Seh stepped closer to Hok and took her arm. “Why do you care so much about this Resistance, Charles?” he asked.
“Yes, Charles,” Hok said. “Why do you care?”
Charles looked suddenly hurt. “I care because your father cares, Hok. He's done more for me than you can ever imagine. And before you even ask, he cares because your mother cares. So, if you have any more questions about that, you should talk to Bing. Right now, I'm just trying to help you“
Hok frowned.
“I'm trying to help your brothers, too,” Charles said. “What do you think I'm doing here in Jinan? Look.” He held out his hand.
Hok saw that the object he had been holding was a piece of rolled-up parchment.
“These postings are hanging on all of the Jinan message boards,” Charles said. “Your father's men saw them and sent word to your mother and me. I decided to come here and see if I could do anything to help.”
Charles unrolled the document and Hok's eyes widened.
“What does it say?” Seh asked.
Charles glanced suspiciously at Seh. “Can't you read it?”
“Seh is having some trouble with his eyes right now,” Hok said.
“Oh,” Charles replied. “I'm sorry. Are you going to be all right, Seh?”
“I'll be fine,” Seh said. “Just read the posting, please.”
Hok cleared her throat.
FRESH MEAT TONIGHT!
ATTENTION, ONE AND ALL:
TWO VICIOUS YOUNG ENEMIES OF THE
STATE HAVE BEEN CAPTURED.
NOW BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT WITH THE EMPEROR S HIGH COURT THE CONVICTS WILL RECEIVE THEIR PUNISHMENT DURING THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED FIGHTS AT MY SPECTACULAR ENTERTAINMENT VENUE—THE JINAN FIGHT CLUB. ALL YOUR FAVORITES WILL BE THERE! THE FIGHTS ARE SURE TO BE BRUTAL! DEATH IS A STRONG POSSIBILITY! DON T MISS THE ACTION!
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
YOUR GRACIOUS HOST AND
FIGHT PROMOTER,
LAOSHU
“Fu and Malao?” Seh asked.
“Yes,” Hok said. “There is a sketch of both of them.”
“It sounds serious,” Seh said.
“It is,” Charles replied. “LaoShu is an evil man.”
“Then we'd better start planning something immediately,” Seh said.
“I agree,” Hok said. “But there's something else you need to know first. There is a third sketch, Seh.” She pointed to the poster. “Charles, do you know who this is?”
“Sure,” Charles replied. “Everyone in Jinan knows who he is. That's the Golden Dragon, the current Jinan Fight Club champion. He's a real crowd pleaser. Why do you ask?”
“We know him, too,” Hok said. “He's our brother Long.”
Malao and Fu sat next to one another, staring out through the bars of the bamboo cage. Before them in the center of the dark room stood their thirteen-year-old brother Long, holding a torch. He wore a green silk robe and red silk pants, bound by a red sash—the uniform of the new Emperor. Long's taut, powerful muscles flexed beneath the fine silk.
Malao grinned weakly. “That guard just called me ‘fresh meat.’ He obviously doesn't know me very well.” Malao lifted one of his smelly feet into the air and wiggled his dirty toes. “This certainly isn't fresh!” He began to giggle.
“No laughing, prisoner!” Long snarled. While his voice was harsh, he winked in a playful manner and pointed the torch back toward the closed door.
Inside the cage, Fu leaned over and whispered forcefully into Malao's ear, “Don't you remember that that guard overheard every word we said earlier through the door? Keep your voice down!”
Malao lowered his foot.
Long crossed the room and knelt in front of Fu and Malao's cage. “Are you two all right?” he asked in a whisper.
Fu lowered his voice to a deep rumble. “I am fine, but Malao's head is cloudy. He was drugged for more than a month. He just woke up.”
“Drugging newcomers is common here,” Long said. He looked at Malao. “You'll have a few rough nights, but after that you'll be back to your old self. You'll have to sweat the drugs out of your system.”
Malao nodded. “What is this place?”
“It's a prison,” Long said. “Or at least the lower half is. The upper section is a huge dining hall with an enormous pit in the center. The pit extends all the way down to this level. You'll see it soon, unfortunately.”
“What do you mean by ‘unfortunately’?” Fu asked. “What is the pit used for?”
“Fighting,” Long replied. “People come from far and wide to watch the fights and place bets. It's brutal. The prisoners fight locals, often to the death.”