A/N: It has been an insane few years. As I stated in my Kunoichis like us fic I was without a working computer for a while and I hit a dark place where writing held no joy for me. But that's behind me now, I hope. Anyways Dead or Alive 6 and Devil May Cry 5 announced. Makes me realize how old this fic is. And my age too. Ugh.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo.

Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor

Chapter 41: Ice and Cages

The Ondatra

DOATEC-owned docks-Russia

Sunday 10:06 p.m.

Bayman kicked the door open to the warehouse they had preordained as their fall back point should the operation turn sour. They had rigged the place with an array of booby-traps. A few razor-wire tricks Leon picked up somewhere in Southeast Asia, a Claymore mine fastened to the door Bayman passed by, and a few other doodads. In his mind though, they might as well have been cherry bombs that spat out confetti considering the enemy they faced.

Inside were stacks of crates with a tossup of languages printed on the side including Russian, English, Chinese, and Arab. Every crate had DOATEC stamped on the side. The cold had leaked into the warehouse long ago, turning the place into a walk in freezer.

Without exchanging a word Bayman hauled Leon in and sat him against a desk. He took a first-aid kit from his pack and ripped it open. When Leon pulled the ice kunai out, Bayman slapped on anti-bacterial gel.

"Since when the hell did that bastard have ice powers?" Leon growled.

"No idea." Bayman replied as he tightened the bandages.

"This op is fucked." Leon said. "We need to bail out."

"And go where?" Bayman almost laughed. "We're smack dab in the middle of nowhere. Sub-zero temperatures for miles."

"We have transportation. Our fall back plan."

"And you got a hole in your shoulder." Bayman finished up his patch job. "Plus there's no way in hell he's just gonna let us go. Not if the data on him is true."

Leon nodded. He never met the previously deceased ninja but he did read the dossier DOATEC had compiled. A real piece of work. Murder, rapist, megalomaniac. Not exactly a description that narrow down the scum bags he had dealt with before. However not all of them were classified as an 'Extremely Lethal Individual'. He was also diagnosed with 'an unhealthy need to dominate'. Meaning he was not gonna pick a fight and just leave it on a whim. This was a hunt.

"Any idea on how to kill him?" Leon asked as Bayman packed up the first aid pack. He refused a shot of pain killer, he wanted his wits sharp.

"A few. Mostly involving putting as many bullets in him until he's more lead than ice."

"And if that doesn't work?"

"I'll think of something." Bayman muttered.

"Mind if I put my two cents in?"

Leon expected a snarky remark, instead Bayman just replied with, "Sure."

"There's a bag under that cabinet." Leon pointed.

Bayman yanked a black cloth bag from underneath the metal frame. He unzipped the bag and peered inside.

"When were you planning on telling me about this?" Bayman asked with a smirk.

"Don't act like you have your own private backup plans hidden around here."

New York City

United States

Sunday-10:07 p.m.

"So lemme see if I have this straight," Zack asked, "you want to take us to the coldest part of Russia because an old book said something might be there?"

"No,"Lady replied as she rummaged through the winter supplies, "We're not taking you anywhere. We're going to find the Temple of Redemption. Whether you come with isn't my concern."

"Hey, I ain't backin' out." Zack said. "I'm just sayin' that were goin' pretty far solely on the info from one book."

No one else spoke up for some time. The group convened to go over their trip. Lucia leaned against the wall and twirled a throwing knife in her hand. Rachel sat on a wooden chair running a whet stone on the blade of her war hammer. Lisa sat in front of a desk with a mess of map of the islands and a pen. Lady rummaged through a mountain of thermal clothing with Gen Fu. Brad laid lazily on the floor surrounded by empty beer bottles. The smile he had made him seem like he had not a care in the world.

Zack sat in the corner and ran a hand over his bald head. "Man life was so much simpler during the tournaments. Fight some guys, win some cash, cruise off that for a few years and repeat. None of this cat and mouse bullshit."

"Oh Zack." Lisa sighed and took off her glasses. "If only you knew how much work actually goes into the tournaments."

"I'm more concerned about the old man myself." Brad suddenly spoke. "Old people and the cold don't mix."

Gen Fu said something in Mandarin that made Brad chuckle.

"I love ya too, Pops." Brad downed the last of the beer in his hand.

"If we could get back to the task at hand." Lisa put her glasses back on. "Getting to Russia is one thing, getting to the islands is another, and the Temple of Redemption is a whole other ballgame. I mean what do we do if we actually get the orb? Stuff it in sock drawer?

"We're not taking the orb." Rachel bluntly said. "We're trying to do the exact opposite. Keep it where it is."

"And let someone other son of a bitch grab it?" Lisa turned to Rachel. "It's location is compromised. It needs to be relocated."

"It needs to stay where it is." Rachel gripped her war hammer tighter. "It's dangerous even in our hands."

"The orb isn't something that can be just grabbed and moved about." Lucia spoke. "It was already unstable when they built the Temple of Redemption and I doubt it's gotten any better. Moving it might trigger the very calamity we're trying to stop."

"I thought Vergil wanted to make a, what'd you call it again?" Zack asked.

"Devil's Arm." Lady finished. "And that's one scenario. Another is that he fails and countless demon souls are freed and tear through the world like a bear with a fucking bee hive."

"God." Lisa was too tired to continue the argument. "We need more time."

"We don't have it." Rachel said.

"You children are thinking too much on this." Gen Fu spoke up. "We can ponder on what may or may not happen all day. We focus on our objective. Stopping Vergil and Donovan. Everything else is not important."

Another silence lulled over the group before Lady broke it. "He's right. All our worries will have to wait."

"What about Dante?" Lucia spoke. "This kinda thing is up his alley."

"We need more information, not more people." Lisa said.

"Well, what we need and what we have are two very different things." Lucia pocketed the knife and took a step forward. "We leave tomorrow and we solve this."

"But-" Lisa started.

"We can't wait." Lucia interrupted. "Because Vergil won't. Donovan won't. So we won't either."

Lady gave an appreciative nod. Rachel, Gen Fu, Zack, and Brad all gave looks of acknowledgment. Lisa furrowed her brow and returned to the maps.

Unknown Location

France

Sunday-10:12 p.m.

"This is bullshit!" Tina yelled.

Hayate knew an outburst would come when he told them, he still had not expected such…passion about it. The wrestling superstar was practically spitting with rage. Hayate stood with the other ninja, arms folded, with Ryu on his left and his sisters on the right. Ryu and Ayane had similar body postures while Kasumi held her hands in front of her, fidgeting.

"Watch your language, girl." Bass scolded. "But she's right, this stinks t' high heaven. First you want our help and now yer cuttin' us out?"

The others took the opposite side of the room. Tina was on her feet, pacing the floor. Bass sat in a chair, his large arms folded and a scowl hidden behind his sunglasses. Lei Fang and Jan Lee looked amused, like they were part of a practical joke. Hitomi had her head tilted down, her eyes hidden by her bangs.

"Plans change, I'm afraid." He spoke. "I had not expected things to escalate as they have. So I believe it is time to restructure the team, slim it down for the sake of efficiency."

"Oh, don't give me that corporate run around talk with me. I heard it all from the butt-kissers from my Dad's company." Lei-Fang said in English, a language that everyone agreed to for team meetings and such. "You think we're dead weight, don't you?"

"We believe that your safety cannot be assured with us as is." Ryu took over.

"Our safety?" Jann Lee snorted. "You think you need to protect us?"

"Well, duh." Ayane snapped. "We're highly trained for this, you're all a bunch of self-taught amateurs who-."

Hayate silenced her with a glare. Ayane gulped down her words, cast her eyes down, folded her arms in front of her, and took a step back.

"So were weak? Eh?" Bass stood to his full height and flexed his biceps. "How bout we throw down here an' now and I'll show all y'all who's the strongest?"

"Yeah, I like that." Jann Lee shuffled his feet in Jeet Kun Do fashion. "Because I think you guys need a reminder of what we can do."

Hayate held up a hand. "That won't be necessary. This is not about strength but expertise. Have any of you taken on demons and monsters before?"

"Always a first." Jann Lee grinned.

"And what happened at the tower, was that a first for you?" Ryu countered. "Because that wasn't the worse of it. Believe me."

Bass and Jan Lee exchanged looks before backing down.

"Ein." Hitomi spoke up. "Is this really what you want?"

Hayate could not meet her gaze. "This is not about what I want, it is for what is best. For all of us."

"Even me?" She asked.

He wanted to say so much to her, but all he could get out was a lonesome, "Yes."

"Well I ain't gonna be left behind 'cause you high an' mighty ninja people think were not good enough. I'm comin' with!" Tina said.

"Darlin'," Bass interjected, "he's right. We barely squeaked by what happened last time."

"I don't believe this!" Tina turned to her father. "He pokes one hole in yer argument an' you roll over."

"You ain't bulletproof, darlin'!" Bass shot back. "We almost died! You almost died! An' now you want t' go were there are worse things than thugs with guns!"

"I don't care!" Tina stomped. "I ain't runnin'!"

Hayate almost rolled his eyes. Tina's ambition was remarkable. Her behavior left much to be desired.

"Please." Kasumi started. "We're only concerned about your safety. Let's not-"

"Your concern is noted." Lei-Fang interrupted. "And is revoked. We're coming with."

Jann Lee nodded. Bass and Tina stopped their quarreling and agreed.

"We're going to Russia. Our contact said that our target would be there."

"Your contact?" Lei-Fand stated. "You mean the guy with the red coat who may or may not be a spawn of Satan?"

"His name is Dante." Kasumi spoke up. "And he's not the son of the devil, he's the son of a devil who rebelled-"

"Who he is isn't important. What matters is that we know who we are after and where they will be. We can end this fight before it grows out of hand."

"A little late on that part." Jann Lee huffed. "Unless all of this is just business as usual for you guys."

"It is." Ryu answered flatly. "In a way."

"Which only presses my concern that-" Hayate began again.

"We're not leaving you." Hitomi interrupted. "Not now. Not ever."

Hayate sighed and fought back the urge to smile. The German teen had definitely matured since they first met years ago. "Very well."

Hayate could feel the disbelieved looks from his fellow ninja. He had been adamant about sending the others back during their secret meetings. He was sure his sudden change of heart would be the subject of their next meeting.

Jann Lee and Bass exchanged a high five. Lei Fang crossed her arms and beamed proudly. Lisa pumped her fist with a "Yes". Hitomi's smile almost made Hayate blush.

"Celebrate while you can." Ryu interrupted. "We leave immediately."

"Spoil sport." Bass muttered.

The Ondatra

DOATEC-owned docks-Russia

Sunday 10:13 p.m.

How low one goes sometimes to get by in life. Raidou had gone pretty low to survive. It was an insult for his younger brother to assume the mantle of clan leader. Why their father passed him over for his weakling brother was beyond him. He could have stayed in his brother's shadow his whole life but such expectations were not to his tastes. He was meant for something more, something greater.

He had run himself ragged acquiring more power, becoming stronger. The Torn Sky Blast Technique was his, immortality as a demon granted to his aging body, and with the Emerald Ice he controlled the very element of cold itself. Now there lay an even greater power that everyone was clawing at, this Orb of Souls. A power that would be his once he stepped over the bodies of the sons of Sparda.

Now he was regulated to guard duty for a boat in the middle of an icy wasteland. Not that he was bored with the two burly killers to contend with. He managed to pin the two into a warehouse. All was needed was the killing blow.

"Enough fun." He muttered to himself as he dredged through the hollowing winds. "Time to finish this."

The former ninja froze the door and shattered it. An explosion ripped through the ice. A bobby trap. He smirked. And stepped inside. A sharpened piece of metal came down on him, aimed for his chest. The metal bounced harmlessly on his hardened muscles. He scanned the room. Not a spec of life. He strode further in and tripped another trap. A shotgun roared from a fixed place, peppering his side with buckshot. The force barely felt like a nudge as the pellets fell to the ground.

Normally he would be impressed with the resourcefulness of his foes, but their stubbornness had started to grow dull.

He found the ice kunai that he skewered the Italian with along with signs of medical care. A patch job to keep the group moving. Another few steps in and no other traps sprung up on him. In fact there was nothing else. Did they escape? No, he would have seen it. They must be further in, like scared rats.

Of course the two were sucking the fun out of the whole chase. Cowardly fighters always do.

Raidou never had the chance to growl when fire erupted around him.

Bayman chucked the detonator over his shoulder. Leon's C4 explosive had reduced the building into a roaring inferno. The two had managed to get lucky and found drums of oil, gasoline, and other incinerates to give their plastic explosives more heat.

"Makes me wish I had a camera." Leon chuckled.

"Yeah." Bayman said. "I always wanted to make a 'best of' album."

The Russian and Italian stood for a moment longer before turning to their hidden snowmobiles.

The wind suddenly picked up, almost knocking the two off their feet. An emerald hue colored the wind as it rushed to the destroyed warehouse, blowing out the inferno like a birthday candle. A green tornado formed, kicking up snow and debris.

"That's our cue." Leon said as he turned and ran with Bayman on his heels.

Bayman and Leon ripped off the camouflage netting on their snowmobiles.

"That was 200 pounds of plastic explosive." Leon said. "What's it going to take to stop him, a nuke?"

Bayman had nothing to offer, no quip or retort would alleviate the situation. He looked up for a brief moment to see Raidou almost upon them. He noticed that part of him looked…off. Melted. Like a snowman in the sun. The explosion did have some effect. Just not enough.

Then something hit Raidou from behind, causing the demon to stagger. Raidou lashed out with a backhand that missed…whoever it was that attacked him. Bayman focused his eyes to ascertain who or what had just saved their bacon. He noticed white and blue clothing and a mop of blond hair. But the fighting movements was what clued the Russian to his identity. Xingyi Quan.

"Eliot?"

"Who?" Leon asked.

"He's a fighter from Dead or Alive." Bayman replied, trying to find the words from his rattled brain. "He's new, came in for the 4th tournament. I don't think you two met."

"Well, he made his introductions." Leon hefted his rifle. "I'll make mine."

With a few bursts, Leon put nine rounds into Raidou's head, for all the good it did. The demon did not even stumble. It did grab his attention.

"Enough, you cowards." Raidou hissed. "You are interfering with a fight between true warri-"

Eliot interrupted the ninja with a fist to the face. With a roar Raidou lashed out at the British teen.

"Get ready to move." Bayman drew his sidearm and changed in. With three shots Bayman closed the gap and slammed his fist to the side of Raidou's face. He bit back a groan of pain. He felt like he had just slugged a thick slab of ice. As close as he was, he noticed how badly the demon was damaged. Half his head had melted away and large chunks were missing from his torso and arms.

The Russian had seen his fair share of horrors and grotesques in his time, but this was just…odd. Raidou looked more like a banged up ice sculpture than a real person.

"Kid!" Bayman barked in English. "Get on the snowmobile! We're leaving!"

He did not wait for Eliot to reply, he grabbed the youth by the scruff of his neck and dragged him away as he squeezed off a handful of rounds to Raidou's face, causing him to raise his hand to shield his eyes.

Bayman jumped on his vehicle, switched it on, and took off with Eliot holding on. Leon tossed his last grenade at Raidou's feet to give the demon one last bit of grief before catching up to Bayman.

"How the hell did you get here?" Bayman shouted over the wind.

"It's complicated." Eliot shouted back. "But I got a ride here."

"I'm guessing you can't get a ride back." Bayman asked rhetorically.

"Nope." Eliot replied anyway.

Sometime earlier…

"Good afternoon, my good boy." Eliot opened his eyes to see a man in green. "May I have a moment of your time?"

"Who are you?" Eliot asked, more annoyed than surprised. "What do you want?"

"Be at ease young man. I merely wish to talk." The man in green said and tipped his hat. "My name is Gentleman. And I have a proposition for you."

"You're a demon. Like Marller."

"Yes, though I wish you no harm."

"I'll bet." Eliot crossed his arms. "And what is it you want from me?"

"Ah, yes. That. I wish to barter for your safe passage from this…lovely place."

Eliot stole a quick glance around. He noticed a skull with three eye holes being used as a lantern.

"In exchange for…?"

Gentleman pointed his cane to Eliot's hand. "That bauble you've obtained…"

Eliot tightened his grip and prepared to decline.

"...you keep it." Gentleman suddenly finished. "Nice and safe."

"R…really?" Eliot lost his composure. "You…don't want it?"

"Nope." Gentleman put his cane down. "I just want the jewel safe and sound like a bug in a rug. And I can tell that you are more than capable of safeguarding it."

"Um, ok. Why?"

"Well, that is quite the issue, isn't it?" Gentleman rubbed his chin. "I could say that I wish to keep untold power from nefarious use or that I am doing this out of the goodness of heart, but…"

"You'd be lying." Eliot finished.

"Such a sharp young man." Gentleman said. "Needless to say, my reasons are my own, but I would catalogue this exchange as a mutually beneficial transaction. I get someone capable looking after a valuable resource and you become free."

Eliot stood. He trusted the green clad demon as much as foam-mouthed dog, but he needed out and he doubted the Tardis from would pop in to offer a ride home.

"Where are we going?"

"The question is where are you going." Gentleman replied. "And there is a place I have especially in mind for you. You see, there are two distinguished individuals who need your help and I have a vested interest in their well being. But first, you're in sore need of a wardrobe change."

Before Eliot could say anything his shredded clothing glowed white. When the light died out he was clad in a white and blue Chinese style tunic, similar to his clothing he wore in the tournament but padded, thick like winter clothing.

"Why am I wearing this?"

"Because you're going somewhere…chilly." Gentleman snapped his fingers and all went white.

Raidou watched the trio escape. He growled and icicles jutted out from the ground around him. He had to let them go, as the explosion earlier had taken its tole. He examined his left arm to see the missing bits slowly grow back. It would take some time to restore himself to full strength.

"Bayman, Leon, and Eliot." Raidou muttered to himself. "You're names are on my list now.

Eliot's residence

Great Britain

Sunday-10:15 p.m.

Marller had never seen Vergil upset. Irritated yes, but not upset. She could tell the signs, the clenched fists, the tight shoulders, the clenched jaw. Subtle differences in his usual calm posture. What got her attention was the way he thumbed the guard on Yamata, like he was internally debating to use the blade. She had a sneaking suspicion on the exact use he wanted.

The two had come back to Eliot's parent's home to find it empty. The boy's parents and the two Japanese women were gone and unfortunately for her, there was no clue as to where they ran. At least that is what she assumed as neither did any searching. She doubted the humans left a note detailing where they went or anything.

"Vergil?" Marller broke the silence. "They're not here." She bit her tongue at the stupid comment, but she could not think of a more informative line.

"I can see that." Vergil slowly turned to her. "So the question is where are they?"

"Well," Marller stumbled. She felt so small. "I would guess with someone they know like a family friend or…"

Vergil gently advanced on her, each step a soft clack on the floor. "And where would they be?"

"Uh…" Marller's stomach dropped.

"That woman, Ayame, had the Jewel of the Forsaken. It was supposed to be in the hair ornament and it wasn't." Vergil was almost upon her, Marrler unconsciously took a step back. "Now she's gone, we have no idea where they went and no clue where the jewel could be."

Marller gasped when her back hit the wall. Vergil was looming above her, a hawk cornering his prey.

"I'll find it." She blurted out. "I swear to you."

"You had better." Vergil brushed past her.

This was wrong. She was not something for another to cow. After centuries of keeping herself as predator some half-breed had made her feel like prey. She had to play along if she was going to get what she wanted. And never again would another stir fear in her. Never again would she be knocked off the top of the food chain.

That green demon had fooled her. He said the mother of the ninjas had the jewel. Now she had nothing except an irate Vergil to deal with. There had to be another way to find the jewel. But where could it be? If the jewel in the hair ornament was fake where would they hid the real one? Not the village, Doku would have found it when he razed it to the ground. Another one of the ninja perhaps? Wait, Ayame acted like the ornament did have the jewel. Was it an act? Did someone switch-

A surge hit Marller. The boy.

"Take us back. Find the jewel." Vergil spoke.

"Yes." Marller said breathlessly.

"And Marller."

"Yes, Vergil?"

"Don't come back without it."

Marller swallowed. "Yes, Vergil."

Location Unknown

Sunday-10:18 p.m.

Trish strummed her fingers. It had been a while since Gentleman had popped by and the boredom came back in full swing. She had nothing inside her little bubble cage except the clothes on her back. The demon took her weapons and only the green clad worm knew where they were. How to escape kept running through her mind, although a solution escaped her. She could not force her way out as she had tried with only sore knuckles to show for it. Her teleportation ability did not have any effect which left her with nothing.

Not that it would do her much good once she got out. All around her was a thick gray fog. She had no clue where she was but she was willing to bet that it was some weird pocket dimension that demons loved to make.

The blonde haired demoness sat crossed legged and arms folded. With a sigh she stretched out. She would drive herself insane soon with the her thinking in circles and nothing to occupy her time.

She hated being bait. Mundus used her as such with Dante on their first mission together. After getting free she swore to never be used again. An oath she could not keep it seemed.

She shifted around and tried to get comfortable. Then something caught her eye, something barely covered by the fog. She focused her eyes. It looked like a horizon. With buildings and trees on the edge.

She rose to her knees and pressed her hands against the barrier. It was land. Perhaps a way out.

But she was still stuck in the bubble, but maybe her teleportation ability might work better if she knew exactly where she wanted to go. If she concentrated and put her all into it. She closed her eyes and focused her will. Her body crackled with golden energy. She could feel her power crashing against the bubble, like a gust of wind against a brick wall.

With clenched teeth she pushed harder and pictured herself standing on the landmass. She could feel her demonic power pooling around her. With an audible crack, the bubble strained against Trish.

Then like a fist through glass, Trish broke free. She felt herself tumble through space and land on solid ground.

Trish gasped for air, realizing that she had forgot to breath during her escape. She fell to her knees and grasped the grass under her. She began to laugh.

"Put me in a fucking bubble, eh?" Trish pushed herself to her feet.

She took in her surroundings. The buildings had a Eastern design, Japanese if she had to guess. A well cared for garden blooming with dozens of types of flowers, an ancient looking mansion that looked straight out of a samurai film, and a wall the separated the place from the fog outside.

Someone suddenly called out. Trish looked behind her to see a young Asian girl in fancy clothing run up to her. The girl said something else, in Japanese most likely. She stopped with plenty of room between them and struck a fighting pose.

"Whoa, hey, calm down." Trish said in English with her hands up. "I ain't looking to start something here."

Suddenly she felt light headed. Her escape took bigger toll than she thought.

"Who are you?" The girl said in English. She did not drop her stance. "What do you want?"

"Easy, kid, I'm…" Her eyes almost fluttered closed as she dropped to a knee. "I'm…"

Everything went black.

Location Unknown

Sunday 10:19 p.m.

Marller ground her teeth hard. This was not expected. When she came back to her little hole in the wall she had expected to see her captive hungry and weak. She had planned on plying him with questions, hopefully with the use of her claws, to obtained the Jewel of the Forsaken from him. After that, she might have had her way with him, depending on her mood.

Then she would kill him for the aggravation he caused.

But those ideas would not come to pass. Instead she found her room empty, just as the boy's house.

Falling for a fake jewel was one thing. Her captive escaping was another.

With gnashing teeth she strode to the last place she left him, in the center of room.

There was no way in or out without her power and she was certain that no one else knew of her special place.

A smell came to her. A scent. She bent down to where the smell was coming from. It was exotic but familiar, like she had come across it once before.

"Gentleman." She growled.

Far from The Ondatra

DOATEC-owned docks-Russia

Sunday 10:20 p.m.

"Ah, brisk." Christie said. The assassin wore a white coat and thick camouflage pants. Her head was encased in a white ski mask with goggles.

Helena ignored the British assassin as she stepped off the plane. The French diva wore a full length brown and gray fur coat that reached her ankles. Underneath she had on a white designer parka with leather boots.

"Just when I though it couldn't get any colder." Dante muttered as the snow crunched underneath his boots.

"I thought you said the cold didn't affect half-demons like yourself." Helena said

The demon hunter had on his usual attire despite criticism from Helena. He could stand the cold, but it still bothered him.

"I'm worried that you girls will freeze and I'll have to carry you all. It'd be a pain."

"Cute." Helena muttered.

A man in a DOATEC uniform sprinted to Helena. "Miss Douglass. We've finished unloading the Snow Fox."

"Very good. Well leave immediately."

"Miss Douglass, again, I must insist that you take a team with you. You are going into a dangerously cold environment and-"

"I understand your concern, captain." Helena cut off. "But we will be fine."

With a sigh the captain replied. "Yes, Miss Douglass."

The plan Helena had hatched was to use the Snow Fox to go to the Ondatra and commander it. Afterwards they would use the vessel as leverage against Donovan to retrieve Kokoro. The first part Dante liked, simple and straight to the point. The second however seemed obtuse. Christie and he had voiced their concern about the logic of how Donovan was controlling anything about Kokoro, but Helena pulled rank and said it would work out.

The Snow Fox was an all terrain tracked vehicle designed to work in the most inhospitable places on Earth. The vehicle was an ugly box shaped thing the size of a city bus. But the ground crew said that it was the most reliable thing to take into the arctic wastes. Inside was far more pleasant than it seemed. The interior was outfitted with comfortable chairs, insulation, and best of all, internal heating.

Christie took the drivers' seat.

"You know how to drive this thing?" Dante asked as he took the passenger seat.

"Of course, luv. I can drive anything." She said as she checked the instruments. "I even read the manual on the way here."

Helena took the seat behind Dante without a word.

The Snow Fox lurched forward and stuttered for a moment.

"I thought you had read the manual for this thing." Dante said.

"Well, more like skimmed."

After a moment they were on their way. The wind howled outside while the inside was uncomfortably silent.

"So…anyone know a good joke?" Dante asked.

"I feel like we're in a bad one." Christie muttered.

"Everything that has to be said has been said." Helena replied. "All that's left is to act."

"Except for the next few hours." Dante countered. "Which I guess we'll be spending not talking or anything."

"No one is here because we enjoy each others company, Dante." Helena said.

"Speak for yourself." Christie chimed in. "I for one am having a ball."

"If I didn't need your help I'd have you pull over and we would settle our differences out in the snow."

"Huh. "Christie said amused. "And what about Bayman? When will you settle things with him?"

A moment passed before Helena picked the conversation back up.

"There's nothing between him and I to settle."

"Really? It seems a bit unfair. I kill your mother and you have a vendetta against me but he kills your father and he gets a free pass?"

Dante remained out of the conversation and waited to see where it lead.

"I barely knew my father." Helena said calmly. "He was someone that was in my life but never really a part of it. When he died…it hurt, but it was fleeting. The same could not be said for my mother."

"You were my target, not her." Christie briskly replied.

"That changes nothing."

Silence overtook the trio. The tension was stifling. Dante decided to break it.

"You know, this is some fucked up drama I'm seeing with you Dead or Alive Tournament guys." Dante shifted in his chair. "This person killed that person's mom. This guy betrayed these guys. Vengeance. Vendetta. Around and around we go."

Neither Christie or Helena spoke as Dante continued.

"You know, I've seen this shit play out on the streets away from your glitz and glamour. This guy killed another guy, so a third guy kills the second guy cause he was a friend or something. Then a forth guy kills him for the exact same reason. And on and on until no one even remembers the first guy. It's funny."

"Lovely story." Christie said. "And what's the moral? Revenge is pointless?"

"I dunno." He shrugged. "It just gets old."

"I'm willing to kiss and make up." Christie smiled as she eyed Helena. "What about you?"

"Just drive." Helena curtly responded.

Christie did not respond except to do what she was told.

"And you." Helena directed to Dante. "While I…appreciate everything you've done, I don't need you trying to talk me out what I need to do. This doesn't concern you."

"Points for trying, luv." Christie said.

With a sigh, Dante deflated into his seat. It was worth a shot.

Location Unknown

Sunday-10:46 p.m.

"We lost him. Or he gave up. Either way we're clear." Leon said.

"How I wish I could believe that." Bayman replied.

The group had reached their extraction point. An old Soviet black ops airstrip that was never officially on the books and got lost during the decades since. Ice and snow had mostly taken over the place, but that did not stop Leon and Bayman from using it as a place to park their transportation, a long-range DOATEC helicopter. The trio took the main hanger as their meeting place.

Eliot was obviously out of his element. He could not stop gawking at the old military equipment and the helicopter. Bayman checked on Leon's bandages. The Italian had his arm in a sling.

"So, kid, just how the hell did you get here?" Leon said.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Eliot replied.

"Try us." Bayman sat next Leon and passed him a mug of coffee, black. "You'd be surprised what we'd believe now."

"Alright." Eliot sighed and told them about his experiences, what happened at the temple, the tower, and his home. He left out certain parts including Marller's advances and other embarrassing information. The part where Gentleman came in made him feel odd, like he was telling someone a secret.

"And then next thing I knew I was here and saw you two fighting…whoever that was." Eliot wrapped up. "And I figured the you could use my help."

"That's…very optimistic of you." Leon chuckled and took a swig of coffee.

"You were at the tower in France?" Bayman asked. "Huh, there were more of us there than I had thought."

"More people from the Dead or Alive tournaments, you mean." Leon added. "Outside the actual tournament as well."

"Yeah. The price of being popular." Bayman remarked. "They pick the people to fight in those things for a reason."

"To find the strongest?" Eliot said.

"In a way." Bayman downed a good part of his coffee. "They're looking for the strongest person to harvest their genes to make bio-weapons."

"Oh." Eliot responded with equal parts horror and dejection. "That's…I didn't know that."

"Not a lot of people do." Bayman poured himself some more coffee.

"And you stayed with Dante and the ninja sisters after the attack on the temple?" Leon arched an eyebrow. "A very small world we live in."

"I guess, I mean I never met him. Have you?" Eliot asked.

"Briefly, at the tower." Bayman said. "We defended Helena from the ninjas and other Dead or Alive fighters. Apparently Helena was keeping tabs on the guy."

"Who is he anyway?" Eliot said. "I mean I didn't get much from the others at his home. Is he some kind of…superhero or something?"

"Don't know for sure ourselves." Leon replied. "But I would go with the 'or something' category."

"Let's focus on the here and now." Bayman interjected. "Specifically this jewel your keeping. What is it exactly?"

"I…don't know exactly." Eliot dug out the jewel from his pocket. "The demons or whatever seem to want it bad. In fact It's the reason Marller attacked my home."

"More clues. Doubt well solve the mystery anytime soon."

"I don't know." Bayman narrowed his eyes at the jewel. "I think I saw something like that a while ago. It was in the DOATEC database. Donovan's been searching like hell to find those things."

Eliot studied the jewel closely. "I think there's three of these."

"Jewel of the Forbidden. Jewel of the Forgotten. Jewel of the Forsaken." Bayman rattled off. "Names to be wary of."

"These things never have fun names." Leon said. "And I'm guessing they're linked to whatever horror show Donovan's planning with the ice breaker?"

"I don't doubt it." Bayman raised his mug at Eliot. "You be careful with that thing, kid. It makes you a target now."

"I can handle it." Eliot pocketed the jewel.

"I'm sure you can." Bayman chuckled.

"How come I don't get any coffee?" Eliot aked.

"Cause you still have youth." Leon grumbled.

"Now, now, don't be an old miser." Bayman smiled and handed Eliot a steaming mug. "Here ya go."

"Thanks." Eliot took a sip and instantly made a face that caused Bayman and Leon to chuckle.

"What'd ya think, kid?" Leon asked. "Good stuff, right?"

"Yep." Eliot squeaked out.