Chapter 25 - Tzar of the East

Feeling provoked Chuck smugly smiled at her...

"So Officer Johanna, I suppose your superior has ordered you to be nice to me," winked Chuck, "and by the way Sarge, you need to improve on your whispering. If people could hear it, it's not whispering," Chuck imitated a lowered volume, but a still audible tone similar to the Sergeant, jesting him.

Focusing back on Johanna, he continued, "Since it is a direct order, I suppose you law-abiders chained by the system 'has' no option but to obey. Now, how is obedient little Johanna going to be nice to me?"

Blatantly checking out the curves of Johanna Chuck said, "I can think of a few ways of Officer Johanna being 'nice' to me, with those long legs and that shapely butt, a session of twerk may perk me up," teased Chuck.

In the scene of a crime, surrounded by tens of police officers, Chuck and Chuck alone is daring enough to tease a high commanding officer in front of her subordinates and superiors.

As all the standing officers were displeased over one of their own being jested and objectified. Chuck ignored the angry expression of the police officers and leaped lightly and sat on the trunk of the police sedan behind him.

Sitting on the car trunk made Chuck elevated above Johanna like a king looking down from his throne, as he crossed his legs and his elbows placed at the top of the roof behind him, he exuded an aura of cunning and oppressiveness.

Like a supreme whose might is proved time and again, tempered in the visceral struggles of life and death, a king proven by victory not by inheritance, a dictator proven by his oppressive might, a regal delinquent unfettered and free.

Right before the impulsive young officers are about to step forward to teach Chuck a lesson on justice, the Sergeant screamed out in his megaphone...

"HALT! ALL OFFICERS STAY YOUR STATION! DO NOT MOVE OR PROVOKE! I REPEAT DO NOT MOVE OR PROVOKE"

Then he hurried forward to Chuck, who is still smiling at the events unfolding.

"...Norris ...Chuck Norris ... height 6'4 ...grey hair ... a rare condition of eye color changing with emotions..." the Sergeant's breath turned hoarse as he saw the deep amber color of Chuck's eyes, which were black minutes ago.

[Gulp] "...Sire..." bowed the Sergeant.

Everyone was dumbfounded by the attitude and the weird manner of speech from the Police Sergeant.

After much deliberation, the Sarge continued,"...am ...am I in the esteemed presence of a Tzar?" as the Sarge spoke his spine and voice lowered and lowered.

"Hahahaha"

Chuck said nothing but his laughter more unbridled than the scorching sun said it all, an aura of a wild beast was unleashed! Blood! Violence! Everyone felt as if they were stared by a predator far high in the food chain!

The Sarge stumbled back losing his balance, the new rookie who was nearby helped him up...

"Sarge, get your act together. He is but one man."

The Sarge took a deep breath and said, "... I rather oppose an army."

"Call in reinforcements! Use the radio, inform the police headquarters and the Chief Commissioner, tell him…"

"…the Tzar of the East is in the country!"

Another police officer walked up to Johanna, "Is informing the headquarters necessary? This is just a fire case..."

"If he is really the Tzar, the Sarge informed the headquarters not for more Police but..."

"...to call in the Army!"

"...The what!!! ...What's a Tzar?"

"Mafia Supremes! The crownless rulers of a continent! Beings beyond the law!" said Johanna looking at Chuck as if she is looking at him for the first time.

The cellphone of the Sarge buzzed with a call id showing 'private number'. The voice on the other side asked only one thing, "Are you sure?"

"...he hasn't said anything ...things are hard to confirm without bloodshed ...but if we were to engage ...none of us would be breathing."

After a moment of silence, to the relief of the Sergeant, the voice on the other end said, "Don't engage."

Simultaneously the police radio starting buzzing with a request for assistance...

"All units respond! Close all the major roadways in Wunhuan city! The city is under lockdown! All units within a 100 miles blockade and surround the 22nd square in Yiliyao district! Blockade! But do not engage! Command repeat, Blockade! Do not engage!"

The sound of the radio was soon muffled by the noise of two Police helicopters closing in and police cruisers one after another skidding into the scene with the police siren blaring!

All the while, Chuck with a casual look took a crumpled cigarette out of his pocket, picked up a piece of scattered burning debris and lit the cigarette with the open flame, exhaling a lungful of smoke. Still holding onto the flaming debris, Chuck continued to sit on the trunk of the car, as if he is daring the snipers to take a shot at him, looking up at the closing in helicopters.

If Chuck was exuding the aura of a king before, the sight of multiple police cruisers with their lights flashing and the sirens blaring was like a bizarre welcomed ceremony of a king, proving his status as a supreme, as they circle Chuck and the burning building.

Johanna who always had a high opinion of her had merely become a background character at the moment.

At the same moment where Johanna was feeling lost, authoritative leaders and economic hegemons are contacting one another to relay the consequential message that...

"...The Tzar of East is here!"