The Cantonesia Caper [Bauhinia Legacy Series, Book 4.0]

00 | Prologue

Amelia Yeung was on the run.

The police officers were chasing after her, but she knew every single road like the back of her hand. After all, they were shipped here from Hong Kong and Macau five years ago; she had the advantage of staying in the city far longer than they had.

Amelia turned the corner at Zhao Cai Street into a dimly lit alleyway. There was a stark, evident difference between the bright pavements of Cantonesia compared to its hidden streets, but this was where she spent most of her time. The woman brushed a hand over the graffiti-lined walls, dodging and dipping over loose potholes and under low vents. She smiled at the poorly disguised men dressed in oversized trench coats getting mysterious substances from someone hiding in the shadows—Mr. Fai was at it again. How many times had he escaped from jail? Even though Amelia was heading towards Old Fai, she bet on her necklace they wouldn't bat an eye towards him.

And then there were the old drunkards, wasted away by alcohol and gambling debts. It was a sad sight to see so much wasted potential. Then again, some of them deserved a desolate life. The people littered the alleyway, but served as good distractions to avert the police's attention.

Amelia looked behind her. It was a meager pursuit, anyway; the officials muttered dejectedly after she slipped behind a dripping air conditioner vent. She knew they'd leave her alone soon enough.

The young woman left the alley through a narrow passageway behind a rusty door and emerged onto Jardine Avenue, what foreigners called the 'Eastern Main Street.' The avenue stayed true to its namesake as a constant stream of people occupied the pavement. Shoppers ran in and out of stores like ants, adorned with shopping bags upon shopping bags. It was a great place to blend in, which was precisely what Amelia needed to do.

After shrugging off her navy jacket and placing it inside a (stolen) shopping bag, Amelia continued on her way, traipsing among the ecstatic tourists. She slapped away a testy hand reaching for her bag: another incompetent attempt at acquiring a new wallet. Everyone here was so new and experienced, she mentally sighed. It was a rare sight to see a familiar face of a triad member. Fai was one of the last ones from Hong Kong, and the rest were blurred faces, disseminated all over Asia. Amelia didn't know if it was a curse or a blessing to be on the other side of the law.

Amelia checked her watch. An hour till she had to arrive at her destination. She decided a scenic route wouldn't hurt—there was time to kill anyway. Cantonesia had been split into sectors: one for residential buildings, one for a business, finance and international trading hub, one for a tourism area, and various nature parks and attractions scattered around on outlying islands like Discovery Bay. Right now, Amelia had to get from the tourism sector to the business one, so she took a ferry over to the other side of the harbor. The journey lasted forty-five minutes, giving tourists and locals alike a chance to gaze at crumbling monuments on one side and steel, gray buildings on the other. Some could even find the occasional green dot for small clusters of trees—Cantonesia's meager efforts to stay environmentally friendly like the rest of the world.

And it was there that Amelia exited a purple taxi. She smoothed out her black pencil skirt, straightened her white T-shirt, and put on the black blazer inside the shopping bag she'd acquired. How convenient - she'd needed one of those anyway.

The young woman made her way up the marble steps of the Global Commerce Building, running a hand through her short, ebony hair. A blast of air conditioning met her when she stepped into a lobby that was far too pristine yet far too bare. She took out a card from her skirt pocket and swiped it on the scanner, upon which an automated voice announced her presence. Amelia swiped her card again to call for the elevator, then a third time to take her to her destination: the eighty-eighth floor.

The elevator opened to a set of golden doors, and a bauhinia insignia was engraved on each door handle. Amelia smiled and entered.

A man in his late sixties sat behind a mahogany desk, surrounded by towering (and foreboding) bookshelves. "You're late, Ah Kei."

"Sorry, Ba." Amelia shrugged casually and pulled up a chair.

"The Bauhinias adhere to a strict schedule. We don't have time to waste; do you hear me?" Amelia's father's voice was deep and strangely chilling.

"Yes, Ba."

"Good. Now, onto more pressing matters. The necklace, please." Mr. Yeung looked at his daughter, a palm outstretched. Amelia took it off and handed it to him. It was a simple jade necklace, but it was reinforced with one of the strongest and rarest diamonds in the world. The chain itself was made of the exact same gemstone.

Amelia bet it was for a client, usually one of the council members or the rich ones part of Cantonesia's authorities. Another flaw in the system: Much of the government made deals and exchanges with the Bauhinias in her city, which meant unrest for average citizens, but a gold mine for Amelia's family.

Amelia reminded herself that the Yeungs were one of the most inconspicuous yet notorious mafia families in Southern China. Even though their last name meant 'sun,' they had named themselves the Bauhinias after old Hong Kong's regional flower. Her household was what the general public called a 'black society,' but instead of shirking and dismissing the name, her Ah Ba had held that title with pride.

And this 'black society' had absolutely nothing to do with the origin of Cantonesia for once. After the Mainland had reclaimed the Special Administrative Regions twenty years ago, they decided to connect both cities with ones in southern Guangdong near the ocean. They first called it the Greater Bay Area, but someone came up with a catchier name: Cantonesia was thus born.

Amelia's family had practically owned the streets in Hong Kong. Now they were living the high (and illegal, as always) life in their new home.

"Ah Kei, are you listening to me?" Mr. Yeung, leader of the Bauhinias, snapped Amelia back into the present.

"Yes," Amelia hurriedly answered.

"Ah Kei, I've raised you for twenty-three years. Don't think I can't tell you haven't been paying attention." Yeung sighed. "I was talking about your next mission."

Amelia sighed audibly. "Hooray," she deadpanned. "Might as well tell me quickly, so I'll get it over and done with and not waste your time."

"As you wish," Mr. Yeung answered. "You are to severely injure or kill Elise Lau, the Governor's daughter. All that matters is her life needs to be threatened, and her family needs to be provoked. Understand?"

"Yes, sir." Amelia nodded. "Shall I salute as well?"

"Don't give me attitude, Ah Kei." Mr. Yeung glared at his daughter. "You are to attend the ball that Miss Lau will host on Saturday. A client has agreed to give you an identity and the documents you'll need in exchange for the necklace you've acquired, so rest assured the law will not come after you that night. You'll be Ms. Regina Lee, the daughter of the richest man in Cantonesia, for the night. But just to be sure, blend in with the crowd. Stay in the main ballroom, and don't slink around in the eaves. That will only make you more suspicious. Now get to your room, and decide on your weapon and outfit for Saturday. Do you understand?"

Amelia nodded briskly and walked out of the room. She closed the doors, standing there in far too much splendor and glory, with a loud bang. 

Word Count: 1311

(A/N: Amelia's Chinese name is Yeung Tze Kei, and her father calls her Ah Kei.)