Jiang and Xiao spent the morning prodding, pushing and shoving the ancient door-trying to find a hidden button or a lever-trying to learn how to open it, but no matter what they did, the door refused to budge. Then, Xiao noticed a tiny indentation at the top, as if he felt a ridge with his fingertips, but when he moved his hand slightly to the right, the ridge went away. "I've found something. Lift me higher, let me see."

At first, Jiang was aroused when he hoisted Xiao from his hands to his shoulders, but after the first few minutes, Jiang could feel Xiao's toenails digging into his flesh, and even though Xiao only weighed forty-three kilos, Jiang's shoulders were beginning to ache. Jiang raised his hands over his head, trying to adjust the boy above him, stretching up to Xiao's calves, wishing he could see his ass, wishing Xiao would find what they needed and be done with it.

"It's like a button." Without thinking, Xiao gently shoved his pinkie into the small opening and the door slid back a few centimeters, causing him to wobble slightly backward as Jiang stood perfectly still-waiting for an aftershock.

"It's not an earthquake, look, Jiang, the door has started to open."

Xiao slid down Jiang's back, rubbing his cock down his lover's head and neck until it lined up perfectly with his ass. If only we had time, Xiao thought, I'm ready to be a man with Jiang - if he's ready to be one with me.

"How can we get it to open all the way? What did you do wrong?"

"I didn't do anything wrong. Perhaps there's another button somewhere."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Han had reported to the station at nine, but the office was empty and he was too intimidated to look for Sung Li. I'll wait here. Sung Li doesn't like me to interfere in his daily life, no matter how long it takes. He dragged two chairs together, measuring them against the length of his body, pushing them back and forth several times until he knew they would make a comfortable bed, and lay down, deciding sleep was the better part of valor.

Meanwhile, Sung Li plodded to the office, half dragging his limp leg, thinking about how to get even with Xiao for causing him so much anguish, wishing that Xiao had been deformed, knowing he'd never accept the boy as less than perfect, knowing how Xiao would suffer, sure of that, yet still unsure of his priorities; he knew he had to locate Xiao, keep track of the coach, supervise his lion-eaten police force and still have time to prowl the village looking for another boy. Sung Li was a spider, spinning his trap, ready to suck the blood from as many boys as he could.

Sung Li wasn't surprised to find Han waiting for him in his office, but he was horrified to find Han sleeping. Without thinking, Sung Li kicked him, laughing as the chairs flew apart and Han landed with a thud on his ass. "Is that the way you spent your morning?"

"I'm exhausted. I tracked Jiang until he slipped away at four a.m. I checked his house, but he's not there, he's not at the coach's house . . . or at Ce-Ce's."

"I don't care where he isn't-I want to know where he is and that's your job. Do I have to kick your ass into the street?"

"He's slippery. He moves like the wind and everyone in the village makes excuses for him."

Sung Li thought about the recent tragedies, If I hadn't sent the posse after Xiao, two of my men would still be here and I wouldn't be dealing with this incompetent dolt. "Tell me what you found out; let's look for positives, I'm sure we'll find both boys if we work together."

Han was surprised at Sung Li's change of attitude; he had never seen this side of his boss before, and he wondered if Sung Li was setting him up for something painful-or cruel-or just plain miserable.

"My sources tell me Jiang's in the countryside practicing his swimming and that he goes there as often as he can; he likes to swim up the rapids, against the current-"

Sung Li laughed for the first time in days, "Jiang's been swimming against the current for years; tell me something I don't know."

"You're not going to want to hear this, but everyone in the village knows I'm tailing Jiang-they even know I've been following the coach. I think you should call this off, at least until after the funerals."

"The boy is as much of an actor as he is a swimmer, but perhaps you're right, let's concentrate on the funerals; let's make sure Wei and Ming are remembered, then we can get back to business."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Jiang noticed something a something sticking out of the crack in the door.

"That's the Tao!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, look at it; it's the Tao, but what does it mean?"

Xiao lifted up the small tablet containing the Tao and read, "Once you open the door, you will understand the secret of reincarnation, but you must complete your task within the risings of thirty suns or the power will pass to my next incarnation."

"Thirty suns? What the devil-?"

"Thirty days, of course, but . . . reincarnation? No one believes in reincarnation."

"Indians do and there must be a billion of them; maybe they're right."

"What?"

"Even ancient Chinese believed in reincarnation. Remember that the legend of Meng Jiangnu and Fan Xiliang says they were reborn."

"That's just a legend; this is real life-people don't die and come back from the dead."

"Oh? And you know what happens when people die? I didn't want to tell you this, but Wei and Ming were searching for you and they were killed."

"Killed? How?"

"It's too gruesome to-"

Xiao let out a long slow breath, "How did they die? You've got to tell me."

"They discovered Wei's body in the river and they found pieces of Ming. They say he'd been ravaged by a wild lion."

"There haven't been lions in China in a hundred years."

"And no one's been reincarnated either, but things change; perhaps there is truth to reincarnation. This cave and this door were created by a supernatural force, and there must be a reason!"

"Are you telling me we might have to die to be together?"

"I don't know; I'm just quoting the Tao. I'm not sure about anything. All I know is that we have to keep our minds open, okay?"

"Let's look for more clues, then. There must be something here to help us solve this mystery."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Feng Chung was disgusted with his son and he knew Fengxia was too old to give him another boy-a normal son-but he wanted to leave his legacy; he knew he must keep his name alive; he just didn't know how.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ming's parents prepared their private service for their son, unwilling to have his memory shared by anyone.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Just as the boys were about ready to retire, Xiao noticed words appearing on the door: "Only the Tao can save you. Open this door, believe in the Tao, and you will be transported to freedom."

"Are we going to be transported or reborn? This is too confusing. I don't understand."

"Neither do I, but we can figure things out if we give it time. Here, listen to this," Xiao read part of the message:

     The goddess protected me
     As I traveled from Yanquan
     To this place of death,
     Building this wall for a soulless king
     Digging this tomb for ten thousand slaves.
     Kuan Yin promised me
     I'd be with Jiangnu forever.
     You, who read this message,
     Are vessels of our souls.
     Ensuring that we will live anew
     In a land where men are ruled,
     Not by fear, but by their hearts
     In a place where kings are mere memories
     And the gods reign supreme.
     Now, you are my soul
     Traveling through time with me.
     For I am the slave Fan Xiliang
     Longing to be with my bride.

"Do you need any more proof that Fan Xiliang was here?"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Dogs yelped outside the great cavern and the boys huddled quietly, praying that this portal would offer them salvation and a way to escape Sung Li and the dogs.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Late at night, Feng Chung slipped out of bed, leaving his snoring wife alone in the darkness as he crept toward Ce-Ce's house, feeling like a schoolboy as he hurried away. Perhaps a mistress will end this family curse and give me another son. . . or two. . . or even more. He laughed for the first time in days.

Feng Chung whistled softly as he glided along the dirt road, nearing Ce-Ce's house, wondering if he should abandon his old life and live anew.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

And outside Xiao's cave, Sung Li crept stealthily into the night, listening for the slightest sound, as Man-Ho muzzled the dogs.


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More Clues
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