“So are you just going to keep me in suspense?” asked Elisa.
“I do like to have the upper hand.” He paused for dramatic effect. “In order to control Sun during their journey, Xuanzang was given a magical headband to keep the Monkey King in check.”
“And this headband, you think it’s in the same place as the Ruyi Jingu Bang?” asked Elisa.
Shroud nodded. “Some of the fragments indicate so. We’re running mostly on faith here, but Tian Shan is rumored to house celestial treasures. With that headband, we could have the means to stop Sun before he causes any further damage.”
“What about the Dragon Kings?” asked Elisa. “You don’t trust them do you?”
“I don’t trust anyone, Ms. Hill,” said Shroud. “But I’m especially wary of gods who have a history of torturing humanity for their own benefit.”
The ferry pulled in at Kowloon. Shroud led the way down to the main deck with Elisa following. They disembarked with the rest of the passengers and moved into the streets of Kowloon.
“We should move quickly,” said Shroud. “We can’t waste any time waiting for the Monkey King to get his hands on that staff.”
“First we have to get Max and Asami.”
“Their association isn’t part of the deal.”
“Then I’m not part of the deal,” said Elisa. “I work with my crew. You want my help, that means they come along. You know as well as I do what an asset Asami’s abilities will be on something as big as this.”
Shroud laughed. “It seems to me that you asked for my help on this, or have you conveniently forgotten that already?” He waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. “Fine, Asami can come, but there’s no reason to involve Finch.”
“Max has forgotten more about myth hunting than you or I will ever know. He’s necessary for this,” said Elisa.
“He’s a physical liability. It would be too easy for him to be used against you. Just like he was by the Order,” said Shroud.
“...how did you know about that?” asked Elisa.
“I have my ways,” said Shroud.
Elisa stepped in front of Shroud, blocking his path. She crossed her arms and stared into his dark eyes. “Max comes or you go alone. That’s my final offer.”
Shroud shook his head. “You don't have any leverage here. I'm happy to walk away from all of this, right now.”
“You can't fool me, Jason. I know you a little too well. You're too intrigued by the Xuanzang's headband and the Ruyi Jingu Bang to walk away.”
“I can already see that you’re going to be a monumental pain in my—”
“I’ll take that as a compliment, Mr. Shroud,” interrupted Elisa. Come on, Max and Asami are waiting for me.”
Elisa and Shroud made the short walk from the harbor to Asami’s apartment in silence. So far, Shroud had proven to be extremely informative. Elisa was beginning to think she may have put too harsh a judgment on him and his organization at first. If the Freemasons were really as honorable as Shroud claimed they were, she may have just discovered an extremely powerful ally.
Once Elisa entered the apartment, she found Asami and Max seated in almost the exact same positions as when she left. The pair had woken early and spent the entire morning researching the Dragon Kings and Sun Wukong in the hopes of finding some trace of information to fill in the missing pieces of history.
“Guys, I’d like to introduce you to Jason Shroud,” said Elisa. “Of the Freemasons.”
Max stood and offered his hand first. “A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Shroud.”
“You too, Professor Finch,” said Shroud. He eagerly accepted Max’s handshake with an enthusiastic smile. “I’ve followed your work for many years. It really is an honor.”
Elisa rolled her eyes. “He also thinks you’ll be a liability in the field.”
“Oh?” Max adjusted his glasses.
“It’s...nothing personal, sir,” said Shroud. “I’m just thinking about the incident with the Order.”
“You told him about that?” asked Max.
Elisa shook her head. “And don’t bother asking how he knows. He won’t say.”
Asami rose from her chair and cautiously approached. “Maybe the Masons and the Order aren’t as different as he’d like us to believe.” Her copper eyes fixed an intense gaze on Shroud.
Shroud managed a smile in spite of her cold greeting. “Asami, isn’t it? I’ve heard a lot about you.” He offered a hand to her.
Asami simply ignored his greeting. She linked her hands behind her back. “I’ve heard a lot about you too, Shroud. ‘Bout how you risked my girl’s life.”
“Didn’t realize you two were so close,” said Shroud.
“We've been through a lot together,” said Asami. “Wouldn’t expect you to understand anything about that.”
Elisa placed her hand on Asami’s shoulder. “Tone it down.”
Asami reluctantly returned to her seat. Shroud cleared his throat. “Well, that was certainly a...mixed welcome.”
“Let’s just get down to business,” said Elisa. “Shroud doesn’t have the Ruyi Jingu Bang, but he knows where we can find it.”
“Or so I believe,” said Shroud. “There are papyrus fragments in the Freemason vault that indicate a hidden treasure trove in the Tian Shan mountains—specifically in the Xinjiang region.”
“The celestial mountains,” said Max.
Shroud grinned. “Precisely, Professor. But I have to warn you both what I already told Elisa—it’s well-guarded. And it’s not easy to get to. And Sun Wukong already has a lead on us. There’s a chance we may be too late.”
“In addition to the staff, Shroud also thinks the headband Xuanzang used to control Sun is there, too,” said Elisa.
“How do we get there?” asked Asami.
“I have a private plane fueled and ready to depart from the airport once we arrive,” said Shroud. “Make sure you dress warmly. The Junggar Basin is in the desert, but it’s got a very cold climate.”
Max walked over to Elisa. “Can I have a word with you in private?” He went out to the balcony and she followed.
“What’s this about?” she asked, closing the door behind her.
“Asami’s gotten very protective of you all of a sudden,” said Max.
“She’s my guardian now. And I guess she sees Shroud as a potential threat,” said Elisa.
“Then keep an eye on her,” said Max. “The last thing we need is her eliminating a potential threat who’s necessary to our success.”
Elisa sighed. “You wanted me to get Shroud. You know we couldn’t let Asami die. Would you rather do this alone?”
“I’m just concerned, that’s all,” said Max. “Allying with yokai and the Masons to battle gods and demigods...this is bigger than what we’re used to.”
Elisa nodded. “I know it is. But you have to trust me to do the right thing. I know what I’m doing, Max. I’m not that same arrogant girl running into situations without thinking.”
“I know you’re not. You’ve changed,” said Max. “But I’m still worried about you.”
“You want to sit this one out?” asked Elisa.
“No. I have a feeling you’ll need my help. I may not be much for the physical aspect of this, but if you need translations or interpretations, my Chinese is better than yours.”
“Good to know,” she said. “Come on, let’s move.”
CHAPTER 10
Xinjiang, an autonomous region in northern China and contains part of the Tian Shan mountain range. The range itself extends lies in the border region of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Xinjiang. The range is one of the longest in Central Asia, stretching over fifteen hundred miles and the largest point reaches almost twenty-five thousand feet. The frosted peaks dot the landscape and can be seen from orbit.
To reach their destination, first they had to travel to Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang. At the Urumqi Diwopu International Airport, Shroud arranged for a helicopter to transport them to Dzungaria, also called the
Junggar Basin. Although travel on the Urumqi-Dzungaria Railway was a possible point of access, Shroud felt it better to travel under the radar.
Dzungaria’s proximity to Siberia accounted for the frigid climate. As a semi-desert, there’s nonetheless enough vegetation and water to sustain a few species of wild animals. The basin is nestled between the Tian Shan Mountains on the south, Altai Mountains to the northeast and Tarbagatai Mountains to the northwest. The western corner houses the Dzungarian Gate and its railroad and east provides access to Gansu and the rest of China.
Shroud sat in the co-pilot seat, staring out over the large oil fields of Karamay as they flew overhead in the Astar B-2 single engine passenger helicopter. He had changed out of his nicer clothes on the plane and now wore a turtleneck, cargo pants and leather jacket. Before they left Asami's Max, had also abandoned his suit in favor of something more casual. He entered the cockpit and stuck his head in between Shroud and the pilot.
“You're sure about this hidden treasure room?” asked Max.
“Positive,” said Shroud. “Something that could control a being as powerful as Sun Wukong? Not to mention one of the most powerful weapons ever developed? They'll be kept in a very safe place. No one wants to see those destroyed.”
“Would that include you?” asked Elisa. She wasn’t dressed all that dissimilarly from Shroud, except she wore a brown leather jacket instead of black. Her khopesh sword hung across her back.
Shroud grinned. “Relax, Elisa. We’re going to become the best of friends.”
“Somehow I doubt that,” said Elisa. “We’re only agreeing to this because you have knowledge and resources we need. Once we sort this all out, we part ways, understand?”
“Perfectly,” said Shroud.
Elisa leaned back in her seat. Asami looked at her with a smirk. She was the only who didn’t look dressed for the occasion—still clad in her pinstripe suit. “I'm catching wind of some freshly released pheromones. Seems like there's some sort of chemistry building between...”
Elisa’s face contorted in disgust. “Oh shut up. I thought you were supposed to be on my side.”
“I am, but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy getting a rise out of you.”
“With friends like you…” Elisa looked out the window and she thought she saw some sort of disturbance in the clouds. She moved her head closer to the glass, trying to see if she could catch sight of it again.
Asami noticed this and craned her own neck. “What are you looking at?”
“Did you see that?” asked Elisa.
“What?”
“Shroud, there’s something out there,” said Elisa.
“What is it?” asked Shroud.
“I don’t know, but I just saw something whip through the clouds.”
“Could it be another aircraft?” asked Max.
“I’m not getting anything on the radar. Skies are clear,” said the pilot. “Must be your eyes playing tricks on—HOLY SHIT!”
The pilot swerved the helicopter to the side as something almost collided with them. Shroud glared at the pilot. “What the hell’s the matter with you?”
“We were almost hit, sir!” said the pilot. “Dunno by what!”
“I do,” said Asami. She pointed out her window. The others peered out and saw the Monkey King flying by, carried by nothing more than a small cloud.
“You’ve got to be kidding,” said Elisa.
Shroud looked over his shoulder at Max. “Still question whether or not we’re in the right place?”
Max shook his head.
“Doesn’t look like he’s coming around for another attack,” said the pilot. “In fact, looks like he’s pulling off. Letting us be.”
“He was toying with us,” said Elisa. “Trying to get us to back off.”
“That’s not likely to happen.” Shroud looked at the pilot. “Follow him.”
The pilot shook his head, still not believing what the evidence of his own eyes told him—that a man with a monkey tale was flying through the air faster than his own helicopter. “Yessir.”
The chopper gave chase. The Monkey King looked back and saw them in pursuit. He laughed and with a shift of his legs, the cloud shot upwards at a ninety degree angle. He flew over them in an arc, buzzing right by the chopper again. He jumped onto the skid and tapped on the window. Asami glared at him from the other side of the glass, her face beginning to transform, her mouth extending into a muzzle and her ears becoming more pointed.
Sun Wukong kissed the glass, then using his legs, sprung off the skid. He back-flipped in the air, landing perfectly on the cloud once more. And then he rocketed off at a more intense speed.
Inside the helicopter, Asami attempted to make a grab for the Monkey King. She would have thrust her arm through the glass and it took all Elisa’s strength to hold back the kitsune’s arm.
“Oh no you don’t!” she said. “Keep cool, Asami.”
Asami’s eyes burned but she relaxed her arm, returning back to her human form. The pilot glanced over his shoulder, his jaw hanging wide.
“He’s moving even faster now but that cloud of his is leaving a trail.”
“Follow it,” said Shroud. “We need to stay on his tail.”
“I’ll tear it off myself,” growled Asami.
“Are you sure this is smart?” asked the pilot. “I mean, if this guy can fly, what else is he capable of?”
“Just do it!” barked Shroud.
The chopper followed the cloud trail and descended down into the Junggar Basin, nestled in the Tian Shan mountains. They watched Sun Wukong touch down below and the chopper struggled a bit.
“There’s nowhere to land,” said the pilot. “Not enough even ground.”
“Just get us as close as you can,” said Shroud. He reached under his jacket where he had a Beretta holstered under each arm. He glanced back at Max. “Professor, I’d really appreciate it if you were armed.”
“No thanks, son. That part of my life is over,” said Max.
“Max, he’s got a point. If something goes down, and it probably will, we may not be able to protect you,” said Elisa.
Max sighed. “You know I hate those things.”
Elisa nodded. “I do. But what choice do we have?”
“Bullets won’t stop Sun Wukong.”
“Might hold him off long enough for someone else to intervene, though.” Shroud held out a spare Beretta. “Please, sir.”
Max shook his head as he reluctantly wrapped his fingers around the gun. “Don’t expect me to use it, though.”
“This is as low as we can get,” said the pilot. “You sure it’s okay?”
“I’ll go first,” said Shroud. “I’ll call you on the sat-phone when we need pick-up.”
The pilot nodded. Shroud opened his door and jumped to the uneven ground below. He bent his knees and tucked into a roll as he struck the ground. When he came to his feet, he flexed his limbs and didn't seem to have sustained more than a few bruises.
Elisa opened the back door and shouted over the roar of the chopper blades. “Once I’m down, you and Max follow together, okay?”
Asami nodded her understanding. Elisa jumped out, tumbling head over heels after she struck the earth and ignominiously coming to a halt a few feet away from Shroud.
He came to her side, offering his hand to help her up. “I've seen more graceful landings.” She ignored his hand and pushed herself to her feet without his help.
In mid-air Asami transformed into a human/fox hybrid while Max clung to her back. She managed a nearly flawless landing, even with the extra weight of Max on her back.
Max released her and she reverted to her human form. Drawing his glasses from his pocket, Max's hands wobbled a little.
“Been a long time since I jumped out of a helicopter,” he said.
Asami sniffed the air. “Wukong’s nearby. I can tell.”
“We sure we want to engage him directly?” asked Max.
“He’s already got a head start on u
s and we don’t even know where the entrance is,” said Shroud. “I’d say following him is our only option.”
“And when we find him?” asked Max.
“Well…that’s where it gets tricky,” said Shroud. “There are four of us and one of him. So hopefully Elisa, Asami and I can hold him off while you grab that headband.”
“As plans go, this one sucks,” said Asami.
“Noted,” said Shroud. “Lead the way, bloodhound.”
Asami grit her teeth as she moved to the front of the group. “Someone’s gonna get his ass bit…”
***
They wandered across the Tian Shan range for a good hour or so. Asami led them through, trying to follow Sun Wukong’s trail to the best of her ability. Wukong was faster and had no problem staying ahead of them. Asami refused to relent and her zeal caused Elisa to remind her fox-like friend, on more than one occasion, to slow down so the rest of them could keep up.
“Cool it,” she said.
“He didn’t almost kill you. This is a matter of honor,” said Asami.
“Yeah, and if you run after him like this, you’re liable to end up completely dead instead of only half dead. And next time, there’s not gonna be any nine-tailed fox to spare you.”
“Did I ask you for this?” asked Asami.
“You gave me the orb, so yeah,” said Elisa.
Asami rolled her eyes and pushed forward. Elisa sighed and Shroud came up next to her. “What’s wrong with her?”
“She’s pissed. Can’t really say I blame her, though,” said Elisa. “If I were this close to someone who almost killed me, I’d be dead-set on getting even, too.”
“‘Dead’ seems to be the operative word. Try to keep her in line. We may need Wukong alive.”
Elisa glanced at Shroud as they walked side-by-side. “It's not Wukong I'm worried about. You’re hiding something, aren’t you?”
“Nothing that concerns you at the moment.”
“But it will?”
He shrugged. “Time will tell, Elisa.”
“Shroud, you’re gambling with our lives here. If you know something…”
Dragon Kings of the Orient (The Myth Hunter Book 2) Page 6
