It’s raining. This part of the city, hustles, and bustles. China women and men getting money. Mr. Lo watches from a large window. Light creeps in through the vertical blinds. Mr. Lo checks his watch. It’s the 2nd time he’s done so in the last ten minutes.

There are dark ominous clouds in the distance. Mr. Lo sees lighting. Moments later there is thunder. Fitting, Mr. Lo thinks to himself.

There’s a chime from a wall clock. Mr. Lo is slightly startled. He frowns as he looks at a clock. His gaze turns to the rest of Tony Jai’s office. A large room that has consumed by darkness. There’s a chair, desk, and grey carpet that vanishes into the blackness. All the furniture is foreign and extremely expensive. The office smells like a pair of Jordans that you stood in line waiting for, possibly even better.

The door opens. Tony Jai walks into the room.

“Mr. Lo. I want to apologize for being late” says Tony as he adjusts his jacket. Tony looks around the room as if he is lost. He isn’t used to the darkness. Tony fixes his shirt collar. There is perspiration on his brow. A tinge of perfume lingers in the air. He was with a woman, Mr. Lo thinks to himself.

“Mr. Lo, about yesterday…” says Tony.

“How does he know me?” asks Mr. Lo.

“I’m not sure.”

“You’re not sure? He said my name!”

Mr. Lo walks closer.

“Enough with your lies! Your recklessness has cost your family. And now, the loss of Mr. Shi. Who is he? I want to know about him. I want to know who he is. Don’t lie to me!”

Tony sighs and sits on a bench near the window.

“I first heard about him, months ago. Some of my men said that someone had hit one of our places. I suspected someone else. But, when they told me that no money was taken. I was confused. When they told me that this person, was a black guy, I knew it was something else. He wouldn’t stop. He kept going. I didn’t know what to do. He never took any money. Seemed like he was trying to shut me down.”

“And he did! And then you reached out to Mr. Shi without speaking to your father. How does this scoundrel know who you are?”

“That’s the thing. I don’t know. I don’t know who he is. I keep wondering if I knew him. I hired a few black guys to do security before, but that’s it.”

“So how does he know about me? How did he know that I’d be here?”

“I really don’t know. But there is something else about him.”

Tony hesitates.

“Go on, tell me!” says Mr. Lo as he pounds his fist into his hands.

“Sometimes he writes his name on the wall.”

“WHAT?”

“Yeah, he actually writes his name on the wall, like some sort of joke. He would write MASTERNEVER ” explains Tony, lowering his head.

Mr. Lo turns towards the window. The rain beats hard.

“Did you hear him yesterday? That’s what he calls himself. He calls himself Masternever” says Tony.

Mr. Lo looks at Tony momentarily.

“Masternever. I’m wondering,” says Mr. Lo.

Tony shrugs his shoulders.

“His name concerns me.”

“Why?” asks Tony.

Mr. Lo’s mind reflect on a time, years ago, when he saw a man who moved like Masternever. It was in Shanghai, this was a time when Mr. Lo, was run by opium, women, drugs. It was then that he saw a man who dodged bullets. Who vanished and struck like lightning.

“His name concerns me,” says Mr. Lo.

“AND IT SHOULD!” bellows an ominous voice.

Tony draws his firearm in an attempts to turn on a light switch. There is no response. Only the sound of thunder.

The two men look into the darkness, wondering who lurks in the darkness. There is a faint smell, like something rotten, a mixture of garbage and a decomposing dog, or a hot New York City street night in the summer, but whatever.

“THE PERSON YOU SEEK, THIS IS NO ORDINARY MAN” hisses the voice.

Tony points his weapon.

“Show yourself or you’re dead!” says Tony.

Mr. Lo walks to Tony’s side, lowering his weapon.

“Show yourself immediately” demands Mr. Lo.

From the darkness, a short figure emerges. As he comes closer, the stench increases. This is not the intruder from the restaurant. This is a man of the Han people, with withered flesh, almost rotting. He’s adorned in a long black robe that attempts to conceal his wretched skin.

Tony covers his nose. With each step, the new intruder’s stench grows stronger. Mr. Lo can make out more of his features. There are long nails. Although he is old, his hair is jet black and his skin is filled with boils and rashes.

“THE ONE YOU SEEK, IS NO MERE MORTAL. HE IS A LEGEND OF OLD”

“Do you speak of the myth of the Neverending Masters?” asks Mr. Lo.

The intruder smiles and reveals a ghastly set of ravenous teeth.

“INDEED! HE IS HERE. WHAT YOU SEEK IS NO MYTH! THE NEVERENDING MASTER IS HERE IN THIS VERY CITY!”

Tony steps backward and bumps into a wall. He’s studying the intruder and Mr. Lo, wondering if a sick game is being played on him.

“THE NEVERENDING MASTER IS HERE AND I SHALL HELP RID YOURSELF OF THIS PROBLEM.”

“What do you want?” asks Mr. Lo.

The frail creature raises his hands and clasps them together and starts to laugh. His demonic cackle echoes throughout the room, complemented by the sound of thunder.