The nurse adjusted the tubes and monitors in Mika's hospital room. The only sound being the beep of the heart monitor. The nurse gave Mika a sympathetic look and walked out of the room. A lone almost spirit like figure steps out of the darkness as soon as the door closes. Raizo looks down at Mika reaches out and tucks away a tendril of hair. He was allowing himself this one last contact with her. The sight of Ozunu's blade thrusting though her chest was burned on his memory and the pain of believing he had lost her was seared on his heart. After he had carried her out of the burning building and was assured she would be Ok, he knew what he had to do. He had held her in his sight for as long as he could before walking away. Trying to commit every inch of her image to his memory. He knew he could never see her again. He knew that as long as he was with her she would be a target and he could not risk losing her again. He had intended to never be in her presence again but had afforded himself this one last luxury of being near her, to breathe in her scent, to feel her heartbeat. Raizo leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. Mika stirred and her eyes fluttered open as she called out his name but no one was there.

It had been six moths since the Ozunu showdown and Mika hadn't seen nor heard from Raizo. She and Maslow had been relocated to Miami. The agency thought they would be safer on another continent. Not a bad idea and so far so good. Mika sat at her desk doodling Raizo's name trying to figure out what had happened to him. Was he Ok? Was he safe and where could he be? Did he know she was no longer in Europe? Was he still alive?

" Earth to Mika" Mika looked up as she heard Ryan call her name. She balled up the sheet of paper she was doodling on and threw it in the trash.

" Oh Ryan" she said looking a bit flustered "how long have you been there?"

"Long enough" he said "you look a bit tired why don't you call it a day"

"Oh, I'm alright" she assured him.

"Not quite Mika, look you are not fully recovered yet and the only reason we allowed you back is because we were in desperate need of a good researcher and that you promised not to overdue it. Today you look overdone."

Mika started to protest but changed her mind. She was a little tired and besides she had an appointment so why not knock off a little early.

"Ok!, Ok!" Mika said raising her hands in surrender " I'm outta here" she said getting up from her desk and grabbing her purse.

"Why not make it a late morning tomorrow Mika." Maslow said as she exited the room. Maslow reached over and picked up the piece of paper she had thrown in the trash and unraveled it to reveal Raizo's name doodled all over the page. "Let it go Mika" Maslow sighed shaking his head as he threw the paper back in the trash.

Mika had an appointment with her therapist. She really wasn't the therapist type but she had been feeling paranoid since her near death experience and who wouldn't? She had seen bodies sliced and diced, literally run from things that go bump in the night, and seen more blood than any one person should be allowed to see. So she had a visit once a week just to process the whole thing through and to have someone to talk to. She really couldn't sit down and talk to anyone else. She could just hear the conversation now. " So a ninja clan placed a hit on me because I stuck my nose where it didn't belong. I almost died except for the help of a ridiculously gorgeous, body like a Greek god super ninja who saved my life and then poof! disappeared on me. Oh and did I mention that I think I'm in love with him because he's all I think about day and night." Yeah right, she could already see the incredulous looks she would get and she would have ended up on somebody's couch anyway.

As Mika neared her doctor's office she just couldn't shake the feeling that she was being followed. It was a constant feeling she'd had since she left the hospital. She turned quickly just to check and as usual no one was there. She shrugged, good thing she had an appointment today.

Mika sat in her doctor's office across from her therapist Dr. Williamson, he was the gray haired fatherly type and he made her feel comfortable and not threatened. She had told him "a" story but not "the" story after all it was confidential and she gave him just enough information to give him an idea of what she was feeling.

"So Mika how are you feeling today?" Dr. Williamson asked.

"Well I'm feeling paranoid again, today it felt as if someone was following me but of course there wasn't. I mean most days I'm fine I just can't shake this paranoia and its irritating the hell out of me."

"The paranoia is understandable but it's been six months since you were kidnapped, and your offenders have been captured so you really should be further along by now. Have there been any other threats to your life or safety?"

"No" Mika replied feeling all the more ridiculous. Dr. Williamson thought for a moment then said "However, Mika these things do take time." He pulled out his prescription pad and began to write. He handed Mika the piece of paper and upon seeing her disapproving look reassured her that it was a low dose prescription and to use it only as needed to calm and relax her.

Once home Mika got a bite to eat and sat down at her computer. One of the reasons she was so tired was because she spent hours everyday looking for failed assassination attempts all over the world trying to find Raizo. After hours of searching with no luck Mika began to get ready for bed. She still couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched so she took one of the pills Dr. Williamson prescribed maybe it would at least help her sleep. Little did Mika know just how real her paranoia was.

Raizo had been following Mika all day. He'd had to hide in plain sight during the day. Ducking into corners and doorways so as not to be detected by Mika. Now he was perched on the rooftop of the building across from Mika's. He was pleased to see that she had all the lights on in her place "good girl" he whispered. What he was not so pleased about was the prescription bottle she had dug a pill out of. He hadn't examined it so he didn't know what is was and besides, he preferred natural remedies to that of man made chemical concoctions. Raizo's eyes were drawn to Mika's bedroom at the sound of her bathroom door opening. There she stood bathed in the light wearing a black night gown that clung to her curves revealing an hour glass figure. "Ah Mika, Mika" Raizo moaned when he saw her. He'd been trying with all his might to manage the feelings he had for her but she wasn't making it easy. Not wearing that she wasn't. Raizo watched her as she set her alarm clock and got under the covers.

"Raizo!"

It was near dawn when Raizo heard Mika scream his name. Instinctively he began to move towards her and stopped mid-stride on the rooftop when he realized she had awaken from a nightmare. He stood there breathing hard while he fought his desire to go to her and comfort her.

Mika sat shaking in her bed, terrified by the nightmare. In the dream Ozunu stood over Raizo with his sword drawn but this time Mika couldn't stop him. She watched him deliver a fatal blow to Raizo at which time she woke up screaming his name. Her heart was racing and she didn't seem to be able to catch her breath but before she could panic her heart suddenly slowed its pace and she is able to breath. Mika wiped the sweat from her forehead and then picked up the pills on her bedside table "a lot of help you were" Mika stated as she threw them in the trash. Irritated with herself Mika begins to rant "What, you save someone's life and then disappear? You don't even check up on them to see how they're doing? What's up with that huh? Then she chided herself. "Come on Mika get it together you have dealt with far worse. Well not really but you can do better than this. Besides, who needs you anyway mister ninja man!" She said sarcastically. Mika punches her pillow and falls asleep still mumbling her complaints. Raizo looks on with an affectionate smile on his face. If nothing else she was tough. He didn't mind her anger being directed at him, he deserved it and he could take an eternity of it just as long as she was safe.

As Raizo begins walking to his car he senses others near him. Three of them not more than 20 years of age. Raizo sincerely hoped that they would back off he really was not in the mood tonight. No such luck. As he is about to enter his car they approach him.

"Nice ride man" one of them says

Raizo eyed the sleek black sports car and replied "Yeah, I like it."

"Looks like we have a smart ass on our hands" another replies looking at the other two and the three begin to laugh.

Raizo replies in turn "Hey fellas, the smart thing for you to do is to go about your business and that way no one gets hurt."

"Naw man the only one gonna end up hurt here is you if you don't hand over those keys. You need to be concerned …" before he could finish his sentence all three of them were sprawled out on the street. Unconscious…. not dead.

Raizo sped along the highway with sunglasses on and his hair blowing in wind to the only place he had known as home since he disengaged from Ozunu. When he fell from the rooftop that rainy night he'd considered himself dead. He awoke the next day with bandages covering his wounds which in fact resembled a body cast because they covered his entire body. That's when Raizo was introduced to his benefactor Conrad Simmons. Simmons was an investment banker, who at the time, was involved with some shady clients. His philosophy at the time was to follow the dough. Simmons himself was not a target of the Ozunu but he just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. There was a party given by one of his big wig clients who was dirty just as the majority of the other attendees that night. There was lots of food, lots of dancing and lots of booze, and people were having fun. The host of the party received an envelope that looked like it might be a card. When he opened it the only content was black sand. Then the lights went out. It was stark still for a moment then all hell broke loose. He heard people screaming out in agony. He could feel movement swishing past and around him but he couldn't see. He pulled out a pin flashlight attached to his keys. It wasn't much light but it was enough for him to witness the vicious attack of the Ozunu.

He was trying to make his way to the door when he felt the worst pain of his life penetrate his back with enough force to knock him to the floor. It was over in mere minutes. When help got to them Simmons' heart had stopped beating but he was revived by the paramedics. No one believed his story and told him that the pain medicine was causing him to hallucinate. Once recovered, Simmons liquidated his assets. Changed his identity and started over, legit this time, but with a new hobby. Searching for ninjas to prove their existence and his sanity.

Simmons did research and became familiar with the nine clans and their killers for hire. Because he knew his way in and out of every banking system in the world he began tracking bank transactions equivalent to one hundred pounds of gold to try to determine the next hit. He got a possible hit and with a little detective work was able to narrow down the location. On that night he'd positioned himself on the lake in a high powered speed boat thinking he could get away easier if detected. Hopefully he could get some pictures using his state of the art camera but he got much more than he'd bargained for. When Raizo hit the water he pulled him out and sped out of there as fast as he could.

Raizo listened intently as Simmons told his story. He was observing him for any signs of deceit. Raizo didn't find any. Besides if he were not telling the truth Simmons would be more inclined to kill him rather than to save him. Simmons took Raizo to his hideaway mansion in the desert miles away from anywhere. The mansion was more like a mini command center set up for one purpose-to find ninjas. It was also very spacious with several living quarters attached that resembled apartments each having a bathroom and a kitchen to ensure total privacy for its occupants. There Raizo met Mi-Ying and Katuro. Mi-Ying was the housekeeper and cook. Katuro was the gardener but was also trained in the ancient remedies and uses of plants and herbs. He had a small lab where he concocted anything from medicines to deserts. He was also a ninja enthusiast and had a library of reference books some of which dated back to the 1600's.

Raizo was quiet and reserved when he got there and understandably so. Mi-Ying managed to draw him out of his room with the aroma of her delicious cooking. Because they knew how traumatized he'd been they would all gather at dinner and coax Raizo out of his isolation. They soon won his trust and Raizo began to come into his own personality rather that the one assigned to him by Ozunu. Simmons and Raizo had a common goal-to get Ozunu. Simmons had the technology and Raizo had the skills. Simmons offered to partner with Raizo and he agreed. Simmons set Raizo up with a new identity, which wasn't hard considering the fact that he didn't have one to begin with. He also set him up with a bank account and deposited in it more money than Raizo knew existed. When Raizo asked why so much, that he wasn't in it for the money, but to get Ozunu. Simmons explained that he wanted Raizo to have the means to get anything he needed anywhere in the world and considering the risk Raizo was taking it was far too little. Thus a partnership and a friendship was formed and Raizo's revenge on Ozunu began.