56Requiem III: The Search for The Truth

by Bonnie Eagan & Alisa Joaquin

Part 23: An Unexpected Meeting

Peter Caine groaned. His head felt like it was in a vice and that vice was slowly being closed determining to crush his skull. As he turned over, his stomach threatened to empty its contents on the carpeted surface that he found himself on. He took deep cleansing breaths and allowed his chi to rise and to wash away the remnants of the drug remaining in his system. Clear healing energy spread throughout his body as he let everything go. When he opened his eyes, the room no longer felt like it was spinning. Before trying to rise again, he looked around to see where he had been taken.

"Well at least it isn't a basement,' he thought. 'I've always seemed to end up either in some dank basement or warehouse. As least this place was pleasant enough.'

Peter sat up and looked at his surroundings. Large windows were covered with heavy drapes and there was what looked like a queen-sized bed at one end.

"They could have at least dumped me on the bed." Peter said as he got to his feet. Looking around some more, he spied a large wardrobe cabinet at one end. But what made him finally stop and stare was the woman sitting on the small couch in a sitting area. Her knees were drawn up to her chest. Her hair was draped down obscuring part of her face, but it was her eyes that drew him. They had the frightened look of a trapped animal. "I guess the appropriate response would be, where am I?"

The woman did not say a word but continued to stare from out of her curtain of graying, auburn hair.

Peter approached her with caution, not wanting to frighten her more. "May I sit here?" he asked and pointed to the bed. "I won't come any closer if you don't want me to."

The woman licked her lips as if she was preparing to say something. She had been alone for so long that she did not know how to react to this new person in her midst. He looked so familiar, but for the moment, she could not place his face.

An awkward silence fell between them. It was looking like the young man was going to have to handle all the conversation by himself. "Nice room you've got here," he stated, even though they both knew it was really a prison cell. "My name's Peter, Peter Caine. What's yours?"

Quietly, almost inaudible, the woman spoke her first words since Peter's arrival. 'I'm Marlene, Marlene Pei."

'Of course,' Peter nearly exclaimed. "You did say Marlene?" Oh boy Pop would really be proud of him. He found his aunt, or in this case, he seemed to have been taken prisoner with her. Well, so much for technical details. At least they were together. Maybe he better try a different approach. He told her his name earlier and she didn't seem to respond to that. "Marlene, it's me. Peter, I'm Laura's son."

"Laura's son?" The woman blinked her eyes as recognition of the name came to her. "Oh." She brought her hands to her mouth, now surprised as to who sat before her. She slowly unfolded her knees and approached the young man. She started to reach toward him, but hesitated not sure if she touched him, she would find he was just a dream.

Peter reached out with one hand to meet her halfway. "Don't worry, I won't bite."

Marlene reached out and as their hands touched, Peter suddenly grabbed onto her and pulled her into an embrace.

"Oh, my god, you are real," Marlene declared, tears welling in her eyes. "I was so afraid. A large man came to my room and dumped you on the floor. I thought it was some kind of mistake and that you were dead. I didn't want to know."

"I'm very much alive," Peter said. "And so is my father. We were supposed to find you and get you out of here, wherever here is. Do you know?"

"I'm afraid I don't."

"Why are they holding you prisoner? Who is holding you?"

Marlene tried to explain that she had not been a prisoner, but in hiding from some unknown enemy. "But now, I'm not so sure anymore."

"Well, it looks like whoever was holding you before, someone else took over a long time ago."

"I don't understand," Marlene asked. "Why would someone want to keep me a prisoner? What's happened to the old priest?"

"What old priest?" Peter asked, even though he suspected the answer.

"Kim Luc. He was taking care of me when I came to America with someone called Ping Hai."

Shivers ran down Peter's spine at the mention of Kim Luc. Perhaps the old priest was more than what he seemed. "Aunt Marlene, I've got to get you out of here."

The older woman smiled at Peter.

"What?"

"I like hearing that," she said, tears shining bright in her eyes. "I've waited so long to hear those words."

"Well, you'll be able to hear them more often, but right now, you and I have to get out of here."

Peter took her by the hand and headed for the door. Somehow, he knew he would find it looked. Peter rubbed his hands together then concentrated. It was a simple mechanism and the lock easily yielded to his ministrations.

Fascinated by what Peter had done, Marlene asked, "How did you do that?"

"It's a Shaolin thing," Peter shrugged.

They were about to go through the door when Peter was suddenly struck across the face. A small gash was opened along his left temple.

"Peter!" Marlene screamed.

"No one leaves until the Master says they can."

The large man came into the room and drug Peter over to the couch. Taking a rope, he bound his hands and feet. Marlene watched, frozen with fear. She turned her eyes to the open door and considered whether she should go for help. But her nephew was hurt. She also did not know where she was. Marlene made a choice and approached her injured nephew. She hoped it was the right one.

Continues with Part 24