Amazing Spiderman Issue Seven

========================================

	"So?"
	"Leung's daughter is staying at the Sheraton; specifically, in one of their
executive suites," his assistant reported. "Two guards are in close
proximity at all times, with four more circulating in the vicinity of the
building. Our man says it's doable."
	Kazuya allowed himself a smile.  After all the talk - and concrete
evidence - about how much of a thorn in their collective side the Triads
were, it was about time something was done about them.  Of course, the
oyabun might be less than happy about the _how_, but if he could present
the man with a fait accompli...
	"Tell him to proceed."
	Kazuya placed the phone reciever back in its cradle, unable to believe his good
fortune. The report from one of his wakagashira-hosa, an underling, had practically
delivered the case into his lap.
	Pao Leung, one of the Triad's most ruthless leaders, had a fatal weakness that had
just landed for a visit at JAL Tokyo. His daughter, Lan, would be the key to accomplishing
his oyabun's task.
	Kazuya had considered using her before, but had discarded the idea. Kidnapping a
Chinese citizen who attended an American university would have been a disaster. Now that she
was on what the Americans called Spring Break, kidnapping her would be much easier.
	He smiled wistfully at the prospect of bringing the Triad leader to his knees. As
the saying went, target the horse if you want to hit the master.

==========================================

	"Hey, Gos!" Gosunkugi turned at the sound, seeing Kenshiro Sakai waving him over.
Kenshiro, or Ken as many called him, was a thin waif of a man, his neat brown hair kept in a
simple cut. Intense blue eyes gazed with a constant fervor of excitement from his otherwise
plain face, his body beneath the uniform no more impressive than the average small-fry on
campus.
	"What is it this time?" Gosunkugi asked, hoping that it wasn't another of the man's
inventions. Ken prided himself as an inventor, despite the fact that most, if not all, of
his "innovations" had a habit of blowing up in his face. It was a running joke that Ken
could screw up an anvil with a ball bearing. Whenever he finished with a new gadget or
gizmo, people in the vicinity turned tail and headed for the hills.
	"I just got finished with a great new invention!" he shouted enthusiastically, the
announcement causing several students to trade nervous glances and flee for the nearest
exit. Ken's gadgets were almost as infamous as Akane Tendo's cooking, and ellicited a
similar response. Gosunkugi, however, found himself unable to flee as Ken handed him a small
piece of dull grey metal.
	"Uh, w-what's this?" he asked, eyeing the device warily.
	"THAT, Hikaru, is a portable microrecorder!"
	"A what?" Weren't things like that already available?
	"And no ordinary one, either!" Gosunkugi watched as Ken dipped into his bag,
producing a small black box. He flashed the small LCD display to Gosunkugi, a maniacal grin
on his face.
	"This thingy acts like a Powerbook," Ken raved, obviously lost in the euphoria of
technology. Really, this guy needed a girlfriend. "Ya type in your schedule here, on this
LCD unit, and then the portable recorder in your hand tells you what you typed, no matter
WHERE you are! Go ahead, try it!"
	"O-kay," Gosunkugi replied as Ken danced from one foot to the other. "Hi, this is
Hikaru Gosunkugi," he typed into the box.
	"Now, just press the center of that thing in your other hand!" Hikaru took a furtive
glance around the empty room, praying to the kami for an escape. Finding none, he crossed
his fingers and pressed the button.
	"Hi, this is Hikaru Gosunkugi," came a tinny voice from the small microrecorder. He
stared in awe at the device for the simple fact that it actually worked.
	"Great huh?" Ken exclaimed before prattling on about how he rigged it up.
	"Hi, this is Hikaru Gosunkugi." He he hadn't pressed the button again! "Hi, this
is...is...this...GosunisHikathi... Pika pika...." Black smoke began to drift from the device
as it repeated his previous statement over and over. With a shout, Hikaru flung the recorder
toward the window, where it promptly exploded. The glass shattered from the force, blasting
outward in a shower of glittering shards.
	"Well," Ken said shamefacedly, "I still have a few bugs to work out."
	"No kidding."

====================================================

	The three maintenance people - distinct by their neat but otherwise
unremarkable jumpsuits sporting the logo of the Sheraton's contracted
service company on the left breast - were having a busy evening.  One man
handled the vacuum; the other, and the woman, cleaned the various fixtures
and occasional piece of furniture in the hallway.  A large trolley served
to carry their equipment.
	A pair of men in dark suits came out of the elevator shortly before
midnight, brushing past the vacuumer on his way to the suite at the end of
the hall.  Two others stepped out of the door, exchanging brief
pleasantries with the new arrivals before themselves leaving via the
elevators.  None of the four had paid the maintenance workers any special
attention other than to reassure themselves that all three were well away
from the suite in question, and were going about their duties.
	Five minutes after the elevator and suite doors had closed, the three converged on
the suite.  A clear hose was threaded under the door from a canister they had brought with
them.  It would take some fifteen minutes,
they had concluded from previous study of the suite's layout, for the agent
to fully saturate the interior, time they passed by going back to 'work'.

	Pao Lan stepped out of the shower, toweling her hair as she stepped in front of the
mirror. Wiping away the steam that had condensed on the glass, she hummed a jaunty tune
while she discarded the towel and reached for the nearest hairbrush.
	Her wet black hair fell in disarray around her face and shoulders, the brush
straightening out the errant strands. Blue almond-shaped eyes rested above her porcelain
cheeks and full lips with a pert nose in the center. In her term at Yale, she had drawn the
eye of several men on campus. Such attention flattered her, but her father would flip if he
found her dating an American. And those two bodyguards could be so damn difficult to ditch.
	Lan knew her father loved her dearly, but wished time and again that he'd call off
the watchdogs. At times she felt more like his prisoner than his daughter. Despite that, she
still loved him.
	She emerged from the bathroom clad in only a towel wrapped tight around her shapely
frame. The deep carpet cushioned her feet as she walked, almost giving the feeling of
walking on a cloud. An enormous bed rested in the center of the room, easily large enough
for four people. Against the wall at the foot of the bed was an ornate vanity, several
drawers resting in the polished wood structure. The entrance to the walk-in closet was on
the adjacent wall, a picture window on the opposite giving an impressive view of Tokyo's
skyline.
	Lan flopped down on the bed, jet lag having sapped her strength. She briefly
considered calling room service for a burger, but was far too tired. In fact, she had never
been so exhausted in her whole life. As she closed her eyes, she wondered just where the
potpourri smell was coming from before the abyss of sleep claimed her.

=====================================================

	They moved with the discipline of trained warriors, quickly and quietly making their
way through the penthouse suite. Two men clad in dark suits lay face-down on the carpet,
their breathing deep and regular. The three paid them no heed, for time was of the essence.
	The scent of the gas, which many would confuse with potpourri, still lingered in the
luxurious room. The smell would fade within the hour, but the effects would last only
another ten minutes.
	Lan lay unconscious on the bed, her towel-clad body quite pleasing to their eyes.
Keeping their minds on the job at hand, one pulled her over his shoulder in a fireman carry
and turned to exit the room. The remaining two followed closely, both sneaking glances up
the towel's hem.

======================================================

	"WHAT?!" Wu Long flinched at the unbridled rage in Leung's voice. His hand gripped
the telephone's handpiece tighter and tighter, his knuckles going white from the stress.
Leung's face grew bright red, screwing itself into an expression of animalistic fury as his
eyes practically glowed. Whatever the person at the other end was saying, it couldn't be
good news.
	With a primal roar, Leung slammed the reciever down on the cradle, shattering the
entire device. Long continued to stare at him, unwilling to ask what had happened. For the
first time in as long as he could remember, Wu Long was afraid.
	"They have her," Leung snarled between clenched teeth.
	"Pardon?"
	"THOSE YAK BASTARDS KIDNAPPED MY DAUGHTER!" Long felt a cold lump of dread settle
into his stomach like a lead ball. This was most definitely not good news.
	"How?"
	"Never mind how!"
	"What are their terms?" This was obviously a ransom kidnapping, but what could they
want? Money? Not likely. There was only one thing Long could think of. "The case, correct?"
	"Very insightful, Fixer," Leung growled, steepling his fingers on the desk as he
took several deep breaths. Long felt his own anger rise at the audacaty of the Yakuza. Was
nothing sacred to them?! "They will send instructions in five hours. From there, we have
another twenty-four to comply." Leung didn't need to finish. Long knew full well what would
happen if they didn't get their way. Of course, it would probably happen even if they did.
	"Perhaps we could send Doctor Octopus to make the exchange?" Long suggested.
	"No! He has already bungled one assignment, and I will not risk it with Lan's life
on the line!"
	"We cannot simply stand by and wait!"

	Leung rubbed his temples in short circles in a vain attempt to ward off the oncoming
migraine. Long's declaration of the obvious wasn't of any help either. With a herculean
effort of will, Leung managed to bring his whirling emotions back under control. He needed
to think this through as a Triad leader, not as a father.
	The call had been far too short to trace, even for the cutting edge equipment at his
disposal, but reason declared that it had to have come from close by. Each Yakuza gumi
operated within a set narawabi, a territory established by every oyabun. Gumi from one would
not infringe on another's, gang wars having erupted along bordering narawabi for years.
Lan's kidnapping could have been the result of a rongo, but such alliances were rare and
completely non-binding. No, this was most likely the work of one individual gumi. But which
one?
	"What Yakuza cell operates within this region?"
	"The Kabudosai," Long answered after a second's thought. The Fixer's eyes widened
after a moment, realization dawning on his features. "Is it possible?"
	"Very likely." Someone in the Kabudosai, most likely the oyabun, had to know just
what those cases held, and the power they represented. As such, he would stop at nothing to
gain the other case. With the right connections and funding, he could develop the weapon and
gain unchallenged power over all the gumi. Leung could not let that happen. But he could not
allow Lan to remain in danger. Not for the first time, Leung recalled the novel "Catch-22",
the no-win scenario. However, Leung didn't believe in the catch-22. There was a way to solve
this, there had to be.
	"Raizo Yamata."
	"Pardon?"
	"He is the oyabun of the Kabudosai, correct?"
	"I believe so, sir," Long said, "may I ask where this is heading?"
	"He has a wife if I am not mistaken," Leung said, letting the hint hang in the air.
Long, astute as ever, immediately picked up on it.
	"We are to kidnap his wife, then," Long said with a smile, "He may not be expecting
this move. But, if we are wrong..."
	"I am not." Leung said with unwavering certainty. "Take her at once."
	"Yes, sir." Long said smartly. "Perhaps Doctor Octopus could be of some use?"
	"I will call him in."
	"Good. We can have her within the hour."

========================================================

	Ahh... This is what I needed, Gosunkugi thought as he swung from skyscraper to
skyscraper, the wind ripping at his frame as the city passed below. The sun began to
gradually sink beneath the towering spires of Tokyo, the waning light fading as the
artificial glow of man-made illumination tried in vain to take its place.
	The past two days had been rather quiet, a relative term in Nerima. He hadn't found
a trace of any flying robots, nor had Nabiki bothered him. He knew she hadn't given up,
though. Maybe she was biding her time?
	Gosunkugi fired another web into the distance, the silken strand anchoring on the
edge of another building. Pulling his legs perpendicular to his body, Gosunkugi swung
outward and curved south. His muscles tingled with the exertion as they expanded and
contracted, performing feats of strength few others could match. He had to admit, web-
slinging was great exercise and was beginning to pay off.
	Aw, what now? he thought as the tingling appeared in the back of his skull. There
was danger nearby, it screamed, and he was getting close to it. Gosunkugi quickly scanned
the air, looking for any signs of flying robots. Seeing none, he looked to his right and
noticed a shattered picture window not far from his current position. The spider sense
pointed him in the ruined window's direction, but he was hesitant. The last time he stepped
in, he and Nabiki ended up in a world of trouble. He did not want to risk that again.
	Despite that, he still changed course for the window just as a faint scream reached
his ears. Looked like it was time for Hikaru Gosunkugi to play hero again. Joy.

==================================================

	"Get away from me!" she screamed as Otto Octavius stepped closer. The two men behind
him moved in time with his steps, awaiting his signal to move. He didn't need them, nor did
he need to waste his time on such menial tasks. His research would not be completed if he
was not in the lab. Couldn't Leung see that?
	"I am afraid not, miss," he said in what was meant to be a gentle tone. "If you will
come with us..."
	"NO!"
	"Then you leave me no choice." Anxious to be done with it, he reached out for her
with his top two tentacles. The red-haired fortyish woman attempted to run past them, a
futile move but not unexpected.
	"Let her go!" shouted a voice from behind just before the sound of someone hitting
the floor reached his ears. Before he could turn to face that familiar voice, twin strands
of webbing wrapped around his midsection.
	"SPIDERMAN! How did you get here?"
	"Easy, I swung thought the city and right though the window," he said sarcastically,
"any more questions?"
	"GET THE WOMAN!" he shouted, indignance rapidly boiling to rage, "I'll deal with the
wall-crawler!"
	"Don't think so!" Spiderman shouted as he moved to intercept the two lackeys. With a
roar, Octavius ripped his tentacles free of the webbing and sent one streaking toward's
Spiderman's head. The costume-clad man dodged the strike, the next one missing by
centimeters as he leapt up to the ceiling.
	"You can't dodge me forever!" Octaius exclaimed as his metal tentacles slashed and
struck at his nemesis. He still had to pay the little twerp back for the humiliation he
endured at the warehouse, and the sooner the better.

	He's right, Gosunkugi thought as he desperately leapt between Doc Ock's onslaught.
In such a closed space, his maneuverability was severely limited and just avoiding the
other's blows was a challenge in and of itself. There was no way he would get to the woman
at this rate!
	A well-placed swipe slammed hard into Gosunkugi's back, sending him sailing into the
far wall by the door. He heard the surface crack under the sudden impact, bright spots of
color dancing in his vision as he tried to shake off the effects. His spider-sense flared
suddenly, prompting him to dodge left just before another strike impaled the wall where his
head once was.
	No more of this! Gosunkugi hurriedly charged out of the still-open door, running for
all he was worth as the sounds of the wall crumbling and supports splintering filled the
space. A few doors opened as people peeked out to get a look at all the commotion. Startled
shouts and screams mingled with the slamming of doors as Doc Ock burst from the room and
into the hall.
	"Get back here, Spiderman!" he heard the Doc shout, "We are not through yet!"
	"Love to oblige, Doc!" Gosunkugi shouted in reply as he dodged a stabbing thrust
from a tentacle, "but I gotta run! Places to go, people to save, that kinda thing!" Had he
stopped to think about it, Gosunkugi would have been amazed at how easily the quips and one-
liners came while he wore the costume. However, having a crazed maniac with four extra limbs
chasing him took priority at the moment.
	He leapt aside as another tentacle lanced the air next to him. He desperately
searched for a way out, finding the door to the emergency stairwell standing open.
	BINGO! Without a second's pause, he made for the darkened doorway, the sound of Doc
Ock's pursuit not far behind. Not bothering with the stairs, Gosunkugi immediately attached
himself to the closest wall and began a mad scramble up the cold concrete surface.
	"Do you really think you can escape me?" Doc Ock's voice echoed in the close
confines of the stairwell. The sound of metal clanking onto the stairs and railing filled
the air as Gosunkugi continued his climb. Not much farther...
	"The thought crossed my... MIND!" The last came out a surprised shout as he narrowly
avoided another strike that left a small hole in the reinforced concrete. He kept dodging in
a random zig zag pattern, leaping from spot to spot on the walls of the stairwell as he
fought to keep ahead of Doc Ock's tentacles.
	As he neared the top, he felt a light vibration in the surface of the walls. Paying
it no heed, Gosunkugi made a final leap toward the topmost door.
	The metal door burst outward as Gosunkugi collided with it, the wind hitting him
with surprising force as the noise of rotors chopping the air filled his ears. Ahead of him
hovered a jet black helicopter, its running lights off as it rested a few meters above the
gravel rooftop. Below it was the woman he had seen in the apartment earlier, flanked by two
armed men.
	A HELICOPTER?! Gosunkugi had to admit, it made for a flashy exit, but why use a
helicopter? Why not be more subtle? And why kidnap some woman in a penthouse apartment?
	The sound of gunfire joined the roar of the rotors, bullets pocking the raised
entryway as Gosunkugi leapt clear. The one on the right ceased fire, siezing a rope ladder
that had been dropped from the chopper. Before Gosunkugi could move to stop him, the doorway
to the stairwell exploded in a shower of brick and mortar.
	"Don't you ever quit!" He shouted as Doc Ock climbed out of the ruined entryway.
	"NEVER!"
	Gosunkugi cast a split-second glance at the helicopter as the remaining man climbed
into it. If he stayed and fought Doctor Octopus, he'd lose them for sure. He had to get to
it somehow.
	The helicopter remained in place as Gosunkugi leapt around his six-armed nemesis.
What was it waiting for?

	"Doctor Octopus!" Wu Long's voice shouted in his ear over the small transmitter.
"Come on! We don't have time to waste on Spiderman!"
	"He is mine!"
	"You can kill him later! Get up here!"
	Doctor Octavius began to make his way back to the waiting chopper, tentacles flying
in a futile attempt to squash Spiderman as he went. Long's voice continued to shout for him,
driving his irritation to new heights as he retreated. After a few seconds, he hooked his
top two tentacles to the foot rail of the waiting helicopter, the force of the suden lift
catching him by surprise. The roof began to rapidly shrink as the helicopter gained
altitude, Spiderman reducing to a small blue and red dot on the surface. Grunting in
disappointment, he pulled himself back into the chopper as it sailed above the darkening
city.

====================================================

	"Great. Just great," Gosunkugi groused as he helplessly watched the retreating
helicopter shrink in the distance. This hero stuff wasn't as easy as the movies made it out
to be. Wasn't he supposed to have rescued the damsel in distress?
	"And WHY did I even bother to try?" It was none of his business, right? So what if
Doc Ock kidnapped some woman and got away in a chopper, what concern was it to him? Still
breathing a little heavy from the fight, Gosunkugi anchored a webline onto a nearby building
and swung off into space. Even though his spider sense was dormant, he just knew this would
soon come back to bite him square in the ass.

=====================================================

	"We have her, sir," Fixer said over the secure commlink as the jet black Sikorsky
helicopter flew over the concrete canyons of Tokyo.
	"Excellent. Any problems?"
	"We ran into Spiderman." Long removed his headphones just before the deafening shout
would have broken his eardrums.
	"What was he doing there!?"
	"I do not know, sir, however I believe he was there to protect Mrs. Yamata."
	"We can deal with that later," Leung's voice said over the airwaves, "Return to
base. Out." Wu Long leaned back in his seat, not bothering to look at the cowering wife of
the oyabun in the back. Doctor Octopus had her well in hand, or tentacle as the case may be.

======================================================

	"Here. Drink." The man, a burly sort in a brown overcoat, removed the strip of tape
with a sharp snatching motion. The adhesive had pulled at her mouth, stinging her fair skin
as the dull gray tape was ripped away.
	The room was bare, save for her chair and an old radiator pipe that ran the length
from the floor to the ceiling, to which she was presently handcuffed. The floor was beyond
filthy, the wallpaper bubbling and peeling away from the wall in several places. Just the
sight of the place made her want a shower. The glass was shoved to her lips, Lan taking
several deep gulps of the cool liquid before he pulled it away.
	"What do you want from me?" she asked with as much defiance as she could muster. To
her mute surprise, she had managed to keep the stark terror out of her voice.
	Her captor remained silent, simply pushing the glass to her lips again. She drank
once more, certain that this would be the last time for quite a while. God, she hoped she
didn't have to use the bathroom anytime soon...
	Without another word, another strip of tape was placed across her lips, rendering
her mute as he left her alone with her fear and confusion.

======================================================

	"Release my wife!" Raizo screamed.
	"Only when you release Lan AND the other case." The sound of that insufferable jap
growling in impotent rage on the other end of the line had been sweet indeed. Raizo had
learned that Pao Leung was not a man to be trifled with. It was a lesson that Leung would
soon re-enforce once Lan was safely out of their reach.
	"What?" Raizo sounded confused, as if he didn't know what was going on.
	"Do not play dumb with me, Raizo Yamata, or your wife will come to regret it!" Leung
slammed the phone down, savoring the moment. It was always gratifying to crush an enemy
under his heel.

=======================================================

	A harvest moon rose in the night sky, bathing the tips of Tokyo's skyscrapers in its
soft glow. Thousands of lights gleamed from stories below, moving in a tide of artificial
illumination through the maze of streets and alleys.
	Atop an incomplete spire of concrete and steel, Gosunkugi sat in thought. The naked
steel beams intersected each other in the well of darkness, the wind moaning softly through
the gaps in the supports. The lonely, desolate setting served to complement his already foul
and desolate mood, a thing which he was more than used to.
	Who was that woman? Why was Doctor Octopus after her? Why the hell should he care?
This hero crap was nothing but trouble. With a frustrated groan, he rose to his feet and
made his decision. Time to call it quits. Permanently. No more of this knight in shining
armor stuff.

=========================================================

	Kazuya replaced the phone reciever, cold dread knotting his stomach. This wasn't
happening, this wasn't happening, THIS WASN'T HAPPENING!
	How could Leung have known? One thing was for sure, his whole plan had gone directly
down the shitter. Raizo wanted his wife back, along with both cases, and then he wanted a
discussion with him. A very long discussion. It figured, the first time Kazuya threw caution
to the wind by kidnapping Leung's daughter without clearing it with the oyabun, everything
had come crashing down right on his head.
	Raizo had already set up the meet. In fact, he had already set up everything.
Whether Kazuya lived or died came down to how the next few hours went. With a trembling
hand, he punched in the number for the man guarding Lan.

===========================================================

	Lan raised her head as the footsteps grew nearer, pounding the floor with a
thundering rhythm. The shadows had deepened considerably since he had last come to, and her
arms had begun to hurt from being held immobile for so long. She could no longer feel her
rear end from so much time spent sitting, her mouth dry from the gag.
	Her eyes tracked the enormous patch of shadow as it moved purposefully toward her,
fear running wild through her veins. What was going to happen now? What was he going to do?
Why was this happening to her? Time seemed to slow as he grew ever nearer, the only sounds
in the room her heartbeat and his footfalls.
	She felt his presence like a charged cloud as he stopped alongside her. A clicking
noise came from behind just as the metal cuff around her right wrist released. Were they
letting her go?
	As if in answer, his calloused hand gripped painfully around her upper arm, yanking
her roughly to her feet. Lan grunted in surprise and pain before the arm was roughy yanked
behind her again, and the metal cuff was replaced.
	"Don't make this any harder." Lan froze at the gravelly voice, and what it implied.
"Just stay calm, and it'll all be over soon." Oh, no....

=========================================================

	Gosunkugi went rigid as the tingling feeling hit him in the base of the skull like a
hammer. His breath caught short as he frantically searched around for the source, heart
thundering in his ears. Oh, what was it NOW?
	The elevator below roared into life, the clanking of the motor echoing into the air.
Who the hell was coming up here at this hour? His head tingling, Gosunkugi leapt skyward
toward another beam that ran vertically up the length of the structure. His hands and feet
hit the cold steel with a soft pat as his grip took hold.
	The elevator slowly rose in its shaft, finally stopping with a loud clang just below
him. The doors opened with a rolling roar, two black shapes stepping out into the night.
Gosunkugi stared after them, utterly confused at their presence. Who were they? Why were
they here? The two man-shaped shadows took up positions on a beam facing the northern end of
the construction yard below, opening twin black cases as they knelt.
	The two set about pulling various parts out of the cases, putting them together with
soft clacks as each part connected. Gosunkugi watched them, unsure of what to do. Should he
stick around, at least to see what they were up to? Or should he just take to his heels and
head for home? His spider-sense continued to blast warning bells in his head, but the source
wasn't from them. Then what was it?
	Screw it, he thought in disgust, I said I quit, and that's that. With that, he fired
a web into the night and swung away from the unfinished structure. Time to get home, he had
a test the next day.

===========================================================

	Kazuya stood motionless as the headlamps washed over a stack of beams still on the
packed dirt. Ever nerve seemed alive with tension, the very movement of the air tingling his
skin. This was it, then. Everything was riding on this plan, this moment. His men were in
position, both on the ground and up in the unfinished building. Only the capriciousness of
fortune would determine his fate now.
	Twin sets of halogen lights flared to life behind him as the Triad car rounded the
bend and applied its brakes. Kazuya squinted his eyes against the glare, and waited.
	The engine of the other car died out, the sound of doors opening reaching his ears
soon after. Against the lights, he saw four men exit the car, one dragging out Keiko Yamata.
Keeping his face neutral, Kazuya motioned for one of his own men to come forward.

	Wu Long cast a quick glance at the skeletal structure in the background before
signalling for Pak to pull out Keiko. Raizo had chosen well; there were at least a thousand
places for more of his men to hide, just in the unfinished building alone. Unfortunately,
such a place was a double-edged sword. Long had men of his own in position and ready for the
inevitable. He was certain Raizo's flunkie would make a grab for both cases, as Long himself
would. That was where their trump card came in. Long looked briefly at the black case held
in Lan's hand, then at the one held in the jap's. Time to begin, then.
	"We will send them both at the same time!" he shouted.
	"Very well!" Keiko was sent forward with a rough shove, as was Lan. The two women
looked about nervously for a moment before slowly moving toward each other. Long suppressed
his anxiety as they seemed to crawl across the construction yard with agonizing slowness.
	Come on, he thought, hurry up!

	The two men on the scaffolding raised their rifles, acquiring their targets with
ease that came from years of experience. They remained stock still, only the muzzles of
their rifles moving respectively with their targets.
	A sniper fully dedicated himself to his craft, pouring all his concentration into
his intended target to the exclusion of all else. He lived for that moment, when the bullet
left his gun with a suppressed roar as it screamed toward his target at over three hundred
meters per second. Such concentration was necessary, even commendable, yet at times was more
trouble than it was worth. This was one of those times.
	Neither of them saw it coming, merely felt the cold metal wrap around their throats
before jerking them into the air. Their weapons fell all of two centimeters before being
seized by two sinuous metal tentacles. The last thing either of them felt was the metal
around their throats tightening before their necks cracked like twigs.

	Kazuya held his breath as the two hostages drew side by side. This was it! His
stomach felt as if it had twisted around his spine as he braced for his other men to open
fire on the chinks. The two passed each other, and the night remianed unrent by gunfire. His
gut twisted tighter as Keiko grew closer, fear now running rampant in the confines of his
skull. Where the hell was his backup?!
	"What the?!" Kazuya turned with the man to his left just as two steel poles ripped
through the hoods of the cars behind, tearing the thin metal with a shriek mixed with the
crunch of the engines being crushed. Time stood still as he looked up their length to the
shadowed form atop them.

	Wu Long seized his chance, sprinting out after Keiko as the Yakuza stared up at
Doctor Octopus. Two of his own men raced out after him, both grabbing Lan and hauling her to
the safety of the car that waited just outside the yard.
	He felt as if he were the only person moving in the entire world as he closed the
distance between himself and the other case. Just a few more meters...
	Fate then deemed fit to deal him a slap in the face. Keiko turned her head, fear in
her eyes, and locked on his own. Long refused to slow, instead forcing more power from his
legs as he reached out. Her mouth opened at the sight of him, a scream bursting forth from
her throat.
	Bitch screams at me, but not Doctor Octopus, Long thought in disgust.

	Doctor Octavius moved like death's wind, lowering himself on his bottom tentacles as
his other two lashed out at the yakuza on the ground below. Three fell from his hammer-like
blows, blood streaming from their heads before they even thought about opening fire.
	Fools, he thought as his feet touched earth. He ripped his other two tentacles free
with a metallic screech, sailing them outward with pinpoint accuracy. Two more fell before
the yakuza could scatter, while Wu Long's men moved in and began to open fire. Octavius
leapt clear of the fusilade of lead, wrapping a tentacle around the waist of a fleeing yak.
With little more thought than he would give to swatting a fly, he sent the screaming man
into one of the piles of steel beams, ending his pitiful resistance before it could begin.
	Those whom the yaks had sent in advance had been pathetically easy, falling quickly
and silently to his onslaught. Octavius normally abhorred such meaningless activities, yet
in this case his research depended on it. Science was a law in and of itself to him, and
justfied everything he did in its service.
	"WE HAVE WHAT WE CAME FOR!" he heard Long shout to his subordinates over the
suppressed staccato pops of gunfire. "GET OUT! NOW!"

	Wu Long stared down at the unconscious form of Keiko Yamata, holding the case in his
grasp as if he were afraid it would suddenly try to break free. His men were decimating the
yakuza, he had both Lan and the other case, so what use was this lousy jap to him? He
levelled his glock at her head, the question answered.
	Long felt something slice the air at super sonic speed, missing his ear by only a
scant centimeter. On instinct, he dropped to the dirt, clutching the case to his chest as he
rolled clear. Tiny sprays of dirt kicked up before his face, sending Long scurrying back for
cover.
	"DIE, YOU CHINK SON OF A BITCH!" he heard a voice scream before another volley of
bullets scorched the air above his head. Desperation trying to rule over his reason, Long
rose to his feet and dove behind a trash drum.
	He risked a peek from behind his shelter, spotting the leader of the yaks struggling
with his Sig. With a malicious grin, Long took aim and fired.

	Kazuya screamed at the chink, his mind awhirl with despair and hate. He had just
lost his one chance to redeem himself in the eyes of the oyabun, essentially his right to
live. Raizo would have his head for this, and would ensure that it would be as painful as
possible.
	He walked through the flagging rain of bullets, his eyes fixed solely on Wu Long. So
what if he got hit, he was already a dead man. The chink ran for his life as Kazuya's
bullets screamed past, clutching the other case to his chest.
	Long moved to dive behind a barrel just as Kazuya managed to draw a steady bead on
him. With a manic grin, he squeezed the trigger ony to be greeted by a hollow click.
	Kazuya screamed incoherently as he fumbled for a spare clip, too far beyond reason
to realize that it was in his other pocket. He never saw Long rise from his cover, nor did
he see the gun aimed right at his head. The last thing he felt was a second of impact to his
head before all sensation vanished into nothing.

	"WE HAVE WHAT WE CAME FOR! GET OUT! NOW!" Long shouted as he charged for the waiting
car. His men fell back instantly, moving to his position as Doctor Octopus took care of any
stragglers from the yakuza.
	The blaring wail of sirens approached from the distance, shouting that Long's time
was extremely short. He turned the sedan's key, the engine humming obediently to life as the
last person crowded in. Others had left through the gate already, toward the third car that
would be waiting. The car with Lan and the other case had already left, and would be near
Leung's building by now.
	Not sparing a second, Long slammed the car into Reverse. The tires spun wildly for a
moment before gaining their traction and pushing the car out to the street. Long jerked the
wheel to the left, swinging the front around as he shoved the gear lever into Drive. The
tires screamed and smoked as the rubber was mercilessly peeled from them before launching
the car off into the night.

=========================================================

	Kazuya replaced the phone reciever, cold dread knotting his stomach. This wasn't
happening, this wasn't happening, THIS WASN'T HAPPENING!
	How could Leung have known? One thing was for sure, his whole plan had gone directly
down the shitter. Raizo wanted his wife back, along with both cases, and then he wanted a
discussion with him. A very long discussion. It figured, the first time Kazuya threw caution
to the wind by kidnapping Leung's daughter without clearing it with the oyabun, everything
had come crashing down right on his head.
	Raizo had already set up the meet. In fact, he had already set up everything.
Whether Kazuya lived or died came down to how the next few hours went. With a trembling
hand, he punched in the number for the man guarding Lan.

===========================================================

	Lan raised her head as the footsteps grew nearer, pounding the floor with a
thundering rhythm. The shadows had deepened considerably since he had last come to, and her
arms had begun to hurt from being held immobile for so long. She could no longer feel her
rear end from so much time spent sitting, her mouth dry from the gag.
	Her eyes tracked the enormous patch of shadow as it moved purposefully toward her,
fear running wild through her veins. What was going to happen now? What was he going to do?
Why was this happening to her? Time seemed to slow as he grew ever nearer, the only sounds
in the room her heartbeat and his footfalls.
	She felt his presence like a charged cloud as he stopped alongside her. A clicking
noise came from behind just as the metal cuff around her right wrist released. Were they
letting her go?
	As if in answer, his calloused hand gripped painfully around her upper arm, yanking
her roughly to her feet. Lan grunted in surprise and pain before the arm was roughy yanked
behind her again, and the metal cuff was replaced.
	"Don't make this any harder." Lan froze at the gravelly voice, and what it implied.
"Just stay calm, and it'll all be over soon." Oh, no....

=========================================================

	Gosunkugi went rigid as the tingling feeling hit him in the base of the skull like a
hammer. His breath caught short as he frantically searched around for the source, heart
thundering in his ears. Oh, what was it NOW?
	The elevator below roared into life, the clanking of the motor	echoing into the
air. Who the hell was coming up here at this hour? His head tingling, Gosunkugi leapt
skyward toward another beam that ran vertically up the length of the structure. His hands
and feet hit the cold steel with a soft pat as his grip took hold.
	The elevator slowly rose in its shaft, finally stopping with a loud clang just below
him. The doors opened with a rolling roar, two black shapes stepping out into the night.
Gosunkugi stared after them, utterly confused at their presence. Who were they? Why were
they here? The two man-shaped shadows took up positions on a beam facing the northern end of
the construction yard below, opening twin black cases as they knelt.
	The two set about pulling various parts out of the cases, putting them together with
soft clacks as each part connected. Gosunkugi watched them, unsure of what to do. Should he
stick around, at least to see what they were up to? Or should he just take to his heels and
head for home? His spider-sense continued to blast warning bells in his head, but the source
wasn't from them. Then what was it?
	Screw it, he thought in disgust, I said I quit, and that's that. With that, he fired
a web into the night and swung away from the unfinished structure. Time to get home, he had
a test the next day.

===========================================================

	Kazuya stood motionless as the headlamps washed over a stack of beams still on the
packed dirt. Ever nerve seemed alive with tension, the very movement of the air tingling his
skin. This was it, then. Everything was riding on this plan, this moment. His men were in
position, both on the ground and up in the unfinished building. Only the capriciousness of
fortune would determine his fate now.
	Twin sets of halogen lights flared ot life behind him as the Triad car rounded the
bend and applied its brakes. Kazuya squinted his eyes against the glare, and waited.
	The engine of the other car died out, the sound of doors opening reaching his ears
soon after. Against the lights, he saw four men exit the car, one dragging out Keiko Yamata.
Keeping his face neutral, Kazuya motioned for one of his own men to come forward.

	Wu Long cast a quick glance at the skeletal structure in the background before
signalling for Pak to pull out Keiko. Raizo had chosen well; there were at least a thousand
places for more of his men to hide, just in the unfinished building alone. Unfortunately,
such a place was a double-edged sword. Long had men of his own in position and ready for the
inevitable. He was certain Raizo's flunkie would make a grab for both cases, as Long himself
would. That was where their trump card came in. Long looked briefly at the black case held
in Lan's hand, then at the one held in the jap's. Time to begin, then.
	"We will send them both at the same time!" he shouted.
	"Very well!" Keiko was sent forward with a rough shove, as was Lan. The two women
looked about nervously for a moment before slowly moving toward each other. Long suppressed
his anxiety as they seemed to crawl across the construction yard with agonizing slowness.
	Come on, he thought, hurry up!

	The two men on the scaffolding raised their rifles, acquiring their targets with
ease that came from years of experience. They remained stock still, only the muzzles of
their rifles moving respectively with their targets.
	A sniper fully dedicated himself to his craft, pouring all his concentration into
his intended target to the exclusion of all else. He lived for that moment, when the bullet
left his gun with a suppressed roar as it screamed toward his target at over three hundred
meters per second. Such concentration was necessary, even commendable, yet at times was more
trouble than it was worth. This was one of those times.
	Neither of them saw it coming, merely felt the cold metal wrap around their throats
before jerking them into the air. Their weapons fell all of two centimeters before being
seized by two sinuous metal tentacles. The last thing either of them felt was the metal
around their throats tightening before their necks cracked like twigs.

	Kazuya held his breath as the two hostages drew side by side. This was it! His
stomach felt as if it had twisted around his spine as he braced for his other men to open
fire on the chinks. The two passed each other, and the night remianed unrent by gunfire. His
gut twisted tighter as Keiko grew closer, fear now running rampant in the confines of his
skull. Where the hell was his backup?!
	"What the?!" Kazuya turned with the man to his left just as two steel poles ripped
through the hoods of the cars behind, tearing the thin metal with a shriek mixed with the
crunch of the engines being crushed. Time stood still as he looked up their length to the
shadowed form atop them.

	Wu Long seized his chance, sprinting out after Keiko as the Yakuza stared up at
Doctor Octopus. Two of his own men raced out after him, both grabbing Lan and hauling her to
the safety of the car that waited just outside the yard.
	He felt as if he were the only person moving in the entire world as he closed the
distance between himself and the other case. Just a few more meters...
	Fate then deemed fit to deal him a slap in the face. Keiko turned her head, fear in
her eyes, and locked on his own. Long refused to slow, instead forcing more power from his
legs as he reached out. Her mouth opened at the sight of him, a scream bursting forth from
her throat.
	Bitch screams at me, but not Doctor Octopus, Long thought in disgust.

	Doctor Octavius moved like death's wind, lowering himself on his bottom tentacles as
his other two lashed out at the yakuza on the ground below. Three fell from his hammer-like
blows, blood streaming from their heads before they even thought about opening fire.
	Fools, he thought as his feet touched earth. He ripped his other two tentacles free
with a metallic screech, sailing them outward with pinpoint accuracy. Two more fell before
the yakuza could scatter, while Wu Long's men moved in and began to open fire. Octavius
leapt clear of the fusilade of lead, wrapping a tentacle around the waist of a fleeing yak.
With little more thought than he would give to swatting a fly, he sent the screaming man
into one of the piles of steel beams, ending his pitiful resistance before it could begin.
	Those whom the yaks had sent in advance had been pathetically easy, falling quickly
and silently to his onslaught. Octavius normally abhorred such meaningless activities, yet
in this case his research depended on it. Science was a law in and of itself to him, and
justfied everything he did in its service.
	"WE HAVE WHAT WE CAME FOR!" he heard Long shout to his subordinates over the
suppressed staccato pops of gunfire. "GET OUT! NOW!"

	Wu Long stared down at the unconscious form of Keiko Yamata, holding the case in his
grasp as if he were afraid it would suddenly try to break free. His men were decimating the
yakuza, he had both Lan and the other case, so what use was this lousy jap to him? He
levelled his glock at her head, the question answered.
	Long felt something slice the air at super sonic speed, missing his ear by only a
scant centimeter. On instinct, he dropped to the dirt, clutching the case to his chest as he
rolled clear. Tiny sprays of dirt kicked up before his face, sending Long scurrying back for
cover.
	"DIE, YOU CHINK SON OF A BITCH!" he heard a voice scream before another volley of
bullets scorched the air above his head. Desperation trying to rule over his reason, Long
rose to his feet and dove behind a trash drum.
	He risked a peek from behind his shelter, spotting the leader of the yaks struggling
with his Sig. With a malicious grin, Long took aim and fired.

	Kazuya screamed at the chink, his mind awhirl with despair and hate. He had just
lost his one chance to redeem himself in the eyes of the oyabun, essentially his right to
live. Raizo would have his head for this, and would ensure that it would be as painful as
possible.
	He walked through the flagging rain of bullets, his eyes fixed solely on Wu Long. So
what if he got hit, he was already a dead man. The chink ran for his life as Kazuya's
bullets screamed past, clutching the other case to his chest.
	Long moved to dive behind a barrel just as Kazuya managed to draw a steady bead on
him. With a manic grin, he squeezed the trigger ony to be greeted by a hollow click.
	Kazuya screamed incoherently as he fumbled for a spare clip, too far beyond reason
to realize that it was in his other pocket. He never saw Long rise from his cover, nor did
he see the gun aimed right at his head. The last thing he felt was a second of impact to his
head before all sensation vanished into nothing.

	"WE HAVE WHAT WE CAME FOR! GET OUT! NOW!" Long shouted as he charged for the waiting
car. His men fell back instantly, moving to his position as Doctor Octopus took care of any
stragglers from the yakuza.
	The blaring wail of sirens approached from the distance, shouting that Long's time
was extremely short. He turned the sedan's key, the engine humming obediently to life as the
last person crowded in. Others had left through the gate already, toward the third car that
would be waiting. The car with Lan and the other case had already left, and would be near
Leung's building by now.
	Not sparing a second, Long slammed the car into Reverse. The tires spun wildly for a
moment before gaining their traction and pushing the car out to the street. Long jerked the
wheel to the left, swinging the front around as he shoved the gear lever into Drive. The
tires screamed and smoked as the rubber was mercilessly peeled from them before launching
the car off into the night.

=============================================

	Well, this is FINALLY done! I'm having Gos hang up his webs (no pun intended), to
prepare for the lesson he's about to learn. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Jed