Red Phoenix

by Kylie Chan

  ‘Come on, Emma,’ Gold said, ‘let’s get your parents safe.’

  Gold sat next to me in the front of the car. My parents were in the back.

  ‘They’re not impostors?’ I whispered to Gold.

  ‘Ordinary humans,’ Gold said under his breath.

  ‘Why are you guys here?’ I said more loudly. ‘I honestly didn’t know you were coming.’

  ‘You sent us a letter,’ my mother said. ‘You invited us to your graduation. You sent us the tickets. What’s going on, Emma? How could you not know?’

  My father exploded. ‘Damn it, Emma! You said you weren’t involved in anything! And here you are, not knowing we were coming and saying that we were brought here to be kidnapped. What the hell is going on?’

  ‘This is very bad,’ Gold said softly.

  ‘I just thank the heavens that I made it to them first,’ I said. ‘If my mother hadn’t called me, I hate to think what would have happened. If they had gone with that guy, it could have been the end of it.’

  My mother moaned. ‘Oh God, Emma.’

  ‘You stupid bitch!’ my father roared. ‘What the hell have you gotten yourself into?’

  I wished I could run my hands through my hair, but I was busy driving. ‘Let’s move you up to the Peak where you’re safe first,’ I said. ‘Then…’ I stopped. I decided. ‘Then I’ll tell you everything.’

  ‘No, my Lady,’ Gold whispered.

  ‘You’d damn well better,’ my father growled.

  ‘Tell Jade she doesn’t need to wait,’ I said.

  Gold concentrated. ‘Done.’

  ‘Tell Lord Xuan to be ready.’

  ‘Lord Xuan?’ my mother said weakly.

  ‘Done,’ Gold said.

  ‘Tell him what happened, Gold.’

  ‘He already knows, my Lady.’

  I had a horrible thought. ‘Gold, call Leo on his mobile. Check that he’s okay.’

  Gold pulled out his mobile phone and dialled. ‘Leo, it’s Gold. I’m just checking—is everything all right with you? No problems? Nothing…’ He hesitated. ‘Nothing out of the ordinary?’

  Gold stopped and listened as Leo spoke. Leo spoke for a long time. A very long time.

  ‘I think you should come in, my friend,’ Gold said gently. ‘Something’s up.’

  My mother moaned again.

  ‘You’re safe with us, Mum, don’t worry,’ I said.

  She made a soft sound behind me. I checked in the mirror. She was sobbing silently.

  ‘There are tissues on the back shelf behind you,’ I said quietly.

  My dad nodded and handed them to my mother. ‘Gold, where’s Michael?’ I said.

  Gold concentrated again. ‘Festival Walk with a friend.’

  ‘Just one friend? How many times have I told him about this? Tell him to call me, I want to talk to him.’

  Gold hesitated. ‘No need, my Lady, he’s with Na Zha.’

  I went ice-cold. ‘He is grounded for a month.’ I glanced away from the road to glare at Gold. ‘You knew he was with Na Zha?’

  ‘He is perfectly safe with the Third Prince, you know that, my Lady,’ Gold said mildly. ‘They are becoming very close friends. They have much in common. They often go…’ he hesitated ‘…hunting together.’

  ‘You have no idea how much trouble you are in, Gold,’ I said. ‘The Third Prince is a bad influence and you know it.’

  ‘The Dark Lord said it’s okay,’ Gold said.

  I snorted. ‘All three of you will get it very badly when we’re home.’

  ‘Dark Lord?’ my father said softly.

  Gold didn’t reply.

  ‘Did you really get an MBA, Emma?’ my father said after a long moment of uncomfortable silence.

  ‘I did get the MBA, and the graduation is tomorrow night,’ I said. ‘They probably thought you’d check. They didn’t know…’ I hesitated. ‘They didn’t know that I haven’t told you what’s going on.’ I banged the steering wheel with my palm. ‘Damn!’ I glanced at my father in the mirror. ‘When did you get the tickets?’

  ‘About two weeks ago,’ he said. ‘We had to rush to apply for our passports so that we could come. But every time we called you, there was no answer. Your mother was surprised we managed to get your mobile at the airport.’

  ‘What a stroke of luck,’ Gold said. ‘I wonder why the man who met them didn’t try to stop her.’

  ‘He did try to stop her,’ my father said. ‘She went to the ladies room. She called you on the way back. He went berserk, trying to say she didn’t need to call, the phones were down, you were busy, but your mother was already talking to you.’

  ‘Oh God,’ I moaned. ‘That was so close.’

  My mother made another quiet sound behind me.

  ‘Are they gangsters?’ my father said.

  ‘I wish,’ I said with feeling. ‘I’ll tell you all when we’re home. Mr Chen will talk to you too.’ I spoke to Gold without turning away from the road. ‘Check Leo.’

  Gold dialled again. ‘He’s at Central Station.’

  ‘Tell him I’ll pick him up in Theatre Lane. I’ll make a stop there on the way up.’

  Gold didn’t speak into the phone. He spoke directly to Leo. Leo’s voice shouted on the phone. ‘He says no, make sure your parents are safe first. He says he’ll be fine.’

  ‘Tell him that’s an order.’

  ‘Done. He’s waiting for you.’ Gold hung up.

  At Theatre Lane, Gold jumped out of the car and Leo pulled himself in. I nodded to Gold and he nodded back as I drove away.

  ‘What happened, Emma? Who is this?’ Leo said.

  ‘These are my parents—my dad, Brendan Donahoe, and Barbara, my mum. Mum, Dad, this is Leo. He’s Simone’s other bodyguard.’

  ‘Pleased to meet you,’ Leo lisped politely. My parents stared at him as if he was from another planet. He turned to speak to me. ‘Gold said that they were brought to Hong Kong without you knowing.’

  ‘That’s right,’ I said. ‘It was a tremendous stroke of luck that my mum called me before the demon could stop her.’

  There was complete silence.

  ‘Demon?’ my father yelled.

  ‘Oh God!’ my mother wailed.

  Leo and I both stiffened. Neither of us said anything. Then, ‘Let’s get you safe,’ I said quietly.

  My parents sat in silence in the dining room and glared at John with loathing.

  ‘Do you have any questions?’ John said gently.

  ‘Yeah. What’s the real story?’ my father growled.

  ‘You need proof?’ Gold said.

  ‘How did you come up here so quickly?’ my father asked Gold.

  ‘There’s some of your proof,’ I said. ‘Gold, find me a phone.’

  The business day was just starting in London. I called Leonard.

  ‘Hi, Leonard, this is Emma. Could you do me a favour? My parents are here. Could you tell my father exactly who John Chen Wu is? The whole story?’

  Leonard wasn’t very happy, but agreed anyway. I passed the phone to my father. He listened for a while.

  ‘How long?’ he said.

  ‘A what?’ he yelled.

  ‘I don’t believe it,’ he said.

  He hung up. He glared at John. ‘I don’t believe it. Tell me the truth, Emma. Are the police after him?’ I gestured towards Jade without looking at her. ‘Do

  it.’

  ‘You are sure, my Lady?’

  I wasn’t in the mood to mess around. ‘Just do it, Jade.’

  Jade transformed into her dragon form, her back end still on the chair and her golden claws resting on the table.

  My father made a quiet strangled sound and my mother shot to her feet with a gasp.

  Jade transformed back. My mother pressed further back into her chair.

  My father’s face turned ashen and he glanced at John. ‘You’re a fucking god?’

  ‘Brendan!’ my mother said. Then she heard. ‘A god?’

  John smiled slightly and
nodded without speaking.

  My mother glared sternly at me. ‘You are coming back to Australia with us right now.’

  ‘No,’ I said. ‘I have a responsibility to his daughter. And I love him.’

  ‘You always were the stupidest member of the family,’ my father said, glaring at me as well. ‘Look what you got yourself into.’

  ‘I know,’ I said. I ran my hands through my hair. ‘I am completely nuts.’

  ‘Why didn’t you tell us?’ my father said.

  ‘Would you have believed me?’ I said.

  My mother and father shared a look.

  ‘No, probably not,’ my father said with a small smile. He leaned back. ‘Okay. So my daughter is engaged to a bloody god who can’t touch her and is going to disappear in a couple of years anyway. And you have these monsters or demons or whatever after you. And you have,’ he said, pointing to Jade, ‘a dragon for an accountant. Marvellous.’

  ‘My solicitor is a rock,’ I added with grim humour. I gestured towards Gold. ‘He’s a stone in human form. That is only the beginning of the general weirdness that surrounds this family. Wait till you meet our best friend.’

  ‘Christ, Emma,’ my father said quietly.

  ‘Well, now you’re here, let us show you around, take you to some tourist spots, and we can all attend Emma’s graduation,’ John said with satisfaction. ‘I’ve wanted to have you over to visit for a while anyway. I nearly invited you to the graduation, but thought the better of it because it may put you in too much danger.’

  ‘Oh shit,’ my father said softly.

  ‘We should send them straight back to Australia, John,’ I said. ‘It’s too dangerous.’

  ‘You are safer here with me,’ John said to my father.

  ‘Oh my God,’ I said as I understood. ‘This was the secret weapon. They were planning to take my parents.’

  ‘I would love to see the look on that little bastard’s face when he finds out that he’s failed,’ John said evenly. ‘Quite a few junior thralls are very likely to turn up on our doorstep in the next few days.’

  I had a sudden horrible thought. ‘Mum, Dad, please, tell me,’ I said. ‘Please, tell me the whole truth. Am I your natural daughter? Am I adopted?’

  ‘Why are you asking me this, Emma?’ my mother said sharply. ‘You think I didn’t treat you as well as your sisters? Is that it?’

  ‘No, that has nothing to do with it, Mum. I love you dearly. Please, just tell me. Am I adopted?’

  ‘No,’ my mother said fiercely. ‘You were born in ward four of Montford hospital at five o’clock in the morning, after I was in labour for seven hours. You were a perfectly normal delivery.’

  ‘Was there anything…’ I hesitated, ‘…different about me? Ever?’

  ‘Why are you asking this, Emma?’ my father said. ‘What’s going on?’

  ‘Emma thinks she’s a demon,’ John said.

  Both my parents glanced sharply at me.

  ‘That’s not possible,’ my father said. ‘You are our daughter. Nothing at all different about you. Except for the fact,’ he gestured towards John, ‘that you’ve gone and fallen for this bastard.’

  ‘Snakes,’ I said.

  ‘What about them?’ my mother said. ‘I’m a snake.’

  ‘No, you’re not,’ my mother said patiently. ‘I think you need to talk to somebody if you think that you’re a snake.’

  I dropped my head and ran my hands through my hair.

  ‘Mr and Mrs Donahoe,’ John said, ‘would you like me to show you to your room? You should stay with us while you’re here. Leo and Emma will be glad to show you around, they can take time off from their teaching and guard duties—’

  ‘I can’t afford time off,’ I snapped. ‘I have three energy work classes on Monday, and I’m on guard duty Tuesday and Thursday.’

  ‘—to take you around town and show you the sights,’ John continued, ignoring me completely. ‘And tomorrow, we’ll all go to Emma’s graduation. Her family, celebrating her achievement.’ He put his palms on the table. ‘I can’t think of anything better.’

  ‘Emma, take everybody out, please. I would like to speak to Mr Chen in private,’ my father said.

  ‘Of course,’ John said. ‘Jade, Gold, leave us.’ He stood and bowed slightly to my mother. ‘My Lady.’

  My mother blushed. She was speechless. I gently led her out.

  CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

  I took my mother into my room while John talked to my father. My mother sat on the couch as Ah Yat brought their suitcase into the room.

  ‘I am so sorry, Mum, I should have told you,’ I said. ‘But I didn’t want you to know about it. I knew it would freak you out.’

  ‘What’s done is done, Emma,’ she said. ‘You actually thought you were adopted? Go and have a look in the mirror.’

  ‘Tell her, stone,’ I said. The stone was completely silent. ‘What?’ my mother said. I showed her the stone. ‘It talks.’ ‘Now I know for sure that you need to talk to somebody.’

  ‘No, she’s quite correct, Mrs Donahoe,’ the stone said. ‘But she really should talk to somebody anyway.’ My mother stiffened.

  ‘Maybe that’s enough general weirdness for one day,’ I said.

  ‘I think you’re right,’ my mother said weakly. I sat on the couch next to her and put my arm around her shoulders. ‘Jennifer’s husband has been Mr Chen’s solicitor for many years. His law firm has acted for John for around two hundred years.’

  ‘I thought you were going to stop with the weirdness,’ my mother said.

  ‘Compared to some of the stuff that goes on around here,’ I said, ‘that’s completely normal.’

  ‘Where’s the little girl?’ my mother said.

  ‘Probably in the training room,’ I said. ‘Would you like to meet her? She’s the reason I do everything I do around here. I love her as if she were my own.’

  ‘What do you mean, “training room”?’

  ‘Oh, damn,’ I said, ‘more weirdness. You sure?’

  ‘I’m sure.’

  ‘John is God of Martial Arts. Kung fu. You know he’s been teaching me—remember I showed you some?’ My mother nodded. ‘Well, he teaches Simone as well. The training room is like a dance studio, where we do the kung fu. She’s probably in there practising.’

  ‘I’d like to see that,’ my mother said.

  ‘I’ll show you,’ I said. ‘But just before you go in, Mum, I must tell you, there are weapons in there. Don’t be too freaked, okay?’

  ‘Guns?’

  ‘No. Swords. Spears. Things like that. Guns don’t hurt demons. We don’t have anything to do with guns.’

  My mother rose. ‘Let’s go and meet this little girl that you’ve thrown your whole life away for.’

  I tapped on the door.

  ‘Come in, Emma,’ Simone called.

  We went in. Simone had been working with a training sword. ‘I think I’m ready for a real one now, Emma.’ She saw my mother. ‘Hello.’

  ‘Hello, dear.’

  ‘This is my mother, Simone,’ I said.

  ‘Hello, Mrs Donahoe.’ Simone put her little sword back on the rack. ‘Don’t worry about all the weapons. We won’t hurt you.’ She came to my mother and held out her hand. My mother shook it gently.

  ‘How old are you, Simone?’ my mother said.

  ‘Six,’ Simone said.

  ‘She seems older than that, Emma,’ my mother said quietly.

  ‘She’s half god, Mum.’

  ‘I’m half Shen,’ Simone corrected me gently. ‘Daddy is a Shen.’

  ‘That’s what it’s called in Chinese,’ I said. ‘Get the sword back out, Simone, show my mother some moves.’

  ‘How about you do them with me?’ Simone said. ‘We can move through a pair set. That would be more interesting to watch. How about,’ she stopped and thought, ‘how about a level three Shaolin long sword set? That’s pretty to watch.’

  ‘Good idea.’ I went over to the rack and picked up my
sword. I raised it to show my mother. ‘Same sword.’ She smiled and nodded. I selected the training sword and tossed it to Simone, who caught it easily.

  ‘Move back, Mrs Donahoe. We won’t hurt you, but you should move to the side of the room out of the way,’ Simone said.

  We moved into position and saluted. My mother stood next to the wall and watched with interest.

  We went through the set together. I didn’t usually do much work with Simone, and it was a satisfying feeling to work with her. She had improved a great deal. We moved in perfect harmony.

  ‘I think you’re ready for a real sword too,’ I said. ‘You should take mine.’

  ‘Oh!’ Simone said. ‘Make it sing for your mother.’ She stopped and gestured. ‘Show her.’

  ‘Enough weirdness for one day, pet,’ I said kindly.

  ‘I think Emma has a point,’ my mother said.

  Simone inhaled sharply and her eyes went wide with delight. She danced over to the weapons rack and put her sword away. ‘Monica’s here!’

  I quickly put my own sword away. Then I stopped. ‘Oh no,’ I said. ‘That means the Tiger’s here.’

  ‘Uncle Bai’s here too!’ Simone said. ‘Monica’ll cook Western food for your family, Emma.’ She suddenly went serious. ‘Daddy says to explain to your mummy about Uncle Bai first.’

  ‘What form’s he in, Simone?’ I said.

  ‘Human,’ Simone said.

  ‘Oh Lord,’ my mother said quietly at the side of the room.

  The Tiger stayed and had dinner with us. It was complicated: my parents were served Western food, and the rest of us ate vegetarian Chinese, even Leo and Michael.

  I introduced everybody as we sat.

  ‘Everybody, these are my parents, Brendan and Barbara Donahoe. Mum, Dad, this is most of the family.’

  My parents appeared bewildered.

  ‘Okay,’ I said, ‘here goes.’ I gestured towards John. ‘John you know.’ I gestured towards the Tiger. ‘This is Tiger.’

  ‘Tiger,’ my father said, nodding. ‘Unusual name.’ ‘Not that unusual in Hong Kong,’ the Tiger said with a grin.

  ‘Leo you’ve met.’ Leo nodded to my parents. ‘The other bodyguard.’

  ‘I’m a perfectly normal human being, one of the few in the household,’ Leo lisped. ‘Pleased to meet you.’