Weigh Out Way-In

CHAPTER 35

A new day has dawned in Shenzhen. There is a lot of noise in the streets. Busy people are going about on their first important thing every morning: breakfast. Some are buying breakfast to take it to their workplace, others are eating breakfast at restaurants or at breakfast vendors' place in the streets. Those who have already eaten breakfast at home, are now heading for their workplaces or for their schools.

In one area in Shenzhen people are not allowed to move about freely though. The police blockades prevent them from entering the area. It is less noisy in this area. Those present are filled with anticipation, as if they were holding their breath.

Wolverine has woken up from his restless nap, lies low, not moving any of his limbs, just turning his ears in different directions, listening.

Wolverine has just seen a dream about a wolf and a herd of reindeer. In the dream a lonesome wolf tries to catch a reindeer because it is hungry. However the wolf backs up a bit because the strongest in the herd protect the others; he doesn't want to get hurt by the reindeer's sharp antlers. Besides, he is not able to ambush any of them nor quick enough to catch any alone.

Feeling blue Wolverine sighs to himself, 'Here I am, trying to find my friend Magpie alone. I haven't come here to harm anybody, unlike that wolf, but to help my friend, still these folks here, they want to hurt me, and real bad.'

A fierce barking breaks the silence. Wolverine jumps to his feet, with adrenaline rushing fiercely forward in his veins, with his hair bristled and with his sharp teeth exposed to the dog to warn him from coming any closer, or else...

Kunming has spotted the target and marked it. Rooster rushes to the spot and Tiger makes a curve towards the target from the right side of Rooster. Dragon's sleep is disturbed by the noise but he doesn't do anything, yet. He relies on the fighters' capability of finishing their task.

Quick flashes of the dream just seen enter his troubled mind. Moreover he gets flashbacks from his first dream of himself, a bear and a pack of wolves.

'So I am the bear of the dream, which my pursuers want to take down, to do away with! I am not strong enough alone to beat the odds, to win this fight. There are at least three of them, or four, to attack me. But I won't surrender without a fight!'

'Wolverine! WOLVERINE!'

Wolverine hears his name mentioned again, but this time there is a more pleasant, more pursuading cling to it.

This very short message came from above him.

'Has Dragon changed his tactics? I won't give in to his flattering!'

Wolverine! It's me. Right above you on a branch.

A strange idea rushes to Wolverine's mind 'That's Magpie, not Dragon!'

Magpie! I must be dreaming. Is it really you Magpie?

Yes, Wolverine. It is really truly me.

Magpie, hi! Can't chat more right now, you see, I'm in the middle of something.

Don't worry. We'll get you out of here.

We? Who we?!

Me, Fox, Rudolph and Brown Bear.

How did they find you here?!

It's a long story. Let's talk about it some other time. But I brought them here from Santa's Village.

Brought from Santa's Village?! This doesn't add up?!

Yes, from our village in Lapland. They collected some money for me to fly back to Lapland.

What?! I thought I came here to this strange place that has strange people and strange creatures to get YOU back to Lapland but now it turns out it is the other way round! You came here to take ME back to Lapland. Oh, what a mess I have cooked this time. W-H-A-T a M-E-S-S!