Lo Si opened his door as Caine topped the stairs. "You have a heavy heart, my friend," He said. "How can I help? The water is on; tea will be ready in a minute."

The Ancient turned toward the boiling water, saying as he did, "I think you'll like this blend. It is especially good for the chi after bad news. It increases your jing, with no harmful side effects." He grinned as he placed the herbs into the cups and poured the water to steep.

"My old friend, you always know just what I need. My heart is indeed heavy. Paul Blaisdell died last night. I was meditating and heard his wife, Annie, cry when he came to tell her." Caine sighed as he sat and picked up the steaming cup.

"His essence came to her? when the cord broke? Why did he not just go, to prepare to start his next cycle, as is proper?" Lo Si put the kettle back on the stove, returned to the low table, and sat down. He looked at Caine.

The younger man spoke. "Master, you know that a soul finds it difficult to go on if the immediate task is not completed. Then, too, Paul is worried about his family and friends. He was trying to remove an enemy. He did not succeed." He paused longer. "There is a serious threat."

"And you are to be the Protector? Kermit can look after himself. Why are you needed?" The Ancient One challenged his friend's sometimes-disproportionate sense of responsibility.

"For a Master who knows everything, Lo Si, you ask many questions."

"Ah, but I have not reached the end of my path, and I do not know everything." The wicked grin on Caine's friend did little to warm Caine.

"There is the fear that Paul's enemy will come after the family, too. I told Paul I would keep them safe."

"Then we must find them first? Where do we start? Do we know anything about this enemy?" The Ancient's desire to help brought the grin to Caine's mouth, if not Caine's eyes, that his teasing couldn't.

Caine rose from the tea. "I must talk to Paul again. And I may need your help. His essence is still weak from the violence of his death."

"My friend, it is too soon. You must let his spirit rest until tomorrow. You must let your spirit also rest."

"Master, you are right, as usual. And I have appointments I cannot ignore. Until tomorrow, then." Caine lifted his cup to his friend and then to his mouth and finished his tea.

As the younger priest rose to leave, Lo Si stopped him with his words. "Besides, you are concerned about more than Paul Blaisdell's wife and daughters. How did Peter react to the news of his foster father's death?"

Caine sat back down, bowed his head, and gave a deep sigh. "With much anger, as well as sorrow. He sees Paul's death as another abandonment." He sighed again. "One more person has loved him and then left him, alone."

He raised his head and looked sorrowfully at his friend, "When I told him of Paul's death, I could feel, in his mind, this new wound threatening to tear open the old wounds--the wounds that had been healed while I was in his bardo. I wanted so to take away the pain."

"You are his father." The Ancient rose from the table and moved to stand by his friend. "It is natural to want to take away the pain. But you are also his teacher. Have you forgotten the lessons you teach? The Tao says, 'If you want to get rid of something, you must first allow it to flourish'. And 'Practice non-doing and everything will fall into place.'" He gave Kwai Chang a light pat on the cheek.

The younger man looked up, startled, and then smiled sheepishly. "Am I a student, needing a lesson "pushed" in, Master?"

"We are all students, Kwai Chang Caine. And there are always lessons that are hard to learn." Lo Si grinned at his friend. "We have had this discussion before." His expression turned stern. "You are allowing your role as Peter's teacher to conflict with your role as his father. Perhaps Peter's pain awakens the same pain in your own mind?"

Caine looked at his friend and teacher in surprise and shook his head. "I have accepted my father leaving me a long time ago.

He stood, bowed to his friend, and headed for the door.

As he passed through the doorway, he heard the old man ask one more question. "Are you so different from your son?" He continued on his way, seemingly ignoring the question.

Caine arrived home and went directly to his meditation room. Lo Si's words were echoing in his head and he needed to deal with the discord now. If any patients came looking for him, they would wait until he was done. If the need were urgent, he would feel that and respond.

Caine lit the candles in the room and then arranged himself on the floor. He began a quiet chant to focus himself and went quickly into a light, then deep, trance.

He saw himself with large paper, a brush, and an inkbottle; starting to paint the words of the Tao, the words that Lo Si had quoted him. Perhaps, putting the words to paper, and then placing the pages around this room in his mind, would help him sort out his response to the quote. He no sooner put brush to paper then he heard his name.

Paul was there, waiting for him.

Caine's surroundings changed. Now there was only open terrain and clouded sky. He was no longer in a chamber of his mind, but in the overworld, the area between this reality and the reality of the dead.

He bowed slightly and spoke to the spirit that had been, was Paul. "How may I help you, Paul?"

"How is my family handling this? I know you're buffering Annie, helping to ease her shock. But Peter and the girls? How are they doing?"

Caine tilted his head and looked at Paul. "I do not believe that is why you are here. Can you tell me something about your death? Do you know who killed you and why?"

He who used to be Paul shook his head. "I think I know why, but I do not know who. When I left Sloanville, I traveled around visiting with old friends, -people who would put me up for a while and not ask questions. I sent Kermit messages from each place I visited.

"I had just left one of those friends when I was ambushed. My initial thought, when I took the first bullet, was 'how did I miss the setup? I'm too old for this.' Then, while it was happening, I thought it might have been just a random attack; my being in the wrong place at the wrong time. But as I was dying, I heard them talking about me and realized I remembered one of the voices. Kermit and I worked with her on a mission some years back. A woman named Rogres. She never went independent, that I'd heard. Kermit might be able to find out who she's working for."

Caine agreed and added, "You said you thought you knew why?"

"Yes. Several years ago-" He stopped, and was gone.

Caine felt a patient in urgent need approaching his rooms. He came out of his trance, sat for a second as he came to full wakefulness, stood, and turned to greet his guest.

***

Carolyn came into the squad room at about 10 AM. It had been well over a year since she had last been here. With her father retired, there had been no reason for her to come. That had changed with this morning's news. She was tired, just barely successfully holding back the tears. But she just couldn't go back to Annie's right now. There was nothing for her to do there but some light housekeeping. Annie was probably still asleep. Kelly could take care of the baby. Besides, she needed to know what Peter might have found. And she wanted her piece of Paul's killer. So she was here.

The squad room looked little different from the last time she was there. Sergeant Broderick was trying to keep the attention of two young men, apparently relatives of some perp, there to bail out their brother but currently more interested in the hookers being processed. Detectives were sitting at desks, writing reports or on the telephone. Noise was at normal levels--loud. One big difference, the sign identifying the captain's office read "Captain Simms."

The current captain's door was closed and Mary Margaret was about to knock on it when she saw Carolyn. Noting how terrible Blaisdell's daughter looked, Mary Margaret let her curiosity overcome her need to talk to the captain, and she came over.

***

"Where's Peter?" Carolyn asked the detective.

Mary Margaret opened her mouth to ask about the family but stopped; the expression on Carolyn's face suggested that no questions and a short answer would be the safer response. "He just went into Kermit's office."

Peter had come into the squad room that morning at 9, looking like death warmed over, having been dropped off by Carolyn on her way to her home. He had grabbed some coffee, sat down at his desk, and then pretended to attack the files piled on it. He greeted no one and acted as if he'd left his ears home. The two brave souls who had gone over to ask about his weekend were equally ignored.

When the precinct staff realized that Chief Strenlich had passed Peter's desk three times and not said a word to him, they knew a Caine crisis existed, the Chief knew about it, and they didn't and wouldn't, at least for now.

Just before 10 o'clock, when Peter suddenly stood, went to Kermit's office, and entered without knocking, the rest of the detectives exchanged glances, --Kermit's in on it. Well, well, this is getting interesting!

And then Carolyn Blaisdell McCall arrived, wanting to see Peter and, evidently, Kermit.

Mary Margaret headed back to the captain's door, musing, First Kermit, then Peter, now Carolyn: they all look like somebody died... Even the Chief seems more irritable than usual. Well, I'll find out soon enough. The next time I see Caine, --Hmmm, last I saw him was…days ago...He should come by sometime today...Maybe he'll tell me…Or maybe not. Hmmm, maybe I should just go in and ask.... She turned, as if to go to Kermit's office, stopped short, and turned back to her original destination. Kermit wasn't safe to ask questions of on a good day; and, apparently, this was not a good day for him--or for Peter...! Oh, well, the mind goes full circle. I will find out when somebody's ready... Mary Margaret knocked on the captain's door and entered.

Carolyn didn't even knock on the door. She pushed the door in, only to be greeted by Kermit's huge gun in her face.

"Don't you know better than to burst in here?" As wrought as Peter was, it still occurred to him that that was too strong a greeting for her. So he tried to grin at her to take the sting out, and then realized Carolyn hadn't even blinked an eye. She was too intent on finding out if they had learned anything new.

"What are you two doing about it!" She demanded. It's only been 8 or 9 hours and you two are playing computer games!" Behind the closed door, she could relax her guard to some extent and so she was trembling as she raged, with just enough self-control to keep her voice down. It was up to these two to let the Precinct know, when they were ready. And from the discussion early this morning, she knew that could be a very long time! How long depended on many things...

Kermit sat back and wiped his eyes. His sunglasses were beside the computer, his eyes were bloodshot from staring at the screen.

Carolyn took one look and apologized. "Sorry, Kermit, but nothing seems to have happened except that we know, we know…"

Peter reached over and pulled her into a hug. "Sis, Kermit was just getting ready to show me something. Come here and see."

Kermit whispered in a flat voice. "It's just some e-mail from Paul…"

"E-mail? You've been getting mail from Paul?" Peter's voice rose with each word.

Kermit winced at the expressions in his voice and on her face - hurt, jealousy, anger, all mixed in with curiosity.

"Well, he was just letting me know he was alive, that's all. Not much more than a date and a place." He turned the monitor so they could read what he had there. "See?"

The other two were stunned. Carolyn recovered first. "If you were getting mail, then you could send to him. What had you been telling him?"

"Hold it, kid!" Kermit ordered, "He knew how use an anonymous remailer; his mail never carried a traceable return address. I couldn't send him anything." He spoke in the same flat tone he had been using from the time Peter had walked in also demanding to know where they should start.

Carolyn looked at the screen, reading the dates and place names as the messages scrolled by. Finally she asked, "Kermit, what are those odd characters in each message?"

"That's just garbage, from reading a word processor file in a text processor…"

Kermit paused, and peered closely at the screen.

"Sweetcakes, what a good question!" Kermit was actually showing some small amount of excitement.

"This is a word processor, but this is the first time I've seen the messages all together. "

Kermit started typing furiously. Suddenly, he looked up, beaming maliciously. "Carolyn, how would you like to be kissed by a frog?"

The other two looked at him strangely. They looked at each other. Peter made little circles at his forehead with his finger. "He's flipped, Carolyn, that's what it is. He's flipped."

The beam turned into a glare, a reminder that this ex-merc still had very sharp teeth.

"Okay, Kermit, whatcha got?" Peter leaned over Kermit's shoulder and whistled. "Carolyn, you won't believe this, but Kermit does have something! Kermit, what is it? a code?"

Kermit pounded his desk. "Damn that man! All this time, I thought he was just keeping in touch. He was trying to tell me more than just that he was alive. I never saw it. I must be getting old. What else have I missed?" Oh, yes, Kermit was excited, and irritated, and then silent, as he went searching through his old mail to see how many clues Paul had sent him.

Carolyn and Peter stood there quietly while Kermit worked for several minutes. They were too caught up in this tantalizing discovery to remember their purpose there.

Kermit pushed back from the computer and stood up. "It is a code! I could break it with a bit of work, but you, Peter, and I have to go see your…Caine. He has to be told about this, right now! Carolyn, you remember any of the crypto stuff I taught you?"

Kermit's tossing Carolyn that question effectively diverted both her and Peter from wondering why he was leaving his computer. He didn't want to admit that he was also having trouble sitting still; a reaction to the grief and attendant emotions he was just barely managing to hide.

Peter turned with amazement. "Carolyn? Why would you want to know how to send a coded message?"

Kermit grinned and Carolyn almost giggled at Peter's expression, "I had a friend at school I wanted to exchange notes with. And after I was caught and embarrassed by my teacher a couple of times, Kermit showed me how to make a note look meaningless."

She turned to Kermit, saying, "Of course I remember. You mean, you'd allow me to touch your precious computer?"

"Got it in one, Sweetcakes. See if you can break your daddy's code while the kid and I see what Caine has found out."

Carolyn chucked a pen at Kermit at the 'Sweetcakes', sat down, and stared at her father's messages as Kermit and Peter strode quickly from the room. She took a couple of deep breaths, wiped her eyes, and began to work.

Mary Margaret was waiting for them. "Oh, Peter. The Chief wants you and me to--"

She got no further. They were already out the door.

She turned back to her desk, muttering about people who always had too much to do with no one's help…

She thought for a minute, watched the clock for two minutes, then picked up the phone and dialed Peter's cellular phone.

Peter had twice asked Kermit why they were departing, leaving Carolyn at the computer, going to his father's. All Kermit said was, "I'm driving." Peter automatically started to argue but his mind was too fuzzy from the shock and the lack of sleep. He was getting into the green Corvair when his cel phone rang.

Mary Margaret ignored the growl at the other end of the line. "Peter, we need to interview a witness."

'Skalany, this is not a good time…" Peter listened to the demand, realizing she was right; but so was he. This was definitely not a good time. But, unless he wanted to let anyone else know about Paul, he had to keep up with his assignments. "Tell you what, I'll meet you there in about an hour. Okay?"

Mary Margaret conceded she could fill the hour easily and so could wait. She told him where to meet her and hung up, pleased with herself and only mildly annoyed at Peter.

***

"You sure she's coming back? She's been gone for quite a while. Do we have to take out all three?"

"She hasn't been gone that long. We can wait a bit longer. We're being paid for three, we should do all three. But I'm not all that patient either..."

***

Kermit drove Peter to Caine's and parked by the fire escape. From the time they had entered Kermit's car, neither man had spoken a word, except for Peter's brief conversation with Mary Margaret. They shared a common grief, but not a common expression of it and so had nothing to say to each other. They went up to Caine's rooms.

Kwai Chang Caine was finishing a consultation with one of his patients, giving final instructions on the use of the medicine.

The two men came into the room.

As his patient left, he turned to greet his guests. "Did you find Paul's coded messages?"

Peter stopped. "I wish you wouldn't do that, Pop, uh, Dad. "

At the same time, Kermit said, "How did you know?" Peter stopped there, but Kermit had been too pleased with his news. He repeated, "How did you know?"

Caine started "I was meditating…"

Peter testily interrupted him with, "In the middle of the morning, Pop? I thought you saw patients all morning!"

The indignant young man shut up at a glance from Kermit. The uninvited thought popped into his head. How can he be so cool, when I'm the Shaolin cop? Kermit acts as though this murder victim is just another body. That was followed by another. What is wrong with Kermit?

Caine continued as if there had been no interruption. "Paul and I talked. He told me about the messages he sent you. He said they had codes hidden in them, so you could know where he had been."

Kermit commented at that. "Carolyn helped us find them. Did he tell you anything we don't know? Did he give you any details about his murder?"

"He said that he was attacked outside a small town in France, one that will be familiar to you, Peter." He nodded to his son and turned to Kermit. "You were on assignment elsewhere when our excursion became necessary. Did Peter tell you about our trip to Ste. Adele?"

Before Kermit could answer, Peter exclaimed in amazement, "Ste. Adele? What was he doing there?"

Kermit had heard of the trip there, although he didn't know the whole of the adventure. "Your father is still there, isn't he, Caine?"

"Yes, he is. Perhaps he could help us, if we could get in touch with him."

Peter and Kermit both pulled out their cellular phones. While Peter was trying to think how to call France, Kermit was already dialing.

A second after he finished dialing, they heard him say, "Sweetcakes, …you can throw that at me when I get back. Listen, will you please? You're at the computer, not me. Look up a phone number for Ste. Adele, France. You need to go to … Yes, France. No, don't ask why. We'll tell you later. Okay, so you know how … Save that for later, will you? You got it? Okay, give it to me. Got it. Thanks."

Kermit dialed again, a much longer string of numbers. Peter was thinking wildly of the cost of a call to France, plus the cel phone charge, plus the explanation to the Captain … Well, Captain, we just needed to check out a, what, witness? Alibi? Hmmm, might just work … Caine was just standing there, a slightly bemused look on his face at Kermit's casual use of technology.

"Je vous Fais mes excuses, est-il possible atteindre Mathieu…? [Excuse me, is it possible to reach Matthew…?] Oh? " He switched to English. "Matthew Caine? I am … Yes, he's right here."

Kermit handed the phone to Caine, saying as he did, "I guess it runs in the family. Peter, you must be missing a vital gene or two."

"Hello, Father. Yes, we are all well. And you are well? …" The conversation continued for a few minutes and then Kwai Chang Caine handed Kermit the phone to hang up.

"He said that he had found two bodies, Paul's and one other. He believes the other to be the assassin. The assassin had moved Paul's body from where she had killed him, perhaps believing the body would be found too quickly. Father believes that whoever had ordered the killing then took the life of the assassin." The priest was visibly upset.

Kermit and Peter didn't know what to ask first.

"Two bodies?"

"She?"

"A second assassin?"

"The body was moved?"

Neither asked the more obvious questions: Why was Matthew by the phone when they called? How did he know about Paul? How did he find the body(s)? Matthew certainly seemed to share the ability to be where he was needed with Kwai Chang, even if Peter didn't or didn't seem to, yet.

Caine continued the account interrupted by the call to his father. "This morning, Paul mentioned that he recognized the assassin's voice as a Rogres. He said you would remember her, Kermit. He was going to tell me more but I had a visitor, a patient."

Peter glanced at his watch and realized he needed to leave to meet Skalany. "Well, now we have more information, but we're not much closer to the murderer. And as interesting as this is, Pop, I have to go. If I don't meet Skalany as I promised, she is going to ask some questions we're not ready to answer yet. Kermit, can you drop me off?"

Kermit and Peter thanked Caine for the information and left.

Kermit left Peter with Mary Margaret at the address she had given Peter and started to go back to the station. He took the long way, the route that would go past the Blaisdell house. He didn't intend to stop in; and he really didn't expect trouble. It just seemed like a good idea. At the first stop light, he again pulled out his cellular phone and dialed his office, calling Carolyn to see how things were going.

He had just started to talk as he got to the house. He glanced at the windows as he drove by, and jammed on the brakes.

"Get backup here! Now!" he yelled, as he slammed the door open and erupted from the car. His gun was in his hand before his feet hit the ground. One breath to clear the yard and one shove to open the front door.

Since he had heard no shots, and the intruders appeared to still be on the prowl, he knew Annie and Kelly were probably okay so far. So, he had to stop these two now, before the attackers found the women.

He paused in the foyer just long enough to locate the two shapes he had seen through the window. They were on the stairs, one at the top, the other about four steps behind.

He yelled "Police" at them as he took aim on the one closer to the second floor. They both turned, saw him, and moved their guns to point at him. He shot twice, dropping them where they stood.

He continued up the stairs, as yet hearing no sirens.

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