Chapter Three


Meg: Uh, please review people. If you don't I'll send JWJ to your house to drive you all crazy with politics.


I was shaken violently awake. Li Yan stared at me with fear in her eyes. "Noise, loud noise!" was all she would say. I pulled the ragged blanket around myself and crept to the pantry door. As I tried to open it, someone else shoved it shut, hissing something in Chinese.

"Jun say to stay here," the Chinese girl whispered.

We waited for what seemed like days, even though it had to have been only hours since I had fallen asleep. Suddenly light poured in as Dawson opened the door. I could see it was early dawn. "It's all right," he said.

I practically ran to the door. "What happened?" I asked eagerly.

"Not to alarm you Mrs. Havers, but we were attacked in the night."


Basil stood in front of a burly, middle-aged mouse covered in tattoos, questioning him in Chinese. I could see he was tied up. But he wasn't answering.

"Basil ask him if he member of Seven Plagues." Li Yan translated. "Ask him if he work for Xing Ryu."

The mouse glared at him. Then, without warning, he jumped up from the pole he was tied to, clutching a knife he had obviously used to cut the ropes. Li Yan shrieked as he plunged it into his chest.

Dawson ran forward as the mouse fell to the floor. He inspected the pirate for a few moments. He shook his head. "Dead."

I gasped. "Why- why would someone do such a thing?"

Basil stepped forward. "I've heard Xing Ryu tortures his pirates if they allow themselves to get caught. He probably wanted to prevent himself from the pain and agony." He searched the body and pulled off a medallion. The great mouse detective's eyes flickered for a moment; then he showed it to Dawson and I. "This, Dr. Dawson and Mrs. Havers, is the seal of the Seven Plagues." The golden medallion showed seven dragons, each with two ruby- studded eyes, surrounded by a background of a circular pattern.

"How extraordinary!" Dawson exclaimed.

The dragons reminded me of something, but I could not quite put myhand on what it exactly was. A nightmare from the past? Maybe. I racked my brain, and came up with nothing. No dragons. It was really important. Where had I seen those dragons before?"

Basil ran out the door. I followed as Dawson covered the body, Li Yan in tow.

Basil stooped down and studied the ground for a minute. "Two, no, three pirates. They went this way."

"Can you follow the tracks?" Dawson asked as he came out.

Basil stood deep in thought for a few minutes. Then he turned to me. "Can you handle the arrangements necessary for an inventory of some of the merchant ships in Shanghai? Li Yan will assist you."

I was about to protest that I was always given all the boring jobs, but a hard stare from the detective stopped the words before they came out. "Of course," I said.

"Look for ships with valuable merchandise, such as silk, opium, bamboo, tea. Check to see if they're registered with the government, and where they're headed off to."

"Yes sir."

"Come Dawson," he said, as he headed off in through the woods.


"How pretty, Meesus Meg."

I stopped playing my violin. To my surprise, Li Yan had tears in her eyes.

"Why, Li Yan, whatever is the matter?" I said with concern.

"The music. So... how do you say, beautiful? You play very good," she said. "Never hear such music in my life."

This was the nicest compliment I had ever received for my playing. I sounded horribly scratchy and weak at most times, and barely practiced in front of anyone. But the voyage had kept me from practicing for weeks, so I was desperate.

"Why, thank you, Li Yan," I replied. "Don't you play an instrument?"

She paused, trying to understand what I had said. Finally she answered, "I personal servant of Emperor. I tell Emperor in English what people say."

"Doesn't Delevan do that also?"

"Emperor like to have more than one person telling him. But too busy, never had time to play music."

"That's very unfortunate."

She crept toward me. "So pretty, this wood," she said, pointing to the violin.

I could see she wanted to hold it. "You may touch my violin," I said.

She gently stroked it. "Where you get such instrument? In England?"

"Yes, it was actually my husband's..."

I suddenly felt the need to be alone. I slowly packed up the violin and my sheet music. "Li Yan," I said, "Could you buy some tea for me?" I gave her my purse.

"Yes, Meesus Meg." She left the hotel room.

I lay down on my mattress, exhausted. "Mrs. Havers, it is?"

I jumped up at the sound of the voice. A small Chinese male was standing in front of me. He had a grandfatherly look about him.

I reached into my pocket and grasped a switchblade, which I kept there. "Who are you?" I asked.

"I am very sorry, Mrs. Havers, for startling you. I am Mr. Liang," he said, with a hint of an accent.

"Mr. Liang? Well, sir, I have no wish for visitors at this time. If you wish to see Mr. Basil or Dr. Dawson, please call another time."

"Mrs. Havers," he said, "I am here to warn you. Your employer is on a very, very dangerous mission indeed. Death may find you all."

I wasn't sure whether to trust the old mouse, as he seemed to have no inclination of leaving soon. "His line of work is very perilous, indeed. He knows of the danger-"

"But he also knows how to protect himself from it. You do not."

"I am under no threat. In fact, I barely get involved myself in the investigations."

"Meg Havers, I am here to help. I wish to train you in the martial arts."

I paused. "How do you know my name?"

He smiled gently. "I should admit to you I have been following your employer ever since you arrived yesterday. Knowing Xing Ryu's thirst for blood, I fear the acceptance of this case has put all of you in very real danger. Please accept my offer to train you in the martial arts."

He hadn't exactly answered my question. "Martial arts? I don't believe I know what you're talking about," I said.

"To you Englishmen, it would be a form of defense like boxing. But in reality, it involves using the arms and legs, as well as the mind, to defend yourself against your enemies."

"Like boxing? Mr. Liang, I cannot accept any such offer. It sounds absolutely unladylike."

Mr. Liang shook his head. "Meg Havers, pirates don't care whether you're a lady or another pirate when they want to kill. All they know is they must finish the deed." I opened my mouth to speak, but he held up his hand. "Besides," he added, "there is one in London that you may need to defend yourself and those you love against in the future. Yes?"

I immediately thought of Ratigan. Baker Street had been broken into at least three times this year, but nothing had ever been taken. Anonymous notes were sent to me. Sometimes while out for a walk, I felt as though someone was watching me. I was sure I was in great peril. When these feelings did not go away, I started to carry the switchblade with me wherever I went. But I still felt unable to defend myself. Perhaps I should learn these "martial arts" from Mr. Liang.

"Oh... All right, Mr. Liang. I will learn these... defense systems." A thought occurred to me. "Do you know Basil?" I asked.

"I've heard of his greatness, but I have never personally met him."

"Will you please not tell Basil of this?"

"You don't want him to know you are learning kung fu?"

"What? Oh, yes. He wouldn't approve."

"Certainly, Meg Havers." The old mouse walked toward the door. "We start the lesson right now."

"Now? Why now?" I asked, following him.

"The sooner the better," he replied.

I followed him up to a large room directly under the roof of the hotel. I looked down one of the windows, but the heights scared me back to the middle of the room.

"See that building over there?" Mr. Liang asked, pointing out one of the windows. I nodded. "Jump onto that roof."

"What! I can't do that! I'll fall!" I exclaimed.

"Jump onto the roof." he insisted.

"No."

"Jump onto the roof."

"I can't."

He seemed a bit angry. "What do you mean you can't?"

"It... it's impossible," I muttered.

"Nothing is impossible until you say it is," Mr. Liang said. "You need to have faith in yourself."

"But... I can't," I whined.

"Lack of confidence will result in lack of success."

"This isn't what I thought you meant by kung fu."

Mr. Liang did a backflip, temporarily jumped onto a wall and then a small table, kicked out with his left leg and broke a sandbag hanging from the ceiling.

"That is kung fu."

I could not hide my shock. "I- I can't do that!"

Mr. Liang moved to the door. "You are dismissed," he said.

That statement startled me even more. "Excuse me?"

"You are dismissed," he repeated. "Can't teach student unwilling to learn new things."

"Shall I come back?"

"Come back tomorrow. After detective leaves."

Five minutes later, I found myself back in my small hotel room, still trying to figure out what I had done wrong.

Li Yan came back, accompanied by Basil and Dawson. They both looked a bit weary from their long day. Basil pulled out his pipe and muttered, "Where are the reports, Meg?" I showed him the list. "Hmm," he said to himself, looking totally uninterested in it.

"Well, what did your investigating come up with? Did you catch the pirates?"

"No."

Dawson explained the day's adventures to me. "We followed the tracks to the nearest village. A farmer met us there who seemed greatly distressed. He took us to a farmhouse, where there had been evidence of a struggle. From the tracks Basil found, it was certain our fiends had kidnapped four of the farmer's young children. We continued in our search of the pirates, until we reached a rocky bay. There we met the two mice as they were rowing to an awaiting ship. Basil swam out to them, but they-"

"Dawson, could you for once be quiet!" Basil barked. Li Yan dropped the pot of tea in surprise. The detective spun around and looked as though he was about to strike her. She cringed, waiting for the blow. Basil paused; he glanced at me. He must have seen the fear in my eyes, because he lowered his paw. "I apologize profusely, Li Yan." He wearily dragged himself back to his seat. "Meg, the fool I was! The fool I am!" He sulkily smoked on his pipe.

A dreadful silence followed this remark. I felt I had to say something, since he had addressed me last. "You are not a fool," I whispered, afraid to raise my voice.

"Yes I am, my dear. I was so close, but Xing Ryu has eluded my grasp! I followed the boat out to sea, in hopes of catching it before it reached the ship. I made it to the boat, and had managed to knock out the first pirate, but the second one had learned the art of kung fu. I know Japanese boxing, but it was no match for this. I..."

I did not hear the rest of the conversation. Kung Fu. Now I knew what I was up against. I knew I had to try to follow the old man's teaching again tomorrow.

Basil finished and looked at me apologetically. "I'm sorry for being so sharp."

"Basil, I think you need rest."

"Yes, I think I do." He and Dawson got up to go to their hotel room. As he was leaving, he murmured to me, "Thank you, Megana."


Lizz: Awwwwwwww!

Sarah: What's so cute about Basil flipping out?

Lizz: He likes her!

RAEB: Hun, he yelled at her too. That's not a very good way to flirt with someone.

Sarah: He wouldn't flirt anyway. He's Basil!

JWJ: He's Basil?! That's not a very good reason to not flirt.

Ratigan's voice: (from cell phone JWJ is still holding) Basil's not expected to flirt, but I am?! Miss Meg, I want to talk to you. NOW.

Meg: Uh... uh... I have to go to the bathroom! (runs out of room).