Notes: Sorry this came out late. Way late. Been having trouble writing it -- perhaps it is the pressure of citywides and ELAs getting to me. ~.~ But, I hope this extra-long chapter will make up for my absense.
Does anybody remember in part one, where I said that the letter came from Jackie's mother and there were a lot of references to his brother? Well, just change brother to cousin, as I didn't know that Jade's father was Jackie's cousin at the time.
Usual thanks to Kathryn and Olivia applies! Looks *so* much neater with Kathryn editing it, don't you agree? :)
Disclaimer: Err, I had done a little research on the Chan Man himself a while ago, and incorporated a few ideas in here. It's not *entirely* true, of course. The part about the knife is fiction. So is the letter. And, just as a reminder, JCA don't belong to me anyhow. (Oh, yeah, like you REALLY needed a reminder...)
THE DEMON WITHIN
Part Seven: Conspiracy Theory
"Get me down, get me down, GET ME DOWN!" Jackie wailed as he gesticulated in mid-air. His eyes were shut tightly in his trepidation, so he didn't see Jade standing in the doorway with her mouth hanging open. His ears were blocked by his own screams, and he did not hear the footsteps of Uncle and Captain Black racing up the stairs to meet him. They joined Jade's stupefaction when their eyes found the screaming Jackie. "BAD DAY, BAD DAY!"
Tohru's giant footsteps could be heard even by Jackie, and presently he stood behind them. The first to regain his senses, Tohru tapped Uncle on the shoulder and said, "Um, Sensei, perhaps we should help Jackie down."
This brought Uncle out of his astonished state. "Aiiyaa! Tohru! You are tallest -- get Jackie down! One more thing! Make tea!"
Sighing, Tohru pushed his way past Captain Black, who was still aghast, and the two Chans, one of which was also aghast, and stood beneath the eccentric Jackie. With a steady grip around Jackie's waist, Tohru pulled him down till his feet reached the dusty floor. Jackie gasped for breath, as if hanging in mid-air was somehow suffocating.
Overcoming his shock, Captain Black raced over to Jackie, put a friendly hand on his shoulder, and started barraging him with questions: "Are you all right? How did that happen? Do you feel sick? Was that really *magic*? What was it like? Where can I learn to do that?"
Jackie simply stared at him. Black was asking too many questions at too great a speed for his brain to respond. "Um..."
"Aiiyaa! Give him spaaace!" Uncle pushed the zealous Black away from Jackie, who sat down at the foot of the bed. After reminding Tohru to fetch tea, and ordering everyone else to leave, he and Jackie were alone. Uncle turned to his nephew. "Now...tell me what happened."
Jackie had anticipated this question, but he hadn't any time to think of a logical explanation. He kept his eyes glued to his shoes, feeling Uncle's unwavering glare over him, hearing him tap his foot impatiently. "Well?"
"Jade came in," he said slowly. "She looked horrified. So I looked down, and saw that I was six feet over." He shook his head. He didn't even realise the terrible pun he made.
"Is that all?" Uncle asked, and Jackie nodded. But Uncle knew better -- everyone knew what a horrible liar Jackie was. He eyed him carefully, taking note of everything: his pale complexion, which made him resemble a porcelain doll, the smallness of his normally robust body, the way he kept his expression blank as he stared down while his hand reached beneath his sweater and pressed against his scar. "Does it still hurt?"
Jackie didn't even have to ask what Uncle meant. "No."
"Pfft! Modern medicine! Let *me* look at it." Uncle pried his fingers beneath the fringe of his blue sweater, and he was surprised to feel something velvety and rectangular. But before he could explore any farther, Jackie shoved his hand away, rather roughly. At first, Uncle stared at him dumbfounded, since Jackie had never actually defied him -- verbally or physically. It did not take long, however, for his face to mold into a livid glare. "What was that for?! What are you hiding?!"
"Nothing to see," Jackie said, wincing and squeezing his fingers nervously. He didn't dare look at Uncle. "It's really nothing. Honest."
"Jackie," Uncle began firmly, but also calmly, which Jackie knew to be very dangerous, "we all know you cannot get away with lying. You are too honest. But we also know that you have been lying this past week." Through his spectacles, he saw his nephew fidgeting at this last statement. "Explain."
So they knew he'd been lying. Somehow, he hadn't thought they really believed him; it seemed much too easy. It was times like these when Jackie wanted to confess everything and get it over with. He hated confrontations. But this time, he'd promised himself, he would refuse to melt in his Uncle's hands. Instead, he would stand his ground. So he looked Uncle in the eye and said, "There is nothing to explain. I did nothing wrong." Uncle did not look convinced, so he continued, "I probably just haven't been myself because of all the pain killers."
Uncle's eyes narrowed. "You are still lying. You look me in the eye and you are still lying." He sighed. "Jackie, I do not know what is wrong with you -- you have *never* done that before -- you--" Uncle sighed once more, but he sounded more frustrated. Deep down, Jackie knew he was upset, and he could feel himself weakening.
*Don't give in,* hissed a voice deep within, and he shut his eyes in response. After repeating this to himself five times, Jackie was able to reopen his eyes and look straight at Uncle and see not the person who had cared for him since childhood, but a withered old man who could be easily overpowered. He pitied him with such a disgust he wanted to spit at him.
At length Uncle said, "I am going to do research now. When you are ready to tell me the truth, come see me...But I will not waste my time listening to lies! You understand?"
Jackie nodded, refraining himself from running out of the room. Oh, he understood perfectly; it was Uncle's way of saying he was grounded. He could have said this aloud, but Jackie knew he preferred to let him punish himself with his own guilt.
Well, Jackie just wouldn't feel guilty. He needed to gain some independence, and the only way to accomplish such a desire was to defy the one person who could always stop him in his tracks, who could always find something wrong with him.
And so Uncle left, leaving Jackie alone with his thoughts. He sighed, plopped on the mattress, and stared up at the ceiling; cracks and cobwebs occupied the corners. Didn't Uncle ever clean? No, he was too busy bossing him around all the time. Jackie couldn't stand it.
Suddenly, Jackie sat up. The door was closed. He was alone. He slipped his hand beneath his sweater and pulled out the box and gazed at it for a moment or two. To think, he'd almost allowed Uncle to see this! Uncle would come after it. He had to hide it somewhere. But first, just a peek...
As he opened it, its contents seemed to glitter brilliantly, and Jackie's eyes widened in wonder. The blade was about four inches long of silver beauty. He swallowed, and stroked it, but just barely touching as he didn't want to disrupt the rhythm of its dull shine. In his other hand lay the ebony hilt, weathered away from years of isolation.
To the ordinary eye this knife was no breathtaking sight, but it was to Jackie, for it belonged to his elder brother.
It had started about twenty or so years ago. He'd still been living in Australia then, his father a cook in the French Embassy. They weren't exactly rich; in fact, they'd just barely gotten by. He, his parents, and his brother lived within the Embassy walls, in a small, two-room flat.
After the third year of living there, Jackie's ninth birthday approached. The problem was that it was also his brother's birthday as well, who was six years older than he. Jackie never minded much; he loved his brother more than words can say. But this particular year had not gone as well as expected. Jackie had gotten into yet another fight at school, the biggest fight yet: it was three on one, with the odds against him, and although he somehow managed to score big time, he came home with two black eyes and cuts and bruises all over his arms and legs.
And through all this, Jackie couldn't believe that his biggest concern had been his birthday present, a knife. A knife, he figured, might accomplish two things: 1) Impress everyone at school, and 2) Protect him against playground bullies. Not that Jackie really wanted to hurt them other than with his fist, but for some reason he always had been a magnet for trouble, including other older children with knives. A knife of his own would merely even the score.
His wish seemed to have been granted. While cleaning part of the flat three days before his birthday, Jackie discovered this very knife. He was overjoyed. Presuming it to be his own, he took the knife and kept it. It was only on the day of his birthday when it became known that the knife was his brother's. While Jackie had been given a small gift -- he forgot what it was now -- his brother went without. Jackie was too embarrassed to admit that he'd taken it, but it mattered not, for he could not find the knife anyway.
A month later, he found himself being shipped to the United States of America to live with his Uncle in San Francisco's Chinatown. Not long after that he found the knife in his suitcase. Then he hid it in the attic, and tried to forget it ever happened.
And all had been well until just recently.
Now Jackie replaced the knife back in its case, shut the lid, and hid it in the depths of the closet. Safe, for now. he would find a better place to hide it later on. For now, though, he wanted nothing to do with it. Reminiscing time was over.
_Now what?_ he wondered, laying on the bed. Uncle had "grounded" him until he'd apologised, which would be never, and there was nothing to do in the meantime. He lay there with his arms crossed, sulking at the ceiling.
Then, suddenly, he realised that with all this reminiscing, he'd never pondered about the strange event that had occurred only fifteen minutes ago, when he'd been hanging in mid-air. While he had been shocked and fearful then, now he thought nothing of it. It seemed like a minor event in his life, unworthy of his time or concentration.
Jackie had enough of lying and sulking: so far the only thought that was entering his mind was, _boring, boring, *boring*_, and he was beginning to feel more like Jade. He winced; he was trying to forget her and the guilt that was associated with her.
He felt along his side again, over the thin line of stitches that held his stomach together. Then his hand went up to his face; hair was starting to grow along his chin, as he hadn't shaved in Section 13. _You would think that an underground base would at least have had mirrors installed in the bathrooms,_ Jackie thought bitterly as he rose and headed toward the bathroom.
The shop only had one bathroom, and it was, thankfully, unoccupied. Jackie shut the door firmly behind him. Above the sink was the mirror, the door to the medicine cabinet. Without paying much heed to his reflection, Jackie pulled open the cabinet, which complied without resistance, and picked out a disposable razor. After closing it again, he bent to down to pick up the shaving cream bottle. Then, before he got to work, he took a brief look into the mirror.
Indeed, a brief look was all he needed: the only thing he saw was the superimposition of the head of a golden dragon over his own horrified face, its eyes dull and vacant.
Recalling that day later on, Jackie was positive that all of San Francisco heard him scream.
The door burst open, and Uncle, Jade, and Captain Black ran into the now cramped room, Tohru thumping behind. Jackie simply stood there stunned, staring into the mirror and seeing only the demon.
"Jackie? What is it?!" Uncle asked urgently, shaking Jackie's shoulder. Jackie blinked and turned to see his Uncle looking genuinely concerned.
"In the mirror," he said, his voice shaky, and Uncle peered into it. "What do you see?"
"I see...you...and me. Why?" Uncle readjusted his spectacles, his worry converting to irritation.
"No!" Jackie cried, exasperated. "You don't see it?!"
"Aaiiyaa! See whaat?!"
Jackie looked back at the mirror, but he turned away the minute the gold caught his eye. "Shendu!" he exclaimed. "Shendu is there! Right over my face! He's right there! He's right there!"
He saw Uncle's expression reverting back to worry, similar to what was happening to Black's and Jade's in the background. At length, Uncle sighed. "I had a feeling something like this would happen," he said slowly, "but I was hoping it would not. I think it is time to tell you the truth."
Jackie cocked his head to one side, curious.
Motioning the others to leave them alone again, which they did rather reluctantly, Uncle led Jackie downstairs, into the study and across the mountains of books, and sat him down at the desk. The door closed firmly.
"Captain Black told you about the spell," Uncle said carefully, "that is correct?"
Jackie nodded.
"And he did not tell you about the Talismans, correct?"
"What about the Talismans?" Jackie asked, scratching his head.
"The good news," Uncle said, "is that we found them. Ten, at least. They are now locked away in Section 13."
Jackie rolled his eyes indignantly. "Well, I figured *that.* If Section 13 managed to arrest Valmont and those three Enforcers, then they probably secured the Talismans as well." A thoughtful pause. "But no, I didn't ask about it. I wasn't even interested."
"Ehh, you were out of it." Uncle waved his hand dismissively. "The point is, they do not work!"
"Huh?" Jackie blinked, and Uncle bopped him. "Ow!" He rubbed his forehead and glared.
"Aiiyaa! I said they do not work! Their power is gone!" Uncle took off his spectacles and polished them with his woolen vest. Then he set them back on his nose and continued, "One more thing. We think it may be inside you!"
Jackie blinked again. "Huh?" Once again Uncle's two fingers came down to Jackie's head, but Jackie ducked just in time. "Knock it off!"
"Ohh! Jackiiieeee! Respect your elders!" Uncle shouted. "You want Uncle to help you or not?!"
Reluctantly, Jackie nodded.
"Then listen! The spell had an effect on the two of you, and--"
"The *two* of us? Who else?"
"Aiiyaa! Captain Black did not tell you?!" Uncle rubbed his temples. "He did not tell you aaannything! The spell was cast on both you and Shendu -- and the Talismans were used to perform it. Then we discovered that the magic had been drained from the Talismans, so we decided that it must have gone into either you or Shendu. You, apparently," he added, recalling the little incident upstairs.
"I could not, however, figure out just *what* the spell was for," Uncle continued, "until now. What I do not understand is why you can see Shendu in your reflection while the rest of us cannot."
Just then they both heard muttering from somewhere -- from the door! Jackie sat still and listened, but Uncle stomped over and swung the door open. Jade, Captain Black, and Tohru stood before him, looking dumbstruck.
"Aiiyaa!" Uncle shouted, tugging at his wild hair. "You were listening! I tooold you to go away!"
Both Captain Black and Tohru looked sheepish, but Jade said quickly, "Um, we weren't listening! We were, uh, gonna ask if you wanted tea!"
"Aiiyaa! Why is everybody lying to Uncle today?!" He sighed. "Uncle needs a nap. He is veeerrry exhausted!" He headed back towards Jackie, and the rest of the company shrugged and followed since Uncle hadn't kicked them out.
"So anyway," Jade ventured, "let's get back on topic here. The question is, why couldn't the rest of us see Shendu?"
"Ha-chaaaa!" Uncle cried suddenly, and everybody listened eagerly. Then he smacked his own forehead. "Of course! It is so obvious!"
"What is it?" Jackie asked enthusiastically.
"Only *you*, Jackie, can see Shendu because he isn't entirely there!"
"*What?*" everyone asked simultaneously.
"Yes! He not all there!" Uncle crossed his arms and grinned triumphantly. "When the spell first started, Jade took two of the Talismans! It cannot work with only ten!"
Jade's face had gone from excited to crestfallen. "So...that means it's *my* fault Shendu's there?"
"Noo!" Uncle stamped his foot on an area of the floor that was clear of books. "If the spell was meant to take over Jackie, which it seems to be, then Jade prevented that from happening!"
Just as it had before, Jade's face brightened. "So...that means I saved the day? Cool!"
"Noo!" Uncle stamped his foot again. "It could be even worse! I do not know what the effects on Jackie will be now! I need the Demon Archive!"
The familiar gust of wind blew through Jackie's bones, and he instinctively wrapped his arms around himself, shivering. But no one noticed, and he said nothing.
"Don't worry, Unc," Black assured him. "Valmont and his cronies are being interrogated by my associate as we speak. I especially assigned this to my associate, Mr. Bent -- he is the best interrogator we've got. No one gets away with lying in his room."
Then, taking full charge of his role, Black stumbled over the dozens of books and made his way to Jackie's side. He put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, and he was surprised to find that it was so cold. Nevertheless, he said. "Don't worry, Jackie. Everything's taken care of." But Jackie didn't even look at him; he sat there, staring blankly at his hands and seeing only the golden dragon and his vacant eyes, waiting to be filled with his own hatred.
************
That night, Jackie couldn't sleep. He'd gone to bed at nine-thirty, and now, at twelve-thirty, he lay on Uncle's moss-covered mattress ("Gross, gross, gross, gross, gross..." Jackie had murmured to himself), wide-awake and restless. At eleven he had managed to drift off into a sleep that lasted fifteen minutes, but it was plagued with dreams of the demon that resided in his soul.
However, the vivid images were more hideous than he'd seen them earlier: instead of empty, its eyes were a bright red, like bulbs of fire. He heard whispers that made his skin crawl. And then suddenly, fire was shot from the red eyes, aimed right at him, and Jackie couldn't move out of the way, as if he'd forgotten how to.
That was when he'd woken up, gasping for air and gripping the edges of the blanket. Instinctively his hand went to his scar, and he shivered.
He tried to forget the dream, to push it out of his mind. He soon discovered, though, that the only way that could be accomplished was if he thought about something else, something that would catch his attention. Namely, the mysterious letter that had started this whole mess. He wondered where it was: he'd kept it in his pocket, along with his keys and wallet, but Captain Black never told him where all those things were now. Under his breath, Jackie let out a short growl. And he thought he could actually *trust* Captain Black. The same went for Uncle, who'd kept this letter from him in the first place, and...
Uncle!
Of course! It was so obvious! Jackie kept forgetting to ask Uncle about the letter; well, he'd just do it now, before it slipped his mind yet again. Forgetting the time, Jackie hopped out of bed and went downstairs. A dull, golden light shone from the half-closed door of the study, and Jackie used this light as a guide. He came to the threshold and saw Uncle sitting at the desk, leaning over a huge book as he read intently. Jackie didn't bother to knock.
"Uncle," he heard his own apathetic voice. Uncle jumped in his seat, readjusted his spectacles, and looked up at Jackie in surprise.
"Aiiyaa!" he said, remembering to keep his voice a hushed whisper. "Jackie! What are you doing up?!"
Jackie ignored his question. "Why didn't you ever tell me about the letter?"
Uncle stared at him. "What are you talking about?"
"You know very well what I'm talking about!" Jackie snarled. "The letter my parents sent me, about Jade!"
"Keep your voice down!" Uncle ordered as he rose. "Hooow do you know about this letter, hmm?"
"Because I found it," Jackie said; ratting out Jade once was bad enough.
"You are not supposed to go into the attic!" Uncle said. "No one is!"
"I see why." Jackie glared at him vehemently. "So why didn't you tell me?"
For a moment, Uncle didn't respond, and the air in the room seemed thick and still with the silence. Finally, Uncle heaved a heavy sigh, and resumed his seat. Between the sigh and his tiny, half-closed eyes, he seemed very old and tired and wise. Part of Jackie felt sorry for him, and for how he'd been acting lately, but he managed to shake it off.
"Jackie," Uncle spoke, "this is a veerrry complex matter. I did it for your own good. I do *everything* for your own good. Try to understand that."
"Lying is never for anyone's own good," said Jackie.
"And you should know, eh?" Uncle said evenly.
Jackie opened his mouth to object, but Uncle's reply had taken all sound out of him, and he felt hurt and shamed. Uncle always had that effect on him. At a loss of what to do, Jackie shut his mouth, flashed a long glare, and went back to bed.
When he'd left, the tension in the atmosphere seemed to inflate, and Uncle sighed again. This wasn't good; his nephew was in terrible danger, he knew it. Never before had Jackie acted so...brazen, so rebellious. It wasn't his nature.
_But it *is* someone else's,_ he thought, tapping his pencil, which had formerly been tucked behind his ear, on the sallow page of the book he'd been researching. _Like Shendu._
He could only hope that Captain Black could get the Archive. Fast.
~-~-~-~
Next we get to action with...the Enforcers! MWAHAHAHA!!!!!!!
Does anybody remember in part one, where I said that the letter came from Jackie's mother and there were a lot of references to his brother? Well, just change brother to cousin, as I didn't know that Jade's father was Jackie's cousin at the time.
Usual thanks to Kathryn and Olivia applies! Looks *so* much neater with Kathryn editing it, don't you agree? :)
Disclaimer: Err, I had done a little research on the Chan Man himself a while ago, and incorporated a few ideas in here. It's not *entirely* true, of course. The part about the knife is fiction. So is the letter. And, just as a reminder, JCA don't belong to me anyhow. (Oh, yeah, like you REALLY needed a reminder...)
THE DEMON WITHIN
Part Seven: Conspiracy Theory
"Get me down, get me down, GET ME DOWN!" Jackie wailed as he gesticulated in mid-air. His eyes were shut tightly in his trepidation, so he didn't see Jade standing in the doorway with her mouth hanging open. His ears were blocked by his own screams, and he did not hear the footsteps of Uncle and Captain Black racing up the stairs to meet him. They joined Jade's stupefaction when their eyes found the screaming Jackie. "BAD DAY, BAD DAY!"
Tohru's giant footsteps could be heard even by Jackie, and presently he stood behind them. The first to regain his senses, Tohru tapped Uncle on the shoulder and said, "Um, Sensei, perhaps we should help Jackie down."
This brought Uncle out of his astonished state. "Aiiyaa! Tohru! You are tallest -- get Jackie down! One more thing! Make tea!"
Sighing, Tohru pushed his way past Captain Black, who was still aghast, and the two Chans, one of which was also aghast, and stood beneath the eccentric Jackie. With a steady grip around Jackie's waist, Tohru pulled him down till his feet reached the dusty floor. Jackie gasped for breath, as if hanging in mid-air was somehow suffocating.
Overcoming his shock, Captain Black raced over to Jackie, put a friendly hand on his shoulder, and started barraging him with questions: "Are you all right? How did that happen? Do you feel sick? Was that really *magic*? What was it like? Where can I learn to do that?"
Jackie simply stared at him. Black was asking too many questions at too great a speed for his brain to respond. "Um..."
"Aiiyaa! Give him spaaace!" Uncle pushed the zealous Black away from Jackie, who sat down at the foot of the bed. After reminding Tohru to fetch tea, and ordering everyone else to leave, he and Jackie were alone. Uncle turned to his nephew. "Now...tell me what happened."
Jackie had anticipated this question, but he hadn't any time to think of a logical explanation. He kept his eyes glued to his shoes, feeling Uncle's unwavering glare over him, hearing him tap his foot impatiently. "Well?"
"Jade came in," he said slowly. "She looked horrified. So I looked down, and saw that I was six feet over." He shook his head. He didn't even realise the terrible pun he made.
"Is that all?" Uncle asked, and Jackie nodded. But Uncle knew better -- everyone knew what a horrible liar Jackie was. He eyed him carefully, taking note of everything: his pale complexion, which made him resemble a porcelain doll, the smallness of his normally robust body, the way he kept his expression blank as he stared down while his hand reached beneath his sweater and pressed against his scar. "Does it still hurt?"
Jackie didn't even have to ask what Uncle meant. "No."
"Pfft! Modern medicine! Let *me* look at it." Uncle pried his fingers beneath the fringe of his blue sweater, and he was surprised to feel something velvety and rectangular. But before he could explore any farther, Jackie shoved his hand away, rather roughly. At first, Uncle stared at him dumbfounded, since Jackie had never actually defied him -- verbally or physically. It did not take long, however, for his face to mold into a livid glare. "What was that for?! What are you hiding?!"
"Nothing to see," Jackie said, wincing and squeezing his fingers nervously. He didn't dare look at Uncle. "It's really nothing. Honest."
"Jackie," Uncle began firmly, but also calmly, which Jackie knew to be very dangerous, "we all know you cannot get away with lying. You are too honest. But we also know that you have been lying this past week." Through his spectacles, he saw his nephew fidgeting at this last statement. "Explain."
So they knew he'd been lying. Somehow, he hadn't thought they really believed him; it seemed much too easy. It was times like these when Jackie wanted to confess everything and get it over with. He hated confrontations. But this time, he'd promised himself, he would refuse to melt in his Uncle's hands. Instead, he would stand his ground. So he looked Uncle in the eye and said, "There is nothing to explain. I did nothing wrong." Uncle did not look convinced, so he continued, "I probably just haven't been myself because of all the pain killers."
Uncle's eyes narrowed. "You are still lying. You look me in the eye and you are still lying." He sighed. "Jackie, I do not know what is wrong with you -- you have *never* done that before -- you--" Uncle sighed once more, but he sounded more frustrated. Deep down, Jackie knew he was upset, and he could feel himself weakening.
*Don't give in,* hissed a voice deep within, and he shut his eyes in response. After repeating this to himself five times, Jackie was able to reopen his eyes and look straight at Uncle and see not the person who had cared for him since childhood, but a withered old man who could be easily overpowered. He pitied him with such a disgust he wanted to spit at him.
At length Uncle said, "I am going to do research now. When you are ready to tell me the truth, come see me...But I will not waste my time listening to lies! You understand?"
Jackie nodded, refraining himself from running out of the room. Oh, he understood perfectly; it was Uncle's way of saying he was grounded. He could have said this aloud, but Jackie knew he preferred to let him punish himself with his own guilt.
Well, Jackie just wouldn't feel guilty. He needed to gain some independence, and the only way to accomplish such a desire was to defy the one person who could always stop him in his tracks, who could always find something wrong with him.
And so Uncle left, leaving Jackie alone with his thoughts. He sighed, plopped on the mattress, and stared up at the ceiling; cracks and cobwebs occupied the corners. Didn't Uncle ever clean? No, he was too busy bossing him around all the time. Jackie couldn't stand it.
Suddenly, Jackie sat up. The door was closed. He was alone. He slipped his hand beneath his sweater and pulled out the box and gazed at it for a moment or two. To think, he'd almost allowed Uncle to see this! Uncle would come after it. He had to hide it somewhere. But first, just a peek...
As he opened it, its contents seemed to glitter brilliantly, and Jackie's eyes widened in wonder. The blade was about four inches long of silver beauty. He swallowed, and stroked it, but just barely touching as he didn't want to disrupt the rhythm of its dull shine. In his other hand lay the ebony hilt, weathered away from years of isolation.
To the ordinary eye this knife was no breathtaking sight, but it was to Jackie, for it belonged to his elder brother.
It had started about twenty or so years ago. He'd still been living in Australia then, his father a cook in the French Embassy. They weren't exactly rich; in fact, they'd just barely gotten by. He, his parents, and his brother lived within the Embassy walls, in a small, two-room flat.
After the third year of living there, Jackie's ninth birthday approached. The problem was that it was also his brother's birthday as well, who was six years older than he. Jackie never minded much; he loved his brother more than words can say. But this particular year had not gone as well as expected. Jackie had gotten into yet another fight at school, the biggest fight yet: it was three on one, with the odds against him, and although he somehow managed to score big time, he came home with two black eyes and cuts and bruises all over his arms and legs.
And through all this, Jackie couldn't believe that his biggest concern had been his birthday present, a knife. A knife, he figured, might accomplish two things: 1) Impress everyone at school, and 2) Protect him against playground bullies. Not that Jackie really wanted to hurt them other than with his fist, but for some reason he always had been a magnet for trouble, including other older children with knives. A knife of his own would merely even the score.
His wish seemed to have been granted. While cleaning part of the flat three days before his birthday, Jackie discovered this very knife. He was overjoyed. Presuming it to be his own, he took the knife and kept it. It was only on the day of his birthday when it became known that the knife was his brother's. While Jackie had been given a small gift -- he forgot what it was now -- his brother went without. Jackie was too embarrassed to admit that he'd taken it, but it mattered not, for he could not find the knife anyway.
A month later, he found himself being shipped to the United States of America to live with his Uncle in San Francisco's Chinatown. Not long after that he found the knife in his suitcase. Then he hid it in the attic, and tried to forget it ever happened.
And all had been well until just recently.
Now Jackie replaced the knife back in its case, shut the lid, and hid it in the depths of the closet. Safe, for now. he would find a better place to hide it later on. For now, though, he wanted nothing to do with it. Reminiscing time was over.
_Now what?_ he wondered, laying on the bed. Uncle had "grounded" him until he'd apologised, which would be never, and there was nothing to do in the meantime. He lay there with his arms crossed, sulking at the ceiling.
Then, suddenly, he realised that with all this reminiscing, he'd never pondered about the strange event that had occurred only fifteen minutes ago, when he'd been hanging in mid-air. While he had been shocked and fearful then, now he thought nothing of it. It seemed like a minor event in his life, unworthy of his time or concentration.
Jackie had enough of lying and sulking: so far the only thought that was entering his mind was, _boring, boring, *boring*_, and he was beginning to feel more like Jade. He winced; he was trying to forget her and the guilt that was associated with her.
He felt along his side again, over the thin line of stitches that held his stomach together. Then his hand went up to his face; hair was starting to grow along his chin, as he hadn't shaved in Section 13. _You would think that an underground base would at least have had mirrors installed in the bathrooms,_ Jackie thought bitterly as he rose and headed toward the bathroom.
The shop only had one bathroom, and it was, thankfully, unoccupied. Jackie shut the door firmly behind him. Above the sink was the mirror, the door to the medicine cabinet. Without paying much heed to his reflection, Jackie pulled open the cabinet, which complied without resistance, and picked out a disposable razor. After closing it again, he bent to down to pick up the shaving cream bottle. Then, before he got to work, he took a brief look into the mirror.
Indeed, a brief look was all he needed: the only thing he saw was the superimposition of the head of a golden dragon over his own horrified face, its eyes dull and vacant.
Recalling that day later on, Jackie was positive that all of San Francisco heard him scream.
The door burst open, and Uncle, Jade, and Captain Black ran into the now cramped room, Tohru thumping behind. Jackie simply stood there stunned, staring into the mirror and seeing only the demon.
"Jackie? What is it?!" Uncle asked urgently, shaking Jackie's shoulder. Jackie blinked and turned to see his Uncle looking genuinely concerned.
"In the mirror," he said, his voice shaky, and Uncle peered into it. "What do you see?"
"I see...you...and me. Why?" Uncle readjusted his spectacles, his worry converting to irritation.
"No!" Jackie cried, exasperated. "You don't see it?!"
"Aaiiyaa! See whaat?!"
Jackie looked back at the mirror, but he turned away the minute the gold caught his eye. "Shendu!" he exclaimed. "Shendu is there! Right over my face! He's right there! He's right there!"
He saw Uncle's expression reverting back to worry, similar to what was happening to Black's and Jade's in the background. At length, Uncle sighed. "I had a feeling something like this would happen," he said slowly, "but I was hoping it would not. I think it is time to tell you the truth."
Jackie cocked his head to one side, curious.
Motioning the others to leave them alone again, which they did rather reluctantly, Uncle led Jackie downstairs, into the study and across the mountains of books, and sat him down at the desk. The door closed firmly.
"Captain Black told you about the spell," Uncle said carefully, "that is correct?"
Jackie nodded.
"And he did not tell you about the Talismans, correct?"
"What about the Talismans?" Jackie asked, scratching his head.
"The good news," Uncle said, "is that we found them. Ten, at least. They are now locked away in Section 13."
Jackie rolled his eyes indignantly. "Well, I figured *that.* If Section 13 managed to arrest Valmont and those three Enforcers, then they probably secured the Talismans as well." A thoughtful pause. "But no, I didn't ask about it. I wasn't even interested."
"Ehh, you were out of it." Uncle waved his hand dismissively. "The point is, they do not work!"
"Huh?" Jackie blinked, and Uncle bopped him. "Ow!" He rubbed his forehead and glared.
"Aiiyaa! I said they do not work! Their power is gone!" Uncle took off his spectacles and polished them with his woolen vest. Then he set them back on his nose and continued, "One more thing. We think it may be inside you!"
Jackie blinked again. "Huh?" Once again Uncle's two fingers came down to Jackie's head, but Jackie ducked just in time. "Knock it off!"
"Ohh! Jackiiieeee! Respect your elders!" Uncle shouted. "You want Uncle to help you or not?!"
Reluctantly, Jackie nodded.
"Then listen! The spell had an effect on the two of you, and--"
"The *two* of us? Who else?"
"Aiiyaa! Captain Black did not tell you?!" Uncle rubbed his temples. "He did not tell you aaannything! The spell was cast on both you and Shendu -- and the Talismans were used to perform it. Then we discovered that the magic had been drained from the Talismans, so we decided that it must have gone into either you or Shendu. You, apparently," he added, recalling the little incident upstairs.
"I could not, however, figure out just *what* the spell was for," Uncle continued, "until now. What I do not understand is why you can see Shendu in your reflection while the rest of us cannot."
Just then they both heard muttering from somewhere -- from the door! Jackie sat still and listened, but Uncle stomped over and swung the door open. Jade, Captain Black, and Tohru stood before him, looking dumbstruck.
"Aiiyaa!" Uncle shouted, tugging at his wild hair. "You were listening! I tooold you to go away!"
Both Captain Black and Tohru looked sheepish, but Jade said quickly, "Um, we weren't listening! We were, uh, gonna ask if you wanted tea!"
"Aiiyaa! Why is everybody lying to Uncle today?!" He sighed. "Uncle needs a nap. He is veeerrry exhausted!" He headed back towards Jackie, and the rest of the company shrugged and followed since Uncle hadn't kicked them out.
"So anyway," Jade ventured, "let's get back on topic here. The question is, why couldn't the rest of us see Shendu?"
"Ha-chaaaa!" Uncle cried suddenly, and everybody listened eagerly. Then he smacked his own forehead. "Of course! It is so obvious!"
"What is it?" Jackie asked enthusiastically.
"Only *you*, Jackie, can see Shendu because he isn't entirely there!"
"*What?*" everyone asked simultaneously.
"Yes! He not all there!" Uncle crossed his arms and grinned triumphantly. "When the spell first started, Jade took two of the Talismans! It cannot work with only ten!"
Jade's face had gone from excited to crestfallen. "So...that means it's *my* fault Shendu's there?"
"Noo!" Uncle stamped his foot on an area of the floor that was clear of books. "If the spell was meant to take over Jackie, which it seems to be, then Jade prevented that from happening!"
Just as it had before, Jade's face brightened. "So...that means I saved the day? Cool!"
"Noo!" Uncle stamped his foot again. "It could be even worse! I do not know what the effects on Jackie will be now! I need the Demon Archive!"
The familiar gust of wind blew through Jackie's bones, and he instinctively wrapped his arms around himself, shivering. But no one noticed, and he said nothing.
"Don't worry, Unc," Black assured him. "Valmont and his cronies are being interrogated by my associate as we speak. I especially assigned this to my associate, Mr. Bent -- he is the best interrogator we've got. No one gets away with lying in his room."
Then, taking full charge of his role, Black stumbled over the dozens of books and made his way to Jackie's side. He put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, and he was surprised to find that it was so cold. Nevertheless, he said. "Don't worry, Jackie. Everything's taken care of." But Jackie didn't even look at him; he sat there, staring blankly at his hands and seeing only the golden dragon and his vacant eyes, waiting to be filled with his own hatred.
************
That night, Jackie couldn't sleep. He'd gone to bed at nine-thirty, and now, at twelve-thirty, he lay on Uncle's moss-covered mattress ("Gross, gross, gross, gross, gross..." Jackie had murmured to himself), wide-awake and restless. At eleven he had managed to drift off into a sleep that lasted fifteen minutes, but it was plagued with dreams of the demon that resided in his soul.
However, the vivid images were more hideous than he'd seen them earlier: instead of empty, its eyes were a bright red, like bulbs of fire. He heard whispers that made his skin crawl. And then suddenly, fire was shot from the red eyes, aimed right at him, and Jackie couldn't move out of the way, as if he'd forgotten how to.
That was when he'd woken up, gasping for air and gripping the edges of the blanket. Instinctively his hand went to his scar, and he shivered.
He tried to forget the dream, to push it out of his mind. He soon discovered, though, that the only way that could be accomplished was if he thought about something else, something that would catch his attention. Namely, the mysterious letter that had started this whole mess. He wondered where it was: he'd kept it in his pocket, along with his keys and wallet, but Captain Black never told him where all those things were now. Under his breath, Jackie let out a short growl. And he thought he could actually *trust* Captain Black. The same went for Uncle, who'd kept this letter from him in the first place, and...
Uncle!
Of course! It was so obvious! Jackie kept forgetting to ask Uncle about the letter; well, he'd just do it now, before it slipped his mind yet again. Forgetting the time, Jackie hopped out of bed and went downstairs. A dull, golden light shone from the half-closed door of the study, and Jackie used this light as a guide. He came to the threshold and saw Uncle sitting at the desk, leaning over a huge book as he read intently. Jackie didn't bother to knock.
"Uncle," he heard his own apathetic voice. Uncle jumped in his seat, readjusted his spectacles, and looked up at Jackie in surprise.
"Aiiyaa!" he said, remembering to keep his voice a hushed whisper. "Jackie! What are you doing up?!"
Jackie ignored his question. "Why didn't you ever tell me about the letter?"
Uncle stared at him. "What are you talking about?"
"You know very well what I'm talking about!" Jackie snarled. "The letter my parents sent me, about Jade!"
"Keep your voice down!" Uncle ordered as he rose. "Hooow do you know about this letter, hmm?"
"Because I found it," Jackie said; ratting out Jade once was bad enough.
"You are not supposed to go into the attic!" Uncle said. "No one is!"
"I see why." Jackie glared at him vehemently. "So why didn't you tell me?"
For a moment, Uncle didn't respond, and the air in the room seemed thick and still with the silence. Finally, Uncle heaved a heavy sigh, and resumed his seat. Between the sigh and his tiny, half-closed eyes, he seemed very old and tired and wise. Part of Jackie felt sorry for him, and for how he'd been acting lately, but he managed to shake it off.
"Jackie," Uncle spoke, "this is a veerrry complex matter. I did it for your own good. I do *everything* for your own good. Try to understand that."
"Lying is never for anyone's own good," said Jackie.
"And you should know, eh?" Uncle said evenly.
Jackie opened his mouth to object, but Uncle's reply had taken all sound out of him, and he felt hurt and shamed. Uncle always had that effect on him. At a loss of what to do, Jackie shut his mouth, flashed a long glare, and went back to bed.
When he'd left, the tension in the atmosphere seemed to inflate, and Uncle sighed again. This wasn't good; his nephew was in terrible danger, he knew it. Never before had Jackie acted so...brazen, so rebellious. It wasn't his nature.
_But it *is* someone else's,_ he thought, tapping his pencil, which had formerly been tucked behind his ear, on the sallow page of the book he'd been researching. _Like Shendu._
He could only hope that Captain Black could get the Archive. Fast.
~-~-~-~
Next we get to action with...the Enforcers! MWAHAHAHA!!!!!!!