Mr. Po
((This is a storyline being developed between Lollapalooza and I, and is taken from memory and embellished. My apologies to Lollapalooza for any errors in memory that have occurred as I was writing this. Please feel free to add to the story as well, to make it more robust.))
I was sitting on the reed mats enjoying a leisurely afternoon with my master, one of the aged monks who fled the Shaolin temple's destruction in the 1920's. We were discussing the particular merits of the floral arrangement in a nearby niche, when my cell phone vibrated.
“My apologies zu fu,” I said, as I rose. “I may have another request for help.” Gracious as always, he simply nodded acquiescence and turned back to his contemplation of the flowers.
I went out into the hallway so as to not spoil the tranquility of the tea house before answering the phone. “Hello?”
“Is this the Black Crane Gung Fu studio?” asked the voice on the other end of the line.
“Yes it is.” I replied, knowing that while western logic would indicate I was lying because I was physically at the Cherry Blossom Tea House, I am content with the eastern view that as master of the Black Crane Gung Fu studio, its location is wherever I am at the time. “Are you interested in observing a lesson?”
“Err... no, not at this time. May I speak to Miss Hwa please? This is Lollapalooza from the Project Rebirth superhero group.”
“I am honored, zhang zi,” I replied, giving her the honor of calling her the elder sister I hoped she might become should my application to join that group be approved, though I doubted she recognized the honorific. “This is she, though my given name is Hwa and my family name is Li. In China the family name is given first, so I would be more properly called Miss Li here in America. You may find it easier to refer to me as Meiyen instead. Is this in reference to the application I left with the receptionist as your headquarters this morning? Is there something more you need for it?”
“Ahh... no. I think Blue Migraine will likely be the one contacting you about the application. I read it though, and looked into your credentials. I'm very impressed. Crime is way down in a four-square block around your studio.”
“Thank you, but that is less my doing and more due to my students deciding that they had a responsibility to keep their homes and neighborhood secure. I have been called on to combat crime in other areas of the city since registering with PCHRS and ELITE.”
“Well, they appear to be following your good example, and you must have trained them well. Anyway, after looking at your file I realized that you might be able to help me. Does the name Mr. Po mean anything to you?”
“Not that I can think of.”
“He is one of the Tsoo.”
“I study and teach Shaolin Gung Fu and other Chinese styles, not the styles of Laos.”
“Oh! No! I didn't mean to imply you were part of the Tsoo or associated with the Hmong gang. I am trying to track down this Tsoo boss, who may be posing as in importer in northern Skyway City, in order to arrest him.”
“The name isn't familiar to me, but I will ask my students and see if any of them are aware of this individual. If I find out anything, is there a number I can reach you at, or should I leave a message for you with the receptionist?”
“Calling me would be fine,” she replied, and gave me a number to reach her at. “I look forward to hearing from you.”
“I will call if I find out anything for you, zhang zi.” Putting the phone away, I walked back into the tea house.
Sitting down on the mats I poured another cup of tea for my master from the pot.
“I take it then, that our afternoon together has not yet ended, sun nu?” It is a great honor that this monk should call me granddaughter.
“No, zu fu.” I replied, refilling my cup as well. “That was one of the heroines of Project Rebirth, asking if I knew of a Mr. Po. He is apparently a Tsoo boss and may be posing as an importer here in Skyway City.”
Silence descended as we sipped the tea. Finally my master set down his cup, indicating the conversation could begin again. “I do not know this Mr. Po, but I suspect that Cho Ge might. He was a member of the Chinese Triads before the Hmong gang ousted them from Paragon City. During the fighting, Cho Ge abandoned the Triads and became a soldier of the Tsoo. He has since left them, and is trying to go straight. He may know of this Mr. Po and where to find him. I will set up a meeting between the two of you. And now I must go, sun nu. Will you be available for tea early next week?”
Rising I bowed and fetched his cloak. “I am always at your convenience, zu fu.”
Re: Mr. Po
I had Wes Schnabel, a private detective I had been helping over in Steel Canyon, gather some background information on Cho Ge while I waited for my master to arrange the meeting between us. Cho Ge was a gangster years before the Hmong gang Tsoo ever came on the scene, a hired gun for the Chinese Triads. When the Tsoo ousted the Triads, Cho Ge saw the writing on the wall. He left his old friends and tried to join the Tsoo, but once he understood they were more like a cult than a gang, he decided to turn over a new leaf. He ratted them out to the police. Now he's ostensibly a reformed gang member and an informant for those in the city who fight crime. Whether or not his conversion is complete is unclear, but he certainly seems eager and ready to help the forces for good.
A couple days later, my master sent me a message to go look under the yellow line transit station. There I saw a young man of Chinese descent apparently reading a newspaper, but I sensed he was focused on the surroundings and not the words on the paper in front of him.
“Greetings, son of China. I believe we have may have the same grandfather.” I said, as my zu fu directed, so that Cho Ge might know I was the one sent.
“May I see your security card, daughter of China?” I handed him the card and he looked at it. “I may know the person that you are looking for, but I'd like you to do something for me first. Unfortunately, it is of a sensitive nature. Return to me when your card indicates you have achieved the 15th Security Level. We shall talk then.”
“As you say, son of China,” I replied as I took back my card and departed. Disappointed that the meeting had not produced greater results, still it was not failure.
Finding a quiet corner in the park two levels higher in this multi-tiered section of the city, I called the number Lollapalooza had given me.
“Hello?”
“Greetings, Lollapalooza. This is Meiyen. One of my students has pointed me toward a contact that will be able to point us toward your friend,” I know I lied a tiny bit, but even without naming names, it is wise to protect my master from involvement where he does not choose to intervene.
“Do you trust this contact?”
“I do. He is not the most solid contact, but he has been vouched for by Mr. Schnabel, a private eye I have been working for. He knows what I seek on your behalf, but does not trust me yet. I will pursue this lead for you, but it may take some time to develop.”
“Well, that is more than I had yesterday. Thank you Meiyen.”
A twist, and a hunt for a friend...
Bleary eyed from her DC trip, and ready to see if she can actually snore the plaster off her apartment walls, Lolly flops down on her bed....but sleep doesn't come. One friend in the infirmery, another one on the lamb and I found little to help the situation in Washington. Lolly rubs her temples as she thinks of everything else going on with the group. The Thorn attacks on Bogey and Witchie, the Doc Vahz revolving door, the Tsoo hit on Pebbles still unresolved, the Po investigation, and I missed another band rehearsal.
Sitting on the edge of her bed, Lolly reaches over for her bass. "maybe playing a bit will ease my mind", she thinks. Plucking a few riffs she lets her mind go blank...
"Po".
Setting aside her bass Lolly walks over to her phone. Unconsciously she looks around as she puts on her glasses to read the number. Setting the glasses aside she dials in the number on her 50's style phone.
"Hello?"
"Meiyen? his is Lollapalooza from Project:Rebirth. I appreciate all you have done in the Po investigation...but we are going to put that on the back-burner for right now. We have an emergency that takes top priority."
"we have a member, Code Gorgon, who has gone rogue, we need him found immediately! Please, put every asset you have or know on this as time is critical. Do not, I repeat NOT try and detain this individual as he is very well armed. Call in the Rebirth team and we will handle the apprehension. I'll have a picture and dossier messengered over later in the day."
"Meiyen, I hope I do not have to say that this is a sensitive matter. We're walking a razors edge of getting the word out, while still keeping it a private matter. Do I make myself clear?"
"thank you."
Setting the phone aside, Lolly lays back on her bed...but sleep doesn't come.
Black Atom Project Captain
Posts: 139
(6/13/04 12:02 pm) Reply
Twist
Black Atom wasn't sleeping. In truth, he hadn't truly slept in over 50 years. Occasionally he drifted into a semi-concious state nearing slumber, but even that was denied him at the present. The present for Black Atom was filled with a crackling rage. The zorbrainum radiation that had become the core of his being was throbbing throughout his body with near palpitable tremors.
"I'm sorry sir, but I'm not allowed to let anyone unauthorized past this door." A small, frightened SPC6 tech looked up at Atom's fierce eyes.
Atom briefly imagined burning the impertinent fool's flesh from his bones, but managed a more civil tone when he spoke. He did not need more public attention this close to the recent trial.
"Yes, yes, I can see the wisdom of your orders. Perhaps if you were to answer some simple questions for me, I could be on my way." Atom whispered.
"I don't think I should be talking about the Code Units, sir." The technician persisted. White-hot rage flooded through Black Atom's mind at this pointless delay. One of his companions was incoherant and blind, the other was A.W.O.L., and not responding to commands. The delay was infuriating.
"Listen to me." Atom hissed darkly, his eyes bright green pinpricks of light, "If you value your life at all, if you have any desire of going back to whatever sorry excuse for a home that you have, you will answer....."
"ATOM!" The sharp voice so close behind Black Atom startled him with its suddeness. He turned and looked into the scowl of Lollapalooza. She used her impressive strength to push the larger form of Black Atom aside and stood between him and the technician.
"Back off, Atom. We don't need to threaten this man." Lollapalooza stood unafraid as she stared up into Atom's iridescent eyes. He clenched his jaw tightly before opening his mouth in a snarl and was about to shoot out an angry retort when he has interrupted again.
"Keep your distance, both of you!" Both Lollapalooza and Black Atom turned to see a determined looking african american man in a crisp suit and dark sunglasses.
"I am Agent Wilkins of the S.P.B.I." The man flashed an impressive looking badge and returned it to his coat before sighing.
Re: Twist
Not many times in Lolly's life has she been chewed out, being 6 and a half foot tall has certain benefits, but this agent Wilkins seemed to be making up for lost time. Lolly didn't know how the Super-Powered Bureau of Investigation fit into this, but obviously it had interests in Red Spear as well. Just as obviously, they weren't impressed by our handling of the Easy and Toro mess. Feds.
"Got it? Good." Wilkins finished with the two super-heroes, "Now you tech, you'll follow me unless you want your next post to be following the migration patterns of northern geese on the Aleutian Islands." As the Fed and tech moved off around the corner, two sets of com units went off simultaneously.
"Lolly here. What, you have him located? Kings Row?" Lolly looked over at Atom speaking on his com unit and he gave her a nod that he was getting the message as well. "Ok, don't spook him. Assemble the team, I'm on my way."
"Lolly, you get to Kings Row..." Atom smiles as he cracks his knuckles "...I want one more shot at information from that tech."
As Lolly begins the short hop across the Atlas skylne towards Kings Row she wonders briefly how Atom plans to get his information, shivers, then decides to put that thought out of her mind. As she closes in on the location she begins seeing the small forms of her teammates getting bigger and bigger. The apprehension of Toro is about to begin.
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