Sponsorship

Date/Timing: April 2016
Setting: Kodiak, USA
.
On Day Twenty-eight of Life with Novices, Jackson and Logan don't actually know /where the Lins are; a couple Commonwealth classmates invited them to the bar and now they're spending the last fifteen minutes before curfew making their way back to the Academy.
"C'mon, Cory," insists Juliet. "It's the midterm! Ye gotta know /something!"
"You really think Mom tells me anything."
"You're her kid /and her TA."
"As if that's a good enough reason."
Logan says, "So if you can't give us answers, why d'we hang out with you?"
"Pretty sure it's the free beer—oh my god it's my dad." Cory takes off. "Dad!"
A tall (at least compared to Cory) person bearing a striking resemblance to Daniel Craig awkwardly accepts her hug. "Good evening, Cory." Steps away. "I need to speak with the Chinese delegation; you wouldn't happen to know where they are, would you?"
"Oh." Cory's arms drop to her sides. "So you're not here for me?"
"No, the Lin brothers? Britain's expressed an interest in sponsoring them or the Hong Kong Shatterdome."
"Sorry, /Dad, I haven't a clue. But good luck." She stalks back to the group.
"You okay?" asks Juliet.
"Just my wonderful father showing up out of the blue for some other kid—" Cory twists back. "—on behalf of a country that left six million of their people without citizenship for eight months!"
"Cory—"
"Don't you dare 'Cory' me!" To the group, "I'll see you guys tomorrow." Turns on her heel, scowls off. 
The man addresses them, "Would any of you—"
"Nope, sorry." Juliet grabs their arms. "Gotta jet, bye!" Drags them into the the building. 
Logan retrieves his wrist as soon as they're through the doors. 
"I'm gonna excuse myself from any more awkwardness," says Juliet. "Night!" 
They grunt, head to their own room and there are no novices inside. 
Logan heads to the washroom, Jackson flops face-first on his bed—
His mobile rings with a nine digit number.
Q says, ""Neither Líng's picking up and they're gonna lose it if I don't intervene. Can you—""
"I have no idea where they are."
""Yes, I know that. I'll give you directions.""
Eight minutes later, Jackson hovers in the hall outside the Academy director's office.
"I can't just knock," he snaps.
""Yea, you'll have to go right in.""
"I'm not getting kicked out for this."
""I wouldn't do that to you, mon Cadet. Knock twice, open the door, say 'Bei Yau Líng has found enlightenment', excuse the three of you, and give them the mobile.""
Jackson starts forward. "I swear to god—"
""Everyone'll forget about this in the morning.""
He knocks twice—the voice inside cuts off—opens the door, swallows, and croaks, "Lin Feng, Lin Chao, Bei Yau Ling has found enlightenment."
Chao goes white.
Feng claps his hands over his mouth.
"If you would excuse us, ma'am, Agent—sir—person—Mx—Cory's dad, sir.," mumbles Jackson, stepping aside for the Lins and closing the door behind them.
"How do you—"
"I have no—just—" Jackson stuffs his mobile into Feng's hands. "Talk to her." He gives them a quick smile and retreats around the corner.
「Hello?」 asks Feng.
「「It's Siqi; your dad's fine, I lied, I'm kinda sorry.」」
「Oh. Okay. Uh ....」
Chao takes it. 「Thank you for removing us from that meeting.」
「「You're going to have to go back, sorry—」」
「How? What are we supposed—」
Feng snatches the phone. 「Chù, neither of us has any experience that can possibly map to this situation and we're expected to make this decision anyway and he's looking at us like we're dirt and I don't know what we're going to do!」
「「I knew you'd say that.」」
「This is not the time to be psychic!」
「「I'm trying to help, Líng. Would you just listen to me?」」
Chao's turn. 「Of course. We apologize.」
「「Apology accepted. Will the two of you take a deep breath for me?」」
They do.
「「So what you're gonna say is simple, but would you prefer to write it down?」」
Feng finds a notepad and pen in his layers. 「I'm ready.」
""On behalf of the state of Hong Kong, we accept your offer of sponsorship. It will help repay your debt to us.""
「Oh,」 says Chao.
「That's brilliant,」 says Feng.
「「Ain't it though? I'm almost to the Chief Executive's house. Her Majesty thought she could pull a fast one on us!」」
They laugh weakly.
「「Janet's around ... two corners—just keep turning left and you'll find him.」」
「Before or after sass?」
「「He's a modern-day young adult! How dare you even consider parting him from his electronics for more than a minute.」」
「Before, then. Thanks, Chù.」
「Thank you!」
「「Bye, guys, take care!」」
Category:Ficlet
Category:Kodiak (setting)
Category:Jackson
Category:Jackson's POV
Category:Jackson (ficlet)
Category:Juliet
Category:Juliet (ficlet)
Category:Cory
Category:Cory (ficlet)
Category:Logan
Category:Logan (ficlet)
Category:Siqi
Category:Siqi (ficlet)
Category:Siqi is (almost) psychic
Category:Feng
Category:Feng (ficlet)
Category:Feng's POV
Category:Chao
Category:Chao (ficlet)
Category:Cory's mom (mention)
Category:Ling Bei Yau (mention)
Category:Conversations via mobiles
Category:Ficlets with images
Category:Agent Craig
Category:Agent Craig (description)
Category:Agent Craig (ficlet)