Ghoulies Abroad by Julie Steimle (bts book recommendations txt) 📖

didn’t feel safe.

<< Stay there, >> Andy said. << Though we think these guys are legit, we are not so sure how they will handle having you here without your passport. Chen suggested you go to the embassy to get a new one, but honestly we have no idea where that is. >>

“In another city,” Rick muttered. He then shook his head. “Tom is staying away. You know the reason.”

<< Smart. >> Andy chuckled. << He may be crazy, but Tom’s not stupid. >> Then he cleared his throat and said, << Keep in contact. When Tom gives you back your passport, let us know. >>

Sighing, Rick nodded. “Will do. In the meantime, I think I will keep myself out of sight.”

<< Also smart. I— >> the sound immediately jerked. Chen now spoke into the phone. << I found your wallet. Or rather it hit me on the head with your cellphone just inside the lobby. >>

Tom delivered.

“No passport?” Rick meekly asked.

<< Sorry. I think the demons might be hanging tight to it. >>

Andy’s voice echoed from behind << One of the most valuable passports in the world… >>

Rick could hear the echoes of other words on their side, mostly in Mandarin, but much in broken English. Daniel’s responses carried, though. << … a friend. It’s expensive traveling, you know. >>

Andy was back on the phone. << Hey, Howie, they’re now requesting we go to their government building with them. There are no demons among them, and Chen says these guys are legit. >> Rick knew what it meant for Chen to say that, as it involved reading pasts he’d rather not get involved in. A shiver ran through him, realizing Chen was willing to do that for them. << We’ve decided to go. However, as Chen is our tour guide, they say he can’t come with us into the building. >>

The way Andy phrased it, Rick knew people were listening in. They didn’t know Chen was a Bai Nian. He was probably telling people his name was Wang. Rick wondered if Sun Wukong had done something to his passport or if the agents just hadn’t seen it.

<< So Chen intends to wait for us here for when we come back, >> Andy said. << And he’d like to join you. >>

Rick nodded to himself, thinking. He wondered what they had told those government agents about him.

<< Wait. I think I see Sir Long Shanks. Hold on a second. >>

Peering out the store’s window, Rick saw Michael climb out of a nice car. The driver climbed out also, helping them unload their few backpacks His computer in the suitcase was there, rice dropping out of the cracks of the bag. That was one hurdle out of the way. Those agents in black greeted Michael with familiarity and had what looked like a serious conversation.

<< OK, Howie? >>

“I’m still here.” Rick’s eyes followed, watching Michael act like he was paying Chen some money for his services and dismissing him. Chen stuffed whatever he was given into his pocket and he strolled across the street—not quite to where Rick was hiding, but near.

<< We’re going to leave with them now. But can I ask one favor from you before I have to turn off my phone? >>

“Anything,” Rick said, still watching them.

<< You know the one thing Tom hates? That crazy habit of his whenever he runs across one of those things? >>

Rick started thinking of all the things Tom might have said he hated, nodding.

<< We need Tom to do us a service and make sure these guys don’t have any inside of theirs, if you know what I mean. >>

Blinking, Rick thought harder. And it came to him.

Tom hated guns. Andy wanted those agents disarmed, just in case. Even swords and magic might not save them from getting shot.

“Definitely. I’ll ask him right now.”

<< Thanks. >>

Rick hung up and immediately dialed Tom.

<< Yellow. >>

“Hey, Tom? Abey needs you to make sure those guys they are with are disarmed. No bullets in those guns.”

Chen walked along the road outside pretending to be looking for some place to get lunch—though it did look like he was searching for real also. He hadn’t spotted Rick yet.

<< Ten-four. Already on it. >>

“You are?” Rick leaned back, staring out the window at Daniel now who was having a small argument with one of the men over the rice-filled suitcase. He insisted on carrying it by himself. Rick could not quite hear what was being said, though.

<< Yep. I got a visit from monkey man, and he said to tell you that— and I quote—‘It ain’t over’. >>

Rick cringed. He whispered, “Will monkey man be joining us to deal with this, or is he done?”

Laughing, Tom replied, << Monkey man will be with us to the end. He has a score to settle with Chen. >>

Rick wondered what that meant. But Tom hung up before he could ask.

Chen then walked into his store. At first he did not see Rick. He went in and searched through the shelves for some things to buy. When he looked up and saw Rick, he blinked in a stare. Quickly looking back out, then ducking, Chen gestured for Rick to hurry over. But Rick didn’t hurry. He strolled.

“What are you doing?” Chen asked, grabbing him in panic and trying to pull him behind a shelf.

Dryly, Rick said, “Did you know it is more effective to move slowly to avoid being seen? Quick movement draws attention.”

Chen blinked at him for a second then moaned, hanging his shoulders. He dug into his pocket and handed Rick the contents. It was his cell phone and wallet—along with his passport.

“Michael had it,” Chen said. “Sun Wukong gave it to him.”

Rick breathed deeply. However, he also checked things over, just in case they had been tampered with by their enemy. The sim card was intact in his phone, as was the battery. He didn’t notice anything changed about them either. In fact, the screen was locked. Nothing was missing from his passport either—Rick especially checking the visa page. However, he was missing two bank cards. Huffing, Rick opened his mouth to tell Chen.

“Tom has your cards,” Chen said. He shrugged. “He claimed he needed them for something.”

Rick noticed his cash was still there. Looking to Chen he asked, “Did he say who had my stuff?”

Chen shook his head. “Tom didn’t see them. But Sun Wukong said it was a pleasure to take them back—so I guess he did but didn’t care to tell us.”

That meant he had to clobber someone to get it—probably someone powerful. Rick noticed that Sun Wukong seemed more like the mischievous Monkey King since the battle on that mountain. It made Rick wonder how long Sun Wukong had been away from his homeland. He wondered especially, as he had heard from Peter in his research that elves tended to diminish whenever they leave their territory. And though Rick doubted Sun Wukong ever left China for any great length of time, he figured most elf territory was more limited to a grove of trees or a particular mountain which they were supposed to care for. And Sun Wukong definitely had been gone from Huaguo Mountain for a while.

The Seven left with the dark vehicles and men in black. Rick watched from his corner of the shop while Chen went back to his shopping. When they were gone, Rick stepped out to catch a taxi, dragging Chen with them.

One pulled up.

“Want a lift?” a familiar taxi driver asked.

Grinning, Rick nodded to Sun Wukong—taxi driver—and climbed right in.

*

Bureaucracy.

Nasty, sticky, details in paperwork.

It was all right that the Seven were in China, they said. It was within their jurisdiction to deal with demons, they said. But did they have to mess with the triads?

“Yes,” Michael replied.

They only seemed to listen to Michael. Like at the hotel, the locals were averse to looking at Andy, who for some reason made them feel deeply unsettled. His piercing blue eyes made them the most uncomfortable, though his heroic stature and physique didn’t help much. As for the others, they shifted nervously around Semour, staring at his fair hair and pale skin along with his aged gaze which to them was like looking at a ghost. They met Daniel’s and Eddie’s gazes more squarely as they seemed more average on the outside., but they actually spoke to James, who probably came across as the friendliest of them, despite being built like a truck.

“Do you realize the trouble we will have with the triads because of this?” the Chinese agent asked.

Michael dryly returned his stare. So did the others, all disgusted.

“You should be caring more about the damage the triads are doing to your country,” Andy replied. “To your people.”

“Do you have any idea what they were intending?” Daniel asked.

They looked to Michael. “Their connections are huge. We cannot even keep track of what they are up to. And their influence—”

“Meaning corrupt politicians,” Eddie interjected, mostly as an aside to James as Daniel nodded.

“… Their influence,” the agent repeated sternly, “could get a lot of people killed.”

Daniel snorted. “You mean they are a lot harder to handle than normal law-abiding citizens.”

They glared at him. They were not quite ready to shout at him though—fully aware that Daniel was dangerous.

Andy raised his hand, shaking his head at Daniel. “Let’s set politics aside for just a second, Swift…”

Daniel huffed, folding his arms and rolling his eyes.

“…And focus on what is really going on here.” Andy looked to the men in black who kept staring at Michael as if to ask him to control his team. Michael merely shrugged at them, waiting for what Andy had to say. “We uncovered a conspiracy between one of your triads, those demons, and the CIA.”

The local agents colored, pulling back.

Michael stared wide. “What?” This was news to him.

Daniel lifted his chin, nodding, “That’s right, you weren’t with us when we found this out. In Yancheng, we discovered there were CIA agents collaborating with the triads and demons—basically to take down this nation.” He then looked to the government agents. “And though I hate this nation’s politics, I don’t want to see the people suffer under the nasty chaos that would definitely happen if the CIA had succeeded in their plans and the triads took over.”

The agents stared at him in horror. Their minds raced over that that meant. Fury seemed to swell within them, though their faces were struggling to hide their emotions to maintain their strong façade.

“So yes, we attacked the triad,” Daniel said.

The local government agents looked to Michael. He sat there appearing winded. Seriously, he had not even suspected US intervention in this entire scheme. Blinking to himself, he drew in a breath as he thought about all of it. Shooting up from his seat, he said to Andy and the rest, “That’s why I was delayed!”

Confused, they stared back.

He said, “Red, I work alongside CIA agents in the SRA. And so many things had been happening recently to keep me from joining you. I didn’t want to tell you this, but our family jet had been sabotaged—at the time I thought it was demons doing it. And that SRA training I had been in had been extended for a ridiculous amount of time. And I think…yes, I think they have been tracking me.”

“By your phone?” Semour asked, his eyes raking over him.

Michael nodded. “I think so.”

Nodding back, Semour said, “Let me equip you with a replacement. One they can’t track.”

Grateful, Michael looked to the Chinese agents again.

They were pale. A number of them could no longer mask their fury. A thought occurred to Michael, and he said, “You’re not going to make this an international incident, are you?”

“It is espionage!” The agent bristled out loud, fuming.

Daniel shrugged. “True. But I doubt it was arranged by the US president.”

They bristled more, raging inside nearly. “He is the president! He is in charge of the country.”

Semour snorted. So did Eddie. They exchanged looks.

Daniel