Nothing's mine. Yep, yep, that's the truth behind everything.
I am not a demon.
Valmont's own thoughts circled around in his head and that was all he could think about. He wasn't a demon and that's it.
Or maybe he should have said that he didn't want to be a demon.
He frowned at himself. Part of him knew that he was being childish, most of the crime lords he knew would have welcomed the powers of the polar demon and maybe he too would have done that before. But unlike the others, he knew what it was like to be a demon.
No memories of who he really was.
No memories of his real life.
If he could have been sure that changing back into Ni Tang didn't make him forget everything he might have enjoyed the idea of strange powers. They would really get handy in his profession, he just had to look at Origami. He had his magical way of transforming into paper and he was a very talented thief.
But what if he transformed into Ni Tang again and wouldn't even know he had once been Valmont? What if he became a demon and didn't know how to turn back?
Valmont sighed in frustration. He had already thought that everything was fine and that he'd never have to think about the polar demon again. Now he realised he had been childish and naive, how could he have ever thought that he could just forget something like that?
He could still remember the words of the old Chan, he had warned him of that his inner demon was not gone forever. Back then Valmont hadn't wanted to listen, but now he found himself going the old man's words over and over again in his mind.
What should he do?
Are you all mortals really this depressing?
"Aah!" Valmont shouted in surprise when he heard a strange and low voice speaking in his mind. He swallowed with difficulty and felt as his heart was trying to bounce free from his chest.
What the heck was this?
"Who... who are you?" he asked with uncertainty.
Ni Tang, maybe?
He had always liked to think that he and the polar demon were two different persons, but Hsi Wu had told him that they shared the same soul. So was it possible to have a conversation like this with yourself?
I am the Nameless. You have finally opened enough and I can contact you.
the voice said and there was a sharp hiss every time it said the letter "s"."The Nameless?" Valmont repeated and felt really stupid talking to himself.
Yes.
"Then what in the bloody hell are you doing in my head?" Valmont exclaimed certain of that if anyone was there listening he would be taken to the nearest mental hospital with a record speed.
The Nameless laughed.
You are the first human I have touched, but if you all are this amusing I might even learn to like this world. he said.
"Come out! I already have enough problems with magical creatures!" Valmont told. This reminded him of the time when he had been controlled by Shendu and he didn't like it at all. Though back then he hadn't been able to talk with the dragon like this, they had shared his body.
Suddenly he got an idea.
He didn't know where this strange creature had come or what he wanted, but if he really was in his body, wouldn't he be seen in the mirror? Just like when he had been forced to see the ugly face of Shendu.
On the other hand, did he want to see what this Nameless looked like?
Valmont snarled at himself, what kind of coward was he? He had already been through so much that just looking in the mirror couldn't affect him at all. With determination he stood up and walked in the other end of his office where was a mirror for decoration.
His office was still bothered by the cold temperature and Valmont had to rub frost from the mirror to be able to see something.
He looked into the mirror...
... and shouted in shock.
"Shendu!" he exclaimed, but immediately after saying it realised that it wasn't the fire demon he loathed so much.
He had been expecting to see the face of Ni Tang that resembled his own, but instead of that he was stared back by a dragon. He looked a bit like Shendu, but this dragon was darker brown and his face was covered by black stripes.
I am not Shendu. the Nameless said and his voice held clear bitterness. Valmont pressed his hand on his face and closed his eyes for a while as if to wish the dragon away. When he opened his eyes again the creature was still there in the mirror and he wasn't surprised.
To his own surprise he wasn't very upset. According to common sense he should have been screaming like a maniac when another magical being interfered with his life, but he found out that he was actually pretty calm and rational.
And that actually made him want to feel more nervous than anything else could have at the moment.
"What do you want?" he asked.
The Nameless was silent.
"Answer me!" Valmont snapped and tried to find the dragon's red eyes from the mirror. He also noted what the Nameless really looked like. Now when he took a more careful look he realised that he wasn't that much like Shendu after all. The Nameless' face was slimmer and it looked like the bones of his face could tear the skin on them at any moment. His tongue was black and flashed in and out of his mouth.
You don't have to know that. Everything will happen as I have planned and everything will make sense. You will see, Ni Tang.
Suddenly the dragon's face disappeared and Valmont blinked in confuse.
Had he imagined the whole thing?
"Xu Lin! There is a letter for you!"
Xu Lin lifted her eyes from the food she had been preparing with her mother and smiled as her little brother rushed in a letter in his hand. Shan Lin was already thirteen years old and their father had tried to make him grow up as soon as possible, but at times Shan Lin let his cheerful nature show.
Especially when father wasn't home.
Their mother glanced at her daughter.
"Let it wait until the food is ready and we have eaten. Responsibilities must be taken care of first." she said and Xu Lin nodded.
"Yes, mother." she agreed though she was anxious to read the letter. She was sure it was from Jade and she really wanted to see what she had to say about her dreams. Maybe Jade's wise Uncle knew what they meant and could advise her.
After sending the letter to Jade she had had another dream. It was just like the one before, except that this time she had seen the figure of the dragon better. He was big and looked strong, his muscular body was covered in dirty yellow scales and the only cloth he wore was something wrapped around his waist.
The dragon looked really frightening and Xu Lin didn't like her dreams at all. They made her feel really unsafe and she hoped that there was someone dear to hold her and to promise that everything would be all right.
"Xu Lin?"
She flinched awake from her thoughts when she heard the voice of her mother and she smiled at her worried and scolding expression. Dreams had caused that nowadays she was thinking much more and her parents didn't think that was proper for a young girl.
"I was in my thoughts again." she explained smiling and her mother shook her head. She wasn't angry, she had once been young too and thought Xu Lin's thoughts were flying around some boy from the village, but she also thought that Xu Lin could have picked a better time.
The Lin family ate when Xu Lin's father Fhang Lin came home. Xu Lin thought everything was very slow, but she still managed not to hurry the others. Rice didn't taste of anything in her mouth and when she was finally allowed to leave after helping her mother a bit more she almost ran to her room, where Shan Lin had left the letter.
It was sent in a white envelope and seemed to be thicker than usually. Xu Lin opened it carefully and drew out two different papers. The first one was from Jade.
Uncle and we others have a slight idea of what your dreams might mean. If you were someone else I wouldn't tell it to you like this, but I know you are already familiar with demonic matters. Don't be afraid Xu Lin, but the dragon in your dreams is Shendu, one of the legendary ancient Chinese demons who used to rule the world. I bet you know their story, right?
Me, my both uncles and Tohru would like you to visit us in San Francisco as soon as possible. We have dealt with Shendu and his family before and we know that every time their names are mentioned it can't be good.
The other letter is for your parents. Give it to them, my uncle Jackie explains them why you have to travel to America. There is also a flight ticket, and don't care about the price. We have high friends in the secret service. When you arrive I can introduce them to you.
With love, Jade
Xu Lin read the letter twice to make sure she hadn't missed anything.
"Shendu." she whispered tasting the demon's name on her tongue. Of course she knew the story of the eight mighty demons who had been sealed in the horrible Netherworld by the Great Immortals of Ancient China, her grandfather had used to tell that story over and over again.
She knew that Shendu was the youngest of them after Hsi Wu and controlled fire. That explained the red and heat in her dreams and made the dragon seem somehow deeper. Now the figure of her nightmares had a name and suddenly it all felt more real.
Should she travel to America to solve this demonic mystery? Why was she having dreams of a demon that she had never met? And what did they mean?
She shook her head slowly and took a look at the other letter that was closed neatly. She knew she shouldn't open it, but give it to her parents and only somehow managed to stop herself from ripping it open.
Instead of that she peered in the envelope and drew out a neat ticket. She thought she was holding a real treasure and for a moment Xu Lin forgot everything about the demons.
"My ticket to America." she said to herself.
She put the ticket back in the envelope and took the other letter to show it to her father and mother. She hid Jade's letter, her mother would never let her leave if she knew demons were involved.
"Father! Mother!" she called and walked to them holding the letter in her both hands. Her parents lifted their eyes from the tea they had been drinking and looked at their daughter.
"What is it Xu Lin?" Fhang Lin asked and his daughter gave him the letter.
"My friend Jade Chan invites me to America. This is a letter from her uncle." she said a bit nervously. Would her parents let her go?
Fhang Lin glanced at his wife taking the letter.
"America?" he asked in surprised and opened the black ribbon that sealed the letter.
my name is Jackie Chan and I am the guardian of your daughter Xu Lin's friend Jade here in America. Jade and Xu Lin are good friends with each other, but it has been five years since they last met and I thought it would be good for them to spend some time together. So we are inviting Xu Lin with us for two weeks so that her friendship with Jade may grow stronger and that she will learn more of the western culture. She may live with us in Chinatown and we guarantee her safety for the whole trip. You don't have to worry about the expenses, everything has been taken care of and with this letter I sent you an already paid flight ticket for your daughter.
Thank you for Jade having such a good friend,
Jackie Chan
"America?" Fhang Lin asked again sounding suspicious. Should helet her daughter to America with total strangers?
"Isn't this Jackie Chan the same man who saved you from the Lotus Temple?" Yi Lin noted and Xu Lin nodded.
"Yes. Without him and Jade I would still be imprisoned there." she said.
"All right, we may trust Jackie Chan. But why should you go? You are already too careless, many girls of your age are married." Fhang Lin said.
"But I haven't found a proper husband yet." Xu Lin replied starting to sound desperate. What if her father wouldn't let her go?
"That is not a reason to travel. Your mother needs you here." her father said, but Yi Lin elbowed her husband softly.
"In America everyone is rich. Maybe Xu Lin will find a good husband so that the whole family could be proud." she whispered and Fhang Lin thought about it more carefully.
He had to admit he was protective of his daughter. When she had been imprisoned in the Lotus Temple they had thought a wild animal had eaten her. Shan Lin, their son, had been born when Xu Lin had been gone and now they had two children.
He was worried that Xu Lin would disappear again and not come back this time.
"I don't know..." he said in thought. Would he dare to send here there? According to what he had heard America was a very dangerous place, but on the other hand, just like his wife had said, Xu Lin could find a rich and powerful husband there. Besides, they could trust Jackie Chan, right?
A man like Jackie Chan would never let Xu Lin get in a dangerous situation.
He sighed, but there was a determined look in his eyes.
"All right, you may travel." he said and Yi Lin smiled at her husband. But it was nothing compared to Xu Lin's bright face when she realised she would be seeing Jade again.
"He better be right or I won't guarantee what I'll do." Shendu muttered to himself walking on the streets of New York. Only a while ago he had got a shady message from Xiao Fung and the brother had told he had found the first Guardian in New York. Shendu wasn't so sure about it, an idiot like the wind demon could never get any results in such a short time.
He had been forced to leave his company as the managing director's responsibility right when an important meeting had been on its way. Shendu didn't like meetings, they were too formal and boring for his liking, but he took part gladly knowing that each second of torture made his own power grow.
But if Xiao Fung was right...
Then he would almost have got what he wanted, he'd have the first of the Guardians of Sha Fuju and he also knew who could travel in the Land of the Dreams. He only needed the missing Guardian and then he'd have all the answers he wanted.
Like how to get rid of his enemies - permanently - and what was the easiest way to take over this world.
The fire demon walked on the streets as fast as he could. Xiao Fung had told him to come to the apartment of Bai Tsa because the wind demon thought it was for the best. Shendu had never visited his sister in this city, not even seen her. The only sibling he had met personally during these years was Xiao Fung, and that wasn't probably a very good achievement.
He glanced at the address his brother had given him and continued on. New York wasn't strange to him, he had visited it many times because of his business and knew his way around pretty well.
When he arrived at Bai Tsa's place she could sense his sister immediately. It was a very strange feeling after five years, they had never been apart for that long. Of course there had been long whiles when they hadn't met - like when Shendu had been cursed in a statue - but the siblings had always somehow managed to keep in touch. Now they hadn't done it and it felt weird, maybe even slightly disturbing to be this close of Bai Tsa again.
Shendu marched in not bothering to knock or announce his arrival at all. He thought he was way too important for that. Five years ago he wouldn't have dared to do that, back then he hadn't been liked and his siblings had many times attacked him.
But now the situation was different. The others were confused and wouldn't stand in a while, which meant that he was the strongest of the demons.
Oh, how he loved that idea!
"So you came. I thought we'd have to wait forever." Xiao Fung commented sitting on Bai Tsa's sofa when Shendu entered. The fire demon glanced at his brother who lazed on the sofa watching some ridiculous reality crap from TV and then looked at his sister, who stood few steps away not looking pleased.
"I so can't decide which one of you makes me more sick." Shendu stated sharply slamming the door shut behind him. He walked straight to Xiao Fung, switched the TV off despite his brother's loud objections and crossed his arms on his chest.
"Well?" he asked.
"Well what? I have to know if the Red Team will manage to gather food without help!" Xiao Fung said. Shendu just frowned and finally the wind demon sighed. He flashed the crystal that hung on his neck at his brother.
"All right, all right. Your toy thinks that Bai Tsa's friend is one of the mortals you are looking for." he said pointing at their sister. Shendu snorted.
"Just my luck. What's his name?" he asked supposing that they were talking about one of Bai Tsa's many mortal lovers.
"It's actually a she." Bai Tsa said dryly. Shendu lifted his brows and glanced at Xiao Fung.
"A woman? Have you just tried something new or has Xiao Fung managed to convince you of that best lovers are always the same gender than you?" he asked.
"Hey!" both Xiao Fung and Bai Tsa snapped at the same time. Neither was very pleased for Shendu's comment, Bai Tsa thought it was insulting that someone thought she could share her bed with a female and Xiao Fung had already heard enough nasty comments concerning his desires.
"Viper is just my friend." the water demon hissed poisonously.
Shendu was silent for a while.
"Viper?" he asked with a bad hunch. He had known that after quiet five years something had to happen again.
Bai Tsa shrugged.
"Yes, that way everyone calls her. Do you have something against it?" she wanted to know.
"No, but she is also a close friend of Jackie Chan. I wouldn't be surprised if their relationship was a bit warmer too." the fire demon hissed. He didn't want Chan to get involved with this, that cursed human would just ruin everything again.
Bai Tsa laughed.
"You are wrong, my brother, as usually. Viper and Chan are very good friends, but they will never have anything else between them. They are missing that important sparkle." she said pleased to correct Shendu's words.
The dragon snorted.
"Well, you are the professional on this field." he said. He remembered Viper well, she had been there when Chan had stolen the talismans back from the men of the Dark Hand while they had been looking for the Pan Ku-box. The woman had been a good fighter and smart on her own way. While investigating Valmont's database Shendu had found out a lot about her, like that she had once been a master thief.
And for some odd reason Valmont also had other information on her. Useless stuff, like that her favourite ice cream flavour was strawberry.
He shrugged.
"What can I do? If we take care of it swiftly Chan doesn't even have to know before it is too late." he said.
"Then what are we going to do?" Xiao Fung asked taking a lazy pose on the sofa. Shendu gave him a disgusted glare and was about to answer when Bai Tsa decided to speak.
"Actually, what you two will do? This is my apartment and I have nothing to do with this mess." she said.
Shendu hissed in anger.
"Are you trying to say that you are on the same side with that pathetic mortal? I didn't think even you could sink that low." he said making Bai Tsa slit her eyes angrily.
"I am not on her side! I just don't want to have anything to do with this!" she snapped.
"Why not? This time we can win!" Shendu threw back and the water demon lowered her eyes.
"That's what Tchang Zu said." she muttered quietly and both Shendu and Xiao Fung realised their sister had something on her heart. But neither was interested and they certainly didn't want to make the water demon feel better, so they let it be.
Shendu rubbed his temples.
"I have to get that woman in my hands and take her somewhere safe until we find the other Guardian." he muttered trying to come up with something. He turned to face Xiao Fung.
"She already knows you, doesn't she? Good. In that case you may call her and tell her to arrive here immediately." he said.
Xiao Fung blinked.
"Why me?" he asked. Shendu rolled his eyes in frustration.
"Because our dear sister is not going to participate. And she doesn't know me, at least by any other name than my real one."
"But I never phone women. They might think that I'm interested in them. Nowadays women are so indecent." The wind demon said.
"They were that in the ancient times too." Shendu commented glancing at Bai Tsa. The water demon just snorted.
Poor Xiao Fung had no other option than to do as Shendu wanted. It annoyed him a little, after all, he was older than the fire demon and had a higher position, but the dragon seemed to have forgotten that.
So the wind demon leafed Bai Tsa's address book and though the water demon didn't like it she didn't mouth her opinion. Though she was the oldest of the three she didn't want to take sides with mortals and fight her family. That would have been the worst crime she could do and while she hated Shendu the brother meant her more than any mortal woman she had known for only five years.
"Lots of male names. Are they good looking?" Xiao Fung asked while looking for Viper's phone number. Bai Tsa shrugged.
"Rick is pretty good, but don't even think about Daniel. He gets tired so easily. I think Robert would be your type." she stated helpfully.
"Why is it me who has disturbed siblings?" Shendu asked from himself. Bai Tsa chuckled.
"They say you talk about what you lack. Tell me, when was the last time when you were with someone?" she asked from her brother who glared at her really badly.
"That's personal, as they say in this modern world." he hissed.
"So not in at least two hundred years?"
"Find that phone number, idiot!"
Xiao Fung tapped the number and waited to hear if the woman answered. The wind demon listened at the dial tone thinking about what he'd say. He never had any problems with women, probably because he never wanted to have anything to do with the that way.
"Well, what is it B?" Viper's voice asked and Xiao Fung guessed the woman had a phone that showed the caller's number.
"Actually it's me, George." the demon said.
"George?" Viper asked clearly surprised.
"Yes, I'm calling from Beatrice's home. We are having a slight problem and need you here." Xiao Fung said.
"What is going on?"
"Uh..."
Xiao Fung glanced at Shendu, who realised the situation and looked around himself. What would they come up with?
"Hello? Are you still there George?"
"Yeah, uh... Beatrice is drowning!" Xiao Fung shouted in the phone before coming up with anything better. Both Shendu and Bai Tsa laughed, drowning was one of those thing the water demon never had to be afraid of.
"What?" Viper shouted back just as loudly.
"She's drowning in the bath tub! Or okay, she isn't. You just need to come here right now." Xiao Fung said.
Shendu rolled his eyes.
"Oh, how creative." he muttered.
"What is this all about? Can I talk with B?" Viper asked in confuse. She was starting to feel that Beatrice's brother was even weirder than she had first thought.
The wind demon handed the receiver to his sister.
"She wants to have a word with you." he said. The water demon took the receiver with uncertainty, she had said she wouldn't get involved.
Well, it seemed to be impossible now.
"Yes?" she said.
"B? What is going on there? Why did George call me?" Viper asked.
"That's complicated. Would you believe me if I told you he has escaped from a mental hospital?"
It was dead silent in the other end of the line.
"That was a joke." Bai Tsa said dryly.
"Oh." Viper said. She most certainly had no idea of what was happening around her.
"But honestly, it would be nice if you paid a visit. I have something to show you." the water demon continued.
Shendu smiled pleased, Bai Tsa had taken the first step of returning to her family. The fire demon was happy about it, Xiao Fung was already in his forces and Bai Tsa would soon follow. Of course the water demon was annoying and they didn't like each other, but Shendu still wanted to reunite the family and bring the ancient glory back.
"Oh, all right. I have nothing better to do at the moment." Viper promised and Bai Tsa quickly hung up. Then she sighed in frustration and turned to glare at Shendu.
"Well, I sure hope you are pleased with yourself." she said poisonously at her sneering brother.
Viper put the receiver down and rubbed her cheek. What was going on now? A strange phone behaviour wasn't like B at all, usually her friend was very rational. Though she got easily excited.
Maybe her brother had something to do with it?
Oh well, I'll never find out if I don't go there, Viper thought shrugging and taking her keys with her before going out. She was wearing a short knee length skirt, white top and a black jacket that made her seem both formal and funny to be with. Her long black hair hung free, though she had a blue scarf to stop it from falling to her face.
She lived some distance away from B, her friend didn't live that near the centre and didn't invite Viper to her place very often.
She walked on the streets of New York not really paying attention to other people and arrived at Bai Tsa's apartment in time. It didn't take long before she was knocking on the door and it was opened almost immediately.
"Could you tell me what is going on here?" she asked from Bai Tsa, who closed the door. The water demon shrugged.
"It is not my job." she said unhappily and suddenly Viper noticed the other persons in the room. They were both men and the first one she recognised as B's brother George. But the other one was unfamiliar to her and she looked at him in curiosity.
"I don't think we have ever met. My name is Viper." she said at the man, who snorted. He had clean, dark hair and brown eyes that in other light might have twinkled happily.
"Pity to disappoint you, but we have met. You just don't remember me now." Shendu said as if in though. Viper frowned.
"Excuse me?" she asked.
"This is my brother Sheridan." Bai Tsa explained quickly and the fire demon glared at him.
"Silence, no one asked your opinion!" he snapped. Then he glanced at Xiao Fung.
"Well?"
The wind demon sighed in frustration.
"I already told she is the one." he said.
"What?" Viper wanted to know. She turned at Bai Tsa and looked at her in confuse. The water demon sat on the sofa next to Xiao Fung.
"This is very complicated." she just said.
"It would be nice if someone explained it to me too." Viper stated dryly crossing her arms on her chest.
Shendu snorted.
"In time, in time. But right now the most important thing is to do as I say." he said and flashed his red eyes quickly. Viper lifted her brows in surprise, but controlled herself well.
"A demon." she said and it wasn't a guess, merely a statement.
"And not just any demon, but me." Shendu said letting his own voice replace the friendly voice of Aaron Davidson. Now Viper frowned and looked both angry and shocked.
"Shendu." she said glancing at Bai Tsa.
"I want an explanation. What is that demon doing here?" she asked. Actually she could guess, but didn't want to accuse B of anything before she was certain. And besides, she didn't want to hear that her best friend was something way else than what she had thought.
Despite that she still didn't like this at all Bai Tsa had to smile. She so enjoyed when she could break the news to mortals!
"That is very simple, my friend. Shendu is my brother, just like Xiao Fung here." she said nodding at the wind demon.
Viper's face darkened.
"You lied to me." she said.
Bai Tsa was about to answer, but unfortunately Shendu was faster.
"In the case you didn't know it already, that is the demonic way of taking care of things. Or did you really believe that Bai Tsa, the powerful water demon would ever make friends with a pathetic mortal without hidden motives?" he asked.
"Shut up Shendu! This isn't your business!" Bai Tsa snapped.
"You know what?" Xiao Fung stated.
"How so? A moment ago you didn't want to get involved, so talking is my job." Shendu said with loving patience and now it was Bai Tsa's turn to flash her eyes. It was the demons' way of showing anger in their human form.
"You are just trying to burn all bridges behind me so that I won't have any other option but to join you." she replied.
Xiao Fung stood from the sofa and walked to peer out of the door.
"I believe that if you're fast enough you can still catch her." he stated at Shendu, who just now realised that Viper had fled.
"I don't believe this!" he screamed running out after the woman. He had seen this same cliché in TV for at least hundred times and laughed at the fictional villains who let the prisoners escape while fighting with each other.
Who would have guessed that the trick actually worked?
"Wait for me!" Bai Tsa shouted rushing after her brother. She had no intention of letting Shendu take care of this alone, the fire demon had already been messing around too much and would just make things worse if no one stopped him.
Xiao Fung sighed as his siblings had gone and sat down again. He took a comfortable position and concentrated in watching TV.
Viper didn't watch in herself very much when running. Part of her knew that the best way to escape the demons' plans - whatever they were - would have been to just walk and being unnoticed, but she was too confused to do that.
She hadn't been fighting Shendu that much, she had only fought the men of the Dark Hand when Valmont had been in Shendu's control. She had still got a pretty good impression of what kind of creature the fire demon was and she didn't like it at all.
And B - Bai Tsa - had betrayed her.
Viper wanted to feel really angry, she hoped she could have hated the water demon from the bottom of her heart, but instead of that she just felt really sad.
Sad and disappointed.
She had thought she had found a friend, someone who she could tell everything. Viper was beautiful, intelligent and capable woman, but somehow she had never managed to find a friend like her. Women of her age were usually either married and mothers or very bimbo singles.
Of course B had been strange, but something in her had won Viper's trust.
And it had all been a trick.
Viper snarled at herself and forced those thoughts away. She was a fighter and a fighter didn't let anything disturb her concentration when something more important was going on.
And at that moment the most important thing to do was to get to San Francisco and tell Jackie that the demons were up to something.
"Catch her!"
Viper glanced behind herself hearing Aaron's - or actually Shendu's - voice. She saw that Shendu and his sister had left after her and she tried to increase her speed. People gave her way and she hoped she'd find a taxi before the demons got to her.
Suddenly someone grabbed her waist and forced her to stop. That someone also pressed her against himself stopping her from struggling.
"Let me go, demon!" she shrieked trying to fight, but it was useless. Viper was many times stronger and more agile than an average woman, but even she couldn't fight her captor.
"Demon?" a confused voice asked and Viper realised he wasn't Shendu.
She didn't have time to sigh in relief, because the fire demon arrived too and thanked the man who had caught Viper.
"Thank you for getting her. She is my sister and mentally very unstable. She sees demons everywhere." Shendu said grabbing Viper. The woman felt all strength disappear from her body and she fell against the demon's chest.
"Well, she did say something about a demon." the man said in thought. He was huge and looked like a truck driver.
Shendu drew out his wallet while Bai Tsa took Viper from him.
"Let me make this up to you." the fire demon said, but the man shook his head.
"It was nothing." he said. Shendu nodded and turned to face the half-conscious Viper.
"Oh Valerie darling, you should have never ran away." he said softly.
"Watch yourself!"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Hoyle muttered not even turning to glance at the German man who he had collided with. He wrapped his jacket better on himself and continued his way on the streets of Berlin.
The sun didn't shine in his life, not literally nor figuratively. It had rained in Berlin the whole week and everyone was on a bad mood, even plants looked like they had got enough of water.
And on top of that they had to hide in this annoying German city and it pleased neither him nor his boss Doctor Necrosis. Neither could speak the language - Hoyle was from the Netherlands and Necrosis from England - and the culture didn't fascinate them either.
And there was no opportunities to prepare their revenge in Berlin.
Hoyle glanced around himself before stepping inside a cheap motel and then hurried to the room he shared with Necrosis. Usually they wouldn't have lived like this, but right now the situation was so tight that they had to.
"You shouldn't be out this long." Necrosis stated not lifting his eyes from the book he was reading. Nowadays reading was the only way to kill some extra time, and he had a lot of that.
"I can't stand this closed box." Hoyle replied throwing his jacket away. It soon rose in the air on itself and floated at the coat rack.
Necrosis frowned.
"I'd prefer that you don't do that, thank you very much." he said.
Hoyle didn't say anything, just sat at the table to have a game of solitaire. When Doctor Necrosis had still been on top everyone had assumed that he had a magical deck of cards that allowed him to do all kinds of tricks. But in truth the cards were very ordinary, the real power was in his mind.
Only Doctor Necrosis knew that Hoyle was one of the few who had the great gift of telekinesis. He had trained the man himself and taken care of that his powers grew and served him.
It was five years since Agent Tag had destroyed Necrosis' best and most prepared plan ever. Five years since all of his men had been arrested and two years since he and Hoyle had escaped.
Now Agent Tag was after them and they were running all over the world to avoid him.
It was both tiring and frustrating, when they couldn't find a permanent place to stay they couldn't start all over again and rebuild anything.
"You want to play poker?" Hoyle asked in thought. Living together and being forced to trust each other had made the two form a friendship of some sort. Even the difference of their age didn't matter at all.
"You know I don't like card games. Besides, I'm reading a novel by Tolstoise." Necrosis replied. He was on a pretty good mood, they hadn't heard of Tag in a while and it could be that the man had lost them.
Now if he just could contact some of his colleagues...
Suddenly the whole room flashed bright and blinded them for a moment.
Necrosis blinked and the book fell from his hands.
"What the - ?" Hoyle asked in confuse. His solitaire was completely ruined. And he had been winning!
An unfamiliar man had appeared in front of them and they sure didn't like that fact.
The man was dressed in a screaming purple wizard's robe and Chinese characters decorated the sleeves. He was long and slim, his skin was a bit yellowish, he was totally bald, but he had long black moustache. His eyes were brown.
"Who are you and what do you want?" Necrosis asked getting a hold of himself. He could be helpless now when his organisation was in ruins, but he damn well knew his position anyway.
The stranger raised his arm.
"Please, no useless talking." he said with a creaking voice. He sounded like an old un-oiled door.
"What do you want?" Necrosis asked again and not going to give up. There had to be a reason for this man to be here, but what could it be?
And what good would it do to him?
"I can use you. Come with me and you will know everything. When the time is right." the man said.
Hoyle snorted.
"And why would we do that? What can you offer us?" he wanted to know. Necrosis glared at him a bit annoyed, he was supposed to take care of talking.
The man nodded at the window.
"Someone phoned a man you know very well and now he knows that you are here." he stated as if it explained everything. Hoyle peered out of the window and to his shock he saw Tag on the pavement.
"Hey boss, it's Tag! He's here!" he shouted.
Necrosis didn't like it at all. And even less he liked that strange man who had clearly used magic to come here.
"You called him." he accused. The man just laughed.
"Maybe, maybe I didn't. You will never know if you don't come with me." he said.
"Who are you?" Necrosis asked. The situation was serious, if they weren't fast enough Tag would get them, but he also didn't want to go with a strange magician just like that.
"My real name is impossible for mortals to pronounce, but you may call me master Shin." the man said.
Necrosis slit his eyes at the word "master", but didn't say anything.
"What do you want?" he had to ask again.
There was a loud bang at the door when Tag tried to break through.
"I already said you will find out everything." Shin said and before neither Necrosis nor Hoyle managed to do anything he had snapped his fingers and the three were gone.
Tag smashed the door and rushed in the room just a second later. He saw the cards on the table and that the room was empty. He was too late.
"Damn." he muttered bitterly.
To be continued...
AN: I got the idea of Hoyle having strange powers from Spleef's site. Thanks:) And sorry if this chapter is full of stupid typos, I have no idea of what is wrong with me nowadays. I even called Xiao Fung a sky demon once, but found that mistake in time!