Legacy: Aftermath

"Jackie Chan?" I said and he smiled.

"Come, we are having dinner with my family. Scarlett asked me to invite you."

"I... hold on..." I grabbed the two tomes and he stared at me. "They are very valuable and I can't leave them unguarded."

"How valuable?" He asked as we walked down the hallway to the elevator.

"Priceless, I don't think I could replace either of them."

"I understand. How long have you known Scarlett?"

"We met on the flight over."

I left out all the embarrassing parts and shared that it was a possible job offer to hunt down antiques for her. He seemed okay with that explanation. I was surprised that he came up himself to ask me to dinner. I would have gone even if his driver had come in his place. Jackie was a genuinely nice guy and it showed. During the drive to the restaurant I asked him about his movies and he seemed amazed at my near encyclopedic knowledge of the different martial art styles he used. That spawned a whole new conversation. He noticed how I used specific terms to describe certain strikes and kicks. He zeroed in on that and worked out that I had studied martial arts.

"Where did you study?"

"There is a monastery in the Fujian province. I was the first white student that graduated. I think I maybe the only white guy to do that."

"How did you manage?" He asked as we pulled up to the restaurant.

"My father knew a lot of people." I said and left it at that.

Scarlett was already there and dressed to the nines. She took me by the arm and barely noticed the books I was lugging around. She introduced me as an antique salesman and that seemed to explain the books. Jackie took the tomes and promised they would be safe until dinner was over. I released them and met cast and crew of the movie. I shook hands and turned into fan boy more than once when I met Jet Li and Donnie Yen. The food was amazing and the stories they shared held me spellbound. I played translator when Jackie and the others slipped into Cantonese. Scarlett stayed close and when the meal ended we mingled. She held onto my arm and asked me about the flight over. I told her what had happened.

"I had a dream about us on the plane," she whispered in my ear. "What you said fits perfectly. Speaking of fitting perfectly... stay with me. I could really use the company while I am here. I am sure we could share a room at my hotel if you wanted."

"Why me," I asked and she looked lost. "I see. I guess I'll be cancelling my flight tomorrow. How long are we going to be here?"

"Shooting shouldn't take more than three months." She guestimated.

"I can do three months. I will work the shops while you are on set. Who knows maybe I can find a few little treasures to send home."

"I know the perfect place to store your books if you are worried about them."

The party slowly wound down. I was still a little star struck after having met and talked to some of my favorite action stars. The director offered me walk on privileges so that I could see Scarlett and the others in action. I offered my help as a translator if it would help. We were about to leave when a girl in her late teens raced up to our group and began begging for help. Two seconds later three men appeared behind her. She looked like she had been beaten and they looked like the kinds that would dish out one. I stood up and placed myself between the girl and the thugs. Scarlett was telling me not to get involved but I ignored her. The girl was saying that she escaped and the men went from menacing to out and out threatening.

"This is none of your business." The lead thug said in broken English as he narrowed his eyes.

"Move along," I said watching their body language carefully.

"Who does this fucker think he is?" One of the other thugs said in Cantonese.

"He thinks he is calling the cops," I said in Cantonese as I reached for my cell phone.

"No bother," Jackie said waving over his personal security team.

The lead thug burst into action and launched himself at me. I blocked the knife thrust and kept him away from the girl and Jackie. This was no staged Kung Fu combat this was a street fight and there were no rules. My full attention was on the knife and I tracked it as he moved and slashed at me. I was waiting for an opportunity to grab his wrist but he wasn't making it easy. The security had isolated the actors and the police were on their way. That hadn't slowed this guy for wanting to do serious bodily harm. He was fast but he wasn't trained and that made him unpredictable.

The sound of sirens set this guy off. He went from pissed to insane. I think he figured he could hurt me and take the girl before the cops arrived. He launched himself into a frenzy as his friends ran off leaving him alone. He managed to cut me twice before I landed a blow. The effect was instant and satisfying. He was stunned long enough for two of the security guards to jump him and pin him to the ground. The police arrived and we told them what had happened. They agreed to help the girl and get her back to her family.

"That was amazing," the director said and that was seconded by actors and crew alike.

"I trained at a monastery in the Fujian Province when I was younger." I shared as one of Jackie's relatives tended to the cuts I had suffered in the fight. "It was the longest five years of my life. It took forever to make friends. Now that I look back they are more like family."

The police took statements and I was chastised for putting myself in harm's way. I think it had more to do with paperwork for a tourist being injured than anything else. I was just glad to be of help and left it at that. It was Donnie Yen that asked me about my breathing technique. As a world classed athlete and martial arts champion he picked up on it.

"You're not even out of breath," he remarked and that's when the others realized it as well.

"He was going full out," Jackie said. "But you barely broke a sweat, impressive."

"Let's call it a night," the director suggested. "Let's get everyone home safe and sound."

Scarlett and I were the last out of the limo. We stopped by to get my things from my hotel and check out. I was stunned at the size of Scarlett's penthouse suite. It was freaking huge! It had its own wall safe and that is where the books sat when I wasn't pouring over their contents. I split my time between being on set, checking out shops throughout Hong Kong and practicing spells and martial arts. My days were spent alone and my nights with Scarlett. She was insatiable once she got going. I don't know where she got her energy. She could be on set for twelve hours or more. Add all the wire work the part required and I was exhausted watching her. But once she was off the set we would eat and fuck like bunnies.

"How do you do it?" I asked after the first week of shooting.

"Easy, I have been watching the way you breathe. It really works. My stamina has tripled at least since I began practicing it. I have enough energy for the director and you. Now be a good boy and let me eat you alive."

I discovered Scarlett was as mercurial in bed as she was on set. One night she might be submissive and then, like tonight, she was the fierce huntress and dominant. She liked to roleplay and act out characters for me. Her voice was equally changeable and went from excited high schooler to fierce temptress. While some of the elements of our love play varied certain things were inevitable. She would end up with her ass high in the air and me behind her pounding her for all I was worth. Sometimes we would snuggle close and fall asleep in each other's arms while other times we would sit on the balcony and look out over the city. It was on one of those times that we talked while under a light blanket.

"There is only a week left," she whispered.

"Yeah, time flies but damn it's been one hell of a ride."

"You and Donnie did a great job choreographing that last fight scene of mine."

"He shocked me when he asked my opinion last month on the scene between Jackie and the Tong members. I still can't believe he let me tweak that fight."

"He wanted to see what a fan could do and you didn't disappoint. You should consider working in Hollywood. You'd make a great martial art choreographer." Scarlett suggested leaning closer. "You took to wire work pretty quick too."

"I can't wait to tell my kids I'll be random guy on bench." I said and we laughed.

"Are you really staying here?" She asked and I nodded.

"Not here exactly," I said correcting her. "I have to follow the clue my dad left behind."

"See, that is what I mean. I play at the adventurer but you and Jackie are actually going to travel together to this monastery up in the mountains."

"He surprised me when he offered to accompany me. Besides it's only a week at most. I need to close this chapter behind me."

We cuddled as we felt the time together dwindling. She was going back to California and I was heading to an unknown future. I think she wanted to go but fear of the unknown was too much. She had a child to think of. I was free to act since I had only my siblings and mother to be concerned over. They could go on if something happened. If I had a child I might hesitate. I would take their life into consideration. They deserved a parent there to help raise them. If I were a father I wouldn't be here. I would set aside those things and focus on them. I would have missed out on a great many things but a child trumps such things.

"What is that look?" Scarlett asked.

"I was just thinking that if I had a child I wouldn't be here." I told her and she smiled. "I wouldn't be following these breadcrumbs left by my dad. I would be home with my son or daughter. It would make for less adventure but being a parent is an adventure all its own."

She kissed me. It was soft and tender. I slipped my arm around her waist and held her close. We left the balcony and returned to her bed. I held her as we fell asleep. The alarm went off too soon as she had an early shoot. It was still dark outside when we showered and left for the shoot location. We were eating breakfast in her dressing room when we were told that the weather was going to delay the shoot. The thunder came from nowhere. It was so damn loud it nearly shook the trailer. I went outside and stared at the sky. Dawn was still twenty minutes away and a blast of lightning illuminated the clouds overhead as well as something else. I saw something move amidst the thunderheads. The roar of thunder was deafening as the first heavy drops of rain fell. I continued to stare as another flash of lightning hit and I saw it clearly.

"No fucking way..." I gasped as I witnessed the oriental dragon slither its way through the clouds. "Holy shit."

The rain went from a few fat drops hitting the ground to a complete torrential downpour. I remained fixed in place looking for another glimpse of that impossible creature. I heard the roar of thunder and my world went white. I was on the hard and unyielding concrete blinking away the rain when Jackie shook me out of my reverie. I looked at him and he helped me up and into Scarlett's trailer. He was shouting in Cantonese for a medic as they directed a stumbling half lucid me onto a couch. I felt half in and half out of my body. I have some disjointed memories as they treated me. Scarlett was crying and hugging me as the medics went to work. I remember slipping away into blissful sleep.

The cloud hung over the bay and the brilliant orb of the sun rose setting the clouds afire. The celestial flames blazed around the body of the serpentine dragon. Its scales were like a blend of ivory and mother of pearl. The sun gleamed casting thousands of rainbows from the sinuous body as it flexed and straightened. I looked up into its majestic face. He smiled down at me and I found myself smiling back.

"You live."

"It feels like a dream." I said and it laughed. I clapped my hands over my ears. "Too loud."

"I forget you are still transitioning. My voice is not for mortal kind. I am sorry brother."

"Brother..." I said and the dragon nodded. "This is a dream right."

"Dreams always hold a measure of truth. Dreams come from within and reveal much about ourselves. Don't judge them unfairly." It rumbled as the edges of the dream collapsed.

I opened my eyes and my first sight was the ceiling of the trailer. I blinked a few times and tried to sit up. A hand was on my chest and Jackie was sitting next to me. He offered me a bottle of water and told me how lucky I was. He supported my head as I drank. I asked him what happened and he told me.

"You were hit," he informed me being indirect. "On the bright side, you have a new look."

"Look, what kind of look," I asked and he handed me a mirror. "Whoa, I have premature gray hair." I announced when I saw the stripe of silvery white hair that ran along my left temple. "What happened?"

"Lightning," Jackie said. "You were staring up at the sky when the bolt hit. I was heading for my trailer when you dropped. We got you in and the medics checked you out. You are tougher than you look. Rest now, if you need anything just ask."

"Thanks Jackie," I said and he smiled.

Scarlett sat on the edge of the couch and kissed me. She stroked my hair and cried. I told her I would be okay. Scarlett told me everything they did while I was out. They had monitored my heart and breathing. They had been shocked that both were perfectly normal. While I felt a little weak I didn't hurt anywhere. My mind felt clear and there was the sense of déjà vu. Why did this feel so familiar?

"Oh shit..." I said looking into Scarlett's eyes. "I get it."

"Get what?" She asked her eyebrows furrowing.

"I..." I was about to tell her about the first time I touched the spell tome and it had launched me across the room. "It's gone... sorry." I stopped and knew that I couldn't share that part of my life with her. "Forgive me..."

"Hush," she said soothingly. "You got blasted by sky fire. You are allowed to be disorientated."

"Sky fire..." I said and she grinned. "I'm going to rest."

I closed my eyes and focused on my breathing. The fatigued was driven away but I remained prone to ease her concern. I wiggled my fingers and toes first. I moved the rest of my extremities until I was sure that no permanent damage had been done. I felt no twinges or anything that might hint of nerve damage. I had been lucky. Was there a connection? My memory of being hit by the power in the book and the sky fire were so similar. Was this going to happen again? I lay on the couch and listened to the soft patter of rain hitting the roof. I was reminded of driving with my dad on the east coast during a buying trip. We were in the boonies of Massachusetts while he drove his Cadillac through the muddy roads to the backward town of Dunwich. It had been raining then. The heavy drops hitting the roof of the Caddie was soothing.

"You are smiling." Scarlett whispered in my ear.

"Just remembering," I told her. "It was the summer before I headed off to China. We were on a buying trip in New England. It had been raining as we slogged up a muddy road to a small town that was along the banks of the Miskatonic River. The place really creeped me out."

"I've never heard of the Miskatonic," she said from her spot on the floor next to me.

"It is south of Boston," I said remembering. "It runs eastward to the coast and dumps into the Atlantic around Arkham. Arkham is the largest coastal city you've never heard of. It has a huge port, handles tons of ships, but never gets much press. It's a sleep little community. Dunwich is the town that time forgot. Electricity is still considered a huge innovation. I think they have the internet but don't quote me on it."

"So, what happened?" She asked her lips brushing my ear.

"It rained and we spent three days rummaging through half a dozen barns and nick knack shops. I found a rare figurine while my dad found a ton of shit. He had a gift for that sort of thing. The rain brought back that little memory."

"What about us? What do you think will spark a memory about me?" Scarlett asked kissing my cheek.

"Balconies," I said without hesitation. "I don't think I will ever be able to look out over a city and not remember the time we've had together."

Silence fell between us. We had already had that conversation. The talk about me joining her in Hollywood and entering her lifestyle. I had a life waiting for me. I had a plan. We would wait and see how my quest played itself out. She accepted me and my need to finish what my father had started. I sat up and she clutched at me to take it easy. I sipped more water and told her I was fine. She was having problems accepting that. I told her to put her head in my lap. I sat up properly and she relented. Scarlett lay on the couch with her head cradled in my lap. I stroked her hair and soothed her. The combination of the sound of the falling rain and my fingers sliding through her hair let her fall asleep. Her breathing became more regular and I sat watching her. I could have entered her dream but that had consequences the last time. While she slumbered I worked on my breathing and focused on the lessons of Tao sorcery I had gleaned from the ancient text.

Lily and Legacy:

It was around noon when someone knocked at the door. Scarlett woke and called out to them to come in. As she sat up the director entered and informed us that filming would begin shooting. I was asked to stand in for one of the actors that slipped on the wet concrete and pulled a muscle. I agreed only when I heard that the character wore a mask. I didn't mind covering for someone but I didn't want them getting into trouble since I wasn't a member of the actors guild. I reported to wardrobe and was fitted with a standard bad guy black uniform. I liked the skull mask that only revealed the eyes. While Scarlett was in makeup I was practicing with the fight choreographer. I had been on set the last week and had been watching several of the fight scenes unfold. This scene was a climactic scene as I squared off against Donnie Yen's character.

We walked through the scene at a slow pace to see how much of it I was familiar with. I picked up the moves easily since I had seen it played out a dozen or so times over the last two days. We were to begin shooting at each other and then as we ran out of ammo the real fight began. It was like doing live action roleplaying for me. We shot the first section of the fight three times before the director was satisfied. Donnie and I faced off unarmed and the height of the fight began. Camera angle was key to make hits look impressive. It would look great on film but had little chance of injuring anyone. The mask limited my peripheral vision but I did the best I could.

The first five takes were done at a reasonable speed but it was the last one that he changed things up. I saw that he was going full out. I had to match him to be able to successfully block and make it look right. I did my best to match him and when I lay defeated on the deck I let out a sigh of relief when the director shouted 'cut'. I was helped to my feet and I was layered in sweat. I took off the mask and headed for Scarlett's trailer to wash up. I was passing the director when I saw the actor I was replacing off to the side practicing for another fight scene. His ankle seemed perfectly fine. I stopped and faced the director.

"What the hell man?" I said smiling.

"You've been on set the last few months and sparring with Jackie and Donnie to keep them warmed up. I knew you had it in you and you didn't disappoint. Don't forget that you and Donnie rewrote one of the fight scenes early on. That shows a knack for the craft. I hate not utilizing all the resources at hand. Smile, you'll get a credit as masked villain and help getting to your destination after the filming wraps up."