Chapter 25
Aaron Kwok – Ted Kwong aka LibraIt was a clear crisp day, perfect for target shooting. Chuck was at the range early to set up. When his young team got there, they were ready for anything “I’m gonna get a 100%.” Riley promised.
“I’m doing 101%.” Mark added.
“Oh please, it’s nearly impossible to get that your first time.” Leah rolled her eyes at the egotistical guys.
Chuck raised a hand to silence them “No, you can’t do well.”
Ryan frowned “Why not?”
“It’s going to make Eve look bad and she’s not going to want to learn. Don’t you think it’s bad enough she’s doing a class with a bunch of kids?” Chuck declared.
“We’re not kids.” Leah reminded him.
“You are to a woman pushing forty.” Chuck retorted.
Ryan sighed with a smile “I guess we’re lucky Jenna isn’t here, she’d have a mouthful for you, Uncle Chuck.”
“It’s Mr. Lam today. Got it?” he warned.
“Yes Sir!!” the four saluted him.
“I didn’t know this was an army class.” Eve’s teasing voice broke their huddle.
Chuck turned with a laugh “Oh no, the silly kids…it’s just an inside joke they came up with. Don’t mind them. Come on, I’ll help you with your gear.”
“Oh Riley, can you help me with my gear?” Leah mocked making the guys laugh to themselves.
“Get down and give me ten!” Chuck pointed the ground.
Leah blew up with laughter “That’s good!”
“I’m serious. There will be no disrespecting the teacher.” Chuck announced threateningly at the other guys with widened eyes. Leah slowly got to the ground as she did ten pushups.
Riley reached down to help her to her feet “I’m gonna tell Jenna the next time I see her.” Leah promised, “She’s the only one that can quip him.”
“Enough monkey around, come on, let’s get ready.” He waved them over “Remember.” He whispered to the four. They nodded without much feeling. Five places were set up and a target was placed three feet away “Raise your guns!” Chuck announced “Ready… shoot!”
Leah still had a grudge against Chuck as she shot the center to perfection, beating Eve’s shot which was near the second circle from the bullseye. The guys exaggerated their shots, Ryan’s didn’t make it on the target. Eve looked pleased at herself as she turned to Leah “Not bad, we girls are kicking their butts!”
Chuck threw Leah a warning and she smiled at Eve “Lucky shot.”
“Again!” Chuck called out as he controlled the targets to move back another three feet “Ready…steady hands…and shoot!!”
Leah closed her eyes and pulled the trigger, the shot did not make it on the paper. Ryan on the other hand was testing his skill. Moving his target to the corner of the paper, he shot it to perfection. Riley and Mark played the card well as their shots barely made it on the paper leaving Eve’s shot the best “I got it on the target!!” she exclaimed happily.
Chuck smiled “Good job.” He nodded and pointed to the group again “Last one.”
*********
Darren could tell his daughter was bored of the games he bought for her that morning to keep her company while he worked. Feeling bad, he approached her miniature picnic bench “Are you having fun Bon Bon?”
She pouted but decided to give him a smile instead “Not really, daddy.”
“Do you want to go to a playground?” he asked while smoothing out her straight hair.
Bonnie shook her tiny head “Mommy says there are bad people out there. She said when I become five years old, she will get me a real swing set.”
“But daddy’s here, no one will harm you. Come on, I think I need to have a little fun too.” He gestured for her to take his hand. Bonnie gave him the most adorable grin as she took his hand and he picked her up easily “This is our little secret, don’t tell mommy.”
“I promise.” Bonnie giggled as she crossed her fingers with his pinky.
The limo stopped at the public park where plenty of kids were out with their parents playing on slides and swings. Bonnie’s eyes lit up like a candle as she got out of the car “Where do you want to play first?” Darren asked. He quickly scoped the place for strangers but they were mostly mothers with their kids. He was the only father around.
“That one!” she pointed to the slide while racing over the rubber ground to get in line with the rest of the kids. Darren watched with a smile as she stepped up the ladder with care, he wasn’t worried since their house had stairs and Bonnie had learned long ago to walk up by herself. He stood at the end of the slide to watch her slide down but she looked scared, with her eyes looking around “I’m scared daddy!!” she was near tears.
“It’s okay honey. Daddy’s right here…you won’t fall, I’ll catch you.” He coaxed while waving for her to slide down on her own. Bonnie nodded letting go of her hands, she closed her eyes and allowed the slide to take her down. She felt a wind blowing at her and then a pair of hands picking her up. She giggled when she realized it was Darren’s “See? Daddy’s here.” He assured her “Let’s play on the swing.” He pointed.
The day went by quickly for the two as they spent hours at the park. Even when there were less people, the two were still playing and eating ice cream from the nearby cart. Once they were done with desert, they moved into a game of hide and seek. Bonnie hid in the only place she knew, under the slide and Darren played along pretending to look everywhere “Where’s Bon Bon?” he sang merrily moving around but ignoring the slide.
She giggled and quickly jumped out “I’m here daddy!!”
Darren appeared to be startled making his daughter giggle with excitement that she scared him “Wow…where were you? I didn’t see you anywhere.”
She bounced up and down “Let’s do it again! Count to a hundred.”
He smiled and turned away closing his eyes “One, two…” he was in the middle of counting when his cell phone rang. Picking it up without thinking, he answered “Darren speaking. Hey, Randy. What’s new? I haven’t talked to you for ages.” His conversation didn’t last for two minutes. He hung up and turned to catch Bonnie’s pink jacket moving under the slide “Ready or not here I come!” he announced and did the same routine, looking every where else but the slide. After a couple of minutes, he turned to the slide “Where’s Bon Bon?”
He noticed she was not laughing nor answering. Smiling as he approached the slide and jumped underneath it “Gotcha!!” His heart nearly stopped, Bonnie was gone. Her jacket was pinned to a stick that looked hastily pushed into the ground “Bon Bon?” he knew she was not smart enough to pull a disappearing act “Bon Bon!! Bonnie!!!” he circled the playground while screaming for his daughter.
There was no answer “No…no…” he refused to believe that she was gone. Running towards the street, he asked anyone he saw on the street if they saw a two year old in a pink dress. They looked at him like he was a lunatic, he was hysterical “Oh my God… No! NO!!” he bent down on his knees and covered his head in his knees “This is not happening…” he muttered over and over. Angry tears escaped as he began to blame himself “Why did I pick up that call?” he asked himself and quickly slapped himself in the face “Stupid!”
Ted was walking along side the streets, work was bringing him down as he couldn’t think of anything else but Erin. He decided to relief some stress by walking when he overheard a couple talking about a lunatic by the playground. Thinking it was something serious, he rushed over and halted in his steps when he saw Darren’s frumpy hair, his suit jacket on the ground “Darren?”
He didn’t bother looking up even when he realized it was Ted’s voice “Bonnie…” he shook his head like a madman.
“What happened?” Ted asked. He knelt down and noticed how disheveled Darren looked. His face was smeared with tears and his eyes red “Bonnie? Where is she?”
“I…I don’t know…” Darren groaned, “Someone took her…kidnapped…no…Mia’s going to kill me.”
Ted shook his head in disbelief “Darren, get a hold of yourself. Have you even looked?”
“YES! I looked everywhere. I was playing hide and seek and an old friend called me, I picked up and was on for like a minute. I turned and she was gone! Gone! Two fucking minutes!! That’s all it took!! Where the hell did they take her? Who took her??!!”
Ted took a hold of Darren’s shoulder “Darren…Darren!! Calm down!! Come on, we have to go report to the police.”
“God, I’d kill myself if something happens to her!! I swear!” Darren said it again and again while Ted tried to get a hold of him. He was even worse at the station describing in detail what happened.
“We’ll do our best Mr. Chiu.” The girl replied professionally.
“I have to find her…” Darren muttered crazily.
Ted didn’t stop him in time but he beat him to the door “Darren, stop it! You don’t know who took her! I don’t want to have to send another search party for you. Whoever did this mean’s business. I think he knows who you are and it could be linked to that list.” He said in a low voice “Losing your logic at a time like this is not the best for Bonnie. We’ll find her…” he promised.
Darren was defeated as he nodded “I’m tired.”
“I’ll take you home.” Ted ushered his teammate out of the station. They reached the house and Darren could feel the blood draining from his face. On his double doors was a picture of his daughter gagged and blindfolded. She was still wearing her pink dress. His chest was heaving as he reached for the photo and placed it silently in his pocket "Who did this?" Ted asked out loud.
"I'm gonna find him." Darren said through gritted teeth. He walked towards the monitor room "I have hidden cameras all around the estate." he picked the front door camera and rewind the tape.
Ted shook his head when they saw the figure, it was a male and he had on large sunglasses along with a cap "Do you recognize him?"
Darren shook his head "No...wait." he paused the picture and pointed to a cut on the left arm "What's that?"
"Shit...it's him." Ted cursed silently.
Chapter 26
Aaron Kwok – Ted Kwong aka LibraErin looked drained from energy by the time the plane landed. She could not sleep on the flight unlike her fellow teammates. She was burdened with the choice of telling Luke the truth. They entered the city jail with the help of Joe, who pulled a few strings for them. They met the kidnapper and he was cooperating. Although she wondered what Devin would do, they never met up with him at the City Hall and their flight home was successful. She figured he was only bluffing. But whomever he was, she guessed he would show up one day.
Mia sensed her worries as she smiled kindly “Hey, we’re here for you.”
“I know.” Erin nodded “I’m beat. I’m going home.” She sighed.
She was not surprise to enter an empty house. Ted left behind a note: ‘Erin, I figured it would be too hard for us to continue living together. I will be the big man and move out instead of waiting for you to ask me to…because I know eventually you will. As much as I love you, I understand that it is not something you can push. I will wait until you are ready. In the meantime, let’s be friends. Ted’
Her heart was heavy as she sat down on her couch, alone in the house. Tears trickling down her tired face “Brad, where are you when I need you?” she asked to the air and settled her head onto her lap and cried.
**************
Mia was excited to come home to her family. She missed her Bonnie dearly and wondered how the two made out without her. Unlocking the house, she entered with a large grim “Home at last. Honey, I’m home!!!” she called out. There was no answer “Bonnie? Darren! I’m home.” She cried out from the staircase “Where are you?” she began to wonder if they were even home. She walked up the stairs and into her bedroom to find Darren sitting at the corner of the room, disheveled and unshaven “God you scared me!” Mia gasped while gripping her stomach “Why didn’t you answer?”
He didn’t bother turning up to her “Sorry.” He whispered.
“What?” Mia asked, unsure of what he said “Where’s Bonnie?”
The mention of her brought tears to his eyes “She’s gone.”
“What?” she asked again with a nervous laugh “Stop playing Darren. It’s not funny.” She walked over and noticed her looked like he hadn’t slept in days “Dear God, you look like shit…Wait…I know what this is about. You two are playing a joke on me right? She’s hiding somewhere. You’re just mad because I went away for a couple of days. Bonnie!” she got up and raced down the hall to her daughter’s bedroom “Bonnie.”
Darren followed her slowly “Mia…”
“Where is she? She’s hiding really well. I know! The closet!” Mia opened the closet door and peeked inside with a laugh “I know you’re in here!”
“Mia…” Darren began again. It broke his heart to see her like that “She’s gone.”
“Stop saying that!!” Mia snapped “Where is she? Is she in the kitchen?” pushing him aside, she rushed down the stairs and searched the large kitchen and pantry “Bonnie!” her heart raced with each unsuccessful search. Darren stood at the doorway and she turned to him angrily “Where is she? This isn’t fun anymore.”
He lowered his head sadly “I’m sorry.”
“SHUT UP!!” Mia cried suddenly “Stop saying that. No…tell me Darren. I want to know the truth. Where is she? Darren!!” she yelled when he refused to look at her. Walking closer to him, she noticed he was crying “This isn’t funny.” She said through tears “Darren?” she begged “TELL ME!” she gripped at his shirt and pulled him closer “Tell me now!!”
Darren got a hold of his emotions for a minute as he looked up at her “Kidnapped.” Mia shook her head in disbelief, denial taking over “It’s all my fault. I took her to the park—”
“The park?!” Mia demanded “I forbade her to go there!”
“I know!” Darren cried in defense “But she’s two, she needs to explore what a real two year old does. I’m sorry…maybe I should have listened.” He shook his head, tears flew to the floor as he explained the situation “After I hung up and turned, she was gone.”
“A phone call?” Mia asked stepping away from him cautiously “You turned your back from our child for a phone call?! Darren, out of all the things you’ve ever done, I could forgive you…but Bonnie?” she asked in a trembling voice.
He quickly approached her with his hands outstretched “I’m sorry Mia. Please…you have to forgive me. We can work through this. She could still be alive.”
“You don’t know that!!” Mia screeched as she pushed him away “If anything happens to her, I’ll die.” She sobbed “I can’t live without her, Darren. She’s my life…” she broke down while covering her face in her hands and weeping away. He quickly took hold of her in his arms only to be pushed away “Get away from me!!” she snapped “Don’t ever touch me again.” Shaking her head she backed away from him like a stranger.
“Mia!” he called after her when she rushed out of the kitchen and eventually out of the house. She left everything behind, only taking with her the pain of losing her little girl. He chased after her but it was too late, she had hailed a taxi and disappeared down the streets “MIA!!” he strained his voice but it didn’t matter anymore, she was gone.
*****************
Erin was cooking dinner when her doorbell rang. Dropping the hot lid to the boiling pot, she cried hastily “Coming.” She jogged to the door and opened it “Mia?” she noticed the girl’s eye was puffy while fresh tears stained her face “What happened?”
“Bonnie.” She sobbed and fell into Erin’s embrace.
“Oh my God.” Erin muttered while patting her back “Come on, tell me what happened.” She ushered her friend inside while Mia tried to explain through tears. After she was done, Erin felt her pain as well as Darren’s “He must feel horrible right now.”
“I don’t care!” Mia said heartlessly “He lost her!”
Erin shook her head “But Mia, he didn’t want it to happen.”
“It’s a little too late for that.” She snickered.
“I know you’re angry. But he’s very upset right now, he needs you.” Erin coaxed.
Mia shook her head “I don’t care right now. I don’t want to see him and I don’t want to even look at him. I left him for four days, Erin. How could this happen?” Erin opened her mouth only to be cut off by Mia “Save it! I don’t want to hear anything about him. I came here for support not for a logic lecture. If you’re a good friend, just let me stay here as long as I want.”
Erin understood what she was asking “Okay. That’s fine since I’m alone anyways. Ted left.”
“He did?” Mia asked “I’m sorry.”
“That’s not important.” Erin shook her head “I’ll deal with this later.”
Mia smiled despite the tearful expression “You can’t keep pushing this back. When are you going to see Luke?” Erin sighed at the question “Why do we always have drama?”
Erin laughed at the comment “I don’t know, my friend.” Suddenly, the doorbell rang again “I’m popular today.” Erin said with sarcasm.
“If it’s him, tell him I jumped off a bridge.” Mia snarled.
It wasn’t Darren, it was Reina at the door. A duffel bag in hand “Any room for a hitchhiker?” she joked.
Erin welcomed the girl with a hug “You need a place to stay?”
“Yes, I’ve been at a hotel for the past two nights.” Reina sighed “I asked around and they told me you had the biggest house, well next to Darren and Mia’s that is.”
“It’s only his house now!!” Mia cried from the living room.
“What’s with her?” Reina asked as she dropped her bag at the doorway.
Erin sighed “Long story, come on. We’ll let her explain.”
Sipping on their coffees, the girls listened while Mia vented out her anger. But the more she talked about the problem, the more she grew angry at Darren. Erin and Reina exchanged glances “What?” Mia asked when she noticed their looks.
“I agree with Erin.” Reina said slowly making Mia squirm in her seat “Before you get your undies in a rut, let me explain. I just think if the shoe was on the other foot, he would be angry with you but he would understand eventually. This is not a time to split up the family.”
“She’s right.” Erin nodded “How do you think he’s feeling right now?” Mia shrugged carelessly “Like he wants to die. He lost his kid and now his wife left him? I’d probably hang myself.”
Mia was caving in but eventually anger took over her again “I can’t girls…as much as you guys make sense, I can’t go back to him right now. The thought of it makes me sick and I want to strangle him.”
“Maybe we should stop talking about it?” Reina suggested “Don’t you guys want to know how my throat healed so fast?”
Erin and Mia turned to her “You’re right. What kind of medication did you take?”
“Nothing. Herbal teas and homemade soups.” Reina smiled.
“Wait. I know that smile…” Mia pointed “Alright, who is he?” she asked with interest.
Reina laughed “Why does it have to be a guy?”
“You turned?” Erin questioned with widened eyes.
“No!” Reina grinned “But I’m still not telling.”
“Aww, come on, you know I hate secrets. You guys know everything about me!” Mia pointed out unfairly.
“That’s because you tell it to everyone you just met!” Reina laughed “Remember? Within three hours that I first met you, I knew where you came from, your parents’ lives and your childhood.”
Erin smiled, she knew Reina was trying to get Mia’s mind off Bonnie. It was her magic how she could read Mia so well. She was glad Reina was on their side again, whatever happened in the past, she vowed to forget it all and start a whole new beginning. Her thoughts trailed away as she remembered Ted. Just because she ignored it didn’t mean it will go away. Sooner or later, she would have to face him.
****************
The following day at headquarters was eerie and cold. Matt knew of what happened through Ted who informed him the same day that Bonnie was kidnapped. The tension was so thick, he wasn’t sure if it was the best idea to put them in the same room.
Mia ignored Darren and refused to sit in her own chair making Reina take over. The younger teammates turned to each other in wonder. They had no idea what had happened “We have a mission.” Matt began.
Mia suddenly raised her hand “Can I be excused from this mission?”
“Why?” Matt asked.
“I think it’s obvious.” Mia said coldly.
“No, you cannot. You are in the Team, the P.R.A. is nothing without the teammates. I will not allow this.” He replied with authority.
“Then I quit.” Mia stood up only to be pulled back down by Erin
“Hey. Don’t be irrational. Come on…it’s our job.” She said gently.
Mia was subdued as she nodded quietly “Fine.”
“Good. Now then. Let’s begin. We got notice from Joe that a group of terrorists are coming to the Federal building, apparently they want to destroy our legal documents. Why? We still don’t know. But we have to stop them. They are dressed in regular clothes and look like any other normal person. Our job, find them and take them out before someone gets hurt.” Matt explained.
“Why don’t we just evacuate the building?” Leah asked.
Reina smiled at the naïve girl “Then they will try it on another day.”
Matt nodded in agreement “Reina is right. This is our only chance, once and for all.”
“Wipe them out before they get near us.” Jenna concluded.
“Yes. But Jenna because of your undercover work right now, I have to ask that you sit tight and stay with me in the P.R.A. van. Everyone else, get your bulletproof vests on and meet me at the door.”
“Sir!” Becca stood up suddenly “Is she joining us?”
“Whom?” Matt asked.
Reina laughed “I think she means me.”
Becca nodded and Matt smiled “What is your concern?”
“Code names…” Becca pointed to herself “I’m Gemini right now…and well…you know.” She pointed to Reina who was Gemini at one point.
“I think it should be seniority.” Mia blurted out only to earn a punch from Becca “Do I look like a punching bag?” she asked.
Matt smiled “Actually Becca, I agree with Mia. You will be Cancer from now on.”
Doug turned to his wife adoringly “I guess I have a thing for Cancer.”
“So you had a thing for Eric?” Mia quipped “I always thought you were a little too feminine in high school.”
“Nothing bothers you does it?” Darren asked quietly.
Erin came to her friend’s defense “It’s a defense mechanism. You should know that Darren.” He lowered his eyes and she quickly felt guilty “I’m sorry…”
“No.” he smiled sadly. The worries took years from his eyes “I deserve that.”
Matt had had enough “I don’t think you guys heard me the first time. Move out!”
“Yes, sir!”
Chapter 27
to be continued.............
SIUBINGLIBRARY 2004
