Sei Tin wore a cynical smile as he regarded Scarlett. "Emotional attachment makes him weak. But I can surmise what he may see in you." He begins to stroke her cheek. Scarlett tries to turn her head, but he grips her chin hard and lifts her head to look up at him. "You will not resist me. I will teach you to obey me just as I taught Snake Eyes. He will return to rescue you and then I will eliminate my enemy once and for all." He released his grip on her and left.

Scarlett sighed. Her hands were tied to a wooden plank placed behind her head. Her feet were shackled with chains bound to the wall. She was still recovering from the effects of the drug they had injected into her to keep her pliant until they brought her to this compound. She didn't know where she was but the rooms were built in the Japanese style…shit...were they in Japan? Sei Tin, she shook her head? But how? Last time she saw him, he was strapped to a bed. Scarlett felt shaky and queasy from the drug. She also felt...unsure. She was used to being held captive by Cobra. Even though they could be brutal, they were familiar. But the Red Ninja Clan? She shivered slightly remembering what they did to Snake.

If Snake comes after her, will he be able to confront them? I have to find a way out. Sei Tin wants me to obey him and be compliant. Maybe I will just have to play that game until I find a chance to escape. But will I be able to take on all the Ninjas at once? Well, there is always the Inverse Ninja Law, she chuckled inwardly. She often referred to it in front of Stormshadow, Snake, and Kamakura while they watched old martial arts movies. It was supposed to explain why in the movies one lone Ninja or Samurai could easily dispose of a whole group of seemingly incompetent Ninjas. Based on the theory, individual Ninjas are weaker when in larger groups… "You know to conserve your great Ninjutsu power!" she waved her hands around in exaggerated Ninjutsu gestures.

Whenever she joked about the Inverse Ninja Law, Stormshadow grunted and waved his hand in dismissal while Kamakura smirked, but she could see them quickly give each other questioning looks out of the corner of her eye. Snake just gave her a small smile, enjoying the joke. Her musing provided a distraction until a stab of longing for Snake hit her. She had to get out of here.

Over the next few days, Sei Tin forced her to perform labor intensive tasks. The worst was hauling water from the river to the compound. She had to climb the 100 steps to the compound carrying the water everyday. By nightfall, she was physically exhausted. By the third day, she was in sort of a stupor, performing the tasks but not really conscious of what she was doing. She wondered at one point if this was meant to break her spirit, but she wasn't about to give in that easily. She kept looking for an opportunity to strike at one of the Ninjas. At least if she took one out, that would leave less for Snake. But she never had a real opportunity added to the fact that she was so physically drained. Scarlett felt desperation seeping in. She didn't know how long she could maintain her stamina. In desperate situations with Cobra, she could rely on her smarts and physical training. But this time, they were using her physical training against her, and she had no technology to rely on. She figured it was only a matter of time before Snake Eyes came. She would just have to hold out until then.

…

The GPS device led them to a small compound in the mountains, apparently an old residence from the times of the Samurai. Snake Eyes and Stormshadow motioned for the rest to lie in wait until they signaled and quietly entered the courtyard. They saw a figure sitting against a pole next to the far wall of the courtyard. The profile looked all too familiar and Snake Eyes' heart pounded as he made his way to the figure. Stormshadow covered them while Snake Eyes bent down and lifted Scarlett's head with his hands. Her eyes were closed, but he felt a pulse, exhaling in relief. She didn't respond to his touch so he pulled open her eyelids and her eyes stared back at him, expressionless. His heart froze. He caressed her hair and face, but still no reaction.

"Finally you have come," he heard Sei Tin's voice from the shadows. Sei Tin emerged surrounded by four other Ninjas in red. "Yes, as you can see, I have used our ancient practices to clear her mind, essentially erasing it of all thought. Scarlett was strong willed and, in the end, that was her downfall. I could not afford to have her try another escape attempt. Now we face each other again Snake Eyes, for the final time."

Snake Eyes stood motionless. The clench of his jaw was noticeable through the fabric of his mask. His thoughts were, for the first time since his rescue, not clouded. Snake Eyes thought with exquisite precision that he was going to kill this son of a bitch. Shit, he couldn't quite kill him since he was inhabiting J'Bang's body, but he would take him down. He regrets not killing him the first time they fought in Tibet. But here they face each other again and Sei Tin was going to pay for daring to touch Scarlett, for hurting her, for taking her from him.

Sei Tin continued, "I have waited patiently for this moment to destroy my most rivaled enemy. I have taken your lover, now I will take your life. Too many times I have acknowledged defeat to you Snake Eyes. It was a mistake to try to control you. I will not make that mistake again."

…..…

Stalker reflected on the fight between the Ninjas on the flight back to the States. It was anti-climatic as Snake Eyes, Stormshadow, and Kamakura effortlessly brought the Red Ninjas to their knees. Snake Eyes seemed especially frightening, using his sword to kill two of the Red Ninjas and incapacitate Sei Tin. It was tragic irony to see Snake Eyes mete out death, then gently pick up Scarlett and hold her close to his body. Stalker remembered turning to Tommy to ask him if he had found anything in his quest to help J'Bang that would help Scarlett. Tommy shook his head, but replied that it did not mean a solution did not exist. Tommy parted ways with them in Japan, taking Sei Tin to continue his quest to restore J'Bang's essence to his body.

Stalker returned his thoughts to their present situation in the jet and looked over at Snake Eyes, who leaned over Scarlett's body, secured to a stretcher. Stalker swore he saw Snake's hand shake as reached to hold Scarlett's hand. Stalker shook his head. He knew Snake Eyes had a tendency to...well…completely freak when confronted by grief. They had seen it a couple of times, after his apprentice Ophelia was killed. The other was again because of Scarlett, when she was in a coma after being shot by the Baroness. He was afraid of what would happen to Snake Eyes this time if Scarlett didn't recover.