Dragonman and the others then calmly took seats and waited for Mike. Chang and Toto took turns keeping the flame going underneath the vat of hot water, chuckling at their captives' discomfort.
Micky, Peter and Davy, with their sore backs and the hot steam rising around them, were miserable. Their clothes were soaking wet and their hair was plastered to their heads.
"Not much longer, gentlemen." Dragonman called up to them, "Your friend had better come soon."
Just then, the back door opened and Mike walked in, alone.
"Ah, Mr. Nesmith." Dragonman said, rising from his chair, "You have come just in time."
"Mike, help." Peter weakly called out. Mike looked up at his friends in shock.
"What are you doing to them?" Mike demanded.
"Preparing boiled Monkees." Dragonman laughed.
Suddenly Micky, Mike and Davy dropped several inches. The rope holding them up had caught on fire!
Instantly Mike sprang over to the rope and grabbed it just as the flame tore it in two. He then pulled his friends back up and finally managed to maneuver them to the side of the vat and gently lower them to the ground. No one made a move to help him.
Mike untied the rope around his friends and untied their hands.
"I am so sorry about this, fellas." Mike told them.
The other three didn't answer him, they just sat leaning against each other, their eyes closed.
Mike stood up and advanced on Dragonman, only to be stopped by Boris and Madam's guns.
"Search him." Dragonman ordered his henchmen.
Chang and Toto frisked Mike and stepped back, nodding that Mike had no weapons on him. Only then did Dragonman walk over.
"So you are one of the war criminals my superiors have been seeking." He said.
"Mike's not a war criminal." Peter said, his eyes open and looking at the Chinese spy. "He was in the Navy."
"But it is what he did in your American Navy that made him a criminal." Madam said.
"Well you have me, now let my friends go." Mike cut in. "They know nothing about what I did."
"I never said anything about letting your friends go, Mr. Nesmith." Dragonman said coolly. "In fact I'm sure they would like to hear all about your secret missions to Vietnam, how you destroyed villages all in the name of the United States."
"Mike couldn't have done that!" Micky said this time, "He was only in the Navy for a year!"
"My men and I NEVER hit civilian targets!" Mike shouted over Micky at Dragonman.
Micky, Peter and Davy looked up at Mike in total shock.
"Your men, Mike?" Davy asked, "What's going on?"
Mike rubbed his temples and looked at his friends.
"I was in command of a secret fighter squadron that hit military targets inside Vietnam." Mike said, "Ammo dumps, fuel tanks and such, but never civilian targets." He glared at Dragonman who glared back.
"But at the time, America was not 'officially' involved in Vietnam yet," Dragonman thundered, "No official word of hostilities. So he and his men are criminals...and this criminal." Dragonman pointed at Mike, "Will be sent back to China to face trial and execution for his crimes!"
Chapter 5
Chapter 7
Back to Lisa's stories
Home