Chapter 1

Part 1

The time, now. The place, high in the mountains in Tibet. Here in these mountains, hidden from the world, is the Temple of The Cobras. Very few know of it's existence, and is visited only by a few local people who come to pray for deliverance from evil and injustice.

Inside the temple, monks go on with their daily duties just as others have done for thousands of years. The Marpa Tulku, the spiritual head of the temple, has just concluded with the morning rituals and with the help of a Chela, initiate, is returning to his chambers for private meditation and reflection. The young monk looked at his old master and marveled at his wisdom and strength. Being a Tulku (or living ghost) when he died, he would reincarnate as the same person and remember all of his past lives. This made him a very power- ful spiritual leader, and it was an honor to serve as his aide. The Tulku smiled at the thoughts of the young Chela. He was a good student and would learn much from the temple masters but would never achieve the high level that was most sought after. In fact not one of the initiates for the last thirty years had shown that kind of promise, but still one could hope.

Once he was inside his chamber, the Tulku dismissed the Chela and tried to meditate, but found he could not. He looked around the room and memories began to come forth. Memories of past lives, past friends, and past students. His eyes were then drawn to an item that stood out from the other things on his shelves, a gold ring with a large girisol, fire opal, in its center. He closed his eyes and thought of the man that it once belonged to. He was the first, and only Westerner ever to come to the temple. How arrogant he had been at their first meeting, but underneath that he saw the inner core of this man. He saw his pain, and the inner fire that burned deep within him. The Tulku knew that if left alone this fire would consume him, as well as those around him. But if he could teach this man to harness that power, to set him on the right path... that there would be nothing he could not accomplish. The Tulku told him that he would teach him all he needed to know. So began the forging, the endless hours of physical training... and the tempering, the meditation and mental disciplines that would seem like magic to outsiders. Soon his mind and body were made as one, melded to a new level that few of the monks could ever hope to attain. He was The Tulku's finest student.

He was then given a mission to carry out. The Temple of the Cobra's was dedicated to the pursuit of Justice... so the Westerner was sent back to the United States, to fight the crime that was growning like a cancer. He adopted a disguise and became known as The Shadow... scourge of crime no matter where, and many came to know his brand of final justice. He came back to the temple in the mid 60's an old man, but with a strength of will that few of the monks could hope to match. He was surprised when he was presented to a young man who claimed to be the Marpa Tulku, as he had heard that his old master had died soon after he had left the temple. The Young tulku laughed, and looked him in the eyes... and it was then he knew that this was indeed his old master, reincarnated!

A few months after his return the man known to the world as The Shadow died. In final words he said, "It's finally over, my mission is finished at last."

The tulku smiled down at him and said,"If you remember your lessons you would know that nothing ever ends, we are all linked. We will meet again someday." And with those final words from his teacher, The Shadow breathed his last.

Back in his chamber the Marpa Tulku opened his eyes once more and gazed at the ring of his student. Long ago, while on the finger of his pupil, it would wax and wane almost seeming to pulse with an inner fire. After his death the ring seemed to have grown cold, and still. But now as he watched, the Girisol began to pulse... slowly and then fade and become restive once more. The old man smiled and thought <soon... very soon>!

At the same time the Tulku was smiling, half a world away in the city of Los Angeles events were taking place that would change the lives of many people.

It is night and Raymond Grant was asleep in his uncle's house, dreaming, It was dark in his dream, but one by one faces appeared out of the seemingly endless darkness. The faces are of people he has never met, but they seemed familiar to him. The faces faded and red tinged lightning streaked across the dark, the sound of thunder echoed like gunshots, and then all was still once more. Suddenly out of the pitch black came two blue eyes that burned with a strange inner light that was terrifying to look at, but he was drawn to them. As the eyes came closer a sound can be heard, it was a low mocking laughter that grew louder and louder until it was almost deafening! Ray awoke in a cold sweat, the images and sounds from the dream were still fresh in his mind, he shivered at the thought of those eyes looking at him. He tied to go to sleep once more but finds he couldn't, the visions in his dream were too unnerving. He went to the kitchen to fix something to eat, and waited until morning.

Part 2

After a long and sleepless night, Ray could barely stay awake in his classes the next morning. He sat with his friends at a table near the campus' lunch area in the quad.

"What's the matter old buddy?" asked Mark Shriver. "College life wearing you out already?"

"Maybe he's not eating right," added Scott Nichols, "Having a good diet is important while studying. In fact studies have shown that..."

"We don't need a science update from you Scott," Vince Harris interrupted. "I know what his problem is, he's been staying out late with Maggie again. She's the one wearing him out! Haha!"

"So speaks the voice of experience," Scott sneered. "Burning the candle at both ends is your forte' Mr. Superjock. If it weren't for my tutoring you would be flipping burgers right now and asking people if they wanted fries with that!"

"Point taken," grined Vince. "But if you'd let me fix you up with a date once in a while you might have some actual fun for a change. Who knows, you might even get lucky!"

"All right leave Scott alone," chided Mark Shriver, "Just because he doesn't date the entire co-ed population like you do doesn't mean that he doesn't know how to have a good time."

"What would you know about that Mr. Goodwrench," Vince replied while trying to swallow a mouthful of cheeseburger. "Your idea of a good time is giving a car a valve job or an oil change."

"Which reminds me Superjock, you owe me for the tune up on that thing you call a car."

Ray listened to the bantering back and forth between his friends, and couldn't help but smile at the unlikely trio. Vince harris, gifted college foot- ball star. A "Big Man On Campus" and known as a ladies man. Scott Nichols, a person that most called a "Computer Nerd". A gifted student whose mind was filled with all kinds of obscure facts and who could build a radio, computer, or just about anything else of an electronic nature from spare parts. Mark Shriver, a hard working middle of the road type student who had a passion for cars of all types. He could put a transmission together by touch alone, and could always be found tinkering in the auto shop or at his fathers' auto repair shop. Ray was shaken from his thoughts by the sudden stop of his friends good natured argument. All eyes were on the approaching figure of Ray's girlfriend, Maggie.

He was of course used to this by now, just about every male head turned to watch Maggie as she walked towards their table. At 5'3" and 102 lbs with long dark hair, and green eyes she was something to look at. The unlikely offspring of an Irish construction worker father, and a Chinese restaurant chef mother, had given Maggie Liu truly striking features.

Ray smiled as she approached, he considered himself lucky to have a girlfriend like Maggie. Most of the other guys on campus, including Vince, had hit on Maggie from her first day on campus. She turned them all down politely but the first moment that she and Ray met at the student union, something special passed between them. He asked her out for coffee, coffee turned into lunch, lunch had turned into dinner and before he knew it he was kissing her goodnight at her front door with plans for tomorrow already made. From that day on they were an official "couple" and the other would-be suitors could only shake their heads in wonder.

"Well, here she is now," Vince said playfully. "The reason why Ray is falling asleep in class. Now tell us what were you two doing last night, and we want details!"

Maggie stuck her tongue out at Vince and sat down looking at Ray. "We weren't even out last night if it's any of your business Mr. Know-it-all." She pulled Ray's hand towards her, holding it. "What's wrong love, bad night last night?"

Looking up into Maggie's concerned face Ray managed a grin. "Just some bad dreams lately Mags, that's all."

"Dreams can be very important," piped up Scott. "You can learn a lot about yourself from the dream state."

"I bet the Psych department would have a field day with your dreams Vince!" Howled Mark, and got a friendly jab in the ribs for his trouble.

"Thank you all for your concern," groaned Ray. "But I feel fine. Now if you will excuse me, some of us have jobs to go to after school. My uncle Dave and I are taking inventory at the store and I don't want to be late. Walk me to my car Mags?"

"You betcha!" She said with an evil grin on her face. As the two of them walked away she reached behind him and squeezed his butt cheeks. Ray let out a surprised yelp, the trio at the table howled with laughter.

Part 3

David Grant watched his nephew Ray as he inventoried the ammunition that was on display with a certain amount of pride. He thought back to the good times when Rays' father Larry was alive, and he would bring the youngster into the sporting goods shop to visit. Larry was a police detective on the L.A.P.D. and had needed his help in raising the baby when his wife had died in childbirth from massive bleeding. Larry was a wreck for weeks until Dave stepped in to offer his help. The two of them raised the baby, and Dave loved little Ray as if he were his own son.

His thoughts then turned to that fateful day when Ray had just turned six. Two policeman had come to the door and told him that Larry had been shot and killed a few hours ago while trying to arrest a known gang member on drug dealing charges. Now it was just the two of them. The funeral was the worst, little Ray cried as he received the flag from his fathers' coffin while sitting on his lap. He, being the only family of the boy, was named as his legal guardian and Ray moved in with his uncle.

David shook himself out of his revelry, that was many years ago now, and Ray had grown up to be a fine young man and a good student. Lately though, he seemed to be somewhat troubled but he chalked that up to the late night study sessions of his. He had often heard Ray up and about in the kitchen towards the wee hours of the morning. "A lot better student than I ever was," he said to himself with a smile. "He takes after his father in that respect, that's why Larry made detective and I was only a beat cop before I retired."

"Hey how about we quit for awhile," Dave said while putting down his clipboard. "The pizza I ordered 20 minutes ago should be here soon!"

"Great!" said Ray. "I'll just finish up the last few cases in the back, and get some cokes out of the fridge while I'm there." He then headed towards the back store room.

A few moments later there was a knock at the front door. Thinking that it was the pizza being delivered, Dave went and unlocked the door. As soon as it was opened a crack, two young men dressed in gang colors pushed past Dave. One of them had a gun pointed at him.

"All right mother-fucker you just keep your hands where I can see em!" said the one with the gun pointed at him. "See if he's pack'n!"

The other gang banger walked around Dave, then reached into the holster in the small of his back. "Look what I got me, a nice .45 man!" he said while flashing a gold-toothed smile. He then went over to the register and opened it. "Hey, there's no god-damn money in this mother-fucken thing!"

The first gang punk hit Dave hard in the gut. "What's up wid that, why no money man. A store like this has gotta pull down some serious cash!"

"I was doing inventory all day today, didn't open at all for business," Dave said while straightening up.

"Damn it man, I'm not gonna settle for just the money he got in his wallet!" yelled the banger at the register. "There's gotta be a safe or someth'n!"

"Yea!" said the other one. "Once the old man opens it, we can take us some guns too! Should bring us some big money! Ain't that right old man?" he said with a grin, punching Dave again but this time in the face! "Now, lets go find that safe!" He then started towards the store room.

Ray heard all of this while in the back room. He looked around, but there was no phone in the store room and the alarm button was in the front were his uncle and the two gang bangers were. His eye's came to rest on some loaded clips on a shelf. They were his uncles' spare clips for defense, fully loaded with hollow-point ammo. He put the clips in his pocket and formulated a plan. He made his way to the fuse box in the corner and pulled a circuit breaker, plunging the store into darkness and crawled towards the front pistol case near the store room door.

"What happened to the fucking lights?" screamed the punk with Daves' .45 pistol.

"I don't like this shit, man!" said the second one while trying to grab Dave by the arm.

The older man slipped out of his grasp and lunged behind the counter for his old service revolver. He fired twice, but missed the robbers. The gang bangers returned fire, one of the shots striking Dave in the side. He went down to the floor.

Ray had made his way to the pistol case, and was reaching into it when he saw his uncle go down. He pulled out two Colt .45 pistols like his uncle's and slaped the clips from his pocket into them, working the slide on each one, and vaulted the counter without thinking. He tracked the pistols towards the two standing silhouetts, and began to fire.

"Shit, someone else is in here!" yelled the punk who had shot his uncle while ducking for cover.

"No, fucking shit! Now start shoot'n!" screamed the other one. He began to fire in Rays direction.

Moving in the dark, with a strange feeling of familiarity, Ray continued to track the movements of the pair with his guns at the ready. He felt a tug at his shoulder and a momentary pain but he ignored it. He fired at the momentary muzzle flash, and was rewarded with a shriek of pain. He closed in, a grim smile formed on his lips.

"I'm shot man!" screamed the gangbanger. Daves' stolen .45 lay on the floor near him as he clutched his bleeding chest.

"Shut up you stupid fucker!" hissed his partner. "He'll hear ya!" He moved down low, gun pointed in front of him, determined to get who ever started shooting before they got him first!

Ray was closing in on them, having heard the whispered remark. His guns barked a statico rhythm of four shots, then four more. A scream of pain came from the darkness as the second volley found its mark. Both of the gang bangers were now screaming in pain, yelling for help!

In the distance, sirens could be heard. Police responding to calls about the shots fired. The two wounded robbers yelled louder, but another sound rose above the wail of the approaching sirens. It is a low, mocking laughter that filled the shop and grew in volume. The wounded pair on the floor screamed in terror at the sound while trying to cover their ears to stop it!

Ray was also terrified at the sound. It is the dark laughter that haunted his dreams and filled him with dread. But what frightened him even more was that the laughter wasn't from an outside source. It's came from himself!

The laughter began to die down, and Ray felt the pain from his shoulder now. He looked down at the bleeding hole left by a bullet and began to feel a little dizzy. He saw the red flashing lights of a patrol cars just as he droped his guns, slumping to the ground from shock and loss of blood. His eyes closed and the darkness closed in on him, but this time for some reason he didn't fear the dark. He welcomed it, somehow knowing that he will be safe in it.

In the Temple of the Cobras, the Marpa Tulku watched as the ring of his old student began once more to glow brightly. This time the ring did not grow restive again, but pulsated as it once did on the finger of the man who once owned it. The Tulku picked up the ring and stared into it for a moment, then placed it in a pouch at his waist. He struck a small gong near by, summoning his aide.

"Is everything prepared?" he asked the young Chela.

"Yes Master, everything is as you have ordered," the young monk replied while bowing. "We wait only for you to command when we are to leave."

"Now," said the old Tulku in a firm voice,"The time is... now!"

Part 4

The sound of unfamiliar voices came to his ears as Ray began to awaken. "I'm alive," he thought to himself. "I hurt to much to be dead." He tried to roll on to his side, and was rewarded with a sharp pain in his shoulder for his effort. Then he started to remember everything that had happened. The attempted robbery, the shoot out with the two would-be robbers, and his Uncle being shot. The overhead lights assaulted his eyes as they snapped open to take in his surroundings. Just as his eyes began to focus, a woman dressed in white entered the room with a blood pressure meter and a thermometer in hand.

"Oh you're awake!" she said with a smile. She came up to the side of the bed and adjusted Ray's pillows so he could be more comfortable. "Now then, that's better... isn't it." She then put the thermometer in his mouth, and began to take his blood pressure. "You had quite a night last night, tossing and turning... I was afraid that you were going to pull the stitches in your shoulder. Here let me check."

She the pulled back the short sleeve of his hospital gown, and checked the bandage. "Well no seepage that I can see," she said and looked up at his face with a smile. "That's a good sign... but we'll still have to change the dressing later." She then took the thermometer from his mouth, checked it, and made a notation on his chart. "Well you're not running a fever, and your pressure is just fine."

Finally able to talk without the thermometer in his mouth he asked, "My uncle was shot too, how is he... is he OK?"

She noticed the look of concern on his face and reassured him that as far as she knew his Uncle was just fine, and was in a room down the hall. "I have to go and get the doctor now so don't go anywhere!" she said jokingly and was out the door.

"Well at least I know I'm in a hospital, unless this is all a dream," he thought. After trying to sit up, and getting another sharp pain Ray decided that this was no dream.

Later, after examining him, the doctor assured him that his Uncle Dave would be fine in a few days and that Ray will be discharged in the morning. After the doctor left his room a police detective came in to take his statement.

Detective Trent Carlson looked down at the young man and thought. "So this is Larry's kid, he takes after his old man... he's got guts. He took on those punks all by himself and came out with only a scratch." Trent pulled up a chair and sat down next to Ray's bed and began to question him. Ray told him all he could remember, editing out certain details, and finished with awakening at the hospital. "Well you got off lucky kid," said detective Trent. "The punks you shot are part of a gang that call themselves The Blood Lords, and have been hitting businesses all over town. They're a tough bunch and are into everything from selling drugs, guns and stolen goods to prostitution and Robbery. They must have thought that your uncle's store would be an easy score... but I guess they never counted on you eh kid?"