Blue Dragon

penthouse. The view over the Island through the windows was spectacular. The apartment was decorated in modern tan and beige, with expensive dark wood panelling on the walls and plush woollen carpet. The furniture was European-style: slim, low-line and expensive.
    ‘You can have this one,’ Wong said. ‘Anything you need, let me know.’
    ‘Anywhere in here with room for me to train? Practise?’
    ‘I will arrange it,’ he said. ‘Need to keep you fit and in good shape, otherwise my dad will rip my scales off.’
    ‘I want a computer with broadband and a webcam.’
    ‘You may have the broadband, but I’ll be holding meetings here and I don’t want you telling anybody what’s going on. So you won’t be able to email out, andI can’t let you have the webcam. Sorry,’ he said without meaning it at all.
    ‘I want a full set of the classics: Creation of the Gods , Journey to the West , Journey to the North , Red Chamber , Heroes of the Marsh , all of them. Both languages.’
    ‘I’ll see what I can do.’
    ‘How do I call you if I need you?’
    ‘Tell one of the thralls.’
    ‘Okay, then. Piss off.’
    He bowed slightly with a vicious grin. ‘Nothing I’d rather do more.’ He disappeared.
    I looked through the apartment and opened every single door. None of them led out of it. I was imprisoned.
    The apartment appeared to be on top of one of the exclusive blocks above Harbour Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui, overlooking Hong Kong Harbour. Ocean Terminal’s open-air rooftop car park was visible through the living room windows. Simone often went to the huge toy shop in Ocean Terminal, and enjoyed parking on the roof of the terminal: the view was spectacular. I might even be able to see her there occasionally, if I was very lucky and kept a sharp eye out for the car.
    The energy calming still worked. I didn’t lose it at the thought of Simone. The effect was fading though.
    I could see the clock tower of the old Kowloon train station, next to the Star Ferry. Half past twelve, midnight. Just over twelve hours since the attack on the Peak apartment. It felt like a week had passed.
    The suite had four bedrooms. I chose the master bedroom. It had a king-size bed and the bathroom was enormous, with a spa. I would have him convert a couple of the other bedrooms to a training room for me.
    There were two smiling demon maids in the kitchen. I didn’t say a word to them.
    The dining room had a Western-style rectangular rosewood table, large enough to seat ten. Meetings.
    The fourth bedroom would make a perfect study. I would have him remove the bed and put in a desk for me. There were things I needed to do.
    I returned to the bedroom I had chosen, sat on the bed, dropped the sword beside me, and put my head in my hands.
    I pulled myself back up and went to the window. I opened the thick tan-coloured curtains and looked out.
    Some of the buildings on the Peak still had their lights on.
    John’s building was close to the top. Our building. Our apartment was on the top floor. The curtains were open in Simone’s bedroom and the light was on, but the other three bedrooms—mine, Leo’s and John’s—were dark.
    I thought I saw a small silhouette against the window, then the curtains were drawn closed and the light was gone.
    I went to the bedroom door and locked it. Then I fell onto the bed on my stomach, curled up and let go.
    I was incapacitated for about thirty-six hours. When I recovered, I had a shower. The wardrobe was full of clothes that fitted me perfectly. I went out of my room and discovered that the apartment had already been changed for me.
    The training room was even better than the one on the Peak, but he hadn’t provided me with any weapons. I leaned the Murasame against the wall across from the mirrors. I would have him provide a stand for it. I wondered if it had a matching wakizashi . The complete daisho set of both destructive blades would be rather cool.
    I stopped. I was being totally cold-blooded again. Understandable, now, perhaps. Now that I was what I was.
    I eyed the blade. I had vowed not to try to escape. And I wouldn’t: to keep Simone safe. But when the Dark Lord returned, I would have my escape. The Murasame would provide it.
    And then I realised with an ice-cold shock: I had promised Simone. I couldn’t escape. He would come back, and he would see me like this. No.
    I tried something. I went into the centre of the room and performed a yang-style Tai Chi set. When I had the chi