Temple: A New Journey Begins
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Heads turned as the bright green antique car drove into town, its driver wearing deep green shades and a stern expression. The car pulled up to the curb. Pedestrian traffic halted to stare at the outlandish color of the vehicle and its driver.
"Excuse me, could you tell me where I might find the Lowery place?"
"It's a half mile down that road. You can't miss it. It's where all the freaks hang out. You'll fit right in with that car."
"Thanks," the driver stated, then pulled his car back out into the street and turned the corner. 'They need to change their welcome sign. Friendly town my ass.'
Within five minutes he was pulling into the yard of the farmhouse. The man emerged from the car. His dark suit and red tie were out of place in the rural setting.
"I though you would have changed your clothes," Caine stated as he sat on the porch watching the new arrival.
"Not while I'm working," the man stated. "You said there was trouble. I came as soon as I could. Drove all night. I'm famished."
"My uncle is cooking breakfast." Caine rose from his lotus position in one fluid motion. "Come I will fill you in."
Caine led the shaded man into the house. The smell of cooking bacon permeated the premises.
"Bacon and eggs, just what I need after a long drive from Chinatown."
Sam turned toward the voice. "And who might this be?"
"You remember, Kermit Griffin, Uncle Sam. He is a friend of my father's."
"Griffin, huh? Oh yeah, you worked with Peter when he worked as a cop?"
"Guilty as charged," Griffin answered. "And may I ask why KC here calls you Uncle? You don't look like a Caine."
"Actually, I'm a close friend of the family. KC's grandfather saved my mother's life once, along with Peter. It's a long story."
"I think Peter told me about it, but you can tell me again over breakfast," Griffin stated as he sat down at the kitchen table, then turned toward Caine. "And you can tell me what brings me out of retirement from Chinatown. Your message wasn't specific."
Caine let loose a deep sigh. "It is the Dim Mak."
"So, the Chinatown Murder Mystery comes to Braniff."
"You have heard of this Dim Mak?" Sam questioned.
"Oh yeah. Saw what they were capable of doing. Nasty business. Are you certain it's them? I though Liam Holmes was dead."
"He was destroyed by my grandfather," Caine stated. "But there are other members of the cult."
"That's for certain. But why show them-selves now?"
"I do not know."
"KC, maybe we're overlooking something here," Sam stated. "Maybe it's because of the temple."
"Temple?" Griffin questioned.
"Sam, I already told him," Vance stated as he walked into the kitchen. "I don't think the temple has anything to do with the priests being murdered."
"You're probably right Vance," Sam replied. "I just thought there might be a connection because they were all Shaolin priests."
"Someone else doesn't want the temple rebuilt, but that does not mean they killed the priests."
"And who are you," Griffin stiffened behind his shades. He did not like unexpected intrusions, especially from those he was unfamiliar.
"Kermit, this is Vance, a friend." Caine stated.
"Well, any friend of KC's is a friend of mine. Finish with what you were saying KC so I can get back to my breakfast."
"I came back because I believe it is time that the temple be rebuilt," Caine answered Kermit's questioning look.
"This is your grandfather's temple."
"Yes," Caine replied.
"Huo! Huo!" <Fire! Fire!>
"Now what?" Sam cried out in anger, dropping the frying pan he held onto the stove.
All four ran out to the yard. Smoke could be seen coming from the shrine and several monks stumbled out coughing from the heavy smoke. Sam grabbed a nearby fire extinguisher; something he had invested in from the last time someone had tried to set fire to the shrine a few years ago. He raised toward the structure and began spraying the contents of the extinguisher onto whatever area was smoking. It wasn't long before the flames were out before there was any real structural damage done to the shrine.
As Sam, Kermit, and Vance were examining the damage that had been done, something had caught Kwai Chang Caine's attention out of the corner of his eye.
"Look!" Caine pointed to the side of the barn where there was a message written in red paint.
"Go Home Priest! Leave before there are more deaths!"
"Who is doing this and why now?" Sam questioned; running a hand threw his graying blond hair.
"I do not know."
"Well, that's what I'm here for, to help you find out who and why. I think I'm going to talk to the local law enforcement and see if they can shed any light on this."
"Good luck on that," Sam called back. "You're going to need it."
Continues with Part 12
Alisa Joaquin Copyright@2004.
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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