by Kylie Chan
I turned to her. ‘Actually, that sounds like the best suggestion I’ve heard so far today.’ I gestured towards Leo and Chang. ‘Would you gentlemen care to join us ladies for breakfast and a chat?’
‘Me too?’ Chang said.
‘Yes, you too,’ I said. ‘Since you’re here, you might as well join us.’
‘Is that all right with you, sir?’
Leo waved him into the dining room. ‘Come on in.’
Chang followed the directions on the GPS that Gold had installed in the car. The village that we passed through to get to the House on the Hill had become a housing estate now: a series of rectangular twelve-storey buildings lined up side by side, bare concrete and dirt between them. The hill behind the estate had been reinforced with ugly sprayed concrete to stop the slope from failing when it rained heavily, but from the layers of repairs it hadn’t worked very well.
After we’d wound our way past the estate, the road narrowed and became steeper, passing through bamboo groves and then through the front gate of our property. We topped out onto the hill and the house was visible below us: a white concrete mansion with a green tiled roof. The fish ponds on the land below the hill were gone now, and a brown pollution haze obscured the rows of apartment blocks and multistorey factory buildings of Guangzhou in the distance.
The new cinder-block barracks stood near the house; we’d thrown them up in a hurry for the students who came to study here. The barracks offered minimal comfort, but the students never stayed more than a couple of days and said the accommodation was more than sufficient.
The tennis court had been extended to a training practice field; the court surface was ideal for this purpose, providing just enough spring to ensure the students’ joints weren’t stressed too much. A group of students were on the field now, practising Wudang staff in perfect synchronicity.
‘Wait, is that Leo leading the students?’ I said.
‘Appears to be, ma’am,’ Chang said as he guided the car down the hill to the front of the house.
‘Well, it’s about damn time!’ I said.
I hopped out of the car and went to the edge of the field to watch
‘He’s been practising,’ the stone said.
‘Good for him,’ I said, and went inside the house and up the stairs.
‘Where are you, ma’am?’ Chang called from downstairs.
I leaned over the balustrade. ‘Bring my bags up to the first room on the left, Chang.’
I rubbed my fingers along some scorch marks on the wood, left by the demon dogs when they’d nearly killed Leo all that time ago.
Chang stopped at the top of the stairs and let out his breath. ‘Damn.’
Simone had converted the play area at the top of the stairs into a gaming room; it held one of every type of console and a couple of stone-powered computers hooked up to a massive plasma screen that covered the whole wall.
‘When Simone chills out, she doesn’t mess around,’ I said.
‘She’s a lucky girl,’ Chang said.
‘No, she isn’t. She has no father, no mother, and I can’t give her a hug when she needs to feel better.’
I guided Chang to my room with its white wicker furniture and comfortable bed. ‘Leave the bags here, then go down and present yourself to Master Leo. Tell him to find you a spot in the barracks and to allocate you a place in the training regime. We need to work hard to be ready for tomorrow.’
Chang hesitated for a moment, then saluted. ‘Ma’am.’
I went into the room and sat on one of the chairs. I’d yelled at John here. He’d told me the truth here.
Any chance of you sparing some of your army? the Tiger said cheerfully into my head.
‘Demon attack?’ I said.
This is…His voice changed from light-hearted to serious. Okay, this is real bad. I got a hundred and fifty wives up here in the resort and the fucking Geek somehow managed to bring a whole shitload of fake fire elementals into my facility. I dunno how he did it, it’s supposed to be impregnable, but…His voice faded out.
‘What?’ I said.
Shit, they’re out of the lab into the cells and they’re letting the caged demons out. Fuck, I hope the airlock holds them in because that’s all that’s between them and the tame demons in the demon hotel on the other side…Oh, fuck.
‘Stone, tell Simone.’
On my way, Simone said.
Not Simone, the Tiger said. She’s not Immortal, and the whole place is on fire. It’s all burning.
I’m going up anyway, Simone said.
Emma, do me a favour, honey? the Tiger said. I’m stuck at the far end. Nobody can get in or out without walking through all the security. I need someone with brains and guts to sort out my fucktarded wives and get them evacuated. Simone, if you’re going to come up here, please go to the other end and help out with the wives. You can’t come directly into this part anyway, it’s all sealed, and the wives are the most important thing.
‘Can Simone give me a lift?’ I said.
Leo appeared in the doorway. ‘I will. Change to snake.’
‘Do you know where to go?’
He held his hand out. ‘Show me. Take my hand and think hard about where it is. I can find it from there.’
‘You have been practising, sir,’ the stone said.
‘Damn straight,’ Leo said.
I took his hand and conjured a diagram in my head of where the facility was.
‘Holy…and there are fire elementals at the far end of that? This is nasty,’ Leo said. ‘Change.’
I changed to snake, and the ground slammed me on the chin, knocking my head back and then down again.
‘You okay?’ Leo said. He was on his back on the floor next to me.
‘More practice, eh?’ I said.
‘Getting there.’ He changed to lion form and pulled himself to his feet. ‘How are we supposed to get them out of here? We’re miles from anywhere.’
I raised my head and looked around. We were in the forecourt of the ski resort. The wives were standing in groups in the snow, talking quietly, obviously confused. Some of them saw Leo and me and hurried away to join others further back.
Cars are on the way up. Keep them back where they’re safe, the Tiger said. The elementals haven’t made it through to the demon hotel. His voice changed slightly from ferocity to sadness. Ma’am, I am so sorry.
‘My demons,’ I whispered. I raised my head and raced into the hotel. ‘My demons!’
‘Emma, stay out here!’ Leo shouted, loping after me.
Simone was standing in the lobby, looking around. ‘How do we get through?’
‘Michael.’ I looked around. ‘We need Michael. Michael, or one of the Immortal sons.’
Simone concentrated and Michael appeared next to her. ‘What’s going on?’ he said.
Simone grabbed his hand and stared fiercely at him, transferring the information. His expression changed and he dragged her to the lifts. ‘Come on!’
Mind my wives! the Tiger roared in my head.
‘Mind your own damn wives. My demons are in there and they may not be copies!’ I shouted.
Leave them, they’re copies, he said more calmly.
‘Over my dead body,’ I said.
We arrived at the lifts and Michael opened them with a glance. We went in and he manipulated the control panel to take us down.
‘Wow, this is a long way,’ Simone said.
We arrived at the bottom and the doors opened to the blank room. Michael raised one hand and the vault doors appeared. He gestured and the gears spun, opening the doors. We ran through to the first gate. Michael concentrated and it opened. We moved through the five gates, with Michael opening each one as we arrived. We hit the bottom of the cable-car tunnel.
Michael stuck his head into the tunnel. ‘No cars. It’s been shut down. We have to walk.’ He looked down. ‘The floor’s electrified.’
Simone took Celestial Form, in her Wudang uniform, and floated above the ground. She s
lid effortlessly into the tunnel. ‘I can go.’
Michael took Celestial Form as well; he didn’t appear to age, but his clothing changed to white-and-gold jacket and pants, and his hair grew longer and gold, all the way down his back. ‘You don’t need to; I can do it.’
‘Is there a way to turn off the electricity?’ I said. ‘Stone! Relay!’
‘The switch is at the other end,’ Michael said. ‘I’ll just float up and turn it off for you. Let me do it, I’m stronger.’
‘Michael.’ Simone touched his arm. ‘Are you really stronger than me?’
He settled to stand on the floor of the cable-car station and stared at her, then looked away. ‘No. You were always five times stronger than anybody.’
‘And I’m more likely to survive if I do touch it.’
He grabbed her hand, pulled her down and kissed her quickly, then released her. She floated back up, both of them looking surprised. He stepped back. ‘Just be careful, okay, squirt?’
She nodded and turned to the tunnel and floated into it.
‘Do that again and I will tear you into very small pieces,’ Leo growled at Michael.
‘Shut up, Leo,’ Simone said, her calm voice echoing through the tunnel.
A spark jumped and she squeaked. We peered up the tunnel to see.
‘I’m okay. It was something like static, I just got too close,’ Simone said. ‘Probably because of my nature.’
‘Nature?’ Leo said.
‘Water,’ I said. ‘Both of them are weak to electricity—she’s water and he’s metal.’
‘Metal is weaker,’ she said, her voice floating down the corridor.
‘Concentrate. Don’t talk. Just concentrate,’ Michael said.
There was another spark and she squeaked again.
‘She should come back down,’ Leo said.
‘I’m nearly there,’ she said. Her feet tapped on the floor at the other end. ‘I am there. Where’s the switch?’
‘No idea,’ Michael said. ‘Let me see…’
‘Ask the Tiger,’ I said.
‘He won’t say,’ Simone said.
Stay down that end, you stupid people, the Tiger said. It’s bad up here.
‘Sounds like he needs help,’ I said.
‘All in favour of ignoring the Tiger say “aye”,’ Simone said.
We all chorused ‘Aye’.
‘I think this is it,’ she said. ‘Let me see.’
‘That worked. I can sense it’s off,’ Michael said.
‘You sure?’ Leo said suspiciously. ‘Isn’t there supposed to be a powering-down sound, or a light going off, or sparks or something?’
‘Do you get that when you turn the iron off?’ Michael said. He jumped into the corridor, turned and grinned at us, revealing big cat canines. ‘All off. Thank you, madam.’
‘Just hurry up!’ Simone called.
We ran to the end of the tunnel. The guards stood there frozen, their eyes wide.
Simone gestured towards them. ‘I didn’t want guns pointed at me so I bound them.’
You can let them go, they won’t stop you, the Tiger said.
The guards sagged and took deep breaths, then pointed the guns at us.
‘My apologies,’ one of them said. ‘We’ve been ordered to keep you here.’ They moved into position so that all four of us were covered. ‘Raise your hands, please.’
Now stay there! the Tiger said.
‘Do as they say,’ I said, and we all raised our hands.
Simone concentrated. ‘They’re bound again. Let’s go.’
‘Liar!’ I said to the Tiger.
Only for you, baby.
Simone pointed at the blank wall. ‘The vault door’s there. Michael?’
‘Got it,’ Michael said, and the door appeared. The wheels turned and it opened.
‘If I remember right, there’s a corridor, then a guard station with three guards in it,’ I said. ‘Tiger, if you can hear me, please tell them to stand down. I really don’t want to mess with any ridiculous code words, I just want to get to my demons.’
They won’t stand down on telepathic command, the Tiger said. The code phrase is: ‘Help, I’m being held hostage by this evil snake demon.’
‘Bastard!’
Thank you.
‘Did you get that, Simone?’
Simone was silent for a moment, then she replied, her voice full of suppressed laughter. ‘Yeah, I got it.’
Michael opened the doors for us and the guards stood waiting with their weapons pointed at us.
‘Help, I’m being held hostage by this evil snake demon,’ Simone said. ‘Now please don’t point those at my family.’
The soldiers lowered their weapons and stepped back.
‘Thank you,’ I said.
You’re welcome.
‘I wasn’t talking to you.’
‘I’m glad you’re here, ma’am,’ one of the soldiers said to Simone. ‘These things are nasty. Some of our brothers have died, and our mothers are outside at the other end. We’re counting on you.’ They saluted her, raising their weapons to her. ‘Ma’am.’
Simone was silent for a moment, then said, ‘I’ll do my best.’
‘That’s all we can ask for, ma’am,’ he said, and they stepped back.
‘There’s a maze on the other side,’ I said.
‘I can see it,’ Simone said. ‘Don’t worry, I can see it all.’
‘The path through the maze is the character for Tiger,’ Michael said as he made the doors materialise and open. ‘Pretty stupid and obvious, really.’
‘Oh, it is too!’ Simone said with wonder. She turned to Michael. ‘You’re right!’
‘About it being stupid and obvious?’ he said as we went down the first path in the maze.
‘Well, it is your dad we’re talking about.’
As we wound through the corridors, the air became warmer. I tasted it. ‘The air tastes of ash and burning,’ I said. ‘Not a good sign.’
Simone raised both arms to the side as we reached the end of the maze and a group of ten water elementals, each of them a sphere of water about the size of a basketball, materialised around her. ‘These will help.’
Michael opened the final door for us and the two guards stood with their weapons ready on the other side.
‘Don’t bother with the code words, ma’am,’ one of them said to Simone. ‘Just please go and help. My mother is outside.’
Michael opened the doors and we entered the lobby of the demon hotel. The hotel staff wore standard uniforms, but all of them carried swords and had the demons gathered in groups in the lobby, sitting on the floor with their hands behind their heads. I saw my demons and slithered to them.
‘Yi Hao, Er Hao,’ I said.
They jumped up and ran to me, and the guard raised her sword to attack them.
‘Stand down,’ Simone said. ‘This is Lady Emma, and they are her demons.’
The guard subsided. Yi Hao and Er Hao fell to their knees in front of me.
‘They won’t tell us what is happening, ma’am,’ Er Hao said. ‘Are they going to destroy us? We’ve done nothing.’
‘You are in danger,’ I said. ‘There are fake fire elementals on the other side.’ I tasted the air: stronger ash and burning, a raw taste that seared my throat.
‘They should let us go then,’ one of the other demons called.
‘No,’ Jeremy said loudly. ‘We’re demons, and we can’t be trusted.’ He rose and took a few steps towards me. ‘Princess Simone is here. Lady Emma is here. They can take down anything that attacks.’ He turned back to the demons. ‘We’ll be fine, we just have to stay put and wait.’
I glanced back at Simone and we shared a look.
We can’t let them go, she said. They’re controlled by the Geek or the Death Mother.
I know.
‘Stay here,’ I said. I touched my nose to Yi Hao and Er Hao and they nodded, tears flowing down their faces. ‘We’ll fix this.’
‘We trust
you, ma’am,’ Yi Hao said. She raised one hand and touched my nose. ‘Who’s looking after you? Your diary must be a mess, and you had some urgent business in your in-tray—’
‘Don’t worry about that,’ I said. I raised myself on my coils to talk to all of them. ‘Go to the far end of the building and stay there. If the fire elementals come in and get past us, try fire extinguishers on them, and run.’
Yi Hao nodded. ‘We trust you.’ She touched Er Hao on the arm and they rejoined their group.
‘Come on,’ the guards said, and guided the demons to the other end of the building. This version of the hotel had no indoor swimming pool, just a large hall under the building, and they all sat on the ground there.
‘I would really, really like to see a turtle here right now,’ Simone said.
‘So would I,’ I said. ‘But we have to assume that it isn’t going to happen.’
CHAPTER 30
We took the lift up to where the restaurant and conference rooms were located. The smoke was visible in the air.
‘This is very bad,’ I said, looking around.
Simone pointed to the airlock entrance. ‘Do we go through there?’
‘Yes,’ I said. ‘And it’s supposed to be a vacuum seal.’
‘But there’s smoke here,’ Michael said.
‘That means the seal is down,’ Simone said.
‘There’s nothing but a couple of doors between this area and all those demons,’ I said.
‘What did your dad have in there?’ Simone asked Michael.
‘All the nastiest things he caught. At least three or four real big Snake Mothers. A couple of oozes, a buttload of really big humanoids. He even caught two or three dinosaur shape changers—raptor types—and they’re in there too.’
‘All of that and a group of fire elementals,’ Simone said, facing the door with her water elementals floating around her. She took a deep breath. ‘A turtle right now would be really, really good.’
Something hit the door, denting it, and we all took a step back. The smell of burning intensified.
‘Emma, move back,’ Simone said without looking away from the door. ‘In fact, I think it might be best if you went all the way back to the hotel.’
‘You can’t fight these, they’re too big even for your snake,’ Michael said.