CHAPTER NINE: Ninja Problems

Scarlet heard her shoes slapping against the floor as she walked towards Snake's room. Anyone she encountered on her way would've said that she appeared upset but Scarlet's face was a mask of feigned serenity, it was her feet that were merely too loud. She stopped in front of her teammate's room and knocked loudly against the door, raising an eyebrow as something barked weakly at her from within.

The door opened after a moment and Snake Eyes peered at her from within the darkness of his room. Scarlet opened her mouth and was prepared for a serious scolding but another whimpering noise made her forget her anger, and she barged into the room. Snake Eyes closed the door behind her and flicked on a small lamp near the bed, enough to illuminate Taiga's position on the bed as he stared morosely up at her. Scarlet dropped onto the bed and petted the husky who let out a despairing wail before rolling onto his side and placing his paws over his eyes.

"What's he doing here?" Scarlet asked, continually running her hands along the dog's side.

"Theresa's missing. I decided to bring him here."

She noticed he was back in civilian clothes and mask less; the dim light made his face hard to make out but she saw the grim look in his eyes.

"Does Hawk know about this?"

"He sent me over to see how she was doing." Snake Eyes signed tiredly, sitting on Taiga's other side.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Snake Eyes searched the ceiling for an answer and opened his mouth, the tiniest sound of his voice breaking through before he grit his teeth and looked back down. Scarlet waited patiently for him to collect himself but couldn't help noticing how all his gear was piled up in the corner of his room, the ninja got up and started pacing around the bed before pulling off his clothes and slipping into his suit.

"You're going to look for her." Alone, she nearly added but then remembered how he was once her teacher.

"I should've gone sooner but I thought she was fine. Now Storm Shadow has her."

Scarlet felt her throat tighten. "Then he could've taken her anywhere, Snake – "

"All the more reason to start searching now. I can catch him, I know it." He signed rapidly.

Scarlet noticed that unlike most people she knew who used sign language, Snake Eyes didn't move his lips in sync with the movement of his hands – his mouth was shut tight and pressed into a thin line. His eyes were set on her in an angry sort of way and Scarlet frowned at him.

"And you'll be doing this alone?"

She felt a pang of guilt as Snake Eyes dropped his hands and just looked at her, his head tilted to one side and his mouth open in protest. It was a lovely look of confusion and shock, and had the situation been different, she might've noted how adorable he looked. But she knew better. Scarlet folded her arms over her chest and shook her head, turning to face the door with a long sigh. Scarlet knew that Snake Eyes preferred his solitude and she certainly understood that some things needed to be done alone but ever since Cobra had gone down, she felt as if the two of them were standing on thin ice on the verge of cracking – it would only get worse if she admitted how scared she was that they slowly growing apart into different people. She no longer needed to shadow his every step and she no longer needed him around to save her. They were both adults and accomplished fighters.

Scarlet shut her eyes as Snake Eyes kneeled in front of her, taking her hands in his; he never wanted her to feel small around him or inferior.

"I don't want to burden you." He would sign later. "Storm Shadow has always been my problem."

"Not all problems can be solved on their own, Snake Eyes." She countered.

"I know." He admitted. "I leave tomorrow morning."

"You're such a pushover."

"Shana."

LINEBREAK

Theresa lay on her side with her arms bound behind her back, the ropes knotted uncomfortable below her breasts. Thin streams of moonlight beamed down on her through a section of crisscrossed wooden bars at the very top of her cell, she couldn't tell how far down she was but there was no real way to climb up with her hands fastened in between her shoulder blades. Growling, she flopped onto her side and forced her forehead into the moist earth beneath her, forcing herself to sit on her knees before clumsily transitioning onto her feet.

At least it's not raining. Theresa thought mildly. She glanced down and examined the white garb she was inexplicably wearing, missing the feel of her brother's woolly sweater and socks. After colliding with the stairs on the way out of the house, Storm Shadow was forced into carrying Theresa to the helicopter kicking and screaming. But once inside with a dozen or so other men, the asshole plunged a lengthy syringe into her neck and everything got hazy after that.

"Good evening." A familiar voice called from above.

"Really? Couldn't tell." She retorted, tipping her head back to glare up at Storm Shadow.

"Maybe you'd like to come out for a little while." He questioned harmlessly.

"I like it down here, thanks."

Obviously, he didn't approve of that response because the next moment, Storm Shadow lifted the cage door open and easily slid down the wall. Maybe she could kick him; he certainly couldn't move very freely in such tight corners. Guessing her intent, Storm Shadow jumped over her head and forced his body into the corner, his hands and feet flat against the wall. Pissed off more than anything, she ran at the wall hoping the momentum would carry her up, but it only resulted in her feet slipping off and her head bashing into the wall. She staggered backwards and felt Storm Shadow wrap an arm around her waist, stopping her from crashing into the opposite wall. A rope was thrown down and Storm Shadow twined his other hand around it, so the two of them were carefully pulled up.

"Better?" Storm Shadow queried.

"Just peachy." She growled.

Storm Shadow smiled faintly and grabbed her elbow. "Walk with me?"

"How could I refuse?" she answered sarcastically.

Storm Shadow said something quietly in Japanese and the crowd of ninja dispersed, giving Theresa a better view of where she was. It appeared to be an old village carved into a large mountain, there was very little grass and very little sign of people. Looking behind her, her previous cell seemed to be the only one and as she was led into one house, Storm Shadow leaned forward and knocked his fist against one wall. Moments later, the wall rose and he shoved her inside. Unlike the outside, everything within the mountain was new age technology, heavily metallic and chrome-coated. Storm Shadow moved her around a corner where the hallway opened up into a huge stadium-like room where she could see other ninja training, and separate soldiers working on large jet planes.

"And you said you had no resources." She said with hint of smugness in her voice.

"I don't. They found me." Down another hallway, Storm Shadow pushed apart two tinted glass doors that led into what Theresa thought was the infirmary. Standing in the middle of the room was an older gentleman who was calmly sitting on one of the examination tables; balanced on the tip of his finger was a firefly, he looked up at their arrival and gave them a cheerful smile.

"So, our guest of honour finally arrives. Storm Shadow tells me you've no idea about Snake Eyes or the Joes but we can work around that. I'll help jog your memory and you can help me with my little friends here."

As if on cue, the firefly lifted off the man's finger and landed on Theresa's shoulder. Upon closer inspection, she realized it wasn't real at all, wasn't alive. Slightly perturbed, she glanced up at the man and he grinned; the firefly pushed the tip of its lighted body into her skin and Theresa hissed as it slowly burned through her shirt and into her skin.