Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

[Manic Typist]

Re: Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

 

It's good. I have a habit of being unclear on the simplest of issues.

[galahaddragon]

Re: Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

 

Hi everyone, I'm the new player in the group, hope everyone is looking forward to the next installment of the adventure. It went pretty well if I say so myself.

[RDU Neil]

Secret Worlds: Book 4 - Prologue

 

So I've got 2 and half episodes to write up. I'm falling behind here... sorry about that. As galahaddragon said, we had a good session last night. Going to be 30 pages or so before I get it all down. Yeesh...

 

Secret Worlds – Book 4

Prologue

 

Players: Joe – Damien McGregor

Eric – Hitoshi Ryu

Tracy – Shitoku

 

 

The Wellington Hotel was first built in 1842, the year after Hong Kong Island was occupied by the British. In 1912, it was rebuilt after a fire, with stone imported from Wales. It survived the Japanese occupation to maintain a strong reputation as one of the best “English experiences in the Orient.” After the handover in 1997, it continued to be a small, exclusive stay for visiting Europeans. A single room was well over twice the average rate of most Hong Kong rooms. The suites were embarrassingly expensive.

 

Maggie loved staying in the suite. She’d had some nice gigs working for Stang, but the last year had been on a tight budget. Running low for some months… that was strictly flea bag. Then she’d kept a small apartment for a while under an assumed name but there were roaches and she doubted for a while if Stang’s money would come through. He was a good man, she liked working for him, but she wasn’t working now and Maggie didn’t like living poor anymore.

 

Hooking up with Shitoku at least got her to Hong Kong. The Wellington was nice, but they’d been on the second floor for the first few weeks. Then he’d come back from one of his evening’s out and offered to upgrade. “I want a better view,” was all he’d said as they took their bags up the lift to the suite.

 

Soaking in the tub full of lavender scented bubbled, Maggie was back to enjoying herself. Shitoku… Feather or something… in Iroquois or some other tribe she’d never heard of. She didn’t think that was his real name… and he was really quiet, this one. Not just stealth quiet, but somewhat withdrawn. Still… damn fine on the eyes and nice enough. Knew how to treat a woman. She laughed and flicked bubbles everywhere. Yeah… good gig.

 

In the other room the man who called himself Shitoku sat quietly, looking out the floor to ceiling windows at the shining city. Hong Kong was like nothing he’d ever seen… but the rules were the same here. Casinos were the same the world over. It had taken a couple weeks, especially once they realized that nobody they were looking for was in the city. He’d been told that this McGregor guy would be a player. The casinos were a good place to look for him, but there was nothing. Nothing to do but earn. Play just enough to walk away in the positive, then stake up at another Casino and make a little more. Take their comps for a couple days but never stay long enough that they really worried about how much he was winning. Return briefly to lose a bit, only after he’d made more six blocks away. Patience… like hunting, only the prey were rich business men with more money than sense who watched World Series of Poker way too often. Shitoku knew that the only rule in gambling that was important was “The house always wins in the end.” He just never let anyone know that back when he had a different name he WAS the house.

 

Shitoku stands inside his father’s house. It had always seemed so intimidating… the musty smells of old fires, varnish and the sweet mustard plants his mother grew in the window sill boxes. He’d always felt like a child here, even after he’d grown. Now, only one short year away, it felt small, dingy and claustrophobic. Even his father seemed smaller, older… sadder.

 

“I’m not the same, father,” he said for the tenth time. “I know I shamed you, but that is something I have sworn to redeem. You must see that. Why won’t you…”

 

The old man turned, gray hair in that tradition band, long and braided down the back over his favorite flannel shirt. “He looks like a movie cliché,” thinks Shitoku and is immediately ashamed. Damn if his father didn’t always piss him off so…

 

“What you say you have said in the past,” says his father. “What you do now is of no concern to me.”

 

GOD the man was so stubborn, and Shitoku felt the same rising in his gut. “So nothing I do now means anything? I have no chance?”

 

“What you do is what you do,” says his father.

 

“Cryptic bullshit!” snarls Shitoku and then he bites off any more argument. “Why I even tried…” he spits, turning on his heel and stalking out the door. He lets the thin, wooden screen door slam loudly as he kicks down the wooden steps. His shoulder twitch with rage and frustration.

 

Enough of that,” thinks Shitoku. His attention turns back to the gently laugh coming from the very beautiful woman currently taking a bath not forty feet away. He thinks she might like him. In a couple days they will leave and go back to the states empty handed. Maybe they’ll go their separate ways. He wonders if…

 

The phone rings.

 

One of Maggie’s phones. One of the many she keeps lined on the dresser. They all go unused. Untraceable phones that are meant to receive important calls. None have rung in weeks and now one is chirping and buzzing so that the vibrations send it skittering across the varnished wood.

 

“I’ll get it,” calls Shitoku as he stands up and walks across the room. He scoops the phone out of the air just it vibrates itself off the dresser. The screen shows the incoming number, but it is nothing he recognizes. Flipping open the phone, he puts it to his ear and answers with a simple hello.

 

“Yes, thank you and hello,” says a voice in English, but with a thick accent that Shitoku can’t place. “I am Captain Walter Po, for charter flight 2187. This call must be short, I was asked to contact Maggie James or…” and he hesitates, “… a man called Shiitoekoo?” He clearly struggles with the name.

 

“Yes… that would be me,” adjusting the phone under his long black hair because the voice on the other end is hollow and lost in some machine noises. Calling from the plane?

 

“Ah… yes… you will be picking up the passengers then,” says Captain Po, somewhat relieved. Shitoku is about to ask who when the captain says, “The McGregor partry. Three in all. We will be landing in under ninety minutes. Check for the arrivals… flight 2187 again. You will be there?”

 

“Uh…” Shitoku hesitates. Could it really be this easy. At that moment, the door to the bathroom opens and Maggie leans out, her lean body wet and wrapped only in a towel. Her black skin highlighted by the white terry cloth. Shitoku appraises her without embarrassment as she makes a “Who is it?” face.

 

“The people we were supposed to find… they are flying in,” he says without inflection. “A McGregor and party.”

 

Maggie looks at him incredulously. “No shit?” she asks.

 

Shitoku brings the phone back up to his mouth. “We’ll be there.”

 

-----

 

(more later)

[RDU Neil]

Secret Worlds: Book 4 - Prologue cont'd

 

Moving on...

 

-----

 

Damien slept through most of the wait. Ryu and Maiyay had nothing to bring along but what they carried. Andy Trang met them where the car dropped them off with a change of clothes and a different ride to the airport. There they spent the rest of the night and the next day in a light plane hanger as their flight was prepped. There was no ceremony as they left the Philippines. Everyone was subdued, even Andy Trang. The normal exuberance of the young man lost in the uncertainty of what would happen after the events of last night.

 

The flight was a short one, but Damien still managed to get in trouble. The chartered Lear had a small wet bar. Damien thought a small bottle of Smirnoff would be a good idea. The others just shook their heads as the hard alcohol on an empty stomach, in a body that had suffered significant blood loss, made him more than loopy.

 

His jokes weren’t as funny as the way he slurred his words.

 

Flying into Hong Kong is a spectacular sight. The Kai Tak Airport buttresses the Kowloon peninsula so the plane passes over Victoria on its landing. The illumination is greater than even New York City. The entire top of the Bank of Hong Kong tower is a massive beacon in the center of a million other lights.

 

Maggie and Shitoku await the small plan on a small strip away from where the commercial flights land. It is an awkward meeting. Maggie and Ryu had only met briefly in the past. They’d never exchanged words. More than a year had past and everyone changes. Putting Damien into the back of their rented car Maggie finds it hard to believe he is the same man. “Own mother wouldn’t recognize you,” she mutters.

 

Shitoku and Ryu acknowledge each other quietly and pretend not to size each other up, while Maiyay stands quietly with her arms crossed. She has been distant ever since speaking to her mother.

 

The ride back to the hotel is equally strained, though Damien’s attempts at humor keep everyone mildly amused. The hotel staff is discreet and asks no questions as the group takes the elevator to the top floor.

 

“Good thing you got us a suite,” says Maggie as they walk into the living room. “At least now we have room for guests.”

 

Shitoku waits by the door as the others move in. He watches as Ryu cases the rooms and notes every window and door. He watches as Maiyay moves to the main window and simply stares across the skyline. “I guess we aren’t checking out tomorrow,” he says. “I’ll talk to the front desk.”

 

Damien, still staggering from the wound and booze, looks for a bathroom. “Gotta check to see if I’m oozing.”

 

“I’ll help,” says Maggie. Moving down the hall and flipping on the switch to the bath. Damien’s eyes follow her tight leather walk with an obvious leer.

 

“Oh, I’m so all about that,” he says out loud. Shitoku’s calm stance tenses visibly and his calm face becomes flat and hard as he snaps a look at McGregor. He says nothing. Ryu watches it from a reflection in a silver water pitcher and says nothing.

 

-----

 

Sunrise is hazy in Hong Kong. The first few hours are quiet. Everyone goes about their own business. Nobody feels the need to press anyone else at this point. It is over a late breakfast of eggs and that the real conversation starts.

 

“What do you mean you don’t know what we do next?” asks Maggie, stopping her last bite of toast and eggs halfway to her mouth. “We’ve been waiting here for word for Jolly and you just show up. He sent you here to us, but…”

 

“That was it,” says Damien, poking tentatively at the food on his plate. “He wasn’t exactly in shape to tell us more. I don’t know…” he shrugs and winces slightly. A night’s sleep has stiffened his abdomen greatly.

 

“We are committed to finding Stang’s daughter. We will confront this Grandmaster. You have no information?” Ryu’s voice is calm.

 

“We were looking for you. That was our job. Jolly was our contact,” replies Maggie, tossing her fork on to her plate. “Without him, hell… it could be forever until we find him. He’s deep under ground…” she shakes her head.

 

Shitoku and Maiyay say nothing as the five of them sit quietly around the table. Finally Damien asks, “Do you have a clean phone?” He nods toward the cells sitting across the room.

 

“Sure,” says Maggie and gets up to grab one. Damien looks down, his mouth moving as he talks quietly to himself… fingers tapping on the table. As Maggie returns with the phone he speaks a series of number aloud and then repeats it. He repeats it a third time as he punches the digits into the cell. “I remembered the number,” Damien sing-songs to himself as ringing can be heard on the other end. He smiles at the table as the other end of the call picks up.

 

“喂” “Wei!” says the voice on the other end.

 

“Yes. I would like to speak with Wu,” says Damien. There is no response, only hissing sounds of water spray and the clink clank of kitchen work. “This is McGregor. I need to speak with Wu, please,” repeats Damien, louder this time.

 

“No Eengrish!” comes the shouted return and the line goes dead. Damien looks at the phone in surprise. Shitoku snorts, looking down at his plate and smiling. He stabs a sausage link and grins as he eats it.

 

“Hold on,” says Damien, flicking a just-a-minute finger around the table and stabbing redial. “It’ll be fine.” He puts the phone back to his ear with a confident nod.

 

After the twentieth ring there is no answer and Damien closes the phone. “Great,” says Maggie as she stands up to clear her plate. The rest of the table follows.

 

“Wonderful,” mutters Damien putting the phone down in frustration.

 

 

Two minutes later it begins to buzz. Damien comes across the room in a dash to grab it up. “Hello?” he gasps, holding his side and trying to smile through obvious pain. The others begin to return to the dining room at the sound of the call.

 

“Ni hao! Mr. McGregor… it has been some time. How are you?” Damien’s smile is wide and he eases himself into a chair. “Wu! Great to hear from you! I’ve been better, but I’ve been worse. How’re you?”

 

They exchange pleasantries as Damien settles in his chair. He points at the phone, grinning and making I-told-you-so faces at the crowd. After a few minutes, Wu asks pleasantly, “What can I do for you after all this time?”

 

“Well, we are kind of stuck. I’m assuming, since you called me back, that you know where I’m calling from.” He waits for agreement and when Wu provides it Damien continues. “We are looking for someone. An important person that I’d think you would be aware of.” Damien pauses, looking at Ryu, since he knows what he is asking will greatly affect the genin. Ryu gives no indication one way or another. “Fair enough,” thinks Damien.

 

“We are looking for the man they call the Grandmaster. I have to assume that a man like you would know who I’m talking about.” The room is quiet; four sets of eyes watch Damien as he listens for an answer.

 

“I understand Mr. McGregor. I’m sure you also know what you are asking is no small thing. Do you know what you are pursuing?”

 

Damien touches his side. “I’ve got a good idea.”

 

“You are committed to this course of action?” Wu asks.

 

“Yeah…,” Damien looks around the room. “We’re doing this thing.”

 

Damien can hear a sigh on the other end. “We will call back in six hours. This must be handled gently. I must say I’m sorry to hear this.” There is genuine sadness in Wu’s voice. “I have enjoyed knowing you.” The line goes dead.

 

-----

 

More later

[Zed-F]

Re: Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

 

Missed a spot.

 

“We are committed to finding Stang’s daughter. We will confront this Grandmaster. You have no information?” Rai’s voice is calm.

[RDU Neil]

Secret Worlds: Book 4 Prologue cont'd

 

The first hour of waiting is a return to the awkward tension of the meeting the day before. Everyone feels like they should be doing something but nobody is really clear what, if anything, there is to do. Feeling their has been more than enough silence Damien speaks up, trying to engage Shitoku in conversation. "So... Jolly said something briefly... about you. Said you were one of us. What that means...?" he leaves off the question with a open handed work-with-me-here gesture. Shitoku just raises an eyebrow and shrugs.

 

"Yeah... uh..." Damien looks around the room, his eyes falling on the one distinct item set against the wall in easy reach. It is an unstrung recurve bow, a beautifully shaped blending of yew, ash and horn without modern accoutrement of a v-bar, longrod, clicker or such. The dark brown and golds of the wood are worn to a shine, the unrestrained curve of the bow making it look like an abstract piece of art. It sits atop two modern designed quivers of matte black leather and canvas. A dozen black fletched arrows with black carbon shafts in each. "So you shoot that thing," says Damien, pointing at the bow.

 

Shitoku looks over his shoulder at the bow the back at Damien with a blasé expression and simply says, "Yes, I do."

 

Damien looks at him for moment, expecting more but not sure what. Nothing is forthcoming. "Ok then..." he says leaning back in his chair. "Easier talking to Ryu..." he mutters.

 

-----

 

Finally Damien can stand the boredom no longer. "We're going out," he announces to the group, standing up from the table. He looks at Shitoku in particular. "Maggie said you know the best places around here. You know your way around a card table, eh?" It is clear the thought of hitting a casino energizes him. "Why don't we all get cleaned up and you can take us to a nice place for some food and some friendly wagers, eh?" To his credit Shitoku agrees, as he finally sees something in McGregor that they might have in common. Maggie is more than happy to go out, and when Maiyay hesitates, Maggie drags her back to the bedroom with a "Oh come on girl, we'll get you looking good!" Despite herself, Maiyay responds, the young girl in her excited about going out. Even Ryu seems interested, though no one noticed the moment of still, calculated thought that came before the seemingly genuine smile and agreement. A good ninja should be adaptable and comfortable in any situation.

 

Within the hour the five are piling into a taxi bus and heading downtown Victoria. Everyone is dressed up, all but Ryu tending toward the flashy. Even in Hong Kong such a a diverse group of tourists draws some looks. As they had dressed there was another uncomfortable moment when the group confronted their true nature when they all came out to the living room carrying various deadly weapons with questioning looks on their faces. From a katana and silat knives to a variety of handguns and rather obvious bow, the group asked itself "What do we do?" It was a moment that became the first odd sense of camaraderie as the group came to a quick consensus not to take any weapons at all.

 

"We're just going out," says Maiyay and the rest of the group agrees.

 

As they reach the casino, Damien does joke that Ryu could be concealing a small arsenal in his slim, black suit and nobody would know it. The genin just smiles inscrutably and acts sincerely eager to eat and gamble and have fun. "Acts" being the operative word.

 

Maiyay is dressed in thigh high white stockings that stop just below the hem of a tight black leather mini-skirt with a sequined sleeveless blouse. Her make up and hair and dress set off the exotic nature of the tattoo on her left arm. She runs off with Maggie who has to struggle to keep up in her leather pants and stiletto heals. The three men appreciate the view as they watch them turn heads all the way to the dance floor. As they disappear in the crowd, Shitoku and Damien turn their attention to the open tables. "Now we're talking," says Damien.

 

The next few hours pass almost without incident. Damien and Shitoku come to a recognition of each other as they play. Despite the obvious differences of style and personality, they both know another professional when they see it. Shitoku sees the major player. Damien sees the house. Shitoku clearly knows the back stage of the business. He watches and sees all the other players. His eyes are on the dealer, not the cards he is getting. He assumes a quiet command of the table that balances Damien's open enthusiasm. To Shitoku, whether he likes it or not, such a place is like coming home.

 

Surprisingly, the only concern of the evening arises from Ryu. It has been a productive few hours, as Damien and Shitoku effectively win the majority of hands between them. Their collusion is nearly unconscious, each able to see an advantage over the no-skill suckers at the table and taking it or letting the other have it with even thinking about it. The never win too much, but they always seem to come out ahead. Damien is flirting openly with the cocktail waitress when Maggie appears at his elbow. She is all smiles, but the whisper in his ear is serious. "You need to come with me and see this." Damien acts like it doesn't register, staying all smiles and charm, but he cashes out after that hand.

 

Shitoku feigns mild interest but otherwise stays on game for a few more hands, noting deftly where McGregor and Maggie head. When he leaves the table there is no indication he is with them at all.

 

The problem is at a craps table. A decent crowd has gathered, the energy and anticipation of the people indicating that they are clearly watching a big time winning streak. The reaction is nothing Damien hasn't seen before, but he has to really catch himself when he sees that the center of attention is Ryu. The genin stands at the end of the table, a calm and distant look on his face and a pair of dice in his hands. Men and women are crowded around him, all of them watching him avidly and looking at the enormous stack of chips in front of him with more than a little desperate greed. The Pit Boss and two back-up croupiers along the table staring hard at Ryu seem to go unnoticed by him, but not by Damien nor Shitoku when he arrives later.

 

Damien watches as Ryu throws three times... a six, a hard eight, and a flat eight. Two out of three without a bust. As the Pit Boss collects the dice, Damien watches him set them next to nine other pair and bring out a tenth set while grumbling to the men around him. The crowd is humming with excitement, both women and men reaching out to touch Ryu with caresses and pats on the back as if to rub off some of his luck. Damien pushes in closely, just far enough to catch Ryu's eye as he collects the new pair of dice. With all eyes on the young Japanese man, Damien does a very subtle thing. As the crowd turns to watch Ryu's hand as he shakes the dice, Damien mouths two words so that only Ryu can see.

 

"Lose. Now."

 

For Ryu, the worst moment is when he realizes what he has done. For much of the time he'd simply wandered in and out of games, playing slots, losing at blackjack and roulette, then gathering around the craps table as one of the crowd. Watching the dice tumble is what hooked him. A small bet and a chance to toss them himself had sealed the deal. He lost 7 out of ten before the break and fall clicked in his mind. Then the dice became a part of him. One hand, the two red plastic cubes rolling over each other, he watched the dots with an unassuming eye, then tossed... a perfect flick of the wrist that sent the dice flying only to land with exactly the number he wanted.

 

It wasn't perfect. Too many variables to make perfect throws every time, but he was winning seven out of ten before they switched dice the first time. His percentages fell at that point, but lost in his personal challenge Ryu wanted to prove that he could beat such a tactic. He was back up to seven of ten in under fifteen minutes. After that, each switch of the dice was merely a way of keeping it interesting for him.

 

It wasn't until he saw Damien and the two words registered that he realized what he was doing. The sense of shame the rose in him was strong, but only the slightest twitch of his cheek betrayed this emotion. Instead, his next throw was a seven, and the crowd groaned and cried and Ryu's face broke in worry and he pounded the side of the table in mock frustration. Three rolls later and the Pit Boss looked much happier.

 

It took Ryu 30 minutes to lose over half of what he'd won... the salary man on vacation getting more and more frustrated as his luck ran out. It took half that time for the crowd to disperse; the superstitious fleeing the sudden cold. When he finally cashes out, the most reaction he gets from the floor is "Hot for a while, eh buddy?" from a half-drunk Texan who'd kept watching the whole time. As Ryu moves off, Damien passes Shitoku who had taken up position at a slot machine, playing so he could watch.

 

"That was fun," says Damien as he passes, not stopping at all. Shitoku doesn't react, but thinks to himself that the managers will have noticed this, even if he did lose. Ryu should stay away from this place for a while. Rolls like that just weren't easily chalked up to luck. Still... no harm seemed to have been done in the end.

 

Damien had just reached the bar, breathing out and wondering what to do next, when the phone in his pocket starts to buzz. Pulling out the cell he looks at the number and then around the room and says out loud, "Fun time is over," before flipping it open and listening for what he needs to know.

 

End Prologue

[oroborous]

Re: Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

 

I'm really loving your write-ups for this and the previous incarnation of SW. I was wondering if you had character sheets, especially for Dr. Berkmann and Mr. Jones. For purposes of my game, based on the World of Dark Champions, these two would fall into the category of mages and could make good contacts for my PCs

[greymankle]

Re: Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

 

Been a while since I read this thread. Must have missed the subsciption E-mail. Anyway.

 

Nice work Neil. It's amazing to me that you remember the little things, character wise, in a session. Especially considering the time frame. Have fun writing up the next session.

 

Meet 'n' greets with uber-paranoid NPC's are always fun. As long as my spaghetti line get's in there I'll be happy. Man I was in a wierd mood that night.

 

Keep up the good work. All you loyal readers need to post to spur Neil on. It's not like he gets paid for this. Although, sometimes I know he posts at work

[Manic Typist]

Re: Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

 

Yeah, let's all make sure we try to rep Neil regularly for this delightful treat.

[RDU Neil]

Secret Worlds: Book 4 - Episode 1

 

I'm way behind, but I'll get this written eventually. Two whole episodes to complete.

 

------

 

Secret Worlds – Book 4, Episode 1

Favors For Friends – Part 1

 

Players: Eric – Hitoshi Ryu

Joe – Damien McGregor

Tracy – Shitoku

 

Cut scene – 6 Months 12 Days Ago: Skelter’s grizzled mug betrays no pain as he flexes his bandaged left calf. He puts his weight on it, testing the stability as he looks at Omar Stang coming in the door of the cabin with an arm load of fresh firewood. It registers with the old agent that the man actually looks like he belongs in the flannel shirt, jeans and work boots he wears. They no longer look like a costume for an awkward child, but authentic clothes of a man who actually needs such.

 

Stang nods at Skelter’s tentative steps from the couch to dining table and back while he stacks the wood next to the stone fire place. “Looks like it is healing fine. Hurt much?” he asks.

 

Skelter just grunts for an answer as he continues his shuffling across the rough wood floor of the three room cabin. Stang finishes, and moves the open kitchen to wash his hands before pulling out some eggs and an iron skillet. “So… I know you think it’s too soon since your old friends almost found us,” he tilts his head toward Skelter’s wounded leg in emphasis, “But we need to get Jolly some help. At least we can activate Maggie and…” he holds and egg out as a pointer and points toward a file folder sitting on the table, “… and we contact him. Directly.”

 

Skelter makes his way back to the table and sits down, opening the heavily thumbed manila folder. On top of a few heavily noted computer print outs is a newspaper clipping. The header indicates the paper is the Sault Star, a Canadian rag. The headlines are 56 inch type that scream “HUNTERS HUNTED!!!” Below is a photograph of police cars and officers around a pickup truck. In the back of the truck are six grown men tied together. Long sticks seem to be sticking out from the group at odd angles and the one clear face of the group looks pained and scared. The caption under the picture starts with “Poachers Poached!”

 

“Three exclamation points…” mutters Skelter with derision. Then he turns to look back at Stang, watching the man crack eggs into the skillet. “I’ll say it again… the guy shoots arrows.” Skelter’s voice has undisguised disbelief.

 

“The guy took out six expert hunters who carried shotguns and rifles… at least two automatic rifles at that!” replies Stang, not looking up from his omelet in the making.

 

“He shoots ARROWS!” responds Skelter, his emphasis showing his doubt.

 

Stang smiles across the hissing and steaming skillet. “Yep. He shoots arrows. He shoots arrows in 2005… and he wins.”

 

Skelter tips his head to the side, looking at the picture again. “There is that…” he says quietly.

 

End Cut Scene

 

-----

 

Now: “There are questions being asked that have complicated answers. Please be patient."

 

This is the mantra heard every six hours, for more than two days. Hearing it for the first at the casino it made sense to Damien, but took the wind out of his sails. The fight, the wound, traveling, then a night on the town; it had been busy days at the end of almost non-stop weeks on the road. Damien felt exhaustion come rushing in and for once didn’t fight it. He told the others they would have to wait, then simply went back to the Wellington and crashed.

 

Fourteen hours later he’d stumbled from his room stiff and sore just long enough to drink some water, eat some food, and relieve himself. Maggie and Maiyay were out. “Shopping,” said Shitoku who sat on the couch reading a book. Ryu had answered the last two calls. The message had been the same. Damien went back to bed.

 

That next night Ryu went out. Hong Kong was a city he did not know. Large and sprawling… really many cities that formed a territory; harbors, bays and the sea around mountainous islands that hold one of the most modern urban sprawls in the world. He was pleased to find a place that was probably the easiest city in the world to lose ones self in. Nearly six thousand people per square kilometer… all the population squeezed between the mountains and the seas. To a man as adept at being non-descript as Ryu it was a promising haven. If he ever needed to disappear Victoria alone could offer several life times. Victoria also was the most heavily patrolled by the Hong Kong police and the Chinese military. While far from a military state, the glimmering down town was a very controlled place. The streets were safe and clean and well lit. The power and machinations were far from the ground, secured by glass and steel and institutionalized anonymity. Looking across Victoria Harbor as the sun comes up, Ryu stared across the massed junks and over to Kowloon. The peninsula was the other half of Hong Kong… the older city… the greater sprawl of towers and tenements, ornate parks and low rent areas. There would be the darker places and more exploitable situations. Ryu wondered if they would be here long enough for him to learn any real secrets.

 

By the end of the second day a sense of routine had grown in the group. Ryu, Shitoku, Maggie and Maiyay seemed comfortable waiting. Damien, normally the easily bored instigator, spent most of the time asleep so he couldn’t make any trouble. Maggie checked his wound regularly, commenting that as bad as it must have been, he was healing quite rapidly.

 

“My mother knows what she is doing,” says Maiyay, unsurprised that Damien is recovering so quickly from a wound that might lay up another man for months.

 

It is six a.m. on the third day when Damien gets the call they have been waiting for.

 

“Greetings again, Mr. McGregor,” says Wu. Damien replies in kind. “I believe we have information that can be of help to you,” continues Wu. “But afterwards this number will not work. We will likely not speak again, Mr. McGregor.” There is genuine sorrow in Wu’s voice.

 

“I understand,” says Damien nodding this-is-it to the others minus Maiyay as they gather around. “I really do appreciate this.”

 

“Yes,” is all Wu says, then, “We must speak with the genin.”

 

Damien stops, and then looks at Ryu. “But…” he starts to say and Wu cuts him off with, “It must be this way, Mr. McGregor.”

 

“Alright… here,” says Damien not hiding the petulance in his voice. “They want to talk to you, ninja boy,” he says.

 

Ryu takes the phone, his normally placid face showing undisguised seriousness. “Konichiwa. Watakushi-wa Hitoshi Ryu, desu,” he says.

 

“Bui kui Hitoshi Ryu,” says a deep, melodic feminine voice. Ryu recognizes it immediately. “Yi dan ni bao en.”

 

“Hai!” he replies in automatic deference then remembers who he is speaking to. “Wei. Tu nuo.”

 

Ryu’s Chinese is stiff and his comprehension is still limited but there is no doubt the Dragon’s Head is calling in her marker.

 

In English she says, “A year ago I did not suspect that this would be my request but I make it to you now. You will be given the name of a man and number to contact him. If you do as he requests I will consider your debt to me paid in full. If you are successful this man will have what you need to continue your current pursuit. Ni xi juan Hitoshi Ryu. Yi qi shan.” This last slips past Ryu’s immediate comprehension then he is listening as Wu returns and gives him the promised information. A few short words and the line goes dead. Ryu closes the phone and looks at the expectant faces.

 

-------

 

"A cop?" asks Damien, incredulously. "Come on, I mean... well, ok... clearly he's a corrupt cop!"

 

"Most likely,"says Ryu. "Pan Yi... a Lieutenant in the Hong Kong police force. Central Division."

 

"And what are we supposed to do?" asks Maggie.

 

"Unknown. We were just given this phone number. I assume it his work or personal number. We are supposed to do what he asks. If we help him, he will help us to find the Grandmaster."

 

"Greeeaaat..." says Damien sarcastically. He rubs his temples in frustration muttering, "No telling what we'll have to do." Then he perks up.

 

"Maggie, run that number. Just Google it or whatever."

 

"No problem... what are you looking for?" she asks, taking the number to her laptop on the sideboard.

 

"Nothing, actually," says Damien. "I hope that it doesn't show anything at all which most likely means it is a private cell phone. I'd rather we aren't calling police headquarters or anything like that."

 

Maggie is just typing in the numbers when Maiyay comes out of the bedroom. She is dressed in casual athletic clothes and carries her duffle over her shoulder. She looks as if she is on the way to the gym. "Just going out for a while," is all she says to Damien when he asks where she is going. She doesn't pause or say anything more, rushing out the door with a serious look.

 

Damien and Ryu glance at each other with concern. "What was in her bag...?" Damien asks, standing up from his chair.

 

"Her knives..." says Shitoku. "I heard the faint clink of metal of metal as she walked by." He doesn't rise from where he sits on the couch, instead waiting for the others to react. They do almost immediately. Without further comment Ryu goes to the door and leaves the suite without a sound as Damien and Maggie head for Maiyay's bedroom. Spread across the comforter is a number of travel guides and city maps of Hong Kong and Kowloon. They are all in Chinese, all are folded and marked in certain areas... predominantly Kowloon.

 

"She bought a lot of this stuff while we were out," says Maggie as they poke through the papers. "I didn't think anything of it... figured it was a good idea. Native language guides would probably be more thorough and all that. I'm pretty sure she took some of the maps with her." She looks more closely at the areas of the map that are marked. "Everything is the airport area... actually the industrial area between the airport and the docks on the peninsula..."

 

"Yeah," cuts off Damien as he opens the closet doors. "She's planned something. She took her gear. It's all gone and this stuff..." he holds up her purse and normal accoutrements... "This stuff she left." After a pause "Damnit!" is all he says as he heads back into the living room.

 

Ryu is back in another two minutes. "I watched her take the elevator down then positioned myself to watch the street. She left by the front doors. I don't believe there is any local gym or other location she was headed. She crossed the street and boarded a bus. She did not hesitate. She seemed to know where she was going."

 

"Yeah, she does," says Damien, sitting back down at the table with resignation. "No point in worrying about it now, though. She'll do what she does and then we'll have to deal with the fallout."

 

There is worried silence then broken only when Maggie says, "Hey... at least the phone number seems clean. No guarantees, but..." she trails off.

 

------

 

(more later)

[RDU Neil]

Secret Worlds: Book 4 - Episode 1 cont'd

 

When they finally decide to call it is Damien who does the speaking. The voice that picks up after just two rings is a non-descript Chinese male. In the background Damien can hear the sounds of a busy, talkative workplace. "Uh... I was told to call this number. That you would be expecting the call. We have mutual friends in San Francisco."

 

There is only the slightest pause as the voice responds. "Ahhh... yes," in accented but understandable English. "I was expecting someone to call... perhaps a friend of yours... but…”

 

“Oh, he’s here,” says Damien, looking at Ryu. “We’re in this thing together.”

 

“Yes, yes… of course. I will call you back in one minute.” Then the man hangs up.

 

Damien looks at the phone. “Here we go again.”

 

------

 

It is less than two minutes before the phone rings. It is the same number calling. When Damien answers it is the same voice but the background noise has gone. “I thought I would walk,” says the voice and Damien can hear fainter sounds of traffic on the other end.

 

“Ok, no problem,” says Damien. “What do you need us to do?” There is more than a note of impatience in his voice.

 

“I’m thinking of having lunch out today. My favorite noodle shop. Excellent congee. You should join me. Lock Road, just south of Kowloon Park. Very good! Noon!”

 

“Noodles?” asks Damien. “Uh… sure. I love spaghetti!”

 

Then the phone clicks dead. Damien lets out an audible groan, and slumps his head in exaggerated exasperation.

 

“We have to meet him for lunch. Noon. Some noodle shop.”

 

A quick online search and they find the shop just where indicated. “University is nearby… more international area. We have five hours, but I’ll get there early,” says Ryu. He goes to his room, and 20 minutes later a bleary eyed grad student in knock off western clothes and backpack returns. It is an uncanny transformation. He doesn’t say a word as he heads out the door.

 

There is some debate about how the other three will dress. Damien suggests business wear, but his silver suit is more than ostentatious. The three of them will surely stick out… a black woman, a Native American and a tall, tanned white guy. Instead of trying to blend in, they take a few hours to put together some outfits that make them look like world travelers. Jeans, hiking boots, a poncho, some framed backpacks. Maggie and Shitoku both have some clothes like this already, so lending some to Damien and a couple quick purchases and they are able to dress down for the occasion.

 

Using the frame backpack to conceal weapons, Damien is well outfitted. Shitoku brings out three small, stainless steel throwing/fighting axes that he easily conceals in a jean jacket, but he leaves his bow behind. Maggie packs up her laptop just in case.

 

Using Maiyay’s maps they plot an easy trip over the bridge to Kowloon, taking public transportation and trying to draw no more attention than typical tourists. Before leaving they wrap Damien’s abdomen tightly. He is still quite sore but two days of uninterrupted rest has gone a long way toward making him more mobile. He is able to carry the half full back pack with little trouble.

 

As eleven thirty comes the three find themselves walking up Lock Street toward the noodle shop. Everything about this area of Hong Kong lives up to the commercials. Tall buildings crowding a street jammed with people and vehicles. Bicycles, scooters and cars & trucks vie for access, while sightlines are shattered by colorful signs and banners and lights hanging everywhere. Pure bustle everywhere they look. Students and tourist and businessmen and shop workers cram shoulder to shoulder. It is an overwhelming but inviting atmosphere and the three take the time to let it all sink in.

 

A few minutes till noon they head for the noodle shop, Damien betting the others that they’ll never see Ryu even if he’s right in front of them.

 

The restaurant is packed. Unlike the ubiquitous noodle stalls and tiny store fronts this is a large, almost cafeteria sized place and it is jammed with people. The din of the street goes up a dozen decibels inside this place. Every sound echoes off the hard Formica floor and tables… every bump and scrape of a chair just adding to the cacophony. It is a great place to get lost, though. Every kind of person is here… just like on the street. Old, young, student, teacher, worker, and manager, all under the harsh fluorescent lights that reflect off of garishly painted walls.

 

Seven minutes in line, right before they order, Damien spots Ryu. He looks completely different than he did when he left the hotel, but his position is an excellent observation post, and he isn’t trying to lose himself. Eventually Damien is able to recognize something familiar and congratulates himself on actually seeing the genin for once. Neither Maggie or Shitoku see him at all.

 

-----

 

Ryu arrived with plenty of time to spare. He cased the surrounding blocks thoroughly. Not finding any sign of surveillance or a police tactical squad waiting around a corner, he’d come in the shop dressed like a common worker, ordered and looked for a place to sit. In the beehive like movements of people, he’d finally found a place to watch and that is what had finally shown him the man he believed to be Pan Yi. The man was wonderfully indistinguishable from those around him. He could be a teacher or a shop keeper or simply someone’s older uncle… balding with what hair was left turning grey, but face and body still fit and able. It was more the fact that he had chosen the best spot to observe everyone in the restaurant… the spot Ryu would have chosen… that confirmed it for the genin. He sat himself a few feet away with a small bowl of noodles and calmly ate his lunch.

 

Damien’s arrival was obvious as always, but Ryu was impressed that the group was reasonably effective as passing off as simple tourists… young western backpackers that are not completely out of place in this part of Hong Kong… this part of Kowloon full of museums, culture centers and universities.

 

His reaction is nearly invisible but Ryu notices that Pan Yi sees them arrive as well.

 

The restaurant is crowded but there is a constant shift of people. Damien brings his group toward Ryu, who quietly signals Pan Yi’s position. Surprisingly Damien refrains from making a big deal and just acts like a man looking for seats. Ryu watches with appreciation as Pan Yi subtly laughs and talks and gently maneuvers a group of female students so that they shift and move just enough to open up three tight seats for group. Nothing he does indicates he has actually seen Shitoku or Maggie or Damien until they squeeze into the seats and he gives them only a polite head bow.

 

The three are hesitant at first, because Pan Yi pays them no attention… then they play along, turning to their own conversation and laughing as they try to eat their noodles with chop sticks. This goes on for many minutes, then out of the blue, Pan Yi sucks down his last noodles, then gets up to leave. All three are shocked. Maggie stares daggers at Pan Yi, then looks at Damien with a “What they hell?” stare.

 

Then they all see it. As Pan Yi gets up and walks away, he takes his bowl and tray with him. Beneath the tray, left on the table, is a small, folded piece of paper. There is both relief and aggravation on Damien’s face as he takes the paper. Here is contact, but it further games of cat and mouse. “What now…” he mutters as he opens the paper.

 

“Kowloon Park Third Fountain” English block letters in thick pencil.

 

“That is just north of here,” says Shitoku. “End of the block.” Damien nods. The three wait for nearly ten minutes before they get up to follow.

 

------

 

(more later)

[RDU Neil]

Secret Worlds: Book 4 - Episode 1 cont'd

 

Bit by bit, I get it writ...

 

------

 

Shitoku lets Damien lead them up the street. Why bother playing that game. Maggie’s better looking, anyway. In the bustle of the crowd, a brush of shoulders together, a smile and here eyes looking right at him… he reaches out takes her hand without really thinking about it. Maggie looks at him with surprise, but then a huge grin breaks out and she squeezes his hand in return swinging arms like a kid for a second.

 

That is when Damien glances back. “Aw… keee-riiist!” he exclaims at the sight of the two holding hands. The joke in his voice is obvious, but when he glances back again to verify what he is seeing there is loss in his eyes.

 

It doesn’t last… and he’s making bad jokes again in seconds as the trio reaches Haiphong Rd; a wide boulevard that is the southern border of Kowloon Park. As they stop before crossing, Shitoku takes a look behind them. He scans the crowd back to the noodle shop, watching the flow with hunter’s eyes, looking for any one small thing that stands out, letting his attention be drawn without looking for anything in particular.

 

He’s somewhat surprised that there is something to see. At the doorway to the noodle shop there is a young Chinese woman. A number of them actually, but one stands out. She’s alone when all the rest are in groups. That alone wouldn’t be enough either, but the way she stands clinches it. Casual, not even looking up the street, but she is against the grain, not picked up in the flow of the street. Just the slightest body language says it all. A second later and she does glance up the street, just as Shitoku turns back to cross Haiphong. That seals it.

 

Once across the street, Shitoku leans into Maggie and says “Accidentally drop your purse, please” with a smile like telling her a joke. Maggie only hesitates a second then slaps his arm with a laugh and takes a couple more steps before turning as if to look him in the eye instead of walking side by side. That turn let’s her drop her arm and the big tote bag slides down and hits the ground, scattering lipstick and a wallet and sunglasses on the concrete. They both bend down to gather things and Shitoku says calmly, “We’re being followed. Chinese girl. School uniform… hair up.”

 

“Really?” says Maggie, looking around to see if she got everything and using that to look behind them. She grabs her bag and stands up, both going back arm in arm jogging a bit to catch up to Damien who had impatiently walked ahead. “Yep… saw her,” says Maggie as they walk. “I think she has a friend.”

 

The three move into the park. They walk quickly and Damien is informed on the way. Against his nature, he acts calmly and does nothing to indicate they have noticed their tail. Though there are many people still, the wider paths of the park allows more space to spread out as they walk into the ornamental gardens. Shitoku steals a look a briefly catches a glimpse of the girl and a man hurrying across the streets after them, then trees and the crowd cut off all sight lines.

 

“Ok, I saw her partner, too. She’s dressed like a school girl, but he’s in a suit. Dark with a red shirt. Stands out a bit. It looks like they didn’t come directly in behind us, but they might be circling around.”

 

The three walk as Shitoku speaks. Damien looks around, gauging the size of the park. “It’s a big place. They’d have to circle a long way… unless they have a ton of backup.” They all begin looking around at this thought, but nothing appears out of place. No one appears sinister or watching them at all.

 

Maggie says, “I don’t think Ryu would have calmly walked into the park if he suspected it was covered. Besides… are they following us, or the old man?”

 

“Where is Ryu, anyway?” asks Damien.

 

------

 

A few hundred yards ahead, Ryu had just exited the garden area as he followed Pan Yi. While the older man strolled, Ryu walked like a worker with a place to be, even passing the cop in the bustle of people, but then cutting back when he saw the lieutenant turn left in a grove of dense trees bordering a small pond called Bird Lake. A series of fountains could be seen through the trees on the edge of the lake. Ryu turns and heads for the third.

 

Pan Yi is sitting on the edge of the waterway, off the main path, looking at the fountain. He is so perfectly in place in this area, his clothes neat, but unobtrusive… nothing about him that would draw attention. The density of the trees makes the city sounds fade as Ryu shuffles up a few feet away to join him looking at the water. They do nothing to acknowledge each other for a number of moments, just listening to the water splash in front of them. The Ryu says, “I believe I am the one you were expecting.”

 

The words are quiet but clear; perfectly articulated, unaccented American English. Pan Yi reacts for the first time, his head turning toward the other man slightly and his eyebrows twitching slightly in surprise. Then a grin breaks across the old man’s face… one of relief and satisfaction. “Good… good…” he replies, never moving in any way that a person from a distance could tell they were talking. “Yes… you are… very good.”

 

“The others will be here soon. They are with me. You may tell them what you need us to do. I just wanted to assure you that we are who you were told we would be.” Pan Yi nods almost imperceptibly.

 

“Ci,” is all he says; goodbye. Ryu leaves without another word, walking back the way he came. Coming out of the heavier trees, he sees the other three walking in the general direction, a bit uncertainly. He passes the group in a slow walk, never stopping, but close enough to say, “He is at the third fountain,” and have Shitoku respond with “We are being followed, Two of them. Man & woman. He has suit and red shirt. She is dressed like a school girl with hair tied up.” Ryu acknowledges this and keeps moving.

 

-----

 

“Xie Cai,” says Pan Yi. “Her name is Xie Cai. She is being held by a man named Pham, and I was told that you were people who would have the ability to get her away.”

 

Damien looks at the man with confidence. “Yeah. We are good at things like that,” he says. There is a slight tone of cockiness to his voice, but it is also matter of fact; assured, not bragging. Pan Yi nods.

 

“Having met your friend, I admit to having good confidence in you.” Pan Yi turns back to the fountain. Maggie and Shitoku stand to the side, both of them looking back to the main path for anyone who might see them speaking to Pan Yi.

 

“So… do you have a file? Some information? Anything to go on… or are we supposed to figure this all out on our own?” asks Damien. The days of waiting and jumping through all the hoops just to talk like this has not helped his patience.

 

“I know exactly where she is being held,” replies Pan Yi. “You have access to the Internet?” he asks.

 

“No problem,” replies Maggie, patting her pack with her laptop inside. Pan Yi smiles and bows slightly to her. “I will give you the address,” he says, then recites a string of numbers. Maggie nods, repeats it back to him.

 

“An IP address,” she says to the others.

 

“If you know where she is…?” Damien asks. His voice trails off in the end, heavy with implication.

 

“What you can do, I would not be able to do myself… and there are reasons that my fellow police cannot act.” He nods again to Maggie. “The information is there.”

 

“Ok, I figure if that’s it…” the disappointment in Damien’s voice is clear. He still has to wait and it is beginning to get to him.

 

“We should be going,” says Shitoku. “We were being followed from the restaurant.”

 

Pan Yi looks at them in mild surprise. “You are certain? Who did you see?”

 

Shitoku describes the young woman and the man in the suit with the red shirt. For the first time, Pan Yi’s composure cracks slightly. There is evident worry on his part. He looks back to the main path, then to all three and says, “I am concerned. I realize you need to protect yourselves, but…” he hesitates. “I mean no disrespect, but I am worried that you might take action against these people. Is your friend…” he asks, referring to Ryu, “Is he likely to do anything rash?”

 

Maggie, Shitoku and Damien all laugh, with genuine, undisguised humor. Shitoku and Maggie look at Damien who shrugs a what-can-I-say shrug. “Rash?” asks Shitoku with irony. Pan Yi looks on with a bit of confusion on his face.

 

“Yeah, well… I don’t think you have to worry. The rash one is right here,” says Damien, unapologetic but honest in making a pointing gesture to himself. “You really don’t have to worry about our friend.”

 

-----

 

Ryu made it back to the central pathways and sat down beneath a tree where he could survey everything. He held a small, Chinese paperback he carried and practiced reading while also surveying a good portion of the park and the many people passing through. From here he would easily hear if anything went wrong when Damien and the others met with Pan Yi, and he could also view every approach to this part of the park with ease.

 

He almost missed her in the crowds. He had not seen her before, and she was no longer dressed in a school uniform of blouse and skirt. Instead she had on jeans and a jacket, but her hair gave her away. Shitoku had said the woman/girl following them had her hair up… this one did not, but it must have just been let out. There were still some crimp lines in the long straight black down her back. Creases that would be gone in another minute in the humid air, or would have been unnoticeable had she had time to brush them out. It was subtle, but it was clear.

 

When she scooted on to the end of a bench with other already sitting on it, and casually surveyed the area, Ryu knew it was her. When she casually touched her ear beneath her hair, it only confirmed what he suspected. “She is police,” he thought to himself. He casually got up to intercept the others as they came away from the fountains.

 

The others had parted company with Pan Yi. “I will know if you are successful or not,” he says. “I will provide you with what you need when you have completed the task. I hope deeply for your success.” He melted in the crowds as soon as they returned to the main paths.

 

Ryu finds them easily, before they move out into view of the undercover female officer. He indicates her position, while never staying close enough to them to appear that he is with them.

 

There is brief debate on what to do. All four scan the park, looking for backup officers closing in and the best exit out. Damien sees the cabs on the east side of the park. A wide open path leads out to a major thoroughfare, Nathan Rd. “Let’s see who she calls,” he says. To Ryu he says, “We’ll meet back near the hotel. We’ll have to get our stuff then move somewhere else,” then he takes Shitoku and Maggie with him on a very obvious walk through the center of the park, right for the cab lines.

 

Ryu watches from behind, and can’t help but smile a bit as he watches the woman’s reaction. As she spies the three striding past her, she touches her ear, and Ryu can see the subtle tilt of her head and her lips move. She stands up quickly as she sees where they are heading. Her body tenses and she loses much of her poise when Damien starts waving for a cab. The genin watches the rest of the park, wondering if he is going to see a swarm of police responding to her call. He clamps down on a bigger grin when the only one he sees is the man in the red shirt as he comes running from the north. The two come together moving toward the cabs, both of them talking angrily to each other and clearly not calling or expecting anyone else. Neither is in any position to stop the three from sliding into a cab which quickly pulls away from the curb and quickly disappearing into traffic.

 

Ryu leaves the frustrated cops behind and he heads out on his own path to make his own way back to the hotel.

 

------

 

(more later)

[RDU Neil]

Secret Worlds: Book 4 - Episode 1 cont'd

 

Spent the last couple of weeks down under. Great vacation... now coping with jet lag something fierce. Thought I'd make a few posts while I'm trying figure out how to sleep.

 

-----

 

The rest of the day is spent getting lost. On the way back to the hotel they switch cabs four times, splitting up and taking different ones back to the Wellington. Once there, they individually go inside, collect anything meaningful that they need then leave for a designated rendezvous. They don’t check out… acting simply like tourists coming and going while seeing the city.

 

Once away from the hotel, they spend an hour or so booking rooms in several different hotels. This provides them several different fall back locations in case they are further exposed. By evening, they have ensconced themselves in rooms south of the main tourist area, Victoria Park Road. Damien picks it because there is an actual pizza shop around the corner, and he was craving some American style food. The pizza was nothing like American food, but still surprisingly good. The four of them eat slices while Maggie sets up her laptop and they hit the website given to them by Pan Yi.

 

The information turns out to be quite thorough. The main page contains photographs of a colonial era mansion in the mountains to the south of Victoria… an estate of sorts on a small island in a small mountain lake that is fed by a waterfall. The lake then lets out into one of many mountain rivers that eventually finds its way to Victory Harbor. There is a detailed map of the location, noting where the main road runs past, the front gate and the extended driveway to the island.

 

The island itself is maybe 300 yards across at its widest. Large enough for a small forest of trees behind the mansion. There is also a boathouse and even a small stables. All of this overlooks Victoria Harbor from the south. Prime realestate, a mansion left over from the previous century of British rule.

 

The pictures of the mansion are clearly taken from the main road, showing that aside from the 100 plus meter moat created by the lake, there is no barrier to getting on the island. Pictures focus on a third floor balcony. Circles and notation indicate the specific room that Xie Cai is being held. There is a picture of the woman as well. A sophisticate Chinese lady likely in her fifties. She is dressed in western style clothing and smiling comfortably for the camera.

 

“Ok…” says Damien, looking at the picture. “I might have been expecting someone younger. Who do you think she is? Wife?”

 

We should check this all out… with our own eyes,” says Shitoku. “We could go there tonight. It isn’t that far.” He stops, then says, “There is the question about why we need to do this. If she is kidnapped, why don’t the police go after her?”

 

“Could she be there willingly? Is that your question?” asks Damien. “Great. We go for a rescue and turns out we are kidnapping her. That will make things… difficult.”

 

Ryu just looks at them without emotion. “The job is to get her out,” he says. “We do the job.”

 

-----

 

After some discussion, Ryu and Shitoku head out of the city to scout the mansion directly. Both are accustomed and skilled in what it takes to get information and remain unseen while doing it. Maggie heads to the room which she and Shitoku are sharing, leaving Damien alone to search the Internet. He looks for information on Pham and Xie Cai… even Pan Yi.

 

The information on Pham is extensive. He is a successful business man become powerful city council member. There are numerous articles about him, many involving allegations of corruption. The English translations are poor quality, but the references to Tongs and investigations into bribery of police are understandable. Damien can find no indication that official charges have ever been filed, though. Seems the man has his connections and influence in areas that could make it easy to avoid official entanglements. The data gives reason why police couldn’t make a move on him, but no reason why he’d be holding a woman captive.

 

Though there is no information on Xie Cai that Damien can find… certainly nothing on any kidnapping nor a missing person’s report. The information on Pan Yi doesn’t help to make the situation any clearer. The articles Damien can find associate Pan Yi with some high profile arrests, mostly of extortion rackets and robbery gangs caught selling stolen goods. Though there are no specifics mentions, he knows activities like that are the bread and butter of organized crime. Pan Yi was either an arresting officer or part of a task force that worked the case. For his troubles, it appeared Pan Yi was promoted… out of Major Crimes and into Central District, heading up the tourism police.

 

Damien leans back in his chair, trying to figure out the connection between a San Francisco based Triad and a potentially honest (though that thought is hard for Damien to swallow) cop in Hong Kong. As he thinks it over his cell phone buzzes at his hip. He drops the chair back forward so he can fish it out of his back pocket as he stands up. He doesn’t know the number so his voice is flat and terse when he flips it open and says, “Hello?”

 

Maiyay’s voice comes through on the other end.

 

Cut Scene: Somewhere in North Western China

 

The mansion is part of a sprawling complex in the rugged hills that cover so much of China. In a country that spans nearly 10 million square kilometers it truly could be almost anywhere. The camera pans down upon the four pointed traditional architecture that is mingled with modern structures of more western design and even a helipad. Torches mix with perfectly engineered lighting systems to light the dozens of walkways and halls. Though it is night, men in both working clothes and traditional ch’ang-p’ao or shen-i robes.

 

The camera pans over a railing an into the largest of the traditional buildings, sweeping down hallways of laquered wood and tile to come up behind three men walking toward a pair of large wooden doors. Two men are Chinese, with shaved heads and simple robes. They lead the third man, a blond Caucasian also in robes but clearly not comfortable in them. As they reach the doors, the two push them open together revealing a large library, carpeted, with shelves of books on all sides, lit by the firelight coming from a large blaze in a massive stone fireplace in the corner. An ornamental high-backed chair faces the fire place, and two smaller, plain wooden chairs are to the side. Seated on one of these chairs, head hanging down and one arm bandaged in a sling is a frightened worker. He startles as the doors open then at a sound from the throne like chair continues speaking rapidly but in hushed tones. The three arrivals stand quietly. The blonde man evaluates the room around him. When the firelight catches his face, the Russian sniper can be seen to smile, looking down and enjoying the feel of the thick carpet on his required bare feet.

 

The worker finishes talking, then low sounds come from the high backed chair and the man bows multiple times, getting up and backing away, still bowing but clearly relieved. He only turns when is at the threshold, then he hurries away and the doors shut behind. There is only the Russian and the Grandmaster in the room now.

 

"Sit," says the Grandmaster. He gestures to the other chair with a courtesy not expected by the Russian. He sits.

 

"That was on e of your men from the boat," says the sniper, tilting his head where the injured Wah Ching just left. "He was one of the few on the flight out."

 

"Yes," agrees the Grandmaster. "He was a witness. What he saw was of great importance to me."

 

It only takes a moment for the Russian to pick up on the comment. "It is no wonder he is shaken," he notes quietly, thinking of the man's face.

 

"What did you see, Yvgeny Petrovski?" asks the Grandmaster, who finally turns his full attention to the soldier. The small, head leans inquisitively to the side and the fire catches the full power of the old, old eyes that look at the Sniper. The Russian tries to return the look but has to glance away. There is a long moment of silence as he tries to find the words.

 

Staring into the flames, the Russian finally speaks. "I've seen it twice now." His eyes are not seeing the fire, instead he is remembering. "The first time was in that shit village in the islands. They killed all my men. They did it easily. They did things that should not be possible."

 

The words come slowly, but the Grandmaster shows no sign of impatience. He sits quietly while the soldier speaks. Yvgeny Petrovski shakes his head as he talks, as if trying to deny what he knows. "I've seen men die before. I've seen good soldiers die to ill equipped rabble who simply got the drop… as American's would say. But this…" his head shaking become more distinct. "This was something else. I saw a man appear out of thin air. Only after he shot me did I realize that I'd been looking at him all along… I just hadn't seen him. I saw perfect kill shots more consistent than any man should make. I saw this McGregor take a bullet… then I saw him swing… literally swing out of danger then still kill Giorgi with contemptuous ease."

 

His voice quickens as he speaks. There is passion, anger… but mostly curiosity… a desire to know pouring through now. "I spent a year thinking about this. Especially after you people found me. Kovias…" his head shake contains a bit of a shudder, "A monster like him shouldn't have existed. The Silent Woman…" His voice trails off.

"Then at the ship…" he pauses again, struggling to say what he feels."

 

"Why didn't you take the shot, Mr. Petrovski?" ask the Grandmaster. The Russian looks up in surprise. There is no accusation in the old man's voice, just quiet calm. A reasonable man asking a reasonable question and expecting a reasonable answer. Yvgeny is taken aback by this and the moment hangs heavy.

 

"She told me that you could have fired," says the Grandmaster. There is no question of who "she" might be. "You had McGregor and the others in your sights, did you not?" It is a rhetorical question.

 

"I do no wish for excuses or even rationalizations. I am not judging whether your decision was right or wrong." The Grandmaster's voice doesn't change, though he leans forward encouragingly. "I truly wish to know the reason you did not pull the trigger. That is all."

 

The crackling of the fire becomes a roar in the strained silence between the men as the sniper weighs his answer, the scene from the boat playing over and over before his eyes.

 

Finally…

 

"I didn't think I could kill him," he whispers. The words are barely audible, but the Grandmaster's eyes light up.

 

"I've had hundreds in my sights and I've never doubted the kill. Yet, when I saw McGregor come out of that ship alive… knowing he'd survived, thus killed a creature like Kovias… for the first time ever, I did not believe my shot would kill."

 

The sniper turns bodily toward the Grandmaster, his voice picking up as he tries to explain, more to himself than the ancient one. "It wasn't that I doubted my skill. I knew I could hit him… I just doubted that he'd die. I doubted that what had always worked in the past would work this time. There is no logic to it… I just knew." The words are like those of a penitent in confession to his priest. It is not so much guilt over something done or not done, but a true crisis of faith for the soldier. When his eyes focus back on the moment, he is surprised again by the reaction of the Grandmaster.

 

The old man is grinning, ear-to-ear.

 

"You have looked into another world, Mr. Petrovski," explains the Grandmaster with unabashed pleasure. "You are understandably shaken by what you are coming to understand. There is no shame in this. Instead you should recognize the achievement in actually surviving such." The ancient one leans in closer, his smile widening even more. "Very few see such things, let alone live to speak of them and perhaps understand them."

 

The old man stands up, his body and movements starkly commanding for such a small form. "I like you, Mr. Petrovski," says the Grandmaster as he steps up to the fire and picks up a iron rod to adjust the burning logs. It isn't lost on the sniper that the old man wields the forty pound poker with the casual ease most men would wield a stick of bamboo. "You will learn more if you stay with us. You will see the other worlds that lay alongside the one you have always known. Eventually, if you survive, you will most likely see Mr. McGregor and his friends again. When you do, you will get to make a choice."

 

The Grandmaster turns to face the Russian, his diminutive form backlit with the flare of the stoked flames jumping behind him. "You will get to chose what side… what world… will be yours. It will be an interesting time, Mr. Petrovski."

 

The sniper looks at this man who the stories say is hundreds of years old. At that moment, he almost starts to believe, and despite the raging fire he feels a shiver run up his spine.

 

(Camera pans back from the two men, expanding the view to encompass the entirety of the room, much of it in shadows. One shadow in particular seems to shift differently from the flickering flames, then it is split by the Cheshire white of a very deadly grin.)

 

End of Cut Scene

 

More later

[RDU Neil]

Secret Worlds: Book 4 Ep 1 cont'd

 

Short ending of the set up episode.

 

-----

 

Damien is leaving to meet Maiyay as Ryu and Shitoku return. Their clothes are jeans and jackets… dark but plain. Both are removing the last traces of black grease paint from faces and hands, neither talking much. “We have more pictures,” says Shitoku, holding up the digital camera they took.

 

“Marked up the maps of the island from the road,” says Ryu, holding up a few sheets of paper with charcoal drawings. “Getting in won’t be hard. Getting the woman out…?” Ryu leaves the question hanging.

 

“Ok… set it up,” Damien nods at Maggie as she joins the group. “I’ll go get Maiyay and I need to talk to her. We’ll join you after.”

 

The others nod and Ryu begins spreading out the maps and information folder as Maggie downloads the pictures into the laptop. Shitoku hits the showers and Damien heads out the door.

 

At the pizza place, Damien is eating a slice of something remotely like pepperoni as Maiyay walks up. He appraises her as she approaches. Same clothes as this morning but looks like she slept in them. Her face is tired, eyes hard. She carries her bag over her shoulder and he watches closely as she orders a hot tea. He sees no sign of injury but the knuckles on her left hand which clutches the shoulder strap are slightly swollen. Damien flexes his own hand knowingly, but doesn’t press. They chat about nothing as they head back. At the hotel everyone says hello, but they ask nothing of Maiyay, just pointing out the maps and photographs. Maggie has a portable printer attached to the laptop and has laid out multiple views of the grounds. Ryu is pointing out spotted cameras. Shitoku notes the extensive grounds with forest that cover much of the island. “Perfect cover to come in from the back. Should have a view of the guards from lots of places. Here is where I’d want to be.” He indicates a stand of tall trees right behind the house with a good view of most of the back and south side of the mansion. Damien glances at the photos as they talk, smiles and points at a couple pictures and the map. “That a boat house?” They nod. “Those jet-skis?” They nod again. “Well… there’s our ex-fil!” This gets everyone talking. Damien looks at Maiyay and nods toward the other room. They walk away from the discussion.

 

On their own Maiyay looks at him and asks, “Do I get lectured now?”

 

Damien shakes his head, Serious. Out of character “I want to know if you are ok. I want to know what you did. If you tell me is up to you, but what I have to know is if whatever you did is going to bring heat on us. I mean…”

 

“I know what you mean,” she says, cutting him off. The exhaustion is evident as she leans against the wall. She shakes her head for a second, mouth moving like she is talking to herself, then she sighs and just talks.

 

“I wanted information. About my father. Kovias said he was alive. My mother confirmed it and it clearly had something to do with the Wah Ching and the threat they have always posed to my people. I know we need to do this thing…” she waggles her hand back toward the group in the other room, “Whatever it is. I just needed to do something for myself.”

 

“The Wah Ching are all over the place. I just went where they were most likely to be.”

 

“And you just found them?” asks Damien.

 

“No… they found me. They are criminals. Drugs, robbery… prostitution…” She looks at Damien with a even-you-should-get-the-implication look. Damien nods. “I dressed up. I walked around. They found me.”

 

“Ok,” replies Damien. “Makes sense. So you get some info… as long as you didn’t kill anybody…”

 

His voice trails off as she just stares at him. “Uh… so you…”

 

“They didn’t know anything. Just a couple of violent drug addicts with delusions of manhood.” Maiyay stares Damien in the eyes, unflinching.

 

Damien rubs his temples, then the bridge of his nose. “Ok… ok…” he mutters. “I’m not judging here. What’s done is done…” His voice becomes as hard and unflinching as her eyes. “What matters is whether, from now on, you are going to work with us.”

 

He stands up, using his height to help make a point. “We will help you with your father. What we are doing is getting us moving toward the Grandmaster. It all leads back to him. We are going to do this with or without you. I know I’m supposed to take care of you. Your mother made that clear. I’ll do that, but I won’t let you screw things up for the rest of us. You can’t keep going off on your own. I promise you we will…”

 

“Yes,” she says, simply. He stops.

 

“Yes… I’ll do what you say. I work with you. I won’t go off on my own.” The look on her face is calm, her eyes lose the edge. “It’s a crap way to try to find information anyway,” she says. “Can I get cleaned up now?”

 

Damien is stopped for the moment, then smiles. He accepts her statement as fact and all the tension leaves the room. “Yeah. Of course. Come join us when you are ready.” He turns to leave as she picks up her bag.

 

As he heads back to the discussion, he calls over his shoulder. “Come help us figure out how to storm the castle!” Maiyay just shakes her head, trying to conceal a smile.

 

End of Book 4 Chapter 1

 

Next episode "All ninja action!"

[greymankle]

Re: Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

 

WOOT!!

 

-Joe

[BonHed]

Re: Secret Worlds: Book 4 Ep 1 cont'd

 

Next episode "All ninja action!"

 

Oh boy oh boy! Almost to the ninja-y goodness!