CHAPTER 241: Feng

 

"Neil...I've started to read the section about the Fengs and...well, their story is even more perplexing than the Landgraabs" mused Suzy as she lay on their bed, thinking about the things she had recently read about Victor and Lilly Feng.

"How so?" Neil asked.

"The Landgraab story was one of a dynastical heritage, how they came to be prominent in Sim City and all that.  Yes, there were strange stories about Gregory Landgraab and where he got that wealth from..."

"And the dirigible scare, don't forget that!" said Neil.  That was the part of the story that he wondered about the most.

"Oh yes...that.  But apart from that the rest of their history is about Dirk stealing a ship filled with treasure, starting the company, marrying into a good family, cheating Hugh Sim out of his fortune and arranging his death under suspicious circumstances..."

"Just a regular family, pillars of the community" said Neil, sarcastically.

"But wait till you get a load of the Fengs!" said Suzy, her eyes wide in a mixture of excitement and confusion.  

"More crime?  More scandal?" asked Neil.

"Not exactly..." said Suzy, cryptically.  She sprung into action, stopped lounging on the bed lost in thought and grabbed the tome by Patrick Cornelius about the Hidden Secrets of Sim City.

"I'll read the chapter and you see what you make of it.  I could do with some feedback here..." she said.

Suzy began to read out loud from the book.  "Victor Feng's ancestors arrived in Sim City in the early 1900s, not much is known about them except they fled China after the Boxer Rebellion.  Lilly's family had recently arrived from Macau just after World War 1.  Both Victor and Lilly were born in Sim City within a month of each other in 1921."

"So far, so straightforward..." said Neil.

"That's just the preamble, the really interesting stuff comes next!" she replied with more enthusiasm in her voice.

"San Myshuno, 1937..." and as she continued reading, her voice sounded more dramatic.

Victor and Lilly had known each other practically since birth.  Their parents had fled China to start new lives...For Victor's parents it was a matter of survival:  They had supported the Boxers in the rebellion and wound up on the losing side.  For Lilly's they left the rigidly stratified Portuguese colony of Macau in search of new opportunities in America.  The children grew up within a block of each other and never knew a time when they didn't know one another...

"Awww, sweet"

"Shut up, Neil, I'm trying to tell the story here!"

"Sorry.  Carry on"

The two were playmates and then, as they entered their teenage years, they developed a crush on one another which turned into a bond that went beyond mere sexual attraction.  It was founded on something way, way deeper.

It was foretold in the I-Ching that Victor and Lilly's destinies would be entwined forever.  If he had some misgivings about ancient superstition, Lilly had not.  Her life was ruled by the I-Ching and her Taoist beliefs.  It was indeed fortunate that their love for one another was in harmony with the I-Ching's prediction but it might also be argued that their attraction was influenced by what the divination said.  I feel it is my duty as a scholar to add my own opinion on the matter here.  I am a man of reason and intellect but I offer no verdict on whether such superstitions and religious beliefs are real or otherwise, merely to point out that this is what Lilly and Victor believed and that it had a profound effect on their lives then and now.

"Love at first sight...do you believe in that?" Interjected Neil.

"There was this one guy...Tommy Daly, I had such a crush on him the moment I laid eyes on him" Suzy replied.

"Really?  When was that?" asked Neil, who was taken aback by Suzy's confession.

"When I was 7.  But since then the magic hasn't happened." she said.

"Not even when we first met?"

"You were hard work!  I admit, there was instant attraction but you were so, so shy back then!  I've had pickle jars that were easier to open up than you."

"I'm a sensitive artist!  And...well...I used to be paralysed with fear when pretty girls were around.  And you are the prettiest girl I've ever met so I was terrified to talk to you!"

"So less love at first sight with us and more like interest at first sight"

"Anyway, continue with the story..." said Neil, looking at the book next to Suzy.

Although Victor and Lilly were convinced they were destined for one another their parents were not similarly convinced.  The Fengs had to abandon their wealth when they fled so they were dirt poor when they arrived in America.  Victor's father had earned enough money to open a Chinese laundry in San Myshuno, the kind of work Westerners expected from Chinese immigrants, but money was still tight.  Lilly's family were more affluent and her parents had a hand crafted jewellery and ornament shop that did respectable trade.  However, Victor believed he was going to be a man of great destiny and was determined to rise above the slums of the Spice Quarter to become someone important.

"Well I know how that story turns out" said Neil.

"Neil, will you stop interrupting me?" said Suzy in exasperation.

"Sorry"

Lilly, in turn, vowed to do her bit in helping Victor achieve greatness and even had plans to become a great woman herself.  The first step, however, was how to escape the slum?

He worked hard, very hard, to make some money but it was seldom enough for a young man destined for greatness.  Lilly devoted herself to becoming a charming and erudite young lady who could get others to do her bidding for her.  She would harness fate itself to get what she wanted.

The 1930s was hard going for Victor and Lilly.  It was a hard time for everyone but for the children of immigrants during the last phase of the Great Depression it was especially so.  But the two of them ploughed on, working hard, helping each other, defying their parents and spurred on by the power of their deep love for one another and their belief in the powers that be.

That fate took the form of war.  When America entered World War 2 Victor immediately enlisted in the US Army.  He saw military service and the possibility of going overseas to fight as a way out of the San Myshuno slums.  By enlisting on the 8th December, 1941 he avoided the sad fate of many of his fellow Chinese immigrants:  Internment.  Even though the policy was meant for Japanese-Americans, many Chinese and other far Eastern immigrants were scooped up by the authorities and dumped into camps.  Victor had already passed his medical and was beginning basic training before the more lazy and stupid civil servants rounded up the Chinese of Sim City...Lilly and her family falling victims.

It took a year to sort out the bureaucratic mistake and release of Lilly's family by which time Victor was shipping out to North Africa and then Italy.  He had been assigned to the 442nd Infantry Regiment, a unit comprised of 2nd generation Japanese-Americans although some Chinese and Hawaiians were drafted into it as well.  Victor fought right throughout the Italian Campaign and won a Bronze Star during the battle of Monte Cassino.

But all the time while Victor was in the thick of action, he did not fear death nor did he believe he would be killed.  The I-Ching and his own sense of self convinced him he would survive the war and go on to do even greater things.

The war for him had ended after the defeat of Germany in 1945.  He had accrued enough points to be sent home so by the end of that year he returned to Sim City, a hero to his own community.

...and to be reunited with his love.

She was more beautiful than ever and hadn't wasted her time while he was away.  She had done her bit raising money for the war effort and had cultivated a network of useful business contacts in San Myshuno.  She was gifted in the ways of persuasion and had even promoted her father's business amongst the more affluent white members of Sim City society.  

Now they were reunited, it was time to put their plans into operation.  With Victor now a decorated war hero Lilly's parents could no longer object to him being a suitable match for her.  Besides, he was now eligible for the G.I. Bill so he could go to college.

Victor attended Britechester University where he majored in geology.  He was a hard working student and gained praise from his tutors and professors for his dedication and positive attitude to not only learning, but being the best.

He would also go on to make valuable contacts at Britechester as well:  People who would be helpful to him in his subsequent political career.  His humble, immigrant background did not stop him from joining a fraternity where he could meet and make friends with the sons of the wealthy of Sim City.

"What was Lilly doing whilst Victor was studying?" asked Neil at this point.

"She was learning the family business and becoming more entrusted with aspects of it.  Her father and brother would make the ornaments and jewellery and she was very good at selling it to high class people."  Suzy replied.

"OK, well so far this all sounds like the great American immigrant success story...'give me your tired and poor'.  Compared to some of the stuff the Landgraabs got up to, the Fengs seem like paragons." 

"Neil, we haven't even reached the truly crazy part...just hold on to your hat!" said Suzy, enthusiastically.

It was in June of 1947 that Victor's life would change dramatically again.  For some time he had been curious about discovering the source of the late Gregory Landgraab's fortune.  There were rumours that he had stumbled upon a rich seam of gold, silver, diamonds or other precious stones.  Others said that he had discovered long lost Conquistador or Native American treasure.  If the source of Landgraab wealth was indeed natural and geological in nature then who knows what other treasures lurked in the hills of Oasis Springs?  In that summer of 1947 he conducted some field research as part of his geology studies but also to see if he could also accrue some wealth.

He got close to Affluista Mansion, home of the Landgraabs, but the property itself was strictly off limits so a little further away form the mesa it sat upon, he went collection rock and mineral samples...which is where he stumbled upon the boarded up entrance to what looked like a mine.

The presence of a mineshaft would indicate that the precious metals or stone theory of the Landgraab fortune would be the correct one.  However, before he could pry apart the heavy wooden boards blocking the entrance, he was interrupted...

Two men appeared as if from nowhere.  They were dressed in black suits and wore black trilby hats...not out of place in a city street in the late 1940s but here, up in the desert hills?  They seemed incongruous.

These two men approached Victor as he examined the mineshaft entrance but what happened next is still largely a mystery.  I have been able to piece together a few, incomplete facts from statements Victor has made in private (although I cannot divulge my sources of information) along with the statements of a couple of witnesses that I was able to track down.

So the two mysterious men prevented Victor from breaking into the mineshaft but the encounter was apparently not a violent one.  Victor seemed to readily agree to stop his explorations and instead engage in conversation with them.

Alas, there are no records of what was said between the three of them.

There were a couple of witnesses who I managed to track down and interview a few years ago.  They were hiking in the region with a third companion and saw this meeting, but only from a distance.

They could, however, ascertain a few things from that distance.  The conversation seemed civil but at some point Feng shook his head and indicated he wasn't happy or satisfied by something one of the two men in black suits had said.

But then something happened that shocked the three hikers...they had noticed a rippling effect in the air emanating from one of the men in black's forehead which travelled straight at Victor and hit him in the eyes.

One of the witnesses said Victor reeled in pain but the other said Victor looked more uneasy and unsteady on his feet instead of being hurt.  This phenomena remains completely unexplained although there have been studies performed in the Soviet Union about whether telepathic powers are real and can be developed in human brains.  I remain neutral in such speculation.

Both witnesses agreed that Victor found it difficult to talk and let out a series of strangulated utterances that were unintelligible.  They said the brainwaves from the two men in black lasted for about two minutes.

And then, suddenly, it stopped and Victor was able to recover his balance and senses.  The three men quickly ran away before they could be spotted but one of them noticed that the expression on Victor's face was one of calmness and contentment.

After this encounter Victor's fortunes rapidly changed and for the better.  His mineral discoveries on that expedition proved to be very valuable indeed and he was able to sell them, to the Landgraab Corporation for a considerable amount of money.  He was now, essentially, set for life.  He graduated with honours, stayed on to do a Masters in economics and went into business by buying out Lilly's parents and running it jointly with her.  They became married, became doyens of Sim City society and eventually Victor entered into local politics by winning a seat on the City Council in 1958.  As was foretold, he and Lilly's fortunes were entwined and they achieved greatness in this city.

"Whoa, that is some crazy weird stuff right there!" said Neil, flabbergasted by what he just heard.  "So how did Cornelius find those witnesses?"

"That's an another fascinating part of this story...I'll read on..." said Suzy.

When I managed to track down these hikers they were still, to this day (as of 1963) frightened by what they had seen.  One had even begun to doubt that what he saw actually happened but his friend assured him that it most certainly did and, in the end, he admitted that he was just trying to rationalise what he had seen by attributing it to a bad dream.  I enquired about their third friend who was hiking with them but that brought forth more horror and dread from my witnesses.

"He was...absorbed...Mr Cornelius" said one of them.

"Absorbed?" I enquired.

"That's what they said...the men, the men in black.  They found us, me, Walt and Hank.  Tracked us down and made threats.  There was something about them, their eyes, those beady, dark and piercing eyes, that was menacing.  Anyway Hank said he wasn't scared of them and threatened to call the US Air Force because he'd heard they were looking for strange shit but the next day Hank had vanished and the men returned, saying he'd been absorbed.  Never saw Hank again..."

"Absorbed...now where have I heard that term before?" mused Suzy but Neil didn't answer; he was lost in thought.  Suzy reclined on the bed and put the book down.  "Neil, what does this all mean?  This is way weirder than the Landgraab chapter but if what Cornelius has written about the Fengs is true...well, what does it all mean?"

Neil thought for a moment then an idea hit him...

"The Dirigible People!"  He said, suddenly.

"The dirigible people?  What are you talking about?" asked an incredulous Suzy.

"Think back to the chapter about Gregory Landgraab.  There was this dirigible panic back in the 1890s, mysterious airships appearing from nowhere using technology that hadn't been known to have been invented.  Gregory goes up in a hot air balloon to find out what they are and then comes back telling everyone it's all OK and they have nothing to fear.  And he does it again over 10 years later.  The people he met with who flew the dirigibles...they sound similar to the men Feng met that day.  Think about it:  They arrive from nowhere, over that same stretch of ground near where Affluista Mansion sits today, they have a meeting with a man who's struggling in life and then, bam!  He becomes wealthy, marries the most eligible woman in Sim City and it's all success from then on out.  It's the same story."

"Could this mean that Patrick Cornelius is making this all up and rehashing his plots?" asked Suzy.  "Have I been wasting my time all the while since I discovered those pages?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying, Suz...I'm saying the Dirigible People, or the Men in Black or whoever they are have a modus operandi.  They have a patch of land in that region they jealously guard but somehow find a local who they deem worthy of bestowing their favour on and make them rich and powerful.  The two parts of the Triangle of Power!  First, the Landgraabs...a dynasty whose lineage is as old as the city's, who practically own it!  Then the Fengs, a couple of immense determination and intellect who control the political life of this town!  Yes, it all fits Suzy!  Two of the prongs that control Sim City; Landgraab and Feng."

Neil was up on his feet pacing around the room by now, excited by his own train of thought.

"And the third we thought were the Goths!" said Suzy, following Neil's way of thinking.  "And if it were the same dirigible people who had abducted Bella but somehow found that family not useful to them...then that makes sense as well!  Mortimer probably rejected them, but saved his family's life by promising to remain silent...and maybe Alan Cuffe has encountered the third group as well because he sure as hell is saying nothing about the strangeness that befell him recently.  Oh my gosh, Neil...this is seriously weird stuff and we haven't even had a puff on any bubbles!"

"So the third part of the Triangle of Power must be these dirigible people..." said Neil.

"The ones Cornelius describes as 'The Visitors'...yes, they're called that because they're not locals, they're outsiders from who knows where.  They mysteriously appear..."

"From the skies...in advanced flying ships.  Suzy, do you realise the implications of this?" said Neil with a look of seriousness and dread on his face.  For her, the penny dropped as well.

"Oh no...you don't mean..." she uttered in horror.

"Flying saucers, men from space..." said Neil, disconsolately.

Suzy shut her eyes and let out a sigh.  "Neil, I can't publish such an article.  They'll think we're mad!"

"Or maybe Patrick Cornelius has made up a clever work of fiction and used real people in it.  We can go with that and keep our sanity.  No wonder Aadvik went mad and killed himself."

Suzy shook her head.  "Neil...we can't ignore what we've learned.  A mysterious wooded glade that exists outside of our own geography, the fortune of Gregory Landgraab, the rise and rise of Victor and Lilly Feng, the assassination attempts on Alan and Madelyn, Action's missing memory, Geoffrey's mysterious death and Leanne McGregor...a woman with seemingly strange powers.  Maybe The Visitors are little green men, maybe they're Russians or something else.  But they're real and they are somehow behind it all!"

"So we carry on?" asked Neil.

"We carry on!" replied Suzy.

CHAPTER 235: You May Know Me From...

 

Suzy was finding it difficult to start her next expose:  A look at the background and activities of Sim City's next most prominent family after the Landgraabs:  The Fengs.  She had all her notes and the forbidden text of Patrick Cornelius' book on the hidden secrets of the city right by her side but whereas the Landgraabs were awash with scandal, even at times revelling in it, the Fengs remained largely a mystery.

What she could determine is that Lilly and Victor Feng had known each other all their lives.  They fled the chaos of the civil war in China with their parents in the early 1920s and began new lives in Sim City.  Then nothing was known about what happened to them until a mention in a local newspaper from 1944 that Victor had won the Silver Star in Italy as a member of the 442nd regiment.  Then nothing until 1951 when, suddenly, both of them are married to one another, they set up this successful electronics business and then it's upwards from there.  Now they're entering politics and Victor is already on the City Council, looking to become the next mayor.

"Suz, can I get your opinion on this?  I've been commissioned to create some Pop Art for a mod gallery and...well...I'm not so sure about this" said Neil, who had been working assiduously alongside her in their study.  She wrote, he painted.

Suzy turned her desk chair around to have a look at what Neil was working on.  "I like it a lot" she said.  "Pigs Might Fly...yeah, I dig it."

"Hmmm, I'm not sure Pop Art is my style.  But at least I gave it a go" he sighed.

"It's good to know you can do something even if it isn't to your taste.  Your talent still shines through" she said to reassure him.

"I'm hungry.  Shall we get some lunch?" he said, putting down his brush and palette. 

"Good idea" she replied.

As they sat next to each other on the sofa and enjoyed their lunch Suzy tried to reassure Neil, who seemed bored and unenamoured with his latest work.

"The commissions are coming in regularly now...you should be pleased." she said.

"I know, I know...but I think I should be concentrating more on my signature work instead of taking the quick money to make something I don't really enjoy doing."

"It is building up your reputation though"

"Sigh...I know.  I should be more upbeat.  Anyway, the Flying Pig is almost finished.  And speaking of finished, that was delicious.  Say, if you're not too busy right now how about we sit outside and gather inspiration for our work?"

That inspiration turned out to be largely making goo-goo eyes at each other and being romantic...they didn't notice anything going on in the street.

"You know, we should go out and hit the town this evening" said Neil.

"Yeah, we haven't done that in ages.  It'll be fab!  Do you have anywhere in mind?"

"It's been a while since we visited the Pigeon Toed Orange Peel"

"That's pretty with it"

"That's my drift.  What do you say?"

"Count me in!"

"Then it's a date.  Anyway, I must head off in to town to see a gallery owner so I will see you later on." said Neil, giving Suzy a kiss before he left.  She went inside to clear up the lunch dishes but as soon as she had loaded the dishwasher, there was a ring at the door.

When she looked through the window on her door she couldn't see anyone so she opened the door a little bit in order to poke her head around and see if there was anyone lurking and, sure enough, there was a man...a stranger...sitting on the love seat on the porch where she had been sitting only minutes before.

"Excuse me, can I help you?" she asked.

"You're Suzy Kent, aren't you?" he replied.  Suzy guessed that this was a work related visit as she only used her maiden name these days when it came to her writing career.

"I am.  If this is business related to either 'Hey Wow' or 'Lothario' magazines then can we make an appointment to meet at my office?"

"This is about both...and neither.  I have information you might find useful."

"About?"

"The Fengs.  Victor and Lilly Feng.  I know you do exposes of the rich and powerful in this town."

Suzy didn't immediately reply but this guy could know something of use for her and the Fengs were a subject she intended to research.

"Alright, come inside.  Go straight through to the door on the left.  That's my work area, we can talk in confidence there."

The man scanned the house as he walked through it and Suzy noticed his intense gaze and almost unblinking eyes.  She was hoping that Neil would return any moment now just in case this guy was crazy.

"Nice place you got here" said the man.

"Thank you...Mister?"

"Coburn, Spencer Coburn."

"This is my study, Mr Coburn.  Can I get you a drink?" she asked.

"No.  I will be brief and then I must go."

"Then take a seat and tell me your story" she replied, motioning him towards the sofa.

"It's like this, Miss Kent.  I'm currently working on a campaign advert for Victor Feng...he's standing for Mayor in November"

"I know about that, Mr Coburn.  So what's your role in this advert?"

"Nothing special.  I'm on the set but I'm not one of the creatives.  It's just I've seen things that seem odd."

"Odd in what way?"

"Mysterious people who have no names or titles just show up on set and they seem to be giving Mr and Mrs Feng orders..."

"What kind of orders?"

"I'm not sure...they reference things I don't know the meaning of.  Something about triangles of power..."

Suzy sat bolt upright when Coburn mentioned that term.  It was something that had appeared in Patrick Cornelius' mysterious book.  Suzy got out a notepad and pen."

"I'm very interested in these mysterious people, Mr Coburn, can you describe them?"

"They wear black suits, often with these broad brimmed fedora hats...you know, the old fashioned kind.  And they have these intense stares...like they stare into your soul..." Coburn shivered at this thought and Suzy remembered the time Action had described the same sensation whenever he had encountered Leanne McGregor.

"Ach, that sounds crazy, I know..." said Coburn, throwing up his hands.

"No...not crazy at all, Mr Coburn.  I have had seen quite a few things that are hard to believe whilst doing investigative journalism." 

"Well, this is the craziest part.  I've lost a whole day of memory from my mind.  It only happened 2 days ago but I cannot remember a single thing from the time I showed up to work to the time I got back home.  Nothing.  A whole day gone from my mind!" he said, clicking his fingers.

"What was your last memory?"

"I show up to work, I say hi to some of my colleagues then I go to check on something and...that's it.  The next thing I know I'm back at home.  I asked my colleagues what happened that day and they all tell me I clocked off early and that I looked ill....like deathly pale and mumbling incoherently.  I went to the doctor's yesterday and they couldn't find anything wrong with me.  Whilst I was in the waiting room I read your article on the Landgraabs and their strange history and then I thought the Fengs are another bunch of super-rich people who have some secrets and odd associates as well."

"And you sought me out?" said Suzy.

"Miss Kent...this blackout.  It bothers me...I'm getting headaches and nightmares of strange men in black who suck out my brains...."

"I'll look into this, Mr Coburn" she said, brandishing her notebook.

"Thank you.  You seem remarkably calm considering what I've just told you" said Coburn, inquisitively.

"Believe me, Mr Coburn, this isn't my first dance with the strange and unexplained"

Coburn got up to leave and as the two of them headed back to the door he spotted one of Neil's paintings on the wall.

"That's beautiful...it looks like an original" said Coburn.

"It is.  It was painted by my husband.  We honeymooned there as a matter of fact."

"You can tell him I like his work very much, Miss Kent"

She showed Coburn to the door but paused to look at the Patrick Cornelius book...she needed to dive deeper into the Fengs' lives.

Coburn left and went home, looking like a haunted man.  Suzy's curiosity was piqued as she could see similarities between his story, the Landgraab's story and the Leanne McGregor case.

Suzy couldn't get the Fengs out of her mind that morning and, on an impulse, she decided to pay an impromptu visit to them.  Her cover would be an article she would be writing about the election campaign.  She did have a vague promise of an interview about their fashion style that was made some months ago so now was the time to cash that in.

Their penthouse apartment looked out over the entire downtown of Sim City and all the way out to the bay and beyond.  Suzy figured the Fengs would like to live somewhere where they could watch over everyone.

She rang the doorbell and it was Victor Feng who answered it.

"Well, well, Miss Suzy Kent...star reporter for 'Hey, Wow' magazine...or is it 'Lothario'?  Maybe even the Sim City Chronicle...it's hard to determine who exactly you work for." he said in a passive-aggressive tone of voice.

"Technically, I work for all three.  Do you have some spare time right now to have an informal chat...about the election campaign and your public image?"

"Is this for one of your fashion articles or about politics?" he replied, dryly.

"Why not both?"

Feng peered at her but eventually said "Sure.  Go right in and make yourself comfortable".

Suzy had never set foot in the Feng apartment before and she was struck by the modernistic decor and minimalist design.  It appealed to her own Mod tastes very much.  She then started to think how they would have made the money to pay for such a place.

Victor was behind her and he ushered her into the living room.  They sat down on the sofa and, again, Suzy was struck by the views here; a veritable panorama. 

"How is the election campaign going, Mr Feng?"

"Good.  I'm currently 5 points ahead in the polls over my rival." he replied.

"That would be the candidate backed by the Landgraabs?" she enquired.

"Yes it would.  But their money can't buy this election...not this time."  His face turned sour at the mention of the Landgraab name.

"The vote might be split by a third party this time...I'm thinking of the League of Decency and Edna Sneedley."

"Pah, she's an irrelevance.  A fringe crackpot at best." he said, dismissing Sneedley with a wave of his hand.

"Mr Feng, returning to the subject of campaign fundraising...who are your main contributors?" Suzy asked, remembering what Spencer Coburn had told her about the mysterious people in Feng's campaign.

"They mostly like to remain anonymous, Miss Kent" he replied, evasively.

"And that's our final word on the subject" came another voice, a stern female one.  Lilly Feng had just entered the room.

"Miss Kent...I didn't know we'd scheduled an interview with you today" said Lilly, haughtily.

"Well, this is an impromptu visit...remembering your offer of one from earlier this year."

"Yes, well when we made you that offer you were just a fashion reporter.  Since your article about the Landgraabs and Geoffrey's death you've changed your job description somewhat."  Lilly's tone and body language was confrontational.

"I'm still very interested in your personal style, Mrs Feng." said Suzy.

"What you mean is who pays for this?  We pay for this, Miss Kent, we do." came Lilly's sharp reply.  The woman sat next to Suzy on the sofa without her stern, piercing gaze ever leaving her.

"Now listen here.  If you wish to interview myself or my husband you must make an appointment first.  We will not discuss our finances with you, nor will we break the confidences of our backers.  Is that clear?"

"But..."

"I SAID IS THAT CLEAR?"

"Maybe we can schedule a more formal interview later on?" said Suzy, not rising to Lilly's bait.

"That would be acceptable" Lilly replied.

"In which case I'll thank you both for your time and I'll see myself out" said Suzy, getting up.

After Suzy had left Victor turned to Lilly and said "You know, I was handling the situation well"

"That one is trouble, Victor.  I have always said so.  The I-Ching tells me she is our enemy and we should treat her as one."

"Enemy?  She did us a favour by exposing the Landgraab scandal.  We can use her." said Victor.

"You must trust me, Victor, as you always have.  Our destinies are intertwined...forever, as was foretold!"

COURTYARD LANE, LATER THAT DAY

"How did it go with the Fengs?" asked Neil after he and Suzy had come home.

"Not well...give us a hug, I could do with some love and affection right now" she replied.

"I'll fix us some dinner and you can tell me all about it" said Neil, giving her a big hug.

As they were eating Neil had some words of encouragement.  "Well, they were hardly going to welcome you with open arms.  I say you're over the target and if you're rattling them you're doing something right"

"I know...I just don't like the confrontation.  I just wish..." she said, trying to find the right words to say next.

"...they'd just spill the beans as to what's going on?  I know, but you're going to have to play detective again."

Suzy sighed.  "Yes...and I've known this all along."

Neil put down his empty bowl and stood up.  He walked over to Suzy and patted her on the shoulder.  "But you're having the night off.  Let's get ready to go and hit the town!"

                                            

"Wow, this place is really swinging tonight" remarked Neil as they entered the Pigeon Toed Orange Peel.  The music wasn't the usual top of the hit parade stuff, but had a more edgy garage beat sound.  The customers were all hard core dancers who were probably hopped up on amphetamines, he thought.

They grabbed a seat along the side of the club as the sofas there were made of plush velvet and were ideal for snuggling up with your loved one, which they'd discovered on previous visits here.

"Hmmmm, I'm digging the vibe here tonight" said Suzy.

"Yeah, I know what you mean.  It seems more intense and happening tonight" Neil replied.  "I don't know this song though"

"It's a cover version of Taxman by The Beatles but I don't know who the band is.  I know the song because I've had endless discussions with Travis about whether Revolver is a better album than Pet Sounds."

"What does he think?"

"Pet Sounds but that's obviously incorrect.  Revolver is the best thing The Beatles have ever done"

"I've not heard either" said Neil.  Suzy just gave him an incredulous stare but said nothing.

"I've been too busy to check out the music scene!" he said in defence.  "Anyway we didn't come here to debate music" he said, making a move and moving closer to her.

After they had shared a moment of intimacy Neil stood up, grabbed Suzy by the hand and led her to the dance floor.

At one point Suzy looked across the dance floor and caught the eye of her friend, Julia.  She was with Travis and another guy she didn't recognise.  Suzy waved and her friend seemed excited to see her so she walked over and joined the little group.

"Julia what a pleasant surprise!" said Suzy, giving her friend a hug.

"Suzy...I'm not surprised to see you here" Julia replied.  "I don't come down here that often but Travis convinced me to get out of the house and have a little of what he calls 'fun'" Julia replied.

"And are you having fun?" asked Suzy.

"Actually, I am" said Julia, thoughtfully.

"So who's your friend?" asked Suzy, nodding at the suave looking man with fair hair and a sharply cut suit.

"Well, now, that's an interesting story..." said Julia.

"So, Travis, how's the wedding planning going?  What is it, three weeks to go?"

"24 and a wakeup" replied Travis.

"Well, as a newly wed husband I can advise you on the dos and don'ts of your big day."

"This is David, and we were at college together" said Julia.

"Hi, I'm Suzy" she said, introducing herself.

"Suzy Kent...I recognise you from your press photo" said David.  "I find your recent work very interesting"

"Why thank you.  So were you a fellow med student?" asked Suzy.

"No.  History and psychology.  But Julia and I met in our freshman year at the college book club and, well, we became friends throughout our time there.  We haven't seen each other since... well... graduation."

"What do you do now, David?" asked Julia.

"I'm a post-grad at Britechester as well as doing some fieldwork and research over at Strangerville."

"Strangerville?" asked Julia, noticing that the obscure town just outside of Sim City was where Bella Goth was abducted a few years ago.  "Is there anything of historical interest out there?"

"You'd be surprised" replied David, cryptically.  He clearly didn't want to talk about it any further and suddenly turned to Julia.

"Jules...can I buy you a drink?" he asked.  Julia seemed like a giddy school girl in his presence all of a sudden.

"Oh gosh, yes please.  Just a coke, thanks" she replied, all wide eyed.

"Can I get you one as well, Suzy?" said David.

"Sure, the same" she replied.

As David walked over to the bar Suzy gave Julia a knowing look.

"What are you looking at me like that for, Suz?" asked Julia.

"You have a type" Suzy replied.

"A type?  You mean men?  Pshaw!  You know me..."

"Yes I do" said Suzy, cutting Julia off because she knew it would be a lame justification about liking men for their brains.  "You like intellectual fair haired men.  If he's got blonde hair, an easy going smile and has 'Doctor' or 'PhD' in his title you go all soppy for them"

"Harumph...I've never been so insulted in all my life" huffed Julia, before her indignant facial expression changed to that of a naughty smile.

David came back with the drinks for the girls and said "It's local celebrity night down here.  I've just seen that Lilly Feng by the bar.  She's talking politics, as usual, probably trying to win votes for her husband." 

Suzy looked over at the bar and saw her talking intensely with a man she didn't recognise.

The group chatted more and there was a dance or two but Suzy started to feel uncomfortable the more time went on.  She caught up with Neil and took him to one side.

"Lilly Feng is here.  I don't feel comfortable staying here, can we go home?"

They made their way back home where they had a little night cap and Suzy was filled with enthusiasm about all that happened in her day.

"I could tell she likes him and he seemed very happy to see her again.  I wonder if there was a little romance between them back in college!"

"Suzy, you really should stop trying to act as a matchmaker for Julia.  She fancied that doctor, he swanned off to Africa, and if you ask me she's determined to remain a spinster."

"Oh you're so anti-romantic at times!  That guy is exactly the kind of man Julia's interested in only she won't admit it.  He's handsome, intelligent, well educated and has some kind of mysterious field work assignment in Strangerville..."

"Oh no, you're not going to do an expose of him as well..." said Neil in exasperation, as he had seen Suzy fired up with questions and mysteries so many times before.

"No!  Well, not yet."

"Right...that's me done for the day.  I'm off to bed.  Are you coming?" said Neil.

"Soon, darling.  Soon" she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

Suzy went to the study and looked at her notes about the Fengs.  "Strangerville can wait...I want to know why the Fengs are so secretive." she said to herself.