Flower of My Heart
1894
The three men split up, hoping to corner the escapies and their rescuer. It wasn't long until two other men joined them. Caine kept a wary eye out for surprises. Dances in Sunshine led their growing group through a maze of corridors. Suddeny they came up short as two men blocked their path. The other three blocked the path behind them.
"No one's going anywhere," Morgan stated.
"You watch yourself with him," Carson said. "I've tangled with hiim before. I warned you Chinaman. This is none of your affair."
Caine carefully kept his eyes on his opponants while trying to protect Lilly and the other women who were gathered around him. The corridor was narrow and fighting would be difficult, but not impossible. Perhaps for any other ordinary man, but Caine was not ordinary.
Sizing up the situation, one of the men approached Caine. "Do you honestly think you can take on all of us?" The man drew a gun and pointed it at Lilly's head. "I suggest you come along with us or I'll put a bullet in this pretty little gal's head. You wouldn't want me to do that now."
Caine's eyes narrowed. "Do not harm her."
"Then you better come with us. Mr Crabtree would like a word with you. Boys, see that these . . . ladies are taken back to their rooms. And this time make sure no one can disturb them. All except you. We need to talk" The man licked his lips and grinned . Terror filled the woman's eyes as she knew just what the man meant by 'needing to talk', and it wasn't going to be a pleasant conversation.
***
Caine was blindfolded and taken by the other men to another part of the building. From his Shaolin senses, a blindfold was not going to do any good. There were many instances when he had been able to stay in one place longer than a week, he would practice with other Chinese immagrants his martial arts. One such practice was learning to sense the whereabouts of an enemy by being blindfolded and having those working with him try to attack him without his being aware. They would always lose Such exercises took Caine back to the temple, Master Po, and their many conversations about being blind.
***Flashback***
Master Po: The monarch butterfly rests itself on the young cherry blossom.
Young Caine: You are blind. How do you know this, Master?
Master Po: I see it with my history. I smell it is spring. I know the monarch loves the cherry. I feel the flutter of disturbed air. All this speaks to me.
Young Caine: Sometimes I feel strange . . . You make it seem better to be blind.
Master Po: You are learning.
***End Flashback***
Caine's thoughts returned to the present when he smelled the strong odor of tobacco.
"Here he is Mr. Crabtree," Carson said as he pulled off Caine's blindfold.
Caine blinked twice to be able to adjust to the change in light levels. Sitting behind an elaborate desk was a man dressed in a bright red silk jacket. He was smoking a cigar. His eyes stared long and hard at Caine trying to intimidate the priest, but Caine stared back, calm and serene. Nothing scared the Shaolin priest. He would wait to hear the man out, but he already knew what his answer would be.
"Well, Mr. Caine. Has my associate Carson informed you why you are here?"
Caine did not answer.
"I'd like to make you an offer," Mr. Crabree began. "Carson told me about your fighting abilities. I could use a man like you. You see, there are a few businesses that I would like to acquire, but the owners of those businesses don't want to become partners with me. With your fighting abilities, you could persuade them that becoming partners with Crabtree Enterprises would be in their best interest. As for the incident that happened tonight, we can forget it ever happened, if you agree to work for me. If not, . . ." Mr. Crabtree pulled out a worn poster. "I might just see to it that this poster ends up in the Sheriff's hands."
Caine did not speak. Blackmail was not knew to him, but neither was he going to work for Mr. Crabtree. Even if Mr. Crabtree were to send the poster to the Sheriff, there wasn't anything new there that he had not dealt with before in the past.
"Perhaps there might be another way we can persuade you." Mr. Crabtree gave a nod. Two men left and soon they came back with a woman between them. It was Lilly.
End of part 18
Alisa Joaquin Copyright@2000.
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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