Hok blinked. Break him out of prison? While the last thing she wanted was Ying on the loose, she had a strong feeling he wouldn't be able to go very far. He would most likely get recaptured. Even if he wasn't caught, he could very well die from the strain of being on the run. If he remained here, though, he would surely die. As much as she disliked Ying, she wasn't sure she could leave him to that certainty. It seemed to Hok that breaking Ying out might be the best option.
Hok stared, unblinking, at Ying. “I agree to your terms. How do I get you out of here?”
Ying nodded behind her.
Hok spun around, and froze. A man stood between her and the prison's main entrance. In his hand was a single key. “I have an idea,” the man purred. “You could use this to get Ying out of his nest.”
It was Tsung. She should have guessed Ying wouldn't have been left alone.
Hok knew to be ready for anything. She took several steps forward, putting space between the front of Ying's cell and her back. The last thing she wanted was to be pinned against something by Tsung.
“I see you are coming to meet me in the middle of the dance floor,” Tsung said. “Such a forward young lady you are. Are you sure you want to do this? You'll need two good arms to swing with me, you know.” He flashed a big toothy grin.
Hok didn't reply. She lowered herself into a wide defensive stance, her good arm held out in front of her, her bad one tucked tight to her body. She wanted him to come at her.
Tsung bowed, low and deep. “Let the dance begin.” He dropped the key and sprang at Hok's neck.
Hok was ready. As soon as she saw Tsung leave the ground, she dropped flat onto her back and kicked one leg straight up into the air. Her foot sank deep into Tsung's stomach as he sailed over her.
Tsung groaned as his midsection molded itself around Hok's heel. Hok used Tsung's forward momentum to help slam her leg to the ground, and Tsung went with it. He hit the stone floor with a solid THUD!
Tsung cursed and Hok tried to pull her leg away, but Tsung was too quick. He grabbed her foot and tucked it under his armpit, and in one smooth motion he locked both his hands around her heel and leaned back hard.
Intense pain shot through Hok's ankle. Tsung had her in some sort of heel lock. Tsung began to twist to one side, and Hok's misery was magnified tenfold.
Unsure of what to do, Hok rolled her body in the direction of Tsung's twist. She felt the pressure on her heel subside, but only for a moment.
Tsung righted himself, then twisted again in the same direction, more powerfully this time. Again, Hok twisted with him.
While the pressure on her heel subsided the second time, too, Hok felt the sinews in her ankle begin to weaken. If Tsung kept this up, they would snap just like the ones in her elbow nearly had.
Hok sensed Tsung winding up for a third twist when Ying managed to wheeze out loud, “Twist double-time, Hok!”
Tsung unleashed a mighty twist, wrenching his body around one hundred and eighty degrees. Out of options, Hok followed Ying's instructions. She twisted her body around three hundred and sixty degrees in the same direction as Tsung's twist.
It worked. Tsung couldn't maintain a firm grip on her spinning foot and she felt the pressure on her heel subside.
Ying wheezed out loud, “Crane Spins the Legs!”
Hok spun her free leg in a powerful arc and brought that heel crashing down onto Tsung's temple.
Tsung's body went limp, unconscious, and Hok jerked her foot free. She wondered where Ying had learned to counter a move like that. It certainly wasn't at Cangzhen.
Hok stood and looked at Ying.
Ying had managed to sit upright. He had his arms wrapped around his sides, his chest heaving. Hok realized he was chuckling. “Rescued by … an ax kick … from a girl … named Peaceful!” Ying wheezed. “Ha-ha-ha!”
Hok glared at him. “How do you know my given name?”
“I was … seven years old … when you came to … Cangzhen,” Ying wheezed. “Sometimes I … spied on … Grandmaster.” He shrugged slightly and appeared to attempt a grin.
Hok frowned.
“I had … a different name … too,” Ying wheezed. “Saulong … Vengeful Dragon! … I see … you are … no longer … living up to … your name. … Let's see … if I can … live up to … mine.” He nodded toward the center of the room.
Hok turned and saw the key on the floor. She heard Ying begin to struggle to his feet.
Hok bit her lip, then scooped up the key. She hurried over to the cell door and opened it. She had to remember, she was doing this for Malao.
Ying stumbled forward and leaned on Hok's shoulder. “I'll talk … as we walk.”