Chapter 2. Inner Strength
Third Person Pov
Valmont and his men were in his office watching the dragon statue hanging behind Valmont's desk as I began to speak in a serious, somber tone as his fiery red eyes sparkled with every word. "Valmont, your submissives are perhaps blind because anyone would have noticed that the shield was without the talisman" he said in a sarcastic and dark tone
"I'm sorry Shendu I promise you I will remedy their mistake I will send them to retrieve your talisman and I will assure you that Jackie Chan don't interfere, never again "
Alexia Pov
It's been a couple of days since the Hand of Evil attack on the shop and I'm starting to get used to my new life, the Chan have turned out to be really nice and kind people, even if sometimes the uncle has some rough ways, but to apart from that i'm not bad, they even started calling me alex as if i was more than just an employee which i don't mind at all.
One evening after closing time Jackie invited me to have dinner at the Chinese restaurant with the whole Chan family, as the uncle had finally finished his research and this dinner was a good opportunity to talk about it, I'm curious, and to have accepted. gladly and also because having not yet organized my apartment well, I decided to take the opportunity to eat out and not buy takeaway.
At dinner we met to talk about the talisman, the uncle took out the little trinket and I showed us a sheet with other animals
"the legend says that there are other talismans like this, each talisman engraved with an animal of the Chinese zodiac and each of them has a different power "
" What kind of power "asked Jade curiously and Jackie scolded her
" every talisman is scattered in various places in the world and if they fall into wicked hands "
" in that case Jackie will teach them a lesson "Jade has did a few kung fu moves and blew straight at the table staggering, people look at us wondering what's up "sorry" Jackie replied, Jade smiled at people and then calmly turned to Jackie and asked
"Jackie when will you teach me what you know ? "
"Soon Jade" Jackie replied and Jade was not at all happy to have to wait, I looked at the talisman and said
"so Uncle do you really believe in this myth?" having said that he hit me on the head with his chopsticks, hurting me a little
"Does this answer your question?" before I can answer him you hear Jade say
"look Jackie I have the ability"
We turned to see Jade in the middle of the restaurant as she start doing some Kung Fu moves in an uncoordinated way, so much so that she hit a waiter holding a tray of soup, the poor guy falls on the table, while a bowl of soup from the her tray flies towards us, I managed to dodge it by moving to the right but my uncle grabbed it full in the face, accidentally dropping a candle that started to set the table on fire "fire!" I shouted, Jackie threw a tablecloth under the table of a cup without spilling anything and put it on the fire, suffocating it and extinguishing it accordingly "it was close" I said calmly, the owner approaches us with an angry face but Jackie smiles nervously said
"sorry my niece is really sorry "he took Jade and said" sorry too "
" I'm clumsy "she said in an innocent voice,
the excuses must have worked because the owner turns around and goes back to work but above all they didn't throw us out, we're back to sit down. I approached Jade, calmly but at the time that I try to be serious I said "Jade you can't continue acting so we got lost they threw us out of the restaurant"
"Alex is right you have to learn to control yourself" said Jackie
"I just want to learn to do what you know"
"the proverb says that the wise find the strength within, the fool in others" Jade seems confused
"means you have to learn to control the your inner instinct that is learning to discipline you "at that moment our spaghetti in sweet and sour vegetable broth arrived and we were finally able to eat calmly, which obviously Jade did not do, I eat fast and without chewing
" no take it easy and chew well "
" Jackie chews the soup well "and she keep eating" uncle "said Jackie for help" it's your niece you have to take care of "
poor Jackie I thought you continued to eat calmly" tastes like chicken "said Jade finishing all the soup, I finished shortly after she stretched a little while a waiter was giving fortune cookies "the dessert" said Jade taking one, I too took one and put it in my jacket for man giarlo at home, Jade instead breaks one of the fortune cookies and reads its contents
"great danger awaits you" Jade reads
"we must be very careful" I laughed and said
"Uncle don't tell me you believe the predictions of a cookie" don't not even say the hand of evil at our table
"never doubt a fortune cookie"
Finn walked over to Jackie and said "the talisman" Jackie before he could answer he was grabbed by Ratso who tried to punch him but with agility he dodges him grabbing him by the tie, Chow grabs him from behind but in less than a moment he is free and I tie him by the arm with Ratso's tie, suffocating him a little, poor thing. It was Finn's turn that grabbing a chair I try to put him under and unfortunately or at least for him (the latter) he dodge him and kick him away, at which point Finn decided to play dirty and pull a gun out of his jacket, bad idea, Jackie faster than him I disarm him and throw the gun in the aquarium and to conclude he throw him on the ground with a kick, the other two tried to attack him but they also failed us as was plausible. Seeing that they had no more tricks up their sleeves they gave up and ran away from the restaurant, Jackie smiled and said "thanks for having dinner with us".
"Nice move Jackie" I said smiling, but he yelled
"the talisman!" it WAS GONE! I thought.
we looked for him everywhere but there was no
"evil hand must have taken him away" said the uncle
"let's go get him" Jade said running towards the exit but Jackie stopped her and said "stay here with uncle and Alex "Having said that, he came out running after those three, while we waited for his return" sit down Jade "said the uncle
" uncle looks at the master he's very angry "
aurant running after little Chan.
Third Person Pov." what where? "The uncle was distracted but I saw Jade leave the restaurant "damn I think I'll have to follow her if I don't want her to get hurt" I said to myself, leaving the rest
Uncle turns and I notice that Jade and Alexia weren't there "Jade? , Alex? "then he realized that if they left," aaah he said annoyed.
Jade Pov.
I followed Jackie to find out where he was going "you said stay with the uncle but you didn't explain which uncle" I said continuing to follow him when someone grabbed me by the hood of my sweatshirt, I got scared and let out a shouted "Jade calm down "it was Alex thankfully
" Alex, didn't you have to be at the restaurant with your uncle? "
"I could ask you the same question, Jackie said you had to stay at the restaurant" I smiled and explained that Jackie didn't specify which uncle, she doesn't seem very happy "now let's go back" I was about to argue when I immediately noticed some shadows appearing around us, Alex noticed it and turned to see that those ninjas had surrounded us "I guess they don't agree" I exclaimed
Alexia Pov
This did not take us and Jackie was not with us, now that we were in trouble, I turned to see an escape route, and luckily I saw a deserted road where we could escape "in there soon" we ran into the alley hoping to lose them but the our pursuers continued to follow us faster and faster than before, while we ran I tripped on the ground Jade did not notice and did not stop to help me, I saw her turn the corner, while the ninjas were one step away from me, but when I thought the ninjas would grab me instead they passed me leaving me alone,
I got up and watched the ninjas turn the corner, surprised me they didn't notice me or even just ignored me to chase, oh my god they are chasing Jade , immediately ran after them hoping to reach Jade first than them.
Third Person Pov
Jade kept running but she realized that Alexia wasn't behind her, but even if she wanted to, she couldn't go back to pick her up because the ninjas were a few steps away from her and if she came back she would be at their mercy
"i'm sorry Alex "I think sorry for her friend, I keep running away until she hid behind an alley and bumped into Jackie
" Jade! "
"Hi Jackie" she greets him with a broad smile
"Jade, I told you to stay with your uncle by chance I speak in Aramaic and I said maybe" run to danger "or something"
behind him the Shadows Khan appeared and approached
" eh Jackie "
" not now I'm trying to spe ... "
Jade took Jackie's head with her hands and moved it showing him the Shadows Khan behind them" ah well, run ! " Jackie said grabbing Jade in her arms and running away as the ninjas followed him
"can't we face them?" asked Jade
"a Chinese proverb says don't fight when you can run". While Jackie was running she decided to hide Jade so as to protect her from the ninjas "go beyond" "but" "no it's dangerous go away" at the end Jade was convinced and ran away, Jackie was ready to fight but to his surprise the Shadow Khans ignored him and turned in Jade's direction
"what, why are they following her !?" Jackie asked running towards them.
Jade Pov
I ran down the street that Jackie had shown me, I turned to check if they were following me and to my fear the ninjas were still following me
"because they follow me what they want from me" I thought looking for a way to escape from my pursuers, when in an alley I found an old skeit with a helmet and shin guard, an idea flashes in my mind I grabbed the skeit, put the helmet on my head and tied the shin guards on my knees and elbows ready for my escape, I got on the skeit and sled at full throttle away from those ninjas managing to make it, or at least until I got to the street car "help" I said scared as I tried desperately to dodge the cars
Third Person Pov
Alexia managed to find Jade with the Shadows Khan on her heels and Jackie in a truck behind him doing stunts and kung fu steps to keep up with him, while fighting one of the ninjas a mysterious artifact with dragon heads on the sides, Alexia, fell they approach to see what it was but she was intercepted by Tohru who took him and followed his friends
"damn I will never reach them in time of this step" she looks around to find a way to run after her friends and their pursuers , near a bar she saw a bike where a red-haired boy was about to get on it, but she stopped him and took his bike and she got on in her place
"wait what you do!" the boy yelled at him
"I'll borrow it" she started pedaling as fast as possible
"eh! But that's my bike! " I scream
"sooner or later I will bring back the canvas !" she answered moving away, the boy stood still for a moment and then snorted "New Yorkers are all crazy".
Jade Pov
I was going too fast I can no longer stop, trying not to get hit by the cars I made moves that made it difficult for me to keep my balance, with attention and stunts like a champion managed to reach the Brooklyn Bridge in the construction area "oh oh" I thought, I looked back while Jackie was surrounded by ninjas but like a true champion I face them all
"Jackie you are fantastic!" I said encouraging him, I turned and ended up in the work area I tried to dodge the workers but ended up jumping off the bridge .. but wasn't I falling? , I looked down and saw that I was floating in the air, I pushed myself towards a beam, I was scared and I drew myself to that beam with my body still shaking
"how did I do this" in that moment I saw that the truck where Jackie was he capsized and Jackie fell off the bridge "Jackie!" I screamed, I went to the edge of the bridge to see if he had ended up in the water, no, luckily he was hanging on the bridge I had to help him, I looked around and found a steel rope I took it and threw it at him
"Jackie! grab it!" Jackie I try to hang it, but a ninja anticipates him and climbs towards me "help" I said looking at him furiously at the ninja, Jackie grabbed him by the leg but in doing so his foot slips and made him fall pulling with six the ninja, Jackie but with a somersault I get back to my feet on an iron beam and climb the rope while a ninja was behind him, bad mistake, once Jackie went up
"goodbye ninja friend" I pushed away the roll of the rope, making it fall into the cold water .
Jackie walked up to me and calmly said
"why are they following you?" she asked me
"Jackie I ended up off the bridge but I didn't fall I floated like in the cartoons, I can fly" I said quickly "Jade is not the currency of your stories the Hand of Evil pursues and I want to understand why .." Tohru I arrive from the shoulders and squeezed his shoulder making him pass out, then with a heavy step I approach me supporting a strange luminous object, he said "the talisman" "I don't have the talisman you have it, oh no?" he grabs me with Jackie and takes me somewhere.
Alexia Pov
I arrived at the Brooklyn Bridge but it was late, Tohru had arrived before me and had kidnapped Jackie and Jade
"where are you taking them" I wondered, I got back on the road and followed them without being noticed. I followed the big man who took me to the port, in a fish unloading shed, got off the bike and placed it near the iron door and entered without making a noise, starting to look for when, from behind a door Tohru talking to someone , I stood with my ear flat on the door and heard what they were saying I remained silent and listened "the radar says the girl has the talisman but not found it anywhere" "must have hidden it somewhere Tohru, it won't be not swallowed "you hear a voice with a strong English accent surely it was Valmont, there was a long silence and then another voice I speak saying something on the inside or something else I listened to the voice was deep and sharp giving me a strange sensation inside as if I knew but I could not focus on who he was, an inner vibration made me tremble but not with fear it was something I did not understand, you go out of my thoughts when you hear Valmont say "and once you have recovered the talisman, eliminate Jackie Chan "I heard Tohru's footsteps as he approached the door
, I suddenly stepped aside and hid to find out where my friends had hidden.
He entered the processing room where Jade was tied to a table and Jackie handcuffed to a pipe, Tohru brought the strange artifact close to Jade's belly and with a sense of victory said "ha ha" who knows what that meant, but it was clear when I pull out a sword and then sharpen it on a rotating blade that was used to work and cut wood
"the talisman is in my stomach" Jade said, then we realized it must have gotten into Jade's soup during the turmoil in the Chinese restaurant,
Jackie had right about chewing,I took advantage of Tohru's distraction to enter and free Jackie and Jade
"Alex!" Jade said, I was scared, but luckily with the noise of the metal being sharpened the big man doesn't hear it, luckily
"Jade is silent" I went to Jackie I had to pick the lock of the handcuffs, I rummaged in my pockets and for my own surprise I found a paperclip that I had used long ago to open my locker when I forgot the key, I started fiddling with the lock to try to break it but it proved much more difficult than opening the lock of a locker
"I have to try to free myself by flying away"
Jade said starting to writhe and move "Jade even if you could fly and I'm not saying you can't you can't do it because you're tied to the table" but at that moment we witnessed a mysterious event, the boxes and all the nearby objects started floating around us "Wow" I exclaimed
"this is tele ... such ... in sum you can move objects with your mind" said Jackie
"no I can move them with your stomach" at that moment Tohru come back not noticing of me, giving all her attention to Jade ready to gut her like fresh fish she look up, I noticed her sly look, she had an idea I started repeating "concentrate concentrate" moving and lifting her stomach, Tohru didn't understand what she was doing, but he got the answer when a large crate of fish fell on him throwing him to the ground "I hate fish", he had lost his sword and I took advantage and picked it up first I freed Jade by cutting the laces and then with a little more strength I released Jackie by cutting the handcuff chain
"I think I have the inner power you were talking about" Jade said smiling at Jackie
"that's not what I meant but now let's get out of here" replied Jackie, we reached the elevator when it opened with those three of the Hand of Evil, who seeing us free understood that Tohru needed a hand, as it is said that the dances begin.
Third Person Pov
"Jade run or fly or do what you have to" said Jackie throwing the girl in the air giving him the push to float
"Alex run" he continued addressing the teenager but she replied
"no Jackie I won't leave you alone" the Hand of evil I take advantage of the distraction Jackie to attack "watch out" Jade said, Finn try to hit Jackie with a big pipe, which Jackie dodged and kicked him disarmed, which Finn didn't take very well grabbed a tow line and threw it at Jackie catching him and doing it sway, but Jackie turned the tide in his favor and grabbed the hook from his hands and rushed at Finn with a strong flying kick, which sent him flying towards the other two knocking them out
"good move Jackie" Alexia said, when Ratso got up and tried to grab it but instinctively he turned around and kicked him out making him fall to the ground in pain
"why always me?" he said in a muffled and aching voice, the three friends I will see their work had won ...at least until they saw Tohru come out of the pile of fish saying
"I hate fish" the three looked at him for a moment and then Jade said
"don't fight if you can run"
"you're learning" Jackie exclaimed, they started climbing the stairs to escape , but Tohru was smarter and I use the elevator "ah" yell Alexia finding him near, the giant grabbed her arm lifting her then looked at Jade and said "if you don't want me to hurt your friend you have to let me take the talisman" but Alexia she did not intend to play this game, she tried to hit him with kicks and punches to make him let go, she took it, without success, the girl began to get more and more angry, she did not realize it but the palm of her right hand began to light up with a light fire-like light
"drop me !" scream clutching the wrist with his hand making the big man scream in pain, Alexia fell to land still unaware of what she had done, but wasted no time and got up and ran towards the two. With the boys he tried to reach the exit but a box blocked the path by closing the door, Tohru was more furious than ever "when you can't run what do you do" but Jackie drew her sign to stay where she was
"yes and I pay attention ".Jackie with slow and careful steps approaches Tohru, the giant tired of their games tries to grab Jackie with his huge arms, Jackie jumped forward just as Tohru threw himself on him, Tohru turned to look for him but what he did not know that Jackie was behind him grabbing from his breeches, the giant stopped for a moment and jerked his arms around his back and threw Jackie away at some jars of fish,
"leave him alone" they said together Jade and Alexia, tried to attack him but their strength was completely nothing for him and they push them away as if they were flies focusing on Jackie, who was still a bit stunned and Tohru took advantage, grabbed him and held him with his huge arms strangling him, Jackie screamed in pain as the girls watched the scene, Alexia looked around the area to think of an idea, find something huge to throw at the giant, but all she saw huge was just Tohru himself ... wait Tohru think Alexia as an idea flashes in her mind
"Jade I have an idea we'll crush Tohru with the biggest thing we have, himself"
Jade understood what he meant, using her powers on Tohru she managed to lift him off the ground, and as expected the giant confused and disoriented by the sudden lack of gravity Jackie gave up and began to breathe heavily Jade started to grunt at the weight of the giant "it's too heavy I won't last long" and in fact she let go of him and seeing that his weight was like that of a boulder he created a huge hole in the floorboards and ended up in the sea
"I think we won," said Alexia, the girls gave five for the excellent work.
Alexia Pov
Today was an evening, really excited and I'm really tired, I put on my pajamas when you hear a ring it was Jackie, I replied
"Hi Jackie"
"I wanted to know how are you after our sudden adventure"
"I'm fine and Jade?"
"Don't worry they gave her a gastric lavage and removed the talisman, Captain Black will now take care of keeping it safe in Section 13, oh since we're in the middle of this story we'll live a little bit in Section 13 and since now you too are involved in this, they would like you to live here too "
but I replied" I'm sorry but I say I live here ,if I disappeared the owner will ask what happened to me and then he will warn my school "
" I understand then pay attention "
" thanks "
I closed the call and put on my pajama pants when I saw the fortune cookie I had put aside, it's true I forgot about it, I took it and opened it, ate the cookie and read the message,
my eyes went wide the message said
"an ancient evil will descend on you"
what it meant, I am skeptical about these things but seeing where the last fortune cookie has brought us I began to doubt, I tore the ticket and went to sleep trying to disregard the message.
Third Person Pov
"Are you telling me that in addition to Chan and the girl there was also a girl, who gave you problems"
Valmont said to his subordinates
"yes boss I'm very sorry" said Tohru
"what do you know about this girl?"
"That she is a girl, stubborn, extremely rude and has nothing feminine" said Chow
"she kicked me in my jewels" said Ratso still thinking about the pain he felt
"anything more specific like the name?" they thought about it and Tohru said
"I heard Chan calling her Alex but it's not her real name"
"and in addition she works in Chan's shop for a cultural exchange project organized by her school in Tokyo" said Finn
"in this case I will just have to give a look at all the schools in Tokyo "Valmont said checking the school records, with a spying program I checked the registry system and managed to get in, I check the high schools in the city and find them a name that coincides being the only name not Oriental of her school
"Alexia Munfrin age eighteen, class 5 E, female, apparently joined the exchange and was sent right here in New York and is currently staying in a structure that takes care of welcoming foreign students for these kinds of projects on Street West near Central Park, so far it's the best we have on her "Shendu replied" if this girl turns out to be an insurance problem she isn't "" sure Shedu "