Undercover - In China - Book 7

Part 76 - A lingering odour of skunk

Licia raised her hand. 'When are we going back? I am desperately in need of a hot shower and a proper toilet.' 

 'According to Yonnie and Treeka's map, if we leave now, we can catch Mandia/Oppy's next time connect at the Immortal Mountain Monastery,' Dr Zhang replied. 

 'Do we have time to say goodbye to Lord Guan, Zhang Fei and Grandpa Chen?' Miguel asked. 'We can take Chen Ling back at the same time.'

'Ah-um. We don't have time to go to Jiangling or Xiangyang but you say Grandpa Chen's place is near the monastery, eh?' We asked Kongming and Xuande to give our fond regards to Lord Guan and Zhang Fei as we said goodbye and begged them to release Wang Bang. 

Kongming gave us each a beautiful piece of carved jade, he said, 'In recognition for outstanding service to the people of China.' 

 Dr Zhang was a little embarrassed that he had nothing to give in return until I suggested he could give Kongming Denny's automatic crossbow; I had noticed Kongming admiring it earlier.

 Kongming and Xuande walked to the dock with us, and we all bowed goodbye except Licia, who surprised them with hugs. Wu Jun and his crew rowed us up the river, with Grandpa's boat on tow. We saw Kongming and Xuande for the last time - still waving - as we rounded a bend in the river. 

 Denny joined Wu Jun and his crew as they serenaded us with the Chinese version of What shall we do with the drunken sailor all the way to Grandpa Chen's cottage. We found him still sitting outside in the sun, carving a piece of wood as if he had never moved. He was delighted to see us and relieved that we had returned Chen Ling and his boat, more or less intact. While Grandpa Chen was making tea, Dr Zhang gave some of his remaining Chinese cash to Chen Ling. She was overwhelmed and reluctant to accept until we convinced her that was to pay for repairs to the boat and we couldn't use where we were going anyway. Dr Zhang gave more of his remaining cash to Wu Jun and his crew as we said goodbye to at the river but Chen Ling insisted on accompanying us as we hurried to the Immortal Mountain monastery. 

 I was worried we might miss Mandia/Oppy's time connect. It was late as we approached the entrance gate. The monastery seemed oddly peaceful and, as we walked through the gateway, I had a horrible premonition. There was not a single monk in sight. I stopped dead halfway across the courtyard. There was a lingering odour of skunk.

Dr Zhang started to say, 'Ziff, are you okay?' Just as a black-clad figure jumped out of the refectory doorway. The face was concealed by a savage mask, fierce eyes glared out between sharp tusks. 

 I spun around and yelled, 'RUN!' but another masked figure blocked the gate, and it levelled a spear at us. Licia shouted, 'PANIC MODE,' and we all zig-zagged in different directions. I ran toward the gate and Miguel crossed in front of me in an attempt to distract the bandit who took a swing at us with the butt of his spear. Miguel ducked and I sprinted passed, narrow avoiding the spear on the back swing, but a third bandit stuck a pole between my legs, and I crashed to the ground just as Licia and Chen Ling ran out of the gate. The third bandit landed on top of me, tied my elbows behind my back and dragged Miguel and me back to the temple, where Denny and Dr Zhang were sitting with elbows tied behind them. A trickle of blood ran down Dr Zhang's face.

Licia limped back, one of the men prodding her with the butt of his pole. 'Kozak and Chen Ling got away,' she whispered. One of the bandits shouted, his voice strangely distorted by the mask, and suddenly, the men dropped to their knees and touched their heads to the ground. I looked at the temple to see a giant, dressed in loose, black robes, wearing a hideous golden mask. He boomed something in Mandarin and gesture toward me. The bandits dragged me to the temple steps with Dr Zhang and Denny. Behind the giant, the temple was full of purple smoke. It thinned as it rolled down the steps toward me until I could see more clearly.