Story Notes: Sorry this took so long. I was hoping to publish these chapters sooner. Hopefully, it won't be too long before my next update.
Chapter Summary: Tintin wakes up in the middle of the night. Shadows are moving. Can he protect himself and his friends?
Suggested Soundtrack
1. Raise You Banner (Instrumental) - Within Temptation
2. Shifu Faces Tai Lung (Kung Fu Panda) - Hans Zimmer
3. Fight Night - Hans Zimmer & Junkie XL
The rain started to cascade against the eves of the house as Tintin paced towards the open door to the garden. Each step on the cold tiles made him hiss in pain. A light wind brushed against his face, inviting him into the darkness. When voice pushed through the ominous rumbling of thunder, he froze.
"My friend, it's so good to see you again,"
"Mr Wang .." Tintin stammered, taking a step back. "No ... No this can't be real,"
As drops of water scattered across his pale face, he questioned his senses. Orbs of water dripped down his arms, chilling his skin further. Goosebumps formed without hesitation.
"I need you," Mr Wang exclaimed, pulling his attention back to him.
Tintin couldn't speak.
The words failed to reach his lips.
"Protect my sons. They are coming,"
x
Without warning, lightning struck lit up the room. Tintin sprang up from the bed. He tried to control his breathing but failed.
It was a dream, just a dream .. Why did it feel so real?
As thunder continued to echo in the distance, Tintin pulled himself out of bed and walked to the window. For a brief moment, he watched the rain beating down on the trees. In time the shock of waking up so suddenly faded, but the content still spooked him. Mr Wang's spirit remained in the house, without a doubt. The words still rang in his ears.
Protect my sons.
They are coming.
In the end, he decided not to dwell on it, convincing himself it's just a dream and quietly made his way to the kitchen. As he drank the glass of water, anomalous sounds creaked around the house, tickling his inner ear.
I'm certain the floorboard never creaked like that... Is that...
A series of creaks behind him made him grip his glass tighter. His stomach knotted, over and over again as he kept his gaze towards the wall.
Don't turn around.
The creaks stopped, and a low whine accompanied by soft fur against his exposed ankles made him breathe out the air he held in.
"Snowy, you gave me a fright," Tintin exclaimed, as he turned around. He managed to shush him in case he started barking. He didn't want to wake up anyone else at this time of the night. Tintin bent down as Snowy growled.
"Snowy?"
Snowy gingerly approached the door, continuing to growl and sniff the air.
As lightning filled the room, moving shadows left their casts upon the wall behind. Tintin remained ignorant as he focused entirely on Snowy. A second stronger flash of electricity filled the entire room. Snowy backed up against the door, growling viciously baring his teeth.
Without warning, a leather strap wrapped around his neck and squeezed tight, enclosing around his throat.
Snowy barked and leapt at the man threatening his master.
Tintin struggled hard against the binding, his heart racing as his fingers failed to grasp the ligature. The room filled with vicious barking and grunts as all three struggled to gain dominance over the other. The intruder yelped, and the grip disappeared. Tintin scrambled across the floor in the darkness, feeling for any object to incapacitate him.
Lights started to turn on in the house as Snowy continued to bark.
The intruder started to swing at Snowy.
As Tintin's hands wrapped around an unknown object, he pushed away the pain lingering in his neck and swung the object.
The intruder fell onto the floor in a heap.
Snowy started to sniff around, prompting Tintin to inhale and smell the air. A familiar scent caused his nostrils to tense.
Chloroform
Snowy whimpered.
Tintin turned moments before hands pushed him backwards.
He stumbled, trying to find his footing as a second intruder paced towards him. Tintin turned, hitting the floor and attempted to crawl away. As the hands grabbed him again, he swung his elbow backwards. He missed his target, caught the edge of his attacker's nose. Now on his knees, he blocked a series of punches. As fists stabbed forward, he ducked, moving quickly out of the way. Lightning lit up the room in bursts, giving him what he needed the most; the intruder. He stopped avoiding the hits and ran forward. He grabbed the intruder and threw him backwards. One sweep with his leg and his attacker lay on the floor. A quick punch knocked him out.
Tintin couldn't move. He stood there, his chest heaving, unable to stop his hands from shaking.
"TINTIN!"
He didn't realise he was running until he ended up in the hallway.
Too late.
"CHANG!"
He couldn't keep up as they pushed Chang into the back of a car, but he powered on desperate to stop them.
"CHANG!"
As they shot out of the drive and barreled down the road Tintin kept running, ignoring the stabbing sensations upon his bare feet.
No! No! Not Chang!
x
Chang struggled with his attackers until the moment they pulled him from the car. He squinted as he made sense of his surroundings. Overhead lights overwhelmed his vision as his hands were bound then his vision cleared. As he laid eyes on the plane, he started to once again fight the bonds. They pulled him up the steps of the plane without hesitation, regardless of what he wanted.
Where are they taking me? What do they want from me?
"Get your hands off me!" Chang shouted as the men pulled him into the plane. A man appeared in front of him. Moments later a hand slammed hard against his cheek. As he raised his head, his eyes widened at the sight of Hiroko Kanzaki.
This is not good...
What are they going to do to me?
Chang gasped as the sting pushed through his skin, trying his best not to show his pain as they slammed him down into the seat opposite Hiroko
"Well, this is a first," Hiroko commented as he sat down in his seat. "I never knew Mr Wang had a younger son,"
"He doesn't," Ren explained sharply. "His name is Chang Chong Chen. The Wang Family adopted him,"
"An orphan? Good to know,"
Chang shifted his gaze in a bid to ignore the statement. The words still made his eye's water.
"So what did Mr Wang tell you? We know you had access to the information,"
Chang didn't say a word. In the absence of speech, his heart thumped through his ears, overtaking the reverberations of the plane as it prepared for take-off.
"I'll loosen your tongue once we reach Osaka," Hiroko commented as he leant forward. "One way or another I'll find out what you know,"
"Surely it would be more prudent to kill him," Ren suggested quietly.
Chang's eyes darted to the pair as they conversed. At that point, he could no longer control his quick shallow breathing.
"Of course, but I have questions that need answering," Hiroko smiled, returning to glare at Chang.
"I will tell you nothing!"
Hiroko sniggered and pressed his face into Chang's
"We Shall see. You may become very useful to me in other ways,"
"I will never join you!" Chang shouted, determined not to fall victim to the men who had killed his father.
"I think you'll find I can be very persuasive,"
Chang relented as one of the men tied him to the chair and gagged him.
What am I going to do?
As he closed his eye's Tintin appeared in his vision.
Tintin... Didi .. please help me...
Chang managed a small smile as he recalled the events the last time he met Tintin. He saved him from the mountains after the plane crash. He remembered what Tintin said to him afterwards. No one believed he would still be alive after the crash, but Tintin knew... Those were his words, he knew he was alive and preserved where others did not. He never gave up. If anyone could find him, Tintin could.
Ren and Hiroko spoke at the other side, only metres away. Chang listened carefully.
"One of the Europeans .." Ren started.
"Did you identify them?"
"Not yet but the younger of the two took down two of our men. They are currently detained in Shanghai," Ren continued.
Nicely done, Tintin, Chang thought, struggling to hide his smile as they continued to talk.
"They know what to do. Identify this European. My men are trained to kill without hesitation. Anyone to survive them must be dangerous,"
Hiroko turned to face him and stormed over, yanking down the gag. Chang couldn't erase the smile on his face.
"Who is he? Who is he to you?" Hiroko growled
"Your worst Nightmare,"
This is not my best story, but I wanted to share it. I hope everyone who is reading this likes it better than I do.