Page 69 of Old Secrets

A chill ran through me as I realized we were changing the world.

I never thought I would be able to do such a thing.

“While it’s usually difficult to tell, you just paled, Karma. What’s wrong?” Jake asked.

“We’re changing everything.”

My mate bent over to give my brow a kiss. “But we’re changing it for the better. I’m surprised China is taking such an aggressive stance on this, but I’m grateful they’re taking Greenwich seriously.”

“My country wants to hold its own power,” Maurice stated, and in his tone, I heard resignation. “Greenwich may interfere with that, so they’re a threat worth disposing of. However, the improvement of relations between my government and yours is a good thing. One more of cooperation than competition. We still have our differences, and I do not expect things to remain cordial unless both countries put in a great deal of effort, but for this? We will work together. Greenwich has violated China’s sovereignty.”

I could readily believe China would be prepared to do anything necessary to protect its sovereignty. “What do you think is going to happen?”

“Bloodshed.”

Maurice’s immediate response concerned me, and heaving a sigh, I turned my saddest eyes on Jake. “I’m going to need my gun.”

“I’ve got her here. You will not be separated from your baby for much longer, I promise you. But, if they do not do anything hostile, we will not be opening fire. We need actual provocation.”

As I agreed with him, I nodded. “The fugitives are going to be a problem.”

“China will bargain.” Maurice crouched, open his bag, and pulled out a soft-shelled case. Opening it, he revealed the parts of a compact machine gun, which he began to assemble with practiced ease. To my dismay, I discovered Francis and Leon possessed similar weapons and sufficient ammunition to slaughter everyone in the airport ten times over. “We are hoping this will serve as a deterrent. They are unarmed. We are armed. We will make an example out of someone if we must, but China would rather have as many alive as possible—and bargains will be made for those who betray their organization. This is not the resolution your parents will appreciate, but it is fair.”

“Will China issue pardons?” I asked.

“No. Their punishments will simply be humane until the end of their lives. Should execution be selected, it will also be done humanely. For those who refuse? Death will come swiftly and without mercy.” The translator checked his weapon, strapped it around his neck, and gave a satisfied nod. “Remember, Karma—no one in that airport is innocent. They are all marked with the aura, and the only way someone is marked with the aura is if they are directly involved with murder. From what we understand, their magic has determined knowledge, acceptance of the murder, and a refusal to protest the murder are the basic criteria for being directly responsible. These are not innocent bystanders who deserve care and caution from us. They’re murderers. Some didn’t fire the gun or wield the knives, but they knew what they helped to accomplish. More importantly, they agreed with the deaths. Including infants.”

My fox was of the opinion we should grab a machine gun and open fire and lay waste to our enemies, making certain they never bothered us again.

I wanted to temper her vengeance with justice and mercy. “Will China be cruel to them?”

“I would count on it. What they did goes beyond being just cruel. They deserve their fate, however swiftly it might come.”

After working so hard to redeem myself—and watching Jake struggle to redeem himself—the idea that everyone involved would not have a chance to do the same sickened me. However, one truth came to light, one that would make the rest of the day easier to bear.

Jake and I both classified as victims, and a hefty part of our various redemptions involved rising above what had been done to us. We’d both done our fair share of sins, but our reasons for our sins mattered.

They had killed—and supported the killings—for the sake of their greed.

“All of them, though? Aren’t there hundreds of people in that building?”

“There are,” Maurice confirmed.

Fuckers. “And how many of them have the red and black auras?”

“Most. There are a few who we believe are originally from the American branch who do not, but all of the people who are present seem to have been involved and supported the murder of your siblings, the murder of your aunt, and the attempt to murder you. They are all older people now, although we suspect some were younger children at the time of the murders. From what we can tell from our surveillance, the youngest is forty-seven.”

My fox needed no other convincing; she was ready to rip everyone in the airport apart. I, however, still had scruples about the whole situation. “We’ll try to talk first, and if they agree to bring the rest of Greenwich crashing down, while heavily monitored by China, then they walk out of here alive. And if not, well, I guess we’ll have a lot of cleaning up to do. But let’s try to avoid shattering the big windows and putting bullet holes in the walls. That’s expensive to repair.” My fox disliked the idea of leaving any of them alive, but if we could turn our enemies into tentative allies to bring the rest of the group down, I would dance with any devil to cross my path to see it happen. “If they can be cultivated to betray the rest of Greenwich, we cultivate them.”

Everyone stared at me, and even my mate raised a brow.

“There’s no justice in murder,” I reminded them. “They have come unarmed. If they show us peace, then we will show them peace—and China can deal with their crimes by the law. This is not refusing to hold them accountable for murder. This is just refusing to murder the defenseless.” As I was aware the incident at the shrine would be mentioned, I added, “Those who came at us in Japan came into a trap, trying to get at me and my mate. This is different. Those men were wanted, armed, and dangerous. These people are wanted, possibly dangerous, but have come unarmed. We will not slaughter them.”

Maurice and the other Chinese representatives bowed. “As long as they do not display violence towards you, we will not be violent. We will save our violence solely as an act of retaliation or prevention.”

I could accept that. “We go in to negotiate. But we will show them we are armed—we will allow them to believe we are willing to use those arms as needed. But we pursue justice, not vengeance.”

In that, I would use my actions to establish how I wanted the world to work—even if it meant I couldn’t personally wring the life out of my aunt’s murderers.