Chapter 166 -- LFN Storyboard 2

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Date Posted: 01:39:31 06/01/08 Sun
Author: taurus2124
Author Host/IP: CPE-124-188-4-44.nsw.bigpond.net.au / 124.188.4.44
Subject: Chapter 166
In reply to: taurus2124 's message, "The Rising Dragons continued ...." on 08:39:51 05/10/08 Sat

Chapter 166

Once he arrived back in Hong Kong Michael set the first phase of his plan into action. Needing to know Karen Ho�s whereabouts, he contacted the firm that she worked for in the guise of wanting her services for an overhaul of his city apartment. The firm�s secretary informed him that Karen was away on business but would be returning to Hong Kong later that night. Ever polite, Michael asked her to check the availability for an early appointment. Impressed by the smooth tone of his voice and persuasive manner, the secretary was only too happy to pencil him in for a scheduled time with Karen the following day. Then when he pressed for additional information about Karen�s after hours� agenda that night his persistence was rewarded. She�d confided that Karen was scheduled to meet with a client at Victoria Peak at 9.30pm, but wasn�t sure if the client was picking her up for the dinner meeting or if she was meeting him at the restaurant.

Armed with this information, it gave Michael some breathing space and the leverage he needed to set his contingency plan into action whilst Karen was not around. He quickly made his way over to her apartment to check for any clues that could implicate her in Nikita�s kidnapping or give him Intel as to her whereabouts.

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

Standing on the threshold of Karen�s apartment he knocked then casually looked around. The corridor was deserted. Michael was just about to enter her apartment when suddenly a neighbour opened their door into the corridor. The young man appeared to be in a hurry and quickly walked past him towards the elevator. Michael casually acknowledged him with a nod and watched until the man disappeared into the elevator. When all was clear, he opened the door with his U-key, entered Karen�s apartment and closed the door quietly behind him.

Michael meticulously searched the apartment from head to toe in order to find anything that would help him find Nikita, but her apartment was clean. She had certainly been thorough. However, when he searched through some papers on the bureau, Michael found a copy of a receipt for two meals from a Stanley eatery. The receipt confirmed that Karen and someone else ... most likely her boyfriend Steven Ma ... were in Stanley on the same dates as Nikita. It was the evidence that he needed but Michael was unable to find anything that would indicate where the triad was holding Nikita captive. Nevertheless, Karen Ho was involved in Nikita�s kidnapping and, when he found her ... she would lead him to Nikita.

Putting everything he�d disturbed back in its rightful place, the last thing Michael did was place listening devices in strategic places in and around the apartment. If Karen returned before her dinner date, he would know.

Then just as quietly as he�d entered ... he left.

Having had no sleep in over 48 hours, Michael decided that he would take the opportunity to catch up on some much needed rest before the critical phase of the mission began. He knew that he would need his wits about him over the next few days to be at his best and function on all cylinders. He needed to conserve his energy and replenish his strength as he anticipated that the triad would not give up Nikita without a fight ... but he�d be prepared. For him it would be a fight to the death. If even a single hair was touched on her head he would wreak vengeance like none they had seen.

Disappearing from the apartment building as anonymously as a ghost he was ready to plan his next strategy. Michael would be waiting and prepared for when Karen next made an appearance.

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

�Birkoff has there been any contact from Michael?� Madeline asked when he was requested to appear in her office.

�No ... not yet.�

�I see ... No doubt he is not communicating with Section because of the risk of betraying where he is,� Madeline stated knowing only too well that once Michael had gone dark he would not jeopardise anything for the personal mission he was on.

�I�ll keep trying ... I�ll change the wording of the communiqu� and see if he responds this time.�

�Good ... Have you managed to get a location for Nikita from the information on the disc?�

�I�ve reviewed it several times and have been able to identify the building materials used in the room where Nikita was tortured.�

�I see ... and what have you gauged from that?�

�It appears that the type of masonry used is ancient hand made stonework which dates back to the 17th or early 18th century.�

�And ...?�

�This particular stonework was used in monasteries built on Lantau Island of which there are several.�

�Excellent. That�s a good starting point. Anything else?�

�I can eliminate the Roman Catholic Trappist Haven Monastery located on the east coast."

�Why so?�

�The Monastery at Tai Shui Hang is still home to a number of Roman Catholic monks. However, the main reason is because there were lotus crests engraved in the stonework. These are not associated with Catholicism. The flower is a significant iconography of Buddhism as it symbolises the ability of everybody to attain enlightenment.�

�Good at least that narrows the field. Can you identify which particular monastery it is then?�

�Not yet but I�m working on the possibility that this is a disused one, most likely in a relatively remote part of Lantau off the beaten track and probably located on the rugged west coast of the island where the trails are not easily defined.�

�You have obviously systematically gone through the possibilities Birkoff ... but what is your reasoning for this hypothesis?�

�There are several monasteries in the Ngong Ping area which are highly popular with tourists particularly near the Tian Tan seated bronze Buddha, therefore that leaves us with a few other options. The west coast is mountainous and most of the population lives along the south coast.�

�Hmm ... that makes sense. The triad wouldn�t have a torture chamber near a populated area ... but a monastery?�

Birkoff looked at Madeline and stated solemnly. �How ironic it would be if a place of worship, turned out to be a place of suffering.�

�I�m sure the Rising Dragons would find this quite acceptable ... particularly if the monastery is inaccessible. How far along are you in your theory?�

�By a process of elimination I hope to have something very soon.�

Madeline congratulated him on the progress made thus far. �Good work Birkoff ... Keep me posted when you find something definite or the minute Michael calls in.�

�Yes Madeline.�

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

Some hours later Michael�s black SUV Mercedes�Benz pulled up and parked across the road from Karen Ho�s apartment building. He activated his listening device to see if she had in fact made it home or had gone directly to the restaurant. Confirming that Karen was in her apartment, Michael rolled down the window and surveyed the area. It was relatively quiet and although a few cars turned into the road they merely sped off along the street without stopping.

Michael had only had the apartment building under surveillance for a short while when he heard the sound of an approaching motor car. Rolling down the window and raising his binoculars he watched as a limousine approached then cruised into the private parking lot reserved for the apartments. This was obviously Karen Ho�s rich client who had come to pick her up for the appointment. Michael saw the chauffeur get out of the limousine and open the back door of the vehicle. A male occupant got out of the limo and spoke to the chauffeur.

�Wait here Henry ... I�ll be back with Miss Ho in no time.�

�Certainly sir.�

Michael watched for a while then put the car window back up. When the man disappeared into the apartment building, the chauffeur made his way to the newsstand nearby. Seizing the moment Michael got out of his car. Quietly but quickly, he approached the unattended limousine. He attached a tracking device to the back bumper bar while the chauffeur was preoccupied, then slipping back to where his SUV was parked; Michael got into the vehicle and waited for further developments.

While he waited outside, he listened to events taking place in the apartment building. Michael heard a knock on Karen Ho�s apartment door then the man knocked for a second time before the door finally opened and this time voices were heard.

�Good evening Miss Ho ... I�m Mr Li-Wah�s assistant James Peng. He has sent me to collect you for dinner.�

�One moment ... Just let me just get my jacket.�

There was a short pause then Michael heard the man say, >�Are you ready to go now Miss?�

�Yes thank you.�

�Good ... this way please. The limousine is parked downstairs.�

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

Once again Birkoff walked over to his computer. He didn�t even take the time to sit down, he just leant down and quickly keyed in some commands. Although he�d sent a message many times over the last two days, time was now of the essence. This time he had been more explicit in the wording. He was starting to despair as Michael had still not contacted him. The triad had set a 12 hour time limit with an ultimatum that Nikita would be tortured further if Michael didn�t show. Since receiving the communiqu�, he had been working close to the wire. Time was critical. Section had no idea if the triad would follow through with their threats, but there was obviously a reason for the triad sending it. Would Nikita be tortured again or was the disc just a teaser to show the triad�s power and might?

Before he hit the enter key, Birkoff hesitated for a split second, as if mentally preparing himself for another disappointment ... then banishing his doubts to the back of his mind he sent the message.

MICHAEL: ARE YOU THERE?

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

As he waited for Karen to appear, it was the incessant beeping of his PDA on the seat beside him that caught Michael�s attention. He looked down. It was another incoming message from Birkoff. He had paged a few times now so Michael picked up the device. As he did so a different message appeared on his PDA. This time, the communiqu� was more explicit and as he read the message blazoned across the screen his brow furrowed in concern.

I HAVE NIKITA�S LOCATION. SHE�S IN DANGER ... PLEASE CONTACT ASAP.

Without hesitation he sent an immediate reply back to Birkoff.

YES.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Play on text from ... Hard Landing

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