Green with Jealousy
Part 16
By crystalquirt
Sibey yaoi – action, adventure, boyxboy romance, mild language
Ideas for this fic contributed by:~loveless kittykat~Pandalover~Lycan-wolf96~forever tiki [Sadie] from DA
Kong Li uses a spell that causes earthquakes and even lava to spew forth in Chinatown. But that isn't his plan this time. He uses the spell to lure out and weaken the fighting trio. Sid's innocent friend, Will from his history class is recruited by Kong Li to pursue his son to drive a wedge between Sid and Tobey and to help convince Tobey to join him once and for all.
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At Will's house the invisible dragon waited on the roof while Nana and the three went up the steps to the porch. Nana looked at Sid, Sue and Tobey before she knocked to be sure they were ready. They nodded; Sue nodded too, even though she thought she would never be really ready to tell Will's parents that he would never be coming home again. There was no need to put it off any longer.
The door opened and there stood Will!
"Will? . . . you're okay!" Sue exclaimed, not really believing her eyes.
"Well yeah thanks to you guys, but that was days ago. I can't believe you're here with everything that's going on at your restaurant! Did you really have lava erupt? Was anyone hurt?"
"Fewer were hurt or lost than we thought. Even the fish in the pond survived, I guess it wasn't that bad. Don't believe everything they might report." Sid smiled. "We just wanted to check on you and see how you were."
"I'm doing great – getting along great with my parents. Mom even got her cast off. She only has to wear a soft cast now for a couple of weeks. Would you like to come in?"
"Um, no we have to go, right Nana?"
"Yes, we should. Will, Sue got her cast off unexpectedly and we need to visit the doctor next, but it is great to hear you and your family are doing well."
Sue said, "Bye Will, we're all very happy to have seen you." and even gave him a hug.
"Thanks . . . ur-um . . . goodbye." Will blushed and closed the door.
With great relief, they all turned to climb back up on Will's roof where their ride was waiting. Once she was sure no one else could hear her, Nana whispered to the three, "The Will that was lost in the lava must have been one of Kong Li's shape shifters."
Sue got tears in her eyes, "What a relief." She thought a moment and added, "But it wasn't exactly a shape shifter, his eyes and voice were perfect and he felt human when I punched him."
Kong Li could have used something with Will's DNA on it to make a more human duplicate of Will using the shape shifter recipe. The only shape, or form these beings can take is that of the being who's DNA was used." Nana guessed.
"Lets just hope Kong Li doesn't have anymore of Will's DNA." Sid added as he readied himself to jump up on the dragon's back behind Nana. Sid had his hand covered and kept it pretty well hidden until he tried to jump up. When he jumped, he overshot his landing and almost fell over the dragon's other side. He forgot and tried to grab on with his burned hand. The pain was too much and he landed on his back on the other side.
Instead of getting up, he sharply pulled his hand to his chest to hold it with his eyes squeezed shut. Tobey ran under the dragon to get to him. The dragon curved it's neck around and watched the boys.
"Sid! What happened?"
"I'm so dumb, I just lost my balance."
"Well are you hurt?"
"No more than I already was."
Tobey helped Sid sit up. Nana got to them and kneeled down. "Sid, let me see your hand."
"No . . . Nana, its fine."
"Sid!"
Sid gave in and held his hand out for Nana to see. "It doesn't look any better. I was hoping the dragon's tongue . . . well nevermind, we will take you to the doctor next."
Nana jumped up on the dragon's back. Sid did too, much more carefully. Tobey jumped up with Sue right behind him. Tobey hung over Sid's shoulder to see his hand again, "Sid, your hand, it looks . . . crispy! You did that on purpose didn't you?"
"Kind of . . . look, it was the only way I could think of to call the dragon to come save you guys."
Nana asked sweetly, "Dragon, would you please take us to the medical clinic?"
The dragon lifted off silently and went invisible again. In only seconds they were landing on the helicopter pad on the roof of the Urgent Care clinic. Tobey jumped down before Sid did and caught him when he slid down the dragon's side. He was unsteady, the shock and pain of his injury starting to affect him.
When they went through the doors a medic going out tried to stop them. "There's been no announcement about a rescue helicopter landing." he looked out to the empty roof, "See there is no helicopter; what are you doing up here?"
Nana put on her best confused little old lady face. "Oh deary, I just got a little lost, where do we go to have my son's injured hand looked at?" Nana gently guided Sid's hand away from his body so the medic could see it.
"Wow kid, I bet that hurt. What happened? Playing with matches?"
"I wasn't playing with matches." Sid growled.
"Whatever, you go back down to the first floor and follow the signs for Emergency. Really though, are you alright to walk kid? I can get a gurney for ya."
"I'm okay to walk, but thanks."
The nurse in Emergency handed Nana a clipboard full of paperwork and told them to sit down since it would be a long wait with the latest earthquakes happening in Chinatown, but when she saw Sid's hand, she jumped up and grabbed a wheelchair for him. "Here sit down kid, I'll take you right in; that must really hurt."
"Yeah, it hurts." Sid said quietly. It was taking all the determination and strength he had just to stay on his feet by now so he was happy to sit down wherever they told him. As the nurse wheeled him away, she added, "One of you can come with him; the others have to wait in the waiting area down the hall."
Tobey badly wanted to go with Sid, but Nana got up first and with her hand on his shoulder, stopped him, "Tobey, stay with Sue and have her arm looked at . . . alright?" Tobey nodded. "I will come tell you what's going on with Sid as soon as they know anything."
After Sid and Nana were gone, Tobey asked, "Sue, how does your arm feel?"
"Actually it feels fine Tobey, a little weaker than usual, but there is no pain. I don't think I need another cast. I just need to get back to our training so I can get the muscles strong again."
"But the cast was supposed to stay on another two weeks."
"I'll be careful until my arm gets stronger. I'm only worried about Sid right now."
"I know. I'm worried about him too. I wish we could have gone in with him."
"Tobey, did I hear you say he burned his hand on purpose? Didn't it happen in the fight with Will – er, the copy of Will?"
"Yeah, well, no – it happened after the fight with Will. I couldn't see, but I heard him scream the most terrible scream anyone has ever made. He did it on purpose to save us. When we were still in our room with Kong Li, Sid said out loud that he would save us if he had to get hurt to do it and I heard him wishing for the dragon to come. I remembered the only times the dragon came were in desperate situations, where Sid was in a lot of pain."
"But Nana said he could communicate with the dragon, there had to be an easier way."
"Sid tried to communicate with the dragon in his mind – using ESP or whatever, but it didn't seem to be working so that was when I think he decided to get Kong Li to hurt him. It seemed impossible to beat him in the situation. Only Kong Li trapped him in one of his energy fields instead of fighting with him.
"It must have seemed hopeless."
"So since Kong Li wouldn't fight him, and Will wasn't a good enough fighter to hurt him Sid hurt himself more severely than I thought anyone could on purpose."
"No way! There's no way my brother would hurt himself like that. The fake Will must have pushed him or something."
"He did. I figured it out and he admitted it; he said he would have done anything to save us. That was all he could think of."
"So we owe Sid our lives as much as we owe the dragon. I hope he'll be okay." Tears welled up in Sue's eyes as she covered her face with her hands. Tobey hugged her, letting her cry on his shirt. "Sid'll be okay Sue . . . he has to be."
"Nana, with a doctor and a nurse arrived in the waiting area almost an hour later to find Sue still leaning against Tobey with her eyes closed. Tobey had his arm around her and his feet on the coffee table in front of the couch. He quietly watched Nana walk over to them, afraid of what she would say about Sid. Nana spoke softly to Tobey, "Did Sue fall asleep?"
Sue answered as she sat up, "I'm awake, there is no way I could go to sleep not knowing about Sid."
The doctor looked at Nana; she nodded, "Please tell them doctor."
"Hello Tobey; Sue. Your brother has been taken to the burn unit. They are treating his hand to try and save as much of the tissue as they can, but to be honest his condition is grim. There just isn't much living tissue left on his hand from his wrist down. Above that should heal up, but still he will have deep scars."
"Oh no Sid." Sue whispered, her mind racing with what the doctor was trying to tell them about the outcome he expected. Tobey jumped ahead and said what he was thinking right away. "You're talking like he has lost his hand!"
"Our newest M.D. graduate of the burn program is supervising his treatment and performing much of it himself. The burns are as bad as any I've ever seen in twenty years of working in the burn unit. I've never even seen burns from contact with Lava before."
"Volcanoes are not a usual occurrence in Chinatown." the nurse explained.
"Yes, we know, but doc – you didn't correct me – you think he will lose his hand don't you?"
Tired of the small talk Sue added, "Is Tobey right doctor?"
"Well, like I said, your brother's hand is badly burned. The scars will be deep. It's not just his skin that has been damaged. The underlying tissue, muscles and tendons that work his fingers are damaged, even gone as well. He nearly lost the tip of his pinky finger completely. I doubt that even his fingernails'll grow back."
"Oh no, but his hand – it might be scared, but he'll be able to use it won't he?"
"It's just too early to tell just how much he can recover from this - I don't want to even try to guess how much mobility he will loose. He has already amazed everyone by being able to walk in with it. Patients with such terrible burns usually go into shock, or at the very least are in too much pain to still be up walking around."
"Mobility? You mean he might not be able to move his hand?"
"If we don't have to amputate his hand from the infection that may follow, I still doubt he will be able to use it much."
Tobey's thoughts went to his and Sid's recent conversation about their future dreams. "Doctor, will he be able to play the guitar anymore?"
"I will order physical therapy as his hand heals to help him retain as much movement as possible, but I don't want to give you, or him false hope. It doesn't look good."
"Can we see him?"
"They are debriding and cleaning his hand, and then the burns will be bandaged with antibiotics. The treatment is not pleasant. Give him some privacy for now, the nurse will come get you when he is finished."
Tobey frowned and then exhaled loudly in frustration as he got up. Sue remained sitting with Nana. Tobey paced in front of the coffee table as the doctor and nurse left the waiting area. In less than a minute after they were gone Tobey announced, "I have to find a bathroom."
"There are bathrooms right there," Nana pointed across the waiting area, but it was too late. Tobey was running down the hallway. He was really looking for Sid of course. As he approached the end of the hall, he could hear Sid screaming.
Tobey peeked into the room before he stepped out and stood in plain sight in the middle of the doorway. Sid screamed loudly again even through gritted teeth while the doctor poked at his hand with a large pair of forceps. He pressed the tip of a pair of scissors against Sid's hand and made him scream louder.
Tobey gazed at the scene, it looked like Sid was being tortured and he should run in and stop what was happening, but was conflicted. This was a doctor after all. He must be doing something medically necessary, right?
The doctor that just spoke to them said it was not a pleasant procedure. Sid fought to hold his hand still while the doctor worked. The next snip of the scissors made him throw his head back, his leg involuntarily kicked and knocked a tray full of instruments over. Sid lie on back panting.
"Come on kid, I have to remove the last of the crust of burned flesh from the back of your hand or it won't have a chance of healing."
Sid heard the doctor, but at this point the pain was so great, he didn't care. He moaned when the doctor turned his hand over to start on his palm. "Nurse, get me a new setup , sit it farther away from his feet this time. "If you can't hold still we will have to restrain you."
"Ow, doc, restrain me? You mean tie me down? Can't you give me something for the pain?"
"No, I've already given you the maximum dosage of the pain meds that I will give you. It is good that you're feeling this, really."
"What? How can it be good?"
"Well, er . . . means the nerves are undamaged at least. If you could feel nothing I might have to just chop off your hand."
"That isn't funny. You have a terrible bedside manor doc. Please, just let me rest a few minutes."
"Well perhaps, but isn't it true that if someone suffers enough that if they have it in them at all, they can summon great 'spiritual' power to help them escape the pain? Isn't that true? We should keep working until you summon the strength."
"What?" Sid really wasn't thinking clearly and just accepted what he said without thinking too much about it. Or that the spiritual power could take the form of a dragon.
Tobey heard what the doctor said and it didn't sit well with him at all. He started to come into the room. A nurse blocked his path to Sid's hospital bed. "What are you doing here? You need to go back to the waiting area."
The doctor looked up and saw what was going on and who was causing the commotion. He announced, "Okay, a short break. Now don't go anywhere, and don't eat anything. I don't want you barfing while we finish." he pulled off his gloves and pocketed a few of the dirty instruments.
Sid frowned, but was too tired to say anything. He just closed his eyes. Tobey stood quietly at first watching the doctor, but the nurse was still blocking his way. "But that doctor . . . Something's not right - Let me see Sid, please?"
"You have to go to the waiting room." the nurse still argued. Sid heard Tobey's voice and looked over. Tobey was begging. "But Sid, no -please let me stay with him – the doctor said you were taking a break anyway!"
Sid heard Tobey and reaching across grabbed the hem of the doctor's smock as he started to leave. "Please, let Tobey stay a few minutes, we're stopping anyway for now, right?"
"Right, okay . . . who cares . . . nurse, let him in."
Tobey ran passed the nurse and slid to a stop by Sid's bed. He glared at the doctor until he was out of sight down the hallway outside. The nurse came over and put down sterile towels for Sid to keep his hand on. "Now son, you have five minutes before I bring in a new instrument pack and help the doctor get set up again. Take a deep breath and leave your hand on the clean towels. I don't know why the doctor didn't do that for you and tell you." She soaked another towel in saline and put it gently over his hand to keep it moist.
"Yeah nurse, thanks."
Tobey didn't wait for the nurse to leave before he put the railing down on the hospital bed and kissed Sid's cheek softly. He cupped Sid's face and pressed his head to his hoping to comfort him since he couldn't just pick him up and hug him.
"What are they doing to you Sid? It looks like torture!"
"It feels like torture Tobey, how is Sue's arm? Is she being looked at too?"
"No - we're just worried about you – she said her arm is fine. You sound exhausted – are you sure they have to do this to you?"
"He's the doctor, I just hope he knows what he's doing. I'm sure they explained to Nana what was happening and I AM really tired Tob. If I'd known they were going to do this to me I would'a begged Nana not to bring me. How can this help anyway?"
"I don't know Sid, it looks like the doctor is just doing more damage. I heard him refuse to give you something more for pain. I wish there was something I could do. Maybe I should tell Nana. The doctor that came out to talk to us said this guy was a new graduate. He looked pretty old to me to be a new graduate."
"It's okay Tobey, like you said – I can take it." Sid tried to sit straighter in bed, but couldn't do it very well and still keep his hand on the sterile area the nurse made. Tobey helped him reposition himself and put another pillow from the other bed nearby behind his back.
"Thanks Tobey. I think you will be the perfect person to take care of me in my old age."
"That'll be a long way away Sid, but for now – you really shouldn't have done this to yourself! I wish you hadn't -'ve burned your hand."
"I had to do it, it was the only thing I could think of that might hurt enough to let me call the dragon to help us."
"But Sid, the doctor said it's bad! What if you can't play guitar again or even ride your bike? Performing music was your dream just like my being in the extreme biking competition is mine. I won't be able to go on with my dreams knowing that your plans are ruined. It's so – not - fair."
"Tobey its okay. I will find other dreams; make other plans if I need to. We don't know for sure that I won't be able to play again. Nana makes some pretty good lotions and potions herself right? Look how well your back is healing." Sid smiled trying to be positive, if only to ease Tobey's fears.
"Well Nana looks pretty sad too, and she hasn't said anything positive, sorry Sid."
"She won't say anything in front of doctors or anyone else. You know that Tobey."
"Sid, I'm just worried about you."
Smiling, Sid said, "Don't."
With his one uninjured hand, Sid pulled Tobey down by the front of his shirt to kiss him. Tobey had a hard time keeping himself together long enough for a kiss, but he softened his quivering lip and managed to relax enough to enjoy his brief time sucking face with Sid. When Sid released him, he rose with tears running down his cheeks.
"Tobey come on - its not that serious, even if I do lose my hand or something, I'm okay and it was worth it to be sure you, Sue and Nana are okay. I would gladly give both hands and feet to be sure my family is okay. Hey, come on – we just have to hope that the dragon doesn't hear me scream now and come busting in here . . . right?"
Sid being so cheering about screaming in agony brought Tobey's heart up into his throat to choke him. He leaned forward to hug him again. Suddenly the curtain around Sid's treatment area flew open and startled Tobey so badly he yelped and jumped over the bed and Sid to the other side before he even looked.
The doctor, the doctor who showed up in the waiting room to talk to them announced in a booming voice, "Okay boys - time to get going again before the pain meds wear off. In fact nurse, turn up his IV, the one with the happy juice in it for a few minutes, monitor him closely."
"Will that help with the pain?" Tobey sounded worried, his voice unsteady.
"This is fine 'happy juice' it eases the pain and helps him stay relaxed, there may still be a pinch here and there. Just think how bad it would be if you had no meds."
Sid watched the nurse adjusting the flow on the IV and told the doctor, "The other doctor shut that off and wouldn't start it again. He said I already had too much."
"Did he? Well then he must have used something else, in an injection perhaps?"
"No, nothing. He said I had enough and wouldn't give me more – I don't remember him giving me anything before that."
"That's strange, but you had to have had something. Well son, think how easy it will be from here on with me at the controls."
"Somehow that doesn't help much, doc." Sid sighed. "Can Tobey stay, please?"
"Okay, we'll try it - if his presence doesn't cause a problem. Hold very still and try not to scream any louder than the patent and you can stay."
"Haha. You're funny doc – where did the other doctor go?"
"I'm not sure, but nurse, I will want to talk to Dr. Li when I am through here. Will you have him paged after you get me started please? He said he had another patient he needed to tend to right away and I want to catch him before he gets busy doing something else."
"Yes Doctor," the nurse replied.
"Thanks for letting me stay with Sid, doc."
A nurse came to the side of the bed and stood by Tobey. He went as close to the wall as possible and still held Sid's hand. Sid already seemed more comfortable and relaxed. He lie back with his free hand over his head on his pillow so he and Tobey could hold hands.
The doctor picked Sid's burned hand up very gently and the nurse helping him handed him a syringe with the cover already off the needle. As it went toward Sid's wrist, Tobey looked away. Sid didn't, he watched the doctor's every move.
"What is that?"
"It's a little more local anesthetic. It is what makes you much more comfortable - even more than what's in the IV. Just giving you a little more to be sure your hand stays as numb as possible for this."
"A little more? But doc, this is the first time I've had this. Why didn't the other doctor use it?"
"Well I don't know, you mean he didn't? . . . And you were able to hold still enough for him to work on you?"
"Well yeah, I've had some training but this really pushed my limits."
"I should say so. I will ask about that too when I see him."
Tobey frowned and asked, "Doc, what did you say that doctor's name was?"
"Dr. Li - he is new. I've never worked with him before, he is new."
Tobey was still stuck thinking about the name he heard. "Li - oh no." Tobey let go of Sid's hand, but hesitated.
Sid was sounding sleepier, but he was still aware enough to know what Tobey was thinking, "Go Tobey, tell Nana. Make sure Sue is alright."
"What's going on kids?"
"Nothing - everything's fine, he just has to go somewhere."
Tobey ran down the hall and burst into the waiting area. Nana sat alone on a couch near the back. "Nana! Where's Sue?"
"A nurse came out and said the doctor wanted to check her over. She said you told them she had hurt herself. She was annoyed that you told them after she told you not to, but I'm glad you did."
"Oh no – but I didn't. Sue said she was fine - Nana! I think Kong Li is here pretending to be a doctor!"
"Oh Tobey, I don't think so. He wouldn't come into a hospital with all these people around."
"But he is Nana! In disguise, he just got done torturing Sid. He left when I went in. Probably thought I would recognize him. I didn't until they called him Dr. Li. Please -can I explain more later? We have to find Sue."
"Okay Tobey."
Nana and Tobey went to the nurse's desk to ask where Sue was. They didn't have her listed as being anywhere in the hospital, so Tobey ran down the hall, checking door to door, the more doors he opened, the more yelling there was. Especially in a delivery room where they were filming a mom delivering her baby and he got in the video. That time Tobey yelled too as he ran out.
Nana was right behind Tobey, peeking in closets and working an unlocking spell to check behind locked doors. Finally Tobey flung open a door that said 'Keep Out, Radiation'. It was the X ray room; dark, with the only light coming from the switches and buttons on the control panels for the equipment.
Strapped to the X ray table and gagged with rubber exam gloves stuffed and tied in her mouth was Sue. Kong Li, out of his doctor costume was standing over her, his hands in the center of her stomach manipulating one of the instruments he stole from Sid's treatment room. Sue was thrashing against her restraints and would have been screaming hysterically, but was almost completely silenced by the gag.
"Stop!" Tobey screamed as he launched himself from the doorway. In an attack that looked a lot like a swan dive, Tobey knocked Kong Li away from her; his shoulder connected with Kong Li's and they landed on the floor. Nana ran to start untying Sue, her stomach, just under her ribs wet with blood diluted with alcohol.
Kong Li kicked Tobey off and got up before he could attack again. They met fist to fist and foot to foot in the middle of the room. Kong Li blocked a round kick and hit Tobey in the stomach with his staff before he could react.
Tobey landed on his hands and knees panting to catch his breath. Nana had Sue sitting up on the table, but still unstrapping her feet. She was spitting rubber glove out of her mouth with her arms wrapped around her middle.
Kong Li demanded, "Which one of you is in contact with the dragon? I tried Sid, and now Sue – so that leaves you Tobey. Would you just call it for me, or do I have to hurt you to make it come back? What am I saying? I enjoy hurting you son, so there really is no question."
Kong Li lunged at Tobey again, caught him by his neck and pressed him against the wall.
"Believe me Kong Loser, you don't want the dragon to show up here. He will finish you off this time." With one arm , Tobey swung up and over Kong Li's hold and forced his hands off his neck. Kong Li let go and jumped back, still facing him.
"Not true my son, I know as much about dragons as Mai Hua does. I know it can't kill me. I will only take more of the dragon's power and keep it captive – it is an everlasting source of spiritual and magical power! I seem to be running a little low already since the last time."
"More power? You mean that's why you seemed supercharged in the garden and could summon lava without a spell? You found a way somehow to take power from the dragon!"
"You are so sharp Tobey. Sharp enough to cut warm tofu."
"That's not fair!" Tobey screamed angrily as he rushed Kong Li again. He got in a good palm thrust and knocked Kong Li into a line of extra IV stands that had been left in the room. Kong Li got up growling to fine himself facing Nana, Sue and Tobey as they stood together ready for a fight. Behind them at the large double doors there was a crowd of hospital staff and even a couple of patients gathering to see what was going on.
"Right then its getting too crowded here Mai Hua, we can continue this another time where we have some more privacy." Kong Li threw the spell down for the portal, it appeared and he jumped into it. Since the portal appeared in the floor, no one except the three teens and Nana could see what happened to the villain.
Fortunately only the IV stands had been knocked over and they weren't damaged. "Come on kids, at least the hospital won't be looking to us to pay for damages. Still, I don't want anyone to know what really happened here."
Thinking quickly, Nana grabbed a handful of Tobey's hair, just behind his ear and started yelling at him as she walked him to the door and down the hall. "How dare you ride your skateboard in the hospital? What if you had run into someone and not just a wall of those metal things? Are you trying to impale yourself?"
"Hey! Hehehe!" Tobey started laughing, being the bad actor he was, but Nana twisted a tighter knot in his hair and make him yelp. "Ow – Nana?" His hands went over her's wishing she would let go of his hair. Sue followed smiling, just like most sister's do when their brother's get in trouble.
Nana didn't let go of Tobey's hair until they were in the treatment area where Sid was. "That was pretty good Nana. I'm glad you weren't really mad, OW!"
"Years of practice Tobey. Shhhh, it looks like Sid is asleep."
"He is sleeping." A nurse greeted them. "The pain meds we gave him don't usually make a patient sleep, but he is exhausted. If we don't disturb him he'll probably sleep for a few hours. Would you all like to go down to the cafeteria? I will have you paged when he wakes up, and when he does, the doctor will probably release him to go home. They will want him to come back tomorrow."
"Thank-you, nurse but I think we would like to wait nearby." Sue looked hopefully at Nana.
"Your brother is fine. If you want to leave for a while to eat or get some rest, he won't even know you're gone."
Nana replied, "I know, but I think we would feel better if we stayed." Really Nana didn't want to leave at all with Kong Li possibly still lurking about the hospital.
After the nurse left, Sue and Tobey pulled three chairs over so they could sit behind the curtain with Sid. It was open a little so they could see if anyone came into the room at least the normal way and not a portal behind the curtain.
"What's going on Nana? Now Kong Li's after the dragon instead of the recipes?"
"No Tobey, he would never give up on the recipes, but you know how selfish he is. He has found a source of great power and thinks he knows a way to take it for himself."
"Do you think he'll attack us here again?"
"I don't know for sure, but I doubt it. There are too many people around. He won't attack again here, unless they move Sid up to a floor without so much activity."
"The nurse just said they would release him when he woke up."
"But they might move him to make room here for another patient. It would be safer for everyone, if we weren't here to give Kong Li a reason to return."
Tobey stood up and went to Sid's bedside. Only a couple of steps away. He leaned over the railing just to look at him. Sid's hand was bandaged with thick, soft-looking bandage material and taped in place high up his arm, just above his elbow. Tobey stroked Sid's hair and pulled the blanket up higher under his chin.
Sue came to stand next to Tobey. Watching Sid too, she asked, "Tob, Kong Li said he did something to Sid. Do you know what it was?"
"When I got there, before I knew it was really Kong Li I guess he was trying to hurt him badly enough that the dragon would appear. Disguised as a doctor, he was poking around with metal things on his burned hand - with nothing to kill the pain. It must have been terrible. I wish I would have trusted my instinct and acted sooner."
"Well, we'd like to think that we can trust doctors. I'm glad you got there when you did, even though we were told to wait to see him."
Nana was quiet. She was thinking about what Kong Li said. I wonder if we will need to help the dragon and what Kong Li meant about taking his power. I'm sure he just surprised him somehow, the dragon would never let Kong Li trick him again. I just don't know if Kong Li has discovered a new trick. We don't know what he is capable of after all.
"Come on Sue, Tobey. See if you can wake him up. I'll go tell the nurse that he woke up and we want to take him home. We need to get out of here."
The real doctor came in to check on Sid one more time before they released him, but he agreed to if Nana would bring him back the next day to be rechecked and bandage change. Sid went to sleep again in the cab on the way home.
When they got home they were amazed that while the back of Wu's garden had burned; the kitchen and storeroom in the basement a total loss. The second floor, sustained minor damage in Calvin's and Barney's rooms. But the other rooms were alright and the inspectors determined that the structure was safe to re-enter.
Barney called Sue's phone to tell her where he and his dad were.
"Barney, why aren't you here?"
"Dad said it just upset him too much to see Wu's Garden all burned. We have a room at the Royal Hotel downtown can you believe it? He was so upset he said he deserved a little pampering. He is having a massage in the room right now. He said that insurance would pay for it and you guys would be in charge of the repairs Wu's Garden needs."
"Oh Barney, I guess that's okay. We'll miss you guys. Sounds like Mr. Wu is milking this for all it's worth huh?"
"Yeah, he's planning to bring a lawsuit to Chinatown's planning and zoning department for failing to warn him that there was a volcano under his property when he bought it. He's sure we'll all be rich very soon."
"Well rich would be nice. I'll let Nana and the others know you and Mr. Wu are alright."
"Okay Sue, is everyone there alright?"
Mostly, Sid was badly burned. He has to go back to see the doctor tomorrow too. Otherwise we'll be here to handle Mr. Wu's contractors that will come to start work restoring this place."
"Okay Sue, tell Sid I wish him well okay?"
"I will Barney. I hope you get to come back soon."
"I will, dad already told me that he wants me to come around and check on things there. I'll take the bus. See you tomorrow sometime."
"Okay, miss you much 'til then." Sue teased. Barney was glad she couldn't see him blush through the phone.
Sue went to find the others to tell them what Barney and Mr. Wu were doing. She found them all in the boys room. Nana was sitting on the edge of Sid's bunk and he was already lying down behind her. Tobey was lying on the top bunk with his eyes closed.
"How are you feeling Sid?" Nana pulled his cover over him.
"Okay Nana. Just tired. My hand is throbbing. I can't believe that doctor was really Kong Li. As if my burns weren't bad enough. He probably caused more damage."
"Your real doctor, Dr. Bracket didn't say he made it worse."
"He thinks Kong Li was a real doctor, he wouldn't say anything bad about him, at least not without investigating things first."
"Here Sid, take these." Nana handed him a small plastic cup of water and two little white pills. "The doctor prescribed these for the pain after the anesthetic wore off. He said they would help you sleep too."
"No, Nana. I don't want to take drugs. What if they make me groggy and Kong Li attacks you guys again?"
Tobey leaned over to look down at Sid from his top bunk. "Sid, you have to rest. You have to take care of yourself if you want a good chance of recovering from this. Please."
"No Tob, I don't want to."
Sue interrupted, "Well then do it for us. I won't be able to sleep thinking of you lying in here in pain."
Sue kneeled next to his bunk and Nana. Sid glared at her. "Don't you start too, Mei Mei."
"Sid I'm much better now, Tobey and I can both help Nana."
Tobey added, "Come on Sid! If Kong Li attacks while you're asleep I'll take care of him. I am the fastest, strongest and bravest after all."
Sid still wouldn't take the pills and water from Nana. "Okay Sid, but I'll leave them on your nightstand if you can't sleep or your hand hurts. Tobey, come tell me how he's doing. I will be researching, and looking through my books to see if anything was lost. Fortunately most of them were up here in my room. I hope there was nothing important in the storeroom."
"Nana, I'll help too. Nana, where's the cookbook? The scholar stone is under several feet of lava.
"It's safe in Calvin's room locked in a secret place upstairs here."
Sue added, ". . . and Barney called; he and Mr. Wu are in a hotel. Mr. Wu wants us to handle the repairs that he hopes will begin tomorrow."
"Well that's fine Sue. I'm glad Calvin and Barney are away from here and safe just in case Kong Li does show up."
"See, you do think he will show up Nana. I can't be asleep if I am to help protect you and the cookbook."
"Sid, if he does show up, I want you to get as far away as you can. He may try to hurt you again to get the dragon to show up. Let us handle it. Sue, would you come with me to help me go through my books? We need to try and figure out what Kong Li used to take power from the dragon the first time. Then we'll have a good chance to prevent it from happening again."
"Right Nana." Nana got up and went to the door, Sue kissed Sid on his forehead. "Get some rest bro."
When Sue left the room, Sid looked up and saw Tobey was still staring down at him. He looked away toward the wall and tried to roll that way. He bumped his hand and groaned. Tobey was down in a flash. "Sid, take the medicine."
"I told you, I'm fine."
"I can tell, you're not fine. Look if Kong Li shows up you won't be able to fight if you're in pain, how about that?"
"I will protect you no matter what – and I don't need the medicine the doc sent home with me."
Sid felt his mattress sink and knew Tobey was coming down with him. "What now?"
"What do you mean what? I've had a rough day, I think you have too. I just wanted to be close to you . . . forget it." Tobey backed out, being careful not to kneel on Sid's legs.
"Tobey - no, I'm sorry – I didn't mean it. You can stay."
"Nevermind Sid, I'll give you some space. Since I can now without having a panic attack." Tobey hopped up the ladder only touching it once on his way. "Tell me if you need anything, I'll help."
"Aw Tob . . . I'm sorry."
"S'okay Sid."
Sid felt bad that Tobey went back up to his own bunk. He lie awake thinking about how he must have hurt his feelings. When he tried to speak to him Tobey wouldn't answer. Sid didn't think he could be asleep yet, maybe pretending.
Tobey lie on his back with his head at the foot of his bed. Mr. Wu installed a skylight in the hole that Sid made when he cooked the beef stew recipe that summoned a war god. He could see up through the skylight and felt chilly air coming in. he pulled the covers up around his neck.
Fog rolled over the roof and Tobey watched it, realizing that while Mr. Wu insisted that the skylight would let in light that would cut down on the electric bills, Tobey realized it let heat out or cold in and since they were never home and in their room during the daylight hours they still had to use the light in the evening. Still Tobey was glad he installed it, he liked looking up at the stars or storms at night.
Sid started drifting off to sleep, but would wake up after only a few seconds each time with his hand throbbing. He rolled over so his back was to the wall and he could see the clock. Two in the morning. His hand throbbed, shooting sharp pains ran up to his shoulder and even across his chest. When he sat up the pain grew even worse. He gritted his teeth and pressed his arm into his middle with his other hand, pushing hard enough to squish the soft, thick bandage.
Tobey rolled over and looked to see what Sid was doing. His friend was in such pain he was siting on the edge of the bed, rocking and groaning. Tobey swung his legs over the edge and silently pushed off. Sid didn't even realize Tobey had come down. But he opened his eyes and saw him. "Why are you still awake?"
"I wasn't, I heard you moaning."
"I didn't realize I was moaning, sorry." Sid tried to pretend it didn't hurt once he knew Tobey was watching him. "Sid, you're hurting so badly can I . . .?"
Tobey was interrupted when Sid cried out and leaned forward. He had tears in his eyes when Tobey leaned down to see his face. "Sid! Just take the medicine! If Kong Li did show up, you would have a better chance groggy than being in this kind of pain."
"Okay, Tob. I-I didn't realize pain could be this bad." Sid panted. Tobey grabbed the pills and with two fingers put them in Sid's mouth for him. Then he held the water for him to drink. When he was sure the pills were swallowed, Tobey helped Sid lie down, guiding his bandaged arm so it wouldn't bump anything. He pulled up the cover and told him quietly, "'night Sid."
"Tobey, p-please stay with me." Tobey was happy to stay by Sid, but was sad that he was hurting so badly. He scooted up behind Sid and put his arm over his waist. They both lie on their sides with Tobey behind Sid. Tobey could feel Sid starting to relax as the medicine started to work and in another few minutes he was breathing softly in a way that told Tobey he was finally sleeping. Only then did Tobey let himself fall asleep.
[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[TD]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
Standing on top of the cooled lava that now filled Wu's garden a dark, cloaked figure stood watching the sky. The lava was still warm, hot at the core and steam rose from it. The fog filled the garden and poured over the roof into the street in front of Wu's. "The temperature is cold, the moon is right, it is time. Mwahahaha!"
[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[TD]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
Nana heard something. "Sue, do you hear that?"
Sue listened, "Yeah, like someone is out back, talking."
"Only one voice, and they're not talking as in conversation; it is chanting, like chanting a spell."
"Kong Li!"
Tobey woke up when he heard Nana and Sue in the hallway. He carefully let go of Sid so he wouldn't wake up and followed, barefooted and still in his undershirt and shorts he followed them to Barney's room. Sue stopped and whispered. "Did you hear it too?"
"I heard you two. What's going on?"
"Hopefully nothing, but we think we heard a deep male voice chanting. Did Sid wake up too?"
"No, he finally took the medicine about an hour ago. He's sleeping hard – it would take a really terrible rock band playing in our room to wake him up."
Sue and Tobey followed Nana out on the roof through Barney's window. The glass had shattered in the fire so they had to be extra careful. Nana and Sue stopped and stared. Tobey joined them looking down at Kong Li standing on one of the mounds of lava with his arms held out, chanting softly. He looked up at the three on the roof and flashed a wicked smile. "Tell me how to get the dragon to come help you Mei Hua. I have created a boundary here that will trap it so I can gain its power once again."
"Sometimes he just shows up. Perhaps he was in town visiting relatives the last time." Nana didn't believe that Kong Li could trap a dragon, but still wasn't going to give him the chance to even try if she could help it.
"Mei Hua, you joke. Do you not know how much danger you and your rejects are in? After I finish with my business with the dragon, I will leave – with the magic recipes. The only chance any of you have is if the dragon shows up to save you again!"
Sue answered, anger in her voice, "Not true Kong Li. Tobey is well, and I'm feeling much better. We will stand to fight you together even to protect the dragon if we have to."
"You didn't mention Sid. Is he feeling a little under the weather?"
"He has a minor injury he got kicking your ass the last time, but if need be - he will join us."
Tobey added, ". . . but we won't need him. I didn't even wake him up to tell him you had come for a visit. I can take you out alone Kong Loser."
"So, Sid was hurt the last time too. He has been hurt a lot lately, each time I think that the dragon showed up. That would make him the one whom the dragon came to help! So he is the only other person besides Mei Hua who has ever communicated with the dragon; what a lucky boy."
Tobey ran at Kong Li, "I told you we won't need Sid or the dragon this time!" He yelled a Kung Fu yell and jumped up to kick the staff out of Kong Li's hand.
The staff fell to the ground, but Kong Li grabbed Tobey. With his arm across Tobey's chest, Kong Li held the top of his staff against his neck. Tobey felt the sculptured points of the staff poking into his skin and froze. "Owww-grrrr!" he growled.
Sue and Nana jumped down to face Kong Li. "Let him go, or are you going to hide behind him to avoid a fight with a girl." Sue challenged.
"Okay girl, your turn." Kong Li pushed Tobey at Sue. He staggered into her and she caught him. Sue pushed him out of the way as Kong Li charged. When he fell, Tobey's hand covered the burning cuts on his neck and he paused a moment gritting his teeth. He exchanged blows and kicks with Sue and Nana. Sue's arm not bothering her at all it seemed.
Tobey got up and yelling, ran back into the fracas. Sid woke up when he heard Tobey and Sue's voices. Still groggy from the pain medicine and his hand hurting, he stumbled down the hall and through Barney's upstairs bedroom window. Wearing only his undershirt and shorts he shivered in the cool breeze and swayed a little as he looked out over the garden to see what was going on.
"Oh no, Kong Li! I new it! I knew I shouldn't have taken that medicine." Sid looked down, intending to jump down, but instead it seemed the world tilted under his feet. He staggered a little to the side and started to fall off the roof.
"Sid!" Tobey cried and ran from the fight to catch Sid. He jumped up on the roof just in time to grab Sid and pull him away from the edge. "Sid! Go back inside!" Tobey whispered in his ear, "You can't let Kong Li hurt you again."
"I'm not leaving you alone so he can hurt you guys either."
Kong Li knocked Sue down and looked up at the boys. "Minor injury? Hahaha, you joke my son. Sid doesn't look like he can even stand up, let alone help you fight . . . Now that the guest of honor has arrived, enough of this."
Kong Li threw a sparkly green powder into the air. Not knowing what it would do, Nana and Sue froze as it spread quickly around them. Kong Li covered his nose and mouth with a mask. Nana barely managed, "Sue, don't breathe - run . . ." before she collapsed. Sue fell right after she did.
With the females down, Kong Li looked up on the roof at Tobey trying to keep Sid on his feet and smiled. "This will be too easy." he whispered to himself and then called, "Come down boys. Lets get this over with."
Kong Li reached into his cloak and pulled out the same 'cat o' nine' tails that Will had whipped Tobey with. "Sid look! I brought Tobey's favorite toy to help me convince you to call your dragon."
Tobey shuddered when he looked down and saw what Kong Li referred to as his 'favorite toy'. More determined to make Sid leave he tried again to turn him around and make him go back through the window, but Kong Li shot energy from his staff that struck the wall under where they were standing. Already damaged from the fire, the roof they were standing on came down with the wall. Sid and Tobey fell.
Tobey screamed and landed first, making an almost controlled jump from the falling roof and landing on his feet. Sid just fell, but Tobey landed close enough to him that he was able to keep him from landing hard. Sid went to his knees right away and Tobey let him. "Stay here."
"Aw my son, volunteering to be first? That is nice of you but I really don't want to take the time to play with you right now." Kong Li's voice sounded weird through the mask.
"Hey Kong Loser, that's a good look for you - hides your ugly face."
"Oh low blow son – I'm devastated." Kong Li threw green power in Tobey's path of attack and backed up. Tobey saw it in time and held his breath, ducking and rolling out of the cloud.
With one hand Sid pulled himself back up to his feet using debris left from what used to be the garden wall and one of the stone benches that had been pushed to the surface before the lava cooled. He found he was so dizzy he had to stop and stand still with his eyes closed and knew if he let go he would fall. "I am of no use to Tobey, Sue or Nana weak like this!"
Suddenly Sid knew he needed to open his eyes, and when he did he found himself face to face with Kong Li. He put his arms up to defend himself, but since he let go of the piece of broken wall, he fell backwards without Kong Li even putting a finger on him. Kong Li laughed at him as he reached down to grab his shirt.
Tobey was on his hands and knees holding his stomach. The red dragon staff packed a hard wallop even without magic. Panting, he raised his eyes and gasped when he saw Kong Li was after Sid. Tobey growled with effort as he got up and charged Kong Li. The hand that held the whip was in the air ready to strike Sid when Tobey body slammed Kong Li with all of his effort.
Kong Li went down hard enough he stayed down for a moment at least. Tobey got up and grabbed the whip that Kong Li dropped. Anger boiled inside him as he held the whip tightly with both hands and screamed, "Gei Kow No!" Sid was so dizzy and not sure, but he thought Tobey's eyes were glowing too with the fire that erupted in his hands.
In a flash the whip turned to a little smoke and ash that sifted through his fingers to the ground. Even Sid had not ever seen Tobey this angry before and he fought to stay awake so he could see what would happen afraid he would get himself in trouble.
"Kong Li! How dare you? Not always do we have to protect the magic recipes from you, now you come here specifically just to hurt us to steal a magical creature's power for yourself. You are lower than the fungus growing on the bellies of the worms under the tulips."
"I was remiss in not 'hurting' you more before and imagine my disappointment that my own son keeps getting in my way! "
"I said stop calling me your son!" Tobey leapt forward and palmed Kong Li in the chest before he could react. Tobey saw Sid lying nearby. There eyes met and Tobey calmed himself down a little realizing that his anger would work against him and right now Sid, Nana and Sue were all depending on him.
"You know Tobey, I have a new potion for you too. I invented it myself. It will make you happy to join me- if I don't get rid of you first!"
Tobey knew Kong Li was trying to upset him again and decided he wouldn't let him. "The only think I will join you for daddy is to see your evil plans to hurt people stopped."
Kong Li growled and attacked. Tobey went high, leaping over the villain and landing safely behind him. Intending to get him farther away from Sid, but when he stood up, he found himself trapped in a bubble. Waving his arms Kong Li made the bubble containing Tobey fly over the roof, when it got to the front, still high in the air, the bubble vanished and Tobey screamed as he fell. Sid cried, "NO!" and rolled over to glare at Kong Li.
"Now my son is out of the way, we can finish our business." When Kong Li threatened, him he crawled backwards on his elbows a foot before . he staff glowed a poison green color around the red dragon's head ran down the shaft and dripped off of the tip like liquid light. "The poison on my staff will cause you great pain as it is killing you. Scream loudly so your dragon friend will come to help you." Sid blinked trying to clear his vision and he was still having trouble keeping his balance. The medicine made him feel like his head was floating just a little higher than his body as he tried to ready himself for the attack. Kong Li didn't charge him – he threw the staff at him like a lance.
Surprised, Sid yelped and rolled to the side.
Tobey bounced on his butt on the edge of the roof and slid off of the front of the building toward the street. As he went his fingers found an edge and he held on, pulling a rain gutter off the nails. It came off slowly, to let Tobey down easy. Tobey let go and dropped the last few feet. "Oh! That was so-not-fair!" he cried and not thinking ran back through the broken front door. He found his path through Wu's to get back to the fight was blocked by lava rock so he doubled back, went back up the front of the building grabbing ledges and swinging his legs up like a monkey.
Having been invisible during his journey back to Wu's, the dragon suddenly appeared between Sid and Kong Li and blocked the staff. To Sid's surprise the staff plunged through the dragon's neck. The head of the staff on one side, and only the tip showing through the other side. There was no blood, but the dragon thrashed and writhed around obviously in great pain.
"Mwahahaha – PERFECT! The poison works even better on dragon's!"
The dragon, with Kong Li's staff run through his neck moved slowly, with a lot of effort as it turned to face Kong Li. "Come on my pet. Let me take your power before you die."
"No! Kong Li keep away from him!" Sid got up again, standing behind the dragon, he couldn't see what Kong Li was doing. The dragon flapped his wings once and jumped over Kong Li. Now Kong Li's back was to Sid. The dragon turned in mid air and landed facing Kong Li.
Kong Li was so confident that he walked up to the dragon with his hand held out, summoning the spell that would transfer the dragon's spiritual power to him. When he reached out to touch the side of the dragon's face, the large mouth with sharp teeth closed around Kong Li's arm. Kong Li tried to pull his arm out, cursing. The dragon's bite looked soft, but was tight enough Kong Li couldn't get away. Embarrassed, he kept on angrily threatening and cursing. The dragon rose up, lifting Kong Li off his feet roaring deeply in his throat. Kong Li's magical spell had stopped.
Nana and Sue started to wake up. Nana sat up holding her head and Sue went to her. She felt great relief when she saw the dragon was back and already had a good grip on Kong Li. She could see Sid was down, but awake and watching the dragon, and she saw Tobey jump down off of the roof again and run to Sid. Nana got up with Sue's help and they went low as they circled around the dragon to get to Sid too.
After a few more moments with Kong Li dangling in mid air the dragon let go and dropped Kong Li. His cape wound up wrapped around his shoulders and over his head. Kong Li cursed and hugged himself with his cloak wrapped tightly around his body to hide his arms and face as he rocked like he was in great pain himself.
The dragon went to Sid and nuzzled him. Still dazed and dizzy, mostly from the pain medicine the doctor gave him, Sid put his arms up and whispered, "No." thinking it was Kong Li again. Tobey's voice telling him Kong Li was no longer a threat calmed him down. While his hands were up the dragon closed his mouth on his bandaged hand. Sid pulled gently, it hurt. "Ow, please no more."
"Sid?" Tobey told himself again that the dragon wouldn't be hurting Sid. It looked horrific, Sid's arm was little more than toothpick sized to the dragon's mouth. Sid tried to roll over, away from the dragon and pulled on his arm "OW! Let go!"
"Hold on Sid, I think he's trying to help." Tobey offered as he looked to Nana. Nana smiled and nodded.
After a few moments the dragon let go of Sid, Tobey caught his shoulders and held him in his lap. The bandage was soggy with dragon spit. Tobey held Sid's arm across his belly to keep it off the ground and cleaner. The dragon nuzzled Tobey's neck and licked his cheek just before he roared in pain from Kong Li's staff in his neck and disappeared from existence in a vapor of blue smoke. Kong Li's red staff that had been in the dragon's neck made a wooden clatter as it fell to the ground.
Kong Li leapt up and ran at Sid and Tobey. Unable to fight anymore, Tobey yelped and covered Sid intending to protect him as much as possible. Sue and Nana stood up to defend themselves. Kong Li didn't attack. As he ran by he picked his staff up jumped out of the garden and ran down the alley.
"Kids, you all did well, which one of you called the dragon?"
"I guess I did, I prayed for it to come while I was climbing back over the roof." Tobey smiled.
"I did too, I prayed for it to come while I lie there too dizzy to get up and help you guys." Sid added.
"I didn't, I was unconscious." Sue frowned. "I missed everything. How does your arm feel now bro?"
"I'm not sure, it's numb."
"Come on kids, lets go in. looks like Sid needs a bandage change." Nana got up first and waited while Sue and Tobey helped Sid up. Tobey walked with him and Sue followed. They climbed up the hill made by the cooled lava to Mr. Wu's bedroom window above the kitchen and climbed in that way, Tobey helped Sid the whole way and teased him that he seemed drunk. "I am not drunk Tob, I told you I didn't want to take those pills."
"But your hand doesn't hurt right?"
"Right, but I think that had more to do with the dragon spit than the medicine. When he licked my hand before it felt a lot better – now it feels numb."
Once they got inside, Nana guided them down the hall. "Go on to the boys room kids. I'll get the bandage material and join you. Tobey, start taking the old bandage off, Sue get some warm water and washcloths to clean the adhesive and old salve from his hand and arm."
"Okay Nana."
Sid sat in the desk chair while Tobey started carefully cutting and removing the soggy tape and gauze. Sid was looking at Tobey and saw when he mouth dropped open, his eyes wide with astonishment. "Sid?"
Sid looked where Tobey was staring and his eyes got wide too. Tobey turned Sid's hand over, carefully examining it from all sides. "Sid your burn's are gone! Your hand is healed!"
"It had to be the dragon. Wow, it still feels a little numb but I can move it." Sue came in and dropped to her knees to watch as Sid opened and closed his hand, testing each finger. Unable to contain himself any longer Tobey hugged Sid so hard he fell out of the chair both boys landed on Sue. And in the pile-up was where Nana found them when she came into the room.
"Well, I guess you three are feeling okay."
"Nana! Look Sid's hand!"
Nana looked when Sid held his hand out and made a fist for her to see. "That's wonderful Sid."
"Nana, why didn't the dragon just heal his hand earlier when he licked him? Like he did for his back."
"His back was injured, but the tissue, the materials that make up a human being back were all still there. When Sid's hand was burned, the tissue, skin and muscle was gone. He had nothing to replace it with."
"So where did he get tissue to replace Sid's hand with?"
"I'm not sure Tobey. "
"Is the dragon gone? When he disappeared this time it looked awfully final."
"I don't think he is gone for good. Dragon's are not that easy to kill and I hope Kong Li's poison wouldn't have the power to do it, but he did exert a lot of his energy to fix Sid's hand somehow. Perhaps he used some of his own flesh? It will take him a while to recover, but I'm sure we'll see him again."
That's good Nana. I just hope we don't have to be inured or about to lose a battle before he shows up. I'd like to share some shrimp moo goo gai pan with him for lunch sometime."
Sid chuckled at Tobey's wish and closed his eyes.
Nana saw how tired they all looked. "You three still have a couple of hours before daylight. Get some rest. It will be time to go to school way too soon."
"Aw Nana but what if Kong Li comes back. We should be here!"
"Kong Li won't be back anytime soon I think. Don't worry."
After Sue and Nana left the boys room, Tobey crawled into Sid's bunk with him. Sid cupped Tobey's face with both hands just happy to be able to feel his warmth as he kissed him goodnight. Tobey smiled and tickled him before settling down. "It's great to hear you laugh Sid."
"I feel fine Tobey. Except for the weird floaty feeling that the medicine caused. Hold on to me so I don't float away okay?"
"Glad to." Tobey hugged Sid from behind and that is how they went to sleep and how they woke up in the morning to get ready for school. Sid's hand was fine and Tobey's back had even stopped itching. It was almost healed, the scars becoming harder and harder to see.
[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[TD]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
Three days later, in a dark room behind an abandoned warehouse with the the only entrance through a dark alley. Kong Li sighed. "Well, is this the best you could do? I paid you a lot of money to make me an artificial hand and I expected it to be more useful than this!"
"Kong Li, I did the best I could. As long as you wear a glove on the other hand that matches, no one would even know it wasn't real, come on!"
"I will know! I can barely open and close the fingers."
"I'm sorry Kong Li. It is the best I could do, I just don't have access to the technology we needed to make it better with the money you gave me."
"Do you dare ask for more? I think you pocketed most of the money for yourself and bought inferiour matereials for this." Kong Li held his new , plastic and steal hand in the dim light over the table nearby to look closely."
"I would never do that Kong Li, this is the best available!"
"Well, if this is the best you can do, I guess I don't need you anymore."
Kong Li used his new hand to grab the man by the neck and choke the life out of him. When the man moved no more Kong Li threw his body to the side. "Well at least it came in useful for ending your useless service to me. It is strong, even if a bit crude."
Kong Li left the man's body lying in the room where it fell. He exited through the door and walked down the alley thinking. "Damn those brats! Those rejects cost me the dragon's power and my hand! They will pay dearly for this!"
Kong Li came to the end of the ally where a few cars were already going by and three people were already out jogging. Rather than be seen he conjured a portal and jumped out of sight.
[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[TD]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
END