Chapter 21: Love and Duty
Tala waited for the night to fall, crouching on the tree's branch like a predator waiting for his prey. When darkness finally covered the mansion with her heavenly cloak, Tala leaped from a tree to another inside the mansion's grounds. He knew well enough that there would be security measures. He put on a pair of danger-detector glasses and scanned the grounds. Red spots indicated the hidden alarms. One pace and they would alert the security. Tala let himself down and as swift as a wolf, he zigzagged through them.
He arrived before the mansion, lighted with warm red lights. Some rooms were still awake. Tala calculated the window to Lee Chow's study and fortunately, there was no sign of life. He climbed up the wall below the window and cut in the pane in order to enter. The room was dark. Tala took off his glasses and walked pass the desk. This seemed too easy.
Suddenly a cold metal touched the back of his neck.
Kenny was working in his study as usual when Emily entered. His fingers froze an inch from the keyboard.
"Kenny, these are the files Signor Tornatore wants you to class," she said, placing a heap of papers on his already-crowded desk. "Make it quick."
Kenny had lost his voice by her simple presence, but he managed a nod.
However when she was turning away, he plucked up all his courage and let out a squeak: "Emily?"
"Yes?" she inquired, staring at him through her bespectacled eyes.
Kenny closed his eyes, clenched his fists and stood up abruptly.
"Emily, baby, would you like to go out with me?" he blurted out so quickly that all Emily heard was: "Embywudulikagotwime?"
"I beg your pardon?"
Kenny was as redas ifhe was about to burst. He had no guts left to say the sentence all over again. Besides, he was feeling very ridiculed… But Emily, intelligent as she was, thought over the sentence Kenny was trying to formulate and a knowing smile appeared on her face.
"Alright, but only after the mission is over," she said and left briskly.
Kenny couldn't believe his ears! At last his dream was being fulfilled. The nerd let himself fall down in his chair, a weary smile on his face as if he had just won a race. The lessons had given fruit after all…
Max lowered the binoculars from his eyes. He and Mariam, dressed in their ninja uniforms, were lying on their stomach on the cold rooftop, spying on the building in front. Indeed, they had followed Johnny McGregor to a place where he seemed to be holding a meeting for his army. Ray Kon arrived shortly afterwards. Right now, they were talking over a map of the world.
Max rolled over and sat up straight. Since the beginning of the mission, Mariam hadn't spoken a word to him.
"Mariam," he called.
The dark-blue ninja didn't response.
He tucked her on the shoulder.
"What?" she turned angrily her head from what she was spying.
"Why are you angry with me?" Max asked.
The girl fixed him with a metal gaze.
"I don't think I did something wrong," Max protested. "I mean, you know how I feel, don't you?"
"Max, we're on a mission," Mariam cut icily.
Max caught her wrist and before she could pull it away, he imprisoned her in a passionate kiss.
Hope Enrique's right…, Max thought as he fought against the young girl's struggle.
Flashback-
"I think it's time to consult the living book of girls' flirting," Max said in a determined voice.
Kenny was looking hesitant but he nodded along with his friend.
Both of them went directly up to Enrique's room and knocked on the door.
"Chi è?" Enrique's voice resonated from behind the door like a divinity rising from his slumber.
But the door opened before they had time to answer. Enrique's handsome face appeared through the gap between the door and the wall.
"What do you want, mates?" Enrique asked when he recognized them.
He had an arm on the frame of the door, grinning down at the other two.
"Umm… we would like…" Kenny looked around his shoulders. "We would like to know about how to… attract… um… the opposite gender."
Enrique's grin widened.
"Come on in," he said conspicuously.
About an hour later, Enrique popped his head out of the door and scanned the area. He spotted Salima cleaning a tapestry.
"Hey, Sal! Come here a minute, will you?" he commanded.
"What is it, Enrique?" Salima inquired.
Without answering, he led her inside his bedroom where Max and Kenny were sitting in a line like students.
"Boys, I want you to train kissing on Salima," Enrique said gleefully.
"WHAT!" the others all yelled.
"Hey, I might be a maid but not a hooker," Salima said, placing a hand on her chest.
"Yeah, Salima's my friend. I can't kiss her," Max retorted.
Enrique shrugged.
"So who do you want? Vittoria? Giulia? I've got plenty more."
The boys shuddered at the mention of the Italian maids.
"Fine, fine. Is it okay with you, Salima?"
Salima looked at each boy.
"What is going on here? Why do you have to train kissing?" she asked.
"Because they both want to have girlfriends," Enrique answered in their place.
"No, we don't!" Kenny spluttered. "We're just… we have problems about expressing our feelings."
"So you've got to help us. Please," Max pleaded, looking up at Salima with puppy eyes.
"Umm…"
Sensing her weakening, Enrique added, "If you help us, we can help you find a boyfriend too."
Salima slapped Enrique but turned to the other two, "Alright. I suppose I can be useful for once."
Enrique smiled in spite of the red mark on his face.
"Max, you go first," he ordered.
"Why me?"
"Coz you're the more good-looking- no, I'm joking, Kenny! Just do it."
Max stood up and faced Salima. He stared at her for a while then shook his head.
"I can't do it," he said sadly. "It's like betraying Mariam."
"Don't be stupid," Enrique snapped his fingers. "Physical pleasuresand love are two different things. As long as you don't fall in love with Salima, you're not betraying your Mariam."
Max looked perplexed but turned back to Salima.
"I still can't do it. I'm not in the mood and well, it's not right."
"Do you want to masturbate before trying?" Enrique asked.
Salima gasped and Max flushed bright red.
"Alright, alright I'll do it now."
He continued to stare at Salima without being able to make a movement.
"Okay, take it this way," Enrique barged in between them. "Max, you look at her hair and describe them."
"I, what?"
"Just do it."
Max looked at Salima's hair and noticed for the first time how sleek and beautiful it was.
"Her hair seems like a bush of forest fire consuming my inner gaze," he said unconsciously.
"That means you have lovely hair," Enrique whispered to Salima and winked at her.
"To her eyes now," he said to Max.
Max noticed them for the first time as well.
"Like metal slates, they reflect what we feel inside," he said, "They seem to glower with some kind of enchantment, luring us in."
"Okay, now her lips."
"They resemble a God given fruit, waiting to be eaten…"
When he opened his eyes again, he had just kissed Salima. The girl was looking at him in an expression mixed with fear and appraisal.
"Oh, my God!" she exclaimed. "You're such a great kisser, Max!"
Max drew in a deep breathe, not believing it of himself.
Enrique clapped.
"Well done, mate. Now Mariam will surely fall for you," he tapped the other blond on the back, smiling gleefully.
End of Flashback-
Mariam stared at Max through her dark blue eyes without quivering.
"Mariam, I… I love you," Max said and when the words escaped his lips, he felt surer and surer of himself. "Since the first day I met you, among the pieces of the old motorcycle. You came to ask me to fix the microwave for Mrs. Something. Something about you told me that it's not the end of the world. You're the reason I'm living for, Mariam!"
Max found out that he was gripping her hands. Ashamed, he let go.
"But of course, if you don't love me back, I understand. I mean, I'm not a rich pretty boy like Enrique or anything…"
Before Max could continue, Mariam placed lightly a finger on his lips. Then she moved her head closer to him and blessed his lips with a sweet gentle kiss.
"I'm sorry, Max," she said when they parted at last. "I've been acting unreasonably these days."
Mariam looked down the floor, fearing to meet his crystal gaze.
"I guess you're right," Max laughed.
Mariam looked up immediately and pushed him hard but she was smiling. Suddenly the sound of a car starting broke the lovers from their bliss.
"Shit, the mission!"
The lamp on the desk was turned on and Tala saw in the glass pane of the wardrobe the reflection of a young girl with pink hair, holding a gun against his neck. Her golden eyes widened though, when she slowly recognized him.
"So, you're one of them," she said softly.
"Surprised?" he mocked.
"No, disappointed," the girl answered.
"Why?" Tala wanted to know.
"I thought that an intelligent-looking man like you should know better. I guess I was wrong."
"Maybe it's you who are on the wrong side," Tala replied.
"Lee is my brother. I'll stand by him till death," Mariah said coldly.
"Do you know at least what he does?"
"No, but I know what you guys do- what are you doing? Don't move or I'll shoot!" she threatened.
But Tala had already turned and touched gently the point of the gun.
"I always wonder if girls really know how to shoot," he said.
Mariah flushed with anger. Tala stared directly into her eyes and the iciness of the gaze hurt her.
"Freeze now!" she nearly yelled.
But Tala merely walked closer to her. His fingers were running across her bare arm that was trembling.
"I'll really shoot!" she warned him.
"I sense fear in your eyes. You'll neverget me," he said slowly making her lower the weapon. "Let me teach you how we fight fear…"
They were so close that Tala could smell her strawberry scent. Her lips were trembling like peaches ready to fall. He moved his head closer to her and could see her eyes filled with tears.
Suddenly someone knocked on the door. Mariah pushed Tala under the desk then called, "Enter."
"Mistress, I was looking everywhere for you. You shouldn't wander alone," Gary said.
"Don't worry, Gary. I'm nearly in the rank of master in kung fu," the girl replied, hiding the gun behind her back.
"What are you doing here all alone?" the bodyguard wondered.
"Oh, I'm trying to find some of my brother's files about his resort. Maybe I'll take a vacation there," she lied quickly. "Look, Gary, goand eat. I promise you that I'll go quietly to my room after having found those files."
The bodyguard seemed hesitant but to choose between duty and food, he chose food. So he left. Mariah breathed again then remembering the enemy under the desk, she took out the gun and pointed it at his nose.
"Come out, I'll give you over to my brother when he returns," she said. "For now, follow me."
Having nowhere else to hide him without being sure that he wouldn't escape, Mariah led Tala to her bedroom.
"I promise you that my brother will not spare spies like you," she snarled.
"Don't worry, princess, I'm sure you will help me," Tala replied calmly, eyeing the girl till she blushed.
"Mariah?"
The two teenagers turned to the door then Mariah pointed her wardrobe to Tala who went in to hide.
"Come in," Mariah called after hiding her gun under the pillows.
Ray walked in with a smile on his face.
"Guess what? We've caught one!"
Mariah's heart gave a start and she threw a worried glance over at the wardrobe.
"What do you mean?" she asked anxiously.
"One of Tornatore's ninjas filtrated into our resort, but most fortunately Boris had sent Dranzer on the track and he caught the ninja. The problem was both of them are in deep in the jungle so we'll have to wait till Dranzer take him out. Your brother Lee has already left for the island."
Mariah hiccupped.
"You mean, he's gone?"
"Yes and I'll be going too. We'll get information out from the ninja one way or another," Ray said excitedly.
"When… when is he coming back?"
Ray sensed worry in her voice. He tucked her hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead.
"Don't worry, love, we'll be back in three days."
In three days?
Ray pulled Mariah closer to him and locked his mouth on hers ina sign of farewell.
"I'll be back soon," he promised, then left.
Mariah let herself fall on the bed. She must keep Tala prisoner for three whole days before her brother returns? And who knows it might take longer.
Tala in the wardrobe had heard all the conversation and saw through the gap how Ray had kissed Mariah. He felt like an icy grip taking hold of his heart. If it wasn't for the reason he had left, Tala would have jumped out the wardrobe and strangled Ray to death.
