Heaven to Wudang (6 page)

‘Good to see you, ladies and gentlemen,' David said. He moved closer to speak softly to me. ‘There's something strange going on here. Can you check it out?'

‘What sort of strange?'

‘There's this woman … she wanders through the place with these men following her, and wherever she goes, everybody falls in love with her. Do you think she might be,' his voice dropped even further, ‘a demon?'

‘You see demons around every corner, David,' I said with amusement.

He smiled down at me. ‘Wishful thinking, I know.' He glanced behind me and his smile widened. ‘You didn't tell me you were bringing John!'

He strode past me and I turned to see. It was John, in his Mountain uniform, his expression puzzled.

I quickly moved to stop David. ‘He may have amnesia. Let me talk to him first.'

I went to John and gazed into his eyes, putting one hand on his arm. He looked down at me without recognition. ‘John, it's me, Emma. Do you know who I am?'

‘What am I doing here?' he said.

I turned and called quietly to Simone. She was talking to Bridget about the function, oblivious that her father had entered. When she saw him, she rushed over to us. ‘Daddy!'

John still appeared confused. ‘Simone?'

‘Let's take him over to the side and sort this out,' Leo said, looking around to ensure we hadn't attracted too much attention. A couple of people were watching with curiosity but hadn't approached.

David put his hand on my shoulder and spoke in my ear. ‘Take him downstairs to the lobby level next to the harbour. All the shops there are closed and it'll be deserted. I'll cover for you.'

‘Thanks, David.' I took John's arm. ‘John, you need to come with us.'

John looked from me, to Simone, to Leo, then Michael, obviously made the decision and nodded.

We took him in the lift down to the small shopping mall under the Convention Centre. Floor-to-ceiling windows on one side looked onto an open area containing a large gilt statue of a bauhinia flower. A row of convenience stores, all closed for the evening, stood
across from the glass. We found a bench and I sat next to John, with Simone on his other side. I took his hand. I wanted to give him a huge hug but was wary of scaring him away. Michael and Leo took up positions on either side of us, guarding.

Simone leaned on his shoulder. ‘It's good to have you back, Daddy.'

‘Simone. Your name is Simone,' he said. He looked at me, still confused. ‘Michelle?'

‘Oh, God,' Simone said quietly.

‘No, it's fine,' I said. ‘I'm Emma, John.'

‘Emma?' He looked up at Michael and Leo. ‘Lion? Tiger?' He looked at me again. ‘Snake?'

‘Welcome to your family,' I said with amusement. ‘The Turtles are still in the Northern Heavens.'

‘I don't remember anything,' he said, running his hand over his forehead. ‘My name is John?'

‘Your name is Xuan Wu,' Simone said. ‘Emma calls you John.'

‘That's not a very auspicious name — dark and war together,' he said.

‘That's your nature: dark and war.' She threw her arms over his shoulders. ‘And you're my father.'

He put his arms around her. ‘That I know. That's something that will never change.' He took a deep breath into her shoulder. ‘You're my little girl.'

‘Daddy,' she said, muffled by his jacket.

He pulled back. ‘I don't remember anything! Why do I see them as big cats, and her as a snake? Why do you glow with stars and darkness and blue and gold? How come I can see the past and the future and the world around me clearer than just vision? Why do I want to drown everything in ice-cold water and bring death to all?' His voice gained a frantic edge. ‘What am I?'

‘You're a god,' I said. ‘You're the God of the North, and dark, and cold, and winter, and martial arts.'

‘If I'm a god then how come I don't remember?' he said, challenging me, his hands still protectively on Simone.

‘Do you trust me?' I said.

‘You can trust her,' Simone said.

He studied me for a long time, his arms still around Simone. His eyes roamed my face. Then he nodded once, sharply. ‘I can trust you.'

Simone exhaled with relief.

‘Then trust me that you don't need the details right now of why you can't remember. It's a very long story. Just come home with us and we'll fill you in.'

His eyes unfocused. ‘Something unbalanced is coming.'

‘He's right, Emma,' Simone said urgently. ‘Something very nasty is heading our way …'

Kitty Kwok, flanked by two big Chinese bodyguards, came around the corner and stopped in front of us. I rose to face her, standing protectively in front of John and Simone. Leo and Michael moved behind me, mirroring Kitty's bodyguards behind her.

This is a good time to grab her and give her to the King,
Leo said.
Get this done and finished.

I nodded slightly. He was right. I summoned the Murasame but nothing happened; the sword didn't come.

‘What have you done?' I said.

‘Nothing. I just want to negotiate.' She raised her hands. ‘I know what the King said. I want to offer you a deal.'

‘Nice to be taken seriously for a change,' I said.

I didn't look away from Kitty and heard rather than saw John move to stand behind me on the left. He touched me on the shoulder and said,
I'm right behind you, but I don't know enough. Speak for me.

I nodded.

‘I offer parley under terms of truce,' Kitty said.

Well, that was the grabbing option blown out of the water. It would be dishonourable to attack her when she'd offered parley and waved a theoretical white flag.

‘Speak your mind,' I said, using the formal words to close the deal.

She relaxed slightly and turned to pace in front of us. ‘You've vowed never to hurt a human, Emma. But you've agreed to give me to them. Would you betray your own kind and give a human to the demons?'

‘You forfeited all claim to humanity when you harmed innocent children to prolong your own life,' I said.

‘I think that makes me particularly human,' she said with humour. ‘Ask your Mr Chen here, he'll tell you.'

‘Demons are often stunned by the depths of atrocity that humans are capable of,' John said without emotion. ‘In the ways of cruelty, they often seek to learn from you.'

‘I'm one hundred per cent human,' Kitty said. ‘Ask him, he'll tell you. You can't do anything to me, Emma. You can't give me to them — that goes against everything both of you stand for. You keep humans safe from demons; you don't hand them over for the demons to play with.'

I was silent at that. She was right. I pulled myself together. ‘Name your terms.'

‘You've agreed to give me to the King. He's already paid for me. But if he's destroyed, you don't need to pay the price.'

‘The last thing we need right now is a civil war in Hell,' I said. ‘He may be a two-faced bastard, but at least he doesn't create demons that are self-aware, think they're human and are programmed to turn — like the ones your friend the Death Mother is making. Such things are cruel beyond belief.'

‘Not my doing,' Kitty said. ‘I'm only after Immortality; I don't want to destroy anybody. I've never hurt your students. I've stayed quietly in my corner doing my stuff. It's not my fault that I scare the living shit out of the King.'

‘You're nice and humble now your little posse's gone,' I said.

‘Destroy the King and I'll set up a replacement. I have one ready to go; he's intelligent, powerful and does what I tell him. Do this for me and I'll put a King on the throne who will never bother you again. You'll no longer have the forces of Hell breathing down your neck, killing your Celestials and harming your little human students.'

‘You want to set a puppet on the throne of Hell?' I said.

She gestured with impatience. ‘I don't want to rule Hell. I just want to be left alone to succeed with my Immortality and then live my life in peace! I've never wanted any of you dead; I just want to be left alone.'

‘Gloria Ho,' I said. ‘Andy Ho. The Death Mother. Before that, Six, and the Geek, and Simon Wong. Don't tell me you won't try to kill us, Kitty; you and your friends haven't stopped trying. You've been the leader of this all along, so don't play the innocent. You want to put a puppet on the throne of Hell and then try to take over the Earthly Plane as well.'

She raised her arms to the side. ‘This is a waste of time. Get me out.'

The two bodyguards transformed into humanoid demons with black scales and tusks. All three of them disappeared.

‘Whoa!' Simone said. ‘They were demons? I saw them as human.'

‘Me too,' Leo said, and Michael nodded agreement.

‘Did you see them as demons or human, John?'
I said, turning to see him, but he'd disappeared. ‘Is he all right, Simone?'

‘Daddy went back to the Grotto,' Simone said. ‘He seemed totally confused by the whole thing.'

‘It was strange my sword didn't come to me,' I said. ‘Kitty must have been blocking it somehow, which is very disturbing.' I raised my hand and summoned the sword and it still didn't come. ‘Are you having the same problem?'

Simone raised her hand and Dark Heavens appeared in it. She dismissed it. ‘I have no trouble calling my sword.'

‘You haven't called the Murasame since you lost your demon essence,' Leo said.

‘You're right,' I said. ‘Maybe it doesn't serve me any more. Maybe it went back to the King?'

‘After this, we'll head back to the Mountain and ask Miss Chen,' Simone said. She ran her hands through her hair and fluffed it out over her shoulders. ‘Let's go upstairs and raise some money for these poor kids.'

W
e made our way back up in the lift to the floor above. The speeches had started, and we slipped in at the back to watch. Michael nodded to Leo, then went to the side table and grabbed a tray of drinks for us.

About halfway through David's welcoming speech, a deep vibration thrummed through the floor beneath us. Water hissed for a couple of seconds, then stopped. There was silence from the crowd, then a few giggles and confused conversation. Nothing else happened so David continued his speech.

Oh my God, Emma, look out the window,
Simone said.

I glanced left and stared. The sky and the other side of the harbour had gone. There was just a wall of blackness next to us, as high as the fifteen-metre windows. Its slightly curved vertical surface shifted like liquid in the reflected light of the Convention Centre.

David continued his speech, but people next to the window began moving away. More people noticed, and the chatter became louder and gained a frightened edge.

‘Don't worry, it's just an optical illusion,' David said, frantically waving me towards the podium. ‘It happens sometimes when there's an inversion layer over the water, because of the change in seasons. It's an atmospheric
anomaly, that's all. Don't bother taking photos; you won't capture anything because it's not really there — it's something like a mirage.'

‘What is it?' I asked Simone, waving back to David to indicate that I'd be there in a minute.

‘It's just water,' Simone said. ‘A wall of water. Not an optical illusion.'

‘Your dad?'

‘No. Only water. It might be elementals playing around, but I can't sense any.' She moved closer to the glass and concentrated. ‘No intelligence behind it.' She cocked her head. ‘Why is it doing that?'

I walked towards the podium to reassure David, and some of the people nearby reacted loudly. A lump two metres across had emerged from the wall and was following me. I took a couple more steps towards David and the ball paced me. I continued and a snake's head, at least a metre across, shot out of the water and slammed its snout into the window glass with a wet crack. People screamed and scurried away from the glass.

I stopped and turned to face the snake. Something in its eyes called to me and I raised one hand, desperately wishing I could touch it. It pushed its head more slowly towards me and came through the glass as if it wasn't there. It touched its snout to my hand and time stopped. We hung suspended in the moment, touching snake to snake. The world spiralled away from me and the water rose up to meet me, its darkness filled with the immeasurable cold intelligence of the Serpent. It pulled its head back, nodded to me, and spun to disappear back into the wall of water.

The water collapsed, sending a black surge against the glass and then subsiding.

I jogged up to the podium to speak in David's ear. ‘Pretend that was part of the show, courtesy of Chencorp, please. Nobody's in danger.'

David raised his hands and spoke loudly over the PA system. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, a round of applause for the special three-dimensional installation courtesy of Chencorp, one of the patrons for this evening. That was a one-off display of the installation before it is dismantled for a world tour, a demonstration of some of today's most advanced holographic technology.' He dropped his voice. ‘How's that?'

‘Absolutely perfect. I owe you.'

There was scattered applause through the room, then people surged forward and applauded me loudly, discussing the snake and water. I patted David on the shoulder and turned to go back down.

‘Wait,' he said. ‘What if something like that happens again?'

‘Just say it's an encore,' I said.

He shrugged. ‘Turnout will be double next time we have a charity opening.'

‘All good for the kids,' I said, and went back down to Simone and the men.

 

Before the auction we wandered around the paintings. Simone showed me a Western-style oil painting of a group of running horses, one of them palomino.

‘I like this one. Do you think it would look good in my room?'

‘Which room — on the Peak or at home?' I said.

‘At home. It's too big for the Peak, it's a metre across. It would look good in the living room in my apartment on the Mountain.'

Leo studied the painting. ‘This isn't terribly well done, you know. You only want to buy it because it looks like Freddo.'

She nodded a reply.

‘He should pay for it to compensate you for destroying
the carpet and making you move out while it was replaced,' Michael said.

‘Pay with what?' Simone said.

‘A promise not to pee on the carpet in future would be a good start,' Leo said.

‘Oh geez,' Simone said softly, looking behind me, then quickly went to another painting, Michael and Leo trailing her.

I turned to see what had spooked them and nearly sighed with dismay. It was George Wilson, taipan of one of the big shipping companies. He was a good head taller than me and nearly the same around, carrying a large glass of scotch leaning against his stomach and a predatory grin above his double chins.

‘Here's the girl in charge,' he said too loudly, surrounding me in a cloud of alcohol. ‘Running the business by yourself, real executive woman. You can be in charge of me any day, honey.' He moved closer and I backed away. He leaned into me and his breath made my eyes water. ‘I bet you just love showing your good-looking bodyguards how you're in charge.'

Simone stormed to us and glared at him. ‘You're drunk, George, and you're making inappropriate comments to my stepmother.'

He grinned at her. ‘Look at Missy being the boss. I bet your Michael-boy likes you being the boss.' His grin grew into a leer. ‘You're growing up fast, honey.'

‘This is sexual harassment!' Simone said.

‘Oh, Simone, really,' he said, spreading his arms and spilling his drink on the carpet. ‘I'm just having a bit of fun — don't go all feminazi on me. Don't take offence when I'm just joking around. I haven't even touched you.'

‘Touch me and I'll break your arm,' she said, and walked stiffly back to Michael and Leo.

‘You need to teach her, Emma, or she'll end up one of these radical feminists who think they know better than
men; ugly and bossy and no man'll be interested in her,' George said. He sidled closer to me. ‘So do you have a new man in your life yet? Peter Tong keeps boasting he's dating you, but I don't believe it.'

‘I'm not looking, thanks, George,' I said.

‘No such thing as a woman who isn't looking. Tell you what.' He moved so we were side by side facing the art. ‘My wife's gone to South Africa for a couple of weeks. Why don't you come over? I have some fantastic art at my place.' He turned to me and grinned broadly. ‘Why don't you pop over, have a drink, maybe lunch … or dinner … take a look?'

I shook my head. ‘I'm not really that interested in art. I think I'll go catch up with Simone. Later, George.'

He waved his drink at me. ‘Don't be a stranger, darling. Has to be hard running that big company without any help.'

I rejoined Simone, Leo and Michael, who were forcedly discussing a garish abstract canvas.

‘Why are you so polite to him?' Simone said. ‘Why don't you just tell him where to go?'

Leo bent to speak softly to me. ‘You should, Emma. He'll only respect you if you tell him to his face. Being polite is only giving him ammunition.'

‘Being rude would give him even more ammunition,' I said. ‘There's really no way of dealing with a man like that. I didn't agree to go to his house to see his “art” while his wife's away, so he's probably labelled me already.'

‘He invited you to his house?' Michael said, aghast.

‘You should tell his wife!' Simone said.

‘She knows all about it,' I said. ‘She just puts up with it because that's the way he is. She went to South Africa to get away from him for a while.'

We watched as George joined another group, one that held his personal assistant. He placed his hand
around her waist then casually drifted it lower. She stiffened, obviously uncomfortable, but didn't move away.

Simone shivered. ‘She should sue him for sexual harassment.'

‘This is the Earthly Plane, Simone. If she did that, he'd make sure she never worked anywhere again. She'd get a bad reputation and be unemployable. These women stay in the job for a year, he gives them a glowing reference, and they go on to something well-paid and worthwhile.'

‘That is so wrong,' Simone said. ‘All those other people are standing around talking as if it isn't happening.'

‘Go to the lectures at CH about power and dominance,' Michael said. ‘They're fascinating.'

‘I stayed away because I'm not interested in either,' Simone said. ‘But I think I will now.'

David Hawkes approached us again and towered over me. ‘Emma, do you mind if I have a quiet word?'

I nodded and we went to the side together. He gestured towards a seat placed facing the windows and we sat.

‘George Wilson is telling everybody that you're a lesbian,' David said with humour. ‘Just thought you'd like to know.'

I shrugged. ‘I'm not surprised. I turned him down.'

‘I wanted to ask you about Taoist philosophy. If all that stuff is real, then it's worth pursuing.' He gestured with his chin towards Leo. ‘Taoist Immortal. Who would have believed it? Everybody's asking who his plastic surgeon is.'

‘Leo didn't attain the Tao, though, he was Raised by the Jade Emperor.'

David let his breath out in a long gasp. ‘Damn. The Jade Emperor. And I thought meeting the President of
the United States was cool. So tell me about pine nuts and spring water.'

‘You've been doing some research?'

‘There isn't much in English. You have the word straight from the source — so, how do you do it?'

I shrugged. ‘I haven't done it so I don't know.'

‘Is there anyone I can ask?'

‘Do what?' Bridget said from where she'd approached behind us.

David turned and smiled at her. ‘Emma's an expert on Taoist philosophy. I was asking her about it.'

She studied him carefully, her expression severe, then relaxed, and I did too.

‘I noticed you've been reading up on Taoism — you bought a lot of books,' she said. ‘Are you thinking of converting?'

‘You don't convert to Taoism, it's not really a religion …' I began, then changed tack. ‘It's not an exclusive religion, anyway. Many Taoists are also Buddhists; it's more like a spiritual philosophy than a religion. Taoists want to achieve Immortality, but once they've done that, they'll go on to try to attain Enlightenment and become a Buddha. They don't have a god as such …' I changed direction again. ‘Or a single, all-powerful jealous god that doesn't like you worshipping anyone else. It's more about finding yourself and where you fit in the universe. Because when you know who you are, and where you are, and what you are, the rest of Reality just slots into place and you find yourself attuned to it — able to see it and affect it as much as it affects you.'

‘I have good reason to believe that what Taoists teach — about achieving Immortality — is true,' David said to Bridget.

She studied him for a long moment. ‘As long as it doesn't interfere with anything else, I suppose.'

‘I take it that means I'm not allowed to go to the top of a mountain and exist on pine nuts and spring water any time soon,' he said with a grin.

She tapped him on the shoulder. ‘Don't you dare. I need help taking the boys to soccer on the weekend.'

David rose. ‘I'll ask you more about it later, Emma.'

‘It's traditional for a Taoist to fulfil his or her duty, then pursue the Tao,' I said. ‘Raise a family, see to their wellbeing, then take themselves off, as you said, to the top of a mountain.'

‘I was thinking Spain for our retirement, actually,' Bridget said. ‘I don't think there are any mountains there.'

‘Pyrenees darling, best skiing on the Continent,' he said. ‘You can retire to caring for our visiting grandchildren, and I'll study Taoist philosophy.'

She grimaced theatrically. ‘Grandchildren? Don't wish that on me yet, Phillip's only fourteen.' She gestured towards the podium. ‘The bidding starts soon, honey, better get up there and do your stuff.'

David nodded to me and straightened his suit. ‘Duty calls, Emma, let's see some money raised for these kids.' He held his hand out and I shook it.

Bridget smiled. ‘Go do your thing, Mr Hawkes, and Ms Donahoe and I will discuss the best places to retire.'

He bent and kissed her on the cheek. ‘Don't bother asking her, I don't think she'll share hers.' He winked at me and strode away.

‘Please don't set him on a path that will ruin his family,' Bridget said mildly without looking away from David, who was loping up onto the dais. ‘I need him.'

‘Don't worry, Bridget, I have too much respect for you to do anything like that,' I said, also watching David as he introduced the auctioneer. ‘I'll give him the information he asks for, but I know that his family needs him.'

She turned, quickly hugged me and kissed my cheek. ‘Thanks, Emma.'

The auctioneer moved up to the lectern and David returned to the floor to sit in front of the bidders.

‘We're up,' I said to Bridget. ‘Time to spend some money.'

 

When the auction was over, most of the guests hung around chatting, but Simone had spent a long day in school and we decided to head home to the Peak. We'd return to the Mountain in the morning after she'd rested. We paid for the parking at the shroff office under the Convention Centre and made our way to the car. Our footsteps echoed eerily in the car park; there weren't many other people around.