Distant Cousins
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Chinatown
Peter Caine settled into a lotus position in front of the small altar that graced the exercise room. Since becoming a priest and having experienced just how far meditation could take him, Peter had settled into a routine of meditating at least twice a week. Though his father would meditate every day for at least an hour, Peter still found meditating every day a bit daunting. Life as a priest had not been dull. On the contrary, it proved to be just as exciting as being a cop, and sometimes more dangerous. Enemies had come and gone, and no one was more dangerous than the man that Peter was now seeking to find, unbeknownst to him. For now, Peter sought the source of the laughter. Once he found that, he would be much closer in finding his father.
Peter settled himself on the floor and allowed his body to relax. With each breath he took, he allowed his mind to clear and let stray thoughts drift and disappear. As his mind emptied, he sank further into himself till all was still. Suddenly, he was rushing through the vortex, being drawn to wherever his spirit led. When the sensation stopped and his vision cleared, he found himself in a hallway of someone's private office. A telephone could be heard ringing in the background. A man's voice answered. The voice sounded familiar and Peter recognized who it was immediately. Could he be the source of the laughter? Was Bon Bon Hai the man responsible for his father's diappearance? Was he the one blocking his senses?
Peter had dealt with Bon Bon Hai twice before in his life. Those two times were what convinced him that Bon Bon Hai was a great threat, not just to the community, but to mankind. Only a few knew what the ex-Zhong Li Quan leader was capable of, having inherited powers from the Dark Warrior. Peter would never forget that day, seeing his father being taken away by two white robed figures to a mythical place, a place that only seemed to exist in legend; but was more substantial than anyone dreamed. It was a day that nearly cost him and his father their lives, but they both survived, and even Peter proved that he could handle someone as powerful as the Dark Warrior; at least in part.
Today, however was another story. If Bon Bon Hai was responsible for his father's disappearance and for the blockage that prevented Peter from sensing him, the ex-Zhing Li Quan leader would pay dearly. Peter was about to charge head on into the man's office when something tugged at the back of his mind.
*To enter without purpose would invite disaster. Discretion is the better part of valor. Investigation before accusation.*
Peter silently crept to the open door of the office, and peered inside. Uncertainly gripped him for just a moment. If Bon Bon Hai was responsible, perhaps taking the time to investigate might reveal some anssers. So, Peter listened in on the conversation to see if he could learn anything significant.
"The shipment has been confiscated by the police? This does not change anything. Even though my name is on the warehouse, everything else as far as the police are concerned, cannot be connected directly to me. They are grasping at straws."
Silence fell for a time and Peter tried to focus in on the voice on the other line.
"You do not understand. They have evidence linking you to the stolen goods and the drugs. You must leave before they can catch you."
Bon Bon Hai laughed causing a chill to run up Peter's spine. "The police cannot harm me. The tiger hides in the tall grass to wait for a better opportunity to bring down his prey. The police will not be able to find me."
Peter listened once more only to discover that this place and time had nothing to do with his father's disappearance and why he could not sense his essence. Still, it did give insight into what he had suspected for a very long time, that some of Bon Bon Hai's wealth had not been earned legally. He would have to let Captain Simms in on this bit of information. The answers that Peter sought, however, were not going to be found here. He would have to seek them elsewhere.
As Peter turned away from the office, he froze as he heard a hesitation in the sound of Bon Bon Hai's voice.
"Just one moment," he heard the man called the Tiger say to the person on the other line. Peter sensed the man rise from his chair and approached his hiding place. Peter stepped back into the shadows and stood perfectly still. He watched as Bon Bon Hai opened the door to his office a little wider and stepped into the hallway. He watched as the tiger slowly scanned the area and briefly paused when he came near Peter's hiding place. Peter questioned whether Bon Bon Hai could sense his presence. But then Peter heard the phone ring and Bon Bon Hai once again entered his office.
Peter slowly let out the breath he found he had been holding then felt himself being pulled back through the vortex and back into his own body. He thought for a moment as to what had happened and realized that perhaps there was more to that scenario than he thought. The laugh that he had heard had been Bon Bon Hai's and yet, the time and place that Peter had been lead to did not match up with his father's disappearance. But, he had been lead to that place and time for a reason. Why?
Then something occurred to Peter that he had not thought of before. With his presence in that time and place, it was possible that Bon Bon Hai could have sensed him. He, Peter Caine, could be the real reason for his father's sudden disappearance. He could have been the catalyst that started Bon Bon Hai on his revenge, which would be reason enough to go after him and his father. And if he had, Peter was going to have to find the means to correct his nearly fatal mistake, a mistake that could cost him his father's life.
Continues with Part 15
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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