Chapter 0 - Agatha Chen

The blinking light on the bedside table meant there were unread messages on Agatha’s phone when she stirred from her bed as evening descended over the Fragrant Harbour she called home. More accurately, it was one voicemail, furiously pinging as if it couldn’t wait. The other was a message, showing as a pop-up notification.

The male voice was both angry and panicked in equal measure. "Ms Agatha, someone knows! They say they know everything! We must talk!" The last word in the message was blackmail, which was anathema to the sorts of private arrangements Agatha Chen had with her clients. Still, it would more likely be a problem for the client, in this case an Alistair Greene, managing director of one of the offshore banks with a subsidiary office in this financial hub, than for Agatha.

The other message showed a more familiar name, Liam, just Liam.

Agatha sat up and looked at her phone. Her brows furrowed and she muttered, "What is this nonsense? Oh Alistair--always the drama queen." She consulted her calendar and saw that she had some free time tonight, so she typed up a measured reply to Alistair, saying, "Good evening. No cause for alarm. Let's speak on this at our next rendezvous. Are you free this evening?"

When she turned to Liam's message, she smiled. Such a good boy..., she thought, and replied, asking, "And how is my property this evening?"

She could almost hear Alistair bite his tongue to prevent himself from answering with Yes Mistress Agatha,, but clearly the man was somewhere public enough to prevent him from doing so, but private enough for him to still be able to talk about the matter. Their next rendezvous was not due till next Monday. "I can't get away tonight," the voice hemmed indecisively but the urgency of the situation pressed on him; Agatha could feel her hunger rise at the thought of his anxiety, the slight damp of perspiration, the elevated heartbeat that could turn a confident banker into a spluttering schoolboy.

"Can you come out for a drink? Lounge Bar, Peninsula Hotel. I can be there at 9." The Peninsula was the most luxurious colonial-style hotel, bar none, commanding a premier location out at Tsim Sha Tsui district. A familiar place in the circles that Agatha moved in.

The tone of Liam's reply was measured, but she could read the subtext of his concern. Nothing to bother you with. Some slander. Worried you might be put out. I can take care of it, Mss.

The reply message was still not as explicit as Agatha could hope for, but two from two clients, one immediately after another, could not be coincidence.

Agatha frowned at Alistair's reply, thinking, He's dictating to me where we shall meet? I shall have to punish him for that. For now, though, I shall allow it. After all, I am not a cruel Mistress (except for when I am); he is obviously in distress, so I shall see what I might do to assuage his concern.

She typed a reply, saying, "Very well, Allistair. I shall humour your request, only out of concern for your well-being. But you are not to stipulate our meeting place again. Do I make myself clear?"

And to Liam she replied, "Though I appreciate your concern for your Mistress, allow Her to decide what will and will not 'put Her out'. I shall instruct you concerning what to take care of. Now, be a good boy and tell you Mistress what it is."

Alistair grunted a pained reply, Agatha could tell he was dying to blubber into the phone in that wheedling voice he adopted when in her thrall. He got off the phone abruptly, but his desperation meant that she was sure he would arrive early at their rendezvous, and that he would've chosen a private-enough spot for them to talk about what panicked him so. 9pm was some two hours away, plenty of time for her to look into the other matter first if she chose.

Extortionist. Threats against Mss and her status. Message says they know your secret, secrets? Did Mss receive similar messages? Not to be concerned, I will look into this cowardly act, came Liam's reply.

It was easy to infer that the same demeaning ultimatum was delivered to both clients, but the reactions it triggered were vastly opposite. If it were a singular instance, the matter could have been a client problem. But with both men confronted, this meant it was a matter directly concerning her! Did she need their help in solving this, or could she wield her own influence to get to the bottom of this frankly insulting predicament?

Agatha knew that Liam was highly competent when he wished to be, especially when acting under her command, so she felt comfortable that he would not make matters worse, at the very least. Not like Alistair, who had to be managed, or else he could go off the rails. She sighed, frustrated by this turn of events, and sent a brief message to Liam, saying, "Very well. Look into it, but do not put yourself in a compromising or uncomfortable position -- that's my job." She knew that Liam would enjoy that, because he would recognize it for what it actually was: a way for her to say thank you. After all, putting him in such positions was what he paid her for; it was his particular pleasure.

Satisfied for the moment with the state of affairs concerning Alistair and Liam, she slid her phone into her handbag and prepared to go out. Once dressed and made up, she sat at her computer and checked her emails and other messages, seeing if she had any enquiries from prospective new clients, or perhaps any threats from possible blackmailers.