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The girl at the hospital might have been in good hands. Chow was however guarded by two police officers who could see his arm in plaster, an iv infusion to his left arm and handcuffed to the bed frame? If that gave them the belief that he posed no threat re escaping from their clutches, their next decision was one they would both regret.
Standing in front of the beverage machine they used their WeChat app to access the machine in front of them, scanning the bar code the drinks dropped into the tray below. WeChat (Chinese: 微信; pinyin: Wēixìn; literally: "micro-message") is a Chinese multi-purpose social media mobile application software developed by Tencent. You can use this for many uses including making payments for a whole host of services, facilities et
The male in a white doctors coat, a thick mask hiding the lower part of his face, standing next to Chow, would not have been challenged by others. He looked the part and played the role of the doctor to perfection as he checked Chow and then proceeded to ’spray’ his face?
A howl from Chow who’s eyes were stinging apart from the discomfort of the sense of whatever the hell it was he was now breathing in? The so called Doctor ignoring his screams hastily made his exit. The two police officers passed the white coated, masked doctor in the corridor, as they approached the area where Chow was.
One of them raised his drink pointing towards Chow who was looking on returning some abuse in their direction? Suddenly Chow’s head jerked back and his jaw raised with the sight of the palpitations rippling across his throat clearly showing signs that he was having breathing problems?
The arrival of nurses and a doctor as the two police officers were told to step outside whilst they attended to Chow did nothing to stop the the convulsing that followed with foaming at the mouth his palor a blue haze across his lips before he slumped back; dead.
“Strychnine poisoning.” Wu stared at the report in front of her. “Strychnine, when inhaled, swallowed, or absorbed through the eyes or mouth, causes poisoning which results in muscular convulsions and eventually death through asphyxia.” If her fury was directed at the two police officers she knew that those responsible were not them, it was no doubt someone from the ‘Tigers claw’ network sent to ensure Chow was silenced.
“Look on the good side.” Stan tried to relieve some of the tension. “We have Sungo who I think is a definite weak link and if we approach this right, we might persuade him to talk.”
“Your methods here, are too focused on prisoners rights.”
Wu turned to see a male approach her. Wei Rejo was a Chinese mainland police commander. Wu knew he was a superior to her and she bowed as he approached. Glancing at the paperwork, some ten minutes later he stepped into the room where the two remaining girls were being held.
“Which one of you is JeJin?” One of the girls moved to indicate that she was the girl in question.
“Your father is most anxious about you. I am told that he is on his way to collect you.”
If the girl had not received that news with the response Wei might have wished for he was not in the least bit perturbed by her reaction.
“Some of you think you’re going to a better life elsewhere.” He threw some papers at the girls. “Reflect on this! Respect your parents and the choices they make.” He looked at the other girl. “ I know your family. You’re enjoying a good life in Macau so why throw that away for ! Still, you won’t be the first or the last.” With that said,he turned and walked past the officer looking on.
Glancing at the papers the girls stared at some of the images and outlined on the pages, clearly outlined; were horrific accounts of several Chinese girls who had been abducted or promised a better life elsewhere only to end up prostituted, beaten, raped; murdered.
Where Wei ended up was outside the cell of the other suspects. Looking at Wu they were joined by four male police officers and minutes later she knew, they were from the Hunan prefecture.
Handing Wu some documents she recognized one of the officers present.
A powerful figure in stature, you sensed he was not a man to be trifled with re the way he exuded authority. If Wei appeared to be in charge, in fact, in rank he was below that of this male. Hu Shi and she knew he was not just a police officer but had a lot of power gained over the years from his family AND from his political status.
“All of them are my prisoners, including the English female.” DoJin the moment they were shackled recognised Hu Shi as he spat in his face muttering in Chinese cursing him and his family. It was not the first time they had met. The outskirts of Beijing two years previously where luckily he had escaped his pursuers; NOT before Hu Shi had gotten a good look at him.
“Before you ask, we don’t have them.” Mark looked at Stan and then at Wu as she passed him the papers authorising transfer of the prisoners to Hu Shi, he noted there were no names or other detail on the prisoners, it merely said ‘prisoners’. “Isn’t that the guy?” Stan nodded,
“They call him ‘the undertaker’ as most of his prisoners are only fit for burying after he’s finished with them.” Mark knew, mainland China was not a fan of prisoners rights, he knew it also applied to those who wanted to traffic drugs, people or indulge in other criminal activities unless the police were heavily bribed or those involved had ‘connections’. FACT.
YET it could be said that those who didn’t get up to criminal activities or similar seldom felt the presence of those wishing to exact suitable punishment on them. NOT that it was by Western standards always a just system beit police state or politics in play. .
“However you look at it in China, if you’re in China you do as the Chinese do, something sadly in a lot of countries they don’t want to talk about or bury their heads in the sand giving rise to terrorism, hideous acts that are considered OK in their home countries so they think they have the right to do the same in..” Mark’s voiced tailed off as he shook his head.
“We as a team will see so much we’ve recognised time after time persists re the criminal activities across the world. Take out one trafficker and he’s replaced by another. I still feel no pity for drug traffickers and dealers re the horror they inflict on their victims, the families and others who they beat, mug, murder to get more money to feed their drug dependency.”
“We will get feedback from Hu Shi.” “How long Stan will it take him?” Mark was not convinced until Wu whispered in his ear. “Hu Shi is Stan’s cousin, I’m surprised with you knowing Stan and Su Lin that you’ve not crossed paths at family meetings.” It was then that Mark remembered at the ‘lantern festival.’ Albeit briefly he had met Hu Shi with his wife and two children in tow. The perfect family man and yet nicknamed ‘the undertaker’?
“Two of Hu Shi’s distant cousins were girls abducted from their family farm, never to be seen again. It’s family and family rules. When Hu found out about it, he went after those he suspected of carrying out the abductions.
The three males from Vietnam were caught but the trafficked girls were never found. I think after he had finished with the males they had wished a quick death. Hu came out of it mentally scarred and paranoid; he does have two daughters?!”
“Well, if you will excuse me, I have to write up a report to explain how the operation went today, what transpired and how we now don’t have the prisoners. Hu Shi might carry weight in mainland China but here Hong Kong still has some rules in play that I know I am going to get some flack from where others in the legal system are concerned.”
“Has anyone been to see the girl at the hospital?” Almost an hour later Mark was stood next to the bed where the girl was recovering from the appendectomy. Making, he was pleased to see, good progress. A nurse approached him to ask some questions and Mark made it clear he would go to the administrators and sort out the bill for the girls medical fees.
Biju Bo was smiling at seeing Mark. “Thankyou for coming to my aid. I owe you and when I say that I want to give you something.” She leaned over softly cursing at some of the discomfort trying not to pull any of the stitches as now she produced a beautiful jade pin.
“Please accept this with my thanks, this is one of my most precious items but is worth so little in comparison to having the gift of life. Were it not for you I know I would have died. It made me realize how stupid I have been.” He was loathe to accept it but somehow he knew he had to be gracious.
Fluffing up her pillow as she sat forward, he placed it behind her and settled her. Before he left she insisted he sat down and listened to a tale she had to tell, what it would reveal those of the Tigers claw organisation would have sought to silence her about IF for one moment they had any inclination of just how astonishing this silly little quiet Chinese girl was. Her recollection of events, people, places before they came to Hong Kong?
Places, names it was all what she had vividly remembered with that amazing gift she had to recall things in detail. Biju knew that sometimes the little details counted a lot, two of those so called little details had Mark’s attention and ...
“Stan, I need you to pick four of your best, most reliable officers. I want them to guard the girl here, Biju Bo with their lives, two on day shift and two working night shifts.
You will also need to sort out a safe house retreat, one that fewer the better know the details on, we’ll use the same officers,
I suggest two female and two males, make sure they are all armed.
I’ll wait here for them to arrive. After that I want to meet you and Wu, our usual haunt for some information sharing I think will make your day. I will also need the help of Tai Li, our top forger, I want him to produce some temporary new identity papers.”
As for Biju Bo? After her services to them had been completed Mark would put a word in, to, if she agreed; have her trained in the police force. He would look forward to any future possibility of having such an amazing talent on his team as an ‘intern’.
Explaining the situation to her, she was left in no doubts that if the Tigers claw organisation discovered she was a threat to them, they would send an assassin.
“I will guarantee your safety as long as you stick to the rules AND accept that for a while you MUST have those around you to protect you.
Have no worries about your medical bills, make sure you regain your strength, when you are able to move I will have you transferred to one of our safe houses. In the meantime you know NOTHING re anything you have told me!”
Stan wasted no time in bringing Wu up to date on recent events. She knew WHO amongst their officers they could trust to keep the girl secure. Minutes later they were dispatched to the hospital in PLAIN clothes and fully armed.
Now the clock was ticking as to how long it would be before any of the Tigers claw organisation sussed out the threat. Wu knew there were still some in the police force and working with them who were on the payroll of certain criminal elements. Over the years Wu with Stan had built up a list of those they could trust with their lives.
What was it Mark had said; ‘fidelity’ yes that was it, if they were to dig deeper and stay alive was the name of the game, they needed those who were corruption free, prepared to back them up and if need be; with their lives. To be continued
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