Reprisal

By katz

Part I

Colonel Goldberg stood behind the police line and scowled.  He didn’t like this in the slightest.  It wasn’t enough that the terrorists had managed to make their way past the border guards.  It wasn’t enough that they were able secure weapons inside the country, and then somehow take the Prime Minister’s mansion, making him, his family, and a number of political leaders hostage.  It was the fact that that the higher ups actually called in for outside help that irritated him to no end.  And this godforsaken heat.

“Have any demands been made?”

Colonel Goldberg started slightly and turned to face the leader of this so-called help.  He was a tall, gaunt man with lank orange hair, most likely an American from his accent. 

“No, they’re just holding them there.  The Mossad reports military movement from Iraq and Syria.  The terrorists are just keeping the Prime Minister and his executives to freeze decision making power while the armies make their move,” Goldberg said, loosening the collar of his jacket.  He muttered a few choice curses under his breath.  It never ends.  Damn this heat.

Goldberg turned his head to look at the other man while he stared intently at the third floor of the mansion.  His dress wasn’t military; black clothing, black duster, black boots.  The only thing that might be taken as military was the communications earpiece he wore, but besides that, his appearance was definitely not that of any special forces unit he was familiar with.  But what annoyed him the most about the man, besides that he was an outsider, was the fact that he didn’t sweat, even with all the black he wore. 

The gaunt man nodded slowly, still gazing statue-like at the darkened third floor window while an occasional spotlight passed by, illuminating the room inside and revealing patrolling men with rifles slung over their shoulders.  “My men are in place.  I suggest giving the order soon.” 

Goldberg snorted.  He had seen these ‘men.’  Boys would have been a better term for them.  The oldest couldn’t have been out of his teens and all five were dressed like their leader, looking like something out of a comic book.  They weren’t even carrying any weapons. 

“Very well.  Your men will move in at twenty-three hundred hours,” he said, putting emphasis on the word men. “That gives you ten more minutes of prep time.  I don’t have to tell you what this means to us.  We can’t afford to lose a single hostage.” 

The man nodded again, as though he didn’t notice the barb in the colonel’s words.  Instead he brought a radio up to his mouth.  “We move in ten.  Get ready.”

Goldberg stared.  Where the hell had that come from?  When he looked again the radio was gone.  He shook his head.  The heat must be worse than he thought.  There was no way he could have slipped the radio out and back into his coat so quickly.  Even if it was kept in his sleeve there would have at least been a bulge where it was hidden. 

The colonel was still trying to reason out what he just saw that he didn’t notice that the man had suddenly gone tense and the radio was back in his hand. 

“What do you mean you saw someone?  Where!?” 

Goldberg snapped his head back up.  “What?  What’s going on?” 

The man didn’t answer.  Instead he froze, staring at the top of the mansion roof.  The colonel followed his gaze and squinted.  Someone was walking on the roof.  Even with the moon out, nothing much could be seen against the night sky.

“Dammit, someone get a spotlight up on the roof!” Goldberg shouted.  An unused spotlight was immediately lit and a beam of halogen light was trained on the figure standing on the roof.

The colonel gaped.  It was a boy, dressed in black like the others he had seen earlier.  The only feature he could see on the boy was long, black hair flowing out from behind him as he strolled along the roof.  The boy didn’t even acknowledge the spotlight’s glare as he stood on the roof’s edge directly above the window leading into the room where the hostages were being held.  Suddenly, he stood on his hands, legs in the air, pivoted, and swung in feet first through the window.  An instant later, a shout rose up from the room followed by the flash and staccato sounds of gunfire.  A man flew through the window, screaming, before he hit the ground with an audible thud.  The gunfire had stopped but screams could still be heard. 

Infuriated, the colonel turned to the other man, only to find him already running toward the mansion at an unbelievable pace, his long legs a blur, shouting something into his radio.  What the colonel saw next caused the words to die in his throat.  Halfway to the mansion, the he jumped into the air three stories, headfirst through the window where the boy had made his entrance. 

Sounds of chaos swirled around the colonel as armed men shouted orders to each other and stormed the entrance to the mansion.  However, he could only stare at the window as one thought went through his mind.  Who are these people?

***

Corbo tapped his pen on the desk, studying the boy standing in front of him.  The boy stared back impassively.

“Do you know why I called you here, Mousse?” Corbo asked.

“Yes, sir,” Mousse replied.  “You need help with your paperwork.”

Corbo nodded, leaning back and steepling his fingers.  “Yes, I was hoping you could tell me how one of my agents who was supposed to be fifteen hundred miles away on assignment decides to drop in and disrupt a highly sensitive operation. 

Mousse shrugged slightly.  “I finished early and I was bored.” 

If he was angry, Corbo gave no sign.  Both continued to stare at each other unblinkingly while the silence stretched on. 

“This is the fifth time in as many months you’ve done something like this,” Corbo said.  “Your brothers must be disappointed in you.” 

Mousse shrugged again.  “They’ve come to expect it.  I think they were taking bets on whether or not I’d show up this time.” 

Silence fell again between the two.

Corbo was again the first to break it.  “What is it you want?”

“Let me go.”

Corbo’s face tightened.  The same damn thing again.  “You know I can’t do that.” 

“Why?  You know I’ll come back.” 

“Even so, I can’t.” 

“Then it continues.”

Corbo scowled and swung around in his chair so he faced the wall.  A long moment passed before he spoke again.  “Fine.  I’ll give you six months and full access to your bank account.  And try to keep a low profile.  I don’t need the UN or anyone else knowing one of my men are loose without supervision.”

He swung his chair back around to see Mousse with a slight smile on his face and a glint in his eye.   

“Thank you sir,” he said, turning to leave.  “I’ll go pack my things.” 

“Wait,” Corbo said, raising his hand. 

Mousse stopped and turned back.  “Yes?” 

“I’m curious.  What is it you have to do?” 

Corbo watched as Mousse’s smile turned sinister, his hand coming up to stroke the scar on his throat.  He always wondered where that came from. 

“I just need to take care of some old business.” 

Corbo leaned back in his chair and put his feet up on the desk.  The boy was going to kill someone, that much was obvious.  Not that he was worried.  Mousse was good at it, he could take care of himself.  It was just that revenge killings tend to be messy.  Too many secrets.

Corbo frowned to himself.  When he had found Mousse all those years ago in China, he had the feeling the boy was hiding something, but he never said a word.  He just wanted to get away.  Now it seems he wants to go back to the settle score with someone. 

He shook his head.  Mousse was only a kid when he found him.  Whoever it was must have done something to him, something bad enough that he still kept a grudge after all this time.  When he catches up with the poor bastard, whoever it is, it wasn’t going to be pleasant. 

***

The village was much as Mousse had remembered it.  Small and picturesque, nestled comfortably in a small valley between two mountains covered with lush forest.  Children played in the dirt streets lined with old fashioned clay houses while the men worked the fields the same way their ancestors had for generations before them.  And of course the training grounds where the women of the village trained in their millenia old fighting arts.  Sounds of combat could be heard even from the hilltop where he stood, high pitched battle cries overlapped by the sharp sounds of weapons striking against each other. 

Mousse felt one side of his mouth curl up into a sneer.  “Primitive,” he muttered, brushing the dust off his coat.  It had taken him a week of trekking through forests and mountain trails before he finally found the Amazon village and his clothing didn’t look any better for it.  The trip would have taken less time if he had gone through Jusenkyo, but he was not about to take unnecessary risks.  He knew only too well the dangers of even passing close to the area, where freak accidents involving cursed springs were a normal occurrence. 

Mousse frowned.  He could almost see it in his mind, the mist that rose up from the springs in the early morning, the slender bamboo poles that rose dozens of feet in the air, the way the sun looks from under the water…  He shuddered for a moment before straightening up and sneering at himself.  No time to dwell on the past. 

The women had just begun coming back from the training grounds when Mousse entered the village.  Mousse didn’t bother to hide his entrance, walking casually through the main road with his hands shoved in his pockets.  He didn’t let the abrupt silence that fell across the village surprise him. 

Children stared with wide, curious eyes at the black-garbed stranger before being ushered into houses by the men.  Occasionally one of the men would look up from the ground while gathering the children, but would turn his gaze down just as quickly when he thought he might meet the stranger’s eyes.   

The women stared openly; some were suspicious, others were challenging, but all were appraising.  This one didn’t look like he came from any neighboring villages; from the way he dressed, he probably came from a large city.  City people are soft and weak, allowing their bodies to waste in what they call civilization, but this one moved like a fighter.  A fighter who may know a completely different martial art than what is taught out here, miles from civilization.  New fighting styles always strengthened the tribe.  Of course, men from outside the village tend to be difficult to deal with.  If they hadn't already fallen prey to the charms of the amazon they had defeated, there was usually a ‘breaking in’ time; the stronger the will of the fighter, the longer the 'breaking in.'  New males rarely lasted very long, as the whole amazon community makes a group effort to bring them into the fold.  Many of the women were thinking the same thing.  This one seems promising enough, but there was only one way to accurately gauge his potential.

"What brings you so far from the city, boy?"  Mousse suddenly found his path blocked by half a dozen amazons, all still carrying weapons from their practice session.  The one who spoke, the leader, eyed him critically while leaning casually on a long spear.  She looked him up and down, then smiled slowly, a predatory gleam in her eye.  Very nice.  Especially the eyes and hair.  Even if he loses I may still have some fun with him.

Mousse almost laughed.  Typical amazon behavior.  Already looking for a fight or a possible mate.  He grinned when he recognized who was talking to him.  Mei-yin, a few years older than him and one of the stronger children when they were young.  It seems she had only gotten stronger in all the time he was gone.  She had already gathered a group of followers, all of whom were giving him that same appraising gaze she was.  A crowd of the warrior women gathered around them, lining the streets and the area behind him, giving him plenty of room, but effectively cutting him off from retreat.  

His grin widened.  I wonder when they will recognize me.  I wonder if they will scream when they do?

Mei-yin now moved to stand in front of him, still smiling.  "What's so funny, boy?  You know something I don't?"  She paused suddenly, as if noticing something about him she hadn't before.  The smile disappeared from her face and her eyes narrowed as she leaned in closer to better examine the grinning boy in front of her.  She gasped and her eyes widened in shock as recognition finally registered in her mind.  She leapt back as though burnt and desperately fumbled for her spear.

There was a blur of motion from Mousse and he was suddenly standing in front of Mei-Yin, a gloved hand tightly gripping the shaft of her spear.  He smiled and stepped closer until he was almost touching her.  "What's wrong Mei-Yin?" he asked softly, stepping closer until they were cheek to cheek.  "Don't you want to play?" 

Mei-Yin froze when he appeared so close to her and began to pale as he whispered in her ear like a lover.  "Mu Tzu," she whispered hoarsely.  "What...?"  Mousse raised a finger and held it to her lips.

"Hush," he said, staring her in the eye.  "Don’t try to understand, it would be a waste of time." 

"Mu Tzu," she repeated louder and more than a little dazedly.  The crowd stirred as they heard this, whispers and similar shocked expressions exchanged by all the amazons present.  "But you... you're..."

Mousse laughed warmly, as though sharing a joke with an old friend, but his eyes still held the malicious humor that arose when he first saw them.  "Dead?  You always did underestimate me Mei-Yin."  He turned his head slowly to look at the women surrounding him, many now brandishing their weapons.  He noted with pleasure that most of their expressions were ones of fright and the rest still too dumbstruck to even take a proper fighting stance.  He turned back to face Mei-Yin.   With her eyes bugged out and mouth opening and closing in utter shock, he couldn't help but compare her with a landed fish. 

He reached out and gently patted her face.  "Don't worry yourself too much over this."  He smiled.  "I wouldn't have made you a good husband anyway." 

Pausing to savor the sick expression on Mei-Yin's face when she heard this, he turned to face the crowd.  "Thank you for your time, but I must be leaving now.  Don’t worry though, I’ll be back."  With that he flourished his coat and bowed.  Explosions resounded through the village as clouds of smoke erupted from the ground around Mousse.  When the smoke had cleared and the shouting had died down among the amazons, he was already gone.

*** 

Mousse stopped in front of a small house on the outskirts of the village.  It was an old house.  The paint was flaking where there still was paint and the wood used to build the house looked old, ready to give in under its own weight.  The fields behind the house was overgrown with weeds, slowly returning to the wilderness from which it came.  He walked up slowly to the front door and gently ran a hand down its frame, as though afraid it would break or disappear if he tried to open it.  Home.  My home.

He pushed the door in and stopped, looking around and taking in the sight of his home.  Everything was there as he remembered it.  The same sparse furnishings, the same curtains at the windows that filtered the sunlight and dimmed the room, the same black and white ink paintings with verses of poetry written on the bottom.  He paused at one, a beautiful painting depicting a waterfall pouring into a misty valley below.

...I keep my memories stored in the treasure box of my past... 

He smiled sadly.  My father, the artist.

He moved on, examining everything about his home.  It was smaller than he had remembered, but that was to be expected.  He paused at a wooden cabinet as tall as he was.  He reached up and ran his fingers down to the keyhole that kept it sealed.  A set of lockpicks and a moment later and it was unlocked.

Mousse opened the doors and stepped back.  Inside was an incredible amount of weapons.  Knives, clubs, swords, spears, chains, hooks, and a variety of other weapons were mounted neatly inside.  The cabinet seemed almost too small to carry such a huge array of weapons, but such was the way of Masters of Hidden Weapons. 

He smiled again, this time proudly.  My father, the warrior.

The smile disappeared from his face as he continued looking around.  The place was dusty.  He looked at the hand that touched the cabinet and wasn’t surprised to see a thin layer of dust on his fingers.  His mother would never have allowed this.

He wiped his hand on his pants and continued looking around.  He was amazed that no one had come to loot the place.  But then, considering its former occupants, the Amazons probably thought the place had bad feng shui and avoided it as much as possible. 

Unpleasant memories began to bubble up to the surface of his mind, dark memories he knew he would be better off without.  This place was full of them.  He grit his teeth.  Do what needs to be done and leave.

*** 

The amazon elder Po-Hsin hobbled along the dirt path leading to the outskirts of the village as quickly as she could.  She gasped and leaned heavily on her staff as she stopped in front of the house where a sizeable crowd of the warriors had gathered.  At over one hundred and fifty years old, she was not as spry as she used to be. 

The elder tapped her staff on the shoulder of the warrior closest to her.  The warrior turned, eyes widened and bowed deeply.  “Honored Matriarch…” she began.

Po-Hsin cut her off with a wave of her staff.  “What’s happening here, child?  Why are the warriors gathered around the house of Sun?”

The warrior paused and licked her lips, nervously casting glances back at the house as though expecting something horrible to emerge.  “Honored Matriarch, a ghost has come back to our village!” 

A feeling of apprehension formed deep in Po-Hsin’s gut.  She could see the rest of the warriors were also nervous, sweating and gripping their weapons tightly.  It couldn’t be him.

“And who is this ghost, child?” 

“It is the ghost of Mu Tzu, Honored Matriarch.” 

The apprehension suddenly turned into a black hole, and she gripped her staff tightly to keep from falling.  The younger woman came forward to help, but the elder waved her off sharply.  He’s alive. Ancestors, but he’s still alive.

“Po-Hsin.” 

Po-Hsin looked up to see the only other elder in village besides her coming down the path.  Lo-Hsin was the youngest of the elders, inducted into the amazon high council a bare three decades ago, but quickly became the most feared.  As tall as the tallest man, she was renowned throughout the village for her hot temperament as she was for her martial ability.  Her hard, hawk-like eyes caught the gaze of the younger warrior. 

“Go back to the others,” she said with a sharp motion of her head.  “I wish to speak with my sister alone.” 

She waited while the young warrior bowed deeply, and was out of hearing range until she turned to Po-Hsin.  Her features softened as she looked down on her fellow elder.

“Po-Hsin, you must not strain yourself like this,” she said softly.  “What would this village do without its finest healer?” 

Po-Hsin waved her hand in dismissal.  “My health is not important now Lo-Hsin.”  She turned her head to look down the path.  “Did you hear the news?” she asked quietly. 

Lo-Hsin nodded.  “Yes, something about a phantom returning to take revenge on the village.  What is the meaning of this?” 

“It’s Mu Tzu.  He’s alive.” 

Lo-Hsin drew in a sharp breath, and let it out in a hiss.  “Ku-Lon, you fool.”  She looked back toward the house.  “Has he done anything?” she asked softly.

Po-Hsin noticed that her sister matriarch had paled considerably and shook her head.  “No, not yet,” she said.  Her brow furrowed.  “It’s strange, but I couldn’t feel his strength.” 

“Then maybe it really is a ghost.” 

Po-Hsin shook her head.  “Not likely.  Ghosts don’t leave bootprints.  And if it were a ghost, I would have at least sensed something, but it is as though nothing is there.”  She frowned slightly, and stared into the distance.  She snapped back to reality.  “But that’s not important.  We must accept the fact that Mu Tzu has returned, alive and well, and more than likely come to take his revenge on us.” 

Lo-Hsin nodded.  “What do we do about it?”

“The only thing we can do.  It is unlikely he will listen to us, so we must kill him.”  She sighed heavily, feeling the weight of her age settle across her shoulders.  “Organize the warriors.  Surround the house and make sure no one escapes.  Hide the men and children and tell them no one comes out until the fighting is over.” 

Lo-Hsin nodded sharply, her hardness returning.  “What will you do, sister?” 

Po-Hsin sighed.  “I must go and prepare the infirmary.  If he is anything like I remember, there will be many wounded after this battle.”

***

Mousse stood in the center of the now empty house.  Everything, the paintings, the furniture, even the curtains, were gone.  Motes of dust floated lazily on beams of sunlight streaming in from now unobstructed windows.  He paced the room slowly, making sure he didn’t miss anything.  After today he wanted there to be no evidence that he or his family was ever a part of this tribe.

Satisfied with his inspection, he nodded and turned his attention outside.  He was aware that all of the village warriors had surrounded the house during the past half hour.   

He grinned.  Time to have some fun.

***

“The demon is coming out!”

The warning cry went out among the amazon warriors, immediately followed by the sound of weapons being drawn.  Like jungle cats on the hunt, every woman stared intently as the door opened, waiting to pounce on the intruder.

Lo-Hsin nodded in approval.  All traces of fear were gone from her warriors as soon as she had taken command, replaced with righteous anger for their indignation at the hands of this male.  There was no way he was leaving this place, ghost or no. 

The battlecry that began among the amazons died as the intruder stepped out.  He swept his eyes over the amazons facing him, grim as death itself, and they all stepped back involuntarily whenever his gaze fell upon them.  Even when outnumbered and surrounded, the aura of danger around him was almost palpable.

Lo-Hsin could only stare in wonderment.  This is Mu Tzu? 

“Let me pass,” he stated simply, his voice as cold as the north wind.  The amazons, hearing him speak, seemed to realize what they have done and stepped forward again, howling battlecries and brandishing weapons.

His lips curled up into a cold smile.  “If that’s the way you want it.” 

He stepped forward slightly so that his right foot was slightly in front of his left and leaned back on his heels.  He shoved his hands into his pockets.  “Well then,” he said.  “Shall we begin?”

He was still smiling as the amazons screamed, surging forth as one to kill him.

Part II

Mousse watched as the descending sun set the sky on fire, while from the east hints of blue twilight began to make its way west. The lake in the valley below reflected the light with an almost mirror like quality.

He admired it for a moment before he stretched languidly and settled back onto the grass. I’ve never known the sunsets here were so beautiful. He smiled wryly. Then again I’ve never been able to see them before.

He drew in a deep breath of mountain air and let it out contentedly. There were only two elders in the village and one of them wasn’t a threat. The other three were probably off somewhere in another country searching for any martial arts they could learn and then teach the rest of the village. Perfect.

Perhaps I should wipe out the village. He smiled at the thought. It wouldn’t be too hard after I eliminate the elders. Or then again maybe I should kill all of the elders first and then come back.

He mulled the thought over in his mind for a few minutes before coming to a conclusion. He pulled a coin out of his sleeve.

Heads I do the village now, tails later. He flipped the coin in the air, caught it his palm and flipped it over to the back of his other hand. Tails.

He shrugged and the coin disappeared back in to his sleeve. Later it is.

He yawned sleepily. I have a while before full dark. I can rest for a few hours.

Before closing his eyes he pulled out his two revolvers. He pulled the catches and flipped out the cylinders, checking each chamber. Satisfied that they were fully loaded, he lay back and felt himself drift.

He smiled faintly before sleep claimed him. Soon. Very soon.

***

“Be still child, this won’t take more than a moment,” Po-Hsin assured the young Amazon lying in front of her. The warrior nodded once, her face pale and drawn from pain. A sharp cracking sound filled the air for a brief moment as Po-Hsin set her broken leg straight. To the young warrior’s credit she didn’t cry out, but she was in no position to cry out at her own misfortune. She was one of the lucky ones to have gotten away with only a broken limb.

The elder sighed as she prepared the splint. She could feel the weariness settle across her shoulders. Only once during her entire life as an elder could she recall the Amazon people being dealt such a harsh blow.

She tightened the strips of cloth bounding the leg to the splint while she pondered the situation. Twelve dead. Twice that many wounded and a third of them won’t likely survive the night. Not since the battles with the Musk have our people been defeated so badly.

She straightened up, groaning and knuckling the small of her back. She looked down and saw her patient was already asleep without the aid of any herbs. She leaned over and gently brushed a few strands of pastel colored hair away from the sleeping girl’s forehead before picking up her staff and making her way around the infirmary. All around she saw the warriors, the Amazon children, her children, lying in bed while the men kept silent vigil around them. Soft cries of pain from the wounded and the dying echoed throughout the hall.

Po-Hsin leaned heavily on her staff as she walked heavily to the entrance. She had done all she could do and it wasn’t enough. Not nearly enough.

She looked up to see Lo-Hsin standing at the window beside the door, arms crossed and with a face that looked chiseled out of stone.

Po-Hsin walked up next to her fellow elder and looked at her with concern. Some wounds are not physical.

“He’s out there,” Lo-Hsin said, tone flat and hard. “He’s out there watching us right now.”

They stood there in silence before Lo-Hsin spoke again. “I was so close,” she said, her voice almost breaking. “I was so close to the bastard I could have killed him if I had not hesitated like a coward.”

Po-Hsin shook her head sadly. Some wounds go deeper than the physical. “Sister, you could not have known he would use those… things. And what if he had more? You would be among the wounded or the dead right now.”

Lo-Hsin’s expression hardened even more. “He stopped using those things, those guns, after he used them to kill the first twelve of our warriors. It was my own fear that kept me from facing him sooner.”

Po-Hsin felt her mouth twist in distaste. That’s what they were called, guns. Loud and unwieldy looking things. She had seen one taken apart when she was younger, all bits and pieces of metal fit together to form an ugly contraption that didn’t seem to have any apparent use. They did not have the simple grace and elegance of a sword or spear. They were a coward’s weapons, made for those from ‘civilization’ who lacked the courage to match their strength and wits against their opponent. However, despite all this, guns were fearsome weapons, more deadly than anything the Amazons were trained with. And it seems Mu Tzu had mastered them.

“We must contact our sisters as soon as possible Lo-Hsin. They must be warned that…”

Lo-Hsin shook her head. “The messenger birds are dead.”

Po-Hsin’s eyes widened in shock. “How did this happen?”

The other elder’s expression became even grimmer. “He killed them all. The cage was set on fire.”

“What about the carrier birds? Surely he didn’t destroy the eyrie?”

Lo-Hsin nodded. “Did you hear the thunder earlier? It wasn’t thunder. The eyrie was destroyed. I don’t know how he did it but he somehow managed to collapse the entire peak. There is no way to get messages to our sisters.”

The feeling of dread was back in Po-Hsin’s stomach, stronger than before. Mu Tzu was more dangerous than they realized. Much more.

“You should have seen him Po-Hsin. The way he fought, even after he stopped using those guns. If he were born female he would have been an Amazon to be proud of. But now…”

Lo-Hsin clenched her fists. “We should have let him be. It is our fault he turned into this monster.”

Po-Hsin placed a hand on her fellow elder’s arm. “Sister, you saw what he was like when he was younger. He was a danger to all those around him. We had to get rid of him somehow or he would have destroyed our people from the inside out.”

Lo-Hsin jerked her arm away from her sister, still grim and with a look of regret in her eyes. Po-Hsin continued. “It doesn’t matter now. We cannot call for help and many of our warriors are unable to fight. We must prepare for the time Mu Tzu returns.”

“I’ve already sent patrols on the outskirts of the village,” Lo-Hsin replied. “Many wanted to go into the forest after him to avenge their fallen sisters but I would not allow it. You don’t need any more patients.”

Po-Hsin nodded tiredly. “I think I’ll go home now. I’ve tended to all those I could and I must rest. You should get some sleep too.”

Lo-Hsin shook her head. “He is still out there and I’m the only one that can fight him. I must stay alert for his coming.” She looked down at Po-Hsin. “Do you need a guard? I can…”

“No, you need as many women out there on patrol as you can,” she replied before Lo-Hsin could go any further. “I think I’ll be safe just going to my home.”

“If that’s the way you feel sister, then so be it. Just be careful.”

She watched as Po-Hsin hobbled outside, leaning heavily on her staff. Age was catching up with her fast. She turned her attention outside. He was out there, waiting for the right time to strike. She felt a pang of regret, knowing that all of this could have been prevented.

Perhaps this is how we are to be punished? One of our own coming back to kill us all?

She stopped before she went any further. Thoughts like that can get a person killed in battle. Regardless of what happened in the past, her duty now was to protect the village. With that, she firmed her resolve and continued her watch.

***

Po-Hsin made her way slowly down the street to her home. Everywhere were warriors with torches, weapons at ready, patrolling the streets and outside the village. All bowed respectfully as she passed but she paid them no mind. Her thoughts were on how she was going to explain to the rest of the tribe how Mu Tzu, who was supposedly dead, had returned, killed many of its warriors, and then disappeared. They now knew it was not a ghost. A ghost could not have done nearly so much damage.

She opened the door to her house and walked in. It was no larger than a common warrior’s house, but she preferred it that way. Inside was completely dark, but she was familiar with the place and easily made her way around any obstacles. She stopped in front of the fireplace and bent down, gathering up pieces of flint and steel. She struck the pieces together sharply and watched as sparks lit the tinder. Soon a fire was started and the room was bathed in its cheery glow.

She stood up, groaning, and reached for her staff. It wasn’t there.

“That fire’s too small, you need more wood than that. Here, let me.”

There were three sharp cracks as she heard her staff snapped into smaller pieces and thrown into the fire.

“There that’s much better.”

Po-Hsin didn’t need to turn to see who stood beside her. “Mu Tzu,” she whispered, her voice trembling.

There was no answer. She stood there, terrified, without turning to face the one standing beside her. Long moments passed as she waited, the crackling fire the only sound in the room.

“Look at me.”

She obeyed without thinking, turning slowly until she was fully facing him. He loomed over her, the firelight highlighting one half of his face while casting the other half into shadows. His green eyes glinted as they looked down at her.

His lips peeled back into a grin. “Po-Hsin. You look well.”

“Mu Tzu,” she whispered again. “What…”

She stopped suddenly as Mu Tzu pushed her roughly back into a chair.

“Have a seat, elder,” he said amiably. “Someone your age shouldn’t be moving around so much.”

He pulled up a chair and sat across from the elder and leaned back, setting one leg over the other.

Po-Hsin shifted uncomfortably, her bones aching from being shoved into the chair. “What do you want Mu Tzu?” she asked.

Mousse’s grin was replaced by a look of disappointment. “After all this time, and that’s all you can say to me?” He turned his head away. “I though you would have at least offered me some tea,” he said sadly.

Po-Hsin began to speak again but was cut off by a raised hand from Mousse. “No, no, that’s alright, I’ll answer your question. I’m a guest in your home so it’s the least I can do.”

Suddenly he was out of his seat and in front of Po-Hsin, hands gripping the armrests with his face inches from hers.

“I want to kill you,” he whispered, his eyes burning with a hatred so intense Po-Hsin could feel it on her skin. “All of you. I want the streets to flow with the blood of the Amazons. I want to burn this pathetic village to the ground and piss on its ashes. I want any evidence that the Amazon people ever existed to be wiped off the face of this planet. What I want is your total and utter extinction.”

Po-Hsin shuddered as realization dawned on her. She feared that Mu Tzu had gone mad. It would explain his actions and in fact, she fully expected him to have snapped, going through what he had. But now she saw something that truly terrified her. He was completely, frighteningly sane. He hated her and the Amazons with the passion of a madman but had somehow managed to keep his mind intact.

“How did it feel,” he asked, still close enough so she could feel his breath on her face. “How did it feel when you took my life from me? Did you feel relieved? Proud, that you removed a threat from your disgusting way of life? Did you believe you were doing the right thing?”

Po-Hsin couldn’t look away. The sheer hate in his eyes kept her transfixed as well as if he had stabbed her through with a spear.

He stood up slowly, a sneer forming on his face. “I thought as much.”

Po-Hsin watched in horror as he pulled out a number of small knives from his coat. She said the only thing she could think of before he lifted her up by the front of her robe.

“Your hate will consume you in the end, Mu Tzu.”

He paused and he lowered his knife, a thoughtful expression on his face. Then he smiled. “Perhaps Elder Po-Hsin. But not before I take back what is mine.”

***

Lo-Hsin stood in front of Po-Hsin’s house and knocked again. She let out a frustrated sound. One of the injured warriors had started screaming and thrashing and wouldn’t stop. She herself had only rudimentary knowledge of healing herbs, and she knew nothing of how to treat a patient. Finally fed up with waiting she opened the door.

What immediately hit her was the smell. Blood.

She hurried in and stopped, her heart pounding, and quickly searched the room. The fire had died down, casting a dim light that only left flickering shadows rather than illumination.

She waited tensely, searching the room and listening for any intruder.

She moved forward slowly, eyes and ears straining to sense anything out of the ordinary. The scent of blood was getting stronger. She stopped when her foot touched something. She cast her gaze down and frowned. On the floor was a pile of something she didn’t recognize. She nudged it slightly with her foot and grimaced. It was soft and glistened in the dim firelight.

She crouched down to get a closer look and then recoiled in horror. It was a pile of entrails. She raised her head up and a scream began to form in her throat. Po-Hsin was on the ceiling, multiple knives driven through her limbs to keep her pinned and her midsection cut open to let her innards fall to the floor. Her eyes held the glaze of death but her face was still contorted in the same excruciating pain she must have felt before she died.

Lo-Hsin tripped while scrambling back, trying to escape the horror that she found. She landed on her back, sprawled and looking up. A shadow detached itself from the wall and stood over her, turning into the form of Mu Tzu.

Her eyes widened in alarm as he smiled coldly. “Goodnight Gracie,” he said, bringing his fist down on her face.

***

Lo-Hsin awoke to the sound of rain. She blinked, wondering if it was all just a terrible nightmare. A flash of lightning briefly illuminated the room, revealing the smiling face of Mu Tzu hovering above her.

She snarled, leaping from the bed and into a fighting stance. Her eyes widened in surprise as she realized was still looking down on her. The surprise quickly turned to horror when she realized she couldn’t move.

She tried frantically to move her body but it would not follow her orders. What’s happening!?

Mu Tzu smiled smugly. “I suppose you’re wondering how I did this.”

He leaned forward, a small vial in his hand. “This is atracurium,” he said. “It is a derivative of curare. Unlike curare, however, it is better suited as an anesthetic, especially if you want your patient fully aware during the procedure.”

“Don’t worry,” he continued, seeing the look of fear in her eyes. “I’m not going to do to you what I did to Po-Hsin. I’m running out of time and I must hurry.”

He pulled a round object out of his sleeve and held it in front of her. “Do you know what this is? This is what is called a fragmentation grenade. Would you like to know how it works? Okay then. It normally works by pulling the pin and throwing it at the enemy. It then explodes. However it’s not the explosion that usually kills them. It’s the jagged pieces of metal that fly out when it explodes that get them.”

He began tossing it from one hand to another. “I modified this one so that an electric charge would set it off.”

Lo-Hsin followed him with her eyes, the only part of her body she could control. She watched as he stood up and tied the grenade to a wire suspended directly above her head. Sweat began to pour down her face as she watched him move to the foot of the bed. The wire ran from there to the ceiling, which was in turn attached to the grenade.

Suddenly, numbers lit up from the foot of her bed. There was a digital display set on a tripod, the numbers shining with a red light. He pressed something on the display and moved back to the side of the bed.

“In three minutes that thing is going to start,” he said. “I’ll assume you know basic arithmetic in spite of your wondrous education here in this primitive village so let me explain. It’s going to randomly choose a number between one and one hundred. When it hits a prime number the grenade above you will explode. Then you will die.”

Lo-Hsin desperately tried to move but all she could manage was a noise in her throat.

Mu Tzu only smiled at her impotent struggling. He crouched down until his head was by hers.

“Before I leave, I just want you to know that I’m not done yet. After I’m done hunting down the other elders, I’m coming back to destroy this town. Take this thought with you before you go to hell.”

He stood and turned to leave but then stopped and turned back around. “By the way is it alright if I take these,” he asked, dangling two small silver medallions in front of her face. “You know, as souvenirs for old times’ sake.”

In spite of the anesthetic, Lo-Hsin almost screamed. The medallions were symbols of authority for the elders, passed down for countless generations and only earned through the most demanding of trials. To have this monster in possession of them…

Mu Tzu smiled. “Really? It’s all right? That’s great. Well, I’ll be seeing you around. Later.”

Lo-Hsin could only watch as he walked out the door. That little bastard! When I get out of here…

A beep from the foot of her bed stopped her thoughts. Sweat began pouring down her face as she watched in terror as the screen blinked a few times before displaying numbers.

…8…24…35…14…58…72…75…

***

Mousse once again stood on the hill overlooking the village. Many small points of torchlight could be seen gathered around a single house.

He smiled coldly. I guess they found the bodies.

He pulled out a watch and began counting down in his mind. 3…2…1…

An explosion ripped through the night air, followed by the sound of rocks tumbling down the mountain, piling up at the entrance to the village. He turned and made his way back through the wilderness. With their birds dead and the main road cut off the Amazons won’t be able to warn the elders before it’s too late.

Mousse looked down at the piece of paper, written in Po-Hsin’s hand. First stop, Tibet.

To be continued…