The Dragon Within His Shadow

by Phyllis M. Rumore

  “Uncle Robert, please, I’m trying to convince him to return- -”

  “Robert, how? How can you help me? How can I pass myself off as your grandson?” John looked up at Robert with hopeful anticipation.

  “First, I will tell you the cost and the conditions.”

  “Cost? Conditions?” John’s mood soured. It was true, he didn’t have what he knew it would cost to travel to the east coast and set up a new identity. He would have to do it all on his own and this time; there would be no one, except himself to pay the way.

  “Yes, there are cost and conditions, John. Nothing in this world is free,” said Robert.

  “Robert, I want to take him home. Why are you doing this?”

  “Because once I was a father, who didn’t listen and that’s all you need to know.”

  “Your grandson? How can I take your son’s- - err, grandson’s identity?” John looked across the table at Robert, the stack of papers and photos that he held.

  “My son died a few years ago, but we’ll not discuss that now. The condition; the cost for your new identity John, is a simple one for you to meet. You must allow Tang to tell your father the truth privately.”

  “No! If he knows, he’ll find another way to control my life.”

  “John, Robert said privately, and that I can live with. I’ll not tell your father anything, unless he asks me directly. We’ll leave it at that, but Robert, I don’t think it is a wise course. Meet half way, John.” Tang knew any further argument with the boy would be useless.

  It took John several minutes, but finally he said fine. Tension broke, a wave of relief washed over them. Robert handed John papers telling him all about his son, things he would have to know if he were to pretend to be his grandson. Both he and Tang sat listening attentively to Robert’s memories. As the days progressed and John realized he would need all new documents like a social security card, passport, driver’s license and such, the concept became more real. For the first time since his decision, John felt fearful about stepping into the unknown and being totally isolated.

  Tang watched as the once immature young man known as John Choi, transformed into the mature man, John Hsui, with Robert’s help. He was amazed that John showed no curiosity in how Robert could provide him with a new identity, or know so much about the organization. The answer to that was simple. Robert used to be a forger and part of the tong world in his younger years. He was very skilled at duplicating documents or changing information. In this case, it was easier for him as he had his son’s original papers.

  Tang stayed with them a total of five days, just long enough to heal some of his minor wounds. He knew any longer would be too dangerous. While John was still asleep, Robert gave him an old hand gun. It wasn’t an automatic, but it was better than nothing and he had some extra bullets. He also had a decent knife, a letter for his father and about a grand in cash. Tang vowed to repay him and said he would send the money to cover John’s journey. John woke up just in time to say goodbye.

  Tang looked upon John with a mixture of emotions, waiting for him to say something, but John just kept staring as if he was having second thoughts, so he waited. Finally, they shook hands. Robert grabbed him and gave him a hug, reminding him to give the letter to his own father and to express his sorrowful apologies for the past. Tang took one last look before going out the front door, down the steps and toward the old blue Ford Mustang sitting in the driveway.

  “Tang! Wait!” John dashed out of the house. He saw Tang stop and turn around by the car’s door. “I thought about what you said.” It was difficult for him to get the words out, but Tang waited patiently, knowing John had to do it at his pace. “I wrote Dad a letter explaining my choice. Please take it back, but don’t give it to him until your wedding day. Okay?”

  Tang saw John was looking for his approval. He took and stuffed the rather thick envelope in his jacket pocket before grabbing John in a hug. “I promise John, I’ll give it to him. Be careful and watch yourself. Not many people get to start life over, make the most of it.”

  “Yeah, I know Tang. You take care too. Don’t be too hard on James, okay?”

  “James? I know you blame Richard for everything, but James should have been smarter. But that’s not for me to judge. You don’t have to worry about the family anymore.” Tang saw his words hurt, but he was hoping John would change his mind at the last minute and return with him. “Listen, you remember our code words. I’ll make sure it’s never too late and you make sure, you write regularly to your new uncle Robert. This way we’ll know you’re okay, understood?”

  John said yes and with final farewells done, Tang got into the car and drove off. All the way, he pressed the car to its limits wherever he could. He wanted to make good time in getting back to San Francisco, but Portland was his first destination. Tang drove into Portland’s east side and went to meet his contact at the Tabor Hill Cafe on the corner of 38th Street and Hawthorne Boulevard. He could have very easily met the man in Chinatown over on Fourth, but he didn’t want to risk being seen too soon. Not long after he was seated at a table, Mark showed up.

  “Tang,” said Mark. “It’s been a long time.”

  “Yes, it has, Mark. I suppose you've heard what has happened?”

  “Yes, we’ve all heard. Can’t tell you how shocked I was to get your call. We thought both of you were dead.”

  “Needless, to say I’m not dead.”

  “And John?”

  “He didn’t make it.” Tang left it at that and with his well practiced stare was sure Mark took it to mean John was dead.

  “Our cousins in San Francisco were not too disturbed by the events which I found surprising. I’ve inquired quietly, as you asked. This is the name- -” He stopped as the waitress came over to take their orders. He temporarily slipped the paper back into his pocket, while they placed their orders for apple walnut pancakes and coffee. “As I was saying, this is the name and address of the person I believe you’re looking to find.” Mark handed the paper to Tang.

  “Thank you,” Tang read Beard’s name and address before he placed the paper in his jacket pocket. “What do you hear from San Francisco?”

  “Not much. There was a rumor that the new guy . . . What’s his name, Kai? Rumor has it that he went from a three-day celebration to a sour mood. Apparently, his father died in a botched robbery. He’s been calling in every marker trying to find out if it was a hit or a real accident. Well I,” but he halted as the waitress placed their food in front of them. “I thought that was very interesting. It’s a good thing that has no connection with your car.”

  “You checked?”

  “Of course, Tang. You know how thorough I like to be. There was no way for Kai to know about the father before your car accident,” he said, as he took a bite out of his enormous pancake. “It has to be unrelated. His father’s death and your accident occurred on the same day, almost at the same time, from the rumors I’ve been hearing. I did find out there was other involvement. Apparently, some of Kai’s uncles have been making moves,” and handed Tang another list.

  “As always, you’ve been very helpful, Mark.” Tang enjoyed eating his oversized pancake. There was no need to pay Mark for the information rendered as they usually traded information and support. Favors were unspoken treasures among friends.

  “Oh and before I forget, here’s the other stuff you wanted. You owe me big time for this one.” Mark handed Tang an envelope containing a list of names, money, some ticket receipts and some newspaper clippings.

  Tang read the list, looked at Mark and couldn’t believe he had obtained the information. “These are the ones involved?”

  Mark looked at Tang. “Just remember, you owe me for this one and don’t forget to send me an invitation to your wedding.”

  “Thank you, for this. I won’t forget and you’ll be a much honored guest, I assure you.”

  “Oh Tang, one last thing, well, two actually.”

  “What?”

  “James. He�
�s acting like he did when he was in Greece. He went and killed his girl.”

  “I understand and the second?”

  “Your turn to pay the bill,” Mark stood, looked Tang square in the eyes. Tang stood, nodded in affirmation and watched as Mark and his bodyguard, seated at a distant table, left quietly.

  Chapter Seventy-Three

  Tang’s anxiousness pushed him to drive as fast as traffic patterns would allow, back down to San Francisco. He allowed only one stop along the way and that was to use a restroom, pick up something to eat and get some gas for the car. When he pulled up outside of the Choi complex, he looked up at the building with a rarely seen fury and dashed inside.

  “Tang? You’re alive! Thank God! I didn’t expect to see you again,” said James.

  “Good, I didn’t expect to see you again, either. Look James, I don’t have a long time. I came back to take care of a few things. Beard is the name of the person, who sabotaged the car and this is where to find him.” Tang handed James a piece of paper with Beard’s address. “I expect you to figure out what needs to be done to him and the man who hired him, Kai, by the end of the day. I do not want to come back here, James and have to explain things. Do I make myself clear?”

  “Perfectly, Tang, but wait!”

  “What?”

  “Where’s John?”

  “He’s dead and that man did the job under orders from Kai. Resolve the matter.”

  James watched Tang storm out. He had never seen Tang angry before and perhaps if someone had tried to kill me, he thought, I’d be mad as well. He looked at the name and address on the paper, realized what it was and what Tang expected. Kai was behind events.

  Tang walked through Chinatown with purposeful long strides, went directly to Ng’s restaurant and into the back room. He walked straight passed Kai and the four-gang kids who sat out front as protection, while subduing the lone kid who had fast enough reactions to jump up into his path.

  “You know who I am Kai, so stay seated,” ordered Tang, who shoved open the door and then closed it.

  The nervousness of the gang kids increased. They stood chatting wildly, while Kai tried to hear what was going on through the door, but he couldn’t hear any voices. When Tang stormed out, they went inside and found Ng, Larry and Cheung were dead along with two others. The new Shan Chu, Mr. Chow, the lone man left alive, stood in a corner drained of color. His eyes were transfixed upon the scene with the broken or slashed necks. He ordered Kai to discreetly remove the bodies, inform the men’s families and make sure they were buried quietly, without raising police suspicion. A difficult order he knew, but if it wasn’t done, he would be next. He needed some brandy. He was in such a state of shock that he felt frozen where he stood. He couldn’t find the energy to leave the room just yet.

  Kai looked upon the scene, saw death as if for the first time in his life and took the message as a warning. He ordered his men to do the job and helped out as expected, but as soon as they got the bodies to a funeral home for storage, he went back to his own place and called Eric. He talked with his half brother for nearly an hour as they discussed things ranging from their shared family history, to their father, to what form of revenge they would take on the Choi’s. Eric was hesitant at first saying that revenge was a filthy cycle that never ends, we take revenge on them, they on us, for generations until one family is totally gone. Kai’s anger wouldn’t hear Eric’s reasoning or desire to forget the Choi’s. It took Eric’s second phone call a day later to convince Kai to ignore the Choi’s, but even Eric wasn’t totally sure he got through to Kai.

  Chapter Seventy-Four

  Rose found James sitting alone in his darkened apartment staring at the goldfish as he usually did when he felt troubled. She saw the despair on his face and his hands crumbling and uncrumbling a piece of paper. She felt the trouble of his heart as a mother only could and wanted to pull him to herself, but knew that if he were to grow as a man, she couldn’t do what, as a mother, she desperately wanted to do and that was hug him.

  “Come to stare at a failure?” James looked up.

  Rose heard the sharp rebuke, saw the brooding eyes, and recognized the fear and loathing. She had seen it only once before, in George. The son was too much like the father. “Tang’s alive, but John’s dead.” James kept staring at the goldfish.

  “I know, I heard and did you hear- -” Rose rested her hand on her chest.

  “About Ng and the others? Yes, bad news travels fast. Doesn’t it? The killer was very angry indeed and who could blame him, really.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “Woman, it’s no concern of yours. Leave me alone and get out!”

  “James! How dare you talk to me like that! I’m your mother!”

  “Mother, tong business, is tong business. You have no role, nor anything to advise. Your advice has garnered nothing but trouble for me. I’ll not hear whatever it is you have to say.”

  “James, this is your opportunity! John is dead! You are George’s only son. You can become his comfort and with that, claim your place in Hong Kong. You must at least try.”

  “Mother, when will you realize that because you are- - were, Richard’s cousin, that because I have his family’s blood within me, I will never ever get the Choi inheritance you have dreamed. When will you realize this fact?”

  “How can you say that?”

  “Dad told me a few weeks back. When he was in the hospital, I had finally managed to get through to him one day. We talked. I asked him about everything you told me about Richard, about Catherine, about our family- -” James’ voice faltered, trembled with emotion.

  “What did he say?” Fear crossed over Rose’s face.

  “That you were only partially right. He married you to broker a peace between Richard’s family, your family and his family back in the fifties. That he was tired and didn’t want the cycle of revenge to continue, so he thought if he married you and brought Richard into the business, he would have peace. He got his peace, but for barely eighteen years. In that time, Richard betrayed him, stole and even tried, as we’ve seen, to kill him. And as we’ve learned today, he managed to kill John through his son Kai. Dad has made it very clear. He’ll support me here in San Francisco, but I’m never to have anything in Hong Kong. It’s over. Your dream is over. Wake up, leave me alone and get out of my apartment. I have to make plans.”

  “James, let me help- -” Rose saw her son's eyes open wide in fury. “James?”

  James stood up, grabbed his mother by the arm, escorted her to the door, pushed her outside and locked the door with the new deadbolt lock for which she didn’t have a key. He leaned against the door and sobbed. “I need to do this by myself!”

  Chapter Seventy-Five

  George walked out onto the terrace and saw Lauren and Catherine sharing a moment. When they turned to look at him, he saw they had been crying.

  “You have news, George?” Catherine looked over with pleading eyes.

  “I’ve word from Mr. Chow in San Francisco. Tang’s alive.”

  “Thank God,” said Lauren, who grabbed her mothers arm.

  “And John?” Catherine and Lauren said, nearly simultaneously.

  “He said he heard John was dead.” George saw Lauren and Catherine’s faces go from brief joy to immense sorrow. Tears flooded their eyes. Even George broke down and cried. Catherine looked like she would collapse, but George grabbed her in his arms.

  Lauren stood staring at her parents’ embrace and knew their love that had survived all sorts of trials, would help them through this. She only wished her Tang was present to help her. She wanted to be happy for her love, but John’s death brought on a grief she never thought she would ever feel for anyone. She sat in the chair bent over in tears; barely registering that her parents were gently patting her on the back.

  George guided Lauren and Catherine back into the apartment’s living room. The curious servants overheard the news and looked upon the scene with shared sorrow for the family.
George’s men instinctively knew to keep the hallways clear so the family could have some privacy. He stayed with them for about two hours before he retreated into his office.

  George sat in his office thinking about John and for as much as he wanted to think he was a good father, his thoughts focused on his failures. In private he cried, lost and unable to focus on much of anything. He debated calling James. While he needed reassurance James was well, he dreaded even the idea of talking to Rose. If there had been any conflict before, there wasn’t now. Catherine’s love filled him even if there was a hole in his heart for John. He thought a lot about Rose and now that he did think of her objectively, he realized just how manipulative she had been. She was very much like her cousin Richard, and although he thought that trait must run in families, he was happy nevertheless, that he never saw it in James.

  James was his surviving son. True, when he thought John was maturing and shaping up to be the man he needed, he had told James his role would be limited to San Francisco. He wanted to see if James too, had matured and would fight for his share. He knew he needed a man with a fighter’s spirit to keep his business empire moving forward. He needed someone willing to take risks; a person who knew when to deal with things, personally. Lauren could in time, but his business was in Asia where she would be limited, not because of her abilities but because of others’ perceptions. He wasn’t sure she would have what it took to overcome and change perceptions. John alive would have made it easier. John would have gotten Asia, James the States and Tang Europe. What were his choices now? His son was gone and all he wanted to do was ask John for forgiveness, but his mind slipped toward business and those streams of thoughts made him feel like a failure.