Chapter One: (Obligatory) Connections to Times Past
The characters in this fic, by and large, do not belong to me. The X-Men, and related characters, are the property of Marvel Comics. GI Joe, and related characters, belong to Hasbro. The Delgado children (Althea, Brittany, Daria, Quinn, and Claudius), Xi, Sgt Snuffles, and the Eloi belong to Red Witch.
Red Witch: Don't worry- tell Althea that her Toddles is safe.
RogueFanKC: You're going to do a Misfit story too? Cool beans! I see a Stormwreck on the horizon…
Hong Kong: One Week Ago.
Hong Kong hadn't changed much. It was feared that it would change greatly, but even a change in ownership hadn't managed to alter the essential spirit of the city. There were some changes, but they were mostly cosmetic in nature. Long time residents hoped that it would stay that way, but even the most hopeful knew that Hong Kong would change eventually. It was the nature of all things to change.
Two men and a woman strode purposefully down the street. One of the men was a westerner. The other man and the woman were Japanese. The westerner had wild black hair, an eye-patch over his left eye, and a threadbare suit. The Japanese man was taller that his counterpart, and handsome, with short, neat black hair, and a much nicer suit. The woman was beautiful, and also well dressed, with short black hair that was just a little untamed. All three carried themselves like warriors.
Some people waved to the westerner as they saw him. He nodded back. One young man sized the three up and started casually moving toward them. His slightly older friend stopped him.
"What do you think you're doing?" he hissed.
"Whaddya think?"
"You don't wanna do that. Don't you know who that guy with the eye-patch is?"
"A tourist with a fat wallet?"
"Geez- don't you kids know anything? That's Patch!" As his companions eyes bugged out, the other guy went on. "That's right- that Patch. Try anything, and you'll be breathing out your ass the rest of your life!"
As the trio passed the would-be pick-pocket and his friend, Patch slowed down.
"Good call, kid," he told the younger kid, and then went on.
"How did he know?" the kid breathed.
"He always knows," his older friend nodded. "Cheer up kid! You got a Patch story of your own, now!"
"If I didn't see it with my own eyes," the Japanese man said. "I knew you were famous, but I didn't realize you were this famous."
"You said he was a legend, cousin," the woman grinned as she linked her arm with Patch's. "Did you think it was a figure of speech?"
"You'll give me a swelled head," Patch smiled at her.
"Not a word," the Japanese man broke in before the woman could respond. "I'm right here. Not a word."
"You should have been called the Prudish Master," the woman muttered in Japanese, so quietly only the three of them could hear.
Patch chuckled. So did the woman. The man did not.
"Mariko!" he hissed.
"For someone to know what I mean, they'd already have to know who we are," Mariko replied evenly. "You know that, Tommy."
Soon, they were at their destination: the Law Offices of Landau, Luckman, and Lake, Hong Kong Division.
"So this is the place, huh?" Mariko asked. "Doesn't look that impressive."
"Neither do I," Patch smiled, remembering all the times he had spent there.
"You said it, not me," Mariko grinned.
That jostled Patch out of his reverie.
"Am I gonna have to spank ya, 'Miko?"
"Please," Mariko purred.
"Oh please," Tommy moaned.
"How can you be such a prude living at the Pit for so long?" Mariko demanded.
"Yeah- even I know all about your laundry room," Logan added.
"Can we please not talk about this?" Tommy asked, pained.
"I have to apologize for him, Patch," Mariko said. "He's usually not like this. I think it has something to do with your friend, the tigress."
"That's what I thought," Patch grinned. "So tell me, when you two met, did she break out her special sake?"
"I refuse to answer that question," Tommy said evenly, even as his cheeks reddened slightly. Nobody would have noticed it- without ninja training.
"I take it as a yes," Mariko grinned. "My cousin, the great, chaste warrior- hah!"
"If Tyger was after him, he was chased alright," Patch grinned.
"Shall we?" Tommy asked, quickly opening the door. Patch went through, followed by Mariko, and then Tommy.
The interior of the Hong Kong Division of the Law Offices of Landau, Luckman, and Lake was much nicer than the exterior. Not that the trio had much time to observe it.
"Logan!" a voice cried. Coming towards them was a large Chinese woman, in her early fifties. She hugged Patch- Logan- and he hugged back.
"Been awhile, hasn't it, Rosie?" he smiled.
"Too long," she agreed, and then stepped back and swatted him.
"You don't call, you don't write, you don't even e-mail! What do you have to say for yourself?"
"It's good to see you, Rose."
"Good to see you, too. And who have you brought here, hmm?" Rose looked at Tommy and Mariko. Her eyes widened. "I see you travel in high company these days, Logan. They're not members of your spandex-set, now are they?" Tommy and Mariko looked at each other while Logan looked surprised.
"What? You think I don't pay attention to television or watch CNN? You don't think I'd recognize you no matter what you wear?" Rose swatted Logan again. "Shame on you. Please, all of you, sit down."
She led them into a room that was more lounge than office. While they sat down on a sofa, Rose rang for tea. A young girl came in, with a tray holding a pot of tea and four cups.
"You remember my granddaughter Ruthie," Rose smiled.
"Yup. How are you doing, Ruthie?"
"Fine, Mister Patch," Ruthie smiled. "Grandmother, I need to-"
"Of course, dear. Do your homework. I think we'll be talking business, anyway."
Ruthie bowed and left.
"Sweet girl," Rose said to no one in particular as she served the tea and sat down on a chair across the table from the sofa. "Now, Logan, what is it you want?"
"You know me too well, Rose."
"Yes, I do. Well enough to know that you wouldn't come here to Hong Kong accompanied by two members of the Arashikage Clan unless it was important business."
Tommy and Mariko started.
"Oh come now," Rose chided. "I'm a lawyer. It's my job to know all the regional players. Ninja clans have a habit of popping up in your backyard when you least expect them, so I have to know the major ones when I see them. You, young man, are Tommy Arashikage, the Young Master, and you, young lady, are Mariko, Tommy's cousin, and you are both members of GI Joe, where you're known as Storm Shadow and Jinx, respectively."
Tommy and Mariko stood up, and bowed.
"Correct in all respects, Ms-"
"Please, call me Rose."
"Correct in all respects, Rose, except I'm not the Young Master anymore," Tommy- Storm Shadow- said graciously.
"Now, now, Mr. Arashikage- you can only truly leave a position like yours two ways- death or treachery. You are neither dead, nor a traitor to your clan."
Mariko- Jinx- smiled as she sipped her tea. She liked Rose already. She had been saying those things to Tommy for years.
"So, Logan, what does an… X-Man?.... and two members of GI Joe need help with?"
"What's the Hand been up to lately?"
Rose's smile left her face.
"Please, Logan, don't get involved with them again."
"Don't have a choice, Rose. We think they've got their mitts into one of our students." Logan briefly outlined the situation. Elisabeth Braddock, Psylocke, recent recruit to the Institute, knows moves only members of the Hand are taught. She couldn't have learned those moves from a non-member of the Hand. She has had contact with Emma Frost, a powerful telepath and member of the American Hellfire Club's Inner Circle, who knew about Psylocke's incredible psi-sensitivity, which she could not have known about unless she actively tried to do something to Elisabeth, and Elisabeth doesn't remember that ever happening. Therefore, the chance that there is collusion between Emma and the Hand is a high one.
"Well, well," Rose said after Logan told her the situation. "There isn't that much to tell, I'm afraid. The Hand has been laying low for the past two years."
"Why?" Logan asked.
"There was a civil war in the Hand two years ago. One faction wanted to begin new contact with the West, for their technology. The other didn't. The higher-ups mostly killed each other, so by the time the smoke cleared, there wasn't anybody qualified enough or trusted enough to lead. Last I heard, an outsider took charge."
"Who?" Storm Shadow asked.
"I've heard that he's called the Mandarin, but I don't know anything more. I do know this, though." She leaned in. "Before the civil war, people talked. Even with the old punishments, they talked. Now, they don't. I don't know why."
"Can't you ask anybody if they know anything more?" Jinx asked.
"I can, but I won't get any replies. I keep as much of an active eye out for the Hand as I can, given the firm's policy of ignoring people that aren't threatening our clients or interests, which the Hand currently doesn't."
"Ask anyway, Rose," Logan said. "Please."
Rose nodded. "Of course. I'll put the word out. You should have an answer in a few hours."
***
Hours later, after a fine lunch Rose provided, the last of her informants came in.
"I'm sorry I couldn't be more help," Rose said, and she meant it.
"It's okay, Rose," he said as he hugged her. "I know somebody that should know more."
"You're going to Madripoor, aren't you?" she asked.
"Yup."
"Logan-"
"I got a way in that Nguyen can't stop. I can get in and out fast."
"Nguyen?" Storm Shadow asked. "General Nguyen? The Generalissimo of Madripoor?"
"That's him," Logan grunted.
"What did you do to piss him off?"
"Want the list chronologically or alphabetically?" Logan asked.
"Nguyen doesn't forget, Logan," Rose reminded him.
"It's just an in-and-out thing," Logan said, shrugging. "He can't catch us, and if he does- its part of the fun, ain't it?"
The ninjas bowed to Rose.
"Thank you for having us," Storm Shadow said.
"My pleasure," Rose smiled.
"It was an honour meeting you," Jinx added.
"The honour was mine, dear," Rose beamed.
The three punched something into their wristwatches, and vanished. Rose whistled.
"Teleportation devices? Logan, you have gone up in the world."
And don't let that young woman get away from you, she silently added.
***
Madripoor was different from Hong Kong- hell, it was different from any other city in the world. Spread out over a large portion of its island, it had an excess of both wealth and poverty unmatched by any other major city. The city had always been something of a cesspool. No matter who the nominal leaders were, the crimelords were always the ones in control. More often than not, they were running both the legitimate and illegitimate industries that kept the city running. The current administrator of Madripoor, Generalissimo Ngoc Coy Nguyen, was no exception, as he also ran the island's second largest syndicate. The largest syndicate, and by a very wide margin, was run by Tyger Tiger.
Logan led Storm Shadow and Jinx quickly through the city. As much as he laughed it off, he didn't want to involve them in his personal battles against the city's scum. He stayed in his persona of Patch- his reputation was both a target and a shield. If Patch was a legend in the rest of Asia, he was doubly so in Madripoor. He chose to arrive in this part of Madripoor on purpose. The people in this neighbourhood remembered him, and were grateful. They wouldn't tell Nguyen where he was. And, there was someone nearby he could count on.
Finally, they had arrived at the Princess Bar. Logan knocked. A hatch on the door opened and closed. The door opened, and Logan entered. Jinx and Storm Shadow were right behind him.
The Princess Bar was an elegant place. It was spacious, with many tables and private booths. It greatly resembled Rick's bar from 'Casablanca.' Logan breathed in the air as he saw the old place again. It hadn't changed, and probably never would. Old memories flooded back into him- for example, that table was the one that Seraph stood on when she told off Von Strucker and his aide back in '41.
"Well, look what the cat dragged in," a woman's voice came by the door. The speaker was a tall American woman in her late twenties to early thirties. She had black hair and green eyes, and a wry expression. She hugged Logan, and he hugged back.
"I was beginning to think I'd never see you again, you old son of a bitch," the woman laughed. "Thought Nguyen scared you off."
"Yeah right," Logan laughed. "Mariko, Tommy, this is an old friend of mine. Jessica Drew."
"Tommy?" Jessica asked, raising an eyebrow. "I thought it was 'Storm Shadow.'"
"It still is," Storm Shadow said neutrally. "Hello, Jessica. It's good to see you again."
"Likewise," Jessica grinned. "So are you a Joe, too?" she asked Jinx.
"Yeah. They call me Jinx."
"Pleased to meet you Jinx. So, Logan, what brings you here?"
"I need to talk to the tiger."
"Gotcha. I don't know where she is right now, but she'll be coming by later tonight."
"Tonight, when this place opens," a new voice said from another door, presumably leading to the back.
A woman walked up to Logan. She was a dwarf, with greying blond hair done up in a bun, and a 40's style dress. She stopped when she reached Logan. They looked at each other for a while, then Logan knelt and they hugged. It wasn't the way he hugged Rose or Jessica- it was like the hug a son might give his mother.
"You look well, Logan," she said after they let go and Logan stood up.
"So do you," he said a little hoarsely, and his eyes shone with what must have been tears. "Mariko, Storm Shadow, this… this is an old friend of mine, named Seraph. Seraph, Storm Shadow and Jinx are with GI Joe, and Jinx- Mariko… she's with me."
"Yes, I remember Storm Shadow," Seraph said gravely. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Jinx. Welcome to my home and business, the Princess Bar."
"The honour is ours, ma'am," Jinx replied as she and Storm Shadow bowed to Seraph.
"Please, sit down," Seraph bade, as she gestured to a small booth. Jessica and Seraph sat down on one side, Storm Shadow, Jinx, and Logan on the other.
"So what finally brings you back here?" Seraph asked.
"Hand problems," Logan said curtly. Seraph sighed.
"Tracked you down, have they?" she asked.
"Not exactly," he grunted, and told them Psylocke's story.
"Hmm…" Seraph said, "not their usual style, I agree, but they are under new management."
"So we've heard," Jinx told her. "Some guy called the Mandarin."
"Yes, that's him," Seraph nodded. "The things I've heard… well, I'll let Tyger tell you that when she gets here. So, Jinx… that's an interesting codename you have."
"Yeah," Jinx laughed. "My real name is Mariko, ma'am."
"Please- call me Seraph, both of you. And let me have a look at you, child." Seraph took a long look at Jinx's face, then sat back, apparently satisfied by what she saw.
"You've chosen well, Logan," Seraph smiled. Logan nodded, and Jinx grinned. She liked this lady already. As for Storm Shadow…
"Oh, don't look like that, Tommy," Jessica smiled wickedly. "You're not jealous, are you?"
"Mariko is my cousin, Jessica," Storm Shadow told her, a little surprised.
"Ah- then you're being protective. You should be worrying about yourself, for when Tyger gets here."
"Oh!" Seraph grinned. "So this is the one. I never did learn which Joe it was."
"Uh-huh," Jessica laughed. Storm Shadow went slightly red again.
"Tyger speaks very highly of you, young man," Seraph smiled. "You… greatly impressed her."
"I see," Storm Shadow managed. His ninja calm was all but gone.
"Don't worry," Jessica laughed. "We won't let her slip you any of her special sake."
"Special sake?" Jinx asked, noting that this was the second time she had heard of it. Logan broke out in a big grin.
"Yeah," he laughed. "If Tyger ever decided to market the stuff- well, picture a cross between Viagra and an aphrodisiac."
"It's that good?"
"Oh, yes," both Logan and Storm Shadow nodded.
"Well, as much fun as it is talking about Tyger's love life," Jessica smirked, "I'd rather hear about you, Logan. Specifically, how the X-Men got involved with GI Joe."
"You know about that Logan's an X-Man?" Jinx asked, surprised.
"Yeah. Jess is a mutant too," Logan nodded.
"You didn't any mutant abilities when you helped us against Cobra," Storm Shadow noted.
"Yeah, well," Jessica looked uncomfortable, "the truth is, I don't like to use my powers unless it's absolutely necessary."
"I see."
"So, Logan," Seraph broke in, "will you and your friends stay until Tyger shows up."
"Don't see that we've got a choice," Logan shrugged.
"Agreed," Jinx nodded. "If Tyger Tiger is the best source of information we have, then we need to wait, don't we?"
Logan and Storm Shadow nodded. Despite the danger, it was good being back in Madripoor.
Of course, neither knew that it was about to get more dangerous. The trio were recognized by two different informants as they went to the Princess Bar. One went to General Nguyen with the news that Patch was back in Madripoor. The other left a message that two Joes had come to Madripoor. He left the message with the local offices of Extensive Enterprises.
Well, that's Chapter One. You know the drill- read, review, etc. Please? For me? I know- no action in this chapter, but I had to save something for Chapter Three. In the meantime, get ready for what the Misfits, X-Men, and Joes are doing, next time on "The Mutant Massacre":
Chapter Two: Driving Me Mad!