Chapter Six
That evening, Shalia Owell entered the reception area of the Institute of Long Health, telling the taxi cab driver to wait outside the massage, haircut, acupuncture and manicure center. To call another taxi again after her session meant waiting for it, and her mind was busy making plans, in order to consolidate her position on the Board of Directors of Owens & Owell. She showed her appointment slip to the receptionist, who led her to a seat near several ladies drying their hair under a plastic helmet dryer. A television screen on the wall showed a Korean television drama, referred to as K-drama, 'My Lovely Sam-Soon', of no interest to her. Romances and idealized relationships in general were of no interest to her, because they did not reflect reality accurately. She used a remote control to press on the red Netflix button, watching an episode of Sense8, describing how eight strangers find themselves connected. She felt like a stranger in Singapore, and her talks with Madame Wa did not completely rid her of that sensation.
"Madame Wa will see you now," said the receptionist.
Shalia entered a dark meditation room, and the smell of incense filled her nostrils. She felt like taking off her clothes in front of the mature woman, but she refrained from doing it, as she had more important things to discuss. She left her 88 Tauri smartphone made by Tonino Lamborghini, which was using a SingTel card, inside her purse, and sat on a meditation chair facing Madame Wa.
"You were right," said Shalia, "Darcy Emmers is a hoax. I found out that her real name is Clarity Nice. She holds a diplomatic passport from Singapore. I doubt she works for Herbaline."
"Yes, highly unusual. My sources share the truth of the information. You should beware of her."
Shalia Owell reached for a plastic cup and poured some PereOcean mineral water from a dispenser.
"My position at the Board of Directors is not very solid right now. The company is worried about the theft of its raw materials. Our health phone project is delayed, and it cannot start until we find those rare earth metals." Madame Wa lit up several additional incense sticks, creating a cloudy atmosphere for the conversation. She wanted to confuse the thinking of Shalia Owell, and bend her will by altering her perception of things.
"You should get closer to Dao Bin, or talk with his moneytician Lim Li, they are well connected in Singapore for all things related to wireless communications and telephony. You will need him, he might know where the lanthanides are, and he will be definitely be useful to distribute the new health phone of Owens & Owell in Asia."
Shalia nodded, remembering that the Chinese market was often mentioned by her father and his advisor Donovan Carthill as the pending distribution assignment to crack by the global conglomerate. The launch of the new body analyzer and health phone division was the perfect product to gain presence in China.
"When are you seeing Elsie Chu?"
"Tomorrow, she invited me to her apartment. Dao Bin ignores me, he doesn't take me seriously as a negotiator for Owens & Owell. And the Board of Directors of O&O doesn't trust Dao Bin. A background report by Strategic Insights, our private intelligence agency, has shown to the Board some dark patches in Dao Bin's course as he became a billionaire. In particular, it talks about how he got rid of a few competitors using the services of two former sumo wrestlers who strong-arm competitors into leaving the market where his companies are present."
"Talk to the moneytician of Dao Bin. Lim Li is more willing to make a deal. Get to know him, to know about the money of Dao Bin, you might not need to deal with Dao Bin directly."
"I want to get rid of Clarity Nice, she's in the way. And she's protected by Elsie Chu now. I don't understand actually, there's no reason for her to protect a newcomer like this woman."
"When you get a chance, blame the disappearance of the rare earth metals on this woman, on Clarity Nice, and send her to prison here. Elsie Chu is not following the indications of our Secret Society, the Shade of the White Lotus. She has difficulty abandoning her frivolous lifestyle, and that is clouding her thinking as potential White Tigress. But I don't understand her either, why she does things, she would just have to say yes to her husband, in order to live comfortably. But she wants more of a lead of her own life, and doesn't quite know how to get there."
Shalia Owell drank some water, throwing away the cup in a bin. Barand Kishin, one of the officials at Infocomm, the media authority of Singapore dealing with wireless products and regulation, was becoming annoying with all the questioning. After talking to her several times, he'd sent a questionnaire and an audit team to her Suite, requesting to look at the numbers and logistics centers of Owens & Owell in Singapore. Carthill and the head of O&O logistics, Dale Irwail, told him that Owens & Owell had no presence in Singapore, but Kishin insisted on knowing the conglomerate better. Distracting Infocomm with information on Clarity Nice was a good way to disengage attention on Owens & Owell. She grabbed her purse and jotted a few indications about what to do next in the agenda of her smartphone. She was looking forward to the second part of her meeting. Madame Wa sensed her incipient, budding desire.
"You can take your clothes off, now," said Madame Wa, "I have received some new oil scents I'd like to try on you."
"Can we make it four hours today? I don't have anything to do this afternoon."
The nipples of Shalia Owell hardened at the thought of receiving a massage for several hours from an older woman.
"Sure. I want you nice and relaxed for your talk tomorrow."