erect looking down at Joshua. "The gods have smiled on us all. We found U Wat last night as we rode toward the village to warn Pastor Henry the army was coming." The Chindit leaned forward in the saddle, his eyes misting. "I must return now to the north and prepare my soldiers. We do not have much time. My spies tell me the army is coming within days. I ... I fear I will not see you again. My spies also have told me all missionaries will be ordered out of the country. The time has come for us to say farewell. I have failed as a father with my son, Joshua, but I feel I have not failed with you. It was good to see you grow and appreciate the old ways. They are gone, Horseman Hawkins ... the old ways are gone forever ... but by wearing the Master Horseman's band you will remember them, and I pray to the gods when you smell the smoke of a campfire you will think of me. Good-bye ... Good-bye, my son."
Before Joshua could speak the Sawbaw spurred his horse into a gallop toward his beloved mountains.
PART I
Chapter 7.
PRESENT DAY
9 A. M. 3 June, Rangoon, Burma.
"Couldn't they give you more warning? Can you at least tell me where you're going this time?" Stephen Kang's wife did not hide her anger.
He avoided her frigid stare by sidestepping her, but spoke over his shoulder as he made his way to the bedroom to pack. "Like I told you on the phone, they only let me know thirty minutes ago. They said the United States, but they didn't say where." Now the deputy minister of finance for the Union of Burma, his responsibilities were great.
She followed him into their bedroom. "I can't take this anymore, Stephen. The sudden trips, the secrecy, coming home from work at midnight every night. Jacob hasn't had a father and I haven't had a husband for a year. It has to end."
Stephen pulled the suitcase from beneath the bed and tossed it up to the mattress. "Mya, please, don't start. I've told you before you'll just have to believe in me. Our country is facing ruin. I've been trying to save us all. Please don't make my leaving any harder than it already is." He saw she needed more than words and reached for her. "They've promised this will be the last trip, and-"
Mya stepped away from his embrace, not ready to give up.
"Your father is worried. He still says you should not trust them."
He froze and his eyes narrowed. "He contacted you again?"
"Yes, I was slipped a letter from one of his people while shopping at the market. Stephen, he's right. You can't trust them. Just look what they've done to our people."
Stephen was about to retort when a seven-year-old boy ran into the room and grabbed his leg. "Don't go, Papa, please don't go."
Stephen forced a smile although his heart was breaking as he patted his son's shoulder. "I don't want to go, but I must.
Jacob, you're now the man of the House of Kang. Take care of your mother while I'm gone."
Jacob looked up at his father. "Papa, can I visit Grandfather while you're gone? He said in his letter he would teach me to ride his pony and I can go hunting with him. Please?"
Stephen's eyes turned cold again, and he looked at his wife accusingly. She ignored his look and patted Jacob's back.
"Give your father a last hug, then go to your room and play.
Your father and I have to talk."
She waited until Jacob had embraced her husband and left the room. "Your father said if you were to leave again that we should leave the city and go to him in the mountains. He doesn't trust them as you do."
"Damn him!" blurted Stephen. "He endangers us with his secret notes. You know how they watch us!"
Mya's eyes watered. "He's worried about us, Stephen. He says-"
"He doesn't know what he's talking about! Don't you see what he's doing? He'll make any excuse to have Jacob with him to corrupt with his foolishness! I won't have it! His army and people have abandoned him for good reason. He makes promises that can never be fulfilled. Even now he's causing problems in the north trying to be the 'Great
Before Joshua could speak the Sawbaw spurred his horse into a gallop toward his beloved mountains.
PART I
Chapter 7.
PRESENT DAY
9 A. M. 3 June, Rangoon, Burma.
"Couldn't they give you more warning? Can you at least tell me where you're going this time?" Stephen Kang's wife did not hide her anger.
He avoided her frigid stare by sidestepping her, but spoke over his shoulder as he made his way to the bedroom to pack. "Like I told you on the phone, they only let me know thirty minutes ago. They said the United States, but they didn't say where." Now the deputy minister of finance for the Union of Burma, his responsibilities were great.
She followed him into their bedroom. "I can't take this anymore, Stephen. The sudden trips, the secrecy, coming home from work at midnight every night. Jacob hasn't had a father and I haven't had a husband for a year. It has to end."
Stephen pulled the suitcase from beneath the bed and tossed it up to the mattress. "Mya, please, don't start. I've told you before you'll just have to believe in me. Our country is facing ruin. I've been trying to save us all. Please don't make my leaving any harder than it already is." He saw she needed more than words and reached for her. "They've promised this will be the last trip, and-"
Mya stepped away from his embrace, not ready to give up.
"Your father is worried. He still says you should not trust them."
He froze and his eyes narrowed. "He contacted you again?"
"Yes, I was slipped a letter from one of his people while shopping at the market. Stephen, he's right. You can't trust them. Just look what they've done to our people."
Stephen was about to retort when a seven-year-old boy ran into the room and grabbed his leg. "Don't go, Papa, please don't go."
Stephen forced a smile although his heart was breaking as he patted his son's shoulder. "I don't want to go, but I must.
Jacob, you're now the man of the House of Kang. Take care of your mother while I'm gone."
Jacob looked up at his father. "Papa, can I visit Grandfather while you're gone? He said in his letter he would teach me to ride his pony and I can go hunting with him. Please?"
Stephen's eyes turned cold again, and he looked at his wife accusingly. She ignored his look and patted Jacob's back.
"Give your father a last hug, then go to your room and play.
Your father and I have to talk."
She waited until Jacob had embraced her husband and left the room. "Your father said if you were to leave again that we should leave the city and go to him in the mountains. He doesn't trust them as you do."
"Damn him!" blurted Stephen. "He endangers us with his secret notes. You know how they watch us!"
Mya's eyes watered. "He's worried about us, Stephen. He says-"
"He doesn't know what he's talking about! Don't you see what he's doing? He'll make any excuse to have Jacob with him to corrupt with his foolishness! I won't have it! His army and people have abandoned him for good reason. He makes promises that can never be fulfilled. Even now he's causing problems in the north trying to be the 'Great
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