Kylie Chan - Red Phoenix

Whew, he had the real professor bound and unaware in his office somehow. Must ask how they did that, if that was the case.

‘Your graduation ceremony will be in December. Will you be in Hong Kong? It’ll be a big occasion,’ Jan said, her blue eyes sparkling with amusement.

I nearly let out a whoop of triumph but managed to hold it in. I swallowed my emotions instead. ‘Thanks, Jan,’ I said sincerely. ‘I couldn’t have done it without your help.’

Jan waved her hand over the paper. ‘Not a problem, Emma, it’s been a really enjoyable experience. Most unusual paper I’ve ever seen, the topic was fascinating. I must come up there one day and have a look, it sounds incredible. Does your employer really have three hundred students learning martial arts?’

I nodded a reply.

‘What do they all do when they graduate?’ she said.

‘Go home and teach,’ I said, which was almost true. Very few of the Dark Disciples ever returned to the Earthly Plane. If they were good enough, they would be promoted to Master, but only about one in fifty was that talented. Between fifty and a hundred a year were lost to other parts of the Celestial Plane, as elite guards for high-ranking Immortals or Shen; or as training Masters for just about everybody. If they wanted to, they could stay and learn all their lives, moving up through the ranks to teach the younger ones if they had the talent; helping with the management of the Academy if they didn’t. Many of them stayed on and cultivated the Tao, attempting to find the Way and become Raised to Immortality. The very best were sometimes chosen to join the Elite Guard of the Jade Emperor, a very great honour for all of us.

A few of them did return to their home countries on the Earthly Plane to teach, and John encouraged them, welcoming them back if they decided to return. He constantly complained that more of them wouldn’t go out into the world and spread the true Arts.

I continued to explain for Jan. ‘It’s a world centre for martial arts training. They come from all over the world to learn here, then return to their home countries and teach there. The martial arts community is quite small and very well connected, but people who aren’t involved generally don’t know anything about it.’ I had a brilliant idea. ‘How about the three of you come up now and have a look? You’ve seen the paper, why not come and see the Academy? I’m sure they’ll be glad to meet you,’ I said, looking straight into the demon’s eyes.

‘I’d love to, but we have one more viva to do, Emma,’ Jan said. ‘Maybe some other time.’

‘I’ll wait,’ I said. ‘I’ll call them and arrange it while you do the viva. I don’t mind at all. There should still be some people there, it’s only four o’clock. I’d love to show you around.’

I willed her to come. If she did, then I would be slightly safer with this enormous demon.

‘Sounds like great fun, Jan,’ the demon said. ‘The viva will only take about twenty minutes, let’s go after that and have a look. I’m dying to see all of this kung fu stuff; we don’t have anything like that at all back in the UK.’

Now I knew for sure that the demon was sincere. If it wanted my head, it wouldn’t invite Jan along.

‘Oh, all right,’ Jan said. ‘Go and wait outside, Emma. When we finish with the next student we’ll meet you in the waiting room. Want to come, Connie?’

‘I’m not really interested in wushu,’ the Chinese examiner said. ‘You go without me. I see enough of that on the television; I find it tremendously boring.’

‘Well,’ Jan said, rising to her feet and towering over me, ‘that’s that then. Congratulations, Emma, you really are exceptional, and there’s a place in the PhD program any time you want to take it.’

‘Oh come on, Jan,’ I wheezed, ‘I only just survived this and you want to throw me in again? Give me some time to recover!’

The other two professors rose as well and I shook hands all round. Even the demon. He just smiled, perfectly innocent.

Back in the waiting area, I dragged out my mobile phone and turned away from the receptionist with my hand over my mouth.

‘Office.’ It was John’s assistant.

‘This is a major emergency. It’s Emma, I need the Dark Lord right now ,’ I hissed into the phone. ‘Wei?’

‘Oh, John, thank God, this is really big.’

‘What? Did you get it?’

‘One of the professors for my viva,’ I said softly, ‘was a level fifty-five looking for sanctuary.’

‘What did you arrange?’

‘I’m taking them on a tour of the Academy. Jan, the head, asked to see the facilities after hearing so much about them, and he wants to come too. I’ll be bringing both of them over in about twenty minutes.’

He was quiet for a moment. Then he spoke. ‘I’m sending Liu over there now to escort the three of you back. I’ll be on the ground floor here waiting. I’ll let it in past the seals. We’ll do a low-level tour, show them some of the basic hand-to-hand students, only up to the third floor. Emma, listen. This is very important. When I greet them on the ground floor, I will shake their hands. Understood?’

‘Got it,’ I whispered. ‘I’ll be ready for it.’ I hesitated. ‘This is a big one, John. Can Liu take it?’

‘Easily,’ he said. ‘Not a problem at all.’ He paused. ‘I’m assuming you made it anyway?’

‘Yeah,’ I said, ‘but getting this…person is twenty times better. He says he offended One Two Two and has information for us.’

‘Yes!’ John said. ‘Did you find out where the original professor is?’

‘Apparently in his office, bound, with his memory wiped, from what I gathered.’

John was silent. Then he spoke with obvious satisfaction. ‘That is extremely good. This is a really big one.’ His voice was full of admiration. ‘Well done, Emma, what a coup. This is the biggest demon tamed in a very, very long time. I hope it lives up to its word; it will be extremely useful. Damn, but I’m impressed.’

‘I just hope it really is tamed,’ I said. ‘If it isn’t, we’re in big trouble letting it in past the seals.’

‘Oh, and congratulations on the MBA as well,’ he said.

Liu waited for us downstairs, wearing a pair of tired jeans and a worn-out T-shirt, looking for all the world like a cleaner on his day off. He grinned like an idiot when he saw us.

I introduced him as one of the instructors and Jan was obviously bemused at his appearance. He pretended he was there by accident and we all walked the two blocks to the Hennessy Road building together. The demon was tense and nervous. Jan had absolutely no inkling of anything that was going on with her three companions.

John was waiting for us in the lobby next to the Eighteen Weapons. He met us at the door, and guided Jan and the demon in. The demon hesitated at the doorway, then strode in as if it expected to be electrocuted. It visibly relaxed when it survived the seals.

‘This is Mr John Chen, the head of the school,’ I said. ‘I’m the nanny for his daughter, Simone. He’s very kindly offered to show you around.’ I gestured towards Jan. ‘This is Jan, the head of the university’s office here in Hong Kong, and Professor Knight, one of the examiners.’

‘Pleased to meet you,’ John said. He shook Jan’s hand and then held his hand out to the demon.

John, Liu, the demon and I all froze. Time stood still. Liu shifted in the corner of my eye as he readied himself.

‘Take his hand,’ I said very softly.

The demon stood frozen, his face an expressionless mask. Jan hadn’t heard me; all she was aware of was the fact that the demon had hesitated. Bewilderment started to spread across her face.