The Dragon's Return by Stan Lee

Author:Stan Lee [Lee, Stan]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781484713679
Publisher: Disney Book Group
Published: 2016-01-26T06:00:00+00:00

Josie stood in the dank tunnel, keeping her eyes averted. Snake, she knew, could hypnotize anyone—even another Zodiac—in a matter of seconds.

And I’m not even a Zodiac anymore, Josie thought.

Steven, the kid, was hanging back, watching. Nicky made a subtle move, edging around the Viking longboat. He’s gonna make a break for it, Josie realized. The idiot.

Sure enough, Monkey leaped into the air and landed right in Nicky’s path. “Don’t try it,” Monkey said. “We got orders from Maxwell.”

“Dude,” Nicky replied, “you’ve really changed.”

That’s true, Josie thought. Maxwell had done something to Monkey, altered his mind with the power of the Dragon. Now Monkey was utterly loyal. There was no hope of reaching him, of persuading him to let them go.

Snake on the other hand…

“What’s the matter, Josie?” Snake asked. “Afraid to look me in the eye?”

Josie didn’t look up. “You’re backing the wrong horse, Celine,” she said. “Uh, no pun intended.”

Snake—Celine—cast an amused glance at Steven. “So you’re on his side now?”

“No!” Josie clenched her fists. “It’s like I told you last time we met. Maxwell is dangerous.”

“Dangerous to you,” Snake said.

“You don’t know what he’s capable of.”

“You ran out last year,” Snake hissed, “leaving me and Vincent—Vincent!—to pull Maxwell out of Jasmine’s clutches. I let you go then. Now you come crawling back and you want me to do it again? You want me to turn traitor just so you can save your own skin?”

“We ain’t traitors,” Monkey said.

“Nope,” Steven said. “You’re just losers.”

Monkey turned toward Steven, his grin growing even wider. He loped over and stared Steven right in the eye.

“You don’t look like a Tiger no more,” Monkey said.

Snake was still staring at Josie. Josie squirmed, avoiding her hypnotic glare.

“You want to go free?” Snake said. “Then fight me. Come on, Josie. Let’s see some of that famous Horse action.”

Josie shook her head. “I’m not the Horse,” she said. “Not anymore.”

“Not…” Snake frowned. “What happened?”

“Maxwell happened,” Josie replied. “And he’s not gonna stop with us. Sooner or later he’ll take your powers, too.”

Snake was silent. For the first time, her face showed a flicker of doubt.

Can I get through to her? Josie wondered. Maybe so. Maybe—

“No powers?” Monkey asked.

He leaped up on top of the Russian cannon, swinging his feet around a large growling lion’s head carved beneath the barrel. Then he jumped off and swept out a long arm to cuff Nicky on the side of the head.

“Ow,” Nicky said.

“No powers!” Monkey repeated. “That’s gotta hurt.”

“Vincent,” Snake called. “None of your game, just subdue them. Let’s wrap this up.”

Josie saw her chance. While Snake was distracted, Josie chopped her in the throat. Snake let out a strangled yell and fell to the ground.

“Run!” Josie yelled. She took a step—

—and then Monkey was on top of her. His huge bare feet kicked out, his enormous fists jabbing into her face and ribs. As Josie dropped, she looked up and saw a simian energy-form rise up to surround its smiling host.

He’s powerful, she thought. But he’s sloppy—always has been.

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