…’
‘No, I understand, my boy.’ Enzio became even more jovial. ‘So are you enjoying your new position? They’re obviously keeping you very busy —’
One , I need you in my office right now , Michael’s father said telepathically.
On my way, my Lord.
Enzio was still talking. ‘— And if you ever want to come back to us in Hong Kong —’
Michael cut him off. ‘It’s in my father’s firm, Enzio. My dad’s been very good about helping me, Clarissa was in a severe car accident shortly after both of us left —’
NOW, One.
My Lord.
‘Oh that’s terrible. Is she all right?’
Enzio’s voice was full of sympathy but his falseness was clearly audible: Clarissa had been a second-quality staff member to him. He’d promoted Michael quickly even though Clarissa was obviously more skilled.
‘She’ll get there, but I have to go, my dad’s in my ear, he wants me right now. Thanks for calling, Enzio —’
ONE!
‘Bye.’ Michael dropped his head and teleported to his father’s office, then slipped his phone into the pocket of his White Horseman’s uniform. The White Tiger, Celestial Emperor of the Western Heavens, was in human form; a muscular Chinese warrior with golden skin and white hair, sitting at his desk with a pile of papers in front of him.
‘When I say now I mean now , One.’ He waved for Michael to sit across the desk from him.
‘Sorry,’ Michael said. ‘My old boss keeps harassing me about returning to work for him …’
‘This is a human, right? On the Earthly Plane?’
‘My Lord.’
The Tiger shuffled the papers. ‘And you’re wasting your time,’ he glared at Michael, ‘being polite to this bastard? Block him. You have more important things to do. If I find you talking to humans again, I’ll cut your fucking head off. Now.’ He pushed the papers across the desk to Michael. ‘Deal with this.’ He rose and headed towards the door.
‘Wait, this is the budget for the next twelve months — I helped Rohan prepare this! We need you to make a decision about whether —’
The Tiger cut him off again. ‘No , you don’t. You make the decisions. I don’t want to worry about it. I’ll be in the harem, and if you disturb me, I’ll cut more than your head off. Handle it.’ He walked out.
Rohan?
Yeah, Mike?
You were right. We have to make all the decisions. Meet in my office.
’Kay. Rohan’s voice filled with amusement. Good luck making these calls – get it wrong and Dad will tear your head off.
I could resign and stand aside so that you’re acting Number One Son until he finds a replacement …
Rohan’s mental voice became fierce. Don’t you fucking dare. See you in five.
Michael had the budget open in front of him when Rohan came in and sat.
‘You don’t need me,’ Rohan said. ‘You’re the most experienced one in the Western Palace for handling this sort of shit. Just do it.’
‘I wish I had the up-to-date figures on the commodity markets, turning it into platinum, or something like titanium, might be more worthwhile,’ Michael said. ‘When I was back with Enzio, it was all in front of me. Who would I talk to about arranging it?’
‘No,’ Rohan said , ‘delegate it. You have too much other stuff to worry about.’ He saw the way Michael was looking at him. ‘Not me! Pass it on to a financial management firm. Let them decide where the gold goes.’
‘ A hundred metric tonnes,’ Michael said with exasperation. ‘A hundred tonnes of gold, and it’s worthless. We sell it on the Earthly, we drive the price of gold down and hurt ourselves and the world economy; something we’re sworn to protect. We keep it, it’s doing nothing. What the hell was Greg thinking?’
‘He was planning to employ stones to fashion it into high-end jewellery and sell it for celestial jade,’ Rohan said.
Michael leaned back. ‘Clever. Good plan, turning gold that costs us nothing into jade that’s worth something here on the Celestial. So what
‘No, I understand, my boy.’ Enzio became even more jovial. ‘So are you enjoying your new position? They’re obviously keeping you very busy —’
One , I need you in my office right now , Michael’s father said telepathically.
On my way, my Lord.
Enzio was still talking. ‘— And if you ever want to come back to us in Hong Kong —’
Michael cut him off. ‘It’s in my father’s firm, Enzio. My dad’s been very good about helping me, Clarissa was in a severe car accident shortly after both of us left —’
NOW, One.
My Lord.
‘Oh that’s terrible. Is she all right?’
Enzio’s voice was full of sympathy but his falseness was clearly audible: Clarissa had been a second-quality staff member to him. He’d promoted Michael quickly even though Clarissa was obviously more skilled.
‘She’ll get there, but I have to go, my dad’s in my ear, he wants me right now. Thanks for calling, Enzio —’
ONE!
‘Bye.’ Michael dropped his head and teleported to his father’s office, then slipped his phone into the pocket of his White Horseman’s uniform. The White Tiger, Celestial Emperor of the Western Heavens, was in human form; a muscular Chinese warrior with golden skin and white hair, sitting at his desk with a pile of papers in front of him.
‘When I say now I mean now , One.’ He waved for Michael to sit across the desk from him.
‘Sorry,’ Michael said. ‘My old boss keeps harassing me about returning to work for him …’
‘This is a human, right? On the Earthly Plane?’
‘My Lord.’
The Tiger shuffled the papers. ‘And you’re wasting your time,’ he glared at Michael, ‘being polite to this bastard? Block him. You have more important things to do. If I find you talking to humans again, I’ll cut your fucking head off. Now.’ He pushed the papers across the desk to Michael. ‘Deal with this.’ He rose and headed towards the door.
‘Wait, this is the budget for the next twelve months — I helped Rohan prepare this! We need you to make a decision about whether —’
The Tiger cut him off again. ‘No , you don’t. You make the decisions. I don’t want to worry about it. I’ll be in the harem, and if you disturb me, I’ll cut more than your head off. Handle it.’ He walked out.
Rohan?
Yeah, Mike?
You were right. We have to make all the decisions. Meet in my office.
’Kay. Rohan’s voice filled with amusement. Good luck making these calls – get it wrong and Dad will tear your head off.
I could resign and stand aside so that you’re acting Number One Son until he finds a replacement …
Rohan’s mental voice became fierce. Don’t you fucking dare. See you in five.
Michael had the budget open in front of him when Rohan came in and sat.
‘You don’t need me,’ Rohan said. ‘You’re the most experienced one in the Western Palace for handling this sort of shit. Just do it.’
‘I wish I had the up-to-date figures on the commodity markets, turning it into platinum, or something like titanium, might be more worthwhile,’ Michael said. ‘When I was back with Enzio, it was all in front of me. Who would I talk to about arranging it?’
‘No,’ Rohan said , ‘delegate it. You have too much other stuff to worry about.’ He saw the way Michael was looking at him. ‘Not me! Pass it on to a financial management firm. Let them decide where the gold goes.’
‘ A hundred metric tonnes,’ Michael said with exasperation. ‘A hundred tonnes of gold, and it’s worthless. We sell it on the Earthly, we drive the price of gold down and hurt ourselves and the world economy; something we’re sworn to protect. We keep it, it’s doing nothing. What the hell was Greg thinking?’
‘He was planning to employ stones to fashion it into high-end jewellery and sell it for celestial jade,’ Rohan said.
Michael leaned back. ‘Clever. Good plan, turning gold that costs us nothing into jade that’s worth something here on the Celestial. So what
Similar Books
