The air was warm with the distinct smell of salt and sea water as Connor rounded the yacht to enter Sevastopol. Connor turned the yacht into the first available marina along the Sevastopol bay and was greeted by a man who was dressed in overalls, wore a thick beard and bald head, and spoke very softly. The man spoke in Russian and from what Connor could gather was asking about papers or money. Andre engaged the man in conversation and the yacht was soon tied to the marina. Andre and Connor went below deck to collect their belongings.
"What did he say?" Connor asked.
Andre quickly gathered together some clothes and money. "He say vee velcome to dock yacht here and to go to resort to find answer."
"Are you sure we should go to this resort Andre?" Connor asked.
"Vone hundred percent positive Connor." Andre responded.
Connor watched Andre pack things up. "I guees I don't know why people would be in Sevastopol when Billy's stick fighting tournament is in Kyiv."
"Is very simple Connor...first vee must make contact vith people going to tournament...is very possible zay know vhut is going on vith Billy...vee get good information and zen go to Kyiv." Andre responded.
Connor looked at Andre cautiously. "It sounds great in theory, but the tournament begins in three days and we still don't know if I can get past Billy's ban on me fighting."
"Is not matter if you invited or not...is matter zat vee go..." Andre's voice sounded reassuring.
"Well then let's go find out if anyone is really lolly gaging around Sevastopol like us." Connor sneered.
Andre snorted through his nostrils and grabbed his belongings. Connor wasn't familiar with cabin fever, but he could tell that Andre needed to get away from the yacht for a while, even if it was for just one night. Connor gathered up some clothes and money for himself and followed Andre off the yacht. Andre hailed a cab once they reached the street and asked it to take them to the Aquarius Resort. The driver bargained with Andre over the price and eventually settled on a payment closer to Andre's original offer.
The streets in Sevastopol were not very busy, but it still felt like a resort town at the end of the resort season. Vendors had bright souvenirs and beach wear waving in the light breeze. Tourists were aimlessly roaming around the streets and the first beach they drove by was flecked with umbrellas and beach towels.
As the cab approached the resort, Connor could tell it was high end. The columns on the twenty story building looked like pure marble and the statues and fountains surrounding the front court yard of the resort were beautifully sculpted from Ukrainian granite. Connor looked at the people in front of the resort and most of them looked Ukrainian or Russian. He did not see anything out of the ordinary.
The cab stopped at the front doors of the resort and Andre and Connor got out of the cab. They collected their belongings and entered the resort to friendly greetings from the staff who offered to carry their bags. Andre respectfully declined and was directed to the resorts front desk. When they arrived at the front desk Andre made arrangements for a room for the night.
Connor studied the entryway of the resort. There were small palm trees in large turquoise pots and all of the railings and banisters looked to be exquisitely polished brass. On one side of the resort was a glass elevator that reached each floor of the resort and the middle of the building was a giant atrium with a glass ceiling letting in natural sunlight all throughout the inside of the resort.
Andre pushed Connor along to the elevator and then pushed the number nineteen once they were in the elevator. Connor silently waited for them to reach their quarters for the night and Andre tried to look for people on every floor they passed. By the time they reached their room Connor felt like he needed some serious space away from Andre.
"Do you mind if I go to the beach and get some rest after we put our things in the room?" Connor asked.
Andre stayed fixated on looking at the people through the glass of the elevator. "Not at all...I vould like to get some good food."
"Perfect...I'll meet you back at the room before dark." Connor said.
"Very good!" Andre smiled.
Connor didn't bother to examine the room closely, he went into the bathroom, changed into a pair of shorts, grabbed a towel, and headed back down the elevator. He suddenly felt a huge sense of relief as the elevator descended to the main floor. Connor didn't know how long he would be at the beach or if he would run into anyone associated with the tournament in Kyiv. All he cared about was lying on the beach and forgetting about the last couple of weeks at sea.
On the main floor Connor asked how to get to the beach. With the help from one of the workers who spoke decent English he was able to go out the back of the resort, climb down a concrete staircase, and walk right onto the beach. Connor almost felt like running across the beach to the water, but was a bit apprehensive about causing a scene. Instead he walked across the long beach towards a kiosk where most of the umbrellas and people were gathered. Connor laid out his towel next to a young family whose two little children were building sand castles. Connor smiled at the mother and father and laid out his towel and lied down. Within a few minutes Connor had drifted to sleep.
For the first time in a long time Connor's mind was a blank canvas and he mindfully smiled as the sleep continued to consume him. Connor felt the warmth of the sand on his hands and feet for a long time. Soon there was a hint of coolness covering his feet. Connor did not come out of his sleep, but focused on the warmth still touching his hands. A little while later the warmth from his entire body had gone away and he felt a chill go down the bottom of his foot that caused him to wake up.
As his eyes opened he spotted two figures at his feet pouring something into the ground. Connor opened his eyes as wide as he could and saw that it was the two children. He looked around and found himself covered in sand. The two children playing at his feet were now looking at him and smiling. Connor smiled back.
"Do you two know what you just did?" Connor asked comically.
Both children looked at him as if they didn't know what he had said. Connor laughed silently and put his head back down. The parents of the children were jogging back towards Connor from the sea. They apologized to Connor in Russian and asked for his forgiveness. Connor just smiled at them and told them it was okay. He eventually made his way out from under the sand and shook off his towel. He rubbed the top of the head of each child and waved goodbye to them as he walked toward the water. The further he got from the kiosk the less people there were. After walking about twenty two meters he was at the water and contemplating if he should go for a swim.
The sand from the beach was down his shorts and he could feel it in his hair. He decided to jump in the water which was cooler than he expected. After swimming out several meters he headed back to the beach. To Connor's surprise someone was waiting for him by his towel when he got out of the water.
Connor walked up to the young man who he called his competitor a few short weeks ago and looked him square in the eye with a look of seriousness.
"What are you doing here Shuji?" Connor asked.
Shuji returned Connor's stare and then let out a glint of a grin. "Is good to see you again staff master."
Shuji bowed to Connor and Connor respectfully nodded back.
"Why are you here?" Connor asked again.
Shuji discreetly scanned the beach. "Is simple and I will tell you now...but we never have this talk...you good with this?"
Connor paused. "Go ahead."
Shuji started walking away from the small cluster of people into a more open area on the beach.
"Kenshi is divided and I playing both sides." Shuji cut straight to the heart of the matter.
"Excuse me?" Connor retorted.
"There is major problem with Kenshi right now. One leader want to expand west and other more traditional leader want Kenshi to shut down all stick houses in world a
nd end all abomination of stick fighting." Shuji's facial expression shifted from being tense to an almost reverent state. "He want to return stick fighting to art form and promote peace through art form."
"And what do you want?" Connor was in no mood for games.
Shuji's reverence disappeared and a heightened intensity returned to his face. "Traditional leader name is Nobuharu and he my great uncle. He give me mission to join other Kenshi leader and find out how to bring down stick houses."
"So who is this other leader?" Connor countered.
"His name is Katsu and will be in Kyiv for tournament. He defeat all Kenshi, but great uncle Nobuharu. Nobuharu refuse to fight." Shuji bowed as he spoke his uncles's name. "Most Kenshi follow Katsu, but is small group who loyal to Nobuharu including me. I need other fighter who help me find how to take down stick houses and tournaments."
Connor felt like laughing outloud, but restrained himself. "And you want me to join you?"
"I need help and I trust you staff master. You prove you are true quarter staff fighter. Nobuharu tell me I can trust true quarter staff master. I need just you." Shuji nodded respectfully toward Connor.
Connor took a long look at Shuji. "I was taught to never trust the Kenshi."
"Your family have good reason to not trust Kenshi. Kenshi you father fought is different Kenshi than Kenshi of Nobuharu. We want same thing and you can help." Shuji had a slight pleading tone in his voice.
"I don't know Shuji. This just doesn't add up for me. Besides, my priority is to find my mom." Connor instinctively knew that an alliance with Shuji was risky, but was also desperate to find his mom. "If you can help me with that then I'll think about helping out on your end."
"Who is your mother?" Shuji asked inquisitively.
Connor sensed a sincere tone in Shuji's voice. "She was taken by the Kenshi when I was a boy and I believe she is still alive."
"Kenshi take many people to learn secrets of stick fighting around world." Shuji shook his head. "Where is mother from?"
Connor felt like he had the slightest glimmer of hope in finding his mom. "She's American, but she lived with me and my father in England."
"I know one American woman who work for Kenshi. She very smart and do all business for Katsu. Nobuharu think she reason Katsu want to go west." Shuji looked like he was thinking hard.
"Do you know her name?" Connor could barely contain his enthusiasm.
"I think it something like Celia...Katsu call her CC."
"I think she's my mom!" Connor realized as he blurted out his excitement and then lowered his voice. "What else do you know about her?"
Shuji was surprised by Connor's expressive jubilation. "Nobuhura talk little about her, but he say she help build wealth of Kenshi Empire in Pacific rim."
"So you're telling me my mom is part of the Kenshi?" Connor's voice deflated.
"I tell you what I know staff master."
Connor was beginning to get agitated. "Can you stop calling me that Shuji. Just call me Connor."
"Sure thing Master Connor." Shuji nodded.
"Just Connor." Connor shook his head disapprovingly.
Shuji tried to read Connor's body language. "Connor...okay...Connor,"
Connor felt like he needed to clarify the conversation that was losing its momentum. "Does CC still work in Japan?"
"She stay with Katsu all time...where Katsu go she go." Shuji smiled. "Katsu going to Kyiv for tournament. CC be with him."
Connor felt a surge of energy hit his nervous system. "Thank you Shuji. What do you need me to do?"
Shuji looked down to the ground. "I know Billy ban you from tournament, but he not ban your coach. Can coach fight still?"
"He can still fight." Connor was perplexed by Shuji's question.
"Good. Have coach fight and you be coach." Shuji spoke very directly. "I need to win tournament to gain Katsu's full trust. Katsu not happy I lose to you Connor."
Connor suddenly felt like he was being played the fool. "What if you're just doing this to win the stupid tournament?"
"I tell you Connor I need play both side of Kenshi and bring down Katsu." A sense of urgency returned to Shuji's voice.
"That's great Shuji, but it's going to take more than a tournament victory to take down Katsu and Billy." Connor's logical train of thought kicked in. "Let's not forget that they're working together."
"Billy can be defeated, is difficult, but can be done." Shuji looked as if he knew something Connor didn't.
"What do you mean?" Connor said bluntly.
Shuji returned his gaze towards the ground. "Take down Billy first."
"You want me to...?" Connor wasn't sure what Shuji was asking of him.
"Kill Billy."
Connor's mind instantly flashed back to what happened to Veloz in the final match in El Djem. His instinct to flee back to England kicked in as well. "I'm not sure I can do that Shuji. I'm not in the killing business."
"You study quarter staff. You know that style of bear is to kill enemy." Shuji pleaded. "You kill Veloz."
"Don't remind me of that Shuji. I didn't mean to kill him." Connor choked on his words.
Shuji looked intently into Connor's eyes. "In every art of fighting is style designed to kill. For you it is bear. Billy is enemy to our art forms. He must be killed so we can get to Katsu."
Connor shook his head. "I don't know Shuji. This is getting pretty deep. I just want to find my mom."
"And you know how to find mom. You must find out which side of Kenshi mother is on after you kill Billy."
Shuji's statement was startling shocking to Connor. He didn't want to think what it would mean if his mom was on the side he was fighting against. Connor tried to shut it out of his mind. "What does that matter?"
"She can help if she loyal to you or is she loyal to Nobuharu." Shuji was as animated as Connor had ever seen him.
Connor could sense Shuji was reaching. "I thought you said she was loyal to Katsu?"
"Is too much confusion with Kenshi to know who is loyal to who." Shuji quickly responded.
The thought of finding his mother pushed Connor past the point of listening to the logical side of his brain. "I won't be able to get close to Billy or to my mom very easily. I know Billy wants nothing to do with me unless he can dispose of me."
Shuji's excitement heightened. "Is why I trust you to kill him. Nobuharu trust you too. When I tell him of you he say you can do anything with a staff."
"Look Shuji, I just don't know." Connor was emotionally torn between finding his mom and purposefully agreeing to kill another man.
"You going to Kyiv, yes?"
"Well yeah...I just didn't know I'd be this close to finding my mom." Connor couldn't believe he was in the thick of finding his mom. "I thought I'd pick up some clues or get invited to fight somewhere in the pacific if I kept fighting."
"Look Connor. Kenshi not invite western figther to Japan to fight. Maybe you get fight in Hawaii or San Francisco, but not close to Japan." Shuji tried to put perspective on the situation. "This maybe only chance to take strike at Kenshi outside of Japan and you can get close."
Connor played out a series of potential scenarios in his mind trying to foresee all the problems he might encounter. "And what if I have a shot at Katsu? Do I take it?"
Shuji felt like Connor was beginning to consent. "Katsu too disciplined to give you chance at him. We not need Katsu yet, we need to take down Billy and show Katsu that going west is bad idea. If lucky we get more information to take down Katsu when I return victorious to Japan."
"So you'll let me do your dirty work and disappear so that you can maybe bring down Katsu. That's not how this is going to work Shuji." Connor was digging deep and the thought of his mom pushed him on. "If you want my help I'm going to go all the way with you, even if that means going to Japan to figure out how my mom is involved in all of this."
Shuji looked down a
t the sand deep in thought. He slowly raised his head and Connor could see a glint of tears in his eyes. "You are more than I thought Connor. We will go together to the end."
Connor could feel how much this plan meant to Shuji. "I can't promise that I'll kill Billy, but I'll do my best to get him out of the way."
"After you take care of Billy go to Japan. There is small village called Zamami in Okinawa. You go there and find me. Is where I train." Shuji nodded.
Connor looked puzzled. "Do you expect us to take down the Kenshi from there?"
"We will need place to regroup and plan. We will know how vulnerable Kenshi is after Billy is defeated." Shuji reassured him.
"Just to be clear...I need to enter Andre in the tournament in Kyiv, figure out a way to get close to Billy, get rid of Billy, and see if my mom is loyal to Nobuharu. Is that right?" Connor reiterated.
"Yes Connor. No matter what happen after Billy dead we meet in Zamami."
"I'll see you then." Connor responded.
Shuji politely bowed to Connor and quickly walked away. Connor's head was swirling. The last person he expected to meet on the beach was Shuji and he had just agreed to help him attempt to bring down the Kenshi Empire. The thought of purposefully doing harm to someone churned Connor's stomach even though it was someone he hated; he couldn't settle his nerves with what he just agreed to do. Connor felt queasy and dry heaved on the beach. He staggered back to his towel and headed back to his room.