Chapter Five: A lesson
It was dawn when Julie came out of the house through the back door and walked to Katsumi's cottage which was located at the back of the property near the house staffs quarters. Because it was a long walk, Julie made use of the time by doing cartwheels, rolls, somersaults, back flips and sprints in between. Finally, she stopped by the short flight of steps leading up to Katsumi's front door already feeling energized. She was about to knock when suddenly she felt a prickly feeling at the back of her neck. Sparing no second thoughts, she tumbled out of the way and just as she came up in one fluid motion, Julie got hold of a staff and blocked the opponent's attack. Through the flurry of their movements, Katsumi found an opening. She directed her staff downward and in one sweeping motion, the wooden staff made contact with Julie's ankle that sent her falling backwards to the ground. She made a stabbing motion to Julie's chest, pinning the younger girl down.
"Don't try to anticipate your opponent's move, Julie." Katsumi advised as she helps her up.
"Always move along with your opponent's strikes and begin your own counter strikes." Katsumi continued her lecture.
Julie nodded and soon the two resuming practicing again.
******
Gus abruptly looked up from where he was sitting when four strong men burst into his room followed by Eastman. Two guys held him at gunpoint while the other two grabbed him roughly by the collars.
"That was a terrible mistake last night, Gus. Very grave mistake." Eastman said in a mocking voice. With a wave of his hand, the men picked him up from his seat bringing Gus with them. Eastman gathered the papers that were on the bed and quickly stuffed them in folders then headed out of the room.
*****
Julie came into the dining room of Katsumi's cottage, bathed, refreshed and very hungry. "Yummy." Sniffing the air. "Something good is cooking." She smiled as she help in setting the plates.
"I'm cooking your favorite dish." Katsumi said as she transferred the viand into the waiting bowl. When everything was prepared, the two sat down and ate. Katsumi soon finished eating and was about to gather the plates when Julie volunteered. "It's all right. I'll do it."
"Be sure, to lock everything before you leave." Katsumi told her as she prepared to leave for her chores at the main house.
*****
Paaak! The slap resounded in the room as Eastman's hand came in contact with Gus' cheeks. A red line etched down the corner of his mouth as blood.
"Again. Who are you working?" Eastman demanded.
Gus didn't answer which prompted Eastman to punch him again.
"Just tell me who and all of these will stop." Another voice came into the interrogation room. A voice that Gus was familiar with.
Mr. Davenport let out an impatient breath. "Why were you so interested in Julie's file?" A pause. "What's your connection with Bill Hicks?" Gus asked back. He knew from his own 'research work' that Hicks was involved in an illegal baby marketing scheme. An operation handled by very shadowy characters that kidnaps babies under the noses of their respective parents or from a hospital. After which they would sell the babies for wait-listed prospective parents.
Davenport's face grew taut when he heard the name. He turned to face Eastman. " We're wasting time on him. Prepare for 'our business' tonight and silence him for a while." Davenport ordered.
Eastman nodded in understanding and went behind Gus. With one swift motion, he rammed the butt of his gun on Gus' neck which made their prisoner slumped to unconsciousness.
"Riley, checked everything for tonight. I don't want anymore surprises." Davenport ordered. The man addressed to, nodded and left the room.
"The FEDS are into this. I can smell it. I want you to go to his room and find out his partners." Davenport instructed Carter and soon the other man left the room too.
Davenport studied the unconscious form of Gus and reached in his pants pocket. "In case we don't find anything significant in your room." He said and took out a tracer. Davenport put it inside Gus shirt pocket while at the same time found a sheet of paper with an encircled word of the new warehouse meeting place – Delago Warehouse.
"You have been very busy, Gus." Davenport commented and left the room. Outside, he instructed the guard: "Give him space and set up the tag."
"Yes, Mr. D. " replied the guard and the tracer was activated.
Mr. Davenport turned to his new chauffeur. " Downtown. There's someone waiting for me there."
"Okay, Mr. Davenport. The chauffeur responded in a heavy European accent and drove away to the house.
*****
In their grandfather's cabin, the three brothers were practicing their ninja skills on various tests and drills their grandfather set up. By lunchtime, they all trudged inside, exhausted. Colt made a beeline to the refrigerator and took out a pitcher full of orange juice to quench their thirst while Tumtum and Rocky took two glasses each and set them on the dinning table. Their grandpa came into the cottage and prepared lunch with the help of the boys. As they were seated around the dining table, Colt asked. " Grandpa is it possible for anyone to see the ninja ball during the time we were mugged?" He wanted to know.
Grandpa Mori was surprised at the question. "Oh? Someone saw you throw the ball?" he mused out loud then remembering the boys' story. "Julie must have been trained in the ways of the ninja to be able to see the ball." Their grandfather answered.
"Wow, isn't that cool!" Tumtum excitedly declared. "I can't wait for mom to invite her for dinner." And continued eating his food.
"You should come too, grandpa." Rocky added. "It would be fun if you meet her too."
Grandpa nodded. "I'm looking forward to it."
"I wish we had a recent picture of Janine." Tumtum said to no one in particular.
Their grandpa looked sharply at his youngest grandson. "You know?"
"Yeah, Grandpa. Mom and Dad told us two days ago." Rocky told him. There was a lull in their conversation then Tumtum remarked.
"I'm starting to miss her." The youngest Douglas said.
"We miss her too." Colt said as he looked at everyone in the dining area. "We all do."
It was dawn when Julie came out of the house through the back door and walked to Katsumi's cottage which was located at the back of the property near the house staffs quarters. Because it was a long walk, Julie made use of the time by doing cartwheels, rolls, somersaults, back flips and sprints in between. Finally, she stopped by the short flight of steps leading up to Katsumi's front door already feeling energized. She was about to knock when suddenly she felt a prickly feeling at the back of her neck. Sparing no second thoughts, she tumbled out of the way and just as she came up in one fluid motion, Julie got hold of a staff and blocked the opponent's attack. Through the flurry of their movements, Katsumi found an opening. She directed her staff downward and in one sweeping motion, the wooden staff made contact with Julie's ankle that sent her falling backwards to the ground. She made a stabbing motion to Julie's chest, pinning the younger girl down.
"Don't try to anticipate your opponent's move, Julie." Katsumi advised as she helps her up.
"Always move along with your opponent's strikes and begin your own counter strikes." Katsumi continued her lecture.
Julie nodded and soon the two resuming practicing again.
******
Gus abruptly looked up from where he was sitting when four strong men burst into his room followed by Eastman. Two guys held him at gunpoint while the other two grabbed him roughly by the collars.
"That was a terrible mistake last night, Gus. Very grave mistake." Eastman said in a mocking voice. With a wave of his hand, the men picked him up from his seat bringing Gus with them. Eastman gathered the papers that were on the bed and quickly stuffed them in folders then headed out of the room.
*****
Julie came into the dining room of Katsumi's cottage, bathed, refreshed and very hungry. "Yummy." Sniffing the air. "Something good is cooking." She smiled as she help in setting the plates.
"I'm cooking your favorite dish." Katsumi said as she transferred the viand into the waiting bowl. When everything was prepared, the two sat down and ate. Katsumi soon finished eating and was about to gather the plates when Julie volunteered. "It's all right. I'll do it."
"Be sure, to lock everything before you leave." Katsumi told her as she prepared to leave for her chores at the main house.
*****
Paaak! The slap resounded in the room as Eastman's hand came in contact with Gus' cheeks. A red line etched down the corner of his mouth as blood.
"Again. Who are you working?" Eastman demanded.
Gus didn't answer which prompted Eastman to punch him again.
"Just tell me who and all of these will stop." Another voice came into the interrogation room. A voice that Gus was familiar with.
Mr. Davenport let out an impatient breath. "Why were you so interested in Julie's file?" A pause. "What's your connection with Bill Hicks?" Gus asked back. He knew from his own 'research work' that Hicks was involved in an illegal baby marketing scheme. An operation handled by very shadowy characters that kidnaps babies under the noses of their respective parents or from a hospital. After which they would sell the babies for wait-listed prospective parents.
Davenport's face grew taut when he heard the name. He turned to face Eastman. " We're wasting time on him. Prepare for 'our business' tonight and silence him for a while." Davenport ordered.
Eastman nodded in understanding and went behind Gus. With one swift motion, he rammed the butt of his gun on Gus' neck which made their prisoner slumped to unconsciousness.
"Riley, checked everything for tonight. I don't want anymore surprises." Davenport ordered. The man addressed to, nodded and left the room.
"The FEDS are into this. I can smell it. I want you to go to his room and find out his partners." Davenport instructed Carter and soon the other man left the room too.
Davenport studied the unconscious form of Gus and reached in his pants pocket. "In case we don't find anything significant in your room." He said and took out a tracer. Davenport put it inside Gus shirt pocket while at the same time found a sheet of paper with an encircled word of the new warehouse meeting place – Delago Warehouse.
"You have been very busy, Gus." Davenport commented and left the room. Outside, he instructed the guard: "Give him space and set up the tag."
"Yes, Mr. D. " replied the guard and the tracer was activated.
Mr. Davenport turned to his new chauffeur. " Downtown. There's someone waiting for me there."
"Okay, Mr. Davenport. The chauffeur responded in a heavy European accent and drove away to the house.
*****
In their grandfather's cabin, the three brothers were practicing their ninja skills on various tests and drills their grandfather set up. By lunchtime, they all trudged inside, exhausted. Colt made a beeline to the refrigerator and took out a pitcher full of orange juice to quench their thirst while Tumtum and Rocky took two glasses each and set them on the dinning table. Their grandpa came into the cottage and prepared lunch with the help of the boys. As they were seated around the dining table, Colt asked. " Grandpa is it possible for anyone to see the ninja ball during the time we were mugged?" He wanted to know.
Grandpa Mori was surprised at the question. "Oh? Someone saw you throw the ball?" he mused out loud then remembering the boys' story. "Julie must have been trained in the ways of the ninja to be able to see the ball." Their grandfather answered.
"Wow, isn't that cool!" Tumtum excitedly declared. "I can't wait for mom to invite her for dinner." And continued eating his food.
"You should come too, grandpa." Rocky added. "It would be fun if you meet her too."
Grandpa nodded. "I'm looking forward to it."
"I wish we had a recent picture of Janine." Tumtum said to no one in particular.
Their grandpa looked sharply at his youngest grandson. "You know?"
"Yeah, Grandpa. Mom and Dad told us two days ago." Rocky told him. There was a lull in their conversation then Tumtum remarked.
"I'm starting to miss her." The youngest Douglas said.
"We miss her too." Colt said as he looked at everyone in the dining area. "We all do."