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“Can the Naga see inside the box?” Wei Tian asked Kai.
She looked at Amin.
“No, I can’t see inside, but I can feel a little of what Miss Riordan can from the box and I’m almost entirely certain that the detective is going to have some more bad news.” Amin swallowed and his tongue flickered out in the same way a snake tastes the air, “No, I’m certain that he will have bad news.”
Edward stared at the box and then down at his hands, “You mean...” he pushed one fist to his mouth, turned and stumbled out of the office.
“Poor Edward,” Kai murmured, “He never signed up for this kind of case; when he joined me, I was finding lost objects and animals.”
Zhao returned, his movements jerky and his jaw clenched. Behind him, a scared looking Forensic Technician brought his kit in.
“Miss Riordan, can you please move the Jian,” Zhao said.
Kai did as she was asked, picking the sword up by its hilt and Amin stood up and moved well away from the table so that the tech could lay a plastic sheet over the table. Then with double gloved hands, he picked the box up.
Zhao, Kai and Amin moved over to Zhao’s desk and watched the tech work.
“This might take a while,” Zhao said to Amin, “It’s nearly sunset, go roust Clarke, Steele, Xing and Ikeda out of their beds.”
The Naga nodded, “Be back quickly.”
“If what I think has happened, the whole department is going to be involved, so waking them up early is going to be the least of their worries,” Zhao shot an uneasy glance at the box and the tech.
Kai gripped the Jian’s hilt.
“Calm yourself, Riordan.” Wei Tian said.
“Zhao, do you mind if I go into the Canteen? The miasma from that thing is making me feel a little ill.”
“Go ahead. Leave the Jian here though; I know I can’t hear him, but he can hear me and communicate with you, so I’ll tell him if I need you.” He waved one hand toward the door.
Kai nursed a cup of tea and tried very hard to enclose herself in peace. The few officers who were there had the air of people trying to ignore everyone else. Kai could feel their individual emotional states and every single one of them fed the anxiety of the person nearest to them.
I’d never be able to work in this place, too much residual emotion. She mused.
A young-looking officer rushed into the room and over to one of the older men, spoke to him in a whisper and ran out again. The wave of anger and frustration that swept outward from the man engulfed the entire room and every person in the room looked at him.
Kai sighed, No peace here. Looks like Zhao found out what happened to Ealdwine and Osbourne. Now the entire office is on high alert... and going by the amount of residual pain, fear and violence I felt from the box, I’m not sure that I want to know what exactly happened to them.
“Miss Riordan?”
She looked up to see an ashen faced Edward stood across the table from her.
“Edward, please sit down before you fall down.” Kai indicated the chair opposite.
He collapsed into it with a soft sigh.
“Before you say anything, Edward, I wish you would stay,” She said, “You’re the first Personal Assistant I’ve had in ten years who could deal with my quirks and needs without arguing.”
He stared at her, “How did you know?”
“I’m a Diviner. We know things remember?”
He smiled, “My mother always said that I would come to a sticky end when I took this job.”
“And you’re scared that it will be at the hands of a Ghoul.”
“I’ve heard stories of what they like to do to their victims.” He shuddered.
“We all grew up with the tales; telling them around the campfire at Autumn Wane.” Kai shrugged, “I can’t stop you from leaving my employ, Edward, but I do have to remind you that you’re now a member of a very select club and you’ll be watched whatever you do.”
“You can’t protect me though. You can barely protect yourself.” He replied. A door banged behind him and Edward jumped in his seat, looking round to see what had happened.
“Don’t worry Mr Tanner. I have the resources to make sure that you stay safe.” Zhao’s voice carried through the suddenly still and silent atmosphere of the canteen.
“You can’t even keep your own people safe, Zhao.” The older officer from earlier said as he stood up, “How do you propose to keep a civilian safe with an empty building, which is what you’ll have if you keep sending us out after this Ghoul.” He strode over, leaving the rest of the officers at his table staring.
Zhao quirked an eyebrow at him, “Ivanisevic, it helps if the people I send out actually do as they’re instructed. Ealdwine and Osbourne were on watching duty only; when their charges were snatched, they were supposed to call in for back up before following.”
“So, the reason they were dismembered and eaten was their own fault?” Ivanisevic spat on the floor, “You Xixuegui are all the same, don’t care about anyone else.”
Edward gulped loudly, “They were eaten?”
Zhao nodded, “The box contained two fingers, two eyeballs and a note warning us off trying to get Melanie Reading-Smith and Tabatha Smith back. It’s been taken down to the morgue.”
“I wonder how the Fae will react to that?” Kai mused, watching Edward turn so pale he was blue.
“We found traces of Fae blood in the box as well; it looks like the note had been written with it.”
There was a sigh and a crash from the other side of the table as Edward fainted and fell off his chair, kicking it over.
Zhao grinned as he slid round the table and caught the man, easing him down onto the floor, “Humans are so easily disturbed.”
“Like I said, Xixuegui don’t care,” The officer sniffed, “You won’t find anyone willing to trail the Ghoul.”
Zhao stood up, “You’ll do what you’re ordered.”
“Hmph. Nice try Zhao, but you’re not our real boss; you never were.”
That explains why he’s so relieved to have me in charge. Kai straightened up in her chair and looked up at the officer, “He might not be your boss, but I am.” She said it quietly, so that only Ivanisevic could hear her.
The man looked startled, “Ma’am? You’re the Jiàndié?”
“Is it that much of a surprise?” she turned to Zhao, “I thought you’d told everyone.”
“Only those who were on your protection duty needed to know exactly who you were.”
“Ah,” Kai turned back, “Does that make any difference? After all, it’s the life of the Gold Phoenix who is at stake here.”
He shook his head, “Tell the Fae and let them go after the bastard then.”
“For fuck’s sake, Ivanisevic,” Zhao exploded, “Are you really that craven?”
The man shrugged, “How do you think I’ve survived so long.”
I don’t know if I should burst out laughing or get angry. She looked at Zhao and quirked an eyebrow upward.
“He’s being purposely irritating. However, he is the Union Rep and if he’s saying that the rest of Special Division don’t want to look for Andrew Reading-Smith, then we’ve got a problem.” Zhao said in her mind.
Kai sighed.
Ivanisevic took that as a dismissal and strode out of the room, followed by the little group of officers that he’d been sat with.
The room fell silent as Kai considered the difficulty. Everyone was watching her, and the pressure made it tricky to stay objective. I really want to pull rank and just order them to do it, but that’s no way to manage anything, you never know when I might need them to just trust me. She ran one hand through her hair and played with the ends thoughtfully, then stood up abruptly, trying hard to imitate the attitude that The Black Dragon used.
“Call a full department meeting, Zhao. Take care of Edward as well.” Kai swept out of the canteen and headed for Zhao’s office.
Once there, she used his phone to call the other members of the Triang. Before Zhao assisted a very wan looking Edward into the office, she’d contacted everyone except Tabatha and had an agreement in place.
The detective sat Edward down on the couch and turned to Kai, “Do you have a plan to tackle the insubordination? I’ve sent out runners to get a whole department meeting set up in the canteen. Is there anything else you need?”
“My ceremonial robes and mask might be a good idea. The rest of the council will be attending as well.”
He sighed, “You want us dressed up?”
“Not you. You’re needed to be on TLPD’s side, not as the White Tiger.”
Edward gasped.
Zhao shot her an annoyed look as he made a fresh pot of coffee, “how many more people are you going to tell?”
“You can trust Edward,” Kai shrugged.
“Of course, you can trust me; one wrong word and I’m a dead man,” He snorted. The colour had returned to his face, and he was sat up. Zhao handed him a mug which he clutched tightly.
“That’s true, but it’s not necessarily correct.” The detective gave Kai a mug as well, “So full regalia and a department meeting. Fair enough. Anything I need to be aware of?”
“Just that we’re all in agreement and this is a formality.”
“So not a chance in hell of changing whatever plan you have in mind, no matter what the rest of the department think of it.”
Kai nodded.
“Oh joy.” Zhao swallowed half his coffee and put the mug down, “I’ll get things set up.”
An hour and a half later, Kai was fully dressed and sat on a chair on the small dais at the other end of the canteen. Either side of her sat the rest of the council.
“Jade Cat, did you try to contact the Gold Phoenix?” The Black Dragon said.
“I did. Her mind is shielded from me somehow.” Kai thought of the fruitless hour she had spent casting her mind around the city to find Tabatha or Melanie, “I did however manage to speak to the Ard-Chomhairleoir though. He will be attending in her place.”
The canteen slowly filled up with SDPO’s. Every time someone came in and caught sight of the council, any conversation would stop, and they would bow, before taking a seat. The silence was unnerving.
Finally, Ivanisevic and his friends entered.
Kai grinned behind her mask when she saw the Union Rep’s face drop at the sight of the council in full regalia.
As the group sat down, a pair of Fae in silk tabards with trumpets appeared in the doorway. The assembled officers turned and looked at the Fae, muttering spreading through the crowd.
“All rise for the Right Honourable Lord Faidren, Ard-Chomhairleoir of the Oriental Fae.” One of the Fae called out and then both raised their trumpets to their lips and played an elaborate fanfare.
The SDPO’s broke out in soft laughter before it was shushed by Zhao and Ivanisevic. Zhao glanced at Kai.
“How do we respond?” Kai asked Amira through their private mind link.
“Do nothing of course. He is below us in status. The Triang would only acknowledge the Fae Queen in such a fashion,” Amira sounded more than a little amused, “and as this is the SDPD, it is up to you how the rest of the room should react.”
When Kai looked around the room there were a few worried looking faces. Many of them shared similar features with the heralds, the pointed lobe less ears or almond shaped, light coloured eyes. They must be part Fae. How should... ah, of course.
Lord Faidren entered the room, the faintest of frowns creasing his smooth brow as he saw that everyone was still seated. Kai stood up and nodded slightly to Zhao who stood up as well. Ivanisevic rose and slowly the rest of the room did the same.
“Welcome to Te Ling Police Department; Special Division, Lord Faidren.” Kai said as he arrived at the dais. She showed him to his seat, which would normally be the seat that Tabatha occupied.
“You are welcome, Glascat.” The Fae Lord bowed and sat down.
Kai sat down as well, and the rest of the room followed her lead.