Hey there Yu-Gi-Oh fans, this is The Rainwalker, and I'm coming at you with Part 4 of 'Stealing thunder'! In the last part of the story David Cardigan and Squadron 51 received a real trouncing from the grimoire user but stopped him from going after Maxwell Starkey. What is the grimoire user's grudge with the renowned jazz musician? And will David be able to restore the talent that the user stole from Starkey or will there soon be other victims? And will David be able to stop the grimoire user at all? Want answers, stay with me good readers because "Stealing Thunder' Part 4 begins now.

Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh is strictly the property of Kazuki Takahashi. I'm just borrowing his characters and concepts, but I promise to put them away when I'm done. David Cardigan and all original characters in this saga are my property.

The next morning David awoke sore in some places but not quite as bad as last night. David was able to do his morning stretches and his Taekwondo workout. After breakfast and a quick round of writing David hopped a bus over to the 82nd and Powell mall where his Taekwondo school was located. He entered the school and found Master Diwaker Sabarna working at the counter. The former citizen of Nepal who had tanned skin, short black hair, and a build that spoke of a lifetime in the martial arts looked up at David and smiled pleasantly. "Hello, Mr. David, it is good to be seeing you." He greeted in his thickly accented voice.

David bowed and replied, "Hello, sir, good to be here."

Master Sabarna noted the bruises. "Mr. David, did you get into a fight?"

David smiled sheepishly. Master Sabarna also knew about David's magical abilities since David had helped Master Sabarna on more than one occasion. "Squadron 51 and I are having some trouble with a fellow who's using a grimoire. He really pounded me last night, sir, and I'm still a little achy breaky from it."

Master Sabarna smiled and answered, "Then we will have to get you into better fighting shape, Mr. David."

David's face paled. "Oh, sir, you don't mean…?" He groaned.

Master Sabarna's smile widened as he chided, "Mr. David, if you're going to be going around battling magical bad guys you must be at your best fighting ability."

David sighed in resignation. Master Sabarna of course was right. But that didn't make things any more comfortable, in fact the Nepal-born Taekwondo instructors workouts were downright brutal. David however realized that there were far more important things to worry about. So David bore the full weight of Master Sabarna's workout. And it turned out to be as bad as he'd thought it would be. Diwaker Sabarna had a knack for not disappointing. By the end of the hour he spent at his school David had drained the water bottle he'd brought and worked out a lot of stress. After class David had just finished dressing when he heard someone pound on the men's dressing room door. "Mr. David, do you have a moment?" Master Sabarna asked.

David's brow furrowed in puzzlement, "Of course, sir."

David pulled open the door to see his instructor leaning against the wall. "Something is, how you would say, bothering you isn't it?" Master Sabarna noted.

David smiled sheepishly, "You know me too well, sir."

"I am still owing you for saving me and my family from that Rakshasa. Please tell me what's on your mind."

Master Sabarna's English wasn't the greatest but David understood what he meant. David explained, "I'm achy breaky from the fight and flustered. This guy was strong, very strong. If I face him again I'm afraid I may not survive."
"Based on what you are telling me earlier it is sounding to me that this person takes a…how you would say…direct approach."

David nodded. "Perhaps the next time you face him you should take a different approach. Find a way to turn his strength to your advantage," Master Sabarna suggested.
"Turn his strength to my advantage, how?" David asked.

Just then David's cell phone rang. Sighing the legally blind writer fished it out and flipped it open. "Cardigan." He answered.

"David…" Captain Moyers responded, "It looks like our perp from last night has been at it again. There's been an attack."
David's face paled. "Is Mr. Starkey…?"

"He's fine…another jazz musician staying here has been attacked and he's been put into a coma." The police captain explained.

"Dear God, where is it?" David asked in open trepidation.

"The Hilton hotel downtown." Captain Moyers answered.

"I'll be down there right away, captain." David answered and then flipped his phone closed.
"Trouble?" Master Sabarna asked.

"There's been another attack, I have to head downtown immediately." David answered grimly.

David turned towards a wall in the dressing room and extended his hand as he shaped a portal with his will. A park area near the hotel appeared. David said goodbye to master Sabarna and hopped through the portal. By some miracle nobody saw him come through.

David scampered to the hotel and found sergeant Anderson waiting for him. The black man said, "The captain thought you might come by portal."

The two headed into the hotel as David asked, "What's the situation?"

"In a word, bad, real bad. We don't know how long the victim will last. This fellow really had it in for our victim."

The two said nothing as they took the elevator up to the 7th floor of the hotel. The hotel room however looked like it had seen better days. There were human-shaped dents in walls. The furniture, including the bed had been smashed as had the glass window which allowed for the wind to blow in unabated. Several members of C.S.I. were taking pictures. captain Moyers was waiting for David and Sergeant Anderson. "Where's Lieutenant Graham?" David asked.

"Back at the station finishing up some paperwork." Captain Moyers explained.

"So what other information have you got on this case?" David asked.

"The victim's name was Drew Langford according to reports he was an…" captain Moyers told him.

David raised a hand to halt captain Moyers. "Wait a second…THE Drew Langford, as in the guy who was on Star Finder back in the mid-90's?"

Darren Moyers nodded, "Yeah, that one. Apparently he was one of those who was going to judge a competition involving amateur jazz musicians."

David asked, "Would that competition by chance be happening at the Jazz land jazz club?"

Sergeant Anderson answered, "Yeah, it is, I've heard all about it on K.J.A.Z. radio."

David's thumb and forefinger moved to cup his chin while the other three fingers acted as support. His right hand moved to support his elbow. David's face furrowed in thought.

Captain Moyers commented, "David, I know that look, you're on to something aren't you?"

David answered, "Maybe, I'll need some more information before I say anything."

Sergeant Anderson added, "Want to eliminate any remaining possibilities huh?"

David nodded. "Exactly, are there any witnesses?"

"Just a lady from the maid service. Unfortunately she speaks only Spanish. We've got an officer fluent in the language talking to her now. From what she's said this far it's our same black clad man all right. Thing is he hasn't left a single piece of evidence this time." Anderson explained.

David extended his left forefinger and index finger and closed his eyes as he let the power of his spell flow into his fingers. David opened his eyes the moment he felt that familiar tingle in them. "Yeah, he was here all right. I feel the energy he left behind." David thought for a long moment then said, "Captain Moyers, can you get Tanya on the line? I know she's big into those old shows."

Captain Moyers fished out his cell phone and speed dialed the station. "Yeah, Tanya, I'm glad you're there. David wants to talk to you."

He handed the cell phone to David. "Hey, Tanya." David greeted.

"What can I do for you, David?" She asked.

"I have a question, do you have copies of the old Star Finder T.V. series?"

"Well I'd better, I just recently completed my DVD collection of the series." She explained.

David smiled. "Awesome, was there a time on the show dedicated to jazz musicians?" He asked.
Tanya thought for a moment. "Yeah, jazzin' month on Star Finder. As I recall there was some controversy involving a couple of contestants."
Bingo, David thought. "I need you to find out all that you can on it, and see if the names Maxwell Starkey and Drew Langford were involved."

"Maxwell Starkey and Drew Langford?" Tanya asked as David heard Tanya writing the names down.

David said, "Those are names I need you to check out."

"Got em', and I'll go home and get my DVD collection out. What exactly are we looking for?"

"See if those two were the only ones involved in the controversy. I have a nasty suspicion here." The writer explained.

"All right, I'll get on that right away." Tanya answered.
"Thanks, Tanya." David said graciously before he gave captain Moyers his phone.

Captain Moyers asked, "What's the angle you're playing, David?"

"First off, these two are prominent jazz musicians, secondly as I recall Maxwell Starkey and Drew Langford were on Star Finder back in the mid-90's. One as a judge, the other as a contestant. I remember hearing in the news something about a controversy involving Langford." David explained.

"You're thinking a former opponent of Langford's on Star Finder wants revenge?" Sergeant Anderson asked.

David sighed and shook his head. "We know that sometimes in this world there are people who just CAN'T let things go. They can wait years and years and years before striking."

Darren Moyers nodded. "Yeah, that's true, but over Star Finder?"

"Back in the day, captain Moyers, Star Finder was a breeding ground for celebrities, comedians, artists, and even supermodels. And as I recall a number of people who left that show as champs went on to big time careers," the writer explained.

Captain Moyers whistled. "Now, I'm starting to see motive here."

"Yup, money and fame…or in this case being denied such…is quite the motivator for revenge," David noted.

The police continued to search the room while captain Moyers and David left. David was about to go home when captain Moyers's cell phone rang. "Moyers here." he greeted.
The captain then raised a hand. "Hey Tanya, easy, easy, easy. Calm down and tell me what's up."

David immediately took interest. Captain Moyers nodded, "Umm hmm, umm hmm, I see, yeah, yeah that helps a lot…" He paused for a moment as he listened. "Yeah he's here, hold on."
Captain Moyers without another word handed David the phone. David took it and answered, "I think it's safe to say you found something?"

"Yeah, I'm glad my home isn't too far from the station. I did some digging through my DVDs and there was a third person involved in this whole thing. His name is Todd Landau."

David looked surprised. "Landau, as in the retired president of Landau records?"

"The one and only, and get this he has a home out in Lake Oswego."

David whistled. "Lake Oswego is a pretty ritzy area. You got an address?"

"I've just sent it to you and captain Moyers." Tanya answered.
David smiled and said, "Tanya, as always you are a wonder."

"Just doing my job, David." She responded cheerfully.

"And you do it well, thanks so much." David said before handing the phone back to Captain Moyers.

The captain of squadron 51 said, "Hope you don't have any plans David…because this case is about to get interesting."

David sighed and said, "Oh, BOTHER, another late night!"

Captain Moyers pointed out, "We're going to need you if we're ever going to catch our super powered perp."

David sighed and growled, "Man, I'm getting too old for this!"

Captain Moyers snorted and countered, "Old, what're you talking about you're in your late 20's."

David chuckled and said, "Always the stickler for details, captain Moyers."

"You have to be when you're the captain of an elite police unit." David let out a genuine laugh. It was funny and it was also very true.

Todd Landau turned out to be a fairly skinny man in his late 60's, with graying black hair, who wore thick glasses, a T-shirt, slacks, walking shoes, yet somehow retained some measure of vitality. Sitting in a chair in his luxurious home in Lake Oswego the man shook his head and explained to David, captain Moyers, And Sergeant Anderson, "I'm afraid I can't help you. Yes, I was a judge on Star Finder but I have no idea who would go after Maxwell and Drew." Landau's expression changed from genuine puzzlement to concern. "I was quite shocked and horrified when I heard about the attacks on them. We've not exactly seen eye to eye, I grant you, but I've never wished them anything bad."

David asked, "Mr. Landau, do you have any enemies who you think would try to get to you through them?"

Landau snorted and answered, "Take a name, any name. I'm the former head of a major record label, I've made a long line of enemies in my years in the music business. Though I'm kind of baffled as to who would go this far."

David wrote down what he said on his notepad. "I see, is there anything that…?"

"Todd…Todd what's going on here?" a female voice called from a hallway. A tanned woman who looked to be in her mid-40's yet still retained a measure of her youth and beauty entered. The slender, brunette woman with shoulder length brunette hair, and wore a round-necked tank top, jeans, and flats asked, "Todd, who are these people?"

The 60-something turned and answered, "It's all right Denise, these people are sergeant Tyrell Anderson, captain Darren Moyers, and this gentleman in the cowboy hat and long coat is…"

"David Cardigan," She answered finishing his thought. "You've got quite the reputation around Portland. I'm Denise Landau, Todd's wife."

David shook hands with the woman and smiled warmly. "Nice to meet you ma'am."

Denise Landau asked, "What's going on here, why are you and police here?"

Todd explained, "Maxwell and Drew were attacked. Max is okay but Drew's in a coma."

David noted Denise genuinely surprised expression and perhaps a touch of…relief? In the back of his mind David thought, Relief where there should be concern, that's VERY peculiar.

"Oh my God." Denise gasped. "That's horrible…but what has this to do with my husband?"

Captain Moyers explained, "We believe the attacks have something to do with a fiasco that happened on Star Finder years ago."

Denise winced in consternation. "Oh God, not this again. I thought it would be over after all this time," she said with a sigh.

David asked, "Sorry to have to dredge up this old memory. But, ma'am, please this could be of some importance. What can you tell us?"

Now it was Denise's turn to snort. "What's there to tell? It was shortly after my husband and I had gotten married. I was in the audience that day on Star Finder. There were two contestants, Drew Langford, and Alex Mordenheimer. Granted Drew was good but Mr. Mordenheimer was better…at least to the audience he was. I don't know why my husband chose Drew over Mr. Mordenheimer."
David noted the faint moment of Denise's eyes looking away from David. Hello there… David thought with objective interest. Knowing body language the way I do I know that when eyes even momentarily look away it means that someone's not telling the truth, very interesting.

Todd Landau shrugged and answered, "I just thought Mr. Langford had more talent. I know the decision was controversial, and it got a lot of attention from all the entertainment news groups, but I felt it was the right choice."

Captain Moyers nodded, "I see…still…I think for tonight we're going to have to put you under police protection."

Denise said, "Captain Moyers, I must protest, my husband employs a private security company for the house which does just as well as the police."

Captain Moyers shook his head. "Ma'am, believe me, you haven't seen this perp in action. This is no ordinary street thug we're dealing with here."

Todd Landau asked, "No ordinary street thug, what do you mean?"

David explained, "To be frank this guy manhandled me and gave a small squadron of Portland police all they could handle."

Denise said in surprise, "Are you serious?"

David answered, "Deadly serious, ma'am, I'm still a little sore from the thrashing he gave me."

Denise's eyes widened. "I'd heard that strange things happened when you were around, Mr. Cardigan. But I didn't think they were THIS dangerous."

David said in consternation, "Mrs. Landau, trust me, squadron 51 and I have dealt with things so strange and bizarre that you're better off not knowing about them. And I honestly wish my life were more peaceful and quiet."

Todd Landau said, "Then I guess we have no choice but to accept your protection if this person is as dangerous as you say he is."

David sighed and complained, "Great another all-nighter guard shift for me."

Captain Moyers answered, "That's what you get when you work with the police, David, you share the responsibilities the rest of us do."

David groaned in frustration knowing that Captain Moyers was right again.

And so we come to the end of Part 4 of 'Stealing thunder'. David and Squadron 51 are going to be on an all night guard vigil with a retired record executive. But if you gentle readers think the all-nighter is going to be boringly quiet, sorry, not going to be the case. And there are some questions as yet unanswered. What is Denise Landau hiding? What will Squadron 51 and David do when and if they face their masked adversary again? And what is the connection between Maxwell Starkey, Drew Langford, Todd Landau, and the grimoire user? For the answers to these questions and much more come back soon for Part 5 of 'Stealing Thunder'. Until then, read and review, and have a nice day.