White Tiger by Kylie Chan Page B

himself in front of Simone and me. Mr Chen stood quietly, apparently relaxed. ‘What do you want?’
    The couple were an ordinary-looking pair of Chinese in their early twenties, wearing jeans and plain T-shirts.
    ‘We’re not here to hurt anybody,’ the young man said.
    Mr Chen didn’t say anything, he just waited.
    ‘What’s the little girl’s name?’ the young woman said. ‘She’s very pretty.’
    Leo hissed under his breath and shifted slightly.
    ‘Hold, Leo,’ Mr Chen said without moving. ‘Is there a point to this?’
    ‘There is a price on your head,’ the young man said. ‘A very rich prize.’
    Mr Chen went completely still. He even seemed to stop breathing. ‘I know they are after me. What is the prize?’
    ‘To be Number One.’
    ‘Why are you telling me this?’
    The young man saluted Mr Chen Chinese-style, holding his closed fist in his open palm and shaking his hands in front of his chest. ‘Protect us.’
    The woman saluted as well.
    ‘Leo,’ Mr Chen said without moving, ‘take Simone and Miss Donahoe back to the car.’
    ‘No more than these, sir?’ Leo said.
    Mr Chen concentrated. ‘No others. Just these. Go back to the car.’
    ‘Come on, Emma,’ Leo said, hoisting Simone into his arms again. ‘Let’s go.’
    I glanced back to see Mr Chen as we walked to the car. The young couple had knelt in front of him. When I reached the car, I looked back again. They were gone. The entire beach was deserted, except for Mr Chen’s lone dark figure walking back to us.
    No way could the couple have walked off the beach in the time between my glances. But I couldn’t see them anywhere. They’d disappeared completely.
    I didn’t ask about them in the car on the way home; I didn’t want to frighten Simone. Leo and Mr Chen were quiet and subdued; Simone was wide-eyed and silent.
    Later that evening, after I’d bathed Simone and put her to bed, I went to Mr Chen’s office to ask him what was going on. He and Leo were talking inside his office, and Leo’s voice was so loud it made the door rattle.
    ‘They know exactly how weak you are!’ he shouted.
    I had to strain to hear Mr Chen’s voice. ‘Those have been tamed. They won’t be back.’
    ‘You need to see Ms Kwan now !’
    Mr Chen said something, but I didn’t hear it.
    ‘I don’t know why you keep delaying it!’ Leo yelled. ‘You let yourself run down and you can’t protect her! They’re moving in!’
    ‘Leo.’ Mr Chen spoke louder now, irritated. ‘I can only do this a limited number of times. I will only last a maximum of four, five years. Then I’m gone.’
    Leo’s voice softened. ‘What?’
    ‘Even with Mercy’s help, eventually I will not be able to hold it together any longer and I will be gone.’
    ‘ Why didn’t you tell me? ’ Leo bellowed. His voice softened. ‘Oh my God.’
    ‘I must delay as long as possible between each feed.’
    Leo’s voice broke. ‘You’re going to leave Simone.’
    ‘Hopefully she will be able to defend herself by then. She should be able to handle almost anything by the time I go.’
    ‘Oh, that’s very reassuring,’ Leo said sarcastically. His voice became louder again. ‘You still need to see Ms Kwan now .’
    ‘I am making the arrangements, Leo.’ Mr Chen sounded tired. ‘I was planning to tell you over dinner tomorrow.’
    ‘Well, it’s about time.’ Leo threw the office door open so hard that it almost hit me. ‘Sorry, Emma.’
    ‘What the hell is going on?’ I glanced into the office; Mr Chen sat behind his desk, stricken.
    ‘I’ll tell you tomorrow,’ Mr Chen said. ‘Right now, I have people to call.’
    ‘Just leave him, Emma.’ Leo closed the door behind him. ‘He has things he needs to do.’
    ‘Tell me what’s going on!’
    ‘Later.’ Leo sighed with exasperation and headed back to his room, shaking his head. ‘God, he drives me completely crazy sometimes.’
    ‘Both of you drive me crazy!’ I shouted. ‘Why the hell don’t you just