Prepare
William opened the door and walked in. He was holding his black coat and a red box with the word 'KFC' printed on it. He put it on the table and pulled a chair for himself.
RIIIING
He touched his breast pocket and took out his iPhone.
Matthew H calling...
He pressed the green button and put the phone near his ear as he sat down.
“Yo, William!”
William opened the box and took an onion ring, then he sighed.
“What is it?” he asked. “And more importantly, where are you?”
“Where am I?” Matthew asked. “I'm in Canton. Still trapped in your apartment?”
“Yeah, what else,” William said. “And you called me when I'm about to have dinner. Thank you.”
“Well, sorry,” Matthew said. “I just called you to congratulate your victory...”
“It's my job as a cop,” William said as he ate the onion ring. “I don't need those.”
“Oh, really?”
His eyes became wide upon the sentence. Matthew smiled as he took a cigarette and lit it with his electric match.
“I know something you may need, bro,” he said. “What do you think?”
William sighed.
“Not today,” William said. “I'm kind of tired...”
Matthew sighed as he put the cigarette in the brown ashtray in front of him.
“But I'm quite amazed you can get those,” William said. “So...”
“I don't care, I'll tell you,” Matthew said. “Besides, you're a top man. I think you should know.”
William sighed again.
“Whatever.”
Matthew smiled and poured out all the cigarettes to the table.
“I heard a team has been sent to hunt down a triad group here,” he said. “Jason may know about it.”
“I’m not interested in triads,” William said. “I’m only interested in Darren.”
“Relax, bro,” Matthew said. “You know the 14K Shun has been active in Hong Kong lately, don’t you?”
“No, I don’t,” William said. “And I thought I told you I’m not interested in triads.”
“I hope you listen to me well,” Matthew said. “I heard there’s a Fu in there.”
William felt like his heart stopped, then he looked to the direction he put the phone at.
“How do you know?”
“Some skill,” Matthew said. “Although I can’t really guarantee it’s true.”
Some thoughts quickly crossed his head. He touched his hurting head and put down the phone.
“When will this be over, dad?”
“It will be over soon…”
But at the end it never ends. It keeps following me…
Just like a shadow.
“Will?”
“Sorry,” William said as he took the phone again. “My head hurts...”
Matthew took a cigarette and put an end on his mouth.
“You should sleep more,” he said. “Don’t push yourself…”
“I know,” William said as he stood up. “I’ll catch up with you later…”
William pressed the red button and put the phone on the table. He opened the door and walked into his room, then he sat down on the bed. He unbuttoned his uniform as he lied down.
“Damn…” he whispered. “It really hurts…”
He closed his eyes for a while, then he opened it again. His sight slowly came back to him, but he could still feel the tremendous pain in his head. He stood up and walked frantically towards a white cabinet next to the bed. He opened it and took a small transparent plastic bottle filled with a few yellow and white capsules.
Suddenly he felt so weak. He fell on his knees as his hand held the bottle tightly, then he felt his head spun. He could feel the cold floor on his cheek…
And it went dark.
•••
RIIING
Anthony walked to the white phone which has a red lamp blinking on it. He took the phone and put it near his ear.
“Hong Kong Police Department, Division 7, Anthony Wang speaking. May I help you?”
“It’s me, Anthony,” William said as he sat on the bed. “Tell the boss I’ll be absent.”
Gregory passed behind Anthony as he held a white mug.
“But what happened, Will?” Anthony asked. William sighed and shook his head.
“I think I’m kind of ill,” he said. “My head hurts last night, and it still spins now…”
William sighed and lied down on his bed.
“I’ll come when I think I can,” he said. “Tell Jason for me, will you?”
Anthony sighed and nodded.
“That’s why you shouldn’t push yourself,” he said. “You don’t have to come today – just have a rest.”
“Thanks.”
Anthony put down the phone and sighed again. He turned back and smiled to Gregory.
“Will’s sick,” he said. “I wonder what happened to him?”
“Who knows,” Gregory said. “Maybe he’s a bit too tired, that’s all…”
“Who knows,” Gregory said. “Maybe he’s a bit too tired, that’s all…”
•••
“The Valium…” (Valium is a medicine that helps one sleep)
He reached out his hands to the bedside table, but found nothing. He tried to sit up, but his head spun too much so that he fell again.
“That hurts…”
He lied down again and looked around. He then saw a bottle on the floor, filled with a few capsules. He sat up again and touched his head, then he put his right foot on the floor, but then he leaned forward and felt the cold floor on his cheek again.
“Damn…” he whispered. “I really am getting old…”
He tried to reach the bottle in front of him, but soon his sight became blur. He reached out his hands frantically and felt the bottle rolled off his hand.
“”Why…”
It went dark again.
•••
RIIIIIIIIIIING
The voice gradually became louder. William opened his eyes and rubbed his hair. His head felt better now, but he still felt dizzy.
RIIIIIING
“Coming,” he said as he stood up. He walked out frantically of the room and took the phone on the table. He pressed the green button and yawned.
“Hello, Will…”
“Hi, Will,” a voice called. “Who’s this?”
He smiled and pulled a chair for himself.
“My little hummingbird,” he said. “Am I right?”
He walked to the fridge at the corner of the room and opened it. There were a few plastic bottles, canned food, and small Tupperwares.
“Yes, right,” she said. “I called to the office, but they said you’re absent… I’m a bit worried…”
William took out a bottle of water and smiled.
“I had a bit headache, that’s all,” he said. “But it’s fine now. Don’t worry.”
William put the bottle on the bench top and opened it.
“Something wrong, Tracy?”
She looked away and bit her lower lip.
“Not really,” she said. “But I guess you’re not feeling very well, it’s alright…”
“Aw, come on,” William said. “I know there’s something…”
She sighed, then she smiled again.
“My parents are coming this evening,” she said. “And they said they want to meet you…”
“Really? I’d love to,” he said. “I can do it, hummingbird.”
“But I thought you’re not feeling well,” she said. “If that’s so, I’ll tell my parents you’re ill…”
“My, my, don’t worry about that,” he said. “I’ll show up for sure. Where will you be?”
“No, don’t force yourself, Will,” she said. “I will tell them you’re not feeling well…”
“It’s alright,” he said. “Where will you guys be?”
She looked away to the iPhone sitting next to the phone, then she sighed.
“In the Duck King restaurant near my house,” she said. “You know that one, don’t you?”
“Sure,” he said. “You want me to bring something for them?”
“It’s up to you.”
He smiled and took the bottle.
“Then, I will,” he said. “What do they like?”
“I’m not sure…” she said. “Maybe you can buy them something simple like cookies or cakes, my parents like sweets, too…”
“Fine then,” he said. “I’ll see you later.”
He pressed the red button and put down the phone. He sighed and drank some water, then he looked down to himself.
“I think I’d better go to work,” he said. “I don’t want to be absent this year.”
•••
“William…”
Anthony stood up as he saw his friend entered the room. He walked to him and smiled.
“How do you feel?” he asked. “I thought I told you that you don’t have to come today.”
“I’m feeling better, thanks…” William said as he walked past Anthony. “So, how’s it going?”
Anthony sighed and looked away.
“The boss has been looking for you,” he said. “Better go see him.”
William looked at the other room which was a few meters away from him, then he nodded. He walked to the door and stopped before it.
“William reporting in!”
He opened the door and saluted. The man with brown hair was sitting behind his desk, waiting for him. He had a red cup and white spoon in front of him with the word ‘Haagen-Dazs’ printed on it.
“I heard you’re sick,” he said as he opened the cup. “Why do you come, anyway?”
“I felt better, sir,” William said as he lowered his hand. Jason looked at him for a while, then he took the spoon.
“Close the door.”
William turned back and closed the door carefully, then he turned back to Jason who was already eating.
“And sit down, please.”
He pulled one of the black chairs in front of the table and sat down. Jason looked at him for a while, then he put the spoon on the cup.
“You did very well in the drug trafficking case,” he said. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you, sir,” William said. He looked at his boss carefully, then he could read that he was thinking about something.
“Can I help you with something, sir?” he asked. Jason looked surprised for a moment, then he leaned back to his chair.
“I just think you need to know,” he said. “From the very beginning when you joined this division, you’ve been looking for the person you call Darren.”
“Yes, sir,” William said. He could feel his hands tremble nervously, but then he squeezed his trousers.
“May I ask what he is to you?”
William felt like his heart stopped, but Jason was still looking at him. He looked down to his hands and slowly shook his head.
“I’m afraid I can’t tell, sir,” he said. “But may I ask what’s going on?”
Jason sighed and pushed away his ice cream.
“Well, of course you don’t know,” he said. “There’s a squad formed to take care of criminal organizations in Hong Kong. Right now, they’re targeting 14K.”
He stood up and turned back to the window.
“Do you know what 14K is, William?”
“14K is the second largest triad organization in the world, its base is in Canton in China, but their operations covered China, Hong Kong, Macau, and US,” William said. “Consisting of 20,000 members, they are responsible for drug-trafficking, arm-trafficking, money-laundering, robbery, kidnapping, murders, prostitution…”
“That’s very Wikipedia,” he said. “But you’re right.”
“That’s very Wikipedia,” he said. “But you’re right.”
“Are you telling me to kill their members in Hong Kong, sir?” he asked. Jason looked at him, surprised, but then he laughed.
“What a question,” he said. “No, no. I won’t give you such an impossible mission.”
“Then what is it, sir?” he asked. “And what does it have to do with the man I’m looking for?”
“There’s a squad that has been hunting their members in Hong Kong,” he said. “A squad full with elite policemen and policewomen.”
Jason turned back and smiled.
“Joining them won’t be a bad idea, right?” he asked. “You’re my best man, I know you’ll be a good help for them.”
His face then darkened, meaning that he was being serious.
“But this may get you killed,” he said. “This is just an offer – I’m not forcing you to be there.”
“I will, sir,” William said. “If that will help to protect our…”
“No, think about it again,” he said. “You have two days to think, so think wisely.”
“No, think about it again,” he said. “You have two days to think, so think wisely.”
William nodded, then Jason smiled and sat down. He took the spoon and spooned the ice cream again.
“You may leave,” he said. “Keep this confidential.”
William stood up and saluted.
“Sir.”
He opened the door and walked out, then he closed the door quietly.
“What is it?”
“Just showing me more gratitude,” William said as he walked past Gregory. He sighed and looked away.
“Man, I wish I’m you,” he said. “All kind of top men like you, Will…”
William suddenly felt something in his breast pocket vibrated. He took out his iPhone and pressed the green button.
William suddenly felt something in his breast pocket vibrated. He took out his iPhone and pressed the green button.
“William here.”
“Hey, bro, I know someone you can ask,” Matthew said as he stepped on the brake. The car stopped right before the black Audi in front of him.
“I can ask…?”
“About that Darren,” he said. “You can track down this Peter Wen…”
William raised an eyebrow.
“Wen?”
“Yes, Wen, Peter Wen,” Matthew said as the traffic lights turned green. “I heard he’s a member of Shun as well.”
“Are you trying to say that Darren is a Shun?” William asked. “Don’t make me laugh, Matt.”
“I hope I am,” Matthew said as he stepped on the gas. “I almost can’t believe it myself.”
William didn’t say anything as Matthew dashed on the road.
William didn’t say anything as Matthew dashed on the road.
“Thanks.”
William put back the phone into his breast pocket then he smiled.
“Gotcha.”
Gregory looked at his friend for a while, then he smiled.
“Will…”
“Ah, it’s nothing,” William said as he turned back. “Do you need something?”
“Ah, it’s nothing,” William said as he turned back. “Do you need something?”
Gregory looked at him for a while, puzzled, but then he shook his head.
“I think you looked kind of happy, so…”
“No, it’s nothing,” William said. “I just heard about an old friend, so…”
“No, it’s nothing,” William said. “I just heard about an old friend, so…”
“Your old friend?” Gregory asked as they walked away. “I see, you’ve been trying to track your friend, right?”
William didn’t say anything until they stopped in front of a desk with a computer on it. William turned back and smiled.
“I need to look up for something,” he said. “If you or anybody else needs anything, just tell me.”
Gregory nodded as William pulled a chair for himself. He sat down and pressed a red button at the bottom of the monitor, and the monitor shone brightly. He took the red mouse next to the keyboard and moved it around. He found a picture of a man with yellow hair, aged around 30, and he had a scar on his left cheek. There was a name below it – Peter Wen. He smiled and leaned back to the chair.
“Things never stop following me, huh…”
•••
0630 hours
A white Ferrari stopped in front of the restaurant, then a man in black suit got out of the car and opened the door at the back. A man black long hair, aged around his fifties, stepped down of the car. He was wearing a dark blue Chinese hanfu, then a woman with long black hair and white long dress followed him. She was holding a brown bag in her hands. A girl with ponytail black hair and purple dress followed them later. The man looked back to the two ladies and sighed.
“Tracy, how many times have I told you not to wear that dress?” he asked. The girl looked down to herself, then she sighed.
“But it’s a beautiful dress,” she said. The woman smiled and turned to her husband.
“Dear, don’t say that,” she said. “Don’t you think she looks good?”
The man turned to the woman for a while. Then he looked away.
“By the way, let’s get in,” he said. “Is that friend of yours coming?”
Tracy turned to him, then she looked away.
“I’m not sure,” she said. “He told me he’s not feeling very well last night…”
“Then, he’s not coming,” the man cut. “Let’s get in.”
“Then, he’s not coming,” the man cut. “Let’s get in.”
The woman looked a bit troubled, then she turned to Tracy. But yet she took her mum’s hand and smiled.
“Let’s get in, ma,” she said. The woman looked at her for a while, then she smiled and nodded.
“Ah, Mr. Lin…”
The two ladies entered the room and saw the old man being greeted by a young man with red vest and white shirt. It was obvious that the young man is a waiter.
“What?” the old man asked impatiently. “I’m here to take my family to eat, not to chat with you…”
“I know, sir,” he said. “A table has been reserved for you…”
He looked surprised, but then he looked away.
“I really don’t have time to chat with you,” he said. “I don’t reserve any, so…”
“Please, follow me, sir,” he said. The old man turned back to the two women, then he sighed and followed the waiter. The four of them walked together and arrived at a small room with a table with four seats inside. William was inside, wearing a black suit, and there was a box in front of him.
“And you are…?”
William stood up and bowed down.
“William, sir,” he said. “Nice to meet you.”
Tracy smiled upon seeing her friend, but the old man looked troubled. The woman turned to him, then she sighed.
Tracy smiled upon seeing her friend, but the old man looked troubled. The woman turned to him, then she sighed.
“Dear, don’t look at him like that,” she said. “You’re scaring him.”
William stood up and pulled a chair as the old man kept looking at him. He then sighed and sat on the seat William just pulled. William smiled and walked to the two other seats on the other side – one at the time, and the ladies sat down. William sat in front of Tracy as a waiter gave out three menu books. The lady in the white dress quickly opened it and smiled to William.
“What would you like to eat, William?” she asked. William shook his head and smiled.
“I’ll just eat what you eat…”
“One roasted duck,” the old man said as he put down the menu. The lady looked troubled, and she looked at the old man sharply. Tracy smiled upon her parents’ behaviour, then she turned to William.
“One roasted duck,” the old man said as he put down the menu. The lady looked troubled, and she looked at the old man sharply. Tracy smiled upon her parents’ behaviour, then she turned to William.
“Are you feeling well?” she asked. “Haven’t I told you that you don’t have to come if you’re not feeling well…”
“I’m feeling fine,” William said. “Don’t worry about me.”
“I’m feeling fine,” William said. “Don’t worry about me.”
She noticed the box in front of William, then she smiled.
“Steamed bun…?”
“I hope you like it,” he said. Tracy smiled and nodded.
“That will be all,” the old man said, distracting the two. “Make it quick…”
William looked out of the room and saw a man with yellow hair and white suit walking past the room. He quickly remembered something.
“Peter Wen…”
“Sorry, sir,” he said. “I think I need to go to the restroom…”
“Go ahead,” the old man said coldly. William smiled and stood up, then he walked out of the room.
“Sorry, sir,” he said. “I think I need to go to the restroom…”
“Go ahead,” the old man said coldly. William smiled and stood up, then he walked out of the room.
“Peter Wen…”
He looked around and saw the man hurried to somewhere. He followed the man who led him to the electrical room. He walked in, then William opened the door and walked in.
“This is a place where only employees are supposed to enter…”
William ducked, then a bullet hit the door next to him. He took out a gun from his pocket and hid behind a shelf.
“This is a situation where I can’t shoot as I want, or I’ll make this fight obvious…”
“William! You’re looking for your father, aren’t you?”
“What do you know!” William shouted. “Like you care about that!”
He stepped out of the shelf, then he felt something painful on his chest. He knelt down and held his chest.
“Why are you here, kid?”
William panted as he stood up. He looked around him – there were a lot of cables around.
“If I can shoot one of the master power…”
“Trying to run, kid?”
William ducked again and the bullet hit his left shoulder. He held it tight and looked around.
“Why are you here, kid?” the voice asked. “Answer me!”
William didn’t say anything as he held his gun even tighter.
“You’re here to kill your father, am I right?”
William quickly got out and shot wildly. He could hear the bullets hit some things, and clanked, then he hid behind a shelf again. He reloaded his gun and looked out, but he quickly put his head in as a bullet flew through the air next to his head.
“Shoot…”
He could hear footsteps getting louder, then he smiled and took a cable next to him. He looked at it for a while, then he shot the cable and it broke off.
•••
“What?”
“Ow!”
A waitress fell on the floor, and spilled the hot tea in the tray. She quickly sat up and looked around.
“A blackout?”
“Geez, how lame,” the old man said. “A blackout at this times?”
Tracy looked around her, worried. A waiter walked to them and bowed down.
“We’re sorry for the inconvenience,” he said. “There has been a sudden blackout…”
“What’s going on?” the woman asked. “Aren’t there generators?”
“There are, ma’am, but some customers claimed to have heard some shooting…”
“Shooting?”
“Please don’t be afraid,” he said. “We’ve called the police, and…”
“Ok, let’s get out of here,” the old man said. Tracy stood up and turned to the waiter.
“But my friend…”
“We’ll try to get him out safely, miss,” he said. “But right now…”
“He’s a police, he has to know how to protect himself,” the old man cut. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
The woman nodded, then she turned to her daughter as she stood up. Tracy sighed and nodded, then she looked away.
“He’s a police, he has to know how to protect himself,” the old man cut. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
The woman nodded, then she turned to her daughter as she stood up. Tracy sighed and nodded, then she looked away.
“Will…”
•••
William stood up and tried to run, but he tripped over as he stepped on a cable.
“Don’t even think to run, kid.”
William turned back and saw the man standing behind him. He turned his body and shot the man. The bullet hit his chest, but he grinned instead.
“You seriously think I’ve come without any preparations?”
William sighed and threw away his gun, then he stood up and ran towards the man.
“You…”
He unbuttoned his suit and took out a ball, then he threw it down at the floor. A thick smoke appeared between them, then William ran away as he covered his eyes. They felt painful as the smoke entered his eyes.
“Don’t ever think…”
He could feel something painful in his shoulder, then he quickly held it with a hand. He turned back and leaned back on another shelf. He aimed his gun to the front and pulled the trigger.
“Ow!”
The smoke started to dissolve as William stood up. He smiled and looked at the man lying below him, who was in agony. He held his stomach and groaned.
“Don’t ever think to what?”
William could feel something in him so excited, then he smiled and stepped back. He aimed his gun to Peter’s head in satisfaction.
“Now then,” he said. “One question before you die. Answer it correctly.”
Peter looked up to William, his eyes full with agony.
“What?”
“Where is Darren Fu?” William asked. “Answer it correctly and truthfully.”
Peter held his stomach for a while, then he sighed and looked up to William. He could feel something went across his body and paralyzed him.
“Tell me.”
Peter could feel himself being hung in the middle of two choices – he felt troubled. But then he grinned and looked down again.
Everything they did on that night. He remembered it.
“Shoot me,” he said. “I deserve it.”
William looked at him for a while, then he stepped on his head and smiled.
“Ding. You’re wrong.”
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