Chapter 1

Danger in the Wings

Miley Stuart aka, Hannah Montana was scurrying around her dressing room putting on her Hannah Montana identity for the concert she was about to do as her friends Lilly and Oliver looked on.. Just then her father Mr. Stuart came through the door.

"Are you ready, Honey?" he asked, "There is already a crowd out there and they're getting anxious."

"I'm getting ready as fast as I can," she said as she put on her wig, "I going to wear that new necklace tonight."

"Fine, Fine," said her father, "but hurry."

A handsome young man who looked to be about fifteen with brown hair and soulful brown eyes sat in his chair as the auditorium continued to fill up. He sat there looking at the program that he had bought. From time to time he would life his eyes from the page to look around the room. Just then a girl with long dark hair came walking in and sat down in the seat next to him.

"Whew," she said, "There was a long line in the little girl's room."

"Sis," he said, "how did I let you talk me into this."

"Come on, big brother" she said, "I know your aren't one for going to concerts, but Jennifer is away this weekend and mom and dad wouldn't let me come by myself, look at it this way it's got to be better than the concert that your friend Nick dragged you last week."

"Fingernails on a chalkboard would be better than that concert, sis." He replied rolling his eyes,

"What was that band called again?" she asked

"The Hand Grenades," replied her brother cringing at the memory.

"I'm not against music, at all sis," he said, "but a weirdo in red tights and a bad wig jumping up and down on a piano is not my idea of music." Just then the house lights went down and the announcer's voice was heard giving the usual fire safety info.

"Ladies and Gentleman," he announced, "presenting the one, the only, HANNAH MONTANA!" instantly the crowd was on its feet. Cheering as Hannah came out and began to sing her signature song The Best of Both Worlds.

Miley as Hannah was moving back and forth from one end of the stage to the other as she sang. Suddenly she saw a movement out of the corner of her eye turning slightly she saw an Asian man that she had never seen before standing in the wings. She worked her way to the other end of the stage wondering who that man was. When she turned to cross the stage again she saw the glint of metal in his hand. Quick as a flash he threw the metal object at her. She recoiled instinctively, closing her eyes. But the pain of the object hitting her never came. Cautiously she opened one eye; the noisy room was now full of gasps. Then her eyes fell on another hand that was just in front of her face. The metal object, which she could now see was a Chinese dart, jutted out of this hand. The man turned and ran with security hot on his tail. Miley turned to see that the hand belong to a handsome brown haired boy who looked to be about fifteen. He smiled at her and pulled the dart out of his hand with his teeth. He spit the dart out on the floor before he spoke.

"Are you alright?" he said calmly in a voice that had a smooth bass timbre to it.

"Huh," she said at first feeling a little dazzled by this young man, "oh –yeah –I'm fine." Miley mentally kicked herself for sounding so lame.

Just then Mr. Stuart in his disguise came running out onto the stage.

"Are you alright, honey?" He said looking Miley over.

"I'm fine," she said, "someone threw a dart at me, but this boy was noble enough to take the dart for me."

"What boy?" He asked

Miley turned and found that her mysterious benefactor was nowhere to be seen.

A few minutes later Miley in the guise of Hannah was giving a statement to the police.

"Your one lucky lady, Miss Montana," he said, "and that was one devoted fan who took the dart for you." Miley looked puzzled

"What are you getting at?"

"The lab just found out that the dart that guy threw at you was coated with a lethal dose of Towka Root a fast acting poison!"

The color drained from Miley's face and she felt like someone had clubbed her in the stomach with a canoe.

"Detective, are you saying what I think you saying?" she said in a half whisper.

"Yes I am," said the detective quietly, "that boy is probably dead by now."

Miley's hands trembled as she tried to brush out her hair. Lilly came out and gently taking the brush from her friend began to brush Miley's hair for her.

"He died for me," she said quietly

"I guess the loyalty of fans knows no limits," Said Oliver, who was being sensitive for once instead of putting his foot in his mouth.

"Miley," said Lilly, Trying to change the subject, "Your dad has enrolled both you, me, Oliver and Jackson in a self-defense class after all that has happened he thought it would be good for us to know how to defend ourselves, Jackson wants to be the next Bruce Lee.

"Good," Said Miley, "I am going to be the best that I can I won't have anyone else dying for me.

The very next evening Lilly, Miley, Jackson, and Oliver stood in the Tao Kai Dojo waiting for the class to start. Each of them was wearing a Martial Arts uniform called a Gi. The Gi of this dojo was white except for the red and black, Yin Yang symbol on the back of each of the tops.

Just then the sensei walked in and Miley's jaw hit the floor. There in a Red and black gi stood her mysterious rescuer. Lilly's eyes glazed over and she stared at him dreamily.

"Hello everyone," he said, "I am Sensei Lee Cranston, and I'll be teaching this class."

Miley stole a glance at his hands. The right one had a small bandage on it.

"He's alive," she thought, "but how?"

Across town the assassin stood in a dimly lit office staring at an imposing dark haired man who was standing with his back turned to him.

"I don't tolerate failure Fong." growled the man he nodded to two other men who were in the room. the grabbed the assassin and dragged him out of the room. the man pressed the button for the intercom.

"Get me someone who won't fail."