“Come,” Hok said to Ying. “Have a seat. We need to discuss a few things.”
“I'll stand,” Ying said. He wasn't about to sit in an inferior position to Hok.
“As you wish,” Hok replied. “I have some new information to share. HaMo has Charles, and he wants to make an exchange.”
“HaMo?” Ying said. “The former bandit?”
Hok nodded. “He contacted us here through Charles’ friends. It seems HaMo snatched Charles from a holding cell while the Jinan Fight Club was burning. He wants me to meet him alone to exchange Charles for the dragon scroll map that Seh carries.”
Ying glanced at Seh, then back at Hok. “You're not going to do it, are you?”
“We don't have any other choice,” Hok said. “We took a vote and decided I should do it.”
“You didn't let me vote,” Ying said.
Hok didn't reply.
“You have no idea what you're giving up with that scroll,” Ying said, frustrated. “Don't do it.”
“I am going to do it,” Hok said. “Unless you can think of something better.”
Ying tried to calm himself. “Where are you supposed to meet him?”
“On a barge anchored in the middle of the river. Downstream, tonight. Just me.”
“You're walking into a trap,” Ying said.
“You don't know that.”
“No?” Ying asked. “HaMo double-crossed the bandits by allowing me and Tonglong access to their secret mountain fortress. He lived as one of them for more than ten years and sold them out for gold. What makes you think he'll keep his word with you?”
Hok didn't answer.
Ying stared at her. He could tell that she was going to go, and nothing was going to stop her. “At least let me look at the scroll map before you give it away, along with your life.”
“I don't know about this—” Seh began to say.
Ying turned to him. “I was promised time with the scroll as part of our deal. Show it to me.”
Fu growled and looked at Hok. “But Ying isn't going to do anything,” Fu said. “That means we don't have a deal anymore. Throw him out of here.”
Ying ground his teeth. He needed to take a different approach. “Show me the scroll, Hok, and I'll come up with a plan. I give you my word.”
Hok rubbed her temples. “I don't know—”
“I have nothing to lose and everything to gain by helping you,” Ying said. “Give me a quarter of an hour with the map, and I will make sure you leave HaMo's boat alive. All of you can stand over me while I study the map, if you wish. Bind my hands and feet. I don't care. A quarter of an hour, that's all I ask in exchange for an insurance policy on your life. What do you say?”
“I say we take another vote,” Malao offered. “I vote to let Ying help. So what if we show him the map? He'll probably get squashed by HaMo, anyway.” He shrugged.
“No way,” Fu growled. “I say we throw Ying out now.”
Malao poked Seh in the arm, and Ying saw Seh's snake slither beneath his sleeve. “What do you think, Seh?” Malao asked.
Seh didn't reply.
Hok stood. “I vote that we let Ying help,” she said. “It's up to you, Seh.”
Seh waited a long time before answering. “We should let Ying help.”
“No!” Fu roared.
“That's enough, Fu,” Hok said. “It is decided.”
Fu slammed his fist into the tabletop, but remained quiet. Ying was impressed. Back at Cangzhen, Fu would have continued to complain for hours over something like this.
Hok sat back down. “There is one more thing we still need to discuss. Since HaMo knows where we are, we will need to find a different place to hide. I suggest once we free Charles, the four of us travel to PawPaw's house.”
“PawPaw?” Ying said. “Grandmother? Who is that?”
“A woman who has helped us tremendously in the past,” Hok replied. “I would hate to impose on her again, but I don't know where else to go.”
“PawPaw's house makes sense,” Seh said.
“If it's good enough for you two, it's good enough for me,” Malao added.
“That's fine with me,” Fu said. “As long as Ying isn't coming.”
“Then it is decided,” Hok said. “Even if something should happen to me, the rest of you should go to PawPaw's, just to be safe.” She looked at Ying. “Would you like to see the scroll map now?”
“The sooner, the better,” Ying said. “Perhaps it will give me some inspiration for a plan.”
“Please show him the scroll, Seh,” Hok said.