The house in Bukit Timah

Declan was in them too.

I pulled the photos out and put them under a book.

When I returned to the hall, guests started arriving. Hong and Kamal went to wash up and get changed.

The least we could do is look decent and dignified for the evening.

The Rajahs were among the first.

Rachel, Henry and their men arrived. They paid their respects but did not stay long.

Rachel : if you need anything Jackson…. You have our number…

Jackson : Thank you… for everything you’ve done….

Rachel : It’s not for free Jackson… we’ll send you the invoice later…. Don’t take it personally but this is business at the end of the day…. haha

I smiled and I shook Rachel and Henry’s hands.

Yes the Rajahs are all about doing business, but in that instance, they did more than just business, they built a relationship.

The white snakes came as well.

Not only uncle Ben.

I watched them from a distance away and Hong told me that all the elders of the White snakes are present. They kept to themselves mostly but when the Monks and the thieves arrived, they briefly interacted.

I was not in the mood for any small talk and I kept to myself.

Throughout the day, more and more guest came and went.

Businessmen, foreigners , even diplomats. Numerous charity organisations, even the abbot of a temple, the bishop of a church and nuns from a hospital.

Yiling is rich, she has money and from the people arriving for her final journey, you could clearly see where those money went to.

The guestbook was quickly filled up and a 2nd one was immediately made available.

A guy dressed in suit flanked by 2 Rajahs approached me. I did not see him earlier with Rachel.

Ruihao : Hi Jackson … my name is Ruihao…. I’m Yiling’s lawyer….

Jackson : hi…

Ruihao mentioned that she has left something for us and he would like to speak with the group in private.

I brought Ruihao to Yiling’s study and he waited for the rest to arrive.

Once Hong, Kamal , Candy and Cindy were gathered in the study, he unlocked his briefcase and produced a large sealed envelope.

Ruihao : This is a sealed envelope, and I am to unseal it in all your presence….upon Yiling’s departure….

He slid the wax seal with a letter opener and reached inside to pull out a series of thumb drives each clearly labelled with our names.

Ruihao called out each one of us and he kept the rest which were not present.

Ruihao explained that Yiling made and update her video message every year, this one was made 3 months ago.

There is one which all of us were to view together, and the other in the thumb drives, that was meant solely for our individual viewing.

Ruihao : The individual message contains further details of what financial arrangements Yiling has made for you after her departure…..she has a list of personal assets…. Some she donated… some she gifted to you guys…. I can’t reveal what she gave to who….. but I can assure you that she has been fair….. and that in the event that anyone of you…… no longer wants to be part of La Bella Vita…. You are all set for life….

Ruihao held up the rest of the thumb drive and added that what Yiling left to the rest, who are unfortunately not around anymore, will be given to their next of kin.

Ruihao paused to let that sink in before asking if we have any questions.

No one had any.

Ruihao : Please… may i… ?

He gestured to the large TV in Yiling’s study and I nodded.

Ruihao asked for the blinds in Yilings study to be drawn and the door to be locked.

I felt myself tremble and my legs went weak as I looked at Yiling on screen.

Dressed in a maroon dress complete with makeup and earrings, she looked like she was about to head out for a dinner function. Her hair is done up nicely and she did a really good job on her eyeshadows, giving herself a cheeky seductive look.

Several pairs of her heels were visible as well. I could see she has trouble making up her mind which one to wear that day.

The video was made in her room.

She adjusted the camera, walked to the seat she prepared earlier, before walking back to adjust the camera again.

Ruihao increased the volume and we waited for Yiling to begin.

Yiling cleared her throat and began while deciding where her eyes should look.

Yiling : so…. Ermmm… I make this video once a year…. And…..and…. it doesn’t get easier….but…but…. it’s something I have to do…. So everything doesn’t collapse like a house of cards…..hahah

She laughed at her own joke before composing herself.

Yiling : ok… jokes aside….If you are seeing this…. It means I’m dead….

She suddenly pointed a finger at the camera and issued a warning.

Yiling : And if I’m not dead !!! ….. you will be….. if I know you watched this… !!! YOU… !! YES… HONG!!!..and you JACKSON!! …. You better switch this off now and run !!!!

Hong jumped before breaking out into a laugh, silently acknowledging he’s one of the least obedient one. I smiled too at her sense of humour.

Yiling : Just kidding….haha… anyway…. I guess chances are….. I’m gone by now…

Yiling sucked on her teeth and click her tongue before taking a deep breath and exhaling.

She referred to a piece of paper she kept by her side, sat back on the chair and crossed her legs while resting both hands on her knee as she continued.

Yiling : I know the question on everyone’s mind right now would be who is going to be in charge of La Bella Vita……It’s a heavy burden….and it weighs heavily on me to decide who I am going to choose….. because …. This is not a position I want anyone of you to be in…… and I meant it from the bottom of my heart……

She adjusted her seating posture, obviously uncomfortable with making this video.

Yiling : girls….that includes you Xiaoyu…haha…i…I don’t think this is situable….for us girls….given a choice… I don’t want to be the queen of this castle…. It sucks….i’m serious…

Yiling laughed before saying that she would have loved to have a normal life.

Yiling : One where I can date…. Go holidays… enjoy myself….yada yada yada… blab la bla… ok…ok… cut.. enough about this…. I need to cut this part out….. girls….

She came over to the camera, and we could see the video jump forward and Yiling is back on the seat again.

Yiling: Ok girls….. ermm… the stuff I want to talk to you about…..is not meant for the boy’s ears… so…. Refer to your own private videos ya… muacks ! I love you all … don’t worry…. I’m not throwing this shit job on you… haha.

She stopped blabbering and let the mood settle before going on.

Yiling first talked about Kamal.

Yiling : Kamal….Dr Kamal…. Sighzz…. You don’t belong here… you belong in a hospital…. Saving lives….not in a shit hole like La Bella Vita….. I was hoping you would eventually walk out of the shadow…and go back to your old life….

Kamal’s eyes closed and I could see tears streaking down his cheeks as he kept his arms folded.

Yiling : I want to see you with your hair dyed black… I want to see you in a suit….. in your white coat… in your old sports car….wearing your expensive watch….looking confident and smug as you walk down the hospital corridor…I know you need time to heal wounds we cannot see…. And I hope that day will come for you soon……

Next she moved on to Seven.

Yiling : Seven I know you wouldn’t want this as well…. Networking and smiling in front of people you hate is the last thing you would do…..but smiling and dealing with people I hate is something I must do everyday…..and I know how much you enjoy fishing……there won’t be anytime for you to fish if you do this……..and Hong….

Hong started sobbing quietly as Yiling went on.

Yiling : Somewhere inside that big, vulgar….rough….techno loving…. and sometimes violent body….. is a very big heart…….you have a big heart Hong….. you don’t show it….but I know….

Hong slid onto the floor and covered his face with his hands as the video continued playing.

Lightening the mood suddenly, Yiling added that she has to deal with a lot of women as well.

Yiling : and … you need to deal with a lot of girls in my position… Hong !!!!! hot … beautiful and slut like women… !! they are all CHIO BU ( hot babes ) …

Yiling folded her arms and shook her head like a teacher disapproving something a naughty student has done.

Yiling : Tskt… tsk.. tsk…. Cannot… cannot… you cannot one…. Confirm you won’t be able to resist their charms !!!.. they will confirm gobble you up !! hahaha.. show a bit of leg you weak already… haha..

Yiling’s exaggerated expression is too funny to fight and everyone laughed.

Hong laughed in between sobs.

Yiling : Aaron…. i… I know your capability….you’re really good with administering day to day operations….very good organisational skills….and…to be honest…. It looks like you are the best person for the job…..but you are not a risk taker…. To run the castle… you must be willing to take risks…. Even if it means knowing that you might lose….Before I made this latest video….i actually chose you…. To take over La Bella Vita….but I’m afraid I changed my mind….sorry….

Yiling stopped talking for a few moments and checked her phone before rejecting the incoming call.

Yiling : Declan…. I worked with you for the longest time…. ever since the day this fell on my lap…..I’m thankful for the guidance along the way… all the help you have given me…. but you’ve always talked about spending your retirement in a remote island…..of peace and calm….. And you’ve expressed your opinion so many times to me before….. that this is a shit job…. A thankless one…. Besides… you’re going to retire in a couple of years…..

By then, I could see several pairs of eyes in the rooms looking at me.

Yiling finally came to me.

Yiling : and that leaves…. Jackson…. The…. Newest….member of the team….

There was a long pause before Yiling apologised.

Yiling : I’m sorry Jackson …. This is not a prize…. It’s a burden…. A curse..… and don’t worry… you have a choice… you can say no…

Yiling went on to say that the burden of keeping a couple of hundred men, women and their families fed will fall to me should I take this up. The numerous charities La Bella Vita supported, the warehouses , the properties , both local and overseas and a lot more.

Yiling : The castle is a massive place to upkeep…the headache you will get is unimaginable…. You need to worry about money….about people doing shit behind your back and you will never get a good night’s sleep….so… please consider it carefully….

Yiling looked at her phone again in the video before rejecting the call a 2nd time.

Yiling : Guys… I hope you give Jackson the same support you gave me if he agrees….it’s not an easy position to be in…. and Jackson….it’s ok to say no… Don’t be afraid to say it…. I’ll say no if I were you….

Yiling wrapped up the video asking us not to worry if no one takes up the post.

Someone will come.

Yiling : ok… that’s all I have for you all…. Remember to watch my private message to you alone ya… ?

She made 2 cute Korean style heart with both thumbs and index finger before saying she loves us all.

Yiling : I love you guys…..don’t be sad….ok.. ?

Yiling got up off the chair and walked over, angled her head in an adorable manner and waved at the camera with a smile before switching it off.

The video ended after that and the room remained quiet until Ruihao broke the silence.

Ruihao : Yiling gave specific instructions to check with each member if there are any objections to her choice of candidate…. Please raise them now if you are not agreeable to Jackson taking over the reins….

Kamal looked at me before nodding his head slowly and so did Hong.

Candy and Cindy nodded their head as well.

Jackson : What about me… do I get a say in this…. ?

Ruihao looked at his watch and told me I have time to consider the decision.

Ruihao : You have a few hours to consider….

Jackson : and then what… ?

Ruihao : Someone will come for your decision…

Jackson : Who…

Ruihao : I don’t know…Yiling did not share that with me….

Jackson : what will happen if someone objected… ?

Ruihao lifted another sealed envelope.

Ruihao : But no one objected… so this will remain sealed…. I want to remind all that Jackson’s acceptance does not mean he automatically gets the job. ….. Yiling mentioned that she only makes the recommendation…. Someone else will come and decide if Jackson is situable….

Ruihao added that if there are no other matters, he will take his leave.

The 5 of us remained in the study after Ruihao left.

Jackson : I don’t know what to do guys….

I looked at each of them and I told them honestly what I felt.

Jackson : I’m not doing this…. Unless I know I have all of you with me to do it together…..i can’t do this alone….The only thing on my mind now is to find Owen and kill him…. I don’t know anything about running a company…. Much less an organisation like this..

Kamal : Yiling must have her reasons for choosing you Jackson….don’t let her down… I’m in if you are…. And I’m not leaving until that fucker is dead….

Hong spoke in between sobs that Yiling put a lot of effort into La Bella Vita.

Hong : It’s her legacy…… I don’t want to see it gone…

Candy : sniff…. I’m in all the way if you are….

Cindy : do it Jackson …take it…. You want Owen…. You will need all the resources La Bella vita has…..

I suddenly realised that the people in that study are the ones left closest to me in the world.

I have no one else.

They are not only my friends, they are my family too.

It suddenly dawned on me what Yiling meant by this being a burden.

I looked at each of their faces and I felt fear like never before.

Fear of knowing that they might die on my watch.

Jackson : I’ll do it…..on the condition …. That all of you….. will not hesitate to tell me if I’m doing something wrong….

Everyone nodded and Hong threw a crumpled piece of napkin at me.

Hong : sobzz.. sobz… don’t fucking remove the staff benefits of the girls coming once a month….or I’ll quit…

Candy kicked Hong in his side and we all laughed.

Candy : tsk…..

Kamal : Alright… let’s go out…. We need to greet Yiling’s guest….

I stuffed the thumb drive in my pocket.

I’ll look at it after everything is over.

7pm

I’m not sure how but by early evening, news has begun to spread.

News that I will be taking over.

I greeted countless guest and business owners who all had prior dealings with Yiling.

With so much going on in my mind, I tried my best to remember who’s who.

At 9pm, I met the one guy which made me smile before I laughed.

This man call Paul.

Paul : hi Jackson …. I hear you are taking over from Yiling….

Jackson : Hi Paul…. Yes I am….

Paul smiled and told me he is my liaison from Singapore pools, the only legalised betting organisation for sports, lottery and horse racing bets in the country.

I smiled and I broke into a laugh as I recalled the stunt Yiling pulled on me when I first joined La Bella Vita.

Jackson : are you….. who I think you are….

Paul smiled but said nothing.

Paul : Yiling would have left detailed instructions to you…. Look forward to work with you Jackson….i’m sorry for your lost…. Yiling is one of the nicest person I’ve ever worked with….

Jackson : Thank you…

Guest continued coming. Even at 10pm, more streamed in, and the men have trouble trying to manage the limited parking spaces.

Most didn’t stay long, some stayed a while.

At 11pm, one of our guys came running into the hall, saying that 4 traffic police bikes just pulled into Binjai Hill road.

Jackson : why… ?

Hong : I’ll go find out….

Kamal ended a call on his phone and told me that Binjai Road has been sealed.

A 4 SUV convoy is approaching us.

I walked to the entrance of the makeshift funeral hall and waited.

When I saw James and his men spreading out on the castle ground while approaching us, I could pretty much guess who is coming.

Sporting a cap and a black jacket, I saw Welly Chin walking over.

Kamal : my god… the Prime minister is here…..

Welly chin walked briskly over and slowed down when he reached the entrance.

He removed his cap and I could see the fatigue on his face. A far cry from the vigour matured gentlemen I saw a year ago at the auction.

Jackson : Good evening Sir…

I shook the PM’s hand and he took a look at the setup.

Welly : I never expect….to meet again under such circumstances….

Jackson : Neither did i….

Welly laid a flower for Yiling and it made me wonder how much is Yiling doing and who she does it for.

Perhaps she works for Welly, perhaps Welly is here to hear my decision.

James and his men too, all of them paid their last respect to Yiling and they too, laid a flower for her.

Billy went over and said something to James and he looked at me.

Shortly after that, Welly came over.

He didn’t say much, he didn’t congratulate me or anything.

Welly : I can’t stay long…. But I trust Yiling made the right choice….

Jackson : Thank you…

Welly : It’s a terrible time for the country…. So much has happen….

Jackson : It’s a terrible time to be the Prime Minister Sir…

Welly : hahahha…. Politics….. don’t hate the players…. Hate game…

Jackson : I hate it very much yes…

Welly laughed and he looked at my injuries before looking at me in my eye.

Welly : Would you say…. You consider yourself a patriot Jackson …. ?

Jackson : I hate politics…. I have no love for political parties….but I love my country….

Welly : that’s good enough for me Jackson … ..that’s good enough for me….

He tapped me on my arm before nodding at James, signalling that it’s time to go.

I overheard James telling Billy that the road will be close till 4am.

Billy : thank you….

After Welly Chin’s entourage is gone, the funeral hall was empty by then.

Only the Billy and the 5 of us remained.

Billy : Yiling’s family is on the way…..

Jackson : ok… we’ll wait…. Shall I ask the cookhouse to prepare something for them…. ? what time are they landing… ?

Billy smiled and shook his head.

Billy : It’s ok…. No need….

Jackson : what about you… I haven seen you eat anything the whole day…. I’ll ask them to prepare something for you…

Billy declined my offer.

Billy : I appreciate it Jackson… I’m fine….

24th December 2017

Sunday

12.30am

I poured myself a cup of coffee as I looked the empty hall.

It’s so quiet that I could hear the hum of the air-conditioner.

Kamal came into the hall and commented that something is going on.

Kamal : The perimeter lights are gone…

Jackson : what do you mean… ? it’s shut off… ?

Kamal nodded.

Billy : it’s ok… the street lights too…

Jackson : what….? Why… ?

Billy’s phone vibrated and I saw him check his message.

Billy : Yiling’s family is coming….

I saw the double leaf door of the funeral hall opened and the girls gasped in shock as the person walking in.

I felt a shiver in my spine as I looked at that man. The almost 2m tall giant walked into the hall slowly.

First I was surprised, then I felt the anger, and my blood started to boil.

It’s the man at the Lion’s den. The butcher.

The man I saw that literally tore the terrorists to shreds.

A bloodied cleaver hung by the side of his waist as he walked slowly into the hall while looked at Yiling photo at the far end. He was wearing his mask but I could see the white of his eyes in the brightly lit hall.

While the rest took a step back at the abomination entering the hall, I was the only one that did the opposite.

I dropped my crutch and grabbed the closest thing I could find.

A plastic chair.

Jackson : arGHHH!!!

I grabbed it and I threw it at him, striking him on his head and shoulder.

Billy : Jackson !!

The butcher did not block at all.

Jackson : WHERE WERE YOU !!!!! WHERE WERE YOU WHEN SHE NEEDED YOU….. !!! ARGHHHH

I grabbed another chair and I wanted to throw it at him but Billy stopped me.

Jackson : LET GO !!!!… LET GO OF ME….

The rest of the guys tried to hold onto me as I tried to charge at the butcher.

I shove them aside and threw a 2nd chair at him, hitting him on his back.

Jackson : WHERE WERE ALL OF YOU !!!! WHERE !!!!!

Billy held onto me, asking me to calm down.

I shove him aside and I walked over to the butcher who stood in front of Yiling’s photo.

It was then I realised his body had splatters of dried blood and bits of what looked like human hair and flesh.

I froze when I realised he was bleeding.

Blood dripped from his hand and onto the floor. He pulled a white rose from his pocket and he waited.

He stood there and waited.

He waited for us to compose ourselves.

I swallowed a gulp of saliva and stood by the rest of the guys.

I know I can’t blame them, nobody wanted this to happen but I can’t help but ask myself why are they not there that day ?

If they were there, this wouldn’t have happened.

If they were all there, Yiling would not have died.

They could have protected her.

When Billy said Yiling’s family was coming, he did not mean Yvonne.

He meant someone else altogether.

Billy shook me out of my stupor and I sucked in a deep breath of air and tried to get back my dignity.

I bit down on my teeth and stood upright as the guest paid his respect to Yiling.

Butcher : goodbye Bella….

His voice is low, it sounded almost like the growl of an animal as he laid the flower in front of Yiling. The rest of us bowed and the Butcher turned away.

He walked away, slowly and silently towards the exit and I saw the next one enter.

The guy with the Kwandao. He looked like someone who had travelled back in time, even his moves and the way he conduct himself.

Setting his weapon by the door, he walked forward like a general paying his last respect to a old friend with one hand in front of him and one hand on his back.

Billy : do you know why….. they call Yiling … Bella…. ?

I turned and looked at Billy.

Billy : She was once one of them….and she have to let it all go….

Jackson : Yiling…. was one of them… ?

Billy nodded.

Billy : All of them had callsigns…..Yiling gave up hers…. She gave up the anonymity …..everything… so she can be the face of La Bella Vita….

The guy with the kwandao bowed and laid his flower. He too had splatters of dried blood on his body.

Xia : Goodbye……… Bella…… you can finally rest now….

As he turned and left, more came.

Men, women, of all shape and sizes. They all came.

No one dressed up just for this occasion. No one dressed up and put on a mask just because they are coming to a wake.

The smell. The bloodied footprints, the stains of blood leading from the door to the table where they said their goodbyes, it tells me one thing.

They have been busy.

There’s so many of them.

A tall lanky man carried a scythe as if he was the god of death himself.

There’s one who carried a spike mace, another with nanchucks, one of them had 7 knives in various positions on his body. Forearm, his sides, his waist, his back, and there’s even one lady with only 1 arm.

There’s the 2 guys I saw at the Rajah rooftop. They carried their samurai swords.

Nikka and Tametsu.

It reminded me of a scene in predator 2, at the end when one of the aliens died and more of them appeared. Everyone took their time, laid their flower and said their goodbye.

Hong : …. There’s so many of them….

Everyone came alone, and they waited for each other to leave before entering.

The last 2 came together and I recognised them immediately.

Hong : That’s …. That’s the 2 that helped us at the hilltop that day….

Hibiki and Jane…

Hibiki’s body language is different from the rest.

The way he walked, the way he approached the altar.

The way his hand trembled when he offered the flower.

He knew Yiling on a personal level.

Hibiki and Jane went over to Yiling’s coffin and I saw Jane put her gloved hand on his shoulder.

Hibiki said his goodbye and he was the only one who didn’t call her Bella.

Hibiki : Goodbye Yiling…. I’ll get him…. I swear…. I’ll get him….

The first thing that hit me when Hibiki and Jane walked near me is the smell.

You know the smell when you sleep in the jungle for a few days without showering and you repeatly moisturise your body with your own perspiration over and over again.

That was the smell that hit me. The wounds on his body, the cuts, near his torso, they were still fresh.

Wherever they were earlier, they were working.

They were all working.

He lingered a little longer by the altar before holding Jane’s hand and they walked away together.

After Hibiki and Jane left, no more came.

I turned to look at Billy and he told me there’s someone else.

Billy : The last visitors…. They’re coming….

Billy told me these men and women, they use to work alone. A major reorganisation under a new command allowed many of them to work together, with greater efficiency.

Jackson : They use to work for Owen…. ?

Billy nodded.

Billy : Some of them…. Many are new…. We don’t work for Owen now…. not for a long time….

It was coming to 2.30am when the door to the hall opened.

2.30am.

I got a shock then I saw the man opening the door.

He’s heavily tattooed, in fact, his whole face and any exposed body part is covered with tattoos.

4 large dogs entered the same time as him and I tightened the grip on my crutch.

Hong grabbed a chair just in case and Kamal instinctively stood in front of the girls even though Cindy towered above him.

The man by the entrance is well built, you could tell he’s strong and he carried a large blade almost half a metre long by his side.

The dogs are not pure breed, they looked like wild dogs but they are well trained. There are no collars, no leash and they all had scars on their bodies and near their faces.

One would have thought theses dogs were made to fight in illegal dog fights.

The beasts settled by the door as the tattooed man looked around the funeral hall.

Satisfied that it was ok, he stepped back and an elderly man walked in with a limp.

His hair had streaks of black and grey and while you could tell he’s not exactly young, he still had that fire in his eyes.

The 2 more men whose face were all tattooed followed the one in charge into the hall.

Jackson : Billy…. Who is he… ?

Billy : He’s Ron…. Yiling works for him….

Ron’s men remained by the door and he approached alone.

Ron bowed and laid a flower for Yiling.

He walked over to the coffin and looked at her.

Ron : goodbye Bella….thank you….. for everything you’ve done…..

Ron looked at Billy and Billy knew what he wanted.

Billy : guys…. If would give Ron and Jackson some time alone….

Kamal, Hong and the girls walked away from the altar towards the exit. Their approached immediately got the dogs on alert. 2 of them got up and I could hear their growl from where I stood.

One of the tattooed man clicked his tongue twice and the dogs settled down by his legs and wagged their tail.

I offered Ron a drink and he asked for a coffee.

We sat at the table closest to Yiling’s altar and he looked at me for a while before speaking.

Ron : So you are the new King….

Jackson : what do you mean…. ?

Ron gestured around us.

Ron : The new owner of the castle….

Jackson : you tell me….

Ron nodded and asked.

Ron : do you know who I am….

Jackson : Billy says Yiling worked for you…

Ron nodded.

Jackson : and who do you work for… ? Welly… ?

Ron smiled.

Ron : I work for every man, woman and child that calls this country home….

I said nothing and I just looked at him.

Ron : There is no honour and glory in what we do Jackson…. There are no medals and badges…. No glorious ceremony and award presentation….the people you are going to sacrifice so much for…. Will never appreciate it…..

Ron took a sip of his coffee before going on.

Ron : They will not know your name……..the history books will not have a place for you…..

Jackson : My name is too tacky for the history books…

Ron : hahhaa…

Ron sat back in his chair and drummed his fingers on the table covered with white plastic sheets as he surveyed me from top to toe.

Ron told me there must be a reason why Yiling chose me.

Ron : she saw something in you Jackson….

Ron looked at his watch before going straight to the point.

Ron : La Bella Vita is our financial and logistics arm…… the funds we need to operate….is a huge burden that needs to be financed……and it cannot show on the books….so it needs to be financed…..

Ron spent 2 seconds trying to think of a creative word.

Ron : creatively…….

Jackson : I see…

Ron : Yiling has left detailed instructions and protocols for you…. Take some time to go through them….. do you have ….. any questions for me..…. ?

I have questions, of course I have questions.

And they came out of me fast, partly propelled by the anger seething inside me.

Ron answered them fast as well. It’s almost as if we’re having a debate and trying to see who can have the last word.

Jackson : Where is Owen….?

Ron : and if I tell you where he is…. What would you do…. ?

Jackson : I’ll think about it after you tell me….

Ron : He’s not in the country at the moment but he will be.

Jackson : When… ?

Ron : Within the next 3 months….

Jackson : why ?

Ron : He’s coming for the castle and the vault…

Jackson : What’s inside the vault… ?

Ron : Open it and see for yourself …..

Jackson : I’m going to kill him….

Ron : I’m not stopping you….

My blood was boiling by then as I pictured my fingers closing around Owen’s neck. How could I harbour such hatred for a man I’ve never met ?

That is a difficult question to answer.

The 2 of us looked at each other and Ron smiled as he read me perfectly. He knows I’m angry.

Ron : I know what you’re thinking Jackson…..you’re thinking if I will offer my help…. If Yiling’s family…. Will offer their help….

Jackson : and will you… ? will they ?

Ron : no…

Jackson : Why… ?

Ron : Owen is but one threat…. Out of the many the country is facing….. you’re on your own….

From Ron’s expression, it doesn’t look like he is joking.

Ron : You have to defend the castle on your own Jackson…. Can you do it… ?

Jackson : Yes.. I can…

Ron : And Owen… ?

Jackson : Yes….i’ll kill him….

Ron : How… ?

Jackson : I’ll do it and tell you after….

Ron laughed and nodded.

Ron : you’re going to be outnumbered….the odds are against you….

Jackson : the odds are against me only if I play by the rules…..

Ron : hahahah…. Hahaha

Ron nodded his head, he seemed to be amused by my answers while I failed to see the humour in them.

He turned and gestured to one of his men by the entrance. One of them came over with a black A3 size folder similar to what you would get when you receive your keys to a new property.

Ron opened it and I saw something familiar in it.

3 old Nokia phones, similar to the ones Yiling had.

Looking at them up close, I realised they each had engravings on them. Each carried a different emblem of a lion.

He checked that all the phones are working before closing it and asking me to walk with him.

Ron : walk with me Jackson….

I got up and we started to head towards the exit.

As we walked, Ron told me that he would give me a chance to proof I have what it takes to run the castle.

Ron : I’ll give you 6 months to proof your worth…. Or I will find someone better to take over….

I gestured to the folder and asked.

Jackson : Are those for me… ?

Ron : Yes….

Ron told me there are 3 phones inside that folder that I would need.

Ron : You can call…. But it doesn’t mean it will get answered…. Assume all messages will not be read….. calls only…. And only when necessary….this goes 2 ways…. We will only contact you through these phones….

He handed me the 1st one.

Ron : this one is a direct line to me……

We passed the resting dogs and Ron’s men eyed me cautiously

Ron : the 2nd… is a direct line…. To James….

Jackson : and the 3rd…. ?

We stepped out of the funeral hall and I froze.

For as far as my eyes could see, I saw shadows of Yiling’s family scattered throughout the estate. The moon in the cloudless sky provided the only illumination within the estate.

It’s dark but I could make out shadows. Shadows that don’t belong.

Especially the unmistakable shadow of the 2m tall butcher.

The shadow of a scythe, the shadow of someone half kneeling on the ground, the shadow of someone carrying a sword.

In the treelines, by the roads, near the farmhouse, in the garden.

They are all here. There are everywhere.

Every few metres apart, I could see one of them.

The dogs ran out of the funeral hall and surrounded Ron and me while facing outwards. They growled and bared their teeth but otherwise remained stationary.

Ron’s men came out as well.

I saw Hibiki and Jane walk towards Ron and the eye slits of their mask glowed a eerie shade of green as the entire castle ground started to light up.

Countless pairs of green slits glowed in the estate ground and Ron finally answered my question.

Ron : a direct line to them….

He gave me the folder and I took it with both hands.

Ron looked at his watch again before adding.

Ron : well I got to go…… do you celebrate Christmas by the way Jackson…. ?

Gripping onto the folder in hand, I replied.

Jackson : well…. I do now…. I do now….

………………………………………

There was no formal introduction by Ron to any of those mysterious men and women. No handshakes, no hi bye, nothing.

After Ron left, Yiling’s family started leaving too.

Not all at once.

Some left first, melting into the perimeter darkness around the estate.

Some lingered longer.

I saw Hibiki perched at the castle on the new wing at the same spot I saw Yiling for the very first time on my first day of work.

He was there for a few minutes and then he’s gone.

I told the guys what Ron told me. That I have a few months to proof we can run the castle.

With their help, things should pretty much be ok I hope.

The wake will last for another day, we decided to take turns to rest so one of us will always be around at the very least.

Cindy and Candy will keep Yiling company till day breaks.

They told me to get some rest first because I need to be there when the 1st guest arrives in the morning.

Everyone needs to know that La Bella Vita is not without a leader.

24th December 2017

Sunday

6am

I slept for barely an hour in the farmhouse.

I made myself a coffee and powered up my laptop.

When I opened the thumbdrive, I laughed when I saw a PDF file that says;

‘read this first stupid’.

I was expecting a video file. One where I can click and see what Yiling has to say to me but there’s a ton of documents inside there.

The 50 page PDF file contains a lot of information about the Castle and it’s finances. It’s like a customized operating manual Yiling prepared.

How much money does it cost to run the La Bella Vita, how much are the staff costs, food cost, suppliers that I can work with.

It’s all in there.

There’s even a table with a summary of ongoing arrangements with various companies supplying La Bella Vita.

Passwords, login IDs, everything.

Even a detailed floor plan of the Castle ground.

A list of assets, cars, and even a luxury yacht parked in a beachfront property in Sentosa.

A list of different bank accounts Yiling uses for day to day operations.

I’m getting a headache just by looking at the document.

Jackson : what the hell….

I looked at the amount of information to digest. There’s even a screenshot of the safe Yiling kept in the Study and her room with the respective passwords.

There’s a picture of 16 banking tokens from different banks clearly labelled as well and I groaned out loud.

Jackson : aegnnhhhhhh….

Pictures of Yiling’s numerous shelves and drawers that contained information about the men that work for La Bella Vita were clearly marked and labelled.

Then there’s a page dedicated just for the cars Yiling kept, and these are not even on Castle ground. They are parked all over the island in private properties. All these needs to be taken care off.

Let’s not forget the payroll list, taxes we need to pay. Stuff that were all taken care by Aaron before this.

Another page consists of businesses that we have a stake in, and the charities that she supported. There’s even a portfolio of stocks where I need to monitor the amount of dividend coming in.

It’s like a neverending book.

The more I scrolled, the more the document refreshed itself with more and more things for me to see.

I closed the file and I could not believe she left it all to me.

She’s right.

I chuckled softly in the farmhouse.

This is indeed a burden. Maybe a curse. I decided to open the video and see what Yiling has to say to me before I delve into the details.

There is only one video file inside the thumbdrive and I turned up the volume and opened it.

Yiling took that video on a selfie stick.

She’s in her room and I could see the bright sunlight spilling onto her unmade bed.

Her hair is frazzled, and she just woke up.

She’s wearing her gold rimmed glasses and brushing her hair behind her ears as she checked herself against the camera.

Dressed in a grey singlet and a short denim jumpsuit, Yiling looked for a suitable spot in her room before settling down in front of her dresser table .

Yiling : hey Jackson …. So….i guess… this is it…. Eh… ? haha

Yiling set the camera down and rest her chin on her arms in a similar manner as a listless student trying to steal a nap in class.

Yiling : I’m sorry I dumped it all on you……….. I knew you would say yes….even though you must be hating me now……. hahah…….. It’s a huge load of shit I just dumped on you Jackson…. So…. If you want to curse at me… now’s the time to do it…. I’ll give you 30 seconds…

She went on to put on a pout coupled with a sad doe-eyed expression and I laughed.

She’s being ridiculous.

Yiling : you done… ? ok… moving on….

She straightened herself and her expression changed so fast that you must give her credit for being able to do it.

Yiling : There’s a whole list of passwords and login IDs in the PDF I left for you….please take your time to go through it all and change them…. The vault and armoury password is not included….. they are locked away in a safe deposit box ….. the key is in my study…. 1st drawer on the left…. It’s filled with my sanitary pads and I have some spare undies in there….

I laughed as I listened to her.

Yiling : don’t laugh… it’s serious… sometimes I get these massive period…. And I spend so much time sitting down that things get messy you know…. anyway, that chair is dirty… so… replace it…. Hahaha…

I shook my head as Yiling told me the key is inside a black pouch.

The location of the safe deposit box will be sent to my place in Ang Mo Kio via a courier once her lawyer confirms my receipt of the thumbdrive.

Yiling : Now… I have to warn you about something Jackson … so pay attention….

Yiling shared with me that do not for a moment think anyone will come to our aid if things go wrong.

We operate independently.

Yiling : There is a list of people who can help, pull some strings with the various agencies and all but the law is the law….. you get caught red handed… you deal with it….. don’t expect Ron or anyone else to come running…. So…. Be careful… especially when you make deals with anyone…..

I did not realise it but I started to answer and reply Yiling.

Jackson : ok… … I will….

Yiling : Inside the vault , there is a list…. A book…. Of people on my payroll….bribes…. corrupted dicks that you need to continue cultivating relationships with……not because we like them or we are indebted to them…..you never know the day when they would become useful…..

It’s a double edge sword when dealing with these people.

Too soft, and they will climb onto your head.

Too hard, and they will make things difficult for you.

Yiling : play the game Jackson …. Play it well…. This is how the world works…

After a couple more minutes about work and the castle, Yiling took the selfie stick up and I could tell she’s moving on to something more personal.

She walked to a small fridge in her room and took out a packet of milk. She continued talking as she opened it for a sip, giving herself a milk moustache.

Yiling : I left something for you Jackson ….the apartment that Yvonne was staying in …. And the one beside…. The hole in the wall is still there by the way….hahaha…..it’s not a lot… but spend some money… fix it up… and the rent will keep you comfortable if you wish to retire one day…..

Aside from the 2 apartment, Yiling has made arrangements for all of us to receive $2500 a month, till the day we turn 65. Thereafter, the sum increases by $200 a year till we are 80. What’s left in the trust fund then will be released in 1 lump sum on our 81st birthday.

Yiling : It’s not a lot..…but it’s what I can do for you guys….i’m such a nice boss right….. sighz…. Where to find… hahaha…

Yiling could not help but chuckle at her own joke.

It’s really a sweet gesture, considering that we’re probably going to continue drawing our regular salary from La Bella Vita. Not that I need the money.

I don’t even know what to spend on.

Yiling looked around her room and suddenly decided to give me a impromptu tour of her bedroom.

Her bed, her bathroom, her dresser table, the massive walk in wardrobe.

Her lingerie drawer.

Yiling : errmm…. I don’t know… you can probably redo up this place…. Donate my clothes and all…. Then you can take over the room….. The Birkin bags are worth a fortune ok… !!! don’t donate them….maybe… maybe you use them la… haha

I laughed.

She angled the camera towards a display cabinet filled with jewelleries.

Yiling : ohhhh… all these…. My babies…. Sobzz… sobzz…I’m going to miss you…. Ohhh….

She deliberately held the selfie stick and wiped away a tear and I laughed at her exaggerated acting.

Yiling : and my heels….all my shoe collection….haizz…see… you can’t bring any of those when you die so……Jackson….. save money… don’t anyhow spend…. ! ermm…. Some of these…. Donate away… some… oh dear….

She directed the camera at a wall of heels inside her wardrobe.

Yiling : This row…. Can you keep… ? I really like them…ok ? haha …

She went on to comment on my dressing.

Yiling : dress up Jackson…. You need to dress up…. Stop walking around in polo Tees and pants….or your awful gardener get up. …. You’re the head of La Bella Vita now…..Ehhh..erghhh..erghhh..erghhh…. I know what you are going to say…. Tsk…tsk…tsk….

Yiling shook her head and folded her arms.

Yiling : Don’t say ‘that’s not you’…. Clothes make the man …. So…. Dress up…. Hold your head high…. you’re the new King now…

Finishing up the tour of her bedroom, Yiling sat on her bed. She hugged onto her knees and she went quiet for a bit.

Yiling : Jackson…..

She paused on the video, as if she was waiting for my reply.

And I did reply.

Jackson : yes Yiling…. ?

Yiling : I wished….. we had met under a different set of circumstances….

She smiled wistfully and I replied her again.

Jackson : Me too Yiling…. me too….

Yiling exhaled and looked out her window. She looked like a goddess with the sun in her face. I could see the day curtains flying gently in the background, kicked up by the breeze.

She took her time before turning back to face the camera.

Yiling : Jackson….. I’m glad to have met you my life…….though the journey we walked together is rather short……..i’m glad you are by my side….

I blinked and a tear rolled down my cheek.

Yiling : it’s going to be a hell of a ride for you Jackson from this day forth…… so… hang on tight ya…. ? hahah… ….. and…maybe….. Tell me all about it ….when I see you again….

Yiling gave her signature death stare while adding;

Yiling : and don’t fuck it up…..i’m watching you….i’m always watching you….. ok?? Hahah

I laughed as I replied her.

Jackson : haha… ok…. I won’t…

Yiling kissed her fingers and pressed it against the camera.

Yiling : goodbye Jackson…..

Jackson : goodbye Yiling….

She brought the selfie stick closer and I saw her manicured fingers hover near the screen for a bit before it went dark.

I shut my laptop and buried my face in my hand for a while. No words could express how much I hoped this was all a bad dream.

I took a shower and I put on a set of pressed shirt and pants including my jacket.

24th December 2018

Sunday

8am

It’s Christmas Eve but the mood at the wake is far from festive.

I went over to relieve the girls and Kamal joined me shortly after.

Kamal : you watched the video Boss gave you… ?

Jackson : yeah…. How about you…

Kamal nodded too.

He didn’t ask me about the content and neither did I asked his.

Yiling did say it was meant for our eyes only.

10am

Guests started arriving from 10am and by then, everyone who came knew who they were looking for right away.

Jackson.

I was busy talking and shaking hands when I heard the unmistakable voice of Uncle Ben.

Uncle Ben : Xiao Peng You !!!!….. ( My dear friend… ) hahaha

I turned and I smiled at Uncle Ben.

We exchanged a hug and he looked at me and nodded his head.

Uncle Ben : Yiling made a good choice….hahah… she made a good choice…

Jackson : Thank you for coming….

I made sure Uncle Ben and his men were settled down and someone was serving them drinks.

When it was close to lunch time, I saw Rachel and Henry. They came to make sure everything is running smoothly for the wake and also to congratulate me on taking over La Bella Vita.

Rachel : Looks like…. we’re going to be bidding against each other at the next Auction….

I laughed.

Jackson : I’ll let you win if you want me to…

Rachel : Really … ? what a gentlemen…. Hhaha

There was some commotion and loud shouts by the entrance of the funeral hall and all of us turned to see what is happening.

Rachel smirked when she saw the police officers entering.

Rachel : good luck Jackson …. You’re their new target now…. hahah

Jackson : What is that suppose to mean… ?

Rachel : Evil needs a face…. And you happen to be the new one… watch out for Lim…. He’s a fucker….

Rachel and Henry went to take a seat while keeping their attention on the approaching group of police officers.

The wore their department vest and the man in front is a cocky chap. He walked with a swagger and behaved like a gangster. That must be the one Rachel is warning me about.

He even challenged one of our men for staring at him.

Lim : Kuar simi Kuar….. ai Lim kopi si bo? ( what are you staring at ? you want to follow me back to the station ? )

The group of 5 officers walked in and they had their sights set on me.

Hong came over and mumbled for me to be careful of Lim as well.

Hong : He’s an asshole…

Hong walked away as I remained standing in the path of the 5 officers.

Lim : So… you are the new head ah…. Do you know who I am… ?

Jackson : no I don’t ….

Lim sniggered and looked around the hall where all eyes are on us.

Lim : I’m the one…. that has you by your balls… hahahah….

He laughed whereas most of his men remained quiet.

Lim put his face really close to me in a threatening manner. I could smell the coffee and stench of 2nd hand smoke on his breath as he spoke loud enough only for me to hear him.

Lim : My arrangement with Yiling… the payment… you better make sure it arrives on the dot….. and I would suggest you put in 30% more….i don’t mind giving Yiling a discount because she is hot…. Has a nice ass…. Perky tits too… hahaha….so…. you make yourself useful to me… you hear me….boss ? hahaha

Lim reared back and looked at me from top to toe before adjusting my shirt for me.

Lim : Understand or not ??? NEW BOSS ?? hahahaha…..

I exhaled slowly, trying to control my emotion.

I smiled and I extended my hand towards Yiling’s altar.

Jackson : You’re welcome to pay your last respect….

Lim walked and dragged his feet towards the altar.

He’s in his early forties, well built around the arms but he has a pot belly. He probably spent too much time at the desk.

The funeral hall is awfully quiet with all eyes on us.

It’s so quiet that I could only hear the sound of Uncle Ben splitting the shells of peanuts as he looked at us and shake his leg.

Lim : Haiiizzzz….. why all the sad face….. drug lord die only mah…. Need to be so sad or not….. hahaha…

Lim took a stalk of flower from the vase and instead of laying it on the table as a offering, he deliberately dropped it onto the floor.

Lim : aiyah… what a waste of her tight body….if only she…

I grabbed Lim by his hair and slammed his head against the offering table while tripping him at the same time.

The table vibrated violently as I held his head down. Before anyone could react, I grabbed the vase holding the flowers and I smashed it beside Lim’s head.

THUD!

The Porcelain vase is of decent quality, it did not shatter upon impact but the sound of it hitting the wooden table left everyone in the hall with no doubts the damage it would cause if it had landed on Lim.

Lim’s men shouted and their hands reached for their service pistol without pulling it out while all the guest in the hall stood up at once. The sound of chairs dragging along wooden floor reverberated within the airconditioned tent.

Some of our men had their hands behind their backs no doubt reaching for their weapon despite being told not to bring any, the Rajahs formed a protective circle around Rachel who was the only one remaining seated.

Lim was shaking but he tried to put on a brave front.

I bent low and I spoke softly to him in the same manner he did to me moments earlier.

Jackson : You talk about Yiling like this again….. I’ll bury you…

Lim : arghh YOU!!

I lifted his head and slammed it back against the table twice, and Lim started bleeding on the nose as I continued pressing his head down on the table.

Lim : arGNHH!!

Jackson : Your arrangement ….. was with Yiling… not with me…. now….. I’m all too happy…. to make a new one ….. provided you are of use to me…..

I let him go and Lim staggered back and fell onto the floor.

Lim got up and he pulled his weapon and pointed it at me.

Lim : You BITCH !!!! YOU!!! Who do you think you aRE!!!!! FUCK YOU!!!!

His men came over and tried to stop him but he pushed them away.

I looked at the end of his pistol and I spread my arms apart before gesturing to my chest.

Jackson : You point a weapon at me…. you better make sure you intent to use it…..

Uncle Ben added a sarcastic manner directed at Lim while popping peanuts into his mouth.

Uncle Ben : aiyoh….. small thing pull gun ar… hahaha…. Why like that…. ??

Lim’s men kept tugging and pulling him back, trying to dissuade him.

Someone shouted at Lim from the entrance.

Someone in charge obviously.

Lim quickly kept his side arm as the older gentlemen walked in with a few more officers.

The older gentlemen looked at Lim without a word and enough was communicated with that stare alone.

Lim grunted in frustration and stormed off the funeral hall while the older gentlemen walked towards the altar to offer a flower for Yiling.

He looked at me after he’s done and it’s obvious he came for me.

Goh : You must be Jackson …

Jackson : Hi…. Yes I am….

Goh introduced himself as the director of the narcotics bureau and he asked to speak with me privately.

Goh : I believe it’s in our mutual interest…. To have a quick chat…

I stepped outside with Goh and he lit a cigarette before offering me one.

Jackson : No thank you…

Goh : I’ll go straight to the point…. I know what Yiling does…and we have been playing a cat and mouse game for many years……sometimes…. The mouse leaves cheese crumb behind on purpose….. a trail of crumbs that leads us to a nest….sometimes the cat…. Chooses to look the other way….

I nodded but kept my silence.

Goh : Yiling’s control and dominance over the trade in the country is critical for stability….i’m not saying I condone it….but stability….. is what everyone wants…. Especially in such challenging times….

I nodded but said nothing again.

Goh apologised for his subordinate’s outburst before mentioning that he is certain Yiling would have left instructions to me.

Goh : Seeing that you do not know who I am… pretty much meant you have yet to settle in….

I looked at Goh and he laughed before shaking his head.

Goh : Don’t look at me like that… it’s not about money…. It’s about balance…

Goh smiled and extended his hand and I shook it.

Goh : Nice to meet you Jackson….

Jackson : Nice to meet you too Goh….

Goh : I’ll be in touch…. Once you are ready….

Goh left with his men shortly after that.

When I walked back into the hall I could head Uncle Ben commenting loudly ;

Uncle Ben : Jackson …. Hahahah…. You just made your first enemy… hahahaha….

I shrugged my shoulders, with an attitude like Lim’s, I couldn’t give two fucks about him.

Uncle Ben chuckled and gave me a thumbs up.

The day continued on and more guest arrived.

Close to 10pm that Christmas eve, Yvonne arrived with her parents.

Billy was with them and he requested the hall be cleared.

It was difficult to even look at Yvonne for the uncanny resemblance she shares with her twin sister.

When Yvonne approached me with her eyes swollen and red, I didn’t know what to say to her.

Jackson : I’m…. I’m sorry…

Yvonne gave me a hug as she sobbed tearfully.

Yiling was cremated in a private ceremony attended by us and her immediate family.

It was a low-key affair, and Billy made arrangement for her ashes to be flown to where her family is staying.

Yvonne told me where they are located and she gave me a number to get in touch with them.

South of Taiwan. A quiet resort town.

Yiling has set the family up there properly and they are operating a small 30 room hotel.

I told Yvonne if she ever needed anything, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me.

Yvonne : if you ever want to get away from it all…. Come look for us…we can host you for a day or two….

Jackson : I will…

As I bade farewell to Yvonne, I knew I probably would not have the courage to go visit her.

At least not after I do what I have to do, and even then, I’m not sure how I would feel seeing a split image of Yiling walking around in front of me.

There is no rest for the wicked.

I got to work right away.

Yiling is right.

It’s a shitload of work and there’s so much to be done.

Yiling left instructions to Candy and Cindy to help me clean up her room and keep all her clothes but I refused.

Jackson : Yiling’s room stay the way it is…. At least for now…

Cindy : Where will you stay… ?

Jackson : The farmhouse….

Cindy : That is not appropriate…. You should be in the castle… it’s your new home Jackson….

Jackson : home is where the heart is Cindy….

She smiled and knew there was no use arguing with me. The perimeter guards that used to encircle the castle will be extended to include the farmhouse as well.

Yiling was not joking when she told me of a drawer filled with sanitary pads and panties. It’s true.

I took the key she left in the black pouch and I left the rest of her stuff untouched. I even put her stationaries back the way she left them after I’m done.

I’m up at 5am every day.

After a 1 hour run around the estate, I would shower and be in the study by 6.30am.

Sometimes I don’t even have times for my meals. Helen would bring me tea, coffee, snacks or even meals from the cookhouse sometimes.

I thought Yiling was joking when she said she didn’t even have time to change her pad.

She was not.

Time just flew by when I’m in her study.

Sometimes I find myself in that chair 8 hours straight at a go.

I would finish up the day’s work by 11pm, spend some time tidying up the desk before pouring myself a drink. Yiling had 12 email accounts and I had to bring myself up to speed reading them whenever time allows.

I pieced together a picture of Owen’s organisation from all the past correspondence Yiling received.

LFO also known as Liberation from Oppression, is a well organised international organisation. Fucking terrorist in short. Southeast Asia is run by this man, known as Edward Fernando Chan.

What everyone thought was one man all along, turned out to be a council of 3 individual.

Edward was killed in Malaysia shortly after the attack on the island, leaving Fernando and Chan.

They operated mainly at the south of Thailand and they cross frequently into Malaysia using illegal routes deep in the jungle.

Owen used to be the one playing the cloak and dagger game in the country. He’s well connected, he was the one who set the idea of the castle in motion and he put Yiling in charge.

From the mails and reports dating back all the way to 2013, I discovered that Owen was the real reason behind the riot in Little India. The riot by the foreign workers was just a cover for a massive hit on the building I visited with Yiling.

That’s no ordinary commercial building. It’s now the administrative headquarters for Ron and his men.

Owen joined the LFO, taking on the title of Fernando after he linked up with a man call Chan. Someone he once actively searched for. It appears as if their vision for a new world order is aligned.

When Owen left, the organisation he was in charge of fell apart into pieces and Ron was the one picking them up.

There are still a lot of men loyal to Owen lying in wait for him to return.

And yes, this includes equally well-trained assassins who disappeared off the face of the country after the riot.

A total of 29 were missing.

Ron was once Owen’s predecessor, and he initiated a major reorg, continued the training of new recruits and rebuilt it.

The amount of reading material available is staggering. Reports, observations and leaked intelligence notes from neighbouring countries.

It made me question what it means to be safe.

Are we truly safe, when every day you know someone is plotting to see you fall for their own benefit ?

I kept the Friday steamboat tradition. I insisted, no matter how busy everyone was, we should at least eat together once a week.

Cindy and Candy ran security around the castle. Hong and Kamal helped with operations.

I took over Declan and Aaron’s workload, from doing accounts and payroll, to managing the housekeeping staff and restocking the castle and cookhouse with supplies on top of the stuff Yiling is doing.

All 5 of us would gather for steamboat at the farmhouse. A bonding session in a way at the end of the week, and for us to update each other regarding work.

By end of January 2018, things were pretty much back to normal at the castle.

There will be days when I miss Yiling a little too much and I would let myself into her room.

Helen cleans up the room once a week, but other than that, it remained sealed, temperature controlled at 23 degrees with everything left exactly the way it was since the day Yiling last used it.

Her toothbrush lying by the side of the sink with the toothpaste cover missing.

Her worn clothes still in the laundry basket.

A nightgown hanging behind the bathroom door.

A wine glass with her lipstick mark.

Even the trash she threw remained in the bin.

I wanted to preserve it all. Something to remember her by, I don’t know how long, but at least for a while.

On weekends, I would spend time in the gym with Candy and Cindy.

We’re evenly matched by then and sometimes I find myself having to go a little easier on Candy, especially with her of smaller built than me.

I would smoke with Hong on the patio of the extension wing.

He lit his Marlboros, while I lit my Cohibas.

I would drink with Kamal in the study, sometimes in the garage while sitting on Yiling’s collection of cars.

And yes, I opened the vault in the middle of January in 2018.

At 1am in the morning, when I’m done with the day, I walked down to the basement and opened the door to the vault.

I first entered a small ante room, where the door behind me needed to be shut and locked before the next one opened.

Only then did I see the large menacing steel door in front of me.

I entered the password, and when the lights came on, I burst out laughing.

I felt like Aladdin stumbling into a cave of treasure.

The room is about the same size as the armoury, come to think of it, the layout seemed to be a mirror image, I’m guessing they share the same reinforced walls.

Metal racks on both sides of the vault stacked all the way to the ceiling with cash in various currency. All bundled and cling wrapped. Each about 4 pizza box high.

SGD, USD, YEN, EURO, RMB, all the major currencies filled the racks to the brim. With the racks filled, some of the money are just left on wooden pallets on the floor.

I don’t even know how much there are in the vault.

I opened a black case the size of your laptop and diamonds sparkled brilliantly back at me. There’s so many of them it’s being dumped like sand inside that box. Even the smallest one looked huge.

I even suspected it’s fake because there’s just so many of them.

I did a visual count and there’s almost 10 boxes of diamonds. I picked one stone up and pocketed it.

Gold Bars, 2 pallet worth sat in the corner like junk. I picked one up and I felt the density of the precious metal in my hand.

10KG bars stacked as tall as me.

There’s a case of silver bullions too.

There are 1kg Bars as well, they were kept in intricate wooden boxes. 5 in each box and there’s 5 boxes of them. It looked like they will be given as gifts or bribes.

2 money counting machine sat on a metal desk with 2 trash bags below it.

I opened the trash bags and loose notes stared back at me. A mixture of used 10s and 50s.

Aside from money and precious metals, there are rows of cabinets with files.

I opened one and I smiled.

Evidence Yiling has compiled over the years on individuals and companies that had shady dealings. I opened another and looked at the disgusting deeds a hotelier was up to.

Another file was that of a listed company.

Files on politicians, not just local, even those from neighbouring countries.

It’s a literal gold mine.

The information is priceless.

There is a desk with a small table lamp tucked in the corner.

I took a seat and opened the drawer, revealing a file about half an inch thick.

I whistled and looked at the locations around the country Yiling had money and gold stashed away.

You can buy an army and destabilise a country with the amount of money in that vault. Coupled with the armoury, I can see why Owen wants to take it back. The room full of antiques I accidentally stumbled into is probably just a bonus.

I left the vault and never went back in again. There was no need to.

Yiling has millions in the various bank accounts she left for La Bella Vita with more coming in every month.

I asked a jeweller to take a look on the stone I took from the vault and he told me it’s one with a good cut, flawless clarity and very good colour.

Jackson : in English… please…..

Jeweller : 2 Carat…. I would pay $40000 for it…

Jackson : ok… thank you…

I was too lazy to open the vault again so I dropped it inside Yiling’s panty drawer together with her pads.

The castle feels empty without her voice but it’s something we have to deal with.

We take each day as they come. We deal with each day as they come.

We never stopped looking for Owen.

Yiling’s extensive network of little birds and spies are mine now and I get updates and information on almost a daily basis.

It really opened up my eyes.

Our borders are so porous especially along the water. The amount of things happening on a daily basis is mind blowing.

I found more Malus scattered throughout the island in their hideouts and we flushed them out.

1, or 2 or 5, it doesn’t matter.

I want all of them. When I got them, I gave Ron a call and someone would pick them up.

I tried using the Nokia phone to call the mysterious men and women once.

There was a Malu hideout with almost a dozen men, I wanted their help.

At the same time, I wanted to see how this work.

I never expected to be ignored.

Someone answered the phone alright, I told them what I wanted. I need help to flush out a nest of Malus and things might get ugly.

The person on the other end said no.

Really, a single word.

No.

What the fuck ?

And he hung up on me.

I’m not exactly expecting it to be a pizza delivery line where someone appears when I need them but this is ridiculous.

Kamal told me maybe because I’ve yet to pass the probation period.

Kamal : Probation brother… probation period…. Haven get confirmation letter….annual leave also don’t have….. eh hiao bo… ? ( you know ? )hahaha…

Jackson : This is ridiculous… looks like we’re on our own….

Kamal : better to be on our own…. Than to depend on others isn’t it…

Jackson : True… true….

In the end, we flushed out the nest on our own.

Out of the original hundreds of men in La Bella Vita at it’s peak, we’re down to about 140 spread out on the island. Some left, some moved on, some stayed. It’ll take time to rebuild it to it’s formal glory but I’m sure we will get there eventually.

The chatters I was getting started to pick up in early February as we get closer to Chinese new year.

There’s an increase in the number of people being picked up for trying to enter the country illegally.

I know that for everyone that was caught, 5 more would have made their way into the country. Owen knew the routes to take, and he still has people loyal to him.

There appears to be a pattern.

Every couple of days there will be a big operation where a lot of illegal workers tried to enter the country from across the causeway by boat but they are just the decoys.

A couple of days before Chinese New Year, things got serious enough that Ron gave me a call on the Nokia Phone.

He told me that things will be heating up in the region.

Region, mind you, not country.

Ron : If I were Owen, I’ll make my move when everyone is busy….

That was all he said.

A warning from Ron is not to be taken lightly.

So I discussed with the guys what should we do.

We increased the security as much as we could but then it’s Chinese New Year.

How many men do you think is there to stay with you at the castle on one of the most important festival in the country? People head home for reunion dinner.

15th February 2018

Chinese New year eve.

1pm

Thursday

After a celebratory lunch feast at the cookhouse with all who could turn up, the jubilant mood went up a notch when I announced that an additional 2 months salary has been credited into everyone’s account.

Jackson : thank you all…. For the hard work… this difficult period…. And thank you for believing in me….

I raised my beer and the men cheered as we filled the cookhouse with laughter and shouts of joy.

It’s not that I’m generous or anything, Yiling usually gave one to one and a half month bonus during CNY, I just felt that everyone deserved two during this period.

6pm

I was busy setting the table for dinner at the farmhouse for our first reunion dinner or sort.

We shrunk the security perimeter of the castle ground because we’re operating on a skeletal crew.

Less than 20 men, most who are without anyone to celebrate the festivities with remained on the castle ground.

We sealed Binjai Hill road with vehicles and pulled everyone to the Castle and farmhouse. The cookhouse is still running but with only 2 assistant cooks reheating pre-prepared food.

The 5 of us sat around the table where a bubbly broth of specially prepared soup waited for us to start putting ingredients into it.

Kamal and Candy will be heading back after dinner to spend Chinese New Year with their family and they will back the next day.

Hong and Cindy will be staying with me at the castle.

Hong : Movie marathon Jackson …. Movie marathon…. Junk food…. Lots of alcohol… hahahaha….

Cindy : we’re guarding the castle Hong….

Hong : what kind of fucker would launch an attack during Chinese new year ???

Kamal : A badass one ??

Hong : absolute fucker he must be then…. Hahaha

We started eating and for the first time in a while, I allowed myself to bask in the warmth of a family.

The laughs, the jokes, the harmless flirting by Candy, I loved it.

Every moment of it.

I have yet to ask the guys how much they wanted for their bonus yet. Yiling gave them a range from 2-3 months from past records.

I wanted to hear their opinion, and see how much they want.

Money is something I have plenty of.

Jackson : so… about your bonuses…. I thought we should…. Have an open chat about it….

Kamal : aiyah… don’t need la…

Hong : I need… I need…. I not paiseh ( shy ) about this kind of thing one Jackson… hahaha

Their pay were all higher than mine, at a range of between 6-9k a month.

I asked if they are ok if I followed Yiling’s benchmark with regards to increment and bonus.

Jackson : You know me…. I’m not… big on doing what appraisals and shit… so… if you need anything… I rather you just tell me upfront….

Hong : aiyah…. Just kidding la Jackson…. You do what you want…. we don’t need anything…. Not now…

Candy : We’ll tell you if we need them Jackson …. Don’t stress yourself out over this…

The lot of us ate, drank and by 8.30pm, we were so full that I felt like puking.

Candy and Kamal decided to make a move first.

Candy gave me a hug before she left, she’s been a little obvious with her hints lately. I could tell she likes me.

8.45pm

Cindy, Hong and I walked back to the castle and we grabbed a bottle of 30 year Hibiki as we settled in the study.

I switched on the TV as we chatted and drink.

As the TV played the new year celebrations in the background, we reminisce old times when things were a lot cheerful.

I looked at the TV and it was showing the New year Bazaar at Chinatown.

The heavy security presence was a painful reminder of the attacks in the country barely a year ago.

There were police officers at every corner, and even the military was roped in for extra security.

There’s even a armoured vehicle parked a short distance away from the stage. I know for sure there are plainclothes security personnel hiding amongst the crowd.

A barrier was set up in front of the stage, giving it a berth of open space about 20m wide.

4 screens about 15m tall each formed the backdrop of the stage displaying new year greetings with colourful animations of little doggies hopping about.

In just a few hours, we would be welcoming the year of the dog.

The camera zoomed in at the stage.

Hong got ready his phone

Hong : eh must try must try…. Everytime new year…. Call in can win money one…. hahaha….. Huat aH!!!

I laughed as Cindy shook her head.

There was a flurry of activity near the stage and the area behind the barriers were packed with audience and visitors. Most of them were there to get a glimpse of their favourite celebrities that would be arriving to host the countdowns.

Games will be played, cash prizes will be given out.It’s the new year after all. Sponsors usually go all out to capture a slice of the new year crowd’s attention.

I’ve seen it happen on TV many times.

Answering a simple question would easily net you a few hundred dollars in cash.

A platform about 50m behind the main stage rose up high into the air. Many were expecting fireworks at this years’ countdown.

To ward away the bad luck that has befallen this country so they say.

The gathered crowd waited eagerly for the show to begin.

The noise from the crowd grew a notch before cheers rang out from the streets.

Under heavy security escort, our prime minister walked up to the stage where a rostrum was waiting.

The puzzled public grew euphoric, the cheers got louder. People started clapping. Welly Chin, our Prime minister took the stage much to the surprise of the gathering crowds.

No one expected the prime minister to be there.

If the cheers of support were an indication of his popularity, then the spontaneous eruption of the crowd chanting his name reaffirmed the country’s faith in him leading us out of this mess.

Hong : what is he doing there… ?

Cindy : that must be why security is so tight….

It took several moments before the crowds calmed down enough for the PM to speak.

The screens behind the stage no longer displayed greetings, instead they showed the best view the cameras could get of the popular politician.

Just before Welly began to speak, my phone rang.

An anonymous number.

I picked it up and there was a series of clicks before it connected.

“ Jackson … “

Jackson : yes… ?

“ Please hold… “

I waited for the caller to speak as I looked at the Tv screen and Welly started to address the nation.

PM : Good evening Singapore…

The past few months has been particularly challenging for many of us.

I still feel the pain of the needless loss of human lives over the attack, and i’m sure for many of us, the wounds are still raw.

Time will heal all wounds, this is something we all know………….. we also know that a wound…………. would leave a scar.

That scar will be a painful reminder for all of us………………..to never let our guard down again.

………………………………………….. …….

It was a humbling moment as the street grew quieter. I could see stall holders and hawkers who were blasting their music before now turning them off.

The hustle and bustle grind to a halt. Never before have the streets of Chinatown descend into such a eerie silence.

Not on the eve of the Lunar new year.

PM : Among the activities that will take place these few days, the reunion dinner is the one many families would hold dear. It’s the Lunar new year, a tradition for many of us.

The simple act of having your family and love ones around you, safe, warm and with food on the table is a luxury we have taken for granted over the years.

Tonight, many of these tables will be filled instead by empty seats…………………….No matter how sumptuous the fare, ……………….or how tasty the delicacies prepared,…………………. they would not taste as good without the laughter of your love ones beside you………………..

For some of us tonight, the dinner would also be a painful reminder of our loss………….

………………………………………….. …………………

At this point, it felt as if life at the bustling Chinatown had come to a stop.

The silence was deafening.

PM : More than 70 years ago,………….. on this day………….., the Japanese invaded the island on the 1st day of lunar new year………….

We learned about this in our textbooks, we watched it on documentaries, we can see some of the exhibits in our museum………..

You must be wondering why am i bringing up the history of our country in this New year message.

You must also be wondering why would i even deliver a sombre one when it’s supposed to be a happy occasion.

………………………………………….. …………

There was a few seconds pause as the PM took a sip of water from the rostrum before turning back to face the crowd and cameras.

………………………………………….. …………

PM : I’ll answer that in due course. ….. As a politician….. as your prime minister, all of you have placed your trust in me to make rational decisions no matter how difficult they may be………….. i have been questioned countless times by the public and the families of the victims from the attacks….. why……..WHY have we done nothing……. why ?

………………………………………….. ……………

Murmurs started to come from the crowd as more and more hands shot up with their camera phones pointed at the stage.

………………………………………….. ………………..

PM : My answer has always been the same, we are working on it…… we are working on it….. we are always…. working on it…..

………………………………………….. ……………..

It was at this point someone from the crowd shouted.

" HOW ! " ….. " TELL US….. HOW!!!! "

That sparked off a shouting frenzy and emotions started to get a little heated.

………………………………………….. ………………

Welly smiled.

It was a simple and sly smile, one that fooled many of his political opponents.

A smile that speaks volume, yet reveals nothing.

The voice came on the line. I could hear the crackling from the poor connection, but I knew it was James.

James : Jackson …. Jackson…. Can you hear me…….. Owen’s coming for the castle tonight….

Jackson : what… ? hello…. Hello… ?

James tried to say something else but the line went dead.

I looked at the TV and I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand on it’s end as the event unfolded before us.

I dropped my glass and spilled my drink when I saw the screens behind the stage went dark before the 1st one displayed a jerky aerial view of a cluster of dwellings located in the middle of what seemed like a plantation. The bright specks of lights coming from the dull black and white video feed was lit up by dozens more smaller specks that have already surrounded the target.

As if right on que, a squadron of fighter jets roared across the night skies. The crowd at Chinatown turned and craned their necks trying to catch a glimpse, but it was near impossible to see them.

………………………………………….. …….

The 2nd screen came on without warning, and the crowd gasped as the screen glowed green with the faces of heavily armed men gathering at the edge of a forest clearing.

I saw the unmistakable size of Boon in the background before the camera settled on James.

………………………………………….. …………..

The 3rd screen drew more gasps and shouts from the crowd as a drone fed black and white images of a dozen assault boats slicing across the calm waters before landing on the beach.

It all happened at once.

Gasps of amazement gave way to cheers as the screen lit up wildly.

Bright balls of lights appeared on screen like an angry flare as our men opened up and advanced on the positions of the camps.

Hong : oh my god…

Cindy : We’re hitting them….. we’re hitting them all today…. All those fuckers….

A ticker tape news flashed scrolled on the bottom of the screen, informing everyone that a major operation is happening in enemy territory.

Hong : Fuck YEAH WELLY !!!… I’ll fucking vote for you !!!! AHHAHAHAHAHA….

………………………………………….. ………………………..

The 4th screen came on, showing something closer to home.

A lot closer.

The large screen subdivided itself into 8 squares zooming into 8 different spots in the gathered crowd. You can clearly see the stage and the gathering crowd on the screen.

An eerie red square appeared around the faces of 8 men who for a brief moment looked up in surprise before their expressions betrayed their fear upon realising what was happening.

That they were already marked and their game is up.

Before they could react, men, women who were blended into the crowd beside them quickly brought them down. The commotion sent people scrambling in different directions and the barriers in front of the stage were removed, opening up additional exits for the dispersing crowd.

Many scrambled for safety, yet many more remained on the ground, glued to the screens. Eager and hungry to see the payback the country has been lusting for.

I caught a glimpse of some of the men arrested on screen.

A couple of them had sharpened stakes and knives wrestled from their hands.

A black bag was unceremoniously thrown over their head before they were dragged kicking like animals heading to a slaughter out from the area.

All 4 screens went dark before merging into one giant display.

The 4 screens began to show the series of political attacks both local and abroad on the current administration. When you are down on your knees, you can be sure the vultures are circling.

The laws of nature apply no matter who you are.

When you are weak and ripe for the picking, the predators will come.

The scavengers will come.

They will come for you, trying to shape your opinion, to influence your thoughts, to generate doubt, to create confusion and fear among the population.

Analysts , observers, so called experts living a few thousand kilometres away appeared on the screen in succession. Politicians, dissidents, exiled individuals, business owners everyone you can possibly fucking imagine appear on the screen one after another questioning us.

Questioning the country.

Questioning the leadership

Questioning the citizens

Questioning how …………………. the fuck………………..will we survive …………….this…..

How ?

How will we defend this island of ours ?

How ?

How can we fight against an enemy hidden among us ?

How ?

How can such a small fucking country survive a threat of such scale ?

How ?

How will this be done ?

How far are we really willing to go to ensure our way of life is not threatened by the absurd ideas of a few individual ?

How far would you go to make sure your kids can run free and safe by the playground ?

How much are you willing to sacrifice ?

How the fuck………. really……

How the fuck are we going to do this ?

I dropped my phone, transfixed at the screen as I watch everyone slowly unfold.

We’re no longer playing defence.

We’re finally hitting them and boy it felt good.

The fuckers that did this to us.

Finally it’s payback.

As the clip rolled towards it’s climax of a hundred fuckers asking us ‘how’ when all they really wanted was to see us fall on our knees, the screen went dark amidst the fading screams on the streets as the chaos slowly came under control.

The PM’s face appeared again, this time round, he is not in his usual collared shirt and pants. He was dressed in full tactical gear as he answered the question everyone has been asking.

He did not repeat the question.

He did not need to read from a script.

He did not need any prompt from his aide.

He did not even need to think

You could tell he said it immediately when the camera came on live.

It was a soft yet strong reply. You could hear the steadiness in his voice and the conviction he had in his reply.

PM : With my life….

The drone camera zoomed out to show a sequence of the PM leading a section of men as they entered a compound somewhere near a shipyard before turning black.

No longer is he contended from leading behind the desk and dealing with politicians. He’s going to be man on the ground as well.

Right on que, the screen started flashing a succession of answers and replies.

Replies and answers from the true sons and daughters of Singapore.

A father holding his daughter’s urn.

A mother holding her son with only one hand.

A husband, eyes red with a photo of his wife.

A wife holding the beret of her late husband.

An old man on clutches wearing his Temesak green uniform

A dog handler with the collar of his best friend.

Paramedics, doctors, teachers, hawkers, officers from the home team, right down to the service men and women who has dedicated their lives to the country.

Jackson : Jesus…

Many are the victims of the attack from a year ago.

Everyone of them answered the questions in the same way.

" With my life "

As the drumbeat of the sound track grew in intensity, the screen went dark right on que, You could hear the crowd and anyone watching that live broadcast erupt in cheers in the same manner when the country won it’s first Olympic medal.

The shouts came not only from the gathered crowds that new year eve.

You could hear and feel the pent up anger and frustration of a nation in mourning for the past year. The nearby HDB blocks exploded with cheers and shouts, the camera panned to show neighbours leaving their homes and coming out to the corridors.

Hong stood up and thrust his arms into the air and shouted.

Hong : FUCK!!!!! ARGHHHH!!!!!

Jackson : Damm… Welly is smart….this is fucking brilliant…

Then everything went dark.

I snapped out of my stupor and I quickly shared the news with Hong and Cindy.

Owen is coming.

The power to the castle has been cut.

30 seconds later, the backup generator kicked back up and we were running all over, gathering the men left on the estate back to the castle itself.

Hong : Kamal has the armoury key !! fuck !!

Within minutes, we pulled everyone into the castle itself.

Even the cooks.

I did a count of the men we have. There’s 21 of us in all.

We gathered and I gave it straight to the men right there and then.

Jackson : Men are coming for the castle…. I don’t know how many…. I don’t know when… but I bet they’re on their way right now….

I told them I cannot guarantee their safety and anyone who chooses to stay should know that their decision carried a significant amount of danger.

Jackson : I won’t compel anyone of you to stay if you don’t want to…..you’re free to go….

One of the men asked if this has to do with Singapore hitting the fucking terrorists that evening.

Jackson : I think so…. They will not sit idle when we dealt the first strike…. They will come….

I could see several of the men looking at one another, unsure of what to say.

Jackson : I’ll give you 5 minutes…. I won’t blame you if you want to walk…. I’ll see you guys in the pantry of the castle ….. and if you are here by then…. I take it you are with us all the way…..

We started arming ourselves with whatever we could get our hands on.

I picked up my axe from the farmhouse while Hong has his trusty knuckle duster. Cindy pulled a whole set of golf clubs from Yiling’s storeroom and when 5 minutes is up, there were only 15 of us left in the pantry.

“ Boss gave us a job, a roof and everything we have when no one believed in us “

“ She gave us a chance to get back on our feet “

“ She paid for my wife’s medical bills till she passed on “

“ I won’t be here today if not for her.. “

11pm

The group of us started carrying water and food down to the basement.

The vault will not fall.

Not on my watch.

I tried calling Ron, James and even the mysterious men on the 3 Nokia phones but on one picked up.

One of the men I posted as a sentry on the patio came running in.

LBV Man 1 : I think they’re here…. They’re all at the cookhouse….i can see them….

We followed him and we went up to the patio above the extension wing.

Hong : There’s….. there’s so many of them…..

I could see the headlights of vehicles including big trucks pulling up.

They must be prepared to cart away everything in the armoury and the vault.

Hong : Jackson you need to go…. You know the vault password.

Jackson : Don’t be crazy…. You think they have any intention of using a password…. ?

We may not be able to make out the exact numbers but with the lights at the cookhouse still on, we could see a crowd of men gathering over there with more arriving as we speak.

There’s no point blocking Binjai Hill road with vehicles when they are approaching from the cookhouse. From there, the small road we always take will lead them right to the castle across the open field and garden.

Jackson : How many do you think there are….

Cindy spoke with an eerie calm and said she counted at least 40 so far.

Hong : 40….

Cindy : there’s more arriving……

Jackson : are all the doors and windows of the castle locked ??

LBV man 2 : yes… we have men at the main door, the side entrance, the garage and the entrance via the extension wing….the rest are at the vault….

Someone ran up from ground floor. He was posted in the study to monitor the camera feed I pulled from the security office.

LBV man 3 : There’s a call…. It’s a internal line… direct from the cookhouse…. He’s looking for you Jackson….

Jackson : What… ?

I quickly went down to the study and answered it.

Jackson : Yes… ?

Owen : you must be Jackson….

I could feel my blood boiling as the voice settled in my head.

There is a weird sense of familiarity as Owen’s voice stirred up decade old memories.

Jackson : You must be Owen….

Owen : They say you are a smart man….the winds of change is coming…. And it would be good for you and your men to be on the winning side….. what do you think ? … haha….

I kept quiet and waited for Owen to go on. After a few seconds pause, he continued.

Owen : I’ll take that as a no then…. Hahah…

I kept my silence and I tried to control my emotions.

Yiling’s death, the betrayal, the attack on the childcare, all the dead kids, the parents who lost their flesh and blood, and the subsequent aftermath the chaos his attack has plunged the country into, all of this is because of him.

The Malus, the attack on the Rajahs, and even my grandfather’s death.

Owen : I came to take back what’s mine….if you are as smart as they say you are….. stay out of my way….

Jackson : You want the castle…..come and get it….

I hung up the phone and I could feel the endorphins in my body spiking. My heart beat faster, all my senses were on fire as I looked at my computer screen.

We’re surrounded. Besides the men gathering at the cookhouse, I could see the vehicles we parked at the foot of the hill being pushed aside. Another 2 trucks were waiting to drive up the hill right up to the castle’s main door.

I looked at the men in the study and I sent 4 of them to the garage.

Jackson : Siphon all the petrol from the cars…. 2 of you, try to get to the POL storage….. ( Petrol , Oil , Lubricant ) bring it all down to the basement…..

Hong : What are you doing Jackson …..

Jackson : If we can’t hold…. We’ll burn it all down…. castle, vault and all… go..

I went up to the patio again and the 40 men across the open field of the castle has swelled.

There must be a hundred men at least spread out near the cookhouse and the farmhouse.

I could here the rattle of metal as about a dozen men started scaling the castle gate and walls.

Hong warmed up his shoulders and he slipped on his knuckle duster.

Hong : This is going to be one hell of a Chinese new year…. Hahahaha…..

Jackson : stick together…. They outnumber us… if they corner us too soon, we’re dead…. Kill the lights….

Hong started switching off the lights in the castle.

It’s our home ground and we have to use it to our advantage.

We know where the corners are and where to hide.

Cindy slung the golf bag around her body as if the weight meant nothing.

Where an archer would comfortably carry a quiver full of arrows, Cindy carried fucking golf clubs.

The sound of glass breaking and wooden door being forced opened reached our ears and I walked back into the castle with the remaining men in toll.

I heard the slam of doors hitting it’s stopper and within seconds, men rushed into view.

There was no hesitation, Cindy pulled a golf club swung it at the head of the 1st man charging in. Hong kicked another before ducking low to avoid a wild swing of a machete.

Cindy caught the machete swinging man’s face in her massive hand and sent him hurling onto the marble floor.

The thud was so loud that it echoed throughout the living hall and the terrorist stopped moving immediately.

Shouts rang out and furniture were being dragged and pushed about as the fight broke out in the living area.