Yuen-Mong's Revenge (30 page)

 
     
That seemed to sway her.
The words of a man carry more weight than
empathy of a woman,
mused Yuen-mong.

     
"I take the underground. Maybe the lady and the gentlemen would
prefer a taxi."

 
     
"No, we follow you. I have never been in the underground … and
Anouk, please call me Yuen-mong."

 
     
The girl blushed deeply and then led the way. She remained anxious,
avoiding eye contact, but readily answered their questions. They learned
that she lived with her mother and older brother, both employed by one
of the UniCom manufacturing subsidiaries. The job with the Young’s
was her first — she had only started a few weeks earlier — and everybody had told her how fortunate she was to get such a good job. Yuen-mong had no need to probe further to sense the girl’s fear of Mr. Young
and her despair.

     
Half-an hour later, they exited in one of the IC townships. When
Anouk entered the apartment, they heard a woman’s voice. "Anouk, is
that you? You’re late. Did you get fined again?"

 
     
"No, mother," she replied and then turning to Yuen-mong and Atun,
she said: "Please, come in. I apologize, but our apartment is very small."
She shifted two chairs from the dining table, pointing at them: "Please."

 
     
A middle-aged blonde woman appeared at the opening that must lead
into the kitchen. "Who’s this? Haven’t I told you not to talk to strangers?"

 
     
The girl looked down embarrassed, again biting her lips, and Yuen-mong came to her rescue: "Mrs. Olson, this
is
not Anouk’s fault, but
ours. I’m Yuen-mong Shen and this is Atun Caruna. We happened to be
at the gate when your daughter just missed the curfew because Mr.
Young had not allowed her to leave on time." She did not know whether
this was the case, but it seemed highly likely. "We also witnessed how
Mr. Young abused your daughter —"

 
     
"You again didn’t do your job properly, you clumsy girl," the woman
interrupted, looking sternly at her daughter.

     
Yuen-mong sensed the mother’s mixture of fear and annoyance. "Mrs.
Olson, I don’t think this was the reason. Mr. Young seems to have rather
dishonorable designs on your daughter —"

 
     
"You naughty girl, what did you do to cause that?" the woman
shouted at her daughter.

     
The girl literally shrank back. Yuen-mong again put her hand
reassuringly on her shoulder. "I know you behaved properly," she
murmured and then turned back to the older woman: "Mrs. Olson, I ask
you not to interrupt me again until I have said what I want to say —"

 
     
"Who’re you to barge into my apartment without being asked? I’ll
deal with my daughter how I see fit."

 
     
"I’m Yuen-mong Shen, the granddaughter of Chen Young, and I ask
you to show me the respect that I show you."

 
     
The woman’s posture instantly slumped into subservience, and she
dropped her gaze. She bowed several times, while the girl looked at
Yuen-mong with frightened eyes.

     
"Please forgive me, honorable lady. I didn’t know. Anouk’s still so
young she sometimes forgets to show proper respect. Please, tell me what
you want from us."

 
     
"Anouk showed us proper respect, Mrs. Olson. She is a good girl.
And what I would like from you is not to send her back to Mr. Young.
We only arrived on Andromatis a few days ago and need help. We would
like to have your daughter work for us and to prove that our offer is
serious,
We are
willing to pay six months wages in advance." She could
sense the woman’s greed momentarily get the upper hand before fear
reasserted itself. "And don’t be afraid of Mr. Young. I will deal with that
myself."

 
     
"Honorable lady, I humbly thank you for your gracious generosity. If
you’ll advise Mr. Young, my daughter will be happy to work for you."

 
     
"Mrs. Olson, it’s your daughter who has to decide that for herself."
She turned back to the girl, who was crimson, her eyes cast down.
"Anouk, look at me. Are you willing to work for us?"

 
     
"Yes, my lady," she murmured, dropping her gaze again.

     
"Good, I’m glad… How much did Mr. Young pay you?"

 
     
"Fo —"

 
     
"Fifty credits per day," interrupted her mother.

     
Yuen-mong knew that the mother was lying. She also sensed the
daughter’s increased distress and smiled at her. "We are willing to pay
the same." She turned to Atun. "Do you agree?"

 
     
"Certainly."

 
     
"Then it’s settled. Anouk, come and see us tomorrow at the Androma
Interplanetary at around nine in the morning and we’ll arrange the
transfer of your wages and talk about your duties.

     
"Yes, my lady. Thank you, my lady."

 
     
"Whom do we have to contact about giving notice to Mr. Young?"

 
     
"The Foundation domestic employment service, my lady."

 
     
Both women bowed and thanked repeatedly, as Yuen-mong and Atun
left.

     
"Are you sure you did the right thing? What if she’s unsuitable?"
asked Atun, as they walked back to the underground station.

     
"I’m confident she will work out well, and if she doesn’t, we have
saved her from my cousin’s clutches."

 
     
"Yes. I must admit I had no idea that the common people on Andromatis were so much at the mercy of the Foundation. You only had to
mention the name Young and the mother almost went down on her
knees."

 
     
"Doesn’t that name get the same reaction on Palo?"

 
     
"No, it gets polite respect, but no more."

 
     
"I think I might like Palo better than Andromatis. Will you take me
there and show me around when we have finished here?"

 
     
"I would love that." He kissed her cheek. "Am I right to think that the
mother lied about the daily wage rate?"

 
     
"Yes, but it doesn’t matter. Once the girl has developed her skills as
an empath, I’m sure she will find much better paying jobs. I remember
my mother saying that they are sought after for counseling and if my
father’s invention works, she will be in even higher demand. This
reminds me, shouldn’t we look for other accommodations, at least until
I can move into my own house?"

 
     
"Are you thinking of somewhere in the Sanctum?"

 
     
"No, in the BD."

 
     
"Yes, a place that offers good security and several paths of escape if
need be."

 
     
"Ah, you are thinking survival too… Maybe Syd Twan could help
us."

 
     
"He may want to know why we need security. I’d rather not involve
anybody else, and we still know little about him."

 
     
"I guess you’re right. I added him to my list."

 
     
"Why?"

 
     
"He was deeply in love with my mother and —"

 
     
"I see, jealousy."

 
     
"Yes, although I have a good feeling about him."

 
     
"I hope not too good."

 
     
"Do I detect jealousy too?"

 
     
"Yes. I noticed that he eyed you with more than just casual interest.
He seemed to be completely taken with you … and he’s rich, influential,
and a Foundation member. He can offer you all that."

 
     
"I sensed that his interest was more than casual, but I think it was only
because of his love for my mother. Don’t you think he’s married?"

 
     
"No, he wasn’t wearing a ring, and as far as I know Foundation Families strictly stick to the practice of wearing wedding bands."

 
     
"Atun, please don’t worry. I chose you." However, she felt that he
remained perturbed.

13

The hotel reception notified them at exactly nine o’clock that Anouk
Olson was asking for them. A few minutes later she knocked at their
door.

     
"Did you sleep well, Anouk?" Yuen-mong asked her, somewhat surprised that she was wearing the uniform of a domestic.

     
"Thank you, my lady. Yes, much better."

 
     
"Please, don’t call me my lady. I’m hardly older than you. Call me by
my first name, Yuen-mong."

 
     
"It wouldn’t be proper, my lady."

 
     
"Even if I wish it?"

 
     
The girl blushed.

     
"Atun will now arrange for the transfer of your first six-month pay."

 
     
"Yuen-mong …" Anouk started hesitantly, "my mother lied when she
said I got fifty credits."

 
     
"I know, Anouk. We empaths always know when somebody lies.
However,
We are
willing to pay you fifty a day." The girl smiled
embarrassed, but visibly relieved.

     
Yuen-mong watched Atun make the transfer. Then she said: "Anouk,
I would like that you wear normal clothing when you are with us, not this
uniform. Let’s go shopping." When she sensed her concern, she added:
"I will pay for it."

 
     
Anouk’s expression was a cross between gratitude and embarrassment.

     
They went to the big department store underneath the hotel and
bought elegant slacks, a skirt, and several tops. When they returned, Atun
looked at her in surprise. The transformation was indeed startling. Not
only was the girl beaming with pleasure, but the clothes enhanced her
good figure and made her look taller.

     
While Atun searched the business directory for firms that might be
able to produce the equipment necessary for instantcom, Yuen-mong
took Anouk through a series of exercises she had done with her mother
to strengthen empathic perceptions. It quickly confirmed that the girl had
an exceptional talent and, what was more, that she enjoyed doing the
exercises. They laughed a lot. Yuen-mong gave her a number of additional exercises to do on her own and dismissed her around noon.

     
In the afternoon, she accompanied Atun on checking out a number of
small electronics outfits. While he assessed their technical ability, she
checked out their emotional credibility and trustworthiness, assets that
were at least as important if not more.

     
When they returned from this errand in the late afternoon, there was
a message for them to contact Syd Twan urgently. It turned out that he
had arranged to introduce Yuen-mong to her grandfather, Chen Young,
and several other close relatives that Friday evening at six o‘clock. She
checked whether it was for a meal and he said "yes". They agreed that he
would pick her up in the hotel lobby at five thirty.

     
She sensed that Atun was apprehensive about it. "Atun, this first time
I will go alone, but from then on, it will either be both of us or neither."

 
     
"Oh, it’s only fitting that you meet them alone. It’s not that. I’m just
uneasy about the whole thing. I don’t trust them and I’m afraid of what
they might try to do."

 
     
"Syd Twan will be there. He will protect my rights."

 
     
"Yuen-mong, I don’t put much trust in that. I think that you’ll have to
do it yourself, but then nobody is more capable to do that than you."