Chapter 33:

The metal flooring shook unexpectedly and the hallway seemed to rock. Thrown off by the sudden tremors, Isabella was lightly tossed into the wall until everything grew still once again. The young woman was about to ask herself what that could've been but the distinctive sounds of explosions coming from the outside provided their own answer.

Joes.

"Hmm..well that was fast..." she murmured knowingly as she pushed off from the wall and continued making her way down the passageway that spat her out into a crossroad. "That probably would explain why I've yet to run into anyone..they must already be occupied."

An image of Snake Eyes flashed across her mind and the young woman couldn't stop the tiny smile that was threatening to come.

Isabella took a right turn and found herself at a steep flight of metal stairs. She ascended swiftly and it was only when she reached the top that her eyes locked onto a group of fully armed Vipers that were heading her way from the opposite end of the corridor .

At once, Isabella temporarily found herself frozen in step. "Oh this is bad timing.."

"Hey!" shouted one of the Vipers that was leading the group as he spotted her form.

Looking for an easy escape, Isabella spotted a door off to the far right just five feet away and made a forward dash for it.

Not wasting any time as she passed under the doorway, she turned around and quickly found the button on the frame that activated the door, allowing it to close shut and lock.

Huffing a sigh of relief as she reached a hand up and ran it back through her long, tussled hair, Isabella did a half turn around and instantly found herself rigid when her ears picked up the distinctive sound of fast, heavy footsteps approaching.

Her head had barely turned to catch a glimpse at whoever was advancing when the butt of a large gun met in an unforgiving manner with her left temple.

Blood roared inside of her ears as Isabella, dazed from the unexpected blow, stumbled back into the wall behind her.

The blow to her head left her feeling like she was suddenly trapped in the matrix; time itself seemed to run slow even as Isabella watched a large Viper Soldier begin to corner her in.

Blinking her eyes a few times, the 23 year old quickly shook the confounding feelings off and agilely dived to the floor, passing right between the Viper's legs before she rolled to her feet and took a stand.

Exhaling a deep breath air, Isabella back away while using her peripherals to get a look at her new surroundings. The first thing she noticed was the bluish glow from a bunch of electric currents that were traveling all over a particular structure behind a pane of thick glass right beside her; it's energy humming loudly and filling the room.

Next, her turquoise eyes flickered over to the other side of the room where they landed on the forms of two operators as they sat at their station of controls, too busy with whatever they were overseeing to even pay attention to Isabella's presence in the room.

The young woman scowled softly, "This must be some kind of control room..."
Bringing her focus back onto the Viper who was once again, inching his way towards her, Isabella slyly sneaked her hand around behind her and carefully touched the switch blade's hilt that was peeking out of her back pocket.

"I knew it..." Isabella confessed out loud as she pulled the switch blade out and snapped it open before shifting herself into a steady, fighting stance, "...bad juju right here."

The Viper laughed as he lengthened his approached, "Lost sweetheart?" he asked.

"That's one way of looking at it." she replied fearlessly as she took a careful side step.

"Allow me to lend you some assistance then." Without another word, the Viper lunged forward and made a grab at Isabella.

Quick on her feet, the young woman jumped back and to the side before the Viper could touch her.

"Dancing won't do you any good..." he sneered.

Isabella's eyes narrowed in anger before taking a bold step forward. Drawing a hand back and making a closed, tight fist, she took a hard swing at his center. When it landed and the man hunched over a bit, a small smile pulled at her face before she raised up the blade in her other hand and started to bring it down.
The smile however was easily wiped away when the Viper made a comeback of his own by snatching both her closed fist and hand that held the blade in midair. It was then that he powerfully swung her about, lifting her feet off the floor before laying her out flat on the back of an unused control station.

Isabella barely had anytime to utter a cry of surprise when the Viper's elbow came down on her sternum, knocking the breath right out of her body.

Using that moment to his advantage as he still entrapped the hand that held the switch blade, the Viper twisted Isabella's wrist before manipulating her own hand to bring the knife down on herself.

As it dawned on her what was happening, Isabella put up as much resistance as she could manage as she gritted her teeth and tried to redirect the blade's point that was now hovering just centimeters above her coronary artery.

Though she hated to admit it, sometimes she forgot how strong these guys really were. The involuntary trembling of her arm as she continued keeping the blade at bay was a reminder.

"Shit..." her mind screamed as her eyes closed shut against the burning protests of her muscles, "I won't be able to hold this much longer." Even as she thought this, she could feel her strength fading, and the ominous tip of the blade prick into her neck, drawing dark stream of blood that began to trickle down.

"Oh god..." she exclaimed quietly.

The hissing sound of a door opening from the other side of the room reached Isabella's ears while briefly distracting the Viper as he looked up, all the while immensely easing up on the young woman as his head turned to see the new intruder.

Seizing the small window of opportunity, Isabella quickly drove a knee up and nailed the man right in his gut before landing a strong kick to his torso, forcing him to take a step back.

Freed from the Viper's clutch, Isabella brought a hand up to the oozing spot on her neck while she sat up, shuddering slightly at how close she had come to death just moments before .

Before she had been able to fully recover from her little tussle with the Viper, something whizzed by her head once followed by a gunshot just a second later before both operators behind her made a brief cry of surprise before falling lifeless from their chairs.

When Isabella brought her gaze back up front to where the Viper stood only feet away, she watched as a throwing star struck the Viper dead in his eye before an all too familiar figure in black who had thrown it performed a powerful, high jump kick and knocked the Viper into the glass pane behind him, shattering it instantly while he fell directly into the electric beams and perished.

Isabella was certain that her heart has stopped in her chest when her eyes landed on the rippling form of Snake Eyes as he quickly moved around to the controls and shut everything down in the room. While his back was turned, Isabella silently slid off her perch to stand on her own two feet.

Once he had finished disabling the pulsar cannon , the black clad ninja turned around and locked his gaze on the breathless young woman standing on the other side of the control stations.

Words couldn't describe the pure rage Snake Eyes had felt when his eyes took in the unexpected sight of Isabella struggling for her life in the Viper's hold. Nor can it be described what he was feeling now at this exact moment with the beautiful woman just feet away, watching him with her captivating turquoise eyes.

"Snake Eyes..." she addressed quietly, almost as if she couldn't believe he was here.

Hearing his name pass her lips, the black clad ninja straightened up before he slowly moved back around the station. Isabella turned with his movements till at last they were practically standing toe to toe.

With her head stopping right at his chest, Isabella had to lean back slightly so she could stare up into the black ninja's masked face.

Raising a gloved hand up from his side, Snake Eyes reached out and lightly caught Isabella by the chin, gently turning her head to the side so he could assess the small bleeding puncture on her neck.

Feeling his gaze both burn and caress her skin, even from behind his visor, Isabella automatically responded by catching his hand with her own before pulling it away only to have the black clad ninja intertwine his fingers with hers.

"You know we really got to stop meeting like this..." Isabella informed in an chastising manner , "...almost every time our paths cross, I'm somehow either covered with bruises or bleeding."

Even with his mask on, the young woman could see the corner of his mouth lift with a warm smile.

Straightening up, Isabella placed her free hand upon her hip which she slightly popped out, "You know, I don't see anything funny about that.." she added as a tiny frown pulled down on her lips as she took a step back.

Her eyes instantly dropped down to the hand that Snake Eyes' held and noted how he had tightened his hold on it.

Raising a smooth eyebrow, Isabella gave her hand a brief tug before raising her eyes back up to Snake Eyes' visor, "If it hasn't occurred to you yet, I've just been to hell and back...so I'm not in the mood to be teased by you, Sna..."

Before she was able to finish getting his name out, the black clad ninja gave a firm tug of his own on Isabella's hand.

Eyes wide with surprise, the young woman caught her breath as she found herself pulled right into Snake Eyes' muscled chest before he enfolded her in his arms, keeping one arm tight around her waist, hugging her close while he reached his other hand up to cradle the back of her head.

"Snake Eyes?" She spoke quietly as she felt her heart pound like a drum beneath her breast.

Though she couldn't see past his shoulders, she felt the black clad ninja's dark head lower before he rested his chin on top of her head in an almost possessive manner.

Isabella didn't words or even a notepad for her to understand Snake Eyes'; his actions alone spoke to her loud and clear.

Returning his embrace, she allowed her cheek to lightly rest over the spot on his chest where she could faintly hear and feel his heart beating along with hers. "I've missed you too..." Isabella whispered.

Right as the words left her mouth, she felt Snake Eyes' body grow stiff and tall.

Puzzled by his reaction, Isabella looked up and found that the black clad ninja was staring right over her head at something else.
Naturally, the young woman turned slightly to see what had captured Snake Eyes' attention.

But before she was able to make out a possible target, Snake Eyes', with his arms tightly around her waist still, lifted the young woman right off her feet and swung her around till he was able to push her smaller form behind his protectively.

His movements had been swift and sharp.

She was however able to catch a brief glimpse of a white moving flash. That right there told her all she needed to know.

Placing a hand upon Snake Eye's shoulder from behind, the young woman carefully leaned out to the side so that she could see past his broad, rippling form and confirmed her thoughts.

When her eyes landed on the white masked form of Storm Shadow, she found herself not surprised by his sudden appearance.

"So sorry to interrupt." the white ninja sneered as he stepped further into the room. "I do hope though you two were able to enjoy your moment together..." he added as he came to a stop and braced his legs wide apart while he shifted into a stance, "...because it'll be the last one you ever have with each other."

Before Isabella was able to come up with a reply, a flurry of throwing stars were released into the air.

Most came from Storm Shadow, but Snake Eyes' threw some of his own in a counter attack to reflect the sharp weapons before they could slip past him and hit Isabella who was standing so close, Snake Eyes' could feel her body heat seep into his black suit from behind.

When the shower of metal stars ceased, Snake Eye's reached a hand behind him and gave Isabella a firm nudge in her stomach, a sign that told her to step away.

Sensing her compliance without having to look directly back at her, the black clad redirected his focus on the stature of his white brother whose black eyes silently mocked him for obvious consideration for Isabella.

"That woman has made you soft..." Storm Shadow declared out loud, "...too soft, brother. But no matter..." he continued on as he took another step forward, his dark eyes flickering over to where Isabella stood off to the side, watching the standoff between the two ninjas with her careful eyes.

Meeting her gaze, just for an instance so he could watch a frown pull softly at her lips, Storm Shadow carried on bringing his eyes back onto to Snake Eyes' visor, "When I'm finished with you...I'll deal with her myself."

The threat in Storm Shadow's words filled Snake Eyes with an unspoken fury as he fixed his hard gaze upon the man clad in white. The idea of Storm Shadow laying another finger upon his Isabella...

Over his dead body...

Not needing another word to be said, both ninjas charged full speed at one another and quickly locked themselves into a fateful match of combat.

Between punches and blocks, Snake Eyes spared a moment's glance over at Isabella before he gave his dark head a quick jerk to the side and signaled over to the open door on the far side of the room.

Her eyes quickly followed his motion and she instantly picked up what he was trying to tell her.

Without really thinking, she hurriedly made her way around the unmanned stations and crossed the room, keeping out of Snake Eyes' and Storm Shadow's path.

But as she reached the room's exit way, she halted in her steps as her ears picked up the sound of approaching footsteps.

Thinking fast, Isabella quickly ducked into the corner, right next to the door as two new operators ran into the room and moved behind the stations.

"The whole system is down!" one of the operators spoke as they both frantically went to work pressing buttons and throwing switches.

Seeing them completely oblivious to her presence, Isabella stepped back out only to look back at Snake Eyes who was still lethally engaged with Storm Shadow some feet away.

He obviously had felt her gaze for but a second, both he and Storm Shadow paused in their fight. As Storm Shadow looked over the operators at work, Snake Eyes' locked his unseen eyes upon Isabella's form.

With her long tousled hair falling past her breasts, she stood tall with her two fists down at her sides; her shimmering turquoise eyes that had grown wide from the fast moving events stared unwavering at him as her pink lips, which were parted slightly, drew in quick breaths of air which he could see from the swift rise and fall of her chest.

"She is conflicted..." he determined knowingly. Seeing her hesitancy in leaving him, Snake Eyes couldn't stop the tiny smile that pulled at his mouth under his mask before he gave her a secret nod of encouragement to which Isabella responded by gently chewing her lower lip.

"God, that woman..." Snake Eyes thought to himself as his gaze rapidly flickered over her luscious mouth; such an innocent move and yet so tempting. "And she should know by now that I am not a man to be tempted..."

Shaking the distracting thoughts away for the moment, Snake Eyes brought his full attention back on Storm Shadow, who by now, had lunged at him during his unawareness before he sent them both crashing through the pane of glass behind them.

Isabella gasped as she saw Snake Eyes go through the windowpane. It took every ounce of her being to not run over and try and give him some aid right then and there.

However, as she remembered the last look she had shared with him, when he had nodded his head giving her the ok to go, it was in that moment that she felt the promise behind his simple action.

"I will find you."

"Well...he better, damnit." She thought irritably to herself. Isabella really didn't like the idea of leaving Snake Eyes. Did the phrase 'no man gets left behind' have any meaning anymore?

At the same time, he had given her an instruction and a part of her had to trust him...she needed to trust him.

So, with a reluctant shake of her head, Isabella turned on her heel and rushed out of the room.