(un)forgettable

16 Everything you ever wanted

Ton

"Huge news!" Ton tells to the voice mail. "You gonna shit yourself when you hear it. Call me ASAP."

He's standing in the crowd in front of the main gates of Boss's house. Another police car just arrived, raising the total number up to four. "Move away!" a cop shouts. "Clear the crime scene! Don't disrupt ongoing police investigation."

"I've heard there was a massacre," a woman in a bucket hat tells her friend. "Blood everywhere."

"Umm," her friend nods. "I've heard an officer had mentioned bloody rivers flowing down the stairs. Imagine."

"I think, it was one of his illegitimate sons. He was crossed out of Khun Phanthana's will and got his revenge."

"Really? I don't know. I believe it was a gang war."

Another woman in front turns to them. "Nonsense," she huffs. "He was shot dead by his jealous lover. Fact."

Logically, Ton understands that they can't possibly know more than him, but their versions of the event are as good as his. The fact is – the boss and members of his close circle are killed. The rest is a guessing game. Even his dad knew nothing, and he was the boss's right-hand man. Though, he's in Vietnam right now. Probably for the best. Maybe he should stay there for a while.

"And what are we supposed to do now?" Ting asks. She's clearly annoyed, she just became a Kite a month ago. And now, it's over. No gang. No missions.

"Hide," Bank says. "We should all lie low for a while."

Where the fuck is Luc? Why he's not picking up?

Luc

When I open my eyes, I see a dark wooden ceiling. The air smells like tobacco and century-old dust.

This is not my lousy room, nor it is Mark's family home or Ton's condo. And this is definitely not Fort's mansion.

This is not a lab as well.

Which is good but somehow not very comforting.

I'm lying on a double bed with a dark green bed cover and lumpy pillows. It's okay. It's better than my own bed. But again, not comforting.

I vaguely remember someone holding me by my neck before I passed out. I still feel woozy and a bit sick.

I don't want to look around. I don't care where I am. It doesn't matter.

I don't have my power.

I'm helpless.

I'm lost.

I can't escape.

I close my eyes and force myself to fall asleep.

When I wake up again, I'm not alone in the room.

"Come on, nong Luc," someone says. "Rise and shine. Unless you want my boys to help you."

I sit up. The bed creaks under me.

My throat is aching, my eyelids are heavy and the headache is killing me.

Three men are looking at me. One, dressed as a cop, sits in a chair, smoking. He was the one who talked just now. Is he going to a boring costume party or is he a real cop?

Then there is a man standing by the door, all in black, with a gun on his belt. And then the guy from the market and warehouse, I recognize him this time. Though, the guy doesn't recognize me. My guess is, he told his boss about me. Apparently, he wasn't trying to recruit me for himself.

"Let's cut formalities," the cop says. "I want you to work for me." I let out a tired laugh. "Unlike your previous boss, I do know about your powers, my dear. Don't try to hide it. I've been watching you."

I want to note that he didn't watch closely enough because he obviously missed the important part. But I press my lips tight and stare at the wall in front of me. It's kind of dusty beige with cracks and dirty spots. I'm surprised I'm still not freaking out. Like I'm emotionally drained and can't bring myself to care anymore.

The cop sighs and stubs out his cigarette in the ashtray on the bedside table. "You are not a hostage here. You are my guest. You can leave anytime. But first I want to make an offer you wouldn't want to refuse." He snaps his fingers and the market guy shoves me an envelope. I don't move, and it falls onto my lap.

"Open it," the man in police uniform says. I glance at him and lazily shake my head. "Trust me, you are going to love it." He smiles like a villain executing his evil plan of killing a superhero or destroying humanity.

Curiosity 1; Luc 0. I take the fucking envelope and peer inside.

There are photos. I take them out.

The boss. Lying on the floor. A bullet wound in his forehead and a red string of blood streams down his eye onto the carpet. "What the fuck."

"Oh, you finally found your voice!" the cop claps his hands. "I wonder what you'll say about the next pics."

There are a couple more photos of dead gang members. I knew them. I saw them on missions or around the boss. I talked to the guy lying on the porch in a puddle of blood.

And then there's Fort.

In the last photo, Fort is exiting Boss's house. Looking all smart in a black suit, like he's there to do business. My heart gets caught in my throat.

"I bet you didn't know about that visit, did you?" the cop says, smug and excited. "The story goes, a nobleman kills a mafia boss to free his lover from slavery! Oh, the press will love it! Just imagine all the fanfiction! You'll be a star, my boy. They'll turn it into a series. But, unfortunately – and my heart can barely handle it – your honorable hero won't be here to enjoy it. So sad, he'll spend his lifetime behind bars." He makes a sad face and sighs. "Your call, my dear. Whether you walk away from here free and push your loved one under the bus, or you work for me, with financial rewards, of course, and get your happily ever after with your rich and handsome prince."

My head is heavy and dizzy. I can't breathe, like a fish thrown out on the shore. The world has tilted and all the Earth's oxygen has poured out of the atmosphere.

Fort couldn't.

No one would ever believe in this story.

Fort is loaded – he'll get the best advocate.

What was he doing there?

Is it photoshopped? It is. Definitely, a photoshop.

Fort would never.

"No one will ever believe in your stupid story," I say, voice small, breathless.

"I'm a very respectable Police General with more than twenty years of experience. I'm well-known all around the county. Don't you worry, my dear, I can find all the needed evidence against your boyfriend. I also can help him and make these pictures disappear. It's up to you."

I feel like I got punched in the chest. I drop the photos and watch them slide down my lap and slowly fall onto the floor. Everything feels like it's in slow motion.

"Look, kid. Your ex-boss was an idiot. Good riddance. He was so blind he didn't see the treasure hiding in plain sight right under his nose. I offer you a fair partnership. Just imagine what we can achieve with your ability and my position. With me on your side, you can get everything you've ever wished for and more. Money, power, luxurious apartments in the city center, designer clothes, sports cars, boys. A-NY-THING." General rests his hands on his knees and looks at me, waiting for my reaction. I don't give him the satisfaction, I drop my gaze to the floor. The photograph with Fort is looking right back at me, taunting me, making me question my every belief. General gets up and steps closer to the bed. "I'll give you five hours to think. 'Till the sunrise. Then, you are free to leave or stay."