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The Red Cab dropped Kai and Clarke in West Park.
“What makes you think that they were held here, Ma’am?” Clarke asked as they walked through the trees.
“It’s one of the hidey holes that I was told about.” Kai said, “You don’t have to be so formal either.”
“So why move them?” Clarke said.
“Who knows. I just need to check it out and see if my hunch is correct.” Kai turned off the main path and Clarke followed.
It was a lot darker off the path and as they got close to the river, Kai began taking deep breaths. I’m almost certain it has to be around here.
Cinnamon began sifting through the stronger scents of the cut grass and water. Kai looked around. A delicate Chinese style pavilion stood beside the river and around it, bushes full of dark coloured roses had been planted.
“So where would they keep them?” Clarke looked around, “There’s nothing here.”
Kai stepped up into the pavilion and examined the floor with her torch, “From what I’ve read about recently, the Fae have ways of hiding things in plain sight. Aha.” She shone her torch on a symbol painted onto the wooden floor; a gold circle with a silver triskele inside
Clarke wandered over and examined the symbol, “That’s very familiar. I’ve seen the same thing in other places around the city. But what does it mean?”
“I’m not a hundred percent sure. I’ll take a picture and check it, but I think if I...” Kai took the picture and then leaned down and pushed the symbol. There was a grating noise and the symbol dropped down and slid to one side. Inside the gap was a glowing number pad.
“What now?”
Kai took her right glove off and touched the keypad, concentrating. The image that appeared in her mind was that of certain numbers flashing in order. So, she tapped the keyboard in the same pattern.
“Huh? How did... hey!” Clarke jumped back as the floor of the pavilion dropped back into a series of steps heading down.
Kai put her glove back on, “Come on, let’s go take a look.”
“I’ll go first.” Clarke pulled out her own torch and began walking down into the darkness, “We’re under orders to protect you.”
Kai sighed and shook her head, “I’ve been looking after myself for a long time, Officer Clarke, I know how to handle myself. Zhao has never worried about it before.”
The vampire grinned at her, “Sorry Miss Riordan, my orders come from above Detective Zhao.”
“Fair enough.” Kai stifled a laugh. I have to remember that she doesn’t know exactly who I am or who Detective Zhao is.
As they set off down the stairs, each one lit up with a pale blue light.
“Well, that’s handy.” Clarke said, turning off her torch.
“I’m hoping that it’s automatic and that it doesn’t mean there’s someone down there.” Kai replied, frowning.
“Good point.” The officer loosened her handgun in its holster.
The steps went down for several floors before ending at what looked like a lift door. Another keypad lit up as Kai approached.
“I’m not sure we should go any further. It could constitute breaking and entering.” Clarke said.
“Stay here if you want to.” Kai took her glove off again, touched the keypad then entered the number that she saw in her mind, “Technically I’m a private citizen with a great deal of curiosity and the charge would be Unlawful Entry.”
The doors opened with a soft swoosh. On the other side wasn’t the lift capsule she expected, but a darkened room, which lit up with the opening of the doors.
“Looks like the reception to a fancy hotel.” Clarke said, “Are you going inside?”
Kai stuck her head inside the door and took a deep breath. Cinnamon, grass, disinfectant... It’s been cleaned recently. Pretty much what I expected. She pulled back and pressed the lock button on the keypad. “There’s no point to going inside. They’ll have wiped away any traces that I could use.” She led the way back out of the stairwell and locked it once they were out again.
“what now?” Clarke appeared confused.
“I’ve got to see if there are any spirits around here that are willing to talk to me.” Kai said, grinning when the vampire’s jaw dropped open slightly in shock.
“How do you do that?”
Kai looked around and then took the path from the pavilion down to the river. Clarke followed. Kai found a boulder that jutted out into the river and climbed up onto it, before sitting down and stripping her gloves off.
“If there’s a spirit around here, I’ll be able to see and talk with it. Just stop anyone from carting me off to the funny farm; unless you have the Sight, it’s going to look like I’m talking to myself.” Kai tossed her gloves to the officer, “keep an eye on these please.”
“Yes, Ma’am.” Clarke said as she caught them.
Kai sighed and laid her palms flat against the boulder, closing her eyes and concentrating on feeling if there was a spirit in the rock or surrounding area. There’s a presence here... a strong one... She shifted her focus toward it, and it literally roared into life in her mind.
Opening her eyes, she found herself staring at the river. The surface heaved and bubbled as if being heated, bright red glowing wavelets jumping up. Kai moved her hands from the rock and held them, palm out toward the water, which began to swell upward toward her.
Clarke gasped, “You can see that, right?”
Kai smiled, “Of course. I’m surprised you can.”
“I’ve always seen odd things around the city; it’s one of the reasons I ended up in Special Division.” The officer murmured, transfixed by the huge lump of water extruding upward, “What is it?”
Kai stood up and bowed to the water which glowed brighter and brighter; it began to form a shape, “If I’m correct, you’re going to need to mind your P’s & Q’s; this may be a manifestation of Ao Qin.”
“The Dragon King of the South China Sea?” Clarke’s voice rose several octaves and she had to make a clear effort to calm down.
The water split apart like a cocoon and the glowing red and gold head of a dragon appeared. Kai bowed again. Clarke bowed as well, but Kai could feel the vampire’s fear building.
“Why have you summoned me, Jade Cat?” the dragon asked, his eyes gleaming bright gold in the dark.
The power behind the mind voice made Kai shiver. “Please accept my apologies Lord Dragon, I was not aware that you were in the vicinity.” she said, bowing again.
“I have been drawn here by the actions of the Fae. Are you opposing them also?” Ao Qin tilted his head to one side.
Kai got the clear impression that honesty would be the best policy, “I am looking for the people they have taken hostage; a human politician from Grande Britannia, his wife and their adopted daughter, who happens to be Fae.”
“The Golden Phoenix has returned to these shores; this much I can tell you. However, the actions of her Birth Mother have seriously damaged the balance of the world. If the Phoenix were to do as the Queen wants her to, war engulfing the planet would be inevitable.” The dragon king rose higher above the water, glistening and huge, water dripping from his limbs.
“Have you any advice or aid that you can give me, Lord Dragon?” Kai said.
Ao Qin looked down his nose at her for so long a moment that Kai wondered if she were about to be eaten. Finally, he said, “If you were to fly north to my summer home, you would find the Eastern City of the Fae, hiding in plain sight. Here is where the Fae Queen makes her plans.”
“Thank you.” She bowed low, “I shall do my best to stop the Fae Queen’s intentions.”
The dragon rumbled and Kai got the distinct impression that he was pleased with her reply. “If you have severe need of me, I shall aid you. Farewell.” He flew around her and Clarke, the pavilion and the trees, water splattering across them and the roses.
The two of them watched as Ao Qin snaked his way through the clouds and out of sight.
“Wow...” Clarke breathed out heavily.
“Understatement.” Kai climbed down off the rock, “Well that was far more successful than I’d anticipated. I’d better get back to the office and plan our next move.”
“Do you want me to come with you?” the officer asked as they walked back up the path to the main park.
Kai shook her head, “I’ll call Zhao if I need back up again.”
“Fair enough. I’ll see you into a cab then.” Clarke said before she let out a piercing whistle as they reached the main thoroughfare. One of the Red Cabs on the far side of the road swerved through the oncoming traffic and pulled up beside them.
“How are you going to get back?” Kai opened the door.
“I’m feeling a little peckish, so I’m going to pick something up on the way back to the office.” Clarke grinned, her fangs glinting in the streetlights. The driver let out a gasp and Kai laughed as she sat down and shut the door.
––––––––
“WHAT DID YOU DO TO my... Louise?” Tabatha stormed into the Queen’s office, her maid following anxiously behind her.
“I brought her to a place of safety, please calm down.” Aoife replied, unperturbed by her daughter’s entrance, unlike the Officer of the Court who had surged out of his seat as the door slammed back. The queen waved the man to sit back down.
“She would have been safe enough in the hotel she was staying in. Besides which, she is unable to walk thanks to your people’s enthusiasm at hurting humans.” Tabatha slammed both hands down on the mahogany desk.
The queen shrugged, “The humans are easily replaceable and fixable. I will order her mobility restored as long as you can guarantee that she will not try to escape.”
Tabatha ground her teeth together.
“I hear that David is making a good progress.” Aoife continued, “I’m sure the news that his wife will be joining him in their new home will inspire his recovery further.”
“You do realise that he’s an MP, don’t you?” Tabatha said, “The British Government will start to wonder where he is at some point.”
The queen shook her head, “You still do not realise just how much of this world that I control, child. My son in Great Britain will keep the matter under wraps.”
“I am not a child.” Tabatha stood with her hands on her hips, “Just because I am young in Fae time doesn’t mean that you can belittle me.”
Aoife sighed, “Do we really have to argue all the time, Tabatha?”
Tabatha said nothing.
“Was there a reason for your presence in my office, other than Louise’s arrival today?” the queen said.
Tabatha waved a yellow folder at her, “I needed to discuss this with you, but seeing Louise brought into the house in a wheelchair upset me.”
“I suppose I can understand that.” The queen looked at the Officer of the Court, “I’ll get back to you with my decision on the Banquet.”
He stood and bowed before striding out of the room with a glare at Tabatha.
“Sit down.” Aoife gestured to the seat he’d vacated.
Tabatha deliberately took the other chair before the desk and placed the folder onto the polished surface.
“What did you want to discuss? I thought it was fairly clear cut.”
Tabatha took a breath, “This is a declaration of war, your majesty. Having studied the politics of the area and the history of the role you wish me to fulfil, following this plan would destabilise the countries in the Far East to the point that we would be faced with no other option than military control.”
The Queen blinked, “I thought you were going to be a Marine Biologist. What do you know of politics?”
“I had to take an A Level in Geography to get onto the course and a large part of Geography is to do with humans, politics and data analysation. I got a double A star.” Tabatha said.
“I see.” Aoife said in a flat tone.
“Is there no other way to enact the end result without all the strife first?” The young woman crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back in her chair, studying the queen’s face.
“I need you in charge of the Triang. That’s impossible while the Black Dragon lives.” The queen said.
“And why the Silver Wolf and Crystal Dragon were killed.”
The queen rolled her eyes with exasperation, “Yes, of course.”
“And you are certain that there is no other way of doing this.”
“I have had the best Fae minds analyse it. If we are to save the world from itself, then we must be in control of it.” The queen said.
Tabatha sighed, “And over half the human population of the planet will die.”
“Why do you worry so much about the role that the humans will play? They will thank us eventually.” Aoife leaned forward and laid a gentle hand on Tabatha’s arm, “It really is in their best interests, they will see that.”
I’m pretty certain that they won’t; you really don’t understand them. Tabatha nodded as if she agreed and the queen smiled, “Now I must finalise the details for your banquet of Ascension. Forget about the plan for the moment, relax and make sure that David and Louise are settled and happy in their house.”
Tabatha stood up, “Very well, with your permission, your majesty?”
The queen waved her hand, “Go on.”
Striding out, Tabatha dropped back into her own thoughts, I need to get my parents out of here and get word to someone out there who can stop this happening.