Disclaimer:  No, I don't own any of this stuff.  'Nuff said.

By:Garlik
   It had been three days since the Digidestined's encounter with Zith. Three days, and absolutely no sign of him.  However, the Chosen Children had not forgotten Zith's warning- that he would be constantly shadowing them, waiting, watching for the slightess showing of weakness. . . for an oppurtunity.
"Still no sign of him, Taichi,"  called Augumon from behind the trees. During the three days the Digidestined had not been idle.  Taichi had set up a watch system that insured Zith would never be sneaking up on the main group- he hoped.
"Maybe he was lying,"  suggested Sora, ever the cheerful one.  "Maybe we left him behind a long time ago."
"Maybe,"  Taichi conceded, "but I'm not about to take that chance."

* * *

Meanwhile, up in the canopy of the trees, Zith and Samumon clung the the branches, looking down at the Digidestined.  "Blast it!"  Zith cursed under his breath, "their security is too tight.  There's no way we could ever hope to get through their defences."
Samumon gave his partner in crime an odd look, "you mean to tell me that a bunch of KIDS has you running scared?!"
"Shh! Quiet Samumon!"  Zith whispered at his Digital partner.  "It's not the kids that have me worried.  It's their Digimon.  According to Tetsmon's files, three of those digimon possess the ability to Digivolve to Mega."
"Mega?"  Samumon whispered in awe, "you mean, three of those digimon have power equal to that   of Tetsmon?"  the digimon continued incredulously, "no wonder he's scared of them!"  Samumon chortled.  "Sssh!  Didn't I just say to keep it quiet?"  Zith yelled quietly, a giant anime sweat drop forming on the back of his head, "do you wanna give us away?"
"Sorry,"  Samumon replied with  a giant sweatdrop of his own.
"Now, since we can't sneak into their ranks, we're gonna have to rely on brute force."  Zith whispered over at Samumon, "now listen:  between the two of us we have enough fighting power to bring down one Ultimate.   That means we have to move in fast and not give them time to digivolve to Mega." "Right,"  Samumon nodded.
"Okay, on the count of three, our ambush begins.  One. .. Two. . . Three!" Zith yelled the last number at the top of his lungs, and with a yell  both Samumon and Zith sumursalted the several dozen feet down to the midst of the Startled Digidestined.
Jyou was the first to cry out, "Oh, I knew we hadn't lost him!  I knew it!" The oldest digidestined whined.
Zith barreled into Jyou.  One solid knock and the human was down. Instantly, before the others had time to cry out, Zith had put his sword over Jyou's chest.  "One move and he dies!"  The thief snarled.
"Oh, please,"  Taichi called out, "don't try that trick again!"
"So you think I'll be soft again?  Well, you shouldn't.  My boss has informed me that if I don't give him your tags, crests and digivices, he'll have my head.  Literally."   Zith responded, careful not to let on just how little time he had until Tetsmon expected him to have the Digidestined's tools, "and that has made me really hate you stupid little brats.  So don't think I won't relish shoving my blade into this young fool's heart."
"please guys, don't give him the crests, digivices and all that!  I'm not worth it"  Jyou was trying to be brave, but everyone could tell that he was just one more shock away from soiling his shorts.
Taichi paused a moment before responding.  "Okay,"  he hung his head in defeat, "we'll do what you want."
"Good.  Samumon, the rope, if you please."  Zith was quick to take advantage of the situation.  Samumon, grinning, produced a rope from the folds of his cloak.  He walked to the other Digidestined, and ordered them to stand back-to-back.  The Digidestined complied, and Samumon all bound them from neck-to-knee in rope.  Then, Zith spoke once more, "and all your digimon as well as my hostage here are to come with me.  Oh, and Samumon, relieve them of their tags, crests and so-forth."  Zith grinned evily.
Samumon promptly relieved every single digidestined of their digivolving equipment, all except for Sora.  After briefly checking her over, Samumon could not find her tools.
"Okay, girl, where's the loot?"  Samumon snarled, showing of his canine teeth.
"I'll never tell y0u!"  Sora spat at the Virus Digimon defiantly.
"Okay, then"  Samumon said simply.  He pointed his hand over at Biyomon, who was standing a few yards away, glaring at the two evil people.  "KATANA FLAME!"  Samumon cried out, and a giant red beam shot from his upraised hand.  As it neared the startled Biyomon, it turned into a sword shape, that began to spin around and around.  When it hit Biyomon, it did no visible damage, but yet Biyomon screamed out in pain and clutched at her temples (her forehead) and fell on the ground, writhing in agony.   As Biyomon, wriggled helplessy,  Sora screamed out, "NOOOO!"
"yeees!"  Samumon answered, making his voice a high-pitched imitation of Sora's voice.  Once again he raised his hand towards the stricken Biyomon, "now will you or will you not give up your Digivolving equipment?"  Finally, Sora hung her head in sorrow and hopelessness and said that her equipment was hidden in her shoe (she'd put them there just in case Zith came looking for them).  After taking Sora's stuff, Samumon nodded to Zith and the two walked back into the surrounding trees, Jyou and the Digimon of the Chosen Children trailing behind him (Gomamon and Palumon were carrying Biyomon out).  As the party melted into the distance, Takeru, Hikari and Mimi all began crying.  They were now without their Digimon, their tags, crests, or digivices.  They were, effectively, powerless.  Never had they had they been beaten so badly so quickly.  Never.

Zith and Samumon led the way through the woods.   Behind them marched  the raggedy little troop of the Digidestined's Digimon.  Jyou was being carried by Zith.  Although Zith was no longer pointing his sword directly at Jyou, the digimon knew Zith could pull his sword out, kill Jyou and pop his sword back in all before they could blink.  Samumon knew for a fact that Zith could do it twice.  As the band made its way through the woods, a voice behind Zith and Samumon called out, "Lightning Claw!"   And suddenly there were six long, red scratchmarks on Zith's back.  All were bleeding.  Zith turned around to see Tailmon's claw coming down on him.  And then he saw nothing.

* * *

After a while the Digidestined had given up trying to get out of the ropes. The nots were too tight and the Digidestined couldn't move their arms at all.   Now they just sat, thinking to themeselves of what would befall the Digiworld while they sat around, helpless.  Then, they saw a sight which was the single happyest one since they had first seen their parents on their brief return to earth.  Their Digimon (still carrying the camatose Biyomon), walking through the trees toward the children, dragging an onconscious Zith and a  not-too-happy looking Samumon.
"Hey you guys!  What happened?"  Taichi spoke first.
"Zith thought I was a rookie, just like everyone else.  He wasn't looking at me and I snuck behind him and then . . BAMO!"  Said Tailmon happily. Tailmon walked up to the rope.  "Lighting Claw!"  She yelled one more time, and the rope fell off the Digidestined in peices.
The other Digimon dropped Zith in the center of the small clearing in the woods where the Digidestined had been held captive.  The thief started to stir.
When he looked up, he saw the Digidestined and their digital partners standing over him.  Suprisingly, he grinned.  "well I suppose you think you have me, don't you?"  Zith said, "Heh.  You may kill me now, but rest assured. . . crests or no crests, tags or no tags, digivices or.. . .oh, you get the idea.  My boss, Tetsmon, will see the end of each and every one of you."
Then, another voice, cool and raspy, spoke.  Words that no one, least of all Zith, had expected to hear.  "Samumon, digivolve to....RONINMON!"
"Samumon?"  Zith looked perplexed.
The Digidestined turned to see a giant white fox that stood on two legs before them.  It wore white samurai gaurments, and at its waist were two giant swords.
The giant fox digimon smiled, "Zith, don't worry.  I'll get you out of here!"