Jan waved her hand over the paper. ‘Not a problem, Emma, it’s been a really enjoyable experience. Most unusual paper I’ve ever seen, the topic was fascinating. I must come up there one day and have a look, it sounds incredible. Does your employer
really
have three hundred students learning martial arts?’
I nodded a reply.
‘What do they all do when they graduate?’ she said.
‘Go home and teach,’ I said, which was almost true. Very few of the Dark Disciples ever returned to the Earthly Plane. If they were good enough, they would be promoted to Master, but only about one in fifty was that talented. Between fifty and a hundred a year were lost to other parts of the Celestial Plane, as elite guards for high-ranking Immortals or Shen; or as training Masters for just about everybody. If they wanted to, they could stay and learn all their lives, moving up through the ranks to teach the younger ones if they had the talent; helping with the management of the Academy if they didn’t. Many of them stayed on and cultivated the Tao, attempting to find the Way and become Raised to
Immortality. The very best were sometimes chosen to join the Elite Guard of the Jade Emperor, a very great honour for all of us.
A few of them did return to their home countries on the Earthly Plane to teach, and John encouraged them, welcoming them back if they decided to return. He constantly complained that more of them wouldn’t go out into the world and spread the true Arts.
I continued to explain for Jan. ‘It’s a world centre for martial arts training. They come from all over the world to learn here, then return to their home countries and teach there. The martial arts community is quite small and very well connected, but people who aren’t involved generally don’t know anything about it.’ I had a brilliant idea. ‘How about the three of you come up now and have a look? You’ve seen the paper, why not come and see the Academy? I’m sure they’ll be glad to meet you,’ I said, looking straight into the demon’s eyes.
‘I’d love to, but we have one more viva to do, Emma,’ Jan said. ‘Maybe some other time.’
‘I’ll wait,’ I said. ‘I’ll call them and arrange it while you do the viva. I don’t mind at all. There should still be some people there, it’s only four o’clock. I’d love to show you around.’
I willed her to come. If she did, then I would be slightly safer with this enormous demon.
‘Sounds like great fun, Jan,’ the demon said. ‘The viva will only take about twenty minutes, let’s go after that and have a look. I’m dying to see all of this kung fu stuff; we don’t have anything like that at all back in the UK.’
Now I knew for sure that the demon was sincere. If it wanted my head, it wouldn’t invite Jan along.
‘Oh, all right,’ Jan said. ‘Go and wait outside, Emma. When we finish with the next student we’ll meet you in the waiting room. Want to come, Connie?’
‘I’m not really interested in wushu,’ the Chinese examiner said. ‘You go without me. I see enough of that on the television; I find it tremendously boring.’
‘Well,’ Jan said, rising to her feet and towering over me, ‘that’s that then. Congratulations, Emma, you really are exceptional, and there’s a place in the PhD program any time you want to take it.’
‘Oh come
on,
Jan,’ I wheezed, ‘I only just survived this and you want to throw me in again? Give me some time to recover!’
The other two professors rose as well and I shook hands all round. Even the demon. He just smiled, perfectly innocent.
Back in the waiting area, I dragged out my mobile phone and turned away from the receptionist with my hand over my mouth.
‘Office.’ It was John’s assistant.
‘This is a major emergency. It’s Emma, I need the Dark Lord
right now
,’ I hissed into the phone. ‘Wei?’
‘Oh, John, thank God, this is really big.’ ‘What? Did you get it?’
‘One of the professors for my viva,’ I said softly, ‘was a level fifty-five looking for sanctuary.’ ‘What did you arrange?’
‘I’m taking them on a tour of the Academy. Jan, the head, asked to see the facilities after hearing so much about them, and he wants to come too. I’ll be bringing both of them over in about twenty minutes.’
He was quiet for a moment. Then he spoke. ‘I’m sending Liu over there now to escort the three of you back. I’ll be on the ground floor here waiting. I’ll let it in past the seals. We’ll do a low-level tour, show them some of the basic hand-to-hand students, only up to the third floor. Emma, listen. This is very important. When
I greet them on the ground floor, I will shake their hands. Understood?’
‘Got it,’ I whispered. ‘I’ll be ready for it.’ I hesitated. ‘This is a big one, John. Can Liu take it?’
‘Easily,’ he said. ‘Not a problem at all.’ He paused. ‘I’m assuming you made it anyway?’
‘Yeah,’ I said, ‘but getting this…person is twenty times better. He says he offended One Two Two and has information for us.’
‘Yes!’ John said. ‘Did you find out where the original professor is?’
‘Apparently in his office, bound, with his memory wiped, from what I gathered.’
John was silent. Then he spoke with obvious satisfaction. ‘That is extremely good. This is a really big one.’ His voice was full of admiration. ‘Well
done,
Emma, what a coup. This is the biggest demon tamed in a very, very long time. I hope it lives up to its word; it will be extremely useful. Damn, but I’m impressed.’
‘I just hope it really is tamed,’ I said. ‘If it isn’t, we’re in big trouble letting it in past the seals.’
‘Oh, and congratulations on the MBA as well,’ he said.
L
iu waited for us downstairs, wearing a pair of tired jeans and a worn-out T-shirt, looking for all the world like a cleaner on his day off. He grinned like an idiot when he saw us.
I introduced him as one of the instructors and Jan was obviously bemused at his appearance. He pretended he was there by accident and we all walked the two blocks to the Hennessy Road building together. The demon was tense and nervous. Jan had absolutely no inkling of anything that was going on with her three companions.
John was waiting for us in the lobby next to the Eighteen Weapons. He met us at the door, and guided Jan and the demon in. The demon hesitated at the doorway, then strode in as if it expected to be electrocuted. It visibly relaxed when it survived the seals.
‘This is Mr John Chen, the head of the school,’ I said. ‘I’m the nanny for his daughter, Simone. He’s very kindly offered to show you around.’ I gestured towards Jan. ‘This is Jan, the head of the university’s office here in Hong Kong, and Professor Knight, one of the examiners.’
‘Pleased to meet you,’ John said. He shook Jan’s hand and then held his hand out to the demon.
John, Liu, the demon and I all froze. Time stood still. Liu shifted in the corner of my eye as he readied himself.
‘Take his hand,’ I said very softly.
The demon stood frozen, his face an expressionless mask. Jan hadn’t heard me; all she was aware of was the fact that the demon had hesitated. Bewilderment started to spread across her face.
‘Do it, take his hand,’ I said under my breath. ‘Last chance.’
The demon took a swooping step forward and grabbed John’s hand, its face still expressionless. Its eyes widened with wonder as it realised it hadn’t been damaged. It was such a high level that John’s touch couldn’t destroy it, only cause it major damage; but it seemed surprised that it had remained unharmed.
‘Welcome, both of you,’ John said as he released the astonished demon’s hand. ‘Let me take you up and show you around.’
Jan enjoyed herself immensely. She loved watching the juniors going through their paces. Liu even had some of the young
Shaolin
Disciples do some circus-style acrobatics for her.
Knight’s face was completely frozen in a false grin the whole time. John and I could hardly wait to get him alone, and it was obviously difficult for him too.
When we were back in the lobby the demon had an inspiration. ‘Jan, you go on ahead. I need to stop at the pharmacy next door and buy a couple of things. Meet you back at the office, we’ll go through the vivas and sort them out. See you later.’
‘Okay,’ Jan said. ‘We can leave most of it until tomorrow morning anyway.’ She smiled. ‘Good to have it finished, eh?’
‘Yeah, we survived,’ the demon said. ‘Can’t believe it,’ he added, without looking at either John or myself.
She gave us a cheery wave and went out.
The three of us stood in the lobby looking at each other.
Then the demon fell to its knees before us and touched its head to the floor. ‘I pledge. I swear allegiance. Thank you, my Lord, my Lady, you have no idea what this means to me.’
‘Get the hell up off the floor, people going past can see you,’ John growled impatiently.
The demon didn’t move. John breathed an obvious sigh of relief.
‘Get up,’ I ordered and it immediately shot to its feet.
‘Do it again, Emma,’ John said quietly, and held out his hand. ‘I want to be absolutely sure.’
‘Take the Dark Lord’s hand again,’ I said.
This time the demon didn’t hesitate. It strode forward confidently and grabbed his hand.
‘I’m finding it hard to retain human form while you have me like this,’ it said, its voice straining. ‘Either release me, or take me somewhere I won’t cause panic in the streets.’
After the demon had returned from releasing the real Professor Knight, we sat together in a meeting room on the third floor. John wouldn’t let the demon any higher in the building than that. Tamed was tamed; but trusting was another matter altogether.
In True Form the demon was a huge humanoid and, unusually, it was blue. It only had two eyes, and no scales. Not too bad. It even had a name; for some reason known only to itself, it had chosen the English name of Ralph.
Ralph was minor demon nobility. He wouldn’t tell us what he’d done to upset Wong, but we had an idea,
knowing Wong’s appetites and Ralph’s unusual appearance. The demon stayed in human form, big glasses and everything, to talk to us.
‘Do you know what he’s planning?’ John said straight out.
‘Something big,’ Ralph said.
‘All of us?’ I said.
‘Yes.’
‘Are you aware of the details?’ John said.
‘I know that it is planned for later this year. I know that he has made some very special, rather nasty hybrids that he hopes will take you out. He is bringing in something that will disable you, but I don’t know what.’
‘Disable the Dark Lord?’ I said with disbelief. ‘Surely such a thing isn’t possible.’
‘No,’ John said. ‘Either you kill me or you don’t. You can’t disable me.’
‘One Two Two seems to think that he has some sort of secret weapon that will ensure your cooperation.’
‘Impossible,’ John said.
‘Well, that’s what he’s been saying. He’s also bragging that he will bring the Dark Lady to his Father, reveal her true nature, and be promoted very quickly.’
My stomach fell out. I was speechless.
‘More,’ John said.
‘No more,’ Ralph said. ‘That’s all I know.’
‘Any other word about her true nature?’ John said. ‘This is vital.’
I suddenly wanted to run out of the room.
‘She has caused quite a stir,’ the demon said with a small smile. ‘She scares the living daylights out of most of the Mothers, they hate her.’
‘Throw that phone away,’ John said to me.
‘No.’
‘That was quite a feat in London, my Lady,’ the demon said. ‘I feel most honoured to serve you. You
appear to be an ordinary human, but in action and word, and particularly in battle, you appear very much more.’
‘
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?’
‘Who 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.’