Distant Cousins
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Unknown Whereabouts
"Uuuggghhh."
"It's about time you stirred. You've been out for hours."
"I should have seen that blast coming. Didn't think he'd grown to be that powerful."
"I've tried all the bars. They're as solid as can be."
"Don't be so sure."
"What are you talking about? Those bars are solid steel."
"As my father is fond of saying, 'Nothing is as it seems.'"
Peter tried to rise but was thrown back. "Hey! Why didn't you tell me I was chained to the wall."
"You didn't ask," Henry replied. "What I don't get is why you're chained and I'm not."
"You want to be chained, too?"
Henry held up his hands in protest. "No, I like my freedom, what little I have of it right now. What I can't figure out is where we are. No one's come by since we've been put in here."
"And no one will come until they're good and ready or to give us a last meal. But I'm not going to wait around until they do."
Peter sat for a moment and concentrated. The manacles around his wrists were ancient looking but their locks were easy to release. It wasn't long before they fell to the floor.
"How did you do that?"
"It's a Shaolin thing. You get used to it."
Peter then went to the door and felt it's lock, only this time, the lock was not what he expected. The lock has been fused to avoid another trick like he had done with the manacles "Well that was smart of you Mr. Bon Bon Hai, but it's not going to stop me."
As before in Shambhala, Peter closed his eyes and felt the bars. He could feel their solid-ness melt away as he focused. As Peter was about to step threw, he thought better of it. If he escaped, what would that mean for Henry? His cousin wasn't Shaolin. There was no way he would be able to transcend belief and walk threw the bars. Peter, at that moment, stepped back and let the bars become solid once more.
"You're right, these bars are more solid than they look."
"Peter, for a moment there, you looked like you were going to just walk threw those things as if they weren't even there."
"I was, but then I thought about you. If I escape, Bon Bon Hai might take revenge on you."
"Don't worry about me, I'm a cop remember. But if you have a way to escape, you could get help."
"Not at your expense," Peter relied. "I used to be a cop, too. You don't leave a partner when they are in danger."
"But how are we going to get out of here?"
Peter thought for a moment. There had to be another way. As he crouched down to think, something dug into his hip. He reached into his pocket to find a small vial. The minute Chinese writing on the side of the tiny ceramic bottle declared its contents and a smile spread across his lips. The old priest must have slipped it there at one point during the conversation.
"Good old Lo Si. I think I may have found another way. Stand over near the door."
Both men moved toward the door. Peter poured some of the contents into his hand then threw it into the air.
"What the . . ."
"Don't move until I tell you and don't say a word. Now all we have to do is wait for someone to come and open the door."
They didn't have long to wait.
Continues with Part 23
Alisa Joaquin Copyright@2003.
This story cannot be reprinted or sold in any other form without strict permission from
the author. It is being distributed here solely for your enjoyment.
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