Dark Serpent

by Kylie Chan

  Understood.

  I took more small breaths as we surged in what seemed to be the wrong direction, and then my head burst above the waves. I opened my mouth to say something and it filled with water.

  ‘Can you lift me slightly so I can talk?’ I said.

  She picked me up under my arms and raised me above the waves. The wind blew against my sodden clothing, making me even colder.

  ‘I’m having real difficulty breathing,’ I said, my voice quivering as I shivered. ‘The water’s so thick it’s like breathing syrup. Can you do something about that?’

  Sorry, I’m a little tired. I’ll fix it for you. Okay to continue?

  ‘How far?’

  We only just started.

  ‘Do you know how your dad does it so I don’t feel the pressure or the movement?’

  Yes. I’m doing my best, Emma, I’m sorry.

  ‘I understand. Let’s get moving.’

  She lowered me gently into the water.

  Tread for a bit while I change.

  She looked like a big black cobra nearly three metres long. She raised the first third of her body above me and I felt a chill as I saw her small legs, incongruous against her huge dark shape. She moved towards me and I had to control the urge to back away. She gently turned me and took my shoulders in her hands; each looked like a human hand, just black and scaly.

  Tap my hand if I’m holding you too tight, she said, and the sound of her voice in my head was reassuring.

  She was right: this form really was very weird. I felt a rush of sympathy for Leo, who was so freaked out by my snake form. I understood now how he felt. Simone was radically different from John’s Serpent — darker, more disturbing and slightly unnatural.

  She dived again, holding me tight, and this time the journey was easier. Still, it seemed to last forever. We travelled under the water for hours, her snake form writhing above me. Each breath was a struggle against the pain in my chest, and my hands and feet became numb from the cold. My diaphragm would be aching for hours from the struggle to breathe, my ribs were bruised by her grabbing me, and my feet felt like they’d never be warm again.

  Eventually her movement changed, her grip on me tightened and we surged out of the water onto a long, lonely beach. Both of us lay on the sand, sucking in air. I rolled over to see her, and she was still in snake form. I heard a shout some distance away, carried by the wind.

  ‘Change to human,’ I said through the gasps. ‘We don’t want anybody to find you like that.’

  She grunted with effort and changed back to human. She rolled onto her back, gasping. She’d lost her clothes and was naked.

  ‘Great, I don’t have the energy to put anything on.’ She raised her head slightly and dropped it. ‘That was exhausting.’

  I staggered to my feet and, with great effort, peeled off my soaking jeans and sweater.

  She stared at me. ‘What are you doing?’

  I fell to sit. ‘Wear my clothes.’

  She raised one hand slightly without moving otherwise. ‘But you’ll be in your undies and a T-shirt.’

  ‘And neither of us will be stark naked.’ I pushed the clothes at her. ‘Dry them off and put them on.’

  She struggled to her feet and took the clothes. She pulled the sweater on, realised that it only went to her waist, and put the jeans on as well. She flopped to sit cross-legged, then fell backwards to lie in the sand.

  ‘Give me a minute and then I’ll contact Leo and tell him where we are.’

  I was too tired to sit upright so I lay next to her. My whole body was racked by uncontrollable shivering, so hard it hurt my muscles.

  A military helicopter roared low overhead and both of us flinched. It headed inland, losing altitude.

  ‘We’re right by the air force base,’ I said.

  ‘I hope Leo can drive through to the beach.’

  ‘He’ll find a way. Oh, he’s here already.’ I sat up to see a jeep driving towards us and waved one arm at it.

  ‘That’s not Leo,’ Simone said.

  The jeep stopped and two men with rifles got out.

  ‘Oh shit. Run!’ Simone said.

  I pulled myself to my feet, but only managed to stagger a few metres before I collapsed. Simone fell to sit next to me, then lay face-down, obviously just as exhausted.

  ‘Run, Emma, they’ll shoot you,’ she said.

  I didn’t have anything to run with. No second wind, no last-minute surge of energy, nothing. I was done, and they were going to shoot me.

  ‘Go into the water. They want me,’ I said.

  ‘No. I’ll stay with you to the end.’ She put her hand out and touched me. ‘I love you, Emma.’

  I wanted to argue with her, but it was hard enough staying conscious. I closed my eyes and waited for them to come.

  Their feet made crunching noises in the sand, and they stopped next to us.

  ‘I wish there was some other way,’ one man said.

  ‘You know there isn’t,’ the other said.

  The first man’s voice was full of remorse. ‘I don’t think I can do this. Look at them.’

  ‘Let me then,’ the other one said.

  A voice shouted a long way away from us, and a shot rang out.

  ‘Oh shit,’ the first man said.

  Another shot and more shouting.

  ‘Run!’ the other one said, and they both took off over the sand.

  I raised my head and peered around. I wasn’t dead.

  ‘What happened?’ Simone said.

  A pair of army boots trudged through the sand and stopped next to my face. Someone put their warm fingers against my neck. I was too exhausted to fight them. I tried to speak but nothing came out.

  ‘We’re from the base, lass,’ a man said. ‘I don’t know why these assholes were trying to shoot you — you don’t look like you have anything worth stealing. Hold on.’

  A crinkly silver emergency blanket was wrapped around me. ‘On three.’ They lifted me onto a stretcher. ‘Let’s get them back to the base and warm them up.’

  Someone felt my pulse in my wrist. ‘Hypothermia, exhaustion, dehydration.’ A drip was slipped into my arm, then I heard someone speaking unintelligibly over a radio. ‘Understood. We’re bringing them in now. Two females, one early twenties, one mid thirties, they’ve been in the water for a while. We scared two men away; looked like they were about to shoot and rob them.’

  They hoisted the stretcher and I was too exhausted to do anything but let them take me.

  They’re soldiers from the base, they’re looking after us, Simone said. I think we’re safe.

  ‘Just rest, my love. We’ll contact your family when you’re sorted,’ the soldier said. ‘You’re in safe hands now.’

  I told Leo. He’s coming.

  I relaxed into the movement of the stretcher. I felt a jolt when they pushed me into the back of a van, then the doors were closed and they drove us away.

  I woke in a sunny room, in a bed. I was clean and deliciously warm and wearing a hospital gown. Simone was lying on her back in the bed next to me, a drip in her arm and her face peaceful. The room looked more like a dormitory than a hospital ward, although there were consoles at the tops of the beds for oxygen.

  I tried to pull myself up and out of bed, and felt a thrill of accomplishment when I succeeded. I pushed the IV stand along next to me and went out into the corridor to see what was happening, making a quick stop at the bathroom on the way.

  A man in fatigues sat behind a desk in what appeared to be an ordinary office. He looked delighted, then concerned, when he saw me. He quickly rose and came around the desk to me.

  ‘You don’t need to get up,’ he said. ‘Just call and we’ll come help you.’ He held my arm to support me. ‘I’m a nurse, my name is Darren. I’m afraid we don’t have any women medical staff here, but if you’re uncomfortable with me looking after you —’

  ‘That,’ I began, and stopped. My throat was very dry. ‘Not a problem.’

&nb
sp; He gently led me back into the room. ‘Is there anything I can get you to make you more comfortable? Are you up to filling out some forms so we can contact your next of kin?’

  ‘No. Yes,’ I said. I was about to ask for something to drink when I saw the water jug on the night stand. ‘No. Forms are okay.’

  He sat me down on the bed and wheeled the IV next to it. ‘Just rest, I’ll bring the forms in. The doctor’s already taken a look at you, and he’s concerned about your ribs. They’re heavily bruised and may be cracked. The X-ray staff will be along soon to take some photos of them. Is that okay?’

  ‘No X-rays,’ I said.

  ‘Are you pregnant?’

  ‘Possibly.’

  He nodded. ‘We’ll do an ultrasound instead; that won’t hurt a developing foetus at all. Is that all right?’

  I nodded a reply and rested on the pillow. Just that small walk had exhausted me. He poured some water into a cup and handed it to me.

  ‘How long have I been out?’ I said.

  He checked his watch. ‘They brought you in about six last night, and it’s nine in the morning now.’ He saw how exhausted I was and tucked the blanket around me. ‘Just rest. I’ll put the forms on the table here, and when you’re up to it, fill them in.’

  ‘Has Simone woken up?’

  ‘Is that her name? She was frantically worried about you, but as soon as we told her you were okay, she settled down. After she talked to the police last night she passed out and hasn’t woken since. She doesn’t seem injured, just exhausted like you.’

  That wasn’t surprising; she’d probably messed with the police officers’ heads to make our story believable. I tuned back in to what the nurse was saying.

  ‘I’m surprised the sound of us talking hasn’t woken her up. Are you related?’

  ‘She’s like my stepdaughter, but I haven’t married her father yet.’

  ‘I see.’ He patted my arm. ‘I’ll be back later to check on you. If you need anything, just call for me. We don’t have buttons like a hospital, but I’m just outside the door and will hear you.’

  ‘It’s possible my friend will come looking for us. You’ll know him if you see him: he’s six five, African-American, and his name’s Leo Alexander.’

  He smiled slightly. ‘I’m sure we won’t miss him if he does show. I’ll let the gatehouse know.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  I sipped some more water, then leaned back and closed my eyes.

  I was woken by Darren speaking outside the room. ‘Yes, she’s in there.’

  Leo came in, accompanied by my stone. They rushed to us and held each of us in turn.

  ‘Careful, I hurt my ribs,’ I said.

  Leo pulled back. ‘Are you sure you’re all right?’

  ‘We’re fine, we just needed to rest,’ Simone said.

  ‘There’s a young man with a gurney outside for you, Emma,’ the stone said. ‘Says he’s here to take an ultrasound.’

  ‘They want to look at my ribs,’ I said.

  Leo nodded. ‘Good idea, it’s important to make sure there’s no complications. So who’ll go with her?’

  ‘You go, I’ll stay with Simone,’ the stone said.

  The young man came in with the gurney. ‘Emma Donahoe?’

  ‘That’s me,’ I said. ‘Do you mind if my friend comes along?’

  ‘I’ll help you lift her,’ Leo said.

  The young man looked Leo up and down and obviously liked what he saw. ‘Any day.’

  Leo grinned.

  They lifted me onto the gurney, sat my IV bag next to me and wheeled me out. It was only a ten-minute drive to the clinic, which was a new building next to the large shopping centre just out of town. They wheeled me in, had me sign some forms, then took me into the examination room. Leo waited outside.

  An older woman came in, holding the forms I’d filled out. She sat next to me and turned on the ultrasound machine. She put a sheet over me, then lifted my hospital gown to reveal my ribs.

  ‘Oh my, there is some bruising here. Tell me if I hurt you too much while I run the wand over you,’ she said kindly. She took my IV bag from beside me and moved it so that it sat behind my head. ‘Just relax and we’ll have you out of here in no time.’

  She squirted gel over my ribcage and began to run the wand over me. As she did, a young man came in holding a clipboard.

  ‘This Miss Donahoe?’ he said.

  ‘That’s right,’ she said.

  ‘I just need to ask you some questions, if you don’t mind,’ he said to me. He pulled up a chair and sat behind my head. ‘You haven’t filled in a middle name here.’

  ‘I don’t have one,’ I said.

  ‘I see.’ There was a crinkle of plastic. ‘You’re a Hong Kong resident?’

  ‘I am. I have full travel insurance if that’s what this …’ I closed my eyes; it was too hard to keep them open. ‘If that’s what this is about.’

  He continued talking, but what he was saying was difficult to understand. It dawned on me that I really was feeling very sleepy. I wanted to turn around to see what he was doing with my IV bag, but my eyes wouldn’t open. I tried to call for Leo, but the sound wouldn’t come out.

  ‘She’s out. Bring the other one in,’ was the last thing I heard.

  22

  Zhenwu

  John stormed out of Court Ten still furious about Judge Pao’s deliberate delays.

  Report, he said to Leo.

  We escaped the Holyhead people, but they blocked the bridge, Leo said. Simone swam Emma off the island and exhausted both of them. They were found at the air force base and taken for medical care, and they have recovered well. I’m driving them back to London right now, and I’ll have them safely there in two hours.

  Good, John said. I’ll meet you there.

  A number of Immortals stood in the forecourt outside Court Ten, obviously waiting with questions for him. He avoided them all and teleported straight back to the Earthly.

  He landed in water off the coast of China, changed to his biggest Turtle form and swam. He kept a good distance from the shore because his wake was enough to disrupt sea life and overturn small boats. He became one with the water, passing through it at speed, but it would still take him all night to reach the other side of the globe.

  Are you all right, Simone?

  We’re fine. I’m not as good at taking people underwater as you are and Emma found it hard. But we’re okay now, no major damage. We’re safe with Leo, and we’ll be back in Kensington soon.

  Good. I’ll be there tomorrow morning your time. Get some sleep.

  Hurry, Daddy.

  He heard her tone. Is something wrong?

  No, everything’s fine.

  You don’t sound sure.

  Just hurry back.

  He dropped his Turtle head and tried to go faster.

  The choking muddy waters of the Thames weren’t as polluted as they had been back in the seventies, and he was able to travel all the way up the river to the closest point to the house.

  I’m five minutes away, he said.

  Emma can’t wait, Simone said with humour. She was worried. We all were.

  He changed to human form, made himself invisible and rose out of the water. He didn’t bother summoning a cloud, he just manipulated his own energy centres and flew to the Kensington house, drying his clothes as he went. It was surprising how little of the city landscape had changed in the past forty years. He rematerialised in the basement and charged up the stairs to find them. They were in the living room and he raced in to hold both of them, just to make sure they were safe.

  Simone flew into his arms. He glanced at Emma and froze.

  ‘What’s the matter, Daddy?’ Simone said. ‘You look like you’ve seen a ghost.’

  He thought quickly. ‘Just a jolt of the future. Nothing to worry about.’

  He carefully controlled his demon-destroying capabilities as the demon posing as Emma hugged him.

  It pulled back and gazed into
his eyes, its own full of genuine delight. ‘It was only a day but it seems far too long.’

  It put its hand around the back of his neck to pull him down for a kiss, and he nearly resisted for a moment. The demon foulness was buried deep inside it; no wonder Leo and Simone were deceived.

  ‘Is something wrong?’ it said, sensing his hesitation.

  Where the hell was the real Emma?

  ‘Everybody sit and tell me exactly what happened,’ he said. Te a, he added in the general direction of the household staff. They needed to be checked as well. ‘Is Franklin still living here?’

  Leo shook his head. ‘He went home. He said he’d rather be dead and free than alive in a cell, and that they weren’t coming after him any more.’

  ‘He has a point,’ John said.

  He sat next to the Emma copy, holding its hand, and thought about how to handle this. Simone sat on the other side of him. The Emma copy seemed to be unaware of its true nature; otherwise it would be terrified of him. It obviously thought it was the real Emma.

  If he told Simone and Leo telepathically, their reactions would give it away and the copy could explode. He had to find out how much this one knew, and when — and where — the replacement had been made.

  Peta brought tea; fortunately, she was real.

  ‘Have Paul come in as well, Peta,’ John said. ‘I want to talk to him.’

  ‘Yes, sir,’ Peta said, and went out.

  ‘Now tell me what happened,’ John said, feeling relief as he was able to loosen the copy’s grip and pour tea for himself.

  Paul came in while Simone was recounting their escape, and he was genuine too. John made a poor attempt at asking him something on pretence and then let him go.

  ‘And they did an ultrasound, brought her back to the base, and we all climbed into the van and came home,’ Simone said. ‘They said they’d send the ultrasound along if they found anything.’

  ‘Was Emma left alone in the ultrasound room?’ John said. ‘Leo, were you there with her?’

  ‘There wasn’t enough space for me to be in there as well, and she was only in there for about five minutes,’ Leo said.

  ‘Why do you ask? Do you think they did something to me?’ the Emma copy said. It took his hand. ‘There. You nearly flinched away again. What do you sense in me?’