The problem with ninjas

January 15th, 2009 by Joel | Posted in Kitch |

The thought of letting the ninja live flashed through Kitch’s mind. He didn’t enjoy killing–far from it–and avoided it when able. But tonight was different. In addition to the mystique of ninja was the knowledge that a ninja whose duty is foiled but is left alive remains dishonored until he hunts down and kills those responsible. Which is followed immediately by his own suicide.

Kitch shook his head. Letting the ninja walk away wasn’t an option. He had no desire to watch over his shoulder the rest of his life.

Kitch broke his stride and tapped his left toe on the ground, followed by a short drag of his right sole across the cement floor. The ninja, instead of stopping, quickened his pace. Kitch backed up another row away from the ninja, this time making no noise whatsoever. He then jogged in a large circle towards the door where he had started.

The ninja was moving away from him. He had fallen for the trick. Kitch began nearing the ninja from his rear, staying behind the corners of cargo crates as he went. He advanced on the ninja through the rows of the massive warehouse. Not a sound was made by either. Kitch’s ears strained to hear anything.

Three rows behind. Two away. One. The infrared image of the ninja was stronger. He was agitated, his body coursing with adrenaline.

Kitch flattened against the corner of a large crate as the ninja did the same one row ahead. He waited a five count and checked around the corner, raising his pistol to fire.

The ninja was gone.

If Kitch could’ve seen his own body heat at that point, he’d have witnessed a bloom of rainbows as his body dumped its own load of adrenaline down his spine. He had the thought, Where …? as he darted looks sideways.

The text

where what?

flashed through his mind at the same time he looked up to see the ninja dropping from the crate above him, sword first.

Kitch dropped his body and pistoned his leg to the side and down, sending cracks spidering through the concrete floor, pushing himself into a sideways roll. The ninja landed on the balls of his feet and tucked into a quick somersault to avoid injury from the fall. He was up and running at Kitch in less than a second.