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Grand Opening - Chapter Ten - Hong Kong

Having an inside edge is key to any endeavour, none more so than covert ops.  To all appearances Irene

Wen owned a very successful gallery and auction house.  Her clients were among Hong Kong’s

wealthiest and most influential people who admired her business acumen, her ability to find and purchase

objects for them, both rare and well as she put it, “difficult to obtain”. 

She moved easily in their circle, had money, grace, style, beauty and a seemingly endless rolodex of

contacts for every situation.  That was the veneer, under that was the Mekong LLP agent that nobody

saw.  Irene over the years had covered her tracks so perfectly no one ever suspected anything and now

that the authorities had started to be more interested in certain people, well that only aided her cover.  

She saw and heard everything that went on so she knew about the gem, before Claire even assigned her the mission, she also knew the people who had the gem and they were not interested in selling it and that interested Irene.

‘Well, maybe a little bother, after all would be fun,’ she thought, but right now she had a party to attend.

All of the monied and soon to be monied interests in Hong Kong turned up at the Repulse Bay home of Yan Yin, the multi storey mansion tucked into the hillside overlooking the aforementioned bay, the cool winds of the evening a pleasant perk of the location.  Yan Yin was a frequent customer of Irene, her purchases on display everywhere in her home.  Irene always thought they were more for show and compliments than a general appreciation for the pieces.  Her biggest plus were her connections and introductions, Irene had built her reputation and clientele from this association and she knew how to play the role so she kept it that way.  

When Yan saw her she made the necessary fuss and flattery, she also always made an effort 

never to outshine her host, in terms of conversation, always deferring or agreeing, but the one that worked the best was, the dress code, Irene always dressed down.  The gown she had chosen for the evening was perfect.  It hugged but not enough to show off her figure, revealed but in the room was conservative compared to the others, but most so with that of her host.  This was always the plan and it worked every time.  Inevitably Yan’s arm would hook into Irene’s and she would lead her about the room making introductions to new people, valuable to Irene, but mostly to show off the contrast.  Irene always thought this silly, Yan was beautiful and her dress this evening left nothing to the imagination which told her the woman was on the hunt for someone for the night.  

‘Well, that’s enough mingling for a while. I want to show you something I’ve recently acquired,’ Yan said, her voice excited.

She led the way across the room, making motions with her glass, a smile and gesture of her hand to the many partygoers until they went up the curved stairs to her bedroom.  Irene had never been here, but she was not surprised Yan had it well protected.  Motion detectors in the hallway and a retinal eye scan for her bedroom.  The two massive 4 inch thick teak doors, the installed multiple deadbolts were more than enough to stop anyone not in possession of high explosives and given Yan’s perimeter security it was highly unlikely anyone would get this far.

'Not getting out until you say so,’ Irene smiled as the doors closed and Yan got the joke.

'I little pressure can do wonders for the performance level stamina,’ Yan smiled back as she walked to a heavy oak vanity and unlocked it with a thumb scan.  ‘This is what I wanted to show you!’

‘That is an impressive Peridot,’  Irene enthused as she came closer and took the offered gem in her hands.  Looks like it's from Myanmar.  Those are the best quality in terms of the green,

consistent colour throughout the stone, no fading to lighter near the edge, the cutting is very good on this

considering when it was done, this gem has real age to it and of course the size.  You rarely see anything

this big anymore and if you do, well the news is all over it.  May I ask where you got it from?’

‘I have my sources as well,’  Yan smiled.  

Irene laughed a little at the statement, she knew she was supposed to.  ‘You know they are not particularly valuable as a gem.  This one because of its four “C” qualities, cut, caret, colour and clarity, does make it worth a little more, maybe $100 US a caret and this is maybe 150 carats?’

‘152 to be exact,’ Yan said.

‘So $15,200 US.  Make no mistake, I love it, but you’ve always been, how shall I say it, a more rarified buyer,’ Irene explained and yan appreciated the flattery.  

‘That is true, but this gem, well you know, it's like a purse or a pair of shoes, you don’t need it, but something says you have to have it and I get what I want,’ Yan smiled.

Irene suspected Yan had the gem.  Her talk also confirmed another suspicion, Yan was either a TRIDENT agent or an associate,  then to have the gem shown to her was another bonus, now she just needed to get the gem from her.

‘I understand both of those needs!’ Irene laughed a little.  ‘I have so many, some are still in their boxes, never been opened, don’t remember what they looked like but I wouldn’t let them go.  That gives me an idea for a present.  Would you mind if I came back tomorrow with it for you?’  Irene knew the offer was far too tempting for Yan to turn down. ‘Now that we have that settled, who is going to be trapped in here tonight?’ Irene asked in a sly voice.

‘Perhaps it's who’s and not who,’ Yan said back in a sexy tone and the two left it at that.  

^^^

Irene drove in the next day, her 1965 Sunbeam Tiger effortlessly taking the corners of Yan’s

driveway.  Yan’s private security stopped her at the gate, checked her and the car, but not too harshly as she was known to them.  Familiarity had its advantages.  She was met at the door, again, she was let go with just a cursory look over, mostly the guards looking at her legs.  \she stepped inside, removed her sunglasses then made her way upstairs with the present.  

Irene smiled as she knocked on the door and her voice brought a scrambling of bed sheets and feet padding to the washroom.  She heard Yan laugh a little then she unlocked the door.

‘Safely hiding in the bathroom, I see.  I think that makes five times.  If I didn’t know better I think you want

me to find them?’ Irene smiled.

Bragging rights,’ Yan answered as she rolled out of bed and put on a jacket lying about.  

‘Bragging rights!  All of Hong Kong knows you can have and in fact have had any man you want.  I’d say any claims to bragging rights were settled long ago,’ Irene answered light heartedly.  

‘Yes, but just in case anyone forgets.  Besides, I like the looks I get from both sexes on the matter.  They afford me both amusement and pleasure,” Yan replied.

‘Sometimes both at the same time,’ Irene replied.

‘Touche!  Now what have you brought me?’ Yan asked with anticipation.

Irene put the carved box down in front of her and saw the corners of Yan’s mouth go up just a touch.

‘It's beautiful,’ she said.

‘Hand carved, 17th century, most likely from Ox bone, so guilt free, no Ivory.  Three things make it very rare and highly collectible.  One, its age of course.  Two, the skill of the carver, all six sides are carved, most rare.  Three, is what it is, a Puzzle box, but not just any.  Here let me show you,’ Irene said and asked Yan for the gem.  ‘You can open this box from any side, and each sequence to each side is different. Let's start with this one.’

Irene went through each side letting Yan repeat the process each time to retrieve the gem.

‘I saved the best for last,’ Irene smiled as she worked the various pieces to open the box. 

Yan deposited the gem and closed the box then reopened it only to see the gem not there!

‘Where is it?’ she asked in amazement and concern.

‘It's right there!’ Irene said pointing to the opening that was empty.  ‘Go on reach in and take it?’she added.

Yan looked dubious but did as instructed, the minute her fingers entered the gem appeared.  Her fingers jerked in astonishment and she noticed something, part of the gem appeared then disappeared as her fingers moved about the void.  

‘Whoever made this must have been a magician, probably a court one.   I think of it as an early version of the vanishing lady in the cabinet.  All done with mirrors of course as is this.  Must have created quite a sensation and an initial panic when used,’ Irene smiled.

Do the other sides do anything?’ Yan smiled with delight on her face.

‘Every side does something different.  One deposits it in a secret compartment so the magican can show an empty container when he reopens it, the reverse sequence puts it back in place.  Another side rotates a turntable and a new object would be revealed.  Another side makes it shift to the opposite side.  Another would flip the object upside down and finally one would seem to replicate the object producing two of the same when opened.  I thought it would make a fun and well stylish jewel case for your latest acquisition,’  Irene explained.  

‘This is incredible and it's a gift.  Of course I can’t take it, I must pay you for it.  Something like this must be worth a great deal,’ Yan smiled but Irene could tell she didn’t really mean it.

‘Believe me its be paid for many times over with your patronage of my business and well to be honest, it did not cost me much.  I picked it up in Old Town Singapore for a song.  It needs a good home and I can think of nothing better or a finer purpose for it and I won’t hear another word about it,’ Irene said and placed the gem in the first container, closing it up.  ‘Here are all the instructions on how to open each side,’ she added, setting them down on the table and walking over to the bathroom door and sliding it open.

‘You shouldn’t lean so close.  It's rude to listen to other people's conversations Tony, Irene smiled as she look back at Yan with a look that said, “really, him”

Irene didn’t like Tony Fung.  He’d started out as a low life criminal at the docks and worked himself up to running his own Tong.  He’d have been in jail long before now except for two things.  He was juiced in with certain officials and bodies and/or witnesses seemed to disappear.  He was a ruthless, nasty man.  Even in his current situation he looked dangerous and mean.  Irene paid him no attention, just a withering smile that hit hard.  Irene was not surprised he was here. Yan would do anything for business advancement, even Tony Fung, but she suspected Yan not only liked it, she craved it.  Tony was a stepping stone and she viewed it not so much as a debasement but a necessary inconvenience with hopefully a pleasurable angle further her.  Besides she’d heard Tony was not short in the area that delivered pleasure.  She had that confirmed as she left when Yan told her.

‘His shortcomings do not extend into certain areas,’ she smiled as Irene took her leave and Yan had other though

^^^

‘I was beginning to wonder if you ever went home?’  she smiled as he came out of Hong Kong Police HQ. 

‘Don’t make a frown, it makes you look unappealing, besides everyone knows we're an on and off

again couple.

today or tonight is one of those on again moments and I do mean on again as in most of the night!’ Irene

added with a coy smile.  ‘What’s the matter Chief Inspector, cat have your tongue.  Tell me when it's my

turn. I promise to be just as if not more playful!’

Raymond Yuen rolled his eyes and looked about hoping none of his subordinates heard anything that was said.  He hurried over to her, not because he was embarrassed she was there but to hopefully stave off the activity in his pants.  

‘I still have that effect, even after all this time.  You know nothing you could say or do, wait I take back the do part, that you can do, could be a higher compliment,’ she hummed then lightly kissed his lips.  ‘I know, no fuss Chief Inspector Raymond Yuen is a tough guy, he has a reputation on the streets of Hong Kong.  Here’s the keys you can drive just in case anyone spots us.  Of course they know it's my car because Chief Inspector Raymond Yuen could never afford that car on an honest police officers salary and everyone knows  Chief Inspector Raymond Yuen is an honest, nose to the grindstone, tough as nails but fair protector of the citizens of Hong Kong who drives a police issued vehicle when he’s chasing down bad guys.’

‘Finished?’ he smiled, taking the keys from her then giving her a kiss with promise.

‘I’ll forgo the leaping over buildings, but remember to buckle up, it's the law and drive responsibly,’ Irene added as he held the passenger door open for her.  He closed the door, the whoosh of the wind about equal to the exhale of his lungs as he looked at her wonderful legs.  He walked behind the car to avoid her gaze, she saw anyway his shortened steps and the impression in his pants through the rearview mirror.  

‘Where would you like to eat?’ he asked, slipping in beside her.  ‘It's late so our choices might be limited.’

‘My place, I prepared everything this afternoon, all we have to do is cook it and enjoy,’ Irene said, her hand slipping between his legs as they drove off.

Irene had barely closed the door to the penthouse apartment when they attacked each other, neither knew who made the first move and neither cared.  Frantic and passionate kisses as well as nibbles and tongues to necks and ear accelerated passions to the boiling point.  Raymond unzipped her dress down the back as she slipped it off her shoulders then went for his belt, a leap and catch, her legs scissored around his midsection as he pulled down her dress while unzipped his pants and yanked them down, her hands snaking inside his underwear and seizing his massive prong that was full hard in seconds.  Irene lapped and pulled gently as he worked down his underwear, he bucking and righting the urge to fall from the siren touch.  Instead he pushed her against a wall for support as he hooked her panties and pulled them down while his tongue and lips covered her pink nipples, now fully erect relaying all his passion to her.  One hand cupped behind his head as she kissed him barely able to maintain contact from his stimulation.  Raymond cupped her wonderful tilting ass in his hands and pushed her up while seized his head and guided it into place!  Irene moaned in joy from the thrust to secure him inside her, her hips turned and screwed about as she drove down to match his passion.  It only took three or four serpentine strokes of her hips for him to cum, his body shaking and struggling from the passion as he pushed her up and down.  She was not far behind, she stilled for a second then exploded in moans and gasps that filled the space, her hands everywhere on him as she sunk into the pleasure he had delivered.  She curled her arms around his neck as he thrust and pushed, giving her insane aftershocks, her body jerking with each push of his hips into her very receptive paradise.  

Irene recrossed her legs behind him as he took them to the bedroom, reaching down and casting away her shoes she let him tenderly recline her on the bed.  Still together she could feel him everywhere inside her, hard and pulsing and she just as firmly held him.  They embraced and kissed long and wonderful, their tongues free and exploring, finding places to excite and teased.  He kissed and caressed her neck, she did the same to him then as if on queue they started to move slowly together.  Neither needed much stimulation, their frantic twisting forms more than enough.  This time Irene came first, a slow rolling boil the frothed over slow and first, but didn’t stop, it just continued to grow in intensity as she twisted in joy underneath him, at times it was so intense she wanted it to end, but it wouldn’t and she didn’t want it to.  Irene locked her hands behind his back to keep from escaping as he arched up and propelled himself into again and again while his lips caressed her nipples sending her into madness.  

She arched her body up, absorbing him fully into her as he pumped.  Her pleasurable moans and yeses bounced about the bedroom as she fought to escape thinking she could take no more when he changed motion, pulled her up and drove in further, if possible, sending her clitoris in spasm as she rubbed over it.  Irene barely ended the first when a second orgasm took her, this one deep and intense, a low rumbling, throaty moan vibrating him until she collapsed in his arms and they fell back into the bed, the recline giving her a series of finishing delightful aftershocks.

Irene rolled them over, putting her on top.  She didn’t need to, she had reserves if he had refused, but she knew all men loved this position and Raymond was no exception.  Irene moved her hips in various configurations while she was pressed against him.  She could feel him this way, breathing, heart rate but above all his cock, its pulses, what motion pleased it and what didn’t.  She built him slowly as they kissed and held each other tightly.  After a while she picked up the speed and the rhythm, feeling him get more agitated she gave him one long last lingering kiss, but pulled away just before the conclusion and arched up.  She rubbed and stroked and pistoned her hips against his hardness, her walls creating an electric sexual static between them as he started to breathe heavier and give into her motion.  His hands slipped around his ass, a sure sign he was close, but also that he wanted control.  A few convolutions of her hips and soft pushes forced him to retreat and she guided him to the best orgasm he’d ever had!

The intensity was incredible, he twisted and turned, his torso raising and fighting to escape, his hips snapping against hers as she churned madness into him and stroked pleasure, pulling his essence into her.  Irene pinned him to the bed, her arms holding his, while her sexual talents controlled the rest until he finally calmed.  A few well timed thrusts of her own took what little he had left on deposit, she paying him with interest with a final few pleasurings.

^^^

‘I imagine you have a secure call tomorrow?’ she said as they sat side by side at her kitchen bar and ate their meal.

‘Yes, something about gangs and criminal organizations and of course you,’ he answered, putting down his chopsticks.

‘I don’t know how you keep composed.  I know they know about us, after all I told them long ago, but your colleagues, they know nothing, to them I’m just your incredible girlfriend.  All they wonder about is why you haven’t married me yet?’ Irene said but didn’t get the smile she wanted back.

‘Outside help, is how you’re referred to, never anything else,’ he said.  ‘And we must cooperate.  It's all very impersonal.’

‘Except it isn’t,’ she said, taking his hand in hers.

‘When you turn up, it's the best part of my day.  I feel like I have something in common with my colleagues' spouses who wonder if this will be the last time they ever see them again.  I know the chances of that happening are very low with them, but with you, it's different, some of the stuff you’ve told me, really you should be dead by now, so every moment with you is special and not just the sex.  This right now is special,’ he said.  

They finished dinner, Irene took the plates and walked over to the sink, he followed.

‘You know you don’t play fair!,’ he remarked.

‘I have no idea what you’re talking about, Chief Inspector,’ she smiled.

‘You know what I mean,’ he said, putting his arms around her waist and kissing the back of her neck.

Irene managed control so she could answer.  ‘Oh, the shirt.  I was just the nearest thing so I tossed it on to stay warm.’

‘Seems you always toss it on when we’re together,’ he answered, continuing his caresses.

‘I like the feel of it,’ she answered, turning around in his arms to kiss him, her resistance near depletion.  ‘I also like the feel of it being removed.’

Irene took his hand and led him into the bedroom doing up a button as she went.

^^^

Irene had satellite images every 10 minutes sent to her mobile. Still nothing and it had been four days. 

She was impatient for this to be over, still she reminded herself that this played into her hand more and

more as each day passed and Tong Fung became a regular visitor to Yan’s place.  He always traveled

with two other vehicles and seven bodyguards.  Irene had pretty much worked out how everything would

go down, both were killers but predictable ones, but one knew something or thought they did that the other

didn’t.  

Finally on day six she was rewarded.  Tony Fung was coming for his usual late afternoon rendezvous, but Yan had put extra staff on duty, though out of the way from his men.  She watched as Tong exited and skipped along into the house.  She was blind now and could only imagine what Yan was up to, but Irene had an excellent imagination.

^^^

‘Well this is a new twist on things,’ Tony said as he walked into the bedroom, the doors open for him

instead of him having to wait.  

‘New beginnings.  Since we are in business together now I think a more open relationship is only right,’ Yan smiled, spreading her arms across the pillows on the bed she was resting on.

Yan was wearing a black lace crotchless bodice with a crinoline cape.  Tony noted she made up more than usual and her usual was stunning, but this was delicious, so much so he was having trouble controlling himself from jumping on the bed, he settled for.

‘You look stunning.’

‘I love compliments and I love reciprocating,’ she smiled, moving one leg up and down the other in a most enticing manner.  

This was too far for Tony, he slipped off his shoes and crawled on the bed and started kissing and nibbling her legs, from her Achilles Heel, up the backs of her slim but firm calves, the scent of her body cream filling him with desire.  Up the backs of her thighs, his arms strolling up the fronts and around her hips, fingertips brushing her pubic hair and making small circles around her labia. Yan’s breath shortened to small gasps as his concentration and trailing tongue glided across her hips and down as he gently rolled her over on her back.  Her fingers played with his hair while his tongue, wet, warm and teasing tipped into a point swirled around her paradise before pushing in meeting only warmth and willingness as he explored.  

Yan’s hips tilted and swayed helping guide him in place, her tensing fingers and his tongue told him he had found her sex.  Tony teased and lashed about just long enough to drive her sense into overdrive wanting release from his luscious embrace before his touch sent her body into exertions of joy.  She quaked and shuddered, her hips instinctively arching up to give him more freedom, a gesture he took full advantage of further gripping her in ecstasy as she moaned in abject delight.  The electric jolts of pleasure started to subside as her breathing became deeper, his pushing tongue bringing her very pleasurable spasms of joy until he released his tongue.  Yan smiled as her hands began to slip down her front searching for what she knew was his fully engorged stem when he seized them and pinned them to the mattress.

‘Oh no, you’re much too dangerous with those hands,’ he said and began kissing up her smooth flat and toned stomach, Yan watching him with hunger in her eyes.  She struggled a little but instantly lost the battle once his lips caught one of her nipples.  Tony pinned her erect nipple between his tongue and teeth and flicked it about playful as Yan’s body jerked in passion from each lashing.  Her tenderly shuttled it along his teeth and bumping sensation thrashing her body and head before he contrasted it with soft wet kisses and suction as he pulled it about.  He switched to the other and felt Yan give in to the pleasure and surrender to him.  He released her arms freeing fingers toying with her free breast.  Soft moldings of her nipple between his fingertips followed, small circles with the pad of one finger then swirls with the palm of his hand all built Yan again before she threw her head back and softly panted ‘yes'' over and over as the second magnificent orgasm in minutes enveloped her entire body.  A low slow moving tsunami of euphoria started at her feet and swelled over her flooding her senses in a deep pool of warm bliss she did not wish to end.  On and on it went, a long strength draining whirlpool of delight that left her in a lather and feeling limp.  She offered her lips to him but not her body, turning and bending as only a skilled woman can to avoid the obvious, but making it clear it would happen but not just yet, the movement and her kisses somehow conveying that she wanted to offer him her best and she needed a few moments.  

Yan’s kisses were more than enough, the fire in her tongue set Tony alight as she took control little by little. 

A final long kiss ended when she slipped sylphlike from the bed to her dress table.  She padded down

her damp form with a towel then powder, did her lips turning to him with a smile as she finished strpping

off her bodice then nimbly inserting herself next to him under the covers.  A few reintroduction kisses

followed then her head slid down his hard chest and stomach.  Yan light blew across his skin as she

descended, sending anticipatory signals ahead of her arrival, his body tensing then stiffening totally as

she closed around his tip.  

Jolts of pleasure turned him about, his body twisting side the side, rising like a wave then settling only to repeat as Yan fondled his hard yet so incredibly soft skinned root in her mouth, slowly consuming his shaft in her embrace.  

All his senses told him to pull her up his body and work inside her, but Yan refused to budge, instead a hand encircled his granite spear and gently pumped, freeing her to massage his tip as she watched his reaction.  

‘Not yet baby, that would be too easy.  No you have to earn that by resisting my siren touch.  I’ll end the maddening pleasure when I decide to, until then your prisoner of my mouth.’

Yan more than delivered on the maddening promise.  She watched Tony’s body pitch and roll, the stabs of joy she was sending him from their connection made him frantic to be with her, just as Yan loved.  She watched and felt his urges, bringing him up and down, close to the breaking point then pulling back as she loosened her caress and snaked herself up his body, her paradise unhooking him then arching and plunging forward consuming him inside her in one motion, the warm sliding embrace sparking him to churn her hips with his hands.  Yan tempered the motion as only a skilled lover can, giving him what he needed but also pushing her on.

Ironically, she came first, but just barely, he joined her seconds later as their bodies roiled beneath the covers, sudden swells of activity, seemingly violent contortions as they each vied to give the other all they had.  This time it was Yan who pinned him, her hips machine gunning up and down and side to side as she worked him to a second climax, her face beaming with pleasure but her down waiting and poised for him to finish his extensions.  His last push ended she waited then slammed forward about him jerking him with pleasure until she collapsed on his limp body.

They coupled three more times, twice in the bed and once in the shower.  Yan’s soapy body jiggled from pleasure covering the clear ways in soap bubbles as she oscillated in his arms.  

They dressed and made their way downstairs.  Yan was to follow Tony’s vehicles to his place where she would be introduced to his inner circle and be made his number two.  All her years of planning had led to this moment.  Tony was the ultimate prize in the underworld and she, through her skills, both criminal and feminine had finally won the prize she so desired.  She left his arm as he held the front door open for her and went to her car pausing on the other side smiling as she saw the look on his face.

‘I gave your men the night off darling,’ she smiled evilly as her men stepped out of his vehicles. ‘Permanently,’ she added and walked back to him accompanied by one of her men.   

Tony Fung didn’t need the rest explained to him, he’d been on the other side many times when climbing the ladder.  All he did was look in the rearview mirror of one of the vehicles and straighten his tie.

‘Stoic to the end I see.  A gentleman gangster.  I despise both, but then I’m a woman and don't have the luxury of that.  I’ve had to fight for everything and when I have something I want to keep it and when I see something I want I find a way to get it.  You have both of those things, one you took from me, my gem and one I want, your empire.  

‘I don’t have your gem, you bitch!’ he yelled seeing nothing wrong with adding the insult knowing what was coming.

‘Even in death you can't tell me the truth and I thought we had a connection,’ she smiled.  ‘No matter once inside your compound we’ll find it after all they're expecting us and who’s going to stop the boss's car and his new partner.  No, I think we have the upper hand,’ Yan explained.

She nodded to her men who got into the vehicles.  Off to find what’s mine and take what’s going to mine.  Goodbye Tony, you played your part well and in truth you were a nice diversion that’s why I decided to kill you as pleasantly as I could.’

Seeing the confused look on his face she explained, thrilled that it had come to this.

‘I gave you a slow acting poison.  When I slipped from my bed or perhaps I should refer to it as my web since this is a Black Widow scenario.  Remember I powdered my body, while that was just so we could slide about with ease, but I also applied lipstick, my special brand that contains a very slow acting but quite fatal poison.  It usually takes some time to work, but it speeds up with activity and your heart was racing during my application so it shouldn’t be too much longer.  Just like a real Black Widow, I mate and I kill,’  Yan explained then turned and got into the car.  She watched Tony touch his head then fall.  

^^^

‘We have looked everywhere, opened every safe, used the GPR on the floors and walls, nothing behind any of them, even used the scope on the water system, nothing.’

‘That’s because it's not here, never was, but that makes finding it even easier,’ Yan said to her head of security.  Still it wasn’t a total waste in fact this is turning into an even bigger delight than I thought.  Pack up everything, let me know when you're ready to go, we have one more stop to make tonight and I didn’t think anything could top this.’

Her plan had worked to perfection.  They drove into his compound without a check.  When the guards opened the doors of the car, bullets ripped through the exit points creating streamers of crimson that shot so high they landed on the fallen bodies.  Yan prefered her sword, it had a more personal feel, a bullet just went where you shot it, but a sword went where you wanted it to go and once it could be pulled in any direction.  Her thrust from the car went straight into the trachea.  She held it there as she stepped out manipulating the impaled victim like a puppet on a string.  Yan looked at the carnage around her as her men mowed down Tony’s. She pointed and gave orders as they stormed inside, broke glass, bullets ripping in concrete and screams all mingling in a symphony of success.  She was lost for the moment in her triumph before remembering unfinished business at the end of her sword.  Yan spun about, her wrists flicked to the left allowing the clean edge of her blade to slice through the neck and spinal column of her victim.  She heard a loud gurgling, saw a clutch of hands to the neck then upturned eyes and finally a slumped body as she walked inside.  

Inside there was silence, her men had done their job and were now ransacking the place looking for her gem.  Yan walked about finally settling on the edge of a chair that was devoid of blood spatter who;s patterns, from swords to gun shots covered the walls and floors.  She amused herself with the patterns when her head of security brought her the news.

The assembled cars and men were ready to go when a fleet of white vans rolled in and a man rolled out of one and bowed to her.

‘You know the drill, everything cleaned, no trace,’ she said and got into her car, the entourage motoring away.

‘That little bitch is going to pay,’ she said, her hands fingering the hilt of her sword.  

Irene watched from the roof of her home/gallery, her night vision binoculars trained up the street they

had to come to get to her place.  The narrowness of the road demanding single file, excellent for

defensive action.  She heard the roar of engines and the squeal of tires on the twisting and narrow

Hong Kong roads long before she saw their headlights. When they came into view she made a quick

count of cars and keyed it into the laptop next her hitting F9 to execute the program.  

‘Time to go to work,’ she smiled, putting down the binoculars and picking up the RPG swinging down the

legs on the ledge peering through the scope she cited the weapon, waited and watched.  

The lead car broke the barrier setting off the computer into a series of nanosecond calculations, each successive car and each new barrier refined the calculations feeding more data into the program.  Yan and her cadre were totally unaware of this, fantasizing about how she would deal with Irene now that they were close to her place when the lead car exploded.  

The first remote controlled RPG slammed into the side of the engine of the lead car,  the TBG-7V Tanin 105 mm Thermobaric warhead for anti-personnel and urban warfare exploded in a blinding stream of white heat and fire sending shrapnel inside the car at supersonic speed.  What didn’t kill the men inside shot out the back and into the car behind as a second RPG slammed into that one and so through to the fifth car that exploded as well.   

Twist metal,  parts of bodies and sound mingled into one cacophony of death as grinding metal upon itself and asphalt filled the air.  Irene had placed the RPG’s on opposite sides of the road so they turned the cars in opposite directions.  The result was a mast of fury and fire as they rolled side over side smashing and meshing together, bodies crushed and caught, some dragged along the road leaving parts of themselves struin about as they were sheared off.  

Yan’s car managed to slam on the brakes, managing to stop just a few feet behind the ball of metal that seconds ago had been five large vehicles.

“Get out!’ she yelled, spotting a plume of smoke from the building directly ahead of them.  

Irene smiled as her RPG slammed into Yan’s vehicle and exploded it straight up in the air.  The roof spinning like a top as it embedded itself into a concrete wall 50 feet away.  The blast elevated the wreck, turning it in the air and spitting it out, the hulk coming to rest on its side and toppling over into the remaining others where it burned.  

Only Yan and three of her men were left, they crowded behind a concrete half wall of the entrance to a parking garage as they watched another RPG slam into the pile of metal and start to burn a bright white, the pile of scrap seemingly folding in on itself as it melted.

‘Thermite RPG, we have to move, it's only going to get hotter here as it reacts with the metal and grows,’ Yan’s head of security yelled as he retreated to a narrow alley.

‘We need to get the fuck out of here, she’s clearly more than you thought she was,’ he said  ‘Get some more people and come back for her.’

‘She won’t give us a second chance and if we come back there'll be more of them, trust me, I know who and what she is now.  Believe me when I tell you, that’s all she’s got, no more displays from now on it's just her and us to the death.  I don’t care how good she is, she’s not their best, just some run of the mill agent.  I’ve faced their best and bested her twice.  We can take her.  What do you say to a third each of all of Fung’s dock business, everything, drugs included.  I thought so.  Move through the alley to the next street then up to her place.  I know her place inside and out, once through the front door, you two go left, down to the back and sweep inward, we’ll go right and do the same.’

‘You have the only weapon left, everything else is gone,’ one of them said looking at Yan’s sword.  

‘Run and you get nothing except my sword in your back!’ Yan threatened, her voice as cold as the steel in her sword.  ‘Good, glad to see we understand one another.’

The quartet made quick progress to their goal.  They found the door to the gallery open wide as they approached and the lights all on.

‘She’s waiting for us, Yan said.  ‘So typical, they never change.  Come this way,’ she smiled and pushed open the main gallery doors.  There waiting in a chair was Irene.  

‘It appears we went to the same couturier, how embarrassing,’ Irene smiled.

Both women were dressed in leather catsuits, Irene’s liquid leather, Yan’s more standard.

‘Didn’t find the Peridot at Tony’s I see.  I was wondering how long it would take you to put it all together.  Thankfully you didn’t until you killed Fung, but that was my plan all along.  I suppose in a way it was yours as well.  You always planned to kill him and take over, after all it was your quickest way into the graces of TRIDENT again.  Then the Peridot came along, of course you knew about the others taken from the Silkworms or so some of them want you to think, we know better now and you thought to yourself now my chances just became an opportunity, this could really elevate me within TRIDENT, get me back where I belong after all those missteps, but you just couldn’t resist showing off the gem to your friend and art dealer, Irene.  You really did have no idea who I actually work for, do you?  Job well done on my side for that.’

‘I recognise that arrogance and condescending tone I’m hearing now.  You’re a FORCE agent,’ Yan spat.

‘Sorry, would you like another guess though I will give you part marks for that.  No, I work for Mekong LLP, Asian Antiquities and Art Division, but we work very closely with FORCE,’ Irene smiled.

‘Why do you all sound like Claire Baxter, is that a course you take in Spy Training.  I’ve bettered Miss Baxter twice in my career and there is only one of her.  You are merely a poor copy trying too hard to impress,’ Yan stated.

‘Such confidence Yan or perhaps I should call you by your TRIDENT code name Madame Yin,’ Irene said letting it sink in before continuing.  As for bettering Claire, you flatter yourself.  No, she actually let you win both times.  You see Claire determined you had just the right amount of arrogance and hubris to be more valuable alive than dead.  The information you’ve given us over the years has been invaluable in stopping TRIDENT.  In a way Madame Yin, you’ve been one of the best FORCE agents we’ve ever had, so thank you, but that service has come to an end, your usefulness has been exhausted so I afraid we need to terminate this one sided affair, pity in a way, who knows how much more damaging to TRIDENT you could have been.’

Madame Yin’s blood was boiling at this point and Irene knew it, just as she had hoped so now she played her final card.  She pulled down her zipper and showed Madame Yin the Peridot lodged between her breasts.  ‘The old magicians trick, get you to one way instead of where you should be.  I had it all the time.’

‘She what’s it to be Femme versus Flunkies or just you and me to the death,’ Irene said in a hungry sexy voice Madame Yin had never heard before, but was more than up to answering.

‘I’ll let them tire you out before I finish you off!’ waving her hand at one of her men who stepped forward.  

Irene stood up, reached behind and produced a sword.  ‘Surprise!  I suggest you ask your boss for a loan of hers.’

Madame Yin tossed him the sword and he took a practiced stance, arms and legs akimbo and started to move to his left on the tops of her feet.  Irene pivoted to the left forcing him the other way knowing most people always went to their stronger side first.  She had her sword straight up in front of her, across his body.  

‘I see you favour Northern Chinese Style,’ Madame Yin remarked.

Irene looked at her opponent, her eyes locked then she suddenly darted in then back, just as she retreated he attacked, his sword flashing across but hit nothing as hers.  Irene relaxed, walked over, took the sword from his hands and tossed it to the second guard.  

‘Your up!’

As she backed away she leapt into the air delivering a spinning kick to her opponent's head.  Irene landed facing her next foe while the previous opponent's head hit the far wall 15 feet away with a soft thud landing with his open eyes staring at them.  A small bubbling geyser of blood spewed from his neck for a second or two before the lifeless stump fell stiffly forward, blood draining out forming a pool at her feet.  

He looked at the sword, Irene, then his boss and reluctantly stepped forward.  Irene changed her stance to a classic samurai one, hands back over shoulder, blade forward over her left side.  She moved slower, both feet shuffling together, always in contact with the ground for maximum force during a strike.  He lunged in yelling, their swords came together, Irene parried it to one side and shoulder rolled away coming again into her stance, this time the blade over her right shoulder.  

He came at her again, this time she blocked his blow at shoulder height, spun about so they were side by side and smashed an overhead front kick up her body and into his face.  He stumbled backward, turning about feeling a small tingle up his spine then suddenly exploded into searing pain, his screams filling the room like a sound chamber.  Irene swept his legs forward sending his body face first over her chair, his spine exposed from the base of his neck to the top of his ass!  His body just twitched on the chair, each convulsion revealing more white vertebrae until his flesh fell flat against the chair leaving the arch of the column where it should have been.

This left Madame Yin’s head of security and she and Irene knew who was next.  

‘Not tired yet!  Just in case you're wondering?’ she added as he picked up the sword, real malice in his eyes.  

He ran at her with the blade slashing side to side, up and down in a frantic and savage zeal.  Irene dodged and sidestepped everything that came her way.  She picked her moment, fighting with a sword is exhausting, every strike has to have the intention to either kill or wound, not just cut through the air.  Irene countered a few more then saw her chance, his downward strike hit the floor on an angle the blade skidded to one side twisting him a little.  Irene thrust forward his scream, filling the air as she raised his now swordless hand into the air, her blade stuck clean through his wrist for six inches.  Irene wrenched her hands forward slicing his hand in two as the blade keenly cut the moment carrying her around in a circle, her sword connecting with him!  

Madame Yin watched in horror as he turned around to look at her, hands clutched on either side of his cheeks, his mouth trying to scream but an able as blood poured from his body that had been split upward in half from his crotch to the top of his head.  He just hung there for what seemed an eternity before falling forward, his body folding open like a gutted fish blood escaping everywhere.

‘Tylenol’s not going to cure that headache,’ Irene said, kicking the blade across the floor to Madame Yin.  

‘What do you think you’ve accomplished you little bitch.  All you’ve done is give me an even greater victory.  These nobodies can be replaced.  No you’ve left me the ultimate chance, a typical COIL/FORCE move.  You should have killed me right away, now I have the chance to kill you, get the stone, the empire and back in TRIDENT’s good books.  This is right out of the Claire Baxter playbook, over confident good girl who just can’t muster up enough malice to do the job right the first time and be done with it,’  Madame Yin seethed.

‘I think you’ll find that Claire Baxter no longer exists and consequently neither does it exist in any of us.’ Irene said cooly as she snapped a kick between Madame Yin’s legs that doubled her over then followed with a swinging up kick that lifted her off the ground up and over onto her back.  Irene stepped on Madame Yin’s hand and forced the sword from it, kicking it away and tossing hers as well.  Stepping back she let her opponent get to her feet.

‘You keep doing it!.  You good girls just can’t help yourself!’ Madame Yin mocked as she lunged forward and into a flying kick that Irene side stepped.

‘Cheesha!’ she yelled.  Then connected with the flat of her foot to the back of Madame Yin’s thigh, repeating to the other.  A double chop to the neck left her sprawled on her stomach.  Irene pulled her up by the head and tilted it back as she looked in her eyes.  

‘Now if I were a good girl I’d let you get up,’ Irene smiled as a hand flash and she let go.  ‘But I’m not that good a girl!’ she added walking away as Madame Yin gasped her last breath.

^^^

Irene delivered the Peridot to Ivory in Thailand the next day and caught the late afternoon flight back.  She was tired but happy everything had worked out, the police and authorities even managed to make everyone believe it was a gas leak that caused the explosions, the cars just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.  As for Tony Fung, he never got a mention.  Her place had been scrubbed and the bodies cremated.  The police got their headlines as they picked up stranglers and Madame Yin’s cleaning crew making it out as a major undercover operation that had smashed organised crime in Hong Kong, front and centre Deputy Inspector Raymond Yuen.  

As the escalator pushed up to the taxi pick up two familiar faces came into view.  Irene smiled warmly as she stepped off the escalator and into the embrace of first Fan Li and then Claire.  

Fan had arranged for a limo to take them home where Irene made drinks and they celebrated.

‘No one could have pulled this off but you Irene and I know you did it out of duty.  I’ve known for some time., I can see it in your eyes,’ Fan said.

‘What’s this all about?’ Irene asked.

‘We want you to retire and be truly happy.  Raymonds not going to wait around forever and really he shouldn’t have to but more importantly neither should you.  You're insanely in love with him, not even you are good enough to hide it and he feels the same about you, both of you should be together everyday if possible,’ Fan said.

‘I’d love to keep you, you’ll be hard to replace, maybe impossible, but I made a promise to every agent that if and when the time comes I would never stand in the way of them being truly happy.  You’ve come to that time and I, we, couldn’t be happier for you and Raymond,’ Claire added looking at Fan.

‘What do you say and it better be yes,’ Fan smiled.

‘It is yes, very much yes,’ Irene started to cry.