Chapter 188 -- LFN Storyboard 2

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Date Posted: 02:10:12 11/16/08 Sun
Author: taurus2124
Author Host/IP: CPE-124-188-8-149.nsw.bigpond.net.au / 124.188.8.149
Subject: Chapter 188
In reply to: taurus2124 's message, "The Rising Dragons - continued" on 04:46:57 11/03/08 Mon

Chapter 188

The three triad passengers aboard their helicopter were in the dark about what was taking place at the monastery they had left a short while ago to return to the mainland. To their minds everything had gone to plan and they were at ease with how events had panned out. Victory had been with the triad. The Rising Dragons had finally brought closure to what had been some very tumultuous months of speculation, doubt, confusion and angst.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Wang Yu closed his eyes but he couldn�t rest. His mind was in overdrive.

At long last the two people who had caused the most grief to the triad over the last couple of months had finally been eliminated. It was strange to think that two people could wreak such havoc on the power and might of the Rising Dragons. Single handily they had nearly brought the triad to its knees. All the trouble and turmoil within and the hostilities with the other triad groups, especially the Black Panthers, had turned out to be nothing more than paranoid suspicion. The Rising Dragons had tried to make sense of the series of events that had been plaguing the triad for months. Placing blame on the rival triad groups seemed the most logical explanation but now it had come to pass that it was actually Section One and its two operatives that had been responsible.

Just how had two people been able to wreak so much damage? Sun Yee Lok would want to know the answer to that question for sure. However, the mantra at its foundation only confirmed in his mind that nothing could bring down the power and might of its organisation. The triad was stronger and wiser because of it.

The rule of the triad is absolute
To the vanquished just misery it will bring
It triumphs over adversaries
Then its greatness loudly will sing
The Rising Dragon!

The triad had also lost several good people over the past couple of months and most of them in somewhat suspicious circumstances. Were their deaths staged or natural? This was a complex question to answer, and the real truth may never be known ... if at all. In fact ... it had offered up more questions than answers about the four people who died and the way they�d died. Madame Cheung and Tony Wong had both been significant members of the triad and Alain Dubois and Jiang Ng had also played important roles in the Rising Dragons. What would Sun Yee Lok make of these situations? Would he be satisfied that they had succeed in bringing everything to a conclusion and that the matter was now closed? The triad had had its revenge. It had triumphed over its adversaries. Atonement had been achieved. The two perpetrators were dead by now and finally the Rising Dragons could regroup and return to the stability they had enjoyed prior to the first death of Tony Wong.

Wang Yu cast a glance towards Karen. He studied the woman who had been central in what had happened tonight at the monastery. Karen had endured much in her quest to get justice for the Rising Dragons and to earn her father�s respect too no doubt. She had been kidnapped by Michael Samuelle and taken hostage. But she had turned her capture around. Karen was a unique woman. Sun Yee Lok would be delighted with the performance of his daughter. If this had been an initiation Karen would have passed the test with flying colours.

He was satisfied that he had followed the orders of his supreme leader and that he would be pleased with his efforts. He�d done all he could under the circumstances. Sun Yee Lok had sent him to oversee and protect his daughter but in retrospect he had merely advised her. Karen was her own woman and a formidable one at that. She had the tenacity and fighting spirit of her father. He would be most proud of the woman she had become. Resolute ... unyielding ... ruthless. Yes ... he would be very proud of his only daughter. Wang had seen the steely determination of how Karen had reacted under pressure ... and what he saw he liked.

Casting another glance her way, Wang Yu saw a woman who was the epitome of everything that the Rising Dragons stood for. In time she would make an excellent leader. He could think of nothing that could jeopardise her succession as triad leader. Her gender would certainly not be a hindrance to her succeeding her father when the time came if she continued to grow and excel in the triad way.

The triad soars in its conquest
For power and good fortune go to the bold
The dragon will reap it's just rewards and enjoy
Long life in abundance ten-fold
The Rising Dragon!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~

Karen Ho stared down at her hands and methodically rubbed them together but in such a way as to not draw attention to herself. It had been some time since she�d first rubbed the extracting lotion onto her skin. She�d experienced a traumatic few hours of uncertainty of not knowing if it would work or if Michael Samuelle was lying. She had to keep her feelings of nervousness to herself as she couldn�t show her apprehension in front of Andy or Wang. For if she did so they would think her an emotional female ... one who was unable to take risks and suffer the consequences ... and one who was not a fitting leader of the Rising Dragons when her father abdicated. Had she shown emotion, she would have been perceived as weak and she was anything but.

However, that time in between being found and getting the extracting lotion had been harrowing. Not knowing had been the worst part ... and the waiting. When Michael had refused to give her the antidote ... she�d worried that it may have been too late. Her hands had started to deteriorate in between the time lapse and when Andy had placed the cooling liquid into her palms ... for that moment had been the defining one. Would it work or not? Would she die or live? She�d held her breath... the seconds in-between had been surreal. Time had stood still and she had prayed for the first time in her life.

Karen opened her eyes and surreptitiously looked down at her palms. Her eyes widened when she saw that they were actually shaking. She glanced around to see if any of her companions had seen and was thankful that they were otherwise preoccupied. She quickly clasped her hands together and laid them in her lap.

A steely look clouded her eyes as her thoughts turned to the man who had been responsible for doing this to her ... Michael Samuelle. He�d kidnapped and drugged her, then he�d applied a life threatening lotion all for the sake of rescuing the woman who was the thorn in their side. Although she had befriended Nikita their friendship had meant nothing to her. Knowing that the blonde woman was the one responsible for much of the mayhem surrounding the Rising Dragons ... that she was to blame for what had befallen the triad over the past months, only made Nikita�s demise that much more sweeter.

As for Michael Samuelle ... good riddance! Karen was glad that he was dead and that the triad had seen the last of him. He�d caused her the most grief. He�d killed Steven. Her feelings were shattered. Although her outward demeanour was confident, assured and self assertive, like any woman who had just lost the love of their life, she was devastated. She hadn�t allowed herself to cry over Steven�s death ... for to do so would be to lose face ... but inside her heart was breaking.

Karen took great solace and satisfaction in the fact that both Michael and Nikita had got their just desserts. Steven Ma�s death had been avenged. They had paid with their life for what they had done to Steven and for the trauma they had caused to the Rising Dragons. For that they had met their demise and not a day too soon. All that was left now was to confront her father. He would want to know everything and no doubt he would be judging her suitability to take over from him when the time was right. A lot depended on how she reported back to him. Would he perceive her dealings with Michael Samuelle and Nikita favourably? He was sure to evaluate how she had performed as a potential and worthy triad leader and as a daughter.

They were nearly at her father�s residence and her nervousness of gaining his approval had resulted in a fluttering in the pit of her stomach. Karen knew she would have to get a grip for her father would surely see her uneasiness no matter how hard she tried to disguise it. She took a deep breath to compose herself.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~

Andy Koo had gone over in his mind several times what he would say when they met their leader. He�d re-lived the moments in the monastery when Karen had asked what they were going to tell Sun Yee Lok on their return, �Oh we can certainly give him the answer to that!� He�d laughed as they exited the room for their departure back to Hong Kong but now he was unsure whether his flippant answer would be what his leader would want to hear.

One thing he did know however was that Sun Yee Lok would have nothing but praise for the way he�d handled the torture of the two captives. He�d taken great delight in his methods and had no compunction as to how he�d treated Michael and Nikita. Vengeance was sweet ... and nothing was as sweet as the death of the two people who had caused him such grief. The firebombing of his nightclub had impacted on him considerably and he had no qualms whatsoever as to his methods in dealing with the two people responsible. They had gotten what they deserved. Compounding their suffering for as long as possible had been an added bonus as far as he was concerned. Michael Samuelle and Nikita deserved all that he could inflict and more. His barbaric methods were ultimately for the benefit of the triad but it was more that that too ... it was personal.

Knowing that he had avenged the bombing of his pride and joy, carried out his leader�s orders and in some way honoured the memory of his friend Jiang Ng, Andy Koo was feeling great. The meeting with Sun Yee Lok couldn�t come quick enough as far as he was concerned. When he gave his account of events at the monastery, Andy was certain that his leader would look favourably on him after all everything he had done had been in the Rising Dragon�s mantra. He�d merely carried out his orders with diligence.

Be cautious of its ruthless ways
This enigma to the night
For the Dragon bears upon his wings
A chilling tale of fright
The Rising Dragon!

Be wary of its mercilessness
For treachery brings you danger.
Perpetrators be especially vigilant,
It will rise up in anger...
The Rising Dragon!

Although Andy wondered if the Rising Dragons� two adversaries were still alive or dead, he had complete trust in his bodyguard Robert Ling to carry out his parting instructions. Robert was to only contact him if there had been any trouble with any of his orders. Obviously everything had gone to plan. He�d not heard anything from him ... it had been done. By now Michael Samuelle and Nikita were indeed dead and their bodies disposed of. Dismemberment of the corpses before immersing their remains in an acid bath was the tried and true method the Rising Dragons usually used as no trace was left. However, how this was done was of no concern to him whatsoever. If he couldn�t trust his personal bodyguard who could he trust?

Once the meeting with Sun Yee Lok was over, he planned to have a break in Macau. After all that had befallen him personally, he deserved some downtime before overseeing the rebuilding of his nightclub. His bodyguard Robert Ling was then to rejoin his entourage in a couple of day�s time after all the loose ends at the monastery had been overseen.

Looking around the plane Any Koo noticed that both Karen and Wang seemed at ease. A lot had happened at the monastery but once all their stories were correlated he knew that Sun Yee Lok would be pleased ... very pleased with the results they�d achieved.

Andy smiled content with all that had transpired at the monastery.

To all who dare to take us on
We will demonstrate forceful prowess
You may try but you will never win
Your failure only brings success ... to
The Rising Dragon!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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