(Note: This story will be in parts - each part consists of two chapters. Just my way of doing things.)

Chapter Three

Shake paced up and down the corridor in desperate anxiety. His cream suit reflected the light from a fluorescent bulb that glowed from the ceiling. The atmosphere of the small warehouse was eerie, likely mostly due to the silence. Every step Shake took created a loud echo of sound. The walls were mostly concrete, bare and cold. There was little life in this industrial dump.

Shake knew that Endal was on the hunt for Kasumi. He knew that Kasumi was on the move, heading out of Tokyo to the north. Shake knew that this was the time that would prove the outcome of this, either Endal would catch Kasumi or he wouldn't. It was now or never. Shake was on his own in the basement. His two bodyguards stood upstairs near the main entrance door to the hangar. It was an abandoned airport in the middle of a wood far from any significant dwelling. Branches from winding plants snaked their way around barrels, mostly upturned.

Shake was a relatively large man. He had short black hair and a goatee. He was one of those who wore sunglasses, even when in dingy underground corridors. He was also quite a young man, easily in his mid twenties. What he wanted with Kasumi was unclear at best, but it was likely linked to his eye for money.

The repetitive echo of his footsteps suddenly ceased as a new sound ricocheted around solid walls. It was his mobile phone, a pulsating series of bleeps forming insipid melody. He fondled with the small gadget and put it to his ear:

"Yeah hello," he yelled.

"Shake its Endal," came a voice.

"Endal... Endal you got good news I hope, what's happening?" Shake inquired.

Endal laughed in his dry tone and replied swiftly.

"Shake its sorted. I've got her, Kasumi, and am heading for you now. It's all done."

"Excellent work Endal, you will be well rewarded, see you soon then."

Shake put the phone back in his jacket pocket and grinned to himself as he stared at a rusty fire extinguisher. Now all he had to do was wait.

Endal was well aware of quite how tired he was from the blows he'd received from Kasumi. As he brought himself to his feet he felt the soreness magnify through movement. The blood was only a hindrance; it was the pain in his chest and forehead that troubled him. The assassin scrambled closer to Kasumi who lay on her back in perfect stillness. Endal felt ever so attracted to the girl as he focused on her beauty. He studied her facial features and looked down to her body. He felt himself briefly regretting his actions, remembering how compassionate Kasumi had been to him before he had betrayed that trust. But then he remembered the money.

He knew that to seal the job he was going to have to drag or carry Kasumi to the airport. It was a few miles west of here and mostly through flat terrain. He didn't expect to be troubled by passers by either; it was now a very rural and wild part of the woods – well away from the city outskirts. Endal took both of Kasumi's arms and then propped her up before heaving her to her feet. He bent down and brought her over his back, tucking her legs around one side of his body and her arms across the over. He then stood up straight and took a few steps forward with her across his back. He quickly realised that she was by no means particularly heavy, in fact very light, but in his state he would not be able to carry her like this for long. He tried something different and put both her arms around his neck, like he was going to give her a piggy back, except instead of a piggy back Kasumi just dangled from his back with her feet face down in the grass. This would have to do.

The dark character then initiated the journey to their destination. His pace was hardly swift but neither slow. Mother Nature seemed to observe Endal in passive protest. The birds sung loudly above and the occasional butterfly would flicker around his face before gliding away. Sweat also began to pour from his brow. It was certainly a hot day in the forest.

Minutes seemed like hours as he pressed on through grassy clearings, pine riddled forests and thick, dense, foliage. All this time Kasumi's form just hung limp from his back with her legs dangling down and bent at the knees. Endal was quite short, almost as short as the 5'2" Kasumi, and this made this task all the tougher. Kasumi's feet seemed to almost float over the blades of green grass.

Endal really was running low on energy and spotted a large overturned tree just ahead. He decided this would be the perfect place to take a quick rest. He'd already contacted Shake and informed him he was on the way. However there was no great emphasis on the speed he reached the location. He made the last few final steps to the mighty tree and then stopped by its side. He brought Kasumi's arms over his head and placed her carefully down into the long green grass. As he sat down on the log he then remembered that the concoction he'd used to capture the girl only had an effect on most people for about 30 minutes. It must have been heading towards that time scale by now but he'd lost track of time. He had forgotten about this detail and didn't have anymore of the potion with him to simply do it again. He decided to take no precautions and hunted around his waist belt for the rope he had brought with him. He had planned to tie Kasumi up in the first place but this plan had slipped his mind.

He revealed a few separate lines of strong white rope and knelt down by Kasumi's body. He brought her legs together and begun to wrap the rope around her ankles loop after loop. He then tightened it firmly and tied a double knot. Just to make sure he used the excess rope to join each side of the loops up through the tight gap in between Kasumi's ankles. He then knotted this. Endal shuffled up to her arms and put her wrists together with her arms to her front. He knew that to tie them behind her back would make carrying her a real mission.

As Endal bound Kasumi's wrists together a figure appeared from the woods to their right side. Whoever it was they seemed very intrigued by the site of a male tying up an unconscious girl.

"Hey you! What are you doing?" The figure shouted.

They then came dashing out from the trees and gained in on Endal. Endal had already completed tying Kasumi's wrists and stood up to greet the person.

The figure was a largely built man. He seemed quite matured with a long brown beard. He was carrying a fishing rod in one arm and a bucket of caught fish in another.

"Why are you tying that girl up?" He asked again.

Endal made no attempt to cover the situation up.

"Mind your own business old man, get the hell out of here," Endal firmly stated.

This seemed to anger the bearded man who got closer and put down his rod and bucket.

"No one talks to me like that... your kidnapping that girl aren't you?" The bearded man said.

"Whatever it is I am doing you, my friend, will never know. Now go away, or I'll..." Endal was interrupted.

"You're what? You think you're so fancy with your sword and that do you? Ha!"

Endal smiled.

"My sword... oh you mean you've noticed this?"

He then brought his katana out from his belt and waved it around in swift motions before getting in a fighting stance.

"Do you like your limbs? If so, and I'm sure you do, go away... right now," Endal chuckled.

The large man didn't seem bothered and looked down at Kasumi. As he focused on her he noticed that she was moving. Kasumi had suddenly woken up from her trance state and was beginning to come round cautiously.

Endal then noticed that she was fidgeting and used this moment of distraction to attack the stranger. He ran at him and swung his blade. The old man was ready and evaded the swinging razor edge. He then threw a left hook punch at Endal. Endal bent down to avoid it and kicked the man in his belly. The bearded man didn't seem effected by the strike and swung another punch. This time it hit Endal directly in the chin and he fell down in a heap. He was still clutching his sword and sliced it across the large man's leg. He cut across both his shins. The man yelped in shock and recoiled back from the range of the sword.

Endal leap frogged to his feet and put his sword back on his belt holder. The large man was bent double seeing to his shins that were cleanly cut.

"You now see what my blade can do to old men," Endal laughed dryly.

The man looked up at Endal but then noticed Kasumi who was now quite widely awake and struggling against her bonds. She was chewing at the rope that tied her wrists together in desperate endeavour. He then looked to Endal and in some wild burst of anger charged at him in a roar.

Endal quickly brought out his katana again and sidestepped out of the man's path but brought his sword up and to the side deliberately. The man ran straight into the blade. The cut-throat sharpness of the implement incised through his neck like butter and brought his head clean off. The body of the man ran on a few paces before falling down into the ground. The bearded head fell into the grass to Endal's side. In a horrific few last seconds of consciousness the man looked up at his killer and then closed his eyes. Endal was satisfied at the kill and wiped the blood drops from his weapon before putting it away again. He then noticed Kasumi by the log.

Chapter four

Kasumi fought wildly against her bondage but to no avail. She didn't get enough time to chew herself to freedom and couldn't quite grip her tanto effectively enough to cut the rope. Endal raced towards her.

"Oh no you don't," he said.

Kasumi looked up at him in anger. She remembered how she had been knocked out by the yellow mist and quickly could tell that Endal was aiming to take her somewhere. She knew she had to escape.

Endal knelt to her side and grabbed her tanto from its sheaf.

"Almost forgot about that," he said.

He placed the tanto alongside his own blade on his waist belt.

"What are you doing Endal?" Kasumi asked.

"You are coming with me, that's all you need to know for now."

Kasumi began to struggle wildly and kicked herself away from Endal. She rolled as fast as she could to her side and fought in a panic against the rope. She took one large bite at the rope that knotted her wrists and tried to get herself to her feet. It was useless. It would take hours to chew through the strong rope and Kasumi had no way of defending herself with her feet and hands immobilised. Endal got near to her and held her down into the grass.

"Listen to me Kasumi you are coming with me. You have two choices: you come quietly, which is faster and better for you, or you resist. If you insist on resisting me I will punish you, and you don't want that."

Endal knew that with Kasumi now conscious it would be more challenging to drag her to the airport. He was also still tired and the battle he'd just had with the stranger had almost exhausted him.

"Endal please let me go," Kasumi panicked.

She had no idea where he was taking her but could only guess it wouldn't bode well for her.

Endal decided to press on now. He didn't have time to rest and couldn't with Kasumi now conscious. He picked the kunoichi up forcefully and put her tied arms around his neck. He then stood up and resumed the march. Kasumi didn't struggle, knowing quite clearly when she was beaten.

"Just don't struggle, and don't think about trying to strangle me either... if you do I'll throw you over my shoulder and severely beat you," Endal screeched.

Shake was growing impatient. He had gone back upstairs and now just sat in a small room with one chair and a crappy old table. A television glared in the corner but he wasn't watching. His two bodyguards who he paid handsomely just to stand around with him were outside the room chatting to each other. Shake decided to ring Endal and find out how near he was. He dialled the number and waited for an answer.

Endal was swift to respond and greeted Shake.

"Endal where are you, you near yet?" Shake asked.

"I'm real close now Shake, don't worry. She's woken up so it's slowed me down a little that's all."

"Good Endal, good. When you do arrive I'll be here with my men. We can take her down to the basement and then my man your job is complete," said Shake.

"Sounds good to me boss," Endal said.

Shake laughed and hung up. A cigar smoked away in an ash tray. He picked it up and took a considerable puff before blowing a large cloud of smoke into the air. A single small lamp lit the room, creating large shadows on a stripped wall.

The distance was closing between Kasumi and the airport. Endal had picked up the pace, maybe through desperation to reach the location. The girl had just submissively allowed herself to be carried like a sack. She knew that there was nothing she could do to prevent the inevitable except to just delay it. She didn't see the point. She was nervous of where Endal was taking her to and more importantly who he was working for. She didn't expect this had much to do with Hayate. It seemed to be more of a sinister plot than just an elaborate way of killing her.

"Endal please tell me where you're taking me?" Kasumi was desperate.

"Somewhere secluded where my client wants me to take you. That's all I know."

"Who is your client?" Kasumi asked.

"You're find out Kasumi, and besides, I don't know much about him myself."

Kasumi felt some sudden urge to attempt an escape. She wasn't sure where this sudden need stemmed from but it did and a rush of adrenaline hit her.

Kasumi swiftly wrapped her arms tightly around Endal's neck and swung her legs enough to manage to kick the back of his knees causing him to lose balance and fall down flat on his face with her on top. Although her wrists were tied together she was still able to effectively clutch Endal by the neck. She brought her left arm around his neck, his chin resting on her bent elbow joint, and put her hands to one side of his head. She had done this so quickly the execution had surprised Endal and he'd had no time to react.

Endal started to struggle but whenever he made any attempt to pivot or wrestle Kasumi put her full force on his neck, strangling him.

"Don't try to struggle, or I'll choke you," Kasumi ordered.

Endal was not prepared to just lay still and tried again to turn the tables. As soon as he started to move his arms Kasumi applied full force to his neck. He coughed and went bright red. He realised that she was clinging to him so tightly that he wouldn't be able to get her off of him even if he wasn't being chocked. She was too determined. He stopped struggling and lay submissively. Kasumi eased her pressure on his neck. Endal gasped for air.

"Endal now its you who has two choices: either you free my wrists using that dagger of yours or I strangle you to death and do it myself," Kasumi was deadly serious.

She knew that this situation required astute attention from herself. If Endal managed to turn the tables she'd be back to square one. She relied solely on her position and being able to strangle Endal. She hoped he'd be able to find her wrists and cut the rope in his current position.

"If I'm going to do that you're going to have to get off me," Endal said.

"No you don't, you can manage as you are, you have to," said Kasumi. "If you can't then I'll be forced to kill you, since I can't risk letting you out of this hold can I?"

Kasumi knew this would give Endal all the incentive he needed to try and free her from his position. He reached down and took the knife from his thigh strap and brought his arms up to reach of Kasumi's wrists as he lay on his front.

"Remember Endal, one false move and I won't hold back," said Kasumi.

Endal used his left arm to find the rope and once he did grabbed the knife with his right hand and carefully placed the blade on the rope loops. Kasumi watched attentively, making sure he wasn't about to cut her skin.

Eventually, after a few seconds of fumbling, Endal began to sore away at the rope. Kasumi watched in delight as the first loop started to weaken as twines of the rope slowly broke away. She suddenly began to feel positive again; maybe she wasn't yet beaten after all.