Remorseful Reunion

CHAPTER FIVE:STILL UNKNOWN

Still in the warehouse, silence stretched almost everywhere except from the sound of heavy breath that came out of Hei, who was panting so heavily after seeing the situation he was in right now. The stinky warehouse had a bad odor, which circulated whenever the breeze blew in.

“Your parents are so lucky to live in such an area with tight and strong security personnel. Luckily for me, your wife and your ex-girlfriend were the easiest target remaining on my radar,” the voice from the mask said. With a knife in his hand, standing behind Tang's chair, he rubs his hands gently on her face almost down to her cherry, which popped out slightly from her chest.

Hei still stands in confusion and frustration, looking at both ladies hopelessly. No idea seems to be coming up in his mind.

All of a sudden, he moves a little trying to plead with them. Hei tries asking them “what exactly do you want from me?” I know you guys are after me, right? So why not leave these two behind and face me head on?” His pleading just fell on deaf ears.

One of the masked subordinates looks at his boss and nods, stepping forward towards the table where the gun is kept. He handed the gun over to one of the muscular statues that had broad shoulders among them.

“Boss, here is it, "he said, bowing his head. As he hands over the gun in his possession to him.

“You know, people like you are different types of species that don't listen to instructions and that pisses me off. I told you to make a choice between these two. Not as if your parents were brought here also. How lucky for them,” the voice from the mask remarked. Which seemed as if he was the boss.

“Are you OK?” Hei said loudly, eyes checking Tang and Song so intensely.

“I'm fine!” Tang and Song said gently. Their voices were like they were hanging on something and diligently in a way that they wouldn't provoke the expressionless masked figure, which moved out of the shadow behind them.

Song tried to detect where the direction of Hei's voice sounded from with a blindfold in her eyes.”Hei –” she spoke in a cracked voice. “Hei, I'm scared please–”

“Well she's fine also,” the masked figure behind them said, almost tired of words that came out of Hei's mouth, moving forward into the presence of the light above them, which was just one bulb. Don't make me repeat myself for the third time. You have to make a choice and don't delay my time.

“Just tell me who sent you?” Hei's jaw clenched." Who is behind all this?”

The masked figure moved his head forward. “Does that even matter right now?”

“Well, it matters to me.”

“Name your price, I will offer you something more relevant.” The man stares at both women with absolute cruelty.

Silence kept stretching through whenever the mask figured spoke to Hei who was still sweating heavily and confused about what to go next.

“I know you signed those divorce papers -– which I hope you happened to have prepared for them already, accessible, relinquished over claims towards Tang, and moved out of here with Song. Or–” he let his words sink, “perhaps you choose your wife and Song will remain here with us.”

The sound of the breeze slices through so intensely, in the warehouse.

“You just have four minutes,” the man added.

He checks the time on his watch. “ Starting from now.”

Hei glared at Song– shivering, blindfolded, saying his name in a shattered whisper.

Then he looked at Tang, who froze in shock.

Tang, who kept staring at him with those still, grey eyes that left nothing away. Tang, who just came into his life through his unbearable desires and stayed through sheer quiet endurance. The same Tang that I offended hours ago. Tang, who had boldly signed her name on the bottom of the divorce papers, with steady hands.

Tang, who was carrying something, kept to herself alone.

Something he needed to know but didn't know yet.

Something that would change the circumstances for good– if he only knew about it.

“Three minutes remaining,” the voice from the mask said. Hei's hands clenched into fists at both sides.

And then– all of a sudden inside the rafters above them, a call from a single phone began to buzz loud.

The masked figure snapped and moved his head upward. The two others exchanged glances immediately.

The phone rang again.

And then a voice– gentle, audible, absolutely feminine, sounded through a hidden speaker system somewhere unknown inside the building. The voice seems familiar to Hei.

It paused.

“It's time,” the voice said smoothly, “we put an end to this pretensive show.”

The masked man tilted slowly towards Song– still on her seat, still blindfolded and shivering.

Just that she had stopped shivering, her hands still tied behind the chairs she sat on. Gently untied herself, unknown to everyone around.

The rope loosened and dropped to the floor immediately.

Song removes the blindfolded tied to her eyes calmly.

When she stared at Hei, no atom of tears tickled down her eyes.

There was absolutely no sign of tears in her eyes. “Hello, Mr Hei,” she spoke softly, and smiled.

Tang's breath paused immediately in her throat. Hei moved back with the full devastating blow of realization that hit him.

The masked man who spoke to him suddenly moved to Tang.

“Times Up,” Song said.