Soulmates Beyond Time
Jordan left the Paris airport and customs just four hours after Kermit. The voice had been cool. Everything had been arranged. Jordan paused to call a taxi. She needed to get settled somewhere so she could listen and plan her next move. Now was not the time to locate the Shaolin the voice said. The voice had informed her that the priest was protected within temple walls. He would have to be lured out in the open. Jordan grabbed a taxi and went to a hotel the voice specified. The room had also been selected for her. Once in the room, Jordan nearly collapsed from exhaustion. She had been going for 16 hours straight without food or drink. It was as if she needed nothing but the voice. Then the voice disappeared as if it was pausing to try to figure out its next move.
Jordan suddenly woke as if from a dream. The room she was in she did not recognize. It had a European flavor. Noises coming from out the window drew her. Confusion rose as she realized she was no longer home, in fact, she was no longer in the same country. Where was she and how did she get there? Jordan looked around the room and found the bag, an airplane ticket, and a recent passport. She did not remember getting them. Suddenly, she felt very tired. There had to be an explanation. For now, she needed something to eat and sleep. Jordan called down to room service and from the accent on the phone found out she was in Paris. The plane ticket and passport confirmed how she got there but the reason why she was there left her. Then the voice was back coaxing her to sleep and to dream, again.
Jordan dreamed she was walking through a wide tunnel. The tunnel was covered with webbing and spiders were everywhere. The voice was compelling her to go forward. She did not know where the voice was leading her. This voice was different from the other. This one spoke of power, of being whatever she chose to be. This one drew her like a moth to a flame. Soon she came to the center. A man sat beckoning her forward. Next to him was a chair designed like a giant black widow spider centered within the web that he occupied. He motioned for her to sit. As she did, she felt something prick her skin. Blood was being drawn and something else was replacing it. Then the man spoke.
"Since the night you were touched by the black widow, you have been chosen as one of its maidens and soon to be queen of the sect. You have the venom and the venom has you. No man will be able to resist you. Mating and death are the black widows, purpose. Before the mating can take place, you must name the man who will be the producer of your offspring."
"I choose Peter Caine." Jordan found herself answering.
The man smiled. 'A Shaolin. How fitting. Such power and potential.' If a female were to be produced, the Black Widow Sect certainly would continue with new force.
"It shall be done. Once mated, your children will become your legacy and your mate will die from his own pleasure. You must produce a female. Males will not be acceptable. If a male is produced, death will be its end. For now, the Game Master awaits. He is your means to achieve everything. Go now, and await your instructions." Jordan left the tunnel and soon the images changed. She was standing within a space filled with candles. Fog swirled around and beyond, a game board could be seen. Two more female figures had been added to the board. One was next to the larger of the two dragon lords. This one wore a cluster of small flowers in her hair. The flowers were Jasmin. Then someone stepped through the fog. A man wearing a mask. He pointed to each of the figures and Jordan nodded in turn. As if in a dream she stepped into the fog.
Jordan bolted upright from the bed. She knew what she needed to do. Going over to the desk, she pulled out two sheets of paper. On one she began writing a note in French. This did not seem odd at first until you realized that Jordan did not know French. The second note she addressed in English. She then called the front desk and a messenger came to her room. She gave instructions to the man and handed him the notes. Her trap was baited. Now all she needed to do was be there to make the kill.
*****
Peter, Ping Hai (calling himself Lo Si for now), and Mai Chi arrived in China after a grueling two full days of travel. Peter had done his best to try to meditate during the flight to keep calm. Being fearful of heights did not make flying by plane easy for him. To be above the earth more than 10 feet did not appeal to him, let alone 30,000 feet. Lo Si tried to help him by giving him some special blend of tea that was to help keep his Chi calm. It helped to a point so long as Peter sat in the center seat of the extra-wide aircraft than out where he could see a window. This flight had been very different than the last one he had taken with his father and Sing Ling. They had to be smuggled in, then back out again, and the plane they were on was much smaller. When the smaller aircraft hit rough air, you could feel it. There were times the plane would hit a pocket and the plane would drop forcing Peter's stomach to his throat. His father tried to keep him calm by telling him stories when he had been in China with his father. Peter, however, no matter how he tried to keep his lunch down, he did not succeed. His father ended up holding him instead to try to steady his nerves and to try to give him some of his energy to calm him. That it seemed had been the only way Peter could endure such a flight.
When their flight began, Peter and Lo Si discussed how they were going to get into China. With the present government, it would not be that easy, especially if they found out the real reason for their visit. It was Mai Chi that suggested they go as tourists. Peter would pose as Mai Chi's husband and Lo Si would be her father. To hide the fact that Peter was Shaolin, his brands would have to be hidden in a long sleeved shirt with cuffs. There would be no need to bring any herbs since China had it's own herbal medicine industry. All Peter and Lo Si would have to do would go to a local market and purchase what they needed. Getting to Sing Ling was going to be another matter. They could not hire a driver and travel all over the country. They needed to find someone who would know the territory and especially who knew exactly where they were going. In short, they needed to contact the resistance. Mai Chi assured them that it would not be a problem. There were many in Bejing who would like to see the present government fall. She knew of a small resistance cell that helped her leave China to find the Shaolin. All she needed to do was head for a certain shrine and leave a token.
"Are you sure this will work?"
"Do not worry Master Caine." said Mai Chi. "I have done this a few times to let others know where they were needed. The Emperor thought of this after seeing one of your American spy movies. I do believe it was James Bond."
"Oh, great. From Shaolin to Spy. Kermit would be proud of me."
Mai Chi gave a puzzled look at the mention of Kermit's name.
"I'll explain later."
"What token do we need?" Lo Si spoke up.
"A small running tiger."
"Let me guess. We're suppose to give this token to someone who will respond by giving us another piece of paper with instructions?" Peter said jokingly.
"No. The tiger is placed into the cauldron as an offering and someone else responds by placing a dragon with it."
"What happens after that? Someone gives a coded message?"
"The message is already coded. By placing the tiger in a certain direction the question is asked. The person placing the dragon answers by either confirming that direction or denying it by placing the dragon in a different direction."
"What is the question and does it ever change?"
"There are only four questions and by facing the tiger in one of the four directions, the answer will always be the same or it's opposite."
"How do you know that person can be trusted and if that person is even the right one?"
"That person is always there."
Peter's eyes widen. That person must be the keeper of the shrine, a priest of some sort. He may even be Shaolin. Some of those working to restore the emperor were Shaolin. After all, his father had helped and Lo Si had been part of that restoration as well. What better way to communicate than to use the symbols themselves. There had to be a way to confirm his suspicions. He knew of only one way. He had to know. There had to be more Shaolin in the world than just those temples in the U.S. There weren't very many but Peter had learned from becoming Shaolin just how badly the world needed them. They were skilled in ways that others were not. He had seen much and he hoped that one day the Shaolin could return to the world; free and open to practice their beliefs, give aid to those who needed it, and practice their healing gifts. Besides, having learned about his family history and meeting Kwai Chang his ancestor, Peter hoped that he and his father could return to China someday and return to the first Temple and repay their respects. He did not expect to return under these circumstances.
Mai Chi located the shrine and a nearby vendor selling tokens. She paid for the tiger and headed for the shrine. Out of impulse, Peter went to the vendor and indicated in his rusty Chinese that he too wanted to purchase a token. He pointed to the tiger and gave the vendor some coins. Peter followed Mai Chi and watched her perform the necessary acts. In response an old priest in saffron robes appeared from behind a statue and tossed the dragon token in. Mai Chi bowed then proceeded to go to a nearby bench as if to meditate on what followed. Now it was Peter's turn. Peter approached the cauldron and was struck how much it looked like the cauldron from the Temple. It even contained the symbols of the Shaolin on it's side. How it survived was a miracle that no one would truly know. Peter bowed to the presence in the same manner as Mai Chi then tossed the tiger in. On impulse, he rolled up his sleeves and help up his arms. At that moment the monk emerged. For only an instant the monk hesitated. A look of surprise and hope appeared in his eyes. Then he tossed the dragon in. Both tokens were facing the same direction and in their proper positions. Peter had gotten his answer. Then something amazing happened. Before the old priest simply left. This time, the old priest gave Peter the Shaolin salute. Peter responded in kind.
"You should not have done that." Mai Chi had come up behind him.
"Why not?" Peter recovered his brands with his sleeves.
"If the police were to have seen, you would have been arrested."
Peter was confused at her statement. Why would they arrest him?
"Shaolin are symbols of the old ways. If it were known that the Shaolin exist still in China, there would be a massive search to find and destroy them."
It was a sobering thought that was not lost on the young priest.
"We must go. Our guide is waiting."
While Peter had done his thing at the shrine, he had not noticed that they had been joined by a fourth person.
"If anyone asks, he is my cousin. We are traveling home to see my uncle who is very sick. He will do the talking for us."
When they got further from the crowded square, the young man that joined them handed Peter what looked like a hooded cloak.
"What is this for?"
"You are to wear it."
"Why?"
"You look too much like an American. You will need to blend in."
"Well if anyone asks you can tell them I'm at least part Chinese, on my father's side. I can also speak Chinese though I am a little rusty. I should improve as we travel to where we are going. Where are we going anyway?"
"To Kwai Chang's temple, where everything began."
"You mean . . ."
"Yes, Peter, we are going home."
End of Part 8
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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