by Raven Bond
“You are safe now, Abigail,” the woman was saying, while still staring at Saira with narrowed eyes. “These two will be dead before they can draw breath.” Abigail, bless her stupid, mud feet heart, moved between Saira and the woman, blocking Saira's line of attack.
“What?” Abigail exclaimed. “No, you mustn't! These are my companions!” Abigail drew herself up straight, putting on what Saira thought of as her best British hauteur. “Who are you? How dare you threaten us? What have you done with my father?” The woman's face remained both impassive and unimpressed by her questions.
“I have done nothing with him,” she replied. “Have you not talked with your father? How then did you come by the card?”
“He left it for me,” Abigail snapped. “I ask you again, what do you know of my father? Are you this 'Madame Chang' everyone keeps talking about? What is your relationship with him?”
Saira had to admire Abigail's courage. She wasn't sure that interrogating a crime boss who claimed to have guns targeted to kill you was the wisest thing to do, but the woman's slight pause before speaking said clearly that Abigail’s response had thrown the other woman off her stride.
“I am called Madame Chang, yes.” The woman said. “I am your father's friend. I have not heard from him since he said that he had sent for you. I was becoming concerned. When Torkul,” she gestured at the giant, “informed me that you had entered with these two, I assumed that he and you were in trouble, as we had feared might happen.” Chang pointed at Will and Saira. “Who are they then?” she asked suspiciously. Captain Will cleared his throat, without moving.
“Mind if I speak for myself here?” Hunting Owl asked. “Also, if we could know that we won't get shot, or whatever, for sneezing that would be a kindness.” Chang impatiently made an elaborate hand signal at this, then waited.
“Yes,” she said finally, “you may move, but do so carefully.” He did so, cautiously pulling off his mask. He nodded at Saira to do the same. Breathing out, he moved his neck as if working out a kink.
“Much obliged,” Will nodded. “I am Captain William Hunting Owl of the airship Wind Dancer. This is my Arms master, Saira Brighton. As Abigail said, we are her friends. We promised to help her find her father.” He spread his hands wide, grinning at Chang.
“Oh, and so as there's no misunderstandings,” he continued in a mild voice. “If I don't get word to my ship by a certain time, they will cast off, fly over this mighty nice establishment, and burn it to the ground.” He crossed his arms and looked at Chang with the pleasant expression of someone who had just announced he'd arranged for flowers to be delivered. Abigail gasped, shooting a startled look at the Captain. Saira kept her face impassive. She knew that Will had left no such order. This was something she had seen him do before. The enemy now had to consider that they faced not just a couple of air devils, but also an armed airship full of them. This 'Madame Chang' could not afford to think that Will might be bluffing. Chang stared at Cap'n Will for a long moment, and then she smiled back at him.
“You have a good friend here, Abigail,” she said to the Scholar. Chang looked at Saira, and Saira felt the pressure against her spirit. She decided she'd had enough, and pushed back at her. It was as if her spirit touched a solid wall, a featureless blank wall. Saira did not recognize the 'feel' of the magic she faced, but it was certain that the older woman was no simple crime lord. The woman's mouth tightened into a straight line at Saira's response.
“Do you know what you have here Captain?” Chang asked, pointing her finger at Saira.
“A member of my crew,” Cap'n Will answered coolly with his arms still crossed. He knew enough of the Ghost Way that he could tell that the two women had been doing something spook-Like. He didn't need Saira to tell him that the woman he faced was more than she seemed, so he spoke with care. “What I don't know is much about you. You claim to be a friend of Lord Hadley's, but his daughter has never heard of you. I hope you'll understand that we need more than just your word for that.” Chang didn't answer Will, but looked at Abigail instead.
“Your father always said that Prometheus was for Violet,” Chang said to her softly.
Abigail gasped, placing a hand over her mouth. She started shaking her head in negation while staring at the woman.
“Abigail what is it?” Saira asked, extending her senses to read her friend, and readying to call on the Goddess. That this Chang was an Adept of some sort whose defenses Saira could not penetrate, that she could understand. She had met such before. What Saira could do instead was sense if Chang was attacking Abigail's spirit. Saira relaxed slightly, sensing Abigail's dismay and surprise, but no taint of another spirit about her aura.
“He did tell you!” Abigail cried at Chang in dismay. “Why?”
“I was helping your father with his mission,” Chang replied gently. “I was intrigued by the possibility that he was correct, and lent my resources to aid him in his search.” She spread her hands. “When he told me that he had actually found it, I believe he began to realize some of the dangers of such a discovery. I offered to aid him in his excavation, but he became distant and refused to even tell me its location. I urged him to be careful, but if you have not seen him since arriving, I fear he may have come to the attention of those who will stop at nothing.”
Will gave Saira a sideways look that asked if Chang was telling the truth. Saira had to signal that she did not know. He raised an eyebrow at her in surprise. Saira had no idea who, or even what, Chang was. It was like trying to read through a mist that kept obscuring what was behind it. Chang felt to Saira as human, rather than God or Demon possessed, but she couldn't be sure. The only thing that Saira did know was that Chang was powerful, and likely very dangerous.
“So Abigail,” Will asked her. “Who is 'Violet'?
“Prometheus,” Abigail repeated dully. She swallowed hard, regaining her composure. She was still staring at Chang. “Violet was my mother's name. Only Lord Hadley and I would know either of those words.” The sense of betrayal was unexpectedly hard for Abigail. They were interrupted by a man entering the room through the same door they had come.
Chang spoke to the man sharply in a language that Saira had never heard before. The man bowed rapidly, speaking the same tongue. Chang frowned.
“It seems that a known member of one of the rival Houses has been caught hovering near this building,” she announced. “None of you would know anything of this, I presume.” Capitan Will shrugged at the question.
“Don't your rivals watch you?” He asked in response. “I'm sure you watch them. Sounds like your usual dealings.” Will tried to catch Abigail's eye to remain silent. Chang was watching their reactions closely.
“Perhaps,” Chang said slowly. “This is a very high ranking member of the An family, however, which is not 'usual dealings' as you say. I am having him brought here.” She gave them all a small bow. “You must forgive me. While our business is critical, I must attend to this at once.”
The door opened again, and Saira saw Guang being escorted by two evening suited bully boys with revolvers. A third one brought up the rear, carrying his sword case. He looked more like a king than a captured spy, walking straight and proud. He walked right up to Chang, stopping a mere foot away. He paused to straighten his suit coat before speaking.
“What is the meaning of this?” He asked mildly. “You surely know who I am. Therefore, you must appreciate the consequences of your actions. You risk the displeasure of the House of An.” The third man brought the case before Chang, kneeling before her. “That is not for you,” Guang snapped at her. Chang sighed at his words.
“I grow very weary of people telling me what I may or may not do in my own home,” she observed. She gestured at him, and the kneeling man opened the case. She gazed into it for a moment, and then looked Guang.
“A very fine sword,” she said. “I am not certain what brings a member of the An family to be sulking outside my establishment on this of all evenings.” She looked at his calc
ulatingly, “However, I fear that your presence may disturb my guests. I will deal with the House of An as I must.” She gestured at the guards, “Take him outside and kill him,” she ordered casually.
“Wait!” Abigail cried. “You can't do that!”
“Indeed,” Chang purred at her. “Is this another one of your friends, Abigail?”
Saira's heart sank as Abigail admitted he was. Now Chang had four of them for hostages. Will tugged his ear giving Saira their signal to prepare to fight. She signaled back that she would take Chang. He brushed his chin, the signal that he agreed. Oblivious to this by-play, Guang turned and bowed deeply to Abigail.
“Forgive me Lady Hadley,” he said to the Scholar. “I had hoped to reach you before you entered this place.”
“It's alright Guang,” Abigail reassured him. “It appears that we needed to come here anyway. It seems that Madame Chang knew my father.”
“Ah, that is interesting,” Guang nodded. “Then perhaps it is also of interest that I have found him. He is alive, but may not remain so if we do not act quickly.”
Chapter 8
The Streets of Hong Kong
Will looked around the crowded cabin of the steam car, and caught Saira's eye. Saira nodded back. It was time for a little verbal confrontation, Will figured. By habit of long practice, they had each taken a door-side seat diagonally across from each other. That way the two controlled both exits and could attack the other occupants without getting in each other's way should it come to that. Guang was up front with Sebastian, guiding them to where they needed to go next.
Sitting next to him was Abigail. Abigail hadn't said much since the last attack. He could feel her tension though from where their arms touched. He had to admire how she was holding up. It had been a long day for her. Hell, it had been a long day for everyone.
Next to Abigail sat Madame Chang. Saira sat facing across from her. He wasn't sure where the antipathy Saira showed towards Chang came from, but he was willing to trust her on it. Next to Saira, and across from himself was their latest unwanted passenger, the Englishman who called himself Preemus.
After a whole lot of dickering at Changs, Will's group, including Guang, were allowed to proceed with rescuing Abigail's father. The kick as far as Capitan Will was concerned, had been that Madame Chang had insisted that she go along, bringing along her pet giant from front door, Torkul.
Will had not figured out Chang's angle yet. She hinted that she had some affection for Lord Hadley, a strategy that Will gave her credit for. It was not laid on too heavily if it was a con. Even the little she had said had not set well with Abigail though. Either Chang was being honest, which Will rather doubted, or she had an itch for that limitless power Abigail was searching for. The latter, Will could well believe.
They had left the club by a hidden door that let them out on an alley that ran the length of the building. At the end of it, they should be right by where Sebastian had the steam car waiting, an easy out. Except that it had not turned out that way.
No sooner were they all in the dark alley than gunfire had erupted at them from both ends of it. Will had shoved Abigail down amongst the refuse heaped along the right side of the alley, while he drew his revolver and tried to make himself a smaller target by scrunching against the wall. Bullets splattered off the brick by his head. The muzzle flashes lit up the darkness before and behind him. He didn't dare try to pop up for a shot.
The big man Torkul had been caught by the first volley. The crack-crack-crack of the crossfire had jerked him around like a puppet whose strings had gotten tangled, before crashing him to the ground. Whoever was firing wasn't fooling around. Will figured from the sound of the fire that they were using automatic carbines, expensive military stuff. The bullets were ricocheting everywhere. They intended for them all to be dead.
There were screams, and the muzzle flashes behind them stopped. The fire from the front of the alley slackened as the attackers trying to figure what had happened to their friends. Will popped up shooting. Saira had dropped her cloak and was trying now to snake crawl towards that side of the alley, her knives in her hands.
A voice shouted in English called out, “Get down!”
Will sensed rather than saw the round objects that sailed overhead from behind. He threw himself over Abigail, pressing her to the ground. The front end of the alley lit up with explosions, shrapnel singing around them like bees.
When the ringing in his ears had started to fade, Will stuck his head up again. The shooting had stopped. He spun towards the dark rear of the alley, gun ready.
“I am a friend,” the same voice called out. Will shook his head to clear it from the explosions and the ringing in his ears.
“Then step forward with your hands empty,” Will yelled back. Out of the darkness Will saw a dapper-looking Englishman walk slowly towards them hands held up. He was smiling. “That did it for them, didn't it?” the man said cheerily. Behind Will he heard Abigail choke out, “Preemus!”
~ ~ ~
Preemus returned Will's regard calmly as they sat in the car, the light flickering across his face from the passing lights. Will still held his revolver, which he shifted on his lap as he spoke.
“I think that it's time we had a talk Mr. Preemus,” Hunting Owl said The gun wasn't exactly pointed at Preemus, but it wasn't pointed away either.
“By all means, Captain,” the man replied in his cultured voice. “What would you like to talk about?”
“How 'bout we start with why you blackmailed your way into this car,” Will said.
“I did no such thing,” Preemus replied. “I merely pointed out how difficult your endeavors might become with every constable in the city looking to stop you, which I would be bound to report. As to why,” he said, “as I mentioned to Lady Abigail before, I am looking for a friend. When we find Lord Hadley, I am certain that my friend will not be far behind.”
“Would that be the friend that you lost about a week ago?” Will guessed aloud.
Preemus' jaw tightened slightly, but he remained silent. The Captain nodded.
“See Preemus, here's my problem,” Will explained. “You showed up about a week ago, as the Governor-General's private secretary. But I've never heard of a secretary who could kill gun men in a dark alley, and who also carried grenades in his evening suit. I don't trust the secretary story, so I don't trust you. If I don't trust you, I don't see why I shouldn't just kill you now. So who are you really, and what do you want?”
“I told you Captain, my name is Alfred Preemus,” he began.
“That is not his name,” Chang broke in. “He is lying.”
“Thank you, Madam,” Will said. “See?” he said pointedly to Preemus, “even the crooked crime boss doesn't believe that story. Now,” he said in a suddenly hard voice, barrels centering on Preemus, “One last time. Who are you, and what do you want?”
The silence stretched out as Preemus looked at him. Abigail stirred beside Will, but said nothing. The man smiled, raising a hand in a gesture that fencers used to acknowledge a hit.
“You seem to have me at a disadvantage, Captain,” the man said. “It appears that even the Lady Abigail trusts your judgment about shooting a Crown Servant in cold blood.” He sighed at her. “Very well, but I must warn you that what I can tell you may place you all in more danger.”
“I think we can deal with that,” Will replied dryly. The car bounced harder as it turned onto unpaved roads.
Preemus nodded, “Very well,” he said, “my real name is Bardon, Richard Bardon, KCVO, OBE, and a number of other letters.” Will's eyebrows shot up at this. Abigail gave a small gasp. Bardon smiled thinly. “I see that you have heard of me.”
The whole world had heard of Sir Richard Bardon. As Queen Victoria's secret agent, it had been Bardon who, during the darkest days of the Invader War, had gathered the different savants from around the world. They agreed to work in secret at the hidden fortress beneath Gibraltar. Those geniuses, led by Nikola Tesla, were responsi
ble for the discoveries that had saved mankind from the aliens. The same discoveries had created much of the modern world.
Will had read one of Bardon books about how he traveled in secret during that time. Will had even copied a trick or two from that book. The man was famous, although Will had never seen a picture or a kinescope of Bardon. The man in front of him could be who he said he was, for all Will knew.
“That is a rather extraordinary claim,” Abigail said archly from beside Will. “I assume that you can provide proof to substantiate it.”
Wordlessly Bardon turned up the lapel of his coat, revealing a small badge in the shape of an eye. He touched finger to it, and the center glowed a deep purple. Abigail nodded in satisfaction.
“He is a Queen’s Eye,” she affirmed to the coach at large. “The same process is used for my crest. It is one of the most closely guarded secrets of the Royal Order of Scholars. It cannot be counterfeited.” The Queens Eyes were the most elite secret agents of Her Majesty Victoria. Supposedly small in number, their loyalty to the Crown was beyond reproach. They answered only to the Monarch Herself, and their authority was vast, Abigail knew. It was rumored that even Admirals and Viceroys grew pale at the sight of that glowing purple eye. Will sighed wearily, but didn't lower his gun.
“Yeah, this day just keeps getting better,” the Captain said almost to himself. “You on a job for your Queen?” he asked shortly.
“If I was,” Bardon said with his sad smile, “I could not tell you. As it happens, I really am searching for a friend. Lord Hadley appealed for my friends help. When we arrived in Hong Kong, Hadley failed to keep our rendezvous. Five days ago, my friend failed to return to our lodging. I fear the fool went looking for him on his own, and ran afoul of whoever Hadley did. Ergo, we find Hadley my friend should be nearby.” He shrugged. “I admit it is a thin hope, but it is all I have.”