Comics#22

Inside the German U-boat submarine at the Science & Industry Museum in Chicago, Storm Shadow is surrounded in the cramped space by three men with taser guns. Margarita, their leader, is holding at gunpoint a little girl named Tiffany. Margarita wants information from Storm Shadow on Morning Light. Storm Shadow refuses to give out any information and the men attack as Margarita escapes with Tiffany.
In a bowling alley, Jilf Sgrobe is talking to his client. The client is over weight and has a blond ponytail. He has two beautiful female bodyguards, one is named Olga. Sgrobe reports to him that they were unable to get any information on Morning Light, but that they have negotiation abilities with the capture of Tiffany. The client shows Sgrobe the surveillance video of Storm Shadow killing the three men left behind as Margarita escaped. The group I.R.I.Z. (International Research Institute of Zurich), which both Margarita, Sgrobe and the men Storm Shadow killed all work for, has been hired by The Client and he is very disappointed. He demands Morning Light or at least some information on where it is at.
Somewhere in Chicago, Margarita, with Tiffany in the room listening, is talking with the leader of I.R.I.Z. The leader is former Night Creeper Leader. The Leader is passing on to her that the client is demanding information on Morning Light. Margarita points out that Storm Shadow is now in the custody of the Chicago police. But Storm Shadow has broken out of the police station completely disabled the Chicago Police's computer system. They assume Storm Shadow allowed himself to get arrested so that he could gain access to their computer files to discover who Margarita's men were. But Night Creeper Leader has discovered some information about Storm Shadow, his name: Thomas, Place of Birth: USA, Birth date: June 6. They then talk about how mysterious their client is and wonder what Morning Light actually is. After the conversation is over Margarita turns to Tiffany to interrogate her, Tiffany being a stubborn little girl doesn't say anything other then "You just wait. Uncle Tommy's gonna kick your butt." Margarita is then interrupted by a call telling her that Storm Shadow has just been given the name of Magic Moe.
Near Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Storm Shadow has snuck in and surprised computer hacker, Adam. A kid who grew up in Cobra's Springfield and did a little extra work for the long deceased Dr. Venom. Adam helps Storm Shadow discover that Margarita is working for I.R.IZ. And that two of the men he killed were former Night Creepers. They also discover that Margarita has a more famous name, Pale Peony. She is half Russian and half Japanese and her father is a Yakuza gang leader and one of the top operators for the I.R.I.Z.
Storm Shadow then goes hunting for some facts. He visits a restaurant called Moscow-ya, which leads him to Magic Moe. And Magic Moe is tricked into giving up the information Storm Shadow needs on Pale Peony.
In Zurich, Crystal Ball and Night Creeper Leader are talking about Storm Shadow. Night Creeper Leader talks about how difficult Storm Shadow is to capture and that Crystal Ball wouldn't stand a chance against him. But they are bringing Tiffany to Crystal Ball so he can get all the information they need out of her. And they are in need of information on their client.
In Moscow, the client reveals to Sgrobe that Margarita is actually one of his agents and that he has confirmed that Storm Shadow is on his way to visit them.

In Moscow, Storm Shadow arrives without any weapons. After visiting a knife shop, he is assaulted but easily dispatches them. Jilf Sgrobe is talking with The Client; he is concerned about his identity being discovered. Sgrobe reassures him that his file is completely safe hidden inside a secret room in the most secure building in Moscow, the Lubyanka the old KGB building.
Tiffany, Storm Shadow's niece, is being held in room with two Russian guards, Boris & Igor, inside Detsky Mir the biggest toy store in Russia and it is also the office of Sgrobe.
A couple of police officers are driving when they apparently hit a pedestrian. When they get out to investigate their accident, Storm Shadow knocks them out and steals a uniform.
At the Lubyanka, hundreds of police officers and Spetsnaz soldiers are surrounding the Lubyanka to prevent Storm Shadow form gaining access. A Captain Bulgokov escorts Pale Peony to the secret sub basement where the Client's identity files are being held. Storm Shadow just appears as they pull the file. Peony and Bulgokov attack Storm Shadow. Peony actually does well against Storm Shadow but he escapes out the main door locking them inside. As he turns around, a five man squad of Spetsnaz has him at gunpoint. Storm Shadow jumps above them coming down in the middle of them easily taking them all out. Peony and Bulgokov get out the room and find the four bodies of the Spetsnaz team. After some investigation they discover the fifth member without his uniform.
Storm Shadow is able to just walk out of the Lubyanka with the file disguised as a Spetsnaz soldier.
Back in Sgrobe office, Peony reports that Storm Shadow has stolen the Client's secret file. She knows how to draw Storm Shadow to them and it will happen in Tokyo.

In Tokyo, Storm Shadow is hanging from the ceiling upside down with both his hands and his feet tied. He has finally found his niece Tiffany, who was kidnapped by Pale Peony. He has been beaten by several of her Yakuza men, lead by Utada-San. They want to know where the Morning Light is. He refuses to give the information, but Tiffany blurts out that she knows where it is at and she will tell them if they stop beating him.
Pale Peony takes her outside the room and Utada-San leaves also. One of the loud mouthed Yakuza men named Baka-Inu pulls his sword to kill him. But Utada-San tells him to leave him alive and in a condition which he can talk. Baka-Inu then thrusts at Storm Shadow. Storm Shadow grabs the blade right out Baka's hand with his teeth, swings up cuts his feet free and then lands on them facing Baka. Two additional Yazuka attack him from behind and still with his hands tied he easy defeats and kills them. He sticks the sword into the ground cuts off his bindings and then counters Baka's attack. Storm Shadow comes out of the exchange clean and Baka has his pants and shirt all cut up. Giving him a way out Storm Shadow backs off but Baka attacks again and Storm Shadow finishes him. He then grabs his uniform from Pale Peony's nephew who has been standing in the corner watching in dumb struck amazement. Storm Shadow jumps in a cab and heads for a kid's museum in Asakua
In a later meeting, Utada-San is sitting with Kondo-Oyabun, a very elder man, where he explains what Storm Shadow did and he finishes by saying "The kid claimed she knew where something called "Morning Light" was and�" Kondo just shoots him dead. He picks up the phone and says "my granddaughter is making a move to keep Morning Light for herself. We have to take drastic action."
Storm Shadow is walking through the kid's museum in his ninja costume with sword and he is actually mistaken for a costumed ninja, the kind that dresses up to amuse kids. He does a magic trick, where he disappears, which allows him to sneak into the haunted house ride. Once inside a very elderly lady sits next to him. This is a secret meeting between an aunt and nephew. The Hard Master, Storm Shadow's mentor and Uncle was thought to be killed by Storm Shadow but it was discovered that it was actually Zartan. And Storm Shadow is now sitting next to the Hard Master's widow. Her name is Obake-Obaason. He reassures her that Morning Light is safe and uncompromised. And she replies that the Russian's know more then he expects and not to underestimate Pale Peony.
As he is exiting the ride, he comes into contact with the real costume ninjas of the museum, he does a card trick that impresses the ninjas and crowd and then just leaves.
In Moscow, Tiffany is talking directly to Jilf Sgrobe & the Client over a video chat line. She asks for a Faberge Egg from Hermitage. In return for the information she has on Morning Light. The Client informs Pale Peony about Storm Shadow's roof top hide away in New York City, where they plan to meet.
On the street, Kondo-Oyabun is walking with his grandson, Pale Peony's nephew, they are talking about the Arashikage Ninja myth. He informs him that the Morning Light is an ancient blade that has great mystical powers. He tells him that Pale Peony is going to New York City on forged passports and that he needs to follow her. Kondo wants Morning Light. After his grandson leaves, Obake-Obaason confronts Kondo. She makes a reference to how Tommy had been bad but now he is good and that Kondo's kids are just bad. Kondo retorts with "You may have married into a ninja clan, but your family has been nothing but Bricklayers for generations." As he fires his gun at her, she dodges and hits him in the head with her purse, knocking him out cold. She has a brick in her purse. She then calls Tommy to tell him that Pale Peony and Tiffany are on there way to New York City.

Pale Peony arrives at Storm Shadow's old water tower training spot in New York City with the intention of stealing the Morning Light sword. Storm Shadow confronts her. A sword battle begins that proves that Storm Shadow is easily the better fighter, which forces Pale Peony to use her wrist rockets that blow up half the water tower and still miss Storm Shadow.
At a Museum in New York City, Tiffany, Jilf Sgrobe and the Client are looking at a heavily guarded replica of the Morning Light. This replica was made by Onihashi XXIII, he is the same swordsmith, with Zartan as the apprentice, that made Snake-Eyes' sword which he received when he became a full member of the Arashikage clan. Masa, Pale Peony's nephew approaches them with an offer.
After a taxi ride, Tiffany is leading Masa, Sgrobe and the Client to Storm Shadow's water tower. They take an elevator ride to the top floor. During the ride, Jilf Sgrobe begins to glow and then instantly changes appearance into Capt. Bulgokov. This change is attributed to the new camouflage techniques of the Russian secret security service. After it stops, Sgrobe who is carrying a large bag climbs out of the top hatch of the elevator, Masa follows. Tiffany and the Client remain in the elevator.
Inside the half destroyed water tower, Pale Peony is fighting a losing battle against Storm Shadow and his sword the Morning Light. When Bulgokov/Sgrobe and Masa enter the roof to they interrupt the fight. Bulgokov/Sgrobe immediately calls Pale Peony off the fight and unpacks his bag. As he pulls out a very famous compound bow Bulgokov/Sgrobe begins to glow again and this time transforms into Zartan.
Back in the elevator, Tiffany has set up a link through a laptop and connects to the Night Creeper Leader who then watches Tiffany do several acrobatic fighting moves that catch the Client off guard and then she just begins to punching him directly in the face. All it does Night Creeper Leader is completely confused him.
Back on the roof, Zartan fires several arrows at Storm Shadow. He deflects them all. But Zartan says" You're better then the Hard Master." And Storm Shadow's response is "It makes a difference to see them coming."
Back in the elevator, Tiffany now has a knife to the Client's throat. She removes her wig and reveals that she is actually Latifa Chang-Rasmussen (age 27 and a little person), a freelance covert operative who has been masquerading as the 12 year old niece of Storm Shadow. She also reveals that Storm Shadow has been working for her the entire time.
Back on the roof, Zartan makes the observation that Storm Shadow is actually fighting with the Morning Light replica, the one he helped make with his master Onihashi XXIII, just by how it cut through the arrows. Storm Shadow admits that he snuck into the museum and replaced the replica with the original. Then Zartan asks "everything since Chicago has been about setting up the Oligarch for assassination?" Storm Shadow's response "Not quite"
Back in the elevator, Latifa has brought up a split screen in front of the Client. One is the very confused Night Creeper Leader and the other side is her employer, Kolya a rival Russian oil tycoon. Koyla has hired Latifa, for a fee of 5 million which Storm Shadow gets 20%, to get close enough to the Client to kill him, but she won't be killing him, today. All Koyla wants is the Client to lose interest in his control of a new oil pipeline. The Client agrees.
On the roof, as Zartan and Storm Shadow square off Storm Shadow says " I thought you had changed your life around. That was the reason for putting my vengeance on hold. Does Zartan walk on the dark side again?" His response "I run evasively through a grey zone and keep trying to put things right." He begins to talk about the forging of the Morning Light replica.
When his master Onihashi XXIII was commissioned with creating a duplicate of the Morning Light by the Arashikage family he was so moved that he vowed to match the creation stroke for stroke. The original blade had a marking on it that could only be seen by the human breath. And the breath would reveal the character for "truth", the duplicate bares the character for "forgiveness". These breath mark characters were secrets that the Arashikage clan didn't even know. Zartan was so touched by his master's work that he secretly switched the swords.
Storm Shadow reveals to Zartan that the breath mark character wasn't a secret and he pulls up his sword to breathe on it revealing the "forgiveness" character. Then he does the unexpected and offers the handle of the Morning Light replica to Zartan saying "The original is safe. The copy should go to the last apprentice of the Onihashi smiths." Zartan stands in silence.
Masa, who was sent by his grandfather to get the Morning Light, pulls a gun and begins to shoot Storm Shadow. But before he can pull the trigger, Pale Peony disables the gun and unloads it. With the sword in Zartan's hand, Storm Shadow offers to buy Masa and Pale Peony a bowl of noodles and they leave Zartan just as the cops arrive.
At the noodle restaurant, Storm Shadow makes a proposal to them. Pale Peony and Masa will take over control of their clan with the help from Storm Shadow's aunt and spread the word that the real Morning Light is now in the hands of Zartan. A deal is made.
Back in Moscow the next day, The Client is getting out of his car with two girls, Olga and Katya. He turns to them a promptly fires them, he has no need for there services he has just hired a new head of security, Latifa Chang-Rasmussen.

At a morgue in Berlin, Germany, Storm Shadow is listening to Inspector Loehmann describe how the latest victim in a string of murders has been killed. The victim, a street person and drug addict, has been bisected from right clavicle to the left side pelvis and in just one stroke. Storm Shadow was brought in because of his expertise in swords. As he inspects the cut he discovers that the technique used was called "the high priest robe cut". Storm Shadow continues to explain the high priest robe cut. When the diagonal cut through body is performed perfectly the victim can hear the wind blowing through the cut before the upper half slides off the bottom half.
The next day they visit the site of another murder victim which is at a train station. Standing in the crowd is very tall man with a hood over his head. As Storm Shadow inspects the body he realizes that this was a final test of a high grade samurai sword. And that in order to do that cut on this victim the attacker would have to be very tall. He approaches the tall man standing in the crowd to ask him a question, but the tall man flees towards an on coming train. He dives through one window into the train and out another window on the other side. Storm Shadow begins the chase by jumping up on top of the moving train. The tall man exits the train station and steals a motorcycle. Storm Shadow flips up in the air to grab his head, which snaps off. The tall man rides away on the motorcycle. When Storm Shadow looks at the helmet it is completely empty.
Later after some more investigating, Storm Shadow arrives at a microwave TV tower. He is expecting to find the last student of the last master of Falling Leaf School of Martial Arts. Once he reaches the top of the tower, he finds Ernst Strellner preparing a crate. As Storm Shadow approaches Ernst, he causes an explosion that blows a hole in the top of tower. He then pushes the crate out and jumps. A witness at the bottom explains that the box that was inside the crate rolled away after it landed and that Ernst could be heard saying "I hear it".
Ernst had been cut in half by the high priest robe cut in mid air by whatever was in the crate. Hence why Ernst could be heard saying "I hear it".
Well, Inspector Loehmann was up in Ernst's lab she discovered several experiments that Ernst was working on. The major one was an android soldier with the moral codes of the samurai. An additional clue she discovers leads them to the Brandenburg Gate.
At the Gate, they sneak on to the top. Once up there, they discover the android samurai. He immediately attacks firing his built in gun, Storm Shadow dives to cover Loehmann pushing her towards the edge. Storm Shadow calls out the android for using a gun when he should be using the sword. So the android puts away his gun and pulls out his sword.
The android begins his attack Storm Shadow is able to counter every move. And then he jumps up in the air and performs a perfect high priest robe cut against the android. The android realizes that he has been defeated and his last words are "I hear it�the wind" just as his upper body slides off and falls to ground at the bottom of the Brandenburg Gate.

In Aviles on the North coast of Spain, Storm Shadow is demonstrating his excellent wine poring abilities. Once finished he sits down next to Anibal Alcazar and they toast to the Hard Master. Anibal was training with the Hard Master when Storm Shadow was just a teenaged Tommy Arashikage. Anibal then makes reference to his experiences in Southeast Asia and the following Cold War chaos.
Anibal then offers Storm Shadow a job, one million dollars to kill him. Storm Shadow refuses saying he is no longer an assassin. Anibal had already assumed that Storm Shadow would decline, so he has informed many of Storm Shadow's enemies of his location in Spain and he will continue to inform more and more enemies until he kills Anibal. He tells him that the Russian Spetsnaz, the Night Creeper from Zurich (see Storm Shadow #1-4) and the Red Ninja Clan should already be on the way.
In Storm Shadow's hotel room, Leonid & Istven are waiting for Storm Shadow they are drinking and eating from the minibar. The phone rings, they answer and it's Storm Shadow. He tells them that he has poisoned the food & drinks of the minibar and that there is C-4 explosive in the phone. Both of them run from the room. It is a bluff by Storm Shadow that works very well.
The next day strolling in the square on high alter. He catches a glimpse of a reflection off of a gun placed in a tower facing his room. He then goes to a store that sells all kinds of technology. After a little investigation, he discovers two Frenchmen bought a whole bunch of stuff, Storm Shadow asks to buy the same controller that the Frenchmen bought.
Again, walking through the square in board daylight, the two Frenchmen, actually Night Creepers are staged across the street and the gun in the tower is actually remote controlled by them or so they think. As they aim the red laser and fire the gun misses. Storm Shadow has used his remote control to over ride theirs and then swings the gun, aims it at the Night Creepers and fires at them. At the same time a hotel employee brings a cell phone to the door. The lead Night Creeper answers and begins talking to Storm Shadow. He threatens to kill them all and return their heads to their Night Creeper leader in Zurich. They make one last attempt to kill him but he easily scares them out of the Night Creeper business and they flee.
Later that day as the sun is setting, Storm Shadow lies down on the beach covering himself with a blanket and appears to fall asleep. As night begins, two Red Ninjas come out of the water and attack the sleeping Storm Shadow. Of course, they attack nothing and Storm Shadow rises out of the sands next to his former spot and with one big stroke of his sword kills both of the Red Ninjas.
That night he sneaks up on the waiting Anibal but instead of killing him he shows him his own oncologist report, which is quite grim. Storm Shadow offers him a different option a ticket to Moscow.

In Japan, Anibal Alcazar and Storm Shadow are currently deadlocked in a sword fight each is pushing sword to sword and neither is giving an inch. Storm Shadow comments on how calm Anibal is compared to when he arrived six months ago.
Six Months Ago.Storm Shadow picks up Anibal at the airport and drives him a famous shrine where he drives the motorcycle they are on directly into the shrine. A secret door opens and they drive down a tunnel, as they come out on the other side Obake Obaasan, Storm Shadow's Aunt and widow of the Hard Master awaits them.
She is happy to see her wayward nephew and prodigal student and immediately recognizes that Anibal is in poor health. The next day they start the lessons.
Sitting at a table Anibal and Storm Shadow, with Obake on her side with her back turned reading a newspaper, have a grenade, knife and pistol with bullets next to it sitting on the table between them. Obake tells them they have to choose the best weapon. After a few moments, Storm Shadow makes the move and grabs the knife, Anibal grabs the empty gun as Obake rolls up her newspaper. Anibal is able to avoid several of Storm Shadow's knife thrusts and able to load the gun. Storm Shadow flips away and throws the knife. Obake steps in with the newspaper to catch the flying knife in mid air, at the same time knocks the gun out of Anibal's hand. Then she proceeds to hit both of them up side their heads with the newspaper. Lesson over.
Many months later Storm Shadow and Anibal are sitting under a tree with just a couple of leaves left. A single leaf falls and Storm Shadow grabs it. Anibal in deep mediation saw the leaf falling. As Storm Shadow shows him the leaf it is blown out his hand by the leaf blower that Obake is using to clean the yard with.
Back to the present, Anibal and Storm Shadow are still at a complete stand off. When two Red Ninja's attack them, they reveal there scars and stitches, these two ninjas where cut up but not killed by Storm Shadow back in Spain when Anibal hired Storm Shadow to kill him. Breaking their standoff, Anibal attacks both of the ninjas. Storm Shadow sheaths his sword to watch Anibal. He fights them a considerable amount of time. The Red Ninja's do a double flip in the air maneuver as Anibal throws his sword. Storm Shadow catches the sword and the Red Ninja's contort themselves in mid air to adjust to Storm Shadow now having the sword. As the Red Ninja's land Anibal falls over dead. The Red Ninja's prepare to fight Storm Shadow but the mid air aerobatics have caused the stitches in them to rip open causing them fall over.
Storm Shadow just plants Anibal's sword in the ground and walks away.