A/N I've gotten two chapters (that are hopefully better). It was eleven o'clock at night when I started it last night, but I got too tired and decided I'd finish this chapter today. It's whatever! Here we go to episode two, and we'll learn more about Macey's past and why she is in San Francisco in the first place. Also, the reason why it is now written in first place is because it's supposed to be like Macey herself is writing the story. (This is supposed to be like the book she's working on.) You'll find out what else I've got up my sleeve soon!

"It's a simple message, and it comes from the heart. Believe in yourself, for that's the place to start"- Ziggy Marley, 'Believe In Yourself.'

Chapter Three - Episode 2 (completed)

The Power Within

*JAC*

Jackie, Uncle, Jade, and I were sitting in a Chinese restaurant, quietly eating. I observed my surroundings. Not many people were here except for an older couple sitting near the corner and a few waitresses. Chinese murals and writings were scratched onto the walls, along with a Chinese lamp above our table.

"I just came to America from China," Jade complained, leaning her elbows on the table. "Why Chinese food? Bring out the Chex Mix!"

I grinned, slurping my noodles quietly.

"Manners, Jade," Jackie scolded gently.

Jade shrugged it off and gulped down her soup.

"Slow down, no one's going to take it from you," I said half-jokingly.

Jade tossed me a nonchalant smirk before going back to eating.

"Chew your food, Jade," Jackie scolded.

"Chew my food?" Jade scoffed, staring at the cream-colored pasta. "=It's soup..,"

I nibbled on a noodle, averting my own gaze to my food.

"I wanna learn kung fu," Jade said, standing and taking a kung-fu stance, "and be like Jackie!" She did a few forced, uncontrolled kicks before falling into the table and spilling noodles.

The older couple in the corner eyed her quizzically.

"Jade is very sorry," Jackie apologized to the waitress who came to clean up the mess. "Jade, are you very sorry?"

I sat Jade back down in her chair.

"I am such a dork," she said glumly, as Jackie sat back down.

I sent her a sympathetic smile.

"I was just trying to get you to teach me," Jade whined at Jackie.

"The wise seek power within themselves." I put my hand on Jade's shoulder. "The foolish seek power within others."

"Until you harness the power within yourself, I cannot teach you," Jackie said, sending me a knowing look. I nodded.

"Huh?" Jade looked at Jackie, then at me, and back at Jackie.

"It means you must have the discipline to behave yourself," Jackie explained. "Now eat your food."

I opened the fortune cookie that had been lying in front of me. I unfolded the white slip that were usually in fortune cookies and read aloud slowly, "Do not give up, the beginning is always the hardest."

"Well, that's reassuring," I said, pushing the wrapper aside and popping the cookie in my mouth. "What does yours say, Jade?"

"Danger looms in your future." Jade stared at the paper.

"We must be very cautious," Uncle whispered, looking about with his eyes wide.

"You listen to a cookie?" Jackie scoffed skeptically.

"What's his problem?" I murmured as Uncle frantically fidgeted in his seat.

"Uncle is very superstitious," Jackie said tiredly. "He believes in the old ways."

"Evening, Chan," we heard a deep voice croon, and we all looked up to see the thugs from the previous day standing by our table.

Uncle put his hand on the table and stood, poised for running. "Never mock the cookie."

The big, burly thug with black hair picked Jackie up by the shirt. "Where is the talisman?" His demand was tinted with irritation.

"I don't have it!" Jackie sputtered defensively. In response, he got slammed into a wall.

Dropping my food, I stood, observing the thugs. So maybe I couldn't take down the big guy. But I could probably take down the puny orange-haired dude.

"Aye-ah!" I kicked the small man in the face, a drop-kick (which I had remembered from my years of karate training), and he went sailing.

"You kicked his butt," Jade yelled, pumping her fists. "That is so cool!"

Meanwhile, Jackie dodged kicks and punches after being sailed into walls and knocking over bowls. Glass scattered about the carpeted floor. The older couple had fled, along with most of the customers waiting in line.

"Uh-oh," I murmured, dropping my hands to my sides. "I think we just lost their customers."

I was suddenly pinned against the wall by the big guy. "Oh crap," I breathed, staring the man straight in the face.

"Young lady, do you know where the talisman is?" The man demanded.

"No!" I shook my head. In all honesty, I didn't. I just wanted to get out of there before we became roadkill.

The man moved to hit me, but I grabbed him by the arm in a lock.

"Nice stance," he smirked. "But don't think you can win just yet."

He was interrupted suddenly by Jackie pulling him down.

"Run!" He called to me.

"Jackie, I think they just lost their customers," I said.

"They're gonna lose a lot more than that if we don't stop these guys!" Jackie jerked his thumb in the direction of the thugs.

"Right…," I mumbled. We'd probably never be coming back to this restaurant again.

All three of us bolted, ending up out on the sidewalk.

"Aren't you gonna womp 'em?" Jade, who was being carried by Jackie, yelled.

"Ancient proverb: do not fight when you can run!"

We climbed up on top of the San Francisco bridge in hopes of not being spotted.

"I came here to write, not to become a secret agent!" I bit back a gasp, staring down at the water and wondering mildly what would happen if I missed one wring.

"Who says you can't write and be a secret agent!" Jade exlcaimed.

"You thought you escaped, didn't you, little girl?" A shadow-clad figure was standing in front of me, fists poised.

"Great," I groaned, "more shadow people."

"I'm sorry I got you involved in this!" Jackie began quickly, but I shook my head.

"Now is not the time for formalities!" I leaped off the railing and back onto the bridge, dodging the shadow's hits and finally managed to knock one out.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned around.

A black boot was pointed directly at my face. Thinking fast, I turned my side and did a side-kick, sending the shadow-clad falling.

"Aye-ah!"

"That was amazing!" Jade yelled. "You're like the female Jackie!"

"I'm not that great," I muttered, kicking at the ground.

"No, Macey, you were." I felt Jackie's hand on my shoulder. "Where did you learn?"

I shrugged. "My dad used to take me to his do-jo all the time. I did it just for fun and stopped at red belt." I cracked my knuckles. "I didn't think I'd be using it, though."

Jackie chuckled. "And you asked me to teach you," he said.

"Well, you're better than me," I mumbled.

"It is not a matter of who is stronger," Jackie told me. "You did well protecting yourself. That's what important."

I nodded, smiling.

"But I don't understand why they were after you, Jade," I said quizzically, glancing at the said girl.

"While you guys were fighting," Jade said, rocking back and forth on the heels of her feet, "the coolest thing ever happened! I went and ran off the bridge but I didn't fall. I stopped in mid-air and then I rn back just like in cartoons…," Her eyes widened in sudden realization. "I can fly!"

"Kung-fu is one thing," I said. "But flying is another. You may have jumped but…,"

"Jade, enough fooling around," Jackie reprimanded. "The Dark Hand is after you and Macey and I need to know why."

"Fooling around?" Jade cried. "I saved your butt!"

"Language, Jade," Jackie scolded.

"So is Macey, like, your partner now?" Jade put her hands on her hips.

I glanced at Jackie for help.

"You could say so, yes, but that's besides the point," Jackie said.

"What I mean is-"

Suddenly, I felt someone grab me. "Hey-!" I really needed to learn how to look behind me more, I thought.

Once more, I was slammed into unconsciousness.

*JCA*

"Macey! Macey! Wake up!" I groaned, my eyes slowly peeling open. I was lying on a table once more, but when I attempted to move, I discovered that my arms were locked in place.

"Jackie, do you have any idea where we are?" I hoped we were safe, but the cold metal scraping against my wrists were a non-too-gentle reminder that we weren't.

I looked over to see that Jackie was passed out on a table as well.

"Hello? Let me outa here!" Jade was struggling against the weight of the restraints. "I mean it! Just wait till the Jackinator comes to! You guys are gonna get so creamed!"

"Jade?" Jackie sat up, at the same time Jade and I said feebly, "Jackinator?"

"We've been captured by the Dark Hand," Jackie told me in a hushed voice. "Do you have any idea how to get out?"

"I'm all out." My voice dripped with sarcasm. "How about you?"

Jackie looked around, then said, "Ah-ha!"

"This had better be good," I muttered, wiggling my legs. Circulation was beginning to get cut off from being still for so long. I was getting tired of being knocked out.

"Macey, you know kung-fu!" Jade hissed. "Knock 'em dead!"

"I would," I groaned, kicking, "but I can't get out of these stupid restraints!"

Meanwhile, Jackie was fighting Tohru, the tall, burly man with black hair.

While dodging punches, Jackie had caught a fish from one of the boxes in mid-air.

"Bad...day!" I grunted, then finally managed to break free of the restraints.

"You go Macey!" Jade hollered, moving her stomach. The restraints began to lift off her. "Whoa! I'm moving things with my...stomach?!"

I suddenly remembered seeing something in her food. It was something thick and circular….

I gasped. "Jade, did you swallow the…" what was it that Jackie was obsessed with? "Did you swallow the talisman?!"

"That must have been it!" Jade's eyes widened. "That must be why I could fly. And why I can move things with my stomach!"

"Jackie," I yelled, "I think Jade swallowed the talisman!"

"She what?" Jackie stopped mid-stance, his fist lifted in the air.

"The talisman must have fallen in my soup while I was eating!" Jade said almost excitedly.

"You should have chewed your food!" I yelled.

"It was soup," Jade whined.

"You have tele...tele…" Jackie tumbled over his words. "You can move things with your mind!"

Jade finally was able to get out of the restraints, but Jackie wasn't having much luck with fighting against Tohru. He got slammed against the floor.

"Owww!"

Jade, much to my amazement, floated in the air across the room and tried kicking at Tohru, but ultimately failed- he flicked her across the room as if she was a fly.

As I looked around, an idea came to mind: a small, frozen fish was poking out of one of the boxes nearby. Cautiously, I slinked alongside the walls, then, after making sure no one was watching, I kicked the box, which was all the way full, over. Thousands of frozen blue fish spilled out onto the floor of the cage-like room.

"Jackie and Jade- look out!"

Jackie managed to scurry off into the corner, pressing himself up against the wall. For the first time I noticed that he had a very broad chest and wide shoulders. Although I trained in martial arts as well, I was built small physically, and with Jackie's heftiness, he'd likely beat me if we were put to a duel. Not to mention he was probably a black belt….

Tohru attempted to escape, but tripped over the wet fish.

I jumped over his mound of a body and tentatively crawled across the sea of fish on the floor.

"I hate fish," I heard Tohru mutter.

Jackie leaned one arm against the wall.

"Are you okay?" I wiped sweat beads from my forehead and took off my sweatshirt, revealing that I was wearing a tight black tank top, and tied it around my waist.

Jackie turned to face me. "Of course I am okay," he confirmed, smiling. "You saved my butt. Without you I would still be stuck in there." He gestured to the table where he'd once been held captive.

"I'm sure you would have found a way out." I laughed.

"That was so cool." Jade grinned at me.

"Next time, you must promise to stay in your room," Jackie said to Jade firmly.

"But you let Macey come along!" Jade pouted, her lower lip jutting out slightly.

"That's...that's because Macey is my partner!" Jackie put a hand on my shoulder.

"Who said she was?" Jade crossed her arms over her chest and stared challengingly up at Jackie.

"I said," Jackie told her. "Next time, you stay in your room. Got it?"

Jade only shrugged. "She hasn't been hired yet."

Jackie sighed. "Then I will hire her."

"Whaa?" I stared at them in amazement. Was an eleven-year-old girl really suggesting that I work alongside Jackie Chan?

"Jade, that's crazy," I hissed, kneeling down next to her. "You don't know what you're suggesting! I'm not as skilled as Jackie-"

"Yeah, but you're fast, right?" Jade retorted.

"Yes, but-"

"And you know kung fu, right?"

"Karate, but that's-"

"So then you'll be great together!" Jade proclaimed. "Jackie, you need help getting out of stuff. Besides, you invited her to come along!"

I felt like I was the kid that always got picked to be in the middle of "monkey in the middle."

"Jade, it isn't your decision," Jackie said calmly. "Macey has to choose this for herself."

"I...have to?" I laughed nervously.

"Macey, it is your decision," Jackie told me gently. "Would you like to go home, or stay here, and work alongside us?"

He meant "me", but he'd use more professional terms, I suppose.

I took a deep breath. "Alright, I'll stay."

Jade pumped her fist. "Yes!"

"In return, I'll clean for you and make meals-" I began, but Jackie interrupted.

"You are still our guest, even if you work with me."

"No, it would be too much trouble if I just stayed-"

"Macey, we are doing this because we want to," Jackie assured me. "Not because we have to."

"Alright." I nodded. "But I'm still gonna repay you."

"Good luck with that," Jackie said with a grin.