Over dinner, Reid and Kato went over the plans of the devices Kato had thought up. Reid looked over the blueprints, not for the first time amazed at Kato's technical knowledge and abilities.
"I hope making weapons isn't the only thing you got out of your engineering studies," Reid quipped.
Kato laughed. "Of course not. But coming up with stuff like this was the only thing that made sitting through some of the more boring lectures bearable."
"You can really make all this?"
"The retractable sonic cane and the gas gun, easily. You might need those to even the odds if you're going up against armed thugs. The car will be a little tricky. I figure I'd take an already existing car and make some modifications to it: bulletproof frame and glass, auto-sealing tires, a built-in police scanner, and some defensive options."
"Nothing lethal, though. We're not out to kill anyone."
"Of course not. But they'll still be pretty tough. Low-impact rocket launchers, a built-in scanner, neat stuff like that."
"In the garage, we'll need to install a special hiding place for the car. I'm thinking maybe a hollowed out area under the garage. We'll keep my car and the Black Beauty on opposite sides of a platform. A push of the button and the platform flips over, bringing up the car. Also, we'll need a secret passage for the car to drive through when it's time to hit the streets. Any way you could come up with something like that?"
"Not a problem. As for building it, I know some college buddies of mine who could use some work and who know how to keep a secret."
"All right. It looks like we have everything covered. Now there's just one last thing we need. A name. If I'm going to around stinging criminals in action, I need to create a persona that will ring through the Underworld," Reid smiled as his tone became very melodramatic, "and strike terror into their hearts!"
Kato chuckled. "Well, if you're going to go around town stinging crooks and racketeers, why not call yourself The Bee or The Hornet?"
Reid considered the idea, smiling slowly. "The Hornet. Hmmm...that might be a good one. But it's not enough. It needs more."
Kato thought about it. "The Harrowing Hornet?" he said sarcastically.
Reid rolled his eyes, the sarcasm having not gone unnoticed. "Oh, yeah, sure, that'll have The Underworld on their knees...in laughing hysterics."
"How about The Black Hornet?"
"Too cliché."
"The Red Hornet?"
Reid winced. "Too flashy."
"What about The Green Hornet? Those are the most dangerous kinds."
Reid paused. "The Green Hornet...I like the sound of that."
***
Over the next few weeks, Reid and Kato assembled their equipment. Kato had already completed the sonic cane, which he dubbed "The Hornet Sting." The gas gun was also completed and ready to go. Kato had also found an abandoned black 1966 Chrysler Imperial, and was working on the modifications. He had nicknamed the car "The Black Beauty."
When they weren't building their arsenal, Kato was instructing Reid in martial arts. In Hong Kong, Kato had studied huang gar, a traditional Chinese fighting style that originated in the Shaolin Temple. Even after leaving Hong Kong, Kato had kept up his training to the point that he was now a very formidable fighter.
Meanwhile, Reid still couldn't believe he was really going to do this. He was impatiently waiting for the day he could go into action as The Green Hornet, especially after Axford and Scanlon had informed him that Gregory Masterson was still up to his old tricks, and was rumored to be involved in a big job soon.
One day, Reid after Reid returned home from work, the house was completely quiet. Kato was nowhere to be found. Reid checked on the garage, wondering if maybe he was still tinkering around with the car...and stood dumbfounded.
Kato was polishing up the gleaming Black Beauty, finally completed. On a nearby table was the Hornet Sting and the gas gun. Several darts lay next to them, designed to look like hornets. And in the center was a dark green plastic eye mask with an emblem of a hornet in the center. A black mask of similar design lay next to it, but with no emblem.
"So, what do you think?"
Reid stood there speechless. There wasn't much he could think of to say. He picked up the mask that was obviously meant for him and solemnly put it on. It was a little uncomfortable, but it made him feel like a different person; stronger, darker, tougher. He looked at a nearby mirror and smiled at what he saw. The mask covered most of his features, and made him look rather sinister.
He nodded in approval. "I guess this is it. We're ready to go into action."
Kato activated a secret compartment, revealing a closet. On one hangar was a black suit, dark green overcoat and fedora, and a black necktie. On the other hangar was a black chauffeur's uniform and cap.
The two suited up, and entered The Black Beauty. Kato took the driver's seat, and Reid took the back. He tested his equipment to make sure it was working. When it all checked out okay, he took a deep breath, as he prepared to begin his new crusade.
"Let's roll, Kato."
***
The Black Beauty sped through the secret passageway, through the wall of a deserted alley, and onto the streets of Detroit, moving swiftly and silently, like a dark shadow of the night.
"Where to, boss?" Kato asked.
"The Morningstar Shipping Company on 57th Avenue. Masterson supposedly uses the place as a front for his criminal activities. I'd like to take a look around and see what we can come up with."
Kato pulled The Black Beauty into a nearby alley. After picking the lock, the two men quietly snuck in through the main door. The night watchman was lightly dozing in his chair, but woke up suddenly as the door closed behind them. But before he had a chance to react, The Green Hornet had whipped out his gas gun and fired it at the watchman. He slumped in his chair, unconscious.
"How long does the gas last?" The Hornet asked Kato.
"About an hour. He won't give us any trouble."
"Good. But we're going to have to be careful. There's no telling what kind of security this place has."
"So whose office are we looking for?"
"The office of Peter Talbot, one of Masterson's employees and one of the owners of Morningstar. Axford says that he and Masterson may be connected."
"Is he legit?"
"I don't think anything is completely legit where Masterson is concerned." Checking the wall directory, he searched for the offices of Morningstar Shipping. "Talbot's office is on the twenty-fourth floor, Room 2409."
They took the elevator to the twenty-fourth floor. In the dim light, the entire corridor looked deserted. "I expected tighter security," Kato said.
"Maybe Masterson doesn't want to raise attention by having too many of his thugs around."
They finally found Room 2409, and Kato silently picked the lock. In the dim light of the room, Peter Talbot was working on a ledger, so engrossed in his work that he didn't hear The Hornet come in.
"Good evening, Mr. Talbot," The Hornet said.
Talbot bolted upright as if he had received an electric shock. "Who in blazes are you?" he cried.
"I call myself The Green Hornet."
"The Green Hornet? What kind of..."
"Enough about me. You work for Gregory Masterson, correct?"
Talbot mildly recovered his composure. "Yes. I handle some of his business affairs through Morningstar Shipping."
"And what may those business affairs be?"
"Look, what's this all about..." Talbot said, but his voice trailed off as The Hornet drew his gas gun.
"Just answer the question, Mr. Talbot."
"All right, all right. I do the bookkeeping Morningstar Shipping. I keep track of all his transactions and make sure all accounts are paid."
"I'd like to have a look at those transactions, if you don't mind."
Talbot nodded. "Sure, okay, no problem. They're right in this drawer."
Talbot reached inside and whipped out a pistol. Quickly Kato threw a dart, striking Talbot in the wrist. As Talbot dropped the gun, it accidentally went off. The shot went wide, hitting nothing, but the noise would bring the security guards, or maybe the police. The Hornet gave Talbot a dose of gas and began rummaging through the paperwork, but could find nothing.
A burly security guard burst into the office with a dawn gun. "Freeze!" he cried. Kato, who was right by the doorway, kicked the gun out of his hands. The guard tried to throw a punch, but Kato blocked, pinning the guard's arm with his left arm, and lashed out with a jab to the guard's stomach, and then to the jaw. The guard slowly slumped to the floor.
"Nothing useful here," The Hornet said grimly. "Let's get out of here! If more guards are on the way, the fire escape's our only chance!"
They ran to the window, but it was bolted shut. The Hornet removed The Hornet Sting from his coat pocket, opened it up to its full length, and aimed it at the window. There was a sharp, high-pitched whine as the sonic waves shattered the bolt. They quickly scrambled down the fire escape, hearing commotion from pursuing guards. A few scattered shots were fired, but none of them hit their mark.
"I can't believe they're not heading downstairs to head us off," Kato said.
"What, you actually want them to?"
"No, but they're pretty lousy guards if they just let us get away."
"They're thugs who put themselves above all else. They probably think we're not worth the trouble. Or like I said before, maybe they don't want to risk bringing the cops in on this."
They finally reached The Black Beauty and sped away into the darkness. They were safe. But they weren't happy. They had been lucky to escape without a scratch and they both knew it. To make things worse, it had all been for nothing. They had absolutely nothing to work with.
Kato sighed. "What now, boss?"
The Hornet sighed. "Head home, Kato. Nothing more we can do tonight."
***
The next day, the headline of the Daily Sentinel's morning edition read:
NEW CRIMINAL MENACE ON THE STREETS?
MYSTERIOUS "GREEN HORNET" RAIDS BUSINESS OFFICE
By Michael Axford, Crime Reporter
Last night, at around 11:45 PM, the office of Morningstar Shipping was raided by a masked figure calling himself "The Green Hornet." Assaulting several guards and an office worker during his raid, The Green Hornet and a masked accomplice rummaged through Morningstar's documents and files, but the object of his search was unknown. Peter Talbot, a bookkeeper who was working in the office during the raid, claimed that before he was rendered unconscious, The Hornet had demanded that Talbot turn over Morningstar's documents and files. Talbot refused to comment on whether or not anything had been taken and to allow police to investigate the crime scene, saying that "Morningstar's investments and documents must remain confidential."
It has long been believed that Morningstar Shipping is a front for alleged racketeer Gregory Masterson's smuggling operations. Police are speculating as to whether this could be the possible beginning of a gang war, and that The Green Hornet may be a rival criminal mastermind out to take control of the city' rackets himself.
Britt Reid grimly read this article over breakfast at his home. When Gunnigan, the editor of the Sentinel had told him Axford's story about The Hornet's raid on Morningstar, Reid had had no other choice but to green light it for the morning edition. It was news, and there was no way to call it off or push it to the back without arousing suspicion.
Kato brought some coffee in for Reid. He too had read the headline, and hadn't liked what he had read. "We're not going to give up now, are we?"
Reid shook his head. "After all the preparation we put into this operation, I'd hate to waste all that work. But I have no idea on how to proceed."
"Well, unless we're careful, the police will try and arrest The Green Hornet. Whatever our intentions, we were breaking the law. They'll think we're gangsters now."
Reid nodded gloomily, then suddenly bolted upright in his chair and smiled broadly as an idea suddenly struck him. "That's it!"
"What?"
"That's how we'll do this! We'll pretend to actually be gangsters, pretend to be one of the racketeers while taking them apart! We'll take them on the only way they'll understand: on their turf, by their rules."
Kato paused, as he tried to figure out what Reid was talking about. Then it hit him, and he smiled in comprehension. "I get it. We muscle in on their operations, demand a cut, get our hands on solid evidence, and blow the racket apart from the inside, and The Hornet is still seen as a powerful gangland boss trying to take power!"
"With the Sentinel playing up the image of The Hornet as a wanted criminal!"
"It could definitely work. But why this way?"
"Because if we come off like costumed do-gooders, no matter how tough we are, they won't take us seriously. But a gang war, a new gang moving in on them to drive them out and take down their empires...it's their worst nightmare, and it's something that will definitely make them nervous, especially since they have no way of knowing who we really are."
Kato nodded. "And what about the police? They'll still be after us."
Reid flashed a cavalier smile. "Well, that's going to make this
game a lot more interesting."