Lee didn't have many options, in fact, he only had one. He had to return to Freeda's place and recuperate. But first he had to leave the capital.
He slowly walked towards one of the service entrances of the Orpen estate when someone grabbed him by the shoulder, and asked, "What did you do?"
"Cough … what?" Lee was confused.
While the hand that stopped him didn't cause any harm, the sudden stop caused Lee to cough up blood again.
The person ignored his pains, though, and repeated, "What did you do to the horses?"
Lee stared at the guy until his sight adjusted, and gave a shallow laugh the moment he recognized his stepfather. It was painful, but funny.
"Ah, Alan. How are you?" He said with a smirk, but then turned serious, "Are you afraid I fed the mixture of purple mandrake root and the ironcave moss? Don't worry, I don't like hurting horses."
Alan was stunned for a moment, but quickly recovered and pressed on, "Then what did you do?"
"Why would you think I did something?" Lee grinned back, and looking at his bloodied teeth Alan had the same premonition he had when he recognized Lee on the racetrack.
"Don't play dumb with me." Alan said, "I know it was you who set up Powel, and I know you killed one of Newman's sons and set up the other. What are you up to now? Did Freeda set you up to something?"
"You know, for a smart man sometimes you are so stupid." Lee said, "Why would anyone need to set me up to anything? People who killed my parents will have to pay. Easy as that."
Lee was too tired to notice how Alan's face turned paper white. It was already hard for him to talk, to not speak of standing straight.
"So she told you?" Alan said with a sigh.
"She didn't tell me anything." Lee said, "I remember like it was yesterday. The bitch ordering Kill them all! and the bastards murdering everyone in Pine Village. But it's fine. They'll die for that. In fact, most already had."
"I can't let you do that!" Alan said, and stretched out his hand as if intending to stop Lee, but for some reason he couldn't find the strength to grab the boy.
"You can't do shit." Lee snorted, "Go to Freeda's place. Mom left you a letter – you probably want to read it. I'm leaving!"
Lee turned away, but heard Alan ask, "She ... died?"
There was obvious grief in his voice, and Lee suddenly felt bad for the man. Alan and Tess loved each other dearly, and there was no reason for him to create a conflict now. In fact, he couldn't understand why they were arguing in the first place.
"Ye. She always loved you." Lee said, "And if you want, blame me. She died because I did a stupid thing and she saved me."
"Sigh … she always wanted to do that …" Alan said.
"What?" Lee stopped in his tracks. What Alan said didn't make sense.
"Well … you probably know that we, healers, exchange our lives to save others." Alan said, "But your mom always had a wish to give her life for her child's. She couldn't have children, but then we found you … From the day she picked you up she did everything she could to transfer her life into yours. I don't know why … she said it was a woman's thing … but … now that she's dead … that means your life is her life! That means – you can't throw your life away no matter what! Your life doesn't belong to you!"
Lee looked at the man, but decided to not reply. Alan was spouting complete nonsense, but he was clearly suffering, even though he hadn't seen Tess in years. And he had the right to his own opinion. Of course, Lee's life was his own, and he had no doubts about that, but there was some merit in Alan's words. The problem was – Lee was in too much pain to think about it now.
"Alright!" Was the only thing he could reply.
The choice of not returning to Alan and come to the Sunwell on his own, turned out to be the correct one. Lee couldn't imagine the consequences if suddenly, after all these years, he showed up on his stepfather's doorstep unannounced.
The guy loved Tess, but it was highly likely Lee would've found himself on the street, or maybe even got to answer questions in front of the emperor. The last part was particularly likely judging by how much Alan valued his relationship with Valen Sunwell.
Suddenly Lee had a cheeky idea. Ignoring the pain, he gravely looked at Alan, and said, "I'm leaving! But I suggest you do the same. You saw the eyes, and by now you should've realized that the emperor's happy days are over."
He only wanted to mess around with the man's head for fun, instead of goodbyes, but Alan took his words too seriously.
"I don't know what Prophet is up to, and what is the scale of the uprising they are preparing. You go! And go far for Tess sake! As I said, your life doesn't belong to you alone anymore!" Alan replied with cold expression, "I'm staying with the emperor even if the sky falls down. I don't expect you to understand – you never had a real friend, but I wish one day you'll realize what a true friendship means, a friendship between men!"
Lee wasn't expecting another lecture, especially on this subject. Maybe in this life he didn't have friends and maybe in the last one either, but the mark on his right palm would always serve as the reminder of the only true friend he had in all of his lives. She was not a man, though. But just like Alan, Lee would give his life away to protect her.
In fact, he even tried.
When Lisa broke the strange item they found in the underground pyramid, and made two amulets out of it, on the way back home they flew to Beijing, to visit Jin Fu. The old archaeology expert technically worked for the fat Russian, but he was also a freelancer, gladly accepting well payed jobs. Especially if they were as easy as the one Lee brought.
Unfortunately going to his small office, filled with old books and heavy air, this time turned out to be a grave mistake. Jin Fu inspected the two pieces Lee brought, took several pictures and promised to get back to him. The item, if put together, clearly was the popular Yin – Yang symbol, but it was impossible to tell what the tiny, detailed symbols that were inscribed on it, meant.
After selling the stolen night vision goggles to one of Lisa's contacts, they bought tickets to the earliest available flight to Los Angeles, and the next day landed in San Jose, in Juan Santamaria International Airport.
Few ours later they were already home, soundly asleep in their own bed. On the two small shelves on the wall, though, there were several glowing items, in the size of a plum, giving off different colors – red, green and blue.
Two days later a bunch of local gang members stormed in. Lee never thought Jin Fu would sell him out, considering the money he payed the old man – clearly being a Smirnoff's lackey meant more. And even if the fat Russian knew they created trouble in Dunhuang, it was baffling how he found out where they lived, especially since it happened so fast. Back then they picked Costa Rica, and particularly Santa Teresa, for a reason, but apparently Lee underestimated Smirnoff's reach.
But it didn't matter anymore. When the guys, armed with AK-47's, stormed in, Lee caught a bullet in the left shoulder, but ignoring the pain, vaulted through the window of the second floor, and Lisa jumped out right after. It was followed by a mad, but short car chase, and in the end one of their Wrangler's tires was shot.
They managed to get to Rio Negro, but in this time of year it more resembled a dried ditch. Nevertheless – there was a hope. Both knew this area well since they often used to hike along the river, but just as they got out of the car, a random bullet pierced Lisa's hip.
Without a second thought, Lee picked her up and ran, ignoring the burning pain in his shoulder, but a minute later was shot in the back. It was a through-and-through and, while it was not fine to get shot at all, he could've continued to run, at least for a bit. Unfortunately, the bulled went through him and drilled deep in Lisa's chest.
"Stop!" She suddenly commanded him after coughing up blood and realizing that what they were doing was absolutely futile. Lee never knew in how much pain she was seeing him wounded, desperately struggling to save her. It was much better to have their one last moment holding each other, looking in each other's eyes. Even if those were a few seconds.
Lee, despite the unwillingness to give up hope, stopped. They didn't say any parting words, they only watched each other with smiles on their faces. Before the gunmen rushed over, purely on a whim, Lisa took her and Lee's amulet and put the two halves together.
Of course, Lee guessed the symbolism and tightly held both her hand and the amulet, and before the last rain of bullets flew over, instinctively leaned over her.
***
Alan was wrong, he had a real friend. She was the love of his life ... and lives, but also a friend. He would've given his life for hers thousands times over, but unfortunately all that was left was the strange mark on his right palm as a reminder of someone he once lost.