March 27th

Miranda greeted her secretary with a pleasant smile.

"He was at it again last night." Vicky said, "Why do you let him get away with it?"

" Partly because it lets him think he has a chance of escape, which makes him behave in every other way. He doesn't want to risk not being able to get to that keypad" She said.

"He's getting desperate. Be careful."

" The closer it gets to his initiation, the more desperate he will become. It's a delicate time. I have broken all that I can in him. He has to finish the job himself."

"I will never understand how that works. I'm glad I don't have to." She said.

" Change the passcode to the third number he tried last night and send it to me, please."

"Yes. Miss." She said, "Don't forget your lunch with the mayor today at 12:30."

"It's about the festival." She said. "I'm going to need the prospectus to take with me. Make sure that is printed out as soon as possible. Make several copies."

"I'll do that right now, Ms. Gray."

"Thank you, Vicky." She said and went into her office.

Peter ran through the kata's again, and again. He didn't want to do this. He didn't want to fight. He didn't want to be forced into this snake cult. He wanted to wake up in his own bed, next to Kelly, and find out that this is all just a nightmare. His father hadn't left town, Lo Si was not dead and He didn't have a freaking snake choking the life out of him. Unfortunately what he wanted didn't matter and unless he managed to get through that door he was going to have to fight or die.

"You're not gonna survive this, you know," Kline said. "You're in so far over your head you can't even see daylight."

"So the boss lady let you out of your cage," Peter said. He wasn't sure he cared if he survived or not. He'd fight to win, of course, he wasn't actively suicidal. But he wasn't sure he cared if he lived or died anymore. As long as it wasn't in that cell… alone in the dark.

"Guess you were only worth a couple of days." Kline shrugged and leaned against the wall to watch as Peter continued to work out.

"I'd be careful if I were you." Hendricks said, "Peter here is a real teacher's pet."

"Well, Mom always did like me best. Can you blame her?" Peter said. "I mean, have you looked in the mirror lately?"

"You're gonna die during the festival."

"You're not the first to say that I'm a dead man walking." He said, "And yet I am still standing here."

"Your Shaolin father isn't here to save you this time," Kline said.

"Now that I've been hearing a lot longer than 'you're gonna die. You have got to get better material. Is this what passes for menacing around here? No wonder I'm teacher's pet."

"Pet's the word alright," Hendricks said. " She pets you and trains you and feeds you. The only thing she doesn't do is put you on a leash and take you for a walk."

"That's not my scene," Peter said, letting himself relax waiting for them to make their move. Kline, like every other perp that got caught and put in jail, wanted revenge for their own screw-up. His buddy was looking to help. "I'm more the picnic on the roof kinda guy."

Kline advanced, and Peter stood his ground. "I figured it would be you." He didn't make a move, didn't take any particular stance, he simply waited. He breathed deeply and evenly. When Kline made his move Peter responded instinctively, his movements were smooth, sinuous, with the coiled strength of a snake. "You just came out of the dark, you're not ready for a fight."

Kline smirked "You think you're the only one who started their new life in that room? You think you'll be free of it once you're initiated." He fought with the same style, but he was angry, shaken by his time below, driven by it, and his desire to rip Peter Caine limb from limb.

Peter countered with a brutality he'd never felt or displayed before. He didn't speak, he just fought.

Hendricks swore and moved in, only to be knocked back by Peter. He moved in again, closing long arms around his prey.

Peter brought his head back hard into Hendricks's face and felt the man's nose break. He used Hendricks's grip around him to stabilize himself as he brought his legs up and around Kline's neck gripping tighter until the man was rendered unconscious. He dropped his feet to the ground and bent forward flipping Hendricks over his shoulder.

"Do you really wanna do this?" Peter asked. "I don't."

"Someone's gotta put you back in your place," Hendricks said. "Might as well be me."

Hendricks wasn't as tall as Peter but he was beefy, built more like Strenlich. He had brute strength on Peter and a lot more experience. At first, he was holding his own, lithe movements keeping him from taking the heavier blows but eventually, he began to tire and slow. The blows seemed to come harder and faster until Peter was on the floor. He was seeing double and his ears were ringing.

'Go ahead." Peter said, "Do me a favor and just get it over with." He said pushing himself to his feet. Part of him did want Hendricks to take the killing blow. If he was dead then the responsibility for the first in their bloodline would fall to his father. No one took Kwai Chang Caine where he didn't want to go and they certainly didn't lock him in the dark until he cried uncle.

Hendricks grinned and drew back his hand bringing it down hard, as he did Peter stepped into it instead of dodging. He didn't use his signature kick. He swiped Hendricks's arm before it could connect with his temple, bringing his arm down and pinning Hendricks' arm tight to Peter's side and brought his palm up hard to his opponent's jaw, clacking his teeth together hard and his head swiveled back, Hendricks fell to the floor unconscious.

The maid entered the room and said nothing about the men on the floor. "Cook would like me to ask how many there will be for lunch.

Peter grinned. "Just me I think. Let her know I'm going to clean myself up first." He paused on his way out of the room. "They might need ice packs and some ibuprofen." He did not feel bad about what he had done. He wasn't going to enjoy the cell he saw in his future but it felt good to fight back even a little.

Miranda followed the restaurant hostess to the mayor's table, where he sat with another gentleman. She recognized him, Paul Blaisdell, from when they first began their research into Peter Caine.

Both of the middle-aged men rose to their feet as she joined them. "Good afternoon Gentlemen,"

Mayor Conlin pulled her chair out for her. "Ms. Gray, this is Captain Blaisdell."

She took her seat. "I'm pleased to meet you." She said "And please, call me Miranda. So how can I help you? I hope there hasn't been a serious crime. Since you have me meeting the local Police captain."

"Unfortunately there have been. None directly attributable to you, of course," Paul said. "Gang violence has increased dramatically. I honestly feel that this is not the best time for a multicultural festival."

"I disagree," Miranda said glancing over the menu briefly and setting it down. "It's the perfect time. People need a reason to mingle. These people are artists and vendors from all over Bayview and some are coming from New River City."

"I understand your sentiments and under different circumstances I would agree with you completely," Paul said. "But at this time the conditions are just, well they are dangerous."

"I have to agree." Mayor Conlin said. "I would hate to see something with so much potential turned into a target."

"Well I am sorry that you feel that way, Your Honor, but I have invested far too much time, energy and at the risk of sounding mercenary, money, into this festival to turn back now. I will happily provide extra security, and you are welcome to have whatever police presence you feel necessary. But I have millions of dollars invested."

"I understand that, " Paul said, "But I am more interested in the potential loss of lives."

"I'm sure you are. But I am also sure that this city does not have 4 million dollars in their budget to repay me for that and lost revenue or the legal cost and negative publicity if they don't." She said calmly and congenially.

The waitress came to take their orders and she gave her order. She knew that both men were angry with her. She didn't care. By the time this was all over she would come out as the city's savior and be on the fast track to taking Conlin's job. She also took a perverse glee in sitting down to lunch with Peter's foster father. Oh yes, that made her happy indeed.

When the waitress left she took out the papers that Victoria had printed out for her. She handed a copy to each of the men "Now, why don't we go over this with a fine-toothed comb and we'll see what we can do to make the two of you feel better about this. " She knew she had won. The mayor would not risk that much money in a campaign year. He had already been involved in that mess in Chinatown. A member of his staff had been in league with Tan after all.

Mrs. Lin stared at the five Shaolin priests that sat around the comfortable living room in the priest's residence. "What is it I can help you with?" She asked, amiably. "Oh and Master Caine, how is your son? Mr. Zhiao told me about your collapse."

"It is Peter that I wish to speak to you about." He said, "You told me that Master Lo Si had told you about him."

"Which I did not." Lo Si said.

"I believe you have mistaken Lo Si." She said, "Where else would I have learned about the boy?"

"From those who have taken him prisoner." He countered.

"Prisoner? How would I have any information about that? I only knew that there was a problem when Master Caine collapsed and even then only that he thought there was a problem A strange business really. Especially now that you are here accusing me of being connected to a kidnapping."

"Enough," Caine said sharply. "The connection is not just that you knew about my son, but that you also knew about the Harbingers. You were the one who contacted Lo Si about them in the first place. Yet there is little evidence of any presence here… other than you and Mr. Zhiao, presumably, your families are tied to it as well."

The facade dropped instantly "Now what would harbingers want with a boy tainted with Shaolin training."

"I never said he was Shaolin trained." Caine said "So clearly you have been gathering information. Why? What does your sect want from my son."

She laughed. "We already have what we want. He is… neutralized… and as long as he is, then he gets to live."

"What do you mean neutralized?"

"Precisely that. He is no longer able to fulfill his destiny. But it is only his destiny until he dies or it is fulfilled. If neither happens … well… that suits us just fine."

"I will not allow him to be harmed."

"You already have." She said. "The timing was perfect. Your actions made it so much easier. Although I think Lo Si must take the most credit. The trusted priest who abandoned him at the Orphanage where he was traumatized, and the father whose itchy feet won out over staying to get to know his son. I have heard that it made it much easier to break his will."

"Where is my son?"

"Where you will never find him." She said "He is well-guarded at all times. The next time you see him, if there is a next time, he will be one of us."

Lo Si made a sound of disgust. "Brainwashing will not make him truly one of you. It will not have the effect you think. Destiny cannot be averted. It cannot be stolen. The more a prophecy is fought against the more fate brings it into being. "

"Peter Caine will willingly go through the initiation process. There is nothing you can do to stop it. And there is nothing you can do to keep me here. This is not Bayview. You do not have a police precinct under your sway. That being said, I'm going to leave now. I hear there is going to be a lovely festival in Bayview. You should make time to enjoy it. There are supposed to be Tibetan monks in attendance. "

"I will find my son," Caine said.

"He doesn't want to be found." She said as she got up and walked toward the door. "At least not by the two of you."

Paul Blaisdell poured two glasses of bourbon and handed one to Kermit. "I tell you, Kermit there is something off about that woman. I can't put my finger on it but she is up to something."

"Anyone else said that to me I'd be asking if it was because she didn't take no for an answer or if she was too beautiful for her own good." He said "you I take seriously. So she's in charge of this festival that's coming up. Is there anything there that sounds hinky?"

Paul tossed over the prospectus. "Other than the fact that she tagged a four million dollar price tag to a festival that should cost at most a tenth of that. What is the rest of the money being spent on."

"Yeah reminds me of the mythic four hundred dollar hammers." He said as he flipped through the document. "I can find out what this really should cost to run. Money laundering ?"

"Maybe. That could explain why she refused to postpone. If she's running a laundry for one mob or another they aren't going to deal kindly with a delay. Would explain why she threatened the mayor with litigation if he interfered."

"I'll see what I can find out. Did you talk to Caine about what's going on?"

"He had possibilities. Possible cult involvement. Possible artifact causing chaos. A lot of possibilities none of which I can do anything about even if he is right that the violence is continuing to escalate. I went over to The Ancient's place to talk to him about it but neither of them is home, the neighbor said they've been gone for two days."

"Think maybe they have a lead on Peter?"

"I don't know. He promised to let me know when he had something. Who knows if he'll remember or not."

"He knows you love Peter and hasn't seemed interested in standing between you in the past. I can't imagine he would now."

"People deal with grief in different ways. Now that Peter is probably dead who knows what is going through his mind."

"Only probably?"

"Annie and Caine are contagious in their optimism. Sometimes I find myself hoping that they are right instead of insisting they are wrong. I still have Peter on the schedule. Listed as missing in action. I know logically that he's dead. I've accepted it. But then there are moments when I expect that he's going to just walk into the office like nothing happened."

"Any thoughts on who might have taken him, if he is still alive?" Kermit asked.

"If he is alive… it's probably that anti-Shaolin cult, Caine was talking about."

"What am I going to do with you?" Miranda asked, although this time there was an undercurrent of amusement to her tone.

Peter hated that phrase. He was positive that it meant he was headed back to the cell, to the darkness. "Yeah, well, this time I was defending myself." He wasn't going to beg not to go back. If that was what she wanted he could be sent back downstairs for wearing white socks and dark pants. If she didn't want him there he could probably get away with murder and stay in his new and improved prison cell at night.

"Yes. I know. Cook and the maid told me."

"Ms. Marshall, and Kathleen." He said, "Their names are Ms. Marshall and Kathleen."

"Whatever." Miranda said "I was told that they cornered you. I'm impressed that you took them both down. I think you just might survive the ritual after all. Which pleases me a great deal."

Peter scoffed. "Only because you don't want to deal with my father, he'd be a lot harder to … do this to." He felt weak. He should feel strong. He had his sanity intact, he was still willing to try to escape, and he had just taken down two experienced martial artists. But he didn't feel strong. He felt weak, and that he was getting weaker every day.

"Don't kid yourself, Peter, this can be done to anyone. No matter who they are, or how strong they are. Tried and true methods eventually work on everyone." She shrugged "I spoke with your father today… well, your foster father anyway."

"What?" Peter asked, adrenaline coursing through his veins making his blood feel cold. "What were you doing talking to Paul?"

"He was at my meeting with the mayor." She said "They tried to talk me out of hosting the festival because of the increasing violence in the city. I don't think he liked not getting his way."

"He's just doing his job. Leave him alone. "

She raised an eyebrow "Is that an order, Peter?"

He shook his head. "No… it's a request. Please leave my family alone." If Kline touched one more person he cared about, he'd kill him.

"I will do that… provided you do as I say. If you can be obedient, they can go on about their lives in safety."

Peter looked down at his plate but nodded his agreement.