A Dangerous Night Chapter 4

Chapter four:

The Price of Secrets are Taken in Payment

Fading golden rays filtered through thick fluffy clouds, illuminating the sky a pinky-orange color. Waves crashed along the sandy shore, bringing joy to little children. Women lay on beach towels struggling to catch the last few beams of sunlight in order to perfect their tans. Men, surf boards in hand, run into the surf like children in a candy shop, to ride the last few choice waves of the day.

Zeke watched this scene from his hotel window. He was lucky to have Damien was able to book him a suite at the South Beach Hotel. That night as he lay in bed Zeke let his mind wonder, leading him back to Alice. Tears ran freely now as he had kept them back all the way from Boston. He hadn’t had the time to be sad by her death and now seemed to be the perfect time. Silently he vowed to dismantle Fang to prevent them from hurting another person or tearing apart another family ever again.

Tomorrow he would be able to see his mother again, after eight years, thanks to an anonymous tip, scribbled onto hotel stationary, left in his hotel room. The tip told him to go to the Opium Garden night club. He knew it could be a trap laid out by Fang, but it was his only lead.

The amber sun sank down behind buildings painting the sky in brilliant colors. Zeke stood in front of the night club where his mother worked. He had spent all day preparing mentally for this moment. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly he entered the night club, paying the entrance fee.

Barley open there were only a few people there. He closed his eyes for a moment, opening them (his pupils slit) he stared at the small crowed unblinking. Closing and opening his eyes once again (his pupils back to normal) Zeke walked over to the stage where a middle aged women was dancing to exotic music he had never heard before.

Zeke watched the women before him. Her light brown hair was just starting to streak white and despite her age she danced like a pro. As Zeke caught her eyes the woman almost tripped over her own feet. She quickly finished up her routine and as she exited the stage the woman motioned for Zeke to follow her. The woman led Zeke into the back room and sat down on a stool that was there. She looked at him sternly.

“Zeke Anthony Young what on earth are you doing here?” she questioned seeing Zeke’s blood stained jeans. “And what happened to your knee?”

“I just-never mind my knee! I’m here to bring you back home, mom. Kaysis has been put into foster care, she’s sick and we need you to come!” Zeke explained briefly. He hoped beyond hope that she would listen to him. “Mom, I know about Fang and that you’re real name is Maria.”

Maria visibly paled. “I see. I’m sorry, Zeke honey, but I can’t go home. You, go back to your brother and sister. You’ll all be safe there in the fog. Kaysis is better off where she is.”

Zeke’s eyes narrowed. “I traveled all the way here after almost being killed twice, mother. A friend of both of ours was murdered because all I wanted to do was see you again.” Anger mixed with shock and/or disbelief ran through his body. “Mother I am not leaving without you.”

Maria was now shaking as she wrapped her arms around herself, tears trickled down her cheeks. “Zeke, I’m sorry…” her voice barley above a whisper. “…I never meant for my troubles to haunt you. I left in order to protect you and your siblings. I even split up my darling twins…and now Alice is dead…”

Zeke embraced his mother in a hug, though he was confused. “What do you mean twins? How did you know it was Alice?”

Maria looked up at her son. “Kaysis has a twin brother. Alice was the only one who knew.”

* * *

Ms. Marie stared down at her tea disapprovingly. She had stayed with Shang and Mai going on four weeks now and tensions were as high as ever.

“Is your tea alright?” Mai asked from across the living room sitting the couch. Mai had made tea before and it hadn’t been to Ms. Alexzandria’s standards.

“Yes, yes, the tea is wonderful Mai dear.” Ms. Alexzandria replied, a slight smile playing on her lips as she took another sip. “Shanghai, it’s not proper to stare at anyone.” Setting her tea cup down on the glass coffee table she continued. “Sit up straight Shanghai, don’t slouch. How am I ever going to find you a suitable girlfriend if you act like this?”

“Excuse me?!” Shang practically chocked on the soda he was drinking. He could believe what she had said. How old fashioned was this lady? “You think you stay here for a few weeks, order us around and all of a sudden you think you need to play matchmaker? I don’t think so, you delusional old hag. My love life is none of your concern.” Shang clenched his fist and glared a glare that could kill.

“Shanghai, stop yelling this instant. We are inside, not at a barbeque.” Ms. Alexzandria lectured. “As for the matter of finding you a suitable girlfriend, I am only doing what is best for you and your family.”

Mai grabbed her brother’s arm. “Shang…just stop, please? She was a friend of our parents.” She pleaded desperately to stop the arguing. These two hardly ever got along and it saddened Mai.

“No Mai,” Shang shook off her hand and stood up. “I don’t care if you’re a friend of our mother anymore. This is my house, my family and I am ordering you to leave my property.”

Ms. Alexzandria watched Shang with a grim expression. “I can’t do that Shanghai.” She produced a FBI badge from her dress pocket and laid it on the coffee table. “Sit down Shanghai.”

Seeing the badge, Shang quietly sank down into his seat.

“Shanghai, Mai, I am here to make sure your parents problems don’t hurt you…” Ms. Alexzandria explained briefly about their parents past, the shootings in Boston and that Kaysis had been placed with a FBI agent.

* * *

“I sorry about your toe, James,” Kaysis apologized for the millionth time. “I did give you fair warning I was a horrible ballroom dancer.” Kaysis sat on her bed that had been pushed against the wall so that she and James could practice dancing.

James smiled. “Look on the bright side Kaysis, you didn’t break it.” He sat in the computer chair holding a bag of ice to his big toe. “I don’t think you’re horrible at ballroom dancing, but I do think you’re only horrible because you keep telling your self that you’re horrible and you believe it.”

Kaysis blinked, she wasn’t expecting an answer like that. “Do you really think that James? Or are you just trying to make me feel better about crushing your toe?”

James sighed. “I believe it, because I can see you have potential.”

A blush crept onto Kaysis’s face. “Thanks,”

SMASH! CRASH!

“What was that?” Kaysis asked in a nervous whisper.

“I-I don’t know.” James whispered back stiffly removing the ice bag and setting it down n the computer desk. He stood and limped to the door, visibly shaking. “Stay here I’ll check it out.” The crashes and smashes continued as James left the room, leaving the door just slightly a jar. Cautiously he made his way down the hall. His heart was thumping loudly in his ears, as he turned the corner something grabbed his arm, covered his mouth as to muffle his screams and pulled him into the hall closet.

“James, calm down, it’s me. Mommy.” His mother whispered releasing him.

James stopped screaming and turned to look at his mother and grimaced. Mrs. Hawkings had blood splattered all over her clothes, her right eye was swollen shut, and her lip was split and bleeding and other injuries as well. “M-mom, what happened to you?” he could barley speak as he grew nauseous at the sight of so much blood.

Mrs. Hawkings smiled sadly at her son and brushed his blond hair from his eyes. “I need you to promise me that you’ll stay here hidden in the closet no matter what happens.” She looked at him desperately holding back tears. “Please James, promise me!”

James nodded. “I promise, but what about Kaysis?”

“I will get Kaysis, James. Don’t worry. Here.” She handed him her cell phone. “Call the police before it’s too late.” she hugged James tightly and kissed his forehead. “I love you.” Mrs. Hawkings excited the closet, closing the door behind her.

James dialed 911 as fast as he could, but had to hang up a couple times in his rush. A scream from his mother made him drop the phone as the 911 operator picked up. “Mom!” James screamed as he opened the closet door only to be pushed back in and the door locked with a chair. Frantically, James tried again and again to open the door to no avail. Finally he picked up the cell phone and spoke to the 911 operator. James didn’t know if Kaysis was alright or not and it left him with a helpless feeling he didn’t like at all.