Green Vengeance

I

"Mr. Reid," Linda Travis' voice crackled over the intercom, "There's a Dr. Torrence here to see you."

"Torrence?" Britt echoed, trying to remember where he had heard the name from.

"Yes. He's from Fort Bradford. The appointment was made a few days ago by Mrs. Reid."

Fort Bradford, Britt thought, then he remembered. He had asked Miss Travis to make an appointment with the director of the research project the same day he and Lee were attacked near the Sentinel. The attack, and his decision to resurrect the Green Hornet had made the appointment unnecessary. He should have canceled it. That is, if he had remembered about it in the first place.

"Mr. Reid?"

"Yes, Linda, bring him in."

Britt was not a small man, but the human mountain that lumbered into his office made him feel as small as a circus dwarf. "Mr. Reid," the big bushy-bearded man jovially said, taking his offered hand between hands as big as ham shanks, "I am so pleased to finally meet you. I have read a great many of your editorials and have always wanted to meet you in person."

"Thank you," Britt replied, slightly wincing at the strength of the grip that enveloped his hand, "I'm always glad to hear that someone enjoys my editorials."

Britt gestured for Torrence to sit on the black leather couch that sat under the window wall the looked out into the city room. There was no way the man could fit into one of the chairs in his office.

"I'm glad to see you could fit our meeting into your busy schedule." Britt commented after Linda had left.

The sturdy couch groaned under Torrence's weight as he sat down. "I am always glad to talk about my work at Fort Bradford. By the way I saw you on Philo Rivers show the other day. That was quite an event wasn't it?"

"Yes, it was."

"I almost fell out of my seat when I saw the Green Hornet appear on the set. Who would've thought he was still alive after all these years?"

Britt nodded in agreement. "I was as shocked as you were."

"You handled yourself very well. I admire a man who can take control of a situation when everyone is losing their heads."

"Thank you. I tried my best."

"That you did. Tell me though, what do you think of the report claiming that the Green Hornet raped Senator De la Culebra's wife?"

"I doubt that it's true," Britt answered. "It doesn't sound like something the Green Hornet would do. He's a dangerous man, but he was never known to attack a helpless woman, especially in such a brutal manner."

"But I heard that witnesses said that they saw the Green Hornet's car leave through a service gate after blowing it to bits with rockets. Surely there isn't another car that can do that."

"Not that I know of," Britt reluctantly admitted. "It's just that the Green Hornet I knew was not a rapist. In his own twisted way, he had a sense of honor. He terrorized the entire underworld, but he always treated the women he came across with respect."

"Perhaps the Green Hornet you knew in the past, but who can say what happened to a man like that over the years?"

"I just hope the report was wrong. If the Hornet has changed for the worse, this city is in for a rough time. He's a cunning man. With his car and weapons he could become a real threat to everyone in this city," Britt said grimly.

"Yes, very serious indeed," Dr. Torrence agreed. "He must've been out of his mind to attack a presidential candidate's wife. He has made himself a very dangerous enemy in De la Culebra. You know Mr. Reid, there is one thing I don't understand," Torrence said thoughtfully.

"What's that?"

"I thought all presidential candidates and their families are protected by the Secret Service, and yet there were none at that house."

Britt shrugged. "De la Culebra refused the coverage, claiming he didn't want to put that kind of distance between him and the common person, but I understand that he doesn't leave himself completely defenseless. He has a cadre of personal bodyguards that protect him and his wife at all times."

"They weren't much help last night."

"When the Hornet wants into a place, I don't think there's a humanly possible way to stop him. No matter how many people there are."

"Unfortunately, you're probably right. But enough of such talk. I know you didn't ask me to come here to talk about the Green Hornet.

"Yes, I heard a little bit about your research project at Fort Bradford and I wanted to ask you a few questions about it," Britt admitted.

"Tell me how did you hear about us?"

"Rumors, mainly, and whispers about odd things going on around here."

"Isn't it unusual for the editor-publisher of a paper the size of the Daily Sentinel to cover a story himself?"

Britt smiled proudly. "I'm a third generation newspaperman. I like to keep in practice. Sometimes I like to take advantage of my being boss to take on a story myself, especially when the subject matter intrigues me."

"I can understand your enjoyment in being personally involved in your newspaper. I feel exactly the same way. That is why I enjoy this project so much. I get the chance to perform most of my own bench work. That is the reason I became a scientist in the first place. I despise spending all my time with paperwork and public relations. But while I might find it fascinating, our project surely is not all that intriguing, at least not to a newspaperman. "

"I find it intriguing that there's so much secrecy surrounding it. What you're working on must be very sensitive."

Dr. Torrence laughed heartily. "It's not really all that sensitive," he explained, "It's rather we like to be cautious in discussing our work until we are confident of the direction our work is taking."

"What are you working on?" Britt asked.

"You are familiar with reports detailing the beneficial properties of cannabis in the treatment of glaucoma and the alleviation of the nausea associated with chemotherapy?"

"I've heard about those reports. Aren't they mainly anecdotal in nature?"

"No, Mr. Reid, they are not. Such beneficial effects have been widely documented. The problem is that the actual component responsible for these effects is difficult to isolate and purify in adequate quantities for proper scientific investigation."

"Is that what your project is about, isolating and purifying this compound?"

"Indeed it is. We have just recently isolated that compound and will be conducting studies very soon on laboratory animals."

"That must take a lot of raw material. Do you get it all from illegal drug seizures?"

"Oh no, that would never work. That kind of supply would be totally inadequate for our needs. A drug bust of the quantity we need is infrequent at best and the quality of such material is highly variable. To use such material would be like relying on the capture of wild rats for laboratory experiments. No, what we do is grow our own cannabis on some forestry land north of here.

"That's the reason for the secrecy. It wouldn't look good for the federal government to be seen growing the very stuff it is trying to destroy. We have to keep everything quiet. Why, we even have to fly the raw material in on helicopters in the middle of the night to avoid unwanted publicity. If we didn't we'd get all kinds of flak from everybody from people who want to decriminalize all drugs to those zero-tolerance types. Our work would never get done."

"So why did you consent to this interview?"

"Because, like I said before, we are very, very close to a breakthrough. All we need is a few more months."

"I think I hear you asking me to stay quiet until you make the breakthrough."

"It would be most appreciated, Mr. Reid. In a few months we would be able to guarantee you an exclusive on our entire project. And its success."

"I'll have to think about it. I don't believe in sitting on a story, unless there are compelling reasons for doing so, but perhaps in this case, it might be better to hold off for a short time in favor of getting a more complete story later."

"Fine, fine, I am so glad you see things my way. It is such a pleasure to deal with a man of your caliber."

"Agreed then, but doctor, do you think you could send me as much material on your project as you can spare? I would like to study more on what you are trying to accomplish," Britt said rising to his feet.

Torrence grinned broadly. "Of course. I will send you material of some of the more interesting aspects of our work. With, of course, explanations in layman's terms."

"I'd appreciate that Doctor. I've dabbled a bit in electronics, but when comes to the most recent developments in biochemistry I'm completely in the dark." Britt didn't mention that he and Kato had dabbled enough in electronics to wire his entire townhouse and a certain black car with gadgets that would make a super-spy envious. The Sting and gas gun themselves were adaptations of someone else's failed ideas that when reworked by himself and Kato had worked extremely well.

Torrence nodded in understanding, then stopped thoughtfully. "I was thinking about the Green Hornet fellow and what he did to Mrs. De la Culebra. I swear that if I ever got my hands on that animal I would make him pay very dearly for what he did. Animals like that should not exist in our society."

"Well, Doctor, I do hope that the Hornet does get what's coming to him."

Britt stood in his office watching Linda escort the massive scientist to the elevator. I sure hope the Green Hornet doesn't ever wind up in his hands, he thought.

"So you didn't get much out of your visit with Dr. Torrence," Kato commented, waiting while the Green Hornet guided the Scanner around the Valle Verde warehouse.

"No. He gave me a somewhat plausible tale about it all being a legitimate research project and considering the material he gave me and the people I've spoken to since, it does sound genuine."

"But there's really nothing to it, is there?"

"They may actually be doing some kind of research there. Even a project backed by a senator as powerful as De la Culebra has to have something to show for the funds they're getting."

"Why didn't you ask about the murders near Wild Dog Ridge?"

"I thought about it, but decided not to. There's really no way that Britt Reid could've heard about them and made the connection with the project at Fort Bradford. Also I didn't want them to know how much I really do know. It's best to let them think that Britt Reid has swallowed the entire story. That will hopefully take some of the pressure off."

"I see." Kato was silent a moment, thinking. "How did Mrs. Reid take that story about the Green Hornet raping De la Culebra's wife?"

The Green Hornet looked sharply up from the screen. "She didn't like it," he said grimly, not wanting to elaborate about the argument they had after the accusation had made the news. Casey was able to believe that the Green Hornet had not attacked the senator's wife, but the scratches the woman had left on his hide had hinted at something else entirely. No matter how long they had been married, jealously still managed to occasionally rear its ugly head.

"I thought you had straightened it out last night." Kato mentioned remembering the sounds of lovemaking he had heard when he had left the garage after putting the Black Beauty to bed.

"So did I." The Green Hornet snapped off the Scanner's screen. "Call the Scanner back. I don't see anything out of the ordinary there. It's all quiet."

Kato activated the recall signal. "It should be quiet. We're here an hour early."

"I wanted to get here early enough to get a good look around undisturbed."

"Are you expecting a trap?"

"I wouldn't be surprised."

"Hasn't anyone ever seriously taken up the Green Hornet's offer of a partnership?"

"No. Most of the Green Hornet's prospective partners usually consider it close to dealing with the devil. They always try to screw the Green Hornet before he screws them." He grinned wryly. "One way or the other the deal always falls through. Let's take a look at this place while we still have the time," he said getting out of the car.

The Valle Verde warehouse was no different from the warehouses that were crowded between the railroad tracks and the docks. It was cleaner than those that had been partially abandoned, but not as well maintained as those that served factory outlet bargain hunters. Although it was fairly clean, no effort had been made to clean the high, narrow windows that were grimy from the soot of the city's faltering industrial heart. Overall there was nothing to distinguish it from all the others in the city or in the entire country.

A door in the side of the warehouse hidden in the shadows of a nearby building was easily convinced open by the not too gentle assault of the Hornet sting. The Green Hornet and Kato carefully slipped through the door, alert to any movement or noise. The warehouse's interior smelled like an industrialist's idea of a farm. The heavy organic smell of peat moss, soil builder and steer manure mingled with the acrid chemical odor to fertilizers and pesticides.

The dim light of the Green Hornet's flashlight picked out stacked bales of peat moss against a far wall. He walked over and with a finger poked a small hole in one of the bags. "Peat moss," he said after sniffing the light brown material on his fingers. "They're probably hiding the marijuana further back in the pile, to evade detection by searchers."

"Like us," Kato commented with a nod.

"Yeah," the Green Hornet agreed, his sharp eyes searching around the building. He opened a box and pulled out a can of insecticide. "I saw the same stuff at that plantation. This is probably where they get it."

"How nice they keep it all in the family."

The Green Hornet nodded absently. He felt an odd prickling behind his neck. "Move, Kato!" he shouted, pushing Kato to the side as a high stack of boxes came tumbling down.

Dazed, Kato began getting to his feet, but found himself lifted into the air by a massive pair of hands that threw him across the floor like a ragdoll. Barely in time he stopped his slide before slamming into a wall. A heavy crowbar sliced the air above his head as he tried to get to his feet. Kicking and dodging he fought his way up as five men, armed with crowbars, surrounded him. A well-thrown dart stung a thug's crowbar from his hand and several rapid-fire, sharp-fisted blows dropped him beside his weapon. The surprised thugs paused in their attack, giving Kato just long enough to draw out a pair of nunchuks. Spinning and flicking them about him he cleared a space around him, sweeping his foes away from him like chaff before a strong wind.

"Drop your toys, little man!" a deep voice roared, "Or I'll pull your friend's arms out of their sockets."

Shocked, Kato looked up to see a huge, dark bearded man holding the Green Hornet arms so tightly behind his back that his shoulder blades nearly touched. Reluctantly Kato dropped the nunchuks.

"Very good, little man," grinned the giant. At the same moment Kato's world exploded into a painful blinding light.

Martinez swaggered out now that the coast was clear. He lightly stepped over Kato's prone body as he walked over to examine the Green Hornet held helpless by the massive Dr. Torrence. "You shoulda stayed kept yer nose outa things Hornet. You shoulda stayed dead," he said, pulling out a set of brass knuckles and fitting them over his hand. "Yer outa yer league old man," he gritted, throwing a brass knuckled fist into the Green Hornet's face, ripping a bloody tear along his jaw. Another blow to the Green Hornet's face cracked the hard plastic mask, which barely absorbed enough force to prevent a broken nose. With a snaggle-toothed grin, Martinez listened to his captive's pained gasping. "Ain't cha got anythin' to say, old man?"

The Green Hornet looked up at his tormentor, daring him with a grim green-eyed glare. "Tell Torrence to let me go and we'll see who's the better man."

Martinez angrily threw a fist into the Green Hornet's unprotected mid section, doubling him over into a tight knot. "You're finished, old man," he growled. "You got yer uses though," he said, slamming into the Hornet's belly again. "After I teach ya a lesson, yer gonna be real useful. That is if I let ya live." Again punctuating with a fist into his victim's body. Feeling a hot ecstatic flush run through his body, Martinez rapidly began pummeling the Green Hornet's unprotected body, each blow coming harder and faster than the last, like a lover coming near orgasm. There was a loud crack and the Green Hornet cried out in sudden pain, collapsing in Torrence's hands.

"I think you broke something," Torrence commented drily. "You want me to keep holding him up?"

"Nah, drop him, he's finished," Martinez said, disappointed that the Green Hornet had not lasted longer. He pulled out a knife and knelt down next to the Green Hornet.

"Hey, Martinez!" a man carrying a large box shouted, "Where do you want me to put the rest of this stuff?"

Snapping his blade back into its sheath, Martinez stood up. "Ya got it planted where the boss told'ja?"

"Yeah, but I still got a few things left," the newcomer answered, pulling out a grenade. "I don't know what I'm gonna do with this. Hell, I don't even know why this is in the damn box in the first place," he commented, tossing it into the air.

"Hey! Watch it!" Martinez shouted, "Ya wanna blow us up?"

"Naw, the thing's safe as long as the pin ain't pulled." Noticing the Green Hornet and Kato laying on the floor, he asked, "Who're they?"

"This guy's the Green Hornet," Martinez answered, nudging the barely conscious Green Hornet with his foot. "The guy near ya is his flunky."

"The Green Hornet? I remember hearing about him. He was supposed to be one real bad dude." He tilted his head. "He don't look so bad now. What're you plannin' to do with them?"

"I dunno, the boss said to kill 'em, but . . . Hey wait a minute, that grenade . . ., I got me a real good idea of what ta do with it."

"Yeah, what?"

Martinez walked over to the unconscious Kato and turned him over onto his back. "Gimme that thing."

"Sure."

Martinez pulled the pin on the grenade, but held the spoon tightly down while placing it down onto the ground. "Roll this guy over my hand," he ordered. "There," he said, removing his hand from under Kato's body. "I read about this bein' done in Vietnam. The Cong would put a grenade under a guy's body an' when somebody came along and lifted it, boom, the thing would go off right in the guy's face."

"Nice trick," grinned the explosives man. "But this place is goin' up in a short time anyway."

"I know, but it'll give the Hornet somethin' ta sweat about. If his buddy comes to, he'll get blown up when he starts stirrin'. "An' if even if he stays out, they'll both get blown to smithereens when the whole place goes up."

Axford was angry that he had paid the stoolie so much money. The slob had told him that something really big was going down on the docks at ten, but the tip had turned out to be a complete bust. What made it worse was that it was his own fifty bucks that had gone down the drain. He decided to head back through the warehouse district instead of taking the freeway.

He was still cursing himself out for his gullibility when the headlights of his car picked out a vaguely familiar shape. Could it be, he thought, after all these years could it really be the Black Beauty? He drove closer and from out of the darkness he could pick out the Black Beauty's long, low profile. There was no other car that looked like it in the entire world.

Axford was overjoyed as he got out of his car. Maybe he might get a good story tonight after all. The Black Beauty was empty as he had expected, which meant that the Hornet must still be in the warehouse that the car was parked in front of. He found the side door of the warehouse, quickly noting that it had been singed by a narrow, powerful beam, the mark of the Hornet sting. Now Axford was even more sure that the Green Hornet, the real Green Hornet, was again on the prowl. Cautiously poking his head through the door, Axford peered into the warehouse's dim interior. Seeing nothing, he carefully crept further into the building.

In the darkness he nearly fell as his foot slipped on something on the ground. He knelt and in the wan moonlight filtering through the windows high above, he recognized the long, black, tubular shape of the Hornet sting. Axford was ecstatic. The Hornet would never have willingly left his powerful weapon behind. He had to be still in the building, alive and helpless, or dead. Either way, Axford had the chance he had been waiting for.

Barely containing his excitement, Axford walked further into the building, looking for any sign of the Green Hornet. A slight movement near a pillar caught his eye. He walked quickly over to find the Green Hornet collapsed against it, his arms tied tightly around it. The Green Hornet stirred painfully, his face bloody and bruised, a filthy gag shoved in his mouth.

"Looks like you should've stayed retired, Hornet," Axford commented, looking down into the bound man's green eyes as he reached for the mask. The Green Hornet exploded at Axford's touch, struggling futilely against his bonds. Axford roughly grabbed the Green Hornet's shoulder, trying to force the man to be still, but he struggled all the harder. Axford angrily balled his fist. "Looks like you've been through Hell already, but if you keep on struggling, I'm going to slug you. I've been waiting a long time to see who you really are. You're not going to stop me now. Not this time."

Still the Green Hornet struggled, his mouth trying to work around the gag, then he went unexpectedly limp, his shoulders sagged in hopeless defeat. Axford reached for his long sought after prize, then stopped, something was terribly wrong. The Green Hornet wasn't the type to suddenly give up. And where was his man, Axford wondered. The reporter stood up, looking for some sign of the Hornet's chauffeur.

In a corner, near the door he had entered was a slender form on the ground. Axford went over. The uniform was right and on the unconscious man's face was a black mask. He began to lift Kato when the Green Hornet went wild, moaning and struggling, trying to stand up against the pillar. Axford stopped, realizing that whatever was wrong had to do with the chauffeur. He returned to the Green Hornet, crouched in front of him, and removed the gag.

"Axford, this whole place is going to blow up!" the Green Hornet shouted.

"Blow up? Are you sure? You're lying," Axford said suspiciously.

"I'm not lying."A small groan came from Kato's direction. "You've got to untie me. They've booby-trapped Kato. There's a bomb under him. When he gets up, it'll explode. I've got to stop him from moving."

Axford's faded blue eyes narrowed. "If you think you're gonna pull the rug over me, it ain't gonna work," he warned.

"Dammit, I'm not lying," the Green Hornet gritted impatiently. "I'm telling you the truth." Kato groaned again, slightly stirring. "Axford, you've got to untie me."

"Why don't you tell him to keep still from here?"

"I can't. He's groggy. He won't understand what I'm saying. He'll try to get up. Untie me, damn it!" the Green Hornet demanded.

"No. Not until I'm sure. I'll go over there and hold him down and explain to him what's going on."

"Don't. Don't do that. He'll try to fight you. Both of you will be killed. You have got to untie me. It's the only way."

Indecisive, Axford rubbed is jaw. "I dunno."

"Okay, you win," the Green Hornet sighed tiredly, "Take the damn mask off. You've been wanting to do it, so go ahead take it off. It won't do you any good. This place is going to blow up at any moment and we'll all be dead. But at least you'll finally know who I am. I swear though, you'll regret that knowledge for the short time we're alive."

Axford stared at the Green Hornet, studying him. It seemed possible that the masked man was not trying to trick him. But still . . . "Okay, Hornet, I'll untie you. You can take care of your man, but . . . "

"But what?"

"When we're out of here, when we're all out of danger, you got to promise me that you will take off your mask. You have to swear by whatever you hold sacred that you will let me see who you are behind that mask."

The Green Hornet nodded. "I swear, I'll unmask as soon as we're safe out side." Kato began stirring more, struggling back into consciousness. "Hurry, damn it!" the Green Horned demanded urgently.

Axford quickly untied the Green Hornet's hands. The Green Hornet pushed himself to his feet, immediately falling to his knees as his bad leg folded under him. Axford offered a hand up. "You okay, Hornet?"

"I'm fine," the Green Hornet insisted despite the trembling of his left leg. "My leg fell asleep. I can make it without your help." He leaned against a box. "Why don't you go out and get behind something in case we run out of time?"

"No, I'll stick with you. I want to make sure you keep your promise."

The Green Hornet shook his head disgustedly. His leg had finally stopped shaking enough for him to walk. He strode quickly to Kato's side. "Don't move," he ordered, "There's a grenade under you. If you get up, it'll explode," he said, forcing himself to talk in a calm voice.

"A grenade?" Kato asked, his voice cracking. "Are you sure?"

The Green Hornet shook his head. "Why is everybody doubting what I'm saying lately?" he muttered in a low voice. "Yes, that's what I said, a grenade. This place is also wired to blow up in any minute. You must do exactly what I say."

Kato gulped nervously. "Why don't you get out of here? Save yourself."

"That's not an option. I not going to leave here without you," the Green Hornet insisted. "Just do exactly what I tell you. Understand?"

"I understand."

"Good. Can you feel where the grenade is?"

"Yeah, it's right in the pit of my stomach."

"Fine. I'm going to run my hand under you and try to grab hold of it. I want you to press your body down on top of my hand with all your might. You'll have to keep your weight completely down on my hand until I have the spoon on the grenade secured. Okay?"

"Okay."

The Green Hornet slipped his hand under Kato's stomach until he felt the grenade with his fingertips. "I'm close. Keep your weight on my hand. That's it. You're doing fine," he said, trying not to worry about the other bombs in the building. He slipped his hand over the round oval of the grenade, searching for the spoon. Finally he had it. "I got it," he breathed triumphantly.

The three men ran out of the building, racing for their lives. Kato and Axford headed for the shelter of the Black Beauty's heavily armored body. The Green Hornet hung back, waiting until they had crouched behind the car. With a powerful overhand throw, he threw the grenade toward the building and ran to join them. The grenade's midair explosion was mirrored, doubled and redoubled as the warehouse shattered into billowing flames as multiple explosions ripped through it.

The Green Hornet, knocked down by the explosion's force, sat on the ground, watching the fierce flames devouring the building. He looked behind him to see Axford and Kato walking up to him. He slowly rose to his feet. "Axford, we made a deal. Now you can collect," he said. "You've always wanted to take my mask off with you own two hands. Now you can do it."

Axford grinned, his fondest dream had come true. He stopped, his hands reaching for the mask. There was something about the Green Hornet that touched him as no amount of defiance or pleading could have done. The man seemed as though he was facing some horrible tragedy that he was forced to accept. The opponent that Axford had pursued for years was giving up. This was a chance of a lifetime, yet something told him he would regret taking the mask. "You're off the hook, Hornet. I can't do it."

Axford turned away, disgusted at his own softness. Then he turned to face the Green Hornet with a crooked grin. "We've had quite a time haven't we? I almost thought it was over when I heard talk that you had been executed. I'm kind of glad that you weren't. You got a lot of style these punks today don't have." He ran a calloused hand through thinning red hair in embarrassment. "I missed those days. It was a lot of fun." He gave a short laugh. "I'm lookin' forward to seeing you give those young gangsters a lesson, just like you did in the old days. Those yahoos in the City Room will finally see what I was talkin' about. They'll see."

The Green Hornet smiled in silent agreement. Axford continued, "There's one thing though . . . "

"What's that?" the Green Hornet asked gently.

"I still want you to keep your promise. Not now, but later, much later. I don't want to go to my reward without knowing who you really are. When the priest comes to give me the last rites, I want you to be the next man I see."

"Do you honestly think I'll manage to outlive you?"

"You got the Irish luck in you, Hornet." Axford laughed, shaking his head. "You got to be Irish, wearing green like you do. You're going to live a long time. You're too much a bastard to go to heaven and the devil won't let you into Hell 'cause you'd take it over. Uh, Hornet, when I'm gone, dance at my wake, will 'ya?"

"I'll get roaring drunk, just for you," the Green Hornet promised.

Axford dug his hands into his pockets, and pulled out the Hornet sting. "I was kind of thinking of keeping this thing for a souvenir, but, Hell, I don't have any need for the damn thing." He handed it over to the Green Hornet. "Here, it's yours anyway. You have more use for it than I do."

The Green Hornet smiled as he checked the Sting's smooth black surface. "Thank, I was wondering where it went to."

Axford shrugged and slouched off toward his car. He could already hear the sirens of the police and fire department racing to the warehouse fire. He turned around to watch the Green Hornet join Kato by the Black Beauty. Suddenly Axford slammed his hand on his car's hood. Damn! he thought, I forgot to ask the Hornet what he was doing there in the first place. Some reporter I'm turning out to be.

II

"I thought he was really going to do it, "Kato commented as the Green Hornet walked to his side.

"So did I, Kato. So did I." The Green Hornet climbed into the car. "I better call Casey and tell her we'll be home as soon as we put the Black Beauty to bed. I think we're done for the night," he said, trying not to sound as tired and sore as he felt. He dialed home and waited for a long time as the phone rang. He was starting to get worried when Casey finally answered. "Casey," he began, but before he could say another word, she started talking.

"Ah, Britt. I'm glad you called. Oh?" she continued, "You're going to be late? That's too bad. I understand. That's the problem of being the boss. You're always the one that has to cover when things fall apart."

"Casey," he broke in, "Is someone there?"

"Yes dear," she said, "I won't wait up for you."

"We'll be right there," the Green Hornet assured her.

"Drive carefully, dear," she said sweetly before hanging up.

"Kato, somebody's holding Casey prisoner at the house. Get us there yesterday, if not sooner," he said grimly, his heart racing with fear for his wife's life.

The Black Beauty raced along the freeway, rapidly passing cars like they were standing still. In the rear view mirror, Kato noticed with alarm that one of the cars they passed had a red, white and blue light bar. "That was a cop," he said unnecessarily as the lights came to life behind them.

"Lose them," the Green Hornet snapped.

Kato nodded, pulling on a lever, switching on a supercharger. The Black Beauty's barely audible purr deepened into a powerful thrum as it surged ahead of the pursuing police car. Kato had a hard time keeping the wheel straight as the big, black car lunged forward, fighting the limits of being earth-bound. The lights of the police car quickly melted into the lights of the city behind them. "They might try to set up a road block to stop us."

"If they do, blast it," the Green Hornet said harshly.

Kato nodded in agreement. He liked Mrs. Reid and the idea of her being in danger chilled him to the bone. He shot a quick glance at the Green Hornet in the rear view mirror. He was shocked at what he saw. The Green Hornet looked like hell. Kato knew he had been badly beaten, but he didn't realize how badly. The Green Hornet's face was a pasty grey and he seemed to be breathing painfully. "Are you all right?" he asked.

"I'm fine," the Green Hornet gritted. "Keep your mind on your driving," he ordered sharply.

After what seemed an eternity they entered Valley Grove, but their speed only eased by a fraction as they roared along the village's dirt road, heading toward Britt Reid's house. The Green Hornet sat on the edge of his seat. "We're nearly there. Don't go to the front of the house. They're probably expecting Britt Reid to pull up there. Go around back, near the stables. Switch to silent running and polarize the lights. And shut down the power before we lose control on this road. This dirt is too loose for our speed."

The house looked peaceful from the road. There were only a few lights on, none out of place for it being nearly midnight. "Park under that old barn's lean-to. That'll keep the Black Beauty out of sight from the house," the Green Hornet instructed. "I don't see any sign of guards. Do you?" he asked Kato.

"Not from here," Kato answered, his eyes trying to probe the deep shadows that surrounded the Reids' sprawling house.

"Unfortunately that doesn't mean there aren't any. Take your time. Lower the brooms. We can't do anything about the noise of the tires on the gravel, but we can do something about the tracks." Kato flipped a switch and a set of steel wire brooms lowered from behind the front and rear wheels, wiping out any trace of their passage.

Kato slipped the Black Beauty beside the old barn and the Green Hornet climbed out. He spoke to Kato through his open window, "I'll go around back and up to the study where the lights are on. You go in by the window near the dining room and cover my back."

"Shouldn't I stick with you?"

"Why?" the Green Hornet demanded sharply. "It's better if we approach them from different angles."

Kato bit his lip, trying to think of a way to get past the Green Hornet's pride. "It's just that you don't look too good. Those guys worked you over pretty bad."

"Don't think I can handle a few thugs by myself?"

"Frankly, no."

"That's my wife in there. I have no idea what they've done to her, or what they're planning. I'm not going to waste valuable time arguing with you. Once you promised to do exactly what I say. Now do it." The Green Hornet angrily turned on his heel, not waiting for Kato's answer.

Suddenly he doubled over, barely catching himself against the lean-to's support, as a sharp pain radiated out from his side. His head spun dizzily as he clenched his teeth, trying not to cry out from the pain. Alarmed, Kato jumped out of the Black Beauty, and grabbed the Green Hornet.

"What's wrong?" he demanded.

"Nothing, damn it," the Green Hornet gasped.

"Something wrong's. What is it?'

"I got a broken rib," the Green Hornet gasped painfully as he tried to straighten. "Maybe more than one."

"You better stay in the car. I'll take care of everything."

The Green shook his head forcefully, almost losing his balance. "No. You're too inexperienced. You'll get killed. And maybe Casey in the bargain as well."

"Then we'll call the cops and they'll take care of everything," Kato suggested.

"No way. One sign of a cop car or a sound of a siren and those thugs will split. If we're lucky maybe they'll leave Casey alive, but I don't want to bet her life on that. We have to take care of this ourselves."

"You can't do this."

"I have to. I'll be fine, just let me catch my breath for a moment."

"Look at yourself. You can barely stand," Kato said angrily. "You're hurt too bad. You can't do anything. You'll be the one who'll get Mrs. Reid killed, not me."

The Green Hornet glowered at the younger man. "How are you planning on stopping me?"

Kato looked away from the Green Hornet, trying to bring his temper under control. He couldn't. "Damn it! Don't you dare pull that bullshit on me!" he hissed. "You pulled that on my father and it almost got you killed and it split up the best damn crime fighting team there ever was. Your goddam blind, pig-headed pride destroyed you and my father. I won't let that happen to me. If I have to tackle you, knock you out and hogtie you, I goddam will."

The Green Hornet glared at Kato, shaking with anger, "How dare be you . . . "

"I dare and I will."

"She's my wife..." the Green Hornet began, his voices dangerously quiet.

"I know how much you love her. I like her a lot too. I wouldn't do anything to risk her life. That's why I can't let you go."

"You can't do it alone. We have to do it together," the Green Hornet answered. "There is no other way." he insisted.

Kato nodded reluctantly. He had to admit that the Green Hornet was right. It was impossible for one man to go against armed killers alone. "Okay," he finally conceded. "But we have to handle this together, as a team."

The Green Hornet nodded in agreement.

"Okay, but first I got to bind up your ribs, that'll help the pain." The Green Hornet's eyes narrowed stubbornly. Kato rushed in before the older man could say a word, "I know there isn't a lot of time, but if I don't take the time to take care of your ribs now, they could cause a lot of trouble when we can least afford it." He didn't add that they might be too late already. They both knew that.

After quickly binding the Green Hornet's ribs as quickly as he could, Kato silently followed him to the house, trusting in the older man's knowledge of his home grounds. He watched the big man carefully, hoping that the basic first aid job he had done would be enough to get the Green Hornet through the rest of the night.

The Green Hornet held up his hand, "There, near the pool house, there's a man smoking. See there's the light of his cigarette," he whispered.

"I see him," Kato said, slipping past the Green Hornet. Keeping in the shadows of the plants around the pool, he crept closer to the man. A rapid movement and the man fell silently to the ground, never knowing what had hit him.

The Green Hornet joined Kato beside the pool, and unlocked the pool house door. "Hide him in here," He whispered. The patio door of the house slid open and the two men crouched out of sight near the pool house. "Martinez," the Green Hornet said, recognizing the man standing in the light from the recreation room behind him. Another man joined Martinez in the doorway. "And Miles," the Green Hornet added.

"No sign of Reid?" Martinez asked the tall redhead beside him.

"No, not yet," Miles said, disgustedly flicking a glowing cigarette butt into the pool in front of him. "Reid called here a short while ago and told his wife that he would be late."

"Did'ja listen in on the conversation?"

"No, why should I?"

"'Cause that might not have been Reid. Maybe she was able to tell him to stay away without you knowin' what she did. That's why. What're you plannin' to do with her?"

"Who?"

"Reid's wife, that's who."

Miles shrugged. "I don't know. Let Marcus decide what to do with her, and Reid when he gets here."

Martinez pulled out a cigarette and lit it. "She's a nice piece of tail, even for a dame her age. Maybe we should have a little fun with her to kill the boredom."

"Marcus said not to touch her. Not until he's taken care of Reid."

Martinez sniggered "If we rough her up a little, it might help soften Reid up a bit."

"Nah, it wouldn't work. Reid's a tough son of a bitch, it'd only make him harder to handle. Let him think that if he cooperates, both he and his little woman will be safe."

"Yer not intendin' on lettin' them go, are ya?"

"No way. I'm not that stupid. No, once we get what we want from Reid, we'll bump them and that Lowrey guy off."

"Maybe we could have a little fun with 'em before we knock them off."

"What're you thinking of?"

"Well, we could get your sister over here and we could have ourselves a little party."

Miles grinned. "Yeah, she's real pissed that the Hornet turned her down. That's the first time anybody's refused a roll in the hay with her. Maybe Reid might be a good consolation prize."

"Yeah, especially since it looks like she's developed a yen for senior citizens. Yeah, we could have ourselves a jolly old time. Maybe I might even trade off with your dear sister on Reid."

"I didn't know you're AC/DC," Miles said, moving a few steps from Martinez.

Martinez snorted. "Don't worry about me contaminatin' you. I'm strictly hetero. So's Reid. That's where the fun will come from."

Miles laughed obscenely. "You just better stock up on the Vaseline. I bet he's a real tight ass."

Martinez grabbed Miles' arm. "Didja hear that?"

"What?"

"I dunno, I thought I heard somethin'."

"It's probably a stray cat."

"Maybe," Martinez replied. A flowerpot crashed to the concrete walkway near the pool house. "I'm gonna check it out."

"No, don't," Miles warned. "Stay in the house. We got plenty of guards around in case of trouble."

"They're out front watchin' for Reid. I'm just gonna check that noise out. It's probably nothin' anyway."

"Don't leave."

"What's wrong, you afraid to be left alone with Reid's wife? 'Fraid she's gonna jump you?"

"No, I just don't like the idea of you wandering out there in the dark."

"Don't worry, Miles, Torrence is in there. He'll protect you from Reid's wife if she decides ta get violent." Martinez smirked. "Why don' cha go back in before the night air gives ya a chill," he said disdainfully as he stepped out onto the patio.

The swimming pool, unlike those of the Reids' more sensible neighbors who shunned bathing in the last cool days before fall was still filled with water. A light mist rose from the heated pool which was lit for late evening swims. A slight breeze played above its rippling surface making flickering prismatic shadows that made it harder to see into the shadows surrounding the pool.

A low, deep voice form behind him, made Martinez' heart stop cold with fear. "You should've killed me when you had the chance."

"Hornet? It can't be. That warehouse blew into millions of pieces. Nobody could've survived that."

"Oh, but I did, Martinez," the Green Hornet said.

"Uh, look, Hornet, it wasn't anythin' personal. Ya know how it is. I was just followin' orders."

"No, it was personal. Very personal. You enjoyed yourself, didn't you?"

"Hornet," Martinez pleaded, "What do you say if I give ya a hand? You know, we take over their whole operation. I'll give ya anythin' ya want, enough to put everybody away for a long, long time."

"Are you proposing to double-cross your friends?"

"They ain't no friends of mine."

"How do I know you won't double-cross me?"

"I wouldn't, I swear," Martinez pleaded desperately.

Without warning, he suddenly dropped to the ground and threw a knife straight for the Green Hornet's heart. The Green Hornet dodged the deadly blade and grabbed Martinez by the collar, shoving him up against the wall of the pool house. "I'm not tied up now. No one is pinning my arms behind my back," he growled, throwing Martinez away from him like a sack of garbage. "Let's see what you can do against somebody who isn't helpless. Let's see what you can do against a worn out old man." He lifted the floundering Martinez, and again threw him to the ground. "Get to your feet. Fight like a man," the Green Hornet goaded angrily.

Fists flailing, Martinez charged his tormentor, but the masked man easily dodged his blows. Bobbing and weaving, he led Martinez away from the safety of the house. Repeatedly Martinez lunged at the Green Hornet, only to find him staying just out of his reach. Shaking in exhaustion, Martinez panted, "Goddam it, stay in one place."

Holding his hands away from his body, the Green Hornet stood a few paces in front of the tired thug. "Here I am. Take your best shot. If you can," he challenged.

Martinez threw a full roundhouse punch at the Green Hornet's mid section only to find his fist encased in a rock-hard grip. The Green Hornet lifted Martinez' hand high above his head and began pressing down on the thug's outstretched arm, forcing him down to his knees. "I have had enough of you," he snarled. "You have been constantly in my way. I will not tolerate you any longer," he finished with a blow in the shorter man's face and kept on hitting him. He was in terrible pain, and he wanted nothing more than to make the two-bit gangster to feel his pain, to feel the pain that all of his victims had felt. Martinez blubbered for mercy, but there was no mercy to be found in the Green Hornet. Despite the man's pleas the Green Hornet continued hitting him, pile driving him into the ground.

A strong grip bit into the Green Hornet's shoulder. Shaking with rage, he looked up to see Lee standing over him, Martinez' slender throwing knife glittering in his fingers. "Here," Kato said, his quiet voice breaking through the Green Hornet's blind fury, "If you're going to kill the bastard, use this instead. It's a lot quicker and a lot quieter."

The Green Hornet snatched his hands away from the bloody-nosed Martinez like he had been burned. He felt ashamed by his loss of self-control. "No, I won't be needing it." He pulled out his gas gun. Martinez' eyes grew wide with terror. "You don't know how lucky you are," he said grimly as he pressed the gas gun's trigger.

Slowly the Green Hornet pulled himself to his feet. "Take him to the pool house and lock him in with the other guy," he said to Kato.

Kato hesitated, "Wait up for me?" he asked.

The Green Hornet nodded reluctantly, then headed for the house. "I'll wait at the back door."

Kato carried the unconscious Martinez to the pool house, tied him up with the other thug, quickly locked the door and trotted rapidly to the back door, not fully expecting to find the Green Hornet waiting for him there. He was right in his concern. The Green Hornet was nowhere to be found. He swore at under his breath at the Green Hornet's talent for pure cussedness and slipped through the slightly open door. He found lying just inside the door the gigantic form of Dr. Torrence, the Green Hornet standing over him. "I decided to wait inside," the Green Hornet said.

"I'm glad you decided not to try to beat him up too," Kato commented drily.

The Green Hornet smiled tiredly, shaking his head. "That crazy I'm not." He prodded Torrence's body with his foot. "Move him out of sight. I spotted a light on in the upstairs library. That's probably where they're waiting for Britt Reid."

The carafe of expensive brandy fell from Miles' hand as the library doors burst apart beneath the Hornet sting's powerful sonic beam. Before his two men could draw their guns, a pair of darts bit into their arms. The Green Hornet casually entered the room, the Hornet sting in his hands keeping them at bay. "I'm disappointed that you and your brother-in-law weren't able to make our appointment," he said.

"You're a tough man to get rid of," Miles remarked, edging closer to the couch where Casey sat stiffly erect.

"That's something you will have to learn," the Green Hornet said, "I can be very persistent when I want something. Who's that?" the Green Hornet asked noticing an unconscious form lying bound between the writing desk and a wall.

Kato walked over and bent down. "It's that reporter, Ed Lowrey, the one the cops are looking for."

"How is he?"

"There's a bad bruise on his head, but his pulse is strong," Kato answered.

The Green Hornet nodded, moving between Miles and Casey. He stopped, facing Casey and lifted her chin up with a finger, turning her face so that he could see better the dark bruise on her cheek. "A little rough, weren't you?" he commented. "Are you okay, Mrs. Reid?"

"I'm fine," she answered, her eyes widening slightly as she noticed his battered face and the ugly cut along his jaw. "You don't look so good yourself."

Touching the cut, he said, "That's something I have to thank Miles' buddy, Martinez and the not-so-gentle giant for. Don't worry," he assured her, "I've paid both of them back for it."

She nodded toward the tense Miles, "He's waiting for my husband to come home. Senator De la Culebra is coming too."

"Ah," the Green Hornet said smoothly, turning to face Miles, "I see. Miles, I'm afraid you and the honorable senator are going to have to be disappointed."

"Why?" Miles demanded, but before the Green Hornet could reply, the deep beat of a helicopter flying overhead drowned out their conversation.

De la Culebra glared angrily out of the helicopter's window. All he saw around him was blackness. The sky, the ground under him, everything was black. It weighed on him, making his black mood worse. He pulled out two throwing darts. They were delicate, perfectly balanced; omens, perhaps even clues to his current problems.

The fool Martinez had a talent for picking up the things. The first from one of the Wolverton plantation, the second during that fiasco at the Daily Sentinel. De la Culebra cursed. Miles claimed that he had only ordered Martinez to scare Reid, to shake him up. If Martinez had succeeded in killing Reid, the entire city would have been ripped open. No man of Reid's stature could have been murdered without causing a massive uproar. He wished Martinez had succeeded. Then he wouldn't now be on his way to Reid's house. Then he would only have the Green Hornet to worry about.

The Green Hornet. De la Culebra cursed again. Miles had assured him that the Green Hornet had been taken care of. Now he had just gotten word that because of the interference of one of Reid's reporters the Hornet was still alive. Still a problem. Losing the warehouse and its contents was costly. If he had known about it in time he would have never permitted it, but it was Miles' idea. As usual the idiot had not bothered getting advice. It have would at least been worth it if the Hornet and his man had died in the explosion.

It was fast becoming too costly to keep Miles around. Too many errors were being made. Miles was only useful as a front man, somebody to cover his involvement, but if he had to step in one more time, it might no longer be worthwhile keeping him alive. Even if it meant having to deal with Shannon's terrible rage.

In the helicopter's dimly lit interior, De la Culebra examined the darts more closely, mulling over them. Britt Reid and the Green Hornet; the two were closely linked. Crawford was sure they were the same man, and he still was, even after Rivers' show. De la Culebra did not share his confidence. Reid was fiercely anti-crime, his personal fight against crime and corruption, no matter wherever it lay or whoever was involved was famous across the country. The Green Hornet on the other hand was a dangerously cunning criminal mastermind. A loner who had once had every crime family scratch his home city out for their expansion plans. A partnership with the Green Hornet was dangerous; the refusal of one, fatal.

But who were the intruders at the plantation? The dart-thrower had to be the Hornet's man, but who was the other one? The Green Hornet in disguise, perhaps? Possible, very possible. But why did he appear now? Why now after all this time?

He placed the darts back into his breast pocket. If Reid and the Hornet were indeed two sides of the same coin, then eliminating Reid would free him from the Hornet's interference. If not, then the darts and the seal the Hornet had left behind would serve to direct the investigation of the Reids' murders onto the Green Hornet.

For the first time that day, De la Culebra smiled. Perhaps things were looking up after all. He, himself, would lead the investigation against the Green Hornet. It would be healthy, very healthy, for his candidacy for him to become the spiritual successor to Reid's campaign against crime. Yes, he thought smugly, it would be very good indeed. And ironic.

It was still some time before dawn, so he couldn't see much outside as the helicopter landed, but De la Culebra was uneasy. No one was coming out to meet him and he couldn't see any of the guards. Most were probably out front waiting for Reid, but still someone, even the half-witted Martinez, should have come out to meet him. Impatiently he motioned for his two bodyguards to follow him into the house.

There was no one in the first floor of the house either, but De la Culebra could see a light through the open doors of an upstairs room. With the guards behind him, he rapidly climbed up the stairs. He found Miles inside the bookcase lined room calmly talking to a pretty middle-aged woman with strawberry blonde hair who he recognized as Mrs. Britt Reid. "Damn it, Miles," the Senator growled peevishly, "Where the hell are all your guards?"

A low commanding voice came from behind him, "Don't worry Senator. They have all been well taken care of."

"The Green Hornet!" the Senator gasped, turning to face the tall, green-garbed masked man. Instantly the Senator's bodyguards drew their guns, but before they could aim, Kato dropped them, both unconscious, to the floor faster than an eye blink. De la Culebra smiled in appreciation of the lithe chauffeur's skill. "That was quite unnecessary, Mr. Hornet, but I must say it was an impressive display."

"Thank you," the Green Hornet acknowledged the compliment.

"But he is much younger than your original aide. Did something happen to him?" the Senator said, feigning concern.

The Green Hornet's eyes glittered stone-hard, "What happened is none of your concern. Besides there is some business that we must tend to."

"Your partnership proposal?"

"Yes."

"True, your weapons, your car, even you and your aide, could be quite valuable, but for a full partnership, there must be something more. Especially for fifty percent of the net."

"It was fifty percent off the top," the Green Hornet corrected. "But now it's sixty percent, off the top."

"Sixty percent?" the Senator echoed in disbelief.

Clear green eyes narrowed behind the mask. "Delay too long and the percentage will go higher. I may even decide to take over your entire operation and leave nothing for you."

"But first you said . . . ," the Senator began.

The Green Hornet sharply interrupted, "That was before Miles decided it was cheaper to try to kill me instead. I don't like being double-crossed. The percentage is going up every minute you delay," the Green Hornet warned tautly.

"But I must know what else you have to offer."

"How about Britt Reid?"

"Reid? What do you have on him?" the Senator asked instantly interested.

"I don't have anything on him. I have him," the Green Hornet answered. "And that briefcase of evidence that you're so eager to have. That's what I have to offer. If you don't decide quickly, I'll turn them both in to the police," the Green Hornet pressed.

"Perhaps a partnership between us might work after all," the Senator commented, starting to waver.

"There will have to be some changes in your operation."

"What kind of changes?"

"Your operation is brilliant in concept. Through your ex-con run nurseries you obtain all that is necessary to grow your crop quickly. The cons you have released into your rehab program provide pliable labor and your federal connections provide the land for your illicit crop and the helicopters to transport it. Your warehouses provide excellent storage facilities for the contraband and your trucks transport it nationwide," the Green Hornet detailed as he paced between De la Culebra and Miles. "Unfortunately, you chose an incompetent to run it and he chose a bloodthirsty fool as his lieutenant."

"How do you plan to correct my 'error'?"

"I have Reid and you have his wife. They've both seen too much. They'll have to be eliminated. I propose to perform that task for you, but . . . "

"But what, Mr. Hornet?" De la Culebra prodded. He was starting to admire the way this legendary master criminal thought.

"But," the Green Hornet continued, coming face to face with the much shorter senator, "I'll need someone to pin the murders on. I want Miles. There will be an 'accident' and the police will find him dead alongside his victims. Miles was the only one who was ever seen being personally involved in the operation. The papers I found in Reid's possession mention nothing about your involvement. Only Miles is ever mentioned. All connections to you will end with his death. You can claim that everything he did was done without your knowledge and propose to do a thorough housecleaning. The police will be satisfied to have the Raids' murderer and I'm sure you can arrange it for the Feds to be satisfied with pinning the entire operation on him, your dear, unlamented, deceased brother-in-law."

"I like it, Mr. Hornet," De la Culebra grinned. "Of course my lovely wife will be heartbroken to hear of her brother's untimely demise, but I'm sure you would be willing to console her in her time of grief."

The Green Hornet nodded, smiling slightly. "It would be my pleasure."

"Yes, Mr. Hornet, you are a genius," De la Culebra said, warming up to the Hornet's suggestion. "I like your idea a great deal."

"Well, I don't!" Miles shouted, lunging for De la Culebra's throat.

A slug from the Senator's lightning fast drawn gun pierced him through the heart, killing him instantly before he had taken a step.

As the thunder of the gunshot reverberated through the library, one of the senator's bodyguards came to and jumped the inattentive Kato. They fell to the ground in a tangle of arms and legs. The Green Hornet charged De la Culebra, trying to wrest the gun away from him.

Although he was a much smaller and lighter man, the Senator still kept in shape and had never lost his gang-bred talent for street fighting. As the Green Hornet pulled at his gun hand, the senator's other hand gouged at the Green Hornet's face, but the mask protected the big man's eyes and nose. Desperately the senator grabbed at the mask, trying to remove it. The Green Hornet grabbed at De la Culebra's threatening hand, trying to force it away from his face, pulling his head up and away, but it was too late. The mask, cracked by Martinez' brass-knuckled beating, gave way and fell apart in the senator's hand.

Surprised by his sudden unmasking, the Green Hornet lost his grip on the senator's gun hand and tumbled backwards onto the couch behind him. For a moment De la Culebra stared in disbelief at the pieces of the broken mask in his hand and at the man sprawled on the couch. Then he crowed triumphantly, "So I was right in the first place, and I didn't even know it! That great upholder of law and order, the oh-so self-righteous Britt Reid is in truth a law breaker himself, the Green Hornet! The biggest crook of them all!"

Noticing that Kato had risen to his feet after finishing his own opponent, he ordered, "You will not make a move or Reid will get it." De la Culebra thought for a moment. "Your father was the Chinese troublemaker in Wolverton. Wasn't he?"

"You knew him?"

The senator grinned wolfishly. "Oh, yes, of course I do. I killed him," he said bluntly. "He sure was surprised to find a helicopter landing on the road in front of him. But he didn't have much time to get over it by the time my boys ran into him with their truck."

"You bastard!"

The senator raised his gun. "Just try me," he hissed.

"Lee, don't!" Casey warned as she held a restraining hand on Lee's arm. "He's just praying for you to give him an excuse to kill you."

"You're absolutely right, Mrs. Reid. Now if you'd be so kind as to join your husband on the couch," the senator ordered, waving her away from the open door. "I wouldn't want you to get any bright ideas about leaving our little party."

As she sat down on the couch, Casey wrapped her protectively around Britt. She could feel his body shake convulsively as he struggled to catch his breath. "He's hurt," she cried in alarm. "He needs a doctor," she pleaded.

"If you don't do exactly as I say, the only thing he'll get is a bullet between the eyes," De la Culebra answered harshly.

"No!" she protested helplessly. "What do you intend to do with us?"

"That all depends on your husband."

Britt raised his head, still breathing raggedly. "This is between you and me. She's not involved in this. Let her go. Please."

The renegade senator laughed mirthlessly. "I'd be a fool to do that. The only way I can control you and your man, short of killing you that is, is to keep your lovely wife in my possession."

"No!" Britt growled, staring to rise to his feet, stopping when the senator's hand tightened on the trigger.

"Relax Reid," he ordered, motioning for him to sit back down. "She is perfectly safe as long as you do exactly what I say." He studied Britt. "I have to admit you're a tough son of a bitch. Just like your old man."

"What about my father?"

"In prison, your father once took a young gang member under his wing, thinking perhaps to protect him, perhaps even to reform him. He went so far as to tell him that he reminded him of his own son when he was that same age." De la Culebra grinned evilly. "It took a lot more poison to kill him than I had first thought necessary," he said bluntly, enjoying the grief on Britt's face. He twisted the knife further. "I'm glad I didn't kill you when I had the chance. I had an inkling that you might actually live, even though you looked more like a corpse that didn't have the sense to know it was dead."

At first Britt couldn't understand what the senator was talking about. Then he slowly realized the horrible truth. "That young punk, that hippie with the snake on his jacket. That was you," he stated, his voice devoid of all emotion. "Marcus De la Culebra, Mark of the Snake. You are a snake. You gained my father's trust only to use it to kill him on Jackson's orders and then a few years later you came to watch the Green Hornet's execution."

"Not watch, Reid. I fully intended to take part in the execution, and if your man had not arrived when he did, I would have killed you. But, like I said before, I'm glad I didn't."

Britt's shoulders sagged, his shoulders bowed in defeat, not even having the will to look De la Culebra in the eye. "You've taken everything from me. What else do you want?"

"My dear Britt Reid, your usefulness has only just begun. I have big plans for you and your paper and of course, your television station as well. You will pave my way to the White House."

Britt shook his head tiredly. "My support is no guarantee that you'll be elected."

"You underestimate your own power. Yours is the only major paper that has refused to support me. With the Daily Sentinel joining with the support I already have, no one will dare oppose me. Those few who do dare stand in my way, you will destroy with your paper and television station, or," De la Culebra grinned at his own cleverness. "Or you will destroy them as the Green Hornet."

"I won't do it."

"You will, or your wife will die," De la Culebra snapped. Then his voice softened deceptively, "Do exactly as I order and she will remain unharmed. And after I am sworn into the presidency, the two of you will be reunited."

"Don't take her away from me," Britt pleaded, "You have taken so much away from me. Don't take her too. I can't live without her."

"Are you begging me, Reid?"

"Yes, I am," Britt replied, his voice dull with defeat and exhaustion.

"Then do it properly. Get on your knees and beg me not to harm your wife. Kiss my feet and I might even be touched enough to reunite you a little more quickly."

Not looking into her tear-streaked face, Britt gently loosened Casey's hands from around him. He wearily rose to his feet, steeling himself, trying to force his bad leg to support his weight. He could hear Lee whisper behind him, "No, don't, please." It was a waking nightmare for Lee and Casey to watch him humble himself before the sneering senator.

De la Culebra savored his victory, his degradation of the once proud publisher. "Beg, Reid, beg for your wife, for your life and for your very soul," he demanded as Britt knelt at his feet.

"Never!" Britt suddenly shouted as he straightened, pulling the fireplace rug out from under De la Culebra's feet. De la Culebra fell hard, the gun flying from his hand, but he recovered quickly. Kicking Britt away from him, he was out the door almost before he had risen to his feet.

Lee hesitated. Britt was doubled over in pain, but could he dare allow De la Culebra to escape? He went to Britt to help him to his feet. Britt waved him away. "Go after him. I'll be okay," he ordered.

As Lee dashed out the door, Britt pushed himself to his feet. "Britt," Casey said, placing a hand on his arm. "Don't go, you're hurt too bad," she pleaded, even though she already knew what his answer would be.

"I have to. I don't know how many men De la Culebra has out there. Lee's too young, too inexperienced to go it alone. He needs me to back him up."

Casey bit her lip as she felt fresh tears welling up. She grabbed Britt, burying her face against his shoulder. "Oh God, I can't stop you, but come back to me. For God's sake come back," she sobbed fearfully.

Britt eased her away from him. "It would be so easy for me to stay, but I can't. Not yet," he said gently.

Britt forced himself not to look back as he left the library, even though he could hear her sobbing behind him. He tried not to show how much it was costing him just to walk out the door.

At the top of the stairs, out of Casey's sight, he paused. He could feel his broken ribs scrape together. In his mouth was the bitter metallic taste of blood. Lung's pierced, he thought. His resolve began to waver, maybe Lee could handle it alone. The loud crack of gunfire penetrating the house's walls changed his mind.

Britt raced down the stairs and out the house, barely in time to see Lee leap for the helicopter's skids as it began rising into the air. Seeing a rifle pointing out of a window of the helicopter, Britt shouted a warning for Lee to jump, but his voice couldn't be heard above the whine of the copter's engine. He flicked out the Hornet sting and, praying that the distance was not too far, aimed at the rifle's exposed barrel. The rifle shook and vibrated in the gunman's hand until the vibration literally stung his hand. The rifle fell harmlessly to the ground and Lee followed it, realizing that it was useless to hang on any longer. It was a long way to the ground, but he landed lightly and tumbled into an impact absorbing roll.

Britt ran up to him as he got to his feet, "We've got to get to the Black Beauty. We have to lead them away from the house. And Casey."

"But they're gone. They can't do anything to us now."

"Yes, they can. That helicopter's armed with rockets and machine guns. De la Culebra can destroy the house and everyone in it, including Casey and Lowrey," Britt said grimly as they ran for the Black Beauty's hiding place.

De la Culebra pointed out the two running men to his pilot. "Get them," he ordered. "Don't let them get away!"

The helicopter swerved after Lee and Britt, its machine guns tearing up the ground at their heels, almost reaching them until they disappeared into a thick stand of trees beside the road.

"Where the hell are they?" De la Culebra demanded angrily, his eyes trying to see through the early morning darkness.

The sky was just starting to lighten above the mountains in the east, but the night still clung jealously in the valley at their feet. Suddenly the Black Beauty, its lights on highbeam, burst out of hiding. "After it!" De la Culebra urged. "Shoot it!"

The helicopter's machine guns chattered as it soared after the racing car. The senator could hear the bullets striking the car, but they were not having any affect on it. "Damn!" he cursed. He should have remembered. "Stop wasting your ammo. That damn car is bulletproofed. Use the rockets on it instead."

The Black Beauty swerved and skidded on the soft dirt of the tree-lined road that wound up and away from the Reids' house. It was nearly invisible in the shifting shadows of the slowly dawning day as it ran under the trees. Only its bright headlights served as a tantalizing beacon to the pursuing helicopter. They were heading out of Valley Grove, heading for the harder surface of a state road that had been asphalted for winter use.

A rocket flashed out from the helicopter, narrowly missing the car fish tailing around the sharp turn onto the state road. The Black Beauty's tires spun, kicking up a fierce storm of dirt and gravel as they grabbed for traction. Another rocket flashed out, on target. The big car's tires caught hold just in time. The rocket exploded harmlessly into the road mere inches from the back bumper.

On firm footing, the Black Beauty sped up the road as it twisted and turned upon itself, going ever high into the mountains, but always staying just barely ahead of the helicopter. One rocket after another snaked out after the fleeing car, one of them coming close enough to singe the vinyl roof until burying itself in the rocky hillside. Disturbed by the explosion, rocks started sliding onto the road, into the Black Beauty's path. The Black Beauty swerved dangerously close to the edge of the narrow road, taking out several lengths of the too flimsy guardrail. For a moment it poised on the very rim of the steep drop-off, one of the rear wheels spinning over the empty air. The other rear wheel finally found traction under the shoulder's soft dirt and the Black Beauty charged back onto the road.

The heavy tree cover thinned out as the road approached its highest point, exposing the Black Beauty nakedly in the full light of the new day. The road had stopped its torturous twisting. The Black Beauty roared at full speed up the straight, steep road. The helicopter clung closely to the car's tail as it raced up the exposed roadway. From the car a thick grey smoke erupted, temporarily blinding the helicopter pilot. He lifted his craft high up above heavy smoke, allowing the downdraft from its blades to sweep it from the road.

The car was nowhere to be seen. "It's got to be somewhere. Judging from that smoke its engine must've blown," the pilot said.

"I doubt it," De la Culebra said, searching the ground under them. "The Green Hornet's got a lot of tricks up his sleeve, and that car's the biggest one of them. That smoke was just something to throw us off their tail." He spotted a double track leading away from the road ripped through the soft soil of a small meadow. "That track's fresh. It must be them."

The helicopter easily caught up with the highly visible Black Beauty, a big black blot amidst the faded yellow grasses. The ground was soft and muddy from a recent rain, too soft for the heavily armored car. The helicopter soared after them, gaining ever closer to the car, but holding its fire. De la Culebra sat on the edge of his seat, his eyes locked on the black car. "Hold your fire," he said, "Wait until we get close enough."

Unexpectedly the Black Beauty came to a screeching halt, and the helicopter screamed past it. The copter made a climbing reverse turn, literally swapping ends, one of its skids coming close enough to scrape a hillside to start a minor rockslide. De la Culebra grinned hungrily as they turned back toward the car. It was hopelessly mired in the thick, black mud near the crest of a small rise. "Bring it down lower," he said. "I want to see the fear in their eyes when we blow them up to kingdom come."

Britt's eyes narrowed, "Keep her steady," he said tensely as he adjusted the rocket controls. The design of the rocket pods didn't allow for much vertical or horizontal movement, but with the slight incline of the small rise, it might be just enough. The helicopter was close enough for him to see De la Culebra's face through the hovering helicopter's windscreen.

"They're getting awfully close," Lee said nervously. "They're going to fire any minute."

"I'm fully aware of that," Britt said calmly. "You can get out if you want," he offered.

"What about you?" Lee asked. "If you're staying, so am I."

"I'm staying," Britt said quietly, his hand hovering above the rocket controls. "Do you have the parking brake on, like I asked?"

"Yes," Lee replied tersely. The helicopter was close enough for him to see the blood thirst in the senator's eyes. "If you're going to do something, I'd suggest you do it real soon."

"I am, just keep her steady. Every inch is critical," Britt said. As he pressed the button, he said a silent prayer to whatever gods looked after masked crime fighters.

De la Culebra watched curiously as the car's parking lights lowered to reveal a set of eight small openings behind each one. Something about them was familiar, but although he racked his brain, the answer stayed just barely out of his reach. There was something about that car, something about rockets. Suddenly he screamed, "Pull up! Pull up!"

He was too late. The Green Hornet sent the contents of both rocket pods into the hovering helicopter. It exploded into a massive fireball, rivaling the newly risen sun. It held in midair for a breathless moment, then tumbled down to the shallow meadow, scattering debris on the Black Beauty as it fell.

"Yahoo!" Lee let out a wild war whoop. "You did it! You blasted that sucker clean out of the sky!" he leaped out of the car to take a better look at Britt's handiwork. He turned to see Britt step out of the car. "You don't look very happy," he said dismayed by the grim look on the older man's face.

"I don't see any reason to celebrate."

"No reason? What do you mean, no reason? Don't you see? It's all over. It's finally finished," he said excitedly.

"Is it finished? Are you finally satisfied? Is there any more need for the Green Hornet now?"

Lee shrugged. "I guess we're done. At least for now. I don't see why you're all torn up about blowing those guys away. That bastard killed your father, he killed mine, he crippled you, and he would've killed us like we were nothing but a batch of pesky gnats."

"Lee, no matter how much De la Culebra deserved to die, it wasn't our right to kill him. That isn't what the Green Hornet is about. He doesn't go around killing people, even if they deserve to. The Green Hornet isn't about vengeance."

"Then what the hell is he about?"

"Justice. That's what the Green Hornet is about. He shakes up those racketeers and gangsters who believe that because they have connections in high places they can do whatever they want, that they will never be brought to justice for their crimes. The Green Hornet uses their pride and greed to trick them into exposing themselves to the bright light of the law. That is what the Green Hornet is about; justice, not vengeance. That's why this isn't something to celebrate. The Hornet's reputation was bad enough. Now, he'll not only be hunted by the police, and the racket bosses, but by the Feds as well. De la Culebra was a U.S. senator and a presidential candidate to boot. I can't use that material we have on him, now. He's going to be a national martyr, and we're the one's responsible for that." He turned his back on Lee. "And that makes me sick."

Lee glanced back the helicopter's remains and then back at Britt. "Yeah, but at least the bastard's dead," he said more to himself than to Britt.

III

The drive back down the mountain was uneventful, but the tension inside the Black Beauty was thick and heavy. Lee felt a terrible let down. He had accomplished everything he had set out to do, but now he had no idea of where to go from here. In the rear view mirror he noticed that Britt had retrieved a fresh mask and hat from the locker in the car and had put them on. He watched as the Green Hornet replaced the phone in its cradle on the rear shelf behind the back seat.

"How are they?" Kato asked.

The Green Hornet smiled wryly. "Lowrey and Casey are fine. Lowrey's steamed that he missed all the action, but Casey's a real trooper. She's taken care of everything like a pro. She handed those thugs over to the cops along with the stuff Sheriff Tankowski gave Lowrey."

"That's great. I'll bet those birds are going to sing like a bunch of canaries."

"That's what she said they're doing. They're falling over each other for the chance to rat on De la Culebra and his bunch. Once they heard that the 'legendary' Green Hornet was involved, they couldn't wait for the chance to spill their guts."

"So De la Culebra won't become a martyr after all, will he?"

"Looks like it."

The Green Hornet began coughing violently. Kato was alarmed to see that the Green Hornet looked, if it was possible, even worse than before. He saw a patch of blood on the handkerchief that the Hornet held to his lips. "I better get you to a doctor."

The Green Hornet shook his head. "No, not yet. There's something I have to do first," he said hoarsely. "There's somewhere I want you to take me."

"Where?"

The Green Hornet stared out of the window beside him before answering. In a stronger voice, he said quietly, "The Green Hornet needs to say goodbye to an old comrade in arms." He looked meaningfully at Kato. "I'm sure you know the location better that I do."

Kato nodded his understanding. "Yes, sir, I do. You get some rest and I'll get you there as fast as I can." he said gently.

The Green Hornet tried to rest on the long drive upstate, but his ribs were hurting too much to get comfortable. Tiredly he gave up and watched the scenery pass by as they raced to their destination. The fair morning sky had turned a gloomy gray. He could see the trees outside his window being whipped by a fierce wind.

At last the Black Beauty slowed and turned off into a cemetery. It wound through immaculate grounds, where death had been reduced to cookie-cutter sameness with only small bronze plaques to show who rested under the neatly manicured lawn. The Black Beauty didn't stop, but continued toward an older section of the cemetery. It was there that the oldest and the best families had been buried. Large pink and grey granite headstones told whose parents and children lay beneath their factory etched surfaces. An occasional gleaming white mausoleum displayed the pride of those who laid inside.

Still the Black Beauty did not stop, but continued rolling quietly along the winding road, passing under great oaks and weeping willows planted decades ago to shade the deceased and their mourners. The smooth, blacktopped road slipped into a rough dirt track, as the Black Beauty entered the oldest part of the cemetery. Here there was no perpetual care. There was no one who came to care for the thin, broken headstones. Those who had grieved here, had been gone a long time themselves. Their tears shed too long ago to be remembered. At one grave an angel, her wings reduced to stumps by the rough, northern winters, still hovered protectively over someone's beloved. The Black Beauty gracefully slid to a stop.

"My parents' graves are up on that small hill," Lee said in a hushed voice. "Do you want me to take you up there?"

"No, this is something I have to do alone," the Green Hornet said, easing himself painfully out of the back seat.

A strong, cold wind, a rough foretaste of the coming winter, buffeted the Green Hornet, catching at his coat, challenging his determination to stay on his feet. The climb up was nearly impossible. The drain on his rapidly dwindling strength almost too much to endure, but he forced one foot in front of the other. This was something he had to do.

The view from the top was spectacular. He could understand why Kato had chosen this spot as his final resting place. The gently rolling hills nearby were clothed in the brilliant gold and crimson of fall. At their broad feet, he could see the thin silver of a river snaking along on its way to the coast far to the west. Far off in the distance high mountain peaks already bore a mantle of white from an early snowfall. The Green Hornet regretfully tore himself away from the breath taking view.

He respectfully removed his hat as he gazed at the photo that had been imbedded protectively behind thick glass in the modest headstone. He knew those features almost as well as he knew his own, but there was a sharp intensity there that he had never seen before. Those familiar features had narrowed and thinned over the intervening years, consumed by the power of Kato's driven personality. Britt wondered what had happened to kindle the fire in those dark eyes. Or had that intensity always been there? Was he guilty of having been so wrapped up in himself that he had never noticed its existence?

Such a waste, he thought as he removed his mask to wipe at his eyes. He told himself that it was the cold wind that was making his eyes water. Life would have been good if Kato had not left. They could have raised their families together. Their children could have been close as brothers and sister. They could have shared so many happy times together.

"But," a silent voice disagreed, "that would have never happened. We would never have had our families. The Green Hornet stood in the way of that. As long as he existed, there would have been no hope of our having families."

Britt shook his head in denial. "No, it could have happened. I was too badly hurt to continue as the Green Hornet. I wouldn't have become the Green Hornet after that. I didn't want to do it anymore."

Again the silent voice disagreed, "No, you would have become the Green Hornet again. As soon as you were well enough, you would have. No one could have stopped you. Only your own death, or mine would have stopped you."

Britt shook his head again. Was he going mad, carrying on an argument with himself like some kind of loon? He looked up past Kato's grave to see a slender figure there, not quite visible, wrapped in mist. The bitter wind had died and a shaft of sunlight shone warmly over him. A gentle breeze carried the unseasonable fragrance of jasmine and roses. I've gone mad, Britt thought, or perhaps I'm dead and just don't know it yet. He looked down at his hands, wondering how a dead person would be able to tell that he was dead. The shadowy figure smiled in amusement. "You aren't dead. You have a long time to go before that happens."

"This is impossible," Britt thought, "I must be hallucinating. I'm delirious from my injuries."

"Do you deny what you see with your own eyes?"

"My eyes see nothing, nothing but a shapeless mist. This is just the delusion of a grieving old man," Britt insisted.

The mist became more solid, assuming a familiar form, only somehow the features seemed different. Gone was the hungry intensity in the headstone photograph, instead there existed a peaceful contentment. "Believe," was the single word it said.

"Okay, maybe I do believe. Maybe not. But it's a lot better than being crazy," Britt said to the figure. "I admit it. You're right. About me, about the Green Hornet. You're right about all of it. But couldn't you have told me that you were all right? You owed me at least that much."

"I didn't want you to find me."

"You could have told me that. I would've respected your wishes. This business with De la Culebra. I could have helped you. You didn't have to die."

"There were others I didn't want to know about my whereabouts. Those I didn't want to know about my son."

"Who?"

"That is part of my past. Don't try to dig it up," the voice warned as the figure began to fade.

"Wait, please, don't leave, not yet," Britt urged. "There's something I have to say." For a moment the figure stopped fading. "Your son. He's a fine young man. You should be proud of him. He's doing a great job of following in your footsteps. He's his father's son in every way. I promise I'll treat him just like my own son." The figure vanished, but Britt was sure it was pleased.

Britt replaced his mask and hat, slipping back into the Green Hornet persona. The sky was again thickly grey. A fierce early storm was brewing and the wind was icy cold through his summer weight coat. He started down the narrow path, feeling strangely refreshed. Lee met him halfway up the pathway. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine," the Green Hornet assured him.

"Uh, did I see what I thought I saw?"

The Green Hornet looked back at the lonely gravesite. "Were you watching?"

"No, but from the Black Beauty I thought I saw somebody standing up there talking with you. I got worried, and started up. I didn't make it all the way before you started back down."

"What do you think you saw?"

Lee blinked, trying to decide whether to honestly admit to what he thought he saw. "It looked like my father, but he's dead. There's no such thing as ghosts."

The Green Hornet nodded thoughtfully. "Perhaps you're right, but perhaps, just perhaps, there are things of this world that are beyond the understanding of mortals like us."

Lee looked up at the top of the narrow trail. "Maybe you're right."

The drive back to Britt Reid's house was a long one. Lee noticed that Britt was looking a lot better, and he didn't see the need to go over the speed limit. He didn't feel like it anyway. He had a lot to think about and needed the extra time to decide what he wanted to do. "Uh, Mr. Reid, I've been thinking about what I'm going to do now that I've avenged my father's death."

"What have you decided?"

"I don't think I'll go back to Wolverton. There's no point to it really. Now that both of my parents are dead, there's nothing to keep me there. Besides in a town like that there's not many chances for a guy to get ahead. I thought I'd stay in the city."

"What do you plan to do there?"

"I don't know. I thought maybe I could stay at your house, work for you like my father did."

"I'm sorry, that wouldn't work out."

"I see, sir. I understand," Lee said, trying to hide his hurt.

"I don't think you do understand, young man," the Green Hornet said firmly. "What I meant is that these days a career as a valet has no future for a young man like you. I'm surprised that Kato stayed with it as long as he did. Of course, I think my unusual 'hobby' had something to do with that. No, I think you need to consider a different career."

"What kind of career?"

"How about journalism? It can be very rewarding, especially if you work hard at it. I can set it up with some of my people at the Sentinel to take you around and show you what it's all about. Then you can decide what you would like to do. If you do well and enjoy it, I could even help you get more advanced training."

"That sound's great," Lee said enthusiastically. "I promise I won't let you down." He had been hoping that Britt would think of something else for him besides being a valet. Even though his father had been content being Britt Reid's valet, the idea didn't much appeal to Lee. Working for the Sentinel sounded wonderful. There was one more thing that had been bothering him. "Sir, is this the Green Hornet's last outing?" he asked. There was a long silence from the back seat. "Uh, Mr. Reid?"

"Sorry. I was just thinking about it. I'm not a young man anymore. This whole thing has been very hard on my marriage. I wouldn't risk it for anything, but . . . "

"But what?" Lee asked hopefully.

The Green Hornet looked around the Black Beauty. "Take good care of this old lady. Who knows? She may be needed again."

"You bet!" Lee responded happily. "There's a lot of improvements I'd like to do."

The Green Hornet laughed. "That depends on what you're planning. I won't tolerate a car that talks back to me."

"No way, Boss," Lee said, joining in the Green Hornet's laughter.

The Green Hornet nodded to himself. He wished he could be as eager about the whole thing as that young man. And yet, he didn't feel all that bad either, even considering the punishment he had been put through the last several hours. He gingerly touched his side. Oddly enough it didn't hurt so much anymore. Maybe those ribs weren't broken after all, perhaps they had only been badly bruised. Or maybe a miracle had happened and they had healed on their own. Nah, he thought, no way. That's impossible. They had to have been only badly bruised, not broken as he had first thought.

He sighed tiredly as he closed his eyes to try to grab some rest. After they had put the Black Beauty to bed at the townhouse and had arrived back in Valley Grove, he would have to deal with the police and their questions and the press and their questions. He wasn't looking forward to that. He made a mental note to call Casey and make sure that their stories matched.

He heard the soft click of the radio and the babble of the radio stations as Lee slid the tuner across, seeking a station that suited his taste. Lee had raised the glass partition between the passenger and driver compartments, but the heavy throbbing beat from the radio still managed to penetrate. Kato had never done that, Britt thought. No music had ever been played on that radio, just an occasional newscast, that was all. Lee was so different from his father in so many ways. It was something he was going to have to get used to if they were going to work together.

He should have said that this was the Green Hornet's last outing. There was no need to continue as the Green Hornet. The last of the people tied in with Henry Reid's death was dead. Kato's death had been avenged and an important drug and guns scheme was broken. In fact, he had more reasons to permanently retire the Hornet. There were too many lives tied in with his. There was too much at stake for him to continue as the Green Hornet.

He had been burned, beaten nearly to death, and otherwise put through Hell, and yet, for the first time in a very long time, he felt truly alive. He had said goodbye to Kato, and had made peace with his past. He now knew that his experience as the Green Hornet was a vital part of him, nourishing his life, giving him something to build his life on. They were the seeds of his destiny, leading him to this place in time. Now he could look forward to the future. And if that included the Green Hornet, then he could to that as well. The Green Hornet was an important part of him and would not turn away from that again. Someway, somehow, he was sure the Black Beauty would roll again.

And with Lee's help it promised to be quite a ride.

Epilogue

John Reid looked eagerly out the airplane's window at the city are below them and gently squeezed the hand of the dark-haired woman sitting beside him. "Not much longer, Fatima. Not much longer at all. You'll love meeting the folks. They're great people. I know you'll love them as much as I do."

The woman smiled, her amber eyes bright with joy. "You've told me so much about them that I feel like I know them already. I just hope they like me. It's going to be quite a shock for them to find out that their only son is coming back from Kahara with a fiancee."

John laughed. "They'll be overjoyed that I finally decided to settle down."

Casey looked up impatiently at the messenger standing in front of her. "I'm sorry, but Mr. Reid is busy. You can't bring that package in to him right now."

"I was told I had to deliver it to him in person," the messenger insisted.

"As you have told me again and again, but as I have said before, Mr. Reid cannot be disturbed. If you can't leave it with me, then you will have to take it back to the sender," she said firmly.

"Okay, lady, I guess I'll just leave it here. I'll just lie to the guy and tell him that Mr. Reid got it."

"Fine."she said. "You can leave it on that chair near the door. I'll give it to Mr. Reid when he is free."

The messenger placed the package on the chair and returned to stand in front of Casey with his hand held expectantly out. He quickly withdrew it when she glared angrily at him.

Fatima laughed, watching John going through his letter again. "It looks like you're doing some last minute studying for a final."

He looked up from the papers in his hand. "I'm sorry. It's just that I want to make sure that I have a good idea of what's been going on at home."

"What has been going on?" she asked curiously. "That is if you don't mind my prying. I do think though, that a proper daughter-in-law should be aware of all the family dirty laundry," she teased.

"Well, things are quiet now, but a few months ago there was quite a bit of excitement. Dad got caught up in an investigation of a presidential candidate, a Senator De la Culebra, who was suspected of running drugs and guns scheme. One of our reporters managed to get some evidence on him. Unfortunately the Senator and the Green Hornet wound up our house fighting over the stuff . . . "

"The Green Hornet?" Fatima asked.

"Yeah, he's some crook, a so-called master criminal who was supposed to have died years ago. Anyway my mom was held prisoner at our house, while these two guys fought over the racket. Hmm," he said as he read further, "Yeah, here it is. The Senator winds up killing his partner, his brother-in-law because of a disagreement and the Green Hornet blasts the Senator out of the sky with his car."

"With his car? Let me see that," she said, grabbing the letter out of his hand. "How do you blast a helicopter out of the sky with a car?"

"Thing's some kind of super car. You know James Bond? Rockets, smoke screen, that kind of stuff."

"You're kidding. For real?"

"Yeah. I heard all about him when I was growing up. Dad and the Sentinel were always tangling with the guy. And to think he's actually still alive."

"Amazing," Fatima said. "Were the Senator and his brother-in-law the only people involved?"

"Nope. Mom says there was this South American general involved too. He got his just deserts when he tried to take over his country and wound up getting assassinated instead. Sounds like the Senator's wife was in the middle of things too, but nobody can find her. She probably left the country when it looked like things were starting to fall apart."

"Anything else?"

"Let's see. Oh, yeah. Dad had a bad fall and wound up breaking a few ribs. But he's okay now."

Fatima shook her head. "Your parents live such extraordinary lives. I can see you come by your talent for trouble honestly."

John shook his golden head, his grey eyes shining with delight. "Are you sure you want to become a part of this crazy family?"

"I want nothing more. You seemed worried about something, though. What is it?"

John shrugged. "I don't know. There's something between the lines of my mother's letter that she isn't mentioning. Something seems to be bothering her, but I can't put my finger on what it is."

"Maybe she or your father is not in good health," she suggested.

"No, I don't think so. I've spoken to both of them on the phone and they seem fine. I'd think if there was a health problem, Mom wouldn't wait until I came home at Christmastime to tell me about it. I think Dad's in the middle of something that either they don't want me to know about, or it's something they can't tell me about except in person."

Fatima, feeling the airplane beginning its descent to the airport, grasped her fiance's hand reassuringly. "Whatever it is, we'll find out when we see them."

Waiting for the cabdriver and John to finish loading the taxi, Fatima grasped the thick, white fur coat around her as light snowflakes swirled around her. "Do you think it's going to get heavier?" she asked her fiance as he opened the door for her.

John studied the sky for a moment. "Nah, I think it'll be stopping soon, but don't worry. I think we'll have a white Christmas this year." He laughed, "Of course in this state, we almost always have a white Christmas."

"How wonderful," Fatima said unenthusiastically. She much preferred Kahara's dry desert heat to this cold white stuff.

John laughed. "How about a Christmas wedding?" he asked.

"That sounds wonderful," she answered. "As long as we can honeymoon in the Caribbean."

The traffic on the way to the Daily Sentinel building was heavy as usual for that time of the day. John eagerly showed Fatima all the sights of the city as they drove by them. "There," he pointed out. "That tall building with the sign on the roof. See, there with the red circle with the letters DSTV. That's the Daily Sentinel. That's where we're going."

Fatima leaned over to look at the building. "Where's your father's office?"

"You can see it there on the corner of the eighth floor. See there, with the balcony. Oh my God!" he suddenly exclaimed as the window where he was pointing exploded into billowing flames.

Stay tuned for Winds of God

coming soon...