Outside of Mrs. Grant's office, R.O.C.A., early April 2013

Michael knocks on the partially open door of the new principal, Mrs. Grant's office. "Mrs. Grant," he calls.

"Come in, Michael," she says in the same sing-song voice that Mrs. Gordon had. But that's where the similarity between the two women ends. While Mrs. Gordon was heavy-set and African-American, Mrs. Grant is neither of those. She's thin and wirily. A track star in high school and on the fencing team in college, she restarts the R.O.C.A. fencing program when she becomes the principal.

"Are there any spots left on the boy's team?" inquires Michael.

"Hmm, let me see," she says, looking at a clipboard. "Yes, there's one open slot. Are you interested?"

"Yes, but I don't have a sabre or a foil," he responds.

"Oh my! I've loaned out all of mine that I can. Maybe you can ask you dad about one of his?" she says.

"My dad? Ohh... umm... yea, that might work. Thanks, Mrs. Grant," Michael says and leaves the office. That night Michael calls his dad's cell number. "Dad, I know I'm not supposed to call you on a mission, but I'd like to join the fencing team and I need a foil or saber."

"Umm...okay, I can get you one to use," Jonah replies.

"Great! Where is it?" Michael asks.

"I... I'll get it tonight and drop it by the house sometime tomorrow, ok?" Jonah responds.

"Oh, okay," Michael replies, "sounds great. Thanks, Dad."

"No problem, bud," Jonah answers and hangs up.

A mission and crime scene somewhere in Japan

It's 11 p.m. in a dark and rainy alley in Tokyo Japan. There's four steaming and oozing "bodies" lying in the alley surrounded by shell casings with yellow caution tape strung up at both ends. The alley is filled with assorted police and CSI personnel scurrying around the area and speaking quickly in Japanese. Four of the people, though, wearing black combat gear, stick out because they're six to eight inches taller than the rest. The only woman of the four has been watching and listening as her boss talks on his cell phone.

China watches Jonah snap his phone shut and as she studies his face, she asks, "Problem, chief?"

"No, no, I just have to pickup something for my son on the way back," Jonah replies.

"So, where are we headed?" Hunter asks.

Jonah answers, "Tibet."

"Are we taking the long way or the short-cut?" asks Boon.

"Short-cut," answers Jonah.

"I see," Hunter replies, "must be something important."

"Yes," Jonah answers, "yes, it is."

A mountain top in Tibet

A few hours later the four are hiking up a snowy hillside toward an ancient Tibetan monastery. The four enter, but only Jonah walks toward the alter area. The very old-looking Tibetan chief priest meets him there in front of hundreds of small statues and thousands of lit candles.

"We've been expecting you," the chief priest says.

Jonah is a little surprised and replies, "You have?"

"Yes, there was a storm in the valley this morning," the chief priest answers, "we heard the thunder."

"And you know why I'm here?" asks Jonah.

"Yes, my artisans finished the sword just recently," he replied.

"I see," Jonah responds. "They've been working on it a long time."

The chief priest answers, "You commissioned us to make it over seventeen years ago."

Jonah winces a bit and replies, "It's been that long?"

The old monk turns, goes to the alter itself and picks up a long, dark-red wooden box and hands it to Jonah. Jonah takes the box and sets it down on a nearby table. It's about four feet long, eight inches wide, four inches high, and made from red oak wood that Jonah provided to them seventeen years ago. The cover of the box is inlaid with four intricate hand-carved scenes from the Bible: Adam, Eve, and Satan in the Garden of Eden; the birth of Jesus; the crucifixion of Jesus; and Jesus descending from heaven to New Jerusalem. Jonah opens the box and reveals, tucked in a form-fitting purple velvet material, an exquisite hand-crafted silver Samurai sword. Jonah lets out a low whistle when he first sees it. He takes the sword out of its box with one hand,checks its balance, looks down the blade, and marvels at the detailed design work on its handle. He then shifts the sword to his other hand and repeats the process.

"Magnificent," is the only word Jonah can think of to say.

"Thank you," replies the monk as he bows slightly.

"And it's suitable for any situation?" asks Jonah.

"Yes, we used the white pebble you gave us," the monk replies.

Jonah puts the sword back in the box, snaps the lid shut, and picks it up. "We must be going," Jonah tells him.

"I understand," replies the chief priest.

"The payment has been transferred to the monastery's account," Jonah says.

"Of course, but knowing for whom and for what purpose the sword will be used, is payment enough," the chief priest replies.

The two men face each other and bow deeply. As Jonah and his unit leaves a young monk approaches the chief priest.

"Master, was that him?" he asks.

"Yes," the chief priest replies. "That was the 'Face of the Storm'."

Fortress house

Later the next day, Michael arrives home from school as Staci informs him, "Your father left a special box for you on the kitchen table."

Michael eagerly goes right to the table and ignoring the carvings for now, throws open the box to reveal -- a silver fencing foil!

"Whoa, cool!" he exclaims as he takes it out and twirls it around the room, slashing and jabbing at an imaginary opponent. "I should do pretty good with this thing!"

"Put that sword away and get ready for dinner," Staci calls from across the kitchen.