Yuen-Mong's Revenge (29 page)

 
     
"You mean that we are constantly being watched? Why? I thought
access to the Sanctum was strictly controlled?" Glints of amusement
danced in her eyes.

     
"The population of the Sanctum triples during the daytime when all
the domestics and service people enter each morning."

 
     
"Don’t they screen those carefully before they get access?"

 
     
"Yes, but I guess even so there may be the occasional trouble."

 
     
"What happens when there is trouble?"

 
     
"They send out their security."

 
     
They did some window shopping. A few fashion shops had actual
mannequins, displaying clothing; others showed only life-size, animated
holoscreens. "I must say that the things they display here are more
tasteful than what we saw in BD."

 
     
"Yes, but they’re also several times the price."

 
     
"How do you know? I see no prices."

 
     
"That’s just it. No prices means high prices."

 
     
"Let’s leave and look into the residential area."

 
     
"We’ll look more suspicious there."

 
     
"Just behave like a domestic or worker … with a purpose, and slump
a bit, keep your eyes to the ground when we meet people, and nobody
will even take notice of you. Haven’t you seen how domestics and
service personnel are treated as if they didn’t exist?"

 
     
On the other side of the shopping complex was a small park with a
sculptured fountain in its middle, opening into a square, enclosed on
three sides by impressive buildings. A plaque heralded it as the Foundation Plaza.

     
"What is this?" she asked, pointing with her head toward the building
in front.

     
"It’s a church; in fact, it looks like a cathedral in the Old-Earth style."

 
     
"My mother told me about churches. I’m curious to see the inside —"
she sensed Atun’s rising anxiety and added: "but it can wait."

 
     
The one on the right — a neoclassical structure with a broad staircase
leading up to a portal supported by a row of thirty-foot high solid stone
columns — showed ‘Foundation Concert Hall’ in gold lettering above
the portal, while the matching four-storey building on the other side of
the square was the Foundation Center. Atun explained that it was the
administrative seat of the Foundation.

     
They took the tree-lined street uphill, past the church and caught
glimpses of villas and mansions behind living fences, ornate iron gates,
or up driveways, each with its own little park. Atun remarked that it all
reminded him of scenes from historical movies of Old Earth, including
the square with the church.

     
"Maybe that’s what they are trying to recreate," she replied.

     
"True. The Foundation Charter states that one of their aims is to preserve and further refine the aristocratic traditions of Old Earth."

 
     
They encountered a few chauffeured vehicles, but no people. After an
initial incline, the street looped down toward the lake. They stopped at
a viewpoint on a small bluff, which protruded into the lake, and looked
around. Below them were the secluded grounds of a residence partially
hidden by trees. The small villa was set back from the walled lake shore
by a lawn. Something looked familiar. Then it came to her — her
mother’s house, the one that she had seen in the video-cube.

     
"Look, Atun," she exclaimed, grabbing his arm, barely able to hold
back her excitement. "My mother’s house." After a while she added:
"This is mine! One day we will live in there."

 
     
"I think I could handle that, but then there’s this old saying from Old
Earth: Don’t count your chickens before they hatch."

 
     
"You are a pessimist. It is mine." She continued looking down to it.
"Was there not a sculpture of a woman in the video-cube, close to the
water?"

 
     
"Yes, there was."

 
     
"They must have removed it. I thought it was beautiful. It looked like
my mother — maybe it was her.
I will
have it put back."

 
     
She saw his amused look. "Just laugh, Atun. I will make it happen."

 
     
"I don’t doubt it."

 
     
They walked down the road to the villa. The ten-foot high intricate
iron gate displaying the Chinese symbol for Shen removed all doubts that
this was her mother’s house — her own house. They were looking
through the gate when she suddenly heard a harsh voice coming from a
small balcony upstairs and sensed the irate contempt of a man and the
frightened mind of a young woman.

     
"You useless oaf. Can’t you ever do anything right?" The sound of a
hard slap was followed by a cry of pain, followed by more blows.

     
"You’re fired and I’ll make sure you’ll never find a Foundation job
again," the same voice yelled.

     
"Please, Mr. Young, let me stay. Dock my pay for the cost," pleaded
a woman’s voice, between sobs.

     
"Even a year’s pay couldn’t cover it, you stupid girl."

 
     
"Please, Mr. Young, I’ll do anything you want, but let me stay."

 
     
A lecherous laugh followed. "Suddenly willing, are you, you slut…
We’ll put this to the test tomorrow. Get back to work." A door was
slammed. Only the sobbing of the young woman remained.

     
When the first wave of terror of the girl hit Yuen-mong, she closed
her eyes. It was only Atun’s firm grip on her hand that kept her from
scaling the gate and rush to the young woman’s rescue.

     
"Come, let’s go. You can’t right every wrong, Yuen-mong," he
murmured, pulling her along.

     
After a few steps, she stopped and said: "No, I cannot, but this girl
may be useful to us. I felt a kinship with her, as if she were a strong
empath. Let’s stick around and wait until she quits work."

 
     
"And then do what? I don’t think we should take any more risks. We
were lucky so far, and I’m for getting out as quickly as possible before
we’re caught."

 
     
"Look, it’s already five thirty. Don’t the commuting domestics have
to be out by six?"

 
     
"How do you know she’s not a live-in?"

 
     
"Because he said ‘we’ll put this to the test tomorrow’. If she lived in,
he would abuse her tonight. Look, Atun. I can feel it if somebody gets
suspicious about us, and we can then disappear. And don’t worry,
I will
wait until she is outside before I approach her."

 
     
"But let’s move on. It’ll look suspicious if we linger around."

 
     
"Yes, we can wait at the service gate.
I will
recognize her when she
comes."

 
     
"How can you? We didn’t see her."

 
     
"No, but by her state of mind."

 
     
They had no difficulties finding the service gate. There were regular
signs at all major street intersections giving directions. As six o’clock
approached, there were throngs of people rushing to the gate to get out
before the curfew time. They stood near the gate. Yuen-mong kept her
eyes closed. A bell sounded as some last stragglers ran to get out.

     
"She hasn’t come yet. What happens if somebody is late?"

 
     
"They get two warnings and the third time they’re fined heavily. Two
fines and they’re barred from working in the Sanctum."

 
     
"How do you know all that?"

 
     
"It’s all spelled out on the board behind you. Why did you ask me in
the first place?"

 
     
"Because I knew that you knew." She smiled at him and he responded,
shaking his head.

     
"I should have known," he mused. "Let’s go."

 
     
"No, I think it’s the girl hurrying up the street. She is agitated. It’s
probably not the first time she is late. Let’s meet her and take her through
our gate."

 
     
She did not give him a chance to protest and went to intercept the
young woman.

     
"I can feel that you’re distressed," she said softly, letting her feel compassion, trying to soothe her fear. "I will help you get out without a fine.
Come, trust me." She put her hand on the girl’s shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly, and led her to the residents’ gate farther over. The attendant
nodded politely as Yuen-mong presented her thumb to the reader and the
other two did the same, and they passed through unhindered.

     
Once outside, the young woman could not manage to hold back her
tears. "Honorable lady, I don’t know how to thank you."

 
     
"No thanks are expected. What’s your name?"

 
     
"Anouk Olsen, my lady."

 
     
"I’m Yuen-mong Shen and this is Atun Caruna. I would like to talk
to you." She instantly sensed Anouk’s renewed fear and let her feel
empathy.

     
"I really thank you from my heart, but my mother will be worried if
I’m home late."

 
     
"Anouk, I know that you’re frightened. Can you not feel my goodwill
toward you?"

 
     
The young woman looked at her surprised.

     
"Don’t you know that you are an empath? … Listen to my mind. What
do you feel?"

 
     
"I don’t understand."

 
     
"Close your eyes, and let your heart sense the feelings that reach you.
What are they?"

 
     
The girl reopened her eyes in sudden understanding. "I feel warmth."

 
     
"And what feelings did Mr. Young convey to you this afternoon that
were worse than his words and his blows?"

 
     
The girl burst into tears.

     
"You see. You can sense the feelings of other people around you. You
can sense that this man over there," she looked to the right, where a man
was standing, apparently waiting, "is impatient and annoyed without
even seeing his face. Right?"

 
     
Anouk nodded.

     
"I could sense your distress and the horrible thoughts of Mr. Young
this afternoon too when I was standing outside the gate, and that’s why
I want to help you."

 
     
Anouk’s eyes opened wide and then she lowered her gaze in shame,
biting her lips.

     
"It’s all right, Anouk. Don’t go back to Mr. Young tomorrow."

 
     
"But I need work and he threatened —"

 
     
"I know. I can offer you work. I will teach you to develop your skills
as an empath and then you will help me." When she sensed again the
girl’s heightened fear, she added: "We only arrived in Androma two days
ago and need somebody with local knowledge. Do you want us to talk to
your mother about it first?"

 
     
The girl nodded again.

     
"Then take us to her."

 
     
She still hesitated.

     
"You can trust Yuen-mong," said Atun, smiling at the girl, "she
means you no harm."