"Since time began... a war has been waged in the shadows... between the armies of Good and Evil." "It may be fought on a grand scale... or within the heart of a single individual... or even a child." "The Evil has taken many forms... and used the darkest of arts." "In our time, they call themselves simply... the Hand." "The Good follow the way of kimagure." "Its masters can see the future... and perhaps even bring back the dead." "Legend tells of a unique warrior... a lost soul." "This warrior is a woman... a motherless daughter." "And it is her destiny to tip the balance between Good and Evil." "She is a treasure, and both sides seek her out... as a final weapon in an ancient war." " Perimeter, what's your status?" " Delta team, clear." " Alpha, clear." " Bravo, secure." "It doesn't matter." "You can't stop her." " Nobody can stop her." " Her?" "I was afraid if I told you, you wouldn't take the job." "I never should've hired you." "Who do you think's coming for you?" "You may have heard of her." "Her name... is Elektra." " You find that funny?" " She's an urban legend, sir." "That woman died years ago." "Really?" "Well, then somebody must have brought her back from the dead." "You know, Bauer, when you've done the things I've done... you make a lot of enemies." "My private security detail..." "the best money could buy." "This nonexistent woman killed 14 of them in half an hour." "I barely got away." "Spent the next two days in Monte Carlo wondering why she let me go." "Then she came for me." "I was under the protection of the Hand itself, who sent their best." "Although they seemed more interested in killing Elektra than in protecting me." "She cut 'em down like wheat." "Took maybe 10, 15 minutes max." "Didn't really think why I kept gettin' away." "So here I am." "And now I understand her." "She wanted me to feel this... what it's like to have nowhere to go... nowhere to turn." "How's your perimeter doing now?" "Delta, what's your status?" "There's no signal." "Son of a bitch." " You know, the better the assassin..." " Alpha, Bravo, report.!" "The closer they can get to you before you know they're there." "Alpha!" "Bravo!" "Report!" "Ah, Christ." "They say Elektra whispers in your ear before she kills you." " Alpha.!" "Bravo.!" "Report.!" " It's too late for your boss, Bauer." " But you still have a chance." " Jesus Christ!" "You can't fight a ghost, Bauer." "Here we are at last." "Guess it's all true." "The red outfit and the knives and..." "So, what happens now?" "You just kill me, straight out?" "Just cold?" "Don't worry." "Death's not that bad." "Yeah?" "How do you know?" "I died once." "So am I to understand that with all the power of the Hand... that the Treasure continues to elude us?" "Yes." "Perhaps if we had pursued it sooner... and more aggressively..." "You dare to blame Master Roshi?" "Seems our methods are too mild for Kirigi." "Not at all, sensei." "But if we cannot have the weapon ourselves... allow me to make sure it does not fall into the hands of those who may use it against us." "Master, allow me." "Things like this must be handled smoothly, quietly." "Then work smoothly, Meizumi, but quickly." "Kirigi?" "Yes, Father." "Patience." "You think that's safe, leaving the door unlocked like that?" "Geez, Elektra, you're gonna end up with a bullet in your head." "I brought you a little something." "No, stop, McCabe." "Don't put it down." "I already cleaned there." " Why do you always do this?" " Get rid of my D.N.A." "Ah, D.N.A., of course." "Right." "Silly of me." "Listen, I just picked this up." "I know you like to look." " It's all there?" " Less my 10%." " Half to Barbados?" " And half to the bank on the Isle of Man." "You can do better in mutual funds." "I know a guy." "I could put you in touch..." " No, thanks." " Or not." "But..." "Look, I don't want to tell you how to do your thing... but quite a body count on this one, E." "We were only getting paid for DeMarco." "Was it necessary?" "Had to be done." "Did it?" "Elektra." "Did it?" "Okay." "Anyway, it spreads the legend." "Besides, they were gonna kill me." "Of course they were." "Absolutely." "And, speaking of which, as your agent..." "I am obligated to tell you we just got an absolutely fantastic new offer..." " but that last job..." " Let's skip this one." "I need a breather." " Great idea." "I'm just sayin' it's a lot of coin." " I'm tired." "You're tired?" "Well, then you better get yourself some sleep... 'cause you are gonna crash, baby, you know that." "I mean, you even get laid?" "It's a lot of money, this new offer." " McCabe." " All right, fine." "You know what?" "Look, you want to take time off, take time off." "Call me when you wanna work." "How much?" "And just tell me." "Two." "Ah, they'll give it to somebody else." "They wouldn't pay that to somebody else." "You got that right." "They asked specifically for you." "Location's in there." "I'll call you when I get the target." "Get some sleep." "You might wanna reflect a bit." " Again!" " Clear!" "Do you know the way, Elektra?" "Kimagure, the ability to control time... the future... even life and death." "I know I'm the best student here." "Not the best." "The most powerful." "You understand violence and pain." "But you do not know the way." " Teach me then." " That's my point." "I can't teach you." "I want you to go." "Is this a test, sensei?" "No, not a test." "Just go." "I don't have anywhere to go." "The client says he needs you there a couple days early... says that's part of the deal." " Why?" " No idea." " He just wants you to wait." " I just want to get this over with." "Hey, me too." "Listen, why don't you tell me about the view?" "I hear it's gorgeous out there." "You know, you got the..." "One, two, three, four, five." "Come on, Elektra." "Keep pedaling." "Five more minutes." "Don't use your hands." "Don't be lazy." "Only use your feet." "Let's go!" "Let's push, push, push, push!" "Nikolas." "Honey, please." "She's just a kid." "Keep going, Elektra." "Keep going." "Jesus!" "What's the matter with you?" "You could have killed me!" "What are you doing here?" "Nothing." "I'm friends with the Wheelwrights." "Damn it." "You cut my friggin' jacket." " How did you get in?" " The front door was unlocked." " No, it wasn't." " Yeah, it was." "Look, the people who live here let me come in all the time." "Ask anybody." "Hmm." "It's broken." " So, who are you anyways?" "My name's Abby." " What'd you steal?" "Nothing." "What do you think I am?" "Ow!" "Please don't call the cops." "My dad will kill me." "In some parts of the world, they just cut your hands off." "Whoa." "How did you do that?" "Get out of here." "Mom?" "Oh, shit." "You know I can't sit still, McCabe." "Call me with the name." "Client says he needs you there a couple days early." "Wants you to wait." " To have nowhere to go..." " Death's not that bad." " nowhere to turn." " He wants you to wait." " You just kill me, straight out?" " He wants you to wait." "Are you looking for me?" "Hi." "Are you the new, uh, tenant?" "Eddie Ferris, the Realtor... he said, uh, a young woman had taken it for the month." "What do you want?" "Sorry." "This is kind of awkward, but, uh... have you seen a girl..." "13-year-old, uh, blondish hair to about here?" "My daughter, Abby." " We had a fight yesterday..." " I saw her late afternoon." " Oh, you did?" " She broke into my house." "Shit." "Really?" "Uh, she knows the Wheelwrights, who, uh..." "She, uh, didn't take anything, did she?" " No." " Good." "Look, if she broke something, I'm..." "I'm happy to pay for it." "I'm Mark Miller." "We're in the little cabin two houses down." "Okay, thanks." "Hi, you've reached McCabe." "But please leave just your name." " Do not leave a message." " McCabe..." "I'm sick of sitting here." "We don't get a name soon, I'm walking." "Hey." "How long have you been standing there?" "Like, a minute." "What did you tell my dad?" "Did you tell him I broke into your house?" " Yeah, because you did break in." " Well, you didn't have to tell him." "I thought you were cool." " I'm not." " Yeah, no kidding." "Now he's on my case." "He made me come ask you to have Christmas dinner with us." " Have what?" " Christmas?" "Dinner?" "December 25?" "Did you know today's Christmas?" "Thank you." "I can't." "I have something to do." "What?" "Everything's closed." "You're on an island." "Come on." "Please?" "It's just the two of us every night... and I'm bored out of my skull." "What are you doing?" "Nothing." "Why?" " Were you counting?" " No." "So, will you come?" "Please?" "Because if you don't, I'll just keep breaking into your house." "Hmm?" "Hmm." "I have to change my clothes." "Great!" "I'm Abby." "Elektra." "Elektra." "Cool." "I told you not to leave the house." " You didn't even know I was gone." " Abby." "Chill, Dad." "We have a guest." "I'm sorry." "She told me that you'd invited me." "I don't want to..." " I'll just..." " Hmm." "Uh-uh." "No." "Please, stay." "I'm..." "I'm glad you're here." "Uh, can I get you a beer?" "Wine?" "Water." "Her name's Elektra, Dad." "Elektra." "Like the tragedy." "Your parents must have had a sense of humor." "Not really." "So when she sees all the cute guys who like me... just as friends, Dad... she accidentally spills poster paint all over my model of the Taj Mahal." "So I put glue on her shoes." "I got suspended for that, and then I got expelled for fighting." "But that was way back in the day in... in, um..." "Baltimore." "So, I was a little surprised to see you take the Wheelwright place." "Not many renters this time of year." "It's just for the month, for work." "What do you do anyway?" "Oh, layoffs, payroll reduction." " That sort of thing." " Hmm." " Sounds boring." " Abby." "No, it is boring." "I like your bracelet, by the way." "Do you know what those are?" "Here." "They're warrior beads." "They're from Indonesia." "Centuries ago, you had to be the best fighter in your village to earn them." "Wow." "I bought 'em off eBay." "Is there a school here on the island?" "Uh, we're trying home schooling for a while." "I read at college level." "And I'm doing algebra one on my own." "She's a good student." "It's the, uh, behavioural stuff that's been a problem." "I have authority issues, and I don't take bullshit well." " Don't speak in that..." " Hey, Abby!" "It's okay." "Suddenly I got a teenager on my hands." " She's hard on herself." " You can tell, huh?" " Most people think she's a slacker." " No, I shouldn't." "Merry Christmas?" "Where's her mother?" "She died... a couple of years ago." "Back in Baltimore?" "Yeah." "Drunk driver." "My mother died when I was young." "I should go." " I have work." " Come on, it's early." "Thanks for dinner." "Hmm." "What?" "Good morning." "You just got a delivery." " It's a double." " Which makes double the money." "Yeah, that's why the big bucks." " What's the matter?" " Nothing." "Good." "Then there'll be no problems." "I'll call you when it's done." "How's math going?" "How do you think it's going?" "What do you mean, you're not doing it?" "Not now or not ever?" " Too many variables." "Not enough background." " Background?" "E, they'll just send somebody else." "The storm we've been waiting..." "all... finally here." " It's moved into the Seattle-Tacoma area." " I'll get sandbags from the shed." "You know, this is such a joke." "They make it sound all exciting, but you know it's just rain." "If you're not too busy, young lady, feel free to tape the windows." "Now!" "Mark.!" "Can I talk to you?" "Can we talk inside?" "Yeah, sure." "Hey, what's up?" "Can you go to your bedroom for a minute, Abby?" "I need to talk to your dad." "Now!" "Go, Abby." " Who are you?" "Don't lie to me." " What?" "They won't just kill you." "They'll kill Abby." " Damn it.!" " Dad!" "Go!" "Run, Abby!" "Bathroom!" "Go!" "Go!" "Go!" " Stay with Abby!" " Okay." " Elektra!" " Abby!" "No!" "Ohh!" "Damn it." "Get back!" "Get back!" "Go!" "Go." "There'll be more coming." "What's coming next will be worse." "I believe Kirigi wishes to address the Council of the Hand." "Venerable master... despite your delicacy and subtlety... you have failed to solve the problem of the Treasure." "Huh!" "Master Roshi gave that task to me." " Yes, exactly." " And my men are taking care of it." "Your men are dead!" "Killed by the female, Elektra, the gaijin." "Bu..." "Your forces are an abomination!" "Master Roshi... the Hand cannot afford to lose the Treasure for another generation." "So I humbly request you allow me this task." "Perhaps with a little less delicacy... my forces will not be defeated by a mere woman." "The task is yours." "Complete it, and you will have proven yourself worthy of leading this council." "I will step aside." "Oh, that's just great." "The Hand." "Of all people." "So who's gonna help you out on this one, E?" " Stick?" " Just give me his location." "Sure, no problem." "I got it handled." "Goddamn it." "You're up, blind man." "Double combo:" "Triple carom on the four-three-two-one-six with a bank massé." "Uh, you don't need to call all your shots, pops." "Just the first one." "That is the first one." "Whoa, whoa." "Aw, you gotta be kidding me." "Eight ball in the corner." " Blind, my ass." " Leave your money on the table." "Here's a dollar, Abs." "Go play some pinball." " Why do I always have to miss the good stuff?" " Just go." "Elektra." "Same walk." "Same perfume." "They need your help." "Over here." "This is Mark Miller." "Mark and his daughter, Abby, are being chased by the Hand... and they need your protection." "I'm leaving them with you." "The Hand is your business, not mine." "And yet you saved their lives." "Why?" "What did you imagine would happen next?" "I didn't really have time to think about it." "Blind instinct." "Then you and I are back where we started, Elektra." "Did you ever ask why the Hand was after them?" " They don't know." " Really?" "Mr. Miller doesn't know?" "I do know." "The Hand wanted something he couldn't give." "He tried to run." "And what?" "They killed my wife, Abby's mom." "There was no drunk driver." "I lied." "You're on your own." "Why did you really save them, Elektra?" "Some kind of penance?" "A down payment on your sins?" "Has she told you what she actually does for a living, Mr. Miller?" "She saved my life and my daughter's." "That's enough for me." "Then you landed on the lucky side of the street." " Damn, you son of a bitch!" " Because with most people..." "Well, Elektra... you haven't changed." "What are we gonna do?" "Elektra?" "What are we gonna do?" "You gotta run." "As far as you can, as fast as you can." "South America." "Africa." "Change your name." "Change your appearance." " You're not coming with us?" " No." " I can't." " Why not?" "Isn't that part of your code or something?" "I don't have a code, Abby." " How are we supposed to defend ourselves?" " We'll be okay, Abby." "No, we won't." "Wake up, Dad." "We won't.!" "They're gonna hunt us down." "Just like Mom." "Get in the car." "Get in the car!" "What's wrong?" "She's down the street." "Three blocks over in the parking lot." "We need to kill the gaijin assassin first." "Should we go now?" "Not here." "Keep track of them." "I'm a soccer mom." "So, you, um..." "you really kill people for a living?" "Yeah." "Why?" "It's what I'm good at." "That's messed up." "Yeah." "Well, well, the reluctant assassin." "Sorry to drag you into this, McCabe." "Me too." "Hi." "I'm Abby." "Hello, Abby." "I'm wondering what you're doing here." "There's plenty of room in the house." "Go ahead and help yourselves to whatever you need." " Thank you." " You're welcome." "You want to pull the trigger, or should I do it?" "Oh, E. You're crashing' on me, baby." "I said you'd crash, and you are crashing." "I just want to get 'em someplace safe, give 'em a chance." "They're already dead, E. They got no chance." "Don't go down with them." "I'll need passports." "I'll need plane tickets." "Sure." "Throw in some season tickets to the Lakers." "Go." "I don't want you to tell her anything." "I hate lying." "Why can't we tell her?" " We don't know anything about her." " She saved us." "Because she doesn't really know who you are." "If she knew..." " She's my friend." " Your friend?" "She's the only one I have." " And I do not want to die with..." " You're not gonna die!" "Don't you ever say that again... ever." " Okay?" " Yes." "Elektra?" "What's the matter?" "Is something wrong?" "They told me to change my appearance, so..." "No, it's..." "You look great." "Thanks." "Can you show me how to use those things, the, uh, salad tongs?" " Sais." " Sais." "They're not for you." "I want to learn how to defend myself." "They're offensive weapons." "They're for killing." "You use them." "I don't want you to be like me." "I do." "Do you wanna learn something really, really difficult?" "Yeah." "What?" "Come on." "Now sit down." " Close your eyes." " What is this, yoga?" " No, it's called kimagure." " Kimagure." "It's more valuable than learning to use a weapon... because it allows you to see what's gonna happen before it happens." " That's intense." "How do you do it?" " Concentrate." "Meditate." "Let go of yourself and see everything around you." "It's not easy." "How long did it take you to master?" "I never actually finished my training." "I only know enough to keep myself alive." "But there are true masters like Stick who can use kimagure to bring back the dead." " Wow." " Close your eyes and breathe." "Just sit quietly." "Shh!" "How are you doing?" "We're still alive." "Thank you." "Oh, don't thank me, Mark." "Please, you don't really know what I was doing." "What you were doing there?" "Sure I do." "You were there to kill us." "I knew it as soon as you took the Wheelwright place." "I'm not a good person to get involved with." "I'm not asking for anything." "I'm sorry." "Yeah, I hated that." "E, get back." "Get back now.!" "What happened?" "That bird's been hanging around here since late yesterday." "They're here." " They're here." " Let's use the truck." " We won't make it." " But that's the best way." "Trust me." "There isn't time." "Use the cellar." "There's a tunnel." "Take you out past the orchard to the trees." "Head north." "What about you?" "Shit." "Let's go." " Be careful." " Keep 'em safe." "Holy..." "Don't tell me, the circus is in town, huh?" "I'll tell you what." "You might as well kill me now, 'cause I ain't talking." "Talking is not necessary." "But I accept the first half of your proposal." "They're in the woods." "Typhoid, Stone, Tattoo." "Get Kinkou, head there now." "Hurry." "Hold up." "Just follow me." "Just keep running." "Get in there." "Mark, come on." "Go." "Go." "Elektra." " Elektra!" " Shh." "Go!" "Run, Abby!" "Run!" "Go!" "Why didn't you tell me?" " Elektra.!" " Abby, no!" "Let me go!" "Ah, you are the little treasure, aren't you?" "The war is over." "The war has just begun." "Move back, Abby." "She is safe." "Another day, old man." "You'll be fine." "Rest now." "Don't look for your opponent." "Know where he is." "I'm blind, and I see more than any of you, because I don't look." "You had no right to drag me into this, Stick." "This whole war with the Hand, everything, it's all about her, isn't it?" "They call her the Treasure." "She was a prodigy from four or five years old." "Word got around fast." "The Hand wanted her for themselves." "They tried to steal her." " Her father spirited her away." " And you set this up... the contract, McCabe, all of this..." "you hired me to kill them." "You're entitled to your opinion." "A father and his daughter, Stick." "You manipulated me." "Did I?" "Was all this a test?" "Everything from the day you threw me out, has it all been a test?" "What if I had failed?" "Some lessons can't be taught, Elektra." "They must be lived to be understood." "When you came here, you were filled with anger." "All the decency you once had, poisoned by violence and tragedy." "This is not the way." "This is not our way." "You talk in riddles, old man." "It keeps my students alert." "I always knew your heart was pure." "You simply needed to see it for yourself." "What about Abby?" "As long as Kirigi is alive, she's only safe here." "She has no choice." "Two, three, four, five." "One, two, three, four." "Two, three, four." "One..." "Still breaking and entering I see." "Sorry." "You'll need it." "Keep practicing." "I'm sorry I lied to you." "Don't apologize." "You did what you needed to do." "I didn't wanna lie to you." "Neither did my dad." "It made me sick not telling you." "Everybody lies, Abby." "Nobody tells the truth about themselves." "Including you." "Especially me." " The layoffs and payroll reductions." " Like that." "And the, uh, the counting." " Sorry?" " O.C.D." "I don't have O.C.D." "I had it when I was a kid, but I haven't done that in years." "You were just doing it." "When you walk slow like that." "What are you doing?" "Are you counting?" "Don't mock me." "I'm still your superior." "Maybe." "Wanna find out?" "I'm gonna go find my dad." "Don't force it." "You're forcing it." "You'll be better than I am very soon." "I'm just a kid." "I don't wanna stay here." "What do you want?" "To finish it, you and me." "No help from Stick, no help from your father." "Winner take all." "And when I kill you, the little one is ours." "And when you don't, she is free forever." " Agreed?" " Agreed." "We will meet where it all began." "And it will end where it all began." "For you, at least." "Clever girl." "We meet again." "Now you'll remember." "There's nothing you can do." "So the balance tips to me." "Let her go.!" "Brave girl." "You taught her well." "But it's time for a new master." "Is that what the blind man's been teaching you?" "Not good enough." "But you'll learn to anticipate your opponent." " Abby..." " I'm not leaving you." " You're a pain in the ass." " Just like you." "One, two, three." "Tattoo, the Treasure's here." "Stay right behind me." "Stay close, Abby." "Elektra!" "Nice trick." "I've seen it before." "Abby, where are you?" " Elektra?" " Not exactly." "You know, I used to be the Treasure... and I don't like being replaced." "So let's keep your death between you and me." "Abby!" "Enough." "It ends now." "I told you, there's nothing you can do." "You're slipping, Elektra." "Come on, let's go." "Push, push, push." "Let's go." "Let's push, push, push, push.!" "Keep going, Elektra." "Keep going." "I'm just a kid." "I don't wanna stay here." "Elektra." "Don't worry, Elektra." "I'll take good care of her." "Abby." "Damn it." "Come on." "Abby." "Abby, listen to me." "Listen to me." "I always knew your heart was pure." "You simply needed to see it for yourself." "Hey, warrior girl." "Come here." "Come here, Abby." "I just found you." "Hi." "Thank you." "Take good care of her." "Sorry." "Yeah, I hated that." "So, what's next?" "Kirigi's gone." "No one's after you." "Back to school?" " Go to the beach and get a tan." " And get ice cream." "Oh." "You gave me my life back." "You gave me mine." "Will I see you again?" "We'll find each other." "Please don't let her be like me." "Why not?" "You didn't turn out so bad." "I don't want it to be so hard for her." "That's up to her." "Anyway, your second life's never really like your first, is it?" "Sometimes... it's even better." "" The End ""