~Chapter Two~

[Present Day/Two Years Later]

It's been a month since your parents' death and you've been living on your own since then under the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). You have finally mastered Ninjutsu and personally own a pair of katanas and a set of shurikens along with five custom made daggers. After you found out that your parents had been brutally murdered when you were away at school, there had been a series of near deaths when, as you wanted to believe, the same assassinator who murdered your parents attempted to assassinate you as well. Since these life and death situations have been in a constant time period, it prompted the FBI to have you under their victim-witness protection program. Whenever the assassinator finds you and nearly succeeds, they move you to a new home and country along with a new identity yet somehow the person seems to find you. During each failed attempt, you by some mean manage to survive seeing as you were well trained in the arts of Ninjutsu by your new and last Sensei over the past year before the tragic incident.

[Flashback/One year before/Ninjutsu Academy of Iwatakai]

You and your Sensei were walking down the temple discussing your training as a student.

Sensei: "I must say I am most impressed with your progress, my student. But as you may have figured it out already, I am getting too old for this." You stopped walking and he turned to face you.

Mercedes: "Sensei, you can't retire now!" I haven't completed my training yet!" He held up a hand.

Sensei: "Patience, my young one." You found your place and bowed to him.

Mercedes: "Forgive me, master. I take you for granted sometimes without thanking you for what you've done for me."

Sensei: "Tut-tut. Now you should know better than to admit the most easily recognized mistakes to your old master, hmm." He said with a grave voice but a smile nonetheless. You postured yourself properly and he placed a hand to the door.

Mercedes: "It's just that I was really looking forward to receiving my black belt, Sensei. I was nearly there."

Sensei: "And so you shall receive it." A huge grin appeared on your face and the Sensei pulled the doors apart. "I have assigned you a new master." The person's back was to you and was dressed in all white with a katana resting within his white jacket at the back. Something about the scent of this person made your brain go rewind.

Thomas A.: "I had a feeling we were going to meet again." The voice brought back the first memory that came to your mind. One year back when your parents left you to yourself for three weeks and he was supposed to be your guardian in which he attempted to annihilate you with a shuriken through your apple. You squinted your eyes with fury and vengeance and pulled out your double-sided katana.

Mercedes: "You?"

Thomas A.: "Yes me." He turned around. "I would rather you put that weapon back in its place. We both know what's going to happen if I unleash mines." You glared at the familiar face that had once offered you a hand in your kitchen. "Let's see how well you've gotten over the one year." He threw three shurikens after you with blinding knowledge and out of reflex, managed to knock one of them with one side of your blade. The second one, you caught red-handed but the third, missed by a second slightly grazing your right upper arm. "Two out of three. Not bad. But you still need some work." He picked up the first one off the floor, plucked the third from the wall, and yanked the second one from your reach walking away. You folded your arms disapprovingly but winced in pain. You faced your Sensei and started complaining.

Mercedes: "No. Why? Why Sensei? I am not going to learn Ninjutsu from someone who never bothers to offer me his name, tried to kill me four times, and is such a stuck up person!" He smiled at your comment about himself and made his way right in front of you.

Thomas A.: "My name is Thomas Arashikage. I also go by the name Storm Shadow." You let out a laugh.

Mercedes: "Storm Shadow my foot." In a lighting motion, you pulled out your pocket dagger and aimed it for his left eye. Without a struggle, he simply caught your wrist inches away and once again his sword out ruled your attack.

Thomas A.: "Ah, ah, ah. Nice try." He looked at how close the knife was and then back at you. "Close. But not close enough."

Mercedes: "I'll get there one of these days." You threateningly said and he smirked.

[Flashback Ends]

Now two days have come and go and you haven't been resting easy seeing as your assassinator hasn't been plotting your death. You grew even more paranoid by the fact and decided to take matters into your hands. You wanted revenge over your parents' death and swore your life to it. Just when you went in search for answers, they came to you instead. As a former Captain on the G.I. Joe elites, your father had people in high places that earned you a spot as well. You specifically remembered years ago that you told your mother and father if you were to ever get a job it would be nothing dealing with what their careers reflect. That changed all at once after their deaths and you were now making your way to the G.I. Joe's secret base in Egypt.

[Twelve Hours Later]

(For your combat/inside rhw base uniform, I decided to go with Jill Valentine's Resident Evil movie version. Where there are weapon holders, you will have two single swords hidden at the bottom sides of your behind and a double-sided katana to the back. You also carry around five shurikens and a pack of three daggers.)

Aboard the G.I. Joe cruiser, all eyes were on you as you ignored them and continued to clean you swords. There were three lower military rank soldiers and two of the upper level in the jet.

Soldier one: "Why are you here?" You paused cleaning your sword and glare at him without lifting your head up. The soldier immediately fell silent and said no other word after that. The other men on the jet watched each other and exchanged smirks.

Captain: "Alright ladies, get your stuff together. We're ready for a smooth landing in five minutes." The captain spoke over the intercom. You paid no attention to it and went about your business. At exactly five minutes, the jet landed very roughly inside base. You were one of the few to get up first by stating a statement.

Mercedes: "So much for smooth." You made your way to the exit door when it flipped open and there stood the General awaiting the groups' arrival. One of the other soldiers made an attempt to walk out before you but you kicked your left leg and stabbed one of your blades against the door. You eyed him dangerously and he paused midway in his actions looking at you frighteningly. "Ladies first." You simply said with a sarcastic smile along with a soft scoff and grabbed your sword, twirling it around as you jumped off the stairs that led to the jet. A woman by the name of Courtney Kreiger, alias Cover Girl, stepped up to the General and handed him a tablet of some sort.

H. Duty: "Another set of recruits, sir." He said unhappily. "It was hard to track down that one but we managed." He nodded towards your direction and then back at the General. "Apparently FBI has her under custody. Parents were murdered a—"

G. Hawk: "A month ago. I read her bio. I specifically asked for her. Her father was Captain Tsang of Team Alpha." He faced Heavy Duty. "You remember him. You used to refer to him as a "Bastard". Loves blowing stuff up in the lab and wooing about it. Perfect teammates him and you."

Mercedes: "So what does this has to do with me? I just want in." You said in a monotonous tone that expressed complete boredom. The General looked at you with interest.

G. Hawk: "When you come to this Joe base, you don't just get recruited. You get asked to join the G.I. Joe."

Mercedes: "So I'm guessing I'm in." You shrugged your shoulders and rolled your eyes at him.

G. Hawk: "Did you hear a word I just said?"

Mercedes: "Every. Single. One. And you were the one that said, 'I specifically ask for her.' This means I'm in. You asked for me. Your call."

H. Duty: "Guess she did hear every single word." He spoke silently but you heard him. You gave a quick glance at him without any head contact and continued listening to what the General had to say.