In the Orient by Art Collins Page B

behind wouldn’t save his brother. Returning with help, or at least something to destroy the Monkey Clone, was their only hope.
    With that painful decision made, the main question in Archibald’s mind was whether he could return with what he needed in time. If not, he feared Jockabeb faced a fate far worse than Haktu did centuries ago. Also knowing that without the car keys, they wouldn’t be able to drive the Mercedes back to Jade Place, Archibald slowly reached down and retrieved the keys from Robert’s coat pocket while the Monkey Clone was giving final instructions to May.
The Rescue Mission Begins
    The moment they were dismissed, May, Archibald, and Willow quickly departed the same way they’d arrived, running through the rocky passageway as fast as they could. Thankfully, by the time all three of them squeezed back out through the crack in the mountainside, the cloudy mist had lifted.
    Before heading back the pier, May took a roll of white athletic tape out of her backpack. Handing it to Archibald, she said, “Rip off a piece of tape and attach it to the branch of a tree or a bush as we make our way to the stone steps. That way we’ll be able to find our way back even if a cloud is covering the mountain top when we return.”
    After the three teenagers found the stone steps, they descended Lantau Peak in record time. Fortunately, they arrived at the ferry with just seconds to spare before the gangway was retracted at six o’clock.
    Standing in stunned silence on the fantail of the ferry as it pulled away from the pier and turned toward Hong Kong Island, each of the three felt a terrible knot in their stomach. With a clear view of the towering mountain where Jockabeb and Robert Lui were being held captive, two facts were certain: Robert Lui was close to death if not dead already, and Jockabeb was scared, bleeding, and alone in the dark—well, not quite alone!
    As Lantau Peak faded from view, May suggested they walk inside to find a quiet spot in the passengers’ lounge. Minutes later, she was the first to break the awkward silence when she said, “We have some decisions to make.”
    “Yeah,” Archibald replied, “Like how are we going to find this magic elixir that we can trade for my brother’s life?”
    Sensing Archibald’s fear and frustration, May answered, “I’m going to call Wu Feng as soon as we get home. Besides being a Ninth Degree Grandmaster,he is also an expert in ancient Chinese legends, and the story of the Monkey King and its clones certainly falls into that category.”
    Remembering what the Monkey Clone had said about not telling anyone what happened inside the cave on Lantau Island, May added, “Wu Feng is very trustworthy. I know he won’t tell a soul, and I also know he’ll be willing to help us. And speaking of home, we have to decide what we’re going to tell my mother about Jockabeb and Robert. She will obviously notice that they’re not with us, and we need to keep her from calling the police.”
    “Okay, I’ve got an idea,” Archibald said quietly, leaning forward. “Let’s tell her that Jockabeb tripped and fell while we were climbing Lantau Peak. We can say that he twisted his ankle and hit his head on one of the stone steps. We passed by a clinic on our way to the trailhead, so let’s just tell her we took him there to be examined.”
    “Then why aren’t Jockabeb and Robert with us now?” Willow asked, not at all sure that her boyfriend had come up with a plausible explanation.
    “Well, the doctor who examined Jockabeb thought he should stay off his ankle for a while,” Archibald began, filling in the details as he spoke. “Even though the doctor didn’t think Jockabeb had a concussion, he wanted to observe him for at least twelve hours. Since that meant we would all miss the last ferry back to Central, Robert said that he’d spend the night with Jockabeb and then bring him home the next day.”
    “So, where will they spend the night?” Willow