The Gemini

24. A Message

Jane-Anne Pearce

"And you're absolutely sure?" Finn asked.

"I know what I saw at the circus," I swore. "One dash with three lines crossing it. It's the symbol for king, I think."

"So, another Japanese Forbidden?" Finn asked, flopping down on the bed next to me. He tried to lean over to see my screen, but I tilted the laptop away from him.

"Get your own computer." I teased.

"That's mine," said Finn.

"Funny," I said, typing the name of the Forbidden into the Agency database Finn had unlocked for me a few minutes ago. "I don't see your name on it."

With a completely straight face, Finn tipped the computer over so I could see Agent Matthews marked on the bottom.

"What a strange coincidence," I said, putting the computer upright.

"Just give me the-" I held up my finger, silencing Finn immediately. "I got it."

I spun the computer back in Finn's direction, with a page dedicated to a specific Forbidden displayed.

"Ba-who." Finn read.

"Byakko." I corrected.

"That's not what that says." Finn pointed out. "It says here that this is a Chinese Forbidden."

"Well, he's got a lot of names, but that's definitely what it is. See this?" I pointed to the strange symbol on his forehead. "That was the giveaway. Why is there like nothing on this thing?"

Bai-hu (n): a symbol of the West in some Eastern cultures, representing fall, wind, and resembling a celestial white tiger.

"It's like that for all of them," said Finn. "With the exception of mermaids and some of the Forbidden who were in the Atalka Experiments. Even then the info's not great. The Agency's been a little more focused on Basilisk bullet production instead of specific weaknesses for the past few years anyway."

"Basilisk bullets?" I asked.

"It's a one-thing-kills-all kind of thing," Finn explained uncomfortably. "I'm not approved for it yet, but they can kill pretty much any Forbidden, regardless of individual weakness."

"That's..."

"Terrifying?" Finn asked.

I nodded.

"And don't forget to be careful when you talk to the Tanakas. We have no idea what they remember from the circus." I nodded, swallowing nervously. I wasn't the best with secrets, and as a general rule, I liked to avoid them at all costs.

"So what do we do about the Byakko?" I asked.

"Explain to them how not to get caught again," said Finn, shrugging. "The healing thing is definitely drawing a lot of attention."

"I've never heard of Byakko's healing people," I said. "It could be another one of those variation things, or maybe the Chinese myth is different."

"Or maybe it's something else entirely," Finn suggested.

"It has to be this," I told Finn. "I have to be right about something." I started typing furiously again.

"Okay, what are you doing?" Finn asked.

"Emailing that runaway nurse we wanted to talk to again. I mean, her name is Yang. She's Chinese."

"We'll figure out how to reach her," Finn promised. "But for now, we have a dinner to get to."