3:30pm
PHILADELPHIA
TOMMY'S HOUSE
Tommy Tammasimo was in his room, watching television. Then, he heard his front door open. He ran to the living room to see who it was.
It was a short, fat man who wore glasses. "Oh, you're home, son? How was school?"
Tommy smiled. "Great, I might be starring in the school play soon. Oh, Mr. Cunningham told me to tell you something."
Derek put his briefcase on the table and sat in the chair. He said sarcastically, "Yes? What did Mr. Perfect have to say this time?"
"Well, he's been acting strange. But he said something like..'discard kindness and righteousness and the love for family'-"
His father interrupted, "-'will be restored. Discard formal wisdom and knowledge and the happiness of the people will increase a hundred times'. Is *that* what he said?"
Tommy was surprised. "Yes..he said exactly that."
"Hmm, that is strange. Only one man said that. Stanley never met him, so how could he say this?"
"Who was the man?"
"Tan."
"Ohh...well, he said that Tan's men are coming over today to speak to you. Jack Wong. They might be here between four and five o'clock."
"Oh, really? I remember Jack."
"I think I do, too. Was he that Oriental guy with the pony-tail?"
"Yes. Good memory, son."
"Do you have a picture of Tan?"
"As a matter of fact, I do." He got up and walked to the closet.
He grabbed a frame from the top shelf and handed it to his son.
Tommy looked at it. It was the same one Xia had. "Wait a minute. Stanley dresses like this now. The clothes, the glasses..the pose. Very weird. I think I saw him here once."
"You did. Two years ago, they both came here to talk business.."
*********
------------------1994---------------------
PHILADELPHIA
TOMMY'S HOUSE
Seven-year-old Tommy walked through the hallway. He saw his father
talking to two men. One wore grey and had a pony-tail. The other wore
sunglasses.
Derek noticed Tommy. "Oh hi, son." He said to the men, "This is my boy, Tommy. He's going to be an actor someday. Aren't you?"
Tommy laughed. "Yes! I can't wait. Are these guys from your work?"
Derek said, "No, they own a computer corporation in Chinatown. World- Wide Computers. This man wearing the glasses is Tan. He owns it. The other man is his associate, Jack Wong."
The man with the sunglasses said, "We're partners. We've come to tell your father that we're leaving for a while."
Tommy replied, "Oh. Business?"
Tan replied, "No..personal. We're going to Chinatown."
"Okay. Well, I'll go back to my room." Tommy walked away, into the hallway. When he saw that they weren't looking at him, he hid behind the wall. These men looked rich..Tommy liked hearing about rich people.
Back in the dining room, Derek asked, "So, how personal is this? What's in Chinatown?"
Tan answered, "I'm going to settle a debt with an old enemy."
Derek asked, "Who is it? A former partner of your company?"
"He's a priest. Kwai Chang Caine. He *must* be confronted. Derek, I understand you work with computers?"
Derek replied, "Yes. My company deals with disk drives, Internet servers, surveillance pictures..downloads, that sort of thing."
Tan smiled. "Good. Then perhaps I can use your services. I'm going to meet Caine in a vacant building. It's got state-of-the-art security cameras. I will arrange for the tapes to come to you."
Derek asked, "What should I do with them?"
"Download them all to cd-roms. I need them for...shall we say, posterity? This feud with Caine has gone on long enough, I intend to close this chapter on my life. This will be a turning point for me, so I wish to remember every moment."
"Oh, I see. You can always view the tapes for your enjoyment, whenever you feel depressed. It'll be uplifting, yes?"
"Yes. After he is destroyed, I can proceed with my original plan."
"Your plan?"
"Complete control of this country. Once I'm finished dealing with the Shaolin, I'll come back for them. If you do this, you will be paid $100,000. Half today, half when you're done. Is that *understood*?!"
"Y-yes, Mr. Tan. I'll do it. But I'm curious about something."
"Yes?"
"What's so bad about Caine? Did he hurt you?"
Tan took off his glasses, revealing the burn mark near his right eye. "Yes! Fifteen years ago, I was supposed to be head teacher at a..school of sorts. Caine interfered and threw me out. I returned and he fought me, causing me to be scarred. He will PAY for it!"
Derek reached up for Tan's hand and shook it. "Oh..okay. Good luck, sir."
Tan shook the man's hand and stepped back. "Thank you. But I doubt I'll need luck. I will find Kwai Chang Caine. He will suffer for opposing me. He is NOTHING. Good day, Mr. Tammosimo. See you when I get back. Let's go, Jack." He and Mr. Wong left out the door...
**********
----------Present--------------
PHILADELPHIA
TOMMY'S HOUSE
Tommy said to Derek, "Uh, Dad? Why didn't he return?"
Derek answered, "He died. I heard from the news that he died in a fight with Caine."
"A fight? How?"
"I don't know. The police said that it was an accident. He fell on one of his weapons, a short sword."
"A sword? You mean, they used weapons..what kind?"
"I'm not sure, but they said there were four of them, and they were Asian-looking. You know, the kind you see advertised in those karate magazines?"
"Oh, right. So he never made it back to Pittsburgh."
"True. So, I never got the rest of that money. However, I did manage to do the job that he asked of me."
"You copied the films to disk form?"
"What? How did you..?"
"I overheard your conversation."
"You were..eavesdropping? Oh. Don't worry, I'm not mad. Anyway, he's already dead and gone. But you took a serious risk."
"Why?"
"These were very dangerous people. Mr. Wong is coming today..so if I were you, I wouldn't let on that you know about the disks I copied."
"Where are they?"
"In my safe. Strange, but I've never watched them."
"Why not? It sounds to me like it would be a cool action scene."
"That's why Tan wanted me to make them, I guess. To relive the moment. But I suppose I never had the time to watch them. I got busy with work, redoing the back porch, putting you in that academy..it just wasn't very high on my list. Anyway, Tan's dead. It doesn't change anything if I view it. He didn't have a chance to come back for them."
"Oh. Alright. Well, I'm going to my room now."
"Sure. Your mother should be home soon to cook dinner."
*************
3:45pm
DARREN'S HOUSE
Mrs. Winthrop was in the kitchen, putting a chicken in the oven. Her son was in the next room. Suddenly,the phone on the kitchen wall rang. She picked it up. "Hello. This is the Winthrop residence."
A man said on the other end, "Hi, Cassie. How are you?"
She immediately recognized the voice. "Hello, Master Damon. What do you want?"
"I'm here. In Philadelphia, at the park. I've followed my brother here."
"Who's your brother?"
"Kwai Chang..*Caine*. A Shambhala Master."
She smirked. "Oh, yes. Your Shaolin priest. What do you want me to do?"
"Just watch for him. I believe your son goes to St. Anthony's, doesn't he?"
"Yes."
"How's he doing?"
"Oh, he's getting good grades. I started him on his training, I had him practice hitting bean-bags with his fingers. Also, he just had a birthday party."
"Good. Tell him I congratulate him. How did it go?"
"Great. So..anything else?"
"Yes, Darren goes to school with a boy named Cole Sear. Do you know of him?"
That question took her by surprise. "Cole?"
"Yes."
"Yeah, we know him. What do you want to know about him?"
"How does he go to school? Does his mother drive him?"
"No. He usually walks with Tommy Tammasimo..through Rosewood Park.
Just those two."
"Great. Thanks, that's all I wanted to know." He hung up.
Mrs. Winthrop heard the 'click'. She put the receiver up.
Darren ran into the room. "Mommy, is dinner ready soon?"
She smiled. "In a bit, son. Just go play while I finish up. Oh-did you do your claw exercises today?"
He laughed, "Sure, the Tiger Palms? What's it for, anyway?"
"One day, you'll be a great fighter."
"Cool! Who were you talking to on the phone?"
"Oh, that was Damon. He's here in this city."
"Damon? I don't think I know him."
"You don't..but you will. I think you'll like him. He says you remind him of himself when he was your age. He says you have potential in our..'club'."
"You mean, Sing Wah?"
She put a finger on his lips. "Shhh. Yes, that's right. The Tiger. But it's supposed to be a secret to outsiders, okay? They mustn't be told of Sing Wah. *NO* one, except other members and recruits, must know who we really are. *What* we really are."
"Sure. So, just fellow members?"
"Right."
"Okay. I got it, Mom." He then ran into his bedroom.
PHILADELPHIA
TOMMY'S HOUSE
Tommy Tammasimo was in his room, watching television. Then, he heard his front door open. He ran to the living room to see who it was.
It was a short, fat man who wore glasses. "Oh, you're home, son? How was school?"
Tommy smiled. "Great, I might be starring in the school play soon. Oh, Mr. Cunningham told me to tell you something."
Derek put his briefcase on the table and sat in the chair. He said sarcastically, "Yes? What did Mr. Perfect have to say this time?"
"Well, he's been acting strange. But he said something like..'discard kindness and righteousness and the love for family'-"
His father interrupted, "-'will be restored. Discard formal wisdom and knowledge and the happiness of the people will increase a hundred times'. Is *that* what he said?"
Tommy was surprised. "Yes..he said exactly that."
"Hmm, that is strange. Only one man said that. Stanley never met him, so how could he say this?"
"Who was the man?"
"Tan."
"Ohh...well, he said that Tan's men are coming over today to speak to you. Jack Wong. They might be here between four and five o'clock."
"Oh, really? I remember Jack."
"I think I do, too. Was he that Oriental guy with the pony-tail?"
"Yes. Good memory, son."
"Do you have a picture of Tan?"
"As a matter of fact, I do." He got up and walked to the closet.
He grabbed a frame from the top shelf and handed it to his son.
Tommy looked at it. It was the same one Xia had. "Wait a minute. Stanley dresses like this now. The clothes, the glasses..the pose. Very weird. I think I saw him here once."
"You did. Two years ago, they both came here to talk business.."
*********
------------------1994---------------------
PHILADELPHIA
TOMMY'S HOUSE
Seven-year-old Tommy walked through the hallway. He saw his father
talking to two men. One wore grey and had a pony-tail. The other wore
sunglasses.
Derek noticed Tommy. "Oh hi, son." He said to the men, "This is my boy, Tommy. He's going to be an actor someday. Aren't you?"
Tommy laughed. "Yes! I can't wait. Are these guys from your work?"
Derek said, "No, they own a computer corporation in Chinatown. World- Wide Computers. This man wearing the glasses is Tan. He owns it. The other man is his associate, Jack Wong."
The man with the sunglasses said, "We're partners. We've come to tell your father that we're leaving for a while."
Tommy replied, "Oh. Business?"
Tan replied, "No..personal. We're going to Chinatown."
"Okay. Well, I'll go back to my room." Tommy walked away, into the hallway. When he saw that they weren't looking at him, he hid behind the wall. These men looked rich..Tommy liked hearing about rich people.
Back in the dining room, Derek asked, "So, how personal is this? What's in Chinatown?"
Tan answered, "I'm going to settle a debt with an old enemy."
Derek asked, "Who is it? A former partner of your company?"
"He's a priest. Kwai Chang Caine. He *must* be confronted. Derek, I understand you work with computers?"
Derek replied, "Yes. My company deals with disk drives, Internet servers, surveillance pictures..downloads, that sort of thing."
Tan smiled. "Good. Then perhaps I can use your services. I'm going to meet Caine in a vacant building. It's got state-of-the-art security cameras. I will arrange for the tapes to come to you."
Derek asked, "What should I do with them?"
"Download them all to cd-roms. I need them for...shall we say, posterity? This feud with Caine has gone on long enough, I intend to close this chapter on my life. This will be a turning point for me, so I wish to remember every moment."
"Oh, I see. You can always view the tapes for your enjoyment, whenever you feel depressed. It'll be uplifting, yes?"
"Yes. After he is destroyed, I can proceed with my original plan."
"Your plan?"
"Complete control of this country. Once I'm finished dealing with the Shaolin, I'll come back for them. If you do this, you will be paid $100,000. Half today, half when you're done. Is that *understood*?!"
"Y-yes, Mr. Tan. I'll do it. But I'm curious about something."
"Yes?"
"What's so bad about Caine? Did he hurt you?"
Tan took off his glasses, revealing the burn mark near his right eye. "Yes! Fifteen years ago, I was supposed to be head teacher at a..school of sorts. Caine interfered and threw me out. I returned and he fought me, causing me to be scarred. He will PAY for it!"
Derek reached up for Tan's hand and shook it. "Oh..okay. Good luck, sir."
Tan shook the man's hand and stepped back. "Thank you. But I doubt I'll need luck. I will find Kwai Chang Caine. He will suffer for opposing me. He is NOTHING. Good day, Mr. Tammosimo. See you when I get back. Let's go, Jack." He and Mr. Wong left out the door...
**********
----------Present--------------
PHILADELPHIA
TOMMY'S HOUSE
Tommy said to Derek, "Uh, Dad? Why didn't he return?"
Derek answered, "He died. I heard from the news that he died in a fight with Caine."
"A fight? How?"
"I don't know. The police said that it was an accident. He fell on one of his weapons, a short sword."
"A sword? You mean, they used weapons..what kind?"
"I'm not sure, but they said there were four of them, and they were Asian-looking. You know, the kind you see advertised in those karate magazines?"
"Oh, right. So he never made it back to Pittsburgh."
"True. So, I never got the rest of that money. However, I did manage to do the job that he asked of me."
"You copied the films to disk form?"
"What? How did you..?"
"I overheard your conversation."
"You were..eavesdropping? Oh. Don't worry, I'm not mad. Anyway, he's already dead and gone. But you took a serious risk."
"Why?"
"These were very dangerous people. Mr. Wong is coming today..so if I were you, I wouldn't let on that you know about the disks I copied."
"Where are they?"
"In my safe. Strange, but I've never watched them."
"Why not? It sounds to me like it would be a cool action scene."
"That's why Tan wanted me to make them, I guess. To relive the moment. But I suppose I never had the time to watch them. I got busy with work, redoing the back porch, putting you in that academy..it just wasn't very high on my list. Anyway, Tan's dead. It doesn't change anything if I view it. He didn't have a chance to come back for them."
"Oh. Alright. Well, I'm going to my room now."
"Sure. Your mother should be home soon to cook dinner."
*************
3:45pm
DARREN'S HOUSE
Mrs. Winthrop was in the kitchen, putting a chicken in the oven. Her son was in the next room. Suddenly,the phone on the kitchen wall rang. She picked it up. "Hello. This is the Winthrop residence."
A man said on the other end, "Hi, Cassie. How are you?"
She immediately recognized the voice. "Hello, Master Damon. What do you want?"
"I'm here. In Philadelphia, at the park. I've followed my brother here."
"Who's your brother?"
"Kwai Chang..*Caine*. A Shambhala Master."
She smirked. "Oh, yes. Your Shaolin priest. What do you want me to do?"
"Just watch for him. I believe your son goes to St. Anthony's, doesn't he?"
"Yes."
"How's he doing?"
"Oh, he's getting good grades. I started him on his training, I had him practice hitting bean-bags with his fingers. Also, he just had a birthday party."
"Good. Tell him I congratulate him. How did it go?"
"Great. So..anything else?"
"Yes, Darren goes to school with a boy named Cole Sear. Do you know of him?"
That question took her by surprise. "Cole?"
"Yes."
"Yeah, we know him. What do you want to know about him?"
"How does he go to school? Does his mother drive him?"
"No. He usually walks with Tommy Tammasimo..through Rosewood Park.
Just those two."
"Great. Thanks, that's all I wanted to know." He hung up.
Mrs. Winthrop heard the 'click'. She put the receiver up.
Darren ran into the room. "Mommy, is dinner ready soon?"
She smiled. "In a bit, son. Just go play while I finish up. Oh-did you do your claw exercises today?"
He laughed, "Sure, the Tiger Palms? What's it for, anyway?"
"One day, you'll be a great fighter."
"Cool! Who were you talking to on the phone?"
"Oh, that was Damon. He's here in this city."
"Damon? I don't think I know him."
"You don't..but you will. I think you'll like him. He says you remind him of himself when he was your age. He says you have potential in our..'club'."
"You mean, Sing Wah?"
She put a finger on his lips. "Shhh. Yes, that's right. The Tiger. But it's supposed to be a secret to outsiders, okay? They mustn't be told of Sing Wah. *NO* one, except other members and recruits, must know who we really are. *What* we really are."
"Sure. So, just fellow members?"
"Right."
"Okay. I got it, Mom." He then ran into his bedroom.