Jack slowly pushed the door of his workshop open with his boot, raising the baseball bat threateningly. He peered into the darkness in search of any unwanted guests, creeping into the room. He went past his desk and saw that some things had been shifted around. He turned back to Stryker, who was leaning against the doorway with an amused smirk on his face. Jack made a bunch of military style hand motions at him, many of which Stryker was sure were wrong. He nodded slowly, then reached over and flicked on the light. Jack tensed and pointed the bat all around the room.
"Oh, look," Stryker said loudly, causing Jack to flinch again and glare at him. "You can see the whole workshop if you turn the light on."
Jack blinked, then relaxed and looked around the room, seeing that, in fact, everything was visible. Stryker chuckled and walked into the room, giving Jack a pat on the back before flopping on the couch.
"Thanks for scoping the place out, Bond," he joked.
"At least I was careful," Jack said, fighting the grin that was coming to his face. "If there had actually been someone in here, you'd be dead."
"This is coming from the boy who grabbed a wooden bat instead of one of the magical artifacts in his trunk."
Jack mimicked his words crudely as he walked by, all in good fun. Stryker chucked one of the couch pillows at his back in response.
"So, Genius-in-Training," Jack started, throwing the pillow back at him. "What now?"
"I don't know," Stryker said, putting the pillow back under his head. "What do you usually do?"
"Well...sometimes I watch for Shen Gon Wu alerts."
"We could do that. How long does it take for one of them to show up?"
"Uh...they pop up at random. I don't think any of us have gotten it down to a science yet. The monks have a scroll that tells them what they do, though."
"Do you have anything like that?"
"No, all I've got is the tracker thing."
"That's an unfair advantage," Stryker said.
He paused, then gave Jack a grin.
"Remember when you did that...uh, fighting stance yesterday?"
Jack thought back.
"Yeah, I think so," he said.
"Good. Go put some workout clothes on. I'm teaching you martial arts."
Jack's eyes widened, slight fear in them.
"Uh...wh-what?" he stammered.
"Go change," Stryker repeated, his grin widening. "I'm teaching you martial arts."
He stood and started towards the dock, then turned and saw that Jack hadn't moved.
"Uh, I..." he started. "I don't have workout clothes."
"Oh," Stryker said. "Well, put on some pajamas."
Jack cocked an eyebrow.
"They're basically the same thing."
Jack thought about that, then shrugged and started upstairs. Stryker opened the door to the dock and crossed to the jet, wondering how well this would actually go.
"Hello...Sebastian."
His spine froze and he barely managed to turn to the voice. Chase stepped out of a shadowed corner, his hands behind his back as his eyes, almost nervously, examined his nephew. Stryker swallowed against the tight angry knot in his throat.
"What do you want?" he snarled.
"I want you to come home," Chase said, coming towards him. "I know we don't get along and I've made some mistakes-"
"Don't get along?" Stryker repeated venomously. "If that's how you want to describe it, then leave me alone!"
"Sebastian, please-"
"My name is not Sebastian!" Stryker interrupted. "And that dungeon you call a house is not my home! Now get out!"
"And what makes you think this place is a home?" Chase finally snapped. "Jack is a fool, you should know this now!"
"He's not a fool, he's a kid! Like me!"
"He is nothing like you! You have power, Heylin power that gives you prowess over people such as Jack Spicer!"
"If that's all it is, then I don't want it!"
"You don't mean that."
"Try me."
"Can you not listen to what I say without arguing with me?"
"No!"
Chase clenched his fists in frustration as Stryker gave him a scalding glare, his rigid posture showing that he didn't plan on backing down.
"You're right, you are a child," Chase said. "I...I don't wish to fight you. I just want you to understand how...I know what I did was wrong-"
"You've said this before," Stryker said through clenched teeth. "It doesn't change what you did, and it doesn't change that you only care now because you haven't drank that Lao Mang whats-it in a while. If it wasn't for that I'd just be in another foster home waiting for some drunk to pick me up so he can waste the money the government gives him on booze."
Chase grimaced and massaged the bridge of his nose. Once again he wished the social worker would have explained the situation to Stryker.
"It is not like that, Stryker, surely you understand this."
"I don't understand anything," Stryker sneered. "I'm just a child."
"This is simply because of that...that in there, isn't it!" Chase exploded again, pointing into Jack's lab. "If he's so influential to you, maybe I should just get rid of him!"
Stryker's eyes flashed dangerously. Before Chase could even react his nephew grabbed his collar and pulled him closer, so they were almost nose to nose.
"I'll end you," he hissed, the pupils of his eyes becoming long slits. "Don't think I won't just because you're my uncle."
Chase growled, tired now of Stryker's audacity. His hand wrapped around Stryker's throat and lifted him up, his anger growing too much to care when he gagged.
"Don't forget your place, Sebastian," he snarled. "I am in charge of you, and what I order, you will do."
He lowered him a little, keeping him far enough to avoid his kicking legs. Stryker's eyes burned with hatred.
"Unless you wish for your friend's death to be on your conscience, you will come home!"
Stryker shouted as Chase launched him across the room; he landed with a smack on his side and rolled on his stomach, baring the snakelike fangs that were protruding from his gums. But he did not move to stand, and Chase smirked down at him before disappearing into the shadows. The second he knew he was gone, Stryker let out a silent scream of anguish and pounded his fists onto the concrete.