Chapter 24 : Hidden Secret

Within seconds, the tens guards and soldiers were successfully knocked out by only a big explosion of a firework that was thrown by two mountain cats. And those mountain cats weren't only regular mountain cats. They were Hai and Lee. Brothers of Dao and Liu. Po had promised Liu to take his brothers home.

"Hai! Lee!" Po shouted out that name again happily.

For a moment, the two mountain cats stared at Po and the four, wondering how the panda knew their names while they both did not know his.

"Hey, Lee," one of the mountain cats called his brother, whispering. "He knows our name."

"And do you wonder about it?" Lee said as he put his hands on hip confidently. "We're the escaped prisoners, Hai. Our faces and names have been known by public."

"Oh, really?" Hai asked, rubbing his chin. "So, we're now famous, aren't we?"

"Likely."

"Cool."

"No, no," Po said quickly, correcting as he held the bars. "We know you. You're Dao and Liu's brothers of The Great Valley."

Upon hearing their brothers' name, both the mountain cats looked surprised.

"You know our brothers?" Lee asked excitedly, almost rushing to Po.

Po nodded. "Yes. Yes. We're their friends."

"How are they?!"

"They're just pretty fine."

The mountain cats sighed in relieve.

"They're so worried about you," added Crane.

"Oh, they are?" Hai asked. "Hmm… the same old Dao and Liu. They never change."

"They asked us to bring you guys home," Po went on. "Why did you never send them letter since you left?"

"Well, you see," Hai started. "We got arrested while on our mission and for three weeks were imprisoned in a cell and not able to escape until now."

"Then how could you guys get free?"

"That's a good question," Lee said. "We did—"

"Hey, sorry for interrupting," Monkey cut off. "But didn't you two say you were here to help us?"

Lee and Hai nodded. "Uh-huh."

"Well, then free us," he shook the bars slightly. "Open this door."

"Okay, okay," Lee lowered his back and shoulder lazily, picking up the keys from one of the unconscious soldiers. He entered a key to the keyhole on the cell door, and then with a click, the door was opened.

"Ah, finally," Crane mumbled as he walked out of the cell, followed by his comrades, taking breath deeply and smilling. "Freedome."

Lee played the keys in his paw, leaning back to the wall. "Thanks to us."

Viper smiled. "Thank you."

"So, how did you get here?" Hai asked as he folded his arms. "Are you on a mission too?"

"Yep," replied Monkey. "Rescue mission. And actually, our mission is to rescue a friend of ours and you both."

Lee frowned, pointing at himself. "We both?" he asked. "That's a surprise knowing the fact that the ones you tried to rescue is now even rescuing you."

"I know. Sounds funny, doesn't it?"

"Nope," Hai said. "sounds weird to me. We saved you because we're not letting someone from our side rot in jail."

"Whatever. By the way," the primate viewed around the prison, looking at those unconscious soldiers. "Can we find another better place to talk."

"I agree," said Lee, turning around. "Follow me."

"To?"

"Just follow our lead."

The two mountain cats then walked out. Po and the four stared at each other, shrugging and then decided to trust and follow their rescuers.

TLoTDaTT

Somewhere in the palace, Emperor Tiger was standing in a dark room calmly alone as he crossed his arms behind his back, waiting for a report.

Not long after that, the door was opened. The emperor titled his head. An evil smile was formed on his lip as he noticed his two visitors, the assassins, coming. They walked forward after closing the door.

"Your Majesty." They knelt down to their emperor.

Emperor Tiger chuckled. "So," he began asking gently. "How? Say it ; you have killed them all."

Hesitation was written all over the two assassins' faces as if they doubted to answer the emperor's question.

"Well?" the emperor raised an eyebrow. "Say it ; you have got rid of them and your mission is completed." But knowing his men kept silent, the emperor was losing his patience. "Answer me!" he snapped. "Are you now mute?!"

Afraid, one of those assassins tried to speak up. "Your… Your Majesty, the first mission is completed. Your … your wife has died."

The emperor smiled satisfy. "Good work," he said dangerously. "Now. How about the warrior of black and white?"

Here, those assassins even looked more afraid. And even worse they couldn't hide it from their faces that made the emperor sensed something wasn't right.

"You failed?" he guessed coldly.

The assassins bowed their heads in regret. "Forgive us, Your Majesty. But the warrior of black and white has escaped."

"What?!" the emperor yelled furiously, which made the assassins shudder. "How?!"

"We… we have no idea, Your Majesty," one of the assassins answered nervously. "But seems like they managed to escape by beating up your soldiers. When… when we reached the prison, we found your men unconscious. And the cell ; it's… it's empty."

The emperor still looked angry. But he knew he couldn't just blame them. At least they had successfully completed their first mission and it was enough as the first step to reach his plan.

"Very well." He finally said calmly before taking a little bundle from his robe and throwing it up to the air. That bundle landed right on one of the assassins' lap.

"That's your reward."

The assassins unwrapped the bundle. Their eyes were glowing in amazement as their jaws dropped to see a lot money inside the bundle.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Said them, delighted.

The emperor turned his body. "Take that money and leave this land forever."

The assassins stood up firmly. "With pleasure, Your Majesty."

"And remember," the emperor warned them when the assassins were about to leave. "If someone finds out about this, you both will be the first ones I'm looking for. Keep that in mind."

The assassins gulped. They never had a thought about revealing their secret to anyone. Anyway, they got the money now. The only thing left they should do now was to leave Darknest Land and find a new place to begin a new life.

They didn't want to have a deal anymore with an insane emperor who had paid and ordered someone to kill his own wife only for reaching his selfish goal.

TLoTDaTT

After walking a few minutes, Po and the four arrived at an empty big old dilapidated building.

"Come on," Lee said as he entered the building. "Let's get inside."

"In here?" Monkey asked unsurely, observing at the building. "You sure this will not collapse upon us?"

"Trust us. It's completely safe."

Doubtly Po and the four followed Hai and Lee walked in the building. As they got inside, darkness welcomed them without any light.

"Ouch!" Po yelled in pain as his head accidently bumped into something.

"Watch your head," warned Hai.

But as Hai was saying it, Crane had been stumbling into something, which made him fall, bumping into floor hardly.

"Ouch!" the avian groaned. "What's these stuffs?"

"Our stuffs, of course," answered Lee as he kept walking.

"And how could you walk easily without bumping into something in this darkness?"

"We're cats?" Lee reminded him. "We can see though the darkness."

Crane scowled as he got to his feet. "Oh, yeah. I can see that."

A few seconds later, they stopped in another room.

"Okay, we're here," Hai said as he lit a candle.

As the light started to illuminate the room, Po noticed there were many fireworks, firecrackers, dynamites and gunpowder arranged neatly near in the corner of the room.

"Wow…" he mumbled, amazed. "Awesome."

"It is," Hai grinned. "Alright everyone, sit. We're going to disscuss our plan."

"You have a plan?" Po asked as he sat down on floor, astonished. "What are you guys up to?"

"Yep. That's why we stole these yesterday." Hai pointed at those dynamites. "We're going to destroy the palace tomorrow."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute," Po stopped them. "Are you going to skip your chance? I mean, don't you wanna go home in The Great Valley?"

"We absolutely want to, Panda," Lee said. "After our mission is completed."

"I don't think so. Dao and Liu wanted you back to The Great Valley soon, they're worried about you. Seriously, you can't waste more time. I have promised them to get you go home."

"Oh, come on," Lee murmured. "we're not babies. See? We're adults. We can handle any problem by ourselves."

"No, no, no," Po stood up. "You really have to go home tonight. I and my friends will take you to the dock and we'll stay here to save our comrade."

"Hey, hold a second. You said you wanna save your comrade?" Lee quickly asked.

"Uh, yes."

The two mountain cats smiled. "Perfect."

"Er, what's perfect?"

"Panda, what are you saying if we work together?" Hai asked, still smiling. "You help us bring Emperor Tiger down and we help you rescue your friend."

The panda squinted. "How?"

The mountain cat gestured to the dynamites behind him. "With the same way we rescued you."

Viper gasped. "You'll burn the palace?"

Hai didn't answer but he nodded.