In the Shadow of Love

part 7

By: FortressMaximus

The SUV turned the corner sharply, tires screeching in protest as Captain Black and company rushed off into the night, their only guide a small red dot that indicated the direction of the missing Jade Chan. As the car righted itself, El Toro and Viper pulled themselves off the slightly sandwiched Paco who could not escape being caught between the other members of the back seat.

"Captain Black, are we any closer?" asked Janyu as he could not hide the worry in his voice over the danger his precious daughter now faced. "We must reach her before this 'Dalong Wong' assumes control over her!"

"Believe me Sir..." replied Agustus as he promptly ran a red light and over a hill, the vehicle landing with a shower of sparks that would have made the Duke Boys proud. "We're hurrying as fast as we can Mr. Chan. If I go much faster we could miss a vital turn and right now every second counts."

Janyu nodded in understanding as quiet filled the air, the only sound the road noise as it seeped in from under the floorboards.

"Do you know where she is headed Senior Black?" asked El Toro as he cast a glance down as his quiet protégé; the boy not having said a word since leaving Uncle's gave the wrestler cause for concern.

*We need some good news...** thought the Luchador as another turned swayed him slightly in his seat.

"Looks like the museum...".

Viper blinked at that, giving El Toro a quick look to see if that answer made as little sense to him as it did to her. Seeing that he was as sufficiently confused, the ex-thief laid a reassuring hand on Paco's shoulder as the youth looked up in bewilderment as well. "What could Jade possibly want there?"

"Wish I knew Viper..." replied Black as another sharp squeal of tires interrupted his sentence for a moment... "...but we can't really worry about that now. As long as she's in the museum, we can keep her contained until a counter-spell can be found..." .

Black was beyond grateful Jade wasn't trying to get to Section 13. With the Jade Protocols in place she'd be shot on sight and in that one brief moment of necessity an entire family would be forever shattered.

"But, if Wong's in control, why go to the museum in the first place? If he's assumed control of Jade totally then she'd have no problem getting into Section 13 and the Vault. There'd be no way to stop her...him from stealing the Talisman powers."

"Maybe..." a soft voice interrupted as Paco fixed the woman with a small, hopeful gaze. "...maybe she's still in control and is trying to keep him from getting the powers?" Despite the fact he was sure Jade was still fighting when he awoke, the last half hour had only helped him to realize that Jade was running out of time.

With a smile that took all her will to force into existence, Viper nodded. "Sounds like something Jade would do Paco. I'm sure she's still in the fight; girl's too stubborn to know when to give up..." she added with a hint of humor, catching a slight grin forming on both the boy's face and that of his mentor.

"Let us hope you are correct Viper."

"You and me both handsome..."

Paco blinked as they rounded another corner, this time knocking over a set of garbage cans as one of the wings of the museum came into view. A shudder jolted down his spine as he leaned over and looked out El Toro's window, grasping the door handle with all his might. "Stop the car!!" he shouted at the top of his lungs.

Caught off guard by the cry, Black slammed on breaks and nearly tossed his passengers out of their seats regardless they all were buckled up. "What...?!" he asked once the vehicle came to a full stop and the agent turned around. "Did you see her?"

"No...No Senior Black...but I felt her...there!" Paco mumbled for a moment before his finger pointed at far corner of the wing they just passed.

The others stared at him; the boys' words not really helping the matter at all. Gingerly, Viper placed her hand on Paco's back, drawing his attention to her. "Hate to say it kiddo, but I think you're wrong. According to the tracer, Jade's in the other wing over there...' she explained with a point towards the building in question.

With a glance at the screen up front, El Toro could see that Viper was indeed right; the tracking blip on the monitor showed Jade a good block away and to the right, not across the street. "Perhaps Paco you are mistaken?" gingerly suggested the wrestler. He knew that the boy was under a great deal of inner turmoil and wishful thinking about Jade's condition could be causing him to see--and feel--things that were not really there

"No, El Toro. I am sure. Yade is /here/. She is close. I must go to her!" he cried out, reaching and rapidly fumbling with the latch on his seat belt for a long moment before releasing the restraint.

Both El Toro and Viper moved to stop the youth and drew a look of confusion from the boy. "Please...you must believe me El Toro. She is close. I can /feel/ it!" he urgently pleaded with his mentor for just a little more understanding. He needed just a little more time; a little more trust.

"I think Paco's got the right idea." interrupted Black as he looked over his passengers. "If we split up we can cover more ground that way. Paco, you El Toro and Viper check out this side of the museum. Mr. and Mrs. Chan will come with me and start on the far side. We'll work our way to the middle. With any luck one of our teams will meet up with Jackie and we can box Jade in until Uncle finds a remedy!"

The other adults in the car fixed the agent with a look, but the fire in his eyes silenced any further arguments. Paco, missing the look, swelled with pride that he was being trusted by such important people. With a slight grin Black looked at the boy. "Okay Paco. You're our 'go to' guy on this. Get in there and find Ya...Jade!"

Nodding, the teen scrambled over El Toro and out into the night as his footfalls landed sharply on the dew-covered grass. With a quick glance back he called out..."El Toro, hurry!".

With one last look between them, Viper and the wrestler slipped out of the vehicle and after Paco, any doubts they had about the youth's health a thing of they past as they pushed themselves to catch up.

Watching for a moment Black again resumed his rapid drive towards the far side of the museum

Megumi looked at the man with a look of apprehension. "Do you really think this boy can find Jade before you do?"

"I'm not sure Mrs. Chan" admitted the agent as they pulled over a series of speed bumps that rattled all three to their bones. "But weather he can 'sense' Jade or not doesn't make a difference. Paco needs to be doing /something/ to help out. Otherwise there's no telling what might happen to him if Jade should be hurt further and he wasn't allowed to do anything. Besides, the basic plan is sound; between both our teams we double our chances of finding her."

"I do hope you are right Captain Black' said Janyru as the SUV came to a stop and the trio got out.

"Besides Mr. Chan, with the building sealed off, where can she go?" Black replied, unaware those words would come back to haunt him and soon.

Not many miles away in the city morgue, a covered figure lay on the stainless steel examination table.

The chart hanging on the far wall read simple enough: "John Doe died of massive second and third degree burns covering most of his body surface. Internal organs were damaged due to heat and/or circulatory failure. Post-mortem suggested by Dr. Killpaitent for additional study.'

The good doctor would never get the chance.

A shimmering aura of dark Chi surrounded the still form of Dalong Wong and radiated outwards for several feet until a sharp crack filled the air. With a flash of power, the form disappeared into nothingness.

Half a world away, the jaguar paused, finely honed senses alerting him to great danger. Forgoing the meal of rabbit he had been planning, the feline carefully stalked along the bamboo forest of his hunting grounds until the greenery gave way to a large open clearing. The full moon was just beginning to show as the sense of impending danger forced the animal back into the edge of the bamboo. Watching with claws unsheathed, the animal backed away as a flash of dark light filled the clearing and deposited a figure that floated in midair. Snarling loudly at the thing, he hissed as the sheet blew off with an icy chill that penetrated even his thick fur. Turning to escape back into the safety of the forest, the jaguar was ensnared by a tendril of dark Chi and dragged into the clearing.

With a roar, the feline tried to fight back, but to no avail. Soon he was too weak to do more than whimper, finally collapsing onto the ground only just alive. The darkness did not stop there; only when every bit of life force had been drained did the tendril release the skeletal remains of the once noble beast and they clattered to the ground. More tendrils erupted from the floating form as even the very ground was drained of life.

And through it all, the body of Dalong Wong began to heal as the faint outline of an ancient temple began to form under the rising full moon....



Jade shivered as she rubbed her palms against her upper arms, trying to ward off the chill of the room she found herself hiding in. Half wishing she hadn't used her red jacket to trick Jackie into going the wrong way, the young woman felt a wash of guilt run through her as she mentally hated herself for tricking the one person who had taught her more than anyone else.

**Not having second thoughts Child...?** taunted the wizard from within.

"Shut up!" she hissed back, closing her eyes to focus her will on keeping the hitchhiking dark Chi master quiet. After a moment his grating voice faded, and once more Jade found herself in control.

Barely.

"You've got to be here..." she whispered as this was the last part of the wing she hadn't checked. Trying to ignore the cold air that helped preserve the numerous artifacts present, Jade used her small penlight to continue the search for the Eye of Aurora.

She had to find it. She /had/ too!

"I know you're here you stupid necklace. And when I find you I'm going to make sure me and Wong never hurt anyone again!" she hissed with utter conviction as each new display case brought new hope that her friends and family would soon be safe from her forever.

The unwanted urge to relieve Paco's death sought to enter her mind's eye once more, but was swept away as the sudden brightening of the room forced Jade to shield her eyes. Slowly, she turned to face her greatest fear.

Jackie had found her.

(to be continued...)

Authors Notes:

-No real notes this time everyone. Just thanks for being patient for each chapter!

-Welcome aboard to VampireNaomi for her pre-read help and thanks (as always) to Lord Archive.

-Please read and review if you can!

Chapter 8

What is Dalong Wong up too?? Why did his body pick that clearing...near that temple...to repair itself? Why is Jade after the Eye of Aurora, and just what does Lo Pei have in mind for the powers of the Noble Animals? Will Paco be able to save the girl he cares for, or will Jade's plan come to fruition and separate them forever from what might have been?