Chapter 27

Two days later, Doug and I were having dinner before I hit the streets again. There was a knock on the door, and after nodding at him I changed to Di as he went and answered it. I could hear somebody say this name with respect, and we would know what to do with it. Doug sounded puzzled after closing the door and said we were alone.

I changed back and saw he was holding a package. A little under 5 feet long, the box said it contained curtain rods. I called Fang over, and he sniffed it once it was on the table, and he just looked at me. I went and got a pair of scissors out of the kitchen, and opened the box.

And inside was something wrapped in white silk. I gasped and opened it carefully. Inside was a dao. With an intricate strap, so it could be worn over the shoulder. Doug looked at me and I could see the question on his face. I pulled the sword out, and I could tell it was razor-sharp.

“Di, is this a warning of some kind? Has somebody discovered who we are? What does it mean, a sword, arriving covered in white silk?”

“No, relax, my love. This is a gift, and I know what is intended. White in China also is the symbol of death. The silk represents a funeral shroud, for the one the sword is intended to be used against. And it is not a threat or warning, there would be no warnings if that was the case. I told you about my meeting Uncle Don the other night. What I did not tell you, was that I mostly in jest said I was considering taking up the dao, and cutting open the Silent Slasher and feeding his liver to Fang. Well, this is his response. He sent me a dao, so I can do exactly that.”

But then I realized I was wrong. Under the sword was a note, in Mandarin. Thankfully in the last year, I had started to pick up the written word again, and I carefully read it. It was from Lim Wang. He said he was going to send this through Dong Wu, in the hope I could put it to good use. And that even if my hunting was to be futile, that I had his blessings. That I was trying to avenge him for his beloved Susan, and keeping the other women in his family safe.

“I was still heartbroken over my loss but managed to attend the wedding of his own beloved niece. I saw such joy, and know you are also working to protect her, and all the other nieces, daughters, and granddaughters. I know you will do the right thing, even if you do not use this as intended. Please, just make it end and I will give you blessings for eternity.”

I read that and cried, and then read it aloud for Doug. He whistled and said that he was taking this very seriously. I moved to the center of the room and unsheathed the sword again. I then repeated much of my old dance, and Clint and Madame Wong was correct. Almost every movement I had made so long ago, was also part of a sword kata.

I placed it on the ground in front of me, and was not even surprised as when I got to my knees and bowed to it, Fang got on his belly on the other side. I went and cut off a piece of the silk, and carefully wiped the blade before sheathing it again. “Di, you are not really thinking of doing that, are you?”

“No, of course not my love. But this has placed a new resolve in my heart. I will never seek death or vengeance. But at least in this case, if it is unavoidable I will not run from it. If I can not take this beast in, I will slay him. In accepting this, I am accepting the charge of Lim Wang, of Dong Wu, and others. That I am the pack leader. And in that role, it is my task to keep the pack safe. And if need be, to avenge my pack.”

I put it down, then gave him a tight hug. Doug was such a gentle man, but this was a side of me that was coming out, and I had no idea I had it inside of me. I put on my leathers, and after securing the sword over my shoulder Fang and I went for our run.

The Silent Slasher did not make an appearance that night, but as I left Chinatown, I saw that all the women on the street were in dresses. And most had a man accompanying them. And those that did not, had a man following half a block back. Uncle Don and Lim Wang were as good as their word.

I did help the police catch a kid out joyriding, he was running from them and he was a quarter-mile away. I parked the van across 2 lanes of the street and stood near the center. Me by the center divider which was concrete, and Fang next to me between me and the van. And as I saw the car racing closer, I pulled the sword.

And I’ll be damned if he did not stop about 50 yards away! I saw two kids get out of the car, and drop immediately to the ground, begging for the cops to take them in. Even they looked unsure as they got out, pistols drawn. I sheathed the sword, and after making sure they had them cuffed drove away.

The next 4 months were frustrating, then it got even worse. Just like the year before, come October the Silent Slasher went silent. But his toll was up to 34. But the blessing was that in September, I stopped at the clinic and they ran some tests for me.

I went right to Doug’s office after they told me the results. I kissed him deeply after he came out, shocking the secretary he shared with four others I am sure. And when I told him he was going to be a father, he picked me up and spun me around, and his shouts brought everybody nearby running. I was just over a month and a half, and our baby would be due in May.

I slowed down my patrols to 3 times a week, and we were spending more time together. Cuddled together on the couch, reading in front of the fire. And Fang now had a rug there and if we were at home he was always sleeping on it, right there.

“Di, can I ask you something? Is there a reason why you always join me like this?” I turned towards him and asked him what he meant. “Well, I love cuddling with you like this, but you can read regular books now, you know.”

I laughed and kissed him softly. “Let’s just say I enjoy cuddling with you more as Di than as Dire. And I can read as easily with my fingers as I can with my eyes. Face it, which do you find more cuddly, Di or Dire?”

I could hear his chuckle. “Well, I might answer that. But I am afraid it might get me slapped.” I raised an eyebrow at him, and he laughed. “Let’s just say that as Di, you are more cuddly. But as Dire, you have more to cuddle.” And after saying that, he moved his hands to my breasts. I slapped his hand in mock outrage, and we had an enjoyable tickle fight.

I then dragged him to the bedroom, where I changed, and Dire rode him without mercy until she was satisfied. Then as he was still inside of me, I rolled us over and reverted to Di. And he then rode me until we were both sweaty and satisfied. And we cuddled like that, and I felt safe and comforted as he cuddled me as we fell asleep. This year we celebrated Christmas at our place, and it was a lot of fun. But I also felt a sense of dread rising. And my dad said he wanted to take a walk with me, and I said that would be nice. I went to my room and changed, and putting on a nice dress I picked up my cane and took his arm.

And on that walk, I realized I could never look at my father in the same way ever again. In short, in his youth before dating my mom, he had been in the Tong! A low-level enforcer, who worked under none other than Uncle Dong Wu!

“Di, it was just what I did. Most times I sat inside the Forbidden City, a brothel that is no more but was on the southern part of Chinatown. Making sure nobody harmed the girls, taking the cut to your uncle, escorting the girls if they needed to go somewhere. But to keep them safe, as they are doing again now. I saw your mother at the lunar new year celebration and fell in love with her. I was with your uncle as his protection, and I think he noticed. He asked me what I was looking at, and I nodded in her direction. ‘Dong Wu, I see the woman who has taken my heart. See her there, in the gold dress? That is the woman I am going to marry.’ He looked at her, and at me and said nothing.”

Dad sighed. “It was three weeks later, I was called in the middle of the night and told to go to the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association. I got there, and Chong Choy was sitting in the golden chair at the front of the auditorium, standing next to him was Dong Wu. They explained that there had been some changes, and Chong Choy was now in charge. All of the elders had retired, and a new council was being formed. And Dong Wu was the senior enforcer, we were all to go to him for any instructions or questions. It really was peaceful, nobody was killed. The elders retired, and new management took over.”

He then looked thoughtful. “Then I was called again a few days later, and Dong Wu was in an office. He looked at me and asked me about the girl I saw in gold the month before. I repeated my vow, that I was smitten with her, and if he could help me find out who she was so I could meet her formally. And I could see the surprise on his face, it was not unusual for those of us in my position to sleep with the girls I worked with. He asked if I was sure, and I nodded. ‘Dong Wu, this is not lust, I want to meet her properly, and in time if she agrees make her my wife.’ And Di, I honestly felt fear when he told me he could not only do that, but she was his niece.”

I gasped, I had never heard this before! “He said once again he could, but I had to meet his demands. First, that I leave the Tong immediately, and never look back. Not outlawed or cut off, but never again to be a member. To take up an honest trade, and if he was satisfied he would make a formal introduction. But that I had better never hurt her, or he would make sure I never laid eyes upon anybody else.”

He sighed and shuddered, and I stopped and held him tight. “I did so, returning to school. In my third month, he introduced us at a street party. And I like to think she was as taken with me as I was with her. I had already left the Tong and never looked back. It was the month after my cast was off after our accident that I had a message to come see him. He was drunk, Dong Wu drunk! I had never seen him drunk, and he was swearing vengeance on the one that hurt us. I urged him to not do that, and then I called his sister to come over and she said the same thing. We got him to see that was not the way, but he wanted to kill. This is a secret to your mother, but we still get together on the anniversary of the accident. By then, Chong Choy had died, and your uncle took his place. I have not been Tong for three decades now, but I was so close at that time, in demanding the same vengeance along with him.”

“Daddy, I am glad you did not. You obviously are not that man anymore.”

“No, I am not. But at that time, I came close. To even wanting to cut his heart out myself, he so hurt my heart. But I knew that even though you could not look at me in shame if I had, I could feel shame if I looked at you. We still talk, he told me what you told him, and of Lim Wang’s gift to you. All I ask is that if the time comes to use it, you use it right. Kill from need, not revenge. This is a secret that not even your brother knows. Your mother does not know it either, only that I know Dong Wu. And I sense that as Dire Wolf, you are Tong. In the true sense, you will protect them with all your ability. Just know, I will always be behind you.”

I kissed his cheek and thanked him, and we made our way back. But my mind was in turmoil. My dad, the clerk in a law office and paralegal was once part of the Tong! More than that, he worked as an enforcer in a brothel! Holy hell, somebody could have bet me a million dollars and I never would have guessed that.

This time, when the second week of January started, I knew I had to make a change. I still had the dao, but I started patrolling parking lots. I would drive slowly through them, making sure I had a record of all cars and their license plates. And the third week, the Silent Slasher returned. This time in Koreatown, and she was fucking 16 years old.

Then 4 days later, again. In Dockside. But that was outside my area, so although I responded, I could do nothing but observe the aftermath. Then another on the outskirts of Darktown a few days later. It was number 38 when it changed.

Like the year before, I had been through the area less than a half-hour before the woman was killed. An actual prostitute this time, on the edge of the financial district. I compared the footage of my parking lot drives with that from prior weeks and saw three possible vehicles.