Chapter 17: Junction
Sharply at eleven, the wide opens gravel space up in Flying Swan Mountain is crowed with people cheering and shouting. The muffler of both motorcycles and cars roared loudly as it expel carbon monoxide into the wild atmosphere. Two separate gangs group has gathered to compete in this racing event to show off their superior power.
Even though none of the two gangs has mention about their back stabbing of each other during the years, but in each member heart are the growing flame burning wildly wanting the opposite gang to repay for what they has done. The Red Panther gangs is ticked off by Wing Hing for stepping into their territory with several undercover through out the years, while Wing Hing is raged by Red Panther meaning of killing their members and disposing the body in front of their business center such as pub and nightclub. But of course without any proof neither of the group is willing to point finger and decide to just settle their dispute with the race. A race to determines who should step back.
Only the lower level members came to this gathering while the main lead like Ekin Cheng (Red Panther) and Eddie Cheung (Wing Hing) didn't bother to interfere. Marco Ngai the other helpful aid of Ekin has came with his follower to assist Andy out. Hundreds of members from both sides has gather for this event.
A black sport car zoomed into the territory and braked with a sharp skid stopped a foot right in front of Andy and Marco. Both of them show no reaction of fear that the driver would actually hit them, cause they know that he wouldn't dare to. The cocky guy from Wing Hing stepped out of his flat sport car and straightened his black trench coat collar and moved his sunglass up to his short needle like hair. He grinned at Andy and Marco with his tiny cocky looking eyes, "Wah Gor, Marco Gor, haven't seen you two for a while huh? How long has it been?" he pretended to think, "A month maybe?"
Marco rolled his eyes at him and flicked his cigarette butt on the floor and stepped on it with his foot twisting to extinguish it. His cold voices calmly, "Jordan (Jordan Chan), I believe we are not here to chat tonight." He beamed his large harden eyes at Jordan while he tightening his leather gloves. "Andy you want to race first or should I do the honor?"
Andy shrugged, "Sound good to me." He stepped back and the members scooted back to reveal a chair for Andy to settle down to watch. A yellow sport car droved in and parked right next to Jordan car, Nick stick his head out of the car window. "Wah Gor the car is ready!" he shouted excitedly while stepped on the gas to let it roar proudly.
Andy nodded with his eyes on Marco and his arm slickly directed Marco over. Nick got out of the car and let Marco have it for a spin to test the car out before the race start at twelve. Nick headed to Andy and squatted down next to him, "Wah Gor aren't you going to race with him?"
Andy smiled at Nick wisely, "The night is still young, there is plenty of time for us later." Nick nodded and stood up to look for Hei and Annie, they should be around somewhere. Andy beamed up at him, "Annie is in the back by the motorcycle. Is her birthday today, you don't have to stay if you have plan with her."
"Thanks Wah Gor, but she enjoys watching the race anyway. I'll go look for her first."
"Alright." Andy reply and return his attention toward the uproar of the two gangs.
Couple feet away by the crowd of parked motorcycle, Annie stood by them alone. Her eyes are interestedly gazing at the red and black motorcycle with her fingers running along it feeling the curvature. A chuckle from behind her was heard, she swiftly turned around with a huge sweet smile and teasing eyes piercing toward her boyfriend. She playfully lean her lower back against the motorcycle and her right index finger are wiggling to gesture Nick to walk closer.
She notices that both of Nick hands are behind his back and it made her softly chuckle wondering what he is trying to hide from her. Nick stepped right in front of her with his eyes gazed temptingly at her round dark one that twinkled to the street lamp. Her smile glow playfully as she tilted her chin a bit with her lip softly meeting his and pecked it so gently. "What are you trying to hide?" she whispered with mischievous tone and her eyes gazing along his arm following it toward his back, but Nick purposely block her.
"I'll give you three guess, if you guess it wrong there will be punishment," he said with a smug little grin.
"What if I got it right?"
"Then, I'll give it to you and also reward you with a long passionate kiss," he teased while Annie chuckle and try to pull his arm to reveal her birthday present. He shook his head at her steadily. "Uh ah..."
Annie pouted, "Then what is the punishment?"
Nick lean in to whisper into her ears, "Then it your turn to reward me, a passionate long kiss or a romantic long night." He grinned ear to ear with hope. Annie rolled her eyes at him and pushed him away with three fingers on his forehead. He chuckled and pulled his arms out swiftly to wrap around her waist. Annie turned toward her back and saw a red and white motorcycle helmet in Nick hand. She excitedly yanked it away and looking at the design satisfyingly until she saw a pink logo of a pig with wings.
Her smile frowned and turned into a pout with her questioning eyes at Nick, "What is this suppose to mean? Are you trying to call me a pig?" Her tones warn Nick to think twice before answering.
Nick pressed his lip together trying to not laugh at his girlfriend expression. He smiled and slightly pinched her nose, "Of course only Shaw Chu (silly pig) would match perfectly with Shaw Lo (silly guy), right?" Annie giggled to his mushy explanation, it silly but it warms her heart in a special way. Nick smile slyly, he knows she will love the helmet cause Annie has always wanted to learn how to drive a motorcycle herself. "Don't I deserve a kiss?" he pouted at her with his lip protrude.
Annie couldn't help herself from laughing at him every time he does that, cause he looked so silly with beady little eyes and two extended lips. She softly pecked him and he held her closer and tighter for a longer kiss. Hei who heading toward them with a box, he started to shake his head with his eyes rolled at the two of them. He cleared his throat and gazed at Nick warningly. Nick didn't stop kissing, he loves to tease and make Hei irritated. Annie giggled and pushed her clinging boyfriend away. "That is enough."
"Shaw Chu ah, don't let him fool you." Hei said and place the pink box down using the motorcycle as table.
Annie looked at the box with her smile radiated brightly, "Haam Daan you got me a cake this year!"
"Finally something other then the two red hard boils eggs." Nick joked. Annie elbowed her boyfriend to shut up. Nick opened the box revealing a prettily decorated cake with two candles. "Wow it look nice," he sticks his finger on the edge to get some icing. Hei quickly slap his hand away.
"Don't ruin it!"
Nick tasted the small amount on the tip of his index finger, "Mmm..taste good too, want to try Annie?" he hand his finger over toward Annie who rolled her eyes at him.
"Thanks Haam Daan." Annie pecked Hei cheek and hugged him. "Thanks for everything. You really don't have to."
"Enough of the corny lines, let light it up, make a wish, and munch it down!" Hei excitedly said as he light the two candles. "Annie shuts your eyes and made a wish now, before midnight." Annie did as she was told and she knows exactly what to wish for.
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Mean while a taxi pulled up the road and dropped off two Singaporean. "That will be three sixty-eight," the driver said.
Raymond gazed out the taxi noticing the sky being pitch black and no one is around, "Are you sure this is Sky Swan Mountain? Aren't there suppose to be a race?"
"Oh goodies! We could go to a Karaoke club instead!" Myolie suggested with wishful eyes. Raymond gazed at her evenly, making her wrinkling her nose in attempt to make a mean look toward her cousin.
"This is the place son, you need to walk up a bit to see the gangs people. But why would you two want to join them? They are doing illegal racing, if the police is here they will all get arrested and you two too." The driver warned.
His passenger grinned, Raymond love dangerous event, it only brings up his thrill and excitement. He quickly paid the taxi driver and jumped out of the taxi while Myolie stay in the taxi not too sure if they should be here. Raymond rolled his eyes at her knowing that she will chicken out, but he didn't want to come here alone, or else he would leave her with the rest, who has went to visit Flora and Frankie. "Now Myo," he firmly demanded.
Myolie stubbornly stay put, "Ray, lets go else where. It so quiet and dark here."
Raymond sighed loudly with annoyance. He opened the door and dragging his cousin out, "Enough of your whining, I didn't whine the entire day when you drag me mall to mall to shop for your clothes!" he sighed at her irritated, "Hurry, we only have two hour before we have to return to the hotel!" He yanked her hard and she finally decides to give in and stepped out of the taxi, the driver quickly zoomed away. "Come on!" he dragged her by grabbing her elbow
After a fifteen minutes walk up hill they finally sees the group of gangs and roaring sound of cars and motorcycles. Raymond face brightened up immediately as he let go of his cousin and rushed up closer toward the crowd, no one care who he is, since they are too busy with the care race that is about to begin. The small motorcycle race has begins for members to race each other for fun before the big race between Marco and Jordan begin at twelve.
Trying to squeeze by the ocean of people, Raymond pushes against them and gotten himself a great spot to enjoy the race. Myolie who has tries to keep up with Raymond has lost him since he rushed toward the crowd without her. She scanned through the ocean of people trying to locate Raymond, is kind of like finding a needle in a haystack. She pouted and stomped her feet with a frustrated look. "Raymond Koo you come out of there now!!" she shouted. But with the loud noise Raymond definitely couldn't hear a word from her. But the people by Myolie turned to gaze at her, she quickly pressed her lip together after seeing their gaze and they look scary with tattoo and earring along with gold chain around their neck.
Myolie has caught Annie, Nick, and Hei attention too, since they are standing pretty close to her. Annie chuckled at Myolie frighten expression and backing off from the crowd, "She doesn't look like she belong here."
"You don't belong here either." Hei said. Annie gaze at him with a pout, Hei is getting too overly protective.
"Maybe from Wing Hing, they accept basically everyone." Nick smirked. He took another bite into his cake. Annie gazed at his cake with drooling eyes, he chuckled at her cute expression and held it toward her mouth, "You are such a pig." Annie wrinkled the bridge of her noise at him and pecked him.
"Are you complaining?" she asked with accusing eyes. Nick arms are around her waist and they are rocking a bit as they gaze at each other. Annie pouted with her eyes gaze toward the helmet, "Too bad I don't have a motorcycle yet."
Nick pulled out a set of key from one of his pocket and swings it in front of Annie back and froth. Annie jaw dropped a bit with her eyes following the keys. "You didn't!" she disbelievingly shouted.
"I told you, you owe me a long kiss and a night."
"You wish!" Annie pushed him away and laughed hard with the key tossing up and down from her palms. Nick gaze at her with narrowed eyes and started to chase after her. Hei just laughed at the two love birds as he finish up his cake. "Where is my motorcycle?!" she shouted at Nick as she run waving the keys in the air.
"Not until you repay me first!"
"If you can catch up, I will..." Annie suddenly fallen onto the floor and scrapped her elbow.
"Oww!!" shouted Myolie after the collusion with Annie. "Why didn't you watch where you're going?!" She got herself up and rubbing her scrapped elbow too. Her eyes grew with fear seeing blood, "I'm bleeding!"
Nick quickly got up to Annie and helped her up dusting her. "Are you alright?" Annie chuckled at him and nodded. Nick gazed at Myolie with flamed eyes, "You the one who needed to watch out next time!" he warned Myolie.
Myolie beamed her eyes at him with a hiss, "What are you talking about?! She is the one that bump into me! You are so unreasonable! And look I'm bleeding!" Annie darted her eyes at Myolie scrap and it was just bleeding a bit, Annie started to chuckle at Myolie childishness.
"Are you from Wing Hing?!" Nick demanded and he is careless to her complain.
"It none of your business who I'm from," she stubbornly said. "Go get a room if you two decide to fool around. I don't even know why Ray would want to be here." She gazed at Annie up and down, "I don't even know why I'm trying to reason with you people. You guys are a bunch of bullies and ****s."
Annie eye gotten harden at Myolie comment and slapped Myolie swiftly for calling her a ****. Myolie pressed her lip together not daring to speak up as she rubbed her check and gazed at Annie with hate, Annie return the same stare back at her. Nick fist tightened and gazed at Myolie with stern icy eyes, "*****."
Myolie eyes enlarged at him, "Idiot!" she shouted back, she has never swear before, the best she could do is that. The other laughed at her and it made her blushed immediately with a pout. The laughing sound caught Raymond attention and he quickly rush back to Myolie knowing that she must have cause trouble already.
Annie chuckled at Myolie expression; it was quite amusing. "What are you laughing at!" shouted the distressed seventeen years old at Annie, " you looked more like that B word than me!" Nick hand grab Myolie dress collar and jerked her forward, Myolie was at the verge of tears seeing them picking on her.
Raymond quickly stepped up with his hand on Nick wrist. "Sorry, sorry, sorry, she don't mean it. She burns her brain when she was six, so she is a bit delusional. Please forgive her, I'll take her to see a doctor right away!" Myolie hissing and puffing at Raymond for making her sound like a psycho.
A cheerful laughter came from Annie that made Raymond immediately lifted his head and his eyes were locked on Annie. Annie chuckled at him, he don't know what the heck is happening but for that second he felt a bit light hearted. His gazes are kept on Annie noticing her sweet smile and joyful laughter. "Nick let go of her, she probably don't even know what she is saying. I don't want to waste my birthday arguing with her." Annie remarked with her sparkling eyes at the darken Myolie who folded her arms and pouting childishly.
Nick slowly released her, "Don't you dare use those words on my girlfriend again, you heard me?!" A soft humph came from Myolie who tilted her head to look away stubbornly and not welling to bend and agreed, even thought she know she has ran too far, but they started it.
Raymond elbowed Myolie forcefully making her moaned a bit and rubbing her stomach, which make Annie eyes studying Myolie expression with amusement. "Apologize, Myo." Raymond speaks through his clenched teeth. Myolie stubbornly refuse to be the weak one. Raymond mumbled to her again, "Can't you see how many of them compare to just the two of us? I don't want to die yet, so apologize now."
Myolie darted at Raymond and turned to look at Nick with a grumpy mumble, "Sorry." Nick didn't response to her, instead he started to walk away with Annie. Myolie stomped her way heading toward the trail to head down the mountain. Raymond swiftly pulled her back and she scream, "OWW!! Let go!” she angrily shouted.
Raymond notices a trace of blood in his hand, "You're bleeding!"
Myolie rolled her eyes at him, "Well, duh!"
"You need to get to the hospital now!" Raymond urgently pulled her. "You should know better to get yourself cut!"
"I'm fine! It not too deep, it'll clot in time," she reassured Raymond as she wipes her cut and try to stop the bleeding but it wouldn't stop.
"Yeah when you are dead!" shouted the worry cousin. "Come on!" They followed the trail passing trees and brushing heading down toward the main road. But they stopped midway cause they saw several cars coming up the mountain. "Shhh..." he pulled Myolie down to hide behind the bushes trying to see who coming. The car slowed and stopped at the distance road where the taxi drivers drop him and Myolie off. Raymond is curious to why they parked there to rest. The people in the cars stepped out all wearing black with white gloves.
"Who are they?" Myolie whispered with curious eyes. Her eyes widen at the guy standing by the trunk, "They have guns!" Raymond quickly covered Myolie mouth tightly and dodged down lower. Myolie bit her lip with fears seeing the group of men below searching the area with their alert eyes. Each of them is holding weapon.
"Shh...don't say a word Myo. You listen to me, I want you to stay put and don't stand up or move." Raymond ordered as he turned around. Myolie grab his arm firmly.
"Where you going?" she whispered.
"To tell them about this," he said while Myolie shook her head no. She don't want Raymond to get involve.
"Don't worry, just stay put," he gazed at Myolie still bleeding elbow and sighed. "Put pressure on your elbow." Myolie nodded. Raymond quietly crawled back to the gangs.
Myolie eyes enlarged with fear seeing about twenty mans all holding guns and heading up a trail, luckily is a different trail then where she is. Looking at her surrounding seeing it being dark and spooky, she start to shiver with fear and wish that Raymond hasn't left her here alone. Seeing the men slowly making their way up the mountain with guns, she started to panic and worry about Raymond. What if shooting occurs later on and Raymond got shot, since he is in the crowd?
Shakily her hand searched into her backpack and pulled her cellular phone out to call for help. After several rings she finally hear the voice that she always turn to for help, "Gor" she whispered.
"Myolie can you speak up? I can't hear you," he said, trying to battle against the sound of Joyce singing in the background.
"I can't speak up," she stressfully said.
Louis walked out to the balcony and shut the slide door, "What's wrong? Are you bore at the Hotel?"
"No, Gor please come here, I'm scare."
"Where are you?" Louis asked in a more urgent tone. He could tell that Myolie is serious this time.
"Up in a mountain call Flying Swan. We came to see a car race, but we saw lots of men with guns. They are heading up, I think they wanted to kill everyone up there."
"Why did you two get up there for?!" yelled Louis. He sighed, "Never mind about that, where is Raymond? Both of you get away from that area as soon as possible."
He could hear Myolie started to sob, "We were going to return, but we saw them. Ray has ran back up the mountain, he wanted to inform the other, what if he get shot..." she rambled with trembling voice.
"Myolie calm down. I'll come and I'll get help, just stay put where you are and don't cause any attention, you hear me? And if Raymond come back to you, don't let him leave your side," he told her, even though he is not too sure what Myolie is talking about, but it sound dangerous.
"Okay." Myolie answered and wiped off her tears.
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