Spider's Bite
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The three assailants limped their way back to the Black Widow's nest only to be confronted by one of their elder brethren, Meng Xupin, who was secretly one of the members of the counsel of elders; a body of brethren who would choose the leader of each nest. Meng Xupin, a man of secrets, was not seen very often. He followed the ancient ways of the order. And though he also respected the newer ways, he often did not agree with them. The order only kept him around as a reminder on how far they had fallen or from others view, how far they had risen. Meng Xupin preferred to view it as the former and believed one day they would return to the old ways.
"Report."
"We could not defeat the Shaolin. He was very skilled."
"You three could not defeat an old man? Was his skills that great?"
"We could not get near him. He was not alone."
"Who was with him?"
"There was a woman. He called her Captain Simms."
"Fools. She is the police captain of the 101st Precinct. Kai Mow is not going to be pleased that she is on Caine's side. She was supposed to be convinced that the Shaolin's son was guilty of certain crimes, crimes that would divide their loyalty to the Shaolin. I do not like what is happening here. It would seem Kai Mow is also failing the Order. There have been too many such failures. In the past, we have avoided the Shaolin because they have always proven to be superior in their fighting skills. Perhaps it is time to return to the old ways."
One of the three assailants stared blinking at the eldest member of the nest. "I do not understand."
"You are young. Go get some rest."
The three were relieved that they would not be facing any punishment that night.
As the three assailants went to their quarters to rest, the elder brethren turned and walked down the corridor. He entered through a door that led to a meditation chamber. The chamber was not used by many, only those who believed in the old ways and wanted to keep them alive. A few continued to practice the ways of their ancestors, healers who understood the nature of the spider's bite and the various poisons produced by each species. They could milk the spider like one would milk a snake to acquire each poison and develop anti-venom through their extensive knowledge of herbs. It was a practice that was slowly dying out.
Meng Xupin reflected upon the order's true history, before the change. They had been friends of the Shaolin, aiding them whenever someone would fall prey to a spider's bite that was unknown. They could tell if the spider's venom was poisonous to humans or just to its natural prey and treat the victim accordingly. It was a noble history. But somewhere in that history a few members of the order had strayed away from the old ways, turning against the Shaolin and making them a poisonous enemy. Centuries of such hatred became a way of life, but the order knew nothing of fighting. And so they drew in those who were skilled at the art of killing others. With their knowledge of poisons and the fighting skills of the ninja, the Order of the Black Widow became known as an order of killers and assassins. Gone were the days of healing, gone were the days understanding.
The elder brethren shook his head in dismay. He was among the oldest of his nest. He had come to Kai Mow two months ago when his nest had been wiped out, killed in a gun-battle with police in China. He was the only remaining member and he barely escaped with his life. He came to plead with one of the few remaining nests, to tell them of what would happen if they continued on this path of destruction. But Kai Mow would not listen.
Meng Xupin was also the only member of his nest that remembered much of the old ways, and that included the skill of shrinking down into the shape of a spider, a skill that had been developed to understand the nature of the spider. There were also those who perverted and used that skill to their advantage, developing and giving birth to the ones who called themselves "Heirs of the Blood" 1000 years ago. It was also about the time when the order split into several factions, some going underground. Others tried to remain a visible part, but it wasn't long before the whole order was forced into hiding and the battle between Shaolin and Black Widow would remain until one or the other was destroyed.
"This must stop," Meng Xupin said to no one. "If this continues, the Order of the Black Widow will be lost. We will soon die out and all that was known will be forever lost. There must be another way."
Meng Xupin paced the meditation chamber. He knew there would only be one way, but would he dare to take it. He knew others on the council would ridicule and scorn him. And if they knew what he was planning, they would seek his death. He would be wrapped within their nets and forced to feel the spider's bite, not from their small cousin's but from the Mother. It would be she who would end his life, only after she had mated with him. She would inject him with their most potent of poisons, which there would be no escape. He had no choice. In order for the order to remain and to survive, he had to go for help, to humble himself and appeal to his enemies. He would have to go to the Shaolin and ask forgiveness.
But who would aid him? The young Shaolin was probably beyond their help due to the drugs they had given him, or was he. Perhaps by aiding him, Meng Xupin will be aiding himself and the Order of the Black Widow.
Meng Xupin heaved a great sigh and began to form his plan. The first thing he needed to do was meditate on where to find the young Shaolin priest. All they knew was that someone from the 101st Precinct had picked up Peter Caine when they found him wandering the streets of Chinatown. Kai Mow didn't even think he would get that far. The amount of drugs they had given the young man in a short period of time would have killed an ordinary person, but Peter Caine was not ordinary.
Meng Xupin had to find the young priest and help him through the withdrawal that was sure to come, even if it had all ready started. He had seen the effects of what the drugs could do. The withdrawal was only part of it. If the drugs were ordinary hallucinogens, the young man might survive the process, but the Black Widow's drugs were different. Each contained a poison base of black widow venom. Once the hallucinogens wore off, the venom would begin to go to work, causing great pain, constricting muscles, until finally it would work on the heart and lungs. Meng Xupin knew that the young priest did not have much time, a few more hours at best. He had to work fast.
Meng Xupin plunged deep into meditation. Though he had not meditated in recent years, he had not forgotten. Deep into the recesses of his mind he dove, then released the energy of his thoughts to the outside world. He found himself rising above his body, soaring to new heights. He quickly left the safety of the nest and through the building, existing through a careless open window. He saw the city lying out before him, it's lights like grounded stars. For a moment he was tempted to remain like that, watching and just absorbing all that he saw, but someone needed him.
Meng focused his thoughts on the young Shaolin. He had only seen his face once, when the young man had been brought in with his grandfather. Suddenly he surged forward and found himself entering into a high rise building, one that he recognized as not being too far from where the order was nesting. It was ironic that he would be so close and fortunate. Meng Xupin then found himself entering an apartment high above the street below. He read the number as being 1221. He found himself moving through the rooms. Then he saw the young priest lying in a bed and another man sat beside him. He could see deep concern was etched on the man's face, his uncloaked eyes filled with worry. Suddenly, Meng Xupin plunged back into his body and with one fluid motion rose from the floor. He knew where he needed to go and what he needed to do. All he needed were a few items. The hardest part would be leaving the nest.
Continues with Part 28
Alisa Joaquin Copyright@2002.
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