Lion

by Jeff Stone

Peter found his cell phone. “I’ll call the police now.”

  “No,” Bo mumbled. “No … police.”

  Phoenix held his hand up to Peter. “Hang on. Don’t call yet. Let’s hear what he has to say.” He looked at Bo. “Speak up.”

  “I said,” Bo repeated, louder and clearer this time, “no police.”

  Peter scoffed. “You must be out of your mind. You attacked these innocent kids and—”

  “Innocent?” Bo said. “You don’t know them very well.”

  “But I’ve never even met you,” Phoenix said, shocked. “What are you talking about?”

  “I helped my brother wire the training facility’s security cameras,” Bo said. “Remember the remote feeds? I know for a fact Dr. V mentioned them to you. I had plenty of time to view the footage from that night before the police computer geeks got to it. I saw what went down.” He paused dramatically. “And I edited out some important footage.”

  “We didn’t kill Murphy,” Phoenix said. “Lin Tan did.”

  “I saw that,” Bo said.

  Then he smiled. “I also saw you hide that big ol’ stash of dragon bone in the protein powder container. Very clever. That’s the footage I deleted before the police saw it. I still have a copy of it, though. Considering all the … interest that’s beginning to brew over dragon bone here in California, as well as you all being celebrities of sorts now, I believe the authorities would be mighty interested in seeing that footage.”

  Phoenix frowned. “How long have you been following us?”

  “Off and on since the police finished questioning me back home in Texas,” Bo said. “You were easy to find and trail in Indiana.”

  “We don’t have any more dragon bone,” Phoenix said.

  “I don’t believe that for one minute,” Bo said. “But I also don’t care.”

  “Why did you attack Hú Dié, then?” I asked.

  “I was just trying to git your attention. I didn’t think she’d fall, and I sure didn’t expect Bones to go after her like that. He must be holding some kind of grudge. If I wanted to attack you, I would have done it in Indiana.”

  “Then what do you want?” Phoenix asked.

  “I want Lin Tan,” Bo said, “and you’re going to help me git him.”

  Phoenix’s expression changed. “Where is he?”

  Bo smirked. “You want him, too, eh, kid?”

  “Never mind that,” I said. “Why should we help you in the first place?”

  “Because,” Phoenix answered, “if we don’t help him, Bo will blackmail us.”

  “Very good,” Bo said. “I not only have the footage of Phoenix’s dragon bone switcheroo, but I know all about dragon bone. And like I said, I know what went down at the training facility. Murphy and I were tight, and I miss him a lot. But I’m willing to forget your involvement in everything if you git me close to Lin Tan.”

  “How do we find him?” Phoenix asked.

  “I read in some cycling forum posts that you all are signed up for that nighttime bike race in San Francisco next week. I’m bettin’ Lin Tan will be there.”

  “Why do you think so?” I asked. “Last we heard, the police can’t even find him. He’s probably somewhere in China.”

  “I don’t think so,” Bo said. “One of the people Lin Tan was attempting to sell dragon bone to called me the other day, looking for my brother. The guy wanted more info on this seller, Lin Tan. According to this guy, Lin Tan is now running with some bad hombres in San Francisco’s Chinatown—guys all tattooed up like carnival sideshow freaks. And supposedly he’s coaching a team that’s signed up for that race.”

  “But Lin Tan doesn’t have any dragon bone to sell,” Phoenix said.

  Bo grinned. “You think you took it all? No, son. I suspect Lin Tan withheld a fair amount from Dr. V. He used it to entice a buyer for the rest of the supply that he was attempting to steal before you all stopped him. He went underground, but my gut tells me he’s going to surface for that race. However, I can’t exactly go waltzing in there with my guns blazing. Besides, he’ll recognize me. I need you to lure him to a nice, quiet place.”

  “These kids aren’t going to help you,” Peter said.

  I swallowed hard. “I don’t know about this.”

  Bo’s eyes turned cold and shifted my way. “No, Ryan? Let me help make the decision easier for you. Murphy had friends. Lots of friends, and they all want justice. Lin Tan may have pulled the trigger, but all I have to do is mention that Phoenix and Hú Dié played a role, too, and the boys back home will want to see them hang just as high as Lin Tan. The only one standing between your friends and my friends is me, understand?”

  I felt my shoulders slump. “I understand.”

  “Good,” Bo said. “Now help me fetch Bones. Your priorities just shifted from winning that race to bird-dogging Lin Tan for me. You’re going to flush him out, or else.”

  We were so exhausted by the time we returned to Peter’s house, we didn’t even unload the bikes or our gear. We’d fished Bones out of the tidal pool, as well as my bike. Hú Dié stayed well clear of the dog, and she didn’t seem to relax until we were safely inside Peter’s house with the doors locked.

  We made phone calls to Indiana to let everyone know what had just happened with Bo. No one could agree on how we should handle the situation. Uncle Tí and my mother wanted to call the police and let them sort everything out, regardless of the dragon bone consequences. Phoenix and his grandfather, however, were determined to try to keep a lid on the situation. And though I found it difficult to believe, they favored helping Bo. Hú Dié also seemed strangely eager to find Lin Tan, and my guess was that she wanted to warn him about Bo. Lin Tan had shot Murphy in order to save her and Phoenix, and she had even planned to run off with Lin Tan at one point. It was all so complicated.

  The only decision Jake and I made was to make no decision at all. In the end, we all agreed to discuss everything again in the morning. Bo had given me twenty-four hours to check in with him, so we had at least that much time to figure something out.

  After the phone calls, I fell into my usual post-ride routine of rehydrating and surfing the Internet while waiting for my turn to take a shower. I found a ton of forum posts mentioning our being invited to race for a potential sponsorship. I still couldn’t believe we’d gone viral without actually having done anything. All this from a random guy snapping a few pictures of Peter and us and posting them.

  I also found an article about some recent cyclist deaths in the area, and I shared the article with everyone:

  San Francisco, CA—Autopsy results have just been released as part of an investigation into the death of a Menlo Park semiprofessional cyclist, Jim Millar, who was struck by a vehicle while riding near his home three days ago. The county coroner determined that the collision was not the cause of death, and all pending charges against the driver have been dropped.

  Millar, a locally known road bike racer, died of a heart attack that led to the collision. This corroborates the stories of the driver and numerous bystanders who witnessed Millar’s sudden, erratic veering into the path of the vehicle. This is the third heart attack suffered by an accomplished road cyclist in as many months, leaving many to question why these top-level athletes who were apparently in peak physical condition would all die of similar causes in such a seemingly narrow time frame. The prevailing belief among Internet conspiracy theorists is that a mysterious gray Chinese powder that recently surfaced in San Francisco’s Chinatown is to blame; however, investigators are quick to point out that no trace of any foreign substance has been found in any of the deceased. Two of the three riders were known to have consulted with Chinese herbalists at some point within the past six months. While no concrete link between the riders currently exists, investigators are handling all three deaths as though they are related. Watch our news feed for continuing developments.

  We didn’t know what to make of this latest story. Neither Phoenix nor I had ever heard of dragon bone triggering a hea
rt attack in someone, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t possible. We called Uncle Tí and Phoenix’s grandfather, but they’d already heard about it from PawPaw in Beijing. Finally, I sent my mom the link.

  When we’d all finished getting cleaned up, we had a meeting to decide whether we should head to Chinatown as planned. My dan tien was absolutely screaming for more dragon bone, and I was nearly out. I thought it might be too late to drive the two hours there and then back again tonight. However, Uncle Tí assured us that the apothecary shop we were going to visit would definitely be open when we got there. He said that he’d make a call to let PawPaw’s friend YeeYee know that we were on the way.

  We arrived in Chinatown just as the sun was going down. There were cars and people everywhere. We eased past the famous Dragon Gate entrance at Grant Avenue, and Peter luckily found a parking spot on a nearby side street. It was hilly here, especially up Grant Avenue. There was no way Peter would be able to get around in his wheelchair right now. I tapped him on the shoulder.

  “It’s pretty crowded, Peter. How about you and I wait in the van while the others go get the dragon bone?”

  “How far is the apothecary shop?” he asked.

  I glanced down at the map on my phone. “Several blocks uphill.”

  “Maybe we could come back another time, like early morning.”

  I shook my head. “I can’t wait much longer. Besides, we need to practice. We can’t afford to waste half a day coming back.”

  Peter sighed. “You’re right. I’ll stay here. However, I’d feel better if you went with the others. Phoenix and Hú Dié may know how to take care of themselves, but you’re a walking visual deterrent.”

  Jake laughed. “Ha! You—”

  I raised a tiger-claw fist. “Don’t even go there, Jake. He’s talking about my size.”

  Jake clamped a hand over his mouth, still laughing.

  Hú Dié rolled her eyes at Jake. “I think you should come with us, Ryan.”

  “Me too,” Phoenix said.

  “Peter, are you sure?” I asked.

  “Get out of here,” Peter said. “Do you have your cell phone?”

  “Yep,” I replied, “and I have your number programmed in.”

  “Call me if you run into any trouble. I plan to stay in the van, but if you’re gone longer than my stomach can tolerate, I’ll be in one of these nearby restaurants. The food in most of these places is fantastic.”

  “Can we all grab something to eat before we head back to your house?” Jake asked. “I’m kind of hungry, too.”

  “Of course,” Peter said. “A trip to Chinatown wouldn’t be complete without a meal. We’ll figure something out.”

  I nodded to Peter and stepped out of the van. The scent of fried food and car exhaust flooded my nostrils. Hú Dié, Phoenix, and Jake climbed out after me, and the four of us headed toward the Dragon Gate. As we neared it, I saw that it was actually three gates, with one large gate in the center for cars and a smaller gate on either side for people to walk through. They were all built of rectangular stones, and each gate had its own ornate roof covered with green tiles.

  I looked up at the center gate’s roof, where two golden dragons stared at each other. They appeared as though they were about to fight, perhaps over the golden ball between them. We stopped before one of the side gates, and on the ground at the outside corner was a stone statue the size of a large dog. I couldn’t identify the creature, but it had a paw resting on a large stone ball.

  Hú Dié walked up to the statue and patted it on the head. She looked at me and said, “This is Shishi. Do you know her?”

  “No,” I said. “Should I?”

  “Yes,” Hú Dié said. “She is a guardian. Some people believe that she is a dog, but most consider her to be a lion—just like you.”

  Jake laughed. “Ryan ‘The Lion’ Vanderhausen. If you ever become a mixed martial arts fighter, you’ll already have a sweet name!”

  I shook my head.

  Jake pointed to the stone statue next to the pedestrian gate across the street. “Hey! There is another one. What’s its name?”

  “That is also Shishi,” Hú Dié replied, “but that one is male. See how his opposite paw is raised? Some people believe that his ball represents the earth.” She nodded toward the sphere beneath the raised paw of the lion by us. “Look at this one.”

  “It’s a Shishi cub, lying on its back!” Jake said.

  Hú Dié nodded. “That is how you know this one is the female. She represents life.”

  “Nice,” I said.

  “Come on,” Jake said. “Let’s get moving so we can eat.” He passed through the small gate in front of us. Phoenix and I followed him. Hú Dié, however, went out of her way to walk through the large gate designed for cars.

  Phoenix rolled his eyes.

  “Why did she do that?” Jake asked. “Does she think she’s a truck?”

  “No,” Phoenix said. “The large gate is traditionally reserved for important people. The smaller gates are for commoners—like us.”

  Jake laughed. I did, too. Hú Dié flashed a big grin.

  I looked back and nodded at the golden dragons atop the center gate. “What do those represent?”

  “I am not sure,” Hú Dié said. “Dragons are complex creatures. They can mean many things.”

  “They look like they’re ready to fight,” Jake said, punching the air a few times. “What would happen if one of those dragons went toe to toe with one of the lions?”

  “I suppose the dragon would win,” Hú Dié said. “Dragons are believed to be all-powerful. What do you think, Phoenix?”

  “If it were a kung fu fight,” Phoenix said, “yeah, the dragon would win.”

  I thought about the dragon bone inside me. “If a dragon is all-powerful, can it ever be defeated?”

  “The only thing that can defeat a dragon is another dragon,” Phoenix said.

  I sighed. I was a lion trying to defeat a dragon. I didn’t stand a chance.

  We headed up Grant Avenue, past rows of neon Chinese signs sticking out from stores along the hilly sidewalk. Lanterns hung from lampposts, and colorful banners were strung across the road.

  The deeper we walked into Chinatown, the busier it got. It also became more foreign to me, looking more and more like a scene from a cool Hong Kong movie. The buildings rose higher, with balconies covered in drying laundry. It appeared that these buildings contained shops on the ground floor with residences above. The streets grew even more crowded, and the constant banter of Chinese grew louder.

  I used to think Chinese things were cool, but being surrounded by so much of it now made me uneasy. It reminded me of just how different the world was where I grew up, and it made me feel like I had no business being here or taking dragon bone in the first place. I wanted nothing more than to get what we’d come for, then get out of here as quickly as possible.

  We pressed on until Hú Dié stopped in front of a large apothecary shop. I checked the map on my phone

  “This isn’t it,” I said. “We’re close, though. It’s on Waverly Place.” I showed her the phone.

  “Follow me,” she said.

  We formed a tight peloton as if we were on our bikes, and Hú Dié led us into a dark side street. I had to shoulder my way through a group of rude guys who were just hanging around, doing nothing in particular. They wouldn’t even acknowledge our presence.

  “Keep your eyes open,” Hú Dié whispered. “They seem like they’re ignoring us, but trust me, they’re watching our every move.”

  I checked to make sure my wallet was still in the front pocket of my cargo shorts, and I gripped my phone tighter, glancing at its display. We’d supposedly arrived at our destination, but I didn’t see any storefronts. There weren’t any signs, either.

  Above us, a woman’s voice rang out in Chinese-accented English. “Phoenix? Ryan?”

  We glanced up into the darkness to see the outline of a person on a balcony.

  “There is a
door twenty feet ahead of you, on your left,” the woman said. “Come up to the third floor.”

  We found the door and went up the narrowest set of stairs I’d ever seen. The treads were covered with cracked tiles, and my shoulders rubbed both tile-covered walls. I had to lower my head at the top of each flight of stairs to keep from banging it against the crumbling plaster ceiling.

  “Who built this place?” Jake asked. “Elves?”

  We reached the third floor and found an open door. An old woman stood in the doorway, dimly illuminated by a bare electric bulb. She wore a white silk robe and stood erect as a soldier. Her hair was long and gray with streaks of brown, and her bright eyes scanned each of us intently. She bowed slightly and said, “Welcome Ryan, Phoenix, Hú Dié, and Jake.”

  We returned her bow, and I said, “Nice to meet you, Ms. YeeYee.”

  The woman shook her head. “YeeYee is the name I reserve for strangers. You are not strangers. My name is Hok. Won’t you come in?”

  Wait! I’d heard the name Hok before, but I couldn’t remember where. Jake and I took a step toward the old woman’s door, but Hú Dié and Phoenix didn’t follow. Their feet appeared to be glued to the floor. Hú Dié gaped at Hok, and I thought Phoenix’s eyes were going to pop out of his head.

  “You are Hok?” Hú Dié asked. “As in the Five Ances—”

  Hok raised her hand, a hint of a smile on her lips. “Inside, dear. We have much to discuss.”

  The Five Ancestors! I thought. Of course! That’s where I’d heard Hok’s name. When Phoenix told Peter and Jake about dragon bone, he’d mentioned the Five Ancestors, five kids who changed the course of China’s history almost four hundred years ago. One of them was supposedly Phoenix’s grandfather. His name was Seh, or Snake. There was also a girl named Hok, or Crane, who used to pretend to be a boy. This was getting crazier every minute.

  Hú Dié and Phoenix finally got moving, and we stepped into an incredible room—from floor to ceiling, the walls were covered with wooden drawers. Some were large, like you’d find in a dresser, but most were tiny. They didn’t look like they’d hold much more than a pill bottle. Each drawer was labeled with Chinese characters painted in gold. And then I noticed the smell. The room smelled … ancient. An earthy combination of odors wafted out from the drawers’ unseen contents.