Red Phoenix

  ‘Why were they both in Europe?’ John demanded loudly.

  ‘Ah.’ The demon leaned back and took his glasses off. ‘You heard about the Kwok woman? His pussy cat?’

  ‘Kitty Kwok,’ I said. ‘Agricultural holdings in China. Biotech in China, Australia, America…’ I stopped as I remembered. ‘Europe.’

  ‘Europe,’ Ralph said. ‘Biotech in Europe.’

  ‘Damn,’ John said quietly. ‘Did the King stop him?’

  ‘The King wanted to,’ Ralph said. ‘But when he saw the results of the experiments, he decided that it was too good a chance to miss. He has found the activities of this particular son rather diverting. He saw the chance to take both of you.’

  I suddenly understood. ‘Oh my God, it was all a huge setup.’

  ‘You are quite right, my Lady,’ the demon said.

  ‘The King gave me the phone. Then Wong attacked us. They were hoping that they would take out the Dark Lord with the hybrids. If they took out Lord Xuan, I would definitely call the King immediately to ensure Simone’s safety.’

  ‘Exactly,’ the demon said. ‘I was surprised that they seemed to want the Lady more than the child, but that was the plan.’ He gestured towards John with his glasses. ‘Take him out.’ He smiled as he spoke to me. ‘You would call the King to ensure the safety of the child. He would have respite from the Dark Lord, and the Dark Lady in his hands. He was willing to pass up the child to have both of you.’

  ‘Shit,’ John said under his breath. ‘They played us like a pipa.’ He tied his hair back, then leaned his elbow on the arm of the chair and rubbed his chin. ‘Damn, but I miss my Serpent. The snake would have seen this coming.’

  ‘But Wong chickened out at the last minute,’ I said. ‘He decided not to face the Dark Lord. He must have been in huge trouble for that.’

  ‘No, not really.’ Ralph leaned back, quite relaxed. ‘He promised that he will have the means to make the Dark Lord cooperate at the end of the year.’

  ‘What happens at the end of the year?’ John said.

  ‘I have no idea,’ Ralph said.

  I had a sudden inspiration. ‘The biotech. Were they making snake hybrids too?’ ‘Yes,’ Ralph said. ‘No,’ John said.

  ‘Did you see any of them?’ I asked.

  ‘Yes,’ Ralph said.

  ‘Not possible,’ John said.

  ‘Did they look like me on the inside?’ I said.

  ‘Leave it, Emma!’ John said fiercely. ‘It’s just not possible! I would know!’

  ‘No,’ Ralph said, ignoring John completely and well aware of the fact that he was walking a fine line. ‘You are something completely different.’

  I relaxed. Then I leaned forward to speak earnestly to him. ‘Ralph,’ I said, ‘please answer this next question as honestly as you can. What am I?’

  ‘You are a perfectly ordinary human being—’ I suddenly wanted to leap up and smack him in the face ‘—with a great deal of Serpent essence that seems to come and go,’ Ralph said.

  ‘It comes and goes?’ John said.

  ‘Yes,’ Ralph said. ‘Right now, she doesn’t have much of it there at all. In battle, though, much more of it comes out.’

  ‘That’s what happened in Central,’ John said to me. ‘Your Serpent essence took that demon out.’

  ‘The one that was shooting for Mother?’ Ralph said. ‘The one that disappeared in Central? You did that?’

  ‘I think I did, but I’m not sure,’ I said. ‘I can’t remember very much about it. I faced her, I hit her, then I woke up in hospital with my face minced.’ Shooting for Mother. ‘I’ve dreamed that I’m a Mother. Do I look like a Mother?’

  ‘Something like a Mother—’ Ralph said.

  John banged the arm of his chair. ‘No, Emma!’

  ‘—but not quite. I’m sorry, my Lady, I’ve never seen anything like you before.’

  ‘I’m unique.’

  ‘Of course you are,’ John said. ‘And it is a direct result of time spent in constant contact with me, acting as a catalyst for your already present talents and Serpent nature. Remember, Emma, you are the first talented human female I have loved.’

  ‘That’s what I think,’ Ralph said. ‘If you’d been able to sleep together, it probably would have catalysed faster.’

  Both John and I stared at him.

  ‘I thought you two couldn’t touch,’ he said.

  ‘We spent a couple of days in the Western Palace together after John defeated One Two Two in Wan Chai,’ I said.

  The demon grinned. ‘Oh. A dirty weekend.’ John’s face went stiff. ‘Apologies, my Lord.’ Ralph chuckled. ‘There’s a book running on level six.’

  ‘Hell of the Poisonous Snakes?’ I said.

  John glanced sharply at me, then turned back to the demon.

  ‘Oh, very good, my Lady,’ Ralph said, his grin getting wider. ‘Well done.’ ‘A book?’ John said.

  ‘Let me see.’ Ralph reached into the pocket of his hound’s-tooth jacket and pulled out a piece of paper. He put his glasses back on, then unfolded the paper. ‘Ten to one, she’s a lost Southern Shen.’

  ‘Rainbow Serpent?’ I said.

  ‘Yes,’ Ralph said, the grin not shifting.

  ‘I hadn’t thought of that,’ I said.

  ‘Five to one, she’s a lost dragon. Five to one, she’s your Serpent—’

  John cut him off. ‘Excellent!’ ‘What?’ I said.

  ‘That means that they don’t know,’ John said. ‘They won’t go after it.’

  ‘Oh,’ I said. ‘I see what you mean.’

  Ralph continued as if John hadn’t said anything. He obviously understood. ‘Three to one, she’s escaped from level six and lost her memory. Also three to one, she’s a perfected Mother; but the Mothers deny most strongly that any of them has attempted perfection. But nobody believes those lying bitches anyway.’ His eyes sparkled through the glasses at me.

  ‘Ralph,’ I said.

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘When the eggs hatch, what do the Mothers do?’

  John glanced sharply at me but didn’t say anything.

  ‘They must be bound immediately, my Lady, because they will eat the nestlings. Straight away. When the eggs are close to hatching, they must be watched. With the larger Mothers, they usually only salvage one or two nestlings out of a clutch, the Mother is so fast.’

  I didn’t say anything. I tried to control my face. No wonder John hadn’t told me.

  Ralph smiled at John and turned back to the paper. ‘Two to one on, she’s something completely new, a new hybrid that escaped and nobody wants to claim ownership. Also two to one on, she’s a hybrid that’s been planted with you and is programmed to turn later. There was some argument that those two were the same thing, but the odds are the same anyway, so it doesn’t make a difference.’

  ‘Shit,’ I said quietly.

  ‘Also two to one on, she’s an alien.’

  ‘That is totally ridiculous,’ John said.

  ‘We will have our fun, my Lord,’ Ralph said. ‘There has also been a great deal of money put on the possibility that she’s a perfectly normal human, strong snake alignment, activated by your presence. That’s where my money is, but at this stage it’s ten to one on and really not worth bothering with.’

  We all stayed silent for a while.

  ‘You wouldn’t care to enlighten me, my Lord? I know where my money is, and it’s past the stage of collecting now. But I would like to know, purely out of interest’s sake.’

  Neither of us spoke.

  ‘Good Lord,’ Ralph said incredulously, ‘you mean you don’t know either?’ He stared at me with disbelief. ‘You were genuinely asking me the questions, not testing how much I knew? I find that difficult to believe.’

  Again neither of us replied.

  I had a sudden inspiration. ‘April Ho.’

  Ralph didn’t say anything and the smile didn’t shift.

  ‘Do you know what happened to her?’

  ‘W
ho is April Ho?’ Ralph said.

  ‘She’s a friend of mine. She married Andy Ho, a relative of Kitty Kwok’s. He was probably in league with One Two Two. She was pregnant to him; the child may be half demon. Kitty arranged for the delivery of the baby in China…’ I pulled myself together. ‘And now she appears to be missing.’

  ‘I don’t know about that particular case, my Lady,’ Ralph said, ‘but I doubt very much that you’ll ever see your friend again. It’s obvious they wanted her for the child. With the child in their possession she becomes expendable.’

  I knew it anyway but it hurt to hear it out loud. ‘Oh God.’

  We were all silent again for quite some time. ‘Anything else for us?’ John finally said.

  The demon shook his head. He put the piece of paper back in his pocket, then took off his glasses and wiped them on the corner of his jacket. ‘That’s all I have for you. I’m not holding anything back. I hope I’ll be rewarded appropriately, my Lord.’

  ‘What do you want?’ I said. ‘Do you want to stay with us?’

  ‘I can take you up and do it now,’ John said. ‘Or later, if you prefer. Either way.’

  ‘Probably the sooner the better, my Lord,’ the demon said, still smiling. ‘Every minute is a minute spent with them seeking me. Can we do it now?’

  ‘Just be sure that you don’t have anything else for us first,’ John said. ‘If you like you can take some time, make sure you haven’t missed anything vital.’ He studied the demon intensely. ‘You are safe here.’

  ‘You know as much as I do, my Lord,’ the demon said. ‘Please. Now.’ He shrugged. ‘Nothing else I need to do, and I’m living in constant fear.’

  ‘I do not believe this,’ I said. ‘Why don’t you try for perfection instead? Come on. You have a chance.’

  ‘You are most gracious, my Lady,’ the demon said, ‘but I don’t have any chance whatsoever. I am too big. Once I walk out your door I am theirs, and it will be slow.’ He gestured towards John with his glasses. ‘With him it will be quick.’

  ‘Then why did you go through all of this to come to me?’ I said.

  ‘For it to be quick.’

  CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

  Simone was full of bounce as we left the cinema at Pacific Place; she’d enjoyed the movie tremendously. I quietly wondered if I’d ever see a film aimed at adults. I’d seen every children’s film released in the past year. John couldn’t go with me to the cinema because we’d be too close. We’d even given up on the charity functions.

  Simone jiggled happily beside me as we walked through the shopping centre to the food court for some afternoon tea. We bought the food, and then stood and waited for a table to clear. The food court was always full, with standing room only; the only way to get a table was to wait for one.

  Simone chatted merrily about the Christmas decorations as we waited. It was only the first week of December but the Christmas hysteria was in full swing, even though most residents of Hong Kong didn’t celebrate the holiday. Chinese New Year would be even worse for advertising and decoration, but the coloured lights strung on the outside of the buildings were always entertaining. I particularly enjoyed watching the decorations change from Christmas to New Year; on the sides of many buildings Santa would miraculously transform into the God of Fortune with a slight change of costume. The previous year’s decoration changes had been particularly clever, with reindeer suddenly transforming into goats for the Year of the Goat. I wondered what they would do for the Year of the Monkey. I felt a pang as I remembered a cruise on the harbour to watch the fireworks. Only less than a year ago. Probably only two years left.

  A table cleared and we sat, Simone still chatting about the decorations. I was roused out of my reverie by my mobile phone ringing. I managed to find it in my bag before it stopped, and flipped it open.

  ‘Emma.’

  ‘Hello, darling, it’s me.’ ‘Mum?’

  ‘Yes. Why aren’t you at the airport? Are you running late? We’re waiting for you.’

  I hesitated, bewildered. ‘Airport?’

  ‘Yes, the plane arrived a good half an hour ago, dear. There’s a nice young man here. He said that you’d sent him to drive us to our hotel, but I said I’d wait for you. He’s right here with us, talking to your dad. Should we go with him?’

  My blood ran cold. ‘Mum, are you at Hong Kong airport?’

  ‘Yes, dear, of course we are. Why?’ She laughed gently. ‘It sounds like you forgot we were coming. Come on, Emma, enough joking.’

  ‘Mum, stay right where you are,’ I said. ‘Don’t go anywhere. Don’t go with anyone. Move away from that young man right now!’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Mum, I didn’t know you were coming. For God’s sake, move to where people can see you—’ She started to protest but I cut her off. ‘And don’t do anything until I get there!’ My father knew more about the situation than she did, but not much. ‘Let me talk to Dad.’

  There was silence then I heard my father. ‘What’s the problem, Emma?’

  ‘Dad, don’t hang up. Get away from that young man. Just walk away and go out into the middle, into one of the waiting areas where there are a lot of people around. Don’t go with anybody! Do you understand?’

  ‘I’m walking,’ he said. ‘Come on, Barbie.’

  ‘Is he following you?’

  ‘Yes. No. He stopped. He’s gone in a different direction.’

  I breathed a sigh of relief. ‘Listen, Dad, I didn’t know you were coming. Somebody brought you here to kidnap you.’

  ‘What? You said you weren’t involved in anything!’

  ‘Thank God you didn’t go with him,’ I said. ‘Stay on the phone and wait for a second. I’ll arrange something.’

  ‘Okay,’ he said weakly. ‘We’re with a lot of people now.’

  ‘Stay. Wait.’ I lowered my voice. ‘Simone, can you talk to Jade or Gold?’

  Simone’s eyes turned inwards as she concentrated. ‘I can talk to both of them.’

  ‘Simone, listen to me, get them here right now. Tell them it’s really urgent.’

  Both Jade and Gold rushed out of the rest room passage and charged over to me. I rose to speak softly to them.

  ‘My mother and father are at the airport. They seemed to think I’d be waiting for them. Get over there right now. I’ll tell them to look for you and wave when they see you. Stay with them until I can get there.’

  They both nodded and raced back down the passageway.

  I returned to the phone. ‘Are you there, Dad?’

  ‘What the hell’s going on, Emma?’

  I breathed a sigh of relief. ‘Thank God. Listen, Dad, I have a couple of staff out there. You’ll probably see them in a minute. Two Chinese people. A girl in green, a young man in a tan suit. Tell me if you see them.’

  There was silence.

  No.

  ‘Can you hear me, Dad?’ ‘I see them,’ he said. I sighed with relief.

  ‘Wave to them,’ I said. ‘Simone, ask Jade if she can see my dad waving.’

  ‘She says she can see him,’ Simone said.

  ‘Dad,’ I said, ‘when they’re close to you, give the phone to the girl.’

  Silence. Then Jade. ‘We have them,’ she said.

  ‘Simone,’ I said. ‘Listen carefully. Ask Jade if she is talking to me on the phone. I want to be sure that it’s really her.’

  Simone concentrated. ‘It’s her, Emma, she’s on the phone to you.’

  I sagged with relief. ‘Oh, thank God.’ I returned to the phone. ‘Give the phone back to my father, Jade. I’ll tell him to stay with you until I can pick them up.’

  ‘We can take them directly to the Peak,’ Jade said.

  ‘No!’ I shouted, and a few heads snapped around to me. I dropped my voice. ‘They don’t know about us! I’ll come and pick them up in the car. For God’s sake, Jade, listen. This was a setup. I didn’t know they were coming. I don’t know why they’re here. A young man offered to give them a lift to the
ir hotel. Check it out for me. See if he’s still there, and if he is what I think he is.’ I took a deep breath to pull myself together. ‘I’ll be there as soon as I can, in about an hour. I’ll drop Simone back home first, to make sure that she’s one hundred per cent safe. Stay with my parents. Understood?’

  ‘My Lady,’ Jade said.

  ‘Damn, Jade, I said they don’t know!’ I said. ‘I’m just Emma, okay?’

  ‘Sorry,’ she whispered. ‘Force of habit.’

  ‘Wait for me,’ I said, and hung up. ‘I have to take you home right now, Simone. Something’s up.’

  ‘Why are your mum and dad at the airport, Emma?’ Simone said innocently. ‘Didn’t you know they were coming?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ I said. ‘But I’d better go and find out.’

  My mobile phone rang as I was close to the airport and I answered it on the hands-free.

  ‘It’s me, Emma,’ Jade said. ‘We’re waiting for you at the cafeteria next to departures. The Western one. You were right.’

  ‘I’m on my way.’

  Jade and Gold were sharing a pot of tea with my parents in the cafeteria. Jade and Gold looked grim; my parents were bewildered. I sat down with them.

  ‘Mr Chen didn’t come?’ Gold said.

  ‘Stayed with Simone,’ I said. ‘Leo’s having the day off.’

  Jade and Gold both nodded their understanding.

  My father was furious. ‘You said you weren’t involved in anything!’

  ‘We don’t have time to discuss this right now,’ I said. ‘We have to move you back to the Peak where you’ll be safe. We can talk in the car.’ I turned to Jade and Gold. ‘Which of you is better to come with us, just in case?’

  ‘Me,’ Gold said. Jade nodded agreement.

  ‘Come on then. Jade, meet us back at the Peak.’ I stopped as I remembered. ‘In about an hour.’

  Jade nodded. ‘My…’ She stopped and smiled. ‘Sure, Emma.’

  ‘I am going to dock your pay, Jade,’ I growled.

  My mother and father both glanced sharply at me and I banged my forehead with my palm. ‘I’m going to dock my own pay as well.’