Finally, some action! –Falls over- It's about time… anyway, the chapter after this is quite short. Just a word of warning. Oh, and all worship Hayabusa. Uh huh. Enjoy the chapter!

"Not another one!"

He pulled out a throwing knife angrily. I was too late.

However, this clone was not as hospitable as the previous one he had encountered. Seems Donovan is trying to make up for that mistake of earlier.

Disposing of it, he kicked the body under a bush. They would hopefully be gone sooner or later without arousing any suspicion.

The DOATEC headquarters was in sight. Slate grey eyes narrowed as they saw a swirl of sakura blossoms.

That girl… what's her name?

Kasumi.

He burst through the trees and cleared the distance easily.

"You are going to die, little girl,"

"Not while I'm here,"

A golden brown-haired ninja stepped out from the shadows, sword outstretched.

Who's he? Oh, her brother. Ein, no. Hayate.

"Bayman,"

He started at being addressed by the girl.

"Were you not trying to stop Donovan?"

"Yes. What's it to you?"

The girl pulled out her katana from the sheath, toying with it carelessly.

"Well, you see, we are trying to avenge Hayabusa's death. However, that entails disposing of Donovan because he created the clones, hence getting Hayabusa killed in the first place, no thanks to you. So if you get in our way, technically you are helping your enemy. So could you please leave? We pose you no harm… unless you attack first,"

He shook his head, voice gruff. "I want to kill Donovan,"

A realization slowly dawned on him. "I will come with you,"

Hayate instantly shook his head. He had to step back to avoid the sudden sword thrust.

"You killed Hayabusa. We can't trust you,"

That's what they think. Sometimes an assassin has to keep some secrets.

"I can help you. Or I can kill you. Your choice,"

Kasumi turned to her brother. "He could help us kill Donovan,"

"But he was the one that-"

Hayate was silenced abruptly by the kunoichi's hand.

"Join us. Help us find Donovan and kill him,"

He agreed, and walked further ahead. He almost missed hearing the young girl's whisper to her brother. Almost, but not quite.

"After he leads us to Donovan and Donovan is dead, we kill him, too,"

-o-

"Security breach! Security breach! Someone entered building without proper identification!"

Cold, steely grey eyes looked up, as platinum hair was tossed out of an attractive but currently frowning face. "Security breach? Who could that be?"

She picked up two guns from her desk and exited the room, looking down over the balcony, where she could see three figures. Soon enough, they were gone, before she even had a chance to shoot.

"Great. Mess up my entire afternoon, why don't you,"

Grasping onto the handrail of the balcony, she deftly flipped over it, landing on the ground floor, guns in hands. There, she could see the figures, and to her surprise, they were recognizable. Three people from the last tournament. Two ninjas and… and that assassin.

Well, he was going down.

"Christie. How nice to see you,"

Bayman's voice was bland.

"How nice to see you on your death-day," she purred.

"Now, look. We don't want to hurt you. We only want to kill Donovan," the young girl, Kasumi, said in what was supposed to be a comforting way.

"Donovan is my boss, you little idiot. There is no way you will get past me,"

Bayman pulled out a gun, but she pulled the trigger of hers before anything else could happen.