Big trouble in little india

We’re about 30m from the wake. The spot offered me a partial view of the main tent where a large portrait of Lynn smiling is displayed.

I could see a few men parked at the perimeter of the property.

Yiling : What now…. ?

Jeff : You have Lynn’s number right….

Yiling nodded as she searched her phone for it.

If there is one thing James would keep, it would be the line that belongs to Lynn.

The one connection that he could afford to keep with him.

A familiar number to call. To send a message to in the middle of the night.

It would be something I would do too if I were him. It doesn’t matter if she’s passed on.

I will keep paying to keep the line until the day I die.

That number belongs to my wife, no one else can have it. I can picture James calling his own phone using Lynn’s number, just to listen to it ring, to see her name appearing on his display screen.

I could even see him sending himself messages, or just forwarding old messages Lynn sent before.

I felt a painful stab in my heart as I relived how fucked up a person I am.

I fucked up.

Period.

I have no excuse left to use.

I fucked up because I was careless.

I dialled Lynn’s number and waited.

5 seconds later, it was answered.

James : yes…

I hesitated for a brief moment as I listened to James’ voice on the line. It’s the voice of a broken man.

Jeff : It’s me…

3 seconds later, I saw flood lights lit up the entire compound of the property.

Automatic weapons emerged from under the tables as James’ men fanned out from the main tent in tactical formation.

Jeff : I….i…I called to say…..to…

I froze on the line. I could not even bring myself to say what I wanted to say.

James said nothing, absolutely nothing and I could only hear him breathe on the other end of the phone.

I took a deep breathe and I told him Lynn made me promise to deliver a message.

Jeff : I…. I promised Lynn….. to….to pass along a message….

I looked away from the wake for a moment as I tried to keep my emotions in check.

Jeff ; She… wanted me to tell you …. That you are right… you are right all along……. It’s a girl…..

I could hear James’ breathing got heavier, like that of a patient with respiratory problem.

Jeff : she…wants to let you know…. That.. Lynette and her…. Will always be there with you……

James breathing got faster and louder to the point it sounded like someone suffering from a panic attack.

Then he started shouting into the phone.

James : FUCK YOU!!! FUCK YOU!!! You hear me !!! FUCK YOU!!!! … I will kill you !!! I will fucking kill you even if it’s the last thing I do…… I will kill your girl…. I will make you watch her die…. Then I’ll fucking kill you !!!!

I hit the end call button.

Yiling took the phone and immediately removed the battery and sim card from it.

Yiling ; We have to go… now….

I turned and looked at the partial potriat of Lynn smiling at the wake.

Jeff : I’m sorry Lynn…. I’m truly sorry…. I’ll get Owen…. I promise…

We exited the property and got in the car. I drove along for a couple of minutes before Yiling directed me to drop her off at a small junction.

Yiling : I’ll walk back from here….

Jeff : You sure you’ll be ok ?

Yiling : yes… don’t worry bout me….

I nodded and we shared a parting look.

Yiling : look Jeff…. You need a ticket out of this country….. just ask… I can arrange it…

I nodded.

I put the car in drive and made my way towards woodlands.

I stopped 1km away from the building Billy flagged to me and made the rest of the journey on foot.

I could see the building come into view as I got closer.

Climbing through neighbouring properties, I cursed each time I felt the pain of my old injury as I lifted myself over the low wall.

I slowed down when I entered the compound neighbouring the property Owen is supposedly at.

Removing the rifle from the bag, I slung it across my shoulder.

The entire area is quiet.

The only sound were the songs of the crickets and the occasional calls from toads from the nearby wetlands.

I saw the spot Billy and I identified on the drawings.

I was about to move when I thought I heard something. I quickly swung around and took aim with my rifle. Retreating to a column I lowered myself and waited to see if there are any other signs of movements.

Perhaps I was too jumpy.

Checking to make sure the coast is clear, I ran towards the wall separating the 2 industrial property and I cleared it in 1 go, landing squarely on my feet.

I ran towards the door that will lead to one of the exit staircase and paused.

My eyes swept the compound for any signs that I was discovered.

I exhaled slowly and my thumb flicked the safety switch of my rifle out from safe to semi.

I opened the door and went in, my rifle pointing upwards as I ascended each step.

I stopped at the 1st landing and listened.

Nothing out of the ordinary.

I went to the vision panel of the door opening to level 2 of the building and I peered out.

It was just a large empty warehouse with pallets of unused construction materials scattered about. I’ll clear it floor by floor just to be sure Owen is not here.

The moment I pulled the door back , I hear the shriek of the alarm.

The piercing ring shattered the silence of the building and I could hear men shouting and the hammering of boots down the staircase.

My thumb instinctively reached for the selector lever and gave it another push to the auto mode.

I pointed my weapon towards the direction of the boots coming down.

I exhaled and waited for a couple of seconds.

The shouts got louder. Someone was giving orders to secure the building.

I could hear foot steps all about from the floor above me.

Amidst the shouts and confusion, I heard a familiar voice.

Owen’s voice.

He’s just 1 floor above me.

A man appeared on the landing in front of me and I squeeze the trigger while running towards him.

I felt 3 hard recoils immediately on my shoulder as the rounds slammed into his body, sending him against the parapet wall. His friend, barely a second behind him fired at me but I managed to duck out of his line of fire.

He squeezed off 4 rounds before I popped my head back out and squeeze off another burst of fire, sending him against his friend’s body.

The door behind me burst open.

I send the butt of the rifle into the face of the man trying to grab me before kicking him back. Turning towards the sound of approaching footsteps from above, I lit up the entire stairwell as I emptied my magazine, sending the men scurrying back upwards.

I hit the release catch of the weapon and reversed the prepared magazine, slamming in another full cartridge. I shot the man I rifle butted in the face before running into the open area of level 2 towards the staircase on the other end of the building.

Before I could get there, the door burst open.

I took aim and squeeze the trigger, cutting down 2 men immediately while sending the rest back into the confined space of that staircase.

Fuck. I wasn’t expecting so many men.

I fired a few burst to keep them from breeching through the door.

If both sides come in at the same time, I’ll be flanked and dead in no time.

Turning back to the 1st staircase I came in from, I emptied the rest of the rounds at the door, making sure whoever is behind it stay away.

Releasing the catch of the magazine, I slammed in the last of my rifle ammunition.

I ran towards the 3rd staircase located at the further end of the building.

Pushing through the door, I came face to face with one of Owen’s man.

He managed to grab hold of my rifle muzzle, angling it well away from his body.

I squeezed off burst of rounds into the stairwell, the heat from the discharging bullet proved too much for him as he screamed and let go of the muzzle.

He’s a lot bigger than me. I did not manage to employ my rifle for the kill as he grabbed onto the body of the weapon before kicking be back into the empty building. I staggered backwards, landed on 1 knee as I pulled out the pistol from my right and sent a few rounds into his body before he could use my rifle against me.

I heard the whistle of a round speeding close to my head before seeing the wall shatter at several spots in front of me. I rolled to my left and fired my weapon while on the ground at the direction where the shots came from.

Quickly picking myself up, I reloaded and was about to head into the 3rd stairwell when I saw something eerie at the building across the one I was one.

Before I could react, several rounds from a high powered rifle slammed into the bodies of the men charging out from the 1st 2 staircase.

Many dived for cover as the rounds kept coming form the opposite building.

Barely 100m away perched on the 4th floor, I saw the eerie glow of Jane’s mask staring at me.

The muzzle flash never stopped as she kept the men pinned down on the corner of the level.

I picked myself up and started running up the steps 3 at a time, coming out to level 3. It was empty.

I ran up to level 4 and I could see a typical office furnished with system furniture, cubicles of various height and sizes took up the entire floor.

I pushed the door open, with my weapon raised. Someone came in from the left, I deflected his knife upwards and shot him from under my left armpit.

Kneeling down, I avoided his friend’s attempt at hitting me through the body of the man I just shot.

I pushed him away as I rolled right into a cubicle.

The footsteps approached and the moment I saw the foot of the man in pursue of me, I shot him in his feet, then his kneecap before turning my weapon up towards the bottom of his chin and squeezing the trigger.

I emptied the rest of my rounds at the end of the corridor, driving the men back into cover.

Reloading the last spare magazine into my weapon, I continued moving forward in the dark office in search of Owen.

Man : arGHHHHH!!!

I felt a round slam into my left side and I was thankful for the armour Yiling provided. I turned and fired back while falling to the ground. I missed the 1st 3 shots but landed the 4th into his stomach.

I grunted in pain as I shot him in his arm as I got up before removing his windpipe with another.

I saw the swing of a large knife at me from the right.

I managed to avoid it once while the other was deflected with the weapon I was holding.

I jabbed him in his throat, twisted the knife off him before kicking his body back from me and into a potted plant.

Pulling out the weapon on my left , I emptied 2 rounds into his body and he went limp immediately.

Another man dashed out from a office to my right and tried to disarm me. I held onto my weapon and elbowed him in his face but his grip is too tight.

I let go of the weapon and went for the last one behind my back.

Holding onto both his arms with my left armpit, I felt my old wound tore up as I squeezed the trigger with my right hand, putting one in his waist before finishing him in his head.

Every couple of steps I took, there was someone coming at me.

I got entangled with a large man, our combined weight toppled a panel of the cubicle as mangled keyboards and monitor screens fell all around us.

I head butted him in his nose before holding his left hand down, angling his weapon away from me. Swinging myself around, I kept my body away from hi firing weapon as he emptied his rounds into the cushion of a toppled chair.

I turned and shot him in his eye, completing the rounds in my weapon.

I took his, removed the magazine and checked the number of rounds left.

3 more plus 1 in the chamber.

I was panting really hard by then and I was barely 1/3 of the way across the office floor.

I saw an outstretched hand with a pistol raised, I twisted it away from me and fired the weapon back at it’s owner, hitting him in his lungs.

Kicking his leg form under him, I shot him in his head as I pulled the pistol her was holding free.

I felt another round slam into my back and one grazing my left thigh as I fell to the ground. I turned back and was an injured man holding his left arm shooting wildly at me.

I sent 2 rounds his way into his chest and threw the empty weapon away.

I gritted my teeth and got up on my feet.

I checked the revolver. It’s too dark to make out how many rounds was spent as I looked at the cylinder. I pushed it back in and continued moving forward.

I caught a glimpse of Owen and I started shooting.

Jeff : aRGHHHHHHHH!!!

A man came at me, charging me to the floor.

I saw his gun come up and I barely managed to keep it from getting a straight line up at my head.

My ear drums felt as if it had been shattered as he fired his weapon right by my face and into the carpeted floor.

I wrestled him off me and while I did not manage to get his gun, I managed to drive my boot hard enough into his nose.

Grabbing his forehead, I sent him backwards onto the floor while punching him in his eye.

Picking up his weapon, I fired 1 round into his head and continued making my way towards the direction where I last saw Owen.

There was a series of loud cracking sound, as if someone had taken a hammer and started smashing the windows.

I saw the muzzle of a rifle come up and it started sweeping the office.

Chunks of ripped off furniture and computer parts flew as I crawled along the floor of the office. The sound of gunfire ensured a constant buzzing in my ears.

I crawled to the end of the cubicles and fired into the shin of the man holding the rifle.

His cries of pain was cut shot as I shot him again on his right lung before finishing him in his left eye.

I looked towards the windows and realised the panels had all been shattered.

It was then I noticed the ropes and spare carabiners near the ledge.

I ran towards the window and looked down only to see Owen getting into a boat by the wetlands with 2 high powered engine.

The narrow channel is now abuzz with activity.

The shit storm I started has attracted the attention of the nearby coast guards.

I could see 2 patrol boats approaching with it’s mega spot light trained on the industrial building I was at.

The boat Owen is on fired up it’s engine and sped through the channel towards Malaysian waters.

It got more than half way across before the coast guards realised what was happening.

Their spot light only managed to follow Own for less than 10 seconds before he disappeared into a maze of mangrove channels.

Jeff : fuck.. FUCK!!

I kicked the parapet wall as I cursed out loudly.

The door to the office crashed in and I quickly swivelled around pointing my weapon at a glowing mask that seemed all too familiar.

Xuehua ran towards me and before she embraced me, she slapped me.

I felt the sting on my cheek and I knew I deserved it.

Every bit of it.

Xuehua removed her mask and I could see her fuming mad at me.

She slapped me again as the boats of the coast guard cast anchor just beyond the shallow coastline.

Xuehua : do this again… I will kill you… you here me ? !!!

I nodded as Xuehua jumped and held onto me.

Jeff : how did you know where I am…. ?

Xuehua : I put a gun to Billy’s head…

I could hear sirens in the distance approaching the building.

Xuehua : We need to go…… now…..

Xuehua and I started running down the steps and we scaled the wall into the neighbouring property.

We continued scaling walls, leaping over low fences and putting in the distance between the site that is soon to be swarm with law enforcement officers.

Xuehua pulled me down another road, away from the vehicle I arrived in and towards a scooter.

She had prepared clothes, we ditched the dark get up and pants and my body armour. Xuehua dismantled the rifle and threw the parts into the overgrown shrubs, she kept the firing pin in her pocket.

Pulling on casual t-shirts and shorts, we put on the helmets and she fired up the engine.

We scooted calmly out of the industrial estate, looking just like any of the staff in the area that had put in a few extra hours.

Xuehua did not stop until we arrived in the middle of a housing estate in Yishun and she went up to the middle floor of the multi- storey carpark.

We ditched the scooter and the helmets before holding hands and walking calmly down the staircase. She threw the firing pin of the rifle into the bin as we emerged like any couple out into the void deck of a sleepy housing estate.

We settled down onto the bench beside a playground to calm ourselves down.

Xuehua: Ron has half the base out looking for us… he’s fucking pissed….

Jeff : James… he’s bent on killing me…. You too…. We have his entire team of special operators looking for us…..

Xuehua laughed.

She gestured with her head back towards the direction which we just fled from.

Xuehua : Now the local law enforcements are after us too…. After that shit you pulled….

I exhaled and looked up into the starless skies.

We’re truly fucked now.

Jeff : I’m sorry dear… I got you into this…

Xuehua : I chose to be in this with you….

Jeff : This isn’t exactly what I pictured the start of fatherhood to be….

Xuehua : You mean…. Both of us…. Sitting at a playground….not a dollar in our pocket…. haha

Jeff : being hunted practically by all sides….hahah… we’re fucked….

Xuehua’s fingers crossed with mine as she rest her head on my shoulder.

Xuehua : They won’t get us…. They won’t…. we’re too good for them….

Jeff : we can’t win this fight….

Xuehua : no we can’t…..

Jeff : Where does that leave us then… ?

I turned to check the time on a community clock tower a short distance away.

It’s coming to 4am in the morning.

Jeff : They’ll be going all out to hunt for us now….

Xuehua : You cannot hunt the hunters….

Jeff : haha… I believe given the circumstances… the tables have turned….

Xuehua : I’m tired dear… let’s just leave….

Jeff : if we go down this road… we’ll always be running…. Are you sure… ?

Xuehua: as long as we’re together….. you’re the only one left in my life anyway….

Xuehua and I turned our head at the same time, looking up towards the buzzing sound coming from a man made object.

About 30m in the air diagonally to our right, there was a drone. It’s red camera light flashing at us as it maintained it’s position.

Jeff : they’re here….

We stood up as the 2nd drone flew in from another angle.

Xuehua : I’ll say…. We have a few minutes…. Give and take….

Jeff : You ready to start running Jane ? ….

Xuehua : not that we have much of a choice…..hahah…

20 metres to our right we saw 2 man running towards us.

It was obvious who their targets are.

Xuehua and I took one each.

I tackled one to the ground while Xuehua led the other on a run around the playground before jumping in for a right hook.

I drew the knife from the man’s belt as I kneed him in his kidney. Sending him to the ground with a kick to the side of his knee, I placed the knife against his neck, drawing blood immediately as he remained still while his twisted arm remained locked by me.

Jeff : Tell them….. we’ll kill everyone they send after us….

I shoved him to the floor just as Xuehua twisted and dislocated 2 of the man’s finger before hooking his leg out from under him, sending him crashing onto the bouncy body of a rocking seahorse.

Xuehua ran towards me and we turned towards the quiet estate and we started to run.

……………………………………

Quote:

Originally Posted by

iluvbreast

A fantastic read as always from Bro ilikeoldchangke.

Bro ilikeoldchangke, is this the ending or will there be some more write up to cover a bit from ‘The Beast Within’, the portion about something was dug up during the building of MRT….any plans to expand that and put it into this?

I’ll eat an old chang kee today in celebration of your story

yes… final post in a few days will reveal all.

Including the bridge to what lies beneath us all

It ends today

Still editing the final bits.

Want to make sure it’s good enough before updating.

James

Barely 3 blocks away after we started running we heard the roar of a motorcycle engine as it ran parallel to the side of the road that we are running along.

It charged towards us, mounting the kerb and turfing. I barely pulled Xuehua out of the way as the man jumped off the bike, letting it cruise for a few metres before dropping onto the pavement.

He kept his helmet on which helped in protecting his head but with Xuehua and I working together, he lasted barely 30 seconds before he knelt down with his back facing us and clutching onto his groin where Xuehua just kneed him in.

I went to lift up the motorcycle while Xuehua emptied the man’s pocket and took his photo together with some loose change that totalled less than $50.

We hopped onto the bike and rode off without helmets.

As we rode towards Seletar airport, we saw a couple of cars heading in the opposite direction apply their brakes when we sped past.

It’s only a matter of time before they catch up.

I took a gamble and sped down the entrance to the expressway. Sengkang is just one exit away.

Thankfully we made it without picking up a new tail.

I went straight to the temple where I have a storage account.

Xuehua and I ditched the bike 2 blocks away and made the rest of the journey on foot.

I could see construction works and cameras being put up at the lift lobbies of the housing estate.

We’re lucky it was still being introduced in phases.

In a matter of years, the entire island will be covered by a intricate network of cameras that will make movements like this impossible.

There will be no place else to hide.

I entered the temple and saw the caretaker cleaning up the altar and replacing the offerings of fresh fruits to the deities.

He saw me arriving and went to the back room with me.

I emptied out my stash and told him I needed a ride.

Caretaker : Car is on level 3B just around the bent….. will you be bringing it back or we will need to pick is up…..

Jeff : you will need to pick it up…

Caretaker : pick up has an additional surcharge of $750…..plus the car usage for 24 hours…. Total of $1750…..

He rattled off as he opened a drawer before pulling out a set of car keys and a GPS location token. I counted out the cash and handed it to the caretaker.

Caretaker : Activate the device after you are done….we will handle the rest…. Dispose off the car keys…..

Jeff : Thank you…

Caretaker : will we be seeing you anytime soon …… Hibiki…. And Jane ….

I froze and I looked at the caretaker.

How the fuck does he know who I am ?

He smiled and pulled out a tablet, activated the screen and orientated it towards me.

Ron put out an alert to all the underground storage for Jane and me.

Caretaker : I’m not the only one that knows…. They burnt you both….

Jeff : $250000 ? they’re paying 250k for both of us….. ??

Caretaker : a bit of an insult isn’t it.. ?

He kept the tablet and got up to light some incense for the deities.

Caretaker : our reputation…. As bearers of secrets….. is priceless….. Ron…. Of all people should know….

Xuehua : you….you know Ron ??

Caretaker : Who doesn’t ? …. Haha….. underground storage….shadow banks… private gunsmiths….muscle for hires…. Ron… enabled a whole parallel universe for people and trades like us to survive and thrive…. As long as we follow the rules….

Xuehua : Why are you helping us then….? You would be in his good books for turning us in….

Caretaker : hahaha…. He rearranged some fruits before opening a new bag of candies into a dish….250k… is nothing…. To people in trades like us…and Ron knows that…. No one will put decades of reputation on the line for such money….. which…. In turn….. tells us something….

Jeff : What is that ? ….

Caretaker : Ron is giving you a way out…. And the burnt notice is but a message…. That we should do what we can to help….

Xuehua : Are you serious…. ?

Caretaker : Ron has to answer to his superiors too… putting a red notice out…. Takes care of that… but his superiors…. Has no idea of the kind of world we operate in….they would never know the message that is so obvious in this….

He turned away from us and went on to sweep up the ashes left by the incense around the base of the altar, a clear sign that the conversation is over.

I took the car keys and the caretaker called out after us as we left the temple.

Caretaker : Good luck…

I checked the car plate number and we hurried to the carpark. I would have expected a non-descript car that will blend into the roads but it’s a fucking S-class cabriolet in red.

Xuehua : well…. I guess this justifies the 1750 you paid….

I looked at the car plate of the 7 cars lined up in a row with the same premutation of 4 digits of 1688, from Toyotas to Hyundai, even a 12 foot truck, it was obvious they all belonged to the same owner.

He could have just given me the silver Toyota.

I looked at the key fob in my hand and I hit it again just to be sure it was the S class. There’s no indication of any kind that would have told me in advance what car I am getting. It was just a piece of plain black plastic.

Jeff : fuck it… let’s go…

Xuehua : well… I guess the last place they would be looking would be a couple in a S class…

I pulled out of the carpark and started to make my way to Bukit TImah. Yiling’s place.

Inside the stash I took out from the temple, there’s a phone with a burner sim card I bought off a construction worker heading back to his country for good.

I called Yiling and asked if the ticket out of the country she offered earlier is still valid.

Yiling : of course…. The whole world is looking for you by the way….

Jeff : I know… Can you arrange a way out for 2…. ?

Yiling : of course….. keep this line open… I’ll call back in a bit to give you the location…

Jeff : Is your place safe for us ?

Yiling : I’m sorry…. No… anyone with a connection to you has been placed under watch…. Including me… there’s 2 cars parked in right in front of my place…. I’m not sure who they belong to…

Jeff : thanks for the help…

Yiling : consider it a favour….haha…. perhaps one day I might ask one of you…

Jeff : haha…ok…

I hung up and I could see Xuehua eyeing me from the corner of her eye but she said nothing. She asked for the phone and she made a call to the storage facility at Chinatown.

She asked for some stuff to be sent to the open carpark at Mt Vernon sanctuary.

Xuehua : you want anything from your cupboard ??

Jeff : Yes… there’s a black bag at the very bottom…. Just that… and a sketchbook…there’ only one in the cupboard… thank you…

Xuehua told the pawnshop about what was needed and told me to head over to the open carpark of the sanctuary with funeral halls spread out throughout the sprawling compound.

We were both tired and exhausted by then and we pulled into a lot.

Opening the window slightly, we decided to catch some shuteye.

It was not uncommon to see people sleeping in the car at that place.

Some of the family members of the deceased stay over at the hall throughout the duration of the wake.

We will look just like any other couple catching some quick winks.

10am

The phone I was carrying rang and I jumped.

It was from the pawn shop at chinatown.

I handed it over to Xuehua who answered it.

She said nothing and hung up after 2 seconds. Right about then, a large white van pulled into the carpark.

Xuehua got out of the car and the van pulled into the lot beside us.

I opened the boot and the things we requested from the storage was loaded into our car by a staff of the pawn show.

After he was done, he got into the car after giving Xuehua a nod and drove off.

We were starving by then but we were did not want to show our face anywhere too public.

We went down to Kallang and ordered our meals via a drive through at the fast food restaurant. Then we went to the open air carpark of Kallang Leisure park.

The wide open space allowed us a 360 degree unblocked view of anyone heading towards us.

We ate quietly in the car. Halfway through my burger I turned to Xuehua.

Jeff : I can’t believe how fucked up a father I am…..there’s hardly any nutrition from this shit we are eating….

I gestured the the sad looking burger in our hands.

Xuehua laughed.

Xuehua : I’m kind of digging the sugary coke now though….

2pm

I got a call from Yiling and she told us were to go.

Yiling : Go to Changi Jetty… 5pm…. My man Lucas ferries people over to Pulau Ubin….

Jeff : Are we crossing from Ubin ? that place is heavily patrolled….

Yiling : Yes… even more so for tonight….. I’ve arranged for a major bust to go down tonight… there’s a dealer I want to burn….

Jeff : what ? …

Yiling : He’s coming in with 3kg of Heroin…. Coast guard and the narcotics agency will be there in full force…

Jeff : And we are going to walk right into it… ?

YIling : The most dangerous place is the safest…. No one knows about this as of now…the authorities are on standby,,, I have yet to made known the location of the bust to them…. Get to the jetty and board Lucas’s boat to Ubin…. You will not land on the island….

While the bust is going on and the action is going on with officers swarming the boat that the trafficker is coming in from Malaysia, we will be transferring to a boat that is making it’s way to pengerang.

Jeff : What about passport and identifications… ?

Yiling : you don’t clear the immigrations …. Another boat will link up and take you along another route to a private jetty…. I have car and some money waiting at the carpark…. You’re on your own from there…

I hesitated for a while before thanking Yiling for making the arrangements.

Jeff: i can’t thank you enough for this…

Yiling : it’s a favour… from a drug lord…. You better return it next time…

Jeff : hahah…. I’ll be sure to…

Yiling : alright…. Go get ready…

I hung up and I told Xuehua about the arrangements.

We finished up our meal and drove over to Changi early to stake out the spot.

It’s a quiet afternoon at the jetty. The place is hardly crowded on weekdays.

Xuehua and I went to the row of shops selling camping gear and supplies and we bought some necessities for a long drive. From portable cookers to sleeping bags, even a tent for 2.

Fishing rods, cutters, utility pliers, salt pills, fire starters, basically anything that we can buy and fit into the large canvas bag we got from the shop.

We don’t know where we are going yet in Malaysia.

It’s a big country and it’s easy to disappear. It’s just a matter of where.

The hunt for Owen is not over, but we have more pressing matters on hand.

With so many parties looking for us, if we get caught, it’s all over.

Survivor is the only thing on our mind now.

I feel really weird and excited right now. It was a feeling that is difficult to describe.

Like that anticipation of being able to get away from it all, similar to the game of catch you play back in school. As you get older, your area of play gets bigger, from the neighbourhood playground to an entire HDB block.

The thrill of running away from the catcher, with him hot on your heels as you tore up the steps and jumping down entire flights of stairs, it was pure adrenaline.

Xuehua and I are running from a chaser of unimaginable scale.

Ron and his men, James and his men, the authorities who has probably been fed information about us.

As we sat inside the car with the boot full of gear, we held each other’s hands. Our eyes scanned each car that comes close and everyone that came within a 10m radius.

4.45pm

Yiling dropped me a message to start looking for Lucas. She will be releasing the tip off at 5pm sharp.

Xuehua and I left the car and took all our belongings. I activated the GPS tracker for the S class and left it in the glove compartment.

If anyone cast us a glance, we looked just like a couple of campers heading to Pulau Ubin for a couple nights of fun and fishing and to reconnect with nature.

As we approach the jetty, a few men were actively waving us over, asking if we are heading to Ubin.

They don’t start the trip unless the minimum number of passengers are reached, or if you are feeling generous, you pay the full fare the ferry operators will make if he gets a full load.

Usually people settle with just waiting for a while.

Boats usually get filled up.

Operator : hello hello….handsome….. Ubin ? Ubin ? …. For 2 ?

Jeff : I’m looking for Lucas…..

The operator pointed me towards a man smoking a cigarette wearing a straw hat standing 10 meters away.

He saw me and Xuehua and he put out his fag with the underside of his shoe.

Jeff : hi…. Yiling sent us…

Lucas : follow me….

We followed Lucas to his boat which is moored on the extreme side of the row of tugboats with it’s engine running.

Sitting inside the ferry are 12 others. A mixture of men and women carrying incenses and fruits offerings. It’s not uncommon for people to head to the temple on the island to pray.

However, the moment we got on, we observed a couple immediately heading down below deck without a word.

The people on board did not speak, they tried their best not to look at us.

The maximum capacity of each bumboat is 12. The 2 below deck will replace us the moment we switch boat so Lucas will arrive at Ubin with a full load.

Lucas started to pull out of the jetty and no sooner than that, I saw a flurry of activity at the jetty. Even as we pulled further away from mainland, I could see the flashing of sirens as the officers arrive.

They will all be there waiting for a dealer arriving from Pengarang.

I heard the honk of another bumboat as it pulled up on our starboard midway towards Ubin.

The tyres of the boats connected against each other and Xuehua and I quickly made our move, jumping over to the other one.

Our belongings were passed over with the help of the passengers on board.

The entire switch took less than 30 seconds and we are off.

The boat we are in chugged by slowly past a couple of coastguard vessel which is keeping an eye on another approaching boat that is heading towards the Jetty.

The captain of our boat cruised by and he gave the guards a cursory wave with cigarette in hand.

I could hardly breathe as I held Xuehua’s hands as we literally crawled by the guards and towards the open seas via a easily guarded narrow channel flanked by solid beams driven into the sea floor.

The warm sea breeze only felt comfortable when I turned around and realised the patrol boats are as small as a speck of dust on the horizon.

I turned and looked at Xuehua who too looked visibly relaxed.

We’re almost there.

As we got closer to the jetty in Pengarang, another leisure vessel pulled up.

Xuehua and I switched boats again. I dropped the key for the S class into the water just before it started moving.

6pm

The chap driving the boat brought Xuehua and I to a private jetty and he helped us bring the bags down before throwing us a key.

He pointed to a old Proton Waja in grey and quickly pulled away.

Xuehua and I took the bags and loaded it into the vehicle.

I entered the vehicle and started the engine, feeling the soothing cold air of the air conditioner hitting me immediately. The gas tank is full.

I opened the glove compartment. There’s an envelope with almost 20k in Ringgit in it with a prepaid phone. There’s also several maps of different Malaysian states.

There’s only 1 number in it’s last dialled and I hit call.

Yiling picked up within the 1st 3 rings.

Yiiing : all good ?

Jeff : Yeah… we made it through…. What’s the situation back home… ?

Yiling : no one suspected anything…. They are still looking for you guys which meant they didn’t know you are no longer in the country…..

Jeff : That’s good….

Yiling : I have some news about Owen…. From some contacts in Malaysia…. There’s been chatter about someone important crossing the canal in the middle of the night….

Jeff : Where is he now… ?

Yiling : He passed through a few towns…. My contacts spotted him and his men… they are headed for straight the Thai borders….

Jeff ; He’s going to go to Thailand ?

Yiling: From the looks of it yes……. There’s no way of telling how accurate these chatters are but it seemed he has linked up with some groups with operating bases along the border ot Thailand and Malaysia….

Jeff : I see……

Yiling : Ron has started sending out operatives to root out what’s left of Owen’s outfit in the country……

Jeff : He approached you ??

Yiling : yes…. I accepted…. Not like I need to get my hands dirty personally nowadays anyway… hahah… I have people willing to do it…. All for a couple of grams of coke…

There was a moment of awkward silence before Yiling spoke again.

Yiling : there’s a old laptop… some prepaid sim cards and phones in the bag under the passenger seat….i wish I can helped more… but this is the best I can do….

Yiling : alright…. I guess this is it then…. Good luck Jeff….

Jeff : I won’t forget what you did for us…. I owe you one Yiling….

Yiling : hahah…. Good bye Jeff…….

Jeff : goodbye….

I heard the line go dead and I removed the battery and took out the sim card before throwing them out the card window.

Xuehua : now what… ?

Jeff : I don’t know….

We looked at each other for a few seconds before bursting out laughing.

I put the engine into drive and we made our way to Johore.

Xuehua was checking out several spots on the map but we could not decide where to go.

We could not decide if we want to go all the way north to the border near Thailand or just find a quiet town to lay low.

I drove aimlessly, stopping to get a quick bite at a rest stop before arriving in the town of Pontian.

My fake identifications is more up to date than Xuehua’s since she’s been out of action for a while. I went ahead and got us a room in a small hotel in town. It looked like we are the only occupants when we checked into the room.

The owner barely cast us a look and he did not ask questions when only 1 passport was produced.

Once we got the room, we started to plan for a longer-term solution.

We need clinics, hospitals, basically healthcare facilities. Preferably all within a small town where pace of life is slower and no one asks that many questions.

We discussed several possibilities when Xuehua looked at the map of where we are and suggested staying right where we are.

Jeff : you mean in the hotel ?

Xuehua : of course not you silly… what about this very town we are in….Pontian….

Jeff : The only thing I know about Pontian is their wanton noodles….

Xuehua : I’m pretty sure the ones here are more authentic…..

I looked at the location of where we are right now. There’s a hospital in town.

Banks, fast food, supermarket.

Everything you need.

Jeff : Let’s read up about it on google and see what we can find….

We spent the next 30 minutes trying to find information about the town and there’s not much information we could find about it.

Xuehua : well… it’s not exactly a tourist hotspot…. Most people head to Kukup for the chalets ……

Jeff : yeah…. Why not Kukup ? ….i kind of like the idea of living in one of those water chalets….

Xuehua : right…. A place that is practically swarming with Singaporeans….

Jeff : forget I said that… ok fine… I’m good with this place….. let’s do a bit of exploring tomorrow before we decide….

2 days and plenty of driving around later, Xuehua and I made up our mind.

We’re going to call this place home for a while.

We paid cash to rent a place from a salon owner that is in the midst of winding up.

It’s actually a shopfront but there are living areas at the back.

I liked it because it faces the sea although the quality of the water is a far cry from the shade of blue I have in mind. There’s 2 exits as well with 2 roads serving the place.

Neighbour is a provision shop while on the other side is a bakery.

It’s perfect.

I just need to make some modifications to the entrances to beef up security and we’re good.

I kept the tinted glass shopfront but I got a contractor to add metal reinforcements at the back, effectively putting in a solid gate behind the glass door.

The back door too was replaced with a solid fire rated door and a metal gate.

Security cameras, alarm system, knives, not the cooking type. You can easily pick a few up from the supermarket at the gardening section.

The quality is not as good as what I wanted but as long as it’s sharp, it will do just fine.

I spend on the security but when it comes to doing up the space for the baby, I splurged.

The front of the salon has been converted into a simple living area. A couch and a wall hung TV, a small coffee table.

Then there’s a small dining table that will comfortably sit 4.

After that I made use of a existing partition to create the sleeping area. It’s big enough to fit a queen bed and still have space for a separate baby corner.

A corner for my baby daughter.

Space is something Malaysia have no lack off.

The only weird part about our configuration is we have to head towards the kitchen through the bedroom.

The kitchen is tucked right beside the rear exit opposite the bathroom.

It’s nothing fancy, we aren’t exactly chefs and there’s plenty off eateries around.

Just need a cozy spot to cook simple meals and to prepare milk.

We moved in 3 weeks later and we are all set for our new life. I’ve ditched the car Yiling gave in a neighbouring town and rented a new one for our daily needs.

The 1st few nights I could not sleep.

I stayed by the door with knives in hand sitting on a chair as I kept watch.

Any slight movements, any noise at all, I would jump.

I had followed the news closely in Singapore, the aftermath from the riot is starting to die down. The attention of the public has already shifted from the riot to the high profile kidnapping of a old lady who happens to be the mother of a large supermarket chain.

Every morning I would be woken up by Xuehua and I would jerk myself from sleep, panting and gasping for air. There’s a couple of times I would scream as I got up gripping both knives in hand.

Xuehua would hug me as she waited for me to calm down.

As each day past and her tummy gets bigger, I get more jumpy.

Every night when I close my eyes, I would see Lynn. Then I would see James coming for Xuehua and me.

I’m not afraid to die but the fear of knowing that Xuehua and my unborn daughter is going to be in danger keeps me up at night.

This is karma, I’m sure of it.

I accept it.

You cannot go around taking lives and expect to get a good night sleep from then on. I have taken many lives, and on nights when I could not sleep, a part of me felt that it was the souls of the dead coming for me.

It’s ok.

They can come for me.

Just don’t fucking touch my wife and my daughter.

I guess this is the reason why for people like us, remaining alone with no other connections has to be a decision you make right from the start. We can’t afford to have a connection, or even a pet.

It makes us weak, we lose our focus.

Everyday became sort of a routine.

We would have a simple breakfast at home, before taking a stroll along the streets and retreating indoors when the temperature gets higher in the afternoon.

We knew from the start that our accent and the way we speak would give us away immediately to our neighbours. That we are not locals, so there was no need to hide the fact we are from Singapore.

Naturally this will rouse the curiosity for the quiet town but we had a good story ready.

When Ong, owner of the provision shop asked about why we are here, I put on a little embarrassed and dejected look and told him that, our families forbade our relationship.

He looked shocked as he looked at Xuehua before turning to me.

Jeff : She comes form a good family….while… I’m just… you know…. Average… her parents objected fiercely…..

Actually that was all I told him and I allowed him to form the rest of his opinion. I never expected our Korean drama like story to spread like wild fire.

Within a week, the story of a star crossed lover hiding from a powerful family in Singapore began to spread. It got a little absurd when our bakery neighbour, Mr Koh, offered us free loaves of bread.

He told us if we needed any help with anything, feel free to let him and his wife know. Their kids are all grown up and working abroad, they are willing to lend a hand.

Xuehua and I had a bit of difficulty piecing the most up to date version of what the small town thinks of us and we had to compare notes to form a bigger picture.

Xuehua : Ok…. From what I gathered …. The story now is you impregnated the daughter of the largest developer in Singapore…..while she is dating the son of the 2nd largest developer….. then for some reason, I choose to give it all up for true love…. And we are seeking out a simple life…..we have to hide…. Because the father of the so call son I was dating…. Is actively looking for me….. …. So he can force me to have the child adopt his surname….and everyone is helping to keep hush about the new Singaporean couple in town……

Jeff : what … the… fuck……

Xuehua : hahahaha…. I pieced this together from the fish seller and vegetable seller’s version…. The surname part came from the fried noodle stall…. What is your version…. ?

Jeff : You’re the daughter of some minister…..we had an accident and I knocked you up…. And I am actually the son of a Opposition political party….. us tying a knot would set off a political scandal…… so we have no choice… we have to run….

Xuehua laughed so loud that I had to ask her to calm down.

Jeff : calm down…. For god sake…. Stop shaking your tummy like that… !!! stop !!

She just kept on laughing and clutching her tummy.

Jeff : Stop laughing… it’s too loud for the baby !!! …stop… or I’m putting you in a choke hold…. !!!

It only made her laugh further as she struggled to get to the bedroom.

Jeff : I haven told you the version about you being underage yet….

Xuehua : Me ??? underage ??!! hahahahahaha….hahaha what the fuck….

Jeff : Stop using the word fuck !!… the baby can hear you !

Xuehua : You are using the word fuck too….

Jeff : It’s different….! I don’t have her inside me !!!

Xuehua : hahahahaa.. hahaha..

March 2014

I started to feel a little better from the month of march. Although I still stayed up every night well past 3am, I managed to catch some sleep thereafter.

The allure of the small town and community started to grow slowly on me.

There is this warmth , this neighbourliness that I cannot find in Singapore.

The pace of life is slower, the cost of daily necessities is lower too. Money is not an issue for us, although most of my money is still in various stash in Singapore, I have a couple of storage stash in Malaysia as well.

Xuehua’s relationship with the pawn shop is a true blessing. The boss made arrangements for drops in Pekan Nanas where I could easily pick up.

Together with what we made out of the island with, Xuehua and I still have about 140 thousand SGD in cash with us in the house.

Jeff : I stashed away more than 1 Million…. Over the years…

I had more, but you know, as a guy, don’t ever show all your cards if you get what I mean. Keep half for yourself.

I only realised how far off I am from Xuehua when she told me she has storage in Hong Kong, South Korea & Taiwan & in Japan.

Xuehua : It’s not a lot… about 1 Million each I think… if I remember correctly….

I stared at her with my mouth slightly apart.

What the fuck.

Xuehua : Eddy….he has a semi D in Yio Chu Kang….a Condo in Ang Mo Kio…..and a strata unit in a shopping mall in town… all rented out..….. plus the safe deposit boxes… his storage stash….and a stake in a gold shop in Chinatown….

I put up my hand and told her it’s ok.

Jeff : dear it’s ok…. It’s ok… don’t need to tell me all these…..

Xuehua : But I haven even started on what Leng and Annie left me…… Freddy gave all to Lala,….. and since Lala is no longer with us…. It all goes to charity…….. Leng is quite a spendthrift…. But he has 2 condos…

Jeff : ok… I need to go….err… get some fruits for dinner….please stop…

Xuehua : hahaha….. I can be your sugar mummy….. if you are nice to me….

I ignored her and walked out the back door as she chuckled playfully.

Well, we have more money we can possibly spend, the only challenge is getting to it.

We’ll worry about it when the time comes.

Still, if I don’t start working, tongues will bound to get wagging.

I started asking around for ad hoc work. It’s not about the money, I needed to take my mind off things a little and also to put on a front.

Ong offered me 750RM a month if I could help him make some deliveries and I accepted it.

I start work at 7am and I’m usually back at the provision shop by 11.30am for lunch with Xuehua.

June 2014

I experienced for the first time in my live an oasis of calm and peace.

Xuehua and I stood at the edge of the beach alongside seafood restaurants doing a roaring trade. Families gathered for dinner while we watch the birds and crows picking out the mudflats for a snack.

It did not matter that the waters are not a shade of azure blue, I don’t mind the floating clumps of rubbish entangled by the roots of mangrove trees at the side.

The uneven sidewalk, rusty signages. The occasional roar of a motorcycle with 3 passengers on board and cars with bonnet & doors so rusty that the scrap yard in Singapore would turn it away.

It’s a far cry from the orderliness we experience back home, yet it is among this chaos, this disorderliness of the little details we take for granted that I found peace.

I don’t mind not having a sheltered walkway, I don’t mind that the pavement I walk on has a hole so large that it would swallow up your dog. I don’t mind the overgrown shrubs, the turf of green coming out a choked drain.

I only know that I am happy.

Happy to be away from it all, happy to have Owen out of my head at least for a while.

One month before the due date of my daughter, I finally found enough courage to take a peek into the last few pages of the Sketchbook Gwen left behind.

I flipped to the Sun Wukong I drew, my fingers tracing the outline as I recalled the past.

It felt like a lifetime ago.

I flipped the page to see a picture of me Gwen drew.

She drew me leaning against a tree with a variety of fruits growing above while her sister and her play just a few steps away.

I flipped the next page and I noticed the distance between the figures that represented her sisters and me got closer.

We are now sitting together on a table and the girls are eating what appears to be noodles.

I have a pair of scissors in hand and it’s as if she was trying to say I’m helping them to cut the noodles into more manageable length.

I felt a tinge of emotion as I looked at the table filled with food.

The drawing offered me glimpse into her head, what she was thinking about.

There was no hiding the level of innocence in that drawing. The simple things she wanted in her life.

A table full of food and someone taking care of her and her sister.

I would hardly give a scene like this a second look if I passed a table like this in a restaurant or a foodcourt.

It hit me hard, knowing that the simple act of someone helping her cut her food into more manageable portions is something that she and her sister did not have the luxury of experiencing.

I wonder what went though her head when she herself saw such a scene.

What kind of sins did she commit in her previous life to be deprived of such love from parents?

Nothing prepared me for the last page and I froze.

If the previous page was a sub conscious projection of what Gwen wanted for her childhood, the last sketch has to be an ambitious attempt in trying to find meaning in her life.

No longer am I cutting noodles, watching the sisters play or taking on the role of Sun Wukong.

The roles were reversed.

Instead of a fit and young Hibiki, I stared at an image of a old man sitting down on a wheelchair. In his hand held the same sketchbook I was now flipping through.

I am no longer the man protecting Gwen.

In the last picture, she is all grown up, wielding the ‘Ruyi Jingu Bang’ , The weapon of choice for Sun WuKong.

Standing in front of her is the same shadowy figures that once terrorised her and her sister.

It envisioned her all grown up and ready to take on the role of protecting me. There’s even a speech encased in a bubble, ‘ My turn’

I shut my eyes and felt the warm roll of tear down my cheeks.

Gwen oh Gwen.

You been dealt a shitty hand in this life, I can only hope the next would be better.

I took the sketchbook and went to a local studio. I chose to frame up the last 3 pages of Gwen’s drawing in the living area.

When Xuehua saw the drawings I left on the display shelves, I told her about my project, my encounter with Gwen.

She cried and held onto me.

Xuehua : I want our daughter to be kind…to be loved…..

3 seconds later she added.

Xuehua : but I want her to know she can fucking throat punch and twist the arm off anyone that tries to bully her…

I laughed.

Jeff : I’m sure you’ll teach her well…. Haha

Xuehua : aren’t you going to do your part…? As a father …. ?

Jeff : I’ll just make sure anyone who hurts her goes to the bottom of the sea….. I found a few spots in town where I’m pretty sure we can dump a few bodies and no one will ever know…. There’re alligators in the canal…..

1st August 2014

10.00am

I waited anxiously at the hospital for the arrival of my daughter as I sat beside Xuehua.

As her contraction began, the look on her face made me want to take a few steps back. It’s like she wanted to kill anyone within reach.

Xuehua :aRGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!FFFFuuu….

Jeff : No… no!!.. no more cursing !!…

Xuehua : aGHHHHHHH!!1… fish………what the fish…. !!! arGHHHH oh god !!!

It went on for an hour and I was pretty sure one of the glare Xuehua gave me during that hour was the result of her mentally visualising strangling for cumming inside her raw.

I felt my legs go weak when I saw the arrival of my daughter.

I was shaking as she was bundled up and handed over to me.

Doctor : are you afraid of blood… you’re shaking….

I could not even bring myself to reply him as I took over our daughter with shaking arms.

Jeff : wow….

It was the most humbling moment in my life. To hold a newborn in my arms.

Her eyes were closed and I could see her body heaving hard, trying to fill her tiny lungs with air. I brought her over to Xuehua and the first thing she said was that she looks like me.

Xuehua : so unfair….

As the nurse cleaned my daughter up, I stared at her while her tiny eyes fought to open up, just that tiny bit.

So this is how it feels like to be a father.

That very word seemed to have taken on a whole new meaning to me at that very moment.

After a cursory check to make sure she’s ok, Xuehua and I reunited at the ward.

I could not stop looking at my daughter.

Every time she opened her eyes I would wave and try to get her attention like a desperate guy trying to impress a lady.

2 days later, we left the maternity ward and we hired a confinement nanny.

Neighbours visited, many offered help.

For the first time since we moved, we unlocked the gate and let visitors in freely.

There was a big party for the 1st month celebrations and I knew I was ready for a new life when I totally forgot who I once were until I saw a bottle of empty Whisky by the side of a road.

A bottle with the worn out label barely hanging onto the glass bottle.

A Hibiki.

8 November 2014

Saturday

11.30am

I was just done delivering some provisions and was in the midst of returning the truck to Ong’s shop when I jammed the brakes 2 streets before my place.

My heart rate raced as I looked at the empty streets.

There’s not a single car in sight. Something that is not possible, I have never seen an entire street without a car. I looked at the rows of shops, everyone had it’s shutters down.

I started breathing with me mouth as I put the truck into drive.

The neighbourhood is dead quiet.

It was high tide and I could see 3 leisure boats anchored at the front of my house about 200m away from shore.

My eyes searched the immediately surroundings and I have this foreboding feeling in my heart.

I turned the van into the street when I stay and I saw all the shutters are down as well including the provision shop and the bakery.

The entire street has been cleared.

Not a single car remained.

I turned the truck into the lot in front of my house and I could see the door is not locked.

I looked towards my left and I saw him.

There’s no hiding that massive body of his.

Boon stood about 50 meters away, under the swaying leaves of a palm tree that is bent at a weird angle.

My heart slammed against my ribcage as I looked to my right and I saw 3 more men I recognised at Lynn’s wedding. They were parked at different coke points and they were all stationary.

They did not move.

My throat felt parched and dry as I walked towards the door slowly.

My hands shook as I pulled opened the door and saw the lock to the gate cut.

The lights in the living area are switched off but I could see the spill of lights from the bedroom.

I walked slowly towards the bedroom and pushed opened the door.

I heaved a sigh of relieve when I saw Xuehua sitting upright on her bed. She was not moving but she’s fine.

I looked over at our daughter, she’s sleeping soundly in her crib barely 2m away from me.

Xuehua’s eyes drifted slowly to me and I could see the desperation in them.

I entered the room and I saw him.

James.

He sat on the armchair by the side of the room, he held a Sig with a attached sound suppressor in his right hand.

He was waiting for me.

Our eyes met and his weapon slowly raised up, pointing towards Xuehua.

Jeff : It was me…. It was all me…. Please….

James looked like shit. He lost weight, he’s unshaven. His eyes looked tired, like that of a hunter that has not rest for long periods of time.

I put 1 step forwards and he turned his weapon towards me.

Jeff : I… I’m unarmed….

He said nothing.

Xuehua : we can take him dear…. We can take him together……we’re faster than him…..we can take him….

Jeff : No… shut up….

I glared at Xuehua and I pleaded with her not to go on.

Her eyes started to fill with tears as she shook her head at me.

Xuehua : No… don’t… please…..

Jeff : Shhh…. It’s ok…. It’s ok….. let me handle this…..

I turned back to James .

Jeff : It’s me….. I killed Lynn….. I stabbed her because I was careless. !!! It was me…. It was me all along… it has nothing to do with them…..please….

Still James said nothing.

His eyes are that of a dead man.

A man with his heart and soul ripped out while the empty shell is forced to continue on.

I put up my hands and repeated that I was unarmed.

Xuehua : please dear…. Sobzz.. sobzz… please… we can take him…. We can win….

Jeff : We cannot win dear…. We can’t !…. this is the end of the road….

Xuehua : No…. please don’t…..sobzzz….

I sucked in a deep breathe and I looked at James.

Jeff : It’s me…. I’ll pay for Lynn’s life with mine…..

James finally spoke.

It came out cold, lifeless and hoarse.

James: You took 2 lives from me….. it’s only fair if I do the same….

Jeff : Please… no… it was an accident…. It’s me !!! it’s all me !!!…. I plunged the knife into Lynn !!!… I’m the one holding it !!!… I watched her die in my arms and I pulled the knife back out of her lifeless body !!! it was all me !!!!

Emphasising the accident seemed to have caught James’ attention. There’s no guarantee he will let Xuehua go after he kills me but it’s a gamble I am willing to take.

I don’t know him but I am pretty sure he will not kill a innocent baby.

Jeff : It’s me…. finish this and end it….

He started to orientate his body towards me and I could see his feet taking position, shoulder width apart to counter the recoil of the weapon when he fires it.

I looked at Xuehua who was crying and shaking her head at me, pleading with me not to go ahead with this.

James pointed his weapon at me and I stared down the barrel of his gun.

James : Any last words….

Jeff : May i….. may I hug my daughter and my wife one last time….

Xuehua went into an all-out brawl and had to cover her own mouth for fear of disturbing the baby’s sleep.

I took a step forward and James retreated, giving me space to move.

Inside his head Xuehua and I are not your regular run of the mill parents. We are killers, like him.

James : I have the best sniper….. the country has ever trained….. looking into this room…..

Jeff: No… no…. it’s ok… I’m not doing anything… I’m not trying anything…. I’m not armed…. I’m really not armed…..

I gestured to Xuehua and my daughter with both hands.

I just want to hold them one last time.

The talking, the sobbing, the noise we’ve been making is finally causing my daughter to stir.

I saw her kick off her soft toy as her mouth open as she started to cry.

James’s weapon never left my head, his finger is already curled around the trigger.

I looked at Xuehua and my daughter kicking angrily inside the cot, demanding to be picked up.

Jeff : SHhhhhhhhhhhhhh….. shhhhhh… it’s ok baby…. It’s ok… sHHhhhh….

I picked her up and tried to hush her gently in my arms.

Jeff : It’s ok… shhhh.. shhh.. it’s ok Lynette… it’s ok… Papa’s here…. Papa’s here….

I knelt down slowly and brought my daughter towards Xuehua.

James : what…… did you just say ???

My daughter started crying louder and Xuehua was patting her on her body gently.

James : WHAT…!!! DID YOU JUST SAY !!!

His raised voice started my daughter as I held her tighter.

Jeff : It’s ok Lynette… it’s ok…. sHHH…. Shhh.. Papa, Mama is here…. It’s ok…

I did not answer James as I watch him point his weapon at me, shaking the muzzle at me as he demanded for an answer.

His muzzle shook and the way he held the weapon is unsteady.

James : What…… what did you call her ? ….

I could not bring myself to reply him and Xuehua did the talking, her reply coming out almost like a suppressed scream.

Xuehua : We…..sobzz…. we….sobzz…. we decided to name her…. After …. After Lynn’s daughter…. Sobzz… sobzz… …

That was all she managed to say before she held onto me and cried.

James staggered backwards and I could see tears filling up his eyes.

He looked up to the ceiling before grabbing his head with both hands, when he looked back at us, he broke.

His face scrunched up and he broke like a dam.

Holding onto the end of the bed frame, James cried without a single sound with his expression that of a silent scream into nothingness.

The pain on his face added onto the guilt I was already feeling as I kissed my daughter and my wife on their forehead.

The door to my place opened, someone entered from the rear door and I could hear the front door opening as well.

Boon stepped into the bedroom, a modified shotgun in hand.

He saw James sprawled on the floor.

He went over and helped him up but James’ legs would not hold his own weight as he cried out for his deceased wife and his unborn child.

Boon took the weapon away from him and his men helped him out of the room.

I don’t care anymore.

I don’t give a fuck about anything in the world anymore. I don’t even give a fuck about Owen.

The only thing I want to do is to hold my wife and daughter.

If he wants to shoot me in the head, then the last image I will go out with before my world turns dark forever will be the image of my wife and my daughter.

We did not move from where we were for almost an hour because Lynette fell asleep in our arms. It did no bother me that my arms were numb, I could no longer feel my legs, of my back is aching.

I finally knew first hand what it was like to want nothing in the world except to be able to hold the ones you love.

When I stood up to get some milk for my daughter, I saw both doors to my place shut.

I handed the bottle to Xuehua and I stepped outdoors.

Cars started coming back into the streets.

Everything is starting to go back to normal.

I saw Ong outside his provision shop, he saw me coming out and he hurried over to ask if we are ok.

Ong : they say got bomb threat…. Cleared out the few streets…. Turn out to be a hoax…. Crazy one…. Nowadays….

Jeff : We’re ok….

Ong : good good….. lucky nothing happen….don;t know which idoit make such prank calls…. Sighhh…..

I looked down the streets and towards the sea. The boats are all gone and there are no signs of James’ men anywhere.

I don’t know what this means. There is no telling if he would come back one of this days and just put a bullet in my head.

Which is why I told myself I have to live each day to the fullest.

Everyday could be my last.

Every breathe I take could be the last.

I stopped looking over my shoulders. I stopped staying up late at night to keep watch.

What will be will be.

As the days turn to weeks, and weeks to months, Xuehua and I slowly put the episode behind us.

She takes great care of Lynette, while I continue working for Ong and doing some odd deliveries for the fishery nearby. I would leave home at 4am in the morning to head to the fishery with a small truck before sending the day’s catch to various spots and market.

By 1pm, I would be back home.

Xuehua and I lived a simple life, there was no need for any luxury.

Her contacts managed to get us fake documents that will stand up to strictest scrutiny.

I’ve never been happier.

When Lynette turned one, we needed a bigger place. We shifted into a modest 2 storey house with a small vegetable plot.

The greatest joy in my life would be to come home and see my daughter wobbling out the door trying to balance herself while getting to my arms.

1 October 2015

11pm

Xuehua and I had just put Lynette to bed.

I was unpacking some tools when I pulled out a knife.

Xuehua was reading a book.

I pulled out a few more and pulled them out of the sheath.

Xuehua looked at me from the corner of her eye with an eyebrow raised.

I gripped both knives in my hand and looked at Xuehua who was smiling.

She gestured with her fingers at me, asking me to hand her a set of knives as well.

Without a word, we went to the large living area.

The lights are all off, the room is dark except for the spill of street lights coming in the windows.

Jeff : It’s time to decide once and for all..

Xuehua tied up her hair into a tight bun behind her while holding onto the blades of the knife with her teeth.

Xuehua : you’re not my match ….. hahaha

Jeff: Only one way to find out….

Holding up my knife in front of me, Xuehua mirrored my stance.

As sparks flew and the sound of metal scrapping against each other sounded out in the living room, I realised we have both gotten slower. Every hit felt more painful than I last remembered.

Xuehua managed to disarmed me first and I started to rip off her clothes.

Xuehua : no… NO!!… don’t play cheat… !… dear !!! hahaha

Not only am I ripping off her clothes, I yanked off her bra as we kissed, our sweaty bodies grinding against each other as we fucked in the living room.

I came as Xuehua held onto me in the sitting position, cradling my face in her palms. Looking at her, I realised how lucky I am to have her.

Perhaps I do get a fairy tale ending after all.

13th March 2017

Monday

4pm

It was a day no one will forget.

I came back home a little late that day because I went out for lunch with friends from the fishery port.

The TV was on in the living room.

I stepped in with a bag of Xuehua’s favourite jelly and I saw the grave look on her face.

Jeff : What happened ? are you ok ?? … Is Lynette ok ??

Xuehua : We’re ok…. Look at this…

I turned to the TV and I could not believe what I was seeing on the screen.

Jeff : what the fuck….

It was a scene of absolute carnage.

Terrorist has bombed the country, hitting several childcare centres.

I brought my hand to my mouth as I saw footage of civil defence personnel running in and out of the centres.

A row of body bags lined the street as everyone chipped in to help. From passerbys to residents, everyone lent a hand.

The streets are in chaos, the country was literally brought to it’s knees by the attack.

Jeff : This is Owen…. It must be….

Xuehua : I thought we stopped the attack….

As the deathcount for the attack started to stack up, I saw tearing parents and limbless kids crying in pain. It was difficult to watch.

Jeff : We didn’t stop the attack…… we merely delayed it….

Major news outlet continued their coverage of the situation in Singapore. World leaders offered their condolences.

The organisation responsible for the attack issued a statement. LFO or aka, Liberation from Oppression. The message was first broadcasted on radio, then it was spread throughout the internet via forums and chatroom.

Eventually a video of it came online and spread like wild fire.

I looked at the broadcast message and I could feel my blood boiling.

I could see the taunt in the message.

Aside from the typical logo and emblem of the organisation behind the person reading the script, I saw something.

Something that was put there for me, or perhaps for Ron, or maybe for someone in the know, I don’t know.

There’s a line of text made up of repeated acronyms of the group but what caught my attention was the question mark at the end of it.

LFO?LFO?LFO?LFO?LFO? LFO?LFO?LFO?LFO?

It would have appeared to be some sort of a design but I could not help but read it as a taunt form Owen.

It’s as if it was his way of letting us know it was him and there is nothing we can do.

Looking for Owen ?

It’s as if he was posting a question to all of us who tried to stop him in the past.

I switched the TV off and closed my eyes.

My daughter came to me with a trolley of toys and I got off the sofa and pretended to shop for groceries with her in a make belief supermarket.

When we head to bed that night Xuehua asked me what are we going to do ?

Xuehua : Are you going to look for him ?

I smiled as I held her in my arms.

Jeff : I’m not doing anything…. I can’t keep the whole world safe…. but I can keep the 2 of you safe…..

Xuehua : but… don’t you feel ….. we could have….

Jeff : that was in the past dear….we have Lynette now… if we go after Owen… and something happens to us….who will take care of her ?

Xuehua : sigh….. I can’t help but feel….. maybe we could help…. Maybe we could have done something…..

Jeff : These people…. That Owen is mixing with… they are mad men…. With nothing to lose…. i don’t know….. I love our lives now….

Xuehua : alright…. Get some rest….

……………………………………………………………………….

We followed the news closely the following few months as the country and her citizens picked up the pieces after the bombings.

Malaysia was also hit at several locations, igniting a wave of public outcry.

So many innocent dead.

I heard from one of the fishermen that his cousin staying at Pengarang swore a mini war took place at that town a few days after the bombing in Singapore.

He told me he saw people in the field firing at each other and even a helicopter firing it’s rockets inland.

Ong’s nephew told him he saw troops massing at the beachfront and there were reports of gunfire throughout the day.

Many times I was tempted to reach out to my contacts back home and try to find some information about what is going on.

Min Joon and Hamid knows I’m on the run.

I had dropped them a mail 3 months around arriving in Malaysia. I told them I need to lay low for a while and I will not be back in the country anytime soon.

Both emailed a contact number that I can use if there’s an emergency in Malaysia and I needed help.

I dropped Billy a mail too, letting him know we’re ok and he will not be hearing from us in a while. I asked him to help me send hampers every Chinese new year to Min Joon and Hamid.

I’m sure I would be able to get a better picture of the situation if I asked.

Any one of those 3 would be able to give me information that the mainstream news is unable to give.

Then again, so what if I know ?

What can I do ?

1st December 2017.

Friday

1.15pm

Like any other Fridays, I wanted to get home early.

We would usually take the car our further, heading over to Johore for dinner and spend some time in the huge shopping malls.

When I turned into the street I felt something was off.

A long line of vehicles are parked by the side of the street, their license plate told me they were all Singapore registered vehicles.

I pulled over and I quickened my steps towards my place.

I counted at least 9 cars.

My heart sank as I thought about James changing his mind and decides to come and kill me now.

As I got closer to my place, I could hear Lynette laughing.

At 3 years old, everything is funny to her.

The gate was wide apart , so is my front door.

I saw Lynette bringing a plastic plate full of fake fruits to Boon who was trying hard to squeeze his body into a small stool in front of a small table.

James held onto 3 ice cream cone with a variety of coloured playdough stacked all over the top and he just looked at Lynette with a constant smile.

They saw me arrive and I noticed several more men hanging around my place.

Lynette : Papa !!!

She ran over to me and I held onto her tightly.

I saw Xuehua step out of the house and right behind her stood a familiar figure.

Ron.

Ron : hi Jeff….. we need to talk….

My daughter wriggled out of my arms and she ran to get her apron, trying to make Boon wear it as she laughed at the top of her voice.

Ron : she’ll be fine…. Please…. Join us….

I stepped into my house and I felt my heart stop beating when I saw who is sitting at my dining table.

I looked at Xuehua who shrugged her shoulders, indicating she is not sure what is happening as well.

I went over and I shook the hand of someone who up till now, I have only seen on TV.

Our Prime minister.

Welly Chin.

Welly : I’ve heard a lot about you….. Hibiki…..

I looked at Ron who just gestured me to the chair.

Ron : sit please…. All of you….

Ron gave a signal to his men and almost everyone came into the house, crowding around the dining area. Boon stood behind James who looked a lot better than the last time I saw him.

Lynette is sitting at the living room, someone gave her a lollipop and Peppa pig was streaming on the TV. That was all it takes to keep her glued to the screen for 30 minutes at least.

There are men standing guard outside the door from what I could see.

Ron sighed as he looked at everyone gathered around.

Ron : we are fighting a war….. on many fronts….

He paused and let his words hang in our heads for a bit so it could sink in.

Ron : with an enemy …. That knows how we work… that know how we think….

Everyone looked at Ron who was tapping his fingers on the table as he spoke.

Ron : Edward…. Fernando ….. Chan….. we killed Edward a few months ago…..Fernando….. or… Owen…. As some of you know him as…. Has just crossed into Malaysia … from Thailand…..

Ron added that intelligence suggest that he will not be taking a risk to come over into Singapore and that he will be operating and commanding the terrorist cells from Malaysia.

Ron : if we want him…. We have to fight him…. On his turf…. In a foreign country…. Using unconventional means……

Ron turned to Xuehua and me.

Ron : Jeff….. Jane…. We hope you can come back….take over the operations of the company….

All eyes turned to us as I never expected Ron to make me such an offer.

Jeff : What ?

Ron : We hope you can lead the team… and start hunting down the operatives that Owen has been sneaking into the country….

I shared a look with Xuehua and I did not know what to say.

This was definitely the last thing I have on my mind.

Jeff : I…. but….why….. ?

Welly turned to me. I could see the weariness in his eyes, the weight of the burden on his shoulders constantly pushing him down.

Welly : I asked Ron a simple question some time ago….i asked him…..where….? …. Where can I find….. a few good men…..to do the things I want to do…. To the people responsible…?

Welly sighed, looked away for a second before turning back to face me.

Welly : Ron’s answer to me was……the things I want done…. Cannot be done by good men….

Sporadic laughs broke out among the group, even James managed a weak smile.

Welly : so I changed the question….where…. can I find the baddest…. The worst…..Mother ……….fuckers………… this country has ever known….. to do what I want………… to those fuckers that murdered the innocent children !!!!

Welly’s fist was clenched and I could see him trying to control his emotion.

He exhaled slowly and I felt Xuehua take my hand in hers .

I looked at her and I could see it in her eyes.

She wants to do it. She nodded her head at me and in turn, I gave Welly a curt nod.

Xuehua : 1 condition….

Welly : what is it ?

Xuehua : stop saying the ‘F’ word in my house…..

It took Welly a second too long to react before he looked over at Lynette who was still engrossed with the TV show and he laughed.

Ron : good…. This is a good start….

Welly : So….

Pointing to James and his men, Welly added.

Welly : I have a team of bulldozers….. they will mow everything in their path down….no matter what it takes…..

Looking over to Xuehua and me, he continued ;

Welly : I have a murderous …… assassin couple who is going to take charge of the remaining operators from the company….. and they are going to start picking off Owen’s asset in the country…..

Pointing back at James, Welly added with an incredulous look on his face.

Welly : He…. Has convinced a group of stupid mother fuu….

He paused as Xuehua gave him a frown.

Welly : this… stupid group of mad men…. led by a old warrant officer….that are crazy enough to procure illegal firearms…………… and start a mini war with Edwards’ men in their home turf….

Looking back at Ron, Welly stood up and asked.

Welly : what are we waiting for ??? ………..

There was a beeping sound coming from the watch of Ron’s men. In fact the alarm went off for 3 of them all at the same time.

I looked at the time and noticed at it was 2pm in the afternoon.

Everyone looked at the 3 men who checked their watch and silenced their alarm.

Ron tapped his fingers on the table in a slow, deliberate manner as he considered his next move.

Looking back slightly at his men, he asked if it’s time.

Ron : time’s up ?

Ron’s man : Yes sir….

Ron looked at Welly before addressing the rest of the table.

Ron : 10 years ago on this day…..i was given 60 men…all on death row…. For a variety of crimes ranging from drug trafficking… to murder….

Ron stood up and told us that out of that 60 men. There are only 3 left.

Ron : the alarm earlier….is the timer… that tells me they have done their dues…. And paid their debts….. their freedom…. In return for their service….

James spoke out for the first time.

James : Are you letting them back up to the surface ? …

Ron : yes….

James : you’re mad…. hahahaha

Ron : We are dealing with a mad man…. And what better men to send after him… ?

Jeff : who are you sending after him ?

Ron smiled.

Welly : I hope you know what you are doing….

Ron :The Nagas are under control… the breech has been sealed… only pockets of them remain…. It’s time their skills are put to better use….

Jeff : Who are these men…. You are talking about… ?

Welly stood up and put on his sunglasses, signalling that the meeting is over.

James got up as well and got ready to leave.

Ron stood up as well.

No one replied my question and Ron added that his men will be in touch to arrange the for the relocation of my family base to Singapore.

Lynette saw the group getting up and she quickly got up, trying to stop the men that were playing with her from leaving.

Boon walked over to me and he hesitated for a brief moment before thanking me for saving his live from Xuehua’s dagger a few years ago.

Boon : Thank you…..

Just as he was about to leave, he turned and said something that sent a chill down my spine.

Boon : I don’t scare easy……but Ron’s Naga hunters……the 3 of them scares the shit of out us….

He gave Lynette another candy and she made him promise he will be back to play with her before letting go of his massive leg.

Xuehua held my hand as we watch the group of men depart our residences.

Xuehua : Well ? …..

Jeff : I’m fucking afraid of Boon…. He’s a fucking Giant…………….now………. I can’t wait to meet the men that scares Boon.

Xuehua : and I assure you…. I am a lot more scarier if you don’t stop using that ‘f’ word at home….

I turned and Xuehua raised an eyebrow at me with folded arms as I smiled and hugged her.

We kissed and Lynette ran over to give us a hug with her open arms.

Lynette : Family hug !!!

I carried her up and she asked why I am smiling.

I held Xuehua’s hand and we looked at our daughter together.

Jeff : Because it’s time for us to go home…………

…………………………………………………………………………………..

The end……