Lion

by Jeff Stone

  After dropping off Jake, Phoenix navigated Smitty down a few side streets until we were on a road that was surprisingly rural for being in the middle of a city. I only saw three gravel driveways, and Phoenix told us where to turn. The drive was long and winding, with trees lining it the whole way. You couldn’t even see the house from the road. It was cool. I’d never been there before.

  The driveway led to a small house that wasn’t even a quarter the size of mine. Phoenix’s grandfather’s old Ford Ranger pickup was parked in front. Beside the truck was a car I didn’t recognize.

  “Looks like my uncle Tí is still here,” Phoenix said.

  Smitty parked beside the Ranger and we climbed out. We unloaded the bikes and thanked Smitty for the ride.

  “My pleasure,” Smitty said. “Chauffeuring you guys around reminded me how much I need to clean out my truck.”

  “No worries,” Phoenix said. “Thanks for the lift.”

  “See you at the trail clean-ups?” Smitty asked.

  “I hope so,” Phoenix said.

  We waved, and Smitty drove off.

  “Let’s put the bikes on the back porch,” Phoenix said.

  Hú Dié and I followed him around to the rear of the house. The rain had lessened a lot, and I could hear the White River rushing nearby beyond a wall of trees.

  “This place is awesome,” I said.

  “Thanks,” Phoenix said. “We have several acres. The house is kind of small, though.”

  “It is not,” Hú Dié argued. “It is much bigger than most apartments in China, including ours. I just love all these trees and the river. It is perfect.” She turned to me. “Maybe now you understand why I chose to stay here, although I appreciate your mother’s offer to let me stay with you until my travel visa expires.”

  “I totally get it,” I said. “Have you always lived here, Phoenix?”

  “Yes. My parents bought this place before I was born. I’m glad Grandfather chose to stay here after that stupid car wreck.”

  “It is so great that your grandfather moved from China to take care of you,” Hú Dié said.

  “Yeah,” Phoenix said. “Grandfather can be grumpy sometimes, but he’s still the best.”

  We reached the long rear porch, and the back door opened. A middle-aged Chinese man poked his head out.

  “Hi, Uncle Tí!” I said. Phoenix’s uncle had been helping me with my dragon bone dependency, and I’d spent so much time with him lately that I also called him Uncle. So did Hú Dié.

  “Hello, Uncle Tí,” Hú Dié said.

  “The gang’s all here!” Uncle Tí said. “Come on in. I’m making fish head soup. Lots of collagen. Good for your joints.”

  I cringed.

  We took off our muddy shoes and wet socks, and Uncle Tí tossed us some towels. We wiped off as best we could and went inside.

  We were in the kitchen, where a large pot simmered on the stovetop. It smelled good. However, I couldn’t bring myself to peer inside the pot like Phoenix and Hú Dié were doing.

  “Have a seat,” Uncle Tí said. “Lunch will be ready in about half an hour. I’ll try to wake Grandfather now. He’s due to get up, anyway.”

  Phoenix looked at me. “Grandfather is a Chinese term of endearment. My grandfather is actually Uncle Tí’s father.”

  Uncle Tí nodded.

  “Sure,” I said, not believing a word.

  I’d heard from my uncle that Phoenix’s “grandfather” was actually more like his great-great-great-great-grandfather. Supposedly, he was close to four hundred years old. I never would have believed it if I hadn’t taken dragon bone. That stuff defied description. In my case, it gave me extra strength and stamina when I took large amounts of it, and now it seemed that it also healed wounds incredibly fast. My uncle claimed that a person could take it for a short time without any complications, but if someone took it for a long time, other factors would kick in. Mainly, the dragon bone would extend a person’s life indefinitely, like it apparently had with Phoenix’s grandfather. However, if the person ever stopped taking it, he would die.

  Some guys had stolen Phoenix’s grandfather’s supply of dragon bone, and he would have died if Phoenix hadn’t gotten it back. I’d heard that Phoenix’s grandfather was still in pretty bad shape, trying to recover from having been without it.

  Uncle Tí returned, leading Phoenix’s grandfather by the arm, and I had a hard time looking at the old man. He was very tall and slender, and he normally stood ramrod straight. Now he hobbled forward, hunched over and shaky. His skin was gray and flaking, like a shedding reptile, and his previously long, thick hair had thinned. It hung in limp strands around his neck and shoulders. He glanced over at me, and I saw that at least his eyes were still clear and bright.

  “I’m a mess, aren’t I, Ryan?” Phoenix’s grandfather asked in a hoarse whisper.

  “Ah …” I didn’t know what to say.

  “No need to answer,” he continued. “Your reaction says it all. This is what dragon bone does to a person. Do not let it take root in you, or it will steal all of your chi—your life energy. But you already know this, don’t you?”

  I nodded. “Uncle Tí told me. I do have less energy than usual, but sweating seems to help.”

  “Very good. How is your stomach?”

  “You mean my abdominal muscles? They still cramp up sometimes.”

  “You know why that is, don’t you?”

  “Yes. The dragon bone concentrates in my dan tien, my chi center. It’s the spot where a person feels ‘butterflies’ in their stomach.”

  “That is correct. Think of dragon bone as a living thing. In its powdered form, it is dormant. But once consumed, it awakens and resides inside you. Your dan tien is its home. The more you take, the stronger it becomes. It rewards you by making you stronger in a number of ways. Unfortunately, when you do not feed it, it retaliates by hurting you. It squeezes your abdominal muscles and begins to siphon your chi from throughout your body. As you continue to wean yourself from it, your cramping may spread to other parts of your body as the dragon bone attempts to make you feed it more. It will hurt like no pain you have ever experienced. Do not give in.”

  “I won’t.”

  “I hope not. The dragon bone within me is fighting for more, but I am a stubborn old man, and I refuse to give it more than half the amount I used to. I will no longer let it push me around without me pushing back.”

  I swallowed hard.

  “Do you have any questions?” Phoenix’s grandfather asked.

  “No,” I said, “but I want to show you and Uncle Tí something.”

  I pulled off my shirt and turned my left side toward Phoenix’s grandfather. “See these scrapes? Less than an hour ago, many of them were bleeding cuts. The deepest one healed before our very eyes. I hardly even felt any pain after I was first hurt.”

  “A reduction in pain can be expected,” Phoenix’s grandfather said, “as can accelerated healing in certain circumstances. How deep were the cuts?”

  “Much deeper than what you see,” Phoenix answered. “The worst one was bleeding everywhere one minute, then it wasn’t. I saw it with my own eyes. The wound repaired itself from the inside out. Just look at his shirt. That big stain isn’t mud.”

  “I want to see those wounds,” Uncle Tí said. He washed his hands in the kitchen sink and began to examine my side with his fingers. “I don’t see any sign of accelerated healing.”

  “I guess it stopped once it got to this point,” I said. “The scrapes look exactly the same now as they did when we left the trail park.”

  “I have seen this phenomenon before,” Phoenix’s grandfather said. “It has even happened to me on occasion. The dragon bone rushes to heal a major wound until it is no longer a threat to its host’s survival. The process often heals lesser wounds at the same time. Who else witnessed this?”

  “I did,” Hú Dié said. “So did Jake.”

  Uncle Tí looked concerned. “Jake? How did he react?”

&nbs
p; “He kind of flipped out,” Phoenix said. “Fortunately, he believes Ryan’s uncle is behind it. He thinks Dr. V pumped Ryan full of experimental chemicals.”

  Phoenix’s grandfather rubbed his long chin. “I suppose that may be our best explanation, if we should ever need one. We cannot let the truth get out.”

  I took a deep breath. “I … um … there’s something I need to tell you.”

  Phoenix’s grandfather’s eyes narrowed and he glared at me. He looked just like a snake. “What?”

  “The truth may already be out.”

  Everyone was looking at me.

  “I didn’t do anything!” I quickly said. “I’m just passing along information. The police in Texas contacted my mother last night. They still can’t find Lin Tan.”

  I saw Hú Dié’s eyes widen while Phoenix scowled. I knew I had to be careful with what I said next. Hú Dié had double-crossed Phoenix with Lin Tan in an attempt to steal some dragon bone. At the last minute, however, she stuck with Phoenix, even taking a bullet for him. However, Lin Tan was still a sore subject between them.

  “What are the details?” Phoenix’s grandfather asked.

  “There aren’t any, really,” I said, “other than the fact that they can’t find him. My uncle shot him in the chest, but he still managed to kill Murphy and then get away without a trace. I’ve been thinking about how my wounds healed so quickly and—”

  “And you believe Lin Tan might be taking dragon bone,” Phoenix said.

  “Yeah.”

  Phoenix’s grandfather nodded slowly. “That is possible. Did you ever see him take it?”

  “No,” I said, “but he’s the one who delivered it to my uncle down there. Maybe he set some aside for himself.”

  “We have to find him,” Phoenix said.

  “We will never find him,” Hú Dié said. “He knows many people in many countries. He is a popular road bike and cyclocross racer with many … connections.”

  “Are you sticking up for him?” Phoenix asked.

  “No. His connections are questionable.”

  “That’s putting it mildly,” I said. “He’s currently suspended for using steroids.”

  Uncle Tí turned to Phoenix. “Hú Dié is right. Lin Tan is beyond our reach. If the police can’t find him, we won’t be able to. Besides, even if we did find him, what could we do?”

  “I’ve got a thousand different kung fu moves that come to mind,” Phoenix mumbled. “Who cares if he knows kung fu, too?”

  Uncle Tí sighed. “I’ll talk with PawPaw in Beijing. If any rumors begin to spread about dragon bone, she’ll hear them.”

  “And I’ll keep an eye on the Internet for anything that looks suspicious,” I said. “I’m pretty good with computers.”

  “Very well,” Uncle Tí said. “In the meantime, let’s stay focused on the things that we can control. How was your ride today, Ryan? Do you think you’re ready to reduce the amount of dragon bone you’ve been taking again?”

  I shrugged. “Maybe. It depends on whether or not I can figure out a different way to sweat. All of the mountain bike trails around here will be closed for a while because of the weather.”

  “There are plenty of other ways to exercise,” Uncle Tí said. “You appear to have spent enough time in the gym to know that.”

  “It’s not the same,” I said. “I sweat when I lift weights, but not like I do when I ride. I need to do something more aerobic.”

  “How about jogging?” Hú Dié suggested.

  “I hate running,” I said. “Besides, it’s supposed to rain hard for days, remember?”

  “What about the rec center in town?” Phoenix asked. “They have an indoor track, and an indoor swimming pool, too.”

  “No running,” I said. “And I can’t swim.”

  “Hmm …,” Phoenix said. “What about spinning? You could ride an exercise bike or buy an indoor trainer to connect to one of your bikes.”

  I shook my head. “I’d go crazy riding a bike for hours in the same spot.”

  Phoenix rolled his eyes.

  “Why don’t you learn kung fu?” Phoenix’s grandfather suggested.

  My eyebrows rose. “Kung fu?”

  “That’s a great idea,” Uncle Tí said. “Phoenix could teach you. He’s taken over Grandfather’s tai chi class at the nursing home where I work, and he’s proven to be an excellent instructor.”

  “Maybe,” I said. “I’ve always wanted to learn kung fu.”

  “Kung fu is about much more than fighting,” Uncle Tí said.

  “I know. I’ve seen lots of kung fu movies. I’ve also seen old people in the park doing tai chi, and they didn’t throw a single punch. Tai chi is kung fu, right?”

  “It is,” Hú Dié said. “Those old people you saw? They were throwing all kinds of punches and kicks. They just did it very slow.”

  “Really?” I said.

  “Really.”

  “I’m not sure about this,” Phoenix said.

  “I am,” Hú Dié said. “It sounds fun. I can teach Ryan, too. Phoenix has seen my kung fu.”

  Phoenix shook his head. “Now I’m really not sure about this.”

  Hú Dié punched him in the arm. Hard.

  “Ouch!” Phoenix yelped. “I’ve asked you before to stop doing that. When are you going to listen to me?”

  “Never,” Hú Dié said. “This is no longer about you. It is about Ryan now. Come on, we are going to teach Beefcake how to use his muscles for something other than posing.” She walked to the other side of the kitchen and opened a door that led to the attached garage.

  Uncle Tí looked at me. “Beefcake?”

  I shook my head. “Don’t ask.”

  “I’ll be there in a minute,” Phoenix said. “I want to get out of these wet clothes.”

  “Do not forget to do your hair and makeup,” Hú Dié said. “Looking your best is important for exercising.”

  Phoenix groaned and turned to me. “You have no idea what you’ve just gotten yourself into.” He headed off down a short hallway.

  Uncle Tí laughed. “Go easy on Ryan, Hú Dié. Remember, we’re going to eat lunch soon. And Ryan, the clothes your mother dropped off are in the bathroom. Feel free to change anytime.”

  I looked at Hú Dié. “Shouldn’t we change, too?”

  “You can sweat in your clean clothes or in your dirty ones,” she said. “It is up to you. If you do change, do not put on socks. We practice kung fu barefoot. I am going to wait until we eat to change.”

  “I’ll wait, too, then,” I said.

  Hú Dié nodded, and I followed her into the attached garage. She flipped on the lights.

  “Whoa,” I said.

  Hú Dié closed the door. “I know.”

  The garage had been converted into a full-blown martial arts studio. Mirrors lined one wall, and the floor was covered with wrestling mats. A speed bag hung in the far corner, along with three different-sized heavy punch/kick bags. In another corner were items I’d only seen in kung fu movies. One was a man-sized wooden practice dummy that looked like a tree trunk with stubby branches poking out of it called a mook jong. Another was a makiwara board, basically a thick board wrapped with coarse rope that you punch in order to toughen your fists.

  Then there were the mirrorless walls. They were lined with racks of weapons. Some of the weapons were made of plastic or foam, clearly designed for practice. However, most had blades that looked sharp enough to shave with. I saw spears with different tips, as well as a bunch of swords. There were knives, nunchuks, whip chains, sai, kwan daos, triple staffs, bo staffs, short sticks, long sticks, walking sticks, canes, and a fan made of knife blades. There was even a flute carved out of bamboo and reinforced with metal rings that looked strong enough to cave someone’s head in.

  “This is kind of creepy,” I said.

  “I thought the same thing,” Hú Dié said. “It is like Phoenix’s grandfather is training him to singlehandedly fight an army.”

  “Why?”


  “I do not know. I saw a few things in China with him at an old temple, but …” Her voice trailed off.

  “But you’re not supposed to talk about it,” I said. “I understand. I’m getting used to their family secrets.”

  “There is nothing wrong with keeping secrets,” Hú Dié said. “It is often safer to not know things than to know them, especially when it comes to someone else’s personal business.”

  “I won’t argue with that. I wish I’d never gotten wrapped up in Phoenix’s family secrets and this dragon bone mess. I want to move on with my bike racing.”

  “Let us see what we can do about it, then. Once you learn even a little kung fu, you will become a better rider.”

  “You think?”

  “I know. How do you think Phoenix became such a good rider?”

  “By riding a lot.”

  “Does he ride a lot?”

  I thought about it for a minute. “Not really.”

  “I have not known him long,” Hú Dié said, “but I agree. He seems to ride just enough to stay ahead of everyone else. If someone or something is not pushing him, he appears to be lazy. If you learn half the kung fu he knows, you will beat him on a bicycle.”

  “I don’t know. A big part of the reason I started taking dragon bone in the first place was so that I could beat Phoenix. You’ve seen where that’s gotten me.”

  Hú Dié shook her head. “Phoenix’s big advantage is the core strength he has developed doing martial arts. That is also why elite cyclists do yoga. He is skilled, for sure, and he could become a pro one day, but so could you. You could be better than him.”

  “That’s not what my uncle said.”

  “Do you remember your uncle, Ryan? Why would you believe a word he said?”

  I shrugged.

  “I think that you work harder than anyone I have ever met,” Hú Dié said. “And you have so much strength. People say that cycling is all about power-to-weight ratio, but that is not always true. Sometimes, it is all about power.”

  “Wow,” I said. “That’s what I think, too.”

  Hú Dié grinned. “Great alike minds. Now, how much martial arts training have you had?”

  I chuckled. “None.”