Chapter Seven. Festival of the Red Dragon

Festival of the Red Dragon

As the limo pulled away from the Penninsula, Derby sat alone in the "suite" of the limo. He had asked Fred to arrange a call to Pam. It was 2 am in Tiny Town and Fred wasn't supposed to set up the call for another six hours.

Derby had been informed that the driver would explain where he was to be taken and what would transpire over the next 24 hours. The marbles were back in his right hand. Subconsciously he was rolling them again in his palm.

At the moment, he was thinking about Jeninqua. Who was she? What was she? Had he really had sex with her? He found himself being aroused at the thought of her. He had no recollection of any waking connection to her except from inside the plane for those few moments between waking up and passing out again, and then later waking up as she got out of the bed in the hotel.

All of a sudden he thought some water had spilled from inside the limo. He looked down to see what the source of all the moisture was because it felt as if his right hand was reaching down into a creek bed. As he continued to roll the balls, the sensation was as if a running faucet was spouting out a gushing stream of blue icy water.

But there was no sign of moisture as he looked at the marbles, except that same visual distortion he had noticed before, as if the air was fractured and the light was being refracted and "bent."

Just then his meditation was disturbed as the driver opened the pass thru window from the cab to ask, "Mr. Derby--Fred is on the line and wants to know if you can take the call?"

He didn't feel like correcting the driver that Derby was his first name. "Yes, Howard. No problem."

"Just pick up the handset sir. On your right there."

Derby put the marbles in his pocket and lifted the receiver to his ear.

"Fredalnte at your service sir. Are you quite comfortable?"

"Comfortable? You want to know if I'm comfortable? Who are you people? I need to meet with the publisher. What is all this really about? I know that all of this is some kind of hoax. It is actually very good material and I'm thinking of using it for a sequel to Children of Zol. But at the moment I really just want to meet with Justin Scoville and discuss the publishing deal I've been flown here to negotiate."

"Have you handled your balls Mr. Ripley? You've been playing with them haven't you? Notice anything unusual?"

Immediately Derby transferred the handset to his left hand so his right hand was free to take the marbles out of his pocket. "They've got a tiny receiver in these things," he thought to himself as he stared at the white and black balls. His urge was to throw them out the window and as he started to do that he realized the window switch was locked and he couldn't roll them down. He tested the door handle and it too was secure.

"Am I being held prisoner Fred? Have I been kidnapped? Is this about the money for the book? It is isn't it? This is about a ransom?"

"Mr. Ripley please. Don't let your imagination run so freely. Zol has value but not for the reason you think. And no, as I've tried to tell you repeatedly, we mean no harm to you. We're ally forces. I just thought that you may have started to notice a different sensation from the balls, under a different state of mind."

"What do you mean?" Derby's mind was racing. He KNEW what Fred meant but he wondered how Fred knew.

"You entered a state of stillness. Depending on the activity which surrounds you, the marbles will generate various sensations. Last time you had them in your hands, you were surrounded by action and movement. While you've been seated in the darkness and relative calm of the car, your mind would have naturally started to fall into a state of calmness."

Derby found himself rapidly rolling the balls again as the conversation was taking place and heat was mounting again in his hand. The balls felt heavy and good. He liked this sensation and he wondered if he had really even noticed whether he enjoyed it when they produced the sensation of water. But as he rubbed them together and around and around the heat was building and again he noticed it was sending energy through his wrist and to his forearm.

"I want to know about Jeninqua," he heard himself demand into the phone. "Who was she. What was she? And why did you attack her. I liked her. I really don't think I like you."

"Mr. Ripley. You need to put the marbles away for awhile. Within a few moments you won't be able to tolerate the heat you're generating with them. Part of my job is to train you how to use them. Howard will explain next steps and I'll see you tomorrow. Try to get some rest."

Derby knew Fred was right because he felt as if his hand was scalded. He even worried that they would burn a hole in the pouch but as soon as he dropped them in the bag they seemed to cool instantly. Deliberately and almost in a trance-like state he hung up the receiver. Just as Howard slid open the window.

"We're coming to the Festival of the Red Dragon. This will be a great chance for you to buy some souvenirs."

As he looked out the window Derby remembered for the first time he was in Hong Kong. They had pulled into a parking area and a parade was going on. They were surrounded by booths and swarms of people. Music and lights and endless gizmos on bamboo sticks...and the colors! Everything was festive...and LOUD.