April 5th
Peter woke with a start and sat bolt upright in his bed. He wasn't certain at first what it was that he was feeling, but then he realized it wasn't something he was feeling, but something he wasn't feeling. Nag. He could faintly feel his presence in the back of his mind, but he wasn't twisted around him the way he had been before. It was a relief. He was almost alone inside his head again.
He dressed quickly and made his way down the stairs. He didn't know why it made him uneasy. It should make him happy to have less of the inky blackness swirling around making things muddy in his head, but it didn't. If something was going on with the dread snake lord Nag', it was going to put the bitch queen in a bad mood, which would make his day even less pleasant than it usually was.
He went down the corridor to the door to the next flight of stairs down and found it locked. That was also not good. He frowned. Why was he worried about the damned snake? That was the thought that scared him. "I'm losing my damn mind."
"Your Koi like their new home," Caine said as he and the Ancient stared into the small man-made pond. The yard was coming along as quickly as the house. As he had thought, the community provided. Priests were considered lucky, although he was beginning to think he did not bring luck where those he loved were concerned.
"They like the tranquility here." Lo Si said. "It is spreading through Chinatown. I suspect it will spread further once we take a stroll through this so-called multicultural festival." He thought the festival was more about making money and drawing attention to Gray industries than to cultural diversity.
"Perhaps." He said. He didn't feel that he had time to devote to the festival, not with Peter still in danger. " I fear that Peter's time is growing short. I still do not know how to reach him. I have a small army willing to fight to save him but I have nowhere to send them."
Lo Si sighed. He was as worried for Kwai Chang Caine as he was for his son. " I do not have the answer for you. But I believe the wall will drop soon."
"But will it be soon enough?" The link to his son was nebulous, obscured by shadows that he could not breach.
"I believe that it will be. You must have patience, Kwai Chang Caine."
"I have been patient." He said angrily. "I have been patient for weeks. I have tried everything I know to find him and he is as lost to me now as he was on the first day." He was a man like any other, just as given to anxiety and anger as any other, but he was not accustomed to having them be constant companions, or to having those emotions take control.
He rose from his position at the edge of the pond and found himself face to face with Paul Blaisdell, almost colliding with him.
"You're human after all. Good to know." Paul said. "Can I buy you a cup of coffee I have some things I'd like to talk to you about?"
"Yes." Caine said, "I think I need to step away."
He and Captain Blaisdell walked toward the diner Caine liked to frequent in Chinatown. "Anger is normal you know," Blaisdell said. Heaven knew he had enough of his own about all of this. Things went so much deeper than just the disappearance of their son. He wasn't certain what he was going to do with the information Jordan McGuire was gathering. It wasn't like he could take the information to the state attorney general. What was he going to say, that they had strange and different religious practices? The only thing he could hope for was to prove they'd had a hand in Peter's kidnapping and Mrs. Li's murder.
"Yes, But I should not have taken it out on Lo Si." He said. "He is as worried as you and I."
"Under the circumstances, I think he'll forgive you."
"His forgiveness does not make my action any less… frustrating."
"This brings up a lot of grief from the past doesn't it." How could it not? There was a strong bond between Peter and his father. One that Blaisdell often found himself jealous of. Not that he wanted things to be any different. He didn't. He'd told Peter often that he was glad that he had his father back. He just missed being the one that Peter came to when he was in trouble.
Caine nodded. "I could never find peace in his passing when he was a boy, it is no easier to contemplate now that he is a man. He has not left us yet, no matter what emotions I may be dealing with, I still sense that he is alive."
"Well, I'm beginning to believe you." He said. They entered the diner and ordered their beverages. "I've been investigating things in New River City. My people found evidence of the cult in the police force there. The one thing that seems to be a recurring theme is a signet ring, they have an onyx stone with a coiled serpent etched into the surface. So be careful and keep a look out for those rings."
"And this convinces you that Peter lives?"
"Mrs. Lin was part of that cult and she told you Peter was alive. They wouldn't have killed her for lying to you." He said, "I just needed to prove to myself that this cult was real, and not something she was using to dig at you."
Caine nodded. "Things are continuing to escalate?" He asked. He opened the door to the cafe and let Paul enter before him. They found an empty table and took their seats. It was nearly empty. The business was slow now that the festival was in full swing.
"Oh yes. The holding cells are full. The hospitals are full we're about 24 hours from asking the Governor to declare martial law. We would have done it last week but the Mayor is reluctant. He doesn't want to interfere with the festival if you can believe that."
"Politicians can be difficult at such times."
"Difficult I can deal with. This is borderline incompetent." Paul said "He's wrapped around Miranda Gray's little finger so tight I think he might snap. The last thing we need right now with this cult lurking underneath the surface is this blasted festival. It's drawing too many people to the city like lambs to the slaughter."
"My grandfather encountered this cult in the 1890s," He said "The chaos they created caused the deaths of an entire mining town. All but one young man. Whom they forced to join their cult, and he became possessed by the spirit of their snake."
"You think that's what they've done to Peter?"
"Not as yet." He said, "The chaos has not reached its zenith."
" Well, there's a comforting thought." He said sarcastically, "How many people died in that mining town?"
"Roughly 800 according to my grandfather's estimation," Caine said. "The townspeople, the miners and their families, farmers and ranchers in the outlying areas, the stage coach passengers that came through the town. I do not know if that is because that's all they had available to kill or if that was the target number. His notes were vague, I suspect he did not know either."
"How did your grandfather survive?"
"He was not affected by the chaos and he was notoriously hard to kill."
"Something that seems to run in the family. Heaven knows that Peter should have been killed years ago with the crazy stunts he pulled almost the very moment he got out of the academy. "
" Peter has always been able to locate trouble no matter where he goes," Caine said with a sad smile. "Perhaps when we get him back we should… sit on him a while."
"I worry that he'll get itchy feet after this. Who could blame him though."
"If he does, I will go with him." Although he did not think wandering would be his son's choice for dealing with his demons. He wished that it would be otherwise, but Peter had put down roots and they ran deep.
A middle-aged man entered the cafe'. He was of stocky build with curly brown hair that was receding. He looked nervous, troubled. "Hey, ahm, are you Caine?" He asked looking between the two men.
This was not new to Kwai Chang Caine. Come to Chinatown, ask for Caine, I will help you, was the phrase that people from all walks of life knew. Paul however was instantly on alert. Something about the situation read wrong and he rose to his feet as Caine did.
"Yes." Caine said, "How can-"
Paul saw the look in the man's eyes change a split second before the gun was drawn and put himself between Caine and the stranger as he drew his gun. He took three bullets to the chest and stumbled back slightly. He only fired one round but it was a fatal one, and their attacker fell to the ground lifeless.
Caine grabbed Paul's shoulders, as the policemen took a step back, expecting him to collapse.
"I'm alright," Paul said. "I'm wearing a bulletproof vest. The way things are going I'm making all my officers wear them." He moved from around the table. "Call 911." He said to the waitress. "Tell them it's an officer-involved shooting." He showed her his badge. He knelt beside the fallen assassin and checked for a pulse. He found none. He then checked the man's hands. He found the signet ring, which he removed with one hand while looking for the man's identification with the other. Only Caine saw him do so. "Charles Hendricks. According to this, his last known residence was in New York City."
"Was he…?" Caine asked quietly.
Paul nodded. " It would seem they want you dead. We say nothing of the ring or the cult or Peter when they come to ask us questions about the incident. Not even to my own people." He said quietly. "The less known the better."
Caine nodded.
Chief Matthews smiled at Jordan as she walked into the precinct. "Morning, McGuire. I thought I'd partner you with Detective Li. I figure with you having worked Chinatown over in Bayview you'd be comfortable working Chinatown here."
"Sure. My Chinese is limited ahm… well… the sort of thing I learned from the working girls there." She said.
"That's right, you came up through vice." Matthews said, "Don't worry. I'm not sure how much Chinese Li speaks either. You should be fine. I can't remember the last time anyone had to call in for a translator."
"Yes, sir."
"That's your desk over there." He said indicating the one across from Detective Li.
"Thanks." She said. She walked over to her desk and set down the box of things she'd brought in for her desk. "Hi." She said and smiled at Tammy. "So… what's our current caseload?" She removed her service revolver and put it in the top desk drawer.
"We have two homicides, one is tong related, we know who did it but without a witness there currently isn't enough evidence for the DA to want to take it to trial. The other is a tourist from Boston that was found stabbed in his hotel room. Vice is looking into a prostitute that he was seen in the bar. I don't think it was her."
"That is mostly a movie trope anyway. Usually, it's the working girls that wind up dead not the john. Aileen Wuornos notwithstanding." She took a small house plant from the box and set it in one corner out of the way of the phone and computer screen.
"That and he was stabbed 14 times."
Jordan whistled. "Wow. Talk about overkill. That was personal." She put a picture from the 101st precinct baseball team on her desk. She was going to miss playing this year.
Tammy handed the file over to her and Jordan took it, sitting down to look it over. The box was set aside for the moment. She looked it over. "Has his wife come to claim the body yet?"
"She came in last Friday but the coroner hadn't released the body yet. She has an alibi that checks out. She wasn't on any flight manifest from Boston to New River City, and it's too long a drive for her to have made it after her shift at the hospital."
"She could have hired someone but they aren't usually that messy."
"Yeah, messy kill, but they wiped down everything else in the room so that there were no prints at all."
"Really? They lost control and frenzied on the victim, but took the time to sanitize the room. No, I don't buy it." She leaned back in her seat. "Someone did it for them. Are we sure the woman he was within the bar was a prostitute or did she just look like one?"
"Now that is a very good question. You have more experience with that sort of thing than I do. I think we should go back over to the hotel and we can ask a few more questions. It's too early though. The bartender won't be on until after 6:00."
She put another picture on her desk, she was with her parents and grandmother, taken the previous Christmas. "Good idea." She said The final item was a glass frog, a gift from Kermit at last year's White Elephant Christmas party.
"In the meantime," Matthews said coming up behind her and dropping a file on her desk. "You get to finish all the transfer paperwork." He looked at the pictures on her desk. "You play baseball? You are going to be my new best friend… if you're any good."
Jordan laughed "I am." She said "Are you saying there is an opening on the team here? I think you just made my day."
Kline found Miranda overseeing the set up of the bandstand in the corporate courtyard. "We have a problem." He said quietly.
"I don't have time for problems. Unless you're telling me that our house guest has flown the coop you are just going to have to handle it yourself."
"Hendricks is dead."
"The priest killed him? How unShaolin of him." She said quietly, then loudly gave directions to the work crew.
"Not him, the other one. He and Blaisdell were together."
"Of all the stupid … " She closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. "I want you to go and make certain he took care of business at Tarkinson Plaza. Then get back upstairs and get our guest ready to travel."
"Please tell me I'm not going to be on babysitting duty for the next 50 years."
"No. Once Nag is securely ensconced he'll go back to being locked in his room until needed." She said.
"Miss Gray." A man's voice echoed through the courtyard, "Miss Gray" He repeated.
"Heaven save me from that insufferable man. I swear when I am mayor I will make sure he … disappears." She grumbled.
Kline laughed "I will happily take care of that for you."
"Mayor Conlin." She called back and pasted a smile on her face. "What can I do for you?" She asked and walked toward him.
Caine returned to the boarding house and went to the kitchen where he and Lo Si had set up the apothecary.
"You look troubled, Master Caine," Master Khan said. "More so than usual."
"A man tried to kill me this morning." He said "One of the Harbingers."
Khan frowned. "Why now after all this time?"
"Perhaps they do not like what we have achieved here in Chinatown." Caine shrugged. "Captain Blaisdell was there and shot the man. He has died so we will never know what it was he was after."
"Perhaps Peter has angered his captors." Lo Si said as he entered the room. "Or they fear we will stop them."
"Perhaps. I do not wish to speculate too much. It will cloud things more than illuminate them."
"I think tonight we should gather together again to try to locate Peter. The time draws close."
Caine nodded. "Yes." He said simply. He didn't want to hope any more than he wanted to speculate. He'd thought they would find Peter when they first gathered together. He would not give up, he would never make that mistake again. But each failure was becoming more painful than the last. "We will do this tonight."
Peter had eaten dinner alone that evening. Not that he minded. All things considered, it was preferred. He went to the window, with a drink in hand, and looked out over the city. He could see most of it from there, the sounds of the festival going on below actually made it up to him. Live music and a happy crowd. He and Kelly would have gone if he'd been free. They both enjoyed live music. He missed her so much.
The explosion was two blocks away, but Peter felt it, and he heard the screams down below. The high-rise building was one he had been in many times to give depositions at a law firm on the 14th floor. "Oh, God." He breathed. The lights had been on in that building. There were people still there! Another explosion and the building started to crumble.
He was transfixed and horrified. He wanted to be out there helping search for survivors with all the other first responders. "Damn it." He slammed his free hand into the tempered glass. He didn't sense Kline as he came in close. He was surprised by the needle that entered his neck. The drug took effect immediately and he dropped the glass as he slumped into unconsciousness.
"Well, she told you not to drink. If this kills you, you have no one but yourself to blame." He said as he hefted Peter into a fireman's carry. He took him to the elevator and pushed the button for the parking garage. "But I doubt I could get that lucky."
Caine drew in a sharp breath. "Peter!"
"What is it?" Master Khan asked.
"Our connection is no longer blocked." He said and closed his eyes.