That evening there was a commotion. The guards had left their posts but the doors were still locked from the outside. Something was happening but no one came with any news. In fact, they were completely ignored.

No one came into their room that day. There was no food and no water.

Xuelei felt a sense of satisfaction. The plan was coming together. All he had to do now was wait. Suddenly he coughed, the pain in his chest was sharp and painful. His hand came away with blood.

"Oh no! Your insides are hurt! Let me check."

He stopped Ting Ting with a weak hand, "It's okay. I'm fine."

"Xuehua ..." her voice took on the tone of a mother scolding a young child, "... you are not fine. Just let me check, he kicked you pretty hard in the chest so many times." Her hands reached for the front of his robes.

"You must have bruises all over. Let me help you."

He blocked her hands once more. "No, I'll be okay. Please. I just want to rest."

He turned away and closed his eyes, effectively shutting her out. He schooled his face when he heard her grumbling under her breath.

------------------------------------

The door was kicked opened in the middle of the night. The girls started screaming at the sudden noise. Li and Jin came in with lighted torches, faces covered with cloth.

"Sorry, we had to damage the door. They didn't leave the keys outside this time," Jin announced.

"Quickly, gather your things and follow us. We are breaking all of you out of here."

The girls, excited at the prospect of freedom, gathered around Li.

Jin scanned the room. Finally his eyes narrowed when he found Xuelei. The boy was a wreck. He was standing with the help of a girl. Jin went to Xuelei.

"What happened to you?"

"She was beaten up by that horrible man," Ting Ting answered before Xuelei could reply.

"You are ...?"

"I'm Ting Ting."

"Lay Ting Ting? Minister Lay's daughter."

"Yes."

"Good. Help her. Your father sent us."

She gasped and tears started flowing down her cheeks. "Father sent you?"

"Yes, come. Follow us."

Xuelei spoke up. "Wait, there is a man in the opposite room. Captain Shang, he is Minister Lay's man."

Jin nodded. "I'll get the Captain. The rest of you follow him." He pointed to Li.

The girls followed Li out the room and down a narrow passage. Xuelei stepped out of the room and pointed to a door opposite theirs.

"He is in there."

Jin broke down the door and got Captain Shang out. The poor man was half dead. He had drank some water which was contaminated with the poison.

They made their way to the main courtyard. On the way, they passed some unconscious guards. The place was deserted.

"Where's everyone?" Ting Ting wondered aloud.

"They are all busy dying. Wait here. I'm going to get Fung."

It took Li less than ten minutes to get Fung. He came back to the courtyard with the head kidnapper tied, gagged and in tow. Fung was sweating and he was obviously in pain. He kept hunching over. He too was poisoned.

"Let's go."

Outside, four more men met them. All had covered their faces with black cloth. Li gestured to them and without a word, they took up positions to protect the group.

It was slow going. Out of the eighteen, two were poisoned, sixteen were weak and undernourished. Li was leading them whilst Jin was guarding the back. Two men were helping Captain Shang and Fung. Another two flanked the group, walking alongside them.

There was an obvious gap between the last girl and the trio trailing behind them. Jin had offered to support the disguised Xuelei but Ting Ting waved him away.

"Don't you dare touch her! It's not appropriate for a man to touch a girl!" she exclaimed. The two men flanking them turned and snorted. Ren and Dao.

Jin backed off, hands in the air in surrender, eyes twinkling with mirth. Xuelei just sighed in resignation. He would never hear the end of this from his brothers when he got back.

"Why don't you get some of the other girls to help?"

The last two girls heard his question, turned and glared at them before turning away.

"What? Aren't you all friends?"

"We were until XueHua threw all their food away yesterday."

"Huh?"

"They only give us a small plain bun each day and a little water. We are hungry and thirsty all the time. Yesterday, XueHua made a fuss when they brought in our rations. She threw the water jug and all our food at that bully. He beat her for her impertinence."

Ting Ting sighed, "Our little food was spoiled and we have not eaten since. Everyone blames Xuehua for it."

Jin nodded to himself. So Xuelei had done what had needed to be done and taken the blame. How so like him to suffer in silence. Well, he could and would clear up the air this time. These girls should know what Xuelei had done for them. It was the least he could do.

He cleared his throat and said clearly, "You should be grateful she did that. She saved all your lives. The food and water was poisoned. If you had eaten or drank anything yesterday, you would either be dead now or like them." He indicated the suffering Captain and Fung.

Ting Ting's hands flew to her mouth. The last two girls turned with horrified expressions on their faces.

"I told her not to consume anything. She made sure none of you did either. Better to go hungry than be dead."

Several girls turned to cast surreptitious glances at the girl who had saved them.

"May I ask, who is she to you?"

Jin looked at the silent Xuelei. "I am her brother."

------------------------------------------

They stopped to rest when they reached the river. Everyone sank down gratefully whilst the six rescuers had a quick whispered conference.

Li gave the antidote to Fung and Captain Shang.

"Swallow this. You will feel better in a few hours."

"You didn't have to rescue me but you did. Thank you whoever you are."

"Don't thank me, Captain. Thank her." He jerked his head towards Xuelei. "I would have left you there to die."

The Captain's eyes widened. Wasn't that the pretty girl he and his men had captured a few days ago? So she was part of the Assassin Sect.

Qian and Shen, filled canteens with the river's crystal clear water and passed it among the group. Ren and Dao went to forage for food. When they came back with fruits, Li and Jin had already divided the group into two. The girls with families on this side of the river and those with families on the other side. Only those with families on the other side would cross.

The group split. Ren and Dao led nine girls away. They were sending them back to their respective families. The rest crossed the river. On the other side, Qian and Shen gathered five other girls and set off. A few approached Xuelei before the trip back to their families.

"Umm, Xuehua?"

When they had his attention, they stammered their apologies. Their heads bowed, faces red with shame.

"We want to apologise. We didn't know the food and water were poisoned."

"Yes, thank you for saving our lives."

"We are sorry we didn't help you."

Ting Ting glared at them "Yes you should be sorry. You were all so mean to her."

"Please forgive us for being angry with you and ... and for being mean. Thank you for saving us."

Xuelei smiled. "There is nothing to forgive."

They looked ashamed. "Thank you. Goodbye."

Travelling was easier with a smaller group, they were down to six. Li, Jin, Xuelei, Ting Ting, Captain Shang and Fung. Fung was tied up and led by Jin. The Captain and Fung were feeling better, their suffering lessened by the antidote.

"Where are we going?"

"We are going to find a place to camp the night. Then we will go to the Lay Mansion."

"Why not now? If we leave now, we can reach tomorrow evening at the latest."

Li studied the Captain wondering how much he knew of the contract. "Let's just say we have to await some further instructions regarding the return of Lay Ting Ting."

"What do you mean?"

Li raised an eyebrow. Captain Shang had the grace to look embarrassed.

"I see."

"We were instructed to retrieve the girl and the leader. Hand them over for a payment. The contract was breached when Minister Lay sent you and your soldiers to intercept us."

"Surely, you can't blame him. He was worried for his daughter and wanted her back safe."

"Captain, let me make this clear. We do not take kindly to double crossing of any kind."

"But ..."

"You are excused as you were just following orders. Minister Lay however, has to pay for his treachery. New terms are being discussed."

"Please ..."

Li cut him off. "We will return all of you when we get out new instructions. It is now up to Minister Lay."

Captain Shang was furious. He drew his sword which was retrieved earlier. Before he could make another move, Li had drawn his own weapon in one fluid motion and knocked the sword from the Captains hand. He moved in and kicked the Captain squarely on his chest before sheathing his weapon again. Everything took only a few seconds.

The Captain fell to the ground shocked. This guy was skilled and fast! He must have been faking poor fighting skills when he and his men had captured them earlier.

"Do not threaten us Captain. We can kill you anytime."

The Captain's eyes narrowed. "And the girl, she is part of your team?"

"Of course. I wouldn't underestimate her either. Even in her weakened state right now, she can easily kill you with her bare hands," Li warned him.

Suddenly the Captain realised, they were truly the captives of these assassins now. They wouldn't be able to escape even if they were not tied up. He was no match against them.

He blanched. Miss Lay was tending to the assassin girl unaware of the danger she was in. She was one step away from death.

Li followed his gaze. "Do not worry Captain. As long as you do not do anything foolish, Miss Lay is safe."