3
New York City
Ivy looked around the streets of New York , wondering how she was supposed to find Bao . All the witch had told her was that she ’ d have to make her intention to find him known , but she was unfamiliar with the city . She walked up to a police officer just outside the train station . “ I need help ,” she said .
The officer gave her his full attention .
“ Is everything alright ?” he asked . “ I need to find Bao ,” Ivy replied . “ Bao who ?” the officer asked . “ Just Bao ,” Ivy said . The officer rolled his eyes . “ Try Chinatown .” He turned and walked away . “ Ditzy broad .”
Ivy hailed a cab , and asked the driver to take her to Chinatown . He asked where in Chinatown , and Ivy just shrugged . He was probably muttering something under his breath like the cop as he pulled away from the curb . Ivy counted how much money she had in her head as the taxi ’ s meter ticked . With no intention to return to her old life , she had taken everything she had in cash and sold most of her belongings before venturing to New York . She had even cleared out almost three hundred dollars out of register of the diner when she finished her last shift . Chinatown was bigger than Ivy thought it would be . She payed the driver , lingering to ask one question . “ Do you know where I can find Bao ?” she asked .
The cabbie took his money with the less-than-generous tip . He laughed once and drove off , refusing to answer the question . When Ivy turned , she saw why . The cabbie had just dropped her off in front of a restaurant called “ Bao ’ s Kitchen ”.
Ivy walked in , letting the aroma of cooking food fill her nostrils . She was very hungry , but she wanted her revenge more than she wanted a meal . Besides , she had decided to only spend money on food when starvation was imminent .
“ Hi ,” Ivy said , approaching the counter . The Chinese woman on the other side glared at her . A young girl was coloring on a table by the register , unconcerned about anything else . “ Can I speak with Bao ?”
“ What do you want with Bao ?” the woman asked .
Ivy struggled to make up a lie , but she remembered the words of Lillia , telling her to make her intentions known . “ There is a demon I seek ,” she said . “ His name is Lannus , and I want to kill him .”
The woman looked over Ivy , measuring her . She picked up an old fashioned phone and spun the rotary dial . The woman spoke in Chinese , a language Ivy didn ’ t even remotely understand . She hung up the phone with a clang . “ Bao will see you ,” she said , nodding toward a stained wooden door nearest to them . Ivy walked toward it , putting her hand on the cold , metallic handle . She almost wished it was locked , but she remembered that she had given up everything to come here .
Ivy opened the door , and a staircase was directly in front of her . She walked in , letting the wooden door close behind her . She climbed up the florescent lit stairwell until she came upon another door , this one black and made of shining metal . She knocked once and there was the loud click of the door unlocking . She pushed it open and went inside .
4
Ivy walked through what looked like a well-furnished apartment . The couches and chairs were leather and the tables were shining steel and glass . In the middle and toward the back was a young , tan-skinned man , huge in stature , sitting in a reclining chair and wearing dark sunglasses .