Chapter 17.

          It was dark outside when we stepped out. Kuroda took Iga and Kagi in his vehicle. Kannon drove Jason and I along the night road.

          "Jean Claude would pull a fang to see you in this outfit." Jason leaned forward to grin at me. I turned and gave him a dead stare.

          "You so much as mention it to him..." I left the threat open to leave me a variety of punishments to pick from. Jason just smiled and leaned back in his seat.

          "So where are we going?" I looked to Kannon. Kannon pointed out the windshield at what seemed an actual wall of fog moving across the road ahead of us. I stared. I could see it move like it was a living thing dragging itself across the road.

          Jason was leaning over my shoulder. "What kinda fog is that?!"

          "The Monkey King's cloud." Kannon didn't take his eyes from the fog as we got closer and closer to it.

          "He has a cloud?" I'm not intimidated, really I'm not. Okay, so the guy's got his own cloud. We've got a Nissan and some eye-catching outfits.

          "The Saru are responsible for the fog. The kings seem to produce the fog somehow. The Monkey King can move under cover of the fog and thus, it's his cloud."

          "Why did you call it a cloud if it's fog?" Jason asked, resting his elbows on the back of our seats and his chin on his arm. I felt a little better. He didn't have his own cloud. He can just manipulate a force of nature like fog to bend to his will, that's all. But he didn't have a cloud.

          "Because legend has it the Monkey King rides a cloud."

          "He's a legend too?" I asked. Christ, write a book and call yourself Oprah.

          "The legendary Monkey King is known for his trickery and pranks, but also for being a master of martial arts, with a magical bo staff and he rides a cloud. All Monkey Kings answer to the same name to keep the appearance that the Monkey King is only one entity and can appear anywhere he wants to. They act as if they are all one being in different bodies. The same for the Monkey Kings in China and Korea. They all answer to the name in use for that country."

          I wonder how they got along at their little annual Monkey King picnics.

          "So what's his name here?" I asked, watching the fog start to loom.

          "Goku. Son Goku."

          "Is he reasonable?"

          Kannon turned to blink at me as if amazed I could be so dumb, and Jason as well. Hey, the only stupid question is the one you didn't ask.

          "Look at what they did to your hotel room," Kannon said quietly.

          "So we go in guns a'blazing."

          "Not if you want your people back alive."

          We were swallowed by the fog for a few moments. Every window was whitened out. Then we were back into the night air. I turned to look behind us and watched Kuroda's car come through the fog after us.

          "Then what's the best approach?"

          "You can offer something he wants more than your people."

          "Like what?"

          Kannon frowned. "The Monkey King is a prankster and childish sometimes. What would you give a child in exchange for a toy he has?"

          He had me stumped there. Food? "What has worked before?"

          "Sometimes it's been food, other times it's toys or magic. You never know what he could want."

          I bit my lip. "I have nothing to give him." Ba-rump-bum-bum-bum.

          "Then we'll have to improvise." Kannon said seriously.

          We followed the road for at least an hour, passing through the tunnels of fog as the terrain grew rockier, and with less trees. The stars were really clear out there, away from the city lights. I could actually see the Milky Way. Kannon amused us by telling us the legend of the Monkey King.

          Basically, Goku was born from a rock that was on the Earth from the beginning of creation, getting its power from absorbing the solar and lunar energy of the sun and moon. When he was born, he was huge and didn't know what the hell was going on, creating mass destruction wherever he went. He grew up on an island of monkeys and declared himself their king. The Jade Emperor of the Celestial Palace sent his number one guard to take care of him. Well...after a massive battle, the guard cut off his tail, and Goku returned to being a little monkey. He wandered around aimlessly, till the Goddess of Mercy saw him and took pity on him, so she took him to this mountain and asked this sorcerer to take him in as a pupil.

          Well, he went back to his island and heard from one of the monkeys about a pole at the bottom of the ocean that supported the Dragon King's kingdom. Soooo, he went down there and 'borrowed' the pole. Without the pole, the Dragon King's kingdom went haywire and the Earth was wracked by floods and other weird natural disasters. So then, the Jade Emperor was informed of this and he was really upset, so he sent a bunch of people down to capture Goku. But Goku ended up kicking their asses, so the Emperor changed his mind and offered him a position in the Celestial Kingdom. As the Royal Celestial Head of Equestrian or something...which meant basically that he looked after the horses in the kingdom.

          After he realized he's been duped, he got pissed, so he just went around the kingdom to 'play'. During that time, there was a festival going on, and the most important item was the immortality peach that took thousands of years to grow and stuff. Well...Goku got hungry, so he wiped out the damn peach tree, and that pissed off some important people. The Jade Emperor said that was the last straw, and sent all the people in the kingdom after Goku. I could sure relate with him there.

          He beat all of their asses, but got trapped in a giant bronze pot being used to make a tablet of immortality. Gods sure have this immortality hang up, don't they? Anyway, fire was constantly applied to the pot, and Goku stayed in there and got scorched for many days. Then I guess he got hungry again, cause he just swallowed the damn tablet, gained extra super strength, and broke out of the pot. His eyes were burnt so they turned the color of fire, and the holy fire that was used also allowed him to see through the disguises of demons. Then he commenced wrecking havoc on the Celestial Kingdom and it seemed that nobody could stop him...till Buddha arrived.

          And as it turned out, Buddha kicks ass with a smile. Goku jumped into the palm of Buddha's hand...literally, and declared himself king of the world, sans Titanic, in defiance. Buddha said that he'd let Goku do whatever, if he could prove himself worthy. The only way to prove himself worthy was by jumping out of Buddha's hand in one leap. Goku got cocky said 'sure whatever', and...he even...peed on one of Buddha's fingers. Then he made the leap...and found himself facing that finger.

          So Buddha slammed him back down to earth and dropped a mountain on him, complete with a seal. Then there was this monk, who in his past life was a disciple of Buddha. At one of his lectures, he fell asleep. Buddha punished him by stripping him of his title, position, and reincarnating him as a monk till he repented for his sin. And you know, all this time, I thought that Buddha was a peaceful, forgiving god, really. The monk, Tripitaka, was sent west to get the book of prayers. All the demons in the area...in China actually, wanted to capture him and eat his flesh because he's the reincarnation of a holy disciple and his flesh would give them...immortality or extra power and all that good shit. So all through the trip the demons are getting their chopsticks ready.

          Tripitaka went on this journey to get a sutra from Tibet for some king. He happened to pass by a particular mountain, and a particular Monkey King trapped beneath yelled out for help. Tripitaka decided that their meeting was fated and he prayed for Goku, and his prayer broke the seal on the mountain. So Goku bowed down and accepted Tripitaka as his master.

          After that, Goku started acting like a monkey jackass...so Tripitaka used a bronze band that the Goddess of Mercy gave him. Every time Tripitaka prayed, the headband tightened and crushed his skull, or something like that. They met three more demons, or whatever, that had been kicked from high titles and/or positions that also joined them, and in the end, they reached the giant building in Tibet where all the books where and got back their titles/positions.

          It was after hearing all of this that I learned: one, Goku was a megalomaniac; two, never piss on Buddha or fall asleep during his lectures; three, maybe the Goddess of Mercy isn't so damn merciful and can crush your skull with a headband; and four, this was not going to be easy.

          So, how do you intrigue a megalomaniac? Maybe the monk had an idea. Maybe this is why the monk had been included in this group.

          Then I saw it, the orange glow ahead, creating a hazy spot against the night sky, just over the mountain ridges.

          "Is that it?" I asked aloud.

          Kannon nodded. "That would be them."

          Houston, we've got monkeys. And I still didn't have a plan.

          "Anita." Jason leaned forward and grabbed the headrest of my seat. I turned to look at him, and his wide, blue eyes. He was waiting for me to give them the plan. He could no doubt smell the fact I wasn't comfortable. He was asking for reassurance with his gaze. And I didn't have it.

          I reached up and patted his hand; it was all I had. He seemed heartened by the simple touch though.

          "I'm not going to let any of you down, Jason," I said quietly.

          "I know." He smiled at me, smiled at me with all the trust of a child hearing his mother tell him everything was going to be all right. But it's not all right. Mommy can die and the things that go 'chomp' in the night can get you. But still, back then, you trusted what mommy said. Because mommy said it.

          Jason's eyes flickered forward and I turned to look, spotting the two figures on the road.

          "Kannon, do you see them?" I asked.

          "Hai..." Kannon nodded, driving towards them.

          "They're guards, aren't they?"

          "Hai."

          I kept my eyes on the non-moving figures until the car's headlights illuminated them. They were both men, not very tall, but with barrel bodies, the kind that push you around in a biker bar. Each carried a spear that they held upright, butts resting against the dirt road. They wore armor, most likely for show. Chest plates, arm plates, shin plates, even helmets. They either did this every night, or this was for my benefit. Most likely for my benefit. Didn't I feel special.

          Kannon stopped the car about a car length from the guards, blinding them with the headlights until he killed the engine. The other car pulled to a stop behind us, and I opened the car door, getting out. Kannon and Jason followed suit. I heard the doors of the other car slamming shut as they also climbed out. The guards watched us, most likely just regaining their night vision, but didn't move towards or away from us.

          I was about to step forward when Iga brushed up beside me. He was wearing dull gray and white robes, with beads about his neck. He put his hand on my shoulder and gave me a kind smile. He lifted his hand from my shoulder and gave me a hand motion for me to follow him. Then he spoke quietly to Kannon.

          "He says the others should wait here," Kannon translated. "Just you, him, and me." Three was a lucky number right? Charlie's Angels, the Mod Squad...the Three Stooges.

          "Anita?" Jason asked again as Kaji and Kuroda stepped up to join him.

          "Wait here for me," I told him, and followed after Iga, Kannon trailing behind us.

          Iga walked calmly up to the guards, and spoke calmly and clearly to them. As calm as Buddha. Hopefully, he also kicked ass with a smile.

          "I am Mizuki Iga. I have brought Anita Blake to meet the Monkey King," Kannon whispered the translation to me.

          "What is her business?" one of the guards asked.

          "She suspects the Monkey King has something that belongs to her."

          The guards looked to me, and waited in silence.

          "Verify his claim," Kannon whispered to me.

          "I don't speak Japanese," I whispered back.

          "Tell them in English."

          "I am Anita Blake," I said finally, feeling rather silly. I could be insulting them and they'd most likely not know it, and that sort of took something away from the ritual. At any rate, I spoke loudly and clearly, letting my tone convey the message. "I have come for what is mine."

          This seemed to be accepted, and they turned, walking down the road. Iga spoke to Kannon, and he turned to signal the others to follow.

          "How was that?" I asked as we started to walk after the guards.

          "Perfect."

          The guards led us to a cul de sac, a small valley cut into the cliffs that stretched way back. It was lit by a several bonfires near the walls. The whole place was aglow in orange light. There was a group of people before me I guessed were weremonkeys. All in different stages of undress. In the center of this group was a cage, a strong-looking one, and there was a large tawny leopard in it. The cage wasn't very high or wide, forcing the leopard to crouch down, restricting its movement. I knew how it felt.

          The people crowded around it had spears, and the leopard was trying to watch all directions at once, screaming in pain and rage when a spear was stabbed through the bars and into its body. It was already bleeding heavily, its sides streaked with blood, as well as marking the tips of several spears. It was one of mine. And most likely Cherry or Zane. My hand slid for the gun.

          Iga's hand came down on my arm. I looked to him, trembling in anger, looking back into his calm golden eyes. He shook his head and I snarled at him.

          "I'm not going to let them continue this."

          "Anita, it wouldn't be wise-" Kannon started, but I'd already pulled the gun, choosing the weremonkey nearest me as my target as I walked towards them. Of course it wasn't wise. It was natural, primal, the laws of the jungle as well as the sandbox. Touch my swing and I'll kick your shins. Touch my leopard and I'll shoot you.

          "Back the fuck off!" I yelled at them. All of them paused, looking at me. The leopard turned its pale eyes on me, its sides heaving from exhaustion.

          I kept walking towards them, and Jason was suddenly beside me, backing my play. An inhuman growl trickled out of his throat. I could hear the others behind me. The shape shifters watched me approach, studying me, but none moved away. I was in Japan, did the 'don't attack unless attacked' rule apply? I guess we'd find out, 'cause I wasn't going to calmly stand by and wait for the Monkey King with his flunky monkeys spearing Zane repeatedly.

          "Jason, are they all shape shifters?" I asked quietly.

          "Yes. All of them. And that's Zane."

          I looked at the leopard, its tongue showing through the parted jowls, panting.

          "Good."

          I shot the weremonkey nearest me, the bullet striking him in the gut, knocking him down on his back, and the others scattered like a dropped bag of marbles. But they hadn't moved far enough away. Not enough for me. I pointed at the next nearest monkey as I kept walking forward, Jason sticking to my side.

          "Back!" I yelled, feeling the desire for a whip, and a chair, and a three-ring circus. The monkeys did move back this time, watching my gun, and the injured one on the ground that was trying to sit back up. I walked straight up to him and put my foot on his chest, slamming him back down on the ground, the Browning pointing at the space between his eyes. He stared back up at me, pain in his eyes as he panted heavily to deal with the pain as his body healed itself. Able to heal or not, a gut shot hurts like hell. And able to heal or not, with his brains splattered in the dirt, there was no recovering.

          "Get me the key!" I yelled at the other monkeys, never moving the gun from its target and I heard Kannon yell the translation after me.

          The monkey under my foot coughed and mumbled something.

          "He says the Monkey King has the key," Kannon told me, now at the side of me opposite Jason. Jason was next to the cage, snarling at the monkeys, keeping them away from Zane. Zane had lowered his body to the bottom of the cage, folding his legs under himself and letting them rest finally.

          I wasn't going to seek out the key and leave Zane alone with the monkeys.

          "Jason, can you open that cage?" I asked, the monkey under my foot breathing easier, but not moving, staring back up at the barrel of my gun.

          "It's too strong for me."

          "But not for us," Kannon spoke up. "If we all try..."

          "Then do it." I could feel my arms starting to waver from just pointing and holding for so long.

          Kannon spoke to the other werefoxes, and they joined Jason next to the cage, ready to perform a feat of strength. Maybe I had the three-ring circus after all.