Disclaimer: "Crash and Burn" is used without permission. 5,754 rubles is
equal to 200 US dollars (currency conversion with Yahoo! Finance)
Townhall Cafe
New York
"'Where technology and old ways intermingle...'" Ivy murmured.
"That could almost be anywhere," Zack said.
Samuel's communicator set off. "Go ahead, Chief."
"Breaking news, current and former gumshoes! We've just got news that
Cruiser was arrested in Munich, Germany for breaking into a jewelry store!"
the Chief said. "How's your case on Kassandra and Lee?"
"Let's see, Kassandra terrorizes her own cousin, steals the Millenium
Star, blocks Zack and Ivy's destination to New York, violent attack on Ivy,
and now the question is where is Lee Jordan and why is he hiding?" Carmen
said.
**********
Somewhere in Japan
Lee Jordan was restless.
'Kassandra's birthday's coming up, I have to get her something...' he
thought. 'Something that won't attract Acme...'
"Uncle Lee?" Kassandra asked, noting his nervousness. "What's wrong?"
"What? Oh, it's just Cruiser," Lee answered.
But Kassandra knew something was up and it wasn't Cruiser. 'Why won't
Uncle Lee tell me what's going on?'
**********
New York
"Rewind the tape, Samuel. Kassandra's clue is too broad. And judging
from the map--" A map opened up on the pink screen "--it sorta spreads all
over the world," Ivy said.
Samuel rewound the tape and set the volume louder. "Detectives, if my
cousin Beatrice gave you this, you will never find me. But if you wish to
pursue me and my uncle, I'll only say we'll be at a place where technology
and old ways intermingle." the tape played.
"Nope, no difference," Zack said.
"Wait a sec." Carmen took the tape player, rewound it, and played it
again, this time near her ear.
"Carmen, have you gone nuts?" Samuel asked.
"Shhh," Carmen hushed. After the tape ended Carmen set the tape
player down. "Kassandra and Lee are somewhere in the Far East. I don't know
where, though."
"How'd you figure that one out?" Ivy asked.
"If you'd listened closely the music was playing in the background,"
Carmen answered. "If we only knew where in Asia..."
Zack's communicator went off. A pink screen with a young Asian girl
appeared.
"Yoshiko! Whassup?" Zack asked.
"Acme in Tokyo just located Kassandra and Lee near the Hiroshima
Peace Memorial building! You better hurry!" Yoshiko said.
"Okay, then. Chief, get us to Hiroshima pronto!" Zack said.
"And hold the sushi and sake if you don't mind," Samuel said.
**********
Hiroshima, Japan
Kassandra and Lee looked at the Peace Monument. Neither of them said
a word.
'How does an uncle talk to a niece?' Lee thought to himself.
'How does a niece talk to an uncle?' Kassandra thought.
The thief and three detectives C-5ed several feet away from where
Kassandra and Lee were standing.
"What are they doing out here?" Carmen whispered.
"Good question. I think it's best if we split up. I'll go with
Carmen, you two stay together," Samuel said. "Who would you rather handle,
Ivy, Lee or Kassandra?
"I think I'll go handle Lee," Ivy said. "I don't want to know what's
going to happen if I take on Kassandra again. Come on, little bro."
Kassandra noticed a shadow moving towards her and Lee. "Uncle Lee, I
think we should go."
"Why?"
"I think something bad is going to happen if we don't get out of
here," Kassandra answered.
"KI-YA!" Something hit Lee so hard the impact sent him slamming to
the wall. Before Lee could react, Zack had handcuffed him.
Kassandra saw Ivy drop down from the ceiling. "Don't come any closer,
Azalea," Kassandra warned. "I'm loaded."
"Eight years of no martial arts or self-defense classes, I suppose,"
Ivy said.
Kassandra took out her knife. Zack took Lee into the C-5 while Carmen
tried to sneak up on Kassandra.
Ivy saw Carmen's shadow next to Kassandra's. Unfortunately, Kassandra
had also noticed. Being besieged by forces of all sides, Kassandra turned the
knife onto Carmen.
Before Carmen could even blink someone or something shoved her away
from Kassandra. Ivy saw Kassandra stab someone in her blind fury. Samuel and
Carmen had also witnessed the stabbing as well. Before anyone could react
Kassandra hit the C-5 and disappeared.
"Are you alright?" Carmen asked, fear creeping into her. Looking into
the stranger's eyes, it was the expression of deadness.
"Shailaigh..." Samuel said. "I'd never thought she'd be here."
"No..." Carmen said, slowly shaking her head.
"Carmen?" Ivy asked.
A cry of anguish ripped from Carmen's throat.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
**********
A park
Tokyo
Carmen looked at the stars from the bench she was sitting. 'Why?'
The C-5 sounded and Samuel stepped out. Carmen had heard it but
pretended it didn't happen.
"Sam, go away," Carmen said, rather shakily.
Samuel quietly approached Carmen. "I'm sorry."
"Sorry about what? The way Shailaigh died a short, quick, and brutal
death? The way Kassandra killed my childhood friend whom she had
impersonated? What's there to be sorry about?" Carmen asked, embittered. Her
face had the expression of a scowl. "Why did I get involved with Acme in the
first place?"
"To help put away Lee," Samuel answered.
"And in our quest someone had to be sacrificed," Carmen replied,
embittered. Samuel had noticed tears in Carmen's eyes, even on a moonless
night.
"But Shailaigh saved your life. She gave up her life to save yours,"
Samuel said.
Carmen said nothing. Samuel took a seat beside her.
"You are wracked with guilt because Shailaigh died and you survived.
You felt that you could've done something, something to prevent it from
happening," Samuel said.
"Maybe, but she had so much to look forward to. Last time we talked
she was going to find a job in Los Angeles," Carmen said. "Kassandra cut her
future short." She sighed and leaned on Samuel.
Samuel looked at Carmen. A certain phrase from a song came to him.
Let me be the one you call
If you jump, I'll break your fall
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night
If you need to fall apart
I can mend a broken heart
If you need to crash then crash and burn you're not alone.
**********
Yoshiko's home
Tokyo
"What happened after I left with Lee?" Zack asked.
Ivy sighed. "Kassandra turned her knife on Carmen's best friend," Ivy
said. "Carmen's in low spirits and Samuel's trying to help her."
Yoshiko came in and set down a tray of tea. "I pity this Kassandra
person," Yoshiko said.
"Why?" Ivy asked. "She's been nothing but trouble, and now she's
added murder to her charges."
"She grew up without a stable father figure. Lee was the only male
relative she lived with, aside from her male cousins and her uncle Richard,
but Lee was still a child. There was no way he could've made a good impact on
Kassandra," Yoshiko said, offering a cup to Ivy.
"She's got a point, sis," Zack said.
Ivy stood up. "I think we should go back to San Fran. Thanks for the
tea, Yoshiko."
"I think it's better if you stay here. Kassandra could still hang
around to break Lee out," Yoshiko said. "There are a couple guest rooms for
the two of you to stay. Zack, my older brother has some old clothes you can
use. I'll have something for Ivy."
Ivy, now dressed in an oversized T-shirt and shorts, was listening to
Yoshiko's CD.
"When you feel all alone, and the world has turned its back on you,
give me a moment please to tame your wild, wild heart..." the CD played.
'It's just like this case,' Ivy realized.
"Let me be the one you call, if you jump, I'll break your fall, lift
you up and fly away with you into the night..." the CD continued.
'Don't place the guilt on yourself, detective. You're not creating
all this havoc. The blame lies in Kassandra and Lee Jordan, not you.'
Carmen's voice echoed.
For a second Ivy had nearly believed that thought until now. Now it
was Carmen's turn to suffer guilt for having survived through her friend's
tragedy.
********
Yoshiko's home
October 16, 2000
Ivy, Yoshiko, and Zack were having breakfast when Samuel C-5ed in.
"How's Carmen doing?" Yoshiko asked.
"Not good. She's depressed over the loss of Shailaigh," Samuel
answered. "I was at Acme a few hours ago. Word's leaked out Lee committed a
jailbreak with Kassandra's help. Due to Shailaigh's history she has no
living family relatives to bury her. Carmen will decide Shailaigh's final
resting place once this case is over."
"What did he say?" Zack asked.
"He wants to bury Shailaigh in San Francisco after this case is over.
For now her body is going to stay at the local mortuary," Samuel said.
"Where's Carmen?" Ivy asked.
"Back home in Paris."
**********
St. Petersburg
Lee looked at several English Mastiff/pitbull mixes.
"Yo, Vlad, what's this one called?" Lee asked.
"That one? His name's Jimmy," Vlad answered in his Russian accent.
"What about the other one?"
"Her name's Eira."
"How much do the two cost?"
"Quite a pretty penny to quote you Americans, but if you truly
want them as a birthday gift to send to your niece it'll be 5,754 rubles,"
Vlad answered.
"1000," Lee said.
"4000," Vlad insisted.
"2500 rubles," Lee replied.
"Done deal," Vlad answered. Lee handed over the money, and Vlad put
the two dogs' cages on a stolen armored truck.
"You're sure these dogs were bred for fighting?" Lee asked.
"Of course I'm sure! I'm a shrewd businessman. I wouldn't lie to
you." Vlad insisted.
"Okay, then. Kassandra will love them." Lee grinned to himself.
equal to 200 US dollars (currency conversion with Yahoo! Finance)
Townhall Cafe
New York
"'Where technology and old ways intermingle...'" Ivy murmured.
"That could almost be anywhere," Zack said.
Samuel's communicator set off. "Go ahead, Chief."
"Breaking news, current and former gumshoes! We've just got news that
Cruiser was arrested in Munich, Germany for breaking into a jewelry store!"
the Chief said. "How's your case on Kassandra and Lee?"
"Let's see, Kassandra terrorizes her own cousin, steals the Millenium
Star, blocks Zack and Ivy's destination to New York, violent attack on Ivy,
and now the question is where is Lee Jordan and why is he hiding?" Carmen
said.
**********
Somewhere in Japan
Lee Jordan was restless.
'Kassandra's birthday's coming up, I have to get her something...' he
thought. 'Something that won't attract Acme...'
"Uncle Lee?" Kassandra asked, noting his nervousness. "What's wrong?"
"What? Oh, it's just Cruiser," Lee answered.
But Kassandra knew something was up and it wasn't Cruiser. 'Why won't
Uncle Lee tell me what's going on?'
**********
New York
"Rewind the tape, Samuel. Kassandra's clue is too broad. And judging
from the map--" A map opened up on the pink screen "--it sorta spreads all
over the world," Ivy said.
Samuel rewound the tape and set the volume louder. "Detectives, if my
cousin Beatrice gave you this, you will never find me. But if you wish to
pursue me and my uncle, I'll only say we'll be at a place where technology
and old ways intermingle." the tape played.
"Nope, no difference," Zack said.
"Wait a sec." Carmen took the tape player, rewound it, and played it
again, this time near her ear.
"Carmen, have you gone nuts?" Samuel asked.
"Shhh," Carmen hushed. After the tape ended Carmen set the tape
player down. "Kassandra and Lee are somewhere in the Far East. I don't know
where, though."
"How'd you figure that one out?" Ivy asked.
"If you'd listened closely the music was playing in the background,"
Carmen answered. "If we only knew where in Asia..."
Zack's communicator went off. A pink screen with a young Asian girl
appeared.
"Yoshiko! Whassup?" Zack asked.
"Acme in Tokyo just located Kassandra and Lee near the Hiroshima
Peace Memorial building! You better hurry!" Yoshiko said.
"Okay, then. Chief, get us to Hiroshima pronto!" Zack said.
"And hold the sushi and sake if you don't mind," Samuel said.
**********
Hiroshima, Japan
Kassandra and Lee looked at the Peace Monument. Neither of them said
a word.
'How does an uncle talk to a niece?' Lee thought to himself.
'How does a niece talk to an uncle?' Kassandra thought.
The thief and three detectives C-5ed several feet away from where
Kassandra and Lee were standing.
"What are they doing out here?" Carmen whispered.
"Good question. I think it's best if we split up. I'll go with
Carmen, you two stay together," Samuel said. "Who would you rather handle,
Ivy, Lee or Kassandra?
"I think I'll go handle Lee," Ivy said. "I don't want to know what's
going to happen if I take on Kassandra again. Come on, little bro."
Kassandra noticed a shadow moving towards her and Lee. "Uncle Lee, I
think we should go."
"Why?"
"I think something bad is going to happen if we don't get out of
here," Kassandra answered.
"KI-YA!" Something hit Lee so hard the impact sent him slamming to
the wall. Before Lee could react, Zack had handcuffed him.
Kassandra saw Ivy drop down from the ceiling. "Don't come any closer,
Azalea," Kassandra warned. "I'm loaded."
"Eight years of no martial arts or self-defense classes, I suppose,"
Ivy said.
Kassandra took out her knife. Zack took Lee into the C-5 while Carmen
tried to sneak up on Kassandra.
Ivy saw Carmen's shadow next to Kassandra's. Unfortunately, Kassandra
had also noticed. Being besieged by forces of all sides, Kassandra turned the
knife onto Carmen.
Before Carmen could even blink someone or something shoved her away
from Kassandra. Ivy saw Kassandra stab someone in her blind fury. Samuel and
Carmen had also witnessed the stabbing as well. Before anyone could react
Kassandra hit the C-5 and disappeared.
"Are you alright?" Carmen asked, fear creeping into her. Looking into
the stranger's eyes, it was the expression of deadness.
"Shailaigh..." Samuel said. "I'd never thought she'd be here."
"No..." Carmen said, slowly shaking her head.
"Carmen?" Ivy asked.
A cry of anguish ripped from Carmen's throat.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
**********
A park
Tokyo
Carmen looked at the stars from the bench she was sitting. 'Why?'
The C-5 sounded and Samuel stepped out. Carmen had heard it but
pretended it didn't happen.
"Sam, go away," Carmen said, rather shakily.
Samuel quietly approached Carmen. "I'm sorry."
"Sorry about what? The way Shailaigh died a short, quick, and brutal
death? The way Kassandra killed my childhood friend whom she had
impersonated? What's there to be sorry about?" Carmen asked, embittered. Her
face had the expression of a scowl. "Why did I get involved with Acme in the
first place?"
"To help put away Lee," Samuel answered.
"And in our quest someone had to be sacrificed," Carmen replied,
embittered. Samuel had noticed tears in Carmen's eyes, even on a moonless
night.
"But Shailaigh saved your life. She gave up her life to save yours,"
Samuel said.
Carmen said nothing. Samuel took a seat beside her.
"You are wracked with guilt because Shailaigh died and you survived.
You felt that you could've done something, something to prevent it from
happening," Samuel said.
"Maybe, but she had so much to look forward to. Last time we talked
she was going to find a job in Los Angeles," Carmen said. "Kassandra cut her
future short." She sighed and leaned on Samuel.
Samuel looked at Carmen. A certain phrase from a song came to him.
Let me be the one you call
If you jump, I'll break your fall
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night
If you need to fall apart
I can mend a broken heart
If you need to crash then crash and burn you're not alone.
**********
Yoshiko's home
Tokyo
"What happened after I left with Lee?" Zack asked.
Ivy sighed. "Kassandra turned her knife on Carmen's best friend," Ivy
said. "Carmen's in low spirits and Samuel's trying to help her."
Yoshiko came in and set down a tray of tea. "I pity this Kassandra
person," Yoshiko said.
"Why?" Ivy asked. "She's been nothing but trouble, and now she's
added murder to her charges."
"She grew up without a stable father figure. Lee was the only male
relative she lived with, aside from her male cousins and her uncle Richard,
but Lee was still a child. There was no way he could've made a good impact on
Kassandra," Yoshiko said, offering a cup to Ivy.
"She's got a point, sis," Zack said.
Ivy stood up. "I think we should go back to San Fran. Thanks for the
tea, Yoshiko."
"I think it's better if you stay here. Kassandra could still hang
around to break Lee out," Yoshiko said. "There are a couple guest rooms for
the two of you to stay. Zack, my older brother has some old clothes you can
use. I'll have something for Ivy."
Ivy, now dressed in an oversized T-shirt and shorts, was listening to
Yoshiko's CD.
"When you feel all alone, and the world has turned its back on you,
give me a moment please to tame your wild, wild heart..." the CD played.
'It's just like this case,' Ivy realized.
"Let me be the one you call, if you jump, I'll break your fall, lift
you up and fly away with you into the night..." the CD continued.
'Don't place the guilt on yourself, detective. You're not creating
all this havoc. The blame lies in Kassandra and Lee Jordan, not you.'
Carmen's voice echoed.
For a second Ivy had nearly believed that thought until now. Now it
was Carmen's turn to suffer guilt for having survived through her friend's
tragedy.
********
Yoshiko's home
October 16, 2000
Ivy, Yoshiko, and Zack were having breakfast when Samuel C-5ed in.
"How's Carmen doing?" Yoshiko asked.
"Not good. She's depressed over the loss of Shailaigh," Samuel
answered. "I was at Acme a few hours ago. Word's leaked out Lee committed a
jailbreak with Kassandra's help. Due to Shailaigh's history she has no
living family relatives to bury her. Carmen will decide Shailaigh's final
resting place once this case is over."
"What did he say?" Zack asked.
"He wants to bury Shailaigh in San Francisco after this case is over.
For now her body is going to stay at the local mortuary," Samuel said.
"Where's Carmen?" Ivy asked.
"Back home in Paris."
**********
St. Petersburg
Lee looked at several English Mastiff/pitbull mixes.
"Yo, Vlad, what's this one called?" Lee asked.
"That one? His name's Jimmy," Vlad answered in his Russian accent.
"What about the other one?"
"Her name's Eira."
"How much do the two cost?"
"Quite a pretty penny to quote you Americans, but if you truly
want them as a birthday gift to send to your niece it'll be 5,754 rubles,"
Vlad answered.
"1000," Lee said.
"4000," Vlad insisted.
"2500 rubles," Lee replied.
"Done deal," Vlad answered. Lee handed over the money, and Vlad put
the two dogs' cages on a stolen armored truck.
"You're sure these dogs were bred for fighting?" Lee asked.
"Of course I'm sure! I'm a shrewd businessman. I wouldn't lie to
you." Vlad insisted.
"Okay, then. Kassandra will love them." Lee grinned to himself.