Green Hornet #4

by Jayson Morriseau-Lussier

Cover by Zirronis

Created by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker

Content based off "The Green Hornet" radio show (1936 - 1952)

Land of the Rising Sun: Conclusion

He hunts the biggest of all game ... public enemies that even the G-Men cannot reach. With his faithful valet Kato, Britt Reid, daring young publisher, matches wits with the Underworld, risking his life so that criminals and racketeers within the law may feel its weight by the sting of the Green Hornet! Ride with Britt Reid as he races toward another thrilling adventure! The Green Hornet strikes again!

Last time we left Britt Reid and Kato, they were tied up and the Tokyo police were approaching. Mr. X had lured them into a trap and tied them up. He removed their masks for the world to discover the identities of The Green Hornet and his assistant.

Britt Reid was struggling against the bonds and he thought of something quickly. "Kato you still have your Chinese Star?"

"Yes, sir, but I can't reach it."

"I think I can." He struggled around and reached into the side pocket of Kato's coat. He pulled out the Chinese Star and slide into Kato's hand. Kato instinctively took the space he had and quickly cut one of the bonds that held his hand in place. He was able to free his hand in time and he cut Britt Reid from his ropes.

"No time, to go back to car." Kato pointed to the police that were approaching on foot, but they were still out of sight enough so their identities were still safe for the moment.

Suddenly there was woman in dark red car. Britt immediately recognized her as Heather Paige better known by her code name, Akira, because of her past history with her... He knew more about her than most men did. "Britt, Kato hurry get into the car!" She shouted out and both men piled into the car and she drove away at high speed. Britt had retrieved Kato's and his mask as he put it back on. "How did you know we were in trouble?"

"Ikano's father told me where you went." She looked at him as he nodded.

"I trust you will keep my secret?"

"Britt, I know many things about many people and I have learned to keep secrets. You have to trust me"

"I am trying."

"Look over there, Mista Britt." Kato pointed to an explosion off near one of the main transportation hubs in the city.

"Heather, can you?"

"Sure thing." She turned the wheel sharply as the red sports car sped through the night to the site of the explosion. Kato and Britt got out and looked over the scene. Emergency assistance was already arriving on scene. Britt took out his cell phone and took pictures of the area.

"We should get out of here." He looked at Kato and Heather and they both nodded.

Britt grabbed his coat and Heather brought the car around finally to the Black Beauty. He hadn't expected to reveal who he was to anyone, but something about this adventure had caused take chances when he knew that he couldn't possibly afford not to. He looked at her for a moment and she nodded with a smile. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me."

"Heather, I..."

"Get going, I hear the cops. Get going!" She looked at him with a stern look. Both Kato and he got into the car. The Black Beauty roared off into the night and Britt sat back with an exhale of exhaustion.

"Kato we need to get back to the room."

"Right, Mr. Britt." They drove as fast as the Black Beauty would carry them and finally they were able to park the black car in a small covey that was rented by Britt Reid. They got out and locked the doors and locked them. Reid pulled off his Green Hornet disguise and handed them to Kato. He smoothed out his blonde hair and they got into the elevator that would take them up to the loft they had rented in Tokyo. Reid was contemplating what he was going to say to Heather the next time he saw her, but he knew the two of them were going to have their awkward moments.

When the elevator doors open they stepped out they saw the door to Kato's room was open. "Kato, were you expecting anyone?"

"No sir, but it might be, Miranda." Britt took out his gas weapon he carried as the Green Hornet and they both approached the opened door. Inside the room was his fiancée working on his clothes closet and getting everything organized. Miranda turned around startled as she shrieked.

"Oh my God." She breathed in. "You scared me."

"I am sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." Kato came over to her. "What are you doing here, I thought you were going to come later?"

"Well, I wanted surprise you."

Britt put away the gas weapon in his pocket and chuckled as he closed the door to let them talk. He headed back to his room when he heard someone talking outside his door. He saw it was Heather Paige on her cell phone as she talked to what it sounded like her husband. "Yes, I promise to be careful, will you stop worrying? Okay now goodbye." When she hung up the phone she looked at Britt. "My husband, Geoffery."

"Oh, I didn't know you were married?"

"I am, but it isn't something I am supposed to talk about."

"Why is that?" Reid raised an eyebrow.

"Britt, both you and I both know the work I do means I am away from home a lot." She looked at him. "We need to talk about tonight."

"Yeah, I figured that this was coming." He opened the door to his room. "Com'on in." Heather walked in behind him and he closed the door. "How did you know I was there, or was it just blind luck?"

"No it wasn't blind luck, Britt. I was hired to find you." She shook her head. "The President asked me to locate you."

"President? Of..."

"Of the United States, Britt. Com'on." She was getting impatient. "I am sorry, I have been trying to find you... or prove you were the Green Hornet for weeks."

"I thought you said.."

"It's our secret. No one else will know." She shook her head.

"Okay, I want to believe you." He sat down next to her. "What does the President want?"

"There is a terrorist group that are gathering their operation to stateside and centralizing it from your city."

"What do you mean?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Mr. X is just the beginning of the whole operation, Britt. It goes all the way down to the shipments of drugs and arms from Japan to other parts of the world especially where we're from."

"You've been following my investigation then." Britt sat back in the chair that faced her and nodded as he had a hand to his chin in thought.

"Yes, and to say that you scared X, is an understatement." She curled a smile. "He came here, because he knows you were about to bust him."

"Who is he?"

"Even we don't know for sure."

"I see." Britt raised an eyebrow. "Well, this does change things a lot."

"How so?"

"Well, first it means we were a lot closer than I thought we were. And, it also means that we have him on the run rather us chasing him."

"You didn't know that?"

"Hardly." Reid stood up as he looked at Heather. "Well, I should get some sleep."

"Want some company?" She stood up and unzipped her dress and it fell at her feet. She was in light blue lingerie that she knew Britt liked. Her body was toned and the lingerie was lace and very see-through.

"Heather, you're married."

"You know what Geoff calls me all the time at home, Britt?" She curled her finger and motioned for him to approach her. He did approach her. They had been lovers in college and Britt had fallen for her hard, but she had gone to Washington and to her own career. In the moment he felt all those emotions come to the surface.

"I have no idea, Hon."

"Fucking Bitch, Britt." She shook her head. "I love him, but I hate being called a bitch for having my own opinion. And there's more.." She started to loosen his tie and she looked him into the eyes. "When we do this... it's just between us?"

"Heather, I.."

"Shh." She kissed him and she had opened his shirt and took it off his shoulders. He at first didn't give a response, but he then started to kiss her back. Her hands moved to his pants and opened them and started to rub him until he became aroused. She put her hand inside of his boxers and continued to rub him. Britt sighed into the kiss and Heather backed away and took off her bra in front of him and then slipped down her panties. She appeared completely nude to him now. "Come to bed... I want you to make love to me." Without saying a word Britt Reid followed his college lover to his bed and he made passionate love to her.

The next day Britt Reid was at the embassy for the United States. Since he was considered to be a VIP, he was let into the party that was being held. Ambassador Geoffery Paige was working the line when he saw Britt Reid standing waiting to meet with him. "Well, Mr. Reid, I am surprised to see you here."

"Why is that Geoff?"

"Well, my wife said that she had seen you, but I didn't know if you were here on business or not."

"Yes, I did see Heather." He nodded with a smile. "I am sorry that she got home late."

"Oh no it's fine." Paige pointed to a side office where they could talk. Reid broke from the receiving line and followed the Ambassador to the office.

"What's up, Geoff?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing, Britt." He shook his head. "My wife was out late and the last person she was with was you."

"Are you saying something happened?"

"Should I worry?"

"No. Nothing happened, Geoff." Reid narrowed his eyes to the young Ambassador.

"What are you doing in Tokyo?" Paige pulled chair and sat down to face Reid. Reid shook his head as he sat down to face him.

"Am I under arrest?"

"No, why would you say that?"

"Because your questions are odd, Geoff."

"Okay let's give to you straight, Britt." He looked at him in the eyes directly. "The United States has a gun smuggler moving guns from China and through Tokyo and landing in your city."

"Geoff are you accusing me of anything?"

"Are you Mr. X, Mr. Reid?"

"No, I am not." Reid stood up. "If you're not going to arrest me, Ambassador Paige, I'd like to leave now."

"Stay away from my wife, Mr. Reid."

"That's Heather's decision." Reid raised an eyebrow. "If you suspect me of something, Geoff why don't you come out and saying it instead of playing this interrogation game."

"It's not a game, Reid." Paige shook his head. "This smuggler is making billions off the blood of others. These guns are landing in the hands of criminals and gangsters that want nothing better to kill each other and innocent people for money."

"So you're a crusader now?"

"Someone has to be." Paige folded his arms.

"Fine you're a crusader, don't create martyrs where there are none." Reid stood up. "Good day, sir."

"Goodbye, Reid." The two parted as Reid got outside of the party and looked across the ballroom as he saw Heather talking to another diplomat's wife. She excused herself and headed to where Britt was.

"What was that about?" She looked concerned as Reid's face was stern and angry.

"Nothing. I need to leave."

"Okay, will you call me later?"

"No. Your husband doesn't want me talking to you."

"What? Why?" She looked alarmed by Britt's comment.

"You should take that up with him, Heather."

"I intend to!" She walked with Reid out the front door where no one could see or hear them. "What happened?"

"He accused me of being Mr. X." Reid looked at her. "Does the government think I am working against them?"

"No, the President didn't say anything about you being X." She raised an eyebrow as her blue eyes seemed to be pondering something. "Let me find out for sure. Are you going to continue to look for him?"

"Yes, he tried to kill Kato and I." He nodded.

"Okay, tell you what, I'll meet you at your house tomorrow after I've conferred with Langley."

"Okay deal." Reid offered his hand to shake but Heather hugged him. "I am sorry you're going through this. I know it's has to be tough."

"Yes. But, I'll be okay."

"I know." She grinned and planted a kiss on his lips and then the two separated as Britt headed for a cab to take him back to his flat.

~*~

Kato was working with Miranda on her Shaolin moves. Miranda's black hair flew in the air as she twisted and turned with the martial arts that Kato was instructing her with . Both of them saw Britt Reid enter from the main room and Kato left Miranda's side the for the chance to talk to his friend. "Did the party go well?"

"Nothing happened as I planned, Kato." He threw down his coat in frustration. "Geoffery Paige thinks I am Mr. X. "

"Ambassador Paige? Why he think that?" Kato looked just as confused seemed to him.

"I don't know, but Heather is going to be checking for me."

"That not good Mista Britt. We don't even know who is who and why they attack."

"Kato, the one good thing about you is that you tell it like it is and don't hold back."

"I try, Mista Britt." Kato shrugged with a grin. "Miranda and I are going to see my father, would you like to go?"

"No, I don't think so, I need to think some things out."

"I see, Mista Britt." Kato nodded. "Well, once we get back we can talk about things and see if we can find who we are looking for."

"I hope so. I hope you and Miranda have a good time."

"Thank you. See you later." Kato left the flat as Miranda had gathered their things and they left. Reid was looking through his messages on the instant messenger from Axford and Gunnigan from home. He was keeping tabs on what was shaking down back home. He saw a mysterious message that seemed to catch him by surprise. He opened it was from the White House.

"I guess Heather was able to get to the President." He opened the message as he sat back and waited for the decoder to work and unscrambled the message.

"Britt,

I spoke to the President and told him that you knew who the Green Hornet was. I didn't tell him anything beyond that. He wants the Green Hornet to make this move to expose X and get him to leave Japan and return to the United States. The President seems to think you have that sort of power over the Hornet. Just kidding, Lover. I am incognito right now. He wants me to try and locate X's powerbase here as well. I guess if you sleep with a man he expects you be his gopher. I'll explain later.

I love you,

Heather."

Reid raised an eyebrow at the message as he realized things were getting deeper and deeper than what he had thought it would. He knew that he would need to go out as the Green Hornet to get X to come out of his rathole. He went to the garage that housed the Black Beauty and he made sure the tank was full and the car was in good working order. He grabbed his Green Hornet disguise and turned over the Black Beauty. He pressed the remote and the doors to the garage opened and the Black Beauty roared onto the streets that night. He sent a message from the Beauty's console computer to Kato's watch to let him know he might need his help. The great car appeared to the Hokkaido Industries gate which seemed to be deserted. The Green Hornet got out of his car and headed to the administration building that overlooked the parking lots. It seemed quiet as he took out his flash light and lit up the stair well that led up to the offices.

"I've been expecting you to show up, Hornet." It was the voice of X. He turned around and saw a man in a full mask with a fedora and dark black cloak. With him were two thugs with him.

"Cornered me, eh?" Hornet looked at X challengingly.

"I have to admit you're one clever man, Hornet. I didn't expect you to get out of my trap as easily as you did." X pointed to the men to take him. But suddenly there was a noise that broke out and a woman dressed in a black leather catsuit came out of the shadows and sent a roundhouse kick to one of the thugs face. He fell back. The other thug reached for his gun, but the Hornet was quick with his gas weapon and sprayed into the second thug's face.

"Take a whiff of this big shot." He sprayed the gas in the thug's face.

"No. Wait. Gas... no. Ugh." The thug fell backwards and the Hornet looked at the woman in the black suit. It was Heather Paige.

"Akira, what are you doing here?"

"No time for that now, Hornet. He's getting away." She pointed to X who was fleeing by foot. Both Akira and the Green Hornet were following in close pursuit. X ran to a shipping dock that overlooked Tokyo Bay. Hokkaido Industries was one of the world's largest exporter of electronic goods. The Hornet and Akira were looking from storage freight to storage freight.

"You'll never take me alive, Green Hornet!" There was a rustling sound and suddenly X fell down off a freight to the pavement below. It was Kato dressed in his chauffeur attire with mask. He had appeared after X had shouted.

"Kato!" The Hornet looked at him and then back to Akira. The three of them approached the fallen crook who laid crumpled in a heap. "Take off his mask."

Akira bent down and pulled the mask off of X's face and what she discovered startled her. It was Geoffery Paige the Ambassador. "I... I don't believe this." Akira looked at the Hornet in a stunned silence.

Paige mumbled as he saw his wife dressed in her spy outfit. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for X."

"He got away." Paige chuckled as he was coughing up blood from his fall.

"You're not X?" The Green Hornet asked.

"No, but you'll never know who he really is, Britt." Paige grinned. "He told me who you really are and that you slept with my wife."

"Why did you do it, Geoffery?" Akira shook her head as she had her face showing her mix of emotions from outright rage to a deep betrayal.

"Government sent me to Japan to open trade deals." He chuckled as he coughed up more blood. "They didn't know I was working for X and his secret organization to move arms and weapons into the states and to other places around the world."

"You're a traitor then." The Hornet added.

"No, I am a patriot. The government has become bloated and full of corrupt bureaucrats that want nothing more than to spread war so that the United States will be in the business of creating war for profit."

"He losing lot of blood, I called police." Kato spoke up finally.

The Green Hornet looked at Akira and finally realized that she already suspected her husband. "Will you stay with him?"

"Of course, don't worry I'll take care of things." She looked at him. "I do love you."

"I know, but now is not the time."

"We better go, or our goose cooked." Kato urged his friend to leave the scene. The Hornet followed Kato to the Black Beauty. He saw Akira take out a hypodermic needle from her leather pouch she was carrying and she injected something into Paige's neck. He saw the Ambassador shake for a moment but go limp.

"You didn't kill him?" Hornet yelled at her.

"No, he'll be in a medical induced coma now go, I'll see you later." Akira yelled at him and both he and Kato got into the car and they raced away from the scene.

The Next Day

Britt was watching the news as reports came out that Ambassador Paige had been caught red-handed with documents proving he worked for the international terrorist group Red X. Reid had packed away the Green Hornet guise and the Black Beauty had been crated up and loaded on the ship that was bound back to the States. Heather Paige appeared at Britt's doorway as he was packing. "I guess Miranda and Kato are staying behind?"

"Yes, Kato's father wants them to be married in the traditional ceremony here in Japan first. He sent for Miranda when Ikano told his father that he was getting married."

"So he's really going to go through with it?"

"Yes, but he asked me to return home and arrange for their weddings vows to be performed in the city."

"Are you okay?"

"Fine, just frustrated but relieved that X knows we're hot on his tail." He zipped up his suitcase. "Are you going back to the States?"

"Yes, I have to brief the President on what happened here."

"What did happen here?" Reid looked at her. She knew he meant between them.

"I love you, can we keep it at that for now? I will see you again soon." She came up to him and kissed his lips passionately.

"When though?"

"When the time is right."

"I suppose that's the best I can expect then."

"For now babe." Heather grinned at him. "I have to play the shocked spouse for the media, but once charges of espionage and corruption are brought I plan on divorcing him.

"I see."

"There's not a lot of time for the Green Hornet and Akira to be lovers and more, Britt."

"No, I suppose you're right." Reid turned away from her. "I won't forget what happened here though."

"Neither will I, but I promise you it's not the last time." She put her hand on his cheek. "So long, babe."

"Here's looking at you, kid." He grinned and Heather winked at him. They parted with one last passionate kiss and Heather Paige left his flat. Britt felt his heart skip a few beats, but he knew he would see her again. But, he was needed as the Green Hornet back home... with Mr. X still on the run he hoped he could trip up the super-criminal once and for all. Britt Reid finished packing and then headed to the cab that would take him back home...

The End.