by Nova McBee
Chan crumbles underneath her kind eyes. He bows his head in submission to her, and steps forward.
“Do I want to know?” he whispers.
“Red would say yes.” Her voice is barely audible but steady and calm, like a faithful stream trickling down a dry mountain.
Thirteen questions string through my mind regarding Red and Chan’s relationship. About their past. But I don’t ask. There’s no time. We take the Pratt tomorrow night. While I don’t understand what’s passing between them, I do understand I’m not the one to explain the factory’s operations.
“Dr. Ling will show you around. I have other things I must attend to.” Facing Dr. Ling, I say, “Leave the girls upstairs. Just show him the facility and explain our vision.”
“Girls? What girls?” Chan says, suspicion growing. “What kind of an operation are you running here?”
“Trust me, like you once trusted my family,” Dr. Ling says, “I will tell you everything.”
I slip out the back door unnoticed, weighing the risk I just took. Depending on what Dr. Ling tells him, Chan can make or break tomorrow night.
Tonight, King will face justice.
So far Chan hasn’t interfered. In fact, he made an unprecedented move. He took the day off—canceled all of his meetings. He left early, without telling Kai where he was going or when he would be back.
On one hand, it worries me; on the other hand, it’s a blessing. He’s been out of our hair all day, and I hope for the rest of the night.
As I stand just behind the tree line surrounding the Pratt, familiar numbers define the old abandoned buildings and old TEU containers. My body vibrates with adrenaline. The Pratt is dark and appears abandoned, but I know better. Down below it is alive as ever.
I turn to Rafael. “You’re sure only the underground guards are on duty?” I ask. Rafael did far more than I required, too much maybe, because my calculations pulse negative equations.
“Yes. I reassigned the guards to the warehouse. I dismantled cameras. The buildings are unlocked. We should have no problem subduing the remaining guards downstairs in 7. We take what is ours and go.”
It’s too easy, I think. A rat wouldn’t take cheese from a dismantled trap without suspicion. Still I need to trust Rafael. Not only is he trusted at the Pratt, our plan will not work without him.
“The perimeter is clear,” Agent Bai confirms, then assigns his men, each to a building.
“All right, let’s go.”
The small cellar door beside the lighthouse is already unlocked. Only Red knew about its entrance into the Pratt. I’m sure this is where King stashes his goods. I’m counting on it.
We have three hours to execute my plan and we can’t afford any major delays. Step one is loot the lighthouse. Step two secure the shipments at the port. Finally, empty the Pratt.
Yu Tai stands above ground waiting for the signal to move in and load up the loot.
Kai and I open the hatch and jump in the cellar. We step over old boxes and stacks of useless boat equipment until we come to another hatch. Inside, stairs wind down, directly below the lighthouse.
The familiar scent of mildew, latrine, and incense sting my nose. These catacombs are less frequented. Centipedes and spiders crawl for cover as we shine our flashlights.
Ten meters later, we reach a door. Behind it, there’s another door with a lock. “Found it.”
The lock on the door takes me less than two minutes to crack. I expect a storage room filled with cash alone, but as we shine our lights, I discover I was wrong. It’s a pirate’s treasure chest, a true dragon lair if I ever saw one. The room, which is actually a small tunnel, is lined with shelves that are stacked as high as the ceiling with currencies from all over the world, mainly America, Europe and China. Gems and jewelry and gold rings, surely stripped from former patrons, are secured in metal boxes. King’s retirement fund is much more than I imagined, and much of this is because of me.
“Move in,” Kai calls over to Yu Tai. But there’s no answer.
“Agent Bai?” I say.
Kai’s eyes dart up. “It’s disconnected. Something’s wrong.” Kai pulls me towards the way we came.
“No,” I say. “Follow me.”
We fly through another tunnel heading toward the part of the Pratt I’m familiar with. I close my eyes, seeing the map in my head.
“Go left.” We come to building 3 and sneak up another exit where I catch a view of what’s happening outside. The Pratt is surrounded with a whole troop of King’s guards, fully armed. It’s dark, but I count at least 48 men. Agent Bai and his team, 25 men, not including Yu Tai and Kai, are at a near face off with them. There are never this many men on duty. They should be at the warehouse unless…they knew we were coming.
A motion near the driveway grabs my attention. It’s Yu Tai! He slides past all the others unnoticed, jumps in his van and speeds away! He’s leaving us?
Golden Alley flashes in my mind. Not another failure! My brain filters through possibilities. Mathematically, we can win this. We are more trained and organized, but not without a lot of bloodshed and risk of King finding out. What if he knows already? The delay alone might cost us the port and we can’t risk anyone getting hurt, especially Rafael. We need him to finish our plan.
I panic. Where’s Rafael? He’s nowhere to be seen. Did he leave too, like Yu Tai?
Just then, a large guard throws a man down on the ground and holds him down shoving his knife against his throat.
I gasp, grabbing Kai’s arm. No! Not Rafael!
Another guard aiming his gun at Agent Bai yells over to the guard holding Rafael. “We should call King.”
“I can handle this myself. King’s got bigger things to worry about.” The old familiar, gravelly voice rings in my ears, completely changing the odds. I recalculate my chances factoring in the owner of that voice and the fact that tonight really is the biggest shipment, or else King would have stormed over here by now. Tonight, needs to succeed. But all my calculations hang on a risk, who’s more loyal to whom.
“I knew you were up to something, kid.” The guard growls, the scowl deep. “Tell me who you are working for—or daddy’s going to be sore you’ve gone missing.”
There’s no more time to wait. I need to risk this, or Rafael might die; our plan might fail. It’s now that I find out if the favor I fought so hard to earn in the Pratt was worth it.
I bolt from the door. “Let him go, Guard San,” I shout and run into the circle. “He’s working for me.”
The guard’s head snaps up to meet my gaze. He’s so startled by what he sees he drops his knife. “Double-Eight? You’re alive?”
36
Present: Phoenix
THE PRATT, SHANGHAI, CHINA
“It can’t be. You’re dead.” San looks at me like he’s seen a ghost.
“It’s me, old friend,” I say to my old jailor. “I’ll explain my resurrection later, but for now I need your help.” I peer into the crowd of guards. Many I’ve assisted in some way. They knew me—respected me—they watched me become one of them.
There’s a murmur amongst the other guards. “Double-Eight.” One by one, they lower their weapons.
“Yes. You know who I am, and I know who you are. King’s taken something from all of us—money, family, our livelihoods, our freedom. It’s time to take it back. I’m offering you a second chance…” As I speak, Guard San becomes the broken man I met in the hallway all those years ago, at a crossroads—will he risk King’s wrath for a chance at new life? Not everyone will agree to this plan—some fear change, even good change. I know this, but for Red, I must try. What he taught me so long ago, I’m urged to say now. “Brothers, this is not who you were created to be. Let’s end this tonight.”
Silence blankets the Pratt for 11 seconds as King’s men look at each other, then at me.
The hush is interrupted. Yu Tai’s van tears into the Pratt followed by a stream of other vehicles. So he didn’t abandon us. Loads of people, dressed in
common clothes, speaking Red’s dialect come streaming out. Song Valley’s townsmen who have also been wronged by King. They’ve come at last to stand up to King.
“King’s done enough damage in our town.” An older man challenges King’s men. He is obviously familiar with some of them. Most likely, they are former neighbors and relatives of the criminals. Warily, the rest of the Song Valley folk stand next to the old man.
Guard San walks over to me. “I’m in.” He is the first of many to extend his hand to me. My heart lightens. Night is coming to an end. Day is finally dawning, and many more than I will get justice tonight.
The three ships I rerouted are already in the harbor when we arrive. I should be celebrating what’s about to happen and I am, but it doesn’t make me forget the hundreds of girls that were lost.
I grab Kai’s hand and gather my courage.
“Be strong,” Kai whispers in my ear. “They’ll need you.”
Agent Bai and Yu Tai prepare the vehicles to transport all the goods and cargo once I do my part.
The first boat’s holding compartments are opened, and I step in. Wild-eyes flicker and figures recoil into corners. The room is putrid. As the light brightens, I count: 151, 152, 153 girls, dirty and terrified. One can’t stand, another is in very bad condition. They are sick, some lying in their own excrement. Some of them are just so young it hurts.
I choke up. My own kidnapping flashes in my mind. A hundred little Josephines stare at me in terror.
I shove the door as wide as it can go. Light pours into the darkness.
“My name is Phoenix,” I say, reaching down to hold one of the littlest girls to my chest. “I’m here to help you.”
Three hundred and eighteen girls are now miles away from Madame’s wicked plans. The depth of gratitude in their eyes will stay with me forever.
“You okay?” Kai asks, wrapping an arm around me.
I nod, certain I’ll cry if I speak. “We saved some, Kai.” Tears escape my control and roll down my cheeks. “They can go home.”
Kai holds me tightly. “Maybe someday you can too.”
The thought falls like a guillotine. I have nothing to go back to at home.
I check my watch. King will arrive soon. As they finish unloading, I prepare my gifts for King.
It’s half past midnight when King pulls up to the port. Rafael parks next to King in Cesare’s car. Kai moves into position to back up Rafael if necessary.
My skin tingles. I’ve waited a long time for this moment. But now that I’m here, I realize that this night isn’t really about me anymore. Others have waited far longer than I. Tonight is for Song Valley, and I will deliver.
Agent Bai has already tipped off the police for tonight’s aftermath. We’ll hand everything over to Interpol and let the law enforce the proper penalties after we’re done. Agent Bai gave King’s guards a chance to come clean: those who didn’t, we locked up for the police. Guard San gave me his total support, as did many others. I think of Red and thank him silently.
King arrives. He gets out of his car with his typical swagger and lights a cigarette. I listen in on the mics that were planted on Rafael and Guard San. “What the hell are three ships doing here?” King rants. He glances around the harbor. “Where’s the crew? Where’s Cesare?”
“I thought he was with you.” Rafael feigns ignorance and phones his father twice with no answer.
“Check the warehouse,” King says as if upon cue. Rafael drives back toward the Pratt.
King and Guard San walk onboard the first ship. When King sees the containers are unloaded and empty, he pulls out a gun. “What’s going on?” he shouts. “Secure the perimeters.”
A small box sits on the table where he usually negotiates his deals. He opens it. He takes out a piece of paper. The deed to the Pratt. Below it, there’s a stack of court orders showing hundreds of debts and legal claims against him.
“What is this?” King looks around nervously and rips up the documents. He’s confused. “Where’s my money?”
Guard San shrugs. They check the second ship. Again, the cargo is gone, and the usual customs agent and money runner are not there. Instead there’s a small briefcase. King opens it and finds two hongbao, small red envelopes that are given to children during holidays. Inside the first one, he finds 44 RMB, the unluckiest number he could ever find, representing death and despair. The second envelope has another 44 RMB. Eighty-eight in total. A gift from me.
King twitches but he doesn’t freak out. He curses all the way to the third boat. My heart skips a beat when he arrives. Within the third ship is my favorite gift. King’s not a fool and doesn’t bother searching the cargo containers. He goes straight for the envelope on the table. The envelope has no hongbao, just 88 RMB, and a note that says:
Dear King,
Thanks for the lighthouse. It’s money time.
Your ghost, 88
“Back to the Pratt! Now!” His face contorts. He’s a cornered bear, a king in battle, outnumbered with his castle besieged. He goes berserk, swearing all the way to the car.
They speed down the road toward the Pratt like it’s a matter of life and death. We follow behind them, my heart pounding.
King checks the lighthouse first, which allows us time to slip into the main operating tunnels of the Pratt and into the prison area he is sure to check. He has no idea what’s waiting for him. The lighthouse was cleared out two hours ago.
In the dim light, Kai smacks away cobwebs just as we hear a mad man burst into the main prison area of the Pratt, tipping over chairs and shelves, and roaring. “Where’s my money?”
The prisoners are not in their cells. No one is around. King searches for his guards. “Where is everyone?” Lastly, he slams open the door to the tunnel behind his office, another long and wide space, which is now emptied of goods. Even though the light is dim, he sees what’s happening.
King’s face fills with shock. He bolts for the door, but it slams before he can get there.
A light brightens as someone lights a lantern. Yu Tai walks out first, followed by the Sang brothers. “Remember me? I’m Yu Feng’s son.”
Dr. Ling comes forward next. “Red’s sister.”
One by one, Song Valley residents, although still afraid, step out stating their claims. From another tunnel emerge multiple Pratt prisoners, Rafael, Guard San, Guard Feng, and other guards whom King blackmailed.
“Do something!” King yells to Guard San and Guard Feng.
Agent Bai steps forward, flashing a badge.
No one moves. They step to the side, making way for someone in the back to come forward.
Me.
“Hello, King,” I say. “Your taxes are due.”
The smell of fear and sweat oozes from him, adding to the dank air in the vault. King’s expression changes into that of a wild dog, twitching.
Before Agent Bai can handcuff him, King maneuvers around him, slams his fist hard into Agent Bai’s temple. I’m not even sure how he managed it, but he didn’t become King of the Pratt for no reason.
King dives through the door, taking his chances through one of the Pratt tunnels. The masters race after him. Song Valley residents follow after him too, screaming all hell. King won’t escape them, nor will he get far. Every exit is blocked with more Pratt prisoners who are eagerly waiting for their chance to say goodbye to King.
If I know King, he won’t go down without a fight. But this time he won’t win, because the King of the Pratt is not on his throne anymore.
37
Present: Phoenix
THE PRATT, SHANGHAI, CHINA
After interrogating King, we get more information on operations all over the world but nothing new about Madame.
“Dead, huh?” King’s face is bloody and he’s seething, mostly at me. “The only reason I believed that stupid lie is because Guard San couldn’t hide his grief.” His smoky voice laughs but it sounds more like a cough. “You bought my guards, too. Impressive.”
“I did
n’t need to. They’re my friends. I’m only giving back what you took away. You ruined yourself, King.”
He’s not the slightest bit fazed. “Are we done now?”
“You haven’t finished. I want Madame’s secrets.”
“She’s a freak. Won’t eat on Tuesdays. Obsessed with gold. Refuses buyers from Australia. Probably a hundred more neurotic compulsions I don’t know about. You’d know more than me.”
It’s possible he’s telling the truth. Although I suspected he’d have bought more information about her.
“You’re a fool to think you can catch her, Double-Eight. She’s everywhere.”
Involuntarily, I shudder because I know what she’s capable of. She’s always one step ahead.
Kai enters. “The police are here.”
“He’s all yours,” I say to Agent Bai. I look over to King. “If you cooperate, they may go easier on you.”
King glares smugly, growling curses at me as he leaves.
I inhale one last breath of stagnant, suffocating air trapped in the Pratt before I walk upstairs and out of those unforgettable doors.
Up top, I take in a mouthful of fresh air and a sense of freedom like never before.
Kai grabs my hand. “You never have to return here again, unless you come as a tourist,” he says. Yu Tai has plans to make the newly discovered Emperor of Song Dynasty’s Legendary Catacombs a grand exhibition.
I get into the car without looking back. “Nah. I’ve already seen everything.”
I wake to the sun shining and birds singing. They must know, like I do, that the Pratt is cleared out. That the prisoners are set free. That King’s rule has ended. Rightfully all creatures should rejoice.
I rest my elbows on the windowsill, staring into the garden. Flowers bloom and the grass seems greener than usual. But the sun won’t last long, I think, especially if I can’t find an alternative to Asia Bank.