Author's Note: This is kind of an AU- it kind of pretends that seasons 3-5 never happened. Valmont's interest in chi spells had been piqued rather than stifled from his incident with Shendu, and through those chi spells he found a way to overcome Shendu's control of him and use Shendu's powers at the end of season 2 instead of banishing Shendu back to the demon realms. Okie dokie, I guess that's all you need to know.

Jackie walked into his office at the university. OK, so technically it was a broom closet with a tiny desk and a big bookcase, but his name was on the door, along with an amusing comic of two archeologists finding a Babylonian Urn, so he considered it legitimate enough. No one ever came to office hours anyway.

He sat down to begin his report on the dig he had returned from when the phone rang. He stared at it for a moment, trying to think if it had ever really been used. The second ring broke him out of his contemplation, and he picked it up.

"Dr. Chan," said a voice on the other end of the line, "This is Dr. Cavilier from the museum,"

"Hello, Dr., how are you?" Jackie responded pleasantly.

"Not good. Our exhibit on Mesopotamia was broken into last night, and one of the items you discovered has been stolen."

"What?" Jackie said incredulously

"I SAID," the doctor started again.

"No, no, I understand," Jackie said quickly. "I'll be there within the hour," He hung up the phone, put on his jacket, bumped his leg on the desk and sped out the door.

The thief had just stolen a shard of pottery. It was nothing valuable, or even really interesting. It had just been a piece of an old stone box.

"And the security cameras show nothing, right?" Jackie asked grimly as he stared at the place where the pottery had been.

"How did you know?" the curator asked. Jackie stared at him, trying to figure out if he was being sarcastic or sincere. He couldn't tell.

"Just a lucky guess," Jackie said. "What did the police say?"

"Nothing. They just now arrived."

Jackie looked around and noticed a few people taking pictures and interviewing security guards. He walked up to one.

"I was just sitting right there at my desk, alert as ever," a man was saying. The policeman snorted. Having been a guard himself, he knew that was guard speak for 'doing a crossword puzzle' or 'watching reruns of the Andy Griffith show.' The security guard glared at him.

"Hi, Ed," Jackie said.

"Hey Jackie," the guard responded, grateful to get away from the questioning.

"Rough night?" Jackie asked.

"You'd better believe it."

"And what is your job here, sir?" the policeman asked Jackie.

"I'm an archeologist." Jackie said. "My exhibit was the one that was broken into."

"Your exhibit?" the man narrowed his eyes. "Are you saying you feel you have a right to this exhibit? Such a right as to take it back?"

Was this guy for real? He should be wearing a trench coat and a fedora, Jackie thought. He sighed. "No, I'm just here to find out what happened."

"Hmmmm," the detective was scribbling in his notebook. "Would you mind sticking around, Mr.…"

"Doctor," Jackie corrected.

"Mr. Doctor," said the detective.

"No, I meant doctor is my title. Dr. Chan." Jackie countered. He usually didn't care, but this guy was getting on his nerves. "And I really do need to go. I have a paper to-"

"Or I could arrest you until we have everything we need from you," the detective said casually. "Your choice."

"I'll stay." Jackie said. "What can I help you with, Mr…"

"Sergeant." The detective corrected, "Sergeant Bailey." He folded up his notebook. "Just a few things…"

By the time Sergeant Bailey and his group were done, it was night. Jackie had been questioned, finger printed, cross questioned, thumb printed, and been the perpetrator of three impossible whodunits. Oh, and they nearly knocked over the golden crown of King Nebuchadnezzar.

Now that was weird. Why didn't the thief steal that? Maybe the piece of pottery was magic…

It was at that point that Jackie realized he hadn't eaten all day, and decided to head home.

The glow of Valmont's digital clock said 1:13 AM. He was sitting bolt upright in his bed. Something had woken him up.

He quietly grabbed his staff and eased into his slippers. His window was open, the curtains fluttering in the breeze. That was normal- he usually left it open, as he was on the twenty second floor. He also had magical wards surrounding his whole penthouse if the height didn't discourage would be-thieves. But there was something wrong…

The wards were gone.

Valmont rushed to his private collections room. The moon seemed to act as a spotlight on one of the cases.

An empty case.

Valmont's eyes grew wide. "No…" he breathed. He stepped into the moonlight to get a closer look…

And was hit upside the head.

He was dazed, but not for long. A second blow instead left him unconscious.

Valmont woke up a little later and realized he was alone.

Nothing else was missing.

This was very, very bad.