Chinese Rules
Friday
11 am
“Very well, I
believe that is all the scheduled business for today,” Madame said in her deep,
mellow voice as she sat in her office, “thank you everyone?”
“Thank you
Madame,” the senior staff said as they stood up and made to leave, but as Lily
Harmon stood up Madame looked at her and said “A moment, if you would please
Lillian?”
“Of course,”
the young blonde said as she sat back down, crossing her legs as her black
skirt moved to the side. Since taking on
her new responsibilities as Penny’s number two, she had become more the
successful young business woman she needed to be for the public facing aspects
of her role.
“Our contacts
in Hong Kong have informed us of certain papers that are currently in the
possession of a young Chinese lawyer in the greater London area,” Madame said
after the door had closed, “papers which may help clear the last few details of
the recent unpleasantness in Mogola. In the spirit of full cooperation under our
newly acquired detente with the South African authorities, she asks if we can
acquire those documents and forward them to the appropriate people.”
“I
understand, Madame. I shall select and
prepare a team to visit the location later tonight, if the details are
available.”
“You will
find all you need in here,” Madame said as she handed over a slim manila
folder, “report back to me at home when you have the information.”
“Of course,
Madame – will you be at home for the evening?”
“I will – and
John is in Rome, so call in person.”
Lily nodded
as she stood up and walked out, returning to her own office as she consulted
the staff rota.
Picking up
the telephone, she smiled as she dialled an extension number.
“Sam? I want you and Linda to meet me in briefing
room 2 in one hour – and clear your schedule for tonight.”
8 pm
Kim took the
plates through to the kitchen and placed them in the dishwasher, bending her
knees as she carefully put them in before closing the machine and starting the
wash cycle. She was wearing a purple
silk tie neck blouse, and a long black skirt, the chiffon hem of which came
over her knees as she stood up. Her dark
hose covered her legs, while she had a pair of kitten heel purple leather shoes
on her feet.
She shared
her flat with Ann, both of them hailing from the same district in Beijing
originally before they came to this country to study. She worked for HSBC in the city, while Ann
was a junior barrister for one of the larger law firms. At that moment, Ann was in the front room of
the flat, poring over some papers she had brought home with her to work on, so
Kim was left with the washing up.
As she
stepped back, Kim was therefore surprised to feel a leather gloved hand clamp
over her mouth, as a woman dressed in black, including the balaclava covering
her head, stepped in front of her, and put her finger to her lips, indicating
the young Chinese woman should stay very, very quiet.
Nodding, the
woman watched as he gloved hand was removed from Kim’s’ mouth, and then ropes
draped over her shoulder, before they were wound in a spiral down both arms, and they were pulled
behind her back, her arms folded behind her as they were quickly, but tightly,
bound together.
She felt her
arms been pulled up her back, and then the ropes passed over her shoulders
again, crossing between her breasts as they were taken around her back, and
then tied before they were passed round her waist and secured again.
“Open wide,”
the masked woman said in Mandarin, and as Kim opened her mouth she felt a cloth
been pushed in, and then a white scarf pulled tightly over her mouth, taken
around her head and then tied under her dark hair.
She was
turned round and saw two other masked women behind her, both also dressed in
black, one slightly taller than the other two.
“Bring her,” the taller one said as Kim felt the gloved hand on her arm,
and then was frogmarched out of the kitchen, along the hallway and into the
front room.
Ann was sitting
at the table, looking at the papers in front of her, oblivious to what was
happening as the door to the room opened. She was still in her work clothes from that
day – an electric blue silk blouse over a dark knee length skirt, natural hose
and black heels. Her black hair was
combed up and back on her head, the ends falling over her shoulders.
“Good
evening,” the tallest of the three masked women said as they came in, Ann
turning and looking at them as she did so.
“Ah – are you
all right Kim?”
The other
girl nodded as she was forced to kneel on the floor, one of the other two
masked intruders kneeling behind her as she started to bind her ankles
together.
“I must ask
you, with all due respect, to stand up and move away from the table,” the tall
masked woman said, “and stand facing me, with your arms by your sides. No sudden movements, no loud screams or
noises, or with deep regret it will be your flatmate who faces the punishment.”
Nodding, the
young Chinese girl moved from the table and stood in front of her, feeling the
rope as it was draped over her and wound tightly down her arms, unresisting as
they were pulled behind her back and secured together, before the masked woman
indicated an old seat against the opposite wall.
It was made
with dark mahogany wood, with purple leather upholstery, and as Ann sat down
one of the other two women folded her legs in front of her, before binding them
with more rope, ankle to ankle.
“We merely
need the files you have here, nothing more,” the taller intruder said as she
looked at Ann. “I am sure someone will
come to your aid in due course.”
Kim looked up
at her flatmate and nodded slowly, as a cloth was pushed into Ann’s mouth and
secured in place with a scarf tied tightly over her mouth.
“Thank you for your co-operation – search the rooms, take all you find of value.”
The tall
woman then tied a length of rope around Ann’s body and to her legs, while both women watched the two women leave the
room. As she walked over to the table,
and picked up the files, she allowed herself a smile before placing them in the
bag she was carrying.
Picking up a
second file, she looked closely at it, and then looked at Ann.
“My my – this
person really is playing with fire,” she said as she packed the rest of the
files, and then waited for the other two to return.
“Good night
ladies,” she said as they left, Ann and Kim twisting in a vain attempt to free
themselves from the ropes.
Outside, Lily
removed her mask and then looked at Sam and Linda.
“Take the
valuables back to the base for distribution,” she said as they nodded, “I need
to see Madame – urgently.”
10.30 pm
Shirley
opened the door as the blonde walked in, carrying her leather shoulder bag.
“The files
you requested, Madame,” Lily said as they walked into the drawing room, handing
over several papers.
“Excellent –
I’ll inform Catherine we have these in due course,” Shirley said as she went to
the drinks cabinet, and poured two brandies.
“There was
something else I found that may interest you,” Lily said as she sat down. “It’s related to recent events.”
“Oh – and
what would that be,” Shirley said as she sat opposite her.
“You remember
one of the unanswered questions was who was supplying the forces that protected
the mine?”
Shirley
nodded. “We thought it was sources with
the Red Army, but the information we finally obtained pointed in a different
direction, that of a former party official who had disappeared and was rumoured
to be in the West.”
“Indeed –
what of it?”
“Want to know
how to find him?”
Shirley
looked at Lily and said “what did you find?”
“The
legal documents to support his daughter, Minh, who is a student at LSE.
Her address, and the place of business cited as
the legal residence of the signatory.”
She passed
Shirley the file, who read it with a smile.
“Well, now it
gets interesting – Lily, arrange to invite young Minh to stay with us a
while. No sense in her being involved in
what must inevitably follow. I will
consult with Penny in the morning.”
Saturday
Noon
Minh threw
her bag into the corner of her living room and looked through the letters that
had been waiting on her doormat. The
morning tutorial had been – boring, and she was looking forward to kicking back
with her friends later.
She was a typical
Chinese student – wearing a sleeveless pink top with white polka dots, black
leggings under a pair of cut off denim shorts, and grey knee length cloth boots
that had a two inch thick heel, and ribbons tied around each boot near the top.
“Bills, bills,
bills,” she said to herself as she turned round, her long brown hair following
her head movement, and then stopped still.
A woman was standing in the doorway, dressed in a blue jacket and skirt,
with a white blouse underneath, dark hose and heels. The striking thing was the extra stocking
pulled down over her head, keeping her blonde hair down as she looked at her.
“My apologies
young lady,” she said as she pointed a gun at Minh, “but you need to come with
me. First, though, kneel on the couch,
facing the wall, and put your arms by your side.”
“Who are
you," Minh said as she stood there.
“Merely a
lowly functionary,” the masked woman said, “whose employer extends an
invitation for you to stay for a while. Now,
do as I say, or you may not like the consequences.”
“All right,
don’t do anything stupid,” she said as she walked over the room, and knelt on
the couch, resting her head on the back as her hair fell over her
shoulder. She watched as the woman tale
some rope from a large bag, and walk up to her, before she pulled her arm
behind her and started to bind her forearms together.
“What is this
about,” she said as she tried to look at the woman, who was now wrapping the
rope around her arms and upper body, forcing them into her sides and holding them
firmly in place.
“Now,” the
masked woman said as she pushed a cloth into her mouth, and then covered it
with duct tape, “walk with me.”
She helped
Minh to get off the couch and walked with her to a dark windowed car, amazed
that nobody saw them. Sitting in the
back, she was strapped in before the captor got behind the wheel, and drove
off.
“Relax, you
are in no danger,” she said as they made their way onto the main street, “my
employer merely wishes your safety to be assured...”
“Good
afternoon.”
The deep,
rich voice took Minh by surprise as she looked to the door of the room she had
been left in. It was a well furnished
room – although the lack of windows and no handle on the inside of the door
made it a little less homely.
“You must be
my host,” she said as she sat down, “I should thank you for the invite, but the
manner of delivery was rather – abrupt.”
“My apologies
for that,” Madame said as she sat down, “but when I explain the reason why that
method was employed, I hope you will understand.”
“I doubt
anything you say could...”
“Your father
is paying your accommodation and university fees.”
Minh stopped
and looked at the tall brunette. “My
father is dead,” she said quietly.
“So you
believe – but please, examine this.”
She handed
Minh the documents Lily had brought the previous evening, the young girl’s eyes
narrowing as she saw them.
“I had
nothing to do with what he has done,” she finally said.
“I know and
understand – as I was one of those who ended his activities in Mogola.”
“You?
Then I should be thanking you.”
“The only
thanks I need,” Madame said as she stood up, “is for you to remain my guest
over the weekend. In that time, your
father will no longer be a concern.”
“Will you
kill him?”
“No – I will
do worse,” Madame said as she looked at Minh.
“Please, relax, if there is anything we can bring you, merely use the
red button. For your own safety,
however, you must remain in this suite for the time being.”
“May I know
your name?”
“I am known
as Madame X.”
Minh stood
and bowed, before saying “My apologies for my manner when you entered.”
“No apologies
necessary – please relax,” Madame said as she left and closed the door, before
making her way to the main lounge of the farm.
“Well,” Penny
said as she came in.
“She will
stay – ensure she has anything she needs,” Madame said.
“Tracy,
Beverley, ensure our guest is looked after.”
The two girls
nodded as they left, Lily sitting with her seniors.
“So, I wonder
if anybody would like to join me in Chinatown tomorrow? I intend to have lunch, and kick ass.”
“Not this
time, Penny,” Shirley said, “but I look forward to seeing the results.”
Sunday
2 pm
Chinatown, London
The
restaurant was busy, the staff rushed off their feet, as the three women walked
through and towards the private dining rooms.
The Chinese women were dressed in traditional Cheongsams, of red, blue
and grey, with high heels and natural hose.
They paid
little attention to the rest of the customers, not even acknowledging the staff
as they went through the doors, and joined the middle aged man sitting at the
table.
“Ah ladies,”
he said in an Oxbridge accent, “Please, sit, I am so glad you could join me for
lunch.”
On the main
shop floor, Penny wiped her mouth and stood up, the three women with her doing
likewise. All wore black jumpers and
slacks, taking their leather jackets with them as they went to the cloakroom.
“So, how may
we serve you,” the woman in the red cheongsam said as she looked at the man
they were with.
“Oh I am sure
I will think of...”
“Forgive the
interruption – but we need you.”
The group
looked up to see a quartet of women standing there, armed ad looking at him.
“Madame X
sends her compliments,” Penny said as she walked forward, “now be a good boy,
and do something really stupid.”
“Madame
X? Ah...”
He made a
move for the door, only to be brought down by another of the women, who flipped
him onto his back and then put her foot on his chest.
“Keep him there,
Natalya,” Penny said as she looked at the three women. “Tell me ladies, are
you familiar with the phrase Kun Bang?”
The three
women looked at each other, and then shook their heads.
“Don’t
worry,” Penny said with a smile as the other two women produced length of brown
rope, “you soon will be...”
Half an hour
later, the woman in the blue cheongsam was wriggling on the floor, the rope
spiralling down her arms and holding them together behind her back, before it
was crossed between her breasts and around her waist. Her ankles and legs had been bound with
another length of rope, and were to her side as she sat, with a large red silk
cloth stuffed into her mouth, the ends sticking out from her rouged lips.
Her two
companions were standing either side of a pole running from floor to ceiling
behind her, both with their arms bound in the same way as the first woman, but
with bands of rope holding them together and against the pole at their waists
and shoulders. Their ankles and legs
were also secured, the lady in grey gagged with a blue cloth, and the third
woman with a grey cloth sticking out from between her lips.
“Hrruuu,” they said as two of the women lifted the now
unconscious man and walked him between them.
“Unimportant
– merely know you have done your country a service,” Penny said as she left,
the two women taking the man to a car waiting outside.
“You have
done us a great service,” the Chinese diplomat said as he was put into the rear
of the car, “inform Madame X we are most grateful, and
also thank Miss Lu for us.”
“It shall be
done,” Penny said as the diplomat climbed into the front of the car, and then
drove off. Taking out a cell phone, she
dialled a number.
“My thanks,
Penny,” Shirley said, and as she ended the call she walked to the rooms where
Minh was.
“It is over,”
she said as Minh stood up. “We must
blindfold you, but we will return you home.”
“And
my father?”
“Will
no longer plague this world.”
She nodded,
and then said “I will not miss him. So,
do what you must.”
“One more
thing – I would repay your kindness.”
“If you so
desire,” Shirley said with a smile, “I know a friend who may value your
skills...”