Chang's men started to file out first, and Astrid joined them. They were on the stairs when she felt a hand on her lower back, and turned quickly to see Chang walking beside her, grinning.

"You stayed to watch?" he asked, quietly in her ear.

Astrid's first thought was that someone would see them, but then she noticed that the other Triad members were surrounding them on the stairs, effectively blocking them from view.

"I wanted to see," she replied, shrugging, and Chang raised an eyebrow. Astrid elaborated; "I just wanted to know what it would be like. I wanted to see what you'd do." Chang nodded, seeming satisfied with her answer. His hand was gently stroking her lower back in a way that made her wish they were alone. All her attention kept being drawn to the one strip of skin between her top and her jeans, where his warm fingers were touching her. Next to her he was difficult to read, with his dark shades and hard expression, but it was amazing how much he could communicate with a touch that no one else could see.

When they reached the main bar, Chang reluctantly removed his hand from Astrid.

"We have a private booth," he said, and Astrid looked over to where the Triad and Hotel Moscow were congregating, toasting with shots and already surrounded by a few working girls in skimpy outfits.

"I don't think I could pass for one of your booth girls," Astrid said, teasingly, gesturing to her outfit, knowing full well that her tight jeans and tight, cropped t-shirt showed off her figure and taught stomach, "and besides, I see Revy."

Revy was indeed still at the bar, drinking rum by the glass alone and looking half way to drunk. She saw Astrid and yelled "get your ass over here!"or something along those lines. It was loud, and Astrid could only tell by reading her lips.

"I'd better go before she comes over here," Astrid said, reluctantly, and turned to leave, but Chang grabbed her wrist and quickly pulled her back to him.

"Don't go far," he said in her ear, deliberately close enough for her to feel his hot breath on her skin. Then he turned like nothing had happened, and walked over to his private booth. Astrid approached Revy, who was drunk enough to comment.

"HAH! What the fuck was that? Eh? Here," she shoved a glass of rum Astrid's way, "took you long enough, I've been here ages. Dutch left. Get drinking, partner, we made a killing today, and for what? A babysitting job. Cheers," she and Astrid toasted and downed their drinks in one, before ordering another. When the bartender came with the bottle, Revy reached over the bar and grabbed it.

"Just give us the- let go- it'll save time, dammit, it's on the boss's tab-"

"We're drinking the bottle anyway," Astrid said, standing up on the footrest of her barstool and leaning on the bar, getting in the barman's face, "just put it on the tab," she gripped the top of the contested bottle and started lifting it away. The Bartender conceded with a scowl, and threw up his hands, walking away muttering something about "drunk bitches."

"Nice!" Revy said, pouring two more glasses, so full they almost spilled. "So, how'd it go up there? That fucker didn't look like the type to hold out long."

Astrid started telling Revy what had happened in the room upstairs, the two of them laughing and getting steadily drunker. But her attention kept being drawn to the private booth in the back of the room, and to the man holding forth there. She couldn't help noticing that he kept looking her way, too, she could tell even with his sunglasses hiding his eyes. His attention would shift, and she could feel him watching her.

She felt a slight thrill at the idea that she had the attention of this man, who had the attention of everyone else. All eyes were on him, but his eyes were on her. The drunker she got, the more she dared to look over at him, daring him to read her increasingly dirty thoughts in her eyes and biting her lip slightly, trying to hide a smile.

Girls kept approaching Chang, one persistently trying to sidle up next to him, crossing her legs in his direction and playing with his tie in a way that made jealousy flare in Astrid's chest, but Chang brushed her off and soon one of his bodyguards escorted her away. Astrid could have sworn she saw a slight smile on Chang's lips, like he knew she was watching.

This went on for a while; the bar grew increasingly louder and busier as its patrons got into the swing of the night, and Chang and Astrid played their own private game, unnoticed by anyone else, tension building and ready to break.

When the place was at capacity, a Triad member stepped up to the bar next to Astrid to order another bottle.

"Back stairs," he said discretely to Astrid, almost too quietly to be heard over the music and chatter. She looked at him in surprise for a second, not quite sure of what she had heard. He nodded to the door marked "private" which lead to the stairs she, Dutch and Revy had entered through when they arrived. Astrid glanced over at the Triad's booth, and saw Chang was gone.

"Bathroom," she said to Revy, who was almost passed out drunk at this point. She just waved a hand at Astrid, who left, weaving through the crowd to get to the door. It was busy and dark enough that she could slip through unnoticed into the dimly lit stairwell.

As soon as she did Chang grabbed her, shoved her against the wall, and kissed her.

"What kept you?" he said against her lips, his voice rough, his hands wasting no time running over her skin, her back, her stomach, gripping hard.

"So impatient," Astrid chided in between kissing him back, which made Chang laugh out loud. Astrid clamped a hand over his mouth, biting her lip to stop from laughing herself. "Shhh! Someone will hear you," she said. The sounds of the bar could still plainly be heard through the wall. Chang removed her hand from his mouth and pinned her to the wall by her wrists, kissing her again, hard and fast, desperately.

"Got someone watching the door," he explained hurriedly, as he pulled her t-shirt over her head and palmed her breast, eliciting a soft moan from Astrid. "That," he said, his voice thick with lust, "that's what I was looking for. That sound you make. Yes," he kept touching her, making her gasp and bite her lower lip, "just like that, just like that..." he continued to murmur to her as he kissed her neck. Astrid tugged his tie so it was loose, and hurriedly unbuttoned his shirt so she could run her hands over his chest and feel his skin. The rest of the clothing coming between them was quickly disposed of or pushed away, Chang picked her up and held her against the wall, and after that Astrid didn't care who heard them. She could only hope the loud music, laughter and shouting drifting through the closed door was enough to drown them out as their moans filled the stairwell and Chang urged her on.

When it was over Astrid leaned against Chang, her knees weak, half held up by him. It was he who broke the silence.

"Let's get out of here," he said, "come back to headquarters. Stay the night." Astrid nodded, and Chang grinned. They put themselves back together, Astrid smoothing her hair in the back in an attempt not to look like someone who'd just been fucked in a stairwell. She went to open the door back into the bar, but Chang grabbed her hand, shaking his head.

"We can leave out the back," he said, nodding towards the door behind them.

"Revy-"

"Was so drunk when you left she probably doesn't even remember your name. Revy will be fine. Come on, it's better if we're not seen."

Astrid had to agree with Chang, and besides, Revy was a big girl. If she knew her at all, she'd probably left already, gone to get some more smokes or find something to shoot at.

So, Astrid and Chang stepped out into the Roanapur heat. His car was still outside, and they got in quickly. As soon as the door closed and they started driving, Astrid slid over to Chang's side of the seat and onto his lap, kissing him slowly.

"Mmmm," Chang hummed into her mouth, "you're in a mood today. What's brought this on?" He hadn't bothered to put his sunglasses back on, and Astrid was able to see his eyes.

"That woman, in the bar," Astrid admitted, taking off Chang's tie, and he grinned at her, "all those women, actually. I didn't like it."

"Didn't like what?"

"How they were... all over you, like that."

"You were jealous."

Astrid blushed, embarrassed to admit it, and Chang laughed, not at her, but at her reaction, and at the little wrinkle in her nose, like she was mad at herself for being embarrassed and even more so for showing it by blushing.

"Believe me, Astrid, you had my full attention," he assured her, "and when we get back, I'm going to give you just that."

"Just what?"

"My full, undivided attention." He kissed her.

An hour or so later they lay in bed, Astrid's head on Chang's chest, him playing with her hair.

"Bai?" Astrid said, quietly, breaking the silence.

"Mhmm?" Chang hummed in response, his eyes closed, still playing with her hair.

"When you were a kid," Astrid continued, "what did you want to be? When you grew up, I mean." Chang could tell the wheels in her head were turning in ways he couldn't make sense of yet. He had learned that if he answered Astrid's questions, and let her talk without interrupting, all would be revealed.

"A cop," he replied, truthfully, and Astrid lifted her head off his chest to look at him sceptically. "It's true. I wanted to be a cop."

"How did you get from wanting to be a cop to being a Triad boss?" She asked, watching him, "what changed your mind?"

Chang paused for a moment, and in that moment, he decided to tell her the truth.

"Nothing changed. I was a cop, in Hong Kong, for a long time." Astrid stared at him. Chang could tell something very complex was going on behind her wide eyes, but as much as he wanted to he held back from questioning her. It would only make her retreat inside herself. Better to let Astrid ask the questions.

"How did you end up here?" she said, and again Chang replied with the truth.

"Being a cop wasn't all I thought it would be. Right, wrong, justice... those words don't mean anything. I got put in the division dealing with organised crime, mainly sex trafficking, and then..." he trailed off, shrugging. He'd gotten a lead on the Triad, gotten in deep, and then one thing had led to another. Astrid was quiet for a moment.

"That's how I ended up here, too," she said, finally, "well, in this part of the world, anyway. Roughly."

"Hmm?" Chang queried, feeling sleepy.

"Sex trafficking."

Suddenly he was wide awake. "What do you mean?" he asked, gently, not sure he'd heard right.

"I was trafficked here," Astrid said, her head resting on his chest again, not looking at him. She spoke slowly, staring into nothingness, and Chang could tell it wasn't the darkened room she was seeing. "I got caught by these guys in Chicago, and I couldn't get away. I was stupid, back then. Young." She gave a small, hollow sounding laugh. "They drugged us, all the girls, and got me on a plane with fake documents. My fake passport, birth certificate. The Israeli one." Chang was almost holding his breath as Astrid spoke, trying to contain the rage that was growing in his chest, letting her talk, letting her get it out. "But I got away, at the airport." Chang took a deep breath, steadying himself.

"Where did you get away?"

"Hong Kong," Astrid admitted, after a pause, and Chang felt his insides turn to ice. Hong Kong. Had he been a cop, working trafficking when she'd been brought into the country? Could he have done something? He stopped himself from running the dates in his mind. It couldn't do any good. Not now.

"Who?" he asked, his voice hardened with rage, and Astrid looked up at him questioningly. "Who was it? Did you know their names?"

Astrid knew from his tone to answer.

"Jake Larson," she said, "Kane something, I didn't know all of their... Jake was the leader. They were probably working for someone, but I don't know who."

"When and where?"

"'87. Chicago, on the south side." Chang nodded. It might not be enough, but then again... a name, and a place, he'd found people with less. He wrapped his arms around Astrid and held her to him. When the Triad found him, Jake Larson was going to wish he'd never been born.

They lay in silence for a long time, Chang letting the woman in his arms calm the anger he still felt towards those who had harmed her, and not realising that Astrid, with her head on his chest, could hear his racing heart slowly calming, betraying the rage he'd tried to hide. A while later, he spoke.

"What did you want to be, when you grew up?" He asked her, quietly. Astrid was silent for so long he thought for a moment she wasn't going to answer.

"Far away," she said, finally, "nowhere. I wanted to be nowhere."

Chang understood.