by K. T. Tomb
“Agreed,” the three advisers responded in turn.
“Very well,” Han Ba sighed. “You’re dismissed.”
As the advisers left her chamber, she considered them for a moment. For advisers, they certainly did a very poor job of advising her. She had come up with her own answers with little help from them. She supposed that it was her experience of more than 1,400 years of observing the movements of those around her that had given her an enormous advantage over them.
She had committed a grave error when she’d believed that Li Zicheng had been ready to sit on the throne of China as the first Dashing King. Her gravest of errors had been in underestimating the Manchus and it was an error she did not intend to commit again. This woman, who had, by all accounts so far, brought Xi Chen to the palace at Shanghai by herself had Han Ba’s MI radar pinging off the charts. It was possible that she was just a mortal who had made use of some psychotic drug to weaken Xi Chen and made it possible for her to control him. If she had controlled him without the help of such a drug, then it was quite certain that she had some sort of immortal strength. Was she also MI?
MI or mortal, the fact that Xi Chen had seen fit to keep this particular woman near him presented another side of the puzzle. Was she some sort of envoy with one of the concessions? Was she a spy for one of the concessions, or more deviously speaking, a spy for the Imperial government and looking into all of them and their operations? Whichever was the case, making a move without knowing who she was and her purpose was apt to produce some very negative consequences.
Han Ba examined the puzzle from another direction. What advantage would the British, French or Americans have in an alliance with the Small Sword Society? Was one or all of the foreign governments seeing a way to play both sides against the middle as they awaited the outcome of the rebellion?
Perhaps they could protect their interests in the opium trade by supporting both the status quo, as well as aligning themselves with the rebellion. If they did that then it did not matter which side won, their interests would still be protected. Because Liu Lichan had been such a prized customer, maybe their familiarity with him was the reason for approaching the Heavenly Kingdom through him. There were certainly a vast number of tangled lines and knots to be considered.
As she measured the enigma before her, Xi Chen’s strange captor popped back into her mind along with another idea. The moment her mind clamped down upon it, Han Ba smiled.
If she’s MI, then perhaps she could be convinced to join with me.
Chapter Nine
“I assume that you have successfully infiltrated the SSS?” Andrik asked as he met with Nora at the agreed upon time and place along the coastline to the south of Shanghai.
“Did you doubt that I would be?” she countered.
“Not at all,” he replied. “The question seemed like the right one to ask in order to start our conversation.”
The tension between them had not dispersed immediately. She wondered how much of it had to do with their argument and how much had to do with the fact that they had been so happy to see each other after returning from their mission in Crimea that they had crossed a line that they had drawn between themselves. She hated the tension between them but was unsure how to resolve whatever it was that was causing it. Stay focused on the mission, she reminded herself.
“Our plan worked,” she announced. “As far as I know, no one has any idea that I am anything but someone who overheard Xi Chen reporting his activities to his superiors and decided to turn him into the SSS leader.”
“That is good news,” Andrik responded. “I’ve been keeping an ear open for any suspicions concerning who you are and your purpose. At this time, it appears that no one is wise to our plan. Have you learned anything useful?”
“I think that I have,” Nora replied. She considered giving him a little stir of jealousy by telling him that not only did Liu Lichuan talk in his sleep, but that he was quite chatty during pillow-talk, but decided there was no point in stoking that fire. “It seems there are different factions even among the SSS.”
“It is not one cohesive unit, then?”
“From what I’ve gathered, it is not.”
“Lichuan’s greatest challenge, at the moment, seems to be keeping the Fujian and Guangdong factions of the Small Swords Society unified and not fighting with each other or disrupting their agenda and the agenda of the Heavenly Kingdom,” she responded. “Though he is certainly a true believer in the objectives of the Heavenly Kingdom, he is still quite fearful that he will be removed in a similar manner as Yang was. He is concerned that one of the two factions, in order to gain some measure of control, might circulate rumors similar to those which took down Yang.”
“Then perhaps we need to keep a closer eye on movements in Shanghai rather than those associated with Tianjing, especially movement between the two. Are there any other areas of concern?”
“In my opinion, this entire mess is nothing more than a mass of tangled-up factions who are waiting for the moment when they might move in and seize upon the momentum of the rebellion, not unlike how the Manchus took advantage of the weakening of the Ming rulers. So, pretty much anything from anywhere might pop up in the mix.”
Andrik remained quiet as he sorted through what she’d said before making something of a summary of the information. “Basically, the rebellion isn’t as solid on the inside as it appears to be on the outside. Is that what you’re saying?”
“Actually, I think the rebellion itself is quite strong and well supported, but it appears as though there are elements of instability underneath as various factions are vying for position within it.”
“Doesn’t sound like there is a lot of brotherly love in the Heavenly Kingdom,” he mused. Nora noticed that a corner of his mouth turned up in a partial smile in appreciation of his own cleverness.
She decided to top his cleverness with a response of her own. “You are correct; Hong isn’t nearly as effective at uniting his disciples as his brother was.”
She received a full smile from him for her effort.
There was a moment of silence between them as each considered the task before them.
“We certainly have a good start on gathering the information we were sent to gather,” Andrik ventured. “But—”
“There isn’t a great deal of detailed information to deliver to Her Majesty just yet,” Nora interjected. “It’s mostly conjecture and concerns with no real evidence to back them up. I need to stay inside the SSS.”
“I wasn’t going to suggest otherwise,” Andrik responded. “What I was going to suggest is that you attempt to measure the strength of the two factions with which Lichuan is most concerned.”
“I agree.”
“I’ll focus most of my efforts on seeing if there are any betrayals from other factions out in the open. As well as—”
“As well as protecting my backside, I hope,” Nora grinned as she interrupted him again.
“Of course I’ll protect your backside. It’s something of a necessity, given your role in our mission.”
There were plenty of double entendres with his statement, but Nora didn’t feel the need to pursue them. Though she was initially disappointed that she was being used as a seductress in the service of Her Majesty, she had realized that it was a great skill which she possessed and she enjoyed the power she felt when she used it. In her former life, she had felt powerless, hopeless and used, but as an MI for the realm, the tables had been turned and she was the one who had control over whatever transpired.
“Just be careful, Nora,” Andrik said in a soft tone. There was a grave look on his face which communicated a lot more than mere concern for her safety, but he did not voice it. “There are so many twists, turns and tangles in this mess that one might be bitten by someone from a direction they did not expect.”
“‘Tis true,” she laughed. “But do remember that I bite back.”
“Good luck, then,” he smiled. “I’ll see you back here in three d
ays.”
***
“It is the British concession to which the spy, Nora Kelly, belongs,” Han Ba’s advisers informed her.
“You are certain this time? No assumptions?” she asked.
“No assumptions,” one of the three responded. “The accent was unmistakably British and there were references to Her Majesty as well.”
“What seems to be the purpose of her infiltration into the Small Swords Society?”
“By their conversation, it appears that they are attempting to gauge the strength of the Small Sword Society in specific and the Heavenly Kingdom in general.”
Gauging strength? What do they plan to do with such information?
“Can her contact be compromised?” Han Ba asked.
“We do not know. All attention was focused on Nora afterward. That focus revealed your exact suspicions about her. She is not a mere mortal. She transformed into an owl not long after her meeting with her contact and then flew back to the palace.”
I knew it!
“If Nora Kelly is MI, then you will be able to conjure up anything and everything about her past, but you will have to utilize particularly devious means and consult someone of greater power to do so.”
“We will consult the book,” her advisers replied.
Chapter Ten
“Why do you want to know these things so badly?” Liu asked. He’d been doing his very best to get his hands on her all evening. She’d accepted the role of seducing and even giving in to his desires in order to gain his trust, but she’d begun to feel like her control over the faux relationship between them had slipped away from her a bit. Making him wait wouldn’t hurt him anyway.
“You seem to have forgotten that your main purpose for me was to provide personal protection for you,” she teased, drawing a long, slender fingernail slowly down his nose before touching his lips and then turning away from him. “If I’m not well acquainted with your potential enemies, then I won’t be able to do my job.”
“I’m not worried about being protected,” he responded. “What I’m interested in is running my fingers through your coppery red hair… and I’m including the tresses on your head in that statement.”
“Have I ever held that privilege back from you?” she asked with a broad smile on her lips.
“You seem to be holding it back at the moment,” he murmured.
“Yes, but only for a moment,” she responded. “If you tell me what I need to know quickly, then you’ll be enjoying my coppery red hair much sooner… and I’m also including the tresses on my head in that statement.”
“You are a demon or the devil himself, Nora.”
“Herself,” she corrected with a seductive wink. “Though I don’t believe the devil has the same assets that I do.”
“Fine,” he sighed, rubbing his eyes as he considered how best to answer her question. “Fujian is not who, but what. It is a province to the south of here beyond the province of Zhejiang. Many of the members of the Small Sword Society joined with us as we passed through Fujian in our march on behalf of the Heavenly Kingdom. The members of the Society who have been with us from the beginning are very loyal and they have given rise to some jealousy among the original members who, like me, are Cantonese. We are Cantonese because we are from the capital city of the Guangdong province, which is called Canton.
“The Society has been in existence for a very long time. Deep within our roots are the five immortals of Canton. It is from these five immortals which we draw the energy with which we fight, and with which we make love,” he cooed, making a sudden move toward her.
Nora dodged him expertly, noticing that he’d been slowly creeping into position in order to make his attempt.
“So, you’re telling me,” she replied, staying just out of his reach as he pursued her around the chamber, though he was having little luck, “that the two factions which worry you most are motivated by jealousy rather than hoping to gain a better position within the Society or the Heavenly Kingdom?”
“Isn’t it jealousy which motivates anyone to take something from another?” he asked. “For instance, I am jealous that my fingers aren’t—”
“That is hardly jealousy,” she giggled, interrupting him and pushing him aside once more. She’d played a similar game of cat and mouse with Vlad the Impaler when she was on the case in Crimea, but the results would be far different than they had been in Crimea. Vlad the Impaler, had become Vlad the Impaled when she had so severely frustrated him that he rushed at her to take her by force. She had slipped away from him and deposited the sharp tip of a wooden stake deep into his chest. She left off giggling, replaced it with a more serious tone as she frowned at him. “Be serious. I’m trying to learn how to better protect you.”
“Fine,” he sighed. “I will be serious.”
“Only for a moment and then…” she smiled without finishing the sentence. They both knew what he wanted.
“Rumors have come to me that the number of members of the Society who joined us from Fujian is vastly superior to the numbers of those of the original Guangdong members. The Fujian seem to pose a threat to those who are more traditional in their approach to the Society and so, two different factions have developed. At this point, it has not caused any problems with violence or any threats to taking control of the Society.”
“So, why does the fact that two factions have developed concern you?”
“Because it was jealousy among factions within those who were loyal to Yang which ultimately led to the deaths of the members of his family and Yang himself.”
“Wasn’t that organized by Hong?”
“Perhaps or perhaps not,” he responded, frowning as he paused to consider how to explain things to her. “Many of the things that are said to have originated from Hong have not always originated from him. I don’t believe that this originated from him. I know Hong well, it was through him that I was converted to the Heavenly Kingdom; both of them.”
“You’re telling me that you don’t believe that Hong manipulated or took advantage of the factions inside Yang’s followers in order to remove him from his position in the Heavenly Kingdom.”
“That is what I’m telling you.”
“So, someone else organized, manipulated and set both the rumors and the executions into motion.”
“Yes.”
“Do we know who? Are there some suspicions?”
“Evil forces and demons,” he replied. He waited for her reaction before he continued. “Within China are ancient, immortal deities who have controlled and manipulated China for millennia. Some of those deities are benevolent and others seek the destruction of all of the mortals in China.”
“What sort of immortals are you talking about?” Nora asked. She wasn’t shocked to hear that immortals of some sort were behind the manipulation of the mortals who ruled China. Her experience on the last case had made it very clear that immortals often did that sort of thing. She had been suspicious that such was the rule, rather than the exception when it came to events and the establishment of policies. I work for such an immortal agency myself, she reminded herself.
“The immortal dead,” he responded in a whisper.
“You mean, like vampires?” she asked.
“Yes, but here, we call them jaingshi.”
“There are vampires in Shanghai?”
“Perhaps a few, in Shanghai, but I have been led to believe that they are much more numerous in the province of Zhejiang, and also Fujian.”
Nora was beginning to draw the connection. Liu’s concern with the rising up of the Fujian faction was because he feared that MIs could very easily begin to infiltrate and influence members of the Fujian faction. “Is there a particular leader of these immortal dead that you know about?”
“Firsthand knowledge? No. There is some speculation about the leader of the Zhejiang members of the Heavenly Kingdom.”
“What is his name?” Nora asked. “Perhaps someone should check into him further and relieve your fears o
r help us to be better prepared.”
“The leader is a woman, not a man,” he replied. “Her name is Han Ba.”
Chapter Eleven
It had taken every ounce of Nora’s discipline and repeatedly telling herself to focus on the mission in order to prevent her from running and telling Andrik about the information she had gathered about the possibility that MIs were manipulating the Heavenly Kingdom rebellion for their own purposes. Knowing that stepping outside the rules of operation was a serious breach of conduct which had the potential of compromising the entire case.
The Duke had confirmed the existence of MIs in China and had even proposed the possibility that Nora’s nightmare prophesied that she would have some sort of dealings with them. Was her nightmare truly prophetic? It was a bit difficult for her to believe that it was. Perhaps it was no more difficult of a thing to accept than the actual existence of vampires, an agency of MIs in service to Queen Victoria, or even the fact that both of those things had become a very personal reality for her. I suppose I should believe the prophecy as well, she told herself as she landed in the dark, deserted alley near the place where she would be meeting Andrik and transformed from an owl into her natural MI form.
She had been on the ground and in her new form less than a few seconds before she heard the sound of something stirring behind her. She turned, working to focus her vampire eyes in the dark and instantly recognized the mass of scurrying forms advancing toward her.
“Rats!” she squealed.
In spite of the fact that the small rodents were certainly no match for her, she fled down the alley away from them. She had not gone far when she noted the advancement of a different sort of forms coming toward her she instantly recognized them by the way that they hopped forward with their arms outstretched and their claws extended. She was living out her nightmare. She turned back toward the advancing rats in order to flee the advancing jaingshi, not sure which she would rather deal with. The thought suddenly struck her that she wasn’t bound as she had been in her nightmare, she was not impotent against the advancing jaingshi. The Duke had made it very clear that a horde of the hopping jaingshi were no match for a well-trained vampire of her type. Choosing to deal with them rather than the rats, she turned to face their advance.