Spider's Bite
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All four of them arrived back at the abandoned church to find Peter asleep. The conversation and slight physical struggle with Meng Xupin had worn him out. Kermit and Karen breathed a sigh of relief to see that the young priest was safe from harm. Before Peter could fully awaken, his father lifted him into his arms and held him in a tight embrace.
"Where is Meng Xupin?" Kermit stated. "He was supposed to stay here until we got back."
"He left," Peter said groggily, as he pushed himself out of his father's embrace. "Besides, I don't need a babysitter."
"He was supposed to help protect you."
"Kermit, I don't need protecting," Peter argued.
"That's debatable."
"Well from where I'm standing, you look like you could use some clothes," Karen Simms stated as she rested against a doorframe.
Peter quickly grabbed the sheet and wrapped it around his midsection, his face turning a deep scarlet. "You didn't leave me any clothes?"
"Well, we thought it would deter you from leaving too soon."
"Very funny, Kermit."
"Enough," Caine gently stated, though he was thoroughly enjoying the exchange. He would have to remember that little trick to keep Peter in bed more often when he was fighting an illness. "Peter, please tell me, who is this Meng Xupin?"
"He helped to save Peter's life," Matthew interjected. "He understood the nature of the poison and helped to clear it from Peter's system."
"Pop, it was the strangest thing. He was a member of the Black Widow order. He had the mark on his wrist."
"What!?!" Kermit shouted. "And we let that man help you? He could have killed you."
"No, he could not," Matthew stated.
"And why not?" Kermit demanded.
"Because he was a healer and followed the old ways. Only a true healer would do so."
"Only a traitor you mean."
Without warning, no one had noticed the small spider that had entered on the heels of Captain Simms. The spider had entered into the shadows and waited. And when he felt that moment was right, Kai Mow was once again in human form.
Matthew and Caine both spun around to face the Black Widow leader, placing themselves between the ex-leader of the order and Peter.
"Kai Mow. I should have realized you would escape the fire," the eldest of the Caine line stated.
"You will not stop me from taking my revenge."
"To continue to fight without true cause is foolish," Caine stated
"Then I shall be foolish," Kai Mow stated and rushed at the Shaolin, his mind's eye set upon one goal.
As Kai Mow attacked, he was suddenly pushed aside. Another man appeared from the darkness.
"Enough! You will not do this, brethren."
"You! You would prevent me from taking my revenge?"
"There is no revenge to take. I told you what would happen if you continued on this path. The destruction of the Mother and all that we knew before was inevitable."
"You are just like them, Meng Xupin. I should never have allowed you into our nest. You have betrayed your brethren and caused the destruction of our order."
"No." Meng stated simply. "The destruction of our order was long ordained when the order lost its true purpose. It is time to return to that purpose."
"We shall never return to those weak ways." Kai Mow suddenly raised his hand and brought down the needle. It plunged into Meng Xupin's chest, causing the man to fall backwards.
Kermit rushed in and grabbed the Black Widow leader from behind to subdue the man. Kai Mow, however, was already shrinking down into the shape of a spider, trying to escape another day. Kermit however was faster. He spotted the spider as it quickly tried to crawl off into the darkness, but the spider did not get very far. Kermit turned and finding a worn piece of carpeting, he wiped the stain from his once spotless shoes. "I hate spiders."
"Meng Xupin," Peter cried. "Is he going to be all right?"
"The needle went deep," Caine stated, carefully trying to remove the nearly empty syringe from Meng Xupin's chest. "Much of the poison was injected into his system"
"It does not matter," Meng stated. "It is better this way."
"Don't talk like that," Karen stated and was quickly dialing 911 on her cell phone.
"My death was inevitable since I left the nest. I do not have much time," Meng stated. "There are documents that must be preserved. They can be found at the old nesting site." The former Black Widow healer explained to Caine where the scrolls could be found. "You must see that they are no longer used to kill. I am sorry for the harm that my order has done to the Shaolin over the centuries. My hope was that some day we would return to the ways of healing." Meng Xupin took in a ragged breath. "Please forgive . . ."
"There is nothing to forgive . . . "
But Meng Xupin was already beyond their reach. He let go of his last breath and closed his eyes. Peace came over his face just as Karen approached.
"I've called for an ambulance. They should be here any minute."
"Tell them there's no rush."
A silence fell over the small group as they mourned the loss of an enemy turned into a short-lived friend.
Concludes with the Epilogue
Alisa Joaquin Copyright@2002.
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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