Notes: ::sneezes:: Oohh...being down in Florida, whose weather is much
different than here at home, has given me a cold. ~.~ Oh well. The price
of having fun. Sorta.
Anyhoo, Kathryn-san, Olivia-chan...I can't tell you how grateful I am for your help. So I'll just use Bilbo Baggins's words instead: "Thag you very buch." ;)
THE DEMON WITHIN
Part Eight: A Common Enemy
Sleep came on and off. Countless times Jackie rolled over in his bed, always only half-awake, the sounds of leaves and branches rustling in the heavy wind sweeping over his ears. This sound always woke him and lulled him back to sleep once more without any memory of waking.
The pattern continued through the night and stopped at exactly three- thirty, leaving Jackie in a sleep indefinable in its depths. And it was this time that the wind howled at its full force, breaking the windows open and consuming the dark room. Pushed on by the full moon, the glowing orb outside that spilled light into the room, the wind raced straight to its prey and circled him.
Jackie's skin became icy and his breath visible white clouds as he exhaled. He shivered compulsively as a part of him from deep within, buried beneath the demon's fury, tried to fight against the eerie wind. But the wind only waited patiently, knowing that the tiny, insignificant part of Jackie that resisted would never surmount the stronger evil looming over him.
With the wind pricking his skin and the demon drawing power from the ten talismans, Jackie was able to open his eyes. He sat up and found that he was in his own room, the one that now belonged to Tohru. But it was still *his* room; although he couldn't make out the details, he somehow knew that it was furnished with his own belongings.
As he turned his head, looked around and took it all in, he suddenly become aware of a lightheaded sensation. It only increased as he stood up and went into the hall, each step causing him to float as if he were walking on the moon. Every time he descended he felt all the breath leave him while his head clouded with a sort of elated disorientation. It was that exhilarating! _Like riding down a Ferris wheel,_ he thought dimly. And it proved a good distraction to keep a single truth at bay, a truth that only part of him realised: this was all just a dream, a cleverly cultivated plot to deceive him.
His attention was drawn to a strange sound coming from downstairs that was vaguely familiar. In his dazed state, he didn't know what to make out of it, and as he approached the staircase he became more and more curious. Peering over the balcony railing, he saw a huge crowd of people talking and laughing -- that was the sound he had heard. Many of the people were strangers to Jackie, but two he recognised at once -- his mother and father.
He bolted down the stairs to meet them. White mist clouded his vision when he reached the bottom. Taking precarious steps forward, he called out their names, but his voice drowned in the idle chatter and laughter. Occasionally he would spot a few people, only to discover them as strangers. Each step weighed more doubt and worry. But he could *hear* their voices in his ear! He had to be getting close!
It seemed to take an eternity, but he finally found his parents. Rather unexpectedly as well -- while looking for anyone behind him, he more or less bumped into the two. He froze when he saw them; they were still middle-aged and plump, just the same as he remembered when he last saw them twenty years ago. This time, though, their heights were tremendous and they towered over him. Jackie tried to speak, but found that his voice had vanished. Panic rose within him; this was the only way he could ever speak with them and plead for a second chance. And now his words were lost in the mist.
They stared at him inquiringly. After a few minutes of waiting for Jackie to take the initiative, his father grew impatient and asked, rather crudely, "Well, what is it?"
Jackie was taken aback. Desperate, he managed to blurt out, "H-hello. I, um...I--" Oh, *what* did he want to say to them again?!
"Yes?" his father said again. Jackie blinked when he noticed something. Their faces...they held impatience and irritation, but there was something else, too. It occurred to Jackie that perhaps they did not recognise him.
Well, of course they didn't recognize him! Jackie rolled his eyes. After all, they hadn't seen him since he was ten. Now was a good time to reintroduce himself.
So he cried, "I'm your son!"
They blinked and exchanged dubious glances. "No, you can't be our son," his mother said at last. "Our son looks nothing like you! He has a much smaller nose than you do, and his hair is much neater. Speaking of which, you really ought to buy a comb."
Jackie shook his head, ignoring her comment. "No, your *other* son. The one you sent to America twenty years ago!"
But they were only more confused. Jackie could feel his hope sinking, but he struggled to hang on to whatever he had left. It was a useless attempt, though, for his mother then said, "Excuse me, but you must be mistaken. We don't have any other sons."
Jackie's heart shattered. Tears brimmed in his eyes. They turned away from him to chat with some stranger, and the midst enveloped them once more. Jackie watched as everything seemed to move farther and farther away. He felt faint and disoriented again, but not in the elated way as he had earlier. Now he felt miserable and lonely, lost and forgotten in the mist while everyone else was millions of miles away. A chill shot up his spine, taking him by surprise. Everything darkened until it was completely black.
Suddenly, Jackie spotted something at a great distance -- a red light (_Fire?_ he wondered vaguely). He stared at it for some time, unable to turn away. His legs started towards it automatically. As he moved forward, his thoughts grew dimmer until they narrowed down to one ultimate goal: to reach the light. This seemed to be the only option, and then that option quickly turned into a desire. Yet what would happen when he did reach it mattered.
At length he reached it. And it turned out he was right. It was, indeed, a fire -- a fire wall, rather. The flames blazed lividly and dangerously, and Jackie couldn't help but feel a bit apprehensive. Still, he did not turn back. He stared straight ahead into the flames, unblinking, his eyes bulging with the strain. Soon he saw something appear: a pair of deep-set red eyes, much brighter than the flame, staring right into his own.
Beyond was a realm without feeling. This was where Jackie was headed. Already he could feel himself slipping as the eyes and the flame drew nearer. Or was he drawing nearer toward it? There was not way of telling. But this went on until the eyes were right in his face while the flame engulfed him.
............................................................................ ............................................................................ ............................................................................ ..............................
When Jackie stopped shivering, the wind knew that he had lost the battle. That was the Que. Slowly, part of the wind moved inside Jackie, allowing itself to be absorbed into every molecule, while the rest encompassed him on the exterior. This was the final step that put Jackie into that realm beyond feeling.
His eyes opened half-way, unseeing. Echoing in his ears was the rustling of the trees. He allowed the wind to lift him out of bed. Ushered by invisible hands, he walked out of the room and down the stairs. So silent were his steps that no one heard him leave.
************
In desperate situations, Finn had the ability to awaken from a nightmare quietly as he would from any ordinary sleep. His face was contorted in utter agony at the memory of his dream. None other than Mr Bent had riddled them, Captain Black's infamous interrogator that had managed to strike fear into Finn's heart. A glance beside him to the left told Finn that his two companions were in the same state as he; they slept fitfully, turning and groaning and shaking.
A week ago they had been captured and brought to Blackgate Prison, and already Finn hated it with a passion. Whether it was scrubbing the floors or washing the dishes, gardening or repairing the roof, everyone could expect a long day of labour. Gruel was served for every meal -- Ratso usually finished what remained of Finn's share. God, if Finn had to eat gruel one more day, he swore he'd somehow steal a gun from a guard and shoot himself.
To make matters worse, the jail cells were overcrowded, so all four of them were stuck in one tiny cell. With the exclusion of Shendu, it wasn't too horrible; at least he'd have Chow and Ratso with him. But there wasn't enough space for a bed. All there was were two benches, one to fit the three Enforcers while the other was reserved for Shendu alone. Embedded in the stone wall was a tiny barred window, their only glimpse of freedom.
Ah, freedom... It seemed like ages ago since he and the others had rampaged the streets of San Francisco in the service of Valmont. And Valmont only -- meaning, no one had any knowledge of the almighty, all-arrogant lawn ornament, Shendu. That damned fire demon had made things miserable from day one. Not only had he cost Valmont a fortune (with nothing coming back into his pockets), but the crime lord had put extra pressure on all of his Enforcers out of his own fear of the dragon.
Now the cost was much more than the thousands of dollars worth of Valmont's investment. This time it was the Dark Hand itself. How could it repair itself after all the damage it had gone through? If there was anyone who could accomplish this reconstruction, it was Valmont. However, with a demon trapped inside him, the crime lord was in no shape to do so.
But of course, there was also Chan to consider. Their greatest foe was about to become the victim of Shendu's current evil plot. Naturally, this was good news for everyone. They would finally be free of the demon's wrath! Soon it would be Chan's problem alone.
It never occurred to Finn just how the rest of the world would be involved in Shendu's twisted plan. Not until that very night.
Shendu was standing with his back towards Finn, staring out the window. As soon as he saw this, Finn looked down at his patent leather shoes and pretended to be asleep. Best not to attract the ancient dragon's attention, Finn had decided. Sometimes, it seemed as though Shendu had eyes in the back of his head. Maybe he did. Finn shuddered involuntarily.
There was a slight creaking sound. Shendu probably would have turned around to see what that was, so Finn didn't risk a glance himself. Instead, he shut his eyes and perked up his ears.
"Master." Finn had no trouble recognizing this voice as Hak Foo's. Hak! It was about time the Black Tiger showed up to rescue them. It was obvious that he had used the Talismans to escape from Section 13 nearly a week ago, so Finn assumed that the Talismans had also brought him here. But why had it taken him so long?
"What took you?" Shendu snapped.
"Master," Hak said again, "I have been busy spying on Chan. He was taken to the Section 13 infirmary. Only recently has he been let out, and he is now staying in his Uncle's shop. And..." He hesitated.
Shendu sounded interested. "Yes?"
"They think..." A thoughtful pause. "They think the ten Talismans are within Chan. Not only that, but they also think *you* are inside of him!"
Although Finn had his eyes shut, he could feel Shendu's malicious grin penetrating the room.
Shendu murmured something, but Finn couldn't make it out. Then he commanded aloud, "Give them to me."
Hak's voice offered much confusion. "Uh...give what to you, Master?"
"The Talismans, you fool!" Shendu shouted. Even he had lost more patience than usual while locked behind bars - a very good reason not to get him angry.
There was silence for a moment, during which the goods were handed over, Finn assumed. Then came some kind of noise Finn wasn't sure how to classify, but it came from Shendu. It was low, deep, and it sent shivers up his spine. Was Shendu...*laughing*?
"The Snake and the Horse!" Now it was Valmont who spoke. Oh, what a relief to hear his old boss's -- his *real* boss's - voice again! Shendu had been in complete control all week, obsessing over his plans. "And now, I presume, we make our grand escape?"
"Yes," Shendu said. "Now where shall we go?"
"After you so recklessly blasted my organization to bits," Valmont said with a hint of bitterness, "not many of my contacts will be willing to protect me. Especially since all our money is gone."
Inwardly, Finn winced at that statement.
Valmont continued, "I suppose 'ol Ruppie-two in San Diego could look after us. Chap isn't too bright. Figures, he takes after his father."
"I do not require this man's whole history, Valmont," Shendu snapped. Then, to Hak Foo, his tone changed from impatient to derisive. "Thank you, Hak Fool. You have been most helpful. But a fool is all you are, for you have just signed Humanity's death certificate."
There was that strange laugh again, an ominous swishing sound, and nothing more. All else was silent. Finn risked a quick glance, but Shendu was nowhere in sight. He turned to Hak Foo, who was looking as though he'd seen a ghost, with his eyes wide and his jaw slacked.
"Hak?" He nearly jumped when he noticed Finn. "Dude, it's about time you got here!" Finn exclaimed, standing up and slapping his companion on the shoulder. "How'd you get in, though?"
Hak held up a chain of keys. "Got passed the guard."
Finn smiled. Then he noticed a beat-up blue duffel bag. "Dude, what's with the bag?"
Hak Foo looked down at it. "A change of clothes?"
Finn was ecstatic. "Dude! You got our clothes? Awesome!" His vibrant spirits were short-lived, and he turned grim again. "So...where did Shendu go?"
"The Shadowkhan took him," Hak answered. Well, that explained the swishing part. "He's gone... What did he mean?"
Finn knew he was referring to Shendu's last statement. Although he couldn't help but wonder himself, it made his stomach literally do a flip- flop. Cradling his stomach and trying not to get sick, he thought aloud, "Uh, well...if I were a fire demon bent on dominating the world, what I do?"
"Um...try to dominate the world?" Hak suggested.
"I know, but how? By killing everyone?" Finn gulped.
"It sounded like that," Hak admitted quietly.
Finn gulped again. He'd never considered this. All he focused on was breaking free from Shendu and witness the rebirth of the Dark Hand. Shendu had tried destroying the world before, but Chan was always there to stop him. Now Chan would be rendered helpless. Suddenly, Finn acknowledged the cleverness of Shendu's plan -- he'd accomplish his goal by having his worst enemy do it for him. Genius, indeed!
But Finn didn't feel much like praising Shendu for his efforts. Right now he felt sick. Without Chan, humanity would fall to the demons' rule. There was no other choice.
"We have to do something," he said. "We have to...warn Chan, or something!"
"But then we'd only get arrested again," Hak pointed out.
Finn grounded his teeth in frustration. "I know, I know!" Without thinking, he balled his hand into a fist and struck the hard stone wall with all his might. He immediately withdrew, swung his hand about while crying, "Ow, ow, *ow*!"
Once the throbbing stopped, Finn resumed his composure and sighed deeply. "But we have to," he finally said. "Not like we have much of a choice anyway -- if we do nothing, we'll die. If we do go to Chan, he'll have Section 13 on us again. I don't know about you, but I'm gonna do something!"
And with that he marched over to where Ratso and Chow slept and shook them both roughly. When they woke, they were, of course, bitter with Finn for awhile. Nevertheless, they accepted his reasoning, after realising the logic behind it. Quietly, they sneaked out of their cells and down the labyrinthine corridors.
Chow and Ratso were nervous wrecks; they kept clinging to Hak Foo, shivering and continuously mumbling, "What if we get caught? Maybe we should go back." Finally, Finn told them both to shut the hell up and go back themselves if they were so scared. But they chose to stay and be quiet.
Not that Finn wasn't scared himself. Although Blackgate Prison wasn't as heavily guarded as, say, Ryker's Island in New York, there was still a good chance they would get caught. They couldn't see where they were doing, either; the corridors were blanketed in blackness. Finn tried to comfort himself with three factors: they had Hak, their muscle; they treaded softly; and they had their hearing to alarm them of any other footsteps.
They took the stairs. Quietly but quickly they went, the shadows casting themselves down at every turn. As they approached the fourth level, two guards suddenly emerged from the door. But before they had time to react, the Black Tiger jumped down from the ledge and landed gracefully on his feet, facing the guards. He grabbed them both on one shoulder each and smashed them together. Their eyes rolled briefly before they sank to the floor, unconscious.
The other three Enforcers were impressed at Hak's lightning speed, but they were more astounded by the fact that for once Hak hadn't called out some lame attack.
"Whoa," said Ratso as the threesome raced down. "You got some kinda Talisman 'a somethin', Hak?"
Hak didn't answer; he didn't like boasting, preferring to dedicate his skills only to his master. And right now his master Valmont was in danger, as was the rest of the world, and so his thoughts were solely on getting to Chan.
Finn knelt down to the unconscious guards and pulled out their guns; he kept one for himself while he tossed the other one to Chow.
Ratso frowned and complained, "Hey, how come Chow gets one and not me?"
But Finn ignored him: the truth was that he did not trust Ratso with a gun, what with his lack of common sense.
Ratso tapped Chow's shoulder. "Can I have your gun?"
Before Chow could protest, Finn shouted, "NO, Ratso! You may NOT!" Ratso looked hurt, but Finn tried to concentrate on the current situation.
Finn stood up and began down the next flight of stairs, the others following close behind. They managed to come across only two more guards, both of which Hak dealt with in the same manner and acquired yet two more guns ("I *still* don't get one? Aw, that ain't fair," Ratso whined). Finn ordered to allow Hak to do the dirty work, since they would need all the bullets they could get.
The real struggle occurred on the main floor.
Alarms sounded. Both guards of day and night shifts ran down the corridors, weaponry ready. It looked like an army going out to war on foot. _Perfect,_ Finn thought to himself as he peeked through the small door window. _How the hell are we supposed to get through THAT?_
He quickly turned away. It wouldn't be long before they found them in the stairway. He could feel his heat beat faster. Swallowing down his panic, Finn looked around desperate for something useful--
--and saw an air vent in the ceiling just above him.
Finn's lips formed a small smile. What better way to escape than to hide in the most obvious place that everyone always forgets to check?
They formed a brief, straightforward plan: Hak would lift everyone up there. He did, starting with Chow and ending with Finn, but when his turn came, he discovered he was too big. This shouldn't have been very surprising, but Finn hadn't calculated it either, too concerned with the smooth getaway. He now felt an unrepressed guilt -- a rare emotion indeed. Now, though, he came to realise, there was no other choice. They would have to leave without him.
Hak understood. He thrust the duffel into Finn's arms, then scooped up the gate from the floor and clasped it onto the space in the ceiling. Normally, he would not do this. But for his master, he would, and the three Enforcers were, at the moment, not only Valmont's and Chan's only hope, but the rest of the world's as well. He thought of Valmont and decided he would say something like, "Humanity's fate has been entrusted into the hands of THESE three morons?!...We shall all die." Hak hated to admit it, but he had to agree.
So before they left, Hak settled a deadly glare over Finn, who was the only one he could see. "If you screw this up--"
"We won't," Finn cut him off.
They could all hear the doors burst open. Hak looked down suddenly, and Finn knew he was trying not to draw attention to the air vent. Ahead of Finn, Chow and Ratso had already started slinking down the vent, so he followed as well.
~-~-~-
I know there's not a Blackgate Prison in San Fran. It's actually in Gotham City. :D Name is courtesy of Olivia.
Anyhoo, Kathryn-san, Olivia-chan...I can't tell you how grateful I am for your help. So I'll just use Bilbo Baggins's words instead: "Thag you very buch." ;)
THE DEMON WITHIN
Part Eight: A Common Enemy
Sleep came on and off. Countless times Jackie rolled over in his bed, always only half-awake, the sounds of leaves and branches rustling in the heavy wind sweeping over his ears. This sound always woke him and lulled him back to sleep once more without any memory of waking.
The pattern continued through the night and stopped at exactly three- thirty, leaving Jackie in a sleep indefinable in its depths. And it was this time that the wind howled at its full force, breaking the windows open and consuming the dark room. Pushed on by the full moon, the glowing orb outside that spilled light into the room, the wind raced straight to its prey and circled him.
Jackie's skin became icy and his breath visible white clouds as he exhaled. He shivered compulsively as a part of him from deep within, buried beneath the demon's fury, tried to fight against the eerie wind. But the wind only waited patiently, knowing that the tiny, insignificant part of Jackie that resisted would never surmount the stronger evil looming over him.
With the wind pricking his skin and the demon drawing power from the ten talismans, Jackie was able to open his eyes. He sat up and found that he was in his own room, the one that now belonged to Tohru. But it was still *his* room; although he couldn't make out the details, he somehow knew that it was furnished with his own belongings.
As he turned his head, looked around and took it all in, he suddenly become aware of a lightheaded sensation. It only increased as he stood up and went into the hall, each step causing him to float as if he were walking on the moon. Every time he descended he felt all the breath leave him while his head clouded with a sort of elated disorientation. It was that exhilarating! _Like riding down a Ferris wheel,_ he thought dimly. And it proved a good distraction to keep a single truth at bay, a truth that only part of him realised: this was all just a dream, a cleverly cultivated plot to deceive him.
His attention was drawn to a strange sound coming from downstairs that was vaguely familiar. In his dazed state, he didn't know what to make out of it, and as he approached the staircase he became more and more curious. Peering over the balcony railing, he saw a huge crowd of people talking and laughing -- that was the sound he had heard. Many of the people were strangers to Jackie, but two he recognised at once -- his mother and father.
He bolted down the stairs to meet them. White mist clouded his vision when he reached the bottom. Taking precarious steps forward, he called out their names, but his voice drowned in the idle chatter and laughter. Occasionally he would spot a few people, only to discover them as strangers. Each step weighed more doubt and worry. But he could *hear* their voices in his ear! He had to be getting close!
It seemed to take an eternity, but he finally found his parents. Rather unexpectedly as well -- while looking for anyone behind him, he more or less bumped into the two. He froze when he saw them; they were still middle-aged and plump, just the same as he remembered when he last saw them twenty years ago. This time, though, their heights were tremendous and they towered over him. Jackie tried to speak, but found that his voice had vanished. Panic rose within him; this was the only way he could ever speak with them and plead for a second chance. And now his words were lost in the mist.
They stared at him inquiringly. After a few minutes of waiting for Jackie to take the initiative, his father grew impatient and asked, rather crudely, "Well, what is it?"
Jackie was taken aback. Desperate, he managed to blurt out, "H-hello. I, um...I--" Oh, *what* did he want to say to them again?!
"Yes?" his father said again. Jackie blinked when he noticed something. Their faces...they held impatience and irritation, but there was something else, too. It occurred to Jackie that perhaps they did not recognise him.
Well, of course they didn't recognize him! Jackie rolled his eyes. After all, they hadn't seen him since he was ten. Now was a good time to reintroduce himself.
So he cried, "I'm your son!"
They blinked and exchanged dubious glances. "No, you can't be our son," his mother said at last. "Our son looks nothing like you! He has a much smaller nose than you do, and his hair is much neater. Speaking of which, you really ought to buy a comb."
Jackie shook his head, ignoring her comment. "No, your *other* son. The one you sent to America twenty years ago!"
But they were only more confused. Jackie could feel his hope sinking, but he struggled to hang on to whatever he had left. It was a useless attempt, though, for his mother then said, "Excuse me, but you must be mistaken. We don't have any other sons."
Jackie's heart shattered. Tears brimmed in his eyes. They turned away from him to chat with some stranger, and the midst enveloped them once more. Jackie watched as everything seemed to move farther and farther away. He felt faint and disoriented again, but not in the elated way as he had earlier. Now he felt miserable and lonely, lost and forgotten in the mist while everyone else was millions of miles away. A chill shot up his spine, taking him by surprise. Everything darkened until it was completely black.
Suddenly, Jackie spotted something at a great distance -- a red light (_Fire?_ he wondered vaguely). He stared at it for some time, unable to turn away. His legs started towards it automatically. As he moved forward, his thoughts grew dimmer until they narrowed down to one ultimate goal: to reach the light. This seemed to be the only option, and then that option quickly turned into a desire. Yet what would happen when he did reach it mattered.
At length he reached it. And it turned out he was right. It was, indeed, a fire -- a fire wall, rather. The flames blazed lividly and dangerously, and Jackie couldn't help but feel a bit apprehensive. Still, he did not turn back. He stared straight ahead into the flames, unblinking, his eyes bulging with the strain. Soon he saw something appear: a pair of deep-set red eyes, much brighter than the flame, staring right into his own.
Beyond was a realm without feeling. This was where Jackie was headed. Already he could feel himself slipping as the eyes and the flame drew nearer. Or was he drawing nearer toward it? There was not way of telling. But this went on until the eyes were right in his face while the flame engulfed him.
............................................................................ ............................................................................ ............................................................................ ..............................
When Jackie stopped shivering, the wind knew that he had lost the battle. That was the Que. Slowly, part of the wind moved inside Jackie, allowing itself to be absorbed into every molecule, while the rest encompassed him on the exterior. This was the final step that put Jackie into that realm beyond feeling.
His eyes opened half-way, unseeing. Echoing in his ears was the rustling of the trees. He allowed the wind to lift him out of bed. Ushered by invisible hands, he walked out of the room and down the stairs. So silent were his steps that no one heard him leave.
************
In desperate situations, Finn had the ability to awaken from a nightmare quietly as he would from any ordinary sleep. His face was contorted in utter agony at the memory of his dream. None other than Mr Bent had riddled them, Captain Black's infamous interrogator that had managed to strike fear into Finn's heart. A glance beside him to the left told Finn that his two companions were in the same state as he; they slept fitfully, turning and groaning and shaking.
A week ago they had been captured and brought to Blackgate Prison, and already Finn hated it with a passion. Whether it was scrubbing the floors or washing the dishes, gardening or repairing the roof, everyone could expect a long day of labour. Gruel was served for every meal -- Ratso usually finished what remained of Finn's share. God, if Finn had to eat gruel one more day, he swore he'd somehow steal a gun from a guard and shoot himself.
To make matters worse, the jail cells were overcrowded, so all four of them were stuck in one tiny cell. With the exclusion of Shendu, it wasn't too horrible; at least he'd have Chow and Ratso with him. But there wasn't enough space for a bed. All there was were two benches, one to fit the three Enforcers while the other was reserved for Shendu alone. Embedded in the stone wall was a tiny barred window, their only glimpse of freedom.
Ah, freedom... It seemed like ages ago since he and the others had rampaged the streets of San Francisco in the service of Valmont. And Valmont only -- meaning, no one had any knowledge of the almighty, all-arrogant lawn ornament, Shendu. That damned fire demon had made things miserable from day one. Not only had he cost Valmont a fortune (with nothing coming back into his pockets), but the crime lord had put extra pressure on all of his Enforcers out of his own fear of the dragon.
Now the cost was much more than the thousands of dollars worth of Valmont's investment. This time it was the Dark Hand itself. How could it repair itself after all the damage it had gone through? If there was anyone who could accomplish this reconstruction, it was Valmont. However, with a demon trapped inside him, the crime lord was in no shape to do so.
But of course, there was also Chan to consider. Their greatest foe was about to become the victim of Shendu's current evil plot. Naturally, this was good news for everyone. They would finally be free of the demon's wrath! Soon it would be Chan's problem alone.
It never occurred to Finn just how the rest of the world would be involved in Shendu's twisted plan. Not until that very night.
Shendu was standing with his back towards Finn, staring out the window. As soon as he saw this, Finn looked down at his patent leather shoes and pretended to be asleep. Best not to attract the ancient dragon's attention, Finn had decided. Sometimes, it seemed as though Shendu had eyes in the back of his head. Maybe he did. Finn shuddered involuntarily.
There was a slight creaking sound. Shendu probably would have turned around to see what that was, so Finn didn't risk a glance himself. Instead, he shut his eyes and perked up his ears.
"Master." Finn had no trouble recognizing this voice as Hak Foo's. Hak! It was about time the Black Tiger showed up to rescue them. It was obvious that he had used the Talismans to escape from Section 13 nearly a week ago, so Finn assumed that the Talismans had also brought him here. But why had it taken him so long?
"What took you?" Shendu snapped.
"Master," Hak said again, "I have been busy spying on Chan. He was taken to the Section 13 infirmary. Only recently has he been let out, and he is now staying in his Uncle's shop. And..." He hesitated.
Shendu sounded interested. "Yes?"
"They think..." A thoughtful pause. "They think the ten Talismans are within Chan. Not only that, but they also think *you* are inside of him!"
Although Finn had his eyes shut, he could feel Shendu's malicious grin penetrating the room.
Shendu murmured something, but Finn couldn't make it out. Then he commanded aloud, "Give them to me."
Hak's voice offered much confusion. "Uh...give what to you, Master?"
"The Talismans, you fool!" Shendu shouted. Even he had lost more patience than usual while locked behind bars - a very good reason not to get him angry.
There was silence for a moment, during which the goods were handed over, Finn assumed. Then came some kind of noise Finn wasn't sure how to classify, but it came from Shendu. It was low, deep, and it sent shivers up his spine. Was Shendu...*laughing*?
"The Snake and the Horse!" Now it was Valmont who spoke. Oh, what a relief to hear his old boss's -- his *real* boss's - voice again! Shendu had been in complete control all week, obsessing over his plans. "And now, I presume, we make our grand escape?"
"Yes," Shendu said. "Now where shall we go?"
"After you so recklessly blasted my organization to bits," Valmont said with a hint of bitterness, "not many of my contacts will be willing to protect me. Especially since all our money is gone."
Inwardly, Finn winced at that statement.
Valmont continued, "I suppose 'ol Ruppie-two in San Diego could look after us. Chap isn't too bright. Figures, he takes after his father."
"I do not require this man's whole history, Valmont," Shendu snapped. Then, to Hak Foo, his tone changed from impatient to derisive. "Thank you, Hak Fool. You have been most helpful. But a fool is all you are, for you have just signed Humanity's death certificate."
There was that strange laugh again, an ominous swishing sound, and nothing more. All else was silent. Finn risked a quick glance, but Shendu was nowhere in sight. He turned to Hak Foo, who was looking as though he'd seen a ghost, with his eyes wide and his jaw slacked.
"Hak?" He nearly jumped when he noticed Finn. "Dude, it's about time you got here!" Finn exclaimed, standing up and slapping his companion on the shoulder. "How'd you get in, though?"
Hak held up a chain of keys. "Got passed the guard."
Finn smiled. Then he noticed a beat-up blue duffel bag. "Dude, what's with the bag?"
Hak Foo looked down at it. "A change of clothes?"
Finn was ecstatic. "Dude! You got our clothes? Awesome!" His vibrant spirits were short-lived, and he turned grim again. "So...where did Shendu go?"
"The Shadowkhan took him," Hak answered. Well, that explained the swishing part. "He's gone... What did he mean?"
Finn knew he was referring to Shendu's last statement. Although he couldn't help but wonder himself, it made his stomach literally do a flip- flop. Cradling his stomach and trying not to get sick, he thought aloud, "Uh, well...if I were a fire demon bent on dominating the world, what I do?"
"Um...try to dominate the world?" Hak suggested.
"I know, but how? By killing everyone?" Finn gulped.
"It sounded like that," Hak admitted quietly.
Finn gulped again. He'd never considered this. All he focused on was breaking free from Shendu and witness the rebirth of the Dark Hand. Shendu had tried destroying the world before, but Chan was always there to stop him. Now Chan would be rendered helpless. Suddenly, Finn acknowledged the cleverness of Shendu's plan -- he'd accomplish his goal by having his worst enemy do it for him. Genius, indeed!
But Finn didn't feel much like praising Shendu for his efforts. Right now he felt sick. Without Chan, humanity would fall to the demons' rule. There was no other choice.
"We have to do something," he said. "We have to...warn Chan, or something!"
"But then we'd only get arrested again," Hak pointed out.
Finn grounded his teeth in frustration. "I know, I know!" Without thinking, he balled his hand into a fist and struck the hard stone wall with all his might. He immediately withdrew, swung his hand about while crying, "Ow, ow, *ow*!"
Once the throbbing stopped, Finn resumed his composure and sighed deeply. "But we have to," he finally said. "Not like we have much of a choice anyway -- if we do nothing, we'll die. If we do go to Chan, he'll have Section 13 on us again. I don't know about you, but I'm gonna do something!"
And with that he marched over to where Ratso and Chow slept and shook them both roughly. When they woke, they were, of course, bitter with Finn for awhile. Nevertheless, they accepted his reasoning, after realising the logic behind it. Quietly, they sneaked out of their cells and down the labyrinthine corridors.
Chow and Ratso were nervous wrecks; they kept clinging to Hak Foo, shivering and continuously mumbling, "What if we get caught? Maybe we should go back." Finally, Finn told them both to shut the hell up and go back themselves if they were so scared. But they chose to stay and be quiet.
Not that Finn wasn't scared himself. Although Blackgate Prison wasn't as heavily guarded as, say, Ryker's Island in New York, there was still a good chance they would get caught. They couldn't see where they were doing, either; the corridors were blanketed in blackness. Finn tried to comfort himself with three factors: they had Hak, their muscle; they treaded softly; and they had their hearing to alarm them of any other footsteps.
They took the stairs. Quietly but quickly they went, the shadows casting themselves down at every turn. As they approached the fourth level, two guards suddenly emerged from the door. But before they had time to react, the Black Tiger jumped down from the ledge and landed gracefully on his feet, facing the guards. He grabbed them both on one shoulder each and smashed them together. Their eyes rolled briefly before they sank to the floor, unconscious.
The other three Enforcers were impressed at Hak's lightning speed, but they were more astounded by the fact that for once Hak hadn't called out some lame attack.
"Whoa," said Ratso as the threesome raced down. "You got some kinda Talisman 'a somethin', Hak?"
Hak didn't answer; he didn't like boasting, preferring to dedicate his skills only to his master. And right now his master Valmont was in danger, as was the rest of the world, and so his thoughts were solely on getting to Chan.
Finn knelt down to the unconscious guards and pulled out their guns; he kept one for himself while he tossed the other one to Chow.
Ratso frowned and complained, "Hey, how come Chow gets one and not me?"
But Finn ignored him: the truth was that he did not trust Ratso with a gun, what with his lack of common sense.
Ratso tapped Chow's shoulder. "Can I have your gun?"
Before Chow could protest, Finn shouted, "NO, Ratso! You may NOT!" Ratso looked hurt, but Finn tried to concentrate on the current situation.
Finn stood up and began down the next flight of stairs, the others following close behind. They managed to come across only two more guards, both of which Hak dealt with in the same manner and acquired yet two more guns ("I *still* don't get one? Aw, that ain't fair," Ratso whined). Finn ordered to allow Hak to do the dirty work, since they would need all the bullets they could get.
The real struggle occurred on the main floor.
Alarms sounded. Both guards of day and night shifts ran down the corridors, weaponry ready. It looked like an army going out to war on foot. _Perfect,_ Finn thought to himself as he peeked through the small door window. _How the hell are we supposed to get through THAT?_
He quickly turned away. It wouldn't be long before they found them in the stairway. He could feel his heat beat faster. Swallowing down his panic, Finn looked around desperate for something useful--
--and saw an air vent in the ceiling just above him.
Finn's lips formed a small smile. What better way to escape than to hide in the most obvious place that everyone always forgets to check?
They formed a brief, straightforward plan: Hak would lift everyone up there. He did, starting with Chow and ending with Finn, but when his turn came, he discovered he was too big. This shouldn't have been very surprising, but Finn hadn't calculated it either, too concerned with the smooth getaway. He now felt an unrepressed guilt -- a rare emotion indeed. Now, though, he came to realise, there was no other choice. They would have to leave without him.
Hak understood. He thrust the duffel into Finn's arms, then scooped up the gate from the floor and clasped it onto the space in the ceiling. Normally, he would not do this. But for his master, he would, and the three Enforcers were, at the moment, not only Valmont's and Chan's only hope, but the rest of the world's as well. He thought of Valmont and decided he would say something like, "Humanity's fate has been entrusted into the hands of THESE three morons?!...We shall all die." Hak hated to admit it, but he had to agree.
So before they left, Hak settled a deadly glare over Finn, who was the only one he could see. "If you screw this up--"
"We won't," Finn cut him off.
They could all hear the doors burst open. Hak looked down suddenly, and Finn knew he was trying not to draw attention to the air vent. Ahead of Finn, Chow and Ratso had already started slinking down the vent, so he followed as well.
~-~-~-
I know there's not a Blackgate Prison in San Fran. It's actually in Gotham City. :D Name is courtesy of Olivia.