Full Moon and China White

By AJ

Chapter 3: 4 hours missing

"The business owner's name is Alex Sun. He's had the market there for ten years, running it with is wife, who died six months ago."

Samantha tried to concentrate on Jack's words, but her gaze kept straying to the photograph of Martin stuck on the blank white board. It was the same photo that was on his ID card.

Vivien's voice refocused her attention. "A woman that lives across the alley remembered seeing a dark van parked behind the business. She only noticed it because no one usually parks there – it's a fire lane. She didn't see it leave."

"I've check for Martin's cell, but it must be turned off. The last call from it was when he was here," Danny added.

"Did you find any surveillance cameras in the area?" Jack asked. "ATMs, banks, parking lots?"

"There are six ATM machines in a four block radius of the store. I have calls in to get any video in the time frame."

"You okay?" Danny's voice was soft in her ear. Samantha jerked slightly in surprise, and felt her cheeks start to burn.

"Sam?" Jack said.

Samantha looked up to see the three members of her team looking at her.

"Can you do this?" Jack asked in a brusque tone.

"Yes, I'm fine," Samantha snapped. "What about Sun? What's his story?"

Jack handed her a file. "You tell us," he replied. "There's what we have so far." He turned to the other two. "Get those videos."

Mentally chastising herself, Samantha returned to her desk with the file firmly in her grasp. When she passed the whiteboard, she consciously kept her eyes forward and her mind focused. Finally settling at her desk, she flipped the folder open and started entering names into her computer.

She was well aware that Jack was watching her from his office.

Mee Liang was disgusted. He hated loose ends, and here was one splayed on the floor at his feet. 'Loose ends end up hanging you if one isn't careful,' he thought. He looked again at the FBI flat badge in his hand. Liang didn't like it when his minions made their own decisions; it usually lead to a downfall. 'Then again, it's a rich man that takes advantage of a downturn.' He looked again at the drugged man on the floor and considered.

"How much did he see?" Liang asked, his voice deceptively soft.

The two men returned from securing Sun to a sturdy chair. The lead man ducked his head before responding to his boss. "We had Sun tied already. Jiu hit the other as soon as he stepped in the storeroom. I don't know what he saw, but he never drew his gun so he was not alerted. I was going to leave him, but then I found his identification and thought he might be valuable. He also had this." The man handed over a white paper.

Both men kept their eyes averted and waited. Liang flipped the wallet closed and tapped the leather against his palm as he regarded his underlings. Then he accepted the paper. "You do not make decisions. I do. If our new guest becomes a problem, you will pay also. Understand?"

"Yes." The worker kept his head bowed as he replied.

Liang looked at Sun, now secured in the chair. The old man still had a black bag over his head and was breathing hard, obviously terrified; he was uttering an ancient prayer. 'Sun is what I need to get Zhan." Liang thought. "Maybe this agent can help me later on.' He nodded and turned again to the white man on the floor. His minions had used the man's own shirt to cover his head. "How much did you give the agent?"

"Just enough to keep him quiet. He's not unconscious, but I do not think he can communicate at the moment."

Liang smiled. "Take off the cloth. It sounds like our guest is enjoying himself too much to be a problem."

After a quick bow, the two men knelt and worked to loosen the shirt around their prisoner's head. When it was finally pulled clear, Liang noted the dilated pupils and unfocused gaze. He clucked his tongue and smiled approvingly. "Ah, Special Agent Fitzgerald, welcome. I see you are enjoying my hospitality."

Martin only blinked unfocused eyes and halfheartedly tried to pull his hands free.

"Put him in the holding room for now. He will be quiet for a while longer."

The two men grabbed the agent and dragged him away as Liang watched thoughtfully and then unfolded the paper and read it. He smiled. 'There is opportunity here. Maybe this loose end could actually be the start of a fine bolt of cloth,' he thought, his mood lightening. 'But first, Mr. Sun.'

Tucking the wallet and paper away, the slender Asian adjusted his jacket and moved to stand in front of the subdued store owner.

Alex Sun trembled in his bonds.

TBC