Hunt for Jade Dragon (37 page)

“And there goes the third,” Ian said.

“And there we are,” Ostin said, looking through his binoculars.

Our coast guard boat appeared through the haze about a hundred yards north of the
Volta
, headed straight for the fishing boat.

We heard the sound of Ben speaking over the boat's PA system, and the fishing boat slowed as the coast guard boat pulled up to its side. There were at least a half dozen flashes of electricity.

“Zeus just took out the guards,” Ian said. Then a large smile crossed his face. “Jack has Jade Dragon. They're back on board.”

The nose of the coast guard boat rose as it sped north up the coast

“They're going in the wrong direction,” McKenna said.

Ostin lowered his binoculars. “They're putting distance between them and the
Volta
's guns. They'll head out to sea, then turn south and head to our dock.”

“Let's go get them,” I said.

* * * 

McKenna drove the van as close to the dock as she could, climbing the curb onto a dirt landing less than thirty yards from the water.

“Keep it running,” I said. We opened all the doors. “Where are they?”

“They're coming,” Ian said.

It was only a few more minutes before the rest of us saw the boat powering full speed into shore.

“He's got to slow down,” McKenna said.

“I don't think he's going to use the dock,” Ostin said.

Ben slowed just slightly before grounding the boat completely up on the shore. Everyone jumped off the port side of the boat and sprinted toward us. Jack was carrying a little Chinese girl. We had rescued Jade Dragon.

“Y
ou drive!” McKenna shouted to Ben as he reached the van.

Everyone piled in, more panicked than celebratory. We had no idea how close the Elgen were, but knowing them, they weren't far.

I slid the side door shut, then jumped into the front passenger seat. “Go, go, go!”

Ben hit the gas and the van fishtailed a little on the dirt and bounced over the curb, sending up a spray of sparks as he scraped the front of the van on the asphalt. The streets were still vacant, and Ben sped at least eighty miles an hour toward the freeway. The freeway had traffic, and only when we had merged in with the other cars did I breathe out a sigh of relief.

“See anyone following us?” I asked Ian.

“No.”

I looked at Taylor, who held Jade Dragon on her lap. It was hard
to believe that such a little girl could generate so much commotion.

“Hi,” I said to her. She didn't look at me.

“She thinks you're nice,” Taylor said.

“How do you know that?”

Taylor cocked her head.

“Sorry,” I said. I looked at Ben. “What are we going to do about those coast guard sailors still in our boat?”

“Do not worry,” he said. “They will find them.”

“Where are we going?”

“Back to the safe house.”

No one spoke for a moment, then Zeus said, “Does anyone know why the
Volta
blew up her own boats?”

A
s we drove farther from the plant, the fear-borne adrenaline that had pumped through our bodies dissipated, replaced by an equally potent measure of exhaustion. Ostin even gave the phenomenon a name before falling asleep:
postmission fatigue
.

As we entered Kaohsiung only Ben, Jack, Taylor, and I were still awake, and Ben looked as if he might doze off at the wheel. Taylor's eyes were heavy but fixed on the child she cradled in her arms.

“What's the plan now?” I asked Ben.

Ben unsuccessfully attempted to avert a yawn. “This afternoon I will drive Jade Dragon to the Taitung airport.”

“That soon?” Taylor said.

“The more soon the better,” he said. “The plane will be waiting. I will go after I sleep. I am too tired to drive now.”

“I can help drive,” Jack said.

“No,” Ben said. “Only me and Jade Dragon will go. The police and army and Elgen spies will be looking for Americans. There may be road stops.”

“Road
blocks
,” I said, immediately scolding myself for correcting his English. “Are they flying her back to China?”

“No, they fly to America.”

“What about her parents?” Taylor asked.

“The Lung Li kill her parents.”

Taylor gasped. I figured that if Taylor didn't know they had been killed, Jade Dragon must not have known either. My stomach knotted as I glanced at Taylor, then back at Ben. “Where will she go? The ranch?”

“No,” Ben said. “Someplace secret where they will find a family for her.”

Taylor looked down at the sleeping child in her arms. “You poor sweet thing,” she said softly. She looked up. “My parents would take her. I was adopted.”

“Your home would not be safe,” Ben said.

“I know.” Taylor gently brushed her finger over Jade Dragon's cheek. I noticed that her eyes were welling up with tears. “I wish I could keep you, sweetheart.”

* * * 

We arrived at the warehouse as the sun peeked out over the horizon, illuminating the grounds in a pink-golden hue. I unlocked the gate and Ben pulled in past the fence, then into the warehouse. Once inside, we woke everyone.

“Do we need a lookout?” I asked, wondering if it was even possible.

“I think we are all too tired,” Ben said. “I will set the alarms. We all should sleep now. We will soon have more to do.”

As we climbed out of the van, Ben walked over to the garage door and manually slid a bolt through its track, then pushed some buttons on a metal control pad on the wall.

Following Taylor, I carried Jade Dragon up to the women's sleeping quarters.

“Lay her next to me,” Taylor said, pushing two cots together. I laid Jade Dragon down on the bed, then Taylor lay down next to her. She gently kissed her forehead, then looked up at me and whispered, “Isn't she beautiful?”

I nodded. I was amazed at the bond the two of them had created in such a short time. I didn't know exactly what had happened between them, but whatever it was, it was probably too profound for someone who had never entered someone else's mind to understand—especially a mind as unique as Jade Dragon's. After a few minutes I said, “I'm going to get some sleep. Do you need anything?”

“No,” she said. “Thank you.”

“Sleep well.”

As I turned to go she said, “Michael.” I turned back around. Taylor was smiling. “We got her. Just like you said we would.”

I smiled back. “Yeah, we did.”

* * * 

After leaving the room, I stopped in the kitchen for a cup of water, then went to the men's sleeping quarters. The room was dark with the lights out and the blinds drawn. The only illumination was the faint glow of Ian's and Zeus's skin. As far as I could tell everyone was already asleep except for Jack, who was sitting cross-legged on the floor next to his cot, half-concealed in shadow. His chin was up as if he was meditating. I lay down on the cot next to him.

Without looking at me he said, “What a rush.”

“That's for sure.”

He was quiet for a moment, then, still looking forward, said softly, “Wade would have liked Taiwan.” One corner of his mouth rose in an amused half smile. “He would have wanted to learn how they make those dumplings we had.” He looked up at me. “Did you know that he wanted to be a chef?”

“No.”

“He was always afraid someone might find out. Sometimes I'd catch him watching those cooking shows on the Food Network. I used to make fun of him.” His smile fell. “I wish I hadn't.”

“He knew you were just teasing him.”

“I know.” Jack looked down for a moment, then back at me. “Do you believe that some part of us lives after we die?”

“You mean like a soul?”

He nodded. “Yeah, something like that.”

“I think so. Why?”

“Just after the guards beat me up, I was lying there on the floor, bleeding and in pain, when I felt like someone touched me. I looked up and for just a split second, I thought I saw Wade.” He rubbed his hand over his face. “I dunno. Maybe I was just delirious. They'd just hit me in the head a dozen times.”

“I don't know,” I said. “I've heard of things like that.”

“Do you ever feel your dad near?”

My cheek began ticking. “No. Never.”

“Sorry,” he said. He was quiet for a moment, then said, “You should sleep.”

“You too,” I said.

“I will in a second. I just need to unwind a little.”

I lay back on my bed. What Jack had said echoed in my mind.
Why haven't I ever felt my father like that?

I
woke to the bleating of an alarm. I jumped out of bed, my heart pounding fiercely, before realizing that it was just the alarm clock that Ben had set.

“Sorry,” Ben said as he shut it off.

“Is it time?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“I'll go with you,” I said.

“No, I must go alone.”

“I just meant to get her.”

He slightly bowed. “
Dwei buchi
. Sorry.”

I followed him over to the women's quarters. We quietly opened the door, letting a sliver of light into the darkened room. Everyone was asleep except for Jade Dragon, who was sitting facing the door, her legs hanging over the bed, not touching the floor. She looked as if she was expecting us.

Ben mouthed something to her in Chinese. She nodded, glanced at me, then reached over and touched Taylor. Taylor rolled over but didn't wake.

I sat down on the side of Taylor's cot and gently shook her. She woke from a dead sleep. “What?”

“It's me,” I said.

She looked at me through half-closed eyes. “Michael . . .”

“It's time for Jade Dragon to leave,” I said.

It took only a few seconds for my words to sink in. “Oh,” she said, sitting up. She looked over at Jade Dragon as tears welled up in her eyes. Jade Dragon took her hand. Without explanation, Taylor suddenly closed her eyes as if in a trance.

After a minute I said, “Taylor . . .”

“Shhh,” she said.

For several minutes the two of them sat perfectly still. Then Taylor's eyes opened. “She understands. She knows she's going away without her parents.” She looked at me. “She can go now.”

Taylor held Jade Dragon's hand as the four of us walked downstairs to the van. Ben unbolted the garage door while I opened the van door and Taylor seat-belted Jade Dragon in behind the driver's seat.

“Keep her safe,” Taylor said to Ben.

“I will,” Ben said.

“When will you be back?” I asked.

“Maybe tonight. After she is gone I will talk to the voice. If I am too late I will stay in Taitung with friends and come back early tomorrow.”

“When will
we
fly back?”

“I will ask the voice. It will take a few days for the plane to return. Maybe in three days. Until then no one must go out.” He looked at me uneasily and I sensed that he was still shell-shocked from our last careless venture out. “It is very, very dangerous.
Fei chang, fei chang
dangerous. No one can go out for any reason.”