Nabiki-New Horizons Chapter 10 - Return of the Cold Moon Clan by G.L. Sandborn "Jeffrey! JEFFREY!" Nabiki's frantic voice rang through the Tendo compound like an alarm bell as she charged through the gate. Akane had been tasked with finding her sister and bringing her home. After much hunting, she found Nabiki shopping for gifts to bring back to her friends in Hawaii. Quickly relaying the bad news about Sodoshi, it was all Akane could do to keep up as Nabiki immediately set out to find the one person she loved, trusted, and depended on for support; her husband. Exploding through the front door of the Tendo residence, her shoes coming detached as if on their own and clattering off the walls, Nabiki dashed towards the main room, constantly calling her husband's name. She collided abruptly with Jeffrey as he emerged from the kitchen. Clinging to her husband, Nabiki poured out her anguish over the realization that her daughter, her only child, had been kidnapped. "Jeffrey, they took her! They took my So-chan - my baby!" she angrily sobbed, clinging to her husband. The sense of indignation and fear mixed and burned in her chest. "I know, honey," Jeff murmured as he held his trembling wife and stroked her brown hair. "They brought Kasumi home a half hour ago. She's pretty shook up." "Why, Jeffrey?" she whined. "She's just a baby. What do they want?" Before Jeff could answer, another voice spoke out of the darkness of the kitchen. "They want you, little one." Nabiki's body jerked taut at the familiar sounding voice. She knew that voice. Instinctively, her mouth curled into a snarl as a figure stepped into the light of the hallway. "YOU!" she hissed, dripping with venom. "You're responsible for this!" Master Sato's face went blank as he stared at Nabiki and prepared to receive, for the second time in his life, the just chastisement of Jeff's wife. "How dare you show your face here!" Her sudden shift into attack mode caused Jeff to change from consoling to restraining as she tried to lunge at the old shinobi master. "You promised protection! You promised we'd be safe! You had all the shinobi clans at your disposal." She practically screamed the last, her face crimson with anger. "I HATE YOU!!" Jeff wrestled briefly with Nabiki as she again tried to disengage herself and attack Master Sato. Only Jeff's superior strength and knowledge of leverage kept her in check. "Sodoshi's in no danger, Nabs." Jeff tried to reason with his wife. She might have been emotionally upset but she still had a mind as sharp as any Jeff knew. She would listen to him even as she continued to struggle. "How do *you* know?" she snarled, her attention only briefly diverted from her principal target. "Because they want us." "He's right, little one. Fukoono the elder wants the secrets of the monk's cave." Sato's timing as to when to inject himself into a conversation left something to be desired. Nabiki glared at Sato as she tried to decide whether to listen to him too or just tear him apart with her bare hands. For now, rationality prevailed and she listened - but just barely. "What secrets? There *are* no secrets of the cave. You know that," she growled, her eyes still filled with her hatred for Sato, ninjas, and anything shinobi. "True enough, little one," Sato acknowledged with a nod. "But Fukoono does not believe the truth. His madness insists you know some secret that is dangerous to the shinobi people - a secret you shared with Jeffrey and your own clan members." "Clans, clans, clans," Nabiki moaned in anger, her eyes tightly closed as she shook her head trying to dislodge her entire shinobi heritage. "I'm sick of clans! I'm sick of the shinobi! And I'm sick of *you*! I just want my baby back!" "Nabiki, we'll get her back," Jeff reassured his wife. "The police have already interviewed Kasumi and Tofu. If the police know, the Japanese government knows. And if the Japanese government knows, *our* government knows. We also have other allies. The shinobi clans have assured me...." "The police?!? The government?!? THE SHINOBI CLANS?!?!?!?" Nabiki stared at her husband in horror. She had little faith in the police *or* the governments. As for the clans... She already held them in low enough esteem. "Under the circumstances, the police and governments will not be able to effect a rescue without endangering the child," Sato thoughtfully noted as he stroked his chin. "Their methods are too clumsy." Jeff stared at his old shinobi master, certain there was more to what he said or didn't say that was most important. "Master Sato, you know something," Jeff accused with narrowed eyes. The venerable old shinobi master's silence convinced Jeff he was on the right track. "You know where they've taken her," Jeff said in a flat, accusing voice. Even Master Sato had to take note of its approach to malevolence. Slowly, he turned to look Jeff deeply in the eyes. He could tell Jeff was straining to control himself - and his wife. Sooner or later, he would do something rash. Sato decided to try and direct some of Jeff's anger in a way that would allow him to proceed with his own rescue. "Yes, I know where Fukoono and your daughter are." Sato sounded almost like a grandfather describing a family outing - calm, measured, and totally devoid of emotion. "Where...?" Nabiki hissed, her patience clearly wearing thin. Jeff could tell she was gathering herself for a lunge and instinctively tightened his grip on his wife. Sato shifted his eyes from Nabiki to Jeff. He could tell his adopted son was as determined as Nabiki to recover their child. That was exactly as Fukoono had hoped. He also knew Nabiki was most skilled in ferreting out information. Sooner or later, she would discover the location of Fukoono's lair. Then, one or both would attempt a rescue, where one or both would be taken captive. Sato knew what Fukoono was capable of. He also knew Jeff and Nabiki were not good enough to rescue Sodoshi on their own. He *had* to convince Jeffrey that such a task would be better left in the hands of his people. "The lady asked a question." Jeff sounded even more determined than his wife. His look backed up that assertion. "You are not good enough, my son. Neither of you are." Sato turned away and shook his head. "Without the other clans, you could never hope to defeat Fukoono and rescue your daughter. The place is too remote and the obstacles too formidable. Your lives would be wasted." Jeff stared at Sato in shock. "I had no idea you thought so little of me." "You are no warrior, my son," Sato lamented with a sad shake of his head. "You were never trained as such. I think nothing less of you for your courage but I did not train you to throw your life away foolishly." "Nevertheless, do you think I would not make such a sacrifice for my daughter?" Jeff sounded almost sad - disappointed at his master's assertion. "Some sacrifices are necessary. You told me that yourself." Sato snorted and shook his head again. "I trained you too well. You understand our ways better than I thought - even better than I hoped. But your sacrifice would be worthless - a waste - an action without hope, without meaning." Sato turned once again to look at Jeff and Nabiki. He could see and sense no hesitation or fear in either - just fierce determination to recover their daughter. Perhaps knowing how far away and remote an area their child was being held in would convince them to allow him to deal with this through the clans. Besides, there were other considerations. "You *must* allow the clans to rescue your daughter. You have no idea how important it is they do this." Jeff and Nabiki exchanged glances. He was up to something. "Why?" Nabiki finally snarled. "Why should I place the life of my only child in the hands of those.... other clans?" Sato didn't really like the way she said 'other clans'. It sounded to him too much like Nabiki was already distancing the Cold Moon Clan from the others. A slight frown briefly flashed across his face. "The prophecy..." he began only to be cut off by Nabiki's finger in front of his face. "DON'T - ever use that word in my presence again." Her eyes betrayed her anger at being reminded of all their earlier troubles - troubles that almost cost her Jeffrey's life. "Forgive me but your daughter's kidnapping was prophesied as the catalyst to bring the clans together. It will unite them to a common cause, reminding them of their common heritage." "I don't care about the clans. I want my daughter back." Nabiki's eyes practically burst into flame with her anger. "That is unfortunate," Sato said to his shoes. "You and your daughter were the last hope recapture the spirit of our people." "Nabiki's right," Jeff said ominously. "Our daughter's life is more important to us." I can see there is no sense in keeping the truth from you." Sato looked directly at Nabiki while addressing Jeff. "You would have found out yourselves - eventually. Your wife is most... resourceful." "Where." Jeff sounded most demanding, his voice low like the growl of a cave bear. "Hokkaido." "Where." "The ancestral home of the Snow Fox Clan." "Where." "The Kitami Mountains. Near Asahikawa. There is a cave under a shrine to the shinobi people near the Teshio River. It is the traditional home of the Snow Fox Clan elders - long since abandoned. Very remote. Very hard to get to. Very easy to defend. *That* is why you must allow the clans to rescue the child." Akane, who had been listening carefully from the hallway, silently repeated the location to herself; committing every detail to memory. She was a protector of Sodoshi. It was her job to rescue the girl - hers and Ranma's. As she turned to find her wayward fiance, ignoring the remainder of Sato's impassioned plea for Jeff and Nabiki to remain on the side-lines while the combined clans worked to rescue Sodoshi, she noticed Officer Watanabe entering the house. Quickly she moved to confront him but was surprised at his response. "One side, young lady. Police business." He dismissed Akane's attempts to block him with a wave of his hand as he continued towards the stairs. Years of conditioning regarding Japanese police and the liberties they were allowed to take caused Akane to hesitate enough for Watanabe to slip past her and gain the stairs. Akane quickly moved to rectify her mistake. "I told you, young lady, this is police business. Kindly stay out of my way." He sounded official and condescending as he, again, dismissed young Akane while ascending the stairs. For a few seconds, Akane was torn between following her sister's would-be suitor and remaining behind to listen to more of the conversation in the kitchen. The sight of Watanabe purposefully striding up the stairs broke her indecision. Quickly, she scrambled to follow the officer, saying nothing but determined to remain nearby. She halted at the bend in the hallway, just outside Ranma's door. Watanabe's progress was checked at the entrance to Kasumi's room as Dr. Tofu was quietly exiting, closing the door behind him. "Is Kasumi Tendo in there?" Watanabe asked in an official sounding voice while reaching for the door knob. Tofu's hand quickly shot across in front of the officer, slapping against the door frame. "Out of the way, sensei. This is police business." Watanabe growled at Tofu's arm. "Kasumi Tendo has experienced a severe shock. I have prescribed complete rest for her." Tofu sounded almost as official as Watanabe. "Sensei, you are interfering with a police officer in the performance of his duties." Watanabe slowly turned his head to look Tofu squarely in the eyes. "There are severe penalties for such." "As her doctor, I must insist on her rest." "There are some questions I need to ask her." "Your people have already questioned her. There is nothing else she can tell you about the kidnapping." Tofu was sounding every bit as determined as Watanabe. It was clear to both men that Watanabe only wanted in the room to be with Kasumi in this time of crisis - something Tofu was determined to prevent. "That 'girl' in there is the only link we have to the kidnappers." Watanabe stepped back slightly as he growled at Tofu and waved his hand at Kasumi's door. "As an investigating officer, I insist on speaking with her." "That 'woman' in there has undergone severe emotional trauma." Tofu held his ground. "As her doctor, my decision must take precedence. She is not to be disturbed." "I intend to talk to her." "Another time, perhaps." Tofu's face was totally without emotion. Akane could tell the two were rapidly approaching the limits of their individual patience. So, as Ranma stepped out of his room to see what was going on, she grabbed him by the shirt and demanded he do something to prevent the two men from coming to blows. "Akane, I only know how to start fights - not stop them," Ranma protested as his fiance shook him violently. "Unless you expect me to hit a police officer." Before she could answer, Jeff and Nabiki, drawn by the sounds of loud voices, arrived. Nabiki, too, grabbed her husband and insisted he do something. "Nabiki, that's a police officer," Jeff pointed out while indicating the uniformed Watanabe. "Interfering with a Japanese police officer is not a good thing. Especially for a gaijin." The two sisters continued to press their respective males to intervene with little effect while Watanabe and Tofu grew louder and angrier in their battle of wills. The conclusion was reached when both girls yelled: "Ooooh! You men are WORTHLESS!" Jeff and Ranma stared incredulously as Akane and Nabiki stomped up to the arguing men. Getting between them, Akane confronting Watanabe and Nabiki fronting Tofu, they proceeded to deliver blistering declarations and pronouncements concerning the men's behavior in the Tendo home - each punctuating their points by jabbing fingers into the men's chests, backing them away from Kasumi's door. Jeff just crossed his arms and watched in amazement as his wife poured out all her anger and frustration at Tofu. Ranma kept casting nervous glances between Akane's assault on the police officer and Jeff's placid reaction to Nabiki's performance. He could tell Watanabe was flustered by the ferocity of Akane's attack but continued to watch, always ready to react, as she backed the officer against the wall opposite Kasumi's door. All arguing came quickly to a halt at the sound of Kasumi's door unlatching. Slowly, hesitantly, Kasumi Tendo opened the door and stepped into the hallway. She looked like death warmed over; her hair a mess, her eyes red, her general complexion pasty - a few wrinkles from her pillow had marked her otherwise flawless face. "Forgive me," she almost whispered at the floor as she held her hands tightly down the front of her wrinkled dress. "I have been neglecting my duties too long. I need to start dinner." "I've got dinner covered, Kasumi," Nabiki said firmly as she fixed her sister with a serious look. The sound of Nabiki's voice caused Kasumi to look up suddenly with a startled - almost frightened expression on her face. Seeing Nabiki for the first time since the abduction, caused fear of her sister's reaction to surge forth and claim her now trembling body. With eyes big as saucers, Kasumi slowly backed towards her room - her mouth silently working as if to offer apologies or explanations to her sister for losing Sodoshi. The serious look on Nabiki's face caused Kasumi to start crying again, covering her face with her hands and stumbling back into her room. With obvious irritation, Nabiki quickly followed with Akane close on her heels. The two men tried to follow as well, only to be stopped short by the slamming door in their faces. "I believe that ends this afternoon's activities, gentlemen," Jeff dead panned, his look growing harder with every passing second. "Officer, I believe your presence here is no longer required." "My investigation...." Watanabe began. "You were asked to leave," Ranma shot sharply, his posture giving strong indications that this was more than a request. Watanabe looked between the three who faced him before abruptly starting for the stairs. He paused beside Jeffrey and glowered at the American. "Just who *are* you?" he growled as he reached for his pocket notebook. "I'm going to remember this." He flipped open the notebook to a blank page and punched his pen open with his thumb. "Well, I'll certainly lose sleep over *that*," Jeff answered sarcastically while returning the officer's glare. He had already sized up Watanabe and concluded he could, if necessary, take the officer - providing Ranma didn't get to him first. "The name is Lawrence. Jeffrey Lawrence." Watanabe's face twitched visibly at the sound of Jeff's name. He glared at his notebook as his mind sorted through the mess he just made of his grand plan. "What was your name?" he asked, his voice sounding less demanding than before. "I'll spell it for you," Jeff snarled, feeling confident he now had the upper hand. "D-I-P-L-O-M-A-T-I-C I-M-M-U-N-I-T-Y" He finished by flashing his old embassy card. He remembered some of the embassy staffers calling it a 'Get Out Of Jail Free' card because it guaranteed the local police would treat you with kid gloves. He displayed it now like it was a pass from the Emperor himself. Watanabe instantly recognized the little blue card and a slight chill ran through his body. Not only was he facing one of the richest persons in America but someone who could, with a simple phone call, bring down the wrath of the officer's own government on him. This would not do. This would not do at all. Watanabe shut his notebook with a snap, abruptly bowed and stomped down the stairs. He would deal with all involved in his report. Ranma stared at the retreating Watanabe before turning to Jeff. "How did you do that?" he asked in bewilderment. "Never throw away something that might be useful in the future." Jeff waved the little blue card in front of Ranma. "Then... it's a phoney?" "Oh, it's real. But it hasn't been any good since I married Nabiki." Jeff grinned his best 'Nabiki' grin. "I was counting on the officer being too flustered to examine it closely." "I would have just slugged him," Ranma lamented while shaking his head. "Well, I'm not as good at slugging people as you are." Jeff turned to return to the kitchen. Ranma and Tofu followed. Ranma thought with some awe. Inside Kasumi's room, another drama was taking place. Kasumi was on her bed, her face buried in her pillow, sobbing. Akane was trying to comfort her sister while Nabiki stood looking out the window, her face stony and cold - just like the day they buried her mother. To all observing her, she looked totally in control. Inside, however, she was fighting her mother's instinct, her sorrow, and her feeling of helplessness. "Oh, Nabiki, I'm so sorry," Kasumi moaned into her pillow. "It's all my fault. I was thinking of myself instead of your baby. I only turned my back for a moment. It's all my fault." She finished by dissolving into another round of sobs as her small fist slapped against the pillow in frustration. She still couldn't understand how this could all happen to *her*. Nabiki showed no reaction to her sister's declarations - her expression never changing - her inner struggles yet resolved. Akane continued to rub her sister's back and talking soothingly in a low voice while casting nervous glances at Nabiki. She feared another family fight - one that couldn't be resolved through a trip for ice cream. As the clock ticked off the minutes, Nabiki continued to stare emotionlessly out the window. To all in the room, Nabiki seemed unconcerned of her sister's plight and equally unwilling to acknowledge Kasumi's apology. The only outward sign of her struggle was a single bead of sweat slowly working its way down her face. Akane, still trying to comfort Kasumi looked questioningly at the back of Nabiki's head. Eventually, Kasumi's sobs died down and she slowly pushed herself almost to a sitting position. She stared at her younger sister while she fought for the right words to say. In the end, all she had to offer was emotion. "Why don't you say something?" Kasumi finally demanded in an anguished voice, the tension of her sister's silence becoming too much to bear. "Yell at me! Curse me!" Her voice changed to barely a tiny squeak as her chin dropped. "Hate me." She paused before once again looking at her sister and demanding angrily: "But don't just stand there!" Kasumi started blubbering again, still punishing herself harder than Nabiki would ever consider doing. "It's not your fault," Nabiki finally said to the window, her face hard and solemn, her voice strained but firm. "It could have happened to any of us. Me... Akane... you... They were determined to take her." Nabiki continued to stare out the window as Kasumi hid her face in her hands, beginning another round of tears. Nabiki's eye caught on another young mother as she pushed her stroller down the street, waving to those she knew and stopping occasionally to allow people to make a fuss over her baby. Nabiki's face seemed to melt as she thought of her own baby in the hands of others. She bit hard on her lower lip trying to maintain her anger at the kidnappers; fanning hard to keep the flame of indignation burning hot. They had taken her baby - HER baby. No one takes things from Nabiki. No matter how hard she tried or where she looked, all she could see was *her* baby - scared, alone, and crying. Nabiki couldn't hold out for long as the feeling of helplessness finally broke through and claimed her. With a pitiful whine, Nabiki collapsed back onto the bed. "I just want my So-chan back!" Her eyes were screwed shut, leaking their tears as her hands balled into fists of anger. Her whole body shook with her frustration. Kasumi, whether for her own purposes or out of pity for her sister, instinctively gathered her little sister into her arms and held her tight. Nabiki, grateful for someone to hold on to, clutched desperately at her oneechan as the full holocaust of her emotions broke free and claimed her body. The two cried together; Kasumi out of regret at her actions and Nabiki for the life of her baby. Akane tried to resist the wave of emotions flooding the room but quickly succumbed to her own anguish and joined her sisters in their cleansing deluge of sorrow. For the next half hour, all that could be heard coming from Kasumi's room were the sounds of three sisters sharing their grief and providing comfort to each other. ***** 1 ***** Fukoono's cave echoed with the sounds of a baby crying. A young woman, still casually dressed in the same clothes she wore during the abduction, proudly carried the squalling infant to just in front of her master's darkened enclave. With only a glance at the crying child, she held the baby out towards her master. "I have brought you the child, master," she proclaimed with some pride, her face a study of childish innocence. Fukoono remained silent while Sodoshi's cries echoed throughout the cave. The remaining gathered ninjas looked at each other as the child's cries became more frantic. Clearly, they had no idea of how to quiet the baby. "Can't you shut that child up?" Fukoono growled from the darkness. "I can't stand all this racket." With a startled look, the young woman held Sodoshi to her chest. Sodoshi, did the predictable thing; started rooting around the front of the woman's blouse while crying less. "If I didn't need that child alive..." Fukoono lamented out loud. The woman's horror at such a thought was clearly evident as she clutched Sodoshi closer in a protective embrace. "But you promised no harm would come to the child, master," she moaned over Sodoshi's cries. Fukoono paused only a moment to consider his answer. "You're quite right, my dear. I would never consider harming such an... energetic young child." He paused again. "As you've grown so attached to the little brat, I place her in your custody. Take the child to the village. Feed her. Clean her. Prepare her for her mother. We don't want anything bothering the poor little... child." The woman smiled briefly as she rocked the baby and talked softly in soothing tones to the distressed child. She had developed an attachment to Sodoshi - an attachment that caused her to secretly question this whole plan. She liked the baby, her maternal instincts causing her to sympathize with the baby's mother. Such was dangerous to Fukoono's plan. Feeling dismissed, the woman walked purposefully to the cave entrance. Fukoono's next warning caused her to pause apprehensively. "Remember girl, that baby is most important to our plans. Should anything happen to her...." It was unnecessary for Fukoono to complete his warning. All knew the penalty of failure. The woman bowed abruptly and scurried out of the cave. "Master, surely you don't intend to allow the child to live," a chonin begged in shock. "For there to be any survivors of the Cold Moon Clan..." "Of course not, you fool!" Fukoono's voice boomed off the sides of the cave and filled all who heard it with renewed fear. "But I need that child alive and in good health until I have her mother. She is the bait for Nabiki Tendo." He grinned evilly to himself. "I will deal with them all at the appropriate time - *after* I have the information I seek." Fukoono's attending laughter caused all in the cave to shudder at the foreshadowing of the bloodbath to come. The young woman carefully carried the fussing Sodoshi down to the small village, talking in hushed tones to the child trying to keep her from crying. She was young, in her early 20's, almost as tall as Nabiki with a similar short hairstyle. She might have even been considered pretty. Her eyes radiated her compassion for the abducted child as her mind whirled with regret at having been the instrument of the child's abduction. Still, her master had promised that no harm would come to the child or her parents. Fukoono just wanted the mother long enough to get the secrets of the old monk's cave from her. All would be free to leave once Master Fukoono had what he wanted. After all, why harm them if they cooperate with the master? Convinced that she was doing the right thing, the woman entered a small house and set about satisfying Sodoshi's needs. ***** 2 ***** "I said: I want to speak to the ambassador himself!" Jeff shouted into the phone. He was clearly having language problems with his own embassy. "NO! I do NOT want the Traveler's Aid department! I said the ambassador!" It was plain that whomever he was talking to either was not understanding his request or was purposefully deflecting the annoying caller in some misguided effort to shield the ambassador from nuisance phone calls from traveling Americans. Whatever the case, Jeffrey Lawrence was clearly losing the battle *and* his shinobi-taught control. Across the room, Tofu talked with Master Sato in hushed tones. Ranma, while quietly listening nearby, thought it odd Tofu and Sato talked more like old friends than recently introduced strangers. True, they were talking mostly about pressure points and various herbs and drugs, but the fact they were using words and phrases that were usually reserved for conversations between close friends raised Ranma's suspicions. He knew little about Tofu other than he had been the family doctor for many years. He knew even less about Sato but what he did know, he didn't like. Still, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't think of a logical reason why the two would be so familiar towards each other. With a shake of his head, he quickly dismissed any connections between the two as he recalled how they worked together the night Jeff was ambushed in the dojo and shared an interest in shinobi medicine. Perhaps that was all. "I must be going," Tofu said softly while gaining his feet. "I've been away from the clinic too long." He cast a quick glance at the ceiling and smiled lightly. "I'm sure Kasumi will be alright now. She has her sisters for support." The others nodded their agreement. They'd heard how the family pulled themselves together before under the cloud of tragedy and were convinced they would do so again. "IDIOTS!" Jeff uncharacteristically yelled as he slammed the phone back into its receiver. "My daughter has been kidnapped and all they can say is: 'We can do nothing until the police issue their report'." He finished with a withering glare at the phone, his hands balled into fists. "Patience, my son." Sato suggested from across the room. "Put a sock in it, Sato!" Jeff grumbled in English while continuing to stare at the offending communications device. Jeff's remark drew only a raised eyebrow on the part of his shinobi master. He had not heard such language from Jeffrey since they started training together so many years ago. It was clear that Jeff's anger had taken control of him and this worried his aging mentor. "She is in no danger, Jeffrey." Sato's soft assurance seemed to have no effect on his young adopted son. "So you say!" Jeff spun around and confronted his master. "Can you guarantee that?" His look was as piercing and confrontational as Sato could ever remember. "No," Sato said softly after some thought. He knew such guarantees were impossible when dealing with someone as mad as Fukoono. "Can you guarantee the clans will help in the rescue of my daughter?" Jeff's anger now had a new focus. "No." "Can *you* rescue my daughter?" "No." Sato seemed to shrink slightly as he openly admitted the obvious. He knew even he was no match for Fukoono in his own lair - nobody was. And without clan help.... "The police are no help...." Jeff began listing the failures of 'the system' when he was interrupted by a voice from the hallway. "What about the police, young man?" Jeff spun angrily and faced an older police officer, dressed in an Inspector's uniform. "Who, the hell, are you?" Jeff growled, obviously unimpressed at the sight of another 'uniform'. "I'm Inspector Abe and I'm here about an abduction," the police officer calmly replied while removing his gloves. "Well you're a day late and a dollar short, pal," Jeff was displaying a disgraceful amount of disrespect in front of the police inspector. "Your people have already been here and left with NOTHING!" "Mr. Lawrence, I understand your anger over this..." "Do you really?" Jeff snarled. Abe only drew a deep breath and let it out slowly, obviously attempting to control his own emotions. "Inspector, do you have any children?" "Two. But they are both grown now." "Any grand-children?" "Yes." "And you'd be just as calm and analytical if it were one of them?" "Yes." Abe calmly replied. "Anger, undirected, can harm you more than the blow from an adversary." A flicker of a smile crossed Master Sato's face as he stared at the table. To him, at least, the Inspector hadn't changed. "You sound like that old man over there," Jeff growled painfully while indicating Master Sato with a wave of his hand. "You police are worthless, the shinobi clans are cowards and my own government seems to not care that a small child is currently in the hands of a madman." "Mr. Lawrence, we are doing the best that we can." That was all Jeff could take. With a snort of disgust, he stomped out of the room, pausing only to add: "I'm sure all your reports will be properly filed and cross-indexed." All heard Jeff's noisy exit from the house. Each suffered the embarrassment of his emotional display quietly in their own way. "If I can just find pop and Mr. Tendo..." Ranma mumbled just loud enough for the older men to hear. "That would be a mistake, young man." Ranma looked up quickly to see Master Sato staring at him. "Even together you are not good enough to...." "I'm pretty good, old man." Ranma bristled. "My pop's not bad either." "I'm sure you're both quite accomplished in the martial arts," Sato calmly replied. "But I believe Mr. Tendo has already encountered one shadow warrior and was lucky to come away with his life." "He's out of shape - out of practice." Ranma dismissed the assertion with a shake of his head. "Pop and I can take those... bandits." "If it were simply bandits we're dealing with, I'd agree." Sato continued with his calm, reasoning voice. He knew full well what Ranma and his father would be up against. He also knew Ranma would be a clear underdog in such a confrontation - a tragic underdog. "I can take care of myself," Ranma growled while abruptly standing. "I'm supposed to be Sodoshi's protector." "A noble and honorable position, young man. But that doesn't address the foolishness of getting yourself killed for no reason." Ranma wasn't buying Sato's calm assessment of the situation. "I'M RESPONSIBLE for the rescue of Sodoshi and no one is going to stop me!" As if to emphasize his point, Ranma bolted out the open engawa and over the compound wall, bound for where no one could say. Abe disturbed the quiet vacuum left by Ranma's departure by clearing his throat. "The impatience of youth," he sadly noted. "Quite so," Sato replied with a nod. "Can I offer you some tea?" He began pouring tea into a fresh cup. "Yes, thank you." Abe calmly seated himself across from Sato and accepted the cup with a slight bow. "My men are searching for the fathers now. Do you have any idea how many bars and shogi parlors there are in Nerima alone?" "I'm afraid not." "Too many." "Yes, I suppose so." Sato sighed. "I fear they're most popular among this generation as diversions from the pressures of city life." "And generating a few pressures of their own in the process." Abe lifted his glass in a toasting gesture before taking a sip. "Do you have anything more on Watanabe?" "Yes, of course," Sato answered while reaching inside his yukata and retrieving a carefully folded piece of paper. Sliding it across the smooth surface of the table he added: "Mr. Watanabe is a most ambitious person." "I've been finding that out," Abe acknowledged while retrieving the piece of paper and depositing it in the inside pocket of his coat. "And dangerous." Sato nodded thoughtfully. "Still, I have found no connection between his activities and the disappearance of Sodoshi Lawrence." "Of course, that doesn't mean our young friend won't try to take advantage of it." Abe scowled slightly. "I have to admit, he's most resourceful." "Quite so," Sato answered. "I trust you're aware that young Jeffrey is likely to do something... rash." "Yes." Abe stroked his cup of tea thoughtfully. "He is, after all, an American. What about the mother, Nabiki?" "I doubt she would be foolish enough to attempt to confront Fukoono without help." Sato sighed and shook his head. "Unless I can rally the clans to effect a rescue...." "Agreed." Abe sounded emphatic. "Without the clans, I fear, there can be no rescue." Sato nodded his agreement and took another sip of his tea. "As long as we can keep Jeff and Nabiki from Hokkaido..." Jeff didn't go very far. Finding a phone that accepted both his credit card and would dial long distance proved to be surprisingly easy. His anger clearly showed to all who cared to watch as he slid his card through the slot and dialed his office. "Rachel?" Jeff's voice was calm but forceful. "Patch me through to Jamie. Yes, *that* Jamie." Jamie Wilde was a former Navy SEAL who had retired from the service to work for Lawrence, Inc as a security specialist. It was no accident that Jeff hired the highly skilled former special forces commander. Fearing situations that governments and local authorities would be unable to handle, Jeff had set about hiring a small team of hand-picked specialists who could be called upon for 'special' duties. Men who could work quietly inside hostile or potentially hostile environments to accomplish certain necessary tasks. The often politically sensitive situations sometimes required such intervention to rescue or protect Lawrence, Inc personnel or corporate assets. Jeff had never had to call upon their skills until now. "Jamie? I want you and a small team, a very small team, here in Tokyo within 24 hours." As he listened to Jamie's answer, Jeff looked around to see if anyone was listening or showing any particular interest. It took only minutes for Jeff to outline the situation, being careful to use phrases and critical words that would be meaningless to an eavesdropper but conveyed exactly the information Jamie needed to pull his team together and plan the necessary 'equipment'. Before terminating their conversation, they agreed upon a 'smuggling' technique to get their equipment into the country and a place to meet. Jeff Lawrence hung up the phone, knowing full well he was about to break the laws of more than one country but convinced he was his daughter's last chance. "What are you doing?" Akane asked in shock as she entered Nabiki's room unannounced. She had noticed her sister wasn't down in the main room with the others through dinner and became suspicious when her initial search of the first floor turned up empty. Nabiki Tendo-Lawrence was throwing a few items in a small travel bag, like she was leaving for a trip. It was obvious what she was planning to do. "You're not going alone, you know," Akane warned as she crossed her arms and assumed a blocking position in front of the door. Nabiki halted her packing only long enough to shoot a 'warning look' at her younger sibling. This was *her* problem, not Akane's. Jeffrey was busy trying to work within the system, knowing full well his efforts were wasted on a bureaucracy that had so many other matters they considered more important than the abduction of a child in a foreign country. "Jeffrey has his ways and I have mine." She paused as if to reconsider her next statement. "I'm getting my baby back and I'm not endangering you or anyone else in the process." Nabiki straightened up and glared at Akane like her sister was preventing her from doing what she knew had to be done. "I'm going to get my baby." Akane looked between her sister's packed bag and her sister's face. She knew there were times when trying to talk Nabiki out of something was a waste of time. This was obviously one of those times. "Then I'm going with you," Akane flatly declared. "Oh, no you're not." Nabiki picked up her bag and started for the door. Akane made no move to get out of her way. The two glared at each other, each waiting for the other to make the first move. Akane knew she would be able to physically detain her sister, if it came to that - but only for the moment. She couldn't watch Nabiki forever. The first time Akane's back turned, Nabiki would be gone - off to rescue her daughter. Faced with a 'no-win' situation, Akane decided to try reason. "Nabiki, when you named me Sodoshi's protector, you put upon me a requirement I never asked for." Akane crossed her arms and locked eyes with her older and taller sister. "One thing father taught me well was that such a requirement was an obligation that demanded fulfillment. I cannot prevent what's already happened, but I can do something to make things right." Nabiki seemed to deflate slightly in the face of her sister's commitment. Perhaps, deep down, she really wanted Akane to accompany her. "I just don't want you hurt too," Nabiki said to the floor. "That's my choice, Nabiki." Akane held her position and her posture. "Besides, I know as much about this cave as you do. So even if you don't let me go with you, I can just follow on my own." Nabiki considered her sister's points carefully before, with a heavy sigh, agreeing they would travel together. "You'll need a few things," Nabiki noted softly. "Got them right here," Akane chirped as she reached into the hallway and produced a small 'Hello Kitty' back-pack. Nabiki made a face at the sight. "We've *got* to get you some more adult looking things," Nabiki lamented as she shook her head. "Why? I like 'Hello Kitty'." With another shake of her head, Nabiki pressed past her little sister and out into the hallway. "You know, father will be furious when he finds out we've gone." Nabiki scowled at the floor as they approached the stairs. "Oh, I don't know," Akane thought out loud. "We're going forth to do battle with evil. I suspect he'd approve." Nabiki snorted her response. Both girls knew better. Their father would be beside himself if he knew what they were up to and would do everything in his power to stop them. Escaping the residence proved surprisingly easy, as did working their way to the front gate. Akane quickly slipped through but Nabiki hesitated, looking instead back the way they had come. She noted each detail of the Tendo homestead, recalling with each a treasured memory or momentous occurrence. There was the old house and all the times she passed through the old front doors. The koi pond with its numerous underwater explorations by Ranma and his father. The dojo with all its patches where Jeffrey had almost been killed and later, where she had fulfilled her promise to Kasumi for a Shinto wedding. The old cherry tree she used to climb as a child (much to her mother's displeasure). With every noted aspect of her home, she was struck with the same depressing feeling; that this was the last time she would ever see them. "Nabiki, come on!" hissed Akane from the street, snapping Nabiki out of her melancholy. With a dismissive shake of her head, she slipped through the gate, taking careful note to latch it behind her, and followed her sister. They had gone only a short ways when a familiar figure dropped from the wall, landing in front of them. Both girls groaned. "Goin' after Sodoshi too?" Ranma solemnly asked shifting his backpack. Nabiki just threw up her hands in frustration. "I don't believe this," she snarled. "Where Akane goes, I go." Ranma sounded most insistent and unlikely to change his mind, whatever the argument to the contrary. "Besides, you made me Sodoshi's protector," Ranma pouted out loud. "That makes it *my* duty to help rescue her." Unwilling to hold a debate on the subject in the middle of the street, Nabiki just pushed past the posturing Ranma and headed for the train station. The two young 'protectors' fell in behind, each casting wary eyes at each other. Ranma feared Akane would not be good enough in a fight and Akane worried that Ranma might do something stupid - like get himself killed. Both knew how dangerous this was going to be. Good thing Nabiki had a plan - at least, they *hoped* she had a plan. None of the trio noticed a shadowy figure as it slipped from a darkened doorway and began trailing them as they made their way through the dimly lit streets of Nerima. Inspector Abe continued to sip his tea calmly as he listened to the chirping cicadas outside punctuated by the ticking wall clock across the room. Master Sato had departed, noting that he had much to do to rally the clans to their cause. With Kasumi and the other girls safely upstairs, Abe felt he had everything under control. All he had to do now was wait for one of his men to find the fathers. His patience was rewarded as the fathers stumbled through the door and into the residence. Abe sensed the party's arrival in the hallway, his confirmation made by the escorting police officer. "I've returned Mr. Saotome and Mr. Tendo as directed, Inspector." The young officer smartly saluted before quickly departing. Abe nodded his acknowledgment while he assessed the unsteady patriarchs as they tried to support each other, all the time eyeing the uniformed Abe sitting in their main room sipping tea. "Mr. Tendo, I believe I have some bad news for you." Abe always hated having to convey news like this and his sudden nervousness bore out his feeling of unease. "There has been an abduction." Both men stared at the inspector, oblivious of what the police officer was saying to them. Genma finally thumbed his nose drunkenly and snorted. "What? Shampoo finally get lucky and grabbed my son?" The two drunken men collapsed together snickering and trying to hold each other up. "I'm afraid it's more serious than that." Abe adjusted his collar and cleared his throat nervously. "It would appear someone has abducted your granddaughter, Tendo-san." The snickering immediately stopped and both fathers stared at the inspector, blinking and wrestling with the pronouncement. Soun Tendo was first to connect everything. "My... So-chan?" he weakly ventured, knowing full well he heard correctly. His only grandchild had been kidnapped. Abe could only nod, his face a serious scowl in anticipation of what was to come. The alcohol induced euphoria quickly fell out from under the elder Tendo, leaving him nowhere to go but down into the depths of despair. As he slowly slid to the floor, mumbling about how impossible this all was, his best friend in the world carefully kept him from falling. "There, old friend," Genma softly comforted. "We'll get her back." "Steps are already being taken for the child's rescue," Abe quietly added as he stood and faced the fathers. "There remains one thing that only you two gentlemen are qualified to do." "Anything." "Yes, anything we can do." The two men seemed to echo each other as they grasped at the possibility of helping. "It would seem the kidnappers have also threatened the lives of your daughters." Abe nervously adjusted his coat. He knew all this was only a partial truth - the whole Tendo family had been indirectly threatened. Still, he hated partial truths but it was necessary to keep the fathers here. "I would recommend that you two men take charge of protecting your daughters here." "You hear that, Tendo?" Genma tried to sound optimistic. "They need our help protecting the girls." Soun ,still in shock from the news about his granddaughter, could only nod weakly and stare out the engawa. Jeff had warned them about some kind of danger but was not specific enough for any to take measures to insure their safety. Soun always thought Jeff or Nabiki were in the greater danger - Jeff because of his wealth and Nabiki because of the role she had played in the last shinobi trouble. He never considered their only child would be a target. Now his own children were in danger. Deep down, the tiny flame of anger he always kept carefully hidden began to burn brighter. "We will protect the rest, inspector," Soun said darkly. "No one will get past us." At first, Genma looked apprehensively at his friend. He'd never heard him talk like this before. It worried him slightly but energized him at the same time. He knew how good his friend was at their particular brand of martial arts but had never experienced fighting alongside him when really inspired. Genma smiled to himself. This might be a great adventure after all. Perhaps one that would bear telling to his grandchildren - how he took on ninja assassins in the home of his best friend. In fact, he could guarantee it would be a tale of epic proportions. "Then I'll leave you two to your duties," Abe bowed and started for the door. "Be sure to stay close to the phone in case the kidnappers call. We need to know all the details of any demands they might make." Abe knew that no ransom demands would be forthcoming. The abduction was not for money. He just wanted to give the fathers another reason to remain home. With a respectful bow, the good inspector departed. "Well, my friend," Genma said with a slight smile. "It looks like we need to be making some preparations." "First, we need to make sure the girls are safely in their rooms," Soun answered seriously as he regained his feet. The two fathers were shocked and dismayed to find that only Kasumi was still at home. Convinced that the two younger daughters had left in an attempt to rescue Sodoshi, they noisily debated what to do next. They couldn't follow as they had no idea where the kids had gone. They had no idea where Jeffrey was. Ranma was also missing. Calling Inspector Abe proved fruitless as he had not returned to the koban and the officer on duty thought he had gone home for the evening. After leaving a message, they resigned themselves to the fact that there was little they could do for Nabiki or Akane. Over a light meal prepared by Kasumi, the fathers made their plans for protecting the remaining Tendo daughter. ***** 3 ***** Jeffrey Lawrence spent the night in a capsule hotel near the airport. He knew Jamie would be on time and would come prepared. Sure enough, the next morning, Jamie was the first to arrive. Dressed like an American tourist, the powerfully built former SEAL team leader blended in well with the flood of other Americans that queued up in customs. Fearing they were being watched, Jeff had arranged for them to meet in one of the airline's private club rooms. "Any word from the authorities?" Jamie asked as he dropped his carry-on bag and sat down. Jeff just shook his head and grumbled about the relative worth of working within the system. He had spent much of the night on the phone trying to get someone - anyone - in authority interested in pushing ahead and doing something about his daughter. All sympathized with his plight but insisted they couldn't move until authorized by some 'higher authority'. Jamie pulled a CD out of his bag and slid it across the table. "A little gift from your friend in California," Jamie chuckled as he sat back and crossed his legs. Jeff noted while picking up the small disk that Jamie's eyes were constantly moving, evaluating and assessing every person, every feature, every potential threat. Somehow, that reassured him. "What is it," Jeff finally asked as he turned the unlabeled CD over in his hand. "It's a detailed topographical representation of the area you said we'd be going to. It's rendered in 3-D with resolution so good you can read what time it is from someone's watch in the area." Jeff's incredulous look caused Jamie to chuckle out loud. "It's from Joe Palmer," Jamie grinned. "He pirated it off a Russian spy satellite yesterday, tweaked it some of those computer gizmos he's so fond of and crammed the whole lot onto that CD." "It'll come in handy," Jeff admitted. "What's more," Jamie pulled a small black device from his bag and held it up for Jeff to see. "He sent this along." "Looks like a simple global positioning device." "Partly right." Jamie activated the small box and watched as their position came up in latitude and longitude. "It also allows JP and his team to relay items of special interest to us from back in the states." Jamie punched a few buttons and grunted with satisfaction as the display changed. "He'll continue monitoring the spy satellite's downlinks and relay anything of interest to us by piggy-backing the scrambled signal on the international CNN link bounced from one of our communications satellites. It's not instantaneous but should keep us from running into any 'big' troubles." Jeff just shook his head in amazement. He had no idea there were such devices available. Jamie must have known what he was thinking. "It's a prototype of a device designed for American military. His company is working on it and figured it needed a little 'field test'." Jamie shut off the device and repacked it in his little bag. "Ted Hsu is the communications genius who worked out all the little details, scrambling the signal, using civilian communications links, that sort of thing." Jamie's face grew serious as he looked at Jeffrey again. "Rachel's done a real good job of pulling together the help we needed. Real discreet too." He shook his head and chuckled. "She must have gotten it from her father." "Her father?" "Her dad was a former SEAL who became a private investigator in Hawaii. Good one too." Jamie chuckled again as he watched a hostess deliver some mixed drinks to a small group of businessmen at a table across the room. "Rachel Magnum's dad was a SEAL?" Jeff mumbled trying to fit all the parts of his business life together. He thought he knew all there was to know about the people who worked for him. Obviously, there were some gaps in his knowledge. "Come on, skipper," Jamie said, getting to his feet and picking up his bag. "The other members of the team are due to touch down any time now. I've arranged to meet in a small bar across from the air cargo office. By the way, we're using a warehouse that belongs to your Japanese farm implement company down in Yokohama. That's were we'll have the weapons and equipment delivered. We'll assemble the weapons there and finish making our plans." Jamie slapped Jeff on the back. "Don't worry, kid. We'll get your daughter back." Jeff smiled painfully and started to reconsider all he had set in motion. What they were about to do was so illegal that he doubted even the embassy would be able to bail him out should they get caught. Bringing violent mercenaries along with their illegal weapons into Japan was the kind of crime the local authorities tended to lock up folks and throw away the key for. ***** 4 ***** In a small clearing near the edge of his clan's ancestral territories, Master Sato faced representatives of the various clans that had come to the aid of Jeff and Nabiki over the last week. The gathering darkness of the night pressed in on the group as it surrounded a small fire. Sato could tell something was wrong. In spite of their recent willingness to cooperate, Sato could detect a curious sense of reluctance about them. "The battle lines have been drawn, my brothers," he opened somberly. "Fukoono has presented us with a simple choice." He could tell he had the complete attention of his audience as none uttered so much as a grunt of recognition to his pronouncements. He knew he was dealing with the highest ranking chunin of their clans, their staffs were bedecked with as many rings of learning as his own. These were men of great importance in the shinobi community - and ones not to be trifled with. "We can aid Nabiki Tendo with the rescue of her infant daughter..." Sato paused dramatically. "Or we can shrink from our responsibilities and hand over the girl and her child to one consumed with his own madness." There was much exchanging of glances among the gathered as each hoped the other would speak of their concerns. Finally, one stepped forward. "Is she not the one who entered the monk's cave?" he asked in a most serious tone. "Yes, she and her clan sister entered the cave. Only Nabiki survived the encounter." Sato scowled at the questioner like his own honor had been questioned. "And did she read the scroll of the prophecy?" Sato squirmed slightly as he suddenly understood why the gathered clans were reluctant to commit themselves any further. They now feared not only Fukoono but Nabiki Tendo, as well. They feared that she, indeed, knew secrets that could be used against them and their people. "She claims she did not read the scroll," Sato flatly declared. He suspected she had not told the truth at the time but was so determined to end the 'blood hunts' of the Cold Moon Clan that he accepted her word without question. Apparently, some of the gathered chunin as well, now suspected she was lying. "And you believed her?" "I have no reason to believe she would hide such from either myself or her husband." Sato stood his ground. "Jeffrey has *never* kept a secret from me - nor do I believe him capable of such a deed." "You are too trusting, Sato," another of the gathered stepped forward. He was an older chunin, one who stood with Sato the night the Snow Fox Clan tried their takeover at the site of the monk's cave - one who had known Sato for many years and who's opinions would carry much weight amongst the gathered this night. "We have had time to consider the ramifications." "I understand your concerns, but can assure you there was nothing in that cave that could harm the shinobi people." Sato began to feel himself losing control of this meeting. Like a man attempting to stand on shifting sand, his resolve was unshaken but his footing questionable. "So you say." The old chunin looked and sounded unimpressed with Sato's assurances. "You doubt my word?" "Sato, we have discussed the situation and, as a group, have decided we cannot interfere." A third chunin, perhaps the youngest among them, stepped forward to confront the venerable Sato. "We fear Nabiki *does* know the secrets of the prophecy, secrets Fukoono will surely rip from her. If we attempt to intervene, he will use those secrets against us." "All the more reason to rescue the child," Sato insisted. "If we rescue the child, Nabiki will have no reason to go to his lair. Whatever secrets she may know, will remain safely locked in her mind." "There is a problem with your argument, Sato." The old chunin noted with an impatient stamp of his staff. "It is already too late. My sources tell me she departed for Fukoono's lair earlier this evening." Sato openly displayed his dismay at the news. All present knew Nabiki would be no match for Fukoono in his own lair and he had the girl's baby, assuring that she would be forced to face him on his terms in the one place he was at his strongest. Even if she did know something, it would be no match for an elder in his own cave. "So you see, brother Sato, we must do nothing to anger Fukoono least he use those new powers against us." Slowly and in silence, the gathered chunin turned their backs on Master Sato and calmly slipped away into the night. Only the oldest chunin remained. "I'm sorry, brother," he said with a heavy sigh of resignation. "But surely you can see that we stand to lose either way this comes out. Even if Nabiki is able to escape Fukoono with her baby, there is still the matter of the Cold Moon Clan rebuilding upon the secrets of the monk's cave - a clan with every reason to hate us for 400 years of persecution. Better to let Fukoono deal with her, then *we* can make our peace with Fukoono." The old chunin turned his back on his old friend and started to follow the others. Pausing, as if he remembered something important, he spoke without facing his old friend. "Let the Cold Moon Clan die, brother. It is better this way." Sato stood alone in the clearing while he recalled a famous essay on a similar situation. Sato shook his head sadly. ***** 5 ***** In the gathering darkness, three figures cautiously departed the train in Asahikawa. Few paid any attention to the trio as they wound their way through the small station and out into cool evening. Their presence attracted no attention as it was the height of the tourist season and was quite common for Tokyo people to be seen in town attempting to escape the heat. But this trio was different. Unlike the usual tourists, joking and laughing, these three were solemn and quiet - like people on a mission. Over Nabiki's abbreviated objections, Akane insisted they spend the night in a local inn. No sense wandering around in the dark, she noted. Ranma, hungry as usual, concurred only because he wanted to fill the void left by the lack of regular meals. It took the better part of an hour to find a small inn just outside of town. The elderly lady who ran the place cheerfully tried to make them feel at home and seemed to go out of her way to make them comfortable in the one small room she had available. She was most proud of the way the shoji slid back to reveal the mountains beyond. While Nabiki was quiet and brooding, Akane picked up the slack and presented a cheerful face for the group, thanking the lady for her hospitality and assuring her the accommodations were quite acceptable. At dinner, they ate in silence, only occasionally remarking for their host's benefit how good the food was. Ranma, as usual, attacked his meal like a starving wolf while the girls ate quietly and said little to each other. Back in their room, Akane helped her fiance prepare the futons. Nabiki, oblivious to her companions' efforts, silently crossed to the open shoji and leaned lightly against the wall, staring out at the mountains beyond. Somewhere out there in those forbidding mountains was her baby. Nabiki shuddered as a cool breeze caressed her body, heralding the chilly night to come. Ranma insisted he needed a snack before bed, so left the girls alone while he hunted an open eatery. Akane fussed with the futons a few minutes longer before casually wandering over to stand near the open shoji, glancing between the beautiful scenery and her stony faced sister. "It sure is a beautiful view," she offhandedly commented with a big sigh. Nabiki gave no indication she even heard her little sister as she continued to stare at the mountains without blinking. This worried Akane. She'd seen her sister deep in thought before but this was far beyond that. It was almost as if Nabiki was not really there. As if part of her was already up in the mountains searching for her daughter. "I'm sure glad you have a plan, Oneechan," Akane sighed as she thrust her hands into the pockets of her bib overalls. "I'd hate to go out there tomorrow without a plan." Nabiki remained motionless, staring at the mountains and saying nothing. What was there to say? This whole rescue mission was nothing more than the first impulsive thing she'd done in ten years. She had no plan. She didn't even know what she was going to do once they got to the cave. All she could think of doing was storming in, demanding her baby back, and leaving with Sodoshi in her arms. It wasn't a plan. It was emotional insanity. With Ranma's return, Akane reluctantly prepared for bed, noting that her older sister, now seated, continued to stare out at the mountains. Certain Nabiki would soon be to bed, Akane snuggled under the covers and tried to sleep. The last thing she saw before sleep claimed her was Nabiki sitting in a patch of moon light, still staring off in the distance; unmoving except for the slow, rhythmic rise and fall of her breathing. An hour later, with Ranma snoring lightly, Akane woke from her slumber with a jerk. It was as if someone had jostled her lightly to wake her up. Sleepily, Akane looked around but saw no one else in the room. Looking towards the open shoji, she noticed Nabiki was still seated in the opening her head bowed. With a silent sigh, Akane crawled out from under her own covers and softly padded over the fresh tatami mats with a blanket in her hands. As she stopped next to her sister, she could see Nabiki wasn't asleep; her eyes open, still fixed on the mountains beyond. She could only guess what was going on in Nabiki's mind. She hoped it was the refinement of a really clever plan. With a slight wince of apprehension, Akane carefully draped the blanket around her sister, making sure to tuck it carefully around her sister's body, before retiring to her warm futon. Nabiki's mind was indeed working; working on how stupid it was to be doing this. Sato had warned her that there was no chance to rescue Sodoshi without the combined help of the clans. In spite that, Nabiki had stubbornly struck out on her own in an instinctive attempt to get her child back. She had no plan. She really had no idea what she was going to do when she got to Fukoono's lair outside of walking in and demanding her baby. All evening she brooded in silence, the pain in her chest growing and gripping her heart. Indignation fought a pitched battle with something else - something Nabiki had no real experience with. It wasn't as if someone had never tried to take something from Nabiki before - it had happened many times while she was growing up. Always, it resulted in her feeling the white hot flame of anger, resentment, even revenge. That anger fed her mind the fuel it needed to plot ways to extract vengeance on the perpetrator. It was always so easy to feed that anger and give it free reign in her plans; then harvesting the fruits of her machinations. She became legendary in Nerima for her schemes. Nobody takes things from Nabiki Tendo and gets away with it. NOBODY. But this was different. This time Nabiki found her usual pattern just refused to work properly. Oh, she felt anger alright - anger beyond anything she ever experienced. But there was something else alongside that anger, something that made the crime all that more painful. It was something Nabiki couldn't put her finger on exactly, or perhaps didn't want to. Nevertheless, it blunted her anger, redirecting it inwardly flooding her with feelings of helplessness, panic, and sorrow she had to constantly fight against. For they made her feel like a blubbering, female victim. And she *refused* to be anyone's victim. Her heart was crying in anguish over the loss of her child while her mind fought back fiercely, refusing to shed more tears - refusing to allow her emotions to rule. Still, she knew the truth - her heart clearly was in charge of this trip. It had seen them travel from Nerima to within a few miles of their goal. Only her mind now intruded itself and chastised her for such impulsive and foolish actions. While it scrambled for a plan, her heart continued to mourn. In spite of all this, Nabiki couldn't escape one important fact; this trip had been a mistake - a big one. Four hours later, she was still sitting in the opening and still staring at the mountains beyond. Tiredly, she shook her head at her own stubbornness. she finally lamented to herself. She sniffed and rubbed a corner of the blanket across her nose. It was getting cold. So cold, she could almost see her breath. She sniffed again and sighed softly. Nabiki shifted her position slightly and leaned against the edge of the open shoji panel. For the first time in over 10 years, she looked for help. Cocking her head to look at the full moon overhead, Nabiki paused, as if to consider the wisdom of what she was about to do. After taking a deep breath and slowly letting it out, Nabiki closed her eyes and reached out to the one person she thought she would never want to talk to. Nabiki shook her head with some irritation, just like she used to do whenever her mother told her a simple truth. Nabiki froze in fear. As she reconstructed what just happened, it scared her more than anything she could think of. She was talking to her mother - her dead mother. This was impossible. She had accused Kasumi of being sick for thinking she could talk to their departed mother. Nabiki thought as her heart rate and respiration slowed back down with her reasserted sense of logic. her mother's voice soothingly echoed in her head. Nabiki's panic leapt forward and totally claimed her body. Her mother had, for the first time, spoken to *her* - not Kasumi - but *her*. Frantically, Nabiki grasped at anything to continue the conversation. Nabiki pleaded. It had been years since she asked for anything from her mother. It felt so strange doing it now - for more than the obvious reasons. The last of her mothers cryptic message seemed to fade away. Nabiki's exhausted mind screamed in panic. The feeling of helplessness and fear that dominated a terrified 7-year-old the night her mother died returned with a vengeance. Having denied her feelings for so long only intensified their return as her panic surged forward and overwhelmed her control. Nabiki, tired, scared, and unsure, found herself grasping for her mother unlike anything she'd done in the past. Throwing off her covers, the cold air biting at her bare features, Nabiki stumbled to the edge of the room and, without hesitation, stepped off into space, falling five feet to the hard ground below and landing with enough force to drive the breath from her. Stubbornly, with added bruises and scrapes, Nabiki scrambled to her feet and charged off through the trees. "Mommy!" she yelled, her voice shrill with her panic, as she stumbled down the wooded hillside. Her mother had returned only to abandon her again. The confusion, fear, and panic was unlike anything she'd ever experienced. Exhausted, hungry, and almost delirious from worry about her daughter had driven her over the edge. She wanted help - real help. She wanted her mother. Stumbling through the trees, Nabiki angrily pushed their branches out of her way, only to be struck in the face by the next branch or bush, scraping her skin and bruising her body. Small animals disturbed by her flight, scurried from their cover, further frightened Nabiki, adding to her panic. Over the rasping sound of her own tortured breath, she could almost hear their laughter as they mocked her attempts to press on and get to her mother. Some branches reached out and clung to her clothing, holding her back temporarily, until she broke free only to stumble into another tree or bush. She called for her mother again, without results. She knew her mother must be only a few meters ahead. Mother wouldn't abandon her. In tears, she stumbled through another set of bushes, her feet becoming entangled in the foliage throwing her head first into the shallows of a small lake. Landing with a mighty splash in the ice cold water, Nabiki paused in shock. She could still hear the laughter, including her own, as voices mocked her for believing in talking to her dead mother. Her own voice was the most malicious of all, sneering at such a possibility and taunting her efforts. On her hands and knees, covered with mud, leaves, and twigs, Nabiki dug her fingers into the soft mud of the lake and cried out for her mother once more, her tiny voice echoing off the far shore, before collapsing back on her heels and crying in frustration. She was alone - under a blanket of stars and the cold light of a full moon - so totally alone. Morning found Akane up first, stretching in her pajamas and shivering slightly at the cold air coming through the open shoji. Irritated that Nabiki had left it open she glanced at Nabiki's futon and paused. It had obviously gone unused. With concern etched on her face, Akane slowly walked towards the opening. Looking over the edge, she saw Nabiki's blanket hanging on a small bush, a light morning breeze causing its corners to sway like a ghost. She quickly surmised what had happened. "RANMA!" she yelled without taking her eyes off the blanket. "Mhff... what?" he mumbled rolling over slightly. "Nabiki's gone!" "Probably gone to breakfast," Ranma slowly climbed out from under his comforter and grimaced at the cold. "BAKA!" Akane yelled. She had no time for his usual banalities. Nabiki was in trouble - she just knew it. Without hesitation, she jumped to the ground below and grabbed her sister's blanket from the bush. Ranma was instantly at the opening, staring incredulously at his fiance. Nabiki missing and Akane acting strange - this mountain air does odd things to Tendo women. However, seeing Akane holding a discarded blanket and looking down the hill prompted him to look as well - now convinced there really was something wrong. His height advantage allowed him to spot first what they were both looking for. "There's something down by the water," he called, spying a small, dark shape curled in the bushes along the shoreline. "Oh no," Akane muttered in panic as she dashed through the underbrush towards the lake, her mind a whirl of potential disasters. Ranma quickly joined her and the two made a bee line for where he saw the dark shape. Reaching Nabiki's side, Akane quickly found her sister alive but freezing, having spent the night partway in the icy lake. Akane wrapped the blanket around her sister's body and Ranma hefted her in his arms - mindful of the droplets of icy water that ran from her bare legs. Together, they struggled up the hill to the inn with Nabiki's trembling body. All the way she kept calling softly for her mother - her voice sounding delirious, her words not making any sense. Back at the inn, they found the lady innkeeper and quickly arranged to get Nabiki into a hot furo. As Akane and the lady undressed the frozen Nabiki, they noted all the scrapes and bruises on her body. It looked like someone had beaten the girl and left her for dead. "Who would have done such a thing?" the innkeeper gasped as she looked at Nabiki's injuries. "Perhaps I should call the police." "No!" Akane's sharp response was loud and emphatic enough to cause the innkeeper to flinch slightly. Akane's voice quickly recovered her calmness. "No police... please." The innkeeper stopped helping with Nabiki and looked at Akane suspiciously. She suspected something improper or possibly illegal was going on. "Is the girl in some sort of trouble?" the innkeeper asked in a low voice, her eyes narrowed into suspicious slits. Akane struggled with an explanation. She didn't want to tell the truth, fearing that the lady would simply call the police anyway. So, she answered the best she could without revealing anything important. "She lost her baby a couple of days ago," Akane tried to avoid telling an outright lie, willing to settle for a convenient rearrangement of facts. "She is still adjusting, you understand...." The innkeeper, embarrassed at her previous thoughts, instinctively covered her mouth in shock and nodded understandingly. She had seen women in her own town, who's babies suddenly died, slip into a short period of 'madness'. Her suspicion abruptly changed to compassion as she willingly finished helping Akane with the shivering mother. As they guided Nabiki into the steaming hot water, Nabiki came alive with a loud gasp, her head thrown back, her eyes screwed tightly shut. The sharp pain of a thousand little abrasions and cuts in contact with the hot water was enough to snap Nabiki back to reality. Akane was quick to hold her sister in the steaming water, struggling slightly as Nabiki's natural instinct to escape the pain caused her to try to crawl out of the water. Under Akane's firm hands, Nabiki shivered a few more times before settling down. The innkeeper figured Akane could handle it from here and left the two sisters alone - apologizing once again for her suspicious nature and promising to return with some warm sake to help with the 'inner chill'. Alone, neither girl had much to say; Nabiki because she was still trying to sort out everything that happened the night before and Akane because she didn't really know what to ask. After scooping a few handfuls of hot water over her sister's still icy cold shoulders, Akane finally resorted to the age old question. "What happened?" Akane's voice sounded almost like a mother inquiring about her daughter's latest indiscretion. Nabiki cast a quick glance her sister's way before scowling at the water. It was all coming back - the despair, the panic, the taunting laughter - everything. Nabiki closed her eyes and rolled her head back when she got to a very painful part; a part she would never have believed if it didn't happen to her. "Kasumi's right," was all she offered to the ceiling. "Right? Right about what?" Akane stopped scooping water and stared at her sister. "About mother." Nabiki sounded sad at having to admit, once again, she was wrong. "What about mother?" "Last night something happened I wouldn't have believed any time before," Nabiki sighed without looking at her little sister. She wasn't sure she could tell this looking her in the face, considering all the fuss she made earlier about the issue. "Last night mother spoke to me." It took Akane only a moment to accept Nabiki's word. She'd been raised on stories of Japanese spirits and always, secretly, envied Kasumi's ability to communicate with their dead mother. To have a skeptic as Nabiki confess to such a communication only proved their mother's spirit was still about, guiding and protecting her family like she always did. "Mother told me that I would have to climb the mountain alone." Nabiki started scooping water herself, like she was already climbing the mountain. "She promised to be waiting for me at the top." Akane backed away from her sister slightly at the revelation. It sounded to her almost like a invitation to her sister's death. The mountain clearly must refer to the passage into the afterlife where their mother would be waiting. Akane suddenly had reservations about this whole trip. Nabiki, however, had a totally different take. "What I think she means is that you and Ranma cannot go with me. I must do this alone." She turned to Akane with a painful smile. "This inn is as far as you two go." "No, that... that can't be right," Akane replied shaking her head. "You'll need us..." "I'm sorry, Akane," Nabiki cut her sister off. "But mother said I must do this alone." Suddenly, Akane didn't want to believe her sister's revelation - it was suicide to go alone. "Nabiki, maybe you were just so tired you imagined the whole thing. Mother wouldn't send you into such an obvious trap. It had to be a trick of some kind. Maybe it wasn't mother." "It was mother alright," Nabiki answered with a sad shake of her head. "She sounded the same as she did in Hawaii before Jeff and I were married." Nabiki paused at the sound of her husband's name. Was it really only a couple of days since she saw her husband - held him in her arms? It seemed like a lifetime ago. Her mind quickly scrolled past her life with Jeffrey; it seemed like something that belonged to someone else. It took so long for her to find happiness in a man - most had been little more than children to be used and exploited for her own personal gain. Jeffrey had proven to be the only man who could tame her heart *and* offer her the fulfillment of all her dreams. She was suddenly filled with regret at having to leave him behind. "And there's no doubt as to her message. I must do this alone." "I'm not letting you go alone, Nabiki." Akane sounded firm in her resolve, placing a hand on her sister's shoulder. "Don't make this difficult, Akane." Nabiki patted her sister's hand. "I don't want father to have to bury two daughters." Two hours later, Ranma and Akane stood outside the inn and watched as Nabiki trudged off towards the old shinobi shrine. Neither waved or said anything as they parted, all that could have been said had. Nabiki was following the instructions of her mother. For the first time in her life, she was doing something totally without a plan of any sort, just her mother's instructions, and it felt totally right. "I can't believe you agreed to this lunacy," Ranma groaned as he watched Nabiki turn off the main road and out of sight. "She doesn't stand a chance against those cut-throats." "I agreed she could go alone. I did not agree we wouldn't follow." Akane grinned at her fiance. "Now get your pack and lets get going before she gets too far away." ***** 6 ***** Jeff nervously glanced from his drink to the various patrons of the little bar Jamie had chosen as their meeting place. Each stranger looked like a police informant in disguise to Jeffrey - an informer that could put the whole group in Japanese jails until they were too old to care anymore, for what they were planning to do. Jamie, on the other hand, continued with his 'tourist' act, looking totally unconcerned with his surroundings and the potential legal entanglements he was flirting with. A young looking Japanese male cautiously entered the bar and looked around the room until his eyes caught on Jeff and Jamie. Calmly, the young man walked up to their table and handed a folded note to Jamie. Accepting the paper with a friendly nod, he proceeded to open it as the young 'messenger' quickly departed. "Slight change in plans, skipper," Jamie said in a low voice. "Chris and Pat will meet us at the warehouse." "Trouble?" Jeff asked as they rose to leave. "Possibly, but both are very cautious people. If either suspects anything is wrong, they'll take measures to ensure they're not being followed." Jamie grinned like all this was just a game to him. Jeff suspected that was not too far from the truth. "If they *are* being followed, they won't do anything to endanger either of us. Standard Operating Procedure, skipper." As they left the bar and headed for the nearest train station, Jamie pulled out what looked like a common personal pager and held it up for Jeff to see. "If either of them gets caught, they'll activate a small transmitter they keep on their belts, like this pager, and we'll know immediately right here." He tapped the blank display with a finger. Jeff scowled again at the prospects of one of them being caught. Even *he* was unprepared to pay someone to take the heat for his actions. The feeling that this was all a big mistake began to build again. "Another one of Palmer's little toys?" Jeff asked absently. "Naw, former KGB stuff," he flipped the pager over to show the Russian lettering on its back. "They're selling everything but Lenin's body over there. I just picked up a few, charged them to your South American operations fund, and changed the frequencies for our own use." As Jamie chuckled at his own cleverness, Jeff silently worried about how Sean Gaffney was going to take all this - having his operations account so cavalierly used for covert purchases from former Iron Curtain countries. He also began to worry about what else Jamie had bought using his money. The train trip to Yokohama was a nightmare for the increasingly paranoid Jeff. He saw police informants everywhere - the salaryman near the door - the athletic looking young lady across the way - the 'teenager' listening to his radio. Every stop brought a new change of 'suspects' and a new round of 'guess the informant'. Finally, Jeff resorted to closing his eyes and pretending he was asleep. If he didn't see anyone, he reasoned, he wouldn't suspect anyone of following them. It didn't work. Closing his eyes just made the whole thing scarier. Finally, at Yokohama Station, Jeff practically bolted from the train in his haste to get away. Jamie continued his calm, tourist act as if he was unconcerned with the eventuality of getting caught. One look at the implacable ex-SEAL, caused Jeffrey to shyly slow down and tuck in quietly next to his team leader. His eyes continued to investigate each suspicious person, but his shame at acting like a kid breaking into his parents liquor cabinet was enough to keep him in check. Outside the station, Jamie hailed a cab and shoved Jeff into the back seat. Handing the driver a card with the address, Jamie followed, stashing his bag carefully between himself and the worried looking Jeffrey. Conversation was limited as they wound their way around the various warehouses until stopping in front of a tidy little building apart from the others. After dealing with the cab driver, Jamie stood for a minute looking carefully around until satisfied they were not being watched. Jeff, however, strode briskly up to the warehouse and quickly entered without regard to who was watching or what might be waiting for him inside. With a sigh and shake of his head, Jamie followed, his bag casually draped over his shoulder. Inside, Jeff was surprised at how empty the place was. He looked curiously towards the small receiving office, unable to tell if anyone was inside or not. One thing was for sure, there was no sign of the other members of his team. "Where is everybody?" he asked Jamie from the middle of the warehouse. "What concerns me is where my shipment is," Jamie replied softly. As if to answer him, a young man in a spotless white dress shirt and dark tie came scurrying out of the receiving office, clipboard in hand. "Konnichiwa," he pleasantly called as he approached the pair. "May I help you gentlemen?" "I'm Jeff Lawrence and this," he turned to the suddenly cautious Jamie. "Is my chief of security." The young clerk clearly knew who Jeffrey was and suddenly shifted into the usual bowing and corporate-type greeting routine Jeff found so embarrassing when dealing with his Japanese companies. Being so young and treated like a much older person always made Jeffrey uncomfortable. "Perhaps you could tell us where a shipment of experimental tractor parts would be located? They would have arrived this morning," Jamie asked casually as he approached the young clerk. Stopping in front of the clerk, he seemed to tower over the younger man, giving him the full 'self-important' treatment. The young clerk looked stunned at the question and nervously checked the invoices on his clipboard. After a few seconds, it became obvious that the clerk was totally at a loss. "Perhaps it was mis-shipped, Lawrence-sempai," he stammered nervously while bowing continuously. "I will trace it immediately." "Yes, do," Jeff offered, still nervous but recovering fast now that he was playing a part he was more used to - corporate big-wig. The clerk nervously bowed once more and scurried back towards his small office. Jamie began to drift slowly towards the side of the room. Something wasn't right about all this. Something about the absence of both his equipment *and* his missing team members. "Perhaps the items you are looking for were sent elsewhere," came a voice from the doorway leading to the offices of the warehouse. Jeff groaned softly and closed his eyes. He knew that voice. Slowly, he opened his eyes again and looked at the speaker to make sure. The man was no longer wearing his policeman's uniform, dressed instead in a simple dark blue suit, but still conveyed all the bearing and mannerisms his office demanded. "Inspector Abe," Jeff noted out loud, his voice betraying his surprise. "A little out of your district, aren't you?" "Funny thing about my work, young man. I find it sometimes requires me to travel." Abe calmly walked towards the shaken Jeffrey. "Beastly weather we're having, isn't it?" Jamie had just reached the door that led to the warehouse toilet when the Inspector turned to address him. "Come, come, now Mr. Wilde. Don't stand on ceremony. We're all friends here." He smiled like a cat who had a mouse cornered as he casually clasped his hands behind his back. "Do join us. I'm sure we can have a most... interesting discussion." "About what?" Jamie asked almost too casually. He had slipped back into his innocent traveler act again. "Oh, I don't know," Abe said to the floor as he scuffed a perfectly shined shoe against the smooth concrete of the warehouse. "How about mercenaries?" "Mercenaries? Disgusting people. I wouldn't have anything to do with 'em." Jamie was back in character again as he halted near the other two men, setting his bag lightly on the floor in front of him. "I'm glad to hear that." Abe glanced briefly at the bag. "I'd hate to think such a distinguished and important person such as Mr. Lawrence here would be mixed up with such people." Jeff began to sweat much harder than was necessary in the hot warehouse. He suddenly saw the inside of a Japanese jail very clearly. "What have you got in the bag, Mr. Wilde?" Abe was acting so cool and coy, Jeff wondered just how much he knew about this little operation. Quite a lot, he imagined. "Personal items." Jeff had to hand it to his partner, he wasn't going down without a struggle. "Come now, Mr. Wilde or should I say: Lieutenant Commander Wilde." Abe smiled at the ex-SEAL like he knew everything about the man. "You're in Japan now. I can look in any bag you have." Jamie just shrugged and held out the bag's shoulder strap to the Inspector. "Suit yourself. I passed through customs and airline security with this bag. I doubt you'll find anything out of the ordinary or illegal inside." "I'm quite sure I won't." Abe smiled again. "Perhaps you'd like to explain what you're doing here in Yokohama." "Mr. Lawrence pays me as a security consultant. We're here following up suspected security problems." "Oh?" Abe feigned surprise. "We've had no reports of problems at this facility." "We don't report everything to the police." "I'm quite sure you don't." Abe was so completely in control here Jeff was tempted to throw himself on the mercy of the authorities in hopes of convincing them that the loss of his daughter had caused him to go crazy. Jeff almost jumped as the Inspector turned to him. "Mr. Lawrence, would you happen to know where your wife is?" "At the Tendos, I presume." Jeff sounded like he was less than sure about that himself. "Unfortunately, no. She, along with her younger sister and her sister's fiance have disappeared. You wouldn't have any idea where they might have gone, would you?" Jeff reaction was so blatant it caused even Jamie to wince. Slapping his forehead he groaned out loud. "Oh no." "It would appear that your wife and her family members have gone and done something... rash." Jeff quietly walked a little way from the others and lamented the possibilities. Sodoshi in the hands of madmen, Nabiki uncharacteristically rushing off to... do what, he had no idea, and now his only plan to rescue his child was being thwarted by the police. Jeff stopped and leaned against a large packing case as he tried to think of a way out of all this. The clerk's reappearance waving a packing slip interrupted Jeff's morbid thoughts. "I've found them, Lawrence-sempai," the clerk excitedly shouted as he scurried up to the young American. "Most were mis-shipped to another location. But we *did* receive one box." He hurried over to where a stack of smaller boxes were stored and quickly found the one he was looking for. Jamie materialized by his side with a pry-bar and popped open the 4 foot square wooden case. He wasted little time in digging through the various pieces of obvious machine parts until he found what he was looking for. Packed in plastic, disassembled, was the obvious parts of an automatic weapon. Like a child on Christmas morning, Jamie removed the package and ripped open the outer covering. Inspector Abe was less than pleased. "That, is an illegal weapon," he flatly declared. "You will kindly hand it over." His look was that of a person that expected immediate compliance. Jamie's reaction was pure malevolence. "In your dreams, pal," he growled. "I'm here to do a job and this little piece of American craftsmanship is going to help me do that job." Inspector Abe was about to respond when Jeffrey, fed up with all the meddling - the delays - the backside covering - and the outright cowardice he'd seen, suddenly turned and snarled at the Inspector in terms that made his displeasure abundantly clear. "I've HAD IT with your national sensibilities, your bungling police force, and everything else that goes along with your pathetic existence!" He fronted the slightly startled officer. "First you tell me you can't help return my daughter." Jeffrey's face was only inches from the inspector's now. "Then you tell me my wife is most likely engaged in some foolhardy expedition of her own, obviously putting her own life at risk to rescue her baby from the hands of madmen *you* and your government seem intent on avoiding." Jeff stepped back slightly, picked up a two foot long piece of metal tubing and threw it across the warehouse to demonstrate his frustration. As it clanged off the wall, a gathering group of curious warehousemen ducked and cowered back the way they came. Obviously, this was one gaijin they were content to let someone else handle. "I'm sure, some day, a Tokyo resident on holiday will stumble across the remains of my long dead daughter and will dutifully report it to your police force who will be most grateful in being able to finally close their books on this case. Of course the hiker will be all over your television telling just how traumatic it was finding Sodoshi's little body and how it ruined his holiday. And everyone will cluck their tongues at how the country is going to hell because such acts of madness take place. Committees will be formed, the Diet will debate various aspects of my daughter's death, and a small placard will be erected to her memory by some local citizens. And EVERYONE will go home feeling really good about themselves. Everyone except my daughter - my poor departed DEAD daughter!" Jeff paused gasping for breath, his anger reaching new peaks with every passing second. "I don't want to hear about how what I'm about to do offends you or your country because, frankly, I don't give a damn any more. I'm going to get my daughter back." The two men stood toe to toe facing each other, each daring the other to make a move. It quickly became apparent that Jeffrey wasn't through. "For the last three years, I've lived in the shadow of others; listening to their advice, deferring to their wishes, and generally acting like a poor little rich kid who needed the guidance of others to get along in the world. Well, by God, no more! I may be so far over the line now that I'll spend the rest of my life behind bars, but if I can free my daughter, I'll not regret a moment of it." Jamie casually leaned against a stack of packing crates as a slow smile spread over his face. This was the kind of person he hoped he was working for, not the scared little boy he encountered at the airport. he happily thought to himself. "Commander Wilde, do you have another of those little pop guns of yours in that box?" Jeff asked while still staring down the Inspector. "Just so happens, I do." "Then retrieve it and let's get out of here." Jeff continued to stare angrily at the Inspector. "I suddenly need to be with real men." Jamie quickly retrieved the other bundle and headed for the door. Jeff soon followed, but only after issuing one last warning to the police officer. "Don't get in my way, Abe. I'm in too deep now to let the harm of a police officer prevent me from rescuing my daughter. If stopping me means that much to you, call out your 'army'. Just be sure to tell them to pack one thing - a good supply of body bags." With that, Jeff turned on his heel and strode purposefully towards the door, his stride clearly indicating his resolve and sense of purpose. For the first time in his life, he felt like a man. Abe stared at the floor, pursing his lips in thought. Things had clearly spun out of control faster than he anticipated. Jeffrey was not reacting in the way Sato said he would when confronted with authority. Perhaps it was because this all involved his daughter. Perhaps it was because he's an American. Maybe Jeffrey just found his own manhood. In any case, what Jeffrey had said was quite true, the Japanese government was unusually reluctant to aid in the return of Sodoshi Lawrence. Abe thought back to the Tendo house where Jeffrey asked him if he would be equally calm if it were one of *his* children. He knew the real answer to that question and it wasn't what the one he gave to Jeffrey at the time. He had lied to Jeffrey, just as he had been lied to by his superiors. There was no effort afoot to rescue the American child, there was never even plans to institute such a rescue. Someone wanted the child dead. Someone who had something to gain from Sodoshi Lawrence's demise. As all the parts added up, a bit of anger forced its way to the surface. He had been used - used by people he formerly respected. "Just a moment, Mr. Lawrence," Abe called, pealing off his suit coat and tossing it along with his tie on the open packing case. "I'm going with you." Jeff never broke his stride as he shouted back: "I *don't* need a chaperone." "Nothing of the sort, young man." Abe started towards the door as well. "I too sometimes feel the restrictions my government places on me. You have to forgive me, I've spent all my life on the force. I've lived so long under the discipline of my profession, I've forgotten what it's real purpose is; to protect honest citizens from harm, to serve their needs in time of despair. Forgive me for having forgotten that. My late wife used to say I was sewn into my uniform." He stopped in front of the two men and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "You know, I really can be of help to you." "You can be of most help by telling me where the rest of my team is," Jamie said in a low, threatening voice. "Commander," Abe looked apologetically at the floor as he struggled with his answer. "Your men have been followed since they got off the plane - by more people than mine." "What!?!" Abe hesitated, as if he was debating how much to tell the Americans. In the end, he opted for the truth. "There is something going on in the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Force that, I fear, involves more than just the Tokyo area. Your team has walked into, what may turn out to be, an internal struggle for control of both the police and our JSDF. There are those who feel it could be the work of militarists." "I don't believe this is happening," Jeff yelled, throwing up his hands. "I thought you people got rid of all those kind after the war." "There has always been a tiny underground movement of those who feel we are no longer a mighty nation because we have abandoned our samurai/military heritage in favor of a more peaceful existence." "How big is this 'conspiracy'?" Jamie asked with some concern. Having once been assigned to SEAL Team 5 based in Japan, he'd heard all about such stories but never took them seriously - Navy bases always being a hotbed of rumor and such. But if what Abe told them was true, this could have far reaching consequences. "It's hard to say, exactly," Abe scowled at the far wall. "I've been working on this for six months - longer if you count the amount of time I took to determine just who I could trust." "Then the average policeman in the koban..." "Could very well be a member of the conspiracy, yes." "Damn shadow conspirators," Jamie sneered like the very words were distasteful. "What? I'm lost." Jeff looked between Abe and Jamie. "In any conspiracy, there are active and passive participants." Jamie shifted his load nervously. "Picking out the active ones is the easy part. But the passive ones.... Well, they're the ones that'll get you every time." Abe solemnly nodded his agreement before adding: "What's more, many of them are simply 'opportunists' who are members only to the point where it benefits them." Jeff got the feeling there was more the Inspector was not telling him. Cocking his head in a questioning manner prompted the officer to finish his thought. "I believe your Officer Watanabe is one of those 'opportunists'. I fear what he's capable of doing to obtain his personal goals." Slowly, the realization of just what the Inspector was warning him about sunk in. Jeff's face clearly displayed his sudden understanding. "Kasumi..." he said in a horse whisper. "Yes, Tendo Kasumi is one of his 'goals'," Abe added casually. "While the eldest daughter of Soun Tendo is unlikely his primary goal, her relationship to you could push her acquisition up in his agenda." "Then he might just favor the kidnappers," Jeff noted as he stepped slowly away from the others while fitting all the pieces together. "With Sodoshi out of the way, he would marry Kasumi, then..." "Then you better watch your back, kid." Jamie shook his head as he, too, realized just where all this was going. With Jeff's only heir out of the way, the elimination of Jeffrey would leave everything to Nabiki. If Nabiki were to meet with an unfortunate 'accident', Kasumi would stand to inherit, at least, a part of Jeff's fortune. Certainly enough to satisfy one such as Watanabe. Of course, he would be unlikely to stop at the elimination of Jeff and Nabiki. Jeff's hands slowly balled into fists. Once again, he and his family were being hunted - this time, for their money. Instead of his calm, rational Shinobi-taught personality getting shoved aside in favor of his emotional Americanism, it was brutally mugged. "Wilde, let's grab us a train north," Jeff barked as he turned once again to the door. "We have work to do." "Welcome aboard, Inspector." Jamie held out a hand to Abe with a grin. "I fear you've fallen in with renegade mercenaries." "I believe you're right," Abe responded taking Jamie's hand and returning his smile. "I'm glad to say." With a renewed sense of purpose, the small multinational team slipped quietly out of the warehouse and headed for the train station. ***** 7 ***** Soun and Genma had spent the entire day planning for the ninja onslaught predicted to come. Like two schoolkids planning an elaborate prank, they scurried about the compound, giggling to themselves and laying their traps. To ensure Kasumi's safety, they had her spend the night with an old school friend. Collateral damage was always a possibility whenever the Anything Goes school of martial arts practiced their craft. Soun, naturally, didn't want Kasumi to get caught in the cross-fire. In spite of their arguments, she proved surprisingly resistant to leaving her home for the evening. This bothered Soun as he could tell there had been a change in his eldest daughter - she was less peaceful, less assured, less cheerful. In the end, she reluctantly departed, but only after the fathers agreed they would not make a mess. Come nightfall, everything was set and the fathers retired to the main room to play shogi and drink tea. Shortly before midnight, six ninjas silently took shelter outside the walls of the Tendo compound and plotted their strategy. Their leader, a survivor of the Show Fox Clan, burned with his hatred for the Tendos. They were the cause of his own clan's destruction. They were the ones who destroyed his comfortable corporate life. They were the ones who would pay for such treachery - pay with the coin best known to the shinobi shadow warrior; their lives. With him this night were not the best the new clan had; most were failures in their own clans. Still, they were eager for their first 'taste of blood'. With a nod, he sent two scouts over the wall. "I wonder just what's taking them so long," Genma pondered out loud as he watched the shoghi board closely. He was paying such close attention because whenever he turned his head, Soun would rearrange a few pieces to improve his overall position. Of course, Genma would return the favor whenever Soun's attention was similarly diverted. "Patience is a virtue of our martial art," Soun replied as he shifted his position slightly, never taking his eyes off the game. As if to reward their patience, the first ninja scout encountered Genma's snare trap. To be more precise, he discovered the snare and snorted his disdain at the simplicity of its construction. Shaking his head in disgust, the ninja carefully stepped around the snare and directly into a hidden bear trap that snapped painfully shut around his ankle. Screaming in pain, the ninja scout hopped away, the trap still painfully grasping his leg until he stumbled into Genma's 'primitive' snare. Triggered, the snare grasped the ninja's legs together and snatched his body from the ground. His scream was cut short as his body made a graceful arc through the air, impacting on the roof of the Tendo's storage shed. One down. Slapping a 50 yen coin on the shoghi board, Genma made a wager. "I'll bet the next one comes in upstairs." "Not so, old friend. He'll come in through the bath." Soun countered with a 50 yen coin of his own. Both listened carefully as the second ninja scout slipped in Akane's window and touched down softly on the floor. Drawing his katana, he slowly approached the covered figure in the bed. Without making a sound, he viciously hacked at the covered form, ripping the bed sheets to pieces. Pausing, he discovered the deception and angrily tossed aside the, now shredded, pillow and wig. Both fathers heard the ninja creep down the hallway towards the stairs. "Almost there," Genma whispered as he collected his winnings and grinned at Soun. "About now," Soun noted impassively. As if on queue, the ninja encountered black fishing line stretched ankle high across the top stair. With a shout of surprise, the ninja tumbled down the full length of stairs, ending with a final groan as he passed out at the bottom. "Well, I suppose they'll be coming through the engawa next," Soun sighed. "They're not very imaginative." He sounded disappointed as they prepared for the next attack. Two more ninjas crept up to the edge of the engawa. They could see the two fathers silhouetted on the closed panel. With sly smiles, the ninjas selected their blowguns, loaded them with pencil thin darts and took careful aim. Firing simultaneously through the paper thin panel, they were delighted to see the figures collapse from the impact of their projectiles. With silent smiles of victory, the ninjas crept up to the panel and slid it open. Their smiles disappeared when they discovered the targets they had just eliminated were nothing more than cardboard cutouts propped up next to the shoghi board. Growling to himself about sly old foxes, one ninja angrily motioned for his companion to search for the fathers in the kitchen while he crept down the hallway towards the bath. Pulling his black katana, the ninja paused when he heard the door to the bath close. With an evil grin, the ninja crept to the door. Carefully opening it, he looked around the outer room before exploring the bath itself. Inside, he checked the drained furo and the only window. Soun quietly crawled out of the laundry basket, calmly crept to the door, wrapped a bare wire around the handle, slammed the door shut and flipped a switch. The banging of the door as it closed, caused the startled ninja to spin around and strike an aggressive pose. Seeing no one there, he splashed his way to the door not noticing the thin layer of water on the floor of the bath. He *did* however notice the doorknob when he grabbed it. The full impact of 240 volts caused his hair to stand on end, his toes to curl, and his katana to glow like a light saber. His body continued to jerk and smoke as his screams echoed throughout the neighborhood. thought Soun as he flipped off the switch and quietly left the changing room. A sickly sweet smell seemed to fill the bath. In the kitchen, the second ninja carefully examined every dark corner until a small rubber ball, bouncing across the floor, attracted his attention to the small pantry. Creeping to the partially open pantry, he pulled his tanto out and carefully took hold of the pantry door's handle. With a sudden jerk, he swung open the door and started his attack only to be brought up short by the sight of a grinning skeleton staring back at him - its eyes glowing unearthly yellow and its jaw wiggling to the sound of ghoulish laughter. With a scream of surprise, he jumped back on guard only to land on all the jacks Genma had spread on the floor. With a painful howl, the ninja hopped across the room as the pointed little objects stabbed at his tender stockinged feet. Genma, hiding in the trash cupboard, pushed open the cupboard door as the ninja passed and sprayed him full in the face with a can of insect repellant. Another howl of pain accompanied the ninja as he stumbled back into the center of the room, clawing at his eyes. Genma just pulled a lanyard and every pot and pan Kasumi owned dropped on the startled ninja. Stumbling blindly across the room he collided with the door holding back Kasumi's ironing board which immediately swung open, releasing the heavy board. Weighted by Kasumi's iron on its end, the board swiftly swung down, knocking out the assassin. "Gotta hurt," Genma mumbled with a grin as he crawled out of the trash cupboard. "That's four." The fathers met again in the main room to ponder their next move. Fortunately, one of the remaining ninjas made everything simple for them. Jumping onto the engawa, the ninja brandished his gleaming katana. "Ah HA!" he crowed as he assumed a swordsman's position. "Oh HO!" Soun responded as he pulled another lanyard, releasing the pins that held four large springs in place under the section of engawa the ninja was standing on. With a shout of surprise, the ninja was catapulted upward through the section of roof that hung over the engawa. The fathers listened carefully as the assassin's body crashed into the roof twice on its way down - the dazed ninja landing in a heap on the grass outside. "Well, Saotome, I believe that's all of them," Soun glowed with pride. "We did a pretty good job, if I do say so myself." "Agreed, old man," came a nasty voice from the open engawa. Both fathers turned slowly to see the ninja leader holding a small pistol. "I thought you said there were only five," Genma accused his friend with a quizzical look. "I never said there were only five. Besides, how should I know they'd bring a sixth," Soun replied with a sad shake of his head. "A most unlucky number, you know." "Unlucky for you," the ninja growled. "Hey! Pistols are not fair." Genma said as he noticed the ninja's weapon. "Hardly the weapon of a noble warrior." "Yes, I agree. Most outside the rules, old boy," Soun noted with a sad look. "Very well," the ninja leader replied with an evil grin as he slipped the pistol inside his yukata and slowly drew his katana. "This is more fun anyway." "Do we know how to defend against a katana?" Soun asked his friend with a quizzical look. "Not sure it's ever come up in our training," Genma replied with a grin. The ninja, however, was not amused. With a yell, he attacked, bringing the blade down with clear intent to do bodily harm to Genma. Both fathers easily leaned away from the attack as the blade bit deeply into the wall behind them. Simultaneously, both fathers kicked viciously at the ninja's midsection, landing blows hard enough to raise the assassin several feet off the floor. The fathers had to agree the ninja leader was a tough customer as he took the blows well, even to the point of spinning around and clumsily striking at Soun with a drawn tanto. Missing the elder Tendo, he dove to attack the retreating Genma, who was backing quickly towards the open engawa. Figuring he would get the ninja outside before finishing him (less collateral damage that way), Genma retreated towards the opening leading outside. Unfortunately, he forgot they 'ejected' that section of the engawa earlier and the rotund martial artist tumbled to the grass outside in a most undignified manner. With a roar of victory, the ninja prepared to strike. Soun, seeing his friend's plight, pulled his last lanyard, releasing a heavy four foot section of steel sewer pipe they had rigged to the ceiling. With a low hum, the two hundred pound metal bludgeon swung down and smacked the ninja leader's head with a loud 'bong' that echoed like a temple bell, sending him tumbling out onto the grass. His unconscious body collided with Genma, sending him towards the koi pond. For a few comical seconds, Genma teetered on the very edge, his arms and legs wildly flapping in a vain attempt to avert the inevitable. With a final shrug of resignation, Genma Saotome took another underwater exploration of the pond - with the predictable results. "Just as we planned it, eh Saotome?" Soun chuckled from the opening to the main room. Genma's response was lost in his sputtering attempts at dislodging the last of the koi from his now useless pants. It took the next hour for the two to retrieve and stash the comatose ninjas in the darkened dojo. While Genma-panda patrolled the compound, searching for other potential threats, Soun dealt with the bound ninjas in a manner that almost guaranteed they would not escape. Soun had just finished with the last ninja when Genma reminded him of is little 'problem'. "What about me?" Genma-panda's sign read. "Of course, old friend," Soun noted as he rubbed his chin. "How you must suffer in all that fur." "Only in the summer," Genma's other sign read before he flipped it around. "Fleas!" "In that case, I'll go heat up some water right away." Soun's departure allowed Genma-panda time to waddle slowly across the lawn, stretching the kinks in his joints. He couldn't explain it but in his panda form, he always felt more lethargic - like he constantly needed to stretch and yawn. It was to this scene Officer Kenji Watanabe arrived. Responding to a phone call from a concerned citizen about ninjas invading the neighborhood, Watanabe handled it like he did all those 'UFO' calls - namely, it could wait until after his tea. Shining a flashlight around the compound, Watanabe quickly came to the conclusion that all was as it should be - for the Tendos anyway. The light from his flashlight caught on the staring Genma-panda. "Oh, it's you," Watanabe grumbled as he walked up to the stationary panda. "I don't suppose *you've* seen any ninjas?" Genma-panda continued to stare blankly at the officer. "I suppose not." Watanabe looked at the house, noting that only the lights in the kitchen were on. "It looks like everyone is in bed." Genma-panda continued to stare blankly at the officer. "Is your master at home?" Watanabe irritably asked as he bent over and stared directly in the panda's eyes. Genma-panda continued to stare blankly at the officer. "You really are a stupid animal, aren't you?" Watanabe straightened up and adjusted his coat. "You know, you're the first thing I'm going to get rid of when Kasumi and I are married." Genma-panda broke his pattern by blinking at the officer and twitching his ears. He couldn't believe what he just heard. Soun Tendo, kettle of warm water in hand, stopped in the shadows of the main room at the sound of Watanabe's voice. Ordinarily, hospitality would demand he invite the officer in for tea but what Watanabe was telling Genma-panda gave him reason to pause. "Yes, you, your master and those idiot Saotomes are all going to have to go." Watanabe punctuated his pronouncement with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Then all I have to do is convince the senile old father that *I'm* the rightful heir to the property." He reached over and grabbed the panda by it's fur so he could stare directly into his eyes. "And you know what happens next? I have the father committed to an old folks home." He ended his plans with a hearty laugh. Genma-panda felt the plan needed something, something special - perhaps his 'panda' touch. Shifting his weight, the heavy panda brought his front paw down directly on the officers foot. "OW! You stupid, clumsy beast!" Watanabe howled as he pushed on the panda's broad shoulder to no avail. "Get off my foot!" Instead of releasing the officer, Genma-panda only seemed to grind his paw even harder into the poor policeman. "That's it!" Watanabe turned to beating on the panda with his flashlight. "It's the zoo for you, buster!" Genma-panda figured he had enough and released the yelling officer. With a little satisfied grin, Genma-panda turned and started to waddle away from Watanabe. The officer, his face purple with rage, took the opportunity of the panda presenting his broad backside to deliver a final, vicious kick to the panda's fleshy flank - which elicited a surprised 'woof' from Genma-panda. Watanabe turned away and bent over to examine his injured foot. Genma-panda, indignant at being kicked with his back turned by the arrogant Officer Watanabe, slowly rose onto his back legs and sized up the properly positioned officer. In his mind, he became the hero again. Genma fantasized as he approached the bent-over officer. The next scene was that of a screaming Watanabe, arms and legs flailing wildly, flying over the far wall of the compound. A loud crash marked the officer's landing in Mrs. Suzuki's heaping garbage mound next to the street. "Well kicked, my old friend," Soun applauded as he stepped into view. "I believe that's two points in that American game Jeffrey is so fond of." "3 points!" read Genma-panda's sign as he heard the roar of 100,000 screaming fans in his head. "Are you sure?" Soun struck a contemplative pose. "We'd better ask Jeffrey-san when he gets back. In any case, here's your water. We have a lot of cleaning up to do." Across the street, Officer Kenji Watanabe was crawling out of a disgusting smelling pile of garbage. "Assaulting a police officer; keeping a dangerous animal in the city; interfering with a police officer..." he ticked off the offenses he was going to file on the panda, the Tendos, and anyone else he could think of. As he got to his feet, he quickly discovered he wasn't alone. A very large mongrel dog was only a few feet away, its head lowered and its hackles raised. Officer Watanabe was about to meet 'Baby', Mrs. Suzuki's new dog. She got 'Baby' right after the last ninja incident, thinking an old woman needed protection from all the ruffians that seem to concentrate on the Tendos and anyone else who stayed there. "Now dog, I *order* you to disperse." Watanabe waved a finger at the growling dog. "I'm a police officer. Do you know the penalties for interfering with a police officer?" Apparently Baby didn't as she only growled louder. "Let's calm down now, dog." Watanabe picked another orange rind from his uniform shoulder and started backing away from Baby. "Let's not do something we'd regret." Baby, convinced there was nothing to regret in assaulting the person who just woke her up, immediately launched herself at the officer. Narrowly evading the first lunge, Watanabe decided to postpone his lecture on 'being a good citizen' to the dog and began sprinting down the street like his life depended on it. Baby helped him along by noisily biting chunks out of the breeches of his pants. Early the next morning, Kasumi returned home and prepared breakfast for the fathers. She had had a quiet evening with an old friend who listened to her troubles and consoled her about the kidnapping. A few tears, a shoulder to cry on, and a night of doing 'girl' things was exactly what Kasumi needed. As the two men feasted on a full 'Kasumi' breakfast, they discussed in hushed tones their activities of the night before. Everything seemed to grow in proportion with the passage of time; there were now 12 ninjas attacking; the fathers were sleeping at the time; and both escaped with only minor injuries - although each would insist he rescued his best friend, pulling him back from the jaws of death. "Well, if you two are going to linger for awhile, I'll just start my morning cleaning," Kasumi politely commented. She had almost totally recovered from the kidnapping - relying on her learned ability to screen out that which was most distressful leaving only those things she was certain she could handle. Tofu had indicated she would be quite alright so long as she didn't receive another severe shock too soon. With bucket and mop in hand, Kasumi passively strode out of the house while the two fathers sat back and chuckled out loud about the night before. "We sure walloped the whole bunch, eh Saotome?" "Yes, old friend, it will be some time before the ninjas attempt another such attack." Genma sipped more of his morning tea. "By the way, what *were* you doing out in the dojo last night with the ninjas we captured?" "I took their clothes and tied them together, naked in the middle of the dojo's floor." Soun chuckled. "Even if they get themselves untied, they would still have to escape through Nerima naked." The two men laughed heartily until a thought occurred to Genma. "Ah... Tendo," he ventured apprehensively. "Where did you say you tied up the ninjas?" "Out in the dojo. Why?" "Where does Kasumi usually start her cleaning?" The two stared at each other, blinking, as all the parts fit into place. The pair winced as Kasumi's scream tore through the neighborhood. ***** 8 ***** Ranma and Akane trailed Nabiki through numerous back trails as they all made their way towards the old shinobi shrine. Several times, Nabiki became suspicious and turned around. Only Ranma's superior tracking sense kept the pair from being discovered. However, Ranma, too had the odd feeling *they* were being trailed. Each time he paused to look back the way they had come, he saw nothing suspicious. With increased uneasiness, the pair pushed on, continuing to shadow Akane's older sister while casting suspicious glances behind themselves. By noon, Nabiki had arrived at the site of Fukoono's cave. Standing in the clearing behind the approach to the shrine situated high above, she looked at the solid appearing wall and hesitated. "Well, mother," she mumbled looking around the clearing. "I made it up the mountain. So where are you already?" She seemed to stiffen when she spotted Ranma and her sister coming out of the woods. "I thought I told you I was doing this alone," Nabiki growled, her arms crossed and fixing the pair with her best 'look'. "We just wanted to see the shrine," Akane offered as she huffed and puffed up the trail towards her sister. "The innkeeper said it was most impressive." Nabiki knew it was a lie but wasn't about to reveal her relief at seeing them again. She secretly felt comforted that her sister disobeyed and followed. She was especially glad to see Ranma. "So, is that the mountain you have to climb?" Akane chirped as she pointed to the sheer cliff that rose almost a hundred feet above their heads. There was a winding path off to the right that climbed around to the other side where the ground was almost level with the shrine. Most visitors wouldn't even approach from this side, as the main road from the village passed nearby on the other side. "No, this is where the cave is," Nabiki shook her head and pointed to the solid looking wall of stone. "But I don't see an entrance." "Maybe it's around the side or something," Ranma offered as he dropped his pack and started to look for an opening in the rock face big enough for a person to slip through. Akane duplicated her fiance's actions on the other side of the cliff, examining carefully every likely crack or crevice. Nabiki continued to stare at the stony surface, like she was willing an opening to occur, when a sound caught her attention. While faint, like it was coming from deep inside the mountain, she could distinctly make out the sound of a baby crying - her baby crying. Instinctively pulling her clan amulet from beneath her blouse and holding it out in front of her, she slowly started towards the solid looking rock surface. As she approached the wall, her amulet began to glow blood red and, to her, there appeared an opening. For a moment, she hesitated; her warning senses tingling with alarm. Entering alone could be more dangerous than even *she* was willing to risk. The renewed cry of her child made her mind up for her. Without waiting for her sister or Ranma, Nabiki passed through the wall and into the cave itself. Akane was the first to notice Nabiki passing into the mountain, her shout for Ranma accompanied her headlong charge to get to the spot where her sister disappeared only to be brought up short by a solid rock surface, just like the monk's cave. Ranma quickly joined her and carefully checked every inch of the rock face looking for some indication of a door or secret latch. Akane tried her own amulet but it did little more than glow dimly, refusing to open the way as her sister's amulet did. Either she was not doing something right or there were forces at work that neutralized hers. Ranma was still examining the rock wall when Akane noticed something important. "Ah, Ranma," she said cautiously as she tapped his shoulder. "Not now, Akane. I'm busy." He brushed off Akane's hand and continued to look for a way in. "Ah, Ranma. There's something I really think you should know." "What is it Akane?" Ranma finally stood up and turned to his fiance. "That." She pointed to, what looked like, all the ninjas in the world approaching menacingly. Both gulped loudly. ***** 9 ***** Kasumi awoke to find herself laying on one of Dr. Tofu's treatment tables. For several minutes, she was content to lay still and stare at the ceiling - images from earlier in the day whirling around in her head. She had thought the smell in the bath was a bit odd, the strange hole in the roof over the engawa a bit unusual, and the naked men tied up in the dojo.... the naked men in the dojo.... the naked men in the dojo.... Her mind reviewed the scene over and over again. "How are you doing now, Kasumi?" Tofu wandered over while drying his hands. "You had another episode." Kasumi stared at Tofu while the images of the naked ninjas overlaid his smiling face and undressed him in her mind. With a distressed whimper, Kasumi covered her face with her hands and turned towards the wall. "Hey, it's alright, Kasumi," Tofu cooed softly as he knelt next to the treatment table. "You're safe here." Kasumi had never considered the sexual side of her nature. In fact, she was never sure she even *had* a sexual side. Growing up without her mother to guide and support her in such things, she naturally pushed all such thoughts aside, hoping they would work themselves out on their own. Oh, she had all the high school required 'sex education' courses but she never paid much attention to them as she was always doing her homework in the class trying to stay ahead in the areas that really mattered. In life, her sexual feelings were so deeply buried that she forgot where to look for them. In the last week, however, *those* feelings quietly slipped out of their hiding place and began to manifest themselves in most confusing ways. First, she had been confronted with the scene of Jeffrey and Nabiki in the furo; the scene replayed itself over and over in Kasumi's dreams, especially the look on Nabiki's face which was totally alien to anything she ever remembered seeing before. Then came the pestering of her little sister for details of what she saw; causing Kasumi to have to repeatedly relive those same feelings while trying to shield her little sister from such 'adult' things. That was followed by the improper feelings of hugging and being hugged by her brother-in-law. When she thought of what it felt like being pressed up against his firm, young body - the same body she saw with her sister in the furo - the same body she always secretly admired - she shuddered as she recalled how her hormones had teased her mind. Finally, there was the sight of six naked males tied together in the middle of their family dojo in such a way that it was hard not to notice their unclothed state. Kasumi shuddered again and shrunk from Tofu's consoling touch. "You're going to be alright," Tofu repeated. He was truly worried about his secret love. Worried that she might not be able to cope with such a rush of emotions so soon after the shock and regret of the abduction. Gently, he once again tried to touch Kasumi's shoulder. She trembled as a tiny whimper escaped her lips. "I feel so.... dirty," she whimpered with a sniff. "How can you touch such a dirty person?" "Kasumi, you're just coming to grips with the emotions you've too long denied yourself." Tofu switched to gently stroking her long hair. It was tough being a doctor in love with a patient. "You're a growing young woman. Such thoughts are normal." Kasumi sniffed again and turned her head slightly to look at Tofu. She didn't look the least bit convinced. "You mean..." she tried but failed to even speak of the subject. "I mean it's the same thing every young woman has gone through." Tofu smiled and tried to remain calm as their eyes met. It was hard to remain in control of the emotions he always had when he saw Kasumi. Yes, it was even harder to be both a doctor *and* in love with the eldest Tendo daughter. "You told me of the night Nabiki struggled with her own emotions about Jeffrey. Do you remember everything she went through trying to sort out her feelings? It was every bit as hard for her to embrace those feelings then as it is for you now." He paused and gently stroked her blushing cheek. "It's even harder for me because...." Kasumi's face went neutral as she heard what she thought she heard him say, or at least suggest. She tried to think of something to prompt him to continue but couldn't think of a thing to say. "I mean..." Tofu too got stuck. Here he was with the one woman in his life and he couldn't even tell her how he felt. The frustration caused him to bow his head in shame. "I feel the same way..." Kasumi softly offered, hoping Tofu would take the hint and continue. "You do?" He blinked through partially fogged glasses, like his mind was wrestling with his emotions. Silently, he rooted for his mind. "Hai...." The wrestling match ended and the winner chose to speak. "I love you, Kasumi," he blurted out as his glasses finished their fogging process. Kasumi's face went from shock at the admission to joy as the full impact of what the doctor just said made itself felt. "You mean, you too?" she stammered with the same look of apprehension she had the day they talked in his office. As if someone had smacked him in the back of the head, snapping him back to reality, his glasses cleared and he felt in control again - his lunacy gone. He almost looked behind him to see who might have struck him so benevolently. "For too long you've thought only of others. For too long you've neglected your own life." Tofu gently took Kasumi's limp hand in his. He didn't exactly know where he was getting all this from, but continued to speak anyway. It just felt right. "And for too long I've tried to deny the obvious. I do love you, Kasumi." With another whimper, Kasumi rolled over and threw her arms around Tofu Ono's neck, burying her face in his throat and crying freely. It was the realization of her secret dreams and the fulfillment of the promise her mother made to her so long ago. Tofu gently slid his arms around her young body and hugged her willingly to his chest. It was finally out in the open. No more hiding. No more denying. No more evading the truth. He admitted to Kasumi what he always believed deep in his heart - he loved Kasumi and couldn't stand being apart from her. He didn't know exactly why he chose this moment to confess, but felt grateful for whatever caused him to do so. Gently, he eased her face from its hiding place and looked deeply into her brown eyes. Inches apart, each could feel the hot breath of the other, smell the fragrances of love, and hear the twin beating of two hearts. As if to seal the declaration, Tofu slowly lowered his face until their lips gently met. At first, Kasumi's eyes went wide with surprise until she succumbed to another of her secret dreams. Closing her eyes to better concentrate of the feelings of Tofu's soft lips, Kasumi began to instinctively respond - eagerly. When they finally broke the kiss, Kasumi rested her head on Tofu's chest and sighed. "Thank you, mother," she whispered. "What?" Tofu asked slightly surprised. "Nothing," Kasumi responded as she pulled her head away from the doctor and looked lovingly into his eyes. Stroking his cheek with her fingers and smiling slightly she added: "Nothing at all." Outside the Tofu Clinic, two figures silently glided through the foliage, being careful to remain unseen by possible witnesses on the nearby street. Each planted large bags against critical points of the foundation and slid silently away, trailing thin wires as they went. With exaggerated care, they ran the wires into a nearby empty building and quickly followed. "Are you sure we've used enough?" one gruffly asked his companion as he watched him connect the wires to a small hand-held box with a single button. "I know what I'm doing," his companion growled between stripping the wires bare with his teeth. "Any more and we'd bring down the entire neighborhood. We've placed the charges at the main support and next to the gas main. We'll have an explosion, a fire, and no more Doctor Tofu Ono. It'll all be blamed on a gas explosion." "Okay, just hurry." The first anxiously looked out the window to the almost empty street beyond. "We need to get this over quickly." The man with the wires just grunted as he finished connecting them to the little box. As the warning light glowed red, his lips curled into an evil smile. All was ready. Inside, the two lovers were still locked in their loving embrace - as if afraid letting go would break the spell and return them to the loneliness they experienced before. Tofu felt another whack to the back of his head. Instinctively, he reached behind him with the only hand he had free at the time and felt for whatever it was that had struck him. Finding nothing he turned his head and looked towards his office. He couldn't be sure but it was like he could hear a voice coming from behind his office door. All he could make out was it wanted him to get Kasumi into his office right away. Unwilling to chance making a mistake by ignoring something so obvious, Tofu stood up and held out his hand to Kasumi. "Kasumi, let's go into my office." Tofu helped Kasumi to her feet and gently urged her towards his small office. "What's wrong?" she insisted, a sudden scowl of concern crossing her face. She trusted Tofu with her life, but that didn't mean she didn't want to know what was going on. "I'm not sure," was all he could offer. "It's just a feeling." He cocked his head like he was listening carefully for something specific - something important. Inside his office, he gently closed the door and turned to the slyly smiling Kasumi. "You just wanted more privacy," she accused with a blush. "How clever of you to think of your office." Tofu flashed a nervous smile Kasumi's way and returned to listening - trying to pick out exactly what it was that made him so uncomfortable. Kasumi was quick to catch on - her smile disappearing under a cloud of concern. "What is it?" she started to ask. Tofu abruptly shushed his love and looked towards the outer wall of his clinic. He could feel like someone or something was warning him. It wasn't exactly a warning, more like a feeling; like trying to make out someone gesturing to him from a long way away. Kasumi, too, began to carefully look at the outer wall of the clinic, listening carefully - both inwardly and to the sounds outside. Suddenly, Tofu's eyes went wide with recognition. It WAS a warning - loud and clear, like a shout in his head. "DOWN!" he yelled as he dove under his heavy steel desk, pulling the surprised Kasumi with him. With an earth shattering roar, twin explosions rocked the small clinic, sending plaster, pictures, and medical supplies flying in every direction. The whole building seemed to rock and sway, like in an earthquake, before it groaned in protest and collapsed in upon itself. A large cloud of dust and debris domed over the rubble of what was once Tofu's little clinic. The two instigators of the blast quickly pulled the wires inside their building, stuffed them into a small bag, and dropped the bag down the toilet hole in the corner of the room. With looks of satisfaction, they pulled crisp new police officer coats and hats out of plastic bags, put them on and stepped out into the street while pulling on their traditional white gloves. To anyone looking, they looked like ordinary district policemen. Joining the gathering crowd, they quickly took control of the situation and began looking for survivors. As they expected, the gas main was burning brightly at the rear of the rubble, driving all present to the conclusion it was just an unfortunate gas main explosion. As the two dug briefly through the rubble, they exchanged satisfied glances. They had done their job well. Nothing could live through such a disaster. The boss would be pleased. ***** 10 ***** Inside the cave, Nabiki paused in the darkness to listen carefully. Her warning senses were screaming their warnings with every breath she drew. She could still hear her baby crying somewhere up ahead but the darkness made it difficult to tell just how far ahead. In addition, she had the uncomfortable feeling that Master Sato was right; this was all just a trap - a trap designed to lure her inside, alone. Nabiki thought as her stare tried to pierce the darkness and determine her daughter's location. Her answer came in a most frightening manner. "Welcome, Nabiki Tendo," boomed a familiar sounding voice from the darkness ahead. "Your baby and I have been waiting for you. Won't you join us?" Nabiki pressed back against the cool wall of the cave, her fingers gripping the uneven surface of the rock, and squinted in the direction of the voice. She wasn't about to go wandering off in the darkness, regardless of the enticement of her daughter's cries. "Perhaps you require more light," the voice taunted as if he could read her mind. Instantly, there appeared in the exact center of the cave a single pool of light, inside which lay Sodoshi on a large pillow and crying in obvious distress. Nabiki fought the urge to rush to her daughter's side as she allowed her eyes to become accustomed to the limited light in the rest of the cave. She was now certain this was all a trap and was quickly trying to figure an angle to give her an advantage. It soon became obvious she was playing a cold hand. There was nothing to do but confront Fukoono. "Mother, if you have something in mind, I think now would be a really good time," Nabiki mumbled in a slightly sing-song voice. "Come in, come in, little one. We don't stand on formalities around here." Fukoono's voice sounded even more evil than Nabiki remembered. She hated him then but hated him even more now. "You have something that belongs to me," Nabiki called from the darkness in hopes that he could not see her as she could not see him. "A possession?" Fukoono taunted. "What possibly could you mean, child?" "You have my daughter." In spite of her fear, Nabiki's voice was strong and clear. Most likely the result of many years of bargaining with unsavory types. She just hoped her voice conveyed to Fukoono a lack of fear - even if it *was* untrue. "Forgive me, little one. I thought you said your daughter." "I did." "Ah, then your daughter is nothing more to you than an item to be possessed. How sad." Fukoono completed his taunt with a maddeningly arrogant laugh. "She's MY baby!" Nabiki snarled from the refuge of her darkness. "Your... possession," corrected Fukoono with another chuckle. Nabiki struggled with her anger. This was HER baby. She worked hard for it, suffered for it, almost lost her marriage over it. How DARE he suggest she was nothing more than... a... possession. Nabiki's material mind fought a short, sharp battle with something else, something that caused Nabiki's very insides to ache. Slowly, like a rising tide, her materialism began to be smothered by a new feeling, a new instinct, something she'd suppressed for over six months. As her material self fought back, a cloud of doubt slowly descended over her. Maybe she *was* treating Sodoshi like an object to be possessed. Maybe there was more to this 'motherhood' thing than she anticipated. Nabiki squirmed lightly in her hiding place as the realization of how shamefully she had acted towards her own daughter crawled up her soul. The thought of how it might have affected Sodoshi sent a chill through her body. Fukoono, however, wasn't about to let go of the best angle he had to draw Nabiki out into the open. "Why should you care about the child, little one? After all, she is clearly an inhibiting factor in your marriage." "Mother, what do I do now?" Nabiki whispered with her eyes closed and her jaw set. "I came like you said. Why don't you answer? Help me." There was no response. Nabiki concluded she was totally on her own. No one could help her; not Ranma, not Jeffrey, and not even her mother. "Tell me, little one, would you like to hold your baby?" Nabiki squeezed shut her eyes and fought the urge to step out into the light. Her hands began to squeeze the rock she clung to. Her heart tearing at her chest. As hard as she fought, she had no option. She had to go to her baby. Before she could move, though, Fukoono gave her the best reason in the world to come to the aid of her daughter. "Perhaps if the child were threatened," Fukoono growled. A sharp clap of thunder echoed through the cave as a thin bolt of red lightning cut through the darkness and danced about the feet of the infant. Sodoshi's cries of fear escalated. "NO!" Nabiki's protest instinctively drew her out of the darkness. She was still a long ways from her baby but now Fukoono could clearly see her. "Ah, there you are," Fukoono chuckled, as if he didn't know all along her hiding place. Oh, how he enjoyed these games. "What is it you want? Money?" Nabiki hissed. "Money? Oh, my dear child. How on earth could you think I would stoop so low as to demand money?" "Isn't that what kidnappers usually want?" "Oh, how you misjudge me," Fukoono chuckled again. "Is not your daughter shinobi? I've just been showing the dear child what it means to be shinobi. You know, I've been toying with an idea. Perhaps you'd favor me with your opinion." Nabiki inched closer to her baby, ever mindful she was being closely watched. If Fukoono saw her movement, he showed no sign in his speech. "I've been thinking of keeping her here with me and training her as a shadow warrior. What do you think of that?" "No... please," Nabiki's voice trailed off as she shook her head and tried to fight the intense vision of her daughter, grown up, following one as evil as Fukoono. She knew well the elders' abilities to plant images in a person's mind. Her eyes squeezed shut and her teeth ground together at the image of a grown shadow warrior Sodoshi danced before her eyes. "Yessss," Fukoono's voice sounded like he was savoring the same image. "I can see her helping me unite the clans so that we might, once again, take our rightful place among Japanese society." Nabiki was only a few feet from her daughter now. Quickly running the odds through her head, making sure to factor in the designs Fukoono had on her daughter, Nabiki took a calculated risk and lunged for the baby. When she was just inches from the child, a force slammed into her like a giant hand, sending her body sliding back across the room and leaving her in a heap on the smooth floor. "Such manners! Your child is better off with me. At least, I'll teach her how to properly behave." "She's MINE!" Nabiki cried as she tried to gain her feet again. "As *what*? A possession? Like a pet?" Fukoono's voice boomed in the cave as he admonished Nabiki. "You really are an unfit mother. I'm doing the child a favor." Nabiki paused, still half bent over, her hands holding her bruised ribs from the first blow. She couldn't believe even someone as evil as Fukoono would stoop so low. "It's quite true what sweet Kasumi says about you. You shouldn't have been allowed to even *have* a child. Perhaps you could start with a cat or something." At the sound of her sister's name, Nabiki momentarily lost her control and reacted with mindless fury. This had all been settled the other night. Kasumi even said how much Nabiki had progressed, how much better she was with Sodoshi. How DARE he accuse her of such a thing. With fists clenched with her anger, Nabiki took a step towards where she thought she heard Fukoono's voice. All she got for her trouble was a vicious slap across her face that sent her spinning towards the cave wall, back the direction she came. Nabiki's cry of anguish when she collided with the wall was echoed by her daughter's resumed cries of distress. "NEVER threaten me in my own lair, child! Remember that." Fukoono's voice sounded deep with malevolence as he shouted over the Sodoshi's wails. As Nabiki slid to the floor, her cheek burning from the impact, her tears of frustration and anger blurred her already reduced vision. All she could see was the small illuminated patch of cave floor where her baby continued to cry - alone. Outside, Ranma and Akane slowly backed together as the host of ninjas closed in. Ranma tried counting the number of his attackers but quickly gave up when the odds grew to astronomical proportions. "Get behind me, Akane," he ordered in a firm voice. He was willing to take them all on but not if it meant endangering his fiance. "Nothing doing. This is my fight too, you know," Akane answered in a surprisingly strong voice as she continued to watch the approaching ninjas from her angle. Ranma was about to say something sharp to Akane when the first shuriken slammed into the rock face of the wall behind them, making a pinging sound that seemed to signal a general rush of their position by the others. In a heartbeat, the fight was on. Ranma pulled out all stops, holding nothing back. He fought wisely and well, clearly demonstrating his vast experience and trained lethality. Bodies of defeated ninjas seemed to fly in all directions. Akane, too, fought with all the experience she gained with the daily Furinkan mobs she once had to contend with. Her blows were sharp and precise, expending only enough energy to disable her attacker while saving her strength for those to come. To Ranma, it was like fighting Mousse over and over again; chains, staffs, and various thrown objects coming at him at a furious rate. Still, he was fighting at a disadvantage. Not only did he have to deal with the attackers to his front, but he also had to keep a careful eye out for Akane. He had to admit, she *was* pretty good. But in a fight like this, pretty good was only good enough to get you killed. As he expected, the inevitable finally happened. While Akane was dispatching a particularly aggressive ninja, another landed a telling blow with his Nunchaku to her head. Without so much as a whimper, the youngest daughter of Soun Tendo collapsed unconscious on the soft grass. The reduction of their opposing force by one half caused a shout of victory from the rest of the ninjas as they prepared to finish the remaining intruder. Ranma backed even closer to Akane, casting nervous glances at her still form. He feared the worst. Alone, outnumbered, he struck his most menacing pose, his body beginning to glow with his gathering ki, clearly ready to deal lethality in all directions in a last ditch effort to protect Akane. As the ninjas closed in, a sudden blur of dozens of black and yellow projectiles mowed down the entire front rank of the attackers. Stunned at the reversal, the ninjas seemed to back off slightly; unsure of where the attack came from and from whom it originated. There answer came in the form of another, much larger, blur of black and yellow as it bounced off ninjas and trees alike, sending both in opposite directions like a small tornado. With ghostlike stealth, Ryouga Hibiki seemed to appear at Ranma's side, clearly in the mood for a fight. "How did you get here?" Ranma shouted as he continued to aggressively posture. "I followed you, you moron," Ryouga growled back as he dispatched one ninja braver than the others. That wasn't totally true. While he *did* trail them to the local train station in Nerima, he lost them soon after hearing them buy tickets to Asahikawa. An elderly couple, going to Sapporo, offered to take him that far with them - as long as he agreed to carry all their luggage. That seemed to work until he chose to use the toilet facilities on the train and promptly got lost trying to return. All night long, he searched the train in vain until it arrived in the Asahikawa station and was bluntly told to 'get off'. Wandering outside town, he slept alone under the stars before morning found him wandering off in search of Ranma and the Tendo girls. He visited a Buddhist temple (where the monks kept trying to get him to take a cold bath - to renew his spirit, of course), a crested crane reserve (he was run off by the warden while trying to sneak some eggs to eat), and finally a hot springs where the sight of dozens of naked females lounging in the hot water caused him a massive nose-bleed. After wandering most of the morning lost in the woods, almost crossing paths with the intrepid trio several times, he was drawn by the sounds of a colossal fight to the site of Fukoono's cave and his secret love, Akane. "It would probably be too much if I said I was glad to see you." Ranma sent another attacker spinning off the rock wall behind them. "You ought to be. Another minute and I would have been rid of you for good." Ryouga swept the feet out from under a ninja before drop-kicking his body into the top branches of a nearby tree. "Hah! I was doing pretty good before you got here." Ranma faked a blow to a ninja's face before stomping on a branch that disabled the ninja with a blow to his crotch. "Good enough to get Akane hurt." Ryouga took out his anger on a pair of Sai armed attackers, breaking their weapons and bones in a single blow. "I can't help it if she's not a fighter. I told her not to come." Ranma snatched one ninja by his head and used his body to jump kick another pair of attackers before dispatching his 'assistant' with a blow to his back. Disturbed at their lack of success (and confused by the conversation of their opponents), the ninjas temporarily lost their nerve and backed off slightly, giving the two boys time to recover and reposition on either side of Akane's comatose body. "Well, they've got us surrounded," Ranma said softly. There was clearly no way out now. With Akane injured, he had to stay. It was the kind of fight Ranma disliked most. "Yeah, the poor bastards," Ryouga answered with enough of a grin to show his fangs. Unlike his old rival, he relished their position and refused to acknowledge the situation was hopeless. On the contrary, he seemed to enjoy the 'target rich' environment. Under the constant prodding of their 'leaders', the ninjas gathered for a final rush of the pair. Ranma and Ryouga did a little preparing of their own. "Think you still got it in ya?" Ranma asked as his body began to glow again. "I've got at least as much as you do, Saotome," Ryouga answered with a growl as he too began to glow with gathering ki. The final rush came - an unimaginable wave of ninjas swarming over the two defenders. Above the commotion, two battle cries were heard. "Shi Shi Hodokan!" "Mouko Takabisha!" Inside the cave, Nabiki too was reaching the zenith of her struggle with Fukoono. Battered and bruised, Nabiki refused to give up. Time after time she tried to reach her daughter, only to be beaten back by invisible blows that left her looking like an accident victim; her clothes torn, her body battered. Reduced to crawling across the floor towards her baby, her eyes never wavering, her pace slow but relentless. "Why do you continue to struggle for one who doesn't even know who you are?" Fukoono crowed. Nabiki refused to answer, her mind totally fixed on reaching her baby. "You're a pathetic example of our people! You don't even know the first thing of being a shinobi!" Fukoono screamed, his voice biting into Nabiki's heart. She knew full well what it meant to be shinobi; the courage, the sacrifice and the devotion. She'd seen the courage of Sodoshi Tanaka, sacrificing herself to save Akane. She'd seen the devotion of her husband, who endured her outbursts and childishness while continuing to show his love for both her and their baby. She might not have deserved all she'd gotten in life, but Sodoshi Lawrence was *HER* baby. NOTHING was going to keep her from her baby. "Perhaps I should let you hold your child one more time," Fukoono mused out loud. "It might just make you see things my way." Nabiki didn't buy it for a second. Expecting another shattering blow, she continued to crawl towards the crying Sodoshi, determined to reach her daughter whatever the cost. Foot after painful foot, Nabiki dragged her battered body towards the little circle of light in the center of the cave - the light that now contained all she really cared for in the world. Money she could replace. Her heritage she'd gladly relinquish if only to hold her daughter again. On hands and knees, Nabiki crawled into motherhood. she thought with a tear from her swollen eyes. Upon reaching the pillow, Nabiki lunged for her daughter, covering the crying child with her own body, determined to absorb whatever blow the evil Fukoono intended for them both. None came. Slowly, Nabiki raised her head and gathered her daughter into her arms, cradling the child. Sodoshi clung to her mother, her cries of distress lessening with each passing second her mother held her. "You're alright, sweetheart," Nabiki cooed as she held the child to her chest. "Mother's here." Sodoshi stopped crying all together and looked up at her mother's swollen and battered face. It took only a second for her to make all Nabiki's trials worth while. "Mom-ma." "Yes, So-chan. It's momma." Nabiki finally broke down and cried in joy and relief as she gratefully cuddled her baby. It had been so long - so very long in coming. "How very touching," Fukoono sounded almost tired. "I'm sure this happy reunion was well worth the effort...." Nabiki stiffened and ground her teeth at the sound of Fukoono's voice. She had finally had enough of this person. "What is it you want?!?" she yelled at the darkness. "I want the secrets of the monk's cave, little one." Nabiki sadly shook her head. The only answer she had was not going to make him any happier. "There *are* no secrets. The only message the monk left was of how warriors fulfill themselves by embracing peace." "LIES!" Fukoono screamed, his madness clearly manifesting itself. "All lies! The monk left a secret of ninja invincibility. Tell me the truth or I will RIP the very life essence from out of you!" "BAKA!" Nabiki shouted back, disregarding the possibility of Fukoono's temper. "Do you think for a second I'd let you abuse me like this if I knew some secret way of stopping you?" "You are but a chunin and cannot use the secrets, fool! I WANT THE SECRET OF THE CAVE!" Fukoono's voice screamed his madness as it echoed ominously throughout the cave. "Do whatever you want. I've told you everything I know about the monk's cave and its stupid prophecy," Nabiki snapped back. She sounded tired. She'd gotten her daughter back. Whatever happened now, she'd still consider herself a winner. "Mom-mom-mom-ma," Sodoshi repeated, her little smile melting the last of Nabiki's self-centeredness, assuring a place in her mother's heart for the last daughter of the Cold Moon Clan. Nabiki shifted her child so Sodoshi's arms were around her mother's neck and allowed herself a brief luxury of looking at her daughter's eyes. Something in them felt so familiar, like this scene had all taken place before. As her expression dissolved into curiosity, Nabiki slowly looked away - into the darkness. This *had* all happened before. Nabiki could feel it. It involved herself and... mother. Quickly returning to her daughter's smiling face Nabiki bit her lower lip - hard. Looking back at her was herself - six months old, expressing all the love and trust only a child could give. Love and trust shaken by her mother's sudden removal. And, just as her mother struggled so long and hard to get Nabiki to love her, so too did Nabiki have to fight for the love of her own daughter. Swallowing hard, Nabiki began to smile as broadly as she could - smile and cry at the same time. She'd won something far more important this day than the defeat of some deranged madman. She'd won the unconditional heart of her daughter. As Nabiki gently brought their heads together and lovingly rolled her forehead against Sodoshi's, Nabiki began to chuckle lightly. "Thank you, mother," she whispered as she choked back her tears. "I now know how you felt when I called you 'momma'. I now know what being a mother really means." The only problem with all this was it began to look like Akane was right too. There was no way out. Fukoono had them exactly where he wanted them and could dispose of them at his leisure. Nabiki slowly turned her face towards the place where she imagined Fukoono to be. Sodoshi, holding on to her mother, slowly duplicated her mother's look. Together, they stared at the darkness, the unknown, their faces fixed and defiant; awaiting whatever fate was forthcoming - together. "Very well, daughter of the Cold Moon Clan. I will still unite the clans and we will, once again, hold power in this nation. The people will rejoice at our return." Fukoono's voice began to rise in madness as he screamed his intentions for all to hear. "We will be unstoppable." Nabiki just shook her head and thought sadly of what Jeffrey would do once they were gone. She recalled how accurately her prediction was when she looked at her home that one last time the night she left on this quest. She also thought of Sodoshi and how sad it was the child would never get to know the kind of life Nabiki always dreamed of; carefree, happy, with two loving parents to care for her. Sadly, Nabiki smoothed her daughter's hair and kissed her forehead. It was time to say goodbye. Nabiki could hear the crackling sounds of gathering power in the darkness and see a growing ball of energy as it accumulated in the hands of the madman who was about to execute them for their heritage. Somehow, she wasn't scared. Holding her daughter, she was calmer than any time in her life. Soon, she would be able to talk to her mother any time she wanted - she and Sodoshi. She had so much to say to her mother and would have an eternity to say it. As the ball of energy reached its zenith, Nabiki instinctively held her daughter tighter and turned slightly away, her eyes shut, expecting to feel the lash of Fukoono's fatal ki blast and hoping it wouldn't cause her to linger too long before the end. There was a pause, then a brilliant white flash of light that filled the cave, temporarily blinding Nabiki even though her eyes were tightly closed. She expected unimaginable pain but felt... nothing - no burning, no tearing of flesh, no sensation of doom at all. For several seconds, Nabiki remained motionless, clutching her daughter to her tightly, wondering if the end had already come and she just didn't know it. "As I promised, kitten," came a soft voice from beside her. In anticipation, Nabiki turned her head to see her mother's smiling face less than a foot away. It looked as real and welcome as she could imagine. Quickly checking both herself and her daughter, Nabiki came to the conclusion they were still very much alive. Turning again to her mother, she grappled with what to say. Fortunately, her mother beat her to it. "You climbed the mountain alone, kitten. I'm so proud of you." Her mother's voice seemed to envelop Nabiki's body in warmth and comfort. "Momma...?" Nabiki asked as if she wanted to say more but couldn't find the right words. "As I promised." "Where were you when I reached the cave entrance? I climbed all the way up to the cave and you weren't there." Nabiki's voice almost took on the edge she used to use when addressing her mother. Old habits were hard to break. "The mountain I meant was the one inside you." Her mother's spirit smiled knowingly. "You had to become a mother yourself before I could help you. Your willingness to sacrifice yourself proved you loved your daughter more than your own life. That, kitten, is the essence of motherhood." "Momma...?" Nabiki repeated as the full realization of just how much her mother sacrificed for her over the years. Kasumi was right. Mother *had* devoted most of her waking hours to trying to get her middle daughter to love her. Nabiki felt so ashamed standing there holding her own daughter when she thought of how selfish she'd been. "You've proven yourself worthy of clan leadership, Nabiki. You've met the challenge of evil with courage and love." Her mother's fingers lightly touched Nabiki's swollen cheek, gently wiping a tear and caressing the skin like a feather. "I'm so very proud of you. I always have been." Nabiki tried to say something again but her mother stopped her with a gentle finger to her lips. Nabiki was surprised at how warm and alive her mother's finger felt. Instinctively, she closed her eyes and leaned lightly against her mother's finger. How she had missed her mother's touch. "Now take my grandchild and leave. This is no place for her." "But how...?" Nabiki tried to ask but was derailed by her mother's smile. Nabiki never knew how to counter her mother's crooked little smile, the one that was so much like her own, even when she tried to be angry she couldn't in the face of her mother's smile. It was that disarming. Fukoono, however, wasn't through yet. "The girl and her child stay until *I* say they can go!" His pronouncement earned a sharp rebuke from Nabiki's mother. "Fukoono the elder, you've dishonored your clan, your people, and the entire shinobi nation." "Hah! What can you do? You're only the departed spirit of a chunin of your clan - and a female at that," Fukoono gloated, his confidence growing. "You cannot harm me. Only a genin, a shadow warrior, can harm an elder and your clan is sadly lacking in male warriors." "Of this you're correct." Nabiki's mother calmly noted with a small smile. "So we women of the clan will have to do the job ourselves - as we have for centuries." Fukoono's laughter provided the background as she raised her arms slowly and closed her eyes. Her white chunin kimono seemed to take on a life of its own, swirling around her body as if in a strong wind. In seconds, small flashes of brilliant white light broke out all over the cave, each manifesting itself in a spirit of a departed Cold Moon Clan shadow warrior - all female. Slowly, Nabiki backed towards the cave entrance, clutching her child, her head snapping one way than another as warrior after warrior appeared in the cave. All were dressed in white versions of what they wore in life, many in warrior clothes not seen in Japan in over 400 years. All were most certainly victims of the 'blood hunts'. All were Cold Moon Clan shinobi. All were genin. The departed might of the Cold Moon Clan was gathering for one last battle with evil - a battle to save their remaining descendants; to assure the continuation of the clan. Nabiki's retreat was interrupted when she bumped into something soft. Spinning around, she beheld a very familiar figure - one that caused Nabiki to gasp aloud in her surprise. "Greetings, clan sister," Sodoshi Tanaka grinned, her arms crossed. "I told you I'd be there when you needed me." "Sod... Sodoshi?" Nabiki ventured, her voice almost sounding pleased to see the departed clan sister - and possibly the only real friend Nabiki ever had - that she buried more than a year ago. Slowly, Nabiki took in her former friend. She was as beautiful as ever and still wore her hair in long pony tails down her chest, only now they were wrapped in white ribbons that trailed to her knees. Her body was straight and strong looking, her ever present katana still strapped to her back. There was no sign of her fatal injuries, only her white, glowing shinobi shoozoku that marked her as a shadow warrior. "I see you've done well with your child, clan sister," Sodoshi Tanaka said softly as she bent over to get a better look at Nabiki's baby. Her namesake stared back, unsure of what to make of the beautiful glowing lady examining her so closely. After a few seconds of staring intently into the child's eyes, Tanaka gave her pronouncement of the child. "Yes, she has the blood. She will make an exceptional shadow warrior, clan sister. Train her well and never let her forget who we were." Nabiki started to say something in protest but quickly bit her tongue. Sodoshi Lawrence was not destined to be a shinobi shadow warrior if Nabiki had anything to say about it but, for the time being, Nabiki was willing to acknowledge her late clan sister and friend's assessment. "Now go, my sister." Sodoshi Tanaka silently drew her katana with a satisfied grin. "There is much work to do here and it's no place for you... or my namesake." She grinned again at the baby. Nabiki was still struck by how beautiful Sodoshi Tanaka was. She had a smile that could have graced the covers of any fashion magazine instead of spending her entire life running and fighting. "Goodbye Sodoshi Lawrence. Make me proud you bear my name." Nabiki bowed abruptly and stumbled towards the cave entrance. She never looked back at the horrible sounds coming from deeper inside the cave as the spirits of her clan dealt with the most evil of their kind. ***** 11 ***** "Are you sure this is the right way?" Jeff asked as he followed Jamie, his eyes glued to the little hand-held location and data device Jamie had given him. They had arrived at Asahikawa the morning Nabiki and her party departed for the cave. Having slept on the train, all three were stiff and sore but ready to complete their mission - at whatever cost. Jeff punched a few more buttons and nodded at the display as it presented an overhead view of their current position. Using the thumb control, Jeff lowered the view to ground level and rotated the scene until it matched exactly that he saw when he looked up. "Cool," he mumbled. "It's like having your own personal guide who can fly up and take a quick look around." Jamie, leading the trio, just smiled to himself. It sounded like JP outdid himself this time. "Any good restaurants show up on that thing?" Jamie quipped as he paused to carefully check out the next clearing they would have to cross. "Donno." Jeff touched a few more buttons but all he got was a screen full of gibberish. Shaking his head, he keyed in his original settings and returned to the 3D graphical view he liked so much. Inspector Abe, bringing up the rear, still looked with disdain at the weapons Jeff and Jamie were carrying but remained silent as if deep in thought. Ever since the train station, Abe had been unusually quiet. Jeff was the first to notice but refrained from saying anything as he felt the inclusion of Abe to be a mistake in the first place. Jamie checked the graphic display before telling the others to remain under cover while he scouted ahead. Grateful for the rest, Jeff plopped down next to the trunk of a large fallen tree and played a little more with his 'toy'. I wasn't long after Jamie had melted into the woods that Jeff noticed Abe staring the direction Jamie had taken, an odd look on his face. "What's your problem anyway," he finally asked with some irritation as he unslung his weapon and placed it on the ground between them. "You've been acting spooky ever since we got to Hokkaido." A short smile flickered across Abe's face as he turned and slid down to sitting next to Jeff's weapon. Pulling a shoot of grass he sighed loudly and grimaced at the trees in front of him. "This area holds many bad memories for me, young man," he said with a low, sad voice. "I was born in this region, not far from here, in fact." "I didn't know," Jeff's voice matched his look of surprise. "My parents were jizamurai - warriors living like farmers," Abe smiled again, this time with embarrassment. "Then you're clan bound as well." Jeff looked back at his display as another sequence of gibberish crossed the screen causing him to scowl in irritation. "No, my clan no longer exists and is best forgotten." "Really, who were they?" Jeff tried to hide his curiosity by fiddling with the CD player he had clipped to his belt. "It's not important," Abe lamented softly. Jeff carefully eyed his companion out of the corners of his eyes. He didn't fully trust the inspector. With deliberate slowness, he demonstrated that lack of trust by moving his weapon to the other side of his body. If Abe noticed, he didn't react. He knew Jeff didn't trust him. Why should he? The inspector was a last minute addition, a replacement for the two missing team members that failed to rendezvous with Jamie at the warehouse. Jeff wasn't totally convinced that Abe came along out of sympathy to their cause. He could be a plant, a spy, or worse. Only the frantic beeping of his data box kept Jeff from pursuing his paranoid line of reasoning. Again, the screen displayed a couple lines of gibberish, this time in red. "Sure wish I knew what this stupid thing was trying to tell me," Jeff muttered as he stabbed a few buttons to clear the display. Jeff was about to make another comment when Abe shushed him and crouched further down behind the fallen tree. Jeff's look of questioning was answered by Abe's pointing towards the road the ran along the edge of the clearing. At first, Jeff saw nothing and was about to say so to the intently staring inspector when his eyes caught movement through the trees. Instinctively, Jeff crouched down a little further as he caught more and more movement. Whatever... whomever, it was, caused Abe to be on his guard; an action that caused Jeff to slowly retrieve his weapon. As three camouflaged wearing men cautiously emerged into the clearing, it was obvious they were armed with small automatic weapons. The way they were carrying them it was clear they were no strangers to such weapons. "I recognize two of them," Abe whispered to Jeff as he slid closer. "Both are known members of the conspiracy. One is even an officer from my own district." "Do you think they're after us?" Jeff whispered back, clutching his weapon even closer. "Perhaps...," Abe hissed softly. "What'll we do? Jamie's not here." Jeff quickly glanced the direction he last saw the ex-SEAL take before returning to the armed men. "Leave it to me. This is still Japan." Abe gripped Jeff's shoulder and glared at the men who now appeared to be discussing something among themselves. One dropped to a knee to examine something in the dusty road before pointing off towards where the road disappeared into the woods again. Almost as soon as Abe released Jeff's shoulder, he was gone in the direction of the section of road the men just crossed. Jeff started to shout something but immediately thought better and silently slunk further behind his impromptu wooden fortress. Whatever was going to happen now was up to Abe. Seconds later, he got his surprise answer. "Hold it right there, gentlemen," Abe's voice came from the road somewhere behind the armed men. "You're under arrest for carrying illegal weapons. I suggest you cooperate and lay down your guns." Jeff could only stare incredulously as the inspector stepped into view, unarmed except for his police badge case which he held up so the badge sparkled in the sun. What happened next shocked and stunned Jeffrey. As if on command, all three suddenly whirled to face the inspector and began shooting. Abe did a Japanese version of the old 'Texas Two-step' as he hopped and dodged the automatic weapons fire before diving behind another fallen tree, the assailants bullets ripping chunks out of the tree and dirt around it. Jeff couldn't just let Abe get massacred by the men. With weapon in hand, Jeff leaped to his feet, pointed it at the men and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened. All he got for his trouble was a disappointing click from the weapon and shouts of recognition from the armed assailants. At least they stopped shooting at Abe. "Uh-oh!" Jeff lamented out loud, just before he ducked back behind the fallen tree, only a heartbeat before the attackers' bullets began chewing apart his wooden redoubt. Jeff was banging on his weapon in panic, trying to clear it or make it function in some lethal manner, when Abe came quickly crawling through the grass to take cover behind the same tree as Jeff. "It won't work!" Jeff lamented out loud when Abe reached him. Abe just shot the younger man a disgusted look, reached over and calmly flicked the selector switch from 'safety' to 'full auto'. "I thought you didn't know anything about these weapons?" Jeff yelled, his voice clearly displaying his panic. "Young man, just because I don't approve of them doesn't mean I don't know how they work." Abe finished his explanation by pulling his tiny police issued automatic handgun. Reaching over the top of the fallen tree, he squeezed off a few rounds, just to let the armed men know he too was armed and ready to respond. It must have worked. To Jeff's surprise, the gunmen seemed to melt into the woods behind the road - seemingly retreating in panic. "We've got 'em now," Jeff shouted as he jumped to his feet, fired a short burst after the men and tried to follow. Only Abe's firm hand kept him from making a possibly fatal mistake. "Not yet!" Abe yelled as he yanked the excited Jeff back behind their protective wall. "Come on, Abe," Jeff shouted back. "They're running!" "No, they're not." Abe's voice sounded calm and firm. "It's an old Japanese trick. Pretend you're fleeing in face of the enemy. Draw him into the open, then cut him to pieces when he tries to pursue. They're in the trees just beyond the road." Abe proved his point when he briefly exposed his head and was rewarded with a series of shots that passed close overhead or impacted on their tree. Jeff sat stunned at what he almost blundered into. Without Inspector Abe, Jeff would most certainly lost his life in a remote clearing on Hokkaido. He swallowed hard at the prospects. A burst of light machine gun fire from somewhere in the woods off to the right, brought Jeff back to reality. Shouts of surprise from where the three assailants disappeared into the woods marked Jamie's success. Whether he hit anything, or even intended to, was unknown. There was one more burst, then silence. Both Jeff and Abe listened intently but could detect no further activity. Five minutes drug on into ten before either dared to speak. "You think that was Commander Wilde," Abe whispered loudly as he cautiously peered over the top of the fallen tree. Jeff just shook his head and continued to scan the area he last saw the armed men. The sound of a bolt sliding into place behind them caused both men to spin around and drop into a defensive crouch, weapons ready. "You know, if I was a bad guy, I'd have bagged the pair of you." Jamie looked and sounded disgusted as he casually raised his weapon so it rested on his shoulder. "The first rule of being behind lines is no two people look in the same quadrant at the same time. Keep your heads moving and you'll stay alive longer." With lecture ended, Jamie joined his companions behind the tree. "What happened?" was all he asked as he slid to a seated position, concealing himself from all but the two other members of his team. "It would appear we're now faced with more than just those who've abducted the Lawrence child." Abe said flatly as he took Jamie's advice and scanned the area behind them suspiciously. "So it would seem," Jamie said with a sigh. "When I heard all the shooting, I figured you were jumped by some of the locals." Jamie shook his head and scowled. "By the time I discovered they were more... sophisticated, well, outflanking them was easy. A few rounds over their heads and they bolted for the high country. Any ideas who they were?" Both Jeff and Jamie looked at Abe for an answer. He quickly felt their eyes on him and slowly turned to face his accusers. With a sad shake of his head, Abe insisted they were probably members of the conspiracy but declined to guess whether they were after Jeff, Jamie, or even himself. "Well, whatever the case, we better be more on guard now." Jamie loaded another clip into his weapon. "This place is crawling with black clad jokers who play rough." As if to prove his point, a burst of automatic weapon fire replied from almost a mile away. Obviously, the three assailants ran into exactly the kind of people Jamie was talking about - ninjas loyal to... who? Jeff couldn't even begin to guess. They could be Fukoono's men or members of the other clans sent to rescue Sodoshi. Either way, it would be safer to consider all other folks in the neighborhood as potentially hostile. "There's a small village up ahead." Jamie waved his hand in the direction he had disappeared earlier. "Seems deserted but it's hard to tell for sure without going in to check - something I strongly advise against." "I know all about the village," Abe said absently as he fitted his pistol back into the holster in the waistband of his pants. Jeff and Jamie exchanged glances before Jamie asked the obvious. "How do you know this village?" "Because I was born there." Abe pushed past the staring pair with a firm look on his face and started for the village. Jamie watched him go almost to the opposite edge of the clearing before clearing his throat and observing while getting up to follow: "Well, our little friend is just full of surprises, isn't he?" Jeff just shrugged his shoulders and began to follow, all the time fiddling with the locator device. It was showing gibberish again, still in red. "Remind me to say something to JP when we get back. This gizmo keeps giving me noting but garbage." "What?" Jamie came to an immediate halt and snatched the device from Jeff's hands. With another disgusted look, he punched a single amber button and both watched as the gibberish suddenly switched to English. It was abundantly clear that Jeff had been using the device all day with the descrambler turned off. [Bandits bearing 270 / 2000 yds / moving 245 - JP] Jeff just stared in shock. "You mean I've been looking at warnings all day and didn't know it?" Jeff whined as he flapped his arms in frustration. "This has been going on all day?" Jamie sounded like a peeved father. "Well, yeah," Jeff suddenly felt guilty about his failure to bring the issue to Jamie's attention sooner. It probably could have prevented them getting surprised by the gunmen. For all Jeff knew, JP could have been warning them since they got off the train. "Look, if something else happens that you don't understand, please ask." Jamie thrust the device back into Jeff's hands and stomped off after Abe. "Amateurs." Jeff sheepishly cleared the message and followed Jamie as another message appeared on the screen. [Are you clowns even reading these? - JP] Jeff thought to himself. To someone halfway around the world, tracking their every move, it must have appeared they were wandering drunk in the woods, bumping into every possible obstruction in spite of the communicated warnings. With a rotten feeling of having let everyone down, Jeff trotted to catch up with the others. There were no further surprises before they reached the village. Just outside, Jamie called a halt and consulted their locator device. [Village / No activity seen / Infrared reports one occupant - JP] Satisfied there was no trap visible to the spy satellite, Jamie pressed on into the village. Cautiously checking house after house, the trio were surprised by the condition of the buildings they found in the 'deserted' village. All looked like they had recently been occupied. This only made Jeff and Jamie more nervous. Abe, however, acted as if it was exactly what he expected. They were passing a small house on the edge of town when a tiny noise from inside caught their attention. All three froze trying to make out who, or what, was making the noise when Abe, muttering something unintelligible, broke ranks and darted for the building's open door. Jamie stifled a warning and quickly followed, his weapon ready and his senses cranked to high. Jeff, following his earlier instructions, followed the others at a low crouch constantly scanning the open area behind them for the first signs of a trap. Luck seemed to be with them as they all gained the building without incident. The inside looked even less impressive than the outside. While it was clean, it was also devoid of furniture of any kind, with two exceptions. Over in one corner was a makeshift cradle, now empty but looking like it had recently held a child. In another corner, on a filthy futon was the source of the noise; a young woman, laying on her side and moaning softly. Without hesitation, Abe crossed to the woman and knelt by her side. Jamie was quick to join him, his face clearly marked with revulsion at the condition of the girl. She had obviously been recently beaten. At first, Jeff thought it might have been Nabiki; the woman had the same hair style and was dressed in Western clothes. Her voice when she whimpered as Abe examined her injuries, relieved Jeff slightly - it was not his wife. Judging by the few visible signs he could see from his position in the doorway, someone had done a thorough job on her. Abe bent over the girl gently and asked her something. Her mumbled reply was hard to understand, her battered face and swollen lips making her local dialect hard for Western ears to follow. "Who is she?" Jamie finally asked as he dug through his small pack for whatever medical supplies he had. "My niece, Yuriko," Abe said flatly before bending over her beaten body and speaking to her in soothing tones. She tried to respond again but ended up coughing, her ragged breathing clearly indicating internal injuries. "Your niece?!" Jamie sounded surprised. "Abe, I think we need to talk." "After we stabilize her condition, commander." Abe's insistence and Yuriko's renewed coughing convinced Jamie to deal with the girl's distress first. There would be time for explanations later. As the two older men worked on the injured villager, Jeff kept his vigil at the doorway, constantly looking for any indications of trouble while munching some of his provisions and casting curious glances at the injured girl. The screaming alarm of their locator broke the silence. Jeff snatched the device off the floor and quickly read the message. [Large force 290 / 500 m / heading 040 / get moving NOW! - JP] Jamie, upon hearing the situation just shook his head. "She's in no condition to be moved." The wise thing to do would have been to take the girl and get out of the way of the new threat. Wise except that it would most certainly doom the girl. Silently, Jamie cursed his sense of compassion - it was the very thing that led him to leave the Navy in the first place. He had begun making decisions that spared the locals undue hardship but too often doing so put his own team at risk. Now, it was happening again. Quickly he took stock of their position and concluded that it was all but indefensible. His training taught him that when faced with such a position, the only option was to change the position. Feeling about the old wood floor, he quickly found a loose board and set about worrying it free. At first, Jeff thought him crazy until the board came loose and he caught sight of what was under the building. Built off the ground, with skirting all around the edge, it was a natural hiding place. Abe, too, quickly caught on and was soon helping Jamie remove a few of the adjacent floor boards until they had a two foot opening leading to the hard-packed dirt under the building. "You first, skipper," Jamie said softly as he motioned for Jeff. Jeff quickly scurried over to the hole and dropped through. Instantly, his head reappeared. "There's bugs and spiders down there," he whined. With another look of disgust, Jamie stuffed Jeff back under the building and quickly followed. "Come on, Inspector," he hoarsely demanded. The Inspector's response was a sad shake of his head. "No, I cannot leave my niece in this condition," Abe firmly replied as he tossed Jamie's bag to him. "Besides, someone has to fit the floor boards back into place." "They'll catch you." "No, you forget, I was born here and raised a shinobi." Abe smiled like he was anticipating a grand game of hide and seek. "As you Americans like to say: 'This is *my* ballpark'." Jamie had to admit, the old man had a point. If everything he said was true, he'd be the most challenging opponent of the three. If he was any good at all, he might just pull it off. Instinctively, Jamie held out his weapon to the Inspector. "I told you before, those are illegal here in Japan," Abe said with a small smile and a shake of his head. "I give you my word, they won't find you... or take me." Jamie stared at the Inspector with new-found respect as he slowly withdrew the weapon. As their eyes locked, Jamie could see something he previously only saw in fellow SEALs when faced with impossible odds - a burning resolve to win. With an abrupt salute, Jamie disappeared down the hole while Abe set about refitting the floor boards in place and removing all evidence of their presence. In their hiding place, Jeff found a position where he could see out through a small gap between two skirting boards. Switching the locator device to mute, he activated the overhead map and watched as a flashing red triangle slowly made its way towards their position. Jamie cocked his weapon and took a position at another eye hole. Moments before the red triangle covered their position on the locator's screen, the first of the ninja's cautiously entered the village. Both Jeff and Jamie could hear the wood floor quietly squeak above their heads as Inspector Abe completed his preparations - then silence. [Sure hope you're hiding / You've got company. - JP] Jeff returned to looking out at the ninjas and marveled at how stealthily they crept from one hiding place to another as they moved like an army of ghosts through the village, silent and purposeful. Two broke off from the rest and made a beeline for the building Jeff was hiding under. He held his breath and faintly heard their footsteps as they mounted the engawa and briefly paused before rejoining their comrades filtering through the small buildings of the village. At first, Jeff was confused as to why the ninjas didn't go beyond the engawa or, at least, check on the girl. Perhaps she was all they expected to see in the building. Perhaps she had the good sense to play 'dead' so as to not attract any undue attention. Whatever the case, their visit was thankfully brief. Jeff checked his watch several times over the next half hour, waiting for someone to signal the 'all clear'. He hated being under that house; with all the crawly things and common family debris that filtered through the wood floors above. A quick look Jamie's way only made him feel more uncomfortable. Jamie looked like someone enjoying a quiet afternoon in the public library as he silently munched some of his provisions between long, careful looks outside. The sounds of someone pulling up the floor caused both Americans to face the disturbance, weapons at the ready. "It's alright. They're gone." Abe's voice sounded confident and calm. Just to make sure, Jeff checked his locator device and saw the red triangle had moved towards the site of the shinobi shrine. There seemed to be an unusual amount of activity there. [If you can read this, you must still be alive. - JP] "Cute, Palmer. Very cute," Jeff muttered as he cleared the display and followed Jamie back through the floor to the room above. Abe had already moved to his niece's side. She didn't seem much better. Jamie must have thought so too as he dipped once again into his pack to produce a standard US military morphine injector. Abe looked concerned as Jamie picked a spot on the girl's bare thigh and jammed the needle home. The girl didn't even move as he squeezed the drug from its foil pouch. It would take only a few seconds for it to take effect. At least her pain would be reduced. "How bad is she?" Jeff asked from his position over at the doorway. He had instinctively moved to that guard position, not willing to let down his friends again with his inattention. "Bad enough," Jamie lamented as he pinned the morphine injector to the girl's kimono so the next person who examined the girl would know she'd already had an injection. "Her ribs have been broken. She's got a broken leg, internal injuries, possible head injuries as well, I don't know - she's a mess." "But alive, commander. That's what's important." Abe fixed the ex-SEAL in a steely glare. This had all become too personal for the inspector. Before Jamie could ask what he meant, the girl suddenly reached out with her one good hand and grabbed a handful of Abe's shirt. "Uncle... Uncle, I confess. I took the child. I was just doing it for our clan... Master Fukoono said... said he just wanted to talk to the child's mother. I believed him. He promised not to hurt the baby." She was gasping and wheezing with every word; fighting to say what needed to be said before she couldn't speak anymore. Her face a mixture of pain and fear. "You... you must hurry. They will hurt the baby. I know it." Her voice took on a increased sense of urgency. "Please... please save the baby. She's so... so..." "It's okay, Yuriko. I understand." Abe sounded sad, fatherly but still official. The sudden knowledge that one of his relatives committed the crime they were all pursuing weighed heavily on him. "You understand?" Jeff spit angrily, his sympathy for the beaten girl having disappeared. He now viewed her injuries as justified. "That 'person' kidnapped my daughter!" "Easy, skipper," Jamie cautioned. He'd seen something in the girl that wasn't right; something that most Japanese families would rather hide than admit in public. Abe confirmed Jamie's suspicions. "Mr. Lawrence, forgive me. Yuriko... is what you call in your country... slow, retarded. She has the mentality of a 10 year old. She didn't understand that what she was doing was wrong." "SHE TOOK MY CHILD...!" Jeff's animosity was still quite clear. Such hostility with an automatic weapon in hand is a bad mix. "Stow it, kid!" Jamie growled at his employer. "This girl is as much a victim as your daughter. Fukoono used her, then beat her and left her for dead." "I cannot... cannot provide proper restitution for the actions of my niece." Abe looked at the floor and scowled. "Her actions were unforgivable. Please try to understand...." Jeff looked between the two other men and at the beaten girl. As his eyes met hers, he could see her childlike fear and remorse. She had followed the dictates of a madman and paid a very high price for her loyalty. Like a child who was only obeying her parents, she couldn't be held responsible for what she had done. What finally clinched it for Jeff was when he considered that here he had a girl who was severely beaten, possibly dying from her injuries, and all she was worried about was whether or not the strange gaijin across the room was mad at her. With a silent groan, Jeff slumped against the door frame, dropped his weapon, and ran a hand through his hair in frustration. This was all so complicated. He wasn't even sure just who to hate anymore. As usual, his shinobi training provided the answer. "Never harm the innocent or through your actions cause harm to be visited upon them," he lamented in a distant voice. "Brother Sato has, indeed, taught you well," Abe said softly with a sad shake of his head. "I'm sorry," was all Jeff could offer. "I just want my daughter back." "We'll get her back, skipper," Jamie sounded confident and reassuring as he got to his feet and walked over to a window. Pausing to pick up Jeff's weapon and holding it out to the deflated young American he added: "Tough growing up, ain't it kid?" "Where were you at age 19?" "Butt deep in a rice patty getting shot at." Jamie looked older than necessary just then - and very tired. "Hell of a life. Ain't it?" The sound of a vehicle approaching caused all three men to slide back into the shadows of the room, their weapons drawn. Moments later, a district police vehicle rounded the corner and drew to a halt in the little village square. Four figures got out and looked at the abandoned village buildings, never venturing far from their vehicle. "I recognize those men," Abe said softly with a tinge of satisfaction in his voice. "One is Lieutenant Kirosawa of the Hokkaido Prefectural Police. I know him. He can be trusted." Without waiting for the others, Abe stepped out onto the engawa of their building and hailed the Lieutenant. Jeff and Jamie were relieved at the amiable reception the inspector got but watched carefully from their concealed positions as the inspector issued a series of quick orders, organizing and dispatching the officers before returning to the building. "Well?" Jamie queried the returning Abe while continuing to watch the officers from his concealed position. He didn't totally trust these newcomers. "A helicopter is being dispatched to take my niece to the hospital," Abe said confidently. "You must forgive me but this is as far as I can go with you. I will see that you are not interfered with in your rescue attempt. I suggest you leave by the back way. Good luck." With that Abe abruptly turned and left the building to confer further with Lieutenant Kirosawa. Following Jamie, Jeff slipped out of the building via a rear window and quickly glided through the brush towards the shrine and Fukoono's cave. Several times, Jeff checked behind them to see if they were being followed. Abe's word must have been good as no one appeared to be trailing the pair as they made their way towards the cave. As they got closer, both could hear the sounds of a battle royal taking place somewhere up ahead. "Sounds like the sound track of a bad martial arts movie," Jamie quietly suggested as he pulled Jeff alongside. "Wait here. I'll see what's going on. Keep an eye on that gizmo. It's not paid for yet." He pointed to the locator device Jeff was holding. Jeff tried to smile at Jamie's little 'joke' but could only muster a weak look of nervousness at being left alone in the strange woods with only an electronic umbilical cord to some unseen electronics wizard in California to keep him company. True to his training, Jamie seemed to melt into the underbrush as he began to work his way towards the disturbance ahead. Jeff quickly lost sight of him and knelt down to concentrate on his locator. Using the graphics display, he toyed with the various 3D views of his current position and played with how far it was to the shrine. [Wildman, check your six. - JP] Jeff mused. He tried to think back to the way the Marines used to talk around the embassy but just couldn't make a match with anything he'd ever heard. [Wildman, wake up! Bandits in your six! - JP] Jeff came to the realization of what JP was trying to warn him about at the same time he heard the twig snap behind him. Spinning around, his weapon in front of him, he was stunned to see a familiar figure who quickly kicked his sub-machine gun from his hands. Looking down the barrel of a police service pistol Jeff wrinkled his nose at how easily he was taken. "I should have known," he lamented with disgust. "Don't feel bad, Mr. Lawrence. You're not the only one who's been deceived." "You know, I never really trusted you." "Pity. I thought I played my part quite well." "And now's the payoff." "Pretty much." "I'm curious. Exactly what do you think you'll get from all this?" "Oh, money, power, you name it." "So you're part of the conspiracy." "Part? My dear ignorant fellow. I AM the conspiracy. They all take their orders from *me*." "You're kidding." "No one would possibly expect as much from such a loyal person as myself." "I guess not." "Then there's the matter of your money." "And all that takes is my death." "It's not really all that simple, Mr. Lawrence." Kenji Watanabe smiled like a man holding all the cards. "I figure the meddling Dr. Tofu is currently buried under the rubble of his clinic. Judging by the silence up ahead, the annoying youngest daughter has gone to meet her ancestors along with that stupid fiance of hers." He seemed to relish the thought of his three most annoying obstacles being eliminated in a single day. "Then there's the issue of your wife and daughter. If Fukoono is as mad as they say, I figure your daughter is already dead and your wife is being 'questioned' now about some stupid 'secret' which is as worthless as the rest of these pathetic shinobi people." Jeff glared at the officer, his hatred clearly evident. It was all as Abe described - and much more. Watanabe *was* an opportunist taking advantage of the shinobi disturbance to profit - handsomely. "Of course, I'll lead the gallant police rescue of your wife - for which she'll be forever in my debt." Jeff's eyes quickly looked for anything he could use in this situation. He was getting desperate. He knew what was coming. "Let's see...," Watanabe struck a contemplative pose while keeping Jeff covered with his pistol and staying just out of the American's reach. "With Tofu, the youngest daughter and her fiance, along with your child all gone... that would mean, if you were to 'have an accident' - say, die at the hands of a shinobi ninja, your wife would be your sole heir. Later, when an 'accident' occurs to your lovely wife, Kasumi would be in line to inherit a sizeable chunk of your holdings. Perhaps even the whole thing." Watanabe chuckled. "And you'll just swoop in and marry the eldest daughter." "Of course. She's totally in love with me, you know." "In your dreams. She's attracted to the good doctor. She won't take his death lightly." "Oh, I expect a period of mourning. Of course, I'll be there to comfort poor Kasumi and help her with the weighty problem of inheriting your vast wealth." "You think that'll happen with my death," Jeff crossed his arms and looked like he knew something the officer didn't. "You can drop the act, Mr. Lawrence. I've done my homework. You have no other heirs." Watanabe looked smugly satisfied. "You forgot about Rachel." "Rachel?" "Rachel Magnum, my secretary." "I don't understand..." "You simpleton. If anything happens to me *and* my family at the same time, my secretary takes over the financial holdings worldwide." This wasn't really true. While Rachel was well provided for in Jeff's will, she was most certainly not the prime beneficiary. All he wanted was for the officer to consider the possibilities - buying a little time. "That's not..." "You obviously know nothing about American law." "American law?" "Yes. Didn't you know some of the richest women in America are former secretaries?" "No." "There's something else you don't know." "What?" "This!" Abe growled as he struck Watanabe an incapacitating blow and watched as the former police officer crumpled to the grass unconscious. "About time!" Jeff snarled indignantly as the inspector bent over to secure Watanabe with handcuffs. "I was running out of things to say." "You, Mr. Lawrence?" Abe shot the young American an incredulous look. "I find *that* hard to believe." Jeff's sickly sweet smile answer was interrupted by Lt. Kirosawa's arrival with one of his officers. "Inspector, are you alright?" Kirosawa looked to his senior officer with anticipation bordering on reverence. "Quite alright, thank you." Abe smiled happily while indicating the fallen Watanabe. "I believe I just got the big break in my case that I've been looking for." Kirosawa carefully examined the unconscious Watanabe before casting a questioning look at Abe. "Who is he?" "The leader of the conspiracy," Jeff noted as if it were something everyone should have known. Abe just chuckled and shook his head. "Not even close. He's just an insider who knows a great deal." Abe's expression slipped into hard seriousness. "I suspected as much but without hard evidence to prove it, I couldn't do much more than watch and wait. Give me some time with him and I'll have a list of the conspiracy leadership." Kirosawa waved another officer to join them and help drag the unconscious Watanabe back to the village. "I believe you still have a daughter to rescue, Mr. Lawrence." Abe smiled lightly and indicated the way towards Fukoono's cave. ***** 12 ***** Under the rubble of Tofu's clinic, two figures struggled for life. In pitch darkness, each coughed on the dust filled atmosphere and fought for enough clear air to draw a clean breath. Tofu's heavy steel desk had absorbed the brunt of the building's collapse, creating for them a small pocket of safety underneath. "Are you alright, Kasumi?" Tofu gasped between coughing fits. "My foot..." Kasumi whined between her own tiny coughs. Fearing the worst, Tofu carefully worked his way in the darkness to the rubble blocking their exit and gently felt about for Kasumi's leg. But try as he might, he couldn't determine the extent of her injuries. All he could be reasonably certain of was her foot didn't feel like it had been severed by the heavy concrete and metal debris and she didn't appear to be bleeding. Frustration quickly gave way to hope as he remembered he had a flashlight in the bottom drawer of his desk. It had been awhile since he'd used it, so he wasn't even sure the batteries still worked. On the other hand, he was clearly not going to be able to help Kasumi much in the pitch darkness of their refuge. Worming his arm around some concrete, he found the drawer in question and thanked his luck that it had been partially sprung open. With some grunting and straining, he was finally able to retrieve the flashlight and sighed with relief at finding it still functioned. Switching on the light, he started examining Kasumi as best their little refuge would allow. She had some minor abrasions on her arms, her face was dirty, but otherwise, she appeared to be unharmed. Shining the light down her form, he quickly found the reason for her pain. "Your foot appears to be trapped in the debris," he softly noted. "I'm going to determine if it's broken. I'll try to be gentle." Kasumi just nodded her acknowledgment, licked her dry lips in anticipation and prepared for the increased pain of his probes. Carefully, Tofu felt around her foot as best he could; stopping at every whimper and using only enough pressure to verify his findings. "I don't think it's broken," he thought out loud as he returned to his position next to her. "However, you're not going anywhere for awhile." Shining the flashlight around their little bubble of safety. "But then again, neither am I." Kasumi's whimper of pain caused Tofu to remember the other half of her injury. Laying the flashlight aside so it illuminated her torso, he started to pull up her skirt. "Sensei!" Kasumi gasped in shock. To her, he seemed bent on exposing parts of her not meant to be seen until they were properly married. "I have to get to a point just above your hip. There's a pressure point there that will relieve your pain." He sounded and looked to Kasumi like the doctor he was. In embarrassment, Kasumi covered her face with her hands and tried not to look. After all, if SHE didn't look, how much could HE see. Tofu finally got her skirt up far enough to find her hip. What he found there caused him to pause momentarily before applying treatment to the proper pressure point. he thought with some amusement. Pressing briskly two points near her hip and spine, he was relieved to feel her body relax. "I don't know how long that will last," he mumbled apologetically as he finished re-adjusting her skirt. "It's been known to last for several hours. Of course, that's only in clinical tests - under ideal conditions - on a man..." Kasumi stopped him with a gentle hand on his arm. At the feel of her touch, Tofu stopped talking and stared at her hand. In their dimly illuminated man-made cave, he could see her tremble slightly. "Are we going to die here?" she asked softly, her eyes scanning their refuge like it was a prison. "No, of course not." His voice sounded confident, in spite of his own misgivings. "It was only a one story building so there can't be all that much rubble covering us. I'm sure rescuers are working even now to get us out." He tried to smile his reassurances. Kasumi, a self-styled expert on smiles, could tell he wasn't totally convinced himself. "Sensei, I'm scared," Kasumi whined slightly as her eyes began to dart around the refuge like a trapped animal. Tofu wasn't totally certain she didn't suffer from some form of claustrophobia or not. In any case, her using the word 'sensei' left him with the impression this was now a doctor-patient relationship. Tofu lightly patted her hand and reclined next to her to await their rescue. Both heard the voice at the same time. "Tofu, dear, I really don't have enough time to do this delicately." Kasumi and Tofu exchanged confused looks as the voice seemed to boom in their confined space. "Mother?" Kasumi looked around the space like she expected to see her mother leaning in to have a calm conversation. "Is that you?" "Yes, Kasumi, but I really don't have much time." Her mother's voice sounded clear and close enough to be under the desk with them. "What is it?" "Tofu-sensei, do you really love Kasumi?" "Yes, of course. But..." Tofu sounded confused as he glanced around the refuge, his glasses reflecting light from his flashlight. "Do you want to marry her?" "Well.... I never actually considered...." "Tofu, dear, do you want to marry Kasumi or not?" Mother's voice sounded insistent, like she was in a hurry. "I've dreamed of such, but never..." "Good. Kasumi, do you wish to marry Tofu-sensei?" Kasumi covered much of her face in embarrassment at the question while her eyes tried to locate where her mother's voice was coming from. "Yes...." Her voice sounded meek and scared at such an admission. "Good, then I give you both permission to marry. Kasumi, you no longer require my assistance. You have a husband now to confide in. I recommend you do so with much frequency. Tofu-sensei, I entrust in you the protection of my little girl. Do not disappoint me." "Mother, what's wrong? You sound... different." Something *was* wrong. Something about the way her mother was talking scared Kasumi. "I'm afraid I must leave you now. Nabiki will be able to explain why." Mother's voice sounded sad. "I'm sorry but this might hurt a bit, Kasumi. I love you." "Mother...." Kasumi's voice was suddenly choked off as her hands frantically clawed at the underside of Tofu's desk, her eyes wide, her face a mask of pain and terror, her back arched in pain as over 10 years of connection between Kasumi and her mother was forcibly withdrawn. Tofu frantically tried to think of or do something that would help his love as she went through the withdrawal process. He could tell she was in much pain, it looked to him like someone having their skin forcibly ripped off. For now, all he could do was hold her in his arms and pray the pain would soon pass. In seconds, it was over. Kasumi collapsed back into Tofu's arms, sobbing at her pain and loss. Tofu tried to sooth the girl but knew her pain ran deeper than any he'd encountered. Gratefully, her hands clutched at the front of his yukata as she buried her face in his chest. "She's gone," Kasumi whimpered between sobs. "Mother's really gone. I can feel it." Tofu cradled her head as best he could in the confining space while he stroked her hair and talked to her calmly in soft tones. "I'm still here, Kasumi." He stroked her hair while he talked, ever mindful of her still trapped foot. "But without mother...." Kasumi moaned into his chest. "You'll still have me, Kasumi. You'll always have me." Kasumi just clutched Tofu tighter to her and cried harder. It would take some adjustment, it would take some mourning for her mother's departed spirit, but Tofu felt confident that she would recover. This was something long overdue in Kasumi's life. She had never let go of her mother's spirit; unnaturally binding it to this world, using her own spirit to channel for her mother. She had also never mourned properly for her departed mother. As Tofu held Kasumi's trembling body, he tried to channel some of her grief to himself. It had been some time since he'd tried this; having relied on pressure points and such in the past. With his first attempt, he was only partially successful. He could tell she was still in pain. Gritting his teeth against the effort, he tried again. Closing his eyes and concentrating hard on reaching out and connecting with that part of Kasumi emotionally hurt the most. This time he could feel the poison of her anguish, its heat scorching him with its virulence. With long neglected methods of manipulation, he slowly worked to channel the emotional mass of her pain into leaving her body. Like drawing a thick fluid through a straw, he strained, gasping at the effort, his forehead breaking into a heavy sweat. If it were anyone else but Kasumi, he'd have given up by now. But the vision of his love's pained expression still dancing before his eyes caused him to redouble his efforts. With a long, low growl, Tofu was finally able to extract the core of Kasumi's anguish, channeling it off to parts of his soul he knew would easily be able to deal with it. As he opened his eyes, he saw Kasumi staring at him in wonderment. Slowly, the hole left in her heart from her mother's departure began to fill with the love of her sweet Tofu. Gently, she reached up with a trembling hand and caressed his sweating cheek with her delicate fingers. She had finally relinquished her hold on her mother, replacing it with the emotional bond with the one she loved, the one who would always be there for her, the one who could hold her and comfort her when she needed it. Her smile seemed to fill their small refuge with light. Before either of them could say anything, a muffled bark of a dog and the excited shouts of rescuers could be heard from only a few feet on the other side of the rubble. Help was not far away. ***** 13 ***** Two figures remained standing in front of the cave. All round them lay the results of a titanic battle. "I [gasp] think we [wheeze] won," Ranma offered from a bent over position. He'd fought many battles in his life but none as long and involved as this one. It left him drained and exhausted. His companion just nodded as he too gasped for breath and looked at all the unconscious bodies around him. Some were waking up and wandering off, dazed and injured. Others might not ever wake up again. "We still need to get inside the cave," Ranma wheezed as he pointed to the solid rock wall. "What makes you think there's anything behind that solid wall, Saotome?" Ryouga tiredly protested. He was even too tired to insult his childhood enemy. "There's a cave behind it. Nabiki went in there to rescue Sodoshi." Instantly, Ranma had Ryouga's attention. The mention of someone he considered 'special' caused him to call upon reserves of energy he'd never tapped before. "The baby?" he asked while casting anxious glances at the solid looking rock face. He remembered back to the night he entertained little Sodoshi Lawrence in her crib. The memory of someone who made him feel so totally accepted cut through him like a cry for help. The two stared at the rock wall until Ranma turned to his old rival. "Think you can still do it?" Ranma indicated the solid looking surface with a sharp tilt of his head. "Just watch me, Saotome." Ryouga glared at the rock wall, focusing his concentration as best he could. With a sudden stab of his fingers, the rocks seemed to explode from the cave opening. It seemed to do the trick. There opened a one meter long vertical rip in the face of the rock, easily exposing the cave inside. As Ranma pushed forward to exploit the rift, it seemed to close by itself; like a wound healing, it continued to close until the rock face looked exactly like it did before. Ranma and Ryouga blinked in surprise. "Maybe you didn't use enough," Ranma chided. "I used all I had," Ryouga snarled back, his fangs instinctively showing. "Well, it wasn't enough. Do it again. Maybe I can get inside this time." Ryouga repeated his preparation and stabbed again at the rock face. This time only a few centimeters of opening occurred. Clearly, either Ryouga was too drained from the fight to concentrate properly or something in the rock was able to compensate for his actions. "Once again! I need to get in there," Ranma yelled as he stepped out of the way. "I'm trying!" Ryouga shouted back. He too wanted to get inside; not for Nabiki but for his little friend, Sodoshi. The boys were about to come to blows over their combined failure when the opening mysteriously appeared on its own and Nabiki came stumbling out carrying her baby. Looking like she, too, had been through a colossal fight, Nabiki staggered to a halt and squinted at the late afternoon sunshine. Before either of the surprised boys could say or do anything, Nabiki stumbled off towards the edge of the clearing. "We must get away from here," she gasped while clutching her baby tightly to her chest as she ran. Instinctively, both boys began to follow, then paused, glanced at each other like they'd forgotten something rather important. Slowly, they turned to see Akane's form still unconscious on the grass. The pair quickly returned to her side but only Ranma was able, or brave enough, to heft the girl into his arms. A small trickle of blood escaped her ear and slowly dripped onto her shirt. Neither of the boys noticed as they were suddenly running from an earthquake sized rumbling coming from deep inside the mountain. Soon, rocks and other loose debris began to fall on the spot where Akane, only moments before, lay unconscious. More rumblings heralded larger rocks as they slammed into the ground with force enough to cause the earth around Nabiki and the others to heave and pitch. In minutes, it seemed if the entire top of the mountain had fallen, including parts of the shinobi shrine, to block the face of the mountain from all, including those with magic pendants. As the last stones fell, Nabiki and the others cautiously inched their way back out into the clearing. Only Nabiki's quick action had saved them from being crushed under tons of rock. Ranma continued to cradle Akane's body in his arms. He didn't like the way she looked. "Is she alive?" Ryouga anxiously asked, daring not to get too close yet jealous of the fact it was Ranma's arms she was resting in. Ranma listened carefully to her shallow breathing and nodded. She was alive but badly injured. As silence once again settled over the clearing, each looked at the other, thanking whatever they held most dear that they had survived. Nabiki continued to cuddle and caress her baby. She had won and escaped with her life. Sodoshi was finally in the arms of the one who risked everything for her and she seemed to know it. "Mom-ma," Sodoshi cooed softly, enjoying the sound of the word and the feel of her mother's hugs. "NABIKI!" Jeff's excited voice announced his arrival as he emerged from the edge of the woods at a dead run. Over the last few days, all he could think of was his wife and daughter. He'd broken laws, threatened people, traveled halfway across Japan, and endured dangers for this moment. No one was going to get between him and his family now. With a tearful grin, Nabiki carried her daughter proudly towards the approaching Jeffrey. She too had endured unimaginable trials to rescue her daughter; not because she was of a clan, but for the love of her child. The couple met halfway, in the remaining shaft of sunlight from the dying light of the day - the three were reunited, they were a family once again. Jeff held his wife first, fighting his own tears of relief at finding her safe. Nabiki accepted the painful handling, her head gratefully nestled at the base of his neck. "Da-DA!" Sodoshi squealed as her tiny arms wrapped themselves around her father's neck. Jeff switched from hugging his wife to holding his daughter; the object of all he'd been through. Nabiki, happily allowed the reunion; now more confident of her place in the family. To her surprise, Sodoshi quickly finished with her hugs of her father and immediately reached once again for her mother. She loved her daddy but it was her mother's arms she now most desired. "Mom-MA!" Sodoshi crowed as she clung tightly to Nabiki's neck. Nabiki beamed with motherly pride as she gently nuzzled her daughter's cheek. She'd earned the title. She'd learned what being a mother really meant. Slowly, Jamie trudged out of the woods, his weapon slung over his shoulder and grinning from ear to ear. It was the kind of finish to a job that made everything worth while. Making sure to remain in the background so as to not intrude on the happy reunion taking place, he quietly worked his way towards Ranma and the limp form in his arms. "She won't wake up," Ranma quietly moaned as he gently placed Akane's body on the soft grass. Jamie quickly checked her eyes and examined her wound. "Concussion," he mumbled. The girl was in trouble and this was no place to treat such an injury. "We've got to get her to a hospital quickly." As if on cue, Inspector Abe emerged from the woods with a dozen police officers in tow. Quickly, he took control of the area and ordered the roundup of the remaining ninjas. He paused only briefly at the sight of the rejoicing family before joining Jamie at Akane's side. "Carry the girl down to the village." Abe pointed back the way he'd come. "There's a helicopter on its way. It'll take her to the hospital." Ranma, once again, hefted the unconscious Akane into his arms, taking special care to cradle her injured head against his chest. "Stupid tomboy. I knew this would happen," Ranma muttered as he trundled towards the village, thankful that it was downhill all the way. With each step, he vowed to talk to Akane later about a diet. Ryouga followed, grumbling about the way Ranma talked about Akane when she couldn't hear him. Nabiki, as if seeing Akane's condition for the first time, took a few steps towards the departing trio, her face screwed into a look of frightened panic. "She'll be alright if we get her to a hospital quickly," Abe calmly said while holding his hand up to halt Nabiki's attempt to follow. "However, I'm afraid there's one more unpleasantry to take care of here." He motioned for Jamie to join them and scowled at the ground as he waited. Jeff and Nabiki continued to watch Ranma until he disappeared into the woods. Silently, Nabiki began to wonder if the price they had to pay for Sodoshi's return was too high. "I'm afraid I have some bad news for you." Abe turned to Jeff and Jamie. "Please forgive me, but our laws are quite clear on this issue. So long as you have those weapons in your possession, you are criminals. I'm sorry, but you're both under arrest." Jamie instinctively bristled at the apparent betrayal of their trust by the inspector. But his reaction was nothing compared to Nabiki's. Stunned out of her worry over Akane by the Inspector's declaration, Nabiki handed Sodoshi to Jeff and launched into a verbal assault that rivaled anything the Inspector had ever experienced; including Jeff's of the previous day. Her battered face crimson with anger, Nabiki pressed home her attack, screaming how unjust this all was and how her husband was only trying to save his daughter from a kidnapper. All of which was true but irrelevant. Everyone present knew it. Gently, Jeff pulled his wife away from the shaken Inspector, all the while Nabiki continued her verbal assault, making it abundantly clear this was not the last the Inspector, or anyone else for that matter, was going to hear about this. She was naming off everyone from the President of the United States on down who would come to Jeffrey's assistance. Abe just shook his head and insisted it was really out of his hands. He was a police officer and bound by his oath of honor to uphold the laws of his country. With further apologies, he took Jeff's weapon and turned to Jamie. It quickly became clear, the ex-SEAL was disinclined to give up without a fight. His fingers wrapped tightly around the automatic weapon, his 'fighting face' on. "Wilde, give him the gun," Jeff tiredly ordered. He knew this situation was a possibility all along. Having Abe accompany them only guaranteed this would happen once the rescue was complete. In Jeff's mind, the only thing the guns did was give them an edge in their quest. Once it was over, they would have to pay for their actions. Reluctantly, Jamie complied. "Hope you know what you're doing, skipper." He didn't like it but knew well how to take an order. Besides, where could he go? It wasn't like he could blend in with the population while he tried to slip away. "It's all my fault, anyway," Jeff sighed. "I'm responsible for both you and the weapons. I knew what I was doing." "I'm very pleased to hear that," Abe acknowledged with a nod. "Yeah, great, why don't you confess or something. Make it easy for them." Jamie was apparently feeling the effects of being captured by one he previously trusted. The 'confession' part was just his frustration talking. "Knowing when you've done something wrong is the first step to rehabilitation," Abe said to Jamie before turned back to Jeff. "I believe Mr. Lawrence is a prime candidate for rehabilitation. He knows what he did wrong and is appropriately remorseful for it." "Maybe I'll get time off for good behavior," Jeff mumbled while stroking his daughter's hair. The longer they looked at each other, the more Jeff concluded he'd done the right thing. Besides, he could still hire expensive lawyers and maybe, just maybe, he could beat the charge. "You will both wait here until an officer comes for you." Abe politely indicated the way to the village for Nabiki but she just closed her eyes and shook her head. She was determined to remain with her husband as long as possible. There were times Jeffrey's sense of honor and fairness made their lives harder than necessary; frustrating Nabiki when a little lie or deception would have done just as well. Deep down though, she had to admit, it was one of the things she admired about him. Abe shouted a few orders to his officers and they immediately gathered up the remaining ninjas and started back to the village. In minutes, the Lawrences and Jamie were alone in the clearing as the darkness closed in on them. "You know, kid, I'm proud of you." Jamie wandered over and sat on a large chunk of rock from the shinobi shrine. "You handled yourself real well today. By the way, did I happen to mention that I get time and a half for going to jail?" Jeff was about to say something amusing when he noticed a white shimmering figure coming from the direction of the blocked cave. Nabiki too noticed its approach and the pair stared, their mouths open, as the form slowly drew up behind the unsuspecting Jamie Wilde. "And I want to tell you," Jamie noted tiredly while lighting a cigar. "Wait till you get my bill." Jeff was about to call out a warning when the shimmering figure slowly started to take shape. Like a picture coming into focus, a female shadow warrior appeared standing on a large boulder directly behind the grinning Jamie Wilde and his cigar. Nabiki demurely smiled at who it was. "Greetings, clan sister," Sodoshi Tanaka said in an ethereal voice. Jamie's eyes 'bonged' open at the sound of Tanaka's voice. Slowly, they traveled a path that finally ended by looking up at the shimmering white apparition that stood less than an arm's length behind him. Without a sound, Jamie bolted, only stopping when he gained Jeff's side, where he stood staring like he'd seen a ghost. "I see you're keeping better company, clan sister." Sodoshi Tanaka's eyes seemed to look right through Jamie. Jeff squinted at the figure before him, trying to make a connection of just where he'd seen this person before. "Wasn't she...?" he began. "At the wedding in Hawaii, yes. She was one of Master Sato's 'friends' that came to our rescue." Nabiki's smile was genuine as she looked at the spirit of her departed best friend. "So you are... I mean, were Sodoshi Tanaka." Jeff tried to sound calm but it wasn't easy talking to a manifestation of a dead person he'd only heard of. Sodoshi's laugh accompanied Nabiki's explanation. "She's one who came to my assistance in the cave." Nabiki's face grew dark as she recalled all that had happened during her escape. A question for Sodoshi sprung to her lips before she had a chance to halt it's flight. "What of mother?" "The evil that was Fukoono the Elder is now trapped in a realm of which there is no escape.... provided there is a sentry. Your mother, a chunin, is the only spirit among our people who can assure he does not return." "No...." Nabiki's plaintive denial accompanied her step towards Sodoshi Tanaka. During the fight, she never considered her mother would have to sacrifice her own spiritual immortality to assure her daughter's safety. Jeff's hands on Nabiki's shoulders slowly drew her back into his embrace. Nabiki rolled her face into his chest, gritting her teeth at losing her mother for the second time. "Mother... why?" she whispered softly. Only Jeff and Sodoshi Tanaka heard her. "Your mother knew all along she would not be coming back." Sodoshi's form slowly assumed a cross-legged sitting position on the rock. "She knew she would not be able to stand guard over both her family *and* the evil Fukoono." "But what about you? Why were you spared?" Nabiki's face turned to her late friend, her expression was hard but pleading. "Your mother knew you needed someone to help guide and protect your baby." Sodoshi Tanaka's smile was directed at her namesake. "Just before sealing the exit, I was thrust out of the battle by your mother with just one instruction: 'Protect my grandchild'." Nabiki glanced at the staring baby in her arms and back at the ghostly shadow warrior before her. "Then..." "I will not go away, Nabiki Tendo-Lawrence. I will always be close by to protect little Sodoshi." The spirit rested her elbows on her knees, folded her hands together and rested her chin on her hands. "I think I'll like this job." "I've seen things you wouldn't believe in my time," Jamie mumbled to Jeff. "But I *never* would have believed I would be listening to a conversation with a ghost." Sodoshi Tanaka shifted her gaze to take in the ex-SEAL. Instinctively, Jamie took a slight step back. "By the way, who's your cute friend?" the spirit inquired with a little seductive grin. Jamie had been propositioned by many women in his life, but facing such forwardness by a dead girl was more than he bargained for. Jeff, however, found the whole idea quite amusing. "Forgive me for my lack of manners," he said while turning and taking hold of Jamie's arm. "This is Jamie Wilde. A friend." Sodoshi Tanaka stared intently at the shaken Jamie for a few seconds before smiling coyly. "Well, now. Cute *and* a warrior as well." She seemed pleased with her discovery. A discovery that left Jamie distinctly uncomfortable. "I think I will like waiting for him." "Is she talking about...?" Jamie whispered loudly to Jeff, half hoping he was wrong about what he supposed she was inferring. "Yup, looks like you have a new girlfriend." Jeff grinned back at the ex-SEAL, clearly enjoying all the implications. "Mr. Lawrence, she's dead!" "Well, consider her something to look forward too." While all this was going on, Nabiki, with her baby still in her arms, drifted closer to the mountainous pile of rocks blocking the cave entrance. Somewhere.... somewhere deep inside that mountain was the spirit of her mother, guarding forever the entrance to Fukoono's realm of madness - forever gone from her family. Silently, Nabiki mourned her mother's situation. "She's not unhappy, you know," came Sodoshi Tanaka's voice as the spirit assumed a place by Nabiki's side. Both were sadly staring at the rocks blocking the entrance. "It's just she can never leave lest Fukoono escape." Sodoshi Tanaka slowly turned to her clan sister and cocked her head slightly with a small smile. "She is able to reconstruct her happy world for all eternity. And she is with the ones she loved most; you, Kasumi, Akane..." "Kasumi," Nabiki suddenly lamented. The thought of what her older sister would do now that mother could no longer contact her was not a happy one. As if she could read Nabiki's thoughts, the spirit smiled broadly. "Your sister has found someone to replace her mother." Nabiki's scowl broadcast her concern. Kasumi survived the death of their mother only because she had daily contacts with their mother's spirit. Nabiki was unsure *anyone* could replace that. Her ponderings were interrupted when her clan sister changed the subject. "I really want you to know how sorry I am for all the things I tried to do to you." Sodoshi looked at the ground and scowled. Nabiki marveled at how attractive Sodoshi was, even when she was scowling. "I was being foolish, self-centered, and childish. You didn't deserve all the things I did to you. I'm sorry." Sodoshi Tanaka finished with a slow bow of respect to her clan sister. In death, all had been revealed to Sodoshi. Much of what she saw of her actions in life, she didn't especially like. Most embarrassing of all was the way she acted towards Nabiki when all the younger girl did was try to help. She felt genuine shame in some of the actions of her life - as would be expected of anyone. But her actions towards Nabiki remained burned into her afterlife memory like a brand. Nabiki snorted. "I would have been disappointed if you acted any other way, Sodoshi. You were a warrior of my clan, out for revenge on those who killed your family. I don't blame you for your hatred *or* your actions. It's what you did in the end that marked your life, as far as I'm concerned, - not the trivia of your day to day existence." The two slowly grinned at each other, Sodoshi's ghostly 'cover girl' smile being matched by Nabiki's typical sardonic grin. "Just promise me one thing, Sodoshi." "Anything." "The bedroom is off limits. I can handle Jeffrey on my own." Sodoshi Tanaka seemed to silently chuckle. Nabiki always did have a way with her. "Fear not. I can only appear when you wish for me. Otherwise, I cannot even enter your realm of existence." Sodoshi's form began to slowly fade; her body already becoming transparent. "I have to go now. The combined chi of my sister genin is not enough to maintain my presence here for very long. In the future, *you* must send for me." "Tell mother.... Well, tell her...." Nabiki suddenly felt tongue tied, her mind whirling with possible appropriate messages for her mother. "I know, Nabiki. I'll tell her." Sodoshi was barely a shadow now, her voice seeming to come from far away. "I'll always be there for you, sister. I'll never go away." "Thank you.... Oneechan," Nabiki whispered to the spot where Sodoshi Tanaka, only moments before, appeared to stand. Little Sodoshi pointed to the departing spirit and squealed something definitive in her baby gibberish before resuming her position with her head resting on Nabiki's chest just under her mother's chin, her little thumb firmly in her mouth. As the clearing darkened with the setting sun, Nabiki stroked her daughter's head lightly as they continued to stare at the spot Sodoshi Tanaka disappeared from. Only the cicadas persistent song broke the silence. Nabiki's introspection was interrupted by the arrival of a young police officer, obviously sent by Inspector Abe. Reluctantly, Jamie and Jeff presented their arms, wrists held together, and awaited the start of their incarceration. There was, however, a small problem. "We're ready to go. We won't give you any trouble," Jeff said sadly while casting glances at his wife and daughter. "I don't understand, gentlemen," the young officer replied with a concerned scowl. He just couldn't understand why these two were acting like they were surrendering. Perhaps it was an American joke of some kind. Jeff and Jamie warily looked at each other before turning back to the young officer. "Excuse me, but just what *are* your orders?" Jamie asked as he slowly withdrew his arms. Jeff did the same, his hands coming to hide deep in his pockets for safety. "Inspector Abe ordered me to escort the two of you and the lady over there, along with her baby, safely home to Nerima." He blinked like there was something he hadn't been told. "That's all?" "That's all." Nabiki, finally joining her husband, was the first to figure out what was happening. Her light giggle and loving caress of her husband clued all to her knowledge. "What's so funny, Nabs?" Jeff asked as his wife slipped her arm through his and pulled herself close. "It's what Abe-san said, Jeffrey." Nabiki chuckled again, this time out loud. She switched to English. "He said: 'as long as you have weapons in your possession' you are criminals. Don't you get it?" Jeff's head slowly swiveled to exchange looks with a grinning Jamie. The two started chuckling, as much with relief as with the realization that they'd been had. "That sly old fox," Jeff laughed out loud in English. "He followed the letter of the law and still found a way of letting us go." Jamie broadly slapped Jeff on the back, fully enjoying the cleverness of their new friend. "By taking our weapons, he was clearing us. He maintained his honor and *still* skunked the system." "It's because of his niece, I'll bet." Jeff looked past the young officer towards the village in time to see the lights of a helicopter taking off. His voice becoming almost a whisper. "I hope she makes it." He meant it too. "I don't understand," the young officer lamented in Japanese as he looked from Nabiki to Jeff to Jamie. "It's not important," Nabiki finally chuckled his way. "Shall we be going?" The young officer just shrugged, pointed the way back to the village and followed a respectful distance behind. Somewhere before they reached the village, Jeff started chuckling again. "What's so funny now, skipper?" "I just remembered I won't have to pay you time and a half for 10 to 20 years." Jeff laughed out loud. "Wait till you get my bill." "I'll let you take that up with my personal accountant." "Who's that?" Jeff just pointed to Nabiki who grinned back at Jamie like a cat about to devour a mouse. Jamie swallowed hard. "I've got a feeling I'm barely going to make minimum wage," Jamie lamented with an exaggerated scowl. "If you're lucky," Nabiki chirped. "You did keep your receipts, didn't you?" Jamie just snorted and cast Nabiki a mock look of disgust. "And I thought dealing with Rachel was tough." "And don't you ever forget it," Nabiki grinned as she handed Sodoshi to her husband. Jeff immediately understood why she was willing to relinquish possession of the child. Sodoshi was wet again. A fact that was further confirmed by Nabiki wiping her forearm on Jeff's shirt. "Thank you," Jeff said with a grin of resignation. "You're quite welcome," Nabiki grinned while sliding her arm around her husband's waist and pulling him tightly to her. They may have arrived separately, but they were leaving a family. ***** 14 ***** Three days later, in Akane's room, there was a gathering, of sorts. Akane, now able to sit up in her bed, a giant bandage wrapped around her head, looked only slightly worse for wear after her first major fight in over a year. Ranma, sitting on her desk chair pulled up to the side of her bed, looked relieved yet still nervous. Kasumi, her injured foot in a walking cast, sat across the room holding the playful Sodoshi, occasionally casting happy glances at Dr. Tofu who stood behind her making faces at the baby. Jeff and Nabiki occupied the area near the door and leaned lightly against the wall, looking like a pair of bookends as they watched happily their gathered extended family. The fathers stood over by the window, their arms around each other's shoulders, grinning from ear to ear. They had beaten the best of the shinobi nation, or so they convinced themselves. Their story of their own encounter had grown over the last few days to a battle royal involving over 200 trained ninja assassins and resulting in them singlehandedly saving most of Tokyo proper. Truly, they were legends in their own minds. Ryouga rounded out the family gathering, in spite of the fact he looked the most miserable of anyone in the room. Perhaps it was because of the way Akane kept looking at his boyhood rival, Ranma. He couldn't help but notice the wistful look she periodically gave Ranma whenever his head turned to look at someone else. Each Akane glance stabbed at his heart. It was hard for the boy to accept the inevitable, especially where Ranma was involved. As for Ranma, his repeated nervous looks at Jeff and Nabiki confirmed that this was the best time to do the one thing he kept putting off. With a nervous lump in his throat, Ranma shifted his position enough to retrieve a small black box from his pants pocket. For several seconds, he hesitated, covering the little box with both hands like he was trying to hide it from Akane while stealing quick glances at Jeff. He couldn't help but notice that Nabiki had caught on to their little eye contact and was scowling at her husband in a questioning way. She knew something was up. With a reassuring nod from Jeff, Ranma turned to Akane, looking like someone about to publicly appraise her cooking skills. "Akane...," Ranma almost mumbled as he fiddled with the box and looked at the floor. "I know this isn't the best time... I... ah... want you to..." Running out of ability to absorb the humiliation of doing this in front of so many family members, Ranma thrust the little box in front of the slightly startled Akane. "Here - for you." "What...?" Akane looked and sounded surprised at her fiance's actions as she accepted the box from his almost trembling fingers. "Just something I thought you should... have," he mumbled while looking nervously at everyone else in the room. He was now the center of attention. He didn't like it one bit. "You don't think...." Genma started hopefully, unwilling to take his eyes off the little black box. "Hush, old friend," Soun hissed back as the pair seemed to lean in a bit closer. "It's... going... to... happen." Like Genma, he desperately hoped this was the moment they had both been waiting for. Both fathers paused like they were going to jump between their kids and complete the engagement themselves. Akane cautiously opened the little box while the room held its collective breath. As the small lid slowly tilted open, something inside sparkled in the afternoon sun. Something that caused Akane to gasp out loud and cover her mouth with her free hand. Something that stunned everyone in the room, except for Ranma and Jeff. "Oh... oh.... Ranma," Akane gasped while staring at the ring as if taking her eyes off it would cause it to disappear. Stunned beyond words, Akane couldn't cry, cheer, or say anything. She just stared at the ring as she gasped for breath. Ranma sheepishly rubbed the back of his head and looked questioningly at Jeff who shot the boy an exasperated look while motioning for him to put it on her finger. "Oh my. How beautiful," Kasumi admired the tiny ring openly, a wistful look on her face. Sodoshi just sucked her thumb and stared at her Aunt Akane. Tofu smiled and nodded. "Banzai!" Genma yelled as his arms shot into the air. "Touchdown!" Soun answered, duplicating his friend's actions. "That's 7 points, old friend." "No, six." "Are you sure?" "Says so right here." Soun pulled out a little NFL booklet Jeff had given him that morning. It had all the rules in convenient Japanese along with a schedule of games on Japanese TV. "Hmmmm, it looks like you're correct, old friend," Genma mumbled while studying the page Soun indicated. "I think this calls for a celebration," Soun crowed. "And, if you'll notice here," His finger stabbed at the TV schedule. "There's a game starting in 10 minutes." "Mr. Miyagi has a television in his bar, doesn't he?" "Why, yes, I believe you're right." Both fathers looked questioningly at Jeff who hesitated before rolling his eyes. "Okay, you guys. Tell Miyagi-san I said I'm buying... again." Jeff grinned at the fathers while Nabiki shot him a disapproving look. The fathers whooped like two kids getting a trip to Disneyland and bolted for the door. "Why do you encourage them?" Nabiki growled in mock exasperation. She didn't exactly disapprove of Jeff's actions. It's just such was costing them money and *that* bothered her. "Keep the father-in-law happy, Nabsie my dear," Jeff grinned at his wife. "The key to a happy marriage." Nabiki tried to look skeptical but failed miserably when confronted with her husband's disarming grin. With a smile of resignation and a shake of her head, she slid against her husband and hugged him. She had to admit it, he *did* have a way with her father. The rest watched as Ranma nervously removed the ring from its box to tried to fit it on Akane's trembling finger. It must have been the combined nervousness of the two as the ring never made it that far. Slipping out of Ranma's fingers and tumbling to the bed, the ring set off a mad scramble by both kids. As they simultaneously ducked down to look for the ring, their heads collided with the sound of two coconuts impacting. "Ow, BAKA!" Akane yelled, her hands going to her already injured head. "Ya clumsy.... tomboy!" Ranma held his head where it encountered Akane's, his eyes closed, in obvious pain. "Oh, for crying out loud," Jeff mumbled, covering his face in embarrassment. He couldn't believe how complicated this had all become. After all, it was just a ring being placed on a finger. Wasn't it? Nabiki just shook her head in disbelief while Kasumi covered her mouth in surprise and Tofu moved quickly to Akane's side to check for further injuries. Sodoshi however just clapped her hands and laughed at the funny faces her Aunt Akane was making. "I'm okay," Akane said as she waved off the doctor. She was being surprisingly calm. Reaching down to the blanket, she picked up the ring and placed it on her own finger. She had waited a long time for this. She wasn't going to let a little thing like a concussion keep her from it. Ranma just watched while rubbing his head. "I thought *that* went well, don't you?" Nabiki smirked to her husband in a hushed voice. "And just how long have you known about this little 'surprise' of Ranma's?" "Oh, come on." Jeff looked hurt that his wife would suggest that *he* was some way involved. "What makes you think *I* had anything to do with this?" "I've never known Ranma to have more than a thousand yen in his life. Unless that ring's plastic, someone had to help him with the purchase." Nabiki crossed her arms and fixed Jeff with her best 'look'. "And there's only one person I know of with that kind of ready money." "Nabiki, Ranma's a working man now." Jeff tried to return his wife's 'look'. Didn't work. He had never quite been able to master the same intensity that Nabiki could put into her expression. "Jeffrey, how much did you give him?" "What makes you think *I* gave him anything?" "Jeffreeeeey?" "I told you, he works now..." "Jeffreeeeey?" "Only 10,000 yen, dear," Jeff sighed in resignation. He might be a more self-confident person now but Nabiki still knew who wore the financial pants in their family. "Jeffrey, I'm becoming concerned with the way you throw money around." Nabiki's pained expression told him this was not the last he was going to hear about this subject. "Ranma," Akane said softly to her fiance while holding her hand up to admire her new engagement ring. "It's so beautiful." "Yeah, and it's a real diamond, too," Ranma shot a glance at Jeff as he continued to rub his head. "It's kinda small but I had an expert help me pick it out." "Well, *I* think it's perfect." Akane beamed while pondering how she'd finally get to show everyone proof of her engagement. There would be no more snide remarks about 'reluctant fiances' from any of the girls in her class. She had proof positive now. Still, there was something missing. "Everything would be perfect if only P-chan were here," Akane sighed. Ranma, Jeff, and Kasumi all looked at Ryouga. "Yes, well... ah, I think P-chan is really gone for good this time," Kasumi noted with some reluctance, her eyes never leaving Ryouga. "And Ryouga's very sorry about that too." Ryouga's look of pure terror and betrayal told Kasumi she was walking just a little *too* close to the edge. Jeff caught both looks and considered it his cue. "What she means is that Ryouga knew how much P-chan meant to you and thought you might need a replacement." Jeff suffered Ryouga's continued look of shock as he opened the door to the hall and pulled a small bundle of fur from a cardboard box. Akane's face lit up like a child on Christmas morning as Jeff carried the whimpering little puppy across the room and placed it in her arms. Around its neck was a small black and yellow bandana that looked exactly like the one P-chan used to wear. Akane cuddled the little pup to her chest and giggled as it tried to press its head between her arm and her body. "She's precious," Akane cooed as she stroked the pup's fuzzy body. "Thank you, Ryouga." Ryouga's confused look was quickly replaced by anticipation as he moved over to the foot of Akane's bed. "You... you really like it?" he asked with another glance at Jeff and Kasumi. He was still confused about all this but feeling more and more like someone was doing him a really big favor. "Ryouga, she's perfect." Akane held the pup up to her nose and received a tentative lick for her trouble. Akane giggled again. "How did you ever think of such a thing." "Well... I didn't really....," Ryouga mumbled while his fingers fiddled with the blanket. When he noticed how close his hands were to Akane's feet, he quickly crossed his arms out of embarrassment. He also felt a nose bleed coming on when he thought of actually touching Akane's body - any part of her body - in his human form. "Yeah, that *was* nice," Ranma admitted with a quizzical look. He knew Ryouga liked Akane but never imagined he would so willingly relinquish his love for her just because Ranma went through with the engagement. Maybe he misjudged his old rival. His mind roamed back to the fight outside the cave. It was Ryouga that came to their rescue. It was Ryouga that helped protect the injured Akane. It was Ryouga that fought so well with him against overwhelming odds. Secretly, he felt a flicker of admiration for the 'lost boy'. Ryouga cast a few questioning glances at Ranma. Ranma might still be the main cause of his curse, but without that curse, he might not have met Akane, Kasumi, or any of the other members of this family that treated him like a regular, and welcome, part of their home. And what about Jeffrey? Nabiki's husband acted like he didn't care a bit about Ryouga's curse; like it didn't make a difference to him. Abruptly, Ryouga turned to leave, casting one last look at Akane and Ranma. Akane continued to snuggle with her new puppy much like she once did with P-chan. He accidentally locked eyes with Ranma. To his surprise, Ranma nodded slowly like an acknowledgment of respect for an old adversary. Ryouga hesitantly returned Ranma's nod and scurried to the door. As he passed Jeff and Nabiki, he paused again. He wanted to say something to Jeff but couldn't think of the words. Besides, he could feel the nose bleed gathering. As he looked at the American, his question was obvious: why? Jeff said nothing but smiled at Ryouga and winked. The 'lost boy' couldn't help himself. A small smile of his own slowly grew into a full-fledged grin, exposing the tips of his fangs as he did. He wasn't sure why, but he got the feeling he was going to like this American husband of Nabiki's. With a final nervous bow of respect, Ryouga left the room. Akane and Ranma fussed with the puppy and murmured happy thoughts to each other. Kasumi looked up at Tofu, who'd returned to standing behind her, smiling happily. This was exactly the kind of family her mother used to talk about; the grown up kids together with their respective mates enjoying an afternoon together. All of which was perfect as it was also the kind of family Kasumi secretly dreamed of. However, not everything was like her mother's descriptions. Nabiki wasn't quite through with her husband yet. "So how much did you pay for the dog?" she hissed in a low voice so as not to be heard by anyone else in the room. "What difference does it make? Akane's happy," Jeff whispered back. "How much?" Nabiki insisted. "It was a bargain." "I'll bet." Nabiki's sarcastic reply included a shake of her head. "Tightwad." Jeff's taunt almost sounded sincere. "Spendthrift." Nabiki must have thought so too as her voice suddenly took on a distinct edge. "Miser." Jeff added an edge of his own as he softly snarled at his wife. Soon the accusations were flying back a forth with increasing seriousness as the couple were almost nose to nose. If anyone was watching, they would have been able to tell there was more going on than a simple disagreement over the purchase of a puppy. Nabiki's flashing eyes and Jeff's firmly set jaw marked their mutual excitement. Both were obviously highly... stimulated. "Wastrel." "Cheapskate!" "Thriftless!" "Skinflint!" "Furo?" "Drained." "Love hotel?" "When?" "Now." "You Pay." "Half." "You're on." Only Kasumi and Sodoshi noticed Jeff and Nabiki's hasty departure. Kasumi just shook her head and smiled. Some things were simply beyond her mother's predictions. Sodoshi pulled her thumb from her mouth, pointed to the departing pair and said to Kasumi: "Momma!"