Far Away on the Other Side
Author's Note: Oh, I did forget that I created Daley, Su Lin, Delvane, Xia, Dr. Brunhaven, and Jerry Jennings. Oh and keep your eyes open for a blink and you'll miss it reference to another series starring one of the actors besides Jackie Chan! :D
Something else I should have mentioned: I have never seen Rush Hour 3, so this doesn't have anything to do with that movie only the first two.
Chapter Two: Perfect by nature, icons of self-indulgence
Chon and Roy approached Lee and Carter as though in a dream. They waited until the four men were face to face, before anyone could say anything. Chon and Lee started at each other wide-eyed as though they were two children meeting Santa Claus for the first time. Roy looked confused and held his friend back. Carter just kind of looked at the other two men suspiciously keeping a bit of a distance.
"You're me!" Lee said surprised.
"And you're me!" Chon said just as amazed. The Chinese men shook each other's hands rapidly.
"I saw you in my dream," Lee exclaimed. "I thought it was me, but it must have been you!"
"Are we related?" Chon asked. "We could be brothers- well related at least!" Chon momentarily forgot where he was, so amazed at seeing his doppelganger.
Carter held up his hands. "Alright, guys chill out," Both Chon and Lee were silenced and looked at the other detective. "My name is Detective Carter, this is Inspector Lee." The two flashed their badges to prove it. "First, off who are you guys and why are you dressed like that?" He pointed at their western clothing. Chon and Roy shook Lee's hand. Chon took Carter's hand. There was a difficult moment between O'Bannon and Carter, but Roy finally shook the African-American's hand. Carter glowered as the blond man casually wiped his hand on his trouser leg.
"Sorry," Roy said. "Roy O'Bannon" He paused as though he expected some reaction. "You know Roy O'Bannon vs. the Mummy?'" No reaction. "It's a bestseller!" Still nothing. "They have never heard of me!" He wailed.
"I apologize for my friend," Chon said. "My name is Chon Wang!"
Lee and Carter glanced at each other and Carter snorted with derision. "Like John Wayne, the actor?! Yeah, right."
This time Chon and Roy looked surprised. "There is an actor named John Wayne?" Chon asked.
Lee nodded. "Yes, John Wayne, he did Western movies!"
"Movies, like motion pictures?" Roy asked. "People still watch those?"
"Yes they do," Carter said humoring the two men with the tone of a patronizing schoolteacher to troubled children. "Where are you from?"
"Carter City, Nevada, originally," Chon said. "But we are here-were here, but not in the right time-" Chon hesitated. He realized that this was beginning to sound crazy. "-the wrong year."
"Where exactly," Carter asked. "The local nut house?!"
"Watch yourself boy," Roy warned.
"Ooh a Southern white man called me boy," Carter dared. "Where have I heard that before?"
"That's it -" Roy said approaching Carter when both Lee and Chon held their friend's back.
"Carter, Mr. O'Bannon, enough," Lee said.
"I agree," Chon nodded.
"Alright," Lee said. "You said that you aren't in the right time. What did you mean? What year should it be?"
"1887," Chon said wearily.
"You traveled through time?!" Lee asked.
"Yeah," Roy said. "I know it sounds nuts but- believe me I don't believe it either!"
"How did you get here?" Lee asked.
"It's a long story," Chon said. "And we don't know why, we're just here."
"Alright," Lee reasoned. "Don't worry, we'll help you."
"You will?" Chon asked glad.
"We will?" Carter asked. Roy for once was silent, but he looked just as incredulous as Carter felt. He pulled Lee aside. "Lee, I don't think we should be helping these guys."
"Why not?" Lee asked. "They are obviously lost and confused. He is the man in my dream!"
"Not that dream again, "Carter said.
"You said it yourself," Lee reminded his friend.
"Yeah, I just figured he was maybe your brother, a long-lost cousin maybe," Carter said. "First off, we are on a case. Second, the guy's claiming to be an author and the other guy says his name is John Wayne and they are saying that they are from 1887! Look at them! They are obviously escapees from a mental hospital!"
"I don't think so," Lee said. "What if they are telling the truth?"
"If, if they are telling the truth," Carter said. "And man that is a big 'IF', I still ain't helping them!"
"Why not?" Lee asked.
He pointed at Roy and this time spoke loud enough for him to hear. "Look at him! The way he looked at me, the way he talks to me! If he's right, then his family might have owned slaves!"
"Now that is not true," Roy objected. "The O'Bannons were abolitionists! Well my mama was. My daddy would have kicked the ass of a white boy just as easily as he would a black boy!"
"Right, whatever," Carter said.
"Look I don't want your help, anymore than you want to help us, either of yours" Roy said. "Since we got here, we have been held at gunpoint, attacked, and now you guys think we're nuts! Come on, Chon it's obvious that they aren't going to help us!" He grabbed his friend's arm and was about to walk away. Chon looked reluctant, but followed his friend.
" 'Family is forever my son,' " Lee called out. Chon and Roy turned to face the detective as Lee continued 'I'm glad you cast your own stone.'"
Chon approached the other man. "Where did you hear that?"
Lee held up the stone that he picked up the warehouse. "I think this is yours. You dropped it."
Chon had tears in his eyes as he took the stone from the other man's hand. "Thank you, my father left it to me. I don't know what I would have done if I had lost it."
"You're welcome," Lee answered. "Knowing it's from your father that means a lot to me."
Chon looked at Roy. "Roy-"
Roy held up a hand. Chon didn't have to finish. "Alright" he said. "If you trust them, then I do too."
At the same time, Lee turned to his Carter. He didn't have to say anymore. "Alright, Lee, we'll help these guys. But first they ought to get new clothes cause-" he pointed at their Western clothing "-damn! Even in New York there might be some suspicion. "
"Do you have anywhere to spend the night?" Lee asked. He mentally kicked himself. Of course they didn't. Chon and Roy shook their heads. "We are staying in a hotel. You are welcome to stay there. I could tell them you are my brother or something."
Roy and Chon glanced at each other and shrugged. It was confusing, but what other choice did they have?
London-
Rathbone sat in the hot studio facing the pretty red-haired reporter. Even though his flight was scheduled for later that day, he had been roped into another interview, which he was just finishing up.
"Now Mr. Rathbone," Diana Prescott said with her characteristic Australian accent. "Your recent engagement with Miss Tan has left quite a stir in light of recent Anglo-Chinese trade discussions. In fact, there is some discussion whether this could play into any future votes."
Rahtbone smiled his friendly greeting smile. "Well, Julie tells me that the reason that we got engaged is so she can learn better English so she can argue more with me." Both he and Diana laughed at the joke. "Neither political, nor business reasons went into our engagement. It is true that we were in separate competing businesses and we are discussing mergers, but in these economic times who isn't? Our professional lives do not play in our personal lives. The truth is Miss Tan and I consider ourselves suited for each other in every way. We are both goal oriented, genetically compatible, highly intelligent people."
"Who love each other?" Diana prompted.
"If people like ourselves are capable of that emotion, then yes, we do love each other," Rathbone agreed. He took a sip of water from the mug next to him. "Considering our reputations, both in the boardroom, the political floor, and beyond, I'm sure there are some doubts about that."
Diana smiled. "Which brings me to my next question, your reputation or rather that of your family, has also caused quite a stir. You were raised abroad correct?" Rathbone nodded. "And you come to find out that you are descended from a man who tried to kill Queen Victoria."
"Illegitimately, it turns out, "Rathbone replied. "Though unmarried my ancestor certainly wasn't shy about 'embracing the treasures of Asia', so to speak," That was partly true, Rathbone thought, he wondered if he really did have any missing relations running around. "As many know my grandfather was a history fanatic and had our name changed to honor him."
"Such a strange honor," Diana suggested. "To pay respect to someone who was known in history as a traitor."
Rathbone smiled. "Well time has certainly changed that. I get more people asking if I am related to the man who played Sherlock Holmes."Another laugh.
"And you are not?" Diana asked.
Rathbone shook his head. "If we are it is very distantly. He was descended from a Liverpool family of the same name. They produced a few famous notables, besides Mr. Basil Rathbone, including Timothy Rathbone, a fellow MP. Diana, I will freely admit that my ancestor made quite a few mistakes, trusted the wrong people, and did some very horrible things. However, I do not wish to be held accountable for them. We are different people, and I do not dwell on the past. That is the end of that discussion."
"As it is," Diana said. "We are out of time. Thank you again, Mr. Rathbone , and congratulations on your engagement. Unfortunately, you have broken the hearts of many young Englishwomen who hoped you would remain 'London's Most Eligible Bachelor'."
"I certainly strive to do my best," Rathbone quipped. Diana shook Rathbone's hand as the lights turned off.
"Thank you again Mr. Rathbone," Diana said. "I apologize for this being last minute."
"It's quite alright, Miss Prescott," Rathbone agreed. "Now if you don't mind, I have a flight to catch." He left the reporter behind.
When he was out of the studio, he dialed a number. "Yeah," the Northern English voice of his assistant, Daley called. "Sir, what can I do for you?"
"Did either Delvane or Xia call you?" he asked.
"No, sir," the blond man said. Rathbone could just picture Daley glancing outside in a nervous manner. Despite, the assistant's nerves, he was a good shot and had a very clever deceptive mind that could be counted on. "I think some of them were hanging outside your flat though."
"I thought as much," the MP said. "I am flying out tonight to Singapore probably." He would text the real location to Daley later. "Get a bag you are coming."
"Of course, sir," Daley replied. Rathbone hung up the phone satisfied. He and Julie can proceed with their plans in New York with scant interference, he hoped. He unlocked the car and was about to start it when a voice interrupted him from the passenger seat. "Now how about that exclusive, Rathbone?" the oily voice of Jerry Jennings emerged.
Rathbone was furious. His pale narrow features reddened with rage. "You have exactly 5 seconds to get out of my car, Jennings!" He commanded. The reporter fixed the MP with a thin smile and left the car with a manila folder. "Sneaking into peoples' cars, I thought all of you paparazzi did was hide in the bushes and snap photos," Rathbone said making a "tsk"ing sound with his mouth.
"Only when we have something important to reveal," Jennings said.
"I have a flight--"Rathbone began.
"This won't take long," Jennings replied. "I just thought that you would be interested in the next story that I am planning." Rathbone opened the folder and saw various images of Julie in China. In one photo, she was speaking in a club to another man. In another, she was exchanging money with a couple of other men.
"We have sources that Miss Tan has affiliations with the Chinese mafia, the Triad," Jerry said in a very smooth voice. "In fact, she has been receiving money from them to front her business. Sound interesting?"
"Oh no," Rathbone said in mock surprise. "Whatever shall I do?" His voice returned to normal. "Miss Tan has led an exemplary current life, and has a troubled past. There is no real proof here."
The reporter smiled. He caught the politician like a fish on a hook. "Yes except one of the men in the picture is Xia Lao, a well known Triad member and what is your affiliation with Robert Delvane anyway?" Jennings cited the name of a businessman who had rumors of shady deals.
"Just mere acquaintances," Rathbone replied.
"Maybe, but I'm sure that a few papers would be very interested in your fiancée's affiliation with the Chinese Mafia. Probably find out some things about you as well, disreputable business dealings, consorting with criminals, maybe a political scandal or two and that's just the short list."
Rathbone kept his anger in check. Anyone who worked for him, knew the cool composed Rathbone was more dangerous than the fiery temperamental Rathbone. "You will kill this story," he threatened.
"Apparently, I hit a weak spot," Jenkins said. "Good day Rathbone."
"Jennings," Rathbone said. "This conversation is not over."
"Don't you have a flight to catch?" Jerry taunted.
"Not before, I give you this," Rathbone said. He opened the backseat of his car and pulled out another envelope and handed it over to the reporter. At first the reporter remained impassive, but blanched when he saw the pictures. "Where did you get these?" he asked.
"I got them from an acquaintance of mine, taken at a club called- what was it Babylon, in a place called Canal Street?" Rathbone suggested. He gave a silent thanks to that Irishman who took the pictures. Now he owed him a favor. "In Manchester? Starting to sound familiar?"
"So, I'm bisexual," Jennings replied realizing that he was the one who was caught. "That isn't illegal anymore."
Rathbone smiled a predatory grin at the reporter. "True, but if you are in clubs having encounters with 13-year-old boys, prostitutes no less, then that becomes a problem." Jerry's confident air slipped and he looked petrified. "I also have some lovely pictures here." He showed him another photo. "At least you are getting broad minded -young girls too, admittedly 15, but-"
"I will bury you," Jennings stammered trying to retain some measure of confidence
"Maybe," Rathbone said. "But I'm sure that many of the papers would be interested in these. Now you are not a public figure too, but I think your chances of working in this country might be problematic. I also know your real profession. You are no more a reporter than I am- would it interest Mr. Delvane to know that the 15 year-old is his granddaughter? "
"You are insane," Jenkins sputtered. "You are sick!"
"Maybe, but I am not the one sleeping with children," Rathbone said. "Say what you will of my fiancée, but at least I can take her into a pub without her being carded."
"I will kill the story," the reporter agreed realizing that he had been had.
"Thank you, I appreciate it and I know my fiancée will as well," Rathbone said. "That will be all. Oh and Jer-?" the reporter turned to face the MP "-Don't ever bug my flat again."
Jennings walked away terrified. When he was satisfied the reporter was gone, Rathbone sent a quick text message to Daley: "Sending pics. Give them to every newspaper in the country. Fly to New York. Sending travel info. And give 750,000 in back taxes to the name, Stuart Alan Jones, with thanks. Info inserted. He knows why." Rathbone sent the information to his assistant and jumped back into his car. Today was turning out to be a good day after all.
Jennings waited until the MP drove away. He couldn't believe that he had been taken by that overbearing preening politician! Jennings knew that neither him, nor Julie Tan could be trusted, so he was paid and very handsomely with spying on them. (After all his paparazzi experience proved useful in that field). He didn't know their full story, but there was just something not right about either of them, something artificial, and something that went beyond "crooked business types."
His mobile's irritating ring broke into his thoughts. He looked at the caller I.D. He stammered. Not the person that he wanted to hear from. "Mr. Delvane," he squeaked. "Yes, he is leaving. I heard him say Singapore, but I don't believe him. Of course I will follow him, or I will send someone else to do it." He listened for a few minutes to his employer's rant. "Sir let me explain about your grandaughter-"
Chon, Lee, Carter, and Roy were seated in a hotel room that Lee and Carter were staying in. Chon was dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a plain blue sweatshirt. Roy was dressed in a pair of ripped jeans and a Johnny Cash t-shirt that he saw in a nearby used clothing store. ("It just seemed to fit," he said).
Chon and Roy scarfed down the slices of pizza that Carter had ordered from a local Domino's. "This stuff is great," Roy said. "When we get home, I'm going to serve this to people." Until they had seen the pizza in front of them, neither Chon nor Roy realized how hungry they were from their mysterious trip and being in the presence of two strangers.
"You like this, you should try the food at my favorite restaurant in L.A," Lee said. "The Emperor's Three Servants. It's an old family restaurant." Chon and Roy couldn't contain their laughter. "What?"
Chon shook his head. "It's nothing , long story."
"Private joke," Roy agreed.
Lee and Carter glanced at each other and shook their heads. It was clear that Carter didn't necessarily trust or believe them. He had a feeling that O'Bannon at least felt the same way. He honestly wasn't sure that if it weren't for the dream, that Lee wouldn't believe them either.
Lee pursued the next questions as warily as he could. "So, why did you get here?"
Chon and Roy looked at each other and shrugged. "We don't know," Chon answered truthfully. "It was an accident that we are even here in the first place."
"What do you mean?" Lee asked.
"Well it began when we returned from London-" Chon began.
"What were you doing in London?" Carter asked.
"Rescuing my sister and saving the Queen of England from being assassinated, with the help of Arthur Conan Doyle and Charlie Chaplin," Chon answered.
"This story is getting better," Carter smirked privately wondering what the number for the local mental health clinic was.
"Hey look no one asked you to listen," Roy said.
"No one asked you to talk neither," Carter answered.
"Do we have to separate you two?" Lee warned. Carter and Roy stayed silent, but pouted like sulking children. Lee waved to Chon. "Please continue."
Chon spoke again. "Well at first, it was nothing. While we were in New York, we thought we were being followed. Sometimes these men would come and attack us, but nothing came of it. We never found out who did it. We eventually returned to Nevada and well-"
Roy picked up the story, since this was the part he was more familiar with. "- I was out riding and these guys, there must have been like 20 or 30 of them, but I was able to hold 'em off! They were huge, but they just proved too much for Roy O'Bannon!"
"There were only two of them, and they apprehended him rather easily," Chon said.
"Hey, who's telling the story?" Roy asked. "Well after the 30 guys jumped me, I woke up in this building. I didn't know where I was."
"The night Roy was kidnapped, I received a vision of an old man speaking to me," Chon said. "He said-
"-The dragons will grow large, you must make them smaller,' Lee quoted. Chon stared at the modern detective in surprise. "I have been having this dream for a long time, a few weeks now. I see the man, is he short with a long white beard?" Chon nodded. "I see the man talking to you, and I suppose Roy. You were in a shop right?"
Chon nodded. "Not at first, you see. I received a message that Roy was in New York. I went over there and freed him, but-"
New York, 1887-
Roy and Chon ran from their assailants. They were able to elude them, when they were being followed. "They couldn't have vanished," the gray haired man who had held Roy and almost Chon captive commanded. "Find them!"
Roy and Chon remained hidden. They had fought off many of their assailants, but there was a lot more of them than there were only the two of them. So, they thought for now it was a good idea to hide. When the noise had died down, Roy stood up. "Come on Chon, let's get out of here," he said.
"Why did they call it off so fast?" Chon asked.
"I don't know, do you think I wanna stick around to find out?" Roy asked.
The two of them snuck out the back and hid in an alley. There was a few tense moments as their assailants looked for them out by the street. One of the guards glanced over to the alley. He could see O'Bannon and Chon hiding by the wall. "There they are," he shouted. The other guards turned and chased after their captives.
"Quickly, Roy in here," Chon said. He opened the back door to a nearby building as the two fell into a shop.
"Ah, you have arrived at last," a warm voice said. The two looked up to see a kind man. "I was beginning to wonder when you three would arrive."
Roy looked around. "Uh I know the elderly sometimes can't see, but there are only two of us."
"I have better eyes than you believe," the man said. "You don't see the other, yet." Chon felt kind of nervous, because for a minute there, he did feel like he was being watched. He turned around, but saw nothing.
"You are the man from my dream," Chon said.
The man nodded. "What's your name?" the younger Chinese man asked.
"It is not yet important," he said. "All you know is what is being decided now. You cannot face these dragons here. They are faced when they are grown larger. "
"Are we like knights or somethin' ?" Roy asked still confused.
"Roy hush," Chon said. "Where do we need to be?"
The man smiled that odd smile. His eyes seemed to have two pupils on each eye like he had double vision. They stared into everything making the two men who stood across from them uncomfortable." You must encounter the future to face your present. You carry your own hatred at an enemy. You must face that hatred as he must as well."
"Hey I don't hate anybody," Roy said. "Okay maybe my dad a little, and John McGinley in primary school, oh yeah and then there is-"
"-I was speaking of the other," the man said. "Will you take this journey? The return may not be what you expect."
"Does that mean we ain't going home?" Roy asked.
"You are and you are not," the man answered.
"Makes perfect sense," Roy said sarcastically.
"I don't know why, but I'm ready," Chon said. His memory of Pei Pei filled him and he hoped that when this was over that he would return to her.
Roy looked confused. "Okay, not like I have anything to lose right now. Besides, it's probably no big deal. We'll probably be back soon."
The man leaned passed an ornate goblet over to them and handed it to Chon. "Take one sip and then pass it to Roy O'Bannon."
Chon obeyed. "Hey," Roy said before he drank. "I don't remember giving you my name." The fair haired man hesitated, but then he swallowed it whole. It tasted like fire as it went down his throat-
New York, 2009-
"-And that's how it happened," Chon said. "But it still is confusing. We don't know who the people were that attacked us, nor do we know what the man wanted."
"Well I can answer one part of that riddle," Lee replied. "The third man that he saw was me." Carter, Chon, and Roy glanced over at the other man in surprise. Lee continued. "When he spoke about how you didn't see the other man, but he did, in my dream he was looking straight at me. Your story is exactly how my dream went!"
The four men sat in stunned silence as Lee's cell phone ring tone blared Edwin Starr's "War" making them jump in surprise. Lee picked it up and looked at the I.D. : Molina, Isabella. He answered it. "Isabella?" he asked. His girlfriend, Carter mouthed to the other two men.
"I got some news on your favorite businesswoman who is also the source of your latest conspiracy theory," the State department agent called.
"Oh good," Lee said. "Meet Carter and me in our hotel room. We are staying at the Holiday Inn downtown."
"Great," Isabella said glowering over the fact that she would run into Carter. "I'll be there," she said.
"What's going on?" Roy asked.
Carter hesitated at first. What the hell he figured, they haven't harmed anyone yet. "Okay, a couple of years ago, Lee and I were on this case involving this dude and chick who were stealing counterfeit money. Anyway, the pimp was responsible for Lee's daddy's death and I guess the ho' was sort of involved too. The dude died, we saw it and we thought the chick did."
"They never found her body," Lee said. "Anyway a businesswoman appeared a few months later and I think it's possible that she has some link to them."
"What's her name?" Chon asked.
" Tan Jun Li" Lee said. "She Anglicizes it to 'Julie,' and before you ask the man's name was Ricky Tan and the woman's name was Hu Li."
"They have the same last name, " Roy replied. "Maybe she was this Tan guy's widow."
Chon shook his head. "That isn't enough. Tan's a common family name." He turned to Lee who nodded confirming it.
"Plus I knew Ricky Tan," Lee answered. "He never married. She does say that she was his cousin, which is possible. He had a large family."
"How did you know him?" Chon asked.
"He-" Lee hesitated. "He was my father's partner."
"And he killed your father?" Chon asked. Lee nodded. "No wonder you gave me back the stone."
"So what's the scheme with her," Roy asked.
"Nothing she appears to have a good reputation," Lee answered.
"Shocking isn't it?" Carter quipped.
"But I think that there are some ties though not proven and that is what we are trying to figure out," he said.
"Excuse me?" Chon asked. "What does she look like?"
"She's short, dark hair, very pale face-" Lee answered.
"-Totally hot, gorgeous, total fox," Carter agreed.
Lee opened his wallet. "This is a picture of her from a newspaper," he held it out. Chon and Roy took one look at it and their mouths dropped open in surprise.
"Chon it's her!," Roy said. Chon nodded in agreement.
"Who?" Lee asked.
"We ran into this woman on the street," Chon said. "She tried to attack me. She must have thought I was you!"
"Great, just perfect," Carter said sarcastically. "You too are involved now. We're going to have to spend more time together!"
"Ah swell, "Roy said just as sarcastically.
"You may help us," Lee said. "It looks like we will need each other's help."
Julie Tan walked fast through the immaculate building. She was barking orders both to the people around her and through her headset, as her underlings ran to keep up with her. "I want that proposal sent out to Namagato today, not tomorrow! Tell Lex- Corp that unless they contact me then the deal is off! Call Mr. Xanatos, and tell him to reschedule my lunch with him for another day! Where is that piece of paper that I had in my hand a half an hour ago?" An associate put the piece of paper in her hand. "Walker," she called the young woman towards her. "This is yesterday's schedule. Maybe if I ask you for today's schedule tomorrow, maybe then you will give me the right one!" She then turned off her headset. "I want to take a long lunch. Reschedule my board meeting for 4:00 when Mr. Rathbone arrives. Hopefully, I will meet him at the airport. He is just as involved with this as I am."
She left without another word. "Have a nice day, Ms. Tan," Ms. Walker said sarcastically embarrassed by the ribbing she had received in front of her other co-workers.
Hu Li walked out of the office building of Jade Enterprises. Because she had been a long-time member of the Triad even as a teenager, she was used to being passed over because she was a woman. True, she could shoot faster, plan better, and certainly do away with her enemies as well as any man, but she was always considered an underling, an associate. She enjoyed being the person in charge. She and Rathbone had that in common. She called for Su Lin to arrive with the car.
"Where to? " Su Lin asked.
"Haven Pharmaceuticals," the businesswoman replied. "I want you to deliver something to them, but make sure that you are out of the building before it arrives."
"Of course," Su Lin agreed. She was used to her employers' ruthless nature. The two drove until they appeared at the pharmaceutical company. Julie handed Su Lin the envelope. Sometimes she liked doing this type of thing by herself, but others it was always nice to have someone do them for her. Plus she had a job of her own to do. She watched as Su Lin walked into the building and delivered the envelope. Hu Li kept her eyes on the fire escape in case the real source of her pursuits was going to escape through there.
Su Lin ran quickly out of the building tripping into a woman as she ran by. Hu Li mentally tipped off her fingers when a loud explosion rocked through the building. Hu Li opened the passenger seat and glanced around her as Su Lin jumped into the driver's seat. Through the smoke, the former assassin saw just the man she was looking for. "Follow me," she commanded to Su Lin. She ran as the elderly man raced to get away from the fire.
"Brunhaven, are you alright?" Hu Li called in an almost friendly gesture. She gripped the middle aged man in a friendly gesture and led him to the car. Though taller than the Chinese woman, the scientist could feel her sharp grip and the gun that she hid in her coat pointed at his side. "Get in the car," she said through clenched teeth.
She threw the Swiss scientist into the car giving a delight as he screamed in agony being thrown to the passenger seat. Hu Li calmly stepped into the car and sat in the passenger seat. She nodded for Su Lin to drive. She sat next to him, her legs crossed in a provocative fashion through her short skirt. "We did a fine job," the scientist said.
"Indeed," the woman said coolly. "Not good enough." The scientist didn't get a chance to say another word when Hu Li pulled out her gun and shot the man once in the temple. Brunhaven squealed, but his final look was almost one of satisfaction for a punishment he deserved.
"You know what to do with the body," Hu Li said "And get this car cleaned. We can't have blood in it."
"Of course not," Su Lin agreed.
On a British Airways flight heading for New York, Neil glanced at the web link of the news of the explosion at Haven Pharmaceuticals. There were three deaths, and several injuries. Incidentally, the article said, one of the top scientists, Alfred Brunhaven, was reported missing possibly killed in the explosion. Rathbone smiled. "That's my girl," he whispered with pride. He glanced out of the corner of his eye. Two men were seated two seats behind, trying to keep as conspicuous as possible. They were following close behind him, but he had a feeling that they were sent to spy on him. He seethed. He should have known Jennings would try something. He should have shot him when he had the chance! Oh well, he thought, two can play at this game.
He called the flight attendant over to him and asked for a refill on his champagne. "Excuse me miss," he said trying to sound innocent and frightened. "Those two men over there, I think I saw one of them sneak a knife into his bag. I think that they are going to hijack the plane!"
The attendant glanced over to them. "Are you sure sir?" she asked in a Cockney accent.
"Well that's what I saw miss," he said. "I mean it could be nothing but-"
"-Don't worry, sir," she said. "I'll alert the captain and we'll take care of it."
"You are too kind, miss," Rathbone said as the attendant left. The MP then turned his attention to the web link for any further developments.
Lee showed Chon and Roy his laptop. "This is a computer. It's very easy to use once you learn how. You click it on here, and then you can push that symbol there. It's called an icon. This will get you on the Internet. It explores many different sites and you could see things-"
He glanced at Chon, who was already on the Internet during Lee's speech. "I'm sorry; did you want to go on?" He looked at the icon that popped up. "You have mail!"
Lee looked at the computer then at the other man. "I have been looking for those files for days."
"Nice one, professor," Carter joked as Lee's phone rang again.
Lee picked it up. "Lee," he said. Then his face turned in surprise. "Come again?" Roy and Chon glanced at Carter who shrugged. "We'll be right there." Lee hung up the phone. "That was Isabella. There was an explosion at a pharmaceutical company downtown."
"On it," Carter sprang up ready for action.
"What about these two?" Lee asked pointing at Roy and Chon.
Carter turned to the other two men. "Wanna go on a ride-along?"
Roy and Chon didn't wait to be told twice. "Now remember that we are in our time now. We are Michael, you two are Toto."
Carter rolled his eyes. "Lee, if I told you once, I have told you a hundred times, it's Tito not Toto!"
Chon turned to Roy, "Who's Toto or Tito?"
Roy shrugged. "I don't know who's Michael?"
Author's notes: I didn't really mean to imply that Roy is racist or that Carter is, I just figured there might be some buried prejudices that Roy might have been brought up with. And of course coming from different time periods, the two were probably brought up with very different ways of looking at things. Don't worry when this dance is over, those two will be friends. I promise. :D
Thanks again to V.C. Baskermoth for giving me Chon's father's words. I couldn't have done that scene without you.
Diana Prescott, is partly based on a character from the Jackie Chan film, Mr. Nice Guy and Rathbone's story about the "other" Rathbones, is true too. (Originally I was going to have it that Basil's last name was a stage name, but at the last minute, I decided to change it)