A deal with a Dragon
Chapter 11
Chase felt like cement and vile were mixing on his throat, he heard the news from his minion -the charm he putted on Spicer indicates he has been wound lethality, and he teleported to whatever Jack is.
Chase was expecting an attack but not so soon, and not towards Jack. He was supposed to keep Jack safe.
It was dark, Chase landed a few feets from where Jack was hiding. The young man was on the floor using a thin metal table as a shield from his attackers, his eyes locked with Chase for a moment; those red eyes were wild with terror.
Those eyes were terrified but responsive. Jack was bleeding but the bleeding was controlled, and the wound contained. A robot applies pressure on Jack's shoulder and injected him with what Chase would guess was a local anesthetic. Jack's new white coat was ruined and Jack holds a gun with his good arm. He shouts insults to the other side in german, and he shouts his robots orders in chinese.
Jack smiles as he always does when he looks at Chase.
"Thanks for coming! Coffee?" Jack asks Chase, surprised and pleased to see his idol, and he points with his chin to the single little table from the cafe that was miraculously standing. Chase didn't turn to look at it, he only continue to stare at Jack.
Jack wasn't dying, he had just been shot in the arm.
Jack wasn't being attack by the Heylin, but by some other unimportant criminal organization.
"I thought you got hurt." Chase says and sighs feeling more relieve than he would like to admit.
"I got shot Chase, how much hurt you want me to get?" Jack raises an eyebrow and hears the odd silence.
They stop shooting.
"Just shot." Chase says a little annoy by the guy who was making signals at him. No, multiple men holding guns seem to want him to do something. "Jack what had you done?"
"'Just shot' Chase, I got shot on the arm!" Jack points his wound with his weapon.
"What do you want? A 'feel better' card. Jack explain the situation." Chase says and one of the man seem to be losing his patience. They spoke french badly, and Chase could tell they obviously belong to an organization that wanted to make a big statement -if the very public attend to your life wasn't enough of a statement.
"They are from a group, yakuza or the Nelion Family? Doesn't matter, does it? Whatever; I sold them some stuff and they were under the impression that we were exclusive." Jack answers now emotionally hurt of how little Chase cares for his arm. "You know I could loose this arm if it got infect it." Jack pouts.
"You betrayed them, Wuya would be proud." Chase looks at Jack. Then he heard the weapon fire, he purposely didn't move. The bullet hurted him, it made him wished he was wearing his armor instead of his mortal cloths.
The bullet left a whole on his shirt and then it bounce a feet or two from where Chase stood. The spectators scream and the men seem worry with good reason.
"Jack. I just got shot." Chase says as dryly as possible.
"You are a jerk." Jack hisses but he stares at the little red spot the bullet left. "Does it hurt?" Jack asks after.
"Nothing my warriors can't do during sparrings." Chase says and he dodges the next wave of bullets by kneeling next to Jack. "Do you have a plan?" Chase asks fully aware that Jack was hiding behind a flimsy table with almost all of his angles open for an attack. He was lucky that his attackers weren't smart men, but they might figure out that they have enough manpower to actually surround Jack.
"I'm working on that." Jack hisses as a robot slides on the emergency arm sling.
The men were screaming again.
Chase counted them already; 4 out in the open and 2 hiding between civilians. They had injured 3 people not counting their target Jack. They have concentrated the six of them in one front, too close to each other as if they need the comfort of proximity, they covered the least possible amount of space. They don't seem to have a designated speaker or specific threats to make, since most of them spoke out of turn and over each other. Chase didn't know who were they since they didn't present themselves, but their accents were from russia, maybe the far left one was german... there was at least two americans.
Overall Chase knew one thing for sure; they weren't very good at their job.
"Where is your mother?" Chase asks as he examines Jack's wound. He couldn't see the wound directly but the robot's movements, which was still working on it, told Chase enough information. The robot had only treat one side and there was only blood on Jack's chest and arm, not on the backside; one entry, no exist. Chase frowns and hopes that it didn't hit bone but Jack seems movible enough for that to be an actual possibility.
The wound was on the arm, not chest or head. They either wanted to send a message to Jack, but then they would had left.
Or they fail to hit their one killing shot.
"I sent her away as soon as I could." Jack answers and Chase seems satisfied.
Taking a hostage is the easiest way to get your target out of hiding, specially if the hostage is someone the target cares deeply.
If they had a killing shot, then they must had notice that Jack was dining with his mother -the age difference, the similarities and their mannerism -even bad hitmen should be able to pick up those signs.
"They found her." Chase informs Jack as he hears Mrs. Spicer cries become louder. "Someone, 6 -the tallest of them, is bring her to 3 -the man on the middle who is doing most of the talking."
"Shit! Mom!" Jack tries to stand up but Chase forces him down.
"Stand and they will shoot you." Chase reminds Jack.
"If they want me death they could had kill me earlier." Jack fights as he tries to stand up, but he might as well be trying to carry a blue whale out of the water.
"Then what do they want Jack?" Chase asks mad, was Jack withholding information?
"No -I don't know. I'm not sure. But I think me. They are asking me to 'get out and come with us' but I don't know if they want to kill me on an alleyway or inside a van, take me to their boss to kill me there or to imprison me forever!" Jack says with one breath, he tries to recover his composure at the end but his thoughts seem to spiral downwards. "They had my mom." Jack whimpers.
Chase wishes Jack had stay at the mansion with him, resting under the shade over the clean blanket, instead he is crying and thinking about death again.
"I can kill them." Chase offers and Jack considers it but he dismisses almost too quickly -the boy has never kill and he avoids taking such extremes.
"I don't want to deal with the backlash. I'm not sure what I did to these guys to receive such treatment." Jack whines. "Chase can you get her please?"
The attackers inform Jack that they had his mother. Jack stops breathing, his genius brain stops working, and he sits there and cries.
"I won't kill them, then." Chase decides much faster than Jack and he stands up. Chase runs dodging the first wave bullets. He picks up number 2, the short woman with the mask and she screams and shoots right at his chest but even with the close distance it barely does any damage. She understands that she is in the presence of a monster; she pees herself.
Mrs. Spicer screams and Jack comes out of hiding.
Number 3 points his gun at the head of Mrs. Spicer and Jack runs towards them. Number 1 who has been waiting for the right moment points her rifle at Jack and Chase had to choose who to defend first: it was an easy choice.
Chase throws woman-2 at Jack's attacker, he then proceeds to punch number 1 with enough force to leave her unconscious on the floor. He hears a gun fire and Mrs. Spicer cries. Chase turns to see Mrs. Spicer's fake blond hair covered with blood, she looks a lot more like Jack that way. The man, number 3, falls backwards.
Jack's good arm shakes so much that the gun he carries falls to the ground, his arm stays horizontal until Chase comes to push it down.
Man number 5 screams something and everyone runs away.
Jack's mother looks at the calm man walk towards her son, he seems unaffected by everything that has happened -that was happening, like it wasn't even a distraction from his daily routine. He touches Jack's arm and slowly brings it down, and as if the movement had been too much for Jack he comes undone and falls to the floor on his knees. The man frowns and lightly pats Jack's hair.
Mrs. Spicer sits on the floor, she isn't sure when did she sat down or why is her head wet, people around them are screaming and getting closer, she loses sight of her son -he just disappears with the disturbingly calm man but she can't bring herself to care. The only thing that occupies her mind is a repetitive mantra of I'm alive. I'm alive. I'm alive. I'm alive.
They ask her questions but she doesn't answer, they ask her if she is okay but she doesn't answer, they ask her if she knows what happens but she doesn't answer. They ask her if she knows the young man who was shot.
"I'm alive." I'm alive I'm alive. I'm alive I'm alive I'm alive.
Jack receives a call from his mother two hours after the incident, but he doesn't answer.
That's how shock works.
Mrs. Spicer looked like Jack with her skin so pale it was almost white, and her hair bathed in red. Someone cleaned her bloody hair, they took her pulse, they putted a blanket on her, they took her to a hospital and monitored her. Until she asks for her son. Then they let her made a phone call.
Jack looked like his imposter's corpse.
His lips were blue and his skin gray. Chase took him to his palace and ordered his servants to bring something for Jack, Chase putted a blanked on Jack and Jack answered questions Chase never ask. He explained Chase what had happened, he explained seven times on a row, every time the story was slightly different.
And after almost 20 minutes Jack was drinking his tea.
"I should get my arm treat it." Jack hums and puts down his tea cup.
"It can wait." Chase says and moves to refill Jack's cup, but Jack hasn't taken a single sip.
"No, I got shot. I should be in surgery. I shot someone. Gosh, it has been a long day." Jack says and he tries to stand up.
"Surgery, you are being dramatic." Chase answers and helps Jack up. "You need to be careful." Chase says, that seem to catch Jack's attention.
"I need to get this bullet out, being shot is a really big deal Chase! Yeah. Wait. Hey, Chase. What were you doing there?" Jack says and tilts his head, the anaesthetic was wearing off now and he can feel pain ripping through his muscles.
"I was saving your life, efforts which have yet to be thank." Chase says and teleport them to Jack's lab where his med-bay is.
"Thanks! Shit, thanks for that! I would had die or be captured or something worse. I'm still not sure what they wanted it- or want. I should check it out though!" Jack says looking everywhere and feeling overwhelmed, he has almost die too many times already. Maybe Dr. Lang was right and he should take some time off, and reconsider everything. "But I mean 'what were you doing there' to begin with? Why were you there?" Jack now is holding his left arm, it suddenly feels very heavy. "Chase, is there something I don't know?" Jack asks.
"There are many thing you don't know Jack." Chase avoids Jack's paranoia. A robot comes with a wheelchair and Jack sits on it without a complaint.
"Yes but, but. Are you tracking me? -Your timing was impossibly convenient.- Why? Am I in danger? Or ...has my status change?" Jack asks and pleas for information. Jack is used to risk is life, or used it as a betting chip, but Jack is always aware of the risk he chooses to take.
"Would you had prefer to deal tonight's predicament without me?" Chase mock-asks and follows Jack who is being push away.
"I'm not dumb Chase. It was nice of you to stay with me for two weeks, but you rarely do anything without a reason. And now you go out of your way to save me? What is going on?" Jack asks and a robot cuts his shirt and coat to prepare him for surgery. "Or..maybe I'm just being paranoid?" Jack whisper to himself, that was never good. Dr. Lang told him never to dismiss his feeling like they were nothing.
"You are being paranoid, but with good reason. I'll explain after." Chase says, and then he is surprised by Jack's hand on his wrist.
"Explain now, please. I don't want to be on the dark on this. I'm having a bad feeling and is not just all the near death experiences." Jack begs and then he pulls back his hand worry that he might be taking too many liberties with Chase.
"And your surgery, you said it was important." Chase lifts an eyebrow, but he knew the answer to that already.
"I'm not going under! I'm not going to be put under!" Jack exclaims loudly.
"And?" Chase tilts his head, Jack frowns.
"And is not a big surgery."
"Oh." Chase smirks and a robot comes to spray them both with a liquid.
"Then you can talk. Actually please talk. I just notice that it means I have to see blood." Jack squirks.
"You kill someone today, and you are still scare of your own blood." Chase shakes his head.
"Those things are independent from each other!" Jack says, and then a robot puts a blue paper over Jack's shoulder and a generous amount of iodine.
"You seem to be taking it well." Chase says actually surprised. He was sure jack would be broken down about taking someone's life, but the other seem to be doing just fine. Even let Chase's joke slide as a joke.
"Yeah. I do feel kinda bad, but it was my only move. If I had done anything else my mom might had died, then I just -I did the right thing. For my mom and I, that guy is death -so bad for him." Jack says and looks away, then he looks at the surgical gear set on the silver table next to him and he returns to look at Chase. "I think; he put himself on my way, he should not had done that."
Chase nods and helps push Jack down so the doc-bot can begin.
"Understandable."
"Can you now answer me? Why are you there? Why are you taking care of me?" Jack asks and Chase rolls his eyes.
"How low do you think of me? I'm taking care of you because I care enough." Chase answers and Jack smiles. Jack wishes he could trust that answer, but he knows Chase.
"Thanks! I'm really really honor. But; and?" Jack says and he whimpers when he feels something cold. Chase looks at the doc-bot hold some type of injection-gun.
"They hadn't start it yet." Chase lies as he sees the scalpel make the first cut.
"Okay." Jack thanks him for the update.
"Jack." Chase asks for Jack's attention, and Jack happily obliges.
Chase tries to explain to Jack what he has been thinking for over 2 weeks. He tries to explain the centuries of rivalry between Wuya, Hannibal and himself, and the great weakness he showed in front of them. How Chase by mourning jack had put his dear fanboy in danger; a target for Hannibal and Wuya to aim whenever they want to hurt Chase. How Jack's mortal life might be cut short by Chase's enemies unless Jack accepts immortality. If Jack accepts immortality then Chase must be vigilant for eternity, to never allow Jack to grow into an enemy. Then he will have to keep Jack at arm's length for eternity, and that doesn't sound terrible to Chase.
But Jack is not ready, so Chase is making time.
"Jack. You need to be ready, war is coming and it will bring a new hierarchy." Chase decides is all the information he can give Jack.
"A war! A war! Man! What do-" Jack reacts just as Chase thought he would.
Jack's phone rings. A robot informs Jack that the caller if his mother.
Jack stops and stays quiet.
"Should I answer it? Sir."
"Should I let her know you are okay? Sir."
"Should I answer it? Sir"
"What do you mean?" Jack ignores the phone call. Chase sees Jack's good hand tremble, and he puts his hand over it. He wonders if Jack is strong enough to even take part of what it will come next. "Chase? Did you sleep at all after I left?" Jack re-directs his stress like an expert.
"No." Chase lies and he squeezes Jack's hand. "You didn't see the show down for the Bùxiǔ Wu, but I was outnumber." Chase purposely starts from a point Jack can't quite grasp.
"But you still won!" Jack beams. The excess of blood was making a dripping sound. Jack tries to turn to look but Chase holds his head in place.
"Stay still. Yes. But you, well, your imposter die." Chase corrects.
"Is it bleeding?" Jack asks feeling sick, and Chase wanted to massage his head for the headache Jack was going to bring him but he had both of his hands busy.
"Jack of course you are bleeding. Were you expecting not to?" Chase presses Jack's cheeks and makes Jack whimper. "I thought very hard about that fight Jack." Chase says softer, but he doesn't releases Jack's chin. Jack remembers when he had his knife against Chase throat, and Chase's warning. "Your false death shocked me." Never do that again. Chase says and Jack tries to think of something to said.
'I'm sorry' didn't felt right and 'you asked for it' seem like it would get him in trouble. Either way, Jack couldn't talk with Chase's grip on his jaw.
There was sound of metal hitting metal.
Jack tries to look what is happening on his left side but Chase keeps him on place.
"I'm about to be under attack." Chase decides to explains and releases Jack.
"What?" Jack asks clearly confused.
"I told you. I was outnumbered during that fight, and I showed perceived weakness. I'll be attack by an alliance between Wuya, Hannibal and other. They will target you; my supposed weakness as a dirty mean to get to me." Chase explains and gives the genuis a moment to understand.
"Everyone has chosen a side to fight on."
Chase knew an attack was coming and he had been preparing for it; preparing a strategy that would redirect every attack away from him or Jack.
Jack's phone rings.
"Should I answer it? Sir."
"Should I let her know you are okay? Sir."
"Should I answer it? Sir"
"Are we -were we lying low?" Jack asks and wonders if he mistook recovery/vacation time with retrieved.
But that would still not answer his previous question: why has Chase taken care of him?. Chase rarely did anything that didn't benefit him directly or indirectly. Jack was trying to figure out how he staying alive benefits Chase on any way.
They are friends, an unlevel sort of relationship but Jack believes they enjoy each other's company enough to be friends.
"Yes. Until all pieces are on place." Chase answers truthfully for first time that night.
"Pieces? You already started an attack or -retribution?" Jack tries to imagine what could it be, but he had been out of the loop for the last 2 weeks. Jack comes with squawk.
"Yes Jack, some of us had been productive." Chase says and observes the doc-bot close the incision. "I'm carefully pushing people on the right direction."
Chase was looking after Jack personally. Jack could not imagine anyone Chase show that much active care for.
"For this plan to work we must be patience, and soon enough attack at the correct enemy."
Unless for an ally.
Chase would care very closely for an ally.
'we must be patience,' Jack looks at Chase as his mind finally reaches to the most logical conclusion.
Jack's phone rings again.
Jack feels the metal taste on his mouth spread down his throat. He had been wishing for Chase to his ally since before he finish puberty, and now he wonders if he can handle being an ally. This last year along he almost died a couple times, a few closer calls than Jack would prefer.
"Should I answer it? Sir."
At some point on time Chase decided that Jack was or will be his ally. The offer for an alliance has not been officially made, but now Jack knows.
"Should I let her know you are okay? Sir."
Chase had actively demonstrated Jack that he will protect him as his ally. That the dragon will keep Jack alive if-
"Jack stop that or take care of your mother already." Chase orders and Jack obeys in different terms.
"Should I -" "Put it on silence. And you can stop telling me. She is going to call for a while." Jack says and he feels Chase unnatural warm hand on his finders.
"Jack." Chase makes Jack's name into a question; are you okay?
"Sorry, I just can't deal with her right now. I'm fine, I just know she is going to have so many questions and I'm. I'm tired." Jack says and Chase doesn't question him any further.
A doc-bot finishes the bandages on Jack's shoulder and chest.
They move him again and Chase follows.
"Thank you." Jack says to the silence, he has never liked silence but this one is comfortable, calm, safe.
Chase wants something, whatever it is Jack will give it to the warlord.
"When would all go down?"
Jack falls asleep before Chase can answer.
But that answered an unasked question.
Yes, he would be loyal to Chase.
After a day Chase orders the robots to turn off Jack's phone.
Jack was wake up by one of his robots to receive medicine and be inform he had lost a call.
"Mom?" Jack asked.
"62 missed calls from her, master." The robot corrects. "One missed call from Omi."
"Omi has a cellphone?" Chase actually asks.
"Yeah. I made him one, but he never uses it. I actually think he put it under a rock to keep satellites from finding it." Jack answers and indicates his robot to up whatever pain medicine they were giving him. "Wait. You didn't know?" Jack asks surprise.
"...What does he want?" Chase asks instead and Jack grins. "Spicer."
Jack waits one more moment and then he takes his phone and hears the voicemail. He can hear Omi's voice but it is drown by the sound of waves.
"I don't know, I can't understand what he is saying. But I think he might be on his way." Jack says and Chase lifts an eyebrow. Maybe Jack can be useful.
Jack doesn't even try to sit up, he looks at the light tension on Chase's face; his eyes darken, his lips formed a tight line, his face unreadable and his posture resolute. The man was facing a challenge and Jack was happy he could see his mind working like this.
Chase doesn't feel time pass when he reasons his rival strategies, he requires to concentrate on the unpredictable plane of 'if.'
'If' Chase manipulates his opponents correctly they will do what he wants. The warlord was an expert at manipulation but anyone can learn to get under people's skin, to know how would a target react to other's manipulation is what Chase needed.
Chase told the monks where to find the Bùxiǔ Wu, and he knew they will disobeyed their teacher and tried to recovered the Wu. Chase also knew that Hannibal will attack him, not by chance but by careful studying of Jack's plan and knowledge of his old-old-old teacher.
He timed both events to collide.
Chase expected Omi to be sent to recovered the rat, and he knew Wuya would be there hovering over the rat -that was the only reason Chase letted the animal on the open.
From that moment on Chase had to rely on his enemies making the choices he needed them to make.
'If' Raimundo decided to protect Kimiko and fight Hannibal on her place 'then' he would had lost and die, and Omi could not leave his friends.
'If' Clay tried to stop Hannibal with a type of barrier 'then' the island might become too unlevel and all the monks would aid their friend.
'If' Kimiko fought Hannibal and won 'then' Omi would feel like his friend were not on immediate need of assistance, and he would listen to Wuya.
Now Chase have to take a bet; would Omi listen to Wuya, and how far would he letted the witch guide him down the wrong path.
'If' Omi falls 'then' everything can finally start.
Chase knows his stand with Omi is … distance and Omi is wary -on guard around him. But Omi trusts Jack very much -too much, and Chase never turns down an advantage.
The millennia man feels those ruby eyes looking at him.
"Is rude to stare Jack." Chase mumbles and tries to remember since when he speaks so casually to Jack.
Jack says nothing but looks the other way, allowing the other the space and concentration he needs to decided someone else's next move.
'If' Jack is ready 'then' he could be useful.
But Chase can't predict Jack enough to use him on this escenario. For Chase to be sure Jack would do what he wants, he must be more direct with Jack. Chase wants Jack to be is ally, so it should not be very hard.
"Jack." Chase breaths out and Jack turns his head to look at his idol.
"Yes, my warlord." Jack answers excited, he feels honor for whatever task Chase is about to assign him, but he has no idea what he is suppose to do.
Chase knows that Jack actually likes Omi and won't betray him as easily, or as smoothly, so he chooses his words carefully.
"Don't warn Omi." Chase says and Jack frowns.
"He is Xiaolin. I'm not going to give him a headstart on anything." Jack pouts "not that he needs it."
"I know, but don't warn Omi specifically." Chase's tone mislead Jack to believe that Omi was on specific danger.
Jack's mouth went dry and quite. Omi was his friend, his opponent but Jack couldn't longer see him as his enemy, because Omi was his dear friend.
But Chase was everything and he was about to offered Jack everything he ever wanted. And Jack was too ambitious to turn down anything that Chase asked for, and Omi will-would understand.
Jack nods.
Then they wait, but not for long.
A Jack-bot comes to inform them that Omi had been spotted it a few miles away.
It was an odd situation, two friends had just made a deal the Heylin. Both vulnerable, ambitious, and over their heads. But only one would regret it.
But 'If' Chase trusts Jack, 'then' he might just underestimate the importance of the whole situation.
AN: This took for ever! And thanks to everyone that comments. I always reading them while writing. :D