The Frenchman's Revenge (74 page)

Bai smiled at the young man’s assertiveness and exchanged a quick glance with Wyatt.

“That’s a de
cision you and your father will need to make together
,
Deshi
.
I think you are ready
but i
t’s up to you
,
Wyatt
.”
Seeing the pained look on Lei’s face, he added, “And
,
of course
,
your mother will have to agree.”

Wyatt reached over and took Lei’s hand.

“Bai’s right,
Deshi
.
You have surprised both your mother and me wi
th your skill with the weapons.
The three of us will talk and
decide
when you can join Bai.”

Bai took a moment to light one of his
Bolivian
cigars
,
then leaned back thoughtfully in his chair.
He looked over at Wan and
didn’t
hide the love or admiration he felt for his father.
He turned back to Alex and
Deshi
.

“
When your grandfather came to this country
,
the Tongs were very different organizations. T
here w
eren’t opportunities for Chinese
men to create the kind of
enterprise
s
I have created
. I
have been fortunate to have my father and now Wyatt as mentors.
Wyatt
showed
me how to
envision
a different
future
for
the Tongs
. Between the two of us
,
we’ve
demonstrated how to
take a gang
known only for its violence a
nd turn
it into an
economic
force
.

“
Don’t misunderstand.
There will always be evil men like Greg and Marcello.
Y
our fighting skill
s
w
ill always be needed
,
Deshi
.
Both your father and I
find
it useful in our financial negotiations
that
the person
sitting
across f
rom us knows that in
three
minutes we can ensure that th
ey never walk again
or talk
again
, much less negotiate
again
.
A knife can be a compelling incentive to
cement
the deal.”

He grinned at Wyatt
,
who winked in return.

“Both you and
Deshi
, Alex, can be part of a new organization, one that Wyatt, Nianzu and I are creating. It’s an organization built on the
best of the Tongs
,
but recognizes the
realities of the
new
century
.
”

He leaned back in his chair and puffed on his cigar. There were many things he wanted to say to these young men, things he hoped they would understand and respect. He waited until he was sure he had their attention.

“I hope you will forgive me for being philosophical
,
but I want
to talk about
the
importance of
our mixed heritage. I have
found it a blessing
,
never
a
curs
e
, that
I have both Chinese and European blood
.
Like
Deshi
and Lei,
I am more visibly Chinese
,
and because of my relationship and admiration for my father
, I have chosen
to be Chinese
.
There is
a need
for leaders like me and someday, like you,
Deshi
,
in
this
country that despises the Chinese
and treats
us as
less than
human.

“Alex
,
you
also have
the advantage of
mixed blood. You have
your
father’s
Indian blood
, your
mo
t
her
’s
Mexican
heritage and the fact that you were ra
ised by a Chinese woman
.
All
of
this
racial
interplay gives us an opportunity and a responsibility
.
I am determined that
in my lifetime
the downtrodden Chinese in this country will
live
as free and full citizens
,
respected not reviled
.
An
d
,
internationally
,
the banks that
Wyatt and I
have established will not
only
b
e
acknowledged
,
they will be feared
. N
ot because of our physical might
,
but because of our economic might
.”

Wyatt stood and
raised
his
glass
of brandy.
His usual twinkle was absent. Instead
,
his expression was solemn
and
Bai saw the love in his eyes.

“You are right
,
Bai
,
about so many things.
Alex and
Deshi
do have the opportunity to be part of a new world, one in which you are the leader. Don’t think for a m
inute
that any of us are unaware of who you are, of what you are. You will be
thirty
years old in three months and you are already a legend in this country and
around the world
. It is
my
honor to be in your presence.”

W
an, Nianzu, Alex
,
and
Deshi
rose next to Wyatt
.
They all
raised their glasses
to Bai
.
He smiled
a
crooked smile and bowed in return.

~~~

The conversation continued.
Everyone was both exhausted and exhilarated by the events of the evening.
But
Quitin’s death hung
like
a cloak of sadness over the celebration.
He was a beloved member of the family
. H
is death underscored the fragility of life and the inherent danger of their collective lifestyle.

Bai rose and motioned to Elena to come to him. He put his arm around
her and held her close to him.

“We need to say good night.
I have
waited
as long as I can to have this beautiful woman in my arms. Thank you everyone for what you did tonight.
We can all
be proud
. An
evil man is
no
more and an organization that
terrorized and
made a mockery of
our political system has been brought to the ground.
On a personal level
,
Jeng Ming, I hope you believe that your future
is
more than
your past. Nothing will make me happier tha
n
to see you blossom as you should. You can be a shining star for all those young girls we saved
. Your example will show them th
eir worth
and
prove that
good is stronger than evil.

He leaned down and lifted Elena’s chin.

“We need to go,
cherie
.
We have much to discuss.

“Good night, all.”

~~~

As everyone scattered to go to their quarters, Alex stepped up to Jeng Ming.
He took a deep breath and grasped her elbow.

She started and tried to
break
away
.
H
e held her arm more tightly.

“I
’ll
walk you to your
chambers
, Jeng Ming.
”

When she frowned, he added, “
I want to talk to you.”

He ignored her attempts to free her arm
.
I
nstead
,
held it firmly as they walked through the beautiful gardens
lit by the
light of the full moon
peeping
through the clouds.

When they arrived at her casita, she jerked her arm free
. Before she could go inside
,
Alex spoke
.

“You were right,
Jeng
Ming.
I was jealous of Bai.
Elena and I have been
inseparable
all of our lives and her love for Bai threatened me.
As you pointed out, I ac
t
ed like a child who lost his best friend.
Worst of all
,
I made Bai into a monster rather then seeing him as the great man that he is.
He forgave me and brought me into his close circle.
I will be grateful for the rest of my life that he was able to see the man
I am
rather than the spoiled child I appeared to be.
I tell you this because I hope someday you also will see me as the man I am.
”

Jeng Ming turned away
, refusing
to look at him when he
was speaking
.
When he finished
,
he stood quietly
waiting
for her response.
He
r indecision was apparent
. Her shoulders and neck muscles were tight
knots. A
s always she held her head high, aloof.

When he just about g
ave
up
,
she looked over her shoulder and said, “I don’t think you are a child. I can understand why you felt the loss of Elena.
I have never been close to anyone since my mother died. Elena didn’t die.
She fell in love with a magnificent man. But she still loves you.”

“You’re right, Jeng Ming. She loves me very much as I do her. But it is the love of a sister and brother.
I want to love a woman the way a man loves a woman.
The way that Bai
loves
Elena.
”

Jeng
Ming
frowned.
She took several steps back and her face hardened.

“Bai
is unusual
.
Men don’t love women
like
that
.
He is
an exception.”

“I disagree. My father
loves
L
ei
the way Bai loves
Elena
.
I know that I can love a woman in that way.”

Jeng Ming felt a rush of anger.
He really is a child she thought.
She shook her head no and
said dismissively
,” I
was wrong.
You are a child.
O
ne that
still
believes in fairy tales.
”

She sniffed
.
“
I am not a child
,
”
and
added with a harsh
laugh
, “I never have been.”

She
turned to go to her
chambers
,
but stopped
when she heard Alex’s voice. It was different than his usual way of speaking, sharper, more
assertive
.

“Come
here, Jeng Ming.”

Jeng
M
ing
looked back at him from her
doorway and
couldn’t
hide her surprise.
Alex looked different, older,
more
serious. He also looked as if he meant what he said.