Swamp Murder

Swamp Murder. 40

Wang's Pov.

"Which station is he going?" I ask, trying to keep my voice steady as I approach the officer standing by the car.

"You can drive behind us," he replies, his tone clipped but not unkind. Before I can respond, the driver slides into the car and starts the engine, quickly pulling out to follow the police convoy.

I watch them for a moment, my mind racing. Then, reaching into my pocket, I pull out my phone. My fingers tremble slightly as I turn it on, the screen lighting up with a flood of notifications. Thirty messages from Dre. My stomach twists as I tap the call button.

The line rings twice before he picks up, his voice strained, like he's been holding back tears. "What happened?" I ask, anxiety gnawing at me.

"You need to run," he says, frustration lacing his voice. "They're on their way for Zhan. You need to get out of there."

I swallow hard. "They arrested him already," I reply the words leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. The situation is spiraling out of control.

Dre's voice hisses through the phone. "I'll kill him. I swear, I'll kill him."

My heart pounds in my chest as I try to keep the conversation under control. "Kill who?" I ask, confused.

"My boyfriend," Dre snarls. "I went through his phone early this morning to see who he was fucking because he's a chronic cheat but I found something else. A group chat. He, Black, Lusi, and Meng. They were talking about where you guys were going." His voice cracks as he continues, "I've been calling you for hours, trying to warn you. I'm so sorry."

I feel the floor beneath me shift, a wave of anger and betrayal crashing over me. The call my mom had made earlier, the one I thought was so ordinary, it wasn't. Dre's words echo in my head, and I can feel the weight of it all sinking in.

"Did he know you went through his phone?" I ask.

"No," Dre replies.

"Good. Don't let him know, I'll call you back," I say quickly, ending the call before I lose my nerve.

I sit there for a second, the world feeling like it's closing in. The police car is already a blur in the distance, and I can feel the panic rising in my chest. What had Zhan been thinking? What had they been planning? How deep did this go?

I pull out of my thoughts as I dial my brother's number, the urgency in my fingers matching the wild beat of my heart. It rings twice before he picks it up.

"What's going on?" he asks, his voice calm but laced with concern.

"Zhan's been arrested," I say, keeping my voice low but firm.

His silence stretches out, but I can hear him moving in the background. Where are you? He asks

"Following the police to the station," I reply, my grip on the phone tightening.

"On what charges?"

"Rape and murder," I say through clenched teeth.

He curses under his breath. "That's bullshit. Who's behind this?"

"Dre found out. His boyfriends, Black, Lusi, and Meng set this up. Lusi knew where we were going before we even left," I spit out, fury making my head pound.

A tense silence stretches between us before he speaks again. "Listen to me. I don't know who the fuck they are but if Lusi is involved. You need a lawyer, and you need one now. This isn't some small accusation, Lusi wants to teach you a lesson."