Eagle (12 page)

Ying was certain his former brothers and sister knew nothing of these rumors surrounding the dragon scroll map. Otherwise, they would never have shown it to him. While Ying was upset that the remaining dragon training scrolls seemed to be out of his reach, he was hopeful that the treasure would somehow bring him closer to his inner dragon. With the map burned in his memory, all he needed was time to collect it.

An image of Charles suddenly flashed into Ying's mind. Ying wondered how much time would pass before the round eye took action. Charles didn't seem to be the type to sit around long. Without word from Hok, Charles would go looking for her. He probably had a boat and, based on what Ying had seen back at the safe house, he had a lot of friends.

Ying would have to keep an eye out for Charles and any other foreigner. It would be bad enough if Ying accidentally led Tonglong to the treasure. It would be unthinkable for him to lead a foreigner to it.

C
harles boarded his sleek sloop behind PawPaw's house, wondering what he was about to get himself into. He set down the last box of supplies beneath the vessel's single mast and stared at the shadow his wide shoulders cast across the deck in the light of the brilliant full moon.

Hok had been gone an entire week, and they hadn't heard a word from her. It was time to take matters into his own hands.

Up the hill, Charles could hear Fu, Malao, and Seh inside PawPaw's house, celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival. They were eating moon cakes and laughing as PawPaw sang high-pitched, nasally songs and played some sort of traditional stringed instrument that sounded like cats shrieking.

According to Charles’ calendar, it was the middle of September, and back in Holland people would be celebrating this Harvest Moon any number of ways. He didn't feel like celebrating anything, though. Not only was Hok missing, he had never quite fit in since bringing Fu, Malao, and Seh here after Tong-long's attack in Jinan. PawPaw was very gracious and he got along just fine with her, but the others hadn't accepted him. They told him that he should have remained with his “foreign” friends back in Jinan.

Charles glanced at the simple Chinese peasant's robe and pants he'd been wearing for weeks. He did look rather silly in them. It was what the locals wore. He didn't enjoy dressing this way; it was simply all he had been able to acquire. He longed to put on a normal shirt and pants. The rough cotton and heavy seams of this robe had rubbed his armpits raw. The only good part about the outfit was the large pocket that formed where the rigid robe cloth met the tight waist sash. It provided him with a place to keep his matching pistols, or “short
qiangs
,” as the Chinese called them.

PawPaw's music stopped suddenly, and Charles looked toward the house. He heard Fu growl, low and deep, and then Malao shrieked so sharply it made Charles’ yellow hair stand on end. Something wasn't right.

Charles raced up the hill, pulling one of his flintlock pistols from the folds of his robe. He circled
around to the front of the house and found the door closed. Usually, it was wide open.

Malao shrieked again.

Without breaking stride, Charles slammed his shoulder into the weathered front door, tearing it from the hinges. The door crashed inward onto the floor, and Charles stumbled in after it. The toe of his boot caught on a piece of splintered doorjamb, and he felt himself hurling toward the floor.

Charles tucked into a tight roll and popped to his feet in one fluid motion. He had performed this roll thousands of times while lion dancing. Instinctively, Charles leveled his pistol, and he found himself aiming at the head of one of the strangest men he'd ever seen. The man had a long torso and curiously short arms and legs. He also had a long, thin mustache that stretched almost to his chest. His nose looked as if it had been beaten flat with an anvil, and he was covered with dirt from head to toe.

Oddest of all was that Charles thought he recognized the man.

“Charles,” Seh said, looking in his general direction, “you remember NgGung, don't you? You met him briefly in Kaifeng.”

“Centipede,”
Charles said, lowering his pistol. “Of course, you're one of the bandits. You helped us escape Tonglong's attack during the Dragon Boat Festival. Good to see you again.” Charles bowed low, first to NgGung, then to PawPaw. “I am so very sorry. I thought—”

PawPaw laughed. “No need to apologize, Charles. You thought we were in trouble. I might have thought the same thing after those little outbursts you heard.” She shook a finger at NgGung. “Our guest here likes to play games. One of his favorites is to sneak into friends’ homes and see how long it takes before someone notices him. He didn't get very far this evening with a tiger, a monkey, and a snake keeping me company!”

NgGung shrugged. “You can't blame a guy for trying.”

Malao giggled.

NgGung grinned a toothless grin and glanced at Fu, Malao, and Seh. “Excellent work, by the way. An intruder would never get past you three.” He stroked his thin, dirty mustache and turned to Charles. “You, on the other hand, my friend, could use a bit of practice in the subtle art of stealthy entry. I do applaud your style, though. It was quite dramatic.”

Malao giggled again.

“Uh, thanks,” Charles said. “I think.” He returned the pistol to the folds of his robe. “So, what are you doing here, NgGung?”

“PawPaw and I have been friends forever,” NgGung replied. “I heard a bit of news I thought she might find interesting. I am sure you will, too.”

“Hok?” Seh asked.

“That's right,” NgGung said. “I've just come from Jinan, where I spoke with a black-market ringleader
called HukJee. It seems he is being forced to track Hok for Tonglong.”

“I don't understand,” Charles said. “If HukJee is working for Tonglong, why would he tell you about it?”

“HukJee is an old friend, too,” NgGung said. “He and I do business often. He runs a huge network of black-market vendors who deal in all manner of goods, but they also buy and sell information. They have an elaborate system of runners, who are on the move day and night, keeping the items and information flowing continuously. I am in the in formation business, too, you know, and HukJee and I trade information like other people trade goods or services. He is a good man, and he doesn't like Tonglong. He told me the details out of frus tration.”

“Is Hok okay?” Charles asked.

“Perfectly fine, as near as I can tell,” NgGung said. “She probably doesn't know she's being tracked, though.”

“How is she being tracked?” PawPaw asked.

“Through her shopping habits,” NgGung replied. “Hok and Ying have been traveling down the Grand Canal together, searching for dragon bone.”

“She's with Ying?” Fu said. “Wait until I get my hands on him—”

“It might not be what you think,” NgGung said. “They appear to be working together. Or more likely, Hok is helping Ying. It seems Ying bides his time lying
low in their skiff while Hok shops. Unfortunately, all the vendors in this region and beyond have been instructed not to sell her any dragon bone. Sooner or later, Hok will walk into a trap.”

“We have to help her!” Malao said.

“Indeed,” NgGung said. “I wish I knew how.”

“We'll just have to catch up with them,” Charles said. “We can do it. I have the fastest boat in all China.”

“You mean that foreign sailing vessel at the bottom of the hill?” NgGung asked. “It might be fast on open water, but that tall mast and large sails won't do you any good on the Grand Canal. There is far too much traffic. You would have to row. Also, there are hundreds of low bridges spanning the canal. That mast will never fit under them.”

Charles frowned.

Malao scratched his head. “Why are Hok and Ying looking for dragon bone in the first place? I know Ying likes to drink that stuff with fresh snake blood, but what would Hok do with it?”

“I think I can answer that,” PawPaw said. “While it might just be a wives’ tale, some people believe that dragon bone has special healing properties. Properties that might allow the deaf to hear”—she glanced at Seh—”or the blind to see.”

“That's great!” Malao said, slapping Seh on the back. “It sounds like something Hok would do. She's always thinking of others.”

Seh paused. “Yes, that sounds like something Hok
would do, but Ying wouldn't. He wanted to abandon me back inside the fight club tunnels because I couldn't see. He is up to something.”

“I saw Ying get shot by Tonglong's men,” Charles said. “Maybe Hok is treating his injuries.”

Seh shook his head. “That might be part of it, but there has to be more. Ying is a loner. I am betting he is afraid to show his face, so he's letting Hok do all the shopping. Hok is probably doing most of the work handling the boat, too. If I know Ying, once he has everything he needs and he feels he can handle the boat alone, he will take it for himself and abandon Hok. NgGung, where were they last spotted?”

“Several
It
north of the city of Xuzhou,” NgGung replied.

“How far is that from the end of the Grand Canal?” Seh asked.

“About one-third of the way down,” NgGung said. “Why?”

Seh didn't reply.

NgGung grinned. “You're thinking about the dragon scroll map, aren't you? Your father told me about it. He has done some research and believes it leads somewhere far south, perhaps the end of the Grand Canal. Ying is indeed heading in that direction.”

“Ying wants the treasure,” Fu growled.

“Most likely,” NgGung said. “We've learned that Tonglong also wants that map.”

“We?” Charles said. “You mean the bandits?”

“Precisely,” NgGung said. “Me, Mong, Hung, Gao, Sanfu, plus others you've never met. If we had the resources, we would have sent a team to stop Tonglong from getting his hands on the map. I still remember Tonglong shouting to Seh about the dragon scroll map before he opened fire on you during the Dragon Boat Festival. In hindsight, we probably should have taken the map from Seh for safekeeping.”

“The map doesn't matter anymore,” Charles said. “I saw Ying burn it out in the center of the Yellow River.”

“Ying memorized it, Charles,” Seh said. “He has some remarkable skills. He'll know exactly where to go.”

“Then we should head south immediately,” Charles said. “I know a different route we can take. The Grand Canal ends at the city of Hangzhou, where it spills into the Qiantang River. I've been there. We can take the Yellow River from here all the way to the sea, then follow the coast down to the Qiantang River. From there, we will head up the river to the Grand Canal. My sloop is loaded with supplies and ready to go. She isn't the biggest vessel around, but she is the fastest and can hold the four of us.”

“Four of us?” Seh asked.

“That's right,” Charles said. “Me, you, Fu, and Malao.”

“You want
us
to go with you?” Malao asked. “I
thought all those supplies you were loading into your boat were just for you.”

Charles shook his head. “I'll need assistance. You want to help Hok, don't you?”

“Of course,” Malao said. “But—”

Fu growled, “Count me in.”

“Thank you, Fu,” Charles said.

Malao began to fidget. “If Fu is going, I am going, too.”

Charles nodded his thanks to Malao.

Seh turned to NgGung. “You mentioned my father. Where is he now?”

“Mong is with the Governor,” NgGung replied, “back at the Governor's village. They are making plans.”

“What sort of plans?” Charles asked.

“Plans to stop Tonglong,” NgGung said. “We believe his ultimate goal is to overthrow the Emperor. While we have no love for the Emperor, we cannot let this happen. It would send the entire country into chaos.”

Seh hissed softly. “I want to help stop him.”

“We would welcome your assistance,” NgGung said. “I am sure Mong would be pleased to have you with us, as would I.”

“Will you take me to him?” Seh asked.

“Of course,” NgGung answered.

Seh turned to the group. “Fu, Malao, Charles—I hope you will not be disappointed. I will not be joining you.”

“What!” Malao said. “You can't leave us, Seh! We need you.”

Seh shook his head. “I will only slow you down. Besides, I am not much of a swimmer. I think I can do more good with the bandits.”

Fu sighed. “It sounds like they could use you. You are very good at planning things.”

Seh nodded.

“Don't go, Seh,” Malao said. “Please?”

PawPaw touched Seh's arm. “Go with NgGung. That is the right decision.”

Malao pouted.

“All right, Seh,” Charles said. “It is decided, then. Fu, Malao, and I will head for Hangzhou. Once we arrive, we will decide whether it's best to wait there for Hok or find a different boat and head up the Grand Canal to track her down. Seh, you will travel with NgGung to the bandits. Once we've found Hok, we will attempt to join back up with you. Agreed?”

“Agreed,” Seh said.

Fu, Malao, and NgGung nodded.

PawPaw turned to Charles. “There is a place you should look into once you arrive in Hangzhou. It is a famous apothecary, a shop where people can purchase the very best medicinal herbs. If Hok has made her way that far south, no doubt she will have learned of its existence and will stop in. She is a beautiful young woman with memorable features. I suggest you go there and ask if anyone has seen her.”