Chapter 2;
Ambush
Luoyang; China. 4th June 2016. 10:00 AM
Syaoran woke up by the usual hour when he didn't had to work, yesterday night the party lasted longer than It was planned. All that Syaoran wanted in that was a long shower and a full breakfast on his stomach. Ugh, what a night it was yesterday… he thought while getting undressed and entering the shower.
The hot water seemed refreshing on his mind and on his body, he had thought a lot during that night, especially about that woman, that woman with a beautiful face and sexy curves on her body. Syaoran didn't believe on her work as "collector of ancient artifact", for him, Sakura Kinomoto was nothing more than a professional liar, witch hides her true job.
Who was she? And most importantly, why Syaoran was so interested on that beautiful stranger? I don't have to think about that woman, she's poison he mentally slapped himself while exiting from the shower and put a towel down on his waist.
He put himself in front of the mirror and put his hands on the sink, he looked at his face.
There were some dark circles around his eyes and a few scars that were made during the excavations of the ancient Imperial City in Luoyang. He and Mei-Ling would be there for at least two days, until they got results and then they'll come back to Hong Kong, their hometown.
He was proud of his work, the Jade Heart was now exposed on Luoyang's museum and It was his discovery, not anyone else's discovery… Neither that Kinomoto woman's discovery. A pendant that belonged to the only Empress in China, that the world seemed to have forget about her.
Syaoran was a workaholic and he had to admit it to himself, a feeling of stress and frustration came to his stomach. He didn't sacrificed many years of study to be judged by some beautiful stranger that wanted at any cost his Jade Heart. Okay… now it belongs to Luoyang's Museum but the artifact was his, and it didn't belonged to that woman, even if she was intriguing and, he had to admit it, very gorgeous and sexy.
He removed his hands from the sink, pushing away those troughs and went to get dressed for the breakfast at the hotel's restaurant, Mei-Ling would be in there already.
Syaoran dressed in a simple black t-shirt and light blue jeans, his hair in the usual rebel way and a white belt on his waist, he picked up his bag from the bed and exited from his hotel room.
He reached the elevator and clicked for the first floor, where the restaurant was. The room was not full, since the season for tourists didn't started yet.
Syaoran looked around, searching for his cousin, then He remembered that there were seats on the balcony. He found Mei-Ling in there, with a cup of latte in front of her and a slice of apple pie. She was smoking a cigarette while waiting for him.
Syaoran smiled and took for himself an empty croissant and a cup of milk and coffee and joined her. « Good Morning to you Syaoran, went on a slumber party last night? » Mei-Ling loved teasing him when he woke up at that hour.
Syaoran shocked his head while drinking his hot beverage « Listen who talks, when we don't have to work you wake up at midday and I have to do a brunch with you » Mei-Ling rolled her eyes as she put the cigarette on the ashtray and took the fork to eat her apple pie.
« So, who was that woman? She looked interested on the Jade Heart, maybe she was a- »
« Mei-Ling, I don't think that woman is truly a collector, there something fishy about her, I can feel it. » said Syaoran while putting his cup on the table, slightly annoyed by the argument. Mei-Ling had asked him at least twenty times about who was that woman when returning to the hotel last night.
Mei-Ling ate the piece of apple pie on her fork without asking anything reckless, though she was pretty curious about that woman… especially on what Syaoran thinks about her.
« Something fishy? Like what? » asked Mei-Ling raising an eyebrow.
Syaoran lifted his shoulder, uncertain on how to answer to her question.
« I don't know, She asked the price of the Jade Heart, she wanted it on her collection, but you know… Now the artifact belongs to Luoyang's museum and- » Mei-Ling raised an hand, interrupting him « Here it goes your pride… »
« What? Are you trying to- »
« It belongs to the Luoyang's Museum now but, let's face the reality dear cousin, you're jealous of your discovery and you don't want that artifact sold, because it's yours. »
Bingo! Mei-Ling hit the center, like always after all. She knows him better than he knows himself, Mei-Ling is like a sister to Syaoran so she knows how he's feeling at the moment and now, she hit the center. Syaoran was pretty jealous of the Jade Heart and didn't want anyone to touch it, except the Luoyang's Museum's watchers.
« You hit me with your best shot Mei-Ling » doctor Li only smiled and she ate another piece on her fork, the apple pie tasted nice on her mouth, even though the taste inside her mouth was pretty sour.
She had a bad feeling this morning and seeing Syaoran like this and doubting about that woman who he saw yesterday night at the museum isn't good.
Luoyang's Excavations of the Ancient Imperial City, China. 4th June 2016, 10:32 AM
After breakfast, Syaoran and Mei-Ling left the hotel and went to the site of excavations, It was said to them that there was something new found in there, especially for the anthropologist. Mei-Ling went to the laboratory and saw closely the bones of Empress Wu Zeitan with a magnifying glass.
On the arms of the skeleton there were some traces of jade. But also on the skull and on the chest. Carefully, Mei-Ling took the jade out of the skull and placed it on the microscope.
The piece of Jade looked rusty and there was still fresh blood on it. That's odd… The blood is still fresh, what the hell happened to Empress Wu? Mei-Ling couldn't believe on what she saw, traces of rusty jade, fresh blood on it. The Empress's body was now nothing more than dust and bones and she died at the age of eighty… Wait.
Her bones look nothing like a woman who died at that age! Mei-Ling rushed back to the bones of the Empress and looked at them carefully. She studied them for hours and she couldn't believe it, maybe it was the Jade Heart that did this to Empress Wu? Mei-Ling haven't got an answer but she was stunned. She put her hands between her mouth at the realization.
It was the most important discovery that she had made in years. I Can't believe in it…!
At the same moment, a girl with round glasses entered on the laboratory, with an agenda and a pen in hand. She was dressed in a white lab coat and black t-shirt and skirt, she adjusted her glasses as she watched Mei-Ling in that shocked face « Should I come later doctor Li? » asked the young girl.
Mei-Ling woke up from her shock trance and looked at her, the girl was a trainee of Mei-Ling, she came from the Shibuya district of Tokyo and she's studying anthropology in Hong Kong and was assigned to doctor Mei-Ling Li for university apprenticeship.
Mei-Ling shocked her head and smiled at her « No Miss Yanagisawa, I just found what It could be interesting for your Thesis, come here. » the trainee came close to Mei-Ling and she explained everything that she found on the Empress's body.
Yanagisawa was interested and wrote every Mei-Ling's words on her agenda, she listened to them like she drank water or a glass of beer.
« That's amazing doctor Li! You could change the history with this discovery! » Who knows… Mei-Ling only smiled at the trainee and put an hand on her shoulder, and looked deeply into her eyes « Naoko, call me immediately Professor Li, I need to say these things to him »
Naoko nodded and exited from the laboratory tend. Mei-Ling had a strange feeling once again and she rubbed her temples with her fingers, feeling that an headache was coming from the shock of the discovery.
I need a cigarette… she said while she took from her white lab coat a package of Camel 100's Cigarettes and took a drag. She exited the tent with a sigh and lighted up her cigarette, by blowing the smoke out of her nose and mouth.
From a distance she saw Syaoran coming, his hands on his pockets and an eyebrow raised skyward « What's going on Mei-Ling? »
Mei-Ling looked at the ground for a moment and then she put her cigarette on her mouth and blew a stressed smoke out of her mouth « I found something shocking Syaoran… » he nodded only, encouraging her to continue.
« What I have found on her body was… Amazing, she died at the age of eighty but her bones looks like she was twenty or even thirty! I found some traces of jade on her skull, chest and arms… The interesting thing is that there was blood in there, but not dry blood… It was fresh. »
Syaoran's eyes opened in amazement, it was outstanding what she has found Damn… What it does it mean? « You really mean… » Mei-Ling nodded only.
« Maybe the Empress found out the secret of the eternal youth… » Syaoran chewed the inner part of his cheek nervously. Then.. He suddenly remembered the words from Sakura Kinomoto yesterday night " I can only say that you're making a great mistake Professor. " Her words echoed in his head like a war drum… Maybe it was the Jade Heart that gave to the Empress the eternal youth? It was a question that Syaoran couldn't find an answer.
Yeah… he hoped that one day he could find out the secret of the eternal youth, or even the secret of immortality. Does The Jade Heart have a connection with that?
Traces of jade on the bones of the Empress, her bones didn't look like she passed at eighty, what the hell does it mean?
He thought again at the words that Sakura Kinomoto said to him yesterday night. A mistake? Why a mistake…He got it!
If the Jade Heart contains really the Secret of Immortality and the Eternal Youth, every man could be greedy about it and want it at any cost, or even a corrupted man in politics, that could reign on a country forever.
Mei-Ling threw her cigarette away, she didn't smoke neither the half of it. « This is too important Syaoran. If we found out the Artifact that could have the secret of the Eternal Youth or Immortality we have to warn Luoyang's Museum immediately » Syaoran only nodded at her affirmation.
In the meantime, Naoko arrived, the usual agenda on her hand and a smile on her face « Doctor Li, Professor Li. You're both requi- » the girl stopped talking, her mouth was wide open, drops of blood in between her lips and her white coat was dying in red. Mei-Ling and Syaoran looked at Naoko while she dropped on the floor, the doctor approached Naoko and looked at her back, where Naoko was hit: a bullet.
Syaoran looked at the side where it came the bullet, there was a man with a mask, and it was about to throw a grenade to Mei-Ling and Syaoran's direction « Stay Down! » shouted Syaoran as he and Mei-Ling put theirselves to the ground. The grenade exploded, burning the laboratory where Mei-Ling was working.
Mei-Ling looked at it and ran to the flames, trying to save the bones of the Empress. She took the cart where the bones lay and run with them, running away from the flames.
« What are you doing Mei-Ling?! »
« I'm trying to save the bones! I want them to be safe! » she shouted while other masked men shoot at them, Syaoran stayed with his head down, protecting himself with his arms, while Mei-Ling ran with the bones, but a bullet hit her by her waist, luckly it wasn't a deadly shoot but Mei-Ling was on the ground, the bit her lower lip in pain.
Weakly her hand reached the cart and stayed on the ground, too hurt to move. Syaoran looked at the scene and a sense of guilt came to his stomach. Naoko was killed by some strangers and Mei-Ling was injured.
And for what? The Jade Heart?
A masked man approached him, gun pointed on his skull, Syaoran closed tightly his eyes, Mei-Ling looked at the scene, even through her eyes had a blurry vision « Syaoran! »
The man was about to shot, then a yell came from behind and Syaoran was forced to open his eyes.
The masked one fell to the ground and he saw the image of a woman that he thought he would never saw again. She was wearing some camo pants and a grey shirt, her hair were tied in a ponytail and she had an axillary holster with a Sniper rifle and other two holsters on her thighs. Syaoran was shocked to see her again, in a crucial moment.
« We met again Professor Li » her voice was still sultry as yesterday night as she took the sniper rifle from her shoulders, Sakura pointed at the head of the masked man on the floor and shoot on his head.
Then she turned right, with a closed eye and an eye on the viewfinder she found another masked one in the shadows and shoot at him in the head. She continued to do this game but after a while she got bored and took a grenade from her belt and launched it right. Other men died by her hand.
Sakura took her 9mm guns from her holsters and pointed north, she prepared to jump and shoot and the men that were on the roof. Syaoran assisted with his mouth opened, that woman was saving him.
Sakura returned to the ground with her legs spread on the floor, 9mm guns still on her hands.
She raised herself up and put her arms in a cross position, making a circle with her legs and spread arms.
« The Jade Heart is not yours! » shouted Sakura as a masked woman approached her, a smile drew on her lips « Nakajima Shinobu, Hiiragizawa's and Daidouji's lapdog. I have to say, I'm not surprised to see you here »
The woman removed her mask, she had black hair tied in a bun, black eyes full of eyeliner and thin lips drew in a smile « Kinomoto Sakura, the archenemy of my boss. Do you think you deserve the Jade Heart more than Doctor Daidouji does? » Shinobu released a katana that hung on her shoulders and pointed it to Sakura.
Kinomoto laughed at her as she pointed her guns to her, a smirk painted on her face still « It doesn't belong, neither to me and neither to Doctor Daidouji, Nakajima. » Sakura reloaded her guns, both of them were in front of Shinobu's face « I suggest you to leave Luoyang before I'll make your head explode like a firework »
Shinobu Nakajima laughed only at her, she took a bag out of her thighs holster « It's too late Kinomoto, we have already robbed the Luoyang's museum »
Syaoran's eyes opened in shock as he raised himself from the ground, approaching Shinobu and Sakura, he looked at Shinobu with a face mixed of anger and shame « So, you stole my most important discovery just for have the Eternal Youth? » he asked while clutching his fists.
Mei-Ling looked at the scene, too injured to move and do something C'mon mysterious woman! Do something!
Shinobu shocked her head, and move her katana towards Syaoran « May you find light in the embrace of Doctor Daidouji's knowledge! » and Shinobu gave a blow to his arm.
Sakura's eyes opened in shock as Shinobu began to walk away « You Bitch! » and she began to shoot at her, but Nakajima was too fast and athletic and she avoided Sakura's bullets easily
« Oh don't tell me that you already fell in love Sakura! »
« I don't hit innocent people Shinobu. I'll find you, both you and Daidouji and Hiiragizawa. » Shinobu only laughed and escaped, Sakura shoot one more bullet from her gun and put them back in the holsters.
Syaoran put his hand on his arm, the blow didn't hit him deadly but there was some blood on the wound « Are you alright Professor Li? » asked Sakura politely as she took some bandages from her backpack and covered his wound.
Syaoran nodded only and then looked at the direction of Mei-Ling, Sakura noticed her, bandages still in her hand and kneeled down to her and began to cover her wound.
« Who are you? » asked Mei-Ling as the auburn woman finished to cover her non-lethal wound « My name's Sakura Kinomoto. You must be Doctor Mei-Ling Li » Mei-Ling only nodded at her. Sakura looked at Syaoran, who had his arms crossed against his chest.
« What are you Miss Kinomoto? » he asked, sharp, using the same tone of voice that Sakura used when she asked to him how much the Jade Heart was.
Sakura only sighed and looked at him while chewing the inner part of her cheek « I can't tell it, first we have to take Doctor Li to the hospital, I only managed to stop the bleeding but I'm no doctor. Let's hurry before the media knows what happened in there. ».