ã€ŠThe Year of Jubilee [An Original Novel]ã€‹


 Prologue

    Beijing

    November

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    This was a bad idea.

    Zhengyi Yang stood in the lightly falling sleet, teeth chattering as she held her umbrella over the spirit medium¡¯s head with one hand and her nose with the other. If the older woman in front of her didn¡¯t quit burning incense, both of them were going to choke to death on the smell.

    Grandma Lin, or Lin Puo-puo as she insisted Zhengyi call her, hacked and wheezed over the wet gravestone before them, where a thick bundle of joss sticks smoldered between a bouquet of white lilies and a plate of fruit. Plumes of fragrant smoke wafted into the woman¡¯s nose, mixing with her breath to create white puffs in the cold air. Zhengyi shifted the umbrella from one gloved hand to another, keeping the elderly lady and the incense dry while she herself got drenched, her head only barely protected by a thin hood. Headstones squeezed them in on every side, but, as was anticipated in this weather, no one else was in the cemetery.

    ¡°Puo-puo,¡± Zhengyi managed politely, barely suppressing a gag at the atrocious smell, ¡°Would you like me to hold the sticks for you?¡±

    ¡°Silence!¡± the woman hissed. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s an easy thing, calling up spirits of the dead, Yang Xiao-jie?¡±

    She¡¯d addressed Zhengyi with the honorific used for young women rather than referring to her amiably as ¡®child,¡¯ as she had previously. The old woman was probably in a bad mood due to the damp. Zhengyi, her own demeanor souring, remarked, ¡°We chose the one day this month that wasn¡¯t as dry as a bone. Wouldn¡¯t it have been easier to do on another day? Or, better yet, indoors?¡±

    ¡°I told you already, Xiao-jie.¡± The old lady harrumphed. ¡°The channeling is stronger at the gravesite. But we can¡¯t risk running into a public regulation official¡ªthey can take you in for doing this kind of thing out in the open. That¡¯s why I charged you a risk fee, remember?¡±

    Zhengyi swiped a glove over her glasses, succeeding only in smearing more rainwater across her vision, much to her irritation. Of course, she remembered. The extra hundred yuan ¡®risk fee¡¯ had brought her total payment up to nine hundred, which wasn¡¯t exactly cheap for a college student. So Zhengyi had been quietly annoyed, just as she was quietly annoyed now from the smoke cloying her lungs and the frigid water dripping down her soggy bangs, which were usually lightened to a chocolate brown but now darker from the icy drizzle. But, if this was the price for gaining peace¡ªto no longer spend every waking moment feeling empty from loss or every night dreaming of vengeance¡ªit would be worth it.

    Before her, Lin Puo-puo began to rock on her heels and chant, waving her arms wildly. Zhengyi looked about uneasily. Hopefully, they were still alone. The old woman let out a series of loud staccato grunts before, to Zhengyi¡¯s relief, going silent. Reaching out a wrinkled hand, the medium placed it over the name engraved on the tombstone. Zhengli Yang.

    A beat passed. Then, suddenly, she leaped into the air. Zhengyi almost jumped herself as the top of the woman¡¯s gray head knocked into the underside of her umbrella.

    ¡°Aieeeee!¡± the old lady cried. She spun around to face Zhengyi, her eyes rolling back. Affecting a sing-song tone that didn¡¯t sound at all authentic, she addressed her. ¡°Well met, cousin. Why do you come to disturb me?¡±

    Zhengyi eyed the old woman skeptically. It sure didn¡¯t sound like her cousin. ¡°Zhengli...is that you?¡±

    ¡°Mei-mei,¡± Lin Puo-puo crooned in a high-pitched voice. ¡°Little sister. You¡¯ve missed me, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    What kind of stupid question was that? Not one Zhengli would ask. Of course, Zhengyi missed her. Why else would she be desperate enough to use up her meager savings on a shady spirit medium she wasn¡¯t even sure she believed in? Zhengli had been a source of light in her bleak existence, and though they¡¯d called each other sisters, Zhengli had been a far better maternal figure than Zhengyi¡¯s own mother. She¡¯d inspired Zhengyi to believe in herself and hope for better things. Maybe that was what made Zhengyi desperate enough to believe and hope that she could actually talk to her again.

    But now, as Zhengyi stared at Lin Puo-puo¡¯s sagging face, with its deep frown lines and missing teeth, reality came crashing down on her. This was not her cousin. Her cousin was dead, and no amount of money or supernatural intervention could bring her back. A surge of anger filled her. It enraged her that the elderly woman was making not only a profit from her grief, but a mockery of it as well. Reigning in her fury, Zhengyi decided to play along and return the ridicule.

    ¡°I just wanted some advice,¡± Zhengyi said with feigned sincerity. ¡°You remember Chow Ming?¡± She forced a humorless laugh. ¡°Silly question. Of course, you¡¯d remember the guy who raped and murdered you.¡±

    ¡°Chow Ming will pay for his evil deeds,¡± Lin Puo-puo groaned out, adding a lilting pitch to her voice. ¡°But I am at peace now.¡±

    To the supposed medium¡¯s credit, her facade hadn¡¯t slipped at Zhengyi¡¯s appalling pronouncement¡ªinformation she hadn¡¯t deigned to share beforehand. But the woman was most definitely a sham because the murderer¡¯s name was not Chow Ming, and her cousin would have known that.

    Zhengyi grit her teeth and faced the medium. ¡°The rapist¡¯s name is Ai Bing, actually, and it seems his evil deeds will not be paid for...because he just got released from prison.¡±

    ¡°Mei-mei, there are many injustices in the world of the living,¡± Lin Puo-puo sang discordantly, either ignoring that she¡¯d been caught in her act or not yet aware of the fact. ¡°But I am free from that world now.¡±

    The gall. Zhengyi¡¯s temper gave way. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not!¡± she exploded. ¡°What am I supposed to do? Wave hello when I see him in the streets? Just accept that he gets to walk free while you never get to see the light of day again?¡±

    The medium moaned unintelligibly at that. Probably stalling to think up a response.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s how I feel, too,¡± Zhengyi said dryly. ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought some money and good deeds could turn a death sentence with a reprieve into a mere five years in prison? Too bad the same can¡¯t be said for bringing you back for a visit, Jie-jie. Maybe I didn¡¯t pay enough.¡± She scowled pointedly at the medium.

    Lin Puo-puo¡¯s low moaning suddenly careened upwards into a distinct wail, startling Zhengyi before it abruptly broke off. There was a moment of still silence. Then, in a normal voice unlike the one before, the medium asked, ¡°Does Ai Bing regret his actions?¡±

    Zhengyi stared. This, oddly enough, did sound like something her cousin might ask. ¡°Does it matter?¡±

    Lin Puo-puo¡¯s face relaxed, expressionless now, her eyes no longer rolled back. Instead, she gazed straight at Zhengyi. ¡°A life of regret is hell enough in itself.¡±

    Unbidden, a memory of Ai Bing¡¯s face on the day of his trial five years ago, streaming with tears, filled Zhengyi¡¯s mind. She had been barely fourteen at the time but had insisted on attending the hearing with her aunt and uncle. Her cousin had introduced Ai Bing to her in the past, as a friend from work who¡¯d walked Zhengli back home whenever the older girl¡¯s hours ran late. He¡¯d bought ice cream for Zhengyi once.

    He¡¯d pled guilty at his trial. The judge¡¯s decision? Death sentence with a reprieve on the grounds of mental illness. Typically, that turned into life imprisonment, which would have satisfied Zhengyi. But such was not the case.

    Her fists curled. ¡°That¡¯s not good enough. And we have no idea if he has any regrets.¡±

    Lin Puo-puo stared at her with a vacant gaze. ¡°Are you so hungry for another¡¯s pain?¡±

    ¡°When it¡¯s deserved, yes.¡± Zhengyi considered the woman before her, who seemed to have dropped all pretenses, then sighed. ¡°But that¡¯s not you¡¯d want me to think, is it, Zhengli?¡± she addressed the tombstone behind the medium. ¡°You¡¯d tell me to move on. Live my life. Find peace.¡± She covered her eyes with one hand. ¡°But I can¡¯t,¡± she whispered. ¡°I can¡¯t move on when I know that he gets a second chance at life, and you don¡¯t. I can¡¯t live my life knowing that you won¡¯t be a part of it anymore, helping me along the way, like you did. There is no peace for me until there is justice for you.¡±

    Letting her hand fall, Zhengyi stared at the ground. Rain, mixed with snow, splashed around her ankles. ¡°If there was a way¡ªany way, to achieve that,¡± she said quietly, ¡°Then I¡¯d sell my very soul to find it.¡±

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    Silence filled the air following her words, punctuated only by the patter of droplets. Zhengyi looked up. Before her, Lin Puo-puo¡¯s eyes had rolled into the back of her head once more, and her mouth hung slightly agape. Slowly, she began to rock back and forth again. Zhengyi scowled. ¡°Puo-puo, you can stop acting. I¡¯m¡ª¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not acting,¡± said a low, gravelly voice to her left.

    Zhengyi jumped, turned to the speaker¡ªand shrieked, the sound piercing the quiet air of the cemetery. Her umbrella clattered to the ground, leaving Lin Puo-puo exposed to the elements. The old woman didn¡¯t seem to notice as she continued rocking on her feet. Zhengyi took two steps backward and clapped a hand over her mouth, stifling any further screams as she stared, the cold forgotten.

    Before her stood a tall figure. It towered a good three feet over her and was impossibly thin, like a shadow with arms and legs. Its garments were pitch black and wispy like fog, as was its hair, which streamed around its head like a hundred writhing snakes. Large yellow eyes with an unearthly shrewdness in them stared at Zhengyi from a pale, angular face.

    ¡°What are you?¡± Zhengyi whispered. ¡°Are you a demon? Or a spirit, or¡ª?¡±

    The side of the creature¡¯s mouth slanted upward. It did not answer but simply looked at her with an amused expression.

    Against all logic, Zhengyi¡¯s brain riffled through a mental catalog of terms she had picked up from other cultures. ¡°A djinn then? Or...some kind of fae...thing?¡±

    ¡°Some kind of what?¡± the strange being chortled, in a low tone that sounded distinctly masculine. ¡°Oh, the sort of words you humans come up with! I¡¯ve always found earthly language to be a funny thing. But, then again, that is what you creatures were made to do, isn¡¯t it? Name things.¡± He sobered, and his eyes narrowed. Zhengyi backed up another step. ¡°How the gift is utterly lost on you all,¡± he continued with a woeful sigh before waving dismissively. ¡°Call me what you like. I¡¯m not one for labels. So then, to business! There¡¯s something you want, isn¡¯t there?¡±

    Zhengyi gaped. ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°You creatures always want something. That¡¯s why you sought out this old hag, isn¡¯t it? To get some assurance from beyond the veil?¡± The demon¡ªZhengyi assumed that was what he was¡ªgestured at Lin Puo-puo. ¡°Sorry to break it to you, but you went to the wrong source. I feed her hints now and then so she can keep food on the table¡ªwhat can I say, I¡¯m generous¡ªbut she doesn¡¯t have the power to help you.¡± He leered. ¡°I, on the other hand, do. So, let¡¯s not waste each other¡¯s time. You tell me what it is you want, and maybe we can make a deal.¡±

    Zhengyi¡¯s deepest instincts screamed in alarm, but something made her jab a shaky finger at the tombstone. ¡°Can you bring her back to life?¡±

    Ire flickered across the demon¡¯s features before he quickly smoothed it away. ¡°Ah, the cousin. Poor, violated thing.¡± He cocked his head at the burial plot. ¡°I must say, human depravity hasn¡¯t lessened a bit over the millennia. Tragic, isn¡¯t it? So many lives cut short through the ages, so few ever brought back.¡±

    Zhengyi¡¯s heart beat faster. ¡°So, it¡¯s possible?¡±

    The demon smiled. ¡°Well, anything¡¯s possible.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I want then.¡±

    ¡°Hold up.¡± The demon raised a hand. ¡°I didn¡¯t say I could do it.¡±

    Despite Zhengyi¡¯s fear, anger welled in her again. ¡°But you just said¡ª¡±

    The demon cut her off in a flat tone. ¡°I can¡¯t bring the dead back to life. That¡¯s sort of the opposite of what I do.¡± At Zhengyi¡¯s devastated look, he sighed. ¡°Look, kid, only God can do what you¡¯re asking. And I can guarantee you that He won¡¯t, not for you.¡± He wagged a long, clawed finger. ¡°You¡¯ve been dabbling in some dark stuff, summoning me and all that.¡±

    Zhengyi¡¯s eyes widened behind her glasses. ¡°I don¡¯t¡ªI didn¡¯t summon you.¡± Her gaze traveled to where Lin Puo-puo still rocked.

    ¡°Casting the blame, are we? How very human.¡± The demon pointed at Zhengyi. ¡°You¡¯re the one who spoke me into existence on this plane. Gave me an invitation, loud and clear. ¡®Death and life are in the power of the tongue.¡¯ Ever heard that?¡±

    Something in Zhengyi¡¯s mind clicked. She had heard that before...from the book of quotes and pictures her cousin had gifted her. Zhengyi carried it with her almost everywhere now. Did this demon know about that somehow? ¡°Yes,¡± she answered cautiously. ¡°It¡¯s a proverb.¡±

    ¡°From the Word of Life itself,¡± the demon affirmed. ¡°Back to the point. You haven¡¯t exactly won the favor of God here, what with all you¡¯ve managed to manifest.¡± He gestured grandly at himself. ¡°Sort of unfair if you ask me, seeing as how He¡¯s the one who endowed you creatures with the authority to speak over us in the first place.¡± Rolling his eyes skywards, the demon clicked his tongue. ¡°Stupid to make creatures in His image with free will. It¡¯s just like that tree in the garden fiasco all over again. Anyway...¡± he smiled a bone-white smile that split his entire face in two. Zhengyi stood rooted to the spot, anger dissipating in the wake of terror. Gliding over to her, he leaned down at an impossible angle from the waist so that his face was level with hers. Her entire body trembled.

    ¡°What if I told you,¡± he began softly, ¡°That I could give you the power to exact vengeance on Zhengli¡¯s murderer?¡±

    Zhengyi went still.

    ¡°And,¡± he went on, ¡°To stop other criminals from doing the same thing to someone else?¡±

    Zhengyi found her voice. ¡°How?¡±

    The demon¡¯s grin widened. ¡°Through a word, a touch, and a little¡­supernatural assistance.¡± He swept a hand to his chest. ¡°You just tell me how you¡¯d like one of these reprehensible criminals to take their own life. Then, all you need to do is make that person feel shame, lay hands on them, and speak my name. I¡¯ll take over from there. Oh, right¡ª¡± He chuckled. ¡°The name¡¯s Reap. Nice to meet ya. I, of course, already know your name.¡±

    Zhengyi eyed Reap warily. ¡°Are you saying that you can only make people die by suicide?¡±

    ¡°Hey, now.¡± Reap straightened up, looking affronted. ¡°Whaddya mean, only? Don¡¯t disrespect the impact of my methods. I¡¯ll have you know that I was the one who took out Judas Iscariot.¡±

    Against her better judgment, Zhengyi lifted an eyebrow. ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me.¡± The demon smacked a hand to his forehead. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m famous for! Do kids not read these days?¡±

    Zhengyi stared at him.

    Reap made a sound of contempt. ¡°Forget it. Listen, kid. There are loads of creative ways to kill yourself. If you take my offer, you get to be the one who cooks up all the juicy details. I gotta hand it to you humans¡ªyou¡¯ve got a great imagination. Plus, you¡¯re corporeal.¡± His thin lips stretched into a tight smile. ¡°There¡¯s a lot I can do, but not much without the help of a human on the earthly plane. That¡¯s why you and I could make a great team. So¡­what do you say?¡±

    Zhengyi managed to think clearly for a moment. ¡°What¡¯s the catch?¡±

    He smirked. ¡°You¡¯re a sharp one, aren¡¯t you?¡± Leaning back, he tapped his chin with a claw. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it a catch, per se...but you only get this power for a year, and in exchange, you have to make the best of it. No wasting the power you¡¯ve been given, or it¡¯ll start to get¡­uncomfortable for you.¡±

    Goosebumps prickled Zhengyi¡¯s skin. ¡°In other words...I have to continuously make people kill themselves.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a crude way of putting it. I prefer the term capital punishment. It¡¯s sort of my specialty, making people get what they deserve. Isn¡¯t that what you want, too?¡±

    Another line from the book Zhengli had given her entered Zhengyi¡¯s mind. ¡°As a man sows, so shall he reap,¡± she quoted quietly. ¡°Is that where your name comes from?¡±

    The demon snapped his fingers gleefully. ¡°So you do read!¡±

    Zhengyi¡¯s gaze traveled to her cousin¡¯s tombstone. ¡°I¡¯m not sure this is what she would want,¡± she murmured.

    Reap crossed his arms. ¡°You¡¯re saying that your beloved cousin wouldn¡¯t appreciate getting some justice?¡±

    ¡°No, that isn¡¯t what I meant¡ªbut...this is why I¡¯m studying criminal justice at school,¡± she explained uncertainly. ¡°So that I might be able to obtain that for her one day¡ªthe right way.¡±

    ¡°Yes, because ¡®the right way¡¯ has worked out so well for you so far,¡± Reap quipped. ¡°Her killer is already free, running amok¡ªperhaps even searching for new victims as we speak. Righteous punishment indeed.¡±

    The words stung. Zhengyi went silent, shaking from both cold and rage.

    Reap sighed. ¡°How many years do you plan to waste chasing a possibility that might never happen, when you could simply choose who you want to die, how you want them to die, right away?¡±

    Zhengyi processed his words. ¡°But it wouldn¡¯t be right away, would it?¡± she countered. ¡°You said I have to first make a person feel shame for it to work. What if I don¡¯t know what they¡¯re ashamed of?¡±

    Reap tutted. ¡°You¡¯ve already proven that you¡¯re a sharp and studious little human. So put your skills to use. People aren¡¯t so hard to crack in that department. Besides¡ª¡± He grinned. ¡°I can help.¡± At her inquiring look, he tapped his nose. ¡°You humans have a certain smell to you when you feel things like fear, shame, and whatnot. I¡¯ll let you know once it starts brewing, and then you¡¯ll know it¡¯s time to make your move and say the magic word. No one else will be able to see me, by the way.¡±

    ¡°And what do you get from all this?¡± Zhengyi asked.

    ¡°Besides the satisfaction of witnessing a human¡¯s demise?¡± The demon¡¯s grin stretched wide. ¡°I get to feed on that person¡¯s shame, up until the very end...and that¡¯s my favorite delicacy.¡±

    Zhengyi considered Reap¡¯s offer for a long moment. Everything within her told her that trusting a demon could not be a good idea. Yet, everything he had said so far had rung true. Even if she did manage to find a job in law enforcement after graduation, how long would it take to climb the ladder and gain influence? How much red tape and corruption would she have to fight against? If she rejected the demon¡¯s offer now, she might lose her only chance to ensure justice for Zhengli¡¯s death. And wasn¡¯t that ultimately what her cousin would¡¯ve wanted?

    ¡°I alone get to choose who dies,¡± she said slowly. ¡°Right?¡±

    ¡°Yep!¡± Reap replied cheerfully. ¡°Your choice. Free will and all that. Just pick your mark, and I¡¯ll mark them for the kill.¡±

    His choice in words made her uneasy. What did he mean, mark them for the kill? ¡°I¡¯m not interested in going on a killing rampage,¡± she clarified. ¡°That would make me no better than Ai Bing. I just want justice for Zhengli¡ªand others like her.¡±

    ¡°¡®Course you do.¡± Reap spread his fingers. ¡°But how about a little vengeance, too?¡±

    She gave him a dubious look. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the same thing?¡±

    The corners of his mouth tilted high. ¡°Sure it is.¡±

    Zhengyi regarded the dark being a moment longer. There were people in this world, people like Ai Bing who would violate and abuse innocent women such as her cousin, who deserved death¡­but who didn¡¯t always get what they deserved. If the law didn¡¯t exact justice on them, then no one would. Those were the type of people who she could¡ªand would¡ªtake down.

    ¡°I accept your proposal,¡± she declared.

    No sooner did the words leave her lips than a sensation both bitingly cold and burning hot seared through her tongue, surging through her chest and down into her fingertips like wildfire. It hurt like nothing she¡¯d ever felt before, as though molten flame and liquid ice had been simultaneously poured down her throat. She almost screamed, but the feeling disappeared as suddenly as it had come. Slowly, she opened her eyes, which had been squeezed shut from the pain.

    The demon gloated over her, cackling. ¡°Excellent.¡±

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 1

    Three months later

    -----------

    Jubilee stared at the broken doll at her feet, its serene face at odds with its snapped neck and the sounds of juvenile shrieking all around the playroom.

    Her roommate Alyssa had once asked her during their last year of college, "Where do you see yourself in five years?" Jubilee hadn''t had an answer at the time. But if she had, it would not have been, "Volunteering at an orphanage on the other side of the world, in a city full of faces that look like mine but who speak a language I barely scrape by on."

    Perhaps Alyssa wouldn''t be too surprised, though. She''d known her friend, Jubilee Li, was mediocre at Mandarin and wouldn''t mind getting better.

    But Jubilee also would not have said, "Oh yeah¡­and I''ll be able to see angels and demons."

    That Alyssa would not have seen coming.

    Yet here Jubilee was, in Honghua Orphanage on the outskirts of Beijing, surrounded by screaming toddlers and flanked by a ten-foot-tall angel who looked entertained by her futile attempts to separate a pair of wrestling children.

    "She started it!" one boy shrieked, pointing his disfigured hand at the girl across from him. "Ghost-eyes!"

    The girl''s filmy gray eyes knit together in a fury, and she blindly launched herself in the direction of the boy''s voice. Jubilee intercepted her mid-leap, scooping her up. "No name-calling, Haohao," she told the boy sternly, then addressed the child in her arms, who was her favorite. "What''s with you, Kailin? This isn''t like you."

    Kailin blinked her cloudy eyes a few times, then promptly burst into tears. "I''m sorry, Haohao Ge-ge! I''m sorry, Zhuli Ai-yi!" she wailed, using Jubilee''s Chinese alias and the familiar honorific that meant ''auntie.'' Jubilee had cringed the first time they''d called her that¡ªhow old did they think she was, thirty?¡ªbut it was better than Mama, which was what they called the paid, permanent employees. She had only committed to staying for a year, which was halfway up so far.

    Haohao''s angry expression faded to confusion, then to sympathy. As if Kailin''s tears were contagious, his eyes welled up and his lip began to quiver. "I''m sorry too!" he wailed, and started to cry with her in unison.

    Jubilee panicked. Glancing up at the nearby angel, she mouthed, Help.

    The angel looked amused. Try checking her temperature, he advised, his voice filtering into her head in English. Swiftly he passed a hand over both children, and their sobs decreased to sniffles.

    Jubilee pressed her palm to Kailin''s forehead. "You''re burning up, bao-bei," she murmured, using the term of affection she reserved only for Kailin. "That''s why you''re acting out, huh?"

    Hoisting the little girl onto her hip, she turned back to Haohao and ruffled his hair. "You okay now, buddy?" He nodded, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. She continued, "Mei-mei is sick, so I''m going to give her some medicine. Can you go play with Qihou Mama for now?" She pointed at the other caretaker in the room. The little boy nodded and toddled over to the older woman.

    Satisfied, Jubilee turned and headed into the hall towards the sleeping quarters, her guardian angel trailing after her. "Thanks, Hellenos," she murmured in English.

    Kailin wrapped her pudgy arms around Jubilee''s neck and lay against her, closing her eyes. "Zhuli Ai-yi, are you talking to your angel again?"

    "Shh," Jubilee hushed her, switching back to Mandarin. "That''s supposed to be a secret between you and me, remember?"

    "Why?"

    "Because most people don''t see angels. But you do, and so do I."

    Kailin cracked open an eye at Hellenos. Her gaze, usually unable to make out anything more than a few inches away, swept over him. He winked at her, and she smiled. Not for the first time, Jubilee wondered how this little girl could see Hellenos. It probably had something to do with being a child and, ironically, not having physical vision as an impediment. That didn''t explain Jubilee''s own ability, however.

    She glanced to her left at the shimmer gliding alongside them, which she presumed was Kailin''s guardian angel because of its constant nearness to the little girl for as long as Jubilee had known her. Other people''s angels weren''t as distinct to Jubilee as Hellenos, and for that, she was glad. The brightness of his presence alone was overwhelming enough when coupled with the glowing auras Jubilee could see around other people. Even so, it made her feel safe to see the pleasant shimmers gliding throughout the orphanage.

    Reaching a door at the end of the hall, she pushed it open and entered a room lined with beds. As Hellenos stationed himself by the entrance, she gently deposited Kailin into one and pulled a blanket over her. "I''ll be back with medicine. You rest."

    Kailin''s brow crinkled, and the usually meek glow around her dimmed with displeasure. She didn''t like naps. "Okay," she said sullenly. "I''ll try." A black line formed over her head and snapped in two.

    Jubilee eyed the line suspiciously. "No, you won''t. You''re planning on sneaking out of bed as soon as I leave, aren''t you?"

    Kailin''s eyes grew wide. "No, I''m not!" The line reformed and snapped again.

    "You should know by now that I can tell when you''re lying." Jubilee knelt beside the bed. "How about this instead? Can you close your eyes and count to yourself as high as you can until I get back?"

    "That''s the same as resting!" Kailin complained.

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    Jubilee patted her head. "Maybe, but will you do it for me anyway? As a favor."

    Kailin looked at her for a long moment, then finally nodded and closed her eyes. "Okay," she said. "As a favor." This time, the line over her head stayed intact. Jubilee smiled and quietly left the room, Hellenos trailing after her with a chuckle.

    Five minutes later she was riffling through a medicine cabinet, cursing herself for being unable to read most of the Chinese labels.

    "Where''s the fever reducer?" she demanded Hellenos. The familiar orange bottle was one she''d recognize, but she couldn''t spot it anywhere.

    He shrugged. Why don''t you ask someone?

    "I just did."

    His eyes twinkled with mirth. I meant another <u>human</u>.

    Jubilee huffed and went off in search of a worker. She should''ve known better. Hellenos rarely answered trivial questions.

    In the end, however, her coworkers had no answers either. Reluctantly, Jubilee made her way to the matron''s office. "Um, excuse me." She nervously rapped her knuckles against the open door. "It seems we''re out of...uh¡ª" She realized she didn''t know how to say fever reducer in Chinese and wavered. It made her feel inadequate to resort to English with Director Huang, even though the other woman had a decent understanding of the language. Jubilee babbled on in Mandarin, "I''ve got a child with a temperature, and we don''t have..." She gestured vaguely. "The right medicine." Nailed it.

    The middle-aged lady glanced up from her paperwork, the glow around her flickering with a harried sort of tension. "Yes, there seems to be a cold going around," she said, then sneezed. She returned to her work. "You have my permission to go and buy medicine."

    Jubilee''s eyes widened. The other woman''s aura faded from her sight, as did Hellenos from where he''d been standing beside her. "Like...outside?" she stammered. She''d rarely ventured outdoors since arriving in China, and certainly never by herself.

    "Where else? You have a break until you teach English lessons, don''t you?" Director Huang glanced at the shift schedule taped to the wall below a peeling wooden cross. "It''s not too cold today, and the store isn''t far. I''ll reimburse you. Just save the receipt."

    "That''s not¡ªI don''t¡ª" Jubilee took a deep breath. The last thing she wanted to admit was that she still couldn''t read signs or navigate the city after living there six months. She also couldn''t tell the matron that, if Jubilee got what was coming to her, she was sure to get mugged the moment she stepped onto the street. And there was no way she could explain that going outside freaked her out¡ªbecause the sea of otherworldly lights and colors that would assault her senses, as well as the possibility of seeing a myriad of angels and demons following other human beings, was far more than she could handle. Especially the demons. She didn''t want to bump shoulders with any of those if she could help it.

    "I, um, don''t like crowds," she offered lamely. It wasn''t a lie...but it was a bad excuse because she''d moved here from Chicago, and Director Huang knew it.

    The matron shot Jubilee a hard look over the rim of her glasses. "Then you picked the wrong city, Xiao-jie." Waving a hand to dismiss her, she continued curtly, "Do or don''t. Our supply run comes in at the end of the week, and the fever may go down by then anyway. Just keep the child in bed. But in case you haven''t noticed, everyone else is currently on shift."

    Which meant that if someone were going to get Kailin medicine right now, it would have to be Jubilee. With a sinking heart, she nodded glumly and wandered back down the hall to Kailin''s room.

    On her way there, she grabbed a washcloth from the closet and ran it under a nearby faucet. Maybe Director Huang was right. Some bed rest and fluids and Kailin would be up and running again in a few days. There was no need to risk running into demons. Right?

    Back in the bedroom, Kailin was sound asleep, her brow knit together in discomfort and slick with sweat. She gave a soft whimper and turned over as Jubilee approached her. Gently, Jubilee laid the damp cloth over her forehead. Then Jubilee leaned back and pinched the bridge of her nose with a sigh.

    Things were so much easier when she''d cared only about herself.

    Hellenos snorted quietly at her thoughts, startling her. She hadn''t noticed that she could see and hear him again.

    Because you were too busy worrying, he said, tapping her on the head.

    "Can''t even worry in private," she grumbled.

    He shrugged. You think some thoughts louder than others. In particular, you worry loudly. He paused, then amended, Very loudly.

    She grimaced. Gesturing at the sleeping girl, she asked, "Well, can''t you do something?"

    The angel quirked a brow at her. I don''t have clearance to dish out your every wish like some genie. You expect the Father to keep doing everything for you?

    "Hey! I do stuff." Her gaze went to her feet. "And no, I don''t expect Dad to keep doing anything for me. He''s already done enough." Remembering the first, overwhelming moment she''d opened her eyes to see angels, demons, and a plethora of other unearthly sights, her tone became flat. "More than enough."

    Hellenos appraised her for a moment. Then what are you afraid of?

    "You asking me that question," she shot back.

    He rolled his eyes, a habit he''d most certainly picked up from her. I meant about going outside.

    She glanced at the ceiling. "...Muggers?" she suggested.

    Beijing has a lower crime rate than the rest of China, he countered.

    "Getting lost, then."

    Your phone has GPS and Google Translate.

    She scowled and turned to him. "Being surrounded by invisible beings who can speak into my head. One is enough."

    They won''t interact with you, he said. Unless you engage first.

    She threw her hands up. "I just don''t like being out there, okay? Things are a lot more bearable in here. Fewer adults and less spiritual craziness following people around. It''s overwhelming, and I don''t want to deal with it." She glared at her guardian angel. "Happy?"

    He considered her. Seeing that you intend to hide inside for the rest of your life, no, not particularly.

    She crossed her arms and turned away, feeling as petulant as her young charges. Some people waited and prayed their whole lives to see and hear angels. They didn''t know what they were asking for.

    I heard that.

    She groaned and dragged a hand down her face. "I didn''t ask for this," she muttered. "Why would Dad give the gift of spiritual sight to someone who''s done the things I''ve done? I don''t¡ª"

    Kailin gave a little moan in her sleep, cutting Jubilee off. She leaned over to adjust the wet cloth on the girl''s brow. Kailin stilled under her touch, and Jubilee''s heart swelled with a feeling she hadn''t felt in a long time.

    Straightening with a sigh, she left the room and hurried to her quarters. Quickly she threw on a heavy coat, stuffing her things into its pockets, then yanked open a drawer and dug out her pocket knife.

    "Just in case," she told Hellenos when he quirked an eyebrow at it. Then, taking a deep breath, she left the room.

    As she made her way down the hall and to the entrance, she mused to herself that this could be a sign of her healing. After all, she finally gave enough of a flying flip about someone else again to step out of her comfort zone. That had to count for something, right?

    Encouraged by the thought, she exited the orphanage doors, walking out of the tangible sense of warm security enveloping her there and into the frosty February air. Ahead of her, throngs of people scurried about on the busy street, a million different lights and colors hovering over them.

    Squaring her shoulders, she stepped forward and joined the crowd.

 Chapter 2

    It took twenty extra minutes, two detours, and a lot of exasperated looks from passersby before Jubilee finally found the pharmacy. By then, her prior determination to overcome the fear brought on by her spiritual sight had been dampened by anxiety. It was as much due to the chilling wind, incessant traffic, and swarms of people as it was to the other things she could see.

    Dimly she registered the presence of angels and demons¡ªtall figures of light and ambiguous columns of shadow¡ªflitting across her sightline, either following humans or simply drifting about. Hellenos, for his part, had disappeared the moment she''d left the orphanage, much to her annoyance. It just figured that she couldn''t see him when she wanted to the most. This seemed to happen frequently when she felt afraid. Did that mean it was her fault¡ªa failure of her spiritual senses, perhaps? Or did Dad sometimes deliberately cloak Hellenos from her sight to test her? Whatever the reason, she resented it. What good was seeing angels only when you weren''t afraid?

    Crossing a busy intersection, she patted down her hair¡ªnow frizzing slightly from the sweat of her excursion, despite the wintry day¡ªand hurried into the fluorescent-lit pharmacy. The awareness of other, vaguely visible beings around her continued to crowd in painfully on her senses. Unearthly hues and shades of darkness emanated from the humans in the store. Some were gentle and easy on the eyes, but many made her head reel to the point of feeling faint, just like the first time she had started seeing them in Chicago, three years earlier.

    She commended herself on handling it better now than she had back then. In fact, the number of things she could see in the spirit had increased over the years. There''d been a season when she couldn''t see any spiritual beings aside from Hellenos, yet now she noticed other angels and even small demons when she was outside the orphanage. The latter still unsettled her, but not to the point of paralysis like it once did. So, maybe she was starting to get the hang of it after all. Locating the fever reducer, she quickly paid for it at the counter and left.

    Back on the street, she let out a sigh of relief. "Success," she said in English. There¡¯d been no run-ins with demons, no awkward interactions with people, and the pharmacy cashier hadn''t even looked at her funny due to her accent. Maybe that meant it had faded. Immensely cheered by the thought, she turned to make her way back to the orphanage¡ªand immediately collided with another person. She tumbled to the ground, the pharmacy bag landing before her.

    "I''m sorry," she and the other person said in Chinese at the same time. Then, wincing, Jubilee got to her knees and continued, "Please excuse me, I¡ª" As she looked up, the words died on her lips.

    The girl before her looked perfectly normal, some years younger than Jubilee''s twenty-six, with roundish, wire-framed glasses sitting askew on her nose from their collision, and hair almost as long as Jubilee''s but sleeker and lightened to brown. It was the demon beside the young woman that looked unlike anything Jubilee had ever seen.

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    At least, not since the first one she''d ever encountered, in Chicago.

    The dreadful memory hit her with great force, and for a moment Jubilee couldn''t breathe as a familiar stench of decay filled her nostrils. Nausea swept over her as her remembrance of a tall demon with ebony skin and white tendrils of hair filled her mind. The demon before her now looked different than the one from her memories: less feminine in appearance and taller, with the hair and skin color reversed. But it looked no less powerful or terrifying.

    "It was my fault," the girl said as she straightened her glasses and got to her feet, a dark haze surrounding her. She scooped up the fallen bag and held it out for Jubilee. "I wasn''t looking where I was going."

    Jubilee swallowed thickly, resisting the urge to cover her nose, and reached for the bag. "Thanks." Their fingers brushed, and her queasiness doubled as a wave of icy cold washed over her, chilling her far more than the wind could. She gave the girl a nod and hurried past her, ignoring the demon.

    "How odd." A deep, gravelly voice came from behind her. It spoke Mandarin but definitely did not sound human. "If I didn''t know better, I''d say that human could see me."

    Jubilee''s heart stopped, but she forced herself to keep walking and not look back. The last thing she wanted to do was draw the demon''s attention any more than she already had.

    Just as she turned a corner, she heard the girl''s voice murmur in reply, "That''s impossible. No one else has been able to."

    Jubilee''s feet stuttered to a halt. She stood frozen as people flooded past, jostling her. Never, in the last three years since she''d started seeing angels and demons, had she ever witnessed another human be aware of them, other than Kailin. But Jubilee had heard of children being able to see angels before. This was different¡ªanother adult like her who could not only see demons...but actually dared to talk with them?

    Jubilee''s gut roiled. Loud honking sounded around her, drowning her in memories that she couldn''t suppress¡ªof a car crash, blood, and a white-haired wraith staring down at her with rage in its eyes.

    She stumbled over to a brick wall to get out of the crowd''s way. Clutching her stomach, she bent over and took deep breaths. Why was this happening? Why was she allowed to see something so dark and so powerful after three years of ''the dark side'' being dialed down and, to her immense relief at the time, almost completely shut off? Was her past finally catching up to her?

    She would''ve preferred getting mugged.

    Straightening, she gripped the shopping bag tightly to still her shaking hands and entered back into the flow of the crowd. She didn''t have time for this. She had to get back to the orphanage for her English class and give Kailin her medicine. Other people and their demons were not her problem. They would only cause her trouble, and she had barely gotten out alive last time.

    But that was because someone stepped in to help.

    The thought startled her, and she briefly wondered if it was her own. Her feet halted of their own accord. "Dad...?" she whispered.

    For a brief moment, everything was still. Then, suddenly, a vivid memory entered her mind¡ªof an older woman''s face, filled with worry and relief, hovering over Jubilee as she opened her eyes. You''re alive, the woman had whispered.

    "Move, crazy!" a man behind Jubilee hollered, along with a string of other Chinese words that she didn''t recognize and was glad she didn''t. She obliged him, suddenly spinning around, and retraced her steps.

    Maybe there was a way to free that girl from that demon.

 Chapter 3

    Jubilee ran back around the corner, whirling left and right. Where had the girl gone? She was nowhere in sight.

    Jubilee spun once more. There.

    The demon, nearly twice as tall as the humans surrounding it, crossed a far street. The young woman had to be a part of that multitude teeming around him. If Jubilee followed the demon, she might be able to track her down and talk to her.

    Despite the sting of cold, Jubilee began to sweat. For a moment she was haunted by memories¡ªthe smell of burnt rubber, the sound of Chicago traffic, warm blood flowing down her forehead. She shook her head to clear it. This demon was not the same one that had been at the scene of that disaster.

    It was an even bigger one.

    "I must be crazy," she muttered, then took off after him, running to catch the tail end of the jaywalking crowd. She''d fall too far behind to gain on them if she waited for the light. There was safety in numbers, right? Chicago had taught her that.

    She was halfway across the street when the drivers decided they''d waited long enough and flooded the intersection. With a yelp, Jubilee jumped out of the way of a surprisingly fast rickshaw. Did these people not understand the unwritten laws of jaywalking as a crowd?! Clutching the pharmacy bag to her chest, she sprinted the rest of the way across the street, as much for her life as to catch up with the demon.

    This was already a bad idea on so many levels. For one thing, she hadn''t run since high school gym class.

    For another, she was literally chasing a demon¡ªthe last thing she ever wanted to be near again. Worse, Kailin would have to wait longer for her medicine.

    But Kailin had a fever that would almost certainly go away, and this girl¡ªwhoever she was¡ªhad a demon that might never leave. If Jubilee didn''t intervene, what were the odds of this young woman bumping into someone else who could see angels and demons to help her?

    Slim to none.

    Panting, Jubilee stripped off her coat and threw it under one arm as she ran. Cold air hit her bare arms but she was too overheated at the moment to care. Finally reaching the curb, she looked up. The demon was still half a block away, standing at a bus stop next to the girl. Relief and anxiety warred within Jubilee over spotting her. What now?

    A bus started to pull up. The girl and demon got in line to board.

    Great. More running.

    Skidding to a halt at the end of the bus line, Jubilee stared helplessly as the young woman boarded along with the demon, glancing once behind her as though to check whether he was following. Or was that just coincidence?

    Jubilee''s lips pursed. Was she going to have to get on the bus too in order to talk with her? Where was this bus even going? She whipped around to read the sign overhead, then remembered that her Chinese reading comprehension sucked. Memorizing a million different characters? Forget it. She could make out approximately ten percent of what the sign said. North something-something.

    "Agh." She dug out change to pay the fare, slipping on a pair of sunglasses as she did. Wouldn''t do to be caught staring. Boarding the bus, she faced front and tried her best to act inconspicuous¡ªonly to promptly fall backwards as the vehicle lurched forward. Miraculously, she managed to grab onto a pole before losing her footing completely.

    Thanks, she thought, knowing that Hellenos had probably caught her even though she still couldn''t see him. He once told her that he''d kept her from cracking her head open precisely three hundred and seventy-four times since the moment she''d learned to walk. Still, it irked her that he wasn''t visible at the moment.

    As discreetly as she could, she turned so that the girl was in her line of sight, and considered how to approach her. Jubilee avoided looking straight at the dark being beside the younger woman. For all Jubilee knew, he''d be able to sense her eyes on him. Instead she focused on the girl, absorbed in a book, chocolate brown bangs falling across the rims of her glasses. She didn''t seem to notice the demon towering ominously over her. In fact, there was nothing about her behavior that seemed odd at all.

    What if she hadn''t actually been talking to the demon? Maybe she''d just been talking to herself, and it just so happened to correspond with the demon''s statement. Lord knew Jubilee talked to herself all the time, even when she couldn''t see Hellenos.

    Maybe she had just imagined the whole thing.

    But an oily black haze still shrouded the young woman like a cloud, and Jubilee knew she wasn''t imagining that. Her stomach churned as she observed that haze. It would be extremely uncomfortable to get closer to this girl''s aura. Jubilee couldn''t judge her for that, though...she herself had probably looked just as bad in the spirit three years earlier.

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    Which was why she had to say something to her.

    Nervously, Jubilee began to make her way towards the back of the bus. Passengers grunted irritably as she attempted to squeeze past them. She didn''t get very far before encountering a wall of tightly packed people who refused to budge.

    "Excuse me," she addressed one man''s back. He didn''t move. She glanced up to see fair skin and blonde hair peeking out from under a large sun hat, the Great Wall embroidered around its brim. Ugh. Tourists. Who wore a sun hat in the winter? Jubilee was pretty sure she''d passed this same hat at multiple vendor stands. She could try using English instead, but not every tourist spoke English. Even if this one did, she really didn''t feel like getting caught up in an inevitable conversation about where she was from and why she was here¡ªquestions she hated answering.

    Furthermore, people around the white man stared at him in fascination, while some older passengers gave him the stink eye, oddly strong treatment just because he was a foreigner. Talking with this lao wai¡ªan outsider¡ªwas a no go then, as it might draw the demon''s attention before she even had a chance to talk with the girl. Jubilee would just have to wait for her to get off the bus.

    As luck would have it, Jubilee didn''t have to wait long. At the second stop, the younger woman rose to disembark. Jubilee snapped around and exited also.

    Back on the street, she loitered by the side of the bus to let the girl and demon pass her. As they did, both the demon''s presence and the edge of the other woman''s dark haze swept over Jubilee, hitting her with another wave of nausea. Clapping a hand to her mouth, she breathed hard through her nose to collect herself.

    Whatever was going on with that girl, it was not good.

    Jubilee forced herself to take slow steps after her. What should she say? Hi, I noticed you have a giant demon following you. You should probably get that checked out. Yeah...that''d go over well. How could she convey to this girl that she herself had once been in a similar position and wanted to help?

    The young woman passed through a red entranceway with ornate Chinese carvings. Above it was a sign with characters that, to Jubilee''s surprise, she recognized. "Beijing...College?" she read slowly.

    So, a college student. But wasn''t it a bit early in the month for classes to start? Speaking of class¡ª

    Jubilee checked her phone. She had to be back at the orphanage in twenty minutes to teach English lessons. If she confronted the girl now and flagged a cab in the next five, she might make it. It was now or never.

    Quickening her steps, Jubilee headed for the entranceway. Surely she could still pass for a college student. She''d graduated only four years ago. Plus, she was Asian. She was guaranteed to look young until she was fifty.

    All of a sudden, a hand clamped down on her wrist and pulled her from the crowd. Yelping, she spun around.

    It was the white tourist from the bus with the Great Wall hat.

    He released her and stepped back. "Pardon me, Xiao-jie," he said¡ªin flawless Mandarin.

    Jubilee gaped. He didn''t even have an accent. And, now that he faced her, she could see why everyone had been staring at him. Not only was every inch of his skin covered from the neck down¡ªby an oversized parka and a giant scarf that looked like it was strangling him¡ªbut he also wore a face mask and reflective sunglasses that were far too big for his face, making him look like a bug. Earmuffs rested under the wide hat sitting atop his white-blond hair, which shadowed most of his features, but what little skin was visible beneath all the accoutrements shielding him from the light of day was a ghostly, translucent white. The man was not only Caucasian¡ªhe was albino.

    "Uh...can I help you?" she stammered, knowing full well she couldn''t. She was as much a foreigner here as this guy was, and his Chinese was as good as hers¡ªactually, better. She glanced back toward the gate. The girl and the demon had slipped farther away.

    "You can," the man said.

    She looked back at him as he pulled out his wallet and flashed an ID. It was in Chinese.

    "My name is Graeson Law. I''m a¡ª" he said some words Jubilee couldn''t understand "¡ªwith the police," he finished, pocketing the ID before she could try to make out the text. "I''d like you to come with me and answer some questions."

    Jubilee''s breathing grew shallow. Around her, all awareness of otherworldly sights and sensations flickered out like a light. The girl¡ªthe demon no longer visible¡ªturned a corner and disappeared.

    Jubilee swallowed and focused on the man. Was he a detective? "About what...Law Xian-sheng?" she asked, belatedly remembering to tack on a respectful form of address, as he had done for her.

    "We''ll discuss that at the station. I''ll hail a cab." He gestured towards the street. "Now, if you''d please?"

    The station? As in the police station? Jubilee started to panic. She''d always feared this day would come, yet it''d still caught her completely by surprise. Quickly, she weighed her options. She could make a run for it...but if her earlier attempts were any indication, this guy would likely catch her in ten seconds flat. Despite his odd getup, he seemed legit.

    How long had he been following her, anyway? What were her rights here? Maybe she could refuse him. She licked dry lips. "I, uh, can''t do that," she said, waving towards the college''s entrance. "I''ve got to get to class." Technically that wasn''t a lie.

    The man seemed to scrutinize her. "I don''t think so, Xiao-jie." He fished something out of his pockets and Jubilee''s eyes widened. It was a pair of handcuffs. He continued, "You can either come with me willingly, or not. Your choice." Around them, people continued to swarm past, either not noticing the altercation or pretending not to. The man stuffed the handcuffs back into his pockets. "I''d prefer not to make a scene. You''ll be free to go once you answer my questions."

    This caught her off guard. "Really?"

    "Yes."

    Jubilee''s brow furrowed. If the law had caught up to her, then surely someone with the police couldn''t make such promises. What was this really about? Something other than her past transgressions?

    Maybe, just maybe, that part of her life really was forgiven and forgotten.

    "Alright," she said at last. "But I''ve got less than twenty minutes. I''m already running late, and¡ª" She raised the bag in her hands. "I''ve got to get this medicine to a kid."

    The man nodded. "Understood." Turning, he flagged down a cab. "I won''t take up too much of your time."

 Chapter 4

    In less than ten minutes, Jubilee and the man sat across from each other at a table, in a small detainment room at the local police station. Once indoors the detective had removed his coat, face mask, and sunglasses, revealing ghostly gray eyes which pierced her with an owlish stare. He rolled up long sleeves. "Let''s start with your name, Xiao-jie."

    Jubilee eyed his pale arms and couldn''t help thinking that the older people on the bus must''ve labeled him as, quite literally, the derogatory term bai-gui¡ªwhite devil. "Wong Zhuli," she lied automatically, giving the same answer she had since entering the country. "What''s this about, Law Xian-sheng?" She needed to figure out what he wanted with her so that she could leave, as quickly as possible.

    He measured her for a long moment. Then, switching abruptly to English, he asked, "Are you American, Miss Wong?"

    She jumped. "Um, er¡ª" Be cool. It wasn''t like he''d accused her of doing anything illegal. Yet. "Yes," she said in English. "How did you know?"

    "You have a very slight accent." The man leaned back in his chair. "That, and you carry what the Chinese call an ''American aura.''" Jubilee must''ve looked offended because he added, "Most people might not notice. I just happen to be quite good at observing details. Part of my job description."

    She took a deep breath. This guy weirded her out, but maybe if she cooperated she could get out of this interrogation faster. She''d still be late, but not too late. "Mr. Law," she said. "What did you want to ask me?"

    "Before we get to that, would you mind telling me your American name? Just for the record."

    She did mind. "Julie," she said. It wasn''t a total fib. To the kids at the orphanage, that was her American name¡ªthe direct transliteration of her Chinese name.

    "Fitting." His unblinking gaze was starting to make her eyes water. "What brings you to Beijing?"

    The one question she hated most. Ironically, it was also exactly what she had tried to avoid on the bus with him. Forcing herself to sound neutral, she said, "Volunteer work."

    "What sort of volunteer work?"

    "I''m part of the missions-sponsored program at Honghua Orphanage."

    "And how long have you been there?"

    "Half a year."

    "So, not a student then."

    Jubilee paled, realizing she''d been caught in her deception from earlier.

    The detective waved a dismissive hand. "Don''t worry. I deduced as much from the beginning, when you said you had medicine for a child. Didn''t line up with your excuse of being late for class. But I won''t hold it against you."

    So, he''d been on to her from the start. Her eyes narrowed. "I am late for class¡ªthat I have to teach. So, can we hurry this up?"

    "Very well. To the point, then." He interlaced his fingers and leaned forward. "Why were you following Yang Zhengyi?"

    Her brow furrowed. "Who?"

    He reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a photograph, sliding it across the table to Jubilee. It was of the young woman from earlier.

    "You were following her for at least five miles," he said. "Why?"

    This was the last thing Jubilee expected to be accused of. What did this man know about that girl? "Who is she?" she asked with genuine interest.

    "I am the one asking the questions here, Miss Wong. Why were you following this girl?"

    She pretended to look confused. "What makes you think I was following anyone? I was just running an errand."

    "With all due respect," the detective said dryly, "You weren''t very subtle." He gave her a once-over¡ªshe was wearing only a tee shirt and jeans, flushed from her earlier run, and her hair was still frizzing. "In addition, your unkempt state from...attempting to keep up, made you stand out."

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    Jubilee''s cheeks heated and one hand flew up to smooth the flyaways. She hadn''t been blessed with the magical hair genes typical of her race, and her tresses were even more disheveled than usual from the sweat she''d worked up while racing haphazardly through Beijing.

    But still. Who pointed that out aloud?

    "I could ask why you were following me," she said hotly.

    "I wasn''t," he answered easily. "I was following her."

    Jubilee''s eyes grew round. "You were? Why?"

    He lifted an eyebrow. "I asked first."

    She scowled. What was this, preschool? And what could she say? The truth would make her sound crazy. How could she get him to tell her about the girl without divulging about the demon?

    "Is she a friend?" The detective tapped the photograph. "Or family?"

    Jubilee stiffened. "No."

    "Oh?" He noted her tense countenance. "Do you have family here with you?"

    She grew cold. "What does that have to do with anything?"

    "The sooner you answer my questions, the sooner you may leave."

    This was starting to enter territory she didn''t want to touch, but she needed to get out of here ASAP. Which meant she''d have to answer his invasive questions. Perhaps, if she did, he''d slip in information about the mysterious girl. "No...I don''t have any family here with me," she said, hands clenching over the table.

    He eyed her whitened knuckles. "Not even extended family?" he prodded.

    She stared down at the table. She''d been wrong. This was the one question she hated most. Her eyes lifted to meet his unnervingly pale ones. "My family is dead," she said coolly.

    His face remained void of emotion. "All of them?" he said simply.

    "Yes."

    He watched her silently, expectantly, as though waiting for her to expound.

    She exhaled angrily. What did he want from her? "My mom, dad, and younger sister died in a car accident. Got them all in one fell swoop. My parents were only children, and my grandparents died when I was a kid." She glowered. "Does that answer your question?"

    "Very thoroughly, thank you, Miss Wong." As though it was an afterthought, he added, "I am sorry for the losses you have suffered."

    He didn''t sound sorry.

    "Back to my previous question. If you aren''t acquainted with Yang Zhengyi, why were you following her?"

    Jubilee swallowed her indignation over his callousness and tried to think of a good lie. She couldn''t. Perhaps...if she told him the truth, it would make him share his own reasons for following the girl. He''d think she was crazy, but what other choice did she have?

    She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I can see things," she began quietly. "Things that other people can''t see. Angels, demons, and things going on in other people''s souls." She looked down at the photograph to avoid eye contact with the detective. "I saw this girl talking with a demon¡ªand I have never seen anyone else be able to do that. So, I followed her to find out why." Forcing herself to look back up, she met the detective''s sharp gaze. "Why were you following her?"

    She expected him to look incredulous, maybe even laugh at her claims. But his stoic expression never changed. Instead he simply said, "For work," and then continued without missing a beat, "How did you come to acquire this gift of yours?"

    She gawked. "Wait, you believe me?"

    "Should I not?"

    She made a face. "Do you always answer a question with a question?"

    "I could ask the same of you, Miss Wong."

    Her brow wrinkled with irritation. This was getting her nowhere. She had learned nothing from him, and now he seemed more interested in talking about her than the girl. Jubilee had no intention of telling him any more about herself than she already had.

    "I''m sorry," she said, standing up. "But I don''t have time for this. It''s been over twenty minutes, and I really have to¡ª"

    "Sit down, Miss Wong."

    She blinked. "Excuse me?"

    "You''re not going anywhere until you have answered all my questions. I will detain you for as long as I see fit."

    She stared at him, torn between fear and anger. First this man tricked her into coming here, and now he wouldn''t let her leave? "Who do you think you are?" she demanded, more boldly than she felt. "You don''t have the right to do that."

    He met her glare with an unreadable expression. "I think you will find that I have more influence than you might expect."

    Who was this guy? Jubilee pursed her lips. If she told him what he wanted to know, it''d be like feeding bits of meat to a shark. Even if he hadn''t been after her, he might have reason to once he heard her story. Despite being rude, tactless, and a liar, he was clearly a lot sharper than most people and held some sway. If he decided to play Sherlock and pick apart the clues of her past, he might figure out much more about her than she wanted him to know. And then what would he do to her? Throw her in prison?

    On the other hand, if she didn''t tell him what he wanted to know, he might do that anyway.

    She grit her teeth. Her best chance of getting released was to cooperate. She didn''t have to tell him everything, right? Just enough to get him off her back. And perhaps it could give her some leverage¡­and knowledge of the demonically-endangered girl.

    "Fine." Jubilee sat back down. "I''ll tell you how I got this ability, if you tell me everything you know about this girl." She jabbed a finger at the photograph.

    His eyes traveled down to where she was pointing, then back to her face. "That can be arranged."

    Her eye twitched with annoyance. "Is that a yes?"

    "Yes."

    "Okay then." She lifted her chin. "Fair warning though...it''s kind of a long story." Inwardly, she winced¡ªshe was definitely going to be late. But better late than imprisoned.

    He gave a slow nod. "I have time."

    "Alright." Taking a deep, nervous breath, she began to recall the events of three years ago. The day had started off like any other. Loud, painful, and far too bright...

 Chapter 5

    Chicago

    Three years earlier

    Jubilee squinted blearily against the excruciating morning light as she drove back to her apartment¡ªor tried to¡ªfrom the penthouse party that had just ended at six am. Beside her on the passenger seat, her purse sat stuffed to the brim with six hundred dollars in cash, a gem-studded bracelet, and three gold rings. Her sunglasses, however, were nowhere to be found.

    Losing a pair of sunglasses was worth last night''s haul, but the massive hangover she had now might not be. "I''m never drinking again," she groaned.

    It was more of a sentiment than a promise, one she literally could not afford to keep. People didn''t let their guard down unless she agreed to drink, too. Only then was she ever able to get close enough to steal from them. A girl had to do what she had to do to pay the bills.

    Then again, maybe she hadn''t had to take those last three shots.

    A car honked and she grimaced, taking one hand off the steering wheel to clutch her head. Why did the city have to be so loud? Still gripping her head, she sped up, trying to discern the lines of traffic and stay straight. Today would not be a good day to get pulled over for a DUI. Not that any day was good for that. The sooner she got back to her apartment and slept off the alcohol, the better.

    Hopefully her roommate Alyssa would still be asleep, and Jubilee could avoid her mother-henning. Alyssa had recently quit partying in favor of playing house with her new fianc¨¦. Jubilee was happy for her friend¡ªmostly. But would she be able to afford rent once Alyssa got married and moved out?

    Jubilee shook herself back to the present. The traffic light turned yellow, fifty feet ahead. Or maybe it was a hundred feet. Being hungover didn''t exactly help with her spatial calculations. Either way, it was too late to slow down now.

    She charged into the intersection some seconds after the light turned red. A barrage of honking immediately assaulted her ears, startling her. She glanced right. Cars were in the intersection already...heading right for her.

    Panicking, she jerked the steering wheel left, swerving wildly towards the center island. A steel traffic pole loomed before her. Hit the brakes! her brain screamed, but in a moment of fear and confusion, her foot accidentally slammed down on the gas pedal¡ªhard.

    The traffic pole rushed to meet her. Time slowed in the moments before impact as Jubilee watched powerlessly, her mind immobilized by dread. She was dimly aware of the sound of tires squealing, car horns blaring, and a siren starting up nearby. For a split second, one resounding thought drowned out her terror...Was this the same helplessness her mother, her father, and her little sister had felt, right before they died?

    Now you can finally join them, a voice too calm to be her own whispered.

    Then, everything sped back up. Her car crashed into the pole, its front end crumpling like tin foil. The whole world jolted and turned on its head. Jubilee''s neck snapped forward, slamming her forehead into the steering wheel. An explosion of pain seared through her entire body, and then¡ª

    Black.

    A cold, distant awareness of absolutely nothing.

    She no longer felt pain. She couldn''t even feel her body. Was she paralyzed? Jubilee tried to reach a hand up to check her neck but couldn''t...because she no longer had hands.

    Or a body.

    I''m...dead.

    Suddenly, she hurtled across a vast, cosmic space, streaks of light and color flying past her field of consciousness. The colors dimmed and darkened as they sped by, going out like flames as she shot past.

    Where am I? What¡¯s happening?

    Far ahead sprawled a dark, gaping chasm. It stretched across an endless expanse, emitting an infinite, immeasurable coldness that pierced her soul and snuffed out any remembrance of warmth. The stench of rot and decay wafted from its depths. It was coming right for her.

    Panic crawled through Jubilee. What was that thing?

    Then, the memories began.

    She was six, crying as her mother screamed at her, her father sitting silently to the side.

    She was thirteen and she''d learned to scream back, ignoring the distressed whimpers of her baby sister who watched tearfully from a playpen.

    She was nineteen, sobbing at her family''s grave, cold rain dripping down on her as she lay between their burial plots, a gravestone on either side of her head. She screamed at the sky, cursing the heavens for what had never been between her and her family¡ªand now, what never could be. Then, curling herself into a fetal position on the wet soil, she whispered, "Just take me, too."

    Wish granted.

    The same voice from before pulled Jubilee back to the present where she was speeding through space and time. The voice was like a thought and yet vaguely audible, with a smoky timbre too dark and gleeful to have originated from her own mind. Was it coming from the blackness ahead?

    Do you remember?

    The replay of her life started up again.

    She was at a drugstore months after the funeral, waiting for a prescription of antidepressants, running on empty mentally, physically, and emotionally. A mother and daughter were in the next aisle, arguing. Something inside Jubilee snapped, and her hand shot out to snatch several random items off the shelf in front of her, stuffing them into her bag.

    The memory sped up, skipping forward.

    She was back in her dorm, staring at the contents of her looting and wondering what she''d just done.

    "Sweet color!" Alyssa bent to admire the makeup Jubilee had just shoplifted. "That''s a good brand. Mind if I use some for the party I''m going to tonight?"

    "Want to buy it?" Jubilee heard herself say. "It''s brand new¡ªbecause I stopped wearing makeup months ago."

    Alyssa contemplated her roommate. "In that case, I''ll buy all of it...if you let me put some on you and come with me to the party."

    Jubilee hesitated. "I don''t¡ª"

    "Come on, Jubilee. It''ll help you get your mind off of...things."

    The memory fast-forwarded again.

    Jubilee stood amid a sea of college students, dolled up in a dress from Alyssa''s closet, her frizzy hair flat-ironed and lips darkened to a deep red. The crowd laughed and danced around her, revolting her with their carefree revelry. Various frat boys thrust drinks her way, and she kept shaking her head no until one boy stumbled into her, heavily intoxicated. Grabbing onto her for balance, he gave her a bashful but not entirely apologetic grin. Jubilee was about to shake him off, too, when she spied a fat wallet peeking out from his pants pocket.

    He''s got enough cash and happiness to spare, she decided on impulse. And he¡¯d be too drunk to remember her in the morning, which would serve him right. Looking up at him through heavily curled lashes¡ªcourtesy of Alyssa''s artistry¡ªshe let him lead her onto the dance floor, where she put her arms around his waist, her fingertips brushing the top of his wallet.

    Of course, you remember. The cruel voice cut sharply across Jubilee¡¯s memory as she fell through the nothingness. You remember <u>all</u> of it.

    Her memories sped up, replaying through her consciousness at a ferocious rate.

    She was in bed with stranger after stranger.

    She was crawling out from under a tangle of limbs in the dead of night.

    She was slipping wads of cash out of the wallet she''d found in a pair of pants lying forgotten on the carpet.

    She was sitting on a bathroom floor staring ahead at nothing, hands by her sides, one of them loosely clasping her open pocket knife. The blade was stained red. A slow trickle of blood dripped from the shallow gashes marring her wrist to the cold tile beneath her, but she paid it no mind. All she could feel were the tears trickling down her cheeks.

    Do you remember how you were never brave enough to cut deeper, the voice continued, Even though you knew you deserved it?

    Then Jubilee was at her apartment, holding Alyssa in her arms as the other girl cried. "I¡ªcan''t believe I¡ªlost it," Alyssa hiccuped between sobs. "Brian spent...so much money¡ª" Another sob. "On it."

    "I''ll help you look for it," Jubilee soothed. The weight of the diamond ring inside her pocket grew heavier with the lie. "You''ll find it again, I promise." Tears rolled down her cheeks and she wept along with the other girl, not knowing if it was out of shame and empathy or if she''d just gotten that good at pretending.

    Her memories fizzled to an end, replaced by a sudden, awful awareness of the black chasm drawing closer and closer. The faint, eerie sound of weeping echoed from its depths. Anguished screams blended in tune with the cries to produce a chorus of agony that doubled in on itself, reverberating through Jubilee''s core.

    The voices all sounded like her, and yet not like her at all. They shrieked in hatred of their fate and of themselves, in resentment of life and all its misspent moments, in fear of eternal pain from which there was no escape. They sobbed with the sorrow of irreversible, unerasable shame. The cacophony grew louder and louder, stifling Jubilee''s soul, suffocating her with an incurable dread.

    Before her, the darkness yawned wider, like a mouth waiting to swallow her up. The putrid smell of death on its lips became unbearable. Fear, like a sharp claw, sliced its way through Jubilee, along with a horrific realization.

    I''m going to hell.

    She tried to fight the tide of gravity sucking her towards this black hole. But there was no way to fight. No arms to flail. No feet to kick. No mouth with which to scream. There was only a sense of utter powerlessness as her soul was drawn towards its unavoidable¡ªand, she knew, well-deserved¡ªfate.

    Please, she pleaded, though she didn''t know to whom she was pleading. Please, no. No. Help me. Help me! Don''t let me die...

    Vaguely Jubilee was aware that she was already dead, yet somehow she knew that the destination she was shooting towards was a place of death beyond what she''d ever conceived. It would be a death continuous and unending, of not only the body but of the soul and spirit, a place so utterly void of life that she would never again see or even remember what life or light or joy was. And there, she would spend eternity reliving every moment on earth that had been killing her from the inside out.

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    Resignation filled her. Why not just accept that she''d had this coming all along?

    The wisp of a final memory pushed its way into her mind.

    Jubilee was fifteen, sulking in a pew, alone except for a toddler in her lap. The child''s hair was thick like Jubilee''s but short, pulled into pigtails that had come undone and poofed outwards. Her rosy cheeks dimpled as she bounced in Jubilee''s arms, oblivious to the older girl''s foul mood.

    The image made Jubilee''s heart wrench. Was this meant to make her feel even worse? To remind her of all the times she''d failed to cherish her sister?

    The little girl hummed quietly to herself, and teenage Jubilee scowled at the tune. It was one she''d just heard during the insufferable service she''d been forced to sit through.

    Her sister tugged on her sleeve. "Sing wit'' me, Ju-Lee!"

    Jubilee hesitated. Her sister looked so bright and expectant in that moment that suddenly, she couldn''t bring herself to say no. "Okay, Jenny," she acquiesced, and began, "There''s a truth that frees me, frees me..." Jenny clapped her hands and hummed along. "From the chains of all my sin."

    The memory faded, but the song continued, echoing softly through Jubilee''s mind as she fell through the darkness. There''s a light that saves me, saves me...

    Ahead the chasm loomed, its sobs pouring out to envelope her in a rising crescendo that nearly drowned out the melody.

    From the darkness crowding in.

    Sheer terror gripped Jubilee as the blackness raced to meet her, its sound and stench growing stronger and stronger. She could barely hear the song anymore.

    If you will, then save me, save me...from the chains of all my sin.

    If you will, then save me, save me...from the darkness crowding in.

    Sudden desperation filled her, igniting a primal instinct to survive, along with something else¡ªthe deep sense of mourning which she had quashed for years. It was grief for the family she''d lost and the friends she''d wronged as well as for herself¡ªfor every precious moment of life she''d so recklessly thrown away and now could never have back.

    I''m sorry. I''m sorry, I''m sorry... If she''d still had a body with which to do so, she would''ve wept bitterly. I''m so sorry...for everything I''ve done.

    Jubilee remembered her sister. She thought of the light that had always been in Jenny''s eyes, even when their family had been at its most dysfunctional. Jubilee didn''t know where that light came from, but now she desperately hoped that it could do what the song promised it would.

    Please. She sent a final, desperate plea upward into the nothingness. I know don¡¯t deserve it, but¡ªif you will, then please¡­

    SAVE ME.

    ***

    Her petition seemed to hover vainly in the ether for a long moment. Then, faintly, her plea was joined by another one.

    Into your hands, I commend this spirit, said a still, small voice. It sounded female but too old to be her sister. Which came from you, and now to you, I pray, will return...

    Jubilee''s fear dissipated for a second, replaced by confusion. Was that...Mama? But it couldn''t be her mother, for it was speaking perfect English.

    But in all things, and in all ways, Father, the voice continued, its tone light and soothing unlike the accusing voice from before, Your will be done.

    Time slowed to a trickle, the speed of Jubilee''s trajectory towards the chasm crawling to a standstill. For a few moments, there was only the immense, overwhelming sensation of still nothingness. The blackness widened angrily before her like impatient jaws, waiting.

    Then, a force flung her in the opposite direction.

    Lights whizzed by, colors brightening as a swift but windless motion carried her rapidly backward. In the distance, the chasm grew smaller and smaller until it was nothing but a black speck, and at last, winked out completely. Then there was a sensation of going up...up...up...

    High-pitched ringing filled her awareness, growing louder and louder the higher she went. The sound was like tinkling crystals, resonant church bells, and many rushing waters all at once. It was a voice, it was a song, it was everything. It was the song of the universe.

    Warmth suddenly rushed through her being and blinding light filled her vision. Jubilee stumbled forward onto a pair of legs. Staring at her feet in astonishment, she patted herself down. She had a body again. But it was...different.

    For one thing, there was no sign of injury from the car accident. For another, it felt less dense, almost weightless. Her limbs looked translucent yet felt more solid than ever before. Squinting, she tried to make out her surroundings, but everything was still too bright.

    What was going on? Was there a trap door beneath her, ready to drop her back to where she''d just come the moment she took a wrong step? She had a vague notion of where she might be, but was sure that that couldn''t be so. Why would someone like her be here?

    Heaven. If you will, then save me.

    A familiar voice interrupted her thoughts. "Ju-Lee?"

    Her breathing hitched. Slowly, she turned. A little girl stood a few feet away, thick pigtails bobbing as she cocked her head. She looked no older than seven¡ªthe age she''d been when Jubilee last saw her.

    Jubilee stared. "Jenny?" she whispered. "Is...is that you?"

    The girl''s pudgy cheeks dimpled as she beamed. "Ju-Lee!" She raced over as fast as her little legs would carry her.

    A sob caught in Jubilee''s throat as tears clouded her vision, but, somehow, could not fall in this place. She knelt and opened her arms wide, catching her sister in her arms and hugging her tight. "Jenny," she said again, breathlessly. "I''m¡ªyou¡ªhow? Where are Mama and Baba?"

    "They''re here!" the little girl said. "They''re happy. And safe. Just like you are now." She squeezed Jubilee and smiled up at her. "Don''t worry, Ju-Lee. Everything will be okay. We''ve all been watching you."

    Jubilee smiled back shakily. "I¡ªI don''t understand, but I''m...so happy. To see you again." Relief washed over her, along with sudden remorse. She gulped and buried her face into her sister''s shoulder. "I''m so sorry, Jenny. For not being a better sister. For not spending more time with you when you were alive...for how I abandoned you to run away from my problems when I left for college. I haven''t been a very good example to watch, have I?"

    But she''d make up for it. She''d been given a second chance, apparently, and she wouldn''t let her sister go again. She''d be reunited with her parents, too, and despite all their differences on earth, they could be reconciled here. Joy overflowed at the thought and brought an all-encompassing sense of peace.

    Around Jubilee, shapes and colors slowly started to come into focus. Lush greenery with a rainbow of vibrant colors formed in the distance. Something brighter than everything else stood at the center, its golden glow casting light in every direction, but it was still all a blur.

    "It''s okay, Ju-Lee." Jenny patted her on the head as the brilliant source of light began to approach. "He''ll tell you."

    "Who?" Jubilee asked, confused and yet somehow not worried, her senses intoxicated by euphoria from the luminous presence as it drew closer.

    Jenny giggled. "You''ll see!" She leaned forward and kissed Jubilee on the cheek. "Just remember, Ju-Lee...you''ll see me again. All of us." She waved cheerfully and stepped back.

    Alarm broke through Jubilee''s reverie. She reached for her sister. "Wait! What do you mean, again? Please, don''t leave m¡ª"

    Then the resplendent presence was before her, and whatever anxiety or perplexity she''d felt quickly melted away of their own accord.

    Hello, Jubilee.

    The voice was strong and soft all at once, powerful yet gentle at the same time. Jubilee felt as though she''d drawn breath through her lungs for the first time, as though she''d been blind but now could finally see. Slowly, she looked up into a face that shone with such brilliance that it radiated heat, and she could barely make out its features amid the dazzling splendor. Her mouth opened, but she could say nothing.

    You are very dear to me, Jubilee.

    The figure¡ªit looked somewhat like a man, yet she knew it was so much more¡ªsmiled at her, and the love and warmth in that smile completely undid her. It suddenly hit her that all the safety and security she''d ever longed for were now right here in front of her, encompassed in this one being.

    I have great work for you to do, dear one, the voice said. It will be a difficult path, but rewarding as well...if you choose to take it.

    Difficult? Jubilee balked and broke out of her trance. Did that mean she''d have to endure more of the misery she''d experienced on earth? She opened her mouth to protest, but then a flood of insight and understanding rushed through her head in spurts: images of a protector guarding her from an alleyway crook as she stumbled drunkenly through Chicago, a comforter standing by her side while she mourned over her family''s graves, a celestial host escorting her deceased family beyond the earthly veil and into the presence of this magnificent being of light...

    Of the same glowing presence watching over her baby sister while she played alone...

    Smiling upon Jubilee when she was a child...

    And nailed to a cross two thousand years ago, no longer an entity of glorious majesty, but instead just a broken man, bleeding out for her.

    Unexpected conviction suddenly seized Jubilee. "Yes," she said. "Anything." Then a niggling doubt wormed its way past her fervor. "But...what about how I¡ªabout what I''ve..." She trailed off, unable to voice her transgressions aloud before this being.

    A hand cupped her cheek, raising her head to look up into a radiant smile. I know that you are sorry, the figure said gently. Your sins are forgiven, daughter. Your record is clear, now and forever, because I have made it so. The words were spoken with a perfect finality that dissolved away any doubt.

    Relief flooded Jubilee. She leaned into the warm touch, and the figure stretched forth another hand and laid it across her eyes. A tingle of energy pulsed beneath the fingertips, waiting.

    Then the voice drew in a deep breath and intoned, Receive your sight. Your faith has healed you.

    Instantly, bright light exploded behind her retinas, and a swirl of power surged from the fingertips over her eyes, straight through her head and into her brain. In the ensuing flood of sights and sounds that suddenly burst through her consciousness in greater acuity, she vaguely sensed the voice saying more to her.

    Return home...and show them what I see.

    Something tugged at Jubilee, pulling her away. Her body suddenly felt heavier, as though gravity were increasing. She started to realize what was happening.

    "Wait," she began, frantic. "I don''t want to leave. Don''t make me go back. Don''t¡ª"

    And then she was plummeting earthwards.

    For a moment, she clung to the feeling of a warm hand cupping her face, of her own hands reaching back up towards heaven, and of two desperate, yearning thoughts.

    This is my home.

    <u>You</u> are my home.

    Then, it was all gone.

    ***

    The moment Jubilee opened her eyes, pain shot through her skull. A million different voices in her head all screamed at once.

    For a second, she thought she was back in hell. Then she realized the pain was from her physical injuries, firing off synapses in her brain and sending an excruciating sensation shooting down her spine. On top of that, it was far too bright, and something was...different, with her eyes.

    Everything that filtered through her vision was sharper, clearer. And there was something...beyond. Bright flashes of color, colors she never knew existed, colors she would never be able to describe in words, flitted through the air around her. She turned her head to one side, to the protest of her sprained neck, and cried out in agony from the acute sensitivity hitting both her body and mind.

    Some of the colors were darker, a description which did them pathetic justice. It was a darkness that had a smell to it, like the rottenness which had seeped from the place of death she''d so narrowly escaped. Her stomach heaved as her mind reeled.

    A woman''s face came into view. She was middle-aged and Caucasian, about the same age Jubilee''s mother would''ve been had she still been alive. The woman stared at Jubilee, her expression a mix of concern, shock, and relief. Around her radiated a soft, gentle glow. Jubilee realized the woman''s hands were clasped over hers.

    "You''re alive," the woman whispered. Jubilee recognized her voice. It was the same one she''d heard just before her soul had stopped its trajectory towards hell. Your will be done, the voice had prayed.

    The woman''s head snapped up to address a team of paramedics and cops closing in. "She''s alive!" she yelled.

    Figures of ethereal light and shadow flitted across the space. Right beside Jubilee stood one very tall, very bright figure. It had...wings. They were folded down along its back, tips resting above the ground. The more she tried to make sense of it, the more the brightness of its form scorched her eyes. She looked away in pain, but then her gaze landed on something that made her go cold.

    A tall, willowy figure with onyx skin stood not six feet away. It towered at least a couple feet above the tallest human in the crowd, white tendrils of hair coiled around its head like a bed of serpents. Eerie yellow eyes glared at Jubilee with fury. Pointing a finger at her, it looked towards the winged figure and snarled, "This one is mine."

    Its voice was feminine but dark and smoky...the same voice Jubilee heard right before she died and which had continued to torment her as she''d spun toward hell. You deserved it, it had told her¡ªtruthfully.

    No one else in the crowd seemed to have heard it speak. The figure took a menacing step towards Jubilee. As it did, memories of the gaping chasm assaulted her senses with vivid force¡ªthe anguished cries, suffocating odor, and piercing cold all rushing through her head as clearly as though she were on her way back.

    Jubilee jerked back and tried to scream. A raw, gurgling sound escaped her throat and the paramedics around her, oblivious to the advancing demon, held her down to strap her to a stretcher, murmuring meaningless platitudes as she struggled uselessly. There was no way to escape.

    The figure with wings stepped into Jubilee''s vision then, blocking the dark being''s path.

    Not anymore, it said.

    Its voice sounded similar to the one Jubilee had heard in heaven, but lesser somehow, like a stream trickling out from a much greater river. Even so, it was more than she could handle now that she was back in her earthly body.

    The sonorous voice rang through Jubilee''s ears like a gong, staggering in its strength and volume, and her head swam with pain. Which was worse¡ªthe being of darkness that oozed all the fear and dread of hell, or this being of light that was too much for her broken mind to handle? Overwhelmed, her brain did the only logical thing to do under the circumstances.

    It shut down, and she passed out.

 Chapter 6

    Jubilee blinked her way out of the memory, reorienting herself to the detainment room. Looking up, she met the detective¡¯s unreadable gaze. A silvery gray haze, matching the hue of his eyes, hovered around him. Reminiscing over the origin of her gift must¡¯ve settled her nerves enough to restore some of it.

    Because it was, she remembered, a gift. Receive your sight.

    Her phone buzzed in her pocket. Discreetly sliding it out, she found a text from her coworker Qihou. Are you lost? it read, after Jubilee hit the translate button. I will combine your class with my group, so don¡¯t worry about the kids. But Director Huang will want to see you when you are back!

    The detective¡¯s aloof voice interrupted Jubilee¡¯s thoughts before she could process how to respond. ¡°Let us take a minute to clarify things, Miss Wong.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± she replied, suddenly more at ease. It was only fair he¡¯d have some questions about her story. But once she answered them, it¡¯d be her turn to get answers from him, about the girl and why he¡¯d been following her. Then Jubilee could leave and never see him again. And she¡¯d finally put her gift to good use, by finding that girl and helping her to get free from that demon.

    Maybe that was why Jubilee had been given this ability in the first place¡ªto use it to help someone else. She hadn¡¯t been ready to do that before when she¡¯d first come back from death. But she¡¯d been given time to recover since then, both physically and emotionally. It should be easy now compared to how it had been back then.

    The detective continued, ¡°Did you just say that you were¡ª¡± Here he lifted one pale eyebrow by a millimeter, the first display of any emotion. ¡°Pronounced dead, at the scene?¡±

    She¡¯d skipped big chunks of the story¡ªnamely the parts about stealing¡ªbut had left everything else intact. His skepticism was inevitable.

    She sat a bit straighter. ¡°That¡¯s what I said.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± The detective scrutinized her for a long moment. ¡°If I may backtrack for a moment. Why did you bother to finish college after your family passed away? You said that after graduating, you were...¡± He leaned forward slowly. ¡°Doing what, exactly? As a profession.¡±

    Jubilee blanched. She hadn¡¯t said anything about that at all. Quickly recovering, she fumbled for the half-truth she used to use in Chicago. ¡°Selling things online.¡± Expensive, stolen things. At the detective¡¯s unimpressed look, she added somewhat defensively, ¡°It¡¯s a thing.¡±

    ¡°Hardly a thing you need a degree for,¡± he pointed out. ¡°So why bother getting one?¡±

    Because drunk frat boys and trust fund kids were some of the easiest people to steal from. But also because... ¡°A degree was what would¡¯ve made my parents happy.¡±

    ¡°Even though you didn¡¯t put it to use,¡± he remarked. ¡°And what was your major?¡±

    ¡°Ethics,¡± she answered, torn between feeling insulted or paranoid over his observations.

    ¡°Interesting. Why not at least take a leave of absence to grieve, though?¡±

    ¡°How would that have helped?¡± she retorted. ¡°I had no other family to stay with. No extra money to travel and get away. If I¡¯d taken a leave of absence, all I would¡¯ve done was shut myself away and be completely alone for months on end.¡± Memories of wiping blood-stained bathroom tiles in the dead of night, the door locked and her wrists stinging, invaded her mind. She pushed the images down and continued dryly, ¡°Not to be dramatic, but I probably would¡¯ve killed myself if I didn¡¯t have school to keep me busy.¡± School, and being a klepto.

    She shoved that thought aside too and put her hands on the table, tapping the photograph still in front of her. Time to change the subject. ¡°I¡¯ve told you my story, so now it¡¯s time for you to tell me yours. What do you know about this girl, and why were you following her?¡±

    His gray eyes didn¡¯t blink as he measured her in silence. Jubilee restrained the urge to fidget or look away. Finally, he spoke. ¡°I have reason to suspect that Yang Zhengyi is involved in a case of mysterious deaths which I am investigating.¡±

    Jubilee started. ¡°Her?¡± She glanced down at the photograph. The girl looked so young. So¡­innocent. ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°That is precisely what I aim to determine.¡± He said nothing more, much to Jubilee¡¯s frustration.

    ¡°Could you...¡± She gesticulated impatiently. Kailin and the other kids were waiting, and she didn¡¯t have all day. ¡°Elaborate, please? What kind of deaths? What makes you think she¡¯s involved?¡±

    The detective¡¯s face remained blank. ¡°That, Miss Wong, is classified information.¡±

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    She swallowed her outrage. Was he going to make her late for nothing? ¡°I thought we had a deal.¡±

    ¡°We did,¡± he agreed. ¡°I said I could arrange for you to know everything that I know about the subject.¡±

    Jubilee crossed her arms in a vain attempt to hide her confusion, as well as the feeling that she was somehow not keeping up. ¡°Well?¡± she demanded.

    ¡°Well.¡± He folded his arms over the table. ¡°That would require you taking a further step. You would have to join the investigation.¡±

    There was a long moment of silence. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± she said at last, dumbfounded.

    ¡°I am always serious,¡± he stated somberly.

    The man was crazy. ¡°You did not make that clear earlier,¡± she said, anger rising. ¡°I never agreed to anything like that.¡±

    ¡°Well, now you have the opportunity to do so.¡±

    ¡°Why do you even want me on the case?¡± she exploded. ¡°I have no experience or training. I¡¯d just be in your way.¡±

    ¡°This is true,¡± the detective agreed, to both her relief and annoyance. ¡°Unless your ability is legitimate...in which case, you could be an asset.¡±

    Her jaw clenched. ¡°So, you just want to use me.¡±

    He retained his stoic expression. ¡°Everyone uses each other, Miss Wong. You wanted to use me to obtain more information about this girl. I want to use you to investigate her for the case. And, perhaps, we are all being used by this God of yours that you described, for his own passing entertainment.¡±

    Jubilee¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°No.¡±

    His brow furrowed in displeasure. ¡°Are you refuting the statement I just made, or refusing my offer of a job?¡±

    ¡°Both!¡± she exclaimed. He was insane if he actually expected her to work for him. After he¡¯d forced her into an interrogation¡ªover things she didn¡¯t want to talk about¡ªand then kept her for far longer than he¡¯d let on he would, there was no way she¡¯d willingly spend another minute with him. Even if she didn¡¯t find him incredibly insulting and about as trustworthy as a python, she¡¯d have to watch her back every minute around him to avoid ending up behind bars.

    Life was too short for that kind of stress.

    Maybe he could¡¯ve gotten her access to the girl with the demon, but exposing herself to demonic activity, again, without the choice to withdraw whenever she wished, wasn¡¯t worth it. Plus, she already had a job at the orphanage, that she liked. Ever since Jenny¡¯s death, being around kids was the only thing she¡¯d found on earth that could numb the pain of her loss. Jubilee wasn¡¯t about to give that up.

    She stood. ¡°If you¡¯re not going to tell me anything else, then it¡¯s time for me to go.¡± With that, she headed for the door.

    ¡°Miss Wong...¡± The detective¡¯s steely tone stopped her in her tracks. Slowly, she turned back to him. ¡°You already know far too much for me to let you go.¡±

    A shiver crawled down Jubilee¡¯s spine. The spirit world faded in her awareness, and for a second all she could see were the detective¡¯s eerily pale eyes boring straight into her.

    He continued. ¡°You now know the primary suspect of my investigation. If I let you go now, I have no assurance that you won¡¯t go and compromise the case.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that!¡± she cried.

    ¡°I have no guarantee of that. Since you clearly have a personal interest in the suspect, you may do so even unintentionally.¡±

    She took a step back, wide-eyed with panic. ¡°But that¡¯s¡ªthat¡¯s your own fault,¡± she stuttered. ¡°You chose to tell me.¡±

    ¡°In exchange for your compliance. That was the deal, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Over his head, a black line formed and wavered but did not break.

    Jubilee, too shaken to discern the line¡¯s meaning, rapidly shook her head. ¡°No, that was¡ªI never agreed to¡ª¡± The man had manipulated her right into where he wanted her. Fear and anger twisted inside her, making the line and gray haze over the detective grow dimmer.

    There had to be a way out of this. Closing her eyes, she took a steadying breath before opening them again, and leveled him with a glare. ¡°Is it even legal to keep me here?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re in China now, Miss Wong.¡± He met her furious gaze with a calm look. ¡°As I said before, I can and will detain you for as long as I see fit.¡±

    Though faint, the line over his head snapped at this statement. Jubilee blinked in surprise.

    What a lying snake.

    Angry though she was, she exhaled in relief. Both the line and haze sharpened back into focus. ¡°You¡¯re bluffing,¡± she declared.

    He arched an eyebrow. Around him, the gray haze shifted with an air of surprise. ¡°On what basis are you making that assumption?¡±

    ¡°I can just tell.¡± If he¡¯d been lying about that, maybe he¡¯d told her other mistruths as well. What was his relationship to the police, anyway? Why would they hire a lao wai like him? She scrutinized his casual clothing, remembering the cops they¡¯d passed in the hall who had all been in uniform. Her eyes narrowed. ¡°You don¡¯t actually have police jurisdiction, do you?¡±

    Again the haze around the detective moved, as though flinching. ¡°If I didn¡¯t, how would we be here?¡± he countered smoothly, his outward expression betraying nothing. The line over his head wavered again. He was hiding something.

    She squinted. ¡°What exactly are you?¡± she asked. ¡°A detective?¡±

    ¡°That was what I said during our introduction, wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°But not for the police,¡± she guessed, confidence growing. Now wasn¡¯t the time to admit her limited language comprehension. She noticed the haze flinch again. ¡°So, you¡¯re a private investigator?¡± No doubt he had connections if he had permission to use a room at the police station, but even so... ¡°That means you don¡¯t actually have any legal authority over me,¡± she concluded. ¡°And seeing as I¡¯ve committed no crime¡ª¡± Lately, at least... ¡°You have no reason to detain me. I¡¯ll see myself out.¡±

    She spun on her heel and walked quickly for the door. Ignoring the unsettling feeling of his eyes on her back, she exited the room before he could stop her.

    Ten seconds later she was down the hall, and he hadn¡¯t followed. In another minute she was on the street again, shrugging into her coat, and finally allowed herself to look back.

    No one was coming after her.

    She let out a long exhale and tilted her head back to look at the yellow sky. That had been a close call¡ªtoo close¡ªto being found out. As she took a shuddering breath, uncertainty came over her. She stared upwards for a long moment.

    Had she just rejected the more difficult but rewarding path?

    Her phone buzzed. Checking it, she saw that she¡¯d missed several calls and a voicemail¡ªdoubtless because she''d been absent for her entire shift. She was going to have a lot to answer for when she returned to the orphanage.

    But there, at least, it was safe¡ªeven if it was a little mundane and ordinary.

    ¡°Back to normal life,¡± she whispered and, pocketing the phone, started back.

 Chapter 7

    Three days later, Jubilee stood in Director Huang¡¯s office, trying her best to look innocent. Responsible. Like someone trustworthy enough to be left in charge of children.

    Hellenos, although he¡¯d been visible from time to time over the last couple days, was nowhere to be seen again.

    The matron sat behind her desk, her usual harried glow darkened by disapproval. ¡°Since I¡¯ve been out the last few days due to the bug going around, you¡¯ve had plenty of time to come up with an appropriate explanation for your absence the other day, Wong Xiao-jie,¡± she said, casting Jubilee a reproachful look as her fingers drummed over a document¡ªJubilee¡¯s employee evaluation. ¡°Today is our scheduled meeting to discuss the possibility of extending your stay here, so it¡¯s time to explain yourself. Do you still insist that you were lost? For almost three hours?¡±

    It had really just been over two hours, but Jubilee thought it unwise to correct the older woman at the moment. ¡°I¡¯m just¡ªreally bad with directions,¡± she offered weakly, eyeing her previously perfect evaluation and feeling her chances for a paid position slipping like ice down a slope.

    Sure, she hadn¡¯t been certain before about whether or not she even wanted it, but honestly, it was the best option she had. And by now she¡¯d also realized how much she didn¡¯t want to leave Kailin and the other kids. So how could she possibly tell the truth? I was distracted by a demon and then taken to the police station, were not the words to say when you wanted a promotion.

    Director Huang¡¯s lips thinned. ¡°Xiao-jie, I would rather you be honest about one act of negligence than to be both negligent and a liar.¡±

    Jubilee flinched. Liar. The truth of that word hit her like an arrow to the heart. She¡¯d become such an expert at telling half-truths and concealing who she really was that she¡¯d never truly stopped, even after she¡¯d quit stealing. Uncomfortably, she remembered how she¡¯d resented the albino detective for doing the exact same thing. Hypocrite, she thought to herself bitterly. But as much as she wanted to change, she couldn¡¯t stop now if she wanted to stay here.

    ¡°Director,¡± she began. She sensed a line trembling over her own head as she continued, ¡°The truth is that¡ªwell, I¡¯m awful at reading Chinese. Not only did I get lost on the way because I got all the street signs mixed up, but I also couldn¡¯t understand any of the medicine labels once I got to the store.¡± She gave her most shamefaced expression. ¡°And I was too embarrassed to ask anyone for help. That¡¯s why I was so hesitant to go in the first place.¡±

    The matron¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Then how did you manage to find the medicine at all?¡±

    Jubilee waved her phone, excuse ready. ¡°Google Translate. I scanned every label until I found the right one.¡± The line above her snapped disconcertingly, showering her with charcoal dust.

    Director Huang looked at her for a long moment, then finally shook her head. ¡°For heaven¡¯s sake, girl, how could you be so foolish? You should¡¯ve just explained that to me upfront.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Jubilee lowered her eyes. ¡°But no one else was able to go, and...I was worried about Kailin.¡± That part, at least, was true. She felt the line reform above her, straight and steady.

    Director Huang¡¯s expression softened at that. She sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll still have to make a note of this, you understand.¡± She scribbled something onto the form in front of her. ¡°But I¡¯ll overlook it just this once. Consider this a warning, Xiao-jie.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Director.¡± Jubilee¡¯s head bobbed furiously. ¡°Thank you, Director.¡±

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    ¡°Your record is otherwise excellent. I¡¯ll advocate for you as a full-time candidate to the rest of the board. You may go now.¡± She nodded at Jubilee in dismissal.

    Grateful, Jubilee bowed and spun for the door¡ªonly to run into somebody¡¯s chest. Stumbling backwards, she looked up...right into the eyes of a police officer.

    The man was middle-aged, tall, with graying hair and deep frown lines. He stared down at Jubilee. Qihou poked her head out from behind him.

    ¡°Excuse me, Director Huang,¡± the older woman began, before her eyes lit up upon spying Jubilee. ¡°Oh! Zhuli...you¡¯re already here.¡± Her fond look of recognition faded into one of worry as she glanced back at the police officer.

    A foreboding dread formed in Jubilee¡¯s stomach. What did Qihou mean, already?

    Qihou went on, ¡°This is Officer Chang. He says he¡¯s looking for Zhuli.¡±

    The matron¡¯s eyes narrowed again. ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Jubilee¡¯s head started shaking back and forth, even though she didn¡¯t yet know what she was denying. Officer Chang, whose focus had locked onto Jubilee the moment Qihou addressed her by her alias, stepped closer.

    ¡°Zhuli?¡± he repeated. ¡°Surname Wong?¡±

    Jubilee looked up at him, suddenly feeling very small. It was too late to admit that, no, she¡¯d been twisting the truth this whole time¡ªthat Wong was really her mother¡¯s maiden name, and that her legal surname was Li. It was on all her official paperwork for getting into the country, but once that was over with she¡¯d chosen to go by an alias because she¡¯d wanted to start over, forget the old her and, as much as possible, impede any chances of the American police potentially tracking her down. Throat dry, she nodded.

    He reached for his belt and unlatched a pair of handcuffs. ¡°You¡¯re under arrest for charges of ¡ª¡± He said a series of words that made Qihou gasp and that Jubilee didn¡¯t recognize, but her jaw dropped open nonetheless.

    The detective, she realized with shock. Graeson Law. Anger flared within her. He had orchestrated this somehow. But how?

    ¡°Under arrest?¡± she repeated, in a desperate attempt to stall. She turned to Director Huang for help. ¡°For what? I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    Director Huang¡¯s expression had grown stormy. ¡°Illegal residency,¡± she said in English. ¡°And stalking.¡±

    Jubilee stared, then paled. ¡°Stalking?¡± she squeaked. Switching back to Mandarin, she said, ¡°No, that isn¡¯t what¡ªthere must be some mistake.¡± She looked frantically to the officer. ¡°How could I possibly be charged with that? That girl never even noticed me, and she¡¯s the only one who could''ve filed that charge.¡±

    Wrong thing to say. She heard a sharp intake of breath from Director Huang. ¡°That girl?¡± the matron asked. ¡°What girl?¡±

    Jubilee spun to her. ¡°It¡¯s not what you think,¡± she said hastily. ¡°I was just trying to help. That girl had a¡ª¡± A demon following her? Yeah. That wasn¡¯t going to help her cause. ¡°An...issue, and I only followed her a few miles to her school before¡ª¡±

    ¡°You followed,¡± Director Huang repeated, her voice sheathed in ice, ¡°A child to school?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Jubilee nearly shouted. ¡°She wasn¡¯t a kid, she was a grownup¡ªor, well, a college student at least...¡±

    She was just digging the hole even deeper for herself. Director Huang set her jaw and looked away.

    Jubilee turned back to the police officer pleadingly. ¡°I have a residency permit. It¡¯s just that it¡¯s...¡± Expired by three weeks, she suddenly realized. And has a different name on it.

    She could lie. And deny the stalking charge, which she was pretty sure would fall apart under the scrutiny of a legal court. Maybe that could buy her enough time to go and get her permit renewed. Like I should¡¯ve done last month, she berated herself.

    But the police station was where residency permits were issued, and she would have to use her real name. Furthermore, going there would likely mean running back into Graeson Law¡ªno doubt the exact person Officer Chang was planning to take her to.

    No matter what she did, she¡¯d be forced to deal with him again.

    Jubilee closed her eyes in defeat. Was this payback for her past? How ironic that paranoia had driven her halfway across the world to avoid arrest for theft, only for her to get apprehended on completely different charges. It looked like she couldn¡¯t outrun the consequences of her crimes after all. Opening her eyes, she decided to accept the truth.

    This was what she deserved, and she should¡¯ve been arrested years ago.

    Resignedly, she raised her hands to the police officer. He clapped the cuffs over her wrists and then led her to the door, passing Qihou along the way. The woman gave Jubilee a frightened look but said nothing.

    ¡°Wong Xiao-jie.¡± Director Huang¡¯s voice made Jubilee pause. ¡°This should come as no surprise,¡± the matron said coldly, ¡°But you are dismissed from your position. Do not bother to return.¡±

    The words hit Jubilee like a crushing blow. Hanging her head, she turned and followed Officer Chang out the door.

    It was time to answer to the law.

 Chapter 8

    Jubilee slouched on a bare cot in the corner of a dim cell, her back against the wall. Sweat coated her skin, as much from the lack of air conditioning as from her nerves. It had been over an hour since Officer Chang had locked her in. Since then, her initial acceptance of her fate had hardened into resentment. How long were they going to keep her here? And how was she going to get out of this mess? She curled her fists against the cot, equal parts angry and afraid.

    Footsteps approached, and she looked up. Graeson Law¡ªthe source of all her problems¡ªappeared, wearing an impassive look as he peered at her through steel bars.

    She might¡¯ve been relieved to see him if she didn¡¯t feel like killing him. How dare he set her up like this? What had taken him so long to show up?

    The wait was probably deliberate, just to scare her. It had worked. Scowling, she stood, her hands itching to strangle the man. Except she couldn¡¯t, or else there¡¯d be a real reason to keep her in here. ¡°No,¡± she declared before he could speak.

    The pale man considered her calmly. ¡°I haven¡¯t said anything yet. What exactly are you denying?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± she repeated with venom, ¡°I will not work for you. This is coercion.¡±

    ¡°On the contrary, this is justice,¡± he said.

    She stiffened for a second. What exactly did this man know about her?

    He continued. ¡°There is no ¡®Julie Wong¡¯ among the valid permit records. Illegal residents can¡¯t just run freely through this country, after all.¡±

    She glared, although internally she breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°So, you found a petty excuse to bring me in. Yes, I forgot to get my permit renewed.¡± Okay, forgot and then got lazy, but still. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a bit overboard, though? People forget to renew their permits all the time. At worse, they get slapped with a fine.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± the detective corrected. ¡°At worse, they get fined and deported.¡± He stepped closer. ¡°And in your case, a stalking charge will go permanently on your criminal record.¡±

    ¡°What¡ª!¡±

    ¡°Which means,¡± he continued, ¡±That you won¡¯t be able to work with children again¡ªin any country.¡±

    She gaped in outrage. ¡°I was not stalking that girl,¡± she seethed. ¡°And you know it. Even if I were, she¡¯d have to file the charge. You can¡¯t do that.¡±

    The man¡¯s lips twitched upwards in the closest thing to a smile she¡¯d yet seen from him. ¡°Actually, Miss Wong, you¡¯ll find that I can.¡±

    She was about to call his bluff when she noticed the line over his head. It was straight and true.

    So. Being pals with the police had its privileges.

    The detective caught her crestfallen expression. ¡°I see your skill as a human lie detector appears intact,¡± he said, looking pleased. ¡°Which is why I¡¯m willing to arrange for your release and pardon...in exchange for your cooperation.¡±

    Of course. This was blackmail.

    Unfazed by her glare, he went on, ¡°I admit that I usually like to work alone. However, given the unusual circumstances surrounding this case, your apparent ability to see the unseen presents an advantage that could be wise to invest in. As such, I am willing to make it worth your time. Not only will you get all the benefits of official employment for the duration of this case, but you will also receive a permanent residency card as part of the deal.¡±

    Her glower turned into a momentary look of amazement, before darkening once more. Although his words were less than precise, she understood enough to know what he meant¡ªthis was both blackmail and bribery.

    ¡°Well, Miss Wong?¡± he prompted. ¡°What will it be?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like you¡¯re giving me a choice.¡±

    ¡°Of course I am.¡± He put his hands in his pockets and leaned casually back on his heels. ¡°You have a choice between deportation and criminal charges¡ªor a job and legal residency in this country, no questions asked. If you choose the latter, you¡¯d be paid well, have weekends off, and receive housing and healthcare as part of your contract. If not...well, I doubt you¡¯ll ever have such a generous offer again. Not in China, anyway. Perhaps not anywhere.¡± Shrugging, he gave her a gesture of invitation. ¡°But, by all means, make your choice.¡±

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    Jubilee¡¯s jaw tightened. With misdemeanors on her record, the chance of her past thefts coming to light would dramatically increase should she be forced to return to the States. The authorities might start investigating her the moment she passed through customs. Even if they never did catch on to her prior crimes, the detective was right¡ªshe¡¯d never land a decent job again. The stalking offense would come up in every employer-required background check, and she¡¯d lost the one good referral she¡¯d had. Honghua Orphanage was the only prior job experience she could¡¯ve put on her resume¡ªbesides eBay seller and former thief. He had no idea the jeopardy he was putting her in.

    Or did he?

    She quelled the sudden panic rising within her. Quit being paranoid. If he really did know her past, she¡¯d be in far worse trouble than she currently was.

    But if she accepted his offer, how long would it be until he figured it out? And before he did, he¡¯d no doubt force her into long-term proximity with that demon to investigate the girl it was following. The very thought made Jubilee sick with dread. What might that demon do to her if it noticed she could see and hear it?

    Regardless of her choice, the detective had also seen to it that she could no longer return to the orphanage. As a result, she¡¯d never be able to see Kailin or the other kids¡ªthe best parts of her life since Jenny¡ªagain.

    This guy had ruined her life.

    Then again, he was also offering her¡ªor subtly forcing on her, more like¡ªan entirely new life¡­albeit not one she was sure she liked. But it might be the only way to help someone avoid the demonic entanglement she herself was once trapped in. Wasn¡¯t that the whole purpose behind the gift she¡¯d received?

    It looked like the more difficult but rewarding path meant working with this man. Without murdering him, she thought bitterly.

    Slowly, she walked up to the bars to face the detective. ¡°Let¡¯s take a moment to clarify things, Mr. Law,¡± she began, throwing his own words from their first interrogation back at him. ¡°If I agree to work for you on this case¡ªyou¡¯ll drop all charges against me and grant me permanent residency here...no questions asked?¡± Like why she had a personal interest in helping that girl. Or why she didn¡¯t go by her real name, which she¡¯d eventually need to share to get that residency card¡ªa benfit she never could¡¯ve acquired on her own without several years of working at Honghua.

    But maybe, just maybe, this could be her means of returning there.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he agreed. ¡°No questions asked.¡±

    ¡°And you actually have the power to do that?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t make such promises otherwise.¡±

    Jubilee noted that the line over his head remained straight. Still, she was suspicious. ¡°When exactly do I get my residency card?¡±

    ¡°As soon as the case is solved. In the meantime, I have ensured leniency for you to get your temporary permit renewed late, without penalty.¡±

    Convenient. But¡­ ¡°How long is the case going to take?¡± she demanded. ¡°What if it¡¯s never solved?¡±

    A hard glint flickered in his pale eyes. ¡°I have never failed to solve a case,¡± he said. ¡°As for the length of time that involves, it is impossible to predict in this line of work. But I can say that I have a track record for being efficient¡ªand no intention of deviating from that pattern.¡±

    So, it could take a while, but not forever. That might at least allow her to stall for now on revealing her true name to him. It wasn¡¯t as if it were illegal to go by an alias, but she¡¯d rather not deal with any more interrogations from him for a while. It sounded like he didn¡¯t want the investigation to drag on for too long either, which was good.

    ¡°You will clear my name at the orphanage,¡± she said firmly.

    ¡°If you wish.¡± He cocked his head. ¡°Though it hardly matters, seeing as how you won¡¯t be working there again anytime soon.¡±

    ¡°It matters to me.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°Then I¡¯ll see that it¡¯s done.¡±

    ¡°Immediately,¡± she said.

    His eyebrows knit together. ¡°Tomorrow,¡± he countered.

    ¡°Fine.¡± She gave him a long look. Could she really tolerate working with this man, for God knew how long, until the case was solved? ¡°I have some other conditions.¡±

    The detective considered her a moment, then tilted his head in an invitation for her to continue.

    ¡°One,¡± she began, ¡°I work for you on this case only, and only until it¡¯s solved.¡±

    ¡°Agreed,¡± he said immediately.

    That was easier than expected. Then again, he didn¡¯t come off as much of a people person. ¡°And two...¡± she continued, swallowing. ¡°I plan to free that girl from that demon.¡±

    He didn¡¯t say anything for a moment, only looked at her with an expression of what seemed like mild interest. Then, he said, ¡°You are welcome to pursue that if you wish. I will not stop you.¡±

    ¡°When it comes to that portion of this case, I want to work on my own terms,¡± she added.

    ¡°That can be arranged.¡±

    She eyed him warily. ¡°Not that again. Say exactly what you mean.¡±

    He exhaled in what might¡¯ve been a sigh. ¡°I will see to it that you have plenty of free agency to operate with during this investigation,¡± he droned. ¡°Which will allow you to pursue your goals however you desire. ¡±

    Well. That didn¡¯t sound like half that bad of a job. If only it didn¡¯t have to be with him.

    ¡°Alright then.¡± Jubilee took a deep breath. Dad...I hope this is what you want. Though she really wished it weren¡¯t. ¡°I¡¯m in.¡±

 Chapter 9

    Five minutes later, they were upstairs in an office on the main level of the station. Jubilee noted that there¡¯d been no name labeled outside the door, unlike the other offices they¡¯d passed in the hall. It must be a spare. Even so, it was spacious and lavishly furnished, with a large desk, double-monitored computer, and sleek leather couch next to a kitchenette in the corner with a mini-freezer and instant kettle. Wait¡­a mini-<u>freezer</u>? She eyed the appliance with some perplexity before returning her attention to the job contract before her¡ªwhich was entirely in Chinese.

    I can¡¯t read this, she thought despairingly. Out loud she asked, ¡°Is there any other paperwork I¡¯ll have to fill out?¡±

    ¡°You just need to sign this,¡± the detective answered. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡±

    She made a show of scanning the page, even though little of it made sense to her. Could she trust that he¡¯d summarized the contract accurately, without leaving out anything she should know? Discreetly, she eyed the the steady line above his head. It did not appear to waver.

    Somewhat appeased, she signed her Chinese name with great concentration in blocky but neatly written characters. Wong Zhuli.

    At once, her spiritual sight returned with vivid clarity. The detective¡¯s grayish aura flickered back into view, along with Hellenos from a corner of the room. The angel waved at her cheerfully, which she responded to with a flat look.

    It looked as if this leap of faith might¡¯ve been the key to restoring her ability. Too bad it was also a leap right out of her comfort zone.

    Ignoring Hellenos, Jubilee slid the contract across the desk to the detective. No time to waste if she wanted to figure out how to help that Zhengyi girl and get the case solved ASAP so that she herself could be free. But, before that...

    ¡°My ability tends to fizzle out if I feel stressed,¡± she said, deciding to lay some ground rules before the man could start bossing her around. ¡°Which is what will happen if I feel like someone¡¯s breathing down my neck. So, it¡¯d be best to give me space and let me work alone as much as possible.¡± She¡¯d investigate the girl like he wanted, but she planned on keeping contact with him to a minimum while she did.

    Across the room, Hellenos sighed. And here I thought you were going to start developing your interpersonal relationship skills.

    The detective eyed her without emotion. ¡°Noted. Once you are fully debriefed and ready to carry out the plan, you will have plenty of opportunities to work on your own.¡±

    Good. After that, she could check in with him no more than once a week. Settling back in her chair, she waved a hand. ¡°Well, let¡¯s get on with it then.¡±

    He opened a filing cabinet and retrieved a manila folder, which he handed to her. She flipped it open and scanned the contents. They were in English, much to her relief.

    ¡°This is the case file,¡± he said. ¡°Please go over it in detail when you get the chance. For now, I will summarize the basics of the investigation.¡± Taking a seat, he began, ¡°Starting three months ago, death rates in the area began to increase by a noticeable margin. One of the deceased was the son of a government official, whose father subsequently sought me out to investigate the circumstances of his son¡¯s death while keeping the entire affair private. His son had been a notorious playboy, you see. The father didn¡¯t want to open an official police case and have his son¡¯s indiscretions possibly come under fire by the media, thereby tarnishing his own reputation.

    ¡°When I started to investigate, I discovered that his son shared several common traits with others who had died in recent months.¡± Detective Law folded his arms across the desk and leaned forward. ¡°That¡¯s when it became interesting to me. One commonality among the victims was that they had all potentially interacted with Yang Zhengyi...shortly before committing suicide.¡±

    ¡°Suicide?¡± An uneasy feeling rolled through Jubilee¡¯s gut, even as her brow knit together in confusion. ¡°You mean they died by killing themselves? But how can she have anything to do with that?¡±

    ¡°She can¡¯t,¡± said the detective. ¡°Unless it wasn¡¯t actually suicide¡ªonly murder framed as such.¡±

    Jubilee¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Are¡ªare you saying you think she murdered them?¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily.¡± His face remained stoic. ¡°She may just be assisting whoever did.¡±

    This changed everything. Jubilee hadn¡¯t signed up to tail a demon-possessed, would-be killer. ¡°But she¡¯s just a kid! And how could the deaths look like suicides if they weren¡¯t?¡±

    Detective Law shrugged. ¡°Coercion through blackmail, perhaps. Or hallucinogenic drugs, possibly. The precise method is exactly what I intend to find out.¡±

    Jubilee shook her head in disbelief. Surely that was too much of a stretch. ¡°What even led you to think these weren¡¯t just normal suicides? Not¡ªnot that suicide is normal.¡± She shifted uncomfortably. ¡°You know what I mean.¡±

    His eyes caught her movement, but he seemed unaffected by the macabre subject. ¡°As far as the specific case regarding my client, he has good reason to believe that his son had no suicidal intention at the time of his death. After great efforts on his part, he had just succeeded in winning the position as head of a lucrative business empire. Furthermore¡ª¡± The detective lifted a finger for emphasis. ¡°He was found dead during the very celebration he had been hosting to flaunt his success. Like his father, appearances were important to him. So it was uncharacteristic for him to go the way he did.¡±

    ¡°Okay, fine.¡± Jubilee¡¯s head spun as she processed all the information. ¡°But that¡¯s one person. What about everyone else?¡±

    ¡°This spike in the death toll has only occurred in Beijing, and only in a certain demographic.¡± He gestured to the case file in Jubilee¡¯s hands. ¡°See for yourself.¡±

    She flipped through the folder, skimming the first few pages. It was hard to concentrate with the detective watching, and she shifted awkwardly in her seat to face away from him. Ten minutes passed in silence as she read. Detective Law never so much as fidgeted during that time, but towards the end he finally got up to pour himself a cup of tea and retrieve something from the freezer. Jubilee snuck a glance. It was ice cream.

    He caught her staring. ¡°Do you see now?¡± he asked, returning to his seat with a steaming cup of what smelled like Earl Grey¡ªas well as the whole ice cream carton.

    She tore her gaze away from the frozen dessert. ¡°Not really. There are all kinds of people listed here.¡±

    The gray haze around the detective darkened with exasperation, though his expression didn¡¯t change. Setting down the ice cream and tea, he came around the side of the desk and leaned over to press a slim finger to the page. ¡°See here.¡± His finger moved to another spot. ¡°And here.¡± After pointing to a few other areas on the pages she¡¯d looked at, he said, ¡°All these people were heavily involved in the nightlife or clubbing scene, either as staff or patrons.¡±

    Jubilee flinched defensively. ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°So there must be some reason behind the commonality.¡± He returned to his side of the desk, retrieving his drink and ice cream. Opening the carton, he spooned out something light brown stuffed with darker brown chips. It looked like java chip. ¡°At first, I conjectured that they might be involved in underground drug or sex trafficking,¡± he explained between mouthfuls. ¡°Since nightlife venues are sometimes a masquerade for such activity. And indeed, there is evidence to suggest that some of them were. But other individuals seemed more benign¡ªlike married businessmen meeting with their mistresses, for example, or college students seeking casual encounters.¡±

    Jubilee had been gawking at him as he rapidly scarfed down half the ice cream straight from the carton, along with occasional sips of hot tea, but his last statement jolted her back to attention. Her head lowered to hide her face behind her hair. Those were the exact types of people she¡¯d targeted back in Chicago. Beneath all the alcohol, most of them had seemed just as empty as she had been.

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    ¡°Maybe the void they were trying to fill was what made them feel bad enough to kill themselves,¡± she pointed out dully. ¡°Or shame¡­if they really had committed a crime.¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± he returned as he continued to eat. ¡°But plenty of people in the world have done things that could make them feel ashamed enough to end their lives. Some do, but many do not. Why don¡¯t they?¡±

    She was silent. In the corner, Hellenos dimmed. Her fingers unconsciously traced a faded scar on her wrist beneath the table. Why, indeed?

    ¡°Why only these people?¡± the detective pressed. ¡°Why only here? Why now?¡±

    She shrugged weakly. ¡°Coincidence?¡±

    ¡°The pattern makes coincidence unlikely.¡± His spoon paused midair as he pierced her with a stare. ¡°And¡ªsince you¡¯ve introduced the possibility of the supernatural into the equation¡ªI will add for the sake of argument that it seems too limited and too personal to be divine judgment.¡±

    Her eyes snapped up to meet his. ¡°Why do you say that?¡±

    He held her gaze. ¡°Miss Wong, during my time in this field, I have encountered so many different criminals of such twisted natures that, suffice to say that if there is a God, and if this were his mode of punishment, I imagine many more people would be dead¡ªand not just in Beijing, or even China.¡±

    She shivered and looked away. He had a point. But... ¡°If you¡¯re so convinced that all these deaths are humanly orchestrated,¡± she began quietly, ¡°Why do you want me on the case?¡±

    He lowered his spoon and looked at her for a long time before speaking. ¡°In this line of work, one happens across...unusual scenarios, from time to time. Crime rings associated with cults or covens, for example. Delusional individuals committing acts of domestic abuse, or even murder, for the most bizarre reasons¡ªsome as part of occult rituals, others under the banner of church exorcisms. Recently, there was even a man caught selling preserved infant bodies at exorbitant prices, to be used as good luck charms and shrine talismans.¡±

    Jubilee looked horrified, and the detective continued nonchalantly, ¡°Most of these people were subject to religious superstition or mental illness, or both. But who¡¯s to say there wasn¡¯t something deeper influencing their actions?¡± He paused then as though considering whether to share his next words. ¡°During my...encounters with these sorts of individuals, I noticed more than one of them stealing glances at or mumbling under their breaths to something unseen¡ªbut which they genuinely seemed to believe was there.¡±

    He shrugged then and finally lifted the spoonful of ice cream to his mouth. ¡°Of course, such individuals are often diagnosed with psychological disorders that include symptoms of tactile hallucination. But¡ª¡± Swallowing, he shot her another eerie stare. ¡°I noticed you exhibiting the same behavior right before our first meeting.¡±

    Jubilee flushed angrily. She was not the same as those people.

    ¡°So,¡± he continued, indicating Jubilee with a tilt of his head as he reached again for his teacup, ¡°If I have a resource to observe the unseen ¨C you ¨C then I will make use of it. No clue can go ignored.¡±

    Her forehead crinkled. She already knew he was just using her, but did he really have to call her a resource? Another realization hit her then. She had been a suspect at first, because of how deliberately she¡¯d stayed near Zhengyi that day. That was why he¡¯d initially apprehended her.

    Was she a suspect still?

    ¡°In addition,¡± he went on, ¡°Such a collaboration isn¡¯t unprecedented. Even the police are known to employ psychics from time to time.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a psychic,¡± she snapped.

    ¡°No,¡± he agreed. ¡°Otherwise you¡¯d already know what the plan is, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±

    She crossed her arms, irritated that the only time he seemed to agree with her was when he was also pointing out her ignorance. ¡°Well, out with it,¡± she said. ¡°What is the plan?¡±

    Discarding the finished carton, he took a final sip of tea and then interlaced his fingers over the desk. ¡°In short...you will attend school with Yang Zhengyi at Peking University to monitor and observe her. Get close to her, befriend her if you can, and report to me anything suspicious that could be connected with the case.¡±

    Peking University. That was what the girl¡¯s school was called, not Beijing College. Jubilee¡¯s mind blanked then as the detective¡¯s words belatedly registered with her. ¡°School...?¡± she echoed dumbly. ¡°You¡¯re making me go back to school?¡±

    While the world of academia had given her a much-needed distraction five years ago, as well as a steady source of students to steal from, homework and early morning classes had still been the bane of her existence. Who wanted to go back to that?

    From the corner, she heard Hellenos laughing. She wished he¡¯d shut up.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Detective Law said, ignoring the look on her face. ¡°Despite it being considered the ¡®Harvard of China,¡¯ it¡¯ll be an easy matter to pull some strings and get you accepted as a foreign exchange student. Since we need to place you in the same classes as the suspect, your cover story will be that you earned high enough marks on the language test to be eligible for classes taught in Mandarin. Be sure to make that believable and blend in amongst the students.¡±

    As much as Jubilee had hoped to avoid revealing her insufficient language skills, it was time to swallow her ego if she wanted to escape assignments and term papers. Cautiously, she confessed, ¡°I¡¯m not sure my Chinese is good enough to pull that off.¡± College students, after all, were not orphaned preschoolers.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t,¡± he replied bluntly, much to her chagrin. ¡°Which is why I will tutor you outside of class.¡±

    Her jaw dropped. A white man¡ªin the most literal sense of the word¡ªwas going to tutor her in Chinese?

    Her mother must be rolling in her grave.

    ¡°We will include language lessons in your job training,¡± he went on, either not noticing her appalled expression or pretending not to. ¡°Which will be during normal nine to five work hours, whenever you are not attending school with the suspect.¡±

    School, Chinese lessons, and job training? Nine to five? Jubilee had never worked a nine-to-five job in her life. ¡°What happened to giving me space?¡± she demanded, panicking.

    His look was one of measured patience. ¡°You¡¯ll have that once you have completed training and can demonstrate competence in the job.¡±

    Pushed to her limit, she lost all sense of tact. ¡°So, I¡¯ll be stuck with you until then?¡±

    Now, now, be nice, Hellenos called out.

    Detective Law¡¯s expression had turned mildly condescending. ¡°You can hardly expect otherwise. Your Chinese needs work, and¡ªas you put it yourself, so very accurately¡ªyou have no experience or training.¡±

    She looked at him with fury. Why don¡¯t you tell HIM to be nice? she thought toward Hellenos.

    Not my department.

    Her fists clenched to refrain from throwing something. ¡°Now, hold on a second,¡± she protested. ¡°Is tutoring really necessary? You just said you¡¯d plant me as a foreign exchange student. It¡¯s not like I have to pass for a native, and honestly, my Chinese isn¡¯t that bad.¡± She paused. ¡°Is it?¡±

    The man eyed her coolly. ¡°Your speech is somewhat passable,¡± he acquiesced. She wasn¡¯t sure whether to take that as a compliment or an insult. ¡°But it will look suspicious if you are allowed to take those classes and yet are unable to demonstrate reading comprehension skills.¡±

    Her cheeks colored. He had known she couldn¡¯t read the job contract. ¡°I can read some stuff,¡± she said hotly. Like fairy tales, to kids. She was great at those.

    ¡°Will you be able to read lecture slides in a university-level course and conduct an intelligent conversation about them with the suspect?¡± he returned.

    ¡°What¡¯s her major?¡± She was just grasping at straws. The answer was clearly no.

    ¡°Criminal justice.¡±

    Ironic. ¡°And what¡¯s my major supposed to be?¡±

    ¡°Criminology.¡±

    ¡°Hm,¡± she said, pretending to think about it. Who was she kidding? There was no way she could pretend to be knowledgeable about those subjects in Chinese or English.

    It looked like there was no way to resist the detective¡¯s order. She could try arguing her way out of his ridiculous plan to send her back to college, but to what end? It wasn¡¯t as if she had any better ideas. Desperately, she tried to come up with one but couldn¡¯t. She knew she had to get close to Zhengyi Yang to investigate her. Attending the same classes as her was the best way to do so without looking suspicious. To do that, Jubilee had to get better at Chinese...and at sleuthing on someone without getting caught.

    But being stuck reporting to the detective from nine to five, for five days a week, was far more than she¡¯d been prepared to endure, as was getting her Chinese coached by a white guy. Shame and dishonor, she could practically hear her mother intone. Jubilee lowered her head into her hands, aware of Detective Law¡¯s eyes on her as he patiently waited for her to finish stewing over her own mediocrity.

    Maybe this was what she got for dropping out of weekend Chinese school, against her mother¡¯s wishes, as a teen. Jubilee had gotten sick of never feeling good enough¡ªas a student, as a daughter, as a person of Chinese heritage¡ªand finally, cracking under the pressure, rebelled completely and gave up trying. The culture had never been one she could identify with anyway, not after having its high standards shoved down her throat for years. She¡¯d had no desire to understand the country from which her parents had emigrated¡ªnot until after their deaths. Volunteering at Honghua had been her first attempt to do so, to reconcile herself to their memory.

    If Mama were still alive, how might she feel about her daughter attending the ¡®Harvard of China¡¯? Would she be proud?

    Moreover, was this part of the path Jubilee was meant to take?

    Letting out a long exhale, she decided that the answer was yes¡ªand that maybe that was a good enough reason to go. But it didn¡¯t mean she had to conform to someone else¡¯s expectations of her anymore.

    ¡°Alright,¡± she said, sitting up. From the corner of her eye, Hellenos glowed a little brighter. ¡°I see your point. I¡¯ll go undercover to Peking University. But...you¡¯re not tutoring me.¡± At the detective¡¯s frown, she continued, ¡°I¡¯ve had my fill of Chinese school, so I¡¯m good enough at the language. You can practice with me during our normal interactions to help me get better, but that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Miss Wong,¡± the detective began, ¡°I believe I very thoroughly outlined all the reasons why¡ª¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you rather not waste any more time and just focus on the case?¡± she interjected. At his pause, she forged ahead. ¡°I¡¯ll be able to bluff my way through conversations with Zhengyi, as long as you brief me on the subject matter beforehand. I speak Chinese well enough.¡± Reluctantly, she added, ¡°And you can just correct me as needed when we¡¯re working. Think of it as...integrating language lessons into the job training.¡±

    He mulled it over.

    ¡°Well?¡± she prodded, then switched to Mandarin. ¡°How about it?¡±

    Slowly, he nodded. In Mandarin, he replied, ¡°Very well, Wong Xiao-jie. We start working on the case together tomorrow.¡±

 Chapter 10

    The next afternoon, once Detective Law had made a phone call dispatching someone to Honghua on her behalf, Jubilee returned to the orphanage to collect her things. She snuck straight to her old room to pack first. It¡¯d cause less commotion if she said goodbye to the kids last.

    Cracking open the door, she entered a narrow space wide enough for only a twin bed beneath a paned window and a corner closet. She went first to the bed, lifting the blanket¡¯s edge, and pulled her suitcase out from beneath the mattress. Dust bunnies flurried, and she sneezed.

    A little voice down the hallway gasped. Then, there was a stampede of tiny footsteps.

    ¡°Zhuli Ai-yi!¡± Kailin¡¯s head popped around the doorframe, along with several other small faces. ¡°You¡¯re back!¡±

    Jubilee kicked her suitcase back under the bed, throwing the thin yellow blanket into place as a handful of children spilled into the room.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± one child asked, spying the plastic shopping bags Jubilee had left by the door. ¡°Oo! Tangerines and red bean cakes!¡±

    Jubilee strode over to lift the bag out of reach, even as tiny hands continued to grab for it. ¡°Ah-ah, these are for Director¡ªer, Huang Ai-yi.¡± From what she vaguely remembered, the treats seemed like the sort of thing her parents¡¯ friends used to bring over whenever they made house visits. She hoped the gift would act as a peace offering, and maybe ease the door open for her eventual return.

    One older girl peered at her suspiciously. ¡°Huang Ai-yi said you weren¡¯t coming back.¡±

    ¡°And that there was a policeman¡ª¡± a boy began excitedly.

    ¡°But, as you can see, I¡¯m here!¡± Jubilee interjected, shoving one of the other bags at the children crowding the tiny space. Time to deflect. ¡°These are for you guys.¡±

    ¡°Candy!¡± they squealed, falling upon the bag.

    That should buy her some time. Quickly, she got out her suitcase and moved it by the closet, swinging open the door to block herself from the kids¡¯ view. Hopefully, they wouldn¡¯t catch on to what she was doing just yet.

    You know, Hellenos said from where he leaned against the door, They¡¯re small. Not stupid.

    Jubilee ignored him, focusing on stuffing what was left of her life into the suitcase. There wasn¡¯t much¡ªjust basic clothes, some unused sneakers, a brand new and barely touched Bible. She¡¯d donated almost all her other loot before leaving the states. Yanking open a shelf drawer, she stopped short upon seeing a wallet-sized photograph. Slowly, she picked it up and stared at it.

    ¡°Who are those people?¡± Kailin¡¯s voice piped up from Jubilee¡¯s elbow.

    She started. ¡°My family,¡± she answered, throat dry.

    ¡°That little girl looks like me.¡± Kailin pointed at the two-year-old Jenny in the picture, whose hair was in pigtails like Kailin¡¯s. Her finger shifted to a twelve-year-old Jubilee next. ¡°Is that you?¡± At Jubilee¡¯s nod, Kailin continued, ¡°You look really happy. You must have nice parents.¡±

    Jubilee¡¯s shoulders stiffened. It wasn¡¯t an illogical thing to surmise¡ªthe four smiling faces looked uncharacteristically at ease and, for once, genuinely happy to be together. But it wasn¡¯t a statement she could wholly agree with, and this photo¡ªthe only one of her parents she¡¯d kept¡ªwas a reminder of what might¡¯ve been, but now never could be. She said nothing.

    A few other children had run over to look, their movements pushing the closet door into her so that she stumbled out from it and into view. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± a boy asked, hanging his weight upon the drawer to point at something shiny inside.

    ¡°Pretty!¡± another girl cried, snatching out a diamond ring. Alyssa¡¯s.

    Jubilee instinctively snatched the ring back, throwing both it and the photograph into the bottom of her suitcase.

    ¡°Is that your ring, Ai-yi?¡± the girl asked, undeterred, and knelt to fish curiously through Jubilee¡¯s clothes.

    ¡°No.¡± Jubilee¡¯s voice was hard, and she zipped her suitcase shut. ¡°It¡¯s my...my friend¡¯s.¡± She side-eyed Hellenos. Her view of him was dim.

    ¡°Then why do you have it?¡±

    She stiffened. ¡°I¡ªborrowed it.¡± Faintly, she sensed a line above her cracking.

    Kailin cocked her head at the suitcase then. ¡°Why are you packing, Ai-yi?¡± she asked slowly.

    Jubilee winced. No use hiding it any longer. Turning from the closet, she knelt to be at eye level with the children. ¡°Kids...listen up. Ai-yi has to leave for a little while.¡°

    The children¡¯s expressions sobered. Then, the onslaught of questions came.

    ¡°Leave?! Why?¡±

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°For how long?¡±

    She stood. ¡°Not forever,¡± she promised, choosing to ignore all but the last inquiry. ¡°I¡¯ll come back as soon as I can.¡± Hopefully. Ushering the children back towards the bags of gifts, she snatched one up. It was time to bring out the big guns. ¡°Look, I bought you toys, too!¡± Dumping out a stream of stuffed animals, she silently prayed that it would distract them from asking any further questions. Or crying.

    A few kids reached for the toys, but Kailin looked sullen. ¡°Why can¡¯t you stay?¡± she demanded.

    The dreaded W word again. Jubilee looked at her helplessly. ¡°Well, it¡¯s¡­¡± Classified wasn¡¯t a word Jubilee knew in Mandarin, but even if it was, she couldn¡¯t use it. ¡°It¡¯s...complicated, bao bei. But I¡¯ll be back as soon as...as soon as I¡¯m¡­done with some things.¡±

    Kailin put her arms on her hips. ¡°What things? When will you be done?¡±

    Jubilee hesitated. ¡°Good things,¡± she said at last. That was true, wasn¡¯t it? With more certainty, she added, ¡°To help other people. It might take...I don¡¯t know, a few months.¡±

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    Kailin¡¯s lip started to quiver. ¡°That¡¯s forever!¡± she wailed.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t,¡± Jubilee assured hastily, grabbing the biggest teddy bear from the pile and pushing it into Kailin¡¯s arms. ¡°Bao bei, look how soft Little Brother Bear is! Isn¡¯t he cute? Can you take care of him for me until I come back?¡±

    Kailin instinctively wrapped her arms around the bear even as she stamped her foot. ¡°I can¡¯t!¡± she wailed louder. ¡°If you take that long to come back, Little Brother Bear will grow old and die!¡±

    Jubilee might¡¯ve laughed at this absurd logic if not for her panic over the effect Kailin was having on the others. They¡¯d stopped picking through the toys and were looking anxiously from Jubilee to Kailin, whose eyes were welling up. Tears finally burst from her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go, Zhuli Ai-yi!¡± she blubbered. ¡°Don¡¯t leave us!¡±

    And just like that, all of the children¡ªlike a herd of coyotes responding to a single one¡¯s call¡ªbegan to cry. Their wails echoed out the open door and down the corridor.

    Oh no. ¡°Please, don¡¯t cry,¡± she implored the children in vain. Desperate, she turned to Hellenos, but he had grown so faint that she could barely see him.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Director Huang¡¯s voice cut through the small room like a knife.

    Jubilee jumped. ¡°Director,¡± she said weakly, turning to the woman outside the door. ¡°I¡ªer¡ªgot you something.¡± Awkwardly, she held out the tangerines and red bean cakes as the children continued to sob loudly around her, surrounded by a pile of candy and toys on the floor.

    The matron gave Jubilee a look that made her want to melt into the floor. Then, to the children, the older woman said, ¡°Time to play outside, little ones. Off you go.¡± She gestured to a petite caretaker behind her, who squeezed into the room and ushered the children out. Kailin, after much resistance, went with them, still crying.

    The room finally clear, Director Huang stepped inside and closed the door. ¡°I thought I told you not to come back here, Wong Xiao-jie,¡± she said harshly.

    Jubilee gaped. ¡°I came to move my things out. I¡ªI thought you were told¡ª¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t told anything,¡± the other woman snapped. ¡°Get your things and get out. I don¡¯t want to see you near the children again.¡±

    ¡°But¡ªthe police! They were supposed to have¡ª¡±

    ¡°The police are exactly who I will call if you are not gone in one minute.¡± With that, Director Huang swung open the door and waited for her to leave.

    Jubilee¡¯s hands tightened around the fruit and cake as she forced down tears. She¡¯d never handled getting yelled at well. But crying would just make her look guilty, and for once, she wasn¡¯t doing anything wrong. In fact, this was all happening because she¡¯d chosen to actually do something good¡ªto help that girl, Zhengyi Yang¡ªwithout the ulterior motive of trying to hide or run away, for a change. Was losing her ties to the orphanage the price to pay for following through on that? Fighting to keep her composure, Jubilee shoved the snacks back in the bag, grabbed her suitcase, and left.

    As she exited the building, she saw Kailin¡¯s face peering out at her from the fenced playground. Jubilee paused and lifted a hand to wave goodbye. An adult pulled the little girl away before she could.

    Jubilee¡¯s heart wrenched. She turned aside sadly and flagged down a cab.

    On the ride to her new apartment, she finally let herself cry.

    How could this have happened? She¡¯d watched Detective Law make the call to Officer Chang, requesting him to go and clear her name at the orphanage today. The policeman must¡¯ve not gotten to it yet. That was just her luck. She hated this feeling like she was in trouble, like she¡¯d done something wrong again. Why had she been brought to the orphanage in the first place if her time there was just going to end like this? She thought she¡¯d had a purpose at Honghua, after the way things had so providentially fallen into place in the U.S. to lead her there.

    Briefly, the memory of a middle-aged woman¡¯s face, framed by curly brown hair and soft, otherworldly light¡ªthe face Jubilee had awoken to at the scene of her car crash¡ªflitted through her mind. Mary. It was Mary who, after befriending Jubilee and supporting her through many months of recovery and rehabilitation, had persuaded her pastor husband to use his connections and give Jubilee a glowing referral to Honghua when she¡¯d asked for it. The two of them had even paid for her plane ticket to China.

    And then Jubilee had gone and blown it. She¡¯d lost her position at the orphanage, been blacklisted as a delinquent by Director Huang, and left Kailin and the other kids feeling abandoned. What would Mary think? To add insult to injury, the cab was currently taking Jubilee deeper and deeper into the smoggiest and most chaotic part of the city, where she¡¯d have to live from now on.

    Her sadness slowly turned to fury. This was all that detective¡¯s fault. If not for him, she might still have a comfortable job, in a comfortable location on the outskirts of the city, surrounded by children who loved her and didn¡¯t make her feel judged like everyone else did. But there was no way to go back to that, and it was all because of Graeson Law. So how was she supposed to just let that go and move on?

    Yet there really was no other option, was there? She couldn¡¯t go back to Honghua, and there was nothing she could do about what everyone there thought of her. Loathe though she was to admit it, Kailin would also be fine¡ªunlike that Zhengyi girl if someone didn¡¯t help her. And if Jubilee didn¡¯t, then who would? Working on the case was the best way to learn more about the girl and figure out how to free her. Wasn¡¯t that the reason and maybe even purpose for Jubilee¡¯s spiritual sight?

    As the cab pulled up to a curb, she scrubbed her eyes dry with a sigh. The fact was that she couldn¡¯t help Kailin anymore, but she could help that other girl, who probably needed it a whole lot more. Maybe that was why all this had happened¡ªbecause it was time to put her gift to work. And that¡¯s what Mary would want, Jubilee decided as she paid the cab fare. Perhaps her time at the orphanage was even meant to prepare her for this somehow. No matter what Director Huang and the others thought of her, it was time to focus on the new task at hand and start doing things right.

    With that decision, Hellenos flickered back into view. Jubilee nearly collided with him as she exited the vehicle.

    About time you came back, she thought, sidestepping him to grab her suitcase from the trunk.

    I could say the same, Hellenos quipped as the cab drove off.

    Jubilee took a deep breath to tell him how she didn¡¯t appreciate his waxing and waning based on her emotions, but fell into a coughing fit instead. The smog really was insufferable here. Talk about a major downgrade in location. Sighing, she turned to face her new home...and gaped.

    It wasn¡¯t the dingy, cramped apartment complex she was expecting¡ªit was a skyscraper of condos. A shiny, new-ish-looking skyscraper that took up the whole block. What in the world? She¡¯d get to live...here?

    Surprise, Hellenos said.

    ¡°Hello!¡± another voice said, also in English. ¡±You must be Julie Wong.¡±

    Startled, she turned to see an elderly Caucasian man. He was dressed in a white button-down shirt with a simple tie and slacks, his white hair casually but neatly combed. Around him radiated a gentle glow, not unlike Mary¡¯s. He smiled at Jubilee.

    She stared. ¡°How did you¡ªwho are you?¡±

    The man gave a slight bow. ¡°Wayne Quell, Law¡¯s personal assistant. He showed me your photo so that I¡¯d be prepared to receive you.¡±

    Jubilee continued to stare, flummoxed. Personal assistant?

    The older man continued, ¡°Law asked me to help you get moved in and make sure that you are as comfortable as possible before your first day of work.¡± Reaching out, he gently took the suitcase from her hands. ¡°Do you have any additional luggage?¡± he asked kindly.

    Self-conscious, she shook her head.

    His smile was warm. ¡°No need to worry. Your apartment is already fully furnished. I picked out some of the decor myself, in fact. Now, if you¡¯ll come with me...¡± He turned, motioning her to follow. Jubilee complied, following him through a set of revolving doors into the building.

    Her feet stepped onto a thick, plush carpet, and she froze in her tracks. A large, lavish lobby spread before her. In the center, a faux courtyard with a marble water fountain glittered, lit up by a brilliant crystal chandelier hanging from high above. Hellenos gave a low whistle beside her.

    ¡°Miss Wong?¡± Wayne¡¯s voice jolted her back to attention. He pressed a business card and a plastic card into her hands. ¡°My card, in case you ever need anything¡ªI live close by¡ªand your key card. Your room is the penthouse on the top floor.¡± At her stunned expression, his eyes twinkled. ¡°Fortunately, the elevator is quite fast. Shall we?¡± He led the way to the elevators. Jubilee gave the lobby one last look before trailing after him, dazed.

    Maybe this job wouldn¡¯t be so bad after all.

 Chapter 11

    A week later, Jubilee hunkered over a desk in the corner of Detective Law¡¯s office, only thirty minutes after she¡¯d gotten out of an Introduction to Criminal Investigation class with Zhengyi Yang. The spring semester had just started at Peking University, and Jubilee hadn¡¯t yet interacted directly with the girl, only discreetly observed her from afar. They were still in, as Detective Law called it, the surveillance phase, which was why Jubilee now sat in front of a giant-screened computer, staring glassy-eyed at public surveillance footage of Zhengyi. The monitor had been playing clips non-stop since Jubilee had gotten there, just as it had every day this week. Yet she had made zero progress on learning anything of significance that might help free the young woman.

    On Jubilee¡¯s right, Hellenos stood sentry as usual but offered absolutely no feedback. On her left was the detective, staring over her shoulder at the screen and asking the same question every five minutes¡ª

    ¡°What do you see?¡± he prompted.

    Jubilee¡¯s jaw clenched. It was probably the hundredth time he¡¯d asked her that this week. He¡¯d been speaking in Mandarin the entire time, too¡ªfor total language immersion, as he put it.

    ¡°What I¡¯ve been seeing,¡± she said, also in Mandarin. ¡°Zhengyi and the demon, walking.¡± She didn¡¯t even know what she should be looking for. Some kind of weapon? A drug transaction, maybe? But there was none. All she saw was Zhengyi walking from school to her apartment to the club in the evening before repeating the cycle all over again the next day. A dark haze still clung to the girl, presumably an indicator of her poor spiritual state, and the demon strolled alongside her in every clip¡ªwhich, while disturbing to Jubilee at first, now bored her to tears. She couldn¡¯t see what connection the girl had to the demon or what role she might play in the mysterious suicides, if any.

    Jubilee¡¯s head swiveled to the detective. ¡°Could you give me some¡ª¡± She made a shooing motion as she struggled to think of the right word in Chinese. ¡°Some...space?¡± If she did figure anything out, she wouldn¡¯t just automatically tell him. Who knew what he might do with any information she gave him? The last time she¡¯d revealed something to him, he¡¯d blackmailed her into working for him. She¡¯d think more carefully about disclosure from now on.

    ¡°It¡¯d be more contextually correct for you to say, ¡®Stand a little further from me,¡¯¡± the detective corrected, much to her irritation. Nevertheless, he took an obliging step backward, but only by half a foot. ¡°What conclusions have you drawn so far?¡± he continued. At least, that¡¯s what she thought he said.

    Rubbing her temples, Jubilee switched to English. ¡°She¡¯s a social butterfly who likes to party and occasionally meet up with guys.¡± Which reminded her of her own college years. Ignoring the knot in the pit of her stomach that this brought up, she added, ¡°But that¡¯s normal for her age.¡±

    ¡°Not for the majority of Chinese students,¡± the detective noted, still in Mandarin.

    Jubilee shrugged. ¡°There are people who party in every culture,¡± she said, again in English. Briefly, she wondered if she was making excuses for Zhengyi or for herself.

    He gave her an inscrutable look. ¡°True.¡± He switched to English. ¡°Are you going to practice the language you¡¯re supposed to pull off being advanced in, or...?¡± Then he switched back to Mandarin, continuing on in a string of words that sounded like case details but which she couldn¡¯t comprehend.

    Jubilee pursed her lips. She didn¡¯t have time for this nonsense. She needed to learn more about this girl and figure out exactly what connected her to the demon, without this man breathing down her neck and getting on to her for her inadequate Chinese every other sentence.

    ¡°Look,¡± Jubilee interrupted, flushing. ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t know half of what you just said. Can we just...stick to English for now when it comes to discussing the case, so I don¡¯t miss anything important?¡±

    He made an expression that looked like what teachers reserved for particularly slow students.

    She glowered. ¡°It¡¯ll be less taxing on my ability.¡± It was true, even if it was an excuse. The anxiety caused by his proximity¡ªand her ire at his constant prodding¡ªhad made her vision flicker more than once.

    ¡°Very well,¡± he said in English after a moment, then indicated the screen again with a nod of his head. ¡°Better?¡±

    Annoyed, she snapped, ¡°No. You¡¯re still too close.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not even looking at the footage.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been looking at it for five days!¡± She turned back to the monitor. ¡°There hasn¡¯t been a single change in¡ª¡±

    The words died in her throat as the demon suddenly disappeared from the screen. What?

    ¡°What is it?¡± the detective pressed, leaning forward.

    Ignoring him, Jubilee reached forward to stop and rewind the footage. She watched with perplexity as, again, the demon vanished from Zhengyi¡¯s side. The girl didn¡¯t seem to notice any difference¡ªaside from what looked to be a slight, almost imperceptible nod just before the demon departed.

    A chill shook Jubilee. She hoped that that nod had just been her imagination.

    ¡°What do you see?¡± the detective asked. Again.

    Jubilee almost snapped at him but managed to restrain herself, schooling her features into a neutral expression. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Give me some time to concentrate, and...¡± She switched to Mandarin and added coolly, ¡°Stand a little further from me.¡±

    He measured her with an unreadable look. ¡°Very well,¡± he said again and withdrew to his desk, where he promptly turned his attention to his own computer.

    Jubilee turned back to the screen with a deep exhale. Replaying the footage, she watched as, once more, Zhengyi walked home from the club a week before. Again, the demon at her side vanished after two blocks...immediately following a slight dip of her head.

    Jubilee¡¯s heart began to pound. Surely it was just a coincidence. The girl could¡¯ve been nodding at anything¡ªher own thoughts, a passerby in the street, a crack in the sidewalk. It was nothing to jump to conclusions on, and certainly not enough to suggest that Zhengyi was actually aware of the demon. Right?

    Unbidden, Jubilee remembered yet another disturbing coincidence¡ªthe day of her first meeting with Zhengyi, when the other girl had muttered something under her breath that may or may not have been a response to the demon.

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    Jubilee passed a hand over her eyes. How many more of these ¡°coincidences¡± was she going to find? She hoped the answer was none. If this girl turned out to be willingly involved with the demon¡ªand even, God forbid, cooperating in or guilty of the crimes Detective Law suspected her of¡ªthen what was Jubilee even doing all this for? It wouldn¡¯t be to free the girl from a demon that was harassing her. Because they might actually be working together.

    The knot in her stomach twisted. No. That was too crazy. What were the odds of someone other than Jubilee being able to see demons? There must be some other explanation. She replayed the scene again, over and over, searching for something she¡¯d missed. Why did the demon disappear when it did? What had changed? Beside Jubilee, Hellenos remained as silent and unhelpful as a statue. She sighed and cradled her head in her hands. It was starting to hurt.

    ¡°No luck?¡± Detective Law¡¯s voice inquired amid the sounds of his ceaseless typing.

    She shook her head.

    ¡°You should eat something.¡± He pressed a button on his desk phone before switching to Mandarin. ¡°Officer Liang? Please come to my office.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Law Xian-sheng!¡± a woman¡¯s voice responded through the speaker.

    Moments later, a female police officer appeared at the door. ¡°Detective,¡± she greeted with an enthusiastic salute.

    Jubilee eyed the other woman warily. She looked to be in her early thirties, maybe younger. A baby blue aura hovered over her, and the air around her seemed to bubble with excitement.

    ¡°Officer,¡± Detective Law said, gesturing to Jubilee without bothering to turn from his computer, ¡°This is Wong Xiao-jie, whom I told you about. Please see to it that she gets an adequate lunch.¡±

    ¡°Sir!¡± The policewoman bowed even though he wasn¡¯t looking at her, then hurried to Jubilee¡¯s side. ¡°Ni hao! I am Officer Liang Mifei.¡± The woman gave Jubilee a friendly smile. ¡°I¡¯m new, just like you! You can call me Liang Jie¡ªbig sis. I¡¯ve been assigned to assist you, so let me know if there¡¯s ever anything I can do to help you.¡± She pulled out her phone, scrolling through it as she babbled on, ¡°So! What do you prefer? Spicy food? Barbecue? Noodles?¡± She flipped the screen to face Jubilee. ¡°There¡¯s plenty nearby! Choose whatever you want, and I¡¯ll go pick it up for you.¡±

    ¡°Er...¡± Jubilee¡¯s brain raced to keep up. The woman¡¯s Mandarin was simple enough to understand, even if she did talk like a whirlwind. But... ¡°Assist me? That¡¯s¡ªnot necessary. You don¡¯t have to buy me lunch, I can just¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh I won¡¯t, don¡¯t worry,¡± Officer Liang waved off her protest. ¡°It¡¯s all reimbursed. So don¡¯t hold back.¡± She grinned and leaned forward to whisper, ¡°Turns out the famous Graeson Law is both a genius and generous. You must be very excited to get to work directly with him.¡±

    The famous...what? Jubilee stared blankly at the other woman, whose attention had returned to her phone.

    ¡°I know, having so many options is overwhelming,¡± the officer said as she scrolled. ¡°Why don¡¯t I just get you a little of everything so you can see what you like? That way, you can have leftovers to take home!¡± She paused in her rapid clicking to look up. ¡°Any special requests?¡±

    Jubilee shook her head.

    ¡°OK! I¡¯ll be back in twenty minutes.¡± Officer Liang swept out of the room.

    Jubilee turned to the detective, who was still typing, and switched back to English. ¡°What is she supposed to assist me with?¡±

    He didn¡¯t turn to her. ¡°Anything and everything work-related,¡± he responded, also in English. ¡°Practical errands and such. Personally, I find it helpful for work performance when I can outsource smaller tasks. So, you get the same luxury.¡±

    Jubilee mulled this over. That seemed...almost considerate. What was the catch?

    ¡°Also,¡± the detective continued, ¡°She will act as extra security and escort you to and from your apartment.¡±

    So she was a watchdog. Jubilee opened her mouth to protest when Detective Law stopped his typing and swiveled to face her.

    ¡°Speaking of which, is it to your liking?¡± he asked.

    She stopped. ¡°Is what?¡±

    ¡°Your new apartment.¡±

    She hesitated. It was better than anything she¡¯d ever imagined living in during the course of her lifetime. The place was five stars¡ªhuge yet fully furnished to be homey and welcoming. It even had air filters. ¡°It¡¯s nice,¡± she admitted grudgingly.

    ¡°If you ever need something repaired or altered to suit your taste, please let Wayne know,¡± he said, then swiveled back to his computer.

    Her eyebrows rose. For someone who¡¯d gotten her arrested and almost deported, he was unexpectedly accommodating. Was it because he felt bad for what he¡¯d done? ¡°Alright,¡± she said slowly, before forcing herself to add, ¡°Thank you, by the way.¡± He didn¡¯t respond immediately, so she clarified, ¡°For the apartment. And lunch. You didn¡¯t have to go to such expense for me.¡±

    ¡°There is no need to thank me,¡± Detective Law said. ¡°Your wellbeing and comfort seem to directly affect your ability and are therefore paramount to this case. As such, I simply see them as professional priorities.¡±

    Ah. So that was why.

    ¡°Also, Miss Wong...I expect an emailed progress report by the end of this week and every week thereafter.¡±

    She frowned. ¡°Why can¡¯t I just take notes for myself and then let you know when I figure out a clue?¡±

    ¡°With all due respect, Miss Wong, that is an overly optimistic estimation of your deductive reasoning skills.¡±

    She blinked, affronted. ¡°You don¡¯t know that.¡±

    ¡°Have you managed to deduce anything case-related in the five days since you began working?¡±

    Possibly, but she wasn¡¯t telling him that. ¡°No¡ªbut I¡¯m still new to this.¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡± His tone was matter-of-fact.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I have much to go on so far!¡± she protested, gesturing at her screen even though he wasn¡¯t looking. ¡°Who would¡¯ve figured out something just from this?¡±

    ¡°I would have.¡±

    ¡°Yeah? Then why don¡¯t you?¡±

    The detective finally glanced over his shoulder to pierce her with a look. ¡°Because you haven¡¯t told me everything you¡¯ve seen.¡±

    Her mouth snapped shut.

    ¡°I cannot train you in developing your deduction skills if you refuse to give me anything to go on,¡± he said with a shrug and returned his attention to his screen.

    She considered his back for a long moment. ¡°Tell me something,¡± she said at last. ¡°What will happen to this girl if we do find evidence tying her to the deaths?¡±

    ¡°It all depends on her level of involvement,¡± he answered without looking back. ¡°But the judicial system in this country can be quite stringent and, as you may already know, capital punishment is allowed here. It is a common sentence for those convicted of murder.¡±

    Jubilee went cold. ¡°You mean the death sentence? But¡ªsurely she wouldn¡¯t get that. She¡¯s so young.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s nineteen,¡± he pointed out. ¡°She would be charged as an adult.¡±

    Nineteen. That was the age Jubilee had started stealing. ¡°But we don¡¯t know that she¡¯ll be convicted of that.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± the detective agreed. ¡°Though neither do we know that she won¡¯t be.¡± He glanced over his shoulder at her again. ¡°I strongly suggest that you remain unbiased, Miss Wong. Otherwise, you won¡¯t be able to see things objectively. ¡±

    Jubilee¡¯s hands balled into fists, and she turned to the window. Outside, the bare branches of a cherry tree shook against the wind, its closed buds trembling with agitation.

    Detective Law may have been the more objective one, but he also seemed to care more about solving the case than he did about the wellbeing of any people involved¡ªJubilee included. She was just a tool to him, and Zhengyi just some miscreant to nab.

    ¡°Understood,¡± Jubilee said coolly, turning back to her computer. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know when I have something definitive to share.¡± And that won¡¯t automatically land this girl with a death sentence. Because until Jubilee figured out more about what was going on, it wasn¡¯t clear yet whether or not Zhengyi actually deserved that. Even if she were somehow involved with the deaths, it might not be knowingly or willingly.

    Then again, it could be.

    Jubilee shivered. If that were the case, then it would change things. She¡¯d have to rethink her whole purpose behind doing all this. But the reality was that kids often did dumb things without fully understanding what they were getting themselves into. She knew that better than anyone. And this girl was still just a kid, no matter what the legal age was. Nineteen was too young for someone to have to die over making a stupid mistake.

    Especially, Jubilee thought, her eyes squeezing shut to force down memories, Without getting the chance to make amends.

    So, for now, she would keep digging. Until she was sure.

 Chapter 12

    Jubilee strode past a line of flowering cherry trees on the sidewalk, their blossoms scenting the evening air. She spared the open blooms above her a glance before ducking into a mall with Detective Law, some paces behind Zhengyi Yang and the demon. There was no time to appreciate nature''s beauty.

    It was a Friday in early April, and Law had scheduled a stakeout for that evening. Jubilee had spent the past six weeks acclimating herself to school and building a tentative acquaintanceship with Zhengyi while Law wrapped up another case he''d been working on. Now it was time to get back to business.

    Nothing of note had ever occurred during class, where the demon was always by Zhengyi¡¯s side, though sometimes just a blur to Jubilee¡¯s vision. Tonight would be her chance to observe the girl in another environment and determine whether or not she was willingly interaccting with the demon. But how was Jubilee supposed to do that¡ªwithout the possibility of wrongfully incriminating Zhengyi to the detective¡ªif he was just going to follow them both everywhere?

    Her thoughts screeched to a halt as she ran into his back. He''d stopped at a long line in front of a tea stand. Across the way, Zhengyi was seating herself inside a small noodle shop.

    "Let''s stop here for a moment," the detective said in Mandarin, then added pointedly, "To see what else is around. Oolong for you?"

    Jubilee hesitated, then nodded. He must''ve noticed the tea she often poured for herself at his office. As they slowly shuffled forward in line, she turned to discreetly observe the young woman.

    Zhengyi sat by herself at a table by the entrance, waiting for her order as the demon loomed over her from the side. Jubilee squinted. The creature appeared to be talking¡ªwhich wasn''t necessarily unusual. Jubilee had seen demons whispering into the ears of unwitting humans before, even touching them as they passed¡­though she''d always tried her best not to notice. Zhengyi, for her part, gave no indication of hearing anything. Her bowl of noodles soon arrived, and she began to wolf it down, her expression calm though her actions were hurried.

    Reaching the front of the line, Law ordered tea for them both. "Well?" he said, handing Jubilee her cup of oolong. "What do you see?"

    "You keep asking me that, and I keep telling you the same thing¡ªI''ll let you know when I see something worth sharing." Accepting the tea with a nod of thanks, Jubilee added dryly, "Is tailing someone always this exciting? All I see is Zhengyi eating noodles."

    The detective''s brow furrowed. "Is your ability not working?"

    Jubilee corrected herself. "Okay, Zhengyi eating noodles with a demon. But that''s it."

    "That''s considerably more eventful than ninety percent of most stakeouts," Law said. "You didn''t think your first one would be something out of a spy movie, did you?"

    Jubilee sighed and sipped her tea. They''d been following Zhengyi from a distance for several hours already, since the end of her final class. The girl had gone from campus back to her apartment, and Jubilee and Detective Law had waited outside before she''d finally emerged again, her backpack replaced with a large handbag. After that, the girl had made her way here for dinner. The entire time, she''d done nothing to suggest any awareness of the demon, at least that Jubilee could discern.

    She decided to say as much. "You know, so far, there''s been no evidence to prove that she''s guilty of anything." Which was a relief if Jubilee were honest.

    "There''s been no evidence to prove that she is innocent, either," the detective replied smoothly, drinking his Earl Grey.

    He was right, which frustrated Jubilee. She was no closer to finding any information she felt ready to share with him.

    Maybe because you''re unwilling to share what you already have, Hellenos piped up from beside her.

    Jubilee flinched with irritation. It was the most he''d said in weeks, and she''d nearly forgotten he was there.

    ¡°She¡¯s moving,¡± Law said. ¡°Don¡¯t stare. You¡¯re being conspicuous.¡±

    Jubilee flashed him a look. ¡°This coming from the guy who¡¯s wearing sunglasses indoors?¡±

    He raised a finger to indicate the fluorescent bulbs overhead. ¡°It¡¯s very bright in here.¡±

    She turned away, suddenly feeling like a jerk. Maybe he wasn¡¯t being weird but really was that light-sensitive because of his albinism.

    ¡°She¡¯s heading to the restrooms,¡± he continued.

    Jubilee looked up. ¡°Should I follow her?¡±

    ¡°No. She would recognize you, and that could raise her suspicions. Hang back for now and wait.¡±

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    Jubilee sighed again. It made sense, but it seemed like there was a whole lot of waiting in this job. She found a bench with a view of the restrooms and sat, drinking her tea. Hellenos grinned and settled in beside her. Detective Law remained standing, sober-faced.

    Fifteen minutes later, Zhengyi finally emerged...and Jubilee nearly dropped her tea. The girl was dressed in an entirely different outfit¡ªa tight red dress paired with black, strappy high heels¡ªand makeup had been applied heavily to her face. Jubilee fought a sense of deja vu. She used to use public bathrooms to get dolled up in too, after Alyssa had grown increasingly concerned over her roommate¡¯s overly-frequent visits to the club. That was clearly where Zhengyi was headed now.

    They were more alike than she cared to admit.

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Law said, snapping Jubilee out of her reverie. ¡°Let¡¯s move.¡± He took quick steps after the girl as she made her way to the mall exit, the demon trailing after her.

    Jubilee swallowed her unease. Clubbing wasn¡¯t a crime. It didn¡¯t prove anything against either Zhengyi or herself. She hurried to follow Law out of the mall.

    Half a dozen blocks later, she, Hellenos, and the detective stood across the street from a bolstering nightclub.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to make us go in there, are you?¡± she asked.

    Crowds of young men and women, dressed in sleek suits and glitzy dresses, lined the street by the club¡¯s entrance. Some laughed flirtatiously with one another; others argued loudly as they waited their turn to pass the door bouncers. The tumble of their different auras assaulted Jubilee even from across the street, giving her a headache.

    Detective Law didn¡¯t spare her a glance. ¡°Hardly. I would obviously stand out, even if both of us didn¡¯t fall woefully short of the dress code. We¡¯ll observe as much as we can from out here.¡± He gestured discreetly at where Zhengyi was standing in line. ¡°Do you still see the demon with her?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Jubilee hid her relief at his directive. She didn¡¯t want to get swallowed up by that sea of madness, and she¡¯d had enough of the party scene for one lifetime. ¡°Nothing worth noting,¡± she added. ¡°They¡¯re just standing and waiting.¡±

    ¡°Do you see anything different about her?¡±

    ¡°Different?¡± Jubilee¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°What do you mean? Besides being all made up, she looks the same. And she¡¯s still got the same haze over her as befo¡ª¡± She stopped short and blinked. Had Zhengyi¡¯s aura always been that dark? Bits of the blackness shrouding her looked fuzzier and more opaque than usual, like paint that hadn¡¯t been spread properly. Jubilee rubbed her eyes and squinted. No, it had never been this dark before. Was that an indication of something happening in the spirit or her ability malfunctioning?

    Stop squinting, Hellenos said. It¡¯s not your physical eyes that see it, so you¡¯re just giving yourself wrinkles.

    You¡¯re being really mouthy today, she thought. How about telling me what¡¯s going on here then?

    ¡°Well?¡± Law prompted.

    Jubilee waited for Hellenos to answer, but he didn¡¯t. Figured. ¡°I was just saying that I still see the dark haze around her,¡± Jubilee said. ¡°Other than that....I¡¯m not sure. It¡¯s kind of hard to see.¡±

    Law gave her a scrutinizing look, then went back to observing the scene across the street. ¡°See that man near the front of the line?¡± he said after a minute. ¡°The one in a navy blue dress suit, talking with several other men?¡±

    Jubilee looked. The man in question had a light mustache, and his aura was as smoggy as the city air. ¡°What about him?¡± she asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s Liu Xiaozheng. He¡¯s the CEO of a major business dealing in corporate real estate and owns several malls. Bit of a powerful figure in the business world. And reportedly a womanizer.¡± He nodded towards the group of men. ¡°The man on his left is Fong Yu, the owner of China Capital Airlines, and on his right is Huang Jingshan, whose family manages a chain of top-tier hospitals both in Beijing and overseas.¡±

    Jubilee waited for the detective to say more, but he didn¡¯t. ¡°Yeah?¡± she finally said. ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°It is good to make observations of the suspect¡¯s surroundings,¡± Law said. ¡°Remember, Zhengyi is likely to be taking orders from someone. Perhaps even someone in this crowd.¡± He indicated the men across the street again with a tilt of his head. ¡°What can you see about them using your ability?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve all got kind of a greasy, muddy-looking aura,¡± Jubilee answered. ¡°But that¡¯s not much different from a lot of other city businessmen I¡¯ve seen, so that in itself isn¡¯t particularly noteworthy.¡± The mustached man¡ªLiu something or other¡ªadvanced further in the line, and she observed him more carefully. Was his aura also getting darker, or was her vision still acting up? Resisting the urge to squint, she closed her eyes for a few seconds, then looked again. Whereas the other two men¡¯s auras remained unchanged, the brownish haze surrounding the mustached man seemed to clot up in places, like dirt turning into mud. Her brow furrowed. She glanced back at Zhengyi. It was too subtle to be absolutely sure, but it looked as though the auras of those two might be doing the same thing. Was it possible they were connected, somehow?

    The thought dissipated as the man disappeared into the club and Jubilee lost sight of him. Moments later, Zhengyi and the demon entered too, vanishing into a dark interior lit only by sporadic flashes of strobe lights. The sight triggered a sudden, unwanted memory¡ªof deep bass music thumping through Jubilee¡¯s veins, strangers sidling up close to her in the dark as she danced, and alcohol on their breaths and on hers. Jubilee shoved the memory down deep and looked away. She suddenly wanted to go home.

    Turning, she found the detective observing her carefully. ¡°Well, nothing else to report,¡± she told him. ¡°Are we done here?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he returned, his gaze unblinking. ¡°Don¡¯t you know the definition of a stakeout?¡±

    She stared at him. ¡°But who knows how long she¡¯ll be in there? Don¡¯t know if you¡¯re aware, but people sometimes party until four AM or later.¡± She checked her phone and held it up to his face. ¡°And it¡¯s not even ten yet.¡±

    The detective¡¯s face remained expressionless. ¡°A great deal of this job is being patient. Which is something you¡¯ll need to learn.¡±

    Hellenos, to Jubilee¡¯s great annoyance, chuckled at that.

    ¡°How are we going to stay awake that long?¡± she asked. She¡¯d gotten used to lights out by eleven and waking up by six at the orphanage.

    The detective raised his cup of Earl Grey. ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re drinking tea.¡± He took a sip and then indicated the establishment next to them. It was an internet cafe. ¡°We¡¯ll wait in there. I know the manager.¡±

    He strode over to the entrance, and Jubilee, after a moment, reluctantly followed him in. This was going to be a long night.

 Chapter 13

    Sometime later, a tap on Jubilee¡¯s shoulder woke her as she was nodding off.

    ¡°It¡¯s barely been two hours.¡± The detective¡¯s voice was stern. ¡°I¡¯m not paying you to sleep.¡±

    She buried her face into her arms against the cool countertop of the computer station they sat at. She was too tired to process anything. Around them, the soft click-click-clicks of a dozen other patrons¡¯ keyboards sounded. ¡°It¡¯s past my bedtime,¡± she mumbled into her sleeve. ¡°Just wake me when there¡¯s something worth seeing.¡±

    ¡°There is.¡±

    Blearily, she raised her head. ¡°Zhengyi came out already?¡±

    ¡°No, but that doesn¡¯t mean there aren¡¯t still things to observe. You never know what you might see. You¡¯re still in field training, after all.¡±

    Jubilee gave the detective a halfhearted glare and sat up, training her eyes across the street. People were still filtering in and out of the nightclub, some loitering along the sidewalk to smoke and chat. A rainbow of different auras filled the air like a faint mist, and glimmers of various entities flitted between different people.

    Jubilee yawned.

    ¡°Do you want a coffee?¡± the detective asked.

    She perked up at that.

    ¡°You stay here and keep observing,¡± he instructed. ¡°I will go and acquire sustenance for you. What is it you are in the mood for?¡±

    She eyed him warily. His large gray eyes stared back at her, and the thin black line over his head wavered a little but did not break. He was sincere, even if his main motive was to placate her and coax out her ability.

    Well. She¡¯d take that.

    ¡°A caramel macchiato and steamed pork buns,¡± she answered honestly. Neither of those things were available at the internet bar, unfortunately.

    He looked at her a long moment, then nodded and stood. ¡°I will return shortly. Keep watching the club entrance for Zhengyi¡¯s exit.¡± With that, he walked away.

    Jubilee let out a deep breath and faced forward again to observe the club as she slumped in her seat. She was exhausted, cranky, and confused. Vaguely, she remembered seeing something strange in the spirit earlier. Auras getting darker or whatnot. Did it mean anything? And if so, what?

    Beside her, Hellenos settled into Law¡¯s vacated seat. Tired? he inquired after a few minutes.

    ¡°You know I am,¡± she muttered. ¡°So why bother asking?¡±

    The angel shrugged. Just making conversation. I hear that sometimes helps when humans are in a mood.

    She sighed, resting her chin on her arms. ¡°I thought it¡¯d be easier to figure out whether that girl¡¯s willingly involved with the demon or not if I could just watch her more outside of class. But I haven¡¯t been able to make any sense of what I¡¯m seeing.¡± She lay her head down to look sideways at Hellenos. ¡°Do you think my sight¡¯s just fizzling out and being weird?¡±

    I think you second-guess yourself too much. Eyes front.

    Jubilee groaned and lifted her head. She really needed that coffee. Who knew how much longer she¡¯d have to wait until¡ª

    Zhengyi walked out of the club.

    Jubilee sat bolt upright. The demon was no longer with the girl. And the haze around her...was back to normal. Or, at least, as normal as the disturbing black mass could be. No longer was it darkly clotted in some places, but instead, it was uniform all throughout. In fact, it seemed a little less dark than before.

    Jubilee¡¯s brows knit together. So...she had imagined what she saw earlier? Or did this mean something else?

    The girl walked down the sidewalk, her shoulders drooping with weariness but her steps lighter somehow. She glanced around herself, and Jubilee could see that her countenance looked somewhat uplifted, as though a great burden had been taken off her shoulders. Perhaps she was simply looking forward to her bed.

    You and me both, Jubilee thought, before another possibility struck her. Could it be because the demon was no longer with the girl? And she knows it?

    Jubilee stood abruptly, ready to go after the girl, then stopped. Law was expecting her to be here when he got back. And if Zhengyi caught Jubilee tailing her, he would undoubtedly be none too pleased. Jubilee dithered for a moment, then sat back down. She didn¡¯t want to miss those pork buns, after all.

    In the meantime, she¡¯d try puzzling out the meaning of what she¡¯d just seen.

    ¡°Hey, Hellenos,¡± she murmured. ¡°Help me out here. Surely you have some idea of why that demon keeps disappearing and coming back.¡±

    It is the privilege of God to conceal a matter, and the honor of kings to seek it out, the angel intoned cryptically.

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    ¡°That''s from the Bible,¡± she snapped under her breath. ¡°I don''t need you to be a walking talking Bible. I already have one in print.¡±

    Then maybe you should open it once in a while.

    The reproach sparked a tiny zing of conviction in Jubilee, which she didn¡¯t entirely like. ¡°Why must you be so unhelpful?¡± she snapped. ¡°Can¡¯t you at least give me a hint?¡±

    Hellenos waved a hand. I just did. And you already have a more than capable human whom you can ask for help.

    ¡°Who?¡± she asked before realizing the answer. ¡°Law? You know why I can¡¯t tell him yet. What if he somehow takes it as evidence against her, and she gets the death sentence, but it¡¯s all just a misunderstanding, and she¡¯s innocent? Or she¡¯s being forced to do something against her will? I mean, even with that demon disappearing again just now, she looked¡ª¡± Jubilee pondered a moment for the right word. ¡°Relieved.¡±

    ¡°Did she, now,¡± Detective Law¡¯s voice said evenly from behind her.

    Jubilee spun around in her seat. The detective stood a few feet away, hands in his pockets.

    ¡°How long have you been standing there?¡± she demanded.

    ¡°A while,¡± he answered, completely unabashed. ¡°Long enough to know that not only have you seen the demon apparently vanish, but that this isn¡¯t the first time you¡¯ve seen it happen.¡±

    She blanched.

    ¡°And,¡± he continued, striding forward to retake his seat, which Hellenos had risen out of with an amused look, ¡°To know that you either have schizophrenia, or a habit of speaking to invisible beings whose voices only you can hear in your head.¡±

    Jubilee¡¯s cheeks heated. She hated being caught talking to thin air. It¡¯d happened frequently while she was still in the US, especially during her recovery at the hospital. The doctors had recommended her a shrink upon her release. ¡°So you were eavesdropping,¡± she ground out.

    He shrugged. ¡°I prefer to call it observing.¡±

    ¡°You said you were getting me coffee and pork buns,¡± she accused, both to change the subject and because she really had been looking forward to those things.

    ¡°I was, technically,¡± he said. ¡°I called for delivery. It should be here any minute.¡±

    She stared at him, outraged. So that was what the wavering line over his head had meant earlier. He¡¯d planned to observe her unawares. Not only that, but he¡¯d figured out how to bypass her lie radar.

    ¡°So, Miss Wong.¡± The detective settled back in his chair, ignoring her incensed look. ¡°Care to share what you¡¯ve really seen so far?¡±

    Jubilee hesitated, biting her lip. She could no longer hide the fact that she¡¯d seen something significant. But she didn¡¯t take too kindly to the fact that Law had deliberately spied on her to wheedle out this information. She stayed silent.

    The detective exhaled deeply. ¡°Let¡¯s try another question, then. Who is it you were talking to? I take it that it was a spiritual entity of some sort.¡±

    She looked at him in surprise. It hadn¡¯t occurred to her that he wouldn¡¯t automatically think she was crazy. Over the detective¡¯s head, Hellenos beamed at the acknowledgment.

    ¡°Yes,¡± she said, eyeing Hellenos uncertainly. ¡°My guardian angel.¡±

    Detective Law didn¡¯t so much as blink at that. ¡°And what did he say to you?¡±

    It felt bizarre to discuss this out loud so blatantly. But then, if Law could accept talk about demons, why not angels too? It¡¯d be nice not to have to hide it for once. And it¡¯d give her time to stall before deciding what to tell him about Zhengyi. ¡°Not much,¡± she admitted at last. ¡°Mostly he was just being annoying.¡±

    Thanks, Hellenos said.

    The detective¡¯s eyebrows lifted ever so slightly. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect such a descriptor to be applied to an angel.¡±

    ¡°You have no idea,¡± Jubilee said.

    I¡¯m right here, you know.

    ¡°Humor me,¡± the detective said, his expression returning to its usual neutral state. ¡°What could a divine being say that would be so riling?¡±

    This was definitely the weirdest conversation she¡¯d ever had, but the fact that he didn¡¯t seem to be judging her was a nice change of pace. ¡°I asked him for a clue on the case,¡± she said, waving a hand in Hellenos¡¯ direction, ¡°And he just told me to read my Bible.¡±

    ¡°Interesting,¡± the detective mused, looking thoughtful.

    At that moment, Wayne Quell came through the door, carrying a tray of drinks and two plastic bags. He came their way with a jolly wave.

    ¡°You ordered delivery?¡± He deposited the tray in front of them, then opened the bags and pulled out a carton of java chip ice cream and a box of freshly steamed pork buns, which he set in front of the detective and Jubilee, respectively.

    ¡°Mr. Quell!¡± Jubilee gaped at him, then turned to the detective. ¡°You made him go get the food? At this hour? That¡¯s¡ª¡±

    ¡°Please, call me Wayne, my dear,¡± the old man interrupted. ¡°And it was no bother at all. I¡¯ve gotten used to late hours, and I am too old for bedtimes.¡± He winked.

    ¡°Much appreciated, Wayne,¡± Law said, taking one drink¡ªEarl Grey, no doubt¡ªand handing the other to Jubilee, who looked helplessly between both men before accepting it. ¡°One more thing, before you are dismissed for the night.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Law?¡± Wayne¡¯s tone was affectionate despite addressing the detective by his surname.

    ¡°Bring your Bible to me, if you¡¯d please.¡±

    Jubilee, who¡¯d bitten into a pork bun, almost choked.

    Wayne looked similarly stunned. ¡°Say again?¡±

    ¡°I asked you to bring me your Bible, Wayne,¡± Law said, looking a little miffed at having to repeat himself. ¡°I presume it¡¯s in the car since you always have it with you.¡± He turned to Jubilee. ¡°Why are you surprised? You¡¯re the one it was suggested to. Given the circumstances, it is a logical resource for us to use.¡± Seeing that Wayne still hadn¡¯t moved, he addressed the old man again. ¡°Well? Do you have it with you?¡±

    Wayne nodded slowly.

    ¡°Then your years of pestering me to read it have finally paid off. Please bring it to me.¡±

    The older man, quickly regaining his composure, gave a little bow and left. Moments later he returned, a thick and weathered volume between his fingers. He handed it to Law, who immediately flipped it open and began poring through its pages.

    ¡°That will be all, ¡± the detective said, dismissing his assistant with a wave of his hand. Then he paused and looked up. ¡°Thank you, as always, for looking out for me,¡± he added, indicating the ice cream and tea. The older gentleman bowed again and, with an approving smile at Jubilee, left.

    Jubilee, still processing this turn of events, watched as Law proceeded to flip rapidly from one page to the next. Briefly, she wondered if he might be mocking her. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± she demanded.

    ¡°I should think that would be obvious,¡± he said, not bothering to look up. ¡°I am conducting research.¡±

    At that, Hellenos let out great peals of laughter. The angelic sound was audible only to Jubilee¡¯s ears, but all around the room patrons¡¯ shoulders lost some of their tension, and a few of them even smiled absently. Jubilee found her own mood lightening somewhat, despite her vexation. ¡°Okay, so am I done for the night?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Certainly not,¡± the detective said. ¡°You¡¯re going to help me.¡±

    She looked incredulous. ¡°You don¡¯t seriously expect us to pull an all-nighter for Bible study.¡±

    ¡°Why not? Shame to let all this caffeine go to waste, and you did clock in later than usual today.¡± He flipped a page serenely. ¡°Unless you¡¯d rather just finish our conversation about that disappearing demon, instead.¡±

    Jubilee tensed. She wasn¡¯t ready for that conversation¡ªnot after the stunt he¡¯d just pulled that made her feel even less like she could trust him.

    Reluctantly, she sat. ¡°Bible study it is.¡±

 Chapter 14

    When Monday night rolled around, Jubilee sat beside Detective Law in his office, trying to stay awake as he flipped through Wayne¡¯s Bible and read whole passages aloud in a dull monotone¡ªjust like he had on Friday evening. In front of them were scattered photocopied pages, heavy with highlighting and scribbled notes. The time was approaching six o¡¯clock¡ªan hour since he should¡¯ve let her go home. Officer Liang was still in the foyer waiting to escort her.

    Finishing a particularly lengthy passage, Detective Law addressed Jubilee. ¡°Based on this, I would surmise that the ''kingdom of heaven'' is not located in a physical destination. Would you agree?"

    "I guess," Jubilee muttered, questioning whether she¡¯d ever feel motivated to open that book again after the dry, drawn-out sessions they¡¯d had over the past two workdays. To make things even more aggravating, Law had been cross-referencing nearly every single passage with her. "How should I know?"

    He glanced at her sharply. "Because you claim to have been there."

    "That doesn''t mean I can write a textbook about it," she said flatly.

    "Your ambivalence does you a disservice, Miss Wong." He sounded stern. "After all, your story does not exactly lend itself credibility."

    Jubilee spread her arms. "All I said was, ''I guess.'' That''s the truth." Vaguely she wondered if her arm had just gone through Hellenos. She couldn''t see him at the moment¡ªprobably because she was fed up with both the long day and Law''s pestering¡ªbut there seemed to be a faint shimmer in the air beside her. She continued, "I couldn''t possibly have understood everything that was happening at the time. It was like nothing I''ve experienced before."

    Law leaned in close then, inspecting her face with intense scrutiny. "Tell me what it was like."

    With great effort, Jubilee refrained from flinching at his proximity and instead rolled herself back a foot. "I already did," she said reprovingly. "It was like I was nowhere and everywhere at once. Like I''d been removed from the world, yet could just as easily see any part of it if I had any desire to. Which," she added with sudden realization, "I didn''t."

    Law measured her with a calculating look, then nodded to himself and sat back. "As one might expect of a nonphysical dimension. Now¡ª" He returned to the text, flipping rapidly and precisely through its pages. "It says here¡­"

    Jubilee resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She¡¯d heard him use that phrase over a dozen times already.

    Landing on a page, he jabbed it with one long, pale finger before continuing, "We fight ''not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.'' My research has uncovered the possibility that ''principalities'' and ''powers'' may refer to certain high ranks within both the angelic and demonic hierarchy¡ªwhich, according to your descriptions, the demon you saw could potentially be categorized under.¡±

    Jubilee became suddenly more alert. Ranks? Research? An uncomfortable sense of conviction hit her that she didn¡¯t entirely like. She supposed she could respect the detective for his dedication, but it irked her that he took this way more seriously than she ever did, despite her supposed beliefs. She could barely even keep up with all his analysis.

    ¡°So,¡± the detective went on, ignoring the overwhelmed expression on her face, ¡°Does this mean that demonic beings are ''in high places'' even while they are on earth? That they are, in fact, simultaneously in two dimensions at once? And what does ''high places'' refer to? Something higher than the earthly plane but lower than the heavenly one?" Finishing his lengthy speech, he fixed his eyes on Jubilee in expectation.

    She stared at him. ¡°What? Do I look like a theology professor to you? How should I know?¡±

    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    Law tapped a knuckle against the open volume on his desk. "Well, you''ve read this before, haven''t you?" he said, perfectly logical as usual.

    That stopped her short. "I¡ªwell," she stuttered. I never finished it, was what she couldn''t bring herself to admit, but didn''t have to because she could tell by Law¡¯s look that he had just deduced as much. Defiance bloomed within her. "Well, what?" she said hotly. "You never read it before either."

    He shrugged. "True, but I have now."

    "Yes, but¡ª" She stopped and did a double-take so fast she almost gave herself whiplash. "Wait, what do you mean you have now?"

    Law turned the pages nonchalantly. "I have read it now."

    Jubilee felt like she was going to hyperventilate. "The whole thing?"

    The detective seemed perfectly ignorant of her plight. "Yes," he said simply.

    She took a few deep breaths. This couldn''t be right. There must be some kind of misunderstanding. "You mean, you finished the New Testament¡­right?"

    "No." Law finally looked up from the book at her like a long-suffering tutor might at a dim-witted pupil. "The Old and the New Testaments."

    Jubilee¡¯s jaw could¡¯ve dropped to her knees. "You¡­you mean to say¡ª" she began, stammering stupidly, "That you read¡­the entire Bible¡­in only three days?"

    "Yes, Miss Wong," the detective said with drawn-out patience, "That is what I have been trying to tell you."

    She was speechless for a moment, then declared with firm resolution, "That''s impossible."

    He regarded her for a long while before returning to the page he was on. "Funny,¡± he said without a trace of humor. ¡°I would have thought that you of all people would have stopped believing anything to be impossible, after what you''ve experienced."

    That shut her up. Somewhere above her head, she heard Hellenos chortling.

    He got you pretty good there, the angel¡¯s voice came faintly. I like him.

    She turned to glare up in his direction, not caring if Law could see. Why don''t you be <u>his</u> guardian angel then? she thought sourly.

    Hellenos¡¯ amused features became slightly clearer. Because he''s already got one.

    Good Lord, there are TWO of you hanging around? She pinched the bridge of her nose. Then why can¡¯t I see it?

    You see what you need to see, when you need to see.

    The detective¡¯s voice interrupted her silent conversation. ¡°I admit that I may have read a little faster than typical.¡±

    She shot him a look. A little?

    ¡°But I wanted to return this to Wayne swiftly,¡± he went on, tapping the book with a finger. ¡°He¡¯s quite attached to it, you see. So I¡¯d rather him not be without it for longer than necessary.¡±

    At that, Jubilee softened a bit. ¡°I see.¡± Despite the detective¡¯s aloofness, he did seem to have a considerate side when it came to his assistant.

    Her stomach suddenly growled, interrupting her thoughts. Straightening, she attempted to continue with some authority, ¡°It¡¯s getting late, Mr. Law. Are you planning to make me skip dinner and pull another all-nighter?¡±

    Detective Law looked up at the clock on the wall. ¡°Ah. I seem to have lost track of time. My apologies.¡± He turned to her. ¡°I will be staying at the office tonight, but you are free to go. You will be paid overtime for the extra hour, of course.¡± With that, he stood and made his way over to the mini-freezer, probably to retrieve a microwave dinner for himself.

    Jubilee relaxed in her chair. ¡°Thank you,¡± she called after him. The man was clearly a workaholic, so it was a pleasant surprise that he hadn¡¯t tried to coerce her into staying longer. Standing, she grabbed her bag. ¡°Well, then...later, boss.¡± He didn¡¯t answer as he returned to his desk, a new carton of ice cream in hand. Spooning down a mouthful, he immediately returned to perusing pages without paying her any mind.

    Jubilee paused in the doorway to cast the detective a dubious look. Don¡¯t tell me that¡¯s the only thing he has in there. And was that what he was having instead of dinner?

    He finally glanced up at her. ¡°Something the matter, Miss Wong?¡±

    She started. ¡°Er...I was just¡ª¡± Glancing from the ice cream to the Bible still in his hands, she said before she could think, ¡°Want me to return that for you¡ªsince Wayne¡¯s eager to get it back?¡±

    Law looked just as nonplussed by the offer as she felt. Why had she said that? Errands weren¡¯t part of her job.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind,¡± he said after a moment. ¡°I would appreciate it.¡± Closing the book, he slid it across the desk to her. ¡°His address is inside the cover. Please let him know that he need not wait for me. I will add this to your overtime as well. ¡±

    Jubilee stood there for a second. It wouldn¡¯t take that long, right? Wayne had said he lived close to her apartment. Grabbing the Bible, she slipped it into her bag. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± she said, heading for the door. ¡°I¡¯m on my way home anyway.¡±

 Chapter 15

    Wayne''s apartment turned out to be only five minutes away from hers. So it didn''t take much to convince Officer Liang¡ªwho had escorted Jubilee from the station and was just as eager for dinner as she was¡ªto let her go on her own from there.

    Wayne''s complex was even nicer than Jubilee''s, and he, too, lived on the top floor. She exited the elevator into a tiled hallway, facing a door with a number that matched the address inside the Bible. Looking up and down the grand hallway, she saw only one other entry.

    Her brow crinkled. How could a personal assistant afford to have almost an entire floor to himself? But, then again, she''d gotten pretty lucky herself when it came to living quarters. Shrugging, Jubilee lifted a hand and knocked.

    The door opened a moment later, and mouth-watering food smells hit Jubilee''s nostrils. Wayne stood in the doorway, looking surprised but delighted to see her.

    "Miss Wong!" he greeted, the aura around him bright and cheerful. "Do come in!"

    "Oh, no," she said quickly, taken aback by his warm welcome even as her stomach protested at her refusal. "I''m just here to return this." She held out his Bible. "And to let you know that Mr. Law said not to wait for him."

    The older man''s eyes lit up, and he took the worn book carefully from her hands. "Thank you, my dear," he said, then opened the door wider and stepped back. "Please, stay for dinner then. Law won''t be having any if that''s what he said, and someone needs to eat his portion." The gentle glow around him spilled out towards Jubilee, radiating a sense of welcome and safety.

    Jubilee stood at the threshold, deeply conflicted. Law ate dinner here? Did that mean that this was actually his apartment? She did not want to encroach on her boss'' home territory.

    But, on the other hand, that food smelled delicious. And the truth was, she''d been rather lonely since leaving the orphanage.

    She was also curious about the strange detective. Jubilee still didn''t fully trust Law and knew next to nothing about him. Could this be an opportunity to learn more from his assistant?

    "Alright," she said at last, stepping forward. "Thank you, Mr. Quell."

    His eyes twinkled. "I told you to call me Wayne."

    She smiled as she followed him through the door. "Then you''ll have to call me Julie." A slight crack sounded over her head at the use of her false name, like that of a dry twig snapping. She flinched, but Wayne didn''t seem to notice.

    "Done." He led her through the foyer into a dining room scented with the delicious aroma, and pulled out a chair from the table for her.

    She sat, ogling the spread before her. The table was laden with plates of fried rice, steamed vegetables, and roast duck¡ªalong with an assortment of tiny plastic squares marked with letters, swept to the side. She eyed them with perplexity. "Are those¡­Scrabble pieces?"

    "Bananagrams," Wayne corrected, gesturing to a bright yellow bag beside the squares that was shaped like a banana. "Similar game, but minus the board. I''m rather fond of it. Mahjong may be the tile game of choice in this country, but this one is mine. Law and I sometimes play during dinner."

    Jubilee''s eyebrows shot up. Detective Law played Bananagrams?

    Wayne retrieved a plasticware container from the kitchen and began heaping generous portions of food into it. "For Law, when he finally decides to have a real meal," he told Jubilee with a wink. "And he will. It''s my job to make sure of that."

    "Does¡ªdoes he live here?" Jubilee asked uncertainly.

    "Oh, no, not here." Wayne set the container aside and sat. "Across the hall."

    Ah. So that explained having the entire floor. The detective didn''t seem like the type to enjoy many neighbors.

    Wayne said a short prayer, then picked up his chopsticks. "Dig in!" he urged.

    Jubilee instinctively reached for the fork set out, then hesitated, glancing at the older man. If he was using chopsticks, she''d better too¡ªeven if she was slower with them. She picked up the pair of chopsticks beside the silverware with reluctance, which quickly faded as she took the first bite. Within minutes, her plate was nearly empty. "This is delicious!" she exclaimed. "Mr. Law is lucky if he gets to eat like this all the time."

    Wayne waved off her praise. "I¡¯ve had much time to practice and little else to preoccupy me.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± She eyed him surreptitiously, wondering if he¡¯d yield to a little gentle probing. ¡°Mr. Law doesn¡¯t have you help with casework?¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m made aware of all the case details. Enough to organize paperwork, at least.¡± Wayne reached out to slice off portions of tender duck, adding more to her plate. ¡°And to handle the people involved, which is my area of expertise.¡±

    Jubilee frowned. Did this mean Wayne knew everything about her that the detective did?

    The old man continued, ¡°But I leave all the thinking and analyzing to Law, which¡ª¡± He paused to chuckle. ¡°Is his area of expertise, as I¡¯m sure you can tell by now.¡±

    His humor made her momentarily forget her unease. ¡°All too well,¡± she said dryly. ¡°Apparently he read the whole Bible in three days, and now he¡¯s practically a theologian.¡±

    Wayne gave a long laugh. ¡°I would say that that is very like him, except I¡¯d almost given up all hope that he¡¯d ever touch that book.¡±

    ¡°It sounds like you know him well.¡± She finished her plate and set it aside. ¡°If I may ask, how long have you been working for him?¡±

    His expression softened. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s been some years now. But I¡¯ve known him for far longer than that. Since he was a boy.¡±

    Jubilee¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oh. So you two are...close.¡± She might need to be careful what she said around the older man then. Nervous, she shuffled the lettered game pieces in front of her to give her hands something to do.

    ¡°I like to think so.¡± Setting down his chopsticks, Wayne sat back and smiled warmly at her. ¡°We have a shared interest in many things. Riddles, word games, and languages. But, alas, not this.¡± He waved at the Bible, which lay beside him on the table. ¡°That is, until now. For that miracle, I have you to thank.¡±

    Jubilee stared in surprise. ¡°What? I didn¡¯t do anything.¡±

    ¡°On the contrary, it¡¯s only because of you that he¡¯s gained any interest in it at all.¡±

    Jubilee¡¯s brows knit together. It struck a nerve to be reminded that the detective knew more of the Bible than she did after only three days. How disappointed Mary¡ªthe one who¡¯d gifted Jubilee with the barely touched book¡ªwould be if she knew. But...maybe she¡¯d also be pleased that Jubilee had actually inspired someone else to read it. If that someone else didn¡¯t know it a million times better than me, the one who¡¯s actually been to heaven and back. Jubilee sighed and absently poked at a letter J on the table.

    Wayne smiled knowingly. Reaching out, he shuffled some of the tiles on his end of the table and began arranging them as he spoke. ¡°Law is understandably difficult to get along with, however. Don¡¯t worry, my dear.¡±

    Jubilee gave a guilty start. Was she that obvious? ¡±Um...no, he¡¯s just very¡ª¡± She floundered for something gracious to say. ¡°Thorough,¡± she finished lamely.

    Wayne laughed again. ¡°That is putting it mildly. If it is any consolation, he never means anything he says as an insult.¡±

    Jubilee struggled to keep her expression neutral. ¡°Really.¡± Wayne clearly either got special treatment from Law or saw him through rose-colored glasses.

    Wayne nodded. ¡°Poor man just doesn¡¯t realize that most of the world would take it as such. From his perspective, he is just making honest observations.¡±

    Jubilee couldn¡¯t help arching a skeptical eyebrow. With some of the zingers the detective had dropped on her, she found that hard to believe. Though, to be fair, she¡¯d been particularly blunt with him herself more than a few times.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think too badly of him, Julie,¡± Wayne went on. In front of him, the letters had been arranged to spell ¡®illusion.¡¯ ¡°He really does have a big heart...it¡¯s just that he¡¯s still learning how to use it.¡±

    She held back a snort of disbelief. Detective Law had a big brain, that much was obvious. But a big heart? ¡°With all due respect,¡± she said without thinking, ¡°I think you may be biased. He can¡¯t be that oblivious. Nobody is.¡± She winced as soon as the words left her mouth. So much for being subtle. Embarrassed, she reshuffled the letters in front of her.

    Wayne¡¯s eyes twinkled. ¡°With all due respect, you are more like him than you think. Law often doesn¡¯t think of other people, that is true. But when he does, he doesn¡¯t actually think badly of them. As smart as he is, there are still some things that go right over his head¡ªlike the concept of offense. You see, he didn¡¯t have parents to teach him social niceties.¡±

    Jubilee started and looked up from where she had been attempting to piece together a word. He didn¡¯t have¡ªwhat?

    ¡°Law grew up in the foster care system,¡± Wayne explained. ¡°I was the social worker for his case. That is how we first became acquainted, you see. And this game¡ª¡± He gestured at the letters, ¡°Is how I coaxed him into first interacting with me. The boy wouldn¡¯t speak a single word to me during our first few meetings.¡±

    Jubilee¡¯s head spun. Detective Law is an orphan¡­like me. In fact, he¡¯d been one for even longer.

    ¡°All that is to say,¡± the old man continued, ¡°That he didn¡¯t have much normalcy when it came to social interactions. Went to a new school with every new home for the first decade of his life. That and his¡­shall we say, unusually high aptitude, made it difficult for him to fit in, or understand others his age.¡± Wayne spread his hands. ¡°So, Law learned the art of reading social cues rather late in life. Hence his tendency to unintentionally offend others because it simply does not strike him as offensive in the first place. You might notice that he rarely seems insulted by anything himself.¡±

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Jubilee considered this. It was true. Never once, in the last two months of working together, had the detective so much as batted an eyelash whenever she lost her patience and snapped at him. She¡¯d always assumed, subconsciously, that that was his way of acting superior. But what if Wayne was right? What if Law wasn¡¯t even thinking of himself...because he was single-mindedly focused on the task at hand, which, in this case, was the investigation? Maybe that was the sort of focus and selfless thinking she needed herself.

    Her head lowered. ¡°That makes him a better person than me then.¡±

    Wayne tsked gently. ¡°It¡¯s not a contest, my dear.¡±

    She gave an exasperated laugh. ¡°I know. It¡¯s just hard not to feel that way around someone who, frankly, acts like a know-it-all. Ah¡ªI get now that he doesn¡¯t mean it, though,¡± she amended quickly, abashed by the sudden candidness spilling out of her. She shouldn¡¯t be so open with the older man, who was clearly some kind of father figure to the detective.

    But Wayne only nodded at her with an understanding smile, no condemnation in his eyes. That look of acceptance made her next words come out before she could stop them. ¡°The truth is, it¡¯s hard not to resent him a little, especially after he arrested me for nothing,¡± she admitted. ¡°You¡¯d think I¡¯d be past holding grudges, considering all the things I claim to have been through¡ª¡±

    At this, Wayne nodded again, the light around him softening with understanding. So he did know about her near-death experience and spiritual sight. Passing a hand over her eyes, she gave a shaky laugh. ¡°But...I¡¯m still not, not completely. And just when I think I am, he does something else that makes me feel like I don¡¯t measure up. Honestly, who reads the Bible in three days?! As if I don¡¯t already feel like a sorry enough excuse for a...a...¡± She paused. A what? A prophet? A ¡®chosen one¡¯ of God? What was she, anyway?

    ¡°A believer?¡± Wayne gently suggested.

    Her mouth twisted. ¡°I am a sorry excuse for a believer,¡± she muttered. ¡°In fact, I may just be the most unbelieving person on the planet, considering everything I¡¯ve seen.¡± Law¡¯s statement from earlier came back to her. I would¡¯ve thought you, of all people, would¡¯ve stopped believing anything to be impossible. Her lips thinned and she clasped her hands over the tabletop, eyeing the Bible beside Wayne. ¡°On top of that, I can¡¯t seem to stop heaping judgment on someone else, even after narrowly escaping judgment myself. All because someone else understands what I should, better than I do.¡± Jubilee avoided Wayne¡¯s gaze. ¡°And now that I know his motive isn¡¯t to show off but simply to do his job, it just makes me dislike myself even more¡ªfor disliking him.¡±

    Now she¡¯d done it. This was neither the subtle nor lighthearted dinner conversation she¡¯d been going for. She closed her eyes. This is why I can¡¯t have friends.

    A hand gently patted hers. She opened her eyes to find Wayne reaching across the table, his gaze on her compassionate.

    "My dear," he said, "You blame yourself far too much. Don''t you know," he went on, a twinkle in his eye, "That blame is the devil''s game?"

    Jubilee stared back at him. The memory of a voice, strong and soothing, whispered through her mind: Your sins are forgiven, my daughter.

    She blinked and found that, suddenly, the world seemed brighter. Then she realized it was because she could see Hellenos again, his gentle glow basking her with warmth as he smiled down at her. There was no judgment in his gaze either, no disapproval at her for having lost sight of him yet again due to her fear and doubt.

    Jubilee blinked hard to keep her eyes dry and looked down. ¡°Thank you...for being so gracious towards me,¡± she said to both Wayne and the angel. ¡°I don¡¯t think I deserve it, but...I am grateful for it.¡± Was this, perhaps, the same kind of attitude she needed to extend to her employer then? Grace, and the benefit of the doubt, regardless of whether it was earned or not? She took a deep breath. ¡°Would you be willing to tell me more,¡± she began haltingly, ¡°About¡ªabout Law?¡±

    Wayne smiled wide and settled back in his chair. ¡°Certainly,¡± he said. ¡°He is one of my favorite subjects. What would you like to know?¡±

    Where to even start? Jubilee wondered. ¡°How did he learn to speak Chinese so well?¡±

    Wayne¡¯s smile broadened at that. ¡°Well, he first learned it from me.¡±

    Her eyes nearly jumped out of her head. ¡°You speak Chinese, too?¡±

    He laughed. ¡°Somewhat,¡± he said in slightly accented Mandarin, then switched to English. ¡°Law surpassed me a long time ago. You see, my late wife was Chinese. Originally from Hong Kong.¡±

    Jubilee¡¯s eyes widened further. ¡°Oh...and she passed away? I¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    Wayne waved a hand. ¡°Don¡¯t be, my dear. I miss her, of course, but I know that she¡¯s in a better place and that I¡¯ll see her again.¡± Leaning forward, he went back to arranging letters. ¡°While she was still alive, I made it a habit to speak her native language to her as often as possible. Law overheard me answering her phone call one day and, well, if ever there was a little boy who didn¡¯t like not understanding what the grownups were saying, it was him.¡±

    Jubilee¡¯s lip twitched. That did sound like the detective. She bent to join Wayne in the game, sliding more letters to her side. ¡°So, he decided to learn Chinese so that he¡¯d never not know what was going on.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Wayne chuckled, then sobered. ¡°But there were other incentives, too. Unfortunately, he did not have the best of relationships with most of the families he lived with. I realized later that he didn¡¯t wish to speak to me during our initial meetings because he didn¡¯t wish to speak in front of them. So, Mandarin became our ¡®secret language¡¯ of sorts.¡±

    A twinge of empathy stirred within Jubilee. ¡°I see.¡± It was ironic that she had grown up with parents and Law hadn¡¯t, and she¡¯d consequently rejected Chinese culture while he¡¯d sought it out. But they¡¯d done opposite things for the same reason¡ªto escape judgment. Contemplatively, she arranged letters, sliding a U next to a J, then instinctively reaching for a B before stopping herself. Wouldn¡¯t do to spell out her name and blow her cover through Bananagrams. Hastily, she grabbed an S and a T, spelling out the word ¡®just.¡¯ ¡°You said that he moved around a lot during the first decade of his life,¡± she continued. ¡°What about after that? Did he eventually settle down with a family?¡±

    Wayne shook his head. ¡°Law went to boarding school.¡±

    Her fingers paused over the letters she was arranging. ¡°They shipped him off to boarding school?¡±

    ¡°No, no.¡± In front of Wayne, the words ¡®coalescence¡¯ and ¡®placate¡¯ had been spelled out, along with other smaller words. He really was good at this. ¡°Law applied for boarding school on his own. Quite a good one, too. Naturally, he was accepted. However, the foster family who barely knew him wasn¡¯t so keen on funding the tuition. So I did.¡±

    Jubilee stared. ¡°You paid for his schooling?¡±

    ¡°I did. Had just enough saved up over the years to do so, and my wife approved, too. It would¡¯ve gone to our own children if we¡¯d been able to have any. But the boy clearly had a gift. It would¡¯ve been a shame not to nurture it.¡±

    She considered him anew. ¡°Wow. That¡¯s very kind of you.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps. But it wasn¡¯t any easier for Law in another environment, even if he did get to hone his talents there. As I said, it can be difficult for him to get along with others.¡±

    ¡°Oh. You mean he was bullied.¡± Considering Law¡¯s albinism and aloof demeanor, it wasn¡¯t surprising to Jubilee. She¡¯d experienced mild bullying herself as a kid, over her race. It was easy to pick on someone for being different. Her sympathy for the detective grew.

    Wayne nodded. ¡°He held his own well, though, mostly by using his smarts. For example, one time an older boy tried to frame him for stealing from the principal. Law quickly proved that the actual culprit was the boy himself.¡± A fond smile touched Wayne¡¯s lips. ¡°Even the teachers were impressed. They were the ones I got the whole story from. I do believe that might¡¯ve been when Law first decided to become a detective.¡±

    Jubilee mulled over the story. ¡°So, not only did you help him attend a top-tier school, but you also kept tabs on him the entire time,¡± she realized. ¡°It sounds like you¡¯ve really done a lot for him.¡±

    ¡°Well, to be fair¡ª¡± Wayne gestured at his lavish surroundings. ¡°He has since paid me back tenfold.¡±

    ¡°By hiring you as his personal assistant?¡±

    ¡°Yes. However, I don¡¯t see it so much as a job. I get to do a lot of what I like¡ªcooking and talking¡ªand he gets to avoid a lot of what he doesn¡¯t like¡ªphone calls and interacting with people.¡± Wayne laughed. ¡°It is a good arrangement. And he is a generous employer.¡±

    Officer Liang said the same thing. Tentatively, Jubilee inquired, ¡°If I may ask¡ªhow exactly does he afford to pay so well?¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡± Wayne leaned back, wearing a proud smile. ¡°Well, for one thing, Law is very resourceful. He has some robust real estate investments¡ªhence why he was able to provide you with housing on such short notice. For another thing¡­well, let¡¯s just say that he is highly sought after for his skills.¡±

    Jubilee blinked, remembering something else Officer Liang had called the detective. The famous Graeson Law. ¡°Oh. I could tell he was good, but...I didn¡¯t realize he was such a big deal.¡±

    ¡°Just in the law enforcement world. After getting promoted to detective within only a few years after graduating top of his class from the police academy, and then solving some very high-profile cases, he managed to make quite a name for himself. Speaking of names...¡± Wayne slid two more pieces into his growing crossword arrangement, spelling out the word ¡®law.¡¯ ¡°People found his very fitting. All of that contributed to his being able to quit the force and take on private clients of his own, which can be quite a lucrative business.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s when he hired you to help him?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Wayne affirmed. ¡°Though I¡¯d say it was more to help me. In fact, I¡¯d hazard a guess that he proposed the entire arrangement solely to make sure I was taken care of¡ªbecause my wife had just passed at the time.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± The thought made Jubilee soften. Since the night at the internet cafe, she''d been able to tell that the detective saw his assistant as more than a mere employee. Now it was apparent that he saw him as family. Glancing at all the leftover food, she added, ¡°It looks like you take care of him, too.¡±

    Wayne smiled. ¡°As I said¡ªit is a good arrangement.¡±

    She smiled back. They played for a few minutes in silence, Jubilee adding more words to her crossword. ¡°Can I ask something else?¡± she said after a moment. ¡°Why China? How did you two end up here?¡±

    ¡°Back when Law was still in the police force, Interpol dispatched him to an international case in Beijing,¡± Wayne explained. ¡°Long story short, he played a big role in solving the case with little to no losses. It made a good impression on some important people in the Ministry of Public Security, and forged connections for him with their police force.¡±

    Ah, Jubilee thought. That explains why he¡¯s famous here.

    ¡°And, overall, I believe he simply enjoys this country and its language,¡± Wayne continued. ¡°So, once he branched out on his own, this is where he eventually relocated. I was only too happy to join him in the country near my wife¡¯s birthplace. It makes me feel closer to her somehow.¡±

    Jubilee nodded. ¡°I get that.¡± It was one of her own reasons for coming here¡ªto feel closer to her family, even though there were gone. Absently, she moved a few letters around to expand ¡®just¡¯ into ¡®justice.¡¯

    Wayne noticed and dipped his head. ¡°A fine word, that one. Law would approve.¡± Smiling, he tapped the pieces in front of him that spelled out the detective¡¯s last name. ¡°But one that is superseded by another word I think.¡± With rapid precision, Wayne slid over several pieces, adding them perpendicularly to Law¡¯s name to spell the word ¡®grace.¡¯

    Jubilee considered the pieces. ¡°We are no longer under the law but under grace,¡± she murmured, remembering a verse Mary had often quoted.

    ¡°Quite so,¡± Wayne said, his smile widening. ¡°You see? You know more than you think.¡±

    Jubilee continued to regard the words on the table solemnly. ¡°That¡¯s a verse that¡¯s easy to say to someone when you don¡¯t actually know everything they¡¯ve done.¡± Because surely, if anyone knew her past¡ªeven Mary or Wayne¡ªthey would all agree that Jubilee deserved to be in jail.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need to,¡± Wayne said. ¡°It would still be true for you.¡±

    Jubilee¡¯s head snapped up to meet his gaze before she looked back down. ¡°I know in my head that that¡¯s true,¡± she said softly. ¡°I just¡ªdon¡¯t always feel it in my heart. But...¡± She took a deep breath and looked up again. ¡°I¡¯m working on it.¡±

    ¡°The work is already done, my dear,¡± Wayne said. He picked up the banana-shaped bag on the table and scooped his tiles into it, then pushed the bag over to Jubilee. ¡°For you. To remember that though there is law, there is also grace.¡±

    She gawked at him. ¡°I can¡¯t take this. It¡¯s yours¡ª¡±

    Wayne waved a hand and laughed. ¡°I have a whole bunch more!¡±

    She paused. ¡°Was that supposed to be a pun? Because...bananas?¡±

    He pointed at her. ¡°See? You are good at word games as well.¡± She giggled, and he continued with a smile, ¡°It is good to remember to lighten up once in a while. I find this game helpful for that. Go on, take the rest.¡±

    Giving in, she scooped the pieces on her side into the bag. ¡°Thank you.¡± Putting the bag in her purse, she stood. ¡°I guess I should get going now. Thank you so much for dinner as well.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± Wayne rose to walk her back to the foyer, where he opened the door for her. ¡°Come back anytime, Miss Julie. It¡¯ll be good to have the company.¡±

    Jubilee hesitated in the doorway. Then she turned and smiled. ¡°I will.¡±

 Chapter 16

    The next day at work, Jubilee couldn''t concentrate on the surveillance footage she was supposed to be monitoring. Instead, she drummed her fingers against the desk where she sat, staring out the window and thinking over everything she''d learned about Law from the night before.

    This whole time she¡¯d held out on telling him everything she could see because she didn''t trust him. Because I barely <u>knew</u> him, she thought, a little defensively. But now that she understood the detective a little better, thanks to Wayne¡­maybe it was time to be more transparent. Perhaps that would help them to finally make some headway on this case.

    "Miss Wong," Law''s voice interrupted her thoughts. "I hope you are focusing on your job."

    ¡°Yes.¡± Jubilee turned to him. ¡°I think it¡¯s time for me to tell you exactly what I¡¯ve seen so far.¡±

    Law looked up from the folder of documents he''d been shuffling through, his gaze locking with hers.

    She continued, "You already figured out that I''ve seen the demon vanish from Zhengyi''s side twice already. Well, the other thing is that she may be able to sense when it is or isn''t with her."

    Law''s expression remained neutral. "What makes you say that?"

    "The first time I saw the demon vanish was on-camera, and I saw her nodding right before it did," Jubilee explained. "Which could''ve just been a coincidence, but¡­the only other time I''ve not seen that thing with her was when she came out of the club on Friday night. And, like I said then, she had looked relieved. Plus," Jubilee remembered, "The dark haze around her was lighter."

    "Dark haze?" Law repeated.

    "Her aura," Jubilee clarified. "I always just figured it was dark because of the demon being near her, so I didn''t bring it up before."

    Law gave a slow nod, indicating for her to continue.

    "Something else I think I saw that night," she went on, "Was something weird happening with her aura while she was standing in line. I don''t know how to explain it, but it looked like it was clotting up. And the same thing was happening with that other guy''s aura. Liu something-something." She fumbled to remember the man''s name. "Mustache man."

    "Liu Xiaozheng," Law said, his gaze unwavering. "What exactly does that signify?"

    Jubilee faltered. "I don''t know."

    He observed her for a second in silence. "And what does it mean when someone''s aura becomes lighter?"

    She bit her lip. "I don''t know that either. I¡¯d never seen it before."

    The detective continued to regard her with a hard, scrutinizing look that made her feel self-conscious. "But Yang Zhengyi''s aura is darker whenever the demon is with her?" he asked.

    "Yes," Jubilee said, relieved to have an answer to give at last. "I imagine it''s probably an indication of demonic oppression."

    Law steepled his hands in thought. "Well, Miss Wong," he said after a moment, "Based on your experience, do you have any conjectures as to how this might relate to the case?"

    She hesitated before looking back at the monitor playing footage of Zhengyi. Beside the girl, the demon strolled, and around them in the city streets there churned a confusing myriad of colorful auras and other vague figures following passersby.

    For all that Jubilee could see, it didn''t matter much if she could make no sense of it. She''d thought she could contribute to the case by sharing what she knew, but it''d become apparent just how little that actually was.

    "I¡ªI''m trying, but I can''t understand anything I''m seeing," she admitted, a bit crestfallen. "I¡¯m sorry. It seems that even with everything I can see, it¡¯s not very helpful.¡±

    ¡°How do you mean?¡± Law sounded inquisitive, not reproachful.

    Jubilee sighed and pointed at her screen. ¡°Well, there¡¯s Zhengyi with a black haze around her and a ten-foot-tall demon following her, as usual.¡± Her finger shifted to other pedestrians on the street. ¡°There¡¯s a man with two grayish clouds hovering over him. Here¡¯s a woman with something red and snakelike coiled around her. And this little boy has an angel standing behind him.¡± Her hand dropped, and she slumped back against her chair. ¡°I could go on, but what¡¯s the point? I can¡¯t tell which parts, if any, are relevant to the case.¡±

    Law gazed down at her, his eyes pale and piercing. ¡°You can see all that?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Jubilee huffed, ¡°But I can¡¯t see a connection between any of them¡ªif there even is one. So I can¡¯t see how any of it might relate to the investigation. And I can¡¯t see how that girl and that demon are connected, either.¡±

    The detective observed her for a moment longer. ¡°Ironic,¡± he said finally. ¡°For you to contradict yourself by saying that you can¡¯t see, three times in a row, immediately after detailing just how much you can see.¡± He leaned down, his eerie eyes boring into her. ¡°Has anyone ever told you that you don¡¯t give yourself enough credit?¡±

    Jubilee stared back, a little stunned. Was that a compliment?

    ¡°Miss Wong,¡± Law continued, ¡°Might I suggest that you are, in fact, much more competent and capable than you are making yourself out to be, that you have plenty to contribute to the case, and that you ought to¡ªas some people might put it¡ªbuck up.¡±

    Jubilee blinked. He had an off-putting way about it, but it seemed like he was actually trying to encourage her. Wayne was right¡ªthe man didn¡¯t really think badly of her, after all. In fact, he might even be giving her too much credit at the moment.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said hesitantly. ¡°But I¡¯m not like you, Mr. Law. We both know that I¡¯m not as smart as you.¡± It was an obvious statement but humbling to admit aloud. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to connect the dots between everything I see. And, despite being able to see more than most people, I still struggle to see the big picture.¡± A bitter laugh escaped her. ¡°Honestly, maybe you should¡¯ve gotten my ability instead.¡±

    Law lifted a shoulder. ¡°I was given other abilities. As you said, I have far greater intelligence than you.¡± He caught the sharp look she shot him. ¡°Though, at the same time, I am not as gifted at communicating well. That¡¯s why I hired someone else to do most of it.¡±

    She smiled.

    ¡°So,¡± the detective continued, ¡°There¡¯s no use comparing our respective abilities, seeing as how we cannot trade. ¡®Having gifts that differ according to the grace given us, let us use them,¡¯ as Romans twelve-six says.¡±

    Her smile dropped a bit. The guy had memorized scripture, too? But he¡¯s right, she thought. There are many parts, but one body. That was one verse she remembered, though she couldn¡¯t recall the exact citation.

    Part of her just wanted to buckle down and keep doing what she could by herself until she finally figured something out. But Law was undeniably more skilled than her when it came to deduction, and she needed that ability in tandem with hers if she wanted to make any progress. Ironic though it was, he also seemed way better than her at this whole Bible thing, which chafed a bit. But maybe it was time to swallow her pride.

    Taking a deep breath, she said, ¡°Will you help me? Help me learn to understand what I see. To do what you do¡­to take the things that I see, and string them together into something that actually makes sense.¡±

    There was a long silence, as though the detective was measuring what to say. He¡¯d probably never expected her to ask for assistance¡ªwhich was fair, because she hadn¡¯t either.

    Finally, he spoke. ¡°Look for patterns and similarities. Then, compare and contrast any differences you find. Coax out the connection between all the different pieces, like a jigsaw puzzle. That is how you see the big picture. That is how you do what I do.¡±

    She mulled this over. ¡°That sounds...easier said than done,¡± she said, a little sullenly.

    He walked back to his desk then, and for a moment Jubilee thought he¡¯d given up on her already. But then he returned, rolling his chair over before taking a seat. ¡°There are many moving parts and mechanisms behind this job, Miss Wong,¡± he said, as Jubilee moved out of the way to give him room. ¡°But there are tried and true tools of deduction that are almost always worth utilizing. Here.¡± He tapped her computer screen. ¡°Pull up one of the earliest footage videos of Yang Zhengyi that you have viewed thus far, along with a more recent one.¡± After she did so, he instructed, ¡°Now play them side by side.¡±

    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    A video of Zhengyi from months earlier, walking to campus with the demon beside her, played alongside footage of her from the other evening when they¡¯d been tailing her just before she entered the mall. Jubilee stared between the two videos. Now that they were beside each other, the difference was obvious. ¡°It definitely changed,¡± she murmured.

    ¡°What did?¡± Law sounded intrigued but not surprised.

    ¡°The haze around her. It¡¯s darker and more opaque in the second video.¡± Jubilee sat back, baffled. How did I not realize that at the time when we were there?  Even as she thought about the question, she knew the answer. It was because it hadn¡¯t been clear to see until compared and contrasted with earlier footage, like Law had suggested she do.

    The detective was quiet with thought. ¡°Look again, Miss Wong,¡± he said after a minute. ¡°Try to see exactly what makes the later footage look different.¡±

    Jubilee bit her lip. She couldn¡¯t see more than she already could¡ªcould she? Not without help, she realized, glancing over to Hellenos in the corner, who nodded encouragingly. Letting out a long breath, she closed her eyes. Dad¡­she thought, before faltering. It had been so long since she had talked to him, instead of just about him. Would he answer her? Sorry, she began again, hanging her head. For being disconnected lately. But if you¡¯ll give me another chance¡ªhelp me to see what you see.

    Opening her eyes again, she looked at the two Zhengyis on screen. Then, almost imperceptibly, the aura of the one in the later video shifted and sharpened into... ¡°The clots!¡± Jubilee exclaimed. ¡°That¡¯s why her aura is darker. The clots started accumulating as early as when we were at the mall.¡± So, they hadn¡¯t been her imagination, after all. In fact, they were vividly clear now¡ªlike blobs of black soot mixed with mud, revolving around Zhengyi amidst the expanse of her aura.

    Jubilee sat back, dumbfounded. How had she been completely unaware of this when they were at the mall? Why had it not become obvious until later, at the club?

    Quickly, she opened another video file of Zhengyi waiting outside the club, then played it alongside the video of her outside the mall. Ah-hah. That¡¯s why. Jubilee turned excitedly to Law. ¡°The clots increase when she gets to the club.¡±

    The detective pressed a slim finger to the screen, indicating another figure in the line. ¡°And Liu Xiaozheng?¡±

    Jubilee looked. ¡°He...I think he has them too.¡± Or he did, didn¡¯t he? She rubbed her eyes.

    Law leaned forward and opened the same video file of the scene outside the club, so that a duplicate of it popped up beside the first. Then, fast-forwarding the second video to ten minutes in, he hit play on both videos and sat back. ¡°Well?¡± he said after a moment.

    Jubilee watched the two Liu Xiaozhengs onscreen, one further ahead in line than the other. ¡°Yes,¡± she said slowly. ¡°The clots show up in his aura, too. But only¡ª¡± She rewound the second video and fast-forwarded the first. When Liu Xiaozheng¡¯s aura started to look the same in both¡ªequally dark, and with a small smattering of clots¡ªshe hit pause. ¡°Starting around here.¡±

    ¡°And what changes there?¡± Law¡¯s unblinking gaze studied her when she hesitated in thought. ¡°Play them again, Miss Wong.¡±

    She did, glancing to where Zhengyi stood onscreen. The demon had bent to be level with the girl as though to whisper in her ear. Jubilee¡¯s breath hitched.

    ¡°What do you see?¡± Law instantly drew closer, scrutinizing Jubilee¡¯s expression up close.

    Still staring at the screen, Jubilee was too preoccupied to be perturbed by his sudden proximity. ¡°I think the demon spoke to Zhengyi. That¡¯s not abnormal in and of itself,¡± she hurried to clarify. ¡°I¡¯ve seen demons do that sort of thing before, and humans don¡¯t have a clue. But this happened right before Liu¡¯s aura started clotting up.¡± Her brow furrowed. ¡°What could that mean?¡±

    Law said nothing for a long moment, and Jubilee finally turned to look at him. It struck her then just how close he was. He stared at the screen, paying her no attention as his mind worked. Lights and colors danced and twined together above his head.

    How did I never notice that before?  she thought, baffled. It suddenly hit her that she¡¯d never allowed herself to truly look at him and see him¡ªthe way she saw everything else¡ªuntil this moment. And it had all been out of her initial dislike for him, which had blinded her to the fact that she¡¯d never yet fully looked at him in the spirit.

    His usual gray aura hung like a heavy veil over him, several shades darker than the color of his eyes. But there was something underneath it that made her breath catch. Beyond the gray flashed occasional, sporadic spurts of dazzling color and soft light, like stars hiding behind a cloud. She caught sight of an obscure gleam that was bright and beautiful and which her brain couldn''t quite fathom. Feeling strange, she looked away, blinking hard to dissipate an odd and foreign sensation of gentle warmth.

    Law didn''t notice any of this¡ªor if he did, he didn¡¯t seem to care. Instead, he lurched forward from his seat to grab the mouse again, his shoulder knocking hers in the process. She flinched at the contact, suddenly nervous. He didn''t apologize, however, and instead pulled up another video. It was dated three months earlier.

    ¡°What do you see here?¡± he asked, pointing at the image of Zhengyi seated at a table, in what looked to be an ice cream parlor. A man sat before her and the demon loomed to her right.

    Jubilee blinked. ¡°Clots in her aura.¡± They were dense and heavy, almost as though they were weighing the girl down.

    ¡°As I anticipated,¡± the detective murmured, then pointed to the man. ¡°And here?¡±

    ¡°The same clots, but fewer.¡± Jubilee¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Who is that?¡±

    ¡°Ai Bing, the first suicide victim listed in the case file.¡± Jubilee turned to Law with wide eyes, but he motioned back towards the screen. ¡°Keep watching and tell me what else you see. I suspect it may be something¡­notable.¡±

    She nodded and eyed the footage with rapt attention. Zhengyi appeared to be talking. It was hard to make out the expression on the man¡¯s face, but he sat hunched over, not meeting the girl¡¯s eyes. Then, Zhengyi leaned over, placed a hand on his arm, and said something else.

    Jubilee¡¯s eyes grew round as the clots in Zhengyi¡¯s aura rapidly streamed into the man, like a raging river of muddy water, debris, and darkness. ¡°What in the world?¡± Jubilee gasped.

    Law leaned in close. ¡°What is it?¡±

    Jubilee didn¡¯t answer as, onscreen, the demon stepped from Zhengyi¡¯s side and over to the man, whose aura had coagulated from the clots until it looked almost solid. Zhengyi stood then and, without another word or glance at Ai Bing, left the shop. The demon didn¡¯t follow her.

    Alone at the table, the man lowered his head into his hands.

    ¡°Miss Wong,¡± the detective pressed. ¡°What did you see?¡±

    ¡°The clots,¡± Jubilee whispered. ¡°And the demon. They¡­transferred. From her to him.¡±

    "Indeed,¡± he said thoughtfully. ¡°What else? Can you determine any methodology behind Zhengyi¡¯s actions¡ªsomething to suggest a cause of subsequent death other than suicide? Some kind of discreetly administered drug, perhaps?¡±

    ¡°Give me a minute,¡± she said, frantically grabbing the mouse. She rewound the footage and watched again. Once more, the clots, like chunks of dirt getting sucked through a large tube, leaped from Zhengyi to Ai Bing. But, this time, Jubilee detected something else¡ªa small, subtle stream of clots flowing first from the demon to the girl and then into the man.

    As the demon stepped from Zhengyi¡¯s side over to the man¡¯s, a wide grin stretched across its thin, dark lips. Then, it tilted its head at Zhengyi, as though in a nod of confirmation, and the girl returned it with the slightest dip of her own head just before she stood to leave¡ªher aura lighter, now that it was free of the clots.

    Jubilee¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t leave the screen, but her heart plummeted with dreadful revelation. She was sure now, without a shadow of a doubt, that that girl was knowingly involved with the demon¡ªand, it seemed, the deaths. The reality of that harsh and bitter truth settled like a weight in the pit of Jubilee¡¯s stomach. She lowered her head into her hands, her breath shallow.

    All this time, she¡¯d made it her mission to look for evidence that would acquit Zhengyi Yang of guilt. She¡¯d even thought it was her purpose for being here. But now, seeing the truth with her own eyes, Jubilee realized it might be just the opposite¡ªto bring this demonically oppressed girl to justice.

    The thought brought a sour taste to her mouth.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about the cause of death,¡± Jubilee whispered. ¡°But I do know who she¡¯s taking orders from.¡±

    She felt Law¡¯s eyes dart to her. ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°The demon.¡±

    The detective went silent.

    ¡°I know it sounds crazy, but...they¡¯re definitely interacting,¡± Jubilee continued. ¡°I¡¯ve witnessed it happen multiple times now, both in person and on video.¡±

    Law took a moment to speak. ¡°So, you are positing,¡± he said slowly, ¡°That the one who is ultimately behind all the deaths is not a human¡ªbut a demon.¡±

    ¡°Well¡ªyeah. I mean, what if that is technically always the case in these kinds of situations?¡± Jubilee¡¯s eyes grew wide as she continued, ¡°And what if those clots are an indicator of who the demon targets? Of who is about to die?¡±

    ¡°We cannot arrest a demon,¡± Law said flatly. ¡°But your latter statement, at least, overlaps somewhat with my deductions. It does, however, leave the question of why these ¡®clots¡¯ would be on Yang Zhengyi herself.¡±

    Jubilee considered this. ¡°Maybe they need to be transferred to the target? And that¡¯s what...kills them, somehow?¡±

    Law slowly raised an eyebrow. ¡°Death by invisible clots? We need a tangible cause of death, Miss Wong.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I need to flesh that out some more,¡± she admitted. ¡°I know it doesn¡¯t line up with Liu Xiaozheng still being alive, either.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I wouldn¡¯t say that,¡± Law said.

    She looked at him. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    He gestured at the footage. ¡°Ai Bing died three days after the date of this footage. I hypothesize that deaths aren¡¯t instantaneous after this¡­supernatural transfer that you witnessed, and that Liu Xiaozheng will still die¡ªat some point.¡±

    Jubilee gaped at him. Just then, a voice interrupted from the doorway in Mandarin. ¡°Excuse me.¡±

    Jubilee looked up. It was the police officer who Law had had arrest her. What was his name again?

    ¡°Officer Chang,¡± the detective greeted. ¡°How can I help you?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to interrupt,¡± the older man said gruffly. ¡°But Chief Yue said to let you know right away that the Ministry of Public Security will be officially undertaking this case with you.¡±

    Both of Detective Law¡¯s eyebrows lifted, the most off-guard Jubilee had seen him.

    ¡°The Chief is out of the province now,¡± Chang went on. ¡°But he will be back next week, so expect to meet with him then. A few other officers, including myself, will also be present.¡±

    ¡°There must be some mistake,¡± Law said. ¡°This is a private case and of little interest to Chief Yue or the rest of the MPS.¡±

    ¡°That was true,¡± Officer Chang conceded. ¡°Until some high-roller CEO was found dead in a hotel room this morning, seemingly by suicide, and his wife filed a report to us suspecting foul play. Since the circumstances of the victim¡¯s death make your case overlap with ours, Chief Yue wants to collaborate. Thanks to her late husband, the wife holds a lot of sway with the MPS. ¡±

    Law¡¯s gaze had locked with Jubilee. She could discern a knowing glint flash over his head as he asked, ¡°What was the deceased''s name?¡±

    ¡°You might have heard of him,¡± Chang said. ¡°Liu Xiaozheng.¡±