The Golden Lotus
Chapter Three: September, the Garden House, Ghent, Belgium
Lady Meng sat unchanged, but the father's eyes glistened with unshed tears, "Thank you," he said, and bowed.
She tapped her cane again, and the servant moved forward, gesturing towards the back of the house. Erik directed Javier to follow. Javier met the older woman's eyes. He bowed once again to her. He hoped she understood the promise in that gesture.
Going out a back door, Javier stepped into the garden the house was named for. It stretched back several yards, a meandering path of stones took them on a journey through trees, shrubs, and a bridged pool of water that was illuminated by elegantly carved arching stone lanterns. On the far side of the pool sat a pavilion. As they entered the structure a older man stepped forward. Short in stature like his countrymen, the man's grizzled face was a map of a harsh life.
Wang Te-k'un came in behind them, "This is Yunhua. He is a servant of Lady Meng's family. He will work with you to take my daughter to safety."
Javier asked, "What is your daughter's name?"
Wang Te-k'un replied, "I do not wish to tell you that, in case the name is overheard." He paused and looked back at the house. "The custom of binding is not the only one that has changed. Servants in China would serve their families or die in shame. It is possible that some servant here may find the promise of money more important and tell my family of your whereabouts. I do not wish to jeopardize my daughter's chance to get out of Belgium. For now, we shall simply call her Mei-Mei."
Erik nodded, "It means little sister," he told Javier.
Wang Te-k'un continued, "On Thursday evening, my family will be attending the theater. I plan to give Mei-Mei to a servant to take to the water closet. After they leave, Yunhua will take my daughter. You are to meet him at the warehouse on Doornsteeg, number 15. We have arranged a cargo for you to load, so that your presence there will not cause any questions."
Yunhua added, "We will smuggle Mei-Mei onto your boat inside the cargo."
Erik nodded. "All right. I presume we get final instructions at that point?"
"Yes," Wang Te-k'un answered, looking at Javier he added, "once again, in case some of the Wang family hears of this. The less you know, the less you can tell them."
Erik shook his head and looked at Javier, "That doesn't mean that they won't take you and torture for days to see if you know more."
"What are you saying?" Javier asked.
"I'm saying you don't have to agree to this, Javier. If this man's family gets their hands on any of us," Erik gestured, including Yunhua, "they will not show any mercy."
Javier shook his head, "I'm not quitting."
Erik agreed. "I'm not either." He had committed enough wrongs in his life; he needed these small victories against the darkness that continually threatened to consume him again. If he could save one little girl from a life of pain, the darkness would be held farther back. Someday he hoped to see the sunrise to banish the darkness in his soul.
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Erik worked on the papers spread out on the table top. Javier came in with a bag of food from the local shops. Putting it away, he folded up the shopping bag and tossed it the cabinet. He moved to sit on the other stool by the table.
"I'd suggest you take a nap if you can. We might be out quite late tonight."
Javier marveled at the man's quiet composure. "Doesn't anything ever get to you?"
Erik looked at his partner, "In what way?"
Javier gave a short bark of disbelieving laughter and raised his hands in a helpless gesture, "Oh, I don't know. Maybe getting arrested for kidnapping, or the thought of being tortured, or running around the docks hauling a crate with a child in it while being hunted by her family?"
"Javier, I am a firm believer in preparation. If you make plans for the worst case that can happen, you will spare yourself the complications of extricating yourself from trouble."
"Estricating?"
Erik sighed, "It means to remove yourself." He gestured over his shoulder, "If you can't sleep, then bring your book over and read to me."
Javier ran a hand over his eyes. He was too keyed up already to nap. Getting up he went for the book. Why Martin insisted on his learning to read in French was beyond him. He reclaimed his stool, and opened the book.
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Javier pulled the wagon up to the warehouse. Getting down he secured the horses, and followed his partner to the door. Inside were row upon row of crates stacked to the ceiling. To their right was the small office where they would pick up the paperwork for the cargo. Martin lifted a chin towards the crates, then spun on his heel and went into the office.
Javier moved to the end of the crates, wandering down a row, reading the company names, numbers, and content warnings stenciled on the wood. These crates were made for a one way trip: not sturdy enough to be re-used, they had been stenciled with the manufacturer's name. Taking a closer look at them, he saw a line of Chinese characters, and the emblem of a horse. Walking further he noticed the same company name, but other groups of crates marked with a dragon, and what looked to be a flower.
Martin arrived, he flashed the paper at Javier, who saw instantly that he had written upon it 'six horse, two flower, six dragon.' He nodded his assent, and went back to the wagon. Pulling it to the door, they stacked the crates.
Javier worked, not looking around as he did. He really didn't want to know if he was being watched. The though of it gave him a feeling like a load of snakes writhing in his belly. Martin seemed consumed in his details as always, stopping him once to correct how the crates were loaded. Ah yes, two flower, not flower, dragon, flower. Putting one back down, they continued to load.
"What's in the crates," Javier asked.
"Porcelains with Chinese designs. They are large pots that set upon carved wooden legs."
There was quite a furor at the berthing spot for the Erebus. The dock people weren't happy that they had parked the wagon and left it sitting in front of the cargo winch. Martin made a lot of loud, grousing comments about the slow warehouse help delaying them, and that he was going to get dinner before he finished clearing the load and putting it into the boat.
The dock workers tried threats and begging, even offering to pitch in to shift the crates, but finally threw up their hands and stomped off, swearing at the crazy scarred man. Javier shrugged, adding "Hey, feel sorry for me. He's my boss."
"Come on. Let's hit the local tavern," Erik told him.
"Should we leave it unguarded," Javier asked.
Erik stepped closer and looked steadily at him. "What makes you think it isn't?" At his partner's gaping mouth, he added, "Close your mouth, Javier. You will be catching flies." He turned and walked away, leaving Javier to catch up.
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Erik snapped closed the cover of his pocket watch. "It's time." He tossed money down on the table and moved towards the tavern door.
One of the serving girls gave Javier a longing look, and he turned to sigh and put a hand over his heart, "Maybe next time, Simonette."
Erik pressed on out the door. If the Spaniard hadn't proven to be such a valuable partner, these outbursts of female attention might have driven him to get rid of Javier. Truth be told, it was envy he felt. Why God, he wondered again, why the scales were tipped in the favor of some men, while his was woefully empty.
He walked along looking at the lights reflecting off of the river. You know the answer, you must be worthy. For two years now he had worked to build a life, a reputation, where he could make something of himself besides a petty tyrant and a murderer. He wanted to enjoy a walk in the sunshine without looking over his shoulder. He wanted to find what happiness he could, secure in his new guise.
He thought of Christine. The haunting look in her eyes as she pushed the ring into his hand and turned slowly away. What does it mean? Were you giving me a piece of your heart? Were you sad for me, for us? Did you pity me? Did you love me even a little? The quiet sounds from the river were the only answer he heard.
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Erik whipped the tarp off of the top of the crates. Javier had gone onto the boat, opening up a hatch that dropped directly into the lower cargo deck. They were halfway through loading the crates when Javier noticed they weren't alone.
A shadow wavered at the end of the warehouse. Javier glanced in his partner's direction, Erik stood next to the winch, securing another crate. He gave Javier a pointed look in return.
A Chinese man walked with cat-like quiet towards them, "Nee how," he said.
Erik turned to him, giving him a flat stare. Javier glanced at the man; he seemed awfully comfortable for an unarmed man facing down the look Martin was giving him. Javier waited to see what was going to happen next.
"You don't understand, ah?" the man asked. "You have some of the Wang family property."
Erik replied, "Jien tah-duh gway."
Javier perked up, that sounded like an insult. "What did you say?"
"I said 'like hell'."
The Chinese bristled, "Gou tsao de Frenchman!"
Erik's lips twisted in disdain, the cold look from his eye should have misted the air in ice crystals. "He called me a dog-humping Frenchman," he gritted out.
He stepped over to the winch and hoisted one of the crates, swinging it wildly over the edge of the boat, he let go of the crate, it smacked onto the water with a sharp splash.
Javier opened his mouth to yell, but Martin's taunt stopped him. "You want your crate, you're going to have to swim, you Hwoon dahn."
The man on the quay was moving, four other men appeared from near a warehouse and came running onto the boat, reaching for the crate. The leader rushed towards Erik, another of his companions pulled Erik away by the arms, and the group worked to get a hold of the crate, like some insane octopus, a jumble of dark clad arms snatching at the wood.
Javier saw Yunhua running towards the group. He shouted something at Martin and joined the man at the winch trying to raise the crate.
Erik shrugged off his attacker, and shoved the man aside. "Javier!"
Javier turned disbelieving eyes towards Martin. "Holy Mary, Mother of God. You just dropped that little girl." He raced off the boat towards the winch. He moved to help hoist the crate up with the other two men, but Erik grabbed him by the shoulders of his coat and hauled him sharply back, twisting him around, he shoved him towards the wagon, "Get on," he commanded.
Javier turned disbelieving eyes on his partner. Surely even Martin could not be this mercenary. He glanced towards the boat; they had gotten the crate under control and were hoisting it out. But after it rose a few feet above the water, the winch cut loose with a flurry of rapidly flying chains and dropped it back into the inky water. It sank like a stone into the river. "Oh my God."