Grand Opening - Chapter Three

Seetha Bhatt had done what any good mother had done, she had saved her children before herself. In

this case her children were all adults, but they were still her responsibility, it was the same in any Hive,

the Silkworm Hive Queen’s first duty was to ensure the survival of the hive, even if it meant her death. 

She had loaded them with jewels and what money she had and told them to safety where they could. 

Once accomplished, she prepared herself for escape through the last hidden tunnel in the hive building.  

Seetha emerged into a small alley several streets over from the Hive complex.  Her journey through the sewer tunnel had not been a pleasant one, but at least it was dry, the water level low due to the dry season.  She pulled the hood up on her plain cloak and vanished into the crowd.  

^^^

‘Soon you’ll have your own Hive,’ Susan Janus, Claire’s deputy director said.

‘I’m about 25-30 years too young for that,’ Claire said without looking up from the papers she was scanning.  

‘Maybe you could start a new trend.  You have all the skills required, we all do for that matter, thanks to acquisitions over the years,’ Susan said, trying to sound as diplomatic as possible.

‘I’m already running an organisation for which I’m responsible, that is more than enough for me.  Besides I wouldn’t want to be their leader or do you really mean to say, incorporate them into FORCE,  That I can tell you will never happen,’ Claire answered.

‘The thought had crossed my mind,’ Susan answered.

This time Claire did look up from her reading.  ‘I won’t be the saviour and destroyer of the Silkworms because if I follow that suggestion I would be.  This is an organisation that is almost 2500 years old, founded by and run by women all that time, fiercely independent, steeped in tradition.  They pose no real threat to us, especially given their current circumstances, but even before that.  We, as you said, have all the books, even the secret coded ones and we teach them to our trainees.  I suppose in many ways we are an offshoot of them, their skills and talents form the basis of our unique training methods.’

‘So their fate is entirely in their hands then?’ Susan smiled.

‘Well not entirely, they do need financial assistance and I see no reason not to supply that.  Esha, after all, did bring up “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.”  Who do you think the Silkworms are going to go after once they are back on their feet?,’ Claire smiled.

‘Who says you couldn’t be a Silkworm?’  Susan laughed.

‘And speaking of them, I have to dash, I have a meeting with them,’ Claire explained as she got up, hugged Susan goodbye and left with her satchel of papers.  

‘Everything is outside the door as you requested. Chou assigned his best person to watch it,’ Isa Coranado said as Claire walked along, the trainee doubling her step to keep up.

‘Excellent Isa,’  Claire said as she handed her the satchel of papers.  ‘Those are all done,’ she added, indicating the satchel.   ‘Take this as your last day with me.  In that pascel of papers is your promotion to full time agent.  Hanging around with me any longer will do you no good.  Come to my room for dinner tonight at 6 so we can talk about what to expect,’ Claire said with a smile as she stopped and held her hands wide.

^^^

Seetha had managed to make her way from Paradip to Kohima and from there to Moreh on the Myanmar border with the town of Tamu.  She was exhausted and tired and a lot poorer having to sell items of jewellery to finance her trip.  A Hive existed in this town, a place where India meets South East Asia and the Silkworms were more heavily influenced by South Asia countries.  She knew the place well having studied here before working her way up forming her own Hive. 

 

She waited until nightfall before making her approach.  Seetha listened at the door, she heard nothing

which was unusual, nervous but desperate for a place to sleep until morning she pushed open the door.  

There was very little left inside, everything was gone, except for a few items of furniture, one of which, mercifully, was a lounge.  Seetha was in shock, she knew things were in chaos, but looking around, this was more, it felt like she had been personally violated and the more she looked around the more it told hold in her.  She felt like crying, but told herself that would do no good, it would just aid her enemies and make it easier for them to complete the destruction of the Silkworms.  Instead she busied herself making a little corner for herself to sleep and finding some food in the kitchen.  In the morning she would cross into Myanmar and move on, trying to slip into China, she told herself it would be safer there.  

In the meantime she changed her clothes,  Her Saree was dirty and ripped in a few places and in their frenzy to grab whatever of value they could the thieves had missed several wardrobes of clothes. 

‘Yes this will do nicely,’ Seetha smiled, allowing herself that luxury and feeling better about it for just a moment.  

Quiet took hold as the border town as the night progressed.  A storm swept over the town, heavy rain and lighting cut the power and everything went dark, the rain rattled off the roof creating a sound that helped put the exhausted woman to sleep.

Seetha was jolted awake sometime later, what exact time she couldn’t tell, but the electricity was still out and there was no sign of daylight.  A metal tin rattling as someone tried to open a louvered window she’d alarmed brought her to full readiness.

The Silkworm came up on the lounger, shifted over and silently listened, she heard, for the moment only

one set of feet, in heels, very high heels!  Seetha very silently but with speed began to undress, she

wanted as much freedom as possible for what was coming.  She slipped out of her shoes and

stood up.

Backing further into the darkness, ready to strike, when she saw something colourful fly through the air landing in the middle of the room, then another joined and more after that until the room was dimly lit in a myriad of gaudie neon circles.  

‘Come out, come out wherever you are Silkworm, you’ve been granted a private audience with The Strippers Guild and I brought my dancing shoes.’

More Glow Sticks were tossed about as Seetha backed further into a corner then moved about the edge of the shadows looking for a moment to attack.  

‘There you are sweetie!’ the Stripper said as she tossed a few more circles down.  ‘Now we can have some fun, well at least I can,’ she added as Seetha, still in a silhouette stepped fully into the light.  

‘Some costume, I’ll add it to my collection once you’re dead.  Stripsa!.’ she said and fired the end of her feather boa at Seetha who cartwheeled out of the way as the Stripper pulled it back about her body. 

‘That’s a neat little device, unfortunately it appears to be a little slow,’ the Silkworm smiled.  

Candy, the name of Seetha’s assassin, spun and released the boa again with her trademark Stripsa phrase.

The end clanged off of the Silkworms costume, her left breast to be specific.  Candy pulled it back about her body and remarked.  ‘Skimpie yet practical.’

‘Oh it's much more than that,’ Seetha smiled as she stepped into position and began.

The Silkworm began to sway and move the light from the glow sticks catching on the jewels in her costume and bouncing about.  Seetha swayed like a snake, her body, toned and sinuous as one, yet graceful and alluring, no motion was more than it needed to be, no stretch or contraction of her form excessive in any way, all hypnotic in there spell to transfix a watcher.  Her beauty is that of any snake's skin, dazzling in appearance and fascinating in its movement.  Seetha moved a little closer, her body turning about to give the Stripper a complete look then back to face her as she smiled.  She undulated and moved until she knew it had done its job.

‘My Cobra Sway is quite mesmerizing, Stripper.  It's actually a combination of the dance and my outfit.  The light bounces of the jewels as I dance, the pattern is extremely hypnotic to the watcher,’ Seetha smiled as she stopped and approached the stricken stripper.  ‘This outfit of yours is very practical, ease of movement for combat yet I’m sure it's just packed with extra deadly features.  Pity you can’t use them, but that would require movement.  You wear it very well, but it appears to me you may have it on backwards,’ Seetha slithered as her hands ran about the Strippers body then up to her head where a sudden thrust of her arms turned the Strippers head about 180 degrees.  The Silkworm looked at the woman for a second or two before she fell to the floor, Seetha taking the end of the boa in her hand  ‘Yes you look better this way,’ she added as the boa flashed out behind her.  It snagged its target, a Strippers Guild member.

Seetha felt the boa quivering in her hands and straining to be released, curious, she complied.  The boa

flew toward the blonde stripper and instantly coiled about her body causing the woman to toddle about on

her heels.

‘Well this is an interesting weapon and I thought a Saree Snake was innovative.  Here my dear let me steady you.  What do you call this device?’ she asked.

‘We call it A Body Bangle, ohh!’ the stripper moan.

‘Evidently, a constricting device and a fast one.  I like it but I still prefer my Saree or my scarf and of course my personal favorite constriction device, my body.  I wish we had time for that, I could use the workout, a tension reliever, but we don’t so I apologize but I must resort to more expedient methods.  These four emerald rings are each cut and shaped for a specific purpose, singly they are lovely, but that is all and while I appreciate their beauty it's their function when brought together that really excites me.  All gemstones vibrate at very low frequencies, each stone has its own unique frequency and these ones when placed a certain nerve endings send a current into the victim's body that shuts it down over a period of minutes.  I normally use these 

during sex, after we enjoy ourselves of course, you will have no such pleasure,’ Seetha said as she

placed her hands on the strippers neck.  Of course, that Body Bangle, as you call it, may do the job

before I can.  I seem to be spoiled for choice, but I’m not complaining,’ Seetha purred as she watched

the stripper.  ‘That’s it, I’m afraid you had to learn the hard way that every part of a Silkworm is a weapon

and all are deadly.’

Seetha released and the stripper fell to the floor, she smiled, but only for a second, her victory short.

‘Stripsa!’ came shouts from the shadows.  

The Silkworm tried to dance out of the way but the strippers had anticipated her motion and adjusted their boa’s.  One caught her arms, the other her ankles and were pulled taut, sweeping Seetha off her feet and to the floor.  

‘Pull her tight girls and suspend her, we don’t want to give her any advantage,’ one stripper said as she

came into view.

The writhing Silkworm was soon taut and suspended as the one who had spoken was joined by two others.

‘Remove everything girls, a Silkworm, especially a Hive Queen is far too resourceful to be allowed any

advantage, no matter how small.  Once you’ve done that, tie her hair into a tight bun and seal it in place

with Stripperific Glue.’

Seetha was stripped of her jewelry first, carefully as the Strippers did not want to trigger any hidden perils, she was then relieved of her clothes, everything placed in a bag to be taken away.  

‘All of this should fetch a pretty penny.  A profitable night all around, well for most of us.  Now for you Hive Queen,’ she said motioning to the girls who scrambled about then returned so that the three surrounded Seetha.

‘Trixie and Raven have an illuminating death in store for you Silkworm, our Glow Rings.  We use them in our acts, but as you saw earlier they also help us locate our prey, should they wish to hide, they also work another way as you're about to find out.’

The girls undid the rings at the connectors then encircled Seetha’s body and attached them again until the Silkworm was covered in glowing rings.

‘Quite the rainbow and if I follow it to the end I’m rewarded with a dead Silkworm.  Those rings only glow for so long, once the chemical reaction begins to fade, the rings shrink and shrink and shrink, well you get the idea.  Soon those rings will be tight around that ageless body of yours, squeezing and pinching together binding you in an unbreakable embrace and we'll be here to cheer them on, our orders were to not leave you alone,’ their leader explained.

Seetha was covered in dozens of Glow Rings from her wrists to her ankles, her taut body unable to even twist about as the rings faded and tightened about her.  The Strippers watched in glee, Seetha refusing to give them any satisfaction by moaning or struggling.

‘The rings are tight Silkworm, your legs have been drawn together along with your arms, now it's just a matter of you fighting with that incredible body of yours, a fight you will lose within the hour.  I can see your muscles straining, useless really, these rings are fatal and so enjoyable to watch.’

Seetha’s body was a study in sexy discipline.  She could not move at all, her hard body resisting the pull of the Glow Sticks.  She lasted beyond the hour the Stripper had allotted her, a victory before death. 

‘So still, so tight and so finished, Silkworm,’ the Stripper said as the others giggled and Seetha faded from consciousness.   

^^^

Cara steered the Nissan Navara off the road, stopped and made her way to the passenger side door.  

‘Easy, you had a very close call.’

Seetha was sluggish but her memory was vivid, she tried to strike at Cara, missed wildly, had her arm caught by Cara, then the other.  She wrapped her legs around Cara’s waist.  The FORCE agent backed up a step and slowly pulled her from the truck.

‘You need to decide where this is going and soon, because a naked woman clinging to me at the side of the highway is going to look suspicious if someone comes by.  It's ok, there are no Strippers around here, at least I hope not I despise those tramps.  I had my fill of them back in Tamu,’ she smiled.

Seetha looked at the beautiful young woman and relaxed.  Cara gently held her as she found her feet then grabbed the blanket Seetha had kicked off in the struggle.  

‘Better put this on for now,’ she said, slipping it around her shoulders.  I have all your things in the back, including what was left at the Hive and that wicked dancing costume.  Wow that is one sexy outfit.  I also have a new saree for you, it's in the back as well.’

‘Who are you child?’ Seetha asked, finding her voice.

‘Cara Tamblyn, FORCE agent,’ she said then did something very unexpected.  Getting down on her knees, Cara bent over and touched Seetha’s feet with her hands then stood again.  ‘It is a great honour to meet you.’

The Silkworm was both surprised and touched by the gesture of respect, but she needed to know more.

‘I assume it was you who saved me and now instead of being dead I’m a prisoner of FORCE,’ she stated in a typical reserved Silkworm tone.

‘Yes to the first part of the question and no to the second part.  You are an honoured guest.  I was sent to find you and bring you to Macau, there are some Silkworms there already and more are on their way.  I don’t know totals at this time.  We are on our way to Mandalay to catch a plane to the aforementioned Macau,’ Cara explained.

‘An honoured guest of FORCE?  I suppose given all the craziness of the last week, that should not be a surprise.  Well we’d better be on our way.  I’m afraid I’m a little stiff from my encounter, would you help me get dressed,’ Seetha asked, seeing how Cara would react.

‘It would be my honour,’ she said and retrieved the box from the back.  

The Silkworm watched her move.  ‘Graceful, quick, elegant, spare.  She is beautiful and looking at that body.’ Cara was wearing a black catsuit.  ‘Firm and sexy, she would make a very good Silkworm,’ she thought.  

‘When we get to Macau I’ll help get all that Strippers Glue out of your hair if you’d like. I know how irritating it can be,’ Cara said after they had started on the road once more.

Seetha ate a power bar and had a bottle of cold water Cara had stored in a cooler in the back seat then asked how the woman had rescued her and how they had found her.

‘How we found you is a great deal of mega data, CCTV and strange transactions.  If you want the details on that you’d be best to ask someone in the IT department.  I can arrange it if you’d like, frankly it's fascinating, I mean no one really is invisible anymore, but after a while of listening to it being explained my eyes start to cross.  But they do know what they're doing because they led me right to you.  ‘You were unconscious when I made my entrance, so I knew time was in short supply, I needed to even up the odds, so..’  Cara said as she reached down her leg and pulled out a knife.

‘In one ear and out the other,’ Cara smiled looking over.  ‘That left two, so the object is to disable one or

both as quickly as possible.  They made some stupid joke about me throwing my weight around.  I knew

it was going to be fun after that.  I rushed forward before one of them had time to set, picked her up with

my shoulder and tossed her against the wall.  Second one punched me in the side, I turned around,

caught the second attempt, stretched out the arm and drove it back against mine, breaking it at the elbow. 

While she’s screaming and flapping about with one wing I returned to my first opponent knocking her for

six with a kick to the stomach that turned her over on her back.  From there I picked her up by her over

processed hair and broke her windpipe with a chop.  Executing a side walkover I came up in front of the

last one, spun a kick to her head on the broken arm side so she could not defend it, then pushed the back

of her neck against the newld edge of the lounger and broke her neck as well.  I retrieved my knife and

cut you free, carried you to the truck, went and collected everything, we left and here we are.  What?’

Cara said looking at the surprised and shocked look on Seetha’s face.  ‘I wiped the knife clean before I

cut you free.’

Seetha gave a small smirk, leaned over and kissed Cara on the cheek.  ‘You're an amazing young lady.’

^^^

‘Good morning ladies,’ Claire said walking into one of the hotel's intimate private meeting rooms.  ‘And welcome to our three new overnight arrivals,’ she added with a smile to the new Silkworms that had joined the collective.  ‘Eleven in all so far, but I’m afraid your time at the top will be short lived,’ she added walking across the room to a far set of doors.  ‘Twelve is a magical number, twelve days of Christmas, twelve makes a dozen, Twelve represents authority, appointment and completeness and it's the number you need to have a Silkworm Hive,’ Claire said, opening the door to Seetha.  Claire immediately paid her veneration, just as Cara had done.  She made sure all the others saw it.

One by one they all came up and showed respect to Seetha.  A few knew her personally, others from

her reputation. 

‘Take as long as you want with your new Hive my queen.  We can talk whenever you are ready.  My home is your home,’ Claire said then left, closing the door behind her.  

 

End Game

Cara reached the river's edge late in the afternoon.  She said low but began setting up, making

sure the jungle canopy provided her with cover.  The embankment provided the perfect cover

and a sprawling view of the mine on the opposite side.  She finished her preparations then

relaxed and waited for the call.

‘Yen’s data theft was the final piece, everything tied together, we now have a completeorganizational structure and who sits at the centre of it all,’ David Jacobs said.  

Mai’s data from her contacts in the shipping also say the same thing,’ Tina Samuels added.

‘It’s this piece here that really interests me,’ Claire said, I think there’s more to this section than

we are seeing,’ she answered walking to the projection David had on the screen of the meeting

room.  ‘Tell Cara to go ahead and Mai’s contacts as well.  I want to give as big a piece of dessert

as I can to our partners, that way we get what we want out of this.  If all goes as planned we will

know in a few hours.’

^^^

The mine was empty, save for a few security guards who Cara made sure were far enough away

before she began. The spy slipped on the ear muffs to cancel the noise, flipped up the covers on

the scope sighted the rifle then flipped off the safety.  She had already picked out her targets. 

Cara made short work of the four ten round magazines she had.  The 50 cal shells blasted in

machines and equipment at the mine site, chunks of metal, shards of wood filling the air mixed

with the satisfying pings of the spent shell casings. ‘Best for last Cara,’ she said squeezing the

trigger and watching the 500 gallon gas storage tank explode in a fireball. She disassembled the

gun, packed it up and headed off into the jungle for her rendezvous downstream with a river

trading boat. 

^^^

‘Let it buzz,’ Yen said, seizing his wrist and placing it above his head as she slightly increased

her rocking.  ‘I demand total attention and you are far too at attention for anything else,’ she

cooed as her hips churned around sending thrills and delights into both of them. 

They had a rhythm together by now and Yen used it and her considerable skills to inducemaximum pleasure for the both of them.  Her last paspin g thrusts finished him and the session.  After they had both shower she left him alone with his phone and then his laptop which he usedin a more speedy manner than normal although she pretended to take no notice as she relaxedin the other room.

‘I’m sorry but I have to cut this wonderful time together short.  There has been an incident at the

mine and it appears with one of the shipments.  Nothing to do with you or Cara, it appears more

crime at the docks,’ he said.  Yen looked concerned and threw her arms around him in a tight

embrace.

‘Wherever it is we’ll fix it together, I have friends in places that owe me so I can help if you’ll let

me,’ she said.

Before he could answer she gave him a small kiss and went into the bedroom and startedpacking.  She packed up her clothes, checked her makeup in the bathroom and checked her textin the hidden compartment of her compact.  The message told her all the information she needed.  

^^^

‘That’s everything, I cross matched all the names and email addresses even have real time

tracking on the ones with location turned on in their cellphones to make it easier for them to be

picked up.  I’ve uploaded all the data to a secure server and cut any back doors into our system. 

At this point it's just a matter of informing all the concerned parties so they can execute their

plans,’ David Jacobs said.

‘You should get some sleep, you’ve been at this for days with little or no rest,’ Claire said.

‘I’ll crash soon enough, but this was so exciting to do, all the algorithms and big data analysis. 

For computer geeks this is an adrenaline rush of the highest order!  My team and I feel like

we really are part of everything,’ he added.

‘You and your team are part of FORCE all the time, hope you know that.  Sure all the glamour

and, well that other stuff, I don’t think I need to say anything else, you have experienced some

of it with Rachel, that’s the sizzle, you’re the steak, to borrow a marketing term.  Modern

espionage is almost all cyber backed or cyber run these days, without you and your team we’re

nothing at all.  Schedule a full department meeting, in fact make it a celebration, order food and

refreshments, so I can come, with some of others to thank you properly.  Now having said that I

want to make sure we get all we wanted from this deal,’ Claire said.

‘Fear not, I anticipated that so I have not uploaded certain key pieces until you have the

guarantees you want,’ David smiled.

‘Who says you're not a spy,’ Claire countered. 

^^^

After David had left Claire called Alice.

‘It falls to you, you’re the closest.  I don’t want to expose any of our other agents, neither sideneeds to know more than they do.  They’ll be time for that in the future.  This chess game iscoming to an end, but I don’t need to sacrifice any more assets to win.’

‘By that you mean exposing more agents.  I understand I will take care of things I just need 48

hours.  I will call you once I have finished the operation,’ Alice answered.

Claire was hoping for less than that but she did not question Alice’s timeframe, she had vastly for

experience at this.  

^^^

‘Your Mandarin is still as flawless as ever.  It has been a long time, even for us,’ he said.

‘Too long, I trust you got my letters?’ Alice answered.

‘Still as cautious as ever.  We appreciate it and we cherish those letters, he said, opening up adrawer to show her.  That old cipher still works a treat, no sense other people knowing things,’he smiled.

‘I take it things are still the same?’ she said her voice dropping and concern coming into it.

‘Yes,’ 

‘I think I have a solution, one that will benefit all.  My question is are you ready for it?’ Alice asked.

‘My goodness you need not lower your voice like you're talking about a taboo subject, you knowI can hear everything and if a may be permitted to answer for us, yes we are both ready,’ abeautiful young woman said as she came into the room holding a tray with tea.

Alice waited until she had set it down before they embraced, the hug telling her the answer wastrue.

^^^

Alice had Fan Li make the arrangements for her to meet Fei Ling Zhao.  It was a simple one to

set up given Fan made it all about money and power.  Alice wanted to put Fei at ease so she

suggested they meet at her place and Fei of course accepted.  

Alice chose a basic dress, not a power suit , something comfortable and disarming.  Alice

knocked on the big double doors and Fei greeted her looking stunning in a blue dress. The

greeting was cool but cordial, Fei leading the way to her study.library when she had tea ready

for a welcome.  The two sat opposite each other in a room that was more colonial in design,

dark wood, but mixed with eastern influences, screens, secondary pieces of furniture and

accents that gave it an odd but somehow calming look.  Fei poured them tea in an elegant

understated manner, her economy of motion a pleasure to watch.  She set down the pot, smiled

and came straight to the meeting point.

‘So I understand Miss Fan Li says you have a business offer for me.  I’m always interested in

new ventures.’

‘It's actually just me that has the offer, other interested parties I represent know nothing about

this,’ Alice smiled and watched for a reaction which she got, others would have missed it, but her

many years in China were spent on more than just martial arts.  Fei knew nothing, time was

important in this matter, she so pressed tight to the point.

‘We, meaning myself and the party I represent, know all about your business interests and theextracurricular information you gather and use.  I must say it's impressive, an extensive web ofinfluential people, some willing, some coerced into working for you,’ Alice explained.

‘I have no idea what you’re on about Miss Hamilton.  It’s not assuming, frankly it's a waste of mytime, please leave.’ Fei said in an almost convincing tone.

‘Really, is this what you’re looking for?’ Alice said, opening her hand.

‘I’m afraid the cat’s out of the bag.  I’ll speak bluntly because time is of the essence,’ Alice began

as she got up and walked about behind the chair.  ‘You have less than 48 hours to live!  All your

network has been exposed, as we speak there are people getting ready to pounce on them and

I think we both know what happens after that.  The lucky ones will disappear into secret facilities,

the not so lucky will simply disappear and you my dear will be grouped with the latter.’

‘Who do you work for?’ Fei asked.

‘Is that really all that important right now, it will not change the outcome,’ Alice countered. ‘I can

tell you remain unconvinced, open my briefcase and take a look for yourself, it's all there.’

Alice could see the metaphorical dagger being driven home and even though this was businessshe did not like it. She came back to the table, sat down and placed the pistol between them.

‘Them or me, the old game, well at least you’re giving me a choice,’ Fei said in a defeated tone. 

‘A choice yes, but not this one, “Alice said in an alarmed voice slipping her hand over the

weapon as Fei looked up.  ‘I admire you, what you built, what brains, cunning and savvy that

took, but you pushed it too far, you got people worried, the wrong people, now they and others

want to punish you for their weaknesses, their foolishness and well, to be honest, stupidity.  You

asked me who I work for.  It’s called FORCE, run by a very special woman who I love very much,

Claire Baxter.  My Claire is excellent at what she does, but sometimes, she thinks too short term.

She cannot see tomorrow because she is too busy winning today. This is one of those times,

she believes in a clear winner and a clear loser.  But, in this case she fails to see the opportunity

of three winners, well actually two winners and a happy loser.’

‘And which one am I?’ Fei asked.

‘Oh, most assuredly a winner,  but it will require you to give something up to achieve it,’ Alice

smiled.  She took her hand off the gun and gave a slight nod.  Out of nowhere a man appeared at

the side of the table, seemingly as if he had materialized from the corner of the room. Fei startled

and came to her feet taking a step back and around the chair.  

‘Where the hell did you come from?’  she managed to gasp.

‘I’ve been here all along, my apologies for startling you, Alice thought it would be a good idea,but I went along with it, so again, my apologies, he said holding out his hand.

‘Fei Ling Zhao I would like to meet Han Xiao Wang, a very wonderful man I’ve had the pleasureof knowing for many years,’ Alice said.  Fei reached out and took the offered hand, more of areflex action than a settling of nerves.  She didn’t notice his hand was cold, her mind still whirlingon his sudden appearance on top of all that she had been told.

‘I think I had best be over here while we do this,’ Alice said as she took a spare chair and placed

it next to Fei’s who she guided back into her seat and Han took the one Alice vacated.

Alice looked at Han and she looked at him.  ‘Well how do you want to handle this, judging byhow it's gone so far, you’re off to a great start,’ he said, his voice teasing her.

‘Fei, look at me,’ Alice said, talking her hands in hers.  Han and I mean you no harm, nothing isgoing to happen unless you want it to.  I am here, we are here to help you,’ she said looking atHan.

‘What does help mean?’ she said, here eyes dancing back from Alice to Han.

‘You got into this whole business after they retired you.  They took an experienced operative,smart and if I may add, sext, cast her aside because she was no longer what they deemeddesirable for a female field agent.  In other words, you got old, Alice reminded her.

‘Foolish reason I suppose, I mean I knew someday that would come, but it hurt so bad when theytold me, just cast me aside, made me feel worthless, no compassion, I suppose I shouldn’t haveexpected any, but this was my side telling me, they didn’t even give me a chance to fail,’ Feiexplained her voice upset at the memory.

‘I’m going to tell you something then Han is going to show you something.  You’re going to bescared, hold on to my hands and remember what I promised you. Are you ready?’

Fei for all her years as a spy and the head of a massive covert intelligence company looked

terrified.

‘Han is jiangshi,’ Alice said in a calm voice and with that Han got up and walked around the room

slowly vanishing from the view then coming back into it.  

‘I can’t do it for a long time, even shorter when moving, it requires a great deal of energy and

concentration,’ he said as he sat back down again.

‘Fei tried to get out of her seat, but Alice was on her in a flash, holding her as she struggled, thechair tipping over and away across the floor from the force.  Alice was on top of Fei’s squirmingand kicking body pinning her to the floor, Han looked alarmed.

‘This was a mistake,’ his voice full of concern.

‘You didn’t have any suggestions when I asked,’ Alice retorted, then looked at Fei.  ‘No, no, no,calm honey, look at me, focus on my face, relax, you're safe in my arms. I know, I know, it seemsimpossible, a nightmare, but it's real and there is nothing to be afraid of, you have my word,’Alice softly said then kissed her cheeks and head then hugged her for what seemed a long timebefore she felt Fei relax.  ‘You’re safe with us, forget all that nonsense people told you aboutjiangshi, none of it is true.  Han doesn’t bounce to get around, he doesn’t need to devour peopleand well, as you can see, he’s handsome, well I think so, and he’s an excellent dresser.’

‘Thank you,’ Han said and bowed.

Alice stroked Fei’s hair in a soothing sweep.  ‘How old are you?’ Fei finally asked.

‘That’s always the first question, isn’t it,’ he smiled and laughed looking at Alice.

By this time Alice had managed to get Fei to her feet, the Countess was behind her, holding heraround the waist in the protective hug, her face over the left shoulder of Fei in a hug.  

‘I’m actually 33, but that is when I changed.  I was born in 1636. I was an officer in The GreatQing Army.  I was leading my men through a deep valley, the forest closed in about us on bothsides then a fog descended into the valley, so thick I could not see two paces in front of me.The men and horses began to panic when they heard noises coming from the fog and sharpblasts of air as things ran by.  When I emerged from the fog, that stopped like a curtain I saw her,then I didn’t then I did again, just I as showed you and I had the same reaction you did.  This tome was an evil spirit of the forest and she had taken all the men and now it was me she wanted.I drew my sword determined to die a soldier,’ he smiled.  ‘Remember the time frame this iscoming from, and continued.  ‘She walked toward me, my body tensed but as she came closershe held up a wooden scroll for me to take.  It was written from my superior to my subordinate.I had never seen it before.  Seems I was to be assassinated so that they and their families couldmove up in ranks.  It was all a political power play and I was the pawn in the way.  She haddriven them off the path with her whirlwind running and voices from the forest, so much so theymissed the fork that I took out of the fog.  She assured me they would be safe after a while.Her name is Xiao Chen Tao, a princess from the Shang Dynasty from 2070 BC.  There was nota word for what she was then, the word jiangshi did not exist yet, people would have justregarded her as an evil forest spirit.  She led me to safety and kept me safe for months and I fellin love with her and she me.  You can guess the rest,’ he concluded.

‘You’re almost 400 years old?’ Fei said in a low voice, hardly believing it.

‘Alice is older, she was born in the 1300’s,’ Han said and Alice felt Fei tense.

‘But you’re warm,’ Fei said suddenly remembering how cold Han was.

‘It’s a long story Fei, but I will tell you and it has a happy ending,’ Alice said, giving her a softsqueeze.  ‘Are you able to sit down again?’

Fei gave Alice a nod and the Countess helped her into the chair, Han having retrieved and

uprighted it for her.

Fei sat still for a while, the others could tell her mind was racing, to what or where, that theycould not determine.

‘You want to turn me into a jiangshi so I can escape my fate,’ she said.

‘No,’ Han answered.  ‘I do not want that, only you can want that, only you can make that choice,I cannot take it from you, it never works that way, well almost never and he looked at Alice wholooked at Fei and related her story, but unfortunately that outcome could not be repeated andthat this was the only way.  

‘So I have to die to live, become a monster,” Fei said, tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

‘Not the first time I’ve heard that,’ Alice said.  ‘I’m sure it's the same for you?’ she added looking

at Han.

‘I don’t have a heartbeat, I’m cold to the touch as a result, I don’t age, I can’t change into anotheranimal, bat, wolf, dragon, those things are true.  What is untrue is, I can see myself in a mirror, Ionly need about a normal vile of blood you give for a lab test twice a year.  I can go out in thesun, I do eat and like food and no I don’t turn everyone or in fact anyone I meet into my personalarmy of the undead.  Oh that last part sounded like a bad movie cliche,’ Han grimaced.  

‘So if I give myself to you then I can become like you?’ Fei asked.

‘No, not me. I think it’s time my love,’ he said, Xiao Chen Tao came out of the shadows and

appeared beside Han.. Fei pushed against Alice, not because a second apparition had appeared

to her in less than five minutes, it was Xiao’s beauty that caused the reaction.

Xiao bowed to Fei as a sign of respect to an elder then turned to Han and Alice.

‘You both did a wonderful job, but I think, if you agree,’ she said looking at Fei.  ‘That we needsome privacy.’

Fei nodded and undid Alice’s arms, the Countess and Han left the room as Xiao sat in one chair

and Fei took the other.  Xiao slipped her hands into Fei’s, the woman taking them willingly.

‘You have a strong fire in you, rare, I can feel it warming me.  Alice always knows.  I have lived avery long life Fei, a full one, but I’m tired. I have had enough of this world and want to move on,to something or nothing.  I love Han and he loves me enough to let me go, it's my time, just as itwas Alice’s time, she just chose a different path than me, but when you have lived as long asshe has another 50 or 60 years is not much more to wait, but for me even that time is becomingunbearable.  This is my desire but it has to be yours as well and it must be total.  ‘You mustsurrender to me totally when the moment comes, you will know it, I do not need to say anything.We will for the briefest time become one entity, you and I together, but separate, all that we aretogether in harmony, then we will pass into each other's bodies, you will stay in mine and I willpass into yours and after a moment no clock can measure, I will depart.  if we do it right there isno regret, no hesitation, only joy and pure love for each other.  I wish to die like that knowingyou will live like that.’

Fei looked at her,  she could not believe what was happening to her and others, but she knew

one thing for certain.  ‘You are no longer cold,’ she answered and Xiao smiled as Fei got up, took

Xiao by the hand and led her out of the room, down the hall and into her bedroom.  The act

seemed normal to her although she had never been with a woman before, she closed the door

gently behind them.  

There was nothing hurried, they tenderly took turns removing each other's clothes.  Xiao kissedFei’s forehead, then cheeks a finger sweeping her back then languidly pulling down the zipperof the dress while undid the buttons on Xiao’s, her skilled fingers pitching the button through thematerial, Xiao feeling the thrill of her nail in just for the briefest of moments against her skin, thengone, the longing desire fulfilled as it returned to the next.  

Hands brushed against her back and into the folds of the open dress, Xiao’s fingers sparking

against Fei’s back before a sweep, tender and slow released the dress from Fei’s shoulders. 

Xiao’s shoulders followed suit, her body thrilling to the touch of a skilled lover as Fei’s hands

cupped around her small pert breasts and easily brought her nipples to erectness, Xiao’s body

quivering from the caressing, that motion releasing Fei’s upper body from her dress, she in

ecstasy that a lover could be so skilled as to use her body to disrobe her.  

The two dresses dropped off their respective hips, the duo casually letting the motion of theirundulating bodies free themselves from the last encumbrances the two slipped into bed, only athin silk sheet covering their naked forms.  A slow loving entwining of arms and legs began, eachone understanding the other as they came together in wonderful blss, Fei burning with passion,Xiao embraced in a lover more than she, in her long life, had ever been, Fei’s warm bodyseeping its fire into hers as they settled in place and loved each other into one flesh and onebeing,  

Fei and Xiao lost themselves to each other, it was peaceful and still as Xiao, unknown to her andFei bit her lover, neither noticed it, but the one entity did and it rejoiced in the total bonding, allof the two came together at one moment, each knew the other, nothing was spared, two lightsmerged into one then separated from each other, neither sad, both joyfull for the communion. Fei looked the longest as the lights traveled apart to their respective new homes, Fei could feelherself immersing into a new shell, but at the last moment she saw the far light flicker, the pulsingbeam showing something it was traveling toward and she felt it express one final thought to her,it was happy and excited.

Fei’s eyes flickered open,  She got out of the bed carefully, thinking she might be unsteady in

her new body, but she was fine.  The new body moved like she did when she was that age, but

as she looked in the mirror on the wall she saw Xiao.  It shocked her at first, but as hard as it was

to admit, there was an improvement.  Fei was younger and prettier.  She slipped in her robe and

moved to the door, catching the latch she emerged into the light of the day to Alice and Han

carefully placing the body of Fei.

‘Sure they’ll buy this?’  Alice asked.

 

‘They’ll be too interested in the body to check anything and in too much of a hurry to get rid of it

to do an autopsy.  But if they do, trust me, they’ll find exactly what we want them to find.  I have

some experience in this area,’ Han answered, then looked up to see Fei.

‘She is very happy and excited,’ Fei said to him.

‘How about you?’ he asked.

‘Nervous and well a little unsure of my future,’ Fei answered.

‘Put that at rest, I’ve seen to certain matters Han will fill you in, but we must leave very soon,events are already unfolding and it would not do for any of us to be here, Alice explained.

‘I thought we had 48 hours?’ Fei said.

‘You and Xiao were together for more than a day,’ Han answered.

‘I have no memory of time and even now I remember less and less of her and us,’ Fei said, hervoice catching.

‘It's designed that way so the new person has no ties to the old, no regrets.  A new start,’Alice said.  ‘I purchased a new set of clothes for you, there in the bathroom, get dressed wehave to go.’

^^^

‘Yim Wing-chun, my master, told me this once.  ‘Aged ginger is more pungent.’

‘Meaning your wiser than me,’ Claire answered.

‘Let’s just say I have more experience than you and to learn from that, you must step throughthe open door I offer,’ Alice answered.

‘My first step then is to let you handle the operation from here on.  That means getting thecasino/hotel complex built, taking advantage of our new found trust with the mainlandgovernment and working with SALON to make them even better than they already are andgetting them deeper into other countries.  I have a feeling  we may experience pushback fromcertain areas on this victory,’ Claire explained. ‘Pull resources from other areas if you have to,not to suggest anyone to the master, but Tina Samuels would be an excellent choice,’ she addedwith a smile.

They walked on for a bit till they came to Claire’s office, they hugged.

‘Do you know where Fei is now, Great Gran?’ Claire asked.

‘Yes, but all you need to know is she’s with people who will teach, love and accept her.

‘And the 200 million that nobody can seem to find from Fei’s accounts?’ Claire asked knowing

the answer.  

‘Starting over doesn’t mean starting with nothing,’ Alice smiled.