He ripped off the end of the roll with his teeth, smoothing the last strip of tape to his side as best he could one-handed, taking grim inventory as he stood before the office bathroom mirror; cracked ribs, bruised kidney from the toilet full of bloody piss, a couple of broken fingers, torn right shoulder, split lip, broken nose...

He glanced down at the semiautomatic rifle propped on the sink.

This was far from over.

Hard drives wiped, a cozy paper trail fire burning away in the alley trash bin; Kai got dressed, gathered the cash he'd emptied from his safe along with his new ID papers, grabbed the rifle, and left.

Back on the road, Kai used his current credit card for the last time to fill up at an automatic gas station pump.

Qiao Sheng would be expecting him at the townhouse, no doubt with Ryers and a few of his other cronies, all armed of course.  What would Sheng do when he discovered Xia wasn't there?  If he raced over fast enough, he could tell Sheng about a second fox, one bigger and stronger. Did that mean any potential elixir derived from that one would be more powerful?  Kai could use his knowledge of Wanfeng's existence as a bargaining chip.  Sheng would be--

Kai flinched as he reset his broken nose in the gas pump's reflective panel.  His bloodshot eyes glared coldly back at him.  No.  There would be no more deals.  It was over.

Wanfeng and Xia wouldn't have stuck around the condo waiting for cops to arrive.  The gig was up. Where would the two foxes go? To the townhouse and straight into Sheng's hands?  Sheng get both foxes for himself?  A guns blazing confrontation in Chinatown would get him nothing but killed. Kai was outnumbered.  But tipping off the police about a drug lab and possible hostages being held at the "novelty shop" may put a damper on Sheng's plans. 

Thunder boomed, drawing Kai's attention to the strange purple horizon to the northeast even in the dark of night. Northeast...

There was another possibility, wasn't there.

Wanfeng had said he was leaving, and taking Xia with him. 

Where would the two foxes go? Back where they came from...

Kai's mind raced. Xia Rivers was a foundling his private investigator had said. Pedro Santos and Charles Franklin were of the Dunsborough District regional police force... northeast from here. Swollen knuckles slowed down his swipes but a grimacing Kai managed to search fast enough on his phone. Interesting, he could hear Qiao Sheng say in his head. Foundlings were often assigned a family name related to where they'd been discovered.  Kai did another search. Only one river ran through Dunsborough, the Tudson.  He looked it up on Google Maps. The only section of the Tudson River to pass through the place flowed along an old transport road that stretched for 5 kilometers.  A road two police officers over 20 years ago could have been patrolling when an unusual storm occurred?

Kai plugged Dunsborough into the Corvette's GPS, the car peeling out of the gas station.

_____

Coming from the southwest, only one intersection turned off onto the dirt service road.  Kai was parked behind a cluster of bushes at its bend.  The sun may have risen before but it might as well still be night, blotted out as the daylight was by the churning clouds overhead.

The storm buffeted the car with intermittent gusts and bursts of driving rain but Kai paid no mind.  Bruised eyelids narrowed on the curve ahead.

The car radio spat static... even though he'd shut it off 20 minutes before. Every nerve in his body crackled along with the lightning overhead as he thumbed the rifle in his lap.  No one sane would be out here in these conditions.  So when a pair of headlight beams shot round the corner, Kai smiled.  He couldn't see the interior of the white SUV that breached the wall of rain and rushed past but he had a feeling.

The bushes exploded as the Corvette tore off in pursuit. 

A flashing pair of eyes glared at him from the rear window of the SUV. 

Hello again, Wanfeng.  We've got some unfinished business, you and I. Something you should know, you rodent prick --I take a hit, you take a hit.  That's how I deal.

Wind-driven rain slashed at his forearm as Kai aimed his rifle out his driver window.

_____

"It's Chen Kai!"  Xia couldn't believe what she was seeing.  Hellfire streaking at them from the front, the devil from behind.

"Get down!"  Wanfeng pushed Xia over just as the rear window shattered with bullets. 

Up front, a wide awake Maurice hissed with hackles raised at the lightning bolt tearing up the road ahead.  "You and me both, Mo!  Hold on everybody!" Charlie swerved sharply left. The momentum threw everyone to the right... everyone except Wanfeng.

"Keep going!" Wanfeng shouted to Charlie. "Do not stop until you reach the place you found Xia! I will rejoin you!"

Snatching the sword that had fallen to the floor, Wanfeng blew open the rear hatch with his magic and threw himself out the SUV.

"WANFENG!" Xia's scream was drowned out by claps of thunder. A gnarled hand fell upon her shoulder before she could leap out to follow. 

"The dragon will finish his hunt now, ma petite," Mr. Antoine said.

_____

Rolling upon impact, Wanfeng bolted to his feet, sword held aloft.  His essence fully unleashed, he drew upon the forces of the storm.

The lightning bolt heading for the SUV splintered to rise above the vehicle. Its blinding tendrils of light entered the tip of the sword. And with a mighty sweep, a side-stepping Wanfeng bore down on the passenger side of the Corvette, shearing its metal frame open in an explosive shower of sparks as the sword sliced from front to rear. The sword's blade shattered at the last, leaving but a smoking, charred handle of a wooden cane in Wanfeng's grasp. 

The gutted Corvette spun out wildly to come to a crashing halt in a side ditch.

A spray of bullets riddled the mud at Wanfeng's feet. He stood his ground without retreating an inch, watching Chen Kai leap out from the side of the wreck with rifle cocked.

The two men stared hard at each other across the span of pelting rain.

Kai smirked.

"Don't know who gave you a ride but I'm going to bet Xia's in that SUV, right?"

Under a sky dark and vengeful, lightning flashed, as it did in a pair of midnight eyes.

"Forget it, Disneyland.  Those special effects in your eyeballs don't impress me much. Nice move with the real lightning though.  Too bad it cost you your toy sword and my ride."  Kai's twisted smile grew when Wanfeng dropped the smoking stump to the ground.  "You see, I'm figuring if you could do the same to me, you'd have done it by now, so I'm going to go with the assumption I have the upperhand"--Kai waved the rifle in his white knuckled grip-- "for now."

"Not gonna lie though. I kinda hoped you'd change to a fox to confront me this time, Wanfeng.  Tell me, are you the same colour as Xia?  What, no answer?  Fine.  I'll just have to further cut my losses since I can't cut your tails. Well, maybe just the small one between your legs as a souvenir once I plug you full of bullets." Kai pulled a switchblade out of his jacket.  "I'd have had your nine-tails but I'll have to make do with whatever I can get from Xia."

Rage.  Rage surged beneath the placid surface of calm Wanfeng presented.  The waters of the river boiled behind him, the waters of his soul boiled within.  He wanted to do more than just kill the man who threatened Xia.  But Wanfeng could sense the wild eddies of cosmic energy from the river most acutely now.  The doorway home awaited.  He should ignore the aberration before him, get Xia and get underway.

But something was calling to him.

It whispered from the drops of rain, the trees, the earth beneath his feet.  A plea, a request... a promise.  Purge the evil. The door will be held open.  Nature's entreaty for his help. An appeal from this world that had sheltered and helped Xia in its way.  And Wanfeng thus knew without doubt that he would make it through with Xia. For no dragon should go gently into a night such as this. Threaten him? Laughable.  Threaten his soul flame?  The keeper of the Netherworld had best prepare his darkest cell.  

"As Crown Prince of the Heavens," Wanfeng finally spoke. "I am beholden to a certain conduct of battle. But with you Chen Kai, codes of conduct do not apply."

"Who gives a shit about your code of conduct! This isn't the Heavens and you're no Crown Prince here!"

Wanfeng cocked his head.  "You're right.  I'm no Crown Prince here.  I am free to be what I truly am."

"Yeah, a fucking fox rodent." Kai aimed his rifle.

"No, a fucking dragon."

The grey curtain of rain rolled back as the air parted. The storm was rent by the splitting mist of Wanfeng's body exploding upwards in a roaring coil of black scale.

A shrieking Kai's barrage struck empty air. Spinning on his heels, he dove behind the crashed Corvette. 

Lunging from above, Wanfeng clamped his jaws down onto the back end of the car to spin round and fling the wreck into the river where it was swallowed by the raging waves.

The Dragon turned back to Chen Kai bolting into the trees opposite.  A deep growl rumbled from Wanfeng's chest.  His scales gleamed like obsidian glass under a fresh burst of lightning as he gave chase to a quarry whose end was storm sent. 

_____

Charlie brought the SUV to a screeching stop about a kilometer further up the road.  "I'm pretty sure this is the spot!  Here's where me and Pete got out and found Xia by the bank!"

Maurice jumped into a startled Lucy's lap.The cat's tail curled gently about her arm as he meowed and trilled in a rapid series of throaty nuanced utterances to Antoine.  Both Antoine  and Lucy looked to Charlie then back at the cat.  "T'es sûr?" the old Frenchman whispered with emotion. The cat nodded.  "Alors then... adieu mon ami... so be it."  Antoine scratched behind Maurice's ear. The cat raised his head to softly butt a teary-eyed Lucy's chin before leaping out of her lap back to the front passenger seat.

Antoine gave a gruff cough before patting Lucy's hand. "Just like old times?" he said to her. Lucy's sad smile was followed by a nod.

Xia, who'd been staring out the open back the whole time, mesmerized by the sight of Wanfeng shifting to a dragon, scrambled over her seat now to drop outside.  "Wanfeng took off after Chen Kai into the trees!" she called out.  She ran to the front of the SUV whereupon Charlie opened his door.  The old cop flinched when Xia grabbed his hand, then started at what she'd pressed into his palm.  Pete's badge. "I want you to keep this now, Charlie," a rain sodden Xia said in a rush.  "To remember Pete, and me, by."

And in the blink of an eye, a beautiful nine-tailed white fox was before him. The rain rebounding off her shimmering fur.  Charlie leaned down.  "Good luck, Xia." In a whirl of tails and wind she dashed off into the woods opposite.

"So what do we do now, wait?"

"Mrrt."

Charlie blinked.  Only Maurice remained with him inside the SUV.

_____

His lungs exploding,  Chen Kai zigzagged through the trees.  His feet kept slipping on wet rocks and the uneven ground, but he'd be damned if he let go of the rifle...  dead man running...

A dragon...  a fucking dragon...

Deep rumbling grew louder, closer.  Not from the storm...

With a yell, Kai stumbled to a halt. The outline of a dark four-legged silhouette had appeared on the rise just ahead.  Xia?  No...  too big. Whatever stood profiled against a sky gone mad was thicker in girth and much larger, no sleekness of body or billowing nine tails. Another flash revealed a grizzled muzzle, snarling teeth. A wolf. One larger than any possible. Kai raised his rifle.  

Roots exploded out of the ground to weave a barrier before him.  The branches of trees swung out of nowhere to strike at him. 

Then came the spiralling shadow from above. With a yell of fury, Kai emptied out his rifle's magazine into the air.  The bullets ricocheted off of black scales.

Kai hurled the empty rifle at the dragon who descended slowly. 

A streak of white appeared through the trees just then.  Hurling his rifle at the dragon's head,  Kai whipped out his knife at the white fox with a grin, knowing death's blade would be swift...

...for him.

Kai's bloodcurdling scream cut short when jaws of razor sharp dragon teeth crunched through him.  The dull thuds of his body halves being flung to the ground faded into the pelting rain.

_____ 

Xia's tails swept frantically along Wanfeng's underbelly.  Oh god, when the bullets struck him she screamed inside.  But he was safe and sound, hovering protectively over her.  She barely spared a glance at Chen Kai's... remains... as her gaze travelled to the rise ahead.

A faintly greening tree of golden leaves and flowers in the vague shape of a woman cast a soft glow, illuminating the shadow of the massive greying wolf who stood beneath it.

'Don't shift back, ma petite.  You have to leave as you arrived, in your fox form. Your magic will help you survive in the water as the dragon carries you.  Merci for the last adventure.  It's been a pleasure.'

'Leave with a clear conscious, luv.  No one will remember you, or us, once we all leave this world, Xia.  Our last magic and Nature's law here again.'  

Lucy's softly leafed branches swept over Xia's tails.  'Go home now, Xia. Don't keep your mother waiting any longer.' A white nine-tailed fox's tears mixed with the rain.

The old wolf spirit looked to Wanfeng.

Go into the river, Dragon.  Swim hard and true! The way home is there. 

Wanfeng bowed his great head in respect to these two old spirits of this mortal realm.  Kind spirits who helped two wayward strangers of another world find their paths of salvation.

Gently nudging Xia's flank, Wanfeng extended his talons to gather her to him. Nine brilliant white fox tails curled about and held his forelegs tight as he brought her to his chest. 

And in a roaring ascent, the dragon spiralled upwards and towards the river.

_____

Roots wrapped about Chen Kai's remains, pulling them deep into the ground.

The wolf spirit huffed.

'You were always the tidy one, Luighseach.'

'Mon chèr, Antoine.  All this excitement has made me feel young again.'

The wolf bared his yellowed teeth in a toothy grin.

'We did our good deed, n'est-ce pas? Saving the little fox and reuniting her with her family and her soul mate?'

'Yes.  And now it's time to go. The storm has made the veil between worlds thin. It'll be less painful to pass now.'

'Oui, it's time to go. But, Lucy, with all this wild energy in the air who's to say where we may end up?'

The tree nymph gave the wolf-spirit a wide-eyed stare, then the delicate leaves of her mouth curved into a smile when a canine eye winked. 'Maurice will be ok?'

'Bah,  Maurice still has what, 3 of his 9 lives left?  It's just like that vieux matagot to leave us as suddenly as he came. He has chosen his new place in this world. We have said our goodbyes.'  

'And now we shall say ours.'

In the flurry of crashing lightning above, the shadow of a wolf leaned against that of a tree whose bows gently lowered to touch his back.

The entire clearing was bathed in sparkles of golden light which within moments dissipated in the rain that washed over the empty rise.

_____

Between Wanfeng's talons, Xia glimpsed the roof of Charlie's SUV as they flew over it.  Charlie was standing outside, his hand over his eyes to block the rain as he watched them pass overhead.  On the roof of the SUV sat Maurice, untroubled by the rain and wind it would seem.  The cat's yellow eyes flashed impossibly bright as he leapt with his paws extended up.  A wave of goodbye.

Wanfeng's roar snapped Xia's attention back to the river, a tornado of lightning now above it.  Fear filled her a moment at the rapidly approaching black waters. But the booming heartbeat that enveloped her when Wanfeng coiled his middle about her, forced it back.  She drew in one last deep breath from the protective shell of Wanfeng's body and magic as he dove downwards, plunging them into the waters. 

_____

The roiling currents dragged and pulled, but Wanfeng was in control now. He allowed the forces to draw him deeply downward, rather than resist as he had before. But it took all the dragon's strength and essence to stay the course as he shielded not but himself, but the heart he held to his.  

There it was. The rift.

Starlight shone impossibly in the murky depths... through a tear rippling in the water.  But the light was narrowing. The starlight grew dimmer.  The rift was closing.

With a single, powerful thrust of his tail, the dragon charged head on into the rift. Searing light gave way to a cosmic tide of swirling galaxies and fields of stars stretching beyond infinity.  Then blackness and a vacuum of silence...

...

...

...broken by the rush of water as they rocketed through a current now calm. 

The waters had changed.  And Wanfeng knew they were no longer in the same river.  There was a slight movement of a furred body against his chest as he uncoiled his middle. Xia was safe in his hold.  Wanfeng looked back from whence they came.  There was only water, and a clear river bottom.  The rift was gone. 

High above, the dragon glimpsed sunlight.  With the last of his strength, he soared towards it. And in a burst of spray and waves, the Black Dragon holding the White Fox exploded out of the waters to land sideways upon the shore of the Liu River where the hoofbeats of horses raced towards them.  Guan Ren and part of his company of soldiers were shouting his name.

Wanfeng shifted back to his human form.

"Your Highness!  Your Highness!"  cried his military officer.  Guan Ren dismounted and dropped to his knees to aid an exhausted Wanfeng who struggled to sit upright as his arms remained tightly round Xia --Xia who had shifted to her human form as well and said not a word as she blinked up at the sunlight of a crisp, blue midday sky.

An incredulous Guan Ren stared a moment at the strangely garbed woman held by the Prince. "The curse suddenly vanished, your Highness! We pulled all the Spirit Tribe leaders from the water. They are calming their horses and taking stock of any damage. But what happened, Prince Wanfeng?!  You disappeared underwater for nearly 10 minutes!"

_____

As it had that day back with Pete, the weather turned on a dime.  The sudden storm disappeared giving way to a crisp autumn sunshine once more.  Charlie stared at the calm river waters where he'd seen... he'd seen... "If only you could have seen it for yourself, kid," Charlie whispered to his partner's badge in his hand.  He gave a little frown. Seen what? He shook his head with a chuckle.  It wasn't like him to be so sentimental as to bring something like this along on a trip, never mind talk to it.  Well, it was a trip down memory lane after all.

Charlie whistled a tune under his breath as he climbed into his SUV and pulled out the cooler of water bottles he stashed under the driver's seat.

Adjusting the rearview mirror as he quenched his thirst, Charlie eyed the black cat beside him who'd hopped in when he'd opened his door before. The cat had promptly made himself at home on the front passenger seat.  "You bumming a ride into town then?"

The cat blinked its yellow eyes at him then curled up in the seat with a yawn. 

Charlie figured he'd stop at the old diner he and Pete would frequent back in the day.  They used to make great tuna sandwiches. All cats liked tuna, no?

He clicked on the radio.  The cat's tail flicked.  Bon Jovi's "Always" played.