Xiao smelled something wrong as soon as Jiang told him he was leaving, he tried to stop him, but he didn't know why, "Stay with me a little longer, don't go yet."

"If I stay any longer the coach'll worry and send the hounds."

Jiang was only kidding but Xiao half-way believed him; he had been chased by Sung Li's hounds and couldn't imagine his lover being chased by the coach-hounds or no hounds.

"Stay!"

"No! It's time to go," Jiang kissed Xiao quickly on the lips and went to the top of the ramp, looking both ways, up to the hills, down to the river, making sure there were no signs of life. After a few long moments, Jiang left, making sure the bushes were not disturbed, brushing off his footsteps as he trekked backwards down the hill toward the river.

Jiang swam across and then stripped off his clothes and laid them on the rocks to dry. It was a warm day, and he knew they'd dry quickly, so he closed his eyes and slept. When he awoke, the sun was lower in the sky, but his clothes were thoroughly dry; he dressed and hurried home to the village but the moment he got within sight of town, Man-Ho, Sung Li's deputy, ran toward him.

"Come with me, Jiang, Sung Li wants to talk to you; he has some questions about your recent behavior."

Jiang froze, certain he knew what Sung Li wanted to discuss, yet uncertain as to who could have turned him in. It must have been Hon-Kee; I thought I could trust him, but I bet he spilled the rice to someone, accidentally or on purpose. I bet he's the reason I'm being arrested. Oh my God, did I say 'arrested'? Is Sung Li going to send me to prison? Am I going to go to the re-education center? Will I ever see Xiao again? Will I see my family? The coach? Why didn't I listen to Xiao?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Sung Li waited patiently for Jiang. If I can't have Xiao, I'll have fun with Jiang. Either way, I'll get one of them today . . . and the other tomorrow.

Coach Luo-Cong never panicked-not in front of his boys, but Jiang was missing and the coach suspected why, He's with Xiao again or catting.

Jiang was scheduled to show up for practice at 7:00 and already he was late. The other boys were in the pond, swimming their laps and Jiang, their leader, was missing. Without Jiang they would never do their best! In addition, the coach had posted new rules.

If you're late, you're off the team,

If you don't work every day, you're off the team,

If you horse around, you're off the team.

The boys joked that if they breathed out of sync, they'd be off the team, but they knew coach would never do that-and he'd never throw a boy like Jiang off the team. EVER!

I have to keep up my image. If I let Jiang win this round, he'll win them all, I'll be out of a job and China will be out of world class competitor. I must stay on top of Jiang as close as a husk on rice.

Lin-Chu was leading the boys, lap after lap, as he swam with Wang, Hon-Kee, and Bo, and each time the boys reached the end of the pond, they'd wink at each other, looking around for Jiang, wondering who he was fucking, wondering when he'd show up with his usual bravado, wondering when he'd prance around the dressing area with his rampant hard-on.

Although the boys had been swimming for nearly an hour, none of them looked fatigued. I wish I was a boy again, the coach thought, I wish I had their energy again.

Coach Luo-Cong blew his whistle and the boys swam up to the edge of the pond.

"What's wrong, coach? Why'd you whistle us to stop?"

"Have any of you seen Jiang? Do you know where he is?"

Lin-Chu smiled but covered his face with his hands and blushed when the coach stared at him. Yes, I know where Jiang is, at least I know what he's doing and so do you, we all do, but I'll never tell. So Lin-Chu lied-keeping a straight face and looking totally believable: "No, I haven't seen him. I left before he did and I think you were the last one with him, coach."

Lin-Chu didn't want to cause trouble. He knew what the coach was like when he was irate, but inadvertently, he opened a door the coach didn't want to look into.

"Get your ass in the pond and swim until I tell you to get out," the coach screamed, making the water ripple in the pool with the sounds of his voice. "And if anyone else wants to be a smart ass, join him. I asked a simple question and-"

Lin-Chu swam away quickly, glad for the freedom to escape the coach's wrath (at least for the moment).

"If I wanted to argue, I could have stayed home with my wife; instead, I devote my life to training a gaggle of worthless boys; for all the love of China, I should walk away from you now, I should leave you to fend for yourselves. I regret the day I ever volunteered for this job, I regret the day I ever offered to help," the coach took a long deep breath, purple was not his color, "SWIM!"

The boys had never heard the coach so angry. Bo, Wang and Hon-Kee pushed off, working on their backstrokes-trying to get away from the coach as quickly as possible but even the chilly pond water wasn't enough to calm the coach's wrath and the boys could feel the water boil around their toes as they kicked.

The coach turned and stormed away; I have to end this now. Either Jiang is swimming for me or he's free to do whatever he wants. We all must obey the law; we must do as we are told. Again, Luo-Cong felt himself turning red-faced; as a rule, he never blushed, but now he was livid with anger, slowly turning lilac for the second time in as many minutes.

Luo-Cong wasn't willing to vent any more anger on his boys, If I want to cut them, I can, but they haven't caused this problem, it's Jiang's fault and I must straighten him out. I thought my talk was enough but obviously the boy's more bull-headed than I thought . . . God damn it, as Mao is my leader, I should beat that boy's ass raw.

As the coach headed away from the edge of the pond, the boys slowed their strokes and, one by one, pulled along the edge of the other side. Lin-Chu, the strongest swimmer next to Jiang, was the first to tug himself out. He crept to hose for a shower and looked up and down for the coach and when he saw nothing but the dust of the road filtering back, he raced back to his friends.

"I'd hate to be in Jiang's shoes when the coach finds him. I've never seen him that angry. Do you think he'll kick Jiang off the team?"

"Jiang made his own bed."

The boys smiled, each one picturing a different bed-and Jiang in a different position.

"What will happen, will happen. Let's go; let's take off the rest of the day and go to the river."

"Let's change first, there's a wind coming up from the mountains. I am not going to walk all the way to the river in my wet underwear."

Bo led the way to the rocks behind the pond where the boys stripped and shared the hose for a shower. One by one their cocks grew as they thought about Jiang; one by one, each hand reached down, playing with himself, thinking about the trouble Jiang was in, thinking about Jiang's cock, thinking about their own satisfaction…

When they finished, Hon-Kee giggled loudly, "I bet Jiang is with Xiao."

"He's either with Mei or Xiao. The whole town knows that."

"I bet the ancient gods even know that."

"Jiang's worse than Ce-Ce."

"No," Hon-Kee giggled, "Ce-Ce gets paid."

The boys laughed as they headed to the river for an evening of pleasure. It would be the last free time they'd ever enjoy because, from that moment on, the coach, Sung Li, their parents and the State would control everything they thought, did or wanted.

Coach Luo-Cong started at Jiang's house, then he searched up and down the alleyways, looking behind the trash, searching behind every tree, and he double checked the watermelon stand-that seemed to be the place all the boys lurked-ready to toss watermelons at passers-by, but there was no sign of Jiang. He's found Xiao; he's spent the night with that boy again and God help him if Sung Li finds out. I must go to Sung Li, oh my God, if Sung Li has Jiang - Luo-Cong was unable to finish his thoughts.

Sung Li didn't make Coach Luo-Cong wait long . . . just long enough to cool his heels and remind him who was in charge.

"Why haven't you reported Jiang's midnight prowling?"

The coach didn't have time to think up a new excuse so he used the old one with as straight a face as he could, "Jiang is a dog, you know that. He spends half his life at the whore house and the other half jerking off thinking about girls. I, myself, have taken Jiang to Ce-Ce's house on numerous occasions. And . . . " Now Coach Liu-Cong paused for a pregnant moment, knowing he was now in charge. "I checked with Ce-Ce and asked her how the boy performed."

Sung Li was impressed and thought he might have met his match. Why didn't I do that? I knew the boy prowled each night, and I heard rumors that he visited Ce-Ce. I could have ended this embarrassment if I had only been more vigilant. "I've done that, as well," Sung Li lied, "Why do you think I have this position? Do you think I'm lazy?"

Again, the coach stood up to Sung Li. "I don't think you're lazy, but there are times when I think you're stupid. You have a bad boy to catch, but you pick on a good boy. Jiang never did anyone any harm; he's the best boy in the village; his only flaw is that he tries to please everybody. He even gets along well with that idiot, Feng Xiao. And," now the coach's voice grew louder as he screamed at Sung Li, "being a friend is a good thing in our society; getting along with your peers is even better-isn't that what our government wants, isn't that what we all believe? Don't make me embarrass you, you're a man of power, but China is much more powerful than you! The government needs Jiang. We need him to win a medal and if you stand in his way-if you stop China from achieving her glory, you will end up in the toilet! Don't ever forget that you answer to the Chinese people." Coach Luo-Cong was livid now; his face, arms, legs and stomach were redder than the setting sun as he rose to make his final point. It was time for Sung Li to release Jiang-or toss the coach in jail.

"You're correct, my friend, you're one hundred per cent right. Perhaps I acted too hastily, but I'm sure we can work this out-I'm going to release Jiang into your custody," then Sung Li smiled for the first time, "and perhaps you two might want to visit Ce-Ce tonight."

Both men laughed too loudly for the joke, but within moments, Sung Li ordered his men to release Jiang as coach and boy strode out of the police station arm and arm. "Don't ever make me do that again, Jiang. You're a good boy, but even I have limits."

Jiang hung his head down, proud to know that the coach had stood up for him, ashamed that he had not been able to stand up for himself.

And inside the police station, Sung Li smiled. Coach Cong may think I backed down, but he has no power here and now he owes me. He and his boys all owe me. Sung Li drooled in anticipation, thinking about Lin-Chu's ass, Bo's legs, Wang's childish body and Hon-Kee's arrogance. One by one, I'll have them all and the coach won't open his fucking mouth. The coach will bring me as many boys as I want. Let's see who is the victor! Sung Li roared those last words so loudly that both Jiang and the coach heard him. Jiang thought it was a good sign because the coach won, but the coach knew differently; the coach knew he had cut a deal that would haunt him until the day he died.


On to Chapter Thirty-Two
Avalanche!
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Kuan Yin
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