Red Phoenix

when there was a knock at the door. ‘Come in.’
    Leo came in, holding a piece of paper, his face rigid with emotion. He sat down across my desk from me. ‘What’s the matter?’
    He dropped the piece of paper in front of me. United States Internal Revenue. I turned it around so that I could read it, then glanced sharply at Leo.
    ‘Hasn’t Jade been handling this?’
    ‘Apparently she screwed up,’ Leo said miserably. ‘Look at it, Emma.’
    Leo was overdue with his taxes. Seriously overdue. US citizens had to pay taxes to the United States on any overseas earnings.
    ‘Why are you coming to me?’
    ‘Jade’s not around anywhere. Mr Chen is teaching.’ Leo sounded desperate. ‘I got a subpoena. They want me back in the States. I am in serious trouble. What am I going to do?’
    ‘Wait,’ I said, and pressed the intercom button.
    ‘Yes, my Lady?’
    ‘Get me the Golden Boy, please, Gamma.’
    ‘He’s on his way, ma’am.’ Gold came in and sat with us.
    ‘Look at this,’ I said, and slid the paper across the desk.
    Gold picked it up and studied it. ‘Oh, my.’ ‘I got a subpoena,’ Leo said.
    Gold eyed Leo over the paper. ‘You are in serious trouble, my friend.’
    Leo put his head in his hands. ‘Oh my God.’
    Gold patted him on the shoulder. ‘I should be able to fix it so you get minimal jail time,’ he said. ‘Don’t worry.’ He smiled. ‘You should have no trouble in a US prison anyway, you can defend yourself.’
    Leo’s head shot up. ‘Prison?’ His face went blank when he saw the smile on Gold’s face. He turned to me.
    I couldn’t hold it any more. I tittered.
    Leo saw the broad grin on Gold’s face. He looked from one of us to the other for a while, speechless. Then he stormed out without saying a word.
    Both Gold and I collapsed over the desk laughing.
    ‘Thanks, Gold,’ I wheezed.
    ‘Not a problem, my Lady,’ Gold said. ‘But I’m not getting involved in this any more. I’ll end up in two pieces.’
    Later that evening John tapped on my bedroom door. ‘Emma.’
    It was quite late, and I wondered what he wanted. ‘Come on in.’
    John opened the door carefully, leaned around it, smiled and came in.
    ‘Simone really enjoyed her day at the Academy,’ he said. ‘That was a great idea to bring her down on Saturdays.’
    ‘It was Meredith’s idea,’ I said. ‘She wanted the chance to teach Simone some energy work, and now allof the Celestials are lining up. They said they don’t usually get the chance to teach someone so young and talented.’
    I glanced at the computer screen, and sighed.
    ‘You need to take a break from that thesis, Emma, and you need to decide that it’s finished. Otherwise you’ll be working on it for the rest of your life.’
    I ran my hands through my hair. ‘I’m not happy with the introduction, and the sheets could be better.’
    He sat on the sofa across from my desk. ‘Let me have a look at it. I might be able to help you.’
    ‘No way! I’m doing this myself!’
    He raised his hands. ‘Suit yourself.’
    I pushed the keyboard to one side and looked at him pointedly. He sat placidly without speaking.
    ‘Do you want something?’ I said. ‘Or did you just come in here to watch me work?’
    ‘Do you mind?’ he said serenely. ‘I like to watch others work.’
    I pulled the keyboard back to me. ‘Suit yourself.’
    He laughed gently and ran his hand over his face, then tied back his wayward hair. ‘Zhu Que would like to drop by with her chicks. Is Monday after school okay?’
    I pushed the keyboard away again with delight. ‘That’s wonderful! They hatched? How many did she have?’ I stopped and stared at him with horror. ‘Will they damage the apartment?’
    ‘I hope not,’ he said. ‘When she brought her last brood they only slightly singed the carpet.’
    ‘Have a fire extinguisher nearby just in case,’ I said grimly. I brightened; I was looking forward to seeing the babies. ‘Monday will be fine.’
    ‘Good.’ He pulled himself gracefully off the sofa and went to the door. He opened the door. ‘Oh, nearly forgot.’ He smiled slightly and reached into the pocketof his cotton pants. ‘Here.’ He tossed me a small video camera tape.
    He turned to the door, then turned back to me. ‘I didn’t know you could do that,’ he said, his voice full of wonder. Then he flung himself through the door and closed it quietly behind him.
    I looked at the tape. It had at least an hour of recording on it. Yes!