Blue Dragon

there, please?’
    ‘ Wei? ’
    ‘Can I speak to Mrs Leung, please?’
    ‘Who asking?’
    ‘I’m calling from the Australian School. I want to check about Helen Leung.’
    ‘Wait.’ There were rustles, some shouting, then footsteps.
    ‘ Wei? ’
    ‘Hello, is that Mrs Leung?’
    ‘Who is asking?’
    ‘I’m from the Australian School, Mrs Leung. I just wanted to double-check the pick-up arrangements for Helen.’
    ‘Okay. Is there a problem?’
    ‘No problem. I just want to confirm. The people who can collect Helen are you, Helen’s father, her poh poh ,’ I used the Cantonese term for ‘grandmother’, ‘and Mrs Kitty Ho.’
    ‘Is correct.’
    I was completely floored. I hesitated. I wanted to ask more, but anything I said would probably blow my story. I decided to tackle it head-on and see what reaction I could produce.
    ‘One of the other mothers has claimed that Mrs Kitty Ho is wanted by the police, Mrs Leung. I just wanted to hear your side of the story before we did anything.’
    She hung up.

CHAPTER NINE
    I held a brainstorming session with John, Michael and Leo. But not a lot of storming happened. We sat silently for a long time.
    ‘Come on, Emma, help us out here,’ John said. ‘Think.’
    ‘My brain’s already worn out from turning this over,’ I said. ‘I have no idea what’s going on.’
    ‘She must be taking the little girl for experiments or something,’ Leo said.
    ‘That’s obvious,’ I said. ‘The question is: why? Why do the parents let her? And why did she do it right in front of us? And make such a performance out of it? She came to the uniform shop first, to make sure that we’d follow her.’
    ‘Call the police,’ Michael said. ‘Let them know. They’ll pick her up—end of problem.’
    ‘We have had quite enough contact with the police as it is,’ John said. ‘Remember, Michael, both Leo and I will die soon. I will die very soon. We want it to be clean and above board, no legal complications whatsoever. I want as little to do with the police as possible right now, so that when I go there are no questions.’
    ‘How soon, my Lord?’ Michael said softly.
    I dropped my head into my hands.
    ‘I doubt that I’ll make it past the middle of next year,’ John said. ‘In fact, I doubt I’ll make it past the end of this year. I have two more sessions with Kwan Yin, including this one coming up. After that, probably less than a year.’
    Leo inhaled sharply. He leaned forward over the table and his voice became fierce. ‘Simone’s not ready yet! She won’t be ready! You must stay, my Lord. Once you’re gone I won’t last long.’ He looked down and his voice softened. ‘I have a mouth ulcer already.’
    ‘Oh my God, no!’ I said wretchedly. ‘No.’
    John glanced at Leo. ‘After Kota Kinabalu I’ll be able to clear it again, Leo. It’s only two more weeks. Just be careful.’
    ‘What?’ Michael said. ‘My Lord. Leo, sir. Please. Explain.’ He spoke with a very slight desperate edge to his voice. ‘Please don’t keep me in the dark.’
    ‘I told you I’m HIV positive, and that’s why we brought you in,’ Leo said. Michael nodded. ‘Well, it’s more than that. It’s already full-on AIDS. I was in second stage. But Lord Xuan can keep me clear of the virus as long as I’m in his service. I’ve been tested, and given the all clear, since I joined the household.’
    ‘But you said you have a mouth ulcer,’ Michael said. ‘Does that mean…?’
    ‘I’m very drained, Michael,’ John said, his eyes burning.
    Michael was silent.
    ‘I’ve already taken myself off bladed weapons until after the trip,’ Leo said. ‘My Lord, please inform all the staff. Infection control, if I’m wounded. It may be best just to leave me if I’m severely wounded; tell one of the Celestial Masters to send me away. I don’t want to infect anybody. I should stop teaching anyway. I don’t want to put any of the students at risk.’
    ‘You will continue to teach at the Academy. You will continue your duties as if nothing was different. Youwill not handle bladed weapons in class, but you will still teach them. That is the only difference that I will permit. And that is an order, Leo,’ John said.
    ‘My Lord,’ Leo said, full of anguish.
    ‘Helen Leung,’ John said briskly, returning to the matter at hand. ‘What can we do?’
    ‘Has Simone had her over to play?’ Michael said.
    All of us straightened.
    ‘Very good, Michael,’ John said. ‘We