The Zodiac of PRA IV: The Return
Chapter 43
Vivian Leung – Erin Yeung aka Scorpio
Ruby Lin – Mia Lam aka Pisces
Nick Cheung – Darren Chiu aka Taurus
Louis Koo – Luke Yam
Julian Cheung - Doug Chung aka Virgo
Kenix Kwok – Rebecca Heung aka Cancer
Joyce Tang – Reina Ng aka Gemini
Charlene Choi – Jenna Cheung aka Aries
Maggie Cheung – Sara Liu
Patrick Tam – Devin Hsu
Jenna took the plate from Erin’s hands “Thanks. Can we put aside your drama for a second, Doug? I think Darren found something.” She nodded to him while taking a bite of her food.
Darren nodded, opening the book, he passed it around for all to see “You see anyone familiar?”
“Is that…Robert Kwok?” Erin asked.
“Looks like the mystery man knew my father.” Jenna nodded “I’m positive he came to see my dad on the night of his murder. But he didn’t do it.”
“Who do you think did?” Doug asked curiously as he passed the book to Luke but realized he wasn't with the team “Sorry.”
“I think Devin has something to do with it.” Jenna said firmly.
Erin and Reina exchanged glances and Mia quickly noted “What? You two just looked at each other. Erin, is there something you should be telling us? No more secrets, Reina.” She threatened.
Erin reached into her butt pocket and pulled out a fading picture. She handed it to Jenna “I found this when we were cleaning out your apartment a couple of days ago.”
“Devin and my dad?” she stared at the picture hard “They knew each other too.” She gave the picture for Mia and Darren to see.
“They look like old buddies.” Darren noticed.
Doug reached out his hand while Mia gave him the picture “See, this is how close Brad and I were.” He said to Luke.
“He never met Brad, but he’s not stupid.” Mia snickered “Don’t listen to him Luke, he never liked Brad.”
Luke laughed, “I’m not sure whom to believe now.”
“Well, I’ve never been so insulted!” Mia gaped at him while covering her daughter’s ears “Bon Bon, you shouldn’t have to hear this.”
Erin turned to Jenna “What are you thinking?”
“The three went to school together?” she said hesitantly.
“I think so too.” Reina nodded in agreement “But what is their relation?”
“Maybe they are on the same team and planned to kill my dad together?” Jenna said “Joe’s been taking sleeping pills since I could remember. I assume the only people that know this have to be close friends to him.”
Reina smiled “My thought exactly.”
“I don’t think Devin did it.” Erin blurted out causing the others to stare at her “I didn’t tell you guys this, but I saw Devin at Joe’s funeral. He stood from far away, but he came dressed in a black suit and faced Joe’s grave. He bowed three times and left.”
“Maybe he knew you were looking?” Doug asked suspiciously “That guy can’t be trusted, we don’t know anything about him except that he can kick ass.”
“But why would he bow three times? There’s no need to be respectful.” Reina pointed out “I’m going with Erin’s gut feeling. I think Devin is innocent.”
Jenna nodded eventually “Yeah…I don’t sense anything dangerous about him. When he helped me that one day, I noticed that he was very nice but full of silent clues.”
“There’s no way in contacting him?” Mia asked as she passed the picture back to Erin.
“Not that I know of. He comes see me but I can never find him.” Erin sighed.
Doug snickered while picking up another piece of pasta on his plate. The group looked at each other and back at Doug. He chewed away and turned his head up only to be startled from all the eyes on him “What? I didn’t say anything.”
“But you snickered.” Mia pointed, “What do you know that we don’t know?”
“Look nosy, this doesn’t concern you.” He rolled his eyes and got up to get another plate of food.
“But it concerns me.” Erin guessed.
Doug paused as he turned to her “You could say that.”
“Wait, is this Sara the same one we saw at the bar?” Darren asked. Doug nodded and he smiled “OH…I see why it concerns Erin.”
“Why? Why?! Tell me.” Mia rushed him. As she moved her ear closer to Darren’s lips.
He laughed while giving her a kiss on the cheek “Sorry sweetie, this really doesn’t concern you.”
Doug came back to his seat and before he could sit, the doorbell rang “Oh, your bride is here.” Mia teased.
“IF she asked, tell her I jumped off a bridge!” he turned and raced to the nearest hiding place in the kitchen.
“Be a man!!” Mia exclaimed.
“SHHH!!!” Doug hushed from the rice closet.
Erin sighed, “I’m letting the tiger in.” she walked to the door and opened it. Before she even got a chance to greet her friend, Becca walked inside.
“I know he’s here…where is he? Huh? Where is he hiding?” Becca demanded.
“Hello to you too Becca.” Erin said with sarcasm.
“Cut that crap. Where is he?” she said with hands placed at the hips.
Erin smiled as she wrapped an arm around Becca’s shoulder “Are you hungry? Would you like some food?” she led her into the kitchen “Look who’s here.”
“HI Becca…” the group greeted in unison as if rehearsed.
“Hey.” Becca nodded hastily until her eyes landed on Luke “Brad?” her face turned pale “Oh my heavens…do you see what I see? It’s Brad!!” she pointed.
Erin turned to Luke “No, I don’t see Brad.”
“You don’t??!” Becca screeched “Mia, don’t you see Brad?”
Mia caught Erin’s wink as she played along “No, I don’t. Are you okay Becca? We don’t see Brad.”
“Maybe he came back with unfinished business?” Reina played the game well “Did you owe him something?”
Becca moved herself behind Erin “Make him stop Erin. He won’t stop staring.” If she noticed Jenna stifling a laugh, she would have caught them on the joke, instead she continued to panic “I’m sorry Brad…I didn’t mean to steal from you.?”
“You stole from me?” Luke asked in surprised.
“AH!! He talked!!!” Becca clutched onto Erin’s shoulder “Yes, I did…I took your wallet as a joke and blamed it on Erin causing you two to get in a fight.”
“YOU did that??!” Erin turned to her friend threateningly.
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!! I didn’t know it would get out of hand.” She apologized “I also ate your burger on March 31, 1992 during lunch, sophomore year and I said some guy walked by and took it. I didn’t want to tell you it was me because I was afraid you would make me throw it back up.” She sobbed horribly “And I also…” she stopped when she heard a giggle from Jenna “Wait…You…you’re not Brad.” She pointed, “You’re his twin!!”
Reina laughed as she pushed Jenna “You had to laugh! I wanted to see what else she’ll confess.”
“That’s easy, Reina. Just stare at her.” Mia quipped while she let out her own laughter.
“You guys are sick.” Becca spat. She moved closer to Luke “That was not funny.”
“It was from our side.” He laughed “But any friend of my brother’s is a friend of mine. Have my seat.” He got up like a gentleman and gave up his seat.
“No, I don’t want to sit.” She shook her finger “I’m looking for a rat…where do you think rats hide?” she asked the group. No one dared to answer her so she came to the person that would not lie to her “Bon Bon, tell Auntie Becca, where Uncle Doug is.” She said sweetly “He’s playing hide and seek and we have to find him.”
“That’s low.” Mia said as Becca grabbed Bonnie into her arms and placed her on the ground.
Surely the girl raced for the rice closet and sprung it open “I found you!! I win!!” she claimed happily.
Doug looked frightful as he emerged with Becca staring at him with vicious eyes “What are you doing?” she asked calmly.
“Looking for…eh…mice. Erin, I don’t think you have any in there.” He moved passed Becca and returned to his seat.
“Doug Chung, this is not funny. How dare you run out on me while I was still lecturing you.” Becca declared “I treat you with the utmost respect and this is how you repay me? Running to another woman’s home and eating her food while I stay home hovering over a hot stove to cook you a meal?”
Luke raised his hand hesitantly “Actually, I cooked.”
“I did the lasagna.” Jenna raised her hand.
“And I’m not ‘another’ woman.” Erin acknowledge.
“You’re missing the point!” Becca said frustratingly “He disobeyed my rule. Respect. That’s all I ever ask for.” She said with reason. Doug snickered causing Becca’s red eye to emerge as she glared at him.
Doug turned to her and moved his eyes away “Damn! I’ve got to stop doing that!”
“We’re going home now.” She reached for his arm and yanked him up.
“No.” He whipped his arm away. The group gasped as they backed away from Doug and Becca.
“What?” Becca asked, unsure of what he was saying.
“No, it’s self explanatory.” Doug replied, his words dripping with sarcasm “NO!” he exclaimed, “Wow, that feels invigorating. NO!” he cried again with a laugh “Hey, it’s not that hard. My therapist will be so proud.” He laughed deliriously.
“Boy, you better apologize before I really get mad.” She said through gritted teeth.
Doug sighed as he stood up and faced her “I’m tired.”
“Me too, so let’s go home.” She reached again for his arm.
“No.” he dodged her reach “I mean, I’m tired of us. I can’t do this anymore. Becca, we’re not compatible. I’m nice and easy going, you’re jealous and mad. It’s like a firebomb waiting to happen. I found it endearing the way you chased after me but after we got married, you turned the notch up to walking bomb. I don’t know when you’ll explode and take me down with you. I can’t live like this anymore…I need a girl that appreciates me, not accuse me of sleeping with every girl that I meet.”
“Is this about Sara?” Becca narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
Doug sighed, “See what I mean? No, it’s not about Sara. She was just the tip of the iceberg.”
“Good metaphor.” Mia complimented.
“Thank you.” Doug said and turned his attention back to Becca “You can’t stand here, look at me and say that we are a match made in heaven. Look, I think you’re great, but it crosses the line of female dominatrix when you start putting homing devices on me.”
“I said ‘IF’.” Erin reminded him. He threw her a look as she turned to her watch “Oh wow, it’s my bed time. Bye guys.” She ushered the group out as they happily obliged.
Becca couldn’t tear her eyes from Doug, she was shocked at what he was saying “What does this mean? You want a divorce?”
He nodded “I think it’s for the best.”
“You’ll be sorry.” She said in a low voice before marching out. The group huddled in the living room as they witnessed her leaving. She didn’t say goodbye, only walked out with a red face.
“Oh my God, she killed him!!” Mia exclaimed as she raced into the kitchen. Doug was leaning against the island range when she sighed with relief “Oh thank God, you’re not dead.” She hugged him dearly.
He frowned at her strangely “We’re getting a divorce.” He announced.
“I’m sorry.” Jenna said sincerely.
“No, it’s for the best.” Doug sighed “But I wonder…will she burn down my clothes? She said I would be sorry.”
Erin shook her head “I don’t think she’s that crazy. Becca might be a little over the top but she’s not capable of acting high school. Let’s give her more credit than that.”
“So what now? What are we going to do about the team?” Darren asked.
“I’ll talk to Ted about that.” Erin nodded firmly.
“Talk to him about something else too while your at it.” Doug snickered.
Mia pointed at him “Okay, that’s like the third time tonight. What do you know that we don’t know?”
“I told you, it’s none of your business.” Doug walked over and pulled Erin by the arm. They were out of ears distance “I think you know what I’m talking about, but I just want to confirm. Ted still has feelings for you but there is a third person that will get her heart broken regardless.”
“Sara?” Erin guessed.
Doug nodded “She’s madly in love with him but he can’t get over you. If you don’t find a future for you two, maybe you should cut him from your wrist.” Erin lowered her head “You do know what I mean.” He smiled and climbed the stairs to find an empty room “Thanks for letting me stay.”
She smiled after him "I didn't."
Chapter 44
Aaron Kwok – Ted Kwong aka Libra
Vivian Leung – Erin Yeung aka Scorpio
Maggie Cheung – Sara Liu
Patrick Tam – Devin Hsu
The following day, Erin drove down to the police station to see Ted. She walked through the familiar corridors until she reached his department. A recognizable male nodded to her “Kwong Sir, you have a visitor.” He announced towards Ted’s desk.
Erin waved with a small smile “You have time?” she asked when he got up to greet her.
He glanced at his watch “I guess.” He turned to the group “I’ll be back.”
Erin noticed Sara in the corner desk, nodding politely at her. She smiled at the girl and followed Ted to the station cafeteria “Work busy?”
“It’s the usual.” Ted shrugged nonchalantly “But that’s not why you’re here.”
“No.” she shook her head “I don’t know how to say this Ted.”
“You can tell me anything.” Ted reached for her hand automatically while she pulled away “I’m sorry…I forgot we…” She lowered her head and he quickly regretted reminding her “So, what did you want to talk to me about?”
“I’m sorry.” Erin said sincerely as she looked at him in the eye.
“For what? Everything we had is in the past, I don’t want to let it bother us anymore.” He said firmly.
“No, it’s not okay. I have been hanging you from a string for years now, it’s about time I be honest with you and myself. It would never work between us. My feelings are too complicating and I feel like I’ve been leading you on.”
He raised a hand to stop her “I don’t want to hear this.” She opened her mouth but he cut her off before she could say something “Tell me something Erin, did you ever love me?”
She did not want to lie to him “I care about you a great deal.”
A saddened smile appeared on his face “Is it that hard to lie to me?”
“No, it’s hard not to tell you the truth. That is something I always had with you. I could never lie to you. Eventhough I know it has hurt you in the past, I don’t want this to end without a closure.”
“So what are you saying exactly?” Ted asked.
“There is no chance for us.” Erin sighed, “I’m sorry. It’s not about Brad or Luke or anyone else. I just think we are not made for each other. You deserve much better than me. And according to Doug, you’ve got a secret admirer.”
He moved his eyes away from her “If you’re talking about Sara, we’re just friends. There’s nothing more than just co-workers.”
“Why are you not giving her a chance? Is she a horrible person?” Erin tested.
“No, she’s a great girl. She makes me laugh sometimes and she’s so thoughtful…” he smiled remembering the joke she said earlier.
“But?” Erin knew there was a reason, there always was.
Ted smiled “You know me too well. Maybe I can’t let go of us or maybe it’s too soon. I’m not ready to accept a new person.”
“I think it’s just an excuse.” Erin’s gaze penetrated into his “You’re afraid of giving your heart to another girl because of me. I don’t mean to hold you back Ted and I never meant to hurt you in any way. All the things I did were to protect you from getting hurt. I did a horrible job but in the end, we will still have the same conclusion. We don’t belong together.”
“You don’t know that.” He emphasized.
“No, I don’t know for sure, but I still know at this moment in time, it would never work out.” She tilted her head at him “You can’t tell me that a portion of the reason why you took care of me was because Brad told you to before he was killed.”
“It has something to do with it but I still care about you a great deal. I know what love is, Erin.” He sounded hurt and she realized the hole she was digging could never be covered.
“I’m not doubting you, Ted. But I’m saying that it’s not fair for you to hang onto something that’s not there. You could be missing out on a great girl. Someone that deserves you as much as you deserve her.” She said earnestly “I hate myself for being responsible for your pain but please don’t use the package as a float, it will sink you eventually.” She got up “Think about it Ted, that’s all I ask.” Smiling she turned to leave without looking back. He didn’t watch her leave like he normally did, his eyes fixated on a certain female that sat a few tables from him. She tried to hide her gaze but it was obvious she had been looking at him.
***********
Erin left the station feeling lighter on her feet, a problem was off her shoulders as she headed down the street. Jenna asked her to pick up some vegetables, she was making a veggie casserole that Reina was salivating from her description. The girls got along amazingly and they accepted Luke into their lives with open arms. She hoped it would help him from feeling isolated.
Bags of fruit and vegetables hung over her arm as she searched the market for other interesting food “Pomegranates?” a lady picked up the red fruit and handed it to her.
“Oh no, I don’t like this fruit.” Erin declined gently.
“It’s free.” The woman smiled as she placed it in a ready back and handed it to Erin.
She looked at her strangely but decided to take the bag. She walked down the street to a bus stop and waited for the next ride. Curiosity taking over, she opened the bag with the red fruit inside, there was a note ‘Tsim Sa Tsui 2pm.’ She glanced at her watch, it was 1:30. Who had left her a note, she wondered to herself.
Erin dropped the food at home and drove out to the city of Tsim Sa Tsui and parked her car at a local lot. Walking down, she stood in the center of the town. Glancing at her watch, she noticed it was five minutes til 2pm. Suddenly, there was a giant explosion from a car a couple of blocks down. She turned her head to keep the debris from flying towards her.
She moved away from the chaos that began to fill the streets and into an alley. Standing there was Devin, leaning comfortably on the wall. In his hand a control made from a clear plastic material “Did I get your attention?”
Erin turned her head at him “You caused the explosion?”
He smiled “Don’t worry, no one was in the car.”
“But there were people around it.” She argued with reason.
“Are you always this righteous, Erin? Live a little…life can be fun.” He snickered.
“What do you want?” she asked hastily “I don’t have time.”
Devin moved himself off the wall as he laughed, “Of course you don’t. But you are curious aren’t you? Curious to know who I really am. If not, you wouldn’t have come here.”
“I didn’t know it was you.” She crossed her arms “Honestly, I don’t care to know who you are, I just want to know who killed Joe.”
“Funny, you didn’t accuse me.” He analyzed.
Erin smiled “You wouldn’t be standing here if you killed Joe.”
“Ah, you are the observant one.” The crooked smile appeared again, his eyes wrinkling at the edge with the smile “What do you know?” She pulled out the picture and handed it to him “That’s me and Joe.”
“You two look like good friends. But we never heard Joe talk about you.” Erin frowned “At this point, I don’t know who’s team you’re on.” He raised his brows as she elaborated, “We know Robert Kwok and Joe went to the same school. What do you know about them?”
He motioned for her to follow him down the alley “Actually, we all went to the same high school. It was my first year and they were graduating that year, strange enough we were on the same soccer team. I’ve been playing since I was five, so I was allowed to be on the more experienced team. We got along really well and became the three musketeers.” He opened a door for her to enter but she paused at the steps “If I wanted to kill you, I would have plenty of time.” He assured her.
“It’s not harmful to be careful.” She smiled and eventually entered the run down home. She looked around while he motioned for her to sit at the broken table, there was a limp on the chair “You live here?”
“No, I hide here.” He said darkly.
She tilted her head “If you’re trying to scare me, you can save it. I don’t scare easily.”
“Right.” He nodded as if remembering something “Joe said that about you. Strong, stubborn and hard working. But he was forgetting calm, dangerously beautiful and smart.”
“Flattering won’t get you nowhere.” She said, trying to hide her blushing face.
He laughed humorously “I guess you want to know why Robert killed Joe?”
“So he did do it. You were there…” she recalled Jenna said she bumped into him.
“Yes but alas I was too late. He was murdered hours before I came by.” He sighed sadly “Robert is not going to stop until someone kills him. And he’s not hard to kill what with all the bodyguards that surround him daily. He knows what the team is capable of doing, he’s not stupid to give you guys a chance.”
“What’s your relation with Joe?” Erin asked straightforwardly “And how much do you know about the team?”
He raised his brows “The team…you mean before or after?”
“You know about London?”
He laughed “My dear, there’s a lot I know.” Sighing he began the explanation “Thirty years ago, Robert Kwok’s father formed a team of thieves called P.R.A. which stands of Paying Ron’s Assets. Ron is the name of Robert’s father. Of course not many people knew of this group of thieves' official name except a handful of people. Every time they robbed a bank, they’d leave behind three letters P.R.A. scratched on the wall. Interpol had a hell of hard time finding them. They were masters at stealing, they were trained killers, no one could stop them.”
“How did they get caught?” Erin grew intrigued with the history of the team.
“Joe.” He smiled, recalling the day like it was yesterday “He was only eighteen years old, on his senior trip to London with his class. He witnessed a robbery by the P.R.A., he recognized one of the male and you can blame his wonderful memory. He was able to sketch out the man’s face. Interpol found him and it started a trend, slowly they caught all the thieves and eventually Ron. He was thrown in jail for life. But at that time, Joe didn’t know that he was Robert’s father. He didn’t understand why Robert suddenly gave him the cold shoulder.”
“So Robert is in this for revenge? For his father?” Erin concluded.
Devin smiled “Obviously. Joe took the team’s name into his own hands and turned it for good. He couldn’t bear having the name be ridiculed by the English for the P.R.A. was formed by a Chinese man. Joe was too loyal to his country. He turned the P.R.A.’s world around. Instead of thieves, the team were made out of highly trained and skilled agents formed to protect the people and keep the evil from rising.”
“That explains a lot.” Erin nodded, overwhelmed by the information she was taking in “Why didn’t Joe tell us all this?”
He laughed “I may know a few things but I don’t know everything. You will have to ask Joe that yourself when you die. But, I wouldn’t want that to happen because who would bare my children if you’re gone?”
She ignored the last comment “Why did you tell me all this?”
“So you can warn the others.” He said casually “And I’m trying to get on your good side, is it working?”
“Maybe.” She smiled secretively “You still haven’t answered my question.”
Devin nodded “What is my relation with Joe?” Erin tilted her head into a nod “Hmm, that is the question, but I am not ready to answer that.”
“When will you be ready?” she asked while he got up to pour her a cup of tea.
“When the time is right.” He smiled “Have a drink. I’ll take you somewhere in a minute. But let me show you something first.”
Erin gulped her drink down, she didn’t realize how thirsty she was. Looking around, she noticed a picture on the wall. Getting up, she walked closer and had to squint to make out the faces “Who is this?”
“My mother.” Devin replied without looking up from his crouched over position.
“You look like her.” Erin shook her head when she had a sudden dizzy spell. Soon, the tiny room was spinning as she turned back to Devin, who stood up facing her with a conniving grin “You…what’s in the tea…”
“Sleeping pills.” He crossed his arms and stepped closer to her. Waiting for her to go unconscious as he caught her in his arms “Works every time.”
Chapter 45
Vivian Leung – Erin Yeung aka Scorpio
Louis Koo – Luke Yam
Julian Cheung - Doug Chung aka Virgo
Kenix Kwok – Rebecca Heung aka Cancer
Joyce Tang – Reina Ng aka Gemini
Charlene Choi – Jenna Cheung aka Aries
Tony Leung – Robert Kwok
Dicky Cheung – Chris Wong
Patrick Tam – Devin Hsu
Erin woke up to a cigar filled room. She tried to focus her blurry eyes on the figures in the room but the medication was too strong “Miss Yeung, what a pleasure it is to finally meet you.”
She didn’t recognize the voice, but she knew who it was “Robert Kwok.”
He laughed giddily “Devin, I’m sorry I doubted you. She is bright!”
Her eyes snapped over to the other figure leaning against the corner of Robert’s desk. They were staring at her like a piece of meat. Her arms were chained together and she was too weak to move “Don’t even think about struggling. The medication I gave you is not just any ordinary sleeping pill. It’s specially made by one of the top anesthesia medication in the world.”
“What do you want?” she asked, her vision was returning.
Chris stood in the dark corner, glaring at her with angry eyes “Kill you, what else?” he answered. She turned to him with a laugh “What’s so funny?” he asked.
“I didn’t know dogs were allowed to bark.” She quipped.
He charged at her “You bitch! I can kill you right here, just like I did to your sister!” he reached for her neck but before he even touched her a gun was pointed to his head.
“You fucking come near her again and I’ll blast your brains out.” Devin threatened.
Robert stood up with a calm laugh “Now, now... men, we should not turn against each other for a woman. Must I remind you, Devin that there are more important things to do?”
Chris moved away from Erin and retraced to his place in the corner while Devin retrieved his gun “She’s mine. I captured her, she’s my prisoner.” He said darkly.
“Of course.” Robert agreed quickly “Chris, you are not to disturb Miss Yeung.”
“Yes, sir.” Chris replied obediently.
“Shall we discuss our plans?” Robert asked Devin with a welcoming grin.
He raised a brow “Maybe later.” Turning to Erin, he reached his arms under her knees and neck as he picked her up with ease. She didn’t have the strength to fight back.
"Sir, why do you fear him?" Chris asked after Devin left with Erin.
Robert's dark gaze returned "I don't. I could kill him if I wanted to...but we have a plan to carry out. Once I'm finished using him, you can do anything you want with him."
"With pleasure." Chris replied with a laugh.
Devin took her to a room in the basement. It looked like a torture center, weapons and whips lined up on the walls “Robert has a fetish.” He seemed to read her mind without trying.
“I didn’t ask.” She snickered.
“My bad.” He smiled the same smile she had learned to recognize. He chained her to the ready chains attached to the wall “Aren’t you going to ask me?”
She refused to look at him “Ask you what?”
“Ask me why I took you here.” He replied casually while making himself comfortable on a seat across from her, a small round table next to him “Ask me what my relation is with Joe.”
Erin shook her head with a sarcastic smile “I don’t know why I even trusted you.”
“Did you?” he asked with surprise “Funny, I had the impression that you hated my guts. Erin Yeung hated to lose in any fight or battle.”
Her smile faded “How do you know so much?”
“I thought it was obvious?” he raised his brows “Joe told me.” Her eyes moved away while he got up and walked closer to her until they were inches away from touching “If you ask me again, maybe I’ll tell you.”
“I wouldn’t believe you if you told me.” Her eyes moved to his. They were full of hatred and anger, he knew if she wasn’t medicated or chain, he would have a hard time beating her this time.
He nodded understandingly “I deserved that. Anyways, business awaits. I shall be back later to check on you.”
“Why did you do it?” Erin asked suddenly.
“Money.” He replied shortly.
She shook her head “No, I mean protect me from Chris.”
He shrugged casually “Nothing special. I just don’t like the bastard. Anyways, we have more plans for you. If he killed you, who will we use as bait to get the team to come here?”
“Go to hell!” she cried angrily.
He reached his fingers around her jaw and held it still while he pressed his lips over hers. She struggled but he was much stronger. When he finally moved away, he noticed her nose was flaring and she looked ready to kill “Hmm, what a waste.” With that, he turned and left the room. Again, she felt ready to explode.
*************
Later that night when Jenna was busy in the kitchen, Luke came home to a sweet vegetable aroma “Wow, that smells even better than my crab!” he called into the kitchen.
Jenna peeked her head out from the kitchen “Thanks!”
“Is everyone home?” he asked while throwing his keys onto the coffee table.
Reina appeared from the stairwell “I just got home and Doug is still asleep. I don’t know about Erin.”
“Really? That’s not like her to just go without leaving us a message.” Luke analyzed.
Reina wasn’t the least bit worried “She’s a tough girl, she can take care of herself. Let’s ask Jenna, she was the last to see her, I think.”
The two trailed into the kitchen “Hey Jenna, did you see Erin today?”
She was tasting her tomato and veggie soup when she looked up “Yeah, she dropped off five bags of food. Then she said she would be back for dinner.”
Luke turned to Reina “I’m worried.”
She too was a little worried, but refused to believe something bad had happened to Erin “Let’s wait it out.”
Doug finally woke up from a lazy day in bed, he was mentally exhausted and it felt great to sleep without someone yanking him up at seven on a Saturday morning. He let out a long yawn and got off of bed to wash up. He walked down the hall with his hand scratching his back and butt. Doug didn’t notice a little charm on the floor as he stepped directly over it, startled he jumped back. He focused on the small object and when he picked it up, he noticed it was a necklace “Who would throw things around the house like this?!” he cried with annoyance for the charm poked his feet.
He marched downstairs and into the kitchen where he could hear them talking “Ooh, look it’s the boogie man.” Jenna pointed at the frumpy and dirty looking Doug.
“Oh, you think that’s funny?” Doug smiled “Fine, I guess I’ll just toss this!” he held the chain while the charm dangled from the ends.
“Hey! How did you find that? Joe gave that to me for my twenty fourth birthday” Jenna exclaimed while she touched her neck “When did I lose it?”
He cradled it into his palm with a laugh “You dropped it on the hallway and I stepped on it, nearly killed me. I could have toppled over the banister and crashed onto the tile floor, guts out and all.”
“You can get that from stepping on a cross necklace?” Jenna flicked her left brow up.
“Sure, anything’s possible.” Doug opened his palm to look at the chain again “Hey…this looks like a key.”
Reina frowned as she pulled out a hand and he placed it on her palm “It does look different.” She held it up to the light “The end is a little jagged.”
Jenna looked around for a towel but reached for Luke’s t-shirt instead. He looked disgusted while she said “It’s just water.” She walked over to Reina to look closer “It’s too new to have jagged edges, anyways, it never left my neck.”
“Maybe it opens something?” Luke asked. The three turned to him while he looked confused “Stupid question?”
“No, good one.” Jenna nodded as she waved for the three to follow her to her room “Joe never told me that this was a key, but maybe he wanted me to discover it somehow.”
“Do you have any boxes? Jewelry cases or makeup boxes?” Reina asked.
Jenna pulled out the boxes from under her bed, Doug opened the lid and began searching for small locked boxes “Not that I know of.” Jenna said as she crawled under the bed to pull out another box.
“Jesus, how many boxes do you have under there?” Reina exclaimed in shock after the fifth one was shown.
“Too many.” Jenna laughed “Okay, last one.” She yanked the heaviest one out.
They searched for a while but could not find anything that matched the key. Doug circled the room while the three went over the items in the boxes again. He’s seen the type of key before, it didn’t just open boxes, it opened cases in walls and frames used to hide flat objects. He found a peculiar framed picture of Jenna and Joe on the bedside “Is this new?”
Jenna looked up “Yeah, he bought it for me this year too.”
Doug flipped the frame in a circle motion, a smile crossed his face when he found the left horizontal side had a small incision “By George, I think I’ve found it.”
“What?” Jenna bounced from her seat with Reina and Luke joining her on the bed.
Doug reached for the key in Jenna’s hand “We turn it like so…and presto.” The framed popped open from the wooden part. Inside was a small microchip, it was clear and plain looking "Thank you, thank you." Doug smiled proudly.
“What is it?” Luke asked in wonder.
Reina picked it up with her finger “A computer chip.”
“What do you think it is?” Jenna asked curiously “What does it contain?”
“Only one way to find out.” Doug took the chip from Reina’s hand and rushed into Erin’s room, which had a computer. He pulled the rectangular shaped box from it’s place and pushed the chip into a USB socket “If I’m not mistaken, this is the latest technology information chip. It can hold up to 20 GB, almost the same amount as a regular computer carries.
“I had no idea you were a geek.” Reina commented while Jenna laughed.
He only smiled at the insult “Don’t be jealous because you don’t know what GB means.”
“You got me there.” Reina sighed.
The four stood back while the computer booted. Doug sat in the chair as he used the mouse to navigate on the desktop. He pulled out the correct file and opened it. Inside the file was another 10 file folders. Each labeled in alphabetical order “Should we start with A?” he said more to himself as he opened it “What have we here…”
“It’s the articles about the P.R.A.!” Jenna pointed “Scroll down!” she instructed hurriedly.
“Patience my little grasshopper.” Doug said calmly as he pulled the screen down. Joe had typed up notes about the event “Ron Kwok, caught in a drug bust. With days of investigation, Interpol has concluded that the 49 year old was responsible for forming the P.R.A. He has said little about this team of Chinese thieves. England has cramped down on foreign visitors especially if the origin is Chinese.”
“Wow…” Luke sighed “What does that mean?”
Reina turned to him “It means Robert Kwok is behind all this in revenge for his father’s arrest. He’s serving life in prison and it’s his way of claiming back the team that once belonged to his father.”
“But Joe used the name for good.” Jenna pointed out.
“Precisely.” Doug smiled “Let’s look at the other folders, shall we?” he opened the next one “Old memoirs. Pictures of when he was in high school.” He scrolled down and came upon an odd picture.
“Joe, Devin and Robert Kwok.” Reina said “They look close.”
“Joe’s in the middle.” Jenna pressed her finger on the screen “He’s always in the middle.” She noticed after Doug scrolled the pictures down “What do you think it means?”
“The other two wanted him to have bad luck?” Luke suggested.
Reina shook her head at the naïve man “No, it means he’s the mediator. Without him, the other two won’t get along.” She crossed her arms and turned back to Doug “Open another one.”
Doug nodded and opened the files, most of which were information about the agents that had joined the P.R.A. since it was developed. The last folder contained information that the group would never expect. Jenna’s eyes popped open “Oh my God…” she gasped.
SIUBINGLIBRARY 2004
