How to Kill a Phoenix

3: THE CHAIR

CHAPTER 3: THE CHAIR

"To a father growing old, nothing is dearer than a daughter." – Euripides

***

Emily swung open the door with a flourish, a wolfish smile on her face. "Greetings from Earth! I come in peace."

"You're going," Rain replied without looking away from the midnight show playing on a TV set, flat on his belly. "We set off to World Cenobel at what you call 4 pm tomorrow."

It was not a question, but a statement. Emily had not even told him about her decision. Her smile grew crooked. "You're going to make me go even if I refuse," which was also not a question.

Rain didn't react. He sat up slowly, his expression unchanging. He turned to face her. "So as I mentioned before, I'll arrange for your father to allow you to go."

"I didn't say I'm going," Emily showed her teeth again, twitching. "I will go under one condition."

Rain remained stone-faced. Emily didn't break eye contact, but she was subtly shaking.

"That one condition is: I can set any conditions I want, whenever I want."

Rain pretended he didn't hear her. "Astra, prepare a teleportation sequence for two to Fujimoto Kenzo's location."

Astra zipped out of a bedside drawer, twinkling. "Teleportation will be ready in another 197 seconds."

Emily was about to protest when another voice interrupted, "Wait!" Katrina appeared at the doorway. "I'll go with you two to meet Master Kenzo."

"Teleportation for three," Rain corrected.

"245 seconds."

"Sorry for eavesdropping," Katrina said, her hands on her knees.

Emily was actually more amazed by the fact that Rain found out her father's name and location that effortlessly. Did he peek into the internet or something?

"Oh, come on!" she finally said to the boy. Seeing his whole uninterested façade, she grasped at his collar with both hands, shaking the boy. "Don't you get how much I'm throwing away by following you? Don't you get how difficult it is? For me? When I think about how risky this whole business is?"

"Tell that to everyone else in the team." Rain smoothed his hair backwards. "Each and every one of us took that risk, made that choice. You're not special, girl."

"I could have refused, and take this power for myself," Emily said through her teeth.

"You'll probably end up doing something stupid and alerting the authorities. I should just kill you and take back what is mine."

Emily tensed for a moment before relaxing, letting go of Rain and sinking into the bed. "I don't like you guys."

For the first time along the conversation, Rain smiled. "Don't worry. We're a more likable bunch than you think. You're one of us now. You make things difficult for us, we'll make things difficult for you. You make things easy, we'll make it easy for you."

"So I'm a hostage."

"Try not to die. Or it'll be more difficult for us to clear our names."

"Don't worry, you'll be in Stockholm soon, kyan!" Katrina said with a wink and a thumbs-up. The two threw her a momentary glance before pretending they didn't hear her.

"Now let's just get ready to face Mr. Fujimoto," Rain stood up.

Emily narrowed her eyes. "What are you going to tell him?"