Hibiscus (Yaoi)(BoyXBoy)

Chapter 21: Brittle

The road was a blur as Yuki struggled to keep awake. His hands felt cold and clammy from the heavy blood loss and a sheen of perspiration had formed over his pale skin. He shook his head and squinted his eyes, trying to keep focus on the road. The steering wheel was slippery under his clutch and there were a couple of times where he almost lost control of the vehicle.

Just a little more.

He was almost there. He was going to make it once he turned right along the lane. But his vision was failing him and the weakening of his body slowed his reaction.

There was a loud crash and all he remembered seeing were the tears that fell from his eyes. And then, oblivion.

Feifeng was getting restless as the seconds ticked by. There was still no sign of the escort in charge of bringing the assassin to the exchange. His bodyguards had not been able to get through to the escort team.

Just when the Chinese boss was about to make a personal attempt to reach them, the doors to his suite opened almost unceremoniously. The dark eyes that greeted his own were blank and hollow. It was a look that chilled him to the bone.

"Massaki." Feifeng curled the man's name around his like it was ice on his tongue.

"Where is he?" Massaki' s face was arrogant and unyielding as he demanded an answer from the Chinese man.

"Be patient. Why don't you show me that you have the documents before I hand him over to you?" Feifeng tried to buy time. But luck was not on his side.

"You let me see him and I'll decide if I want to hand it over to you." Massaki replied. "And I'm pretty sure you can't show him to be, because he isn't here. Where is he, Feifeng?"

Feifeng cussed silently and avoided Massaki's gaze. The silence was defeating.

"Where is he?" The crime lord was about to lose his cool.

"I-I don't know. The escort was supposed to have arrived half an hour ago but there's still no contact from them." Feifeng chewed on his lower lip like a child being scolded.

"Call them. Now." Massaki's voice was quiet but it had the intensity of thunder.

"You think I haven't tried?" Feifeng almost shouted. "I am as concerned about him as you are! I've already sent out a search party. All we can do is wait."

As if on cue, one of the Chinese men came rushing into the suite. He froze for a moment realising that the Japanese crime lord was present and looked at Feifeng in fear. Feifeng gave a slight nod in his direction and he bowed slightly in respect.

"I'm afraid I bring bad news. We found out that there were Russian henchmen killed along the highway here. Their car went missing and there's no sign of Master Yuki there. He might have taken their car." The messenger's voice shook from fear when he relayed the news.

"What was the car plate?" Massaki's asked curtly and the man jumped at the sound of his voice.

He gave the details to crime lord, eyes never leaving the ground.

"Kia." Was all Massaki had to say.

Kia nodded and dialled a couple of numbers on his cell. It took a couple of minutes and several arguments before he cut the line.

"He was in an accident. They have him in intensive care now."

The room went so silent that if a pin dropped, it would be deafening.

"Get the car." The two bosses commanded in unison as the men bolted out of the door in a flurry of limbs to carry out these orders.

When they entered the sterile double sliding doors of the hospital, everyone parted and made way for them. Here in Hong Kong, the triads especially Heilong, Feifeng's triad, were greatly feared.

"I want the best doctors working on him or I will demolish this hospital." Feifeng told the receptionist, his voice like ice.

The receptionist made a panicked phone call and directed them to the emergency room.

Massaki merely stood in the background like a thunderous rain cloud waiting to lash out at anyone who might cross his path.

They waited for hours silently outside the operation theatre for the light to go off. When it finally did, it was almost one in the morning. Both men stood up at the same time as the head surgeon greeted them.

"What's his condition like?" Feifeng demanded.

"He's stable for now but we will only know if he will be out of danger in forty-eight hours. Nothing is set in stone for the moment." The doctor replied calmly, unfazed by the authorities that stood before him. "He sustained a deep bullet wound and to add onto the heavy blood loss, he also sustained a pretty severe concussion."

There was a pause and the doctor could see everyone tense and brace themselves for what may come next.

"There is a chance he might suffer from amnesia."

"Is it permanent?" Massaki had finally spoken up.

"It could be." Was all the doctor said before returning to the surgery room and reappearing with Yuki and his crew as they wheeled him into an intensive care ward. "You can stay if you like, but I can only allow four of you. No more than that."

Feifeng nodded and gave his thanks to the doctor before dismissing his men, leaving only Kai with him and Kia with Massaki. The only thing that accompanied them through the night was the steady beep of Yuki's heart rate monitor and the mechanical sounds of his life support system.