been warned of such but at that, he could never have expected something like this.

He never expected the Wrath of the Tiger would come and seek him out, well not quite like this anyway if indeed he actually knew anything at all, and ... well. What prior actions could have led to a moment like this? Huh, to get back to this moment in time we need to go back in time by three months or so, give or take a day or two ...

2.

On a bright Saturday afternoon, Ethan went wandering. He had no destination in mind and had no specific agenda. He just felt good being out and about. Pretty soon he found himself in downtown Chinatown and right by an old antiques store. He didn't know why but Ethan felt compelled to go in. Antiques are not his thing, and nothing in particular had caught his attention but for some reason or another he went into this store anyway.

Maybe on this day, fate was calling. Maybe it was something more; then again it may all just be chance. Something strange hits him almost straight away, maybe this could have been taken as a sign, a sign for what though is the thing.

The store appeared to be so much bigger on the inside than what its outside suggested it may be. Maybe it is not such a strange thing after all as upon entering this store there are three steps down to be taken. If one were not careful, one could easily have oneself an accident.

The contents on offer in this store also appeared to be quite old and most likely quite expensive too. On a stand an encased sword caught Ethan's attention. Lifting the sword, he pulled it out of the casing ever so slightly. The blade gleamed. It briefly reflected a light that blinded him for a second or two. It looked so sharp that Ethan feared moving any part of himself toward it at all for fear that he may lose an appendage just by being in the vicinity of this sword. Yeah, he imagined his finger, any one of his fingers would bleed before even getting close enough to the blade to touch it.

It amazed Ethan that such a thing, such a weapon could be so easily handled by just about anyone who many find themselves arriving into this store. Being so caught up in this moment, this moment with a sword in an antiques store in downtown Chinatown, Ethan would be caught a little off guard. The sound of a voice coming from behind him made him jump ever so slightly.

'Do you like what you see?' asked a young Asian lady, a lady who obviously enough has some sort of connection with this store.

Ethan pushed the sword back completely into its casing then placed it down on the counter before him. He then took a step back, turned slowly and paused for a moment.

'I do indeed' he would eventually say though these words would not be in reference to the sword.

Ethan had been amazed by the sword and now he found himself being amazed once more. What could such a stunningly beautiful lady be doing in such a place as this? This stunningly beautiful lady moved towards the sword and picked it up. She most certainly seemed to be no stranger to such an item.

'This particular piece is over one hundred and fifty years old. It was made by my great grandfather's grandfather, and it would cost you or anyone else who may be interest in it, about five thousand euro.'

'Wow' spoke Ethan and this response was obviously enough a response in relation to the price of the sword. 'Just a little out of my price range, not that I am looking to make a purchase of any kind.'

The tone in Ethan's voice along with how he spoke what he had just spoken, made the young lady smile.

'So, is there anything that I can interest you in?'

'Not really, unless you are available to go grab a coffee with me?'

'Sure, come back in about a half hour and we can go somewhere then.'

'What? ... Really? ... Wow' Ethan seemed to find himself being surprised a few times in fairly quick succession. 'My name is Ethan by the way.'

'And I am Bethany.'

'Bethany, wow pretty name, wasn't expecting you to have a name like that but it is beautiful all the same', Ethan backed up slightly and a little nervously, 'so I will see you in about thirty minutes then so ...'

'I'll be here.'

Ethan stumbled and almost fell over as he turned to make his way to the door and Bethany smiled once more. Shaking her head momentarily, Bethany places the sword back on its stand. On the casing close to the handle there is an emblem, this emblem is that of a tiger's head ...

3.

In that underground office building car park, Ethan manages to get up and into the driver seat of his Land Rover. Though in his panic, he fails to notice that the clanging sound of the sword fight had come to a halt. He starts his engine but before he can begin to get the vehicle moving, the passenger side door opens and a slim but well-built man with long dark hair tied back gets in and sits. This man places a sword he is carrying to one side. Ethan's jaw drops as all he can do is stare at the man next to him.

'Drive' calmly speaks this man as if this current situation is a perfectly normal one.

Ethan being somewhat frozen, continues to stare.

'If you want to survive this moment then I suggest that you drive ... now.'

The Land Rover is started up and it soon leaves the underground car park, Ethan just drives being almost oblivious to his surroundings. He begins to make his way to nowhere in particular. With what has happened and what is happening, where is he meant to go? He can hardly make his way home, not with this stranger sitting right next to him and especially not with what happened in the car park. It was and is obvious that someone was coming for Ethan and this stranger sitting next to him had strangely come to his aid.

The deafening silence within the Land Rover lasted a few moments and would eventually be broken when Ethan manages to compose himself to some degree. He turns his head to once more stare at his passenger.

'Who the hell are you?'

'Eyes on the road please ...'

Ethan brought the Land Rover to a sudden stop only noticing that he was approaching a red light right at the moment when the stranger spoke.

'... My name is Terrance and I am here for two reasons, one of which is to protect you.'

'Protect me? From what? And why do I need protection?'

'Did you not witness what happened back there? You are a wanted man my friend, wanted dead or alive, preferably dead actually. That man I fought back there is a member of the Tiger Clan and he is not the only one who wants you dead.'

'Tiger Clan huh?' the red light turns green, and Ethan begins to drive once again. 'What is your second reason?'

'Are you familiar with a young lady named Bethany? She works or at least did work in an antiques store in Chinatown.'

'I am, yes.'

'I do not know as to if you are aware or not, but she is missing and has been for a while. It is imperative that we find her. Your life may depend on it.'

'My life?' Ethan began to worry for more than one reason at this point. 'Finding Bethany may not be so easy.'

'You better hope that we can find her. It is believed that her disappearance is due to your interference, this is why you are wanted. If you know the answer to this then I need you to tell me, is Bethany alive?'

'The last time I saw her, she was most definitely alive.'

'How long ago was that?'

Ethan went quiet.

'Ethan, I need you to tell me how long ago has it been since you last saw Bethany?'

'I never told you, my name. How is it that you know my name?' ...