Ruse

by Cindy Pon

  I flew the airped over the river, its color as brown as Shanghai’s skies, before veering toward Jin Tower. It glittered in the hazy late afternoon light, the tallest building in the world, a shining metallic feat of engineering. Air traffic appeared to be restricted near Jin Tower itself, but I met no resistance when I flew toward the back entrance, which was fenced off from the public. One of Jin’s thugs stood waiting for me, his hands clasped behind him. I guided my airped smoothly into the enclosed area and turned the bike off, watching the man warily from the corner of my eye.

  I knew Jin wouldn’t try anything until he was certain he’d secured the actual prototype; then I was only someone else in his way he had to kill. Jin’s man made no move toward me as I opened the trunk and lifted the air filter out. I nodded at him, indicating I was ready, and he made a move to check me for weapons. I stepped back with the duffel bag. “I go in on my own terms. Otherwise, the prototype is rigged to self-destruct. Nothing flashy. Its insides will just melt to nothing.”

  The guy stood still, obviously awaiting instruction from someone. After a pause, he nodded and indicated with a hand gesture that I should follow. The thick metal doors were gold, etched with Jin’s logo set in a circle at their center. With a palm scan, the doors opened for the thug and he jerked his chin. I entered first and felt his looming presence at my back but resisted reaching for a knife. It was too early in the game for that. We walked through the immense building, our footsteps echoing; I pulled off my face mask, craning my neck, and couldn’t help feeling awed by the grand scale of the building.

  Sunlight filtered in through the tinted glass panels, and the building’s center was open for as far as the eye could see. But I had read up on Jin Tower’s design and knew that its thirtieth floor took up the entirety of the building as a full garden level, with its own aviary, multiple fountains, and a large pond. There was another full garden level on the sixtieth floor, and every thirty floors after that. The first twenty-nine floors were designed to be commercial and retail space, and everything above was slotted to be sold as private residences, with a few floors interspersed with markets, restaurants, gyms, and other amenities for Jin Tower’s residents.

  Jin’s “vertical city” was designed to be self-contained, the idea being you never had to leave. Now, actually being inside the building, I saw firsthand how appealing that might be in a property where Jin had obviously thought of a you’s every need.

  We passed the main foyer on our way to the elevators. It was elegant, featuring two oval jade consoles as reception areas. The tower was eerily quiet, built to house thousands, but with only me and Jin’s henchman moving in the vast space. Neither of us spoke a word to each other. Instead, the other man called the elevator—touted as the fastest in the world—and we stepped inside. I stood in the back corner of the silver car and Jin’s man stood in the other. He had no visible weapon that I could see, but I knew he was ready to kill me in an instant upon Jin’s command.

  I wasn’t feeling nervous or scared. If anything, I was eager. Eager to finally face this man who’d lived and profited on the misfortune and deaths of meis, who had gotten away with murder for so long. I wouldn’t be tied to a chair like last time. It wasn’t exactly on my terms, but this needed to be done on Jin’s turf. He had to feel in control. I just needed to provoke him enough, get him to talk, and hopefully survive this. But truth be told, I’d never been afraid to die. As long as my friends were safe.

  Jin’s thug punched the button for the 188th floor and input a four-digit code on the security panel for access. My stomach dropped at the speed with which we climbed upward. My ears popped, and I swallowed, steeling myself for the encounter.

  The elevator doors slid open noiselessly. I stepped out first, distancing myself from Jin’s henchman. The first thing I caught were the astounding views of Shanghai sprawling below us in gray concrete tinged pink from the setting sun. The Huangpu River wove like a silver ribbon through the city, sleek and elegant from this far up. Ships and boats bobbed like toys on the water. The pollution that choked Shanghai was unmistakable, dirty and opaque; a looming monster. Yet it didn’t diminish the beauty of this ancient city, jammed with buildings and people and history.

  I only saw Jin standing to the side a moment later, dressed immaculately in an expensive black suit, his hands clasped casually in front of him. “It’s stunning, isn’t it?” he asked, but it was more a statement. “I saved this highest floor for myself.” He swept one arm toward the expansive space. “I haven’t decided on the exact design, but the possibilities are endless.” Jin nodded at the duffel bag I carried. “And the possibilities for Ms. Tsai’s invention are infinite as well.” He extended a hand, as if I’d walk up and give the prototype to him like an offering.

  “I don’t think so,” I replied. “What’s my guarantee you won’t kill me the moment you have what you want?” I jerked my chin toward the other two guards lurking in the background, threatening and silent.

  “You have my word—”

  I laughed. “Your word means nothing.”

  “I suppose because your own word carries no weight,” Jin said in a cool voice. “But in the world of business, our words matter. Besides, I wouldn’t kill you with my own daughter present.”

  I felt the blood drain from my face, and my hands went numb.

  Daiyu.

  She stepped out from behind a square column, and the sight of her was like a punch in the face. I wanted to throw up. Daiyu was dressed in a formfitting black gown with gold and silver accents. Her complexion was ashen, despite the heavier makeup she wore for the occasion, but her expression gave nothing away.

  “What’s she doing here?” I asked, never looking directly at her. Jin had to believe that Daiyu meant nothing to me, though I was trying hard to gain control over my tumult of emotions. All the bravado I had felt before vanished in a wink. Everything had changed now that Daiyu was here. How would Jin use her against me?

  “I wanted my daughter, as the heir of Jin Corp, to see what happens to criminals who steal from me.” Jin raised his hand, and a slight man stepped forward. He wasn’t dressed like Jin’s thugs, and his eyes darted from Jin to his goons to me. My hand tightened on the duffel bag straps. “Check to make sure he brought the actual prototype,” Jin ordered.

  The man hesitated, and Jin said, “Now.” He jumped and scurried over, bowing apologetically when he took the bag from me. I relinquished it without a word.

  “This prototype never belonged to you,” I said. “You were the one who stole it from Jany Tsai. The invention belongs to her family, as she had wished.”

  Taking a few long strides, I drew closer to Jin and away from Daiyu. I could only hope that everything was working as Lingyi had wanted on the ground, that they were hearing this—broadcasting our image and conversation. Jin’s face was as unreadable as his daughter’s, but one eye twitched. That was enough to tell me he was angry. No one denied Jin anything. No one had ever dared. “I offered her a large sum of money,” he said. “More than a fair sum.”

  “Money she didn’t want from you,” I replied. “Jany didn’t agree with your vision, and you killed her for it.”

  I heard a soft noise from Daiyu’s direction—an intake of breath—but I didn’t glance her way.

  “The poor woman killed herself.” Jin raised an eyebrow. “She couldn’t take the pressure of her studies as a doctoral student. Heartbreaking, really.”

  Jin seemed to believe his own lie, as if he could rewrite reality, obliterate the truth—always twisting things to his own advantage.

  “Her family never released that information. It’s a convenient story you created as a cover-up,” I replied. “But I know the truth.”

  Jin smiled coldly. “It doesn’t matter what you know, Jason Zhou. You’re worthless.” His gaze flicked to the nervous man who was scrutinizing the prototype. The man’s brow was creased in confusion. “Well?” Jin asked.

  “This is the prototype containing the catalyst for filtrat
ion, Mr. Jin,” the man replied. “But there’s something else embedded into the machine.”

  Jin nodded once, and one of his thugs stepped forward, his gun aimed at my chest.

  I sensed Daiyu tensing; I could only will her to stay put, to stay safe.

  “I wouldn’t do that.” I grinned, resorting to the cockiness that I had always relied on as a defense. “If you kill me, the prototype will melt from the inside out. It’s rigged to self-destruct if my heartbeat is no longer detected.”

  Jin didn’t look at me but rounded on the engineer instead. “Is that true?”

  The man wiped the sweat from his forehead with a shaking hand. “A device has been embedded into the prototype, and it does seem to be monitoring a heartbeat,” he croaked.

  “Remove it,” Jin demanded.

  I shook my head and winked at Jin. “That’ll initiate the device as well. Tamper with it or kill me, everything melts.”

  The color rose to Jin’s face like a wave, and I saw his throat work as he gained control over his anger.

  “We have proof you murdered Jany for her design,” I said. “You won’t get away with it.”

  Daiyu stepped forward, and there was a flurry of activity from my peripheral vision. I turned to find a lanky man pushing Iris toward us, her arms pinned behind her back. She was resisting, and the guard visibly struggled to contain her. I almost cursed out loud but swallowed instead, making a choking noise. This time, my hand did go to my side, and I palmed one of Daiyu’s knives. Iris stared at me, jaws clenched, and gave a slight shake of her head. The guard who had brought me up stepped forward. As fast as I could take Jin’s thugs down, one of them would still be able to kill my friend.

  We were outnumbered.

  LINGYI

  Lingyi hated the crowds.

  Reports by four p.m. already had the number of people along the Bund at half a million. She held hands with Iris and Arun so they wouldn’t get separated. Even then, people crashed carelessly against them, breaking their grasps many times. Hundreds of police were already lined up in key areas, controlling the flow of traffic to avoid stampedes. Jin’s security, wearing dark green uniforms bearing Jin’s insignia, were concentrated closer to Jin Tower’s enormous quad near the building’s entrance, where the VIPs would converge.

  Although it was a milder summer day, the surge of the crowds only made the air feel hotter. Sweat gathered at the nape of her neck. She tugged the straw hat covering her purple hair down lower. Most of the young people in the crowd had dyed hair, but she didn’t need to give Jin’s thugs an easier way to spot her.

  Iris led them, her strong fingers pressed against Lingyi’s palm. They pushed their way toward Jin Tower’s entrance. Every so often, loud pops punched the air; firecrackers set off by revelers not caring how dangerous they were in such crowds. Lingyi’s heart sped up every time, and she’d cower instinctively. Loud, unexpected noises still often paralyzed her in fear. But Iris never paused, and Lingyi forced her feet to keep moving, while Arun brought up the back. Seeing her panic, he squeezed her hand each time in reassurance.

  Right outside the roped-off quad area was a small wood-paneled hut selling cold drinks, snacks, lunch-box meals, sun hats, and other sundries. A huge mob pressed against the front of the modest shop, and Lingyi entered through the narrow door in the back. The owner, a round woman with a bright turquoise apron tied to her waist, half turned and gave Lingyi a slight nod before returning to the customers shouting for iced tea and candy.

  Lingyi had found this perfect location when she’d scoped the area with Iris the other day and paid the woman a good sum to be able to work on her MacFold from this location. It provided the space and privacy she needed, out of sight from Jin’s security nearby. She set up on a squat stool in the dark corner, next to a small curtained-off storage area. “It’s safe to come in,” she said into her earpiece.

  Iris was the first to enter, carrying her duffel bag. She slipped behind the dark cloth curtain, then reemerged wearing one of Jin’s security uniforms and pulled a matching dark green cap over her silver hair. She winked at Lingyi and snuck in a kiss before stepping back outside. Arun came in and changed as well. He had been able to confirm that Jin’s security would be wearing their usual uniforms and had gotten hold of two replicas in his and Iris’s sizes for today.

  Lingyi logged into her MacFold. Jin had focused on the security within Jin Tower, setting up required palm scans to enter the building and digital codes to use the elevator, restricting certain floors, but his cameras and building display systems were newly installed with minimal security. It hadn’t taken too long for Lingyi to hack in, accessing Jin Tower’s cameras and display programming. A message popped up on her Palm, showing simultaneously on her MacFold screen.

  Who is this?

  The message had been sent from Detective Lu, the policewoman Lingyi had bumped into the morning Jany had been killed. Lingyi had sent an anonymous message to her this morning, detailing the murder of Jany Tsai on Jin Feiming’s orders so he could steal her invention and sell it as his own. Jany’s supposed suicide was only a ruse. Lingyi said she was a witness to the crime and would like to file an official report.

  Lingyi quickly typed a response: We crossed paths that morning you went to investigate. I’m the one with the purple hair. Keep a close eye on the Jin Tower opening ceremony today.

  She closed the message window, hoping Detective Lu would take the tip seriously. Lingyi had done her research, and by all reports, Lu had a reputation for being forthright and honest, taking her job seriously. If corrupt, she’d simply take a large bribe from Jin and work in his favor instead.

  She checked in with Arun and Iris. “How is the installation going?”

  “One speaker is done, boss,” Arun replied. “One to go.”

  “Same, boss,” Iris said into her earpiece.

  “Great,” Lingyi said. “Keep me updated.”

  Zhou had learned from Daiyu that the ceremony would be set up with a stage and speakers in the large quad near Jin Tower’s entrance, with everything taking place in this VIP area broadcasted in all-media news by the reporters who had been invited. Arun and Iris were installing devices to the four speakers that would connect directly to the powerful mic Zhou wore for his encounter with Jin. Everything they said would also automatically be shown as live caption across Jin Tower.

  Lingyi tested the connection again between the devices installed on the already connected speakers and Zhou’s mic. Everything was working perfectly. Arun and Iris just needed to hook up the other two speakers so Lingyi could broadcast everything at the right moment. She then toggled through the dozens of camera feeds installed in Jin Tower. Movement caught her eye on the highest 188th floor. She saw a few security people, then a figure dressed in a suit moving in the background that appeared to be Jin. It didn’t surprise her that Jin would do this on the highest floor of the tower. Lingyi went into the program that was set to show across Jin Tower before the ceremony. There was a brief intro by Jin himself. Daiyu spoke a few words, and then the program went into a loop of advertisements and a digital fireworks display.

  It was programmed to broadcast across Jin Tower beginning at six thirty p.m. Lingyi disabled it and connected it to display a live feed from Zhou’s body cam instead.

  She checked the time, 5:40 p.m. Zhou was on his way to Jin Tower. The crowd made a low humming roar outside the wooden shop, the anticipation building. News reports indicated that the crowds had now increased to seven hundred thousand. Lingyi wiped the sweat from her hairline with the back of a hand.

  She heard Zhou speak to someone, one of Jin’s men, when he arrived. Lingyi watched his progress on the feed from his hidden cam. He was headed into the building. After eight minutes of silence upon entering, Jin’s man called for the elevator. Lingyi watched as the thug punched in a four-digit access code.

  When she saw Jin greet Zhou on the 188th floor, she initiated the program that broadcasted across Jin Tower’s glass paneling, now connect
ed to Zhou’s cam and mic. She quickly flicked through various news feeds that were covering the ceremony and finally settled on a cambot that had panned to Jin Tower. Its windows were blank, reflecting the dusk surrounding the city. Lingyi swallowed, checking her work. Her heart thumped hard against her rib cage. She turned on the devices attached to the speakers on the ground.

  This had to work.

  A moment later, Jin appeared on the giant building, larger than life. The crowd gasped around her, then began speaking excitedly. Someone at the stand waiting to buy a drink pointed. “Look, there’s Jin on the building!”

  “Is this part of the opening ceremony show?” someone else exclaimed.

  Lingyi quickly went to the news cambots set up in the VIP area. Their broadcasts would be able to pick up and amplify the speakers near the stage, across all-media news. She could only pray that Detective Lu was watching.

  The roped-off VIP area was a chaotic scene as everyone tried to figure out what was going on. “Mr. Jin is speaking from the highest floor of Jin Tower. He appears to be discussing new technology. Possibly something that will be put on the market soon?” The reporter smiled uncertainly into the camera. “We assume this preprogrammed content is part of the ceremony. A glimpse into Jin Feiming’s life as the powerful CEO of Jin Corp.”

  “My second speaker is connected,” Arun said into Lingyi’s earpiece. “And broadcasting loudly.” She could hear the grin in his voice.

  “Great,” Lingyi replied. Barely in time. The more speakers they had projecting Jin and Zhou speaking, the bigger the impact. In an era when any image or piece of news could be manipulated, there would be no denying Jin’s true character broadcast live to millions. And if anyone could provoke Jin, it’d be Zhou. Zhou had made Jin lose face by stealing from him twice, and Jin wanted to make sure Zhou paid the price.