Valmont narrowed his eyes as he examined the artifact. It was certainly big, and the detail put into the statue was certainly remarkable. Yet, if he couldn't bargain for it, he would leave in an instant. This was the black market, not a store where things could be 'fairly' priced. If the old man had wanted to make a profit off of this… dragon… he wouldn't be selling it on the black market.
"… Three thousand."
The elderly man raised an eyebrow. The price he had specifically given to the object was five thousand American dollars. The man frowned, crossed his arms, and closed his eyes as he sighed.
"Mr. Valmont… I went through a lot to procure this… treasure… If you are not willing to pay full price, maybe I will find someone who will…"
Valmont scoffed. The man had a lot of nerve to say that to a customer's face.
"Need I remind you that this is the black market, 'good' sir? Besides, you probably won't get a better deal for this thing. I'm about the richest man at this petty market right now. Shoo me away, and you'll get a far less fair deal. I'm willing to give you sixty percent of the total price! I could go much lower; maybe even take it for free."
The man and Valmont glared at each other. It was almost like they were having a glaring contest. The elderly man spoke up after a few moments of tension had passed.
"… My final offer, then, is thirty five hundred, Mr. Valmont. I will not take a penny less."
Valmont rolled his eyes and pulled out his checkbook. He scribbled down the amount and handed the man the check. He called over some henchmen and they took the statue away. Valmont smirked before he turned around and walked away.
"Nice doing business with you, Mr. Teku… Have a lovely day…"
Valmont waved after straightening his jacket collar and walking away. Teku took the check and cashed it immediately. However, the bank told Teku that the checking account did not exist, so Teku didn't even make a penny off of selling that dragon statue. To say that Teku had been cheated was an understatement. It was his job to ensure that Valmont retrieved Shendu, but that didn't mean Teku couldn't have gotten something for doing his job. Teku made a vow after that day.
"Mark my words, Valmont… You will PAY for this grave error… I will make sure of it…"
Valmont had obtained Shendu three months before the Ox Talisman had activated. Ten years earlier, Teku and his team had received several 'packages' that they were to take care of and deliver. Teku had laid claim to two of the packages, the rest were divided amongst his team. The Snake Talisman he had 'delivered' immediately. The second one he didn't get rid of until the Talisman Hunt was well underway…
- At the Dark Hand Headquarters –
"OH YEAH, DAWG! You goin' DOWN!" Ice hollered excitedly.
Tohru grimaced as he shook his head. The Enforcers were goofing off, and there was no telling when another Talisman would activate. If Valmont caught them slacking off again, they'd all get a stern talking to, even him. Though the Enforcers were quite skilled in mortal combat, they never trained seriously enough to keep up the quality of their 'moves'. Right now they were doing what almost any American teenage boy would do sometime in their teenager years: Play video games.
Tohru's fears were realized: A Talisman had activated, and Valmont was calling for all of them on the intercom. Needless to say, when Tohru moved to cover for the Enforcers and respond to Valmont's call, the TV - not to mention the Enforcers themselves - was loud enough for Valmont to pick up through the intercom.
"Youse gonna pay for that!" MC Cobra growled as his robot was taken down by DJ Fist and Ice together. DJ Fist and Ice then proceeded to battle it out for the Gold.
"Tohru… Everyone upstairs. Now." Valmont seethed into the intercom. He had just had about enough of his own Enforcers. Up until the Talisman Hunt, their shenanigans were tolerated, but now they were just being childish, and Valmont couldn't take it anymore. Tohru informed everyone of the news, and the game was dropped quickly. But not before Ice blasted DJ Fist while he was away from his controller briefly.
"Hehe… You snooze you lose…"
Ice laughed and ran to join the others in the elevator. When they got up to Valmont and Shendu, Valmont had them stand in a line in front of him and he paced back and forth in front of them all. After a few moments of silence, Valmont spoke up.
"What exactly am I paying you for…?" Valmont inquired. MC Cobra raised his hand. Ice and DJ Fist rolled their eyes at the gesture, but kept their traps shut.
"To… collect the Talismans…?" MC Cobra half-answered, half-questioned meekly. Valmont gave him no indication that he was right or wrong, but he went on.
"Well, you're certainly doing a poor job… Whatever it is. Unless it's shirking off, like you were just doing before I called you.
Valmont paused to let his venomous words sink in.
"Now… As much as I don't like to do it, I am going to give you all one more chance." Valmont held up one pointer finger to make his point. "Fail me and Shendu again, and I will have no choice but to fire you all. And, yes, that includes even you, Tohru. I am sick and tired of all of your miserable failures! Surely I can find better henchmen that can ACTUALLY do their jobs, with all the resources and money that I have at my disposal!"
Ice winced and tried to calm his boss down. Whether it was a smart move or not, that remained to be seen.
"D-Don't worry, V-Man! W-We'll get this one!"
Valmont narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms as he halted his pacing.
"You had better hope so, because I will no longer vouch for you if you come back empty-handed again…"
In Chicago, Illinois –
The Enforcers arrived midday in Chicago. Shendu couldn't provide a precise location, so he gave the Enforcers and Tohru a Talisman locator that had come into his possession back before he was turned into stone. He never gave it to them before because he didn't trust them; they could break the ancient relic. Still, this was their last chance to prove themselves, and they had no inkling of where the Talisman would be in Chicago. They got no more than five minutes of searching when they ran into the Chans…
Uncle was, more or less, having the same predicament that Shendu had. He could only vaguely find the location of the Tiger Talisman. So he travelled to Chicago with Jackie and his aides – and Jade, though she had smuggled herself onto the Section 13 jet because Jackie and Uncle did not approve of her coming along, as usual. The Chans arrived in Chicago at roughly the same time that the Enforcers and Tohru did, and they, too, didn't get to search for long before running into them.
"Time for a Chan WOOPIN'! Hoo-ah!"
Jackie had no time to retaliate: Ice was on him so fast. Ice charged at Chan and got into position for a high jump kick. Jackie tried to catch Ice's foot but ended up missing just barely, and was sent reeling back. Jackie caught himself before he fell backwards, though, and he attempted a counter attack on Ice, now that Ice was a few feet in front of him.
DJ Fist and MC Cobra focused on the aides. One of them couldn't take on the three archaeological aides at once, but two of them very well had a strong chance. Meanwhile, Tohru just watched the Enforcers go all-out on the Chans. He was left holding the Talisman locator, and he didn't want to risk damaging it or leaving it out only for the Chans to take it. But at the same time, Tohru didn't want to leave the whole fight up to the three Enforcers, so Tohru launched himself at Chan while clutching the multi-dragon-headed locator.
"CHAAAN!" Tohru bellowed as he was nearly right on top of Jackie. Jackie used his location to his advantage by moving out of the way of Tohru's 'rampage' and stuck his foot out to trip the sumo. Tohru didn't catch on quick enough and started rolling down the road hill that Jackie had previously had his back to before Tohru attempted to ambush him. Tohru let the locator fly, as he did not wish to crush the relic. Ice, witnessing this, sprinted at the object and hugged the object in midair; Ice had to run briefly as he landed and was pointed downhill. Unlike Tohru, however, Ice could stop himself. Tohru just continued rolling and bumping into walls along the hill like a giant pinball and grunted each time. Hiding the Talisman locator near where he had landed, Ice rushed back up the hill to join DJ Fist and MC Cobra, who now had to deal with Jackie. Uncle, during the whole ordeal, attempted to track down the Talisman using his own locator magic. He did not care to beat the Enforcers senselessly with his fighting style, even though they deserved it. Unfortunately, no one had any luck spotting the Tiger Talisman. Though unbeknownst to everyone, the locator that Shendu had given to the Enforcers was glowing faintly as it pointed in the direction that Tohru was sent rolling…
Tohru groaned as he got up after lying on a broken-beyond-repair noodle cart for a few minutes. Being sent rolling down a hill and having splintered wood piercing your backside never felt good. Tohru could take the pain, but that didn't mean he didn't feel it.
After removing a fresh bowl of noodles from his head, Tohru turned his eyes to the direction of the sound of wooden sandals clip clopping on sidewalk. Everyone had cleared the area once he had rolled into it, so why would someone be coming back this quickly? If they threatened violence, Tohru would destroy them.
A bald man clad in a gray silk robe rounded the corner. He had his arms behind his back, had a white goatee, and he looked pretty good for his age. The man was definitely old, but, at the same time, he had very few noticeable wrinkles, if any at all. No blemishes on the face or visible skin at all.
Once the man had rounded the corner, he simply stood still and gazed at Tohru, like he was there to just observe the giant, not to fight him or insult him. After a few minutes of being under the 'decrepit' man's gaze, Tohru was feeling very uncomfortable. He wasn't in the mood to be near a pedestrian to begin with! Since it seemed like the old man wasn't about to speak anytime soon, Tohru lashed out at the man verbally.
"WHAT? What are you STARING at? Aren't you going to RUN from me? I could KILL you!"
The man didn't respond to the threat – not verbally, not physically. He was unnaturally calm.
"…"
Tohru growled, but still didn't make a move to bring harm to the man. Then Tohru had a thought: Perhaps the man was the owner of the noodle stand, and was just waiting for an apology for the damage. Maybe even repayment. However, the man didn't appear cross at all. But… what else could the man be after? Who would try to make small-talk with an international criminal, anyway? Perhaps the noodle cart meant a lot to the old man. Tohru could've just made the man's life a whole lot worse by taking out a source of income.
Tohru sighed and tried his best to calm down. Even Tohru couldn't just leave the man and the stand without a tinge of guilt. He bowed as he tried to make amends.
"… I apologize for the damage… I… was not watching where I was going…"
Tohru looked up at the sound of the man laughing softly. The man had a small smirk on his face.
"No… You weren't. You should've been more careful when fighting Mr. Chan! But I digress… My name is Tekumimo. For your sake, call me Teku. I run a tea shop near here. You may have ruined my noodle cart, but I don't hold it against you, given the… circumstances. Please, the least I can do is offer you some of my hospitality."
Tohru blinked in confusion and frowned. He stayed rooted in place.
"But… I should be doing something for you, not the other way around…"
Teku laughed lightly and took Tohru by the hand as he guided Tohru to his shop.
"I told you, you have done nothing wrong… But you were wounded. Please, let me bandage you up and offer you some chamomile tea. You look like you need it."
Tohru was going to pull away, but he decided to let the old man drag him to wherever it was the old man wanted him to go. The sooner he did, the sooner Teku would leave him alone. Tohru could just run away, but he still felt guilty about the whole ordeal. Ironically, Tohru hadn't noticed that the stand had been precariously placed at the bottom of the hill, like it was supposed to break his fall. And he never would make that connection…
When they reached the tea shop after rounding the corner that Teku had rounded, Tohru crouched and entered the quaint shop. Once inside, Tohru could barely stand up to his full height without bumping his head on the ceiling. The place was clearly old and shown much love over the years, but it wasn't very big at all. Tohru wished not to sit on something, lest it broke. After disappearing for a time, Teku came back from a backdoor in the shop with a mat. Teku placed it near Tohru and gestured for Tohru to sit while he went about brewing the tea and fetching the medical aid kit.
Tohru sat down and noticed the back room was open ajar. From what Tohru could see, there was a map or two along the wall and above a desk cluttered with a feather pen and various papers. It wasn't in Tohru's place to pry, but his curiosity got the better of him.
"What's with… the maps…? Aren't you just a shop and noodle stand owner…?"
Teku set the medical kit down and stared at Tohru. With Tohru sitting on the floor, the man appeared as tall as him standing up.
"… Actually, I run a tea shop and noodle stand when I am 'taking a break'. You see, I am searching for a… lost city. For a friend. It is not found on any map, and it is quite old. I only have the vaguest of details about its location." Teku wasn't lying per se, but he wasn't telling the whole truth. And he never would speak the whole truth with Tohru, because Tohru was not an ally. The maps were actually for something else, but Tohru didn't need to know that.
Tohru frowned at Teku's reason behind owning the maps. His frown deepened as Teku walked over to the backdoor and shut it. He didn't wish for Tohru to look too closely at the maps. Tohru ignored the man's suspicious behavior, though, and let the man bandage him up and remove any pieces of wood lodged in his back. As the small pieces were removed and the wounds were examined, Tohru changed the subject.
"… So what is it like... living as a noodle stand and tea shop owner? Do you get many customers? Enough to make your living?"
Teku shrugged. The inquiry wasn't malicious in intent, but he really couldn't say much about his 'life'.
"Mmm… So-so… I am not too popular, but I get enough to make a living, I suppose. How about you, Mr…? I'm sorry, what's your name?"
Tohru grunted as a fairly medium-sized piece of wood was dislodged. Teku applied antiseptic to the wound and bandaged it up.
"My name is Tohru. I… am not a hardworking, honest… man… I work for an international crime syndicate." Tohru paused as he tried to let his words sink in, yet Teku did not show signs of shock or dismay. "… My cohorts and I are currently tracking something here in Chicago, and I got separated from them…"
Teku continued bandaging up all of the little cuts on Tohru's back. He silkily redirected the conversation.
"So… You are a part of a crime syndicate… Are you happy working with them…?"
To say Tohru was taken aback by the question was an understatement. Tohru had half-expected Teku to ask which syndicate. Tohru was floored that Teku made no move to call the police.
"Um… Well… It does keep Mommy living in a cushy lifestyle…"
Teku frowned and paused while applying a bandage to a cut area.
"But are YOU happy…?"
Tohru couldn't respond immediately. He had to think about it carefully before responding; no doubt the man would pester him with more questions if he answered hesitantly.
"I… I am happy that Mommy is happy… So… Yes… And I have a roof over my head... And… And I am well compensated for the things I do…"
Teku's frown deepened and he finished applying the last bandage.
"So… You have no qualms about committing evil acts… Not a shred of guilt…? And what about your cohorts…? Do they respect you and cover you in your clashes with Mr. Chan…?"
Tohru's eyes widened as Teku brought up Jackie Chan again.
"How do you know Jackie Chan?" Tohru half-turned to Teku and glared at the seemingly feeble old man suspiciously.
Teku calmly raised his hands defensively and motioned for Tohru to calm down.
"Now, now, now… I simply heard about Mr. Chan and saw his picture in the newspapers while on my hunt for the lost city. I happened to be passing through San Francisco when I heard about some expedition he had a few months back. Something about a Talisman…?"
Teku half lied. It was true, he had been 'passing through' San Fran when Jackie had returned from collecting the Ox Talisman, but the newspapers didn't cover it in all that much detail. Tohru calmed down as he, too, remembered the expedition had been covered in the local media. But this Teku was becoming increasingly suspicious.
"I am sorry… But… I must be going now. I have a mission to complete."
Tohru got up and turned to make his way for the door. But before he could get out, Teku made a snide comment that threw Tohru into a fit of rage.
"Feh! Who's to say your 'cohorts' will be there, hmm…? I did a little research on Mr. Chan, and he seems to be quite formidable. Perhaps your cohorts have retreated without you! Some crime syndicate, leaving one of their best men behind!"
Tohru clenched his teeth and shook his fists. No matter what, he couldn't and wouldn't bring harm to the old man. Teku had been kind enough to mend him, but he had the audacity to insult the Enforcers? As if to personify the fury within Tohru, the tea pot whistled to alert Teku that the tea was ready.
"GOODBYE!"
Tohru opened the door and squeezed out the front door. Then he slammed the door shut behind him. When Tohru walked out he was met by a black-haired young woman in a blue suit. A badge was pinned to her lapel, and she had this cocky aura about her. The woman had witnessed Tohru climbing out of the little shop and couldn't contain herself. She covered her mouth in an attempt to suppress the laughter, but, in the end, she held her sides as she broke out laughing.
"Mu… Mu phwwwh… Ahahaha! Which way to Weight Watchers? Don't be late! Phwwwh!"
The woman clamped her hand over her own mouth and tried to suppress her giggles, with minimal success. Tohru growled deeply and stormed past the rude woman without saying a word. He failed to notice that she entered the tea shop after he was several feet away from her…
- With the Chans -
After Tohru was sent packing, the Enforcers quickly lost their edge. True, they held their own for a while, but it was obvious that Jackie and his aides were more than they could handle. If it had been just the aides, the Ice Crew would've most certainly won. Yet Jackie Chan was there, and things were looking grim.
Ice, after being launched into yet another wall by Chan, called out to his posse after he retrieved their Talisman locator.
"Retreat! RETREAT!"
Ice leaped over Chan and the Section 13 jet and broke into a sprint. MC Cobra and DJ Fist ran around the jet and followed suit. They couldn't and wouldn't go back to Valmont empty-handed, but they would retreat for now, because there was still plenty of time to find the Tiger Talisman.
Five minutes later, Tohru ascended the street hill to find the Chans and the Enforcers gone. Both sides were off to find the Talisman, obviously, but the Enforcers didn't leave any indication of where they were biding their time. The Section 13 jet was nearby, and it suffered Tohru's wrath as he left huge dents on it. As much as Tohru hated to admit it, right now the mission was more important than he was. Okay, so Tohru refused to admit it. Without him, how could the Enforcers hope to complete the Mission? Chan would overpower them and snatch the Talisman.
Having nowhere else to go, Tohru made his way back to the tea shop. He had been abandoned, and just standing around the Section 13 jet would provoke the Chans to fight him. While he would be up for it to let loose his fury, Tohru would be overpowered alone, though strong he was. Tohru very much doubted Teku would take him back after leaving the way he did, but, again, Tohru didn't have much choice…
At the Tea Shop –
Tohru returned to the shop with his head down in shame. He knocked on the shop door slowly. While it was obviously open, Tohru did not want to intrude if he was not welcome. Hearing a familiar laughter within, Tohru began to have second thoughts about coming here. His fears were realized when that rude woman from before answered the door. Once the woman got an eyeful of Tohru, she burst out laughing and held her sides, just like before. The woman panted because she was laughing so hard.
"Phwwwh…! I didn't know there was a sumo competition in town! Don't you know how to work out? Or are you just lazy? Phwwwh…!
Tohru narrowed his eyes at the woman, but didn't retaliate, lest he provoked her to laugh harder and louder. The woman turned back to Teku and covered her mouth to suppress giggles.
"Phwwwh…! I'll see you later, Teku! I'll let you and your sumo-buddy have a heart-to-heart! Ahahaha!"
Teku merely waved at her and the woman 'squeezed' by Tohru. Taking one look back to laugh at Tohru, the woman then left. Teku motioned for Tohru to come into the shop and close the door.
"You'll have to excuse Lin… She can be quite a handful sometimes. If you knew her and vice versa, you wouldn't be the target of her jabs. She can be quite cruel, but yet quite loyal when you right down to it…"
Tohru sat down on the mat that Teku had set out for him after Teku motioned for him to do so. Teku poured Tohru a cup of chamomile tea. Tohru took it reluctantly. After an extended period of silence, Tohru spoke up.
"What you said before… About the Enforcers…"
Teku raised an eyebrow inquisitively, and then it dawned on Teku that Tohru was speaking about his 'cohorts'. He had expected Tohru to come back, as Mr. Chan was very efficient in pummeling the Dark Hand, or so all those previous battles over Talismans seemed to prove.
"Ah, your 'comrades'… They obviously deserted you. If they hadn't, you wouldn't have come back… So, tell me… What do you think of them now…?"
Tohru looked down dejectedly and didn't take a sip of his tea.
"They… They are not wrong in fearing Chan… He DOES make our Missions very difficult…"
Teku raised an eyebrow and sipped his own tea.
"But how can they possibly justify leaving you behind like this…? They did not even come to search for you…"
The truth was: All evidence of the broken noodle cart had been erased. Even if they had come searching for Tohru, they would've overlooked the tea shop, because, without the noodle cart to halt Tohru, Tohru would have kept on rolling further away from the brawl. Teku had to smirk inwardly at his genius.
"W-Well…" Tohru stammered. "They weren't thinking straight… They had to get away from Chan…"
Teku shrugged and finished his cup of tea.
"Okay… So… They merely saved their own skins…? What about yours? What if Chan were to find you, hmm…?"
Tohru narrowed his eyes and pounded the floor with his fist.
"I WOULD CRUSH HIM!"
Teku shrugged again and poured himself another cup of tea.
"And then Chan would trick you and make you take another fall down the road… Pinball, that's what we call what you experienced. Hehe…"
Tohru growled and crossed his arms.
"…"
Tohru had no retort. Teku went on, despite Tohru's uneasiness to continue this conversation.
"I am not saying you can't regroup with your 'comrades'… I am saying, 'Do you want to?' Quite possibly, this would happen again, and… Well, it could be much, much worse.
Tohru glowered at Teku, but still didn't say anything. Teku continued lecturing.
"I would think that you would want loyal friends. Yes, I said FRIENDS. I would expect, after some time of being part of a team, you would see your 'cohorts' as friends. Friends cover for one another and don't desert you. Friends are loyal, trustworthy. And, as far as I can tell, your 'cohorts' do not meet those requirements. They are naïve children! They have no comprehension of how much pain they caused you by deserting you like this!"
Tohru frowned and dropped his arms.
"That is why I do not give up on them… I have been with the Dark Hand for years now, and the Enforcers have grown on me, as much as it pains me to admit it. Leaving me behind once does not give me the right to betray them…"
Teku sighed wearily and dug into his robes for something. When he pulled it out, Tohru recognized the device as some type of recorder.
"… Lin happened to be passing by when your 'cohorts' were still brawling with the Chans. Lin is a defense attorney, you see, and she is always in the habit of carrying a recorder around with her to listen to Testimonies and take notes. If you really want to know what your 'comrades' think of you… Listen to this."
Teku hit the Play button, and Ice's voice immediately began to filter throughout the shop.
"Man… Where's Big T? Just when you need him… Bam! He's nowhere to be found! Some 'ally'! Gets pushed down a hill once, and he runs away like a scared bratty kid! WE'RE the ones doin' all the hard work! I don't see Big T helpin' us bringin' da pain to Chan!
Ice's voice momentarily stopped insulting Tohru as he obviously was doing some quick jabs to Chan or one or more of the aides, but then Ice's voice came back as he called out to his posse.
"Yo! Let's split! Big T's not comin' back anytime soon, so let's skedaddle! MOVE!"
The rest of the recording was filled with punching and kicking noises and the Enforcers running away screaming. Tohru didn't realize it, but he had clenched his teeth and balled his hands into fists at some point. Teku hit the Stop button, and Tohru swiped the recorder from Teku and crushed it with his bare hands. Teku smirked. The deed was done. Tohru didn't need to know that Lin had mimicked Ice's voice and simply recorded her voice over the sound effects of the battle. He never would know now.
"TRAITORS!" Tohru yelled loudly.
Teku raised his hands defensively again and motioned for Tohru to calm down.
"Now, now, now… I know you are furious at your former comrades… But you must understand: They haven't had much 'luck' with battling Mr. Chan lately, even WITH you there to back them up."
Tohru narrowed his eyes and pointed an accusing finger at Teku.
"Do NOT make up excuses for them! YOU heard what they said! I shall crush them!"
Teku raised an eyebrow and inserted his hands into the sleeves of his robe.
"So… You are going to 'crush' the forces of the crime syndicate that you are apart of…? Will that not make you a wanted man within your organization, or, at the very least, someone they cannot trust…?"
Tohru shut his eyes tight and growled. At the top of his lungs, he shouted.
"I DO NOT CARE! As of today, I am QUITTING the Dark Hand!"
Teku feigned skepticism and frowned.
"… But as you said: The Dark Hand supplied you with a paycheck and a roof over your head. And what about your 'Mommy'? Won't she have to give up that cushy lifestyle, if you quit?"
Tohru seemed to calm down as Teku brought this point up. He could live with himself if he quit and had to find some other means to support his own living… But Mommy? No, Tohru didn't like the thought of making Mommy give up her cushy lifestyle.
"W-Well… I… I will… find somewhere else to work… And support Mommy… somehow… I cannot work with people like this! I may be a criminal, but even I cannot close my eyes to this!"
Teku shrugged and lowered his eyebrow.
"Hmm… How about going to work for the Chans…? You might not be as wealthy as you once were, but at least you'd make an honest living for yourself and your Mommy."
Tohru sighed and looked down dejectedly.
"No… I… I cannot… They would never take me in. I have hurt them too badly… I would never gain their trust…"
Teku raised a pointer finger in an as-a-matter-of-factly way and smirked once more.
"Ah, but trust is never easy to gain to begin with. Trust is earned over time. It takes little effort to destroy it, but that will mean that you will have to be extra careful, right…?"
Tohru shook his head and didn't look up.
"… I cannot. There is no way I could redeem myself… They would… They would never give me a chance…"
Teku rubbed his chin thoughtfully and paused. The silence in the air was no longer tense, but the silence was thick. Teku's eyes widened in mock-realization, and he snapped his fingers.
"What are you and the Chans searching for…? Perhaps if you give them the item, they might give you a chance?"
Tohru looked up finally. His eyes were staring at Teku in a bored-like way. There was no way Tohru could find the Talisman on his own before the Chans or his former allies.
"A Talisman… It would have the image of a Tiger on it…"
Teku rubbed his chin again and stood up.
"… Wait here.
Teku walked into the back room and closed the door. He picked a jewelry box from off a shelf and opened it. The Tiger Talisman was cushioned within. Teku smiled deviously and took the Talisman out. Putting the box back on the shelf, Teku opened the door to the back room again, walked out, and shut the door again. Teku walked back over to Tohru, leaned over, and handed Tohru the Talisman, though Tohru didn't take it immediately.
"This has been in my family for generations… I do not even know when it first came into my family's possession." Teku lied. "If it will make Mr. Chan trust you… By all means, please, take it."
Tohru looked into Teku's eyes with hesitation.
"I… I cannot do that to you… If it is a priceless family heirloom…"
Teku shook his head and continued to hold the Talisman out to Tohru.
"You forget… If you do not take this, either your former allies will take it, or the Chans will. If either side gets the Talisman, you won't be able to gain the Chans' trust. So, please… Take it."
Tohru frowned and still had that look of doubt in his eyes. Tohru took the Talisman hesitantly and stood up, towering over Teku once again. He bowed politely and spoke succinctly.
"… Thank you for doing this for me. Again, I apologize for the destruction I caused, and I apologize for not believing you in the first place. In the future I will find some way to repay you… I promise."
Teku held up one hand in resistance and smiled pleasantly.
"Ah, ah. No repayment necessary. Besides… I won't be here for long. I never am. You wouldn't be able to locate me even if you tried. But… thank you for the thought. Now… You best be going. The Chans and your former allies are still out there, and I hope that you find Mr. Chan first…
Teku led Tohru to the door and let Tohru out of the shop. Once outside, Teku called out to Tohru as he made his way back to the Section 13 jet.
"No one's destiny is written in stone! You do well to remember that, Mr. Tohru!
After Tohru was out of ear shot, Teku's fingers drummed together and he smirked wickedly.
"Well… That went better than expected."
With the Chans –
While Tohru was having an epiphany, the Chans were scouring Chicago in search of the Tiger Talisman. Jade had made herself known by that point, and the usual shenanigans occurred.
"Jade… I told you to stay with Captain Black!" Jackie moaned.
Jade shrugged absentmindedly and gave a cheesy grin.
"… But it's more fun to tag along with you, Uncle Jackie! 'Sides! There's no denying that you need MY help!"
Jackie moaned again, and Uncle screamed for Jackie at the end of the block they were on.
"JAAACKIIIEEE! Gather your aides! The Talisman is near! HURRY!"
Jackie pulled out his phone and called for Finn. The aides had split off to make the search easier and go faster.
"… Hello? Finn? Uncle claims we are near the Talisman… Can you bring Ratso and Chow and watch Jade while Uncle and I attempt to retrieve it? Yes… Hold on…" Jackie looked in all directions for a street sign, and then he put the phone back to his ear and gave the aides his location. "Hurry here as fast you can, Uncle won't like to wait around here…"
- With the Enforcers -
The Enforcers were aimlessly wandering about and taking turns holding the Talisman locator. When they reached a certain intersection, Ice took the locator from DJ Fist and held it out in front of him in all directions. It hadn't given any indication of the Talisman's whereabouts up to this point.
"… Stupid piece o' junk… Probably busted…" Suddenly a dragon mouth glowed a fiery orange. Ice smirked and motioned for his boys to follow him. "… I stand corrected…"
- With Tohru -
Tohru finally got back to the Section 13 jet and breathed a sigh of relief. It was still there. He'd have to answer to the dents he made in the jet earlier, but, if he could gain the Chans' trust, it'd be worth it.
Tohru had been standing by the jet for no more than five minutes when the Enforcers rounded a corner and spotted him. They ran over with genuine smiles on their faces.
"Yo, Big T! Wassup, homie?" MC Cobra signaled he wanted a high five, but Tohru only grumbled, which left MC Cobra hanging.
Ice cut to the chase.
"Big T, we need yo' help. See, the Talisman's nearby, and…" Ice looked down at the locator, as it was glowing brightly. "… Uh… REALLY close! And…"
Ice noticed Tohru was giving him a cold stare. Ice winced.
"Look… We WANTED to come and find ya, but the Chans were kickin' our butts! Before we knew it, we were taking off in some random direction! Sorry, brotha!"
Tohru couldn't take it anymore. His face shriveled up angrily, and he bellowed really loudly.
"DO NOT LIE! You ABANDONED me! And you've lost faith in me, haven't you?"
The Ice Crew was confused, and that was an understatement. Ice turned to MC Cobra and DJ Fist for clarification, but they were just as confused as he was. Ice turned back to Tohru and raised an eyebrow.
"Dawg… I dunno where you heard dat trash… But we care about ya, homie! You're da muscle! We'd be nothin' without cha, brotha!
Tohru growled deeply and flung an arm at all three Enforcers, knocking them into a wall several feet away. He did not trust them anymore, so their best course of action would be to just leave. Of course, Ice and his crew never gave up that easily. Ice spat a little blood and wiped his mouth with his sleeve.
"Dawg… Youse need to be taught some manners! Don't wanna do this, but youse leave us no choice!"
With that, the Enforcers charged at Tohru, and Tohru got into a defensive stance, ready to take them on…
- With the Chans -
The Chans arrived a while after the fighting had commenced. The aides had gotten lost, and had to get directions. Twice. Once there, Jackie left Jade with all three of the aides and duly warned them not to let Jade anywhere near the battle. After that, Uncle and Jackie rushed to where Uncle's locator was leading them. To see Tohru lashing out at the Enforcers and not the jet was… odd.
"Tohru…? Fighting the Enforcers?" Jackie questioned, not ready to enter the fray yet.
Uncle waved a hand dismissively and crossed his arms.
"Hmmmph! Dark Hand Trickery!" Uncle replied. After Ice high jump kicked Tohru in the face and Tohru was sent reeling back into the jet, causing it to be damaged even further, Uncle's eyes widened. "Aiyah! Dark Hand Trickery taking out ride home! Jackie! Stop them!"
Jackie sighed wearily and ran into the thick of battle. While Jackie proceeded to kick the Enforcers' butts, again, Uncle proceeded to track down the Talisman, which was very close by. Realizing that the Dark Hand most likely had it, Uncle pointed his locator at each and every Enforcer, but got nothing. Then Uncle pointed his locator at Tohru, and Uncle's locator went haywire. Uncle grumbled, "Dark Hand Trickery…" once more and proceeded to enter the battle as well.
Ice tackled Jackie just as Uncle entered the battle. MC Cobra and DJ Fist were flanking Tohru, but MC Cobra broke off and turned his attention to the old man.
"Yo, pops! This is a private matter!" MC Cobra sneered.
Uncle was undeterred. With a few lightning fast jabs, Uncle had knocked out MC Cobra in seconds. MC Cobra crumpled, and Uncle moved onto DJ Fist and Tohru, who were pushing one another with all their might. The fact that DJ Fist was holding his own against Tohru was amazing. Though that amazement was short-lived, since Uncle did a few quick jabs to DJ Fist in about the same areas as MC Cobra. Uncle had tapped DJ Fist's shoulder, and, ironically, DJ Fist stopped his wrestling match, turned around, and was out a few seconds later.
Finally reaching his query, Uncle raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms.
"… Uncle does not trust you… But Uncle will hear you out."
Ice had Jackie pinned. But that 'victory' was short-lived as well, because Jackie had Ice get off of him in ten seconds flat with a few rapid kicks to the chest. Ice got off of Chan, clutched his chest in agony, and looked over to his comrades in the hopes that they were faring better than he was. They weren't. Both were out, and the old man was chatting with Tohru like they were buddies.
"Strike Master Ice is in the hizzouse!" Ice yelled as he aimed a kick at the back of Uncle's head. Uncle turned around quick, though, and caught Ice's foot perfectly between his hands and threw Ice at a wall that wasn't too far away. Uncle turned back to Tohru immediately.
"… Uncle is waiting!" Uncle casually nodded.
… Tohru was spooked. He'd never witnessed the old man fight, and now he was glad that he was attempting to switch sides. Uncle was a force to be reckoned with.
"W-Well… I… I would like to change to your side, sir… And I have…" Tohru took the Tiger Talisman out and held it out to Uncle as a peace offering. "… This. I got it from an… old man in a tea shop. If you… If you won't accept me, I'll understand. But still… Whether you accept me or not… I am done working for the Dark Hand."
Ice had quietly snuck up behind Uncle at this point, and he wrapped his arms under Uncle's arms and around Uncle's shoulders.
"Big T! You give me the Talisman, and the geezer won't get hurt!" Ice smirked.
Though just as his kick was thwarted, so this situation was defused as promptly. Uncle smacked Ice's face three times with a fist, and then he quite forcefully stepped on Ice's right foot. Ice let go instantly, and he clutched his foot in agony.
"Uncle will think about it…" Uncle snorted. He took the Talisman from Tohru and examined it carefully. It was authentic. He eyed Tohru carefully and popped an obvious question. "Did the old man say who he was…?"
Tohru nodded and answered truthfully.
"His name was… Teku."
Uncle stiffened at the name, but his face revealed nothing.
"…"
Ice had had enough. The old man frustrated him, and Chan, the younger one, was no picnic either. Rather than fail, Ice pulled out a pistol. Why he hadn't used it before in all the other fights with Chan, he didn't know. But he wasn't going to fail V-Man. Not this time.
"Say, 'Sayonara!' to the old geezer, Chan!" Ice screamed and laughed gleefully as he pointed the gun at Uncle's head. The gun fell apart in his hands, just as Ice squeezed the trigger. Ice had failed to notice purple sparks crackling all over the gun before it had fallen to pieces, not to mention the figure standing atop the rooftop overlooking the whole area. However, Uncle did. The figure left immediately after the gun fell apart.
Looking around and realizing he was outnumbered and clearly outmatched at the moment, Ice smacked MC Cobra and DJ Fist awake so fast. It was almost inhumane at the speed that Ice had his comrades conscious and alert.
"We gotta get outta here, dawgs! NOW!" Ice shouted to the two of them before sprinting out of there like it was a marathon. MC Cobra and DJ Fist got up and paused to look around. Tohru punched his fist into his palm and glowered at the two of them. No other incentive was required, and the two remaining Enforcers ran off after Ice.
Jackie walked over to Uncle and Tohru. He put his hands to his hips and sighed. He didn't know how he'd explain to Captain Black about Tohru's betrayal to the Dark Hand, but Uncle obviously trusted Tohru, or Uncle would be screaming at him.
"I need to call Finn…" Jackie stated. Pointing at Tohru, he went on. "If you harm one hair on Uncle's head, you will not be welcome to come back with us…"
Jackie walked away to make the call. Uncle hadn't heard a word of it, because he was busy investigating the gun that had mysteriously fallen apart. He knelt low to the ground and picked up a foreign substance: A very miniscule layer of purple dust. Rubbing it between his fingers, Uncle frowned.
"Uncle is thinking that was no accident…"
Looking to the rooftop that the mysterious figure had been on earlier, Uncle continued to frown. If that person had been an ally, they would've stuck around. But they didn't, and that bugged the heck out of Uncle.
Tohru finally spoke up after Uncle's brief 'investigation'.
"S-So… Do you know who would've saved you…?"
Uncle shrugged and didn't take his eyes off that rooftop.
"… Uncle is not saying 'no'. Uncle is not saying 'yes'. Uncle is saying that there is no confirming identity of 'hero'…"
Jackie came back to Uncle and Tohru after wrapping up the call with Finn.
"They'll be here in a few minutes…" Jackie turned to Tohru after saying this. "Tohru, I wanted to thank you for assisting in the fight against the Enforcers… But I can't say I completely trust you yet. Do you know where the Talisman is…?"
Uncle held up the Talisman, and Jackie's eyes widened.
"Tohru gave Uncle Talisman. Uncle is still skeptic of Tohru's motives, but Talisman is genuine."
Jackie nodded at Uncle and turned back to Tohru.
"Well… It would be unfair to leave you here… We'll give you a ride back to San Francisco, to Section 13 actually. Once there, I will let Captain Black deal with you. You ARE a criminal, after all. One fight against your former cohorts does not change that."
Tohru nodded in understanding. When the aides arrived with Jade, Jackie and Uncle explained the situation to them. Jackie and Uncle questioned Tohru about the dents in the jet, and Tohru was honest about it. He did it out of a fit of rage, before his change of mind. They all accepted that, some more grudgingly than others, and they were all off to Section 13…
As the jet took off and became a smaller and smaller dot to the naked eye, a seemingly young man in a gray suit and gray cape came out into the open. He wore a gray hat and a white mask that covered his eyes and nose, but not the lower portion of his face. Without saying a word, the man walked away. Teku had been the one to save Uncle's life, and he didn't know why he bothered to do so…
- At the Dark Hand Headquarters -
Valmont was on the phone with his Enforcers. After listening to them report, he eyed his hand and sighed.
"… So Tohru has turned against us… What a pity… I was going to bring a new hitman in anyway, but… now it looks like we seriously need him…
Valmont chuckled at the Enforcers' worry of being let go as henchmen. He shook his head and eased their fears.
"No, you shan't be fired today, though I seriously considered it… You shall be under a new lieutenant during the next Mission, and I expect you all to behave.
Ice asked who the new 'lieutenant' would be. Valmont smirked.
"… A mercenary by the name of Hak Foo."
And so another Chapter comes to a close… Let me know what you think. Compared to the last Chapter, there wasn't much of a 'rush' to this one. Sure, some important events occur, but the last Chapter's going to be hard to beat in terms of how much 'fun' it was to write.
Anyway, I thought I'll incorporate a new ending thing here. After a Chapter is finished, I'll be going through a 'mailbag' of Reviews. I was inspired to do this by an author by the name of TheForceIsStrongWithThisOne; I have a lot of respect for this author, he/she writes good stories, and I'd recommend them to you if you don't mind branching out and reading other sections of entertainment on this site. Sadly, there won't be many Reviews to go through for the first few times, but I hope that'll change over time as the story progresses. I do this not for myself, but to personally thank each and every one of you, because I wouldn't be writing this if it weren't for your encouragement to continue on. If you don't want to be acknowledged, just say so.
In the future, I'll actually be referencing your particular Review. Since I'm incorporating this now, I'll just refer to you, the reader. If you want to ask questions, don't hesitate to. But do know that I may not answer. After all, I like spoilers, but even I don't want to spoil any surprises we have in store for you, if the question turns out to be long term, though it may not appear to be.
WerecatWarrior – First, I want to apologize for taking a year to update. To avoid making the same apology over and over, I'll say that apology is extended to everyone who is a fan of this story. I am sorry if you lost interest in this story, but know that the offer to do artwork for Jackie Chan Adventures: Altered still stands, if you wish to do it. I was glad to please you with the first couple of Chapters, and hope that you find the latest updates to be even more satisfying. A year away seems to have improved my writing a bit.
Zim'sMostLoyalServant – Though you're a one time Reviewer, I still want to apologize if you lost interest in JCA: A. I know I took a year to update, and I know the quality at first may have not been up to snuff, but I would like to think the quality's improved. Feel free to Review again, if you're still reading! Your opinion is valued just as much as everyone else's.
kwak73 – Just like ZMLS, you're a one time Reviewer. I hope you're still enjoying the story, if you're still reading it.
Eduard Kassel – Thanks for being the most detailed Reviewer! I'm sorry if you've lost interest, but I would very much appreciate your opinion, if you're still reading. It's not necessary, but I wouldn't mind hearing your opinion of the latest updates.
nightmaster000 – Like the other one-time Reviewers, I hope you're still enjoying the story. I'm not one to dabble in romance, so I'm sorry if that makes you lose interest. Maybe Jamey Gamer will convince me to slip some hints of romance in, but at this point I'm not sure.
D.J. Scales – Thanks for taking the time to Review the latest updates! It's good to hear this story entertains you, because that's what I, and Jamey Gamer, aim for. Stay tuned, because we're just getting started…
Alana Fox – Thanks for being a Reviewer to the latest updates! Your kind words are appreciated! Stay tuned!
Jamey Gamer – Well… It appears we're doing a fine job. *Shakes Jamey Gamer's hand back*
