by Bob Gansler
#6 - JULY 00	CATFIGHT IN HONG KONG

In a lavishly decorated apartment overlooking the beach, Shen Kuei was deeply immersed in thought. The world was changing around him, and it was not to his liking. When the British had returned Hong Kong to the Chinese, he knew that there would be changes. However, he had hoped that the transfer would afford him new opportunities; it had only presented him with new problems. The new government that the Communist Chinese had instituted was becoming very restrictive. His business was suffering.

Shen Kuei, known to many as the deadly martial artist Cat, had hoped that the Chinese government would turn a blind eye to his activities, in respect for the work that he had occasionally done as an agent for them over the years. This had not come to take place. Port authorities had harassed his boats which were bringing in a great deal of contraband shipments. The seizures were cutting deeply into his profits. Not that he did not have enough wealth already to live out the rest of his life in comfort, he nonetheless wanted a life of activity. He did not want a life filled with so many obstacles though.

"A penny for your thoughts," his lover Juliette called out. The beautiful blond woman was resting comfortably on a futon reading the day’s newspaper. Despite Shen’s occasional dalliances with others, Leiko Wu and Pavane in particular, and despite her short-lived dalliance with Shang-Chi, they were deeply in love with each other.

"I was just thinking about how difficult business has become since the transfer," Shen replied. "First the Communists, and now the revolutionaries. It will lead to trouble." In recent days, a new movement had sprung up among the people of Hong Kong. The movement was called 'Reunionist', and it asserted that Hong Kong's rightful place was within the United Kingdom and not Communist-controlled China. Already scuffles had occurred between these rebels and the local authorities. The confrontations were escalating every day. China accused Britain of instigating the growing uprising, but London denied any involvement in the movement.

"You'll get through it," she said encouragingly. "You always do. Even death can’t seem to stop you."

"Yes, that last encounter with the grim reaper was much closer than I would have liked." Shen thought about he had narrowly escaped death during the battle with Argus. He wondered if the Britisher Shang-Chi had counted him for dead. "I do not relish the thought of facing death again, but that is what will happen if these Reunionists continue in their ways. The government will only become more oppressive."

{Cat's near-death occurred in Marvel Comics Presents #7}

"Who are these Reunionists? Do they really think that they can separate Hong Kong from China and return it to Britain? What sort of men are they?" Juliette asked.

"Either a brave men or a foolish ones. There is a fine line dividing the two." He rose and headed for the door. "I am going into the heart of the city to talk with my people. I must learn more about this ill-conceived movement. No good can come from antagonizing the Communists."

"Good luck," Juliette said as he left. Though she knew him to capable enough to face any threat, she had a distinct sense of dread. Everything seemed darker these days in Hong Kong, but she knew that it was not all the Communists' doing. One could almost taste the despair in the air. "Be careful, my love," she whispered.

It was a short five minutes later that Shen had reached his destination. The conversation at one of the warehouse that served Shen’s business had brought to light a startling new fact. He was very intrigued by the latest reports.

"Tell me," Shen ordered his underling, "about this mysterious man who sought to talk you out of my employ."

"He’s been coming around here for the past few days," Cho Fing, Shen’s second-in-command, replied. "He's convinced more than a few of our people to join his cause of 'Reunion'. He says he has government connections back in Merry Old to get weapons and such."

"He's been here on multiple occasions?" Cat asked. "What have you done about it?"

"Last night I sent a couple of our boys at him, to persuade him to stop his poaching. He took them all out, alone and unarmed, with little effort. I'd have to say that he’s at least as good as you, boss ... if not better, no offense."

"The truth of that evaluation remains to be seen," Cat said coldly. "There are not many men who might exhibit the skill that I do." He paused. "One does come to mind, one who has connections to the British government, but I find it unlikely that he would be involved in a scheme like this."

Word was passed around to all of Cat's establishments that he was to be contacted if the Reunionists came recruiting again tonight. Cat waited impatiently in the warehouse district, his eyes constantly darting towards the cellphone that rested one of the dock's posts. He passed the time by watching his employees unload a shipment of black market compact discs from a ship into the warehouse.

Finally, the cellphone rang. Cat sprang across the dock to it, activating the phone before its first ring could be completed. "Cat," he said.

"Hey boss," the voice on the other end said. The speaker spoke with nervous speed. "That Reunionist is here on Lantern Street. He's all alone."

"Make sure that he does not leave before I arrive." He flipped the cellphone closed and turned to Cho Fing, who had joined the others in the unloading operation. "I leave you in charge here once again. I want these CD's repackaged and ready to be shipped out in two days."

The bakery shop on Lantern Street was a front for Cat's operations. It was one of the many places in which Cat laundered money from the less legal portions of his business enterprises. That the mysterious recruiter knew that this shop was part of his empire concerned Cat greatly. He had thought it the most innocuous of his supposedly legitimate holdings. This Reunionist apparently had very good sources of information. "MI-6 would have the resources to uncover that," Cat thought. "Could he be working for them again?"

Cat approached the door to the bakery shop. Through the store window, he could see his employees listening with rapt attention to the speaker who stood in the doorway. The speaker's back was turned towards Cat, so Shen could not see the man's face. The man's shape was known to him as was his bearing. The outfit was different, a blue kimono laced with gold, but the style was not entirely dissimilar to that which Cat had seen before. His conjecture was realized. Cat did not know whether to feel pleased or dismayed.

After opening the door swiftly, Cat called out. "So, you would use my men in a gambit for Britain to take back what she willingly relinquished."

The 'bakers' looked with awe upon their employer. The Reunionist turned and stared at Cat with disdain. While his face was known to Cat as that of Shang-Chi, the scar upon it indicated that he was truly Xan-Chi. However, this insight was not given to Cat.

"So the Cat has sent only one man to dissuade me from brining these men into the cause for Hong Kong?" Xan- Chi sneered.

"Your words are strange, Britisher, as are your actions," Cat replied. "I would have thought such deviousness beneath you. This fomenting of trouble for the Communists seems incongruous with what I know of you." He started to unbutton his shirt. "But to answer your question, Cat sent Cat to protect what is his." Shen removed his shirt, displaying the large cat symbol tattooed on his chest.

"Ah, I see," Xan-Chi replied. He had never laid eyes upon Cat before. The man did not seem to be as powerful as his employees would have it seem. If he were to eliminate Cat, it could help him strengthen his power here and cause more trouble for the Communists.

"For whom do you operate?" Shen demanded. "The British, truly? Or perhaps the Maggia or even the Yakuza?" With a gesture, he ordered the 'bakers' out of the shop. They quickly filed out, leaving only Cat and Xan-Chi inside.

Once they were alone, Xan-Chi replied curtly. "I work for my father." The smile on his face let Cat know that Xan-Chi felt that Cat would never be able to repeat that information to anyone else.

Cat had certainly heard of the dreaded Fu Manchu before. When he had last fought side by side with Shang-Chi he had been led to believe that the insidious mastermind was finally dead. "It would seem that the passing of time has wrought many changes. Fu Manchu was dead, yet now he lives. You, who always had opposed him, now enact his wicked schemes."

Xan-Chi assumed an offensive stance. "The Cat is curious since he knows so little. Knowledge benefits the dead little."

Preparing himself for battle, Cat replied. "You talk as if you were another. I honored the Shang-Chi I knew. He was never so boastful. He proved his worth in battle, not with his own words."

"Then listen to my actions," Xan-Chi bellowed as he leapt forward. His sudden attack took Cat by surprise. Shen Kuei had never known Shang-Chi to battle so brazenly. Xan-Chi's foot caught Cat on the chin, but he was able to snap his head back and avoid most of the force.

Cat performed an aerial somersault to give himself a little more space between him and his opponent. He had come prepared to face the Shang-Chi that he had known. The adversary who stood across the room from him was a new foe altogether. "You have changed, Britisher. Then again, your name does mean 'the rising and advancing of spirit', so change must be inevitable."

Xan-Chi snarled and advanced with a series of spinning kicks. "Speak not of that name to me." Each kick came closer to striking Cat, but Shen Kuei continued to avoid what could have devastating blows.

Cat turned Xan-Chi's last kick aside with his right forearm while he landed a crushing blow with his left hand to Xan-Chi's mid-section. He followed this with a knee thrust to the chin. Xan-Chi reeled from the assault.

"You fight fiercely, Cat. Much more fiercely than I had expected." Xan-Chi wiped some blood from his mouth. He moved cautiously towards Cat again.

The words of Xan-Chi resonated in Cat's mind. He had battled with Shang-Chi in the past. There was no question that Shang-Chi knew his style, just as Cat knew the Britisher's own. But this was different. Shang-Chi never was so talkative in battle before. He had always been mute in his concentration. Today was different. The style was more bloodthirsty, more offensive, more antagonistic. Cat replayed his adversary's words again. It became clear to him, though in what manner it had been realized was beyond him. This was not Shang-Chi.

Cat smiled. "You are unmasked by your words and deeds, pretender. Though you bear his face, you are not Shang-Chi."

"True enough," Xan-Chi sneered. "Shang-Chi may have been your equal. I am your superior!" He lashed out with a flurry of punches. A few landed on Cat's tattooed chest, but most were parried. As frantic as Xan-Chi's pace was, Cat soon found the rhythm of it and anticipated the attacks. Xan-Chi continued to press but his attack became less effective with every passing moment.

Xan-Chi drew back for a moment in order to develop a new strategy. Cat took advantage of the momentary lull and loosed a hard kick to Xan-Chi's ankle. The doppleganger stumbled for a second, and Cat followed with a crushing blow to Xan-Chi's head. Now that he knew that his opponent was not as it seemed, Cat had no compunctions about thrashing his rival. Xan-Chi was hard pressed to keep from being severely hurt. A combination of kicks set Xan-Chi up for powerful two-handed blow. Cat sent Xan-Chi flying through the large glass window of the bakery.

His body cut and bruised, Xan-Chi struggled to get to his feet. Returning to Fu Manchu in defeat would be humiliating, but better than to die at Cat's hands. "The movement will continue without me for the moment," he thought. "My father will tell me what to do." Once upon his feet, he ran into the Hong King night.

"Tell Fu Manchu that Hong Kong belongs to Cat," Shen Kuei shouted at the fleeing figure. "Tell him to leave this city alone."

Shang-Chi, Leiko Wu, and J.B. Reston were strolling through the area of London called Limehouse. Situated on the shores of the River Thames, it had long housed a significant portion of London's Chinese populace. It had also served in times past as the center of operations for Fu Manchu in London. It was the trio's fear that this was once again true. J.B. had disclosed information that Limehouse was being used part of the chain of an arms smuggling operation. Certain law-abiding residents of the area had provided the information and had contracted Freelance Restorations to deal with the situation quietly.

"Rather nice of the locals to hire us to do the job," Leiko commented as they walked through the busy outdoor marketplace.

"Niceness had nothing to do with it," J.B. replied. He was dressed in the hooded robe of a monk to disguise his decidedly Occidental features. "The locals mistrust the law enforcement officials. They felt that if they told the police, all of Limehouse would be turned upside down. Too often the bobbies operate under the theory of 'they all look alike, they all must be guilty.'"

"That is sad that such a situation could still exist in this day," Shang-Chi noted as he scanned the marketplace. "One would have hoped that mankind could have advanced beyond such prejudices."

"Amen to that," J.B. agreed. "However, if everybody were so enlightened, we'd be out of a job."

Shang-Chi smiled. "I could happily spend my days fishing in such a world."

"It's a pleasant dream, but that's all it is right now, a dream." Leiko pointed towards a butcher shop. "Let's focus on reality." She noted the strange wooden boxes that were being carried from the shop to the moored boats on the banks. "That looks rather peculiar to me."

J.B pulled back his hood a little. "I dare say that I agree. Rather strange way to transport meats. What say we take a look?"

The trio made their way to the butcher shop and passed through the doors. Once inside, they approached the counter in order to place their respective orders. The man behind the counter looked at them warily.

"Sorry, today no meat," he said with a frown.

"No meat in a butcher shop?" Shang-Chi responded.

"No meat," the shopkeeper stated. He scowled at the threesome.

"Are you sure," Leiko interjected. She pointed towards the rear of the store. "I saw a number of men outside moving containers."

"No meat today," the shopkeeper repeated. "Go home." He reached under the counter and pulled out a pair of nunchucks. "Go home now."

J.B. tore back his hood and pulled out a pistol from inside his robes. He pointed the pistol between the shopkeeper's eyes. "Now is that any way to treat a monk and his friends?"

"What? You crazy?" the shopkeeper sputtered.

Pressing the gun against the shopkeeper's forehead, J.B. replied. "You drew a weapon on us first. I simply escalated our own private little arms race." He stared into the shopkeeper's eyes. "Now, what's this about no meat today?"

"Like I said," the shopkeeper said nervously. "No meat today."

"Then what's the story regarding all those containers being put on the boats. Are you putting whole animals to sea?" J.B. demanded. The shopkeeper hesitated. J.B. pulled back on the hammer.

"No, no!" the shopkeeper put up his hands. "No meat in there."

J.B. chuckled. "I thought not. What is it then? Some kind of contraband … perhaps guns?"

"Yes, yes!" The shopkeeper did not want to betray his associates, but his loyalty was to himself and his pocketbook, not to the master of his associates.

"Very good." J.B. brought the gun up, and then brought it crashing down on the skull of the shopkeeper. The butcher crumpled to the ground unconscious.

"Very subtle," Shang-Chi commented wryly.

J.B. flashed a wide grin. "I obtained the information that we needed, didn't I?" He tucked the pistol back into his sleeve. "Now let's see about stopping this arms shipment, shall we?"

The trio found nobody in the refrigerated room behind the counter. It was completely empty. There was no meat to be found. Shang-Chi commented that perhaps the smugglers were on the verge of abandoning this base of operation.

"Then it's a good thing that we arrived before they could set up somewhere else," J.B. noted.

Near the rear exit, they saw the doors of a number of cold storage coolers flung open. All of them were empty, save one. Inside of that one were large stacks of boxes. Leiko pulled open the lid of one of them and pulled its contents out. In her hands she now held an automatic assault rifle.

"Looks like we got here just in time," Leiko said as she put the gun back into the case. "Another trip or two and they would have cleaned the place out."

"Right then," J.B. declared. "We have the proof we need. Let's go apprehend the perpetrators."

Shang-Chi put his hand up. "Let us wait for those outside to return for the last of the weapons. They might easily escape if outside. In here, we can ensure that they do not leave the shop."

J.B. shrugged. "All right, but that won't be as much fun. I enjoy a good chase now and again."

"This is not a game," Shang-Chi said sternly.

"Sure it is," J.B. chipped. "You've said so yourself. It's a game of deceit and death."

A few moments later, the other smugglers entered through the rear doors, intent on loading the last of the weapons onto the awaiting boats. The trio had hidden behind the metal tables. Once the smugglers were inside of the cooler, Shang-Chi and Leiko rushed towards the rear door while J.B. covered the door to the service counter.

J.B. held his pistol in one hand while he cupped the other by his mouth. Calling out in a loud voice, he said. "You're in violation of Her Majesty's laws. Be good chaps and surrender."

The smugglers hurried out of the cooler to see J.B. and his drawn weapon. Their mutterings grew to profane curses when they saw Shang-Chi behind him.

"The disloyal son to the Celestial One," one of the more eloquent of the smugglers said as he pulled out a long knife from his belt. Shang-Chi knew the shape of the blade well. He had seen it many time during his years in his father's retreat in Honan. The blade identified this smuggler, and likely the rest of his comrades, as Si-Fan.

"Kill him, for the glory of Fu Manchu!" another Si-Fan shouted. He pulled out his own knife and the others followed suit. They rushed towards Shang-Chi and Leiko, but not all of them made it. Two were put down by deft shots from J.B.

"Rather maniacal to murder you, aren't they?" J.B. shouted. The Si-Fan were too close to Shang-Chi and Leiko now to risk another shot. He put the gun away and rolled up the sleeves to his robe. "I'll assume that these chaps don't subscribe to the ideals of the Marquis of Queensbury." Once he reached the middle of melee, he kicked one of the Si-Fan from behind in the knee.

Shang-Chi and Leiko stood side-by-side as they faced the Si-Fan attack. The steel of the blades glistened in lights overhead, but none of the were reddened with blood. Leiko avoided the thrusts that came her way while Shang-Chi parried a few of the knives with his metal bracelets. The Si-Fan attacked so haphazardly that not all of them could strike at once. This allowed Shang-Chi and Leiko to only deal with two or three at a time. With such odds, they had the Si-Fan outnumbered, especially with J.B. attacking from their rear.

While the Si-Fan attack was a work of chaos, Shang-Chi offensive maneuvers were a work of finely tuned order. His movements were fluid, only using the exact amount of force necessary, striking the target at the right time, striking the target at the right angle. One after another the Si-Fan fell. Leiko's efforts were similarly effective, although perhaps not as graceful. While Shang-Chi performed like a virtuoso, Leiko was more akin to a street musician. The intensity was there, but Leiko did not have the flair of her lover. Still, her skill was greater than all but a few in this world. Many Si-Fan fell at her hand as well.

The trio proved to be much more than the dozen Si-Fan could hope to vanquish. Soon all of the minions of Fu Manchu lay on the ground. Only the two that J.B. had shot lay lifeless. The others were either unconscious or incapacitated.

J.B. rubbed his hands together. "I reckon that this ends this particular arms smuggling operation. I'm sure the law-abiding shopkeepers in Limehouse will be happy to learn of it, and we'll be happy to take the rest of our fee."

Shang-Chi shrugged. "I have my doubts about that. Long has the shadow of my father fallen on Limehouse. He has corrupted it. I would not be surprised if the 'law-abiding shopkeepers' that contracted Freelance are really agents of Fu Manchu."

"That's daft, lad." J.B. shook his head. "Why would Fu Manchu set up his own operation to fall?"

"Perhaps to keep us occupied," Shang-Chi sighed. "Perhaps to distract us from something else."

When the threesome returned to the service counter, they found that the shopkeeper had disappeared.

"I don't believe that he was Si-Fan, just a man interested in criminal gain," Shang-Chi suggested. "I'm sure that he will report this to the other Si-Fan in London. I have no doubt that there are others. Word will most certainly reach my father."

After notifying the police, Shang-Chi, Leiko and J.B. returned to Leiko's apartment. Shang-Chi had been very quiet on the walk back, deep in thought about his father's motives. J.B. tried to lighten the mood, but Shang-Chi would have none of it.

Once inside, Leiko poured some tea for everyone. Shang-Chi took his cup and stared into the auburn liquid and contemplated. What was Fu Manchu hoping to gain by pitting China and Britain against each other over Hong Kong? Did he really think that he could regain that China of old for which Fu Manchu longed? Shang-Chi was perplexed. When the phone rang, he was grateful for the opportunity to free himself from the thoughts.

He picked up the phone. "Yes?"

A few minutes later, he put the phone down again. "That was Cat."

"Shen Kuei?" Leiko said in surprise. She had once harbored feelings for him, though her heart now belonged to Shang-Chi. She had feared him dead after the Argus affair, the mission that had cost her a hand.

"Ah," J.B. muttered as he sipped his tea.

"He says that he has seen my double in Hong Kong, that Fu Manchu is active there," Shang-Chi explained.

"Your double? But I thought you killed him?" Leiko declared.

"Death is a flexible concept when it comes to Fu Manchu," Shang-Chi answered. "I suppose we should go there. Hong Kong is likely where the real trouble lies."

The phone rang again. Shang-Chi lifted the receiver. "Yes?"

"Shang, babe!" the voice on the other end barked. "I'm freaking happy that I caught you there."

Shang-Chi smiled. Only one person in the world called Shang-Chi 'babe'. "Rufus Carter," he replied. Shang-Chi had shared a few adventures with the former CIA agent turned professional fighter.

"Yeah, babe, it's me. And I got trouble, lots of it. I need your help, babe"

"You're an accomplished fighter and secret agent, Rufus," Shang-Chi stated. "Why would you require my assistance?"

"Cuz like you said, I'm both magic in the ring and the shadows, but I can't do both at the same time. Something bad is going down for my fight Tuesday night. I got media in my face all the time. I can't slip away and investigate, and I won't be able to do squat if something happens during the fight. I need you, babe."

"I have other plans."

"Delay 'em, babe, til after Tuesday. I'll make it worth your while. The payday I'm gonna get from this fight is going to put my bank account into the stratosphere."

"Money is the root of all evil."

"Very Zen of you," Rufus chuckled. "But we know that ain't always so. Power corrupts, and your daddy's got it bad."

"My father is involved in your trouble?"

"That's what I've been able to gather so far, though it ain't much. Come on down to the Ritz. I'll fill you in face-to-face."

"All right." Shang-Chi looked over to the wall clock. "We'll be there at eight."

"We?"

"Leiko and another associate."

"Do I know this associate?"

"J.B. Reston."

"Whoa! That dinosaur?"

Shang-Chi smiled. "We'll see you at eight." He hung up the phone. He turned to Leiko and J.B. "While I would like to go to Hong Kong to trace these arms shipments, I've been informed that my father has other schemes in play, one that involves an old friend, Rufus Carter. I suggest we delay traveling to Hong Kong until we deal with this trouble."

J.B. recognized the name. He had heard of his exploits as CIA agent and as his career as "Super Midnight" of the fighting circuit. "Will he be paying us for the trouble?"

"Of course."

"Right then." J.B. stood up. "If we're going to be taking this on, and then going off to Hong Kong, I'd better make a call to the missus." He pulled out his cellphone and sheepishly looked over to Leiko. "May I?"

"Please," Leiko replied. She pointed to the bedroom door. "You can use the bedroom for some privacy."

"Thanks." J.B. grinned. "Talking with the missus can get mushy sometimes."

Inside of the bedroom, J.B. made his call and reported the recent events and developments. The call did not go to his spouse but rather to his erstwhile employer. In Vauxhall, Fah Lo Suee listened intently to J.B.'s report.

Once the call was finished, Fah Lo Suee buzzed Melissa Greville at the front desk. "Miss Greville, contact Dark Angel and Shockwave. I'm sending them to Hong Kong as soon as possible."

Inside of the hut of Fu Manchu, Xan-Chi lay prostrate before his august father. He had given his report about his defeat at the hands of Cat, that the operation was still going forward in Hong Kong, but not with the speed that Fu Manchu had anticipated.

Fu Manchu looked down from his ornamental throne. He had expected more from Xan-Chi. He had expected him to be more effective in this undertaking. However, he was beginning to realize that Xan-Chi did not possess the inner serenity that his false son did. Xan-Chi was too headstrong, too eager to please his father. Loyalty was to be rewarded, but failure was to be punished.

Still, events were unfolding in his favor. Word had come from Limehouse of Shang-Chi's actions there. Also the gambit that he had enacted as part of the upcoming "Super Midnight" fight would be sure to involve Shang-Chi and his associates. He still felt secure in his overall strategy. However, there were others that would stand in his way. The relative ease in which Cat had been able to dispatch Xan-Chi made Shen Kuei a threat with which he must reckon. He thought also of Cat's words that Xan-Chi had relayed. "This impertinent Cat must be taught who the master is," he thought. "All China belongs to me."

With a gesture, he bade Xan-Chi rise. "First we will see to the penance for your failure, Xan-Chi. Then you shall return to Hong Kong. You shall not be alone, though. The time has come for the shadow of Fu Manchu to fall once again outside of the walls of this monastery."

NEXT ISSUE : "The Shadow Falls" – Xan-Chi and Fu Manchu arrive in Hong Kong while Shang-Chi battles in an unscheduled opponent at Super Midnight's fight.

KUNG FU WRITING

One letter this month:

As much as I like John Ostrander's writing, I really didn't care for his portrayal of Shen (Cat) Kuei in the late, lamented Heroes for Hire series. For the purposes of Marvel Dark Lore, I'm going to completely ignore it. Cat will be the mercenary-businessman with his own sense of honor with which MOKF writer-extraordinaire Doug Moench always wrote him. Hopefully, I can capture some of those elements in my portrayal of Shen Kuei.

This issue's cover was modified from Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #7.

Bob Gansler
31-July-00