Lives At Risk

About three years later

Urenna (Later known as Master Raven)

Age: 19 years old.

Height: 173 centimeters

Weight: 54 kilograms

Current Ninja Rank: Jonin

Santi (Later known as Raven)

Age: 10 years old

Height: 138 centimeters

Weight: 31 kilograms

Current Ninja Rank: Chunin

Hide Umezu (Also known as Crow)

Age: 50 years old

Height: 175 centimeters

Weight: 83 kilograms

Current Rank: Kage (Headmaster of his clan)

Omani Tsuboi

Age: 48 years old

Height: 167 centimeters

Weight: 60 kilograms (lost a few pounds)

Current Rank: Jonin

Bryce (Later known as Condor)

Age: 3 years old

Antsiranana, Madagascar, At the city port

For the first time ever, Hide's oldest disciples in his clan were sent out on a mission to work together. For Santi, this was also a test for him to pass the ninja exam for the Genin position. His current rank was Chunin. Urenna would supervise and grade his development throughout the mission.

While the first ever King of Iron Tournament was underway, Urenna and Santi were given orders to help rescue a certain doctor from captivity. This doctor recently ran away from the Mishima Zaibatsu Bioengineering division to help with the extreme malaria outbreak which has plagued the island nation of Madagascar. However, Zaibatsu soldiers were also looking for this doctor since she did not notify them of her sudden departure. The doctor reached out to the United Nations for protection. So, the young ninjas of Shika clan would find and help the doctor escape the country.

The United Nations provided a chopper for the ninjas to ride for the country of nearby Comoros. Then the ninjas snuck inside a ship heading for a port city in Madagascar called Antsiranana. The area was infested with Zaibatsu soldiers patrolling the port along with the help of the country's national guard. Hiding under the lower deck of the ship, Urenna and Santi looked out of the window to see how they could enter the town without getting caught.

Urenna: "Damn it! Security is deeper than I thought it would be."

Santi: "We have been on the ship a long time. I'm ready to leave!"

Urenna: "Then put those eyes to good use and help me find an escape route!"

Santi: "Alright."

They both look from the window

Urenna: "Hold on."

Santi: "Hold on what?"

Urenna: "The ship is starting to unload cargo. See the walkway the workers are putting together?"

Santi: "Yeah…I do."

Urenna: "Ok. We will just hide inside one of the boxes, until it's safe to get out."

Santi: "There are no boxes in here."

Urenna: "It's cool. Just follow me. I'll make a way into their supply space."

So following her lead, Santi carefully snuck with Urenna into the supply zone part of the ship. They managed to open up a box that was empty before the workers could see them. Eventually, a ship worker came over with a forklift to pick up the box which was carrying the ninjas inside and brought it out of the ship and into a warehouse at the port. Urenna and Santi had to wait another 30 minutes until things were quiet again. That is when Urenna cut through the box with her new ninjatou blade.

Urenna: "Alright. We are all clear."

Santi: "About time. I gotta pee."

Urenna: "Seriously? Ugh! Find a spot and hurry up!"

Santi: "Yup!"

After the little break

The ninjas proceeded to exit the warehouse. Hiding behind some containers they surveyed the area again. All they had to do was hop over the barbed wired fence and then proceed into the city. After a few policemen were walking by the containers, the ninjas made the move toward the fence.

Urenna: "C'mon."

The fence wasn't that tall, so it was easy for both of them to simply hop over, just like they did back home in training. Hopping over the fence, the ninjas escaped without issue. However, finding the doctor in question would prove to be more of a challenge.

Santi: "So, what's the plan now?"

Urenna: "This town is bigger than I thought. We will have to split up. Besides, you need to work on your detective skills. Let's meet back at that water tower over there by three o'clock. Understood?"

Santi: "Alright…ehh, where do I start looking?"

Urenna: "Look for medical clinics in this city. It may not be a lot, but that is one business that might have some idea of where Dr. Bisset could be."

Santi: "Are those the buildings with the cross signs?"

Urenna: "Yeah, but don't confuse them with churches."

Santi: "Ok. Got it."

Urenna: "Let's go!"

Eveche Anglician Medicial Clinic…

Urenna: "You haven't seen the doctor at all?"

Nun: "We have not seen her at all this weekend. However, there were some soldiers who came by and asked about her too. I thought you were with them for a moment."

Urenna: "No. Those were likely Zaibatsu soldiers. They are after her. The doctor's life could be in danger. So I must find her!"

Nun: "Have you tried the university hospital? Dr. Bisset usually keeps her stock of medicine in that facility. Maybe that might help you."

Urenna: "What is the name of this hospital?"

Nun: "Antsiranana Polyclinique Universitaire."

Urenna: "Thank you very much."

Nun: "You are welcome dear."

Urenna (Thinks): "The university hospital eh? I know I told Santi to meet back near the port, but I better find him now so we can scout that place together."

At the Marie-Ann Children's Health Clinic in downtown

Urenna quickly went back towards the downtown part of Antsiranana to find Santi. It turns out Santi was asking the teachers at this small children's clinic some questions about the doctor, but he wasn't getting anywhere with them. One lady even thought he was a lost patient and was trying to force him inside a room for a physical check up.

Old Nurse: "Leon, please go inside this room! You haven't had your temperature check yet?"

Young nurse: "M'am…I don't think I have seen him before. Are you sure this is Leon?"

Santi (Backing away from them.): "Yeah, listen to her! I'm not Leon! Do you know Dr. Bisset or not?"

Young nurse: "Doctor Bisset? I haven't seen her lately. How do you know her?"

A door opens behind the nurses

Urenna: "There you are!"

Old Nurse: "Oooohhh! Intruder! Help!"

Urenna: "Damn! Santi come on! Jet!"

Santi used the distraction to get past the nurses before they could do anything else. Urenna and Santi both hopped out of the window and ran away from the children's medical clinic. While getting away, Santi thanked Urenna for getting him out there before he got into any more trouble.

Santi: "Urenna thanks! Those women were crazy back there! They thought I was a sick kid!"

Urenna: "Then maybe I should have let them examine you after all!"

Santi: "What?!"

Urenna: "I'm kidding!"

After making a stop to rest and hide

Urenna: "Okay. We can relax here. Did you find out anything?"

Santi: "No. Not really?"

Urenna: "Santi, I can't give you marks if you don't have any clues!"

Santi: "I know. What about you?"

Urenna: "Me? Well I think I have a good lead, that's why I decided to find you first. There is a hospital out in the suburbs. A nun told me this is where the doctor keeps her medicinal goods. If we can get inside her lab. We might can find another lead about where she is."

Santi: "Cool. So are we leaving right now? I'm getting hot and hungry."

Urenna: "We'll take it slow. I'm getting hungry myself."

Later that day, the Antsiranana Polyclinique Universitaire

After some time to eat and rest up, the ninjas eventually hitched a ride and made their way to the university hospital. Some college students and faculty were leaving the premises, but there were a few employees who stayed behind for class cleanup, meetings, or doing night shift work. Using a Baobab tree like a staircase, the ninjas climbed the tree and hopped over the brick wall of the university. From there, they could enter inside the hospital's left wing at the back door. They needed to proceed carefully, for they did not know the exact location of Dr. Bisset's office.

Urenna: "All we have to do is look for her name attached on these office doors."

Santi: "But there are many doors."

Urenna: "We stay together for the first floor, but after we reach the second floor we will split up to make the search faster."

Santi: "How?

Urenna: "You will look in as many rooms as possible until you and I meet at the center of the hallway. It will go by more quickly that way."

Santi: "Ok. I think I got it."

Urenna: "No one is around right now. Let's go!"

The ninjas searched the first level of the office building wing of the hospital, but no luck. Then they went to the second floor. Same result. The third floor, Santi found a chart outside the hallway. It had the doctor's name with a number underneath it. So he called Urenna to come and see it.

Urenna: "This looks like…"

Santi: "That's her name right? Dr. Bisset?"

Urenna: "Yeah…Celine Bisset. Number 442. That's the fourth floor!"

Santi: "Huh? The fourth floor?"

Urenna: "Yeah, notice the door numbers by you. You see a pattern, right?"

Santi: "310, 312, 314. Yeah…and we are on the third floor."

Urenna: "That's right. So the final floor, the fourth floor, has to have her office. C'mon!"

After viewing the office map, the ninjas raced up the last floor of the building and sure enough they found the office in question. The door was locked, but Urenna used her lockpick to open it. When they opened the door, they could see several crates covering most of the room. However, Urenna found a note over the doctor's office table.

Urenna: "What is this?"

Santi: "Find something?"

Urenna: "Let's see."

Doctor's words: "To the University President…I must sadly inform you that my life is in danger. I can no longer work at the hospital because of the Mishima Zaibatsu knowing about my secret research on malaria and other infectious diseases. In fact, I cannot even carry all of the medicine that I have produced. So I left most of it here. If you must, reach out to me at this number. 261-82-751-3914. That is all for now. I cannot say anymore so please understand. Farewell."

Urenna: "So she's not in town anymore."

Santi: "What's in these boxes?"

Urenna: "Apparently, it's her possible cure for malaria. But lucky for us we can contact her with this number. Find out where she is. Matter of fact, let's take a sample out of the box and maybe we can bring it to her."

Santi: "Got it."

Back outside in a safe space away from the hospital…

Urenna (Using a public telephone.): "Ok, I'm gonna dial the number now."

Pressing 261-82-751-3914…

Calling

Dr. Bisset: "Mr. President! Is that you!"

Urenna: "Dr. Bisset! I'm with the United Nations! We came to rescue you at your request!"

Dr. Bisset: "Really? They actually responded to my letter?"

Urenna: "Yes. I am here to get you out of the country safely. Can you tell me your location?"

Dr. Bisset: "I left Antsiranana three days ago. I'm hiding with a friend of mine in her home region of Ankarana. Do you know where that is?"

Urenna: "No, but I can have my commanding officer find your position. Ankarana you said?"

Dr. Bisset: "Yes. We are staying in her father's shack in the jungle part of the reserve. Be careful if you come here, because the Zaibatsu and the government have established checkpoints along the highway just to look for me."

Urenna: "Good point. Allow my team to track down your location. Then we will come find you."

Dr. Bisset: "Alright. I'll be waiting. Thank you so much."

Hangs up the call

Urenna: "Now this is getting interesting."

Santi: "What did she say?"

Urenna: "She's in the countryside it sounds like. A place called Ankarana. However, the Zaibatsu is using checkpoints to try and find her as we speak. I'm not sure if we can use the highway directly. We will need to go by a chopper or on foot, which will take days I'm sure."

Santi: "Uhhh…where is Ankar…whatever that is?"

Urenna: "Not to worry, I will call Kari and have her find the doctor's location through the phone number she provided for us."

Santi (Yawn.): "We gotta find somewhere to sleep. I'm tired."

Urenna: "Yeah. We can sleep at a motel someplace tonight. But in the morning, we gotta move and fast."

The Next Day

After finding a motel to spend the night, the next day came. The UN commanding officer Kari, back in New York City, managed to contact a member of the French Embassy in Antananarivo to provide a chopper for Urenna and Santi to ride on. On Urenna's wristcom, Kari told them instructions. They were to go to back to the port where the chopper was cleared to land and pick them up. To avoid suspicion, the ninjas were in disguise as sick patients. After all, the country was going through a malaria outbreak.

So the plan was set in motion. None of the police at the port suspected a thing. The medical disguised chopper took the ninjas in as if they were severely sick patients inside the chopper which was parked at the harbor. Once the chopper lifted off, the ninjas quickly got out of their gowns and put their ninja outfits back on. Burt, who was their pilot, asked them how long will it take to find the doctor, for he needed to briefly return to the capital city for refueling.

Urenna: "We don't know for sure. But once we find the doctor, I will notify Kari and she can tell you where we are."

Burt: "Okay."

Ankarana Region, Madagascar

Urenna: "Thanks Burt! We will let you know when we are ready, ok?!"

Burt: "You got it! Be careful!"

The chopper leaves

Santi: "This area has a lot of trees. It is a rainforest?"

Urenna: "I think so. However…"

Santi: "Huh?"

Urenna: "I'm sensing several lifeforms from within the forest." (Looks at her radar on the wristcom.) "According to this, the shack is about two kilometers to the North of us. I wonder if the Zaibatsu is here too?"

Santi: "Really? Did they find the doctor already?"

Urenna: "I hope not. We gotta hurry Santi!"

Further into the Ankarana Rainforest

Urenna's suspicions proved to be true. The Zaibatsu had indeed tracked down the doctor's location. The ninjas could see them as they were patrolling the perimeter. Urenna instructed Santi on taking down each Zaibatsu soldier that was walking by to reduce their numbers. When they could see the shack, it appeared that they were too late. The number of soldiers was much more than Urenna expected. They were ransacking the shack as they dragged out Doctor Bisset, and her friend, a local inhabitant by the name of Nyantsa.

Nyantsa: Nnnoooo! Let me go! My baby! Hanta!"

Doctor Bisset: "Nyantsa! I'm so sorry! They only want me!"

Zaibatsu soldier: "Shut your trap hag!" (Smacks the doctor with the back of his rifle.)

Nyantsa: "Noooo! Doctor!"

Urenna and Santi look on in disbelief from the trees above

Urenna: "Damn! We're too late."

Santi: "How are we gonna stop them now?"

Urenna: "They have too many guns, we can 't barge in head on now."

Zaibatsu General: "Both on you! Tell us where you are keeping the medicine?"

Doctor Bisset: "I'm not telling you anything!" (Gets hit again.) "Ugh!"

Zaibatsu General: "I was told to keep you alive doctor. Any outsiders interfering however, will have to die!" (Points to his right.)

Urenna (Looking on.): "Oh no!"

BAM!

Doctor Bisset: "Nyansta!"

Nyansta was shot through the chest on command by the general. It happened so quickly that the ninjas did not react in time to intervene. Nyansta dropped on the grass and died instantly from the gunshot wound. Inside the shack, there was another person. But it was actually a baby girl. She could be heard crying due to the loud gun blast waking her up.

Santi: "Hey, someone else is inside the house."

Urenna: "Ssssshhhh."

Another Zaibatsu Soldier: "Sir! A baby is in here! What should we do?"

Zaibatsu General: "Leave it! I don't mess with little babies! Take the doctor! We are getting out of here!"

Soldiers: "Yes sir!"

Doctor Bisset was carried away by the Zaibatsu soldiers as instructed. She was in tears and crying over herself for what happened with her friend. The baby was left alone in the shack. Urenna had to make a decision. Save the baby or rescue the doctor before she too dies.

Urenna: "We need to save the baby Santi."

Santi: "Huh? Are you sure?"

Urenna: "Yes. I remember what it's like to lose family. If I'm not mistaken, Master saved you from a similar situation when you were small. So, you don't remember anything about your family. This baby is just like us now. Let's find it and call the chopper."

Urenna and Santi hopped down from the treetops after the soldiers left. They both went inside the shack, and sure enough, there was the crying baby on the only bed inside. Urenna carefully picked the girl up and rocked her gently.

Urenna: "I gotcha now. Everything will be alright."

Santi: "So small."

Urenna: "Yeah. Just like you when Master took you in the compound all those years ago."

Santi: "But Urenna, what will happen to the doctor?"

Urenna: "After we take care of the baby, we will find out where the doctor's location is. The Zaibatsu won't be foolish enough to end her life over her research. Here. Hit this button on my wristcom and tell Kari to send the chopper over here."

Santi: "Alright."

Hits the wristcom…

Kari: "CO here. What's your status?"

Santi: "Ma'am. Requesting helicopter ride ma'am!"

Kari: "Roger that. Oh were you able to find the doctor?"

Santi: "We did, but…"

The baby starts crying again…

Kari: "Oh my goodness! Who is that?"

Urenna: "Hold her Santi please?!"

Santi: "Okay! Okay!"

Urenna: "Kari, we have a young baby that just lost her mother to the Zaibatsu. And the Zaibatsu has the doctor in their custody. They won't kill the doctor because they still find her useful with her disease research."

Kari: "I see. Well…I will go ahead and call the chopper. That baby should be sent to New York. I'll notify Crow about this as well."

Urenna: "That's fine. Thank you Kari."

Kari: "Sure thing, Urenna. Over and out."

Call ends

Santi: "She won't stop crying!"

Urenna: "Give her here! I'm so sorry. We'll be quiet now."

The baby eventually calms down

Santi: "You're really good with that baby."

Urenna: "Of course. I had to look after you and Bryce with Omani." (Puts the baby back in her cloth on the bed.) "Okay. She's out again. We need to bury her mother. I can't leave her out like in her state." (Sigh.) "Let's do it."

In the middle of the night, the chopper finally arrived for the ninjas. Urenna carefully wrapped young Hanta in a cloth to keep her body comfortable. Once everyone was in the chopper, Burt departed the crime scene. It was unfortunate that Hanta lost her mother. Urenna could have saved her. But with a young less experienced ninja by her side, she couldn't risk losing Santi after all of his hard work training and living the ninja way. These were the harsh decision a leader like her had to deal with. And it sure was not easy choices.