Chapter 15

The Lucky Dragon restaurant is easily located and appears to be a very popular place to eat. As Spencer, Samantha and Julie enter the building, they see that it is packed with people. Yet, despite the hustle of the waiters and staff they are quickly approached by a hostess. “May I help you?” she asks in English.

“We are looking for a man named Lau Chang,” Julie says quickly.

“I not know Lau Chang,” the hostess promptly replies. “Can I offer place to sit?”

“We were told to meet Mr. Chang here,” Julie persists. “Are you sure you’ve not heard of him?”

“Perhaps he not come in yet,” the hostess answers promptly again and offering an alternative. “You welcome to have seat and wait. Maybe you order some food while wait.”

Julie casts a questioning look back at Samantha and Spencer. The man simply shrugs and Samantha says, “May as well. I’m pretty hungry.”

“Very well, Julie says to the hostess after looking back at her.

The hostess begins leading the trio toward the back of the restaurant when Julie asks for them to be placed by a window. Once seats, Julie orders Jasmine Tea while they wait. Even though Samantha said she was hungry, none of them are even a bit famished.

“Let’s hope that dropping Lau’s name gets us somewhere,” Spencer mutters when the hostess leaves.

We’ll know soon enough,” Julie says, looking around the place. “This was the last place Sarai was supposed to have been.”

“If she was taken from here, it doesn’t look like a fight took place,” Samantha remarks.

“Are you saying that she may have gone involuntarily?” Julie asks, casting a stern look.

“No,” Samantha answers defensively. “All I’m saying is if she put up a fight, there should be some sign of damage. Or someone should have remembered something. This place shouldn’t be this packed right after something like that.”

“‘They could have remodeled,” Spencer offers. “Or maybe it’s a common thing here.”

“We are professionals, we don’t draw attention to ourselves unlike some agencies,” Julie spats venomously.

“Oh, so you think that just because no one has heard of you guys for however many damn year that you are all perfect?” Samantha fires back, her voice getting louder and threatening to break whatever peace the two women found between each other. “Let me tell you something...

“Whoa! Ladies, please,” Spencer says interrupting. “We’re on a mission, remember?”

Julie and Samantha look at one another. Each now has an expression of embarrassment on their faces.

“You’re right, Spence,” Samantha says apologetically.

“Yes, but we’ll finish this conversation after the mission,” Julie states, not will to back down from it.

By then their waitress appears with a tea kettle and four cups. She smiles and places the items on the table. “Mr. Chang will see you shortly.” And then without another word or explanation the waitress turns and leaves.

“Well, it looks like it may work in our favor after all,” Spencer says with a sigh.

“I’d like to believe that, but it looks like we have company,” Julie says, looking out the window.

Samantha and Spencer turn their attention in the direction that Julie is looking in. The street is beginning to line up with police cars.

“Coincidence?” Samantha asks rhetorically.

To answer her question, five Hong Kong SWAT vans pull up. SWAT and police begin exiting their vehicles, taking up defensive positions and drawing their weapons out. At once, they turn their guns in the direction of the restaurant. The trio inside know that it isn’t just pure coincidence.

“Maybe they are here for someone or something else,” Spencer provides an alternative, looking back behind them for an exit.

“You are surrounded,” the chief of police says over a bull horn. “Come out. Leave weapons at door and hold hands up. If you continue holding hostages, we use force.”

“Well, I think that answers the question,” Samantha says dryly.

Julie pulls her pistol out from her jacket, catching Spencer’s attention. The people inside the restaurant with them begin murmuring among themselves. None of them seem to be alarmed or in a sudden panic. In fact it is as if they are all in on it, like some kind of inside joke.

“What do you plan on doing?” he asks Julie.

“We’re going to fight our way out of here,” she answers like it should be something obvious to him.

“What happened to if we get caught the passports and papers will get us out of it?” Samantha asks.

“Look at them! They think we’re holding hostages,” Julie points out. “If they don’t already know, they will soon know that we aren’t Chinese. The papers and passports probably won’t hold up. If we’re lucky they’ll shoot us on site rather than charge us with espionage before hanging us.”

“What do you mean the papers and passports won’t hold up?” Samantha asks.

“Like I said, we’re limited on agents and we don’t have much in China,” Julie explains.

“You mean it may be a shit job?” the TDF agent asks, not believing what she is hearing.

“How can we be sure they’re here for us?” Spencer asks, ignoring the revelation and hoping for a different answer. Julie doesn’t answer this one. In fact, she is staring out the window blankly. “Julie?” he prods her. “Julie? What is it?”

The woman points out the window in the direction of the police chief. The man is currently arguing with another man dressed in a casual suit. The argument appears to be pretty heated, but after a few minutes it ends with the casually dressed man walking toward the entrance to the Lucky Dragon. “That’s Victor Lupescu. He’s supposed to be dead.”

“It’s been my experience that those that are supposed to be dead usually turns back up like a bad penny,” Spencer says sarcastically.

Julie snickers at the remark. “Regardless, he’s half the reason why we’re here,” she reminds him.

Victor walks through the door as if he owns the place. After the door closes behind him, he looks around searching until his eyes fall upon Julie. “Julie Branon,” he says with his arms spread out toward her. “It’s a good thing I got wind of this mess.”

“Why in the nine hells have you not checked in and let us know you were alive?” she asks angrily, walking over in his direction.

“Come now, we don’t have time to make discussion about it right now,” he says, grabbing her elbow and directing her to the back of the restaurant. “Your friends should come too,” he adds.

“Now just wait a damn minute,” she says, stopping and yanking her elbow away from him. “I want answers. I don’t give a fuck how much time we have.”

“Not now, Julie,” he warns. “I bought you five minutes. After that, SWAT is busting in here and anyone that is not Chinese is going to be dead.”

“If he’s right, we don’t have time for this,” Spencer says urgently. “He can give us all the answers we want when we get out of here.”

“Fine,” Julie growls. “But how do you plan to get us out of a surrounded building?”

“Easy,” Victor says smiling. “This restaurant has an underground passageway leading tot eh building right next door. I have a car waiting in the alley between it and the net building over.”

“I don’t see a problem,” Samantha says. “What are we waiting for?”

“Yes,” Julie agrees. “What are we waiting for?”

The group makes their escape through the passageway, leaving the police chief and his WAT team entering the restaurant empty handed. The car is waiting in the alley just as Victor promised. He also promised to answer any question any of them have as soon as they reach his hideout that he has been using for many months now.

“I know it looks expensive, but I assure you that I didn’t steal it,” he says as they drive through a set of massive gates wrapping around a large estate.

“I wouldn’t believe you if you told us you did,” Samantha comments. “Stealing something like this couldn’t possibly go unnoticed.”

“Well, here we are,” Victor announces, when they pull up tot eh front of the mansion. He completely ignores the comment, keeping his tone cheery.

Inside, Victor asks that they leave any and all weapons in the foyer, saying the owner dislikes weapons of any sort and it would be best to respect her wishes. The three agents are reluctant to relinquish what they carry, but they do need the help and some answers, so they comply. After setting the weapons aside, Victor becomes silent, leading the trio into a large room, sparsely furnished with a rather large fireplace. Julie tires of the stalling and makes her impatience well known. “Alright, Victor, it’s about time you give us the real story.”

“I would like to hear it as well,” a voice says from a connecting room. Stepping through the doorway is Talilith. She wears an outfit mimicking a corset, but with a more armored look to it.

“You son of a bitch,” Samantha growls at Victor.

“That he is,” Talilith agrees.

“Now we see the need for no weapons,” Julie murmurs.

“That joke about not killing anyone has to be a lie,” Spencer adds.

“I assure you that it wasn’t,” Victor contradicts. “This house is in fact owned by Talilith.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Julie barks out. “You betrayed us. You probably betrayed Sarai too.”

“No, you did that,” the man bites back, turning the accusation back.

“He betrayed us both,” the Goji says, stopping the bickering that is beginning to develop. She turns to Victor and says, “I told you to keep them away and out of China. Instead you bring them here to me?”

But Julie cuts right back in. She hasn’t gotten her say or her answers. She doesn’t even care if the enemy is standing just feet away from her. “You betrayed us, Victor,” she accuses. “You killed Sarai and betrayed us, for what? Money? Power?”

Victor’s face flashes anger, but just as quickly that drops and the man show his vulnerability to them. “After the Black List refused to send a team to find Sarai, I took it upon myself to find her. I followed her trail all the way to Lau Chang and the Lucky Dragon. And do you know what I found?” He stares at Julie as if expecting an answer, but not really. “Nothing. There was absolutely, fucking nothing. It was a fucking dead end. There is no Lau Chang and there wasn’t a sign of a fight or struggle at the restaurant. I haven’t even found her body. But I kept digging until I found Talilith. Through her I forged an alliance and through you I found my revenge.”

“Revenge against us,” Julie repeats.

“And his revenge against me,” the Goji adds.

Victor gives them all a toothy grin. “A pretty good plan too, I think.”

Talilith produces a pistol and without warning, aims it at Victor’s head and then pulls the trigger. His brains explode out the back of his head, scattering onto the wall behind him. “I expected something like this from him, though I admit I underestimated that his planning would go this far.” She frowns. “Damn, that’s going to be hard to clean up.”

“You fucking bitch,” Julie says lowly.