MARVEL/DC COMICS PRESENTS #16

Shang-Chi

San Francisco

New Year’s Eve

2000

“Happy New Year, everybody!” a drunken man said as he stumbled out of the door of Cisco’s.

Cisco’s bar hosted many happy patrons in its long history. Each as satisfied as the gentleman that stumbled out. Despite changing hands many times over the years, the bar was always a place for one to gather their thoughts as well as their libations.

The bar was nearly emptied of patrons on this New Year’s Eve night. A rarity to be certain. Aside from a long-haired man sleeping in a far corner booth, there was only the bartender and…

“Shaun! Thought you were going out with the rest of the crew?” the the tall gray bearded bartender said as he wiped off the countertop.. Before him a young Asian man sat staring at an empty glass.

“Oh,” Shaun said as he lifted his eyes towards him, “pardon me, what?”

“I said the bar is on fire and we got to go.”

“What?” Shaun said as he rose from his seat with a troubled look.

“Relax, man, relax. It was just a joke.” the bartender said as he raised his hands trying to calm Shaun’s reaction. “You do know what a joke is?”

“Sorry,” Shaun said as he slowly sat ion the barstool. “I guess I’ve got a lot on my mind other than celebrating tonight.”

“I see,” the bartender said as he looked deeper into Shaun. “Well, my office is open until closing time. You won’t be the first patron to come in here with a lot on their mind staring at a drink. You can talk to me. Ever since you’ve been coming in with those servers from the restaurant for the last few months, you didn’t seem this rattled. What’s going on?”

“I… well. Not to go into any detail, I’m just reexamining my decisions as of late. Wondering if I made the right choices that brought me here and if I should do more.”

The bartender pulled a barstool over to face Shaun and sat upon it. “Well judging from the little I know of you and the vibe I’m getting from what you just said I’m going to need a seat and one other thing.” He reached down under the counter groaning as he moved. Then pulled a clear bottle filled with a light orange looking drink.

“What’s that?” Shaun asked as the bartender placed the bottle on the he counter.

“This my friend is a special personal concoction of mine. The recipe was passed down to me for centuries by the men in my family. It’s a non-alcoholic juice that’s guaranteed to make you feel buzzed without a drop of liquor.” the bartender said as he pulled over a shot glass for himself. “The perfect drink for a story. Have some?”

Shaun hesitated at first then pushed his glass forward to partake.

“Great!” the bartender said as he proceeded to pour a little into their glasses. “Now, what’s going on?”

“I hate that you’ve gone through all of this for me, Cisco.”

“Name’s not Cisco,” the bartender said after taking a sip from his glass.

“What?”

“Name’s not Cisco. Long story short. Bought the place years ago and kept the name. The name’s Rafe. Now, go on.”

“Well, Rafe, I was just thinking over my choices lately. Wondering if I made the right choice to leave home.”

“Where was home?”

“Asia. Please don’t inquire further.”

“Fair enough. Go on.”

“I was raised to work for my father and take over the family business. The business was not an honest one. A big reason why I do not go into specifics. There was a time that I thought I would. Then things changed and I left the family business and all I knew to start over. Now I’m…”

“…wondering if you made the right decision to leave?”

“Yes.”

Rafe took a sip from his glass, “I’d wager a guess that this was a bad situation that you left?”

Shaun began to play a little with his glass as he looked at it. “In a sense, yes. My father groomed and prepared me to work in the family business and succeed him one day. I could have anything I wanted if I stayed. Wealth, power, and prestige.”

“Don’t sound so bad.”

“But it is,” Shaun said as he lifted his eyes up to Rafe. “I would have been in a cage that would have turned me into something I would hate. I wouldn’t be me anymore. I guess I could have stayed and changed things from within, but it would’ve been taken out of my hands. I would’ve been trapped.”

“Sounds like you already know if you made the right answer for you. You know what I mean?”

Shaun pondered this for a few seconds, “I guess you’re right. Leaving was the best thing. I guess… I needed to hear that from someone else as well as out loud. Now I need to figure out where to go from here.”

“Well,” Rafe sad as he got up from his seat, “my job is done. You’ll have to come back after figuring that one out on your own first. You know where to find me.”

“Yeah, I do,” Shaun said as he rose up from his seat. “Thank you. I don’t know how to pay you for your counsel.”

“You can start by drinking my family’s brew.” Rafe said pointing down at Shaun’s untouched glass. “Drink it and we’re even.”

“Oh yes,” Shaun said as he realized that he didn’t drink from his glass. He quickly took the glass and gulped the orange fruity liquid in one gulp. “Thank you for the drink! Happy New Year!”

“Happy New Year, Shaun!” Rafe said as he waved and watched Shaun leave the bar.

Shaun walked the streets for blocks after leaving the bar. As he walked underneath the clear night sky peppered with occasional fireworks shooting across, his mind continued to ponder the conversation. Then a scream derailed his train of thought. He looked around and saw a toddler running into the street. Without much thought, Shaun raced over and scooped the child into his arms before a car approached.

“My baby!” the child’s crying mother said as she came to them.

Shaun gave the child to their thankful mother. With joyful tears, the mother kissed him and said, “Thank God you were here! Thank you so much!”

“You’re most welcome,” a humble Shaun said smiling. As mother and child walked away, Shaun continued his walk home.

After walking a few more blocks, Shaun reached his townhouse. As he entered, something felt off. His senses began to sharpen. Muscles began to tense in preparation for attack. He walked slowly with each step moving silently upon the floor.

“Zheng Shang-Chi,” a commanding voice said from the den.

Shaun walked into the room where the voice called from. It was all too familiar to him. A voice that he once respected and called…”Father.” Ra’s al Ghul, The Demon’s Head and leader of the League of Assassins.

“I gave a son the name worthy of his destiny by my side and instead he’s a server in a low scale Chinese restaurant and calling himself Shaun.”

Shang-Chi walked in to the room. The lights were off, but dark figures could be seen near the window. One of which turned on a nearby lamp. Light revealed a large bald man standing with a grim look and dressed in an old Middle Eastern style. He stood close to the man seated with a protective mood. The man seated sat with legs crossed with a regal sense about him. He sat dressed in a green suit with a green cloak with large gold buttons holding it in place. His dark cold green eyes were part of a face that had black eyebrows and equally black mustache. Atop his head were black hair with white whisps on each side. The widows peak hairstyle giving him an almost crown like appearance on his head.

“How did you find me?” Shang-Chi asked.

“I must commend you my son. Your training allowed you to evade me for nearly a year. However, the resources of the League of Assassins are still formidable.”

“Why are you here?” Shang-Chi asked.

“Is it not obvious? I’ve come to bring you home.” Ra’s said, matter-of-factly.

“I’m not leaving with you. I’m not returning to the League.” Shang-Chi said as he slowly walked over to the right towards a chair.

“It is your destiny, my son. Your very name is a mark of the ascension that awaits you by my side. I have allowed you time to think and now you must come to your senses. Return with me or…”

“Or what?” Shang-Chi asked as his tensed for a fight. “You’ll tie me up and send me to my room? I am not a child!”

“You’re my child!” Ra’s shouted back as he rose to his feet. “You are of my blood and you were meant to rule! The world is changing and we must act quickly to save it and seize our place in it.”

“I don’t care about that! I never cared about that. You did. That’s why I left. Left the League. Left you. Saving this world doesn’t mean sacrificing innocent life to do it.”

“Is that why you did not carry out my commands on your last mission? You would rather save the life of one greedy fool whose actions are killing the planet?”

“That official was a man with a family who was changing his stance to one that would make steps to help save this world. His heart changed after the birth of his child. Do we take the chance and choice away from him to change? Doesn’t he and anyone else have the right to change their paths? Do I?”

“So, your destiny is to be what now?”

“Anything I want.”

Ra’s stared at his son. His eyes probing for any sign of the son he thought he knew. “To leave the League is death, my son.” Behind him, his quiet servant began to slowly pull out a bladed weapon from his side.

In response, Shang-Chi raised his hands into a defensive posture. The sense of an attack was too strong to ignore. He noticed a slight twitch in the body of the servant and planned his response. Then his father placed a gentle hand on the servant’s sword hand. Shang-Chi lowered his hands in response.

“I will stay your execution, my son, and give you time to come to your senses. In the fullness of time, I will ask you once again to return.” Ra’s said.

“I will be gone by then. Please, father, do not search for me. I will take greater steps to disappear this time.”

Ra’s motioned to his servant. The servant bowed his head and promptly left the room. Then he turned to his son and said, “Till next time.”

Shang-Chi watched as the pair left the building and entered a waiting limo outside. Small crowds had gathered outside to celebrate the coming new year. A few children tried to look through the tinted windows, but were frightened away as the window rolled down. A hand motioned for him to come.

Shang-Chi walked over to the limo. His father in the shadow of the limo said, “Look at them.” His long finger pointing to the various groups nearby smiling, laughing, and celebrating. “What do you see?”

Shang-Chi looked around and said, “I see people trying to live their lives hopeful that the new year will be better than the last. I see them resolving to that to the best of their ability without harming another soul to do it.”

Ra’s stared at his son for a moment before replying, “I see fools who will add tons of unnecessary waste to an already beleaguered planet. I see them making the same mistakes over and over with each year. I see a harvest of humanity that must be culled so that the planet may survive. One day, my son, you will see it as well. When that day comes, I will ask you to join me again. In the meantime, do not hinder us in our endeavors. Farewell.”

The limo window closed and drove slowly away. As Shang-Chi watched the limo, the crowd shouted in unison, “Five, four, three, two, one…Happy New Year!”

He watched as the people celebrated and noticed a woman in the crowd waving vigorously trying to catch his attention. Instantly he recognized her as the woman whose child he saved earlier. A large smile appeared on his face as the woman had the child’s hand waving at him.

The door to Cisco’s bar opened and Ra’s al Ghul and his tall servant walked casually in. The pair went over to the counter as Rafe popped up from under it.

“Oh, we’re closed, but I can make an exception. New Year’s Day and all. So what will it be gentlemen?” Rafe said.

“Enough, Chameleon. Report.” Ra’s commanded.

Rafe changed his posture by standing a little taller. Then he changed his voice and tone and made it sound higher with a Russian accent. “Everything went according to plan. I replaced the owner and placed the tracers into the subject’s system.”

“Are you certain as to these tracers’ ability?” Ra’s asked.

“Positive,” Chameleon replied. “The tracers were ingested by the target under the pretense of a drink. They’re nanotechnology developed by Stark International. They have by now attached themselves in the subject’s abdominal lining. They will emit a low level signal that can be detected with this device.” Chameleon said as he handed a small rectangular device to him. “Due to their small size, the tracers are untraceable without this device. As long as they’re active, you can trace the subject anywhere.”

“Good,” Ra’s said. “Your skills were well founded. Payment will be sent to your account before the end of the day.”

“Thank you. If I may ask a question of you?” Chameleon asked.

Ra’s nodded his acceptance.

“Why go through all this with him?”

“Because he is my son and I, as his father, knows what’s best for him. I will speak no more on the matter.” Ra’s said with a stern tone.

“Fine,” Chameleon said, “you do know you are going to lose him like this?”

Ra’s was nearly to the door when he stopped at Chameleon’s words. He turned and said, “I have lived for over 700 years and gained a measure of wisdom in that time. I am not without contingencies. For every heir, there should be a spare. Good night.”