Waking Sleeping Dragons

Arthur dismounts from his Flying Pigeon bicycle and enters the bar.

Sikong Shu waits outside with the bicycles.

It is dark inside the bar, in Slipping Away Hutong.

Arthur looks around. He thinks he is looking for Froomey.

But Froomey isn't there. Wasn't that his Team Sky bicycle, outside?

There is someone sitting in the corner, his head in his hands.

Arthur approaches the person, gives him a tap on the shoulder.

The person looks up.

Richie, says Arthur. Richie Porte!

Not Richie, replies Not-Richie, not looking up.

You are, says Arthur. We were both in the Tour. We did things together. Remember?

Nup, says Not-Richie Porte.

Come on, says Arthur. What's happened? Weren't you leading Team Sky in the Tour of Beijing?

No, says Not-Richie. I wasn't.

Arthur wants to punch him on the nose. He WAS.

Sikong Shu enters the bar, having locked up the bicycles.

Who is this? says Sikong Shu.

Richie Porte, says Arthur. That's his Team Sky racer outside. He's lost his memory.

Lost his memory, says Sikong Shu. Hello? Who are you?

Not-Richie Porte sighs. I'm Not-Richie.

We're going to look at the Birds Nest, says Sikong Shu. That ring a bell?

Birds Nest..... says Not-Richie. Birds Nest......yes it does.

Come with us, says Arthur.

All right, says Not-Richie. I will.

But don't ride too fast, says Arthur. We're on Flying Pigeons.

I never ride fast, says Not-Richie.

The three of them leave the bar, without even having a beer.

What can this be about? Funny things happen in China.

.......

And what has happened to Lavender? Where is Ouvert? Are they still on the bench in the same lecture theatre at the Institute of Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, next to the Entelognathus?

Yes.

They have waited for what seems like hours.

Hours and hours and hours, says Lavender. When is morning tea over?

Doop! says Ouvert.

Why don't you say something sensible, Fish Face? says Lavender. Stupid Entelognathus is smarter than you.

Lavender kicks Entelognathus, who rolls to the edge of the bench.

The Entelognathus has been a fossil for ages. It takes a lot to fire up his temper, but temper he has.

Lavender has accused him of some sort of Late Silurian form of sexual molestation. He can put up with that.

She has called him stupid. Even that he can tolerate, if she thinks he is smarter than Fish Face..

But now she has rolled him to the edge of the table.

And he might fall off.

Time to fight back.