Previously: Leifang received an e-mail from Jann Lee stating that he was off to Japan at a friend's request. Assuming that Jann Lee was headed for the 4th Dead or Alive tournament, Leifang promised herself that she will also go to Japan to beat Jann Lee once and for all.

The next day Jann arrived at Ryu Hayabusa's house and the two immediately head off...

Tina and Bass Armstrong, along with several other viewers, went to see Tina's latest movie, Fire Cracker. When the movie ended, Bass talked about Tina's future as an actress and the two began to negotiate. As the father and daughter became closer together, the loud-mouth Zack from the previous D.O.A. tournament interrupted. Tina and Zack gave each other a hug and the three of them go out to lunch.

Once again the story continues...

Chapter 3

----D...O...A----

In the mists of the woods stands Melani Hui, Kasumi, Hayate and Ayane. They await the arrival of Ryu Hayabusa and Jann Lee.

"They should be here soon," Melani says.

"How do you know?" Hayate asks.

"My telepathic powers are picking up their brain waves," Melani says. 5 minutes go by and Ryu and Jann reunite with their friends.

"Who are we after? DOATEC or the assassins sent to destroy Kasumi?" Jann asks.

"I am almost positive that the assassins that captured my mother are the ones after Kasumi," Melani answers. "DOATEC may be involved. As you all were informed, I was captured by them as an infant. Now that I escaped they're probably after me as well."

"So you cannot blame my sister. It may be your fault why your mom is gone!" Hayate says.

"Hayate!" Ayane scolds.

"I'm sorry, Melani. But isn't it a possibility that DOATEC kidnapped your mother while trying to rekidnap you? It may not have been the assassins that are after Kasumi. Can't your telepathy figure out who is behind this?" Hayate asks.

"No. Whoever it is has a mental block keeping me from them," Melani says.

"Only DOATEC could have established that mental block," Hayate says. "It is DOATEC. Not the Shinobi assassins."

"Brother...before Melani and I left, we viewed my tarot cards. The Shinobi assassins will be coming in the near future," Kasumi is cut off by a loud war cry. Several daggers are thrown towards her. She dodges them with ease.

"The assassins are here now!" Melani says. "Get ready!"

The Shinobi assassins surround the group of fighters.

"We are greatly outnumbered!" Ayane gasps.

"Oh no! We cannot let any of them live. If words get out that Ayane and I were seeing Kasumi, we too will be forced to become runaway Shinobi," Hayate says.

"But by killing them we'll break the code! Hayate...we broke the code. If we let them live, they'll tell the other Shinobi that we were with Kasumi. If we kill them all, the Shinobi will find out from their battle wounds on their dead bodies! They know our fighting styles! They'll be able to detect our scents on their bodies!"

"So we'll have to dispose the bodies," Hayate says.

"But you will not be able to!" a deep voice shouts from a low tree branch. A beautiful, cold-blooded woman jumps off the branch and onto the ground.

"Christie!" Jann Lee gasps. A large man wearing all black stands next to Christie.

"Bayman!" Ryu Hayabusa says.

"Who sent you?" Hayate demands.

"Not telling," Christie responds.

"DOATEC did!" Melani says removing her hand from her forehead.

"You were picking my thoughts, weren't you you bitch!" Christie says leaping towards Melani. Purple energy surrounds Melani's body. Christie is thrown backwards when she makes contact with the energy.

"My telepathic force-field will protect me from harm! I can't help the rest of you!" Melani says. The Shinobi assassins begin to attack. Hayate grabs two by the neck.

"What are you doing with DOATEC?!" Hayate yells. They do not answer.

"That's right. If you talk to a runaway Shinobi you break the code," Hayate says. "Well, if you don't answer soon I'll snap both of your necks!"

"BUMP!"

Hayate falls to the ground feeling great pain in his back. Bayman places his foot on Hayate's back.

"You dare strike my brother from behind?!" Kasumi kicks Bayman hard knocking him off Hayate. Kasumi grabs Bayman's shoulders and flips over him. As she flips over Bayman, she thrusts him into a tree. Three Shinobi assassins grab her. Ayane runs to her half-sister's need. She holds her hands out and she begins to twirl at a rapid pace. The 3 Shinobi assassins fall as Ayane hits them.

"Thank you, Ayane!" Kasumi says.

"It is no time for thank yous, Kasumi!" Ayane responds hitting another assassin.

"CRACK!"

Christie hits Jann Lee from behind. Jann Lee falls over.

"Christie!" Jann flips to his feet and kicks Christie in her gut several times. 4 Shinobi assassins grab Jann Lee and hit him on the back of his head. Jann falls unconcious.

"Jann!" Hayate shouts trying to move. "Blast!" Hayate thinks. "My back hurts too much!" Hayate struggles to move as he sees Ryu Hayabusa being beaten with chains by several assassins.

"STOP THIS MADNESS NOW!" Hayate feels helpless as the rest of his friends fall. The only one remaining is Melani.

"Tie those 5 together!" Christie orders. Bayman and several assassins rap the 5 in chains.

"You can't hurt me!" Melani says. "My force-field will protect me from your physical contact!"

"Tsseeew!"

A tranquilizer is sent into Melani's neck. Melani falls.

"Apparently it doesn't protect you from a tranquilizer," Christie laughs tying Melani with the rest of her friends.

"Bayman. We will bring Melani to her mother," Christie says.

"Where is she?" Kasumi asks trying to break free of the chains.

"At DOATEC," Christie laughs evilly. "What do you suggest we do with the rest?"

"We kill them," Bayman answers.

"No."

"What did you say?" Bayman sneers at Christie.

"We are both assassins. Our mission was not to kill them. We were sent to retrieve Melani and stop the others from helping her."

"You listen to me Christie-"

"No Bayman! I'm only partnered with you because I'm being paid. I rather see you die instead of these 6 fighters!" Christie yells. "We'll throw them in a cave or something."

"But they'll die of starvation and lack of nutrience. Why make them suffer when we can give them a quick, easy death?"

"Because suffering is more evil and much more fun," Christie says.

"SWAP! THRAP! BLAM!"

The sounds of kicks and fists sound like thunder as Christie, Bayman and the Shinobi assassins fall.

"Now I know why Chen sent me here," a man with gray hair says.

"Brad Wong!" Jann Lee says as he begins to wake.

"Hello, fellow D.O.A. competitors! Who's the purple chick and why is she unconscious?" Brad asks.

"She is not unconscious. She was shot with a tranquilizer by Christie," Ayane answers. "Are you going to help us up or are you going to continue to stare at my chest?"

"I'll help you all up," Brad breaks the chains. The 5 fighters stand up and Melani begins to wake.

"Huh? How did you defeat Christie, Bayman and the Shinobi?" Melani asks.

"Hello. I would be responsible for their defeat," Brad says. "My name is Brad Wong. I was sent by my master to retrieve a jewel in this forest. When I saw you in danger, I decided to help. But I must be on my way."

"Thank you, Brad," Melani says.

"Your welcome," Brad leaps off into the distance.

----D...O...A----

A taxi pulls into the front of a forest. Leifang steps outside and smiles.

"This is where one of the battles took place in the last D.O.A. tournament," Leifang says to herself. "Jann might be in there. I lost track of him ever since he left the airport."

Brad Wong runs out of the forest carrying a jewel.

"Hi Brad!" Leifang says.

"Leifang? Hello!"

"What are you doing here?" Leifang asks.

"I was sent by master Chen. What a reunion!"

"What do you mean?"

"Jann, Ryu, Hayate, Ayane, Kasumi and some chick named Melani are in the forest."

"Jann?! In the forest?"

"Well...I saw him about an hour ago. He still might be there," Brad says. "I must go, Leifang. Sorry I can't help."

"You did," Leifang says heading into the forest. She sees a nearby river and uses the river as her path. "I'll find you Jann. And I'll find the other competitors as well."

...to be continued