AN- Holy Cow! I leave for at least three days to a place that has no internet, and they change the rateing thing. I don't know about the other writers but I think it's cool. It's along the lines of the game rateing thing. But anyway, sorry I haven't been able to update. But I made a long chapter to make up for it.

13

OFF TO WU'S PLACE

The next day, after dressing in my usual street clothes, I went to the EOD to tell Masterson and The Chief what Intel I had scraped up.

They where both waiting for me in the meeting room when I got there. Masterson, sitting at the glass table in the center of the room. The Chief gazing at a city map of LA that had Rocky's picture posted on it.

After about thirty minutes, of backtracking, telling them what I had found out (mainly the dirty bills) Masterson (who had amazingly been quiet through the whole thing, only speaking up to say he already knew about the fake money) jumped out of his seat and exploded when I told him the last part.

"Are you kidding, Kang?" He yelled, pissed. "What do you mean 'Rocky got away'? Where, the hell, were you anyway!"

"Went out to eat with my little brother," I told him simply.

He gave me an icy look as I replied. "Bar-be-qued Ribs."

If it weren't for the fact that the glass table was between me and him, Masterson looked like he wanted nothing more to lay a smackdown on my ass. He opened his mouth to (most likely) yell at me some more when the Chief swung around.

"Cut the crap, Masterson!" She snapped, her eye's narrowed. "I can't believe you knew it was a counterfeit laundering scam all along! How dare you keep this from us!"

Masterson looked away. The angry look on his face was replaced with a mixture of guilt and nervousness. I couldn't blame him, as well as I knew the Chief, she rarely snaps like that. When she does, get the hell out of the line of fire.

"Oh come on, Chief" He said after a short, awkward silence, "this case is a matter of National Security."

He turned away as he explained.

"We've got millions of fake twenty dollar bills pouring out of LA and into the rest of the country!"

He turned to face us.

"Even Alexander Hamilton's mother couldn't tell the difference!" Masterson exclaimed.

I couldn't help but snicker at this. I leaned over the glass table that separated us.

"The twenty's got Jackson's face on it, Buddy," I told him, trying my hardest not to smile, or even laugh.

Masterson looked to me, that guilty look was replaced to the extremely pissed off one he had earlier.

"Listen, Smart-Ass" He said coldly, walking around the glass table. "Uncle Sam want's to know where this fake money is coming from, which means bringing in Rocky. Alive."

He pointed at me, emphasizing that last word. Then Masterson walked past me to the Chief saying, "Only problem is we know nothing on him besides his stupid nickname."

An idea just came to me at that moment. Well, I take that back, not really. It had been on my mind ever since Cary had been dragged into the mix.

"Well," I spoke softly, "why don't we ask his partner in crime?"

The Chief looked at me with a cocked eyebrow, Masterson swung around.

"As in who?" He asked grudgingly. "You've sent them all to the morgue, Kang."

I shook my head.

"Not Ancient Wu," I pointed out. "Not yet."

The Chief gave a loud sigh, and shook her head. Masterson looked at me like I was crazy ( I get that a lot).

After several moments of stunned silence, Masterson spoke.

"Are you an idiot?" He asked me, stressing that last word more than I would of liked. "Wu is Urban Myth. Fortune cookie stuff."

I snorted at this.

When will people learn? I wondered to myself.

"Yeah, pal," I said sarcastically, turning to leave. "So is Social Security."

I walked through the door, on my way to my Caddie. I could hear Masterson yelling for me to "get my ass back here". But I just ignored him.

I had other things to worry about than another load of his bullshit.

-

After years of listening to stories, pulling my resources, and cleaning up the Triad's crap, when I started my search for Ancient Wu's lair I knew just where to look.

I took a drive to the heart of Chinatown. And, on the same block as the famous Chinatown Plaza, I found it.

The old Pagoda Restaurant.

The design was of Chinese pagoda antiquity. It's walls where painted a deep blood red, it's roof tops where painted a dark forest green. I was reminded of the Shao-lin temple when I first looked at it (awesome place to see if you're ever in China). I had one high tower for it's entrance, designed like some of the towers tourists would pay to see in China, it was several stories high. My guess would be two or three.

After several years of research (out of pure boredom, and curiosity), I had found out that the Pagoda was one of the oldest buildings in all of LA, it was built when Chinese immigrants first came to America. It was also rumored to be built on Triad blood, ran by Triad money, and the meeting place for many Triad scumbags. Also according to the rumors, there was a old door with a golden handle carved to look like a dragon that led to secret tunnels under Chinatown, and at the center of this maze, just under the Chinatown Plaza, is Ancient Wu's famous lair.

I sat there several minutes in my parked car, before getting out, thinking this. Then I got out, and locked the door. I checked my guns and pockets to see if I had enough ammo.

I did.

I went to the front door thinking, Nick Kang, Live, from the crime scene.

-

I quietly went in and shut the door behind me.

I swung around, taking in the sights of old Chinese watercolor paintings, the red wood furniture, red painted walls, the high ceiling tower, and the oriental carpet. I could smell the scent of oriental spices used in Chinese cuisine, bringing back some memories of Hong Kong.

I approached a small bridge-like walkway that led into a waiting room like area, when I heard footsteps. Quickly, I jumped back to the wall, into the shadows as a man with a dark muscle shirt and red and black dragon tattoo's passed by.

The man might as well had the words TRAID BASTARD as well tattooed on his forehead in red and black ink, and (my guess) he was here to guard the place.

If there was one guard then I knew there might be more.

Oh well, I thought, Easy does it.

I waited for him to turn the corner before I went through the door. I kept down and close to the wall.

I sat next to the wall, I could hear his footsteps close by. I didn't have to wait long for the footsteps to stop. I took a quick peek to see that the guy was standing there smoking a cigarette facing my direction. I waited a few seconds until I was sure that the guy had turned around. Then I quickly ran at him and hit him on the back of his head. He fell to the floor, out cold.

I crept to the end of the waiting room, making sure to keep down. I stopped at the door way. Hiding behind the short wall that separated this area from the eating alcove. I glanced around. I could hear Chinese flutes over the speakers playing softly. I could also see Chinese watercolor paintings on the walls. Oriental lanterns hung from the ceiling.

I was just about to go in to the eating alcove when I heard footsteps. I took a quick glance around the corner to see another Triad jackass. He stopped to look out a window. I crept behind him and pulled the knockout move. I turned to see a second part of the eating alcove.

Quietly, I walked in I glanced to my left to see another door. I quietly went to it but stopped as soon as I heard footsteps. I flatted myself against a wall. At the edge of my vision I could see another guard just standing there. I waited for him to move before I went at him. Giving him a knife-hand on the back of his neck. His fell to the floor quietly.

I looked forward to see that there was another small alcove. In it I could see another greasy Triad thug. Luckily he wasn't looking over his shoulder. I side-stepped past a few chairs and then went at him knocking him out like I had the other three. I wondered how many more Triad guards there where.

I went out through the door that was to the left. I could see another Triad thug in (what looked like) an alcove in the far left of the restaurant. I ran and hid behind a wall not that far from that alcove, next to a potted bamboo plant. I peeked over the corner to see that the guard wasn't looking.

I ran up behind him and gave him a nice swift hit on the back of the head. He fell to the floor. Suddenly, I could hear footsteps. I ran to a wall on that was right across from me. Just in time to see a waiter carrying a plate of food past me. I watched him pass me and took a quick glance over the corner to see another guard next to the door that led to (what I figured was) the kitchen. I stepped out from behind the wall and went to creep behind the Triad moron when (just my luck) he turn around to see ME!

Shit!

"Who the hell-!" He said as he reached for his handgun.

But I was quicker. I pulled out my tranquilizer gun and shot out a blood red dart. It hit him right on the chest. He had enough time to look at me and say "What the-?" before the drugs took over him.

"Sleepy," I whispered as I put away my tranquilizer gun in my jacket, "night-night."

I went to the door of the kitchen thinking, Ninja's got nothin' on me.

-

I open the door to the kitchen, it was painted drab gray with slabs of raw bloody meat on it's tables, sacks of rice and other grain sat in the corners, spices sat in containers on the shelves. I glanced to my left. Past the stoves, and sinks something caught my eye.

It was a door made of a dark wood, on it's handle was made of a fine brass, and, even from this distance I could see that it was carved in the shape of a Chinese dragon.

As I made my way to the door I could hear foot steps. I swung around to see three angry cooks in the corner in front of a crude wood door, armed with meat cleavers and butcher knifes.

"Howdy!" I greeted them cheerfully. "I'm with the county health inspectors."

"Shāsi tā! KILL HIM!" Angrily yelled one of the cooks.

"Okay," I said in a scolding voice. "But there goes you're A rating."

I got in a fighting stance as one of the cooks ran at me with his butcher knife. Quickly, I crescent kicked it out of his hand.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you not to play with knifes?" I asked.

Then I went at him with a few punches in the chest. He blocked them and tried to give me a snap-kick. I swung around with a jumping reverse-crescent kick that hit him across the face. He fell against a shelf, dislodging some of the shelves making them, and whatever they had on them fall.

The two other cooks ran at me at the same time. I dodged a lunge from one cook and swung a punch at the other. I then gave the cook behind me a back kick in the stomach. I went at the cook in front of me with a snap-kick, he blocked and tried to give me a punch. I blocked it and gave him an upset-punch in the stomach. He stumbled back. I then gave him a 'dragon fist' in the chest. He fell to the floor.

I swung around to dodge a crescent kick from the cook behind me. I gave him a jump-snap kick in the chest, and then a few punches in the chest. He stumbled, and then I gave him a 'jumping monkey' kick in the face. He fell back against the table with meat.

"Come on you pregnant yak!" yelled a voice behind me.

Pregnant Yak? What, the fuck, name calling is that?

I swung around to see two more cooks with, shit, a katana and a sai.

The one with the sai ran at me with a lunge. I grabbed him by the wrist with one hand, and punched him in the face twice. Now that he was dazed I decided to pull a takedown, I went under the arm that I had captured I saddled it and pulled it up to my chest 'til I heard the Pop!

Before I back kicked him I yanked the sai out of his hand. I then swung around to clash my sai, with the katana of the other cook. I kicked him in the leg. He stumbled back and I gave him a 'tiger claw' that sent him flying him back.

He jumped up and threw the katana at me. I jumped out of the way as the sword sailed past me in to the wall behind me. I ran at him with a punch. Then I gave him a few sharp punches in the face then dragon drop kicked him to the floor.

Suddenly, I heard the clicking sound of a door open behind me. I swung around.

"What the-?" I said when I saw it.

Whatever it was it looked human. It had ashy gray skin like it had died years ago in a lake or river, it's eye's had a disgusting yellowish membrane to them. The zombie like thing smelled worst than shit, in a moldy sweat shirt and a pair of faded pants.

"WOW." I said, shocked that anything could be that disgusting. "That's some bad skin. Try to get a little sun sometime."

Well, whatever it was, I obviously pissed it off, and bad.

"It" ran at me with a tornado kick.

I, narrowly, dodged it saying, "Hey! It was just a suggestion!"

Quickly I went at "it" with a several middle punches. "It" blocked all but the last two that I used some fake-out punches for. I then swung around with a crescent kick that hit "it" along the ribs. I then gave it a jump-snap kick. "It" stumbled back. I then gave "it" a devastating 'flying dragon' kick. I knocked it to the floor.

That was fun, I thought as I made my way to the door. Well, halfway to the door. That's how far I got when suddenly I was thrown painfully (you heard me right) against the sinks.

Whatever that "thing" was it had picked me up and had thrown me. Yeah, now I was pissed.

I ran at it with a killer lunge punch, "it" didn't see that one coming. "It" stumbled back. I took this time to give it a snap kick, a jump-snap kick, and a switching snap-kick. When "It" fell back somewhat dazed, I did my best 'dragon drop-kick.' It fell against one of the sinks and sinking down to the floor.

I turned to leave a second time, when I heard "it" gave and angry growl. I turned around to see that thing was still standing.

"Damn it! Would you just die already!" I yelled angrily. "Maybe I outta fry your ass!"

Suddenly it hit me, what if "it" couldn't die by getting the shit kicked out of "it"? But how would I kill that damn thing?

Then the words Maybe I outta fry your ass echoed in my head. Then I got an idea.

The thing pulled itself up. I waited for "it" to run at me. "It" tried to give me a few punches in the face. I blocked each punch and quickly lashed out with a strong thrust kick in the ribs. "It" backed off a few steps. I then went at "it" with several punches and kicks. Trying to get the freak where I wanted him to be. It took three middle punches and two thrust kicks to get him next to the stove. At that time "it" had gotten a little punch drunk, if ya know what I mean.

Then I gave it a 'jumping monkey kick' right on the chest. The thing hit the stove just right and it let off a small explosion that threw me back against one of the tables that (luckily) wasn't covered in raw meat.

I jumped up to see the thing give a few blood chilling shrieks, as "it" was on fire from head to foot.

"Damn," I said waving my hand in front of my nose. The thing burning smelled worse then what rubber smells like when it burns.

Suddenly the thing charged at me.

I waited for it to come. The thing charged at me, it's yellow eyes reflecting the flames that where all over it. Then I delivered a monkey kick right in it's chest making it hit the stove behind it once again.

I smiled to my self.

The Kangmaster always wins, I thought as the freak (finally) fell to the floor.

I then crossed the room to the door with the dragon carved handle, opened it and went it.

-

"Now I know not to order the chef's special," I remarked to myself as I went down a crude staircase that had been beyound the door. The wood giving a bone chilling creak every time I stepped.

At the end of the staircase it took awhile for my eyes to adjust to the dimness. Once I did I saw that I was in a dank, dark, and scary as hell earthy tunnel. The air down here tasted stale, old, as if no one's been down here for decades. Up head I could make out some torchlight but it was very, very dim.

Man, I thought to myself, this place gives me the creeps.

Suddenly I could hear the soft, almost ghostly sound of footsteps.

Alert, I pulled out my Desert Eagles. Quickly I also pulled out my gun flashlights and attached them to the bottom of my Desert Eagles. I clicked them both on.

I quickly ran to the wall, my back just touching it. I side stepped down the wall. I had just reached to corner when I herd footsteps, loud and clear, just around the corner. I stepped out from behind it just in time to see another one of those zombie like creatures, wearing a shen-i (a pair of tunic and trousers). It looked almost human, if it wasn't for the ashy gray skin and, uh, the yellow glowing eyes. The freak swung around and rasied the MP5 he had in his hand.

"I don't think so, You freak!" I yelled, pulling the triggers of my Desert Eagles.

I shot at it at least four times in the chest, until the damn thing finally hit the floor.

I glanced to my right to see where the tunnel led. I stepped out of the torchlight, and past another corner. There was a section where the tunnel went straight down a slope.

I had to have been several feet down that slope when, as if out of no where one of those creatures appeared. A fully loaded AK-47 in hand.

Shit!

As I dived out of the way, I shot at the freak with my guns. I hit the ground and rolled up as soon as it fell, finally dead.

With that problem solved, I ran down the slope to see that the tunnel split in two. There was one tunnel leading right, another leading left.

"Aw great," I muttered sarcastically to myself.

I did some quick thinking as I decided where I would go from here. Remembering which way the restaurant was from the plaza I took the right.

After passing a corner I kept close to the wall. As soon as I did I could hear the sound of pounding footsteps, trying (very badly I might add) not to be heard.

Fat Chance, buddy, I thought to myself.

I quickly reloaded my Desert Eagles. It was a good thing I did too, because "something" that reminded me of those undead freaks off of Dawn of the Dead or Resident Evil, with skin that looked like it had just crawled out of a grave, rib bones exposed, and wearing only pants just turned the corner. In it hand was an automatic shotgun.

"Damn," I couldn't help but say when I first saw it, "you are one ugly mother-"

I suddenly found myself jumping for cover as the freak started to let off a few blasts.

"Was it something I said!" I yelled, jumping out from my cover, aiming and firing at the freak right between the glowing eyes.

His head jerked back, what looked like black blood stained the back wall as he pitched backwards to the floor.

I then went on to find another fork in the tunnel. It was strange but it seemed like something was pulling me to take the left. Being a believer of listening to instinct I took the left tunnel.

I pressed on.

Suddenly, up head, the tunnel took another sharp turn, and around that corner came two freaks, even uglier than the last (if that's possible) one was carrying an AK-47, another was carrying an Uzi. Both started letting out bullets at me.

I quickly dived backwards, narrowly avoiding bullets, shooting at them. After firing several shots, the two freaks fell to the floor.

Quickly I ran down the tunnel as fast as I could.

There where several more twists and turns until the tunnel forked again. This time I felt like I was being pulled to the right tunnel.

I followed it, trying to shake the feeling that some strange force was leading me to Ancient Wu.

I had just taken another turn when I saw it.

A stretch of twenty feet, at it's end was a door way. It was painted blood-red like the Pagoda Restaurant, a torch was lit on either side. Above it was a disc the size of a shield. A ruby red Chinese dragon was on it's center, it's edges where made of gold. Through that door, had to be one thing.

Ancient Wu's place.

I must of taken a step or two towards it when, at least three of those freaks appeared out of nowhere, all of them had Uzi's.

"Aw Shit!" I yelled.

I dived out of the line of fire behind the corner I had just turned.

I quickly reloaded my Desert Eagles, but would that be enough to take three friggen Uzi's?

Something glinted in the corner of my eye, something that hadn't been there before. I looked over to my right to see not one but two Uzi's. I put my Desert Eagles in my holster inside my jacket and took up the Uzi's. But where they loaded? I looked. They where, they where fully loaded, cocked and ready.

It was odd, I admit. But I didn't question my luck.

I got up, off the ground.

"You freaks gonna give up, or do I have to get mad?" I called over my shoulder.

I was answered by several shots that grazed past my side.

I jumped from around the corner and started shooting. One fell, then another, then finally the last.

Suddenly out of no where two more of those freaks appeared running through the doorway that led to Ancient Wu's lair, both carrying sawed off shotguns. Sense I was out of bullets, I tossed the Uzi's aside and took up my Desert Eagles. I dived out of the way as they sent bullets my way.

I aimed a gun at each of them and fired several times. Both bullets hit the zombie creatures in the chest.

They gave a blood curdling cry and pitched to the floor.

Taking a deep breath I reloaded my guns, and started to the door.