Chapter 5: The Triad
CHINA, HONG KONG – CONSTRUCTION SITE: 16 JUN 2013
SAH-HIM (OLIVER)
Maseo led Sah-him back to the interrogation building the next day. This time the man who was seen taking the Omega Virus on tape was strapped to the chair. This interrogation and torture yielded far less information. The man had no memory of taking the virus. He had no idea who he had given it to. When Sah-him called Hisan, he was frustrated.
"Sah-him, report," Hisan said abruptly.
"Maseo's people found the person who took the Omega Virus. He was interrogated. He has no memory of the theft. He does not know where the virus is at this time," Sah-him relayed.
"Hum," Hisan replied. "It sounds as if another organization has knowledge of Vitura."
"Vitura?" Sah-him asked.
"It is a drug," Hisan replied. "The one who receives the drug will become open to suggestion and have no memory of their actions while on the drug. The family often uses it to assist in our investigations. For example, when computer code needs to be added to the software that allows the family to see what is being stored. It is a temporary measure at best."
"Then the… family does not know who is using it?" Sah-him asked.
"No," Hisan replied. "We know for sure that HIVE has much of the family knowledge, but not what they have sold this information. The other evil organizations."
"Then I will continue with my assignment," Sah-him replied in a sad tone.
"Very well," Hisan replied before he hung up the phone.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
CHINA, HONG KONG – YAMASHIRO APARTMENT: 16 JUN 2013
Tatsu was setting out dinner for her son when the door to her apartment broke open. In the doorway stood Chien Na Wei with a grin of anticipation and two short daggers already drawn.
Akio, hide= Tatsu ordered in Japanese as she took in the sight. She immediately reached for the katana blades displayed prominently in the center of the room on the partition wall. She grabbed the family katana, Soultaker, from its stand and drew the blade with practiced ease.
I am so glad that you plan to fight= Chien Na Wei said in Chinese. =I would hate for this to be boring.=
You should not have come to my home= Tatsu replied angrily in Chinese. =You should not have threatened my family.=
Your family= Chien Na Wei replied with derision. =How else could I send a message to your husband? Your husband is interfering in my business… with my family. He is trying to take something from me.= She took a few steps into the center of the apartment. =I will tell him by taking something away from him= she replied. =You!= Then she spun forward with a darting stab.
Tatsu retaliated by blocking the stab and moving out of the second knife like flowing water. Then she attacked with her sword and drove Chien Na Wei back to the wall with several quick slashes that were meant to drive her in the direction that Tatsu wanted. Chien Na Wei was fast with the knives, but Tatsu was faster with the sword blocking each stab and slash. She had practiced long and hard with the family blade. It was the birthright of her family to guard the Soul Blade.
In anger and frustration, Chien Na Wei started a whirlwind of slashes and stabs. She ended up with several cuts on her arms and legs. She screamed and threw a dish at Tatsu and then charged.
Tatsu side-stepped the dish and ran Soultaker right through Chien Na Wei's chest as she charged right into it. Tatsu's arms were still fully extended when Chien Na Wei looked down in amazement at the sword in her chest. She sighed before she collapsed to her knees and then fell sideways on the floor. The light left her eyes.
I hope your soul finds peace inside Soultaker= Tatsu said in Japanese to Chien Na Wei's body. She pulled the katana from the white-haired woman and gently cleaned the blade. She pulled her son from the closet and then called the Hong Kong police.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
CHINA, HONG KONG – LEAGUE SAFE HOUSE, HISAN'S TEAM: 16 JUN 2013
SAH-HIM (OLIVER)
Sah-him collapsed into his bed at the safe house. This last night had lasted far too long. He had followed Maseo home only to see the Hong Kong police there. He had to get close enough to the apartment to discover what had happened. Chien Na Wei had attacked Tatsu and Akio while Maseo was not home. Tatsu had killed Chien Na Wei with her sword. She wanted to return to Japan. Maseo didn't want to leave the Omega Virus free to kill people. In the end, Maseo had to return to ARGUS.
Waller had called Maseo back to work while his wife finished dealing with the Hong Kong police. Waller sent him to an old military base. He was supposed to get something called the Alpha Virus. Without it, the Omega was inert. The Triad was already there attempting to secure the second half of the virus.
ARGUS succeeded in securing the Alpha Virus. Sah-him had to assist. He did limit himself to darts. He was pretty sure he was not seen by the other ARGUS agents, but he wasn't sure about Maseo. He knows that Maseo found at least one of his darts.
It was near dawn when Maseo approached his apartment. He had stopped in an alley and spoke to the darkness around him. He addressed his unseen helper. To Sah-him.
Thank you= Maseo said in Chinese. =I don't know who you are, but I know that you have been following me. I only caught sight of you from a distance when we were after the courier. When we found the package. You have been with me since then, right?= he asked. =You don't have to answer. I have to travel to America next. The Triad is going to sell the Omega Virus. Even without the Alpha Virus component. I will be on Ferris Flight 378 to Starling City tomorrow at 6 am.= Then he strode forward and into his apartment building.
Sah-him made his report. Hisan decided that the three of them would follow Maseo to America. Dam Dhib wanted the Omega Virus secured. They were encouraged to assist the outside authorities in securing the virus. He sighed. It was going to be a long trip.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
USA, WA, STARLING CITY – AIRPORT: 17 JUN 2013
Maseo was tired from the long flight from Hong Kong. The flight had been about one-third empty. Maseo had the aisle seat. His other seatmate was a window seat and he had slept the whole way. His hoodie pulled up to shade his eyes. Only his blonde beard showing.
The quiet time had given Maseo time to think. That last mission in Hong Kong had been blown from the start. The Triad had outnumbered ARGUS four to one, but… Maseo would like to think that ARGUS could hold against those numbers. Until he found that at least half of the Triad guys were knocked out with sleeping darts.
Someone wanted ARGUS to succeed in getting the Alpha Virus. Someone who didn't want to be seen or known. That someone saved my life that night. They saved the lives of the majority of those ARGUS agents.
Maseo may not know who would want ARGUS to succeed, but he remembered catching a glimpse of a man at the end of the alley when they were chasing the courier. It was that courier that had put them onto the Alpha-Omega Virus.
Was it possible that this man has shadowed me for that long? Tracing my movements? I hope I did the right thing last night.
"Welcome to Starling City. Passengers are free to move around. You can exit the cabin when the cabin door is opened. Thank you for flying Ferris Air," the pilot's voice chimed over overhead.
Maseo slowly stretched and stood. He reached up and pulled his bag out of the overhead. He watched his seatmate do the same. Blue eyes briefly met his before he looked down and away with his face shadowed. He stood and pulled his own bag out and turned to stand with all the other passengers waiting to exit the plane.
The line started to move and Maseo looked to grab his bag when he noticed a piece of paper resting on top. He grabbed it and his bag and slowly deboarded the plane. Once free in the concourse, he looked at the note. It was written in English. You're welcome. I have. Thank you. Time to talk. Parking garage, level C, 43.
Maseo stared at the note for a few minutes before he began to smile. I was right. I have help. Not just Waller's not-so-reliable help. I did the right thing. Someone wants us to succeed.
With a lighter heart, Maseo took his carry-on bag to this mysterious meeting in the parking garage. When Maseo made it to the parking garage, he worked his way to level C, and then to parking space 43. He found the spot in the shadows.
"Hello?" Maseo said cautiously.
"Maseo Yamashiro," a male voice greeted him from the shadows. It sounded American. A figure in place took a step forward with two others behind it. "Thank you for meeting with us."
Maseo let his eyes adjust to the darkness. Us? He nodded as he made out the other two figures. "You have been following my investigation. You assisted my men in securing the Alpha. I owe you my life," Maseo replied gravely.
"It is our duty to maintain balance," the second male said. Maseo couldn't place the accent, but his English was clear. "Once we become aware of your investigation, it is our duty to ensure your success."
"I am still grateful for my life," Maseo said. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he could make out the details of their dark outfits. They were covered in all black. They wore masks that covered their heads and faces. Only their eyes showed. Their bodies were protected by armor. Pretty decent armor at that.
"The Triad has an operative who works in a local company and serves to front all their larger auctions in this city. I am told that this man's name is Peter Kang. He works at Queen Consolidated," Maseo told them. "I am told that he often stores his Triad auction information on the Queen Consolidated servers."
"You don't have that information now?" the first man asked.
"No," Maseo told him. "I will procure Kang's laptop first. Hopefully, that proves hackable."
"If it does not?" the second man asked.
"I will infiltrate Queen Consolidated to gain the information," Maseo replied easily.
"We will infiltrate the company while you try the laptop," the second man told him. "We will bring you the data."
"How will you find me?" Maseo asked.
"We will know," the second man said. The third figure nodded at the same time.
"Alright," Maseo replied. "I'll see you then." Maseo turned and walked away.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
USA, WA, STARLING CITY – QUEEN CONSOLIDATED, CEO OFFICE: 17 JUN 2013
SAH-HIM (OLIVER)
Hisan watched Maseo walk away. "Dafdae, follow him and make sure he is able to track Peter Kang and acquire the laptop," Hisan told her. "I will send the location of our safe house in Starling to your phone."
"It will be done," Dafdae replied. She slipped further into darkness and removed her League uniform and folded it back into her bag.
"Sah-him," Hisan turned to him. "We will infiltrate Queen Consolidated. It is nearly evening now. We will do it tonight. You will wear full gear and ensure you are not captured on any security cameras."
"I… Do we not need to study building plans?" Sah-him asked. He felt some anxiety in infiltrating his family company.
"For any other facility, yes," Hisan replied. "But this facility… it is your old life. Use your knowledge… That is why you require the gear."
"To hide my face," Sah-him replied with a nod.
"Yes," Hisan replied. "If we miss a camera, then your face is covered."
"It will be done," Sah-him replied.
They slid back into the darkness and changed out of their League gear. With their gear back in their carry-on bags, they quickly made their way to the car a local League member had left for them. The car had weapons they would add to their gear when they infiltrated the building.
The sun was just setting as they pulled into the QC private parking garage. They parked in a quiet corner out of the sight of the cameras and changed into their League gear and armed up with the short swords, knives, and darts that had come with the car. They left the bows. They would need their hands for climbing.
With very few detours to avoid cameras, they were able to make it to the main elevator shaft, and with a small device, Hisan was able to disable the camera for a 1-minute window. They used that time to enter the elevator and disable that camera to climb to the top of the elevator. From there it was a long, slow climb to the top of the shaft to the executive suite. Their goal was the CEO's office.
Sah-him led them into the CEO's office from the conference room and then sat at his father's desk. He was surprised at the sudden pain in his chest at the loss of his father. He took a deep breath. He pushed the pain away and examined the computer.
"It has a fingerprint scanner for log in," Sah-him told him. "How do we get past that?"
Hisan's eyes twinkled. "Many companies do not delete access for dead users," he told Sah-him.
Sah-him's eyes widened. "Like me," he replied. He pulled off his glove and applied his finger to the scanner. The computer beeped and allowed him access. "Holy shit!"
"That is why I tasked you for this part of the mission," Hisan told him. "I know Dafdae could do the infiltration, but she would not have computer access. You would."
Sah-him quickly scanned through the QC directory and found the personal drive for Peter Kang. He copied them to a thumb drive. He made a second copy for Hisan. While he was waiting, he noticed the personal drives for himself and his father. His personal drive was empty. He had never really done anything for the company or stored anything here.
But his father's drive had two video files. One for him and one for Thea. He copied those files to a third thumb drive. What would dad want to tell me? He felt the pain of the loss of his father once again. I can't watch it yet. It still hurts too much, but I will take it with me. Someday I will be ready. Just… not yet. Who knows when Thea will get hers.
"Your copy of Peter Kang's files," Sah-him told Hisan. "This is Maseo's copy." He tucked his own thumb drive into a separate pocket.
"Good," Hisan replied. "Let us leave quickly."
It took them longer to get down the elevator shaft. Someone had called the elevator to the executive suite. They had to wait until the car was eventually sent down to the parking level. Once there, they were able to exit fairly easily and evade the cameras.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
USA, WA, STARLING CITY – HOTEL ROOM: 18 JUN 2013
SAH-HIM (OLIVER)
Maseo stared at the computer frustrated. He had acquired the computer and it was useless. It was heavily encrypted. By the time he decrypted it, the Virus would be sold and used in some poor city. He banged his fist on the table.
"It does not have the data you need?" a shadow asked.
Maseo had not heard anyone enter the hotel room. If he had to guess, it was the first man. The American. He had a thicker build than the second man. The gear he was wearing was easier to see this time. It looked like a uniform. Definitely armor of some kind.
"No," Maseo replied. "It does have the data, but I cannot get to it. It is heavily encrypted."
"Then this will help," the man replied and handed him a thumb drive. "These are all the files Peter Kang kept at Queens Consolidated. We acquired them last night."
"All of them?" Maseo asked. "How did you…? Never mind." He pushed the encrypted laptop away and pulled up his own laptop and plugged in the thumb drive. "There is a ton of information here… the most recently opened files… He scheduled an auction. It is at the old Queen Industrial Steel Factory. Where is that exactly?" he asked as he opened up his browser to check his ARGUS files.
"In the Glades," the man replied instantly with a sure answer.
"It is?" Maseo asked. "It's here in Starling City?" he asked.
"Yes," the man replied grimly.
"It is scheduled for tomorrow night," Maseo told him.
"Would they try to move it forward with the laptop missing?" the man asked him.
"Not likely," Maseo replied. "With the encryption type, it would take days to break. The auction would be over by then. They may try to liquidate Peter Kang after the auction, but not before."
"Then my people will be in place to ensure the success of ARGUS in your mission," the man told him.
"I welcome your assistance," Maseo replied sincerely.
"It is our duty," the man replied. After a lengthy pause, the man turned back to Maseo. "Can I ask you a more personal question?" he asked.
"Of course," Maseo replied.
"I am called Sah-him. I have come across information that you work for Amanda Waller. I wonder why you would submit to a person who is… not quite evil, but close…?" Sah-him asked. Sah-him was bothered by how ARGUS was casually able to order the destruction of a civilian airliner for a meaningless purpose at the order of a US government official.
"That is a complicated answer, Sah-him," Maseo replied with a sigh. "I believe in the reasons that ARGUS was founded. That there are some organizations that are too big to fight without some kind of help. Shadowspire, HIVE, the League of Assassins, the Triad. The evil organizations. But…" He gave a huff. "I think Waller has her own agenda. If her agenda ALSO targets those organizations, then great. If not, they become her allies."
"She would ally with evil for her own ends," Sah-him said with disgust as he slowly digested the information. "How would you define those who work with you in ARGUS?" Sah-him asked him. Was everyone at ARGUS like Waller? Bent towards evil? Maseo does not seem inclined toward evil. Torture and killing to find evil, but not to support it.
"Most of us are the slaves of Waller," Maseo said with a laugh. "I was supposed to figure out why Chien Na Wei was in Hong Kong. This Alpha-Omega Virus. Then my family is free to return to Japan." Maseo's face became pained. "At least, I hope she will release us."
"If you try to leave before you find out?" Sah-him asked. Waller kept a whole family captive? That screams evil.
"Waller would kill Akio, Tatsu, and then me last… after I watched them suffer a long, painful death. If I don't do EVERYTHING she asks, she will kill them," Maseo replied.
"Then Waller has become a source of evil," Sah-him told him. "I had wondered if she was working for a source of evil before, but perhaps, two sources of evil can work together."
"Is that what you mean by working for balance?" Maseo asked.
"Yes," Sah-him replied firmly. "A source of evil corrupts those around them. Often a source will create branches of evil. Each branch must be trimmed off the tree. Then the source can be removed. Once the source is removed, many who are not as corrupt will return to a more neutral position. Balance."
"Like removing Waller," Maseo replied with an understanding nod. "With her gone, most ARGUS agents wouldn't do the horrible stuff they have been forced to do for Waller."
"Precisely," Sah-him replied. He gave Maseo a small nod. "I will be watching over you tomorrow night."
"Until tomorrow," Maseo replied. Then Sah-him slipped into the darkness of the room.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
USA, WA, STARLING CITY – QUEEN INDUSTRIES STEEL FACTORY: 19 JUN 2013
The auction went to hell quickly. Maseo had coordinated with the local ARGUS team. They surrounded the Triad auction. Maseo had identified themselves as law enforcement and told the Triad and the attendees to surrender. Then everything went to shit. His ten ARGUS agents were quickly taken out.
"Did you think we would not be ready for you?" a short Chinese man shouted at him as his men dragged Maseo out from behind shipping crates. "You will pay for the death of Chien Na Wei."
Many of the Triad angrily shouted at him around them.
"Who will pay first?" the man demanded of his Triad followers.
"Him!" they all shouted and pointed at Maseo.
Peter Kang and the rest of the attendees were standing in a tight group off to one side. They looked afraid, but not terrified. They are not the target of the violence. Just my luck.
The Chinese man raised his gun and started to point it at Maseo when suddenly his chest suddenly sprouted three black arrows. Then the men holding Maseo were shot with black arrows. They released him as they died. The Triad was shooting at the rafters and shadows. Trying to find the source of the arrows.
Maseo scrambled to grab a pistols dropped by the man who had been holding him. He ducked behind cover. Then he started to take out Triad goons left and right. He heard a car door slam and looked up to see the attendees making a break for it, including Peter Kang and the damn virus. NO! The virus is not getting out of here.
Maseo jumped up and started to shoot at the tires of the car and the car windows of the driver until the car swerved. It crashed. Maseo approached the car with his gun raised and found Kang. He dragged him out of the car with the briefcase still attached to his wrist. He opened it. The vial was still there. He pulled Kang away from the car just as each of the attendees was struck and killed with black arrows.
"On your knees, Kang," Maseo told him.
"But…" Kang started.
"I don't want to hear it," Maseo told him. He could hear sirens in the distance. "You move and I shoot you." He walked over to where one of the ARGUS radios was laying in the dirt. "This is Victor Cleanup requesting immediate backup at my location. Medical, containment, and public interference."
"Victor Cleanup, Homebase, we heard the SCPD calls. We are on the way with medical and public interference. Containment is leaving now."
"Copy," Maseo replied just as the SCPD cruisers started to pull up. He pulled out his badge and kept his gun on Kang.
"SCPD!" the first of the officers shouted as they ran onto the scene.
"I'm ARGUS," Maseo replied. "This is my prisoner. The majority of the men behind me are Triad. If they are not Triad, they are either downed ARGUS agents or buyers. I want the buyers if they are alive."
More officers arrived and began to cautiously start to check the area. Then the ARGUS arrived. Maseo was finally able to turn over Kang to one of the ARGUS agents. He verified which of the remaining men were ARGUS agents.
Everyone was secured and medical was allowed to start treating the wounded. ARGUS took their wounded and dead. There were no living attendees. Kang was the only survivor. ARGUS took him with them. They let SCPD deal with the rest.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
CHINA, HONG KONG – LEAGUE SAFE HOUSE, HISAN'S TEAM: 22 JUN 2013
SAH-HIM (OLIVER)
Sah-him sat in the safe house back in Hong Kong. He was joined by Dafdae. Hisan had decided to take a day to help settle the minds of his two trainees.
"Tell me how you saw the attack at the auction, Dafdae?" Hisan asked her. He was going to use this incident as a learning experience. Both of his trainees had assisted from the shadows. They had ensured the success of the ARGUS mission, but he had identified some gray areas that they needed to work on.
"I saw that the ARGUS men were outnumbered. While we had done what we could with the darts to reduce the numbers of the Triad, they were still severely outnumbered," Dafdae said. "The evil men who had come to bid on the virus churned my stomach. They desired the method to destroy an entire city. A city of innocents. How vile!"
"This is true," Hisan replied in a calm tone. "But these men may not be the source of their evil. They may only be doing the work of their source. We have their faces and their names. We will track their source."
"Forgiveness," Dafdae said, stricken.
"You are young," Hisan told her kindly. "This is why you spend the first-year training. To learn."
"Thank you, Teacher," Dafdae replied with contrition in her voice.
"Tell me how you saw the attack at the auction, Sah-him?" Hisan asked him.
"I saw much the same as Dafdae. ARGUS was outnumbered. They were certain to lose. When that Triad leader incited his men and decided to strike Maseo… I had to act. I know that Maseo is not evil," Sah-him replied. "I know that my action forced your hand. I forced Dafdae's hand. But, the Alpha-Omega Virus could not be released towards evil."
"That is true," Hisan replied with a sage nod. "I would have acted if you had not. For now, the Alpha-Omega Virus is safe from evil."
"I… I am not sure that is true," Sah-him replied with some hesitation.
"What do you mean, Sah-him?" Hisan asked. "You said that Maseo is not evil."
"Maseo is not, but Maseo says that he is enslaved to Amanda Waller at ARGUS," Sah-him replied. "The documents we have previously seen on Amanda Waller made it appear that she had been used by a source of evil. Maseo feels that Waller may be a source of evil herself. He says that many of his fellow ARGUS agents are enslaved beside him."
"I will report this," Hisan replied. "I must also confer with the other instructors in Hong Kong. We will still be in Hong Kong for another week. Take today to rest from your travels and reflect on what you have learned."
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~