Hong Kong – Contemporary Juncture
It was a lavish room, the floors and walls dark, sucking up the multicoloured light that came from the numerous fishtanks set into the walls. Within there depths, bright multi coloured tropical fish swam amongst coral and white sand, oblivious to the scene outside.
At various points around the room were set dancing poles, spaced far enough apart that multiple dancers could operate at the same time or that a skilled practitioner would be able to make transitions between them. It was on one of these, set up by a well-stocked bar, that a European woman languidly swirled and dipped, her facial features carrying the dreamy look of someone that was chasing the dragon.
An area was off from the bar down some steps, red leather couches set around a glass table that held drug paraphernalia and a strange briefcase that was attached to the wrist of one of the men in the by a metal cable, two others sat with him.
“I had no idea that they would be there” the Japanese looking man whined in a nasally voice, “But it proves I was right doesn’t it!”
Li-zhen Shu, head of the Death’s Wing Triad and one of the most dangerous men in Hong Kong, looked across the table at his ‘guest’, Tamura Shiko. The man had been acquired that night of the incident at the museum and the activities that had transpired at that event gave a certain legitimacy to his unbelievable claims that he was from the future and had access to technology beyond the understanding of anyone today. Li-zhen Shu did not get to the position of power that he now occupied by not seizing opportunities, no matter how inconceivable they may be and so had offered the strange Japanese businessman shelter.
It was on a shopping expedition to get his guest some suitable clothes that one of the myriad of strange devices in his case started to bleep, indicating what he said was the presence of a ‘Chi Artifact of Power, much like the one at the museum.’
Sending men to retrieve it was a sensible business choice and the fact that a group of individuals also showed up gave more credence to the strange Japanese man’s claims.
“I never doubted your ability, Shiko San.” Li-zhen Shu voice was cool and calm as he replied, using the honorific, though inwardly he despised the little man, “It is just unfortunate that we do not know more.”
He stood, smoothing his unrumpled designer suit, his gaze turning to the third man sat with them, Mok Fung Ma, one of his enforcers.
“Please take out guest and see that he is entertained.”, he said, “I need some time alone.”
As the two others left, he made his way over to the bar, idly looking over the languidly gyrating pole dancer, who in her befuddled drug haze, was completely oblivious to his presence. How long had she been dancing there now, one hour, two? He should probably have her changed for a fresh one but there was something appealing about this particular gaijin with the little ‘L’ shaped earrings.
The glass rattled as he added ice and then scotch to it, taking a sip before saying, “We need to find out who these people at the Mall were.”
A man stepped out of a dark corner, his head and shoulders still obscured by the dark shadow.
“I will get people straight on it.” He replied, his voice cultured and strangely accent less.
“Good” Li-zhen Shu responded, looking over again at the dancer as he swirled ice around in the crystal glass, “It makes sense that we get some kind of leverage over them, neutralise them as a threat.”
A slight almost imperceptible nod from the shadow showed that he agreed. “Also, we are ready to take this ‘portal’ that Tamura Shiko says we need to gain access to this Inner Kingdom.”
“Have it done” Li-zhen Shen answered, “but keep it subtle. From what the Japanese has told us there are other players we should be concerned about, in particular those that disrupted events at the mall.”
“It shall be as you desire.”, the man in the shadows responded before fading back into the shadows as if he had never been there.
A noise took Li-zhen Shen’s attention back to the gaijin dancer. Fatigue had finally overtaken the effects of the drugs and she had slid from pole to land sprawled at its base.
Probably more than 2 hours then, thought Li-zhen Shen to himself.