Pools of Blood

Chapter 21

"You will be released from the hospital after a few days", I said.

Sun was setting and we sat on the roof of the hospital side by side. The whole sky illuminated the orange hue of the sun. It looked beautiful. But our minds were too much in turmoil to appreciate the view.

"I can't go back to Busan", she replied softly.

-"No. You don’t need to. You are going to come and stay with me. I mean us. Mom and dad are also staying at my place".

She looked at me. Her face was calm and serene, just like the sky after a long rain.

-"I don’t want to trouble you, Michael. You are already doing so much for me".

I shook my head and tried to smile. "I am doing all these for myself. I have lost both, my wife and my brother. This is my war too, as much as yours."

-"You are right. You have to fight together."

We went back to our silence. Deep in thoughts, I questioned myself again and again. ” Who was this Frank Ting? Is he related to me? How come I have never heard of him? None of the citizen’s databases have shown anyone by this name in our country. Is he the real owner of FTH?”

These questions were preening my mind. I felt so hopeless in the dark not knowing what the future lay in front. No one knew who the actual owner of FTH was? That part was always shrouded in mystery. FTH had several agents who were highly trained in their profession. They conducted all business meetings and proposals. They were given prestigious positions, good pay, and perks. But there was one man who controlled all the operations, hiding in the dark. That man had neither a real identity nor a face. No one knew how he looked like. He might be sitting on the bench of the hospital waiting room like a snake in disguise. Who was he? Why didn’t he ever come out and accept himself as the owner? Because he was afraid of his exposure. His revelation of his identity may either took him to prison or assassin him in a cold sweat. He was afraid to face the world. So he continued his dark crimes from behind. And Alfred found out who he was.

"How are we going to find a man just by his name? The name might be a fake one too, just like the others’, Jasmine asked. She seemed to read my mind.

-"You are right. I don’t know. I am going to study Alfred’s diary today once more and I might go back to your flat again. Maybe I can find anything more this time."

She nodded. I got up and stretched myself.

"Come on. I will take you back to your chambers. You need to rest", saying I started to pull the wheelchair towards the lift.

"Michael I have a request."

-"What?"

-"After I recover I wanna train for combat."

-"Why do you want that? It's very strenuous."

-"I know. But I wanna learn how to hold a gun and shoot. I can't sit uselessly and sulk for the rest of my life. I wanna fight. This is my battle too. And when I find that suited man, I would be the one to put all the bullets inside him. Just the way he did to Alfred. And when I find Woori I would kick her hard. I wanna make her feel how it feels like to be assaulted."

Everyday Jasmine was amazing me with her willpower, her vitality, and her sheer determination. I knew she was in tremendous pain, both physical and mental but she was willing to stand up and fight her battle.

"Michael", she pleaded softly. "Please, I wanna avenge what was done to me. I can't forget that night. Every time I close my eyes, Alfred’s dying smile flashes back. None of us is going to live in peace until FTH crumbles to dust."

I nodded. "You are right Jasmine. If that's what you wanna do, I am with you. I myself will train you until you are ready to fight."

She looked satisfied with my answer.

"I am done with crying. No more tears. It's time they should know, that they have f****d the wrong girl."

***

Lenus was sitting on a reclining chair listening to music on the radio at one end of the room. He was shifted to a police quarter at Incheon. The whole area was cordoned off and was heavily guarded. Not even an insect could fly in without being hit by a laser gun. Bo Chang had kept his words. He had promised his safety and Lenus was to be given Z plus security until the case ended.

Suddenly something slid past the window. Lenus startled and he half rose from his chair in panic.

"What was that?", he asked himself. "Maybe a bird or something." He comforted himself.

"Nothing to worry about. There are dozens of police patrolling everywhere."

As he was about to lay back into his chair, he saw to his horror, a shadow. A shadow of a man was falling onto the opposite wall. Lenus half shrieked in panic. He started to shiver. He knew them very well. They had come for him. The police had failed. Sweat dripped from his nose. Sweat streamed down from his temples. His breath came rough and harsh.

He got up and ran into the bedroom and hid under the bed.

"Where were the police guards? Aren’t they supposed to be guarding me?", he thought, shivering in fear.

Then he heard a soft thump. Someone landed in. But from where? All the windows were sealed shut. Lenus’ head was reeling. Then he remembered and cursed himself for his carelessness. He was making food in the evening. The kitchen windows were left open to release the smoke. "s**t! s**t! s**t! ", he cursed himself.

"Lenus", came a soft voice from the hall. A soft silky voice of a fox who knew how to manipulate the others into doing his work. Their Boss.

"Lenus, why are you hiding? We need to talk. Do you possibly think I came here to kill you? Did I send a dozen people on the way to extract you from being taken, remember? Come out we need to talk."

Lenus was very afraid. His shirt was drenched with sweat. He knew the Boss was lying. Probably this would be how he would meet his death. He had realized his mistake of part-taking in the r**e and murder, while he was left under police interrogation in the Base. He had promised to turn into a new leaf. Maybe God doesn’t want that.

"Lenus, I know you are under the bed. Do you want me to pull you out?"

-"Boss, is that you? ", Lenus called out from his hiding place. He has to stall him until help came. After every 30 minutes, police would come to check on his security. It's been more than twenty minutes gone. A few minutes more, and he would be saved.

"Yes. Lenus, my dear. Come out", he coaxed him gently just as a father coaxes his child.

Lenus crawled out.

"There you are, my boy", Boss came and stood over him.

"Boss! Please don’t kill me", Lenus pleaded. Tears were streaming down his eyes and splashing on the floor.

"Lenus", he knelt before him. His face was masked, and he wore the same blue suit. " Why did you say everything to the police?"

-"I was afraid. They tortured me so much. I was broken."

-" Oh Lenus! My baby boy", he whispered caressing his hair.

-"Boss please! "

-" Do you know I am on my way to a wedding tomorrow? I have to go shopping and look you have wasted my time."

-"Boss I am sorry. Please don’t kill me. Please! ", Lenus cried with folded hands.

The boss scoffed a smile and nodded.

-"Sure. I won't kill you Lenus. Not now. Don’t you want to know who is getting married tomorrow?"

Lenus shook his head. He had already peed in his pants.

-"It's Woori."

He got up and went towards the mirror at one corner of the room. "Poor husband of hers! "

He started to laugh. "So poor! I feel pity, you know Lenus?"

He took a comb and started to comb his hair.

-"Why Boss? What had she done? Do you even know where is she? "

-"In our line, there is no place for love, marriage, or anything. You f**k. You kill. And no, I don’t know where is she. But I will find out. She hasn’t left the country yet. Plus, you are also responsible."

-"M-m-me? How? ", Lenus stammered.

"Because of you, Lenus. You gave their names away. Thankfully the others are safely out of the country. Except her. You are a f*****g i***t. You couldn’t even retrieve the diary."

He growled and looked at him. Within a wink of an eye, he pulled out his small shotgun and pressed the trigger.

"I did a mistake in hiring you. Now I have to clean up your mess."

He took a look at the fallen body. Lenus was still gulping for air like a half-dead fish.

" Sorry, Lenus. Now I have a bride to kill."

Saying this he left the room.

Lenus laid there in pools of blood with a phone inside his pocket and the recorder was still on…