Chapter 8- "Shrapnel"
Sorry for the wait, I've had writers block
*****
SEATTLE
*(It starts with)
One thing / I don't know why
It doesn't even matter how hard you try
Keep that in mind / I designed this rhyme
To explain in due time
All I know
time is a valuable thing
Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings
Watch it count down to the end of the day
The clock ticks life away
It's so unreal
Didn't look out below
Watch the time go right out the window
Trying to hold on / but didn't even know
Wasted it all just to
Watch you go*
Logan opened the door as soon as he caught sight of Max and Cindy "What's going on?-" he shut up when he saw a woman trailing behind the two he knew. She looked like a fish being forced out of water and onto a hot griddle. With some silent coaxing from Max the nameless woman entered the penthouse.
Logan watched all this with ample curiosity, but didn't say anything as he quietly shut his front door. The woman barely even glanced at Logan, constantly averting her eyes from the only man in the room.
"Max-" Logan was through being silent, he wanted answers "who is she?"
In answer Max walked over to the woman and pulled at the strap on her dress.
"Don't touch me!" the woman spat, slapping Max's hand away.
Max pulled back in a pissy manner. Even though the woman was most likely a sex slave, Max still didn't tolerate mouth from anyone. "Show him your mark," she stated in Chinese, it wasn't a request "Do it!"
"Max-" Logan spoke low but firm, he didn't understand why she had to reprimand this woman, still in amazement that she knew how to speak Chinese
"Don't start with me Logan" Max growled back, as the woman pulled her own strap down revealing the brand on her body.
"She was brought here from China" Max told Logan "Local hired her out to a john at Crash."
Logan looking at her bare skin made the woman uncomfortable, and she yanked her strap back on her body, her large dark almond eyes locked in a fierce gaze. "Do you know what area?" he shifted his eyes to Max
Max shook her head "She didn't tell me much"
"What about her name?"
"Sistah girl hasn't dished out much 411 on herself" Cindy broke her silence beside Max.
"Ask her" Logan wanted to make use of the talent he just found out his girlfriend had.
Max turned her eyes to the woman "What was your name before?"
The woman lifted her head and looked at her with a gaze that could start a fire "Jin-Mei, from my paternal grandmother"
Max's hard look softened some "It's beautiful"
Jin-Mei's expression also changed. It was the first time she had received a real compliment in years "Tshi Tshi (thank you)"
"Do you remember where you were sent from?" Logan asked and Max translated the question
"Bangkok" Jin-Mei was finally starting to open up some "They put us inside piano box"
"Us?" Max questioned, "There were more?"
Jin-Mei nodded with a solemn gaze
"How many?" Max asked
"Twenty. The box had such little air that one girl was barely breathing when they opened the door." She gave a somber pause, but a brief one "Her second man killed her" it was gruesome to talk about but Jin-Mei wasn't sad or even angry. She had gotten to a point where these things were just numb to her. "The others made it"
"She says that she was sent here in a piano crate with twenty others from Bangkok. One died after she got here"
"Damn" Cindy cursed in a whisper. She looked to Jin-Mei "Not gonna rat you out girl, you're safe"
Max turned to Cindy, cause she had just spoken to Jin-Mei in Chinese.
"We all have our hidden talents boo" Cindy told Max "Kendra taught Mandarin 'fore you arrived on the scene. I picked up a bit, nothin' that would start any fires"
"Matter of opinion" Max said, watching Cindy smile slightly.
*I kept everything inside and even though I tried / it all fell apart
What it meant to me / will eventually / be a memory / of a time when I tried
so hard
And got so far
But in the end
It doesn't even matter
I had to fall
To lose it all
But in the end
It doesn't even matter*
Max looked over to Logan. She had gotten Jin-Mei here, but she had no real game plan "So whadda we do now?"
"I can set her up in a safe house" Logan spoke up
Max shook her head "This sludge probably has feelers everywhere. They'll drop her down at one glance of her on the streets. The best thing would be to get her outta the state"
"She's a sex slave Max" Logan said what they all suspected "Which is illegal in this country, but that doesn't mean she won't be tailed wherever she goes."
"How about Canada?" Cindy suggested. With things as bad in the U.S. as they were, many American citizens tried to hop the border into the country next door.
"It won't work if she doesn't speak English" Logan reminded "No chance of sending her back to China either. Even if she did wanna go. She'd be recognized by the same ring that sold her off and thrown into a brothel all over again." He paused looking at Jin-Mei's almost black eyes. "Our best bet would be to set her up with a new identity here in the city, alter her appearance. Give her phony papers, sector passes, citizenship papers. These guys will be expecting her to try and get out of the country. They won't be looking for someone whose hanging around right under their noses."
"Is there a Chinese district in the city?" Max asked
Logan nodded "There's one two sectors away from here."
"How we gonna get her in?" Max asked "I speak the language, but that area don't trust anyone outside their racial boundaries ever since the raid on there two years ago, and she needs the approval of the housing district manager to even get in the place"
Logan looked impressed with her knowledge "How'd you-"
"Woman in our crib moved there after her apartment fell apart from terminates"
"So we need to find someone whose Chinese or at least looks the part and willing to be on a DL operation" Cindy said "How bout your detective friend?"
"He's out on a field operation for the rest of the week" Logan said "It'd be too late by the time he got back"
Cindy looked down for a moment, contemplating the situation "Wait. How bout Cree's mom? Sistah's Chinese isn't she? And she's a cop she knows how to handle herself"
"But she doesn't have any jurisdiction in Washington" Logan reminded
"Who said anything bout jurisdiction?" Cindy argued "What we doin' isn't legal anywayz, so not like she's gotta file a report on it afta it goes down" Cindy informed, "Can't hurt to ask. Got nuthin' to loose by tryin' and everythin' by not"
*****
LOS ANGELOUS
RED IBIS LANE
"Hello?"
"Hey sistah girl" Cindy's voice spoke to Cree on the other line "Been a while"
"Cindy" Cree was happy she called "Yeah it has girl" she smiled and walked out of the kitchen with the phone "How you doin'?"
"Original Cindy can't complain" Cindy smiled from her end "You doin' good bein' home?"
"Feels better" Cree admitted, "Still have some stuff to weed through"
"Good" Cindy said from her end "Girl hang on" she turned and passed the phone to Max who was in Logan's computer room
"Cree-"
"Max-" Cree's smile grew larger "Hey! It's so great to hear from you!"
Max smiled "You too girl. Listen' I hate to do this to ya, but I actually wanna talk to ya mom-is that aiight?"
"Yeah." Cree said "She had an early shift today" Cree spotted Ming walking into the living room "Hang on a sec-Mom?"
"What is it baby?" Ming called out from the kitchen.
Cree walked over to her with the cordless phone "Max, my friend from Seattle is on the line, and-she wants to talk to you" she handed her mother the phone.
Ming took it, hesitantly at first; she hadn't spoken to the other woman since those days in Seattle "Max?"
"Officer Amston. Sorry, am I botherin' ya?"
"No it's fine" Ming reassured "I was just watching the news."
"I need to ask a favor from you." Max cut right to the chase
Ming's attention grew "What is it?"
Max explained the situation while Ming listened intently "What you're asking Ms. Guevara, it's not legal"
"Tell me something neither of us don't know" Max returned, "This is her only chance. Any other way has her six feet under burnin' water"
"Even if I agreed there's no way to get a plane out of LA tonight. We've had airport runs ever since the Pulse. I've had to stop a few riots myself"
"There'll be a round trip ticket waiting for you at LA international for a flight out to Seattle under the name Carlos Moralez"
"Carlos Moralez?"
"Name of an old acquaintance who owes me. Money will be there too for a hotel, car."
"What if I don't accept this offer?"
"Then this conversation and transaction will be erased like it never happened" there was a long pause "I can't make you say yes Ms. Amston, but I think all the good will luck run out with your daughter with this unless we do something to end it"
"Max-" Ming cut in "What time is the flight?"
"9:00." Max informed, "That'll give you two hours to get out to the airport"
"I'll be there"
"Good" Max said "Ms. Amston?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks"
"Thank me when I get there" the phone clicked.
= = =
"Carlos Moralez?" Logan said the name again
"He was my foster father." Max informed "Maria's dad. Figure he owes me this much after all the family lovin'"
Logan agreed silently
*****
"Mom what is it?" Cree asked
Ming set the phone down "I have a flight to catch tonight"
"Flight?" Cree was confused "Where?"
"Seattle" Ming set the phone back in it's cradle "Your friend thinks I can help this woman she ran into"
"Help her how?"
Ming turned around to her daughter "She was found at a local bar being beaten by her 'owner'"
Cree understood with a silent gaze.
"There's a Chinatown area in Seattle she can hide in but she needs approval of a bigoted manager who only has faith in Chinese people."
"This could get you fired mom" Cree said
"Not if anyone doesn't find out about it baby" Ming informed "I'll be out of my district so there's little chance of anyone reporting it to any of my brass. She set me up with a plane ticket under another name." Ming headed into her bedroom.
Cree followed, watching her mom take down a few suitcases. "Hand me my laptop baby"
Cree gave her the hp notebook, watching it boot up. "What are you doing?"
Ming accessed the police records, stopping at the name of an armed robbery arrest who had been killed in a police shoot out. She sifted through the list of things confiscated off him, until she found the listing code off his credit card number.
"Mom-"
"Hang on a sec Cree" Ming accessed the Platinum card website and hacked into the secure files, changing all the account information to 'Marisa Yee 26 Hawthorn Lane. Los Angeles" "Give it a sec" she walked over to her dresser and picked up a black phone, dialing the credit card company number. "Can I speak to your Account Information Office please?" she waited, then "Yes, my credit card was stolen two nights ago and I'd like to replace it." "Marisa Yee." "043532743" "No I had just gotten the card, I didn't get to use it before it was take-yes, yes thank you. I'll be there to pick it up." She ended the call
"Why'd didn't you just say you lost the card?' Cree asked her mom
"Cause when a credit card is stolen the company freezes the account and doesn't hold the owner accountable for any money used on it. If I said I lost it I might be stuck with three dollars left. This card also is silver enough that it doesn't take any credit off the card if it's reported stolen. All I have to do is go downtown to their office and pick a new one up fully loaded before ten o' clock."
"Did you learn this at the academy?"
"No baby I learned it with my first husband." Ming's voice was emotionless "He would become so violent that I'd run away for weeks at a time, hiding out in motels, boarding houses, wherever I could. I found someone's credit card lying in an alley once and tried my luck on it. The woman at the bank made the mistake in telling me that if I would've reported the card stolen the 'thief' who took it would be held in account for the lost funds not me. I learned how to use a computer from a neighbor and found this guy on the street that showed me how to by pass the account security. I opened a secret account for myself under a false name. I needed it for when I really left him. All my money was in a joint account, and I knew he would lock me out of it if I tried to leave him."
*So what am I not supposed to have an opinion
Should I be quiet just because I'm a woman
Call me a bitch cos I speak what's on my mind
Guess it's easier for you to swallow if I sat and smiled*
Cree listened to the story with quiet passion, feeling that she was no longer really alone in this. Jade, Max, Cindy, they all tried to help, but they never really knew what it was like to be used and abused by a man, to fear him. Ming did. It was the deepest connection with her mother she had ever felt. "Better make that two tickets"
Ming looked at her daughter "Cree-"
"Don't-" she held up her hand "All the time at home won't take away what's happened. Max saved my life mom. I owe her."
*When a female fires back
Suddenly the target don't know how to act
So he does what any little boy will do
Making up a few false rumors or two*
Ming just looked at her daughter "I don't think they'll be a ticket available"
"I'll sit on the wing" Cree spoke up
*****
AMERICAN EXPRESS OFFICE
"Here you are Ms. Yee" the clerk handed Ming a new card "Is there anything else we can do for you?"
"No that's fine" Ming reassured, talking the card. "Thanks" she headed back into the night.
An LAPD squad car was waiting for her. Ming threw her and Cree's overnight bags into the trunk on top of Dalton's riot gear.
*That for sure is not a man to me
Slanderin' names for popularity
It's sad you only get your fame through controversy
But now it's time for me to come and give you more to say*
"Ya know you owe me major for this Amston" Officer Dalton, Ming's partner looked at her from the driver's seat of his cruiser.
"Helpin' me out ain't enough?" Ming asked
Dalton shot her a look.
"How bout courtside tickets to a Lakers game?"
Dalton smiled then, dropping the gearshift out of park "Time to rock and roll ladies"
*This is for my girls all around the world
Who've come across a man who don't respect your worth
Thinking all women should be seen, not heard
So what do we do girls?
Shout louder!*
The sector stop for the airport was packed with Martial Law created guards in riot gear. One held his hand out when he saw the police cruiser coming in. Ever since the Pulse it was hard as hell to get into an airport because of all the security checkpoints. If someone showed up in a police cruiser, it sorta speeded up the whole process.
"Just dropping some friends off from a vacation" Dalton lied to the man, the civilian rent-a-cop whose ass he could kick up and down the block in bedroom slippers.
The sector cop looked inside the car "Hope you had fun while they were here" he smiled at the two women, a leering smile.
Dalton grinned as well "Yeah man, had a ball." He paused and looked the other man right in the eye "Stand up straight"
"What?" the cop was confused
"I'm about two hits away from bein' made a Lieutenant son so that means I outrank you. And what do you do when a higher rank gives you an order?"
"Sorry Sir" the cop stood up straighter
"Good" Dalton praised, he turned to Ming "What's your assessment?"
Ming peered over out the window, looking at man outside "It's bout as big as this-"
The sector cop looked in the car in time to see Ming flipping him off to indicate the size of his penis, with an 'I-can-kick-you-ass' smile
"I'd say your right" he looked back to the sector cop "Don't you agree?"
"Yes Sir" it was all the sector cop could say. The other cop did actually outrank him, and if Dalton complained to the right people the sector cop would loose his job faster then he could blink
Dalton chuckled "Good deal" he reached out and patted the cop on the shoulder "Keep up the good work nimble fingers" he rolled up his window and drove through the checkpoint after another guard inside raised the barricade.
"Still got the moves girl" Dalton laughed "Bet he's still thinkin' bout what he hell he did
wrong"
Ming turned to Cree in the back once they passed the sector and were heading towards the airport terminal. "I only use this power when I'm extremely pissed off honey"
"Then more power to ya mom" Cree had a smile of her own
Dalton laughed, "Go on girl. Ya got the best part of your moms in ya" he held out his hand for a fist high five, waiting as Ming slid back the plastic half of the barricade and let Cree hit Dalton back.
*Letting them know we're gonna stand our ground
Lift your hands high and wave them proud
Take a deep breath and say it loud
Never can, never will, can't hold us down*
*****
AIRPORT TERMINAL
"I have a plane ticket reserved here. It should be under the name Carlos Moralez"
The woman behind the counter checked her reservation list on the computer. "Here it is." She handed Ming an envelope with the ticket inside.
"Thanks" Ming said, taking the envelope "I forgot to buy a ticket for my daughter. Is the seat still available next to mine?"
The woman checked "Sorry, Ma'am, that seat is filled."
"Is it by Mark Watson?"
The woman looked surprised, but nodded
Ming faked a laugh "That's my daughter's boyfriend. He got her on her and it slipped my mind. I've just been so busy"
The clerk smiled at her and printed out another ticket. "The seat is also for round trip. And the total comes to $400.35. Will that be check or credit?"
"Credit" Ming handed her the credit card and then collected her receipts. "The boarding for this flight starts in fifteen minutes at Gate 24"
"Thanks" Ming said collecting her bag.
"Another security thing mom?" Cree asked, wheeling her suitcase behind her.
"Rob has men who know about a Marisa Yee. They think she's me-" she stated mokingly "but they also know that she would NEVER travel alone or with a man, she's too afraid of them"
"Are you afraid of his men?"
Ming shook her head, blowing it off "I just rather not have a bunch of punch drunk idiots waiting to drop me down after we come back" she let it drop after that
"Anything else you'd like to tell me?" Cree asked "Did you moonlight as a CIA agent before you joined the force?"
"Your father knows of the only 'moonlighting' I've done" Ming said, laughing when Cree made a face "Gate's that way baby"
*****
*This is for my girls...
This is for my girls all around the world
Who've come across a man who don't respect your worth
Thinking all women should be seen, not heard
So what do we do girls?
Shout louder!*
LOS ANGELES
Jondy sat on her dining room chair. On the computer screen in front of her was a file image of Max as a child. She enhanced it and then uploaded it to a computer-aging program she hacked into off a government missing child agency.
She fiddled with the image a bit until she got a picture of what she would look like now. She then logged into a search, for a picture that resembled that image. She came up with a match off an old wanted poster. An image of a woman was on it along with a reward for her capture.
/FLASH: Lydecker stares at the simile just printed out, then orders more copies to be made/
The eyes, even though it was only a drawing looked the same as Jondy remembered it. She checked for the location the poster was printed out from.
"Seattle Washington
EXACT PRINTING LOCATION UNACCESSABLE"
*****
SEATTLE
"Hey!" Max hugged Cree when she saw her at the gate. She didn't expect her to come "Bout time you stumbled back my way"
Cree hugged her back warmly
"You look great" Max stared at her friend.
"Where's Logan?" Cree asked
"He's waiting for us" Max said, then looked up to Ming "There's a car outside"
"Thanks" Ming responded
They made it outside to the red Mazda waiting outside.
Cree and Ming loaded their things in the trunk. Ming slammed it shut when they were finished and looked to Max, who wasn't getting inside. "You riding with us?"
Max shook her head. "Got my own ride" she nodded over to her Ninja sitting a few feet away on the curb. "Logan's place isn't far. I'll go slow so you can follow. Wouldn't help loosin' the guests of honor"
"I can see why Cree likes you so much" Ming analyzed
"Me too" Max agreed, climbing on her bike while she waited for them to get in the car
*****
CHINA
Mei-Mei awoke with a start when she heard a man's voice. She then realized she had slept too late. She fell off the couch and ran out the door, hearing the man calling after her, but she didn't look back.
*Bangkok, Oriental setting
And the city don't know that the city is getting
The creme de la creme of the chess world in a
Show with everything but Yul Brynner
Time flies - doesn't seem a minute
Since the Tirolean spa had the chess boys in it
All change - don't you know that when you
Play at this level there's no ordinary venue*
She ran past the bikers, some of who cat called out to her. She rounded another alley, and into someone, a man. He grabbed her by the arms and she screamed, trying to get away.
"Stop!" he kept yelling at her. She kept screaming, until she felt something hit her head, and she fell back onto the dirt.
*One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble
Not much between despair and ecstasy
One night in Bangkok and the tough guys tumble
Can't be too careful with your company
I can feel the devil walking next to me*
*****
LOS ANGELES
Jondy zipped up her backpack and went to grab her jacket. She slid it on her body, grabbing her pack and her keys and heading out the door.
*If you'd accept surrender, I'll give up some more
Weren't you adored?
I cannot be without you, matter of fact
Ohh ohh ohhhhh, I'm on your back*
"Going somewhere girl?" Jondy's neighbor asked her.
Jondy wheeled her motorcycle out to the road "Takin' a little vacation Rodger" she turned to the man "watch my crib while I'm gone?"
"Sure" Rodger nodded
"There's a pack of cigarettes in my mail slot." Jondy mounted the bike "You can have it"
"Thanks Sam" Rodger responded watching her drive away
*If you walk out on me, I'm walking after you
If you walk out on me, I'm walking after you*
Another cycle pulled behind Jondy after she was on the road. The bike stayed a safe distance away from her, but watching her every move.
Zack pulled his hood over his head when Jondy turned to see who was behind her. She didn't notice him and sped up.
* Ohh ohh ohhhhh, I'm on your back
I'm on your back
Ohh ohh ohhhhh, I'm on your back*
*****
CHINA
Mei-Mei woke up on a cot. She grabbed her head and tried to sit up.
"You're awake" She looked and saw the same face that had jumped her. Only this time she could she that his eyes weren't mad. He looked about her age, maybe a few years younger, late twenties. He was dressed in a biker's outfit. A messenger biker. One who shuffled packages back and forth from Bangkok's busy business district.
"You were screaming too much" the man finally spoke to Mei-Mei "Cops would've come" he sat on another cot, drinking a Sprite from a can. He took a few sips and then offered it to her.
She took it eagerly from him. Her throat was like sandpaper. She drank almost all of it.
"So what's your name?" The man leaned back on his cot "And I don't mean that number they gave you."
Mei-Mei glowered at him. She still didn't know if she could trust him "What's yours?"
"Jon" he responded, "My parents were into being American"
"Betsy Ross, nice to meet you"
Jon didn't laugh "How far has lying ever got you?"
She stared him down then "It saved my life you prick"
Jon didn't acknowledge the 'prick' part of her statement "You're from the District Area aren't you?" he didn't wait for her to answer "I saw you there before when I was delivering my packages, from afar that is"
"Why are helping me?"
"Who says I am?" Jon's reply was harsh. He stared her down for a moment, but then "My sister was taken last year by those men. She turned up floating in the river. Apparently she screamed too much too" He pulled another soda can from under his blanket on the cot "Here" he threw it at her "I'm going for a smoke" he left the room.
Mei-Mei held the can, watching Jon leave. She did not know what to make of him. He could very well sell her off like she expected him too. He was still young, and young people liked money.
But in spite of that, and everything else that warned her that she might be floating in a river next, they didn't seem to be that different from each other.
*****
like I said I've had writers block up the yin yang, I finally got ideas for this so I sat down for about two hours and got them all here before I forgot.
Don't think that Jon will be like all the other men Mei-Mei has known, and will mess her up. But in the same sense he isn't her best buddy. Its just circumstance that brought them together. And that's what I'm trying to show.
Jondy is on her WAY to see Max, she'll get there in the next chapter. I just needed her reason and Cree's for going to Seattle. The stage is set now, so I can let it out in the next couple installments.
Songs used are:
Opening scene at Logan's penthouse- "In the End" (Linkin Park)
Ming and Cree leaving for the airport "Can't Hold Us Down" (Christina Agularia and Lil Kim)
Jondy leaving her apartment -"Walking After You" (Foo Fighters, from "The X Files: Fight the Future" soundtrack)
Mei-Mei running away in China - "One Night in Bangkok" (Head Murray)
Sorry for the wait, I've had writers block
*****
SEATTLE
*(It starts with)
One thing / I don't know why
It doesn't even matter how hard you try
Keep that in mind / I designed this rhyme
To explain in due time
All I know
time is a valuable thing
Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings
Watch it count down to the end of the day
The clock ticks life away
It's so unreal
Didn't look out below
Watch the time go right out the window
Trying to hold on / but didn't even know
Wasted it all just to
Watch you go*
Logan opened the door as soon as he caught sight of Max and Cindy "What's going on?-" he shut up when he saw a woman trailing behind the two he knew. She looked like a fish being forced out of water and onto a hot griddle. With some silent coaxing from Max the nameless woman entered the penthouse.
Logan watched all this with ample curiosity, but didn't say anything as he quietly shut his front door. The woman barely even glanced at Logan, constantly averting her eyes from the only man in the room.
"Max-" Logan was through being silent, he wanted answers "who is she?"
In answer Max walked over to the woman and pulled at the strap on her dress.
"Don't touch me!" the woman spat, slapping Max's hand away.
Max pulled back in a pissy manner. Even though the woman was most likely a sex slave, Max still didn't tolerate mouth from anyone. "Show him your mark," she stated in Chinese, it wasn't a request "Do it!"
"Max-" Logan spoke low but firm, he didn't understand why she had to reprimand this woman, still in amazement that she knew how to speak Chinese
"Don't start with me Logan" Max growled back, as the woman pulled her own strap down revealing the brand on her body.
"She was brought here from China" Max told Logan "Local hired her out to a john at Crash."
Logan looking at her bare skin made the woman uncomfortable, and she yanked her strap back on her body, her large dark almond eyes locked in a fierce gaze. "Do you know what area?" he shifted his eyes to Max
Max shook her head "She didn't tell me much"
"What about her name?"
"Sistah girl hasn't dished out much 411 on herself" Cindy broke her silence beside Max.
"Ask her" Logan wanted to make use of the talent he just found out his girlfriend had.
Max turned her eyes to the woman "What was your name before?"
The woman lifted her head and looked at her with a gaze that could start a fire "Jin-Mei, from my paternal grandmother"
Max's hard look softened some "It's beautiful"
Jin-Mei's expression also changed. It was the first time she had received a real compliment in years "Tshi Tshi (thank you)"
"Do you remember where you were sent from?" Logan asked and Max translated the question
"Bangkok" Jin-Mei was finally starting to open up some "They put us inside piano box"
"Us?" Max questioned, "There were more?"
Jin-Mei nodded with a solemn gaze
"How many?" Max asked
"Twenty. The box had such little air that one girl was barely breathing when they opened the door." She gave a somber pause, but a brief one "Her second man killed her" it was gruesome to talk about but Jin-Mei wasn't sad or even angry. She had gotten to a point where these things were just numb to her. "The others made it"
"She says that she was sent here in a piano crate with twenty others from Bangkok. One died after she got here"
"Damn" Cindy cursed in a whisper. She looked to Jin-Mei "Not gonna rat you out girl, you're safe"
Max turned to Cindy, cause she had just spoken to Jin-Mei in Chinese.
"We all have our hidden talents boo" Cindy told Max "Kendra taught Mandarin 'fore you arrived on the scene. I picked up a bit, nothin' that would start any fires"
"Matter of opinion" Max said, watching Cindy smile slightly.
*I kept everything inside and even though I tried / it all fell apart
What it meant to me / will eventually / be a memory / of a time when I tried
so hard
And got so far
But in the end
It doesn't even matter
I had to fall
To lose it all
But in the end
It doesn't even matter*
Max looked over to Logan. She had gotten Jin-Mei here, but she had no real game plan "So whadda we do now?"
"I can set her up in a safe house" Logan spoke up
Max shook her head "This sludge probably has feelers everywhere. They'll drop her down at one glance of her on the streets. The best thing would be to get her outta the state"
"She's a sex slave Max" Logan said what they all suspected "Which is illegal in this country, but that doesn't mean she won't be tailed wherever she goes."
"How about Canada?" Cindy suggested. With things as bad in the U.S. as they were, many American citizens tried to hop the border into the country next door.
"It won't work if she doesn't speak English" Logan reminded "No chance of sending her back to China either. Even if she did wanna go. She'd be recognized by the same ring that sold her off and thrown into a brothel all over again." He paused looking at Jin-Mei's almost black eyes. "Our best bet would be to set her up with a new identity here in the city, alter her appearance. Give her phony papers, sector passes, citizenship papers. These guys will be expecting her to try and get out of the country. They won't be looking for someone whose hanging around right under their noses."
"Is there a Chinese district in the city?" Max asked
Logan nodded "There's one two sectors away from here."
"How we gonna get her in?" Max asked "I speak the language, but that area don't trust anyone outside their racial boundaries ever since the raid on there two years ago, and she needs the approval of the housing district manager to even get in the place"
Logan looked impressed with her knowledge "How'd you-"
"Woman in our crib moved there after her apartment fell apart from terminates"
"So we need to find someone whose Chinese or at least looks the part and willing to be on a DL operation" Cindy said "How bout your detective friend?"
"He's out on a field operation for the rest of the week" Logan said "It'd be too late by the time he got back"
Cindy looked down for a moment, contemplating the situation "Wait. How bout Cree's mom? Sistah's Chinese isn't she? And she's a cop she knows how to handle herself"
"But she doesn't have any jurisdiction in Washington" Logan reminded
"Who said anything bout jurisdiction?" Cindy argued "What we doin' isn't legal anywayz, so not like she's gotta file a report on it afta it goes down" Cindy informed, "Can't hurt to ask. Got nuthin' to loose by tryin' and everythin' by not"
*****
LOS ANGELOUS
RED IBIS LANE
"Hello?"
"Hey sistah girl" Cindy's voice spoke to Cree on the other line "Been a while"
"Cindy" Cree was happy she called "Yeah it has girl" she smiled and walked out of the kitchen with the phone "How you doin'?"
"Original Cindy can't complain" Cindy smiled from her end "You doin' good bein' home?"
"Feels better" Cree admitted, "Still have some stuff to weed through"
"Good" Cindy said from her end "Girl hang on" she turned and passed the phone to Max who was in Logan's computer room
"Cree-"
"Max-" Cree's smile grew larger "Hey! It's so great to hear from you!"
Max smiled "You too girl. Listen' I hate to do this to ya, but I actually wanna talk to ya mom-is that aiight?"
"Yeah." Cree said "She had an early shift today" Cree spotted Ming walking into the living room "Hang on a sec-Mom?"
"What is it baby?" Ming called out from the kitchen.
Cree walked over to her with the cordless phone "Max, my friend from Seattle is on the line, and-she wants to talk to you" she handed her mother the phone.
Ming took it, hesitantly at first; she hadn't spoken to the other woman since those days in Seattle "Max?"
"Officer Amston. Sorry, am I botherin' ya?"
"No it's fine" Ming reassured "I was just watching the news."
"I need to ask a favor from you." Max cut right to the chase
Ming's attention grew "What is it?"
Max explained the situation while Ming listened intently "What you're asking Ms. Guevara, it's not legal"
"Tell me something neither of us don't know" Max returned, "This is her only chance. Any other way has her six feet under burnin' water"
"Even if I agreed there's no way to get a plane out of LA tonight. We've had airport runs ever since the Pulse. I've had to stop a few riots myself"
"There'll be a round trip ticket waiting for you at LA international for a flight out to Seattle under the name Carlos Moralez"
"Carlos Moralez?"
"Name of an old acquaintance who owes me. Money will be there too for a hotel, car."
"What if I don't accept this offer?"
"Then this conversation and transaction will be erased like it never happened" there was a long pause "I can't make you say yes Ms. Amston, but I think all the good will luck run out with your daughter with this unless we do something to end it"
"Max-" Ming cut in "What time is the flight?"
"9:00." Max informed, "That'll give you two hours to get out to the airport"
"I'll be there"
"Good" Max said "Ms. Amston?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks"
"Thank me when I get there" the phone clicked.
= = =
"Carlos Moralez?" Logan said the name again
"He was my foster father." Max informed "Maria's dad. Figure he owes me this much after all the family lovin'"
Logan agreed silently
*****
"Mom what is it?" Cree asked
Ming set the phone down "I have a flight to catch tonight"
"Flight?" Cree was confused "Where?"
"Seattle" Ming set the phone back in it's cradle "Your friend thinks I can help this woman she ran into"
"Help her how?"
Ming turned around to her daughter "She was found at a local bar being beaten by her 'owner'"
Cree understood with a silent gaze.
"There's a Chinatown area in Seattle she can hide in but she needs approval of a bigoted manager who only has faith in Chinese people."
"This could get you fired mom" Cree said
"Not if anyone doesn't find out about it baby" Ming informed "I'll be out of my district so there's little chance of anyone reporting it to any of my brass. She set me up with a plane ticket under another name." Ming headed into her bedroom.
Cree followed, watching her mom take down a few suitcases. "Hand me my laptop baby"
Cree gave her the hp notebook, watching it boot up. "What are you doing?"
Ming accessed the police records, stopping at the name of an armed robbery arrest who had been killed in a police shoot out. She sifted through the list of things confiscated off him, until she found the listing code off his credit card number.
"Mom-"
"Hang on a sec Cree" Ming accessed the Platinum card website and hacked into the secure files, changing all the account information to 'Marisa Yee 26 Hawthorn Lane. Los Angeles" "Give it a sec" she walked over to her dresser and picked up a black phone, dialing the credit card company number. "Can I speak to your Account Information Office please?" she waited, then "Yes, my credit card was stolen two nights ago and I'd like to replace it." "Marisa Yee." "043532743" "No I had just gotten the card, I didn't get to use it before it was take-yes, yes thank you. I'll be there to pick it up." She ended the call
"Why'd didn't you just say you lost the card?' Cree asked her mom
"Cause when a credit card is stolen the company freezes the account and doesn't hold the owner accountable for any money used on it. If I said I lost it I might be stuck with three dollars left. This card also is silver enough that it doesn't take any credit off the card if it's reported stolen. All I have to do is go downtown to their office and pick a new one up fully loaded before ten o' clock."
"Did you learn this at the academy?"
"No baby I learned it with my first husband." Ming's voice was emotionless "He would become so violent that I'd run away for weeks at a time, hiding out in motels, boarding houses, wherever I could. I found someone's credit card lying in an alley once and tried my luck on it. The woman at the bank made the mistake in telling me that if I would've reported the card stolen the 'thief' who took it would be held in account for the lost funds not me. I learned how to use a computer from a neighbor and found this guy on the street that showed me how to by pass the account security. I opened a secret account for myself under a false name. I needed it for when I really left him. All my money was in a joint account, and I knew he would lock me out of it if I tried to leave him."
*So what am I not supposed to have an opinion
Should I be quiet just because I'm a woman
Call me a bitch cos I speak what's on my mind
Guess it's easier for you to swallow if I sat and smiled*
Cree listened to the story with quiet passion, feeling that she was no longer really alone in this. Jade, Max, Cindy, they all tried to help, but they never really knew what it was like to be used and abused by a man, to fear him. Ming did. It was the deepest connection with her mother she had ever felt. "Better make that two tickets"
Ming looked at her daughter "Cree-"
"Don't-" she held up her hand "All the time at home won't take away what's happened. Max saved my life mom. I owe her."
*When a female fires back
Suddenly the target don't know how to act
So he does what any little boy will do
Making up a few false rumors or two*
Ming just looked at her daughter "I don't think they'll be a ticket available"
"I'll sit on the wing" Cree spoke up
*****
AMERICAN EXPRESS OFFICE
"Here you are Ms. Yee" the clerk handed Ming a new card "Is there anything else we can do for you?"
"No that's fine" Ming reassured, talking the card. "Thanks" she headed back into the night.
An LAPD squad car was waiting for her. Ming threw her and Cree's overnight bags into the trunk on top of Dalton's riot gear.
*That for sure is not a man to me
Slanderin' names for popularity
It's sad you only get your fame through controversy
But now it's time for me to come and give you more to say*
"Ya know you owe me major for this Amston" Officer Dalton, Ming's partner looked at her from the driver's seat of his cruiser.
"Helpin' me out ain't enough?" Ming asked
Dalton shot her a look.
"How bout courtside tickets to a Lakers game?"
Dalton smiled then, dropping the gearshift out of park "Time to rock and roll ladies"
*This is for my girls all around the world
Who've come across a man who don't respect your worth
Thinking all women should be seen, not heard
So what do we do girls?
Shout louder!*
The sector stop for the airport was packed with Martial Law created guards in riot gear. One held his hand out when he saw the police cruiser coming in. Ever since the Pulse it was hard as hell to get into an airport because of all the security checkpoints. If someone showed up in a police cruiser, it sorta speeded up the whole process.
"Just dropping some friends off from a vacation" Dalton lied to the man, the civilian rent-a-cop whose ass he could kick up and down the block in bedroom slippers.
The sector cop looked inside the car "Hope you had fun while they were here" he smiled at the two women, a leering smile.
Dalton grinned as well "Yeah man, had a ball." He paused and looked the other man right in the eye "Stand up straight"
"What?" the cop was confused
"I'm about two hits away from bein' made a Lieutenant son so that means I outrank you. And what do you do when a higher rank gives you an order?"
"Sorry Sir" the cop stood up straighter
"Good" Dalton praised, he turned to Ming "What's your assessment?"
Ming peered over out the window, looking at man outside "It's bout as big as this-"
The sector cop looked in the car in time to see Ming flipping him off to indicate the size of his penis, with an 'I-can-kick-you-ass' smile
"I'd say your right" he looked back to the sector cop "Don't you agree?"
"Yes Sir" it was all the sector cop could say. The other cop did actually outrank him, and if Dalton complained to the right people the sector cop would loose his job faster then he could blink
Dalton chuckled "Good deal" he reached out and patted the cop on the shoulder "Keep up the good work nimble fingers" he rolled up his window and drove through the checkpoint after another guard inside raised the barricade.
"Still got the moves girl" Dalton laughed "Bet he's still thinkin' bout what he hell he did
wrong"
Ming turned to Cree in the back once they passed the sector and were heading towards the airport terminal. "I only use this power when I'm extremely pissed off honey"
"Then more power to ya mom" Cree had a smile of her own
Dalton laughed, "Go on girl. Ya got the best part of your moms in ya" he held out his hand for a fist high five, waiting as Ming slid back the plastic half of the barricade and let Cree hit Dalton back.
*Letting them know we're gonna stand our ground
Lift your hands high and wave them proud
Take a deep breath and say it loud
Never can, never will, can't hold us down*
*****
AIRPORT TERMINAL
"I have a plane ticket reserved here. It should be under the name Carlos Moralez"
The woman behind the counter checked her reservation list on the computer. "Here it is." She handed Ming an envelope with the ticket inside.
"Thanks" Ming said, taking the envelope "I forgot to buy a ticket for my daughter. Is the seat still available next to mine?"
The woman checked "Sorry, Ma'am, that seat is filled."
"Is it by Mark Watson?"
The woman looked surprised, but nodded
Ming faked a laugh "That's my daughter's boyfriend. He got her on her and it slipped my mind. I've just been so busy"
The clerk smiled at her and printed out another ticket. "The seat is also for round trip. And the total comes to $400.35. Will that be check or credit?"
"Credit" Ming handed her the credit card and then collected her receipts. "The boarding for this flight starts in fifteen minutes at Gate 24"
"Thanks" Ming said collecting her bag.
"Another security thing mom?" Cree asked, wheeling her suitcase behind her.
"Rob has men who know about a Marisa Yee. They think she's me-" she stated mokingly "but they also know that she would NEVER travel alone or with a man, she's too afraid of them"
"Are you afraid of his men?"
Ming shook her head, blowing it off "I just rather not have a bunch of punch drunk idiots waiting to drop me down after we come back" she let it drop after that
"Anything else you'd like to tell me?" Cree asked "Did you moonlight as a CIA agent before you joined the force?"
"Your father knows of the only 'moonlighting' I've done" Ming said, laughing when Cree made a face "Gate's that way baby"
*****
*This is for my girls...
This is for my girls all around the world
Who've come across a man who don't respect your worth
Thinking all women should be seen, not heard
So what do we do girls?
Shout louder!*
LOS ANGELES
Jondy sat on her dining room chair. On the computer screen in front of her was a file image of Max as a child. She enhanced it and then uploaded it to a computer-aging program she hacked into off a government missing child agency.
She fiddled with the image a bit until she got a picture of what she would look like now. She then logged into a search, for a picture that resembled that image. She came up with a match off an old wanted poster. An image of a woman was on it along with a reward for her capture.
/FLASH: Lydecker stares at the simile just printed out, then orders more copies to be made/
The eyes, even though it was only a drawing looked the same as Jondy remembered it. She checked for the location the poster was printed out from.
"Seattle Washington
EXACT PRINTING LOCATION UNACCESSABLE"
*****
SEATTLE
"Hey!" Max hugged Cree when she saw her at the gate. She didn't expect her to come "Bout time you stumbled back my way"
Cree hugged her back warmly
"You look great" Max stared at her friend.
"Where's Logan?" Cree asked
"He's waiting for us" Max said, then looked up to Ming "There's a car outside"
"Thanks" Ming responded
They made it outside to the red Mazda waiting outside.
Cree and Ming loaded their things in the trunk. Ming slammed it shut when they were finished and looked to Max, who wasn't getting inside. "You riding with us?"
Max shook her head. "Got my own ride" she nodded over to her Ninja sitting a few feet away on the curb. "Logan's place isn't far. I'll go slow so you can follow. Wouldn't help loosin' the guests of honor"
"I can see why Cree likes you so much" Ming analyzed
"Me too" Max agreed, climbing on her bike while she waited for them to get in the car
*****
CHINA
Mei-Mei awoke with a start when she heard a man's voice. She then realized she had slept too late. She fell off the couch and ran out the door, hearing the man calling after her, but she didn't look back.
*Bangkok, Oriental setting
And the city don't know that the city is getting
The creme de la creme of the chess world in a
Show with everything but Yul Brynner
Time flies - doesn't seem a minute
Since the Tirolean spa had the chess boys in it
All change - don't you know that when you
Play at this level there's no ordinary venue*
She ran past the bikers, some of who cat called out to her. She rounded another alley, and into someone, a man. He grabbed her by the arms and she screamed, trying to get away.
"Stop!" he kept yelling at her. She kept screaming, until she felt something hit her head, and she fell back onto the dirt.
*One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble
Not much between despair and ecstasy
One night in Bangkok and the tough guys tumble
Can't be too careful with your company
I can feel the devil walking next to me*
*****
LOS ANGELES
Jondy zipped up her backpack and went to grab her jacket. She slid it on her body, grabbing her pack and her keys and heading out the door.
*If you'd accept surrender, I'll give up some more
Weren't you adored?
I cannot be without you, matter of fact
Ohh ohh ohhhhh, I'm on your back*
"Going somewhere girl?" Jondy's neighbor asked her.
Jondy wheeled her motorcycle out to the road "Takin' a little vacation Rodger" she turned to the man "watch my crib while I'm gone?"
"Sure" Rodger nodded
"There's a pack of cigarettes in my mail slot." Jondy mounted the bike "You can have it"
"Thanks Sam" Rodger responded watching her drive away
*If you walk out on me, I'm walking after you
If you walk out on me, I'm walking after you*
Another cycle pulled behind Jondy after she was on the road. The bike stayed a safe distance away from her, but watching her every move.
Zack pulled his hood over his head when Jondy turned to see who was behind her. She didn't notice him and sped up.
* Ohh ohh ohhhhh, I'm on your back
I'm on your back
Ohh ohh ohhhhh, I'm on your back*
*****
CHINA
Mei-Mei woke up on a cot. She grabbed her head and tried to sit up.
"You're awake" She looked and saw the same face that had jumped her. Only this time she could she that his eyes weren't mad. He looked about her age, maybe a few years younger, late twenties. He was dressed in a biker's outfit. A messenger biker. One who shuffled packages back and forth from Bangkok's busy business district.
"You were screaming too much" the man finally spoke to Mei-Mei "Cops would've come" he sat on another cot, drinking a Sprite from a can. He took a few sips and then offered it to her.
She took it eagerly from him. Her throat was like sandpaper. She drank almost all of it.
"So what's your name?" The man leaned back on his cot "And I don't mean that number they gave you."
Mei-Mei glowered at him. She still didn't know if she could trust him "What's yours?"
"Jon" he responded, "My parents were into being American"
"Betsy Ross, nice to meet you"
Jon didn't laugh "How far has lying ever got you?"
She stared him down then "It saved my life you prick"
Jon didn't acknowledge the 'prick' part of her statement "You're from the District Area aren't you?" he didn't wait for her to answer "I saw you there before when I was delivering my packages, from afar that is"
"Why are helping me?"
"Who says I am?" Jon's reply was harsh. He stared her down for a moment, but then "My sister was taken last year by those men. She turned up floating in the river. Apparently she screamed too much too" He pulled another soda can from under his blanket on the cot "Here" he threw it at her "I'm going for a smoke" he left the room.
Mei-Mei held the can, watching Jon leave. She did not know what to make of him. He could very well sell her off like she expected him too. He was still young, and young people liked money.
But in spite of that, and everything else that warned her that she might be floating in a river next, they didn't seem to be that different from each other.
*****
like I said I've had writers block up the yin yang, I finally got ideas for this so I sat down for about two hours and got them all here before I forgot.
Don't think that Jon will be like all the other men Mei-Mei has known, and will mess her up. But in the same sense he isn't her best buddy. Its just circumstance that brought them together. And that's what I'm trying to show.
Jondy is on her WAY to see Max, she'll get there in the next chapter. I just needed her reason and Cree's for going to Seattle. The stage is set now, so I can let it out in the next couple installments.
Songs used are:
Opening scene at Logan's penthouse- "In the End" (Linkin Park)
Ming and Cree leaving for the airport "Can't Hold Us Down" (Christina Agularia and Lil Kim)
Jondy leaving her apartment -"Walking After You" (Foo Fighters, from "The X Files: Fight the Future" soundtrack)
Mei-Mei running away in China - "One Night in Bangkok" (Head Murray)