The Merger

Sixteen

The island, as it was commonly referred to, wasn't that far from the mainland. It was however far enough to mask whatever goings on there may be. Safe enough for would be thugs to hide their everyday evil plots and for real deal gangsters to prey upon unsuspecting idiot small-time crooks without being suspected or accused of any ill-intentioned schemes.

The compound itself consisted of four large *outer buildings *( buildings forming an outer circle), plus an inner circle with three smaller buildings. Most of these buildings were intact except for one large building which looked like it had barely survived a huge explosion. It was little more than a skeleton of rubble but clear target markings were visible everywhere on and around the building. Clearly this was where our crooks-in-training practiced their very sad shooting skills .

Just as the sun was peeking over the horizon, so did our little tugboat with its disguised captain, two seasick sailors and an undercover deckhand bringing up the rear. Our tugboat chugged along merrily, hiding of course the heart palpitating nerves and emotions stretched tightly.

Our four warriors, as they thought of themselves, had kept the intricacies of their masterplan a secret but as we well know, nothing stays completely hidden from those intent on exposing every action. The SWAT team had been ordered on standby and they needed to be told why. A small medical team were on call and they too needed to be briefed. Local police blocked the only road to and from the dock and yes, they received a briefing too. The intricacies of the plan may have been secret but somewhere someone was bound to draw some conclusion and realise that something was about to happen on this island.

It's no surprise then that snakeskin guy already knew that a rescue plan was in the works. He knew they were coming for Khaotung, he just didn't know why Khao was important, to anybody. Even so, he kept Khaotung alive, despite the many beatings Khao received, he was kept alive, to be used as a bargaining chip, should the need arise.

So today, instead of arriving in the evening as he usually did, today snakeskin guy came early. He had Khaotung moved to another part of the compound, just in case. Khaotung was now held in the middle building of the three buildings forming the inner circle. He was under heavy guard.

The other buildings were peppered with thugs ready to fight off whatever threat their master told them to. These thugs were well paid and they fought hard to earn that salary, even so, they were not a match for both Dao and First who were well trained and working in partnership since their early police days, First having left the force long ago.

First and Dao swept through the three large outer buildings. They chose to ignore the fourth as it was obviously empty and only used for target practice. It took some time to clear these buildings before they met up again and proceed to inspect the three buildings on the inner circle.

Both Khaotung's Mae and Maize were ordered to remain hidden on the tugboat. They were in radio contact with Dao and First, and were instructed to hightail it away from the island and call for help should First and Dao encounter any major issues. Both men radioed in frequently to keep the tugboat duo and also each other aware of where on the island they were and what was happening around them.

It was just about lunchtime now. Dao and First were preparing to enter the first of the three inner buildings. Snakeskin guy had become a little more relaxed as the morning wore on thinking there were no disturbances on the island and that no rescue was being attempted. By lunchtime however word spread among the crooks that something had been happening around the outer buildings. Snakeskin guy needed no more convincing that he had to act now to keep his freedom ( even though he didn't deserve to be free).

He ordered extra guards around the middle building, but secretly had Khaotung moved again. This time , thought Snakeskin, he would trap Khaotung on one of the tugboats in the makeshift harbour and threaten whoever approached him with a stick or two of dynamite. The plan was to float three boats, place the bait (Khaotung) on one of them and pack it full of explosives. Snakeskin laughed loudly to himself, clearly enjoying his own deviousness.

Dao and First each inspected one building on either side. Halfway through his inspection, as First glanced out a second floor window, he noticed once again a limp figure being carried or rather dragged between two ninja looking dudes. First had no trouble recognising Khao and he immediately radioed Dao.

First followed the two ninja thugs who were heading towards the tugboats. On the way there he was joined by Dao who urged First to please stick to the plan and not endanger himself or Khaotung. Maize was frantically signalling them on the radio as they too had noticed Khaotung being tied to the railings of another tugboat.

Both Dao and First were a too far away to stop Snakeskin from holding a clearly unconscious Khaotung's head underwater before yanking his body back by the hair and tying him to the railing of the tugboat.

Khaotung's mother couldn't keep her distance nor maintain her hidden position once she saw how her son was being treated. She immediately ran to intercept Snakeskin without a thought for her own safety. She screamed at Snakeskin, " I was the one who informed the police. I was the one who broke up your scheme. I was the one who testified against your father, the corrupt CEO and I was the one who got your brother arrested. Let Khaotung go and I will surrender myself to you !".

Unfortunately Khaotung's Mae forgot just how evil Snakeskin really were. Without taking a breath he burst into laughter, loud hideous laughter and raised the gun in his right hand. While laughing he aimed. First, Dao and Maize all realised what would happen next and believed against the laws of reality and physics that they could change the trajectory of that one bullet. They screamed as one .... A scream that echoed..... and echoed....

Maize, who was nearest, ran without thought to herself, but only a quick prayer for her son saying "I'm sorry if I don't make it home son, but I cannot let my only friend die in such a godforsaken place". No one knows whether she had tried to distract Snakeskin from firing a second shot at Khaotung's Mae or whether she tried to draw attention away from First and Dao who were now approaching Snakeskin from the rear.

Either way, it took only another second for Snakeskin to raise his weapon again and this time fire two shots in succession .....

The shots echoed like thunder across the quiet bay. First and Dao behind Snakeskin moving as if in slow motion. Khaotung's Mae sprawled across the deck of the tugboat, unmoving and Maize flying through the air backward with a expression of complete amazement on her face . Khaotung still unconscious, now tied to the railing of that same tugboat where his mother lay bleeding.....