Point Blank (Sisterhood Book 26) (18 page)

 

C
haos ensued when it was time to depart the tram, with Cooper barking his head off as he danced around the small waiting area. It was all Jack and Harry could do to calm him down. Even the offer of his one-eared half-tailed rabbit, which Harry pulled out of his pocket, where he had hidden it after Jack passed it off to him, failed to calm the jittery dog. Harry shrugged and secured the stuffed animal in one of his cargo pockets and closed the flap. He knew his very life would be at risk if he lost the tattered rabbit.

A fine, cold mist was falling as Maggie led the group over to a big white bus that said S
HAOLIN
M
ONASTERY
on the side in bold red Chinese letters. At least that’s what she thought it said. Once again, they all trooped inside for the twenty-minute ride to the monastery at the top of the mountain. They were informed by the driver, as soon as they took their seats, that there was no heat on the bus. Cooper, who had grown quiet, voiced his opinion with a sharp bark that made the driver’s hands shake on the wheel.

“Almost there, Harry,” Jack whispered.

“This is not going to be a piece of cake, Jack. You know that, right? That business back at the tram, that was just the beginning. What’s your best guess as to what we’ll find once we actually hit the monastery?”

“Reinforcements. How many, I don’t know. How many monks are in residence? How many students? You know the monastery, what’s your best guess?”

“Sixty-seven monks plus the Abbot. At this point in time, I simply can’t be more definite. That’s what it was the year before Lily came here. The last I heard, there were one hundred eighty students, but that was the last semester. It could be more, or it could be less. I don’t know how many people Wing Ping would need to . . . to keep everyone in line. The monks won’t give him any trouble, nor will the students if the monks caution them. If this had happened when I was there, we would have done nothing. It’s all about instant obedience. Wing Ping would know that, so he might be going with a skeleton crew.

“There is something else, Jack. The monks live a holy life. They live to do good and to help mankind. But”—Harry held up his hand to show he had more to say—“back in the day as we students got older, we realized that the monks had a way of communicating with each other in secret. At the time, we didn’t know what sign language was, but that’s what they were doing. I’d bet my life on it.”

“So, let me get this right, Harry. Are you saying even though that scumbag Wing Ping thinks he is in control of the monastery, the monks are actually in control and will revolt when the time is right?”

“In a manner of speaking. Back in the day when I was here, they didn’t have computers and phones. They used runners. Much the way the American Indians did during their time. It would always be the young novitiates that did the running. Fleet of foot, that kind of thing. I guarantee that those monks know we are on the way and are just waiting for our arrival.”

Jack shook his head to clear his thoughts. “If all you say is true, that has to mean, at least to me, that Lily is safe. That the monks spirited her away. Probably right after your old friend Jun Yu arrived to snatch his kids. Why did you go so nuts then?”

“Because I wasn’t thinking properly. I reacted the way a father would react. I forgot to look inward to my teachings. And then there’s Cooper. Aside from my inward teachings, Cooper was really all the proof I needed to convince myself that Lily is safe. Go on, Jack, say it before I have to beat it out of you. I’m putting all my beliefs and hopes on a dog. Cooper is not just any dog, Jack. I thought we agreed on that. He’s . . . he’s . . .”

“Yes,” Jack drawled.

“He is what he is. We can speculate from now till the end of time and probably never come up with an answer that satisfies us both. We simply accept it.”

Jack nodded and bent over to scratch Cooper between the ears, just long enough for a thought to enter his mind.
Finally you’re getting it.
Cooper cracked open one eye and stared up at Jack. Later when he told Nikki, he said he could almost swear Cooper was grinning at him. “I’m telling you, Nikki, my blood ran cold there for a minute.” And Nikki had just smiled and smiled. And at that precise moment, somewhere not far away, he could hear a dog bark. Even though he was not a rocket scientist, he knew Cooper’s bark, could recognize it miles away.

“We’re here!” Maggie shouted from the front of the bus. “And if I am not mistaken, there is a . . . let’s just say for the moment a welcoming committee of a dozen or so scrawny-looking men. I don’t see any yellow-garbed monks. Ted and I will take the lead here. Even though I think our cover is blown, let’s all continue to play our parts. Gather all your gear, people.” She jammed the straw hat with the plumed feather snug on her head. Ted did the same thing.

The weather was foul, the cold mist that had been falling back at the tram stop now an icy rain. One of the scrawny men, dressed in a shiny black slicker, made motions with his hands to indicate they were all to turn around and get right back on the bus. Being American, the group pretended not to understand.

That’s when Cooper rose on his hind legs and let loose with an unholy bellow of sound. The black-clad figure stopped and stepped back as Cooper raced toward him just as the monster doors to the monastery opened to allow a gaggle of monks to emerge, all jabbering in different languages. They rushed forward, reached out to the tour group, and pulled and tugged them forward into the monastery. Cooper showed his teeth in an ugly snarl as he advanced on the welcoming committee of scrawny men, who decided it might not be wise to antagonize the strange-looking animal.

Alexis and Espinosa were the last in line and saw the greeter in the black raincoat hit the speed dial on his mobile phone.

Once inside, they all knew they were prisoners. Of a sort.

Brother Hung stepped forward and in a low whisper in English asked where Harry Wong was.

Cooper nudged Brother Hung’s leg and growled as he nudged him forward.

Harry held out his hand. The old monk clasped it tightly in both his hands. “I knew you would come. I just didn’t expect you to . . . is it a disguise?”

“It is. And these are all my friends. Tell me, where is my daughter? Is she safe?”

“She is safe. She will remain safe until it is time for you to take her back to your home in America.”

The relief on Harry’s face made the old monk smile. “And who is your friend?”

Dishbang Deshi held out his hand the way Harry had. “It is good to see you again, my esteemed teacher.”

“Ah, I see. Master Dishbang. An excellent disguise. I never would have known either of you. As you can see, the others do not recognize you. Remarkable. Absolutely remarkable. We are under siege here. But we are in control. These idiotic people just don’t know it or refuse to accept that fact.”

“How many are there, Brother Hung?” Harry asked.

“We counted fifty. They are spread all over the monastery. Chi Xongin, our current Abbot, is an imposter. He is in charge of these thugs. He has been hiding out in the offices. His meals are taken to him. We have not seen him in days. Brother Dui, who has always done the clerical work in the office, says he is on the computer and his mobile phone all day long. Come along to the dining hall, so we can show you our hospitality. None of these thugs understand English, but the Abbot does. Be careful. Tell me you have a plan, Harry, to . . . to liberate us and the monastery.”

“We have a plan, Brother Hung,” Harry said somberly. “You’re sure my daughter is safe?”

“As safe as if she were in her mother’s arms. I assume that little schoolgirl in disguise is Lily’s mother.”

“She is.”

“I had Yuke Lok spirit her away the moment I realized what was happening. You remember Yuke Lok from when you came to visit, right? She is what we call Lily’s big sister. As you know, the older girls look after the younger ones just the way it was when you were here with your big brothers looking after you and the younger boys.

“We do not like living like this, Harry. Those people are desecrating this beautiful monastery. They bring evil here. Why? Why are they doing this to us? Do you know?”

“It’s Wing Ping. He wants to be number one. But more than that, he wants revenge on all of you and the monastery itself for expelling him and shaming him and his family. He wants it all back, and this is the only way he
thinks
he can do it. I am convinced he killed Jun Yu. If he didn’t do it, he had someone else do it for him. I was not aware of what became of him and how he chose to lead his life after he was sent home from the monastery, until Dishbang Deshi told me. It’s a miracle that Jun Yu was able to send his family to me. They, by the way, are as safe as they can be. They will be sad for a very long time, but they will acclimate to their new life with all the help we can give them. Jun Yu said he tried to get Lily but couldn’t. Failing to acquire Jun Ling and the children had to enrage Wing Ping. He wants . . . needs to reclaim his old life and bring honor back to his family. At least that’s my take on the whole thing. Nothing else makes sense.”

“So you will fight him?” Brother Hung asked quietly.

“It’s the only way for all of you to reclaim the monastery. If I were to go wherever it is you have Lily sequestered and leave, Wing Ping would do terrible things to all of you and this beautiful monastery. We both know that. I can’t walk away and leave you to his tender mercies. It goes against all you have taught me during my days here. But . . . I think I might have an idea. I need to think about it and discuss it with Yoko and my people before I say anything more.”

“But, Wong Guotin, Wing Ping was born to the art. Tales of his expertise are all over China. These past years he has goaded Jun Yu to fight him, but Jun Yu refused. They called Jun Yu a coward. He was not, as you know. This is the result.”

“So I guess the next move is Wing Ping’s. Either we wait him out, or we take matters into our own hands. I think the people in my group here”—Harry said, waving his arm about—“are capable of taking all fifty of them out and securing the monastery. There are no weapons here, are there?”

The old monk shook his head. “You should know better than to say a thing like that. Even Wing Ping would not dare bring a weapon onto this sacred ground. He considers himself a weapon, as do all those . . . those people he sent here. Look around, Wong Guotin, we have gotten old. True, we have some younger brothers here, but the majority of us are old and, while not useless, we won’t be of much help. I heard you when you said your group is quite capable of taking care of these intruders. How can that be, Wong Guotin? There are more women than men.”

The sudden burst of laughter at the long dining table brought color to the old monk’s cheeks. “I meant no disrespect, Wong Guotin.”

“And none was taken. You have no worries where these females are concerned. They can all take care of themselves.”

Brother Hung’s voice dropped to a whisper, “But . . . but two of them are . . .
old.
Like most of my brother monks.”

“I heard that!” Annie said, amusement ringing in her voice.

“I did, too.” Myra giggled.

Charles and Fergus both wiggled their hands in the air to show the monks they, too, were in the game. Brother Hung’s face turned even redder.

Cooper took that particular moment to move front and center to weigh in with his opinion. He tossed his head from side to side before he let loose with a god-awful howl, before he trotted back to his place next to Harry.

“There is old, and then there is
old,
my teacher. Trust me, you have no worries where my friends are concerned.”

“I see, I see. This then,” Hung said, to indicate the entire group, “is your clan. Your force.”

“I like the word
army,
” Dennis said boldly. The others hooted their approval as the monks suddenly started setting food down on the long table. It was simple food—hot, nourishing, and smelled wonderful. The group fell to it, jabbering and gesturing as they chowed down.

“Just so you know, that was the last of our food. We have a few staples and a little food in our freezers, but this is it. Part of Wing Ping’s plan is to starve us. No supplies are being brought in. His people have consumed most of the food we had in store since they’ve been here,” Brother Shen said quietly.

As one, the group looked guilty. Annie apologized for their hearty appetites, saying had they known how dire the situation was, they would have curbed their food intake. Brother Hung waved away her words. “What we have we share. We are not novices when it comes to doing without. As I said when you arrived, we have been under siege. The only person permitted to go back and forth is the egg man. We do not even know why that is, unless the man is in the employ of Wing Ping. Or that he and his people at the base of the mountain have a fetish for eggs.”

Brother Shen wiped his hands on a pristine white apron as he looked around at the guests sitting at the table. “We need a plan. Do we have a plan? We want to help, but until you tell us what we can do, our hands are tied.” He went on to tell them about their original plan to give the egg man two notes. “It was all we could come up with. But if the egg man is in the employ of Wing Ping, then we cannot involve him.”

“That will be easy enough to figure out when he arrives,” Jack said. “We’ll just give him the old American third degree and wait for him to either fall apart or offer to cooperate.”

Kathryn raised her hand to show she wanted to speak. “What would happen if the monks sent word that they wanted a sit-down with all the men here in the monastery? If they come to the table, we take them out. Don’t look at me like that! We can do it. They won’t give us women a second thought. We turn the tables on them, lock them up somewhere, and force Wing Ping to come here in person. With, I suppose, another endless supply of men to do his bidding. I think we can do it. What do you all think, people? The sooner we get this show on the road, the sooner we can head back home.”