Brandon was standing on the second floor of their split level home. It sat on two acres of rural land where his wife stabled her two horses. With a highball in one hand and his cell in the other, his wife called him from the bathroom. "Honey, bring my bag off the dresser drawer to me please."
Brandon wandered over to the antique dresser drawer, sat his glass down, picked up the bag and took it to her in the bathroom. He said, "Why would you need your damn bag in the bathroom?"
"I've a new prescription and need to take it every four hours," she said pouting. He walked out, picked up his drink and went back to the open sliding doors and balcony that overlooked the stables. He raised his glass to his lips when he saw a black dressed person come from the side of the balcony. The last thing Brandon Totsky saw was the flash of a knife just before it cut his throat. The glass of Tennessee sipping whiskey fell to the tile floor shattering into a thousand pieces. The ninja leaped over the railing and was gone. A voice was heard saying, "Honey, what was that noise. Did you spill your drink?"
Back at the base, in the Batt Team's residence, an uncomfortable meeting was taking place between Brad and Tony. A large conference table had been moved in so the team had a place to work from. Brad sat at one end and Tony at the other. The rest of the folks were sitting on both sides with Angi at Tony's right hand. Brad opened the dialogue by saying, "Tony, we're in an awkward situation here. I can see that the only way out is for us to have a match. Do you agree, or is there a better solution I'm missing here?"
"No Mr. Pratt. I've spent many years developing my business and even through the sponsor of your contract, rescinded, we must settle this business between you and me once and for all."
"Let me add this Tony, and please call me Brad, winner of the match, providing he's not dead, works for the other guy without any remorse," said Brad. A gasp was heard around the table, except one and that was Mike. He laughed, then bit his tongue.
Tony looked hard at Brad trying to read an unreadable face. He thought, what have I to lose. It will be a fight to the death so it doesn't matter what I say or agree to. "I accept you terms Brad," said Tony.
"Fine. Now as you instigated this match, I'll set the venue and ambience. We know a little of your life Tony and recently, that is, before you left Japan, you studied the Bushi along with the methods of the ninja. Correct me if I'm wrong Tony," asked Brad.
"No, you're correct in my studies of the ancient Japanese Bushi and the tactics of the ninja. What else have you in mind Brad?"
"Not a lot is known about the ninja. However, from what we can gather, they are mostly night fighters using stealth. So as to accommodate you, I've decided to set the stage with our confrontation. There's an unused warehouse here on the base. There're a few things stored there, but nothing that has to be moved. We'll both go and inspect it with lights on. Then when we begin our match, the lights go out and the place is sealed up tight without a ray of light entering. My team and others will duct tape the cracks and so on.
Once that has been completed, we'll both enter from opposite ends, wait a prescribed 20 minutes. After the 20 minutes is up, an air horn will sound to begin the match. When one or the other fails to respond to fight, the match is ended. One of us will bang on the side of the wall to signal the doors to be opened. What say you Tony Hodges?"
"I totally comply. Now when is the next question," said Tony.
"I think waiting is not good. We've both had a nights rest and food this morning. So what say we go look and then prepare ourselves for the match."
-12-
Brad and Sandy went for a short run after looking the warehouse over. It was typical for a storage warehouse. It had double doors and two doors on either end for emergency exits. It was perhaps 150 feet long by half that wide. Setting against the back wall was a stairway that led to a small office area. Nowadays, it was totally empty upstairs with the door open. Downstairs a few pallets with rolls of rope stacked against one end. Other than that, it was empty. Brad had instructed a team of cleaners to come in and sweep the floors free of dust. The double doors were shut and sealed with 12" duct tape. In a couple hours the place was ready.
While running Brad thought about calling home, but that would only worry Sujin. Now it was time to concentrate on the mental side of the match. He could tell Tony was well trained. He moved with fluidity and confidence. Brad was never one to underestimate anyone or anything, so he found a secluded place and meditated on the wonders of life with a family and friends.
Tony and Angi were sitting yoga style on a rug in the middle of the living room of their guest house. Both were meditating in their own way. Tony was reliving his learning from the temple priest who instilled confidence in all his students. He tempered that confidence with a conscience understanding of pitfalls that often plague humans.
Tony went to his special place to find the strength to overcome any obstacles. He breathed in tempered confidence. He exhaled evil thoughts. Soon he would be one with the ancient master samurai Oni. Oni would be like cream that rises to the top. His opponent would be like butter in his hands. Tony was ready.
It was almost noon and it was game time. Both men were ready. Tony was clad in all black from top to bottom. Brad was dressed in red with eye black grease to darken his skin. No weapons allowed. This was feet and hands only. Both contestants stood facing each other in the middle of the outside of the warehouse. Each bowed and strode to their respective ends of the building. After each had entered the building, the team members quickly duct taped the edges of the door. The 20 minutes had begun.
Brad counted off twenty steps, turned left and counted off ten more then sat down cross legged on the concrete floor with his eyes closed. His head echoed his Master's voice that when it was dark; the other four senses would be used to the fullest. It was especially important to feel both the air moving and the electricity of the opponent. The sense of sound would be a sharp breath which in turn would locate the head of the opponent. Brad was ready. He looked forward to this confrontation. It sharpened his being. Already he could feel where his opponent was from his vibration.
Tony upon entering the building sensed the pallets of rope. He would sit on top and wait for his opponent to make a mistake or make sound. Then he would fly through the air taking him out. If that didn't develop he would exit and silently move to the metal stairs making a false sound to attract Brad into a trap. But now he must adjust to the environment he was in. He sat on top of the rope and went to his favorite place in his mind.
The horn sounded alerting both fighters the game was afoot. Neither fighter moved an inch. Brad sat with his chin on chest. Tony sat with head erect looking straight ahead while listening for any sounds. Contrary to most who would have observed the two fighters trying to outwait the other, would be dead wrong. Patience is taught from the beginning.
As far as Brad was concerned, he wouldn't move until he felt his opponent moving towards him. He waited and it wasn't long before Tony decided to make his move. Without a sound Tony moved to the floor from the pallets of rope. Brad felt the vibration and the location of his opponent. He rose from his sitting position to a standing one.
Brad decided to see what happened if he moved obliquely about ten paces and stopped. He was taught that moving at a 45 degree angle, the vibration sent out was almost nonexistent. If you moved in a straight line, the path one made would follow leaving a distinct trail. It would be the same if one moved sideways in a straight line.
Almost faster than the eye can see, Brad moved ten paces obliquely and stopped to listen at any response to his movement. There was none. Tony hadn't picked up on his movement. Tony felt it was time to cast some bait out there and see what happened. He moved as silently as any ninja before him about the distance as Brad had. However he moved in a straight line. Brad felt the movement and turned to move obliquely another ten paces opposite of the last time.
If an observer was overhead looking down it would see two martial arts experts standing about 25 feet apart
as if frozen in time. Tony could feel Brad not so far away, but too far to attack. He really needed him to be closer. As if he read his mind, Brad turned and moved ten paces where he believed Tony would be about 5 feet away and just in front of him. This move was at an oblique and Tony felt nothing. But what he did know was he felt a presence not far away and wondered how it got so close to him.
Slowly, ever so slowly Tony moved into a high crouch position turning his head so his ear pointed to the object he felt was close by. Meanwhile, Brad felt Tony was about to strike out with a leg kick sideways with the foot intending to connect with the head of Brad.
It was as he thought, Tony spun around with a leg swing intending to catch his opponent in the head. However, Brad anticipated correctly and from a lower crouch position, swung his leg around with his foot catching Tony in the ribs breaking at least two. Tony went down onto one knee trying desperately not to make a sound. Meanwhile Brad moved again obliquely 5 paces and sat down not making a sound.
Tony slowly rose to both feet holding his side that screamed out in pain. He hoped the rib hadn't punctured a lung, but when he carefully took a breath, sure pain was there, but he thought his lung was fine. Now what, he thought. His opponent was like a silent bat in the night. But, for Tony there was no give up in him just yet.
Brad slowed his heart rate and let the body recover from a burst of energy. He sensed Tony was hurt but not so bad to throw in the towel. He'd felt the ribs break and next he would take out his knee reducing his mobility to almost nil.
Brad was perhaps 6 or 7 paces away. He rose to his feet, moved 5 paces obliquely, but still staying the same distance from his opponent. He knew Tony would have felt a slight air movement so he once again moved 5 paces obliquely. He stopped and prepared to attack.
Tony felt Brad go by, but he was unable to mount an attack. Ninja fighters really didn't do well on the defensive so Tony blocked out the pain in his side and made a move in the last direction he felt from Brad.
Brad continued his preparation for a leg kick to the opponent's knee as he went by. Brad felt the foot connect with the leg, but wasn't sure if it was on the knee or not. What he did feel, however, was a bone break. After that he heard Tony groan in pain while crashing to the floor. For all intents and purposes the fight was over. But to make sure, Brad moved 10 paces away and sat down. He listened carefully hearing hard breathing coming from Tony.
About two minutes passed and Brad said, "Shall we call it a day Tony?"
"I know when to bow to a superior opponent. I do relinquish the challenge Brad. I now work for you. Alert the support team to slowly open the door so as not to blind us both."
Brad went to the door he entered and knocked three times. He heard and saw strips of tape coming off the door cracks. Brad put his back to the wall to keep the light from shocking his eyes. The door slowly opened letting the light splay against the floor. Through slits in his eyes, Brad saw the light outline Tony who lay on the floor. Right behind the light ran Angi towards Tony screaming his name. She went to her knees to hold him while Brad heard the sobs coming in big gasps.
Mike came strolling in looking around innocuously. He walked to Tony and had a good look at him. He could see that his leg or knee was certainly in the proper alignment. Also he could see that Tony was holding his side which meant he'd taken a blow to the ribs. Mike turned and walked out. He saw Brad against the wall and from a quick take, knew he was just fine. He was letting his eyes adjust and also to let his adrenalin level to retreat. Sandy came in making soft throat sounds. Brad went to his knees giving his best friend a big hug.
Brad was still sitting on the floor when the medics arrived. In a blink of an eye Tony was whisked away to the hospital for patching up his physical injuries, but the mental injury would take a while longer to heal.
Nothing more was said or mentioned as the team went back to the housing for a shower for Brad and lunch for the team. Alice was simply astounded wondering why nobody said anything about the match. It appeared to her they just took it in stride like it was something that happened every day. Later at the hospital, Billy told her a few stories about the Chinese Master and his two favorite students Brad and his wife Sujin. Alice came away with the feeling that literally scared the hell out of her. She couldn't believe that two martial arts fighters in total darkness entered into a battle and the results of that battle one man stood out as the dominate one.
-13-
That evening, at the hospital, Brad and team crowed around the private room of Tony Hodges. Indeed he'd had to have his knee rebuilt, but the doctor said it would heal in time. The two broken ribs hadn't punctured the lung so that was good news.
He looked up at Brad when they entered, smiled then said, "Thanks for not killing me. I bow to the better fighter. Both Angi and I await your orders Colonel Pratt."
"This probably isn't the best place to discuss the future, but here it's in a nut shell. I want you to return to Brazil and if you can remember the story of Robin Hood, then that will be your first job in the area you live in. I had Billy do some research into the inequalities of the local population. It appears they're exploited by power brokers that break the laws of decent citizens. You'll take from the rich and give to the poor. Fear not for you expenses Tony and Angi; we've a coffer full of funds to support our new cause.
You run the show Tony. Let's call your new position an extension of our state side agency. There may be times when we need your assistance and there may be times when you'll need ours. One hand washes the other. I follow the orders of the President of the United States. From his orders, everyone follows my orders. Any questions before we let you get some much needed rest?"
"I'm sure later I'll have some questions, but for now let it keep for awhile. I'll need some time to adjust to the new program," said Tony.
"Fine Tony. Oh, by the way, Senator Totsky was found with his throat cut on his second story balcony last night. You wouldn't know anything about that would you?"
"Hong Kong switches the contract to Totsky. It all happened while I was away. It's kind of late to call it off."
"That's just one loose end we won't have to clean up Tony. Sleep well."
Back at the house the team sat around talking about the next order of business. Brad said, "The White House has blamed a heart attack on the death of the good senator Trotsky. His wife has bought off with a lucrative retirement program and horses are at the center of her happiness. Next we have the disappearance of Paul Hullseth to deal with. Not that it's that much of a disappearance as his airline ticket to Shanghai has been verified. Why is he going there, I've not any idea except that he is part and parcel of the China connection some way? Billy, he's a family somewhere. Find out where they are.
Next we have to deal with our guest on ice. It's costly running him through the court system. Treason is not acceptable in my book. Any suggestions as to what we should do with our guest?"
"Fish bait is my solution," said Mike.
"We seem to use that a lot," said Agent Jones. "However, it's the cheapest way out."
"I don't see a lot of options," said Wade. "I wonder if someone could use a good man in the mines of Africa?"
"Where in Africa, Wade," asked Wendy.
"I don't know, but Billy could do a web search for an ideal spot he could never escape from," he said laughing. Soon the whole team was rocking out laughing. Alice was thinking the whole time they were serious and now she realized they were only joking; she hoped.
**//**
"Welcome to Shanghai Mr. Hullseth. We thought you'd enjoy seeing your family again. Come please with me," said an English speaking Chinese man of middle age. Paul followed him knowing that this might be the last time he was in an airport surrounded by travelers.
An hour later they parked in the middle of a street that had row upon row of low to middle income apartments. The driver stayed with the car. Paul followed with his brief case and tube of drawings. The apartment did have an elevator, but it was not in operation at this time. They climbed the cockroach invested stairway to the 6th floor, apartment 6B. A knock almost instantly opened the door. Inside the dimly lighted apartment, which smelled of garlic and onions, sat his wife and daughter on a beat up old sofa looking like they were spaced out. In fact there were drugged, but now that he was here, they stopped giving anymore drugs. Withdrawal was just around the corner.
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