Undercover - In China - Book 7

Part 42 - Escape from Murga

We passed few ox carts on the Jiangling road but most of the people were on foot and they all were heading south. 

We saw fewer people as the day progressed and, as the road wound through some rocky hills, I realized there was no one in sight. I had a bad feeling as we passed a small copse. The bamboo clattered together in the breeze making an eerie, 'tock, tock, tock' sound. My premonition became real in the form of three heavily armed horsemen who suddenly materialized from the bamboo. 

 'We have a problem, sergeant,' Miguel said quietly. The first one wore a yellow scarf around his head and a beautifully embroidered, blue surcoat. We jerked to a stop as he grabbed the reins and yelled something at Licia. The second man put a spear up to her throat and shouted. The third bandit was towing a spare horse which was covered with blood. My stomach churned. These were the men who had kidnapped Dr Zhang. I looked around but there was no sign of Murga. 

 'I told him we were students of Master Zhang Lee, a humble teacher travelling to Jiangling,' Licia muttered. 

 Blue Coat shouted and tried pull me off the carriage. I ducked, knocking my head scarf off and he recoiled in alarm as he saw my blue eyes. I glared at him, hoping my barbarian devil, blue eyes might scare him off. The three men spoke together then Blue Coat snarled at Licia. 

 'He wants us to get off the carriage,' she said. Miguel was rummaging through one of Dr Zhang's bags as the second man waved his spear Licia. She started to climb down just as a fourth rider appeared. He was a huge man wearing a red silk surcoat. 

 Murga! His eyes were concealed by his sunglasses but his lips were twisted into a snarl. 'You vill come vidt me!' he snapped in English.

'What have you done with Dr Zhang?' I yelled back.

'He escaped from us,' Murga said. 'But he vill come back when he knows I haf you.' 

 'I don't think so.' Miguel had found what he was looking for and he threw it. The small glass tube shattered against Murga's ornate helmet. One of the men laughed. Licia said, 'He thinks the boy is throwing stones.' But Murga's horse was already on its hind legs, its forelegs pawing the air, as its nostrils caught an evil stench - unknown in China - the stench of skunk. 

 Murga was dumped onto the road, roaring with rage, as the horse bolted. He jumped to his feet, threw his helmet away and staggered about retching as he tried to escape the stink. The other horsemen looked puzzled until the smell reached their noses. Their horses jerked away instinctively. Then an ear shattering scream of maniacal laughter came from the speaker on the back of the carriage as I cranked the amplifier to full volume. All of the horses, including ours, reared in terror and bolted off in all directions. 'Miguel!' Licia screamed as she sprinted alongside the carriage. I scrambled desperately over the bags of beans and hauled frantically on the reins in a vain attempt to slow our horse. Licia had just managed to grab hold of the carriage as it shot passed and Miguel hauled her back over the tailgate as we raced away at a speed I never expected from one horse power. 

 The maniacal scream stopped abruptly as Miguel switched the amplifier off and we all hung on to the bucking carriage with the strength of desperation as I fought to slow the panicking horse. The horse pulled us at a fast gallop until it grew tired and slowed to a trot, its sides pumping as it gasped for air.