by A. H. Shinn
Kellie lay next to her, partially leaning up against the wall. Lia flipped around and wrapped an arm around her.
As Kellie cradled her, Lia said, “They’re just scared…”
“What?”
“They think they have to be a certain way. They don’t know who they are really…especially the one who acts like the leader.”
“How—how do you know this?”
“I could just tell.” Lia yawned again. “Remember I’m perceptive?”
Kellie smiled.
“And you,” Lia mumbled, as she was falling asleep, “you’re scared, too.”
“I’m not scared of them. I’m not going to let them intimidate me or control me or tell me what to do or who to be—”
“You’re not scared of them…you’re scared of yourself.”
Kellie looked down at the sleepy girl. “Why would you say I’m scared of myself? What are you talking about, Lia?”
The little girl didn’t answer. She breathed heavily and her chest heaved up and down.
“Good night,” Kellie whispered. At least one of them would get some sleep. The child’s words kept Kellie up all night.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
The Performance
JAKE! JORY!” Kellie shouted as she ran to them the next morning.
They jumped up from the pillow mats and threw their arms around her at the same time, forming an awkward group hug in the dining hall. Over Jake’s shoulder, Kellie noticed the nuns staring at them.
Master Chen remained seated with a glower on his face. He eyed the women around him with silent anger.
“You look terrible, Kel!” said Jake. “You lost weight!”
“Did I?” she said, lifting her arms and seeing how her shirt hung loosely off her torso. “The food is very different here. I haven’t been eating much.”
“You got that right,” said Jake, turning up his nose. “The food they gave us was disgusting.”
A few women grumbled at his comment.
“Different, I mean,” he said, and cleared his throat.
“How are we going to get out of here?” Jory whispered.
“We’re not,” Kellie said quietly.
Jory’s eyes bugged.
“I’m going to stay. They’re going to take all of you back after breakfast.”
“If you can call this breakfast…” muttered Jake.
“You can’t stay here,” Jory insisted.
“These women—who I actually thought were men at first—are crazy!” said Jake.
“It’ll all work out,” Kellie reassured. “I just want you away from here. The nuns don’t like men.” She wasn’t going to let Master Chen and her friends face the brutality of these well-trained martial artists.
Now Jory’s eyeballs looked like they were going to pop. “W-Why don’t they like men?”
“It’s a long story,” she said. “I’ll tell you later.”
“We’re not letting you stay here alone,” Jake argued.
“Where’s the little girl?” Jory asked, looking behind Kellie.
“She’s still sleeping. She was up late last night. I hated leaving her, but I needed to see you both…and I know she’ll be fine. She doesn’t seem to be afraid of them.”
“Well, that makes one of us,” said Jake. “Did I say that these women are crazy?” He said the last word a little too loudly and jumped when he heard a grunt behind him. “What do they want with you anyway?”
“Another long story. To make it short, they think I’m their long-awaited Teacher.”
“What do they want you to teach them?” asked Jory.
Kellie lowered her voice. “One of them was at Taiping Monastery last year when we were fighting the monkeys. She saw me use my chi. They think I can teach them how to do that.”
“Are you going to?” asked Jory.
“No! I can’t even if I wanted to…remember?” she said in a whisper.
“If you explain that to them,” said Jake, “maybe they’ll let you go.”
“I tried,” said Kellie. “It didn’t work. They don’t believe me.”
“We can’t just leave you here by yourself,” said Jory. “I don’t think Master Chen will agree to that. You should’ve seen him when you went missing. He was a wreck.”
Master Chen was still sitting on the mat, holding his cup as he quietly observed the room. That was the only time Kellie feared him—when he didn’t say a word.
“He’s going to have to,” said Kellie. “I need both of you to force him to go, okay?”
Both Jake and Jory’s mouths twisted.
“Promise me you’ll make him leave. I don’t want them to hurt him, and I know he’ll try to fight them all. Promise me.”
“Fine, we promise,” they said.
“You know where I am now. You can alert the US authorities, and they’ll help get me out.”
“That’s a problem,” said Jake. “Master Chen went to the Milldale police station. Since it’s an international investigation, they said it could be several months before anything can be done. He didn’t know what else to do, so he went back to the station the next day, and they began to question why fifty-five monks would adopt a little girl who was allegedly found in a forest. Since the case got more complicated, he was told it could be a year before he got you back.”
“That’s why we’re here,” said Jory. “We had to take matters into our own hands.”
Kellie wanted to vomit. She hated the thought of being at this monastery even another day, let alone a whole year.
“But when we got here,” said Jake, “they said you weren’t here. They allowed us to look around, and we thought they were telling us the truth. But it seemed as if these people weren’t going to let us just leave.”
The nuns were probably going to use them to get me back, thought Kellie.
In a really low voice, she said, “Don’t worry. I will not be staying here much longer. I got away once. I’ll get away again.” Admittedly, though, she was only able to escape with Simi’s help.
She sat on the ground across from Master Chen. His facial expression softened as he looked at her.
“So, if the police didn’t help, how did you guys find me? I could’ve been anywhere in the world.”
“Jory found you,” said Master Chen. “I called him few days after you disappeared when police did nothing. I remember you said he is good with computer and can find people.”
Sitting by her side, Jory’s cheeks turned pink. “It wasn’t that hard.”
“He did CIA-type work,” said Jake. “Didn’t you track Kellie’s mother’s passport? I’m sorry, Kellie…the one impersonating your mother.”
That whole situation still clawed at her heart, and Kellie stared at a crack in the table.
“Master Chen helped with that,” said Jory. “He got her car’s license plate number when she drove away with you. I was able to track that back to the rental car company and pulled up the real name it was listed under: Kabita Wangmo. I accessed her passport photo, and Master Chen confirmed it was her. She rented the car out of San Francisco airport and returned it just a couple of hours after you left the house.”
“We weren’t sure if you were still with her,” said Jake, “but we knew we had to keep an eye on wherever Kabita Wangmo went.”
“Then I had to get into all the airlines’ databases that flew out that day and went through the lists of passengers,” said Jory. “That took me a few days. I had to make sure the airlines didn’t know that I hacked into their systems. I finally found her name and learned that her flight was to Bhutan. It wasn’t too surprising since Kabita Wangmo is a Bhutanese name.”
“I never thought you’d find me when I learned I was in Bhutan,” said Kellie.
“With Jory’s mad skills, we would’ve found you anywhere,” said J
ake.
Jory smiled proudly. “When I was searching for her home address, I discovered she was a Druk nun. I immediately called Master Chen to tell him, and he wasn’t surprised.”
“Druk bhikkhunı−s,” said Master Chen with spite, “cannot be trusted. I call Master Zheng after and he told me of their visit few months ago. He did not tell me because he did not think it was problem. Said they asked some questions and left.”
“Huh,” Kellie muttered. The nuns had done more than just ask questions. They’d revealed to him a prophecy that was about a baby who had uncanny similarities to Kellie—information Master Zheng should have shared with her.
“Kellie?” asked Master Chen, noticing that she was deep in thought.
“It’s nothing,” she said. “Go on.”
“The police weren’t helping us,” said Jake, “so we had to handle this on our own. Master Chen was planning to come here to find you. He just knew you’d be at this monastery. It took Jory and me a lot of convincing to get him to agree to let us go. We told him we would find a way to get here anyway.”
“People began to hear about it,” said Jory, “and tried to help. Principal Lemore really came through.”
“Principal Lemore?” asked Kellie, surprised.
“Yeah!” said Jake. “It didn’t hurt that he has money.”
Master Chen remained silent with the corners of his mouth turned down. He never hid the distrust he had for Mr. Lemore. It seemed odd that such a wealthy person would want to be a principal at a public high school.
“He helped us get here,” said Jake. “He seemed pretty angry that someone had pretended to be your mother. He didn’t want you to be in the hands of these kidnappers much longer.”
“Kidnappers?” echoed a stern voice behind Kellie.
Jake’s whole body twitched as he gulped.
“I see it as bringing home someone who belongs here,” said Choden.
Kellie turned to see Lia standing next to her. She got up and put her arm around the little girl. “How are you doing? You weren’t hurt, were you?”
“We would not harm a child,” said Choden.
“Kellie is child,” said Master Chen with a snarl.
“She is different,” the nun replied with a glare, as if accusing him of having knowledge of Kellie’s power.
He said again, “She is child,” admitting to nothing.
“Are you hungry?” Kellie asked Lia.
“A little,” she said.
“I’ll get you something,” said Kellie, looking around, wondering if there was something remotely tasty.
Choden put up her hands, indicating to Kellie that she would take care of it. She waved to a nun prepping food as she walked away. A bowl of porridge was quickly brought over.
Lia sat down cross-legged next to Kellie and stared at the mush.
“I feel the same way,” said Jake, leaning his head toward Lia. “I wish I had pancakes and sausage in front of me.” He sighed and took a bite of a radish.
“I like pancakes, too!” said Lia, her infectious, positive aura warming everyone around her; even a few nuns smiled meekly. “But you have to be thankful for everything you have.” She picked up a spoon and ate without a groan.
“You are very smart girl,” said Master Chen. This was the first time Kellie had seen calm on his face since their reunion.
“So what’s the plan?” whispered Jory. “We can’t just leave Kellie here.”
“Yeah!” said Jake. “Look what they’re serving.”
She couldn’t disagree with Jake. The four of them crunched on their breakfast in silence, while Lia made progress with her porridge. She joyfully played with her straw doll. (Kellie had laid it next to her in the morning as she still slept.)
The best plan Kellie could come up with was the one where she would have to stay. It was the only way to get the rest of them out of this miserable place safely. If a rescue didn’t come soon enough after they were gone, she would attempt another escape.
Choden returned to their table. “I see that all of you are almost finished. The transportation is ready. We will take the girl back first and then the rest of you to the airport. We will wait until the three of you have boarded the plane.”
Master Chen’s face turned red and his nostrils flared. Kellie was terrified that he would try to fight each and every nun. There were too many of them. They’d readily harmed the village men and shot arrows at her. What would they do to Master Chen?
He stood, knocking over his teacup. His hands shook by his side, and then he clutched his chest. Master Chen fell over onto the ground.
Kellie screamed as she leapt over the table to reach him.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
To the Rescue
Master Chen’s eyes rolled back and his body lay limp across the floor pillows.
“Please, say something!” Kellie cried.
“I think he’s having a heart attack!” yelled Jake. “Does anyone know CPR?”
The nuns stood in silence, either unaware of what to do or unwilling to help.
“I do!” said Jory. “I learned it when I was in the Boy Scouts!”
Master Chen’s eyes flicked open, and he let out an agonizing groan. He attempted to get up, but Kellie urged him to stay down.
“How are you feeling?” she asked. “Does something hurt?” Tears formed in her eyes. Kellie had always assumed Master Chen was healthy and never imagined him sick.
“Just need to lie down,” he murmured.
Kellie’s eyes met Choden’s. The nun looked at her with both confusion and uncertainty. Kellie’s glare seared through her.
It was their fault. Master Chen’s health was jeopardized from the stress the nuns had put him under. Now he was at this dreadful place, miles away from a city that had a hospital.
Blinding rage filled Kellie’s body. As she subconsciously rose to face Choden, a hand gripped her forearm.
“Stay with me,” mumbled Master Chen. “Just need to rest.”
“I need to get him to a room,” Kellie ordered.
The nuns remained in place, looked at each other and then at Choden.
Returning her gaze to Choden’s face, Kellie said between her teeth, “Do I have to repeat myself? I need to get him to a room!”
Choden nodded, and two women rushed out of the building. In minutes, they brought a stretcher made from two wooden sticks and a thick, woven cloth.
Jake and Jory helped Master Chen onto the stretcher, and two women heaved him up and carried him back to the private rooms.
Kellie marched up to Choden. Inches from her nose, Kellie said, “Master Chen is not going anywhere until he is ready. He would not be here if it wasn’t for you and your sisters. If anything happens to him, all of you will be held responsible.”
“We will take back the two boys and the girl,” Choden said, blinking. “He can stay with you until fit for travel.”
“I was not asking,” said Kellie hissed. She was still filled with such fury, she had to hold herself back from striking with a tiger paw or mongoose bite.
A gentle hand touched Kellie’s shoulder. “We can’t leave Master Chen here to travel back by himself,” said Jake.
“It might be difficult for him to make the long trip,” Jory added.
They were right. Master Chen would need someone to assist him on the journey home. She didn’t want him to make that trip alone if she wasn’t the one to accompany him.
“Jake and Jory will be staying here until Master Chen is healthy enough to get on an airplane,” said Kellie. “Lia needs to get home to her mother immediately.” She turned away from Choden as she muttered, “She never should have been brought here to begin with.”
Facing Jake and Jory, she asked, “Can you watch over Lia while I stay with Master Chen?”
“Of course,” Jory sa
id.
Jake held Kellie’s hand. “Are you going to be okay?”
“I’ll manage,” Kellie said, unable to stop the tremble in her hand. “And let me know when Lia is leaving, so I can say good-bye.”
Kellie darted after the stretcher. She didn’t want to leave her friends, but she had to be by Master Chen’s side.
When she caught up to him and the nuns on the trail, they were passing the wall of shrubbery she had escaped through. It was depressing to be back on this side again and in an even grimmer situation.
Following them into the room, Kellie watched as they rolled Master Chen onto his bed. He was breathing, but he didn’t seem to be conscious.
“I’m going to stay here,” Kellie said to the two women. “How close is the nearest hospital?”
“Three hours away,” one of them answered.
“That’s what I thought. Do you have medications here to make him feel better?” She remembered the white paste they’d put on her wounds that had worked miracles and hoped they could concoct something for Master Chen.
“Yes,” said the other nun. “I will ask the herbalist to prepare a remedy.”
They left, leaving Kellie alone with Master Chen.
She knelt next to him and watched as his chest rose and fell. Her gaze moved to his face and, for the first time, she saw the monk who was a father to her as vulnerable. He had always been invincible in her eyes, both physically and mentally. He was the solid rock she leaned on. He was capable of doing anything. He was aging, though, and she had to remind herself that he was sixty…or was he sixty-one?
I’m an awful person. I don’t even know how old he is!
Kellie buried her head next to his arm and began to cry uncontrollably. “I’m so sorry, Master Chen. I’m sorry for being such a disappointment.” Tears flooded her cheeks, dampening the bed cover. “I don’t do enough for you or around the house. I’m just a jerk who accuses you of horrible things. I thought you were trying to keep my mother from me when I found the letter, but you were just protecting me. I wanted to tell you that I was so sorry for all the hurtful words and for not listening to you. I can’t believe I didn’t trust you…” She wiped her nose on her sleeve. “I’m sorry I snooped in your room and—”