Distant Cousins
Part 9
by Alisa Joaquin

Please see the disclaimer on the Synopsis page.

Year 1997

Mary-Margaret Skalany arrived at the hospital and paid the cab driver. She entered the waiting area in the emergency room only to see Peter pacing back and forth in his usual agitated state, despite being a Shaolin priest. The man that Caine had identified earlier as his cousin was standing off to the side and leaning against a wall, his arms crossed.

"Peter, I got here as quickly as I could. Is Caine going to be all right?"

"Skalany, my father's disappeared. He was supposed to arrive before us in the ambulance. The ambulance never arrived."

"What? That can't be. How could a whole ambulance disappear?"

"This is too much like the time my father disappeared for three months and he ending up in the casino. I still can't understand why I didn't feel that he was in any danger."

"Perhaps someone is blocking your sense of him?" Lo Si spoke, appearing from nowhere.

"But why would someone do that?" Peter asked.

"What's he talking about Peter?" Mary Margaret asked.

Henry McLean-Caine stepped closer to the small gathering and stared. The old man had appeared out of nowhere. He was quite puzzled by the old man's words, plus the old man's voice sounded familiar.

"Wait, you're the one who told me that I might find Bon Bon Hai here and that I'd also find another whom I was seeking. How did you know?" Henry asked the old priest.

"Because it was time."

"Time, time for what?"

"To meet your destiny," the Ancient stated

"Don't try to figure it out, cousin" Peter replied. "You get used to it. Come on, let's get back to the apothecary. I have a feeling things are going to get worse from here on out."

"Peter, what am I going to tell my mother? She was expecting both of us at the airport. I don't even have a car to get there."

Peter reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a set of keys and some cash. "Here, take mine. Here's money for a cab as well. And tell your mother that Kwai Chang Caine had some things to take care of and he'll return. He always does."

Mary Margaret was dumbfounded. "He never lets anyone drive that car. And how does he know that Caine will return?"

Continues with Part 10

Alisa Joaquin Copyright@2003.
This story cannot be reprinted or sold in any other form without strict permission from the author. It is being distributed here solely for your enjoyment.

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