Jack Canyon and The Wiccan Stones | EPILOGUE

Words: 419

Three weeks later. . .

Jack made his way up the stairs, slowly fumbling everything he had in his hands. He was trying to talk on his cellular phone, too. He pushed the bedroom door open with his foot and set down his suitcase and threw what was left of his mail on the bed. The rest of it trailed out to the mailbox. A year's worth.

"I'm sorry," Jack said sympathetically.

"Oh, no, Jack, it's okay," the voice said softly over the phone. "I'm sure Soph would've wanted you to save the world more than bringing her back from the dead. I'm not really sure if she'd even want to be brought back like that."

"I wish I could talk to her, Maya," Jack spoke as he looked at a brown paper-wrapped package. It was small, about the size of his hand. Maybe it was a book. He picked it up and noticed the place of origin: Brunswick, Germany.

He wasn't even listening to Maya now. He furrowed his brow, wondering who could have sent him something from there. He slid the package into his back pocket.

"Are you listening to me, Jack?" Maya Rajah asked with a tone.

"Yes, I am," Jack lied.

"Well, just move on with your life, Jack," she told him hoping he would listen to her. "Sophia would want you to. Do it for her."

"Yeah, maybe I should just give up the archaeological thing," he mentioned solemnly. "I could open up a restaurant or maybe a clothing store! Jack Canyon's Archaeological Adventures Clothing & Accessories."

"That sounds like a wonderful plan, Jack," Maya replied.

The abrupt sound of glass breaking drew his attention, but then he noticed holes being bored into his walls, furniture, and everywhere. He was being shot at by an automatic weapon. He dove behind his bed for cover.

"Maya, I'm gonna have to call you back," Jack said, but he did not hang up. He was too distracted by the men on the rooftop next door. He could heard them shouting in German to each other. They must have been after that package. "Shit." He noticed them aim a bazooka at his room.

"Jack?" Maya cried out through the phone. "What's going on? Jack?"

Jack raced for the bathroom when he heard the RPG launch. He dove into the bathtub just as an explosion rang out through his building, blowing off doors and blowing out windows.

"Jack?" Maya's voice continued through the phone. "That sounded like an explosion. Jack? Hello?"

Jack Canyon and The Wiccan Stones | CHAPTER NINE

Words: 3082

"Where are we?" Erin Sawyer asked as she glanced around the
bright white throne room.

Atawhai Tangaroa examined the chamber closely as he moved
around the room. It was identical to the size and shape of
the altar room they had just left, but there was a throne now
where the altar resided. "Hmm."

"Any thoughts, Tanga?" Jack asked as he looked over at the
Kiwi man.

"Aether," he said simply with his gruff voice.

Erin looked at the New Zealander with confusion. "The upper
sky?"

"Then this is the throne of grace," Jack stated. "God's
throne?" He moved closer to it, when a rumbling occurred. He
paused in his steps and waited for something to happen.

A Mesopotamian man appeared abruptly before him, standing
before the throne.

"Jesus!" Atawhai cried, startled.

"Not quite," the man replied.

"Then who are you?" Jack asked as he moved back to Erin and
Tanga.

"Marduk," the man spoke as he sat down on the throne.

"Ah, okay, well, could you show us the way out?" Jack
questioned him.

The man began to laugh loudly at them.

"Please?" Erin pleaded. "We just want to get on with our
journey."

The man continued to laugh as his eyes began to glow and his
fingernails grew in length. His hair formed into horns and
his skin turned green.

"I don't like this one bit," Erin said.

"Marduk was the chief god of the Babylonians," Jack explained.
"Believed to have slain a dragon. Then again, he's also
believed to have created the world. I think he was the
dragon. . . but somehow became a man."

"And this helps us, how?" Erin asked, frightened.

"Get her out of here," Tangaroa told Jack. "I'll fend him off
until you can escape."

"No, this is my fight," Jack stated. Then he noticed the
stones at the foot of the throne. "Hey, Tanga." Jack nudged
him and nodded toward them.

"Where is the fourth one?" Tangaroa asked.

"I don't know," Jack responded as he looked around the area.
"I must have dropped it here, somewhere."

"Let me distract the big lizard," Tanga offered as he stepped
forward. "Get the stones."

"Erin, find the diamond," Jack ordered as he waited for Marduk
to go after Tangaroa. Once the fully shaped dragon moved,
Jack rushed to the throne and began to pull the stones free.

Marduk was four times larger than Tangaroa, which was
surprising. It had been believed that dragons were larger
than a house.

Tanga turned and punched the blue-green lizard in the nose.
He continued an onslaught of punches until Marduk whipped his
tail around and knocked the Kiwi into the wall.

"JACK!" Erin cried as Marduk turned and raged towards him.

Jack had the stones in his hands, so he jumped away from the
throne and toward Erin. "Did you find it?"

"Not yet," she replied.

"Here," he told her as he handed her the other stones. He
moved away from her so Marduk would not attack her.

Marduk knocked Jack down with a hard breath. He taunted and
toyed with Jack as he neared the human. He was just about to
attack. He lunged forward ready to bite Jack's face off, when
he stopped short of him.

Tangaroa had Marduk's tail. "I don't think so, bub!" He
jerked the lizard back and then spun him around and around.
When he released him, Marduk crashed into a column, making it
collapse.

Jack rose to his feet when he found the diamond. He grabbed
it and rushed to Erin. "I have it."

"Now what?" She asked.

"Good question," Jack said as he put the diamond with the
other stones she had. They all began to glow vibrantly. "I
hope this is a good thing."

Tangaroa slipped up, letting Marduk get the upper hand. He was
thrown across the room into a column, which fell.

Marduk snarled as he turned toward Jack, who had his back to
the dragon. He slithered as fast as he could, ready to kill
the human for intruding on his turf.

"Jack!" Erin cried out as she knocked Jack down.

Marduk jumped at her. Instead of taking in the woman, he took
in the stones. He leaped back in a loud hiss and roar as his
body began to glow. Steam and fire erupted from his mouth.

"I think that's our cue to leave," Jack announced as he
grabbed Erin by the arm. He spotted a way out was the light
from the stones shone around the room. "Let's go!"

"Wait, where's Atawhai?" Erin asked as she looked around the
room.

"No, time!" Jack yelled as he pushed her through the open
door. He looked back and saw Tangaroa underneath some rubble.
He sighed and just couldn't leave him. He rushed toward the
fallen man. When he reached Tanga, he glanced up at Marduk,
who exploded.

The entire top of the Tower of Babel blew up, forcing the sand
it was below to blow out.

***

On the surface of the desert, Jack found himself lying between
Erin and Atawhai. He moaned as he looked around at the sand
dunes. He spotted sand falling into the hole that must have
been created by that explosion. Then he felt the tug of the
sand. "Get up!" He pushed Erin to her feet and pulled Tanga
up. As he turned he spotted the four stones nearby. Somehow,
they had been tossed out in the explosion. He felt
victorious, but it didn't last. Before he properly realized
the danger, the butt of a pistol met his head.

Yuriko had found them.

***

Jack woke up to find himself in a large cargo truck without a
top. It looked like wooden side rails and some seats
supported the men.

"Ah, Jack Canyon," Yuriko said. "So nice of you to join us."

"Where am I?" He asked as he looked around the large open
plains. Grass and hills were as far as he could see.

"Well, I did some of my own detective work," she told him as
she moved from her seat in the middle to join him closer to
the cab of the truck.

Jack was surprised to see her sitting in the back of one of
these things. He figured she would be in the comfort of the
cab.

"You see," she continued. "You were so sure that the stones
have something to do with Stonehenge. I realized that there
must be something to that if the man is so adamant about it."

"And if I'm wrong?"

"Well, then you better find out how to use these stones,"
Yuriko warned him.

Jack scoffed her and shook his head. "Threatening me won't
get you what you want."

"You're right," Yuriko agreed with him. She leaned in closer.
"Which is why I intend to kill your friends. . . one. by.
one."

"Where are they?" Jack asked.

"The large Kiwi man is in the middle vehicle, while the red-headed American woman is in the very last," Yuriko explained.

"I guess they're not as heavily guarded?"

"You require special attention," Yuriko stated with a smile.

"You have no idea how much Erin will agree with that," Jack said with a nod.

"Miss Sawyer?" Yuriko asked. "Yes, she seems to have a love-hate thing for you."

"I think it's more of a hate thing," Jack corrected the Japanese woman. He looked out through the space in the boards again. "Salisbury Plains?"

"That is correct," Yuriko replied.

Jack nodded slowly, taking in the arrangement of the men. Kin and Taku were to his right, with four unknown men to his left. There were two other men on the other side of Kisho. He erupted into a fight, punching the man to his left. Knowing Kin was directly behind him, he elbowed the man in the face.

Yuriko avoided any contact with the melee of fists by moving back.

Before he could move further, Kisho grabbed him from behind and held his arms. Jack tried to get free, but one of the other men began to hit him continuously. Finally, gathering as much strength as he could, Jack kicked the man back, knocking him into the others. They all fell out of the back of the truck.

Kisho still had Jack, however. Yuriko had somehow shifted around them and stood before Jack.

Jack spotted Yuriko, but it was too late. He jerked when she kicked him, but quickly, he kicked her back, pushing Kisho and himself into the wooden cage around the bed of the truck. He did so with enough force that the cage broke, and the two of them fell out.

Kisho's legs hit the ground hard as he clang to the side of the truck for dear life.

Jack held on, too, and all the while he tried to knock Kisho off. The two men exchanged hits as the truck continued to speed across the grassy hills. Jack put his foot onto the man and pushed as hard as he could, nearly falling.

Kisho could not hold on any more and fell, getting crushed by the following vehicle.

Yuriko grabbed Jack by his hair and dragged him into the bed of the truck. "Foolish man." She kicked his ribs while he lie there.

Jack groaned in pain and waited for her to kick again. He grabbed her foot and twisted it until she fell over. Without hesitation, he got up and raced to the tailgate, where he leaped out and onto the following vehicle.

The men in that vehicle were surprised when he did so. They did not react immediately, but eventually stood to attack, but it was too late.

Jack was over the windshield of the roofless vehicle and knocked out the driver, then took out the other man. He looked up as he continued to move without stopping. He spotted Tangaroa in the next car fighting with his captors. He gave a cocky grin to the wind, and then leaped over to his car.

Tanga was engrossed with his fight and didn't notice Jack coming. He turned and hit Jack in the mouth.

Jack clenched his mouth with his hand, nearly falling from the truck.

Tangaroa had to grab him and pull him in. "Sorry, Jack." He climbed into the driver's seat and took control of the vehicle.

"Let's get Erin," Jack told the big man. "She's in the rear vehicle."

"Gotcha," Tanga replied as he whipped the truck around and raced head on with the vehicle behind him. He watched as the first one dodged him, but the last one didn't. "I don't think he's chicken."

"Don't do it," Jack pleaded.

"Ah, come on, Canyon, that's no fun," the Kiwi stated.

"Just don't get us killed."

Tangaroa rolled out of the vehicle as it collided with the other.

Jack leaped forward and tackled Erin out of the back seat.

Tanga approached them when they stopped rolling in the grass. "You seriously have some balls, Jack." He began to laugh and helped the two up.

Erin moaned as he stood. She looked at Jack and smiled at him.

Jack was expecting a hug, but instead, Erin slapped his shoulder.

"You moron!" Erin cried out. "You could have killed us!"

"That's the thanks I get," Jack said to Tangaroa as he moved away from her.

"How do we get to Stonehenge?" Erin asked, noticing no viable vehicles nearby.

"Good question," Jack replied.

"Hey, guys," Atawhai Tangaroa said to get their attention.

"what?" Jack and Erin asked as they turned to look at him.

Yuriko had returned. She had control of the cargo truck, and in it were all her surviving men.

"Crap," Jack exasperated.

***

Jack bounced in the same seat he was captive in just moments before. He was a lot angrier now, though. He glanced around at Hiroshi and Yuriko, then around to Erin and Tanga, along with a few more of Yuriko's men. At the far end of the group was Logan Scott. Still alive. For now. He sighed and looked behind him and noticed Taku driving. No escape.

The truck arrived at Stonehenge in mere minutes, though it seemed like an eternity of silence.

All the Japanese men piled out of the back, but kept Erin, Tangaroa, and Jack apart, so they could not plan an escape. They were better prepared this time.

"Mr. Canyon," Yuriko said as she pulled a bag from the cab. "Show me how the stones work!" She opened the bag and poured them out. She waited for him to move or speak, but he hesitated. "NOW!"

Taku shoved Jack forward.

Jack kept moving toward the center stone, where Yuriko had left the four Wiccan Stones. He noticed the stones had reveals four holes, like the three found at the Tower of Babel.

"How does it work?" Yuriko asked.

"They go in a sequence," Jack replied as he knelt down. "If I get this wrong, it could destroy this entire plain."

"Then it is best you do not screw up," Yuriko told him.

"Thanks for the pep talk," Jack stated as he placed the fire stone in the first slot.

Yuriko watched in a nervous stare as Jack slide the water stone into place. "Two more!"

Jack began to shake as he grew more nervous. He slipped the emerald earth stone into the hole and reached for the final stone. He breathed deeply and looked at Yuriko. "Here goes nothing." He slowly put the diamond stone into place. "There." He stood back and watched as the wind picked up speed.

A storm rolled in as the sky grew heavy with darkened clouds. Lightning shot through the angry sky.

Jack pressed in a small stone button to the side just as lightning struck the center stone. He was thrust back, unconscious.

Tangaroa and Erin saw this as their chance. They fought with the enemy, kicking and punching the Japanese men, and disarming them.

The lightning had opened a swirling blue-tinted portal directly above the center stone.

Yuriko smiled, thinking that she could call forth her leader. She jerked Jack up, who was only half out of it. "Call him forth!" She shook Jack in haste. "NOW!"

Jack groaned as he felt only pain when he was moved. He was still knelt down before the center stone. He looked up at Logan Scott, who stood next to Yuriko. The portal was open, now was the time.

Tangaroa punched one of the Japanese men in the nose with his large fist, then elbowed another one in the face. Left and right he was knocking down the men. He spun to find Erin overcome by two men. With his gigantic hand, he clamped it onto a man's shoulder and jerked him away, tossing him into the closest object.

The man crashed so hard it broke his neck, and chipped a piece of the stone.

Tangaroa punched the other guy square in the jaw. He only caught a glimpse before the man went down, but he thought it was Hiroshi.

Erin turned and smiled at the large dark-skinned man as if to say "thank you."

Yuriko held Jack down with her elbow against the center stone. "See the wonders, Mr. Canyon," she whispered into his ear. "See what you have done for the world."

Logan folded his arms across his chest with a proud look upon his face. Though, something bothered him deep inside. His greed did not overshadow his sense of humanity.

"I should keep you alive to watch the mayhem and destruction you have brought upon this world," Yuriko continued.

"No," Logan said as his face became stern and he dropped his arms.

"What?" Yuriko asked in surprise as she turned to look at Logan, but it was too late. She received a fist to the face before she was completely turned around.

Logan pushed her into the portal before she was still off-guard.

Her scream was deafening as she combusted into embers and sucked into the event horizon.

Logan helped Jack to his feet, and the two tried to get away from the portal, but Logan was suddenly jerked toward it. It was expanding to cover all of Stonehenge.

"Come on, Logan!" Jack urged. He grabbed the man's arm and tried to drag him along, but the portal was too strong.

"Let me go, Jack," Logan said calmly. "I deserve this. I betrayed you. Let me go."

"No! I can't!"

"You swore to kill me," Logan reasoned. "It is justice."

The portal jerked Jack, and he slipped, letting go of Logan who incinerated into the portal.

"Good-bye, Logan," Jack said before pushing himself off one of the stones in the outer ring. As he turned, he spotted Tangaroa and Erin. He couldn't help but smile.

"Seems like the portal is stable within the circle," Tanga pointed out.

"Yeah," Jack agreed, looking back at the swirling blue light as it began to flicker and finally went out.

"It's over," Erin told them. Though, she frowned and placed her hand on Jack's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Jack."

"Sophia. . ." Tanga added as he looked back at where the portal was.

Jack lowered his head and allowed the most grim look appear. "I'll find some other way," he admitted.

"Look on the bright side, pal," Tangaroa said slapping his back. "You saved the world over bringing your girlfriend back. That's gotta say something, right?"

"A year ago, I would have given up this world for her," Jack announced sadly.

"Oh, Jack," Erin spoke sympathetically. "You're not a monster. No way could you do something like that. Not in a million years."

"Why don't we get out of here?" Tanga asked as he motioned toward the beaten carrier.

"Yeah, let me get the stones first," Jack said. He turned and moved toward the center stone. One by one, he pulled free the Wiccan Stones and placed them into the bag Yuriko had used. "All the power in the Wiccan World. . ." He shook the bag a little, before tying the rope drawstring. Standing, he turned and moved away from the monument.

Erin smiled at the bruised and bloody man as she wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "How about a nice, hot bath?"

"Will you be there, too?"

Erin pursed her lips and smacked Jack, making him wince and grimace in pain. "Get in the truck!"

Tangaroa had a grin full of teeth written all over his face. Then the Kiwi man let out a loud laugh at the two Americans.

Jack Canyon and The Wiccan Stones | CHAPTER EIGHT

Words: 2074

Once they stopped moving, Jack jerked his right arm away from Kisho and punched Hiroshi, who fell the ground as he held his broken nose. Jack spun to his left and head-butted Kisho. When he turned back to Kin, the Japanese man had the gun aimed at Jack's heart.

"Are you going to shoot an unarmed man?" Jack asked as he stood firm.

"I kill you either way I can," Kin said as he put away the gun and prepared to fight Jack Canyon. He swung a fast fist into Jack's direction, but missed.

Jack ducked and threw his shoulder into Kin's gut, forcing him against a tree. He heard the man groan in pain as his back cracked against the bark. He moved back and continuously punched the man until he passed out.

By that time, Yuriko had wind of what had transpired and sent more men to take out the American archaeologist.

Gunfire rang loudly throughout the park. Several bullets tore through the trees and park benches.

Jack raced through the line of trees for cover from the bullets. He charged into traffic, where he was almost hit by a car. He rolled across the hood and stopped.

"Jack!" A familiar voice called out from the car's passenger window.

Jack turned to see that it was Atawhai Tangaroa. He was surprised to see the man. However, he felt like it was not a coincidence. That's when he noticed the driver of the vehicle. It was Erin Sawyer.

"Are you going to get in or are you going to let them kill you?" She asked.

Jack smiled and moved to the back door, where he got into the car.

Taku arrived at the scene and watched as Jack was hauled away. He yelled expletives in Japanese at the top of his lungs, before turning around and making his way back to Yuriko.

Yuriko listened to him intently as he explained what happened. It only enraged her further. "Let's go. We get to Babylon before he does."

***

"You have no idea how glad I am to see you two," Jack said with much relief. "I was trying to escape those Japanese bastards. The only plan I had was to get away. From that point, I was just going to have to make it up as I went along."

"I thought that was your usual plan," Erin stated as she weaved in and out of traffic.

"This time has to be a little different," Jack said. "We have to get to Babylon. The last stone is there."

"We needed that one stone to get into the Sphinx," Erin mentioned. "How do you intend on doing this now?"

"Well," Jack said as he shifted around in his seat. "I was more concerned with escaping, first."

"Oh, Jack, how on earth do we get this next stone without the others?" Tangaroa asked.

Jack looked up at Tanga in disappointment. "Big guy, you have known me long enough to know that I always have a plan."

"Always?" Erin questioned in a skeptical tone. "Apparently you don't remember that mix up in the Amazon about nine years ago. You had a plan then--"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Jack interrupted. "My plans always work."

"Always never," Erin stated.

"You two act like you're brother and sister," Tangaroa announced. "Or worse, like you've dated."

"So, Babylon, huh?" Erin questioned as she looked at Jack through the rear view mirror, as she purposefully avoided Tanga's remark.

"Yeah, and timing is everything," Jack responded. "How did you two meet up, anyway?"

Tangaroa smiled at Erin for a moment. "I found her at the Sphinx. I followed you there."

"Thanks, pal," Jack told him.

***

Tangaroa drove the four-wheel drive vehicle across the desert, kicking up dust behind them. He only knew that Babylon was fifty-five miles south of Baghdad. "So, how do you plan to get the stone?"

"I was hoping Yuriko would have beat us here," Jack told him.

"What!" Tanga asked in disbelief.

"Some plan that is, Jack!" Erin cried out as they continued to speed across the desert.

"Well, I thought it was good," Jack replied as his eyes focused on a heavy cloud of dust in the distance. "What is that?"

"It's a dust cloud," Tangaroa announced.

"Wow, what powers of observation you have!" Jack said with great sarcasm. "Get us closer."

Tangaroa narrowed his eyes at the American man as he sped up to catch the other convoy that was tearing through the desert. "Looks to be about six jeeps."

"Four to six men each," Jack announced.

"Iraqis?" Erin asked trying to get a peak, as their jeep was several yards away.

"I can't tell," Jack told them. "Get closer."

"Are you mad?" Tangaroa questioned. "If they are Iraqis, they'll shoot first, ask questions later."

"Just do it," Jack ordered.

Atawhai Tangaroa sped even more, bouncing along the sand dunes to get closer to the convoy. He came off one sand dune and got too close, hitting the vehicle in the rear of the group.

Jack caught a glimpse of one of the men. He was Japanese. "Yuriko's men."

"Well, it's a good thing we found them," Erin said. "You wanna go ask her for the stones?"

Jack glanced at Erin just before leaping into the enemy jeep. He knocked one man from the vehicle and elbowed another in the face. Before he could manage to move farther, the passenger in the front kicked him into the cargo area behind the passenger seats. Jack pushed himself up and forced his foot into the man's chin.

Atawhai crashed the front end of his vehicle into the other, forcing its nose into a sand dune.

As the jeep's rear end jerked around, Jack leaped from it and onto his original vehicle.

"You're nuts," Erin said with her hand over her heart.

"Wouldn't have it any other way!" Jack cried out.

Tangaroa sped as fast as he could, making his way forward to the front of the convoy, but a man from a car in the middle leaped onto theirs.

Jack tried fighting him off, but took a firm hit to the jaw.

The large Kiwi man couldn't keep control of the vehicle, slamming it into the one next to it.

Erin pulled a giant wrench from under her seat and beat the Japanese man in the head until he fell out of the vehicle.

Atawhai was fighting for control when the nose forced an enemy jeep to fish tail, then turn completely to its side. He glanced over in time to see the two jeeps behind it crash into it. He gave a cocky grin.

"Careful, Tanga," Jack stated. "Or else, we'll have no one to fight when this is all over."

"I think he's enjoying himself," Erin announced. "How's the chin?"

"I'll survive," Jack told her.

Yuriko was genuinely surprised to see Jack so soon. She even smiled a wicked smile as she kept the bag of stones close to her chest.

Jack looked at the other men in her jeep. He was angered by Logan's presence, but expected to see Hiroshi and Kisho. He wondered where Taku and Kin were.

"You will never have the stones, Mr. Canyon," Yuriko yelled out as their vehicles bashed into one another.

Jack glanced at Erin for a moment. "Is she saying I don't have the balls?"

"Jack. . ." Erin said as she shook her head.

"What! Any other man wouldn't have tolerated that," Jack told her. He grabbed the bag from Yuriko, who chopped his neck with her hand. He let go and rubbed his neck. "I like strong women, especially if they tie me up."

Erin could not help but think how Jack never changed through the years.

Again, Jack reached for the stones, but when Yuriko tried to hit him, he grabbed her. Swiftly, he pulled her close, almost free of her seat.

Erin grabbed the stones and set them on the floorboard.

Jack blocked Yuriko's punch and pulled her out of her vehicle. As Tangaroa drove off, Jack dropped her into the sand. "That should slow them down," he said as the other vehicles stopped to pick her up.

***

Jack and his team arrived at Babylon several minutes after their battle with Yuriko's men. They knew there wasn't much time, so they had to act fast. It all looked the same, though.

"Where is the Tower?" Erin asked.

Jack searched his bag for his GPS unit. Once he had it, he began to search. He walked forward and around objects.

Erin and Tangaroa followed him as he moved around the ruins. Then he stopped.

"It should be here," Jack said as he stopped abruptly.

"But its not," Erin pointed out.

Jack narrowed his eyes, then remembered what he needed to do. He pulled the stones from his pack and revealed to the sands. Before anyone could react, the sand swallowed them up.

***

Tangaroa awoke in a dim cavern where the Tower of Babel had sunk into, or perhaps, it had been encased by a sand storm. He shook Jack to alert him.

"Huh?" Jack asked as he was startled. "Erin?"

"She's fine," Tangaroa told him as he nodded at the red head, who was standing at the entrance to the Tower.

"What are we waiting for?" Erin asked as she entered.

Atawhai helped Jack to his feet, and the two of them followed Erin into the Tower.

"So, which way?" Tangaroa asked.

"Up," Jack replied as he saw the spiral staircase going up. However, Erin was ahead of them.

"Spirited woman there," Tangaroa told him.

"You don't know the half of it, Tanga," Jack stated as he headed up the stairs.

Erin slowed as she reached the last of the steps. "Why couldn't they have built elevators?"

Jack and Tangaroa entered the chamber only a few moments behind the red head.

The room was plain, like all the others, with an altar upon a small incline of steps in the middle.

"Well, I'm not complaining," Jack told her. "There were no booby traps here."

"Don't you find that odd?" Erin asked.

Jack knelt down and examined the writing on the altar.

"What does it say?" Atawhai asked.

"To open the altar, you must unlock it with the keys," Jack said. "Keys. Plural."

"The stones," Erin mentioned, pulling them from Jack's bag.

Jack nodded and took them from her. "Do you see a lock?"

"I don't," Tangaroa stated.

"Well, look around," Jack announced as he began to examine the room.

"Here!" Erin called out as she spotted three holes on the other side of the altar at its base.

Jack and Tangaroa moved to her quickly. He translated the writing on the stones beneath the keyholes. "We have to arrange them in the correct order. We get one shot at this."

"And if we don't?" Tangaroa asked.

"I wouldn't want to be inside this tower," Jack replied as he took the water stone and placed it into a hole.

"How do you know it goes there?" Erin questioned, concerned with their life. She had put her life into Jack's hands many times. This was different, though.

"Could you let me concentrate?" Jack placed the fire stone into the next slot. As each stone was placed into a hole, it clicked and set off a pulley system.

"Last one," Tangaroa said as Jack picked up the earth stone.

Jack took in a deep breath and placed the stone into the last slot. Loud rumbling forced him to his feet and to stand close by Erin and Tangaroa.

The sound of elaborate machines, made of wood, stone, and rope, echoed in the chamber until the ceiling opened up. The altar and its platform began to spin in a clockwise motion.

"What's going on?" Erin asked, frightened.

"I don't know," he replied as he felt his hand being tightly squeezed.

A bright white light filled the void around the altar.

Jack shielded his eyes from the blinding light. That's when he spotted the diamond stone. "There it is." He reached out for it, but was pulled into the vortex of the portal.

Erin still had his hand and reached for Tangaroa. "Help!"

"I'm trying," Tangaroa said as he tried to keep them from being pulled completely into the vortex. "I can't. I'm not strong enough." His feet were slipping closer to the light.

Then they were gone.

Jack Canyon and The Wiccan Stones | CHAPTER SEVEN

Words: 1151

Jack was pulled from the water by Kin and Kisho, as Hiroshi
and Taku helped Yuriko free herself from the river. They all
arose from the water at the Niagara Falls, New York side, in a
park.

Yuriko made sure Jack had the stones in his possession, then
she took them from him. "Bring him!"

Jack was forced deeper into the park by Kin and Kisho, where
they met with more Japanese men, who had an SUV awaiting their
arrival. "How many of these guys do you have?"

"Enough," Yuriko replied simply. "Now, you will show us where
the next stone is."

"Can't I take a break?" Jack asked. "I have been going
non-stop for the past several days doing this for you. I can
only do so much work before I give."

Yuriko looked at her watch and nodded. "Fine. I believe
there is a local coffee shop if you would like to go."

"Are you asking me out on a date?" Jack asked jokingly, but
of course, the Japanese woman did not take the bait. She did
not even smile.

"First, locate the next stone," Yuriko told him as she rolled
out a map and set the stones down.

"Okay," Jack replied as he pulled out the water stone and set
it next to the map. When he released the stone, it slid
across the map and landed near Iraq. "Hm."

"What is it?" Yuriko asked.

"Iraq," he said. "I don't get it. There's nothing there."

"Alright, let us discuss this over coffee," Yuriko stated as
she climbed into the SUV and her men forced Jack in.

"You know, why don't you just ask," Jack told Kisho.
"Sometimes I'll just go willingly."

Yuriko ordered the driver to get them to the coffee shop.

***

Jack sat across from Yuriko who sipped her coffee quietly. He
scanned the room and spotted all of her men who were scattered
around the area, and the van outside. "I wouldn't think to
find this many Japanese men in a Starbucks, unless we're in
Japan."

Yuriko stayed silent as she looked up from her coffee. "Just
tell me why you think the stone is wrong." She was bored with
Jack's attempt at humor. It was pushing her patience.

"Because the only thing in Iraq is Babylon," he explained.
"Babylon was long gone before Wicca was even formed."

"Or so you think," Yuriko interrupted.

Jack sighed heavily as he lowered his head. "I'm surprised
the Sphinx would have held that earth stone. Why should this
be any different?"

"What are you not telling me?" Yuriko asked suspiciously.

"That I don't believe the last stone is there," Jack replied
as he took a large gulp of his coffee.

"And what evidence do you have?"

"I've spent the better part of a year studying the legend
behind these stones," Jack admitted. "I've written a journal,
as you know, on the extensive research I have done. I thought
at least one stone would be at Stonehenge." The edges of his
lips shifted into a downward slope as he felt saddened his
research was wrong.

"Is this why Babylon is wrong?" Yuriko asked.

"No, but earth, fire, water, and wind," he stated in reply.
"The wind stone should be somewhere high up, like Mount
Olympus, Mount Everest, or heaven." He glanced out the window
for a moment. "Then again, it might not even be wind. It
could be some other dimension."

"Another dimension?"

"Yeah, like opening a portal to another plane of existence,"
Jack told her.

"Like an alternate reality?"

"No," Jack replied. "More like an astral realm."

"I see," Yuriko said, but then she shifted into thought mode.

"The power of these stones is magnificent," Jack stated. "I
mean, its possible they could be the key to open Stonehenge."

"That would establish a Druid or Celtic tie-in with the Wicca
religion," Yuriko announced.

"Five years ago, I went on an expedition that led me to find
out that all religions are connected," Jack started to
explain.

"I know your professional background, Mr. Canyon," Yuriko told
him.

"Well, I don't think religions like Druidism or the Celts are
tied to godly religions at all," Jack admitted. "Though, I do
think that all pagan religions are related. It all stems from
the same place. I--"

"You are wasting my time," Yuriko said boldly. "The stones
have not been wrong so far. We're going to Babylon. Tell me
about the Tower of Babel."

"It was built to reach heaven," Jack told her.

"No, don't tell me the biblical version," Yuriko replied.
"Tell me your version."

"The stones reveal hidden secrets," he started. "It's
possible they could open a pathway to heaven through the
Tower, so that we can get the wind stone." He sighed heavily.
"The ziggurat to Marduk, the Etemenanki, was believed to have influenced the biblical story of the Tower of Babel. Marduk, the Babylonian chief god, was believed to be ruler over an alternate dimension."

"Good, then that's why Babylon is the place to go to," Yuriko said as she rose to her feet.

"I don't know," Jack disagreed with her.

"Let's go," she urged as her men began to move outside.

Jack watched the armed men closely and stood. He walked out with her as they exited and made their way across the street to the black SUV.

"How do you know so much about my journal?" Jack asked. "There is no way you could have gotten your hands on it. Besides, now that you know everything about the final stone, why haven't you killed me?"

"I may need you to retrieve it," Yuriko explained. "You have been so good at it so far." She motioned to one of her men in the next SUV.

Taku opened the door and let out a man who slowly walked toward Jack and looked him right in the face.

"I believe you two know each other," Yuriko spoke as Jack's old partner stood face-to-face with him.

Jack was surprised to see him, in fact. That surprise slowly shifted into anger. He clenched his fist tightly and then punched the man, knocking him to the ground.

Logan Scott looked up at Jack from the concrete sidewalk and wiped the blood from his face. He rose to his feet with a devilish grin.

"Why?" Jack asked.

"It's a lot of money, Jack-o," Logan replied. "All they wanted was four stones."

"You just don't get it," Jack told him. "You'll never understand."

"No, you'll never understand," Logan stated. "But now we have all the information we need. I'm sorry it had to come down to this." He nodded to Yuriko.

"Kill him," Yuriko said solemnly.

"Before this is all over, I'm going to kill you, Logan," Jack promised.

Kisho and Hiroshi grabbed Jack and dragged him off. Kin followed them, preparing his gun with a silencer to shoot Jack.

Jack Canyon and The Wiccan Stones | CHAPTER SIX

Words: 1824

Jack didn't remember much about the fall or how he ended up at
the temple. A small pool, or lagoon, reached up to the front
door of the temple. He lay motionless in it. Perhaps he had
drifted in, or was dragged.

Hiroshi and Taku helped Yuriko onto dry land near the entrance
to the temple. Kisho stood by with the other armed men as Kin
jerked Jack to his feet.

Jack was soaked, but so were the others. He dripped as he
moved to the entrance of the temple. He didn't speak. He
just handed the stones over to Yuriko and continued onward
into the temple.

Yuriko and Hiroshi followed him inside. Kin, Kisho, and the
other men followed behind them.

Jack's mind went back to five years ago when he was inside
another water temple, where he found the Book of Origin.
Though, with that memory came memories of Sophia.

Yuriko stayed close to the clever Jack Canyon, for she
believed he would do something in order to stop her or at
least escape. However, one wrong step caused the ground
beneath her to break open and swallow her.

Jack turned as she screamed and jumped forward to catch her
hands. He slid forward as her weight pulled him toward the
void. He looked down into the darkness as he held onto her.
"I have you! Stop moving!" He glanced back at the others.
"Help me!"

Hiroshi and Kisho helped Jack get Yuriko onto solid ground
again.

Jack rolled over after she was pulled up to safety. His arms
hurt as did his body from the slide. He breathed deeply as he
tried to regain himself.

Yuriko was speechless as she looked at Jack. "You saved me,"
she spoke in confusion.

"What can I say?" Jack asked as he slowly rose to his feet.
His eyes met hers as he moved on down the hall.

Yuriko was still confused by his words and actions, but
nevertheless, she continued to follow the archaeologist deeper
inside the temple. She was beginning to see just how insane
this man was. All the stories she had heard were true.

Jack kept his eyes open for booby traps, but he had not yet
found any, which made him weary. He led the entire expedition
team into a large chamber filled with large glass tubes of
water. He closely examined one of them with Yuriko as the
other men observed the other tubes.

"What are these?" Yuriko asked.

"I don't know," Jack replied as he tapped on the glass.

One of the Japanese men knocked on a glass tube which began to
bubble viciously. He began screaming aloud in Japanese.

Jack turned and looked at him, when he noticed the angry
bubbling. "Why do I have such a bad feeling?"

The bubbling intensified even more and the five tubes broke
violently. The water spilled out, but some of it stayed in
the form of a bipedal figure.

"What is that?" Yuriko asked fearfully.

"Water guardians!" Jack announced.

Yuriko shouted out in Japanese, and her men started firing
upon the water monsters, but the bullets passed right through
them. She jerked around and eyed Jack. "What do we do?"

"Give me the fire stone!" Jack cried as he stretched out his
hand.

Yuriko threw him the bag that had the stones.

Jack pulled the ruby from the bag and neared a water guardian.
Hoping for the best, Jack shoved the stone into the midst of
a guardian's liquid body.

There came a monstrous groan from the beast as it evaporated
in an uproar of steam.

Jack turned to do it to another one, but he was knocked back
by another guardian. He lost his grip on the stone and
dropped it. He moved as quickly as he could to avoid the
monster's attacks. He raced around the chamber.

The guardians were drowning their enemy.

Jack tripped and fell onto the steps on the far side of the
room. As he turned to see where the water monster was, he was
overcome by water. He was inside the belly of the beast as it
used its power to contain Jack and drown him.

Yuriko had picked up the stone and made her way over to Jack.
With swift and fast movement, she thrust the ruby into the
heart of the beast as if she were punching it.

There came a groan and it erupted into a puff of steam.

Jack fell to the ground and caught his breath. He was soaked
to the bone.

"I saved your life," Yuriko told him. "We are even."

Jack brushed his hair back with his hand as he got to his
feet. "This way," he urged her. "Come on!" He grabbed her
arm and forced her to go down the hall. He ducked into the
hallway as a water demon smashed itself against the wall as it
attacked.

Some of her men even broke free and followed them into the
corridor to continue their search.

A loud popping sound came from behind the walls, which caused
everyone to stop in their tracks.

"Not again," Jack said to himself.

Then came a grinding sound, which eventually broke into a
rumbling and crumbling sound as large spokes burst through the
wall closest to the exit near the chamber they had recently
escaped.

"GO!" Jack yelled as he pushed Yuriko ahead of himself. As
they moved, more spokes ripped through the wall in sections,
until the entire corridor was shredded.

Yuriko stood with Jack in the next chamber looking at the
demolished hall they had just left. "I am beginning to hate
this."

"You and me both, sister," Jack said as he turned and moved
inward into the temple. He broke through the cobwebs in the

next chamber's entrance to find the water stone on an altar in

the middle of the room.

This chamber was different. It was darker than the others and

seemed completely empty, where the others had booby traps and

water guardians. Those were the first guardians of the stones

the team had run into. What more was in store?

Yuriko looked around in amazement at the wall of water that

surrounded the chamber, as if the walls of the chamber were

made of water. She stepped forward, but was quickly stopped

by Jack.

"Don't move," he told her.

"There is nothing here to fear," she replied.

"There's always something," Jack said as he cautiously stepped

forward. "Step where I step."

Yuriko waited for him to move forward before she stepped where

he did. She knew he didn't want to set off any traps, but she

felt as if nothing would occur here.

Jack moved up a small incline of steps and then stood a foot

away from the altar. He could not help but grin like a

madman. This was it, the third stone, a large sapphire.

"Grab it!" Yuriko urged him.

"Just give me a second," Jack stated as he examined the altar.

He remember the incident at the Sphinx. The removal of the

stone made the sands collapse into the maze beneath the Giza

guardian. He also recalled the collapse of the volcano after

the stone was removed. Chills flooded his body as the

memories of all this flooded his mind.

"What are you waiting for?" Yuriko asked.

"Nothing," Jack replied. "Just. . . get ready to run."

"Run to where? The way in is blocked by those gears." Yuriko pointed at the destruction in the corridor.

"I don't know, but just be ready," he told her again. He pulled the stone from the cradle that held it so gently as if it were a new born baby. He held it close and looked around the chamber, awaiting for the water wall to collapse into the room and drown them all.

To the left, a stone door began to rise, revealing an exit.

"Go," Jack said as he pushed Yuriko along. He followed her for the exit, but paused as the other men tagged along as well. He spun around and punched the closest man to him knocking him into the others, causing a domino effect. He was about to join Yuriko again when the water wall collapsed.

The chamber flooded in mere minutes and the corridor was next.

Yuriko reached the end of the tunnel to find a dead end. "There's no way out!"

Jack dropped the sapphire into the bag with the ruby and emerald. He hoped they would do something with their combined power.

"Hurry up!" Yuriko shouted as the corridor continued to flood rapidly.

"I'm working on it!" He yelled back.

"Work faster!"

Jack could barely see in the dim hall. He shook the bag, "Work, damn it!"

Yuriko held her head high as the water level rose even more. "If you have a plan, I suggest you put it into motion!"

The small part of the wall behind them broke open, spilling them and the water out into another chamber.

Before she could get to her feet properly, Jack helped Yuriko up and forced her onward. He tried to keep his footing as the chamber flooded swiftly. "There!" Jack pointed out at another corridor.

Yuriko moved toward it as the water swept them away. She slid head first down the hallway with Jack close behind her. They found themselves in the next chamber, one they had left before.

The final two water guardians standing in the chamber jerked around to see the gushing water just as it splattered them.

Before Jack could continue his escape with Yuriko, the last of her men cocked their guns aiming them at Jack, who froze in place.

"It's good to know you're alive Ms. Mushanaokoji," Kisho said as he knocked Jack down.

"No time for this," Yuriko told him. "Where is Hiroshi and Taku?"

"They aren't with you?" Kin asked.

Hiroshi and Taku came from the flooded corridor with only a few men.

"This is it?" Yuriko questioned them. "This is all that made it?"

"Yes, ma'am," Hiroshi answered. "Why don't we get out of here before the entire place floods or collapses."

"Good plan," Yuriko said as she jerked Jack Canyon up. "Bring him. He may be of use once more."

Kin and Taku grabbed Jack by his arms and escorted him toward the exit. Hiroshi walked with Yuriko as Kisho and the other men took up the rear to watch Jack from behind.

Yuriko led them all back to the lagoon, but the water still flooded the temple and began pouring into the lagoon. She stopped at the edge of the lagoon where the waterfall resided. She looked back at the temple as it vanished behind the water. "I think there is only one way out of this." She looked forward at the misting waterfall.

"I am tired of water," Hiroshi said as he watched Yuriko step forward. He sighed heavily and followed her, as did the other men.

Jack Canyon and The Wiccan Stones | CHAPTER FIVE

Words: 1310

Jack and Erin both stood with their arms raised high as the Japanese gang had their guns trained on the two archaeologists.

"Friends of yours?" Erin asked him once more.

"It's a long story," he replied as he stared down Hiroshi's gun barrel.

"I think I have time," Erin stated looking from Yuriko to the other men one by one.

"Well, I was in Japan a few days ago," Jack started, "on a return trip from Nepal. My late partner, Logan Scott, introduced me to this woman." He pointed out the female leader of this gang. "She wants the Wiccan Stones."

"You thought you could get them before her?" Erin questioned him.

"You know me so well," Jack said as he turned to her. He shifted his weight and threw a punch at Hiroshi, who quickly took the man down. Jack landed hard on his butt when the Japanese man kicked him.

"So do they," Erin spoke not surprised by Jack's attempt to escape.

"We only need Jack," Yuriko told her. "You are free to go."

"I think I'll stick around to help, just in case Jack--"

"No," Yuriko interrupted her. "Leave. NOW!" She paused in hopes that Erin would leave peacefully. It wasn't the American girl that they needed. It was Jack. When the red head would not leave, she nodded to Kin, who fired shots at Erin's feet.

The bullets fell short, hitting the sand instead.

"Alright, alright," Erin pleaded as she jumped at the shots. She quickly turned and walked towards the vehicle they had arrived on.

Taku and Kisho pulled Jack to his feet and held him in place.

"Do not try to escape, Mr. Canyon," Yuriko said as she made her way toward their SUV. She opened the rear cargo door and folded out a map on the floor. "Show me."

Jack sighed and set the emerald stone on the floor next to the map. "Okay, watch." He let go of it and it began to move slowly across the map and stopped somewhere in North America.

"Where is that? What is that?" Yuriko moved closer to the map. "I am unfamiliar with this place."

"As you should be," Jack told her. "It's nothing of archaeological importance. . . or so we thought. It's Niagara Falls."

"Okay, so the fire stone is in a volcano. The earth stone is found in the earth. It's only logical that the water stone be found in water."

Jack listened to Yuriko's words carefully. He had a very bad feeling that this wasn't going to be the easiest one to gain. Niagara falls was a vast place to search.

"You will lead us to Niagara Falls," Yuriko ordered him. "You will take us to the Water Stone."

Jack looked around at all the armed men for a moment, when Yuriko started to talk again, but Jack interrupted her. "Or you'll kill me. I know." He shook his head and looked to the sand. "Fine. I don't suppose you have a plane."

"You would be surprised, Mr. Canyon," she said as she rolled the map up and put the stones into a bag. "Get in."

"The back?" Jack asked, feeling claustrophobic.

"No, back seat between Hiroshi and Kin," she answered. "Taku, drive. Kisho, take the rear."

***

Erin Sawyer reached her desert vehicle and sat down in the driver's seat. She felt something tap her back and was about to turn to see what it was.

"Don't turn around," the deep voice spoke.

"Who are you?" Erin asked frantically.

"A friend," he stated confidently.

"What do you want?"

"To help Jack Canyon," he told her.

***

The roar of the water was deafening and the mist was a relief. Niagara Falls was quite the spectacle from the Niagara Falls, Ontario side. Jack leaned against the railing near a bench as Yuriko stood nearby.

"What do we do, Mr. Canyon?" Yuriko asked in a thick Japanese-American accent.

Jack looked around at her and then all the tourists before he replied to her question. He needed time to think. Now, he had an answer. "I don't know."

"Wrong answer," Yuriko said angrily.

"Ok, wait," Jack pleaded as he threw up his hands. "Let me think!" He spun around on his heel and looked out at the Falls again. He examined the area for a few minutes and spun around again. This time he faced Yuriko. "I need the stones."

Yuriko narrowed her eyes at the American before continuing. She needed to know if he was planning a daring escape. She looked at Kisho and nodded.

Kisho pulled the ruby and emerald stones from a bag and gave them to him.

Jack held the stones in separate hands and touched them together hoping their magical power would show him the way.

Yuriko watched him in wonder. She was stunned at this man's ingenuity.

Nothing happened, so Jack held them closer to Niagara Falls.

Yuriko literally gasped as the water became clear and a temple was visible beyond the waterfall. The power of the stones revealed the temple that was normally hidden from the human eye. "How do we get there?"

"You're not going to like this. . ." Jack said simply as he turned toward her and handed her the stones. "At all."

Yuriko took the two stones and gave them back to Kisho. "Now, Mr. Canyon, why won't I like this? Hm?" She perked her eyebrows slightly at him.

***

"You're insane!" Yuriko shouted.

"I told you, you aren't going to like this," Jack said in return. "This is the only way."

"Luckily, I brought more men," Yuriko announced. Then she shouted something in Japanese to her men.

Kisho and Taku carried out her orders by leading a several men down into the docks where they could steal a few boats. Once they obtained three boats, Yuriko forced Jack down to them. She stayed with him, as did Kin and Hiroshi.

"More boats," Jack said sadly. Before he could step into the boat, he was shoved down into it by Kin. He shifted around to get situated in a seat.

The three boats filled with six men each set sail down the river toward the Falls. Everyone was nervous due to the danger of Jack's plan. It was stupid and probably going to cause their deaths. The trio of boats moved in close proximity to each other, which was giving Jack ideas.

Jack looked left and then right, since his boat was in the middle, but his mind was giving up on escape plans. He fought a battle in boats days before, which did not end well. He looked at Yuriko, who was still in dismay that she was even entertaining Jack's ludicrous plan. "So, am I living up to my reputation?" He gave her a cocky grin.

"I had heard you have done some really crazy things, Mr. Canyon," Yuriko replied as she looked from him to the horizon. "I had no idea I would actually participate in them."

Jack just continued to grin like some child. However, that smile subsided as the boats neared the waterfall. His mind suddenly remembered all the facts of Horseshoe Falls. "Its one-hundred and sixty-seven feet down. I hope you remember to wear your life vest." He took a deep breath and kept the stones tightly against his chest.

The stones would allow them passage to the hidden temple, but it required the combined powers of two separate stones.

Jack took deep breaths as the boats neared the edge of the waterfall. In his mind, he kept remembering the tourists on the Maid of the Mist, the Niagara Falls cruise boat. They had looked at the trio of boats in awe. Then his mind went blank as the boats dropped off the edge.

Screams and gasps came from all over, but it was the tourists standing in the parks.

Jack Canyon and The Wiccan Stones | CHAPTER FOUR

Words: 2826

Jack stumbled and fell as the earth shook beneath him. The
volcano quaked violently, causing rock slides which forced
Jack to slip and slide down Mount Fuji part way. He shielded
the ruby as if it were a football. Once he was on his feet
again, the ground would shift once more. Jack tumbled
forward, as if he were doing a somersault. The trek down the
angry volcano was harsh, but he made it. He dusted off his
fatigue-colored pants, though most of the dirt stuck and
stained them. He kicked to force the dust off his boots and
shook his head to turn his dirty hair normal again.

The rumble subsided moments after he set foot off that
horrible mountain of fury. It was just a small tremor. The
volcano didn't erupt. Pity.

Jack figured he had enough time to spare since Yuriko and her
gang was trapped inside Mount Fuji. He needed to get to the
next stone, but there was no rush. He made his way into a
local antiquities shop.

"Can I help you?" An elderly Japanese woman asked as she
moved toward him using her cane to support her.

"Do you have any ancient maps?" Jack asked hoping for good
results.

"Mm, yes," she spoke in a feeble tone as she shifted around
and walked away from Jack. "In the back. This way."

Jack followed the woman into the back room where dozens of old
parchment maps resided. "I guess you don't come back here
often." He looked to her, but received no reply. The room
was dusty and contained cobb webs in various places. He even
spotted a rat crawling across a rack of maps.

"What are you looking for exactly?" She asked as she peered
at him with gray eyes.

"I'm not sure exactly," Jack admitted. He really wasn't
positive. He didn't even have an age on the stone. "Just any
old map will do." He nodded gently.

The woman tilted to her left and felt along the maps. She
pulled one out and placed it onto the dirty, cluttered table,
where she rolled it out.

Jack examined the map, which must have been over five hundred
years old. He pulled the ruby from his back pocket and set it
down on the table. Upon releasing his grasp, the stone slide
across the map.

Both the woman and Jack could feel a coldness in the air which
chilled them to the bone.

Jack hadn't realized it, but he had jumped back when the ruby
moved on its own. So, he leaned in to see where the ruby had
moved to. Narrowing his eyes, Jack pinpointed the central
location on the map that the ruby had landed on. "Cairo."

***

Cairo was a bustling city. People were all over the streets
in pubs, markets, and shops. Jack found himself a nicer
place, though. He had the upper-hand in the matter, so why
not relax? It had been one of the roughest days for Jack, so
he found a massage parlor.

"Oh, that's the spot," Jack moaned as the dark-skinned
Egyptian woman chopped at his lower back. He closed his eyes
because he was in heaven, in bliss. Having a painful day was
worth it if he could get a massage everyday.

Once it was over, Jack dressed himself in tan-colored Carhartt
pants. His scars on his torso showed through his slightly
muscular body. Then they were covered up by a gray T-shirt.
He kept a change of clothes in a small backpack. The backpack
that Sophia usually carried for him.

Jack stood at the window of the second floor of the parlor
looking out at the crowd. Most of the people were Arab, so it
was noticeable when a red-headed white woman pushed her way
through a few men. Jack narrowed his eyes to see if he knew
her. He was interrupted by the masseuse who demanded her
money.

After paying her, Jack made his way into the streets and
crowds. He still felt the need to continue his adventure and
search for the Wiccan stones. However, he was drawn to follow
this red-headed stranger.

***

Jack sat in the balcony of a coffee shop on the corner of one
of the streets. He faced the view of the city with his back
to the door. The red velvet chair had a high back which
shielded him.

"I'm looking for a Professor McAvoy," the red head stated as
she entered the balcony. She looked out of place in her khaki
pants and blue button down shirt with a dark tan safari vest
on.

Two Arab men shook their heads and went back to their coffee.

She eyes the red velvet chair and moved toward it. "I guess
you're McAvoy," she said as she moved to the chair across from
Jack. She turned and sat down. The shock and awe on her face
told the story of her surprise. "You dirty, lying dog."

Jack gave a cocky grin. "I guess you're not mad at me, huh?
The last I recall you were calling me more names, and sure as
hell didn't say dog. It was ba--"

"Bad," she cut him off. "You lied to get my attention? Why?
why did you do this, Jack Canyon?"

"You remember my name?" Jack asked as he shifted forward.
"Why, Erin Sawyer, I can't believe it."

"Jack, a lot of years have passed by," Erin admitted. "Now,
why did you lie to get me here?"

"You wouldn't have come otherwise," Jack replied.

Erin didn't speak, but the expression that came over her face
told Jack that he was right. "So, now that I'm here, what do
you want?"

"I need your help," Jack told her sincerely.

She laughed and scoffed at him.

"This is serious, Erin," Jack said with a straight face.
"It's cost my a partner."

"Fine," Erin said changing her tone a bit. "What is it?"

Jack looked around the balcony and then pulled the ruby from
his bag. He set it down on the table between them.

Erin's eyes widened tremendously. "Wow. I'm surprised you
haven't been robbed carrying such a large ruby around. It
must be worth a fortune."

"It's one of the four Wiccan stones," Jack stated boldly.

Erin was still shocked from the size of the stone, but more so
now about what he said it was. "That's just a story, Jack.
Just because you found a large ruby that's perfect in shape. .
."

"But its perfectly smooth and round," Jack told her. "That's
impossible, even with modern tools."

"So? It could've been left in a river for a thousand years."

"I don't think so," Jack said. "No one will leave something
like this alone for very long. It was forged out of the earth
by supernatural means."

"Okay, let's just say that you're right, though, by a long
shot," she started. "Where do I come in?"

"I've been sent here by this thing," Jack announced. "I heard
rumors that the stones could pin point the others. It moved
all on its own when I placed it near a map. Egypt was where
it stopped."

"Jack, Egypt is a large place. You'll never find the other
stones here. It would be like trying to find a needle in the
sand."

"But we have a compass that could lead us directly to it,"
Jack said as he tapped the ruby.

"Okay, so where do we start?" Erin asked as she ran her hands
through her curly red hair.

"I think I may know where," Jack told her. "Listen, when can
you be ready?"

"Give me half an hour," Erin said as she stood up. "I'll meet
you back here."

"Sure," he replied as she headed out, but she stopped and
turned back. "It's good to see you again, Jack."

"Same here," he said nervously. Then she was gone. Jack
reached out to get the ruby and noticed someone in the crowd
watching him intently. They knew they had been spotted and
mixed in with the people. Jack jumped up to try to find the
person again, but they were gone. He sighed heavily and sat
back down. He placed the ruby back into his pack and awaited
Erin's return.

***

There she was. That big, beautiful nose less stone structure
that had withstood the sands of time for so long.

Jack and Erin stood between the legs of the Sphinx where a
large inscribed tablet sat.

"You look nervous, Jack," Erin spoke through the silence.
They had been there for an hour trying to figure out the
riddle of the Sphinx. "Never been between someone's legs
before?"

"Not legs this big," Jack said with a cocky smile on his face.

"Do you know what you're doing?"

"If I did, I wouldn't still be standing here," he replied. "I
think this tablet is a door. I think the stone is beyond this
door."

"Jack, I've studied the Sphinx and many other structures in
Egypt," Erin explained. "I have no reason to believe that
this is some kind of doorway. And why would a Wiccan stone be
here? Why would Wicca have any ties to Egypt and the Sphinx,
especially when they're thousands of years apart?"

"I don't know, Erin," Jack answered. "I'm just following my
instincts, my archaeological instincts."

"Well, we both know where that can get you," she stated.

"Let's not dwell on what happened in the past, Er," Jack
pleaded with her. He didn't want to go there.

Erin could feel regret pouring from his words. She nodded and
concentrated on the tablet/door. "What's that?"

Jack looked over at her and saw her pointing at a lower corner
in the tablet. "I don't know what that is." He dropped to
his knees and began to dig sand away from the corner. "You've
never seen this before?"

"No," Erin replied.

"Wait a minute," Jack said as he pulled the ruby from his bag.
As he put the stone closer, the hole became more visible.

"That's creepy," Erin stated. "Now, what?"

Jack placed the stone inside the hole and the tablet opened.
"Ladies first."

"No, no," Erin argued. "You should go first."

Jack entered the Sphinx only to find a deep, dark staircase.
"Got a light?" He asked as he turned to Erin, but the door
closed quickly behind them. "No!" He beat on the door.

"I don't think anyone is going to hear you," she told him.

Jack rummaged through his pack to find the flashlight. "Ah,"
he said as he pulled it free and turned it on. "Follow me."
He led her down the stairs, which suddenly shifted and turned into a slide. The steep incline sent them down into the maze. They rose to their feet and dusted themselves off. Jack shined his light around to see their surroundings.

A breeze raced down the corridor and the lanterns were lit all
at once.

"I'm starting to hate this," Erin admitted as she watched Jack
put the light into his bag.

"You get used to it," Jack told her as he stepped forward into
the maze.

"Really?"

"No," he answered as they turned down another hallway.

Erin shook her head. He was the same old Jack Canyon she knew from eight years ago. "I guess things could be wo--" Jack's hand snapped tightly over her mouth.

"Shh," he told her. "That sentence always makes things worse." He heard a noise behind the walls and looked around. "Not good."

Erin forced Jack's hand away from her. "what is it?"

"I don't know," he replied as he continued to look around the hallway. "But I'm not sticking around to find out." He started to move down the hallway when the walls began to move inward. "That's the walls closing in. I hope you're not claustrophobic."

"Just shut up and run!" She yelled as she ran with Jack down the narrowing corridor. She got ahead of him and leaped out into the open chamber.

Jack's shoulders began to rub the walls so he had to turn sideways, but it wasn't good enough. A quick jerk and he fell. He thought he was dead, but when he looked up, Erin stood above him.

"I saved your ass," she told him. "You owe me!"

"You got it," Jack responded as he rose to his feet. He looked at the closed walls and sighed relief. "That was close."

"Stare at it later," she said forcefully as she dragged him along. "We have work to do."

Jack followed the red-headed woman through the maze that was lit by torches throughout. "Now, I know why people can't solve the riddle of the Sphinx."

Erin moved around the bend and stopped abruptly, causing Jack to bump into her.

"What is it?" Jack asked.

Erin pointed down the hall as stone pillars that crashed down then rose. There were four or five moving in various combinations. Dust was stirred by the pounding of the pillars.

"Ladies first?" Jack asked nervously.

"Not this time, cowboy," Erin replied as she stepped back and motioned for him to continue.

Jack slumped his shoulders in disappointment. He inched forward until he neared the first column. He waited for it to come down and rise, before he moved. "Do as I do!"

Erin followed behind Jack. She was passed the first pillar when he was at the third. She rolled passed the next one and made it to safety. Memories of their past exploits came flooding into her mind as she continued her dodging of the booby traps.

Jack waited on the other end for her, searching his mind for some kind of joke. He smiled as he watched her dive under the final pummel and come back up toward him. "What took you so long?"

"You're never short of wise cracks, are you?" Erin asked as she shoved him to the side. "Finding this stone is impossible. No way will we make it back."

"That's why it's called a maze, sweetheart," Jack replied as he moved ahead of her.

"I just hope the nightmare of all these gizmoes is over," she spoke from behind the infamous archaeologist.

"Well, you're not going to like this, then," he told her as he spotted horizontally moving pummels.

Erin's face shouted what she was thinking. She wanted to give up. This entire adventure was tiring, and she wasn't as young as she used to be.

Jack placed his back against the wall and scooted along, but as the pummel came rushing at him, he rolled out of the way. Too close, he thought as he continued to move quickly passed the rams. Once on the other side, he stopped, but heard a popping sound. He dove to the ground just as two pummels collided near his head. When it receded, he stood up and look across at Erin. "Alright, your turn!"

Once she was through, Jack took the lead again. The next few halls were empty and free of traps, much to the relief of Jack and Erin. The next turn revealed a large chamber with an altar in the middle of a staircase.

"Pretty simple," Erin said as she stepped forward, only to be grabbed by the collar by Jack.

"Not so fast," he warned. "You have forgotten what happened in Cambodia eight years ago, haven't you?"

"That wasn't my fault," Erin argued. "A little wind blows my hat off and onto some trap, and I get blamed for it. It's getting a little old, Jack."

"I just want you to be careful," Jack stated as he stepped forward onto the steps and up to the altar. "So far, so good."

"Get it and let's get out of here," Erin pleaded.

Jack grabbed the emerald off the pedestal and placed it into his pack. He turned around to look at Erin, then looked around at the darkness and silence.

The altar fell apart and the steps collapsed. The entire room began to cave in and fill with sand.

"GO!" Jack yelled as he pushed Erin into the direction of the exit. It was the only lit pathway. The entire maze was filling with sand one section at a time.

The duo managed to escape each section, but it was getting harder as the sand got faster.

"Whoa!" Jack cried as he spotted natural light. "That way. GO!" He shoved Erin toward the exit and followed closely behind. The entire corridor was collapsing, so Jack grabbed his friend and jumped out into the desert. Jack's breathing was heavy as he lay on his back.

Erin was flat on her stomach as she looked up to get a view of the area. "Friends of yours?"

"Huh?" Jack asked as he rolled over to his belly to see. He spotted Yuriko and her men with guns hovering over them. He also noticed Yuriko had pulled the ruby from the Sphinx's front door. "Oh, crap."

Jack Canyon and The Wiccan Stones | CHAPTER THREE

Words: 2156

Jack Canyon's mind raced with ideas on how to escape this predicament. Before he could act, gunfire rang out through the bay. He dove for cover as the bullets hit the water near the boat.

"Whoa!" The driver yelled. "This is my father's boat. If this boat gets damaged, my father will kill me!"

"I promise nothing will happen," Jack comforted the man.

Gunfire blasted across the bay once more. This time it shattered the glass of the speed boat.

Jack looked up from hiding and looked through the frame where the glass was. "Okay, I've broken promises before." He glanced at the disheveled look on the owner's face. "I'll replace that."

Again the enemy boats fired as they drew closer. Holes ripped through the bow of the boat and nearly hit the passengers.

"We have to do something or we're all going to die," Jack spoke as he scanned the deck of the boat. "Do you have any extra cans of gas? A flare? Anything?"

"Yeah, I think so," the driver responded. "Why?"

"I need it," Jack told him.

The man pulled a flare from the glove box and tossed it to Jack. "Now what?"

"Gas can," Jack told him as he checked to see if the flare gun was loaded. He slammed the barrel shut when he was sure it had a flare. When the driver brought back the gas can, Jack took off the top and placed the flare gun's barrel inside it.

"That's not such a good idea," one of the girls stated fearfully.

"It's the only idea I have," Jack replied as he taped the flare to the can. "Do you have any string or rope?"

"I think so," the man said as he searched the storage areas. "Ah, here!" He pulled some rope from under a seat and handed it to the archaeologist. "What are you, MacGyver?"

"Everyone out," Jack ordered. "This is the end of the line."

"You're going to blow up my boat?!"

"I told you I would replace it," Jack said. "Contact the IAI, here." Jack handed the Japanese man a business card. "They'll take care of all the damages. I promise."

"And you promised nothing would happen to my boat."

"Just trust me," Jack pleaded as he pushed the man out of the boat. The other three occupants followed him. Jack got closer to the stern with the rope in hand. He was about to jump when he was fired upon again. He fell into the bottom of the boat, accidentally triggering the flare gun.

As one of the other boats drew closer, the gas can exploded. The fire took out the speed boat and enemy boat.

Jack floated dead in the water as the second boat sent by Yuriko pulled up beside his body. He was pulled into the boat by one of the men and the boat took off for the docks.

***

"You just never learn, do you, Jack?" Yuriko asked as Jack knelt before her with his hands bound behind his back. "That was quite a daring escape for an archaeologist."

"I'm full of surprises, sweetheart," Jack said with a slightly angry tone.

"Now, will you take us to the stones, or do I have to force it out of you?" Yuriko continued with her questioning. She lifted Jack's chin to look up at her.

"No," Jack replied coldly.

"Have it your way," she said kicking him across the face. She jerked him upright again. "Tell me where I can find the stones."

"They're not together," Jack stated as his jaw tightened. "They've been lost in separate locations for centuries."

"Then I suggest you get busy soon, Mr. Canyon," the woman told him in a threatening manner. "Time is wasting."

Jack looked around him for a moment. There was no escape in sight. The only plan was the usual Jack Canyon plan, a risky one, a stupid one. "Alright," he nodded. "I'll take you to the fire stone."

"Good," Yuriko smiled. "Where is it?"

"Mount Fuji," Jack admitted sadly. This was a bad plan, but it was the only one he had.

"You had better not be lying to us, Mr. Canyon," the woman warned him.

"Then you're just going to have to trust me," Jack replied just before he was jerked up by Kin and Hiroshi. "Be gentle, will you?"

***

A short train ride later, Jack found himself atop yet another mountain. He could remember Sophia's words about how his adventures always placed him on a mountain somewhere. It never failed. Jack smiled as he thought about Sophia for a split moment. His mind would have lingered longer on the thought, but someone shoved him hard. He lurched forward, almost tumbling into the volcano.

"We are here, at the peak, show us the stone," Yuriko ordered strongly.

"It's inside the volcano," Jack told her fearfully. He knew she would either discount it or throw him in. He looked directly at the slender woman. "Ladies first." He motioned into the volcano with his hand.

"No, I insist that you lead the way," she spoke through a harsh Japanese-English accent. "And no funny business."

Jack stepped off into the large cavern that lead to only one place, down. The active volcano was hot and steamy, but there were no signs of it erupting anytime soon. The stone ramp-like structure around the edge gave way. Jack almost fell into the center of the volcano, but Kisho grabbed him quickly.

"Do be careful, Mr. Canyon," Yuriko told him.

"Yeah, no kidding," he replied as he stepped out again and began moving down the spiral ramp that followed the wall of the volcano.

"I hope that you know what you are doing," Yuriko warned him as she followed behind him closely. "I would hate for this to be a wild goose chase."

"Listen, you seem to know all about me, Ms. Yuriko, so why don't you tell me something. What do you need me for if you know I have a journal on these stones?"

"Simple," Yuriko answered. "You can do the leg work for us. We get your journal, we read it. What if it is in a code that only you understand? Without you, we are lost."

"Good point," he said simply, not sure of what else he could respond with. He stopped suddenly, causing Yuriko to crash into him. She nearly shoved him into the fiery pit without knowing why he stopped first.

"What is going on?!" She demanded.

"Look," Jack pointed out. The slope ended abruptly and dropped off into the lava lake.

"What now?" Yuriko asked.

"I guess we turn back," Jack replied with a fake saddened tone.

"I am no fool, Mr. Canyon," Yuriko stated. "I know that there are booby traps and false entrances and exits to such places as this."

"I guess you've seen Indiana Jones, huh?"

Yuriko didn't respond. She simply glared at him in hopes he would continue with the expedition. After several minutes of silence, she folded her arms across her chest.

"Fine," Jack said in the midst of the silence. "Does anyone have a compass?"

"Is the stone magnetized?" Yuriko asked.

"Not exactly," Jack answered. "I just need to know my bearings."

Yuriko nodded to one of her men, who handed him a compass.

Jack immediately plotted his axis and located the possible location for the stone. "Alright, here we go." Jack stepped out onto a platform of rock near them. "There should be an alter closer to the lava where the stone is kept. From what I gathered, it should be this way."

Yuriko scanned the area and saw five directions in which they could go. It seems as if the rocky platform had been formed in a similar fashion as the pentagram. How did Jack know which direction to take? She shook her head, knowing not to ask. The only important thing was the stone.

Jack led the Japanese group down a corkscrew-like stone staircase that stopped at another long platform. "This has been too easy."

"Is it a trick?" Yuriko asked.

"No," Jack told her.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, positive," he stated. He stopped at the end of the platform which dead ended into the volcano wall.

"Still positive?"

Jack looked at the wall closely for a release lever of some kind. "The altar should be right here."

"This was a waste of time," Hiroshi said. "We should kill him now. Cut our loses."

"No," Yuriko argued. She started shouting at Hiroshi and the other men in Japanese.

Jack ignored them and continued working to find the altar. He knew it was there. He placed his arm against the wall and rested his forehead against it to relax himself some. A small part of it sank into the volcano wall.

Four pillars arose at for corners of the platform. Each of them had symbols on them.

"Where is the stone?" Yuriko asked as her attention was drawn back to Jack.

"I don't know," he told her as he examined the pillar closest to him. He moved on to the next pillar and closely scanned its symbol. "These markings. . ." He spoke to no one in particular. "They're Wiccan."

"Yeah, so?"

Jack glanced over at Yuriko for a moment. "It's a puzzle. I thought you watched Indiana Jones. Keep up."

Yuriko's facial expression grew angry and annoyed. "Can you solve it?"

"Just give me a moment," Jack said as he moved to the last pillar and took note of its marking. He rubbed his chin as his mind worked on the problem. "I think I have it! We passed four pillars on the way down. I need the small boulders on top."

Yuriko stood firm with a blank stare on her face.

"Do you want the stone or not?! I need those pieces to complete this puzzle. NOW!"

Yuriko nodded at Hiroshi and Taku, who raced back up the way they had come.

Jack continued to admire the workmanship in the pillars and the genius behind the puzzle itself as he awaited his boulders.

When the men returned, the boulders were set down. Jack studied them just as closely as he had the pillars. There were rods extending from the bottom of them. The stones each had matching markings like on the pillars. Jack had to reach up, as the pillars were as tall as he. He slipped the rod into the hole at the top of the pillar and slid it into place.
However, when all the rods were in place, nothing happened. Jack stood back and noticed what was wrong. He turned the boulders so the markings were parallel with those on the pillars. An altar arose from the center of the platform, gaining a cocky smile from Jack.

"Good work, Mr. Canyon," Yuriko told him.

Jack stood before the altar and scanned it for booby traps. He knew there were always traps. Slowly, Jack picked up the softball sized stone. It was large, but flat on the top and bottom. The stone was a beautiful ruby color and as smooth as Jack was.

"Hand it over," Yuriko ordered him.

Jack was hesitant for a moment when she extended her arm with an open hand. He was about to hand it over when the entire place shook violently. He almost fell down, but kept his balance. Now was his chance. This had been his plan all along. Stupid, Jack. Real stupid.

Yuriko tumbled over into the altar as her men lost their balance too.

Jack raced up to the spiral stairs and climbed them as fast as he could. The ground was breaking beneath him, which made it harder for him to escape. The closer he got to the peak the worse off the spaces between the broken bits of the path.

Yuriko and her men had discovered Jack's escape and were closing in on him.

Taku reached him first. He attacked Jack on a large chunk of the breaking landscape.

Jack punched the man, but stumbled as the ground shifted again. He jumped up to a crumbling shard and then over to the path again. He was almost out, when a hand grabbed his ankle, restraining him.

It was Hiroshi. The Japanese man jerked Jack down, but it didn't keep the archaeologist down for long.

Jack used the momentum from the jerk downward to slide into Hiroshi and knocked him off the shard of the path. Quickly, Jack was on his feet and clambering for the falling pieces of dirt and clay that were his only way out. Jack pushed off one large piece and crashed into the mouth of the volcano. He held on as the volcano crumbled beneath him. He pulled himself up and out. He lay motionless for a few moments, but fear that someone would come out the volcano pushed him onward. Jack checked his pocket for the stone and headed down Mount Fuji.

Jack Canyon and The Wiccan Stones | CHAPTER TWO

words: 1727

"Why is it that someone always wants to bring back some
ancient ruler to a world they'll never understand, a world
filled with technology and weapons so much better than they
had before?" Jack asked almost scolding the woman's plan for
worldly domination. "Unless you want to overtake the Amish."

The woman's nonchalant face shifted into an enraged death
glare at the American archaeologist. Without much force she
thrust her hand into Jack's throat, which knocked him back and
knocked the wind from him. He choked slightly before taking
another blow, which knocked him out completely.

Logan stood in silence and fear as the woman single-handedly
took out his boss.

"Idiot," Yuriko stated sharply. She turned her attention to
Kin and Hiroshi. "Take them away."

"Wait, this is all just some kind of mistake," Logan tried to
reason, but no one would listen. "This is all Jack's fault."
Still, no one cared. "If we make it out of this alive, I'm
going to kill you, Jack."

***

"You're an idiot," Logan said kicking Jack's foot. "Wake up!"

Jack lay unconscious on the floor still from the beating he
had received from Yuriko Mushanaokoji.

"Wake up!" Logan yelled as he kicked Jack harder.

Jack was startled at first as he jumped up and looked around.
"I thought she killed me," Jack said rubbing his throat. "How
long was I out?"

"Nearly a day," Logan replied. "Are you sober? Can you
function properly enough to get us out of here?"

"Where is here?" Jack asked as he scanned the dark, empty
room.

"I don't know," Logan explained as he sat down on the cold
floor. "It's some kind of storage room."

"They didn't store much here," Jack said.

"They continuous checked on you throughout the night," Logan
told him. "I think they're waiting for you to awaken to get
information out of you. They haven't been in this morning."

"Well, they're not very good hosts, are they?" Jack asked as
he searched for the door. "Is there any kind of light in here
other than that dim one in the middle of the room?" Jack
turned and looked at the hanging light. He squinted his eyes
and moved closer.

"What are you doing?"

Jack reached up as high as he could trying to grab the light
fixture. "Do you have anything I could use to change the
direction of the beam?"

"Oh, yeah, I carry a mirror in my pocket, you know?"

"I need to find the door," Jack stated. "We have to get out
of here. These stones are not something I want this Japanese
bitch to get her hands on."

Logan sighed heavily at Jack's words. "That's always the
case, isn't it? Stop the bad guys from doing something stupid
that could destroy the world, right?"

"Yeah, that's usually the case."

"Why don't we get out of here and find them ourselves?" Logan
asked.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Jack answered. "They're
not meant to be disturbed."

"But you did the research on them and even found possible
locations," Logan responded vivaciously. "Why throw it all
away?"

"It's too dangerous of a trek," Jack argued with his partner.
"These stones are nothing separate. You put them together and
the magnitude of their power is devastating. Their power is
unlimited. The four sisters brought their friend back to life
and killed a man. With the right Wiccan incantations, the
world could be destroyed before you can even blink. That kind
of power should never be disturbed."

"But we cou--"

The door was opened abruptly interrupting Logan's sentence.
The light beamed into the room from the entrance. The flip of
a switch and the entire room was illuminated.

Jack stood directly beneath the center light as Yuriko
Mushanaokoji entered with Hiroshi Fukushima, Kin Mizoguchi,
Kisho Osaragi, and Taku Saeki. "You need four men to
accompany you to meet me? Last I checked you didn't need body
guards."

"They're not my bodyguards, Mr. Canyon," Yuriko told him.
"You have already met Hiroshi and Kin. This is Kisho and
Taku. These four men are my associates, so to speak. They
are my aids. They do my dirty work."

"Hey," Jack protested, "I'm not a dirty job."

"Mr. Canyon, please, come with us," Yuriko said as she turned
and headed out of the now-lit room.

"And if I refuse?"

Kisho poked Jack in the back with a gun forcing him forward.

"Hey, not on the first date," Jack joked, but was still forced
outside. Jack followed Yuriko out onto the pier behind the
warehouse. He felt quite uncomfortable with this situation.

"Now, as I was told, you would help," Yuriko announced.
"Logan Scott informed us that you were the best archaeologist
in the world."

"Well, I'm honored of such a title," Jack said acting as if he
was surprised and receiving some type of award.

"Now, tell us where we can find the stones," Yuriko ordered
him with a forceful tone.

"No," Jack declined.

"Then take us to them."

"I can't do that," Jack told the Asian woman.

The woman sighed hard enough to cause a the water in Tokyo Bay
to form a hurricane. She pulled a gun from under her gray
suit which fit to her form. She jabbed the barrel into Jack's
forehead and cocked the hammer.

"Killing me won't solve anything," Jack told her with a cocky
grin on his face.

Yuriko's face shifted from anger to realization. "You're
right. Tell me or I kill Logan Scott." She turned her gun
toward the other American.

Logan's arms shot up into position as if he were in a hold up.
His gut began to churn as he grew nervous. "Jack. . ."

"I don't know anything!" Jack yelled. "I never did. Don't
do this. Don't kill him."

"Take Mr. Scott away," Yuriko said. "Dispose of him."

Taku and Kin forced Logan down the pier and around to the
other side of the warehouse. Eventually they were out of
sight and behind the warehouse where no one would see the
events.

Jack jerked slightly as he heard a gunshot and then a splash.
"You bitch!"

"You have a very bad track record with partners, do you not,
Mr. Canyon?" Yuriko asked with a wicked look on her face. "I
think I see why you switched to men partners. You feel less
guilt than if they were women."

Jack jumped at Yuriko, who quickly grabbed him by the throat
and threw him down with great force. This woman was going to
be tough to beat with her martial arts technique.

"Tell me what I need to know. NOW! I know you know where two
of the stones are. Scott has informed me of your research and
notes."

"That idiot. . ." Jack muttered to himself as he rose to his
feet.

"So, tell me or you die," Yuriko said urgently.

"What's with all killing?" Jack asked. "Come on. It's not a
very lady-like thing to do. You might ruin that lovely suit."

"Take him back there and get rid of him," Yuriko said. "We
shall search for his journal ourselves. We do not need his
help."

Hiroshi and Kin forced Jack to move down the pier to where
Logan had been killed and dumped off into the water. Kin
pushed Jack close to the edge of the pier, causing him to fall
to his knees.

"I just bought these Carhartts!" Jack cried as he slowly got
back onto his feet. He dusted off his knees and checked the
moss-colored pants for tears.

"Where do you want it?" Kin asked as he readied his gun for
Jack.

"How about nowhere?" Jack pleaded.

"Just kill him and lets go back to work," Hiroshi stated.

Jack turned around to face the water. He made sure to take in
the entire set up of the dock. He made special note of the
crane arm not far from where he stood.

Kin pointed the gun at the back of Jack's head. "See you in
the next life."

Before Kin could pull the trigger, Jack spun around and
knocked it from his hand. He moved to punch the Japanese man,
but he ducked and came up with a kick to Jack's jaw. Jack
winced in pain and held his jaw.

Hiroshi was upon Jack before he knew it and delivered a
massive chop to his back knocking the American down. Quickly,
he did a roundhouse kick, which Jack avoided.

As Jack spun out of the way, he met Kin on his right. The
Asian man punched Jack multiple times with lightning fast
speed. Jack could barely recover in time before Hiroshi was
attacking him again. Finally getting back his footing, Jack
blocked their assault. Swiftly, Jack threw a few punches of
his own, connecting with Kin's nose and breaking it. With
Kin's nose broken and eyes watery, he could focus solely on
Hiroshi.

"American street brawl style?" Hiroshi asked with an amused
look on his face.

"I take it that you guys like this stuff, huh?"

"Makes for great enjoyment," Hiroshi responded as he kicked at
Jack and then punched at him. He landed a few good licks on
Jack, before Jack was able to come back.

Without great effort, Jack punched Hiroshi in the mouth
causing blood to flow. He jerked around and jumped out onto
the cable of the crane arm and swung out into Tokyo Bay where
a passing boat was. It was just some Japanese kids having a
joy ride in daddy's new speed boat.

Hiroshi and Kin looked from the dock in disbelief at what the
American was capable of.

Jack let go of the cable as the boat neared and landed right
on top of its bow. He held on for dear life as the young
driver ordered the other man in the boat to help the American
out. He was then pulled onto the boat and safe.

"Are you okay?" The man asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Jack replied. "Thanks for helping me out."

"Who are you?" One of the ladies on the boat asked.

"The name's Jack Canyon," Jack said with a wink.

"The infamous archaeologist?" The driver questioned in shock.

"That's me." Jack turned slowly around to see in the horizon
boats coming his way. Yuriko had sent her own armada of boats
after him. Damn, he thought.