Page 28 of Shadow Lies

“No.” He shook his head. “The older brothers do not. And today, I cannot.”

He lifted the hem of his robe and stuck out his foot.

She saw it was wrapped. “You’re hurt.”

He nodded. “Yes.”

“I’m sorry.”

A small smile bowed his lips. “Me too. I will miss the performance.”

“Performance?” She frowned and turned her full attention to him. “What performance? Where? For whom?”

“For the abbot first. If he approves, the Shaolin will perform for Xi Jinping in Beijing.”

Her eyes widened. “During the Olympics?”

He nodded again.

Did Charley know about this performance?

Another theory hit Alexis. One that made more sense.

Had Charley somehow arranged for it once she’d found out Kane was here?

Alexis chose her words carefully. “Did you have long to prepare for this performance?”

“No. It was—” He squinted, as if searching for the words.

“Last minute?” Alexis supplied.

“Yes. We were told just last week.”

She drew in a breath. Charley was going to get Kane there one way or another. Whether he agreed to her assignment or not.

Was he a fall guy? If he refused to take out Wei, would she just have someone else do it and let Kane take the blame since he was already burned? Her brain churned out scenarios, each worst than the last.

She found Kane amid the others. He moved beautifully. As if he’d been doing this his whole life. “Does everyone go to perform? Those not hurt, I mean?”

“No. Just the best.”

“Will Kane go?” She turned to look at him. “My friend. Kane Lee.”

The monk nodded. “The shifu favor Brother Lee. He has learned fast. He is good.”

She swallowed hard.

What should she do? Tell Kane not to go? Tell him he had better take the job and not risk the wrath of Charley and possible retaliation from her mysterious organization?

Her heart thundered. Her stomach twisted. The peace and serenity shattered, she needed to move. To do something.

But what?

It hit her. She could do what she did best. What she was so good at that it had cost her job. Research. Digging. Putting together seemingly disparate reports. Evidence. Until a clear picture emerged.

She didn’t have the resources of the CIA but she still had skills. Before leaving college, she’d rubbed elbows with some of the best hackers on the dark web.

And thanks to Charley’s payment, she had money to buy equipment. Good equipment. Everything she’d need to dig deep. Into Wei. Into this mining company and the backers of the camps. Maybe even into Charley.

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