Soulmates Beyond Time

Soulmates Beyond Time
Part 10
by Alisa Joaquin

A messenger came to the door, the young woman unsure of what was going on. She took the note and paid the man. Who could be sending her a message? She read the note and quickly gathered her coat heading for the Eiffel Tower.

Kwai Chang walked over and picked up the locket he had flung down feeling ashamed at his reaction. This was Peter's locket and he treated it badly. Kermit watched as the father of his friend slowly but surely sank to the floor overwhelmed with emotion. He must have known deep in his heart that his beloved Laura was truly lost to him, but like any man he had denied it. Having seen her in the Bardo, it was difficult to think or hope that a part of her was somewhere alive. What shamed him the most was that Kwai Chang had not done what he needed to really do. He had not searched for his wife's essence. He believed at the time of her death there had been no need. He held her during that time and when she died, a part of him died with her. For three months he tried to cope but finally had to go back to the Temple taking Peter with him. Trying to raise a child alone was more than Kwai Chang could bear. Though the bond of father and son were as close as could be, the pain of loosing his wife had to be dealt with. Going back to the Temple helped him to refocus and Peter had all the support and love he could ever have. Kwai Chang's thought returned to the present. If only he did not feel trapped and isolated. Peter was sure to enter danger and here he was, trapped within the walls of a Temple preventing him from acting. Going outside and running into Kermit was sheer luck. Kwai Chang had hoped to find the woman in the photo that Lo Si had given him but he had not found a trace of her. Now learning that Wei Ch'i was again playing his dangerous games troubled Kwai Chang. There was sure to be grave consequences if they did not act.

"Caine," Kermit began. "Do you really think Peter is being tested?"

"It is the only explanation that makes sense. But I still do not understand why someone would

fake a photograph."

"The most obvious thing that comes to mind is that Wei Ch'i wants you two apart. Peter is a full Shaolin now. With your powers and Peter's . . ."

Just then they were interrupted. A monk approached with a note and handed it to Kwai Chang.

Kwai Chang read the note and a look of pensive concern came on his face.

"What is it?" asked Kermit.

"It would seem I have received a note from Laura." Caine handed the note to Kermit.

Kermit read the note out loud. "My darling Kwai, please meet me at the cafe near the Eiffel

Tower. I will explain all. Love Laura. It's got to be a trap."

"It is but if I do not go, a young woman may be hurt."

"I'm coming with you."

"I would not have it any other way. But keep out of site. As Peter would say, you are backup."

"Oh, yeah."

Kermit and Caine left together and headed to the tower. As they got closer, they discussed their strategy and approach. If Jordan was out there, they did not want to tip their hand and let her know that someone else would be watching their movements. Kwai Chang said that he would go to the cafe as if to meet Laura. Kermit would swing around the park and try to keep an eye out for trouble. They did not know where Jordan would be coming from, only that she would be there, waiting for Caine. They soon split up to get into their respective positions.

Kwai Chang approached the cafe with sadness. He knew deep in his heart that there would be no Laura waiting for him but someone caught his eye and also his breath. It was impossible but the woman now sitting in the exact spot shown in the photo looked exactly like his dead wife. She had the same color hair and the face was so much like hers that they could have been twins. She looked as he remembered her. Kwai Chang had to close his eyes and remind himself that this woman was not his wife and yet, there was a familiarity about her. Could Laura's essence be contained within her? Slowly he approached her not daring to hope that she would see him. Then her eyes rose from the book she was reading and Kwai Chang nearly fell into them. So much like his wife's eyes that it was uncanny.

<Yes? Do I know you?>

<Yes. Forgive me if I am disturbing you. I will leave you to your reading.>

<No, do not go. I apologize for my rudeness. Please, sit.>

Caine pulled up a chair. At that moment a woman watched from a discreet distance among some trees. She smiled to herself as her prey took the bait. The couple talked and then they slowly rose. The woman in the shadows watched them as they made their way through the park. When they started to leave, the woman followed. At another advantage point, another shadow watched the woman. He too followed at a discreet distance always keeping both the couple and the woman in site.

Kwai Chang and the woman walked down a nearby street then turned a corner into another narrow street. Jordan followed and quickened her step as her prey was led into the trap. She quickly unwrapped the whip from her waste. Kwai Chang was aware that the street they were taking was becoming more and more narrow. Suddenly the street came to an end. It was a blind alley with no exit. At that moment, the woman spun around and drove her foot into Kwai Chang's back forcing him forward into the wall. It was too late for him to realize he had fallen into the trap. Kwai Chang quickly tried to recover his composer and shock at having failed to recognize the danger sooner. Then something struck him across the cheek and pain so fierce shot through him. It was pain that he had not felt before. Kwai Chang reached up to his cheek and touched the raised and bleeding welt. Then the sting of the whip came again, this time cutting through his right pant leg. This was one weapon that Kwai Chang had not dealt with for a long time. It would take all his concentration as a Shaolin and a Shambhala Master to try and stop the onslaught. The whip was coming at him fast and furious. The person who wheeled it was quite an expert. Kwai Chang turned and faced his assailant. Kermit had been right. It was Jordan who was doing this. Kwai Chang tried to grab the end of the whip as it continued its tearing and cracking of the air. A couple of times Caine miscalculated and served only to get his hands stung and the flesh nearly shredded. Each time he tried to grab the whip, it was becoming harder to see. It was as if the whip contained

small amounts of venom like the bite of a spider. Only five minutes had gone by. Then it stopped as suddenly as it started. Kermit had come from behind and grabbed Jordan, pinning her arms. Jordan reacted with anger and outrage at having her prey denied her.

"Let me go! I must kill him!"

Jordan struggled against Kermit's stronger arms. Then suddenly Jordan pressed something sharp into Kermit's fingers. The shock and the pain at having been outwitted forced Kermit to release his grip and in so doing Jordan made her getaway. Kwai Chang tried to go to Kermit but the venom that had been on the tip of the whip was making its way through his system. Kwai Chang fell to his knees gasping for air. The venom was slowly constricting his breathing.

"Kermit . . . My . . . Pouch. Antidote . . . For the . . . Poison. Quickly."

Kermit forgot his own pain and quickly came to Caine's aide. He found the small brown vial and Kwai Chang confirmed that it was the right one with the nod of his head. Kermit opened the bottle and brought it up to Caine's lips and poured the liquid down his throat. It took a few minutes but soon Kwai Chang was able to breathe more easily.

"Jordan got away. Do you think she'll try again?"

"I do not think so. She has failed in her mission. Where she will go I do not know. I do not even know the reason for her attack."

"Do you think we'll be able to find her? Peter was hoping you might have been able to help her."

"I know. I have failed. Wei Ch'i's strength has grown since last we met. I do not know if even

Peter could stop him."

"Caine do you think there's more than one force here at work?"

"I had not thought of that before."

"I remember you did say that Wei Ch'i played with people's feelings. But I don't remember the

game getting that deadly."

"You are right. My mind has not been very clear. Wei Ch'i would try to destroy his opponent by

using others and their emotions. Weapons were only used by those playing the game to protect the game. Did you noticed how Jordan was dressed?"

"You mean did I notice anything unusual? For starters, she was wearing clothes that she would

normally wear on a setup for catching a pimp. The only other thing I noticed she was wearing a large black spider in her hair."

Kwai Chang nearly blanched at that comment. A spider! No, she could not be part of that and yet it made sense. The poison that came from the whip had been black widow venom. He had felt it's crippling affect before. Jordan was somehow involved with the Black Widow sect. And if the sect and the Gamemaster were working together, that would explain the dual nature of this game. Caine hoped that Peter would find the board and stop its deadly course soon. But he also feared that even if his son were to succeed in breaking Wei Ch'i's hold on everyone's emotions, Jordan may be lost to them. Once the Black Widow sect had someone within their grasp and they had been touched, not even the powers of a Shambhala Master could break their hold that easily. Kwai Chang had seen something that Kermit had not. There had been needle marks on Jordan's arms. Marks in the shape of a spider. Jordan had been injected with another kind of venom. She had been chosen as their queen. Soon, she would have to take a mate or die and only in death would she be free.

End of Part 10

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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