Big trouble in little india

Leng : watch out for those with Katanas !!

A coordinated strike happened at all 3 entrance in front of us. The longer reach of the weapon sent the 3 pillars backing away. The men held the bald in front of them, waving wildly given the limited space they have to wield them .

This coupled with the rest of the more grunt like mercenaries, they managed to force us closer to the centre of the lobby.

The moment we lost the chokepoint at each of the entrance, the men came rushing into the lobby, forcing a smaller and tighter circle.

Eddy : COME….. COME ON!!! You CB Kia ( you cunt ) COME !!! CCB ( curse in dialect )

Freddy : you want a piece of this !!! you want a piece of this…. FUCK YOU… CCB…

Annie was panting hard and I could see she was trying to catch her breath. She had multiple cuts on her forearms and shoulder. I could not tell the extend of the injury but it was obvious she’s slowing down.

I jumped forward, falling another Indian man who was not paying attention to his flank before retreating to the circle we had formed around Aiko.

Xuehua on the other hand had her hudiedao in the thigh of a man who tried to steal a hit at Freddy who managed to block off that attempt.

Our circle got tighter and tighter and the shouts of the men in the lobby grew louder so did Aiko’s scream. Shew as covering her ears and eyes as she cried, screaming in Japanese, calling out for her children.

The door I had blocked to the loading and unloading bay has been opened and I could see men entering the lobby. They moved slow, keeping their bodies tight against the side of the walls.

I swing my Katana in an wide arc, keeping the men at bay so did the rest of my team mates who had tools that allowed for a longer reach.

Still there was no way to fend off the encircling hoard

The amount of space we had left got smaller until the sides of my body were almost touching Eddy on my left and Freddy on my right.

It’s a matter of time before we lose this.

Our weapons kept coming into contact with what the men are using. The shouts rendered our own shouts useless as everyone was cursing and shouting in a different language. Every few second or so, someone would attempt to prod the defensive circle, kicking off another round of saliva spitting curse and taunt.

The shouts and mad swings of our weapons grew more out of control.

Someone tried to stab me with sharpened stake but I held onto it with my right hand after dropping the Katana, pulling him close into the circle, Eddy’s hand yank him by the hair and right into his waiting forehead. As he fell to the ground, the knife in my left hand went cleanly through his stomach as I knelt down to pick up the Katana.

Another poor judgement by a Jap was swiftly cut shot by the swing of Freddy’s knife through his face.

My eyes saw something that made my heart sank.

That’s it. This is probably the end for all of us.

I could see bodies parting on the left as almost 10 men with Katanas ran towards the lobby.

Some of those within the lobby pulled back, making space for their better trained comrades to take care of us.

Leng : fuck…. CCB !! arGHHHHHH!!!

Leng drove his spear 2 inch into the eye of a Indian who could not get away in time.

Annie blocked off an attempt to hit Leng by using her shoulder to butt the man away.

While she fell, 2 more tried to get her but Xuehua was there to make sure they don’t.

The rapid swing of her hudiedao left 1 of them clutching his neck and the other screaming with his hands trying to keep his lips from falling off his face.

More than half of the men in the lobby cleared out as the approaching elites surveyed the situation in the lobby.

Xuehua : watch out for their swings, they are fast….

Freddy : we can’t take them all… it was hard enough taking 3 down earlier….

Leng : my bones are fucking aching….

Annie : hahahah…. You think we are still in our 20s and 30s ??

Eddy : spread them out…. They can’t come at us all at once, there’s not enough space… they will end up hitting themselves…..

The men who were sent to end us spread out like what Eddy said. 3 went to each of the respective side entrance while they gestured for the rest of the ragged crew to fuck off and get out of their way.

The remaining 4 were about to enter the main door when we heard another shout.

A loud cry in a language we do not understand.

Coming down the right flank like a runaway train cutting down everything in their paths, was a 2nd group of men.

I saw Owen’s hired help tried to respond but many fell like twigs in the path of a incoming typhoon.

It was too dark and chaotic to see what is happening. As they got closer and nearer, I could hear them shouting in Japanese as well.

The men at the side entrance ran back to the front to join their original group.

It was absolute chaos. No one knew what was going on.

Then I saw it.

I saw the men that had just arrived.

The eerie glow of the street lamps illuminated their faces. All 8 of them.

Dressed all in black with a hood over their heads, they revealed themselves after their leader did so.

I know those faces.

The men with Katanas shouted and turned to face the new group that spoke the same tongue as theirs.

Standing at the front is Nakamura himself with Danzo and his men. Their own swords were raised and covered in blood.

Nakamura : HITORIMO NOGASUNA !!!!!!!!!! ( don’t let them escape … No exception ! )

Danzo & men : huawarrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Swords raised high in the air clashed and the rest of Owen’s hired men rushed back into the office lobby. Nakamura and his men blocked off the access via the main entrance together with the group they are taking care of.

The screams of men being cut down like straw filled the air and another loud explosion shook the neighbourhood a couple of streets down. Loud chants filled the street and I could see rioters passing us by, flinging bottles and stones into the other end of the street.

The men that surrounded us now are a lot more cautious. They kept looking behind them, as if worried Nakamura and his men might break through while trying to keep an eye on the lot of us in the lobby.

They encircled us on all sides.

The Katanas wielding men at left at the exit to the loading and unloading bay deliberated whether to head over to engage Nakamura and his men.

There was a 5 second pause as Owen’s men surrounded us but none of them dared to approach.

That was our opening to get out.

And there was only one way to do it. That is to fucking cut a path through the bodies that is blocking our way.

I too was hesitating.

There are countless sharpened rods, machetes and makeshift weapons of every kind pointed at us in all directions. No one in their right mind will go charging in.

It would be wistful thinking to expect Nakamura and Danzo to save us all. There is only so much they can do in the face of overwhelming numbers.

Everyone is on edge, the tension in the air is indescribable. The nerves of the men still breathing in the lobby are like a tightly stretched wire, ready to snap anytime at the slightest change in pressure.

‘Chime!’

One of the lift chimed and the arrival light lit up.

I could see the lift number coming down from the 3rd floor.

I could not believe there are still people in the office tower.

All eyes turned to the arriving lift and when the doors opened. I could not believe my eyes.

The 2 women standing in the lift had their jaws opened as the stared at the scene in front of them.

No one moved.

Standing right beside Lynn was a familiar figure I had not seen in a few months.

Yiling.

She was holding onto a large brown envelope which looked like it contained xrays and medical reports.

Dressed in a tight white tan top and faded denim jeans, the owner of the pair of heels in my storage had a fitting jacket on as well. Lynn on the other hand was holding onto the phone in her hand with the screen facing up and the speaker potion angled towards her mouth as if she was in the middle of the phone.

She was holding her white jacket in the other hand and there was a horrified look on her face as she looked at the mess in the lobby.

The Indian man closest to the 2 girls in the lift said something in Hindi before saying ‘no witness’ in English.

He ran towards the girls in the lift with his machete the same time I shouted for them to duck.

Jeff : Lynn get down !!!!

I charged into the men in front of me, kicking and slicing in an attempt to get to the lift.

My worries were overdue when I saw Yiling stepped in front of Lynn as her hand reached behind her back the same time I sent a knife into a man’s eye.

I forgot.

Yiling is no longer the twin sister of a pageant winner. She is now the biggest fucking drug lord in the country.

I saw the glimmer of a gun as she pulled the trigger without hesitation.

WHAM!

The echo shook the glass panels in the lobby as both sides engaged once again.

WHAM ! WHAM ! wHAM! …

Yiling pulled Lynn out of the lift with her weapon raised.

No hesitation, no mercy. That’s the characteristics of a fucking drug lord right there.

She went for the centre mass of the man that was a threat to her.

Yiling dropped 4 men including 1 with the Katana before I got close enough.

I twisted the arm of a Jap guy before sending my knee into his face, spinning him around, I kicked him towards the side of a Indian man, toppling both of them onto the ground.

Lynn’s eyes were wide apart as she kicked off her heels and picked up a metal rod.

Lynn : fuck… fuck… fuck …!! Arghhh!!

She raised it towards me and I blocked it with my knife.

Lynn :arghhh … fuck …

Yiling had just fired off another shot, effectively putting a 3m radius around her. She turned and I saw the gun barrel aiming right at my face when I quickly shouted out.

Jeff: It’s me…. JEFF !!!

Yiling’s weapon paused for half a second and immediately turned the other way. It buried itself into the stomach of a man that tried to disarm Yiling when she turned to me.

She emptied her magazine into his stomach before pushing him away.

Lynn : what the fuck is going on Jeff !!

Jeff : I’ll explain later.. !

I pulled Lynn away from the lift and Yiling grabbed a knife off the ground.

Yiling : What the fuck is this !!!! they must have some balls to hit us like this !! do they fucking know who we are.. !!!

I pulled Yiling away and kicked a man away and replied her at the same time.

Jeff : It’s Owen…. Owen did this…

Yiling : what ?? are you mad ? you’re not making sense !!

Jeff: No time now… we’ll talk later…

Lynn saw Aiko on the floor and she went over to her immediately.

Lynn : Aiko… Aiko…. Are you ok ? … where have you been….?

There was no time for explanation and catching up.

It’s as if the emptying of Yiling’s gun triggered another round of offensive by the men in the lobby.

Everything happened so fast.

I blocked the stab coming at me.

Eddy’s cleaver removed the hand that held the knife cleanly from it’s arm.

Freddy suffered a large gnash to his head and I went low, spinning and driving my knife into the stomach of the man that gave Freddy the injury.

Leng’s spear was pulled away from him and he grabbed onto the blade of a machete with his bare hands, stopping it from hitting Annie while her hudiedao split open the stomach of the 2 men closest to them.

Xuehua is on fire. She sprung from men to men, tripping, kicking and stabbing them in any spots she can get her hudiedao in.

Eddy : ergHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

I had a chokehold around a man when I saw a Indian guy stab a makeshift dagger into Eddy’s kidney. He pulled it out and stabbed him again 3 more times before Leng got to him and turned the dagger on it’s owner.

Eddy’s suddenly fall sent more men over to attack him and in a mere matter of seconds, Eddy’s body was like a pin cushion with stab wounds and slashes too many to count.

Xuehua : EDDY!!!

I threw them man I was holding after I stab him in the back of his knee in his armpit towards the group attacking Eddy.

I jumped right at them. I lost control of my own body.

I only knew I was blocking at stabbing and slicing at monstrous speed.

I could not see the faces of the men I was killing. I had no time to look in their eyes.

I could only register the parts of their body I was sending my knife into.

Toes, calves, thighs, the stomach in rapid order before a punch to push him back.

An elbow to the nose before a quick crouch and lifting him off the ground and out of my way so I can get to the man behind him.

I lopped 3 fingers off the next man, sent my knife into his balls before slicing him across his face.

I threw my knife hard enough to bruise the face of the men next in line before reaching for my remaining knife and sending it up the bottom of his chin.

I was hit so many times that I could no long tell where the pain was coming from.

I was pulled back by Leng as he sent a stake into the eye of a man as if he was slaying a vampire.

Xuehua was trying to stop the bleeding on Eddy’s body but there were too many wounds.

Lynn had just asked Yiling for her belt as she tried to do a makeshift tourniquet around Eddy’s left thigh.

I could not even afford to catch my breath. I went right back into the fight after picking up a splintered club.

Yiling was waving the knife in her hand trying to keep the men away from the ladies.

I sent the club into the face of another man and I felt the warm gush of blood in my shoulder as another fucker just stabbed me from the side.

A hudiedao went into the side of his neck and I kicked him back into the waiting blade Xuehua was holding onto.

I turned to look at Eddy. He was no longer moving.

Lynn : fuck… fuck.. fuck !!! the whole world’s gone mad !! fuck…

Danzo came crashing into the lobby with his Katana buried in the stomach of his countrymen.

He already had multiple cuts on his body and I could see him cutting a path open for Nakamura.

Only 3 men remained in their group and I could see Nakamura was bleeding on the face. He was missing a ear as well but he is still on his feet.

Xuehua flew into a rage and her kill count kept adding up. She lost it.

She fucking lost it when I saw her smite a man on his knees so hard that his head bounced off the lifeless body of his friend with her knees.

A quick swing of her hudiedao spilled the contents of it’s victim’s stomach. Xuehua followed that up with a hard punch that sent the guts spilling out with the man still alive and crying for his mother.

She disarmed 2 men at once and despite being punched and kicked several times, she bled one of them out by severing the artery on his neck while headbutting the other.

I fought my way towards Danzo, removing a man that was facing me with his back easily from the fight.

By the time Danzo and Nakamura reached us, they were the only 2 left standing. It was obvious they were making their way towards Aiko.

The only good news by then was that no one on Owen’s team were left holding Katanas.

Danzo pulled a dagger out from his back and sent it into the palm of an Indian man. I slide towards him on my knees, my knife rising up in time to block off a machete that came dangerously close to his head.

Danzo turnd and attended to that assailant while I pulled Nakamura onto the floor and took a club on my back.

Jeff :argHH!!

I could feel the rusty nails at the end of the club puncture my body. It was pulled out and I blocked off another attempt to stab Nakamura with my knife and the same club entered the side of my thigh.

Danzo’s Katana went pass my face and into the shoulder of the man that hit me.

Nakamura regained his balance by then and he removed the head of the man and sent a slicing blade of wind right by my face strong enough to penetrate my mask.

2 men charged Danzo and he took a dagger in his left thigh. It was not a deep wound and he returned the same dagger into the guy’s ear while I threw the other onto the ground before Nakamura dispatched him to the after world with his Katana.

I was panting for air by then and half of my mask was hanging off my chin. It had ripped open somehow during the fight. I pulled it off my face and I surveyed the carnage in front of me.

By my count there’s probably about 30 men left scattered around us.

Leng was holding onto his stomach, blood gushed out none stop as he tried to lit up a cigarette with Lynn trying desperately to keep him still.

Lynn : hold still hold still !!!

Leng : fuck,.. fuck it…. I’m done….

A puff of smoke came out together with a waterfall of blood from Leng’s mouth. He was still conscious, but you could see him rapidly slipping away. The blood would not stop coming out from his stomach.

Lynn’s hands were covered with blood up to her wrist and she looked lost and helpless.

Xuehua was crying as she kissed Annie who was kneeling down on the floor. She was no longer moving but her hands still held onto the twin hudiedao, each of them buried into the bodies of the last 2 men she killed while her own body was riddled with stab wounds.

Xuehua : I’m sorry…. I’m sorry Annie…. Sobzz…

Freddy was still standing.

He was gasping for air as he supported himself on his large knife. I could see the exposed flesh and bone beneath his left knuckles. There are several bodies lying near him without their appendages that they came into the lobby with.

There was some commotion outside the office. Someone was shouting for their father.

I felt my heart drop when I saw Lala peering cautiously from the outside.

Lala : papa…? ….. Papa ??

Freddy saw his son outside the lobby. Lala looked like he just woke up form his sleep, his hair all ruffled and messy. He looked barely awake.

He’s calling out for Freddy.

Some bastard took the chance to run out after Lala and Freddy gave chase.

Freddy : arHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! ..

Lala : PAPA…..PAPA !!!

Lala had no time to even grasp what was going on when an Indian man grabbed him by putting his arm around his neck and pointing a dagger at Lala’s face.

He gestured to Freddy, asking him to drop the knife.

Another 3 men immediately went out to surround Freddy.

I gasped for air and I tried to make my way out to Freddy and Lala but 3 men move in and cut me off. My hands are covered in blood as well and the wetness made it hard to grip my knife.

Freddy was shouting at the man to let his son go and he was asking why Lala did not stay in bed as instructed.

Lala looked confused, he did not know what is going on.

Suddenly one of the men rushed Freddy and caught him off guard.

He sent his club hard into Freddy’s head before he could duck or block it off. I could see the white of Freddy’s skull as blood started spurting out near his right eye.

The rest of the men did not wait for Freddy to regain his consciousness. The began attacking Freddy one after another, clubbing and stabbing into his body like they were butchering an animal.

Freddy managed a swing of his large knife but it did not hit anyone. The knife left his hands and landed at Lala’s feet.

Lala watched on in horror as his father was butchered by the men.

I started cutting my way through the men in front of me.

I did not manage to get any of them but I got them out of my way.

I could hear Xuehua close behind me and the screams of one of the trio quickly reached my ear.

I could hear the anguish cry of my girlfriend as she shouted amdist tears and snot before taking out the 2nd man. Lala struggled and the dagger went into his cheeks.

He screamed not in physical pain. He screamed as his heart bled while looking at his father collapsing in front of him. Lala grabbed the man who stabbed him with his hands, he clenched his fingers around his neck and squeeze so hard that the man’s eyes looked like it was on the verge of popping out.

I kicked a man away from Freddy’s body and a swing of my knife sent the other 2 away. Lala smashed the man’s face into his own.

Yes he smashed his face using his own face, not the head. He hit him again and again until the dagger lodged in his cheeks got loose and fell to the floor.

Lala: ARHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH AHRHHHH!!!!! ARGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

HE could not stop, I wanted to run over but someone bulldozed me to the ground.

I completed the roll and grabbed that fucker by his legs with mine, twisting him off balance, I smashed my head into his before slamming his forehead into the ground like a hard bounce of a basketball.

I grabbed his hair and smashed it onto the concrete floor again. The double yellow line by the side of the kerb gained a shade of red as more started to flow him the man’s head.

Another man jumped onto me, I was on my back and he got in a few punch to my head.

I saw the massive swing of Freddy’s knife and it entered the skull about 2 inches deep. Lala was screaming as he let go of the knife after he could not pull it out.

I pushed the body off me as Lala cried, walking around lost and disoriented.

Xuehua called out to Lala, asking him over as she pulled her hudiedao out of a man’s armpit.

Lala suddenly shouted and ran towards Xuehua.

For a moment I thought it was because she was wearing a mask and he did not know who she was but I was wrong.

Lala dashed over and pushed Xuehua onto the floor as a makeshift club was hammered down on his shoulder.

He shouted in pain as the same club went to the side of his face.

Xuehua literally lifted the clubber off his feet and throwing him down onto the hard ground.

Lala was barely conscious when I went over to him.

Xuehua screamed as she slammed both her hudiedao into the sides of the man before twisting it a good 15 degree in opposite direction and pulling it out.

Lala knelt down and looked at me, dazed and bloodied.

Xuehua : get him inside !!

Xuehua got up to clear the way for me when Lala shouted and slapped me.

Lala : AHHHHHHHHH!!!!

He smacked me so hard that I fell to the floor. As soon as I looked back up, I saw Lala’s teeh splintered as his jaw exploded.

His tongue fell out before his left eye went missing and I saw the splatter of blood paint the pavement red behind his body.

I turned and I saw Owen.

He’s shooting at us.

I crawled and ran in a zig zag manner as hot lead sped past me.

Xuehua dove into the office and I saw the full height glass of the lobby shattered with cob web like cracks appearing at several spot.

Owen kept shooting from where he stood until he emptied his magazine.

I ran in and I could see he walked towards us calmly as he reloaded.

Jeff: cover… find cover !!!

The bullets came and everyone hugged the ground, crawling to safety behind columns and reinforced walls.

Owen kept shooting into the lobby, he was not aiming to kill. He just wanted us trapped.

I could hear him shouting at the remainder of his men. He’s gathering everyone for a final push.

I turned to look at Nakamura who was refusing Danzo’s help to stand up.

Nakamura : Owen will not dare kill us…. The repercussions will be severe!!

Danzo wanted to speak but a stern look by his boss was all it took for him to keep quiet for a brief second.

Then I heard him speak rapidly in his language. I don’t know what it means but I could rpetty much guess. He did not agree with his boss and he will do what he can to get him out alive.

Danzo forcibly dragged his boss away from the lobby while shouting for everyone to follow him.

We could get a few seconds head start if we start running.

I don’t think we will make it very far in our state, Owen’s men will easily outrun us.

I grabbed Xuehua who had taken off her mask.

Jeff: look at me dear… look at me !!… take Aiko…. The hardisk and Aiko must make it out… you hear me ??

Xuehua sobbed and she shook her head.

Jeff: DO IT!! … you hear me ?? DO IT!!

I shouted at Nakamura and told him all all be in vain if Aiko did not get out.

Her testimony and her evidence will make all these right.

Jeff: Get Aiko and her family back to Japan !…

Nakamura nodded as he cursed in Japanese. Danzo let him go and he gave me a nod.

A courteous nod.

Danzo : I am sorry…. For the trouble…. My country men had caused….

Jeff : This mess…. Is on Owen…. Go…. I’ll hold them off….

Xuehua sobbed and she shook her head.

Xuehua : no…. no please dear… no… I can’t …. I can’t lose you too….

Jeff : I’ll be fine….please… go… go !!

Xuehua grabbed my by my shirt and made me swear.

She wanted me to swear I will go back to her.

Xuehua : I want to hear you say it !!!

Jeff: I’ll be fine…. I promise…. No one can kill Hibiki…

Xuehua screamed in my face as she suppressed her emotions before giving me a quick kiss and she got up after Aiko.

I pulled Lynn off Leng’s lifeless body and she was cursing and swearing.

Yiling’s face had a deep cut that will definitely leave a scar but other than that she is fine.

She looked at me, unable to believe the state I was in. A far cry from the Jeff she saw me many months ago.

Yiling : who are you Jeff…. ? who are you really …..

I smiled.

Jeff : ….. your colleague….just a little more experienced… that’s all…

Yiling : Hibiki…

Lynn : fuck…fuck !!

I pulled the both girls and sent them towards the loading and unloading bay as I wiped the wet handle of my knife.

I picked up Leng’s soul spear and I stabbed the end of it onto the ground. I needed the support. I was aching in so many spots that it would be easier to name the parts of my body that is not aching.

Owen rallied up the remaining men about 2 dozen or so.

I could hear the fight erupting from the loading and unloading bay behind me. They should be fine.

Most of the men are in front over here with Owen.

The elites are all gone.

Danzo, Xuehua and Nakamura would be able to deal with the rest.

Owen walked into the lobby and looked at the amount of bodies we left for him

Owen : This will be hard for the clean up crew….

I could feel my lungs burning as I gasp for air.

Owen looked at me with a lifeless pair of eyes.

Owen : who the fuck do you think you are……

Jeff : Would you prefer to call me Jeff….. ? or Hibiki ? ..

Owen gave the order for half the men in the lobby to go round back and stop the rest.

Owen : Get them…. They are all hurt.. they cannot make it far….the streets are all blocked off…..no one can get out of Little India today….

I swing the spear and tried to stop the group from splintering away but they were out of range. At least 10 men went out the side entrance and towards my escaping friends.

Owen : I’ll deal with you….. slowly…

Owen handed his weapon to a Japanese man and he pulled out a large knife from behind his back.

Owen : I’ve always wanted to see….if Hibiki…. Is as good as they say he is…..

Before I could get ready for Owen, I had the shit scared out of me when Lynn appeared beside me.

I thought she had gone with the rest. I did not expect her to come back.

Lynn : What the fuck are you doing Owen ?

Jeff : What are you still here ??!!!

Owen : Change is coming…. There is no stopping this….

Lynn : what the fuck is wrong with you… !

Owen : I’m sorry Lynn…. I cannot afford any witness to this…… nothing personal… I’ll deal with you after I’m done with Jeff….

I sighed as I racked my brains for ways to find an opening for Lynn to leave. I could probably distract Owen but Lynn still needs to get away from the rest of the men in the lobby.

I raised Leng’s spear and pointed it at Owen and got ready for his advance when Lynn did something unexpected.

Lynn lifted up her phone and put it to her mouth.

Lynn : You hear that baby….? …. He’s going to kill me…. if you don’t get here in time….

I turned and looked at the phone.

The timer for the call was still running. It has been running for the past 25 minutes or so.

Lynn spat defiantly at Owen.

Lynn : You’re not dealing with me……. you’re dealing with my husband and his men…

Owen looked infuriated as he shouted and came towards us with his knife raised.

I pushed Lynn aside and when Owen’s knife struck and crack the body of the staff holding the spear, I had only one thought in mind.

Where the fuck is Colonel James ?

……………………………………………………

Owen landed a kick on my thigh and narrowly missed my face with his knife as I backed away from him.

My hands moved on their own and without even realising, my knife is back up and I was feigning stabs while trying to hit Owen.

He was doing the same thing, faking a stab before attempting a punch. Lynn crawled off the ground and she picked up her phone with it’s screen already cracked in a few places.

I saw an opening and I went for it only to have Owen grab onto my arm and throwing me down the side of his waist. I did not land on my back as I cushioned the fall with my feet planted firmly on the ground and my body arched.

Slicing my knife upwards, I brought it to meet the heavy steel of Owen’s own weapon. Our forearms interlocked and we alternated with a series of knee jabs and attempts to trip the other over.

I could hear Lynn cursing as she could not longer reach her husband on the other line.

Owen got in a hard knee to my left rib before shoving me backwards where I tripped over the leg of a dead man.

I fell but immediately got right back up and into a defensive position as I waited for Owen’s next move.

He’s not fast enough to get me. This will eventually boil down to a play of stamina and see which party gives out first.

You just need to get one fatal strike in and it’s game over.

Owen relaxed and tightened his gripe on his knife. Our eyes locked onto each other.

He is thinking, I could see it in his eyes. If I could come to the conclusion that he is not as fast as I am, he must be thinking about the same thing.

I charged in with a fake left kick before swinging hard to send my right foot into Owen’s back. He staggered forward and before he can regain his balance, I kicked him again while he tried to slice me into 2 from the front.

Our knives met again and I saw the quick spark as my serrated edge dragged along the ends of Owen’s knife.

Owen : arGHHHHHHHHH!!!

Jeff : aRGHHHHHHHH!!!

We held each other’s wrist and forearm, restricting our movements as we headbutted each other.

I could feel the warmth of my bloodied head as blood streaks down from cuts and bruises.

Blood vessels burst from under the skin as we met each other’s head right on. Our hands disengaged and Owen’s right hook caught me in my jaw but it was not hard enough to put me down.

I got in a hard punch to the centre of his undefended chest that would surely knock the air out of his lungs before kicking him back. He staggered and fell, his turn to trip over the head of a man missing his left eye.

Lynn had a club in her hands as a Indian man came for her. She threw the club at him before plunging a dagger she secretly held on the other hand when the man attempted to block off the club.

Lynn : arghhh.. fuck !..

I panted for air as I put myself in between Lynn and Owen.

It was a mistake. Owen saw the weak link in this.

Lynn.

He changed his tact immediately and instead of just coming for me, he went for Lynn. He planned to kill her anyway and if in the attempt of doing so gives him a chance to get me, all the better.

Owen asked his men to get Lynn but before that order could be effectively carried out, a few of them were running back out of the lobby.

Something is happening outside.

I saw someone approaching.

A man, he was dressed casually in jeans and t-shirt. He easily disarmed the 1st Indian man that got to him before using the metal pipe he was carrying on his head. I caught a glimpse of his face. I’ve seen him before.

At Lynn’s wedding.

He’s one of James’ men.

A few seconds later, I saw a man of smaller built literally flying through the air.

He flew like a rag doll being thrown to a dog, sailing almost 2m before landing on the side of his head in an awkward angle. There was no movements from him after that landing.

I saw the mountain of a man walking briskly towards the lobby.

Lynn saw him as well.

Lynn : BOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lynn called out to the giant who just slammed another man into the ground as others waved their weapons madly around him.

James’ men are coming but it was not what I expected.

I got tangled up with Owen again as he tried to get past me to Lynn.

I was hoping James would arrive guns blazing and mowing these fuckers down for his wife but no. His men arrived one at a time, trying to make their way through the perimeter.

It’s a fucking Sunday night. Everyone is probably having dinner or chilling at home.

It’s a miracle James managed to get anyone to even respond, not to forget the whole perimeter of Little India is now cut off.

I got a cut on my shoulder while I managed so slice through Owen’s shirt, missing his flesh by mere millimetres.

Owen : argHHHHHHH!!!

Owen acted as if he was diving for Lynn but turned back and with a quick swing, sliced cleanly across my left knuckles.

I felt the pain only 2 seconds later when I dropped my knife onto the floor.

I had tried to block that swing but I missed.

The good thing about fighting in the lobby by then was there you are never short of a weapon. There are so many just lying around within reach. Lynn backed away closer to the lifts shouting and screaming at her husband’s men.

Another one had arrived and the 3 of them outside is keeping the rest of Owen’s men busy.

I grabbed a club which was essentially served as the leg of a former chair and blocked off Owen’s subsequent series of stabs and jabs.

Grabbing his last jab while his arm was extended, I tripped him onto the floor but before I could deliver a painful blow, he hammered down on my injured knuckles and my grip loosen enough for him to break free.

Jeff :arGHHH fuck!…

I panted as I see Owen’s remaining men thin out.

Owen went for Lynn again and this time round it was not an attempt to distract me.

Lynn’s new metal pipe was easily wrestled out of her hands by Owen, I charged over just in time to put my chair leg in between Owen’s knife and Lynn’s neck.

Despite the block, the speed and strength of the hit by Owen was still hard enough to send her collapsing onto the floor. If I did not get there in time, Lynn’s head would be dangling halfway off her shoulder by then.

Jeff : arghhh!!!

I threw several blows at Owen who blocked it with his armed raised.

Lynn choked and crawled on her fours gasping for air.

I could see her clutching the side of her neck that was hit. She was bleeding, but it did not look serious.

Owen elbowed me to the face and tried to go for Lynn again.

I grabbed onto his waist and tried to lift him off the ground but he was too heavy or perhaps I was too tired. I felt another fist to the side of my head and my grip got loose.

Still, I grabbed onto Owen with my legs, rotating my body and forcing him to bend the knee for a brief moment.

Jeff : Lynn !!… go!!

Lynn got up as Owen broke free from me.

I jumped him before he could grab Lynn on her hair.

Lynn was about to make her way towards the loading bay at the back when 2 lightly injured men entered from the exit. They saw Lynn and started to make their way towards her. Lynn turned right and opened the staircase door.

I could hear her shouting as she scrambled up the stairs. Then men staggered and went after Lynn.

I caught a glimpse of James men from the outside. They are almost through.

The giant Lynn called Boon had the face of a men in each of his hand as he ran towards the glass façade of the ground floor lobby.

I heard the sickening crunched of bone against laminated glass as Boon stuck the men like notices onto a pin up board. Only this time there were no pins holding them up, only the blood from the ruptured blood vessels in the back of their head.

The 2 men slide down to the floor one after the other, their hair leaving a vertical line of blood painted by their sweaty and blood-soaked hair.

I punched Owen, he punched me.

I kicked him, and he did the same.

We threw each other around before Owen broke free. He raised his knife at me and got in a good slash on my left shoulder while I manage to land on diagonally up his chest.

Both of us staggered and lost our balance partly because of the pain our body had just registered with our brain.

Everything happened within a matter of seconds.

Owen clutched his chest and I could see him biting down his teeth to endure the pain. I guess it’s been a while since he felt something like this.

There’s both a stinging and burning feeling in the left side of my body. It fucking hurts and my arm is wet with my own blood but I could still hold this for a while more.

Owen looked at his men slowly reducing in numbers and he decided to go into the same stairwell Lynn went into barely seconds ago.

I dashed in after him and we flew up the stairs 3 steps at a time. Every step we took we left a trail of blood splatters.

I could hear Lynn’s scream from above.

I assumed she’s heading for the clinic on the 3rd floor.

If she gets there, she can barricade herself in.

I arrived at the 3rd floor and I saw Owen grabbing 1 of the 2 indian man that had Lynn pinned to the floor to ask him to hold me back. The 2 fuckers had Lynn struggling on the floor and they were trying to rape her.

Her top was partially torn and I could see a bra strap totally snapped and Lynn was screaming with half her breast exposed.

I did not allow the man time to even get in my way.

I jumped and pushed myself off the wall on the side for added leverage before smashing his face in with my right knuckle while still holding my knife. Swinging my body around like a whirling devilish I slammed the pointed edge of my knife into his neck even before he hit the ground.

The second man saw his dead friend and he froze. I could see the fear in his eyes as he put up his hands trying to indicate that he’s surrendering. He just plastered his body against the wall and crab walked right passed me speaking in a language I don’t understand.

Owen was trying to kill Lynn but she had kicked him in his chest, adding to the pain that he is already experiencing from a cut by my knife.

Lynn cried and tried to crawl towards me and I saw Owen coming in for another attempt.

Lynn : argHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

I dropped my knife and I pulled Lynn by her hair and torn clothes towards me with barely a second to spare as Owen’s knife hit the ground where Lynn’s back was at moments before.

I steppe over Lynn and kicked Owen’s knife away from his hand but it did not work. I kicked his hand alright, but he was still holding onto the knife. I jumped back as he swung it at me.

I blocked his stab with both hands, pushing his wrist downwards as our body gets slammed against both side of the narrow corridor.

We were locked in place and our legs never stopped trying to inflict maximum pain on each other.

Lynn got up and saw we were both caught in a deadlock.

She grabbed my knife and ran towards Owen.

Lynn : aRHHHH

Jeff : Lynn !! NO!!! STAY BACK!!!

Owen saw her approached and swung my back against her hard enough to knock Lynn against the wall.

Lynn : arGHH!!

I broke free but Owen pushed me against Lynn again, this time harder and I could feel the back of my head hitting Lynn’s forehead. Sandwiched between Lynn and Owen, I kept my attention on the knife Owen is holding.

He switched hands and he stabbed under my left armpit in an attempt to first get rid of Lynn. My right arm reached behind and yank Lynn to the right and avoided at fatal stab only to feel the blade slice upwards and ripping into the underside of my armpits.

Jeff : aGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

My right hand managed to grab onto Owen wrist before I turned my body 180 degree so my back faced Owen, kicking myself off the wall, I slammed Owen’s back against the dry wall partition of Lynn’s clinic.

Both of us collapsed onto the floor together.

My left arm felt as if I was dipping it into a pot of boiling water as I went over to get my knife from Lynn.

Owen : aRGHHHHHHHHHHH

Jeff ; aRGHHHHHHHHHH!

The grind of steel was drowned by our shouts.

Lynn tried to run towards her clinic but Owen managed to grab hold of the ends of her hair, yanking her back. He had a fistful of her hair and it was enough to jerk Lynn back towards him.

Lynn : erGNHH!!!!!!!

I flipped my knife cutting side up and detached a chunk of Lynn’s lovely locks and set her free in a swift stroke, the suddenly release of the pull sent Lynn tripping forward and onto her knees.

Owen went low and my knee knew what to do. I went for his face.

Owen deflected my right knee and shove me against the wall with his entire bodyweight.

He was still trying to go for Lynn.

I saw an opportunity to get Owen, excuting the same swing I did earlier, I grunted as I sent my knife towards Owen’s kidney.

I felt the plunge of my knife in soft flesh immediately.

Before I could bask in satisfaction, I was hit with a wave of horror.

Owen : ahahhahahaha….

I stared at Lynn who was being held towards me like a human shield. My knife was buried in her stomach just above her belly button.

Owen : ahahahah… hahahahaha !!!!!

Owen made an attempt to grab my wrist but he missed. I held onto Lynn’s body and kicked Owen back while holding onto the knife.

Lynn : uuuhhh…. Ughhhhhhhh!!!

Owen : hahaha…hahaha.. oh boy… oh boy… ahhahaa…. You … are fucked now… hahaha.. hahaha….

I could not speak. Lynn was looking at me. She too could not bring herself to even move.

The body of the Indian man that just surrendered minutes ago flew out from the stairwell and against the wall.

Owen saw that and he started running towards the fire access panel at the end of the corridor with his knife. Smashing through that glass panel, he grinned at me before climbing out and disappearing to the side.

Lynn was shaking as we looked at each other.

Jeff : don’t move… don’t move… don’t take it out… you cannot pull this out…. !!!

Lynn swallowed a gulp of saliva and I could see tears rolling down the side of her cheeks.

Her lips were shivering.

The sound of men fighting their way up from the stairwell got louder.

Jeff : fuck…fuck… no… fuck…I’m sorry… I’m so sorry….

Lynn shook her head gently and it looked like she wanted to say something.

Jeff : You’re clinic is here.. it’s right behind you….it’s right behind… tell me what to do !!.. tell me what to do !!!

More tears rolled down the side of her eyes as I watch the spread of blood starting to appear from the sides of the wound I had just inflicted.

Jeff : no… no!!… help !!! HELP!!! Someone fuckign help!!! arGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Lynn shook her head as I asked her where should I apply pressure.

Jeff : What should I do… tELL ME!!! TELL ME!!! DOC!! Tell me what to do… arGHHHHHHHHH!!!

My fingers were shaking. I’ve never trembled like this before.

Lynn shook her head.

Lynn : I….. I don’t know…..uughh…i… I don’t know….

Jeff : you must know… you must know !!! fuck !!! arghh !!

I have never felt panic like this before in my life.

Lynn slowly sank to the floor and I helped her lean against the wall.

Jeff : I’m going to go call for an ambulance…. Wait here… wait here !!!

Lynn : no… no wait…Jeff.. wait… ugghhh..ughh…

I looked at Lynn struggling with the pain and the first sign of tears started to appear in her eyes.

Lynn : I..i…I don’t think…i…uuuuuuggghhh

Lynn coughed and while there are no blood spurting out of her mouth, I saw the pressure did it’s damage on the wound I inflicted. More blood started spilling out of her wound and onto the floor.

Jeff : …arghh.. I’m sorry…Lynn… I’m sorry… fuck !!!! FUCK!!! GOD!!! FUCK!!! …..stay here… don’t move… don’t fucking move !!!… I’ll use the phone in your clinic….

Lynn grabbed my hand forcefully and held me back. She shook her head at me. I could see she’s afraid.

Lynn : don’t… don’t…. it’s ok… it’s ok…

Jeff : let go Lynn…please… I’ll get help….

I wanted to break myself free but she was gripping onto me too tightly. I’m afraid if I was too rough on her, it might make her injury worse.

Lynn’s bloodied hand touched my face and she shook her head at me.

Lynn : i…..i….. I know my body….. I know….nothing….too deep… it’s too deep….uggg

Blood was fucking bubbling from Lynn’s stomach as I held onto her.

Jeff : aRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! FUCK ….FUCK!!!! Somebody help please.. !!!! aGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Lynn : It hurts …. It …… so painful… it’s so painful….buuurrr.. sobzzz…

Jeff : stop talking… stop….i’ll call for an ambulance… we can save you…. Arghh.. aghhh !!!

Lynn stopped talking altogether.

Her eyes looked at me and I could see a sudden drop in the level of consciousness in her.

She’s still awake but I could see the fight in her was gone. It’s as if she had accepted her fate.

Jeff : Lynn… Lynn please… don’t… don’t… please….Lynn… FUCK NO!!!..

I felt a gentle squeeze in my hand.

The hand that Lynn was holding onto. It’s like she was asking me to listen to her.

I heard her soft whisper.

A soft gentle whisper that was barely there. I saw her look down. She looked down at her own stomach and the way she cradled it, I felt like killing myself.

She held the bottom of her tummy as if she was cradling a baby.

Jeff : oh fuck… fuck… no please… please don’t tell me … please don’t say it… no !!! Lynn fuck !!!

Lynn nodded her head and she confirmed my worst fears.

Lynn : Pro….promise me something….please…

I broke down and I wept.

I can’t fucking believe what I have done.

Lynn’s bloodied hand touched me on my cheeks.

Lynn : Tell my husband…….

Jeff : No… no please… don’t….

Lynn : Tell… tell my husband…… that….that he is right….it’s a girl.

Jeff : fuck no… no please Lynn… I’m sorry….

Lynn : He already…. He already chose her name …haha…haha… even before… before knowing the sex…of the baby… He knew…… he said he knew….

I hit my head against the wall as I started to choke on my own breath.

I could not bring myself to say another word by then. I did not know how painful it can be when your heart shattered into so many pieces. I felt as if I could never be whole again.

Lynn : promise me…promise me you would tell him….

I held tightly onto Lynn’s hand as tears streaked down her cheeks. I could see the colour draining from her face.

Her breathing became a laboured and she was trying her best to endure the excruciating pain her body is in.

Lynn : tell him….. Lynette and i…..Lynette and I ….. will always… always love him…we will always be there…..with him….

I felt the hot flush of emotions rushing into my head. I was at a lost.

I don’t know what kind of answer to give Lynn.

If I agreed, it would mean I accepted that she is going to be gone soon, yet I can’t bring myself to say no to her in such circumstances.

I felt a weaker squeeze on my hand. Lynn’s eyes never left mine.

Lynn : Promise…..Promise me…. ?

I nodded. I nodded several times and I begged Lynn to tell me what to do.

Jeff : there must be something in your clinic we can use…. Tell me please…!! You’re a doctor !!!… tell me !

I felt the grip on my hand go limp and I felt my whole world collapsed in front of me.

Jeff : Lynn …..Lynn ?

My trembling hand shook Lynn slightly. The colour was gone from her cheeks, I was kneeling in a fucking big pool of blood. It had spread beyond the spot where Lynn was sitting and it kept growing wider.

I checked Lynn for a pulse and there was none.

I sank to the floor and I wanted to scream.

It’s Owen.

It’s fucking Owen.

He used Lynn as a shield. That fucking coward.

I would have gotten him in that attempt.

I could hear my own heartbeat slamming against my chest as the only image in my head was that of Owen.

I will fucking squeeze the last breath out of his body if it’s the last thing I do.

I laid Lynn down on the floor gently and I pulled out my knife.

I heard the men crashing through the door at the end of the corridor. Boon stepped through first with half a spike club buried in his left shoulder.

Our eyes met. Barely a second later I saw James .

He was holding onto the arm of a man while smashing his face against the door frame.

My eyes met his as well.

They saw me.

They saw Lynn.

They saw me crouching over her lifeless body with the knife in my hand.

Boon : aRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

Boon charged towards me as I watched James sank to his knees.

Boon was 2 steps from me before I realised how this must look like to them.

I braced both my arms to receive Boon’s kick and even then I could not imagine how much strength that kick contained. I went straight against the wall and his large hand hammered me into the ground.

I left a kick to my stomach as I rolled a few metres away down the corridor.

The pain I felt from the kick was nothing compared the pain I could feel from the anguish scream I heard from James :

James : ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was the most painful cry I’ve every heard in my life as I blocked off the next 2 attempts by Boon to kill me.

James broke down as he shouted, scream and cried in disbelief.

He stood up, buckled and fell before crawling like a lost toddler before hugging onto the body of his wife.

I felt as if my right shoulder was about to be ripped apart as Boon pulled the buried club from his own shoulder and sent it into mine. I pulled it out and threw it at him before rolling backwards and regaining my footing in a defensive position.

I can’t die here today.

Not now.

Not before I kill Owen.

There was no time nor opportunity to explain anything.

I landed a kick in Boon before throwing both fist hard enough to push him back a few steps.

James had scooped Lynn up and he was screaming and running towards the exit staircase.

I ducked 3 continued fist from Boon, each one leaving an imprint and a bloody dent on the partition walls of Lynn’s clinic.

I was sent flying back by a hard knee and that hit made it hard for me to draw my next breath.

Boon grabbed me and picked me up as I tried to fight my way out of his chokehold. I saw the glimpse of a figure appearing at the other end of the corridor.

Xuehua was running towards me having come up the staircase on the other end.

Bouncing herself off the wall, she leapt and latched herself onto Boon.

I felt his grip loosen a little and I managed to break loose to see him throwing Xuehua against the wall.

Boon came swinging his fist and elbow at the both of us at the same time, with each block and deflection, the 3 of us literally smashed up the walls lining the corridor. Dusts, cracked plaster, splintered laminates and even the fibrous insulation of the dry walls were left exposed as we went into a frenzy, destroying everything within our path.

Xuehua saw an opening and she rolled over with her feet extended to trip. Using her entire body weight, she brought Boon to his knees before I kneed him in the side of his face against the wall.

The impact was hard enough to disorient him for a few seconds.

I saw Xuehua reach into her boots and a dagger emerged. It rotated on her well practised grip and the sharp end went straight for Boon’s throat.

Jeff : NO!!!

I pushed my arm in front of Boon’s throat ant the dagger went through my right forearm leaving a millimetre of it scraping the throat of Boon.

Boon’s eyes were left widened as he held onto my forearm, realising that half a second later, that dagger would have gone through his throat.

Xuehua : what is wrong with you !!!!

Jeff : No…it..it was an accident…

Xuehua pulled the dagger out of my arm and I looked at Book holding onto his neck before checking to see a little pin drop of blood.

I looked at him and I told him I’m sorry.

Jeff : It… it was an accident… i… I didn’t mean to….to…. I was going for Owen….he.. he used Lynn…

I saw movements at the end of the corridor again and James walked back through the door this time round with automatic weapons.

Xuehua : run !!!

James : aRHHHHHHHHHH!!

I heard the automatic weapon go off but we kept to the side of the wall, crouching low and using Boon’s massive body as a shield before making our way down the stairs entire flight at a time.

I could hear the whistle of lead as it sped past me and into the concrete walls.

Xuehua and I broke into an all out sprint, running into alleys and corners before heading towards the carpet shop Ron had told us about.

Xuehua directed me to the route the took earlier and I just followed, running as fast as my battered body could manage.

We never stopped.

Ignoring the stares, we got form curious bystanders, we headed straight for the river.

There was a small boat waiting for us.

It’s engine was left running and Yiling was in it.

Xuehua and I jumped into it and Yiling floored the OBM, pulling the small vessel along the river and down the canal.

Neither one of us spoke. The engine of the motor was too noisy for us to speak anyway.

10 minutes later we came to a makeshift dock and we disembarked. Nakamura and Danzo were crouched at a corner. Aiko was sitting near them.

Danzo : we have our ride coming anytime now….

Xuehua : I will bring Aiko back….to her kids… before sending them to the Japanese embassy….

Danzo nodded.

We parted ways at a open air carpark and within an hour, we were back at the warehouse.

The moment I got out of the car, I vomited.

Xuehua : dear what happened ? Lynn got hurt ???? the big man…..we were fighting… I remember him… he was at Lynn’s wedding….. Is he Owen’s men too ?

By the time I look back up at Xuehua, my eyes were red and tears rolled down my cheeks.

Xuehua : are you ok dear ?? what happened ? Lynn got caught by Owen’s men didn’t she ??

I shook my head.

Xuehua : then ? say something… tell me what is going on…!

Jeff : Lynn is dead…

Xuehua gasped.

Xuehua : who ? ….who did it ? … Owen ?

I shook my head.

As our eyes met, I could see Xuehua saw my answer even before I spoke.

Jeff : Me…..

……………………………………………………………

Xuehua gave me a squeezed on my shoulder and sat down beside me.

I could not help but notice the difficulty in which she was trying to set herself down, she too suffered multiple injuries.

Jane is human too.

Her face was bruised in several spots as if she just suffered a bout of domestic violence.

Small splatters and droplets of blood fall around us as we leaned against each other.

It took her a while to start talking as the realisation set in.

Xuehua : We were fighting our way out…. But Lynn….. she said her husband’s men are coming….she ran back in… she wanted to wait for her husband….she said he was reaching soon…..Lynn did not want him to arrive only to panic trying to find her…..

Xuehua told me that they barely made it to the carpet shop, and they could not stop Lynn from heading back into the building.

Xuehua : Once we got to the carpet shop…. It was pretty much all clear…. Ron had a man there waiting for us…He held the line and allowed us to get through before clearing out….. we made a straight run all the way to the river…..then I went straight back…. I’m… I’m sorry… if only I was faster…

Jeff : It’s not your fault… it’s mine… I…. I was careless…

Yiling came running out into the compound from inside the warehouse and she saw an image of me sprawled on the floor with Xuehua beside.

Half of her face has been bandaged up and she was holding onto 2 phones.

She looked around as if she was looking for someone. Our eyes met and I shook my head.

The message has been delivered.

Lynn did not make it back with us.

I saw Yiling back up a couple of steps as her eyes watered before her hand went to her mouth.

Yiling : no….no way… what happened ?

I felt Xuehua’s head on my shoulder and I could hear her starting to cry as well.

I was suddenly reminded of her loss. The 4 closest person to her in her life who practically raised her had died. They died because she asked for their help. Yiling knelt down onto the floor and I watch both her phones fall out of her hand as she looked down onto the floor, wetting the dry concrete with her tears.

She was shaking.

Yiling : I….. I shouldn’t have…. Shouldn’t have scheduled my checkup with Lynn….i shouldn’t have….fuck…. I could have done it on any other day….i could have….fuck….

Dr Cheong came out of the warehouse with a few assistants and helped Xuehua and I onto a pair of wheelchairs before wheeling us into his clinic. Cheong himself went to pull Yiling off her feet before leading her somewhere else.

He was talking to her but I could not make out what was being said.

When we got to Cheong’s clinic, I could see it was all set up to receive us.

It was near impossible for us to even undress without worsening the injury we were came back with. Cheong had to cut through tops and our pants while trying to access the damage.

It was chaos in the clinic with people all over the place. I remembered Cheong calling in extra doctors for help before his face towered over me.

Cheong : You’re too dehydrated…. I can’t even find your fucking veins….when was the last time you drank anything ??

I did not even have the energy to answer that question.

He was holding onto my wrist before another doctor took over. I’ve never seen him before but he asked Cheong to head over to Xuehua. I could feel the drop in my consciousness as I feel every part of my body getting denser.

Someone sprayed some icy cooling liquid on my right hand before I felt the needle go into my body. Buttons were pressed, stuff were beeping all over. My entire left arm was lifted and put onto a cold stainless steel table.

I felt more liquid on my arm before someone was rubbing it down with a foul smelling solution.

My eyelids felt heavy. The rapid conversation around me got a bit muffled.

Then everything went black.

I don’t know how long I was out but when I came to, I saw Cheong talking on his phone.

I was bandaged at several spots, my entire left arm is sore and I could feel the throbbing ache that never seem to go away.

Cheong saw me come to and he asked me a few questions.

Cheong : Are you ok Jeff ? …. Do you know where you are… ?

Jeff : I’m aching all over…. Yeah I do… … at the warehouse….

Cheong : ok…I got to run…. Another patient is coming in….

He left the room without a word after.

It took me about 10 minutes before I got up and I held onto the bag of drip that was hooked up with me.

I staggered into the wheelchair and slowly wheeled myself out of the room.

I wanted to find Xuehua.

I find myself at a unfamiliar section of the warehouse. Probably one of the lower levels. I wandered along the corridor before coming face to face with Ron and his men walking briskly towards me.

Ron did not even say hi, he gestured to me and one of his men took over the control of my wheelchair and started pushing me after the group of men.

We made a couple of turns before coming into a formal meeting room set like the board room of a listed company.

I saw Xuehua inside the room and she waved at me.

The room slowly got more crowded and I assumed Ron was waiting for the key staffs of his team to be present before starting the meeting. Yiling came in shortly after, she had changed out of her old clothes that were splattered with blood.

5 minutes later, the doors were shut and Ron updated everyone in the room about what had happened the night before and what is happening after the incident at little india.

Ron : What happened last night….is going to leave a mark in the history of the country… it will be one of the biggest coverup engineered to keep the public from knowing what had transpired in the heart of Little India……. Aside from a few intelligence agencies which have dormant assets in the area, as far as the public is concerned, no one will know a slaughter has taken place in that building…..

The agreed story that the government would be selling would be a riot has taken place.

The media will be carefully controlled and only curated footages of the riot will be released.

Anything else will be scrubbed from the internet.

From shaky hand held cameras to mobile phone footages, everything will be taken care of by the special media branch. Actors & directors have been mobilised in the middle of the night to re-enact scenes that would help hold up the story.

Even footages which sounded like regular citizens talking in the background have been produced. None official videos and footages tend to feel more credible when spread through unconventional means.

Ron : the disinformation has already started…. And people are already soaking up the story we sell them…..the whole idea of a riot is enough to keep tongues wagging for a while….

Small edits and cuts of training footage involving burnt ambulances and overturned police cars will also be edited in to lend credibility to the story.

A dozen of Owen’s imported foreign talents that have been arrested will have their faces published with stories fabricated about them being drunk and rowdy. The cause of the riot will be pinned on them.

Most of the Japanese involved are dead, the few arrested has been swiftly handed over to the embassy. With the Asean – Japan commemorative summit meeting taking place in a few days times, the leaders decided to bury this in order not to complicate things.

They will form a special team to sort this out after the summit.

Witnesses that saw what happened will be paid off to keep their mouth shut. A set of numbers will be given to them that will magically happen to be the winning lottery numbers for the next draw.

Strict contracts that stipulate the payout will last as long as they keep their mouth shut has never failed before. A tried and tested method for many years, it is something the authorities has employed many times over the years.

A sweet 5 million lottery draw. Winnings split between a few lucky men and women.

A lump sum plus pay-out for life, everyone would take it.

No one ever rejected an offer like this, or rather, from my perspective, it was either this option, or they might have just sent Owen’s men after you. Get paid to keep your mouth shut, or maybe, just maybe, meet with an accident.

Accidents happen everyday.

Ron told us that as of the count at 11.30am that morning, 39 dead and at least 3 dozen more injured.

Ron : Aiko’s evidence have proven instrumental in proofing what Owen has done. … we have everything….. maps… locations… the amount of explosives…. Where and when to strike….. everything…..i paid a visit to the Prime minister in the middle of the night…. It’s done….there’s no way Owen can wriggle his way out of this and he knows…. Hiro has all the location in his secure drive….Owen made him rent a place opposite every childcare and school he wanted to strike…..We have maps, diagrams… right down to the staff arrival timings…

It was also made known to all that Owen had disappeared after leaving Little india.

Ron : All his operations are being brought to a close…. His doings have been broadcasted to all operators that are in the field and those that aren’t. It’s up to the individual to digest and come to the conclusion on their own…. And I am confident… that the sensible ones know what they are seeing.

From administrative staff to Owen’s personal security detail, the information has been passed down.

Ron : The alternate site for operations has been activated and all of Owen’s staff that we manage to contact are being debriefed right now. …. We activated the emergency mobilisation for the entire company….more than 95% have reported in…. we believe that the other 5% are probably those Owen has managed to convince to join him…. Anyway…. Resources are really stretched at the moment…. On top of trying to cover up the little india incident, we still have to find new management to take over Owen .

Ron told everyone that the current base we are in will serve as the coordinating headquarters for the hunt for Owen. We could have done it at the new site for the company but Ron is pretty sure there will be factions loyal to Owen within that site.

They might be feeding Owen information that we don’t want him to know.

Ron : We have to find him…. By hook or by crook… we have to…. He is definitely still in the country….we know he will try to leave….and we have to make sure we stop him…..

After another few minutes of general updates, Ron dismissed everyone and asked to speak with Xuehua and I alone.

He even asked his men to wait outside.

Ron was not someone who minced his words and he came for me at once when the door to the room is closed.

Ron : What the fuck is wrong with you Jeff ?? what happened with Lynn ?

Jeff : It…. It was an accident….

Ron : I know it’s an accident….. we got the CCTV footage….

Xuehua : Where is Lynn now ??

Ron : Her husband and his men got her out …. Her body is at the morgue….

Ron sighed and I looked at the day old stubble on his chin.

Ron : Here’s what is going to happen…. You are going to stay here… both of you…. Without my orders… you are not allowed to leave this compound or I will personally kill you….Lynn’s husband is devasted…. He’s out for blood…..and the best thing we can do now is keep out of sight……

Ron turned to Xuehua and told her that the bodies of the pillars are safe. His clean up crew extracted them early during the cleanup. They are being cleaned and prepared before a private ceremony will be held for them.

Ron : I’m sorry for your loss Jane….but I’ve always said the same thing….. doing the things we do…. When our turn comes…. We have to accept it…

Xuehua did not say anything.

Ron spoke in a softer tone, saying that he will inform her when their bodies have been transported to the warehouse.

Jeff : What about Lynn’s wake ?

I asked a little abruptly.

I had to.

I’m not about to just hide and pray this goes away.

There’s also the things I promised Lynn I would tell James about.

Ron : Are you fucking out of your mind ?? …. You show you face there you are dead…. Many times over…..

Xuehua : It was an accident….

Ron :You think James care it was an accident ?? …. All that is in his head now is Jeff just killed his wife and his unborn child….if this isn’t going to fucking get you killed, I don’t know what will…..

Ron went on to say that he will be putting both Xuehua and I under strict house arrest.

Ron : You do not…. I repeat…. Do not step out of this fucking compound….or I will kill you….

With that he left the room while pulling out a vibrating phone from his pocket at the same time.

I saw Yiling standing outside the door waiting for us after Ron walked away.

She walked in and shut the door.

Yiling : I’ve just spent the past few hours trying to put everything together….. Owen has been using my operation as a cover to bring those weapons and explosives in…… on top of the drugs I was smuggling….

YIling went on to say that half the men under her employment works for Owen.

Yiling : They are all dead now….

Xuehua : How… ?

Yiling : I’m a drug dealer remember…. I have some cards to play….

It appears that Yiling has been using the resources and money to build up her personal detail of enforcers. People who are loyal to her but seemingly given low positions in the organisation so they will not attract attention.

She knew she could not depend on the people Owen is assigning to her for the business. Doing the things she do, she needed some assurance.

So right from day one, she started building up her own team of people that are loyal only to her. Ex-convicts, former drug addicts, it doesn’t matter, as long as they knew where their loyalty lies.

Yiling : Only my core team remained now….. and everyone was recruited by me personally…. With no relationship to Owen….

Jeff : so now what ? you continue being a drug lord ?

Yiling : I have to…. It’s the only way to keep things under control….be the biggest player…. I spoke with Ron about this…. He is agreeable… he will be linking me up with a former contact he had at the drug agency…. I will be coordinating directly with him with regards to the company’s operation….

Everyone of us went quiet after that and I saw Yiling stole a peep over her shoulder before saying that she will be leaving the warehouse in a bit.

Yiling : I need to head back to my place and start cleaning up….i’ll find out about Lynn’s wake ….and see what is going on out there right now…. . I have a lot of questions… but I guess this is not the time…

Yiling gave me a hug and I realised at that point she did not realised the kind of relationship I have with Xuehua.

A hug that lingered a little too long.

Yiling : Take care Jeff…. Here… take this….

She passed me a phone and said she will update me once she gets any information.

Yiling left the room and I kept the phone.

I turned to Xuehua who was looking at her feet but said nothing.

If not for the solemn mood we were in, I was pretty sure Xuehua would be throwing a fit about me being so close to Yiling or the hug being a little too affectionate for comfort.

There was nothing much I could do in my state and I wheeled myself back to my room as Xuehua said she needed to be alone for a while.

En route back to my room, I saw Dr Cheong walking out of another room, his white coat had blood stains on them. Shortly after, Ron came out of the same room.

Cheong : I stopped the bleeding.. but his foot is gone…..it has to go…. A close friend of mine is on his way… he’s good with this…. It’ll be a clean cut…..the only thing we need to worry about would be an infection setting in…..

Ron : I see…. Ok…

Cheong : He’s dehydrated…. Definitely malnourished….but other than that, he’s tougher that he looks that kid….

Ron : Thanks bro…. don’t know what I will do without you….

Ron gave Cheong a tap on his arm before they parted ways.

Someone in that room will be without a foot before the day is over.

Cheong gave me a thumbs up with a questioning look, checking to see if I was feeling ok and I nodded.

Jeff : Who’s in there ??

Cheong : A kid….passing information along to Ron….while working for Owen….but towards the end…. He was found out… his left toes were all smashed one by one….before that… the nails were pulled out….one every day…. They were about to start on the right leg when Ron’s men got to him in time….

I felt a lump in my throat as Cheong walked passed me to busy himself with other stuff.

I pushed my wheelchair to the front of the door.

I had a sinking feeling in my heart that I might know who that kid is.

Using whatever strength I could muster with my left foot, I pushed against the door while wheeling myself into the room.

2 nurses looked at me, so did the guy lying on the bed.

Our eyes met.

The left side of his face has been badly scarred and when he saw me, he cried.

He started to cry.

Billy looked like he had been through hell. He’s lost at least a good 5 kg by my estimate and his entire face had shrunk so much I could see his cheekbones protruding. The scar on his face is caused by burns, someone burnt him.

I wheeled myself towards Billy and we said nothing.

He just nodded at me.

Jeff : what happened…. ?

Billy : i….. I got careless….

That was all was said.

One of the nurse asked me to leave and told me that we could talk later.

I went back to my room and exhaustion set in once more. I blacked out and slept.

I woke up when my dressing were being changed.

Cheong was in the room as well.

Cheong : hungry ?? you need anything ?

I shook my head.

I have no appetite despite having nothing to eat for a while.

Cheong : Jane is waiting for you….i’ll bring you over after we’re done here….

Jeff : How is she ?

Cheong : You mean…. Physically ? ….. mentally ? …. Or what ?

I gave Cheong a questioning look and he sighed.

Cheong : Physically, she’s fine…. Going to have some scars for sure…. But nothing life threatening….

I waited for Cheong to go on but he didn’t, so I added the ‘but’ for him.

Jeff : but ? ….. you’re not done…

Cheong cut off the excess part of the bandage and pulled off his gloves.

Cheong : The baby is fine…

I could not believe what I was hearing.

My heart literally stopped beating for a few seconds.

Jeff : What ?

Cheong : Jane is pregnant…. Has been for a while now…

Jeff : what….

Cheong : What do you expect….? You guys are fucking like rabbits when you were here the past few months….

I could feel myself choking up. I can’t breathe.

Jeff : You … you meant…. You meant Xuehua….. went….. went out to little India…. Pregnant… ?

Cheong : She made me promise not to say until you all got Aiko and the evidence out…. That’s done…. I kept my promise… but….you guys have a lot of talking to do….

Jeff : How…. How far along is she… ?

Cheong : It’s still early….6 weeks ish give and take…. We just detected the foetal heartbeat a few days before…

Jeff : fuck….

Cheong : yeah… … it can be overwhelming…. I’m a father too….come… she’s waiting….

I was in shock the entire journey from my room to the small chapel at the lower basement of the warehouse.

When I was wheeled in, I saw Xuehua sitting along at a bench. The photos of Eddy, Leng, Freddy and Annie neatly lined up on a table.

I looked at the interior of the small and neat room.

Names etched in gold were lined up on the black marbled wall claddings.

Names that will not make it’s appearance in the history books of the country despite what they have done.

Cheong : I’ll leave you guys to talk….

The moment Cheong left, I felt a surge of anger.

Why didn’t she tell me she was pregnant ?

Jeff : Why did you keep it from me…

Xuehua : What could you have done even if I told you ?

There was no hiding the angst and spite in the question and reply from each of us.

Thankfully both of us knew how to practise restrain and nothing more was said after.

Xuehua and I just sat quietly in the chapel and we said nothing. Almost an hour passed before I held her hand.

She broke down and cried.

……………………………………………………………………………….

11th December 2013

Wednesday

For the past few days, major news channel kept repeating the incident on little india.

Even foreign media were reporting the chaos in the seemingly orderly Singapore.

Some questioned whether the current administration is losing it’s grip on it’s people.

Talk shows featuring academics and public talked about what happened, some commented that in such a fast paced society and the stress of city living might have contributed to the pent up frustration the foreign workers are feeling.

Some quarters are blaming the influence of alcohol and the easily availability of bootleg alcohol in shops.

Everyone was assigning blame.

The people needed someone to blame, or rather, something to blame.

After a week of media hoohaa, the finger has been pointed to the main culprit of the riot.

Alcohol fuelled rage.

Yes. We blamed alcohol for the riot and restrictions will be put in place not just in Little india, but throughout the country.

If not for the seriousness of the incident, I would have burst out laughing.

Only in Singapore can we get away with something this absurd.

I was up and walking for a day or so and I took the time to really explore the warehouse and it’s numerous basements.

It went down a total of 6 levels and I could only access 4 of them.

I did not even know the scale of the facility despite being cooped up there for months.

The facility had it’s own armoury and there were no guards.

All you need is a key.

And you won’t fucking believe who is holding onto the key. The fucking janitor. Mr Wee.

Mr Wee looked you’re your average 60 year old smiling retiree who is doing what he does to pass time. The staff for respective rooms and departments manages their own housekeeping. Mr Wee does the general areas including corridors and emptying the trash for the lift lobbies. He waters the plants too.

It makes sense to keep support staff to a minimal. It’s a secret facility after all.

Mr Wee seldom talks, he just smiles politely and nods at me. I guess not being a talker is also part of Ron’s criteria if you want to be on his team.

I would not even have known that room is the armory if I did not pass by it accidentally while looking for the lift back to my floor.

It was a small unmarked room with just ‘room 001’ on it’s label.

The janitor’s cleaning trolley was parked outside with the door fully opened.

I looked in and I saw Mr Wee brushing a layer of oil onto the weapons on the racks.

He gave me a wave and I returned one, after all he’s someone I see on a daily basis.

I paused for a few seconds and I could see an array of weapons and toys I that would come in handy. There are no additional locks or chairs for the pistols and rifles on the racks.

I could see the ammunition boxes stacked on a pallet on the corner of the room as well.

Mr Wee was sitting on a couple as he brushed the oiled brush down the barrel of a rifle as if it was the same as him sweeping up some dirt along the hallway.

I want to get out of the warehouse.

Everyday I’m in there meant another day that Owen could have gotten away.

I went to visit Billy who has regained his consciousness after his surgery.

He’s still weak but he could speak in short sentences.

Billy : Belinda’s dead….

Jeff : Owen ?

Billy shook his head.

Billy : me…

That answer left me dumbfounded for a while as I tried to come to terms with that it meant.

Billy helped to fill in the blanks, saving me the trouble of trying to guess what happened.

Billy : i… I was careless…. Belinda…. Heard me… reporting to Ron….

Jeff : and….?

Billy : she got careless too….i saw her message to Owen in her phone….

Jeff : You and her….are you guys….

Billy : It’s complicated…… she burnt my face with an iron…..

Billy went on to say that Owen’s men came for him.

They never expected Billy to be a threat but he managed to wrestle a weapon off 1 of them before shooting twice in her stomach and killing one other guard.

Billy : I wished I had paid more attention to my unarmed combat instructor….but it’s never my area of interest…. I’m still the computer guy… haha…

I could hear the bitterness in his joke and I did not laugh.

I could see he’s seriously affected by what happened, and it would take some time before the reality sinks in.

There is one thing though I needed to ask Billy, I want to ask him where Owen is.

Jeff : do you know….where is he …?

From the look in his eyes, I could tell right away he does.

Billy : I might….have an idea….but I can’t be sure….

Jeff : where ??

Billy : an Industrial building in woodlands….near a wood or paper recycling factory… it’s right across Malaysia…. Where the channel is narrowest…..it would be easy to slip through the border….

Jeff : There’s no way he can make it across the border with the heightened security…. Not this week….

Billy : It will eventually die down…. You can keep the channelled locked up 99 times… he just need you to look away once… and that’s it… he’s gone….

Jeff : I’m not letting him get away….not like this…

Billy : What are you going to do ? … you can’t possibly go look for him alone ? … he’s got at least a couple of dozen men still working for him at least…..

Jeff : I don’t know…. i need to kill him…. I have to…

The door opened and a nurse came in to check on Billy.

I made my way out of the room and told him I’ll visit later.

Heading back out onto the surface, I casually strolled along the perimeter of the warehouse.

I could see Ron’s men and their vehicles parked at the entrance of the compound.

A couple of them were eyeing me.

Even the tattooed men that works for uncle Ben cast me a look that pretty much told me I better not try to leave the compound.

I carried on my walk, trying to adjust to the pain still plaguing my left arm.

My wounds are still a little swollen and red but my fingers are fine.

As long as I’m well enough to run and pull a trigger, I’m good to go.

I was about to go look for Xuehua when the phone Yiling gave me rang.

Jeff : Hello…

Yiling : It’s me….

She told me that she has dropped by to visit Lynn’s family, blending in with the other colleagues that were taken care off by Dr Lynn.

Yiling : It’s pretty chaotic…. Her husband is devastated ….. he looked like a ghost….practically half dead….. Lynn’s parents… they… they’re too affected to even greet visitors properly…it’s terrible….

The wake had just started that day and will last for 3 days for ex-colleagues and patients to pay their respects.

Jeff : Where is it held ?

YIling : It’ll be at Lynn’s parent’s place…. A private property…. Just a few street away from my place…..

Jeff : Can you get me there…. ?

Yiling : As long as you can get yourself out of that compound…. I will get you there ….. but Lynn’s husband will probably kill you…..

Jeff : I need to talk to him…

Yiling : In this day and age…. I think you can consider something call a phone…

Jeff : I….i don’t know…. I think I need to at least say goodbye to Lynn….

Yiling : you won’t make it in….. not with the amount of people there…..

Jeff : Then get me as close as you can… I’ll take it from there…..

YIling hesitated for a while before saying that she can have a car waiting for me outside the warehouse compound tomorrow night.

Yiling : The car will be there from 1-3 am, parked on the next street….. if you are not out….it’s gone….

Jeff : good enough…. Thank you…

Yiling : Wait…

Jeff : Yeah ?

Yiling : My first kill…. Back then… were you…..

Jeff : i’m just there to make sure things don’t go wrong…. You can never be sure when it comes to unstable character like Benson….

Yiling : I see….

Jeff : Thanks for the help Yiling…. I appreciate it…

Yiling : Just don’t tell Ron it’s me….

She hung up without saying goodbye and I kept my phone.

I went to look for Xuehua who was in her room just staring into thin air.

I went straight for a kiss on her forehead and asked her if she’s feeling better.

Xuehua : much better… how about you… ?

Jeff : me too….

I asked if she is ready to talk about the life growing in her stomach and she nodded.

I told her I am prepared to be responsible for the baby.

Jeff : I’ll marry you…. We’ll start a life together….

Xuehua : There is no room for us in this country anymore….. not after what we did….

Jeff : then we’ll go to another one… someplace where no one knows who we are…. We’ll start afresh….

Xuehua : easier said than done…

Jeff : If you don’t try… you never know…

She touched my face and looked into my eyes.

Xuehua : What’s on your mind… ?

Jeff : Nothing….

Xuehua : Don’t lie to me…..

I smiled and held her hand but said nothing.

Jeff : promise me you would no do anything that will put the baby in harm’s way….

Xuehua : Only if you promise me you won’t do anything stupid….. like trying to go to Lynn’s wake and talk to her husband….

I smiled.

Jeff : ok… I promise…

I went off in search of the only person I could think off that can help me get out of the compound after dark.

Uncle Ben.

He was huddled over a old computer with a cigarette in his mouth trying to figure out how that shit work when he saw me walking towards him.

Ben : What you want… ? I not free to play today….. we going e-invoice…. You know bo… now everything all electronic….collect money harder than delivering rice…

I looked around to make sure we are alone and I asked Ben if there’s a way out of the compound without going through the front door.

He looked up at me and held the almost finished cigarette in between his middle and index fingers.

Ben : Ron said you are not suppose to leave the compound….i’m not going to piss off my biggest tenant that pays me rent every month…..

Jeff : I’m not asking you to help me…. I just want to know if there’s another way….

Ben laughed and he finished the last puff of his cigarette and snubbed it onto the overflowing ash tray.

Ben : we’re surrounded by other warehouses on all 3 sides….you can try climbing into their compound but let me tell you something…. Ron owns all 3 of them… and I have no idea what the fuck are in those buildings…. Hahaha….. they all supply soy beans though…on the surface at least…

Jeff : But ?

Ben lit another cigarette before leaning back on his chair and putting his leg on his table.

Ben : Why ? why do you want to leave… ? it’s a shit storm out there right now…. I don’t remember seeing Ron so stressed out before….

Jeff : Just want to make something right….

Ben continued looking at me as he filled his small office with smoke.

He put his leg down and stood up, gesturing me to follow him.

Ben brought me to a tool shed tuck at the back of the warehouse fashioned out of a old shipping container.

It’s a makeshift workshop for simple carpentry works.

We entered and Ben used his legs to removed a large trunk covering a hidden trapdoor.

Jeff : Where does this lead to?

Ben : It’s just a small tunnel…. Structurally unsound though….. dug by some of my former workers when they were trying to smuggle rice out…. Those fuckers…. It’s less than 20m…. but it cuts diagonally into the clearing over there….

I looked out and saw a small patch of forested area covered with trash and sparsely spaced out trees.

Jeff ; thank you…

Ben : don’t….. I shall pretend we didn’t have this conversation…. Good luck…. Whatever the fuck you are planning to do…

8pm

I followed Mr Wee to the pantry. The pantry serving the staff working at the base also doubles up as the locker area. A row of lockers stood facing the cabinet where I always made my cup of coffee.

I entered the pantry and there were several staff chilling in the small lounge. I made myself a cup of coffee while keeping an eye on the locker Wee is using via the reflection on the oven.

Wee threw his fanny pack with the keys and attached tool belt into the locker before pulling out a change of clothes.

He chatted briefly with some staff before leaving the pantry.

Now all I need to do is wait.

I made another cup of tea and brought my drinks to Billy’s room.

He had a old laptop with him

Jeff : Where did you get that ?

Billy : told one of the nurses I work in IT…. She wanted me to help reformat her laptop and get some pirated programs installed….. hahah… I told her no problem… just leave it with me…

He turned the small 14 inch laptop over to me and showed me the site which he thinks Owen is at.

Billy : Here…. I don’t have much information for this but….. here….you got credit card or not…. We can buy the building plans online…

Jeff : Do I look like I have a credit card with me ??

Billy : then no plans…

I thought about it for a moment before giving Billy an email address to log into.

Jeff :

J23112217eff@**mail.com

…. Password #443frtYYt!

Billy : ok…. Done… here….

Jeff : Go to the webdrive… inside the folders… the pictures….of the credit cards… use this 1….

Billy : woah…. Where the fuck did you get these….

Jeff : Don’t ask… use this… and delete it…can only do it once….

5 minutes later, we downloaded the floor plans of the 5 story industrial building base on what the architect submitted to the authorities.

We will not know if illegal modifications were made after they took over but at least the main structural elements will remain.

The staircases, the lift cores, and major mechanical services, those you can’t change. It doesn’t make sense to.

Billy : ok… here….

We spent the next few minutes looking at the site plan and the access roads.

The safest approach would be to go into neighbouring plots and start making your way across from there. I can’t exactly go in guns blazing from the front door.

Billy : take this….. from this unit… you climb over here… then climb 1 more… you will be closest to the staircase at the back….barely a 5m run into the building…

Jeff : ok… makes sense…. I spent a while longer looking at the drawings, trying to commit as much as I could to my memory.

I pushed the laptop back to Billy and we shared a look in the quiet room.

Billy : good luck…

Jeff : See you when I see you….

I gave Billy’s face a tap before leaving his room. I told him to check the email i just gave him before i close the door. I’ll be in touch if i can.

I went back to the pantry with the used cups. The moment I realised it was empty, I went straight for Wee’s locker.

It’s a simple metal locker with a dial lock. I could not be bothered to be discreet. I used the back of a fork and jammed it into the side of the cabinet, then I pried the flimsy cabinet open with brute force.

By the time Wee comes in the next morning, it would all be over or I will be dead.

I’m about to raid the fucking armoury, who cares about a locker in the pantry.

This place is so laid back, if not for the men Ron posted at the entrance, this place would feel like a resort.

I grabbed Wee’s fanny pack and unzipped it. The large bunch of keys is lying right on top.

I took it and put it into my pocket and I quickly shut the locker.

9pm

I sat in my room and I practised my breathing.

I needed to calm myself down. There’s so much on my mind.

10pm

I took out a piece of paper and I wrote a letter to Xuehua. I gave her a list of emails and password that she can log into together with the locations of where I keep my stash around the island including the neighbouring countries.

The money I have stashed away will be enough for her and the child at least until he or she is independent.

There is nothing personal or touching in the letter. I can’t bring myself to write anything like that.

I kept the letter in my pocket and I made my way to Xuehua’s room.

She was up and doing some stretching when I entered.

I waited for her to be done before we embraced for a hug and kiss.

Xuehua : you feeling better ? ….

Jeff : A little… how about you ??

She nodded her head.

We cuddled in the bed and just look at each other.

We never did anything, just looked at each other.

There is so much I want to say to her but I can’t bring myself to.

This is going to be one of the most selfish thing I will ever do. Walking away from a woman that loves me who is carrying my child.

Many more will die if someone like Owen is left alone.

11.30pm

I pulled myself out of bed and Xuehua woke up.

Xuehua : where are you going ??

Jeff : I promised to check in on Billy ….. I’m going to head over… be back in a bit… you rest first…

Xuehua nodded and I gave her another kiss on her forehead.

I touched her hands which were resting on her stomach.

I spent a few moments looking at Xuehua before slipping the letter I wrote about my money and stash by the side of her pillow.

I left her room and made my way to the armoury.

The corridors are empty. Most of the staff working there keep normal office hours.

I went to the door marked ‘room 001’ and stared at the bunch of keys on the key ring.

Fuck. There’s got to be at least 50 keys.

They all looked about the same and they are labelled with colours, some had Chinese words written on it, a couple had glue marks, one even had a sticker of a smiley face.

I started trying everyone while keeping an eye out for anyone that might be coming down. The arrival of the lift would be noisy enough to alert me, so will the opening of the pressurised staircase door.

My only worry is some staff who happen to be working late in their office happens to open one of the many doors along the corridor only to catch me in the act.

It took almost 10 minutes and I went through 39 keys out of the 50 before getting the right one.

I heard the snap of the bolt and I let myself into the room.

I switched the lights on and got to work immediately.

You could never go wrong with a M16 rifle. I took the bolt carrier out and made sure the parts and pins are all in place before assembling it back together.

There are no spare magazines in the armoury, so I started removing those from other rifles.

I opened up the ammunition boxes and started grabbing the brown boxes of 5.56 rounds and putting them on the table.

I kept my eyes on the door and started loading the magazines.

After I’m done, I took 3 Sig P250 pistol from the rack and started to load the 9mm rounds.

I found 2 spare magazine for the pistols and I filled them as well.

I took 2 smoke grenades and noticed that they were 1 year past expiration date. Well, I’m not going to eat it, who cares if it’s expired.

There are heavier weapons, even a sniper rifle, but I’m not lugging a machine gun into the small tunnel Ben showed me.

I’ll consider myself lucky if I can get what I stole safely out of the compound.

By the time I switch off the lights of the armoury and made my way back up to my room, it was coming to 12.15am in the morning.

I took a few pain killers and I used a bedsheet to wrap up the weapons I took into a bundle.

I drank as much water as I could and continued to work on my breathing.

Each time I inhaled and breathed out, I cleared my mind of all other thoughts and distraction.

There is only one person I am focusing my thoughts on.

Owen.

12th December 2013

Thursday

1.10am

I made my way out my room and up to the surface level of the warehouse.

Most of the lights are off except fro a small trail leading to the front gate.

I kept out of the light and thread softly towards the tool shed.

After making sure the coast was clear, I entered the shed and opened the trap door.

I could smell the wet earth and there is a stench coming from the hole.

Using the light from Yiling’s phone, lowered myself into the tunnel.

It’s wider than I expected and after a few metres, there are tarps on the ground which made it easier for me to crawl.

Barely a minute later, I reached the end of the tunnel and a couple of sacks of what looked like mouldy rice sat at the foot of the exit serving as steps.

I pushed the cover of the tunnel away, made out of plastic sheets and old mattress, it gave way pretty easily. I emerged out onto a clearing and stepped onto a deformed plastic bottle.

I froze.

The manmade sound stood out in the quiet of the small clearing.

I went further into the treeline and walked parallel to the road while keeping my eyes open for Yiling’s vehicle.

The road is empty except for 1 car. It’s engine is running and there’s a man smoking in the driver seat.

I dialled the last number Yiling called me with.

Jeff: What’s the carplate number….

Yiling : 1132 , red corolla …

Jeff : ok…

Yiling : burn this phone…. My man will have another one for you….

Jeff : ok.

I hung up and went up to the vehicle.

The man looked at me without a word and put out his hand.

I gave him the phone and he hit a few button, satisfied with what he got, he removed the battery and took out the sim card.

He gave me another phone and started driving.

30 minutes later I arrived at a familiar location. It’s been a while since I saw that large mansion.

Yiling had beefed up it’s security and the gate that now stood at the door is a heavy duty sliding gate with it’s own crash barrier that can be activated if required.

I was driven up to the entrance of her house. The water feature has been removed. She had made some changes to the front yard as well.

Beside a few men smoking outside the property, I saw 3 larger female looking at me from the inside of the house.

Yiling walked out dressed in jeans and a while long sleeve shirt with the 1st 2 buttons undone. I could see a singlet underneath, but it doesn’t look liked she was wearing a bra.

Her hands are in her pocket as I got out of the car and she stood bare foot at the porch looking at me.

Yiling did not wait for me to reach her, about 3metres away, she turned and entered the house, I could see the silver grip of a pistol behind her back.

The female guards she has with her inside the house looked mean and professional. I have no doubts she got her money worth.

Everything within the property is in order, it gives out no other vibes except absolute control.

Exactly what I would imagine a local drug lord’s place would be like.

What I did not expect to see though were several photo frames of our pictures lining the walkway on level 2.

Yiling led me to a room and I could see she had some clothes prepared for me.

I got changed into clothes more suited for the task I’m about to embark on and Yiling had a body armour prepared for me.

It’s a little ill fitting but beggars can’t be choosers.

I swop out the bedsheets for a black duffle bag Yiling provided for the rifle.

Using masking tape, I reversed the 2nd magazine and taped it to the 1st on the side, that way, I can just switch it over when I’m done with the 1st.

The last 30 round magazine went into my back pocket.

I don’t have any holsters for the pistols.

I put one behind my back and stuffed the spare magazines into the pocket of my cargo pants.

I opened the wardrobe and looked for things I could use.

It’s all Yiling’s clothes.

I saw her drawer containing her workout clothes and I pulled out a cross back sports bra in black.

I removed the padding and threw it aside. Putting my leg through where the arms should be, I pulled it upwards my thigh, I held the excess ends of the elastic material and tied a knot, securing the sports bra to my right thigh.

I took the pistol and slid it into the bra cups, letting the ends of it jut out. I lifted my leg and tested out my movements. The tension created by the elastic material between the weapon and my leg is enough to hold it in place.

I started looking through her drawer for another black sports bra.

There was a knock on the door before Yiling walked in when I pulled out one in dark grey.

The only one that is not neon in colour.

Yiling : Can’t believe you are in the mood to play with my bra….

Jeff : I’m not playing with them… I’m wearing them…

Yiling : hahaha…

I repeated what I did for my left leg and slid the pistol into place.

Yiling : You going to walk out like this ??….

Jeff : Why not….

As I walked out of the room, I felt Yiling hold onto my arm.

I paused and look at her.

Yiling : Be careful…

Jeff : I will… give me the address to Lynn’s wake….

Yiling : I’ll drive you there…. It’s just a few streets away…. I can walk back after…. The car is yours….

When we got down to the ground floor, I realised all her staff were out of sight by then. No one stood between us and the car that I came here in.

The driver was gone as well but the engine of the vehicle is left running.

Within a minute, after getting into the vehicle, we were cruising down a small road leading to Lynn’s parent’s place.

2.20am

Yiling shut off the headlights before stopping the vehicle after letting it cruise another 50 meters or so. We got off the car and entered another smaller property.

Yiling : the owners migrated…. I rented this for short term…. It gives us a partial view of Lynn’s parent’s property….. it’s not much… but better than you walking through the front door….

We kept the lights of the property switched off and took the stairs to level 3.

The 1m wide window overlooked the lawn of Lynn’s former home.

I could see temporary shelters set up along the large property. The glaring white lights that illuminated the tents a stark contrast from the soothing warm light the owners of such proprieties usually deploy.